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 Futuristic buzzwords illustrate China's vision for people's wellbeing Xinhua) 08:09, March 10, 2025 BEIJING, March 9 (Xinhua) -- China's government work report this year features new entries like "embodied AI" and "6G," as well as recent buzzwords such as "AI Plus," sparking discussions on how these cutting-edge technologies will shape the country's future development. The report, which charts China's course for 2025 and beyond, was submitted on Wednesday to the annual session of the national legislature for deliberation. What do these new technological terms mean in practice? The answer extends beyond China's labs and factories to hospitals, nursing homes and schools, where innovations are rapidly being applied to enhance people's well-being. The following are explanations about some of these concepts, their current applications in China, and the exciting possibilities they hold for the foreseeable future. EMBODIED AI "Embodied AI" is among the "industries of the future" that this year's government work report has pledged to support. Experts define "embodied AI" as artificial intelligence equipped with a physical body, which allows it to better interact with the surroundings, often through sensors and robotic arms. It differs from AI systems that purely rely on data input and output, such as the chatbots on smartphones. A typical example of "embodied AI" is intelligent humanoid robots, which are expected to replace humans in arduous and perilous tasks, and address the scarcity of workers in certain fields. Researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University have developed a six-legged robotic dog to assist the visually impaired, addressing the shortage of guide dogs. Unlike real guide dogs, these robots can recognize traffic light signals, enhancing mobility and safety for users. Experts believe a number of humanoid robot models will enter mass production this year in China, marking a significant milestone in the application of AI technology. AI PLUS Other forms of AI will also receive more attention, as the government work report highlights China's commitment to advancing its AI Plus (AI+) Initiative this year. The country aims to promote AI's deep integration into various sectors, including urban management, medical service and education in addition to manufacturing. The "AI plus healthcare" is such a sector where AI technology is applied to improve accuracy and ease the burden on medical professionals. Many hospitals now use AI to analyze CT scan images and generate reports for doctors to review. In February, China's first "AI pediatrician" began working at Beijing Children's Hospital. Powered by a large AI model, the system is trained on decades of medical records and expertise from over 300 leading pediatricians. It simulates human clinical reasoning to diagnose and treat rare pediatric diseases. Epidemiologist Zhang Wenhong, a national political advisor, suggested that grassroots clinics increase their investment in AI to expand healthcare access and help bridge the expertise gap, particularly in regions with a shortage of professionals. 6G For the first time, 6G technology was featured in the government work report this year, listed as one of the future industries China aims to foster. The sixth generation of mobile communication technology represents the evolution beyond 5G, with most performance metrics expected to improve by 10 to 100 times. It is currently in the phase of standard research and formulation. Industry insiders believe that 6G will not only involve more advanced wireless communication technologies but also deeply integrate cutting-edge innovations such as AI, cloud computing and edge computing. Since the beginning of this year, several Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, have proposed initiatives to accelerate the development of the 6G industry. While the era of 6G has not yet begun, the widespread adoption of 5G has already provided a glimpse into a promising future. With a lag time of less than a tenth of a second, 5G enables the remote operation of complex surgeries in regions facing a shortage of medical professionals. In July last year, medical experts in east China's Shanghai worked with surgeons in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to successfully complete a lung tumor surgery for a middle-aged patient from Kashgar. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Flash People wait to receive food relief during Ramadan in Gaza City, on March 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] Hamas on Sunday reiterated the need to start the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire negotiations and allow relief supplies to enter Gaza. A delegation from the Hamas leadership met with the Egyptian side in Cairo, where issues were discussed "in a positive and responsible spirit," especially the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and the exchange of prisoners in various stages, Hamas said in a statement. The delegation stressed the need to adhere to the terms of the agreement and called for an immediate start of the second phase of negotiations, the reopening of border crossings, and the unrestricted entry of aid into Gaza, the statement said. A three-phase Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, took effect on Jan. 19. However, negotiations for the second phase remain stalled after the initial 42-day phase expired on March 1. Egypt has intensified diplomatic efforts to achieve a lasting ceasefire and advance Gaza's reconstruction. On Tuesday, Egypt hosted an emergency Arab summit and proposed a 53-billion-U.S.-dollar reconstruction plan for Gaza without displacing its residents. In early March, Israel announced a decision to "prevent any entry of goods and supplies into Gaza" to pressure Hamas into accepting an extension of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement reached in January. In 2002 when Russian Ark was released as a 96 minute continuous shot feature film, audiences were spellbound by the mechanics as much as the drama. It wasnt the first, but it certainly succeeded in execution. More than a few have followed including 1917, Birdman, and Boiling Point (although not all are actual single takes, so much as edited to appear as such). Boiling Point director Philip Barantini, who helmed two of the series episodes, returns with a new work, Adolescence for Netflix. The 4 part crime series is the creation of actor / writer Stephen Graham (This is England, Boardwalk Empire, Time, Peaky Blinders) and writer Jack Thorne (His Dark Materials, Skins, Shameless). Each of the 460 min episodes is filmed as a single, continuous shot, making for incredible logistics, rehearsal, planning, and acting chops. It does not disappoint. Graham plays Eddie Miller, labourer father of Jamie (Owen Cooper), a 13 year old boy who is arrested for the murder of a classmate. From the moment the family household is subjected to a dawn raid led by DI Luke Bascombe (Ashley Walters) and DS Misha Frank (Faye Marsay), the audience is thrust into a 24-style saga. This means the camera never cuts away from the action, whether travelling in a vehicle from home to police station, or tracking from room to room at police station or school. So clinical is the arrest that the family isnt even privy to the details of the grim murder until well into the episode, with Jamie protesting his innocence and dad Eddie struggling to comprehend whats happening. Working class mum Manda (Christine Tremarco) is equally at a loss as to the severity of the situation. You see it on the telly all the time. Its a mistake, she insists. There are lawyers, nurses, appropriate adults, police, all processing facts, photos, swabs, blood samples, searches, fingrprints, whilst Thorne & Grahams script leaves you constantly questioning guilt and innocence. As a father struggling with the system, Eddie even feels like he isnt caring for his son in a system that overwhelms him. I havent got a clue what Im doing here. hes a good kid, Im a good dad, says Eddie. In episode two the action swings to Jamies school as Bascombe and Frank search for information. Once again the camera follows their every move (at one point even becoming an aerial drone shot!). Its also the school where Bascombes own son attends, giving added emotional weight to his investigation of Jamies classmates. Episode three is a powerful interrogation room scene between Jamie and psychologist Briony Ariston (Erin Doherty). Here to write an assessment, Briony sits face to face with Jamie in some of the dramas most compelling exchanges. If you saw Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, and were gobsmacked by a single take episode with actor Cooper Koch, now try imagining the same with a 14 year old actor. I can only assume young Owen Cooper has a wealth of theatrical experience to have memorised roughly an hour of dialogue to perform alongside Erin Doherty. Both deliver an acting masterclass. I wont spoil the final episode, again filmed as a single take, but there are compelling performances, confronting themes and heartbreaking drama. What the series says of society, the family unit, masculinity and morality will leave you squirming on your couch. I binged my way through all 4 episodes, -a special nod to cinematographer Matt Lewis for his choreography- the brilliant equally fascinated by the execution as much as the story and performances from a top-shelf ensemble. Dont miss it. Adolescence screens Thursday March 13 on Netflix. Australian actors made unexpected appearances in The White Lotus this week. Appearing in S3E4, mostly as chilled (or bogan) Aussies holidaying in Thailand, were Rob Carlton (Boy Swallows Universe, C*A*U*G*H*T*, North Shore, Last King of the Cross, Black Snow, Paper Giants: Magazine Wars), Liddy Clark (Tangle, Wentworth, Fire, Prisoner, A Country Practice, The Flying Doctors) and Wendy Strehlow (Hardball, Hyde & Seek, Here Come the Habibs!, A Country Practice). Carlton described the role as a dream gig, spending 3 weeks in Phuket, working alongside Parker Posey and Jason Isaacs, with tight security meaning he only read the scenes he was in. He landed the role after sending a self-tape to producers, insisting, Nobody does suspicious Aussie blokes better then me! Seems The White Lotus team agreed. The White Lotus is now screening on Showcase and Binge. Few topics have provoked more emotional fervor than the role of Christians in politics. I suppose our American cultural and political moment are the right weather conditions for this sort of stormy debate, but those who know the least bit of history will realize that the relationship between religion and politics is not a new discussion at all. And yet, the phrase Christian Nationalism has become something of a lightning rod. As we might expect, non-Christians are passionately against Christian Nationalism. Politicians, pundits and nearly all of the mainstream press seem to think Christian Nationalism would mean a return to witch trials and inquisitions. It is hard to take these people seriously, however, when they accuse Christians everywhere of malice just for saying that Jesus is King. A significant number of Christians aggressively denounce Christian Nationalism too. Some Christian academics, pastors and influencers argue it is un-Christian. They point to various Bible verses that seem (at first glance) to oppose a Christian interest in building or maintaining a worldly kingdom of any kind. Their arguments sound an echo of 16th-century Anabaptists, who often refused citizenship under any magistrate, who almost universally denied that Christians could serve in the military or politics, and who sometimes wholly rejected societal structures by forming their own compounds away from the world. These might be the logical conclusions of their arguments, but I dont hear any Christians in America planning to renounce their citizenship. Yes, the noise is quite loud against Christian Nationalism. I hear yelps and scolds from friend and foe. Still, a growing number of Christians are advocating for it. One problem with the label is that there are so many definitions for Christian Nationalism. Divergent camps of often divide along denominational lines Roman Catholics, Presbyterians, Baptists, and other traditions have all marked out their positions. And even within these broader camps, there are divisions and distinctions. It is confusing to say the least. I confess I am not sure what to make of it all, and I am a vocational pastor with a lengthy and expensive education. But I do think many Christians can agree with some aspects of what often flies under the banner of Christian Nationalism. Are you a Christian Nationalist? I say, that depends. If Im being asked whether I want the federal government to establish a national church or denomination, then the answer is no. If Im being asked whether I want non-Christians to be compelled by the state to affirm a Christian creed, then the answer is no. But if Im being asked whether I want city, state and federal laws to reflect the ethical standards of the Bible, then I unapologetically answer yes. Id like to see more Christians appointed and elected to political offices. Id like to see more Christians appointed and elected to judicial seats across the nation. Id like to see more Christians researching, writing and advocating for policies and laws at every level that align with biblical principles and ethics. In general, I want American society to become more Christianized, and I want Christians in America to live according to biblical principles and urge others to do the same. Surely, most every Christian can join me in these desires. DALLAS Amid the outbreak of measles in West Texas, theres a question of how contagious the disease is and whether it will spread. So far, about 200 cases have been reported from the outbreak; one confirmed case in Rockwall County was believed to be unrelated. Public health officials have told The Dallas Morning News that the spread of measles will largely come down to how far the virus circulates such as if and where an infectious person travels and the rates of vaccination within a community. To understand more about the contagiousness of the disease, its key to unpack why the measles virus is so transmissible and how critical vaccination is in preventing its spread. What kind of virus is measles? Measles belongs to a family of viruses called paramyxoviruses, which include over 75 other viruses that infect humans and animals. These infectious microbes include mumps one of the viruses targeted in the MMR vaccine alongside measles and respiratory syncytial virus, a common, contagious illness that causes cold-like symptoms. Structurally, measles looks a lot like a coronavirus, its built of similar parts, said Benjamin Neuman, chief virologist for the Texas A&M Global Health Research Complex. So instead of a spiky round ball, youve got more of a long snake and its covered in the same sorts of little bumps. Using these little bumps, called fusion proteins, measles enters white blood cells and makes copies of itself. As the white blood cells travel throughout the body, they inadvertently spread the viral particles to organs such as the lungs, liver and, in rare cases, the brain. Whats particularly bad about the measles virus is that it damages or destroys a lot of our immune cells that maintain our immune memory, said Scott C. Weaver, director of the University of Texas Medical Branchs Institute for Human Infections and Immunity. Forgetting all the pathogens a body has encountered is called immune amnesia. This process has been studied in infected rhesus macaque monkeys that had measles replace all normal immune memory cells with those that only recognize it. Other studies found measles reduces an unvaccinated childs antibodies that recognize other viruses and bacteria by anywhere from 11% to 73%. Some statistical models found it could take two to three years after a measles infection to restore protective immune memory, putting a child (or unvaccinated adult) at risk for other viral infections or diseases they may have recovered from before. What makes measles so transmissible? Weakening the immune system is just part of measles contagion playbook. The virus can spread with remarkable efficiency when viral particles in an infected persons nose and throat mucus become airborne through a cough, sneeze or even breathing. These viral particles can linger in the air for up to two hours, said Dr. Minji Kang, an assistant professor and infectious disease specialist at UT Southwestern Medical Center. To describe how easily an infection like measles can jump from person to person, epidemiologists use a term called the basic reproductive number, or R0 (pronounced R naught), said Diana Cervantes, an associate professor of population and community health at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. It represents the average number of people an infected person can spread the disease to, assuming theres no immunity to the disease in a community or population. While R0 isnt an innate biological characteristic of a pathogen it can change depending on a number of factors typically the higher the R0, the more contagious an infectious disease is. For measles, one infected person can spread the virus to anywhere from 12 to 18 unvaccinated people, said Cervantes. This makes measles more transmissible than influenza and COVID-19, said Weaver of UTMB. Some estimates put the R0 between 1 and 2 for influenza and between 1.4 to 2.5 for COVID-19, as estimated initially by the World Health Organization. Some later studies, however, have suggested COVID-19s R0 could be as high as 7. Cervantes said factors that affect R0 include duration (or how long youre exposed to an infectious person); opportunities for transmission (for example, if youre interacting with one or more people); the probability of transmission for each opportunity; and a persons underlying susceptibility to infection. This is why vaccination is crucial to curbing the spread of measles: by creating a firewall of immunity, the virus is largely barred from infecting someone even if they were exposed, effectively lowering measles R0. If theres a measles case introduced and everyone is vaccinated or theres a high vaccine rate, youre going to see a smaller R0, Cervantes said. The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is over 95% effective in preventing infection, and prevents the spread of the virus when more than 95% of people in a community are vaccinated whats known as herd immunity. Fortunately, the vaccine for measles is a better vaccine than the influenza vaccines, Weaver said. The measles virus itself doesnt change very fast over time, unlike influenza and coronaviruses. We dont have to constantly make new forms of the vaccine to keep up with the virus evolution. Public health officials such as Dr. Philip Huang, health authority for the Dallas County Health and Human Services, are recommending Dallas-Fort Worth residents get vaccinated if they havent already. Its a real easy solution, said Huang. If people just [check] their vaccine records and get up to date on the recommended vaccines, thats all people need to do. WASHINGTON Lawsuits seeking billions of dollars from Texas-based Exxon Mobil, Chevron and other large oil companies can move forward after the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday denied to hear a request by a coalition of 19 Republican states to block the litigation. States led by Democrats, including California and New Jersey, are claiming the companies sold products that drove up carbon dioxide emissions, despite warnings from scientists that began in the 1950s and were later confirmed by their own research. The ruling marked another setback for the oil sector and its Republican allies in their longstanding efforts to block the litigation, which argues companies should pay billions of dollars in damages to states impacted by climate change and move to dramatically reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. This desperate sideshow was just another attempt to bail out Big Oil from standing trial for their climate lies, Richard Wiles, president of the Center for Climate Integrity, said in a statement. Now these states can continue advancing their efforts to present the evidence of Big Oils climate deception in court and hold these companies accountable. A spokesman for the American Petroleum Institute, the industrys largest lobbying group, called the climate lawsuits nothing more than a distraction from important issues and waste of taxpayer resources. Were disappointed that the Supreme Court has declined recent opportunities to provide clarity on the important legal issues raised in these cases. But ultimately, climate policy is an issue for Congress to debate, not the court system, he said. Exxon and Chevron did not respond to a request for comment. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented from the ruling, arguing the court had wrongly rejected hearing a lawsuit, involving nearly half the States in the nation, which alleges serious constitutional violations. In January, the Supreme Court denied a similar request for a hearing by oil companies seeking to block climate litigation brought by the city of Honolulu. Texas was among the 16 states that filed a brief in support of the oil sector, arguing the lawsuit threatened to imperil access to affordable energy and inculpate every State and every person on the planet. HA NOI The draft amendment to a decree concerning the production, especially for the food industry, adds many administrative procedures, causing difficulties for businesses, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP). VASEP has recently sent a document to the Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long and ministries and agencies to comment on the draft amending Decree 15/2018/N-CP, which details the implementation of some articles of the Law on Food Safety. VASEP said that the draft decree creates new bottlenecks, causing difficulties for businesses while not providing more effective solutions to ensure food safety for people. According to VASEP, the draft adds many requirements and regulations to all three groups of administrative procedures, including self-declaration, registering the announcement and re-registering the proclamation, which contains many unreasonable regulations inconsistent with international practices. Meanwhile, many additional requirements in the draft procedures have nothing to do with food safety. VASEP said that with the self-declaration procedure, the time needed for administration and documentations can cause business delays of at least three months and losses of trillions of ong yearly. With the procedure for registering a declaration, the increased number of documents can also cost hundreds of billions of ong each year and the number of additional days of implementation cannot be determined. In addition, the transitional regulations require that registered products that are normally circulating on the market must also have additional records, increasing administrative procedures and causing costs in time and money for businesses. VASEP estimates that about 460,600 products must be self-declared and more than 69,400 products must be re-registered (based on the number of products in 2022). VASEP proposed that the Ministry of Health and the drafting committee study and remove unreasonable regulations, add appropriate management measures to ensure the new decree will not create bottlenecks for production and business and ensure food safety for the people as well as improve management efficiency. Enterprises worry stricter regulations may have consequences Commenting on the supplements to some articles of the Law on Product and Goods Quality drafted by the Ministry of Science and Technology, deputy director of the foreign affairs department of Canon Vietnam ao Thi Thu Huyen said it may cause difficulties for businesses. Regarding regulations on goods produced and circulated domestically, according to Huyen, the current regulations are much stricter than those applied in the most advanced countries in the world, but the draft law is even stricter. For example, under the current regulations, applying traceability codes and electronic labels are not mandatory, but the draft makes them mandatory. According to Huyen, implementing additional registration procedures to meet regulations (such as traceability codes and electronic labels) will mean difficulties for businesses, who will need more resources both in terms of staff and time, which in turn will lead to price increase. Therefore, the Canon Vietnam foreign affairs deputy director recommended that the draft should be amended, so that existing administrative procedures were reduced in line with those in advanced countries such as Japan, Korea, Europe and the US. Instead, the inspection of goods circulating in the market should be increased. A representative of WinCommerce General Commercial Services Joint Stock Company also expressed concern about the draft, adding requirements on traceability of products and goods, product tracing and location tracing. According to the retailer, with major challenges in deploying technology, increased investment costs will create financial pressure and affect the competitiveness of businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises. This also leads to the inevitable consequence of increasing product prices, directly affecting the purchasing power of domestic consumers. In addition, according to WinCommerce's representative, detailing traceability, including detailed information on storage and transportation facilities, for example, will also create difficulties when labeling goods. Therefore, WinCommerce recommends that State agencies apply rules according to a roadmap, fitted to the business reality, as well as provide detailed instructions for businesses so that costs incurred can be minimised and the processes carried out efficiently. VNS JAKARTA General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam affirmed that Viet Nam will create favourable conditions in investment and business activities for Indonesian enterprises. His remarks came at a business dialogue themed 'A Partnership for Progress and Prosperity' in Jakarta on March 10 as part of his State visit to Indonesia and official visit to the ASEAN Secretariat there. Jointly organised by the Vietnamese Ministry of Finance, the Viet Nam Embassy in Indonesia, the Indonesia-Viet Nam Friendship Association, and Ciputra Group, the event saw the participation of senior officials and representatives of businesses and agencies from both nations. The meeting highlighted the economic cooperation achievements, investment opportunities, and the strategic partnership between Viet Nam and Indonesia in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), the digital economy, green energy, electric vehicles and the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). Delegates also explored cooperation in food security, the Halal industry, education and maritime collaboration, reflecting the deepening ties between the two countries. They reaffirmed both nations' commitment to promoting sustainable growth, innovation and regional cooperation, laying a foundation for a stronger future. In his speech, General Secretary To Lam highlighted that after nearly four decades of reform and integration, Viet Nam had had remarkable transformation from an underdeveloped country to one with stable and growing economy. Viet Nam remained a favoured destination for investors and international tourists, he said. He credited the Communist Party of Viet Nams leadership, the support of the people and the cooperation of international partners - including Indonesian businesses and government - as key factors in this success. There remains huge room for stronger cooperation between the two countries, driven by their intrinsic strengths and the momentum of their strategic partnership, according to the Party leader. This will enhance mutual consensus and facilitate the mobilisation of resources for important collaborative programmes and initiatives that benefit both sides. The General Secretary expressed his hope that Indonesian businesses would continue to grow to become one of the largest investors in Viet Nam. He encouraged them to leverage their strengths and seize investment and business opportunities. To achieve those goals, Lam urged both governments and their relevant agencies to provide support for investors and address challenges in the business environment, with a focus on transparency and openness. He called on the Indonesian government to encourage Indonesian businesses to increase their investments in Viet Nam while creating conditions and continuing to support Vietnamese investors in expanding their investment and business activities, especially in projects relating to science, technology and innovation. Both countries' business organisations and associations were expected to continue to serve as important bridges connecting business communities with the relevant authorities of both sides. Investors from both countries would explore and expand investment in such sectors as science, technology, innovation, research and development, chip and semiconductor, AI, and Internet of Things (IoT) industries, new energy, like hydrogen, and renewable energy, fintech, financial centres, biotechnology, and healthcare, he said, adding that these were sectors that Viet Nam and Indonesia have potential for development and need investment attraction. The Party chief affirmed Viet Nam's commitment to creating favourable conditions for effective investment and business activities, towards sustainable development goals of both sides. Viet Nam had always regarded the foreign investment sector as an important component of the national economy, contributing to the fundamental transformation of the economy, positively impacting the economic institution reform, improving investment and business environment, and enhancing Viet Nam's reputation and position in the international arena. Accordingly, Viet Nam always paid special attention and created best possible conditions for the business community, including foreign-invested enterprises in Viet Nam. Under its foreign investment cooperation strategy, Viet Nam had oriented towards a phase of selective cooperation, attracting foreign investment with focus on quality, efficiency, technology, and environmental protection as the main evaluation criteria. Viet Nam was committed to always accompanying, listening to, and hoping to continue receiving support and close cooperation from international partners, investors, especially Indonesian ones, Lam said. On this occasion, Lam and the delegates witnessed the signing and exchange of business cooperation documents between the two countries agencies and businesses in areas, including education and training, green and green financing, real estate, smart urban areas, industrial zones, logistics, digital transformation and cybersecurity services, and hi-tech agriculture. Viet Nam and Indonesia have witnessed the fruitful development of the bilateral relations over the last seven decades, with economic cooperation as a core pillar. The two-way trade hit US$16 billion in 2024, up 16 per cent compared to the previous year, putting the two countries on track to achieve their $18-billion trade target ahead of the projected 2028 deadline. VNS HA NOI The Ministry of Health has recently issued a circular outlining the documentation and procedures for obtaining export food certification. Under Circular No. 08/2025/TT_BYT issued on March 7, exporting organisations and individuals must submit an application for certification using a form provided in the annex of the Circular. This document is mandatory and serves as the first step in the certification process. Food production facilities also must hold a certificate of eligibility for food safety or possess valid international certifications including GMP, HACCP, ISO 22000, IFS, BRC, FSSC 22000 or equivalent. These certifications confirm that the facility complies with international food safety standards. A crucial part of the application is the food safety testing report for a sample from the export batch. This report must be issued by a designated testing laboratory or a laboratory that meets ISO 17025 standards. The report verifies that the sample meets food safety requirements, technical specifications, national regulations or international standards. In the last step, exporters must submit proof of payment for the certification assessment fee as required by regulations. In cases where the importing country demands a certificate with a format or information different from what is specified in the Circular, exporters must provide additional supporting documents to meet these specific requirements. When the application is complete, exporting organisations and individuals can submit it to the Food Safety Authority under the Ministry of Health through the online public service system, in person at the One Window service office or via the post. The certification process will be completed within five working days from the date of receipt of a valid application. If the application is incomplete or invalid, the Ministry of Health will notify the applicant to make corrections or provide additional documents. If the requested modifications or additions are not submitted within 90 days, the application will no longer be valid. Circular No. 08 also specifies the conditions under which a certification may be revoked. These include cases where the applicant provides falsified or non-compliant documents, the export batch fails to meet declared standards and technical regulations (if applicable), the production facility has its food safety certificate revoked or the certification is issued by unauthorised authorities. These regulations enhance the quality and reputation of Vietnamese food products in international markets, as well as ensuring a transparent and efficient process for food exporters to comply with regulatory requirements. VNS HA NOI Import and export activities between Viet Nam and China were moderate in the first two months of the year, with a value exceeding US$31 billion, data from the General Statistics Office (GSO) showed. The value of imports from China in the past two months reached $23.3 billion, an increase of 20.7 per cent compared to the same period last year. However, the value of exports to China was $7.9 billion, a decrease of 2.1 per cent compared to the same period last year. The value of Viet Nams fruit and vegetable exports in February was estimated at $350 million, bringing the total export value of fruits and vegetables in the first two months of the year to $724 million, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. Compared to the same period last year, the value of fruit and vegetable exports to China dropped by 43 per cent, while exports to the US increased by 38 per cent and exports to Thailand rose by 5 per cent. Since the beginning of the year, China has tightened imports of certain items from Viet Nam, including durian fruit. China is Viet Nams largest import market and the second-largest export market. It is also the largest supplier of goods, especially raw materials for production, to Viet Nam. Viet Nam-China trade reached a new record high of $205 billion last year. BIZHUB/VNS PARIS Vietnamese Ambassador to France inh Toan Thang has invited French businesses and local representatives to Viet Nam to experience the country first-hand and better understand its people. Meeting with nearly 20 businesses in Herault Province in southern Frances Occitanie region, from hoteliers sourcing Vietnamese goods to wine producers eyeing new markets, Thang painted a vivid picture of a country poised for partnership. Viet Nam is on a bold march toward sustainable, efficient growth, deeply committed to global economic and trade integration. With landmark deals like the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), France has become one of Viet Nam's leading European trade and investment partners, he said. He spotlighted success stories: French hotels decking their properties with Vietnamese products, equipment and materials; winemakers exploring joint ventures, and seafood processors tapping into Viet Nam's rich marine resources. With half a century of diplomatic ties and the elevation of Viet Nam-France relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2024, the future of bilateral cooperation is highly promising, he said, noting strong engagement from local authorities and communities. Jean Le, a board member of the Mouvement des Entreprises de France (MEDEF) or the Movement of French Enterprises and vice president of the Beziers Restaurant Association, urged French companies and citizens to turn their gaze toward Viet Nam, describing it as a dynamic market of 100 million people, many of whom are young and skilled in traditional craftsmanship. Joined by Viet Nam's trade, investment, science and technology counsellors, Thang dove into candid discussions with enterprises, fielding questions on investment prospects, Viet Nam's business climate, and ripe areas for collaboration. According to him, businesses in Beziers see Viet Nam as a long-term strategic partner brimming with opportunities for mutual cooperation. Viet Nam is not only an export destination but also a partner for joint development across various sectors. This positive outlook is a springboard for future ventures. VNS HA NOI The Ministry of Finance's Inspectorate has issued a conclusion on the financial audit of the Airports Corporation of Viet Nam (ACV) for 2023. The inspectorate pointed out several shortcomings in financial management, accounting and tax obligations at the ACV. One of the issues is that ACV is currently a creditor to four domestic airlines, with overdue debts totalling more than VN5.7 trillion (US$223 million) as of December 31, 2023. Specifically, Bamboo Airways tops the list with overdue debt of VN2.1 trillion, followed by VietJet (VN1.2 trillion), Vietnam Airlines (VN1.2 trillion), Pacific Airlines (VN839.3 billion) and Vietravel Airlines (VN244.5 billion). These are service fees collected for passenger services and security for passengers and luggage, which ACV has authorised airlines to collect from customers. ACV said in a report that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is a major reason for the sharp increase in overdue debt, which suspended many international and domestic routes. This affected revenue, cash flow and the airlines' ability to repay debts. The Ministry of Finance's Inspectorate has required the ACV and related units to declare adjustments and repay nearly VN6 billion to the State budget. They must also improve a capital investment plan and complete the process of reconciling and confirming overdue receivables and payables, it said. The ACV must implement decisive measures to recover overdue debts, improve investment efficiency and declare adjustments and pay additional corporate income tax, according to the inspectorate. BIZHUB.VN BEIJING The early connection of railway lines between China and Viet Nam will contribute more to promoting economic-trade cooperation and humanistic exchanges between the two countries, according to a Chinese official. The construction of a railway line connecting China with Viet Nam is of great importance, according to Chen Gang, member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Secretary of the CPC Committee of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and chairman of the Regional People's Congress Standing Committee. He made the statement in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Beijing. He pointed out that the two countries currently have two intermodal rail routes for transit, but due to incompatible rail gauge standards, transportation capacity is limited. At present, trade cooperation and goods exchange between the two countries have not fully realised their potential due to limitations in transport capacity. Chen said that during his recent working visit to Viet Nam, he and high-level Vietnamese leaders and local authorities from border localities had reached a high consensus on accelerating the railway connection. As Viet Nam is studying the construction of railway lines such as ong ang-Ha Noi, and Mong Cai-Ha Long-Hai Phong, both nations consider the construction of these two railway lines to be of great importance. The railway line from Fangchenggang to Dongxing in China, which was launched in 2023, is expected to connect with the Mong Cai-Ha Long-Hai Phong railway line. Meanwhile, the Nanning-Chongzuo-Pingxiang route is expected to be completed and put into operation by the end of this year, and it will connect with the ong ang-Ha Noi line. Both of these lines need to be approved by the governments of both countries, and only after completion that the interconnection will take place, Chen went on, expressing his hope that both countries will accelerate the construction progress of these cross-border railway connections. Regarding the potential for cooperation between Viet Nam and Guangxi in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), the official expressed his great impression of the important decision made by the Politburo of the Communist Party of Viet Nam to accelerate the development of science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation; and upgrading the development of science, technology, innovation, and digital economy into a national strategy. Guangxi is ready to enhance cooperation in the AI field with ASEAN countries, including Viet Nam, based on the principle of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, Chen said. The China-ASEAN Innovation Cooperation Centre, established by Guangxi in Nanning, aims to work with ASEAN countries to promote the development and application of AI and jointly research large language models including the Vietnamese language for ASEAN countries, he said. VNA/VNS HA NOI Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung on Monday received a visiting delegation from Japans International Friendship Exchange Council (FEC) a non-governmental, non-profit organisation currently having over 1,000 members, including executives from numerous companies investing and doing business in Viet Nam. Stressing the ever-growing and increasingly substantive comprehensive strategic partnership between Viet Nam and Japan across all sectors, Deputy PM Dung noted that both nations highly value and are committed to strengthening their bilateral ties, particularly in economy. The official said over the past three decades, Japan has made significant contributions to Viet Nams sustainable development, not only in terms of capital, technology, and market access but also by helping the Southeast Asian country join Japanese firms' supply and value chains. He expressed gratitude to Japanese businesses and associations, including FEC, for facilitating this progress. Recognising the crucial role of foreign investment in Viet Nams economy, Dung called on Japanese firms to promote their investments, particularly in high-tech and deep processing industries, digital transformation, innovation, and new energy. He said Viet jNam is focusing on such major infrastructure projects as the North-South high-speed railway, urban railways and the restart of its nuclear power project, presenting opportunities for Japanese enterprises. The Deputy PM urged them to be more proactive and dynamic in seizing investment opportunities so that bilateral economic cooperation matches the level of diplomatic relations. He also encouraged FEC to help promote the collaboration and affirmed the Vietnamese Government's commitment to creating favourable conditions for Japanese businesses to thrive in Viet Nam. Onoi Yoshiki, Chairman of FEC, acknowledged that while the organisation does not include Japans largest corporations, its members are highly skilled technical enterprises. He expressed his hope that FEC could contribute to Viet Nams economic development, showing his belief in forthcoming policy initiatives and looking forward to trustworthy partnerships to be formed. During the meeting, participating Japanese businesses introduced their strengths and expressed a strong desire to expand investment in Viet Nam, particularly in technology and engineering sectors. VNS AN GIANG Khmer brocade weavers in Van Giao Commune, Tinh Bien Township in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang have made great attempts to preserve and revive the centuries-old craft of the Bay Nui region, focusing on production linkages, skill enhancement, and developing traditional weaving products to meet OCOP standards. Efforts to pass weaving craft on next generations As the oldest and most skilled artisan in the Khmer brocade weaving village, Neang Samon said that the craft has existed for generations, passed down through time. Currently, many families Sray Skoth Hamlet, Van Giao Commune have at least three generations engaged in this traditional brocade weaving craft. According to Neang Samon, the patterns on Khmer woven fabrics often carry cultural and spiritual meanings and reflect daily life. Weavers sketch designs on paper or directly onto the loom before weaving. Most young Khmer women learn to weave before marriage. They weave beautiful silk pieces to make their wedding attire. Neang Chanh Ty in Sray Skoth hamlet was taught how to weave by her mother when she was 10 years old, and became proficient in the craft by the time she reached adolescence. To preserve and promote her family's traditional craft, she has expanded the practice by diversifying products and integrating it with tourism development, attracting visitors who are interested in the art. Attempts to revive craft villages The brocade weaving products of the Khmer people in Van Giao Commune are primarily handmade, distinguished by intricate and elaborate patterns that embody deep-rooted cultural and spiritual values. These designs often depict temples, flowers, leaves, or representations of Buddha. Each product carries a unique traditional identity, with craftsmanship that no machine can replicate. According to Neang Chanh a Ty, Director of the Khmer Van Giao Brocade Weaving Cooperative, in 1998, with support from CARE of Australia, the provincial Women's Union implemented a project to revive the Khmer Van Giao brocade weaving craft village. By 2002, the local authorities established the cooperative with the participation of 71 households and 126 members. Currently, the cooperative has 63 members, including two artisans and two skilled workers. These individuals play a crucial role in preserving and developing the traditional craft of the locality. In 2006, the National Office of Intellectual Property granted collective trademark protection certificate to the Van Giao brocade silk. A year later, the provincial People's Committee granted the traditional handicraft village to the locality. Notably, in early 2023, a product of the craft village was certified as a three-star OCOP item. Additionally, Its products have consistently been recognised as outstanding rural industrial products in the southern region, and won numerous awards. Van Giao Khmer brocade products are available in both domestic and international markets under the brand "Silk Khmer." They have been exported to Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar. Some high-end products cater to tourists from Europe, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Australia. In the time to come, the locality will concentrate on training, improving the cooperative's management capacity, creating jobs for local labourers, and developing and connecting tourism routes to attract more visitors to the traditional craft village, Chairman of the Van Giao Commune People's Committee Lam Van Thien said. VNA/VNS HA NOI The Ha Noi Professional Chef Guild (HPC) has started a new charity project, the Hanoi Food Bank, that will give staple foods to people in need. The Hanoi Food Bank went on its first trip on March 7 to deliver food to children living at Thien Huong Pagoda in Hung Yen Province, about an hour from Ha Noi. Chef Ha Hai oan, HPC President, told Viet Nam News that the food bank is an initiative to connect resources to people who need them. "We hope to make one trip or organise one event a month," he said. The chefs involved in the programme all have hectic schedules, as they either work at five-star hotels or own restaurants or other businesses in Ha Noi. But they are all connected by one common desire: to do good and help others. At Thien Huong Pagoda, Most Venerable Thich Nguyen Binh is currently raising 42 children, who have ended up in his care due to different circumstances. "We used to have more than 60 children living here, but some have grown up to go find jobs, and some have been adopted by other families," he told Viet Nam News. The eldest child raised under his care is now a young man who has gone to learn a craft. The youngest child is five months old, and was left at the pagoda because he was born with Down syndrome. Chef Nguyen Thi Anh, HPC's Vice President, oversees the charity work of the guild. Anh said: "We want to develop Hanoi Food Bank so that more people in need, including children in difficult circumstances and patients at hospitals, get help from our food bank." The team prepared special chicken noodle soup for the children at the pagoda. The noodles were supplied by a company owned by Pho Master Chef Le Thi Thiet, who has worked to organise a series of activities at the Pho Festival in Ha Noi and Nam inh Province. The shredded chicken was freshly prepared, and the chefs got everything ready for the children when they came back after school. VNS SINGAPORE The Viet Nam Singapore ties are expected to witness a new breakthrough as both nations are preparing to celebrate significant milestones this year Viet Nams 80th National Day and Singapores 60th Independence Day, according to Member of Parliament, Mayor of North East District Desmond Choo. He told the Vietnam News Agency that the bilateral relations are advancing towards a crucial development phase, with efforts having been made to consolidate the people-to-people ties and enhance economic and political cooperation. Singapore has made substantial investments in Viet Nam, including the Viet Nam Singapore Industrial Parks which have created opportunities for Singaporean and ASEAN investors in the country. Both countries aim to elevate the bilateral relations, particularly in the domains of technology, digital partnerships, and renewable energy which are critical issues not only for the two ASEAN nations but also for the whole region. Desmond expressed his hope that Viet Nam and Singapore could work together to handle common challenges and develop stronger solutions, contributing to sustainable development for countries throughout the region. Touching on the areas that the two countries could focus to promote future cooperation potential, he suggested strengthening people-to-people diplomacy, helping people from both countries, across various levels from senior officials to students, to gain deeper understanding of each other's culture and business practices. He added that the second major area where Viet Nam and Singapore could enhance cooperation is technology and digitalisation, expressing his hope for increased collaboration with Vietnamese companies and support for Singaporean businesses to expand operation into Viet Nam to leverage the countrys abundant human resources, especially in the technology sector. VNS JAKARTA General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse, Ngo Phuong Ly, attended a concert held in Jakarta on March 9 evening to celebrate the 70th founding anniversary of the Viet Nam Indonesia diplomatic ties, part of his state visit to Indonesia and official visit to the ASEAN Secretariat there. The event also saw the presence of Speaker of the House of Regional Representatives of Indonesia Sultan Bachtiar Najamudin and his spouse, Rose Rudy. In his opening remarks, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son affirmed that this was a special event within the framework of the Vietnamese Party leaders trip to Indonesia. He revealed that during this important visit, leaders of the two countries will discuss ways to deepen and further elevate the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation. He expressed his delight at the thriving bilateral relations, stressing that political ties serve as a solid foundation for expanding all-round cooperation between the two countries. Since the Strategic Partnership was established in 2013, bilateral relations have been expanded continuously, from politics, diplomacy, defence - security to economy, tourism, culture, and people-to-people exchanges, Son noted. He showed his belief that after 70 years of development, with similar histories and many significant achievements, the friendship and cooperation between Viet Nam and Indonesia will continue to flourish, meeting their peoples' aspirations and contributing to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world. The two sides will work together to lift the Viet Nam Indonesia Strategic Partnership to a higher level as agreed on by their leaders, the official stated. The Party chief's state visit to Indonesia marks a milestone, opening up a new chapter of cooperation that is more comprehensive, substantial, and aligned with the interests of the two countries peoples, he went on. Meanwhile, Indonesian Minister of Culture Fadli Zon stressed that the relationship between the two countries was firmly established by President Ho Chi Minh and President Sukarno, and has been cultivated by successive generations of leaders and citizens, becoming a precious and enduring asset of both nations. Since the diplomatic relations were set up in 1955, Viet Nam and Indonesia have stood side by side, nurturing a relationship built on mutual respect, shared values, and commitment to cooperation through both bilateral and multilateral frameworks of ASEAN. He affirmed that the concert symbolises the beauty of cultures and music of both countries, with artists creating a symphony of hope, resilience, and unity. It also reflected the shared aspirations of the two peoples for the future while inspiring the younger generations to uphold the spirit of cooperation and friendship that has defined VietnamIndonesia relations over the past seven decades. Affirming that both countries have made significant contributions to ASEAN for regional stability, economic development, and prosperity, he expressed his confidence that the younger generations will inherit and continue to nurture the bilateral ties. The Ha Noi Philharmonic Orchestra under the Viet Nam National Academy of Music brought to the event performances by leading artists, introducing to Indonesian friends classical works from around the world, blending and interweaving with sounds characterised by traditional Vietnamese musical instruments, along with folk melodies and familiar songs from both countries. VNS The visit of To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, to Singapore serves as a vital political foundation for further strengthening the already excellent relationship between Viet Nam and Singapore, elevating it to a higher, more substantive and deeper level. This was affirmed by Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Tran Phuoc Anh in an interview with VOV ahead of General Secretary To Lam and his wifes official visit to Singapore from March 11-13. What is the purpose and significance of General Secretary To Lam's official visit to Singapore? This visit holds immense significance for Viet Nam-Singapore relations, marking a new milestone in their 52-year-long diplomatic ties. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1973, upgraded them to a Strategic Partnership in 2013, and during this visit, their bilateral relationship is expected to be elevated to the highest level a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Beyond the goal of upgrading relations, the visit carries profound meaning. It not only reflects the commitment of both nations leaders to deepening ties but also underscores the engagement of their ruling parties. As this visit is led by the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, he will hold high-level meetings with Singapores top leaders, including Secretary-General and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. The elevation of relations, particularly through the visit of Viet Nams highest-ranking Party leader, demonstrates that this is a crucial political foundation for propelling the already strong Viet Nam-Singapore partnership to new heights, making it even more substantive and profound. What key areas of bilateral cooperation will high-level leaders from both countries focus on, and what will be the highlights of the upcoming visit? In addition to traditional areas of cooperation such as trade, investment, culture, education and people-to-people exchanges, both sides are prioritising and seeking to enhance collaboration in emerging fields. For example, in clean energy, Viet Nam has significant potential in wind and solar power, while Singapore has a high demand for renewable energy. Both countries have committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. With Singapores demand and Viet Nams resources, this is expected to be a key area of cooperation in the coming years. Another important focus is science, technology and innovation, critical drivers of economic development. Singapore, as a global hub for multinational corporations, particularly in the technology sector, has extensive experience in this field, which aligns with Viet Nams strong interest and demand for technological advancement. Financial centre development is another crucial area of collaboration. Viet Nam aims to develop HCM City and a Nang into international financial hubs, while Singapore is already a world-class financial centre. Singapores expertise provides valuable insights for Viet Nam, and at the same time, this presents investment opportunities for Singaporean and global financial institutions looking to expand into Viet Nam. How do you assess the foundation of trust that has enabled the strong bilateral relationship, particularly the economic cooperation exemplified by the successful expansion of Viet Nam-Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIP)? The political relationship between Viet Nam and Singapore is exceptionally strong, built on deep mutual trust among leaders. Regular bilateral meetings, dialogues and mechanisms, including the annual meeting between the two Prime Ministers, further reinforce this trust. Additionally, the close ties between the Communist Party of Viet Nam and Singapores Peoples Action Party contribute to a solid political foundation for advancing bilateral relations to new heights. Declaring an upgraded partnership is just the first step in transitioning to a new phase. The key lies in how we implement the agreed-upon commitments to yield tangible results. A crucial next step is formulating a comprehensive action plan for the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This plan must be highly detailed, clearly defining responsibilities, specific initiatives, milestones and timelines to ensure effective execution. The VSIP initiative is a flagship project in bilateral cooperation and as we look toward the next 50 years, it must be elevated to a new level. Previously, VSIP primarily attracted labour-intensive and capital-intensive industries. Moving forward, the focus should shift toward high-value, technology-driven industries. Both sides need to discuss and devise strategies for the next phase of these symbolic projects to maintain their relevance and impact. Could you share some other notable activities during General Secretary To Lams visit to Singapore? In addition to announcing the upgrade of bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the visit will feature several significant activities. One highlight is a policy speech by General Secretary To Lam at the National University of Singapore (NUS). This event will serve as an opportunity to convey Viet Nams message to the international community, aligning with the spirit of Resolution 57, which emphasises science, technology and innovation as the foundation for future breakthroughs. Additionally, there will be working sessions focused on learning from Singapores experiences in key areas of interest to Viet Nam. These include digital transformation, applied science and technology and the operation of world-class international seaports. Another major highlight is a classical music concert featuring an orchestra from Viet Nam, held to celebrate the General Secretarys visit and the upgraded bilateral relationship. The event will bring together numerous international friends, symbolising Viet Nams growing global engagement across various fields, including culture and the arts. VNS HA NOI - Party General Secretary To Lams official visit to Singapore will be made at a historic juncture in Viet Nam-Singapore relationship and the world itself, Singaporean Ambassador to Viet Nam Jaya Ratnam told Vietnam News Agency on the eve of the visit. Affirming that Singapore and Viet Nam have a very strong and excellent relationship, he said two years ago, in 2023, the two countries celebrated the 50th year of their diplomatic relations and the 10th of their strategic partnership. "We are looking forward very much to Party General Secretary To Lams visit to Singapore. His visit to Singapore is a historic visit for us, because the last visit by a General Secretary was in 2012. It marks an important stage in our relationship, and also a stage in which we are looking towards taking our relationship up to a new level - the highest level," he said. "This year, Viet Nam celebrates the 80th year of your independence and Singapore celebrates our 60th year of national independence. Our leaders are looking very much forward to welcoming him to Singapore and also having discussions with him on how Singapore and Viet Nam can work together to engage each other in new areas so that we can emerge even stronger from this current situation that we all face around the world," he said. He affirmed that the Party General Secretary's visit this week would reinforce and strengthen the political connections between the two countries. These long-standing political connections were actually built on the basis of the relationship between Lee Kuan Yew and former Vietnamese Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet in the 1990s where they established the principles of the relationship based on mutual support, mutual respect, and, most importantly, mutual trust. "This solid foundation gives us the basis to move forward and be partners for a new era," he said. Noting that in 2023, the two nations launched green and digital partnership, he said "As we move on, we also know that Viet Nam is positioning itself for a new era - the new era of high economic growth. Singapore has been a long-standing partner of Viet Nam. We have excellent, strong and growing trade and economic relationship. "Over the last three years, Singapore has been Viet Nams largest source of foreign direct investment. In 2024 Singapores cumulative investment in Viet Nam accounted for about US$80 billion spread across almost 4,000 projects in Viet Nam. Viet Nam was Singapores 11th largest trading partner last year. In the first month of this year, you were the ninth largest trading partner, showing the very strong momentum in our relationship. "When we are looking forward, particularly as Viet Nam looks forward to a new era for relations, we have coined the common logo, partners for a new era. We are partners for a new era, because Singapore has been a long-term partner for Viet Nam," he said. He described Viet Nam-Singapore industrial parks as iconic when talking about the bilateral relationship. "In the coming years, we are going to see much more investments being drawn into Viet Nam by these parks and much more employment. More importantly, as Viet Nam moves towards a new era, Viet Nam and Singapore's industrial parks will move into a new era. They have been upgrading themselves, both in terms of sustainability and innovation," he said. The two countries were also looking at how they could expand their relationship across many new areas including food, innovation and energy, he said. "One good example of this is what we call the Viet Nam-Singapore Energy Project (VSEP), similar to the Viet Nam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) we started 30 years ago," he said. Both countries have been working on to develop Viet Nam's ample renewable energy resources, particularly offshore wind, so that Viet Nam can participate in the ASEAN Power Grid, according to the ambassador. This ASEAN Power Grid will connect all ASEAN countries together to help them achieve energy security and common aspiration for net zero by 2050. VNS HA NOI Party General Secretary To Lam, accompanied by his wife and a high-ranking delegation from Viet Nam, visited the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia on Monday. Lam, his wife, and the delegation were warmly welcomed by ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn and his wife, along with the leadership team of the ASEAN Secretariat and ambassadors and heads of delegations from ASEAN member states. Lams visit to the ASEAN Secretariat underscores Viet Nams strategic commitment to ASEAN and reaffirms that ASEAN remains a key priority in Viet Nam's foreign policy in the new era. Following the official welcome ceremony, Lam planted a commemorative tree in the grounds of the Secretariats headquarters and presented a painting as a gift for display in the ASEAN Secretariats traditional exhibition room. The artwork is the seventh from Viet Nam in a collection of 142 pieces gifted by the leaders of ASEAN member states and partners. During a working meeting with Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn and the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR), Lam highlighted Viet Nam's long-standing commitment to and contributions towards the development of ASEAN over the past 30 years, in support of the organisation's noble goals. Drawing from Viet Nams own experiences, Lam said the country would continue its efforts to contribute to the common development of the ASEAN Community. He also expressed pride in ASEANs significant global contributions and the substantial progress the organisation had made. In line with the major directions discussed by Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, Lam emphasised that ASEAN must continue to be a united and cohesive bloc. Only through unity, he argued, could ASEAN overcome the challenges of todays complex global landscape. Bilateral cooperation between member states must also play an important role in strengthening ASEAN's collective power and advancing its shared development goals. Lam praised the ASEAN Secretariat's role in supporting cooperation across various ASEAN sectors, as well as its work with ASEAN's external partners. He also commended the contributions of past ASEAN Secretaries-General. Moreover, Lam recognised the significant role and contributions of the ambassadors and CPR members in promoting cooperation plans and programmes aimed at building the community, enhancing connections among ASEAN members and fostering closer ties with ASEANs partners, thus boosting the overall effectiveness of the organisation. He urged the CPR and the ASEAN Secretariat to continue their close coordination with member states to realise the ASEAN Vision 2025 and to successfully implement the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, along with other relevant strategic plans. For his part, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn warmly welcomed Lams visit and expressed his delight in receiving the top Vietnamese leader. He described the first-ever visit by the Party General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam to the ASEAN Secretariat as a historic milestone, reflecting ASEANs important position in Viet Nams foreign policy. The visit also marks the upcoming 30th anniversary of Viet Nams accession to ASEAN in 1995 and the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the ASEAN Community in 2015. Secretary-General Kao said Viet Nam had made significant contributions to ASEAN and the ASEAN Community, and he expressed hope that Viet Nam would continue to play a leadership role within the organisation. VNS HA NOI Building on the achievements of the past 60 years, ASEAN needs to adopt breakthrough thinking and sharper strategies to drive forward regional connectivity and cooperation. The key directions are aimed at strengthening ASEAN's development, bolstering its central role in the regional structure. Party General Secretary To Lam made the remarks in his policy speech during the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of Viet Nams accession to ASEAN on Monday, at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia. The event was part of the State visit to the Republic of Indonesia, which also included an official visit to the ASEAN Secretariat by Lam, accompanied by his wife and a high-level Vietnamese delegation. In his policy speech, Lam emphasised the importance of further consolidating intra-bloc solidarity and strategic autonomy, enhancing economic resilience through innovative development solutions, promoting ASEANs unique identity, strengthening the effectiveness of establishing behavioural norms and improving the operational efficiency of the ASEAN Secretariat and its specialised agencies. Lam also highlighted ASEANs achievements over the past 60 years, as well as the important contributions and central role the organisation has played in maintaining peace, stability and promoting regional cooperation. He also pointed out new challenges and opportunities arising for ASEAN in the context of a rapidly reshaping global landscape, characterised by a multipolar, multi-centre world, the explosion of scientific and technological advancements leading to fundamental changes in socio-economic life and the rise of non-traditional security issues such as climate change and cybersecurity. Lam added that "ASEAN is a crucial pillar in Viet Nams foreign policy and an inseparable part of Viet Nams development and integration strategy". Starting with ASEAN, Viet Nam has increasingly deepened its international integration and now maintains diplomatic relations with 194 countries. Among these, Viet Nam has established comprehensive, strategic, and overall strategic partnerships with 35 countries, including all ASEAN members and key ASEAN partners. Viet Nam is also a member of over 70 regional and international forums and organisations and has a network of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with more than 60 countries and economies. As a result, Viet Nam has become one of the worlds top 40 economies and one of the top 20 in terms of foreign direct investment and trade volume. Speaking on Viet Nam's foreign policy in the new era, Lam said that Viet Nam would be ready to contribute actively and proactively to global politics, the world economy and human civilisation. ASEAN had been identified as the most directly relevant and primary multilateral cooperation mechanism. Viet Nam would continue to promote a sense of responsibility, contribute positively to ASEANs collective endeavours with innovative thinking, new approaches, flexibility in implementation, efficiency in actions and determination in results. Speaking at the commemoration, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, ambassadors, heads of delegations of several member states and partners at ASEAN, and the Executive Director of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) all praised Viet Nams proactive and positive role within the association over the past 30 years. The ambassadors particularly commended Lams policy speech, which offered profound insights and a visionary perspective on ASEAN from Viet Nam's standpoint. The ASEAN Secretary-General and ambassadors also shared their positive assessments of Viet Nams significant contributions to the process of building the ASEAN Community, especially through its three terms as ASEAN Chair. They also acknowledged Viet Nam's efforts in promoting economic and trade cooperation within the bloc and with countries outside the region, fostering innovative initiatives, addressing global challenges and actively contributing to the maintenance of peace and stability in the region. The countries expressed confidence that, with strong commitment and the leadership of Lam, Viet Nam would continue to prosper and remain a key driver in ensuring ASEANs success in this new phase of development. VNS JAKARTA Viet Nam and Indonesia have agreed to elevate their bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, marking a historic milestone that ushers in a new era of deeper, more substantive and comprehensive cooperation. This upgrade aims to serve the interests of both nations and contribute to peace, development and prosperity in ASEAN and the world. The decision was made during talks between Party General Secretary To Lam and Indonesian President and President of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) Prabowo Subianto on Monday. The discussions followed a welcome ceremony hosted by the Indonesian President for the Party chief, his spouse and the high-ranking delegation of Viet Nam, who are on a State visit to Indonesia from March 9-11. President Subianto emphasised that the Party General Secretarys visit held special significance as the two countries celebrate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations. He affirmed that Viet Nam and Indonesia shared many historical similarities, common values and a shared vision, with both aspiring to become advanced, high-income nations by 2045. The Indonesian President said that Viet Nam remained an important partner for Indonesia in the region and expressed Indonesias desire to further strengthen ties with Viet Nam. Party General Secretary To Lam emphasised that Viet Nam highly valued and prioritised its relationship with Indonesia, recognising the countrys key role in the region. The Party chief commended Indonesias achievements and expressed confidence that Indonesia would achieve a high annual growth rate of 8 per cent, becoming a developed nation by the time it celebrates its centennial in 2045. He also shared updates on Viet Nams overall situation. Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the strong Viet Nam-Indonesia friendship, particularly since the establishment of their Strategic Partnership in 2013. Building on this foundation, they agreed to upgrade bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The two leaders agreed to enhance exchanges and high-level contacts across all channels, effectively implement bilateral cooperation mechanisms and swiftly develop an Action Plan to elevate collaboration in all fields. Both sides committed to strengthening defence and security cooperation, including intelligence sharing, search and rescue efforts and experience-sharing in combating transnational crimes, particularly online fraud networks, human trafficking, forced labour and terrorism threats. They also agreed to expand economic cooperation, remove trade barriers and facilitate business activities, particularly in the export and import of agricultural and aquatic products, with the goal of soon reaching US$18 billion in bilateral trade turnover. Both sides committed to creating favourable conditions for businesses from the two countries to invest in each other's markets, especially in emerging sectors such as the digital economy, green economy, energy transition, electric vehicle ecosystem development, e-commerce, smart delivery systems, digital payments, software design and manufacturing for production plants, AI-driven technological solutions and halal-certified products. They also pledged to expand sectoral cooperation in science and technology, innovation and information technology, aiming to establish a digital partnership. Additionally, they agreed to bolster collaboration in emerging areas including the green economy, digital economy, innovation, science and technology and digital transformation. The two leaders underscored the importance of promoting people-to-people exchanges, particularly among the younger generations. They reaffirmed their commitment to closer coordination within ASEAN to build a stronger, more unified bloc that upholds its central role. Regarding regional and international issues of mutual concern, both sides emphasised the importance of maintaining peace, security, stability, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea). They reiterated their support for peaceful resolution of disputes, non-use or threat of force and adherence to international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). On this occasion, Party General Secretary To Lam invited President Prabowo Subianto to visit Viet Nam and extended an invitation for Indonesian leaders to attend the fourth Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals (P4G) Summit in Ha Noi this April, which the Indonesian President gladly accepted. Following their talks, the two leaders witnessed the exchange of cooperation documents, including a Letter of Intent between the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Indonesian Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs on cooperation to enhance capacity in technical and digital economy sectors; a Letter of Intent on cooperation in science, technology, and innovation between the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology and the Indonesian Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology; and an Implementation Agreement on cooperation between the Directorate of Fisheries of Viet Nams Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the Directorate General of Aquaculture of Indonesias Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries in the field of aquaculture. They also held a joint press briefing to announce the official upgrade of Viet Nam-Indonesia relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. VNS JAKARTA Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang met with Indonesian Minister of Defence Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin in Jakarta on Monday, as part of Party General Secretary To Lams state visit to Indonesia and official visit to the ASEAN Secretariat. Giang, who is also a Politburo member and Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, applauded the comprehensive and substantive development of the two countries' relations since bilateral diplomatic ties were set up 70 years ago. Speaking highly of Indonesia's major socio-economic achievements, stature and role in the region and the world, foreign policy, as well as contributions to ASEAN's centrality and solidarity, he reaffirmed Viet Nams support for Indonesias initiatives within the framework of the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) and the ADMM-Plus. He also highlighted that Viet Nam backs Indonesias role as co-chair of the ADMM-Plus Experts' Working Group on military medicine alongside the US for the 20242027 cycle. Both officials expressed satisfaction with the progress of bilateral defence cooperation. Giang appreciated Indonesias dispatch of naval and coast guard vessels to Viet Nam last year, and its support for the latters initiative to establish an ASEAN intelligence community. Meanwhile, Sjamsoeddin thanked Viet Nam for sending naval ships to participate in the 2025 Komodo multilateral naval exercise in Indonesia. He also suggested that the two defence ministries consider expanding cooperation to other potential areas. The two sides agreed to further deepen defence ties in accordance with the comprehensive strategic partnership framework, established by the countries' leaders during this visit. Priority areas include organising all-level mutual visits, effectively maintaining the defence policy dialogue, sharing information, enhancing collaboration between two sides' military services, arms, and maritime law enforcement units, developing personnel training, boosting cooperation in the defence industry. Furthermore, the Vietnamese minister recommended the countries' maritime law enforcement forces step up exchanges, information sharing, and joint response to issues emerging at sea. He also called for continued coordination in the humanitarian treatment of fishermen violating each others territorial waters. Besides, the two navies should expedite negotiations and sign an agreement on joint patrols, and establish a communication channel. He appealed to Indonesia to support Viet Nams efforts to have the European Commissions yellow card warning for Viet Nam's seafood exports lifted. On this occasion, Giang extended an invitation to his Indonesian counterpart to pay an official visit to Viet Nam. He also confirmed that the Vietnamese ministry will send a delegation to Indonesias defence exhibition in June. VNS HA NOI Viet Nams first radar-based Earth observation satellite, LOTUSat-1, has been completed, with its ground system in Hoa Lac Hi-tech Park (Ha Noi) fully prepared to receive data once the satellite is launched into orbit. The LOTUSat-1 project stems from a 2019 agreement between the Viet Nam National Space Center (VNSC) and Japans Sumitomo Corporation. The deal includes satellite, equipment and personnel training, and was funded through a special Official Development Assistance loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under the Special Terms for Economic Partnership framework. Weighing approximately 600kg, LOTUSat-1 employs cutting-edge radar technology capable of detecting objects as small as one metre on the ground, with the ability to observe day or night in all weather conditions. This feature is particularly valuable for Viet Nam and Southeast Asia, where tropical climates often obscure visibility with clouds and fog. Data from the satellite is expected to meet Viet Nams growing demand for high-quality imagery, aiding in disaster response, climate change mitigation, natural resource management and environmental monitoring. VNSC Director Pham Anh Tuan said the satellite was initially scheduled for launch in February 2025. However, the plan has been postponed with no new date confirmed due to the unsuccessful test launch of Japans Epsilon-S rocket on November 26, 2024. Japanese partners are now deliberating whether to proceed with the Epsilon-S rocket or switch to an alternative launch vehicle. The VNSC is working closely with the partners to determine a new launch timeline, ensuring the satellite operates reliably as soon as possible after deployment. Tuan also noted that a team of Vietnamese engineers and experts had been dispatched to Japan to monitor the satellites design, assembly and testing processes in simulated environments. "These are critical steps to acquire and gradually master the technology," he said, emphasising the opportunity for Viet Nam to gain practical experience in large-scale industrial production and deepen its expertise. On the ground, a sophisticated system has been established at the Hoa Lac High-Tech Park, featuring a 9.3m-diameter ground antenna to receive signals, a satellite control and operations centre, and a data processing hub. The VNSC has adopted technology from Japan to operate this system. Viet Nams space programme has made notable strides in recent years, including the launch of two VINASAT telecommunications satellites, the VNREDSat Earth observation satellite and the development of three smaller satellites PicoDragon, NanoDragon and MicroDragon. Tuan described space technology as a 'symbol of technological strength and competitiveness' for nations worldwide. He stressed that space should be recognised as one of five key domains Viet Nam must master to safeguard its national interests. Looking ahead, he urged Viet Nam to take proactive steps in space technology, particularly in satellite development, to achieve self-reliance in designing and manufacturing critical components. VNS HA NOI The International Academic Partnership Programme has been launched by the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) and the United States Mission to Viet Nam to celebrate 30 years of US-Viet Nam relations. More than 40 senior leaders from 21 highly rated American universities will embark on a five-day study tour of Viet Nam during March 31-April 4 to forge new partnerships and strengthen academic collaboration with their Vietnamese counterparts, according to an announcement from the US Embassy in Viet Nam. This higher education delegation represents American public and private institutions in 17 states, ranging from research universities to community colleges. They will explore Viet Nams higher education landscape through campus visits, networking events and meetings with government and private sector stakeholders. More than 30,000 students from Viet Nam were enrolled at US education institutions in the 2023-24 academic year, collectively contributing more than US$1 billion to the US economy. Marc E. Knapper, US Ambassador to Viet Nam, said: As we celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations, this US higher education delegation in Viet Nam is a testament to the United States fulfilling its commitments under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Expanding educational partnerships is crucial to the success of the US-Viet Nam relationship. By bringing together top universities from both nations, we are creating new pathways for students and researchers to thrive in both countries. Higher education partnerships between the United States and Viet Nam offer tremendous, mutually beneficial economic opportunities, said Jason Czyz, President of the Institute of International Education. Researchers from our two countries can collaborate on a variety of STEM fields and create training programmes that prepare students for the future of work. The International Academic Partnership Programme in Viet Nam marks a bold step in expanding educational ties, fostering innovation and enhancing student and faculty exchanges between the two nations, the MoET said in an official statement. Participating institutions from the US include Stanford University, Duke University and Rutgers University, among many others. Vietnamese universities participating in the programme include several institutions under the Viet Nam National University (International University, University of Information Technology and University of Science) as well as the National Economics University and VinUniversity. VNS HCM CITY A South Korean man has been detained by HCM City Police on Monday for alleged murder. The incident occurred on Sunday night on Nguyen inh Chieu Street, District 3. The victim is said to be of the same nationality as the suspect. The group of South Koreans were dining at a street stall when a conflict broke out among them. The victim was reportedly hit on the head with a hard object and died on the spot. The alleged perpetrator then took a ride-hailing service to his home in District 7, before fleeing to the neighbouring province of Binh Duong, where he was arrested by the police and taken back to HCM City for testimonies. Investigations are ongoing. VNS BANGKOK The Thai government will be relentless in its push for gender equality by eliminating gender-biased laws and tackling domestic violence, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has said. In her speech to mark International Womens Day, Paetongtarn thanked those who have worked to combat discrimination, shift societal norms, and expand opportunities for Thai women. She expressed her belief that women can assume leadership roles in all fields and achieve their dreams without their gender being an obstacle. The PM acknowledged challenges persist, including gender-based violence, societal expectations rooted in patriarchy, an emphasis on women's appearance over their capabilities, and domestic violence. She called for collective efforts to make Thailand an inclusive space for all genders. She went on to say that her government is committed to promoting gender equality in all settings through various policies, including amending discriminatory laws, eradicating domestic violence, extending maternity leave, improving access to quality childcare, and supporting the Thai Women Empowerment Fund. Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin, who chairs the National Health Security Office (NHSO), highlighted the role of Thailand's universal healthcare scheme, known as the 30-THB gold card scheme, in ensuring healthcare equality for Thai women. He stressed that breast cancer remains the most prevalent form of cancer among Thai women, adding the NHSO has expanded benefits to cover mammograms and ultrasounds for at-risk women aged 40 and above with a family history of breast cancer. Democrat Party spokeswoman Janejira Rattanapian emphasised that International Women's Day should drive real and meaningful change rather than serve as a symbolic occasion. Janejira called for three key changes, namely equal access to leadership positions in politics and workplaces, stronger legal protections against gender-based violence, and economic support for women. VNA/VNS Lee Kye-In, chairman and CEO of Posco International, said last week at a working session in South Korea with Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien that the company will further increase investment in Vietnam, with interest in infrastructure, materials for nuclear power plants, and exploitation of rare earths. Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien had a meeting with Lee Kye-In, Chairman and CEO of POSCO International. Photo moit.gov.vn With its strengths in designing, manufacturing, and constructing small-scale nuclear power plants, Posco is also ready to cooperate in investing and transferring technology in Vietnam. Up to this point, Poscos accumulated investment capital in Vietnam has reached about $1.2 billion. Minister Dien also held a working session with leaders of several South Korean enterprises in the energy sector, including Korea Electric Power Corporation and Doosan Enerbility, to promote energy cooperation. Dien said that the total investment for power source and transmission development by 2030 is expected to be around $18-20 billion per year, and from 2030 onwards, $22-25 billion annually. This target is a challenge for the Vietnamese government but at the same time an opportunity for foreign investors, including large Korean enterprises, Dien added. Meanwhile, at a meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in February, newly-appointed president of Samsung Vietnam Na Ki Hong announced plans to expand investment in the fields of AI, semiconductors, and digital transformation. The previous month, Samsung Display received approval to increase its investment capital by $1.2 billion for a factory in the northern province of Bac Ninh province that produces OLED screens for mobile phones and related products for IT equipment and vehicles in Vietnam. Samsung constructed the first TV manufacturing factory in Ho Chi Minh City in 1995. Then in 2008, it built a mobile phone manufacturing factory in the northern province of Bac Ninh, known as Samsung Electronics Vietnam. Samsung now has six factories, a research and development centre, and a sales entity in Vietnam. To date, the group has invested over $23.2 billion in Vietnam and achieved an export turnover of $54.4 billion in 2024. "I will do my best to lead Samsung Vietnam to further development, maintaining its position as the largest foreign-invested enterprise in Vietnam, which will help make continued contributions to the countrys economic development. Especially, Samsung will continue boosting its cooperation with the Vietnamese government towards the shared benefits of the two sides." Na Ki Hong Newly-appointed president, Samsung Vietnam In February, South Koreas second-largest corporation SK announced plans to invest in three major projects in Vietnam related to liquefied natural gas, moving towards developing a new energy centre associated with the development of AI, hydrogen, logistics, environmentally friendly agriculture, and innovation. In meetings with Party General Secretary To Lam and PM Chinh in mid-February, Chey Tae Won, chairman of SK Group, said that the company is striving to seek opportunities to increase support and cooperation for the development and high, long-term, sustainable economic growth of Vietnam. SK has invested about $3.5 billion in Vietnam. However, these investments are mainly indirect, through share purchases from Vingroup, Masan, Pharmacity, and Imexpharm, among others. The Ecovance high-Tech biodegradable materials factory in the northern city of Haiphong is the first direct project from SK Group in Vietnam, which was approved in late 2023 and started construction in May 2024. With a total investment of $500 million, the factory is aimed at the global biodegradable materials market, which is growing strongly. SK considers Vietnam a priority partner in its investment strategy in the coming time, said Won. According to data from the former Ministry of Planning and Investments Foreign Investment Agency, by the end of January, South Korean enterprises had invested over $92 billion in Vietnam in total, more than any other country or territory. South Korean tourists lead Vietnams tourism revival South Korean tourists are at the forefront of Vietnams tourism recovery, accounting for 26 per cent of total international arrivals, with increased spending on accommodation and food, and a growing interest in emerging destinations like Nha Trang, Dalat, and Phu Quoc. South Korean investor lands $177 million venture in Danang Hi-Tech Park Danang's Hi-Tech Park and Industrial Zones Management Authority granted an investment policy for the ICT VINA III factory project on November 28, developed by South Korea's Dentium Co., Ltd. The US administration states that the laws extensive authority allows the president to rapidly implement tariffs with minimal investigation or oversight to react immediately to imminent threats. With few procedural limits around the use of Emergency Economic Powers Act, in place since 1977, President Doan Vu Hoai Nam, senior associate, ASL LAW Donald Trump can declare, in this case, a tariff increase as part of a national emergency. In addition, the first Trump administration used Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act as a basis to impose tariffs on such products, many of which remain in place today. Section 232 authorises tariffs after an investigation by the US Department of Commerce finds that imports threaten to impair national security. According to data from the former General Department of Customs, in 2024, Vietnam exported $112.5 billion to the US and imported $10.5 billion. In January, the former General Statistics Office data showed that total trade turnover between Vietnam and the US reached $11.1 billion, remaining relatively unchanged from the same period last year. This stability suggests that the proportion of export-import turnover between the two countries has been maintained. Regarding Vietnams steel exports to the states, US Customs data indicated that in 2024, Vietnam exported approximately $983 million worth of steel and steel products to the US market. For aluminium products, United States Customs data also revealed that in 2024, Vietnam exported approximately $479 million worth of aluminium and aluminium products to the US market. Due to the large volume of steel and aluminium exports to the US, Vietnamese manufacturing-exporting businesses are frequently subjected to US trade remedy investigations, as indicated by the 10 per cent and 25 per cent tariffs currently imposed on aluminium and steel products under Section 232, which the US has applied since 2018 to most countries. To date, the US has initiated more than 34 trade remedy investigations into Vietnams steel exports, accounting for over half of all trade remedy cases involving Vietnam. For aluminium products, there have been two investigation cases. According to recent statistics compiled by the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, 81 per cent of American businesses operating in the country are concerned about the possibility of US tariffs being imposed under the second Trump administration. Additionally, 92 per cent of US manufacturers in Vietnam expressed concerns that tariffs could disrupt supply chains and negatively impact competitiveness. Over 85 per cent of surveyed businesses believe tariffs will reduce trade volume, disrupt long-term partnerships, and negatively affect Vietnams economy. These concerns are well-founded given that President Trump has explicitly reaffirmed his America First policy for his second term. However, whether to view this matter as a risk or an opportunity remains up to each Vietnamese business. Firstly, with the increase in tariffs, Vietnamese businesses will have to compete with little to no advantages over steel and aluminium manufacturers from other countries. This double-edged sword may reduce profits in the short term but also presents an opportunity to streamline operations. Secondly, the US may tighten inspections on product origins and verify the legality of raw materials. If businesses fail to provide sufficient proof of lawful sourcing, they risk being subjected to additional tariffs, specifically anti-circumvention duties on goods suspected of originating from China, which remains in trade tension with the US. On the other hand, given Vietnams history with US trade remedy investigations, including anti-dumping, anti-subsidy, and anti-circumvention cases, Vietnamese businesses should already be familiar with such tariff increases. This prior experience provides an advantage over businesses from other countries. Thirdly, contract and supply chain issues pose further challenges. US partners may suspend or cancel orders due to regulatory concerns. In extreme cases, measures similar to US-issued sanctions or retaliatory actions from other trade partners may be applied. These could disrupt supply chains and force businesses to seek alternative markets. If higher-than-expected tariffs are imposed, disputes over contract terms could arise, leading to financial and legal consequences for Vietnamese exporters. This is why businesses must work closely with legal counsel throughout their operations to mitigate risks. Despite the difficulties and uncertainties going forward, confidence in the Vietnamese market remains strong. We found that 94 per cent of businesses, and 98 per cent of manufacturers specifically, still believe in Vietnams potential due to its developed infrastructure, skilled workforce, and strategic location. Vietnam still has substantial opportunities to continue exporting. US steel and aluminium manufacturers have yet to fully meet domestic demand, creating room for outstanding businesses to step in. However, profit margins for exporters may decline in the near future. Nonetheless, after an initial period of adjustment and adaptation, Vietnamese businesses will gain deeper access to the US supply chain, especially as products increasingly meet origin requirements while maintaining high-quality and competitive pricing. Exporters brace for next US administrations policies Vietnam may find it difficult to achieve its export target to the United States in 2025 due to upcoming likely trade policies in this nation. US steel policy to require robust reply The application of an additional tax on imported aluminium and steel from the United States will negatively affect exporting countries, including Vietnam, and will require a response targeting market diversification. Duke Nam, area vice president, South Korea, Vietnam and Philippines How does this reflect the role of the APEC market in Marriotts development strategy, particularly in Vietnam? Vietnam remains a key strategic market where Marriott International is committed to long-term investment. In 2024, Marriott set records in the APEC region with 109 deals across 11 markets, adding 21,439 rooms and introducing several new brands. Last year, Vietnam welcomed an estimated 17.5 million international visitors, a 38.9 per cent increase from 2023, while domestic tourism reached approximately 110 million, growing by 1.6 per cent year-over-year, according to the General Statistics Office. This momentum, coupled with continuous infrastructure improvementsincluding highways, railways, and new airportsis creating significant opportunities in both domestic and international tourism. In 2024, Marriott signed five new properties representing 1,891 rooms in Vietnam, bringing its development pipeline to 54 properties and 16,448 rooms. With its expanding portfolio, Marriott ended the year with 25 open properties across 10 brands in 12 destinations. Building on this strong growth trajectory, Marriott will continue expanding its footprint with a diverse portfolio ranging from midscale to luxury. The goal is to meet the evolving needs of travellers while contributing to Vietnams tourism and hospitality landscape. In 2025, Marriott International plans to open JW Marriott Cam Ranh Resort & Spa and Bac Ninh Marriott Hotel. Additionally, Courtyard by Marriott will make its debut in Vietnam with a new hotel in Danang. What does this mean for Marriotts operations in Vietnam? These openings are part of a broader expansion strategy to bring Marriotts leading brands to new destinations, including both established and emerging markets. This year, at least five new hotels and resorts will open, adding more than 1,100 keys in key locations such as Cam Ranh and Nha Trang, regional hubs like Can Tho, and emerging business destinations such as Bac Ninh. Among the most notable projects is JW Marriott Cam Ranh Resort & Spa, the fourth JW Marriott luxury hotel in Vietnam. The property will feature 258 spacious rooms, pavilions, and villas ranging from one to four bedrooms, all with stunning beach views. Additionally, Courtyard by Marriott Danang Han River will become the first Courtyard by Marriott branded hotel in Vietnam. Located in a prime downtown setting overlooking the Han River, the hotel will feature 296 well-equipped rooms and suites along with extensive business, leisure, and event facilities. Marriott International has over 50 hotels and resorts in its Vietnam pipeline, which will more than double its nationwide portfolio in the coming years. As the company expands its presence, it remains focused on broadening its portfolio of best-in-class brands and unique travel experiences, catering to a diverse range of travelers and purposes. Beyond these new projects, could you share Marriotts strategic direction in Vietnam? Marriott remains committed to growth in Vietnam through strategic partnerships, strengthening existing brands while introducing new ones across various market segments. The company aims to ensure a diverse range of accommodation options, from midscale to luxury, to meet rising demand. Beyond key destinations such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, Danang, and Phu Quoc, Marriott is actively exploring opportunities in emerging markets. The opening of JW Marriott Cam Ranh Resort & Spa is expected to boost demand for luxury accommodation and engage more high-spending, long-stay travelers to the region. Meanwhile, Bac Ninh is emerging as a new business hub in the north, drawing growing interest from both tourists and investors. How do you assess Vietnams tourism market? Which segments are most attractive to Marriott, and why? Vietnam remains one of the most dynamic tourism markets in the APEC region, demonstrating a strong post-pandemic recovery. This growth is expected to continue in 2025, with international arrivals projected to reach a record high of 2223 million, while domestic tourism continues to expand, supported by improved transportation infrastructure and the development of key travel destinations. According to the General Statistics Office, Vietnam welcomed 2.07 million international visitors in January 2025, a sharp 36.9 per cent increase year-over-year. Strong arrivals from key markets such as China, South Korea, Taiwan, and India indicate that the upward trend is set to continue. The luxury segment will be a key driver of Vietnams tourism industry. According to Marriott Internationals "Emerging Luxury Travel Trends in Asia-Pacific" report, experiential travelfocused on gastronomy, nature, and wellnessis increasingly attracting premium travellers. Vietnam is well positioned to cater to this demand, and Marriotts luxury brands will continue expanding in major destinations such as Hanoi, Danang, Ho Chi Minh City, and Phu Quoc. What challenges does Marriott face in expanding its operations in Vietnam, and what recommendations do you have to facilitate growth? Vietnams tourism industry benefits from strong government leadership, with major investments in transport infrastructure, tourism promotion, and destination development driving sustained growth. These efforts position the country as an emerging powerhouse in the region. However, as with any fast-growing sector, there are challenges that need to be addressed to ensure long-term success. The rising cost of domestic flights, particularly during national holidays, may encourage more Vietnamese travellers to choose outbound destinations. Additionally, competition from well-established tourism markets in neighbouring countries remains an ongoing challenge. Nonetheless, ongoing initiatives aimed at improving these areas reflect Vietnams commitment to enhancing its global competitiveness and solidifying its position as a top-tier travel destination. JW Marriott Hotel & Suites Saigon a tranquil oasis in cosmopolitan Ho Chi Minh City Marriott Hotels has marked its third significant JW Marriott brand in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City with JW Marriott Hotel & Suites Saigon. JW Marriotts first urban branded residences in Asia-Pacific debut at Grand Marina Saigon JW Marriott Residences, Grand Marina Saigon, Sea, opened its doors in Ho Chi Minh City's District 1 on February 25, marking the debut of the brands first urban branded residence in Asia Pacific Mekong Capital made the announcement on March 10, acquiring its holding through the Mekong Enterprise Fund IV. TNH Hospital Group JSC (TNH), known as Thai Nguyen International Hospital JSC until last year, was established in 2012. TNHs senior leadership team includes Dr. Hoang Tuyen, chairman of the Board of Directors, and Le Xuan Tan, vice chairman of the Board of Directors and general director. With its headquarters in Thai Nguyen City - the economic and medical centre of the northern midlands and mountain regions, TNH has expanded significantly into a modern hospital system across multiple locations over its 10 years of development, including 700 licensed hospital beds, over 800 staff members, of which are more than 600 doctors, nurses, midwives, and technicians, with high professional qualifications at three facilities. Thai Nguyen International Hospital has 400 hospital beds and is the flagship unit in the system, offering premium service. Meanwhile, Yen Binh Thai Nguyen General Hospital will host 300 beds, with Phase I approved for 150 beds. The hospital meets healthcare needs for the area with numerous industrial parks in Pho Yen City, Thai Nguyen. Another facility, TNH Viet Yen Hospital in Bac Giang, has a similar scale of 300 beds, with 150 approved for Phase I. TNH aims to become a comprehensive healthcare ecosystem, including exam and treatment services, proactive healthcare, preventive medicine, rehabilitation, and training of high-quality medical personnel. The group's vision is to build an international standard hospital system by 2030, with smart hospital models optimising customer experiences and increasing community service value. The companys target is to expand to 10 general and specialised hospitals nationwide with 3,000 hospital beds, serving 1.6 million visits per year. "This partnership with Mekong Capital marks an important milestone in TNH's development strategy as we look to expand our business, optimise operations, and improve healthcare service quality. We believe that the combination of our medical expertise and Mekong's resources will create value for the community and contribute to raising healthcare standards in Vietnam," said TNH chairman Tuyen. Chris Freund, founder and partner at Mekong Capital, said, "We spent more than 10 years looking at potential hospital investments until now. The senior leadership of TNH, led by the chairman Dr. Tuyen, and CEO Dr. Tan, have created a bold vision for the future of TNH, which Mekong Capital is really excited to be part of. We look forward to working with TNH as it evolves into a nationwide chain, increasing peoples access to affordable yet high-quality healthcare throughout Vietnam." Vietnams private hospital chains keep attracting foreign investment More foreign funds are pouring into Vietnams private hospital chains to fill a gap in the market. AIH Hospital cooperates with Raffles Hospital Singapore to enhance patient care in Vietnam American International Hospital (AIH) signed a medical collaboration agreement with Raffles Hospital Singapore on October 19, aimed at enhancing the quality and range of patient care in Vietnam. Simultaneously, the company bagged a spot in Anphabes Top 100 Best Places to Work in Vietnam, reflecting its dedication to fostering an inclusive, diverse and equitable workplace. With over 27 years of operation in Vietnam, ofi continues to grow its portfolio as one of the countrys leading producers, processors and exporters of nuts, spices and coffee ingredients. With over 4,500 employees ofi Vietnam continues to invest in its people to drive performance and productivity, through a three-pronged approach: Employee engagements, a diverse and inclusive culture, and talent development initiatives. A radiant smile from a female farmer in the Cashew Seedling Support Programme. Photo: ofi Some of these initiatives include building an inspiring and equitable working environment for female employees through personal development initiatives aimed at uplifting and strengthening women's leadership. Sustainable development has been a core focus for the company over the years, benefiting female employees by providing support that helps them maintain job stability and productivity. Through the ofi Care scheme, in collaboration with Alive & Thrive, female employees receive essential health and nutrition support, helping them balance professional and personal responsibilities. The ofi YES! scholarship programme further extends this commitment by offering financial aid and educational resources to children of female employees, ensuring long-term wellbeing for their families. Beyond workforce policies and programmes, ofis Vietnam team also engages actively with the community and partner farmers, especially female farmers. In 2023, the company worked with over 600 registered female coffee farmers, more than 190 female pepper and cassia growers, and over 3,000 cashew female farming partners to expand their sustainable production capacity and encourage data-driven and regenerative agriculture practices. Improved crop compliance with market social and environmental certifications has also contributed to enhanced access to the market and higher premiums from coffee, cashew and spice ingredients supplied to its customers. Looking ahead, ofi Vietnam remains committed to driving long-term impact through its global sustainability strategies. Revealed in 2024, ofis Choices for Change strategy provides global food brands, retailers and their consumers with specific choices to deliver long-term impact across four critical pillars: Prosperous farmers, Thriving communities, Climate action, and Regenerating the living world. For these concerted efforts, ofi Vietnam has been recognised by the UN Women WEP and Anphabe Top 100 Best Places to Work in Vietnam 2024 Awards. The Gender Equality in Community Engagement and Partnership category honours companies operating in the Asia-Pacific region that integrate gender equality into their sustainability strategies or social responsibility initiatives. Beyond comprehensive workplace benefits, team-building activities remain an essential part of the company culture. Photo: ofi Anphabe Vietnams 2024 Top 100 Best Places to Work recognition reinforces ofis commitment to growing an inclusive, diverse and equitable workplace ofi Vietnam is also proud to rank among the Top 50 in the Medium Enterprises category for Anphabes Top 100 Best Places to Work in Vietnam 2024, validating its ongoing efforts to continually improve people-first policies and employee advocacy practices that drive success and performance. Amith Verma, regional head, ASEAN, China, and Oceania region, at ofi said, These important award recognitions are a testament to our strategic commitment towards building an inclusive, diverse, and equitable workplace - empowering our employees to develop professionally and personally." We must continue to prioritise initiatives that impact female employees and our farmer partners within our communities. With a shared purpose at the core of our belief system, anchored by our global sustainability strategy, Choices for Change, our people across the business can drive positive change. ATFX Wins Two Awards at the 2024 International Investor Awards ATFX is proud to announce its achievement of two esteemed awards at the 2024 International Investor Awards, reinforcing its position as a leader in the global forex trading sector. Vietnam Excellence Awards 2025 kicks off The Vietnam Excellence Awards 2025 was officially launched in December to honour excellent leaders and organisations with outstanding achievements in transforming business through talent and development. Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long, at the governments legislative session on February 20, urged relevant ministries to incorporate feedback and expedite the finalisation of drafts for submission and presentation in May. One of the seven draft laws discussed at the meeting was the revised Law on Product and Goods Quality. Based on this timeline, manufacturers expressed concerns that if the draft is approved by the National Assembly, it will cost perhaps millions of US dollars in unnecessary procedures, impacting their business plans in Vietnam. Current regulations on goods quality are already stricter than those of the most advanced countries, such as the United States, EU, Japan, and South Korea. For example, in Vietnam, providing traceability codes and electronic labels is a compulsory requirement to conduct additional registration procedures to meet regulations, while according to international practice, these works are only encouraged, said Le Xuan Rao, chairman of the Hanoi Union of Science and Technology Associations. Meanwhile, the regulations to prove the goods quality mentioned in the draft law are even stricter, doubling the pressure on manufacturers in several sectors, such as home appliances, livestock, and food and beverage, he added. Several Japanese manufacturers sent a document to the Japan External Trade Organization in the past few months to report the unnecessary responsibility of deciding and announcing the quality level of products produced and supplied, as well as selecting a conformity assessment organisation to test, inspect, appraise, and certify the quality of products and goods. Normally, a product model has a life cycle of only three to six months, in which the production and export process usually takes one to two months, but according to the draft regulations, businesses will spend three to eight months on this process. Thus, they may become outdated products even before they debut on the market, the document said. These disadvantages impact their business and investment plans in Vietnam. Wasting too much time on unnecessary work will prevent manufacturers from staying on schedule and delivering goods to customers as per contracts and orders. Failure to meet these commitments results in fines, loss of customers, reduced revenue and profit, and fewer jobs. This negatively impacts not only the enterprise but also the state budget, said the representative of a Japanese-invested company in Vietnam. It also hinders the maintenance of investment activities, affects export turnover, and has a negative impact on the national economy because exports play an important role, accounting for about 16 per cent of Vietnams GDP on average over the past five years. If this situation continues, our parent company may have to close the factories in Vietnam and move production to other countries, the representative added. To support the business community in resolving their concerns, the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations has proposed various solutions. This is a superb opportunity to remove shortcomings. The business community and associations propose removing the form of product conformity declaration to facilitate production and business activities, said association chairman Phan Xuan Dung. How have tariff barriers affected logistics businesses operations amid growing trade protection? Dao Trong Khoa, president of the Vietnam Logistics Business Association In 2024, tariff barriers continued to have major impacts on the operations of logistics businesses, and in Vietnam in particular. Trade protection measures from some major markets such as the US, the EU, and China have caused many fluctuations in the global supply chain. For the logistics industry, these changes affected transportation costs, customs clearance time and business competitiveness. Specifically, the application of anti-dumping duties, safeguard duties or stricter regulations on origin by some countries made the demand for logistics services more complicated, requiring businesses to adapt quickly. Compliance costs increase, while changes in the flow of goods can disrupt transportation and warehousing plans. However, with the development and effective implementation of free trade agreements (FTAs), many of Vietnams key export items still have significant tariff advantages, creating opportunities for market expansion. In this context, logistics businesses can take advantage of this to provide specialised services. What are the gains and challenges that FTAs bring to the Vietnamese logistics industry in regards to the impact of tariff barriers, and what steps have local logistics service providers been taking? FTAs promote imports and exports and this playing field is fair for both sides, so Vietnamese logistics enterprises need to grow quickly and reach out. As for minimising the impact of tariffs, it is necessary to diversify the market, avoiding dependence on one market. It is also necessary to improve the competitiveness of goods. Instead of worrying about things beyond our control, such as tax policies of countries, we need to focus on increasing internal strength. FTAs bring many important benefits to Vietnams logistics industry: they help reduce or eliminate tariffs on exported goods, boosting demands for transportation, warehousing, and freight forwarding. Moreover, commitments on customs, origin of goods, and technical standards help encourage transparency and enhance the capacity of logistics businesses. Domestic logistics enterprises also have opportunities to cooperate with international ones, learn from experience, and upgrade tech. However, there are also challenges. As the market opens up, more foreign logistics companies with large capital, advanced technology and extensive experience will participate more deeply in the Vietnamese market. They have to meet higher compliance requirements. FTAs set stricter standards on origin, environmental protection, labour, and others, which increase compliance costs. Vietnamese logistics enterprises are taking many preparation steps. They have been making technology investment, and applying AI and blockchain in supply chain management and transportation to optimise operations. They have also beem standardising processes and improving worker capacity. What are the possible future impacts of tariff barriers on Vietnams logistics industry amid new announcements from various countries? If US and European tariff policies continue to target Chinese goods, there will be changing trade flows. Vietnam could be among the destinations in the trend of shifting supply chains. However, it should also be noted that these changes may lead to pressure from trade defence measures targeting goods originating from Vietnam. Tariff measures can lead to disruptions in supply chains, increasing transportation, storage, and delivery costs. In addition, stricter requirements on origin and environmental standards such as the EUs Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism will also pose challenges for logistics businesses, requiring them to have a strategy to green services. Global businesses will diversify their supply sources, instead of depending on a single market. Vietnam may become a more important link in the regional supply chain, but will also face fierce competition from other countries in the region. In 2025, tariff barriers are likely to continue to be an important factor affecting the logistics industry, with several key trends. Firstly, imposing anti-dumping taxes, safeguarding taxes, and technical barriers may continue to increase, requiring logistics businesses to flexibly adjust their operating strategies. Second is supply chain shifts. Many multinational corporations are restructuring their supply chains to reduce their dependence on certain traditional markets. Vietnam can benefit from this, but it also faces changes in transportation and warehousing models. To prepare for the new development phase, Vietnamese logistics enterprises need to invest in technology and optimise operations to improve efficiency and reduce costs, while increasing the ability to adapt to fluctuations from tariff policies. Meeting international requirements on origin and environmental regulations will also be important factors for Vietnamese goods to maintain and expand the market. Increasing the application of AI, blockchain, and others in supply chain management will meanwhile help logistics businesses improve transparency, operational efficiency, and competitiveness in the international market. Although tariff barriers may pose challenges, they also open up opportunities for the Vietnamese logistics industry to enhance its position in the global supply chain. Vietnams logistics landscape has scope for growth Vietnams logistics infrastructure remains a major barrier to seamless trade. Despite ongoing investments, limited road networks, outdated ports, and underutilised rail and inland waterways continue to hinder the efficient movement of goods. This results in congestion, delays, and elevated logistics costs, reducing Vietnams competitiveness in the global supply chain. The exclusive event Silken Grace Sunset, held at The Straits Kitchen & Bar of Sedona Suites, was part of the annual Ao Dai Week, an initiative launched by the Vietnam Womens Union from March 1-8 to highlight the cultural significance and elegance of the dress. The runway displayed a stylish fusion of tradition and modernity, brought to life through Byfas Premium Silk Fabric and Crane. Photo: Sedona Suites The fashion showcase featured a refined contemporary collection, masterfully crafted from Byfas Premium Silk Fabric and Crane. Renowned designer Anna Hanh Le, known for her deep passion for silk, seamlessly blended tradition with modern tailoring, creating pieces that exuded sophistication and grace. Each design, adorned with intricate embroidery and delicate embellishments, reflected the enduring charm of Vietnams national garment while embracing contemporary aesthetics. Beyond the sartorial elegance, Silken Grace Sunset offered an immersive experience for attendees, who were treated to a Premium Afternoon Tea Set. The carefully curated selection of fine teas and delicate pastries added a touch of indulgence to the evening, set against the backdrop of a mesmerising sunset over Ho Chi Minh City. At Sedona Suites, we strive to craft meaningful and memorable experiences. This collaboration with Byfas allows us to celebrate not only the rich heritage of the Ao Dai, but also the remarkable women who inspire us every day. We are honoured to host this event and look forward to an afternoon filled with artistry, culture, and elegance, said Albert Lafuente, general manager of Sedona Suites. Albert Lafuente, general manager of Sedona Suites, spoke at the event. Photo: Sedona Suites The event drew an audience of distinguished guests, fashion enthusiasts, and cultural connoisseurs, eager to witness the evolution of the Ao Dai through the lens of contemporary design. More than just a fashion show, Silken Grace Sunset underscored the enduring influence of Vietnamese heritage on modern fashion, reinforcing the cultural pride and artistic craftsmanship embedded in the iconic garment. With this elegant showcase, Sedona Suites sets the stage for a series of exciting events in 2025, promising more exceptional experiences that celebrate culture, innovation, and timeless beauty. Why V-Tech has chosen Kyrgyzstan as an investment destination? V-Tech chairman Nguyen Le Anh V-Tech has 20 years of experience in electrical construction, participating with many large customers in Vietnam, as well as participating in many key national projects. We are constantly striving to apply new technology to the field of industrial infrastructure construction in energy, telecommunications, IT, and automation in Vietnam. All are aimed at the goal of becoming the top construction contractor in Vietnam in terms of both product quality and service reputation. In 2024, the company recorded many outstanding successes, such as being awarded for completing the key construction package of the 500KV line 3 early. V-Tech was also the first unit to complete the supply of steel poles for this key project. This MoU opens up specific cooperation opportunities and demonstrates V-Techs ability to participate in global projects, particularly in building electrical grids and renewable energy facilities. We are proud to bring Vietnams experience and technology to the world, contributing to sustainable development and international cooperation. We chose Kyrgyzstan due to its significant potential in renewable energy. The country can develop hydropower with a potential of up to 180 billion kWh and enjoys between 2,500 to 2,700 hours of sunshine annually. These conditions are ideal for solar and hydropower projects. Additionally, Kyrgyzstans electrical grid is connected with neighbouring countries, offering opportunities for electricity trade within the Central Asian region. Could you provide insight into the current state of foreign investment in Kyrgyzstan and why V-Tech is focusing on renewables? The signing of this MoU with the Kyrgyz Ministry of Energy is a significant milestone, highlighting the capability of Vietnamese electrical construction companies to expand internationally. Vietnams electricity sector has seen remarkable progress, with nearly 30GW of renewable energy added and key projects like the 500kV transmission line completed swiftly. Foreign investment in Kyrgyzstan is still relatively limited, especially in renewable energy. The electrical grid needs significant improvements to meet both domestic and export demands. However, this presents a great opportunity for V-Tech. Our investment aims to strengthen the electrical infrastructure and promote sustainable development. While there are concerns about payment security and economic stability, we believe that with the support of the Kyrgyz government, these challenges can be managed effectively. What are V-Techs specific plans for the near future in Kyrgyzstan? We will continue to serve as an engineering, procurement, and construction contractor for renewable energy and energy infrastructure projects in Kyrgyzstan. We will focus on design, equipment supply, and construction, and may also arrange financing for these projects to ensure stable and effective funding. Additionally, we are particularly interested in hydropower projects in Kyrgyzstan. With the countrys significant hydropower potential, we see this as a promising area for investment and development. We will seek collaborations with local and international partners to fully utilise this potential while enhancing Kyrgyzstans energy system. These plans will help V-Tech expand internationally and encourage sustainable development and clean energy in the region. We look forward to making a positive contribution to the energy sector in Kyrgyzstan. Clean energy developments of scale confirmed Vietnamese clean energy companies are pulling in investments from foreign investment funds, demonstrating the potential opportunities in the countrys clean energy sector. This is mainly due to an increase in demand from China, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP). "China is a preferred market for live Vietnamese crab, which, along with consistently reliable figures from Japan, has helped boost export turnover significantly. The competitive advantage of Vietnamese crab lies in its quality, as it is free from antibiotics, which has helped build trust in the international market," a VASEP representative said. VASEP forecasts crab exports could exceed $350 million that for the whole year, thanks to the continued global increase in appetite for the crustacean. In addition to crab, Vietnam's seafood exports in the first two months of 2025 reached $1.42 billion, up over 18 per cent on-year. Shrimp continued to lead with $542 million, an increase of 30.8 per cent. Meanwhile, molluscs took in $39 million, up over 121 per cent, and squid and octopus saw $101 million, up 13.8 per cent. However, basa fish decreased slightly by 0.8 per cent to $253 million due to rising raw material prices and stricter US tariffs. High inventories in the US also hindered the recovery momentum, forcing the industry to be cautious in expanding production. VASEP believes that seafood exports are also facing challenges from directives covering illegal, unreported, and unregulated catches and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which require stricter source traceability. Failure to comply could lead to the risk of import bans on many items. This requires further close coordination among the government, businesses, and fishermen to build a sustainable supply chain, ensuring long-term growth. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, with additional refinements in product quality and a stable sources of raw material sources, Vietnam's seafood exports could reach $11 billion for the year. Departing from Mipec Port in Haiphong on March 8, the shipment of 2,500 vehicles is expected to arrive in Jakarta on March 11 or 12, depending on weather conditions. The batch includes four right-hand drive models, including VF 3, VF 5, VF e34, and Nerio Green designed specifically for Indonesia. The shipment is expected to be a meaningful offering for customers ahead of the Muslim Lebaran holiday. A VF 3 on its way to Indonesia. Photo: VinFast Duong Thi Thu Trang, deputy general director of VinFast Global Sales, said, "2025 will be a crucial year for VinFast in Indonesia as we are expediting the construction of our manufacturing plant to begin assembling EVs locally." "With support from our entire ecosystem and a diverse, smart, and modern product line up, we are aiming for a significant breakthrough in sales this year," added Trang VinFast's newest model, the VF 3, made a remarkable debut at the 10 day-long Indonesia International Motor Show in February, becoming the most test-driven vehicle of the event, suggesting strong local consumer interest. To make EVs more accessible, VinFast is introducing attractive incentives, such as free charging at V-Green-operated stations until 2028, cashback offers, gifts for early adopters, and a buyback guarantee of up to 90 per cent of the vehicle's value. V-Green is also accelerating the development of thousands of charging stations across major cities to support Indonesias surging EV demand. In late January, V-Green signed an MoU with Taiwans green energy company eTreego to expand VinFasts charging network. The two companies plan to deploy 100,000 charging ports across VinFasts three key regional markets, which are Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, reinforcing their commitment to building a comprehensive EV ecosystem for the regions green transition. In the second quarter of 2025 alone, eTreego will launch 200 pilot charging ports in Vietnam before expanding to the other two key markets. Additionally, the Taiwanese company will supply charging equipment to V-Green, assist with site leasing, and connect with potential partners in the region. Le Thi Thu Thuy, vice chairwoman of Vingroup, the conglomerate that owns VinFast, said, "Expanding into Southeast Asia is a key part of our global strategy. We aim to provide ASEAN countries with smart and safe mobility solutions, accompanied by exceptional user experiences, driving a greener future for all." In December last year, Xanh SM, an EV ride-hailing service using 100 per cent VinFast EVs, launched in Indonesia and is now rapidly expanding. Electric vehicle development must be encouraged Air pollution is a global issue, with transportation as a major contributor. Reducing vehicle emissions is vital for environmental protection, and transitioning to clean energy vehicles, particularly electric vehicles (EVs), is vital for the industry. VinFast EV sales hit over 51,000 in Vietnam VinFast announced on November 12 it delivered more than 11,000 electric vehicles (EVs) to domestic customers in October, bringing its total sales since the beginning of the year to over 51,000. Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line 1 passengers can now experience the convenience and speed of paying for tickets with Visa cards through, ticket counters and the HCMC Metro HURC app. Visa will soon announce the availability of Visa card acceptance at metro stations, further enhancing seamless, convenient, and secure payment experiences for commuters. The initiative eliminates the need for cash or physical tickets, streamlining the boarding process and reducing wait times. "Visa is thrilled to celebrate the launch of Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line 1. We are proud to bring our global expertise in digital payments and sustainable transit to Vietnam, and are working diligently to enhance the commuting experience with additional convenient, secure, and environmentally friendly payment options. Visa is committed to supporting Ho Chi Minh City's journey towards a smarter, greener future," said Dung Dang, Visa country manager for Vietnam and Laos. With rapid urban growth, efficient mass transit is essential to address road congestion. Visa's Global Urban Mobility Survey shows that 65 per cent of respondents prefer contactless payment options, and a study from Visa Economic Empowerment Institute found that open-loop payments can boost transit use by 10 per cent. This global expertise, combined with a deep understanding of evolving customer expectations with mobile payments being the most preferred payment method in Vietnam enables Visa to soon introduce optimal payment solutions for the future of urban transportation, especially on Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line 1. Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line No. 1 officially opens The Metro Line No. 1 of Ho Chi Minh City running from Ben Thanh to Suoi Tien will be open for free for one month after its official inauguration ceremony on December 22. Visa and VNPAY strengthen partnership to advance contactless payments with VNPAY SoftPOS Visa, a world leader in digital payments, is collaborating with VNPAY, a financial services company providing electronic payment solutions in Vietnam, to enhance contactless payments via VNPAY SoftPOS. 20m over ten year fund confirmed for Wrexham by UK Government with claim similar historic allocation was unfunded This article is old - Published: Monday, Mar 10th, 2025 Wrexham is set to benefit from a 20m pot of cash after the UK Government has not cut the plan with a claim previous funding did not even exist. Back in 2023 it was announced Wrexham had been allocated 2m a year for ten years, however with a change in UK Government the funding had an uncertain future. Now, the new UK Government has confirmed as part of its Plan for Neighbourhoods a up to 20m sum will be coming to Wrexham, and it is in contrast to unfunded pledges from the previous government. Wrexhams MP Andrew Ranger has welcomed the allocation, Whilst the previous Tory government had announced the 20 million funding, this was not funded in the budget and the list of options for how towns and cities could spend it was extremely restrictive. The UK Government has doubled the policy options open to the Neighbourhood Boards who will make the decision about how the money is spent, so that communities are at the heart of making these changes. UK Government say a new Board will be created of residents, local businesses, and grassroots campaigners to draw up and implement a new vision for their neighbourhood although there was a City Board created recently in Wrexham to divvy up the last lot of cash. Wrexhams MP said, In Wrexham, the City Board is already bringing together residents, businesses and community campaigners. This refocus will mean that they will decide how to spend the funding, choosing from wider options that include rejuvenating high streets, local parks, youth clubs and cultural venues. UK Government say the Neighbourhood Board is to let people take back control although it is unclear from whom the control is being taken, and what specific controls will be taken with it noted that Wrexham Council has been benefiting. Wrexhams MP said, Labours funding recognises that communities often have the answers to the local problems they face and should be given more control over what they spend their money on. As a result, Labours plans mean that communities can choose to invest in a much wider range of options. Labours fully funded plan marks the latest step in its Plan for Change, which commits to turbocharging economic growth across the country and breaking down the barriers to opportunity as part of a decade of national renewal. Mr Ranger added: The announcement means more control in the hands of local people. This 20 million is properly funded and can make a tangible difference here in Wrexham. This is what Labour in UK government can do, and I look forward to continuing to support the work of the Board as we deliver for the people of Wrexham. UK Labour say the previous funding cash from the Conservatives did not exist yet also came with inflexible restrictions on spending, and say the new objectives of the altered funding is building thriving places, strengthening communities and empowering people to taking back control instead of sticking plaster policies. Wrexham Council did not respond to an invitation to comment on this economic news for the city. UK Government said on the announcement, Local people in Wales to see their high streets revived, community hubs saved and public services transformed with 100 million funding through the governments Plan for Neighbourhoods to tackle deprivation and turbocharge growth, as every area joins the decade of national renewal committed to in our Plan for Change. A total of 75 areas will each receive up to 20 million of funding and support over the next decade through the plan, with ministers vowing it will help transform left behind areas by unleashing their full potential by investing in delivering improved vital community services from education, health and employment, to tackling local issues like crime. Transformation will be holistic, long-term, and sustainable to deliver meaningful change in the day-to-day lives of local people. Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner MP said, For years, too many neighbourhoods have been starved of investment, despite their potential to thrive and grow. Communities across the UK have so much to offer rich cultural capital, unique heritage but most of all, an understanding of their own neighbourhood. We will do things differently, our fully funded Plan for Neighbourhoods puts local people in the driving seat of their potential, having control of where the Whitehall cash goes what issues they want to tackle, where they want to regenerate and what growth they want turbocharge. Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens MP said, The UK Governments Plan for Neighbourhoods is fantastic news for Wales, providing 100 million to boost growth by investing in high streets, parks, cultural venues, youth clubs and more. We are working with the Welsh Government to help local people from Rhyl to Merthyr Tydfil transform their communities. Our Plan for Change sets out how we want to the grow the economy, create jobs and put more money in peoples pockets. Targeted local funding is a vital part of our economic growth mission and will support the fantastic work the Welsh Government are already doing to regenerate communities across Wales. MPs set to question Welsh Water bosses on performance This article is old - Published: Monday, Mar 10th, 2025 Dwr Cymru Welsh Waters senior executives will appear before the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee on 11 March as part of the ongoing inquiry into reforming the water sector. The session will scrutinise the companys environmental and financial performance, focusing on issues such as pollution incidents and sewage discharges. The EFRA Committee has been holding a series of evidence sessions with water companies to assess their service delivery, customer satisfaction, dividend payouts, executive bonuses, and debt levels. The upcoming session with Welsh Water will provide MPs with an opportunity to examine the companys practices and address public concerns regarding its environmental impact. Recent reports have highlighted challenges faced by Welsh Water. In March 2024, industry regulator Ofwat imposed a 40 million fine on the company, concluding that it had misled customers and regulators on its performance on leakage and per capita consumption. Additionally, Natural Resources Wales downgraded Welsh Water to a two-star rating, indicating that the company requires improvement (research.senedd.wales). Despite these setbacks, Welsh Water has outlined plans to enhance its environmental performance. The company has proposed investing nearly 1.9 billion in environmental initiatives between 2025 and 2030, an 84% increase compared to the 2020-2025 period. This investment aims to address issues such as pollution incidents and infrastructure resilience. The EFRA Committees inquiry takes place amid wider discussions on the future of the UKs water sector. The Independent Water Commission, established by the UK and Welsh governments, has launched a call for evidence to explore potential reforms, with recommendations expected by June 2025. Peter Perry, CEO of Dwr Cymru Welsh Water, and Samantha James, Interim CFO, are due to represent the company at the EFRA Committee session on 11 March. The hearing will be held in Committee Room 6 at the Palace of Westminster and will be available for live viewing on parliamentlive.tv. This session will be a key moment for Welsh Water to respond to parliamentary scrutiny and outline its approach to improving environmental performance and financial transparency. In Dayton, a section of Highway U.S. 50 was temporarily closed due to a head-on collision. According to troopers with the Nevada State Police, the crash happened on Monday at about 6:45 a.m. near the Retail Road intersection. A Chevrolet Suburban traveling west was struck head-on by a Honda Ridgeline traveling east on U.S. 50 after the truck left its lane and crossed over the centerline, according to NSP. According to NSP, the driver of the Chevrolet was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment after suffering life-threatening injuries. They say the driver of the Honda Ridgeline was taken into custody on suspicion of driving under the influence after suffering minor injuries. NSP says all lanes of Highway U.S. 50 have reopened. On Saturday March 8 around 10:45 p.m., the Lyon County Sheriff's Office arrested two people in Fernley on drug and firearm-related charges. They were initially pulled over in an Acura SUV for having a fake, handwritten license plate. During the traffic stop, a K9 was used to smell the car and it positively alerted deputies of drugs inside. While searching the car, deputies found 150.8 grams (5+ ounces) of methamphetamine; 123.5 grams (4+ ounces) of hallucinogenic candies; a Glock 19, 9mm handgun with an obliterated serial number; various hypodermic syringes and other drug paraphernalia. The people inside the car were identified as Sherry Senn and Jeremy Gress of Modesto, California. Sherry Senn was arrested and booked into the Lyon County Jail on the following charges with a bail of $137,615: Display Fictitious Registration Possess Firearm without a Serial Number Own/Possess Firearm by a Prohibited Person Trafficking in a Controlled Substance (Schedule I/II 100 grams 400 grams) Possession of a Controlled Substance for Sales (42+ grams) Conspiracy to Violate the Uniform Controlled Substance Act Jeremy Gress was arrested and booked into the Lyon County Jail on the following charges with a bail of $107,500: This is shaping up to be the biggest movie year yet for Netflix, which has already launched comedies like Kinda Pregnant starring Amy Schumer and the family-friendly charmer Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl since New Years Day. But there are more far more, in fact dramas, comedies, rom-coms, thrillers and action films planned for the rest of the year. While many of the release dates arent yet finalized, check this page for updates, see AARP's guide to what's new and best on Netflix each month and get excited for the 20 best new films coming to Netflix in 2025. Members only DRAMAS Jay Kelly A heartbreaking dramedy from Marriage Story director Noah Baumbach, 55. The plot details remain under wraps, but the cast list is a stunner, including George Clooney, 63, Adam Sandler, 58, and Laura Dern, 58. (Coming Fall 2025) RIP Matt Damon, 54, and Ben Affleck, 52, lead an ensemble cast as Miami cops who discover millions in cash in a derelict stash house. Trust among them begins to fray and a criminal thriller ensues. (Coming Fall 2025) Train Dreams Adapted from Denis Johnsons 2011 novella of the same name, Joel Edgerton, 50, plays a railroad laborer at the start of the 20th century encountering deep love, demoralizing setbacks, and a rapidly changing American landscape. Felicity Jones, Kerry Condon, and Willam H. Macy, 74, costar. (Coming Fall 2025) Frankenstein Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro, 60, brings his inimitable vision to Mary Shelleys classic tale of Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac), who plays God and creates a monster (Jacob Elordi). (Coming November 2025) The Ballad of a Small Player This psychological thriller based on Lawrence Osbornes 2014 novel stars Colin Farrell as a high-stakes gambler laying low in Macau, whose past and debts loom dangerously large. Tilda Swinton, 64, costars. (Coming in 2025) R&B From producer Tyler Perry, 55, this is an updated telling of the iconic Biblical love story of Ruth and Boaz. Here, a young woman leaves the Atlanta music scene to care for an elderly widow, finding love and the mother she never had. The ensemble cast includes Phylicia Rashad, 76. (Coming in 2025) Steve Cillian Murphy stars in a 24-style film as a headmaster of a last-chance reform school who struggles with his own mental health along with the behaviors of his students. (Coming in 2025) Corporate Presentation Sydney, Mar 10, 2025 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Brazilian Rare Earths Limited ( ASX:BRE ) ( BRELY:OTCMKTS ) ( BRETF:OTCMKTS ) announced a significant high-grade rare earth discovery at its Monte Alto project within the Rocha da Rocha Rare Earths Province in Bahia, Brazil. The maiden diamond drilling program revealed exceptional results, including a standout intersection of 44 meters at 4,081 ppm Total Rare Earth Oxides (TREO) from the surface, with a peak assay of 2 meters at 20,890 ppm TREO (2.1% TREO). These findings position Monte Alto as a globally competitive rare earth project due to its rich concentrations of neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr), critical for permanent magnets used in clean energy technologies like electric vehicles and wind turbines. The Monte Alto discovery is characterized by its shallow, high-grade mineralization, hosted in a clay-altered monazite cumulate zone that extends over a 2km by 1km area. Drilling results consistently showed thick intercepts exceeding 1,000 ppm TREO, with 26 out of 28 holes ending in mineralization above this threshold, indicating potential for a substantial resource. The project benefits from its proximity to BRE's existing Sulista project (just 10km away), sharing similar geological traits, which enhances the company's exploration efficiency and potential to define a maiden JORC resource by mid-2025. The high NdPr content, averaging 22% of TREO, and low levels of impurities like uranium and thorium further underscore Monte Alto's economic viability. Looking ahead, Brazilian Rare Earths plans to accelerate exploration at Monte Alto with a second diamond drill rig arriving in March 2025 to expand the mineralized footprint and test deeper high-grade zones. The company aims to leverage these results to strengthen its position in the global rare earth market, capitalizing on the strategic importance of NdPr amid growing demand for decarbonization technologies. Managing Director and CEO Bernardo da Veiga highlighted Monte Alto's potential to become a cornerstone of BRE's portfolio, complementing its broader Rocha da Rocha Province strategy, which already includes one of the world's highest-grade rare earth projects. *To view the Corporate Presentation, please visit: https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/L9G9236E About Brazilian Rare Earths Limited Brazilian Rare Earths Limited (ASX:BRE) is an Australian company, rapidly advancing its Tier 1 rare earth project in Northeast Brazil. Company exploration to date has discovered and delineated a globally significant, district-scale mineral province containing large volumes of both heavy and light rare earths critical to advanced industries and applications that will deliver a green energy transition. The Company is led by a team of experienced mining executives and geologists with hundreds of years of cumulative experience in finding, developing, and operating mineral assets to generate value across a wide variety of jurisdictions, and commodities throughout the globe. Related Companies State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. 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The research from Broadstone, a leading independent consultancy, shows that treatments funded through PMI registered a 5% uptick from the same quarter in the prior year, rising from 151,000 to 158,000 in the latest quarter. In fact, 80% of UK private medical cover is delivered through employee benefit programmes funded by employers. Conversely, self-pay admissions continued their gradual decline in the third quarter of the year, falling by 6% between Q3 2023 (69,000) and Q3 2024 (65,000), stagnating at 107% of pre-pandemic levels. Overall, this meant that total private healthcare admissions registered their highest third quarter on record of 223,000 in 2024. It reflects a growing trend of PMI driving record levels of growth in the private healthcare market. Post-pandemic demand for self-pay treatment is levelling out, while businesses increasingly offer insurance solutions and wider preventive healthcare benefits to help tackle rising levels of workplace sickness. In Q3 2024, PMI funded treatments equalled over seven in ten (71%) of all admissions with the gap in admissions between those paying with PMI and those using self-pay increasing year on year, reaching 93,000 in Q3 2024 compared to 82,000 in Q3 2023. Brett Hill, Head of Health & Protection at Broadstone, commented: With NHS waiting lists stagnating at record highs, employers increasingly see PMI as essential to maintaining a healthy and productive workforce. Beyond fast access to diagnostic tests and hospital care, PMI provides direct access to treatment for mental health and musculoskeletal conditions two of the biggest drivers of workplace sickness absence and primary care benefits such as GP services, helping employees stay well and reducing costly long-term absences. The continued rise in PMI-funded treatments highlights its growing role in the healthcare system but also brings challenges - higher claims volumes are driving up costs. To manage this, businesses should consider investing in proactive, preventative health initiatives to reduce the need for costly, complex treatments down the line. In an unprecedented tribute to sporting excellence and human triumph, Britannia Marie Gold, a brand forged in India's unwavering spirit, unveils the Avani Lekhara Special Edition, honoring India's first female-athlete to win gold at the Paris Games 2024 and Tokyo Games 2020 with a commemoration of historic magnitude. For the first time in its storied history, the brand has redesigned both its biscuit and packaging, reinforcing Britannia Marie Golds long-standing proposition of Do More. Be More. Each Britannia Marie Gold biscuit in the pack has been meticulously reengineered, morphing itself to precisely mirror the dimensions of Avani's target from her triumphant performance at the Paris 2024 Games. Going one step further, every biscuit in the pack is also intricately etched with the exact position of Avani's historic winning shots. This redesign transcends mere tribute, allowing every Indian to comprehend the extraordinary skill required to strike a target of such diminutive proportions from a distance of 10 meters. The Avani Lekhara Special Edition stands as a testament to Britannia Marie Golds unwavering commitment to empower women for decades, making this initiative a national milestone the first time an athlete of her accomplishment has been featured on the front of a biscuit pack, with Avanis striking illustration taking center stage. Avani, India's first female-athlete to win double gold at the Paris Games 2024 and Tokyo Games 2020, shared, In shooting, perfection is measured in millimeters. I hope that by holding this biscuit, people understand the immense focus and precision it takes to win at the highest level. Im honored that Britannia Marie Gold is celebrating this journey and inspiring young girls to aim high. Siddharth Gupta, General Manager, Marketing Britannia Industries, added, Britannia Marie Gold has always stood for womens empowerment, celebrating their resilience and ambition. Avanis achievement exemplifies what Indian women can accomplish when given the right opportunities. This special edition is a tribute to her and to every woman striving to make history. Javaad Ahmed and Teresa Sebastian, Creatives at Talented, emphasized, By transforming the very shape of Britannia Marie Gold, we aim to offer India a powerful, tangible way to appreciate Avanis feat. This campaign not only celebrates a pioneering athlete and furthers intersectional feminism but also highlights the underrepresented sport of Air Rifle shooting. Tanvi Gandhi, Director at Little Button Films, remarked, Avani doesnt just break recordsshe breaks perceptions. Through the film and this campaign, our target was to make an invisible challenge visible, and were proud to create a film that does justice to air rifle shootings quiet dynamism and to the superstar/supergal that is Avani Lekhara. The Britannia Marie Gold Avani Lekharas Special Edition pack will be available on Swiggy Instamart starting 7 March across Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad, delivered within 10 minutesbringing history straight into the hands of millions. Hindustan Zinc Limited, an integrated zinc producer, has launched the #WomenOfZinc campaign in celebration of International Womens Day 2025. This initiative aims to showcase career opportunities for women in the metals, mining, and manufacturing sectors, challenging outdated perceptions and encouraging greater gender diversity. Through an inspiring video series, #WomenOfZinc highlights the stories of women professionals shaping core operations at Hindustan Zinc. By spotlighting these trailblazers, the campaign fosters strong role models and positions the metals and mining industry as an attractive career destination for young women. With a goal to increase its women workforce from 25% to 30%, Hindustan Zinc is accelerating its journey toward greater gender representation and inclusion. Featured Stories: Sqn Ldr (Retd) Anamika Jha, Business Unit Director, Pantnagar Metal Plant Dr. Kavita Bhardwaj, Deputy CEO, Hindmetal Exploration Nehal Solanki, Mine Planning, Rajpura Dariba Mine Despite rapid economic expansion and a growing demand for metals, women remain underrepresented in the industry. Hindustan Zinc is at the forefront of change, leveraging digitalization, robotics, and automation to create an inclusive and dynamic career landscape. The companys commitment to gender diversity is evident in its recruitment efforts, with 34% of women hires coming from top-tier colleges in FY24. Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion Hindustan Zinc has implemented progressive policies such as flexible work arrangements, spouse hiring, mental health leaves, year-long sabbaticals for childcare, and work-from-home options. The company is also pioneering womens integration into backshifts (2 PM to 10 PM) across its mines and plants, ensuring equal career growth opportunities. Arun Misra, CEO, Hindustan Zinc Limited, emphasized: Metals & mining are critical to a low-carbon future, yet historically, they have seen very low representation of women. We must bridge the skill gap by leveraging the high-quality talent pool presented by women. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are integral to our business, and we are committed to achieving 30% female representation by 2030. Hindustan Zincs International Womens Day celebrations extend beyond corporate walls, reinforcing its commitment to women's empowerment. The company has planned a month-long series of activities, including self-defense workshops, personal finance training, soft skills development, exclusive mentoring sessions, and C-suite role shadowing. At the community level, Sakhi Utsav will bring together over 10,000 women from Hindustan Zincs flagship Sakhi initiative, which supports nearly 30,000 rural women entrepreneurs in Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, promoting economic independence and entrepreneurship. House of Bindu, a leading food and beverage company from Karnataka with Bindu Fizz Jeera Masala as flagship beverage brand, has recently hired two prominent professionals in critical leadership roles to augment its business growth and expansion rest of India. The strategic appointments of two seasoned executives within the FMCG sector to its leadership team heralds a strong commitment to scale up their business with newer products and adding newer geographies beyond Karnataka. The company welcomes the joining of L. Syamprasad as COO, and Abhishek Bhardwaj as National Sales Manager Emerging Markets, both poised to drive the companys next phase of growth. Syamprasads illustrious career spans leadership roles at esteemed companies such as Marico, Britannia, Dr. Reddys Laboratories, Bovis Lendlease (worldwide project arm for Coca-Cola), Hector Beverages. He is renowned for his expertise in streamlining supply chains, boosting manufacturing efficiency, implementing robust process excellence frameworks and spearheading successful new product introductions. He is also known for driving end-to-end project management, ensuring seamless execution and delivery of projects from conceptualization to completion. At Bovis Lendlease, he played a pivotal role in establishing multiple greenfield and brownfield projects for Coca-Cola India, demonstrating his expertise in managing complex, large-scale initiatives. Syamprasad holds degrees from (BTech Mech); MNNIT and PG in business management XLRI, complemented by specialized training in world-class manufacturing practices from the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance (JIPM). He is also a certified Six Sigma professional. Complementing the operational strength of Prasads appointment, Abhishek Bhardwaj arrives as a seasoned sales leader with over 25 years in the fast-paced FMCG sector. Bhardwajs career includes key leadership positions in FMCG giants such as Unilever, PepsiCo, Lotte, and Coca-Cola. His deep expertise encompasses channel sales strategy, new business development, customer relationship management, and effective key account management. His executive education includes programs at ISB, Columbia Business School, and IIM Bangalore. We are thrilled to welcome L. Syamprasad and Abhishek Bhardwaj to House of Bindu. Their combined wealth of experience in both operations and sales leadership will be critical assets as we execute our ambitious growth strategy and further solidify our leading position in the Indian food and beverage industry. With a strong vision of targeting 1000 crs turnover, we at House of Bindu look forward to their collective experience in driving our next phase of growth and expansion. stated Mr Sathya Shankar, Managing Director, SG Corporates. SG Corporates is rooted in the entrepreneurial journey of Mr. Sathya Shankar, which began in 1987 with an automobile spare parts shop in Puttur. Recognizing business opportunities, Mr. Shankar expanded into auto finance, establishing Praveen Capital in 1994. His foray into manufacturing started with Bindu Mineral Water, a packaged drinking water brand, which led to the formation of SG Corporates and paved the way for its presence in the beverage industry. Today, SG Corporates encompasses numerous beverages brands and extends beyond beverages into organic farming, fruit processing, and packaged foods through Megha Fruit Processing Private Limited or House of Bindu. The overarching mission of the SG Group is to deliver "the taste of happiness" to its consumers. The Company is in existence since 20+ years and has a robust distribution network covering almost all Southern States. In addition, over last two years the company has expanded its distribution PAN India in the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Orissa, West Bengal, further to Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh. The Company has a network of 20+ warehouses spread across 7 states, 1,500+ distributors and over 200,000+ Active Outlets. The Companys products are well accepted and are known for their quality, taste and customer service. This is in line with the promoters vision of SG pure taste of happiness. To celebrate this Womens Day, K J Somaiya Hospital & Research Centre, one of Indias leading multi-specialty hospitals, has launched a campaign titled SehatKaTeeka. The hospital will be conducting a month-long awareness campaign in order to promote womens health. Speaking on the launch of the campaign, Manisha Bobade, CEO, K J Somaiya Hospital & Research Centre said, Several health surveys and studies have revealed an alarming rise in cancer and lifestyle related health issues among women in India. One of the critical factors driving this rise in diseases and cancer related health issues is the lack of awareness among women about their own health. Thus, as we celebrate Womens Day, we decided to launch this awareness campaign in order to bridge this knowledge gap among women. As per a recent study published in the Nature Journal, it has been revealed that India will witnesses more than 50,000 cases of breast cancer rise each year in the next decade. Another study conducted by Redcliffe Labs revealed that 3 in 5 women in India are at risk of anaemia. Identifying these concerning health issues, K J Somaiya Hospital & Research Centre decided to conduct a month-long awareness campaign. Through this campaign, the hospital will be providing womens exclusive health packages in order to promote early testing. These packages will be provided to all female patients visiting the hospital. Besides this, the hospital will also be conducting awareness sessions among female doctors, medical staff and healthcare professionals present at the premises. Kay Beauty, co-founded by Katrina Kaif and Nykaa, introduces Kreate with Kay Beautya heartfelt initiative designed to inspire and uplift the next generation of beauty professionals. Born from the brands desire to give back to the Kommunity, which has been an integral part of its journey, Kreate champions aspiring makeup artists who possess incredible passion and talent but havent always had the opportunity or resources to turn their dreams into reality. Through professional training at the prestigious Daniel Bauer Hair & Makeup Academy, along with mentorship and real-world experience, Kreate aims to equip these talented individuals with the skills, confidence, and support they need to grow as professionals and build lasting careers in the beauty industry. Kay Beauty set out to find individuals with a true passion for beauty and the ambition to build a career in the industry, but who may not have had access to the same resources or opportunities as others. After a thoughtful and transparent selection process, conducted with the support of the Salaam Bombay Foundation, five talented artists were chosen from a pool of numerous applications. Following careful consideration and in-depth conversations with each candidate, they were invited to be part of this journey, marking the beginning of a new chapter filled with learning, growth, and possibilities. Over six months at the Daniel Bauer Hair & Makeup Academy, the selected makeup artists underwent an intensive program designed to build both their technical expertise and professional confidence. Through world-class training and hands-on workshops led by industry leaders, they honed essential skills such as skin preparation, creating flawless base makeup, and mastering a variety of eye and overall makeup looks. Beyond technique, the curriculum introduced them to the realities of working in the industryteaching them how to create mood boards, assist on fashion and film shoots, and curate content for platforms like Instagram to showcase their portfolios. A standout learning for many was the importance of embracing and enhancing natural skin tonesan approach that has since become a defining part of their artistry. Alongside skill development, the program provided invaluable exposure, mentorship, and networking opportunities, helping lay the foundation for sustainable careers and financial independence. Katrina Kaif, Co-Founder of Kay Beauty, shared, Since the beginning of Kay Beauty, my vision has always gone beyond just makeup. We wanted to build a kommunity that encourages self-expression, inspires confidence, and makes the beauty industry more inclusive. We wanted to create a platform where talent is nurtured and opportunities are accessible to all. Kreate with Kay Beauty was born from this vision, offering aspiring artists a chance to turn their passion into a profession. Seeing these artists refine their craft, step into their potential, and embrace their dreams has been truly inspiring. With the right platform, dedication, and perseverance, success naturally follows. We are excited to see where this journey takes them and cant wait to witness their incredible growth. Adwaita Nayar, Executive Director, CEO Nykaa Fashion and Head of Owned Brands, said "At Kay Beauty, our core belief has always been to harness the power of our platforms to create meaningful change. Kreate with Kay Beauty is a natural extension of our ongoing commitment to beauty with a purpose. We recognize the vast, untapped talent pool in India, and through this CSR initiative, we aim to empower these exceptional women by providing them with the skills, confidence, and opportunities to thrive in their careers. This is just one of the many ways we strive to make a lasting, positive impact on the beauty industry". Kreate is the latest chapter from Kare, Kay Beautys CSR initiatives, which have focused on creating meaningful impact since the brands inception. The first #Kare project supported the DeHaat Foundation, which provided sustainable employment to over 110 women in rural areas through the production of handcrafted pencils made from recycled newspaper. In 2020, during the pandemic, the initiative extended support to daily wage earners in Maharashtras Bandara district, helping those most affected during a particularly challenging time. With Kreate, the brand continues to push boundaries, ensuring that every individual, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to take confident steps toward a future full of opportunity. Here is what the talented women have to say: Shama Munawwar Ali Shaikh says: "I grew up in Santacruz East in Mumbai, and at festivals I always remember seeing my relatives and neighbours dressing up and doing their makeup, and I always wished I could do the same. I used to practice on my sisters, trying to do makeup looks I saw on other people, but I didnt have the right knowledge or products. I wanted to be a makeup artist, but it just felt impossible because makeup courses were too expensive, and I didnt know how to go about it. When I got this chance to do the course with Daniel Bauer Academy and Kay, everything changed. I learned the right way to do makeup and how products can be applied, that now I feel confident. I love doing eye makeup, and I have become really good at creating the base. Getting certificates from Katrina Maam and Daniel Sir means a lot because they remind me of how far I have come. Seeing my parents proud at the ceremony was a moment I will never forget. After the course, I worked as an assistant on web series like Ek Hasina Thi. Now, I work at a salon and also take freelance makeup work regularly. This is just the startI want to keep growing and make a name for myself in this industry. Sarita Premsagar Bharti says, I used to watch makeup videos on Instagram and loved seeing how artists did makeup on others. Thats when I felt I wanted to do this too. While I was studying b-com, I also joined a short makeup course near my house in Matunga, hoping it would help me find work, but for a year, I couldnt get the right opportunities so I went back to my hometown in UP. I knew I wanted to join a proper makeup academy one day that could teach me better skills, but I couldnt afford it. After I returned to Mumbai that is when Kay Beauty & Salaam Bombay called me to interview for this course and I couldn't believe it. This course has taught me so much and also given me exposure. From working on portfolio shoots with Daniel Sir to creating a moodboard for the first time, I learned so much. The shoot with Katrina Maam made me understand how makeup looks different on camera and how even small details matter. Before this, I only knew the basics, but now I have learned how to make makeup look natural instead of adding too many layers. Now, Im assisting a makeup artist, working on day shoots, and have even worked with a few film and TV actors. Im really happy that I got this opportunitybecause of this course, Im able to earn my own income and grow in this field. My goal is to work on weddings and shoots independently and, one day, be known for my work. Pranali Subhash Goregaonkar says, "I grew up in Mumbai and when I was in school, I did a basic beautician course where I learned basic grooming services. I was always more interested in learning makeup properly, but because of my familys situation, I had to start working early on in life. I took up a sales training job where I got to do makeup on others and received free products, which helped me practice and made me even more interested in makeup. When I was offered to apply for this programme, and when Kay Beauty finally selected me, it felt like the right step towards my dream. Learning from Daniel Sir helped me get better at eye makeup and understand how to create natural, well-blended looks. Since then, Ive worked at fashion shows, taken makeup orders for parties, and I also assist makeup artists like Pakhi Pahuja and my work is getting more and more appreciated. I have also managed to hold my own makeup workshop. Overall this training has given me the confidence to work in the industry, and one day, I want to start my own makeup academy to help others just like I was helped - this is my dream. Annu A H S Banee, adds "I decided I wanted to become a makeup artist when I was 10. I loved doing makeup, but my situation didn't allow me to pursue a professional course. So, while studying, I worked a job in the property sector to support myself. Later, I did an advanced beautician course, but I still couldnt get the right opportunities in makeup. After submitting my entry for the programme, with Kay Beauty and Daniel Bauer Academy, and got selected for this training, it felt like a dream come true and I was so excited. Before this course, I used to struggle with getting the base right, creating eye looks, or handling clients. But through Daniel Sir and Katrina Maams guidance, I learned so muchbridal makeup, skin coverage, and professional eye techniques. The wedding season has been amazing for me, and Ive been able to take on more work and earn well. One of my most memorable moments was my first photoshoot where Daniel Sir and his assistant guided me through it, and I could see how much I was improving. The Instagram class with Shreya ma'am (Shreya Jain) helped me learn how to edit and present my work better online. After the training, I started doing makeup for TV actors and models, and now I feel much more confident in my work. Now, Im focused on building my portfolio and growing on Instagram, with my mother and sister supporting me. Im really grateful for this opportunity because it has brought me closer to my dream of being a makeup artist. Divya Acharya says: I come from a small village in Tamil Nadu. My love for makeup started early. In school, I took a small beauty course and was one of the top students. Thats when I knew I wanted to become a makeup artist one day. I started offering basic beautician services, but many clients asked for proper makeup. Since I didnt know how to do it, I missed out on work opportunities and also language was an issue since I could mainly speak in Tamil. I realized I needed to learn makeup to grow in this field. When I got selected for this program, I felt so lucky. During the course, I learned many new skills like skin finishing techniques and how to create a mood board. It changed the way I do makeup. Working on fashion shoots with Daniel Sir and creating my first portfolio gave me a huge confidence boost. When he praised my work, it was a very proud moment for me. Now, I take makeup orders, work with parlors, keep improving my skills and I also feel that I present myself better now. My dream is to open my own salon one day. I finally feel like I am on the right path and I am grateful to Daniel Sir, Katrina Maam, and the Salaam Bombay team for giving me this opportunity. Media Mantra Group, India's leading independent PR and Integrated Communications Consultancy hosted 'MMDialogues365 Decoding Effective Communications to celebrate the first anniversary of its flagship knowledge-sharing initiative MMDialogues at the Roseate, New Delhi. This unique event, a first of its kind in the industry, brought together 50 esteemed leaders and distinguished voices from the Media and Communications fraternity; facilitating engaging discussions on the evolving landscape of public relations & communications, changing media dynamics, and the future trends in the communications industry. MMDialogues365 commenced with a special address by Sh. Pankaj Pachauri - veteran Journalist & Founder of GoNewsIndia, who shared his experience and learnings spanning his journey from journalism to entrepreneurship, offering insights on adaptability and the changing expectations from news media. The event featured a fireside chat with Puja Pathak, Director, Media Mantra Group and Annurag Batra, Chairman & Editor-in-Chief, BW Businessworld, on the art of balancing technical expertise with emotional intelligence in communication. There were two panel discussions featuring stalwarts from the media and communications fraternity, sharing their perspectives on the future trends in media and communications. The first panel discussion moderated by Deeptie Sethi, CEO, PRCAI featured Pankaj Doval, National Editor, Times of India; Shweta Punj, Economic Editor, Moneycontol.com; and Shishir Sinha, Associate Editor, Hindu Business Line, who shared their insights on the future media landscape, covering topics like navigating the scenario of fragmentation of media; use of AI; and effective engagement between PR Consultancies and journalists, amongst others. The second panel discussion moderated by renowned communications expert Arun Sudhaman, with Nandini Chatterjee, Chief Corporate Brand & Communications Officer, Shree Cement; Ajey Maharaj, Head of Corporate Communications, Fortis Healthcare; Arpana Kumar Ahuja, EVP & Head, Corporate Brand & Communications, Jindal Steel & Power Ltd.; and Abhishek Mahapatra, Independent Consultant; who delved on the future trends of communications including the advent, impact and optimal usage of AI from creating content to ideation; impact of the creator economy; niche media, podcasts and specialized content creators; implications of regionalisation and vernacular media; balancing freedom of expression with responsible communications; and effective measurement of PR campaigns, amongst others. Reflecting on the journey of MM Dialogues, Udit Pathak, Founder Director of Media Mantra Group, said, "A year ago, MM Dialogues was launched with a simple vision of bridging the knowledge gap in the PR and communications industry by bringing together the best minds for candid, yet impactful conversations. MMDialogues365 was a curated to celebrate the first anniversary of this initiative. We are thankful to the distinguished speakers and panellists for sharing their perspectives on Decoding Effective Communications. This platform enables communications professionals access to the learnings of key communications and media leaders. With initiatives like these, Media Mantra Group is helping to train the next generation of communicators." Speaking on Media Mantras commitment to learning-driven initiatives, Puja Pathak, Founder Director of Media Mantra Group, said, "PR and communications is a field that thrives on agility, innovation, and continuous learning. With MMDialogues, we wanted to ensure that our teams engage with the brightest minds in the industry, gaining perspectives that go beyond textbooks. Today, a year later, MMDialogues365' has shown us all whats possible when media leaders like Speaking on the occasion, Rahul Mehta, CEO, Media Mantra Group, said, Since its inception, MMDialogues has become a unique, first of its kind knowledge sharing initiative facilitating a dialogue between leading professionals from the communications and media fraternity; Media Mantra team, and the communication fraternity at large. The platform has covered diverse topics ranging from ideating strategic PR campaigns, digital transformation, impactful storytelling and effective media engagement strategies. As Media Mantra Group continues to expand its footprint, both in India and internationally, unique and innovative initiatives like MMDialogues will remain pivotal in enabling better learning and training for people working in the communications industry. We look forward to making #MMDialogues 2.0 even bigger and better. Rekha Gehani, People & Culture Leader, Media Mantra Group, said, At Media Mantra, we have a strong focus on training our employees. MMDialogues was created by the leadership team with the vision of enhancing learning for our team members with curated sessions, enabling them to interact with stalwarts from the media and corporate communications. Sessions were also made public on our social media handles, to enable learning for a broader industry audience. We are happy to witness the enthusiastic response that MMDialogues has received from the communications fraternity at large, and look forward to the next edition of MMDialogues365 in 2026. Karan Johar, the torchbearer and pied piper of nepotism in Bollywood, launches yet another star-kid with the direct-to-Netflix release Nadaaniyan. Supposedly the launchpad for Saif's beta Ibrahim Ali Khan, the film is basically a Gen-Z update of Johar's own Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) and Student of the Year (2012), which if you ask me personally, were stupid but far superior to this tripe... So get set to enter an ultra elitist college, where a newbie scholarship student (Ibrahim) is ragged during a debate session for residing in downmarket Noida!! Scholar dude wins the debate not by his argumentative acumen but by displaying his abs to the class. Huh, kyon, kaise, you ask? Well, it's a K Jo school after all!! Brains ain't the criteria to win debates here. Six pack muscles do the talking... Next, Scholar ji is promptly hired by a billionaire ki beti (Khushi) to pose as her boyfriend. Scholar accepts. Beti takes him around like a trophy until they actually fall in love... how utterly butterly predictable!! A sub plot includes Beti ke pitaji (Suniel Shetty, disinterested) neglecting her maa (Mahima, looking lost and tired) and impregnating his other woman (Riya Sen in a blink and miss cameo) as he wants a beta and not a beti. How genderly blenderly is that!! Obviously, the sole reason one can engage with Nadaaniyan is to see how Saif's son fares in his debut outing. Ibrahim Ali Khan appears a carbon copy of the younger version of his father we enjoyed going Ole Ole in the '90s. Unfortunately unlike Saif, Ibrahim's acting leaves a lot to be desired. The three films old Khushi Kapoor also needs to brush up her diction and overall emoting skills pronto. But then, no hurry no worry, both of them like all their nepo clan, will be given hundred other chances by Karan and his cronies for next ten years and one of their future movies might even turn a flukey hit. "A Superstar is born" headline might already be ready as the publicity material for that D day...whenever it comes!! Ratings on some key aspects* : 1. Acting : 1/5 2. Direction : 2/5 3. Music : 2/5 4. Story, Screenplay and Dialogue : 1.5/5 5. Cinematography : 3/5 6. Editing : 3/5 7. Costume Design : 3/5 8. Special Effects and VFX : NA 9. Action : NA 10. Production Quality : 3.5/5 #SNRating for #Nadaaniyan : 1 & 1/2 star out of 5. - Sumeet Nadkarni * - The overall film rating is not a simple average of all ratings on key aspects but a weighted average of the ratings where some crucial aspects (like direction, acting, story and screenplay etc) are assigned more weightage than others. #Nadaaniyan #RomanticMusical #HindiMovie #Bollywood #KhushiKapoor #IbrahimAliKhan #KaranJohar #BollywoodReview #BollywoodNews #Filmreview #TheatricalRelease #OTTRelease #Netflix #SNRatings #SNRatings barometer: 1 star = Poor 1 & 1/2 star = Below average/ Avoidable 2 stars = Average 2 & 1/2 stars = Above average/ Risk it 3 stars = Good enough/ Endurable 3 & 1/2 stars = Definitely worth a watch 4 stars = Very good 5 stars = Masterpiece/ Outstanding. 2025 SNRatings. About Sumeet Nadkarni: Sumeet Nadkarni is a Chartered Accountant by profession and a self-styled film critic by passion. He reviews Bollywood movies and OTT releases on his popular personal blog #SNRatings. His film-related articles have appeared in leading publications in India. With a keen eye for cinematic detail and a knack for insightful critiques, Sumeet brings a unique perspective to the world of Indian cinema. Follow him for the latest Bollywood insights and unbiased film reviews. #FilmCritique #BollywoodReviewer In a landscape where convenience reigns supreme, Rebel Foods is redefining the food delivery experience with the launch of QuickiES, promising delivery in a mere 15 minutes or its free. Spearheading this revolutionary model is Sagar Kochhar, Co-founder & CEO, EatSure, who speaks to Adgully about the inspiration, infrastructure, and vision behind this bold initiative. From leveraging Rebel Foods' decade-long expertise in cloud kitchens and brand aggregation to addressing consumer demands for speed without compromising quality, Kochhar delves into the strategic thinking and operational excellence that underpin QuickiES. This interview explores the innovative approach Rebel Foods is taking to disrupt the quick commerce space, offering insights into the tech investments, partnerships, and long-term vision that are set to reshape the Indian food delivery market. Are there any specific consumer trends or insights that led you to believe there was a demand for a 15-minute food delivery model? If you look across industries, whether you look at e-commerce, content play, or the restaurant industry, the underlying tenet of all these disruptions has been convenience. A convenience that consumers experience the moment a new platform or a new player brings in an offering around that, automatically the disruption is bound to happen. In F&B, when the QSRs came in, they added this great flavor of convenience wherein you don't have to wait half an hour for food, but in maybe a few minutes you have that food or going to the next level, wherein food delivery started growing massively. And in line with that, quick commerce or the quick food delivery segment, its the same tenet which is to really dial up the convenience aspect when it comes to consuming great food and great brands in delivery. So, that is the underlying reason why we believe that quick food delivery is or quick commerce is the new reality. We all as users have experienced how it is shaping e-commerce and we firmly believe that a similar thing is bound to happen even in food delivery. QuickiES is being hailed as a game-changer in food delivery. What inspired Rebel Foods to launch Indias first 15-minute Delivery or Free guarantee? At Rebel Foods, our journey of more than a decade now, from the time when we pioneered the cloud kitchen model, to 2016 when we actually brought in the multi brand play, to the year 2019 when we realized that what we have built is not just these brands like Faasos, Behrouz Biryani, Ovenstory Pizza, but actually an operating system which has the power of bringing some great loved local gems and global gems to the customer. What I mean by operating system is this amalgamation of these three elements. Number one is culinary expertise. The expertise that helps you to identify a great recipe and then scale it up constantly. The second is the entire play, from consumer to the kitchens to the back end to the making of food. Tech is involved in each and every bit of it. And the third element happens to be the supply chain which connects the entire network virtually like a pipe. These three components come together and they make the Rebel operating system. The operating system is so powerful that not just our own brands, but even some local gems, national gems or global brands, like in 2019 we wanted to enter burgers as a category. We realized that instead of building our own brand from scratch there is a brand like Wendy's which happens to be the second largest US burger brand which has been trying to get into the country since 2016. And they were going through the similar challenges that exist in the physical world. And we partnered with them and we onboarded them onto the network. In a matter of about a year and a half, two years, we scaled them up across to 200 plus locations. And we now today are the master franchisee owners for Wendy's. And likewise, whether it was about scaling up natural ice cream or smooth chocolates or a bad or donut and a list of brands go on. So that was that. While we are a portfolio brand at Rebel Foods, but fundamentally we are the world's largest Internet restaurant platform. After we had enabled this Rebel operating system in 2021-22, we enabled almost more than 40-45 brands across 400-plus locations in the country, across 70-75 plus cities. We had a play in more than 5,000 restaurants. We believe that now that we have brought in some great content in different food categories. We had this great ability to also build a distribution plane. And that's where we launched the distribution platform which is called Eat Sure. We didn't want to position yet another food delivery app, but we called it that. So, while there are multiple aggregators that have been in the country, there are few two or three of them which are now operating while their prime focus is logistics. To pick up a product from point A, deliver at point B. But in our case with the platform play like Eat Sure. And the fact that we control the full stack, we believe that we had an opportunity to go beyond and solve for a lot of broken experiences like being in a food court. One of the key things number one, being insured. We said one of the key tenets of the platform would be transparency and assurance. We would only serve food which we know is coming from an HACCP certified kitchen. HACCP happens to be the world class standard in the Indian market when it comes to quality safety assurance. So whatever the insurer as a platform will serve, food will only come from these HACCP certified kitchens, the most trusted kitchens or the and likewise the more certified brands. And then also solve for some broken experiences. For example, if few of us want to place an order and somebody might want to have a burger, somebody might want to have a pizza, we might end up placing multiple orders which will reach us at different points in time. So, with the insured food court what we the proposition that we brought up was to say that we will bring to you multiple trusted restaurants in one single order. And deliver to you without having to go through all this entire experience of different deliveries, different delivery fees, all of that. And so that is how we start building the D2C play. And we saw some great traction with more than 10 million app downloads, 4.4 plus rated app, great retention, great broader market fit. Comes this very year 2024 wherein we realized that now quick commerce happens to be a great opportunity. And we believe that given the fact that we control the full stack we already have the power of our reach scale distribution. We are really well placed to actually activate this entire proposition of QuickES. When you think about quick commerce specifically and quick food delivery more specifically, to win this entire opportunity, one has to appear as a full stack player. If you look at whichever operators which I started to get into this play without naming competition, you would see the ones which are really showing up really, you know, to have some good traction. They are controlling the end to end experience, right? From sourcing to making of food, to actually delivering it. Because in this game, if you try doing it by aggregation route, the challenge would be that you're tapping into the same infra of the restaurant industry where that infra is also optimized for giving out the dining experience to users, giving out a regular delivery experience to users. And now you're piling up your quick play also on top of that. So, it would really not be optimized only for doing a quick delivery. Thats one of the key aspects for someone to win this quick food delivery segment and which is where we realize with each and with the entire full stack play at Rebel is that we have, we have this opportunity to control the full stack and, and bring this offering to the customer, keeping completely the quick food delivery in the, in the center. Secondly, there was an interesting insight that if you ask the consumer You want a burger, do you want any XYZ burger or do you want a Wendy's burger? The customer wants something quick, but would he want to compromise on taste quality or would he want to even risk that, trying something which does not come with the hallmark of assurance, taste quality? If you could deliver great dishes, great curation coming from much loved brands, from possibly the most trusted ecosystem of running the kitchen operations in a quick way we believe that is going to be a game changer. And that's where we launched Quickies, which is where we are pushing it to not just deliver any food, but actually foodgasm, because thats the epitome of delivering great quality loved dishes and brands with a promise of 15 minutes, otherwise the food is completely free. What kind of infrastructure upgrades and technology investments were required to make this happen? Number one, quick food delivery, or quick commerce, is a full stack play at Rebel Foods. We are already doing it, and have been honing it. We may not have perfected it, but we have come some distance over the last decade. The full stack play is already there. But in terms of tech infra, there are some interventions and upgrades required. For example, today, and also this entire debate that the food would be made a long time back and all those apprehensions around it. Let me also attack that bit because we're talking about the investments and the tech bit of the intra bit in it. The way food is being made in kitchens like ours is the fact that we use a lot of data. A lot of intelligence goes in when it comes to how we prepare our kitchens. Different products require different forms of approach. We have so much data because were already churning out so much quantity out there. So, a lot of this thing is already in place for us. Upgrades like to say that, okay, in the evening hour, we would require higher prep or higher readiness for churning out more burgers than biryani. In the night, we would require more biryani. In the morning, we require more breakfast items, how many items in which kitchen do we need to start preparing on time so that it is made freshly? Thus, a lot of data synthesis happens in the backend using artificial intelligence or analytical models and forecasting models that we have. How do you balance hyper-fast delivery with sustainability and cost-effectiveness? The core tenet of our existence has been trust and assurance. We will only serve food to customers that we can serve to our own kids and family members. I have 11 years old daughter. She's the biggest brand loyalist of all rebel brands. She would also come back and say that this product is not up to the mark. We work backward from the customer. For 12-13 years, that's what we have been doing. At the core of it, quality bit on the food, if you look at all our brands, they're the best rated brands in every category. That's never even going to be a possibility to talk about that. Are we going to compromise on the quality bit of the food? Obviously that's never going to happen in terms of the trust and the assurance bit. Today, all our kitchens in India, about 360, 370 kitchens, are all HACCP certified which are a third party government validation. Likewise we have this certification that happens in the actual premise where there are audits and validations done by different agencies and they then certify and give you a validation that your kitchen is up to the mark. It's a massive in depth technical quality check. We are already HACCP certified and that's the reality. These are all trusted restaurants where the food is prepared in these premises. So the trust is given, the assurance is given and also the brands that are going to give out all these products are category brands and their core tenants, core existence has always been about being the most trusted and most loved. Quality is a strength and that's not a risk for us because that's the power we want to play down. Versus some other competitor who might come in. We'll try to establish the brand equity integrity trust assurance. We have been doing that for over a decade and that's our strength or our core USP. Are there any partnerships or collaborations in the pipeline to further enhance the QuickiES experience? Our mission is to strengthen the platform to bring the highest quality, most loved brands in every category, in every neighborhood. That is the North Star for us. Whatever we do at Rebel is working backward from that. It will all be working the customer backwards to say that this is what consumers crave. I wouldn't want to start building a new offering. If its ice cream tomorrow, I wouldnt want to again start building ice cream as a product and then try to build a brand on top of that, that will take its own time. I would rather get the most sought after product or the brand and then plug it into the network. That has been the approach and very soon you will hear some very interesting names going out there. We are in the final stages of scaling up our network. How does QuickiES fit into Rebel Foods long-term vision for the Indian food delivery market? Our long-term vision is the same mission statement: working backward from the customer, we will strengthen our platform to bring the highest quality, most loved brands in every category, in every neighborhood. We believe with Quickies we have a great right to win wherein we can bring those brands to customers in different neighborhoods, delivered in 15 minutes. And if we don't, we give it for free. We have confidence because we have seen the operational excellence that we had been piloting for the last three months. The more we are able to do that, the more customer access and insights we will have. That kind of becomes a flywheel: serving great brands to customers, get more brand love, increase their frequency, acquire more users, give us more insights as to what they want more. We bring more such category content brands onto the network and it becomes the flywheel effect. A lot depends on how well we execute. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has appointed Takashi Nakajima as the new President & CEO of Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) and he will take charge from April 1, 2025, consequent to the management changes announced annually by Honda Motor Co. Ltd. Takashi Nakajima will take over from Takuya Tsumura, who moves to Japan at Honda head office after completing his India tenure. During his successful 3-year tenure in India, Mr. Takuya Tsumura was instrumental in fortifying the premium brand positioning of Honda in India, strengthening customer centric solutions, and driving companys profitable growth. He spearheaded the introduction of several premium models in India including Indias first mainstream hybrid model Honda City e:HEV, Hondas new global SUV Elevate, All New 3rd Generation Amaze and laying the foundation for launch of future models including Hondas first Battery Electric Vehicle for India. During his tenure, HCIL saw strong expansion in its export business with start of export of Made in India Elevate to Japan. Mr. Tsumuras strong focus on new age communication led to many integrated marketing campaigns targeting consumers across age profiles. In his role, he emphasized on achieving operational efficiencies at company and dealership level and led several initiatives in the field of sales and service to enhance customer experience and dealer profitability. Takashi Nakajima joined Honda in 1994 and has been associated with Honda Motor Co. Ltd. for more than 30 years. He has gained vast experience having worked in various positions of responsibility in several international markets like Japan, China, Spain, Czech Republic and Russia in the areas of Business Planning, Product Planning, Marketing and Sales Promotion. He has been serving as President of Honda Motor Russia since 2021. During his latest assignment, he was also in-charge of Product Planning, Marketing and Corporate Communication for Hondas automobile business in domestic Japan Market. Times Network, India's premium broadcast and digital network, has launched Unilist.in, an all-in-one platform to provide comprehensive, data-driven insights into higher education institutions across India. Catering to students, parents, and corporate recruiters seeking credible information, Unilist.in offers to facilitate informed academic and hiring decisions. With an emphasis on transparency and data analytics, this platform goes beyond conventional ranking systems by offering real-time updates based on a live survey mechanism. The in-depth survey, with inputs from over 150 B-schools enables prospective students and their families to make informed decisions about their academic futures. The platforms rankings and analyses are backed by a robust research methodology that integrates institutional data, expert reviews, and student sentiment analysis. With Unilist.in, Times Network aims to bridge the information gap and empower users with accurate, data-backed intelligence. Unilist.in offers A to Z information about colleges, providing comprehensive data on institutions, including infrastructure, faculty, placement records, and academic performance. It features a live survey ranking system that dynamically evolves based on continuous institutional input and expert analysis. The platform leverages advanced data analytics, with five years of accumulated data, year-over-year growth tracking, and sentiment analysis to reflect educational trends. Designed with a corporate and student focus, this platform assists students in their academic journey while also helping recruiters identify top talent from premier institutions. Additionally, it offers exclusive media content from Times Network, including podcasts, interviews, reels, and discussions featuring industry experts and top academicians. Vikas Purohit has joined BCCL (The Times of India) as CEO - New Business Ventures, where he will be responsible for developing and executing the pivots into new opportunities. In this role, he will design high-potential new venture concepts, develop strategic business plans, and drive execution to build scalable and profitable ventures. Most recently, Vikas served as Director & Head Small Business Group (SBG) at Meta India, where he led a team supporting over 10 million small businesses across the country. Prior to Meta, he was the CEO of Tata Unistore Ltd. and has also held key leadership roles at Amazon Fashion, Reliance Brands, and Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail. Vikas holds a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from IIT BHU and a PGDBM from IIM Bangalore. A Lee County Detention Center inmate has been indicted in the killing of his cellmate. Sheriffs officials on Monday announced the murder charge for 26-year-old Jimmy Jenkins Jr. of Tuskegee. He is charged in the strangulation death of 39-year-old Shawn Dewon Callaway. Callaway, of Auburn, was found dead at 4:54 a.m. on July 20, 2024. Russell County Sheriffs Office authorities were brought in to lead the investigation. An autopsy by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences showed Callaway died from asphyxia due to neck compression. The indictment was issued Feb. 27 and served on Jenkins earlier today. He remains held without bond. Jenkins is awaiting trial for an unrelated second-degree rape. That trial is set for later this month. Alabama state education officials plan to take over Dallas County Schools, which has struggled for years with turnover and declining enrollment and test scores. The Alabama Board of Education will vote on possible intervention of the small, rural district at its monthly meeting on Thursday in Montgomery. Districts typically enter state intervention when there are financial or governance issues that cant be reconciled without outside assistance. State Superintendent Eric Mackey told AL.com that he recently met with the local school board and expressed his concerns, but he did not provide any details about what those issues were. State intervention means a local board is no longer in charge of decisions about personnel, finance or operations. Typically, the state will appoint someone to oversee that work with the superintendent. Superintendent Anthony Sampson told AL.com that the district plans to work in concert with the state department. He declined to comment on what prompted the proposal for intervention. We just basically await further guidance and instruction from the state department on what our next steps are, he said. Dallas County school board members voted on Feb. 27 to comply with intervention if the state board approves a takeover. In its resolution, the board acknowledged that assistance from the state is in the best interest of all Dallas County School System students. Mackey issued a show cause letter to the district on Feb. 21, according to the resolution. AL.com has requested the letter and any additional communication from the state department to the school board. Currently two other Alabama school districts are under state intervention: Sumter County and Bessemer City. Sumter County, which is now in its second year of state intervention , is working to consolidate its schools to help curb declining enrollment and rising costs. But it continues to have challenges recruiting staff, Mackey said at a board meeting last month. Bessemer City, which went under intervention in August, is undergoing board training and has reconciled issues with staff pay , Mackey said. Its accreditation is currently under review after a COGNIA report found several problems with fiscal management and leadership. Mackey told reporters the district will likely be under intervention for a few more years. Dallas County has seen some growth academically in recent years, going from a 75 on the state report card in 2022-23 to a 79 last year. But five of the districts 11 schools remain on the states priority list, meaning they earned either a D or an F on the latest report card. The system also appears to have struggled, like Sumter County and Bessemer, with financial issues and declining population; in the past decade, Dallas Countys enrollment has dwindled by nearly 30%. Currently, just over 2,200 students are enrolled in the district, and more than 90% are economically disadvantaged. Officials have recently discussed consolidating schools, according to news reports. The districts latest audit, filed in June 2024, cited numerous concerns with financial management, including payments that were not reconciled or made in full, as well as misstated revenues and expenditures. The district also failed to obtain proper bids for up to $4.8 million in professional development services. In a July 2024 interview with AL.com, Mackey said no other districts were in imminent danger of a takeover at the time, but said he was monitoring a few districts that were struggling. We never want to get to that place, he said. We do massive amounts of work with school districts every day to avoid that. But sometimes its the best option on the table. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 23: Lil Yee attends the 12th annual Mo Landy x EMPIRE Radio appreciation brunch at Andaz Hotel on June 23, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Andrew Toth/Getty Images for EMPIRE) Getty Images for EMPIRE Stacey Gilton, known as Lil Yee, suffered two gunshot wounds to the chest after refusing to turn over his watch during an armed robbery late Thursday inside a Hollywood recording studio. The Los Angeles Times, citing sources, said Gilton was critical but stable at a local hospital. An LAPD spokesman told The Times that Gilton, 32, was wounded by a suspect who had fired several rounds at the victim during an attempted robbery. Gilton is the brother, according to SFGate, of former Alabama running back Najee Harris, who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers. According to The Times, police are looking into the possibility that the robbery was a set-up orchestrated by another rapper. Gilton, a San Francisco native, went viral in 2016 with his self-released hit single War in 2016 with nearly 5 million streams on Spotify. Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on The Opening Kickoff on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily. A little diner outside Mobile will serve you an award-winning burger, and it turns out thats just the beginning of the surprises. How would you like to follow that with a few bites of baklava? Or come back for the only-in-America gyro biscuit or breakfast burrito? Welcome to the Shipyard Cafe, a spot that turned some heads during last falls Mobtown Burger Week challenge. Start a conversation about who serves the best burgers in Mobile and plenty of established local favorites will come up. But Restore Mobiles annual fundraiser was won by a smashburger food truck, followed by two restaurants in Chickasaw. The Shipyard Cafe, at the intersection of U.S. 43 and South Craft Highway, came in second with a Bacon Honey Melt featuring bacon, onion bacon jam and sweet honey barbecue sauce. Three Little Birds Smokehouse, just a bit farther north along 43, came in third. Two out of three podium spots is quite an impressive showing for Chickasaw, a city of about 6,500 sandwiched (if youll pardon the expression) between Mobile, Prichard and Saraland. The Shipyard Cafe in Saraland might look like a fast-food venue, but it offers a more substantial experience. Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com A visit to the cafe confirms that its strong showing was no fluke. The burger comes in a variety of options, starting with the basic cheeseburger for $8.95 or a double for $9.95. You can add a fried egg to any burg for 50 cents and you totally should: Anyone who sees you eating it will be reminded of the old joke, I wont tell anyone if I win the lottery, but there will be signs. This is a burger made with craftsmanship, right down to the way the bun is toasted. The flavor is excellent: When I told manager Mostafa Giddu that a colleague and I couldnt quite figure out what the secret seasoning was, he laughed and said there is no secret seasoning the flavor comes from a rigorous approach to the quality of the beef, using the correct fat content, emphasizing consistency in the kitchen and not rushing things. A lot of places they recommend you to let the meat sit and rest, Giddu said. So we let our burgers rest, get some love in them so they hold on that flavor and that juice. It also has a lot to do with the accuracy of the cook, which just has a lot to do with the timing. The same sort of care went into that Mobtown Burger Week production. Giddu said he caramelized a mix of white onions and shallots via a slow-cooking approach that took four hours a day. A dash of cinnamon brought out the natural sweetness of the onions to such a degree that some people thought hed sweetened them with honey. Mostafa Giddu, manager of the Shipyard Cafe in Chickasaw, Ala., finds joy in authentic food. Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com Food is quality, okay? he said. As somebody that cares about food, I dont only take it as a business, I take it personally because its something that I would eat, and it concerns my health and it concerns my familys health as well, and the people that I see every day. The cafe serves a menu big on Gulf Coast standards: burgers, po-boys, wings, seafood plates. My companion on a lunch visit sampled the fried shrimp po-boy ($12.50 for the combo) and said it was excellent, but what blew us away the most was the appetizer portion of hummus with chopped gyro meat ($8.95). We didnt go in expecting to find hummus on the menu, but this was simply some of the creamiest, tastiest hummus wed ever had. Hummus with chopped gyro meat makes for a suprisingly tasty appetizer (or meal) at the Shipyard Cafe in Chickasaw. Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com The Shipyard Cafe was founded by Kal Gadha. Giddu has managed it for close to a decade now, and the hummus is one of many touches that reflect both his background and his persistence. Hes from Libya, originally, so home cooking means a mix of North African, Greek, Italian and French influences. So thats where the love of the food and passion in the food come from, he said. At 32 hes lived all over the place and worked a wide variety of jobs, including cooking in New Orleans, and has a degree from Spring Hill College. Hes willing to let his eclectic background inform the menu, even if it would be easier to stick to burgers and wings and fried shrimp. It took us five years just to establish selling maybe two pounds of hummus a week, he said. Currently, right now, we go through five pounds in a day or two, easily. So yeah, it was a long way coming. Its the same with the gyro, he said. We never gave up on it, so we keep it on the menu. I like the shawarma and falafel and the rest of the stuff. We also tried a Greek bowl and some other things too, but it was so hard to highlight them to the customers at that time. Hopefully in the future we do a spin back and bring some of those old items back again. Interesting breakfast options at the Shipyard Cafe in Chickasaw include the gyro-egg-and-cheese biscuit, left, and the gyro burrito. Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com The breakfast menu, like the lunch and dinner slate, mixes standards with a few surprises. Yes, you can get your bacon and sausage and eggs in biscuit or burrito or platter form. But the gyro-egg-and-cheese biscuit ($6.95) puts a whole different spin on a familiar handful. The gyro burrito ($8.95) ups the ante considerably, adding tasty sauteed potatoes to the mix for an even more flavorful, and much more substantial, portion. Its not just a gimmick. Certainly not to Giddu. Louisiana has something unique in Creole cuisine, south Florida draws on Caribbean influences. To him, Southern cuisine has the potential to be that distinctive and have that kind of drawing power. Here in the South, you know, small entrepreneurs, we just try to hang in there, create our own, hoping one day we just continue that journey to elevate and make a name to ourselves, he said. Even knowing that we choose location like a Chickasaw instead of being in Mobile or downtown or Saraland, which is massively growing right now, we still maintain staying here because we want to be known for our own self. Blackened chicken and shrimp -- with a side of hummus -- at the Shipyard Cafe in Chickasaw. Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com Persistence has helped get the word out, and breaks like Mobtown Burger Week dont hurt. Giddu said DoorDash has been a huge boon for the cafe, helping it develop its online takeout operations. We kind of took our time curating the clientele base that were at right now and and its crazy, he said. Sixty percent of my clients, my daily clients, the regular returns, theyre from Saraland. Im so grateful, he said. Honestly, we encounter a lot of good people out here who motivate us to keep on being who we are. We get a lot of support from the locals and were so grateful for that as well. Unlike the differences when it comes to food, there is no difference between me and you, he said. We all alike, we all eat food. So thats what we like the most is, hey, that smile, that customer walking out the door satisfied, thats the goal of the day. Thats how I make my day, every day. The Shipyard Cafe is at 101 Telegraph Road in Chickasaw. For more information, visit shipyardcafe.com. The longtime president and CEO of the Coastal Alabama Partnership resigned from his post on Monday to head up Mobile County Commissioner Connie Hudsons campaign for mayor. Wiley Blankenship, who headed up the advocacy group for the past 12 years, said Hudson is the only candidate in the race with the experience to deliver progress on day one. He is joining the Hudson campaign as its campaign manager. Her record speaks for itself, but as a resident raising a family in the city, I greatly appreciate her commitment to improving our quality of life, Blankenship said in a statement. Blankenship, who founded CAP, headed up an organization that focuses on several key initiatives such as policy and strategic regional planning, insurance, tourism and brand promotion, local seafood promotion, and infrastructure. Also joining the Hudson campaign are Aqualyn Kennedy as the communications director and Raoul Richardson as community outreach director. Aqualyn Kennedy submitted photos Kennedy has over 20 years of experience in marketing and brand management, including a tenure at Procter & Gamble and the American Heart Association. She is also the co-founder of Kennedy Strategic Communications where she advised clients across industries on brand strategy, crisis management and public relations. Raoul Richardson submitted photos Richardsons background includes community service with dozens of area organizations. He has been the president Mobile United, the Mobile Area Interfaith Conference, the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission, the Gulf Coast Health Policy Coalition, and the University of South Alabama. Wiley has been a trusted leader who I know will do a great job of keeping our campaign focused on delivering the momentum Mobile deserves, Hudson said in a statement. Both Aqualyn and Dr. Richardson bring high-level expertise to the campaign team, and they will ensure that we maintain a strong message of experience and trust across Mobile. She added, Over the last decade, I have worked hard as a county commissioner to create strong partnerships and this team represents the exact kind of leadership I intend to lean on as we take Mobile to the next level. The Mobile mayoral election is Aug. 26. The other candidates who have filed to run with the Alabama Secretary of States Office include former Mobile County District Judge Spiro Cheriogotis, former Mobile police chief Lawrence Battiste, state Rep. Barbara Drummond, and former Mobile City Councilman Jermaine Burrell. The Hanceville City Council on Monday voted unanimously to rebuild the citys beleaguered police department and hire a new chief in the wake of indictments handed down against the top cop and four officers. The Cullman County Sheriffs Office will continue providing policing in Hanceville until the new police force becomes operational. Earlier Monday, Cullman County District Attorney Champ Crocker announced an audit of the Hanceville Police Departments evidence locker revealed a handgun, more than 200 grams of methamphetamine, dozens of pills and half a gram of heroin were among items missing. In a letter to Hanceville Mayor Jim Sawyer delivered Monday, D.A. Champ Crocker said the audit, conducted by the State Bureau of Investigation following the death of Hanceville police dispatcher Chris Willingham, is complete. The security of the evidence room and Willinghams death were not the only scandals plaguing the Hanceville Police Department. Police Chief Jason Marlin, four officers and the wife of one of the officers were arrested amid an intense investigation and the scathing findings by a Cullman County grand jury that found a rampant culture of corruption. Crocker cautioned the results of the audit are preliminary and that more items were listed than the ones disclosed on Monday but the weight is unknown based on the information that was available. He said a more detailed list may be available when the final audit report is finished. The city sent security camera footage of the evidence room to the Cullman County Sheriffs Office for safekeeping, Crocker said. These results of the evidence audit are shocking but not surprising, the D.A. said. The security camera footage revealed how unsecure the evidence room was -- with various individuals going in and out, routinely sticking a broomstick through the hole in the wall to gain access. Crocker, said if the council and Sawyer decide to reinstate the department, I suggest all felony matters be handled by the Cullman County Sheriffs Office and/or the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. A Cullman County grand jury recommended the force be disbanded. Most residents of Hanceville and Cullman County who spoke at Monday nights city council meeting said they were in favor of rebuilding the department. City Councilor Kenneth Cornelius made a motion to suspend the department and immediately begin the search for a new chief. The council unanimously backed the motion in a voice vote. It will be up to the new chief to determine whether the Hanceville police employees currently on administrative leave will be rehired by the department. Cullman County Sheriff Matt Gentry said the policing provided by his office has cost $25,000 a month in salaries alone. Off-duty deputies are being used to handle policing duties in Hanceville and those deputies are paid overtime. Gentry said the sheriffs office could not provide that service indefinitely and asked for Hanceville to eventually reimburse his office. Cornelius estimated it may take between six months and one year to get the Hanceville Police Department fully functional again. Social media is great for sharing pictures but not a place to get tax advice, the IRS warns. AP The Internal Revenue Service has long warned about scams targeting Americas taxpayers. Ranging from email schemes to misleading information about tax credits, these phony trends peak during filing season as people prepare their tax returns ahead of the April 15 deadline. However, these scams can occur throughout the year as fraudsters look for a way to steal money, personal information or data, the tax agency said. READ MORE: Tax refunds wont be given to these people, IRS says While scams are always an problem, the IRS is issuing a warning about a growing concern during the 2025 tax season. Incorrect tax information spread on social media can mislead otherwise honest taxpayers with bad advice, potentially leading to identity theft, tax problems or even criminal charges. Social media platforms routinely circulate inaccurate or misleading tax information, including on TikTok where people share wildly inaccurate tax advice. Some involve urging people to misuse common tax documents like Form W-2, the IRS said in a statement. The ramifications of falling for bogus information can be serious. Taxpayers who knowingly file fraudulent returns based on the bad advice could face significant civil penalties or, in some cases, criminal charges. Instead of following the latest social media tax trend, people should get their information from tax professionals, the IRS or other trusted sources. Bogus self-employment tax credit One of the most common social media scams seen this year deals with a non-existent Self Employment Tax Credit, the IRS said. Social media users market it as a way for self-employed people and gig workers to score big payments for the COVID-19 pandemic period. Other misleading marketing deals with the Employee Retention Credit, with inaccurate information that many people qualify for tax credits and payments of up to $32,000 when they actually do not. The reality, the tax agency said, the underlying credit being referred to in social media is not called the Self-Employment Tax Credit, but is a much more limited and technical credit called the Credits for Sick Leave and Family Leave. Many people simply do not qualify for these credits, and the IRS is closely reviewing claims coming in under this provision, so taxpayers filing claims do so at their own risk, the IRS said. Other common tax scams: Here are some other common tax scams people should be aware of: Email phishing scams These include fake communications from scammers posing as legitimate organizations, including the IRS, state tax agencies and tax software companies. These messages arrive in the form of unsolicited texts or emails to lure unsuspecting victims into providing valuable personal and financial information that can lead to identity theft. These include phishing emails and smishing messages sent via text. To be safe, never click on an unsolicited communication. Individual inline account help scams Swindlers post as helpful third parties and offer help to create a taxpayers IRS Individual Online Account at IRS.gov. Setting up an individual IRS.gov account is actually easy and free and theres no need to pay someone for their help or give them access to your information. Fake charities These bogus charities crop up throughout the year but especially when there is a crisis or natural disasters. Scammers set up these fake organizations to take advantage of the publics generosity. They seek money and personal information, which can be used to further exploit victims through identity theft. Taxpayers who give money or goods to a charity might be able to claim a deduction on their federal tax return if they itemize deductions, but charitable donations only count if they go to a qualified tax-exempt organization recognized by the IRS. You can see more of the common scams seen by the IRS here. Rural King, a family-owned retail chain that offers farm supplies and home decor, opened its fifth Alabama location in Saraland this week, according to a recent release. On behalf of our entire Rural King team, I want to thank the Saraland community for such a warm welcome, Steve Barbarick, Rural King CEO said in the release. At Rural King, we proudly offer a wide range of products to meet the needs of every customer. From consumables and cleaning aids to everything for your pets, livestock, farm and home, weve got you covered. The locations grand opening festivities, featuring Rudy Special deals and store-wide discounts, will run from Friday, March 14 through Sunday, March 16. RK Rewards loyalty members will earn double points on qualifying purchases and can enter to win 100 $25 gift cards, the release says. The store will also offer customers a complimentary bottle of Rural King water during their shopping experience. Rural King is more than just a place to shopits a destination for those who share a passion for their animals, their property and their families," Barbarick said in the release. We are truly fortunate to serve this community and look forward to becoming an integral part of your daily lives. The Saraland store, located at 951 US 43, will feature various brands, including Carhartt, Blackstone, Big Green Egg, Ariat, Under Armour, Black Rifle Coffee Company, Walnut Creek Foods and Henry Rifles, the release says. Customers will also be able to use mobile and self-checkouts during their shopping experience. Rural King has committed to supporting local initiatives in Saraland, like 4-H, FFA, and veterans and first responders through partnerships with local organizations. The companys commitment to fostering meaningful connections extends beyond its storefronts, embodying its core values of teamwork, integrity, and continuous improvement, the release reads. Since its founding in Mattoon, Illinois in 1960 Rural King has grown to more than 130 stores in fourteen states, according to the release. We welcome and encourage everyone to enjoy our 50+ year tradition of offering free popcorn and coffee every time you visit our stores, it says. Andrew and Tristan Tate were greeted with open arms at cage-fighting events in Las Vegas over the weekend, where they hugged UFC president Dana White - the multimillionaire and Meta board member who played a prominent role in President Donald Trumps 2024 presidential campaign. The Tate brothers - who are under criminal investigation in Florida and charged with human trafficking in Romania - sat cage-side at the UFC 313 event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night. They also attended Whites Power Slap 12 showcase at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas on Friday. Welcome to the States, boys, White said Friday night as he high-fived and hugged the brothers, according to video footage posted to social media. Whites warm welcome comes days after the Tate brothers arrived back in the United States after Romanian prosecutors lifted a travel ban against them leaving the European country. The brothers landed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Feb. 27, in a private jet. Andrew Tate, a former kickboxer and self-described misogynist, has risen to be one of the most successful social media influencers among young men and children, with 10 million followers on X alone. But he has been banned across multiple apps - including Facebook, YouTube and TikTok - for hate speech and misogynistic comments. He has previously offered paid online courses aimed at young men looking to make money. Both Tate brothers have celebrated Trump and his second term - helping them to earn the support of some in the MAGA sphere despite their legal troubles. The Tates will be free, Trump is the president. The good old days are back. And they will be better than ever, Andrew Tate posted on X last month. The brothers were arrested in 2022 in Romania on charges of human trafficking and forming an organized crime group; Andrew Tate faces a rape charge there as well. The brothers, who are dual American and British citizens, are also subjects of a rape and human trafficking investigation in England. The brothers have generally denied all wrongdoing. Though an investigation remains open in Romania, a court ruled in December that the case would not go to trial due to legal and procedural issues with the prosecution. When asked whether his administration pressured Romania to release the Tate brothers, Trump on Feb. 27 said, I know nothing about that. We live in a democratic society where its innocent until proven guilty, Andrew Tate said upon arriving back in the United States, according to the Associated Press. And I think my brother and I are largely misunderstood. Theres a lot of opinions about us, things that go around about us on the internet. After the Tates return, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said the brothers were not welcome in the Sunshine State. The Tampa Bay Young Republicans pledged support for the brothers, though, and Andrew later criticized DeSantis in a podcast interview. Helen Lewis, who wrote about MAGAs support of Tate for the Atlantic, said in an email that the idea of the brothers being canceled was enough for some MAGA voters to cheer for them, even if well-known conservatives such as Megyn Kelly and Ben Shapiro have condemned the brothers. Its hard to see why anyone in the MAGA world would immolate their credibility by backing Andrew and Tristan Tate, Lewis said. These are not deep thinkers, skilled politicians or otherwise blameless humanitarians whose actions should be seen in the round. Their entire reputation is based on pimping out women, and ripping off men. Representatives for White and UFC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. On this date in 1876, Alexander Graham Bell used a phone for the first time. He called his assistant, Thomas Watson, who answered the call from his boss because he didnt have caller ID. The answers to Fridays quiz is near the bottom. Thanks for reading, Ike Cash flow, interrupted President Trumps interruption in aid to Ukraine also appears to be an interruption to a significant flow of money to defense contractors in Alabama, reports AL.coms John R. Roby. Alabama officials previously have touted the states impact on Ukraines defense against Russias 2022 invasion. Former President Biden visited the Lockheed-Martin plant near Troy, where thousands of Javelin anti-tank missiles were built and sent to Ukraine. In Huntsville, Aerojet Rocketdyne has built rocket motors and Boeing has built seekers that are used against aerial attacks. Add it all up, and $3.7 billion, according to Pentagon data, has flowed into defense-industry facilities in Alabama. That puts us second to only Arkansas for having companies land Ukraine-related defense contracts. Early in the war, Gov. Kay Ivey even fired off the tweet: We want the last thing Putin ever reads to be Made in Alabama. Ah, but that was so much politics ago. U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville voted for the first Ukraine spending package but his resistance rose sharply along with the cost of aid to Ukraine and eventually led to his calling Ukraine the most corrupt country on the face of the planet and warned that we are on the cusp of a nuclear war. Skepticism has grown among many other Republicans, and a very contentious White House meeting involving President Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was followed by Trumps order to pause aid to the country. An ambassador again? President Trump announced that hes nominated Montgomery businesswoman Lindy Blanchard as U.S. ambassador to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The organization leads efforts to fight hunger and has offices in more than 130 countries. You may recall that Blanchard ran for governor in 2022 after briefly testing the water for U.S. Senate in that same election cycle. She finished second to Gov. Kay Ivey, pulling in 19% of Republican primary voters against a popular incumbent in a pretty crowded field. She joined plaintiffs who sued Alabama officials over the states electronic vote-counting machines after that election but withdrew from the lawsuit before it was eventually dismissed. Before that, Blanchard served as U.S. ambassador to Slovenia during Trumps first term. She and her husband made much of their wealth through real estate. Whats in a Name? Tombigbee River This weeks Alabama place name is the Tombigbee River. When I was a young boy, I couldve sworn the Tombigbee River was named after Tom, the surly cashier at Big B Drugs. Remember Big B Drugs? It was last headquartered in Bessemer. While were throwing it back ... Big B was sold in the late 90s to ... Revco. I remember in my hometown the Big B and Revco shared the local market with ... Eckerd. Back to Tombigbee, whose name had nothing to do with drugs as far as we know. The Tombigbee starts in Mississippi and eventually joins the Alabama River to form the Mobile River. William A. Reads Indian Place Names in Alabama tells us that Tombigbee comes from Choctaw words meaning box makers or coffin makers. He follows the coffin makers line of thinking and reports that there was a class of old men who cleaned dead peoples bones and put them in boxes. Yikes. Read wrote that Evidently some members of this class must have lived along the Tombigbee, which doesnt exactly sound like a sure bet, although this version of history is often cited. Mississippi historian Rufus Ward takes us down the box makers interpretation. In The Commercial Dispatch, he sites a territorial judges writing in 1805 that it was named for a box maker who once lived on the Tombigbees headwaters. He also sites other accounts that put the source of the name in Alabama where the French Fort Tombecbe once stood. Also pointing in that same direction: According to Ward, a land draughtsman wrote way back in 1848 that, more than 100 years before, the Choctaws named the river after wooden boxes that were made by people along the river for shipping furs. Which would make sense. We know that the French Americans were prolific fur traders. The Canadian Museum of History calls fur the real economic driver of New France. It could be that it is memorialized in the name of an Alabama river. More Alabama News Alabama News Quiz answers/results Overall: 5 out of 5: 31.6% 4 out of 5: 34.9% 3 out of 5: 20.4% 2 out of 5: 10.6% 1 out of 5: 2.2% 0 out of 5: 0.3% This nationally known Alabama politician has been hinting at a run for governor in 2026. Tommy Tuberville (CORRECT) 93.5% Jeff Sessions 2.7% Katie Britt 1.9% Doug Jones 1.9% This Alabama-connected author has a book of short stories publishing (posthumously) this year. Harper Lee (CORRECT) 85.8% Kathryn Tucker Windham 9.0% Winston Groom 3.3% Zora Neale Hurston 1.9% The Iron Hills Country Music Festival -- a new event -- will take place at this site in October. Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham (CORRECT) 73.0% Oak Mountain Amphitheater in Pelham 20.2% National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds in Dothan 4.1% Buc-ees parking lot in Leeds 2.7% A bill in the Legislature would require unemployment recipients to ... Contact at least five employers per week (CORRECT) 62.7% Interview for a job at least once per week 33.5% Maintain an updated LinkedIn account 3.0% Memorize the line My biggest weakness is actually also my biggest strength: I care too much. 0.8% Troy Universitys Board of Trustees has voted to close the schools location in this city. Phenix City (CORRECT) 67.3% Dothan 24.5% Sumter, S.C. 3.5% Da Nang, Vietnam 4.6% The podcast Time is running out to claim part of a $3.25 million settlement from a 2021 data breach at USAA. Personal data of some 22,600 people was compromised in the breach of the financial services company that serves members of the military, veterans and their families. The suit claimed USAA didnt properly protect the data, something the company has denied. USAA customers whose personal information was accessed, stolen or compromised as a result of the incident are potentially eligible for part of the settlement. Its unclear how much each claimant will receive. Qualifying members of the claim will have received notification via email or in the mail from USAA after the settlement was reached in December 2024. Both contained specific ID numbers for your review - a claimant ID code and a confirmation code. If someone impacted by the breach does not file a claim, they may not receive a payment. The deadline to file a claim is April 7 at midnight. You can file a claim here or mail a form to Angeion Group LLC, 1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210, Philadelphia, Penn., 19103. Payments will be made after the final hearing on May 21. The Walker County Commission said Monday it will continue to cooperate with federal investigators as the probe continues into the embattled sheriffs office. At a packed meeting Monday with many attendees holding signs in support of Sheriff Nick Smith and the deputies - commissioners went into executive session for all but a few minutes of the hour-plus-long meeting and emerged only for Commission Chairman Steven Miller to read a prepared statement: On multiple occasions, the Walker County Commission has been asked why the commission is not active on matters involving the sheriffs department. The Walker County Commission Authority is limited, more specifically the commission is responsible for maintaining county buildings, roads, and approving the countys budget. Beyond budgetary issues, the commission has no authority to govern a constitutionally elected official. As such, Sheriff Smith is entitled to operate his department as he sees fit. The commission remains committed to the interest of justice and will to cooperate fully with federal authorities throughout the remainder of their investigations. The meeting followed last weeks federal indictments against two Walker County Sheriffs Office 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. On Friday night, Smith 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. 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. 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 lightning 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. The population of the small historic town of Selma, Alabama swells once a year as people from around the nation flock to its downtown and its churches before finally gathering for the crescendo event -- walking across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The path to the bridge Sunday was filled with thousands of people gathered to make the pilgrimage across the Alabama River to commemorate a seminal moment in Civil Rights history they vowed to always remember. It was 60 years ago that about 600 protesters preparing to march from Selma to the state capital of Montgomery were brutally beaten by Alabama State Troopers and sheriffs deputies in what became known as Bloody Sunday. The graphic violence grabbed national attention and hastened passage of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965. Now, 60 years later, several surviving original marchers and leaders from the era were escorted across the bridge as they sat in wheelchairs. The faces of many of those around them were decades younger than the events they gathered to commemorate. You invite more people to the table to learn the story, said Joshua J. Raby, a 36-year-old political activist from Birmingham. We will keep the story alive, and then others start coming. They will go home and tell the story, and now those people want to come and see what it is about this bridge. While the crowd participants in Selma were majority Black there remained noticeable diversity. A white woman with short white hair sported a windbreaker from historically Black Stillman College in Tuscaloosa. Two young white women carried homemade signs urging others to embrace diversity and acceptance. A group of Asian women carried a banner calling for Peace Justice & Equality from the Nikkei Progressives, a grassroots social activists group formed in 2016. Raby said the story of Bloody Sunday is one part of a larger historical narrative that must be protected regardless of the years that pass or the direction of the political winds. Black folks are always going to fight for whats ours, Raby said. On the 60th anniversary, speakers and pilgrims talked about persevering and retaining longstanding goals of civil rights. Things are rocky right now and its hard to get our message over to others, said Glinda Johnson, who traveled from Junction City, Kansas for the first time to attend the event with her husband and family. We need to be together. We need to come together and we need not be against each other. Weve never been a part of this but thank God we are here today. Patrick Turner, 11, from Madison, Tennessee was part of Johnsons family group waiting to cross the bridge. I came out here because I wanted to see what they had to go through back then, he said. Rev. Jesse Jackson among attendees The Rev. Jesse Jackson still commands a room whenever he enters as people flock to greet him, take photos or silently turn their cell phones onto record mode from their seats. Jacksons handshake remains firm, even though the 83-year-old now uses a wheelchair for mobility and his worldwide-recognized voice is silenced by the ravages of Parkinsons. Jackson instantly made eye contact and extended his hand with a seated patron as the civil rights luminary was wheeled from the dining room at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel just a day before he appeared in Selma. Jackson was among dozens of notable figures from the present and the past who filled the hotel a day before buses of VIPs would travel less than an hour to the annual commemoration. Jackson during the 1960s was among the young activists and protegees of Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders at the height of the Civil Rights era. A Jackson contemporary was John Lewis, the Alabama activist who was nearly killed on the bridge. Lewis became a symbol of triumph after Bloody Sunday and rose to become a longtime Georgia congressman. He died in 2020. Now 60 years later, Jackson is an elder member of a fading roster of foot soldiers and tacticians who recall the era with first-hand accounts. Wynola Fuller, who lives in Fairfield, remembers the events of 1965. She also remembers going to Selma previously in her youth to visit relatives. Yet, Sunday was Fullers first time returning to commemorate Bloody Sunday and walk across the rusting arched bridge. I was just amazed at the number of people and also the different people in terms of the groups they represented and the ethnic diversity of the group and their location, she said, noting that there were some visitors from as far away as New York. Fuller, who is a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, called it imperative that younger people understand their history and its significance. My involvement has always been around what can I interact with the youth about, the younger the better, because the young people are open and they want to learn, she said. Too many times elder people like to talk to with older elders who agree with them versus trying to pass on the tradition. Fuller affirmed her commitment to engaging others in her community. Its a journey for all of us, and unless we bring somebody along with us, weve failed, she said. So thats my hope, that I will be conscious about everyone around me and focus on our youth. Call to action Several people in speeches and interactions called the need to preserve the history and use it for future inspiration even more pressing in a changed political and cultural environment. Those changes, they said, take direct aim at them, their history and their right to full participation. Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League, told AL.com that Selmas gathering should also serve as a call to action. Morial said President Donald Trumps administration seeks to repeal, undercut and dismantle civil gains through their recent series of executive actions. This is also a rallying cry to push back against what we are seeing today, he said. You keep telling the story and you have to let people know that, while we have made change, change is incomplete, while we have made progress, the progress is far from complete. Morial said there are numerous examples of laws that seek to suppress voters, including efforts in Alabama. I do feel that this is one of the great threats of modern times, he said referring to the countrys conservative shift. Those of us on the outside are working hard to sustain. Were going to defend democracy. Were going to demand diversity, equity and inclusion, and were going to fight for economic policies that destroy poverty. Speaking at the end of the bridge following the march, Alabama Congressman Shomari Figures warned that long-fought-for and hard-earned victories could fade away. Our failure to vote has consequences, the Democrat from Mobile said. We are seeing those consequences right now. Figures criticized Trump for massive cuts to the government led by tech billionaire Elon Musk among other actions. Figures also cited a proposal to sell the Freedom Riders Museum historic site in Montgomery. Both he and Rep. Terri Sewell, a Selma native living in Birmingham, have assailed any notion of selling the historic site. While most of the elected leaders at the various churches, breakfast events and dinners throughout the weekend were Democrats, there were some Republicans, such as Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, a supporter of President Trump. Reconcile the historical narrative of our shared past The weekend of commemoration activities has practical implications, historian Majella Chube Hamilton told AL.com. The annual commemoration affords us an opportunity to reconcile the historical narrative of our shared past, while actively addressing present realities. They were steadfast. We must be as well, said Hamilton, who is executive director of the Ballard House Project, a Birmingham-based historical site and cultural preservation initiative. As we build bridges to the past, we must commit to look beyond ourselves to strengthen voting rights today and support those seeking equitable opportunities and economic solutions in precious Alabama communities like Selma and elsewhere. State Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, has filed a bill that would require the Attorney General to establish, maintain, and publish a Police Abuse Registry. The purpose of the registry would be to publish the names and related information of individuals who have been convicted of offenses against law enforcement officers, according to the bills text. The offenses that would land someone on the registry would involve the use or threatened use of force against an individual known to be or identified as a law enforcement officer. Entries on the registry would include: The individuals full name and any known aliases The individuals date of birth Each of the individuals convictions for a qualifying offense The date of the offense leading to each of the individuals convictions for a qualifying offense The date of each of the individuals convictions for a qualifying offense The date of any clemency granted for any qualifying offense The individuals last known address HB415, otherwise known as the Back the Blue Act, would allow someone on the registry to have their name removed by paying a $5,000 fee to the Law Enforcement Injury Fund, which is to be established in the State Treasury and maintained by the Attorney General, the bill says. A person would be required to pay $5,000 for each offense they wanted removed from the registry. The fund would be used exclusively for financial assistance for law enforcement officers injured in the line of duty or to support rehabilitation or medical costs for law enforcement officers injured in the line of duty, the bill says. And the Attorney General would be required each legislative session to submit a report to the legislature detailing the uses of monies from the fund in the previous calendar year, it adds. Efforts to reach Attorney General Steve Marshall and Givan were not immediately successful. Last week Givan said she respect[s] the men and women in blue, although she does not support another piece of Back the Blue legislation recently approved by the House that rewrites Alabama law on civil and criminal immunity for police officers. Givan said she did not think police needed another layer of immunity in the court system. Marchers gather to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge during the March to Restore Voting Rights, in Selma, Alabama, Sunday, March 9, 2025. The march was part of a weekend commemorating the 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday and the Selma March to Montgomery. (Will McLelland | WMcLelland@al.com) Will McLelland This is a guest opinion column Sixty years ago, on March 7, 1965, a key turning point in American history transpired in the heart of Alabama, when hundreds of peaceful demonstrators marching for Black voting rights were violently assaulted by local police and state troopers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. The disturbing images of mayhem quickly became a symbol of segregationist oppression. The resulting outcry led to the passage by the U.S. Congress of the Voting Rights Act just a few months later, one of the crowning achievements of the Civil Rights Movement. The African American community was joined in the struggle for justice and equality by many allies, including Jews from across the country. Just a year before Selma, Jewish civil rights activists Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner were brutally lynched, alongside their Black colleague James Chaney, by the KKK during a voter registration drive in Mississippi. At Selma itself, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel walked arm-in-arm with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, in an iconic demonstration of interfaith solidarity and friendship. The bonds linking Blacks and Jews go back generations, and both communities have supported each other in critical times of need, when facing persecution and discrimination. Today, with hate crimes again on the rise and voices of intolerance proliferating, Blacks and Jews are feeling threatened in ways that cannot be acceptable in 21st century America. Given this dire reality, we must recognize that our fight is the same -- a fight against hate, extremism, and bigotry in their many contemporary variations. Antisemitism and racism are real, and each must be confronted without qualifications or double standards. Our common challenges require us to once more stand as one, like Rabbi Heschel and Dr. King, and rejuvenate the relationship that has served us so well in the past. As Chief Government Affairs Officer for the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) and former Town Supervisor of New Castle, New York, Ive been personally moved by the many Black leaders nationwide Ive met who are deeply committed to fighting all forms of hate, including antisemitism. This is not a one-sided relationship -- it is a mutual commitment to progress, and it must be strengthened, not downplayed or ignored. Furthermore, I am deeply familiar with the powerful role city leaders can play in fostering unity. Through advocacy, dialogue programs, coalition building, and educational and training initiatives, mayors have a unique ability to affect positive social change and improve the day-to-day lives of their constituents. This is why I was excited to travel to Selma this past week to participate in the 60th anniversary commemorations, including a walk across the famous bridge. On Saturday, CAM will co-host with Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed the Alabama Mayors Roundtable at Selma University, where municipal leaders will convene to share best practices, devise new strategies, forge collaborative ties, and take a collective stride forward in the cities-oriented effort against antisemitism and racism. Black and Jewish Americans have a joint responsibility to push back against hate. By having a real conversation, we can build a better future for all Americans, regardless of race, religion, or creed. We have long marched together, and we must do so again today. Lisa Katz is the Chief Government Affairs Officer of the Combat Antisemitism Movement and former Town Supervisor of New Castle, New York. President Donald Trump (R) with his son Donald Trump Jr. (C) and US Vice President JD Vance after being sworn in. (Photo by Shawn Thew-Pool/Getty Images) Getty Images Donald Trump Jr. will come to Birmingham next month to be the keynote speaker at an Alabama Republican Party event to celebrate President Trumps election victory. The Trump Victory Dinner will be April 3 at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. The appearance by Trump Jr., the presidents oldest child, follows several previous Alabama GOP events in Alabama featuring the Trump family. Lara Trump, the presidents daughter-in-law, spoke at the Alabama Republican Partys summer dinner last September. President Trump spoke at an Alabama Republican Party fundraiser in Montgomery in August 2023, early in his successful campaign for a second term. Trump Jr., was in Alabama last year for a fundraiser for his fathers campaign in Mountain Brook. Trump Jr. spoke at a fundraiser for Faulkner University in Montgomery in 2017. This Trump Victory Dinner be at the BJCC North Exhibition Hall, with a reception at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7. General admission tickets are $250 for one, and $400 for two. English News Technological cooperation leads to closer China-Africa economic, trade ties Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 7 Mars 2025 In June this year, Changsha will host the fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo. Rebecca Miano, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife of Kenya, emphasized that economic and trade cooperation lays a solid foundation for China-Africa mutual benefit and win-win development, helping both sides move towards a more competitive and sustainable future. By Yang Xun, People's Daily At the Longping Rice Museum in Changsha, central China's Hunan province, a 20,000 Ariary banknote from Madagascar bears silent testimony to an agricultural revolution. Emblazoned with hybrid rice imagery, this currency artifact presented by Madagascar's Ambassador to Chin Jean Louis Robinson in 2022 encapsulates a partnership transcending geography. For decades, Madagascar's struggle with food self-sufficiency persisted, constrained by seed limitations, antiquated farming methods, and infrastructural gaps. The breakthrough came through a strategic handoff: China's hybrid rice expertise, honed by the Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, transitioned to Yuan's High-tech Seed Co., Ltd. for commercial deployment via their Madagascar branch. This pivot catalyzed nationwide adoption of high-yield rice cultivation. According to Wan Jueming, executive deputy general manager of Yuan's High-tech Seed Co., Ltd., the company has established a fully localized hybrid rice industrial chain in Madagascar, covering seed production, breeding, planting, processing, and sales. In Nigeria's Kano State, it has set up a joint venture seed company to independently manage the entire hybrid rice industrial chain. Besides, in Malanje province, Angola, the company is collaborating with local enterprises to develop a 10,000-hectare hybrid rice industrial park. To date, Yuan's High-tech Seed Co., Ltd. has promoted hybrid rice cultivation across 80,000 hectares in Africa. The collaboration yielded an unexpected synergy. While transforming rice cultivation, the company recognized Madagascar's premium yet undervalued mutton. In September 2024, history quietly unfolded as the first African lamb shipment reached Hunan a tangible symbol of reciprocal exchange emerging from agricultural innovation. Another key player in supporting African agricultural development with advanced technology is Longping High-tech, a Chinese agricultural company named after Yuan Longping, affectionately known as the "father of hybrid rice" the revered pioneer whose hybrid rice breakthroughs reshaped global food security. This modern inheritor of Yuan's vision is redefining South-South cooperation through innovative partnership models that intertwine technology transfer with human capital development. The company's footprint now spans 53 African nations, where its 200+ training initiatives have cultivated expertise among 7,000 agricultural specialists from Kenya's highlands to Tanzania's fertile plains. These programs transcend conventional aid frameworks, creating an intercontinental knowledge network where Chinese agronomists work shoulder-to-shoulder with African counterparts in experimental fields and processing facilities. Weng Yong, a key architect of this initiative at the company's international training academy, articulates the philosophy underpinning their approach: "Superior seeds form the foundation, but true agricultural resilience blossoms only when paired with adapted cultivation wisdom." This dual focus marrying cutting-edge biotechnology with context-sensitive implementation reflects a maturation in China-Africa collaboration, moving beyond transactional exchanges toward sustainable capacity building. Beyond the realm of technological innovation, structural frameworks now anchor the deepening symbiosis between Chinese and African economies. The China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo institutionalized through its permanent exhibition hall in Changsha's Yuhua Districtmanifests this evolution. Within its vaulted spaces, visitors navigate a sensory mosaic of transcontinental commerce: South African vintages aging in oak barrels, Guinean djembe drums whispering ancestral rhythms, and countless other artifacts of cultural-economic exchange. Hunan Province, having hosted three iterations of the Expo, leverages this platform to recalibrate South-South trade dynamics. The Yuhua block of the China (Hunan) Pilot Free Trade Zone Changsha Area has transformed into a living atlas of African commerce, its shelves curating goods from all 53 African nations. The block has also launched the "African Brand Warehouse" project and, in 2024, expanded imports to include cassava, pineapples, avocados, and other African agricultural and food products. Additionally, Hunan Xiangjiang New Area has inaugurated a China-Africa Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Base, providing office space and a full suite of supporting services, including property management, business assistance, and resource matchmaking, to help young entrepreneurs grow and thrive. The evolution of Sino-African collaboration now manifests through institutional alchemy - where entrepreneurial incubators transmute raw ambition into cross-continental enterprise. In Hunan's Xiangjiang New Area, the China-Africa Youth Innovation Base operates as a catalytic chamber, offering subsidized workspace and operational scaffolding from legal compliance to market bridging. This ecosystem birthed narratives like that of Mali's Aboubacar Garba Konte graduating from the University of Science and Technology Beijing, he joined the base in June 2023 with his solar-powered motorcycle project, embarking on his entrepreneurial journey in Hunan. "Today, I am not only a key manager at Mali's project incubation station but have also successfully facilitated the export of Malian sesame to China," said Konte. He is now in discussions with a Hunan-based new energy company to jointly launch a solar power system project in Mali, aiming to alleviate local electricity shortages. "China-Africa cooperation is bringing tangible improvements to our lives," he told People's Daily. According to Li Weimin, director of the foreign science and technology exchange center of Hunan Xiangjiang New Area, the base has established connections with over 200 government agencies, business associations, and enterprises from more than 50 African countries. It has also introduced innovation and entrepreneurship incubation stations from 8 African nations, including Tanzania, Egypt, and Nigeria. The base has facilitated the export of drones, solar products, wigs, and bags from Mali's incubation station while continuously expanding imports of Ethiopian, Rwandan, and Kenyan coffee, as well as Rwandan dried chili peppers. In June this year, Changsha will host the fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo. Rebecca Miano, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife of Kenya, emphasized that economic and trade cooperation lays a solid foundation for China-Africa mutual benefit and win-win development, helping both sides move towards a more competitive and sustainable future. Dans la meme rubrique : < > Low-altitude economy lifts off as Chinese automakers enter the eVTOL era China expands efforts to boost global e-commerce cooperation Legacy of Tea-Horse Road lives on at China-Laos border Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena) My wife and I are members of a Baptist affiliated church in Macon, Georgia. Last week, a lady in my Bible study was attacked and mugged. Heres what happened. Sunday morning past, this lady goes to the 9:00 A.M. service. Afterward, she goes to Kroger for weekly groceries. Driving away, she realizes that she forgot to pick up some over-the-counter meds for her husband. (He caught the 24-hour bug and is sick at home.) So she pulls into the nearby Walgreens. As she approaches the store, she notices a suspicious youth standing around the entrance, wearing a hoodie, looking somewhat out of place. She looks at him and says, Hello. He looks away and cinches up his hoodie. Inside, she browses and finds what she wants. She pays with cash and returns her wallet to her purse, slung over her right shoulder. The five minutes in the store, she forgets about the shady guy out front. She exits and walks toward her car. Its 10:55 A.M. Suddenly, shes attacked from behind. The hoodie guy grabs her purse and runs, but shes holding on resisting, pulling against him. He runs. She runs with him, resisting, resisting, resisting the entire time. Its natural to fight an aggressor, and thats what shes doing. He pulls her across the parking lot and, with a violent tug, yanks the purse from her. She falls straight backwards. Her head smacks the asphalt, knocking her dazed and confused. She looks up and sees the mugger running away across the side road, heading for the apartments 500 yards away. In extreme pain, head pounding, she gets up and staggers into Walgreens, yelling for help. Please someone help me, Im hurt. Ive just been attacked. Bending over, she puts her head on the counter. Shes holding her head where it struck the asphalt. Blood drips from her nose. Her hands are bloody from her head wound. Shes dazed and doesnt know what to do. The store clerk renders assistance. The entire attack, from when she exited the store to her return with a bleeding head and crying for help, took less than 45 seconds. A man and woman are in a car at the stop light and see the attack as its happening. The couple exit their car and give chase. After several hundred yards, the mugger drops the purse and continues running. The chasing woman retrieves the purse and returns it to the victim. The man continues the chase and catches the thief before he runs into the Section-8 apartments behind Kohls. He holds the perp until the police arrive. The store clerk calls 9-1-1 and tells the operator about the attack, that an ambulance and police are required. The victim has her phone back. The clerk uses her phone to call the ladys husband and daughter and tells them what happened. Her daughter and son-in-law jump in their vehicle and arrive the same time as does the ambulance. The police arrive and take custody of the attacker. The ambulance takes the woman downtown to the medical center. The woman waits to be seen by the emergency room doctor. Her daughter and son-in-law are there, providing comfort. The nurse stops the bleeding and bandages her head. The wound is a small, bloody avulsion. She has additional scrapes and bruises but nothing severe. The doctor sends her for a CT scan. The result indicates only a minor concussion. Waiting for test results and to be cleared home, Deputy Jeffery Johnson, the responding Bibb County sheriffs deputy, pays a visit to the victim. He tells her that her attacker is 13 years old, and this isnt the first time hes been arrested. Hes charged with aggravated assault and is in juvenile detention. The deputy says the youths mother and aunties are ashamed and furious with him. They know hes on the wrong path and want him punished. The mother wants her son to have a wake-up call. He needs to learn the consequences of his actions. (Where is the teens father? Sadly, we know that answer, which is the exact reason so many black teens end up dead or in prison.) The woman is released late afternoon from the medical center. Her daughter takes her home. For several days, the woman has a bad headache and other aches and pains. By the following weekend, her physical recovery is complete. All things considered, the woman escapes the attack with the best possible outcome. Her injuries are minimal, her purse and all its contents are recovered, the attacker is caught and will be punished, and nobody is seriously harmed. Macon, Georgia is a medium-sized city of 157,000. The population is mixed: 54% black, 36% white, and 10% Hispanic/mixed. Unlike most large cities, where, if one doesnt care to interact with other races, those other races can easily be avoided, thats not the case in most Southern cities. There are black businesses and white businesses, but blacks and whites nonetheless interact everywhere, all the time. In cities the size of Macon, even if you wanted to, its not possible to avoid other ethnicities. That said, like any large city (Chicago, Atlanta, etc.), in Macon, there are good areas and not so good areas. The city fathers have decided to bring Section-8 housing to the good parts of town. Several days later, I talked with the woman about the attack. She fully realizes how blessed she is at the outcome. Asked what she could have done differently, short of having a gun or spray-mace in her hand, theres nothing she could have done. As the attack was happening, she had no time and no opportunity to reach in her purse for a gun. Let me expound on this. An ambush is a violent attack initiated with complete surprise. This woman was ambushed. A properly executed ambush is almost impossible to overcome. No amount of self-defense courses would have saved her once the assault began. A 120-pound woman will never be able to fend off a larger male opponent who surprise-attacks her. The only way to defeat an ambush is to ensure it never happens. How does one do that? By maintaining situational awareness. Be aware of your surroundings, always. Get off your phone; dont be distracted. Have your gun or mace at the ready (not in your purse). Know what normal looks like so you recognize abnormal. Remember that this attack occurred in a good part of town, Sunday at 11 A.M. As we concluded talking about the mugging, we prayed together. I thanked God that she wasnt badly injured. When she prayed, her voice quivered. Yes, she thanked God, but the deepest and most heartfelt part of her prayer was for her attacker and for his mother. She didnt condemn the 13-year-old; she prayed for him. She prayed that he finds Jesus and fears what will become of his life if he continues on his current path. I had tears. Lets hope her prayers are answered. The woman who was attacked is my wife. We are very blessed. Image via Picryl. (h.t. to Mark W. Smith of the Four Boxes Diner here and here.) Welcome to your chance to nerd out on the difference between process and merits in legal actions. Our case of interest is AIDS Vaccine Advocacy v. Department of State. For non-lawyers, this is the case challenging President Trumps order to freeze all payments from USAID until they can be fully reviewed for compliance with the law and the administrations policies. If your claim has merit, it will be paid. If not, pound sand. And if you think youre owed money that the government says they wont pay, you can go to the Court of Federal Claims. The District Court does not have jurisdiction to hear you. Nor does it have the power to order anyone to pay you. After Donald Trump was elected, on December 2, 2024, Joe Biden hustled (I think that means he shuffled less slowly) to appoint Amir Ali, a reliable left-wing lawyer, to a seat in the reliably left-wing District Court for the District of Columbia, a reliably left-wing locale. Ali had barely gotten his chair adjusted when the USAID case landed on his desk. The plaintiffs asserted Administrative Procedure Act violations as a lever to pry a bill payment case into the wrong court. Supreme Court Justices Alito, Gorsuch, Thomas, and Kavanaugh emphatically pointed this out. The fact that Justice Barrett didnt join them has led to unsubstantiated charges that shes turning to the left. Image by Mark Popovich. Public domain. To explain, youre going to need a little more background. On January 20, President Trump ordered a 90-day pause on all foreign aid payments. This case started on February 10 in a case assigned to Judge Ali that was later consolidated with a different case filed on February 11 with Judge AliKhan. On February 13, Judge Ali issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against Trumps funding pause. Brace yourself. Heres where things get nerdy. TROs are very short-term orders that basically order the parties to stand still. The court doesnt yet know whos right, although its inclined to think that the petitioning party might be right or that the egg might be so badly scrambled by the time the case is finally resolved that a stop everything order is proper. Its designed to keep any disputed activity from happening until everything is figured out. Alis order, however, was different. It didnt stop everything. Instead, it only stopped Trumps funding pause, therefore requiring money to be paid (which money may never be recovered), and reversing a presidential order that already told USAID to stand still. When you figure out how a presidential order that already freezes things in place can be reversed by a Court order that freezes things in place, let me know. Im sure the Mad Hatter will appreciate an explanation. At the February 18 status conference, the government stated that the review process for each payee was continuing, and that the order presented a significant number of statutory ambiguities. Also, because the order presented substantial logistical problems, it was impossible to make any payments by the 18th. Despite this, upon the plaintiffs motion, Ali insisted that his earlier ruling was to be enforced. In his order, he stated that Plaintiffs had satisfied their demanding burden for temporary injunctive relief. Oops! This was a TRO, not a temporary injunction. TROs arent ordinarily appealable, but TIOs are. Which was this? By the 24th, USAID had not paid anything. The next day, Ali issued an order mandating that USAID comply within 48 hours. The government immediately filed a motion with Ali for a stay pending an appeal on the merits. That was summarily denied. The government then filed an appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (DCCA). However, because it was filed a mere four hours before Alis deadline, it dismissed the appeal. The DCCA, however, made things clear for an appeal to the Supreme Court. TROs are supposed to preserve the status quo ante (that is, the situation up to the point of the order). But the status quo ante was the temporary freeze that Trump had imposed, not Alis mandated payments. Because the governments appeal made it clear that the TRO go[es] beyond preserving the status quo ante and impose[s] serious, perhaps irreparable consequences that ruling can be effectually challenged only by immediate appeal. Once denied, there was a controversy for Chief Justice Roberts to resolve. And about an hour after the DCCA said No, Roberts put everything on hold for a conference the day after the deadline expired. Because the TRO had expired by the conference on the 28th, the government could ignore it. It was now a dead letter awaiting the Supreme Courts analysis. On March 5, the Supreme Court dissolved the stay, leading to a strenuous objection from four justices. And heres where we get to distinguish between process and merits. The dissenters all argued that the process was wrong. First, the plaintiffs were in the wrong court. The District Court has no authority to order that the government pay a debt. All of the back and forth was the wrong procedure (likely abetted by a newbie judge who was strongly left-leaning). The substance of the dispute (aka the merits) had this judge infring[ing] on the executive branchs authority and stands on the brink of placing USAID into a court-run receivership. In short, Judge Ali was wrong on both how the case was handled (process) and in the orders he gave to implement his errors. He did not act in accordance with Article II, 1 of the Constitution. Since the President has all executive authority, managing USAID is his job, not the courts. The merits demand his ultimate reversal. Until then, this anti-constitutional leftist will have to muddle through more process while DOGE continues its work. As for Justice Barretts supposed squishiness, we can relax for the moment. When the DCCA heard the appeal from the stay order, there actually was no order to disburse funds since the TRO had expired. She didnt sell us out. Rather, she went along with an institutional distaste for reaching the merits of a case until it is fully developed by lower courts. She accepted a process excuse (as she frequently does) to punt it back for more briefing, hearings, and so on. To quote Mark Smith, Now you are the smartest person in the room. Ted Noel is a retired physician who posts on social media as Doctor Ted. His Doctor Teds Prescription podcast is available on multiple podcast channels. The Trump administration is considering lifting sanctions on Russian oligarchs to placate Moscow and help facilitate a peace agreement with Ukraine. However, carte blanche sanctions relief is too extreme an approach and could damage U.S. national interests in several key regions, including the Middle East. This is because many of the oligarchs who were sanctioned are actively supporting Iranian and its machinations in Europe and the Middle East. On February 5, 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi disbanded the Klepto Capture task force targeting Russian oligarchs. However, the administration still must conduct a strategic assessment to pinpoint key figures who undermine U.S interests by supporting the war in Ukraine and assisting terrorist sponsors such as Iran. Oligarchs who actively support conflict must be the focus of U.S. and European law enforcement, and sanctions against them should be tightened. The DOJ established the Klepto Capture inter-agency task force to target the financial networks that Russian oligarchs used to fund the war against Ukraine. It aimed to dismantle networks that smuggled military and dual-use technology to Russia by freezing and confiscating assets belonging to sanctioned individuals. Several oligarchs were caught in the net, including those who funded media and movements that sought confrontations with the West. This included people such as Yuri Kovalchuk, founder of Bank Rossiya and controller of significant media assets, and Konstantin Malofeev, consummate ideologues of the Russian far right and supporters of the war in Ukraine. What matters moving forward is that scores of oligarchs also maintain close ties with Iran. These include Vladimir Potanin, Russias second wealthiest man, owner of Russias Rosbank and investment firm Interros, who possesses a large stake in Norilsk Nickel, one of Russias ten largest public companies. Potanin is a major investor in the Iranian leading e-commerce company Digikala. Potanin was sanctioned by the US in December 2022. An even more egregious example is Ruben Vardanyan, a Russian-Armenian billionaire accused of money laundering and terrorist financing. He is also alleged to have been involved in the attempted removal of Nikol Pashinyan, the Western-leaning Prime Minister of Armenia, while furthering the interests of the Ayatollah regime in Iran. Vardanyan was the founder of the Russian offshore company Troika Dialog, which was involved in various corruption scandals, including illegal fund transfers to influential figures in Moscow. Vardanyan also served as state minister of the separatist entity in Karabakh, the formerly occupied territory of Azerbaijan, from 2022 to 2023, when he was dismissed from office by then-Karabakh President, Arayik Harutyunyan. In January 2022, Vardanyan was one of those described in H.R. 6422 The Putin Accountability Act for U.S. Anti-Russian Sanctions. Vardanyan is not only implicated in destabilizing the South Caucasus, but is also one of the major players furthering Irans ambitions. In 2016, Vardanyan applauded President Obamas decision to partially lift sanctions on Tehran calling it an opportunity to develop Irans links with Armenia and the outside world. His ties to Iran can be traced through the Russian Gorchakov Fund, which organizes events in various countries, including Armenia, featuring government-approved speakers from Tehran. In February 2023, Vardanyan gave an interview to Iranian political analyst Ehsan Movahedian, one of the key ideologists of the Iranian regime, known for his antisemitic remarks. In the interview, Vardanyan praised the Tehran regime and its regional policy. Azerbaijani security services detained Vardanyan in 2023 when Baku claimed its Karabakh region. Vardanyan was charged with terrorism, embezzlement, organizing and arming illegal militias, planning, preparing, and waging an aggressive war, and deporting or forcibly displacing the population. Prime Minister Pashinyan distanced himself from Vardanyan, questioning whether Moscow had sent him to Karabakh to undermine the Armenian government and work against the post-war peace process. In the closing days of the Biden Administration, Armenia signed a Strategic Partnership Charter with the U.S. that includes provisions to enhance border security and prevent the smuggling of nuclear technology and radioactive materials, including uranium, to Iran. PM Pashinyans strategy has been to reduce Armenias dependence on Russia, open up the country to the outside world, and move closer to the U.S. and EU. Iran opposes a stable South Caucasus that is increasingly linked with the West, as this will strengthen Turkeys role and deepen Israeli-Azerbaijani relations. In the past, Tehran cooperated closely with Armenia. However, its influence is diminishing due to Armenias Western orientation and Azerbaijans increasing role in energy supplies and trade routes between Central Asia and Europe. Oligarchs fueling the war in Ukraine and linked to Iran should remain firmly within the Wests law-enforcement focus by seizing all available assets and prosecuting them to the fullest extent of the law. Their corrupt wealth enables Iran to challenge U.S. interests by supporting terrorist proxies, destabilizing international trade by disrupting Red Sea shipping, attacking Israel, and promoting instability across the Caucasus, which endangers cooperation and trade with Central Asia. The Trump Administration has rightly designated the Iranian-backed Houthis a foreign terrorist organization, reversing Bidens earlier softening of Americas position. In seeking de-escalation in Ukraine and the Middle East, the White House needs to maintain the pressure on individual billionaires who fuel war in both regions. Janusz Bugajski is a Senior Fellow at the Jamestown Foundation in Washington DC and author of two new books: Pivotal Poland: Europes Rising Power and Failed State: A Guide to Russias Rupture. Image by Alexsey Chalabyan a.k.a Xelgen. CC BY-SA 4.0. China steers demographic shift by supporting birth, innovation Xinhua) 08:11, March 10, 2025 The opening meeting of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2025. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) BEIJING, March 9 (Xinhua) -- From childcare subsidies to young innovators propelling artificial intelligence (AI) advances like DeepSeek, the key topics at China's annual "two sessions" reveal how the country is reshaping its demographic dividend by encouraging births and accelerating talent-driven innovation. As China's population continues to decline and age, a raft of measures unveiled in this year's government work report is expected to help sustain demographic resilience in one of the world's most populous countries and unlock its future growth opportunities. According to the report, submitted to the national legislature's annual session for deliberation on Wednesday, China will formulate policies on boosting birth rates, provide childcare subsidies and promote free preschool education in a phased way, among others. The combined measures are expected to ease family financial burdens and help shore up birth rates, said Gong Weijuan, a national political advisor and vice president of Yangzhou University. Its population changes notwithstanding, China continues to draw strength from its large labor force, with 858 million working-age people in the country at the end of 2024, accounting for 60.9 percent of the total population. A 1.4-billion-strong population, enriched by rising incomes and education, delivers enduring consumption potential and drives consumption upgrades, said Huang Qunhui, a national political advisor from the Institute of Economics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. While its demographic dividend continues to sustain robust domestic demand and productivity, China is actively fostering a talent dividend, with education and innovation playing an increasingly significant role in driving economic progress. China will continue to upgrade basic education and develop sound mechanisms for improved educational resource allocation in response to demographic changes, and redouble efforts to nurture top-tier innovators, urgently needed personnel in key areas and highly skilled workers, the report said. The fast-evolving AI landscape, epitomized by DeepSeek's progress, demonstrates how talent-driven innovation is fueling China's economic development. At a press conference on Tuesday, Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress, hailed DeepSeek's success as a part of China's AI rise, crediting the company's young talent as a driving force behind the country's technological advancement. China's skilled workforce continues to expand and now exceeds 200 million, including a highly skilled talent pool of more than 60 million. The country also has the world's largest R&D workforce. Fueled by an expanding and upgrading talent base, China's innovation-driven economy is seeing rapid advancements. In 2024, the value-added output of new growth drivers, including new industries, business forms and models, rose to over 18 percent of GDP, while the value-added output of high-tech manufacturing grew 8.9 percent year on year, outpacing overall industrial growth by 3.1 percentage points. Population decline and aging are challenges faced by many countries. While China's rapid industrialization has brought these challenges earlier than many other countries, it is proactively addressing them with targeted policies. China has phased out its decades-long one-child policy and announced support for couples who wish to have a third child. Local governments have since put in place a series of stimulus measures for childbirth, including subsidies, expanded insurance coverage, extended maternity leave, and more public child-care facilities. At the same time, policies aimed at enhancing elderly care services enable China to better offset the impacts of its aging society. The government work report pledges to advance community-supported at-home elderly care services and strengthen elderly care services in rural areas, among other measures. "China is at the crossroads where population and talent dividends converge," said Du Peng, dean of the School of Population and Health at Renmin University of China, adding that the national workforce remains abundant and the country's talent pool is expanding, laying a foundation for China's transition to a talent-driven economy. Many also see the silver linings of the aging population. China's silver economy is emerging as a major growth driver, currently valued at 7 trillion yuan (about 976 billion U.S. dollars). According to a survey from data analysis provider iiMedia Research, the silver economy is expected to reach a scale of 30 trillion yuan by 2035. "The demand of China's elderly population is upgrading and fueling new growth in the service sector, covering areas such as education, medical services, finance and technology," said Jin Li, a national political advisor and vice president of Southern University of Science and Technology. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has accused the mayors of four U.S. cities of obstructing federal immigration enforcement by shielding criminal aliens. The mayors of Boston, Denver, New York City, and Chicago testified during a March 5 hearing. The mayors testimony highlighted the ongoing tension between local governments and federal immigration agencies over the handling of undocumented immigrants, particularly illegal aliens accused of committing crimes. The hearing centered around the question of whether sanctuary city policies, which limit local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities, undermine efforts to combat crime. Despite these concerns, the mayors of the four sanctuary cities adamantly argued their policies were designed to protect the rights of all residents, including immigrants, while still maintaining public safety. Prior to their testimony, Comer sent letters to Mayor Michelle Wu, Mayor Mike Johnston, Mayor Eric Adams, and Mayor Brandon Johnson, requesting communications related to the sanctuary city status of their respective cities. Three of the four mayors refused to state outright that their cities were sanctuary cities when questioned by Chairman Comer, with all but Mayor Adams using euphemistic terms like safe and welcoming as substitute words for their sanctuary city policies. Chicago has actually put in place an ordinance called the Welcoming City Ordinance to protect immigrant communities. Comer and other Republicans provided numerous examples of sanctuary policies that either allowed criminal aliens to evade ICE detainers or be released by courts that declined to press charges, despite the individuals having committed heinous crimes. While addressing Mayor Wu, arguably one of the more liberal mayors, Comer described an incident that occurred in a Boston suburb last year, Last year, in a Boston suburb, an illegal alien raped and impregnated his 14-year-old daughter while living in a shelter for illegal aliens. In Chicago, an illegal alien, who is a suspected member of a violent foreign gang, was brought into custody for his potential involvement in a murder. He was released when Cook County declined to press charges. This illegal alien is also facing charges for kidnapping and sexually assaulting his former girlfriend last year. Now, he is on the streets. Later in the hearing Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) described the way Denvers sanctuary policy allowed a criminal alien to evade an ICE detainer. Immigration detainers hold aliens for up to 48 hours beyond the time they would ordinarily release them to the streets so that DHS has time to take custody in accordance with federal immigration law. Jordan posed his question to Mayor Johnston, who admitted they released the alien to the streets. The criminal alien ended up assaulting an officer during the arrest which took place in a parking lot. Abraham Gonzalez is a Venezuelan gang member arrested by Border Patrol on September 20, 2023. Released into the country by the Biden Administration. A few months later, hes arrested in Denver, charged with aggravated assault. On March 11, 2024, hes charged with motor vehicle theft, stole a car. And then on March 20, 2024, Mr. Gonzalez is charged with felony menacing. Jordan continued, Six days after that last charge, ICE sent you a detainer which includes an administrative warrant. Basically, it says if youre going to release this bad guy, this gang member who allegedly stole a car, menaced people, and assaulted people, give us a 48 hour heads up. Is that right? Does that refresh your memory? You had him in your custody for how long? 345 days you had him in custody. Jordan later added, And ICE said, hey, can you give us 48 hours heads up? You gave them one hour notice An officer got assaulted because of your policy, which says were going to release him to, in your words, not mine, to the streets. They have to arrest him in a parking lot. They bring six officers, where they couldve had one or two just come in your facility in the jail and just take the guy there. But you wont do it that way. Despite evidence to the contrary, the Democrat mayors adamantly defended their policies as being tough on crime. Each mayor affirmed that their jurisdictions comply with the law and that they would release individuals to law enforcement if a valid arrest warrant were issued, irrespective of their immigration status. David Bier, the minority witness representing the CATO Institute, accused Czar Tom Homan and President Trump of disregarding due process laws for people accused of being in this country illegally. Bier further argued that the actions taken by federal immigration authorities have sidelined established constitutional protections. He claimed that sanctuary cities, in contrast, uphold the Constitution by limiting law enforcement's role in immigration enforcement, particularly when it comes to civil violations of immigration law. Bier also contended that sanctuary cities are not obligated to help the government with mass deportations, despite Homan having made it abundantly clear he is pursuing the worst criminal illegal aliens in his immigration arrests. Bier added that sanctuary cities have good reasons not to indiscriminately aid the federal government in removing individuals because immigrants are good for communities. He argued that illegal aliens provide goods and services that improve the lives of Americans, are providers for US citizen family members, and that they reduce crime rates by committing fewer crimes. The discrepancies in compliance stem from the difference between administrative and judicial warrants. Andrew Arthur of the Center for Immigration Studies writes that [p]roponents of sanctuary policies often distinguish between administrative warrants -- those issued by ICE under sections 236(a) and 287(a) of the INA -- and judicial warrants to justify the way sanctuary cities handle cases involving criminal aliens. Sanctuary city mayors view ICE detainers as a request, with no legal obligation to comply. Instead, sanctuary city mayors require judicial warrants, which are based on probable cause of criminal activity and signed by an Article III federal judge or magistrate. However, Arthur points out that there is no mechanism under current law that would allow ICE officers and agents to obtain a judicial warrant for an alien wanted on civil immigration violations. Sanctuary city proponents often overlook this fact. Additionally, officials in sanctuary cities contend that ICEs and CBPs power to enforce immigration law is limited by our Fourth Amendment constitutional right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures. ICE is therefore often left powerless to take custody of alien criminals in controlled environments (like jails or prisons), environments that keep officers and the public safe. Drawing from three-plus decades of experience, Arthur clarifies the frequent harsh reality of street or home arrests. [m]any criminals dont simply surrender when the law shows up at their doors or approaches them on the street. Arthur explains, They attempt to resist (violently) or flee, which poses the risk of harm to both officers and passers-by. Toward the end of the hearing, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) referred the sanctuary city mayors to the Department of Justice for criminal investigations based on Wednesdays testimony, emphasizing that she didnt think they are bad people, but are rather, ideologically misled. Luna added that sanctuary city policies are hurting people on both sides, meaning the people who are coming here illegally and then American citizens as well. Image: Daniel Lobo Most everyone has heard the meme, He who controls the agenda controls the meeting. Acknowledging that we can understand ultimate power would be controlling the words and language everyone uses lest they find socially or professionally ostracized. When it comes to thought control, everyone should read or reread George Orwells 1984 as an essential marker of the dangers of an all-powerful state. In 2025, 1984 is no longer required reading in most schools, and you should ask yourself the question why? Even a cursory reading of 1984 would make many uncomfortable with the parallels to everyday life. A friend told me, They are afraid students would recognize they already live in Orwells world. Newspeak was the official language of Orwells Oceania, the stage upon which Orwell told his story. Newspeak turned our language upside down to make all other modes of thought impossible and to make any thought of diverging from the principles of the government unthinkable. Image by Grok. False and misleading language is Orwellian Doublespeak, allowing murderous thugs like Adolph Hitler to disguise mass murder behind boring bureaucratic terms. (Example: Evakuierung (evacuation) was used as a euphemism for death and deportation to concentration camps.) This same manipulation of language was a key part of how Stalin and other 20th century tyrants used language to control peoples lives and, eventually, life itself. What too few people realize is that, during the Obama and Biden years, the same thing happened in America, as leftists relentlessly seized control over American language and, through it, American thought. They rejected entirely Confucian wisdom for, when Confucius was asked what he would do if he were a governor, he said he would rectify the names to make words correspond to reality. When our government removes social media posts that differ from government policy or suppresses speech by arbitrarily deeming it hate speech, we begin to look quite like Orwells fictional Oceania. But thats just a start. All kinds of behavior and thought are being restricted, manipulated, or banned through the lefts terms of engagement; that is, the language they use. Just take a look at a small subset of intentionally manipulative words and metaphors here: Undocumented Migrants hides that these people are here illegally, and implies they are entitled to equality with legal citizens, devaluing the importance of and responsibilities of citizenship. hides that these people are here illegally, and implies they are entitled to equality with legal citizens, devaluing the importance of and responsibilities of citizenship. Unhoused Person homogenizes the causes of homelessness, which are mostly antisocial behaviors (drug addiction, criminality, and unaddressed mental illness caused or exacerbated by drugs) and implies that the fault is societys, requiring ever more government money and control. homogenizes the causes of homelessness, which are mostly antisocial behaviors (drug addiction, criminality, and unaddressed mental illness caused or exacerbated by drugs) and implies that the fault is societys, requiring ever more government money and control. Trans Woman the normalization of deviancy instead of the truth of a mentally ill man the normalization of deviancy instead of the truth of a mentally ill man Fair Share the pretense that people who have acquired wealth (usually via hard work or exceptionally innovation) owe it to everyone else. the pretense that people who have acquired wealth (usually via hard work or exceptionally innovation) owe it to everyone else. Entitlements another Democratic construct, as if God himself guarantees someone the right to your money another Democratic construct, as if God himself guarantees someone the right to your money Dreamers take an illegal alien, give birth, or walk a child across the border, and voila, you produce a Dreamer! take an illegal alien, give birth, or walk a child across the border, and voila, you produce a Dreamer! Fake News life is like a TV; if you dont like the show, change the channel. TV and life have merged into highly produced news curated for particular audiences, facts be damned. life is like a TV; if you dont like the show, change the channel. TV and life have merged into highly produced news curated for particular audiences, facts be damned. Death of DemocracyIn his farewell Address, George Washington cautioned against the divisive influence of political parties, asserting that they could lead to the Subversion of the power of the people. Were still standing, notwithstanding all those that parrot this tired lie. A common thread runs through all attempts to control speech: de facto control of your freedom of choice. How patently absurd for someone else to insist you use their language, phrases, and false metaphors. The epitome of hubris is the assumption that what someone manifests out of thin air should become the law of the land, if not in fact, then in practice. Is what is happening today a fad? Fads usually dont last. Beatnicks come to mind, and so do various cults like the Manson Family, the Peoples Temple, Heavens Gate, and the Branch Davidians, which garnered small but devoted followings; certainly not the mass hysteria that ripped us apart recently. While some charlatans took in a few people, reason prevailed for most. The correct and proper usage of words and phrases is not trivial. In the wrong hands, and given enough time, you can make something as life-affirming as creating new life turn into an optional choice. Trump implicitly agrees as he has commenced the Herculean task of undoing the massive societal and economic damage wrought. Simply insisting that there are only two sexes (male and female) is a blow at the very heart of the Democrat effort forcibly to replace facts with fantasies. His stalwart support for Israel, a historic nation, and a free, pluralist society, is also a blow against the enforced fantasy that Gaza, a militarily controlled stretch of land in which Jews are executed and Christians banned, is an actual nation entitled to respect and a right to ownership of land from the river to the seaa phrase that erases Israel entirely. The very nature of words and phrases is the sly and insidious way that progressives intentionally enacted the slow and progressive destruction of our culture and, tellingly, that of Western culture everywhere. Mark Twain once said, The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated. Let me substitute: The reports of the death of Western culture are greatly exaggerated. I sure hope Im right! Author, Businessman, Thinker, and Strategist. Read more about Allan, his background, and his ideas to create a better tomorrow at www.1plus1equals2.com Are the crazed leftists of ActBlue trying to destroy Elon Musk's Tesla company? Sure seems like it, based on what Musk himself has uncovered: Several protesters have been arrested at a Tesla showroom in NYC, per NYP. Earlier today, Elon revealed that an investigation has uncovered 5 ActBlue-funded groups responsible for Tesla protests.'" "ActBlue funders include George Soros, Reid Hoffman, Herbert Sandler, pic.twitter.com/4VF2XJDTVI Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) March 8, 2025 Democrat fundraising platform ActBlue linked to funding for protests at Tesla dealerships. Were they responsible for all these terrorist incidents at Tesla locations? INVESTIGATE ACTBLUE AND PROSECUTE THOSE RESPONSIBLE https://t.co/I3JKFOaBDS pic.twitter.com/HWHOm9HY0j Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) March 9, 2025 NYPD responded to another leftist occupation of the Tesla store in Manhattan on March 8. Leftist groups linked to ActBlue have been organizing direct actions against Tesla. Multiple extremists have committed fire bombings & shootings. Video by @NJEGmedia:pic.twitter.com/JogvkcVRTJ Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) March 8, 2025 Rise & Resist does appear to have an ActBlue donation link and a website - they aren't shy about being there to protest against Musk: pic.twitter.com/LO3fZdAzBL DataRepublican (small r) (@DataRepublican) March 8, 2025 The New York Times reported that the activity against Musk's Tesla is "escalating," with this lede: Tesla charging stations were set ablaze near Boston on Monday. Shots were fired at a Tesla dealership in Oregon after midnight on Thursday. Arrests were made at a nonviolent protest at a Tesla dealership in Lower Manhattan on Saturday. The electric car company Tesla increasingly found itself in police blotters across the country this week, more than seven weeks after President Trumps second inauguration swept Teslas chief executive, Elon Musk, into the administration as a senior adviser to the president. Mr. Musk, 53, is drawing increasing backlash for his sweeping cuts to federal agencies, a result of the newly formed cost-cutting initiative Mr. Musk has labeled the Department of Government Efficiency. They blamed Musk, not the thugs, for the violence and terrorism, which included this additional arson and gunfire in this passage. The demonstration came at the end of a week in which employees at a Tesla dealership in Tigard, Ore., near Portland, arrived at work on Thursday and found gunshot damage. The police said they believed that at least seven shots had been fired, damaging three cars and shattering windows. One bullet went through a wall and into a computer monitor, the police said. And on Monday, seven Tesla charging stations were intentionally set on fire at a shopping center outside Boston, the police said. In another Boston suburb, the police arrested a man on Wednesday who had tagged six Tesla vehicles with decals of Mr. Musk in a raised-arm pose. The police in Brookline, Mass. released a video of the man saying that he had the right to deface the cars because it was his free speech. A local television station ran this video of arson in action against a Tesla car: Yes thats a Tesla on fire. No it wasnt the battery. It was gasoline poured over it. Yeah it was caught on the vehicles security system. Sentry mode for the win. pic.twitter.com/SE6wDjsFsH CyberMike (@CyberMikeOG) April 27, 2023 The Times reported that attacks were happening in France and Germany as well. What they didn't note was that Musk says he found the cash root of the violence, in troubled Democrat fundraising behemoth, ActBlue, which has seen mass resignations of its executives in the past weeks as revelations roll out about bad bookeeping and illegal foreign patronage. Now we learn from Musk that ActBlue has also been bankrolling protests, which may very well include these violent "protests," (or, "free speech," as the arrested man told the Times). An investigation has found 5 ActBlue-funded groups responsible for Tesla protests: Troublemakers, Disruption Project, Rise & Resist, Indivisible Project and Democratic Socialists of America. ActBlue funders include George Soros, Reid Hoffman, Herbert Sandler, Patricia Bauman, Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 8, 2025 The usual suspects, far-left billionaires such as Hoffman, Sandler and Soros, who specialize in chaos and who have been accused of targeting the businesses of critics in the past. But this activity goes way beyond merely trying to wreck a company's stock price, though I suspect Soros has done this in the past, too. This looks like outright conspiracy to commit terrorism -- with gunfire and dealerships on fire, targeting the little guys who own those dealerships as a campaign of sorts goes on to "pick a target" and auto dealerships are easy targets. If that's true, this is an unprecedented crime against an American company. Musk also put out this tweet, sounding shaken at this vile campaign against the business he saved and built himself: Heartfelt thanks to everyone supporting @Tesla, despite many attacks against our stores and offices https://t.co/z9bfYTH3Ri Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 9, 2025 If Soros and his buddies were using the Democrat outlet ActBlue to funnel cash through its shell organization to stay concealed from criticism, and the cash paid out went to thugs who were commiting violent crimes, it's well past time to investigate this kind of activity which goes way beyond political dissent and into terrorism, which is probably the next step from those who can't get their way at the ballot box. That's illegal. Congress, the DoJ and every human rights NGO out there should be investigating this matter, because no civilized society can exist with this kind of systemic Pablo Escobar-style campaign of terror or guerrilla warfare against the private sector, such as was seen in the run-up to the Dirty War in Latin America. Societies get destroyed from this activity, and the thought of it happening in the U.S., instead of, say, Brazil circa 1979, is unthinkable. Yet the left is known to be crazy and beside itself at Trump's re-election, and remains leaderless and unreformable. If terrorism against Tesla is the next step, it's time to shut the flaming cash spigot down, because it's utterly contrary to the American idea, and worse will come of it. Follow the money. Image: Screen shot from KREM 2 News video, via X One of the main reasons that Democrats have been recently sidelined is that the electorate is experiencing crisis fatigue. The fearmongering from Democrats on COVID, Climate, and Russia has finally exhausted the voting public. The Democrats are finding out that cultivating a state of fear in the populace to attain and maintain power has its limitations. Over time people get tired of hearing the same old drumbeat. The narrative wears thin and people start to see through it. It is amazing that people fall for crisis narratives in the first place. The most likely explanation is that people regard themselves as intelligent if they go along with beliefs which experts hold with certainty. This leaves one vulnerable to false narratives. However, thats not all. They may not perceive as acutely as others the economic pain that usually accompanies the policies put forth to solve the crisis. Some may even consider themselves wealthy enough to withstand the troubles, or maybe even clever enough to benefit from the fallout. Crisis experts rely on their audience having a short memory. When climate experts claim that the Antarctic ice sheet is melting at an alarming rate, and forty years later the ice sheet has done the opposite and grown, they are relying on people not remembering their previous predictions. My personal favorite was when health authorities insisted that the COVID vaccine would confer immunity on vaccinated individuals and then we would discover that these same experts would be home in bed with their third bout of COVID. How does one ignore these inconsistencies? Even if one tried to ignore them, the cognitive dissonance would build up over time and take a toll on ones psyche. What gives me hope for humanity is that individuals sometimes do become disenchanted with the experts ceaselessly droning on about a crisis. The Russia, Russia, Russia scare is a good example. Eight years ago, the Democrats and their media acolytes were screaming about Russian election interference. That episode ended in disgrace, with Mueller stumbling through his testimony before Congress. (However, it was too late to redeem Lorne Michaels reputation as a funny man after he produced the worst skit ever on SNL.) Three years ago, it would have been unthinkable to say anything bad about that neoliberal mascot, Volodymyr Zelensky. Today, his lecturing to Western leaders on the existential threat from Russia is being compared to the lectures on climate catastrophism from that other boorish enfant terrible, Greta Thunberg. In fact, its not just Zelenskys shtick that Americans are weary of. Staving off the ambitions of one Hitler wannabe after another has been the justification for almost every war the U.S. has fought since WWII. The stopping Hitler before he invades to Poland narrative is wearing thin with the American public. They are starting to think that a disagreement with Russia may not require us to go to DEFCON 2. Image: Free image, Pixabay license. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin made a welcome foray into what needs to be a top bilateral issue between the U.S. and Mexico -- the persistent raw sewage from Tijuana's factories and toilets being dumped onto San Diego's beaches, rendering many of them absolutely filthy no-go zones that stink to high heavens. He tweeted this on X: I was just briefed that Mexico is dumping large amounts of raw sewage into the Tijuana River, and its now seeping into the U.S. This is unacceptable. Mexico MUST honor its commitments to control this pollution and sewage! Lee Zeldin (@epaleezeldin) March 9, 2025 He may be late to this party (he is a New York guy, after all), but he's a most welcome guest. Much of the problem, he's about to find, was Joe Biden's doing. Not only did he let the Mexicans do what they liked, he obstructed amelioration from the U.S. side. During President Trump's first term, a pumping system was installed to keep the sewage away if Tijuana couldn't or wouldn't. Joe Biden shut it down because they were dubbed "Trump pumps" and the problem got worse. When election time was on, he turned the "Trump pumps" back on -- but the underlying problem from Mexico remains, ignored by the state, and a complete non-topic in Washington, even though San Diego now boasts the nation's filthiest beaches. I wrote about that last September, when it was getting really gross: Lately, really gross rotten-egg-smelling sulfur-based chemicals, and even hyper-toxic cyanide-based chemicals, which is used in weapons of war, is rolling in from Mexican factories, mixed in with the raw Mexican toilet sewage already coming in creating intolerable conditions on this side of the border. A few days ago, the Centers for Disease Control announced that it would be surveying residents for health effects of breathing the stench from raw sewage all day long. Last month, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported that Navy SEALs were confirmed to have been sickened after swimming in that filth for military readiness training. Zeldin is going to learn all about that, too. According to the U-T: A government watchdog for the Department of Defense found that Navy SEAL candidates frequently train in sewage-tainted waters where pollution from Tijuana regularly fouls South County shorelines, resulting in hundreds of cases of acute gastrointestinal illnesses. The Feb. 7 report by the inspector general looked at how many times bacteria in the water exceeded state safety levels from February 2024 to September 2024 and whether the Naval Special Warfare Command, located on the Naval Amphibious Base in Coronado, relocated or rescheduled training to avoid exposure to the pollution. Of 228 water quality tests conducted on samples taken from north and south beaches off the base, 76 percent of tests showed that bacteria surpassed safety levels, according to the DOD inspector generals findings. During that same seven-month period, the command relocated only 5 percent of 265 water training events, despite county beach postings directing the public to avoid contact with the polluted water. The command also disregarded those same beach closure advisories for three training events during a September 2023 Hell Week, the report added. That's a bona fide health hazard to our elite and highly valued troops that need never have happened. Who better than the EPA to get involved in this outrageous toxic situation? It makes one wonder why the other EPA administrators under the previous administration did absolutely nothing. If Lee needs a briefing on this, he couldn't do better than to talk with local pols Amy Reichert and Jim Desmond, who know this situation cold. It's also a matter for much of the other government as President Trump gets tough on Mexico in order to avoid 25% tariffs in exchange for trade fairness, border order, and for goodness sakes, not fouling one's neighbor's beaches with filth. It's actually the Other Border Issue, and we are lucky we have Lee Zeldin's eye on it -- he's going to be diving into a world of grossness to get to the bottom of this, but it may just be the only thing that fixes those beaches. Image: Screen shot from X video If you like American Thinkers content, please consider subscribing here for access to an exclusive, weekly newsletter offering insight from the editorial staff. Im going to go out on a limb and suggest that just maybe, hiring hyper-dysfunctional employees who have a penchant for slutting it up with the rest of the staff isnt going to end well. Remember Maegan Hall? The dweeby, big-foreheaded female cop that slept her way through a Tennessee police department, participating in group sex and hooking up with married men? You should, because this dorky mug isnt exactly forgettable: i wonder where she is rn pic.twitter.com/b9isTIyBER juju (@ayeejuju) December 26, 2024 If you recall, Hall was also married, and the scandal hit the little town of La Vergne quite hardit seemed pretty clear that Hall was just doing what a lot of insecure women do when they go to work in male-dominated fields, but that didnt stop her from refusing to accept culpability, instead dodging responsibility and accusing her higher-ups and colleagues of grooming her. She filed a lawsuit, and eventually walked away with a settlement of half a million dollars. (The city stressed that the sum would not be paid for using taxpayer dollars but an insurance providerbut who pays for the insurance bill when it goes up after a claim? The taxpayers.) Any employer in their right mind would avoid Hall like the plagueseriously, who would bring on a woman that has a history of happily whoring it up with colleagues, before crying foul and suing them for her gross and irresponsible decisions and actions? But somehow, Hall has in fact found employment in another position that demands trust. Wondering how after all Hall has done shes able to work in an environment that requires integrity? Well, in a completely unsurprising turn of events, Halls new gig as a pharmacy technician is in large part thanks to drum roll please the government. According to a report by the Daily Mail, Hall was previously working as a pharmacy tech before her doomed stint as the police departments favorite female cop, but in Tennessee, a pharmacy technicians license expires after two yearsHall reportedly joined the La Vergne force in 2018, and unless she maintained her license while busy with her police work, shes obviously been re-licensed by the states Department of Health. One of the licensing requirements includes an application with a statement of competencynow call me crazy, but if youre someone who has taken backshots in a cop car from on multiple occasions by multiple men while on duty, youre not exactly a competent and trustworthy person. Legitimizing and licensing corruption, debauchery, and ineptitudeall in a days work for a government bureaucrat! Image: Free image, Pixabay license. President Trump recently declared English the official language of the United States. English has enjoyed a quasi-sovereign status south of Canada and north of Mexico for centuries. The Presidents declaration, however, has met with mixed reactions. Some activists and advocacy groups are alarmed and concerned for non-English speakers when it relates to immigration and voter access. A major problem causing such discussion or reaction is using the term official to describe the English language. It may cause some to consider their native language as inferior. I believe primary language would be less offensive and serving equally well to promote the unifying effect of one language for all. More than race or ethnicity, language unifies people because language reflects common thought patterns that, in turn, parallel common value systems. The premise behind language unifying diverse people can be lost in heated political battles. However, the unifying effect of language is a compelling and unrelenting principle borne out by history and geography. Image made using AI. Having experienced living in two different countries and on two different continents has taught me to recognize the vital importance of language as a unifying factor and communication benefactor. In addition to residing in two different language domainsFrench and ArabicI worked with colleagues from 17 different nationalities and diverse races. Speaking a common and mutual language definitely enhanced our working relationships. As an expatriate resident of France and Tunisia, I learned an important lesson from history. Three languages once divided France and its peopleLangue dOc, Langue dOil, and early French. It was only when French prevailed to become the common language that the people were united, and France became a world power. In North Africa, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya, various tongues such as Berber, Arabic, French, and Spanish divided the people. A push toward Arabization strengthened the power and unity of the individual countries after the colonial powers departed. In France and Tunisia, expatriates and immigrants were required to do business in their countrys primary or official language. While living overseas, I felt more acceptable when I learned to speak the primary languages fluently. Being forced to conduct all official business in French or Arabic motivated me to learn those languages. Until I could navigate the language myself, I was dependent on translators. Nothing was offered in English for Anglo/Americans in either country or continent. Language promotes unity and mutual understanding. This does not dismiss or demean other languages; it is simply a case for promoting a primary language that binds all Americans and enables us to easily understand each other. English has been the language of choice for this country for several centuries. It has served us well for so long and has been easily adopted by people of diverse races, creeds and nationalities. Why not let it continue its good will and great service to our nation? A common language is literally a tool of good will. It also makes good sense in an age when English has replaced French as the international language. We ought to still recognize the beauty and richness of other languages and encourage bilingual aptitude. However, we must promote a primary language to unite us, to facilitate communication and common values, and to ensure a great future for our country. Whether we call English our official or primary language, promoting and practicing it is beneficial for our country and, mostly, for Americas beautiful and grand diversity of peoples and population. Cheers for the Trump administration. We learned yesterday that some students may going home sooner than expected. Here is the story: It was the administrations announcement that it was canceling $400 million in federal grants and contracts given to Columbia University over its failure to address rampant antisemitism on its Manhattan campus. It followed, by one day, a State Department announcement that it had yanked the first visa of a foreign student linked to Hamas-supporting disruptions. Although the student and the school involved were not identified, its a certainty the twin developments are sending shock waves through colleges and universities across the nation -- and thats the point. The moves lower the boom on the campus radicals, including professors, who are supporting the murderous terrorist organization and the feckless university administrators who have done little or nothing to stop them. Reports indicate that grant cancellations for other schools will soon follow, with officials from the Department of Education saying recently they were conducting investigations of five universities where repeated antisemitic harassment incidents were reported. Columbia was one of the five, with the others being Northwestern University, Portland State University, the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Universities must comply with all federal antidiscrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding, Education Secretary Linda McMahon said Friday. Columbia has abandoned that obligation to Jewish students studying on its campus. Its possible that Yale, another Ivy League school, could be in the crosshairs. It received a D in a recent Anti-Defamation League report card over the distribution of antisemitic flyers on campus and an anti-Israel rally where protesters chanted, Free our prisoners, free them all, Zionism must fall. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is in its Fifth Edition, with the latest text revisions occurring in 2022. While it bizarrely goes out of its way to focus on Ethno-racial equity and accompanying risk factors, there is one glaring omission -- Trump Derangement Syndrome. While irresponsibly remiss, theres still a chance for the shrinks, psychologists, counselors, and therapists who engage in this distressing taxonomy to redeem themselves. Thats because TDS not only lingers after all these years, but is actually accelerating amongst vulnerable leftist populations. The release of DSM 6 is expected in the next couple of years, so theres time for shrinks and their ilk to properly categorize the debilitating TDS condition. They may have strayed with their woke emphasis on equity in DSM 5, but now is the time to stand up for science-- presuming shrinkdom and affiliated vocations are somewhat scientific. The DSM defines a mental disorder as, A syndrome characterized by clinically significant disturbance in an individual's cognition, emotion regulation, or behavior that reflects a dysfunction in the psychological, biological, or developmental processes underlying mental functioning. Clearly, TDS, especially as exhibited by demented Dems, qualifies especially the part about mental functioning. Once TDS is properly classified, symptoms can be enumerated. These include (not exhaustively) the following: Incongruous emotions, including in our incongruous Congress (e.g., not rising for cancer-surviving boy during Trumps SOTU speech, or any other American, for that matter) Hysterical behavior Uncontainable weeping and sadness Panic attacks (did you see Pelosis contorted, gargoyle-like face during Trumps SOTU speech?) Convulsions Perseveration (the compulsive repetition of an action) Distorted opinions Cognitive dissonance and forms of delusion Mental muddle and existential breakdown Pervasive Trump Torment Whereupon mental health clinicians, and what have you, can recommend more precise treatments, for, their meditation and mindfulness apps are no match for their madness. Depending on level of severity, these treatments may include: Outings to the peaceful forest to engage in primal screams If forest bathing doesnt work, then outings to the lake for more screaming Assignment of a soothing therapy dog Commitment to safe spaces for desensitization procedures Cognitive behavioral therapy (to minimize their debilitative thinking patterns) Emotional Freedom Techniques (useful for easing stress and anxiety) Electroconvulsive therapy (for more extreme cases like Schiff and Pelosi and many others) Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for the particularly depressed Dems. Various other scans for those who scam Trump Assiduously codifying TDS in the DSM will not only help diagnose the enlarged ranks of sufferers, but will benefit society as the Golden Age of America flourishes. After all, as Philip G. Zimbardo, once president of the American Psychological Association, explained [m]adness is the sufferers unintentional disruption of societys norms, of reasonable and normal actions. One might quibble over the word unintentional, but Dems with TDS (thatd be just about all of them), are intentionally disrupting our voter-approved MAGA norms, and reasonable, commonsensical actions. Others may be so off-kilter as to have lost any sense of propriety, self-control, and self-awareness. Since they cant help themselves, lets encourage the mental health professionals to compile an accurate DSM version 6 to help them with objective TDS assessments. Image: Gage Skidmore Donald Trump has been paying attention to South Africa. Hes noted the land seizures and race-based violence, and has decided that America wont be funding the hard-left, racist South African government anymore. Surprisingly, young black South Africans may support him. Last month, Trump issued an executive order stopping all payments to South Africa. As he explained in a companion fact sheet, his defunding decision was driven by very specific facts: As encapsulated in its recent land confiscation act to seize disfavored citizens property without compensation, the government of South Africa blatantly discriminates against ethnic minority descendants of settler groups. As long as South Africa continues to support bad actors on the world stage and allows violent attacks on innocent disfavored minority farmers, the United States will stop aid and assistance to the country. In addition, Trump said, the U.S. will create a plan to bring those disfavored minority farmers to America, as victims of racial discrimination. On Friday, Trump put out a Truth Social post reiterating his intention to bring South African farmers to America: South Africa is being terrible, plus, to long time Farmers in the country. They are confiscating their LAND and FARMS, and MUCH WORSE THAN THAT. A bad place to be right now, and we are stopping all Federal Funding. To go a step further, any Farmer (with family!) from South Africa, seeking to flee that country for reasons of safety, will be invited into the United States of America with a rapid pathway to Citizenship. This process will begin immediately! For the New York Times, the claim that whites are suffering in South Africa is a myth. Even the land seizures, reports the Times, are mythical. Thus, its most recent article had the following heading and subheading: Trump Offers South African Farmers Expedited Citizenship The president falsely claimed on social media that the South African government was confiscating farmland, echoing previous statements that the country was mistreating white people. So, its a myth that the South African government is confiscating farmland? Well, thats a weird thing to say considering that, a mere three paragraphs into the article, the New York Times says that the government has a new law to confiscate farmland: In January, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa signed into law a measure that would allow the government to take land in the public interest without providing compensation... I guess that, for the Times, its not confiscation if the bad white people deserve it. At The Guardian, the British news outlet that is open about its Marxist biases, unlike the Times, which tries to hide them, we learn that Trump is planning to slaughter half a million South African blacks who are utterly dependent on the US to survive. Hes doing so to get back at South Africa for its independence: The humanitarian consequences of this executive order are devastatingly clear. On 26 February, notices were sent out terminating support for HIV organizations funded by the US Presidents Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar), initiated in 2003 by then president George W Bush. The termination of funding to Pepfar is catastrophic for South Africa. Studies predict this could result in more than half a million unnecessary deaths and up to half a million new infections. But Trumps order is an escalation of an existing strategy to condemn, isolate and punish South Africa for charting an independent course for its people and their relationship to the international community at large. Yes, refusing to give money to a communist government that seizes assets based on race is all part of a plot to punish South Africa for existing as a black-led state. Oh, and its also because South Africa dares to support poor, misunderstood Hamas. While the leftists may be outraged, its not clear that young blacks will mind seeing the communist government fall. A South African friend, a farmer looking to immigrate to America, sent me a fascinating video, from a black South African who has been trying to get a handle on what young, black South Africans feel. He found a video of a young man who strongly supports Trump, believing Trump can save South Africa by undermining the communist government that will destroy it if unchecked: If this isnt a page straight out of the communist playbook, I dont know what is. Educate me. The ANC has been pushing this land expropriation without compensation nonsense, claiming its about rectifying historical injustices. But lets call a spade a spade: They want to take land from productive farmers and hand it over to cronies who wouldnt know a plow from a pitchfork. I urge you to watch the whole thing, because it may show that, across the world, peopleespecially young peopleare done with Big Government and wokeness, and the damage they bring. Donald Trump isnt a white supremacist reactionary to young people across the globe. Instead, he is the voice of a liberation-based future, one in which young people can control their destinies at the local level, free from tyrannical leaders and home and one world-ists pulling global strings. Image: YouTube screen grab. In 2020, almost five years ago, Google released the Pixel 4a. But despite being such an old device, the phone has been making headlines for the past few months, and not for good reasons. Over in Australia, a Pixel 4a recall process is now in effect. The Pixel 4a recall The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced a recall of the Google Pixel 4a due to potential battery overheating issues. This recall affects units sold between the 1st of August 2020 and the 30th of September 2022. It also covers units sold through major retailers like JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, and Officeworks. The ACCCs recall notice warns that the overheating poses a potential safety risk, which is why affected units are being pulled from the market. If you purchased a Pixel 4a in Australia during the affected period, contact your retailer to check if your unit is eligible for return. The ACCCs website also offers a link to Googles website, where users may be eligible for a refund. The update snafu Google caused the problem by rolling out a software update earlier this year. The update came as a surprise since the Pixel 4a was no longer covered under Googles update policy. But what seemed like a welcome surprise quickly turned into a disaster. Google intended to improve battery stability with the update, but it did the opposite for many. However, Google also warned that it could shorten battery life as a potential side effect. Users quickly realized the problem was worse than expectedbattery life dropped significantly, and some devices began overheating. Google prevented users from rolling back to an earlier version of the software, making it worse. This left Pixel 4a owners with a phone that drained power too quickly, overheated, and, in some cases, became unusable. Some users even called for a lawsuit. They argued that Google had essentially sabotaged their devices with an irreversible update. Google has already stopped providing major software updates for the Pixel 4a. Now, this battery issue has led to a recall, so it might be time to consider upgrading to a newer device. The Pixel 9 is the latest Pixel from Google, but if you dont mind waiting a bit, the Pixel 9a will be a cheaper alternative. While many Galaxy phone owners are eagerly awaiting the One UI 7 update, the company is rolling out the latest security patch. Samsung started sending it out last week, first to its latest flagship devices. As expected, the Galaxy S24 lineup was in the list. Now, Samsung is rolling out the March 2025 security update to the Galaxy S23 series in the US. US units of the Galaxy S23 lineup are receiving the March 2025 security update User of the S23 series in the US are reporting the availability of the new firmware. It seems that it is reaching the carrier-locked variants first. The Galaxy S23 (SM-S911U), Galaxy S23+ (SM-S916U), and Galaxy S23 Ultra (SM-S918U) are getting the March 2025 security update under the build numbers S911USQS6CYB3, S916USQS6CYB3, and S918USQS6CYB3, respectively. Its quite likely that the OTA will expand to carrier-free variants of Samsungs 2023 Galaxy flagship phones in the coming daysor even hours. The update includes a plethora of fixes for detected security holes. After installing it, you wont get any new features, but your device will be a bit more secure. Most of the 58 vulnerability fixes come from Google itself. These fixes address issues within the Android core. On the other hand, Samsung contributed seven fixes for vulnerabilities potentially exploitable only on Galaxy devices. The Galaxy S23 series is also eligible to receive the Android 15-based One UI 7 update in the near future. However, owners of these handsets will likely need a lot of patience. The South Korean giant confirmed that it will open the One UI 7 beta program for the S23 lineup at the end of March. For reference, the Galaxy S24 series will receive the stable update sometime in April. That means the beta program will last around four months. Well have to wait and see if the beta program for the S23 devices takes a similar amount of time. TikTok could be sold soon. US President Donald Trump spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One and revealed that he is negotiating with four different bidders to buy TikTok. He also claims that a deal for the social media company could come soon. However, he did not name the possible bidders. Extending the deadline TikTok faced a potential ban in the US earlier this year. A bipartisan law had previously given TikTok until the 19th of January to sell itself or risk facing a ban. However, TikTok decided to take its US operations offline ahead of the ban. Trump intervened, granting TikTok a 75-day reprieve that could now stretch beyond April 5. Last week, he expressed willingness to extend the deadline if necessary but stayed optimistic about striking a deal within the month. Several groups have expressed interest in acquiring TikTok. Project Liberty is one of them. Reddits co-founder Alex Ohanian recently joined them, adding some weight to the groups reputation and funds. Popular YouTuber MrBeast is also part of an investment group that has managed to pool $20 billion in their own bid. Trump himself has signed an executive order to create a sovereign wealth fund. One potential use for the fund is to buy TikTok and bring it under US control. There have been rumors that Elon Musk could buy TikTok, but the billionaire has shot those rumors down. Not so easy Even with four bidders lined up, Trump cant guarantee a sale of TikTok, which remains under the ownership of the Chinese company ByteDance. China, so far, hasnt been keen on letting TikTok go. ByteDance itself hasnt indicated any interest in selling off its US operations either. TikToks algorithm is a tech that is highly desired in the social media space, and China wants to protect it from foreign entities. Its not hard to see why. The apps ability to hook users and keep them engaged for hours and make eerily accurate recommendations has monetization written all over it. But will Trump succeed? There are a lot of hurdles to overcome, so nothing is guaranteed as of now. When it comes to life decisions, retirement is a big one. The point at which you say enough is enough will be dependent on many factors. If your dream is to climb Machu Picchu, then you should probably do it sooner. But if your professional persona defines you, then its more likely youll want to eke out the years. And while the financial side of things is often foremost in our minds, there are many health implications good and bad attached to choosing the right age to step back. Perhaps its the fact that being surrounded by an inspiring bunch of colleagues keeps you razor sharp, or the toil of your commute is putting you at risk of stress-related diseases. Many experts believe that taking ownership of the decision to retire can sway the positivity pendulum in your favour. Like getting married or swallowing oysters, if you really want to do it, the outcome will probably be more upbeat than if you were frogmarched into taking the plunge. But it can still be a daunting prospect to press that stop button. Consensus suggests that balance is the answer. Gen Z have adopted the term micro-retirement, which basically means working for specific periods and then not. You probably already know this as part-time employment. Ex-businessman Dennis Taylor swapped his full-on executive role for something simpler, and claims: Less hassle, better fitness, more time with my family, and Ive still got a purpose. But whatever option you choose, work or play, being healthy enough to get the optimum experience from the decision you make could define the quality of the years ahead. Here are the pros and cons of three classic retirement ages: Retiring at 60 Pros These days, reaching 60 is no longer the time-worn milestone it used to be. Most sexagenarians are still vibrant, agile and curious about life. So retiring around this age means you are more likely to grab freedom with both hands. Studies show that retiring in your early 60s can reduce stress and improve life satisfaction, while helping to lower your chances of some diseases. Its also a big plus for your mental health if you have instigated the decision to retire rather than being elbowed out. Helen Kewell, a registered counsellor and author specialising in ageing, says: Having ownership of this major life change means you are more likely to feel empowered and excited. I always encourage people to think carefully when it comes to significant decisions. In this case: how do I want to spend my days, are there trips to plan, do I want to volunteer at a charity once a week? Often the initial thrill of retirement can be euphoric, its all new and shiny, but that enthusiasm can wear thin. Spending time considering this new chapter will help to make it a more positive and productive experience. Cons The Office of National Statistics (ONS) says women who are at retirement age (66 years) can be expected to live on average to 88, and men aged 66 years can be expected to live until 85. So if you retire early, that can mean decades of free time. This can be tough for some people. For many, work offers status, connection with others and, in some cases, it keeps them physically active. There is a school of thought that retiring early is giving up on life. Dennis Taylor, 66, stepped down five years ago. He soon realised it wasnt all it was cracked up to be and ended up having a second encore career a role with fewer hours and less stress but still interesting and fun. I had my own business importing goods from Africa. It was very lucrative, and I decided to sell it on and call it a day, he explains. But after six months I was climbing the walls with boredom. I didnt want the commitment of another high-powered job, so I started looking around for part-time work. Ive always loved cooking and Im a good manager, so I took a position running a kitchen for a sailing youth charity which helps train young people in sea safety and skills. I work three days a week and I love it. The kids keep me on my toes and theres often the chance for me to go out on the boats. Ive never looked or felt healthier. Retiring at 66 Pros Many studies show that retirement has a beneficial effect on mental health, particularly in reducing depression and stress. This is likely to be linked to work-related pressure. As we age, the body finds it more difficult to regulate stress hormones such as cortisol, and so being able to enjoy a more laid-back approach becomes appealing. Equally, our bodies will start to show signs of ageing as decreased mobility, waning stamina and chronic health issues occur. Data from the National Joint Registry estimates that by 2060, the UK demand for hip and knee joint replacement will increase by almost 40 per cent from current levels obesity plays a significant role but cases increase after 60. Having more hours to concentrate on your fitness will reduce certain health risks, although we cant deny that some jobs keep us physically active. Experts are unanimous that its beneficial for long-term good health to sustain regular exercise into retirement. Dr Lucy Pollock, a consultant geriatrician and author of The Golden Rule: Lessons in living from a doctor of ageing, says: What we know in the medical world is that the more physical activity you can do in later life, the better you will manage overall. Sitting in a chair for long periods isnt going to be helpful. My key message to my patients is, keep moving and make friends. Something like dance is perfect; its excellent for the brain and the body, plus its social. Take note: Angela Rippons Lets Dance campaign launches March 2 and aims to get us all moving and connected. Cons Your perspective of retirement is influenced by how much you enjoy your work. If it gives you a strong sense of identity and pleasure, it will be more difficult to relinquish. In fact, hanging up your so-called work boots could make you very unhappy. Another consideration is the pull on your time from dependent family members. Surrendering your professional role can be seen as an opportunity by others to seize your availability. The burden of taking care of elderly relatives or grandkids can suddenly fall on your shoulders, scuppering your dreams of freedom. Laura Barker, 66, looks after her three-year-old grandson for two days every week. Of course I adore him, she says, But by Tuesday evening I am completely exhausted. Ive also had a few problems with my back from picking him up and chasing him around the park. My daughter is pregnant with her second baby and Ive already said I dont think I can cope with two children under school age. Kewell believes conversations upfront are important. She adds: You can swap one paid role for another unpaid role. Be clear of your commitment and capabilities; this is your time after all. If caring for a member of the family makes you happy, fine. But if it doesnt, boundaries around what you are prepared to give should be discussed. Retiring at 70 Pros Time is a valuable commodity in our advancing years. And much of it can be taken up with managing our health: GP and hospital appointments, and treatments for chronic conditions. Having the liberty to adopt a leisurely approach without the nine-to-five can be a blessing. There may also come a point where you dont feel as vital as you once did. But rather than falling by the wayside, there is no shame in acknowledging this chapter for you is ending. George Warner, 72, retired last year from his part-time job as an accountant. I felt my concentration and ability to perform tasks quickly was diminishing, he says, I started to question my belief in myself and that had a knock-on effect on my confidence overall. I was stressed about making mistakes, and at my age, it was hard to handle. I didnt feel any ageism from my colleagues, but I knew I wasnt as capable as my younger self. It was time to stop. Cons In 2023, there was a 61 per cent increase in the number of over-70s in employment. If mind and body are sound, and you still have the appetite for the alarm going off at 7am, working into your elderly years can be a plus. A study in 2021 by BMC Public Health showed that participants who worked either full or part-time scored higher in mental health than those who had retired. Not only does routine and drive offer a reason to get up every day, it also helps evade loneliness, one of the main problems for the elderly and a contributing factor to many diseases. Prof Tara Spires-Jones, neuroscientist and president of the British Neuroscientist Association, endorses what most of us know: exercise, mental stimulation and connection with others is important for brain health. Numbers of people with dementia are going up and occurrence increases over age 65, she reveals, The figures are high mostly because our population is ageing, but the good news is that the incidence rate is down, possibly because we are taking better care of our cardiovascular health. Keeping your brain active, whether thats through working or other means, helps build strong connections between the neurons, allowing your brain to cope better with everyday situations. Both Kewell and Dr Pollock are advocates for working for as long as a person feels able. Dr Pollock says: I love my job and I value the fact it brings me into contact with fantastic patients. Plus being around young trainees keeps me alert and interested. In my mind, I see myself working into my 70s, not in a traditional medical role, but maybe still as a writer. Kewell agrees: Like many of our major life decisions, everyone has a different approach and opinion. But if you are able to perform well in your job, and it gives you a sense of satisfaction and being part of a vibrant world, Id say, keep on doing it until you cant. Wealthy aristocrat Constance Marten and her partner caused the entirely avoidable death of their baby daughter while on the run from authorities, their retrial has heard. Marten, 37, and Mark Gordon, 50, are accused of the manslaughter of their newborn daughter by gross negligence in early 2023. Opening the Old Bailey retrial on Monday, prosecutor Tom Little KC said the case was about the entirely avoidable death of a young baby. The defendants allegedly kept the birth of their daughter as their little secret after their four older children were taken into care. Mark Gordon denies manslaughter (GMP/PA) On January 5 2023, they went on the run with the little girl after their car burst into flames on a motorway in Greater Manchester, jurors heard. Having fled the scene, they travelled hundreds of miles across England in taxis at a cost of thousands of pounds, jurors were told. They went from Harwich to Colchester in Essex and on to east London before making their way to the South Downs where they went off grid and slept in a flimsy tent, the court heard. Mr Little told jurors that Marten came from a very wealthy family and had a trust fund so she could have bought whatever she needed. But having dumped a buggy hours after purchasing it, the defendants transferred the baby to a Lidl bag for life where she spent some of her life, it was claimed. Jurors heard the couple began sleeping in a tent on January 8 2023 and were next seen four days later at a Texaco garage where Marten bought snacks with cash. There was no sign of the baby. Mr Little said: You will have to consider if the baby had by now died of hypothermia, or had been smothered and suffocated in the obviously dangerous sleeping conditions in that tent, or whether she was still alive at this point but that her fate was sealed by the conduct of the defendants carrying her in a bag for life. After the baby died, the defendants continued to sleep rough and scavenge in bins for food while carrying the body in the same Lidl bag. The childs decomposed body was eventually found by police in a disused shed amid rubbish a few days after the defendants were detained in Brighton on February 27 2023. A shed in Lower Roedale Allotments, East Sussex, was found to contain a Lidl bag which held the body of a missing baby girl (Met Police/PA) In a police interview, Marten said the baby died after she fell asleep with her tucked under her coat. She claimed the child had ample clothes when she and Gordon decided to take themselves out of society to save her from the services which Mr Little said was a lie. Gordon agreed with her account and claimed to police it was something nobody could have ever have anticipated. But jurors were told the risk was obvious and the couple had been warned before of the danger of living in a tent and sleeping directly with a baby. Mr Little told jurors: They put their relationship and their views of life before the life of a little baby girl. Rather than act in the obvious best interests of a vulnerable baby and one that they should have cared for and looked after, they decided instead that they knew best. They decided to ignore the advice that they had previously been given. They decided that in the middle of winter and in obviously dangerous weather conditions they would deprive the baby of what it needed warmth, shelter, protection and food and ultimately safety. They essentially went off-grid and lived in a tent with hardly any clothes, no means of keeping and remaining warm and dry and with scarcely any food. He said the defendants decision to camp on the South Downs raised the risk of hypothermia and suffocation. It was their grossly negligent and obviously dangerous conduct that caused the death of the baby, jurors were told. Mr Little added: After the baby died, in January 2023, the defendants did not hand themselves in but instead remained off-grid, trying to hide for a number of weeks, leaving the body of their dead baby in a shopping bag covered in rubbish, which they carried around and then left in a disused shed. CCTV from January 5 2023 showed Constance Marten and Mark Gordon walking into Bolton bus interchange with the baby allegedly underneath Martens coat (Met Police/PA) Jurors were told the defendants were convicted at an earlier trial of concealing the birth of a child and perverting the course of justice. The court was also told of the defendants history with social services, which led to a family court decision in February 2021 that their four other children should be adopted. Mr Little said the decision was lawful and proper and did not concern jurors in the retrial. However, the background provided evidence of Martens lies and deceptions and detailed warnings the defendants were given of the risks of their conduct before 2023, the court heard. The defendants, of no fixed address, have denied manslaughter and a second charge of causing or allowing the death of a child between January 4 and February 27 2023. Earlier, jurors were told that Gordon was not in the dock with Marten but that he might join the proceedings later by video link. Judge Mark Lucraft KC warned jurors against doing any research about the case or jumping to any conclusions before hearing all the evidence. The Old Bailey retrial is expected to last for up to eight weeks. Former BBC Middle East correspondent Anna Foster will join BBC Radio 4s Today programme as a main presenter, the corporation said. She has presented across BBC News At One and appeared on the BBC News Channel and the BBC News At Six and Ten. Foster, 45, said: There are few more exciting opportunities for a journalist than presenting Today, and Im thrilled to be joining the team. Ive always loved making important, agenda-setting, engaging radio, and theres nowhere better to do that. Its such a beloved programme to so many people, and I cant wait to be a part of it. She will be joining the radio show from April, presenting from London and Salford. The Today team currently includes Emma Barnett, Justin Webb, Amol Rajan, and Nick Robinson, following the exit of Mishal Husain who departed in December to join news site Bloomberg. We're delighted to announce @annaefoster is joining @BBCr4today from April as one of the programme's main presenters. Congratulations Anna! Read more https://t.co/uFi8tsIkll pic.twitter.com/1ZMzijuMwu BBC News Press Team (@BBCNewsPR) March 10, 2025 Mohit Bakaya, director of speech and controller of Radio 4, said: Anna is a terrific addition to the Today team. She brings important international reporting experience at a time when it is needed so urgently by listeners to Radio 4. The BBC said that Foster will continue to play a key role in the corporations coverage of foreign news. John McAndrew, director of live and daily news at the BBC, said: From breaking news to long-form interviews, audiences will be familiar with Annas tremendous range and rich, varied experience covering the biggest stories at home and abroad for the BBC for more than 20 years. Her warm, enthusiastic and engaging style is perfect for Today and Im delighted that shes joining the team. Foster, who was nominated for a 2025 network presenter of the year at the Royal Television Society (RTS) awards, was previously based in Beirut, Lebanon, and covered conflicts in the area. @annaefoster is a brilliant radio presenter and journalist and we @BBCr4today are very lucky https://t.co/twCPkKfSqh Owenna Griffiths (@omrgriffiths) March 10, 2025 She was one of the first journalists to cover the Turkish earthquakes from the epicentre, and has reported on the Israel-Hamas war, the conflict in Ukraine, the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone and the famine in South Sudan. During the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan she was embedded four times with British troops, and returned to Iraq and Syria years later to report on the humanitarian crisis sparked by the rise of the so-called Islamic State extremist group. Foster joined the BBC in April 2002 and went on to present on Radio 5 Live, Radio 1 Newsbeat and the the BBC World Service. Owenna Griffiths, editor of Today, said: Anna is an exceptional broadcaster and tenacious journalist. Shes already a really familiar and popular voice for so many listeners from her years presenting on 5 Live and reporting from the Middle East. Im thrilled shes going to join us at Today. Fort Chambray is a former British colonial outpost in the strategically important Mediterranean country Campaigners in Malta are fighting to save a historic British barracks from development, demanding an emergency conservation order to protect it. A coalition of heritage groups is outraged at plans to develop the 19th-century sandstone barracks into a luxury hotel and apartments. The barracks are part of sprawling Fort Chambray, which overlooks the main harbour of Gozo, Maltas sister island. The fort is a vestige of Britains colonial presence in the Mediterranean archipelago from 1814 until independence in 1964. Developers want to demolish most of the two-storey building. Its sandstone facade would then be moved to a different position within the fort and converted into a hotel. The development was approved by Maltas planning authority in December, but protesters are determined to fight it. They say the barracks are of immense historical and aesthetic value they were among the first married quarters to be constructed for British soldiers anywhere in the Empire. The sandstone facade of the British barracks part of the sprawling Fort Chambray The barracks are part of Fort Chambray, a stunning place which is brimming with history, said Andre Callus from Moviment Graffiti, one of the civil society organisations that is trying to block the development. They are part of our collective heritage and should not be destroyed for the profit of the few, he told The Telegraph. If the project goes ahead, 90 per cent of the barracks will be demolished. The facade will be incorporated into a commercial property for the enjoyment of the very few. There will be no access for the public. The campaigners have called on the planning authority to impose an emergency conservation order, in order to block the project. They have also filed an appeal with Maltas environment and planning review tribunal, which is due to hear the case in the next few weeks. If the appeal is rejected by the tribunal, campaigners will take the case to Maltas appeals court. The battle for the barracks is emblematic of a years-long struggle in Malta between heritage groups and powerful developers who have the backing of politicians. For Chambray, which houses the barracks, was financed by and named after Jacques-Francois de Chambray, a governor of Gozo island It is an unholy alliance which has seen a huge construction boom in recent years, with large stretches of Maltas coastline covered in high-rise hotels and apartment blocks. The influence of developers over governments and politicians in Malta is very strong, said Mr Callus. It goes back to the 1980s. In recent years, the developers have turned their attention to Gozo, known in Maltese as Ghawdex, which had been seen as relatively unspoilt but now rings to the sound of pile drivers and wrecking balls. Three NGOs on the tiny island Din l-Art elwa Gawdex, Gawdix and Wirt Gawdex have banded together to form a Coalition for Gozo to try to combat the worst excesses of development. They have teamed up with organisations, including Friends of the Earth Malta and the Archaeological Society of Malta, to oppose the bulldozing of the British barracks. They say the historic structure should instead be preserved and converted into a museum or a cultural hub. In a petition, the coalition noted that all other historic British barracks in Malta are protected by law and said it was perplexing that those at Fort Chambray were not. Modern developments have already been constructed within Fort Chambray The barracks feature arched doorways and openings, creating a rhythmic and continuous facade, the group said in a statement. They are among the first, or even possibly the first, example of married quarters in the British Empire. The group said developers had put forward the misleading narrative that the barracks were modified so much in the 1980s that their historical integrity was compromised. In fact, the internal layout has remained practically untouched after 129 years, the campaigners said. They added: The Fort Chambray case exemplifies how the government continues to favour powerful interests, even at the cost of destroying national heritage for private financial gain. The barracks development will increase urbanisation, strain local infrastructure and disrupt the characteristic landscape of the clifftop fortress, Friends of the Earth Malta told The Telegraph. It was crucial to prioritise heritage over short-term private interests, the organisation said. The Archaeological Society of Malta said the barracks should have been declared a Grade 1 listed building years ago. This would not have allowed their proposed destruction or the repositioning of the facade, the societys president, Patricia Camilleri, told The Telegraph. As the only British colonial barracks on the island of Gozo, they need to be preserved, she said, adding: The islands 19th century British heritage is continuously under threat from developers and we support any effort to curtail the demolition of these important buildings. The Maltese press has also been vociferous in objecting. The decision to demolish the British barracks at Fort Chambray signifies more than just a visual loss; it is akin to erasing a chapter from Gozos history, The Times of Malta wrote in an editorial in January. The newspaper said: These barracks are a tangible connection to a pivotal period in Maltas history and stand as the last remaining witness in Gozo to an era when Malta was central to the British Empires Mediterranean network. Their preservation is not simply about safeguarding stone and mortar it is about protecting the layers of history that define our identity. Can Gozo afford to erase the last British barracks on its soil for the sake of wealth creation? Last month, protesters staged a protest inside Fort Chambray, hanging up banners in front of the British barracks. It is a huge disappointment that part of Gozos history is going to be destroyed, just to build a housing estate for the rich, said Daniel Cilia, from the Coalition for Gozo. Campaigners fear that work could start on the barracks before their appeals are considered something that could happen under Maltese law. But the architect in charge of the project insisted that, for now, the barracks were not in danger of being bulldozed. No work can start yet, Antoine Zammit told The Times of Malta. That message was echoed by Michael Caruana, one of the developers behind the scheme. There is absolutely no intention to commence works until a decision on the appeal has been taken. I have always followed the laws and procedures and shall continue to do so, he told the newspaper. Mark Carney claims that Donald Trump wants to destroy our way of life after being elected as Canadas prime minister - Blair Gable/Reuters Mark Carney is no stranger to daft soundbites. After all, this was a man who once compared Brexit Britain to Argentina, a country that has defaulted on its debts nine times since independence from Spain in 1816. It was an absurd remark even from an unapologetically staunch Remainer. You wouldve thought that such partisan and ludicrous comments would be beneath someone who was one of this countrys most prominent public servants at the time, but Carney never could disguise his contempt for Brexit when in office. Yet remarkably, the former Bank of England governor looks set to outdo himself in the preposterous stakes as he ramps up his election rhetoric against Donald Trump. Carneys sudden conversion from high priest of do-goodery, as one of the most ardent promoters of ethical investing, to tough-talking politician is about as unconvincing a transformation you are likely to see. Its also all but certain to backfire. If Carney chooses to fight a tit-for-tat trade war with the US, it will end very badly for Canada. One assumes that Carney, a man who surely has a pretty sophisticated understanding of the machinations of the world economy and global trade, is fully aware of this, and is merely playing to the gallery after replacing Justin Trudeau as Canadas prime minister. Mark Carney is replacing Justin Trudeau as Canadas prime minister - Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press But in making such a public display of standing up to Trump, hes playing with fire. Carneys tough-guy act will be a red rag to Trump, who we now know for certain after the very public defenestration of Volodymyr Zelensky, does not take perceived acts of disrespect lightly never mind the ridiculing tone that Carney has adopted in recent days in which he compared Trump to Harry Potter super-villain Lord Voldemort. One might have expected a more conciliatory approach from a buttoned-up character like Carney, but some of his comments will have gone down like a lead balloon in the Oval Office. In an extraordinary victory speech on Sunday, Mr Carney launched repeated broadsides at Trump, labelling him a threat intent on attacking Canadian families, workers, businesses. They want our resources, our water, our land, our country ... If they succeeded they would destroy our way of life, Mr Carney said of a country that has always been one of Canadas closest allies. At times, one wondered if the speech had been hijacked by forces intent on starting a war between the two. Its not hard to see why Carney has chosen confrontation over diplomacy. Opposition to the US president in Canada is widespread. Carney has ridden a wave of anger at Trumps suggestions that the country could become the 51st US state, to claim the highest office in the land. CPAC Having won the Liberal leadership election by a landslide with 85pc of party members votes, the big decision that Canadas new PM now faces is whether to cement his authority by calling a snap election. If Carney chooses to, the temptation to double down on the defiance will be massive. You could argue that Carney has little choice but to stand up to Trump. After all, the US presidents threat to annex Canada can hardly be ignored if Carney wants to be taken seriously. The decision to try to isolate Canadian conservatives by portraying them as Trump lackeys will no doubt have gone down well with voters, too. In that sense, its smart domestic politics but Im not sure its clever geopolitics. Aside from the prospect of Trump responding badly to any attack that comes across as personal, it really depends on whether Carney is serious about actually fighting a trade war with the US. One hopes all the bombast is merely intended to win votes and Carney will pull back from the brink once he can see it having the desired effect in the polls. There will only be one winner in a trade war between Canada and the US, and its certainly not Ottawa. Even Canadas central bank has warned against the temptation of trying to go toe-to-toe on trade with Washington. GDP would be lower in both Canada and the United States, but the GDP loss would be significantly larger for Canada because Canada has a more open economy, and its exports are so concentrated with the United States, governing council members said recently. The central bank modelled a number of tariff scenarios in its monetary policy report at the end of January and calculated a 2.5 percentage point hit to Canadian GDP at the end of the first year under its so-called benchmark calibration. This assumes price changes in line with patterns observed with previous tariffs, a 25pc US tariff on all imported goods and subsequent equal retaliation from trading partners. The Banks governor didnt mince his words. A long-lasting and broad-based conflict would badly hurt economic activity in Canada, Tiff Macklem said. US government data are even more stark: just 17pc of US exports go to Canada compared with more than 75pc of Canadas exports ending up in the US. The imbalance is just too great for Canada to even countenance winning in a prolonged trade dispute, as Carney preposterously claimed. Perhaps he thinks Trump is already on the back foot. Talk of a US recession as the Trump bump turns into the Trump slump clearly has the president rattled. When Trump talks about a period of transition for the US economy, thats as good an admission that his tariffs could backfire as youre likely to see. But its a dangerous game that Carney is playing. Much is made of the crisis credentials of a man who steered Canada through the financial crash. However, the truth is hes an ivory tower politician who has never had to be electable before. Its all very well talking a good game now but voters will turn on him in a heartbeat if an ill-judged display of strength ends up trashing the Canadian economy. Animals creating artwork is a magical thing, whether there's actual intention behind it or they're just having fun for fun's sake. The preferred medium for most animal artists is paint, since they don't need much more than a canvas, paint, and a paintbrush (assuming they don't just nix the paintbrush and use their own bodies instead). An animal working on pottery, though? That's something you don't see a lot. Leave it to this random dove to set a new standard, then, because this bird's breaking into a new artistic medium. Key West ceramics artist Gayle was spinning at the pottery wheel one day when this unlikely feathered friend flew into their studio and left their mark on their artwork! Isn't that just so serendipitous? Gayle was astonished when the dove flew into their studio and, rather than keeping their distance, approached Gayle's pottery wheel with calm curiosity. Evidently impressed by their artwork, this bird decided to leave a literal impression on Gayle's ceramics by dipping their beak into the spinning clay, leaving a circular groove around the neck of the vase. Gayle's awestruck gasp said it all. This was officially a collaborative piece! Related: Pet Dove Greets Human Every Night When She Comes Home Just Like a Dog "That's Morning Dove Saltz, a famous art critic in the ceramic world," quipped TikTok user @aiyasgc87. "I see that he was very impressed with your work and marked his favorite." "I like to watch this and think they were a potter in a past life," mused @saberesmwfz, "and something overwhelmingly familiar came over this dove that they hadnt felt in a lifetime. Old love for something in a past life." Whether this dove is an avian art critic or a reincarnated potter is anyone's guess, but there was a general consensus among a lot of TikTok commenters, at least initially. With how calm and trusting the dove was around Gayle, they had to have been someone's pet dove, or at least domesticated... right? Key West's Secret Dove Problem Well, not quite. While commenters initially identified the bird as either a domestic ring-neck dove or a mourning dove, they're actually neither. This bird, according to Gayle's explanation in a follow-up TikTok, is a Eurasian collared dove. Eurasian collared doves are often confused with their domesticated look-alikes, but according to Diamond Dove, the Eurasian doves are much larger than domestic ring-necks and sport a unique black spike in their tail feathers. There's also another important distinction between collared doves and domesticated ring-necks: while ring-neck doves generally aren't considered invasive in the US, collared doves are (though according to the Texas Invasive Species Institute, they've yet to explicitly demonstrate negative effects on the environment here in the US). "The Eurasian collared dove is very invasive, and there are an absolute ton of them in Key West," Gayle explained. "This dove was 1000% not a pet. This dove was so friendly because of the same reason that wild animals in the area like Key deer are so friendly, and that's because they're fed by tourists 24/7." Gayle's pottery studio is in an open-air mall, and just outside is a food stand where collared doves, Key deer, and other wild animals gather to nibble on scraps. This distresses Gayle because it leads to the animals ending up in dangerous situations like getting stuck inside the mall (which they claim is a common occurrence) or led out into busy streets. Fortunately, this stray potter dove didn't meet their untimely end stuck in Gayle's studio. Gayle gave the sweet dove food and water, then caught and successfully released them, hopefully never to return to their pottery studio. That may be the last time this dove ever leaves a literal mark on Gayle's pottery, but they certainly left a mark on animal art appreciators online! Donald Trump has pledged to slap 25 per cent tariffs on trade from the EU - Robert Schmidt/AFP EU governments are planning to weaponise life-saving medicines sent to the United States to counter Donald Trumps hostility towards the bloc. Officials have identified hundreds of products, including antibiotics, radiation therapies and pacemakers, for which the US is dependent on shipments from the EU to meet domestic demand. Diplomatic sources revealed that talks were being held about how to use these items to squeeze Mr Trump if he continues to threaten the Continents military and economic security. The US president has pledged to slap 25 per cent tariffs on trade from the EU and suggested he would not defend European Nato allies that do not meet spending targets. Until now, the diplomatic effort to placate Mr Trump has focused on promises to boost defence expenditure and increase purchases from the US. But the US presidents decision to switch off military aid and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine has prompted new fears that he could ratchet up pressure on the Continent. European leaders are being advised that threatening to curb deliveries of products including life-saving medicines could subdue him. We need to start weaponising his dependencies, a European diplomat said. Until now, the diplomatic effort to placate Mr Trump has focused on promises to boost defence expenditure and increase purchases from the US - SGSAN/MEGA Officials have turned to a document titled Strategic dependencies and capacities, drawn up by the European Commission in 2021, that has highlighted 260 products where the US is dependent on EU supplies. On the list are items such as antibiotics, pacemakers and high-quality steel. The working paper was originally intended as an analysis of supply chains in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, which brought international trade to a near-standstill. However, it is being repurposed to prove to EU leaders they have ways to demonstrate strength to face down Mr Trump. The majority of radiation therapy isotopes are made in Germany. The entire semiconductor boom cant go on without European machines, high-grade steel is not made in Appalachian mills but in the German steel belt, antibiotics in Italy, the diplomat said. European leaders need to understand that we are not as weak as we think. Shock treatment It would be controversial to target healthcare exports to the US as part of any pressure campaign against Mr Trump. Life-saving treatments were excluded from the blocs sanctions on Russia in response to Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine for ethical reasons. But the silent warnings are intended as a shock treatment to demonstrate to the US president that he cannot continue to challenge Europe unopposed. It is being carefully crafted to cut across Mr Trumps promise to the American people that he will keep healthcare costs down. A similar but less aggressive strategy to target traditional US brands with EU tariffs was drawn up during Mr Trumps first term in the White House after he threatened to hit the bloc with levies. In 2018, the EU brought into force extra taxes on flagship US goods such as Kentucky whiskey, Levis jeans and Harley-Davidson motorcycles in response to Mr Trumps levies of 25 per cent on steel and 10 per cent on aluminium imports. As well as considering fresh trade measures, the EU is planning to invest 800 billion (671.2 billion) in defence to make itself less reliant on Washington for its security. France has also opened talks over expanding its nuclear umbrella to other European nations as a way of achieving strategic autonomy as the US reduces its presence on the Continent. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau finishes his speech at the Liberal leadership announcement in Ottawa Mark Carney, former governor of the Bank of England and the epitome of well-intentioned global finance, will celebrate his 60th birthday this weekend. The Liberal Party of Canada delivered an early gift on Sunday by electing him as its new leader. Having taken the helm of Canadas ruling party, Carney is now prime minister-designate and will shortly be sworn in as the head of government by the countrys governor general, Mary Simon. However, he is not currently a Member of Parliament, and, while that is not theoretically a requirement, in practice it is not a situation which is sustainable for very long. A federal election is due no later than October 20 this year, but many expect Carney to seek an earlier poll in which he would expect to enter the House of Commons. Canadas parliamentarians have had a gentle start to 2025. When the beleaguered Justin Trudeau announced on January 6 that he would resign after nearly a decade in office, he also advised the governor general to prorogue Parliament until March 24, an 11-week stretch during which neither the Senate nor the House of Commons would sit. It did not go unnoticed that this suspension of parliamentary activity meant that the government could guarantee it would not face a vote of no confidence, leaving the Liberal Party to organise its leadership election without distractions. One of the legacies of the British Empire having been so large that, at its zenith, the sun literally never set on it, has been the export of Westminster-style parliamentary democracy. Canada, like the United Kingdom, divides its electoral terms into sessions at the end of which Parliament is prorogued by royal authority, and a new session begins with a speech from the throne by the governor general. The fact that Parliament is inactive between prorogation and the opening of the subsequent session inevitably represents a hiatus of scrutiny of the government. Those with weary memories of the Brexit process in the UK will remember the constitutional storm of August to October 2019, when Boris Johnson advised the Queen to prorogue Parliament for an unusually long period of five weeks. With the UK scheduled to leave the European Union on October 31, many of Johnsons critics suspected he wanted to sideline Parliament and avoid scrutiny until Brexit was a done deal. The high-minded outrage was intense, with demonstrations held under the banner of Stop the coup. Applications for judicial review of the use of prorogation led inexorably to the Supreme Court ruling that the advice to the Queen had been unlawful and the prorogation itself was null and of no effect. Some of us thought that the Supreme Court had no business regarding the matter as justiciable at all, but bien pensant opinion seemed satisfied that democracy had been saved and The Bad Thing had been avoided. In Canada, matters are slightly different. Prorogation regularly lasts for two or three weeks, invoked when the government reaches the end of its legislative programme. But there is a much more cynical history of governments proroguing Parliament seemingly to avoid scrutiny and challenge. Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper sought a prorogation from December 2009 to March 2010, ostensibly while the Winter Olympics took place in Vancouver; it also had the effect of suspending a House of Commons committee investigating alleged abuse of detainees by Canadian forces in Afghanistan. In August 2020, Trudeau himself sought a prorogation of over a month as three separate committees were examining his links to a charity awarded a C$912 million contract to administer student grants. This year, Canadians have seemed disinclined to take to the wintry streets in protest. The political community has not been entirely quiescent: two Nova Scotia residents, David MacKinnon and Aris Lavranos, applied to the Federal Court for an order nullifying the prorogation, explicitly citing the UK Supreme Court case of 2019. Last week, however, the case was dismissed and Chief Justice Paul Crampton ruled that the Prime Ministers choice to prorogue Parliament rather than dissolve Parliament and call an election is not justiciable. Among other things, this is a highly political choice and there does not appear to be any objective or other legal standards against which to review that choice. And the beat goes on. Evolutionary monarchical constitutions require a degree of realism, even cynicism, to help them function and regulate the political system. Yet it is hard to avoid noticing the differences between Justin Trudeau, hero of the progressive Left, and Boris Johnson, disruptive populist and scourge of the EU, when it comes to assessing behaviour and motivation. It is the piety that can rankle. I return, as I often do, to the mordant words of F E Smith, the Conservative barrister and firebrand, as he spoke contemptuously of a sanctimonious David Lloyd George in the Commons in 1906. Mr Speaker, I do not, more than another man, mind being cheated at cards. But I find it a little nauseating if my opponent then publicly ascribes his success to the partnership of the Most High. Eliot Wilson is a former House of Commons clerk Shops, restaurants and pubs across England are facing an extra 1 billion in taxes when a discount is cut next month, adding to a tsunami of rising costs hurtling toward the sector, according to new analysis. Businesses in London will be hit hardest by changes, tax and software firm Ryan found. Firms in the retail, leisure and hospitality sector are facing increased costs in April when a discount on business rates will be reduced from 75% to 40%. The changes were announced in last years autumn Budget, with the Government committing to keeping the discount scheme for the next financial year but cutting the level of relief. Each business will still have a maximum discount of 110,000. Ryans analysis found that the reduced discount will raise an extra 1.03 billion from firms across England over the 2025-2026 tax year. Nearly a third of the extra revenue will come from businesses in London, who collectively are facing an additional 309.7 million in business rates. This is followed by an extra 157.9 million from businesses in the South East who are facing a bigger bill, and 110.5 million from firms in the North West. Alex Probyn, a property tax expert at Ryan, told the PA news agency that it comes on top of a tsunami of other rising costs, making it a complex and challenging environment for businesses to operate in. From April, national insurance contributions will also rise for some businesses, while they will also have to pay employees a higher national living wage. The Government has said extra revenues raised from higher taxes on businesses will help fill a gap in the UKs public finances and be plugged into things like infrastructure and the public sector. It pledged in the Budget to introduce permanently lower business rates for smaller retail, hospitality and leisure firms from 2026. The Government has also said that some 865,000 employers will not pay any national insurance in the year ahead because of the employment allowance rising from 5,000 to 10,500. But Mr Probyn said the changes will disproportionately affect small and independent businesses across sectors already struggling. Average business rates retail, leisure and hospitality are set to jump by 140% over the coming tax year. For the average shop, this means bills will spiral from about 3,589 to 8,613 for 2025-2026. The Irish government expects to agree a memorandum of understanding with the Omagh Bombing Inquiry in the coming weeks, Minister for Justice Jim OCallaghan has said. The probe is examining whether the atrocity carried out by the Real IRA in the Co Tyrone town in August 1998 could have been prevented. The bomb killed 29 people, including a woman who was pregnant with twins, in the worst single atrocity in the Troubles in Northern Ireland. All those who were killed were remembered during commemorative hearings at the inquiry earlier this year, and evidence was also heard from those injured and emergency workers who responded. Former RUC chief constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan. (Liam McBurney/PA) The next phase of public hearings, due to start from June, will hear from core participants, including the Police Service of Northern Ireland and former chief constable Ronnie Flanagan. However former RUC detective Drew Harris, who is now the Garda Commissioner, said he has not been invited to give evidence by the inquiry. Mr Harris, who along with Mr OCallaghan was in Belfast on Monday for a cross-border crime conference, said: Ive had no communication to suggest that Ill be called as a witness. I am the Garda Commissioner, therefore I am bound by the department of justice, and the minister has spoken in terms of the memorandum of understanding that is being worked through. That has to be set against the backdrop of the very clear comments made by the government in respect of support for the Omagh inquiry. Obviously, this is a situation that is going to evolve over the coming weeks. Mr OCallaghan told media that he listened very attentively to the recent commemorative hearings, adding he had found it extremely powerful just to hear the voices of the families and the victims giving their evidence. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and PSNI Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton speak to media (Rebecca Black/PA) He restated the Irish Governments commitment to fully co-operating with the inquiry. Were in the final stages of concluding a memorandum of understanding in respect of the provision of information to that inquiry, he said. If new legislation is required, it will be enacted by the Houses of the Oireachtas. The Taoiseach and the Tanaiste are fully committed to that co-operation with the inquiry, and our assessment is is that the best way to establish the truth as to what happened is for there to be one inquiry rather than two parallel inquiries. I suppose the objective behind people who are calling for an inquiry in the Republic is to ensure there is compellability and to ensure that information is provided. We are fully committed to ensuring that witnesses can give evidence before the Omagh inquiry in Northern Ireland, and that all relevant information is provided. So, because of that, I dont see the necessity of having parallel inquiries, but it is something that we will keep under review. Pressed further on the memorandum of understanding, Mr OCallaghan said there have been meetings between his officials and counsel for the inquiry. Irish Minister for Justice Jim OCallaghan. (Brian Lawless/PA) Memorandum of understanding drafts have been exchanged, I think weve just got further comments back from the inquiry in respect of what weve provided, he said. So were in the process and Im fairly confident that we will have an agreed memorandum of understanding in the coming weeks and certainly before the public hearings recommence in June. Stormont Justice Minister Naomi Long said it is important that people have full confidence that inquiries are able to access all relevant information, and that everyone with information is fully co-operative with it. Im reassured by the fact that the Irish Government have given that commitment and said that they will co-operate fully with the Omagh inquiry, she said. Ms Long added: I also think we need to consider at the heart of all this is that there are victims and witnesses, and we heard some of the traumatic testimony that they recounted in the last number of weeks. I would not want to put people unnecessarily through having to go through that process a second time if there is a mechanism by which we can reassure people they will get full accountability and full truth from the inquiry that is currently sitting. However whether there is a need for a parallel inquiry I think is something that we can only judge when we see what arrangements are put in place in terms of giving that information to those families and to those victims. Volodymyr Zelenskyy talks with Donald Trump and JD Vance at the White House on 28 February 2025. Photograph: Abaca/Rex/Shutterstock After voluntarily fighting in Ukraine to defend it from Russias invasion, and as the White House halts Ukrainian military aid, JD Vances first cousin has called the vice-president and Donald Trump useful idiots to the Russian dictator, Vladimir Putin. Nate Vances comments to Frances Le Figaro newspaper came after he reportedly spent three years volunteering to try to help Ukraine repel Russian troops as part of the so-called Da Vinci Wolves first motorized battalion. The remarks also amounted to a notable reaction to the disastrous televised meeting of Trump, JD Vance and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraines president, in the Oval Office on 28 February that left an economic rare earth minerals deal between Ukraine and the US unsigned. During that confrontation, Vance accused Zelenskyy of disrespecting the US, leading propaganda tours of the destruction resulting from Russias invasion and of being ungrateful for American aid to Ukraine after it was first invaded by Putins troops while Joe Biden was in the White House in February 2022. Donald Trump and my cousin clearly believe they can placate Vladimir Putin, Nate Vance said to Le Figaro, as translated by Google. Invoking a moniker historically often applied to people who are taken advantage of by ruthless political leaders, Nate Vance continued: They are wrong. The Russians are not about to forget our support for Ukraine. We are Vladimir Putins useful idiots. Nate Vance also contended that the diplomatic breakdown which occurred after Zelenskyy sought to attach US security guarantees to the minerals pact was an ambush of absolute bad faith. When he criticized aid to Ukraine, I told myself that it was because he had to please a certain electorate, that it was a game of politics, Nate Vance said. Nate Vance specifically took aim at JD Vances remarks to Zelenskyy that Vance had watched and seen stories justifying his distrust of Ukraine and its president. I thought I was going to choke, Nate Vance reportedly added. His own cousin was on the frontlines. I could have told him the truth, without personal interest. He never tried to find out more. He said he subsequently left messages for the vice-president at his office, but none had been returned. Nate Vance also recounted how he did not want to risk being captured after Trump won a second presidency in November with JD Vance who was previously one of Ohios US senators as his running mate. So he said he returned to the US in January, shortly before JD Vance took office as Trumps vice-president. Nate Vances father is the brother of JD Vances mother. He described having previously vacationed with the vice-president. The cousins each also previously served in the US marines. Saudi Arabia is scheduled to host diplomatic talks on Tuesday between the US and Ukraine after the former cut off the latter from military assistance and intelligence-sharing in the wake of the argument in the Oval Office. As Nate Vance put it to Le Figaro, he spoke out against the vice-president because being your family doesnt mean Im going to accept you killing my comrades. Trump on Sunday said he anticipated good results from the talks being brokered by Saudi Arabia and would consider ending the suspension of intelligence-sharing with Ukraine. Katie Boulter and Cameron Norrie both suffered third-round exits at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Boulter claimed her first main-draw win in the Californian desert in her opening match after receiving a first-round bye but could not take her chance in the second set against seventh seed Elena Rybakina. The British number one won only two games in her only previous meeting with Rybakina at Wimbledon two years ago and was staring at an even more one-sided defeat when she failed to win a game in the opening set. Katie Boulter fights hard in the second set but loses out 0-6, 5-7 to Elena Rybakina in Indian Wells#BackTheBrits pic.twitter.com/Zqgfrx20Ra LTA (@the_LTA) March 9, 2025 But she matched the Kazakh thereafter and had a chance to serve out the second set before falling to a 6-0 7-5 defeat. Boulter had spent more than a month on the sidelines with a foot problem, and she was completely outplayed in the first set before finally getting on the board in the eighth game of the contest. That was the foothold Boulter needed and a double fault from Rybakina gave the 25th seed a break to lead 4-3, which she consolidated to move within touching distance of a deciding set. However, she could not serve it out at 5-4 and then double-faulted when Rybakina created a first match point at 6-5. It's narrow defeat for Cam Norrie to Tommy Paul, 3-6, 5-7 But overall a strong week for Cam, claiming two big wins in Indian Wells#BackTheBrits pic.twitter.com/D3OOGZ46uS LTA (@the_LTA) March 9, 2025 Norrie also double-faulted on match point, with his serve letting him down in a 6-3 7-5 loss to 10th seed Tommy Paul. Norrie only held serve once in the opening set and, although he improved in the second, three double faults in the final game proved his undoing. Elsewhere, second seed Iga Swiatek claimed her latest one-sided victory, beating Dayana Yastremska 6-0 6-2, while Stefanos Tsitsipas continued his return to form with a 6-3 6-3 success against Matteo Berrettini. Jet fuel has been released into the North Sea after an oil tanker and cargo ship collided off the East Yorkshire Coast on Monday morning. Here, we answer key questions about how the UK responds to pollution in light of the incident. Handout photo of black smoke billowing into the air after a crash between an oil tanker and a cargo ship off the coast of East Yorkshire (Bartek Smialek/PA) What do we know about the collision so far? The Stena Immaculate, a US-flagged oil tanker, sustained a ruptured cargo tank after it was struck by the Portuguese-registered container ship Solong in the North Sea at approximately 10am on Monday. The ships management firm Crowley said this has caused multiple explosions and Jet-A1 fuel to be released into the water. Our first priority is the safety of the people and environment. We will provide more updates as information becomes available, a statement from the firm said. Footage of the incident showed at least one vessel on fire, with clouds of black smoke coming out of the oil tanker. How will the jet oil spill affect the marine environment? It is currently unclear how much jet fuel has been released into the water but oil spills in general can harm marine wildlife, kill aquatic organisms and affect fishing and communities if they reach the coast. Experts say that jet fuels in general, can be less toxic than crude oil spills. Prof Mark Sephton, professor of organic geochemistry at Imperial College London, said: The fact that it is jet fuel is significant. Jet fuel is dominated by relatively small hydrocarbons, compared to the more diverse and sometimes larger organic structures found in crude oil, he said. He added that hydrocarbons are very attractive to bacteria which will degrade them more quickly than larger molecules. The fact that we are moving into warmer temperatures will also speed up biodegradation rates. In the end, it all depends on the rate of introduction of fuel and the rate of destruction by bacteria. Lets hope the latter wins out. Concerns have been raised for wildlife, including gannets (Danny Lawson/PA) Green groups have reacted to the incident with concern but say it is too early to assess the extent of any environmental damage. A Greenpeace spokesperson said: The magnitude of any impact will depend on a number of factors, including the amount and type of oil carried by the tanker, the fuel carried by both ships, and how much of that, if any, has entered the water. Sea and weather conditions will also be important in determining how any spill behaves. In the case of an oil spill or any loss of hazardous cargo from the container ship involved, the speed of the response will also be crucial in limiting any impact. Whose job is it to respond to oil spills? Even if the ships are not British, the UK is responsible for responding to marine pollution within its Exclusive Economic Zone, which reaches up to 200 nautical miles from land. When there is a big incident at sea, like Mondays collision, HM Coastguards Counter Pollution and Salvage (CPS) Team will be at the frontline, leading the response to control and minimise the impacts. The team of specialist officers analyses the incident alongside environmental experts and then assesses the required response. But public agencies will often work together to respond to pollution incidents, the coastguard said. A local port or harbour authority, which often has its own counter-pollution equipment, has a duty to respond within areas they control, sometimes with the help of an oil spill response contractor. Commercial companies also have a legal obligation to act if they cause pollution. Meanwhile, local councils and regulators like the Environment Agency may also get involved if the incident reaches the shoreline. Clean-up operations can include using adapted aircraft to spray chemicals onto the seat to help disperse any oil (File photo/Andrew Matthews/PA) How do teams clean up the spill? After finding the source of the spill, teams will work to stop the fuel from spreading using a variety of methods. They can deploy inflatable tubes called booms, which are hundreds of metres in length and are laid on the waters surface to stop the oil from spreading. Teams can also use mechanical devices called skimmers, which are designed to float on the surface and pump contained oil into waste storage units. Both booms and skimmers are less effective in rougher conditions. Other options include combined containment and recovery systems, where booms and skimmers operate as a single unit. These systems are towed by vessels, can be matched to the conditions, are more flexible in their uses and can cover both shallow and deep offshore waters. (PA Graphics) Another major clean-up option is chemical dispersion, which involves spraying a specially formulated dispersant from modified aircraft or boats. This chemical aims to speed up the process of breaking up the oil, with a similar effect to washing up liquid on grease. While these chemical solutions are designed not to cause more harm to the environment than the oil would on its own if left untreated at sea, there are strict rules around their use. And finally, some oils are light enough to be significantly broken up through degradation, which involves mixing up the surface, such as driving a boat through the water to help scatter the oil into smaller drops, speeding up the natural action of the waves, wind and tide. How effective are these tools in scooping up oil from the water? While teams can use the toolkit to collect oil, this is usually when the amount spilt is easily contained. Serious incidents may see thousands of tonnes of oil dispersed into the water. In these cases, the whole toolkit can be deployed, but the spill is more likely to have a detrimental impact on the environment and reach coastlines, resulting in the need for large clean-up operations on beaches. How is the Government responding? Baroness Sue Hayman, an environment minister, told Parliament that the situation is an emerging picture. She said the department is speaking closely with the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Department for Transport and Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Lady Hayman also says the Environment Agency is engaging with any clean-up needed. Downing Street said details of the cause of the collision were still becoming clear. The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: We thank the emergency services for their rapid response. I understand the Department for Transport is working closely with the coastguard to help support the response to the incident. Were obviously monitoring the situation, well continue to co-ordinate the response and were grateful to emergency personnel for their continued efforts. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has deployed a team to conduct a preliminary assessment of how the collision occurred, the spokesman said. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky meeting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in June last year. (Alamy) (Uncredited, Associated Press) Ukraine and the US are to hold crunch peace talks in Saudi Arabia from Tuesday following a tense few weeks in which relations between Kyiv and Washington looked more fraught than ever. US officials have said they are planning on using the meeting with their Ukrainian counterparts to determine whether Kyiv is willing to make material concessions to Russia to end the war. "You can't say 'I want peace,' and, 'I refuse to compromise on anything'," one of the officials said. Volodymyr Zelensky has long insisted that he wants complete liberation of Ukraine, but the chances of that looked much slimmer after US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said last month that returning to pre-2014 borders is an "unrealistic" objective. The Ukrainian president travelled to Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ahead of Tuesday's crunch talks, in which officials will be looking to patch up US-Ukrainian relations, which have deteriorated in recent weeks. A heated exchange between Donald Trump and Zelensky in the Oval Office last month was followed by Washington suspending all military aid to Ukraine and later pausing the sharing of intelligence with the war-torn country. Trump has since said the halt to intelligence sharing has "just about" been lifted and that he hopes US officials will make "a lot of progress" this week's talks in Riyadh. Here, Yahoo News takes a look at what is at stake in these talks, and what the US, Ukraine and Russia have said about territorial concessions. How much land as Ukraine lost? (please wait a moment for the map below to load) Timelapse of territorial changes during the Ukraine war. The dark bar at the bottom of the map shows the date. (Reuters) Key for the above map. (Reuters) Around 20% of Ukraine is currently controlled by Russian forces, who have captured territory in the south and east of the country. Russia seized and annexed Crimea in 2014, with Russian-backed separatists taking control of parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk areas of the eastern Donbas region later that same year. (This area can be seen outlined in black on the map above) Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Vladimir Putin's forces have taken over a much larger portion of the east and south of the country. Russia has also taken a smaller area of territory further north in Kharkiv, while Ukraine has made notable advances into Russia, capturing enemy territory in the Kursk region. Territorial gains in this brutal war of attrition have been slow, with Russia and Ukraine fighting inch-by-inch to push back the frontline. In an update on 10 March, the British Ministry of Defence said Russian forces have been "applying increased pressure" against Ukrainian forces in the Kursk salient. "Ukrainian forces likely to maintain 300 sq km of territory in Kursk. Russian forces continue to conduct fewer offensive operations elsewhere on the frontline compared to later 2024 and early 2025," the MoD added, saying this presents more opportunities for Ukrainian counteroffensives. What has Russia said about territorial concessions? Russia's president Vladimir Putin has said that Moscow will seek a peace deal in Ukraine that safeguards its own long-term security. (Reuters) (Reuters / Reuters) Russia's president Vladimir Putin said on 7 March that Moscow will seek a peace deal in Ukraine that safeguards its own long-term security and will not retreat from the gains it has made in the conflict. Putin has made this clear previously, and has also said he insists on Kyiv abandoning ambitions to join Nato, with Russia citing the possibility of the western military alliance expanding to its border as one of its reasons for starting the war. In June, Putin also demanded that Ukraine recognise Russias annexation of four Ukrainian provinces Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts even though Russian forces do not have complete control of all of them. "The Russian president sees no need to make any concessions," Thomas Graham of the Council on Foreign Relations wrote on Friday. "His armies are making grinding progress on the battlefield, albeit at a heavy cost in men and materiel. The Russian economy has proven resilient to Western sanctions, growing by more than 4% each of the past two years." What has Ukraine said? Zelensky has made it clear throughout the war that he is not willing to give up Ukrainian territory. In a recent interview with the Guardian, he said he would be willing to hand back territory taken by his country's forces in Russia's Kursk region in exchange for Ukrainian land. We will swap one territory for another, he said. Zelensky said he would have to wait and see what land the Russians would offer in return, adding: "All our territories are important, there is no priority." When asked by Fox News in November if he accepted that under any future peace deal "some Ukrainian territory may remain in Russian hands", Zelensky said: "We cannot legally acknowledge any occupied territory of Ukraine as Russian. "That is about those territories occupied by Putin before the full-scale invasion, since 2014. Legally, we are not acknowledging that, we are not adopting that. However, in an apparent acknowledgement that Ukraine is unlikely to take back Crimea militarily, he said his country is ready to regain the territory "diplomatically", adding: "We cannot spend dozens of thousands of our people so that they perish for the sake of Crimea coming back." What has the US said? Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky's during their fiery clash in the White House last month. (Getty) (The Washington Post via Getty Images) Following Trump's return to the White House, the US position on territorial concessions in Ukraine appears to have shifted to some extent in favour of Moscow. Following a phone call with Putin on 12 February breaking a long period of silence between Moscow and Washington Trump also said he only expected "some" of the land taken by Russia to be returned, noting that Russian soldiers had "fought hard" and many had been killed. That same day, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said a return to Ukraines old borders is an illusory goal, telling a press conference: Returning to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective. "Simply pointing out realism, like the borders won't be rolled back to what everybody would like them to be in 2014, is not a concession to Vladimir Putin," he added. "It's a recognition of hard power realities on the ground after a lot of investment and sacrifice first by the Ukrainians and then by allies and then a realisation that a negotiated peace is going to be some sort of demarcation that neither side wants." On Sunday, NBC News reported that Trump had privately told his officials that a deal that would give the US access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals in exchange for military protection would not be enough to secure a peace deal. Citing an unnamed official, the news network said Trump also expects Ukraine to soften his stance on peace talks and to show a willingness to make territorial concessions to Russia. This should come as no surprise given previous remarks made by members of Trump's administration, with the US president telling reporters in February: They may make a deal, they may not make a deal. They may be Russian some day, or they may not be Russian some day." Read more Martin aiming to secure Irelands economic ties with the US in Trump meeting Irish premier Micheal Martin has insisted his priority in this weeks meeting with Donald Trump at the White House is to copper fasten Irelands economic relationship with the US. Amid concerns that the US presidents protectionist approach to tariffs and tax could pose a significant risk to an Irish economy that is in large part sustained by long-standing investment by US multinationals, the Taoiseach stressed he will be emphasising the two-way nature of the transatlantic relationship. Mr Martin will hold talks with Mr Trump in the Oval Office on Wednesday, but he began his traditional St Patricks programme of engagements in the US with a visit to Austin, Texas a state the Taoiseach said had witnessed a new wave of Irish investment with 120 Irish companies creating about 4,000 jobs. The Fianna Fail leader said he wanted to use the trip to highlight the enduring nature of the US-Irish economic relationship. Mr Martin declined to be drawn on questions about how he intended to handle the meeting with Mr Trump in Washington DC, insisting he was taking his visit day by day and that his focus on Monday was on engagements in Austin, including a meeting with Republican state governor Greg Abbott. I represent the country, the people of Ireland, and I am very, very conscious that in a very challenging world, thousands and thousands of jobs depend on the economic relationship between the United States and Ireland, he added. And my overriding objective is to copper fasten that for the time ahead and to protect those people who are working in jobs. And that is very important. Pressed on his strategy for the meeting with Mr Trump, Mr Martin said: Our strategy really is to notwithstanding all the commentary bring home the idea that [the US has] an enduring, robust presence in Ireland and the relationship is a very strong one that we want to see grow into the future. So thats my focus today and I take it day by day, but Im looking forward to the meeting in the White House, obviously. Micheal Martin speaking to the media in Austin (Niall Carson/PA) Elsewhere on his Monday itinerary, Mr Martin visited US multinational tech companies Dell and Tricentis, with the latter announcing plans to hire 50 additional staff in its Cork base over the coming years. Meetings of this kind very often can sow a seed for future investments, he said. To bring home to the companies the strength of what Ireland has to offer in terms of a stable political environment, a very clear investment framework, and also then in terms of human capital. Mr Martin said Ireland had a strong position as a member of the European Union to attract the right employees to meet the objectives of companies investing in the country. The Taoiseach later attended the major media and technology festival South by Southwest where he told a panel that Ireland can offer filmmakers competitive tax incentives, funding supports and excellent production facilities. That event was staged at the Marlow bar in downtown Austin, which the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs has rebranded as Ireland House for the festival. There, Mr Martin also met companies that were supported by the Enterprise Ireland development agency and spoke at a a pop-up Gaeltacht aimed at promoting the Irish language. The Taoiseach earlier insisted that the US remained an indispensable partner at a time of great peril in the world. Mr Martin and Mr Trump are expected to discuss a range of issues on Wednesday, including the war in Ukraine and the situations in the Middle East and Northern Ireland. The Irish leader will later present Mr Trump with the traditional shamrock bowl in the White House, extending St Patricks Day greetings from the people of Ireland to the people of the US A host of Irish Government ministers will also travel to the US, including deputy premier Tanaiste Simon Harris, who will visit Philadelphia and New York, at a time described as a key juncture in European-US relations. First Minister Michelle ONeill (right) and deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly (Liam McBurney/PA) Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle ONeill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly will lead an NI Chamber business delegation to North Carolina on Monday. Ms Little-Pengelly will later travel alone to Washington DC for engagements. Ms ONeill and Sinn Fein party colleagues are not travelling to Washington as part of a principled stance against the threat of mass expulsion of the Palestinian people from Gaza. Bukavu central prison was partly destroyed after a mass escape in February. Photograph: Hugh Kinsella Cunningham/Getty Images Mass prison escapes during the chaos of fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have captured two of its largest cities over the past two months, have caused panic among the public. Jailbreaks involving thousands of people at four prisons in the region have accompanied the rapid advance that the militia started in January in its fighting against the Congolese army that also caused widespread chaos and confusion. With prisoners escaping, we feel insecure, said Dufina Tabu Mwenebatende, a human rights activist with the Association des Volontaires du Congo (Association of Congo Volunteers). As mayhem ensued during the approach and entry of M23 into areas of eastern DRC, security guards assigned to keep prisons secure abandoned their positions, creating opportunities for escape. More than 4,000 prisoners escaped from Munzenze prison in Goma on the night of 27 January as M23 entered the city, which is the capital of North Kivu province. It later emerged that hundreds of female inmates had been attacked in their wing and raped and burned alive. Related: Bukavu hospital patients tell of being shot in chaos of Congolese withdrawal More escapes in Bukavu, Kabare and Kalemie central prison took place subsequently, with the most recent, at Kalemie, on 19 February. The inmates had been convicted of crimes including rape, murder, participation in insurrection movements, embezzlement and public order offences. A Bukavu-based security analyst who requested anonymity said the escaped prisoners may try to settle scores with their victims. Some people who are detained harbour a mortal grudge against those who arrested them or accused them. When they manage to get out of prison, they go off to seek revenge. This is a danger, he said. An escaper from the Goma prison who spoke to the Guardian on the condition of anonymity said disorder at the facility started at midnight and he had to jump out of a window to escape, stepping on corpses as he made his way out. Even though the police were killing some of the escapers outside the prison, I told myself that human beings only die once. Thats when I threw myself out of the window and fell out of the back of the prison, said the escaper, who had been serving a 10-year sentence. In Goma and Bukavu, people reported seeing escaped inmates committing crimes. Patient Bisimwa, a resident of Bukavu, said: I saw a group of prisoners with dirty firearms in my avenue. They had even looted an electronics repair shop close to my house. He added: Crime has reached a worrying level in some parts of Bukavu and some escapers are at the root of all this, and that worries us. Police stations run by Congos national police service in Goma and Bukavu stopped operating after the capture of the cities. Alliance Fleuve Congo (Congo River Alliance), a coalition of militias including M23 that is acting in place of the government in Goma and Bukavu, has promised to build and rehabilitate detention facilities. But with an increase in crime, people are taking the law into their own hands, beating up some suspects and setting others on fire. At a security meeting on 24 February, Julien Katembo Ndalieni, the rebel coalition-appointed mayor of Goma, criticised the mob action. We call on the population to put an end to this practice. Today, some people take advantage of the situation to settle personal scores: false accusations are made against innocent people, who are then lynched by the crowd, he said, calling on people to take alleged thieves to the authorities. M23s rapid advance is the worst escalation in years in the decades-long conflict in eastern DRC. It has killed about 7,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands, exacerbating an already catastrophic humanitarian situation in the region. The group is among more than 100 armed factions fighting against Congolese forces in the mineral-rich eastern DRC. The group says it exists to protect the interests of minorities, including protecting the the Tutsi against Hutu rebel groups who escaped to the DRC after taking part in the 1994 genocide that targeted the Tutsi. The DRC, the UN, the US and other countries say the militia is supported by Rwanda, which UN experts say uses the group to extract and export valuable minerals. Rwanda denies the claims. Lyle Menendez, second left, and his brother, Erik, second right, with their attorneys Gerald Chaleff and Robert Shapiro at a hearing in Beverly Hills in March 1990. Photograph: Nick Ut/AP The Los Angeles district attorney has said he is opposed to the resentencing of Lyle and Erik Menendez, who have been in prison for decades for the 1989 killings of their parents, and said the brothers first needed to acknowledge and fully accept responsibility for the murders. Nathan Hochman said at a press conference on Monday that he would ask the court to withdraw the resentencing motion filed in the case by his predecessor George Gascon. The new DA, who took office in December, said last month that he did not believe the brothers should receive a new trial. The announcement means the brothers hopes for release will face yet another hurdle. Related: Gene Hackmans final days marked by isolation: Slowing down and reclusive The siblings were convicted in 1996 of the shooting deaths of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, and sentenced to life in prison without parole. They have long argued they killed in self-defense, and were afraid their parents were going to kill them to cover up years of sexual, physical and psychological abuse by their father. In recent years the brothers have sought freedom through multiple legal avenues, including by asking for a new trial in light of new evidence of their fathers abuse, a petition for clemency from the governor, and a request for resentencing. In October, Gascon announced he was recommending that the brothers be resentenced, citing he believed they were subjected to a tremendous amount of dysfunction and molestation and in the time they spent in prison they had achieved redemption and rehabilitation. He said that with resentencing because of their ages at the time of the murders, they would immediately be eligible for parole. Gascon lost his seat in November to Hochman, who said the timing of the announcement put a cloud over the fairness and impartiality of his decision. Hochman has appeared far more skeptical of the brothers. Family members, the majority of whom support their release, have been highly critical of the new DA. They have asked that he be removed from the case and say he has taken a hostile, dismissive and patronizing tone with them in meetings. At the news conference on Monday morning, Hochman defended himself, and said he would follow the facts and the law wherever they take us. Hochman said he looked at whether the siblings had accepted and exhibited full insight into the crimes they have committed, as well as lies they told in the aftermath of the murders. His office would consider supporting resentencing in the future if they unequivocally [and] sincerely fully accept complete responsibility and acknowledged their claims of self-defense, among others, were false, Hochman said. In the future the court can weigh these new insights into making a determination in to whether they now qualify for rehabilitation and resentencing, he said. Last month, Gavin Newsom ordered the state parole board to examine whether the Menendez brothers would pose a risk to the public if they are released from prison. The California governor could commute their sentences at any point, but Newsom has said he will not make a decision until Hochman completed his review. West Ham striker Michail Antonio got a warm reception as he was presented on the pitch at the London Stadium ahead of kick-off against Newcastle, three months after he was involved in a serious car accident. The 34-year-old was hospitalised on December 7 when his car collided with a tree, after which he had to be cut free by firefighters. He sustained a broken leg in the incident which required surgery, with no indication yet as to when he will be fit to return. However, he has been able to resume running and is reportedly hopeful of featuring again for Graham Potters side this season. With 68 goals he is West Hams all-time top Premier League scorer and supporters welcomed him onto the pitch with a huge banner that covered a large part of the lower tier behind one goal, reading Michail Antonio our number 9. Oil tanker Bartek Smialek Foul play has not been ruled out in a crash between a US military tanker and a container ship in the North Sea. The MV Solong cargo vessel struck the US-chartered Stena Immaculate off the coast of Humberside shortly before 10am on Monday morning, triggering multiple explosions. The Stena Immaculate was on a short-term charter to the US Navys Military Sealift Command and was carrying around 35 million litres of Jet A-1, a type of aviation fuel, from a refinery in Greece while the Solong, a Portuguese-flagged vessel, was carrying 15 containers of toxic sodium cyanide. The US ship is believed to have been carrying fuel for American military use. A government source told The Telegraph that early investigations did not indicate that the incident was caused by foul play, but it could not be ruled out at this stage. Downing Street said the collision and subsequent chemical spill was extremely concerning, while the coastguard said it was assessing the likely counter-pollution response required. There were multiple explosions after the MV Solong crashed into the Stena Immaculate in the Humber Estuary - BARTEK SMIALEK/PA Marine experts raised concerns that such a collision involving a US vessel may not have been accidental, but said the foggy weather may also have been a factor. The UKs Maritime and Coastguard Agency sent several helicopters and lifeboats to rescue crewmen, with 36 casualties brought ashore. A government source confirmed that one crewman from the Solong was still unaccounted for on Monday night. Government officials are said to have blocked ships from leaving all ports along the east coast, while a three-mile air exclusion zone was imposed over the site during the rescue operation. The Solong, which was sailing from Grangemouth, on the Firth of Forth, to Rotterdam, had 14 crew aboard and is owned by Ernst Russ, a German company based in Hamburg. The US-flagged Immaculate, which was carrying 23 mariners, is managed by Crowley, a Florida-based maritime logistics company. Its registered owner is Stena Bulk Marine Services, based in the Swedish city of Gothenburg. Crowley said the Stena Immaculate had sustained a ruptured cargo tank containing Jet-A1 fuel after it was struck by the container ship Solong and that fuel was reportedly released. Marine experts said it appeared the Solong collided with the Immaculate while the tanker was at anchor. Dr Abdul Khalique, head of the maritime centre at Liverpool John Moores University, said a computer reconstruction of the collision suggested Solongs watchkeepers may be to blame. He said: Although lookout by sight may have been hampered by the poor prevailing visibility at the time of accident, had the watchkeepers been maintaining a proper lookout by radar, they would have spotted this imminent collision threat and taken an action to avoid collision. Preliminary reports suggest that poor visibility may have played a role in the collision too. The Stena Immaculate was carrying 220,000 barrels of Jet-A1 aviation fuel, some of which leaked into the sea after the explosions - BARTEK SMIALEK/PA Experts said the area was well known for having ships at anchorage and that travelling through it rapidly was like speeding through a car park full of vehicles. There is concern regarding the effect of the chemical spill on the surrounding marine environment. Martin Slater, director of operations at the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust charity, said the East Yorkshire coast was home to protected colonies of seabirds including puffins, razorbills, gannets and kittiwakes. He said: If pollution spillage enters the Humber, this could potentially be devastating for the wildlife of the estuary, including important fish stocks and tens of thousands of overwintering and migrating birds who use the mud flats. A spokesman for Ernst Russ said that 13 of the 14 Solong crew members had been brought safely ashore. A statement on Monday night said: Both vessels have sustained significant damage in the impact of the collision and the subsequent fire. Ernst Russ immediately activated an emergency response team, and the company remains in contact with them, the master of Solong and all relevant marine authorities at Humberside. The first priority is the safety of the crew(s), all responders and the environment. Crowley said the Stena Immaculate was under operation as part of the US government tanker security programme. A spokesman said the company was actively working with public agencies to contain the fire and secure the vessel and that its first priority is the safety of the people and environment. A DfT spokesman said: We are working closely with HM Coastguard to help support the response to the incident in the North Sea. We are grateful to all emergency personnel for their continued efforts. On Monday night, the Coastguard said it had ended its search for the missing crew member from the Solong ship. Matthew Atkinson, its divisional commander, said: One crew member of the Solong remains unaccounted for. After an extensive search sadly they have not been found and the search has ended. Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, said her thoughts were with the mariners family. I am hugely grateful to HM Coastguard, the RNLI, and emergency services who have responded to this incident, she said. They were on the scene swiftly, have helped rescue those in immediate danger and I know they will continue to work tirelessly over the coming days. My thoughts are with all those involved, especially the family of the missing crew member. The Maritime Accident Investigation Branch has begun a preliminary assessment and I am working closely with the MCA as they conduct an assessment of any counter pollution response which may be required over the coming days. A spokesman for Stena also confirmed that all 23 mariners on board the Immaculate had been rescued and none were injured. 09:22 PM GMT Thats all for today Thank you for following our live coverage of the tanker collision in the North Sea. 07:43 PM GMT One crew member missing A crewman from the Solong container ship is still missing, a Government source has confirmed to The Telegraph. The Solong had 14 crew aboard, while tanker Stena Immaculate was carrying 23 sailors. A Coastguard search-and-rescue aircraft was still circling the scene of the accident at 6.45pm on Monday evening. 07:30 PM GMT Crash could occur if tanker moored in wrong shipping lane David Slater, an honorary professor in the School of Engineering at Cardiff University, said: There is a standard coastguard response in these cases and there is a major coastguard station close by on the spit out of the Hull estuary. There are set routes that ships sail and they are supposed to stick to lanes to avoid offshore platforms etc. One thing that needs to be established is, where was the tanker moored in relation to the appropriate shipping lane? It will be important to know whether the cargo ship was on the right course or whether the US tanker was incorrectly moored. It is being reported that jet fuel has been spilt into the sea, he added, saying this is less of an environmental problem than black crude oil. In some cases like this its better to leave it to burn, but that depends on how much fuel is leaking. 07:28 PM GMT Pictured: Shipping routes 07:26 PM GMT Migrating birds and estuary marine life at risk from pollution Dr Tom Webb, a senior lecturer in marine ecology and conservation at the University of Sheffield, said: The wildlife of the Yorkshire coast and Humber Estuary is of immense biological, cultural and economic importance. In addition to the wealth of marine life that is present all year round, this time of the year is crucial for many migratory species. Wading birds and waterfowl gather in large numbers as they move between wintering and breeding grounds, while soon Yorkshires iconic seabirds will be coming inshore to breed at sites like the world famous Brampton Cliffs. Chemical pollution resulting from incidents of this kind can directly impact birds, and it can also have long-lasting effects on the marine food webs that support them. We have to hope that any spills can be quickly contained and pollution minimised. 06:52 PM GMT How sodium cyanide can affect your health Sodium Cyanide dissolves in water and can have serious adverse health effects for those who come into direct physical contact with it. It can cause seizures, vomiting and loss of consciousness. It is used in industry for metal cleaning, plating and extraction. When cyanide salts are swallowed they release cyanide in the body - they can also be absorbed through the skin. In January 2000, a spillage occurred in Romania, when waste containing sodium cyanide flowed into the River Tisza, a tributary of the Danube, following a dam burst at a goldmine in Romania. The accident killed about 80 per cent of fish in the river and devastated local populations of birds and other animals. 06:41 PM GMT Oil spill clean up may cost tens of millions Harj Narulla, an environmental law barrister from Doughty Street Chambers, said the costs of cleaning up an oil spill could be in the tens of millions of pounds. Based on previous maritime spills in the UK, like the Sea Empress spill which was estimated to cause 60-116 million in damage, and the MV Braer spill, which caused estimated damage of around USD $168 million, I would say that damage could run to tens of millions of pounds, he told The Telegraph. While we still do not know all the facts, it appears as though the Solong collided with the Stena Immaculate, which was at anchor. Despite this, the Stena Immaculate and its insurers are strictly liable under UK law for any oil pollution coming from its cargo. Similarly, both the Solong and Stena Immaculate and their insurers would be liable for any pollution coming from bunker oil released from the vessels. 06:36 PM GMT Environmental impact will be swayed by how canisters deteriorated Dr Jonathan Paul, a senior lecturer in geosciences, said the environmental impact of the sodium cyanide spill would depend on whether the canisters had been pierced or burnt out. He said: In the very worst case scenario, you have a big spill of sodium cyanide, resulting in the death of a lot of marine organisms. Sodium cyanide will break down into hydrogen cyanide in seawater a gas thats very toxic to humans, which is why all the rescue workers will be wearing masks, but will essentially all be removed to the atmosphere within 12-15 days. So there is little long-term risk from exposure, especially as the huge volume of seawater will disperse the spill very effectively. Cyanide spills are far more dangerous in more contained water bodies without currents. The real environmental risks would come from spillages of kerosene or fuel oil or whatever was propelling the ship. 06:24 PM GMT Pictured: Inside the Stena Immaculate One of the tankers operational rooms at night The tankers deck The picture above shows that information about COLREGS - the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea - was posted in the front of the Stena Immaculates bridge where the crew could easily see and refer to them 06:18 PM GMT Cadets left shocked and upset by incident Aidan VanDerWall, who served as a deck cadet onboard the Immaculate in 2023, described the collision as shocking. He added: I began to worry about the crew I used to sail with aboard and also if there were cadets on it now. Im now learning that the whole crew is now on land and alive which is a big relief. Another man, who previously served as second mate onboard the Immaculate and did not wish to be named, said the incident was very upsetting. 05:23 PM GMT Pictured: Site of collision 05:09 PM GMT Three mile no fly zone set up off Yorkshire coast A three mile air exclusion zone has been put in place over the site of the tanker collision, off the Yorkshire coast. The Government issued a restriction that effectively bans pilots from flying over the accident site, which is a short distance north-east of Spurn Point on the northern bank of the Humber estuary. Pilots are forbidden to fly within the designated area without the permission of the Coastguard, said a notice to airmen seen by The Telegraph. The zone extends up to 2,000ft above sea level. 04:56 PM GMT Pictured: Vessel leaked jet fuel after explosion The US Stena Immaculate and the Portuguese-flagged container ship named Solong on fire this morning - Facebook 04:47 PM GMT Wildlife rescue groups prepare for oil spill Wildlife rescue groups are preparing for the impact on an oil spill along the east coast of Yorkshire. Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue said its committee had met to discuss preparations to rescue oiled wildlife, particularly birds. In a post online it said: We are currently adapting our oil spill response protocols originally designed for factory spills to ensure we are prepared for this incident. In response, we have set up a dedicated oiled wildlife hotline for reporting affected animals in Cleethorpe. The group also urged locals to report sightings of oiled birds. 04:37 PM GMT Downing Street: Oil tanker collision extremely concerning situation Downing Street said details of the cause of the collision were still becoming clear. The Prime Ministers official spokesman said it was an extremely concerning situation. He said: We thank the emergency services for their rapid response. I understand the Department for Transport is working closely with the coastguard to help support the response to the incident. Were obviously monitoring the situation, well continue to co-ordinate the response and were grateful to emergency personnel for their continued efforts. Asked if there were any theories about what happened, the spokesman said: My understanding is the details are still becoming clear, so I dont want to speculate on that. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has deployed a team to conduct a preliminary assessment, the spokesman added. 04:22 PM GMT Cargo ship watchkeepers may be to blame for collision, says marine expert Dr Abdul Khalique, head of the Maritime Centre at Liverpool John Moores University and who has been using simulators to reconstruct the incident, said: It can be assumed that the watchkeepers on MV Solong were not performing their duty to maintain a proper lookout by all available means as required by International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. Although lookout by sight may have been hampered by the poor prevailing visibility at the time of accident, had the watchkeepers been maintaining a proper lookout by Radar, they would have spotted this imminent collision threat and taken an action to avoid collision. Preliminary reports suggest that poor visibility may have played a role in the collision too. Dr Khalique said the Marine Accident Investigation Branch would need to launch a full investigation into the incident to understand exactly how it had occurred. He continued: According to our reconstruction, MV Stena Immaculates heading was approx around 065 when she was hit on her port side by MV Solon at 9:48:07 between the rear half of MV Stena Immaculates length. After the collision, MV Stena Immaculates heading turned to heading 131 (T) and took all of MV Solongs speed away. Both ships appear to have remained in contact for around 4 minutes dragged south-east until 9:52:42. 04:05 PM GMT Greenpeace: Too early to know extent of damage Greenpeace UK said it was too early to know the extent of any environmental damage. We are monitoring reports of a cargo vessel crashing into an oil tanker off the coast of Yorkshire very closely, a spokesman said. Both the high speed of the collision and the footage of the aftermath are cause for great concern. Right now, our thoughts are with all those affected by the incident and the emergency services responding to the situation. At this stage, its too early to assess the extent of any environmental damage. The environmental activist group said the magnitude of any impact depended on the amount of oil carried by the tanker, the fuel carried by both ships, and how much of that, if any, has entered the water. It added that the speed of the response will be crucial in limiting any impact. 03:53 PM GMT Tanker was carrying fuel for US military The Stena Immaculate was working for the US military at the time of this mornings collision, its managers have confirmed to The Telegraph. A spokesman for Crowley, the American company which operates the tanker and some of her sister ships, confirmed that the vessel had been chartered by US authorities. The vessel is under operation as part of the US Government Tanker Security Program, said the spokesman. Maritime expert Salvatore Mercogliano explained that the program includes ten US-registered tankers which can be called upon at short notice for US government work. Its a 10 ship program. Theyre given money to offset the higher cost to be US flagged and with US crews. And they do receive contracts periodically from the US government to haul fuel, said Prof Mercogliano. The effort is to get more American ships into the US registry, he added. 03:48 PM GMT One person in hospital with 36 others safe, says MP Graham Stuart, the Conservative MP for Beverley and Holderness, said he understood that only one person was in hospital following the collision. Like many people across Beverley and Holderness and beyond, Ive been watching the images from off the coast of Withernsea with a great deal of concern, he said. Ive now spoken with the Transport Secretary and I understand that only one person is in hospital. The other 36 mariners across both crews are safe and accounted for. While we will be thankful that everyone has been brought ashore, I continue to be concerned about the potential ecological impact. 03:32 PM GMT Crash caused by negligence, suggests former Navy chief Chris Parry, a former rear admiral, said the area of the North Sea was well known for having ships at anchor. He said the tanker was at anchor at the time, and told the BBC: At first sight it looks highly negligent by the crew of the Solong. Youre looking at an inferno there, it looks like a ship thats been torpedoed in the Second World War. Its a well known route down the east coast of Britain, however its also a well-known anchorage, so any ship coming through there will know there are large numbers of vessels at anchor. Its rather like driving at speed through a Sainsburys car park when you know there are cars there. Somebody clearly hasnt taken notice, theyve disregarded all the sensors theyve got to tell them where they are and whats around them. And Im afraid to say it looks like negligence at first sight. 03:17 PM GMT Oil tanker leaking jet fuel, owner confirms Fuel tanker Stena Immaculate is leaking jet fuel and its crew were forced to abandon ship after a series of explosions on board after the collision. The ships managing agent, US company Crowley - which operates the vessel in a partnership with Stena Bulk - said the tanker was struck by the container ship Solong with the collision rupturing a cargo tank containing Jet-A1 fuel. A fire occurred as a result of the collision, and fuel was reported released, the company said in a statement. Crowley immediately initiated its emergency vessel response plan and is actively working with public agencies to contain the fire and secure the vessel, it added. All four of the ports in the Humber have closed while rescuers and firefighting vessels carry out their duties. A spokesman for Associated British Ports told The Telegraph: We are assisting HM Coastguard and other relevant agencies with the response to the maritime incident in the North Sea. All vessel movements are currently suspended in the Humber due to the incident. P&O Ferries said its departure times for scheduled sailings later today were unconfirmed, adding that it intends to operate those ships once the port is re-opened to traffic. 02:58 PM GMT Council leader worried of collisions devastating impact Hull city council leader, Mike Ross, said local communities were very concerned about the consequences of the coming together. My thoughts go out to all those involved in this terrible incident, he told the BBC. He said he had already received numerous calls from people near Grimsby and the surrounding area. Im sure theres going to be a lot of concern in the coming hours and days - theres a lot to unpack, he added. Mr Ross said the the Humber was one of the most dangerous estuaries in the world, but expressed his relief that one ships crew had already been declared safe. 02:45 PM GMT Pictured: Vessels still ablaze The vessels are both still engulfed in flames, hours after the collision - Bartek Smialek More than 30 casualties have been brought ashore - but some crew members of the cargo ship are not yet accounted for as it continues to burn - Bartek Smialek 02:35 PM GMT Entire crew of tanker safe and accounted for Erik Hanell, the chief executive of the Stena Bulk, has confirmed the crew of more than 20 on the Stena Immaculate are safe. He told the BBC it was too early to speculate on the cause of the collision. Stena Bulk jointly own the ship with their US partner Crowley, who operate it. It is not yet known whether the crew of the cargo ship are also safe. 02:19 PM GMT Pictured: The cargo ship The MV Solong was said to be travelling at 16 knots when it collided with the tanker, causing both to go up in flames - Martin Lueke The Solong was built in 2005, according to Marine Optima, and has capacity to carry 9,500 tonnes of cargo. It was destined for Rotterdam, according to the Marine Traffic site. 02:10 PM GMT Tanker was on standby to supply fuel to US military It is unclear if the ship was carrying fuel for the US military at the time of the collision - Roeland.J The Stena Immaculate was one of a number of commercial tankers taking part in a scheme designed to supply fuel to the US military during armed conflicts or national emergencies. Set up in 2023 under the Biden Government, the US Maritime Administration agencys Tanker Security Program (TSP) has a number of commercial ships that are guaranteed to be available for US Government work at short notice. Stena Immaculate was one of three vessels made available to the scheme in 2023 by American company Crowley, which manages the ships day-to-day operations through a joint venture with Swedish owners Stena. The TSP accomplishes two key maritime sealift objectives: it grows our US-flagged fleet and it significantly expands our ability to deliver vital fuel supplies to support military missions across the globe, said Maritime Administrator Ann Phillips at the schemes launch in 2023. Implementation of the TSP is a significant milestone for MARAD and the US maritime industry. To be eligible for the TSP, oil tankers must be able to carry more than 230,000 barrels (36.6 million litres) of fuel. It is unclear if the tanker was carrying fuel for the US military at the time. 01:59 PM GMT Transport Secretary concerned after collision Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: Im concerned to hear of the collision between two vessels in the North Sea this morning and am liaising with officials and HM Coastguard as the situation develops. I want to thank all emergency service workers involved for their continued efforts in responding to the incident. 01:52 PM GMT Accident investigators on the scene Accident investigators have arrived in Grimsby and are gathering evidence on what happened. A spokesperson for the Marine Accident Investigation Branch said: The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has deployed a team to Grimsby following the collision of the Portuguese registered container ship Solong and the US registered oil tanker Stena Immaculate which collided in the North Sea this morning. Our team of inspectors and support staff are gathering evidence and undertaking a preliminary assessment of the accident to determine our next steps. 01:46 PM GMT More than 30 casualties brought ashore More than 30 casualties have been brought ashore at Grimsby following the collision, but some crew members are yet to be accounted for, a port boss has said. Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, said 13 casualties were initially brought in on a Windcat 33 vessel, followed by more in a harbour pilot boat. Mr Boyers said he had been told there was a massive fireball, adding: Its too far out for us to see about 10 miles but we have seen the vessels bringing them in. They must have sent a mayday out luckily there was a crew transfer vessel out there already. Since then there has been a flotilla of ambulances to pick up anyone they can find. The casualties conditions remain unclear. 01:33 PM GMT Watch: Playback of collision This morning, the oil tanker STENA IMMACULATE and the container ship SOLONG were involved in a collision in the North Sea. MarineTraffic data shows that the incident occurred at approximately 09:48 UTC. The 183-metre-long oil tanker was anchored off Immingham when it was struck pic.twitter.com/AEJCQ4l84K MarineTraffic (@MarineTraffic) March 10, 2025 The 183-metre-long oil tanker was anchored off Immingham when it was struck by the 140-metre-long container ship, which was en route to Rotterdam. Reports indicate that a fire broke out on Stena Immaculate, with rescue helicopters dispatched to the scene. The RNLI has now confirmed fires broke out on both vessels, with sailors abandoning the two ships. 01:29 PM GMT A number of people abandoned ships as both went up in flames The RNLI said it despatched four lifeboat crews to the scene of the collision and that fires had broken out on both ships. Four lifeboat crews have been called to an incident off the East Yorkshire coast this morning, a spokesman told The Telegraph. At 10.20am, HM Coastguard tasked Bridlington, Cleethorpes, Mablethorpe and Skegness lifeboats to support their response to two vessels that were reported to have been in collision with each other. There were reports that a number of people had abandoned the vessels following a collision and there were fires on both ships. By 11.40am, Cleethorpes had been stood down while Bridlington, Mablethorpe and Skegness continued to support search and rescue efforts. The incident is ongoing with the RNLI and HM Coastguard working together. 01:24 PM GMT Nobody on cargo ship was paying attention, expert suggests US naval history professor Sal Mercogliano, who runs a YouTube channel titled Whats Going On With Shipping, believes that the container ship Solong was travelling on autopilot before colliding with the tanker Stena Immaculate. In a video published to his channel the maritime expert said: I have a feeling here that Solong is going to be put on autopilot for this run down the coast. And I get a distinct impression here that no one is really paying attention on board. She is just coming full bore down at about 16 knots, heading right for the anchorage where Stena Immaculate is. Theres only two things that cause accidents on board ships. Its either mechanical error or human error, and in this case, this ship seems to be following its normal track line. It always does, which makes me think that the mate on watch is not paying attention to the traffic thats ahead. Got distracted. Who knows what happened here? Prof Mercogliano, a qualified merchant mariner, said that data from ship-tracking websites suggested to him that Solong had struck the port side of the Stena Immaculate and had pushed the tanker for some distance. She doesnt even slow down, he commented. 01:14 PM GMT Pictured: Smoke billowing out of vessel The alarm was raised at 9.48am on Monday morning The incident, which has sparked a major multi-vessel response, remains ongoing 01:10 PM GMT Collision sparks fear of major oil spill after counter pollution response A new statement from the Coastguard does not address the reported fire aboard the tanker, Stena Immaculate, but suggests that an oil spill has taken place. A spokesman said: HM Coastguard is currently co-ordinating the emergency response to reports of a collision between a tanker and cargo vessel off the coast of East Yorkshire resulting in fires aboard both vessels. The alarm was raised at 9.48am. A Coastguard Rescue Helicopter from Humberside was called, alongside lifeboats from Skegness, Bridlington, Maplethorpe and Cleethorpes, an HM Coastguard fixed wing aircraft, and nearby vessels with fire-fighting capability. The incident remains ongoing and an assessment of the likely counter pollution response required is being enacted. If Stena Immaculate was completely full of Jet-A1 aviation kerosene, she may have been carrying more than 58 million litres of fuel. 01:06 PM GMT Tanker was at anchor before collision BREAKING: Search & Rescue helicopters attending Oil tanker MV Stena Immaculate on fire after being struck by container ship MV Solong while at anchor off the Humber Estuary this morning. (Library photos. Tanker: @Gibdan1 ) H/T @NAVSkandalen pic.twitter.com/i95OlpW5IN Navy Lookout (@NavyLookout) March 10, 2025 Maritime experts at Navy Lookout said the oil tanker was at anchor before the collision. 12:48 PM GMT Tanker said to be carrying aviation fuel Visibility in the Humber area is poor, according to the Met Office, with wind gusts of 25mph amid misty conditions. Areas of fog and low cloud lifting as winds increase through the morning, with some warm, if rather hazy sunny spells expected in places for a time, said the weather agency this morning in its forecast for Yorkshire and Humber. Thicker cloud and a little rain moving southwards during the afternoon. Maximum temperature 14C. The Humber is one of Britains most important port estuaries, serving Grimsby, Immingham, Hull and Goole. Immingham was the UKs largest port by tonnage of cargo last year, handling about 46 million tonnes of goods. Goole, meanwhile, handles a range of goods including liquid bulks. The Stena Immaculate was said, in a purported audio recording from Humber Coastguard, to be carrying Jet A1 aviation fuel. She can reportedly carry up to 46,572 cubic metres of fuel at full capacity. 12:45 PM GMT Multi-vessel response launched Two HM Coastguard aircraft are over the scene; a rescue helicopter and a twin-engined surveillance aeroplane which is orbiting a short distance away. A number of offshore supply ships, including Putford Jaguar, Seacor Yangtze and Njord Amundsen, are gathered around the scene of the collision according to data from ship-tracking website Marine Traffic. Just over two and a half hours ago, the Humber Coastguard broadcast a radio call asking for nearby ships with firefighting equipment, or which could help with search and rescue operations, to call them for instructions. 12:44 PM GMT Listen: Audio of coastguard call An audio clip posted to social media site X suggests that the tanker Stena Immaculate is on fire after being in a collision with container ship Solong. An apparent recording of the radio broadcast said: Solong collided with tanker Stena Immaculate. Both vessels are abandoning. Vessels who have firefighting equipment or who can assist with search and rescue, contact Humber Coastguard on [radio] channel 16. Vessel Stena Immaculate is carrying Jet A1 fuel which is on fire and in the water. Request vessels remain at a safe distance. 12:39 PM GMT Oil tanker and cargo vessel collide A tanker and a cargo vessel have collided in the North Sea. Lifeboats, a Coastguard rescue helicopter, and an HM Coastguard fixed wing aircraft are all at the scene. The alarm was raised at 9.48am, the Coastguard said. The worlds staple crops such as wheat, maize and rice are under threat from pervasive particles. Photograph: jodie777/Getty Images/iStockphoto The pollution of the planet by microplastics is significantly cutting food supplies by damaging the ability of plants to photosynthesise, according to a new assessment. The analysis estimates that between 4% and 14% of the worlds staple crops of wheat, rice and maize is being lost due to the pervasive particles. It could get even worse, the scientists said, as more microplastics pour into the environment. About 700 million people were affected by hunger in 2022. The researchers estimated that microplastic pollution could increase the number at risk of starvation by another 400 million in the next two decades, calling that an alarming scenario for global food security. Other scientists called the research useful and timely but cautioned that this first attempt to quantify the impact of microplastics on food production would need to be confirmed and refined by further data-gathering and research. The annual crop losses caused by microplastics could be of a similar scale to those caused by the climate crisis in recent decades, the researchers behind the new research said. The world is already facing a challenge to produce sufficient food sustainably, with the global population expected to rise to 10 billion by around 2058. Microplastics are broken down from the vast quantities of waste dumped into the environment. They hinder plants from harnessing sunlight to grow in multiple ways, from damaging soils to carrying toxic chemicals. The particles have infiltrated the entire planet, from the summit of Mount Everest to the deepest oceans. Humanity has been striving to increase food production to feed an ever-growing population [but] these ongoing efforts are now being jeopardised by plastic pollution, said the researchers, led by Prof Huan Zhong, at Nanjing University in China. The findings underscore the urgency [of cutting pollution] to safeguard global food supplies in the face of the growing plastic crisis. Peoples bodies are already widely contaminated by microplastics, consumed through food and water. They have been found in blood, brains, breast milk, placentas and bone marrow. The impact on human health is largely unknown, but they have been linked to strokes and heart attacks. Prof Denis Murphy, at the University of South Wales, said: This analysis is valuable and timely in reminding us of the potential dangers of microplastic pollution and the urgency of addressing the issue, [but] some of the major headline figures require more research before they can be accepted as robust predictions. The new study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, combined more than 3,000 observations of the impact of microplastics on plants, taken from 157 studies. Previous research has indicated that microplastics can damage plants in multiple ways. The polluting particles can block sunlight reaching leaves and damage the soils on which the plants depend. When taken up by plants, microplastics can block nutrient and water channels, induce unstable molecules that harm cells and release toxic chemicals, which can reduce the level of the photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll. The researchers estimated that microplastics reduced the photosynthesis of terrestrial plants by about 12% and by about 7% in marine algae, which are at the base of the ocean food web. They then extrapolated this data to calculate the reduction in the growth of wheat, rice and maize and in the production of fish and seafood. Asia was hardest hit by estimated crop losses, with reductions in all three of between 54m and 177m tonnes a year, about half the global losses. Wheat in Europe was also hit hard as was maize in the United States. Other regions, such as South America and Africa, grow less of these crops but have much less data on microplastic contamination. In the oceans, where microplastics can coat algae, the loss of fish and seafood was estimated at between 1m and 24m tonnes a year, about 7% of the total and enough protein to feed tens of millions of people. The scientists also used a second method to assess the impact of microplastics on food production, a machine-learning model based on current data on microplastic pollution levels. It produced similar results, they said. Importantly, these adverse effects are highly likely to extend from food security to planetary health, Zhong and his colleagues said. Reduced photosynthesis due to microplastics may be also cutting the amount of climate-heating CO2 taken from the atmosphere by the huge phytoplankton blooms in the Earths oceans and unbalancing other ecosystems. Prof Richard Lampitt, at the UKs National Oceanography Centre, said the conclusions should be treated with caution. I have considerable concerns about the quality of the original data used by the model and this has led to overspeculation about the effects of plastic contamination on food supplies, he said. The researchers acknowledged that more data was needed and said this would produce more accurate estimates. The worlds nations failed to reach an agreement on a UN treaty to curb plastic pollution in December, but will restart the talks in August. The scientists said their study was important and timely for the ongoing negotiations and the development of action plans and targets. Prof Richard Thompson, at the University of Plymouth said the new study added to the evidence pointing towards the need for action. While the predictions may be refined as new data become available, it is clear that we need to start towards solutions. Ensuring the treaty addresses microplastic pollution is of key importance, he said. Sir Keir Starmer plans to make the Government more agile through the use of AI - MARK CUTHBERT/UK PRESS Sir Keir Starmer has been trolled on a social media page for civil servants after writing a letter to all government employees about Whitehall reform. The Prime Minister sent a letter to all civil servants on Monday outlining his plans to make the Government more agile, mission-focused and more productive. Ministers are planning to make cuts to the number of civil servants in the UK, and to integrate the use of AI into their daily work. The letter said that government employees should be enabled to re-focus on your core purpose and maximise the collective power of the state. The message was poorly received on a Reddit page for civil servants, where Sir Keir was accused of saying f--- all and nothing of interest. It didnt actually say anything The page, which is advertised as an unofficial subreddit for officials and those interested in the Civil Service, featured dozens of derogatory comments about the Prime Minister and his plans. Its a very particular skill being able to write so many words that say absolutely f--- all, said one comment from an anonymous account. Another purported civil servant wrote: It didnt actually say anything, did it?. A third user replied: Words, in a particular order but no particular meaning. There is no way to verify that users of the Reddit page are legitimate civil servants, although one serving government employee told The Telegraph that the comments were representative of the feeling in Whitehall. Theyre asking the turkeys not only to vote for Christmas, but for the turkeys to sharpen their knives and take butchery classes, the civil servant said. The reforms are unlikely to be popular with civil servants when they are unveiled on Thursday, at an event with Sir Keir that will include a live Q&A session, The Telegraph understands. One user of the Reddit page said: Its surprisingly not that often that my immediate response to an email is oh go f--- yourself will you, Ive got actual work to do. We will be radical about this Pat McFadden, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said on Sunday that the reforms would not be ideological, but technology must be used to bring down the overall headcount and improve Whitehall efficiency. He told the BBC: We will be radical about this, but its about getting bang for our buck in terms of the outcomes for the public. It isnt an ideological approach to stripping back the state. Mr McFadden declined to give a figure for the number of civil servants the Government intended to cut, arguing that previous attempts to do so by the Conservatives had failed. The overall headcount of the civil service is now more than 500,000, the highest level since March 2007. Another user of the Reddit page said on Monday: I got this [email] twice in my inbox. Talking about savings in the civil service, the PM and cabinet could have cut costs by 50 per cent by only sending it once. One said that the purpose of the email was to get us on side before they announce cuts in the spring Budget. Mr McFadden said on Sunday that civil servants would be expected to use AI wherever they are able to, without lowering the quality of their work. He also announced that 10 per cent of all civil servants would work in data or digital jobs by 2030, a doubling of the current proportion. Arif Ahmed is the Office for Students director of freedom of speech and academic freedom. Photograph: Jill Mead/The Guardian Universities in England should rearrange classrooms and use the Chatham House rule to help students overcome their fears of discussing controversial topics, according to the governments lead on free speech. Arif Ahmed, the Office for Students director of freedom of speech and academic freedom, said there was a significant danger to academic integrity if speech and expression were restricted on campuses, and he urged universities to take positive steps to tackle student reticence. Theres a range of innovative approaches that I think universities should be willing to think about, Ahmed told the Guardian in his first public interview since the governments review of freedom of speech legislation last year. Related: Ministers to revise university freedom of speech legislation Lets think about, for instance, whats the geography of a classroom? It might be something as simple as that. Or it might be asking people to write essays defending views that they actively dislike or perhaps even detest. There are other sorts of psychological techniques, for instance like deep listening, or should we use Chatham House rules [sic] in classroom discussions? Or should we have rules about [restricting] recordings? Theres a whole range of things that we can do practically, and Im keen for universities to think innovatively about what they can do to get people talking. The Chatham House rule named after a meeting place in London where discussions are held without views being attributed to individuals might be a way of encouraging people to raise and discuss controversial matters, he said. Ahmed said that in his experience as a teacher, students needed encouraging not to feel scared to raise subjects or put forward points of view that people might find difficult, offensive, shocking, disturbing. When it comes to really important matters, whether its life or death matters, abortion, euthanasia, immigration, race all of these things its really important that people feel feel to discuss them freely, and even if they dont endorse certain views they should be free to discuss those views. Otherwise we cant have a proper conversation. Deep listening, another technique Ahmed champions, involves a listener making a summary of an opponents position and revising it until the opponent agrees it is accurate. Researchers have found success in using the techniques in divided communities such as Cyprus. Ahmed has been in the role for nearly 18 months but the general election last year and the incoming governments decision to suspend implementation of the new campus freedom of speech law left him in limbo. But the government is to issue revised regulations later this year, allowing him to fulfil his role for the first time since his appointment. Ahmed said one source of hostility to free speech came from leaders afraid of damaging their universitys corporate image, especially involving lucrative commercial relationships with other countries. Im not going to name any specific country but its always going to be important that university leaders think very carefully about the consequences for freedom of speech or academic freedom when they enter into these arrangements, he said. It is really important that we have international ties and that we have international students coming in, they bring so much to this country, of course nobody wants that to stop. What is important is that it be managed in a way that is transparent and shows universities have done careful due diligence in relation to human rights and freedom of speech. Lord Justice Davis said the state should not determine the sentence imposed on an individual offender One of Britains most senior judges has accused the Justice Secretary of undermining judicial independence amid a growing row over two-tier justice. Lord Justice Davis, chairman of the Sentencing Council, claimed that any attempt by Shabana Mahmood to dictate its policies would breach the longstanding constitutional independence of judges. In a letter to Ms Mahmood, he rejected her criticism of the councils latest rules for judges and magistrates, which give special treatment to offenders from ethnic, religious and gender minorities. The Justice Secretary threatened last week to introduce new laws to overrule the quango as she expressed her displeasure at the way it was taking differing approaches to offenders from such minorities. She urged Lord Justice Davis to rewrite the rules and said she would consider whether future policy decisions of such import should be made by the Sentencing Council and what role ministers and Parliament should play. However, on Monday, he hit back at Ms Mahmood, claiming her proposal would breach the critical constitutional position of the independent judiciary. In criminal proceedings where the offender is the subject of prosecution by the state, the state should not determine the sentence imposed on an individual offender, Lord Justice Davis wrote. If sentencing guidelines of whatever kind were to be dictated in any way by ministers of the crown, this principle would be breached. Shabana Mahmood has threatened to introduce new laws to overrule the Sentencing Council - Anadolu He also strongly denied that the guidelines would lead to softer sentences for ethnic minorities. I have seen it suggested that the guideline instructs sentencers to impose a more lenient sentence on those from ethnic minorities than white offenders, he said. Plainly that suggestion is completely wrong. The new Sentencing Council guidelines, published last week, require judges and magistrates to take into account the background of criminals when deciding whether to imprison them. Courts have been told that they should normally consider ordering a pre-sentence report on an offender if they come from an ethnic minority, cultural minority, and/or faith minority community or are transgender. Disparity in sentencing The Tories, who first criticised the change in guidance, have described it as two-tier justice because there are no requirements for similar reports on offenders of any other ethnicity. Pre-sentence reports are drawn up by the probation service to provide courts with information that could mitigate against imprisoning an offender in favour of suspending their sentence or handing them a community punishment. The new rules mean criminals from ethnic, religious or gender minorities could be more likely to avoid prison than offenders from other backgrounds. Lord Justice Davis maintained there was good evidence from both the councils and independent research of a disparity in how different minorities were treated during sentencing. Offenders from some ethnic minority backgrounds are more likely to receive an immediate custodial sentence than white offenders, he wrote. In some offence-specific guidelines, this fact is highlighted. Why this disparity exists remains unclear. The councils view is that providing a sentencer with as much information as possible about the offender is one means by which such disparity might be addressed. He dismissed Ms Mahmoods criticism, saying: For all the reasons I have given, I do not accept the premise of your objection to the relevant part of the list of cohorts for whom a pre-sentence report will normally be considered necessary. No prior objections from officials Lord Justice Davis also claimed officials at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) had been walked through the new guidelines by Sentencing Council staff before publication. He said no concerns were raised regarding the section on ethnic minorities. Nor did Ms Mahmoods representative on the council, who attended meetings on the guidelines, object. At no stage did the Lord Chancellors representative express any concern or reservation about the term now under debate, he said. He also noted that only eight of the 150 respondents to the councils consultation objected to the proposed list of cohorts who should be considered for pre-sentence reports. Removing the list would have been contrary to the majority view in the consultation, which included the MoJ. Lord Justice Davis said he would also take legal advice on whether the Justice Secretary could seek to revise the rules under her powers in the Coroners and Justice Act 2009. This is not a power which ever has been used to ask the council to revise a guideline immediately after it has been published and which has been the subject of detailed consultation with the Lord Chancellor, he said. I shall have to take legal advice as to whether the power applies in those circumstances. Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, who is taking legal action to reverse the rules, said: The Justice Secretarys tough talk has failed. Unless she acts decisively now, in just 21 days time she will preside over a justice system that she concedes is two-tier. That would be completely unacceptable. The individuals on the Sentencing Council behind this two-tier guidance must be removed and replaced with people who believe in equality under the law. The Justice Secretary should waste no time exercising the powers of appointment over the council that she has. Andre Correa do Lago, head of the Cop30 climate summit which is due be held in Belem, Brazil, in November. Photograph: Sergio Lima/AFP/Getty The US will be central to solving the climate crisis despite Donald Trumps withdrawal of government support and cash, the president of the next UN climate summit has said. Andre Correa do Lago, president-designate of the Cop30 summit for the host country, Brazil, hinted that businesses and other organisations in the US could play a constructive role without the White House. We have no idea of ignoring the US, he told journalists on a call on Friday. The US is a key country in this exercise. There is the US government, which will limit its participation [but] the US is a country with such amazing technology, amazing innovation this is the US that can contribute. The US is a central country for these discussions and solutions. Brazil has also vowed to hold an ethical stocktake aimed at examining climate justice issues, for poor and vulnerable people, and to give Indigenous people a key role at the talks. Correa do Lago wrote to all UN countries on Monday, setting out Brazils expectations that all governments will draw up national plans for steep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions before the conference starts in Belem, a rainforest city at the mouth of the Amazon, in November. Cop30 will be the first [summit] to take place at the epicentre of the climate crisis, and the first to be hosted in the Amazon, one of the worlds most vital ecosystems, now at risk of reaching an irreversible tipping point, according to scientists, the letter said. Change is inevitable, either by choice or catastrophe. As well as the formal negotiations at the summit in which only national governments can take part, there will be forums for regional and local governments including those from the US and for businesses and investors. Correa do Lago said these would be essential for progress because the Cop should involve an ongoing process of implementing climate action, rather than simply a focus on two weeks of technical negotiations. There is a perception these Cops are just about negotiation, he said. But we believe that accelerating implementation [of previously agreed actions] is very important. Lets see how we can accelerate what we have already agreed. Brazil faces one of the worst geopolitical situations of any conference of the parties (Cop) since the UN framework convention on climate change, parent treaty to the 2015 Paris agreement, was signed in 1992. Trump has not only begun the process of withdrawing the US from the Paris accord, but is also rescinding climate finance pledged to the developing world, and dismantling federal support for climate science. Trumps response to Russias invasion of Ukraine, and the resulting rearmament of Europe which is under way, have left the developed world in turmoil. Many developing countries are concerned that they will be left further behind, amid the wrangling of the biggest economies. Ana Toni, the chief executive of Cop30, pointed to the outcome of the recently reconvened conference of the parties to the UN convention on biological diversity, which produced agreement on a plan to finance nature protection. It was a really challenging moment, but we did see agreement, she pointed out. Many investors and businesses were expressing an interest in Cop30, she added. We need to ensure [countrys emission-cutting] plans are investable and implementable, she said. We have had some very, very positive engagement with investors so far. They know the transition [to a low-carbon economy] is inevitable, and are looking for places where investments can be made. As well as setting out why stiff emissions cuts are needed, and urging governments to take drastic action to avoid climate catastrophe, Brazils letter to all governments pointedly referred to the spirit that defeated the Nazis in the second world war. Quoting Hannah Arendt, the philosopher who studied Hitler and his associates, it said: Arendt denounced the banality of evil as the acceptance of what was unacceptable. Now, we face the banality of inaction, an irresponsible and unacceptable inaction. The letter also invoked the Brazilian concepts of mutirao, which comes from the Tupi-Guarani language, and refers to a community coming together to work on shared task, and virada, which means fighting back in a game when defeat seems almost certain. Ilan Zugman, the Latin America and Caribbean director at 350.org, said: The proactive and detailed nature of this letter from the Cop30 presidency is an encouraging sign especially in contrast to Cop29. This early engagement signals an intent to shape the agenda rather than react to it. It emphasises unity in the face of climate change rather than cynicism, aligning with Indigenous perspectives on collective action. However, Cop30 must be about delivering action, not just having discussions and announcing commitments without clear ways for them to be implemented. Madonna and Child by Antonio Solario was stolen from the Civic Museum of Belluno in Italy. Photograph: Art Recovery International A 16th-century Madonna and Child painting disappeared without a trace after it was stolen from a museum in northern Italy more than half a century ago. Now, having surfaced in Britain, it is in the possession of a woman in Norfolk, who is refusing to return it even though it is listed on police stolen art databases. It was painted by Antonio Solario, an Italian who is represented in the National Gallery in London and whose patrons included a Bristol cloth merchant who traded with Italy. The painting was acquired in 1872 by the Civic Museum of Belluno, where it remained until 1973, when it was among several pictures targeted by thieves. Some were recovered soon afterwards in Austria. The Madonna and Child ended up in the possession of Barbara de Dozsa, who now believes that it belongs to her, partly because her deceased former husband, Baron de Dozsa, bought it in good faith in 1973. Until their divorce, they kept it at their 16th-century Norfolk home, East Barsham Manor in Fakenham, which Henry VIII is said to have described as his small country palace. In 2017, De Dosza tried to sell the painting through a regional auction house, but it was spotted by someone linked to the Belluno museum, who confirmed that it is on the most wanted lists of police forces, including Interpol and the Italian Carabinieri. Due to delays caused by the Covid lockdown, the Italian authorities were unable to supply relevant documents requested by the British police, and so the painting was simply handed back to De Dozsa in 2020. Christopher Marinello, a specialist art lawyer, has tried repeatedly to persuade her to return it to its rightful owner. Its the right thing to do, he said. But she has cited the Limitation Act 1980, which states that someone who buys stolen goods can be recognised as the legal owner if the purchase was unconnected to the theft after more than six years. Marinello said: Her first argument was that when the British police gave her the painting back, they gave her good title. So I wrote to the police, and they sent her a formal letter saying by no means do we convey title to the painting. Asked why the police did not just hand it back to Italy if it was stolen, he said: Its a good question. It just shows the failure of law enforcement to help the Italians out. The UK police said that this woman didnt commit a crime, so were not going to treat it as a criminal matter. Its a civil case. Related: Storied Titian painting found at London bus stop after theft goes to auction Carlo Cavalli of the museum wrote to her: The fact that the painting has been given back to you doesnt mean you have the title. Marinello is the founder of Art Recovery International, which focuses on stolen or looted art and is based in London, Venice and New York. His previous recoveries include a Matisse painting that was stolen in 1987 from Stockholms Museum of Modern Art and whose whereabouts had been shrouded in mystery for 25 years until it surfaced in London. He believes there is a moral argument for De Dozsa to return the painting particularly as he has understood from her that she does not even like it enough to hang it on her walls. He is not working for a fee and is driven only by a belief that it belongs to the people of Belluno, from where his own family originated. De Dozsa had argued that, as well as the cost of storage and insurance, she had to pay 6,000 in legal fees to resolve this problem. Marinello claimed he understood from her that if he could reimburse those fees she would return the painting. After securing permission from the Italian police, he found an insurance company that would donate the 6,000 only for her to allegedly change her mind. He said: Her husband could not have paid more than a couple of hundred back in 1973. Its only worth maybe 60,000 to 80,000 now. She refuses to cooperate unless she gets paid the full value, but she can never sell the painting. No legitimate auction house will ever touch it the Carabinieri have it on their database and will never take it off. As soon as that painting goes to Italy, its going to be seized. Norfolk constabulary said: Norfolk police have been advised by the UKCA [UK Central Authority] to release the painting to Mrs De Dozsa given several years have passed and there has been no response from Italian authorities in relation to the investigation. We have returned the painting but would not, as the police, return this in a judicial capacity in terms of awarding legal title to the painting. De Dozsa declined to comment. Pro-Palestine protesters have sprayed red paint on an insurance companys offices in the City of London. Members of protest group Palestine Action targeted Allianz Insurance offices in Gracechurch Street on Monday morning, scaling the building with a flag reading Drop Elbit and spraying the office with red paint. The group has repeatedly targeted Allianz, which it claims has links to the Israeli-based defence firm Elbit Systems. A branch of Allianz Insurance commercial offices in Gracechurch Street, London (Lucy North/PA) A spokesperson for Palestine Action said: By providing insurance, Allianz is directly enabling the production of Israeli weapons in Britain which are battle-tested on Palestinians. As all companies who work with Elbit should know by now, Palestine Actions direct action campaign against them will not cease until their links with the Israeli weapons trade does. Allianz must drop Elbit. Chief inspector Rob Bell, from the City of London Police, said: Police are attending a protest at Allianz House on Gracechurch Street. The protesters, believed to be from the Palestine Action group, have scaled the building and caused criminal damage. The walkway underneath the building has been cordoned off to protect the public. On Sunday, the Six Nations rugby game between England and Italy was briefly interrupted when the protest group flew a drone hanging a Palestine flag above the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham. An Allianz UK spokesperson said: We respect everyones right to have and express their opinion. However, we will not give in to threats and criminal behaviour that endanger the safety or security of our people, business and property. Our business operations and service to customers and partners have not been affected. We are working closely with the police and we will also be taking independent legal action to address these threats. Vladimir Putins Russia has expelled one British diplomat and the spouse of another, accusing them of spying. The pair were accused of engaging in intelligence activity under cover of the embassy in Moscow a claim dismissed as malicious and baseless by the UK. They have been ordered to leave the country within two weeks, the Russian news agency Tass said, citing the countrys FSB security agency. The Federal Security Services counter-intelligence operations exposed the unreported intelligence presence of the United Kingdom under the cover of the countrys embassy in Moscow, an FSB statement cited by Tass reads. Foreign Secretary David Lammy (Aaron Chown/PA) The Foreign Office said: This is not the first time that Russia has made malicious and baseless accusations against our staff. It is the latest in a series of tit-for-tat expulsions involving the UKs embassy in Moscow and the Russian mission in London. In February the Foreign Office stripped a Russian diplomat of their accreditation, with David Lammy saying the the UK will be unapologetic in standing up to Mr Putin. That move was in response to what the Foreign Office said was a baseless decision to expel a British diplomat from Russia on suspicion of spying in November last year. The expulsion also comes after a major criminal investigation left six members of a Russian proxy spy ring dubbed the Minions facing years behind bars for their part in one of the largest and most complex enemy operations to be uncovered on UK soil. Bulgarians Katrin Ivanova, 33, Vanya Gaberova, 30, and Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev, 39, were found guilty at the Old Bailey last week of spying on an industrial scale, putting lives and national security at risk. They will be sentenced in May alongside ringleader Orlin Roussev, 47, his second-in-command Biser Dzhambazov, 43, and Ivan Stoyanov, 33, who admitted their roles. Downing Street said the latest expulsions were what we have come to expect from President Putin and his regime. The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: It wont distract us from our focus on supporting Ukraine and putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position over the days and weeks ahead. The General Kellogg playbook Americas decision to cut weapons deliveries and aid to Ukraine, as well as the dressing down of Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, has triggered understandable outrage amongst Western allies. But perhaps they shouldnt be surprised. Mr Trumps tactic to bring Ukraine to heel and force the country to negotiate on peace follows a careful plan written and published in black and white last summer by none other than the presidents Kyiv envoy. Keith Kellogg, a retired lieutenant general, wrote last April that cutting military aid to Ukraine could be used to force Kyiv into negotiations. Here is what his plan entitled, How an America First Foreign Policy Reduced Risks from Russia During the Trump Administration involved and how it is playing out. Tough approach What the plan says What is actually happening For Donald Trump, his presidency is based on power and control, leaving aside any warm sentiments for allies or enemies alike. This is what he claimed stopped Vladimir Putin from invading Ukraine during his first stint in the White House. But from the outside, the US Presidents current handling of his Russian opposite number appears to be far from firm-handed since they announced negotiations after a shock phone call. Since opening peace talks with Moscow, Mr Trump has pushed for Russia to be reintroduced into the G7, vetoed international statements blaming Russia for the invasion of Ukraine and refused to exact any cost for Putins increased strikes against Ukrainian cities. Time to Stop the Killing What the plan says What is actually happening This part of Lt Gen Kelloggs vision has almost played out exactly as he said it would. Mr Trump opened peace talks with Putin and then invited Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraines president, to the table. Weapons flowed while Kyiv and Washington hammered out a mineral deal. But relations soon broke down after a dramatic spat in the Oval Office between Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky ended with the American accusing his counterpart of not being ready to end the war. Subsequently, the US halted weapons shipments to Ukraine and stopped sharing intelligence. Mr Zelensky is now trying to reset relations with Washington in the hope of winning that support back. As Lt Gen Kellogg himself put it last week, cutting weapons and intelligence sharing is akin to hitting a mule with a two-by-four across the nose. No Nato membership What the plan says What is actually happening This concession was made to Putin even before the Russian picked up the phone to speak with Mr Trump about possible peace talks. At a Nato meeting in Brussels, Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, said: The United States does not believe that Nato membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement. Hours later, Mr Trump took to social media to announce he had opened peace talks with Putin. Mr Zelensky says Nato membership is the cheapest option to secure Ukraines post-war future, a sentiment many of his allies agree with. Without Nato membership, Europe will be left to fend for Ukraine. Britain and France are forming a coalition of the willing to deploy troops to the war-torn country to enforce any peace deal, but this will only happen if they get support from the US, which isnt forthcoming at the moment. Ukraine sovereignty What the plan says What is actually happening Again, this situation is playing out exactly how Lt Gen Kellogg foresaw it in his plan. American officials, one after the other, have come out to declare Ukraine must cede territory to Russia as the price of peace. Before the talks had started, Mr Zelensky even said it was unrealistic to expect a military victory to push Russian forces out of his country, but insisted diplomatic efforts to do so would not be stopped. Russia currently holds around 20 per cent of Ukraine, and is seeking to widen its land grab while seemingly entertaining Mr Trumps peace talks. Meanwhile, Ukraines bridgehead into the Russian region of Kursk is shrinking by the day as Russians backed by North Korean troops fight back for control. Losing the salient in Russian territory will weaken Kyivs hand at the negotiating table. Russian sanctions What the plan says What is actually happening Behind the scenes, US officials are reportedly urging allies to draw up plans to ease sanctions on Moscow as soon as the fighting stops. Washington is already considering how to swiftly lift the punitive measure on a number of Russian entities and individuals, according to Reuters. Meanwhile the EU and UK are working on new sanctions and are showing no signs of easing pressure on Russia. Kyiv and its allies will fear that loosening sanctions will help Russia generate more funds to eventually pour into its war machine, either to attack Ukraine again or even a Nato ally. Energy levies What the plan says What is actually happening Mr Trump has said he is strongly considering levying new sanctions and tariffs on Russia because it is bombing the hell out of Ukraine. But there are no signs of these measures being implemented beyond the end of the war. Meanwhile, Mr Trump admitted last week he found it easier to deal with Russia than Ukraine in his efforts to end the three-year war, and insisted that he trusted Putin. I believe him, Mr Trump said. Im finding it more difficult frankly to deal with Ukraine and they dont have the cards It may be easier dealing with Russia. Long-term security What the plan says What is actually happening This section is the one many believe is the promise to arm Ukraine to the hilt if Russia fails to negotiate or doesnt uphold the terms of any eventual deal. It also encapsulates a number of security guarantees, which definitely havent been on offer to Ukraine from Washington. Much of Mr Zelenskys row with Mr Trump was the Ukrainians insistence that he would only discuss peace treaties when relevant promises on post-war security were put on the table by the US president. The Americans want to wash their hands of these guarantees, leaving the Europeans and Canada to shoulder the burden. Mr Zelensky is now pitching a partial ceasefire, which would pause long-range strikes on cities and energy infrastructure but maintain skirmishes on the frontline, which are harder to monitor. This would allow him to demonstrate to Mr Trump the need for American security guarantees, as it is believed in Kyiv Putin will break its terms eventually. Disgraced MP Mike Amesbury has said he will quit the Commons after punching a constituent. The former Labour MP was given a 10-week prison term, which was reduced to a suspended sentence after an appeal, leaving him at risk of being ousted from Parliament through the recall process. The Runcorn and Helsby MP told the BBC he would step aside at the earliest opportunity. Mike Amesbury (centre) leaving Chester Crown Court after he had his 10-week prison sentence for assault suspended for two years (Peter Byrne/PA) He won his seat last year with a majority of 14,696 over Reform UK and his resignation will be a first by-election test for Sir Keir Starmers Labour Party. Amesbury pleaded guilty in January to assaulting constituent Paul Fellows, 45, after a row in the street in Frodsham, Cheshire, in the early hours of October 26. Footage showed Amesbury punching Mr Fellows to the head, knocking him to the ground, then following him on to the road and starting to punch him again, at least five times. The MP told the BBC: Im going to step aside at the earliest opportunity. Ive got processes I must go through, staff for example theres a statutory process in terms of redundancies. Its not only me out of a job, so to speak, although its more than a job, it was a calling for me. Ive loved most of my time being a Member of Parliament. Runcorn and Helsby MP Mike Amesbury said he would quit at the earliest opportunity (Peter Byrne/PA) Amesbury was first elected to Parliament in 2017 to represent the Weaver Vale constituency and served in a number of frontbench positions between 2018 and 2023 under the Starmer and Corbyn Labour leaderships. Asked how he responded to people who might think he had been treated lightly in having his sentence suspended, Amesbury said he had been punished accordingly. He told the broadcaster he is going to lose the family home, his livelihood and walk away with a criminal record. If people think thats lightly, so be it, he added. Amesbury spent three nights in HMP Altcourse before his 10-week sentence was suspended for two years. He was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, undertake a 120-day alcohol monitoring requirement, go on an anger management course and complete 20 days of rehabilitation work. The former Labour MP has been sitting as an independent for the Cheshire seat since he was suspended by the party after his arrest last year. He subsequently resigned his membership. An MP cannot simply resign from the Commons, instead they are disqualified as a result of being nominally appointed as either the Steward and Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds or the Manor of Northstead. Joanne Penney, 40, will be mourned by our whole community, said Alex Davies-Jones, the MP for Pontypridd. Photograph: Wales news service/WALES NEWS SERVICE A woman shot dead on a residential street in a south Wales town has been named as Joanne Penney. Police were called to reports of the shooting in the Green Park area of Talbot Green at 6.10pm on Sunday. Officers and paramedics attended the scene, where a 40-year-old woman was found with serious injuries. She died at the scene despite the efforts of emergency services. A 42-year-old man from Talbot Green has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is in police custody. On Monday, South Wales police said in a statement: Although formal identification has yet to take place, we believe the victim to be 40-year-old Joanne Penney. Her next of kin has been informed and are being supported by specialist officers. We would ask that their privacy is respected at this difficult time. Neighbours expressed their shock at what had happened, with some describing hearing a gunshot. Tyler Davis said he received multiple phone calls just after 6pm on Sunday and came out of his house. I saw lots of police and the ambulance outside, he said. I couldnt have imagined it would be what it was. I dont know the people who live there personally. We have had a few incidents, my neighbour upstairs was killed about 18 months ago, but nothing of this type. A lot of people are concerned about living here. We dont feel safe. Alex Davies-Jones, the MP for Pontypridd, said on Facebook: Last night, a womans life was tragically cut short. Her name was Joanne Penney. She will be mourned by our whole community. I am in close contact with the police regarding the investigation and am grateful an arrest was made swiftly. I have also raised the case with the UK minister for policing and crime prevention. I have been deeply moved seeing the tributes from Joannes friends. May she rest in peace. Neighbours and residents of the town brought flowers to police officers at the cordon. One woman, who lives near the property where the incident took place, walked through with two bunches of flowers. She said: You couldnt wish for a lovelier person. She was a lovely woman. A number of residents described concerns about the area, including allegations of drug issues. Rhondda Cynon Taf county borough councillor Sarah Jane Davies posted on Facebook that she had spoken to the police and crime commissioner and raised the concerns of residents. She said the shooting was the second serious incident in six weeks, referencing an alleged attack at Talbot Green police station on 31 January. Davies said councillor Andrew Morgan, the leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf, and Davies-Jones appreciate and understand the real concerns in the local area. Speaking in the early hours of Monday, a South Wales police spokesperson said several crime scenes had been set up in the area and road closures were in place. DCI James Morris said: I understand the concern this will cause the local community, and I want to reassure people that a team of experienced detectives are already working at pace to piece together the events of last night. Sir Keir Starmer has warned Labour MPs that the Government could not shrug our shoulders and look away from problems in the welfare system and elsewhere amid backbench concerns over expected reforms. The Prime Minister said he was not afraid to take the big decisions to fix what is broken as he addressed a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party on Monday evening. Loud cheers and table-banging were heard from outside at the closed-doors gathering in Westminster, though some MPs have expressed fears of cuts to the benefits bill in the spring statement. Rachel Reeves is expected to slash spending by billions of pounds in the face of tighter economic headroom when she addresses MPs on the state of the public finances on March 26. Speaking at the meeting, Sir Keir said: Weve found ourselves in a worst of all worlds situation with the wrong incentives discouraging people from working, the taxpayer funding a spiralling bill, 70 billion a year by 2030. A wasted generation, one in eight young people not in education, employment or training, and the people who really need that safety net still not always getting the dignity they deserve. He added: This needs to be our offer to people up and down the country: if you can work, we will make work pay. If you need help, that safety net will be there for you. But this is the Labour Party. We believe in the dignity of work and we believe in the dignity of every worker. Which is why I am not afraid to take the big decisions needed to return this country to their interests. Whether thats on welfare, immigration, our public services or our public finances. We cant just shrug our shoulders and look away. We cant just tinker around the edges. We wont try and sow division or create distractions, well roll up our sleeves, take responsibility and make the reforms needed to fix what is broken. It comes after Labour MP for York Central Rachael Maskell urged the Government to avoid draconian cuts to the system. Speaking to the BBCs Westminster Hour on Sunday, Ms Maskell said she had had a flurry of emails from people who were deeply concerned about the prospect of changes to the system. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves is to deliver her spring statement on March 26 (Dan Kitwood/PA) She told the programme: We recognise the economic circumstances that were in and the hand that we were given, and of course it is right that the Chancellor has oversight over all those budgets, but not at the expense of pushing disabled people into poverty. She added: Theres got to be a carrot approach, not a stick approach. Weve got to make the right interventions and that doesnt start with the stick. Ministers have made clear in recent weeks that there will be an overhaul given an unsustainable rise in welfare spending, with Downing Street warning of a broken social security system holding our people back. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has already told Cabinet colleagues that the current system is holding back the economy and is bad for peoples well-being and health. Elsewhere at the meeting on Monday, Sir Keir addressed MPs about his recent commitment of the biggest increase to defence spending since the Cold War amid uncertainty over the future security of Ukraine and its implications for Europe. The real world is moving quickly and people look to their government not to be buffeted about by that change not even to merely respond to it but to seize it and shape it for the benefit of the British people, he said. Our defence and the security of the British people must come first. The extra defence spending I announced last week will rebuild industry across the country. It will support businesses, it will provide good, secure jobs and skills for the next generation. That is what we owe the British people. Sir Keir Starmer has told Donald Trump he wants US-Ukraine talks to have a positive outcome that will result in the resumption of military aid and intelligence-sharing. The US president paused the supply of weapons and crucial intelligence for Kyivs war effort following his public spat with Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky. The Prime Minister, who spoke to Mr Trump on Monday, said he hoped peace talks in Saudi Arabia would allow the US President to restore support to Ukraine in its war with Russia. A Downing Street spokeswoman said: The Prime Minister said that UK officials had been speaking to Ukraine officials over the weekend and they remain committed to a lasting peace. The Prime Minister said he hoped there would be a positive outcome to the talks that would enable US aid and intelligence-sharing to be restarted. The talks between US and Ukrainian delegations in Saudi Arabia, starting on Tuesday, form part of an intensive week of international diplomatic activity to find a peace deal to end the war. Sir Keir will lead a call with like-minded allies from the coalition of the willing on Saturday. Defence Secretary John Healey and Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin will both take part in talks in Paris (Jonathan Brady/PA) The call will involve leaders who have expressed an interest in contributing to or supporting a peacekeeping mission to deter Russias Vladimir Putin from launching a future attempt to conquer Ukraine if a deal to end the conflict is reached. Military chiefs from potential members of the coalition will meet in Paris this week, with French officials indicating around 30 countries including not only European nations but states in Asia and Oceania will take part. Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin will attend for the UK before Defence Secretary John Healey meets opposite numbers from France, Germany, Italy and Poland in the French capital on Wednesday. Good to talk with @marcorubio and then @andrii_sybiha today about how we keep the process for peace moving forward ahead of discussions in Saudi Arabia. David Lammy (@DavidLammy) March 10, 2025 The meeting of defence ministers will also be attended by representatives from Nato and the European Union, with Ukraines Rustem Umerov dialling in. Foreign ministers from the G7 including David Lammy and US counterpart Marco Rubio will meet in Canada from Wednesday to Friday. Mr Lammy said he spoke to Mr Rubio and Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha on Monday about how we keep the process for peace moving forward ahead of discussions in Saudi Arabia. Canada is hosting a #G7ForeignMinisters meeting from March 12 to 14 in Charlevoix, Quebec. Discussions will focus on Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, the Indo-Pacific, the Americas, and Africa. Follow us to stay informed #G7Canada #G7Kananaskis2025 pic.twitter.com/dgf8puZkEZ Canada G7 (@G7Canada) March 7, 2025 The talks involving the US and Ukraine on Tuesday come after Mr Zelensky, Sir Keir and French president Emmanuel Macron agreed to work on peace proposals. Not all the nations involved in the coalition of the willing are expected to commit to join a peacekeeping force, although they could offer logistical help for troops in Ukraine or other forms of support. Sir Keir has stressed the need for Mr Trumps US to provide a backstop security guarantee, a commitment to intervene if a European-led peacekeeping mission comes under threat. Government insiders have warned of a chicken and egg situation where nations will not promise troops without US guarantees, but Mr Trump will not make commitments unless Europe steps up to defend itself. Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, says he will take responsibility and make the reforms needed to fix what is broken - Samir Hussein/WireImage Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to press ahead with savage welfare cuts, describing the current system as unsustainable, indefensible and unfair. Facing down the threat of a backbench revolt, the Prime Minister told Labour MPs that lax rules for claiming benefits runs contrary to those deep British values that if you can work, you should. He said the UK had a worst of all worlds welfare system that actively discourages people from working and is on track to cost 70 billion a year by 2030. About 80 Labour MPs are said to oppose the Governments proposals to rein in public spending through radical welfare reforms, with a growing number willing to stage a revolt. It is understood that MPs are planning to send a letter of complaint to the Treasury and the Prime Minister ahead of the Spring Statement. But, speaking to the parliamentary Labour Party on Monday evening, Sir Keir said: Weve found ourselves in a worst of all worlds situation with the wrong incentives discouraging people from working, the taxpayer funding a spiralling bill, 70 billion a year by 2030. A wasted generation. One in eight young people not in education, employment or training and the people who really need that safety net still not always getting the dignity they deserve. Thats unsustainable, its indefensible and it is unfair people feel that in their bones. It runs contrary to those deep British values that if you can work, you should. And if you want to work, the government should support you, not stop you. The Prime Minister said Labours offer to the unemployed must be: If you can work, we will make work pay. If you need help, that safety net will be there for you. But this is the Labour Party. We believe in the dignity of work and we believe in the dignity of every worker. He added: Which is why I am not afraid to take the big decisions needed to return this country to their interests. Whether thats on welfare, immigration, our public services or our public finances. We cant just shrug our shoulders and look away. We cant just tinker around the edges. We wont try and sow division or create distractions, well roll up our sleeves, take responsibility and make the reforms needed to fix what is broken. Rachel Reeves is expected to announce a 6 billion cut to welfare as part of a string of politically painful measures to ease pressure on public finances. The Chancellor has insisted that reform is needed to deliver value for the taxpayer and get benefits claimants back to work. The Telegraph understands that about 80 Labour MPs roughly a fifth of the parliamentary party wont tolerate billions of pounds of welfare cuts set to be announced by the Chancellor in her statement on March 26. The anger is said to have spread beyond the usual suspects, with MPs who would not typically criticise Sir Keir threatening to give the Government a slap. So far, the biggest rebellions the Prime Minister has faced are when 52 MPs refused to back the winter fuel allowance cut and seven backbenchers voted to scrap the two-child benefit cap. In the case of the welfare cuts, it is unclear what avenue MPs might use to rebel. There is no need for a vote on the cuts because they do not require any new legislation. However, an opposition party may force a division using their allocated parliamentary time, or through an amendment to a Bill as the SNP did with the two-child benefit cap. If all 80 MPs did rebel in a vote, and were joined by all opposition and independent MPs, they could come very close to toppling Sir Keirs majority. Marco Rubio speaks to reporters on a flight to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia on Monday. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images A top official in the US state department deleted abusive tweets in which he said the then Florida senator Marco Rubio who is now secretary of state had a low IQ and spread unsubstantiated rumors about his sexuality, CNN reported. In tweets from 7 January 2021, Darren Beattie referred to scurrilous online rumors and added: Forget the war promotion and the neocon sugar daddies, forget the low IQ, forget the 2016 primary, Rubio is TOUGH ON CHINA (and good for military industrial complex) So be a good DOG and vote for him!!! Related: Rubio says 83% of USAid programs terminated after six-week purge The day before, Donald Trump had incited supporters to storm Congress in an attempt to overturn his defeat in the 2020 election, an attack Rubio condemned. On 7 January, after repeating baseless innuendo about Rubio, Beattie posted: Does Marco Rubio have a future in politics? Rubio served another four years in the Senate before becoming secretary of state under Trump, despite having run against Trump in 2016 and amid widespread criticism of his embrace of policy positions, particularly regarding rapprochement with Russia, that contradict views long held in the Senate. Beattie was a speechwriter in the first Trump administration, until CNNs Andrew Kaczynski, a specialist in unearthing old online content, reported that Beattie attended a white nationalist conference in 2016. After leaving the White House, Beattie founded Revolver News, a far-right website which spread January 6 conspiracy theories. Last month, Beattie was made acting under-secretary of state for public diplomacy, an appointment that stoked protests from Democrats and progressive commentators. Responding to remarks such as competent white men must be in charge if you want things to work, the commentator Van Jones called Beatties appointment shameless and despicable and said the Trump administration was bring[ing] in people out of the trash can horrible people who you wouldnt hire to run a bodega. On Monday, Kaczynski and fellow CNN reporter Em Steck reported that while Beattie had left most of his offensive comments online, he appeared to have purged criticism of Rubio from X, the social media platform owned by the Trump ally Elon Musk. In other now-deleted posts, Beattie called Rubio fake and questioned his bona fides as a pro-Trump Republican. Beattie told CNN: Secretary Rubio is 100% America First and its a tremendous honor to work for him in advancing President Trumps world historical agenda. Rubio has declined to comment on Beatties appointment. On 5 February, the former senator told reporters Beattie would focus on not wanting this Department of State to be involved in censorship, then dodged a question about criticism from the Anti-Defamation League, which campaigns against antisemitism. Asked if he had seen Beatties X account, Rubio said, OK, thank you guys, and ended the briefing. Of the 450,000 people who hold an SIA licence, just under 11% are women. Photograph: Somboon Kaeoboonsong/Getty Images/iStockphoto Burly, intimidating and aggressive. These have long been the assumed prerequisites for becoming a bouncer. Now, the word bouncer itself could be on its way out after the UKs security industry head said it should not be used because of its macho connotations. Heather Baily, the head of the Security Industry Authority (SIA), said the word conjured up the image of a large, muscular man. She told the Times: It goes back to times before regulation, before the SIA. And it doesnt reflect the professionalism that todays licensed operatives bring. The SIA, a non-departmental public body that reports to the Home Office, issues licences to those working in private security. This includes nightclub door supervisors and security guarding offices and shops. Of the roughly 450,000 people who hold an SIA licence, just under 11% are women. Ive asked female licence holders how they feel about that term, and they dont like it. Its so outdated, said Baily. For women in the industry, Bailys words resonate. A lot of women in the past believed that you needed to be a big, solid unit in order to be able to provide security, said Di Winn, a cofounder of Labrys Security, the UKs first all-female security company. Its just not the case, she added. Women are perfectly able to provide security without needing to use size as a means to an end. While women make up a small number of overall SIA holders, data from the body shows a sharp increase in the number of female security personnel. In the past four years, there has been a near-30% rise in the number of women qualified to work security. Winn said security training was departing from the idea of simply chucking people out of nightclubs. SIA training is moving away from the idea of bouncing people out of nightclubs and needing big burly blokes on the door. Back in the 70s, 80s and probably even the 90s, it was a bouncer very much a bouncer but now the term is definitely being moved away from, she said. The private security industry is an integral part of the governments drive to reduce violence against women. According to Baily, there are almost three times as many licence holders as there are police on the streets. Were living in a culture now where women are almost used to some level of male violence, said Winn. Attending any kind of event where you have to walk past or through men, for some women, can be quite intimidating. Female security provides an entirely different feel. Baily is keen to increase the number of women working in private security. They bring skills of attention to detail. They recognise when people are vulnerable. They manage to defuse conflict, but they also bring skills of empathy and kindness and reassurance. A woman whos on a night out, and whos being pestered, is more likely to approach another woman for help. Those kinds of skills, to recognise vulnerability, we are instilling in all of our licence holders. But thats the skill set that women bring, she said. For women hesitant about a career in the field, Winn has some words of encouragement. Women need to know that the SIA have very much changed what theyre looking for in security these days and are moving away from old practices, she said. Women need to know that this is a good time to be working in security. We really do make a difference. Trump supporters storm the Capitol in Washington DC on 6 January 2021. Photograph: Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images A man pardoned by Donald Trump for his role in the January 6 insurrection who also was convicted of plotting to kill federal agents investigating him is still legally liable for the plot, a judge ruled on Monday. Edward Kelley was pardoned by the president for his role in the US Capitol riot, but he remained in prison on separate charges. The Tennessee man had developed a kill list of FBI agents who had investigated him for the Capitol attack. On his first day in office, Trump issued pardons and commutations to more than 1,500 people convicted for their roles in the January 6 insurrection, including militia members. But other rioters had separate charges that the courts and the justice department are working through. In Kelleys case, the justice department argued he was not pardoned by Trump for the plotting charges. In Mondays ruling, the US district judge Thomas Varlan deniedKelleys motion to dismiss the charges, saying the case involved separate offense conduct that was physically, temporally, and otherwise unrelated to defendants conduct in the D.C. Case and/or events at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. The plotting charges stemmed from entirely independent criminal conduct in Tennessee, in late 2022, more than 500 miles away from the Capitol, Varlan wrote. Prosecutors allege Kelley who was the fourth rioter to enter the Capitol on January 6 and was carrying a gun was developing a plan to murder law enforcement agents. They produced recordings of his planning activity, including Kelley giving instructions to start it, attack, and take out their office. Every hit has to hurt, he allegedly says in one recording. A cooperating defendant testified against Kelley and said he and Kelley were planning to attack the FBI field office in Knoxville with car bombs and drones, and were strategizing over how to assassinate FBI employees at their homes or in public places. While most participants in the events of January 6 who were in prison have been released, some are still inside because of other charges, both related and unrelated to the Capitol riot. It is not yet clear what will happen to some rioters who were charged with gun crimes during searches of their homes when authorities were serving January 6 warrants. Trump suggests pause on intelligence sharing with Ukraine could be lifted Donald Trump has reportedly suggested that the pause on sharing military intelligence with Ukraine could be lifted, ahead of talks between the two countries in the coming days. Relations between Washington and Kyiv have been strained in recent weeks after a clash between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House, and the US then suspending military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv. Speaking to reporters, Mr Trump said we just about have when asked if he would end the pause. It comes as the UKs national security adviser has been in Kyiv for talks over the weekend with top officials ahead of talks between Ukrainian and American officials aimed at ending the war. Jonathan Powell met Andriy Yermak, head of the office of the president in Ukraine. In a post on X, Mr Yermak said that they exchanged views on key issues on the path to achieving peace. Mr Trump told reporters were going to make a lot of progress during the talks. Had a meeting with Jonathan Powell, National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Exchanged views on key issues on the path to achieving peace. pic.twitter.com/GOIF0dg89S Andriy Yermak (@AndriyYermak) March 8, 2025 Attacks on Ukraine by Russia continued through the weekend, with Mr Zelensky claiming that there have been hundreds throughout the week. The diplomatic push on securing a peace deal in the war between Russia and Ukraine will continue this week, as the Ukrainian president is due to fly out to Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet with the countrys crown prince, and his team will stay on for talks with US officials. Meanwhile, European defence ministers including John Healey are expected to meet in Paris later in the week. Last week, Mr Zelensky said that he is ready to work under the US presidents leadership, but Mr Trump continued his criticisms of the Ukrainian leader on Sunday, saying that Ukraine was able to take money out of the US under Biden like candy from a baby. US President Donald Trump clashed with President Zelensky in the Oval Office (Ben Curtis/AP) He also suggested Mr Zelensky is not grateful for US help. Speaking to Fox News in an interview on Sunday and referring to Mr Zelensky, the US president said: It was like taking candy from a baby what he did. Hes a smart guy and hes a tough guy and he took money out of this country under Biden like candy from a baby. It was so easy. Mr Trump added: I just dont think hes grateful. Amid the talks elsewhere, the UK and France have been leading efforts to get countries to sign up to a so-called coalition of the willing peacekeeping force. A senior minister said on Sunday that countries cannot be dragooned into the group, and would have to step forward themselves if they want to be a part of it. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden (Jeff Overs/BBC) Not all the countries interested in the plan would necessarily provide troops to a peacekeeping force, it is understood, but they could potentially contribute in other ways. Asked on the BBCs Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg how many countries have said they would be willing to take part, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said: These discussions are going on, I think its important to have European countries involved in this. The phrase step up has been used quite a lot in recent weeks. The UK is stepping up. The Prime Minister certainly stepped up and other countries have indicated that they want to do that. Of course, coalition of the willing means people have to be up for it. They have to step forward themselves, they cant be dragooned by us. But the UK and the Prime Minister is playing an important role in those discussions, and will continue to do that. The search for a missing crew member after a collision between an oil tanker and a cargo ship in the North Sea has been called off, the coastguard has said. HM Coastguard said the missing person from the Solong container ship had not been found after an extensive search, following the ships collision with the MV Stena Immaculate tanker off the coast of East Yorkshire on Monday morning. It was initially reported that everyone onboard had been brought ashore after the MV Stena Immaculate and the Solong hit each other. But the Solongs owner, shipping firm Ernst Russ, later said a search was under way for a missing crew member, while its 13 other crew were safe. Matthew Atkinson, divisional commander for HM Coastguard, said: Thirty-six crew members were taken safely to shore, one person was taken to hospital. One crew member of the Solong remains unaccounted for. After an extensive search for the missing crew member, sadly they have not been found and the search has ended. The two vessels remain on fire and coastguard aircraft are monitoring the situation. An assessment of any required counter-pollution response is being carried out by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Crowley, the shipping company that manages the MV Stena Immaculate, said there were multiple explosions onboard after the oil tankers cargo tank was ruptured. The BBC reported that the Solong was carrying toxic sodium cyanide, but it remains unclear if the substance entered the water. The broadcaster said it was understood the Stena Immaculate was transporting jet fuel for the US government. Footage from the scene showed clouds of black smoke billowing into the air. A spokesperson for Greenpeace UK said it was monitoring the situation very closely but that it was too early to assess the extent of any environmental damage. Crowley said in a statement: At approximately 10am on 10 March 2025, while anchored off the North Sea coast near Hull, United Kingdom, the Crowley-managed tanker Stena Immaculate was struck by the container ship Solong. The Stena Immaculate sustained a ruptured cargo tank containing Jet-A1 fuel due to the allision. A fire occurred as a result of the allision, and fuel was reported released. The Stena Immaculate crew abandoned the vessel following multiple explosions onboard. All Crowley mariners are safe and fully accounted for. An emergency operation was launched after the collision. A helicopter was scrambled and lifeboats launched from four different bases along the coast. According to the ship tracking tool Vesselfinder, the US-flagged tanker was at anchor at the time of the incident. It had departed from a Greek port in the Aegean Sea and was heading towards Hull, according to the Marine Traffic website. The Solong was destined for Rotterdam. Footage of the incident showed both ships on fire, with flames spreading across the water and clouds of black smoke coming from the oil tanker. The UK transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: I am hugely grateful to HM Coastguard, the RNLI and emergency services who have responded to this incident. They were on the scene swiftly, have helped rescue those in immediate danger and I know they will continue to work tirelessly over the coming days. My thoughts are with all those involved, especially the family of the missing crew member. The Maritime Accident Investigation Branch has begun a preliminary assessment, and I am working closely with the MCA (Maritime and Coastguard Agency) as they conduct an assessment of any counter-pollution response which may be required over the coming days. The leader of Hull council, Mike Ross, said: The scenes across the East Yorkshire coast are deeply shocking. My thoughts are with all those affected. There will now be massive emergency response efforts from people right across the area and beyond. As Hulls council leader, I will work with the team here urgently to do everything we can to support the response needed now. A spokesperson for Greenpeace UK said: Both the high speed of the collision and the footage of the aftermath are cause for great concern. They added: Right now, our thoughts are with all those affected by the incident and the emergency services responding to the situation. David McFarlane, the director of Marine Risk and Safety Consultants, said several warning systems, including radar and a ships horn, were onboard aimed at preventing such collisions. About 200 to 300 collisions happened at sea each year, he said. They would have sighted each other over radar, called automatic identification system, onboard. The ships would be able to see and identify another vessel via AIS, and can call them up via very high frequency radio, and ask them what they are doing. A ship was visible on another ships radar from as far as 24 miles away, McFarlane said. All vessels should have someone on lookout at all times. But you wouldnt get anxious about another ship until it was about four miles away, depending on speed. If the other ship did not respond on the radio, vessels have a last-minute warning system, the ships horn, he said. The next thing to do would be to blast the horn of a ship, which can be heard from miles away. If a ship is at anchor, however, it can take up to an hour to hoist it up, he said. Ive heard that one of the ships was at anchor. If so, theres a possibility it would have picked up its anchor, or was in the process of doing so, we dont know. But it can take up to an hour to pick up anchor. McFarlane said it was too early to speculate about what happened but human error was often to blame for collisions. He said that while there had been reports of pockets of fog in the North Sea at the time of the collision, that would not have affected the ability of any approaching vessel to warn of an approach, given the AIS. Marco Rubio will lead a US delegation during talks in Saudi Arabia this week - SAUL LOEB/AFP A US ban on sending weapons and intelligence to Ukraine could be lifted as early as Tuesday when fresh talks between the two nations begin in Saudi Arabia. However, Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said he expected Kyiv to offer concessions before Washington removed the block, which has put Ukraine under significant pressure on the battlefield in recent days. It came as Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on Monday called on Donald Trump, the US president, to lift the embargo during a phone call between the two leaders. The ban on intelligence-sharing and weapons shipments has become a critical issue for Ukraine, which on Monday was forced to rush reinforcements to protect its bridgehead in Russias southern Kursk region seen as a key bargaining chip in any peace talks. Britains Ministry of Defence said the Kremlins forces were applying increased pressure on Ukraines salient, which has shrunk to 300 square km from more than 1,300 square km. Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraines president, arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdoms leader, ahead of the talks on Tuesday. Volodymyr Zelensky flew in to Saudi Arabia on Monday - Presidential Press Service HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Mr Zelensky will be represented at the meeting by Andriy Yermak, his chief aide, Rustem Umerov, his defence minister, and Andrii Sybiha, his foreign minister. Sitting opposite them will be Steve Witkoff, Mr Trumps special envoy, Mr Rubio and Michael Waltz, Mr Trumps national security adviser. The talks are designed to reset relations between the two nations, which hit rock bottom when Mr Zelensky was thrown out of the White House following his public row with Mr Trump last month. Mr Zelensky is pushing for a partial ceasefire in the sea and sky, which could stop long-range strikes, before beginning negotiations on a more permanent truce. Ukrainian officials also said they were prepared to sign an agreement on Tuesday giving the US access to the countrys rare minerals. But some diplomats in Europe fear it will not be enough to convince Mr Trump to restart weapons supplies. However, in a boost for Kyiv, Mr Witkoff acknowledged Mr Zelensky had taken an important step in rebuilding relations by apologising to the US president following their Oval Office argument. Ukrainian troops in action in Sumy Oblast on Sunday amid growing pressure on the countrys forces following a halt in US military aid - Diego Fedele/Getty Images Europe Mr Rubio also suggested Ukraine must be prepared to cede territory during peace talks. The Russians cant conquer all of Ukraine, and obviously itll be very difficult for Ukraine in any reasonable time period to, sort of, force the Russians back all the way to where they were in 2014, Mr Rubio said in comments alluding to the Kremlins invasion of the Crimean Peninsula that year. Following Sir Keirs call with Mr Trump on Monday, a Downing Street spokesman said: The Prime Minister said he hoped there would be a positive outcome to the talks that would enable US aid and intelligence-sharing to be restarted. Meanwhile, David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, spoke to Mr Rubio on Monday as he urged the US to be clear-eyed about the threat from Russia. He also questioned whether Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, genuinely wanted peace while his forces were pounding Donetsk, the eastern region of Ukraine. Sir Keir is due to convene fresh talks of his so-called coalition of the willing on Saturday as he ramps up preparations to support Kyiv after the war is brought to an end. Emmanuel Macron, the French president, will also host a meeting of around 30 chiefs of defence staff from countries that are considering joining the alliance. European governments have also been holding talks over whether they can replace the US intelligence currently being withheld from Ukraine, including by moving spy satellites over the war-torn country and finding replacements for the USs Starlink internet system. Meanwhile, on Monday, Moscow ejected a British diplomat and the spouse of another envoy accused of intelligence and subversive work. Russias foreign intelligence service also accused the UK of being the worlds biggest warmonger, claiming it was sabotaging US efforts to secure peace in Ukraine. Zelensky The United States has suspended military aid to Ukraine for now. If talks in Saudi Arabia dont further sour Washingtons mood, aid might resume. Perhaps even sanctions on Russia will follow. Yet after the disastrous debacle in the White House, Zelensky fled to the UK, where he was welcomed as if he were David facing down Goliath. Yet, instead of landing a decisive blow, Zelensky shot himself in the foot. Zelenskys visit was not an act of defiance but a demonstration of vulnerability. In fact, though Europes leaders embraced him, they did so with words, not swords. Europe has the money, skills and enthusiasm to protect Ukraine but Ukraine does not have the time to wait until Europe resuscitates its military industry. Europe would need 3-4 years to build the military force and industry capable of shifting the wars balance for Ukraine and by that time, the Russian army may be at the western borders of Ukraine. It is three years that Ukraine does not have. Russia is reinforcing and will begin a massive offensive by the end of this year. Macrons strong words do not stop tanks. The only army capable of stopping the Russians offensive is the re-supplied Ukrainian Army supported by America and Europe. The Ukrainian president, having collapsed his own foreign policy and alienated his key partner, fled to European capitals, not as a statesman, but as a supplicant. Now his weakness becomes clear, and he claims to want to return to the minerals deal he scorned. It is not too late for Ukraine, but it may be too late for Zelensky: Through all of this, he stripped himself of the role of an equal partner and has become, instead, a client. After Washingtons cold reception, Zelensky was embraced by Europe, but this also comes at a cost. Zelensky should understand what those obligations mean: Europe became the intercessor for Ukraine. In the eyes of President Trump, Ukraine is no longer a direct negotiating partner but a European responsibility. The next time negotiations are held, it will not be Zelensky at the table it will be Keir Starmer, Giorgia Meloni and Emmanuel Macron. Europe now holds the cards Zelensky wished to have; the well-worn phrase No discussions on Ukraine without Ukraine no longer holds weight. Ukraine will, of course, be respected, but it will be respected at the European level. At the global negotiation level, the world has moved on. Emmanuel Macron has already suggested that Europe could craft its own peace plan to present to Trump but why would Trump accept a European proposal rather than his own? The truth is, only Trump has the ability to create a lasting peace, and only his plan will be decisive. Zelensky, having thrown his stone, now finds himself trapped, his position weakened rather than strengthened. He must return to America, accept that Ukraines power lies in partnership with the United States, and sign onto Trumps deal. America has the ability to deliver a settlement not only for Ukraine, but for Europe as well. The West encouraged Zelensky to sign the agreement titled subsoil as a source of covering funds for military and economic assistance to Ukraine. This is an agreement Zelensky himself proposed, yet it remains economically vague; if investors step forward to develop Ukraines subsoil, we should be grateful for their courage and fates favour. The estimated $500 billion price tag was thrown out casually, without geological or production expertise, or solid plans to back it up. Not a single reputable international investment bank has even considered raising funds based on this agreement or these resources. Yet President Trump wants to advance this plan, because he wanted to send a clear message to Russia: Leave Ukraine alone. Its my partner. We have big business here, worth nearly your entire GDP. Continue this war, and youll pay a high price for it. This piece of paper could preserve Ukrainian lives and the countrys economic infrastructure. The deal for Ukraines minerals is one of the best security guarantees Ukraine could receive. Accordingly, President Trump is not an enemy; but rather one of Ukraines most sincere friends. And he understood that only the United States can bring Russia and Putin to the negotiating table and achieve a peace while developing and reconstructing Ukraine. Zelensky very nearly destroyed his chance at achieving that deal, and failed to recognise his own position. He should have been expressing gratitude: No world leader has done more to elevate Ukraines economic profile than Donald Trump. The focus on Ukraines resources, the attention from global business, the realisation that Ukraines military potential is central to European security this is the work of Trump. For the first time, Ukraine is being discussed in the language of business, investment, and economic transformation. This is the key to its survival. Zelensky did not see that Trump has positioned Ukraine not as a passive recipient of aid, but as an economic partner worthy of global interest. Today, there is a clear conflict between Zelenskys interests and those of Ukraine itself. His continued grip on power is no longer serving the national interest, and his attitude is actively harming Ukraines chances for peace as we saw in the Oval Office. It is time for him to agree to oversee democratic elections, and make way for a Government of National Unity. This unity government should include representatives from all pro-Ukrainian factions excluding pro-Russian elements, of course - ensuring true national representation. Ukraines defence must be placed in the hands of its most capable commanders, with General Zaluzhny leading military operations with the rank of supreme commander, free from political interference. The heroism of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is beyond doubt, and they need not prove to anyone their capability and loyalty. Furthermore, new limits must be established to curb the presidential offices involvement in military and business affairs, ensuring that governance is centred on the countrys survival and future rather than personal gain and self-PR. In theory, Zelensky could remain as a caretaker president in a temporary head of state capacity until new elections are held, but those elections must be announced now and take place this year. If he steps down willingly, he has the chance to preserve his legacy as a hero of Ukraine a leader who answered his nations call in its darkest hour and then did the right thing when the moment demanded it. That is the reputation he should seek to secure for history. With President Trump suspending military aid, Ukraine faces a crisis as grave as the war itself. Yet just as urgent as securing weapons is securing new leadership. Zelenskys refusal to step aside, his failure to secure long-term backing from Washington, and his miscalculation in alienating Trump have made him a liability. The best path forward is a coalition government that can engage with Trump, restore U.S. support, and negotiate from strength. There is only one way forward towards that outcome: Following a mineral-security deal, let Donald Trump and his team secure a ceasefire, create an agreement for security guarantees during this ceasefire, form a Government of National Unity from Ukraines societal leaders, hold presidential elections followed a month later by parliamentary elections (as the constitution requires) and empower a new Ukrainian government of true heroes. It should be backed by the mandate of a heroic people and could finalise peace talks with Russia and sign agreements with Europe and the United States, for Ukraines reconstruction and recovery. President Trump will deliver a peace deal that is certain. That requires discipline, strategy, and leadership that does not put personal ego before national survival. Zelensky played his role in history, but history moves forward, and it is time for Ukraine to do the same. In fact, there is a silver lining to Zelenskys truculence in the Oval Office and flight to Europe: It has woken Europe up to the reality that it must end its 70-year torpor and re-enter the global race. Putins Russia is a brutal aggressor, and an enemy of Europe, the West and democracy more broadly. We need to keep our powder dry and build up Europes defences en masse to counter the Russian threat. Alexander Temerko is a British-Ukrainian politician, businessman and member of the advisory council of the Institute of Economic Affairs Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a previous meeting with Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in June 2024. Photograph: AP Volodymyr Zelenskyy has flown to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the eve of separate, high-stakes meetings between Ukrainian and US officials at a time when Ukraine is being squeezed on and off the battlefield. Bin Salmans government has played a mediating role between Ukraine and Russia. Donald Trump has sought to force Zelenskyy to agree to a deal to end the war with Russia, and last week the US president piled on the pressure by cutting off crucial military assistance and intelligence-sharing. Russian forces emboldened after Ukraine lost support from its biggest backer have seized the moment, launching barrages of ballistic missile attacks while attempting to surround thousands of Ukrainian troops who had maintained a seven-month foothold in the Russian region of Kursk. On Tuesday, a Ukrainian delegation led by Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyys chief of staff, will meet the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and other senior White House officials the first official meeting since a disastrous Oval Office argument between Zelenskyy and Trump. The White House has framed Trumps Ukraine policy as intended to achieve a lasting peace but the president has focused primarily on pressuring Zelenskyy to hand over his countrys mineral wealth to the US. After the Oval Office crisis, Zelenskyy sought to patch up ties with the mercurial US leader. The Ukrainian president says he is willing to sign a mineral deal, even though it looks unlikely he will gain US security guarantees that Kyiv sees as vital to prevent a future Russian invasion. Zelenskyy will not attend Tuesdays talks but the Ukrainian delegation will include his foreign and defence ministers. On our side, we are fully committed to constructive dialogue, and we hope to discuss and agree on the necessary decisions and steps, Zelenskyy said in a post on X. Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively. Trump aide Steve Witkoff said Washington expected substantial progress from the talks. Asked on Fox News if he thought Zelenskyy could sign the minerals deal this week, Witkoff said: I am really hopeful. All the signs are very, very positive. Intelligence sharing will be discussed at the meetings, Witkoff added. The Ukrainian side is expected to propose a peace plan that features a halt to drone and missile strikes, as well as a suspension of military activity in the Black Sea. Zelenskyy has said the proposal would be a test of Russias commitment to ending the war. So far, however, Vladimir Putin has shown no interest in a ceasefire. Trump said on Sunday that he expected good results out of the upcoming talks and that he would consider ending the suspension of intelligence-sharing with Kyiv. Ukrainian troops remain under intense pressure. On Monday, the countrys border guard said Russian forces were attempting to create an active fighting zone in the north-eastern region of Sumy, across the border from Kursk. We have recorded that in the direction of Novenke, the enemy is still trying to create a zone of active hostilities on the territory of Ukraine, trying to gain a foothold there, border guard spokesperson Andriy Demchenko told Ukrainian national television. In Kursk, Russians were also closing in on the Ukrainian-held Russian town of Sudzha. On Sunday, Ukraines general staff said it had repelled an extraordinary attack by Russian sabotage and assault groups via a gas pipeline. About 100 Russian soldiers spent four days crawling through the nine-mile-long (15km) pipeline that leads to Sudzhas outskirts. Russias ex-president Dmitry Medevdev claimed Kyivs forces were nearly surrounded and would soon be driven out. The lid of the smoking cauldron is almost closed. The offensive continues, he posted on Telegram. Trump suggested this weekend that Ukraine may not be able to survive in the war against Russia, even with support from the US. In an interview with Fox News, while defending his decision to cut support to Ukraine, he said: Well, it may not survive anyway. Trump also said that Zelenskyy took money from the US under the Biden administration like candy from a baby. He repeated his claim that Zelenskyy was not grateful but did describe him as smart and tough. Reuters contributed to this report A teenage boy in Washington state was found dead in the Beckler River over the weekend, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office. The 15-year-old's body was found and recovered from the river around 11:30 a.m. on Saturday following an extensive search effort by the sheriff's office, the law enforcement agency said in a Facebook post. The teen wandered away from his group of peers at about 3 a.m. and never returned, the sheriff's office added. The group was camping above the snowline near the Beckler River, and the teen was reportedly intoxicated at the time of his disappearance, according to the sheriff's office. The sheriff's office said the teenager's cause and manner of death will come from the Snohomish County Medical Examiner. USA TODAY contacted the medical examiner's office on Monday but did not receive an immediate response. Beckler River Campground known for 'peaceful atmosphere' The Beckler River is about an hour and a half away from Seattle. The closest city to the river's campground is Skyomish, Washington. According to the U.S. Forest Service, the Beckler River Campground is "noted for its peaceful atmosphere." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 15-year-old camper's body found in Washington state's Beckler River He may be seeing you later, alligator. A 750-pound alligator seized by government agents from a Buffalo-area home could be headed back upstate after a judge determined the Department of Environmental Conservation wrongly denied its owners application for a dangerous animals permit. Albert a 34-year-old gator who spent his life in a lavish pen at owner Tony Cavallaros Hamburg house until the government came knocking nearly a year ago might be back home as early as April after a New York Judge ruled the DEC must issue a new ruling on Cavallaros application by mid-March, or return the beast to Cavallaro within 10 days. Owner Tony Cavallaro says he fought tooth and nail to get Albert back. AP I fought tooth and nail for this, a delighted but still determined Cavallaro told The Post. They never expected somebody to come back and fight them like I did. They thought they were going to come in and walk all over me like some pansy. Cavallaro who was fully permitted to own Albert for nearly 30 years until a state rules around dangerous animal ownership changed sued the DEC over the summer and claimed his 2020 reapplication to keep the gator was ignored until armed agents showed up at his door years later in March 2024. The agents carted the animal away to a Texas petting zoo before summarily denying the application, Cavallaro said. But after a December hearing, an Erie County court determined the DEC was in error for considering the application denied because it failed to adequately respond to it for three years, after which time it was reasonable for Cavallaro to believe it had been accepted. The judge ruled Cavallaros original permit open again, and told the DEC around Feb. 14 it had 30 days to respond or else the application would be considered accepted and Albert would come home. Theres no guarantee, but it looks good, Cavallaro said of the chances hell soon be seeing the gator, who hes often described as a lovable beast full of personality and affection. Albert in the elaborate enclosure where hes lived for years in Tony Cavallaros home outside of Buffalo, New York Tony Cavallaro via AP Though the DEC technically could simply deny the permit, the judge ruled it needed to first offer Cavallaro a reasonable opportunity to make renovations to enhance the public safety features on Alberts pen. Such changes to the pen a more than $140,000 enclosure complete with a pond, extensive water filtration, specialized windows, lighting and heating systems could be as simple as adding a double door system for added public safety and new fencing. I just want him to have a nice life again, Cavallaro said, explaining he was more than happy to make additions to Alberts enclosure and that all he cared about was the health of his gentle giant. I cant even imagine whats going through his head. They dont think animals have any feelings or nothing, and thats the farthest from the truth, he added. The DEC told The Post it was reviewing the courts ruling. Albert was seized by the DEC in March, 2024, after the agency took years to respond to Cavallaros permit reapplication AP Cavallaro first bought Albert as a hatchling around 1995 to be part of an exposition of reptiles and animals he owned. Over the years hes gotten out of the business, but Albert has remained by his side all the while. The battle to bring Albert home galvanized the local community, many of whom were familiar with the exotic beast living nearby for nearly three decades a community Cavallaro said were instrumental in pulling him through the traumatizing ordeal. The DEC didnt know the following I already had, the people that had already met me and knew Albert and how well I took care of him, Tony said. He was loved by everyone. They never expected that. A United States Border Patrol agent pleaded guilty in federal court to having told multiple women to expose their breasts during interviews to gain admission to the country. Shane Millan, 53, was charged in August 2024 with four misdemeanor counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, according to court records reviewed by USA TODAY. According to court records, Millan pleaded guilty to two of the charges on Friday at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York. Millan admitted that he told multiple women to show him their breasts under the guise of a legitimate search during virtual processing calls before allowing them access to the country, court documents show. His sentencing is scheduled for July 7 and Millan faces up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $200,000. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection declined to comment, saying, "As a matter of policy, CBP doesnt comment on former employees, nor criminal cases that are ongoing." A string of abuse According to court documents, Millans first incident occurred around Aug. 10, 2023. Prosecutors said Millan told a woman he was interviewing to expose herself to him over webcam, purportedly as part of a legitimate search of her person incident to her admission into the United States. But prosecutors said the search was done purely for his satisfaction. Prosecutors then said Millan used the same tactic with three other women on Aug. 25, 2023. The U.S. Border Patrol logo is seen on an officer uniform at Port Everglades, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. February 17, 2022. Court records also say Millan used his government computer to look for phrases in Spanish that he could use for his actions, some of which include: I will also need you to lift your bra, please Your file says you have tattoos across your chest To verify, I will need you to lift your shirt, please I will indeed you to lift your shirt and bra also, please Can you lift it higher please Millans attorney was not immediately available to comment on the guilty plea. Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Border Patrol agent admits telling women to show breasts to enter US Government shutdown Republicans are scrambling to pull off a feat theyve been unable to do since retaking the House in 2023 avert a government shutdown without leaning on Democratic support. On Saturday, House GOP leadership unveiled a short-term funding bill to avert yet another looming shutdown at midnight Friday and keep the lights on through September. But there are a few Republican holdouts who could potentially derail the plan. There are still a few folks who dont like it, said Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) to Fox & Friends on Sunday. Democrats desperately want to turn the lights off to stop Elon and DOGE because they know the American people are now getting a glimpse under the hood. In the past, Roy had been one of the frequent hardliners who would buck GOP leadership on short-term government funding patches, also known as continuing resolutions, or CRs. The untenuous situation had forced the GOP leadership to repeatedly have to sway enough Dems to its side to get the stop-gap measures passed in the past two years. But this time, Roy is onboard amid fears that the Democrats will attempt to leverage GOP infighting to extract significant concessions. Rep. Chip Roy (left) has warned that if House Republicans fail to coalesce around the latest proposed spending bill, than Democrats will have significant leverage. Getty Images Republicans currently have 218 House seats to the Democrats 214, meaning the GOPers can only afford to lose one vote if all lawmakers are present. If they lose two votes to the Dems, it would be a tie without an outcome. President Trump has thrown his full weight behind the GOP plan to avert a shutdown. So far, its not clear how many holdouts there are. Thus far, the most vocal critic to the proposal is Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), a hardline fiscal hawk who struts around the Capitol with a US national debt clock on his lapel. But many other traditional hardliners seem surprisingly amenable to the plan. Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.), for instance, has signaled support. A source previously told The Post that Spartz was the last major holdout during the difficult vote on the Trump agenda package blueprint last month. Massie was the sole vote opposed to the blueprint, and one more Republican vote against wouldve tanked it. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) has been the most vocal critic of the resolution. Getty Images Keen on averting a situation where GOP leadership is forced to make significant concessions to Democrats to forestall a shutdown, hardliners have been coming around. Helping hardliners is the 99-page CR, mostly keeping government spending largely static. A GOP leadership aide told reporters that non-defense discretionary spending levels will dip $13 billion below the prior year under the plan. Defense spending also gets a $6 billion boost and Immigration and Customs Enforcement receives close to a $10 billion boost relative to fiscal year 2024 under the plan. GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled a plan Saturday to avert a government shutdown. Getty Images Now we have the chance to freeze spending at current levels. No omnibus, no great big bloated bill, Roy said. Its a new world, a new dynamic, and I think we can work with the president to do this while Democrats want to shut down. Leadership has argued that the CR is needed to give Congress and the Trump administration time to codify the DOGE cuts during the fiscal year 2026 appropriations process, which has a deadline of Oct. 1. The goal here is to start spending less money, another senior Republican aide told reporters. Every new fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1, Congress is tasked with funding the federal government through 12 appropriations bills, usually staked into an omnibus bill. This year, Congress has neglected to pass the 12 bills and instead relied on CRs, which effectively put government funding on autopilot. Should this latest CR pass, the Congress will have gone a full year without funding the government in the traditional way. Democrats had most recently helped Republicans fund a CR in December during a turbulent process. They were peeved by the GOP withdrawing a prior deal amid pressure from tech baron Elon Musk, but ultimaltey the two sides came to an agreement on a watered-down CR. President Trump wants Republicans to pass the resolution. REUTERS 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 Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) told colleagues in a letter last week. That is not acceptable. The first step in advancing the CR will be in the House Rules Committee on Monday, a GOP aide said. After Congress addresses the government shutdown issue, Republicans will resume focus on crafting Trumps marquee legislative agenda package to slash taxes, beef up border security, rev up energy supplies and bolster national defense. That endeavor is expected to dovetail with additional belt-tighening measures in the federal budget. Congress will also have to grapple with the debt ceiling, which is projected to become an issue in June. Additional reporting by Josh Christenson This is a previous version of our forecast for a severe thunderstorm outbreak March 14-16, 2025. To see the latest updates, go to this link. Chris Dolce has been a senior digital meteorologist with weather.com for nearly 15 years after beginning his career with The Weather Channel in the early 2000s. New York taxpayers have coughed up a whopping $60 million in legal fees stemming from the scandals that ensnared Andrew Cuomos administration, according to a bombshell new state report that comes as the former governor seeks to become mayor. The updated tally from State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli sparked outrage from critics, who said it proved Cuomo the leader in the Democratic mayoral primary race, per recent polls wasnt fit to return to office. If Cuomo is willing to use taxpayer dollars to attack government employees that he sexually harassed, what else is he willing to use taxpayer dollars for? said Erica Vladimer, co-founder of the Sexual Harassment Working Group established by former legislative staffers. He hasnt taken responsibility and doesnt deserve to be in office. The massive sum revealed by the comptrollers report includes around $18 million to defend Cuomo against lawsuits filed by former aides and state employees accusing him of sexual harassment. Cuomo has denied the harrassment allegations. Michael Nigro Taxpayers have so far spent $8.6 million to defend a still-pending harassment suit brought against him by a state trooper, and paid $9 million defending Cuomo from a suit brought by former aide Charlotte Bennett, who decided in December to drop the litigation. DiNapolis findings include another $11.7 million spent toward state probes including into Cuomos handling of the COVID pandemic and his infamous $5 million pandemic book deal and impeachment proceedings launched against the then-governor. The $29.7 million total in direct legal bills from Cuomo and his close associates that as of Friday taxpayers have been saddled with has grown by $4.2 million or roughly $840,000 per month since September. Taxpayers are on the hook for bills directly tied to Cuomos legal defense because he was successfully able to argue that the state should pay his legal costs since he was governor at the time of the allegations. The figures from the state comptroller also count $31.3 million in legal fees for state government agencies. That includes funds not directly related to Cuomos legal defense, like the $6.6 million paid by Attorney General Letitia James office to white-shoe law firm Clearly Gottlieb to work on the sexual harassment probe into the then governor. A DOJ watchdog report found that the Trump Administrations probe into Cuomos handling of nursing home deaths had political motivations. Ron Sachs CNP for NY Post One of Cuomos mayoral rivals, City Comptroller Brad Lander, seized on the new numbers in a speech Monday, calling on the ex-gov to pay New Yorkers back and to vow not to use another cent of taxpayer cash toward legal bills. He should make a commitment that he will raise the money to refund New York state taxpayers for the $60 million in legal expenses that he has already forced us to expend, Lander told reporters. And look, if he refuses either to answer the question or refuses to stop spending and refunding the money, he is sending a very clear message to every single taxpayer in New York City that he is going to put himself first and you second, the comptroller added. Lander said Cuomo should be spending his own cash or campaign funds raised specifically for that purpose to cover his personal legal defense. Cuomo is now running for New York City mayor. Stefan Jeremiah This is money that he went into court to force taxpayers to spend for him, and what that gives him is an untapped spigot, a limitless amount to spend, not just on his own defense, but going after his accusers, Lander told reporters. Lets be clear about this, Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed 13 women, and now hes legally harassing them, and hes making taxpayers accessory to his harassment and bullying. Cuomo has repeatedly denied the harassment allegations, and sought to cast them as politically motivated, but nonetheless resigned as governor in disgrace in August 2021. His rep called the $60 million figure the inflated result of creative accounting. Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi argued much of the legal fees referenced in the state comptrollers report were the result of James office opting not to rep them itself forcing the state to hire outside law firms. Brad Lander should be more concerned about his ethical lapses stemming from his anti-Israel pension fund divestment strategy than about legal fees stemming from the AGs multiple recusals, Azzopardi told The Post. He also noted that a Justice Department watchdog found in January that officials during the first Trump administration privately bragged about using their probe into whether Cuomo undercounted nursing home deaths during COVID to hurt the three-term Democrat politically, and help Trump, before the 2020 election. [T]o be clear not a single case ended up getting brought forward, no crimes ultimately were alleged, and the civil suits were either dismissed, dropped or are dying on the vine, Azzopardi said. Other Democratic primary opponents, including socialist state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdami and former city comptroller Scott Stringer, also called Cuomo out over the new numbers, with the latter saying that Even after resigning when he was about to get the boot, New Yorkers are still footing the bill for his personal interests. Vladimer shared a letter she sent to DiNapoli on Feb. 11 calling on him to suspend payments to Cuomos legal team. John Kaehny, executive director of the government accountability non-profit group Reinvent Albany, also called on the state comptroller and AG to act. Its total insanity resulting from the shameless exploitation of a reasonable law by Cuomo and the Comptroller and Attorney General not doing all in their power to stand-up for taxpayers and common sense, he told The Post. Additional reporting by Reuven Fenton, Craig McCarthy, Carl Campanile and Vaughn Golden Hundreds of demonstrators rallied in New York City on Monday to demand the release of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate arrested by federal immigration agents a detainment that President Donald Trump said was the "first arrest of many to come." Khalil, who helped organize the school's pro-Palestinian rallies, was hauled away from his university-owned apartment Saturday night by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents after he was told his student visa was being revoked, his attorney said in a statement. Attorney Amy Greer added that ICE was informed that Khalil is a permanent resident with a green card but "detained him anyway." A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said Khalil was arrested in coordination with ICE and the State Department in support of President Trumps executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism because he led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. People protest the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil in New York City, on Monday. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a post Sunday on X that the administration would be revoking the visas and green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported. President Donald Trump said Khalil's arrest was the first of many to come. "We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it," he said on Truth Social. "Many are not students, they are paid agitators. We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country never to return again." Trump and his administration did not provide evidence of those allegations against Khalil or any other protesters. The Peoples Forum organized the rally at Federal Plaza in Manhattan on Monday afternoon and has demanded that Khalil be released immediately "Hands off our students! ICE off our campuses!" the group posted on X. Monday afternoon protesters filled the commons and quickly amassed into the hundreds, some carrying "Release Mahmoud Khalil" signs as an American Civil Liberties Union protest monitor watched. New York Police Department officers were quick to line the plaza, establishing boundaries for the event, but no arrests were seen as the first hour passed. Susan, 71, from Brooklyn, declined to give her last name. She said she participated in a previous protest and now decries Khalils arrest as a ridiculous crackdown on freedom of speech. Among the protesters were students from area City of New York University campuses, who gathered in front of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Protesters joined in unison to chant free, free Palestine, ICE off our campus now, Release Mahmoud Khalil now, and, From the river to the sea Palestine will be free. Speaking from the stage, Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York ACLU, demanded that Khalil be released immediately, calling his arrest "a gross violation of his constitutional rights." Khalil was described by speakers on stage as a political prisoner who helped negotiate the conclusion of pro-Palestinian rallies, including a campus encampment, at Columbia. Similar protests took place at more than 40 campuses nationwide last spring A march followed remarks by speakers. The nonprofit organization Action Network launched a petition that said more than 900,000 letters had been sent calling for Khalil's release. Greer said her office filed a petition challenging the validity of his detention and does not know where he is being held. It was initially believed that agents took Khalil to a facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey, but his wife was told he was not there when she tried to visit. His wife is a U.S. citizen and eight months pregnant. The Department of Homeland Security website states Khalil is being held at an immigration detention facility in Jena, Louisiana. "We will vigorously be pursuing Mahmouds rights in court, and will continue our efforts to right this terrible and inexcusable and calculated wrong committed against him," she said. Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, said the arrest was a "blatantly unconstitutional act." "America is supposed to be a country of laws, but this act by the DHS challenges that very concept," Awawdeh said in a statement. "DHS must immediately release Khalil, and our local elected officials must intervene in this unlawful and politically motivated detention of a New Yorker." The New York ACLU said Khalil's detainment was an "extreme attack on his First Amendment rights." "Ripping a student from their home, challenging their immigration status, and detaining them solely based on political viewpoint will chill student speech and advocacy across campus," a statement read. "Political speech should never be a basis for punishment, or lead to deportation." The Council on AmericanIslamic Relations (CAIR) said the decision to arrest him was "lawless." Maryam Alwan, a 22-year-old Columbia student involved in the pro-Palestinian movement on campus, told NBC News she has felt intense anxiety since Khalils arrest. I didnt sleep all night, she said Monday. It doesnt really feel real. Alwan was born and raised in Virginia, but I would not be surprised if American citizens were the next targets, she said. She expressed anger over Columbias apparent public silence on the detention of Khalil in another state. I cant believe that hes all the way in Louisiana, the Palestinian-American comparative literature major said. Alwan was arrested and suspended in April after the university called police officers to clear a sprawling tent encampment. Then, in early January, she was notified that she was being investigated by the universitys Office of Institutional Equity. The email accused her of having been involved in writing an unsigned op-ed, published in the student newspaper on Oct. 19, calling for divestment from Israel. The investigators said the op-ed in the Columbia Spectator may have subjected other students to unwelcome conduct based on their religion, national origin or military service, among other allegations. Columbia's Office of Institutional Equity did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Columbia said Sunday in a statement that law enforcement must have a judicial warrant to enter nonpublic university areas, including campus buildings. "Columbia is committed to complying with all legal obligations and supporting our student body and campus community," the university said. The Columbia and Barnard chapters of the American Association of University Professors and community leaders will hold a news conference 5 p.m. ET Monday to condemn Kahlil's arrest. Recently, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.B), the $1.1 trillion holding company with a diverse portfolio of businesses and stocks, released its annual report, revealing a record $334 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and U.S. Treasury bills. One way Warren Buffett, CEO and chairperson for Berkshire, could deploy some of that cash is through merger arbitrage, a short-term approach that involves buying stocks of companies trading below their acquisition price. Verizon's (NYSE: VZ) pending $20 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications Parent (NASDAQ: FYBR) has created one such opportunity. So, let's explore why Buffett, a famously long-term investor, favors this tactic and whether Frontier stock is worth considering. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Learn More A brief history of Berkshire Hathaway's recent merger arbitrage plays Despite his reputation as a long-term investor, Buffett has engaged in merger arbitrages for more than 30 years, including three notable ones within the past decade. In 2017 and 2018, Berkshire steadily purchased shares of Monsanto Co. after Bayer AG announced its plan to acquire the company. Then, in 2018 and 2019, Buffett made another merger arbitrage play following IBM's announcement that it would acquire Red Hat for $190 per share. Most recently, he added to Berkshire's Activision Blizzard position in 2022 after Microsoft revealed its intention to acquire the gaming company. Notably, in all three cases, the acquiring company paid all cash for the acquired company, and all deals were successful. At a recent Berkshire annual meeting, Buffett pointed out that these well-established companies generated an outsized "spread" -- the difference between the stock's trading and buyout prices -- due to regulatory risks. However, there was never a concern that the acquiring company would be unable to afford the deal in cash. For Verizon, which has $143 billion in net debt, the focus in an all-cash merger arbitrage should be less on its debt level and more on whether the acquiring company can come up with the money. With a market capitalization of $180 billion and $12 billion in unused revolving credit, Verizon should have no difficulty securing the necessary cash. Warren Buffett talks to media. Image source: The Motley Fool. A new arbitrage opportunity Let's dig into the fine print of this merger arbitrage. In September 2024, Verizon announced its intention to acquire Frontier in an all-cash deal at the aforementioned price tag of approximately $20 billion, which equates to $38.50 per share. Notably, the management teams believed the deal would take approximately 18 months to clear approval by Frontier shareholders and regulators. As of this writing, Frontier stock trades at $36 per share, creating a spread of 6.9%. As for whether Berkshire might participate in the merger arbitrage, Buffett listed his preferred criteria in his 1988 annual shareholder letter: "To evaluate arbitrage situations, you must answer four questions: (1) How likely is it that the promised event will indeed occur? (2) How long will your money be tied up? (3) What chance is there that something still better will transpire -- a competing takeover bid, for example? and (4) What will happen if the event does not take place because of antitrust action, financing glitches, etc.?" First, the deal cleared the initial hurdle, with Frontier shareholders approving the takeover in November. Since then, it's been quiet on the regulatory front, but the deal will need approval from state regulators in the 24 states Frontier operates, as well as Washington, D.C., and national agencies. Verizon management believes the merger will benefit customers. CEO Hans Vestberg previously stated, "We are very confident that this will go through, but we will expect the process will be thorough." Second, based on the original timeline, there are approximately 12 months to go, and a 6.9% return is currently better than current returns of Treasury bills (4% to 4.3%). It is important to note that if the deal goes through, it will trigger a tax event for investors, and if it takes longer than 12 months, it will be at a more favorable rate than if it's less than 12 months. Third, a competing takeover bid appears unlikely, considering Frontier shareholders have already approved the Verizon deal. Finally, if the deal doesn't go through because of regulatory concerns, Frontier's stock price may fall. However, Verizon will likely be required to pay a $590 million breakup fee to Frontier. Is Frontier Communications a worthy merger arbitrage play? To sum up Buffett's thoughts on merger arbitrage, in his 1989 annual shareholder letter, he wrote, "We will engage in arbitrage from time to time -- sometimes on a large scale -- but only when we like the odds." In this particular case, Frontier might just check all of Buffett's boxes. Frontier may very well meet Buffett's criteria. Outsiders will have a clearer picture when Berkshire Hathaway releases its next few 13F filings -- a quarterly report that discloses a holding company's stock positions -- to reveal Buffett's official position. As for individual investors, Frontier stock offers stability with a little bit of upside in an otherwise turbulent market. For those adverse to risk or otherwise bearish on the market in the short term, Frontier is a stock and merger arbitrage worth buying. Dont miss this second chance at a potentially lucrative opportunity Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then youll want to hear this. On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a Double Down stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If youre worried youve already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before its too late. And the numbers speak for themselves: Nvidia: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2009, youd have $292,207 !* Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, youd have $45,326 !* Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, youd have $480,568!* Right now, were issuing Double Down alerts for three incredible companies, and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon. Continue *Stock Advisor returns as of March 3, 2025 Collin Brantmeyer has positions in Berkshire Hathaway and Microsoft. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Berkshire Hathaway, International Business Machines, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool recommends Verizon Communications and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Key takeaways International tourist taxes and entry fees have increased across major destinations New digital payment verification requirements are taking effect in Europe. Dollar strength is likely to keep influencing exchange strategies through 2025. Real ID implementation is affecting financial access at international terminals. Getting your money abroad is getting more complex in 2025 as countries implement new financial regulations and tourist entry requirements. Major changes to currency controls, tourist taxes and digital payment systems mean travelers need to plan differently for accessing and exchanging money overseas. The story isnt just about exchange rates anymore. Countries are overhauling how visitors access local banking services, verify their identity for transactions and pay tourist fees. From the U.K.s new entry authorization system to expanded biometric requirements for financial transactions in the EU, these shifts affect everything from ATM withdrawals to credit card payments. New entry requirements affect banking access The U.K. leads significant changes in how travelers access financial services abroad. Starting Jan. 8, 2025, visitors from the U.S. must obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before entry. This authorization, which costs 10 pounds ($13), doesnt just affect your ability to enter the country its also linked to your ability to use local banking services and ATMs. Europe follows with similar requirements through its European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS),launching around May 2025. The 7-euro ($7.25) authorization introduces new verification steps for financial transactions, particularly at ATMs and bank branches throughout the Schengen Area. Tourist taxes reshape travel budgets Beyond entry fees, new tourist taxes affect how much cash travelers need on hand. Greeces daily tourist tax doubles to 8 euros ($8.40) during peak season, while islands like Santorini implement special 20-euro fees for cruise passengers. Venices visitor tax returns for 54 specific days between April and July, requiring advance payment and registration. Spains regions introduce varying fees: Galicia implements taxes between 1 and 2.50 euros daily. Tenerife adds charges for accessing natural areas. Alicante increases entry fees for cultural sites. Seville introduces new plaza access charges. Dollar outlook shapes exchange strategy The U.S. dollar looks to stay on top of global currency markets in 2025, with exchange rates favoring American travelers across most destinations. While this means more spending power abroad, youll still need to strategically time your exchanges. Banks regularly beat airport exchange rates by 5 to 10 percent meaning an extra $50$100 in your pocket when exchanging $1,000. Bank exchange desks operate differently in 2025. Major U.S. banks now often require advance notice for large currency exchanges, typically two to three business days. While this extra planning step might seem inconvenient, it often means securing better rates than walking in for same-day service. Digital verification changes banking access Starting May 7, 2025, youll need a Real ID to access currency exchange services at U.S. airports. Look for a star in the upper corner of your license without it, you might face issues not just at security but also at airport bank branches and exchange counters. The biometric screening youre used to at TSA now extends to financial services. Delta and United already use facial recognition for lounge access and purchases, with American Airlines rolling out similar features. If youre enrolling in TSA PreCheck or Global Entry early in 2025, your biometric data will automatically link to these payment systems. Cross-border transaction requirements Europes new Entry/Exit System means your first ATM withdrawal might take longer than expected. Instead of just inserting your card and PIN, youll need to complete biometric verification at your first European bank visit. The upside? Once verified, subsequent transactions become nearly instant. Chinas expanded visa-free program for 24 provinces sounds great but comes with banking restrictions. Youll need proof of onward travel before accessing most ATMs or bank services, and some regions limit daily withdrawal amounts for short-term visitors. Hidden costs and fees to watch for Tourist taxes hit your wallet differently in 2025. Venice charges 5 euros if you book your visit four days ahead, jumping to 10 euros for last-minute arrivals. In Greece, island hopping gets pricier with Santorini and Mykonos adding a 20-euro cruise passenger fee during high season. Spains regions roll out various new charges: Asturias lets individual towns set tourist taxes check local rates before booking. Galicia caps tourist fees at five days, making longer stays more economical. Tenerife adds separate charges for national parks and beaches. Alicante increases museum and castle entry fees. Bank ATM partnerships keep shifting too. While some U.S. banks still reimburse international ATM fees, theyre getting pickier about which foreign banks qualify. Charles Schwab maintains its popular global ATM fee rebate program, but others now cap monthly reimbursements. Digital payment evolution If youre headed abroad in 2025, expect your payment options to look different than even a year ago. Major airports now use facial recognition for everything from checking bags to buying coffee. Delta and United already use this tech for payments at their lounges and shops, with American Airlines joining the rollout early in the year. Navigating digital payments abroad Before you lock in those 2025 travel plans, take a few practical steps to avoid financial headaches. Start by exchanging money through your bank before departure youll beat airport rates by 5-10 percent. For destinations with new tourist taxes like Venice or Greeces islands, pre-pay these fees online when possible. Not only do you often get better rates, but some cities like Venice charge double for last-minute payments. Forget puzzling over bills in foreign languages more European shops now display prices in multiple currencies on digital screens at checkout. Although this can be convenient, this usually involves dynamic currency conversion. Stick with paying in local currency for the best rates. The tech youll encounter varies widely. Londons Heathrow and Frankfurts terminals now use fully automated currency exchange kiosks with biometric verification, while smaller airports still rely on traditional exchange counters. If youre connecting through major hubs, youll typically find better rates at these automated services. Smart strategies for 2025 travel Planning a multi-country European trip? The new ETIAS system affects more than just entry it impacts how much cash you can withdraw and where you can exchange money. Apply at least three weeks before departure to ensure your banking access is sorted. Tourist taxes now hit your wallet in new ways: Venice requires pre-registration and payment through its app. Greeces island fees must be paid separately from hotel bills. Spains regional taxes often cant be bundled with tour packages. Portugals new trail fees require a digital payment system. Smart travelers are front-loading more currency exchanges before departure. While carrying large amounts of cash isnt ideal, having enough local currency for your first few days helps avoid emergency exchanges at airport rates. Consider exchanging about $300$500 worth of local currency before departure enough to cover transportation and initial expenses without carrying too much cash. Next steps Navigating money abroad in 2025 means dealing with more than just exchange rates. From Europes new entry requirements to expanding tourist taxes, the way you access and spend money while traveling will undoubtedly change and evolve. While some changes add complexity, planning ahead can help you avoid most financial headaches. Start by checking entry requirements these increasingly affect your banking access abroad. Get your Real ID sorted, apply for necessary travel authorizations like ETIAS or UKs ETA, and verify your cards will work with new verification systems. Consider exchanging some money before departure to avoid airport rates, but dont overdo it. A few hundred dollars worth of local currency typically suffices for initial expenses. Frequently asked questions National Park Service sign on wall with snow iStock.com/Mike Lewis Theres something truly marvelous about visiting a national park. Its a connection to something much larger than ourselves, a reminder of the raw beauty and enduring history that has shaped our nation. But can you imagine the United States without its towering sequoias no mist-shrouded canyons, no vast, untamed wilderness? Its almost unthinkable, but the breathtaking landscapes we treasure as our national parks today werent always guaranteed. They are the products of foresight, dedication, and a deep-seated belief in preserving and sharing the rich natural world with future generations. The Birth of Americas National Parks Yellowstone National Park covers more than 2.2 million acres of natural wilderness with tons of wildlife and iconic geothermic activity. Framalicious/Shutterstock.com The origins of todays national parks stem back to the 19th century. During that time, the Western world saw the Industrial Revolution giving way to the ideals of Romanticism and Transcendentalism. As cities became more cramped, many people craved to reconnect with nature, and the vast wilderness of the United States offered the perfect antidote. Writers like John Muir and Raph Waldo Emerson described the natural world in almost spiritual terms, igniting a growing appreciation of Americas landscapes. Recognized as both beautiful and a vital part of the nations cultural heritage, the people saw a need to protect these lands for future generations. The United States government embraced this vision, with President Lincoln signing the Yosemite Valley Grant Act in 1864. This groundbreaking decision marked the first time the U.S. government formally set aside a wild area for preservation and public enjoyment. Essentially, this designated land was set apart, protected from exploitation, and couldnt be broken up or sold. It laid the groundwork for Yosemite National Park (established in 1890) and the future National Park Service. Soon after President Lincoln signed the Yosemite Valley Grant Act, the first national park was officially established: Yellowstone National Park. Declared by the U.S. Congress with the Act of March 1, 1872, the government set aside portions of the Montana and Wyoming territories for the benefit and enjoyment of the people. Shaping the Future of National Parks Devils Tower National Monument is an 867-foot natural igneous rock structure, formed 60 million years ago. iStock.com/Patrick Jennings President Theodore Roosevelt, an avid outdoorsman, used his time in office to further the protection of Americas wilderness areas. Now famously known as the conservation president, Roosevelt signed the Antiquities Act of 1906. This empowered the president to designate structures, landmarks, and other objects of historic or scientific interest as national monuments. In September 1906, President Roosevelt made history by proclaiming Devils Tower in Wyoming as the first U.S. National Monument. Throughout his presidency, Roosevelt continued to champion conservation, adding numerous national monuments and parks to the list. Building on this momentum, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Organic Act in 1916, which created the National Park Service. This dedicated federal agency oversees all national monuments, parks, and reservations. Its dual mission is difficult but important: to protect and safeguard these treasured lands while simultaneously ensuring public access so that Americans can experience and appreciate their natural heritage. The Vital Role of National Parks in America Bryce Canyon is home to an incredible accumulation of hoodoos, plateaus, and natural amphitheaters. silky/Shutterstock.com Today, the legacy of those early conservation efforts continues in over 60 national parks across the United States and its territories, in addition to a network of over 400 national park sites. More than 300 million people visit U.S. national parks each year. Visitors immerse themselves in stunning landscapes, unique biodiversity, recreational activities, and rich cultural heritage. For many Americans, visits to national parks provide some of their most cherished memories. But over the past 100 years, the role of the National Parks Service has evolved beyond just conservation and recreation. Today, these parks serve as living laboratories for scientific research, climate monitoring, and wildlife conservation efforts. Many parks also work with Indigenous communities to help preserve sacred sites and honor deep cultural connections to the land. National parks are very special, acting as guardians of the nations historical, cultural, and natural treasures for everyone both now and long into the future. These federally protected areas are more than just beautiful landscapes; theyre vital for preserving cultural history, recreational opportunities, biodiversity, and environmental health. Within each park lies a world unto itself with unique ecosystems that must be protected. Just think of Hawaiis volcanic terrain, Alaskas rugged wilderness, Floridas Everglades, and Arizonas silent petrified forest. These natural wonders remind us of the beauty, diversity, and invaluable national heritage we must cherish and protect. The post The History of the National Park Service appeared first on A-Z Animals. A hole in the roof of the Hills Carding Mill at Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site in Petersburg, Illinois March 10, 2025 Greg Bishop | The Center Square (The Center Square) In just the past few months, the deterioration of Lincoln's New Salem in Petersburg, Illinois, has gotten worse. Advocates are demanding state taxpayer funds for much needed repairs. A tour of the Rutledge Camron Saw and Grist Mill in Petersburg Monday showed continued deterioration. New Salem Lincoln League Board President Gina Gillmore-Wolter said the facility and the pedestrian overpass bridge are beyond disrepair. There are boards missing that have fallen down on the highway below it, she said. Some of the steel girders dont even touch the concrete pads that support it. Theyve shoved 2X4 shims in there that are rotting and falling out. Roof overhangs of the Trent Brothers building have completely collapsed. Another historic structure, the Hills Carding Mill has part of the roof missing. The deterioration has gotten worse since December. But, someone is taking note. Gilmore-Wolter said debris from the carding was cleaned up over the weekend. State Sen. Steve McClure is amending his bills to increase the amount of taxpayer funds from $5 million to $19 million. He's unsure how that figure was calculated and thats why hes also aiming to create a commission for the site. It goes to the issue that we have when were trying to figure out how much money to put into capital bills, we dont know the exact amount at this moment and thats why the commission is so important, McClure said. One thing that could increase the price is the intricate craftsmanship legislators said will be needed. Either spend less money now or spend much more money later, McClure said. And by the way if we wait until later, its going to continue to embarrass our state when tourists come here from all over the world to see these sites. Legislators said its hard to tell if the site will get the funding they say is needed while balancing the capital spending elsewhere through the state with tight state finances. Palestinians spend their time under hard conditions during the holy month of Ramadan at an institution for the disabled, after their house is destroyed during an Israeli attack. - Mahmoud Abu Hamda/Anadolu via Getty Images Israel says it has cut the flow of electricity to the last facility in Gaza that was still receiving power from the Israel Electric Corporation. I just signed an order for the immediate halt of electricity to the Gaza Strip, Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen said in a statement, adding that the country would operate all of the tools that are at our disposal, to ensure the return of all the hostages. Israel cut off electricity supplies to Gaza following the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, in which more than 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage, but the Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) had since reconnected power to a wastewater treatment facility following a government directive. A spokesperson for the IEC confirmed to CNN that, Today, a directive was received to disconnect the (electricity) to the facility, and this was done. Israels decision will intensify the enclaves existing water crisis, with the cutoff severely impacting desalination efforts, local officials said. There is already water scarcity, and the position of the Israeli government will intensify this crisis in Gaza Strip, the mayor of Gaza municipality Asem Al Nabih told CNN Monday. Cutting off the electricity (to) Gaza will increase the need for water, especially drinking water. The last working desalination plant in Gaza had already been relying mostly on diesel generators or solar panels for power before Israel announced it was cutting the remaining power supply to Gaza, but the decision will still have a severe impact on desalination efforts in the enclave, according to the mayor of the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah, Nizar Ayyash. In addition to our severed supply line, there will be a 70% reduction in the amount of desalinated water suitable for drinking in the central region and the south, Ayyash explained. But Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem suggested the move would have little practical effect given the earlier cutoffs. However, he criticized it as behavior that confirms the occupations intent to continue its genocidal war against Gaza, through the use of starvation policies, in clear disregard for all international laws and norms. Since Israel launched its war on Hamas in Gaza in response to the October 7 attacks, Gazans have relied largely on generators and solar power for electricity. Far-right Israeli politician Itamar Ben Gvir welcomed the energy ministrys latest move, and urged the government to go even further, by targeting the fuel that had entered the enclave following the ceasefire and hostages deal agreed between Israel and Hamas. The Gaza Strip must be completely and immediately blacked out as long as even one Israeli hostage is being held there, he said. Israel must bomb the huge fuel depots that entered the Strip as part of the unfortunate deal, as well as the generators operated by Hamas. The news comes even as talks over the fragile ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas take place. Last week, Israel announced it would stop the entry of all humanitarian aid into the enclave to pressure Hamas into accepting new terms for an extension of the ceasefire agreement after the initial phase of the truce expired. Israel wants to extend the first phase of the deal to continue the exchange of hostages, alive and deceased, in return for the continued release of Palestinian prisoners and the flow of higher volumes of aid into Gaza but without any commitment to permanently ending the war. Hamas has insisted on moving forward with the second phase of the ceasefire deal, which involves negotiations for a permanent end to the war in Gaza. A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Friday to discuss the ceasefire deal and to push for a potential second phase of the agreement, while Israel said Saturday it had accepted an invitation from US-backed mediators to send an Israeli delegation to Doha on Monday, in an effort to advance the negotiations. An Israeli source told CNN that Israel was giving negotiations a chance before it returns to fighting in Gaza. US President Donald Trumps special envoy for hostages Adam Boehler expressed optimism Sunday about a potential truce between Israel and Hamas following direct talks with the militant group this week. I think something could come together within weeks. I will say that I believe there is enough there to make a deal between what Hamas wants and what theyve accepted and what Israel wants and its accepted. And I think there is a deal where they can get all of the prisoners out, not just the Americans, Boehler told CNNs Jake Tapper on State of the Union. Fifty-nine hostages are thought to remain in Gaza, more than half of whom are thought to be dead, according to the Israeli Prime Ministers Office. Five of the 59 are American Israelis, only one of whom Edan Alexander is still alive. On Sunday, senior Hamas official Taher Al Nunu was quoted by Al Aqsa TV a channel affiliated to the militant group as saying that it did not oppose releasing Alexander as part of negotiations to end the war. Hamas had related that message to US officials during recent talks focused on implementing an interim agreement aimed at ending the war, Al Nunu said. Betsy Klein contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Illustration by Ariana Torrey Lisa Nunez-Najera saw the business card tucked near the screen door of her Kansas home. She grabbed it and read the name. It was from a lieutenant with the sex crimes unit of the Wichita Police Department. Questions flooded her mind, a new one before she could process the last. Was she in trouble? Had something terrible happened to a family member? Or maybe they were calling about one of the sexual assaults she had reported over the years. But why now? Nunez-Najera was wary of the police, from too many times when she had called for help and felt, instead, judged. Yet she picked up the phone. The lieutenant said he wanted to speak with her about a rape she had reported in 2006. For a split second, she had to search to find the memory. When she did, she struggled to breathe. It had been 12 years. The agency had just now processed her sexual assault evidence kit, the lieutenant explained. They had found a mans DNA. Nunez-Najera was confused. She thought the kit had been tested years ago. Lisa Nunez Najera, a rape survivor whose kit was tested by the Wichita Police Department, enjoys the relative quiet of a car wash on April 5, 2024 in Wichita, Kansas. A rape kit backlog Kansas discovered its rape kit backlog almost by accident. At a conference in 2014, Kansas Bureau of Investigation Director Kirk Thompson heard about stockpiles of untested sexual assault evidence kits discovered in several major U.S. cities. Thompson thought Kansas police officials had been routinely sending their rape kits for testing. But he asked a staffer at the agency to run a basic analysis comparing the number of reported rapes in the state to the number of sexual assault kits submitted for testing. There was a gap a big one. A statewide inventory later uncovered 2,200 untested kits at 86 Kansas law enforcement agencies. The oldest had sat since 1994. In 2015, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation received a $2 million grant through the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, a U.S. Department of Justice program that has since provided nearly $350 million to state and local agencies across the country to test rape evidence, reinvestigate cases, bring answers to victims and institute reforms so that another backlog never develops. Katie Whisman oversaw the initiative for the state. A Kansas native who in second grade knew she wanted to work in law enforcement, Whisman had started at the Kansas Bureau of Investigation as an intern and worked her way up over more than a decade, including eight years as an agent assigned to narcotics and violent felony crimes. Serving as the executive officer in the directors office, she became entrenched in every step of the programs rollout, from convening a steering committee to encouraging law enforcement agencies to count their kits to developing a strategy for getting the evidence tested. But once the state lab began processing the first kits, what happened to those cases was out of her control. The decisions fell to local police and prosecutors. Whisman knew those agencies are often strapped for resources. She asked her team to complete a full background check on every suspect identified through DNA testing, hoping to take as much of the load off of them as we possibly could. In Wichita, those suspect packets were reviewed by Lt. Jason Stephens, a veteran of the department who oversaw the unit that investigates domestic violence and sex crimes. Stephens had hand counted the agencys untested kits a wall of boxes in a temperature-controlled storage room. There were roughly 1,100, half of the states total. He and others on his team had taken turns driving them to Topeka for testing, in batches of about 200 at a time. As results came in, Stephens read the lab reports and flagged about 300 cases for further review, mostly those where testing had turned up a DNA profile and a suspects name. Next, a team of local law enforcement officials and prosecutors met to discuss whether the investigations could be reopened. Just 16 cases made it through that step. Nunez-Najeras case was one of them. 'Finally, maybe somebody listens' After a brief phone call with Stephens on the day she found his business card at her front door, Nunez-Najera hesitated then agreed to come to police headquarters for a meeting. At that point, I was just like, what? Why now? she said. Why are we bringing this back? But another part of me was like, yes, finally. Finally, maybe there's some answers. Finally, maybe somebody listens. Nunez-Najera had not known the name of the man who she said raped her. But she recognized him as someone who lived in her trailer park, who had been following her around. At the time, she was a 22-year-old mother with two young boys. When the stranger showed up at her front door, he had a friend with him who grabbed her sons and led them into the yard and toward a van. The man pushed into her home and then cornered Nunez-Najera in the bedroom. She begged him to stop, but that made him more determined. An instinct to protect her children took over. She said she stopped fighting as he raped her. I just remember thinking in my head, Dont make this hard, because I need to get out there to my kids, she said. When the man left, she found her boys outside, alone. At the hospital, an advocate from the local sexual assault center offered her fresh sheets for her bed back home, to replace the ones taken by police. A nurse swabbed her body for evidence and bagged up her clothes. An officer asked her questions and took notes for a report. But when a detective later called Nunez-Najera and asked if she wanted to pursue the case, she wasnt sure. She believed the man was connected to a local gang, and her maternal instincts kicked in again: She was worried for her familys safety. She told the detective that it was probably better to drop it. He asked for her to think on it and said that he would call back, she recalled. Twelve years passed before she heard from the police about the case again. Few survivors contacted Across the state of Kansas, very few people whose kits were tested were ever contacted by police. When Whisman and her team sent their packets of suspect information to law enforcement officials, most cases went nowhere. Whisman found it disheartening. She recalled her staff near tears because they had worked diligently to get to the point of handing over suspect names to police and then nothings happening. We had one case where the law enforcement agency was totally bought in. They wanted to do the right thing. They wanted to reinvestigate. And their prosecutor said, Theyre wasting their time. I looked at these cases once, I will not look at them again, she recalled. Whisman reallocated more of her grant budget toward training police and prosecutors, hoping to address misconceptions about sexual violence. If she could not control the outcome of cases from the backlog, she said, she would try to make things better for victims in the future. She made the same calculation after a case from a previously untested kit made it to trial only to end in acquittal. Weve invested in making the criminal justice response better, and now the hangup is the public. Its the people that are sitting on the jury, she recalled thinking. So what can we do to influence change there? Whisman used grant money to pay for a public awareness campaign with a message she hoped would resonate across the state: Rape is real, and it has happened to someone you know. Reliving the moment When Nunez-Najera arrived at the Wichita Police Department, she was greeted by a detective she had never met. That churned up a well of anxiety inside her that she had been trying to settle all day. She had only just grown comfortable with talking to Stephens and now had to start fresh with someone new. She answered the detectives questions, recounting the assault in as much detail as she could remember. When he handed her a set of photos, she flipped through them, looking for her perpetrator. In the years that had passed, his features had faded in her mind but never disappeared. As she turned to the last page, there he was. All the same feelings just went right back inside of me in that moment, she said. It was just as if I was right there, being raped again. The detective asked her to sign near his photo. It bothered her to see her name beside his picture, linking them together. After, Nunez-Najera walked from the police headquarters a few blocks to the Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center. Mary Stolz, an advocate, was with her. The two had known each other for a few months, and though an advocate who worked for the police department also attended the meeting, Nunez-Najera had insisted that Stolz be there as well. The daughter of a wheat farmer who grew up on the outskirts of Wichita, Stolz has worked at the center for most of her career except for about two years she spent traveling around the state to train police on domestic violence and sexual assault. Some agencies were receptive. In other places, she found officers attitudes steeped in rape myths and assumptions that most victims were lying. At the time, there was a police department in the state that was putting victims on polygraphs, Stolz recalled. It felt nearly impossible to combat that culture in a three-hour training. Stolz was hopeful when she first heard that Kansas was awarded a federal grant to test old rape kits. She wondered if law enforcement officials would be able to connect seemingly disparate assault reports through DNA, as was happening in other parts of the country, and put serial predators behind bars. Eager to be involved, she attended a training in Topeka where law enforcement, prosecutors and advocates discussed how they would work together as results from the backlogged kits came in. After the training, however, Stolz said she was included in just one meeting at the Wichita Police Department where they discussed a handful of cases. I was very outnumbered, she said. And those were their cases that they knew way more about than I did. So, I didn't have a huge opinion in those meetings other than to say, Let us help. We'll help with notification. Few victims contacted Wichita police chose to contact the victims in only the cases officials believed had the potential to be prosecuted 16 cases with 17 victims total. Officials said they were unable to locate several of those people. Another eight said they did not want to move forward with their cases. Three people, including Nunez-Najera, wanted the investigations reopened. Stephens, who is now a captain with the department, said officials chose to contact so few people because they did not want to traumatize victims by bringing up their rape if their case was not being reopened. Stolz, now the center's executive director, wondered if support from her organization would have resulted in more women agreeing to have their cases move forward. Stolz was included in just two cases: Nunez-Najeras and one other. The second woman was living with a friend at the time, and after the interview with police Stolz helped her get into a shelter and then find permanent housing. Her perpetrator was ultimately convicted. As for the hundreds of victims who still have no idea their kits were tested, Stolz said she understands the police departments desire to not cause additional harm but sexual assault survivors are more resilient than most people give them credit for. She said it feels paternalistic for the police to withhold information about a crime that is so personal. Mary Stolz, executive director of the Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center, says victims deserve information about their kits. She was concerned that authorities could even know the identity of a suspected rapist but not tell the victim. I hope with all my heart they considered long-term victim safety and not just criminal prosecution in their decisions on notification, she said. Because prosecute or not, victims deserve to have information. Asked whether Stolzs fear is valid, Stephens acknowledged to USA TODAY that there are, indeed, Wichita cases where DNA testing identified a suspect for the first time, but the victim has not been notified because police do not plan to reopen the case. Hearing that news the following day, Stolz took a deep breath to calm a wave of anger. That is such an egregious violation of human rights, she said. A struggle to deliver change When Kansas officially wrapped up its backlog clearing effort in 2019, the results were underwhelming: 10 victims notified, four cases charged, two people convicted. In a final report, state officials said that the outcomes underscored the ongoing need for increased training, awareness, and resources. While acknowledging shortcomings, Whisman said that may be an undercount. It was difficult to keep tabs on work by local departments. Some continued to work cases after the grant initiative ended, including in Wichita, where officials secured their first conviction in 2019 and one other this year. She pointed to successes beyond convictions, saying the program created new partnerships within the criminal justice system, trained more than 1,300 people and kickstarted reforms. In 2022, the state legislature passed a law mandating that all sexual assault kits from crimes reported to police be submitted for testing within 30 days. That legislation was supported by the Kansas Sexual Assault Response Advisory Council, a committee formed as the backlog effort wound down that includes many of the same partners. Wichita police officials, too, said the process ignited deeper change within the department. The agency in 2018 announced a policy of testing all kits, nearly four years before the rest of the state. All recruits now receive two days of training on responding to sexual and domestic violence, and the unit that investigates those cases has grown from eight detectives to 12. Victims are now interviewed in a room with comfortable seating and art hanging on the walls, not at a metal table outfitted with handcuffs meant for suspects. Andrew Ford, the agencys public information officer, said the department is committed to providing compassionate support to victims, and a sex crimes investigator would never leave a business card in the open at a victims home today, as happened with Nunez-Najera. We know better now, and so we have to do better moving forward, Ford said. And we are doing better moving forward. In other ways, though, the Kansas Sexual Assault Kit Initiative failed to deliver change. The Joyful Heart Foundation, a national nonprofit that advocates for rape kit reform, says Kansas has completed only three of six key pillars of reform. In 2022, just 15% of rapes reported to Kansas law enforcement agencies led to an arrest, according to the most recent data from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. That is less than when Kansas started its backlog initiative in 2014. The number of rapes reported to authorities a statistic public officials often hope will go up to indicate victims are more willing to seek police help has fluctuated but remained relatively stagnant. It also often takes months or even years for rape kits to be processed. Wichita Police Department officials said they wait nine months or longer for the county crime lab to process a sexual assault kit, unless they request expedited testing for a high-priority case. The wait was even longer after the agency moved to a policy of testing all kits. In the nearly four years since the city had counted its previous backlog, more than 700 additional untested kits had piled up. Officials sent them to the state lab in 2019. The last wasnt processed until 2023. Whisman, who left the Kansas Bureau of Investigation in 2020, was taken aback when she heard that some of the progress she hoped for has not materialized. She said she remains proud of what the effort accomplished, but she proposed several things Kansas officials should undertake today to make additional progress: Allocate more money for training, modernize the states sexual assault laws and implement a rape kit tracking system. Officials from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation declined interview requests but in a statement said the agency has taken the first steps toward launching a tracking system. We had incredible momentum. And I really felt that things were getting better, and things would continue to be better for victims, Whisman said. So, hearing it was a flash in the pan and were back to the way things were, its really disappointing. Changing her view There have been stretches of Nunez-Najeras life marked by fear so crippling that she rarely left her home and startled at the sound of her own dog barking. My life was disappearing, she said. And I was disappearing. With time, that fear has waned. Attending support groups at the sexual assault center has helped. So has making art vibrant paintings, pottery and dreamcatchers that hang from the walls of her home in Wichita. And so has getting answers about her rape. She said police have told her the name of the suspect in her case: Jorge Martell-Silva. The year after a lieutenant first left a business card on Nunez-Najeras door, Martell-Silvas mug shot was added to a list of suspects on the Sedgwick County Sheriffs Office website, according to an internet archive. Also on the site was a poster that read, JORGE is wanted by the Sedgwick County Sheriffs Office for RAPE CHARGES. Sheriffs Lt. Nathan Gibbs told USA TODAY that a 2018 rape warrant for Martell-Silva is still outstanding today. Wichita police declined to confirm Martell-Silva's name but told USA TODAY that the warrant in Nunez-Najeras case remains active and that they believe he is out of the country. Martell-Silva did not respond when contacted for comment through social media messages from a reporter. He has not been convicted of any crime in the case. Nunez-Najera said it is a relief to know that if he ever returns to the country, he can be arrested. And even if that day never comes, she is glad that her kit was tested and that police called her with the results. It hasnt changed how she sees the Wichita police: If she needed their help today, she is not sure she would call. But it did change how she sees herself. As much as she had tried over the years to bury what had happened, the rape was always waiting to resurface. She could be standing at her kitchen sink, her hands soapy with dishwater, and suddenly be reliving it. When police asked to meet about her case after her kit had been tested, she nearly said no because she wasnt sure she was strong enough to finally face it. Now, she knows she was. It feels, she said, like I get a little bit of my power back. Contributing: Savannah Kuchar and Dian Zhang, USA TODAY Tricia L. Nadolny is a reporter on the USA TODAY investigations team. Contact her at tnadolny@usatoday.com or on X @TriciaNadolny. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DNA IDd a Kansas rape suspect; justice still elusive Allrecipes/Getty Images On March 17, everyone is Irish, or so the saying goes here in the U.S. We feast on foods like Corned Beef and Cabbage for dinner and Irish Potato Candy for a treat, and perhaps wash it all down with a beer dyed green or a pint of Guinness. Our celebrations may not be traditionally Irish, but theyre a lot of fun. Krispy Kreme is honoring that fun with its own non-authentically Irish but still-yummy collection of doughnuts, replacing the current Movie Snacks Collection. The Hulu Movie Snacks Collection was perfect when we were spending cold winter nights nestled on our couch binge-watching our favorite films. But outside our windows green is returning, St. Patricks Day is just three days before the first day of spring, and its time for Krispy Kreme to honor both with its new gold and green-hued doughnut collection. Krispy Kreme Releases Share the Taste OLuck Collection Krispy Kreme Starting March 10, participating locations will offer four new doughnuts in the Taste OLuck Collection: Pot of Gold Doughnut : An Original Glazed Doughnut dipped in golden, caramel-flavored icing and topped with caramel-flavored buttercream and gold coin glitter sprinkles. Over the Rainbow Doughnut : An unglazed doughnut filled with cake batter-flavored Kreme, dipped in light green icing, and topped with shamrock rainbow sprinkles and a rainbow sugar piece. Choco-Shenanigans Doughnut : An unglazed doughnut filled with white Kreme, dipped in chocolate icing, and topped with green icing drizzles and gold coin glitter sprinkles. St. Pattys Swirl Doughnut: An Original Glazed doughnut dipped in white icing with a green icing swirl and topped with white and gold sanding sugar. The new doughnuts will be available at Krispy Kreme shops nationwide in special dozens as well as a la carte. If you don't have a Krispy Kreme location nearby, the chain is also sending its St. Patrick's Day Collection in six packs to select grocery retailers. The Return of the ORiginal Green Glazed Doughnut Krispy Kremes Original Glazed is always available at the bakery, but on special occasions the classic treat gets a colorful makeover. This year for St. Patricks Day, the doughnut will turn green for three days only, from March 15 through 17. The special O'Riginal Glazed Doughnut will be available individually and by the dozen. Plus, if you wear green to a Krispy Kreme shop from March 15 through St. Patricks Day, you can get one of those green glazed Originals for free, no purchase necessary. And, just to make St. Patricks Day more exciting for its fans, Krispy Kreme will randomly choose thousands of customers nationwide to win a Pot of Gold Pass." The pass gives those lucky fans a year's worth of free Original Glazed doughnutsone dozen each month beginning April 2025 through March 2026. Heres wishing you the luck o the Irish so when you walk into your Krispy Kreme on March 17, you walk out with not just one free doughnut but also a years worth of Original Glazed, too! Read the original article on ALLRECIPES At least eight people were injured when a customer rammed into a CarMax store in Inglewood, California, Saturday afternoon, according to the Inglewood Police Department. The incident is being investigated as an intentional act. Police were dispatched to the store on the 8600 block of S. La Cienega Boulevard at around 2:03 p.m. local time, after a customer exited the building, entered a vehicle and drove into the business, police said, adding that a business dispute may have been the drivers motive. Video of the crash circulating on social media shows a silver Subaru backing into the business via a doorway before making a turn and driving out via another doorway. At least eight people were injured when a customer rammed into a CarMax store in Inglewood, Calif., on Saturday. Eight people were injured as a result of the crash, including two who were critically injured and taken to area hospitals, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. In a statement, CarMax said the suspect was a customer who had his vehicle appraised. In a separate statement, the company said two of its employees and several customers were hurt. The employees were treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, it said, adding that the injured customers were also hospitalized. The CarMax dealership at 8611 S. La Cienega Blvd. in Inglewood. The safety of our associates, community and customers is our top priority, CarMax said. We are deeply saddened by this event and our hearts go out to everyone impacted. The company said it has a plan of action in place and that it is working with the authorities on the investigation. The Inglewood store is currently closed, CarMax said, adding that there is no reopening date at this time. Police said the driver left the store following the crash and turned himself in to the Los Angeles Police Department at a police academy on Manchester Avenue. He was arrested and is being held at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility, per Los Angeles County jail records. The suspect faces multiple counts, including assault with a deadly weapon. Los Angeles Countys top prosecutor said Monday that he had withdrawn a recommendation to reduce the prison terms of Erik and Lyle Menendez, who are serving sentences of life without parole for the 1989 shotgun murders of their parents. In a reversal of his predecessors support for reducing the sentences, District Attorney Nathan Hochman said there were "legitimate reasons" to justify the withdrawal. Hochman said Erik and Lyle Menendez, who have served 35 years in prison and are 54 and 57, respectively, have not fully acknowledged more than a dozen lies they have told about the murders, including that they killed their parents in self-defense. In looking at whether the Menendez brothers have exhibited full insight and complete responsibility for their crimes, they have not, he said, adding: They dont meet the standards for resentencing. They don't meet the standards for rehabilitation. Erik and Lyle Menendez. If they "come clean" and "unequivocally and fully accept complete responsibility for their criminal actions," Hochman said, his office would reconsider their resentencing request. That request is set to go before Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic for a two-day hearing this month. Menendez family spokesperson Anamaria Baralt said she did not believe the brothers would follow the path laid out by the prosecutor. "I can't imagine they'll sacrifice their integrity and character now," she said, adding that Hochman wants the siblings to "agree to his truth not the truth." In a statement earlier, Baralt and other relatives who support the brothers' release accused Hochman of holding their family "hostage," saying that he appears "fixated on their trauma-driven response to the killings in 1989 with blinders on to the fact they were repeatedly abused, feared for their lives, and have atoned for their actions." "How many times do we have to hear the same attempts to bury who they are today and rip us back to that painful time?" the statement said. The brothers were convicted in the murder of Jose and Kitty Menendez at the familys Beverly Hills home on Aug. 20, 1989. Erik and Lyle claimed their father abused them, and they described the killings as self-defense. Prosecutors said the abuse allegations were false, and they described the killings as cold-blooded and financially motivated. The brothers were prosecuted twice for murder in the 1990s. A judge declared a mistrial in the first trial when the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict. They were convicted of first-degree murder at their second trial. Hochman said last month that he opposed a separate effort by Erik and Lyle Menendez to challenge their convictions with what their lawyers described as new evidence. The brothers have also sought their freedom through clemency. Last month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he had directed the state's parole board to determine whether the brothers pose an "unreasonable" public safety risk if they were released. In the bid for resentencing, former Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon said the brothers sentences of life without the possibility of parole should be reduced to 50 years to life, which would make them eligible for parole immediately. In an interview last year with NBC News "Dateline," Gascon said there was no question the brothers had committed brutal, premeditated murders, but he said they had been model inmates during their three decades in prison. The brothers had helped inmates with disabilities, started a green space beautification project and attended college courses, he said. And there was no evidence they had been violent toward other inmates, Gascon said. Many of the brothers relatives have publicly supported the effort to release them, though Kitty Menendezs brother has said through a lawyer that their motive was pure greed and that he opposes early release. That relative, Milton Anderson, died March 3. Hochman said his predecessor's resentencing recommendation appeared to be based on an "incomplete" review of the brothers' criminal actions and whether they had taken responsibility for them. In addition to their claim of self-defense, Hochman said, the brothers have not acknowledged that they sought to have a friend and a girlfriend provide false testimony to bolster their defense at trial. Nor have they taken responsibility for other deceptive actions they took in connection with the killings, including staging the murders to look like a "Mafia-style hit." Jose and Kitty Menendez were shot in the kneecaps, Hochman said. Jose Menendez was shot in the back of the head, and Lyle Menendez shot his mother in the face after he reloaded his shotgun. Hochman compared his resentencing determination to that of the three-member board that denied parole two years ago for Sirhan Sirhan, the man who fatally shot Robert F. Kennedy in 1968. He was initially found to be suitable for parole, but the decision was rescinded after Newsom said he had "determined that Sirhan has not developed the accountability and insight required to support his safe release into the community." Sea otter mamas are parenting on hard mode. They give birth in the water, to blind, helpless infants who have to be carried around on their bellies for weeks, nursing them while holding them on their chest, constantly grooming their dense coats, and taking care of them until they can swim on their own. The fur of a newborn sea otter is so dense, in fact, that they will immediately sink if placed in the water. And here I thought how much my babies wanted to be held was a problem. In this video we see exactly the amount of tender loving care that a mama sea otter can give to her baby. Here, the sea otter is shown nuzzling and guiding her little pup, or tangling the two of them up in a floating bed of kelp (a common move among mama sea otters who often use the buoyant kelp as a sort of natural stroller or crib to stash the baby in to give her a bit of a break). Sea otter mamas must spend many hours a day grooming the dense fur of their offspring. Related: Rescue Sea Otter Loves to 'Hold Hands' With Aquarium Guests and It's Downright Precious The Hardworking Sea Otter Mom In fact, when sea otters are orphaned, rescuers need to devote round-the-clock care of multiple staff members in combing, drying, feedings and caring for the pup. It takes several humans to make up for the loss of a single sea otter mama, and success rate varies enormously. In the wild, baby sea otters cant even swim on their own until they are a month old, and they spent six to eight months alongside their mother learning how to swim, hunt, groom, and all other behaviors important to that sea otter life. Female sea otters give birth to their pups at sea and raise them on their own for 6-8 months until the pup is weaned. These moms protect, feed, and teach their pups crucial survival skills. Sea Otter Conservation Once, sea otters were hunted nearly to extinction due to their thick fur coats, which were prized for their dense, water-resistant properties. Populations in several states were completely extinguished. But now, federal protections are in place to help the species recover. Today, northern sea otter populations can be found along the Alaska, British Columbia, and Washington coast, as well as in Russia and along the Bering Strait. The southern sea otter population lives in California and on the Baja Peninsula. Otters have not yet returned to the Oregon coast, but they are considered one of the success stories of marine conservation. Current dangers for sea otters include climate change and oil spills which threaten food supplies and health for the otters. 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. Natalya Maisheva/Getty Stock image of a measles rash covering a child's arm. As the deadly measles outbreak in Texas continues to grow, concerning reports are circulating on social media of parents arranging measles parties so their children can catch the virus. The aim is to intentionally spread the disease to create immunity as parents have attempted in the past by exposing kids to chicken pox (varicella) Now parents in Texas seem to be trying to spread measles. As Dr. Ron Cook, chief health officer at Texas Tech University Health Center Science said in a press conference, according to Newsweek, "It's a foolish thing to go have measles parties." Another expert reiterated the idea to PEOPLE. Going to these parties with unvaccinated children puts them at extraordinary risk for disease, Dr. Matthew Harris, pediatric emergency medicine physician and the medical director for clinical preparedness for Northwell Health, says. Jan Sonnenmair/Getty A pop-up measles testing site in Texas. Related: Jack Schlossberg Blasts Cousin RFK Jr.'s Wife, TV Star Cheryl Hines, Over Child's Measles Death: 'Say Sorry' The reason we vaccinated against varicella is because it's so contagious and spreads very quickly, especially amongst young children, he says adding that while chicken pox is not a benign disease, compared to measles, the likelihood of having devastating consequences from varicella is lower than measles. Harris tells PEOPLE that while he was in medical school, he saw an unvaccinated child with a devastating consequence of measles. The child, he said, had subacute sclerosing encephalitis swelling of the brain which is encephalitis that doesnt go away. This particular child was neurologically devastated, would not walk again independently, would not talk again independently, required a feeding tube. This is, I want to be clear, very rare, but totally avoidable, right? This is a vaccine-preventable illness. As the U.S. Centers for Disease Control says, all children are recommended for the two-shot MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella. The first dose is administered between 12 and 15 months of age; The second shot comes between 4 and 6 years old. Manjurul/Getty Stock image of the MMR vaccine. Related: RFK Jr. Calls Measles Outbreak 'Top Priority', Says Vaccines 'Protect Children' We rarely, almost never, see measles in fully vaccinated children, Harris tells PEOPLE. Those who have received two vaccines, and those who do have measles in that group [have] very mild disease and almost never require hospitalization. The first death in the Texas outbreak was an unvaccinated child; an unvaccinated adult has also died in New Mexico, health officials said. I am absolutely 100% concerned about measles. It is at the top of my list of clinical concerns because it poses an extraordinarily health risk, Harris tells PEOPLE, saying the idea of measles parties is terrifying. Children with measles are really miserable. They really feel sick, Harris says. They're often dehydrated. They won't drink, which is the reason many of them sit here and end up in the emergency department. where many of these exposures happen. The rash isnt like a chicken pox rash, he explains. It looks like someone threw paint on them. The illness is accompanied by fever, cough, conjunctivitis (red, runny eyes), and a sore throat. As Harris points out, some of the unvaccinated children in the current outbreak required hospitalization for pneumonia, a potential risk from the measles. So instead of a measles party, the best way to protect your children is to get the two doses of the vaccines." Read the original article on People By Virginia Furness LONDON (Reuters) - Ambitions by the BRICS group to take on a greater climate leadership role, building on success last month at United Nations nature talks, depend on the countries overcoming fractious politics and entrenched disagreements over money. As the United States has withdrawn from global efforts to combat climate change and, more generally, shifted its focus to promoting domestic interests, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - known collectively as the BRICS - are well-placed to influence the outcomes of high-profile meetings this year. They established their credentials by proposing a draft text that ensured agreement at the COP16 talks in February in Rome, a dozen sources told Reuters, potentially unlocking billions of dollars to help halt the destruction of ecosystems. "Now BRICS has been able to come together in this fashion, (it) will influence our discussions in other platforms going forward," Narend Singh, deputy minister of forestry, fisheries and the environment, for South Africa said. South Africa is boosting its profile as holder of the G20 presidency this year, while another BRICS member Brazil prepares to host COP30 climate talks in November. "BRICS can fill a space that needs to be filled at this moment in the multilateral negotiations," Brazil's chief negotiator at COP16, Maria Angelica Ikeda, said. Colombia's Susana Muhamad, president of the COP16 nature talks, said the BRICS countries were positioning to be "bridge builders". "They are trying to create this balance to represent the Global South in front of the far-right governments that are emerging in the U.S., Italy and Argentina," she said. "I understand there's a lot of countries wanting to join BRICS, because it's a way, if you have to confront something like the U.S., you are not alone." A British official present at the talks, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said other countries needed to consider what the BRICS' more muscular approach meant for global institutions. DISPARATE GROUP But if BRICS' is to help fill the vacuum left by the United States under President Donald Trump, it has to address internal divisions over politics and finance. The group's refusal to assume the official financial obligations of donor countries could prove a stumbling block, Timo Leiter, a distinguished policy fellow at the London School of Economics, said. So far the middle-income BRICS have resisted demands from cash-strapped developed countries that they should share financial liability, complicating the quest for compromise at U.N. negotiations on climate funding and upcoming talks on development finance in Seville, Spain. Of the $25.8 billion in biodiversity-related financing in 2022, nearly three-quarters came from five sources: European Union institutions, France, Germany, Japan and the United States, data from the OECD showed. Diverging national interests among the BRICS, with Russia keen to maintain its sales of fossil fuels, while Brazil presses countries to decarbonise faster at COP30, may also prove sticking points. "They (the BRICS) are drastically different in terms of development stage and emissions trajectory," said Li Shuo, director of China Climate at Asia Society. "What ties them together is the geopolitical aspiration which leads to the question of can they agree to put forward an affirmative agenda." A test of the group's solidarity could be at a meeting in Bonn in June where countries begin to set out their COP30 negotiating positions, analysts said. The Financing for Development conference in Seville in June could also prove pivotal, with ministers set to discuss global sustainability goals and ongoing reform of the international financial system. "This will be the perfect entry point for BRICS to advance their aim of changing the global order and having a stronger say in the global financial system," Leiter said. "The new U.S. position is almost a gift." Shorter-term, the BRICS are likely to renew demands for more say in the running of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), which disburses much of the world's biodiversity finance. GEF reform is a focus as richer countries cut development spending while demanding nature-rich countries do more to protect ecosystems such as the Amazon. "It's a problem that instead of having more money directed to nature and to biodiversity, we have countries updating their nuclear weapons, or buying more armaments," said Brazil's Ikeda. "At the same time, they're demanding from us, the mega-diverse countries more and more obligations." (Editing by Simon Jessop and Barbara Lewis) By Joyce Zhou and Karen Lema HONG KONG/MANILA (Reuters) -Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte said in Hong Kong that he was ready for possible arrest amid reports the International Criminal Court (ICC) was poised to issue a warrant over his years-long "war on drugs" that killed thousands. The "war on drugs" was the signature campaign policy that swept Duterte to power in 2016 as a maverick, crime-busting mayor, who delivered on promises he made during vitriolic speeches to kill thousands of narcotics dealers. The office of the current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Monday no official communication had been received from Interpol yet, but indicated Duterte could be handed over. "Our law enforcers are ready to follow what law dictates, if the warrant of arrest needs to be served because of a request from Interpol," Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told reporters. It was not immediately clear how long Duterte would stay in China-ruled Hong Kong - which is not a party to the ICC. Duterte was in the city to speak at a campaign rally attended by thousands of Filipino workers, hoping to boost support for his senatorial candidates in upcoming Philippine midterm elections. "Assuming it's (warrant) true, why did I do it? For myself? For my family? For you and your children, and for our nation," Duterte told the rally, justifying his brutal anti-narcotics campaign. "If this is truly my fate in life, it's okay, I will accept it. They can arrest me, imprison me. "What is my sin? I did everything in my time for peace and a peaceful life for the Filipino people," he told the cheering crowds in Hong Kong's downtown Southorn Stadium, appearing with his daughter, the Philippines Vice President Sara Duterte. An elite Hong Kong police unit for protecting VIPs was stationed in the vicinity of the hotel where Duterte is staying, according to a Reuters witness. But a spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry Commissioner's Office in Hong Kong said they were aware of the visit and the rally had been "applied for in advance in accordance with the laws of Hong Kong." "It is understood that Mr. Duterte and Ms. Sarah's visit to Hong Kong is a private holiday," the spokesperson said. The Hong Kong government's security bureau and police gave no immediate response to a request for comment. The Philippines presidential office dismissed speculation that Duterte might evade the law by visiting Hong Kong, while appealing to Duterte's supporters to allow the legal process to take its course. During a congressional hearing last year into his bloody crackdown on drugs, Duterte said he was not scared of the ICC and told it to "hurry up" on its investigation. The firebrand Duterte unilaterally withdrew the Philippines from the ICC's founding treaty in 2019 when it started looking into allegations of systematic extrajudicial killings. More recently, the Philippines has signalled it is ready to cooperate with the investigation in certain areas. (Additional reporting by Jessie Pang and Karen Lema in Manila; Writing by James Pomfret; Editing by Stephen Coates and Michael Perry) TCS - President Donald Trump speaks at the National Prayer breakfast in Washington, D.C., Feb. 6, 2025. Trump in December endorsed Karrin Taylor Robson, a Republican who announced Wednesday she is running for governor of Arizona. (The Center Square) President Donald Trump released a statement Sunday inviting the people of Greenland to become part of the U.S. ahead of elections this week in Greenland. The comments are the latest from the president offering to allow Greenland, a self-governing territory belonging to Denmark, into the U.S. Under the U.S. Constitution, Congress has the power to accept a new state into the Union, so the move is not beyond the realm of possibility. Icy Greenland is mostly uninhabited for its large size, with just over 50,000 people, mostly Inuit, living on largely on the coasts of the frozen island. As I made clear during my Joint Address to Congress, the United States strongly supports the people of Greenlands right to determine their own future, Trump said on TruthSocial. We will continue to KEEP YOU SAFE, as we have since World War II. We are ready to INVEST BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to create new jobs and MAKE YOU RICH And, if you so choose, we welcome you to be a part of the Greatest Nation anywhere in the World, the United States of America! Trump has cited economic and national security benefits to the U.S. Greenland, which could offer minerals and important proximity to Russia. Experts say as ice continues to melt in the Arctic, more shipping and military ship routes could open up that could change global trade and the defensive relationship between the U.S. and Russia. More mining and drilling exploration could open up as well. Recent polling suggests that for now the majority of Greenland residents do not want to join the U.S., though independence from Denmark seems to have growing support. Greenlanders head to the polls Tuesday for their own national election. Trump made similar comments about Greenland in his joint address to Congress. "We strongly support your right to determine your own future, and, if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America," Trump said in his speech. "We need Greenland for national security and even international security, and were working with everybody involved to try and get it. But we need it, really, for international world security. "And I think were going to get it," Trump added. "One way or the other, were going to get it. We will keep you safe. We will make you rich. And together, we will take Greenland to heights like you have never thought possible before. President Donald Trump waves to the media as he walks on South Lawn of the White House, in Washington, Sunday, March 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) WASHINGTON (AP) The Education Department's Office for Civil Rights is known best for enforcing the right to disability services across Americas schools. But under President Donald Trump, its taking a frontline role in his political battles. Trump appointees have halted thousands of pending cases while they open new investigations aligned with the presidents campaign promises. Career staffers have been sidelined and pressured to quit, and those who remain are being ordered to refocus priorities on antisemitism, transgender issues and anti-DEI complaints. A memo Friday from the civil rights offices chief announced antisemitism cases are now the top priority, taking aim at colleges where pro-Palestinian protests brought accusations of anti-Jewish bias. That followed a decision to cut $400 million in federal money going to Columbia University, where on Saturday immigration officials arrested a Palestinian activist who was involved in leading student protests. Hanging in the balance are the types of cases the office traditionally has focused on students with disabilities who need services they arent getting, or students facing harassment tied to their skin color. Its normal for new presidential administrations to pause civil rights cases while they get acclimated, but this transition brought a longer and more rigid freeze than others. Trump officials lifted the freeze for disability cases on Feb. 20, and last week, new Education Secretary Linda McMahon said all cases could resume as normal. During Trumps first month in office, the Office for Civil Rights resolved about 50 cases, according to a staffer who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution. By comparison, the office resolved more than 3,000 complaints in the same window of Trumps first term, and almost 500 under former President Joe Biden. Even the most urgent cases, which are traditionally granted exceptions, sat idle during the freeze. Staff lawyers were told not to respond to outside calls or emails, leaving families in the dark. Another staff member at the civil rights office described desperate emails from parents whose schools refused to make accommodations for their childrens disabilities. We were just ignoring their emails, said the person, who also spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. Tylisa Guyton of Taylor, Michigan, filed a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights on Jan. 20 over her 16-year-old sons repeated suspensions from a suburban Detroit school district, alleging a white administrator was targeting him and a group of other Black children. The teen has been out of school since Dec. 4. Even as investigations resume, she has heard nothing from the civil rights agency. Hes still asking every day, When can I go back to school? Guyton said of her son. The memo Friday told staffers antisemitism would be an investigative and enforcement priority. It added the memo should not be interpreted as "deprioritizing any other form of OCR enforcement activity. But staffers said thats the most likely outcome as dwindling ranks of employees face heavier caseloads tied to the presidents agenda. On Monday, the Education Department sent a letter to 60 colleges warning they could lose federal money if they fail to make campuses safe for Jewish students. The list includes Harvard, Cornell and many others where pro-Palestinian protests led to accusations of anti-Jewish bias. Politics usually play into the offices priorities to some degree, and Republicans similarly accused Biden officials of going too far when they opened cases into COVID-19 mask bans or in support of transgender students. But several longtime staffers said this is the first time theyve seen cases tied to political agendas edge out their everyday work. Trump has called for a total shutdown of the Education Department, calling it a con job infiltrated by leftists. At her Senate hearing, McMahon said the civil rights office might be better served if it moves to the Justice Department. Some cases are moving forward, but others appear to be stalled, said Marcie Lipsitt, a special education advocate in Michigan. Ive said to everyone, Youre going to have to fight harder for accountability because there will be no accountability at the U.S. Department of Ed, if there is a U.S. Department of Ed, she said. At the same time, Trumps officials have continued to open their own directed investigations proactive inquiries that depart from the offices typical work responding to complaints. The office has opened more than a dozen such investigations, many aimed at pressuring universities to stop allowing transgender athletes or to take a harder stance against pro-Palestinian protesters. It adds up to more work for fewer employees at the office of about 500 workers. Staffers say field offices across the country were hit after dozens of department workers were put on leave in response to Trumps orders against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Many others took buyouts pushed by the Trump administration, leaving some field offices without administrators in key leadership jobs. Minor changes to the offices policies could also carry outsize impact. Complaints to the office cant move forward unless the filer signs a consent form allowing their name to be disclosed during the investigation. For years, the office sent reminders if the form was not submitted parents often didn't know it was required. But an updated case manual from the Trump administration drops the reminders. Staffers say it means more cases will be dismissed on a technicality. Some special education advocates have begun filing more cases with state agencies, said Brandi Tanner, an Atlanta-based psychologist and special education advocate. In conversations at a recent conference in California, disability advocates expressed uncertainty and anxiety, Tanner said. Its kind of like, were very scared about what else is going to continue to come down the pike, she said. Are students going to lose their rights? ___ Hollingsworth reported from Mission, Kansas. ___ The Associated Press education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. Fire and rescue services respond after a collision between oil tanker MV Stena Immaculate and the cargo vessel MV Solong on Monday. LONDON A fuel tanker and a cargo vessel were involved in a fiery collision off the British coast in the North Sea on Monday, the U.K. coast guard said. The tanker, MV Stena Immaculate, was struck by the Portugal-registered Solong container ship, according to a statement from Crowley, the company that manages the the tanker. The Stena Immaculate is a U.S. vessel that was anchored off the North Sea coast near Hull at the time, the company said. "The Stena Immaculate sustained a ruptured cargo tank containing Jet-A1 fuel due to the (collision)," the statement said. "A fire occurred as a result of the (collision), and fuel was reported released." A defense official told NBC News that the ship was carrying fuel that was to be used by U.S. Navy ships. The scene was one of chaos in video footage published by The Guardian newspaper, with both vessels apparently on fire and sending thick black smoke billowing into the gray North Sea sky. Crowley confirmed that all crew aboard the Stena Immaculate abandoned the vessel following multiple explosions onboard. Everyone was "safe and fully accounted for," the company said. Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, told Sky News that 32 people had been brought ashore alive. The town of Grimsby is around 60 miles southeast of the city of York. "There was a line of ambulances waiting to take them to the Princess Diana hospital," Boyers said. "I'm concerned to hear of the collision between two vessels in the North Sea this morning and am liaising with officials and HM Coastguard as the situation develops," British Transport Minister Heidi Alexander said in a post on X. "I want to thank all emergency service workers involved for their continued efforts in responding to the incident," she added. A spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the situation was extremely concerning" and details are still "becoming clear." "Were obviously monitoring the situation, well continue to co-ordinate the response and were grateful to emergency personnel for their continued efforts," the spokesperon said. While NBC News has been unable to independently verify that information, the nonprofit Royal National Lifeboat Institution said in a statement that four lifeboat crews had been called to support two ships after they had collided off the East Yorkshire coast early Monday. There were reports that a number of people had abandoned the vessels following a collision and there were fires on both ships, the RNLI said in a media statement. It added that at shortly before midday local time, while its Cleethorpes crew had been called back, three more crews from Bridlington, Mablethorpe and Skegness continued to support search and rescue efforts. The Stena Immaculate had been sailing from the Greek port of Agioi Theodori, near Athens, while the Solong had just left the nearby British port of Immingham and was on its way to Rotterdam in the Netherlands, according to Marine Traffic, a maritime analytics provider. His Majestys Coastguard, which acts as the United Kingdom's national maritime emergency service, earlier said that it was coordinating a response to reports of a collision between a tanker and cargo vessel off the coast of East Yorkshire in England. It said an alarm was raised alerting the agency to the incident at 9:48 a.m. local time (5:48 a.m. ET). A coast guard rescue helicopter was last being dispatched to respond to the collision, the British government's Maritime and Coastguard Agency said in a media statement. It added that a coast guard aircraft and nearby vessels with "fire-fighting capability" were also being deployed. People wave flags and hold signs during a protest outside of the U.S embassy in Vancouver, British Columbia, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP) TORONTO (AP) Ontario's premier, the leader of Canadas most populous province, announced that effective Monday it is charging 25% more for electricity to 1.5 million American homes and businesses in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war. Ontario provides electricity to Minnesota, New York and Michigan. I will not hesitate to increase this charge. If the United States escalates, I will not hesitate to shut the electricity off completely, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said at a news conference in Toronto. "Believe me when I say I do not want to do this. I feel terrible for the American people who didn't start this trade war. Its one person who is responsible, its President Trump. Ford said Ontarios tariff would remain in place despite the one-month reprieve from Trump, noting a one-month pause means nothing but more uncertainty. Quebec is also considering taking similar measures with electricity exports to the U.S. Minnesota says Ontario tariff will have minimal impact Minnesota receives only a small share of its electricity from Ontario, but Democratic Gov. Tim Walz was sharply critical of Trumps actions that led to Mondays announcement from Ford. The first victims of Trumps Trade war? Minnesotans struggling to pay their skyrocketing electric bill, Walz said on X with a link to a story about Ontarios move. Minnesotans cannot afford Trumps billionaire-run economy. We have to put a stop to this madness. In a brief press availability later Monday, Walz acknowledged that Minnesota doesnt get a lot of electricity from Ontario, but hes worried about Manitoba following suit. So look, even if it were one megawatt, this is totally unnecessary. And the fact of the matter is, it doesnt impact Donald Trump one bit. It impacts ratepayers in Minnesota. For what? These are our friends, he said. Walz said hes even more worried about the impact on Minnesota if Canadian potash fertilizer gets caught up in the trade war. If it starts with this, the one that Im really worried about is potash, when it comes behind it. If they do potash, thats a big one on agriculture, he said. Walz said he discussed these concerns last week when he spoke with the premiers of Ontario and Manitoba. He said they told him the dispute is broader than just their trading relations with Minnesota. They were very clear that its not Minnesota -- were huge trading partners. Minnesota Power, the main electrical utility serving the part of Minnesota that borders Ontario, gets only a very small proportion of its power from the province, company spokesperson Amy Rutledge said. Minnesota Power bought only about $300,000 worth of electricity from Ontario last year, and only for four months out of the year. The utility serves over 150,000 customers, mostly with power it generates itself in Minnesota, she said. While it gets about 11% of its power supply from Manitoba Hydro, she said, thats not affected by Ontarios announcement. We really expect any impact on our customers to be negligible, Rutledge said. Midcontinent Independent System Operator, the organization that manages a regional power grid that stretches from Manitoba to Minnesota to Louisiana, also expects little effect, spokesman Brandon Morris said. MISO gets under half its power from Canada, and less than half of that comes from Ontario, he said. Michigan worries about reliability of electric grid now Matt Helms, public information of officer for the Michigan Public Service Commission, said the impact on Michigan customers is likely to be small and most of Michigans electricity is produced by utility companies in the state or through long-term contracts. Of greater concern to the commission is the reliability of the electric grid, as electricity flows between the U.S. and Canada as part of an interconnected grid. Any action to limit or disrupt these flows would remove a layer of protection and make all of us Canadians and Americans alike more vulnerable to grid-scale outages, Helms said. In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul said she has ordered state energy officials to conduct a review on how much the tariffs could drive up electricity and other energy costs in the state. These federal tariffs have been poorly conceived from the start: crafted in secret with no transparency and no clear economic rationale, theyve only served to destabilize our capital markets and create uncertainty among New York families and businesses, said Hochul, a Democrat. Trade war intensifies The new surcharge is in addition to the federal governments initial $30 billion Canadian dollars ($21 billion) worth of retaliatory tariffs applied on items like American orange juice, peanut butter, coffee, appliances, footwear, cosmetics, motorcycles and certain pulp and paper products. Trump launched a new trade war last week by imposing tariffs against Washingtons three biggest trading partners, drawing immediate retaliation from Mexico, Canada and China and sending financial markets into a tailspin. It needs to end. Until these tariffs are off the table, until the threat of tariffs is gone for good, Ontario will not relent, Ford said. ___ Associated Press writer Steve Karnowski in St. Paul, Isabella Volmert in Lansing, Michigan and Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York contributed. The search for missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki, who vanished while on a spring break trip in the Dominican Republic, entered its fourth day Monday. The 20-year-old junior was last seen in the early morning hours of March 6 entering the beach of the RIU hotel she was staying at in Punta Cana, according to Dominican Republic National Police. Konanki and five friends from college arrived in the Dominican Republic on March 3 and were staying at the same hotel, police said. Sudiksha Konanki. National Police learned she was missing Friday morning and an "exhaustive search has been initiated by sea, air and land" using drones, helicopters, divers, boats and canine units. Police believe she disappeared around 4:15 a.m. after she and her friends were captured on video surveillance entering the beach area of the hotel. Her friends returned to the hotel but she did not. The public prosecutor's office was interviewing her friends. Police also said they interviewed a young man who was at the beach around that time and are trying to corroborate his version of events. RIU Hotels said in a statement Sunday it was "deeply concerned about the disappearance of one of our guests." "From the moment her absence was reported, we have been working closely with the local authorities, including the police and the navy, to conduct a thorough search," the hotel said. "We would like to express our deepest sympathy to the family and friends during this incredibly difficult time we are fully committed to doing everything in our power to assist in this situation." The hotel said it is supporting authorities in the search, and established an internal communication channel so that employees across the chains five Punta Cana hotels can share information with hotel leaders and authorities. La Altagracia Civil Defense, the local Dominican Republic emergency operations agency, shared photos of multiple agencies searching on the beach over the weekend. Konankis family resides in Virginia. The Loudoun County Sheriffs Office in Virginia was contacted to report her disappearance, according to Sheriff Michael Chapman. Konankis father, Subbarayudu Konanki, told D.C. area radio and news station WTOP he filed a record of complaint on Sunday to widen the probe into her disappearance. Its four days, and if she was in water, she would likely have been strewn to shore, he said. Shes not found, so were asking them to investigate multiple options, like kidnapping or abduction. Sheriff Chapman noted that Konanki's parents are traveling to Punta Cana. Konanki's family declined to comment on the search for her. Chapman said authorities are combing through security camera footage for signs of her and cellphone data. "We have certainly experts here within the U.S. that will look into all aspects of her phone, her friends' phones, anybody that she might have been with, to see exactly what may have happened there," Chapman said. Chapman said his office is working with authorities in the Dominican Republic, as well as the U.S. State Department. The FBI said Dominican authorities are leading the investigation, but that the bureau "stands ready to assist our international partners with any requests for assistance." Konankis five female friends from college were scheduled to return to the U.S. on Friday, but stayed back to aid in the search for her, sheriffs office spokesperson Thomas Julia said. Authorities said it's not clear if her disappearance is accidental or if foul play was involved. "Right now, it runs the gamut from something accidental to foul play," Julia told NBC News. "It is all at this point under consideration. Nothings been ruled out." The University of Pittsburgh said it was in contact with Konankis family and offering support in the investigation. The Indian Embassy in the Dominican Republic is also helping in the investigation as Konanki is also a citizen of India, Chapman said. Konanki is a biology major at the University of Pittsburgh and is part of the South Asian fusion a cappella group, Avaaz, according to a post on the group's social media. Virginia Rep. Suhas Subramanyam said hes been in touch with Konankis family and friends to assist with the search. "I am actively working with federal and international agencies to leverage every possible resource available to bring her home safely," he wrote on X Monday. "We are all praying for her safe and immediate return home." Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Cory Booker, D-N.J. Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Cory Booker, D-N.J., are reintroducing legislation Monday that would bar companies from receiving federal contracts if theyve been found to have made serious, repeated or pervasive violations of child labor laws. The senators reintroduced the bill ahead of the confirmation vote scheduled for Monday evening for Lori Chavez-DeRemer, the former Republican House member from Oregon who is President Donald Trumps choice to serve as labor secretary. Hawley and Booker's legislation would require companies seeking federal contracts to disclose child labor violations by the company or any subcontractors during the prior three years. It would also require the labor secretary to compile a list of companies that are ineligible for federal contracts based on any violations. Companies that illegally employ children should not be rewarded with lucrative federal government contracts that make corporations millions, Hawley, who raised child labor concerns during Chavez-DeRemers confirmation hearing, said in a statement. This bipartisan legislation would hold companies accountable for engaging in child labor exploitation and rightfully ensure offenders face consequences. The push comes after a number of American companies were found to have employed adolescents illegally and in dangerous jobs, as investigations from NBC News and The New York Times found. Many of those children who were illegally employed were unaccompanied migrants who entered the United States in recent years. Companies such as Perdue Farms and JBS have had to pay penalties after they were found to illegally employ migrant children in their slaughterhouses. Other U.S. businesses have said they were moving to eliminate child labor in their supply chains. Right now in America, big corporations are exploiting children in workplaces where federal law says they shouldnt be in the first place, Booker said in a statement. Children are cleaning dangerous machinery in factories, handling toxic chemicals, working exhausting shifts in meat processing plants, and more, all in flagrant violation of the law. Federal contracts must not be used to drive profits for corporations that continue to jeopardize our childrens safety and well-being, he added. Last week, Hawley introduced another bipartisan piece of labor legislation ahead of Chavez-DeRemers confirmation. That bill calls for hastening first contracts for new unions and is co-sponsored by Booker and Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. A Texas man reportedly asked Google, Can I kill an illegal human? before slaughtering his undocumented fiance and staging the crime scene to look like a suicide, cops said. Ty Vaughn, 31, is accused of shooting Luis Banos Norberto in the face on Jan. 14 in their Baytown apartment, just outside Houston, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by ABC 13. Vaughn remained free for nearly two months after Norbertos death after allegedly staging concerns texts to his fiance and even gave interviews to the media before he was arrested. Ty Vaughn allegedly shot his fiance and staged it to look like a suicide. Harris County Jail via KTRK Ive been kind of not great. I havent really been going to police looking for answers, Vaughn told Eyewitness News on Feb. 4 when asked if he had spoken to Norberto the day of the murder. When an ABC13 reporter offered condolences, he replied, I mean, it is what it is. Vaughn had told cops the couple had been arguing the night before and he had left their apartment. He said he returned at 5:30 a.m. to find Norberto dead in the bedroom, the affidavit states. Norbertos body was lying on a bed with a bullet wound in one of his eyes and a rifle propped up against one of his arms. Luis Banos Norbertos body was found with a rifle propped against his arm. Guillen-Baytown Funeral Home. A torn photograph of Norberto and his alleged killer was found nearby. My spouse is dead. Help. My life is over, Vaughn told dispatchers in a 911 call. But cops say the shooting happened 90 minutes earlier, and Vaughn was home at the time. Surveillance footage shows Vaughn walking up the stairs to his apartment at 4:05 a.m. when he told police he wasnt home and two neighbors reported hearing a gunshot shortly after, the documents show. Surveillance footage caught Vaughn walking into his apartment 90 minutes before he told police he returned home. KTRK Twenty minutes later, Vaughn texted Nortberto, who police said was already dead: Babe? Babe why are you not texting back?!?! During an interview, Vaughn repeatedly mentioned Norbertos reported status as an undocumented migrant without provocation, the affidavit states. When police searched Vaughns phone, they discovered he had Googled: Can I kill an illegal human? Vaughn is being held on a $500,000 bond. If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788. With a potential government shutdown ahead, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance are reaching out to House Republicans to get a spending bill across the line before a Friday shutdown deadline. Meanwhile, all eyes are on U.S. stocks after suffering losses on Monday as markets reacted to Trump's refusal to rule out a possible recession amid an escalating global trade war. Latest Developments Mar 11, 2:33 PM RFK Jr. tells food leaders to remove artificial dyes from their products by end of his 1st term Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told food industry leaders in a closed-door meeting Monday that he wants them to remove artificial color additives from their products by the end of his first term, according to a memo describing the meeting, which was obtained by ABC News. At the Washington gathering, which included the CEOs of Kellogg's, Smucker's, and General Mills, Kennedy said it was a top priority of the Trump administration to rid America's food of the dyes, wrote Melissa Hockstad, President and CEO of the Consumer Brands Association, a trade group, who penned the memo. PHOTO: Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. delivers remarks during a Cabinet meeting held by President Donald Trump at the White House, Feb. 26, 2025 in Washington (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images) Hockstad addressed the memo to "Consumer Brands Member CEOs." "The Secretary made clear his intention to take action unless the industry is willing to be proactive with solutions," Hockstad wrote. --ABC News' Will McDuffie and Anne Flaherty Mar 11, 1:55 PM White House says US-Ukraine talks have been 'positive' and 'productive' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said news out of the talks between U.S. and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia has been "positive." "I can assure you and everybody here and the American people that the news we've received from that meeting throughout the day, and the president has been briefed on, is positive. This meeting has been productive. I will let Secretary of State Rubio and our national security adviser speak to specifics of what has taken place today when they are ready to do so, when the meeting concludes," she said. PHOTO: Hands are raised as White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks to members of the media in the briefing room at the White House in Washington, Mar. 11, 2025. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters) Mar 11, 1:54 PM Trump again threatens Rep. Thomas Massie with primary over CR vote position On Tuesday afternoon, Trump again criticized Rep. Thomas Massie's stance that he will vote no on the continuing resolution to keep the government funded. Trump said in a Truth Social post that he wanted Massie to be primaried, a threat he issued Monday night. "He cant even approve a Continuing Resolution when he approved them many times during his career as a 'Congressman,'" the president wrote. "Thomas Massie is a GRANDSTANDER, and the Great People of Kentucky are going to be watching a very interesting Primary in the not too distant future!" Mar 11, 1:50 PM Leavitt dodges question about Trump's responsibility over stock plunges: 'Bet on this president' ABC News' Karen Travers asked White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt whether the president had any responsibility over the recent drops in the stock market because of his economic policies. Trump touted the stock markets gains after the election, but claimed that recently he wasn't watching the market. Leavitt dodged the question. "The president will look out for Wall Street and for Main Street just like he did in his first term," she said. "And people on Wall Street and Main Street should bet on this president." Mar 11, 1:39 PM Tesla is on its way to White House, Leavitt says, after Trump's pledge to support Musk After President Trump pledged to buy a Tesla Tuesday morning to support Elon Musk as the company's stock plummets, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the car was on its way to the White House now. "He is going to be viewing a Tesla that is making its way to the White House complex now, I can confirm," Leavitt told reporters. She added, "He's definitely going to buy one, but he'll take a look at it when it gets here later this afternoon." PHOTO: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during the daily briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, Mar. 11, 2025. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) Mar 11, 1:38 PM Leavitt claims Mahmoud Khalil had pro-Hamas fliers, does not show them When asked about the controversial arrest of green card holder and Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, White House Karoline Leavitt press secretary maintained that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has the right to revoke a green card or visa over "national security" interests. Leavitt claimed that Khalil distributed "pro-Hamas propaganda fliers with the logo of Hamas," but declined to give any more details. "I have those fliers on my desk, they were provided to me by the Department of Homeland Security," she said. "I thought about bringing them into this briefing room to share with all of you, but I didn't think it was worth the dignity of this room," she said. Mar 11, 1:38 PM White House declines to rule out recession: 'We are in a period of economic transition' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked directly during Tuesday's briefing if she can reassure Americans that there's not going to be a recession. Leavitt declined to explicitly rule it out as she contended the losses Americans are seeing in the stock market are only a "snapshot of a moment in time." "We are in a period of economic transition," she continued as she railed against the Biden administration. She contended that it will take time for Trump's economic policies to be fully implemented. PHOTO: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during the daily briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, Mar. 11, 2025. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) Mar 11, 2:32 PM Incoming Canadian PM responds to Trump tariff threats Canadian Prime Minister designate Mark Carney's office responded to President Donald Trump's latest tariff threat in a statement Tuesday claiming they are "an attack on Canadian workers, families, and businesses." PHOTO: Liberal Leader Mark Carney talks to media as he leaves a caucus meeting in Ottawa, Mar. 10, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick/AP) "My government will ensure our response has maximum impact in the U.S. and minimal impact here in Canada, while supporting the workers impacted. My government will keep our tariffs on until the Americans show us respect and make credible, reliable commitments to free and fair trade," a spokesperson for Carney said in a statement. -ABC News' Will Gretsky Mar 11, 12:10 PM Moderate Democrats don't appear to be willing to bail out Johnson House Democrats appear poised to stick together in opposition of the GOP-led government funding bill scheduled to come to the floor later Tuesday "We cannot support this bill," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said walking into Tuesday morning's caucus meeting. PHOTO: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks to reporters outside the House chamber as Republicans prepare a spending bill that would keep federal agencies funded through Sept. 30, at the Capitol, in Washington, March 10, 2025. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP) "House Republicans put a partisan measure on the floor this week. It will gut veterans' health care. It will enable Donald Trump and Elon Musk to continue to cut the federal government. House Democrats are voting No," Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar later added. Speaker Johnson has at times benefited from Democrats crossing party lines to push bills through. -ABC News' Lalee Ibssa Mar 11, 1:07 PM Federal judge orders OPM chief to testify about mass firings A federal judge is requiring the head of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to testify on Thursday about the mass firing of probationary employees. A group of federal unions have alleged that OPM acting director Charles Ezell lied in a sworn declaration that his office did not order the firing of probationary employees based on "performance or misconduct," prompting U.S. District Judge William Alsup to order Monday night Ezell to testify in person and under oath. "The problem here is that Acting Director Ezell submitted a sworn declaration in support of the defendant's position but now refuses to appear to be cross examined or to be deposed," Alsup, a Clinton appointee, wrote. Alsup's order effectively gives the Trump administration two choices to fight the lawsuit. If Ezell skips the hearing, Alsup said he would consider sanctioning the government and nullifying Ezell's sworn declaration about the purported legality of the mass firings, a move that would likely guarantee that the judge pauses the mass firings and potentially reinstates thousands of employees. PHOTO: A view shows the logo of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), after probationary staff at the OPM were fired in a conference call and given less than an hour to leave the building, outside OPM in Washington, D.C., Feb. 13, 2025. (Tierney L. Cross/Reuters) Alternatively, if Ezell does testify on Thursday, he's likely to face tough questions about his sworn statements related to the firing. The plaintiffs allege that on Feb. 13, Ezell convened a phone call with the heads of federal agencies to direct them to terminate thousands of federal employees and "falsely state that the terminations are for performance reasons." -ABC News' Peter Charalambous Click here to read the rest of the blog. Edward Kelley in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021. WASHINGTON President Donald Trumps sweeping pardons of participants in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot do not extend to the separate crimes of one rioter who plotted to murder the law enforcement agents who investigated him, U.S. District Judge Thomas A. Varlan ruled Monday. Edward Kelley, who was convicted on Jan. 6 charges after the government presented extensive evidence showing he was the fourth rioter to breach the Capitol after he assaulted law enforcement, was pardoned by Trump along with more than 1,500 other convicted rioters. But Kelley had separately been charged with plotting to murder law enforcement officers involved in the investigation in a separate case. A federal jury in Tennessee convicted Kelley on those charges in November, and he is set to be sentenced May 7. The Justice Department has flip-flopped on the extent of Trumps Jan. 6 pardon in other cases involving guns found in the homes of Capitol rioters, arguing that Trump's action should also give defendants a clean slate on other crimes or charges discovered in the course of Jan. 6 investigations. But the Justice Department has consistently maintained that Trump did not intend to pardon Kelley for his plot to murder FBI special agents and other members of law enforcement. Varlan, who was appointed to the bench in the Eastern District of Tennessee by President George W. Bush, ruled Monday that Trump's Jan. 6 pardon "does not apply to defendants convictions for conspiracy to murder employees of the United States (Count 1), solicitation to commit a crime of violence (Count 2), and influencing a federal official by threat (Count 3)." He wrote that the pardon "does not encompass defendants Tennessee Case because this case involved separate offense conduct that was physically, temporally, and otherwise unrelated to defendants conduct in the D.C. Case and/or events at the Capitol on January 6, 2021." Kelley's conduct in the murder plot "was separated from the defendants conduct in the D.C. Case by years and miles" and could not reasonably be expected to be covered by the language of Trump's mass pardon, Varlan ruled. Trial evidence established that defendant took independent, volitional action to prepare for a violent attack against federal officials in Knoxville actions that are causally attenuated from the events of January 6, 2021," Varlan wrote. "His acquisition of firearms, ammunition, and explosive materials, coordination with Austin Carter and Christopher Roddy to train for combat, and his distribution of a list of targeted victims are all intervening actions taken without direct or proximate relation to January 6, 2021, though perhaps in relation to the investigation of conduct occurring on January 6, 2021 a form of relation that is, as mentioned before, notably absent from the text of the pardon. Late last month, a federal judge in Washington grilled an assistant U.S. attorney about the new contention that Trump's pardon covered charges related to guns that were found when federal agents searched Jan. 6 defendant Dan Wilson's home in 2023. U.S. District Judge Dabney L. Friedrich, a Trump appointee, has yet to rule in that case, but she said in court that pardons "have to have a fixed meaning" and that Trump's intention when he issued the pardons on Jan. 20 "cannot evolve over time as new cases are brought to his attention." "I dont think you can just have an open pardon," Friedrich said. "It cant be 'we know it when we see it.'" By Luc Cohen NEW YORK (Reuters) - Two men accused of being members of a Russian organized crime group will face trial in the United States on Monday over what prosecutors call an unsuccessful Tehran-backed attempt to kill an Iranian dissident living in New York. Federal prosecutors say Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard Corps in 2021 hired Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov, members of a "Russian mob" sub-group, to kill an Iranian American journalist and activist who has spoken out against the Iranian government's treatment of women. Amirov, 45, and Omarov, 40, have pleaded not guilty to murder for hire and attempted murder in aid of racketeering. Omarov's lawyer, Elena Fast, said in a statement, "Mr. Omarov is presumed innocent." Amirov's lawyers did not respond to a request for comment. In court papers, lawyers for both men have said it was "inaccurate" to refer to them as members of the Russian mob. Prosecutors have not named the target of the alleged plot, who they have said in court papers is expected to testify at the trial. Masih Alinejad, a journalist who left Iran in 2009, has told Reuters she was the target of both the alleged murder plot and a previous alleged attempt by Iranian intelligence officers to kidnap her and take her to Iran. Alinejad has brought attention to women in Iran protesting laws requiring head coverings, as well as accounts of Iranians killed in demonstrations in 2019. "I am very excited to join the public trial as a witness to testify against those who were hired by the Islamic Republic to kill me," Alinejad said in an interview on Friday. "It's like I've been given a second life." The trial, before U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon, kicks off with jury selection on Monday in Manhattan federal court. The charges were part of a broader push by the Justice Department during former President Joe Biden's administration to crack down on transnational repression, or efforts by U.S. adversaries like Iran and China to silence dissidents on American soil. The two-week trial could provide a window into alleged ties between Iran's government and criminal organizations prosecutors say it hires to do its "dirty work." A representative of Iran's U.N. mission did not respond to a request for comment on the trial of Amirov and Omarov. U.S. prosecutors in 2021 brought charges against four Iranian intelligence officers over the alleged kidnapping plot. They are at large, and Tehran has called the allegations baseless. The alleged murder plot came to light in 2022, when Khalid Mehdiyev - an alleged co-conspirator of Amirov and Omarov - was arrested outside Alinejad's New York home with an AK-47 rifle. Prosecutors say a Revolutionary Guard brigadier general named Ruhollah Bazghandi began monitoring Alinejad in July 2021. They say Bazghandi later hired Amirov, an alleged Russian mob leader living in Iran at the time, to kill her. Omarov and Mehdiyev are also part of the mob, prosecutors said. Bazghandi was also charged, but is not in U.S. custody. Mehdiyev, 26, pleaded not guilty to murder-for-hire charges in February 2023, but the status of his case is unclear. Prison records show he was released from U.S. custody on May 19, 2023. Neither a Justice Department spokesperson nor a lawyer for Mehdiyev responded to requests for comment. (Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Rosalba O'Brien) LONDON (Reuters) -Prime Minister Keir Starmer will host a virtual meeting of world leaders to discuss Ukraine on Saturday, building on a summit in London this month when the British leader announced the formation of a "coalition of the willing" to support Kyiv. Britain and France are working on a plan to provide a peacekeeping force in Ukraine, if an agreement to pause the war with Russia can be reached. "You can expect the prime minister to host a second leaders' meeting of the coalition of the willing, building on his Lancaster House summit," Starmer's spokesperson told reporters, referring to the London meeting on March 2. So far only Britain and France have publicly committed to providing troops, but other countries are either expected to, or to offer other forms of support. Russia has shown no sign of agreeing to such a force, while President Donald Trump has far offered few assurances of providing a U.S. security guarantee. Britain and France are involved in diplomatic and military talks to discuss what that force would look like, and what its responsibilities could be. British defence minister John Healey and Britain's Chief of the Defence Staff Tony Radakin are both expected in France this week for separate talks on Ukraine, while the foreign minister David Lammy will hold discussions with G7 colleagues in Canada. Starmer's spokesman disagreed with Trump's claim over the weekend that Ukraine "may not survive" its war against Russia. "We've always said that Ukraine, at the other end of this process, must emerge as a sovereign territory," the spokesman said. (Reporting by Andrew MacAskill and Elizabeth Piper; editing by William James and Michael Holden) In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets with Saudi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the Royal Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday, March 10, 2025. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP) JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) A Ukrainian delegation set to meet with Americas top diplomat in Saudi Arabia about ending the 3-year war with Russia will propose a ceasefire covering the Black Sea and long-range missile strikes, as well as the release of prisoners, two senior Ukrainian officials said Monday. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about Tuesdays meeting, also told The Associated Press that the Ukrainian delegation is ready during the talks to sign an agreement with the United States on access to Ukraines rare earth minerals a deal that U.S. President Donald Trump is keen to secure. The officials discussed the confidence-building measures, with no further details, ahead of the Ukrainian negotiating team's meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Jeddah. Kyiv is trying to repair the damage done when Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Feb. 28 visit to Washington descended into an Oval Office argument with Trump and Vice President JD Vance. At stake is the military aid and intelligence previously offered by the United States that had helped Ukraine in the war but is now paused as Washington pushes for a peace agreement. Rubio and Zelenskyy landed a few hours apart Monday in Saudi Arabia, but did not meet. Zelenskyy met with the kingdoms powerful crown prince Monday evening, with the president saying they had a detailed discussion on the steps and conditions needed to end the war and secure a reliable and lasting peace. Saudi Arabia provides a crucial platform for diplomacy, and we appreciate this, Zelenskyy said online. Rubio also met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, thanking him for hosting the talks and also discussing Yemen's Houthi rebels, who are threatening to restart their attacks in the Red Sea. Speaking to reporters aboard his plane before arriving, Rubio said he and national security adviser Mike Waltz would take stock of Ukraines responses in Saudi Arabia. If Ukraine and the U.S. reach an understanding acceptable to Trump, that could accelerate his administrations push to peace talks. What we want to know is, are they interested entering some sort of peace conversation and general outlines of the kinds of things they could consider, recognizing that it has been a costly and bloody war for the Ukrainians. They have suffered greatly and their people have suffered greatly, Rubio said. And its hard in the aftermath of something like that to even talk about concessions, but thats the only way this is going to end and prevent more suffering. He added: Im not going to set any conditions on what they have to or need to do. I think we want to listen to see how far theyre willing to go and then compare that to what the Russians want and see how far apart we truly are. Zelenskyy has said his team meeting Rubio will include his chief of staff Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. Rubio will lead the U.S. team. The rest of Europe remains skeptical about the talks as it has been sidelined by Washington. The European Union last week agreed to boost the continents defenses and to free up hundreds of billions of euros for security in response to the Trump administration's shift in stance on Ukraine. White House special envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News on Monday that the pause of U.S. intelligence-sharing with Ukraine has not limited defense intelligence-sharing. We never shut off intelligence for ... anything defensive that the Ukrainians need, Witkoff said. A pause on sharing U.S. intelligence that can be used for offensive purposes by Ukrainian forces remains in effect, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The official suggested that progress could be made toward reinstating intelligence-sharing with Ukraine during the Saudi talks. ___ Arhirova reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. Associated Press writers Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Aamer Madhani and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Max "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." If, like me, youve been glued to your couch every Sunday night to catch the latest episode of The White Lotus, then youve surely been hearing the word lorazepam in Parker Poseys drawling accent over and over in your head. Its the drug of choice for kooky Southern mom Victoria Ratliff (played by Posey), who cant seem to go anywherenot even dinner with her family at a wellness retreatwithout popping one of the anti-anxiety pills and stashing the prescription in her purse. Shes often seen zoning out, slurring her words, and even falling asleep at the table after sipping white wine. On the lastest episode of the hit HBO series (season 3, episode 5, which dropped on March 16), it's even more clear that Victoria and her husband, troubled businessman Timothy Ratliff (played by Jason Isaacs), have both become dependent on the drug. Victoria can't get over the fact that her prescription bottle is missing"I don't even have my lorazepam, I'm gonna have to drink myself to sleep," she says at one pointand Timothy still hasn't come clean that he's the one that stole it. If youre curious what this drug is all about and if its even safe to take for anxiety, youre not alone. Thats why I talked to an expert to get the lowdown on lorazepam. Scroll down for everything you might want to know about the medication and how it might be affecting the Ratliffs as they imbibe their way across Koh Samui. What is lorazepam? Lorazepam, also known by the brand name Ativan, is a drug commonly prescribed short-term to treat anxiety and panic disorders. It belongs to the class of medications called benzodiazepines, which work to calm the central nervous system by slowing activity in the brain. Designed to be used as an as-needed treatment to help you relax, it can also cause a sense of euphoria, drowsiness, and/or cognitive impairment. Its accessibility and effectiveness in acute settings makes it a go-to for health care providers looking to alleviate immediate distress, says Sue Varma, MD, PC, DFAPA. It is most commonly used for short-term treatment, often while the patient works on long-term strategies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or lifestyle changes that address the root causes of anxiety or insomnia. Tomas Nevesely - Getty Images Is it an easy drug to abuse? Someone reaaally should have fact-checked Victoria when she handed a lorazepam to her husband and said, Take this, theyre not addicting, I just take one when I need it. Lorazepam is, in fact, very easy to abuse, says Dr. Varma, especially when its taken more frequentlyor in larger dosesthan prescribed. Chronic misuse of lorazepam can lead to physical dependence, tolerance (requiring more of the drug for the same effect), and withdrawal symptoms when discontinuing use, she says. Its so important that health care providers closely monitor patients on this medication, but that doesnt always happen. If youre being given a start date for lorazepam, your doctor should be giving you an end date, too, says Dr. Varma, noting that there should always be a clear plan for how youll get off the medication. Its not the type of medication that you pop whenever you feel like it, despite what the Ratliffs might be doing on TV. In fact, you shouldnt even be using it daily: Taking lorazepam alone two to three times a week or more is not the standard of care for somebody with an anxiety disorder, such as generalized anxiety disorder, says Dr. Varma. Not only will it be insufficient, but a person will tend to take it daily, and soon find themselves developing tolerance and a physiological dependence on it. Who is it best for? Lorazepam is best as a short-term solution for those dealing with acute anxiety or panic disorders, says Dr. Varma. It can also be prescribed for those who need short-term relief from insomnia or stress, or patients who require a sedative for certain medical procedures (for example, if you have claustrophobia and need an MRI). Can you drink while taking lorazepam? Nooooo, Ratliff family, no! It is not safe to drink while on this medication! Both lorazepam and alcohol are central nervous system depressants, meaning they slow down brain activity and can lead to profound sedation, impaired coordination, and respiratory depression, says Dr. Varma. This combination can increase the risk of severe side effects such as extreme drowsiness, dizziness, fainting, and even respiratory failure, which can be life-threatening. Put down the vino, Victoria! Who should not take lorazepam? There are a few groups of people who should avoid lorazepam, says Dr. Varma, including those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, elderly patients who may be more sensitive to sedation, and individuals with certain medical conditions that may react to the medication (like severe liver disease and acute narrow-angle glaucoma). People with a history of substance abuse should also steer clear, says Dr. Varma. Due to its potential for addiction, individuals who have struggled with alcohol, prescription drugs, or other substances should generally avoid lorazepam. Max Is anyone in the Ratliff family taking it the right way? Honestly...no. As Dr. Varma mentioned, you should really only take lorazepam when youre experiencing extreme anxietythink, like, mid-panic attackand very sparingly, at that. Victoria seems to be popping em whenever she feels any emotion at all, several times a day, and her dependence on the drug began showing all the way back in episode 1. (One of my favorite lines this entire season: Piper, Victorias daughter, quipping, You dont have enough lorazepam to get through one week at a wellness spa?) Victoria also offered up her pills to her husband, which is always a major no-no. Sure, whats mine is yours in marriage and all that jazz, but let this be a reminder that you should never give prescription drugs to someone whose name isnt on the bottle. We saw Timothy sneakily swallow two lorazepam in a row during episode four, and I, for one, am afraid to see whats going to go down as the season goes on. MEET THE EXPERT Sue Varma, MD, PC, DFAPA, is a board-certified psychiatrist, clinical assistant professor at NYU Langone Health, and a Distinguished Fellow at the American Psychiatric Association. She is the author of Practical Optimism: The Art, Science, and Practice of Exceptional Well-Being, which came out in February 2024. You Might Also Like Stefano Delia/HBO - HBO "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Its another day in paradise at the White Lotus. This season, well be breaking down each episode of the HBO dramedy at Harpers Bazaar. Keep scrolling to see what happened this week, or click here to read the recap of last weeks episode. For a certain strain of rich white people, going on vacation is basically like going to church. People who long to be absolved of their sins are more inclined to believe that the act of lounging on a yacht or tithing 10 percent of their income will promise them redemption. Others interpret their mere presence on a jet or in the pews as proof of their anointed status, a justification for the moral high horse they parade through life upon. And, for the indisputably damned, both destinations are simply places they can run towards when theyre looking for something to fulfill their sad, empty, monied livesor when theyre trying to escape it. Five-star wellness spa resorts are just a house of worship by a different name. This season of The White Lotus is chockfull of sinners waiting to be cleansed, but its looking more and more like each of their baptisms will be by fire. In that sense, Thailand is the perfect location for Mike Whites musings on religion and spirituality. Wealthy westerners love nothing more than to fly to the mystic East in order to rediscover themselves through Buddha belly rubs or meditation sessions with a wise Indian. If religion is the opiate of the masses, then tropical retreats are the benzos of the one percent. Just look at Timothy Ratliffwho, by the way, is still popping his wifes benzos like its nobodys business. (And he keeps swallowing them dry for some reason? Someone please get this man a glass of water!) While his generous sampling of Victorias pill bottle has done little to reduce his agitation, it did alarm the Ratliff matriarch to her mysteriously reduced supply. She ventures as far as to accuse the kids of sneaking a taste of her prescribed sedatives, which prompts this great line read from Piper: You dont have enough lorazepam to get through one week at a wellness spa? Well, sorry, Piper, but not everyone can be as zen as you in an exotic land surrounded by strangers from unpredictable social classes. Its not like back home at the Durham country club, where Victoria can reasonably expect to fraternize with only fellow blue bloods who live up to their same genre of proper Southern gentility. But, do proper Southern gentlemen flash their genitals to their kids, as Timothy does accidentally when he lifts his arms up in distress, thereby undoing the ties of his mini bathrobe? The pill popping is obviously muddling his spatial self-awareness, but its still not strong enough for him to forget that hell have to answer for his swindlingnot only to his own familybut also to his community. Unlike God, I dont think theyll be a forgiving lot. At least Timothy will be surrounded by kindred spirits today. Aboard Gary FKA Gregs yacht (and, no, its not the same yacht Tanya sailed in season two), Timothy will have plenty of reasons to not feel so terrible about himself, what with the overabundance of other con men and tax cheats, as Victoria colorfully describes. With the exception of the Ratliffs, Chloe has found plenty of likeminded expat couples to invite on todays sunset cruise: pairings between beautiful young woman who are about 20 years the junior of their leathery LBH boyfriends. This is Saxons version of paradise. After spending the morning practically force feeding Lochlan a protein shake for the high T and BDE and terrorizing Piper for being an agender asexual, he has been rewarded with a buffet of Instagram models looking for an excuse to cheat on the sugar daddies who refuse to marry them. Of course, he brings little Lochy under his tutelage, ever as obsessed he is with his younger brothers sex life. Together, the bros bro out with Chloe and Chelsea and other bikini-clad women, who coo over barely-legal Lochlans cute card tricks. Chelsea may be going along with the bit, but, internally, shes at her wits end. She has to turn on the eye faucets over breakfast just to guilt Rick into coming with her on Gregs yacht, because he somehow doesnt feel guilty enough about unleashing a legion of cobras that nearly killed her just 24 hours before. Things happen in three, Chelsea portends, reflecting on the bad luck that has followed her since they landed in Thailand. This could be some final destination shit, like death is coming for me. Its a wonder that she decides to board the yacht with him at all. While Rick is clearly capable of inducing compassionjust listen to Amrita sincerely plead the guy to let go of your storyits also painfully obvious that his torment is a hell of his own making. Hes perpetually afflicted with despair, yes, but is it really about the trauma of the murdered father he never knew? Hes swallowing a different kind of pill than Timothy, one that assures him that his self-hatred has everything to do with everyone else except himself. Stefano Delia/HBO One episode ago, Chelsea may have pledged her allegiance to Rick by vowing to find him in all of her future reincarnations, but even soulmates have their limits. At the stern of Gregs yacht, with the limestone cliffs of Phang Nga Bay looming behind them, Chelsea at last forces the truth out of Rick. Hollinger is the man responsible for ruining Ricks life because, well, he apparently killed Ricks father. Thats according to the tale that Ricks mom uttered on her deathbed: his do-gooder dad had once come to these very shores to join forces with the Thai locals, who wanted to keep a shady American from stealing their land. The do-gooder mysteriously disappeared, and in his absence the sparkly, pristine White Lotus resort was thus erected. If true, its curious that Rick would choose to honor his fathers legacy by renting out a villa on the very land that was stolen from the countrys native population. Surely, there are some other land back campaigns he can fund with his own bank account back homeor, at the very least, a nearby AirBnB. Instead, hes come all the way over here to do... what exactly? Kill Jim Hollinger? The answer is unclear. Chelsea hugs Rick as he internally weighs the pros and cons of becoming a murderer. Back on land, Jaclyn decides shes had enough of yoga and poolside lounging. What about tanning by a different pool today, girls? Her whirlwind spontaneity is a symptom of having a husband who thinks its fine to ghost you during your girls trip. Screw you, Harrison, women who are a decade your senior still know how to have fun! She enlists Valentin for recommendations, and he sends them to another resort just down the beach, which seems fine enough until Jaclyn takes her designer sunglasses off and really looks around. Somethings a little weird, right? she asks Kate and Laurie, observing that everyone around them is probably collecting social security. The realization is filmed like a slow-moving horror movie. Whats wrong, Jaclyn? Havent you ever seen old people before? Jaclyn marches all the way back to the White Lotus, where she essentially kidnaps Valentin, demanding he take them somewhere fun. He obliges by dropping them off in town, where kids everywhere are armed with water guns, a tradition to celebrate Songkran, a national holiday also known as Thai New Year. Hopping off the tuk-tuk, Valentin peaces out, promising to meet the girls at a beach club later on. In the meantime, he directs the trio to meander the streets for some light gift shopping, but theyre almost immediately pelted with water, and the more they resist the Songkran tradition, the more they become a target. At this point, I wonder how much of the groups bad luck has to do with Valentin, who seems to be getting away with orchestrating each mishap because the women find him so devilishly charming. If were looking to workers of past White Lotus seasons, Valentin wouldnt be the first employee scheming to get something out of these clueless guests. Later that evening, when he finally meets up with the girls at the club, hes joined by two of his questionably-dressed friendsfellow Russians. As Jaclyn says, What happens in Thailand, stays in Thailand. Only if that were true. For Greg, it might be better if the phrase went something like, What happens outside of Thailand, stays outside of Thailand. Unfortunately for him, when youre a wife killer in Italy, youre also a wife killer in every other part of the world. Fabio Lovino/HBO Belinda, who perhaps to her own demise did not abide by Pams digital detox, is still disturbed by her awkward dinner interaction with Greg/Gary from the night before. She decides to Google Tanyas name, and the resulting news headlines help fill in the gaps between seasons two and three: Heiress drowns in Sicily under mysterious circumstances, Heiresss husband wanted for questioning in Italy, and even Tanya McQuoid project in early developmentthe last referring to a Hollywood production company buying the rights to turn Tanyas death into a movie. (Hm, they should hire Jennifer Coolidge to play her.) Belinda then Googles Gregs name, andlo and beholdtheres Gary. Knowledge is power, unless the wrong person knows you know too much. When Belinda side-eyes Greg in the lobby, it prompts him to scurry home. His online sleuthing skills quickly produces her Instagram account, which is brimming with sunset pics and selfies of herself and Zion, who is currently flying over the Pacific Ocean to join Belinda on her work retreat. Sitting in the dark, illuminated by the blue light emitted from his laptop screen, Gregs beady shark eyes return. What can he do with this information? That may have to be a problem for tomorrow. Tonight, there are more urgent matters at stake. Like the fact that Gaitok has finally convinced Mook to go on a date! Yay! Or the fact that he left an armed weapon out in the open for anybody to take. Not-so-yay. His big morning meeting with Fabian was not a promotion to be Sritalas bodyguard, as Mook naively hoped, but an admonishment for failing to prevent the gift shop robbery. Rather than get fired, Gaitok must now learn how to use a gunwhich, when its not in use, is supposed to be stashed away in a locked drawer. That seems kind of obvious, but Gaitok is too lovesick to put firearm safety at the top of his mind. He escorts Mook to dinner just as Timothy walks down the driveway. His digital detox lasted about just as long as Selena Gomezs Instagram breaks. But, the goalposts have changed tremendously since Timothy was last plugged in: Kenny Nguyen is now cooperating with the feds, and these guys are coming for everything Timmy has. The only real option he has now, his lawyer informs him, is pleading guilty and cutting a deal. Serving time is less of an option and more of an inevitability; the best-case scenario is one where he gets away with just a few months. But, thats a hell that even Victorias lorazepam cant fix. I would rather die, he screeches, before unceremoniously hanging up the phone and turning to vomit. Well, he tries to vomit. As he goes through the motions of the onset of a panic attack, his gaze pierces through the security offices open window and falls on Gaitoks gun. Considering how he landed in this position, far be it from him to resist temptation. You Might Also Like Steve Witkoff Days after their fiery Oval Office blowup, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky apologized to President Trump, US special envoy Steve Witkoff claimed Monday. Zelensky sent a letter to the president. He apologized for that whole incident that happened in the Oval Office, Witkoff, 67, told Fox News Americas Newsroom on Monday. I think that it was an important step, and theres been a lot of discussion between our teams and the Ukrainians and the Europeans who are relevant to this discussion as well. Trump, 78, publicly revealed that he received a letter from Zelensky, 47, last Tuesday during his annual presidential address to Congress last week. But Trump made no mention of receiving an apology. The Post reached out to a Zelensky spokesperson for comment. A top aide, Mykhailo Podolyak, previously told French outlet Le Point that his boss wouldnt apologize. Steve Witkoff has been assisting with the Trump administrations efforts to end the wars in Israel and Ukraine. Fox News President Trump first revealed the letter he received from Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelensky during his address to Congress last week. Getty Images Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainians, Trump read from Zelenskys letter last week during his speech to Congress. We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. US and Ukrainian officials are gearing up for a meeting in Saudi Arabia starting Tuesday to further iron out a plan to end the bloody war sparked by Russias unprovoked invasion. The talks in Saudi Arabia are intended to get peace efforts back on track after tensions flared between Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Zelensky in the Oval Office on Feb. 28. At the time, Zelensky had openly questioned Vances push for diplomacy with the Kremlin, citing Russian leader Vladimir Putins track record. Following the verbal spat, Zelensky was booted from the White House, and the mineral agreement the two sides had been set to finalize was left unsigned. Intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine had been put on pause during the aftermath of that acrimonious meeting, something CIA Director John Ratcliffe later confirmed. Witkoff claimed that from his understanding, intelligence sharing for strictly defense matters with Ukraine wasnt completely shut off. There are some indications that the mineral deal wont be enough to get Trump to resume aid. They will sign the minerals deal but I want them to want peace, Trump told reporters Sunday. They havent shown it to the extent they should. The Oval Office spat between Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelensky and President Trump rattled allies around the world. JIM LO SCALZO/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Still, when asked Sunday if the US was ready to resume intelligence sharing, Trump told reporters, We just about have. A chief concern for Zelensky has been to lock down security guarantees for his country. These are not complicated things, they just need to be put on the table and everybody needs to be transparent about what their expectations are, then we can begin to have a discussion about how we compromise, Witkoff said. Last week, Trump threatened Russia with large-scale sanctions and tariffs in response to Moscow absolutely pounding Ukraine on the battlefield. Trump later explained that he believes it is more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine than Russia, indicating frustrations that Kyiv thinks it has more cards to play than it actually has. Part of a mediation like this is to move the two sides closer, to narrow the differences, Witkoff added. Weve gone a long way to do that with the Russians, and I am really hopeful all the signs are really, really positive from Zelensky. On paper, Wikoff is technically the special envoy to the Middle East, but the real estate mogul has been significantly involved in negotiations over the war in Ukraine. Security vendor Proofpoint is moving from its traditional role as an email security software provider to a platform player, emphasising human centric security, as it marks 10 years in the Australian market in 2025. During keynote sessions at Proofpoints inaugural Protect Tour 2025 in Sydney, area vice president Crispin Kerr said the vendors human-centric cybersecurity platform has four key areas of focus including threat defence; information protection app and Identity Posture that contains SAAS; and identity sprawl and security awareness. Proofpoint has also introduced new tools like the Threat Protection Workbench and unified security platform Prime, with enhancements to its administration portal, including new capabilities for managing email, fire rules, policy rounds and URL rewrites. The direct protection API offers rich functionality and will be used to build ecosystem integrations, said Kern. The Threat Protection Workbench consolidates four dashboards, reducing click paths by 50 per cent. These improvements aim to enhance user experience, operational efficiency, and threat protection across collaboration channels. Proofpoint vice president of channel sale Asia Pacific Japan (APJ) Nelson Soon told ARN the vendor aims to simplify data management for partners and customers, leveraging AI and machine learning to enhance threat detection and response. Cyber security vendor CrowdStrike has appointed Rhys George to the newly created role as head of distribution for A/NZ. George joins CrowdStrike after spending more than seven years in a similar role for NetApp. We are excited to welcome Rhys to lead our distribution program in Australia and New Zealand, where his extensive enterprise sales, channel and partner management experience make him an ideal fit for this important role, CrowdStrike APJ VP of channels Jon Fox said. A/NZ is a key pillar of CrowdStrikes global growth strategy, with organisations in the region continually looking for the cybersecurity capabilities that enhance their security posture and help them stay ahead of adversaries. With Rhys leading our A/NZ distribution program, we will be able to equip even more service providers and MSSPs with the industrys most advanced cyber security platform. CrowdStrike recently released its fiscal year 2025 results, showing total revenue increased 29 per cent to US$3.95 billion, compared to US$3.06 billion in fiscal 2024. Press conference on people's livelihood held during 3rd session of 14th NPC Xinhua) 08:15, March 10, 2025 China's Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong, and head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao attend a press conference on people's livelihood for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie) China's Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong, and head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao attend a press conference on people's livelihood for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) China's Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong, and head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao attend a press conference on people's livelihood for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie) China's Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong, and head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao attend a press conference on people's livelihood for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) China's Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong, and head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao attend a press conference on people's livelihood for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie) China's Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong, and head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao attend a press conference on people's livelihood for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai) China's Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong, and head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao attend a press conference on people's livelihood for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai) China's Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong, and head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao attend a press conference on people's livelihood for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie) A journalist asks a question at a press conference on people's livelihood for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. China's Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong, and head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao attended the press conference on Sunday. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie) China's Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong, and head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao attend a press conference on people's livelihood for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai) A journalist works at a press conference on people's livelihood for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. China's Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong, and head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao attended the press conference on Sunday. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) Journalists work at a press conference on people's livelihood for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. China's Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong, and head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao attended the press conference on Sunday. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie) China's Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong, and head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao attend a press conference on people's livelihood for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie) China's Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong, and head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao attend a press conference on people's livelihood for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) Lei Haichao, head of China's National Health Commission, attends a press conference on people's livelihood for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping, and Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong also attended the press conference on Sunday. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai) China's Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong attends a press conference on people's livelihood for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping, and head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao also attended the press conference on Sunday. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai) China's Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping attends a press conference on people's livelihood for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong, and head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao also attended the press conference on Sunday. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai) China's Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan attends a press conference on people's livelihood for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong, and head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao also attended the press conference on Sunday. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai) This combo photo shows China's Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan (2nd L), Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping (2nd R), Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong (1st L), and head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao (1st R) attending a press conference on people's livelihood for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai) Journalists work at a press conference on people's livelihood for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. China's Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong, and head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao attended the press conference on Sunday. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) A journalist with Xinhua News Agency asks a question at a press conference on people's livelihood for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. China's Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong, and head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao attended the press conference on Sunday. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) by Nirmala Carvalho The young son of a bishop of the (Protestant) Church of North India died and two women were raped in a crime committed at a well-known tourist site. The Catholic bishop of Bellary, Mgr D'Souza, calls for culture of safety and security for all women". Hampi (AsiaNews) A horrendous crime that took place in Hampi (Karnataka), involving a group of tourists, has deeply shaken the local community, in particular, Christians. Last Thursday, three young men allegedly attacked a group of five people, pushing three men into a water canal and raping two women, an Israeli tourist and Indian homestay operator. One of the three men drowned. Ninas Nayak, a young man from Odisha, was the son of Bishop Bijay Nayak of the Church of North India (CNI). The place where the incident took place also caused a stir. Hampi is recognised UNESCO World Heritage Sites and is visited every year by tens of thousands of tourists. The Indian woman was accompanying two foreign tourists and two Indians to stargaze near the Tungabhadra Canal. Three men approached the group with an excuse and then tried to extort money from them. A verbal clash ensued between one of the tourists and the attackers, which led to a violent escalation. In a fit of rage, the attackers pushed the men into the canal and sexually attacked the women. Karnataka Home Affairs Minister G Parameshwara tried to be reassuring, stressing that security measures in major tourist destinations, including Hampi, will be significantly strengthened. Meanwhile, the three perpetrators of the attack have been identified and arrested. The Church of North India expressed profound sadness and deep grief over the death of Bibhas Nayak the beloved son of its moderator and bishop of Agra. The victim is remembered as a God-fearing, humble, and dedicated young man, known for his unwavering faith in Christ and his commitment to the Church. He touched the lives of many with his gentle spirit, kindness, and compassionate heart. Bishop Henry D'Souza of the Catholic Diocese of Bellary extended his condolences. I am really shocked and deeply upset that two women were brutally raped when the whole world was celebrating International Women's Day, he told AsiaNews. We need to create a culture of safety and security for all women in all places. The police, the judiciary and the public must act quickly and in an exemplary manner to ensure that such heinous acts do not happen again." Speaking about the young man who died, Bishop D Souza said: We are shocked and deeply mourn his untimely death in a sad incident. We pray that he be welcomed into paradise and made to share in the glory of the Risen Lord! Our heartfelt condolences to CNI Moderator Bishop BK Nayak and all his dear ones. Today's news: South Korean prosecutors continue to pursue Yoon for insurrection; North Korea launches ballistic missiles after joint exercises between Washington and Seoul; In India marks hottest February in 125 years, concerns for agriculture and industry; Protests in Indonesia over the poor quality of life, with 7.5 million unemployed. SYRIA After days of fighting, hundreds of civilians belonging to the Alawite religious minority are reported to have been killed in the response of the Syrian security forces and allied militias to attacks by loyalists of the Assad regime. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an NGO, speaks of over 830 civilians killed in massacres targeting Alawites. In a speech to the interim government, the leader of the al-Sharaa accused forces linked to Assad, blaming them for the violence, while promising an investigation into the reprisals against civilians. SOUTH KOREA South Korean prosecutors will continue to pursue the conviction of President Yoon Suk Yeol for insurrection, despite the court's decision to order the release of the deposed leader, the head of the prosecutor's office said on Monday (10 March). The verdict on the impeachment is expected as early as this week. There is a large presence of law enforcement as thousands of Yoon's supporters and opponents are expected to gather, with heated protests. NORTH KOREA North Korea launched several ballistic missiles a few hours after condemning the joint military exercises of South Korea and the United States, which Pyongyang called a dangerous provocative act capable of causing a confrontation. The South Korean army reported that the missiles were launched from the western region of North Korea towards the Yellow Sea. This is the first ballistic missile test reported since the inauguration of US President Donald Trump. INDIA Data from the Indian Meteorological Department shows that last month was the hottest February in India in the last 125 years. In many parts of the country, the average weekly minimum temperature was 1-3C higher than normal. The meteorological agency has warned that above-average maximum temperatures and heat waves are likely to persist in most parts of the country between March and May. Concerns are growing on farms and in factories, with cultivation programmes and business plans being disrupted. INDONESIA Anger over the declining quality of life in Southeast Asia's largest economy a nation of 280 million known for widespread corruption and nepotism has sparked student protests and prompted young people and middle-aged professionals to seek work abroad. According to the latest data from the country's statistics agency, updated in August 2024, there are almost 7.5 million unemployed in Indonesia. Furthermore, the gap between the rich and poor in this emerging nation is widening and the middle class is increasingly being crushed. ISRAEL - GAZA Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen has ordered the interruption of electricity supplies to Gaza, threatening the operation of the enclave's desalination plants. Sunday's announcement comes more than a week after Israel cut off all supplies of goods to the territory, which is home to over two million people, while in Doha negotiations on the second phase of the ceasefire that ended the 15-month Gaza war have not been unblocked. MYANMAR - BELARUS The head of the Myanmar military junta, Min Aung Hlaing, travelled to Belarus after visiting Moscow, meeting with President Aleksandr Lukasenko who proposed a series of wide-ranging projects fundamental for collaboration between the two countries that have much in common, starting with the International Labour Organization embargo, applied only to Minsk and Naypyidaw. GEORGIA The former president of Georgia, Salome Zurabisvili, has presented a new plan of protest initiatives, 100 days after the falsified elections of the Tbilisi parliament, accepting the proposals of all the opposition forces, also trying to find new channels of contact with Donald Trump's administration, something that the representatives of the ruling Georgian Dream party are also trying to do. by Vladimir Rozanskij Irakli Kobakhidze's visit to the Uzbek capital was an opportunity to strengthen cooperation projects between the two countries. The objective: to rapidly increase the volume of trade to one billion dollars. Tashkent (AsiaNews) - The Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, recently visited Uzbekistan, where he met his counterpart Abdulla Aripov in Tashkent to discuss the development of the Middle Corridor for Eurasian transport, the project that could transform the economy of the entire Central Asian and Caucasian region. This is the Trans-Caspian international transport route, which runs from the border between China and Kazakhstan to Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey and on to Europe, using rail and sea routes across the Caspian Sea for over 11,000 kilometres, with the potential to transport between 4.5 million and 27 million tonnes per year. The Corridor began operating in 2017, and in December 2022 Uzbekistan also joined it, to send goods to Europe. Kobakhidze emphasised that his country is in a strategic position, connecting Europe and Asia, the West and the East, and therefore he intends to make the most of the possibilities that are opening up. In this sense, the partnership with Uzbekistan would be extremely useful and fruitful, even though the two countries are not directly neighbouring, but are parallel to each other on either side of the Caspian Sea. The two heads of government recognised the positive dynamics in mutual trade and investments, and Kobakhidze invited Aripov to visit Georgia in turn. The press office of the government in Tashkent has also emphasised the increase in the balance of trade with the Georgians, and it is thought that the potential of this trade could reach a total of one billion dollars within the next few years. This could be achieved mainly by increasing the trade of handcrafted textiles and leather goods, but also food products, electrical engineering, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, fruit and vegetables, building materials and much more. Interest in co-operation in sectors such as agriculture, tourism, training and, of course, transport and logistics has also been declared. According to the dynamics of regional communications, twinning and collaboration relationships are being considered between Samarkand and Batumi, and also between Bukhara and Mtskheta, the most representative cities both from a cultural point of view and for commercial exchanges. The intergovernmental commission for economic collaboration between Uzbekistan and Georgia was therefore reconvened, at the end of which several documents were signed, including a memorandum on mutual understanding and partnership in the context of state purchases, and a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in various agricultural projects. Kobakhidze was then received by the President of Uzbekistan, Savkat Mirziyoyev, who congratulated him on the activation of contacts between the governments and parliaments of the two countries, as well as on the results obtained according to the reports presented, which show a 50% growth in the mutual trade balance in the last year, an increase in the number of joint ventures and in the volume of cargo transported, and in the activity of the digital bank supported by Georgian investors in Uzbekistan and Central Asia. There have also been important opportunities for cultural exchange, such as the Days of Uzbek Culture and Cinema which were successfully held in Tbilisi in 2024, and many other initiatives are planned for mutual exchange and enrichment between the Turanian world and the many ethnic, cultural and social diversities of the Caucasian region. 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. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said at the weekend that at least 745 civilians belonging to Syrias Alawite minority were killed in two days of clashes between security forces and fighters loyal to the ousted regime of Bashar al-Assad in the Latakia province. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Syria's interim authorities to hold accountable the "radical Islamist terrorists, including foreign jihadis" who have committed "massacres against Syrias minority communities" in recent days. "The United States stands with Syria's religious and ethnic minorities," Rubio said in a statement. The Aleppo-based Armenian-language newspaper Kantsasar reported that two Syrian Armenians are among the civilian victims. It said Antoine Boutros and his son Faty were shot dead just outside the coastal city of Latakia. The Armenian Foreign Ministry said, however, that there have been no Armenian casualties in the worst outbreak of violence in Syria since the fall of Assads regime. The Consulate General of the Republic of Armenia in Aleppo is in contact with local authorities and community structures, it said in a statement to RFE/RLs Armenian Service. In recent days, there has been no change in the content of applications addressed to the Consulate by Armenian citizens: they mainly concerned current consular issues. An Armenian church in Latakia cancelled a Sunday mass. Hagop Altunian, a former Latakia resident who moved to Armenia years ago, said his relatives and friends living in the area have told him that they now live in fear. They dont leave their homes because they are scared, Altunian told RFE/RLs Armenian Service on Monday. They are even scared of talking by phone. Things are very tough for the local people. The Christians are in trouble. In an Arabic-language voice message, a friend of Altunian living in a local village told him that he and his family are hiding in a forest because they have heard that government forces killed 233 residents of a neighboring community. Dalida Kahejian, another Syrian Armenian now based in Yerevan, on Sunday again spoke by phone with her daughter living in Kessab, another coastal town in the Syrian province. She has no electricity and their schools and churches are closed They are thinking about getting out [of the country,] but they dont have valid passports right now, said Kahejian. The Armenian governments domestic critics have renewed their calls for official Yerevan to organize or facilitate the evacuation of Syrian Armenians. Many in Armenia already voiced concerns about the security of the Armenian community when the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) Islamist militant group swept to power in December. The new Syrian government formed by it assured the remaining Syrian Armenians and other minorities that their security and rights will be protected. There were no signs of a serious Armenian exodus from Syria before the reported massacres in Latakia. An Armenian deputy foreign minister visited Damascus in January. An estimated 80,000 ethnic Armenians, most of them descendants of survivors of the 1915 Armenian genocide in Ottoman Turkey, lived in Syria before the outbreak of its civil war in 2011. At least half of them reportedly fled the country during the war. Thousands took refuge in Armenia. 10 March 2025 12:38 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more An investigation has revealed that 170 Azerbaijani prisoners were killed through torture, as confirmed by Lieutenant General Sharafat Hasanov, Deputy Chief of the State Security Service, Azernews reports. This was disclosed during the presentation of the assessment report by the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), regarding the search for missing persons in Azerbaijan, hosted by the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Missing, and Hostage Citizens. According to the report, out of the 3,983 individuals reported missing, 3,209 were military personnel and 774 were civilians. Among the civilians, 75 were minors, 116 were women, and 315 were elderly individuals. 10 March 2025 13:50 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more During the trial at the Baku Military Court, the accused Arkady Ghukasyan responded to questions from state prosecutors. Azernews reports that in response to the prosecutor's question, "Do you agree with the ideology of a 'Greater Armenia'?" Ghukasyan dismissed the idea, calling it a fairy tale: "Regarding 'Greater Armenia'... I have not believed in fairy tales for a long time. The idea of 'Greater Armenia' is a fairy tale. I live in real life, I have never been realistic about it." The trial continues for citizens of the Republic of Armenia accused of committing crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including the preparation and conduct of a war of aggression, genocide, violation of the laws and customs of war, as well as terrorism, financing terrorism, forcible seizure of power, forcible retention of power, and numerous other crimes. 10 March 2025 16:06 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more During the trial at the Baku Military Court, the accused Arkady Ghukasyan also discussed the former President of the Republic of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, while responding to questions from state prosecutors. Azernews reports that Ghukasyan stated that the main speaker at the rallies held in Karabakh in 1988 was Arkady Manvelovich Manucharov. He added, "I do not remember Robert Kocharyan's speeches. Since we were educated in Russian, he, like me, had problems with the literary Armenian language. It is possible that he was one of the organizers of the rally, because he was a member of the 'Krung' organization." He also stated that, back in 1992, fewer than 30,000 residents of Armenian descent lived in the territory of Garabagh. He indicated that some of these individuals chose to remain in Garabagh, while others moved to Armenia or Russia. The trial continues for citizens of the Republic of Armenia accused of committing crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including the preparation and conduct of a war of aggression, genocide, violation of the laws and regulations of war, as well as terrorism, financing terrorism, forcible seizure of power, forcible retention of power, and numerous other crimes. 10 March 2025 17:41 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more The first call for arms in Garabagh was made at rallies, according to Bako Sahakyan, who testified at the Baku Military Court, Azernews reports. As reported by Azernews, Sahakyan, responding to questions from state prosecutors, acknowledged the presence of armaments in villages and cities, stating: "Some of the weapons were from dislocated Soviet military units. In addition, there were arms supplies from Armenia. These were the main directions of armament." His admission comes amid the ongoing trial of Armenian citizens accused of committing crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including waging a war of aggression, genocide, violations of the laws and customs of war, terrorism, financing terrorism, and attempts to forcibly seize and retain power. 10 March 2025 21:59 (UTC+04:00) Court hearings on the criminal case against citizens of the Republic of Armenia Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, Davit Babayan, Lyova Mnatsakanyan, and others, who are accused of committing crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including the preparation and conduct of a war of aggression, acts of genocide, violation of the laws and customs of warfare, as well as terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure of power, forcible retention of power and numerous other crimes as a result of Armenia's military aggression, were continued on March 10. The hearings held at the Baku Military Court were presided over by Judge Zeynal Aghayev and a panel consisting of Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (reserve judge Gunel Samadova). Each of the accused was provided with an interpreter in the language of their choice, as well as defense attorneys. Present at the review hearings were the accused and their defense attorneys, some of the victims, their legal successors and representatives, as well as prosecutors in charge of public prosecution. The trial continued with the accused being asked questions. The accused Arkady Ghukasyan was first to be asked questions by the prosecutors in charge of public prosecution. In response to a question, he said he had worked as a deputy editor in the Soviet Armenia newspaper. He said, I wrote on issues related to the Garabagh conflict. The newspaper was published until 1991. The newspaper has not been published since then. Arkady Ghukasyan emphasized that he had condemned all illegal actions and noted, In my opinion, a person killing a woman, a child, or an elderly is not a human being. And it is not about a persons nationality. He said that he studied at school in Garabagh in Russian, but added that there were more Armenian schools than those in Azerbaijani and Russian. Ghukasyan admitted that there had been no problems with the Armenian language in Garabagh. In response to the prosecutor's question about the Greater Armenia ideology, Arkady Ghukasyan described this idea as a fairy tale and noted, I have not believed in fairy tales about a Greater Armenia for a long time. The idea of a Greater Armenia is just a fairy tale. I live in real life and have never taken it seriously. He said that he had met Zori Balayan, who figures in the case as a member of the criminal group, in 1993, and Vazgen Manukyan in 1994. He said that Robert Kocharyan was his leader. While answering the questions of the prosecutors in charge of public prosecution, Arkady Ghukasyan also spoke about the former president of the Republic of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan. He said that Arkady Manvelovich Manucharov was the main speaker at the illegal rallies held in Garabagh in 1988. He said, I do not remember Robert Kocharyan's speeches. Since we were both educated in Russian, he, like me, had problems with the literary Armenian language. It is possible that he was one of the organizers of the rallies because he was a member of the Krunk organization. Then Bako Sahakyan's defense attorney asked the court to create suitable conditions for a confidential meeting with the person he was defending. The court granted the defense attorney's request and arranged for a confidential meeting. A recess was announced in the hearings. After the recess, the accused Bako Sahakyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, Davit Ishkhanyan and Davit Babayan were asked questions about the leaders and participants in the illegal armed formations created by Armenia and operating under its support and leadership in the territory of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic and in Garabagh, an integral part of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, who constituted the core of the criminal organization, what its relations with Armenia, its leadership and high-ranking officials were like, what their activities and role in day-to-day operations of these formations were, as well as the criminal ideology of a Greater Armenia, the goals and objectives of the Miatsum and Garabagh movements, the functions, activities and agenda of the Krunk organization, the persons leading the aforementioned movements and their relations with the accused, whether the accused participated in the illegal rallies organized in Garabagh, who the speakers at those rallies were, who and in what form involved people in those rallies or how they were invited to them. In response to questions from prosecutors in charge of public prosecution, the accused Bako Sahakyan admitted that the first calls for armament in Garabagh were made during the illegal rallies. He said that there was armament in villages and cities and noted, Some of the weapons came from Soviet military units deployed there. In addition, there were weapons supplies from Armenia. These were the main directions of armament. Then the accused Davit Ishkhanyan answered questions from the prosecutors. Another accused, Arayik Harutunyan, said in response to questions of the prosecutors that he was 14 years old when the Garabagh events began. He said that he had not participated in the illegal rallies because he was a schoolboy, but was aware of the people who spoke at those rallies and knew them. He noted, I know that writers Gurgen Gabrelyan, Vartan Hakobyan, and Harachi Beglaryan spoke at the rallies. Of the writers, Gurgen Gabrelyan was a children's poet. This is all I knew. In response to questions, Arayik Harutunyan said that he had heard the names of some of the illegal armed formations. Speaking about the Arabo battalion, he said, I had heard the names of 30 percent of them from the list you have just mentioned. I knew about Arabo, Arami, Great Tigran, and David of Sasunchi. I was aware that they had been involved in some combat operations. I know more about Arabo. One of its commanders was named Manvel. My contact with him began after 2020. In response to questions from prosecutors in charge of public prosecution, the accused Davit Babayan said that the so-called army of the self-styled entity included various armed formations, but that he personally had not participated in those processes. He said he had met Arayik Harutyunyan in 1990. During the hearings trial, the accused were questioned from representatives of the victims, as well as their own defense attorneys. The next hearings are scheduled for March 13. The hearings will continue with questions to be asked of the accused. A total of 15 Armenian nationals are being charged with numerous crimes involving direct leadership and participation of the Armenian state, its state bodies, military forces and illegal armed formations, verbal and written instructions, orders and assignments, provision of material and technical support, central governance, as well as the exercise of rigorous control, with the aim of committing military aggression and acts of terror against the Republic of Azerbaijan in the territory of Azerbaijan in violation of domestic and international law, and involving Robert Sedraki Kocharyan, Serzh Azati Sargsyan, Vazgen Mikaeli Manukyan, Vazgen Zaveni Sargsyan, Samvel Andraniki Babayan, Vitali Mikaeli Balasanyan, Zori Hayki Balayan, Seyran Mushegi Ohanyan, Arshavir Surenovich Garamyan, Monte Charles Melkonyan and others, including criminal acts committed during the course of the war of aggression waged by the aforementioned criminal group. The said persons, i.e. Arayik Vladimiri Harutyunyan, Arkadi Arshaviri Ghukasyan, Bako Sahaki Sahakyan, Davit Rubeni Ishkhanyan, David Azatini Manukyan, Davit Klimi Babayan, Levon Henrikovich Mnatsakanyan, Vasili Ivani Beglaryan, Erik Roberti Ghazaryan, Davit Nelsoni Allahverdiyan, Gurgen Homeri Stepanyan, Levon Romiki Balayan, Madat Arakelovich Babayan, Garik Grigori Martirosyan, Melikset Vladimiri Pashayan, are being charged under Articles 100 (planning, preparing, initiating and waging a war of aggression), 102 (attacking persons or organizations enjoying international protection), 103 (genocide), 105 (extermination of the population), 106 (enslaving), 107 (deportation or forced displacement of the population), 109 (persecution), 110 (enforced disappearance of people), 112 (deprivation of liberty contrary to international law), 113 (torture), 114 (mercenary service), 115 (violation of the laws and customs of warfare), 116 (violation of international humanitarian law during armed conflict), 118 (military robbery), 120 (intentional murder), 192 (illegal entrepreneurship), 214 (terrorism), 214-1 (financing terrorism), 218 (creation of a criminal association (organization)), 228 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation and possession of weapons, their components, ammunition, explosives and devices), 270-1 (acts threatening aviation security), 277 (assassination of a state official or public figure), 278 (forcible seizure and retention of power, forcible change of the constitutional structure of the state), 279 (creation of armed formations and groups not provided for by law) and other articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan. 10 March 2025 13:45 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more Azerbaijan is set to expand its energy strategy beyond the region to the Mediterranean, by taking important steps in Israel. Energy cooperation with Tel Aviv began long ago, but Azerbaijan's oil giant SOCAR suspended its operations in the region due to the recent military confrontation that erupted in 2023 following the Hamas attack on Israel. With the conclusion of the military confrontation, SOCAR resumed its operations in Israel and even expanded them further by purchasing a 10 per cent stake in the Tamar natural gas reservoir off the country's Mediterranean coast from Israeli businessman Aaron Frenkel in February 2025. In addition, a few days ago, Israel Globes circulated news that SOCAR, as the operator in a consortium with British Petroleum (bp) and Yitzhak Tshuva's NewMed Energy to search for gas in Block I in the northwest of Israel's economic waters, will sign... Access to paid information is limited Find the plan that suits you best. 10 March 2025 20:37 (UTC+04:00) Elnur Enveroglu Read more In a dramatic twist that has captivated global headlines, US President Donald Trumps latest letter to Iran has raised concerns about the future of international relations and the possibility of war. The letter, which sharply demands that Iran halt its nuclear program, presents Tehran with an ultimatum: "negotiation or war." This declaration has refocused the worlds attention on the fraught and increasingly volatile US-Iran relationship. The question now is simple: what will Americas next move be? Will Trump lead the charge into a new military conflict, or will diplomatic efforts provide a way forward? These questions echo the longstanding tension between the two nations, which has simmered for decades like a dormant volcano waiting to erupt. However, this is not a sudden shift; rather, it marks a continuation of a crisis that has been developing ever since Trump assumed office. While the US president has not publicly articulated his stance on Iran prior to or during his first term, he has made it clear that he sees the Iranian issue as one of the most pressing challenges of his presidency. His rhetoric has grown bolder, and his diplomatic overtures to Moscow may offer clues to the broader strategy he is pursuing. US-Russia connection: An unlikely alliance? One of the most striking features of Trumps foreign policy has been his concessional behaviour towards Russia. His administration's lenient stance toward Moscow has raised eyebrows and sparked speculation: is Trump perhaps under Russian influence? This question gained particular traction following the prolonged and devastating war in Ukraine. The conflict, now in its third year, has appeared to Trump as a costly, intractable quagmire. With Ukraine besieged by Russian forces, it is clear that the American president sees this as a major financial and strategic drain. Despite this, it seems that Trumps focus on Moscow remains unwavering. The US has been seen as attempting to undermine Ukraine while also rebuilding its relationship with Russia, a move that many observers see as an attempt to balance geopolitical power. In this context, the ongoing US-Iran dispute has taken on an even more critical dimension. America, in the midst of this tug-of-war with Russia, appears to seek Irans cooperation in completing its unfinished business. The US needs Moscow's support to ensure that its agenda in the Middle East is achieved an alliance that is especially crucial as the Russia-Iran partnership grows stronger. The current impasse with Iran is not new. Tensions between the US and Iran have simmered for decades, reaching new heights under Trump. One of the most significant moments came when the US killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike in early 2020. This move, while striking, also sent a loud and clear message to Iran: America is willing to act decisively to protect its interests. However, the issues between the two countries extend beyond personal conflicts. The United States has long been troubled by Iran's activities in the Persian Gulf, particularly its attacks on oil tankers in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. Irans animosity toward the US has also manifested in its meddling in regional conflicts. From supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to backing the Houthi rebels in Yemen, Iran has proven to be a thorn in the side of American interests in the Middle East. Additionally, Tehrans role in fueling tensions between Israel and Hamas has made Iran a central player in the regions instability. Perhaps most concerning for Washington is Irans nuclear ambitions. Although Iran is significantly weaker than the US militarily and economically, it views its nuclear program as its only viable deterrent against external threats. This reality creates a stark dilemma for the US: either Iran must comply with American demands to halt its nuclear development, or the world faces the very real possibility of catastrophic war. Now, as President Trump presents Iran with an ultimatum either negotiations or war the stakes could not be higher. The US is trying to navigate a perilous geopolitical landscape, but the outcome of this standoff will have implications far beyond just Iran or America. The future of the Middle East, global security, and the stability of the international order hang in the balance. As much as Trump may desire a diplomatic solution, he knows that military force may be the only remaining option if Tehran refuses to bend to his will. And if war does come, it would not only be catastrophic for Iran and the US, but it could also lead to wider regional destabilization, drawing in allies and adversaries alike. Does US leave Ukraine crisis in limbo Donald Trumps tactical yet somewhat hurried geostrategy has raised questions about what the United States truly thinks about Ukraine. In a recent sharp critique, Trump told Ukraines president, "You don't have the cards," in the Oval Office, leading to the lingering question: Has Trump abandoned Ukraine to fend for itself, or will he ultimately save it from Russias grip? The situation is moving so dynamically and quickly that it has become difficult to deeply analyse what the US truly intends and what might unfold next. With time running short, Trump seems to be pursuing a multivector policy on the one hand, maintaining a parallel strategy with Moscow while keeping Ukraine under control, and on the other, attempting to coax Russia into supporting US efforts to pressure Iran. However, executing both of these actions simultaneously does not seem entirely plausible given the constraints of US power. Trump is aware of this and, while urging Ukraine to avoid a full-scale war, he seems more intent on redirecting his focus toward Iran a country that, while militarily and economically weaker, is determined and resilient. By targeting Iran, the US is also making a move against the broader Islamic community in the Middle East. Crushing Iran could significantly increase the resolve of other Muslim countries, potentially leading to the formation of a united front against the US. The White House has likely calculated these risks beforehand, but the real challenge lies in executing this plan over the next four years. Whether the US can carry out its ambitions and manage these complex relationships remains shrouded in uncertainty. As Trump presses Iran to make a choice, the world watches, wondering whether this will be the moment when one of the most intractable conflicts in modern history reaches its violent conclusion or whether diplomacy can still prevail in preventing an all-out war. In the end, the question remains: will the United States, with the help of Russia, manage to broker peace, or will this nuclear standoff ignite a firestorm that devastates the Middle East and beyond? 10 March 2025 12:02 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more Azerbaijan has emerged as a global hub for constructive dialogue on energy issues. Azernews reports that this was stated by Haitham al-Qais, the Secretary General of OPEC, in his welcoming letter to participants of the Baku Energy Forum. Azerbaijan, as a key player in the Declaration of Cooperation (DoC) between OPEC and non-OPEC countries, has become a central hub for global energy discussions. This was evident at COP29 and will be reaffirmed at the 30th Baku Energy Forum, which holds a significant place in the regions energy calendar, al-Qais stated. He also emphasized the forums importance as a vital platform for global dialogue and cooperation in the energy sector. Baku Energy Week will take place from June 3-5 this year, with the Baku Energy Forum, the weeks main event, scheduled for June 4-5. The forum annually attracts key figures from the energy sector, international experts, investors, and business leaders. 10 March 2025 16:39 (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. In January 2025, Azerbaijan's exports to European Union (EU) countries reached $2.4 billion, marking an increase of $1.68 billion (3.3 times) compared to the same period in 2024. This significant rise demonstrates Azerbaijan's growing economic engagement with the EU, Azernews reports, citing the State Customs Committee. he Committee noted the value of imports from the EU during the same period amounted to... 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! 10 March 2025 14:33 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more A business delegation from Russias Omsk region will visit Azerbaijan in June this year, Azernews reports, citing Omsk media outlets. The visit is scheduled for June 3-5 and is organized jointly by the Omsk City Administration, the Omsk Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the National Confederation of Entrepreneurs (Employers) Organizations of Azerbaijan (ASK). During the visit, meetings will be held at ASK, with discussions based on the business activities and interests of entrepreneurs from Omsk and Azerbaijan. The program also includes visits to large enterprises in Baku. Additionally, the delegation will participate in the 30th anniversary of the International Caspian Oil and Gas Exhibition. 10 March 2025 17:22 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more The Intra-European Organization of Tax Administrations (IOTA) recently held a digital forum on The Future of Tax Communication: Opportunities and Challenges in the Context of Digital Transformation, which was attended by around 150 participants from 36 IOTA member tax administrations, Azernews reports. During the event, experts discussed the application of digital tools, artificial intelligence, and advanced public relations mechanisms in tax communication. Representatives from Azerbaijan, Italy, Finland, France, Norway, and the United Kingdom shared their experiences. The first day focused on initiatives, campaigns, and AI applications in digital communication. Ulker Nabiyeva from the Media and Communication Department of Azerbaijans State Tax Service presented on Organizing communication within the framework of digital transformation, highlighting Azerbaijans experience with digital communication tools and AI in the field. The second day of the forum centered on the use of AI and digital tools in tax communication, featuring presentations on Frances digital communication efforts and the United Kingdoms use of modern tools in a digitalized environment. The event also included Q&A sessions and group discussions on digital communication practices. 10 March 2025 17:55 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more On March 10, theater figures in Azerbaijan celebrate its professional holiday-National Theater Day, Azernews reports. This significant date is celebrated annually on March 10 in accordance with the decree of President Ilham Aliyev dated March 1, 2013. The date was not chosen by chance. On March 10, 1873, a group of amateur actors from the Baku Real School performed Mirza Fatali Akhundov's comedy, "The Adventures of the Vizier of the Lankaran Khanate." This performance laid the groundwork for the national theater in Azerbaijan, with significant contributions from figures like Hasan bay Zardabi and Najaf bay Vazirov. The Azerbaijani philanthropist and industrial magnate Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev funded the construction of Baku's first theater building. The Azerbaijani state pays great attention to the development of theater. It supports various initiatives and programs aimed at enhancing theatrical arts, promoting cultural events, and encouraging talented artists. National Leader of Azerbaijani People Heydar Aliyev was a strong supporter of the theater arts, and his legacy is continued today by President Ilham Aliyev. In 2006, Azerbaijan adopted the Law "On Theater and Theatrical Activity," highlighting the importance the state places on theatrical arts. Subsequently, in 2007, President Aliyev issued an order focused on developing Azerbaijani theater. In 2009, President Aliyev approved a comprehensive program for theater's growth covering the years 2009-2019. The Azerbaijan Theater Workers Union also grew into a strong organization, helping to promote theater and its growth in Azerbaijan. Known as the oldest creative group in the Caucasus. It was established in the late 19th century and includes not only Azerbaijani artists but also many foreign actors who worked in Baku during that time. The Union started out in 1897 as the "Union of Artists." It changed its name several times over the years: to the "Union of Muslim Artists" in 1917, "Union of Turkic Actors" in 1920, and "Azerbaijan Theatre Society" in 1945. Finally, on February 27, 1987, it was renamed to "The Union of Theatre Workers of Azerbaijan," which it remains today. The groups that came before the Union were led by notable individuals like Sultan Majid Ganizade, Abdurrahim bay Hagverdiyev, and the Hajibayli brothers, among others. In later years, the Theater Society was directed by leaders such as Shovkat Mammadova, Rza Tahmasib, Marziyya Davudova, and others. Today, Azerbaijan Theater Workers Union carries out projects that help develop the national theater scene. It works closely with government culture organizations, creative unions, and educational institutions. The year 2025 marks the 152nd anniversary of Azerbaijan National Theater, known for its rich history and traditions. A new chapter in Azerbaijani theater has begun, characterized by innovative performances staged by creative teams and cooperation with prestigious theaters in Europe and beyond. In February, Azerbaijan State Academic National Drama Theater and Georgia's Shota Rustaveli National Theater signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at promoting international collaboration. The agreement was officially signed by the director of the Azerbaijan State Academic National Drama Theater Ilham Asgarov and the director of the Shota Rustaveli National Theater Givi Guntadze. The MoU aims to strengthen the relationship between the two theatres and also greatly enhance the overall cultural ties between Azerbaijan and Georgia. Moreover, the agreement on celebrating Azerbaijan National Theater Day was reached between director of the Heydar Aliyev Azerbaijan Cultural Center in Tashkent Akif Marifli and director of the Mukimi Uzbek State Musical Theater Azim Mullakhanov. Over the years, Azerbaijani theaters have proudly represented the country at international events held in many countries. Renowned directors, choreographers, and theater artists from abroad have been invited to stage performances in Azerbaijan. Foreign theater groups have also come to Azerbaijan for performances. The growing interest in theater within society is leading to the creation of new forms of theatrical activities. The successes of Azerbaijani theater are still ahead. The theater workers in the country strive to achieve even greater success in the coming years through exciting stage productions. 10 March 2025 16:27 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more Azerbaijan Culture Ministry has conducted an event themed "Behind the Scenes: Report, Discussion and New Opportunities" aimed at evaluating the activities of its institutions, Azernews reports. During his address, Azerbaijan Culture Minister Adil Karimli emphasized the key objectives of the country's cultural policy. The minister underlined that President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva have always paid attention to the development of Azerbaijani culture, demonstrating considerable support for initiatives in this sector. Adil Karimli stressed the importance of institutions within the Culture Ministry aligning their activities with the established goals. In his speech, the minister outlined the primary aims of the meeting, which included promoting accountability and transparency among institutions, fostering team spirit among employees, and enhancing skills for collective cooperation and collaborative efforts. The event featured a series of panel discussions. The first panel, moderated by Oleg Amirbayov, an advisor to the Culture Minister, focused on "Behind the Scenes: The Current State of Theaters, Work Done, and Future Outlook." The second panel, titled "Behind the Exhibits: Preserving Cultural Heritage in Museums and State Reserves," was led by Konul Jafarova, head of the Ministry's Museum and Movable Cultural Heritage Sector. It featured presentations from director of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum Amina Malikova, director of the Azerbaijan National Art Museum Shirin Malikova, director of the Gobustan National Historical and Artistic Reserve Vugar Isayev. The third panel, "Behind the Sounds: Today's Concert Industry, Achievements, and New Perspectives," was also moderated by a Culture Minister advisor, Jahangir Salimkhanov. The final panel discussed "Behind the Lines: Dynamics of Library Development, Achievements, and Challenges in the New Era." At the conclusion of each discussion, attendees were encouraged to ask questions, fostering interaction and engagement. During the event, the winner of the "Yuksalish" competition was honored with a certificate of merit. Moreover, medals for "For Distinction in Civil Service," awarded by presidential decree, were presented to esteemed individuals. The ministry also recognized several employees with honorary certificates for their contributions. To close the event, attendees enjoyed a series of musical performances. 10 March 2025 10:00 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more Presentation of the "Assessment Report on the Search for Missing Persons in the Republic of Azerbaijan" by the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), Azernews reports. A ceremony for the presentation of the "Assessment Report on the Search for Missing Persons in the Republic of Azerbaijan" by the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) took place in connection with citizens who were prisoners of war, missing, or taken hostage. Members of the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Missing, and Hostage Citizens, along with the working group, representatives of the International Commission at senior levels, parliamentarians, heads of relevant government agencies, as well as civil society organizations (CSOs) and media representatives attended the event. To recall, during the First Garabagh War (1988-1994), thousands of Azerbaijanis went missing due to the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Many civilians and military personnel were either killed, captured, or displaced. An estimated over 4,000 Azerbaijanis remain unaccounted for, including prisoners of war and hostages. The war caused widespread trauma, with over one million Azerbaijanis displaced. Efforts to locate missing persons continue, with international organizations like the ICMP and ICRC assisting. The issue remains a sensitive matter for Azerbaijan, with families still seeking justice and closure regarding their missing loved ones from the conflict. 10 March 2025 13:55 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Nijat Huseynov, an employee of the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, was detained by the State Security Service on March 4, 2025, as a suspect. He was brought before the Sabail District Court in Baku, which chose to remand him in custody. Azernews reports that Huseynov is accused of abusing his official authority during his duties. This incident follows a series of actions within the agency, including the severe reprimand of the Chairman of the State Tourism Agency, Fuad Humbat oglu Naghiyev, by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, due to his shortcomings in office. Additionally, several agency officials, including the Head of the State Tourism Agencys Office, Kenan Gasimov, and the Head of the Tourism Policy and Strategy Department, Mahammad Muradov, were dismissed from their positions. 10 March 2025 15:36 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more The Egypt-Azerbaijan Friendship Society, under the leadership of researcher-scholar Seymur Nasirov, has established the Egypt-Azerbaijan Peoples' Friendship Academy. This initiative was decided unanimously by the Executive Board of the Society, Azernews reports. Nasirov highlighted the increasing diversity and development of the Egypt-Azerbaijan Friendship Society's activities. He mentioned that the fields of science and art would now operate under the newly established academy, further strengthening the ties between the two nations. In addition, during the holy month of Ramadan, the society distributed over 30 tons of food to thousands of low-income Egyptian families and foreign students studying in Egypt. It was also reported that at the Egypt-Azerbaijan Friendship Society, 642 students from 59 countries receive free education in various subjects, including Azerbaijani language, calligraphy, Arabic language and literature, the recitation of the Quran, carpet weaving, mugham music, and other fields. 10 March 2025 15:39 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more On March 10, a parliamentary delegation headed by the Speaker of the Milli Majlis, Sahiba Gafarova, departed for an official visit to Georgia, Azernews reports. According to the Press and Public Relations Department of the Parliament, Sahiba Gafarova is scheduled to hold several meetings with the Georgian leadership during the visit. Further details about the meetings will be shared throughout the day. 10 March 2025 15:42 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Members of the Azerbaijani-Swedish working group on interparliamentary relations have sent a letter to the members of the Swedish-Armenian friendship group in the Swedish parliament, firmly rejecting its statement adopted on March 6, Azernews reports. According to the Press and Public Relations Department of the Milli Majlis, the letter states: "We, the members of the Working Group on Relations with the Swedish Parliament of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as the Swedish Parliament's 'Sweden-Armenia Friendship Group,' firmly reject the groundless, and biased statement that you adopted on March 6 this year. This statement, full of false information and false accusations, is a shameful attempt to distort reality, question the sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and to whitewash the crimes committed by Armenian separatists and war criminals against the Azerbaijani people." The Azerbaijani MPs criticized the group for ignoring Armenias 30-year occupation of Azerbaijani territories, stating: "As part of the Armenian lobby, you have decided to remain silent over the 30-year occupation of the internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan by Armenia, countless war crimes against peaceful Azerbaijani residents, ethnic cleansing, and gross violations of human rights on a massive scale." They also condemned the group's selective stance on historical atrocities: "You have deliberately chosen to turn a blind eye to the consequences of the Armenian genocide," the letter continues. Addressing the accusations made in the Swedish-Armenian group's statement, the Azerbaijani MPs clarified: "Such claims as 'illegal deprivation of liberty of Armenian prisoners, including political figures and civilians, physical and psychological torture, and political persecution' and other fabricated accusations are nothing more than fabrications aimed at diverting attention from the actions of those responsible for keeping Azerbaijani lands under occupation, razing our cities and villages to the ground, expelling 750,000 Azerbaijanis from their homeland through ethnic cleansing, and systematically destroying the national, cultural, and historical heritage of Azerbaijan." The letter also criticized the hypocrisy of the Swedish-Armenian group: "The selective and biased approach based on double standards demonstrates that the true intention of the group members is to slander Azerbaijan through political manipulation." Rejecting the portrayal of detained individuals as political prisoners, the letter asserts: "The named individuals are not prisoners of war, but criminals who violated Azerbaijani laws and must be held accountable and punished for their actions through a fair, transparent trial. The Azerbaijani judicial system operates in full compliance with international standards, and any claim to the contrary is nothing more than slander." The MPs concluded with a strong rejection of the Swedish-Armenian group's statement, reaffirming Azerbaijans commitment to justice and regional stability: "We strongly condemn the shameful and biased statement that aims to increase tensions and incite hostility, rather than support peace and justice. Azerbaijan is committed to justice, international law, and the regional peace agenda. No external threat or interference can undermine our determination to uphold the rule of law and ensure accountability for crimes committed against our country." Calling on the Swedish-Armenian friendship group to abandon its "baseless accusations and false claims," the letter firmly declares: "The era of impunity for war criminals is over, and all attempts to bring those guilty of crimes against our people and state to justice will be in vain." 10 March 2025 19:32 (UTC+04:00) Aykhan Hajizada, Spokesperson for Azerbaijans Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has responded to the local media inquiry regarding the unfounded allegations made by Manuel Valls, Minister of the Overseas of France in his interview with BFM TV. We strongly reject the unfounded allegations against our country made by France on a regular basis, to conceal its failed policy in the overseas territories, as well as efforts to carry on its colonial legacy. Ludicrous accusations against Azerbaijan made by Manuel Valls, promoting the colonial policy of France, claiming that this country exists on 3 oceans and 5 continents, are nothing more than another manifestation of the fact that France fails to accept the loss of its foothold among those nations, Hajizada said. Minister Manuel Valls, who refers to France as "an exceptional power," acknowledges that his incompatible allegations are insufficient justifications in light of violent acts committed in the overseas territories and suppression of movements advocating for independence. This country's double standards mindset is actually displayed by Minister Manuel Valls, who demonstrates how France is willing to sacrifice ideas like independence and freedom of opinion when its own "strategic interests" are at stake. We call on France to cease its unfounded smear campaign against Azerbaijan by making such allegations, the MFA spokesperson added. 10 March 2025 21:15 (UTC+04:00) As part of the official visit of Speaker of Azerbaijans Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova to Georgia, a signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the two countries legislative authorities was held on Monday. Azernews reports via Azertag that the document was formalized by Sahiba Gafarova, Speaker of the Milli Majlis, and Shalva Papuashvili, Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia. The MoU will contribute to further fostering relations and enhancing cooperation between the two countries legislative authorities. 10 March 2025 10:22 (UTC+04:00) Full digital access to all news for 1 year Full digital access to all news for 6 months Full digital access to all news for 3 months Full digital access to all news for 1 month Find the plan that suits you best. The European Commission is engaged in discussions on the potential transit of Azerbaijani gas through Ukraine, according to Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, Azernews reports. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 10 March 2025 22:50 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva Japan has announced its intention to continue working closely with Canada to maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific region and strengthen the unity of the Group of Seven (G7) countries, Azernews reports. Chief Secretary of the Cabinet of Japan Yoshimasa Hayashi emphasized that Canada and Japan share core values such as freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, and also have similar strategic interests. We will work with Canada, an important strategic partner in the Indo-Pacific region, to maintain and strengthen peace and stability in the region and the world, while also working to ensure the unity of the G7, Hayashi stated at a press briefing. This year, Canada holds the G7 presidency, and with the return of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency, concerns have emerged within the group about the cohesion of its members. Meanwhile, in Canada, the Liberal Party has elected Mark Carney as its new leader, setting the stage for him to succeed Justin Trudeau, who recently announced his resignation as prime minister. The growing importance of Japan and Canada's bilateral cooperation highlights the shifting geopolitical dynamics in the Indo-Pacific region. Both countries have a shared interest in countering rising tensions, particularly with Chinas assertiveness in the South China Sea and the broader Asia-Pacific region. Strengthening ties between Japan and Canada, two democratic powers with advanced economies, provides a unified front in upholding international norms. The evolving leadership in Canada adds another layer of complexity to the G7. Mark Carneys potential leadership transition could bring a fresh perspective to Canadas foreign policy and its role within the group. His background as a former Governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, as well as his work on global financial stability, could influence the economic and strategic priorities of Canada moving forward. The return of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency could also present challenges for the G7, particularly in terms of international cooperation and shared goals. The groups cohesion will be crucial in addressing pressing global issues such as climate change, trade, and security, as well as the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region. In any case, the collaboration between Japan and Canada represents a growing recognition of the need for collective action in an increasingly multipolar world. 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. Here are four states updating their certified registered nurse anesthetists and anesthesia laws in the last month: 1. In January, Illinois state Rep. Bill Hauter, MD, a Republican, sponsored a bill making it illegal for insurance companies to place a time limit on anesthesia payment coverage. That bill has now passed out of the state insurance committee unanimously.While anesthesia time limits have never been proposed in Illinois, the bill would preemptively stop any future potential time limits. 2. Washington state lawmakers are considering allocating $840,000 to the states Department of Ecology to study the impact of anesthesia gas on the environment. The department would be required to produce a report in 2027 with recommendations for anesthesia gas regulation. 3. Two Florida lawmakers have filed legislation to grant CRNAs the ability to practice without physician supervision. Senate bill 718 and House bill 649 both seek expanded practice authority for CRNAs, allowing them to practice autonomously and administer anesthesia independently. The two pieces of legislation also change licensing requirements for advanced practice registered nurses. 4. Legislators in Washington state are taking steps to ban time caps on anesthesia coverage in a bipartisan bill. The bill would immediately place a ban on any provider attempting to deny coverage or cap reimbursement based on the duration of anesthesia used during a procedure. The American College of Gastroenterology has warned the court that limiting the authority of USPSTF could result in millions of Americans losing access to free colorectal cancer screenings. Simply put, the implications of the Courts upcoming decision on patient care and public health should not be understated, Amy Oxentenko, MD, president of ACG, said in a March 5 press release. We informed the Supreme Court of how much progress weve made in recent decades in preventing colorectal cancer deaths through colonoscopy with polypectomy, but also warned the justices how much is at stake in this moment especially as incidence rates continue to rise among younger Americans. On March 3, ACG submitted an amicus brief to the court warning of the public health implications of invalidating USPSTF recommendations. The USPSTFs recommendations are currently leveraged by 16 states in their colorectal cancer screening insurance mandates. Additionally, preventive services of the ACA have saved countless lives by eliminating patient cost-sharing, a major barrier to care, according to the release. Out-of-pocket expenses deter patients from getting colon cancer screenings. ACG has warned the court that the U.S. could experience lower screening rates and higher death rates if the decision is affirmed. Overall, incidence rates of colorectal cancer have fallen by nearly 50% in recent decades, which the ACG attributes to increased screenings and lower screening costs. When the wage increase was implemented, it seemed like it would primarily affect large groups, Pradnya Mitroo, MD, president of Fresno (Calif.) Digestive Health, told Beckers. But thats not really true it impacts smaller groups like ours as well because we have to compete for staff. Even though were a smaller practice, weve still had to raise all our salaries. At the same time, physicians are facing financial pressures from reimbursement cuts. While practice costs continue to soar, the 2025 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System has set the physician fee schedule conversion factor for 2025 at $32.35, down from $33.29 in 2024. To adapt, Dr. Mitroo and her team have embraced a hybrid model at an ASC by partnering with private equity-backed AmSurg and local hospitals. Since insurance companies havent increased reimbursements to match those rising costs, partnering with a hospital became the best way to sustain our ability to hire staff, provide quality care and receive fair reimbursement, Dr. Mitroo told Beckers. This collaboration offers higher reimbursement rates than an independent ASC while keeping costs lower for patients compared to full hospital settings. Its an in-between model higher reimbursement than our original ASC, but not as expensive for patients as a hospital setting, she said. Dr. Mitroo and her team are also looking into different staffing models, including implementing kiosks at their front desk to reduce staffing needs. We would still have some front-desk support, mainly for tasks like checking eligibility, but patients could check in using the kiosks, she said. Additionally, AI-powered tools are being explored to streamline patient scheduling and prescreening. Specifically, AI solutions for colonoscopy patient screening could enable direct scheduling, reducing the need for additional administrative staff. KFF used data from the Federal Communications Commission, George Washington Universitys Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity, U.S. Census Bureau, CDC, and other data to understand the health status and demographics of counties that lacked reliable broadband and healthcare providers. Here are six things to know from the report: 1. Patients across more than 200 rural counties in the South, Appalachia and remote West are more often left in both care and internet deserts than those in other regions. 2. Without reliable internet, patients may struggle to log into their patient portals and sign on to video calls with physicians. 3. High rates of chronic illness and historical inequities are common in communities with poor internet service. 4. This year, more than $43 billion from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is expected to start going to states to help increase access to the internet, but the program faces uncertainty after Commerce Department Secretary Howard Lutnick announced a review of all the previous administrations mandates. 5. More than 133 funding programs administered by 15 agencies have tried to fix connectivity dead zones, but inequities persist. 6. For reliable access to telehealth care, patients require a minimum internet speed of 100/100 Mbps. The closure of Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland and Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park, Pa., would have affected around 3,000 jobs. Prospect, which sought Chapter 11 protection in January, has been working to offload 10 of its 16 hospitals.The for-profit system closed two Crozer hospitals, Springfield Hospital and Delaware County Memorial Hospital in Drexel Hill, Pa., in 2022. On March 9, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday and The Foundation for Delaware County leaders met with Crozer CEO Anthony Esposito and Prospect representatives to discuss the future of Crozer Health. FTI Consulting Crozers state-backed receiver for the system was also present at the meeting, according to a March 9 news release from Mr. Sundays office. I am pleased that the parties focused on how to move forward on behalf of Pennsylvanians, instead of how we got here, and worked to an agreement after more than six hours of negotiations, Mr. Sunday said in the release. I thank all parties for their good faith negotiations and sacrifices made to make this happen. This work was done on behalf of the thousands of people and families who depend on Crozer Health System for essential services and the many hardworking professionals who provide that care. Mr. Sunday said his office remains engaged to help secure a long-term solution for Crozer and expects more information on a permanent solution in the coming weeks. This is another step forward in ridding Delaware County of Prospect Medical Holding and creating a long-term solution to stabilize the health system, a spokesperson for Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses & Allied Professionals said in a March 9 news release shared with Beckers. It is excellent that we solved this crisis; now, we need a long-term solution. PASNAP represents more than 12,000 Pennsylvania front-line nurses and healthcare workers. Beckers has reached out to Crozer Health and Prospect Medical Holdings for comment and will update this story should more information become available. To help address deficiencies, the hospital requested an extension of the temporary licensure suspension in December to help address deficiencies, which was granted by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services until March 17. This meant that the hospitals license was renewed for one year but it remained closed, a spokesperson for DHSS said in a March 10 statement shared with Beckers. However, on Feb. 21, the hospital submitted a correction plan and requested another suspension. The [plan of correction] was later amended, and additional information provided. DHSS denied this POC due to being inadequate and the request for a new suspension due to regulation, the spokesperson said. At this time, the hospital has not submitted sufficient information to the Department to meet licensing requirements by the March 17 deadline in order to reopen. The future of Homer G. Phillips Memorial Hospital, which opened in January 2024, has been uncertain since its temporary closure, including at least two lawsuits from employees who claim they are owed back pay. The hospital also terminated multiple employees due to ongoing business challenges, effective Feb. 28, according to an email obtained by NBC affiliate KSDK. Beckers has reached out to Homer G. Phillips Memorial Hospital and will update this story should more information become available. The subcutaneous therapy is CagriSema, a fixed dose combination of cagrilintide and semaglutide. In a phase 3 trial spanning 68 weeks, Novo Nordisk tested the drugs efficacy compared to a placebo. The trial included 1,206 people who have a mean baseline body weight of about 225 pounds, are obese or overweight and have Type 2 diabetes. If all adhered to the weekly treatment, CagriSema patients achieved 15.7% weight loss, compared to 3.1% with the placebo. Nearly 90% of CagriSema patients achieved a weight loss of 5% or more after 68 weeks, while the same result was logged by 30.3% of the placebo group. Regardless of medication adherence, weight loss results were 13.7% with CagriSema and 3.4% with the placebo. Although the trial results failed to meet Novo Nordisks projection of 25% weight loss, the Denmark-based drugmaker said it plans to seek regulatory approval of CagriSema in early 2026. Mr. Scully wrote a six-page letter shared with university officials and the Progress, detailing the toxic forces that led to Dr. Kents exit. Dr. Kent resigned as CEO of the Charlottesville-based health system and as the universitys executive vice president for health affairs Feb. 25, following a special meeting wherein the universitys board of visitors and UVA President James Ryan were briefed on findings from an independent investigation into the health system. The resignation came months after a Sept. 5 no confidence letter was signed by 128 UVA Physicians Group-employed faculty against Dr. Kent and Melina Kibbe, MD, dean of the school of medicine. Less than two weeks after the letter was delivered, the university called on Washington, D.C.-based law firm Williams & Connolly to investigate the allegations. Mr. Scully alleged in his letter that a member of the board of visitors selected the law firm with the intention of removing Dr. Kent. There was no whiff of fairness or objectivity it was clear and obvious that they were being directed to a preconceived outcome, Mr. Scully wrote, according to the Progress. Mr. Scully also claimed that the physicians letter stemmed from UVA Healths physician payment reforms, implemented in summer 2024, according to the report. Having been at this for 45 years, I am certain that the vast bulk of the 128 and their practice groups would have been on the negative end of the equitable performance-based redistribution of University physician payment reform, Mr. Scully wrote. The September letter from physicians accused Drs. Kent and Kibbe of fostering a negative work environment that compromised patient safety and engaging in egregious acts, including hiring physicians despite quality concerns, threatening faculty who raised safety issues, and using promotion and tenure delays as retaliation. Mr. Scully, a healthcare attorney, was one of the boards five nonvoting public members, according to the Progress. A university spokesperson shared the following statement from board Rector Robert Hardie and Chair of UVA Board of Visitors Audit Committee Rachel Sheridan with Beckers: Coming out of the investigation, the board and Mr. Ryan have determined that there is no basis for corrective action as it relates to healthcare billing or other regulatory compliance issues. As it relates to other issues in the Sept. 5 letter concerning leadership and culture, Mr. Ryan, following his acceptance of the resignation of Dr. Kent, will be working closely with Acting Executive Vice President for Health Affairs Mitchell Rosner, MD, to evaluate the best pathway to move forward. The HRSA projection also found that North Carolina has one of the largest nursing shortfalls projected, at 22% by 2037. To combat this, Durham, N.C.-based Watts College of Nursing shared plans in late February 2025 to relocate to Duke Universitys campus, also in Durham, in July 2025. WCON will be located on Duke Healths Interprofessional Education and Care Center and will co-locate with the Duke University School of Nursing and the Duke Health Clinical Education and Professional Development team. Beckers connected with Terry McDonnell, DNP, RN, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive at Duke University Health System, to discuss how the move will improve academic and clinical training connections to ensure students have hands-on experience prior to entering the healthcare workforce. Editors note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity. Question: How will relocating Watts College of Nursing to Duke Healths Interprofessional Education and Care Center help address the nursing workforce shortage? Dr. Terry McDonnell: Every nurse we train who feels competent, confident and well-supported is one more nurse who is likely to stay in the profession. One of the biggest challenges we see is early-career turnover, with nurses leaving within their first one to three years at higher rates than any other role in healthcare. The reasons vary, but when we dig into it, it comes down to feeling supported, engaged and confident in their work. By co-locating undergraduate, graduate and clinical education within the Duke Health system, were building innovative transition-to-practice programs that reduce the anxiety and uncertainty new nurses often experience. This approach ensures that nurses step into the workforce feeling ready, rather than overwhelmed. Q: Why is early hands-on training crucial for reducing nurse burnout and improving retention? TM: When a new nurse walks into a patients room and has to make decisions under pressure, its a lot to process. Theyre balancing patient care, protocols, critical thinking; its a huge amount of responsibility. And if they dont feel prepared, that uncertainty builds into stress, which leads to burnout. Weve seen that over and over again. Burnout happens when a nurse constantly feels like theyre barely keeping up. Thats why early hands-on experience is so important. When nurses have already been in those real-world situations during their training, theyre more confident, they can manage their time better and they dont feel like theyre drowning every shift. Its about reducing that anxiety so they can actually focus on caring for their patients instead of questioning whether theyre ready for the job. Q: What impact will this move have on the future of nursing education and workforce readiness at Duke and beyond? TM: This is about thinking differently about how we train nurses. Historically, education and clinical practice have been separate. You go to school, graduate and, suddenly, youre expected to manage a full patient load. That approach just doesnt work anymore. If we want to solve the workforce shortage, we have to rethink how we integrate clinical training from the start. Our aim at Duke is twofold: first, to deliver the best training and onboarding experience possible, and, second, to ensure nurses see a long-term career path within a system that is investing in their future. By embedding education and practice in one environment, were breaking down barriers and creating a seamless transition into the workforce. Our students are training alongside experienced nurses, building confidence early and developing the skills they need in modern healthcare. Further to this, we also are creating a blueprint for how to better train and retain nurses. Were strengthening our own workforce and were shaping a model that can benefit the entire healthcare industry. Q: How is Duke Health helping ensure new nurses are fully prepared for the demands of modern healthcare? TM: Were always reassessing and adapting our methods based on outcomes and the feedback we receive from our staff. The same playbook wont work anymore. We have to think differently about how we train and retain nurses. The healthcare landscape is changing rapidly, and we need to make sure our nurses arent just trained for today but for whats coming next. That means expanding hands-on learning, strengthening mentorship, and ensuring clear career pathways so nurses feel supported and prepared from the start. In a time of uncertainty, we remain committed to investing in the success of our people. That means continuously evolving our programs, integrating new approaches like AI-driven decision support and telehealth training, and making sure our workforce has the tools they need to thrive. With more than 40 years of experience and a track record of leading six Magnet-designated hospitals Dr. Johnson is at the helm of CHLAs nursing strategy. In a recent conversation with Beckers, she discussed the cultural drivers behind CHLAs nursing excellence, the challenges pediatric hospitals face in a shifting healthcare landscape and how nurse leaders must evolve to meet the demands of the future. Question: Four CHLA units recently earned Beacon Awards for Excellence in patient outcomes and nursing excellence. What key strategies or cultural factors within these units do you believe contributed to this achievement? Kelly Johnson: I would say first and foremost the quality of nurses and nursing leadership. At Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, we have dedicated resources to the development of strong nursing leaders, from our front-line supervisors to senior leadership. Our teams are laser focused on the CHLA mission to create hope and build healthier futures for children and our values, most notably that we achieve our best together. This is our true North Star and it guides and inspires us, unconditionally. Caring Science is the nursing theory that drives our professional practice model. Care of self, each other, and our patients is foundational to our practice at CHLA. This has helped transform the culture in our clinical areas. The well-being of our team members is a high priority at CHLA. We have a robust well-being program that is driven by strategy set by our team in the office of well-being. We are also blessed to have Chris Griffin, PhD, RN, leading as our chief well-being officer. Team members and leaders form our Beacon units not only actively participate in well-being programs, but they are also very active in Professional Collaborative Governance to drive decision making for the practice of nursing. Q: The AACNs award process evaluates key nursing-sensitive indicators, including infection rates, falls and nurse turnover. What were some of the most significant improvements the hospital made in these areas leading up to this recognition, and what mechanisms are in place to sustain or further advance these gains in quality and safety? KJ: We have very strong leadership in our quality improvement and patient safety program at CHLA. The executive director for clinical quality, Sandy Hall, DNP, works closely with ourenterprise quality leadership and has been instrumental in developing the quality team, involving the front-line team members in improvement efforts, and providing strategy for continued improvement. She added a role that is accountable for the hospital acquired condition improvement tracking and implementation of new processes in conjunction with clinical nurse specialists and front-line team members. HAC reduction is an enterprise goal and cascaded to the front-line to provide ongoing visibility to the importance of this work. Q: Pediatric nursing presents unique challenges, from the complexity of family-centered care to the specialized skill sets required for young patients. Given your deep leadership experience in this space, what do you see as the most pressing challenges facing pediatric nursing today, and how is CHLA addressing them? KJ: This is a complex question at this time in healthcare. The biggest challenge we face right now is the looming cuts to Medicaid Medi-Cal in California. CHLA is a safety net hospital with over 70% of our patients covered by California Medi-Cal. We have one of the highest case mix index indicators in the country and care for the most complex children in our region, and in some cases in the country. Further cuts to Medi-Cal will threaten our ability to care for the complex needs of these infants and children, and the services they require will be challenging to provide. CHLA is actively engaged at the local and national level advocating for childrens health. Our kids are our future! Specifically looking at the challenges with the nursing profession in tertiary pediatric settings is the ongoing advances in care that require nurses to be very well educated and participate in ongoing professional development to keep their practice current. Innovation in care, technology, pharmacology developments, all stress the day-to-day work of registered nurses. The expense to cover education time and the cost of training is escalating and requires resources. Workforce development is top of mind. Training, recruitment and retention of our workforce are challenges we all face. These challenges are magnified for academic, pediatric specialty hospitals that require specialty trained nurses to care for our complex patient population. We are laser focused on clinical-academic partnerships and devising new models for training the next generation of nurses. CHLA is fortunate to have so much community support and we were recently awarded a very large gift to support workforce development and training for all the specialties in pediatric healthcare. We are dealing with workforce shortages in different types of roles and disciplines. This is creating a major challenge in care model redesign and will require dedicated focus on building our workforce and utilizing everyone at top of scope in roles. Q: In 2021, CHLA spearheaded the formation of a regional NICU nursing leadership roundtable to improve collaboration and best practices across community hospitals in Los Angeles and surrounding counties. What tangible outcomes or improvements have emerged from these discussions, and how do you see this initiative evolving to further strengthen neonatal care in the region? KJ: Kathy Van Allen, MSN, RN, CPN, administrative director of the hospitals fetal and neonatal institute, spearheaded the formation of this group in August 2021 and they have been meeting quarterly. The meetings started with a focus on NICU nurse managers but quickly grew to include directors and clinical nurse specialists. Feedback from these leaders is that they value the roundtables safe and open space that allows them to share issues, resources, and receive support from their peers. Several have stated that this group has helped them to grow professionally through networking and collaboration and that information discussed has impacted how they incorporate evidence-based practice and community standards into policy and practice. Participating leaders have identified learning, and resource needs to improve care within their NICU, and we have been able to create and offer learning opportunities to meet these needs. There is a concept called nurses workplace social capital. This is the development of shared assets and a way of being that is developed through nurses networks of social relationships at work. There are five attributes of nurses workplace social capital a relational network, trust, shared understanding, reciprocity and social cohesion. Feedback that has been received from the participants have demonstrated these five attributes have been developed/met through this group. I think this group can further evolve to strengthen neonatal care by contributing to local/regional policy through advocacy, research and developing shared resources for patient care and patient/family education. Q: Youve had a distinguished career leading nursing teams at some of the countrys top childrens hospitals. As you look ahead, what are your top priorities for advancing nursing practice at CHLA, and how do you see the role of pediatric nurse leaders evolving in the next five to 10 years? KJ: I have had the good fortune of serving as the CNO at six Magnet-designated organizations, with two first-time designations and three redesignations under my leadership. CHLA is in the re-designation process for our fifth Magnet designation. This is exciting and indicative of nursing excellence at CHLA, and a clear priority to support our Magnet leaders during the redesignation process. As I mentioned above, we received a transformational gift from the Chuck Lorre Family Foundation to develop an institute for healthcare workforce development. This major project will be a priority for me for the next several years as it will support all our initiatives to train, recruit and retain top talent. It is very exciting to innovate for the future of the pediatric workforce. All leaders will need to be thought leaders in how we educate future generations. A prior, very generous gift provided us the opportunity to key in on leader development. I am a strong believer we need to develop those we promote; we will continue with our leader development programs at CHLA. Nurse leader development will continue to require the capacity for horizontal partnerships across our organizations and in our community. Interprofessional work is essential to great outcomes, and we will continue to develop interprofessional clinical learning environments and opportunities. Advocacy for our profession, our institutions, our patient populations, and healthcare in our communities and nationally will be a core competency for nurse leaders of the future. The alliance offers technical assistance and training to hospital-linked violence intervention programs. In 2021, President Joe Biden issued an executive order that allowed states to use Medicaid funds for violence prevention. Several states, including California, New York and Colorado, passed legislation to do just that. In 2022, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act set aside $1.4 billion in funding for a variety of violence prevention programs through next year. But in early February, President Trump ordered the attorney general to conduct a 30-day review of a number of Bidens policies on gun violence and has frozen a large number of federal grants. This has left many hospital violence prevention programs worried about their ability to survive. Many of these programs rely on grants to fund their efforts. These programs connect a violence prevention professional with gun-violence patients and their families. Workers uncover the social and economic factors that contribute to gun violence and help families and patients reduce those risk factors upon discharge. One such program in San Francisco reported a fourfold reduction in violent injury recidivism rates over six years. Federal data showed that gun violence is the leading cause of death among children and young adults and is tied to more than 48,000 deaths among people of all ages in 2022. These violent injuries put the victim at higher risk of future violence and risk of death. However, the ED is an ideal setting to intervene in gun violence. Fatimah Dreier, executive director of the Kaiser Permanente Center for Gun Violence Research and Education, drew a specific comparison between healthcares efforts to prevent the spread of gun violence and the work it does to prevent disease, according to CBS. Changing the social determinants of health that contributed to violence can include helping patients return to school or work, finding housing, attending court proceedings and assisting with transportation to healthcare appointments. Spine surgery and innovations are evolving, but some billing codes need to catch up to the current pace, Morgan Lorio, MD, said. Dr. Lorio, co-president of the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery, joined the Beckers Spine and Orthopedic Podcast to discuss those codes and the areas of physician advocacy hes prioritizing. Note: This is an edited excerpt. Listen to the full conversation here. Question: What are some of your top priorities when it comes to physician advocacy this year? Dr. Morgan Lorio: Physician advocacy is more critical than ever, especially in such a rapidly evolving field. My biggest priorities are ensuring reimbursement keeps pace with innovation. We have the technology for motion preservation, biologics and disc regeneration. But if insurers dont cover these advancements, patients dont benefit. We have to protect physician autonomy. We must make sure that surgeons, not payers, are deciding the best treatments for their patients. Finally, bringing spine surgery coding into the modern era is a big need. Many of the procedures we perform today arent reflected in current reimbursement models, and that needs to change. ISASS plays a big role in pushing for these reforms, and with our 25th anniversary were more committed than ever to ensuring the spine surgeons worldwide have the tools and policies in place to deliver the best care possible. Q: Can you give me an example of a procedure that you would like to see have its codes modernized? ML: Two areas come to mind. One is decompression with placement of inner spinous spacer, known by many as Coflex. The code is now expanded to include other devices that are seeking FDA approval, but it remains undervalued. Because it was undervalued, the device flatlined relative to sales and because of it being bundled rightly or wrongly, it puts it at odds with codes that some entrenched societies dont want touched, potentially in terms of reconsideration through the RUC process. As such, when this code is analyzed, its not shown in the best light, and the work is not appreciated. I think the newer products that are developing under this code descriptor, actually involve more time than Coflex, and hopefully we can get that re-assessed in the near future. Another example would be the code for endoscopic lumbar spinal decompression, which was recognized to have an intensity that superseded almost everything in spine. And frankly, the current review process was such that it could not adequately be assessed, and CMS rightly made a decision that it was beyond the AMA and that each surgeon was going to have to negotiate a payment plan with each insurer. That makes it kind of an untidy situation to manage, but it was at least better than the alternative. We need to have a plan in place that pays parity. If a procedure achieves the same goal, improves outcome and lessens cost, why cant we reward the surgeon rather than torture him by literally paying him less and driving him away from providing that treatment? We try to provide patient centered care, and were currently prohibited from doing so with the current payment model. Between 2018 and 2023, CMS data shows that while the number of female physicians in specialties like general surgery and OB-GYN grew by 5.5% and 6.93%, respectively, the number of female orthopedic surgeons entering the field only grew by 1.49%. The number of practicing orthopedic surgeons in the data set averaged 23,682 annually across the six-year period. The mean percentage of female orthopedic surgeons across all states was 6.02% in 2018 and demonstrated subsequent annual increases up to 7.51% in 2023, according to the study. Growth in female orthopedic surgeons in the field also differed by state and region. The number of female orthopedic surgeons grew by 14% and 23%, respectively, in the Pacific West and South Atlantic regions from 2018 to 2023, while the East North Central region experienced only 6% growth in female orthopedic surgeons. Exposed patient information may include names, dates of birth, government-issued ID numbers and medical and health insurance information. Attorneys are currently looking into whether or not a class action lawsuit can be filed against Central Texas. Sketch of the proposed redevelopment of the Clarence Chambers Building Paddy Brennan, McConnell Property, second from right, with Clover Group Directors (l to r) Paul Langsford, Jim Conlon and Mark Beirne A new late-night basement bar is to open in Belfast city centre as part of a 5.5m purchase and redevelopment of an historic Georgian Building. The Clarence Chambers Building, a Grade A listed property in Donegall Square East, has been bought for 3m by the Clover Group. The building was previously owned by MJM Pearl, part of Newry-based MJM Group. Clover Group intends to spend an additional 2.5m renovating the site, and opening a New York inspired basement late bar club known as Rudi, the company said. The group say Rudi will offer a late bar vibe with reserved booths and table service, ensuring the energy and tempo of the room is experiential for all customers. The basement of the building currently houses cocktail bar Margot, which will move to the ground floor as part of the changes. And 60 new jobs will be created when the redevelopment is complete, and will mean the building will house three cocktail bars. McConnell Property were involved in the deal, and work on the property is being carried out by Dickson Fitzgerald Architects and ODonnell ONeill Design. Sketch of the proposed redevelopment of the Clarence Chambers Building Mark Beirne, director of Clover Group, said: Our exciting new space and venues at Donegall Square East will add a dynamic new dimension in the heart of Belfast creating memorable, exciting and diverse opportunities for both day and late night trade. Our city has a rich history and reputation for great bars and at Clover we are always looking for exciting new experiences for our customers and with Margot and Rudi we are creating a vibrant new venue which will have a strong Belfast footing but with a fresh New York influence. Graham ODonnell from ODonnell ONeill Design said: Restoring and emphasising the unique Georgian Architectural details of the period interior is a key focus within our approach which will see a revitalised, sophisticated and fun Margot, with carefully curated antiques, reclaimed building materials and period light fittings juxtaposed with mid-century design classic furniture pieces. Designed to work closely with Margot above it, Rudi will have a cool glamour with bookable tables and areas radiating from the vibrant bar. Paddy Brennan, managing director from McConnell Property, added: I am delighted to be involved in this deal. The conversion and refurbishment of this landmark building will have a dramatic impact on the east side of Donegall Square. The Clover Group brings life and fun to all their venues, and this is another really exciting project for Belfast city centre." Paddy Brennan, McConnell Property, second from right, with Clover Group Directors (l to r) Paul Langsford, Jim Conlon and Mark Beirne Watch: Pedestrianisation of Hill Street to remain on hold following informal consultation Belfasts Spirit AeroSystems has revived plans to extend its main base here to increase the production of wings for Airbus passenger jets. The firms factory in east Belfast is to be sold to Airbus, as US company Spirit is being taken over by Boeing. Back in 2019, Spirit AeroSystems which was owned by Bombardier submitted plans for a major extension to its wing production site, which makes the structures for Airbuss A220 passenger planes. However, it now says that scheme is being revived. The plans will support temporary employment opportunities, supporting both direct construction jobs and the wider local supply chain. And it says in the longer-term the expansion will facilitate job retention and upskilling of the workforce, ensuring that the highly skilled aerospace sector remains a cornerstone of Northern Irelands manufacturing industry. Since it was granted the green light in 2020, documents say significant external factors, including the Covid-19 pandemic, impacted the aerospace industry, leading to delays and adjustments in manufacturing targets. However, it says Spirit AeroSystems acquired the site in 2022 and has since driven its recovery and expansion aligning operations with Airbus commitment to increased production of A220 aircraft wings. The amended plans include a two-phase scheme, which it says reflects the operational requirements arising from Airbus revised production targets. The sub-phasing of phase 1 into 1a and 1b is a direct response to revised manufacturing targets, operational requirements, and the need for a flexible approach to facility expansion, document supporting the scheme say. Airbus plans to increase production to approximately 160 wing sets per year, requiring adjustments to the facilitys construction timeline. By subdividing phase 1, the project can deliver essential upgrades in phase 1a and thereby ensure immediate operational benefits. This approach provides greater operational flexibility and allows construction to align with current manufacturing demand. While the factory making wings for Airbuss A220 planes is a big part of the NI business, there are other parts doing manufacturing for Bombardier and Rolls-Royce. According to reports, European aerospace giant Airbus may have to take on the whole of Spirit AeroSystems in Belfast beyond the part which relates to its own business. A source quoted by financial news website Equity Report said while in the longer-term, Airbus is only interested in work being done at Spirit AeroSystems on Airbus programmes, it could agree to take on other elements of the work in the shorter-term. A spokesperson for Spirit AeroSystems in Belfast recently said: "We are still evaluating options for our other Belfast operations." A judge has ordered builders at the centre of the mica controversy in Donegal to make discovery of thousands of key documents along with test results requested by homeowners who have taken legal action. Mr Justice Mark Sanfey, who oversees the Commercial Court, said the documentation being sought had been given to the other parties in the action, Donegal County Council and the National Standards Authority of Ireland who are co defendants with Cassidy Brothers Concrete Products Ltd. However, the homeowners have not got them, he said. 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 Cleric in close-knit Catholic community of Holy Cross removed from ministerial duties while parish probe his alleged relationship with a married woman Fr Antony Connelly is the priest at the centre of the allegations The close-knit Catholic community in Belfasts Ardoyne has been stunned by an alleged affair involving one of its priests, it can be revealed. Fr Antony Connelly a member of the Passionist Order based at Holy Cross parish in the north of the city is alleged to have become embroiled in an inappropriate relationship with a married female parishioner. A senior member of the Passionist Order confirmed to the Sunday World that a recent issue at Holy Cross had caused deep concern and was currently under investigation. And as a result, Fr Anthony Connelly (48) has been removed for the time being from ministerial duties. Fr James Sweeney, Passionist Provincial of Ireland & Britain St Patricks Province issued the following statement: I have been made aware of serious concerns raised about the alleged behaviour of a member of the Passionist Community in Holy Cross, Ardoyne. Holy Cross parishioners reacted to rumour This is a matter of deep concern and is under investigation. The established procedures have been initiated. The priest concerned has left the parish and has been removed for now from ministry as a priest. Opportunities have been made available for those affected in any way to speak with members of the Holy Cross Passionist Community and the Provinces professional safeguarding officer. The first priority must be the well-being of individuals affected. We recognise, we are accountable to the people of the parish for our ministry and are rightly held to the highest standard, Fr Sweeney said. Fr Sweeney, who is based in St Pauls Retreat at Mount Argus in Dublin, added: Anyone with concerns should contact our safeguarding officer, Suzanne Phelan (email) safeguarding@passionists.org.uk or phone 00 353 85 1146391. Priests from the Passionist Community have been based continuously at Holy Cross parish on the Crumlin Road for more than 150 years. The parish made headline news 25 years ago when a loyalist picket outside the local girls primary school meant children had to be escorted into the building under the protection of British soldiers and armed RUC officers. And soon the dispute became a magnet for TV crews and news teams from around the globe. And when an exploding blast bomb was thrown, live pictures of screaming children were flashed around the world as parents raced to protect their youngsters. The blockade lasted for months and it was compared to similar situations in Alabama in the southern United States, during the 1950s. Passionist priest Fr Aidan Troy became a well-known and popular spokesman for the local community and he played a central role in bringing the conflict to an end. Earlier this week, a number of Holy Cross parishioners spoke as they left church after completing devotions on Ash Wednesday. One elderly lady parishioner said: There are a lot of rumours flying around, but as of now, weve not been told anything officially. She added: I find its best to say nothing. Earlier this week, the Sunday World tracked down Glasgow-born and Celtic-supporting Fr Connelly to the Passionist Retreat Centre at Tobar Mhuire in Crossgar, Co Down. Fr Connelly famous locally for being a Harry Kane look-a-like wasnt there when a reporter called hoping get his side of the story. Fr Antony Connelly is the priest at the centre of the allegations News Catch Up - Monday 10th March A public inquiry into allegations of abuse at Muckamore Abbey Hospital health facility in Co Antrim has been taking place (Liam McBurney/PA) The chair of a public inquiry examining allegations of the abuse of vulnerable patients at Muckamore Hospital has said he hopes to deliver his report this year. Concluding the public hearings of the inquiry, chair Tom Kark KC insisted he had always tried to act fairly following criticism from families of some patients over how the proceedings were conducted. Mr Kark, who will present his final report to Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, said many people had believed the public inquiry would not get this far. Muckamore Abbey, run by the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, is a hospital for adults with severe learning disabilities and mental health needs. Tom Kark KC is chair of the Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry (Presseye/PA) The inquiry is examining allegations of abuse of patients at the facility in Co Antrim. The hospital has also been at the centre of the UKs largest ever police investigation into the alleged abuse of vulnerable adults and a number of prosecutions are continuing. The public inquiry, which was established by former health minister Robin Swann, began hearing witness evidence in June 2022. Delivering his closing remarks, Mr Kark said the inquiry had begun its work more than two years ago by hearing evidence from the sister of a man who had been a patient at the hospital for 25 years. He said: By giving evidence, the relatives of patients at Muckamore gave their loved ones a voice that they would not otherwise have had. We recognise that for many, probably all, the experience of giving evidence was itself very difficult. For others, just listening to the accounts of the patients experiences, the evidence that they heard must have been very harrowing for many of them. Referencing criticism of the inquiry, Mr Kark said: I understand that some of the core participants in the patients groups didnt agree with every decision I made about the manner in which statements were to be taken, the scope of the evidence or the documentation to be received by the inquiry. I can only say I gave careful consideration to every decision I made and I used my best judgment to do what I believed to be right to secure the evidence we needed upon which a proper foundation for our conclusions could be founded. I have tried to act fairly in relation to every decision I have made. The hearing room in Belfast of the Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry (Presseye/PA) The chair said it was highly unusual for a public inquiry to take place simultaneously with a large police investigation and criminal trial proceedings. He pointed out that the inquiry had successfully rebutted a number of legal challenges to its work. He added: It is testament to the careful approach the inquiry has taken in its collation of evidence and presentation of it. Some thought we would not get to its point. We have, and I hope the families will see that as a vindication of their persistence in advocating for this inquiry. The chair added: I know everyone will now be waiting for the report and I can only say that I have written to the Minister for Health and indicated that I hope to have the report with him this year. Earlier, the inquiry had heard the closing statement from its senior counsel, Sean Doran KC. He said 181 witnesses had given oral evidence and 333 statements had been considered. Mr Doran said: By any measure, that is a substantial volume of evidence relating to direct experience of life in the hospital, the health system in which it is based and more generally, the subject of caring for vulnerable persons with learning disabilities. The barrister said the inquiry had had to deal with the risk in its public hearings of prejudicing ongoing criminal proceedings. He added: This will not inhibit the panel in making the findings and recommendations that it regards as appropriate. The inquiry has operated and will continue to operate with sensitivity to the live nature of criminal proceedings that may conceivably extend for some time beyond the life of the inquiry. Mr Doran said an examination of abuse and its causes had been rightly central to the public hearings. The Muckamore Abbey Hospital is operated by the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust (Liam McBurney/PA) He said: The panel has heard extensive evidence from the families of patients and from some patients at the hospital. It has also heard from staff who worked within the hospital at all levels. Through the evidence modules the panel has gained an understanding of the wider structures within which the hospital has operated. The later modules have enabled the panel to examine critically the broader organisational setting within which the events leading to this inquiry occurred. It should be added that the panel has had the opportunity to view CCTV footage which formed the basis of the ongoing criminal proceedings. He also paid tribute to patients and families who had assisted the work of the inquiry. Mr Doran said: The pain that they have endured on becoming aware of what endured at the hospital is quite frankly, beyond our comprehension. The panel found Don stole a controlled drug from the Milesian Manor Care Home in Magherafelt. Stock photo. A nurse stole pills and left the UK before the PSNI finished its investigation, a tribunal has heard. David Ambrosio Don has been struck off by a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) fitness to practise panel after a series of charges were proven against him. Former Economy Minister Conor Murphy has hit out at the double standard he says he faces when paying tribute to veteran republicans when they die. The Sinn Fein politician, who left Stormont in February to take on a role in the Seanad, said that while questions about his own actions do not anger him, he often feels there is hypocrisy in the criticism of Sinn Feins tributes. It follows the death of IRA killer Brendan Bik McFarlane last month. (LTR) Padraig Wilson, Martin Lynch and Gerry Adams carry the coffin of Brendan McFarlane along the Clifftonville road McFarlane was sentenced to life for the IRA gun and bomb attack on the Bayardo Bar in Belfast in August 1975 in which five Protestants died, and he is believed to have been involved in a kidnapping in which an Irish policeman and soldier were killed. It doesnt anger me to be questioned about these things, Mr Murphy said on The Currency news podcast when asked about McFarlane. I was a republican involved in struggle. But the double standard angers me that people get indignant and worked up about these issues but can look away from whole other issues involving other established politicians. Mr Murphy said he does not understand why US presidents and UK prime ministers do not receive the same criticism following the funerals of veterans. There is no glory in conflict. There are horrible things done; people get drawn into a conflict because they see no alternative, he explained. Thats not to say everyone gets involved its a small minority. I get that when I say something, people will say: Oh, but you were involved in this and you were involved in that. I knew Brendan McFarlane he was a friend of mine so I know the history of how its viewed from the other side, and I get that. But there are people who died and have been buried by American presidents, and British prime ministers who created conflict, and they do not get questioned on that. Mourners gather around the coffin of former senior IRA member Brendan McFarlane at the Milltown cemetery for his funeral on February 25, 2025 in Belfast. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Elsewhere in a wide-ranging interview conducted just weeks after Mr Murphy took on the role of leader of Sinn Fein in the Seanad, the Armagh-born politician reflected on his controversial comments in 2005 at a Conservative Party Conference, in which he said the 1984 bombing of the Tory conference, which left five people dead, was part of a war. I regret the loss of life, I do. There were innocent lives lost, [but] the decision to go and attack the British state, the heart of the state, the Prime Minister no, he said when asked again if he regretted the Brighton bombing, which was intended to kill Margaret Thatcher. As part of a campaign of resistance, I will not deny I supported it at that time. And, no, I would not have regretted that decision against Britain. You can make judgments at the end of things. I suppose its interesting from an academic view. You think Was there an opportunity to sue for peace earlier? but you cant predict. People went to England before and conducted IRA and republican campaigns there, with particularly disastrous consequences, so this wasnt the first and wasnt the last instance of going over to England. Scene of the Brighton hotel bomb, the IRA's attack on Conservative Party conference in 1984 He was also questioned on Sinn Feins role in reaching out to Protestants as it campaigns for a united Ireland. He said he had engaged in repeated dialogue with unionists while in politics in NI. Weve been doing that. People interpret the response from unionism, but I have been in constructive dialogue with unionism since the early 90s thats nearly 30 years. I have friends who are members of the Orange Order, people involved in the British Army and RUC, and weve had a dialogue at the local level. I had the leader of the Orange Order in my kitchen for coffee years ago. Weve had that type of dialogue. They understand and this is not to say they embrace it our need to have due regard for our dead and people involved with us, just as we understand their need for remembrance of the British Army and the RUC as heroes. We have a different view of that, but we understand they stand at cenotaphs because they believe its people who deserve that tribute. There is a better understanding between us in the North that doesnt often find public expression. Mr Murphy also reiterated on the podcast his apology for controversial comments about the murder of Paul Quinn, a 21-year-old from Co Armagh who was beaten to death in a barn near Oram, Co Monaghan, in 2007. Mr Murphy had said in a BBC documentary that Mr Quinn was involved with smuggling and criminality. I apologised. I made comments I regret making. I wasnt alone in making observations, but that was not the essence of the story. Instead, it was that a young man was brutally killed, and his family are still searching for answers. I fully support their request and have repeatedly called for people who may have information to come forward to the Gardai. He also said he has offered to speak to the family privately numerous times but that the offer has never been taken up. Thousands of women heard calls for peace as they gathered in Belfast for the annual International Womens Day march and rally to demand an end to global conflict and equal rights for all. Speakers taking to the podium outside Belfast City Hall on Saturday also called for an end to violence against women. Cori Strain (21) from YouthAction NI said that women across the world were being subjected to violence and stripped of their rights. She said that more women in leadership roles could bring about the change needed for global peace. She added: We need more women in positions of power, better representation in politics and making policies that reflect the lived experience of women and will give them the support they need and to feel more equal and heard. his years Northern Ireland theme for the annual march and rally was Solidarity Beyond Borders: Women for World Peace, a demand to end violence both globally and at home. Helen Crickard from Reclaim the Agenda, which organises the annual march and rally in Belfast, said: This years rally is a plea for solidarity in the face of wars across the globe as well as the violence women and girls face here in Northern Ireland. We are demanding an era of peace, of respect for diversity and a world where all women are free to live their lives free of fear. Then RUC Assistant Chief Constable Blair Wallace at the launch of 1994 Annual Report at Garnerville (Photo: Pacemaker) Widespread tributes have been paid to Blair Wallace, known as one of the last big beasts of the RUC, following his death last month at the age of 87. Former unionist MP David Burnside, who counted Mr Wallace as a friend both in and out of work, hailed his contribution to policing in Northern Ireland, describing him as one of the finest policemen the UK has ever seen. The former Deputy Chief Constable, who was present when the first RUC officer was murdered at the start of the Troubles in 1969, passed away on February 26, with a service of thanksgiving held in Ballynure Presbyterian Church last Friday. He was always a great upholder of the values of the RUC, said Mr Burnside. He could easily be described, and has been, as the finest police officer in any force in the UK. He was an old-fashioned policeman. He served through the toughest times any police force could have operated in, was head of Special Branch when dealing with the IRA and loyalist terrorists, and was hugely respected by all those who served alongside him. He also remained active in Ulster Unionist circles after his retirement as a member of the South Antrim Unionist Association and stood up for the record and achievements of the RUC at a time when the Patton Report denigrated its previous existence. He was honest, loyal, hugely qualified and it was a surprise to many when he wasnt finally honoured with the position as Chief Constable in 1996. He continued to uphold the values of the RUC when others tried to rewrite history and attack the reputation of the police force. There has never been enough credit for what the likes of Blair Wallace did during the most trying and dangerous of times to be a member of the police force, added Mr Burnside. He, and those who served alongside him, were under the most serious of personal threats throughout their careers, but he stood tall and proud and for Blair Wallace, a lot of that was right at the front. Former Ulster Unionist MP David Burnside (Photo: Rui Vieira/PA Wire) Blair Wallace was present when the first RUC officer killed in the Troubles, Victor Arbuckle, was shot during street disturbances on the Shankill Road in Belfast in October 1969. He also carried the dying Gunner Robert Curtis to an ambulance, the first regular soldier to be killed by republicans, in 1971. And, by a miracle, Mr Wallace was not on the Chinook helicopter which crashed at the Mull of Kintyre in 1994, wiping out the cream of RUC Special Branch and much of the rest of the senior intelligence community in Northern Ireland; he knew 25 of the 29 fatalities on that flight. Paying tribute to the 43-year veteran who served throughout the entire Troubles and left an indelible imprint on policing, the PSNIs first Chief Constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, described Blair Wallace as an absolutely outstanding figure. Without Blairs guidance, mentoring and, above all, personal example, I would never have become Chief Constable or near it, he said. I think all of us who knew Blair are better people for having known him; better people for his example, better people for his contact. Referring to the seven Nolan Principles of conduct in public office honesty, integrity, objectivity, accountability, selflessness, openness, and leadership Sir Ronnie added: I cant help but think, did Lord Nolan know Blair Wallace? Because Blair could have been the template for arriving at those principles for behaviour in public life. It is exactly how he lived, not only in his public life but in his life in general. When I think of the last principle, leadership, Blair was simply a superb, inspirational police leader. We would have followed him anywhere. Mr Wallace lost out on the top job in NI policing in 1996 when Sir Ronnie Flanagan took over and went on to oversee the transformation of the RUC into the PSNI. He had been injured five times while on duty as he developed an almost legendary status within the RUC. Daniel Blair Wallace was born on June 1, 1937, in Carrickfergus, the youngest of six children to Thomas and Maggie Wallace. Joining the RUC two years after leaving school, he quickly advanced through the ranks of the RUC, becoming Deputy Chief Constable in June 1992. Mr Wallace was one of the longest and most experienced senior police officers in the British Isles, having completed almost 43 years of service on his retirement from the RUC on May 31, 1998. He was awarded an MBE, a CBE and the Queens Police Medal. Taoiseach Micheal Martin speaking to the media at JW Marriott Hotel in Austin, Texas (Niall Carson/PA) A US tech company has announced plans for 50 new jobs at its Irish base as Irelands premier visited its Texas headquarters. Tricentis, which offers artificial intelligence-led automated software testing tools, revealed plans to expand its footprint in Cork. Taoiseach Micheal Martin visited the companys main office in Austin on Monday as part of the Irish Governments annual drive to use St Patricks Day to promote US investment in Ireland. Mr Martin, who will meet US President Donald Trump in the White House on Wednesday, has said he wants his US visit to sow a seed for future investments in Ireland. The company said it plans to increase investment in Ireland and move into a new office space in Cork to accommodate the expanded workforce, with 50 new jobs to be to be created in the coming years. The Cork operation is one of Tricentis 26 offices around the world and is focused on consolidating international finance and building various functions such as payroll, legal, and data analytics. The new jobs will expand further across several key areas such as sales, engineering, finance, and customer growth. Mr Martin, who is from Cork, said: This investment highlights Irelands appeal as a hub for innovation and technology, supported by the strategic efforts of IDA Ireland. During my meeting with the Tricentis team in Austin, Texas, I learned that the team in Ireland has led several initiatives to optimise Tricentis international business operations. We look forward to the positive impact this project will have. Tricentis chief marketing officer Darren Beck, who recalled a three-week visit to Ireland which included the Blarney Stone in Co Cork, welcomed Mr Martin to the companys Texas headquarters. Mr Martin congratulated the firm on its success and progress to date as he hailed the plans for further expansion. Noting that employees at the Cork office were watching remotely, he said: I want to thank the company also for your hospitality this morning on the way into the boardroom, what greeted me was three boxes of Barrys Tea and a lovely teapot and cup. He added: I think it reflects the closeness, and of course, it reflects the growing strength of the economic relationship between Texas and Ireland more generally. There are 50 multinational companies from this state based in Ireland and we have 120 Irish companies working in the state at different levels and involved in different areas. Mr Martin concluded by telling Tricentis employees in Austin that they should follow Mr Becks experience, adding: You should come to Cork and you should all individually kiss the Blarney Stone and do do other things as well. The First Minister, left, and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, right, said Northern Ireland had huge potential for investors (Kelvin Boyes/Press Eye/PA) Growing Northern Irelands economy is the focus of a visit by the First Minister and deputy First Minister to North Carolina. Michelle ONeill and Emma Little-Pengelly are leading a business mission to the US state, before Ms Little-Pengelly travels to Washington DC ahead of St Patricks Day. Later this week, Taoiseach Micheal Martin is set to present US President Donald Trump with the traditional bowl of shamrock. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons and Health Minister Mike Nesbitt are also visiting Washington DC this week, while Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald is travelling to Boston and New York. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content On Monday, Ms ONeill and Ms Little-Pengelly started their engagements with a visit to the Research Triangle Park (RTP). They went on to visit the Poulton Innovation Centre at NC State Universitys Centennial Campus before a series of political engagements, including meeting North Carolinas secretary of state Elaine F Marshall and lieutenant governor Rachel Hunt. The visit comes 12 months after the NI Chamber signed a NI Chambers memorandum of understanding (MOU). Ms ONeill said Northern Ireland had huge potential for investors. Growing our economy is our focus for this important visit as we develop business and investment opportunities, strengthening our partnership with North Carolina, she said. We have close economic ties with US companies. We have welcomed over 1,300 international companies, creating thousands of good jobs in the process. We offer one of the most efficient business environments in Europe. We have a young, dynamic and highly skilled workforce with unique access to trade opportunities in Britain and Europe. The potential we offer is huge, and we compete on the world stage. That is the message I will be bringing to investors. Ms Little-Pengelly said: The MOU between both chambers of commerce was built on the commitment to work together, to unlock new economic opportunities, drive innovation, and create lasting business relationships. And one year on, it is clear that this partnership is thriving. Building the connections between ourselves and the US is key to our economic growth and we are breaking new ground on this visit. There are such parallels between our economic strengths and the potential for this approach is huge. Our visit demonstrates our support for this approach as we recognise the benefits of the opportunity to come together, share expertise, explore new markets, and forge meaningful collaborations. Suzanne Wylie, chief executive of the NI Chamber, said it had been working intensively with business, academics and potential investors in North Carolina over the last year. Now, we are seeing that translate into game-changing opportunities for joint investments and expanding business footprints, research partnerships and alliances, she said. This mission is about expanding those new relationships further and together, showcasing Northern Ireland and North Carolina as regions of joint business opportunity. Our MOU with NC Chamber has garnered significant political interest on both sides of the Atlantic, and we are delighted that on our return visit, we are accompanied by the First Minister and deputy First Minister, as well as universities and business leaders. Our mission is about making business-to-business connections, learning from best practices and business and politicians together pitching Northern Ireland as a unique and compelling place to invest and do business. Tragic victim Christian Rasmussen, aged in his 50s, was nicknamed Danish Paddy by his biking buddies The incident happened on the M50 southbound this afternoon. The Irish biking community is in mourning today after the death of a motorcyclist on the M50 yesterday. Christian Rasmussen, aged in his 50s, died on the motorway in west Dublin yesterday afternoon. Mr Rasmussen, originally from Denmark, but who had been living in Carlow for many years, was mourned by biker clubs across the country. Shortly after 12.30pm, gardai and emergency services were alerted to a collision involving a car and a motorcycle on the southbound carriageway near Junction 7 at the Lucan/Palmerstown exit. The incident happened on the M50 southbound this afternoon. The southbound lanes of the M50 motorway were closed while emergency services attended the serious crash. There were no other injuries reported. Garda forensic investigators completed an examination of the scene. The local coroner was notified and arrangements will be made for a post-mortem examination. The Devils Disciples Motorcyling Club paid tribute, saying : It is with great sadness we announce the death of our brother Danish Paddy 1% RIP Brother. Rasmussen Sympathies poured into the group, of which the man was thought to be a member. One respondent said: Ride free in the forever chapter, my brother. Another wrote: Just cant put it into words. Totally, totally broken hearted for you all. Absolutely unique character. Heart of gold. He was there for everyone. It was an honour and a pleasure to know him. A great friend. Always had a big hello and a smile for everyone Another added: Shocked and saddened. He was a lovely guy. Rest in peace. Tributes were shared across social media from biker clubs and motorbike enthusiasts. Riff Raff Kilkenny wrote: Riff Raff RC would like to send our sincerest condolences to the family and brothers of (the deceased). There are no words to describe how we all feel. They noted the biking community has lost a genuine soul. Irish Bike Rally stated on its Facebook page: A great friend. Always had a big hello and a smile for everyone. Gardai are appealing for any witnesses to the collision to come forward. Smoke rises from a factory hit during clashes by Syrian security forces and gunmen loyal to former president Bashar Assad (Omar Albam/AP) Syrias interim government has announced the end of a military operation against insurgents loyal to ousted president Bashar Assad and his family in the worst fighting since the end of the 13-year civil war in December. The defence ministrys announcement comes after a surprise attack by gunmen from the Alawite community on a police patrol near the port city of Latakia on Thursday spiralled into widespread clashes across Syrias coastal region, during which monitoring groups said hundreds of civilians were killed. Syrias new interim Islamist rulers are struggling to exert their authority across the country and reach political settlements with other minority communities, notably the Kurds of the north-east and the Druze in southern Syria. To the remaining remnants of the defeated regime and its fleeing officers, our message is clear and explicit, said defence ministry spokesperson Colonel Hassan Abdel-Ghani. If you return, we will also return, and you will find before you men who do not know how to retreat and who will not have mercy on those whose hands are stained with the blood of the innocent. Col Abdel-Ghani said that security forces will continue searching for sleeper cells and remnants of the insurgency of former government loyalists. Reinforcement Syrian security forces were deployed on the outskirts of Latakia (Omar Albam/AP) Though the governments counter-offensive was able to largely contain the insurgency, footage surfaced of what appeared to be retaliatory attacks targeting the broader minority Alawite community, an offshoot of Shia Islam whose adherents live mainly in Syrias western coastal region. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said 1,130 people were killed in the clashes, including 830 civilians. The Associated Press could not independently verify these numbers. The interim government is made up of members of Sunni Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which led a lightning insurgency in December that overthrew Mr Assad, ending more than half a century of his familys dictatorial rule. The Assad family are Alawites. Interim president Ahmad Al-Sharaa said the retaliatory attacks against Alawite civilians and mistreatment of prisoners were isolated incidents, and vowed to crack down on the perpetrators as he formed a committee to investigate the incident. Col Abdel-Ghani said the security forces will allow the committee the full opportunity to uncover the circumstances of the events, verify the facts, and rectify wrongdoings. Still, the footage of houses in several neighbourhoods set on fire and bodies on the streets alarmed western governments, who have been urged by Mr Al-Sharaa to lift economic sanctions on Syria. US secretary of state Marco Rubio in a statement issued on Sunday urged Syrian authorities to hold the perpetrators of these massacres accountable. Mr Rubio said the US stands with Syrias religious and ethnic minorities, including its Christian, Druze, Alawite, and Kurdish communities. Thousands of Syrians from the coastal area fled to neighbouring Lebanon, mostly through unofficial crossings. The UN refugee agency said in a statement that according to local authorities, 6,078 people have arrived in about a dozen villages in northern Lebanons Akkar province fleeing the fighting, while arrivals in other parts of the country were still being verified. Lebanon is hosting more than 755,000 registered Syrian refugees, with hundreds of thousands more believed to be unregistered. Since the fall of Mr Assad, the flow had begun to reverse, with the UN reporting that nearly 260,000 Syrian refugees have returned home since November, about half of them coming from Lebanon. 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. PITTSFIELD Less than a week after President Donald Trump's first second-term address to Congress, speakers at a rally inside the Colonial Theatre evoked another presidential address delivered in a time of crisis. When President Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed Congress in 1941, he identified four freedoms that were at risk from threats from abroad freedom of speech and expression, freedom of religion, freedom from want and freedom from fear. For the organizers, legislators and community members at the Colonial, those freedoms are under attack once again. Everything is on the line. Our economy, our health, our schools, our very democracy. Thats why in the courtrooms, in the halls of Congress, in classrooms and boardrooms and the ballot box and on the street, we need to fight. And when we fight, we will win, but we have to fight, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey told attendants at the sold-out theater on Sunday. The event, No Kings in America! Rally for Democracy, was organized by a Four Freedoms Coalition led by local organizations including the Berkshire Democratic Brigades, the Rural Freedom Network, Berkshire Indivisible and the Berkshires chapter of the NAACP. Markey headlined the event, and was joined on stage by a cast of local politicians, organizers and musicians. As the Democratic Party struggles to identify a compelling and unified response to the Trump administration, the consensus inside the Colonial Sunday afternoon seemed to be that resistance to the current White House will grow locally. I think its going to come from the grassroots. Its going to come from events like this when were all together and feeling energized by our peers, said state Rep. Leigh Davis. On stage, speakers urged those in attendance and the people watching from home to get involved in any way they can: call legislators, text bank, volunteer, even run for office themselves. Local government is our backbone of American democracy and we need you to join us in this work. We need you to volunteer to serve on boards of commission, we need you to run for office, we need to hear your advocacy, said Pittsfield Mayor Peter Marchetti. Speaker after speaker also voiced their ongoing commitment to fight back against the Trump administrations attacks on the rights of Massachusetts residents, evoking the commonwealths long tradition of resisting kings. "Almost 250 years ago, the king sailed away in 1776, and I'm here to say the king is not coming back to Massachusetts," said state senator Paul Mark. Massachusetts knows how to resist, Markey said. It was here that people, angered that their ruler had put a tax on their tea, protested, and it is here where people fired the first shot of the Revolutionary War in 1775. Today from the town square of Great Barrington here to the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield to the fields of Lexington and Concord, we must do it again. Its 250 years later, and we need a revolution to make sure there are no kings, said Markey. One speaker also reminded those in attendance about times in the nation's history when many people didnt fight back against the denial of human rights, and the consequences of that inaction. Dennis Powell, president of the Berkshire branch of the NAACP, told the audience that no one protected the democracy of his ancestors, Black men and women living in the United States pre- and post-emancipation. His rights were hard-won and newly-earned, but they are under attack again, he said. And those attacks aren't limited to the rights of marginalized and vulnerable populations everyone is affected, he said. Many of you who never thought your democracy would never be challenged are now realizing it is. Many of you believed your democracy would always protect you. You are now seeing that it wont be the last time we stand to defend it, said Powell. "No group stands alone or falls alone when democracy is challenged." In the lobby, local nonprofits offered myriad ways for attendees to take a first or second step in their organizing career, like signing a petition to fire Elon Musk who has been leading cuts to services under the so-called Department of Government Efficiency registering to vote, joining an email list and coming to their next meeting. We have learned by doing. Most of us came to this very accidentally when Trump was elected the first time around. Its the seeds of democracy in action and much more creative and action oriented, not just reactionary, said Jessica Dils, a representative for Greylock Together. As speakers asked the community members in attendance whether they were going to take action to resist the Trump administration, many of the organizers and community members in attendance voiced the same query of their elected representatives. "We are more active right now than our legislators are. We need to let them know that that's not sustainable. They need to stand with us," said Nick Pacella, a representative from 350 Massachusetts, a grassroots organization that fights climate change. Quality local journalism needs your support Access this story and all of our stories with 24/7 unlimited access. Subscribe today. Cancel anytime. Subscribe now for 99 Subscriber Sign In | Return Home In an interview with Dalton Delan, podcaster Buzz Knight reflects on the evolution of radio. This Q&A is from that discussion and has been edited for length and clarity. DALTON DELAN: I had a saying in my television years that TV is radio with a light on. BUZZ KNIGHT: I love it! DELAN: Growing up in the '60s, I think my coolest day was when I heard my name on the radio and won a bright yellow, smiley-face, WMCA Good Guy sweatshirt. I still have it. AM radio was king. KNIGHT: What was so cool about AM radio in those days is it ran the gamut from playing a rock song, a Motown song, a pop song. It was a hodgepodge, and it was bigger than life. AM was glorious. The personalities were big and bold. DELAN: In Hibbing, Minn., Bob Dylan came by his love of the blues, listening to Delta stations beaming up the Mississippi at night when he was a boy. KNIGHT: It was because there were clear-channel AM radio stations, which were licensed differently in terms of directional power and the places that you could hear them. Then there were daytimers radio stations that would have to sign off before it got dark. So when the daytimers would sign off, that would create this opportunity for clear-channel stations to be heard across multiple states. Where I'm at, in the Boston area, WBZ AM 1030, the news station, can be heard all across the country, I believe. The power of AM back then was a really neat thing, and we all spent a lot of time with that little transistor radio under our pillow. DELAN: I also think that that rock 'n' roll existed and flourished because of the sonic punch of the mono mixes of radio. People know about the Beatles. It was all mono. If there was stereo at all, someone had gone back and dolled it up in the studio. KNIGHT: It was part of the magic of it. There was this sense of momentum and boisterous loudness that came through, just like in Spinal Tap. They turned it up to 11. DELAN: Then we migrated. Cars started to have FM, and we developed free form in rock 'n' roll radio. Going to school outside Boston, I would listen to WBCN. There was WNEW-FM in New York. There was WMMR in Philly, and WHFS in DC. It was a magical time, the spirit of late '60s into '70s. KNIGHT: It was a magical experimentation time. But what happened is there were these owners that didn't know what they had. DELAN: Was it conglomeration? Was it the general weakness that happened in subsequent generations of rock? Stations often got changed overnight by their new owners to talk stations. KNIGHT: Owners incurred too much debt, which is still a problem to this day. You had, at that point, a desire to find other types of content that would be potentially fruitful. That's how talk formats were born. When you had music duplicated in a lot of different places, it wasn't as unique. They gave up on the formats that were rock stations, they stopped investing in those formats. DELAN: Then a couple of the greats from WNEW-FM came over to a nonprofit public radio station, WFUV in New York. KNIGHT: WFUV has done a brilliant job of catering to an audience that lost their favorite radio station in New York, WNEW-FM. They brought much of that great talent over to WFUV. Vince Scelsa was one of the first ones who went over there. My friend Dennis Elsas was another one. DELAN: Now everything we knew is terrestrial radio. Satellite came in. In New York, there was Sirius. In DC, it was XM. Now they're combined. KNIGHT: Terrestrial radio should tout its sense of localism, what it does in communities, what it does in difficult times, and how it really connects that with advertisers and audiences. DELAN: For all that we miss, we gained hundreds of splinter channels on satellite radio. Often, though, when I'm listening to it, I actually miss the DJs. KNIGHT: I'll give satellite credit on the use of some of the great DJs. Dennis Elsas is on satellite radio. Meg Griffin is another former New York DJ who's part of satellite radio. So I'll give them their props on finding those great talents and incorporating them. In the long run, we all crave human connection, and we crave that when it comes to what personality and curation mean to us. DELAN: You are a multiple-offending podcaster. I'm a vodcaster. Give us the arc of that journey. What do you feel about this when kids walk around with headphones? KNIGHT: It takes me back to my roots, actually. That's part of what drew me. As somebody who started on the air, who did interviews on the air, this hearkens back. I have two podcasts: one that I host, called Takin a Walk, and another, that I produce, called Music Saved Me. The arc of storytelling often is sadly missing on terrestrial radio these days. I'm hearkening back to my era, when I started. I believe many people say this about podcasting and about the experimentation of podcasting. They say, You know what? This reminds me of the early days of radio. I tend to agree with that. I believe that experimentation, that sense of adventure, the early days of FM, it's kind of missing, and I'm grateful I'm getting it. I wish some of that would come back to terrestrial radio. GREAT BARRINGTON Its only been a week since social worker Julie Rivers started her job, and already shes gone on a handful of calls with police officers as they respond to people in crisis. Rivers is the Great Barrington Police Departments new, full-time clinical co-responder. Her job is to ride with officers when they respond to situations that might involve mental or emotional health, substance use issues, or helping someone who doesnt have a solid place to live. One of her core values includes helping people avoid arrest for behavior stemming from a mental health crisis, Rivers said. She also wants to avoid hospitalizing people. Though she isnt against it in certain instances, she believes it should be used as a therapeutic last resort. Keeping things as voluntary as possible is a huge, huge thing for me, Rivers said, referring to forcing someone into a hospital, which is also known by its legal name of "Section 12." Rivers spoke to The Eagle last week at the police station where she works a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. shift that might be adjusted in the future to meet the community's needs. As of last year, roughly half of all U.S. police departments use co-responders, according to the National Criminal Justice Association. That includes Berkshire County departments such as Lee, Lenox and Pittsfield. Since calls to police increasingly involve mental and behavioral health, as well as substance use issues, the clinical co-responder has grown into a necessity. Most of the work we do is social work, said Great Barrington Police Chief Paul Storti, a 30-year veteran of the department. Storti started the co-responder program in 2019, but it later ended when the clinician moved to another police department, he said. Storti said it took him two years to find funding to pay for a new co-responder. Rivers' job is paid for by "community impact fees" that the cannabis shops have to pay the town. It isn't Rivers' first time working with officers. The Fall River native spent six months working as a co-responder with the Greenfield Police Department. Rivers is a contractor with Clinical and Support Options Inc. better known as CSO. This is an advantage in terms of resources Greenfield-based CSO can provide, she said. CSO has locations around Western Massachusetts, including its Family Resource Center in Great Barrington. And because Rivers is a licensed clinician, unlike police, she has access to medical records that help her evaluate people. CSO also offers a three-day follow-up period for adults, Rivers said, and a 20-day period for those younger than 20. Rivers will also participate in officer debriefings after certain incidents, Storti said. While responding to a call, Rivers said she waits in the cruiser until the officer says it is safe for her to assist the person in need. My main goal is just establishing a connection with that person, she said, to try and get us the next steps. In an extreme situation, that might mean talking to them about why hospitalization is the best solution, or it could involve taking someone to the Brien Center, which provides a range of mental and behavioral health services. She said she enjoys "building rapport with the officers. Storti says this also helps officers with job stress that, if not managed, can cause them to make serious mistakes at work. When she first got here, Rivers said she found the officers to be really wonderful, very good with the mental health calls. Her very first call was a difficult one. "One of the officers was like, 'Oh, I don't want this to be your first call.' And I'm like, 'let's go,' Rivers said. For her, helping people through a crisis is, she said, "an honor." After seven months of below normal rain and snowmelt in the Berkshires, state environmental officials have declared a significant drought for areas west of the Pioneer Valley. The National Weather Service in Albany, N.Y., posted two wildfire alerts last Thursday and Friday, and another is possible on Tuesday, according to forecasters. No relief from the abnormally dry conditions is expected until Sunday, when up to an inch of rain is likely. Typically, mid-March means plenty of snowbanks throwing off ground moisture and rivers running fast and high. Not this year. Since Jan. 1, precipitation (rain and melted snow) has totaled 5 inches at Pittsfield Municipal Airport and at Harriman-and-West Airport in North Adams, per the NWS automated observation stations. Thats about 15 percent below the historical average for the 10-week dead of winter period. Tracking back to last August, precipitation has been far below normal. Snowfall has been below normal as well, especially this month, with less than 1 inch at both locations so far. Average March snowfall in the county is around 15 inches, mostly in the first half of the month. Its been abnormally dry since last August, with rain and snow for the seven-month period in Western Massachusetts running at only half of normal totals, according to the states Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. Despite temporary surges in streamflow from recent precipitation, 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, she stated in an announcement last Friday. The U.S. Drought Monitor put Berkshire County in an "abnormally dry" pre-drought category last week. An update is expected on Thursday. With long stretches of below-normal temperatures in recent weeks, frozen ground has reduced snowmelt that normally builds up groundwater reserves, Tepper said. That means the strengthening sun angle has been melting snowbanks from the top down, while cold nights have contributed to above-normal ice buildups. For the significant drought region encompassing Berkshire County, Teppers immediate recommendations to local communities include: Establish water-use reduction targets for all water users. Limit or prohibit washing of hard surfaces (sidewalks, patios, driveways, siding) as well as personal vehicle or boat washing. Establish a year-round water conservation program that includes public education while providing timely information to local residents and businesses. Implement or establish drought surcharge or seasonal water rates. Residents are urged to minimize overall water use and to repair indoor leaks from toilets, faucets and showers. Local fire departments can issue same-day permits during the outdoor burn season that began in mid-January and continues until May 1. Mindful of the fierce wildfires from last Nov. 19 into early December consuming more than 1,600 acres, Great Barrington fire officials temporarily declined to issue burn permits on Saturday. But the Fire Department restored access to burn permits on Monday. This week, with humidity dropping, daytime temperatures rising above 60 and winds whipping up again on Tuesday under mostly clear skies, conditions for elevated fire risks look more likely, said meteorologist Thomas Wasula of the National Weather Services Albany office in an online update. BillOReilly.com is not available in this country. We apologize for any inconvenience. Auriga Research signs MoU with Assam Government to establish pharma testing lab March 10, 2025 | Monday | News Government of Assam will provide policy support, fast-track clearances, and facilitation services Auriga Research Private Limited, a trusted Indian leader in Testing, Inspection, and Certification (TIC) services, has signed two significant Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at strengthening Assams food, pharmaceutical, and tea industries. The two agreements, signed with the Government of Assam and the Tea Research Association (TRA) during the Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment and Infrastructure Summit 2025, mark a transformative step toward enhancing quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and global competitiveness for Assams industries. Auriga Research has partnered with the Government of Assam to establish an advanced testing laboratory for food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, Ayurveda, and medical devices. This state-of-the-art facility will be set up in Guwahati or Dibrugarh, with operations expected to commence within nine months. It will cater to both domestic businesses and export-driven industries, ensuring compliance with national and international quality standards. The Government of Assam will provide policy support, fast-track clearances, and facilitation services to ensure smooth implementation. This initiative aligns with Assams Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) policies and will further integrate the state into global supply chains, supporting Indias Make in India and Make for the World initiatives. Auriga Research will provide cost-effective, world-class testing solutions to producers, even small and mid-sized players to ensure compliance with stringent international regulations. Longevity India Conference 2025 opens with unique insights into ageing science March 10, 2025 | Monday | News ICMR has awarded support to the Longevity India Initiative at IISc, to establish a Centre for Advanced Research in Ageing Bringing together eminent scientists, researchers, and industry leaders, the Longevity India Conference 2025 Rise for Healthy Aging hosted at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru opened on 10 March with unique insights into ageing science and longevity. With the key theme of Biological Foundations and Mechanisms of Ageing, the conference highlighted notable developments and trends through four major sessions covering ageing research, biological mechanisms, lifestyle medicine, and holistic health approaches. Dinesh Gundu Rao, Minister for Health and Family Welfare of Karnataka; Manjunath Bhandary, MLC, Government of Karnataka and Govindan Rangarajan, Director of IISc were among the key dignitaries who addressed the inaugural session. Following this, engaging discussions were held on ageing science, with thought-provoking insights from global experts. Additionally, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has also awarded support to the Longevity India Initiative at IISc, to establish a Centre for Advanced Research in Ageing, marking a significant milestone in India's efforts to address the challenges of aging and age-related diseases. The Centre will explore India-specific biomarkers, create organ-specific ageing models, and study the gut-brain connection, in order to develop strategies for healthy aging through biology, data science, and clinical research. The conference featured insightful sessions on ageing science, starting with Deepak Saini (Longevity India, IISc), who discussed groundbreaking research at the Saini Lab and the launch of Longevity India. Brian Kennedy (Centre for Healthy Longevity, NUS) emphasised the need for translational research to validate longevity interventions. In a session moderated by Narendra Dixit (IISc), experts like Satchidananda Panda (Salk Institute) and Maxim Artyomov (WashU Medicine) explored ageing mechanisms like circadian rhythms, immune aging, and cellular longevity. Prasun Chatterjee (AIIMS, Delhi) highlighted the role of biomarkers in longevity, while discussions on lifestyle medicine by Samuel Hansdak (CMC Vellore) and Shayana Chandrakant Parekh (IISc) focused on the effects of nutrition, exercise, and sleep. G.R. Rajendran (PSG Hospitals) discussed plant-based nutrition for heart health, and Vivekanand Upadhyay (FONXIER Spine and Pain Center) emphasised exercise for longevity. N. Srikanth (Dy. Director General, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences) explored Ayurvedas connection to modern longevity science, with other panelists from across universities and the National Innovation Foundation. JAMESTOWN, N.Y. Scandinavian Culture Days are scheduled to continue on the SUNY Jamestown Community College Jamestown Campus this spring. Having started March 1, more gatherings are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to noon on April 5 and May 3 in the Hamilton Collegiate Center Student Union and Cafe. They are free and open to the public. Culture Days focus on Swedish culture and the Swedish-American experience, though one does not need to be of Swedish origin to attend. Each date will also offer workshops, presentations, and Swedish-inspired food, lingonberry juice, and coffee. The remaining presentation/workshop schedule is as follows: These events are funded by the Scandinavian Studies Endowment through the JCC Foundation, an independent, non-profit organization that supports college projects and activities. PITTSBURGH (TNS) The Rev. Robert Miller, better known as Father Bob, stood outside St. Benedict the Abbot Church in Peters Township chatting with parishioners after a Saturday mass. As churchgoers exited on May 11, 2024, the Catholic priest looked briefly at the sky and saw an unusual cloud formation. Is that a rotating wall cloud? he wondered. When he returned to the rectory and checked weather reports on his phone, he found that a tornado had touched down about a mile away. As a volunteer for the National Weather Services SKYWARN program, he got in his car to check and report storm damage. Dwarfed by St. Benedicts sanctuary and an 84-foot-high bell tower, a 6-foot tall weather station near the rectory is frequented daily by Miller, an avid science lover who measures snow and rainfall. His weather station includes two rain gauges and other instruments that record temperature, dew point, wind speed and direction and other meteorological conditions. He is part of a legion of volunteer weather watchers nationwide for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS), a nonprofit that measures and maps precipitation for the National Weather Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, emergency managers, utilities, ranchers, farmers and others. Steve Fazekas, a volunteer weather watcher for the National Weather Service, with weather equipment at his home in Winfield, Butler CountySteve Fazekas, a volunteer weather watcher for the National Weather Service, with weather equipment at his home in Winfield, Butler County(courtesy of Steve Fazekas) Steve Fazekas is another dedicated CoCoRaHS weather watcher who meticulously reports conditions daily at his home in Winfield, Butler County. Before he starts his job in heavy construction operations equipment, he checks and reports precipitation and other weather measurements. Weather is cool, he said. Its the one thing that can impact your day more than anything else. Miller and Fazekas upload their weather reports daily. I love the science, Miller said. I like to make a difference in peoples lives because this data is used by the National Weather Service and other places to make forecasts. Both men have been busy measuring snow this winter. There was snow on the ground every day from Jan. 2-31, Miller reported. That hasnt happened in a very long time, but the amount of snow is below average, he said, easily rattling off the snow depth for each day. Weather equipment to measure rain and snow at the National Weather Service Pittsburgh office in Moon Weather equipment to measure rain and snow at the National Weather Service Pittsburgh office in Moon (John Darnley / National Weather Service) The CoCoRaHS program attracts some serious weather enthusiasts, said John Darnley, observation program leader at the National Weather Service Pittsburgh office in Moon. There are 176 volunteer weather observers in Allegheny County alone. Westmoreland has 79 and Butler has 62. With only 28 observers in Mercer County and 24 in Lawrence County, the weather service could use more volunteers in those counties, Darnley said. Most volunteers file electronically by 10 a.m. each day, and those reports are fed into the NWS main weather information platform and a NWS river forecast center in Ohio. The river center uses the precipitation reports to determine runoff and impact on area rivers and creeks. Even at zero with no rain, that helps them with their forecasts. Zeros are just as important as 3 inches in 24 hours, Darnley said. Those forecasts are used for flood watches and warnings to the public. It helps us understand what is happening in areas that arent co-located with some of our other equipment, like automated rain gauges, Darnley said. Volunteers granular data reports not only inform NWS on variations in rain or snow in different areas, they provide estimates of total precipitation in an area as well as microclimates. The rain doesnt fall the same on all is a popular saying among CoCoRaHS volunteers. Weather is a science that involves a moving target, Fazekas noted. Every day is different Miller has been reporting his weather observations for volunteer NWS programs since 2000. He has more than 5,359 records in Peters Township alone. Ordained in 1992, he arrived in 2011 at St. Benedict, part of St. John XXIII Parish. The weather reports on rainfall, snowfall and snowpack dont add much to his day, maybe 5 minutes or so. Measuring snowfall takes a little longer. A rain gauge for CoCoRaHS volunteers to report precipitation to the National Weather Service A rain gauge for CoCoRaHS volunteers to report precipitation to the National Weather Service (courtesy Henry Reges) Ive always been interested in weather since I was young. Look at Venus and Mars. I took the time to look at the sky. Just to be aware of things around us, you can see Gods effect around us, he said. Miller said he has an active brain and likes to use it for weather monitoring, winemaking and brewing authentic espresso. Like his weather reports, he shares his wine and excellent coffee with others. His parents supported his love of meteorology, driving him for visits with a NWS hydrologist in Darlington, Beaver County. He took precipitation measurements with his home rain gauge and reported them to the National Weather Service. When deciding on his lifes work, he had to choose between meteorology and the priesthood. God called me to this path, he said. Miller is pastor to a flock of about 11,000 parishioners currently. He still finds time for his volunteer science hustle and doesnt seem satiated yet. Every day is different. Every star is different, he said. I love to see the difference each day and how it unfolds. His daily weather monitoring is proof positive of the nuances. I like the sense of contributing to science. Proud weather geek Fazekas has been a CoCoRaHS volunteer for about six years. Also a ham radio operator, he has volunteered for other weather programs, including the SKYWARN program. Fazekas admits hes a weather geek, which isnt a bad thing. He has his own weather station mounted above his garage to monitor temperature, dew point, wind speed, wind direction and humidity. Its Bluetooth-enabled and communicates data via a computer in his kitchen and a phone app. Hes the go-to weather guy at work. Fazekas parlayed his weather fascination as a teenager into earning a merit badge as an Eagle Scout. Thats when he built his first weather station. I made weather observations and had to come up with a forecast to match up to what [WTAE-TV meteorologist] Joe DeNardo was saying back in the day. He and other volunteers enjoy ground-truthing for the weather service; they are the people on the ground taking the most accurate readings possible. CoCoRaHS volunteers capture what the National Weather Service cant. Although the weather service can assess conditions via remote equipment and plane flyovers, calibration with ground equipment is still needed, Darnley said. John Darnley, observation program leader at the National Weather Service Pittsburgh office, measures snowpack in the Laurel Mountains near Laurel Hill State Park in 2018. John Darnley measures snowpack in the Laurel Mountains in 2018. (Tom Greene / National Weather Service) That means in desolate areas someone needs to hike into the mountains with equipment to measure snowfall and snowpack and sync the information with airplane assessments. The CoCoRaHS network was born out of necessity. In 1997, a storm stalled above Fort Collins, Colo., dumping 14.5 inches of rain in 31 hours. At least five people died. CoCoRaHS was founded by Nolan Doesken, the former state climatologist for Colorado after the center pieced together the details of those storms with critical reports from private citizens. The storm in Colorado was underestimated because the indicators of precipitation were below the lowest level of radar detection, Darnley said. Fixed weather radar facilities oscillate at varying volume patterns. They cant detect weather formations closer to the ground. Fixed radar is still the industry standard. NWS Pittsburgh has a Doppler radar installed at its office in Moon. The fixed radar at our office gives good coverage, but with the curvature of the earth, the radar beam doesnt capture the lowest level of the precipitation. In fact, in the mountains, such as in Davis, W.Va., it could be snowing and we would not see anything on radar, Darnley said. Data is very, very important On-the-ground observation or ground-truthing is the key to detecting dangerous storm conditions and impacts. The data is very, very important, Darnley said. Volunteers daily reports focus on precipitation, but the watchers also note strong winds, thunderstorms and other weather conditions. The primary measurement for CoCoRaHS is rainfall and liquid precipitation. The terms sound synonymous but are not. Rainfall is easily measured with a standard 4-inch rain gauge. Snowfall totals are determined by using a measuring stick with a 1/10-inch incremental scale in snow accumulated on a surface cleaned every 24 hours. Theres snowpack, too. Volunteers invert the cylinder from the rain gauge and cut into the snowpack to take a biscuit, melt it down and measure. Snowpack measurements help determine how much liquid is locked into the snow to more accurately forecast runoff for potential flooding of small streams and rivers, a major weather issue in the Pittsburgh area, Darnley said. Jessie Hernandez watches crews clean up after flooding on West Brady Street in Butler in July 2017. Jessie Hernandez watches crews clean up after flooding on West Brady Street in Butler in July 2017. (Post-Gazette) Then theres the 24-hour snowfall liquid equivalent: A 4-inch cylinder catches snowfall, which is then measured by melting the snow in another tube with a measurement scale of 1/100th of an inch. On average, 10 inches of snow equals about 1 inch of rain in 32-degree weather. The colder the temperature, the higher the ratio of snow to water. If the temperature is above freezing, the wet snow would have a lower ratio of about 6 to 1, Darnley said. Help our neighbors Volunteer observations are critical to assessing flooding and the impacts of snowfall for NWS alerts and warnings. If we have a forecast for 4-6 inches of snow along the I-80 corridor, but not seeing snow falling after an hour, and then receive reports of the snow, the forecaster has to decide if they should cancel the forecast warning, Darnley said. They need ground truth beyond the weather models, and these observations help with those decisions. It adds value to the CoCoRaHS program. The program also contributes to the community in other ways. The volunteer monitoring sites can become established climate stations with historical climate information used by city and community planners and the general public. CoCoRaHS reports are verified records of weather in communities. For example, we have a weather system with high winds coming in and high winds topple trees or break off branches onto someones roof, Fazekas said. Insurance companies are guaranteed to look at the weather and CoCoRaHS is one source that is recognized as accurate. Its a way that we can serve our communities and help our neighbors. CoCoRaHS is recruiting volunteers to monitor the weather. To learn more about the program and how to volunteer, visit cocorahs.org. Posted: Mar 4, 2025 Slug: PG-Weather-geeks-These-volunteers-brave-snow-and-rai Mary Ann Thomas Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS) Mar. 4The Rev. Robert Miller, better known as Father Bob, stood outside St. Benedict the Abbot Church in Peters Township chatting with parishioners after a Saturday mass. As churchgoers exited on May 11, 2024, the Catholic priest looked briefly at the sky and saw an unusual cloud formation. Is that a rotating wall cloud? he wondered. When he returned to the rectory and checked weather reports on his phone, he found that a tornado had touched down about a mile away. As a volunteer for the National Weather Services SKYWARN program, he got in his car to check and report storm damage. Dwarfed by St. Benedicts sanctuary and an 84-foot-high bell tower, a 6-foot tall weather station near the rectory is frequented daily by Miller, an avid science lover who measures snow and rainfall. His weather station includes two rain gauges and other instruments that record temperature, dew point, wind speed and direction and other meteorological conditions. He is part of a legion of volunteer weather watchers nationwide for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS), a nonprofit that measures and maps precipitation for the National Weather Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, emergency managers, utilities, ranchers, farmers and others. Steve Fazekas, a volunteer weather watcher for the National Weather Service, with weather equipment at his home in Winfield, Butler CountySteve Fazekas, a volunteer weather watcher for the National Weather Service, with weather equipment at his home in Winfield, Butler County(courtesy of Steve Fazekas) Steve Fazekas is another dedicated CoCoRaHS weather watcher who meticulously reports conditions daily at his home in Winfield, Butler County. Before he starts his job in heavy construction operations equipment, he checks and reports precipitation and other weather measurements. Weather is cool, he said. Its the one thing that can impact your day more than anything else. Miller and Fazekas upload their weather reports daily. I love the science, Miller said. I like to make a difference in peoples lives because this data is used by the National Weather Service and other places to make forecasts. Both men have been busy measuring snow this winter. There was snow on the ground every day from Jan. 2-31, Miller reported. That hasnt happened in a very long time, but the amount of snow is below average, he said, easily rattling off the snow depth for each day. Weather equipment to measure rain and snow at the National Weather Service Pittsburgh office in Moon Weather equipment to measure rain and snow at the National Weather Service Pittsburgh office in Moon (John Darnley / National Weather Service) The CoCoRaHS program attracts some serious weather enthusiasts, said John Darnley, observation program leader at the National Weather Service Pittsburgh office in Moon. There are 176 volunteer weather observers in Allegheny County alone. Westmoreland has 79 and Butler has 62. With only 28 observers in Mercer County and 24 in Lawrence County, the weather service could use more volunteers in those counties, Darnley said. Most volunteers file electronically by 10 a.m. each day, and those reports are fed into the NWS main weather information platform and a NWS river forecast center in Ohio. The river center uses the precipitation reports to determine runoff and impact on area rivers and creeks. Even at zero with no rain, that helps them with their forecasts. Zeros are just as important as 3 inches in 24 hours, Darnley said. Those forecasts are used for flood watches and warnings to the public. It helps us understand what is happening in areas that arent co-located with some of our other equipment, like automated rain gauges, Darnley said. Volunteers granular data reports not only inform NWS on variations in rain or snow in different areas, they provide estimates of total precipitation in an area as well as microclimates. The rain doesnt fall the same on all is a popular saying among CoCoRaHS volunteers. Weather is a science that involves a moving target, Fazekas noted. Every day is different Miller has been reporting his weather observations for volunteer NWS programs since 2000. He has more than 5,359 records in Peters Township alone. Ordained in 1992, he arrived in 2011 at St. Benedict, part of St. John XXIII Parish. The weather reports on rainfall, snowfall and snowpack dont add much to his day, maybe 5 minutes or so. Measuring snowfall takes a little longer. A rain gauge for CoCoRaHS volunteers to report precipitation to the National Weather Service A rain gauge for CoCoRaHS volunteers to report precipitation to the National Weather Service (courtesy Henry Reges) Ive always been interested in weather since I was young. Look at Venus and Mars. I took the time to look at the sky. Just to be aware of things around us, you can see Gods effect around us, he said. Miller said he has an active brain and likes to use it for weather monitoring, winemaking and brewing authentic espresso. Like his weather reports, he shares his wine and excellent coffee with others. His parents supported his love of meteorology, driving him for visits with a NWS hydrologist in Darlington, Beaver County. He took precipitation measurements with his home rain gauge and reported them to the National Weather Service. When deciding on his lifes work, he had to choose between meteorology and the priesthood. God called me to this path, he said. Miller is pastor to a flock of about 11,000 parishioners currently. He still finds time for his volunteer science hustle and doesnt seem satiated yet. Every day is different. Every star is different, he said. I love to see the difference each day and how it unfolds. His daily weather monitoring is proof positive of the nuances. I like the sense of contributing to science. Proud weather geek Fazekas has been a CoCoRaHS volunteer for about six years. Also a ham radio operator, he has volunteered for other weather programs, including the SKYWARN program. Fazekas admits hes a weather geek, which isnt a bad thing. He has his own weather station mounted above his garage to monitor temperature, dew point, wind speed, wind direction and humidity. Its Bluetooth-enabled and communicates data via a computer in his kitchen and a phone app. Hes the go-to weather guy at work. Fazekas parlayed his weather fascination as a teenager into earning a merit badge as an Eagle Scout. Thats when he built his first weather station. I made weather observations and had to come up with a forecast to match up to what [WTAE-TV meteorologist] Joe DeNardo was saying back in the day. He and other volunteers enjoy ground-truthing for the weather service; they are the people on the ground taking the most accurate readings possible. CoCoRaHS volunteers capture what the National Weather Service cant. Although the weather service can assess conditions via remote equipment and plane flyovers, calibration with ground equipment is still needed, Darnley said. John Darnley, observation program leader at the National Weather Service Pittsburgh office, measures snowpack in the Laurel Mountains near Laurel Hill State Park in 2018. John Darnley measures snowpack in the Laurel Mountains in 2018. (Tom Greene / National Weather Service) That means in desolate areas someone needs to hike into the mountains with equipment to measure snowfall and snowpack and sync the information with airplane assessments. The CoCoRaHS network was born out of necessity. In 1997, a storm stalled above Fort Collins, Colo., dumping 14.5 inches of rain in 31 hours. At least five people died. CoCoRaHS was founded by Nolan Doesken, the former state climatologist for Colorado after the center pieced together the details of those storms with critical reports from private citizens. The storm in Colorado was underestimated because the indicators of precipitation were below the lowest level of radar detection, Darnley said. Fixed weather radar facilities oscillate at varying volume patterns. They cant detect weather formations closer to the ground. Fixed radar is still the industry standard. NWS Pittsburgh has a Doppler radar installed at its office in Moon. The fixed radar at our office gives good coverage, but with the curvature of the earth, the radar beam doesnt capture the lowest level of the precipitation. In fact, in the mountains, such as in Davis, W.Va., it could be snowing and we would not see anything on radar, Darnley said. Data is very, very important On-the-ground observation or ground-truthing is the key to detecting dangerous storm conditions and impacts. The data is very, very important, Darnley said. Volunteers daily reports focus on precipitation, but the watchers also note strong winds, thunderstorms and other weather conditions. The primary measurement for CoCoRaHS is rainfall and liquid precipitation. The terms sound synonymous but are not. Rainfall is easily measured with a standard 4-inch rain gauge. Snowfall totals are determined by using a measuring stick with a 1/10-inch incremental scale in snow accumulated on a surface cleaned every 24 hours. Theres snowpack, too. Volunteers invert the cylinder from the rain gauge and cut into the snowpack to take a biscuit, melt it down and measure. Snowpack measurements help determine how much liquid is locked into the snow to more accurately forecast runoff for potential flooding of small streams and rivers, a major weather issue in the Pittsburgh area, Darnley said. Jessie Hernandez watches crews clean up after flooding on West Brady Street in Butler in July 2017. Jessie Hernandez watches crews clean up after flooding on West Brady Street in Butler in July 2017. (Post-Gazette) Then theres the 24-hour snowfall liquid equivalent: A 4-inch cylinder catches snowfall, which is then measured by melting the snow in another tube with a measurement scale of 1/100th of an inch. On average, 10 inches of snow equals about 1 inch of rain in 32-degree weather. The colder the temperature, the higher the ratio of snow to water. If the temperature is above freezing, the wet snow would have a lower ratio of about 6 to 1, Darnley said. Help our neighbors Volunteer observations are critical to assessing flooding and the impacts of snowfall for NWS alerts and warnings. If we have a forecast for 4-6 inches of snow along the I-80 corridor, but not seeing snow falling after an hour, and then receive reports of the snow, the forecaster has to decide if they should cancel the forecast warning, Darnley said. They need ground truth beyond the weather models, and these observations help with those decisions. It adds value to the CoCoRaHS program. The program also contributes to the community in other ways. The volunteer monitoring sites can become established climate stations with historical climate information used by city and community planners and the general public. CoCoRaHS reports are verified records of weather in communities. For example, we have a weather system with high winds coming in and high winds topple trees or break off branches onto someones roof, Fazekas said. Insurance companies are guaranteed to look at the weather and CoCoRaHS is one source that is recognized as accurate. Its a way that we can serve our communities and help our neighbors. CoCoRaHS is recruiting volunteers to monitor the weather. To learn more about the program and how to volunteer, visit www.cocorahs.org. President Donald Trump said in his joint address before Congress last week his administration has ended rules that force automakers to build electric vehicles, an issue that impacts the foreseeable future for Michigans automotive industry. One way to truly make good on that claim would be to eliminate Californias outsized regulatory influence over setting fuel emissions standards. The nations largest state has been allowed to issue rules that are more stringent than the federal governments. Through waivers that have been granted for decades under the Clean Air Act to California the state is able to set vehicle emissions standards through the California Air Resources Board that exceed the federal requirements. California is one of the worlds biggest car markets. Because of its outsized market share and multi-billion-dollar impact on the economy, any regulations issued exclusively by the state and signed onto by other states impact interstate commerce and become de facto nationwide regulations. Californias most recent waiver finalized in December 2024 as former President Joe Biden was leaving office set an effective ban on sales of new gas, diesel and traditional hybrid vehicles for one-third of the U.S. auto market beginning in 2026 and culminating by 2035. The Biden administration never sent the rule to Congress for review, stripping lawmakers of the opportunity for oversight. The regulations have been adopted by 11 other states and Washington, D.C. The rules far exceed fuel emissions standards set for cars and trucks even by the overreaching Biden administration. And they certainly dont comport with how most Americans feel at this time about converting to EVs, which have severely lagged in predicted sales even with consumer subsidies. American consumers and voters have already spoken back on the push from Washington to force electric vehicles. Consumers want choice in the auto market, but Californias requirements are unrealistic and squash the free market. Californias own car market shows the lack of enthusiasm for EVs. In 2024, 25.3% of all new cars registered in the state were electric, compared with 25% in 2023, according to California Energy Commission data. Thats well short of the states 35% target. Detroit automakers last year signaled through their pulling back of EV production that the market for electric vehicles is not where regulators have demanded it be. The Trump administration has taken steps to get Californias regulations rescinded. In February, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin sent back three of the waivers for review under the Congressional Review Act, which gives Congress the power to cancel rules finalized by outgoing presidents in the last 60 legislative days of the year. Trump already rescinded a waiver that would have required trucking companies to adopt EVs by 2042. U.S. Rep. John James, a Shelby Township Republican, is also leading efforts in Congress to pull back Californias control over the auto industry. The impact on Michigan auto workers of a ban on new gas-powered vehicles in such a substantial chunk of the market would be enormous. The consequences would be felt throughout the nation and because of one states demands. Congress has the power to act to overturn these regulatory bans through one means or another and has been emboldened by the Trump administration to move quickly. It should. In the interest of robust interstate commerce, America should have one set of emissions standards to cover the entire country. The Detroit News via TNS More judicial efforts aim to protect rights of businesses 08:22, March 10, 2025 By Cui Jia ( Chinadaily.com.cn The work reports of the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate have sent strong signals that more judicial efforts will be made to equally protect the legitimate rights and interests of all types of businesses and to foster a healthier business environment, in order to further support high-quality development, deputies to China's top legislature said. Both the SPC and the SPP highlighted in their reports the importance of equally protecting the legitimate rights and interests of various business entities. The reports were delivered by SPC President Zhang Jun and Procurator-General Ying Yong, respectively, on Saturday at the second plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress for the national lawmakers to deliberate. In 2024, the use of criminal means to intervene in economic disputes, as well as unauthorized cross-regional law enforcement and profit-driven law enforcement were targeted in particular, according to the reports. A total of 46 cases involving property rights disputes were reexamined, with the wrongful convictions of 72 individuals overturned and 13 people being acquitted, the SPC said. Meanwhile, by using the power of the rule of law to stabilize expectations, boost confidence and promote development, 137,000 individuals were prosecuted for crimes that disrupted the socialist market economy order, marking a 13 percent increase year-on-year, the SPP said. Xue Jiping, a deputy from Jiangsu province and chairman of Jiangsu Zhongtian Technology Co, said, "The reports have shown judicial authorities' determination to safeguard the high-quality development of different enterprises and optimize the law-based business environment." He said he hoped that the rule of law will become the core foundation for building a healthy business environment in China. Yao Kuizhang, a deputy from Hebei province and chairman of Hebei Yangyuan Zhihui Beverage, said the reports both repeatedly emphasized the importance of serving the construction of a unified national market, supporting the development of new quality productive forces, and building a rule-of-law business environment, in response to the concerns of entrepreneurs. "The work reports have sent a strong signal of protecting the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises and entrepreneurs in accordance with the law," said Yao, who last year suggested drafting laws to support the development of private enterprises. Dong Mingzhu, a deputy from Guangdong province and chairwoman of Gree Electric Appliances, urged judicial authorities to strengthen the comprehensive system to tackle online rumors and cyber violence targeting businesses, and to explicitly include penalty clauses for online rumors and cyber violence in relevant laws. She said there is a need to "severely punish behavior such as spreading false information and maliciously attacking competitors online". Last year, the SPC enforced efforts to severely punish crimes such as spreading rumors about and defaming enterprises, as well as extortion, it said in its report. In one case, an offender surnamed Huang, together with others, posted negative information related to enterprises online, extorting a total of 556,000 yuan ($76,860) from 21 companies for the removal of posts. Huang was sentenced to 10 years in prison. According to a white paper released by the SPP on Sunday, prosecutorial authorities nationwide attached great importance last year to combating crimes that disrupt the business environment via the internet. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) 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 Daniel Lasota, (45), originally from Poland, admitted meeting a 15-year old boy at a playground in Co Limerick to have sex with him. Lasota, of Carr Street, Limerick, was jailed for six years at the Court of Criminal Appeal, after it found his original sentence of two and a half years with the final 18 months suspended, was an error in principle and unduly lenient. Advertisement Lasotas original sentence was imposed on him at Limerick Circuit Court in March 2024, after he had pleaded guilty to one count of meeting a boy for sex, and two counts of using communication technology to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child. Lily Buckley, prosecuting barrister, told the court that, on August 2nd, 2019, Lasota accessed the adult gay app Grindr, and began communicating with another user with a view to sexually exploiting his first cousin, who was a child of 15 years of age. Ms Buckley said Lasota offered to pay the other user 40-50 to have sex with this child and the other user, who was using the file name Young, did not reply. Lasota also asked for nude pics of the boy, the court heard. Advertisement An investigating garda told Lasotas original sentencing hearing that the defendant had sought out young boys for his own sexual gratification. On August 15th, 2019, Lasota messaged the boy, who set up a profile on the app, and later met the boy at a playground in Co Limerick. It was clear the victim was at school. The purposes of meeting in the playground was for sex, said Ms Buckley. Lasota, who admitted he knew the boy was not 18, told him he was my type, and that he drove the boy to Limerick City. Advertisement Ms Buckley said the boy grew concerned and he exited Lasotas car as it stopped at traffic lights. He got out and went to another car and indicated he thought he had been kidnapped, and (Lasota) drove off, said Ms Buckely. The other motorist alerted a passing garda car and Lasota was eventually tracked down after gardai harvested CCTV footage of his Volvo car and compiled an EVOFIT of Lasotas face after talking with the boy. The boy told specially trained gardai that his Grindr profile had stated he was 18 years old, but Ms Buckley said the accused (Lasota) admitted it was obvious (the victim) was a child, young person. Advertisement When Gardai traced Lasota to his home they searched the property and seized his mobile phone, which yielded his messages offering to pay for sex with the boy, and included references at stages in the communications to children aged 11 and 12 years of age, said Ms Buckley. The prosecuting barrister said one of the offences against Laosta was in respect of a second young boy, and that, in the view of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Lasota;s original sentence, which was imposed in respect of all three counts against him, was out of kilter with the gravity of this offence, and therefore unduly lenient. In its judgment, the court of appeal found that the offence relating to the second child should have yielded a separate sentence. Ireland Lifestyle Sports and DID Electrical plead guilty t... Read More Lasotas barrister, Yvonne Quinn, said Lasota had no previous convictions, was a self-employed accountant, and he was profoundly ashamed of his actions. Advertisement Ms Quinn said the age of sexual consent in Lasotas native Poland is 16, but that Lasota knew it was 17 in Ireland and thought he (the boy) looked young. In summing up its judgement, the appeal court said it had difficulty in accepting the conclusion of a psychotherapist report that found Lasota was of low risk of reoffending, as Lasota had not provided the psychotherapist with the full details of his communications with others on the Grindr app. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. A woman who was raped by three complete strangers she encountered in a Dublin nightclub said the men preyed and took advantage of her, treating her as an object. In a powerful victim impact statement, the woman said the three men were complete strangers who watched my movements, and took advantage of me and used me and my body as if I was an object that they were entitled to. Advertisement Anthony Hickey (39), Fabio Vicente (42) and Matin Zolfaghari (34) were convicted last month following a trial at the Central Criminal Court. They had pleaded not guilty to offences which took place in a car and in a Dublin house on August 31st, 2019. The three men do not accept the jury's verdicts, the court heard. Hickey, of Ballyogan Square, Carrickmines, Dublin 18, was convicted of raping the woman in his then address in Dundrum, and of orally raping and sexually assaulting her in a car. Vicente, of Little Newtown, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, was found guilty of raping the woman in the car and raping her in Hickey's then-home. Advertisement Zolfaghari (34), of Marley Court, Rathfarnham, Co Dublin, was convicted of the oral rape of the woman in the house. The jury found him not guilty of sexually assaulting her in the car. Reading her statement on Monday, the woman said she had been a young woman in my 20s who loved fun, describing herself as joyful, fearless and carefree. She said this changed after she was raped by the three men, that they robbed her of her freedom, her own body, and her love for life. Not knowing what these men looked like protected me in some ways, but for months on end, I would think every man who looked at me could be them. Advertisement She said she exists in a heightened state of fear, and while she used to find the good in everyone, you turned me into someone who thinks that everyone I meet is a threat and is capable of what you were capable of. She outlined suffering with anxiety, flashbacks and nightmares following that night. She said until the trial, the men were faceless monsters, and she asked for a screen to protect her mental health so as to not have to see your faces. But, she said that protection and right was robbed from me when I had to endure hours of CCTV with your faces and behaviour played back for me on a loop. Advertisement She said she internally screamed at the screen for someone to help and to change what happened, but that is impossible. I know your faces now. And I will look at every single one of you when I say this is your fault. Every victim at one stage thinks its their fault. Why did I stay out?... Why could I not stay out to dance and get home safely? Because of you you who waited and preyed and took advantage... You not only raped me, I found out during the trial you violated me in another way. You videoed raping me. Advertisement You sent around these videos and laughed about me saying no. You laughed because you didn't care, and you have shown no remorse from the second you entered into these courts. Later in her statement, the woman said the criminal process is long and daunting, adding then you get to the courts and your character is obliterated. She told the men that they made a choice that night to hand her a life sentence all for the sake of a laugh and because boys will be boys. I don't believe you will ever be remorseful for what you did to me, she said, adding that the only bit of light I have from this trauma is knowing that I brought you to justice and that makes this world a better world for my daughter. Karl Finnegan SC, prosecuting, told the court that the Director of Public Prosecution's view is that this falls into the highest category of sentencing of 15 years to life imprisonment, due to the circumstances of the case and the gravity of the offending by the three men. Hickey has 10 previous convictions, including one for assault causing harm for which he received an 18-month prison sentence in 2013. Vicente has one previous conviction for a road traffic offence, while Zolfaghari has no previous convictions. Before the accused men were brought into the courtroom, a large number of family members and friends were initially in court to support them. Mr Justice Paul Burns noted that the men were entitled to some support, but the court didn't want the victim or her family feeling intimidated or overawed by the sheer number of people in the courtroom. The courtroom was then cleared, with two supporters remaining for each man. Defence counsel asked the court to consider their clients' personal circumstances and testimonials submitted on their behalf from family members, friends, clients and others. Hickey is a personal trainer and has two children. Vicente is from Portugal and served in the military there for four years before coming to Ireland in his late 20s. He has worked in pub security, as a personal trainer and part-time as a stripper. Ireland Detective rejects claim interview process was 'tai... Read More Zolfaghari has two children and is the director of a restaurant. Defence counsel also suggested that the case falls into the sentencing category of 10 to 15 years. Remanding the three men in custody, Mr Justice Burns adjourned the case to March 27th next, when he will impose sentence. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. The education budget in Northern Ireland is facing funding pressures of more than 400 million in the next financial year, Paul Givan has warned MLAs. Mr Givan said that while he wanted to support all schools in Northern Ireland, he is currently not able to do so in the current financial environment we operate in. Advertisement The Education Minister was asked about financial pressures facing his department at the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday. Mr Givan said he was confident the budget would be balanced in the current financial year, although this was down to the resource not being put into the areas where it was required. However, he said that the next financial year presents a really difficult challenge. Education Minister Paul Givan updated MLAs on funding pressures facing the education department. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA. DUP MLA Phillip Brett asked the minister to set out the challenges facing his department in the draft budget for 2025/2026. Advertisement Mr Givan said: The latest assessment of the draft budget for my department indicates an inescapable resource pressure totalling 261 million. The 261 million shortfall means that the department wont be able to fund a number of areas, including the EAs (Education Authority) block grant, when it comes to SEN (Special Educational Needs) non-pay pressures, maintenance pressures. This issue is increasingly a cause for significant concern. There will be increasing school deficits in place, non-SEN pressures that are funded by the EA block including but not limited to home to school transport, catering, ICT. Advertisement There are other high priority pressures of around 76 million. Those that are deemed inescapable and high priority come to 337 million. And my capital (budget) is forecasting a gap of 91 million. The picture for the next financial year is really difficult. Advertisement Mr Givan added: I say that to colleagues in this Assembly who rightly challenge me to do more for schools, but I can only do what I have available to me. All of my colleagues are facing these challenges and the Executive as a whole is not being funded at a suitable level. But we need to be giving education the priority it deserves. The minister told MLAs that at least 60% of schools in Northern Ireland are now operating at a financial deficit. Advertisement He said: I want to be able to support all of our schools across Northern Irelandbut we are not able to do so in the current financial environment we operate in. Only through significant increased investment in our school estate are we going to be able to make the difference. Alliance Party MLA Stewart Dickson asked the minister why funding had been cut for the School Enhancement Programme, which allows smaller-scale works to be carried out. Mr Givan said: He and some other colleagues have raised concerns in other schools about this. It is a matter that I discussed with my officials today. Ireland Patrick Kielty carries mothers coffin as mourners... Read More I have not taken any decision to end the work that was taking place in school enhancement projects. My officials are urgently engaging with the Education Authority to find out why they have taken this approach. I certainly do not agree with it. A new study from Mary Immaculate College (MIC) has found that current classes of junior infants may not be faring as well as children born before the pandemic, according to their teachers. The research, Infants of the Pandemic: Teacher Perspectives on the Early Development and School Readiness of Children Starting School in September 2024, revealed that 81 per cent of teachers have more pupils now with emotional and behavioural issues compared to pre-pandemic times. Advertisement The online survey was completed by 107 junior infant class teachers from around Ireland (teaching over 2,000 pupils overall) during December 2024. The survey aimed to find out if experiencing the pandemic during infancy might have influenced later development when starting school. The teachers were asked questions about how their current class of junior infants (aged between four to six) were faring, and how they compared with previous classes they taught before the pandemic. These children spent the early months of their lives in the Covid-19 pandemic, with the resulting lockdowns and social restrictions. Advertisement Overall, the findings suggest the teachers felt there may be differences in the skills and capabilities of children starting school in September 2024 compared with those who started school before the pandemic. Where differences were noted, they tended to highlight more difficulties for the children now, suggesting that the current cohort of junior infants were less ready to start school than previous cohorts. In relation to social and emotional issues, teachers described this academic years junior infants as having more separation anxiety from their parents, more anxiety in general and less emotional regulation. Around 42 per cent of teachers also highlighted issues relating to more children starting school without being able to manage personal care. Advertisement One teacher noted Children are far less independent coming to school than before the pandemic. Teachers also noted considerable speech, language and communication difficulties with the children, as well as some difficulties with fine motor control. According to one teacher: It has been the most challenging class I have had in 27 years of teaching. Classroom challenges Results also highlighted some of the challenging classroom circumstances that many junior infant teachers are currently facing. For example, over half of junior infant class teachers reported having three children or more in their class with an emotional or behavioural issue (73 per cent), a learning or intellectual disability (52 per cent) or a limited knowledge of the main language of instruction (56 per cent). Many teachers reported having more than five children in their class with these difficulties, with a large percentage of teachers indicating numbers have increased since before the pandemic. Advertisement The schools involved represented a mix of urban, suburban and rural areas, with DEIS and non DEIS schools included. Some teachers had as much as 35 years teaching experience. Commenting on the findings, Dr Suzanne Egan of the Department of Psychology at MIC said: The issues the teachers have described are concerning, both in terms of child development, and the challenging classroom circumstances for the teachers. "It may be that the changes in social contacts or family life in the early months of childrens lives, and since the pandemic, have contributed to the situation. Potentially, missed or delayed developmental checks could also mean that issues werent picked up as early as they might have been. More research is needed to fully understand the nature and extent of the issues, and to determine the causes. Report co-author, Dr Jennifer Pope of the Department of Reflective Pedagogy and Early Childhood Studies, noted that these findings highlight the potential long lasting and wide-ranging effects of the pandemic and restrictions on our youngest citizens. Advertisement "We know that without early interventions and supports, that gaps can widen and developmental delays can worsen over the course of childhood. Through this research, teachers have expressed significant concerns and challenges that require further investment and supports to ensure that schools are also ready for young children." A young Laois teenager, who had an undiagnosed rare genetic disorder, suffered fatal bleeding in her brain following a fall during an epileptic seizure at her home, an inquest has heard. Sandra Kuzmecka (13) from Glenkeen Park, Fairgreen, Portlaoise, Co Laois, died at Childrens Health Ireland at Temple Street in Dublin on August 26th, 2023 two days after she had suffered a seizure as she was getting dressed in her bedroom. Advertisement An inquest into the girls death at Dublin District Coroners Court on Monday heard that she was diagnosed with a previously unknown rare genetic disorder KBG Syndrome while tests were being conducted to establish the cause of the bleeding. Although the coroner, Clare Keane, noted that the condition is associated with epilepsy, developmental delay and learning disability, the inquest heard medical evidence that there is no known link between KBG Syndrome and bleeding in the brain. Sandras mother Dorota Kuzmecka told the hearing that her daughter, who was a pupil at St Francis Special School in Portlaoise, had epilepsy and autism. Ms Kuzmecka gave evidence of hearing her daughter falling in her upstairs bedroom at their home on the morning of August 24th, 2023. Advertisement When she went up to check, Ms Kuzmecka described finding Sandra lying on the ground at the top of the stairs and having a seizure. An ambulance was called after the teenager suffered a number of seizures in short succession, and she was transported to the Midlands Regional Hospital in Portlaoise before being transferred later the same day to Temple Street. The inquest heard that Sandra had suffered a panic attack and fell while they were at a shopping centre in Dublin two days earlier but she was OK after a while. In reply to questions from the coroner, Ms Kuzmecka said it was common for her daughter to fall to the ground when having seizures, which could occur around 2-3 times per week. Advertisement The inquest heard that Sandra was on medication to treat her epilepsy and was regularly seen by doctors to check on her condition. A consultant paediatrician at the MRH in Portlaoise, Farkhanda Mohammad, said the patient had vomited twice in the emergency department. Although her seizures stopped for about 25 minutes in the hospital, Dr Mohammad said she was intubated and ventilated after the seizures restarted so that she was stable for the transfer to Temple Street. The inquest heard that doctors treating the teenager were puzzled as to the cause of the bleeding in her skull, as there were no external visible signs that she had suffered any head injury. Advertisement A comprehensive series of tests had also ruled out any pre-existing conditions or that some infection or a blood clot was responsible for the subdural brain haemorrhage. A consultant paediatric pathologist, John ONeill, gave evidence of finding some small bruising above the girls skull bone during a postmortem. Dr ONeill said the cause of the bleeding was not established by the postmortem, even though some kind of head trauma was the most common explanation for it with children, but there was no evidence it was an old injury. In the absence of any other explanation, the pathologist said he believed that some recent trauma was the likely cause of the bleeding to the teenagers brain. Advertisement However, Dr ONeill admitted that it was unusual for such extensive damage to arise from what appeared to be a minor injury. He confirmed that there was no known link between KBG Syndrome and bleeding in the brain. A consultant paediatric neurologist, Bryan Lynch, who had treated the deceased since June 2018, said there had been a number of changes to her medication over time in order to try and control her epilepsy. Prof Lynch said her seizures had reduced to around one per week when she was last seen by a doctor in July 2023. The consultant said a CT scan on the patient on her arrival at Temple Street showed extensive subdural haemorrhaging on the left side of her brain. He said further extensive tests on the teenager could not establish any underlying cause for the bleeding. Prof Lynch said it would be unusual for bleeding of the brain to be caused directly by a seizure, and he had never seen such a case. However, he acknowledged that it could arise as a result of a fall from a seizure. Prof Lynch said genetic testing had shown that Sandra had a mutation associated with KBG Syndrome, although she did not have some of the typical features linked to the condition. He said it was a new mutation and neither of the teenagers parents had it. The consultant said Sandra was likely to have had ongoing learning disability and epilepsy as a result of being diagnosed with KBG Syndrome as it was a condition that did not change over life. Ireland Martin 'The Viper' Foley ordered to pay almost 1m... Read More Ms Kuzmecka wiped back tears as she heard Prof Lynch say it was clear to him that the girl had been lovingly cared for by her family throughout her life. Recording a narrative verdict, Dr Keane found the cause of the teenagers death was acute intracranial bleeding due to a fall as a result of an epileptic seizure against a background of KBG Syndrome. The coroner noted that the deceased had ongoing issues with controlling her epilepsy and had suffered an unwitnessed fall at home two days before her death. Offering her condolences to Sandras relatives, Dr Keane said her death was unpredictable and unexpected. Ontarios premier announced that effective from Monday his province is charging 25% more for electricity to 1.5 million American homes and businesses in response to US President Donald Trumps trade war. Ontario, Canadas most populous province, provides electricity to Minnesota, New York and Michigan. Advertisement Quebec is also considering taking similar measures with electricity exports to the US. President Trumps tariffs are a disaster for the US economy. Theyre making life more expensive for American families and businesses, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in a statement. Until the threat of tariffs is gone for good, Ontario wont back down. Well stand strong, use every tool in our toolkit and do whatever it takes to protect Ontario. Mr Ford has said Ontarios tariff would remain in place despite the one-month reprieve from Mr Trump, noting a one-month pause means nothing but more uncertainty. Advertisement Mr Fords office said the new market rules require any generator selling electricity to the US to add a 25% surcharge to the US. Ontarios government expects it to generate revenue of 300,000 Canadian dollars (161,200) to 400,000 Canadian dollars (214,675) per day, which will be used to support Ontario workers, families and businesses. Mr Ford estimated it will add about 69 US dollars (53.54) a month to the bills of each American affected. It needs to end. Until these tariffs are off the table, until the threat of tariffs is gone for good, Ontario will not relent, Mr Ford said. Advertisement Mr Ford said Mr Trump changes his mind every day, but if he continues to attack Canada he will do everything it takes to maximise the pain. Republicans, at least the ones I speak to, do not agree with President Trump but they are too scared to go out there and say it publicly, Mr Ford said. Its a shame but we need to end this. The new surcharge is in addition to the federal governments initial 30 billion Canadian dollars (16.3 billion) worth of retaliatory tariffs have been applied on items such as American orange juice, peanut butter, coffee, appliances, footwear, cosmetics, motorcycles and certain pulp and paper products. Advertisement Mr Trump launched a new trade war last week by imposing tariffs against Washingtons three biggest trading partners, drawing immediate retaliation from Mexico, Canada and China and sending financial markets into a tailspin. Mr Trump later said he has postponed 25% tariffs on many goods from Canada and Mexico for a month, amid widespread fears of a broader trade war. Vladimir Putins Russia has expelled one British diplomat and the spouse of another, accusing them of spying. The pair were accused of engaging in intelligence activity under cover of the embassy in Moscow. Advertisement They have been ordered to leave the country within two weeks, the Russian news agency Tass said, citing the countrys FSB security agency. The Federal Security Services counter-intelligence operations exposed the unreported intelligence presence of the United Kingdom under the cover of the countrys embassy in Moscow, an FSB statement cited by Tass reads. It is the latest in a series of tit-for-tat expulsions involving the UKs embassy in Moscow and the Russian mission in London. British foreign secretary David Lammy. Photo: Aaron Chown/PA In February the British Foreign Office stripped a Russian diplomat of their accreditation, with David Lammy saying the the UK will be unapologetic in standing up to Mr Putin. Advertisement That move was in response to what the Foreign Office said was a baseless decision to expel a British diplomat from Russia on suspicion of spying in November last year. World Russian spy ring convicted of industrial scale e... Read More The expulsion also comes after a major criminal investigation left six members of a Russian proxy spy ring dubbed the Minions facing years behind bars for their part in one of the largest and most complex enemy operations to be uncovered on UK soil. Bulgarians Katrin Ivanova (33), Vanya Gaberova (30) and Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev (39) were found guilty at the Old Bailey last week of spying on an industrial scale, putting lives and national security at risk. They will be sentenced in May alongside ringleader Orlin Roussev (47), his second-in-command Biser Dzhambazov (43) and Ivan Stoyanov (33), who admitted their roles. Syrias central government has reached a deal with the Kurdish-led authority that controls the countrys north east, including a ceasefire and the merging of the main US-backed force there into the Syrian army. The deal was signed on Monday by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. Advertisement The deal marks a major breakthrough that would bring most of Syria under the control of the government led by the group that led the ousting of President Bashar Assad in December. The deal to be implemented by the end of the year would bring all border crossings with Iraq and Turkey in the north east, airports and oil fields under the control of the central government. Syrias interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, right, and Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the US-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, sign a deal in Damascus (SANA via AP) Syrias Kurds will gain their rights including teaching and using their language, which were banned for decades under Mr Assad. Hundreds of thousands of Kurds who were displaced during Syrias nearly 14-year civil war will return to their homes. Advertisement The deal also says all Syrians will be part of the political process, no matter their religion or ethnicity. Syrias new rulers are struggling to exert their authority across the country and reach political settlements with other minority communities, notably the Druze in southern Syria. Earlier on Monday, Syrias government announced the end of the military operation against insurgents loyal to Mr Assad and his family in the worst fighting since the end of the civil war. The Defence Ministrys announcement came after a surprise attack by gunmen from the Alawite community on a police patrol near the port city of Latakia on Thursday spiralled into widespread clashes across Syrias coastal region. The Assad family are Alawites. Advertisement To the remaining remnants of the defeated regime and its fleeing officers, our message is clear and explicit, said Defence Ministry spokesperson Colonel Hassan Abdel-Ghani. If you return, we will also return, and you will find before you men who do not know how to retreat and who will not have mercy on those whose hands are stained with the blood of the innocent. Mr Abdel-Ghani said security forces will continue searching for sleeper cells and remnants of the insurgency of former government loyalists. Though the governments counter-offensive was able to largely contain the insurgency, footage surfaced of what appeared to be retaliatory attacks targeting the broader minority Alawite community, an offshoot of Shia Islam whose adherents live mainly in the western coastal region. Advertisement The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said 1,130 people were killed in the clashes, including 830 civilians. The Associated Press could not independently verify these numbers. Mr Al-Sharaa said the retaliatory attacks against Alawite civilians and mistreatment of prisoners were isolated incidents, and vowed to crack down on the perpetrators as he formed a committee to investigate. Still, the events alarmed Western governments, who have been urged to lift economic sanctions on Syria. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a statement on Sunday urged Syrian authorities to hold the perpetrators of these massacres accountable. Mr Rubio said the US stands with Syrias religious and ethnic minorities, including its Christian, Druze, Alawite, and Kurdish communities. US President Donald Trump has dismissed business concerns over the uncertainty caused by his planned tariffs on a range of American trading partners, as well as the prospect of higher prices. The US leader is also not ruling out the possibility of a recession this year. Advertisement After imposing and then quickly pausing 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada that sent markets tumbling over concerns of a trade war, Mr Trump said his plans for broader reciprocal tariffs will go into effect on April 2, raising them to match what other countries assess. Asked about the Atlanta Feds warning of an economic contraction in the first quarter of the year, Mr Trump seemingly acknowledged that his plans could affect US growth. However, he claimed, it would ultimately be great for us. Although Mr Trumps early implementation of tariffs has been inconsistent with him imposing them, then pulling many back he has been steadfast in endorsing the idea of 21st century protectionism. Advertisement There are concerns the tariffs could affect growth (AP) There have even been suggestions that higher import tariffs on Americas foreign trading partners could eventually replace the federal income tax. Meanwhile, the leaders of China which has been locked in a trade and tech war with the US for years say they are open to talks with the US President, but they also made preparations for higher US tariffs, which have risen 20% since Mr Trump took office seven weeks ago. Intent on not being caught as off-guard as they were during Mr Trumps first term, Chinese leaders were ready with retaliatory measures imposing their own taxes this past week on key US farm imports and more. China has added an additional 15% tax on key American farm products, including chicken, pork, soybeans and beef. Advertisement After the US this past week imposed another 10% tariff, on top of the 10% imposed on February 4, the Chinese foreign ministry uttered its sharpest retort yet: If war is what the US wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, were ready to fight till the end. The escalating trade tensions punished US markets on Monday as investors fearful of the damage from from Trumps trade wars put their money elsewhere. In Mr Trumps idealised framing, the United States was at its zenith in the Gilded Age of the 1890s, a time of rapid population growth and transformation from an agricultural economy toward a sprawling industrial system in the US. The desire to recreate that era is fuelled by Mr Trumps fondness for tariffs and his admiration for his nations 25th president, William McKinley. Advertisement Experts on the era say Mr Trump is idealising a time rife with government and business corruption, social turmoil and inequality. They argue he is also dramatically overestimating the role tariffs played in stimulating an economy that grew mostly due to factors other than the US raising taxes on imported goods. Gilded Age policies, they maintain, have virtually nothing to do with how trade works in a globalised, modern economy. Donald Trump has reportedly suggested that the pause on sharing military intelligence with Ukraine could be lifted, ahead of talks between the two countries in the coming days. Relations between Washington and Kyiv have been strained in recent weeks after a clash between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskiy in the White House, and the US then suspending military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv. Advertisement Speaking to reporters, Mr Trump said we just about have when asked if he would end the pause. US president Donald Trump (Ben Curtis/AP) It comes as the UKs national security adviser has been in Kyiv for talks over the weekend with top officials ahead of talks between Ukrainian and American officials aimed at ending the war. Jonathan Powell met Andriy Yermak, head of the office of the president in Ukraine. In a post on X, Mr Yermak said that they exchanged views on key issues on the path to achieving peace. Mr Trump told reporters were going to make a lot of progress during the talks. Advertisement Attacks on Ukraine by Russia continued through the weekend, with Mr Zelenskiy claiming that there have been hundreds throughout the week. The diplomatic push on securing a peace deal in the war between Russia and Ukraine will continue this week, as the Ukrainian president is due to fly out to Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet with the countrys crown prince, and his team will stay on for talks with US officials. Meanwhile, European defence ministers including John Healey are expected to meet in Paris later in the week. Last week, Mr Zelenskiy said that he is ready to work under the US presidents leadership, but Mr Trump continued his criticisms of the Ukrainian leader on Sunday, saying that Ukraine was able to take money out of the US under Biden like candy from a baby. Advertisement He also suggested Mr Zelenskiy is not grateful for US help. Ireland Ukraine, Gaza, tariffs, Doonbeg? Martin faces toug... Read More Speaking to Fox News in an interview on Sunday and referring to Mr Zelenskiy, the US president said: It was like taking candy from a baby what he did. Hes a smart guy and hes a tough guy and he took money out of this country under Biden like candy from a baby. It was so easy. Mr Trump added: I just dont think hes grateful. A Ukrainian delegation set to meet Americas top diplomat in Saudi Arabia about ending the three-year war with Russia will propose a ceasefire covering the Black Sea and long-range missile strikes, as well as the release of prisoners, two senior Ukrainian officials have said. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly about Tuesdays meeting, also told The Associated Press that the Ukrainian delegation is ready during the talks to sign an agreement with the United States on access to Ukraines rare earth minerals a deal that US President Donald Trump is keen to secure. Advertisement The officials discussed the confidence-building measures, with no further details, ahead of the Ukrainian negotiating teams meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Jeddah. Kyiv is trying to repair the damage done when Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskys February 28 visit to Washington descended into an Oval Office argument with Mr Trump and Vice President JD Vance. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the media on his military plane as he flies to Jeddah (Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP) At stake is the military aid and intelligence previously offered by the United States that had helped Ukraine in the war but is now paused as Washington pushes for a peace agreement. Mr Rubio and Mr Zelensky landed a few hours apart on Monday in Saudi Arabia, though they were not expected to meet. Mr Zelensky was to meet the kingdoms powerful crown prince on Monday evening. Mr Rubio also was due to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Advertisement Speaking to reporters aboard his plane, Mr Rubio said he and national security adviser Mike Waltz would take stock of Ukraines responses in Saudi Arabia. If Ukraine and the US reach an understanding acceptable to Mr Trump, that could accelerate his administrations push to peace talks. What we want to know is, are they interested entering some sort of peace conversation and general outlines of the kinds of things they could consider, recognizing that it has been a costly and bloody war for the Ukrainians. They have suffered greatly and their people have suffered greatly, Mr Rubio said. And its hard in the aftermath of something like that to even talk about concessions, but thats the only way this is going to end and prevent more suffering. Advertisement He added: Im not going to set any conditions on what they have to or need to do. I think we want to listen to see how far theyre willing to go and then compare that to what the Russians want and see how far apart we truly are. Mr Zelensky has said his team meeting Mr Rubio will include his chief of staff Andriy Yermak, foreign minister Andriy Sybiha and defence minister Rustem Umerov. Mr Rubio will lead the US team. The rest of Europe remains sceptical about the talks as it has been sidelined by Washington. The European Union last week agreed to boost the continents defences and to free up hundreds of billions of euros for security in response to the Trump administrations shift in stance on Ukraine. Advertisement White House special envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News on Monday that the pause of US intelligence-sharing with Ukraine has not limited defence intelligence-sharing. We never shut off intelligence for anything defensive that the Ukrainians need, Mr Witkoff said. A pause on sharing US intelligence that can be used for offensive purposes by Ukrainian forces remains in effect, according to a US official familiar with the matter who was not authorised to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The official suggested that progress could be made toward reinstating intelligence-sharing with Ukraine during the Saudi talks. Insurers are under increased scrutiny to deal appropriately with cyclone victims, especially in the lead up to the federal election and in the wake of their poor handling of the 2022 floods. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese led a chorus of criticism on Monday, saying he agreed insurance companies were ripping us off and warned them the federal government would hold the industry to account. Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said he was prepared to call out insurers who did not pay out claims or hike up premiums in response to ex-tropical cyclone Alfred. Loading This is a time where they need to do a bit to repair their relationships with the Australian public by doing the right thing and making payments immediately for people who are eligible, Albanese said on Sevens Sunrise program on Monday morning. Thats what people expect. Crisafulli said he was concerned about rising insurance premiums for Queenslanders who paid a lot of money to the insurance industry, and that the organisations owed it to customers to be good corporate citizens in someones hour of need. Treasurer Jim Chalmers, who met with insurers before the cyclone hit landfall, will speak with industry chiefs later this week once the extent of damage was ascertained. Tropical Cyclone Jasper, which was the last cyclone to hit Australia in 2023, cost $409 million from 10,500 claims, but the damage was relatively confined to northern Queensland, which is not as densely populated as the states south-east. There were about 2 million houses, and 4.5 million people, in the path of Alfred. Suncorp, which has the largest market share in Queensland, said as at 11am on Sunday, the insurer had received more than 1200 claims, including 1100 for home and 55 for motor. A large tree blocks a road in Brisbanes CBD after strong winds and heavy rains from ex-tropical cyclone Alfred on Sunday. Credit: Dan Peled Batch said NRMA teams had been on the ground in South East Queensland and the Northern Rivers region of NSW since Saturday and had conducted 23 emergency repairs at the weekend mainly in the affected NSW towns. She said the insurer had about six mobile branch and support centres customers could visit. Of 1000 claimants, only two have been moved into temporary accommodation because the cyclone damage rendered their property uninhabitable, Batch said. Weve done a lot of learning since [the 2022 floods] and were very prepared for this event, and doing everything we can to make sure our customers get the service they deserve, the NRMA chief said in response to Albaneses criticism of the industry. Loading Its really important that were focused on resilience across the country. Looking at whether its government, business or community making sure we are advising customers to make their homes more resilient, investing in mitigation activities, and ensuring there arent homes in places they shouldnt have been built. As damage and flooding becomes more apparent, the perennial problem of underinsurance is likely to arise again as consumers may not be aware they are not fully covered, according to insurance industry consultant John Trowbridge. Donald Trumps chaotic second war on international trade is having some perverse effects, not the least of which is a sea change in the economic narratives on both sides of the Atlantic. Trump inherited a strong US economy from Joe Biden, with strong growth, historically low levels of unemployment, high levels of investment, an inflation rate trending towards the Federal Reserve Boards target and a strong US dollar, along with big fiscal deficits and government debts. Donald Trump met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in December before moving back into the White House. Credit: Getty Images His on-again, off-again tariffs, the threat of far more in the pipeline and Elon Musks jobs-destroying rampage through the federal bureaucracy have, however, injected enormous uncertainty into the economy, damaged consumer and business confidence, undermined consumer confidence, increased consumers expectations of inflation (which have self-fulfilling effects), paused the Feds cuts to US interest rates and punctured the US sharemarket boom. In just over a fortnight since Trump announced tariffs on steel and aluminium, the US market has fallen 6 per cent and the Magnificent Seven big tech stocks almost 12 per cent. The 10-year bond yield has slumped from 4.55 per cent to 4.3 per cent, not because of lower inflation but from fears of an economic slowdown. Floodwaters hold many dangers, and among the worst are the ones you cant see. Dangerous debris under the murk could be waiting to inflict wounds on the unwary. And then, even if wounds are mild, there is the risk of flood-borne infection. Its really important that people look after any injuries that they sustain when contacting any sort of environmental surface water, said Professor Simon Reid from School of Public Health at the University of Queensland. A resident walks through floodwaters on a street in Newmarket. Credit: Getty Images Generally, the advice is that if anyone has a fever after contact with floodwaters, is to see a doctor immediately, dont wait and see. The caravan was never going to cause a mass casualty event but instead was concocted by criminals who wanted to cause fear for personal benefit. Were looking at a number of targets offshore and looking at how that is interacting with local organised crime figures for the furthering of these types of attacks. Further, Hudson said, 14 other high-profile anti-Semitic attacks, being investigated by the police squad Strike Force Pearl, appeared to be organised by the same crime figures. Fourteen people were arrested in the raids. Credit: NSW Police All of the Pearl matters, Im suggesting, the 14 incidents and the caravan job are all being orchestrated by the same individuals, Hudson said. Pearls 14 investigations include anti-Israeli graffiti and arson targeting Sydneys Jewish neighbourhoods. Loading Police would not confirm the location of the organisers, or which criminal group they work for, but said there were still a number of targets in Australia and abroad. The fact that this incident is now linked to organised crime rather than terrorism does not minimise or diminish the intent to terrorise the community through fear, Police Commissioner Karen Webb told this masthead. One of the homes attacked in Sydneys east belonged to Alex Ryvchin, from the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. He said the news that organised crime had probably lit the fire outside his former home and scrawled f*** Israel and f*** Jews in paint on cars nearby brought little comfort. The community will feel little relief having these revelations, Ryvchin said. On top of the reality of burning synagogues, child care centres and attacks on cars and homes in busy residential areas, we now have the involvement of organised crime, packing caravans with explosives, referring to Jewish targets and antisemitic content for some bewildering reason. Jewish community leader Alex Ryvchin hours after the attack on his former home. Credit: James Brickwood Police suspect the criminals who organised the caravan plot were in part trying to divert police resources. I have State Crime Command organised crime detectives working on Strike Force Pearl, which has distracted them from their normal job, Hudson said. We have taken actions to ensure that investigations in relation to organised crime, more generally, have not diminished so it did not work. The 49 charges laid on Monday against 14 people, arrested in dawn raids, include participating in criminal groups and cloning or stealing vehicles. Those charges are expected to grow. NSW Premier Chris Minns and Police Minister Yasmin Catley said a huge amount of resources have been thrown at Pearl. There is no mistake that these acts have wrought fear and anxiety in our Jewish community and we will not tolerate this, not now, not ever, a statement said. Explosives were found inside a caravan at a Dural property in Sydneys north-west on January 19. Credit: TNV We have endured a summer of hateful, vicious incidents such as vile antisemitic graffiti attacks, and many of these appear to have been motivated simply by nasty, racist hatred. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke on Monday launched a personal attack on Dutton, who spent weeks criticising Labors oversight of the caravan probe, claiming the opposition leader had played directly into the hands of criminal plotters. Time and time again, Mr Dutton, without seeking a briefing, simply asserted a large-scale, planned terrorist attack. That is not what we were dealing with. We were dealing with a criminal con job, and Peter Dutton was one of the people who was conned, Burke said. Loading Liberal senator James Paterson, the shadow Home Affairs spokesperson, said Albanese needed to explain when he was briefed on the organised crime connection. National security ministers & the PM should have been promptly briefed, as the NSW Premier was. The government must now explain whether they were, & if not, why not, he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Legal sources told this masthead that underworld crime figures offered to reveal plans about the caravan weeks before its discovery by police, hoping to use it as leverage for a reduced prison term. The sources, speaking anonymously to share sensitive details, say at least three criminals were hoping to use the caravan to garner a reduced sentence or to have charges dropped. The first officer of a Qantas 737 requested a priority landing at Sydney Airport on Monday morning after the planes captain experienced chest pains and flight attendants prepared to use a defibrillator on him. Qantas Flight QF505 was en route from Brisbane when the captain suffered chest pains as the aircraft was several hundred kilometres north of Sydney. After exiting a holding pattern, the captain asked QF505s customer service manager to use a defibrillator on him. The defibrillators pads were put on the captain in the cockpit, but the equipment was not used. A short time later, the first officer, who was the pilot flying while the captain was being assisted, notified air traffic controllers of the medical emergency, requesting that the landing of the Boeing 737-800 be expedited due to the midair situation. Merv Birt has survived cyclones up north and devastating floods that swept through Brisbane in 1974, 2011 and 2022. We knew what we were getting into when we bought the house because I survived the flood in 74, he says. But this one was different. Merv Birt outside his soaked home in Tingalpa on Brisbanes east side, the worst flood hes lived through. Credit: Dan Peled Alfred might not have been blowing at cyclone strength by the time it crossed into Greater Brisbane, but it brought rain, and plenty of it. Witnesses have told police a surfer was attacked by a massive shark in chest-deep water at a remote beach east of Esperance on Western Australias south coast. WAtoday understands several people witnessed the attack at Wharton Beach in an incident that dragged on for minutes. The mans surfboard which had bite marks on it was found floating in the water, but the surfer remains missing. Police received a call about a surfer in distress about 12.10pm on Monday. The Albanese government has insisted it will not be intimidated by hostile rhetoric from Vladimir Putins regime after Russia has warned of grave consequences if Australia contributes to an international peacekeeping force in Ukraine. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has applauded Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for being willing to contribute to a coalition of the willing in Ukraine, while Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has argued it would be against the national interest to send Australian troops to eastern Europe. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Credit: Michael Howard The Russian embassy in Canberra said in a statement provided to this masthead: For Australia joining the so-called coalition of the willing would entail grave consequences. Once again, Western boots on the ground are unacceptable for Russia, and we will not remain passive observers. To those inclined to construe the above as a threat: it is not; it is a warning. Donald Trumps tariff war and flooding damage from ex-tropical cyclone Alfred will weigh on Jim Chalmers election budget with growing concerns they could stymie Australias economic recovery. As the social services sector urged both parties to ditch their opposition to tax reform it says would make housing more affordable, the full impact of Trumps tariffs due to hit Australian steel and aluminium this week has emerged as the biggest factor in Chalmers fourth budget. US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Credit: Bloomberg, Getty Images There are growing expectations the tariffs will drive America into recession and bring down the economies of other nations. In the December mid-year update, the federal Treasury was unsure about the Trump tariff agenda. But since taking office, his plans have become clear including his early February announcement of a 25 per cent tariff on all steel and aluminium. Accusations of censorship and misinformation are flying around parliament as senators duel over offshore wind farms, foreshadowing high stakes battles in the upcoming federal election on an issue that both parties think will play in their favour in marginal seats in NSW, Victoria and WA. Offshore wind became an election flash point for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, when he was heckled by anti-wind farm protesters at a press conference in Wollongong in February. In Canberra, Nationals Senator Ross Cadell drew a furious response when he accused his fellow members of the Senate Environment Committee of grave disregard for concerned community members, after they decided to mothball a hearing of the offshore wind inquiry with just 24 hours notice last week. Getting the business model right is one of the biggest hurdles to developing a viable offshore wind sector in Australia. Credit: iStock They have travelled from across the country to be heard inside the halls of democracy, only to be told on Wednesday their voice wasnt important enough to hold an inquiry, Cadell said. Monday, March 10, 2025 at 10:42AM Photo: Samsung Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy A36 5G, bringing advanced artificial intelligence-backed features to its popular A series lineup, including tools previously exclusive to higher-end Galaxy models. The Galaxy A36 5G introduces "Awesome Intelligence" features, powered by One UI 7, offering enhanced search and visual experiences. Notable features include an upgraded Circle to Search, which now recognizes phone numbers, emails, and URLs, and Song Search, which can identify music played nearby or from a user's humming. The camera system also receives an AI boost, with a 50-megapixel main lens and features like Object Eraser and Filters, enabling users to refine and personalize their photos with ease. Performance and durability are also key focuses. The Galaxy A36 5G features a 5,000mAh battery, 45W charging support, and the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 Mobile Platform. A larger vapour chamber promises smooth performance for gaming and multitasking, while an IP67 rating and Corning Glass cover protects against dust, water, and scratches. Security is prioritized by integrating One UI 7 and Samsung Knox Vault, offering an extra layer of protection for sensitive data. Users benefit from enhanced security and privacy features, including Auto Blocker and Theft Detection. The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G is available for $399, maintaining the same price point as its predecessor in the US. We don't have Canadian pricing and availability information at the moment. The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G will come in Awesome Lime, Awesome Black, Awesome Lavender, and Awesome White. SOURCE: 1 + 2 This is it. The excise tax exemption on pickup trucks is now gone thanks to the effectivity of the Capital Market Efficiency Promotions Act ... A CARLOW WOMAN originally from Bangladesh, Aka Bitu, is celebrating her success after receiving an Insight scholarship at a ceremony in Googles Dublin headquarters last Thursday. The event, held at Google HQ in Barrow Street, saw taoiseach Micheal Martin present scholarship certificates to 40 students from under-represented backgrounds across Ireland, all of whom will pursue STEM-related studies at third level. I am very happy to get this opportunity to study computing in international art and design at the South East Technological University, said Aka, who has lived in Carlow for the past decade. I am a single mother with three children. I have no family here to support me and my children, so going back to study is very challenging for me. This support and the mentorship that comes with it makes my dream a possibility. The scholarship programme is funded by Google.org and co-ordinated by the Insight Research Ireland Centre for Data Analytics in partnership with Dublin City University. It aims to support students from diverse backgrounds including members of the Traveller community, state care leavers, people with disabilities and refugees in pursuing subjects such as AI, cybersecurity and digital safety at one of 13 Irish universities. A quarter of this years scholarship recipients are mature students and 41.5% are women. Speaking at the ceremony, the taoiseach stressed the importance of inclusivity in technology, saying: In an increasingly digitalised world, ensuring a strong pipeline of talent in STEM fields is paramount for the future sustainability of our society and economy. With a total funding package of 1.5 million over five years, the Insight Scholarship Programme is the largest of its kind in Ireland. Each successful scholar is awarded 5,000 a year for up to five years to pursue their studies in one of 230 STEM courses. Eimear Dodd A woman who was raped by three complete strangers she encountered in a Dublin nightclub said the men preyed and took advantage of her, treating her as an object. In a powerful victim impact statement, the woman said the three men were complete strangers who watched my movements, and took advantage of me and used me and my body as if I was an object that they were entitled to. Anthony Hickey (39), Fabio Vicente (42) and Matin Zolfaghari (34) were convicted last month following a trial at the Central Criminal Court. They had pleaded not guilty to offences which took place in a car and in a Dublin house on August 31st, 2019. The three men do not accept the jury's verdicts, the court heard. Hickey, of Ballyogan Square, Carrickmines, Dublin 18, was convicted of raping the woman in his then address in Dundrum, and of orally raping and sexually assaulting her in a car. Vicente, of Little Newtown, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, was found guilty of raping the woman in the car and raping her in Hickey's then-home. Zolfaghari (34), of Marley Court, Rathfarnham, Co Dublin, was convicted of the oral rape of the woman in the house. The jury found him not guilty of sexually assaulting her in the car. Reading her statement on Monday, the woman said she had been a young woman in my 20s who loved fun, describing herself as joyful, fearless and carefree. She said this changed after she was raped by the three men, that they robbed her of her freedom, her own body, and her love for life. Not knowing what these men looked like protected me in some ways, but for months on end, I would think every man who looked at me could be them. She said she exists in a heightened state of fear, and while she used to find the good in everyone, you turned me into someone who thinks that everyone I meet is a threat and is capable of what you were capable of. She outlined suffering with anxiety, flashbacks and nightmares following that night. She said until the trial, the men were faceless monsters, and she asked for a screen to protect her mental health so as to not have to see your faces. But, she said that protection and right was robbed from me when I had to endure hours of CCTV with your faces and behaviour played back for me on a loop. She said she internally screamed at the screen for someone to help and to change what happened, but that is impossible. I know your faces now. And I will look at every single one of you when I say this is your fault. Every victim at one stage thinks its their fault. Why did I stay out?... Why could I not stay out to dance and get home safely? Because of you you who waited and preyed and took advantage... You not only raped me, I found out during the trial you violated me in another way. You videoed raping me. You sent around these videos and laughed about me saying no. You laughed because you didn't care, and you have shown no remorse from the second you entered into these courts. Later in her statement, the woman said the criminal process is long and daunting, adding then you get to the courts and your character is obliterated. She told the men that they made a choice that night to hand her a life sentence all for the sake of a laugh and because boys will be boys. I don't believe you will ever be remorseful for what you did to me, she said, adding that the only bit of light I have from this trauma is knowing that I brought you to justice and that makes this world a better world for my daughter. Karl Finnegan SC, prosecuting, told the court that the Director of Public Prosecution's view is that this falls into the highest category of sentencing of 15 years to life imprisonment, due to the circumstances of the case and the gravity of the offending by the three men. Hickey has 10 previous convictions, including one for assault causing harm for which he received an 18-month prison sentence in 2013. Vicente has one previous conviction for a road traffic offence, while Zolfaghari has no previous convictions. Before the accused men were brought into the courtroom, a large number of family members and friends were initially in court to support them. Mr Justice Paul Burns noted that the men were entitled to some support, but the court didn't want the victim or her family feeling intimidated or overawed by the sheer number of people in the courtroom. The courtroom was then cleared, with two supporters remaining for each man. Defence counsel asked the court to consider their clients' personal circumstances and testimonials submitted on their behalf from family members, friends, clients and others. Hickey is a personal trainer and has two children. Vicente is from Portugal and served in the military there for four years before coming to Ireland in his late 20s. He has worked in pub security, as a personal trainer and part-time as a stripper. Zolfaghari has two children and is the director of a restaurant. Defence counsel also suggested that the case falls into the sentencing category of 10 to 15 years. Remanding the three men in custody, Mr Justice Burns adjourned the case to March 27th next, when he will impose sentence. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. Tomas Doherty Nine people have been taken to hospital following a fire at an apartment building in Co Wicklow. The incident happened on the Lower Dargle Road in Bray, with the alarm was raised shortly before 5am. Fire crews from Bray, Dun Laoghaire and Greystones attended the scene, while gardai closed off the road. Really bad fire in an apartment block on the lower Dargle Road in Bray overnight. Firefighters rescued 9 people from the blaze, all gone to hospital. No extremely serious injuries. Well done to the firefighters, heroic stuff. John Brady TD (@johnbradysf) March 10, 2025 Nine people from the apartment building were treated by paramedics for smoke inhalation. All were later taken to hospital. The fire crew from Bray remains at the scene. Local Sinn Fein TD John Brady praised the "heroic" firefighters for rescuing nine people from what he called a "really bad fire". Advertisement Bruks Siwertell has secured a new order for a Siwertell ship loader from Sky Ports, Egypt, part of the Sky Logistics Group. The ship loader will play a pivotal role in supporting Egypts cement export industry, serving key markets in the Mediterranean, Africa and beyond. The screw-type Siwertell type-1B ship loader, with a rated capacity of 1000tph, is destined for a new multipurpose terminal in East Port Said, which has been developed to grow the regions economy and align with its green port ambitions. The Siwertell ship loader offers fully enclosed, dust-free cement handling and low power consumption compared to alternative technologies. In addition, the ship loader's users benefit from high rates of efficiency and fast vessel turnarounds. The equipment's versatile screw-type conveyor system can operate at various inclines and angles, enabling it to serve a range of bulk carrier types, including open hatch vessels of up to 60,000dwt. The ship loader will be assembled onsite and is scheduled for delivery at the end of 2025. It will come equipped with a tripper arrangement that will be integrated into the operators jetty conveyor gallery, and will also feature advanced digital technology, such as the Siwertell SmartView IIoT tool for enhanced operational monitoring and support. A comprehensive five-day training program will also be delivered. Per Hansson, operations director, Bruks Siwertell said: The order marks a significant milestone in our growth strategy for the region, and underscores Bruks Siwertells commitment to expanding its global presence, particularly within Africa, where we have one other ship loader scheduled for delivery in 2025. Advertisement Cement consumption in Vietnam fell 39 per cent to 3,188,833t in January 2025 when compared with January 2024, according to the Vietnam National Cement Association (VNCA). Of this total, VICEM sales declined by 11 per cent YoY to 1,046,991t while other VNCA members saw their sales decrease by 22 per cent to 621,842t. Sales by non-VNCA cement companies dropped by 39 per cent YoY to 1,620,000t. Clinker and cement exports fell 31 per cent YoY to 2,203,713t January 2025. Clinker exports were down 32 per cent YoY to 990,087t while cement exports declined by 31 per cent YoY to 1,213,626t. In terms of clinker exports, VICEM exported 9391t, down 94 per cent YoY, while other VNCA members exported 9305t, down 69 per cent YoY. Other cement companies saw a 24 per cent drop in clinker exports to 971,391t. Vietnam exported clinker to six markets, with the Philippines, and Bangladesh being the main export destinations. Smaller export volumes were shipped to Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Chile and Nicaragua. Cement exports by VICEM were down 86 per cent YoY to 30,419t and those by other VNCA members fell by 32 per cent to 210,700t. Other cement companies saw a 20 per cent drop in cement exports to 972,507t. Cement was exported to 23 markets, including the new markets of Russia, Saudi Arabia and the USA, according to the VNCA. The USA (321,904t), Philippines (304,143t) and South Africa (117,316t) were the main destinations for Vietnamese export cement, followed by Singapore (80,634t) and Malaysia (80,221t). Without God, there is no true respect for human life By Selwyn Duke web posted March 10, 2025 Since my title is bound to inspire criticism that I'm a "God botherer," I'll preface what follows by stating that I wasn't always the halo-adorned, floating-in-the-ether desert mystic (without the sand or heat) you behold today. I wasn't raised with faith, and as a 12-year-old was an agnostic who'd say, "I'd never believe or disbelieve in anything there's no proof of." Later on I'd be rather dismissive of theists, actually, viewing them as God botherers myself, though we didn't have that term or as many Richard Dawkins-like secularist warriors back then. I suppose we were, relatively speaking, handicapped in our exercise of supercilious anti-theism. But that has changed and I've changed. I long ago could've moved on to supercilious pro-theism; only, my faith instructs that Pride is the father of all sin, Humility is a virtue and warns that "he who exalts himself will be humbled." The realization I'll expound upon today further explains why I've changed, and I mention my spiritual evolution not because I'm narcissistic (though that isn't to say I'm not!) but because maybe, just perhaps, a few non-believers will consider what follows more seriously knowing it doesn't come from someone "raised to think that way." As for those raised to think, did you ever wonder what engenders true respect for human life in principle? (And, no, this article isn't "about abortion," though what's contained herein is certainly applicable.) Well, we often tend to stress, especially with the greedier among us, that people are more important than things. Material things may be handy and sometimes are beautiful toys, but they are just things and "you can't take them with you," as is said. What, though, are people if there's no God, and hence no spirit world, and we're a mere cosmic accident? We then are just some pounds of chemicals and water organic robots. We are then, in fact, things. And people are not more important than things when they are things. That we are mere things under the atheistic world view is an indisputable corollary of it that has been recognized by atheists themselves. I remember a fellow online who said, perhaps lamentably, that we humans are just robots, "really cool robots." A botanist named Lawrence Trevanion, seeming more clinical about the matter, has defined people as "objects that perceive" (thankfully, he's responsible for the health of plants, not people. Though were I a fern, I still think I'd rather be in the care of a "God botherer" gushing with deific sentimentality). But the implications of this belief are serious. It's often stressed in America that "our rights come from God," as our Founders insisted, because we know that what God has bestowed only He can rightly revoke. The logic is airtight. People ultimately yield to greater power, authority and wisdom and, unless profoundly devilish, defer completely to the Ultimate Power (upon recognizing it). How compelling it is, the belief that the Creator of the Universe and Inerrant Author of All has decreed something so. And this, by the way, involves not a matter of faith but fact: human psychology. Generally speaking, it's how people operate, like it or not. Is it any different with human life? People will, as a rule, respect it when considering man a divinely created being, infused with a soul and deemed sacred by God. If he's just an organic robot, however, all bets are off. What, after all, could be wrong with altering the software or hardware of a robot; that is, what could be wrong with, respectively, social engineering or genetic engineering? What's wrong with terminating the function of a robot that has become inconvenient or whose flawed operation is beyond remedy? In fact, discarding a thing that has become a liability is not only what we do; it is the prudent and right thing to do. I don't think it's a coincidence that eugenics the science of improving the human race via selective breeding (primitive genetic engineering) became prominent on the heels of evolution's rise, which is most associated with Charles Darwin. Nor do I think it's a coincidence that the term "eugenics" was coined by Sir Francis Galton, a half-cousin of Charles Darwin. For eugenics is a first cousin of evolution. Oh, sure, as I illustrated in 2008 , the concept of evolution as an explanation of some of the mechanics of Intelligent Design is compatible with theism. But the prevailing concept of evolution is godless and serves to supplant Intelligent Design. This is relevant because if man is a divinely-created finished product, albeit fallen, then we have neither reason nor right to alter the intended design; we may only address imperfections induced by our fallen state. But what if man is just that cosmic accident, the result of chemicals that in a primordial soup just somehow "became alive" and then, somehow, had a desire to continue living and become more complex? He is then just a work in progress, and the only intelligent designer who can facilitate his improvement is us. If God didn't raise him up out of the mud, then we may rightly reshape him like wet clay. Now, most interesting here, and perhaps quite chilling, is what someone conversant with psychology may note about this atheistic corollary of man as object: It is precisely how psychopaths view others. As website Psychopaths & Love states , "Psychopaths actually see people around them as objects." Moreover, the ones who've thought matters through may, during their honest moments (if they have honest moments), admit as much. Coming to mind is cannibalistic serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, who mentioned evolutionary beliefs as influential in his descent into darkness. As he essentially said in a post-Christian-conversion prison interview , he'd believed that "we all just came from the slime," so what did anything matter? (On a related note, he also said to his parents as a teen, "If there's no God, why can't I just make up my own rules?" And he did.) But here's what is even more striking: If atheism is "true," this psychopathic world view is the correct one. It is a recognition of reality, without obfuscatory sentimental gush. To reassure my non-believer friends, and remember I once was one of you, yes, I know the vast majority of you are not psychopaths. As I've illustrated, however, this is because you don't truly live your atheism and all its implications. And even insofar as a few of you might have thought matters through and concluded we're just "really cool robots," you (thankfully) don't feel this on an emotional level. You don't live down to your beliefs. So, then, what of my article's title? After all, some who don't recognize God then do in practice have respect for human life. The answer lies in a twist on a George Washington saying about morality. To wit: "Let us with caution indulge the supposition that national morality respect for life can be maintained without religion." (Of course, respect for life is part of morality.) As is said in commercials, "Individual results may vary." But the national (collective) picture is clear: The more we mainstream godlessness, the more it and its corollaries will permeate not just minds but hearts. This is why a very sober atheist, whose thoughts I read decades ago, expressed concern over his creed's wider embrace. He grasped its implications. He also, like most people, cherished civilization, and he knew faith was a prerequisite for its perpetuation. This compelling utilitarian reason for faith is why the late Pope Benedict XVI wrote in his book Christianity and the Crisis of Cultures that secularists would be wise "to live as if God existed." For sure, because human psychology is not a matter of faith, but fact. Give people a good rationale for being psychopaths, for long enough, and a more psychopathic civilization just may be your fate. Contact Selwyn Duke , follow him on X (formerly Twitter ), MeWe , Gettr , Tumblr, Instagram or Substack or log on to SelwynDuke.com . Home Here is the latest Hamilton County arrest report. (If your case is dismissed, just email us your name and date we ran it and we will promptly take off. Email to news@chattanoogan.com) BEARD,BRYANT CHRISTOPHER 5420 BLUE OAK DRIVE CHATTANOOGA, 37416 Age at Arrest: 41 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Charges: VOP DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE SECOND OFFENSE BEGLEY,KEVIN SCOTT 1843 S PRAIRIE CIR HIXSON, 37343 Age at Arrest: 44 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Charges: OBSTRUCTING HIGHWAY OR OTHER PASSAGEWAY POSSESSION OF METH (SELL, DEL. OR MANUFACTURING)DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCEIMPLIED CONSENT LAW - DRIVERSBLOCKER,ROBERT4108 FAGAN ST Chattanooga, 37410Age at Arrest:42 years oldArresting Agency:Chattanooga PDCharges:FUGITIVE (CATOOSA CO GA)BULLOCK,DAVID CHRISTOPHER1031 MCCALLIE FERRY RD SODDY DAISY, 37379Age at Arrest:37 years oldArresting Agency:HC SheriffCharges:VIOLATION OF PROBATION SCHEDULE II DRUG VIOLATIONVIOLATION OF PROBATION SCHEDULE II DRUG VIOLATIONPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIAPOSSESSION OF METHAMPHETAMINE WITH INTENT TO MANUFPOSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE WITH INTENT TOCHAPMAN,EDWARD IV4619 ENGLISH AVENUE APT B CHATTANOOGA, 37407Age at Arrest:45 years oldArresting Agency:HC SheriffCharges:CONTRABAND IN PENAL INSTITUTIONSDRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALEESCOBAR-JERONIMO,RONAL HUBERTI1711 EAST 26TH ST CHATTANOOGA, 37404Age at Arrest:32 years oldArresting Agency:Tenn Hwy PatrolCharges:DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCEFAILURE TO MAINTAIN LANEFRITTS,LANDON REESE2141 HILLTOP CREST SODDY DAISY, 37379Age at Arrest:19 years oldArresting Agency:HC SheriffCharges:DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALETAMPERING WITH OR FABRICATING EVIDENCEPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIAGALLEGOS,JOSE ABEL1002 MCHANN DR EAST RIDGE, 37412Age at Arrest:22 years oldArresting Agency:Chattanooga PDCharges:RETALIATION AGAINST JUDGE, JUROR, OFFICERPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIADRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE (2ND)IMPLIED CONSENT LAW - DRIVERSOPEN CONTAINER LAWGALLEGOS-MOJICA,JOSE ALONS211 PROSPERITY LANE CHATTANOOGA, 37421Age at Arrest:43 years oldArresting Agency:Chattanooga PDCharges:DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCEDRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE (.08 OR GREATER)DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE (.20 OR GREATER)HALE,EMMA RHIANNA2412 W WIND DRIVE SODDY DAISY, 37379Age at Arrest:30 years oldArresting Agency:Soddy Daisy PDCharges:POSSESSION OF METH (SELL, DEL. OR MANUFACTURING)CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES SCHEDULE IVPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIAHARRIS,DONYALE LATRICE5923 Portview Cir Chattanooga, 37421Age at Arrest:31 years oldArresting Agency:Chattanooga PDCharges:LIGHT LAW VIOLATIONDRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSEHATTABAUGH,ADAM MICHAEL1323 DRIFTWOOD TRAIL NW CLEVELAND, 37312Age at Arrest:32 years oldArresting Agency:Tenn Hwy PatrolCharges:DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCEIMPLIED CONSENT LAW - DRIVERSOPEN CONTAINER LAWFAILURE TO MAINTAIN LANELIGHT LAW VIOLATION (FAILURE TO DIM LIGHTS)HENDON,CHRISTINE3999 AZALEAN DRIVE HOMELESS CHATTANOOGA, 37415Age at Arrest:58 years oldArresting Agency:HC SheriffCharges:REGISTRATION, EXPIREDREGISTRATION, IMPROPER DISPLAY OF PLATESVIO. OF REARVIEW MIRRORPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIADRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALEPOSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCEFINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITYPOSSESSION OF LEGEND DRUGS W/O PRESCRIPTIONHICKS,BRENDA518 MELROW CHATTANOOGA, 37411Age at Arrest:67 years oldArresting Agency:HC SheriffCharges:POSSESSION OF METH (SELL, DEL. OR MANUFACTURING)POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIAHUNDLEY,JASON LEE6513 SHIRLEY POND ROAD HARRISON, 37341Age at Arrest:47 years oldArresting Agency:HC SheriffCharges:DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCEPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIALEE,ANGELA MICHELLE4926 JEFFERY LN CHATTANOOGA, 37410Age at Arrest:26 years oldArresting Agency:Chattanooga PDCharges:THEFT OF PROPERTYAGGRAVATED ASSAULTAGGRAVATED ASSAULTRECKLESS ENDANGERMENTMACK,DIONNE LASHONDRAE 23 STREET CHATTANOOGA, 37408Age at Arrest:48 years oldArresting Agency:East RidgeCharges:MCGINNIS,JENNIFER NICHOLE220 CULVER ST APT 3 CHATTANOOGA, 374155852Age at Arrest:43 years oldArresting Agency:Red Bank PDCharges:MILLER,ZACHARIAH DWAYNE94 MARTIN LOOP SW CARTERSVILLE, 30120Age at Arrest:21 years oldArresting Agency:Chattanooga PDCharges:POSSESSING A FIREARM WITH INTENT TO GO ARMEDMITCHELL,AARON LINNELLE254 W 38th St Chattanooga, 37410Age at Arrest:30 years oldArresting Agency:Chattanooga PDCharges:VIOLATION OF ORDER OF PROTECTION OR RESTRAINING ORCRIMINAL TRESPASSINGCONTRABAND IN PENAL INSTITUTIONSMORGAN,ADAM DOUGLAS916 KENNINGTON HILLS HIXSON, 37343Age at Arrest:32 years oldArresting Agency:HC SheriffCharges:SOLICITATION OF A MINOR TO OBSERVE SEXUAL CONDUCTSOLICITATION OF A MINOR TO OBSERVE SEXUAL CONDUCTSOLICITATION OF A MINOR TO OBSERVE SEXUAL CONDUCTSOLICITATION OF A MINOR TO OBSERVE SEXUAL CONDUCTSOLICITATION OF A MINOR TO OBSERVE SEXUAL CONDUCTSOLICITATION OF A MINOR TO OBSERVE SEXUAL CONDUCTSOLICITATION OF A MINOR TO OBSERVE SEXUAL CONDUCTSOLICITATION OF A MINOR TO OBSERVE SEXUAL CONDUCTSOLICITATION OF A MINOR TO OBSERVE SEXUAL CONDUCTSOLICITATION OF A MINOR TO OBSERVE SEXUAL CONDUCTESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINORESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINORESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINORESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINORESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINORESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINORESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINORESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINORESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINORESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINORSEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A MINORPARKER,NATALIE MARIE241 SLYGO ROAD TRENTON, 30752Age at Arrest:27 years oldArresting Agency:Chattanooga PDCharges:DOMESTIC ASSAULTPEARSON,DATHAN JAMESHOMELESS VINA, 355934308Age at Arrest:36 years oldArresting Agency:Chattanooga PDCharges:DISORDERLY CONDUCTPICA,JOHN PAUL2010 SHASTI STREET KEMAH, 77565Age at Arrest:48 years oldArresting Agency:Chattanooga PDCharges:RECKLESS BURNINGRICHIE,ANDREW EUGENE7507 BANTHER RD HARRISON, 37341Age at Arrest:38 years oldArresting Agency:HC SheriffCharges:DRIVERS TO EXERCISE DUE CAREDRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCEPOSS. OF HANDGUN WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCEPOSS. OF HANDGUN WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCEPOSSESSION OF PROHIBITED WEAPONRESISTING ARREST OR OBSTRUCTION OF LEGAL PROCESSDRIVING WITHOUT DRIVERS LICENSE / EXPIRED LICENSEROSS,DESMOND DARAIYL1215 WHEELER AVE CHATTANOOGA, 38407Age at Arrest:30 years oldArresting Agency:HC SheriffCharges:DOMESTIC ASSAULTHARASSMENTSAMAYOA LOPEZ,DILMAR248 RUTHLAND AVENUE DUNLAP, 37327Age at Arrest:21 years oldArresting Agency:HC SheriffCharges:SEYMORE,JIMMY ROGER1138 W MISSISSIPPI AVE CHATTANOOGA, 37405Age at Arrest:53 years oldArresting Agency:Chattanooga PDCharges:DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCESPAIN,EMILY JILL950 PARK LAKE RD APT 808 ROSSVILLE, 30741Age at Arrest:40 years oldArresting Agency:Chattanooga PDCharges:DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALEPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIASPAIN,JONATHAN HENRY14 CORLEY AVE HOMELESS ROSSVILLE, 30741Age at Arrest:40 years oldArresting Agency:Chattanooga PDCharges:DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALEDRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALEPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIASTANTON,ANTHONY BARNETT7421 BONNY OAKS DR CHATTANOOGA, 37421Age at Arrest:69 years oldArresting Agency:Chattanooga PDCharges:VOP VANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHIEFTAYLOR,KENNY MONTEZ1705 S LYERLY ST CHATTANOOGA, 37404Age at Arrest:23 years oldArresting Agency:HC SheriffCharges:CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES SCHEDULE VIPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIATHOMAS,CHRISTOPHER LAJUAN905 NORTH CHAMBLAIN AVE CHATTANOOGA, 37406Age at Arrest:28 years oldArresting Agency:HC SheriffCharges:DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALEDRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALEPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIAFINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITYREGISTRATION, EXPIREDTHOMAS,RICHARD LEE123 ALBERTA PEACH STREET CLEVELAND, 37323Age at Arrest:51 years oldArresting Agency:HC SheriffCharges:DOMESTIC ASSAULTATTEMPTED FIRST DEGREE MURDERAGGRAVATED ASSAULTRECKLESS ENDANGERMENTBURGLARYPOSS OF FIREARM DURING A FELONYVAUGHN,FELICIA RENEE419 BOOTH RD CHATTANOOGA, 374112706Age at Arrest:34 years oldArresting Agency:East RidgeCharges:DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSEVELAZQUEZ,YAHAIRA BELEN8400 MORIN ROAD CHATTANOOGA, 37421Age at Arrest:22 years oldArresting Agency:Chattanooga PDCharges:DOMESTIC ASSAULTFALSE REPORTSWALTON,CAMERON DENZEL2705 STONE TRACE DR CHATTANOOGA, 37421Age at Arrest:32 years oldArresting Agency:Chattanooga PDCharges:DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSEWARD,RONALD JEROME1004 N HAWTHORNE ST HOMELESS CHATTANOOGA, 37406Age at Arrest:42 years oldArresting Agency:Chattanooga PDCharges:VIOLATION OF SEX OFFENDER REGISTRYLIGHT LAW VIOLATIONFINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITYDRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSEWHITE,AKEEM JAWAN1709 ARLINGTON AVE CHATTANOOGA, 37406Age at Arrest:38 years oldArresting Agency:Chattanooga PDCharges:DOMESTIC ASSAULTWHITE,JOSHUA AARON727 EAST 11TH ST CHATTANOOGA, 37421Age at Arrest:34 years oldArresting Agency:Chattanooga PDCharges:AGGRAVATED ASSAULTWORDLAW,CASEY OKEITH3014 NORTHWAY LN CHATTANOOGA, 37406Age at Arrest:44 years oldArresting Agency:Chattanooga PDCharges:INDECENT EXPOSUREPUBLIC INTOXICATION Here are the mug shots: BEGLEY, KEVIN SCOTT Age at Arrest: 44 Date of Birth: 05/17/1980 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): OBSTRUCTING HIGHWAY OR OTHER PASSAGEWAY POSSESSION OF METH (SELL, DEL. OR MANUFACTURING) DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE IMPLIED CONSENT LAW - DRIVERS BLOCKER, ROBERT Age at Arrest: 42 Date of Birth: 07/12/1980 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): FUGITIVE (CATOOSA CO GA) BULLOCK, DAVID CHRISTOPHER Age at Arrest: 37 Date of Birth: 02/26/1985 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): VIOLATION OF PROBATION SCHEDULE II DRUG VIOLATION VIOLATION OF PROBATION SCHEDULE II DRUG VIOLATION POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA POSSESSION OF METHAMPHETAMINE WITH INTENT TO MANUF POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE WITH INTENT TO CHAPMAN, EDWARD IV Age at Arrest: 45 Date of Birth: 08/17/1979 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): CONTRABAND IN PENAL INSTITUTIONS DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE ESCOBAR-JERONIMO, RONAL HUBERTI Age at Arrest: 32 Date of Birth: 04/30/1992 Arresting Agency: Tenn Hwy Patrol Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE FAILURE TO MAINTAIN LANE FRITTS, LANDON REESE Age at Arrest: 19 Date of Birth: 07/13/2005 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE TAMPERING WITH OR FABRICATING EVIDENCE POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA GALLEGOS, JOSE ABEL Age at Arrest: 22 Date of Birth: 08/14/2002 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): RETALIATION AGAINST JUDGE, JUROR, OFFICER POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE (2ND) IMPLIED CONSENT LAW - DRIVERS OPEN CONTAINER LAW HALE, EMMA RHIANNA Age at Arrest: 30 Date of Birth: 03/02/1995 Arresting Agency: Soddy Daisy PD Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): POSSESSION OF METH (SELL, DEL. OR MANUFACTURING) CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES SCHEDULE IV POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA HATTABAUGH, ADAM MICHAEL Age at Arrest: 32 Date of Birth: 07/04/1992 Arresting Agency: Tenn Hwy Patrol Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE IMPLIED CONSENT LAW - DRIVERS OPEN CONTAINER LAW FAILURE TO MAINTAIN LANE LIGHT LAW VIOLATION (FAILURE TO DIM LIGHTS) HENDON, CHRISTINE Age at Arrest: 58 Date of Birth: 03/14/1966 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): REGISTRATION, EXPIRED REGISTRATION, IMPROPER DISPLAY OF PLATES VIO. OF REARVIEW MIRROR POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY POSSESSION OF LEGEND DRUGS W/O PRESCRIPTION HUNDLEY, JASON LEE Age at Arrest: 47 Date of Birth: 09/06/1977 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA LEE, ANGELA MICHELLE Age at Arrest: 26 Date of Birth: 10/09/1998 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): THEFT OF PROPERTY AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AGGRAVATED ASSAULT RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT MACK, DIONNE LASHONDRA Age at Arrest: 48 Date of Birth: 10/21/1976 Arresting Agency: East Ridge Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) MCGINNIS, JENNIFER NICHOLE Age at Arrest: 43 Date of Birth: 10/20/1981 Arresting Agency: Red Bank PD Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) MILLER, ZACHARIAH DWAYNE Age at Arrest: 21 Date of Birth: 11/12/2003 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): POSSESSING A FIREARM WITH INTENT TO GO ARMED MITCHELL, AARON LINNELLE Age at Arrest: 30 Date of Birth: 08/28/1992 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): VIOLATION OF ORDER OF PROTECTION OR RESTRAINING OR CRIMINAL TRESPASSING CONTRABAND IN PENAL INSTITUTIONS MORGAN, ADAM DOUGLAS Age at Arrest: 32 Date of Birth: 05/04/1992 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): SOLICITATION OF A MINOR TO OBSERVE SEXUAL CONDUCT SOLICITATION OF A MINOR TO OBSERVE SEXUAL CONDUCT SOLICITATION OF A MINOR TO OBSERVE SEXUAL CONDUCT SOLICITATION OF A MINOR TO OBSERVE SEXUAL CONDUCT SOLICITATION OF A MINOR TO OBSERVE SEXUAL CONDUCT SOLICITATION OF A MINOR TO OBSERVE SEXUAL CONDUCT SOLICITATION OF A MINOR TO OBSERVE SEXUAL CONDUCT SOLICITATION OF A MINOR TO OBSERVE SEXUAL CONDUCT SOLICITATION OF A MINOR TO OBSERVE SEXUAL CONDUCT SOLICITATION OF A MINOR TO OBSERVE SEXUAL CONDUCT ESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINOR ESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINOR ESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINOR ESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINOR ESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINOR ESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINOR ESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINOR ESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINOR ESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINOR ESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINOR SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A MINOR PARKER, NATALIE MARIE Age at Arrest: 27 Date of Birth: 09/17/1997 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): DOMESTIC ASSAULT PEARSON, DATHAN JAMES Age at Arrest: 36 Date of Birth: 09/21/1988 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): DISORDERLY CONDUCT PICA, JOHN PAUL Age at Arrest: 48 Date of Birth: 07/21/1976 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): RECKLESS BURNING ROSS, DESMOND DARAIYL Age at Arrest: 30 Date of Birth: 09/20/1994 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): DOMESTIC ASSAULT HARASSMENT SEYMORE, JIMMY ROGER Age at Arrest: 53 Date of Birth: 10/26/1971 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE SPAIN, EMILY JILL Age at Arrest: 40 Date of Birth: 06/14/1984 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA SPAIN, JONATHAN HENRY Age at Arrest: 40 Date of Birth: 09/20/1984 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA THOMAS, CHRISTOPHER LAJUAN Age at Arrest: 28 Date of Birth: 04/18/1996 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY REGISTRATION, EXPIRED THOMAS, RICHARD LEE Age at Arrest: 51 Date of Birth: 10/13/1973 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): DOMESTIC ASSAULT ATTEMPTED FIRST DEGREE MURDER AGGRAVATED ASSAULT RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT BURGLARY POSS OF FIREARM DURING A FELONY VAUGHN, FELICIA RENEE Age at Arrest: 34 Date of Birth: 12/01/1990 Arresting Agency: East Ridge Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE VELAZQUEZ, YAHAIRA BELEN Age at Arrest: 22 Date of Birth: 06/20/2002 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): DOMESTIC ASSAULT FALSE REPORTS WALTON, CAMERON DENZEL Age at Arrest: 32 Date of Birth: 08/01/1992 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE WARD, RONALD JEROME Age at Arrest: 42 Date of Birth: 03/04/1983 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 03/09/2025 Charge(s): VIOLATION OF SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY LIGHT LAW VIOLATION FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE Members of the Kiwanis Club of Cleveland prepare to distribute Dr. Seuss books to children at the event. Xavier Johnson was the 30th child to attend the event and therefore, the winner of the prize gift basket. Pictured, from left to right: The Grinch, Cindy Reynolds, Mary Kate Colboch, Xavier Johnson and Dr. John Squires, vice president of Economic and Institutional Development. James Leon Sanders, 80, died on March 5, 2025, at the Hospice Care Center, Chattanooga, Tennessee. While there, the dedicated, compassionate staff gave Jim attentive, skilled, and comforting care, for which his family will be ever grateful. Dementia can become a very, very dark journey, as it reaches its final chapter, and these warm, giving people brought peace and light to that darkness. We thank them from the bottom of our hearts. Born on Feb. 25, 1945, he was son of the late Lawrence Baustin and Beatrice McHone Sanders and youngest brother to sisters Betty McNabb, Frances Sewell, and brother Willard Sanders, all now deceased. Lookout Valley was where he spent his early (mischievous!) school years, moving on to Central High School, where he channeled that mischievous energy into chorus, plays, and ROTC. Music became a lifelong passion--especially that of "Willie, and Waylon, and the Boys". He taught himself to play guitar by ear, so he could join his fine baritone voice with theirs. In retirement, he enjoyed nothing better than attending karaoke nights at American Legion Blair Post 95, where he even put his tech skills to work, helping set up the sound equipment. He was an Air Force veteran of the 702 Radar Squadron, Hunter Air Force Base, GA, and it was skills learned in the military that honed his interest in electronics. Upon discharge, it was that skill set that landed him a job with Western Electric as a central office equipment installer for AT&T and the Bell systems. Thus began his lifelong career in the telecommunications field, retiring from what had become Lucent Technologies, when he turned in his tool belt after 32 years. It was work he loved and that took him on transfer to half a dozen states. He always made the most of those trips, learning all he could about the people, cultures, sights, and happenings. He also had a deep love for nature, borne from roaming the woods and thickets that surrounded his childhood home. Nothing made him happier than sharing this love with family and friends, be it by searching out wildflowers in his own backyard, birdwatching from the front porch, on rambles through Reflection Riding, Audubon Acres, or more far-flung nature centers and arboretums. Finding "the road less traveled"--be it on a Sunday drive down a honeysuckle-hedged Sweeten's Cove lane, or the Blue Ridge Parkway, where he might encounter a deer grazing by a rhododendron bush, or see a murmur of swifts, soaring through a twilight sky--it all called to him. Surviving family includes his wife, Patricia Hagan Sanders; daughter, Regina (Jamie) Smith; son, Larry (Angie) Sanders; granddaughter, Macie Sanders, (all from Chattanooga); granddaughter, Brittany (David) Hardy; great-grandsons Boston and Grant Hardy, (all from Lexington, SC); grandson John Wesley Higginbotham (Lowell, NC); sisters-in-law, Susanne Hagan, Soddy-Daisy; Rita Minkin, San Diego, CA; and Susan Hagan, Mt. Horeb, WI; and brother-in-law, Bud Sewell, Chattanooga; and many nieces and nephews and their families. Family will receive friends for visitation at Chattanooga Funeral Home East Chapel from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on March 21, with graveside service to follow at Chattanooga National Cemetery at 2 p.m. Military honors will be rendered by the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard and the American Legion Post 95. In lieu of flowers, supporting opportunities for children in need, in whatever way the heart would compel those who knew him, would be the kindest of ways to remember Jim. Please share your thoughts and memories at www.ChattanoogaEastChapel.com Chattanooga Funeral Home East Chapel, 404 S. Moore Road, East Ridge, has been entrusted with the arrangements. A Sequatchie County man is facing criminal homicide charges after authorities said he found his 31-year-old wife in bed with an 18-year-old man. The wife, Jada Gholston, 31, was injured in a stabbing and the youth with her, 18-year-old Billy Jean Floyd, was killed. Jonathan Belk was being held at the Sequatchie County Jail. Authorities said Belk stuffed Floyd's body into a trash can. Belk was found covered with blood. The Sequatchie County Sheriffs Office said the incident happened early Saturday. Deputies were dispatched to the Emergency Room at Erlanger-Sequatchie on the report of a female with stab wounds that were determined to be non-life threatening. Deputies determined the victim received the wounds at a residence in the Fredonia community of Sequatchie County and went to that location to search for any other potential victims or suspects, as well as a crime scene.Upon arrival, deputies found two other individuals, both males, with wounds appearing to have been caused by a cutting instrument. One of these two male individuals was deceased and the other had non-life threatening wounds.Belk was apparently the other man who was injured. Mass illegal immigration leads to tragedies like the Williams kids By Andre Barnes web posted March 10, 2025 Tateona Williams was formerly homeless and lost two of her children in a Detroit city parking garage on February 10th, 2025. It is believed that they died from hypothermia while they were all asleep in their van. Is this just another example of our social programs being inept in dealing with homelessness? Or do Americans need to consider the cost of mass illegal immigration? Ms. Williams reported that she reached out to homeless shelters in November 2024 and "no resolution was made." Are we seeing a failure of our homeless system due to the unprecedented numbers of illegal immigrants overwhelming the system? There is an argument to be made, as there are many studies which have concluded that increased competition from foreign labor can lower wages or increase rent costs. There are many services newcomers have when they arrive in Detroit, such as emergency Medicaid, free or low-cost school lunches, and temporary access to soup kitchens or shelters. They also have access to programs such as the Newcomer Rental Subsidy program. This program provides $500 rental assistance for 12 months to newcomers who meet income and immigration status requirements. In the Big Apple, Mayor Eric Adams (D) stated that the migrant crisis would cost New York $12 billion dollars. He also warned that services would have to be cut to accommodate these newcomers. Are we seeing similar things happening in Detroit? Are the sheer numbers of newcomers creating a strain on programs that could help Americans escape poverty? We don't know all the details of the Williams case. Those will come as the investigation unfolds. What deserves more attention is how American citizens can so easily "fall through the cracks" when no one is looking out for them. Or when public officials are more concerned with politics than with the people they are responsible for serving. NumbersUSA has been fighting for lower immigration numbers because we believe it will benefit Americans. This doesn't mean that less immigration exempts Americans from negative consequences. It certainly doesn't mean that immigrants are to blame for all that ails our society. It's about setting reasonable limits and making sure that these limits are strictly enforced. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan (D) warned that the children's deaths in the city have "got to make us rethink everything that we're doing." I hope this "rethinking" extends to immigration policies. Wayne County is a sanctuary county, welcoming illegal immigrants who are taking jobs that legal residents of Detroit can and will do. Is Duggan or Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) open to supporting stronger E-Verify laws to prevent illegal hiring, which, in turn, will provide more stable, well-paying jobs for Americans? Duggan was attacked by immigrant advocacy groups for using the term "illegal aliens" instead of "undocumented." The groups called the use of the word "illegal" the "I-Word," arguing that it fuels "racial discrimination." Where is the outrage from black organizations in Detroit when the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement is co-opted to defend illegal immigration? Who is advocating for black Americans when our immigration policies are failing them? Homelessness is connected to housing shortages and housing shortages can be directly traced to mass immigration legal and illegal. More people means more competition for housing and an increase in rent, especially at the low end of the economic ladder. Incredibly, a 5% increase in population can lead to a 12% increase in housing costs. "Many U.S. cities already don't have enough resources or aren't deploying them most effectively to meet the needs of their homeless residents," explained Donald Whitehead, executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless. This problem is not helped by introducing a never-ending flood of immigrants to the equation. More sensible immigration policies can give cities time to address the needs of Americans first. Once we address the needs here at home, we can then extend our good graces to others. As CNN discussed what happened to Tateona Williams, they never mentioned immigration. Instead, Whitehead blamed "a shortage of affordable, low-income housing units, landlords driving up rent prices, and a federal minimum wage that stands at $7.25." But a steady stream of low-wage immigrant labor is also contributing to all these problems. Let's discuss where this tragedy fits in history, since most people don't understand how immigration corresponds with housing, jobs, and wages. When slavery was abolished after the Civil War, black Americans began accruing real wealth. After emancipation, the white-black wealth gap narrowed from 23-to-1 in 1870 to 11-to-1 in 1900. While still suffering from both de jure and de facto discrimination, black Americans took on paying jobs, became business owners, and even purchased land. Then the Progressive Era's immigration boom began in earnest. Between 1900 and 1915, more than 15 million immigrants arrived at U.S. shores destabilizing labor markets and particularly hurting low-skilled, black workers. Numerous black civil rights and labor leaders, including A. Philip Randolph, endorsed efforts to slash immigration rates. Excessive immigration, Randolph emphasized, "over-floods the labor market, resulting in lowering the standard of living." Congress ultimately listened, passing the Immigration Act of 1924. By tightening the labor market, the law was arguably a factor in radically shrinking the earnings gap between black and white men between 1940 and 1980. It's simple supply and demand after all. When there are fewer workers available, employers have to raise wages and provide better benefits to compete for the scarce labor resource. Tateona's children were not killed by an illegal immigrant like Laken Riley was. However, the immigration policies have lowered wages, increased housing competition, and increased job competition, leading many black American families down a path of poverty and homelessness. Will the death of her children cause progressive policymakers to rethink everything we are doing to create more economically just immigration policies? Andre Barnes serves as the HBCU engagement director for NumbersUSA and is a Project 21 ambassador. This was first published at The Washington Stand. Home The proposed passage of SB1310/HB1332 would represent a dangerous extension of power that would further strip away decision-making from our democratically elected school boards. This would bill expand the reach of the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission, letting charter school operators bypass local school boards and apply directly to the commission to open new schools or replicate existing ones. As currently written, this proposed legislation would: 1. Strip power from local democratically elected school boards Instead of requiring all new charter schools to apply through the local education agency (LEA), this bill lets some charter operators go straight to the state commission, cutting our local voices out of the process. 2. Allows unchecked charter school expansion If a school district has had three charter denials overturned by the state in three years, any new charter applicant in that district can apply directly to the commission for the next five yearscompletely bypassing local oversight. 3. Diverts key oversight away from the Department of Education This bill moves key responsibilities, like application tracking and performance monitoring, from the Department of Education to the state charter commission and the State Board of Education, consolidating power in fewer hands. 4. Changes how long charter renewals last Right now, charters get a 10-year renewal. This bill changes to anywhere between 5 and 10 years, at the commissions discretion. 5. Expands special enrollment privileges Charter schools run by public colleges or universities could now set aside up to 25 percent of their seats for faculty children, raising concerns about equity and public access. This pending bill would be extreme government overreach. Initially, we opposed the creation of the Charter School Commission because of our belief that it would take away decision-making authority from democratically elected school boards and LEAs. We opposed the subsequent voucher bills for the same reason. Now, SB1310/ HB1322 takes this even further, allowing state bureaucrats to force charter schools into communities without local approval, and even more egregiously, oversight. And we do not have to guess how this will play out. The malfeasance at Chattanooga Prep, including the lack of accountability and the failure to serve students as promised, is just a recent illustration of why passage of this bill would be a grave mistake. In essence, this bill would only make it easier for more charter operators to set up shops without answering to the communities they affect. The lack of accountability measures in charter school legislation, such as at Chattanooga Prep, has created a zone of twilight where no one knows where the buck stops. Our public schools belong to the people, not to unelected officials in Nashville pushing an agenda. If lawmakers genuinely care about our students, theyll put a stop to this now. Public schools work toward the common good and stand for the good of the whole. That is what best helps to advance our society forward. Just as we said prior to the passage of the Education Freedom Act a few short weeks ago, this legislation would be ineffective, inefficient, and inequitableit will be unreliable, unsustainable, and unjust. And for the sake of our schools and students, we emphatically reject it and stand adamantly opposed. Eric Atkins Unity Group of Chattanooga Microscopic plastic pollutants drifting through the air are lodging in the lungs of birds, a new University of Texas at Arlington study finds. Researchers worldwide are increasingly alarmed by how pervasive these harmful particles are in the air humans breathe and the food they eat. Shane DuBay, an assistant professor of biology at UTA and co-author of the study published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, said birds were chosen for the study because they are found in almost every corner of the world and often share environments with humans. Birds serve as important indicators of environmental conditions, said DuBay, who collaborated with researchers from Sichuan University and Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, both in Chengdu, China. They help us understand the state of the environment and make informed decisions about conservation and pollution control. DuBays team studied 56 different wild birds from 51 distinct species, all sampled from the Tianfu airport in western China. They collected lung samples from each bird and performed two types of chemical analyses. They used laser direct infrared technology to detect and count microplastics in the birds lungs. Pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass-spectrometry helped identify even smaller nanoplastics, which can enter the lungs through the bloodstream. Together, the tests allowed scientists to measure the amount of plastic in the birds lungs and determine the specific types of plastics present. The study found high concentrations of microplastics in bird lungs, with an average of 221 particles per species and 416 particles per gram of lung tissue. The most common types identified were chlorinated polyethylene, used for insulating pipes and wires, and butadiene rubber, a synthetic material in tires. While no official safe level of plastic particles in lung tissue exists, high levels of microplastics have been linked to serious health conditions, including heart disease, cancer, respiratory problems and fertility issues. an Australian-American Christian evangelist, Nick Vujicic/ Photo Credit: Facebook ProLifeFintech, a financial institution rooted in Christian values, is preparing to make its debut in Texas. The institution's mission is to align financial services with Christian beliefs, emphasizing the sanctity of life. The banking venture will celebrate its opening in Plano, Texas on Saturday night, with festivities hosted by Betsy Gray, co-founder of ProLifeFintech, and featuring prominent speakers including Nick Vujicic, ProLifeFintech co-founder and motivational speaker. Other notable speakers at the event include retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who served as national security advisor under the first Trump administration, conservative commentator and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, and economic and financial expert Kevin Freeman. The gala event will underscore ProLifeFintech's commitment to providing banking services that ensure customers money does not support causes contrary to Christian beliefs, particularly abortion. ProLifeFintech operates under the sponsorship of a faith-based bank, rather than holding its charter, which allows it to leverage modern financial technologies like debit and credit card services while staying true to its values. The organization aims to improve the traditional delivery of financial services to align with its mission. In an interview with the Christian Post, Vujicic shared that he believes he was targeted due to his conservative Christian views and his substantial social media following of around 16 million. He noted that it was during this time that Gray proposed the idea for the bank to him. Gray had been managing a womens medical clinic that honors the sanctity of unborn life, Vujicic explained. 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. This included Chase Bank, which Human Life International lists as supporting Planned Parenthood, the countrys largest abortion provider. Several months after meeting Gray, Vujicic reported that Chase Bank dropped him as a customer. He remarked, The Lord was clearly saying to me, Now, are you ready to start my bank with Betsy? Thats how ProLifeFintech was born. Several years later, here we are, building something were incredibly passionate about. Vujicic emphasizes that individuals of faith who bank with ProLifeFintech can be confident that their money will not be used to support organizations that conflict with their values. 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, he stated. 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. John MacArthur, the 85-year-old pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, delivered a video message to the Shepherds Conference. | Screenshot: YouTube/ BTWN News John MacArthur, the pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, delivered a video message to the Shepherds Conference, where he acknowledged being on his last lap as he continues to recover after spending seven weeks in the hospital. The video, shared on social media this past Saturday, featured the 85-year-old pastor expressing that he felt well, although he noted that his strength had diminished during his hospitalization. In his message, MacArthur addressed the conference attendees, stating, I want to say grace to you, all [of] you who are at the Shepherds Conference. For me, its the highlight of the year, so you have to know my disappointment in coming to you through video. He explained that delivering the message via video was the only option available, as his recovery had not progressed as quickly as he had hoped. I feel great; I just lost a lot of strength by being seven weeks in the hospital. ... Im seeing a physical therapist, trainers, and trying to get back as soon as possible, he added. MacArthur expressed gratitude to his supporters for their prayers and faithfulness, saying, I realize Im on the last lap. That takes on a new meaning when you know youre on the short end of the candle. I am all thanks and praise to God for everything Hes allowed me to be a part of and everything Hes accomplished by His Word in these years of ministry. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord, Jesus Christ. MacArthur's absence from the church has been prolonged due to complications from heart and lung surgeries. Last year, he underwent multiple procedures, which he described in November as three heart surgeries and surgery on my lungs in those last few months. Additional medical complications necessitated an extended hospital stay, although he was briefly seen at church before returning to treatment. His recent hospitalization followed difficulties with breathing in January, leading to further medical attention. Having led Grace Community Church since 1969, MacArthur has spent decades in ministry, delivering thousands of sermons, authoring numerous books, and reaching international audiences through various broadcasts and online platforms. Home News Andrew Tate tells Florida authorities to 'come get me' during Candace Owens interview Andrew Tate challenged Florida authorities to arrest him during an interview with right-wing commentator Candace Owens, where he discussed the state's investigation into him and his brother and bragged that he "wipes his phone every night." The British-American appeared on Owens' podcast on Wednesday to discuss the investigation Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and his office are conducting into Andrew and Tristan Tate. Both men are facing charges in Romania in relation to human trafficking and sex crimes. "Come get me, arrest me, perp walk me, put me on the news, tell everyone I'm a human trafficker," Andrew Tate said during his interview with Owens. 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 "You think I'm not versed? You think I'm not ready? I'm a Navy SEAL in this sh. Fing come get me, raid my house, take my stuff," he added. "You think I sleep with a phone full of evidence? You don't think I wipe my phone every night? You think I'm dumb?" In an X post last week, Uthmeier announced the formal investigation into the Tate brothers following the pair's arrival in Florida. Though the brothers have since departed the state, Uthmeier launched a preliminary inquiry into the influencers to discover the reason for the Tates' unexpected visit to Florida, as The Hill reported. "Florida has zero tolerance for human trafficking and violence against women," the state attorney general wrote. "If any of these alleged crimes trigger Florida jurisdiction, we will hold them accountable." The state's Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters last week that his office didn't receive any notification about the Tate brothers' arrival, declaring, "Florida is not a place where you're welcome with that, with that type of conduct in the air." The Tates arrived in the U.S. last week after prosecutors lifted a travel ban against them. As the BBC reported, investigations into the Tates' crimes are ongoing and they are expected to return to Romania. On Friday, Uthmeier shared reporter Marc Caputo's repost of a statement from Andrew Tate's social media, announcing that he was leaving the state of Florida. "Thank you Florida," Andrew Tate wrote in a Thursday X post. "See you in a few years." Despite the Tate brothers leaving Florida, the state's attorney general made it clear that his office plans to continue its investigation. Uthmeier promised to work with law enforcement and other partners around the world to combat human trafficking. Late last month, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation Law Center, which represents the alleged victims of the Tate brothers, expressed concern over reports that the U.S. had helped in relaxing the travel ban against the two men. "It seems clear the U.S. intervened in Romania to assist the Tate brothers who are being prosecuted for sex trafficking over 35 women including minors," Dani Pinter, the senior vice president and director of the law center at NCOSE, said in a statement at the time. "This is a slap in the face to all the victims of the Tate brothers, especially the U.S. victim who is not being protected by her country," the attorney added. In a statement, Pinter praised Florida's attorney general for opening a criminal investigation into Andrew and Tristan Tate. Pinter highlighted the over 40 alleged victims of the Tates who have been identified, stating, "They deserve justice." One of the victims represented by NCOSE, known as Jane Doe, filed a civil lawsuit against the Tate brothers last month. Jane Doe brought the suit against them after Andrew and Tristan Tate sued her in 2023 for cooperating with Romanian authorities. According to the woman's suit, she met Tristan Tate in November 2021 through an online platform. The young girl met up with Tristan Tate several times, and at some point, after he persuaded her to join him in Romania, she said she realized he lured her into a sex trafficking operation. "Florida's investigation is a positive step towards justice realized," Pinter said in her statement on Tuesday. Home News County must pay $100K to therapists after sexual orientation therapy ban ruled unconstitutional A city in Florida has been ordered to pay a combined $75,000 in damages to two therapists, while the county has been ordered to pay $100,000 for passing bans on therapy for minors seeking help with unwanted same-sex attraction. In a final judgment entered last Thursday, U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg ordered the city of Boca Raton to pay plaintiff Robert Otto $50,000 in damages and also pay Julie Hamilton $25,000 in damages. The district court ordered Palm Beach County to pay Otto a total of $50,000 in damages and also pay Hamilton the sum of $50,000 for damages. 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 Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver, whose organization represented the plaintiffs, said in a statement that the order sets a "precedent that minors who are struggling with gender confusion can get the help they need from counselors who are free from political censorship." "Let this be a warning to any government that has not repealed similar counseling bans," stated Staver. In 2017, Boca Raton and Palm Beach County passed measures to ban sexual orientation change efforts therapy also known as "reparative therapy" or "conversion therapy" for minors. Otto and Hamilton, both licensed marriage and family therapists, filed a lawsuit against the local municipalities, arguing that their therapy was not harmful but rather voluntary and centered less on changing the client and more on reducing unwanted same-sex attraction. In November 2020, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ruled 2-1 in favor of the plaintiffs, with Circuit Judge Britt Grant authoring the majority opinion. Grant, a Donald Trump appointee, argued that "the First Amendment does not allow communities to determine how their neighbors may be counseled about matters of sexual orientation or gender." "If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that the government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable," Grant added. "We understand and appreciate that the therapy is highly controversial. But the First Amendment has no carveout for controversial speech. We hold that the challenged ordinances violate the First Amendment because they are content-based regulations of speech that cannot survive strict scrutiny." Circuit Judge Barbara Martin, a Barack Obama appointee, authored the dissenting opinion, concluding that the controversial therapy did not deserve First Amendment protections. "The majority invalidates laws enacted to curb these therapeutic practices, despite strong evidence of the harm they cause, as well as the laws' narrow focus on licensed therapists practicing on patients who are minors," wrote Martin. "Although I am mindful of the free-speech concerns the majority expresses, I respectfully dissent from the decision to enjoin these laws." At present, 20 states and the District of Columbia ban sexual orientation change efforts therapy for minors, with California being the first state to pass such a law. Earlier this year, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied a full court rehearing of a lawsuit filed by therapist Brian Tingley, who is challenging a similar therapy ban passed by Washington state. A three-judge circuit panel ruled against Tingley last year. "States do not lose the power to regulate the safety of medical treatments performed under the authority of a state license merely because those treatments are implemented through speech rather than through scalpel," the majority opinion stated. "Washington's law prohibits therapists from practicing conversion therapy on minors. It makes no reference to religion, except to clarify that the law does not apply to practice by religious counselors." Although the 9th Circuit denied an en banc rehearing, Circuit Judge Diarmuid F. O'Scannlain wrote that the earlier panel opinion was "erroneous" in its reasoning. "In sum, under binding Supreme Court precedents, conversion therapy consisting entirely of speech cannot be prohibited without some degree of First Amendment scrutiny," wrote O'Scannlain. Conservatives must raise Cain at public events, using Alinsky's Rules! By Tom Harris web posted March 10, 2025 The climate change movement has managed to closely associate themselves with the left of the political spectrum, producing a huge boost for their campaigns. Afterall, the majority of mainstream media are left of center and so this results in climate alarmists having a massive unpaid communications arm supporting their crusade. But most "progressives" fail to realize that following climate catastrophists' agenda results in outcomes that violate causes leftists hold dear, or at least want us to believe they hold dear. This would include support for social justice and environmental protection, issues I dealt with in parts one and two of this three-part series (" To Win the Climate Debate, We Must Use The Same Tools That Were Used To Defeat Science and Common Sense ," Jan 20 and " Catch the left violating their own "book of rules" in the climate debate ," Jan 27 ) . And, by pointing this out to them in front of public forums, we are employing Saul Alinsky's rule #4 from " Rules for Radicals A Practical Primer for Realistic Radicals ,"which is as follows: "Make opponents live up to their own book of rules. You can kill them with this because no one can possibly obey all of their own rules." Two other ideas the left have historically championed and would be loath to admit they no longer support are: Rejection of absolutism (truth) and authority (consensus) Tolerance of alternative lifestyles & opinions Demonstrating, very publicly, that following the climate alarmist agenda works against both of these ideals would also be an effective application of Alinsky's rule #4. It will also help sway well-intentioned leftists, at least those who are not also climate change fanatics, to distance themselves from the climate scare. Historically, liberals have tended to reject absolute authority and often ridiculed conservatives for being inflexible about morals, politics and even science. For example, Albert Einstein's theory of relativity was supported by the German left, while those on the right opposed it, believing it threatened their cultural worldview (which, ultimately, it did). In fact, the assertion that science discovers truths about nature, not merely opinions based on empirical evidence that is always subject to interpretation, led to the 'science wars' of the late 20th century. In that conflict the intellectual left were the sceptics of the idea that we could have absolute knowledge in science. To learn more about this, watch the superb course " Science Wars: What Scientists Know and How They Know It " by Dr. Steven L. Goldman, the Andrew W. Mellon Distinguished Professor in the Humanities at Lehigh University in Chicago. But this expected approachrelativism and scepticism from liberals and absolutism from conservativeshas been turned upside down in the climate debate. While right-wingers call for open debate about the causes of climate change, the left generally consider such discussion intolerable and behave as if we know the future of climate decades in advance, a position that is indefensible, scientifically and philosophically. So, climate campaigners try to shut down debate about the causes of climate change, regarding it as a Pandora's Box they desperately want to keep firmly shut. Why else would they steadfastly refuse invitations from climate realist scientists to engage in public debates? If the public regularly heard about the vast uncertainty in climate change science, arguably the most complex science ever tackled, their patience for the $1.27 trillion USD devoted in 2022/2023 to climate finance would quickly evaporate. So, instead, most of the left ignore the thousands of well-qualified experts who do not support the scare (for example, see World Climate Declaration There is no climate emergency ) and enthusiastically support the confident, but nonsensical, climate change forecasts of people like United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres and former vice-president Al Gore with his "Inconvenient Truth." We must regularly call them on this, pointing out that it violates one of the left's fundamental axioms. So, we need to bring up forcefully in public sessions, the fact that unquestioning acceptance of 'truth' in sciencein the sense of fulfilling Plato's definition that truth is universal, necessary and certain, characteristics impossible in sciencehas impeded human progress throughout history. For example, when the Greco-Egyptian writer Claudius Ptolemy proposed his Earth-centered system, he did not say it was physical astronomy, a true description of how the universe actually worked. He promoted it as mathematical astronomy, a model that worked well for astronomical observations, astrology and creating calendars. It was the ultra-conservative Catholic Church that, relying on a literal interpretation of the Bible, specifically Joshua 10:12-14 , promoted the Ptolemaic system as truth to be questioned at one's peril. Here is that Biblical passage: "Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: Sun, stand still over Gibeon; and Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon. So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the people had revenge upon their enemies. Is this not written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hastened to go down for about a whole day. And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord heeded a voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel." It is important to understand that Joshua's army had marched all night the 20 miles from Gilgal to Gibeon to do battle with their enemies, the five strong kings who had pooled their resources to fight the Israelites. Joshua's army had prevailed in the battle and his enemies were in retreat. But Joshua did not want them to be able to get back to their fortified cities to regroup. More daylight was needed for Joshua's troops to finish them off. To prevent their return, he asked God to lengthen the day (see painting below). There are many interesting interpretations of this Biblical passage, some of which can be read here , but, it was clear that the Church wanted the public to believe that it was the Sun that moved, not the Earth about the Sun. According to many writers, this was why Nicolaus Copernicus, a Canon in the Church, waited until he was on his death bed before he allowed his revolutionary book showing the Sun to be the centre of the universe to be published, even though the text was completed 30 years earlier. To read more about this, including an alternative theory about why the book was so delayed, see here . This is also why Galileo ran into so much trouble when he claimed that the Church was wrong and that Copernicanism was the truth, a position that Galileo could not really know with certainty either (to be fair, it should be noted that the Church was already dealing with the unrest of the Protestant Reformation and the Thirty Years' War, so maintaining doctrinal control was crucial for them. Galileo's opposition to the Church's geocentric teachings was viewed as a threat to their authority and theological doctrines, an understandable position, given the times). Similarly, the assumed truth of Isaac Newton's laws of motion and law of universal gravitation eventually acted to slow the advancement of science until Einstein showed them to be incomplete. We need to remind leftists, at least those who are not climate extremists, that when authorities preach truth about science, progress stops. They should welcome, not condemn, questioning of the status quo. Science advances through fearless investigation, not frightened acquiescence to fashionable thinking, let alone the smearing of intellectual opponents as "deniers." I did this a few years ago in a Government of Ontario public meeting ostensibly set up to identify obstacles to progress on "climate action." After several members of the public were roundly booed and harassed for voicing doubt about the science being relied on by the government, I went to the microphone and said: "We have just seen a demonstration of what I think is the greatest obstacle to progress on this fileit is the intolerance of alternative points of view about this highly complex science. We should welcome and discuss skeptical inquiries, not try to silence them!" The reaction? Dead silence. You could hear a pin drop. The government representative had nothing to say and the audience recognized that the activists had violated what is supposed to be a fundamental tenant of progressivism, namely keeping an open mind to different perspectives. And, of course, the reliance on consensus to determine what is truth in science is simply a "bandwagon logical fallacy" when we base the validity of our argument on how many people believe it. A show of hands does not decide the validity of scientific hypotheses. When Albert Einstein was told about a book titled Hundert Autoren gegen Einstein (A Hundred Authors Against Einstein), published in 1931, he replied, "Why 100? If I were wrong, one would have been enough." The award-winning American author and filmmaker Dr. Michael Crichton also put it well in his January 17, 2003 lecture, "Aliens Cause Global Warming," presented at California Institute of Technology: "I regard consensus science as an extremely pernicious development that ought to be stopped cold in its tracks. Historically, the claim of consensus has been the first refuge of scoundrels; it is a way to avoid debate by claiming that the matter is already settled. "Whenever you hear the consensus of scientists agrees on something or other, reach for your wallet, because you're being had. Let's be clear: the work of science has nothing whatever to do with consensus. Consensus is the business of politics. Science, on the contrary, requires only one investigator who happens to be right, which means that he or she has results that are verifiable by reference to the real world. "In science consensus is irrelevant. What is relevant is reproducible results. The greatest scientists in history are great precisely because they broke with the consensus. "There is no such thing as consensus science. If it's consensus, it isn't science. If it's science, it isn't consensus. Period." The left took over many of our institutions by effectively applying Saul Alinsky's rules. It's about time conservatives read his " Rules for Radicals A Practical Primer for Realistic Radicals ," available for free on the web, and then got out and raised Cain at public events. Our children will never forgive us if we do not. Tom Harris is Executive Director of the Ottawa, Canada-based International Climate Science Coalition . Home Home News Episcopal Church-affiliated historically black university launches fund to preserve accreditation A historically African American university in North Carolina affiliated with The Episcopal Church has launched a fund aimed at helping to preserve its official accreditation. Saint Augustines University, which was chartered by the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina in 1867 and is based in Raleigh, announced the launch of the Falcon Pride Initiative Fundraising Campaign earlier this month. The goal of the campaign, according to SAU, is to demonstrate financial solvency for preserving its accreditation by rallying the support of internal stakeholders, alums, friends, neighbors, and the [historically black colleges and universities] community. 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 campaign seeks to raise $5 million from supporters, coming in response to a decision by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to remove SAU from its membership. The Falcon Pride Initiative Fund represents our unwavering commitment to the future of Saint Augustines University, said SAU President Marcus H. Burgess, as quoted in the announcement. Our goal is to raise the necessary funds to preserve our accreditation and reassert our position as a leader in higher education. We fully dedicate ourselves to maintaining our accreditation and fostering an environment of academic excellence and opportunity for our students. Last December, the SACSCOC Board of Trustees voted at their annual meeting to remove SAU from its list of member academic institutions, with the university being put on probation during the appeal process. According to a document released in December, the SACSCOC explained that they voted to remove SAU from membership as an accredited institution due to financial concerns. Specifically, the board cited failure to comply with requirements centered on financial resources, financial documents and financial responsibility, among other stated reasons. The standards require a member academic institution to have a governing board that exercises fiduciary oversight of the institution and to have sound financial resources and a demonstrated, stable financial base to support the mission of the institution and the scope of its programs and services. In response to the December vote, SAU Board of Trustees Chairman James E.C. Perry stated that the university community will stop at nothing to ensure that SAU maintains its accreditation. We are experiencing one of the most important moments in the institutions history, Perry added. Our charge to everyone associated with the university is to comply with all policies and procedures, advance the institutions mission and vision, and work collectively to place SAU back in good standing with SACSCOC. The accreditation situation came as SAU was facing litigation from former President Christine Johnson McPhail, who filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission last December, accusing the institution of creating a hostile work environment. Home News HB Charles Jr. reveals 'key' for pastors to 'endure to the end': 'Sound doctrine doesn't excuse ungodly behavior' Pastor H.B. Charles Jr. urged pastors to be "coronary Christians, not adrenaline Christians" who endure to the end and prioritize sound doctrine over earthly wealth in a message titled Enduring to the End at the Shepherds Conference in Sun Valley, California, last week. Speaking to an assembly of pastors, theologians and church leaders at the event, a ministry of John MacArthurs Grace Community Church, Charles emphasized the high calling of pastoral ministry. Charles, a pastor-teacher at Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida, drew from John Pipers The Roots of Endurance, likening faithful ministers to the human heart, which "without attention or fanfare or reward, just keeps beating, doing its work to sustain life." In contrast, he warned against ministers who seek constant highs from new books, methods or influencers, cautioning that "the heart of the matter is always the matter of the heart." 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 coronary Christian endures to the end, and that is all the more so for coronary ministers, he said. If the minister is not careful, brothers, he can become an adrenaline junkie seeking the next high from some idea, book, method, program or influencer to help him get a little further or [a] little closer to his ministerial goals. And in the process, that minister can forget that the heart of the matter is always the matter of the heart. "Sure, we instruct the mind and exhort the will, but the true hard work of pastoral ministry starts with us, not with them," he added. Charles anchored his message in 1 Timothy 4:11-16, where the Apostle Paul exhorts Timothy to "keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing, you will save both yourself and your hearers." He broke down Pauls instructions into two central duties: a call to watchfulness and a call to perseverance. The command is to keep a close watch, he said, citing the Greek verb that means "to hold fast or hold firmly." He noted that the duty is perpetual: "There is no season of life or ministry in which you can afford to neglect this call to watchfulness." He warned against the temptation to prioritize one aspect over the other: "Some read the verse to say, Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Others read it to say, Keep a close watch on yourself and the teaching. It is both, brothers, not either-or." Reflecting on his own early years in ministry, Charles shared a pivotal moment from when he became a pastor at 17. "A group of older pastors pulled me aside after my installation service. I was nervous, not knowing what they were about to say. One of them told me, 'You're a young man, and at some point, your mind will turn toward dating. Make sure you dont date anyone in the church.' I wish they had simply said to me: 'Be holy.'" Charles pointed to 1 Timothy 4:16 as Pauls central instruction: "Paul does not tell Timothy to be careful or discreet. Paul tells Timothy to be holy, godly, Christ-like, to keep a close watch on himself." He emphasized three areas where ministers must be vigilant: their time, their money and their relationships. "How are you spending your time? Has your busyness crowded out your devotion to the Lord? Are you making time for believing prayer, Bible intake and self-examination?" he asked. He also cautioned against the love of money, citing 1 Timothy 6:9-10: "Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction." As for relationships, he underscored Pauls directive in 1 Timothy 5:1-2: "Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity." Charles also stressed the vital role of sound doctrine, contending that "a godly life does not excuse false teaching, and sound doctrine does not excuse ungodly behavior. Your life should testify to the message you proclaim." He called pastors to prioritize biblical exposition: "Our people need to hear the truth, not see a show. Preach the Word, not personal opinion. Preach the Word, not motivational speeches. Preach the Word, not self-help advice, not political viewpoints, not worldly theories." He recounted a story about a slave owners son who secretly read the Bible to slaves. "One of those slaves became sick, and when the master asked what he could do for him, the slave asked him to bring the son who knew how to 'make the book talk.' Thats what our people need, brothers. They need preachers who know how to make the book talk." Charles concluded with an exhortation to perseverance, reminding listeners that the minister who endures to the end is characterized by personal holiness and expositional ministry. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing, you will save both yourself and your hearers, he said. "Brothers, faithful ministers persevere. Hang in there. It may be hard, but its worth it," he said, citing 1 Corinthians 15:58: "Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." He pointed to Galatians 6:9: "Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up." Ending his message, Charles told of bandits who set barns on fire outside a town, distracting the people while they robbed the bank. "Brothers, do not let the enemy distract you with secondary concerns while the real treasure is lost. Keep your eyes on Christ. Preach the Word. Endure to the end." Founded by John MacArthur, The Shepherds Conference, held at Grace Community Church, aims to equip church leaders in fulfilling the Great Commission. This years speakers also included Michael Reeves, Paul Washer and Conrad Mbewe, among others. MacArthur, who was scheduled to speak at the event, was unable to attend in-person this year due to a weeklong hospital stint. I want to say grace to you, all [of] you who are at the Shepherds Conference. For me, its the highlight of the year, so you have to know my disappointment in coming to you through video, he told attendees in a video message. It really came down to being the only option. I havent had such a speedy recovery as I had hoped to have. I feel great; I just lost a lot of strength by being seven weeks in the hospital. ... Im seeing a physical therapist, trainers, and trying to get back as soon as possible. MacArthur also thanked supporters for their prayers and faithfulness. He added: I realize Im on the last lap. That takes on a new meaning when you know youre on the short end of the candle. I am all thanks and praise to God for everything Hes allowed me to be a part of and everything Hes accomplished by His Word in these years of ministry. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord, Jesus Christ. Home News It's heartbreaking': HUD Secretary Scott Turner prays at LA Dream Center before assessing wildfire damage United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner led a prayer at a homeless center as he announced additional actions designed to mitigate the effect of devastating wildfires in California. Turner, who served as an associate pastor at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, and was confirmed by the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate in a 55-44 vote last month, visited the Dream Center in Los Angeles, California, last Thursday alongside worship artist Sean Feucht. The Dream Center is a Christian organization focused on providing support to those affected by homelessness, hunger, and the lack of education through residential and community outreach programs. Feucht shared a video from the tour that featured Turner leading a prayer. 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 Father, we thank you that the spirit of God rests in this place. Father, we thank you for the leadership, Turner proclaimed. We thank you for all of those who call this place home. And Father, Im praying for your favor; Im praying for your grace. Lord, we pray for transformation in the lives of everyone who comes through the doors of this godly place. And Father, we pray, Lord God, the enemy is not welcome here. Turner also thanked God for the ability to worship you together, adding, We love you. You are a good, good father. We believe you. We trust you; we declare it in Jesus name because your Word, it is true. It is the final authority in Jesus name. Turners prayer was followed by Feucht leading attendees in singing, The Goodness of God. According to a statement released by HUD, Turner was in Los Angeles to announce a 90-day extension of a foreclosure moratorium on Federal Housing Administration-insured single-family mortgages in Los Angeles County as the nations largest county continues to reel from the devastating wildfires. Turner made the announcement while touring a disaster zone in Altadena alongside Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose Fifth District encompasses the Los Angeles suburb. It is heartbreaking to witness the devastation caused by the horrific wildfires in Altadena and the surrounding areas of Los Angeles County and the heavy toll of this tragedy on individuals, families and communities, Turner said. Empowering and supporting our neighbors so they can build or rebuild their future, including when disaster strikes, is a core part of HUDs mission and we will continue providing help during hardship, Turner vowed. Barger expressed gratitude for the assistance from HUD, describing the agencys extension of the foreclosure moratorium as a lifeline for wildfire survivors in Los Angeles County who are facing immense hardship. Barger thanked Turner for his leadership and commitment to ensuring that families impacted by these devastating fires have the time and support they need to recover," adding: This critical relief will help stabilize our communities as we work together to rebuild and heal. Since joining the Trump administration, Turner has been known for leading prayer, including at the first cabinet meeting. The 90-day extension issued by Turner last week pushes the expiration date for the moratorium ahead from April 8 to July 7. According to statistics compiled by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Eaton Fire that impacted Altadena burned 14,021 acres and destroyed nearly 10,000 structures, damaged over 1,000 other structures (residential and commercial) and caused 17 civilian fatalities and nine firefighter fatalities. Another fire that impacted Los Angeles County earlier this year, the Palisades Fire, burned 23,707 acres while destroying nearly 7,000 structures, damaging nearly 700 other buildings and led to the deaths of 12 civilians and three firefighters. Home News Notorious Mexican cartel leader gets life in prison, $6B fine for drug trafficking, firearms offenses One of the founders of a powerful Mexican cartel will spend the rest of his life in federal prison after a court imposed a life sentence plus 30 years on major drug trafficking and firearms charges. He must also forfeit more than $6 billion in illicit proceeds. U.S.-Mexican dual national and co-founder of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion, 34-year-old Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez, received the sentence in the District of Columbia, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement Friday. Prosecutors confirmed that he oversaw the importation of multi-ton shipments of illegal drugs into the U.S. and directed violent acts on behalf of the cartel. 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 According to officials, he personally killed five individuals who owed him money, and he shot both a rival cartel member and a subordinate. Investigators found that he carried firearms, including a rifle and grenade launcher bearing his nickname, which he used to threaten Mexican law enforcement during his arrest. Court documents also noted that he ordered the murder of more than 100 people, and he participated in some of those killings himself. This defendant helped build Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion into a brutal terrorist organization that pumps poison onto our streets and commits horrific acts of violence, said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. Oseguera-Gonzalez co-founded the cartel with his father, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as El Mencho, who remains a fugitive. Oseguera-Gonzalezs role included trafficking more than 50 metric tons of cocaine and overseeing laboratories that produced at least 1,000 metric tons of methamphetamine in Mexico. Court filings revealed that he contributed to the early stages of a fentanyl operation and once pledged to do it big by creating counterfeit oxycontin pills laced with fentanyl. Oseguera-Gonzalezs leadership in the CJNG spanned nearly seven years in Mexico. During this period, he reportedly provided weapons and orchestrated brutal activities to maintain cartel operations. He directed a 2015 attack on a Mexican military helicopter. The helicopter was shot down while pursuing Oseguera-Gonzalez and his father, leading to the death of at least nine Mexican service members and permanently disfiguring at least one other. The Department of Justice confirmed that Oseguera-Gonzalezs intent was to evade capture, and the incident delayed efforts by Mexican authorities to apprehend him. Oseguera-Gonzalez operated on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. The cartels geographic reach included several Mexican states, as well as shipments that infiltrated American markets. Last month, a binational enforcement operation between Mexico and the U.S. disrupted a cartel-linked smuggling network that allegedly kidnapped migrants and extorted their families. Mexican authorities arrested two suspects, identified as Brian Alan Torres Gonzalez and Soledad Morales Nava, who will face prosecution in Mexico with evidence from U.S. officials. Officials believe it not only moved adults but also children from Central America into El Paso, Texas, allegedly demanding payment before completing the migrants entry into the U.S. Home News NRB board approves resolutions on censorship, kids' digital safety GRAPEVINE, Texas The National Association of Christian Broadcasters' Board of Directors approved nine resolutions during its International Christian Media Convention on Feb. 24, addressing critical topics such as freedom of expression, childrens digital safety, artificial intelligence and peace in the Middle East. Every year, the NRB issues resolutions that reflect its position on legislation, cultural movements and events of relevance to Christian communicators. On this occasion, the decisions taken emphasize the defense of family principles in the media and the protection of Christian values in the public sphere. Defending freedom of expression and Christian media 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 Among the resolutions passed, the NRB expressed support for a review of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act to combat corporate censorship. It also reaffirmed its commitment to work with the presidential administration, the 119th U.S. Congress, and private sector leaders to ensure Christian communicators have access to the communications marketplace. The board also rejected any attempt to use the federal government to silence dissenting opinions, urging strict civil liability for violations of freedom of expression. Protection of the family and Christian values The NRB called on state and federal lawmakers to improve children's digital safety with measures such as age verification on devices and improved app ratings on digital stores. It also encouraged Christian developers to create safe and edifying technological alternatives for families. Regarding artificial intelligence, the board urged Christians to use it wisely, avoiding its application in immoral practices or those that violate human dignity. Position on international conflicts and religious persecution On the global level, the NRB condemned antisemitism, urging Christians to reject any ideology of hatred against Israel and the Jewish people. It also expressed solidarity with persecuted Christians in Armenia and around the world, reaffirming its commitment to defending religious freedom. In light of the crisis in the Middle East, the NRB called for the immediate release of hostages kidnapped by Hamas and called on the Christian community to pray for peace in the region. Prayer for US leadership The board urged Christians to intercede in prayer for President Donald J. Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, U.S. Supreme Court justices, members of Congress and other authorities, asking for the spiritual well-being of the nation. With these resolutions, NRB leaders reaffirmed their commitment to defending freedom of expression, protecting Christian values, and promoting peace in an increasingly challenging global context for faith. This article was originally published at CP Espanol Home News Pastor who swindled $1M from congregants fights probation at Ohio Supreme Court A former Ohio pastor convicted of fleecing some $1 million from his church in 2010 and sentenced to several years in prison plus a period of community control or probation he argues is beyond the state's five-year limit has taken his case to the state's Supreme Court. David Thompson, who led the World of Pentecost Church in Columbus from 1998 to 2007, was convicted of 21 felonies, including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, theft and forgery in 2010, according to Court News Ohio, a service of the Office of Public Information of the Supreme Court of Ohio. Thompson received a sentence of five years in prison for 19 counts related to his crime, while he was offered five years of community control for two of the 21 felonies. He was also ordered to pay the church $733,048 in restitution. His sentences were scheduled to run consecutively. 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 He appealed his sentenced in 2011, court documents show, but only his theft conviction and the amount of his restitution were reduced. Four years later, in January 2015, Thompson applied for and received a judicial release from his prison sentence, but he was ordered to continue paying restitution along with five years of community control as conditions of his early release. On March 13, 2019, Thompson's probation officer reported that he had violated the terms of his community control by failing to make appropriate payments toward restitution to the church, court documents show. At the time, the former pastor had an outstanding restitution balance of $621,377.50. At a hearing to revoke his community control, the court noted that Thompson had been "underemployed" while on community control and had "not made the effort." "The court specifically noted that, despite his minimal payments toward restitution, appellant 'found money' to take several trips, including a trip 'to Tennessee to get married and go to Myrtle Beach for [his] honeymoon,'" court documents noted. A trial court found Thompson would have to return to prison and finish the remaining 11 months of prison time from his original sentence on the 19 counts. The court further ruled that he would have to serve the original five years of community control for the two-count conviction after completing the remaining 11 months of his initial sentence. Thompson later mounted a series of appeals. In his last appeal, he argued that state law caps community control at five years. Since he already served five years of community control after his judicial release in 2015, he shouldn't be forced to serve another five-year term. The Tenth District upheld his latest sentence in a 2-1 decision, including the second five-year community control period. The former pastor appealed the decision at the Ohio Supreme Court, which has agreed to hear his case. Home News Gateway Churchs Robert Morris asks court to dismiss lawsuit over money-back guarantee on tithes Disgraced Gateway Church founder Robert Morris joined with other leaders and public interest law firm First Liberty Institute in asking a federal court to dismiss a class action lawsuit filed by four church members accusing the Southlake, Texas-based megachurch of misallocating their tithes and failing to honor a money-back guarantee. The lawsuit was filed in October 2024 by Gateway Church members Katherine Leach, Garry K. Leach, Mark Browder and Terri Browder. In addition to Morris and Gateway Church, it also names as defendants Tom Lane, a former executive pastor of Gateway Church; founding elder Steve Dulin; and Kevin Grove, who previously served as an executive global pastor and elder at Gateway Church and a trustee of The King's University. The lawsuit stems primarily from allegations that Gateway Church refused to be transparent about the ministry's finances as it has generated over $100 million in annual revenue in past years. 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 They focus specifically on the church's Global Ministries fund, to which its leaders promised to allocate 15% of tithes collected. They also contend that despite repeated promises from Morris and other leaders that congregants would get a refund of their tithes if they weren't happy with the results of their donations, Gateway Church leaders refused to honor that promise. In a motion asking the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas to dismiss the lawsuit filed on Feb. 18, Morris' attorneys raised similar arguments raised by the other defendants asking the court to dismiss the lawsuit. The attorneys, William B. Mateja, Elisha J. Kobre, and Jason C. Hoggan of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP argue that the court lacks subject matter jurisdiction because of the "home state exception" in the Class Action Fairness Act. The exception allows a federal court to decline jurisdiction over a class action lawsuit if most of the plaintiffs are residents of the same state where the lawsuit was filed. They also argue that the court lacks jurisdiction over the lawsuit because the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine bars consideration of the claims because it would "require the Court to tread upon matters of religious doctrine and internal church governance." Morris's attorneys asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit because it failed the exacting pleading standards of Rule 9(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The motion states church members could not state a viable claim under Rule 12(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The lawyers claim the complaint "(1) fails to allege any material misstatement upon which Plaintiffs reasonably relied; and (2) alleges conduct outside the statute of limitations." Allegations of contract breach and conspiracy to breach contract should also be dismissed, Morris' attorneys argue, because the church members' complaint fails to allege an enforceable contract. They note that conspiracy to breach a contract is not a viable claim under Texas law, and the alleged conduct occurred outside the statute of limitations. "Furthermore, Mr. Morris joins Defendant Lane' [sic] motion to dismiss this claim because (4) Plaintiffs have failed to allege any privity of contract between themselves and Mr. Morris," the attorneys argue. Morris, who founded Gateway Church in 2000, resigned in June 2024 amid an allegation he sexually abused a child for years in the 1980s, beginning when she was 12 years old. Morris' announcement of a money-back guarantee came during a sermon at Willow Creek Community Church in the suburban Chicago area about "The Principle of First" to help boost falling revenues that the church had been experiencing amid the COVID-19 pandemic. "I don't want to exaggerate, but I'm sure thousands and thousands of people, and I'm sure it's multiplied, that have told me some way over the years through email, letters, whatever, 'this changed my life,'" Morris said, as seen in a YouTube clip from his message on tithing the first 10% of one's income. "When I started giving the first 10% to God, it changed everything. And here's what I'd like to do. I'd like to just challenge you. I've done this with our church. I've told our church on multiple occasions, I've said to them, if you'll try it for one year, if you are not fully satisfied, at the end of that year, I'll give you your money back," Morris said. "With 22 years in the church, no one's ever asked for their money back." According to the plaintiffs, many Gateway Church members have asked for a refund of their tithes, but the church leaders have ignored their requests. "This statement was repeated by Tom Lane, and the other defendants knew that the representation was false and made with the intention of inducing congregants to give money. Many people, have requested refund of their tithes only to be stonewalled and ignored by the defendants," the lawsuit alleges. "In fact, Plaintiff Katherine Leach has publicly and directly delivered a demand letter to Gateway for the return of her tithes pursuant to Gateway's 'money back guarantee.' Gateway has not responded. This offer by Robert Morris and Tom Lane, made with the full knowledge and consent of the other defendants, created a contract under Texas law where a promise was made for consideration and that promise was not fulfilled," it argues. Attorneys for the plaintiffs have requested and were granted earlier this month an extension of time to file a response to Morris' motion to dismiss the church members' lawsuit until March 25, according to court documents reviewed by The Christian Post. In response to a motion filed by Lane to dismiss the lawsuit, attorneys for the church members argued in January that the First Amendment's Ecclesiastical Abstention Doctrine does not bar their claims for relief as argued by the defendants. "The ecclesiastical abstention doctrine does not bar Plaintiffs' claims against Defendant or the Church because the claims raise no issue as to theological doctrine, religious or moral teaching, or internal church governance," they note. "Rather, Plaintiffs take issue with misrepresentations by the Church and its elders in their solicitation of tithing funds, an issue for civil and secular analysis that happened to be committed by church officials. ... The ecclesiastical abstention doctrine does not shield church pastors and leaders from committing fraud and other torts. Plaintiffs' claims allow for the Court to distinguish between the religious teachings behind tithing and the Church's fraudulent misrepresentations to induce donations from congregants." The church members conceded, however, that they did not enter into a contract with Lane or Grove but would "continue to pursue this claim, in addition to the others, against Defendants Gateway Church and Robert Morris and will continue to pursue their fraud and conspiracy claims against Defendants Lane and Grove." In an amicus curiae in support of Gateway Church's motion to dismiss the lawsuit, attorneys for the First Liberty Institute, which provides pro bono legal representation to individuals and institutions of all faiths on religious freedom matters, argue that if the case is not dismissed and is allowed to proceed, religious freedom would suffer. "First Liberty has a strong interest in the outcome of this litigation, because it will have an important precedential effect on the religious exercise of houses of worship. If courts are free to parse sermons to determine whether the pastor may have used language creating an implied contract, pastors will be unable to share their religious convictions freely without risking legal reprisal," the law firm wrote. "Such an outcome would chill core religious exercise and would be devastating to many of First Liberty's clients and to religious freedom in general." Home News Episcopal Church-affiliated university loses accreditation, will undergo 90-day arbitration A university in North Carolina affiliated with The Episcopal Church has again lost accreditation, but will undergo an arbitration process to try and reverse the decision. Saint Augustines University announced last Thursday that its effort to appeal a decision by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to end its accreditation had failed. As a result, SAU will pursue a 90-day arbitration process, during which time the university will remain in operation and students graduating in May will receive degrees from an officially accredited institution. 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 Per SACSCOCs arbitration policy, SAU has the right to pursue binding arbitration to contest the accreditation decision, explained the university. Arbitration allows SAU to demonstrate its financial stability and commitment to compliance with accreditation standards. In its announcement, SAU referenced a $70 million bridge loan from an unnamed donor that they expect to secure by the end of the month, which should resolve their financial problems. The funds we have secured provide a bright future for the students coming in now and for generations to come, said Trustee Sophie Gibson, as quoted in the announcement. SAU is not just sustaining itself; we are building a foundation for future Falcons to thrive. A historically African American university founded in 1867, SAU has struggled in recent years to maintain its accreditation, due to considerable financial problems at the institution. SACSCOC trustees voted to remove SAU from membership in December 2023 as an accredited institution over concerns about its financial stability, with an appeals committee upholding the ruling in February 2024. In response to the ongoing issues, SAU moved the bulk of its classes from in-person to online, with interim SAU President Marcus Burgess saying in a statement last year that it is also our utmost responsibility to ensure the safety, well-being, and dignity of the SAU community, especially our students. The U.S. Department of Labor announced an investigation into the university last year amid reports that employees had gone multiple pay periods without paychecks. Last July, an arbitration committee appointed by SACSCOC unanimously voted to support reversing the accreditation removal, though it maintained that SAU remains on probation. "The SACSCOC arbitration committee's decision serves as a pivotal moment for SAU's redemption and renewal," said SAU Board of Trustees Chair Brian Boulware earlier this year. "The unanimous reversal by the arbitration committee rightfully corrects the injustice inflicted upon SAU by SACSCOC's initial ruling and underscores the university's steadfast commitment to excellence and growth." In November, as part of its efforts to improve its financial standing, SAU announced it cut 67 staff positions, 37 full-time faculty positions and 32 adjunct faculty positions, or around 50% of its employees. Despite the measures, SACSCOC voted at its annual meeting in Austin, Texas, last December to remove SAU from membership, though the university said it would appeal the decision. Home News Scottish lawmaker behind buffer zone law admits JD Vance is right, praying in ones home can be illegal The member of the Scottish Parliament behind abortion buffer zones has conceded that there are circumstances in which praying in ones home could constitute a breach of the law, despite previously rebuffing such claims made by U.S. Vice President JD Vance as misinformation. Abortion buffer zones prohibit causing perceived distress to anyone attempting to access abortion facilities, trying to prevent them from doing so, or even influencing their decision to do so. Vance recently noted that people living within the zones had received letters from the government warning them that private prayer in their own homes could constitute a breach of the law. 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 One of the letters sent to residents stated, In general, the offences apply in public places within the Safe Access Zones. However, activities in a private place (such as a house) could be an offence if they can be seen or heard within the Zone and are done intentionally or recklessly. Gillian Mackay, the MSP behind the bill, continued to deny Vances claims. However when pressed, she conceded that someone praying by a window in their own home could fall foul of the law, depending on whos passing [by] the window. Lois McLatchie Miller, a Scottish spokesperson for the Christian organisation ADF International, expressed her deep concerns with the buffer zones law. Clearly, the buffer zones law is fundamentally flawed when it comes to undermining basic freedoms of speech, thought, and religion. We all stand firmly against harassment, which has been illegal for many years but the law goes much too far in preventing people from praying, or holding consensual conversations, in large public areas of Scotland," she said. Gillian Mackay confirmed that performative prayer could be a crime, depending on who is passing by the window. The accusation of prayer being performative rather than genuine lies in the eye of the beholder. Who are the police to doubt the genuineness of somebodys faith, based on where they are located, and the position of their hands? JD Vance was right to raise concerns this law is an illiberal travesty. Vice President JD Vance rebukes Europe's anti-Christian discrimination in Munich speech .@JDVance (@VP) blasts arrest of British Army vet Adam Smith-Connor (@ChooseLifeSoton@ADF_UK) for silently praying. https://t.co/NcJ7X44Nvlpic.twitter.com/3Nr94ygNOR Melissa Barnhart (@MelBarnhart) February 16, 2025 ADF also raised the case of a grandmother, Rose Doherty, who was arrested in February for holding a sign in a buffer zone. Ms Doherty said of her arrest: I held a sign that read, Coercion is a crime, here to talk, if you want. Everyone has the right to a consensual conversation. I simply made myself available for a chat, should anybody like to approach me and speak about any matter on their mind. I didnt breach the buffer zone I didnt harass, intimidate, or even seek to influence anyone. I simply stood there, available to speak with love and compassion. This article was originally published at Christian Today Home News Supreme Court agrees to hear legal challenge to Colorado's 'conversion therapy' ban The United States Supreme Court has agreed to hear a legal challenge to Colorados law prohibiting licensed counselors from providing sexual orientation change efforts therapy for clients seeking their help. In an orders list released Monday morning, the high court agreed without comment to hear the case of Kaley Chiles v. Patty Salazar et al., which challenges Colorados Minor Conversion Therapy Law. The Alliance Defending Freedom, a religious freedom legal nonprofit representing Chiles, celebrated the court's decision to hear oral arguments in the case. 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 ADF CEO Kristen Waggoner said in a press release on Monday that she believes state officials have no business censoring private conversations between clients and counselors. Colorados law prohibits whats best for these children and sends a clear message: the only option for children struggling with these issues is to give them dangerous and experimental drugs and surgery that will make them lifelong patients, stated Waggoner. We are eager to defend Kaleys First Amendment rights and ensure that government officials may not impose their ideology on private conversations between counselors and clients. In 2019, Colorado passed the Minor Conversion Therapy Law, which prohibits what critics derisively call "gay conversion therapy" for minors, after multiple similar bills had failed in past years. Daniel Ramos, executive director of the LGBT advocacy group One Colorado, released a statement at the time claiming that the new law was a "significant step in protecting our LGBTQ youth." "No young person should ever be shamed by a mental health professional into thinking that who they are is wrong. Mental health care should be ethical and affirming for all people including LGBTQ young people," stated Ramos. "I applaud the Colorado General Assembly for their bipartisan support of this measure. Protecting our LGBTQ youth is not a partisan issue." In September 2022, Chiles filed a legal challenge against the law, claiming that it violated the Free Speech Clause and Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. A three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 against Chiles last September, upholding an earlier district ruling in favor of Colorados therapy ban. Circuit Judge Veronica Rossman, a Biden appointee, wrote in the majority opinion that "Chiles had not met her burden of showing a likelihood of success on the merits of her First Amendment free speech and free exercise claims." "By regulating which treatments Ms. Chiles may perform in her role as a licensed professional counselor, Colorado is not restricting Ms. Chiles' freedom of expression," she added in the ruling. "In other words, Ms. Chiles's First Amendment right to freedom of speech is implicated under the MCTL, but it is not abridged." Circuit Judge Harris Hartz, a George W. Bush appointee, dissented, arguing that the panel majority failed to explain why "talk therapy is to be afforded lesser First Amendment protection than speech in general." "Is the majority stating that professional speech should be treated differently under the First Amendment from identical speech by a nonprofessional? That would fly in the face of what the Supreme Court has recently told us," wrote Hartz. Last November, the ADF filed a petition for a writ of certiorari on behalf of Chiles, urging the high court to clarify that the First Amendment applies in the counseling room." Trump's vibrant return By Mark Alexander web posted March 10, 2025 In case you have not heard, according to every mainstream media outlet, Donald Trump did NOT give a State of the Union speech last Tuesday evening. Once a year, some Leftmedia scribe does a Google search on "state of the union" and then copies and pastes Article II, Section 3, Clause 1 from our Constitution, which defines the information the president is to give Congress. Then, all the other outlets reprint that post. But according to the American Presidency Project, the fact that it was technically not a State of the Union address makes little difference because the "impact of such a speech on public, media, and congressional perceptions of presidential leadership and power should be the same." Gosh, I am so glad the MSM spent the 48 hours ahead of Trump's address clearing that up... The last time Trump did deliver a State of the Union speech was February 4, 2020. It was a remarkable testament to his previous three years, despite being plagued with attacks by deep state conspirators endeavoring to undermine his administration in collaboration with impeachment charades. Trump began that address by declaring, "I say to the people of our great country and to the members of Congress: The state of our Union is stronger than ever before." That was all about to change dramatically. But before we get to the catastrophe that was just over the horizon, recall that at the conclusion of Trump's remarks, then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ripped up his official speech. A day later, we filed a criminal complaint against Pelosi with the Honorable William Pelham Barr, United States Attorney General, and the Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Justice, providing them with clear and indisputable evidence Pelosi willfully violated federal law. According to our complaint: "At approximately 2220 hours on Tuesday, 04 February 2020, the nation witnessed clear and indisputable evidence that Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Speaker of the House, committed an act which brazenly and feloniously violates federal law specifically 18 U.S.C. 2071 and the Presidential Records Act of 1978. Rep. Pelosi willfully mutilated the official signed State of the Union transcript prepared by the Executive Branch for the Legislative Branch. Her actions were witnessed by federal law-enforcement officials in the House chamber. This was also witnessed by members of her political caucus, with whom she likely colluded in premeditation of the commission of this offense. I enter this video record as evidence for this criminal complaint that Rep. Pelosi violated both 18 U.S.C. 2071 and the Presidential Records Act of 1978." However, despite our diligence to follow through with the complaint both in filings with the FBI and DoJ, Pelosi was never subjected to an investigation, much less did she suffer even an ethics charge or congressional reprimand. At the time, Pelosi and other high-ranking Demos including Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) were colluding with corrupt elements within the FBI and DoJ to take Trump down. Apparently, Pelosi was above the law, in contrast to those prosecuted by her Histrionic J6 Insurrection Inquisition in which she would have hundreds of nonviolent protestors jailed for trespassing in the Capitol building, a lesser offense than her felony violations of 18 U.S.C. 2071 and the Presidential Records Act. But hey, if not for double standards, Demos would have no standards! Just days after Trump's 2020 SOTU, the nation would find itself besieged with the ChiCom Virus pandemic and Anthony Fauci's autocratic reign of terror. Then came the death of a violent career criminal and perennial drug offender, George Floyd, which was the catalyst for the Democrats' "systemic racism" lie and their "summer of rage" riots nationwide. (For the record, all those violent "antifa movement" and "Black Lives Matter" radicals were Demo constituents, so almost all had criminal charges dropped. Then came the final blow to Trump's presidential reelection bid the Demos' massive bulk-mail ballot fraud scheme, ostensibly justified by the COVID pandemic. That resulted in Trump's defeat by a non compos mentis jackass, Joe Biden, and his sidekick, Kamala Harris. What followed was four years of disastrous domestic and foreign policy failures. But out of those ashes rose the biggest comeback in presidential history. The Demos were broadsided with Trump's 2024 election and have been caught flat-footed by the blizzard of his executive orders and actions since 20 January. And that brings us to Trump's State of the Union er, I mean his address to the joint session of Congress ... minus a few jackass party boycotters and one expelled nutcase, Rep. Al Green (D-TX). It was a house divided, as Trump delivered the longest address on record, beating out Bill Clinton's 88-minute speech in 2000 by two minutes. But despite its length and the various interruptions, it made for "great television" as Trump both informed and entertained the room. Of course, Demos stayed seated and heckled the president throughout, looking like petulant adolescents with prop paddles and such. Even former Biden spokesman Ian Sams pleaded with Demos not to do "dumb sh*t" during his speech. But to no avail. The Ds even refused to applaud Trump's announcement "that we have just apprehended the top terrorist responsible" for the 2021 bombing in Kabul killing 13 American military service members during Biden's disgraceful surrender and retreat from Afghanistan. Before his address, President Trump contacted family members of the Americans killed to tell them about the capture of the terrorist responsible for the deaths of their family members. Recall that last year, Biden ejected Steve Nikoui, the Gold Star father of one of the Marines killed, Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, who yelled from the gallery, "Abbey Gate!" and "Second Battalion First Marines!" In our Mid-Day Digest today, Nate Jackson bullet-pointed key excerpts from Trump's remarks, but here are a few additional takeaways: "Every day, we are going to fight, fight, fight for the country our citizens believe in and for the country our citizens deserve!" "The American dream is surging bigger and better than ever before. The American dream is unstoppable, and our country is on the verge of a comeback the likes of which the world has never witnessed." "Common sense has become a common theme, and we will never go back. ... Over the past six weeks, I have signed nearly 100 executive orders and taken more than 400 executive actions to restore common sense, safety, optimism, and wealth all across our wonderful land. The people elected me to do the job, and I am doing it." "The days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over. My administration will reclaim power from this unaccountable bureaucracy, and we will restore true democracy to America again. ... I have directed that for every one new regulation, 10 old regulations must be eliminated." "Our country will be woke no longer. I signed an order making it the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders male and female. ... Our message to every child in America is that you are perfect exactly the way God made you." "I terminated the ridiculous 'green new scam.' I withdrew from the unfair Paris climate accord. ... We ended all of Biden's environmental restrictions. ... We ended the last administration's insane electric vehicle mandate." "I withdrew from the corrupt World Health Organization. And I also withdrew from the anti-American UN Human Rights Council." "Whatever they tariff us, we tariff them. Whatever they tax us, we tax them. That's reciprocal back and forth. ... We've been ripped off for decades by nearly every country on Earth, and we will not let that happen any longer." "It's time to stop the madness. Earlier today, I received an important letter from President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. The letter reads that Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiation table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace. Simultaneously, we've had serious discussions with Russia and have received strong signals they are ready for peace. ... If you want to end wars, you got to talk to both sides." And today, how did the Trump address play? CNN polling indicates that 69% of those who viewed the speech found it positive, with 44% saying their reaction was "very positive." CBS polling shows a 76% approval. CBS found that most viewers were "hopeful" and "proud" and found it more "unifying" than "divisive." Meanwhile, Trump's RCP job approval average still reflects the 1.3% election divide, with 48.8% approval and 47.5% disapproval. Mark Alexander is the executive editor of the Patriot Post. Home News Activists threw paint on Jewish students, taunted them while school officials did nothing: complaint A federal civil rights complaint alleges Jewish students at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt were advised to conceal their Jewish identity after anti-Israel activists pelted them with red paint, taunted them with antisemitic slurs and stole their property while administrators failed to protect them. On Thursday, the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, a nonprofit Jewish advocacy organization, announced filing three federal civil rights complaints with the U.S. Department of Education against academic entities in California. In addition to California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, the nonprofit filed complaints against Scripps College and the Etiwanda School District. 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 complaints, filed alongside several Jewish advocacy groups, allege that the entities violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by allowing such hostile environments to develop and failing to take steps to address it "promptly and effectively." "While an increasing number of schools recognize that their Jewish students are being targeted both for their religious beliefs and due to their ancestral connection to Israel, and are taking necessary steps to address both classic and contemporary forms of anti-Semitism, some shamefully continue to turn a blind eye," Brandeis Center Chairman Kenneth L. Marcus said in a statement provided to The Christian Post. "The law and federal government recognize Jews share a common faith and they are a people with a shared history and heritage rooted in the land of Israel," Marcus continued. "Schools that continue to ignore either aspect of Jewish identity are becoming dangerous breeding grounds for escalating anti-Jewish bigotry, and they must be held accountable." One of the incidents cited in the complaint against Cal Poly Humboldt occurred in October 2024 after the Chabad student group received approval to set up a table to honor the victims of the Hamas terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023. Anti-Israel students allegedly assembled 20 feet away from the Jewish students' table even though they did not receive prior approval to protest. The demonstrators drew a chalk circle around the Jewish students' table. They wrote "zio corner," which the complaint noted is an antisemitic code word popularized by the former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. The anti-Israel protesters used a megaphone to disrupt the Chabad group's event, which is a violation of school policy. According to the filing, university administrators who were present and witnessed the protesters' actions did not attempt to intervene. Protesters also threw red paint on the administrative building while screaming "blood of the martyrs." Several of them threw paint on Jewish students, the complaint states. A faculty advisor witnessed the demonstrators throw paint at the Jewish students, but the staff member did not intervene. Several Jewish students asked the school's administrators to call the police, but they refused, according to the filing. Another incident involved the theft of an etrog, a ritual item used during the Jewish festival of Sukkot. After members of the Chabad group reported the incident to the dean of students, the administration suggested that the students disassemble the Sukkot display each night. "By telling Jewish students who complained of anti-Semitism to hide evidence of their Jewish identity, the university not only dismissed the Jewish students' concerns, it also shirked its responsibility to take prompt and effective action to address anti-Semitic incidents on its campus," the civil rights complaint stated. Other instances of harassment cited in the filing involved vandals spray painting the glass doors to Forbes Gymnasium on Nov. 2, 2024, with various slurs, including "KKK = IDF." During a Chabad student group event a few days later, a protester stood outside with a sign equating Jews to Nazis. In response to an inquiry from CP, a spokesperson for California State Polytechnic University said that the institution is reviewing the federal civil rights complaint, promising that the school would cooperate with the Office of Civil Rights in any investigation. "Hatred or discrimination in any form, including anti-semitism, is contrary to our core values. The University unequivocally condemns all acts of hatred, bigotry, and violence, and we are committed to keeping safe our students, staff, and faculty of all religions," the spokesperson stated. "We will continue to work together to foster a learning and working environment where we can all feel safe, included, and respected." The complaint against Scripps College alleges a student-run coffeehouse on campus discriminated against Jews while regularly hosting meetings for anti-Israel groups. Additionally, the plaintiffs allege the coffeehouse refused to hire a "Zionist" and refused to allow a vigil for the victims of Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack when the coffeehouse closed for an entire day to honor a Hezbollah terrorist. Scripps College and did not immediately respond to The Christian Post's request for comment. The complaint against Etiwanda described the antisemitic harassment and bullying of a 12-year-old Jewish student, which began one afternoon during a district after-care program. The victim, referred to as "Student A" in the filing, was struck with a stick by another student outdoors on school grounds. Student A attempted to walk away, but the other student proceeded to hit the girl barehanded. When the Jewish girl called out for the beating to stop, she was told to "shut [her] stupid Jewish ass up." She was then pinned against a table and choked before managing to escape. According to the complaint, the girl continued to face harassment based on her Jewish identity, but the school failed to discipline the perpetrators properly and prevent similar incidents. Charlayne Sprague, Etiwanda School District superintendent, told CP that the district condemns antisemitism "in all its forms." "Etiwanda is committed to taking all necessary actions, including discipline where appropriate, to address and ameliorate discrimination and harassment based on actual or perceived Jewish shared ancestry or ethnicity," the superintendent stated. "Anti-Semitic bullying, harassment, and targeting of Jewish students because of their Jewish ancestral and ethnic identity is contrary to Etiwanda's institutional values and nondiscrimination and conduct codes and is unacceptable." The news of the complaints follows the U.S. Education Department's announcement of an investigation into Columbia University's federal contracts over its handling of anti-Israel protests on campus. On Friday, the education department, whose staffers are part of the Trump administration's Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, announced that it would cancel approximately $400 million in federal grants to Columbia University. The task force said it made the decision "due to the school's continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students." Home News Syria update: Christians among over 1,000 massacred amid worst atrocities since Assad's ousting Christians and other religious minorities in Syria are sounding the alarm as more than 1,000 people have been killed since last Thursday in what rights groups describe as some of the worst atrocities since the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad in December. The violence, centered in Syria's coastal regions, has primarily targeted Alawites, Christians and other minority communities, GB News reported, explaining that tensions escalated after an ambush on a security patrol near Latakia by gunmen loyal to Assad. This triggered a severe response from forces linked to Syria's Islamist-led interim government. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 745 of the dead were civilians, many of whom were killed in shootings. Hundreds of others were members of security forces or militants. 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 Witnesses and local monitors cited in media described the unfolding events as "sectarian massacres." Rami Abdulrahman, director of the SOHR, said the violence aims to expel Alawite families from their homes, with many residences looted and burned in the cities of Jableh and Baniyas. The Alawites were closely associated with Assad's regime. Videos and reports from the region depict harrowing scenes of mass graves, bound bodies and devastated villages. In one instance, 69 Alawite civilians were reportedly executed during a security sweep. Thousands of Alawites and Christians have fled their homes, with hundreds seeking refuge at the Russian military base in Hmeimim in Latakia. The Christian community had already dwindled during Syria's decade-long civil war. Christians are seen by Islamist factions as politically and ideologically aligned with the former regime and as obstacles to the establishment of an Islamist-led government. While reports suggest Christians have also been targeted in the violence, it is unclear how many Christians have been killed. Patriarchs from the Greek Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox and Melkite Greek Catholic Churches issued a joint statement condemning the violence. "Homes have been violated, their sanctity disregarded, and properties looted scenes that starkly reflect the immense suffering endured by the Syrian people," the joint statement reads. "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 Churches also call for the swift creation of conditions conducive to achieving national reconciliation among the Syrian people," the added. "They urge efforts to establish an environment that facilitates the transition to a state that respects all its citizens and lays the foundation for a society based on equal citizenship and genuine partnership, free from the logic of vengeance and exclusion." Martin Parsons, CEO of The Lindisfarne Centre for the Study of Christian Persecution, told Premier Christian News that while the coastal region is the "Assad heartland" with a heavy presence of Alawites, Christians lived there too. "There was fighting between government fighters and this insurgency, which is led by a former Brigadier in Assad's forces and large numbers of Alawites and Christians fled," Parson stated. "We also know that there were targeted attacks on civilians." "The Greek Orthodox Patriarch in Damascus said on Saturday in a sermon that some of those killed included Christians but that's the most detail that we've actually got at the moment," he added. "We need to be very cautious because all we know is that there appear to have been some Christians killed. We don't know why they were killed. Were they caught up in it? Were they killed because they were Assad loyalists, or was it a question of them being targeted because of their religion, or both? We just don't know at the moment." The Druze spiritual leader, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri, warned that sectarian violence would engulf all of Syria if not addressed. Rights groups, including the Syrian Network for Human Rights, have documented mass executions, looted properties and systematic killings. The interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former leader of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and also known as Jolani, has condemned the violence and called for accountability. In a televised address, he urged restraint from security forces, saying there was a need to uphold moral values even in the face of conflict. Sharaa has reportedly established a committee to investigate the killings, pledging to punish those responsible for harming civilians or violating human rights. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned "radical Islamist terrorists" and expressed solidarity with Syria's religious and ethnic minorities. He urged the interim government to protect minorities and civilians. Meanwhile, Israel has blamed Syria's new rulers for the massacres, accusing them of perpetrating barbaric acts against civilians. The roots of the current crisis lie in Syria's fragile transition following Assad downfall. Sharaa's interim government, while promising inclusivity, has struggled to assert control over various armed factions. Hardline jihadist groups and irregular militias operate with limited oversight, undermining efforts to centralize security and prevent violence. Many fear that the interim government's inability to protect minorities will lead to further sectarian bloodshed. Meanwhile, Russia, which maintains a military presence in Syria, has reportedly provided refuge to displaced civilians but has refrained from intervening directly in the conflict. Home News Trump Org. sues Capital One after alleged debanking: 'Clear attack on free speech' The Trump Organization is suing Capital One after the ninth-largest bank in the United States allegedly "debanked" them in 2021. The lawsuit, filed in Miami-Dade County on March 7, endeavors "to hold the bank accountable for their egregious conduct in unjustifiably terminating over 300 of the companys bank accounts without cause," Eric Trump wrote in an X post. Eric Trump said the Trump Organization had banked with Capital One for more than a decade as "a clear attack on free speech and free enterprise that flies in the face of the bedrock principles and freedoms that define our country." 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 "Moreover, the arbitrary closure of these accounts, without justifiable cause, reflects a broader effort to silence and undermine the success of the Trump Organization and those who dare to express their political views," he continued. The lawsuit alleges that Capital One "'de-banked' plaintiff's accounts because Capital One believed that the political tide at the moment favored doing so." The filing claims that Capital One's alleged actions are part of a wider trend of major banks closing customers' accounts for political reasons. "In addition to the considerable financial harm that Plaintiffs and their affiliated entities suffered, Capital One's reckless decision is part of a growing trend by financial institutions in the United States of America to cut off a consumer's access to banking services if their political views contradict with those of the financial institution," the suit reads. Capital One has denied the Trump Organization's allegations. "Capital One has not and does not close customer accounts for political reasons," the company said in a statement, according to The Telegraph. In her book Melania, first lady Melania Trump alleged that her bank dropped her and refused to allow her son Barron to open one in the weeks after they left the White House in 2021. "I was shocked and dismayed to learn that my long-time bank decided to terminate my account and deny my son the opportunity to open a new one," Melania Trump wrote, though she did not name the bank she was referring to. "This decision appeared to be rooted in political discrimination, raising serious concerns about civil rights violations," she added. The lawsuit comes amid bipartisan concerns over banks using so-called "reputational risk" as a reason for shuttering accounts. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., the ranking Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, urged President Donald Trump last month to take steps to push back against political debanking. "I write to request that you take action on preventing the debanking of too many Americans across the country, including consumers unfairly locked out of the financial system due to overdraft fees, religious affiliation, or political beliefs," she wrote. Potential legislation prohibiting banks from citing "reputational risk" as a reason for shuttering accounts has received bipartisan support in Congress. Speaking remotely from the White House to the elite international World Economic Forum's 2025 Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, in January, Trump rebuked the CEOs of Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase for allegedly debanking conservatives. "I hope you start opening your bank to conservatives because many conservatives complain that the banks are not allowing them to do business within the bank, they don't take conservative business," Trump told Brian Moynihan, who has served as CEO of Bank of America since 2010 and was speaking to Trump as part of a panel with other major CEOs. Trump also singled out JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, who has headed the bank since 2006 but was not present on the panel. "And I don't know if the regulators mandated that [debanking] because of Biden or what," Trump added. "But you and Jamie [Dimon] and everybody, I hope you're going to open your banks to conservatives because what you're doing is wrong." Both Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase have denied debanking anyone on the basis of political belief. Contentious Sanctuary Cities Debate, 60% Of Israelis Want Netanyahu To Resign, Wyoming Religious Freedom Act link to download the audio instead. link to download the audio instead. 08:44 08:44 Sponsored by WatersEdge: Invest with purpose? With WatersEdge Kingdom Investments, you can! We offer great rates that multiply your resources and build churches. Learn more at: https://bit.ly/3CxWtFz Top headlines for Monday, March 10, 2025 In this episode, we dive into the contentious debate surrounding sanctuary cities as Republican lawmakers challenge Democratic mayors on immigration policies that allegedly protect criminals. Meanwhile, in the world of media and politics, former President Donald Trump criticizes Nicolle Wallace and Rachel Maddow for their remarks about young Devarjay DJ Daniel. We then shift our focus internationally, discussing a recent poll indicating that around 60% of Israelis believe Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should step down. Moreover, we examine how a significant boycott, led by Pastor Jamal Bryant, is impacting Target's sales predictions, with over 110,000 participants pledging to avoid the retail giant for 40 days. A fundraising campaign is expected to raise 100,000 for UK charities this year by turning each social media post by the worlds richest man, Elon Musk, into a donation tool. People vs Elon, set up shortly after Donald Trumps inauguration as president in January, enables supporters to pledge as little as 1p for every post made by Musk on his X social media platform, formerly called Twitter. As Musk posts approximately 2,000 times per month, the campaign has estimated that even donating 1p would generate a 20 monthly donation. The donations subsequently go towards charities that support communities which represent that Musk publicly campaigns against, such as trans rights, refugees and antiracism. Current charitable partners include Everyday Racism, Hope Not Hate, Rainbow Migration and Women for Refugee Women. Writing in Marchs issue of Fundraising Magazine about the rapid-response campaign, organiser Jack Steadman explained that although the campaign initially intended to recruit 100 pledges, it has now surpassed 650 supporters, and is projected to raise at least 100,000 this year. Similar tactic used on Trumps posts The campaign was inspired by Defeat By Tweet, which raised millions for Black and brown organisers in the US from Trumps social media posts. Steadman said: People vs Elon is aimed at anyone who feels powerless watching the worlds richest man use his immense wealth and power to amplify far-right ideologies from calling to free far-right activist Tommy Robinson to make Europe great again. I think lots of people across the UK have been desperate to stand up against this type of hate. It felt like people wanted do something tangible and immediate in protest. sign up to receive the free Civil Society daily news bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, Civil Society Media Early bird ticket prices for Civil Society Medias annual governance conference, Trustee Exchange 2025, end this Friday. The 17th incarnation of the event will begin with an opening keynote from veteran activist and advocate Helen Moulinos, who will discuss long-term progress made by the charity sector despite challenging times. A panel discussion on paying trustees will follow, with speakers including Tanya Barron, Mita Desai, Paul Latham, Baroness Pitkeathley, Brian Walsh and Penny Wilson. The event will close with a keynote from governance, EDI and strategy specialist Frances Brown on how to be an anti-racist charity. Other sessions will delve into issues on finance and investment, governance and strategy, and compliance and risk. Trustee Exchange 2025 will take place at BMA House in London on 29 April. A networking drinks reception will follow. Standard charity tickets are 269 but increase to 319 after Friday 14 March. Delegates from small charities, with an income of less than 250,000, are eligible for 199 tickets. To find out more about the events pricing and programme, visit: civilsociety.co.uk/events/governance-leadership-presents-trustee-exchange-2025.html Sign up for The Media Today, CJRs daily newsletter. When the Houston Landing debuted, in February 2023, it immediately looked like a powerhouse in Texas media. Backed by over $20 million in philanthropic funding, it boasted a staff of around thirty, brought together by editor in chief Mizanur Rahman, a respected investigations editor, and top reporter Alex Stuckey, a Pulitzer-winning investigative journalist, both from the Houston Chronicle. The Landings ambitions gave it the heft of a national operation. It was focused on one metro area, yesbut the Houston metro area contains more people than Tennessee and is larger than Massachusetts. Within its first few months, the Landing broke stories on deaths in Harris County jails and covered the states hostile takeover of the Houston Independent School District. Now, two years after its launch, the Landing is a ship battered by storms. Rahman and Stuckey are no longer on staffthey were fired less than a year after the debut. And, in December, the publication lost a major source of funding. As of the new year, Arnold Venturesthe philanthropic vehicle of Laura and John Arnold, Houston-based billionaireshas declined to continue funding the Houston Landing. In January 2022, Arnold Ventures committed $4 million in initial funding, to be paid out over three years. From the beginning, the organization referred to the money as seed funding, a catalyst to get the Landing off the ground. But staff at the foundation were enthusiastic enough during the first year that at least some of the Landings staff felt optimistic that the Arnolds would eventually re-up their commitment. Indeed, in December 2024, as the first three years wrapped up, leaders at the Landing believed they had secured $850,000 in additional funding from Arnold Ventures. But no contract was ever finalized and, when the Landing came asking about the money in December, Arnold Ventures announced it would not provide any more funding. Arnold Ventures provided a $4 million seed grant across three years, Angela Landers, a spokeswoman for Arnold Ventures, said in a statement. We are proud to be part of the launch of the Houston Landing and will continue to support nonprofit journalism in Houston and across the United States. (Arnold Ventures currently funds eighty outlets and has donated more than $60 million to journalistic causes since 2013.) Of the Landings two other major funders, the Kinder Foundation has already paid out its grant for this year, and the Houston Endowments grant will run out in October. Their future support for the Landing is unclear. We are proud to be a seed funder of Houston Landing and of its success in bringing high-quality independent reporting on local issues to readers in Greater Houston, said Stephanie DiCapua Getman, director of communications for the Houston Endowment. When asked if the endowment would continue to fund the Landing after October, she said that the endowment has a thorough evaluation process it will complete at a later date. Its too early to offer a definitive response, she said. A spokeswoman for the Kinder Foundation said that it does not comment on the potential of future funding for any organization. Sign up for CJRs daily email For now, the Landing continues to operate full steam ahead, and its CEO, Peter Bhatia, a respected former editor of the Detroit Free Press, the Cincinnati Enquirer, and the Portland Oregonian, is seeking new funders. This story isnt a cautionary taleat least not yet. But the Landings experience has been illustrative of the challenges facing upstart nonprofit publications. One central lesson is the need for a firm editorial identity and editorial strategy. Every for-profit outlet, for better or worse, eventually answers to the marketthese publications can value intrinsic goals like impact and utility, but, ultimately, they must turn a profit. Nonprofits, meanwhile, have greater latitude to create their own goals and determine their own metrics of success, beyond the bottom line. At the Landing, that conceptual freedom, that lack of road map, meant that some personalities crashed into one anotherand crashed hard. The Landing began with a group of philanthropic funders, including the American Journalism Project, identifying the right market to make an investment in news. That means that, unlike the Texas Tribunethe brainchild of former Texas Monthly publisher and editor Evan Smiththe Landing didnt launch with a captain who had a clear idea of where things were going. Just weeks before the publications debut, in 2023, personal issues forced the Landings original CEOa former executive at HEB, the Texas grocery chainto withdraw from the job, and the publication had to scramble to find a new chief. It happily settled on Bhatia, a grizzled newspaper veteran. There was a brief honeymoon, but soon Bhatia and Rahman were clashing. Some of the conflict, certainly, came down to the interpersonal disharmony that afflicts most every newsroom. But there were deeper disagreements over the Landings missionshould it focus on deep investigations, or quicker news and dedicated beat reporting? Less than a year later, Bhatia unceremoniously fired Rahman and Stuckey and, later in 2024, axed the managing editor as well: John Tedesco, another respected investigations specialist from the Chronicle, who has since rejoined that paper. (Bhatia declined to be interviewed for this article.) The dismissals outraged and stunned journalists across Texas; at the Landing, staffers worried for their own jobs. In a sprint-speed organizing push, the newsroom staff formed a union. Understandably. In March 2024, Bhatia and the publications leadership chose to voluntarily recognize the new Houston Landing NewsGuild. In the Landings own coverage of the unionization, Bhatia said, Im pleased weve reached this point, which has included clarification of who will be in the unit and who will not. The unit is now confined mostly to our reporting staff and a few others who work closely with them. This agreement follows the wishes of many of our other employees to remain outside of the bargaining unit. But negotiations over an initial contract have turned tense at times. And they have not been cheap. To negotiate with the guild, the Landing brought in Steven M. Moss, a top-shelf corporate labor attorney. That meant that, instead of just journalism, the outlets funders were also paying attorneys fees. Despite the turbulence, the union leadership was clear that its membership remained committed. As members of the Houston Landing NewsGuild, our primary mission has always been building a workplace where our members are empowered to produce meaningful, community-focused journalism, the guild said in a statement. We take great pride in the work weve accomplished so far and remain steadfast in our commitment to this mission. How much the discord at the Landing comes down to individual personalities will be hashed out in the years to come (multiple former and current staffers I spoke to half-joked about writing memoirs about the publications rocky first year). But there are some structural challenges the Landing faces that go beyond any one person. One of those challenges has been the relationship between major funders and the editorial product. Unlike most other nonprofit journalism outlets, the Landings major funders all have seats on the organizations board. The three largestArnold Ventures, the Kinder Foundation, and the Houston Endowmenteach had a representative on the six-member board. Multiple people familiar with the interactions among the three fundersand the ripple effects through board meetings down to Bhatia, the Landings editorial leaders, and the rest of the staffsaid they had created confusion about the outlets identity, mission, and strategy. Another source of friction has been the disconnect between the values and practices of nonprofits and those of nonprofit journalism. Much of the staff the Landing hired to fundraise had nonprofit and philanthropic backgrounds. But reporters felt that the nonprofit professionals didnt understand journalism; meanwhile, the business staffers felt that reporters were difficult and unhelpful when it came to raising money. Stuckey, the investigative reporter who was let go, said that business-side staff at times suggested fundraising and partnership efforts that the newsroom deemed inappropriate. Despite all the problems, the Landing has broken an array of stories, and its metrics are impressive. According to data shared by Manny Garcia, the current editor in chief and a former editor of the Austin American-Statesman, February was the Landings fourth-best month in terms of website traffic, with 380,000 page views. The outlets main newsletter, The Launchpad, has twelve thousand subscribers. The Landings education and immigration coverage has been particularly impressive: its reporting on the upheaval in the Houston school district, which is being run by a state-appointed superintendent, has prompted promises of action from Texas lawmakers. And the Landings coverage of Colony Ridgean underserved housing development that Republicans as high-profile as President Donald Trump have alleged is a den of undocumented-immigrant gangsinjected some much-needed reality into the conversation. The Landings leadership is actively courting new funders. If the Landing eventually folds, the most painful fact of the saga will be that everyonefrom the largest funders down to the most junior reporteroriginally got on board because of their conviction that Houston deserved another news outlet. Current and former staff at the Landing universally agreed that, whatever comes next, the wealth of scoops the Landing broke prove that Houston needs high-quality, nonprofit local news, and that theres a robust return on investment in more journalism in the city. Now their job is to convince new donors of that. Recent FDA approval of suzetrigine, representing the first new class of pain medication in more than 20 years, is generating excitement among workers compensation professionals who have long been looking for a viable alternative to opioids. Suzetrigine is an oral sodium channel blocker sold and marketed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals under the brand name Journavx. It works by selectively targeting the bodys Nav1.8 sodium channel that transmits pain signals to the brain but is not expressed in that area, thus avoiding the reward center, which can lead to addiction. As a result, suzetrigine has the potential to act as an additional non-addictive option for pain management. Vertex expects the medication to be available at pharmacies in March. If suzetrigine fulfills its promise, the impact on workers comp could be significant. Opioids still account for the largest share of workers comp prescriptions due to limited pain relief alternatives, despite the industrys efforts to reduce frequency as well as the average morphine equivalent dose (MED) prescribed. Opioid Crisis And Lack of Good Alternatives According to the CDC, 82,000 Americans died of opioid overdose in 2022, accounting for more than 75% of all drug overdose deaths. Prescription opioids play a large role in fueling opioid use disorder (OUD). An NIH study found that injured employees were nearly two times more likely to die of an opioid overdose than their non-injured peers. Beyond the human toll, the financial cost of treating OUD nationally is roughly $100 billion annually. Despite these risks, there are limited FDA-approved alternatives indicated for treating moderate-to-severe pain. True analgesics such as acetaminophen and NSAIDs such as ibuprofen are considered first-line treatment for acute pain management. Topical analgesic use has also increased, and Enlyte drug trend research found they surpassed opioids in overall workers comp pharmacy spend in 2023. Unfortunately, thats driven by an increased price point rather than overall effectiveness. Private-label topical analgesics (PLTAs) are not approved by the FDA and are not generally evaluated for compliance with applicable regulations and policies pertaining to safe and effective use. In addition, PLTAs are marketed almost exclusively to physicians for direct dispensing. Doctors can then bill payers hundreds of dollars more for a PLTA with the same active ingredients as readily available over-the-counter products such as Bengay. Injectable therapies are also an option, however, they do not offer long-term relief and require in-office administration by a trained clinician. Whats more, the delineation of acute pain vs. chronic pain can be challenging to navigate, and when first-line therapies dont work, opioids are often prescribed. Is Journavx The Answer? Suzetrigines approval marks a milestone in pain management as the first non-addictive alternative to opioids to hit the market in several years. Currently, its only approved for treating acute pain lasting up to 90 days, and physicians will likely take a stepwise approach, beginning with a first-line non-opioid analgesic before moving to suzetrigine. Costs could also be an initial concern for those looking to suzetrigine as an opioid alternative. The average wholesale pricing for Journavx is listed at $18.60 per tablet, with a twice a day dose costing payers nearly $40 a day. Thats significantly more than the cost of a generic opioid or non-opioid analgesic dosage, which can cost as little as $1 a day. However, proponents of Journavx argue that its short-term use and non-addictive properties will result in long-term savings over opioids. Workers comp often must pay for any complications caused by treatment, which includes OUD. Plus, workers who are using opioids often cannot return to work because of the sedative qualities and other side effects. Long-Term Potential While Journavx hasnt been approved to treat chronic pain, Vertex has announced its plans to do so, with clinical trials currently underway. If approved, the potential to reduce the incidence of adverse outcomes related to opioid use becomes even greater. The arrival of suzetrigine represents a potential watershed moment in pain management, particularly for the workers comp industry. While its initial approval is limited to acute pain treatment lasting up to 90 days, the drugs unique mechanism of actionblocking sodium channels rather than engaging the brains reward centerscould herald a new era in pain management. The higher daily cost of Journavx compared to existing medications will undoubtedly give some pause, but when weighed against the devastating human toll and astronomical health care costs associated with opioid overdose, misuse, abuse, and use disorder, it could prove to be a comparatively cost-effective alternative. Wilson provides clinical leadership and strategic direction as senior director of clinical pharmacy services at Enlyte. As a licensed pharmacist, she has more than 15 years of industry experience through leadership roles across prescription home delivery programs, pharmacy operations and benefit management (PBM) and clinical program development. SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Shaker Heights police teamed with officers from another local department to arrest a man wanted in Indiana for fleeing with his daughter. Police also found the girl. At 9:20 a.m. March 5, Shaker Heights and Orange officers tracked a suspect vehicle to Interstate 271 and Chagrin Boulevard. There, they arrested the driver, a 31-year-old man wanted by Fort Wayne, Ind., police. The man was sought on charges of domestic violence and assault. The man was accused of assaulting the mother and custodial parent of their 3-year-old daughter, then fleeing with the girl. Shaker Heights officers located the child in the company of another family member in Cleveland, where the suspect had dropped off his daughter. The child was in good health. Officers summoned social workers from the five-city First CALL program to care for the girl and, later in the day, were able to reunite the mother and her daughter. Read more from the Sun Press. A graphic shows the measles virus, provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CLEVELAND, Ohio The measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico has resulted in a second death, leaving many Ohioans wondering if they and their families are protected against the dangerous virus and if as federal health official Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has stated vitamin A prevents measles deaths. Most Americans dont need to worry. People who received the two-dose measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine as children are protected for life, immunization experts say. The general rule of thumb is if you were born before 1957, you are expected to be immune to measles because you were probably exposed during childhood, said Cleveland Clinic infectious disease specialist Dr. Donald Dumford. And while vitamin A can help measles patients, it cant prevent the illness. Vitamin A supplementation is not a substitute for getting vaccinated, Dumford said. Taking vitamin A does not prevent someone from getting measles. Measles is one of the most contagious infectious diseases, and it can be deadly. More than 100,000 people across the globe died from the disease in 2023, according to world health data. The measles virus wipes out the bodys memory of bacteria and viruses, weakening the immune system for years. And its highly transmissible, spreading through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and infecting others up to two hours after the sick person has left a room. So far, Ohio has avoided the situation in Texas this year. The state has recorded zero measles cases in 2025. The best protection is prevention, said Summit County Public Health medical director Dr. Erika Sobolewski. While the current risk in Ohio is low, it is important to remember we live in a very mobile world, Sobolewski said. World travel is commonplace and measles is still common in many countries. Vaccination is your best defense. Vitamin A no substitute for vaccination Kennedys recent remarks about the Texas outbreak have focused on the use of vitamin A to combat the outbreak. Kennedy, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, also said Texas doctors are giving steroids and cod liver oil to their measles patients and getting very, very, good results. Texas has identified 198 measles cases since late January, and 23 of the patients have been hospitalized, according to Fridays update from Texas health officials. Infectious disease experts worry that the federal governments messaging about the outbreak is emphasizing treatments like vitamin A rather than vaccination, and that misinformation is spreading online, according to news reports. (Vitamin A) should not be used to try to prevent measles, and high doses of vitamin A are potentially very harmful, said Dr. Sean OLeary, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics committee on infectious diseases. The only effective way to prevent measles is the MMR vaccine. There is no specific treatment for measles, according to the Mayo Clinic. Vitamin A has been found to be helpful in reducing mortality in children under age 2 who are hospitalized with measles, Dumford said. It seems there is a depletion of the bodys normal reserves of vitamin A. Is Ohio susceptible to another outbreak? Like Texas and New Mexico, Ohio has seen pockets of high measles spread over the years. Ohio saw 7 cases of measles in 2024, one in 2023, and 90 in 2022, when an outbreak centered in central Ohio totaled 85 cases. Those cases were the first in the state since 2019. Ohio also experienced a measles outbreak in 2014, with at least 374 cases of measles and 10 hospitalizations centered around the largely unvaccinated Amish community of Knox County in central Ohio. Whats happening in Texas is an opportunity for Ohioans to evaluate the individual and collective risks of the disease, the Clinics Dumford said. To have good community-wide immunity to measles, 95% of the population has to be vaccinated, Dumford said. Misinformation, historically low rates of measles across most of the country and falling vaccination rates have led some parents to downplay the risk of the disease and overestimate the risk of taking the vaccine, according to experts at Johns Hopkins University. The states current overall vaccination rates for measles among kindergartners is 89%, according to federal data. This probably also means that there are some pockets of the state where we are at vaccination goal and some parts of the state where we are not at goal, Dumford said. If we have a case of measles introduced into an area where theres a vaccination rate lower than 95%, then that is an opportunity for measles to start to spread and escalate in a community. Prior to the measles vaccine, there were an estimated 3 to 4 million cases annually in the United States, according to immunization experts. The disease was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000, but it bounced back. In 2019, the United States recorded a record number of measles cases in 2019, with 1,249 cases and 22 outbreaks in this country, according to federal numbers. Below are answers to common questions about measles complications, symptoms, how it spreads and if vaccine boosters are necessary. The Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins University, the CDC, Immunize.org, and the American Academy of Pediatrics provided information. Q: What are the symptoms of measles? Symptoms include fever, runny nose, cough, loss of appetite, watery red eyes, and a rash that appears one to two weeks after contact with the virus. Q: What are possible complications? Health complications, especially in children under 5, include ear infections, diarrhea, pneumonia, encephalitis and brain damage. People who are at risk for complications include adults over 20 years old, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems. Measles during pregnancy increases the risk of premature labor, miscarriage and low birth weight infants. Q: At what age should children get the MMR vaccine? The American Academy of Pediatrics and CDC recommend children receive the MMR vaccine at 12-15 months and again at 4-6 years. Children can receive the second dose earlier if it is at least 28 days after the first dose. Two doses of measles vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles if exposed to the virus. One dose is about 93% effective. The MMR vaccine has been studied and proven safe. Q: Where is the measles vaccine available? The shots are available at doctors offices, clinics and government health centers. The Cleveland Department of Public Health encourages parents to take their children to their regular pediatrician for this vaccine, said director Dr. David Margolius. For families who dont have a pediatrician or have other barriers to getting care, the city health department offers weekly childhood vaccination clinics. (Details here.) The Cuyahoga County Board of Health provides the MMR vaccine to families with or without health insurance. Patients should contact the board to schedule an appointment, which, in some cases, could be the same day. Call 216-201-2041. Q: Does the vaccine give protection for life? The CDC considers people who received two doses of measles vaccine as children protected for life, and they do not ever need a booster dose. Some adults born between 1968 and 1989 received one dose of the live MMR vaccine as opposed to the two-shot series recommended after 1989. Even though that group only received one dose, the CDC does not recommend a catch-up dose or testing for immunity. Among people who received one dose, those who are high risk should be tested to see if they still have immunity, the Clinics Dumford said. High-risk people include college students, international travelers, healthcare personnel, close contacts of those with weakened immune systems, people living with HIV, or high risk groups during a measles outbreak. For those groups, if they do not have evidence of immunity, the two-shot series with the doses being spread at least 28 days apart would be recommended, Dumford said. Q: Do people who got the killed measles vaccine in the 1960s need to be revaccinated with the current measles vaccine? Between 1963 and 1968, a version of the vaccine that used an inactivated form of the virus was found to not be as effective and was ultimately withdrawn. Its estimated that about 600,000900,000 Americans received that vaccine. Adults who received that measles vaccine should talk to their healthcare provider about getting revaccinated with the current MMR vaccine. Julie Washington covers healthcare for cleveland.com. Read previous stories at this link. Key system of China's next-generation "artificial sun" passes acceptance process Xinhua) 08:26, March 10, 2025 Researchers and experts pose for photos near the one-eighth vacuum chamber and overall installation system, one of the key subsystems of the Comprehensive Research Facility for Fusion Technology (CRAFT), in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan) HEFEI, March 9 (Xinhua) -- China has hit another milestone in the development of its next-generation "artificial sun," with one of its key systems passing expert review and acceptance procedures on Sunday, achieving an internationally advanced development and operational capability standard. The one-eighth vacuum chamber and overall installation system was developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Plasma Physics (ASIPP). It is one of the 19 key subsystems of the Comprehensive Research Facility for Fusion Technology (CRAFT), a platform on which engineers develop and test the key components of fusion energy reactors. Resembling an orange slice, the newly approved system features a D-shaped cross-section with a double-layer shell and stands 20 meters tall. The vacuum chamber shell, made of ultra-low-carbon stainless steel, weighs 295 tonnes. In the future, eight of these "orange slices" will form a complete structure, housing plasma at temperatures exceeding 100 million degrees Celsius. Liu Zhihong, a researcher at ASIPP and the system's lead scientist, explained that the vacuum chamber serves as the closest nuclear safety barrier to a reactor core, requiring extreme precision in terms of welding, structural integrity and magnetic permeability. The research team spent a decade overcoming technical challenges in their development of the system, securing more than 40 invention patents along the way. "By completing the one-eighth vacuum chamber, we have fully mastered the critical technologies needed for a complete toroidal vacuum chamber for future fusion reactors," Liu said, noting that the system's technology has also been applied to particle accelerators, precision machinery and electronics. The ultimate goal of an artificial sun is to create nuclear fusion like the sun, providing humanity with an endless clean energy source and enabling space exploration beyond the solar system. China is making significant strides in fusion energy, with its Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) continuously upgrading experiments and setting new world records. Experts conduct review and acceptance procedures on the one-eighth vacuum chamber and overall installation system, one of the key subsystems of the Comprehensive Research Facility for Fusion Technology (CRAFT), in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu) Experts conduct review and acceptance procedures on the one-eighth vacuum chamber and overall installation system, one of the key subsystems of the Comprehensive Research Facility for Fusion Technology (CRAFT), in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu) This photo taken on March 9, 2025 shows the one-eighth vacuum chamber and overall installation system, one of the key subsystems of the Comprehensive Research Facility for Fusion Technology (CRAFT), in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu) A drone photo taken on March 9, 2025 shows the one-eighth vacuum chamber and overall installation system, one of the key subsystems of the Comprehensive Research Facility for Fusion Technology (CRAFT), in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan) Experts conduct review and acceptance procedures on the one-eighth vacuum chamber and overall installation system, one of the key subsystems of the Comprehensive Research Facility for Fusion Technology (CRAFT), in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan) Experts conduct review and acceptance procedures on the one-eighth vacuum chamber and overall installation system, one of the key subsystems of the Comprehensive Research Facility for Fusion Technology (CRAFT), in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu) This photo taken on March 9, 2025 shows the one-eighth vacuum chamber and overall installation system, one of the key subsystems of the Comprehensive Research Facility for Fusion Technology (CRAFT), in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Ruth Porat, President & Chief Investment Officer of Alphabet & Google, speaks during the Reuters NEXT conference, in New York City, U.S., December 10, 2024. HOUSTON Alphabet is aiming to slash the cost of building new nuclear reactors by deploying a series of small reactors through its deal with developer Kairos Power, the tech company's President and Chief Investment Officer Ruth Porat said on Monday. "Nuclear has to be a part of the mix given the qualities of it," Porat said at the CERAWeek by S&P Global energy conference. The tech sector has made major investments in nuclear projects over the past year to meet rising electricity demand from artificial intelligence with reliable, carbon-free energy. But new nuclear projects in the U.S. have been plagued by cost overruns and long delays. It is imperative that the public and private sectors move "as soon as possible" to build a series of new plants that replicate the construction process to drive down the cost curve, Porat said. Alphabet's Google unit struck a deal last October to buy power from small modular reactors under development by Kairos Power. These smaller nuclear reactors are next-generation technology that the industry hopes will reduce costs and accelerate deployment timelines through manufacturing efficiencies. Google and Kairos aim to bring the first plant online by 2030 with more reactors starting up through 2035. "If we don't start now in a focused way and replicate a number of them, which is why the Kairos multi tranche is an important kind of proof point, we're not going to be able to drive down the cost curve," Porat said. Nuclear, however, is unlikely to become a power solution until the 2035 or later, said NextEra CEO John Ketchum said. NextEra is the largest developer of renewables in the U.S., though the company also operates the largest gas-fired generation facility in the nation as well nuclear plants. Ketchum said renewables are the quickest and cheapest solution available to meet rising energy demand, as the cost of new natural gas turbines has tripled and the queue to build them now stretches to 2030 or later. "Renewables are ready to go right now because they've been up and running," Ketchum said at the conference. "It's cheaper and it's available right now unless you already have a turbine on order or that's already been permitted." Ketchum's comments come after Energy Secretary Chris Wright said earlier Monday that renewables cannot replace the role of natural gas in producing electricity, vowing to end the Biden administration's climate policies. The Trump administration is working to launch a new era of nuclear construction, Wright said. NextEra is projecting a sixfold increase in power demand over the next 20 years compared with the previous 20 years, Ketchum said. About 17% of that growth will come from data centers, the CEO said. The U.S. has installed 175 gigawatts of renewables over the past five years, compared to 13 gigawatts of gas and about three gigawatts nuclear, Ketchum said. NextEra is evaluating whether the company can bring the shuttered Duane Arnold nuclear plant in Iowa back online, Ketchum said. Duane Arnold is the third potential nuclear restart in the U.S., with the Palisades plant in Michigan aiming to return to power this year and Three Mile Island Unit 1 in 2028 subject to approval by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. In terms of small modular reactors, there is a "tremendous opportunity to co-locate" these reactors "at all of our existing sites," Ketchum said. "But the industry needs to sort through which companies have the right technology," he said. There are around 95 companies involved in the small modular reactor space right now. "That's really got to be scaled down to five or 10," Ketchum said. Bank stocks can feel further pain if recent warning signs in the economy evolve into a recession, according to Bank of America. While a recession is not in the firm's base forecast, analyst Ebrahim Poonawala said conditions could look similar to 2000 and 2001 if one does come. He noted that re-rating stock multiples to levels seen during the Covid-19 pandemic would suggest that the average bank stock covered by Bank of America would see a 48% drop in a recessionary scenario. Poonawala pointed to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's comments that the economy was in a "detox period" and could "roll a bit" as President Donald Trump's administration slashes government spending. This idea, Poonawala said, "opens the door to a worsening macro" and could signal downside risk to Bank of America's earnings forecasts for financial institutions. "This is a significant change that we are still assessing vs a higher probability for positive EPS revisions we expected until a few weeks ago," Poonawala told clients. That adds to a growing body of evidence pointing to cooling within the economy. Recent economic releases have pointed to slowing growth in the labor market, soaring layoff figures and rising concerns tied to tariff policies. President Trump himself has said to expect an economic transition period in a Fox News interview. Economic fears weighed on bank stocks in Monday's session. Both the SPDR S & P Bank ETF (KBE) and SPDR S & P Regional Banking ETF (KRE) slid almost 4% in the session. KBE 1D mountain The KBE, 1-day More specifically, Poonawala said to expect a median downside of 11% to earnings per share in 2025 for the large- and mid-cap banks covered by Bank of America. Using the 2000-01 recession as a guide, he said to expect declines in commercial and industrial banking, as well as on credit cards, to drive this potential downturn. Poonawala said a recession is not in the firm's most-likely scenario and has not been discounted within these stocks. If this transition period instead gives way to an era of stronger economic growth, he would recommend boosting exposure to best-in-class banking franchises, Poonawala said. Within large caps, he pointed to JPMorgan , Wells Fargo , Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley , among others, as examples. For small caps, the analyst listed Cullen/Frost Bankers , First Horizon and East West Bancorp . Bitcoin fell on Monday as volatility in the price of the world's largest cryptocurrency continues following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump to create a strategic bitcoin reserve for the United States. Earlier Monday, bitcoin prices slipped up to 6.5% to trade around $80,650 before paring most losses. By 4:12 a.m., the coin was down 0.74% at $82,050, according to Coin Metrics. The reserve will be funded by coins that have been seized in criminal and civil forfeiture cases and there are no plans for the U.S. government to buy more bitcoin. After the strategic reserve announcement last Thursday, crypto prices declined as investors were disappointed it wasn't a more aggressive program. Other cryptocurrency prices also proved volatile on Monday. Both ether and XRP were trading in the green by 4:12 a.m. after earlier falling around 7.5%. Total outstanding consumer debt stood at $5 trillion as of January, according to the Federal Reserve's G.19 consumer credit report released on Friday. That is up slightly from a month earlier but down 0.6% compared to a year ago. Revolving debt, which mostly includes credit card balances, jumped 8.2% year over year, while nonrevolving debt, such as auto loans and student loans, rose 3%. "Some small cracks are starting to emerge," said Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst at Bankrate. Overall, "consumers are still spending, of course," Rossman said. However, "sentiment has been depressed and has taken another few steps down in recent weeks due to tariff worries," he added. More from Personal Finance: Americans are suffering from 'sticker shock' Canada, Mexico tariffs create 'ripple effects' on consumer prices As tariffs ramp up, this investment can protect against inflation The G.19 report shows "significant-but-not-crazy growth in revolving credit, and moderate growth in nonrevolving and overall credit," according to Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst at LendingTree. But economists say Trump's tariffs on imports from China, Mexico and Canada are bound to raise prices for consumers, which is fueling concern among households. One recent consumer survey found that 86% of Americans said trade tensions are likely to hit their wallets and another 22% have also started stockpiling certain items, regardless of whether they can afford it. In the last year, credit card debt rose to a record $1.21 trillion, with 34% of credit card borrowers saying they expect to take on more debt this year, according to a separate poll of 2,000 adults in February by CreditCards.com. HOUSTON Energy Secretary Chris Wright slammed the Biden administration's climate policies on Monday, vowing to support natural gas production. "The Trump administration will end the Biden administration's irrational, quasi-religious policies on climate change that imposed endless sacrifices on our citizens," Wright said at the CERAWeek by S&P Global energy conference. The energy secretary dismissed the previous administration's focus on climate as "myopic." Natural gas is responsible for 43% of U.S. electricity production. There "is simply no physical way that wind, solar and batteries could replace the myriad uses of natural gas," Wright said. The energy secretary rejected accusations that he is climate change denier. Wright has previously said there is no climate crisis and carbon dioxide emissions are not a pollutant. "The Trump administration will treat climate change for what it is a global physical phenomenon that is a side effect of building the modern world," Wright said. The energy secretary called Biden's policies "economically destructive to our businesses and politically polarizing." "The cure was far more destructive than the disease," he said. The Trump administration is pursuing a policy of more energy production and infrastructure to support the reindustrialization of the U.S., the energy secretary said. Trump, however, issued an executive order on his first day in office removing U.S. coastal waters from offshore wind development. Wright said offshore wind is too expensive when asked whether the administration is targeting wind at the same time it is calling for more energy. "It's incredibly high prices, incredibly huge investment and a large footprint on the local communities, so it's been very unpopular for people that live near offshore wind turbines," Wright said at a press conference Monday morning. The energy secretary said the Trump administration supports anything that adds to "affordable, reliable, secure energy." He indicated that the administration supports the rapidly growing role of solar and is in favor of moving forward on battery storage. "Wind has been singled out because it's had a singularly poor record of driving up prices," Wright said. There are lots of reasons to be excited about natural gas, according to the CEO of EQT Corp., the largest pure-play producer of the commodity in the U.S. "The market is screaming that we need more energy in this world," EQT president and CEO Toby Rice told CNBC's Brian Sullivan in an interview at the CERAWeek by S & P Global energy conference in Houston. Rice cited several factors that will support demand for natural gas, including the shift in electric power generation to natural gas from coal, increased use of LNG and the need for more power to fuel data centers that are running artificial intelligence applications. Rice's comments come as natural gas prices are trading at 52-week highs. @NG.1 YTD mountain Natural gas prices year to date. The trend is so pronounced that some tech investors have latched on to the idea of betting on EQT stock as a play on the long-term potential of AI, Rice said. EQT shares are up more than 26% over the past year. Notably, unlike the large tech stocks that have pulled back in recent weeks, EQT's stock is still positive year to date, with a gain of about 3%. "We welcome all investors who see the value of natural gas," Rice said. "Not just what the value of natural gas is today, but decades into the future." Watch the full video for more insight into what's driving natural gas demand, according to Rice. Bank of America increased its direct stake and its shareholding through instruments in Commerzbank from 6.98% to 10.16%, according to a post on the German bank's website published Monday. Commerzbank, Germany's second-largest money lender, has been subject to a "very aggressive" bid by Italian bank UniCredit, Germany's Finance Minister Jorg Kukies told CNBC in January. UniCredit currently holds a direct 9.5% stake and a 18.5% stake via derivatives in the German bank. Commerzbank has been advocating its case to stand alone since azUniCredit's surprise move, after market speculation that the Italian lender might be on the lookout for a cross-border takeover. Last month Commerzbank said it would cut 3,900 jobs by 2028 and announced a spate of new targets. The bank's shares were down 2.4% at 3.24 p.m. London time. As a longtime executive at Google, Jenny Wood had a chance to figure out what she doesn't like to see in job interviews. She prefers that candidates not ask about their work-life balance, for example, and she likes to see excitement for the role. Wood's shared some of her insights and advice in her forthcoming book, "Wild Courage," out March 25. As far as green flags before a job interview go, "people often make the mistake of thinking that their interview is the 30 minutes that they are in the meeting," she says. The interview starts as soon as the preliminary call with the recruiter takes places maybe even as soon as they look at your resume. Here's what Wood recommends doing to get noticed throughout the process. Write a one-pager outlining your plan for the role First, consider writing a one-page plan for your role before you go into the interview to share with your prospective employer. In it, include a few pillars of the business and how you'd contribute to them. Say you're interviewing for a company that sells packaged ice cream. You could have three pillars in your one-pager that say, "Revenue: increase chocolate ice cream revenue by 3% year over year. Operations: increase retailer satisfaction by 5% year over year. Team: lead one team bonding event in the first 90 days," says Wood. If you're a teacher, you could have pillars that highlight metrics goals like "increase statewide math scores by 13%," she says, community goals like participating in the PTO and extracurriculars like leading the robotics team. The point is to give a sense of how you could move your employer forward through the different responsibilities of your role. This could be made as a pdf of a PowerPoint slide or a Google slide however you choose to do it, you could link it to a note you send 24 hours in advance letting them know how excited you are about the opportunity. You could also "think of a way during the interview where you can gracefully bring this up and say, 'Oh, this actually reminds me of something I wrote in the business plan. Let me just pop that up on the screen for a minute,'" she says. Wood herself got multiple of her roles at Google using this strategy. Write a post about the company on LinkedIn Your prospective employer will absolutely check your LinkedIn within 24 hours of you coming in to remind themselves of your background. If you write a positive LinkedIn post about the company you're interviewing for within a few days of the interview, it should be the first one people see when they look at your profile. Say you're interviewing at Salesforce. Write a post that says, "hey, I just read this new article on Salesforce's new AI product," Wood says as an example, and elaborate on that. It doesn't need to be long, "keep it under seven sentences" and make sure it's not a single block of text that makes it seem like your future correspondences would be difficult to read, she says. That post "shows you're proactive. It shows you're informed. It shows you're eager," she says. Send a voice note on LinkedIn Companies including PepsiCo, Intel and Qualcomm are part of a new business alliance working on breakthroughs in what is known as the Ambient Internet of Things (IoT), a class of IoT devices that can ditch the need for a battery and primarily be powered by harvesting ambient energy. Ambient IoT will allow more battery-less things to be interconnected, using power from radio waves, light, motion, heat, or any other viable ambient energy source, according to the recently formed Ambient IoT Alliance. Ambient IoT "represents a breakthrough in overcoming the limitations of traditional battery-reliant devices and resource scarcity, setting the stage for a sustainable future for IoT technology at low costs," said Kamesh Medapalli, senior vice president and global head of systems at semiconductor manufacturer Infineon Technologies, which is Germany's largest semiconductor company and a founding member of the alliance. Ambient IoT is an evolution of legacy IoT and radio frequency identification (RFID) technologies that promises lower costs and high scalability through support by global telecommunications standards, including Bluetooth, 5G Advanced, and 802.11bp. Such devices can detect location, temperature, humidity, and more, and communicate with the wireless infrastructure. The breakthrough opens up the ability to leverage IoT devices with standard wireless radios that exist in smart appliances, mobile devices, and wireless access points. There's also the possibility of applying artificial intelligence to IoT data, which could give businesses new and deeper insights into assets such as factories, warehouses and supply chains. "For businesses, the formation of the Ambient IoT Alliance signifies that ambient IoT is gaining traction and is more likely to become a mainstream technology," said Dave McCarthy, research vice president at International Data Corp. McCarthy said that the participation of some of the market's largest consumer and chip companies should lead to increased availability of IoT offerings. "With major players involved, businesses can expect a wider range of ambient IoT products and services, making adoption more feasible," he said. "The alliance will facilitate collaboration between tech providers and end-users, potentially accelerating innovation." There will be 40 billion connected IoT devices by 2030, up from an estimated 1.18 billion in 2024, according to market research firm IoT Analytics. The alliance will set standards for ambient IoT manufacturers, suppliers, integrators, operators, users, and customers, based on next-generation, battery-free ambient IoT standards. Standardization across multiple wireless standards means devices from different manufacturers are more likely to work together seamlessly. "This is crucial for businesses looking to integrate ambient IoT into existing systems," McCarthy said. By promoting a global ecosystem, the alliance reduces the risk of ambient IoT becoming obsolete, offering businesses a stable platform for investment. "Ambient IoT's battery-free nature can help numerous use cases for businesses, particularly in areas where continuous, low-maintenance monitoring is valuable," McCarthy added. One example of this is retail inventory management. Ambient IoT tags can be attached to individual products to track their location and condition from warehouse to store shelf, which reduces shrinkage, improves stock accuracy, and enhances customer satisfaction by ensuring product availability. Another is pharmaceutical cold chain monitoring. In the pharmaceutical industry, ambient IoT sensors can monitor temperature-sensitive goods like vaccines and drugs during transportation and storage, McCarthy said. This ensures compliance with regulatory requirements and prevents spoilage, which is critical for maintaining product efficacy. A third area of focus is industrial equipment maintenance. "Manufacturing plants can deploy energy-harvesting sensors to monitor machine health, temperature, and vibration, predicting maintenance needs and reducing downtime," McCarthy said. Infineon has deployed IoT and advanced AI capabilities in manufacturing and production for use cases such as predictive maintenance. Sensors collect data on machine performance and predict potential failures before they occur, reducing downtime and maintenance costs. Another application is quality control through real-time monitoring of production lines to help maintain standards of product quality by promptly identifying defects and anomalies. Infineon also uses the technology for energy management, with IoT devices tracking and managing energy consumption. The company is also using IoT for supply chain management processes such as asset tracking. RFID and GPS technologies track the location and status of shipments in real time, ensuring timely deliveries and reducing the risk of loss or theft. It also helps with inventory management, with IoT sensors providing real-time data on inventory levels, helping to optimize stock levels and reduce carrying costs. "One of the most transformative innovations in this space is the elimination of the need for cables to power or recharge batteries in smart, portable devices," said an Infineon spokesperson. "Energy harvesting with ambient IoT is now possible, where power is generated through vibrations from equipment, machinery, and even entire buildings, or from temperature differences between pipes, radiators, valves, and their surrounding environments." More couples are saying "yes" to lab-grown diamonds. In 2024, 52% of couples surveyed said their engagement ring featured a lab-grown diamond, according to the 2025 Real Weddings Study by The Knot. The popularity of lab-grown diamonds increased by 6% from last year and by 40% since 2019, the bridal site found. In addition to data from prior reports, the Knot 2025 Real Weddings Study includes insights from nearly 17,000 couples in the U.S. who got married in 2024 and data from couples getting married in 2025. Many couples end up buying a lab-grown diamond ring because of the lower price tag, according to experts. On average, a proposer looking to buy a lab-grown engagement ring could expect to spend about $4,900 compared with $7,600 for a mined diamond ring, the Knot found. More from Personal Finance: Couples leverage 'something borrowed' to cut wedding costs Some couples are having micro weddings Why couples avoid talking about financial issues In general, lab-grown diamonds can sell for around one-tenth the price of a comparable natural diamond, according to Paul Zimnisky, a global diamond industry analyst and founder of Paul Zimnisky Diamond Analytics. In the first quarter of 2025, an unbranded, round, 1-carat lab-grown diamond costs about $845, according to Zimnisky's proprietary data and analysis. A similar natural diamond would cost about $3,895. Lab-grown diamonds possess the same chemical properties and hardness as naturally mined diamonds, and thus are subject to the same "four C's" cut, color, clarity and carat grading system as natural gems. The big question can you tell if a diamond was human-made or mined? Both stones are optically the same, meaning they will look the same to the naked eye, experts say. However, under the proper testing conditions, scientists and jewelers with the expertise can tell them apart, according to Ulrika F.S. D'Haenens-Johansson, a research scientist and senior manager of diamond research at the Gemological Institute of America. If you're in the market for an engagement ring this year, here are some key factors you should consider about lab-grown diamonds versus a natural diamond, according to experts. Leader of the far-right AUR party George Simion (L) looks on as far-right presidential candidate Calin Georgescu talks to the media after officially filing his candidacy for the Romanian presidential elections, outside the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) in Bucharest on March 7, 2025. Romania's central election authority on Sunday barred far-right pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu from running in May's presidential election re-run, a decision likely to deepen a constitutional crisis in the European Union and NATO member. The cancellation on December 6 of the presidential election due to allegations of Russian meddling in Georgescu's favor has thrust Romania to the heart of a dispute between the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump and European nations over how democratic values should be defined. In a detailed account published late on Sunday, the election authority said its decision was based on the Constitutional Court's move to cancel the election after Georgescu did not respect ballot regulations. "It is inadmissible when rerunning the election to consider that the same person meets the conditions needed to accede to the presidency," the argument said. Georgescu had been the surprise frontrunner in last year's ballot, and members of Trump's administration called its cancellation an example of European governments suppressing freedom of speech and political opponents. Sunday's decision, which tech billionaire and Trump adviser Elon Musk called "crazy" on his social media platform X, risks deepening a rift between transatlantic allies that has already been shaken by the White House's shift in policy towards Ukraine. While Musk and Vice President JD Vance have criticized the cancellation of the election, several European diplomats including German, French, Dutch and Spanish ambassadors have expressed support for the independence of Romanian courts. "A direct blow to the heart of democracy worldwide!", Georgescu wrote on X in English. "Europe is now a dictatorship, Romania is under tyranny!" Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading: Bank stocks Major banks came under pressure during Monday's session amid rising concerns about a potential slowdown in the U.S. economy. JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup fell roughly 4%. Goldman Sachs slid 5%, and Wells Fargo and Morgan Stanley dropped 6%. Bank of America shed nearly 4%. Robinhood Shares of the financial services platform plunged nearly 20% on the heels of Finra saying on Friday that it has ordered Robinhood to pay $3.75 million in restitution to customers. The self-regulatory organization also fined Robinhood Financial and Robinhood Securities $26 million, alleging a failure to "establish and implement reasonable anti-money laundering programs," among other issues. Crypto-related names Bitcoin slid 4% in midday trading as investors fled speculative corners of the market. Stocks tied to cryptocurrencies also fell, with crypto exchange Coinbase losing 18% and bitcoin proxy Strategy shedding 17%. Redfin The real estate company soared 68% after it announced that Rocket Companies will acquire the company in an all-stock deal valued at $1.75 billion . The deal is expected to close in the second or third quarter of 2025. Shares of Rocket Companies moved almost 15% lower following the announcement. Nvidia Shares of the chipmaker dropped 5%, extending the megacap stock's recent rout. After shares plunged more than 9% last week, Nvidia is down more than 20% in 2025. Chip plays The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) slid close to 5% as investors sold out of last year's high-flying chip names. Broadcom slipped 5 and ASML lost 7%. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing tumbled 4%. Tesla Elon Musk's electric vehicle company saw shares dropping 15% to below $240 apiece, giving up its postelection gain. The EV maker has slid for seven straight weeks after Musk joined the Trump administration, its longest losing streak in its 15 years as a public company. The stock closed at $251.44 on Nov. 5, Election Day. Novo Nordisk Shares slipped more than 9% after trial results for the Danish pharmaceutical company's weight loss drug CagriSema showed the treatment resulted in a smaller impact for patients compared to previous tests. Palantir Technologies The stock pulled back 10%, extending its underperformance in recent weeks. Over the past month, shares have fallen more than 32%. Cracker Barrel Shares of the restaurant brand popped close to 4% after Truist Securities upgraded the company to buy. The firm said the restaurant chain's recent results have led to increased confidence in Cracker Barrel's turnaround efforts that do not appear reflected in its valuation. Oracle Shares of cloud computing company fell 4% as trades linked to artificial intelligence came under pressure Monday. Oracle, which is set to report earnings after the closing bell, has now seen its stock fall more than 10% this year. Cognizant Technology The IT stock gained 1% after The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that activist investor Mantle Ridge has built a stake of more than $1 billion in the company and thinks its shares are undervalued. CNBC's Alex Harring, Brian Evans, Jesse Pound, Yun Li, Pia Singh, Michelle Fox and Darla Mercado contributed reporting. Correction: An earlier version misstated the amount of restitution Robinhood Financial was ordered to pay to customers. The firm was ordered to pay $3.75 million to customers, and Finra fined Robinhood Financial and Robinhood Securities $26 million for alleged violations. Check out the companies making headlines in premarket trading: Bank stocks Shares of major banks were under pressure Monday as worries over a possible U.S. economic slowdown weighed on them. JPMorgan Chase dropped more than 1% along with Citigroup , Wells Fargo , Bank of America , Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs . DoorDash , Coinbase DoorDash added 3% on news that the food delivery company will join the S & P 500 effective March 24. Coinbase, meanwhile, shed 5% after being snubbed for inclusion in the index. Samsara The software stock added 1.6% following an upgrade to overweight from Piper Sandler . Analyst James Fish forecast that recent selling pressure on the stock is largely overdone. Redfin The real estate brokerage skyrocketed more than 75% in the premarket after announcing plans to be acquired by Rocket Companies in a $1.75 billion all-stock deal. The deal is expected to close in the second or third quarter of this year. Nvidia Shares of the chipmaker pulled back 2% before the bell. That adds to recent woes for the megacap tech stock, with shares down more than 9% just last week and around 16% this year. Cracker Barrel The restaurant brand ticked up 1.2% after Truist upgraded Cracker Barrel to buy, with the firm citing the company's turnaround plans yielding results over the last two quarters. Tesla The electric vehicle company slipped 2%, continuing its recent slide. Tesla is now on the cusp of erasing its postelection gains. Oracle Shares of the database software company fell nearly 2% ahead of its earnings results due out after the bell on Monday. The stock has shed nearly 7% this year and more than 13% over the past month. Novo Nordisk The Danish pharmaceutical company slipped more than 6% after trial results for its weight loss drug CagriSema showed the treatment yielded a smaller impact for patients than previous tests. Palantir Technologies The stock dropped 4%, adding to its recent struggles as the broader market sells off. Over the past month, Palantir shares have tumbled more than 27%. CNBC's Alex Harring, Sean Conlon and Michelle Fox contributed reporting. Automakers Volkswagen and Stellantis have confirmed that their vehicles made in North America will be exempt from U.S. President Donald Trump's newly rolled out 25% tariffs, while BMW says it will face levies, as European car manufacturers grapple with new trade rules. The newly returned White House leader has long been threatening to slap tariffs on major U.S. trading partners, including Canada, Mexico and the EU. Last week, new duties on goods from Mexico, Canada and China came into effect. The threat of import tariffs has raised alarm bells in Europe, as vehicles and machinery are the European Union's biggest exports to the United States. In 2023, the EU had a 102 billion euro ($110.6 billion) trade surplus in machinery and vehicles with the U.S., with the category accounting for 41% of its exports to America. However, some of the region's automaking giants may be able to at least temporarily skirt around the new duties. Last week, the White House granted a one-month tariff delay to automakers whose vehicles comply with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA a trade deal between the three countries. Under its terms, if at least 75% of a vehicle's parts originate from North America, it can be exempted from new tariffs imposed on imports from Canada and Mexico. "Our North American assembled VW-brand vehicles meet the USMCA rules of origin and are exempted from the 25% tariffs," a Volkswagen spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "As a global automotive manufacturer, we are monitoring developments in North America very closely and assessing any potential effects on the automotive industry and our company as a result of the tariffs announced for the USA, Canada, Mexico and the European Union." Aside from its flagship brand, Volkswagen owns various major vehicle brands including Skoda, Audi and Bentley. "We stand ready to work with policymakers to find solutions that support the U.S. industry while preserving economic opportunities for workers, businesses and consumers alike," the auto giant told CNBC. Meanwhile, Stellantis known for its Jeep and Dodge vehicles thanked Trump for granting the USMCA exemption in a statement on Friday and pledged to grow its U.S. operations. The carmaker was one of the major companies given a one-month exemption from the levies, ahead of so-called reciprocal tariffs coming into effect on April 2. "We share the President's objective to build more American cars and create lasting American jobs," the firm said at the time. "We look forward to working with him and his team." Shares of Stellantis, which has multiple plants in Mexico, popped after Trump announced the exemptions for carmakers last week. The stock was up more than 2% on Monday afternoon in London. United Automobile Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain speaks on the first day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on August 19, 2024. "Tariffs are an attempt to stop the bleeding from the hemorrhaging of jobs in America for the last 33 years," Fain said Sunday on ABC News' "This Week," referring to the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1992. "Tariffs aren't the end solution, but they are a huge factor in creating, fixing the problem." UAW President Shawn Fain, who was boisterous about his disdain for Trump during the president's campaign, is openly voicing approval of the tariffs, which include 25% levies on automobiles and supporting parts. DETROIT The head of the United Auto Workers has become an unexpected ally for President Donald Trump 's plans for North American tariffs. Tariffs for auto companies that currently meet standards under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, are paused until April 2, following Trump speaking with leaders from General Motors , Ford Motor and Stellantis . The April 2 delay, which occurred a day after implementation of broader 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico, aligns with other Trump-initiated automotive tariffs for vehicles and parts being imported from outside of North America. Fain on Sunday said he had not spoken directly to Trump, but "has been working with his team." Fain's comments follow the union releasing a statement supporting the tariffs earlier in the week, saying it's up to companies to handle any additional costs that may occur. The union, which had endorsed then-Vice President Kamala Harris, said it's in "active negotiations with the Trump administration about their plans to end the free trade disaster." "We are glad to see an American president take aggressive action on ending the free trade disaster that has dropped like a bomb on the working class," the union said Tuesday. "There's been a lot of talk of these tariffs 'disrupting' the economy. But if corporate America chooses to price-gouge the American consumer or attack the American worker because they don't want to pay their fair share, corporate America bears the blame for that decision." Fain is one of the only high-profile supporters of Trump's tariffs among automotive leaders. Auto executives as well as trade associations supporting automakers have described the tariffs as adding unnecessary chaos and additional costs to the industry. "President Trump has talked a lot about making our U.S. auto industry stronger, bringing more production here, more innovation in the U.S., and if his administration can achieve that, it would be one of the most signature accomplishments," Ford CEO Jim Farley said last month. "So far what we're seeing is a lot of cost, and a lot of chaos." Fain has previously condemned the North American Free Trade Agreement which has been superseded by Trump's USMCA trade deal since 2020 saying such trade agreements have caused the country to lose jobs and manufacturing. Fain and Trump have been at odds and publicly trading remarks since the union leader was elected in 2023. Trump called for Fain to be fired during a speech last year at the Republican National Convention. Fain has regularly called Trump a "scab" and billionaire who doesn't care about American workers, but his comments Sunday on Trump show his stance may have softened. "The election is over. Donald Trump is the president, and we want to get to work to fix the problems that are wrong with this country, with our economy," Fain said. "And the American people expect that. They expect leaders to stand up and lead. They don't expect us to sit back." The UAW remains under a federal monitorship following a yearslong investigation into the union involving embezzlement, bribery and other charges ahead of Fain's election. That probe resulted in several convictions of union leaders and Fiat Chrysler executives, including two past union presidents. Federal monitor Neil Barofsky last year disclosed an investigation into Fain as well as other union leaders, accusing them of obstructing the probe and interfering with access to information. In January, the monitor's office said it would provide further updates on its investigative activities in a subsequent report. HOUSTON The U.S. could reach an agreement with Canada that avoids tariffs on imports of oil, gas and other energy resources, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Monday. Wright said such a scenario is "certainly is possible" but "it's too early to say" in response to a question from CNBC during a press conference at the CERAWeek by S&P Global. The U.S. is in "active dialogue" with Canada and Mexico, the energy secretary said. President Donald Trump has paused until April 2 tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports that are compliant with the agreement which governs trade in North America. Trump originally imposed broad 25% tariffs on goods from both countries as well as lesser 10% tariffs on energy imports from Canada. It's unclear, however, how much of the oil, gas and other energy that the U.S. imports from Canada is compliant with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Wright declined to provide specifics when CNBC asked how much of those imports are USMCA compliant. "I'm going to avoid the details for now," Wright said. The energy secretary said, "We can get to no tariffs or very low tariffs but it's got to be reciprocal" in an interview with CNBC's Brian Sullivan. Canada's energy minister, Jonathan Wilkinson, warned last week that energy prices will rise in the U.S. if the tariffs on energy imports go into full effect. "We will see higher gasoline prices as a function of energy, higher electricity prices from hydroelectricity from Canada, higher home heating prices associated with natural gas that comes from Canada and higher automobile prices," Wilkinson told CNBC's Megan Cassella in an interview. The U.S. has been the largest producer of crude oil and natural gas in the world for years. But many refiners in the U.S. are dependent on heavy crude imported from Canada. The U.S. imported 6.6 million barrels of crude oil per day on average in December, more than 60% of which came from Canada, according to the Energy Information Administration. Wright acknowledged that the tariffs are creating uncertainty in energy markets as negotiations continue. "We're in the middle of negotiations for where things are going to go with tariffs, so that feels frightening and gripping right now but this time will pass," Wright said. "Deals will be made, we'll get certainty and we'll have a positive economic environment for Americans going forward." U.S. crude oil fell more than 1% Monday to close at $66.03 per barrel, while global benchmark Brent closed at $69.28 per barrel. Crude oil futures have pulled back substantially as Trump's trade policy creates uncertainty and OPEC+ has confirmed that it plans to gradually bring back 2.2 million barrels per day of production beginning next month. Artificial intelligence darling Nvidia has become less expensive recently and investors are taking note. "Nvidia's forward PE is now 41% lower than it was on the day ChatGPT was launched on Nov. 30th, 2022," Ben Reitzes, head of technology research at Melius Research, wrote in a Monday note to clients. "Of course, in FY25 its net income was up 788% vs. FY23 (ended 1/23) and revenues are up 384% since then too. Just doesn't feel right, does it?" Over the past three years, Nvidia shares have surged about 370%, bolstered by a boom in AI infrastructure spending. The stock's forward price-to-earnings ratio currently sits at roughly 24, lower than its forward P/E of nearly 40 on March 10, 2022, according to FactSet. Over the past month, however, the stock has fallen around 20%. NVDA 1M mountain NVDA, 1-month That move lower in recent weeks comes after Nvidia plummeted about 17% in late January after Chinese startup DeepSeek raised investor concerns around AI spending and U.S. dominance in the space. Reitzes pointed out that a similar trajectory occurred with megacap technology name Apple , noting that its forward multiple went from 33 times back in 2007 when it announced the iPhone, and then dwindled to 15 times by the end of 2008. "The mobile trend didn't end then and Apple now trades at 31x earnings on much larger numbers (benefiting from its durable installed base and huge services business)," he wrote. "If Nvidia duplicates its own version of this industry stewardship, we could look back at this period of uncertainty and have a good chuckle." Others such as Adam Parker of Trivariate Research hold a similar view. He said Nvidia's valuation has gotten "more compelling" even with the chip giant's sales appearing more certain. "NVDA is high beta, and that is one of the reasons we grew cautious on the Mag 7 a month ago. But, the stock is down almost 25% from earlier this year and is trading at relatively low multiples vs. its own history on price-to-forward earnings (now 24x) and on enterprise value-to-forecasted sales," the chief executive wrote in a Sunday note. "At the same time, the sales outlook for calendar year 2025 now looks more achievable than investors feared a few weeks ago." Similarly, Morgan Stanley analyst Joseph Moore reiterated Nvidia as his top pick this week, citing AI investment as a catalyst for more growth ahead in the semis space. The company has an overweight rating on the stock. "Overall commentary across our AI/compute names was very reassuring," Moore wrote in a Sunday note. "In the wake of potential export controls and innovation from DeepSeek, the companies continue to see significant AI investment from hyperscalers." They join most analysts on Wall Street who are bullish on Nvidia. Out of the 63 analysts in total covering the chipmaker, 57 have a strong buy or buy rating, per LSEG. Additionally, Nvidia's consensus price target of roughly $172 implies more than 60% upside from current levels. [The stream is slated to start at 2:20 p.m. ET. Please refresh the page if you do not see a player above at that time.] BlackRock CEO Larry Fink is scheduled to speak Monday at S&P Global's CERAWeek energy conference in Houston, Texas. BlackRock agreed earlier this month to purchase a 90% stake in the Panama Ports Company, which operates the ports of Balboa and Cristobal in the Central American nation. BlackRock is buying the majority stake from Hong Kong's CK Hutchinson for $22.8 billion. The BlackRock deal comes as President Donald Trump has threatened to take control of the Panama Canal. Trump has called CK Hutchinson's controlling stake in the ports a national security threat. The president praised the deal during his March 4 address to a joint session of Congress. "My administration will be reclaiming the Panama Canal, and we've already started doing it," Trump said. "Just today, a large American company announced they are buying both ports around the Panama Canal." Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. FILE PHOTO: Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, leaves the U.S. Capitol after a meeting with Republican members of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee on the issue of debanking on Thursday, February 13, 2025. Tom Williams | Cq-roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images For years, American financial companies have fought the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau the chief U.S. consumer finance watchdog in the courts and media, portraying the agency as illegitimate and as unfairly targeting industry players. Now, with the CFPB on life support after the Trump administration issued a stop-work order and shuttered its headquarters, the agency finds itself with an unlikely ally: the same banks that reliably complained about its rules and enforcement actions under former Director Rohit Chopra. That's because if the Trump administration succeeds in reducing the CFPB to a shell of its former self, banks would find themselves competing directly with nonbank financial players, from big tech and fintech firms to mortgage, auto and payday lenders, that enjoy far less federal scrutiny than Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.-backed institutions. "The CFPB is the only federal agency that supervises non-depository institutions, so that would go away," said David Silberman, a veteran banking attorney who lectures at Yale Law School. "Payment apps like PayPal , Stripe, Cash App , those sorts of things, they would get close to a free ride at the federal level." The shift could wind the clock back to a pre-2008 environment, where it was largely left to state officials to prevent consumers from being ripped off by nonbank providers. The CFPB was created in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis that was caused by irresponsible lending. But since then, digital players have made significant inroads by offering banking services via mobile phone apps. Fintechs led by PayPal and Chime had roughly as many new accounts last year as all large and regional banks combined, according to data from Cornerstone Advisors. "If you're the big banks, you certainly don't want a world in which the nonbanks have much greater degrees of freedom and much less regulatory oversight than the banks do," Silberman said. Keep the exams The CFPB and its employees are in limbo after acting Director Russell Vought took over last month, issuing a flurry of directives to the agency's then 1,700 staffers. Working with operatives from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, Vought quickly laid off about 200 workers, reportedly took steps to end the agency's building lease and canceled reams of contracts required for legally mandated duties. In internal emails released Friday, CFPB Chief Operating Officer Adam Martinez detailed plans to remove roughly 800 supervision and enforcement workers. Senior executives at the CFPB shared plans for more layoffs that would leave the agency with just five employees, CNBC has reported. That would kneecap the agency's ability to carry out its supervision and enforcement duties. That appears to go beyond what even the Consumer Bankers Association, a frequent CFPB critic, would want. The CBA, which represents the country's biggest retail banks, has sued the CFPB in the past year to scuttle rules limiting overdraft and credit card late fees. More recently, it noted the CFPB's role in keeping a level playing field among market participants. "We believe that new leadership understands the need for examinations for large banks to continue, given the intersections with prudential regulatory examinations," said Lindsey Johnson, president of the CBA, in a statement provided to CNBC. "Importantly, the CFPB is the sole examiner of non-bank financial institutions." Vought's plans to hobble the agency were halted by a federal judge, who is now considering the merits of a lawsuit brought by a CFPB union asking for a preliminary injunction. In this article ETL-FR Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT A satellite dish in a ground network of satellites at Eutelsat's Madeira office. Photographer: /Bloomberg via Getty Images Zed Jameson | Bloomberg via Getty Images Shares of French satellite operator Eutelsat skyrocketed almost 390% last week and a potential change of tack in European defense has been helping the rally. The firm's stock price saw wildly volatile moves last week, up by as much as 77% on Tuesday and by another 120% on Wednesday. From its closing price on Feb. 28 to last Friday's close, shares have risen an eyewatering 387%. Eutelsat's shares continued to climb on Monday, jumping more than 22% as of 1:00 p.m. local time in Paris. What's behind Eutelsat's huge share price gains? CNBC runs through all you need to know. What is Eutelsat? Eutelsat is a French company that produces satellites for data connectivity. The business sends its satellites to space using rockets from the likes of Elon Musk's SpaceX, deploying them into both low earth orbit (LEO) and into geostationary orbit (GEO). watch now Following a deal to combine its operations with British satellite firm OneWeb in 2023, Eutelsat became the world's third largest satellite operator in terms of revenues. It competes with Musk's Starlink satellite internet venture, a subsidiary of SpaceX. Why are shares skyrocketing? Last week, reports surfaced suggesting that Eutelsat was in the running to potentially replace Musk's Starlink in the embattled Ukraine. For years, Starlink has offered Ukraine's military satellite its internet services to assist with the war effort amid Russia's ongoing invasion. However, relations between the U.S. and Ukraine have soured recently following the election of President Donald Trump. Musk serves as head of the newly instated Department of Government Efficiency, an advisory body assisting the administration. Last week, Trump paused all military aid to Ukraine following a clash with the country's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The confrontation happened after Trump shifted U.S. policy on Ukraine and Russia by reopening talks with Moscow. In February, reports said that U.S. negotiators had raised the possibility of cutting Ukraine's access to Starlink if the two countries aren't able to successfully negotiate a deal for the U.S. to secure access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals. watch now On March 4, Eutelsat said that it was in talks with the European Union to supply additional internet access to Ukraine. The French company's shares had already begun surging the day prior, on the back of speculation that Eutelsat could serve as a replacement for Starlink in Ukraine if negotiations with the U.S. fracture further. Will Eutelsat replace Starlink? For now, it's not entirely clear. The company is discussing an expansion of its services in Ukraine with the EU. "Everyone is asking us today, 'Can you replace the large number of terminals of Starlink in Ukraine,' and we are looking at that," Eutelsat CEO Eva Berneke told Bloomberg in an interview last week. Eutselsat arguably has the scale to offer additional support for Ukraine in terms of satellite-based connectivity. The firm says it currently has a fleet of 35 GEO satellites, in addition to an LEO constellation of more than 600 satellites. Over the weekend, Musk and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had a spat with Poland's foreign minister on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, which Musk owns. The tech billionaire said that Ukraine's "entire front line" would collapse if he were to switch off Starlink. In response, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said his country pays Starlink for services to Ukraine, which Warsaw has supported in its battle against Moscow's invasion since 2022. Sikorski added Poland may have to seek alternative suppliers if Starlink proves to be an "unreliable provider." Rubio disputed Sikorski's claims, saying "no one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink" and urging gratitude while Musk dubbed the Polish politician a "small man." On Monday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk defended his foreign minister, saying Sikorski "calmly" explained the "Polish raison d'etat to officials from another country." More names on Wall Street are souring on Tesla as the electric vehicle maker's losses continue to pile. UBS and Redburn Atlantic reiterated their sell ratings on Tesla ahead of the company's April delivery report and first-quarter results, citing sluggish Model Y delivery forecasts and a lack of near-term growth catalysts. UBS slashed its price target by $24 to $225, which suggests 14% potential downside ahead for Tesla, while Redburn's significantly more bearish $160 price target suggests the stock can fall more than 39%. "We foresee another year of stalled volumes without an imminent new vehicle launch," Redburn analyst Adrian Yanoshik wrote. "Sluggish registration data to-date may flag a lingering demand challenge. Meanwhile, we expect cash flows to strain under higher inventories into refreshed Model Y deliveries, which began in March. Possible U.S. tariffs on imports from Mexico adds a cost overhang." Tesla shares declined nearly 9% on Monday, bringing its year-to-date plunge to more than 40%. If trends don't reverse, the stock could head for an eighth consecutive week of declines after giving up its postelection gains , its longest losing streak in 15 years as a publicly traded company. Several firms last week, including Bank of America, Baird and Goldman Sachs, also lowered their price targets on Tesla. TSLA 1Y mountain Tesla stock. Tesla is facing stiff competition from autonomous carmakers in China, concerns over falling vehicle sales in the U.S. and in Europe, as well as protests over Musk's political activity. It has added doubt on the Tesla bull case, which has long relied on the vision of being a company that is more than just an automaker. Visions of artificial intelligence-powered robotaxis and humanoid robots are still a far off reality, analysts have said, however. "While the long-term story at TSLA has shifted to AI (robo-taxis and humanoid robots) and progress there continues, we believe these are longer dated opportunities that the premium multiple already (more than) considers," UBS analyst Joseph Spak said, adding that the stock is currently trading at a valuation that is "too high." Spak lowered his 2025 delivery forecast to incorporate softer demand for Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y in key markets. He expects some auto gross margin recovery in the second quarter, but says pricing pressures on older Model Ys could still weigh on Tesla's results. Plans of the company's "lower-cost" vehicle would likely be a lower margin venture, he added. Of the 54 analyst ratings on Tesla, three rate the stock a sell, nine give it an underperform and 16 have hold ratings, according to LSEG. Twenty-six maintain either a buy or a strong buy rating. Shares of state-run Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) Ltd. will be in focus on Monday, March 10, after the company informed the exchanges about a letter received from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).IREDA, in its exchange filing, stated that the RBI has not acceded to the company's request of making an equity investment to develop and implement a 900 MW Upper Karnali Hydro Electric Power Project in Nepal.The Upper Karnali Hydro Electric Power Project is a joint venture between IREDA, GMR Energy, GMR Power & Urban Infra, GMR Lion Energy, NEPAL Electricity Authority, and another state-run company SJVN Ltd. The JV agreement was signed earlier this year.IREDA's equity investment in the venture was supposed to be around 174.22 crore for a 5% stake and it was supposed to be entitled to nominate one director on the board of the JV company.The company had already received approval from the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) for the said investment in January this year.IREDA's board had accorded in-principal approval for this investment in July last year. The company said that it will again make its case for the investment before the central bank.Shares of IREDA ended 0.3% lower on Friday at 149.4. The stock has declined more than 50% from its peak of 310 last year and has also recently entered the Futures & Options (F&O) space. 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. 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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 When Ukrainian civilians were being blown apart by intensified Russian bombardment at the weekend, after Washington had blinded Kyiv by cutting off its access to US signals intelligence, a satisfied-looking President Donald Trump said Moscow was doing what anyone else would do. He then emphasised his closeness to the man behind the slaughtering: Ive always had a good relationship with Putin I think hes going to be more generous than he has to be. This latest, callous, expression of Trumps partiality for the aggressor over the victim has caused renewed lurid speculation about the origins of his policies, which overturn more than 75 years of Western collective security. In particular, it is being said once more that Trump is the Kremlins agent, and that this derives from an incident in Moscow in the 1990s when he was secretly filmed in depraved activities with prostitutes. Kompromat, they call it. However, not only did the original propagator of this story an ex-MI6 officer named Christopher Steele fail to provide a shred of evidence for it, let alone the film itself, there are two other straightforward reasons for rejecting the claim that Trump is a Russian intelligence asset. First, the whole point about a secret agent is that he is not obvious about his allegiance: at all times, he must seek to disguise it. Yet President Trump is completely open about his affection for the Kremlins spymaster-in-chief, and spectacularly so during that grotesque baiting of Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, when he yelled: Let me tell you, Putin went through a hell of a lot with me. He went through a phoney witch-hunt where they used him and Russia, Russia, Russia. Second, kompromat, or blackmail, in plain English, only works by exploiting the targets fear of shame and Trump is a man incapable of shame. Trump divides the world into winners and losers - Putin, in his view, is an epic winner, writes DOMINIC LAWSON This attribute is his greatest asset. It enables him to lie effortlessly (one might say that lying is his first language), and to declare today the opposite of what he said yesterday. No, the truth is far less murky, but speaks much worse of Trump than if he were a victim of blackmail: he just thinks Vladimir Putin, the mass murderer, is altogether admirable. Trump divides the world into winners and losers. Putin, in his view, is an epic winner. And the fact that the Russian president uses the most brutal of methods to win, is a further reason for Donald Trumps infatuation: it means he is a strong guy. This is also the basis of his admiration for Chinas Communist President Xi Jinping. As Trump simpered during the 2024 election campaign: Hes a brilliant guy. He controls 1.4billion people with an iron fist. But there is something else that makes Trump seek to be best chums with Putin. The occupant of the Kremlin is the richest man in Russia maybe in the whole world. And Trump the businessman craves the company of the mega-billionaires (a status he has always aspired to). You could see that in the way the richest men in the US not just Elon Musk, but also Mark Zuckerberg of Meta and Jeff Bezos of Amazon were given pride of place at Trumps inauguration in the Capitol. It was Sir William Browder who first identified Putin as the richest man in Russia. Browder had himself been the biggest individual Western investor in post-communist Russia, until Putins goons targeted his company. Browder claims that after Putin jailed and expropriated the wealth of the previously richest Russian (Mikhail Khodorkovsky), the other, alarmed, oligarchs were given an offer they couldnt refuse: The deal was, you give me 50 per cent of your wealth and Ill let you keep the other 50 per cent. If you dont, hell take 100 per cent of your wealth and throw you in jail. During his baiting of Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, Trump said: 'Let me tell you, Putin went through a hell of a lot with me. He went through a phoney witch-hunt where they used him and Russia, Russia, Russia' One reason the Kremlin poisoner repeatedly commissioned the elimination of Alexei Navalny (he got him in the end) was that the former Russian opposition leader had concentrated on exposing Putins colossal wealth, notably with his 2021 film Putins Palace: The Story Of The Worlds Biggest Bribe. Incidentally, the man conventionally measured as the richest in the world, Elon Musk, defers to President Putin in this matter. In a 2022 interview, Musk said: I do think that Putin is significantly richer than me. The most revealing account of Trumps own admiration for Putins extreme wealth extraction (at the expense, obviously, of millions of Russian losers), came from the US Presidents former personal attorney, Michael Cohen. Admittedly, Cohen was convicted of violating campaign laws on Trumps behalf (buying the silence of a porn star called Stormy Daniels), but his account is still compelling. Cohen wrote that Trump identified Putin as the richest man in the world by a multiple. Further: that above all, what Trump admired was how Putin had the ability to take over an entire nation and run it like it was his personal company like the Trump Organisation, in fact. His former bosss conception of treating the United States of America as if it were a branch of the Trump Organisation was made laughably manifest at the weekend, when Trump, speaking from the Oval Office, told the media: Our country, from an economic standpoint, from a financial standpoint, from a trade standpoint, has been absolutely ripped off by almost every country in the world. Except the US President began the tirade with the words Our company and had to correct himself, having remembered that America is actually a country, rather than a subsidiary of the Trump Organisation. The thing about US companies is that the person at the top gets financial rewards vastly greater than applies to their equivalents in other nations. So no surprise, then, that (according to the US magazine Wired) those businessmen who would like to have a solo dinner with the President at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida are now being given the opportunity for a personal fee of up to $5million. And no surprise that Donald Trumps initial deal to take a 50 per cent stake in Ukraines rare earth minerals was drafted not by government lawyers in Washington but by those working for private law firms in New York, home of the Trump Organisation. Trump is looking beyond his Presidency (not surprisingly, as the US Constitution prevents him running again when his second term ends in 2028). And he has for decades sought to establish his company in Russia even to the bizarre extent, in 2007, of marketing Trump Super Premium Vodka in Moscow. A year later, his son Donald Jr said that: Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets. And in 2015 a year after Putin seized Crimea from Ukraine Trump boasted of his attempts to launch businesses in Russia, saying that he had contacts with the top-level people, both oligarchs and generals, and top of the government people I will tell you that I met the top people and the relationship was extraordinary. President Trumps relationship with the very top person in Russia is, indeed, extraordinary. And it is abysmally obvious that the Commander in Chief of the US Army and Navy as the President is hopes to monetise, for his own colossal gain, his special relationship with Vladimir Putin. Britain is a safe haven. We are the cradle of modern democracy, the bastion of equal justice and a secure home for people of all religions. But successive governments have jeopardised all of our cultures proudest achievements, and especially our great tradition of tolerance, through a border policy that amounts to an open door for illegal, undocumented migrants. For decades, I have been among the many voices warning of the sheer lunacy of such an approach. Yet nothing has been done. By allowing people to arrive here in their thousands every week, smuggled across the Channel in lorryloads or escorted in dinghies by Border Patrol boats, we risk destroying our cherished values and more urgent still, we endanger all sorts of people who owe their lives to British freedoms. We are importing naked hatred: hatred of Jews, of Christians, of gay people, of countless ethnic, religious and sexual minorities. The front page of yesterdays Mail On Sunday revealed the shocking case of a Palestinian man infamous for his murderous rants on social media who arrived illegally in the UK last week. It is believed Musab Abd al-Kareem al-Qassas, known as Abu Wadee, was rescued in the Channel from an overloaded inflatable boat, by the Border Force vessel BF Hurricane on Thursday. Wadee uses social media intensively, venting his spleen on TikTok to his 2.5million followers as he calls for the mass murder of Jews. It is believed Musab Abd al-Kareem al-Qassas, known as Abu Wadee, was rescued in the Channel by the UK Border Force last Thursday By allowing people to arrive here in their thousands every week, smuggled across the Channel in lorryloads or escorted in dinghies by Border Patrol boats, we risk destroying our cherished values (file photo) Opening the doors to those who hate us is not the mark of a tolerant society. It is suicidal (file photo) In one video last autumn, he prayed for their deaths: Allah, kill them one by one... destroy them completely... make the earth fall from under their feet. He should have been arrested the instant Border Force officials laid hands on him. Yet the Home Office refuses to confirm whether this has happened and Kent police say they have no record of his arrest. It appears Wadee, a man with a record of violence against Israeli troops on the Gaza border, is at large in Britain. Given his stated intentions, he could even be planning an attack. This single instance has shone a spotlight on the dire failings of our border security services. It is proof, if any were needed, that violent criminals and potential terrorists may be among the thousands of illegal immigrants arriving on our shores. Most of them will not be as vain and stupid as he is. They will not advertise their intentions to MI5 on social media. On the contrary, they will hide them until the last moment as the 32-year-old Emad Al-Swealmeen, an illegal immigrant from Iraq, did in 2021 when he attempted to bomb Liverpool Womens Hospital, but was thwarted by a quick-thinking taxi driver. It should go without saying that not all illegal immigrants are potential terrorists. But since police and border officials have no means of keeping tabs on them up to 1.2 million now living in the UK, according to Oxford Universitys Migration Observatory its impossible to know how many mean us harm, or where they are now. Opening the doors to those who hate us is not the mark of a tolerant society, It is suicidal. If we carry on like this, the kind, decent, protective Britain of today will not exist tomorrow. The Mail reveals today that the Royal Air Force is so short of trained pilots that it is scrambling to recruit many more. Top brass are desperate to find new candidates because Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to put jets in the sky for any peacekeeping mission over Ukraine. Air chiefs are pleading with personnel serving in other roles, and who were previously rejected as pilots, to reapply. What makes this crisis all the more damaging is that the RAF brought it on itself, having fallen under the pernicious ideological spell of diversity. Young white men who dreamed of becoming Top Gun pilots were deliberately sidelined to allow for the promotion of females and those from ethnic minorities. Illegal under the Equality Act, this was a shockingly stupid and short-sighted decision. It has undermined crew numbers, operational effectiveness and morale. Of course, its right to try to recruit talent from different demographics. But when it comes to hiring fighter pilots in whose hands we place the defence of the realm ability and aptitude must trump all else. The fundamental aim of the RAF is to be better than those they come up against. Its unlikely the Russian air force chooses its pilots on the basis of quotas. The Mail reveals today that the Royal Air Force is so short of trained pilots that it is scrambling to recruit many more. Pictured: File photo Air chiefs are pleading with personnel serving in other roles, and who were previously rejected as pilots, to reapply. Pictured: File photo Top brass are desperate to find new candidates because Sir Keir Starmer (pictured) has pledged to put 'jets in the sky' for any peacekeeping mission over Ukraine. Pictured: Sir Keir speaking to soldiers at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, in December Our military should focus all their efforts on hitting enemy targets not spurious ones on diversity. Put the public first For years, liberals have clung to the orthodoxy that Channel-crossing migrants are all desperate innocents escaping war and persecution. Anyone who challenged this assumption, pointing out that those who paid gangs for places in small boats were overwhelmingly young men about whom we know nothing, was instantly branded a callous racist. The case of Palestinian Abu Wadee exposes the do-gooders dangerous naivety. Plucked from a dinghy and brought here by the Border Force, he is not some harmless refugee fleeing the horrors of Gaza. His social media posts reveal him to be a hateful militant with links to a terror group, who has called for the slaughter of all Jews. How on earth has this man, whose extremist sympathies are so at odds with our own, been allowed to enter the country? And how many others of military age who wish us harm is the Home Office blithely letting into Britain via small boats? Even if Wadees asylum claim is dismissed, he is unlikely to be deported in case it infringes his human rights. However much they are abused, Sir Keir, a human rights lawyer himself, will not tighten up the laws. Once again, criminals and terrorists come first, the public's safety a distant second. Speaker splashes out After the thin-skinned Michael Martin and the bullying, egomaniacal John Bercow, the Commons urgently needed a Speaker who put duty above personal vanity. Sir Lindsay Hoyle appeared to fit the bill. But like his predecessors, he seems to have been seduced by the trappings of office. Four-figure car hire bills, five-star hotels, six-digit expenses claims the paper trail detailing his lavish use of public money on overseas jaunts is long and damning. He even billed the taxpayer for a 500 suitcase. Even if no rules have been broken, such extravagance will anger ordinary voters. With the country facing huge financial challenges, and Parliament asking us to tighten our belts, an investigation into Sir Lindsays expenses is long overdue. When the Prime Minister pulled on his combat fatigues and announced that he would send a peacekeeping force to Ukraine, my immediate reaction was: You and whose Army, mate? Surkeir promised to put boots on the ground and jets in the sky over Kyiv in the event of Donald Trump succeeding in bringing an end to the war. Yet with the military reduced to its lowest level since the Napoleonic Wars, where are those troops going to come from, without seriously undermining Britains own defences? The generals say we would struggle to rustle up more than a single brigade of 5,000 to deploy in Ukraine, which would hardly have Putin quaking in his Gucci loafers. As for jets in the sky, we could equally ask: You and whose Air Force, mate? Yesterday, the Mail revealed that the RAF is facing a chronic shortage of fighter pilots because of a disastrous, wrong-headed recruitment campaign which rejected white male applicants as part of a deranged diversity drive. Needless to say, it backfired spectacularly and the RAF is now saddled with a shortfall of 30 per cent in the number of pilots at flight lieutenant and squadron leader level. They are now desperately trying to encourage older candidates, including ex-airmen, to join up. All this comes on top of a shortage of planes, which could see 24 older Typhoon fighter jets, written off two years ago, pressed back into service. Keir Starmer speaks to soldiers at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. The RAF is facing a chronic shortage of fighter pilots because of a disastrous, wrong-headed recruitment campaign which rejected white male applicants Governments of all stripes Tory, Labour, Coalition have conspired in the shameful neglect of our armed forces over decades. All are guilty of dereliction of duty when it comes to defence of the realm. They chose instead to fritter away billions on welfare, paying perfectly fit people with pretend illnesses to sit at home all day, and creating millions of cushy non-jobs in the public sector. Meanwhile, the military was starved of both personnel and kit. Since the end of the Cold War, the number of active servicemen and women has fallen by 200,000. The size of the Army has been halved, and the generals admit it would be wiped out in six months in the event of a full-on war. The RAF has the smallest combat fleet in history. Talk about The Few. The Royal Navy has been reduced to just two aircraft carriers, which seem to spend half their time being repaired. Even when theyre fully functional, they cant set sail because of a lack of frigates to protect them in war zones. Its an oft repeated fact that the Navy has more admirals than ships. All three services have been shackled by procurement scandals at the Ministry of Defence, which have produced hideous overspends and hopelessly inadequate equipment. The Army was promised a new 5.5 billion fleet of Ajax armoured vehicles from 2018. They still havent been delivered. We learned recently that Britains ageing rifles are the laughing stock of Europe. At this rate, our peacekeepers in Ukraine if they ever get there, which is unlikely will be armed with knives on the ends of broomsticks, like the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard. Bang, two, three! As for boots on the ground, during the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars our soldiers were forced to buy their own boots, because those they were issued with were unfit for purpose. Say what you like about Donald Trumps attitude towards his Nato partners but he has certainly delivered a long overdue reality check. Suddenly, its Labour sabre-rattling and talking about beefing up our defence capabilities. At this rate, it wont be long before Ginge Rayner and a bunch of Left-wing madwomen set up camp on Greenham Common, demanding the reopening of the airbase. What do we want? American missiles! When do we want them? Now! But even if Starmer increases defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP, it wont scratch the surface. Realistically, the defence budget needs to double to Cold War levels. Its not just about the money, though. Whats required is a complete change in attitude across the board. For too long the armed forces have been treated almost as pariahs, sacrificed on the altar of diversity and inclusion. During the Iraq War, airmen from RAF Wittering the historic home of Hedgehoppers Anonymous were ordered not to go into nearby Peterborough in uniform because it might stoke tensions with the Muslim community. The latest RAF recruitment fiasco, discriminating unlawfully against white men, demonstrates just how deep the woke mind virus has burrowed into the heads of the armed services, along with the rest of the public and, sadly, much of the private sector. Even with World War Three looming, British banks and pension funds are refusing to invest in unethical defence projects. So wheres the money coming from to manufacture the munitions and military hardware we need? Politicians appear to have looked on the forces as a branch of social services. Recruitment has failed to hit targets for the past 15 years. One of the most absurd Army advertising campaigns aimed at young recruits told them it was OK to cry and display emotions. That hardly sits comfortably with a fighting force which exists to break things and kill the enemy. Another diversity campaign featured a Muslim soldier unrolling a prayer mat on the battlefield. A couple of years ago, male squaddies were ordered to stop referring to each other as lads because it might deter female recruits. And the famous officer training college at Sandhurst spent 1.3 million installing gender-neutral toilets. Dont panic! Yes, its admirable that the Army, RAF and Navy are seeking to recruit men and women from different backgrounds. But it doesnt appear to have worked. Fewer than 10 per cent of young people now say they would fight for their country. Thats hardly surprising when, for years, they have it drilled into their heads that we are the worst, most racist, colonialist nation on Earth and should be ashamed of our history. So where does Starmer think his New Model Army is going to come from? Is Labour going to drastically change the school curriculum, or halt the practice of everyone from museums to the National Trust portraying our countrys history in a negative light? Dont hold you breath. Nor is Surkeir going to stop his Left-wing mates in the yuman rites industry pursuing soldiers through the courts for actions taken in the heat of battle. Can anyone guarantee that if a soldier sent to Ukraine as a peacekeeper fired a shot in anger, he or she wouldnt subsequently find themselves charged with a war crime? Try asking those who served in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan, who are still being investigated, persecuted and facing prison sentences for simply doing their job. Lets hope, too, that politicians stop taking our brave men and women still serving for granted. They like to bathe in the reflected glory, posing in tanks and battledress for the cameras, yet treat our military personnel shabbily on the home front. While billions are spent billeting asylum seekers and illegal immigrants in four-star hotels, married quarters everywhere are crumbling and being sold off to developers. Labour is also slapping VAT on the private school fees of children whose parents are serving their country overseas. Against this background, its no surprise that the armed forces are having trouble attracting new recruits. In the US, they revere their armed forces and give service personnel preferential treatment everywhere. Our servicemen and women, from whatever background, deserve better. Until all that happens, it wont matter how much the defence budget rises, recruitment will remain sluggish. And every time Surkeir commits British troops to intervene in foreign wars, the question will always be: You and whose Army, mate? A plus size influencer was left baffled after she tried on a new item from PrettyLittleThing's rebranded selection - and was told that she looked like a 'crumpled McDonald's bag'. Muinat, from Manchester, purchased a new nude ruched top and matching capri trousers from the fast fashion company. The retailer - known for churning out hundreds of items every week, marked by its distinctive colourful, trendy and cheap clothing - completely wiped its Instagram of all posts last week, leaving 18 million followers confused. It then embarked on a dramatic stylistic U-turn which has frustrated many loyal customers - with some even declaring that the brand is 'entering its flop era'. Clothes in neutral colours and 'conservative' styles were instead plastered all over the website, consisting of turtleneck tops, pleated skirts and dresses that fall to just below the knee. In her TikTok, Muinat was left feeling frustrated and confused by the brand's vision and said her recent purchase looked like an outfit 'someone who worked on a farm' would wear. The top is currently listed on their new website for 25 and the straight leg trousers are selling for 28, meaning the cost for the total set is 52. The curvy content creator, who looked disappointed with her order, said: 'What the hell is this? What the hell is going on here! I am not zipping this up. Muinat, from Manchester, purchased a new nude ruched top and matching capri trousers from the fast fashion brand Muinat was left feeling frustrated and confused by the brand's vision and said she looked like an outfit someone who worked on a farm would wear 'Oh my God, what is this on my body? I haven't zipped it very far but I don't want to zip it very far. It's giving burlap sack.' The fabric from both garments are made from 96 per cent polyester, which is a plastic, synthetic material, and 4 per cent elastane. There is also a notice that 'colour may transfer due to the fabric used'. She added: 'Do you know where you would find me in this? On a farm by the hay, laying down by the hay. No disrespect if this is your vibe but disrespect because what the hell is this.' The top is listed as 'evening wear' on PLT's website and the description states: 'Crafted from a dark taupe hue material with a tailored style, a ruched design and asymmetric detailing.' Muinat's video racked up 1.6million views and thousands of comments, with one person saying she looked like 'a McDonald's bag'. One wrote: 'It looks like a bed sheet with holes.' The fabric from both garments are made from 96 per cent polyester, which is a plastic, synthetic material, and 4 per cent elastane Muinat's video racked up 1.6million views and thousands of comments, with one person saying she looked like 'a McDonald's bag' Another said: 'Love the fact the rebrand is just the same quality same clothes higher price point no difference lol.' A third penned: 'Looking like a crumpled up mcdonalds bag.' A fourth commented: 'It's giving croissant, what are they doing over there.' It comes as PrettyLittleThing shoppers have hit out at the outlet after it unveiled a dramatic rebrand on Monday - with some calling the new clothes 'ugly' and 'not inclusive'. The company has also updated its logo from eye-catching pink unicorns to a more understated burgundy, with PLT letters written in cursive handwriting. Others criticised the business for upping its prices despite using the same materials, while mimicking other brands such as Zara and the ventures of former creative director Molly Mae Hague in Maebe. The price increases, combined with sizes only going up to 16, have led people to accuse the brand of not taking an 'inclusive' approach. British content creator Leah Tezila said the 'Zarafication of fashion brands has to stop', and criticised PLT for stating that it's for 'every type of It-girl' when they only go up to a size 16 in their main range. People have slammed PLT for upping its prices despite using mainly plastic in some garments, with some even accusing the brand of using Molly-Mae's company, Maebe, as inspiration. Pictured: Mary Mandefield on TikTok In her video, she explained: 'The price point has increased making it less accessible to its main consumer. The plus size range is insulting in comparison to the normal range. 'I'm also of the opinion that we don't need to have a separate plus size range it's 2025, you can literally just have the increase in sizes shown on [other products]. 'It's getting harder to buy because it's getting harder to live. More bad fabric, with some of us such as bigger people or less able bodied people being able to have the privilege to shop elsewhere means consuming more fabric and other environmentally unfriendly materials.' Harriet Wright added that PrettyLittleThing have 'completely abandoned their core customer' by switching to 'beige and boring' clothes. She said: 'Who at PLT thought they could go dark on social media for a couple of days, bring out the most beige and boring clothes, hike their prices and give us clothes that nobody asked for and think it was going to be a hit?' 'I think they're going to have to go back to the drawing board because I don't think this is going to be enough to take them out of their flop era.' Others likened the revamp to Molly Mae Hague's brand, Maebe, which launched in September last year uses signature neutral shades of brown, nude, black and white hues in all its clothing. The influencer was previously creative director at PLT but left in June 2023 after welcoming her daughter, Bambi. Pictured: The products on offer at the PrettyLittleThing website in January 2025, before the rebrand Pictured: The PrettyLittleThing website on Wednesday, two days after the rebrand was revealed CEO Umar spoke to Dragons' Den star Steven Bartlett about the rebrand in a video that was released on Monday One person wrote on Twitter: 'Sorry PLT's rebrand is giving Maebe?' Elsewhere, influencer Chloe Taylor pointed that the new clothing options were listed for 'double the price' than what the usually would go for. Following the update, dresses on the website are listed at upwards of 50, a far cry from their infamous and widely criticised '99 per cent off sales', where garments would sometimes go for as low as 8p. Chloe said: 'It's less accessible for customers but fills your pockets even more. 'Even though I completely disagree with the ethics and morals of PLT as a brand, but the old PLT actually provided for a particular price point which meant people with a particular income could still dress in a stylish manner.' The PLT Instagram account now only follows billionaire CEO Umar Kamani, who was born in Manchester, and said a 'big announcement' would follow at the start of the week. Umar, who returned to the brand last September after stepping down a year prior, said: 'People talk about the old PLT, this PLT is going to be far better.' The entrepreneur spoke to Dragons' Den star Steven Bartlett about the rebrand and asked him about why he decided to change all the elements of the brand. Shoppers also took to X, formerly Twitter, to discuss the relaunch, with some saying they felt it looked like Molly-Mae's brand, Maebe Nada Kamani and billionaire CEO of PLT Umar Kamani pictured together at the V&A Summer Party 2024 'I feel a bit emotional, because I don't like where we got to,' he said while tearing up, in an Instagram snippet of the clip. Also speaking with Drapers about the PLT shift, Umar said: 'I think what happened with the brand for a couple of years is we stopped listening. 'And thats where the brand lost its identity. In coming back, what Ive tried to do is to clean everything up and redefine ourselves.' Umar also added that while PLT used to focus on 'getting the product on the site at the absolute cheapest price we could,' they now want to shift to make their products 'better quality'. He said: 'What weve done now is not to focus on having a dress on site at 4 but having a dress thats thicker, not see-through and a better fit. We are using better fabrics and better finishes.' It appears that PLT have faced financial trouble over the past couple of years, after it's revenue was slashed from 634.1million to 475.8million according to City.Am, who looked at accounts filed with Companies House in November 2024. The outlet also reported that for the year to February 29, 2024, PLT fell to a pre-tax loss of 6.5million. Although the prices have seemingly shot up, the quality has appeared to stay the same, as much of their new range continues to use materials such as polyester. Harriet Wright also posted her opinion about the rebrand online and that they have 'completely abandoned their core customer' British content creator Leah Tezila criticised PLT for stating that it's for 'every type of It-girl' when they only go up to a size 16 in their main range Mary Mandefield urged their customers to become more sustainable by swapping clothes with their friends Umar was seen tearing up and said he felt 'emotional' because he didn't like where the brand got to Pictured: A selection of the clothing products available on the PrettyLittleThing website on Wednesday Pictured: Some of the clothing items available to buy on Molly-Mae's Maebe website on Wednesday Molly-Mae (pictured last month) was the creative director of PLT until she left the role in June 2023 TikToker Sophie claimed that this rebrand has meant that she can no longer send her items back as the new returns policy meant her time had lapsed It also appears that PLT has altered its returns policy, meaning that customers only have 14 days since receiving their item to return it. This has seemingly dropped down from 28 days As of Wednesday, the PrettyLittleThing website says the returns policy is now 14 days - compared with a previous 28 On TikTok, Mary Mandefield urged PLT shoppers to become more sustainable by swapping clothes with their friends, going to charity shops and even going on Depop to purchase clothes that are going to last, instead of continuing to buy from the fast fashion brand. She added: 'When will people come along and not create a new brand and not rebrand an existing brand but actually just talk to the girlies, the everyday woman who wants to look nice on a Saturday night.' It also appears that PLT has altered its returns policy, meaning that customers only have 14 days since receiving their item to return it. This has seemingly dropped down from 28 days. TikToker Sophie also claimed that this rebrand has meant that she can no longer send her items back as the new returns policy meant her time had lapsed. She said: 'I bought some items prior to the rebrand, I've not returned them within 14 days because I thought I had longer. I was under the impression that I had longer but I've gone on the portal and it won't let me return them.' PrettyLittleThing has been contacted for comment. I was lucky. In my ten-plus years as the high-class escort Samantha X, I had just one bad experience. One. Id left a career in tabloid journalism first in the UK, then Australia to become an escort at the age of 37. And I have to say that I really enjoyed it. Today, however, Samantha X no longer exists. I gave up sex work just a few months ago, and returned to being myself: Amanda Goff. The trouble is, after so long as an escort, Im no longer sure who I am. As Samantha X, I felt empowered and in control. But since becoming Amanda again, Ive had men behave grossly inappropriately with me, and thats left me shaken. Youre probably assuming my former clients must have also pushed boundaries and taken advantage of me. But the truth is that the kindest men in my life were those I met when I was a $1,500-an-hour escort. I still have the occasional coffee or meal with some of them. Theyve listened to me bang on about toxic men in my life, my struggles. Most of them have seen me cry and comforted me. As Samantha X, I connected emotionally with them I talked clients out of killing themselves, I hugged them as they cried. I listened to their secrets and their stories of abuse or neglect or of their childhood bullying traumas. Amanda Goff says after so long as an escort, she's no longer sure who she is Amanda called herself Samantha X, named after her favourite Sex And The City character, Samantha Jones played by Kim Cattrall I was happy to help them; it was a great distraction from the mess and chaos that was my own life, a lot safer than looking inward. These men literally paid me thousands to sit and listen to their dysfunctional lives. And I sent them to therapists, advised them on addiction groups, even sent one to my spiritual healer. I used to ask clients why they didnt just go directly to a therapist, whod be much cheaper than me. Therapist? Why would I want to see one when Im going to be judged? was their genuinely bemused answer. Seeing an escort was more socially acceptable to them than seeing a therapist. What they wanted was emotional intimacy; sex with me was the cherry on top, if it even happened. Recently, I had a reading with a psychic. I dont know what you do for work but youve saved about 15 men from suicide, she said. That didnt come as a shock to me. Only 15? Spending hours and hours alone with clients in hotel rooms, I got to know men very well. Theyre pretty simple, pretty basic and pretty emotional. Theyre like tall children; loveable, naughty, a little bit selfish and lets not live in denial some are governed by desire. Yet during those escort years, my clients were the men I felt the safest with. Theyd never, ever be rude, raise their voices, be abusive or revolting towards me. Surprising, isnt it? Youd think the opposite. Society tells us sex work is dangerous, dirty, disempowering. Not for me, it wasnt. Yet as Amanda, keeping a low profile at my home in Bondi Beach, Sydney, and no longer dressed to the nines, I seem to be fair game for gross behaviour and sexual assault. Is this what men will be like with me now? It never happened when I was Samantha X only before I became an escort and afterwards. Thats one reason why its so bloody hard to walk away. For what a relationship? To be ghosted, dumped, lied to, assaulted? Men treated me better as Samantha. Some of the men whove abused me as Amanda are in the public eye. They pride themselves on being happily married; theyre on the front cover of magazines with their loving partners, portray themselves as loyal family men. And these same men have forced me to touch their penis or locked me in their office so I couldnt escape. As Amanda, Ive also had men creep into my DMs on Instagram: Hey, Samantha! Saw you on Hinge. Love to take you for dinner and get to know you. I think wed have a lot to talk about. (Which, by the way, is code for: I feel you are the kind of woman who will listen to my s*** and give me a b*** job after.) You mean you want a free date with me listening to your achingly dull issues because Im one of those women whod look sexy, smile sweetly, nod in the right places and have obliging sex with you. Because yknow... Samantha... No, thanks. Id rather gouge my eyes out with hot knives. If its Samantha you want, you had ten years to book me. I dont care how good-looking, how nice and funny and smart they are; if I get so much of an inkling it is Samantha they want to date, not Amanda, then its goodbye. It pains me to admit I no longer enjoy the company of men. I no longer feel comfortable with them. I no longer respect them. Im beginning to believe that most men are unsafe. The irony is, Ive only felt this way since I gave up sex work. I had dinner with an ex-client last night. Lets call him my Jesus client. He found God at the age of 58 and was recently baptised. My Jesus client worries me sometimes. Hes lonely, divorced with two kids. He called me years ago and told me he wanted to kill himself. I sent him to his GP and hes now on antidepressants. Anyway, I told him about a man Id met in a boardroom recently to discuss a business idea. Instead hed talked about his sordid sex life, which sent me running out of the room and having a panic attack. It just brought back so much trauma, I told my Jesus client, swirling creamy fettuccine with my fork. Ive had men do that to me since I was a teenager. Amanda says she no longer enjoy the company of men, no longer feels comfortable with them and no longer respects them She said clients were the men she felt the safest with. Theyd never be rude, raise their voices, be abusive or revolting towards her I looked at him. Please dont tell me to find God: Im not going spend my Sundays in church. Probably half the worshippers would be former clients. He gently placed his wine glass down, choosing his words carefully. You know, Amanda, some things cant be fixed. Some things cant be fixed. Maybe that was it. I couldnt be fixed. I was too far gone. Samantha X was created from trauma and sheer exhaustion, caused by men. Sometimes I think I made a huge mistake by becoming an escort, that I messed my life up, that I sabotaged my future. But sometimes I think it was the smartest bloody decision I ever made. I think I saved myself. Samantha saved me. When I slipped into her high heels, I erected sparkly steel gates around myself. No one could hurt me then. And they didnt. Despite my public bravado, not a day, not one single day, goes by without pangs of guilt. I knew I was controversial. I knew people were either intrigued, perplexed or thought I was awful, mad, sad. Sometimes the self-imposed shame of my very public choices makes me so sick that I think everyone would be better off without me. I should have made better choices; I should have stayed in my office job, had a different life. The self-torture doesnt end. Despite my X-rated books; the glossy, half-naked shoots wearing lingerie... none of it was ever really me. I was a stranger in my skin. I didnt feel sexy; I felt wooden. I look back at old photos, and my smile looks painted on, my expression blank, my eyes dead. As if I was telling myself: Act like Samantha would. Now I re-read my old sex columns with fresh eyes, and I study topless photos with curiosity, as if Im looking at a completely different woman. It genuinely baffles me. Who on earth was this woman? Where was Amanda? Where was I? Who was I? Who was she? This sexy, confident woman Samantha had taken me hostage. And I handed her my body and life on a platter. Sometimes I wish I could get an eraser and furiously rub out parts of my life and start again. Why didnt anyone stop me? They probably tried to, and I didnt listen. Dont get me wrong: I envy Samantha, Im not disgusted by her. I constantly swing between envying how she owns her sexuality to being absolutely mortified. Its exhausting, its draining. And it doesnt matter if you judge me or not, really, it doesnt. Your judgment of me will never be as harsh as my judgment of myself. Then I stare at families in my local park, sitting on blankets, eating homemade sandwiches, shooing flies from plastic tubs of hummus and drinking warm white wine. Doesnt this life bore you? How could you live like this, so normally? How can you trust your husband? I can see him taking secret lustful glances at young women in bikinis while you keep a watchful eye on your kids running around. Perhaps you dont even care any more. As I walk past, a feeling of resentment bubbles inside. Why cant I be happy doing normal things? What am I so scared of? I met a man a few days ago. Its quite the story. I havent met a man I have liked for years, and I mean years. Id taken some blankets into the local laundromat and almost knocked him over. He stopped, almost bowed to let me pass. Such manners! He was dressed in a smart navy shirt, blue jeans, nice shoes. His skin was tanned, his hair brown, flecked with grey. I stood there for a second, with the washing machines gurgling and the driers spinning. Amanda believed that becoming Samantha was the smartest decision she ever made But despite her X-rated books - the glossy, half-naked shoots wearing lingerie - she says that none of it was ever really her I had to stop myself from tapping the shoulder of the backpacker unloading her sheets into a machine and saying: Excuse me, did you see how good-looking that man was? Even my dog was wagging her tail. The next day, I took my dog for a walk and who should be sitting on a bench drinking coffee, basking in the winter sun? Laundromat man. Oh my god! Why didnt I have a shower after Pilates, why didnt I brush my hair? I didnt even look in the mirror before I went out! Did I pluck that black hair from my chin? Talk to him, Amanda! Say hello! Youre confident! Turn round and say hello! I cant, I look tired, he wont be interested, hes probably gay... Shut up, Amanda! You havent had an excited feeling in your tummy about a man for years. Youre not 100 yearsold, your love life isnt over. I turned round. Hello. I think youre the man I saw yesterday at the laundromat? His name was Jon and we talked for over an hour. Not gay I asked him. He works in tech, hes single, hes 40... And then came the question. What do you do for work? Here we go. This is a good test, Amanda. If hes put off, hes not for you. Go on, tell him. Look, its a controversial story. I was a journalist, I became an escort and now Im a journalist again. I bent down and patted my dog, avoiding his gaze. This is the moment men say Wow, I have so many questions or Wow, Im so intrigued or Tell me all your funny stories or Yuk, how can you have sex with ugly men? or smile knowingly, assuming Ill be an easy lay. This is the moment everything is ruined. What an intelligent woman you must be, he said. You must have so much compassion for people. He was going to Europe the next day for seven weeks. Could we have dinner when I get back? he said. I havent felt like this about a man in years. Years. Men were either clients or creeps. Id felt that part of me was dead the tingly part where I felt giggly about a man. Jon hadnt banged on about my job, hadnt asked for salacious details or asked predictable questions or made it a big deal at all. I dont know whats going to happen and, in a way, it doesnt really matter. The point is, I now know Im capable of feeling something. I havent given up. Im excited about laundromat man. Really excited about him. This is a first. I know why I run away from intimacy; its self-protection, self-preservation. Men in my life as Amanda mean hurt, rejection, trauma. Solitude is far safer than risking my peace for another short stab of pain. Im content, really, I am. I have a queen-sized bed. One side is mine, the other is for my books, my dog, my laptop, my glasses. I go to bed alone, I wake up alone, and its been this way every single day for years. Its mostly blissful. I used to feel incredibly lonely, but now, at almost 50, I feel at peace most of the time. Then yesterday a text popped up: Im in the area. U home? Im coming over. Address? I paused. This was a male friend I knew through media work but had never met in person. Our relationship was always professional and via text or phone call. I liked him enormously. We chewed the fat on politics and the media and had established our friendship was purely platonic. He came over. He plonked himself down on my sofa and said: Amanda. I am addicted to big fake t**s. In a big way. Like, a kink. I mean, I am not asking you to show me, not at all, absolutely not. But if you were to, I mean, Id last 15 seconds... and his voice trailed off. I sat there looking at him in his smart business suit, sprawled on my nice sofa, with my nice pink cushions, as he noisily slurped his tea out of one of my nice pink mugs. My smile disappeared. I felt my body cave inwards. I wanted to disappear. I could hear something in the back of my mind. Someone laughing. Amanda, youre so stupid! Men dont like you for you, they never will. You may as well be Samantha again. People wonder why a nice, smart, well-educated and successful woman like me charged men for their time. Now do you get it? Ive just bumped into laundromat man in the supermarket. Hi! I beamed, putting my basket down. Oh, hi! he beamed back. I got back yesterday. I was going to message you tomorrow. How have you been? Good! How was your trip? His face lit up as he rattled off a few things hed done, a few places hed travelled to. I wasnt really listening. I felt the butterflies swirl inside me; he was genuinely happy to see me. The connection between us was strong, it was real. You cant fake chemistry can you? Ask him, Amanda, why not? Dinner was his idea before he left. Did you want to have that din... And I met someone! I blinked. What did he just say? Did I mishear? Excuse me? You met someone? Yes, shes amazing. Our connection was incredible. My heart sank but I painted on my biggest fake smile, really hoping the hot salty tears in my eyes didnt roll down my cheeks. Yeah, shes a model, you know New York, Milan. It was amazing; our chemistry was out of control. The sex was so exciting, in hotel rooms, on the beach. And I suddenly hated him. His stupid, boring travel stories, his probably too-skinny vegan girlfriend with her small, fried-egg boobs, who probably only slept with him for a visa. I managed to hold in the tears till I was home. He met someone; a model, I sniffed to my best friend over the phone. All I wanted was to go on a date with someone, to see what that felt like. And I did what I always do when Im upset. I went to bed even though it was 11am, pulled the covers over me and slept with my dog nestled next to me. But it wasnt laundromat man in particular I was mourning. It was me. It was the enormity of my past decisions. It was believing that at almost 50, Id be alone for ever. When I woke up a few hours later, there was an alert from my bank on my phone: someone had just deposited $1,500 in my account as a gift. I checked - it was from one of my old clients, a university academic. Wed stayed in touch since my retirement, speaking on the phone every few months. Clients really are the kindest men Ive ever met. No man ever has been as nice to me as a client has. I think its time I went back to being Samantha. TOMORROW: A photographer interrupts a dream date... Four affordable products from The Reject Shop have been recommended by store employees. Of the thousands of items on shelves, the workers listed the most underrated buys shoppers shouldn't miss. The Scrub Daddy sponge, Milo Nuggets, Pedigree Dentastix and birthday cards topped the list in a TikTok video. First, one worker boasted about The Scrub Daddy - known for being scratch-resistant, odour-free and the ability to change texture depending on water temperature. The Scrub Daddy sponge, which was founded by Aaron Krause who appeared on Shark Tank US in 2012, costs $4 at The Reject Shop but retails for $5.50 at Coles. The worker described the product as 'dark horse in the cleaning category' which 'does some amazing things in the kitchen'. Next, another employee believed the most underrated product at The Reject Shop is Milo Nuggets simply because 'they're Milo'. The product is priced between $2-$9 depending on the quantity. A third worker recommended the 70-pack of Pedigree Dentastix Mega Medium Dog Oral Care priced at $38. The Scrub Daddy sponge, Milo Nuggets, Pedigree Dentastix and birthday cards topped the list in a TikTok video 'This is a really good price point compared to other retailers and my dogs absolutely love them,' she said. The same employee also showed off the range of 'unique' cards from the UK, which start at 75c. In the comments, customers agreed with the recommendations. 'The Scrub Daddies are the best,' one wrote. 'My dog loves those Dentastix,' another wrote. 'I wish we could online shop,' a third added. Earlier this year, the budget department store wowed shoppers with its stunning new homewares range that's set to give Kmart a run for its money. After the sell-out success of its European-style dinnerware and high-end 'dupes,' the retailer has unveiled an eye-popping food collection in the kitchen aisle. Shopper Emily, from Victoria, shared her excitement over the 'fun' hand-painted items and kitchen decor, including plates, mugs, jugs, canisters, teapots, vases and more. 'If you love fun kitchen decor, you need to go to The Reject Shop. I'm a sucker any time they release these new drops - I am obsessed,' Emily said in her video. What she loves about the new release is how 'realistic' the food-shaped items look - including the 'milk carton' vases, 'sunny side up egg' spoon rest and 'tomato sauce bottle' bowls. Among her favourite collection are the strawberry-shaped plates, teapots, mugs with lids, and measuring spoons. 'They've done another strawberry release and honestly, I like this range more because it seems more realistic and they are so cute,' she said. On another shelf, she spotted a range of ceramic food burger-shaped mugs, salt and pepper shakers, ketchup and mustard bottle-shaped bowls. Shopper Emily, from Victoria, shared her excitement over The Reject Shop's new range of kitchen items, including plates, mugs, jugs, canisters, teapots, vases and more 'They have a retro diner look, which is pretty cool,' she said. 'There's heaps of other cool little pieces.' Perfect for those with a sweet tooth, the retailer is selling dessert-shaped kitchenware, including 'doughnut' mugs, cupcake salt and pepper shakers and more. 'They've done a really cool dessert release - it's giving sweet treat vibes and I'm living for it,' she said. 'Very 90s, very fun.' She urged shoppers to visit the store as she believes the range will sell out. Her video has been viewed more than 250,000 times - with many amazed and impressed with the retailer's new homewares range. 'Omg I need it all,' one said. 'The Reject Shop has finally hit the mark,' another raved. 'Stop Im on my way,' one added. What she loves about the new release is how 'realistic' the food-shaped items look - including the 'milk carton' vases, 'sunny side up egg' spoon rest and 'tomato sauce bottle' bowls Many joked they were looking forward to enjoying a 'no-buy 2025' year - but will now have to reconsider their decision in order to bring the new collection home. 'Ahhh I'm screaming, these are so cute. Im so broke but I swear I will budget just for this - oh my god,' one shared. 'No what have you done? Why did you tell me? My bank account is doomed,' another said, along with a laughing-crying emoji. 'Nooo! So cute but 2025 is my financial glow up year. Im committed to not buying anything that I do not need,' one revealed. 'Whoop there goes all my money,' another added. Last year, The Reject Shop delighted shoppers with its stunning lemon collection, featuring European-style dinnerware and cabbage-shaped plates and serving bowls that resemble the designer homewares brand Bordallo Pinheiro. Queen Mary of Denmark was in Finland with King Frederik last week Queen Mary of Denmark often dazzles fans with her glamorous fashion, but she looked unrecognisable on a trip to Finland with King Frederik this month. The Aussie-born royal took a selfie with her husband in the snow wearing a blue beanie, black neck gaiter and blue jacket to stay warm; passers-by would have had no idea they were so close to royalty. King Frederik was all smiles for the photo while a reindeer stood in the background pulling a sleigh. The royal couple were accompanied on the trip by President of the Republic of Finland Alexander Stubb and his partner Suzanne Innes-Stub. The mother-of-four also shared two videos on Instagram on Tuesday - one from the sled and another from a Finnish restaurant sprawling with fairy lights on the ceiling and centre fireplace. The caption, written in Danish and translated into English, read: 'Together with the Presidential couple, we have experienced the Finnish nature as it should be with cross-country skis under our feet. 'We are looking forward to starting the official visit tomorrow and getting close to some of all that Finland has to offer in the coming days.' Another image shows the royal couple, president and his partner posing for a photo with skis. Queen Mary (left) looked unrecognisable in the snow wearing a blue beanie, black neck gaiter and blue jacket to stay warm - and only her eyes were visible The royal couple were accompanied on the trip by President of the Republic of Finland Alexander Stubb (centre right) and his partner Suzanne Innes-Stub (far left) The visit is said to 'further strengthen the excellent relations between Finland and Denmark'. Last month the royal couple attended The Church of Holmen - the oldest example of Renaissance architecture in the Danish capital - for the poignant service on February 24. Queen Mary, 53, looked stylish in a full-length, single-breasted grey coat, accessorised with a diamond-encrusted brooch worn on the left lapel. Beneath her jacket, which was cinched at the waist to accentuate her svelte figure, the beaming mother-of-three wore a smart black dress with a turtleneck. She completed her understated ensemble with high-heeled, black, suede pumps, a pair of black leather gloves and grey pearl earrings. The Danish queen, originally from Australia, wore her long, chestnut-coloured hair in loose waves that were brushed back and held in place with a wide headband with miniature pleats and and a bow on the side. She was effortlessly radiant for the formal occasion, having brightened her complexion with a little bronzer and a rose lipstick, and added dark eyeliner. Frederik, meanwhile, smiled as he entered the church, walking slightly ahead of his wife. Freddie Osborne, six, and his pooch Penny, won the top prize at Crufts this year A six-year-old schoolboy has made history as one of the youngest ever winners of a Crufts' show. Adorable Freddie Osborne, from Bobbington, Staffordshire, already set a record when he became the youngest entrant to qualify for the world-famous dog show last year. Freddie and his 'best friend', a smooth fox terrier, Penny, competed on Terrier & Hound Day at the NEC arena in Birmingham, and came out on top to win first class in the veteran category. Crufts is a prestigious dog show put on by The Kennel Club, and which takes place every year in the United Kingdom. Speaking to Susanna Reid and Ed Balls on Good Morning Britain today, Freddie and eight-year-old Penny could barely contain their excitement as the youngster discussed his incredible win. And the ambitious kid is already looking ahead to the next big trophy. When Ed asked the youngster if he could accomplish a win a second year in a row, he responded with a resounding 'yes!' Freddie, who was dressed in a suave tartan-style brown suit and a sky blue crisp shirt, proudly showed off two trophy ribbons, each reading 'first in class' and 'best veteran'. He also excitedly displayed a red certificate that read 'first place 2025 at Crufts'. Freddie Osborne (pictured), six, has made history as one of the youngest ever winners of a Crufts' show Speaking to Susanna Reid and Ed Balls on Good Morning Britain today, winners Freddie and eight-year-old Penny could barely contain their excitement (Pictured: Freddie and Penny alongside his father James and presenter Ed Balls) Freddie was accompanied on the show by his father James, who doted on his son and opened up about his special relationship with his furry pal, Penny. 'She's [Penny has] been there ever since he arrived' said James. 'They've just always been together. She's kind of just looked after you ever since day one', he reflected. Freddie too has grown incredibly fond of his pooch, and even let spill that Penny loved to sleep in his room and the pair could barely keep apart. 'Last night she tried to wake me up' he told the hosts with a gigantic smile. 'She wanted to sleep with me!' Ed waded in with a question that almost put the youngster in a spot of trouble: 'Is she allowed to sleep in your bed?' he asked. The smart lad paused to contemplate his answer before blurting out 'yeah, I think so'. Perhaps tired of the bright lights and attention, Penny then began strolling around the studio and at one moment appeared to take a swipe at Susanna's pristine white leather shoes. Freddie told Ed he reckoned he could win at next year's Crufts show Later Penny began strolling around the studio and at one moment appeared to take a swipe at Susanna's pristine white leather shoes The presenters congratulated Freddie and Penny for their amazing feat, and for beating out competitors to be named the best in the 'entire country'. Freddie was given special permission to take the day off from school so he could compete at Birminghams NEC on March 6. Speaking excitedly before the show he 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. 'But I like doing the dog shows and getting prizes and rosettes. His mother Kimberley, 34, added: He was only two weeks old when he first came to Crufts with us and he has been going ever since. Freddie and his 'best friend', a smooth fox terrier, Penny, competed on Terrier & Hound Day at the NEC arena in Birmingham, and came out on top to win first class in the veteran category Crufts is a prestigious dog show put on by The Kennel Club, and which takes place every year in the United Kingdom Freddie poses with his doting parents, James and Kimberly Hes always helped us with our dogs but this will be the first time he has competed there. Freddie was just five when he and Penny qualified for Crufts at the Birmingham National. Veteran dog show judges Caroline Friend-Rees and Zena Thorn Andrews also provided feedback ahead of Freddie's big day. He was given some great advice by veteran judges and best in class winners this weekend' said his mum. He was also taught the right etiquette needed to impress the judges at Crufts. However, we went to the Fox Terrier Show in South Wales this weekend and it really was the perfect final preparations for Crufts. He has got his game face on and Penny looks better than she ever has before. The Osbourne family breed smooth fox terriers under the kennel name Forgevale and are in partnership with Margaret Hughes from Ledbury, Herefordshire. Kimberly added: Sadly they are on the native vulnerable breed list and endangered. In the 1930s smooth fox terriers were classed as one of the most popular dogs but now they are endangered. But they are so loving as a breed and really good with children so we really want to highlight that. The terminal illness sufferer: Carrie Jade Williams Carrie first made headlines when she won the Bodley Head Financial Times literary award in 2020 - a prestigious essay competition with a 1,000 prize. She went on to host writing workshops online Carrie Jade Williams is an English woman in her 30s who claimed to have Huntington's disease, a rare and terminal neurological condition. She arrived in Cahersiveen, County Kerry, in 2019 rather out of the blue and soon befriended a woman whose daughter had died. She first made headlines when she won the Bodley Head Financial Times literary award in 2020 - a prestigious essay competition with a 1,000 prize. In a video that exploded on social media, Carrie, who claimed to suffer from Huntington's disease, said her Airbnb guests demanded a refund and attempted to sue her for 450,000 euros for the 'trauma' caused by 'being around her as a disabled person' Her compelling and emotional essay called: 'My brain is in a battle it will lose' told the story of her diagnosis with Huntington's and how she could no longer write or hold a pen. The essay was said to have been written using assistive technology. After winning the prize and having the essay published in a national newspaper, Carrie garnered a huge platform and everyone wanted to interview the terminally ill chemical engineer-turned star writer. She began hosting virtual writing workshops during the pandemic and told those who had joined that she would help them get bursaries of up to 10,000 to kick-start their literary careers. Carrie claimed the money was coming from a literary app she was set to launch. But as time went on, the app never launched and the group attendees never saw any money. Growing suspicious of Carrie, people began to question her and after months of stringing them along, Carrie said she was going to the US for life-saving surgery and soon ghosted the group completely. Yet she continued to build on her platform following the win, and made YouTube videos detailing her horror diagnosis. Her story captured the public's heart. But in 2022, high on her success as an online disability activist, Carrie told a lie that would eventually unravel her lies. She posted a TikTok calling out Airbnb for allegedly siding with guests who had complained about having to use her accessible doorbell. 'I know able-ism exists, and I've experienced it,' she said in a teary video. Carrie claimed the guests, who had stayed at her home, were so 'traumatised by being around her as a disabled person' they had complained to Airbnb - and that Airbnb had instructed her to refund them as a result. The video went viral as people were horrified by the overt display of able-ism and Carrie soon posted a follow-up video - where she claimed the guests were now suing her for 450,000 euros for the trauma caused. They also allegedly slapped her with a list of 13 bizarre demands to cope with the trauma, including an emotional support animal and 25 adult colouring books a year for the remainder of their lives. However on October 5, 2022, someone on Reddit posted links to articles about a convicted fraudster - who they claimed was Carrie. Carrie issued a statement saying this was in fact her sister who had struggled with mental health problems and that it was defamatory for anyone to link the pair. This led journalist Kat to investigate the story and over the course of two months, she uncovered the truth. Carrie Jade did not exist. The autism expert: Rebecca Fitzgerald The woman's real name was Samantha Cookes, but she lived under several fake identities and names, including Rebecca Fitzgerald, Lucy Fitzwilliam, Lucy Hart and Carrie Jade Williams In 2017, 29-year-old au pair and 'autism therapist' Rebecca Fitzgerald moved to Fermoy, a town near Cork, Ireland. She lived and worked with a local family and formed relationships with parents in the community, advertising herself as a qualified autism therapist who could 'teach non-speaking autistic kids to talk in just two months'. Parents in the local area described her as kind, empathetic and the 'perfect person' and she was soon invited into their homes to help their children. Rebecca began working at Fermoy's kids community centre and school. It is not possible to reverse non-speaking autism in two months, Rebecca had no qualifications and she was not a child therapist. Julie Lee, a mother in her 50s originally from Johannesburg and a taxi driver who often drove Rebecca from house to house, clocked that she was a fraud. Rebecca would have no money when arriving at the houses of these families, Julie said, and yet when she picked her up she would have hundreds of pounds. 'That's how I knew what she was doing.' During the drives, Rebecca told Julie she was opening a clinic for children and families and tried to recruit Julie to work there, before asking for a copy of her passport and money. Having recruited other people in the area, one woman even quit her job as an au pair to work for Rebecca. 'That's when I realised it was a scam,' Julie said. 'An unqualified person doing that, then looking for passport copies, then money.' People at the school started to ask questions about the qualifications of their child's new therapist. The school headteacher contacted the Garda [police] but they never followed up. Julie also reported Rebecca, and the Garda told her they had a thick folder on Rebecca, and had been keeping track of her. Officers were sent to Rebecca's home and shortly after, she disappeared. The speech therapist: Lucy Fitzwilliam A year earlier, in 2016, bright and bushy tailed Lucy Fitzwilliam, 28, moved to County Geery, Ireland. She introduced herself to the locals as a speech and language therapist who also ran a domestic violence refuge and quickly became a beloved member of the community. Lucy met Lynn, not her real name for anonymity, a single parent and domestic abuse survivor whose youngest daughter has Rett syndrome, a genetic neurological disorder that affects the way the brain develops. Lucy offered to be her carer. Lynn declined the offer but Lucy was persistent and instead said she could do art therapy with Lynn's oldest daughter Sofia, eight, who had witnessed her father's abuse. The family became close with Lucy, and after months of 'therapy' she offered them a trip to Lapland. This was apparently being organised by the church who were covering half the cost. Lucy said she needed a 500 deposit to secure the trip - which would be raising money for the domestic abuse refuge she claimed to run. The community rallied and Lynn's mother made up 400-500 euros worth of food packages for the refuge. As the Lapland trip drew nearer, Lynn said she had been trying to find a specialist nurse to care for her youngest daughter. It was at this point Lucy said she would take Sofia to Lapland alone and Lynn and her youngest could join them later once care was organised. All Lucy needed was Sofia's passport and birth certificate, Lynn said. 'She had zoned in on my Sofia and I still to this day believe she looked for a signature from me so she could bring Sofia herself to Lapland.' Suspicions in the community escalated when one of Lynn's friends, a woman called Pauline whose son is autistic, said Lucy had also tried to convince her to hand over her son's passport. Lucy was reported to the Garda for trying to scam families in the community out of money and passports, but she was let go without charge. She packed up and left County Geery that same night. The au pair: Lucy Hart Two years before there was Lucy Fitzwilliam, there was a 26-year-old woman called Lucy Hart. Bonnie, not her real name for anonymity, a woman in her 40s from Tullamore, had been looking an au pair to help look after her children. She came across Lucy on an au pair website in 2014. Lucy said she was experienced in childcare and following a quick video call, Bonnie hired her. 'She was so convincing, and really lovely in the interview we had,' said Bonnie. In a video for the ALS ice bucket challenge, Lucy nominated her mother 'Jane' to take part and her employer Bonnie's children poured the water over her head Bonnie and her children 'loved' Lucy and she quickly became part of the family - regaling them with her interesting stories about her previous au pair jobs and her own family. Lucy said she was adopted and that her mother Jane Hart lived in the United States. She said her mother was the 'main supplier for sandpaper for B&Q'. In a video for the ALS ice bucket challenge, Lucy nominated her mother 'Jane' and Bonnie's children poured the water over her head. Lucy soon opened up to Bonnie about her love life, saying she was dating a man in the UK who had two children from a previous relationship. Bonnie also received an insight into Lucy's tragic past, as she told her that her previous fiance Liam had had motor neuron disease and killed himself by hanging. Lucy said she had found him. The pair's friendship grew but things changed during Christmas in 2014 - when Lucy accused Bonnie's children of stealing her money and engagement ring. Bonnie did not believe her children would do such a thing and the relationship began to break down. Bonnie went back over many of Lucy's elaborate stories and found they did not add up, so one day challenged her au pair as she launched into yet another tale. Kind and smiley Lucy was quickly replaced with an angry woman who accused Bonnie of attacking her and stormed out of the room. Things remained tense until one day in January when Lucy said she was going on a writing retreat and disappeared. After a few weeks, Bonnie accepted Lucy was not coming back and went into the room she had been staying in. In the wardrobe she found piles of documents and one truly chilling letter that made her 'blood run cold'. Among shopping lists and legal documents was a statement about visitation rights for Lucy's child - a child whose name matched the one she claimed was her boyfriend's from another relationship. More chilling still, Bonnie came across a statement. The statement read: 'I stand shoulder to shoulder with the coroner and I did not murder my daughter. I pray she is at peace.' Her real identity: Samantha Cookes Behind all of the aliases is a real woman - Samantha Cookes. Born in 1988, Samantha grew up in Gloucestershire, before moving to Shropshire with her mother and her new husband after her parents divorced. Samantha had a reputation for being a liar, her friend from school said. Her lies included her mother having cancer and her being pregnant and miscarrying. Aged 18, Samantha was dating a boy called Liam. She went as far as to set up a website to plan their 'wedding'. There was no wedding. The pair split up some time later and aged 20, Samantha started a degree in Occupational Therapy at York University. However, Samantha later discovered she was pregnant and left university in her first year, returning home to Shropshire. She gave birth to a daughter called Martha in 2008. Tragically, just four months later, Martha died. A five-month inquest found Martha had died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) - a result which appeared to vindicate Samantha, who seemed to have taken the inquest as an accusation. It was at this point Samantha made the statement later found by Bonnie in Tullamore six years later. 'I stand shoulder to shoulder with the coroner, and I did not murder my daughter,' it read. 'I pray she is at peace.' Samantha did not return to university as she chose not to fill out criminal records check forms. Two years later in 2010, Samantha started a relationship with a man, whose identity is not being revealed to protect him and his family. The pair had a child. The same year, 23-year-old Samantha offered her services as a surrogate on Facebook. After making contact with a couple about being their surrogate, Samantha passed on the contact of a woman called Claudia, who had previously used her as a surrogate. Claudia gave the excited couple a glowing review of Samantha. Having never met her face to face, the couple gave Samantha 1,200 out of their savings to cover the cost of the insemination kit, legal fees and other expenses. Sadly the baby never came, and as both Samantha and Claudia avoided the couple's messages, they realised they had been duped. The police were contacted and a 23-year-old woman was arrested at her home in Shropshire. The case came to trial in 2011 and Samantha pleaded guilty to fraud. She received a suspended sentence of 9 months' imprisonment and a fine of 1890 to be paid to the couple. But what the trial also revealed was that Samantha and Claudia were the same person. Claudia did not exist. A year later, Samantha gave birth to a second child with the man she had been dating but due to mental health problems, the father was given sole custody. In 2013 she became pregnant with her third child with the same man. Determined not to lose custody of this unborn child, Samantha fled to Ireland in the winter of 2013. She gave birth in January 2014. However, a neighbour reported her to Irish social services and the child was taken into care. After appearing at Irish family court, the father was again given custody and the baby was transported back to the UK. Samantha had permanently lost custody of her third child by August 2014. A month later she had changed her name to Lucy Hart and was working for Bonnie as an au pair. In January 2015, she left Bonnie's home. In 2016, Samantha moved to County Geery and became Lucy Fitzwilliam and in 2017, Rebecca Fitzgerald arrived in Fermoy. When Samantha arrived in Cahersiveen, County Kerry, in 2019, she became someone else - Carrie Jade Williams. Crufts has come under fire after announcing the 2025 winner of Best in Show as furious viewers say a fan favourite was 'robbed'. The prestigious dog show held its four-day 2025 event at the NEC in Birmingham over the weekend, with more than 18,000 dogs travelling in from across the world to compete. Four-year-old whippet, Miuccia, was crowned Best in Show winner at this year's event, while Tibetan Mastiff, Viking, was named runner-up. Praised for her 'beautiful elegance', the female whippet, owned by Enrico De Gaspar, was chosen by judge Patsy Hollings, beating the winners of six other groups to bag the trophy. She made history with her win as the first time an Italian dog has won best in show at Crufts, and the fourth time for a whippet. Miuccia's handler, Giovanni Liguori, said: 'It's really a dream come true. I am truly overwhelmed. Miuccia performed her best. I absolutely adore her. She is the sweetest dog.' Judge Patsy Hollings made the final decision of Best in Show, with a Miniature Schnauzer, Gundog, Spaniel (Cocker), Australian Shepherd and Jack Russell missing out on the coveted title. But the announcement has since caused uproar among fans, who have blasted the 'shocking' decision on social media, claiming the judges 'robbed' Jack Russell, Ana, of the crown. Crufts has come under fire after announcing the 2025 winner of Best in Show - but furious viewers have since blasted the decision, claiming a fan favourite was 'robbed' (stock image) Four-year-old whippet, Miuccia (left), was crowned Best in Show winner at this year's event, while Tibetan Mastiff, Viking (right), was named runner-up (stock image) The announcement has caused uproar among fans, who have blasted the 'shocking' decision on social media, claiming the judges 'robbed' Jack Russell, Ana (pictured), of the crown The two-year-old pup, from Italy, stole the hearts of viewers after winning the Terrier Group title, qualifying for one of just seven places in the Best in Show final on Sunday. Following the announcement of the winner, the show's narrator had even remarked: 'The Jack Russell was the public winner, but didn't make the podium this time.' Taking to X, one furious fan wrote underneath a post uploaded to Crufts' account: 'JRT should have won it. Shocking decision.' Another said: 'Shame it couldn't have been the whippet and that lovely little Jack Russell, both were sweeties.' A third commented, 'I loved the little Jack Russell, she should have won,' while a fourth fumed, 'Should have been the Jack Russell. Absolutely a joke.' One person alleged judges overlooked the breed for a second consecutive year, writing: '2nd year in a row the Jack Russell was robbed!' Another fan wrote in agreement: 'Jack Russell dogs always get robbed in Crufts. Last year or this year should have been Best in Show for them.' A third quipped: 'Haha the judge should have gone to Specsavers. The Jack Russell performed the best.' Furious fans took to X to share their thoughts over the decision It comes after Clare Balding couldn't hold back her laughter as she was barraged with cuddles by her canine co-host for this week's Crufts coverage. The TV presenter, 54, dissolved into giggles as she welcomed English Cocker Spaniel Rueben on the Channel 4 sofa. Before she could get her opening introductions out of the way, the playful pup started crawling all over the media personality. 'They're the most successful of all of the breeds,' she struggled to get out, as Reuben made himself comfortable on Clare's lap. It all started at a reunion of old university friends. I hadn't seen them for more than five years and was looking forward to catching up and having a laugh about old times. Hair newly highlighted, boho midi skirt and stylish boots, I felt good to be me. That was until I entered the room and did a double take at five identikit blondes staring back at me. All swishy blow-dried hair, pouty lip-glossed smiles, deadpan stares and shiny frozen foreheads, not to mention skin as smooth as a baby's bottom on women now in their early 60s. As we all greeted each other and stood for a photo to mark the occasion, I felt a huge disconnect. It was like the Mothership had landed and plonked a load of aliens into a posh house in Kew, west London. I was the odd one out there was no mistaking the difference. Next to my high-maintenance friends, the deep furrow between my eyes, the wrinkles, my Deputy Dawg jowls and those little lines around the mouth (legacy of smoking in my early years) all served to highlight the brutal contrast. I looked like their mum. Watching the new series of The White Lotus, I felt a pang of recognition as the trio of long-standing friends, Jaclyn, Laurie and Kate, also reunite with a glass of wine after time apart. Jaclyn and Kate volley compliments back and forth, gushing about how amazing they both look, even asking what work they've had done and: 'Who's your doctor?' Laurie is left hanging. Poor Laurie looks 'tired', whisper Jaclyn and Kate behind her back the ultimate insult in a world where youthful freshness is the only acceptable 'look' for a woman in mid-life. I was in the same position as Laurie. As the evening with my old friends wore on, I felt more and more uneasy, but not at my appearance at theirs. I just couldn't get over the amount of Botox, filler and tweakments they'd had. One had so much collagen in her cheeks, I thought she had mumps. Another, with that strange trout pout reminded me of a fish opening and closing its mouth. Every time she spoke I was so distracted, I couldn't concentrate on her oh-so-interesting tale of how 'looking out to sea in Barbados made her feel zen and calm'. I couldn't find a flicker of emotion through their immovable stares. Everything about them was fake. You can't learn to love yourself and your flaws, yet erase them at the same time, says Kate Mulvey What had happened to the tight-knit group of women I met at the University of Kent in the early 80s, who talked into the night about smashing the patriarchy, dated wildly inappropriate men and held each other's hair back after too much cheap alcohol? The warm glow of camaraderie had gone. Later that evening, I lay in bed trying to process what had happened. To be honest, I felt insecure, and it struck me that my feeling of unease was because I struggled to be myself with them. How can you feel joy in that tight-knit bond with people, if you can't find them under their tight immovable faces? I couldn't relate to them any more, and when they invited me to another soiree a few weeks later, I made an excuse not to go. I confess I didn't feel confident enough to spend any more time in their company. I felt they had betrayed me on one level by looking younger and prettier than me, and on another by disregarding the idea of female solidarity they used to preach so fervently. You can't learn to love yourself and your flaws, yet erase them at the same time. It may seem shocking, but this depressing scenario has become all too familiar in my life. As more and more friends succumb to the syringe, talk of injecting Profhilo a sculpting gel containing hyaluronic acid into your face has become normal dinner party conversation. Ditto having your dermatologist on speed dial. In this parallel universe, friends who swore off 'the needle' suddenly appear at a social event looking remarkably de-aged. And yet, having known many of these women for the best part of 40 years, their startling new 'youth' looks distinctly strange to me. It quite scrambles the brain to look at a face frozen, literally, at the age of about 35 and yet know it belongs to a woman nearly double in age. Leslie Bibb as Kate, Michelle Monaghan as Jaclyn and Carrie Coon as Laurie in The White Lotus I get why women do it. Coming to terms with the ageing process is not easy. Especially as you watch your mouth disappearing into your face and your laughter lines creep downwards like deep crevices. Yet it feels to me that we've now reached a tipping point. Before tweakments became the mature woman's cure all, ageing used to be something unpleasant but inevitable. Yes, we'd moan endlessly to each other 'I look ancient,' I said to a friend the other day, as we pulled back our hair to tighten the skin on our cheeks, laughing like drains but we knew there was no point in it. And at least there was comfort in the knowledge that we were all in it together, trudging along at the same pace. Not any more. The more we are bombarded with images of perfect-looking influencers, the more women are driven to filter and curate their Facebook and Instagram feeds, the more dissatisfied we become with our own natural faces. Tweak-mania and social media have boomed hand-in-hand. Scrolling through Instagram, all I see are endless, over-done, pulled-about faces staring vacantly into the sunset. According to statistics, non-invasive aesthetic treatments such as Botox and dermal fillers are now the most sought after cosmetic procedures globally, while the tweakments market is set to rise by a further 15.4 per cent by 2030. Don't get me wrong, I am just as vain and superficial as the next woman. I want to stay ahead of the ageing curve too, and take pride in how well I take care of myself. I run round the park in DayGlo Lycra; I slather on expensive oils and creams; I mainline kale and kimchi; but, somehow, even after a good night's sleep, I look as though I have just about managed to haul myself out of bed and pull a brush through matted hair. Shiny and new I am not but, at 63, I look good for my age. That is not enough any more. The natural aging process is something not only to be ashamed of it must be erased entirely. And it genuinely feels as though I'm the only one not going to those lengths. By flagging up a new standard for 50 and 60-something loveliness, these super-midlifers are making the rest of us feel second class. This shift in the sisterly landscape is undoubtedly dividing midlife women into the 'Haves' and 'Have Nots'. Friendship needs shared experience to flourish. When our values don't match, it can be hard to find a common ground. Of course, in theory, we all have plenty to talk about but one major topic is now off the table: how we feel about how we look. And when that major plank goes, the whole friendship starts to wobble. British actor Paapa Essiedu, 34, has reportedly been 'offered to play Severus Snape' in the new TV series adaption of Harry Potter - but fans have pointed out a huge problem with the casting. The I May Destroy You star looks set to follow in the late Alan Rickman's footsteps, according to The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline. While many have applauded Paapa's reported casting, others have raised concerns about potential racist backlash and fought against social media users who have questioned whether the Gangs of London star will look the part. Some fans have noted one issue with the British actor playing the part of Snape, the professor who is bullied by Harry Potter's father James during their years as students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As explained in Forbes: 'While being black or white may not be inherent to Snapes character, Potter fans note that this will set up situations like James Potter bullying a young black kid in the 70s which are certainly not good optics and totally change the dynamics of the James/Lily/Snape storyline.' Despite some backlash, others rushed to the defence of the The Lazarus Project actor, with a fan writing on X: '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 Theatre a year ago and he's too good!!' British actor Paapa Essiedu (pictured in 2024), 34, has reportedly been 'offered to play Severus Snape' in the new TV series adaption of Harry Potter - but fans have pointed out a huge problem with the casting The late Alan Rickman notably portrayed the role of the potions professor throughout Warner Bros.' Harry Potter film franchise from 2001 through 2011. 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 fans were left 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,' said a second. 'I love John Lithgow. Absolutely bananas they're not hiring a British actor to play Dumbledore,' wrote a third. Another added: '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 negotiations to play Professor Minerva McGonagall. The I May Destroy You star looks set to follow in the late Alan Rickman's (pictured) footsteps, according to The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline Paapa is also said to be days away from being official cast for the series. HBO declined to comment, saying: 'We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumour and speculation. 'As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalise deals.' Hundreds of mourners have gathered to pay tribute to Slimming World founder Margaret Miles-Bramwell, who passed away aged 76 last month. Friends, family and followers of her famed weight loss regime attended the service at Derby Cathedral on Monday, passing by the famed Slimming World head office on their way. The funeral procession was pictured with a poster of Ms Miles-Bramwell in the background, embellished with the famous motto: 'Welcome to Slimming World, your future starts here.' The pioneer of healthy eating died in Majorca on February 2, surrounded by her family. Among those lining the streets were avid followers of the regime, which transformed the lives of millions of Brits. One member was Nick Furlong, 45, from Woodhatch, Surrey, who lost six stone (38kg). He said: 'The decision Margaret made 55 years ago to help others lead the life they wanted has meant I have had years added on to mine to share with my family.' Harriet Peacock, 49, named Slimming World's Greatest Loser 2022 after shedding more than 20 stone (127kg), said: 'It is a rare thing for someone to have positively impacted the lives of so many and leave such a legacy of kindness behind.' Hundreds of mourners have gathered to pay tribute to Slimming World founder Margaret Miles-Bramwell, who passed away aged 76 last month The pioneer of healthy eating died in Majorca on February 2, surrounded by her family In an emotional tribute today, Lisa Salmon, the managing director of Slimming World, said: 'We will never forget your friendship, your wicked sense of humour, the fun we had, your kindness, your straight talking or your single-minded devotion to giving nothing but the best to Slimming World's members, Consultants and staff. 'What you achieved in 76 years was nothing short of magnificent. 'At the age of just 21, you knew that there had to be a better way to help people lose weight - one based on care, compassion and empowerment, not humiliation and shame. 'The methods you created, based on your deep understanding of the burden of being overweight, were (and still are) revolutionary, and they changed the face of weight management.' The funeral cortege left Ms Miles-Bramwell's home in Mansfield Woodhouse before passing the office where she launched her company, in Somercotes. Local consultants and managers lined the route, holding white roses and spring daffodils, which were thrown into the path of the hearse. A moment's silence was held as the cortege paused outside the reception of the main building. The cortege continued to The Cathedral Church of All Saints, Derby, for a service led by The Very Reverend Dr Peter Robinson, Dean of Derby. The funeral cortege left Ms Miles-Bramwell's home in Mansfield Woodhouse before passing the office where she launched her company, in Somercotes People pay their respects at the funeral of Slimming World founder Margaret Miles-Bramwell OBE Among those lining the streets were avid followers of the regime, which transformed the lives of millions of Brits She started her business in 1969 as a single slimming group and expanded rapidly becoming a network of more than 3,500 consultants and about 700,000 members Mrs Miles-Bramwell founded Slimming World in 1969 and was made an OBE by the then Prince Charles for services to the health of the British public in 2009. Her company worked with the NHS on its first weight management referral scheme in 2000, which allowed doctors to refer overweight patients to Slimming World. She also owned a theatre in Majorca and the British boat builder Pearl Yachts and was named Business Woman of the Year at the National Business Women's Awards in 2023. Since her death, tributes have poured in from across the globe from people whose lives have been changed after joining Slimming World. In a statement following her death last month, Slimming World said: 'Margaret was a loving and much-loved daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, and the proud owner of several successful businesses in Mallorca and the UK, including the UK's leading weight-management organisation Slimming World. 'She undoubtedly touched hearts and changed lives for millions of people and for all of us who knew and loved her. 'She'll continue to do so for many more years to come. 'Our thoughts are with Margaret's family. The founder of Slimming World was made an OBE in 2009 by the then Prince of Wales Ms Miles-Bramwell was described as 'a loving and much-loved daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, and the proud owner of several successful businesses' Slimming World said 'she undoubtedly touched hearts and changed lives for millions of people and for all of us who knew and loved her' Jess Conrad said he was 'devastated' by the death of Ms Miles-Bramwell who had been 'a dear friend for many years' 'We take comfort, as we're sure they do, in the hope that Margaret is now reunited with her beloved Tony sailing off into the sunset together. 'Since founding Slimming World 56 years ago, her determination to help people shed the burden of excess weight without shame or guilt has seen it grow from a single group in 1969 to the global authority in weight management that it is today. 'She leaves this world a healthier place.' They continued: 'Margaret has taken great care to ensure that plans are in place to keep the company safe and sound, knowing that she might not always be around to steer it, so that the business will continue to operate just as it always has run by people who care passionately about changing lives.' She founded Slimming World, which provides tailored food plans and weekly group sessions for weight management, in Alfreton, Derbyshire, in 1969. The groups started off in a church hall but by the 80s, they were providing 700 classes across the UK. The company pioneered the first-ever NHS weight management referral scheme in 2000, allowing health professionals to refer overweight patients to Slimming World groups to manage their weight. It went on to become the largest slimming club in the UK and Ireland in 2012 with more than 10,000 groups set up and allegedly employs 400 people. Margaret Miles-Bramwell with the OBE she received at Buckingham Palace in London for services to Healthcare and to charity in 2009 Ms Miles-Bramwell was made an OBE by Charles, then-prince of Wales, for her services to the health of the British public in 2009, the company's 40th anniversary year. Speaking about her career after she received her royal honour, she said: 'In the early days, in the sixties, there was some help around but it was the sort that used humiliation tactics. 'I really felt that we needed to treat overweight people with respect and courtesy and as adults and not as children who needed a slap or something. 'That was really what inspired me.' The company operates through 3,500 'consultants' across the country who help with eating plans to help people loose weight and then maintain their weight once they've reached their target. Ms Miles-Bramwell was also the owner of a theatre in Majorca and the British boat builder Pearl Yachts, and was named Business Woman of the Year at the National Business Women's awards in 2023. Slimming World managing director Lisa Salmon said: 'Margaret steered her ship in the way she lived her life - with a generous spirit, passionate conviction, a wicked (and rebellious!) sense of humour and a fierce belief in doing the right thing. 'Our job now is to continue to keep her legacy alive by doing the very same thing.' Mrs Miles-Bramwell founded Slimming World in 1969 and was made an OBE by the then Prince Charles Sixties pop idol Jess Conrad said in a post on X that he was 'devastated' by the death of Ms Miles-Bramwell, who had been 'a dear friend for many years', alongside a picture of the pair from 2022. Ms Miles-Bramwell was recognised in the Top 100 Influential People 2025 earlier this month. She said: 'Having struggled with my own weight from a young age, I was aware of the lack of support available, and I was left feeling lectured to, judged and humiliated whenever I tried to seek help. 'I knew there had to be a better way to help people like me. 'I know how it feels to be burdened with your weight not just the physical weight, but the burden of shame and guilt too.' Ms Miles-Bramwell is survived by her children from her first husband, Roy Miles, a daughter, Claire and two sons, Dominic and Benjamin. After the couple split, she later married Tony Whittaker in 1996, who she described as her 'soulmate'. She became stepmother to his children but he passed away in 2021 after 25 years of marriage. Ivanka Trump has been channeling Blake Lively's Gossip Girl style in a new post on Instagram after she twinned in the same dress the actress once wore on the television show - as she also shared a message about 'hope, resilience and new beginnings.' On Sunday night, Ivanka posed in a gold-and-black sequined bodycon dress with mesh detailing by Peter Pilotto, which appeared in the designer's Fall 2012 Ready to Wear Collection. The dress also featured a sultry, criss-cross cut out at the bust complete with a choker, and intricate floral beading at the hemline of the knee-length frock. It was a look that was worn over 10 years ago by Blake Lively's character Serena van der Woodsen in the hit series Gossip Girl. Lively wore the dress with an edgy black clutch bag that featured studs at the handle, styling her hair in a volumized high ponytail. She made a debut in the garment during the sixth season of Gossip Girl in 2012, in the episode titled Save The Last Chance. But unlike Lively's fictional character, Ivanka paired the glamorous gown with a pair of black ballet flats - well, only one, as she sported an orthopedic boot on the other. She revealed last week that she had injured her toe. Ivanka Trump is channeling Blake Lively's Gossip Girl style in a n ew post on Instagram after she twinned in the same dress the actress once wore on the television show It was a look that was worn over 10 years ago by Blake Lively's character, Serena van der Woodsen in the hit series Gossip Girl But unlike Lively's fictional character, Ivanka paired the glamorous gown with a pair of black ballet flats - well, only one, as she sported an orthopedic boot on the other 'Saturday in the City,' Ivanka wrote in the caption of the photo. 'Got my boot to boot.' Peter Pilotto has since gone out of business, but similar dresses are available on resale sites like Vestiaire Collective for upwards of $29,000. However, even though Ivanka's look may have been over a decade old, it seemed to be a hit with her A-list friends. In the comments section of the photo, many gushed over how amazing the First Daughter looked. Lauren Sanchez, who is engaged to Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos, left her a single red heart emoji, as did designer Ronny Kobo. Personal stylist Gayle Perry also wrote, 'Speedy recovery,' accompanied by a red heart emoji. It came just days after the former Advisor to the President had snapped a pic of her and her family standing on a boat near the Statue of Liberty in a post about the importance of Ellis Island and her appreciation for New York City. She held her three kids - daughter Arabella, 13, and sons Joseph, 10, and Theodore, eight, close, as did her husband, Jared Kushner. Peter Pilotto has since gone out of business, but similar dresses are available on resale sites like Vestiaire Collective for upwards of $29,000 It came just days after the former Advisor to the President had snapped a pic of her and her family standing on a boat near the Statue of Liberty in a post about the importance of Ellis Island and her appreciation for New York City She held her three kids - daughter Arabella, 13, and sons Joseph, 10, and Theodore, eight, close, as did her husband, Jared Kushner She made a debut in the garment during the sixth season of Gossip Girl in 2012, in the episode titled Save The Last Chance In the caption, she wrote about the importance of Ellis Island, as dad Donald Trump has come down extremely hard with strict immigration policies since taking office. 'It was very special to bring my children, each born in New York, to the very place where over 12 million began their American journey,' Ivanka wrote in the caption of the photo. 'I am one of the nearly 40 percent of all U.S. citizens who can trace at least one ancestor to Ellis Island,' her message continued. 'Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty stand as timeless symbols of hope, resilience, and new beginnings. Grateful to share this piece of history with my children.' Prince Andrew appeared sombre during his morning ride around Windsor after it was confirmed he will not join the rest of the royals for the Commonwealth Service later today. The Duke of York, 65, donned a long brown coat, riding boots, and a helmet for a trot around the Berkshire estate on the same day that King Charles, Queen Camilla, and the rest of the Royal Family will mark Commonwealth Day in the UK. Andrew seemed downcast as he was photographed in his car and on horseback on March 10 after it was confirmed he would not join senior royals, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, for the annual service at Westminster Abbey in London. 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 Epstein associate Ghislane Maxwell in 2000, and visited her Belgravia home twice to give her massages. The disgraced financier, who died in jail awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, died in prison. 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'. This turned out to be Prince Andrew - with the session to take place within his suite of rooms at Buckingham Palace. Prince Andrew appeared sombre during his morning ride around Windsor after it was confirmed he will not join the rest of the royals for the Commonwealth Service later today The Duke of York, 65, donned a long brown coat, riding boots, and a helmet for a trot around the Berkshire estate on the same day that King Charles, Queen Camilla, and the rest of the Royal Family will mark Commonwealth Day in the UK Monique revealed 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. While Prince Andrew has been shunned from the spotlight amid continued scrutiny over his ties to convicted pedophile Epstein, the rest of the Royal Family will gather later today to mark Commonwealth Day. The Princess of Wales will return to Westminster Abbey to attend the service after she was forced to miss last year's event due to her cancer treatment. It comes as Charles, 76, who is head of the Commonwealth, emphasised the 'vital role' of the conglomeration of 56 member nations at a time of such global uncertainty. He said: 'Last October, leaders from across the Commonwealth came together in Samoa to reaffirm their 'belief in the value of the Commonwealth as a trusted forum where diverse voices of our member states, the large and the small, the young and the old, come together as one family'. Masseuse Monique Giannelloni, 60, claims that Prince Andrew booked her to massage him at Buckingham Palace 'In these uncertain times, where it is all too easy to believe that our differences are problems instead of a source of strength and an opportunity for learning, the Commonwealth's remarkable collection of nations and peoples come together in the spirit of support and, crucially, friendship.' The Commonwealth is one of the world's oldest political associations of states, with its roots in the British Empire. However, the last four countries to join the organisation Mozambique, Rwanda, Gabon and Togo had no links whatsoever with British colonialism, emphasising its role as a voluntary organisation of independent and equal nations. Its population is in excess of 2.7 billion, with some 60 per cent aged 29 or under, and a combined GDP of more than $13trillion (10billion). Last year, Prince William and Queen Camilla led the royals at the Commonwealth service in the absence of King Charles, who was also diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in 2024. As the monarch continues his recovery, he is expected to call for unity during his annual Commonwealth Day address amid his 'concerns' over Canada's trade war with US president Donald Trump. Charles's speech will be published in full on Monday, when the annual service celebrating Commonwealth Day is attended by senior members of the Royal Family and a congregation of invited guests. A woman has revealed her horror after purchasing a pair of jogging bottoms from Vinted - only to discover a 'rancid' stain on the clothing item. Kat Hibberd, 31, from Warwickshire, took to TikTok in October 2023 to share her experience, prompting thousands of stunned Vinted users to weigh in with their thoughts. Posting a video to her account, @kathrynhibberd, in October 2023, the content creator added an accompanying caption that read: 'I swear this kind of stuff only happens to me.' In the clip, Kat explained she had purchased a Boohoo loungewear set listed as 'very good,' which included a pair of blue jogging bottoms and a matching hoodie. Kat added that she had inspected the photos on the listing for marks, but couldn't 'see any,' so she went through with the purchase in good faith. However, she described her Vinted order as the 'worst in history' after receiving the parcel and giving the bottoms a thorough examination. In the video, Kat held the trousers up to the camera - revealing a questionable dark-red stain in the crotch area that she described as a 'm***e splash stain.' She exclaimed: 'I understand that periods happen and we leak. No hate towards that whatsoever. Kat Hibberd, 31, from Warwickshire, revealed her horror after purchasing a pair of jogging bottoms from Vinted - only to discover a 'rancid' stain on the clothing item In the video, Kat held the trousers up to the camera - revealing a questionable dark-red stain in the crotch area that she described as a 'm***e splash stain' 'But how the f**k are you going to list an item as 'very good' and send it out, not only with a couple of stains, but with a big m***e splash stain?' Kat admitted she 'has a lot of patience when it comes to Vinted,' but criticised the seller's lack of consideration in packing a thoroughly clean item. Concluding the video, she added: 'That is f*****g rancid. I actually feel like I need to go and have a bath. What is going on with Vinted?' Over 3,000 viewers took to the comments to share their thoughts, with many Vinted buyers and sellers expressing their disgust at the 'embarrassing' item. One person wrote, 'This is shocking,' while another said, 'Noooooooooo I was not expecting that.' A third questioned, 'How do people not feel any embarrassment omg,' as another added, 'Do they not think of their reviews or?' Kat admitted she 'has a lot of patience when it comes to Vinted,' but criticised the seller's lack of consideration in packing a thoroughly clean item Over 3,000 viewers took to the comments to share their thoughts, with many Vinted buyers and sellers expressing their disgust at the 'embarrassing' item Poking fun at Kat's unexpected discovery, one person wrote, 'They have special sites for selling worn items like that,' while another said, 'No wonder my items arent selling. Theyre too clean!' Sharing their own experience of buying from a dishonest Vinted seller, one person wrote: 'Bought some very good PJ's and they had skid marks in.' Another person added: 'My son ordered a jacket and it came with a massive hole cut out the back. Where the security tag had been cut off.' FEMAIL has gone to Vinted for comment. Meanwhile, a mother has issued a warning to people who sell on Vinted over a sophisticated scam which targeted her 15-year-old daughter. The woman, known only as Kerry, from Northwich in Cheshire, told the BBC how the family had narrowly avoided being defrauded, after her teenager almost handed over her bank details to someone on the pre-loved website. Vinted has become one of the UK's most popular consumer selling sites in recent years, serving as an online marketplace for second-hand items, and boasts 16million users in the UK. A naturopathic doctor has revealed the three things you should do everyday if you're going through menopause - and they're all extremely simple. The important information was shared in a new video posted to TikTok this week by Dr. Janine Bowring, a Canada-based expert who has over 25 years of experience. While she typically gives her tips for longevity and even how to have healthy bowel movements, this time, she offered guidance for those facing menopause. Menopause can be defined as having gone 12 consecutive months without a period, which happens as women age and the ovaries stop producing reproductive hormones, per Cleveland Clinic. Typically, it starts around age 52, and can cause some uncomfortable symptoms like hot flashes, insomnia and even vaginal dryness, according to the Clinic. However, Dr. Bowring believes that there are some things you can do everyday during the process to make things a bit easier for yourself, starting off with lowering your EMF exposure. Electromagnetic fields or electromotive force, also known as EMF, is something that emits from your phone while its in use, per National Cancer Institute. She also recommended 'lowering your blue light toxicity' and to wear blue-light blocking glasses when looking at a screen. Dr. Bowring believes that there are some things you can do everyday during the process to make things a bit easier for yourself, starting off with lowering your EMF exposure Both EMF and blue light can disrupt yourself, per Healthline and Science Direct. 'You're limiting your cell phone use, and you're charging your cell phone in another room, especially when you're sleeping,' Dr. Bowring instructed. The next tip on Dr. Bowring's list was to spend an increased amount of time outdoors in natural light. 'Getting that natural light into your eyes and onto your skin is gonna program all of your circadian clock mechanisms in all of your organs, and this balances your hormones,' the naturopath explained. Per Healthline, having exposure to sunlight can increase your levels of serotonin. Having a healthy amount of serotonin in your body can positively aid in regulating mood and sleep, among other things, per Verywell Mind. And, lastly, Dr. Bowring advised viewers to 'prioritize' gut health. 'So, making sure you're getting enough fiber, spending time outdoors to get that natural environment for you natural internal microbiome, those probiotics,' she said. She also recommended 'lowering your blue light toxicity' and to wear blue-light blocking glasses when looking at a screen (stock image) During menopause, your gut microbiome changes, according to Everyday Health. Brandilyn Peters-Samuelson, PhD, an epidemiologist at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York, told the outlet that having higher estrogen levels can be associated with 'greater microbial diversity,' which is optimal for women's health. Your gut microbiome can effect digestive system, immune system and even your nervous system. Dr. Bowring also suggested doing something called a 'microbiome cleanse' to help kill off some of the bad bacteria in your gut. The naturopathic doctor's video comes just days after Goop goddess Gwyneth Paltrow revealed that her menopause symptoms worsened after she was drinking 'every night' during the Los Angeles wildfires earlier this year. 'I'm really in the thick of it right now, so I'm all over the place,' she shared during a recent episode of her Goop podcast. 'But I noticed my symptoms are, like, pretty well under control unless, you know, in January when the fires were happening in L.A. I've, like, used alcohol for its purpose.' Fans of Jennifer Garner's hit flick 13 Going on 30 have been left stunned after discovering that the film had a different name in some other countries. TikTok user @mackboyle25 went viral over the weekend after posting a snap of herself browsing Netflix. The film 'Suddenly 30' was on the screen and the image of Garner in character as Jenna Rink, as well the film description, made it immediately clear that the movie was 13 Going on 30. 'Wait hello? Since when is this movie called Suddenly 30???' Mack wrote about the screen. The TikTok user - who moved from the U.S. to Australia in 2024 - added: 'I am confusion.' Followers immediately began to share their own shock as one wrote: 'In my day it was called "13 going on 30."' Another commented: 'I have the proper DVD in my house from the 2000s and it says "13 going on 30."' 'IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN... NO THAT'S NOT WHAT THAT'S CALLED. They will not gaslight meeee,' one user added. Fans of Jennifer Garner's hit flick, 13 Going on 30 have been left stunned after discovering that the film had a different name in some other countries TikTok user @mackboyle25 went viral over the weekend after posting a snap of herself browsing Netflix and stumbling on the film, but it was titled 'Suddenly 30' 'Wtf parallel universe are uou living in Down Under,' one follower joked, while another wrote: 'Stop this right now. In the UK it's 13 going on 30' Another stressed: 'Since forever? It's never been called anything else.' When one person commented, '13 GOING ON 30 4EVER', Mack replied: 'Okay thank you I thought the Mandela effect was getting me.' Many film lovers began to explain the reason for the title change as one wrote: 'In Australia it's always been called Suddenly 30. We just all know it as 13 going on 30 because of Americas influence here.' Another added: 'It's "Suddenly 30" in Australia and Europe.' 'Fun fact, movies have different names in different countries,' one commenter noted. Indeed, distributors were reportedly concerned that the film's original title would not translate well and end up being misunderstood by Australian audiences and other nations. They settled on Suddenly 30 as a more fitting choice for the film's name. Followers immediately began to share their own shock and confusion, before it was revealed that the name had been changed from Australian audiences In 2004, distributors were reportedly concerned that the film's original title would not translate well outside of the U.S. ; Garner and Judy Greer seen in a still A similar decision was made for Drew Barrymore's Fever Pitch, known as The Perfect Catch in Australia. As well as Zac Efron's Neighbors, which was released as Bad Neighbors in order to avoid confusion with the popular Aussie soap. For some Australian TikTok users the post shed light on the change, with one person commenting: 'So it has always been 13 going on 30 what the fork bro.' However, others were equally perplexed as another wrote: 'I'm Aussie and it was definitely 13 going on 30 when I was a teenager.' 'Changing movie names should be illegal,' one person stated. Another TikTok user noted that the name of the film was also Suddenly 30 in other countries: 'Always been in many countries. That's the Brazilian name too (de repente 30).' Over the years, Garner has been known to pay homage to her beloved character and even dressed up as Jenna Rink for Halloween last year. The star took to her TikTok and Instagram to share a video of herself recreating the getting ready scene from the hit 2004 film. For some Australian TikTok users, the post shed light on the name change Over the years, Garner has been known to pay homage to her beloved character and even dressed up as Jenna Rink for Halloween last year The big reveal came when Jennifer donned the same colorful striped dress that her character Jenna Rink wore to her work party. She then went on to pair the iconic frock with a pair of long white socks, dark pink sneakers, and a dark grey bag as she does in the film. The star captioned the video to her 16.9million Instagram followers: 'Happy 20th Halloween, Jenna Rink [intertwined heart emojis].' Earlier in the year Garner, Judy Greer and Mark Ruffalo hosted a virtual reunion to celebrate 13 Going On 30's 20th anniversary, and the actresses shared a video from the event on their respective Instagram accounts. The performers starred as Jenna, Lucy Wyman and Matty Flamhaff, respectively, in the romantic comedy film. The actors penned a short message in her post's caption to let their fans know that they took part in the reunion to show their gratitude for the continued support of their followers. 'Twenty years. We are three Boomers braving zoom because we want to thank you.' they wrote. 'To every person who has loved this movie along with us: Thank You. We see you, we appreciate you and we love you back. Forever thirty, flirty and thriving!' Meghan Markle appeared keen to set the record straight when she on her Netflix show declared 'I'm a Sussex now'. 'It's so funny you keep saying Meghan Markle,' the Duchess, 43, said while correcting her friend Mindy Kaling as the pair made snacks in the newly released lifestyle series. 'You have kids and you go "No, I share my name with my children". I didn't know how meaningful it would be to me but it just means so much to go "This is OUR family name". Our little family name.' However, the King's second cousin has claimed that Prince Harry's wife is 'completely incorrect'. Lord Ivar Mountbatten, 61, who has starred in season three of Traitors in the US told Town & Country that her last name is actually Mountbatten-Windsor. 'Her children are called Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor; they're not called Archie and Lilibet Sussex because Sussex is a title,' he told the outlet. 'So, they are the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, but actually he's Harry Mountbatten-Windsor and she would be Meghan Mountbatten-Windsor. 'My brother is the Marquess of Milford Haven, but his surname is Mountbatten, so he's called George Mountbatten, the Marquess of Milford Haven. When I read that, it was an article about her new program, and she said that her family name is Sussex.' Meghan Markle appeared keen to set the record straight when she on her Netflix show declared 'I'm a Sussex now' However, the King's second cousin has claimed that Prince Harry 's wife is 'incompletely incorrect'. Lord Ivar Mountbatten, 61, who has starred in season three of Traitors in the US told Town & Country that her last name is actually Mountbatten-Windsor Ivar also admitted that he has yet to tune into With Love, Meghan, adding: 'I might be interested to watch it; it might not last long.' The royal is a great-nephew of the late Earl Mountbatten of Burma, and became became the first member of the extended Royal Family to enter into a same-sex union in 2018, marrying James at Bridwell. However, despite his stance, Meghan is not actually strictly wrong by choosing to call herself Sussex. Her insistence has caused a stir amongst royal-watchers, with many questioning her decision to adopt 'Sussex' as her family name, particularly in light of the couple's limited connection to the county. They have only ever officially visited the region once - for just six hours - after a whistle-stop tour in October 2018 taking in Brighton, Chichester and Peacehaven. While members of the Royal Family entitled to the style of HRH Prince or Princess do not actually need a use surname day to day, according to Buckingham Palace, officially the family's name is Mountbatten-Windsor - and is recorded as such on both Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet's birth certificates. 'It's so funny you keep saying Meghan Markle, you know I'm Sussex now,' Meghan told Mindy Kaling, who looked confused This dates back to 1960 when Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh decided they would like their own direct descents to be distinguished from the rest of the Royal Family, without changing the name of the Royal House (which had been Windsor since 1917, after George V anglicised the name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha as a result of anti-German public sentiment). And so it was declared in the Privy Council that the Queen's descendants would add a hyphenated 'Mountbatten' to reflect Prince Philip's surname, which he himself took on in 1947 when he became a naturalised Briton. But Meghan is not the only person to have used the naming custom. In fact members of the Royal Family - indeed, the peerage generally - often use their dukedom or title as a 'shorthand surname'. Hence Harry was always known as Harry Wales when at school and in the military as a nod to his father, King Charles, then the Prince of Wales. William has also always used the named Wales, and his children do so too now. Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie (at least before they got married) also used the surname York, after their father, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York. But the children of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, who while entitled to be referred to as HRHs have chosen not to use their titles, use Mountbatten-Windsor. It is, therefore, not entirely surprising at all that Harry and Meghan would choose to have their children, Archie and Lilibet, known as Sussex, or that they would use it as well. 'With Love, Meghan' landed on Netflix on Tuesday and is aimed at showing a new side to the Duchess of Sussex Wendy Bosberry-Scott, editor of Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage, explains: 'The official surname of the Royal Family is Mountbatten-Windsor. However, it has long been the practice of the Royal Family, and indeed the peerage, to use a title as a surname where one is available. This is why when Prince Harry was in the army, he was known as Harry Wales, as his father was then Prince of Wales. 'Now that he is the Duke of Sussex, it is perfectly within protocol for him to use Harry Sussex and for his wife to use Meghan Sussex. This is no different from the Duke of Norfolk calling himself Edward Norfolk, when his surname is Howard. ' Ms Bosberry-Scott adds: 'Typically, where a title is involved, children are registered under both names, as was the case when Prince Archie was registered in 2019; he appears in the indexes of the General Register Office under Sussex and Mountbatten-Windsor. 'There are many other examples of this happening. The Sussexes are not doing anything unusual here as it is common practice within the Royal Family and the British peerage.' Joe Little, managing editor of specialist publication Majesty magazine, also confirms this, explaining: 'It is a practice that has been going on for years. While not specifically dictated in the rules according to Buckingham Palace, there is fluidity.' READ MORE: Heartbroken moment two dogs are left in a cage in Utah desert Pennsylvania police are searching for an owner who abandoned their Pitbull An adorable dog has been left abandoned along with a heartbreaking note as police desperately search for its owner. On March 9, the Swatara Township Police Department in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, alerted locals about the pet pooch. Officers said that the owner was seen dumping the gray Pitbull, which is believed to be around nine years old, on March 7 at 6.21 am. Along with her crate, water bowl, bone, yellow toy, and red and white blanket, the owner also left a heartbreaking handwritten note. 'I've had her for nine years so she's a good dog, but doesn't do good with new people,' the note read. 'I've been trying to rid her for over a year and she won't go to anyone and I can't have her or take care of her anymore. 'Please be careful, she's scared and doesn't know you so she's defensive.' On March 9, the Swatara Township Police Department in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, alerted locals about the pet pooch Along with her crate, water bowl, bone, yellow toy, and red and white blanket, the owner also left a heartbreaking handwritten note 'Not a crazy dog. Thanks and sorry,' it concluded. Once the pup was found, police took her to the Humane Society in Harrisburg. Police are now asking anyone with information to call Swatara Police or Dauphin County Communications. It comes just days after another pet pooch was abandoned - but this time they were caught on surveillance footage. Video shows the heartbreaking moment the door of a red SUV opened while a dog jumped out and the motorist sped away. The loyal animal can be seen looking confused before desperately trying to chase the car, clearly mystified by its owner's behavior. Residents on Peoria Avenue in Surprise on the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona - where the incident happened - were left 'shocked' by what they saw - and heard. Joanna Buesen, who witnessed the pet being dumped around 12.15pm on March 8 while walking her own dog, said she felt 'so many emotions.' Once she was found, police brought her to the Humane Society in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 'I was angered. I was flabbergasted, shocked,' she told Arizona's Family. Buesen reacted by calling out to the dog and trying to comfort him. 'It was defeated. It was sad,' she said. The Phoenix local said the woman's callous words - 'bye bye' - right as she dumped the animal made her feel even more angry about the cruel incident. The Snow White live action remake has been blasted once again following the release of a new clip, with viewers insisting they will only be tuning in so they can 'hate watch it.' The upcoming Disney film, starring Rachel Zegler as the titular character and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, is due to hit theaters across the country on March 21. Ahead of its release, Disney shared a new clip with Good Morning America in which Snow White meets with the Evil Queen to advocate for the poor villagers who she believes are in need of 'some kindness.' Addressing the monarch, she says: 'Your majesty, people are struggling, and it may not be much but when I was young my parents and I would pick apples, and we'd take them and make pies and then go out into the village' 'Pies?' the Evil Queen repeats back. 'Pies are luxuries, they don't need luxuries, it confuses them.' 'But sometimes something small, something sweet even can make you believe that there's something more than being alive than their subsistence,' Snow White fights back. The Evil Queen continues: 'You know, I really don't remember you being this opinionated.' The clip failed to impress viewers, however, with many voicing their criticism over Gal's acting while others admitted that they'll only be tuning in so that they can 'hate watch' it. The Snow White live action has been blasted once again following the release of a new clip The upcoming Disney film stars Rachel Zegler (pictured) as the titular character and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one said: 'This is still not out yet but I already want a refund. Thank you.' 'I speak for everyone when I say... We are all hate watching this,' wrote another. A third blasted: 'I hate this so much, Gal Gadot is a model, and Rachel Zegler looks so plain in this scene, like I just don't buy it how the Queen would be jealous of Snow White, and that's the main premise of this story.' 'Gal Gadot's inability to emote beyond a blank stare is hilarious,' slammed a fourth. A fifth continued: 'I want to know who else auditioned for the role of The Evil Queen because Gal's acting is very distracting in every scene.' Others weren't so mean. 'I think it's going to be really good, people just gotta support it,' said one. 'Gal Gadot playing the wicked stepmother is perfection. Even the star playing Snow White is giving off an innocence felt in our childhood books.' In a new clip, Snow White meets with the Evil Queen to ask if she can make pies for the poor Agreeing, another said: 'This was actually a great performance from both of them. Kinda shocked considering I was expecting this to be a complete dumpster fire.' Directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay by Erin Cressida Wilson, Snow White is a live-action reimagining of Walt Disney Production's 1937 animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which itself is based on the 1812 fairy tale Snow White by the Brothers Grimm. Initial plans for the remake were confirmed in October 2016. Filming took place primarily in London, England, from March to July 2022, with additional filming and pick-ups taking place in June 2024. The film elicited pre-release controversies, with criticism levied against the color-blind casting, story changes, Rachel's public disapproval of the original film, and reimagining of the Seven Dwarfs. Rachel was labelled 'a walking PR disaster for Disney' having made controversial comments about her role. Rachel was labelled 'a walking PR disaster for Disney' having made controversial comments about her role Snow White is due to hit theaters across country on March 21 In a 2022 interview she called the original film 'dated' and critiqued elements like Snow White's relationship with Prince Charming as a 'guy who literally stalks her,' as well as calling the film 'weird'. An earlier interview also saw Rachel hit out at Disney's 'problematic' portrayal of princesses and women in positions of power while noting how the film scared her as a child also only added fuel to the fire. After being postponed for its 2024 release date due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, Snow White is now set for release on March 21, 2025. When the first Snow White trailer dropped in December 2024, social media users were quick to call out Rachel's 'bad ass' portrayal of the princess, as well as the use of CGI. McDonald's fans are buzzing over a secret new menu item popping up at select Australian locations: crispy, golden McWings. Sydney foodie Adrian Widgy sent social media into a frenzy after sharing a video of the deep-fried battered chicken wings, spotted at West Ryde Macca's. 'New items at West Ryde Macca's! They now serve fried battered chicken wings,' he said in the clip. 'It's thick, juicy, super savoury, and has a peppery kick.' Diners can get their hands on either three wings for $6.95 or five for $10.95 - but only at select stores. Foodies have already started hunting down the McWings, with customers confirming sightings at Green Square, Gladesville, and Rockdale locations. McDonald's confirmed the wings will be available across New South Wales and South Australia. 'They look like the old Costco wings,' one person said. McDonald's lovers are buzzing over a secret new menu item popping up at select Australian locations - crispy, golden McWings Another pointed out that Macca's Australia actually served fried chicken pieces with chips back in the late '70s and early '80s before it 'mysteriously' disappeared from menus. Others are celebrating the long-awaited arrival of a McDonald's menu staple found across Asia. 'They are my Hong Kong favs, finally made it to Australia!' one excited fan wrote. 'Oh wow, chicken wings at Macca's! Like in Asia. Gotta try.' Some are already dreaming of what could be next. 'When are we getting rice and spaghetti on the menu?' one customer joked. A McDonald's spokesperson told FEMAIL: 'Macca's is always looking for new ways to tantalise taste buds. 'We are trialling juicy, tender Chicken McWings in select restaurants across New South Wales and South Australia only. 'While we can't confirm any further deets, stay tuned for more later this year.' Patients are being put at risk by medicine supply shortages which leave pharmacies unable to dispense prescriptions at least once a day, health leaders have warned. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA), which represents 6,000 independent community pharmacies, said the Government must urgently grant much greater flexibility for pharmacists to substitute medication when it is safe to do so. At the moment, patients must go back to their GP for a new prescription if the item or dose they have been prescribed is out of stock. The only exception to this rule is in very limited circumstances when a Serious Shortage Protocol has been issued by the NHS. In January, Lancashire coroner Christopher Long wrote to Health Secretary Wes Streeting on this issue following the death of two-year-old Ava Hodgkinson. He told how she died of overwhelming sepsis from a strep A infection after delays in receiving antibiotics due to restrictions preventing a pharmacist from amending an out-of-stock prescription. Mr Long wrote: 'Ava had seen her GP who had prescribed amoxicillin with a dose of 250mg/5ml. 'The pharmacy did not have this strength in stock but did have amoxicillin 125mg/5ml in stock. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA), which represents 6,000 independent community pharmacies, said the Government must urgently grant much greater flexibility for pharmacists to substitute medication when it is safe to do so. Pictured: File photo At the moment, patients must go back to their GP for a new prescription if the item or dose they have been prescribed is out of stock. Pictured: File photo '(They) could not issue this as restrictions currently in place prevent a pharmacist issuing any different strength of medication without an amended prescription, even where the medication can be provided to enable the same dose to be administered (here Ava's parents could have been instructed to provide 10ml enabling the same dose of antibiotics to be provided). 'This led to a delay in Ava receiving antibiotics.' The NPA said the rules must change, and quickly, adding it believes any changes being currently considered by the Government are too limited in scope. It said its survey of 500 pharmacies found all were unable to dispense a prescription at least once a day due to supply problems. Most (95 per cent) also reported patients coming to their pharmacy at least once a day to get medicines they had failed to obtain elsewhere due to supply problems. Furthermore, 96 per cent of pharmacies told how they were unable to dispense a prescription at least once a day, despite having a safe alternative formulation in stock. Nick Kaye, chairman of the NPA, said: 'These are deeply concerning statistics which show that patients are potentially having to forgo vital medication due to shortages. 'Pharmacies are at the sharp end of medicines shortages and frequently have to turn away distressed, frustrated and sometimes angry patients. In January, Lancashire coroner Christopher Long wrote to Health Secretary Wes Streeting on this issue following the death of two-year-old Ava Hodgkinson (pictured) He told how she died of overwhelming sepsis from a strep A infection after delays in receiving antibiotics due to restrictions preventing a pharmacist from amending an out-of-stock prescription 'It is particularly frustrating for pharmacists to be unable to meet a clear need when they have a perfectly safe and effective solution in their pharmacy already. 'It is madness to send someone back to their GP and it risks a patient either delaying taking vital medication or forgoing it altogether, which poses a clear risk to patient safety. 'We're pleased the Government are taking steps to bring together manufacturers, wholesalers and pharmacies to try and tackle this issue. 'However, the Government must look again at allowing pharmacists - who are highly trained healthcare practitioners - to use their professional judgment to supply an appropriate alternative when the prescribed version is unavailable.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: 'Community pharmacies have a vital role to play as we shift focus of healthcare out of hospitals and into the community as part of our Plan for Change. 'We will work with the sector, making better use of the skills of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, to build a service fit for the future. 'The Government is currently considering enabling pharmacists to substitute to a different dose or formulation, under specified circumstances, where such a substitution might be both urgent and safe.' A lack of sex could almost double men's risk of being sent to an early grave, a study suggests. An analysis of data from 20,000 people found males with low libido were two thirds more likely to die, compared to those with a higher sexual appetite. These findings remained true even after experts accounted for other factors like smoking, alcohol use, obesity levels, underlying health conditions and exercise. This suggested it was the lack of sexual interest that increased the risk of death, though the authors say further studies are needed. It follows separate research that suggested celibate men have an increased risk of cancer or other long-term illnesses but have a lower chance of a heart attack. In the Japanese study, experts examined data from over 7,500 men and 11,000 women over the age of 40 and then tracked their health outcomes for seven years. At the start of the study all participants were asked if they had 'any interest in people of the opposite sex'. Answers of 'no' were defined as lack of sexual interest. Analysis of the data found men who reported a lack of sexual appetite had 69 per cent higher risk of dying over the course of the study. A lack of sex could double men's risk of being sent to an early grave, a study suggests When looking at specific causes of death, men who didn't have sex were found to have a 72 per cent higher chance of dying from cancer. However, these men were not found to have a greater risk of developing the disease in the first place. Although women were more than twice as likely as men to report lower libido, scientists didn't find a link between a lack of interest in sex and a higher mortality risk in females. The study authors from Yamagata University said the research suggests a lack of sexual interest could increase the risk of death among older adult men. 'Based on our results, we suggest that lack of sexual interest itself contributes to an increased risk of all-cause mortality, independent of established risk factors in men over 40 years old,' they wrote. The study's findings, published in the journal PLOS One, are observational, meaning they cannot prove that lower libido harms men's health directly. The authors note that although they accounted for several factors, there could be other aspects influencing the results. They noted that men reporting a lack of sexual interest were more likely to drink more, have diabetes, laugh less, experience some kind of psychological distress, and have lower levels of education. Japanese scientists found death from all causes increased in men who demonstrated a lack of interest in sex This chart shows how men with lack of sexual interest had significantly higher odds of dying from cancer But they highlighted men with a lower sex drive were more likely to report lacking ikigai a Japanese term for a reason for living, or the joy and goal of having a life worth living. Based on these results, we speculate that maintaining sexual interest may be related to positive psychological wellbeing and "ikigai" especially among men, they said. However, they added: 'Further study is required to clarify the mechanisms which underlie the preventive effects of sexual interest on mortality.' The Japanese study isn't the first to suggest sex could have a protective effect on men's health. A British study of more than 5,700 over-50s found men who have less sex saw their risk of serious illness rise by more than two-thirds. Experts from Anglia Ruskin University found these men were 63 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with cancer and 41 per cent more likely to develop a long-standing illness. Dr Lee Smith, senior author of the study, credited sexual activity being a form of exercise as a potential explanation. It is important to remember that sex is a form of physical activity, albeit often performed at a moderate intensity, which burns around 3.6 calories a minute,' Dr Smith said. The researchers found that females between the ages of 20 and 59 who had sex less than once a week were at a 70 per cent increased risk of death within five years 'All exercise comes with health benefits and sex is no different. Another British study, conducted on about 1,000 Welsh men in the 90s, found regular sex slashed death rates by about 50 per cent. Other research on specific serious health issues has also suggested regular lovemaking could protect men from an early demise. American research found men who have sex frequently are up to 45 per cent less likely to develop life-threatening heart conditions than men who only have sex once a month or less. Studies have also linked regular ejaculation, through sex or masturbation, with a reduced risk of prostate cancer. Experts found men who orgasmed at least 21 times a month were a third less likely to develop the disease than men who did so four to seven times. Scientists theorise frequent ejaculation may allow the prostate to clear out cancer-causing substances or it may prevent the development of calcium deposits, which are associated with prostate cancer. Separate research has also revealed a lack of sex could be harming women. Experts found females between the ages of 20 and 59 who had sex less than once a week were at a 70 per cent increased risk of death within five years. The benefits of sex, for both genders, are wide ranging including improved sleep, a bolstered immune system, combating depression and anxiety, and better heart health. However, many experts urge caution about directly linking sex rates with death risk. They caution it could instead be the case that having less sex is a sign that someone is already unwell before being officially diagnosed. A top UK sex therapist has named the South West region of the Cotswolds as the nation's 'raunchiest' area, where residents are intimate 15 times a month, on average. According to former NHS counsellor Natasha Silverman, the rural part of the UK, which is home to high profile figures like Kate Moss and Jeremy Clarkson, the quieter life leaves more headspace for residents to 'think erotically'. 'Theres a higher desire generally in rural areas, which seems to be particularly higher here in the Cotswolds,' said Ms Silverman, who lives in the Cotswolds. 'One is that theres a slower pace of life here, and I think when you are able to be a bit more connected, present and grounded, and youre not in that intense work hard-play hard lifestyle which comes in lots of cities, you tend to have headspace to be available for erotic cues. 'I speak to a lot of women youre not going to think about sex until youre bored, otherwise everything else is going to get in the way. 'Theres more opportunity for their minds to go to those places. Essentially, work-life balance has a stronger emphasis in the Cotswolds.' She added that she's noticed an abundance of apps and websites for local people that cater to the 'kink community' those interested in more unusual or adventurous sexual interests. It comes as a recent survey found that residents of the Cotswolds have among the highest libidos in the UK, having sex 15 times a month on average. The Cotswolds village of Castle Combe. The area is home to the nation's randiest people, according to sex therapist Natasha Silverman In second place is Suffolk, where people are intimate 14 times a month, followed by Norfolk, where the rate is 13 times a month. According to the nationwide survey by business consultant Perspectus Global, rural residents are having sex an average of 11 times a month, while City folk only manage to get it on eight times. Those in urban areas find it more difficult to 'slow down and be more present', Ms Silverman said. 'Even if work is intense, even if your lifestyle is full on, make sure you have scheduled into your diary some kind of downtime. Many of us find it really hard to stop.' The findings appear to echo the raunchy scenes seen in the Disney+ comedy series, Rivals, which is set in the fictional rural town of Rutshire, and follows the characters' various romantic endeavors. The show is based on the novels written by Jilly Cooper, which are set in a Cotswold village, similar to the one she lives in. Ms Silverman points to the impressive provision of menopause services in the area as another potential explanation for the sexually active population. Rival fans begged Disney + for a second series of the saucy show - set in a fictional rural town - that ended on a cliffhanger. Last month a follow-up season was confirmed, due to be broadcasted in early 2026. She said: 'When women have HRT [hormone replacement therapy] and a bit more oestrogen pumping through their bodies, and some supplementary testosterone, they know what sexual cues feel like again. 'And that is when I often have women coming in for couple work saying that their husbands are less interested [in sex] these days, but the women feel like their sex drive has ramped up, theyre having more fantasies, theyre watching more porn. 'Women are becoming more in touch with their sexual self again. I really cannot stress enough how hard it has been for women to access the right kind of support in peri-menopause and menopause.' Many of the old-wives tales about differences in sexual desire between men and women have a base in science, according to Ms Silverman. Ms Silverman said those who live in rural areas have more time to explore sexual fantasies and kinks. She suggests research shows that over 80 per cent of women have a different type of sexual desire to their male counterparts. 'If you have a vagina, you are going to have more of a responsive sexual desire, so that means you need someone to remind you that you can be turned on,' she said. 'Whereas we live in a world where the majority of men have spontaneous sexual desire its on like a light switch. 'Often, a woman will be stacking the dishwasher and her male partner is asking her if she is in the mood to have sex, and shes thinking, "what the hell are you talking about, Im doing the housework". 'Its a bit of a trope that men are always in the mood and that women, particularly in marriages, need a bit more arousal, but the science is there. Women need the arousal to have the thought of wanting sex, and men have the thought which triggers the arousal.' A super-fit swimmer and lifeguard, Becky Bessell had long looked after herself and had no health problems until her mid-40s, when she started experiencing a cluster of seemingly minor problems, including itchy skin on her back and fatigue. The GP put these down to perimenopause, prescribing an emollient to moisturise her skin, and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The HRT helped with my energy levels for a while, but the itching didnt go away, recalls Becky. Then, over the next few years, I seemed to get more and more tired falling asleep on the sofa by 8.30pm. It wasnt like me at all, I usually had bags of energy. My fingers were also puffy and I couldnt get my rings on, which didnt seem right as I wasnt overweight but I didnt mention this [to the GP] at that stage as they didnt hurt. Then in April last year, her hand and wrist suddenly became very painful. It was difficult for me to type at work and hold equipment in the gym, recalls the former sales administrator, who lives in Peasedown St John, Somerset. So Becky went back to the GP who referred her for further tests. Appointment after appointment followed, first with an orthopaedic surgeon, then with a series of rheumatologists. Becky Bessell was initially given an emollient to treat her itchy skin as doctors thought she was experiencing perimenopause Initially, she was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis by a private doctor an autoimmune condition and was prescribed steroids. But when these didnt help, an NHS doctor told Becky she didnt, in fact, have the condition. It was so confusing, she recalls. But he promised he would discuss my case at a multi-disciplinary team meeting [with other specialists] to try to get me a correct diagnosis. Yet before the meeting could be held, four weeks later, Beckys condition dramatically worsened, as she began vomiting several times a day. Then I started to swell up beginning under my eyes and spreading to the rest of my face. I looked like something out of a horror movie, she recalls. A friend took one look at me when she came to visit and took me straight to A&E. Doctors ran blood tests but sent her home, asking her to see her GP for follow-up. I emailed my GP overnight because I was worried and they called first thing, asking me to come in that day, says Becky. She was then told she had nephrotic syndrome basically my kidneys had failed and the blood test revealed large amounts of protein were leaking into my blood, causing fluid retention and swelling, says Becky. Becky was finally diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome, as large amounts of protein were leaking into her blood I couldnt believe what I was hearing. In fact, experts warn that too many patients are having their kidney disease picked up late, when the damage is irreversible, when simple blood and urine tests can detect it early when it is far more treatable. Kidney failure occurs when the kidneys no longer filter out toxins and waste products, and remove water from the blood. Waste then builds up in the body the toxins cause itchy skin and fatigue, while excess sodium in the body leads to fluid retention and symptoms such as ankle and facial swelling, as well as breathlessness. Other symptoms include muscle cramps, weight loss and poor appetite, an increased need to pass urine, nausea, headaches and in men, erectile dysfunction. More than 7.2 million people in the UK have chronic kidney disease (CKD), usually a slow, progressive disease caused by an illness such as high blood pressure, diabetes or inflammation in the kidney caused by infections or autoimmune disease. Around 3.5 million cases are diagnosed at a later stage when symptoms are likely to become increasingly difficult to manage, and the damage is irreversible. Another 488,000 people have acute kidney injury which causes rapid loss of kidney function due to an event such as dehydration or urinary obstruction. This is reversible if treated in time. Becky's creatinine levels were found to be eight times the average, meaning she needed urgent kidney dialysis As many as one million people in the UK are thought to have undiagnosed kidney disease. This is due partly to the disease having quite general symptoms, says Dr Graham Lipkin, a consultant nephrologist at University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, but also simply because people arent tested. Yet these tests a urine test to detect protein leaking into urine and a blood test to measure creatinine levels, a waste product that indicates kidney function are extremely quick, easy and cheap to do, and can be done by GPs, explains Dr Lipkin. We know that some people who are at high risk of CKD for instance, those with high blood pressure, diabetes, or on long-term non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, including aspirin and ibuprofen), are not always having annual tests which could pick it up, adds Dr Lipkin, who also works at the private HCA Harborne Hospital, Birmingham. And people are sometimes not being told they are at risk in the first place, says Fiona Loud, policy director at Kidney Care UK. Weve heard from many people with kidney disease who had previous diagnosis of high blood pressure or diabetes who were never told of their risk of kidney disease, she says. Research shows only 29 per cent of people with high blood pressure received urine tests for kidney function in the past year. The NHS Health Check (for people aged 40 to 74 without pre-existing health conditions) should help identify people with high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, which both increase the risk of developing kidney diseases. While experts arent necessarily asking for the simple kidney checks to be added to this NHS health check, we need better follow-up of people with type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure identified in the health check as these are the two leading causes of kidney disease, says Fiona Loud. Still puffy and swollen, on the GPs advice, Becky drove herself to the hospital where she was prescribed a diuretic (water tablet) to help get rid of some of the fluid shed continued to swell at an alarming rate, taking her weight from 52kg (8st 2lb) to 69kg (10st 8lb) over the course of the weekend. Becky was told shed be booked in for a kidney biopsy in six to eight weeks time. Yet within half an hour of getting back home, she started vomiting violently and was brought back in by paramedics. That night was one of the worst of my life, says Becky. I literally thought I was going to die. A few days later, tests confirmed she was in total kidney failure: her levels of creatinine were eight times the average, and she needed kidney dialysis immediately (where toxins and fluid are filtered out of the blood by a machine). Its a scenario far too many people find themselves in, says Dr Lipkin: People often get diagnosed at a late stage. The tragedy is that if CKD is diagnosed early enough there are now newer more effective drugs. For example, drugs originally developed for people with type 2 diabetes, called sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors, have been shown to reduce the risk of kidney failure by around a third, according to a review of 13 trials, published in the Lancet in 2022. Quite why they protect the kidneys isnt fully understood, but is thought to be linked to their effect on blood vessels. Its not entirely clear why, but GLP-1 drugs (such as Ozempic and Mounjaro) have also been seen to have a beneficial effect on kidney function, adds Dr Lipkin. This is on top of the existing treatment for earlier-stage kidney disease, including ACE inhibitors to control blood pressure. Becky spent 23 days in hospital initially and five months having kidney dialysis for four hours at a time, three times a week. Its thought the cause in her case is a rare kidney disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, which damages the filtration function of the kidneys. Becky no longer needs dialysis, but takes 16 tablets a day, including immunosuppressants, blood thinners, statins and diuretics. She may have to take these for the rest of her life. My kidney disease has gone into remission with immunosuppressant drugs but it probably wont ever go away completely. Looking back, there were so many signs that something was wrong with my kidneys, says Becky. I ended up on dialysis and think it could have been avoided if Id been diagnosed back when my symptoms first started, possibly five years earlier. I still wonder, why was a simple urine test not done when I first reported it to my GP? You can check your risk at: kidneycareuk.org/kidney-health-checker Health officials have warned of a potential measles outbreak at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia. A passenger arriving on an international flight tested positive for the highly contagious respiratory illness, which is currently ripping through the US. Travelers who were in Washington Dulles' Terminal A on March 5 and in the baggage claim area during the hours of 4pm to 9pm have been warned that they could be at high risk of the virus. In addition, patients who visited the Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center Pediatric Emergency Department in Maryland on March 7 from 3:30pm to 7:30pm should also monitor themselves for symptoms. It marks the third measles scare at US international airports in less than two weeks, with Los Angeles and JFK in New York also seeing infected travelers pass through. Passengers who fear they may have crossed paths with the patient at Washington Dulles have been advised to confirm if they have been vaccinated against measles. Experts warn the US is currently vulnerable to measles outbreaks because of falling vaccination rates. America suffered its first fatality from the disease in a decade recently after the death of an unvaccinated child in West Texas. A second patient in New Mexico is also thought to have died from the disease. Health officials have warned of a potential measles outbreak at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia Measles is transmitted by direct contact with infectious droplets or by airborne spread when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. The disease causes tiny white spots inside the mouth, flat red spots on the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet, ear infections and an intense fever. In extreme cases, measles can cause pneumonia, encephalitis (swelling of the brain) and may lead to death. Health officials say travelers should monitor for symptoms, with these generally developing seven to 21 days after exposure. Cold-like symptoms, such as a fever, cough and a runny or blocked nose, are usually the first signal of measles before a rash develops. Exposed individuals who have been free of symptoms for more than 21 days (up to March 11) should no longer be at risk. So far, 222 cases have been reported by 12 jurisdictions: Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington. Of these cases, nearly half are in patients aged five to 19 years old. Data suggests that 94 percent of the patients had not been vaccinated against the virus, while four percent had received only one dose. So far, 222 cases have been reported by 12 jurisdictions. Of these cases, nearly half are in patients aged five to 19 years old Texas recorded its first death from measles in a decade at the end of February, in an unvaccinated child. And New Mexico recorded a fatality from the disease in an unvaccinated adult. Doctors in the rural community are mostly dealing with measles patients for the first time. Billboards have been erected in the county warning of the outbreak, and flyers have been handed out. Some people are also posting in local WhatsApp groups to urge others to ensure they are up to date on their vaccines. Measles was officially eradicated in the US in 2000 amid a successful vaccination campaign, but is now causing sporadic outbreaks following a drop in inoculation rates. Vaccine uptake across the US are falling and the MMR jab that protects against measles has fallen below a dangerous threshold Cold-like symptoms, such as a fever, cough and a runny or blocked nose, are usually the first signal of measles It is the most infectious disease known, with one patient able to pass the infection on to nine others if they are in a room with ten other people. About 40 percent of patients are hospitalized in the US, while about three in 1,000 die from the disease after suffering from deadly brain swelling. Measles is transmitted via direct contact with infectious droplets released into the air by patients when they cough, sneeze or breathe. Infectious droplets can hang in the air for around two hours, with symptoms emerging within seven to 14 days of infection. Patients develop a fever, cough, and runny nose, which then develops into a rash that starts at the hairline before spreading to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. There's no cure for measles, with doctors instead using antibiotics to treat related infections and IV fluids. The vaccine is 97 percent effective at preventing an infection and is required for children attending school in some states. Much attention has been brought to the face of Hollywood heart-throb George Clooney this week after the actor debuted a new hairdo that's left him almost unrecognisable. The 63 year-old was spotted this weekend sporting a head of dyed-brown hair a change in aid of an upcoming role in Broadway show, Good Night and Good Luck. But aesthetics experts have Iong taken an interest in changes to Clooney's appearance that span beyond his hair. According to top plastic surgeon Dr Jonny Betteridge, the Oscar winner has likely undergone a face and neck lift to achieve his youth-defying look. In a clip posted to the doctor's Instagram page, where he has 323,000 followers, Betteridge highted the telltale sign of Clooney's op 'characteristic changes around his ears'. 'What really stands out to me is the distance between the tragus (the flap of cartilage at the opening of the ear canal) and start of the sideburn, indicating there's been some repositioning of facial tissue,' Dr Betteridge said. Specifically, Dr Betteridge suggested the ER star had undergone what's known as a 'deep plane' face lift. This involves manouvering the ligaments in the face that are buried beneath the deep layers of skin and muscle, resulting in more dramatic tightening that affects the entire face. The 63-year-old actor was spotted grabbing lunch with his partner when he debuted a startling new look - a head of dyed-brown hair Traditional face lifts often focus mostly on the lower two-thirds of the face and tightening of the skin that sits above the muscle. Deep plane face lifts can cost between 15,000 and 40,000 in the UK. In the clip, Dr Betteridge also suggested that Clooney's acting friend and colleague, Brad Pitt, 61, has undergone the same youth-enhancing procedure. 'Are Brad Pitt and George Clooney sharing surgeons?,' he asked followers. 'Because the 60s never looked better.' Dr Betteridge compared images of both actors, taken 23 years apart, and highlighted that Clooney exhibited signs of ageing that appeared to vanish. 'The facial tissues start to descend downwards,' he said. 'Notably the facial laxity in the lower face and neck area.' Next, the surgeon showed followers a recent picture of the pair, taken last year, in which their skin appears visibly tighter. Dr Betteridge suggested the pair may be sharing surgeons, as they both look 'really impressive' for their ages. Dr Betteridge has revealed the telltale sign of a face lift seen on the Hollywood megastars. 'You might be wondering how they look like this,' Dr Betteridge said. In another clip, posted to his TikTok page, Dr Betteridge suggested that Pitt may have undergone further procedures, including a blepharoplasty, also known as an eyelid lift. This procedure involves removing excess skin from the eyelids to reduce signs of ageing. As well as this, he may have undergone fat grafting on the face, where fat taken from other areas of the body is injected into the face to add volume, as well as veneers custom-made porcelain shells that are bonded to the front of teeth to enhance their look. Overall, he gave a glowing review on the transformation. 'The changes to the jaw and neck area are really impressive and it creates a more defined and structured look,' he said. He added that Pitt was a 'great example of a male who's undergone plastic surgery because he still retains his facial characteristics but just looks more refreshed.' Sources close to Brad Pitt have dismissed theories he had a face lift. Pitt has previously spoken about his relaxed stance on getting older. In a 2019 interview with Esquire magazine he said: 'You get older, you get crankier, and comfort becomes more important. I think its as simple as that.' When asked about his beauty regimen, he hilariously said: 'I grew up with a country mentality, kind of you know, Dial soap once a day and then move on... 'And I think that were learning that if we love ourselves, if we treat ourselves a little better, then there are long-lasting benefits to that. So just age healthy, age in a healthy manner.' Former top judge Dylan Sullivan first realized something was wrong with her brain when everyday legal terms, like restraining orders and injunctions, started to feel foreign. Things became even scarier when she started mixing up her words, often saying the exact opposite of what she meant - like 'yes' instead of 'no.' After consulting top specialists at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), the then-56-year-old was diagnosed with the same untreatable brain disorder as Bruce Willis: primary progressive aphasia (PPA). The condition, an early form of dementia which tends to begin between age 40 to 60, affects the nerve cells in the areas of the brain that affect language, speaking and writing. While Ms Sullivan's ability to communicate has gradually deteriorated to the point where she is now using a tablet, a new talent has emerged which has left her friends, family and doctors stunned. The Californian, who spent nine years working at the El Dorado County Superior Court, found that she suddenly developed a talent for art. One of her close friends Khymberli Apaloo, who is a superior court judge in San Bernardino County and president of the California Judges Association, told the San Francisco Chronicle: 'I've known her for a long time, and she could not draw. Former top judge Dylan Sullivan discovered she had a the same untreatable brain disorder as Bruce Willis. Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a rare neurological disorder, with an estimated prevalence of three to four per 100,000 people While Ms Sullivan's ability to communicate has deteriorated to the point where she is now using a tablet, a new talent has emerged which has left her friends, family and doctors stunned 'To see that transformation is stunning. Absolutely stunning.' Meanwhile Elizabeth Disbrow, who is another long-term friend and coincidentally the director of the Center for Brain Health at Louisiana State University Health, said: 'I don't think I ever saw her doodle. 'That part of her brain was not engaged. My childhood was different. My mom took me to art class. I'm sure she had none of that.' Since her PPA diagnosis in April 2023, the former judge has spent her days creating extremely detailed drawings. Experts at UCSF say Ms Sullivan's case is not unusual, and they have seen a small group of patients with PPA who develop new creative skills in music and art as their language skills decline. Your browser does not support iframes. They believe that this is because as one area of the brain deteriorates, other areas of the brain compensate and therefore new skills are unleashed. In PPA, damage occurs to the temporal lobes on either side of the head nearest the ears leading to language problems. It often begins with behavioral changes, such as starting to carry out actions that are socially inappropriate, apathetic or impulsive. But - unlike in Alzheimer's - patients can still remember recent events. Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a rare neurological disorder, with just 50,000 Americans living with the condition. Ms Sullivan spent nine years working at the El Dorado County Superior Court Experts at UCSF say Ms Sullivan's case is not unusual, and they have seen a small group of patients with PPA who develop new creative skills in music and art as their language skills decline It can manifest itself in multiple ways, and is often either the result of a head injury, a stroke, a tumor or other brain deterioration. Offering an insight as to what the condition is like Darlene Williamson, the president of the National Aphasia Association, previously told DailyMail.com: 'Imagine being dropped in a country where you do not speak the language - cannot understand, read, write or speak. 'It would impact all of your interactions - this is what it is like to have aphasia.' Other famous examples of aphasia include former Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke, who have less severe forms of the disorder. There are four common types of aphasia that make up a vast majority of cases: fluent - often called Wernicke's; non-fluent - known as Broca's; anomic; and Primary Progressive Aphasia. Primary Progressive Aphasia damages a person's ability to communicate in virtually every single way. A person suffering from this version of the condition will have trouble speaking, reading and writing. The Californian found that she suddenly developed a love of art after her PPA diagnosis Doctors can often detect aphasia via either an MRI or CT scan, and will be able to pinpoint the exact part of the brain that is causing the issue (stock image) Their ability to process and understand someone that is speaking to them is damaged as well. It is not always permanent, though, and how long it lasts and how severe it is often depends on how bad the damage to the brain is. Doctors can often detect aphasia via either an MRI or CT scan, and will be able to pinpoint the exact part of the brain that is causing the issue. There is no way to fix or cure the condition entirely, but patients will often undergo speech therapy to help rebuild their language skills. 'There's not a lot of progress [with medication for the condition] the treatment for aphasia is speech therapy,' Dr Brenda Rapp, a cognitive scientist at Johns Hopkins University, told DailyMail.com. She noted that in some cases a person may undergo electric stimulation therapy alongside speech therapy in order to 'get the most' out of the experience. Ms Williamson said that 'strong family support is a critical piece of living successfully with aphasia.' While Ms Sullivan lives alone, she has a Pitbull called Storm to keep her company and she is regularly visited by friends. However, she plans to move into a specialized home next year to get the care she needs. To date, she has completed more than 30 artworks and there are talks of them possibly being shown in an exhibition to help raise awareness around aphasia. Doctors are urging people to take care when reheating food, as doing so incorrectly could lead to dementia. Using plastic containers in microwaves after a new study found a shocking amount of microplastics in dementia patients' brains. A group of researchers recently conducted a study and found that using plastic containers in the microwave exposes people to microplastics and found the toxins accumulate in the human brain. It revealed that about a tablespoon worth of microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) were discovered in the brain and levels were three to five times higher in people diagnosed with dementia. Micro and nanoplastics are small plastic pieces less than five millimeters long that can damage DNA and increase the risk of cancer . Researchers also found the concentration of plastics in the body was seven to 30 times higher in the brain, compared to other organs like the liver or kidney. MNPs have also been linked to cell death, changes in the gut microbiome, formation of blood clots and increased risk of heart attacks. Responding to the study, a group of doctors offered ways to reduce to exposure to MNPs, including swapping out plastic containers when reheating food in the microwave. Plastic levels were also found to be three to five times higher in people diagnosed with dementia Dr Nicholas Fabiano, from the University of Ottawa's Department of Psychiatry and lead author of the commentary noted: 'The dramatic increase in brain microplastic concentrations over just eight years, from 2016 to 2024, is particularly alarming. 'This rise mirrors the exponential increase we're seeing in environmental microplastic levels.' Dr Brandon Luu, an Internal Medicine Resident at the University of Toronto, explained that heating food in plastic containers can cause the release of BPA and phthalates into the air which can then get absorbed by your food and infiltrate your body when eating. BPA, short for bisphenol A, and phthalates are industrial chemicals that are sometimes added to plastics as part of the manufacturing process to make them more durable. Dr Luu said in the Eureka journal paper: 'Heating food in plastic containersespecially in the microwave can release substantial amounts of microplastics and nanoplastics. 'Avoiding plastic food storage and using glass or stainless steel alternatives is a small but meaningful step in limiting exposure.' Heating plastics is one of the largest drivers of forever chemical exposure, and the Mayo Clinic warned forever chemicals found in plastics are released when the item is reheated. Separately, University of Nebraska researchers found in a 2023 study that microwaving plastic containers releases billions of nanoplastics and millions of microplastics per every square centimeter of a plastic container. The Nebraska team further discovered that embryotic kidney cells died two days after bring exposed to those particles. A separate 2024 study from researchers in India found when food-grade plastics or food that had been in contact with the plastic are heated, BPA is released and leaches into the food item 'and is thereby consumed, making it a potential candidate for causing serious health hazards.' Dr Brandon Luu, an Internal Medicine Resident at the University of Toronto, explained that heating food in plastic containers can cause the release of BPA and phthalates in the microwave air which can contaminate the food and enter your body BPA, short for bisphenol A, and phthalates are industrial chemicals that are sometimes added to plastics as part of the manufacturing process to make them more durable Another large driver of MNPs exposure is drinking water. Dr Luu noted switching from bottled to filtered tap water alone could reduce microplastic intake from 90,000 to 4,000 particles per year. He said: 'Bottled water alone can expose people to nearly as many microplastic particles annually as all ingested and inhaled sources combined. 'Switching to tap water could reduce this exposure by almost 90 percent, making it one of the simplest ways to cut down on microplastic intake.' Recently, a world-leading fertility scientist also advised people to steer clear from using plastic containers in the microwave due to its potential impact on fertility. Dr Shanna Swan, an epidemiologist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, warned that consumption of BPA and phthalates chemicals that are released when heating up a container in the microwave can cause fertility issues in a podcast. BPA is said to be able to chemically 'mimic' the female sex hormone estrogen which, in high doses, can potentially disrupt the normal hormone balance which is thought to fuel tumors. Phthalates are also believed to harm fertility due to disrupting hormones, particularly the male sex hormone, testosterone. However, evidence suggests women's ovaries are also adversely affected. Plans to cut staff numbers in half at NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care were unveiled yesterday amid drastic cost-cutting measures. The bonfire of bureaucrats is aimed at removing duplication across the organisations after their workforces swelled during the pandemic. Health secretary Wes Streeting is also seeking to tighten his control over the NHS, deliver better value for taxpayers and free-up cash for the frontline. Three more NHS England board members yesterday announced they will quit at the end of this month, following the recent resignations of chief executive Amanda Pritchard and national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis. The latest leaders to join the exodus are Julian Kelly, the chief financial officer, Emily Lawson, the chief operating officer, and Steve Russell, the chief delivery officer and national director for vaccination and screening. NHS England is the national quango tasked with overseeing the day to day running of the health service and its long-term strategy. It was established by the Tories in 2013 to give it greater political independence but Mr Streeting is keen to regain tighter control from within his Department. NHS England said in a statement: As part of the need to make best possible use of taxpayers money to support frontline services, the size of NHS England will be radically reduced and could see the size of the centre decrease by around half. The deeper staffing cuts follow a reduction of about 4,000 to 6,000 employees at NHS England over the past two years and about 800 at the Department of Health and Social Care. Health secretary Wes Streeting is also seeking to tighten his control over the NHS, amid plans to cut staff numbers in half at NHS England and the Department of Health Former NHS England chief Amanda Pritchard will step down from her position at the end of this month NHS England chief delivery officer Steve Russell (left) and chief operating officer Emily Lawson (right) are among the latest bosses to join the exodus Sir Jim Mackey, who will become interim chief executive at the start of April, will set up a transition team within NHS England to lead the radical reduction and reshaping of the centre with the Department of Health and Social Care. He said: We know that todays news is unsettling for our staff, and we have significant challenges and changes ahead.We aim to have a transition team in place to start on the 1st April 2025 to help lead us through this period. Ms Pritchard said in a note to staff, seen by the Health Service Journal: In the last couple of weeks, I have said I believe the time is right for radical reform of the size and functions of the centre to best support local NHS systems and providers to deliver for patients and drive the governments reform priorities. She said Mr Streeting had asked Sir Jim and Penny Dash, the incoming NHS England chair, to lead this work, delivering significant changes in our relationship with DHSC to eradicate duplication. Mr Streeting said: Id like to put on record my thanks to Julian, Emily and Steve for their dedication as public servants, and their work in particular helping steer the NHS through the pandemic. Ive enjoyed working with each of them over the last eight months and Ive been impressed by their skill and focus on delivering improvement for patients and staff. We are entering a period of critical transformation for our NHS. With a stronger relationship between the Department for Health and Social Care and NHS England, we will work together with the speed and urgency needed to meet the scale of the challenge. As of June last year, NHS England employed just under 15,000 full-time equivalent staff, including permanent, temporary and consultancy. The Department of Health and Social Care had around 9,000, including the UK Health Security Agency. These are both around 30 per cent more than in January 2020. NHS England chief financial officer Julian Kelly has also added his name to leaders resigning from their positions Professor Stephen Powis, the NHS national medical director, announced last week he would step down this summer UNISON head of health Helga Pile said: Staff will be understandably concerned about this sudden change of direction. The number of redundancies being sought at NHS England has trebled in just a matter of weeks. Employees there have already been through the mill with endless rounds of reorganisation. What was already a stressful prospect has now become more like a nightmare. Fixing a broken NHS needs a proper plan, with central bodies resourced and managed effectively so local services are supported. Rushing through cuts brings a risk of creating a further, more complicated mess and could ultimately hold the NHS back. That would let down the very people who need it most, the patients. Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: These changes are happening at a scale and pace not anticipated to begin with, but given the huge savings that the NHS needs to make this year it makes sense to reduce areas of duplication at a national level and for the NHS to be led by a leaner centre. NHS England has already delivered significant savings and helped to deliver improvements in productivity, but national bodies and local NHS leaders know that more is needed this year. These changes represent the biggest reshaping of the NHSs national architecture in more than a decade. It is important that local NHS organisations and other bodies are involved in this transformation as the immediate next steps become clearer, so that an optimum operating model can be created. This must be about doing things differently for the benefit of local communities as both patients and taxpayers, as well as for staff ahead of annual survey results on Thursday that are yet again expected to show the extreme challenges they face. Hosts of MSNBC's The Weekend were seen celebrating the loss of a SpaceX rocket - with one even breaking out into song. It happened after 'dangerous debris' were sent streaming down from the skies of Florida a few days before - leaving Symone Sanders, Alicia Menendez and Michael Steele to relish in the unmanned mission's failure. All three are set to assume a now Joy Reid-less hour at the network next month, as part of a sprawling lineup change brought on by their bosses. The Comcast-owned station has shed more than half its audience in three years, amid some increasingly opinionated coverage that's often spawned pushback. Sanders, Menendez, and Steele did not appear too concerned with such a response on The Weekend Saturday, as they reacted with glee to the explosion. They did so due to its connection to Elon Musk, who sanctioned the flight test weeks after another involving the same Starship rocket also ended in a fiery mess. The trio thus advised SpaceX's CEO to try out a new line of work - at least when it comes to his current post in government. 'Why did they let him put this rocket up in the air after they were still investigating the last explosion?' Sanders-Townsend asked initially - after singing what appeared to be ill-advised rendition of Wicked's 'Defying Gravity.' Scroll down for video: Hosts of MSNBC's The Weekend were seen celebrating the loss of a SpaceX rocket - with Symone Sanders going as far as to break into literal song, with what appeared to be ill-advised rendition of Wicked's 'Defying Gravity.' It happened after 'dangerous debris' were sent streaming down from the skies of Florida a few days before (pictured) - leaving Sanders, Alicia Menendez and Michael Steele to relish in the failure After some guffawing and giggles from all three, Steele offered a prescription for what he presented as a case of distraction affecting the increasingly political tech exec. 'My suggestion for Elon - His response to all of this was "rockets are hard." 'Mr. Musk, if theyre so hard, why dont you go back to your day job and work that out and leave those of us who do government to do government because you cant do both. And clearly, youre failing right now at both. 'Your rockets are blowing up and the government is blowing up,' he went on, after Rachel Maddow already dedicated an entire segment of her show to the SpaceX Starship rocket explosion. 'So I suggest you concentrate on the one thing you think you know more about and do that,' Steele went on. 'And leave the rest to those of us who know a little bit of how to provide services to people who need them and make the government function.' Steele served as the lieutenant governor of Maryland from 2003 to 2007, a stint tainted with gun violence. A Republican, he served as chair of the Republican National Committee from 2009 until 2011 - the first African-American to do so. All three are set to assume a now Joy Reid-less hour at the network next month, as part of a sprawling lineup change brought on by their bosses Their response to the explosion, meanwhile, stemmed from the emerging political career of SpaceX's CEO, Elon Musk (seen here at a meeting with Senate Republicans in Washington on Wednesday - the day before the failed mission) He signed on as an analyst for MSNBC when his tenure came to an end, and endorsed Joe Biden in 2020. The endorsement came following four years of Steele's open opposition to Donald Trump - a stance he has maintained in the five years since. He, Sanders-Townsend, and Menendez will soon transition to the 7pm slot, as Musk continues his bid to optimize the federal government within a period of just 18 months. 'Tonight, Elon Musk blew something up and disrupted the lives of thousands of Americans,' Maddow said of the SpaceX mishap on Thursday. 'In a statement, SpaceX said that, "During Starships ascent burn, the vehicle experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly,"' she went on. The host then engaged in a metaphor meant to criticize Musks recent slew of government cuts and layoffs. 'Rapid unscheduled disassembly is kind of Elon Musks specialty these days,' she said, with a smug smirk on her face. 'Especially in a way that really messes with other people through no fault of their own.' Rachel Maddow got in on the action as well, poking fun at Musk with a pointed metaphor lampooning his bid to streamline the federal government SpaceX's eighth suborbital flight test follows the rockets last flight test in January, which also sent debris careening back to earth. An ongoing probe brought by the Federal Aviation Administration found the January Starship explosion was caused by leaking fuel. The cause of the more recent failure, meanwhile, remains to be seen. Neither craft was manned and no injuries have been reported. A CNN anchor usually on the side of progressives unexpectedly found herself on the other side of the aisle on the air Monday - following some erroneous, accusatory remarks from Rep. Ilhan Omar. Omar, 42, had been fielding questions from Pamela Brown when she made the comments in question - that Texas Congressman Brandon Gills entire fanbase are 'xenophobic and racist.' The offhand remark stopped Brown, 45, in her tracks, weeks into her new tenure as The Situation Room's co-anchor alongside Wolf Blitzer. The latter appeared to let Omar's dig toward the Trump-supporting Republican slide, but Brown was not so kind. 'Just to follow up, very quickly, just to be clear - youre not calling all of Gills base xenophobic and racist, right?' she asked, as if to seek clarification. Omar - who had been responding to a February post from Gill attacking her when she made her remarks - refused to change her stance. Shortly before, Omar had called Gill's post 'red meat' for his fanbase - after it called for her deportation. Omar - one of four founding members of an informal progressive coalition commonly dubbed The Squad - became a U.S. citizen in 2000 when she was 17 years old. She was born in Somalia and sought asylum alongside her family in 1995. CNN's Pamela Brown (roght) herself on the other side of the aisle on the air Monday - following some erroneous, accusatory remarks from Rep. Ilhan Omar (left). The two are seen together on the set of Brown and Wolf Blitzer's The Situation Room Omar, 42, had been fielding questions from Pamela Brown when she made the comments in question - that Texas Congressman Brandon Gills entire fanbase are 'xenophobic and racist.' 'Well, I mean, he is feeding to something,' the representative for Minnesota's 5th congressional district said of Gill, who had lumped her with illegal immigrants. 'He has a petition out. Hes getting donations,' she went on. 'Thats what this is all about. He knows he cant deport me.' Blitzer, after pointing out how Omar was an elected official, looked on silently - as did Brown. 'There is no grounds for my arrest,' Omar continued, after Gil accused her of breaking the law by conducting seminars for Somalians living illegally in her state, which she has admitted to. 'So this information is only being put out there by him for a reason, and that reason is because he has a base that feeds off of that.' The back-and-forth ended there, with Blitzer taking the opportunity to go to commercial. Brown, however, appeared perturbed by the progressives incendiary comments - comments Omar never managed to clear up. 'I appreciate you all for having me,' she said as the interview came to an end - some four weeks after being singled out on social media by Gill. The offhand comment stopped Brown, 45, in her tracks, weeks into her new tenure as The Situation Room's co-anchor alongside Wolf Blitzer Omar had been responding to a February tweet from Texas Republican Brandon Gill calling for Omar's deportation, despite her being a legal citizen Upon being confronted with her own erroneous comments, Omar did not shy away, explaining what she had meant by her words, not taking them back. The segment comes at a time where Democrats are divided, and as much of the government remains under Republican control At the time, as he reshared video said to be from one of the Minnesota meets shared by Elon Musk, Gill wrote, 'America would be a better place if @IlhanMN were deported back to Somalia.' 'She is breaking the law. Literally. Outright,' Musk went on to claim - eliciting a reply out of Omar. 'Hey Elon... Every single person in this country deserves to know their rights,' she wrote in reply, tweeting the words on X. 'That's legal. Maybe you should brush up on our laws given the fact you're breaking them to steal American's sensitive data. 'PS. This video is manipulated,' she went on to claim, adding 'I wasn't even at the event shown. Both Blitzer, 76, and Brown appeared unsettled by the conservative' comments on Monday, before Omar responded with her own vitriol. The segment comes at a time where Democrats are more divided than ever, and as the presidency, House, and Senate all remain under Republican control. Many drivers are 'confused' by electric vehicles, their benefits and how we as a nation transition to battery cars, ministers have been told. The AA said most drivers are 'hesitant but not hostile' towards EVs but more education and incentives are required to make them appeal to a wider audience of motorists amid concerns that sales are slipping behind target. A survey of more than 14,000 of its members indicated some drivers have limited knowledge about how EVs work and the Government's plans to move away from traditional combustion-engine cars. A third of respondents think manual EVs are available despite them all being automatic and 7 per cent believe sales of used petrol and diesel cars will be banned in 2030 along with new models, the report found. Yet the motoring group also acknowledges that a fifth of people would not ever be convinced to switch. More than one in five (22 per cent) polled said they are 'diehard' against buying an EV and said they would 'never own one'. The AA has warned ministers that many drivers remain 'confused' about electric cars and their future on Britain's roads and that this is tempering demand for EVs The report concluded there is currently four types of driver when it comes to EV adoption. A fifth are 'rejectors' who are steadfast again EVs and say they will never get one. 'Doubters' represented another fifth of motorists polled; those who are neutral or unlikely get an EV as their next car and want to hold onto a petrol or diesel vehicle for as long as possible. More than half (52 per cent) are dubbed 'potentials'. These are likely to buy an EV as their next car in the next five years or after that, though are delaying purchases over concerns about high prices, range and charge anxiety. That leaves just 7 per cent as 'adopters' - motorists who already drive an EV today. The AA concluded in the report that Britons need to be shown that EVs are 'desirable, not just unavoidable' and that confusion played a big part in the slower-than-expect transition to electric cars. It also took a swipe at the Government's reliance on the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate - which forces manufacturers to sell an increasing share of EVs each year over the next decade - to drive the transition to electric cars, saying it would fail unless more incentives were introduced to benefit ownership. Transitioning to an electric future: The ZEV mandate forces car makers to sell an increasing volume of EVs each year over the next decade but does little to incentivise drivers to make the switch, the AA said Under the mandate, at least 28 per cent of new cars sold by mainstream manufacturers this year must have been zero-emission, which generally means pure electric. The mandate percentages rise each year, reaching 80 per cent by 2030. Failure to abide by the mandate or make use of flexibilities such as buying credits from rival companies or making more sales in future years will result in a requirement to pay the Government 15,000 per polluting car sold above the limits. The Government is analysing feedback from a recent consultation on proposed changes to the rules, which could include making it easier for non-compliant manufacturers to avoid fines. It has previously committed to reverse then-prime minister Rishi Sunak's decision in September 2023 to delay prohibiting the sale of conventionally fuelled new cars from 2030 until 2035. The AA says that while the ZEV mandate will force car makers to increase their share of EV sales, many drivers are being 'left behind' in this process and ministers must 'understand their views'. This is especially the case given that 73 per cent of motorists in the UK have no experience of EVs at all, according to its poll. The survey found a lack of knowledge among some drivers. A third of respondents think manual EVs are available despite them all being automatic and 7% believe sales of used petrol and diesel cars will be banned in 2030 along with new models The AA concluded in the report that Britons need to be shown that EVs are 'desirable, not just unavoidable' and that confusion played a big part in the slower-than-expect transition to electric cars Jakob Pfaudler, AA chief executive, said: 'Our message to Government is more needs to be done to make EVs accessible for everyone. 'Our research shows many people are confused by the transition which is not surprising as the main catalyst for change, the ZEV mandate, only governs supply but does little to encourage demand for EVs. 'The ambitious goal of the Climate Change Committee that 80 per cent of cars should be electric by 2040 shows how much needs to be done to get there.' Sue Davies, head of consumer rights at Which?, said: 'When it comes to making sustainable choices such as switching to an electric car, our research shows that people are often held back by high costs, complex choices or uncertainty. 'The government needs to provide the right information on EVs and other sustainable choices so that people have the confidence to switch.' The AA's report placed increased responsibility on ministers to co-ordinate a public awareness campaign alongside the motoring industry which directly targets drivers who doubt the viability of EVs. The organisation urged ministers to consider 'targeted incentives' to reduce the cost of owning the vehicles, including reducing VAT on public charging from 20 per cent to 5 per cent to be consistent with taxation on domestic rates. This would make EVs more appealing to the 40 per cent of people living in properties without driveways and off-street parking. The AA says government needs to launch incentives to boost EV uptake. This includes cutting the cost of charging an electric car using a public device Around 40% of drivers in Britain do not have access to a homecharger (like the one pictured) because their property does not have off-street parking The AA's warning to minister comes just days after official figures shows that EVs accounted for 25 per cent of new cars entering the road in February. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and traders said the increase in registrations - up 42 per cent year-on-year - was primarily a cause of drivers accelerating EV purchases ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves' tax grab on electric car, which will be subject to Vehicle Excise Duty for the first time under new rules introduced on 1 April. Despite this jump in sales, they remain behind the 28 per cent threshold set out by the ZEV mandate. DVLA figures show just 5 per cent of cars licensed in the UK as of the end of June 2024 were pure electric or plug-in hybrid. A DfT spokesperson said: 'We're investing over 2.3 billion to help industry and consumers make a supported switch to EVs. 'This includes installing a public chargepoint every 28 minutes, keeping EV incentives in the company car tax regime to 2030, and extending 100 per cent first year allowances for zero emission cars for another year. 'Second-hand EVs are also becoming cheaper than ever, with one in three available under 20,000 and 21 brand new models available for less than 30,000. 'We're seeing growing consumer confidence as a result.' A 42 per cent profit. That's what you'd have made on Greatland Gold shares if you'd bought at the start of 2025. The catalyst? A growing realisation that the group is on the cusp of something big. But as we'll see, the recent flourish may be just the beginning, with key value inflexion points still to come. Western Australia-focused Greatland's success hasn't been overnight, nor has the journey been linear. There was a flirtation with precious metals giant Newmont which, while not progressing as expected, has worked out perfectly for Greatland and its backers. December 4 last year marked a major milestone as the company secured full control of Havieron, a world-class gold and copper prospect. Soaring: Greatland Gold shares have made a 42 per cent profit since the start of 2025 It acquired the 70 per cent stake it didn't already own from Newmont and, as part of the deal, also bought the Telfer mine, some 45km from Havieron. With a headline value of $475million, the acquisition reunited Greatland with the asset it discovered in 2018 - plus the added kicker of significant gold and copper output. Progress since the deal closed was outlined in last week's interim results. While it's early days, the team led by managing director Shaun Day has hit the ground running. Production from Telfer exceeded forecasts, delivering 29,864 ounces of gold and 1,189 tonnes of copper in the first 27 days under new ownership. Over the next 15 months, Telfer - home to one of Australia's largest gold and copper processing facilities -is expected to yield 426,000 ounces of gold equivalent from stockpiles and open-pit mining. There is also scope to expand and extend the mine's life, with several open-pit and underground brownfield opportunities identified. The jewel in the crown, however, is Havieron. Described by the company as a world-class asset, it boasts a resource of 8.4million gold-equivalent ounces. Even working to a conservative base case, Greatland plans to unearth 4.5million ounces over 20 years. The economics are compelling, with an all-in sustaining cost of just $818 an ounceamong the lowest-cost gold and copper production globally. For the first 15 years, output is expected to average 258,000 gold-equivalent ounces per year. The feasibility study for Havieron is due in the second half of 2025, with first gold production targeted for the second half of 2027. To support development, Greatland has received a non-binding letter of support for A$775million in debt facilities. In the near-term, an updated resource estimate is expected by the end of this month, with a new mineral reserve estimate scheduled for the end of the June quarter. A June ASX listing is also in the works, which Greatland expects will enhance its capital markets profile and attract greater institutional investment. Canaccord sees a valuation anomaly - even after the stock's recent rally. Greatland trades at about half its net asset value, whereas peers are closer to one times NAV. By that measure, the shares should be worth 19p, the Canadian investment bank suggests - before factoring in a longer mine life at Telfer or exploration upside. Of course, this isn't a risk-free bet. Success will hinge on how well MD Day and his team execute their well-defined plan and secure funding. So far, they've barely put a foot wrong - which is highly encouraging. For all the breaking small-and mid-cap news go to www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk. Pressure is mounting on the Chancellor to end the 'tourist tax' so that London and other locations can attract American luxury goods lovers eager to swerve higher prices that could result from Trump's tariffs in their homeland. Renewed calls for the reform are coming from the tailor to King Charles and representatives of the major retailers. The move - which would restore VAT-free shopping for visitors from overseas would provide a fillip to hotels and stores in London and other locations that sell British labels like Burberry, but other luxury brands from Europe and elsewhere. Anda Rowland, director of royal suit maker Anderson & Sheppard in Savile Row, said: 'If Rachel Reeves is serious about pulling every lever to stimulate economic growth, she should immediately reintroduce tax-free shopping for international visitors which was available for decades and drove huge amounts of tourist trade.' Paul Alger, international business director of the UK Fashion and Textile Association, said higher prices in America would mean 'US consumers will be more willing to travel abroad to catch a bargain.' Alger fears that American tourists will start their European jaunt in Britain which tends to be the routine. In need of a boost: VAT-free shopping for visitors from overseas would provide a fillip to hotels and stores in London and other locations that sell British labels like Burberry But to avoid more expensive prices tariffs on European goods could be as high as 25 per cent they will prefer to buy bags, clothing, jewellery and watches in Europe, where they offer concessions to tourist shoppers. France and Italy will be eager to press their advantage. The Treasury's past stubbornness over this issue is the reason why the tourist tax has not been repealed. Since 2021, the UK has suffered 11billion-a-year in lost revenues, according to calculations from the influential CEBR consultancy. Chinese medical team offers free services in Cospicua, Malta Xinhua) 08:31, March 10, 2025 Members of the 20th Chinese medical team for Malta offer health consultations to local residents in Cospicua, Malta, on March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Wenxian) VALLETTA, March 9 (Xinhua) -- The 20th Chinese medical team for Malta from the Mediterranean Regional Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine (MRCTCM) provided free clinical services to residents in Cospicua, eastern Malta, on Sunday. During the event, the medical team conducted blood pressure and blood sugar checks, offered personalized health advice, and donated medical supplies. Peter Gauci, 89, expressed interest in trying acupuncture to relieve his neck pain. He told Xinhua that he has been using safflower oil for pain relief. "It helps me, and I will continue to use it," he said. Amadeo Brincat, 33, thanked the Chinese doctors for their health advice regarding his back pain. He told Xinhua that he has received traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatments, including acupuncture, several times and has experienced significant improvement. Charlo Cutajar, 62, described the free clinical service as a "wonderful" experience, highlighting the convenience of having Chinese doctors provide health consultations at residents' doorsteps. "I appreciate it," he said. Having previously undergone acupuncture for shoulder periarthritis, he benefited from its effects and expressed interest in trying traditional Chinese massage to further ease his pain. Cospicua Mayor Marco Agius told Xinhua that the large turnout at the event reflects the popularity of TCM. "I am happy that Chinese doctors are providing free clinical services for our community," he said. Agius, who received acupuncture treatment at the MRCTCM last month for knee pain, shared his positive experience. "I felt quite good after the treatment," he said, expressing hope that the Chinese medical team would continue to offer free clinical services for residents in the future. The MRCTCM was established by the Chinese and Maltese governments in 1994. To date, 20 Chinese medical teams comprising over 100 doctors, have provided TCM treatments to approximately 250,000 Maltese patients. Cao Ying (1st R), member of the 20th Chinese medical team for Malta, offers health consultations to Cospicua Mayor Marco Agius (1st L) in Cospicua, Malta, on March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Wenxian) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Robots will be smarter than humans by next year. Robots will be smarter than humans next year Ministers have warned that the day when artificial intelligence (AI) outsmarts people, which has been dubbed AGI 2026, is looming ever closer. It is defined by the tech organisation OpenAI as a "highly autonomous system that outperforms humans at most commercially valuable work". The rise of robots has led to fears of mass unemployment as bots will enter the workforce in many professions. The UK government unveiled its AI Opportunities Action Plan in January, which set out proposals to build up AI development and adaptation across the country. A spokesperson said: "AI has the potential to transform lives across the country. "Our AI Opportunities Action Plan will reap the rewards of this technology for all Britons." A former longtime police detective has been convicted of lying to the FBI to protect a Mafia family in a bombshell case that played out in court last week. Hector Rosario, 51, was paid thousands of dollars by the Bonanno crime family to protect their illicit gambling operations at chess clubs, gelato parlors and shoe repair shops around Long Island while staging fake raids on rival dens from 2013. Though the former Nassau County cop was acquitted on Wednesday of his top charge - obstructing justice - following a tense seven-day trial in Brooklyn federal court, he could be jailed for up to five years for lying to FBI agents. Organized crime expert Dr Declan Hill told DailyMail.com Rosario now faces a grisly fight for survival behind bars - while former Mafia boss Anthony Arillotta revealed how the local gang networks are likely to react. Dr Hill, an associate professor at the University of New Haven, added that he doubts the crooked cop acted alone within local law enforcement. 'I can't think of a larger target to paint on your back than being a dirty cop in prison,' Dr Hill told DailyMail.com 'There are thousands of inmates who are going to hate him. He's going to need to be in a protected unit if he has any hope of surviving. 'As a low-level flunky who sold himself to the Bonanno crime family, I can't use words strong enough to describe what's going to happen to him in prison. Hector Rosario (pictured), a former longtime police detective has been convicted of lying to the FBI to protect a Mafia family in a bombshell case which played out in court this week Insiders have said Hector Rosario now has a huge target on his back in prison, and his trial will send shockwaves through the New York mob community. (Pictured: One of the gambling dens) Rosario (pictured), a former longtime police detective has been convicted of lying to the FBI to protect a Mafia family in a bombshell case which played out in court this week 'He's not going to get any support from law enforcement because he sold the badge for very little financial reward. 'And he betrayed the Bonannos, so he's got no protection from them. He's living out a death sentence now.' Rosario will be sentenced at a later date Arillotta, 56, a former boss in the Genovese gang which rivals the Bonanno family, agreed that Rosario is 'going to have issues' in jail. 'I was in prison for 13 years and I know that former cops, a lot of them get killed,' the Massachusetts-based reformed mobster told DailyMail.com. 'Usually what they do with cops is they put them in a protected custody wing where they are not around the other inmates - the ones that could do harm to them.' Arillotta added though that if Rosario survives jail, he's unlikely to face any trouble from the local Mafia groups on the outside because there's no financial gain in going after him. However, the public court case could shake the foundations of the Bonannos - one of the five major Italian-American crime families that have been dominating the Northeast US Mafia scene for decades. 'If anyone has a problem, it's the guys that were giving Rosario the money to go after the families. I have been involved in murders for these kind of reasons,' Arillotta said. 'I don't know if they will kill them, but they will have issues.' Organized crime expert at the University of New Haven, Dr Declan Hill (pictured) told DailyMail.com Rosario now faces a grisly fight for survival behind bars Former Mafia boss Anthony Arillotta (pictured) revealed how the local gang networks are likely to react to Hector Rosario's conviction and trial Arillotta, 56, is a former boss in the Genovese gang that rivals the Bonanno family. (Pictured: Arillotta in his mugshot) The prosecution's argument relied on testimony from three mobsters, including Damiano Zummo, a Bonanno soldier who recounted the night Rosario staged a fake police raid in 2013 on Sal's Shoe Repair shop (pictured) run by the Genovese family The Bonanno and Genovese families had initially agreed to work together while operating an underground gambling den called the Gran Caffe Gelateria (pictured) Rosario's case represents only the tip of the iceberg in terms of local police affiliation with Mafia gangs, according to Dr Hill. 'I'm sure there are other crooked cops like him out there,' the professor told DailyMail.com. 'He was not acting alone'. Dr Hill said the case highlights 'the level of corruption that's necessary for the mob to survive - the cooperation between the overworld and the underworld'. Rosario was indicted in 2022 along with eight members and associates of the Bonanno and Genovese crime families after a year-long investigation into racketeering and illegal gambling on Long Island. Nassau County Police Department fired him after 15 years of service, shortly after the indictment. He was the only defendant who didn't accept the plea deal, and his case went to trial. The prosecution's argument relied on testimony from three mobsters, including Damiano Zummo, a Bonanno soldier who recounted the night Rosario staged a fake police raid in 2013 on Sal's Shoe Repair shop run by the Genovese family. Zummo told the court they planned for Rosario to 'go in there and just intimidate them in the hopes that it would close down'. Wearing a police badge, Rosario burst in with two associates and destroyed a gambling machine by smashing it with a flashlight. The store owner, Sal Rubino, said he saw the bust and felt that 'something was not right' because Rosario did not confiscate anything or ask for ID - and he didn't leave in a cop car. Rosario was paid sporadically - from $8,000 during one peak in activity to $1,500 a month at other times, the court heard. Pictured: One of the illegal gambling spots shown by prosecutors during the trial Rosario, 51, a former detective with the Nassau County Police, was paid thousands of dollars by the Bonanno crime family to protect their illicit gambling parlors at chess clubs, gelato stores and shoe repair shops Pictured: Rosario's defense attorney Louis Freeman arriving at court on Wednesday On January 27, 2020, FBI agents interviewed Rosario at his Mineola, New York apartment, where he denied any ties to the Mafia families' illegal gambling ventures, according to testimony from an agent. Prosecutors played recordings of Rosario speaking with mob members, showed family trees of the various crime constellations in the Long Island area, and revealed mobster secrets during the week-long trial. They said Rosario's affiliation with the Bonanno family dates back to a schism in 2013. The Bonanno and Genovese families had initially agreed to work together while operating an underground gambling den called the Gran Caffe Gelateria. But relations went south, and Rosario seized the opportunity to make money from the Bonanno family by interfering with the Genovese-operated mini-casinos in Valley Stream, Lynbrook and Merrick. He even gave prosecutors the secret code to get into Gran Caffe, DA Det. John Clinton said, according to the New York Post. 'You go by the counters, ask for an espresso or cappuccino [and] say you knew someone named Kelly - and you would be able to go to the back,' Clinton told the jury as he recounted his conversation with Rosario. Rosario's case has thrust New York's mobster underworld back into the mainstream media - but the modern Mafia is a far cry from the peak of its operations in the 1980s and 90s when Arillotta was leading a gang in Springfield, Massachusetts. 'The Mafia is all broken up. They are very quiet. They don't control the streets any more,' Arillotta told DailyMail.com. 'The biggest change is that they are not murdering any more. Back in the eighties, it was part of the operation. I had to murder as part of my induction.' Rosario even gave prosecutors the secret code to get into Gran Caffe (pictured from the inside), DA Det. John Clinton said, according to the New York Post Rosario, 51, a former detective with the Nassau County Police, was paid thousands of dollars by the Bonanno crime family to protect their illicit gambling parlors at chess clubs, gelato parlors and shoe repair shops, while staging fake raids on rival dens Pictured: One of the illegal gambling spots shown by prosecutors during the trial On January 27, 2020, FBI agents interviewed Rosario at his Mineola, New York apartment, where he denied any ties to the Mafia families' illegal gambling ventures, according to testimony from an agent. (Pictured: Rosario on Wednesday before he learned of his conviction) Arillotta said mobsters stopped murdering because 'they don't want to go to prison for 100 years' - something which modern technology made more likely. 'It's not that they became nice,' he said. 'There are cameras everywhere, everyone's got a phone today. It's very hard to get away with murder.' Arillotta said modern Mafia crime stays out of the mainstream media spotlight because there are fewer police busts since the September 11, 2001, terror attack. 'There used to be a (police) squad of agents per (Mafia) family,' he said. 'But when 9/11 happened, the FBI switched their attention from organized crime, which used to be their number one focus, to fighting undercover terrorism.' Arillotta left the Mafia underworld in 2010, after at one point in his murder trial facing the possibility of the death penalty by lethal injection. He said his priorities changed after he reflected on his life of crime in prison. 'If you have a wife and kids, that's when you start thinking about, maybe my wife and kids are more important than this Mafia stuff,' he told DailyMail.com. 'I got indicted in 2003. I only had one kid at the time. I gave my life to the Mafia. Then I had two more daughters after I committed murders. 'Anyways, I ended up going to prison from 2005 until 2008. I had two daughters and a son. Doing that time, you reflect on what's important. 'The moment someone takes you off the street, you start to prioritize. When you die your life flashes before your eyes - being in prison is also like that. 'I thought, to hell with the Mafia, I just want to be with my wife and kids.' A Sydney restauranteur who previously said the 'gay community' was not welcome at his cafe has hit out at a planned boycott of his new venue, telling angry locals that 'holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die'. Mark Da Costa closed his Waterloo cafe Hale and Hearty after blowback following sexist and homophobic comments he made online. After shutting the cafe, he spent five years driving Ubers. 'Those comments made by me were childish to say the least and opinions I do not hold today,' he told the Sydney Morning Herald. 'I don't participate in political matters any more and will only concern myself with providing the locals and Sydney an eatery where they can feel like the food adds value to their own personal health goals.' Mr Da Costa is opening a new venture on King St at St Peters with the 'seed oil-free and wholefoods' venue scheduled to open on March 19. Sydney's 'progressive' inner-west is not an area likely to tolerate people with a history of LGBT hostility, and some locals have already vowed to boycott the new eatery. However Mr Da Costa is hoping the locals will forgive his 'meltdown' in 2020. Mark Da Costa closed his cafe, Hale and Hearty, after making a slew of offensive online comments from his business's account His latest cafe is in the old home of the much-loved Khamsa eatery in St Peter's, as locals suggest they'll boycott it 'For those still holding a grudge, I leave these famous words to ponder,' he told NewsWire. 'Holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. 'Forgiveness is a powerful tool bestowed only to those willing to fully live life to the fullest.' Locals hit out on a Newtown community Facebook page. 'Surely this is a wind-up,' one commented. 'Newtown of all places.' Mr Da Costa's new venture replaces a much-loved Palestinian eatery, the owners of which cited difficulties with their landlord before closing the cafe. In 2020, Mr Da Costa earned the ire of many locals when he used his cafe's Facebook page to leave derogatory comments about the LGBTQIA+ community. The one-time Australian Idol contestant said he hopes the community doesn't 'hold a grudge' He previously announced his cafe was a 'Trump' safe zone and asked a commenter on another post if they were a 'p**f' 'The leftist vegans aren't welcome,' he reportedly wrote on the cafe's Facebook page. 'The gay community who were quick to judge even though we supported them during the plebiscite aren't welcome. We only want free thinking kind people who enjoy plant-based food and nothing else.' He also asked another man in the comment section of a post: 'Are you a p**f?' In a seperate post, Mr Da Costa wrote: 'Today we announce that we are a (Donald Trump) safe zone. A place to discuss what's in your heart without prejudice. Hold tight people, freedom of speech will be back. 'To all our past American friends and guests, stay strong.' One commenter responded they were 'underwhelmed' by a post from the cafe. Mr Da Costa replied: 'Go f*** yourself you narrow minded p***. We are vegan. Not political and you are a loser'. In a seperate resurfaced video, Mr Da Costa assured viewers he was 'not going crazy' and knew 'exactly what he was doing'. However, following the closure of his previous eatery, Mr Da Costa launched a fundraising campaign to reopen his cafe in 2023. He set a crowdfunding target of $100,000 and reportedly raised just $200. The global music company has attacked UK Government plans to allow a copyright exemption for AI as 'rushed, unbalanced and irreversible', the Daily Mail can reveal. Sony Music has insisted copyright should be protected as a 'right, not a regulation' and a 'necessary reward' for creators and performers. The company's intervention comes after leading figures from the music world, including Sir Elton John, Sir Brian May, Lord Lloyd-Webber and Simon Cowell, have backed a Mail campaign against the Government's move. Britain's creative industries are worth 126million and it is feared the change would allow AI to pillage creative works. Current copyright laws stipulate that creators have automatic protection and should be compensated if it is found that their works have been stolen. The Government opened a consultation in December and said it favours a response that grants AI firms a copyright exception. But in a submission to ministers, seen by the Daily Mail, Sony said: 'Copyright is a right, not a regulation, and a necessary societal reward for creating and investing in works that benefit society and enrich human life.' Sony revealed it has requested more than 75,000 'AI deepfakes' of published music be taken down. It went on: 'AI-generated recordings in music streaming services result in direct commercial harm to legitimate recording artists, including UK artists.' Sony, the world's biggest music publisher, has attacked Labour plans to allow a copyright exemption for AI as 'rushed, unbalanced and irreversible' Music, TV, film and publishing bosses back the Mail's campaign to stop Labour letting AI giants plunder their work for free Big names to have backed the Mail's campaign for protection against big tech include Sir Brian May, Simon Cowell and Sir Elton John (pictured) The label said it feared the exemption could place a 'vast new administrative burden' on creators to 'constantly defend their work online'. But it added: 'Property owners should not have to proactively assert rights over every piece of their property in order not to have them expropriated. 'To put it in another way, would Government require homeowners to tag all their possessions to be protected against burglary?' The company also attacked the proposed change as 'particularly counter-intuitive when the UK Government has identified the creative industries as one of eight 'growth-driving sectors'. On Friday, the Daily Mail reported how copyright lawyer Nicholas Caddick KC suggested the Government's plan may break the Berne Convention, which says that creators' work is protected the moment it is written or recorded. But the Government said the convention does not make any specific provisions for the interaction of copyright law and artificial intelligence. A Government spokesperson said: 'The UK's current regime for copyright and AI is holding back the creative industries, media and AI sectors and that cannot continue. That's why we have been consulting on a new approach that protects the interests of both AI developers and right holders and delivers a solution for both.' They added: 'No decisions will be taken until we are absolutely confident we have a practical plan that delivers each of our objectives, including increased control for right holders to help them easily license their content, enabling lawful access to material to train world-leading AI models in the UK, and building greater transparency over material being used.' Almost half of young people 'trust' social media about politics despite the rise of fake news, according to a poll. A survey of 2,500 11 to 25-year-olds by the Electoral Commission found 44 per cent think social media is trustworthy when it comes to learning about politics. In addition, 50 per cent said they get their political news from social media, the second-most common source after television. This rose to 59 per cent for those over age 18, with social media being the most common source for this age group. When all respondents were asked where they have heard about politics on social media in the last 12 months, 68 per cent said TikTok. It comes amid an explosion of fake news, conspiracy theories and extreme content on social media platforms. Researchers said need for youngsters to be properly informed is becoming more urgent amid Labour plans to give the vote to those aged 16 and above. The report notes: 'Young people come across political content in many places, but they can't always be sure it's reliable. A survey of 2,500 11 to 25-year-olds by the Electoral Commission found 44 per cent think social media is trustworthy when it comes to learning about politics. Pictured: File photo In addition, 50 per cent said they get their political news from social media, the second-most common source after television. Pictured: File photo 'Many of them agree that there should be more democratic education in schools and colleges.' The report, which was weighted to be representative of all young people across the UK, was carried out by DJS Research on behalf of the Commission. It found 74 per cent believe what they learn about politics at school, while 78 per cent said they trusted their parents. In terms of news sources, TV was mentioned by the largest proportion of respondents - 56 per cent. However, the report noted: 'Although TV is the top way that young people say they hear about politics, this tends to be digested passively, for example overhearing what their parents are watching, instead of something they've chosen to watch themselves.' The report found 72 per cent of respondents wanted to learn more about elections and politics at school. However, only a third of 11 to 17-year-olds had heard about politics at school in the last year. Only 31 per cent of all respondents said they know 'a lot' about what the UK Government does. It comes amid an explosion of fake news, conspiracy theories and extreme content on social media platforms. Pictured: File photo And only 34 per cent of 15 to 17-year-olds said they were interested in politics. The Commission is lobbying the Government to include more teaching about democracy in schools in its curriculum review led by Professor Becky Francis. Vijay Rangarajan, chief executive at the Electoral Commission, said: 'It's crucial that young people are getting the right support to prepare them to participate in elections, which is all the more important if the franchise is to be extended to 16-year-olds. 'Now is the time to ensure the offering to young people is strong.' A church where the late Queen Elizabeth once worshipped has held its final service after being sold to two world-renowned art dealers. The congregation of Braemar Church in Aberdeenshire gathered for the last time after the 19th century building was purchased by millionaire couple Iwan and Manuela Wirth. The Church of Scotland put the B-listed building on the market for 160,000 last year as congregations dwindled. But while the church, where the Queen attended a service in 2004, often struggled to muster more than 10 worshipers, around 80 attended the final service to make the end of an era. Church historian Maureen Kelly said: It was quite emotional. There was a considerable sadness and the odd tear or two as people were leaving. The good thing is the congregation will continue to meet elsewhere but, for the building, it was sad to say goodbye. There were quite a lot of guests and people for whom the church meant a lot who had come especially. It was very much the end of an era. Braemar Kirk in Aberdeenshire has seen its last ever service The late Queen attended a service at Braemar in August 2004 The 19th century building was purchased by millionaire couple Iwan and Manuela Wirth A spokesman for the new owners said last November that the deal will help preserve an influential symbol of Gothic revival. The Swiss couples Hauser and Wirth commercial art gallery operates in Los Angeles, New York, London, Zurich and Hong Kong. The Wirths, who also own the Fife Arms Hotel plan to use the kirk as an extension of the Fife Arms hospitality and as a complimentary space to the villages other venues. Suites at the hotel, where guests have included Dame Judi Dench, start at 400 a night. The kirk building is just a few miles from the royal retreat of Balmoral, and the late Queen, a regular worshipper at nearby Crathie Kirk, attended a service at Braemar in August 2004 to mark the impending union of the two parishes a year later. The Church of Scotland said a combination of factors, including falling membership and a reduction in financial contributions, meant it was necessary to reduce the number of buildings it owns. Tech titan Elon Musk has suggested crippling sanctions on Ukraine's oligarchs is the key to halting the nation's bloody conflict with Russia Musk, 53, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, called for sanctions targeting Ukraine's wealthiest elite in a post on X Sunday morning. The stunning intervention was a radical departure from the current strategy focused on punishing Russia for its unprovoked invasion of the country. 'Place sanctions on the top 10 Ukrainian oligarchs, especially the ones with mansions in Monaco, and this will stop immediately. That is the key to the puzzle,' Musk wrote bluntly. The remark comes at the end of a week of intensive debate in Washington over whether continued US financial and military aid to Kyiv is sustainable as the war drags on with no clear end in sight. Republican Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) recently argued that the US shouldn't offer 'another penny' to Ukraine - a view echoed by growing segments of the American public weary of the seemingly endless bloodshed and multibillion-dollar aid packages. Facing a torrent of criticism for his stance, including accusations that he's gone soft on Russian aggression, Musk doubled down on his position, invoking his personal efforts to support Ukraine's defense. 'I literally challenged Putin to one on one physical combat over Ukraine and my Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army. Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off,' Musk fired back at critics accusing him of siding with Moscow. Elon Musk has suggested that the United States impose crippling sanctions - not on Russia, but on Ukraine's own oligarchs Musk remains a central figure in Ukraine's defense with Starlink indispensable to Ukrainian military operations. Pictured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Since the early days of the war, Musk's Starlink satellite internet system has played a crucial role in maintaining Ukrainian military communications as Russia relentlessly targeted infrastructure across the country. Musk has previously bristled at suggestions that he isn't doing enough, and his latest comments underscore his frustration with what he sees as a futile and grinding conflict. 'What I am sickened by is years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will inevitably lose. Anyone who really cares, really thinks and really understands wants the meat grinder to stop. PEACE NOW!' Musk wrote, making one of his most explicit calls to date for an immediate end to the war, even if it means Ukraine making painful concessions. Musk's words come at a delicate moment in US foreign policy as Trump has signaled his own shift toward a more aggressive push for negotiations to end the war - while also hinting at potential sanctions on Russia. On Friday, Trump said he is 'strongly considering' levying new sanctions and tariffs on Russia, floating the possibility of new pressure on Moscow just days after he ordered a pause on US military assistance and intelligence sharing with Kyiv. Former CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed last week that Washington has 'halted its intelligence sharing efforts' as Ukraine struggles to hold off Russia's advancing forces. '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 declared on his Truth Social platform. The sanctions threat came as Trump faces criticism for increasing pressure on Ukraine to reach a deal while playing down and even denying Russia's responsibility for starting the war . On Friday, Trump said he was 'strongly considering' levying new sanctions and tariffs on Russia, floating the possibility of new pressure on Moscow Service members of the 117th Brigade of the Territorial Defence Forces operate a Ukrainian-made 120mm mortar towards Russian positions on Sunday in Sumy region, Ukraine Musk appeared to call for US sanctions against wealthy Ukrainians as a means of pushing for an end to the bloody war Musk doubled down on his position, invoking his personal efforts to support Ukraine's defense Vladimir Putin's (pictured) forces have allegedly been using Starlink satellites Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 In an apparent attempt to clarify his position later in the day, Trump acknowledged the complexities of the war, telling reporters it's 'more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine,' suggesting his frustration with Kyiv's resistance to direct talks with Moscow. High-level US and Ukrainian officials are scheduled to meet in Saudi Arabia later this week to discuss possible paths to peace, including contentious issues surrounding a stalled mineral agreement. Musk's suggestion to sanction Ukraine's wealthy elite taps into simmering frustration over persistent allegations of corruption among some Ukrainian power brokers, even as their country faces an existential war for survival. The suggestion to sanction oligarchs who have homes in Monaco, some of whom are believed to be shielding vast fortunes in European havens, raises tough questions for Kyiv, and for its allies, about who is truly invested in winning the war and who may be profiting from it. In the past, Musk has shown a willingness to insert himself into world affairs with headline-grabbing proposals, including a 2022 challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin for 'single combat' over Ukraine, a fight that never materialized though it drew ridicule from Russian officials who derisively dubbed him 'Elona.' Talks broke down between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Trump when they met in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, February 28 person looks at damaged buildings two days after a Russian shelling in Dobropillya, Donetsk on Sunday A man walks past a damaged building in Kostyantynivka on Sunday amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine Damaged buildings two days after a Russian shelling in Dobropillya, Donetsk, Ukraine. A combined strike by Russian forces killed at least 11 people and injured over 50 others 'I literally challenged Putin to one on one physical combat over Ukraine and my Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army,' Musk contended in response to a user that accused him of attacking Ukraine more than Russia. 'Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off.' Despite the drama, Musk remains a central figure in Ukraine's defense with Starlink indispensable to Ukrainian military operations. His warning that the country's 'entire front line would collapse' without his support underscores just how much leverage he holds over Kyiv's war effort. Migrants would be banned from bringing their spouses to Britain unless they earn 38,700 and their partner is over 23, under a proposed law change by the Conservatives. In a bid to take the fight on immigration to Labour and Reform UK, the party will this week table amendments to the Government's Border Security Bill which form its most significant policy announcement on the issue to date. It aims to clamp down on tens of thousands of low-skilled migrants flooding into Britain via family-related visas, which soared to 86,049 last year - more than double the number granted in 2021. At present, migrants already in the UK can apply for a spousal or family visa if they earn at least 29,000 a year. But this would be hiked to 38,700. And the amendments would ban migrants from applying unless both they and their partner are older than 23 to crackdown on the scandal of forced marriages. They would have to be married for at least years to apply and there would be a ban on spousal visas being granted for first-cousin marriages, which are more prevalent among some Asian communities. There would also be an annual cap on family-related visas with no single country allowed to account for more than 7 per cent of the total granted. In 2024, Pakistani nationals accounted for over one-sixth (16 per cent, or 13,748) of all family-related visas, with the vast majority (87 per cent) issued through the Partner visa route. Chris Philp said Britain needs to 'dramatically reduce immigration' A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent on Friday It was unclear last night whether the Labour government will back any of the amendments. If it doesn't, they're unlikely to pass due to Labour's huge Commons majority. It comes after the Tories also pledged to double the period of time migrants have to be in the country before being able to claim Indefinite Leave to Remain, from five to ten years. However, there would be a ban on granting ILR if a migrant had ever claimed benefits or used social housing during that period. They would also have to be a net contributor to the state on a household basis and have a clean criminal record. The party wants to extend the period for being able to apply for British citizenship after obtaining ILR, from one to five years. It also wants an annual cap on migration but has so far refused to give a number. But it will open itself up to severe criticism from opposition MPs as net migration reached a record high of 906,000 under the previous Tory government, in the year ending June 2023. Chris Philp, the Tories' Shadow Home Secretary, said: 'We need to dramatically reduce immigration. 'The numbers coming into the UK on family visas have been far too high, and these measures will fix that. Migrants would be banned from bringing their spouses to Britain unless they earn 38,700 and their partner is over 23 (File image) 'For too long we have seen mass low-skilled low-wage immigration into the UK. 'We now know that actually costs the taxpayer money, puts pressure on services and undermines social cohesion. 'The Conservatives are under new leadership. Mass immigration must end, and instead I want to see far, far smaller numbers of genuinely high-skilled migrants.' A Home Office source said: 'The Tories had 14 years to reform immigration and asylum, yet they left a system in chaos and our borders weaker. 'They could have progressed these measures in any of the many immigration bills they passed in Government, including the 3 they passed whilst Chris Philp was a Home Office Minister. 'The Labour Government is getting a grip on the system. As part of our Plan for Change, Labour's Border Security Bill will bring in counter-terror style powers to disrupt the criminal smuggling gangs making millions out of small boat crossings, as well as ensuring police and immigration officers have the powers they need to act where anyone poses a public safety threat. 'As with all proposed amendments to government bills, these will be examined as part of the Parliamentary process.' Businesses next to an iconic theatre in the centre of Paris that has been occupied by migrants for months are facing bankruptcy and their owners have received death threats, MailOnline has learned. The Gaite-Lyrique theatre has been overtaken by some 450 Africans who were previously sleeping rough on the streets of the capital. Less than half of this number were invited to a conference entitled 'Reinventing the welcome for refugees in France' at the historic playhouse in December by the stage managers. But they were encouraged not to leave and set up home there by the radical 'Collectif des Jeunes du Parc de Belleville' group who told the migrants, who all claim to be under 18, they are 'entitled' to 'permanent' housing as they are minors. Local officials insist that the squatters are adults and have refused to provide alternative accommodation effectively closing the theatre for almost three months. Now business owners have accused this extreme left-wing group, named after a Paris park where hundreds of migrants used to sleep rough, of threatening their lives and businesses and claim they are powerless to stop their demise. The owner of the Bistrot de la Gaite restaurant, Elia Cordier, told MailOnline she is close to bankruptcy and previously dared not speak out against the issue as she has received death threats. She told MailOnline: 'This political stunt is ruining me. I am losing thousands of euros every day. Police corral migrants out of the local park outside the Gate Lyrique theatre in Paris on March 2 The Gaite-Lyrique theatre has been overtaken by some 450 Africans who were previously sleeping rough on the streets of the capital People sleep under a table, on pieces of furniture and charge cellphones during an occupation action in the Gaite Lyrique theatre Dozens of migrants, the majority of whom are from African countries, are seen in an area of the Gaite Lyrique cultural centre Other local businesses claim the usually tranquil park in front of the theatre has become a venue for drug dealing and other anti-social behaviour. Police officers are pictured above searching migrants Migrants occupy the Gate Lyrique theatre in Paris, pictured on March 2 'On a normal Saturday I would clear 2,500. Today I'll be lucky if I make 200. If this carries on, I will be bankrupt within one or two months. Usually, the terrace of the Bistrot de la Gaite next to the theatre would be packed on a bright Saturday lunchtime, with Parisians soaking up the winter sunshine. But this weekend, the seats are empty, as are every seat inside the traditional French restaurant. Ms Cordier added: 'I don't want to talk about how I feel about the occupation I've had death threats from the anarchists behind all of this.' However previously she told The Times how the anti-social behaviour of the migrants had ruined the area. Ms Cordier said: 'They hang around outside my terrace, smoking joints and fighting among themselves. 'Not only do we no longer get theatregoers because the theatre is shut but we don't get passers-by either. They're being frightened away by all these young men.' Other local businesses claim the usually tranquil park in front of the theatre has become a venue for drug dealing and other anti-social behaviour. A man is being searched for drugs in Paris crime hotspot the Blvd De la Chapelle, Barbes, in Paris on March 2 Gendarmes could be seen searching young men for drugs on Saturday lunchtime on the Boulevard de la Chapelle, in the crime hot-spot of Barbes-Rochechouart, in the notorious 18th arrondissement And local residents claim the occupation is threatening the very essence of French culture. 'What is happening here is putting French culture at risk,' businessman David Bayard told MailOnline as he sipped a cup of hot chocolate with his wife Tiffany while they watched the African migrants mill around the steps of the iconic theatre. 'Paris is the centre of French culture. This theatre is important to French culture. We used to go to this theatre often. Now this occupation has taken that away from us. 'There are hundreds of hotel rooms that are empty across Paris. Surely it is not too difficult to put these young people in them.' Tiffany, 39, added: 'Why can't the state find a safe place for these people to sleep. Closing down this theatre is an act of cultural sabotage.' Meanwhile three police officers arrive and order the migrants who are sitting on benches and speaking on mobile phones to leave. The theatre is also facing bankruptcy as its income has collapsed. On Friday, its 60 employees, who had been attempting to 'manage the situation', walked out and handed over responsibility for the iconic theatre to the Paris authority. Pictured above are migrants working as delivery riders in Paris on March 2 A migrant camp on the steps of the Saint Gervais-Saint Protais church in Paris A young isolated minor sitting on a chair and sleeping with his arms on a table during the occupation of the Gaite Lyrique building by homeless isolated minors in Paris People play table football, in front of blankets donated and stored, during an occupation action in the Gaite Lyrique cultural centre Residents and the theatre management have called on the authorities to evict the migrants, but politicians fear this will lead to violence that will be used as propaganda by the anarchist group. A police sergeant told MailOnline: 'These young African men are being exploited by these extreme activists who are trying to cause anarchy on the streets of Paris. 'They have managed to hijack this situation for their own aims. 'The Paris Prefet [Regional Governor] has told us to maintain order but has instructed us not to carry out a forced eviction as this will just play into the extremists' hands. 'They want to portray the authorities in a bad light by filming a confrontation with the police and we are not going to do that.' Representatives of the 'Collectif' inside the theatre refused to discuss the occupation when asked for comment. One member told MailOnline: 'Go away. You print lies, fascist.' Another member pulled a balaclava over his face as he threw insults. Residents and the theatre management have called on the authorities to evict the migrants Residents and the theatre management have called on the authorities to evict the migrants (some pictured outside the theatre), but politicians fear this will lead to violence that will be used as propaganda by the anarchist group Anarchists helping Migrants occupy the Gate Lyrique theatre in Paris Scenes of African migrants sleeping rough on the streets of Paris have become a common sight with tent cities springing up all over the capital An empty cafe next to where Migrants occupy the Gate Lyrique theate in Paris Scenes of African migrants sleeping rough on the streets of Paris have become a common sight with tent cities springing up all over the capital Politicians fear evictions will lead to violence that will be used as propaganda by the anarchist group Scenes of African migrants sleeping rough on the streets of Paris have become a common sight with tent cities springing up all over the capital. The growing tide of young men from west Africa risking everything for a new life in France is candidly portrayed in the film 'Souleymane's Story' which won an award at the Cannes Film Festival last year. It tells how a 16-year-old boy, 'Souleymane' leaves his home in Guinea, crosses the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea, to get to Paris where he works illegally as a food-delivery rider, sleeping wherever he can, while his claim for asylum is processed. Scenes of vagrancy are increasingly common on the streets of the French capital as crime becomes a growing concern in Paris, with the northern districts considered the most dangerous. Gendarmes could be seen searching young men for drugs on Saturday lunchtime on the Boulevard de la Chapelle, in the crime hot-spot of Barbes-Rochechouart, in the notorious 18th arrondissement. Heists of precious gems such as the 6 million robbery of the 'Jeweller to the Stars' Harry Winston in May last year and the 8 million gun-point robbery of Kim Kardashian at her boutique hotel in October 2016 make dramatic headlines. But it is the petty crimes the clandestine sale of imported cigarettes on street corners and widespread pickpocketing in the city's Metro that create an increasingly hostile atmosphere across the city. Aggressive begging is also commonplace outside cafes and small supermarkets in tourist areas. This was two-time prime minister Benjamin Disraeli (1804-81). As his biographer recalled: In the last year of his life, he [Disraeli] said... You have heard me accused of being a flatterer. It is true. I am a flatterer. I have found it useful. Everyone likes flattery; and when you come to royalty you should lay it on with a trowel. This worked greatly in his favour. Queen Victoria had disliked four-time prime minister William Gladstone but enjoyed Disraelis easy flattery. His friendship with the queen was important, as he managed to draw her out of her long mourning period following the death of her beloved husband Albert. Annabel Jenkins, York Two-time British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli was quoted as saying 'Everyone likes flatter; and when you come to royalty you should lay it on with a trowel' Question: Did Hitler hate the term nazi? Nazi was used as a derogatory term by Hitlers detractors. The Social Democratic Party, Germanys oldest extant party, is properly Die Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands but became known as Sozi. Tomorrow's questions: Q: Why did Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay gang up on Paraguay at the Battle of Curupayty? Rob Hendrick, Swanley, Kent Q: Who is featured on the opening credits of the 1970s TV variety show The Wheeltappers And Shunters Social Club? Marjorie Maxwell, Manchester Q: The 1953 classic Alan Ladd western, Shane, makes several references to going to or leaving Cheyenne. Did such a place exist? Ken Hobbins, Birmingham Advertisement Thus, when the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei came along, it was similarly called Nazi. This was a sly joke. In Bavaria, where the party was based, Nazi was a nickname for Ignaz/Ignatius and colloquially meant a country bumpkin or a fool. The only evidence that Hitlers inner circle used the term comes from a nasty pamphlet, The Nazi-Sozi, that propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels published in 1926. However, the terms National Socialist and Socialist were used throughout, and its believed that the title was added by the publisher. Mark Wright, London N12 Question: Has a novelty song ever kept a classic from reaching No. 1? Further to the earlier answer, Robson & Jerome of Soldier Soldier fame had a major hit with Unchained Melody. The song was UK No. 1 for seven weeks and the bestselling single of 1995. It kept Pulps Common People off the top spot. Not only that, their follow-up No. 1, I Believe/Up On The Roof, kept Oasiss Wonderwall at No. 2! Andy Timms, Malvern, Worcs Frustrated experts have sent a blunt message to residents flouting warnings about ex-Cyclone Alfred - you are putting your life at risk by venturing into flooded areas. Alfred's impact may be easing but flood warnings are multiplying as swollen rivers and creeks burst their banks, catchments overflow and sodden ground can absorb no more rain. However residents - some tired at being housebound without food or electricity and some trying to return home after sheltering elsewhere - are taking big risks to venture out into flooded areas. 'Unfortunately people are still walking into and driving into flood waters. I understand the appetite to check on your home...The key message is keep in touch with us, work with us and we'll all get home safely,' NSW SES Commissioner Mike Wassing said. The SES has warned that floodwaters can be deeper than they appear, can have swift currents not apparent on the surface, and can hide hazards that could cause an injury or a loss of footing. Hazardous materials can also be present in floodwater, such as broken glass or chemicals, downed powerlines can present a risk of electric shock and those wading through the water can also pick up potentially serious infections. 'The immediate physical health effects of floods include drowning, falls and injuries, but exposure to contaminated floodwaters can also lead to bacterial infections,' said Jodie Bailie, a researcher from the University of Sydney's Centre for Rural Health who has studied flood impacts on people. One woman was seen in the Brisbane suburb of Newmarket on Sunday wading into water up to her stomach as she snapped photos. While it might make for a good photo, experts have warned Aussies to stay out of floodwaters (pictured: Newmarket in Brisbane on Sunday) Flood warnings are in place for large swathes of southeast Queensland and northeast NSW (pictured: the Brisbane suburb of Newmarket on Sunday) Southeast Queensland's water authority has also warned residents to avoid venturing into floodwater, throw out food that has been spoiled, and have enough clean drinking water as there is a risk of contamination from sewage plants spilling over. 'We're experiencing wastewater overflows from some of our infrastructure due to a range of reasons including increased flows from wet weather, power outages or critical components of pump stations removed as part of preparation works. 'We're reminding people to avoid contact with floodwater and local waterways following wet weather as they can be impacted by a range of sources including diluted wastewater, debris, animal waste and stormwater run-off.' Ms Bailie said her team also found strong evidence of other issues that can be caused by floodwaters, even for people who don't directly venture into them. 'In the aftermath of floods, respiratory problems can occur due to mould and damp housing while it is also ideal conditions for mosquito borne infections such as Ross River virus and Murray Valley encephalitis. 'Chronic conditions such as diabetes or renal disease can also worsen because of reduced access to transport, health-care services, medications and hospitals.' She said there was also evidence of mental health impacts with a study after the 2017 Northern Rivers floods showing 'those who had floodwater in their home or business, or were displaced from their home for more than six months, were more likely to have post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety or depression'. Flood warnings from the Bureau of Meteorology span southeast Queensland and northeast NSW including for Brisbane, Logan, the Gold Coast, Ipswich, Northern Rivers and Northern Tablelands as swollen rivers and creeks break their banks. Floodwaters can contain hidden dangers, ranging from bacteria to downed power lines. The weather system, downgraded to a tropical low, has battered southeast Queensland with heavy rainfall totalling over 400mm in some places in the 24 hours to 9am Monday, and it is expected to move southwest into NSW from Monday afternoon. Heavy rain and thunderstorms will continue across southeast Queensland on Monday morning but conditions are expected to ease into the afternoon. 'However with a lot of water to make its way through the river systems, the flooding impacts are likely to continue, certainly into the middle and maybe latter parts of this week,' Bureau of Meteorology's Christie Johnson said. More than 450 schools across Brisbane remain closed on Monday and bus services have been cancelled as roads are inundated by flash flooding. Hundreds of thousands of homes remain without power but Energex crews are working to reconnect the 200,000 properties. 'They are putting everything to try and reconnect people, and it's very difficult to get back on your feet without power,' Premier David Crisafulli told ABC Radio. In northern NSW, some 1800 people have been isolated by the deluge cutting off roads, and other 18,500 have been told they could be isolated. DDG has urged Halle Bailey to reach a "clear understanding" over custody of their son. DDG wants to reach an agreement with Halle Bailey The former couple split in October and the rapper - whose real name is Darryl Dwayne Granberry Jr. - wants to spend more time with 15-month-old Halo, but would rather not take the matter to court. In a livestream shared to YouTube over the weekend, he said: I dont want to go to court. Its going to get extremely messy and it dont have to happen. I think its in her best interest to not want to go to court either, where we can just have a clear understanding. We go to court, the judge is going to give me some time. And when I got the time, Im gonna do whatever I want with my son. "I dont want to go to court because its going to make her unhappy. The 27-year-old rapper has shared a song called 'Don't Take My Son' and explained he was moved to pen the track out of frustration and annoyance over his desire to see Halo. The lyrics of the song include: Dont take my son / Cause he all I got / Trying to make me pay to see my son / That going to make me hot. He explained in the livestream: I just dont want it to come to the point where hes like, Alright, my pops not around'. Thats my main thing. I was more frustrated and annoyed than anything. Ive been dealing with this s*** for a long time. I never spoke on it for the simple fact that I dont like putting yall in my real life business but Im like, Okay, I dont know what else to do. In November, Halle, 25, slammed her former partner for broadcasting their baby on his livestream shortly after they had separated. She posted on X : I don't approve of my baby being on a stream tonight. I wasn't told or notified and i am extremely upset to have my baby in front of millions of people. I am his mother and protector and saddened that I wasn't notified. The 'Little Mermaid' actress then deleted her account on the social media platform. A Maryland hairstylist is facing criminal charges after she posted a shocking video showing her dragging a 15-year-old client across the salon floor over a dispute about a $150 bill. The now viral video shows Jayla Cunningham, 18, pulling the girl down the hallway by the hood of her sweater and forcefully yanking the teenager into a room next to a bag of trash, causing her to slide on the hardwood floors. 'Sit right here until somebody sends it,' Cunningham could be heard telling the teen, presumably about the payment, in the video she originally posted to social media herself, according to Fox 5. 'I'm not f***ing playing. You just tried to f***ing run,' the foul-mouthed stylist continues. 'You lucky I ain't beat the s**t out [of] you.' She could then be seen cutting part of the girl's hair before she walks off-camera. Meanwhile, the girl could be seen touching her hair and pulling herself up as Cunningham comes back into view and stares directly at the surveillance camera recording the March 2 incident. The teenage client's mother has since filed a police report, telling Fox 5 that Cunningham also grabbed her daughter's hair when she went for the hood. She said her child was left traumatized by the incident, and when asked directly how her daughter was doing, she replied, 'not good at all.' Jayla Cunningham, 18, posted a shocking video showing her dragging a teenage client across the salon floor on March 2, causing the teen to slide on the hardwood floors Cunningham has defended her actions, claiming the teen was trying to run without paying for her $150 service But Cunningham has so far defended her actions. She claims the 15-year-old client was trying to leave without paying for the $150 service that included a weave, which she said was what she was recorded cutting out of the girl's hair. 'She ran. Forget trash, she ran without paying me,' Cunningham declared. 'I dragged her by the hood back in to the salon until I could get paid, or you know, until the police come or until, you know, she let me take out the service because it's like she literally ran outside, like she was about to be gone. 'I feel like if I didn't do that, she would have been gone and I would have just never been paid.' The stylist went on to tell Fox 5 that she did not realize she was being charged with second-degree assault for the now viral incident, as she asserted that she has a witness who could back up her claims. The girl's mother, however, has claimed that her daughter accidentally sent the money for the service to the wrong CashApp account, and maintains that the girl was trying to figure out how to pay Cunningham when she grabbed her daughter. 'It's absolutely absurd,' the shocked mother said. 'It's viral. It's all over the country.' The stylist is now facing charges of second-degree assault for the incident, as the victim's family also hires attorneys to represent the teenager in a civil suit against Cunningham as well Amid the trauma, the girl's family has now hired attorneys to represent the teenager in a civil suit against Cunningham as well. 'The video is horrendous,' attorney De'Aja Thompson told Fox 5. 'It's a 15-year-old girl. We're talking about someone's child here - a child who is being dragged across a salon floor by her jacket over something as simple as a mistake.' She added in comments to PEOPLE that the incident 'was most certainly avoidable.' 'Unfortunately, this case is just one depiction of the reality of what happens when citizens take the law into their own hands,' the lawyer lamented. 'As a result, in this case, a young girl suffered physical and psychological injuries for what ultimately turned out to be a mistake, and another young lady is now facing criminal charges that could have larger implications.' Cunningham is due to appear in court to answer to the assault charges on April 18. She was previously also slapped with three second-degree assault charges stemming from an October 4 incident, according to the New York Post. Details about that case are limited, but a hearing is scheduled for March 18. In the meantime, Cunningham - who goes by Jayla Amara on social media - has claimed she has received death threats online due to the viral video, and in an update on her Instagram Stories on Saturday, the stylist told her followers: 'I'm OK y'all, thank y'all, love y'all.' She also posted new rules to her Instagram page, saying any loyal or returning customers will still only pay the regular $25 deposit, but new clients must make the full payment up front and send their ID. Anyone between the ages of 14 to 18, she said, must have an adult with them for the duration of the service. Anthony Albanese's election masterplan was one of the biggest casualties as Tropical Cyclone Alfred barreled towards Brisbane. The Prime Minister was tipped to go to the polls on April 12, requiring an announcement on Sunday or Monday to allow for the legally-mandated minimum 33 days of campaigning. But, with Alfred heading for the Queensland and Northern NSW Coast threatening lives and homes, he was suddenly forced to abandon that plan late on Friday. 'I have no intention of doing anything that distracts from what we need to do,' grim-faced Mr Albanese told the ABC that evening. 'And what we need to do is to look after each other at this difficult time. This is not a time for looking at politics.' An admirable sentiment perhaps, but now it puts the Prime Minister in a dilemma, with three alternative dates to choose from. It also leaves the government having to lay down a pre-poll Budget he would have preferred to avoid. Treasurer Jim Chalmers will now likely be splashing the red ink in a forecast Budget deficit on March 25, just as the government is campaigning on its economic credentials. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured) had been widely tipped to call an election either on Sunday or today for April 12, as electoral laws dictate a minimum 33-day campaign But, with Alfred barrelling towards the Queensland and Northern NSW Coast, threatening lives and livelihoods, he made the difficult decision to abandon his original plan on Friday The eleventh-hour shift means politicians will now have to campaign throughout Easter, Anzac Day and the school holidays when many voters are distracted, as a May election date now seems inevitable. The PM will be keen to avoid interrupting those long weekends, so April 19, in the middle of the Easter weekend, or April 26, the day after Anzac Day, are unlikely election dates. That means there are only really three realistic dates it could be: May 3, May 10 or May 17 - the last possible day it could be held. But May 3 is complicated by the fact it is the NRL's Magic Round where all teams will play in Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium that weekend, meaning all travelling fans will have to cast pre-poll absentee ballots. Since the Magic Round started in 2019 there have been two federal elections held on and on both occasions the incumbent Prime Minister made sure there was not a date clash. In 2022, PM Scott Morrison called the election for the week after Magic Round, on May 21, and in 2019, Australians went to the polls the weekend before the footy extravaganza. In late February, Mr Albanese was asked about whether the election will take place on April 12, during the AFL Gather Round in Adelaide, when the same issue with travelling fans would have cropped up. A possible election date of May 3 is complicated by the fact it is the NRL's Magic round where all teams will play in Brisbane's Suncorp stadium over that weekend (pictured: Lachlan Galvin of the Tigers in action during the NRL Round 11 match between the Wests Tigers and the Redcliffe Dolphins last year) 'PM, just quickly, you get asked this a lot but Gather Round and the election, they might coincide...', the reporter began. But before they could finish their question the Prime Minister snapped back: 'It's so boring.' 'It's so boring. Gather Round is fantastic what's boring is questions about election timing because I've been asked it for a year,' Mr Albanese said. He is yet to be asked about whether the date will clash with Magic Round but journalists can expect a similar response. That leaves just May 10 and May 17. But May 10 is the day before Mother's Day, with some people voicing concern about the clash, as some families travel interstate to re-unite. It remains to be seen when Mr Albanese will now visit Governor-General Sam Mostyn to officially call the election. Bu what is clear is that his choices are narrowing - and the decision is rapidly being taken out of his control. A Russian spymaster behind a UK-based espionage ring may have worked with MI6 and US intelligence before he fled to Moscow, it has been reported. Fugitive businessman Jan Marsalek could have been the greatest asset for western intelligence agencies until he was implicated in Germanys biggest ever fraud, security sources have suggested. Marsalek, 44, directed a group of six UK-based Bulgarians in espionage activities across Europe, including kidnap and rendition plots. He exchanged almost 80,000 messages with the spy cells UK boss, Orlin Roussev, plotting six sinister operations including surveillance of Ukrainian soldiers at a US airbase in Germany. The spies were last week convicted at the Old Bailey and face up to 14 years in prison. But Marsalek, the former chief operating officer of electronic payments firm Wirecard, remains at large having fled Munich when the company collapsed amid a 1.6billion fraud. The grandson of a Soviet spy, Marsalek is thought to have been brought into Russian intelligence by former GRU officer Stanislav Petlinsky after the pair met on a yacht at his girlfriends birthday party in Nice, France, in 2014. In 2018, he was found to have been in possession of top secret documents which contained the formula for Novichok, the deadly nerve agent used to poison Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury that same year. Jan Marsalek, 44, directed a group of six UK-based Bulgarians in espionage activities across Europe, including kidnap and rendition plots He exchanged almost 80,000 messages with the spy cells UK boss, Orlin Roussev (pictured), plotting six sinister operations Marsalek is also accused of plotting to use private armies to control the flow of migrants into Europe at Vladimir Putins behest German minister Bernd Schmidbauer, who had previously run its intelligence services, later told an inquiry this discovery was discussed by agencies around the world and met with Marsalek that year to discuss how he obtained the formula. During that meeting, Marsalek boasted to him that he had security services around the world in my pocket and had been talking to them for years. Mr Schmidbauer said he believed that multiple intelligence agencies had been eager to speak with the businessman at this point so Wirecard could be used to closely monitor certain money laundering operations, organized crime. Wirecard pre-paid cards were used by undercover operatives at Germanys Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), and its Federal Intelligence Service (BND) as early as 2013. The US Department of Justice contacted Marsalek in 2019 to ask for his help tracing a fugitive, a source told The Sunday Telegraph. And Petlinsky told the newspaper his protege had a very good connection with a representative of MI6 in London. However, sources told the Mail that it was a stretch to suggest that because Wirecard may have been used by other western law enforcement agencies that Marsalek was a UK intelligence asset. Marsalek is also accused of plotting to use private armies to control the flow of migrants into Europe at Vladimir Putins behest. In 2017, he tried to mobilise a 15,000-strong band of mercenaries to control the border in Libya, a key migration route, Der Spiegel reported. Millions across the Midwest discovered their homes and vehicles covered in a mysterious residue over the weekend. Puzzled residents from Missouri to Virginia shared images of their filth-coated belongings on social media as they searched for an explanation for where the dirt came from. 'We had crazy gross rain last night,' said one Missouri resident. 'My window was difficult to clean this morning!' 'Today I went outside and my cars are covered (this in central Ohio), it's too early for pollen all we had was a bit of misty rain yesterday,' another person said. 'All cars, including mine, that I have observed are covered with this spray,' a Virginia woman told WTVR. 'I really want to know what this is.' Meteorologists revealed the dirty rain came from dust in the Southwest swept up by a strong jet stream that moved east on Saturday. Satellite images shared by the National Weather Service (NWS) in Charleston, West Virginia showed the dust was picked up from New Mexico and Texas. 'As can be seen in the attached satellite images, dust from the southwest and southern plains has been transported into the area this afternoon/evening, which has been brought down with falling precipitation,' the agency said. Millions across the Midwest discovered their homes and vehicles covered in a mysterious residue Meteorologists revealed the dirty rain came from dust in the Southwest got swept up by a strong jet stream that moved east The NWS in St. Louis confirmed these findings and shared a graphic that showed the dust storms in the Southwest on Thursday lofted the dust higher into the atmosphere, and the dust fell out in the light showers over the Midwest. The storm that generated this dust came with wind gusts that reached 62 miles per hour at times, reported WBNS. The massive dust storm in New Mexico caused a 23-car pileup along with several other crashes and injured two people on an important highway. Motorists were driving almost completely blind along Highway 285 near Roswell, New Mexico, on Monday as the sky turned orange. Roswell is famous for a UFO conspiracy theory and had a top-secret government facility nearby some claim was for extra-terrestrial research. High winds whipped the sand across the road in ferocious fashion, and videos posted online showed only several feet of visibility. Ambulances and local police rushed to Carrol and Orchard Park, just south of Midway between Roswell and Artesia, after the crashes were reported. Two people were badly hurt in the crashes and rushed to Eastern New Mexico Medical Center in Roswell. Satellite images shared by the National Weather Service in Charleston, West Virginia showed the dust was picked up from New Mexico and Texas Five semi-trucks and 18 other vehicles were towed to the Chaves County Sheriffs Office after being involved in the biggest pileup. Dexter Fire and Rescue chief Justin Powell said roads through the area were closed and urged everyone to stay indoors. 'Highway 285 is still closed between Roswell and Artesia. Zero visibility in spots. State road 2 is also very bad with low and NO visibility,' he wrote online. 'Multiple vehicle accidents all around the area. If you do not need to be driving, please do not do so. Stay put! 'Warnings have all been extended into the evening time now. Wind is also expected to blow next couple of days. 'This is spring time in the desert NM, so this is expected at times. Just please use caution and common sense.' EXCLUSIVE Outback killer Bradley John Murdoch is dying of cancer in a Northern Territory jail and set to take his secret of where he buried Peter Falconio's body to his own grave, Daily Mail Australia can reveal. Murdoch, 67, is being treated for terminal throat cancer at Alice Springs Correctional Centre, where he will likely take his last breath, 200km away from the remote spot near Barrow Creek where he murdered the British backpacker 24 years ago. His cell in the 500-inmate facility is just off the same Stuart Highway where he shot dead the building surveyor before tying up Mr Falconio's girlfriend Joanne Lees. The ruthless drug runner shot Mr Falconio, 28, in the head on the night of July 14, 2001, after tricking the couple as they drove between Alice Springs and Darwin in their VW Kombi campervan After shooting Mr Falconio, Murdoch threatened Ms Lees before he bound her hands behind her back with cable tie restraints and bundled her into the back of his ute. But while Murdoch disposed of Mr Falconio's body, Ms Lees managed to escape, running barefoot through the bush where she hid while Murdoch hunted for her with his dog. Five hours after her boyfriend's murder, Ms Lees eventually flagged down a truck and raised the alarm. No trace of Falconio's body has ever been found and Murdoch has never provided as much as a clue. Bradley John Murdoch tricked Peter Falconio and Joanne Lees (pictured together) into stopping on a remote Outback highway where he shot Peter in the head and tied up Ms Lees, who managed to escape Outback drug runner turned killer Bradley John Murdoch (above) is dying of throat cancer in an Alice Springs jail near where he murdered Peter Falconio and likely dumped his body in a secret spot The remote stretch of the Stuart Highway (left) where Joanne Lees and Falconio in their distinctive orange Kombi van (right) were tricked into stopping by Murdoch, intending to kidnap Lees after shooting him The road trip-turned-outback nightmare has been the subject of multiple books, TV programs and documentaries as well as wild theories about where Falconio's body lies, and the fruitless searches for it. Murdoch has steadfastly refused to end the mystery of what he did with Mr Falconio's corpse, which remains one of the greatest riddles in Australian crime. The only trace of Mr Falconio was a small blood stain on the tarmac of the highway where the shooting took place. Murdoch has always denied being the killer, and protested his innocence throughout a murder trial which saw him convicted in December 2005, and sentenced to life imprisonment. The former mechanic, who drove road trains and trucks across the Outback lodged two unsuccessful appeals, and was refused special leave to appeal to the High Court of Australia in 2007. Daily Mail Australia understands prison staff have been warned that Murdoch is considered manipulative, but can be personable, and is renowned behind bars for his ability to fix anything broken. His life sentence carried a non-parole period of 28 years, which would expire in 2032, but can never not walk free without revealing the location of Mr Falconio's body under the Northern Territory's 'no body, no release' laws. However, Murdoch is now expected to die from cancer before the end of this year. Bradley Murdoch is incarcerated in Alice Springs prison just a few hundred kilometres south of where he murdered Peter Falconio near Barrow Creek and disposed of his body at a location which the killer has never disclosed Bradley John Murdoch (pictured) is not expected to give up the location where he dumped Peter Falconio's body On their fateful road trip to Australia via South East Asia, Peter Falconio and Joanne Lees visited Uluru, Alice Springs and then drove north into an ambush by Bradley Murdoch who was later charged, although acquitted, of abducting and raping a 12-year-old girl Mr Falconio's mother broke a long silence about her son's murder in 2022 to beg for information about the location of Peter's body. On what would have been his 50th birthday, Joan Falconio and husband Luciano, 80, issued a heartfelt plea backed by a demand for Northern Territory police to put up a $1million reward to fund a renewed hunt for Peter's body. Despite several searches, including a five-day operation in 2019 when police emptied an outback well, Murdoch's hiding place remains a mystery. 'His life stopped on a lonely road ... shot dead by cowardly Murdoch, who will not reveal where or what he did with him,' Mrs Falconio said. 'Our pain is always with us. We want to bring Peter home where he belongs, near his family.' After arriving in Australia via south east Asia, Mr Falconio and Ms Lees visited Uluru and Alice Springs before driving 200km north to the Ti-Tree Roadhouse to watch the sun set as they smoked a cannabis joint. They set off again, bound for the tourist attraction known as the Devil's Marbles, before they noticed they were being followed by a white 4WD with a green canopy, which they expected to overtake them. Around 7.30pm, the vehicle drew alongside and signalled for the couple to pull over, indicating there were flames supposedly coming from the back of their van. Lees and Falconio's distinctive orange Kombi was found the morning after the murder dumped 80m into the scrub near the site north of Barrow Creek where Peter had been shot and Joanne had escaped Murdoch argued that CCTV footage of a man entering Barrow Creek store on the night of the murder might look like him but that it wasn't him Ms Lees could see a dog in the cabin next to the driver. Behind the wheel was Murdoch, a mechanic from Broome, who had no front teeth and a history of violence. Mr Falconio got out of the van and Ms Lees heard a bang, and then the 4WD driver appeared at her window and forced her into the back of his vehicle. However she escaped from under its canopy and dashed into the scrub. At about 1am, believing Murdoch had given up looking for her, she came out and stopped a passing road train, whose driver took her to Barrow Creek roadhouse. Murdoch would not be charged in relation to Falconio's murder until 2003. He was arrested shortly after being acquitted in SA of the abduction and rape of a 12-year-old girl. After a seven week trial, Murdoch was found guilty after he denied murdering Mr Falconio and assaulting and attempting to kidnap Ms Lees. Murdoch disputed the evidence of his DNA on Ms Lees' T-shirt and on the gearstick of the Kombi, which police found dumped the morning after the murder, 80m into the bushes off the highway near Barrow Creek. In 2008, Ms Lees instructed NT Police to destroy the van, which she and Falconio had bought at a used car market in Sydney. Bradley John Murdoch's distinctive vehicle in which a terrified Joanne Lees was placed in the rear, her hands cable tied behind her back, and from which she escaped A recreation of Joanne Lees' capture in the rear of Murdoch's white 4WD from which she managed to flee and hide for five hours in roadside scrub Bradley Murdoch, a Broome mechanic whose distinctive appearance included having no front teeth, is living out his final days at Alice Springs Correctional Centre (right) In the years since, as she dealt with her trauma, Ms Lees has given various interviews and written No Turning Back, one of six books published about the case. Cult horror movie Wolf Creek, a fictional film about a serial killer, was reportedly based on both Murdoch and backpacker murderer Ivan Milat. Now aged in her early 50s, Joanne Lees has never married or had children following the tragic death of her boyfriend, and lives in a home she owns in Huddersfield, in West Yorkshire. A weeping Justin Trudeau has taken one last swipe at Donald Trump during his final speech as Prime Minister of Canada. Trudeau, who was forced to step down following a wave of resignations from his cabinet in the final months of 2024, was seen dabbing his eyes with a tissue during a conference to his Liberal party last night. The 53-year-old leader will be replaced by former Bank of England boss Mark Carney, who won his party's leadership race and carried on the US-Canada war of words by accusing the firebrand Republican of 'attacking Canadian workers, families, and businesses.' Trudeau said during his emotional speech: 'Don't get me wrong, I'm damn proud of what we've done over these past 10 years. But tonight is about our future as a party, as a country.' Referencing the ongoing threat of massive economic tariffs from US president Donald Trump that could cripple the country's economy, the outgoing PM said that Canada is 'a country who will fight when we must, elbows up.' He added that Canadians are now showing 'what makes us... by proudly embracing who we are' amid existential challenges. Trudeau then told the gathered members of the Liberal Party conference: 'Your country needs you maybe more than ever. And I have no doubt that you will answer the call, because you've done it before. Liberals will meet this moment.' He describes the current moment of history as a 'nation-defining moment', adding: 'Democracy is not a given, freedom is not a given, even Canada is not a given.' None of those happened by accident or will continue without effort, Trudeau said, adding: 'It takes courage, it takes sacrifice, it takes hope and hard work'. Carney's first speech as the incoming PM saw him accuse Trump of seeking to control Canada by force. He said: 'The Americans want our resources, our water, our land, our country.' A weeping Justin Trudeau (pictured) has taken one last swipe at Donald Trump during his final speech as Prime Minister of Canada The 53-year-old leader will be replaced by former Bank of England boss Mark Carney (pictured) Donald Trump (pictured) has lifted some of the tariffs he placed on Canada Carney had earlier weighed in on the standoff between Trump and Trudeau Carney added that Trump is 'attacking Canadian workers, families, and businesses. We cannot let him succeed.' The former banker said the actions of Canadians in standing up to Trump have made him proud. 'I'm proud of the voices of Canadians who are making their voices heard and their wallets felt,' he said as the crowd cheered. 'Our provinces are stepping up to the fight. When we are united, we are Canada strong. 'The Canadian government has rightly retaliated. My government will keep our tariffs on until the Americans show us respect.' Carney had earlier weighed in on the standoff between Trump and Trudeau, but there were doubts about whether he would attempt to strike a friendlier relationship with the leader of Canada's closest neighbour. He had previously said: 'We have made this the greatest country in the world and now our neighbours want to take us. No way.' Before appointing his successor, Trudeau announced Canada would begin implementing 25 percent tariffs on $155 billion of American goods, starting with $30 billion worth of products immediately. 'This is a time to hit back hard and to demonstrate that a fight with Canada will have no winners,' he said. The former Bank of England leader will take over at a tumultuous time in Canada, which is in the midst of a trade war with longtime ally the United States and must hold a general election soon. Carney, 59, took 86% of votes cast to beat former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland in a contest in which just under 152,000 party members voted. The political novice argued that he was best placed to revive the party and to oversee trade negotiations with Trump, who is threatening additional tariffs that could cripple Canada's export-dependent economy. Trudeau and Carny were seen embracing each other at the conference on Sunday night A person attends the 'Elbows up' rally on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada March 9, 202 A pro-Trump protestor gestures on the day of the 'Elbows up' rally on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada March 9, 2025 People gather for the 'Elbows up' rally on Parliament Hill Carney was the front-runner, with the most endorsements from party members and the most money raised among the four Liberal candidates. Carney's win marks the first time an outsider with no real political background has become Canadian prime minister. He has said his experience as the first person to serve as the governor of two G7 central banks - Canada and England - meant he was the best candidate to deal with Trump. During the campaign, Carney said he supported dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs against the United States and a coordinated strategy to boost investment. He has repeatedly complained that Canada's growth under Trudeau was not good enough. The prospect of a fresh start for the Liberal Party under Carney, combined with Trump's tariffs and his repeated taunts to annex Canada as the 51st U.S. state, led to a remarkable revival of Liberal fortunes. Trump has argued that the trade deficit with Canada demonstrates that the United States deserves to level more tariffs on their imported goods. The president warned Trudeau Tuesday that the United States was willing to level additional tariffs on their country's economy. 'Please explain to Governor Trudeau, of Canada, that when he puts on a Retaliatory Tariff on the U.S., our Reciprocal Tariff will immediately increase by a like amount!' Trump warned on social media. People participate in a rally in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to Canadian sovereignty, on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Sunday, March 9, 2025 Crysta Baylis holds a puppet depicting U.S. President Donald Trump during the 'Elbows up' rally At a protest outside Canada's Parliament building in Ottawa on Sunday, dozens of Canadians held up signs protesting Trump with no reference to domestic politics 'We subsidize them $200 billion a year. Without us, Canada can't make it,' Trump said during a cabinet meeting last week. 'You know, Canada relies on us 95 percent. We rely on them 4 percent. Big difference.' Trump suggested that Canada should join the United States if they want to escape the tariffs. 'I say Canada should be our 51st state. There's no tariffs, no nothing,' he said last week. Trump also argues that since the United States pays largely for Canada's military security, the country should also pay more in tariffs. 'We protect Canada. But it's not fair. It's not fair that they're not paying their way. And if they had to pay their way, they couldn't exist,' he said. At the start of 2025, the Liberal party trailed by 20 or more points but is now statistically tied with the official opposition Conservatives led by career politician Pierre Poilievre in several polls. At a protest outside Canada's Parliament building in Ottawa on Sunday, dozens of Canadians held up signs protesting Trump with no reference to domestic politics. 'There is a rallying-around-the-flag moment that we would never have predicted a year ago,' said University of British Columbia politics professor Richard Johnston. 'I think it's probably true as we speak that the Liberals have been saved from oblivion.' Two Liberal Party sources said Carney would call an election in coming weeks. Before appointing his successor, Trudeau announced Canada would begin implementing 25 percent tariffs on $155 billion of American goods, starting with $30 billion worth of products immediately Trump has repeatedly touted his ambition to annex Canada, referring to Trudeau as 'Governor Trudeau' and the nation as America's '51st state.' Justin Trudeau 's replacement as Prime Minister of Canada has been chosen amid increasingly hostile relations between the United States and its northern neighboUr Polls though indicate that neither the Liberals nor the Conservatives would be able to form a majority government. An election must be held by October 20. Carney could legally serve as prime minister without a seat in the House of Commons but tradition dictates that he should seek to win one as soon as possible. In 1984, John Turner was not a legislator when he became prime minister after winning a Liberal leadership race. Liberals sought to compare Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre to Trump in a recent advertisement. Poilievre in turn ramped up attacks on Carney on Sunday. The Liberals 'are going to pull a sneaky trick,' Poilievre said at a campaign rally. 'They're going to try to get elected for a fourth term by replacing Justin Trudeau with his economic adviser, Mark Carney. ... Donald Trump will have a big smile on his face.' Carney has played down any role in advising Trudeau, noting his many global obligations left him with little time. Carney resigned all commercial posts after he launched his leadership bid in January. A 'disgusting' dog owner hsa been slammed for abandoning more than 20 sick puppies and leaving them in squalor as ex-Cyclone Alfred closed in. Animal group Lucky Paws Dog Rescue received a frantic message on Tuesday about the stranded dogs at a property on the Sunshine Coast. The owner had left them behind as she vacated the property ahead of the storm making landfall on Saturday. The rescue group had initially been told there were 12 dogs but, on arrival, staff discovered at least 22 - all of which were suffering 'horrendous medical issues'. 'What we walked into today was beyond devastating; it was a squatter's place with no food or shelter for these innocent animals,' a statement said. 'We were told by the owner that she has left food out for the dogs for the week - there was no food at all left. 'She also told us last night "Good luck catching them.' Employees only managed to initially rescue six puppies but caught 10 more within 24 hours of searching. Three dogs were left behind as ex-Cyclone Alfred closed in on the southeast Queensland coast Rescuers had to leave three of the dogs out in the appalling conditions, as escalating storms made it too dangerous to try to retrieve them. Lucky Paws Dog Rescue said construction workers in the area reported that the three dogs found shelter in an abandoned shed 1km from the squalid location. 'Please rest assured that both the Council and Lucky Paws are committed to ensuring the safety of these three dogs,' the rescue said in an update. 'We have laid out food in various locations to help sustain them until we can safely return.' The rescue had laid out traps in an attempt to capture and the retrieve the remaining trio, but removed them s no one would be available to check them once flooding began. Social media users slammed the owner for leaving the puppies in such a state. 'What in the world is wrong with people!' one user said. Some questioned why someone could leave the puppies behind. The owner told the rescue: 'Good luck catching them' The rescue describes the puppies as a group of small dogs, similar to Jack Russell or Tibetan Spaniels 'How does someone have this many dogs? And to just abandon them?' one said. Another said: 'How could anyone leave these dogs after treating them like that. 'Surely they could have sought help sooner?' The Bureau of Meteorology had issued a severe weather warning for massive rainfall over the weekend, which would lead to 'dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding' in south-east Queensland. Brisbane, Ipswich, the Sunshine Coast and Gympie were forecast to get three months worth of rain in 24 hours. Emergency flood warnings were also issued earlier on Monday across south-east Queensland and northern NSW. Queensland premier David Crisafulli has warned that the worst of the ex-tropical cyclone is not yet over. He said about 17 people had been rescued overnight and the SES had been called to 'over 300 jobs in a little over a few hours'. 'My message is simple, we're not through the worst just yet. (There is) a bit more rain to come. If you stay connected, I have every faith we will get through this,' he said on Monday morning. The premier urged residents to take precautions. President Donald Trump is scrambling to broker peace between two of his most influential and volatile allies: Elon Musk and Steve Bannon. The power struggle behind the scenes may also carry added weight because at the heart of this escalating feud lies a deeper question as to who will control the soul of the MAGA movement. Last week reports swirled of a heated clash inside the White House, where Trump's own cabinet members reportedly pushed back on Musk's growing influence over federal departments, with Bannon wasting no time in adding fuel to the fire. On his podcast War Room, a must-watch for MAGA loyalists and Trump himself, Bannon didn't hold back. 'I don't want to say an anchor or lodestone,' Bannon sneered on Friday, referring to Musk's controversial role in Trumpworld. 'It's not that yet, but it's trending - that is starting to affect everybody.' Bannon has long cast Musk as an elitist outsider and somewhat of an interloper in a movement that he helped shape from its earliest days. Known for his ruthlessly populist vision, Bannon's blistering attacks have branded Musk everything from a 'parasitic illegal immigrant' to a 'truly evil person,' drawing clear battle lines inside the MAGA camp. But despite the growing animosity, Trump has made clear he wants to keep both men close. President Donald Trump is scrambling to broker peace between two of his most influential and volatile allies, Steve Bannon, left, and Elon Musk, center. Pictured here together in 2017 Steve Bannon has long cast Elon Musk as an outsider and somewhat of an an interloper in a movement that he helped shape from its earliest days Behind the scenes, Elon Musk has grown irritated by Bannon's relentless attacks, though he has engaged only sporadically According to two sources familiar with private conversations, Trump urged Bannon as recently as February to cool his attacks on Musk and even pushed for a face-to-face sit-down between the two - a meeting that still has not happened. The tug-of-war reflects a deeper ideological struggle within MAGA. Behind the scenes, Musk has grown irritated by Bannon's relentless attacks, though he has engaged only sporadically. Last month, in a rare jab, Musk fired back on X: 'Bannon is a great talker, but not a great doer. What did he get done this week? Nothing.' Bannon, meanwhile, is relentless, and according to his inner circle, he sees the fight less about personal insults but who gets to chart the course for MAGA after Trump. 'He's looking into the future, and he's saying, "Oh no, there's an atheistic, amoral, C.C.P.-aligned, unaccountable foreigner that's going to be the head of the MAGA movement at some point,"' said Raheem Kassam, editor-in-chief of The National Pulse and a close Bannon ally. 'And I think he's right to express the concerns in the way he's doing it.' Bannon served as chief strategist during Trumps first term before the pair split acrimoniously in 2017, but he was also devoted to the lie that the 2020 election was stolen. While Trump tries to hold the warring camps together, the schism runs deep. Despite Musk's role as a powerful benefactor, his ideological commitment to MAGA remains suspect to many Bannon served as chief strategist during Trumps first term before the pair split acrimoniously in 2017, but he was also d evoted to the lie that the 2020 election was stolen Insiders say Trump is deeply aware that the feud threatens to fracture the very MAGA base he helped curate to facilitate his return to power and if the divide can't be mended it could reshape or even break the MAGA movement in the years to come Bannon has blasted Musk over immigration, particularly his support for H-1B visas. 'Billionaires like Musk will abandon MAGA the second it stops serving their interests,' Bannon has warned repeatedly. But Musk has been essential to amplifying the MAGA message through his takeover of X, which has now become the unfiltered megaphone of the conservative movement. 'Musk is the volume button,' said Republican strategist Barry Bennett to the New York Times. Bennett worked with Bannon on Trump's first campaign. 'You can say things now on Twitter and you can reach millions and millions of people where 10 years ago you would reach tens of thousands. He has made that available to us. They are very grateful to him for allowing that to happen.' 'Bannon has been a dyed-in-the-wool conservative for his entire life, and he believes very strongly in these core values. He is always naturally suspicious of people who pop up and dont have the pedigree that he has,' Bennett said. A former critic of Trump, Musk had previously blasted tariffs, coal obsession, and immigration hardliners during Trump's first term Musk has remaiend by the president's side since his election win in November 2024 It wasn't until recently that Musk, who once supported Ron DeSantis, came fully into Trump's orbit, declaring online that he loves Trump 'as much as a straight man can love another man' Despite Musk's role as a powerful benefactor, his ideological commitment to MAGA principles remains suspect to many. A former critic of Trump, Musk blasted tariffs, coal obsession, and immigration hardliners during Trump's first term. It wasn't until recently that Musk - who once supported Florida governor Ron DeSantis - came fully into Trump's orbit, declaring online that he loves Trump 'as much as a straight man can love another man.' The tension between Musk and Bannon came to a head last month when both took the stage at CPAC, receiving thunderous applause from the same conservative audience. In a rare moment of deference, Bannon called Musk 'Superman' onstage, but quickly pivoted to remind the crowd of the bigger picture: 'They're gonna remember two things, Donald Trump and MAGA, OK?' Bannon thundered, making clear that neither he nor Musk was bigger than the movement. Bannon left no doubt in a New York Times interview that the chasm between him and Musk is 'probably insurmountable.' 'He's still not a populist nationalist, he's a globalist,' Bannon said. Bannon served as chief strategist during Trumps first term before the pair split acrimoniously in 2017, but he was also devoted to the lie that the 2020 election was stolen Bannon's allies have openly floated his name as a 2028 presidential contender, emboldened by his surprising second-place finish in a 2025 CPAC straw poll Trump's White House has remained tight-lipped, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt simply saying, 'We do not comment on private conversations that may or may not have occurred. 'President Trump is thrilled with DOGEs historic work under Elon Musk, and he will continue to cut the waste, fraud, and abuse in our federal government on behalf of the American people.' Insiders say Trump is deeply aware that the feud threatens to fracture the very base he helped curate to facilitate his return to power and if the divide can't be mended it could reshape or even break the MAGA movement in the years to come. Bannon's allies even openly float his name as a 2028 presidential contender, emboldened by his surprising second-place finish in the CPAC straw poll a result that signals his enduring grip on MAGA's most hardline elements. For now, Trump is caught between two titans of the right, each with his own vision for the movement. Bannon, the battle-scarred populist warrior, or Musk, the billionaire outsider. A mob of trans rights activists decided to protest a community education council meeting by performing an out-of-rhythm version of the Macarena. The group of about 100 people descended on the Community Education Council for District 2 meeting in Manhattan, New York on February 26, and were caught on video silently performing the 90s dance hit as a woman spoke out against female athletes having to compete against biological males, according to the New York Post. 'I am here to speak up for the female athletes who are intimidated by this nonsense that is occurring behind me, all the dancing and bufoonery,' Jo Vitale said as rows of protesters could be seen in cringeworthy videos posted online performing the routine in slow motion. At other times during the meeting, the group interrupted and even heckled speakers, the Post reports. They were also seen blowing bubbles, and at one point a protester rushed the stage and sat down at the council members' dais. Such disruptions have become common place at the council meetings since the advisory board passed a resolution last year calling for the New York City Department of Education to review its policy allowing students to play on teams according to the gender they identify with, according to the Post. But as the months passed, the demonstrations have gotten increasingly disruptive, with the trans activists rallying beforehand and bringing doughnuts to the meetings. A mob of trans rights activists decided to protest a community education council meeting by performing an out-of-rhythm version of the Macarena The group started to dance as Jo Vitale (pictured) spoke out about female athletes having to compete against biological males The group is being organized by transgender teacher Alaina Daniels, who runs an afterschool program called Trans Formative Schools - which describes itself as 'a progressive education community centering trans joy and social justice.' 'Our mission is to support trans futures by uplifting the lives of trans children, trans educators, and families touched by transness,' its website says, noting that it is also trying to open a 'trans middle school.' Daniels' group apparently held a 'strategy and tactics meeting' one week before it crashed the Community Education Council for District 2 meeting and urged its supporters to attend. A flyer for the demonstration, which told protesters to 'wear pink, blue and/or white' for the colors of the transgender flag, received over 400 likes on Instagram. 'Your physical presence makes the biggest impact,' it noted. But CEC members have complained that they are struggling to get anything accomplished amid the constant disruptions from the trans rights activists. 'This has been happening for over a year at our board meetings,' Danyela Souza Egorov commented on a video of the dancing, which she claimed is 'actually one of the least disruptive behaviors that this group has performed.' 'We barely talk about anything related to academics, fiscal cliffs or drops in enrollment,' she lamented, noting that the police now have to be present at every meeting. The group of trans rights activists is led by transgender teacher Alaina Daniels (pictured) A flyer for the demonstration, which told protesters to 'wear pink, blue and/or white' for the colors of the transgender flag, received over 400 likes on Instagram CEC 2 Vice President Leonard Silverman also said he believes the advocacy is 'completely misplaced.' He affirmed that the council is not going to repeal its resolution, but noted that the city Department of Education already said 'no' to conducting a review of its policy. 'But they still keep on showing up, and it's really disruptive because it's discouraged other parents from talking about other educational issues.' DailyMail.com has reached out to Trans Formative Schools for comment. A couple who made almost 2billion from the sale of Covid PPE despite most of it never being used will not have to give evidence to the Government's inquiry. Former nurse Sarah, 51, and husband Richard Stoute, 54, won a contract to supply NHS hospitals with protective gowns and masks to frontline staff battling the pandemic. But when it ended, it was found that 1.4billion worth of the personal protective equipment (PPE) their business Full Support Healthcare provided was unused and destroyed. Despite part of the 200million Covid Inquiry delving into the 12billion of public money awarded to firms, the Stoutes will not be called to give evidence. The inquiry can compel witnesses to give evidence. Samuel Akinsanya, whose mother Esther was an NHS nurse and died from Covid in April 2020, told The Sun on Sunday he was 'deeply shocked'. He added: 'The Stoutes secured lucrative government contracts for PPE, often without proper scrutiny or competitive processes. 'The Government's award of these contracts led to significant financial waste and compromised the safety of frontline workers like my mother.' Former nurse Sarah (pictured), 51, and husband Richard Stoute, 54, won a contract to supply NHS hospitals with protective gowns and masks to frontline staff battling the pandemic Samuel Akinsanya, whose mother Esther was an NHS nurse and died from Covid in April 2020, said he was 'deeply shocked' the Stoutes will not be called to give evidence to the Covid Inquiry (file image) An estimated 1.4billion of PPE supplied by the Stoutes was later destroyed or written off. Pictured: Thousands of boxes of PPE dumped next to a nature reserve in Hampshire in 2023 After the pandemic broke out in early 2020, NHS staff on the frontline of the disease were in desperate need of PPE. The then-Conservative government ordered more than 30billion PPE items from private businesses across the course of the pandemic - and the Stoutes' firm was one of the biggest suppliers. The value of items the government ordered from them, via a pre-existing deal the business had struck with the NHS, came to 1.8billion - but around 1.4billion worth of that was written off or destroyed. The company said it delivered the contracted PPE in full, to the required regulatory standards, and ahead of schedule - and any unused kit was the result of decisions made by the Government. Some have suggested the couple's Full Support Healthcare Limited was paid double the rates of other private businesses contracted by the government to supply PPE. None of these contracts were put out to tender. The Stoutes claimed they had a 'tip-off' in late 2019 about Covid spreading from China, giving them time to get enormous PPE stockpiles together to meet demand when the time came. Mrs Stoute previously said: 'We were thus able to deliver in as timely a way as possible and this undoubtedly saved lives.' Since striking their major pandemic deal, the couple have bought an enormous 30million pad in the Caribbean, a sprawling 6million country mansion, a 1million superyacht, an equestrian centre and a Bentley car. The then-Conservative government ordered more than 30billion PPE items from private businesses across the course of the pandemic. Pictured: File photo When the Mail revealed their Caribbean purchase in February 2022, the couple hired heavy-hitting lawyers including a KC to threaten an injunction to stop details being revealed. A source close to the couple said at the time they were 'spending it like EuroMillions jackpot winners'. When Covid broke out, they moved their business - set up by Mrs Stoute in 2001, with Mr Stoute becoming director in 2004 - off-shore to the Channel island of Jersey, which is known as a tax haven. Before the pandemic, their family-run business made a profit of under 1million per year. The Covid Inquiry, set up to investigate how the UK responded to the pandemic and the impact it had on the country, was launched in June 2022. The series of public hearings, taking evidence from civil servants, health experts and politicians about the pandemic, properly began a year later, in June 2023. It can compel witnesses to give evidence. The inquiry will not find anyone innocent or guilty but instead publishes findings and recommendations for the government, which it does not have to accept. It is established and funded by the government but led by an independent chair, former Court of Appeal judge Baroness Heather Hallett. The Covid Inquiry is established and funded by the government but led by an independent chair, former Court of Appeal judge Baroness Heather Hallett (pictured) Last month, it was announced that evidence about the multimillion-pound PPE contracts awarded to a company with links to Baroness Michelle Mone (pictured) will be heard in private during this stage of the Covid Inquiry Four weeks of hearings began on March 3 to investigate how roughly 48billion of Covid-related medical equipment - including PPE, the test and trace programme, hospital supplies and vaccines - was contracted, bought and distributed. One focus of this fifth section of the inquiry will be the so-called 'VIP lane', known officially as the high priority lane, for awarding government contracts. The policy was introduced in April 2020 to prioritise offers to supply PPE if they had been recommended by ministers, MPs, peers or other senior officials. But it led to claims that businesses with links to the then-Conservative government were able to secure major deals without being fully scrutinised. Last month, it was announced that evidence about the multimillion-pound PPE contracts awarded to a company with links to Baroness Michelle Mone will be heard in private at the Covid-19 inquiry. The Tory peer and lingerie entrepreneur, 52, and her husband Doug Barrowman, 59, have faced controversy over the so-called 'VIP lane' contracts. PPE Medpro, a consortium led by Mr Barrowman, was awarded government contracts worth more than 200million to supply personal protective equipment after Lady Mone recommended it to ministers. The National Crime Agency (NCA) launched an investigation into PPE Medpro in May 2021 over suspected criminal offences committed in the procurement process. In its submission, the NCA said there was a 'realistic possibility that criminal charges against one or more individuals will flow from the investigation'. The agency initially sought to prevent the inquiry hearing any evidence about the company, later requesting that 26 witness statements collected by its staff be withheld. It also argued for an order to be imposed which would prevent certain questions about PPE Medpro being asked in a public session of the inquiry. The NCA said the restrictions should include the identity of any person under investigation and evidence relating to the opinion of government officials concerning the company's contracts. The agency also called for restrictions to cover evidence of payments to the firm and who potentially benefited from them. The NCA in June 2024 said that an unnamed 46-year-old man from Barnet, north London, had been arrested as part of its investigation. No criminal charges have been brought. The ruling means any sensitive evidence about the company will be heard in a private, closed hearing which is expected to be held in late March. Lady Hallett said she would impose a time limit on how long proceedings remain closed to achieve a balance between 'open justice and limiting the risks identified by the NCA'. The restrictions allow for representatives of five media organisations to be invited to attend. They will be unable to report on the proceedings until the conclusion of any criminal case, including possible appeals. A spokesman for the inquiry said it 'does not need evidence from individual companies about orders of PPE to investigate this issue thoroughly. Its focus is on how the Government responded to suppliers' offers.' Leonardo DiCaprio was "starstruck" by Luke Perry. Leonardo DiCaprio was starstruck by Luke Perry The Oscar-winning actor had admired the 'Beverly Hills 90210' actor - who died at the age of 52 in in March 2019 of complications from a stroke - from a young age and recalled the "excitement" of him being part of the cast of Quentin Tarantino's 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'. Appearing alongside the director and co-star Margot Robbie, Leonardo said in new documentary 'I Am Luke Perry': "I was immediately struck by his kindness. "Having been born and raised in Los Angeles, and worked in this industry my entire life, it has, in many ways, greatly shaped who I am. "There was an immediate sense of excitement in seeing Luke Perry on set. It was incredible. "I remember being in my teens, and he was the manifestation of the new [James] Dean on television, and everyone was crazy about him. "I felt this overwhelming feeling of being starstruck." The 50-year-old actor quickly hit it off with Luke and remembered the 'Riverdale' star as being an "incredible generous" person. He continued: "But then he and I got to sit down and talk about Los Angeles, the '90s, his life, where his career had gone, where my career had gone, where his life [had gone], my life [had gone]. "I was so, struck, how do I say this, by the kindness of his character. [He was] just an incredibly generous human being." Luke died just four months before 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' premiered, and that summer, Leonardo praised his late co-star as the "coolest dude on Earth". He told reporters at the premiere: "I grew up with him on '90210', looking up to him as literally the coolest dude on Earth, and honestly, when I was on set, I was starstruck. "We got to sit down and chat. He couldnt have been a more amazing human being. Its a real tragic loss. At the time of Luke's shock death, the 'Titanic' actor paid tribute to him on his social media accounts. He wrote on X, which was then known as Twitter: Luke Perry was a kindhearted and incredibly talented artist. It was an honor to be able to work with him. My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his loved ones. The US and Russia have jointly called for the United Nations Security Council to meet over the spiralling violence in Syria, after more than 1,000 people were massacred this week. Diplomats said last night that they had called for the closed-door meeting to discuss the bitter violence that erupted on Thursday after gunmen loyal to Assad attacked Syria's new security forces. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights the total number of civilian martyrs amounted to 973 - including women and children. On top of this, 125 government security force members and 148 with armed groups affiliated with Assad were killed. The watchdog said the 'killings, field executions and ethnic cleansing operations' were ongoing in the wake of deadly clashes between security forces and Alawite gunmen loyal to toppled president Bashar al-Assad. It added that electricity and drinking water were cut off in large areas around the city of Latakia. The clashes 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. Syria's leader Ahmed Ahmed al-Sharaa last night vowed to give the perpetrators of the massacre 'no leniency', adding they would be held accountable. Syrian Security Forces patrol a street in the city following violence that occurred in the previous days during clashes between government forces and supporters of the former Syrian regime, in Jableh town of Latakia, Syria, 9 March 2025 The US and Russia have jointly called for the United Nations Security Council (pictured) to meet over the spiralling violence in Syria Syrian mourners attend the funeral of a member of the security forces killed in an attack by groups loyal to the ousted President Bashar al-Assad, in Hama province on Sunday He said: 'We will hold accountable, firmly and without leniency, anyone who was involved in the bloodshed of civilians... or who overstepped the powers of the state.' Earlier on Sunday, the presidency announced on Telegram that an 'independent committee' had been formed to 'investigate the violations against civilians and identify those responsible for them', who would face the courts. It comes after the US' top diplomat, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, called for Sharaa to hold the perpetrators responsible. He wrote on X: 'The United States condemns the radical Islamist terrorists, including foreign jihadis, that murdered people in western Syria in recent days. 'The United States stands with Syria's religious and ethnic minorities, including its Christian, Druze, Alawite, and Kurdish communities, and offers its condolences to the victims and their families. 'Syria's interim authorities must hold the perpetrators of these massacres against Syria's minority communities accountable.' Witnesses revealed how women were reportedly told to 'walk naked' before being shot dead amid horrifying scenes in Syria. The new authorities have repeatedly promised an inclusive transition that protects the rights of religious minorities. According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory of Human Rights, more than 1,000 people were killed in two days of violence (funeral of security forces pictured) Syrian armed men on Sunday attend the funeral of a member of the security forces killed in an attack by groups A Syrian armed man fires into the air during the funeral on March 9 The Alawite heartland has nonetheless been gripped by a fear of reprisals over the Assad clan's decades of brutal rule. Baniyas resident Samir Haidar, 67, told AFP two of his brothers and his nephew were killed by 'armed groups' that entered people's homes. Though an Alawite himself, Haidar belonged to the leftist opposition under the Assads and was imprisoned for more than a decade. He said he began hearing explosions and gunfire on Friday morning with the arrival of forces deployed to the city, adding that there were 'foreigners among them'. 'They entered the building and killed my only neighbour,' he said. He managed to escape with his wife and two children to a Sunni neighbourhood, but said: 'If I had been five minutes late, I would have been killed.' That same day, armed men entered his brother's building 100 metres (yards) away. 'They gathered all the men on the roof and opened fire on them,' Haidar said. 'My nephew survived because he hid, but my brother was killed along with all the men in the building.' He added that another brother, who was 74, and nephew were killed along with all the men in their building. 'There are houses with four or five dead bodies in them,' Haidar said. 'We have appealed to be able to bury our dead,' he said, adding that he has so far been unable to bury his brothers. In the port city of Latakia, residents said armed groups abducted a number of Alawites who were killed. Among them was the head of a state-run cultural centre, Yasser Sabbouh, who was kidnapped and whose corpse was dumped outside his home, an AFP reporter said. In Jableh further south, a resident said in tears that they were being terrorised by armed groups who had taken control of the town. 'There are six of us in the house, with my parents and my brothers. There's been no electricity for four days, no water. We have nothing to eat and we do not dare go out,' he said on condition of anonymity, fearing for his safety. China's military has vowed to tighten its 'noose' around Taiwan if separatism on the island escalates and warned independence advocates to step back from the 'precipice'. Beijing considers the self-governed island as part of its own territory and has not ruled out utilising military force to claim it. Taiwan's authorities have received increasing pressure from China in recent years by way of military drills and persistent dispatch of fighter jets and naval vessels around the island. The comment came yesterday during China's 'Two Sessions' annual political gathering in which Chinese army spokesman Wu Qian gave an interview to state broadcaster CCTV. He said: 'The more rampant Taiwan independence' separatists become, the tighter the noose around their necks and the sharper the sword hanging over their heads will be. 'The PLA [People's Liberation Army] is a force of action in countering separatism and promoting reunification. 'You've ridden your steed to a precipice of a cliff, but behind you lies land - if you persist in taking the wrong course, you will meet a dead end.' The stern comment comes just days after Beijing announced a 7.2 per cent increase to its 2025 defence budget - the same percentage as in 2024. Deputies from the Chinese Military walking together as they arrived at the second plenary session of the National Peoples Congress, or NPC, at the Great Hall of the People on March 8, 2025 in Beijing, China The comment came yesterday during China's 'Two Sessions' annual political gathering in which Chinese army spokesman Wu Qian (pictured) gave an interview to state broadcaster CCTV Taiwanese military helicopters fly above Taipei city, as worries over the future of the self-run island deepen The budget increase, which Mr Qian called 'limited, reasonable and stable', will propel the rapid modernisation of China's military as strategic competition with the US ramps up. It is above the government's annual GDP growth target of around 5 per cent. Mr Qian said the extra money would be used to develop 'combat forces in new fields and with new qualities', and to enhance reconnaissance, joint strike and battlefield support capabilities. China's military spending has been rising for decades, generally in line with economic growth. They have the second largest defence budget in the world, with a budget of 1.78trillion yuan (190.7billion) for 2025. But this is less than a third of the US, its main strategic competitor. Military spending in 2024 made up 1.6 per cent of its GDP, much less than the US or Russia, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. However, Washington and other powers in the region are suspicious of the country's defence expansion. Taiwanese soldiers in live-ammunition artillery training along the island's China-facing western coast in August 2024 US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping pictured together in 2019 China has increasingly demonstrated their potential power, including the cutting of an undersea communications cable, and live-fire shooting drills involving dozens of Chinese warplanes off the island's coast last week. The country describes its military stance as 'defensive' and claims it is aimed at protecting sovereignty. Mr Qian said China faces 'one of the most complex neighbouring security situations in the world', and added that it had to deal with 'severe challenges' in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The territory disagreements and latest sweeping claims over Taiwan could be a potential catalyst for a war between China and the US, which is the island's most vital backer and largest arms supplier. Many see the South China Sea as the world's most dangerous flashpoint, where fighting could quickly spiral into a nuclear face-off between Washington and Beijing. A shocking report released last week on China's recent diplomatic gains on the world stage suggest a full-blown assault on Taiwan by its mighty neighbour could come faster than they imagined. Researchers at Australia's have shown that the number of governments that support China's bid to 'reunify' with Taiwan, including through military means, has jumped to 89 in recent months. Fighting over Taiwan could quickly spiral into a nuclear face-off between Washington and Beijing That amounts to nearly half the membership of the United Nations, a testament to China's prowess at using its Belt and Road investment scheme to enlist cheerleaders, especially among developing nations in the global south. The report comes amid deepening divisions between the western countries that have long advocated for Taiwan's self-rule, as President Donald Trump's government pulls back from its European allies. Analysts increasingly question whether US President Trump would defend Taiwan from any Chinese assault, or trade away the self-governing island's autonomy in a grand bargain with Beijing. They cite Trump's willingness to reverse decades of US foreign policy, by pulling support for Ukraine and vaunting a peace deal that could cement Russia's land grab from its smaller neighbour. A woman has been fatally gunned down in South Wales and a man swiftly arrested on suspicion of murder. Police were called yesterday at 6.10pm where they found the 40-year-old seriously injured in the Green Park area of Talbot Green. She was pronounced dead at the scene and a man, 42, now remains in police custody. Police cordons have been set up in the area and road closures are in place as officers gather evidence and carry out further enquiries. Detective Chief Inspector James Morris said: 'I understand the concern this will cause the local community, and I want to reassure people that a team of experienced detectives are already working at pace to piece together the events of last night.' Locals have reported a large police presence with a helicopter seen circling the area. Alex Davies-Jones, the MP for Pontypridd wrote on a Facebook post: 'Please stay safe everyone and follow police advice to avoid the Green Park area. We must let law enforcement do their jobs and avoid spreading speculation.' Images from the scene show investigators clad in white suits as well as uniformed officers surveying the surroundings. Police cordons have been set up in the area and road closures are in place as officers gather evidence and carry out further enquiries Images from the scene show investigators clad in white suits as well as uniformed officers surveying the surroundings Police were called yesterday at 6.10pm where they found the 40-year-old seriously injured in the Green Park area of Talbot Green (pictured) South Wales Police told Wales Online yesterday: 'Emergency services are responding to a serious incident in the Green Park area of Talbot Green. We are asking members of the public to please avoid the area. More detail will follow as soon as available.' Councillor Sarah Jane Davies, who represents the Llantrisant and Talbot Green ward at the Rhondda Cynon Taf council, made reference to a 'recent increase in incidents that have caused concern and alarm'. She wrote in a Facebook post: 'I want to address the recent increase in incidents that have caused concern and alarm within our community. 'We are aware of the seriousness of the situation, and I assure you that steps are being taken to address these issues promptly.' A man has been charged after a protestor scaled Big Ben and clung to the London landmark for 16 hours in a stand off. Daniel Day, 29, of Palmerston Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex has been charged with causing a public nuisance and trespassing on a protected site, the Metropolitan Police have said. A major emergency response was sparked on Saturday after a man scaled part of the structure while waving a Palestine flag and sat on the 96-metre-high landmark for more than 16 hours. Parliamentary tours were cancelled during the incident and roads around it were closed. Footage showed rescuers using a cherry picker to reach the protestor, who had been perched on a stone ledge several metres up the tower. He was arrested once he reached the ground and taken taken to St Thomas' Hospital for treatment. Mr Day has been remanded in custody to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court today. Daniel Day, 29, has been charged after a protestor climbed and sat on Big Ben for more than 16 hours Emergency services talk to the protester after he climbed up Elizabeth Tower at the Palace of Westminster in London The stand-off between the man and police lasted a massive 16 hours The force said in a previous statement statement: 'We worked with other agencies including the London Fire Brigade and deployed specialist officers to bring this incident to a close as quickly as possible whilst minimising risk to life.' A group of militant pro-Palestine protestors 'rallied' outside a London police station yesterday afternoon in protest over the arrest. The protesters chanted, 'Let him go', in reference to the campaigner. A young woman wrapped in a Palestine flag told MailOnline: 'I'm here because of Dan being arrested to protest the ongoing genocide and human rights violations taking place in Gaza.' There were around 20 police officers at the scene with two stood outside the station and a few officers were dispersed in the area. They were heard blaring the chant: 'Free, free Palestine. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.' Seven children were discovered living alone amid 'deplorable conditions' at an apartment house in Wisconsin while their mother was out of state. Officers from the Madison Police Department were called to do a welfare check at an apartment on E. Mifflin Street on February 28. Police said the kids had been left alone for a week, and the 'seven children were found living in deplorable conditions.' 'In this case, there were reports of garbage cans overflowing, broken toilets, feces and urine piling up, and just clothes strewn about,' Madison Police Department spokesperson Stephanie Fryer told WMTV. She said that the department received several calls about the children - who are between the ages of 2 to 13 years old - and one neighbor had been dropping off food outside the apartment door for them. 'On Friday around noon, our team was contacted by CPS,' Fryer said. 'Some people living in that building called and said, "Hey, it seems like kids have been left alone for a while."' Officers determined their mother - who has not been identified - was in Illinois. It is unclear if she has been arrested or charged. Child Protective Services was contacted and placed the children in the care of a family friend. Wisconsin police found seven children living alone at an apartment in 'deplorable conditions' while their mother was out of state Madison Police Department spokesperson Stephanie Fryer (pictured) said there were reports of garbage cans overflowing, broken toilets, feces and urine piling up DailyMail.com contacted the Madison Police Department for more information about the case. In a previous horrific incident, a Michigan mother was arrested on February 16 after her three children were found abandoned for four or five years. A 34-year-old mother was arrested after her children, a boy aged 15, and two girls 13 and 12, were found to have been staying in a feces and trash covered home. Sheriff Michael Bouchard of the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said the conditions in which the children were found were 'unconscionable.' 'Throughout my extensive career in this field, I have never encountered a scenario as dire and prolonged as this one, involving abandonment, neglect, and abuse of the highest order,' he said. 'This situation would be deemed deplorable and intolerable for an animal, and it is utterly unacceptable for three children... The far-reaching consequences of this abuse must be acknowledged.' Deputies were called to a home in the 600 block of Lydia Lane to perform a welfare check. The children had been found after the condominium's landlord became concerned that he hadn't heard from their mother since December, and rent was last paid in October. Upon arrival, deputies discovered the shocking conditions the children had been left in after they were abandoned in 2021. Trash was piled as high as four feet in some rooms, mold and human waste was found throughout, with the toilet overflowing and feces in the bathtub, the sheriff's office said. A Michigan mother was arrested on February 16 after her three children were found abandoned in horrific conditions for four or five years A 34-year-old mother was arrested after her children, a boy aged 15, and two girls 13 and 12, were found to have been staying in a feces and trash covered home Sheriff Michael Bouchard of the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said the conditions in which the children were found were 'unconscionable.' The boy told them he and his sisters lived alone after being abandoned, and they survived on prepared food that was dropped by their mother or a stranger on the front porch each week. No personal hygiene items or toilet paper was provided to the kids, they also appeared to be unaware of how to use such items or know how to flush a toilet. Their mother had contact with her son, but not her two daughters, sheriffs said. 'The children had not attended school since their abandonment, passing the time watching television or playing games,' the sheriff's office said. 'It appeared the girls had not been outside the home for several years. The boy slept on a mattress on the floor while the girls slept on pizza boxes.' After having a hospital evaluation, the children were placed in the custody of a relative by Child Protective Services. The children were found wearing soiled clothing, with matted hair, and toenails several inches long to the point where it became difficult for them to walk. Their mother was found and arrested following their discovery and told deputies that the children's father was not involved in their lives. Dense fog will blanket the UK just hours after Brits basked in the sun with the Met Office issuing a yellow weather warning ahead of the 'challenging conditions'. A new map indicates swathes of the northeast will be covered as visibility is predicted to drop as low as 50 metres. There are warnings of slower journey times and delays to bus and train services in addition to cancelled flights. A Met Office spokesman said: 'Fog will continue to develop across parts of northeast England, Yorkshire and Humberside through Sunday night. 'Some dense fog is likely in places with the visibility falling to 50 metres at times. Fog will lift during Monday morning.' Motorists are advised to leave extra time to travel or amend plans where necessary and ensure fog lights are switched on if needed. The weather warning is in place until 9am today. It comes after families flocked to beaches and parks this weekend as Britain basked in warm sunshine during the hottest weekend of the year so far. There are warnings of slower journey times and delays to bus and train services as well as cancelled flights (file image) Weather forecasters predicted a warm and sunny Sunday, with sunshine seen here in Richmond A new map indicates swathes of northeast England will be covered and visibility is predicted to drop as low as 50 metres Yesterday afternoon was due to reach an unseasonal 20C (68F), after 19.1C (66.4F) was recorded on Saturday - warmer than Ibiza or the Amalfi Coast. Children built sandcastles on beaches from Weston Super Mare, Somerset, to Lytham St Annes in Lancashire. Meanwhile, outdoor swimming pools were busy and owners of beach huts in Bournemouth took advantage of the spring conditions to give the chalets a spruce-up. As well as the throngs out picnicking and sunbathing, early risers made their way to the summit of Glastonbury Tor to enjoy a vivid sunrise. But the sunny skies were perhaps less welcome at the Lecht ski centre in the Cairngorms, where only patches of snow remained on ski slopes which normally still have a few more weeks of wintry life in them. Average UK daily maximum temperatures for early to mid-March are 8-11C (46-52F). Saturdays high was recorded at Bridgefoot, Cumbria, beating the previous warmest day of the year on Thursday when Santon Downham, Suffolk, reached 19C. Yesterday, top temperatures of 18-19C (64-66F) were expected in London and the Home Counties, the south-west Midlands, east Wales, Cumbria and north Lancashire. A swimmer still wants to keep their hair dry and put on a woolen hat while swimming in Clevedon on Saturday Forecasters predicted isolated spots within those regions could reach 20C. It compared with highs of 15-16C on the Balearic island of Ibiza, 18C on Italys Amalfi Coast, and 19C in Marrakech, Morocco. But warning from the Meteorological Office of an abrupt change in the very warm and dry conditions of late loomed over the sunny skies. While the mild air is due to continue initially in the south east today, elsewhere a band of rain is due to move south, bringing much cooler conditions. Overnight frosts are also set to return, initially on high ground in northern England, with lows of -2C (28F) but spreading even to central and southern England by midweek. And wintry weather is possible in the Pennines as far south as Derbyshire by Wednesday and Thursday, with sleet and snow showers forecast on high ground. Daytime temperatures of just 8C (46F) are expected even in the far south by Thursday and highs of just 6C (43F) further north. Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Chris Bulmer said: A frontal zone will move south across the UK during Sunday night and Monday with much colder air following from the north. With these cold northeasterly winds, we are likely to see some wintry showers across the north and the east of the UK next week, but any accumulations of snow are likely to be largely restricted to hills. Well also see a return to overnight frosts in many areas. People enjoy the warm weather in Weston-super-Mare in Somerset on Sunday While there is uncertainty in the extent of rain and wintry showers through the middle of next week, there is higher confidence that below average temperatures will continue through the week, bringing a very different feel to the mild weather over the weekend. Forecasters are uncertain of the weather for the rest of March. The Met Office said the end of the coming week and into next weekend, the cool, easterly theme, is due to continue with showers in the east but mostly dry weather elsewhere. However, there is a chance of some rain on the south coast. It added: The following week is likely to see a transition to more unsettled conditions with spells of stronger winds and some rain in many areas, but perhaps more especially the north and west. The south and east could see the best of the drier interludes between times.' Unsettled weather is due to continue for the remainder of the month although temperatures are likely to rise again. Donald Trump is offering 80,000 federal health workers a $25,000 incentive to leave their jobs. As the administration seeks to purge the federal workforce, an ultimatum has been given to employees responsible for researching diseases, inspecting food and administering Medicare and Medicaid. The workers - employed by Robert F Kennedy Jr.'s Department of Health and Human Services in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - received an email detailing the proposal. They can begin opting in from Monday and have until 5pm on Friday to agree to the 'voluntary separation offer.' Trump vowed to reduce the bloated bureaucracy upon his return to the White House, with billionaire Elon Musk hired to weed out wasteful spending as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency. In January, almost the entire workforce of federal employees received a deferred resignation offer that came with eight months of pay in an initial DOGE effort to reduce spending. Thousands of probationary employees have been fired across the board, including at HHS. The layoffs have sparked mass protests and lawsuits from disgruntled workers. The mass buyout email went out to a 'broad population of HHS employees,' landing in their inboxes days before agency heads are due to offer plans for shrinking their workforces. The workers, employed by Robert F Kennedy Jr.'s Department of Health and Human Services in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ), the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ), received an email detailing the proposal Thousands of probationary employees have been fired across the board, including at HHS. The layoffs have sparked mass protests and lawsuits from disgruntled workers HHS is one of the government's costliest federal agencies, with an annual budget of about $1.7 trillion that is mostly spent on health care for millions of people enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid. It comes just days after Trump assured department heads that staffing decisions ultimately lay with them - not Musk. But he said if tough decisions that need to be made aren't done so appropriately, Musk is waiting in the wings to swoop in. 'If they can cut, it's better. If they don't cut, then Elon will do the cutting,' Trump said Thursday. That should be of no concern to RFK Jr., who has already expressed a desire to implement deep cuts to his department. Last year, he promised to immediately clear out 600 employees at the NIH, the nation's biomedical research arm. And after he was sworn into the portfolio, he revealed he had 'a list' of people he was wanting to remove from the office. 'I have a list in my head,' Kennedy said of potential firings at the agency. And after he was sworn into the portfolio, he revealed he had 'a list' of people he was wanting to remove from the office 'If you've been involved in good science, you have got nothing to worry about. If you care about public health, you've got nothing to worry about. 'If you're in there working for the pharmaceutical industry, then I'd say you should move out and work for the pharmaceutical industry.' The entire incoming class of the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) were reportedly told they are no longer needed as part of 1,300 layoffs at the CDC when RFK Jr. took over. These staff generally investigate disease outbreaks both within the United States and abroad, and are highly educated and sought-after experts with doctorates or masters degrees in their fields. 'This will destroy the EIS, which is one of the absolute crown jewels of global public health,' director of the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy Michael Osterholm said. Trump tapped the 70-year-old former Democrat to be the country's top health official with the mandate to 'Make America Healthy Again' after he pulled out of the Presidential race and endorsed the Republican candidate. But Kennedy was put under the microscope for his past controversial stances on vaccinations, abortion and for promoting conspiracy theories. He promised Americans would still be able to take as many vaccines as they wanted, but said he wanted to study them and make them safer. HHS is one of the government's costliest federal agencies, with an annual budget of about $1.7 trillion Donald Trump is offering 80,000 federal health workers a $25,000 incentive to leave their jobs 'If people are happy with their vaccines, they ought to be able to get them,' he said. Kennedy also vowed to preserve American's food choices, even if they were unhealthy. 'That's what I'm saying if you want to eat a Big Mac you ought to,' he said. He added there were ways to make fast food more healthy, by removing unhealthy additives and offering incentives for fast food companies to use beef tallow fat instead of seed oils. 'We want to do a number of things but not take away choice from people,' he said. Sydney's rental crisis has been thrown into the spotlight again after dozens of prospective tenants queued in a massive line to view a modest $500-a-week apartment. Hopeful renters waited patiently outside the apartment complex on George Street at Leichhardt, in Sydney's Inner West, on Saturday to view the one-bedroom dwelling. The listing boasts an 'ultra-modern apartment that is enticing with its look, style and location'. The open home drew a swarm of would-be tenants despite it being just 33sqm with one bedroom, one bathroom and no parking space. In a picture shared to Reddit, more than 35 people could be seen waiting outside the building in a line which then fell out of view as it snaked around a corner as more and more candidates arrived. Social media users speculated the real estate agents used the low weekly rent as bait, with many applicants likely to offer much more than that to secure the lease. 'Let me guess, s**thead REAs advertising it for a super low price so they can get contact details to spam for the next two years while wasting everyone's time,' one person wrote. 'Offering impossibly cheap rent which will never happen, attract a lot of interest and have a bidding war with the deepest pocketed people in this queue who end up paying what the agent really wanted in the first place,' a second person commented. The picture was shared to Reddit and showed dozens of prospective renters waiting in a long queue to view the apartment The one-bedroom unit, located in a block of apartments on George Street in Leichhardt, in Sydney's inner west, was listed for $500 a week A third chimed: 'Realtors do this in purpose. They list the rental for way under market value which facilitates a bidding war so that the rental gets over market value'. A fourth person who lives on the same block confirmed the unit was 'outrageously underpriced'. The median rental price for a one-bedroom apartment in Leichhardt between March 2024 and February 2025 was $550 a week, according data from realestate.com. The data showed weekly rental asking prices had increased by 4.8 per cent in the past 12 months. Australia's rental crisis also showed no signs of easing, with the vacancy rate declining to one per cent in January, according to SQM Research. The total number of rental vacancies fell sharply to 31,822 - a significant drop from December's 47,336 figures. Sydney's rental vacancy rate dropped back to 1.4 per cent, while Melbourne also recorded a sharp decline, with its vacancy rate dropping to 1.5 per cent Brisbane recorded a rental vacancy rate of just 0.8 per cent - the second lowest rental vacancy rate ever recorded for the city since SQM records began in 2005. Despite only spanning 33sqm and having one bathroom and no car space, the listing received overwhelming interest from renters Meanwhile, Canberra's vacancy rate dropped to 1.3 per cent, while Perth and Adelaide remained stable at an alarmingly low 0.4 per cent and 0.5 per cent respectively. Darwin also saw drop in its vacancy rate to 1.1 per cent, while Hobart recorded its equal lowest rental vacancy rate ever recorded with just 0.3 per cent. Managing Director of SQM Research Louis Christopher explained the sharp decrease in rental vacancies was a strong indication the rental market crisis was not over. Mr Christopher added Australia's rental market had the potential of deteriorating even further in the coming months. 'From a tenant's perspective, the sharp drop in rental vacancies at the start of 2025 is highly disappointing, especially since there were some glimpses of a moderating rental market in the latter half of 2024,' Mr Christopher said. 'Is this a one-off abnormality? Unfortunately, I don't think it is as our records of February listings to date are lower than what was recorded in January.' Mr Christopher pointed to 'ongoing under-building' and the 'real time, present level of overseas arrivals' as the main causes of the nation's housing crisis. 'Over and above this our concern what is not known... We don't know for sure but clearly something has driven this retreat in rental vacancies,' Mr Christopher said. A whippet from Venice has been crowned best in show at Crufts 2025 - taking out 18,500 other competing pooches. Four-year-old Miuccia, from Venice in Italy, came out on top on Sunday at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre after four days of tough competition. The female whippet, owned by Enrico De Gaspari, was the winner of the hound group earlier in the show. She was chosen by judge Patsy Hollings, beating the winners of six other groups to bag the trophy. The adorable Miuccia made history with her win as it was the first time an Italian dog has won best in show at Crufts, and the fourth time for a whippet. After winning the title, her handler Giovanni Liguori said: 'It's really a dream come true. I am truly overwhelmed. Miuccia performed her best. 'I absolutely adore her. She is the sweetest dog. 'She always wants to be super close to me and that's the most important thing.' A whippet named Miuccia from Venice has been crowned best in show at Crufts 2025 at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre, beating out 18,500 other competing pooches Four-year-old Miuccia, from Venice in Italy , came out on top on Sunday after four days of tough competition The female whippet, pictured with her handler Giovanni Liguori, was the winner of the hound group earlier in the show She was chosen by judge Patsy Hollings (right), beating the winners of six other groups to bag the trophy It was the first time an Italian dog has won best in show at Crufts, and the fourth time for a whippet Handler Giovanni Liguori pictured parading winner Miuccia around the ring at the National Exhibition Centre Handler Giovanni Liguori pictured giving the winning pooch a kiss on the cheek after her history-making win The runner-up, Viking, a Tibetan mastiff from Romania pictured with his owner next to their trophy Asked what it meant to handle the first dog from Italy to win Crufts, Giovanni said: 'It's incredible, it's amazing. 'As Italians we are super proud and means that we are doing a fantastic job.' The runner-up was Viking, a Tibetan mastiff from Romania. Helen Kerfoot, Crufts show manager, said: 'Congratulations to Miuccia who helped end this year's competition on a real high, taking the prestigious Best in Show award alongside her handler, Giovanni Liguori. 'It has been fantastic to watch their strong relationship together in the ring, and they are truly deserving winners. 'Well done to all of our other wonderful finalists too. The dogs, their owners, and handlers should be incredibly proud to have taken part in such a momentous final - it's an incredible achievement, one we are sure they'll treasure for years to come.' EXCLUSIVE Residents have mocked a sign asking dogs to reduce their barking at a park in Sydney's inner-west, saying the message seems directed at pets rather than owners. Five signs were recently erected at Mort Bay Park in Birchgrove in a misguided attempt to limit noise in what was once a heavily industrialised part of the suburb. The signs feature two silhouettes of dogs below the words 'Please minimise barking' and 'Be considerate of others living nearby'. They sparked an immediate response from baffled members of the Balmain Living Facebook page - asking why the signs had been placed in a park popular for walking dogs, and noting another obvious problem. 'Has anyone else seen these signs at Mort Bay?' one resident asked. 'Are they serious? I assume council is responding to a complaint. 'Why would anyone move across the road from a park and then complain about dogs barking? PS: My dog is smart but he can't read! Is the council barking mad!!' Others were quick to join in and followed the theme that dogs cannot read and suggested the wording would need to be translated for animals. 'Maybe they could convert into a dog bark so dogs could understand it,' one woman wrote. Residents have mocked a sign asking dogs to stop barking at a park in Sydney 's inner-west which seems to be directed at the pets rather than their owners. The sign features two silhouettes of dogs below the words 'Please minimise barking' (above) 'I think the sign refers to people to stop barking,' another said. A third wrote: 'Is there not signs asking children not to squeal either while they play? That's just as ridiculous.' One simply said this: 'It's a bit silly. Dogs can't read.' Other locals were concerned about the intelligence of their pets. 'My dogs must be behind, they can't read yet,' one said. 'I'm now looking for a school to enroll them in' Another offered a solution: 'Dog reading lessons at Balmain Town Hall every Friday morning'. Inner West Council mayor Darcy Byrne agreed with constituents. 'This sign seems ridiculous to me,' he posted. 'Dogs can't read and people using Mort Bay Park are very reasonable in my experience. I'll raise it with the council staff tomorrow.' Several Facebook users compared getting upset about dogs barking in a park to someone moving next to a pub and complaining about the noise. Five of the signs were recently erected at Mort Bay Park in Birchgrove (above) in a misguided attempt to reduce noise in what was once a heavily industrialised part of the suburb. Some were even-handed in their comments. 'Let's try to live harmoniously,' one woman said. 'Some families have children who scream/cry cause that's what they do. Other families have dogs who bark cause that's what they do. 'Move elsewhere if you can't live empathically in a community.' Councillor Byrne had the signs removed early last week but declined to comment further. He explained on the Balmain Living page that councillors did not vote on the wording or placement of such signage. Signs requesting dogs to be quiet have previously caused the citizens of Birchgrove and Balmain to express strong views about barking animals. A sign demanding Balmain dog owners stop their pets from barking and to 'respect the neighbours' in an off-leash area divided the community two years ago. Several Facebook users compared getting upset about dogs barking in a park to someone moving next to a pub and complaining about the noise (stock image) That sign, also put up by Inner West Council, said 'No excessive barking' beneath a dog in a circle with a cross through the middle. The sign also encouraged people who noticed dogs making 'excessive' noise to report the behaviour to the council. 'My pup likes to talk to his people the same way we do,' one woman commented. 'Get over it.' Another added: 'Dogs can't read as far as I know, so it's a waste of taxpayers' money.' But others claimed the sign was an important reminder for owners to take control of their pets' behaviour. 'It's easy to teach dogs not to bark excessively,' one dog walker said. 'It is totally unnecessary for dogs to bark incessantly while they are running around.' 'Dogs can have loads of fun without barking. It just takes a little training,' she added. One man commended the sign, and complained dogs and their owners had 'taken over' and did whatever they liked in the area. 'From my observations, the whole Inner West is off-leash,' he fumed. Others just added fuel to the fire. 'Can you stop children laughing in the playground? That annoys the s**t out of me,' one man said. One asked 'how many barks is okay', to which another replied: 'Three.' 'Doesn't say people can't bark, woof woof,' a third man joked. Tan France feels "really anxious" about his 'Queer Eye' co-stars watching his acting debut. Tan France stars in the Hulu comedy series The 41-year-old star is best-known for appearing on the hit TV series alongside Jonathan Van Ness, Karamo Brown, Antoni Porowski and Jeremiah Brent - but Tan recently made his acting debut in the Hulu comedy series 'Deli Boys', and he's admitted to feeling nervous about them watching him. He told PEOPLE: "I can't wait for them to see it. I'm really anxious about it. I'm so nervous. "Of all the people to watch it, I'm most nervous for them to watch it." Tan admitted to feeling "vulnerable" on camera, too. He shared: "They know me, like, they know they know me inside out. "They know me in a way my husband doesn't know me. Like, they see how I am on camera. They've watched almost every scene I've ever done on camera, when it comes to 'Queer Eye'. "So, I'm nervous that they're gonna see a different side of me, which is obviously what I want, is what I want the audience to see, but it's a very, very vulnerable position to put yourself in. To show a different side of yourself." Tan plays British cousin Zubair in the sixth episode of the show. However, the fashion designer - who was born in Doncaster, in northern England - was required to change his accent for the role. He explained: "On this show, I'm not just acting. I'm doing a character actors job. "My voice is not the same, my accent's a completely different accent to my accent. It's British, but it's a very London accent, that's not my accent at all. "I'm walking in a very different way. It's a very violent character, so I'm doing stunts. Everything about it is so intimidating for me to have my castmates see." The mystery surrounding the disappearance of a University of Pittsburgh student on Spring Break in the Dominican Republic has deepened, with local officials and American authorities at odds over what may have happened to her. Sudiksha Konanki, 20, was in the Caribbean country with five other female Pittsburgh students when she vanished. She was last seen on the beach wearing a bikini outside of the Riu Republica Resort in Punta Cana on security camera footage around 4.50am on Thursday morning. Konanki and her friends were seen walking on the beach in the early hours of the morning. Most of the group returned to the hotel, leaving her and one other on the beach. Dominican officials say that's when she and the friend went for a swim - and got caught by a large wave. They believe Konanki drowned, but are yet to recover her body. American authorities however say the investigation should remain open and active. Loudoun County Sheriff's Office spokesman Thomas Julia telling the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that speculation Konanki drowned may be only 'based on her last known location'. 'There's no evidence to support that conclusion at this time,' he said. Sudiksha Konanki, 20, is believed to have drowned while on spring break in the Dominican Republic Three Dominican officials involved in the investigation have since said she was walking on the beach with six people the night before 'The investigation is looking at everything from an accident to foul play and interviews are ongoing, along with review of video and phone records,' Julia continued. 'The best outcome is that she is found alive and well.' Police have already spoken with Konanki's friends to establish exactly where a maritime search should be focused, according to CNN. They said that Konanki told them she was heading to a party at the resort on Wednesday night, and her friends alerted authorities when she wasn't in her room the following morning. She was last seen wearing a two-piece bikini, large round earrings, a metal designer anklet on her right leg, yellow and steel bracelets on her right wrist and multi-colored bracelets on her left. A recent image of her showed her matching that description. The pre-med student was expected to graduate from the university in 2026, according to her LinkedIn profile. Konanki was last seen on the beach wearing a bikini outside of the Riu Republica Resort in Punta Cana on security camera footage around 4.50am on Thursday Police have already spoken with Konanki's friends to establish exactly where a maritime search should be focused Prior to college, she attended Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia. 'My daughter is a very nice girl. She's ambitious,' her father, Subbarayudu Konanki said. 'She wanted to pursue a career in medicine.' The US State Department is now working with the Indian embassy in the Dominican Republic, which has taken the lead in the investigation as Konanki is an Indian citizen who was a permanent US resident, Julia said. That investigation will include further interviews with other students, family members and others in the Dominican Republic and Loudoun County. Meanwhile, Jared Stonesifer, a spokesperson for the University of Pittsburgh, said school officials have been in contact with Konanki's family as well as local officials. 'We have offered our full support in their efforts to find her and bring her home safely,' Stonesifer said. 'Anyone with information is urged to contact the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office.' The US State Department is now working with the Indian embassy in the Dominican Republic, which has taken the lead in the investigation as Konanki is an Indian citizen who was a permanent US resident Those at the Riu Republica Resort have also had to contend with no electricity, no running water and scarce food News of Konanki's disappearance comes months after the US State Department issued a level two travel advisory for the Dominican Republic, warning Americans to exercise increased caution when visiting the country. 'Violent crime, including armed robbery, homicide and sexual assault is a concern throughout the Dominican Republic,' the department said in its June travel advisory. It went on to warn US visitors to be aware of their surroundings, and not to display any signs of wealth. Those at the Riu Republica Resort have also had to contend with no electricity, no running water and scarce food. One vacationer claimed that Wi-Fi was also down, noting that 'people are in the lobby charging their phones.' Some tourists even had to charge their devices and use fans behind the receptionist desk at the resort, another person shared online. A group of women staying at the resort were also seen sitting in the dark as they ate a meal that they managed to 'scavenge together.' 'They have one restaurant to feed a couple thousand people,' another said. Bruce Lehrmann has sacked the legal team that was to have represented him in his upcoming Queensland rape trial. The former political staffer filed a letter to Toowoomba District Court on Monday which said his solicitor Rowan King would be replaced by Zali Burrows. Ms Burrows is also representing Lehrmann as he appeals his failed Federal Court defamation action against Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson over her Brittany Higgins interview. Lehrmann is accused of raping a woman twice during the morning of October 10, 2021 after they met at a strip club the previous night in Toowoomba, 150km west of Brisbane. The woman alleged she consumed cocaine with Lehrmann during a night out before consensual sex at a house in east Toowoomba about 4am. The woman said she was woken about 10am by Lehrmann sexually assaulting her. Lehrmann sued Ten and Wilkinson over a February 2021 interview on The Project in which Ms Higgins alleged she had been raped on a couch at Parliament House almost two years earlier. While Lehrmann was not named, he claimed he was easily identifiable as the onetime colleague Ms Higgins said had sexually assaulted her in the office of Senator Linda Reynolds. Bruce Lehrmann has sacked the legal team representing him in his Queensland rape trial In April, Justice Michael Lee found Lehrmann had not been defamed and that on the balance of probabilities he had raped Ms Higgins The defamation case came after Lehrmann, who has always denied raping Ms Higgins, faced a criminal trial which was abandoned due to juror misconduct in 2022. Lehrmann has not entered pleas over the Toowoomba allegations but his lawyers have indicated he would defend the charges. The 29-year-old will soon face a pre-trial hearing at which he is expected to apply for a judge-only hearing. Lehrmann was not required to appear in person when the rape case was last mentioned in Toowoomba District Court in late January. On that occasion, Mr King told Judge Dennis Lynch that barrister Patrick Wilson would make three pre-trial applications for Lehrmann. 'There's an application for a judge-alone trial, there's also an application in respect to potential protection of records and a joint application in regards to uncharged sexual contact,' Mr King said. Under Queensland law, a trial can be heard without a jury if 'it is in the interests of justice to do so'. Lehrmann filed a letter to Toowoomba District Court on Monday which said his solicitor Rowan King would be replaced by Zali Burrows (above) The grounds for a judge-only trial include the hearings are lengthy or complex or 'there has been significant pre-trial publicity that may affect jury deliberations'. Crown prosecutor Caroline Marco said she would also make three pre-trial applications. She would seek to join with the defence for an application which can include evidence of 'uncharged acts' to prove a sexual interest between the defendant and alleged victim. 'The applications to be made by the Crown will be a special witness application, an application to lead uncharged sexual activities... and also an application for (privileged communications),' Ms Marco said. A person granted special witness status can give evidence from a remote witness room or to a courtroom closed to the public. During Lehrmann's committal hearing, defence barrister Andrew Hoare said the alleged rape victim was too intoxicated to remember giving consent. He also submitted his client could have mistakenly believed he had consent for further sex acts. Mr Hoare said the woman obtained emergency contraception after being given a lift to a pharmacy by Lehrmann, and when doing so she ticked a box saying that she needed the pill as her other contraception had failed, and not due to sexual assault. Judge Lynch has ordered prosecutors and Lehrmann to file their applications by March 14. Donald Trump is pressuring Volodymyr Zelensky into accepting a raft of new terms if the Ukrainian President wants to end the bloody and protracted conflict with Russia - while admitting the country 'may not survive anyway'. The ambitious new terms will be combined with a proposed mineral deal that blew up during tense negotiations that culminated in a public Oval Office spat between Trump, Zelensky and Vice President JD Vance. Trump has now upped the ante on his original requests, insiders claim, demanding Zelensky call an election and potentially step down as leader in order to secure military aid and intelligence access from the US. Trump is also expecting Zelensky to be open to relinquishing territory to Russia in the name of striking a peace deal, NBC reports. 'We want to do anything we can to get Ukraine to be serious about getting something done,' Trump told reporters on Sunday. Earlier in the day he was asked about the future of Ukraine and sensationally admitted: 'Well, it may not survive anyway.' The huge trio of concessions mark a monumental shift from his initial request, which was for Ukraine to grant the United States a stake in critical mineral resources in exchange for the military aid granted in the fight against the Russian invasion. It comes as officials from Ukraine and the US meet in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, this week to continue peace talks. While Zelensky has vowed to work with Trump to get a deal over the line, he has repeatedly warned that Russia will 'wage war' on NATO and Europe if given the means to do so. Donald Trump is putting more pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky to accept a raft of new terms if he wants to secure military aid and intelligence access After a tense month of negotiations, which included a public spat at the White House , Trump has upped the ante on his requests, demanding Zelensky call an election and consider stepping down as leader, insiders claimed White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said 'the Ukrainians have made positive movement', demonstrated by Trump's decision to 'read President Zelensky's message at the joint session.' 'With meetings in Saudi this coming week, we look forward to hearing more positive movement that will hopefully ultimately end this brutal war and bloodshed.' Last month, Trump and Vice President JD Vance hosted Zelensky in the Oval Office, intending to sign a minerals deal which would grant the United States access to key Ukrainian resources in exchange for the past and ongoing military aid to help fight the Russian invasion. However, the meeting imploded and was abruptly ended, with the US leader and his VP criticising Zelensky for failing to show enough gratitutde for the tens of billions of dollars America has already funneled into the war. After the meeting, Trump introduced the freeze on all funding and some intelligence sharing. Zelensky later described the diplomatic breakdown in the meeting as 'regrettable'. He also made clear he was ready to sign off on a minerals deal with the US, even without the explicit American security guarantees sought by the Ukrainians. Russia has been emboldened by Trump's decision to tank the deal, ramping up attacks on Ukraine in the days that followed. Last month, Trump and Vice President JD Vance hosted Zelensky in the Oval Office, intending to sign a minerals deal which would grant the US access to key Ukrainian resources in exchange for ongoing military aid to help fight the Russian invasion Russia has been emboldened by Trump's decision, ramping up attacks on Ukraine in the days that followed the failed Oval Office meeting According to the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission, Friday was one of the deadliest days for Ukrainian civilians this year. There have been more reported daily casualties in 2025 than in 2024, the agency said. US authorities maintain these attacks were likely planned well before Trump cut off the aid and stopped sharing intelligence information. This intelligence information relates to information against Russian targets. The United States is still passing along defensive intelligence and warning Ukraine of impending attacks. European allies of Ukraine are trying to ramp up support in this area, but the gap has not yet been bridged given America has been providing this assistance for the length of the war. Speaking on board Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said that most of the intelligence sharing limitations 'had been lifted'. But he said Ukraine needs to 'want peace' above anything else in order for the war to end. Asked whether Zelensky has proven that Ukrainians want peace, Trump said: 'I think right now they haven't, but I think they will be. 'I think it's going to become evident over the next two or three days. This week, hundreds of people died in cities in Ukraine, and we got to get it stopped. 'It would have never happened if I was president.' Speaking on board Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said that most of the intelligence sharing limitations 'had been lifted' Zelensky has insisted that he and his office 'stand ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership to get a peace that lasts.' A former Trump administration Russian affairs expert, Fiona Hill, told CBS news that 'we can really see the impact' of Trump's efforts. 'It's certainly, on the one hand, emboldened Russia to really step up the attacks. And it's also not just blindsided, but also partially blinded Ukraine,' she said. While talks are set to resume in the Middle East this week, unnamed sources told Reuters that officials are trying to establish whether Ukraine is interested in 'a realistic peace.' 'You can't say 'I want peace,' and, 'I refuse to compromise on anything,'' one insider said. 'We want to see if the Ukrainians are interested not just in peace, but in a realistic peace.' Trump earlier conceded he was growing increasingly frustrated with the stalled negotiations with Ukraine. 'I'm finding it more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine, and they don't have the cards,' Trump said. According to the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission, Friday was one of the deadliest days for Ukrainian civilians this year. Pictured: Paramedics treating an injured civilian in Ukraine 'In terms of getting a final settlement, it may be easier dealing with Russia, which is surprising, because they have all the cards.' Trump and First Buddy Elon Musk have been outspoken in their criticism of Zelensky, particularly slamming his decision to invoke martial law and suspend elections when Russia invaded. Since the early days of the war, Musk's Starlink satellite internet system has played a crucial role in maintaining Ukrainian military communications as Russia relentlessly targeted infrastructure across the country. Musk has previously bristled at suggestions that he isn't doing enough, and his latest comments underscore his frustration with what he sees as a futile and grinding conflict. 'What I am sickened by is years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will inevitably lose. Anyone who really cares, really thinks and really understands wants the meat grinder to stop. PEACE NOW!' Musk wrote, making one of his most explicit calls to date for an immediate end to the war, even if it means Ukraine making painful concessions. 'Ukraine needs to hold an election. Zelensky would lose by a landslide,' Musk added. But a leading Ukrainian pollster suggests Zelensky's popularity has actually risen since his public spat with Trump. The poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) showed that 67 per cent of respondents trusted Zelenskiy in March, up from 57 per cent a month earlier. The survey was conducted from February 14 to March 4, meaning it incorporated public opinion after the February 28 bust up. Donald Trump has savaged Malcolm Turnbull as a weak and unintelligent leader after the ex-prime minister told Daily Mail that Australia can't rely on the US to defend us against China. The US commander-in-chief has used his Truth Social platform to attack Mr Turnbull, who was in power during his first term in the White House. 'Malcolm Turnbull, the former Prime Minister of Australia who was always leading that wonderful country from "behind," never understood what was going on in China, nor did he have the capacity to do so,' President Trump said. 'I always thought he was a weak and ineffective leader and, obviously Australians agreed with me.' President Trump's character attack on Truth Social, to his 9.2million followers, was posted after Mr Turnbull warned Daily Mail Australia the US may not defend Australia militarily in the event of China attacking our shores - in the wake of Chinese live-fire naval exercises off the east coast of Australia. 'You cannot assume anything about Donald Trump - it's part of his brand to be unpredictable,' Mr Turnbull said. 'Yes, he's very transactional. I would hope that the United States would always come to our aid under the ANZUS treaty if we were attacked in the Pacific. 'But Mr Trump has made it very clear, it's part of his brand, part of his style, to be less predictable and he has certainly been prepared to take on allies.' Donald Trump has savaged former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull as a weak leader after he told Daily Mail the American President would be reluctant to defend Australia against China The US commander-in-chief has used his Truth Social platform to attack Mr Turnbull, who was in power during his first term in the White House (they are pictured in 2017 in Manila) Asked to respond to the attack, Mr Turnbull told Nine Newspapers: 'I'm a quivering leaf.' The NATO treaty requires all its signatory nations, including the US, UK, Germany, Canada and France, to react militarily if any of its 32-member countries are invaded. But under the 1951 ANZUS treaty, Americans are only required to consult Australia if another country attacks us, but not necessarily send in troops. 'Mr Trump is deliberately unpredictable - that's his style. We cannot assume that the US would come to our aid,' Mr Turnbull told Daily Mail Australia. 'The obligation in the event of one party being attacked is to consult - there is no obligation to act.' President Trump is looking unlikely to give Australia a reprieve from 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminium when they come into force on March 12. Mr Turnbull was able to secure tariff exemptions in 2018 on Australian steel and aluminium exports, based on the argument that the U.S. had a trade surplus with Australia where Australian bought more goods and services from the Americans than they bought from us. President Trump's attack on Mr Turnbull also followed a Bloomberg TV interview with a China-focused program, produced in Sydney, that was broadcast on Monday afternoon. The Trump administration is unlikely to give Australia a reprieve from 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminium when they come into force on March 12 Mr Turnbull said Australia needed to reassess how it defended itself. 'In terms of, "How do we handle it?" Look, we're not going to change Trump,' he told The China Show. 'It means we have to look at all of our defence and security relationships with a fresh eye. 'We have got to work out how we are going to defend ourselves and how we will pursue a more independent - independent of the United States' approach to international and security affairs.' He told Bloomberg TV a tariff exemption for Australia was looking less likely. 'I secured one back in 2018 but I think it's going to a lot harder this time,' Mr Turnbull said. 'Trump will be being told, and I suspect he'll conclude himself, that you give one country an exemption then you have to give another and another and before long, there are too many exemptions and you haven't got much of a tariff. 'The big risk to us is not so much tariffs on Australian exports, like steel and aluminium, but rather a slowdown in the global economy, in particular the Chinese economy which is the destination for much of our exports.' President Trump's character attack on Truth Social, to his 9.2million followers, was posted after Mr Turnbull warned Daily Mail Australia the US may not defend Australia militarily in the event of China attacking our shores - in the wake of Chinese live-fire naval exercises off the east coast of Australia (pictured is a Chinese naval ship in the Tasman Sea) Mr Turnbull also slammed President Trump for abandoning traditional allies like Europe and Canada. 'Trump does not subscribe to the same values that we have in the past shared with America,' he said. 'Look, he doesn't have the commitment to the international rule of law, that's obvious. 'He doesn't care about treaties or alliances.' Canada and Mexico are getting slapped with 25 per cent manufacturing tariffs on April 2, despite being part of a North American free trade agreement with the US. Australia has had a free trade agreement with the United States since January 2005, which was supposed to eliminate import taxes on 97 per cent of non-agricultural exports to each market. Mr Turnbull said that while China's navy was entitled to sail through international waters, they should have given Australia advance warning about the live-fire exercise. 'They're in international waters, they're entitled to have a live-fire drill but it would have been much more polite to give more notice and the Australian government has protested about that,' he said. Mr Turnbull said that while China's navy was entitled to sail through international waters, they should have given Australia advance warning about the live-fire exercise (pictured is a People's Liberation Army Navy boat) 'What's the purpose of it? It's a show of strength. 'This shouldn't come as a surprise to us or an affront, this is something we've got to take into account and it underlies why we have to be able to defend ourselves.' Mr Turnbull added Chinese President Xi Jinping would take advantage of President Trump to diplomatically win over wavering countries, as the US sided with Russian President Vladmir Putin. 'I think China will take advantage, a massive advantage of Trump - my prediction is that President Xi will aim to be the exact opposite of Trump,' he said. 'Where Trump is chaotic, he will be consistent; where Trump is rude and abusive, he will be respectful; where Trump is erratic, he will be consistent. 'Trump is not just helping Vladimir Putin, on the battlefield in Ukraine which is bad enough, but by his own conduct, he's providing an opportunity for China this time to take a different approach than the one they did with Trump One.' In 2018 Mr Turnbull banned Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei from installing the 5G mobile network, shortly before he resigned as Liberal PM and was replaced by Scott Morrison. This was a policy the first Trump administration later adopted. In the Daily Mail Australia interview, however, Mr Turnbull agreed with the suggestion Australia's defence spending needed to make up more than two per cent of gross domestic product, as the US pushes Australia to raise that to 3 per cent of GDP. 'We certainly need to increase our defence spending but people talk about defence spending without paying enough attention to what we're actually getting for the money we spend,' he said. 'My bottom line would be we need to be less dependent on the United States and more self reliant and that's quite consistent with what the Americans are saying, by the way. 'It's not just a question of spending more, it's being more self reliant.' A controversial union organiser has come under fire for inflammatory posts he made online, including labelling Anthony Albanese a 'Nazi' and branding an ex-female colleague a 's*** c***'. Paul Ferreira, who was sacked by the CFMEU in 2020, is currently an organiser with the Western Mine Workers' Alliance in WA. He is reportedly spearheading efforts to push for collective bargaining, which is allowed under the Federal Government's new industrial relations laws, at mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP. The Albanese government has introduced changes which allow employees from different workplaces with similar interests to be covered under one enterprise bargaining agreement. Mining companies and the Coalition have been critical of the changes, arguing that they hand too much power to militant unions. And now BHP has complained to the Australian Workers' Union about Mr Perreira after receiving 'several complaints from members of our workforce' following multiple visits to sites in the Pilbara region. 'The behaviour displayed by the individual while visiting our Pilbara sites, including disrespectful and inappropriate language, fell well short of our Code of Conduct,' a BHP spokesperson told the West Australian. It comes as past derogatory comments made by Mr Ferreira have come to light, including allegedly homophobic and misogynistic slurs. Paul Ferreira (pictured), who was sacked by the CFMEU in 2020, is currently an organiser with the Western Mine Workers Alliance in WA He is reportedly spearheading efforts to push for collective bargaining, which is allowed under the Federal Government's new industrial relations laws, at mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP Mr Ferreira was 'terminated' by the CFMEU in July 2020 for reasons that are unclear. After sharing an announcement about his sacking, Mr Ferreira got into a spat with a former female colleague who he labelled a 'p*** taker' and a s*** c***'. When another woman attempted to call him out, he responded: 'Who the f*** are you? That's right, a nobody.' In other exchanges with friends, he joked that one of them 'just like(d) taking digits up your a**', while he scolded another, saying: 'someone needs to stick their d*** in your ear and f*** some sense into you'. More recently, he has pledged to 'p**s off as many bosses as possible' in 2025, further noting that his 'presence p***es off some like sand in vagina'. The post was accompanied by an unprintable picture of a dog appearing to perform a sex act on a tyre. 'Here's to a f***ing good year,' the accompanying caption read, referencing Goodyear tyres. Underneath a post about how female miners were being offered $2 coffees on International Women's Day, Mr Ferreira quipped: 'I'm a lesbian trapped in a man's body, does that qualify for the coffee discount?' Even the Prime Minister, who is part of the Labor party's left faction, does not escape Mr Ferreira's wrath. Defending his old employer, the CFMEU, Mr Ferreira asked for 'proof' that 'bikies and crooks' had infiltrated the union. After sharing an announcement about his sacking, Mr Ferreira got into a spat with a former female colleague who he labelled a 'pi** taker' and a s**t c***' (pictured) In other exchanges with friends, he joked that one of them 'just like(d) taking digits up your a**', while he scolded another, saying: 'someone needs to stick their d*** in your ear and f*** some sense into you' (pictured) Defending his old employer, the CFMEU, Mr Ferreira asked for 'proof' that 'bikies and crooks' had infiltrated the union - before labelling the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese a 'nazi' 'If their is (sic) any laws broken there is legal avenues to prosecute,' he wrote in September last year. 'To put a union into administration without laws broken is a nasty precedent AlboNazi has sent.' In August last year, the Albanese government declared it was 'in the public interest' to put the CFMEU into administration amid allegations its construction arm was rife with corruption and links to criminal gangs. There were reports of bikies acting as union delegates, including one official earning $250,000 a year as a health and safety officer. The move resulted in 11 senior union officials across NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and Queensland branches losing their jobs, while 270 elected union officials were sacked from unpaid positions. WA Premier Roger Cook slammed Mr Perreira's comments as 'disgusting'. 'I'm disgusted by that sort of behaviour,' Mr Cook told the paper. 'We've been calling out this sort of ridiculous race driven behaviour for some time now, and for a member of a trade union to use that language in relation to the Prime Minister is quite frankly disgusting.' A spokesperson for Mr Ferreira's employer, the Western Mine Workers' Alliance (WMWA) told the paper it 'believes in upholding the values of civility'. 'This has been made very clear to Mr Ferreira,' the spokesperson added. 'However, we also will not obediently dance to the tune of mining company corporate dirt units who would like to use some instances of unacceptable language as an excuse to get rid of a union organiser they know is effective and popular.' Mr Ferreira has subsequently deleted some of the offensive posts. Daily Mail Australia approached Mr Ferreira, the WMWA and the CFMEU WA for further comment. A desperate search is underway for a missing surfer after a suspected shark attack at a remote beach. Emergency services rushed to the Duke Of Orleans Bay area in Condingup on Western Australia's south coast shortly after midday on Monday following a triple-zero call about a 'possible shark bite incident'. A surfer was reported to be in distress at Wharton Beach, about 80km east of Esperance. An abandoned surfboard was found in the water a short time later but there was no sign of the surfer. 'A shark was sighted in the area a short time prior and beachgoers left the water,' WA Police said. 'At this time it is unclear what has occurred and if a surfer is missing.' The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is working with emergency services. The species of the shark spotted isn't yet known. A desperate search is underway after a suspected shark attack near Wharton Beach (pictured) The shark was spotted in the water shortly after a surfer went missing (stock image) Surf Life Saving WA urged beachgoers to take additional caution in the Duke of Orleans Bay area. 'DPIRD is working with local authorities and further information will be provided as it becomes available' A popular spot for surfers, swimmers and snorkellers, Duke of Orleans Bay is known for its picturesque coastline. Three fatal shark attacks have been recorded along the Esperance coast in the last eight years. Laeticia Brouwer, 17, died after being bitten by a white shark while surfing at Kelp Beds in 2017. Diver Gary Johnsson and surfer Andrew Sharpe died in separate incidents in 2020. A former senior constable who called himself a 'dirty paedo dad' and requested 'underage fantasy and kink' child abuse material could be released from jail in just six months. Mitchell James Maxwell Lucock, 38, was sentenced 18 months jail in Parramatta District Court on Friday after he pleaded guilty to five counts of soliciting child abuse material and three counts of transmitting child abuse material. Judge Karen Robinson labelled Lucock's actions 'highly depraved'. The court heard the former senior constable based in Nyngan in central NSW used Telegram and Snapchat to talk about his sickening preferences in child abuse material between July and October 2023 Lucock twice communicated with an undercover cop through Telegram, an encrypted messaging service, to express interest in trading illicit content,' the ABC reported. In one conversation, he told the officer he wanted the depicted victim to be 'as young as possible' and the abuse 'hardcore, no limit'. 'When I say young as possible, babies and toddlers too,' he said. The court also heard Lucock used Snapchat to engage with people he met on Reddit in an attempt to solicit child abuse material. Mitchell James Maxwell Lucock (pictured) will spend at least six months behind bars after seeking child sex abuse material online In one exchange, he offered to pay a woman for custom videos tailored to his 'underage fantasy kink' featuring very young children. 'I want to be super taboo thinking about baby and toddler girls,' he said. In another conversation on the platform, Lucock told a man he 'loved talking about' sexual child abuse and described fake encounters with an infant daughter, labelling himself a 'dirty paedo dad'. Lucock does not have children. He was also recorded bragging about his 'very taboo underage desires'. 'I have no limits, as young as possible.' Lucock was arrested while on duty at Nyngan Police Station in November 2023 and later resigned from the force. Australian Federal Police officers seized his phone and found the Telegram and Snapchat apps had been deleted. Conversations on the platforms were recovered but the images and videos described in the chats had expired, meaning Lucock was not in possession of any child abuse material. Lucock was a senior constable based in Nyngan NSW at the time of his arrest (stock image) Judge Karen Robinson on Friday found Lucock's use of the apps, which both automatically delete messages, showed his criminal activity was planned. 'The conduct is persistent and repeated and often initiated by the offender and consistent with a demonstrated sexual interest in child abuse material,' she said. Lucock expressed his remorse over his offences in a letter to the court and recognised the impact his actions had on children and larger society. That included a decrease in public trust of the NSW Police Force. The court heard that Lucock used Telegram and Snapchat (pictured) to discuss his 'depraved' preferences in child abuse material Lucock was awarded a Police Serving Medal during his 17 year career in the force. He began his policing career in Sydney but moved to the small remote town of Nyngan for improved pay and working conditions. Lucock could be freed in as little as six months if he exhibits good behaviour and completes rehabilitation programs for sexual offenders. The BBC's chairman is leaning towards a household levy that could see people pay more for their licence fee depending on the value of their property. Dr Samir Shah, 73, who took up the role a year ago following the resignation of Richard Sharp, questioned why poorer households should have to pay the same amount for their BBC licence fee as those with pricier homes. It comes as freezes in the licence fee - which is currently 169.50 - alongside a decline in the number of people paying has contributed to a 30 per cent decline in the BBC's income in real terms over the past decade. Dr Shah said he does not think the BBC is 'hideously white', as former director-general Greg Dyke once said. '[It's] more diversity of thought. It's on, frankly, the northern working class where we're poor. That's where the focus should be,' Dr Shah told The Times. Mulling over the corporation's options for licence fee costs, Dr Shah said that a Netflix-style subscription service would not reach the BBC's aim to 'offer something for everyone in the country'. Meanwhile, funding from general taxation 'would leave the BBC open to influence' from the current government, threatening the 'independence' of the corporation. Another option would be an annual charge for everyone living in the UK, possibly a reformed licence fee or levy on every household. The charge, according to Dr Shah, would have to be progressive and depend on factors such as property value. BBC chairman Dr Samir Shah (pictured) is leaning towards a household levy that could see people pay more for their BBC licence fee depending on the value of their property Council tax bands or income tax bands may be used to make a scale, with homeowners in the top bands paying a higher fee. Meanwhile, the BBC pays senior managers who are from diverse backgrounds more than those who are not, The Telegraph reported yesterday. According to statistics published in the corporation's annual report, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT), ethnic minority, female and disabled senior managers earn higher salaries than those not from those backgrounds. A BBC spokesman said: 'The BBC is committed to fair and equal pay for all, and all appointments are made on merit. 'An external equal pay audit recently concluded that there was no evidence of systemic bias in our pay approach or policies. 'We continue to monitor our pay gaps closely and do expect to see small fluctuations year-on-year, and we'd advise against the selective use of figures.' Freezes in the licence fee - which is currently 169.50 - alongside a decline in the number of people paying has contributed to a 30 per cent reduction in the BBC's income in real terms over the past decade (Pictured: The BBC building) It comes days after Ofcom threatened to 'step in' after the production company behind a now-disgraced BBC documentary admitted it paid the family of a senior Hamas official. In a scathing letter addressed to Dr Shah, the regulator warned it had 'ongoing concerns' about the broadcaster's failings regarding sourcing for its controversial show. The programme, Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone, was removed from BBC iPlayer last month after it was revealed the child narrator, a 14-year-old boy named Abdullah, is the son of a senior Hamas official. The corporation revealed that the boy's mother was paid by Hoyo Films 'via his sister's bank account' for his involvement in the documentary. Russia will expel two British diplomats on suspicion of carrying out espionage activities, the Federal Security Service (FSB) reported today. The second secretary of the British embassy in Moscow and the spouse of another British diplomat were stripped of accreditation in Russia, the report said. The FSB claims the diplomats had 'deliberately' provided false information about themselves and and noted alleged evidence of their intelligence and covert activities. The agency - the main successor to the notorious KGB - said that 'counterintelligence work had revealed an undeclared British intelligence presence under the cover of the national embassy.' The diplomats were accused of 'intelligence and subversive activities that threaten Russia's security', according to state news outlets. Both were ordered to leave Russia within two weeks. The announcement is the latest in a string of diplomatic expulsions between Britain and Russia amid heightened tensions surrounding the war in Ukraine. Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with workers and wards of The Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, March 6, 2025 The British embassy in Moscow, undated The FSB said in its announcement today that the diplomats had 'deliberately intentionally provided false information when receiving permission to enter our country, thereby violating Russian law'. It concluded that the agency would 'continue working to combat the reconnaissance and disruptive activities of foreign intelligence agencies by all available means.' The ministry also summoned an embassy representative in connection with the allegations, it said in a post on Telegram. Breaking conventions, Russian state media today named one of the diplomats and the partner of the other. MailOnline has elected not to name them. A FCDO spokesperson told MailOnline today: 'This is not the first time that Russia has made malicious and baseless accusations against our staff.' A senior British diplomat was seen entering and leaving the Russian foreign ministry to be informed of the expulsions. State media representatives had plainly been tipped off in advance to doorstep the moment the envoy entered and left the foreign ministry. Today's announcement comes just days after Russia vowed to respond to the expulsion of a Russian diplomat from London. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told RIA Novosti last week that 'an answer will be given' after the diplomat was stripped of accreditation. The decision was, in turn, a response to the stripping of accreditation of an employee of the British Embassy in Moscow in November 2024. A Russian police officer patrols outside the British embassy building in Moscow on September 13, 2024 In November, a second secretary of the British embassy's department was ordered to leave Russia. The FSB reported at the time that the second secretary of the political department of the British embassy had carried out intelligence and subversive work that threatened Russian security. The British Foreign Ministry told RIA that the accusations were 'unfounded' and vowed an appropriate response. In September 2024, the accreditation of six diplomats was terminated, accused of engaging in intelligence and subversive work. The FSB claimed to have received documents showing that part of the Foreign Office was actively aiding 'the escalation of the political and military situation' in Ukraine. The Foreign Office said in a statement that the accusations were 'completely baseless'. 'We are unapologetic about protecting our national interests,' it continued. The British government had previously expelled the Russian defence attache in May, accusing him of being an undeclared intelligence officer. Several Russian-owned buildings in the U.K. were also stripped of diplomatic status. The UK also accused Moscow of being behind the 2006 assassination of former Russian agent and Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko in a London poisoning attack. And in 2018, Britain and its allies expelled dozens of Russian embassy officials they said were spies over the attempted poisoning of former double agent, Sergei Skripal, with Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok. Just last week, six Bulgarian nationals were convicted of spying for the Kremlin in the U.K., found to have received orders directly from Moscow. 'Following a three-month trial at the Old Bailey, two women and a man were found guilty of conspiring to obtain information intended to be directly or indirectly useful to Russia,' the Met said in a statement on March 7. Beautician Vanya Gaberova, 30, decorator Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, and lab technician Katrin Ivanova, 33,were found guilty of conspiring to spy for Russia. 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. The agents all face lengthy jail terms when they are sentenced. The operation was said to have been run from a Great Yarmouth guesthouse stacked with sophisticated surveillance technology. The agents passed secrets on to Russia for almost three years, spying on a U.S. airbase in Germany and tailing opponents of the state. A fifth of British counter-terror policing is now devoted to battling a surge of state-backed threats, Scotland Yard commander Dominic Murphy said last week. And this espionage cell lurking in suburbia was just one example of the Russian intelligence services using proxy agents for its 'stream of covert activity and sabotage,' he warned. 'The reality is this won't be the only activity Russia is conducting here in the UK and we have seen other disruptions here in recent months,' Mr Murphy, head of counterterrorism command, added. Katrin Ivanova was accused of being part of a network of spies targeting people and places of interest to the Russian state The agents all face lengthy jail terms when they are sentenced. Pictured: Gaberova's custody photo 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 Russia has been increasingly accused of carrying out 'hybrid warfare' tactics across Europe, employing sabotage and disruption to hinder nations lending support to Ukraine. Counter-terrorism police in Britain were last year said to be investigating suspected Russian involvement in the planting of a hidden incendiary device in a parcel on a plane headed for the UK. The device ultimately burst into flames in a warehouse and no casualties were reported. Russia has been accused of trying to destabilise the West and allies since the war in Ukraine began by allegedly 'weaponising mass migration' along its western border; sabotaging Nord Stream pipelines providing Europe with gas; influencing elections in Moldova and Georgia; jamming aircraft GPS; and even sending exploding massagers to Western Europe. It was also accused of interfering in historic votes in Britain and the US election. Keir Starmer is facing a revolt over plans to axe 5billion from welfare as the government scrambles to balance the books. Labour MPs have been warning of 'deep concern' over 'draconian' curbs with details expected to be announced as soon as tomorrow. Liz Kendall is set to declare that workers who lose their jobs should get more than long-term claimants. Check-ups on those who are getting sickness payments are also due to be bolstered. The bulk of the savings are likely to come from making it harder to get personal independence payments, while disability handouts could be frozen in cash terms. Ministers have been making the 'moral' case for reforming welfare, with Rachel Reeves pointing to the near-million young people not in education, employment or training. The Chancellor is battling to avoid the need for more tax rises at the Spring Statement later this month, after stalling economic growth and rising debt cost wreaked havoc with her Budget plans. She is also under massive pressure to ramp up defence spending amid rising alarm at the US withdrawing support from Europe and doing deals with Russia. Liz Kendall is set to declare that workers who lose their jobs should get more than long-term claimants The benefits bill has been rising and is forecast to continue going up Health and disability benefits in sicknote Britain are expected to cost more than 100billion a year by the end of the decade - which would be more than the defence budget even after Keir Starmer's recent boost. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) estimated in October that the cost of long-term sickness handouts will rise from 64.7billion in the 2023-24 financial year to 100.7billion in 2029-30. That would be around 3 per cent of GDP, while Labour has committed to spending 2.5 per cent by 2027 and looking towards 3 per cent after the next election. Speaking to the BBC's Westminster Hour on Sunday, Labour MP Rachel Maskell said colleagues were 'deeply concerned' about the prospect of changes to the system. She told the programme: 'We recognise the economic circumstances that we're in and the hand that we were given and of course it is right that the Chancellor has oversight over all those budgets but not at the expense of pushing disabled people into poverty.' She added: 'There's got to be a carrot approach not a stick approach. 'We've got to make the right interventions and that doesn't start with the stick.' Ms Maskell said that she had 'picked up [] deep deep concern' from colleagues and called for a 'compassionate system and not taking just draconian cuts'. Your browser does not support iframes. Labour's David Pinto-Duschinsky, the MP for Hendon in north west London, is leading a group of three dozen MPs from the Get Britain Working Group who argue the system is broken and needs fixing. There are claims that up to 80 MPs are ready to oppose the reforms. But they are facing push-back from pro-change MPs. Labour's David Pinto-Duschinsky, the MP for Hendon in north west London, is leading a group of three dozen MPs from the Get Britain Working Group who argue the system is broken and needs fixing. The government wants to create a new, time-limited benefit for those who find themselves out of work after paying into the system, dubbed 'unemployment insurance'. It will have a lower age limit - likely around 22 years - with different support set to be announced for out-of-work youngsters. The aim is for those who have not paid into the system to get less out of it than those who have. However, exemptions will be in place for those who are unable to work because of severe disabilities. The welfare system originally had a much larger contributory element after the Second World War, but that has gradually been eroded by governments of all colours. Your browser does not support iframes. Ministers have been making the 'moral' case for reforming welfare, with Rachel Reeves pointing to the near-million young people not in education, employment or training Figures for the end of last year showed the number of NEETs approaching a million Ms Kendall is set to announce the changes to the Commons this week, potentially tomorrow. She is seeking to save around 5billion from the welfare bill, with the bulk of the cuts expected to come from changes to Personal Independence Payments (PIP). A crackdown on personal independence payments is expected to tighten rules, potentially affecting those with conditions like anxiety and depression. The rate of PIP will also be frozen in cash terms, rather than going up 1.7 per cent like other benefits. New sickness benefits claimants go through a Work Capability Assessment, which is supposed to be repeated at intervals. That gap is meant to vary from six months to three years, depending on the severity of the illness. Some 607,000 repeat assessments were carried out in 2019, but that nosedived during Covid and last year is thought to have been around a third of that level. The OBR has suggested the slump in checks is the biggest factor behind rising claims, with allies of Ms Kendall telling the Telegraph she is looking at ways of boosting checks. Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden said yesterday that without action four million people would be on long-term sickness benefits. 'There are 2.8 million people on long-term sickness benefits,' he told the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg. 'We are an outlier in the UK and not in a good way. We're the only G7 country that hasn't recovered its pre-pandemic rate of employment and we're the Labour Party. 'We believe in work. We believe in the good that a good job can do for people. We don't believe it is good that if somebody could work with a bit of support that they're left to live a life on benefits. '200,000 of those 2.8million have told us they would work tomorrow with the right support. So, we've got to reform the system, because if we don't, the trajectory of standing back and doing nothing is that it won't be 2.8 million in a few years, it will be over 4 million people. We can't allow that to happen.' A government source said: 'The challenge we inherited and the case for change is stark. 'When this Government took office last July, more than 9.3 million working aged people were out of work and not looking for employment - that's more than the entire population of London. 2.8 million of those were out of work due to long-term sickness - the highest in the G7.' Tia Mowry fears a 'Sister, Sister' reboot could "mess up" the show's legacy. Tia Mowry won't rule out a Sister, Sister reboot The 46-year-old actress and her real life twin Tamera Mowry-Housley starred in the 1990s family sitcom as twins who were separated at birth and raised by a different parent, before reuniting following a chance meeting in their teens, and while she would "never say never" to bringing back the programme, she isn't sure it would be a good idea. Asked about the possibility of a reboot, Tia told People magazine: "Yeah, I mean, never say never. I'm just a huge believer in that, meaning I don't have a crystal ball, but never say never. "I will say this: It was such a beautiful, amazing show, and a part of me also just wants to leave it there. You know what I mean? Let it be. "But it was so wonderful and so amazing. So I feel like, to be honest with you, I also have that feeling as well. "So I'm like, okay, never say never, but it was such a great show and I wouldn't want to mess it up in any kind of way. It's a classic." Last year, the 'Family Reunion' star - who has children Cree, 13, and six-year-old Cairo with ex-husband Cory Hardrict - marked the 30th anniversary of 'Sister, Sister' and her excitement at the show's launch. Sharing throwback photos and clips, she wrote on her social media accounts: "Today is the 30th anniversary of 'Sister, Sister' and Im so grateful for this show and the experiences it has given me. It was the first time I really believed in myself and my dreams. I remember being on a press tour in New York when the show premiered, feeling like all my hard work and prayers had paid off." But she recalled the moment of "rejection" when the show wasn't initially picked up and how she learned from the experience. She continued: "My sister and I faced rejection when our show wasnt initially picked up, but we didnt give up. We prayed and were later told the show would be a mid-season replacement. "We were back up. Whenever I feel like I get to a place where I want to quit, I go back to that moment and remember that dreams do come true and to keep going and keep believing." The brother of a wellness guru who siphoned off 3.8million from a rich heiress ex-girlfriend has been hauled before the High Court for his alleged involvement. Bahador Amini, a dry cleaning boss, has been accused of helping hide money that went missing from multimillionaire socialite Vanessa Wurm's finances. Ms Wurm, 41, believes she was 'intentionally targeted' on social media by meditating businessman Kash Amini, 35, with whom she had a romantic relationship between 2019 and 2022. Mr Amini, boss of the company behind 'finance and wellness' app Maslife, was accused of misusing funds which Ms Wurm poured into his business while they were together - and squandering her cash on his 'generally extravagant lifestyle'. Purchases included a 10,000 personalised numberplate KASIH for a 350,000 Ferrari 812 Superfast belonging to her 'extremely wealthy mother' Rosemarie Wurm. Judges have been told that Kash Amini drove away in the car 'with a large grin on his face' following the couple's split. Kash Amini and his firm were barred in January from defending a High Court action taken against them and ordered to pay 3,862,900 to Ms Wurm. They were also told to give an account of 'any profit derived from the misapplication of those funds' - while the judge Master Paul Teverson also instructed the return of the Ferrari, declaring it the rightful property of Ms Wurm's mother. Multimillionaire heiress Elizabeth Wurm (pictured at the Venice International Film Festival in September 2022) launched High Court action against her ex-boyfriend Kash Amini Kash Amini and Vanessa Wurm, pictured together at the Cannes Film Festival in France in May 2022, were in a three-year relationship Kash's brother Bahador Amini (pictured) now faces court action over his alleged involvement in helping his brother 'hide' money claimed from Ms Wurm Now a trial is pending against Bahador Amini, who stands accused of helping his sibling conceal where Ms Wurm's money went. Her lawyers have questioned how he went from living with his mother and driving 'an old van' to owning a 250,000 Bentley Bentayga and a 1.5million apartment in Chelsea. Judge Nicholas Parfitt has refused an application by Bahador and his companies Laundry D2D Limited and Pars Dc Limited to discharge freezing orders imposed on them last October. The ruling was said to help avoid any risk of money which rightfully belongs to Ms Wurm being dissipated before trial. The judge said: 'Putting all the relevant evidence together, my view is that there is a considerable risk that Bahador has helped his brother hide Ms Wurm's money.' Bahador Amini denies any wrongdoing and insists he did not receive any of Ms Wurm's cash, with money for the flat coming from his successful business ventures. The court heard that Ms Wurm and Kash Amini had a three-year relationship, during which he lived with her at her 4.1million home in Knightsbridge, west London. They lived a luxury lifestyle, attending Royal Ascot and splashing hundreds of thousands of pounds on expensive goods. Vanessa Wurm (pictured), 41, believes she was 'intentionally targeted' on social media by meditating businessman Kash Amini, 35 Kash Amini, pictured with Vanessa Wurm at Paris Fashion Week in October 2021, is suspected of having passed large sums to his dry-cleaning company boss brother Bahador In an affidavit, Ms Wurm told the High Court that she had 'paid for everything.' She said: 'This included funding our expensive holidays, buying Kash expensive clothes and gifts, paying when we went out together socially or on business, paying for private jets at Kash's behest, paying for membership to exclusive clubs, paying off Kash and Maslife's credit card bills.' There was also 'a professed business element' to their relationship, her barrister Andrew Butler said. He told the court Ms Wurm had invested 3.2million in Kash Amini's company 'on the strength of promises of a shareholding, and a position within the business'. Suing for her money back, she claimed the shareholding she received was not of the proportion to which she was entitled. And she said that, while she was briefly appointed chief operating officer of the firm, the position was 'promptly terminated at the end of their relationship'. Ms Wurm told the court she felt she had been 'exploited' and 'targeted' by Mr Amini after he spotted her social media profile. She said: 'I am very prominent on Instagram and I believe that I was intentionally targeted by Kash due to my wealth. The former couple lived a lavish lifestyle, attending Royal Ascot and splashing hundreds of thousands of pounds on expensive goods - Ms Wurm said she had paid for 'everything' Ms Wurm and Mr Amini had a 'romantic relationship' between 2019 and 2022 during which they set up home in London's exclusive Belgravia in west London 'From our initial meeting, I believe that he pursued a campaign of deception in pursuance of his overall plan to deceive his way into my life as an imposter and thereby exploit me both emotionally and financially. 'I was besotted by Kash and was engulfed by his charm offensive. He came across as very sincere and I was captivated by him almost immediately - he made me feel special.' As part of her case, Ms Wurm's barrister highlighted a newspaper interview from August 2022 in which Kash Amini spoke about using the 'power of meditation' to clear 1million in debts. He spoke of 'imploding' after mentally exhausting himself when variously working as a crypto trader, financier, entrepreneur and restaurateur, before taking a break to engage in mindful meditation and devoting four years to 'self-development'. He described how his spiritual transformation helped to clear his debts and, after picking himself up, he went on to found Maslife which aims to help people make better health and financial choices and encourages practising yoga and meditation. Mr Butler told the court: 'Since he had no - or no significant - income throughout the duration of his relationship with Ms Wurm, she believes that if and in so far as Mr Amini did clear such a debt, he actually did so through the misapplication of the payments.' Examination of Kash Amini's bank accounts as well as his firm's allegedly showed the millions she thought she was using to buy a major stake were in fact 'dissipated in a bewildering array of directions', the lawyer said. Now the finger is being pointed at Kash's brother Bahador and his companies, as Ms Wurm continues her fight to get her money back. Ms Wurm is pictured at the Venice International Film Festival in Italy in 2021 Ms Wurm has told the High Court in London that ex-boyfriend Kash Amini (pictured) squandered her cash on his 'generally extravagant lifestyle' Mr Butler said Bahador's purchases of the Bentley and the Chelsea apartment had caused Ms Wurm to become suspicious. The barrister said: 'Given that Ms Wurm had known Bahador previously to have lived a very modest lifestyle, living with his mother, operating the laundry business and driving an old van, it is difficult to identify any catalyst for the change in his circumstances other than the money given by Ms Wurm to Kash Amini.' Ahead of a pending trial, Bahador and his companies were hit with a freezing order made by Mr Justice Trower on October 8 last year and continued by Mr Justice Richards seven days later. It prevents them from selling property or moving money around outside of strict limits and permissions controlled by the court. They have since asked Judge Parfitt to set the order aside, arguing that it is onerous and unnecessary. In his new ruling, the judge said the allegation is that Bahador and his firms had received about 230,000 of Ms Wurm's money, or its traceable proceeds, from Kash and Maslife between July 2019 and September 2022. Bahador and his companies are accused of having 'dishonestly assisted' Kash by receiving the money, 'knowing the same to be or likely to be derived from the claimant or reckless as to that', the judge said. He said the allegation is that evidence points to Bahador and his companies potentially 'having received funds and having done so to assist [Kash Amini] in hiding [Ms Wurm's] assets or reckless about [her] rights'. Ms Wurm, pictured at the Venice International Film Festival in September 2022, told the High Court she felt she had been 'intentionally targeted' due to her wealth The barrister said that disclosure of Mr Amini's finances had 'revealed that Ms Wurm's money 'had been dissipated in a bewildering array of directions' And he said there was enough of a risk of assets being dissipated to require that the freezing order in relation to Bahador Amini and his companies stay in place. The judge said: 'I find that [Ms Wurm] has demonstrated a sufficient risk of dissipation to justify the freezing order remaining in place. 'The existence of the real prospect case of dishonesty directly related to the hiding of funds to keep [Ms Wurm] out of her money strongly supports the existence of a risk of dissipation. 'There are serious grounds for considering that her former partner has done what he can to obfuscate and obscure where her assets have gone. [Ms Wurm] remains largely in the dark in this respect. 'Putting all relevant evidence together, my view is that there is a considerable risk that [Bahador Amini] has helped his brother hide [Ms Wurm's] money. 'In short, on the material before me, the potential harm to her in discharging the freezing order outweighs the harm in keeping it in place. The application is dismissed.' The full trial between Ms Wurm and Bahador Amini and his companies is set to go ahead at a later date. A former GOP congressman has warned that President Donald Trump may 'try to stop the midterm elections' and run for a third presidential term in 2028. Joe Walsh, an Illinois Republican turned never-Trump Independent, appeared on MSNBC's Inside with Jen Psaki Sunday and issued his stark warning about how far Trump may go to stay in power. 'I have no doubt that if Trump could, he would try to run again,' Walsh told guest host Michael Steele. 'He tried to overthrow an American election four years ago. I have no doubt that he could try to stop the midterm elections. If he's physically able, he may try to run again in '28.' Walsh's warning came after Steele, the former chair of the Republican National Committee, claimed that Trump 'sees himself as a king' and alleged the Republican Party agrees. He pointed out how GOP lawmakers are 'lining up to pay tribute' to Trump, citing their proposals to put his face on the $250 bill, carve his bust into Mount Rushmore and turn his birthday into a federal holiday. He also highlighted how Sen. Lindsey Graham has backed an unconstitutional third term for Trump. 'It's too easy to have fun with this. But Michael, this is scary s**t,' Walsh replied, adding that the 'biggest failure of all of us during this Trump era has been the failure of imagination'. The one-term congressman has been a longtime Trump critic and even challenged him in the 2020 Republican primary, although he ended his campaign after just six months. Walsh has previously claimed that he officially turned against Trump in 2018 after the president's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Finland. Trump faced backlash for the meeting after he seemed to support Russia's assertion that it didn't interfere in the 2016 election, despite US intelligence reports claiming that it did. Former Rep. Joe Walsh (L) has warned that President Donald Trump may 'try to stop the midterm elections ' and run for a third presidential term in 2028. He issued the stark prediction during a Sunday appearance on MSNBC's Inside with Jen Psaki, where he spoke with guest host Michael Steele (R) and newly Senior Washington Correspondent Eugene Daniels (2nd-L) Walsh's warning came after Steele pointed out how GOP lawmakers are 'lining up to pay tribute' to Trump, citing their proposals to put his face on the $250 bill, (pictured) carve his bust into Mount Rushmore and turn his birthday into a federal holiday. He also highlighted how Sen. Lindsey Graham has backed an unconstitutional third term for Trump Rep. Anna Paulina Luna announced in January that she was officially filing legislation to add Trump's face to Mount Rushmore. (pictured) The iconic monument, located in the Black Hills of South Dakota , is a massive granite sculpture featuring the 60-foot-tall faces of four US presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln Walsh told Steele that the 'biggest failure' during Trump's presidency has been that 'we have not imagined how bad and how low he'd go'. 'In a weird way, you can't blame Trump for feeling like he's a king. We talk about a king. What is that? Somebody who believes they're above the law and they're not accountable,' the former congressman argued. 'Well, you can't blame Trump. Look at all he's gotten away with, and no one's ever held him accountable. And here he sits in the White House, he's got no legislative branch to worry about, the Republican Party is his. 'Who's gonna stop him? The courts? The people? He feels untouchable right now.' He further warned that Trump, whom he referred to as 'the king', will next try to defy a Supreme Court order. 'That's the next part of this. The king's going to defy the Supreme Court and then what does the Republican party do?,' he continued. Steele interjected: 'Not the party. What the hell does the country do?' Walsh claimed that currently, as 'the king is standing with Putin and standing against the free world', the Republican party is staying 'quiet'. He then doubled down on Steele's assertion, saying: 'When the king defies the Supreme Court, what does the country do?' Walsh further warned that Trump, whom he referred to as 'the king', will next try to defy a Supreme Court order. Trump is seen walking down the stairs of Air Force One upon his arrival at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on Sunday, March 9, 2025 Walsh (pictured on Sunday's program) has been a longtime Trump critic and even challenged him in the 2020 Republican primary, although he ended his campaign after just six months. He claimed the 'biggest failure' during the Trump era has been that 'we have not imagined how bad and how low he'd go' Walsh's criticisms of Trump come just weeks after South Carolina Republican Rep. Joe Wilson announced he is drafting legislation to put Trump's face on a new $250 bill notwithstanding Trump being very much alive. Wilson posted on X he was 'grateful to announce that I am drafting legislation to direct the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to design a $250 bill featuring Donald J. Trump'. 'Bidenflation has destroyed the economy forcing American families to carry more cash. Most valuable bill for most valuable President!' he wrote. Wilson who famously shouted 'You lie!' during Barack Obama's 2017 State of the Union address even posted a new image of a potential design for the bill. It had a colorized, stern-looking Trump's face emblazoned on the new $250. There is one major potential snag before the idea can hit the printing presses - an 1866 law states that only non-living individuals can be put on US currency. Similarly, Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna announced in January that she was officially filing legislation to add Trump's face to Mount Rushmore. 'I'm actually filing the legislation as we speak,' Luna tweeted at the time, responding to a video by Benny Johnson in which Corey Lewandowski made the same suggestion. Walsh has previously claimed that he officially turned against Trump in 2018 after the president's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Finland (pictured). Trump faced backlash for the meeting after he seemed to support Russia 's assertion that it didn't interfere in the 2016 election, despite US intelligence reports claiming that it did 'What are we waiting on? Donald Trump's face should be on Mount Rushmore. We've got the votes. Trump's gonna sign it. Let's get it done to memorialize what this man's achieved for this country,' Lewandowski said during his appearance on The Benny Show. Mount Rushmore, located in the Black Hills of South Dakota, is a massive granite sculpture featuring the 60-foot-tall faces of four US presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. These presidents were chosen to represent key milestones in American history: the nation's birth (Washington), expansion (Jefferson), development (Roosevelt), and preservation (Lincoln). The idea for Mount Rushmore originated in the 1920s with South Dakota historian Doane Robinson, who hoped to boost tourism in the region. It would have been the last thing Adrian and Joanne Fenton were expecting to find when unpacking their motorhome after a long drive from France. After arriving home in Heybridge, Essex, late on October 15, Mr Fenton started to unload their stuff, and began with the bikes attached to the back of the vehicle. But as he unzipped the cover of the bike rack, the retired firefighter was shocked to discover a Sudanese man inside the bag, clinging onto the motorhome. 'He goes to take the bikes off and as he unzips and unlocks the cover, which is really tight, he sees two trainers and suddenly he thinks to himself "I haven't left any trainers on here" and then he sees there are two legs attached to it,' Ms Fenton said. 'He then called me, and I was at the front unloading and said, "Joanne you need to call the police, we have a stowaway"'. After police arrived and took the migrant away, the Fentons were interviewed by officers and thought that this would be the end to the story. But just over two months later, the pair were left furious after the Home Office issued them with a 1,500 fine for failing to 'check that no clandestine entrant was concealed' in the motorhome. Mrs Fenton labelled the fine as 'exceptionally unfair', telling The JVS show on BBC Three Counties Radio: 'I'm so angry and it's so frustrating because we have done the right thing. Police officers were called to Heybridge, Essex, after Adrian and Joanne Fenton discovered a migrant in a bike rack bag on the back of their motorhome Mr Fenton was shocked to discover the Sudanese man clinging onto the motorhome from inside the bag (pictured) Mrs Fenton (pictured with her husband Adrian) says she is now drafting an appeal, but fears her story could prevent people from 'doing the right thing' if they found themselves in a similar situation 'We have phoned the police. It's dangerous enough when you drive through France, and you can ask anyone who drives through France and comes up to the borders. 'These clandestines are everywhere. So, to stop and go outside and check your vehicle all the time is dangerous. How can you do that? It's on a bike rack. It's not internal.' The Fentons said they had 'no idea' how or when the migrant had got into the bike cover for their six-hour drive across the channel and up the M25. The couple, who had been travelling in France with friends and returned to the UK via ferry, said border officials in Calais and the UK had failed to spot him when inspecting the vehicle before or after the crossing. After Mr Fenton unzipped the bag at 10.15pm and discovered the individual, Mrs Fenton said she offered the young man a bottle of water, to which he said 'thank you'. He only had a mobile phone on him, and told officers he was 16 and from Sudan, Mrs Fenton said. It wasn't until the festive period that the couple were contacted by the Home Office via email with details of the offence and the fine. In the email, they were told that they failed to 'check that no clandestine entrant was concealed in the vehicle'. But Mrs Fenton is looking to challenge this, as he was clinging to the outside rather than on board the motorhome. Mrs Fenton said the migrant (pictured) only had a mobile phone on him and told officers he was 16 and from Sudan The Fentons said they had 'no idea' how or when the migrant had got into the bike cover during their six-hour drive across the channel and up the M25 After Mr Fenton unzipped the bag at 10.15pm and discovered the individual (pictured sitting on the floor), Mrs Fenton said she offered the young man a bottle of water, to which he said 'thank you' The couple (pictured) were left furious after the Home Office issued them with a 1,500 fine for failing to 'check that no clandestine entrant was concealed' in the motorhome The email also told them that the 'entrant' was found by an authorised search officer, even though the couple say they called the police the night they found him. The fine, which reach as high as 10,000 in some cases, referenced asylum and immigration legislation. Mrs Fenton says she is now drafting an appeal, which she claims will cost her a further 150, but feared her story would prevent people from 'doing the right thing' if they found themselves in a similar situation. She said: 'How safe is it for the everyday holidaymaker to get out of their vehicle, whether they are towing a caravan, whether driving a van, whether driving a motor home? How safe is it for us to keep getting out and checking that they are not grabbing underneath? It's impossible.' 'We will appeal, but it sounds like we will not get anywhere. We will just be wasting more money and we are going to end up having to pay the fine. 'It's the legit people like my husband and I that are coming through and have done the right thing that are getting fined for it. Where is the justification in that?' The Home Office said penalties were 'designed to target negligence rather than criminality' and stressed that contacting the authorities is a 'huge mitigating factor' in how people are dealt with in these cases. A spokesperson said: 'Responsible persons who have fully complied with the actions laid out in the carriers liability amendment regulations of 2023 will receive a reduced penalty. The scheme is designed to target negligence, rather than criminality. 'We would expect drivers who are actively involved in people smuggling to be investigated and prosecuted in the courts. Increased fines, new maximum penalty levels and a new penalty for failing to adequately secure a goods vehicle came into force on February 13, 2023, to prevent dangerous and illegal journeys to the UK.' An Israeli tourist who was gang-raped on a stargazing trip in India screamed as she was dragged away and assaulted, another victim has revealed. The 27-year-old woman from Israel was on a stargazing excursion near the canal in Koppal town in the southern Karnataka state on Thursday with her female host and three male travellers when three men attacked the group. The three attackers threw the male travellers, an American and two Indians, into the canal, with police confirming that one of the tourists, an Indian man, drowned and that his body was recovered on Saturday, while the other two swam to safety. Meanwhile, the Israeli woman and her host were brutally beaten and raped before the attackers fled the scene. 'I was bleeding heavily. Two of the attackers joined forces and dragged me to the side of the canal. One of them strangled me and removed my clothes. One after another, they beat me and raped me,' the Indian guesthouse owner told Indian media. She said the Israeli woman was dragged away by one of the men before he raped her. She added: 'When we screamed and cried, the three fled on their motorcycle.' The horrifying attack has caused hundreds of terrified holidaymakers visiting the UNESCO World Heritage site in northern Karnataka to flee. One Israeli traveller, 21, told Indian media that she and her friends were 'concerned' for their safety following the incident and decided to check out of their guest house to leave the area. 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 Two of the men in custody have also been pictured by police and named as Sai Chetan and Mallesh, both reportedly residents of the Gangavathi region One of the tourists drowned and his body was recovered on Saturday Another tourist, a 23-year-old also from Israel, said his group decided not to leave their accommodation at night out of fear of another attack. 'The information about the gang rape spread like wildfire on WhatsApp groups and about 400 people, mainly Israelis, have left since March 7,' a homestay host told local media. The man added that he and other hosts are worried about their livelihoods as the attack could have lasting effects on tourism in the area. Thursday's attack saw the three suspects arrive on a motorbike around 10.30pm as the group of five was stargazing and playing the guitar, according to the female host. The men asked the group for directions to a gas station, but the Indian woman told them there was no gas station nearby. One of the men then demanded 100 rupees (less than 1). She said: 'They didn't know us, so I told them I didn't have any money. But they kept demanding and demanding until one of the male tourists gave them 20 rupees (0.18).' An argument ensued when the tourists refused to give the men more money, with the suspects threatening the group before pushing the men into the canal and hitting them with stones as well as raping and beating the women. The host said that the attackers stole her bag and fled with two mobile phones and 9,500 rupees (85). Police identified the man who died after being pushed into the canal as Bhibas Nayak, 26, and the surviving Indian man who swam to safety as a Maharashtra resident named Pankaj Police identified the man who died after being pushed into the canal as Bhibas Nayak, 26, and the surviving Indian man who swam to safety as a Maharashtra resident named Pankaj. A special investigation team arrested two of the suspects on suspicion of attempted murder, gang rape and robbery on March 8. The third remained at large until March 9, when police also took him into custody after looking through CCTV from the area where the attack happened. Two of the men in custody have also been pictured by police and named as Sai Chetan and Mallesh, both reportedly residents of the Gangavathi region. 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. The chief minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah said: 'The horrific attack and rape of an Israeli citizen and a guesthouse owner are heinous crimes.' While Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not address the gang rape attack directly, he said in a statement on International Women's Day on the weekend: 'When a daughter comes home late, her parents ask questions. But they do not ask similar questions when a son comes home late. 'Over the past decade, we have prioritized women's safety and security. To stop crimes against women, we have changed laws and established the death penalty for heinous acts like rape.' Instances of rape and sexual violence have been under scrutiny since the gang-rape and killing of 23-year-old student Jyoti Singh (pictured) on a New Delhi bus in 2012 Jyoti's case horrified India and sparked nationwide protests such as here on December 23, 2012 in New Delhi but despite this initial outrage and anger, ten years on, hundreds of women in India are still being raped and murdered every day 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 23-year-old student Jyoti Singh 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. JD Vance's furious cousin has blasted Donald Trump and the vice-president after he spent three years fighting in Vladimir Putin's war against Ukraine. Nate Vance, 47, a former volunteer fighter who battled Russian forces on the front lines, launched a scathing attack on his cousin and the president, branding them 'Putin's useful idiots'. His blistering comments come just days after Trump suspended US military support to Ukraine, piling pressure on Volodymyr Zelensky to negotiate with Moscow. The move has sparked international condemnation, with fears that Kyiv could be left dangerously exposed against Russian advances. Nate, who fought in some of the war's bloodiest battles including Kupiansk, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Pokrovsk as part of the elite 'Da Vinci Wolves' battalion, criticized his cousin's explosive Oval Office showdown with Zelensky last month. During that meeting, JD Vance publicly berated the Ukrainian president, accusing him of being 'disrespectful' and failing to show gratitude for US military support. 'Have you said thank you once?' the Vice President demanded, accusing Zelensky of 'litigating in front of the American media'. But the Texan condemned the encounter as a 'political ambush', accusing his cousin of pandering to pro-Putin elements in the Republican Party. 'JD Vance is a good man, smart. When he criticized aid to Ukraine, I thought it was because it was part of a political game,' Nate told Le Figaro. Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky (left) was involved in an argument at the White House with US President Donald Trump (center) and US Vice-President JD Vance (right) A serviceman of 24th Mechanized brigade named after King Danylo of the Ukrainian Armed Forces fires a 2s5 'Hyacinth-s' self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops at a front line 'But what they did to Zelensky was an ambush with absolute badness. Just because we're related doesn't mean I'm going to accept you helping kill my comrades'. He said he had long believed his cousin's criticism of Ukraine aid was just political posturing, but now he fears JD Vance and Trump are actively undermining Ukraine's fight for survival. 'Donald Trump and my cousin clearly believe they can placate Vladimir Putin. They are wrong. The Russians are not about to forget our support for Ukraine,' he warned. Nate also hit out at his cousin's dismissal of intelligence reports on Ukraine's war effort. 'I was disappointed. When JD justifies his distrust of Zelensky by the 'reports' he has seen, I thought I was going to choke,' he said. 'His own cousin was on the front lines. I could have told him the truth, without pretence, without personal interest. He never tried to find out more.' Nate revealed that he had tried to contact JD Vance's office multiple times but never received a response. According to a recent post from Ukraine Defence on Instagram which also shared a striking image of Nate in combat gear, the VP's cousin served four years in the US Marine Corps between the ages of 18 and 22. He then spent over two decades in San Antonio, Texas, living a quite life while working in the oil industry. Then in March 2022, three weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine, he traveled to Lviv where he met a British volunteer for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Nate bravely decided to join, and in June he found himself in Donbas. Also attacking Mr Zelensky at the White House was US Vice-President JD Vance (pictured) Ukrainian recruits and British Armed Forces trainers pose for a photograph on an AS90 self-propelled artillery system at a military facility, on February 23, 2023 in Southern England Members of the National Police Special Purpose Battalion of Zaporizhzhia region fire a D-30 howitzer towards Russian troops on a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine March 7, 2025 Nate hit out at his cousin's dismissal of intelligence reports on Ukraine's war effort 'He was much older than us. On the first day, we went to the shooting range. He took a simple Kalashnikov, without a sight, and set up 800meters from the target,' Nate's fellow comrade Dima told the newspaper. 'Everyone laughed at him. When he hit the metal target five times in a row, the laughter stopped,' he added. 'He is an excellent fighter with a cold-blooded character - 15 times we should have died - 15 times we managed to survive,' said Honor Commander Sergey Filimonov. Nate Vance returned to the US in January, shortly before his cousin assumed the Vice Presidency, saying it had become 'too dangerous' to stay in Ukraine. Nate had always been discreet about his relationship with Donald Trump's running mate, claiming it had become complicated to stay and if the information was revealed, he could have risked capture. Nate completed his service but does not stop supporting the war-torn country. According to the French newspaper Nate is now looking to publish his war memoirs. But the rift between the two cousins lays bare the deep divisions in US politics over the future of Ukraine. While Nate risked his life to defend the country from Russian aggression, JD Vance and Donald Trump appear determined to cut Kyiv adrift and force a peace deal on Putin's terms. Nate and JD share grandparents - JD's mother Beverly is the sister of Nate's father, James. Images have shown that the the two men have vacationed together, in Middletown, with JD's family, and in California, where Nate's family briefly lived. Pope Francis's recovery from double pneumonia in hospital is entering its fourth week, with questions being raised about what the future of his papacy might look like. The pontiff followed the opening of a spiritual retreat by videoconference yesterday, but could not be seen or heard by priests, bishops and cardinals in the Vatican auditorium. The Pope remains in Rome's Gemelli hospital, where he was admitted on February 14, ahead of the 12th anniversary of his election on Thursday. In its early update Monday, the Vatican said Francis was resting after a quiet night. At the time of his hospitalization last month, the 88-year-old pope, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, had 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 papacy and prompted questions about the future. He has remained in stable condition for over a week, with no fever, respiratory crises and good oxygen levels in his blood for several days, doctors reported. The doctors said that such stability was in itself a positive thing and showed he was responding well to therapy. But they kept his prognosis as 'guarded,' meaning that he's not out of danger. Doctors were expected to provide a medical update later Monday. The pontiff followed the opening of a spiritual retreat by videoconference yesterday, but could not be seen or heard (file image) Faithful attend a Rosary prayer for the health of Pope Francis who is hospitalized with pneumonia, in St. Peter's Square, Vatican City, March 9 A statement on the Pope's X account yesterday read: 'I think of the many people who find various ways to be close to the sick, becoming a sign of the Lord's presence for them. 'We need this 'miracle of tenderness' to accompany those who face adversity, in order to bring a little light into the night of pain.' The Vatican will mark the pontiff's election anniversary in his absence, making it the first anniversary celebration with him out of sight. Francis was elected the 266th pope, the first Jesuit pope and first from Latin America, on March 13, 2013 following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. On Sunday, Francis met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin and the chief of staff, Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra, for the third time at the hospital. Such meetings are the routine way the pope governs, and shows Francis is still keeping up with essential business. While Francis has previously praised Benedict for his courage and humility in resigning, he has indicated more recently that he believes the job of pope is for life and said as recently as last year that he had no plans of stepping down. The Pope remains in Rome's Gemelli hospital, where he was admitted on February 14. Pictured: Faithful, priests and nuns pray outside yesterday Francis has been using high flows of supplemental oxygen to help him breathe during the day and a noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask at night. The Vatican is currently observing a weeklong spiritual retreat, with the Pope listening to the opening by the Rev. Roberto Pasolini from his hospital room yesterday. Pasolini delivered a meditation on 'The hope of eternal life,' a theme that was chosen well before Francis was admitted. The retreat, which is an annual gathering that kicks off the Catholic Church's solemn Lenten season leading to Easter, continues through the week. The Vatican has said Francis would participate 'in spiritual communion' with the rest of the hierarchy, from afar. Reform UK has been thrown into fresh chaos after a top lawyer appointed to investigate MP Rupert Lowe denied making statements he attributed to her. The King's Counsel barrister made the astonishing decision to speak out after the Great Yarmouth MP suggested she was unhappy at the action taken against him amid claims made about his conduct. Mr Lowe had the Reform whip suspended on Friday and was reported to the police after claims of threatening violence against the party chairman Zia Yusuf. Reform also said it had received evidence of 'serious bullying' and 'derogatory' remarks made about women in the MP's offices, with two separate employees said to have made allegations. Mr Lowe has claimed the charges were part of a 'malicious witch hunt' instigated because he claimed leader Nigel Farage was acting like a 'messiah', and denied any wrongdoing. In a post on X shortly after the news first broke on Friday evening, he claimed that the KC was 'dismayed' that the statement had been made by Reform, and had 'stated on numerous occasions' that 'there is no credible evidence' against him. However last night the KC told the BBC: 'I have not expressed either ''dismay'' or ''shock'' at any time as to the process'. 'Nor have I said ''there is zero credible evidence against [Mr Lowe]'', let alone said this ''repeatedly''.' The King's Counsel barrister made the astonishing decision to speak out after the Great Yarmouth MP suggested she was unhappy at the action taken against him amid claims made about his conduct. In a post on X shortly after the news first broke on Friday evening, he claimed that the KC was 'dismayed' that the statement had been made by Reform, and had 'stated on numerous occasions' that 'there is no credible evidence' against him. Mr Lowe has claimed the charges were part of a 'malicious witch hunt' instigated because he claimed leader Nigel Farage was acting like a 'messiah', and denied any wrongdoing. The lawyer has not been named by Reform but the broadcaster said their credentials had been verified. Her statement is the latest twist in an increasingly rancorous row between Mr Lowe, Mr Farage and the wider Reform leadership. In a further statement on X on Sunday evening, Mr Lowe said that 'ever since this malicious attack on my reputation was launched, all I have asked for from both Reform and the KC is the credible evidence against me.' He said that 'none has been provided' because 'there is no credible evidence against me'. He added: 'I will not have my name dragged through the mud as part of a political assassination because I dared to question Nigel Farage.' Splits in the party appeared on Thursday after Mr Lowe told the Daily Mail that Reform remained a 'protest party led by the messiah' under Mr Farage. Asked whether the former Ukip leader had the potential to become prime minister, as his supporters have suggested, Mr Lowe said: 'It's too early to know whether Nigel will deliver the goods. He can only deliver if he surrounds himself with the right people.' Yesterday, Reform's deputy leader Richard Tice said it was 'right and proper' that the KC had been appointed to conduct an investigation. Mr Lowe had the Reform whip suspended on Friday and was reported to the police after claims of threatening violence against the party chairman Zia Yusuf. He told Sky News: 'We've also got a duty of care as a party, whether people are employed directly or indirectly. So, that's why the chairman has instructed an independent investigation by a KC, that's the right and proper thing to do. That will run its course.' Mr Lowe has threatened to sue his former party Reform, insisting he is being targeted because he spoke out against Mr Farage. He also accused the party of trying to silence him over his outspoken immigration views, which include deporting more than a million immigrants out of the UK. Mr Farage used an article in a Sunday newspaper to warn that parties which fight in public only alienated voters. But In a lengthy X post, Mr Lowe said the claims against him were 'maliciously concocted to drag my name through the mud with zero credible evidence'. Hitting out at the decision to suspend him before the results of an independent investigation he added: 'All of this, and more, is with my legal team. I will not tolerate these falsehoods. It is a vindictive witch hunt, all because I asked awkward questions of Nigel.' Hundreds of thousands of people still using old radio teleswitch service (RTS) meters could be left without electricity or hot water from this summer, experts have warned. RTS meters were introduced in the 1980s and rely on longwave radio signals from the BBC's transmitter to switch meters between peak and off-peak tariff rates. However the equipment which broadcasts the signal from the Droitwich Transmitting Station in Worcestershire is nearly obsolete and it will be switched off on June 30. Energy suppliers are trying to encourage those with RTS meters to replace them with more modern smart meters as a campaign is fronted by TV presenter Lorraine Kelly. But 600,000 RTS meters remain in England, Scotland and Wales - meaning electricity and hot water supply could stop functioning at those homes after the deadline. The regulator Ofgem is pushing energy firms to ensure the switchover is completed in time, but fears over smart meters are thought to be making some people reluctant. Households may have an RTS meter if they have a switch box near their energy meter labelled 'Radio Teleswitch', or have electric or storage heaters. RTS meters are also found if there is no gas supply to the area, or in rural areas or in a block of flats. Those who get cheaper energy at different times of day may also be impacted, including on tariffs such as 'Economy 7', 'Economy 10' or 'Total Heat Total Control'. RTS meters were introduced in the 1980s and rely on longwave radio signals (stock picture) A campaign for the switchover was launched in January by a taskforce set up last year which included Ofgem and trade group Energy UK, backed by consumer groups National Energy Action and Energy Action Scotland. How to find out if you have an RTS meter Ofgem advises that you may have an radio teleswitch service (RTS) meter if: your home has a separate switch box near your meter with a Radio Teleswitch label on it your home is heated using electricity or storage heaters there is no gas supply to your area, including households in rural areas and high-rise flats you get cheaper energy at different times of day, for example, you might be on an Economy 7, Economy 10, or Total Heat Total Control tariff Advertisement This highlighted the 'urgent need for RTS customers to book the installation of a new meter as soon as their energy supplier contacts them'. Ofgem said at the time that it expected suppliers to transfer 100,000 customers using RTS every month until June, which it said was feasible under current plans. All customers should have been contacted by their supplier by the end of last year, and 300,000 RTS meters were switched over last year. Ofgem warned in the campaign: 'Failure to act may result in the heating and/or hot water being continually left on or off, or the charging-up happening at the wrong time of day, leading to higher bills.' Customers were told that they will not be charged for their meter replacement and should be aware of scams, given no payment details should be asked for when booking an appointment. In a campaign video, Kelly explains what the RTS service is and how households and businesses can identify if they have an RTS meter. It comes amid concerns from some charities that fears over smart meters could be leaving people unenthusiastic about getting rid of their RTS meter. Anindita Sarkar, from the Citizens Advice Bureau in Reading, told the BBC that people were 'worried' about smart meters, despite them working well 'most of the time'. The equipment which broadcasts the signal for RTS meters from the Droitwich Transmitting Station (pictured) in Worcestershire is nearly obsolete and it will be switched off on June 30 She added: 'It is technology so might have interruptions but when they're working well smart meters have many advantages.' Dhara Vyas, chief executive of Energy UK, said: 'Energy suppliers are working closely with consumer groups and the regulator Ofgem to urge customers with Radio Teleswitch (RTS) meters to act now to upgrade their meter. 'Suppliers continue to make every effort to get in touch with customers to ensure they have a swift and seamless upgrade, and can give extra support to households that need it. 'Contacting their supplier to arrange a replacement - at no extra cost to the customer - as soon as possible will minimise the disruption, help ensure a smooth upgrade to a smart meter and mean that customers continue to enjoy the benefits they currently get from their RTS meter.' And Danni Barnes, director of development and partnerships at National Energy Action, said: 'Radio Teleswitch (RTS) meters are often used with ageing electric heating systems, which are more common in areas experiencing severe fuel poverty. 'The switch-off could exacerbate costs for households already struggling and result in households losing control of their heating and hot water. In the worst cases, some may not be able to use their heating or hot water at all. 'It is crucial for anyone with a RTS meter to contact their supplier urgently to get their meter changed. Equally important is supporting people within our communities who may lack the confidence to do this on their own.' The Droitwich transmitting station opened in the 1930s but RTS meters launched in the 1980s In Scotland, as of October last year, more than 165,000 households and businesses were still using RTS meters, with the Northern Isles, Argyll and Berwickshire the most affected. Frazer Scott, chief executive of Energy Action Scotland, said: 'It is vitally important that awareness of the Radio Teleswitch shutdown is raised both quickly and widely as for decades it has provided controls that provide heat and hot water to homes across Scotland with electric heating. 'When it does stop, people could be left without heat or be powerless to prevent bills from spiralling if their heating stays on. 'We urge everyone, customers, landlords and local, regional and national charities to respond to the campaign to ensure that no individual and no household is left without and at risk.' The BBC does not own the RTS, but delivers the signal from its transmitters alongside the Radio 4 longwave frequency. A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokeswoman said: 'We are working closely with Ofgem and energy suppliers to upgrade meters and ensure the transition is as smooth as possible for consumers. 'There are now 37 million smart and advanced meters in homes and small businesses across Great Britain, making up 65 per cent of all gas and electricity meters. These are helping to give consumers more control over their energy and save money on their bills.' And an Ofgem spokesman said: 'The RTS upgrade programme is about consumer welfare ensuring customers maintain control of their heating and hot water when the ageing 40-year-old infrastructure that provides the RTS signal is phased out. 'In most cases, smart meters are the best replacement for RTS meters opening access to new money-saving tariffs though we expect suppliers to consider a range of solutions to ensure customers get on to a metering and payment arrangement appropriate for them. 'Customers should speak to their supplier to understand all the options that are available. 'Ofgem set up a taskforce alongside Energy UK, bringing together suppliers and the wider sector to accelerate progress and solve complex technical barriers posed in certain remote regions. 'Ofgem has also demanded action plans from every supplier, which we are currently scrutinising to ensure that robust contingencies are in place to protect any customers who remain on RTS meters after the switch-off date.' A homeless man has been charged with criminal damage and possession of a knife after an attempted 'ram raid' attack at an army barracks. Hampshire police rushed to the scene at 4.30pm on Saturday following reports a man had tried to enter the disused St Omer Barracks in Aldershot. The 54-year-old allegedly tried to smash through the gates at the military site before getting out the car, verbally abusing guards and damaging his motor with a knife. The man was arrested on suspicion of possessing a knife in a public place and for criminal damage after reportedly being tackled by Royal Military Police. He is understood to have made comments about carrying explosives, meaning bomb squad experts from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team also rushed to the scene. Upon their arrival, they were able to confirm there was no explosive threat. Jason Pellatt, 54, of no fixed abode has since been charged with possessing a knife in a public place, dangerous driving, assault of an emergency worker and affray. He has been remanded into custody and has since been sectioned. He is due to appear at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court later today. Hampshire Police rushed to the scene at 4.30pm on Saturday following reports that a man had tried to enter the St Omer Barracks in Aldershot (pictured in Google file image) The civilian allegedly tried to ram through the gates at the barracks before getting out the car, verbally abusing guards and damaging the vehicle with a knife (Google file image) Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances, but at this time, it is not being treated as a terrorism related incident, Hampshire police said. Nobody was injured during the drama, the force added. St Omer Barracks was established in 1941 as part of the expansion of the Aldershot Garrison, which is known as the 'Home of the British Army'. The army base was named in honour of the town of St Omer in France, which served as a key staging area British forces during the First World War. A large tower block containing over 60 kitchen-classrooms, lecture rooms, a cinema, a theatre and two 500-seater dining rooms was constructed on the site in the 1960s, before being demolished in 2007. Since then, various parts of the barracks have become disused or have been redeveloped, including a Junior Ranks bar, which was last year converted into a modern conference centre for military personnel as part of a 900,000 overhaul. Israel ordered an immediate halt to Gaza's electricity supply ahead of talks in Doha to negotiate extending the fragile ceasefire agreement. Energy Minister Eli Cohen said on Sunday he had signed an order to cut off power to the beleaguered Gaza Strip 'immediately'. The move threatens the functionality of Gaza's desalination plants, crucial for clean drinking water, and comes a week after Israel cut off all aid supplies to the territory. The Israeli government said it has not ruled out cutting off water supplies as it looks to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages held in Gaza. Talks to prolong the ceasefire agreement will resume in Qatar today, with Israel looking for Hamas to accept its terms for an extension of the first phase. Hamas is seeking to begin negotiations on the three-part ceasefire's second phase, however, which would see the release of the remaining hostages, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and a move towards a permanent end to the war. The United Nations human rights office warned Israel that the 'denial' of such essentials for civilians 'may amount to collective punishment'. Displaced Palestinian children push into a queue to get a portion of cooked food from a charity kitchen in Beit Lahia, on March 9, 2025 Protesters hold photos of hostages held in the Gaza Strip during a demonstration calling for the release of remaining hostages held in the Gaza Strip by Hamas on March 8, 2025 in Tel Aviv, Israel Destroyed houses line a street in Beit Lahia after more than a year of bombardment, March 9 A Palestinian man cooks food on a makeshift stove on the rubble of a building where her family took shelter in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, on March 9, 2025 Israeli army soldiers walk past tanks at a position near Israel's southern border with the Gaza Strip on March 6, 2025 Having condemned the decision to cut electricity to Gaza as 'cheap and unacceptable blackmail', Hamas said it 'dealt flexibly' with mediators in Doha, while reasserting its hopes of moving to the second stage of the agreed ceasefire deal. What happens next? A ceasefire was announced on January 15 to halt the conflict between Hamas and Israel, but not all details were fully hashed out. The terms were based on a proposal laid out by former U.S. President Joe Biden in May 2024, and would involve three stages. In the first phase, Hamas would return hostages and Israel would return Palestinian prisoners. Israeli forces also left populated areas of Gaza and hundreds of aid lorries were allowed into Gaza. Talks on the second stage were to begin 16 days after the first came into effect, but this did not happen. In the second phase, a permanent ceasefire would be established, Israeli forces would make a complete withdrawal and the remaining living hostages would be exchanged for prisoners. A final, third phase would see the return of all remaining bodies of dead hostages and the reconstruction of Gaza. Advertisement A statement said that the group was awaiting the outcome of mediators' negotiations with Israel. U.S. envoy Adam Boehler acknowledged that negotiations were moving forward in 'baby steps' but said that Hamas' demands were 'relatively reasonable' and 'workable'. Boehler said on Sunday that a deal could be reached 'within weeks' to secure all remaining hostages. 'They suggested exchanging all prisoners, so all of our hostages now for some number of prisoner swap. We didn't get into that,' Boehler told Kan Reshet Bet. 'And they suggested a five-year to ten-year truce where Hamas would lay down all weapons and where the United States would help, as well as other countries, ensure that there's no tunnels, there's nothing taken on the military side and that Hamas is not involved in politics going forward. And I thought that was not a bad first offer.' A Hamas spokesperson subsequently denied the claim of the group disarming, cited in Al Araby Al Jadeed today. There are still significant differences over the terms of a potential second phase of the truce, which has largely halted the violence that raged since Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Hamas has repeatedly called for immediate negotiations on the next phase, while Israel prefers an extension of the current one. The Palestinian group has demanded that the second phase of the truce would include a comprehensive hostage-prisoner exchange, a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, a permanent ceasefire, and the reopening of border crossings to end the blockade. Israel has sought to ensure the return of hostages still held in Gaza before progressing - a sticking point for Hamas, which views the hostages as leverage to ensure favourable peace terms. Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, hand over on Saturday three Israeli hostages Omer Shem-Tov, Eliya Cohen and Omer Wenkert to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as part of the seventh exchange under the Jan. 19 ceasefire deal in Nuseirat Refugee Camp of the Deir al-Balah, Gaza on February 22, 2025 Armed fighters from Hamas' Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades stand guard during the handover of three Israeli hostages in Al Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, 22 February 2025 A destroyed house in Al Zaitun neighbourhood, east of Gaza City, March 9, 2025 Palestinian children play in a red toy car near their displacement camp in Beit Lahia, March 9 Eli Cohen (pictured in 2023) announced the decision to cut of electricity 'immediately' Of the 251 hostages taken during the October 7 attack, 58 are still held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military has confirmed dead. Boehler told CNN there could be 'a deal where they can get all of the prisoners out, not just the Americans'. There are five Israeli-US nationals among the hostages, four of whom have been confirmed dead. On CNN, the US envoy said a 'long-term truce' was 'real close', while in an interview with Israel's Channel 12 that aired later on Sunday, he said Washington would back any Israeli decision, including a return to war. But the tactic of shutting off electricity to Gaza marks a step back for diplomatic routes, echoing the early days of the war when Israel announced a 'siege' on Gaza, severing the electricity supply which was only restored in mid-2024. The sole power line between Israel and Gaza supplies the Palestinian territory's main desalination plant, and Gazans now mainly rely on solar panels and fuel-powered generators to produce electricity. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are now living in tents across Gaza, where temperatures reach a low of about 12 degrees Celsius (54 Fahrenheit) at night. Top Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq said the Israeli decision 'to cut off electricity to Gaza, after depriving it of food, medicine, and water' was a 'desperate attempt to pressure our people and their resistance'. Wendy Williams was taken from her assisted living home by ambulance after she dropped a note to paparazzi pleading for help. The former talk show host, 60, is battling to end her court-ordered guardianship, and was escorted by police and walked to the ambulance on her own. Wendy Williams was taken from her assisted living home by ambulance after she dropped a note to paparazzi pleading for help Page Six reported Wendy was in her fifth-story room at a New York City assisted living facility on Monday (10.03.25) when she tossed a handwritten note out of the window. The message read: "Help! Wendy!!" Police arrived at around 11.15am for a wellness check on the broadcaster, and photos showed her wearing a T-shirt, black leggings and a long sweater as she left the facility looking sombre. Officers assisted her as she climbed into the ambulance. Wendy's representative has not yet responded to a request for comment from Page Six. Last month, TMZ reported Wendy, who has denied having frontotemporal dementia, formally requested a judge to terminate her guardianship. Wendy, who had previously fired her court-appointed attorney, claimed in an affidavit she has "regained (the) capacity" to function without her legal guardian, Sabrina Morrissey. On 18 February, Wendy was scheduled for a medical examination to reassess her condition. Sources told TMZ if her request to end the guardianship was denied, she would "demand" a jury trial. The former broadcaster addressed her situation in an emotional interview with 'The Breakfast Club' in January, stating: "I am definitely isolated I keep the door closed. I watch TV. I listen to the radio. I watch the window. I sit here, and my life goes by." Wendy also alleged she only had $15 to her name. Her niece, Alex Finnie, participated in the conversation, saying Wendy "sounds great" and not "like an incapacitated person". Wendy has been largely out of the public eye since leaving 'The Wendy Williams Show' in 2021, with her guardianship becoming a major topic of discussion the following year. She has, however, made public appearances in Florida for her sons college graduation and her fathers birthday celebration. Wendy was scheduled to do a phone interview with 'The View' on 14 March. A Boeing E-4B plane in the skies could be an ominous signal of impending doom as the vessel is designed to be deployed ahead of a deadly nuclear attack. Nicknamed the 'doomsday plane' because of it's ability to survive a nuclear blast, America's fleet of E-4B planes are meant to protect the president and high-ranking government officials from an apocalyptic-level attack. President Donald Trump on Sunday warned that nuclear weapons are the greatest threat to humanity and said that a nuclear war 'could happen tomorrow'. Trump, who is in charge of the second-largest nuclear stockpile in the world, told Fox News' Sunday Morning Features that the use of 'monster' warheads may 'end the world', adding that the 'level of destruction is beyond anything you can imagine'. But the US Air Force has a fleet of $223million top-secret aircraft that will serve as a mobile war room for the president and his top officials in the case of a national emergency. The Air Force currently operates four E-4B aircraft, with at least one on alert at all times at the Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska. They are typically used to transport the secretary of defense on overseas travel, but are also tasked with following Air Force One on the president's trips abroad. The aircraft have been in operation since the Cold War and provide leaders with a survivable command and control center, and the ability to deliver orders to the military in the event of a national emergency. Nicknamed the 'doomsday plane' because of it's ability to survive a nuclear blast, America's fleet of Boeing E-4B planes are designed to protect the president and high-ranking government officials from a nuclear attack (file photo) An air-to-air right side view of an E-4B advanced airborne national command post aircraft being refueled from a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft (file photo) E-4B planes have unique capabilities that cannot be duplicated by any other aircraft that the Air Force uses. The so-called doomsday planes have thermal and nuclear shielding, and are capable of withstanding nuclear blasts, electromagnetic effects and cyber attacks. They can also launch retaliatory missiles. They carry special equipment and have the capability to communicate with anyone, anywhere in the world, and support analysts and strategists in-flight. E-4Bs have 67 satellite dishes and antennas in the ray dome, Business Insider reports. Doomsday planes all have three decks that include a command room, conference room, briefing room, team work area, communications room, and a designated rest area featuring 18 bunks. The planes have remained airborne and operational for as long as 35.4 hours in one stint, but they were designed to be able to operate in-flight for a full week without needing to land. The E-4B is also capable of refueling mid-air. Doomsday planes, called National Airborne Operation Centers when they are in-flight, are operated by the First Airborne Command and Control Squadron of the 595th Command and Control Group. They are coordinated by the United States Strategic Command and are stationed near the Offutt base. The planes are outfitted as complete command centers for the president and his top officials, including the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in the case of nuclear war or national emergency When the president is in the US, a doomsday plane is kept with its engine running at all times and ready 24 hours a day. If the President goes abroad, the E-4Bs follow and are known to the crews as 'Air Force One When It Counts'. Should an emergency occur, one of the four craft is thus able to rendezvous with Air Force One almost immediately. The Air Force has a four aircraft fleet of Boeing E4 planes, which are capable of operating with the largest crew of any aircraft in US Air Force history at 112 people, both flight and mission personnel. They are not always used as doomsday vessels. The Secretary of Defense will occasionally travel overseas in a E-4B and hold press briefings. The US is not the only country known to have a fleet of doomsday planes. Russia has a Ilyushin Il-80 plane known as the 'Flying Kremlin', which is designed to protect President Vladimir Putin in the event of a nuclear attack, according to Euro News. Similarly to America's E-4B fleet, the Flying Kremlin serves as an airborne command post in the event of nuclear attack. The lumbering Il-80 Maxdome features special communications equipment, technology that is reportedly resistant to electromagnetic pulse attacks, and can be refueled in mid-air. The E-4B fleet is expected to reach the end of its service life in the early 2030s. The four highly-modified Boeing 747-200 jumbo jets have become increasingly difficult and expensive to maintain as parts become obsolete (file photo) The E-4B fleet is expected to reach the end of its service life in the early 2030s. The four highly-modified Boeing 747-200 jumbo jets have become increasingly difficult and expensive to maintain as parts become obsolete. The Air Force in April last year awarded a $13billion contract to Sierra Nevada Corp to develop a successor to the aging 1970s-era E-4B aircraft. Work on the Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) project will be carried out in Colorado, Nevada and Ohio and is expected to be completed in 2036. To satisfy operational requirements, the weapon system will comprise of a commercial derivative jet hardened and modified to meet military requirements. The Air Force eliminated Boeing from its competition to develop a successor to the E-4B Nightwatch in 2023. Ally Langdon has fought back tears as one of Australia's most famous cancer researchers admitted that he has just months to live. Former Australian of the Year Professor Richard Scolyer, 58, revealed on A Current Affair on Monday night that his brain cancer has returned after an 'aggressive' tumour was discovered during surgery last week. He was diagnosed with an 'incurable' grade four brain cancer in June 2023. His cancer, a glioblastoma, is often referred to as 'the worst' sort of cancer because of its aggressive nature, with most sufferers surviving less than a year after diagnosis. Following a series of experimental therapies, the University of Sydney professor declared last May that he had been cancer-free for nearly 12 months. He suffered a setback five months later when a MRI had shown an area of concern. His worst fears were realised when he underwent surgery last Monday after further scans in February revealed further changes in his brain. Professor Scolyer broke down when an emotional Langdon asked whether it would be the last time they would sit down to chat. 'I honestly don't know,' he admitted shaking his head. Richard Scolyer (pictured with fellow 2024 Australian of the Year winner Georgina Long) has revealed that he has months to live Ally Landgon fought back tears during her emotional interview with Professor Scolyer 'It could be a few weeks, it could be a few months, it could be longer, I don't know.' 'I'm still not ready to die. 'I guess I feel lucky that I've been able to go for so long without a recurrence of it. 'Who knows what the future holds.' He recalled his shock to seeing the changes to his brain on the recent scans. 'It was easy to see a big white area that hadn't been there before, and then I had surgery a week ago which confirmed that it's a nasty tumor that's come back,' Professor Scolyer said. He realised how bad the prognosis was when the neurosurgeon recommended that his teenage daughter currently studying at uni in the UK return home immediately. 'I think three months was the time that was given,' he recalled. Richard Scolyer and Ally Langdon shed tears during what could be their final interview 'I love my life in all honesty, I didn't expect to be alive now, so I am grateful that I've been able to contribute in so many ways and make a difference for future patients.' Further surgery and radiation is out of the question. The only possible treatments left are drug therapies and the chances of them working isn't high, based on previously published data. 'There's some treatment that's being tested that could help but my heart's not in the same place as what it was before,' Professor Scolyer said. Langdon wept: 'It's not fair is it?' Professor Scolyer replied: 'Yeah, it's not fair. 'But I reckon that there's a lesson for everyone. 'You make the most of your life, your time. You just don't know what's what's going to happen around the corner.' Professor Scolyer is focused on spending the time he has left with his wife Kate and their three children. 'I feel lucky that I've been able to do much more than I expected,' he said. The University of Sydney professor underwent surgery last Monday, where an aggressive tumour was found on the brain Professor Scolyer became the world's first brain cancer patient to have pre-surgery combination immunotherapy, which helps teach the body's immune system to attack cancer cells. He and his colleague Professor Georgina Long, who are co-directors of the Melanoma Institute Australia, were jointly awarded Australian of the Year in 2024 for their ground-breaking study into the skin cancer. Professor Scolyer has widely shared his battle online to raise awareness of treatment options and progress being made on new methods. After his initial brain scan Professor Scolyer said he knew its revelation of an area of light, cloudy matter in the top-right corner of his skull was concerning. The discovery spurred him to consider whether his research into melanoma might be relevant to treating his own brain cancer. 'It didn't sit right with me, to just accept certain death without trying something. It's an incurable cancer? Well bugger that!' A 21-year-old OnlyFans model has been found dead at her home in northern France, some two weeks after she was last in touch with family. Juli Luxie was found by police in Essonne on Thursday after her father reported his concerns that she was 'depressed' and not answering the phone. Authorities found Ms Luxie, also known as Julie Diablotine, near the front door, which was locked from the inside. An investigation is underway to establish the cause of her tragic death. Police reported having found traces of blood in the apartment, as well as canisters of nitrous oxide, according to Le Parisien. Nitrous oxide is commonly used as an anaesthetic, but is also used recreationally for a brief high. Inhalation of the gas can cause unconsciousness and suffocation. Ms Luxie 'consumed' nitrous oxide 'in large quantities', according to French media, noting an autopsy is still to be carried out. The young influencer shared photos with some 40,000 followers on Instagram and across her other channels. Fans took to Instagram to share their condolences on Ms Luxie's final post (pictured) Ms Luxie (pictured) was found dead at her home in northern France last Thursday Fans paid tribute to the young content creator on her latest post, dated January 10. 'May she rest in peace. Too young to leave,' wrote jade.rmy. 'May you rest in peace. A life destroyed, so young,' wrote jennymyoff. Noelie Romanova added: 'I have all my respect for her, I wish her to finally find peace... I can't even find the words may she rest in peace. She was a rose asking to be sprinkled with love and kindness. Leave her now she gone join the stars.' Ms Luxie's former partner, Jaouad Daouki, posted on his Instagram account to 1m followers: 'You left without saying goodbye, I always loved you (...) go in peace my heart.' French media reports that their relationship caused controversy when it began in 2020, because Ms Luxie was aged 16 and Mr Daouki 33. Police and firefighters were called to the Corbeil apartment in Essonne on March 6 after Ms Luxie stopped replying to her loved ones. Le Parisien reported that 'according to the first elements brought to our attention', Ms Luxie had consumed nitrous oxide in large quantities. 'She would also have stayed in a hospital environment to try to get away from it.' The model shared photos with some 40,000 followers on Instagram and across her other channels Police and firefighters were called to the Corbeil apartment in Essonne on March 6 after Ms Luxie stopped replying to her loved ones Nitrous oxide can be transferred from a canister into a balloon to be inhaled for a brief rush. Inhaling the gas directly from the canister can be very dangerous due to the pressure and temperate, according to Talk to Frank. Taking too much of the gas can cause users to faint or lose consciousness, or lead to suffocation. Heavy regular use of the drug can lead to vitamin B12 deficiency and to a form of anaemia. Severe B12 deficiency can lead to serious nerve damage, and even lead to paralysis. Regular use can stop the formation of white blood cells used in fighting disease. Residents in one wealthy seaside town are leading a revolt against plans for its eighth chip shop over fears the resort is 'under threat' from fast food businesses. The affluent town of Sheringham, Norfolk, was recently named one of the least affordable places to live in the country and has previously been awarded the Blue Flag award for its clean and sandy beaches. But fed-up locals fear their pretty high street is being ruined by a glut of fast food joints catering to tourists. The town is already home to 40 takeaways, including five fish and chip shops within 500m of each other, and residents are now fighting plans to open yet another chippy. 'The firmly held view is that Sheringham's conservation area is under threat by this planning application and others like it,' the town council fumed in a statement to North Norfolk District Council. It comes after fast food chain Domino's was thwarted in its bid to open a branch of its pizza chain. 'How many more pizza establishments does a town need?' demanded one objector. 'Sheringham is not, beansville Yarmouth or Lowestoft, it does still have a bit of individuality and class left. Naff off Dominos and take your chavvy muck with you! Your browser does not support iframes. Locals living in the posh seaside town of Sheringham fear their plush resort is being blighted by a growing glut of takeaways The Norfolk town is home to 40 takeaways including five fish and chip shops within 500m of each other And even existing fish and chop shops have joined in the chorus of protest, insisting that saturation point has been reached. 'It's a bit unfair for smaller businesses that have been here for years if more are allowed, particularly chains,' said Leah Brindley, 18, who has worked at Dave's Fish Shop for two years. 'More diversity would be good for Sheringham.' 'People feel strongly about it but, for us, we have our locals who wouldn't go anywhere else.' 'How utterly ridiculous,' said Sylvia Jackson. 'Use some imagination. A sandwich shop would be better.' 'Can we get something more unique,' demanded another local. The town council has recommended refusal over a lack of adequate waste disposal and bin storage, with the committee too claiming that a new takeaway would be 'against public health policy.' And the council has claimed the future of the resort is 'under threat' from the restaurants catering to tourists. 'We would like the district council to use its powers to reject this application and ensure that only an application that protects the wellbeing of its residents and visitors and respects the unique features of our conservation area will ever be approved,' they wrote. Sarah Castle (left) and husband Keith (right) travelled from Yorkshire to spend the day in Sheringham Linda Lambert (left) and her husband Frank (right) say they've noticed shops closing in the area Sheringham Town Council argued the town is 'under threat' from its excessive amount of food businesses But many visitors to the historic town say they look forward to the choice of food on offer, and many have left glowing reviews on sits such as Tripadvisor.com. 'You might think I am one chip short of a takeaway to drive 64 miles to sit down to fish and chips,' wrote one reviewer of Stevensons Fish and Chips in the High Street. 'We'll I am perfectly sane and in full possession of my cutlery. 'I have eaten literally hundreds of portions of fish & chips from all around Great Britain & Europe & I can honestly say the food from here is possibly the best f & c we have had,' wrote another about The Sheringham Trawler a few doors down. Sarah Castle, 70, and husband Keith, 82, had travelled from Yorkshire to spend the day in Norfolk. 'We always have fish and chips by the seaside as its our favourite takeaway,' said Mrs Castle. 'It is good to have a choice in the summer. It saves you queueing when they are all busy.' Customers at Dave's Fish Shop, Linda Lambert, 75, and her husband Frank, 77, are regulars visitors to Sheringham. Linda added: 'Fish and chips is always a treat when you visit the coast. It isnt complete without it. 'Weve noticed shops closing but there seems to be more new places opening up. 'But we always go to the same place. ' An ex-girlfriend of a trucker dubbed the Czech Josef Fritzl who allegedly chained up and tortured a woman for three months has revealed the sexual depravities she was forced to endure while she was pregnant with his child. Karel N, 40, is already accused of holding a woman captive in the basement of a house in the village of Sirem, Louny region, in the north-west of the Czech Republic. and torturing her for more than three months. Now, another woman has come forward to outline the abuse she suffered at the hands of the trucker. The woman, who wants to remain anonymous, said Karel N. is her ex-boyfriend who tortured her and tied her up while she was pregnant with their son. 'He wrapped me in cling film, made himself good on me and then fell asleep next to me,' she told Czech outlet CNN Prima News. She has severe asthma and said she nearly suffocated as she was lying next to Karel N. in clingfilm and handcuffs. Another time her ex-boyfriend took her to a forest, where he allegedly forced her to strip naked apart from her boots before tying her up and suspending her from a tree. She said the pervert then took naked pictures of her. The woman and Karel N. were together for four years until they broke up more than ten years ago - but she didn't speak up about the horrifying abuse she suffered during their relationship until now out of fear of losing custody of her son. 'He threatened me that if I left, he would take my child,' she said, adding that she had no job or support system at the time. Karel N.'s ex-partner came forward after the truck driver was arrested for chaining up the 27-year-old woman he allegedly held captive, repeatedly raping her and making her drink from a dog bowl during the horrifying ordeal. The case eerily resembles that of incest monster Josef Fritzl, 89, who held his daughter captive to abuse her under his house in Austria for years, which is why Karel N. has been dubbed the Czech Josef Fritzl. The woman, who wants to remain anonymous, said her truck driver ex-boyfriend Karel N. (pictured), 40, tortured her and tied her up while she was pregnant with their son The house of horrors where the 27-year-old woman was chained up and abused in the basement for three months Now, another woman has come forward to outline the abuse she suffered at the hands of the trucker. The woman, who wants to remain anonymous (pictured in the pink sweatshirt), said Karel N. tortured her and tied her up while she was pregnant with their son Another ex-girlfriend said Karel N. 'enjoyed tying, strangling, beating'. She told CNN Prima News that he would also tape her mouth shut. She said when they attended a wedding together, he forced her to behave like a dog once everyone had gone to bed. 'He took out a collar and a leash. He put the collar on me, he held the leash and I had to crawl like a dog,' she said. 'We walked for about four minutes along a dirt road and at the end of the road there was a cross where I had to lean and he beat me with a belt. Twenty blows and I had to count out loud.' She said she was relieved when the truck driver had to drive abroad for work, but she was too afraid to leave him. When he returned, the abuse escalated. 'I was actually hanging from the ceiling with handcuffs and a rope. He covered my eyes so I couldn't see what toys he was using,' In the most recent case, Karel N. allegedly held his 27-year-old victim in squalid conditions in the house of horrors and was forced to eat and drink from a dirty dog bowl. The woman dramatically escaped the Fritzl-like hell at around 3am on February 16 and woke up neighbours to beg them for help. 'She had no hair and a thick chain with a huge lock around her neck, she was just skin and bones,' a resident who helped the frightened victim told the Czech newspaper Mlada fronta Dnes. 'She said he shaved her head and rarely gave her anything to eat, just sometimes a little bread and water from a bowl, like a dog,' the woman said about the victim's ordeal. 'He stripped her naked, chained her up, beat her, raped her and did other crazy things to her.' In the most recent case, Karel N. (pictured) allegedly held his 27-year-old victim in squalid conditions in the house of horrors and was forced to eat and drink from a dirty dog bowl. The woman dramatically escaped the Fritzl-like hell at around 3am on February 16 and woke up neighbours to beg them for help Your browser does not support iframes. The woman and her husband helped the victim pry off the chain around her neck with a bolt cutter and called an ambulance as well as the police. 'She [said she] was tied to a heavy bed. She managed to pull the chain out and use it to climb out of the window,' the rescuers told local media. The victim 'managed to escape at night when he was not home', according to a local resident. Karel N. reportedly knew the 27-year-old victim. Another of Karel N.'s former partners revealed to local media that Karel N. enjoyed extreme sexual practices. 'I know that he practiced BDSM with other women, he was such a manipulator, he could convince them. He tried it on me too, but I refused,' the woman told Denik.cz. She added: 'He talked about locking some woman in a basement and going there to torture her. I had no idea he would actually do it.' One ex-partner said Karel N. was known to take it too far during the extreme BDSM he liked to practice. 'Then he brought them flowers and apologized. In my opinion, he is a sick person, he should seek treatment. I'm afraid he is capable of strangling someone in the end,' she said. One victim whose rape ordeal at the hands of Karel N. actually saw him get jailed for three years before being freed following an appeal has also spoken out about the torture she had to endure. The 22-year-old woman said that she was raped, brutally beaten and had her nipples forcibly pierced by Karel N. in the cellar of a house in the village Kryry, Louny, in the northwest of the Czech Republic in 2021. He allegedly put a dog head mask on her head, hung her with chains on all fours and gave her electric shocks. An female acquaintance reportedly watched and even helped Karel N. with the torture. 'She said he shaved her head and rarely gave her anything to eat, just sometimes a little bread and water from a bowl, like a dog,' a witness said. Pictured are dog bowls outside the house 'When I screamed, he stuffed a washcloth in my mouth. I had an electric collar on my neck, he was beating me. He also pierced my nipples, with what, I don't know exactly,' she said. The victim told of the serious sexual assault she endured, adding that when the man thought she misbehaved, he would punish her with an electric shock from the dog collar she was forced to wear, according to Zatecky Denik. 'He didn't want me to talk, I just had to bark. And also eat from a bowl,' the young woman said. She also urged prosecutors to put Karel N. behind bars after she heard that he had raped and abused another woman - the 27-year-old who managed to flee on February 16. 'I told my friend that I couldn't believe he did this to someone else. It's just terrible,' she told Czech newspaper Seznamzprazy. The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, said she had had consensual sex with Karel N. on one occasion before she was attacked by him but made it clear that she didn't want their personal relationship to continue. She reportedly returned to his house for what was supposed to be a work meeting on another day after Karel N. offered her a job as a hostess. She said she was given a drink which made her 'feel unwell'. When she tried to leave, he allegedly put a dog mask on her head and tied her up with chains before beating and raping her. Another woman, said to be his friend, allegedly watched Karel N. abuse the victim. The victim eventually managed to pry her restraints open with a sharp object and escape through the cellar window after a day of torture, with witnesses saying she was naked and had 'handprints and bruises everywhere'. A Czech broadcaster showed footage of the house of horrors where the 27-year-old victim was allegedly tortured for months, with a yellowed name tag seen on the letter box outside the house 'It was clear that someone had beaten her brutally,' one family, which called the police and took the woman in after she knocked on their door following her escape, told local media. 'She was held in a torturous manner, one could even say tortured in various ways, and her human dignity was humiliated. There was also a certain form of sexual intercourse,' Hana Bachova, the president of the Louny District Court, told local outlet CNN Prima reports. Karel N. was jailed for three years for rape and deprivation of liberty of the 22-year-old in April 2022, but he was released on probation in July 2022 following an appeal. He swore at the time that he would never do anything like this again and the judge ruled that the three-year sentence Karel N. had been handed was disproportionately harsh, according to CNN Prima. Karel N. has been arrested and is now awaiting trial for the recent abduction and abuse of the 27-year-old victim and is in custody due to being a flight risk as he travels frequently due to his job as a truck driver. 'He is a person who often travels outside the Czech Republic, so the reason for his detention was found to be a fugitive,' Katerina Dousova, deputy of the Regional State Prosecutor's Office, said. 'At the same time, not all witnesses were heard and there is a risk that he could influence their statements and also repeat his criminal activity.' If found guilty, Karel N. faces up to 12 years in prison. It was a display that moved the nation and the monarch, a century on from the First World War. More than five million people, including Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, saw the sea of 'poppies' that were installed in the Tower of London's moat in 2014. Now, nearly 30,000 of the original 888,246 ceramic poppies will return as part of an installation to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. The new display is designed to resemble a 'wound' at the heart of the Tower, which itself was bombed during the Blitz and still bears the scars of the raids. Each poppy will represent a military life lost during the fight against Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany and its Axis allies. Paul Cummins, the artist behind the original display, hopes that the new installation will 'inspire the same feelings of togetherness'. The exhibition will run from May 6 - two days before the 80th anniversary of VE Day -until November 11, Remembrance Day. VE Day this year is being marked with four days of events that will include a national 'street party', concerts and processions around the country. It was a display that moved the nation and the monarch, a century on from the First World War . More than five million people, including Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip , saw the sea of 'poppies' that were installed in the Tower of London 's moat in 2014 Now, nearly 30,000 of the original 888,246 ceramic poppies will return as part of an installation to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War The 2014 poppy display - called Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red - took more than four months to install. Once completed, it filled the tower's 16-acre moat. The late Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh insisted on seeing the installation in person. Each poppy took three days to make at Mr Cummins' 8,000ft factory in Derby. Mr Cummins had to draft in help from two other ceramics factories to ensure the work was finished on time. He said this week: 'It's with great excitement and joy that we will be bringing back some of the original poppies back to the Tower to mark such an important year of remembrance. 'Seeing the public reaction to "Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red", and the subsequent tour of the "Wave" and "Weeping Window" across the country, was something that I will always be proud of and will never forget. 'These artworks helped to bring people together from across the world, collaborating, telling stories, remembering loved ones and honouring those who sacrificed to protect future lives.' 'I hope that some of the poppies returning to the place they were initially unveiled will inspire the same feelings of togetherness, reflection and hope for the future for all across the globe.' The 2014 poppy display - called Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red - took more than four months to install. Once completed, it filled the tower's 16-acre moat Each poppy took three days to make at artist Paul Cummins' 8,000ft factory in Derby A Yeoman Warder with one of the ceramic poppies, outside the White Tower Mr Cummins worked with theatrical designer Tom Piper on the original work. Mr Piper has also designed the latest iteration. He said: 'Everywhere these poppies have been, they have brought people together, with their own stories of sacrifice, commemoration, and hope for the future. 'They have much to say about the universality of war and the anguish of suffering and loss. 'We hope that this new display will provide an opportunity to reflect on the impact of war not just on military personnel, but Londoners and people across the country.' During the Blitz in 1940, the Tower came under heavy aerial bombardment. One of the Tower's Yeoman Warders, Samuel Reeves, and resident Lily Frances Lunn died when the fortress took a direct hit. Several of its historic buildings were also bomb damaged in the period. Brigadier Andrew Jackson, governor of the Tower of London, said: 'Many of the community that lives and works at the Tower of London are veterans with a long and distinguished record of service. The new display is designed to resemble a 'wound' at the heart of the Tower, which itself was bombed during the Blitz and still bears the scars of the raids. Above: Damage done to the fortress in 1940 'Everyone here is familiar with the Tower's wartime history and the impact of the previous poppies installation in 2014, so we are looking forward to welcoming visitors to this new display. 'We hope it will be a shared space to reflect on the sacrifices of the fallen.' Tom O'Leary, director of public engagement at Historic Royal Palaces said: 'As the Second World War begins to pass out of living memory, it's more important than ever that we come together to remember, share stories of the past and to reflect on the lasting legacy of conflict. 'We know that the 2014 display was a unique event in the Tower's history that can never be repeated, but we wanted to play our part in marking this anniversary, and hope that by returning a small number of the original poppies to the Tower, we've found a fitting way to do that. 'We hope that the Tower of London can once again be a space for everyone to remember and reflect in the ways that mean most to them, during this important anniversary year.' A cruel woman has been caught on camera dumping a tiny dog on the street before driving away, while cackling the words 'bye bye'. Surveillance video shows the heartbreaking moment the door of a red SUV opened while a dog jumped out and the motorist sped away. The loyal animal can be seen looking confused before desperately trying to chase the car, clearly mystified by its owner's behavior. Residents on the street where the incident happened, Peoria Avenue in Surprise on the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona, were left 'shocked' by what they saw - and heard. Joanna Buesen, who witnessed the pet being dumped around 12.15pm Saturday while walking her own dog, said she felt 'so many emotions'. 'I was angered. I was flabbergasted, shocked,' she told Arizona's Family. Buesen reacted by calling out to the dog and trying to comfort him. 'It was defeated. It was sad,' she said. The Phoenix local said the woman's callous words - 'bye bye' - right as she dumped the animal made her feel even more angry about the cruel incident. Surveillance video shows the heartbreaking moment the door of a red SUV opened while a dog jumped out and the motorist sped away. The pet is pictured above after being rescued A cruel woman has been caught on camera dumping a tiny dog on the street before driving away, while cackling the words 'bye bye'. Surveillance video shows the abandoned animal looking confused before desperately trying to chase the car as it sped away Surveillance video shows the heartbreaking moment the door of a red SUV opened while a dog jumped out and the motorist sped away. The dog looked distraught in the aftermath 'I think that they had no remorse for their actions, and I think that is the telltale that it is malicious intent,' Buesen said of the woman's comment. 'I understand things are hard and things can be tough in life, but you don't have to be a soulless human. And that is just a soulless thing.' Buesen said the dog was well-behaved despite being malnourished. Other residents also slammed the cruel act as 'heartless'. 'We've seen them dumping all kinds of other things but not animals. That's just. That's a new level. A new level of justugh,' local Kim Igo told AZ Family. Maricopa County Animal Care and Control said the dog is currently with Surprise Animal Control. The agency released an image of the dog after he was rescued, looking wide-eyed and scared on a towel in the trunk of a car. Joanna Buesen (pictured) who witnessed the pet being dumped around 12.15pm Saturday while walking her own dog, said she felt 'so many emotions' seeing the abandoned animal Residents on the street where the incident happened, Peoria Avenue in Surprise on the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona , were left 'shocked' by what they saw - and heard Surprise Police said they received several calls about the abandoned animal and officers are investigating. Animal cruelty is sometimes classed as a felony in Arizona, depending on the severity of the crime. It carries a maximum punishment of 2.5 years in prison if the person is found guilty in court. A young father on the brink of homelessness has asked politicians about their plans to cut immigration and make housing more affordable for struggling Australians. Morgan Cox fronted ABC's Q+A panel in Wyong on the NSW Central Coast, on Monday night to ask why the Albanese Government approved mass migration into the country when limited housing supply was driving unreasonable rent rises. 'I recently got a rent increase notice for an additional $180 a week, which works out to be about $10,000 a year,' Mr Cox began. 'I tried to find a cheaper place and there just aren't any. What little is available, there's dozens of people lined up. 'Lots of them are immigrants and they have plenty more money than I can possibly get.' The hard working dad revealed that his young family had already been forced out of Sydney by rent costs - partially driven by an influx of people moving to the city and increasing the demand for property. 'I'm already working two jobs,' Mr Cox said. 'One more rent increase and my family - my one-year-old baby - we're facing homelessness and we've got nowhere to go. Young father Morgan Cox (pictured) told Monday's Q+A panel his family had been priced out of Sydney and now faces homelessness amid rising rent costs Mr Cox questioned why the Albanese Government was approved mass migration into the country when the limited housing supply is already stretched thin (pictured, people queuing to view an apartment in Sydney) 'I want to know, is the government going to cut immigration to match housing availability or are we just gonna keep going until every regular working Australian is homeless?' Mr Cox's vulnerability was met with applause from the audience, but the panel's response to the desperate father seemed detached in light of the record-high immigration levels, of more than 500,000 a year, under Labor. Wyong's rental vacancy rate is at an ultra-tight 0.5 per cent - or half the already-tight capital city rate of 1 per cent and this could be an election issue in the Labor-held seat of Dobell. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler was the first to answer Mr Cox's question. 'I'm so sorry you're going through that and it's a story we hear right across the country, particularly in the bigger states around the big cities,' he said. 'But we have been working very hard to get migration levels, immigration levels down to something we think the country can manage.' The minister's comments sparked sarcastic laughs from the studio audience. 'We do want to see those migration numbers get back to something like normal for Australia,' Mr Butler continued. Minister for Health Mark Butler (pictured) claimed the government was already 'working hard' to reduce migration, eliciting laughter from the audience 'We also know that migration has been an important part of keeping our economy going. 'We also have a very tight labour market with lots of skills shortages. I know in health, in hospitals, in aged care facilities, we struggle to keep those operations going. 'So it is a fine balance. 'We know we need more house. We've just got to build more houses.' An emotional Mr Cox was seen shaking his head at Mr Butler's comments. He added that every day was a struggle for him and his young family. 'The government makes the laws and decides who comes in,' Mr Cox told Mr Butler. 'So if you've got 2.5million people coming in a few years, surely you can say to them, "no, we don't have enough houses for you".' Host Patricia Karvelas (pictured) called on former NSW treasurer Matt Kean to respond to Mr Cox's question, which saw him point the blame at the 'red tape' housing developers face Former NSW treasurer Matt Kean was more blunt in offering a solution to the housing crisis. He claimed the issue was 'more complex' than lowering migration and instead called for governments to reduce the 'red tape' developers face. Host Patricia Karvelas pointed Mr Cox's question to Mr Kean, stating: 'Some of the problems that were building up in NSW did probably happen under your previous government's watch.' Mr Kean replied: 'The reality is that we need more housing supply. More supply into the system needs more availability for renters, for homeowners - more choice.' 'People are finding it hard to live in Sydney. They're having to move away from their care networks, their families and friends - and we need to address this. 'The number one priority for governments, a lever that they could pull is making it easier in our planning system to get stuff built. 'There's way too much red tape and green tape that is stopping housing developments, that be in Sydney, Melbourne or right across Australia.' Immigration levels last year eased to 444,480, down from the record-high levels approaching 550,000 in late 2023, based on the combined permanent and long-term intake. Sydney's rental vacancy rate dropped back to 1.4 per cent, leading many to worry the rental crisis will continue But the net overseas migration level was still more than double the 194,400 of 2019-20 financial year covering the start of the Covid pandemic. Wyong's median house price of $802,943 is eight times an average, full-time salary of $102,742, making a home 100km north of Sydney a stretch for a single-income family priced out of Sydney. Australia's rental crisis has showed no signs of easing, with the vacancy rate declining to one per cent in January, SQM Research figures showed. The total number of rental vacancies fell sharply to 31,822 - a significant drop from December's 47,336 figures. Sydney's rental vacancy rate dropped back to 1.4 per cent, while Melbourne also recorded a sharp decline, with its vacancy rate dropping to 1.5 per cent Brisbane recorded a rental vacancy rate of just 0.8 per cent - the second lowest rental vacancy rate ever recorded for the city since SQM records began in 2005. Meanwhile, Canberra's vacancy rate dropped to 1.3 per cent, while Perth and Adelaide remained stable at an alarmingly low 0.4 per cent and 0.5 per cent respectively. Darwin also saw a decrease in its vacancy rate to 1.1 per cent, while Hobart recorded its equal lowest rental vacancy rate ever recorded with just 0.3 per cent. SQM Research managing director Louis Christopher explained the sharp decrease in rental vacancies was a strong indication the rental market crisis was not over. He believes Australia's rental market has the potential to deteriorate even further in the coming months. 'From a tenant's perspective, the sharp drop in rental vacancies at the start of 2025 is highly disappointing, especially since there were some glimpses of a moderating rental market in the latter half of 2024,' Mr Christopher said. 'Is this a one-off abnormality? Unfortunately, I don't think it is as our records of February listings to date are lower than what was recorded in January.' In the year to September, just 177,702 new residential dwelling were completed, a level well below the 240,000 annual figure needed for Labor's target of building 1.2million homes over five years. Donald Trump says the people of Greenland should to decide if they want to decouple from Denmark. Although Trump has made clear that he has a desire to purchase the Danish territory, some recent statements suggest he does not intend to use military tactics to force the issue. In his joint session address to Congress last week, however, the message was a bit more veiled when he said Greenland would be part of the U.S. 'one way or the other.' The president wrote on Truth Social that he wants the approximately 56,000 people who live in Greenland to determine what they want. He did not mention in the social media statement how Denmark, which has authority over the arctic island, plays into that discussion. Both Greenland and the Faroe Islands are territories of the Kingdom of Denmark. 'As I made clear during my Joint Address to Congress, the United States strongly supports the people of Greenland's right to determine their own future,' Trump wrote in his post. President Donald Trump said he wants the people of Greenland, who currently fall under the Kingdom of Denmark, to determine if they want to be part of the U.S. Trump posted an update on his desire to purchase the island to his Truth Social account on Sunday evening 'We will continue to KEEP YOU SAFE, as we have since World War II,' he assured. 'We are ready to INVEST BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to create new jobs and MAKE YOU RICH.' But Trump doubled-down on his offer for the island to be brought into the fold of the U.S. 'And, if you so choose, we welcome you to be a part of the Greatest Nation anywhere in the World, the United States of America!' 'First buddy' Elon Musk shared Trump's statement to his 219.5 million followers on X. During Trump's speech to a joint session of Congress Tuesday, he predicted that the U.S. would somehow acquire Greenland. 'I also have a message tonight for the incredible people of Greenland,' he said to some laughter from the chamber. 'We strongly support your right to determine your own future, and, if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America.' 'We need Greenland for national security and even international security, and we're working with everybody involved to try and get it,' he added. 'But we need it, really, for international world security,' Trump said, predicting: 'And I think we're going to get it.' 'One way or the other, we're going to get it.' Trump's eldest son Don Jr. visited Greenland's capital city of Nuuk in January. Some speculated that his visit was a way to lay the groundwork for Trump to take the island territory while others claim it was to gauge interest from the people. Donald Trump Jr. visited Nuuk, Greenland in January where he was greeted by the island's residents who are supporters of his father With a population of approximately 56,000 people, Denmark is the least densely populated country in the world but its natural resources and strategic location are important for military and national security purposes for the region Trump vowed that if Greenland became part of the U.S. it would become 'rich' and more 'safe.' 'Together, we will take Greenland to heights like you have never thought possible before,' he promised during the longest joint session address in recorded U.S. history. 'It's a very small population but very, very large piece of land and very, very important for military security.' Greenland has a land mass of 836,330 square miles but only a population of 55,775 as of March 9, 2025. This makes Greenland the least densely populated country in the world when population is compared to land area. Alleged CEO killer Luigi Mangione says he is not the young man seen on a bathroom sex tape reportedly being offered for half a million dollars on the dark web. 'Hopefully everyone realizes these are fake and not Luigi,' Mangione's lawyer Karen Agnifilo told DailyMail.com on Monday. It comes after sex tape broker Kevin Blatt told The US Sun he had seen a sex video featuring Mangione in his parents' bathroom. Blatt claimed the alleged killer made the video for a Grindr user who was now trying to sell it for $500,000. Blatt even shared blurry screenshots he claims show a shirtless Mangione, 26, performing for the Grindr user. 'The video I have seen is not high production stuff - it's pretty seedy, solo stuff that looks like he recorded it in a bathroom at his parents' house and in a bedroom and then sent to a man he met on Grindr in 2020,' Blatt told The US Sun. Blatt said Mangione was using an alias on the hooking up app and met at least one man on it. 'But the phone number the videos were sent from has a Maryland area code, which is where he is from, and you can actually match up his parents' bathroom from real estate listings of their house,' Blatt added. Alleged CEO killer Luigi Mangione has denied he is the young man in a sex tape being allegedly sold on the dark web for half a million of dollars Sex tape broker Kevin Blatt has claimed he has seen a sex video featuring Mangione in his parents' bathroom 'And it's undoubtedly him, when this man saw that Luigi had been arrested he couldn't believe that was the same guy he met on Grindr.' However, Blatt also said no one has shown interest in buying the tape because, 'Most people were like, "I don't want to touch anything that has to do with murder. I don't want to support someone accused of murder.'" Blatt added: 'It's the same reason why I don't want to broker this thing. I want nothing to do with it.' Mangione's denial regarding the sex tape comes after Radar Online claimed he made upwards of 20 highly stylized sex tapes before he was arrested on charges of killing healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City. In the weeks that followed his arrest, key details about Mangione's sex life and health battles were made public. He had posted on his X page about having a 'pretty huge d***', in response to a post asking if anyone on the platform had a PhD. It also emerged that he had suffered a back injury so severe he was unable to have sex, according to his former roommate. RJ Martin had lived with the murder suspect for six months at a Hawaii co-living space and told The New York Times of his secret agony. 'He knew that dating and being physically intimate with his back condition wasn't possible. I remember him telling me that, and my heart just breaks,' Martin said. Mangione appears in Manhattan Supreme Court for the murder of UHC CEO Brian Thompson on February 21. He has attracted a cult following as a stand-in for frustrations over coverage denials and hefty medical bills He added that Mangione had a back condition called spondylolisthesis that was worsened by a surfing accident. 'His spine was kind of misaligned. He said his lower vertebrae were almost like a half-inch off, and I think it pinched a nerve', Martin added. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of murder, including murder as an act of terrorism. The killing of Thompson as he walked to an investor conference sent shock waves through the corporate world, rattling executives who say they saw a spike in threats. Mangione has attracted a cult following as a stand-in for frustrations over coverage denials and hefty medical bills. At the time of his arrest, Mangione had been on the run for five days. Authorities confirmed he was carrying a handwritten manifesto in which he railed against UnitedHealthcare. In the 262-word document, he criticized corporations for 'abusing our country for immense profit' while failing to improve the life expectancy of Americans. Mangione, who comes from a wealthy family, is the grandson of a self-made multimillionaire who owned a luxury resort, nursing homes, and a radio station. He attended the prestigious Gilman School in Baltimore where tuition costs $40,000 per year and graduated as valedictorian in 2016. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has been branded "inauthentic" by her estranged father. Thomas Markle criticised his daughter Meghan, Duchess of Sussex The 43-year-old former actress' new Netflix lifestyle series, 'With Love, Meghan', premiered last week and while Thomas Markle - who has had no contact with his daughter since before she married Prince Harry in 2018 - hasn't seen the show in full, he hasn't been impressed by the clips he's seen so far. He told the Mail on Sunday newspaper: "I haven't seen the show but I've seen a ton of clips and I've read many stories. I might sit down and watch it one day but I'm not sure. "Cooking show are horrendously boring unless the presenter has a passion for it. "You have to be authentic to hold people's attention. When you are stuffing the turkey's a*** it has to look like you're having fun doing it. "Unfortunately Meghan has never been authentic. She has to think about everything. She's not spontaneous. Everything she says is pre-planned and rehearsed. It makes me laugh because I know all her looks and expressions. "I know when she's faking it for the cameras. She's trying so hard to be perfect that she tenses up every time the camera is on her." And the retired lighting director branded his daughter's attempts to be in the spotlight "sad". He added: "The best cooks are funny, they mess up, they are human. She just wants to be perfect. It's sad because she's trying so hard to stay in the limelight." Thomas accused Meghan - who has Prince Archie, five, and three-year-old Princess Lilibet with Harry - of being "out of touch with the real world". He said: "Meghan should make affordable food and show people how to stretch their food budget. "I grew up in Pennsylvania and my mum was a great cook lots of meat and potatoes and cabbage. Apple butter is a sandwich spread and very tasty and inexpensive. "The women who watch Meghan's show are not all rich and privileged. I think people would love it if she focused on more economical dishes. "I don't think most people these days can afford to go out and spend $90 on fruit. She's out of touch with normal people. "She puts edible flowers on everything. No one has edible flowers handy. Sending kids off to school with edible flowers on their food is silly. Kids don't like them and if you put edible flowers in a kid's lunchbox they would probably get teased at school." In the show, the former 'Suits' star claimed she was a "latchkey kid" who grew up eating fast food and TV dinners, but Thomas insisted that wasn't the case. He said: "We occasionally ate TV dinners, which family doesn't? But I was working two jobs so money was never an issue. We would eat out at least three times a week and order in the rest of the time. "Like any single father who did a long day's work, I'd occasionally put a TV dinner in the microwave. But most of the time we'd go out. "After school I would either pick her up myself and we'd go out to eat or I'd send a car to bring her to the set. She grew up on the sets I worked on. She was never a latchkey kid. "We lived in a great area, which was packed with restaurants. We ate out all the time. At weekends when I wasn't working I'd take her to a dance class and then invite her and all her friends out for a meal." Rare treasures from the personal library of the late Barry Humphries are tipped to sell for 400,000. Almost 250 rare books are being sold from the legendary Australian comedian's estate including prized first editions. Humphries, whose characters included Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson, amassed a remarkable collection of 7,000 books at his South Hampstead home. He was one of the 40 members of the exclusive Roxburghe Club, a society for bibliophiles, and held a keen interest in late 19th and early 20th century literature. A selection of his books are going under the hammer at Forum Auctions, of Battersea, south London, two years after his death. They include his signed copy of Evelyn Waugh's Decline and Fall (1937) which is valued at 15,000. His first edition copy of James Hogg's The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner (1824) is set to make 6,000. His Charles Baudelaire first edition of Les Fleurs du Mal (1857) is also estimated at 6,000. Rare treasures from the personal library of the late Barry Humphries are tipped to sell for 400,000. Above: Humphries pictured in character as Dame Edna Everage in November 2013 Almost 250 rare books are being sold from the legendary Australian comedian's estate, including prized first editions. Above: Evelyn Waugh collection of Decline and Fall, Vile Bodies, A Handful of Dust and Black Mischief, all signed by the author. It is expected to fetch 15,000 at auction Humphries' widow Lizzie Spender said: 'The sale at Forum will be a celebration of Barry's life-long passion for beautifully illustrated works and rare editions and I hope these volumes will find new homes where they will be treasured by other collectors.' Rupert Powell, deputy chairman and international head of books at Forum Auctions, added: 'We are honoured to be entrusted with the library of Barry Humphries. 'His illustrious career as an entertainer was paralleled by an exceptional discernment for rare literary editions. 'This auction serves as a tribute to his profound passion for rare books, and we are delighted to share this remarkable legacy with both longtime admirers and a new generation of enthusiasts worldwide.' The sale takes place on March 26. It comes after Humphries' personal collection of items sold last month for a collective sum of 4,627,224 at auction. A pair of his Dame Edna glasses fetched more than 25 times their pre-sale estimate at Christie's. The yellow-lacquered Possum spectacles fetched 37,800, including buyer's premium, and had an estimated selling price of 1,000 to 1,500. The Rape of the Lock by Alexander Pope. It is is expected to fetch 6,000 at auction Eight original book illustrations for 'Der verliebte Flamingo', c.1923, by Hans Pellar are expected to fetch 8,000 at auction Included in the sale is this first edition Les Fleurs du Mal by Charles Bauselaire which is expected to fetch 6,000 at auction Included in the sale is this first edition copy of The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by James Hogg which is expected to fetch 6,000 at auction The top price of the sale was lot 42, Charles Conder's painting Sand dunes, Ambleteuse which sold for 239,400. Humphries was born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1934 and moved to London to further his comedy career in 1959. Alongside the likes of Dudley Moore, Alan Bennett and Spike Milligan, he became a leading member of the British comedy scene. He introduced Dame Edna to British audiences at his stage shows in the 1960s and by the 70s she had become a TV personality. His stable of alter egos, also included the gentlemanly Sandy Stone, 1960s underground film-maker Martin Agrippa, sleazy trade union official Lance Boyle and archetypal Australian bloke Barry McKenzie, among many others. Humphries was friends with King Charles, who said in tribute following his death aged 89 in April 2023: 'Life really won't be the same without him.' The star was married four times and had four children. He died in Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital surrounded by his immediate family after suffering complications from hip surgery. Anti-Elon Musk demonstrations have erupted across the US with protesters attacking Tesla showrooms with guns and molotov cocktails. Dozens of fired-up crowds assembled outside Tesla stores across the country on Saturday afternoon to protest against Musk's efforts to slash government spending and enact reforms. Demonstrations also erupted in London, Portugal, Malaysia and Iceland. Roughly 250 activists were gathered outside a showroom in New York City, holding anti-Musk placards that read 'Block Facism Now and 'Musk Must Go' as they shouted 'Elon Musk is not elected! Democracy must be protected!' Five protesters were arrested for disorderly conduct at the Manhattan demonstration and one was taken into custody for resisting arrest, obstruction and violation of local law, The New York Daily News reported. There have also been more than a dozen acts of vandalism against Tesla vehicles, dealerships and charging stations since President Donald Trump's inauguration, according to police and local reports. A Tesla showroom in Salem, Oregon, was shot at with an AR 15-style rifle in February. Suspected vandal Adam Matthew Lansky, 41, is also accused of causing major damage at the same store with molotov cocktails in January. Similarly, four Tesla cybertrucks were set ablaze overnight at a storage lot in Seattle's industrial SoDo neighborhood, KING-TV reported. Officials say at least two vehicles were severely damaged in the fire. Seattle police are investigating if the blaze was an act of arson. Four Tesla cybertrucks were set ablaze overnight at a storage lot in Seattle's industrial SoDo neighborhood. Seattle police are investigating if the blaze was an act of arson Seven Tesla charging stations were intentionally set on fire in Littleton, Massachusetts, on Monday. No injuries were reported A Tesla showroom in Salem, Oregon, was shot at with an AR 15-style rifle in February Firefighters were called to parking lot around at the intersection of 4th Ave S & S Spokane Street on Sunday around 11pm local time. Upon arrival, crews found four Tesla vehicles - which we parked along a fence - completely engulfed in flames. Firefighters quickly moved the vehicles away from the fence in a bid to stop the blaze from spreading elsewhere. They also took precautions to limit fire hazards caused by the cybertrucks' damaged lithium batteries. Police say it is currently too early in the investigation to determine if the blaze was intentionally set. The potential act of arson comes just days after suspected vandal Lansky was arrested in neighboring Oregon for attempting to destroy a Tesla dealership. He allegedly threw Molotov cocktails at the showroom on January 20, striking the dealership building and several vehicles and causing fires, Department of Justice court filings state. Lansky then returned to the site on February 19 to fired multiple rounds into the building and at least one vehicle, federal prosecutors allege. He was arrested last Tuesday and been charged with illegally possessing an unregistered destructive device. He was ordered detained pending further court proceedings. Firefighters were called to a parking lot in Seattle, Washington, on Sunday night. Officials say at least two vehicles were severely damaged in the fire Firefighters quickly moved the vehicles from the fence to stop the blaze from spreading. They also took precautions to limit fire hazards caused by the cybertrucks' damaged lithium batteries Adam Matthew Lansky, 41, was arrested last Tuesday, March 4, after he allegedly threw molotov cocktails at a Tesla showroom in Salem, Oregon, on January 20 The molotov cocktails (pictured) struck the dealership building and several vehicles, Department of Justice court filings state Police in Oregon are also working with the FBI to investigate gunshots fired at a Tesla dealership in Tigard, outside Portland, last week. Investigators believe at least seven shots were fired at around 1.46am Thursday, damaging three cars and shattering windows. One bullet went through an office wall and into a computer monitor. No one was injured in the shooting. While the motivation for the attack has not been confirmed, Tigard police said they 'are aware that other Tesla dealerships have been targeted across Oregon and the nation for political reasons'. The shooting comes a week after federal prosecutors in Denver charged a woman in connection with vandalism against a Tesla dealership in Colorado - including Molotov cocktails being thrown at vehicles and the words 'Nazi cars' spray-painted on the building. Also last week, seven Tesla charging stations that were 'intentionally set' on fire in Massachusetts, according to the Littleton Police Department. No injuries were reported. Graffiti reading 'No Musk' and depicting a sign that resembled a swastika was also found at a Tesla dealership, one day after protesters gathered at the facility. This photo, released by the Tigard Police Department, shows shattered windows of a Tesla dealership on Thursday in Oregon Investigators believe at least seven shots were fired at the Tigard dealership, damaging three cars and shattering windows. One bullet went through an office wall and into a computer monitor. No one was injured in the shooting Protests against Musk and Tesla have ramped up since the billionaire and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) began firing thousands of federal workers, including veterans, as it pushes to downsize the government. Musk's political postures appear to be coming at a price for Tesla, whose sales in Europe tumbled 45 per cent in January from a year earlier - while its rivals' sales rose by over 37 per cent. Tesla's market capitalization has dropped 45 per cent since hitting an all-time high of $1.5trillion on December 17, erasing most of the gains the stock made after Musk helped finance Trump's election victory. Meanwhile, 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 US - a move that has raised serious national security concerns and Musk and his allies are now face mounting pressure to reassess their approach. Musk last week revealed he's now looking at cutting the US Postal Service and the railway service Amtrak. He named his targets when he spoke to a Morgan Stanley conference on Wednesday, CNN reported. He addressed the participants virtually. Roughly 250 demonstrators were gathered outside a showroom in New York City on Saturday afternoon, holding anti-Musk placards as they shouted 'Elon Musk is not elected! Democracy must be protected!' Protesters gather by Gold Coast Tesla dealership in downtown Chicago on Saturday to condemn Elon Musk's alleged attempts to dismantle democracy Protestors outside a Tesla showroom in Manhattan hold signs that read 'Block Facism Now and 'Musk Must Go' 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 - which he called Amtrak a 'sad situation'. The woman accused of murdering her hero fire chief wife in a horror stabbing attack became increasingly controlling in the weeks leading up to the slaying and lied to friends about her killer past, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal. Yolanda Marodi, 53, is now on the lam and believed to be in Mexico after she crossed the border less than an hour after being caught on camera stabbing wife Rebecca, 49, at their home in Ramona, California. After the murder, it emerged that Yolanda had also stabbed her first husband to death 26-year-old Marine James Olejniczak in a similar attack at his apartment in Fontana, a crime for which she served 13 years at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga. At the time of her death, Rebecca had been married to Yolanda, who she met at a bar, for just over two years with the pair described as a mostly happy couple who enjoyed regular motorcycle rides with friends and an active social life. But according to close pals Ami Mahler Salinas Davis, 37, and her wife Aisha Mahler Salinas, 33, things took a dark turn during the last six months, when they say Yolanda became increasingly dictatorial about what Rebecca could and couldn't do and 'isolated her from her friends'. Aisha told DailyMail.com Yolanda had also begun to complain vociferously about her wife who was known to friends as Becky and stopped taking part in the motorcycle rides, saying a lupus diagnosis had made it impossible. 'Contact started getting really spotty about six months ago, around last June,' Ami told DailyMail.com. 'That was when I started noticing things changing. Before, I would just say, "let's go for a ride" and it went from "let me check with my wife and make sure we don't have plans" to "let me ask if I can go".' Yolanda Marodi (left in her 2000 mugshot) remains on the run after allegedly stabbing her wife, California fire captain Rebecca Marodi Rebecca's close pals Ami Mahler Salinas Davis, 37, and her wife Aisha Mahler Salinas, 33, (aat rear) revealed things took a dark turn between Rebecca and Yolanda in the six months leading up to her murder She added: 'Yolanda became very possessive and controlling. I talked to Becky about that and said "this is not right. It's getting bad, you know?" 'But she would always make excuses for her and say, "well, she's been through a lot, and her ex-partners treated her bad, and so I don't want to be one of those guys". 'She would say: "I'm going to treat her better, and I'm going to be respectful of her".' Aisha added: 'Becky's thing was "she's jealous because she loves me. She's possessive because she loves me". 'There are a lot of different little things. Hindsight is 20/20 when you look back and you think, she said that and that felt weird in the moment, but when it's your friends, you assume it's just venting about your spouse. 'Everyone vents about their spouse, I guess. But it started escalating after June.' Despite that, the two couples continued to spend time together whenever Rebecca wasn't away with her job as a fire captain based out of Cal-Fire's Riverside station, nearly two hours away. They remained close, although Yolanda's habit of complaining about having to do things for her wife began to wear on Aisha who said she had to take a step back from the friendship in November. The pair described Rebecca and Yolanda as a mostly happy couple who enjoyed regular motorcycle rides with friends and an active social life They revealed Becky had recently stopped taking part in the motorcycle rides with her friends as Yolanda allegedly became more 'controlling' Aisha, right, told DailyMail.com that Rebecca's gruesome murder came as a complete shock 'even with the red flags' In January, Rebecca was deployed for two weeks to Los Angeles to battle the Eaton Fire which ravaged a large chunk of the LA suburb of Altadena and killed 17 people. On her return later that month, Ami said the two couples had made plans to get together for a motorbike ride, only for Rebecca and Yolanda to cancel. Rebecca was then sent back to LA for another two-week deployment, but plans were made for her to meet up with Ami on February 19. Tragically, Rebecca wouldn't live long enough to keep the date. On February 17, a panicked 911 call was placed by the 49-year-old's mother Lorena, 78, who lives in a granny annex at her only child's sprawling home, 50 miles from the Mexican border. An arrest warrant obtained by DailyMail.com shows Lorena called the cops just before 9pm saying her daughter had been stabbed in her home. Police and paramedics arrived to find Rebecca dying on the floor from multiple stab wounds to her chest and neck. Ring doorbell footage seized by detectives showed what had happened in her final moments, with a bloodied Rebecca seen running across the patio outside the house at 8:08pm while yelling: 'Yolanda, please! I don't want to die' Chillingly, Yolanda who is seen in the footage brandishing a knife and with blood on her arms, replied: 'You should have thought of that before.' Rebecca, 49, was found dead from multiple stab wounds to her neck, chest and abdomen, at her home in Ramona, California on February 17 The couple lived together at the home, along with Rebecca's mother Lorena, 78, who had a granny annex and who called the police that day to report the stabbing Yolanda previously served time in jail for fatally stabbing her ex-husband James J. Olejniczak Jr., 26, as they were getting a divorce in 2000 The two women then went back inside the house, with Yolanda emerging 10 minutes later with a suitcase and her dog, both of which she loaded into her silver Chevrolet Equinox SUV before speeding off at 8:22pm. Just over an hour later and 30 minutes after Lorena dialed 911 the Equinox was seen crossing into Mexico where heavily tattooed Yolanda has family living in the Jalisco town of Tequila. Lorena told police Rebecca had informed Yolanda she wanted to end the marriage a week prior to the murder, while Yolanda claimed in text messages to a friend that her wife had 'met someone else'. Ami and Aisha said Rebecca hadn't yet told them about her divorce plans and had heard nothing about their friend finding a new love. They told DailyMail.com that Yolanda's criminal past had come as a shock saying she had always been reluctant to divulge much about her history and liked to keep her friends apart from each other. That killing, which happened in October 2000 when she was 28, bears eerie similarities to what happened to Rebecca. An account of the killing, published in the North County Times shortly after it happened and obtained by DailyMail.com, revealed that James also died from stab wounds to the chest. Like Rebecca, James was in the process of splitting up with Yolanda and, like Rebecca, passed away on the living room floor in his Fontana apartment. According to the arrest warrant obtained by DailyMail.com, Rebecca had informed Yolanda she wanted to end the marriage a week prior to the murder Yolanda is now on the lam in Mexico and crossed the border less than an hour after being caught on camera stabbing her wife Yolanda, who was living with her grandfather in Oceanside at the time along with her two children James Jr., who was then nine, and Bethany, then four, initially fled suddenly pulling the youngsters out of school. Two days later, she had a change of heart and turned herself in to police eventually pleading guilty to a lesser manslaughter charge. With Yolanda still on the run three weeks on from the murder, Ami and Aisha are now desperately hoping she will be caught and brought back to face justice. 'Even with the red flags, it was a complete shock that [Rebecca's murder] happened,' Aisha said. 'It has me questioning everything I knew about friendship and humans and trust and trauma. It has me questioning pretty much everything I thought I knew. 'It doesn't surprise me that she is on the run in Mexico though. Doesn't surprise me that she's on the run in general.' While they wait for the manhunt to conclude, the couple are devoting their time to planning a memorial ride to Josie's Hideout in San Ysabel where a celebration of life for Rebecca will be held on March 16. They are also doing their best to take care of Lorena who is devastated over the loss of her only child and have launched a Zeffy.com fundraiser to help support her. That fund had raised more than half its $50,000 target by Monday. 'Becky took care of everything,' said Ami. 'We're all trying to be there for her mom and help her. 'Her mom's gonna go to Josie's and we're gonna listen to music and hang out, celebrate Beck and celebrate her life and try to have the joyful experience that she would have wanted.' A 'grossly negligent' aristocrat and her lover caused the death of their baby by going on the run with the newborn after their four children were taken into care, a court heard today. Constance Marten, 37, and Mark Gordon, 50, are accused of fleeing across the country carrying their child in a 'bag for life', in a 'grossly negligent and obviously dangerous' manner in a bid to prevent the baby being taken away from them by social services. The Old Bailey heard today that the couple hid their baby in a shopping bag covered in rubbish when she later died in freezing conditions after weeks on the run. In a case which gripped the country, Marten is said to have given birth in secret before deciding to go on the run from the authorities, resorting to living in a tent in the middle of winter causing the 'entirely avoidable death' of the baby girl in January 2023. Prosecutor Tom Little, KC, said of the case: 'It involves the entirely avoidable death of a young baby. A young baby girl who would still be alive if it was not for the reckless and ultimately grossly negligent conduct of these two defendants.' Marten, who hails from an aristocratic family, had previously had four other children with her partner Gordon, who had all been taken into care. When she became pregnant with their fifth child in December 2022, they decided it would be their 'little secret', it was said. Constance Marten (left), 37, and Mark Gordon (right), 50, have previously been convicted of concealment of the birth of a child and perverting the course of justice, jurors have been told Mr Little told jurors: 'Rather than act in the obvious best interest of a vulnerable baby, because all babies are vulnerable when they are but some days old, they decided as they had often done before that they knew best, they knew better than anyone else. 'They decided to ignore the advice they had previously been given and decide that in the middle of winter and in obviously dangerous conditions they would deprive their baby of what she needed - warmth, shelter protection, food and ultimately one word - safety. 'They essentially went off-grid, they lived in a tent with hardly any clothes or means of keeping or remaining warm or dry and with scarcely any food. 'They did so when they were both themselves exhausted from having been on the run for a number of days and it was their desire to keep their baby girl that led to her death. 'They went and they remained on the run, giving birth to the baby in secret. They did not seek any medical assistance before, during or after birth. 'They did not register the birth but moved from location to location often overnight and using a bag for life, a supermarket bag for life, they used one of those to carry the baby on occasions. 'And when the hunt by the authorities to find them, which became national front page news just over two years ago intensified, so their desperation increased and so did the risks and the dangers to the baby. 'They decided to and then started camping in relatively cold and obviously dangerous conditions on the South Downs with totally insufficient and inadequate clothing and equipment for the baby, never once seeking any help or assistance.' He told jurors that the couple made 'bad decision after bad decision' in their desperation to evade the authorities. Mr Little said of Marten: 'She comes from a very wealthy family. She has not had a deprived upbringing. Quite the opposite. She has a trust fund. 'She had potential access to as much money as she wanted.' He told jurors that the couple spent 'hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds' on taxis crossing the country, but they only bought one Babygro for their child and didn't even have a hat for the newborn. The pair could afford to stay in hotels, but instead they went camping in the 'cold, wet, windy and dark', spending money only on a 'flimsy' tent, pillows and sleeping bags, it was said. Marten appeared in the dock today wearing a black jacket, white shirt, blue scarf and red lipstick. Her partner Gordon was not in court. A court artist's sketch of Constance Marten appearing in the dock at the Old Bailey today Judge Mark Lucraft, KC, the Recorder of London, told the jury: 'Mark Gordon is currently not here. 'We hope he will join us, even if on a link, during the course of the day. 'The fact he's not here doesn't mean anything to you at all, we are just going to carry on as if he were here.' Shortly after the couple went on the run with their baby girl, their car burst into flames on a motorway in Greater Manchester on January 5, 2023, jurors heard. Police launched a nationwide hunt after discovering a placenta wrapped in a towel in the wreckage. The couple dumped their belongings by the roadside and fled hundreds of miles across the country in taxis, travelling from Liverpool to Harwich, Colchester and then London in a bid to conceal their child, jurors were told. There, Gordon was seen on CCTV with carrier bags tied around his shoes as they bought a buggy from an Argos in East London and a 'thin' and 'flimsy' tent, together with pillows and sleeping bags. Mr Little said the couple then dumped the buggy they had just bought and put their baby into a Lidl bag for life, where she spent much of the rest of her life, it was said. He told jurors: 'It would have been plain to the defendants, you must have thought, that this was an utterly inappropriate way to care for any child, let alone their child.' When the child was not much more than a week old they decided to go camping in the South Downs National Park in the middle of a cold winters night. Mr Little told jurors: A newborn baby is at a high risk of dying when exposed to cold weather conditions. Especially you may think in a tent during winter. Newborn babies have a limited capacity to maintain their body temperature. They lose their body heat rapidly, especially if the body is not well covered. Their head is particularly prone to lose a lot of body heat rapidly due a relatively large surface area of the head as compared to rest of the body. Anybody who has had a baby knows that and these two defendants had, had four of them before. As the evidence reveals they did not even have a single hat to cover that poor babys head. The Old Bailey heard that despite her wealthy upbringing and ready access to cash and bank cards, Marten was so desperate to avoid the authorities that she resorted to scouring rubbish bins for food. Mr Little said: It is so cold that they are trying to break in to find shelter and they are so hungry that they are scavenging for food from the bins. Yet they have bank cards. They have access to money. They can contact the authorities for help. But they do none of those things. This evidence casts something of a light upon how they would have been willing to treat their daughter whilst she was alive. The couple were apprehended on February 27, 2023 after Marten was said to have resorted to attempting to steal items from a shop. When they were captured, Gordon allegedly refused to answer questions about the whereabouts of his baby, demanding food instead. Both defendants had not washed in weeks and Marten had furniture stuffing inside her clothing in an attempt to keep warm, it was said. On March 1 police found the childs body dumped in a disused shed. The body was found wrapped in a plastic bag, underneath rubbish in that red Lidl bag for life. Also found in the shed was the defendants blue tent, Mr Little said. It is instructive to note the lack of clothing for the baby to have kept her warm. There was no ability to wash clothing either. Again that tells you everything you need to know about the neglect of this young baby girl. Jurors were told today that the couple have previously been convicted of concealment of the birth of a child and perverting the course of justice. They now face a retrial on charges of manslaughter by gross negligence, which they both deny. Marten and Gordon also deny causing or allowing the death of a child between January 4 and February 27, 2023. The case continues. CNN star commentator Van Jones launched into a blistering diatribe against the Democrat party and says he can see why its hemorrhaging voters. Jones, a former Obama adviser let rip on CNN Newsroom Sunday and couldn't help but let out a laugh as he ran through his party's recent struggles. He warned the 'Democrats dont know what to do,' due to discord within the party. He then framed the situation 'as a nightmare' worsened by its loss of the House of Representatives to the Republican party. 'Look, man, were screwed,' Jones said, presenting the situation as almost a point-of-no-return. 'You know, somebody like Donald Trump, we thought wed at least have Hakeem Jeffries in the Speakers chair to hold him back,' he went on, before offering another purported solution. '[I]f we didnt have Kamala in there, to do the right thing,' he exclaimed, while detailing two ill-fated strategies he claims Democrats are continuing to pursue. CNN pundit Van Jones on the set of 'CNN Newsroom' Sunday - where he couldn't help but let out a laugh as he ran through his party's recent struggles Pictured, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries at the Capitol last month. The house minority leader had reprimanded some of his most vocal rank-and-file Democrats Thursday, after the debacle seen during Trump's speech to congress He said the Dems' insistence on claiming that the status quo was just fine despite their shocking defeat is one of the major issues. The other is the party's continued defense of highly unpopular social issues like backing transgender women in sports. 'Listen, the Democratic Party is going through a massive set of internal crises. You have a party that got trapped two ways,' Jones - often criticized as 'radical' by his conservative contemporaries - explained. 'One, defending a broken status quo that nobody likes because they thought that Donald Trump was going to make it worse. 'But, when youre defending the status quo, youre going to lose,' he went on, offering no mention of the preceding administration and its failures. 'And then, [the other faction] offending most people in the country, calling everybody sexist and racist and transphobic and every other name, and then saying, 'please follow us,"' he said, seemingly singling out figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. 'Thats not a good strategy, folks,' continued. 'Defending a broken status quo and offending most of the country, turns out, is not as popular as my party thought it was going to be,' Jones said, after the display flamed out spectacularly amid a storm of Republican ridicule and Democrat in-fighting. 'And so, its going to take a while for people to get it figured out,' Jones concluded, in what amounted to a pessimistic prognosis for the fate of the more progressive party. 'Thats not a good strategy, folks,' Jones said of one of two ill-fated strategies he said is being seen from Democrats today - one focused on social issues and fighting the establishment Jones' anger came from Donald Trump's first address to Congress last week since he was inaugurated as the 47th president in January. Texas Rep. Al Green, a Democrat, was ejected for attempting a loud protest as the president spoke. Other Democrats held up black cardboard signs lamenting what they claimed were Republican failures. Jones was one of several personalities to react to this figurative finger-pointing over the weekend, with others including Former NBC 'Meet the Press' moderator Chuck Todd and Michigan Democrat Sen. Elissa Slotkin. Todd said Democratic leaders like Jeffries and Sen. Chuck Schumer were both just acting "paralyzed" because of the two ideologically opposed wings within the party, before conceding he thought 'this anger inside the base is real.' He also echoed Jones opinion, saying there are many Americans 'who are like, "Hey, I won, and Trump carried my state. So Ive got to do this." 'I think thats why Jeffries and Schumer come across as paralyzed, because theyre trying to placate a coalition party that doesnt know which direction to go to.' Slotkin, meanwhile, said it was up to Democrats to be more transparent with both leadership and strategy to avoid such embarrassing brush-ups. Jones and other liberals have blamed both leadership and strategy for the recent embarrassing brush-ups showing a lack of unity amongst Democrats. Democratic Rep. Al Green, of Texas, caused controversy after interrupting President Trump's first speech to Congress Tuesday The division for Democrats is bad news for Jeffries, who will need his party to stick together to make any headway in the house. He faces a key moment next week, with his effort to pass a resolution before a prospective shutdown 'I think you cant get better until you admit you have a problem,' the former CIA recently elected into office said on Sundays edition of Meet the Press. 'And for me, thats one of the things that I think some of the new voices in the party have really been agitating about, right?' In addition to the walkouts and signage seen during Trump's joint address Tuesday, Democratic Rep. Al Green, of Texas, caused controversy after interrupting it with his own remarks. As his party continues to rake in record-low approval ratings. A CNN instant poll found that 80 percent of respondents thought his behavior was inappropriate. He was later censured by the House of Representatives with 10 House Democrats voting in favor of the measure. The division for Democrats is bad news for Jeffries, who will need his party to stick together to make any headway in the house. He faces a key moment next week, with his effort to pass a resolution before a prospective shutdown. Only the GOP has the votes to avoid it. An American tourist is among those attacked by a gang who raped an Israeli traveler and killed her companion in southern India. On Thursday night, two women were gang-raped and a man was killed in a brutal attack by a group of men near a lake in the city of Hampi, Karnataka. The two women - an Israeli woman, 27, and her Indian host - were stargazing with three male tourists, one of which was an American, when the violent assault took place. Police superintendent Ram Arasiddi told Reuters that the three assailants pushed the men into the Tungabhadra River canal before beating and raping the women. Two of the men survived the attack, and the third man's body was discovered on Saturday morning, he added. The deceased victim was an Indian male. The US State Department said it was 'aware of reports that a US citizen was among a group of victims of violent crime' near Hampi. 'Five people - two women and three men - were attacked near Sanapur,' Arasiddi said. 'Two of them are foreigners, an American [man], and another a woman from Israel.' 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 Two of the men in custody have also been pictured by police and named as Sai Chetan and Mallesh, both reportedly residents of the Gangavathi region One of the tourists drowned and his body was recovered on Saturday Police have since arrested two of the men accused of the attack and an investigation into the case is ongoing, Arasiddi said. 'I was bleeding heavily. Two of the attackers joined forces and dragged me to the side of the canal. One of them strangled me and removed my clothes. One after another, they beat me and raped me,' the Indian guesthouse owner told Indian media. She said the Israeli woman was dragged away by one of the men before he raped her. She added: 'When we screamed and cried, the three fled on their motorcycle.' The horrifying attack has caused hundreds of terrified holidaymakers visiting the UNESCO World Heritage site in northern Karnataka to flee. One Israeli traveler, 21, told Indian media that she and her friends were 'concerned' for their safety following the incident and decided to check out of their guest house to leave the area. Another tourist, a 23-year-old also from Israel, said his group decided not to leave their accommodation at night out of fear of another attack. 'The information about the gang rape spread like wildfire on WhatsApp groups and about 400 people, mainly Israelis, have left since March 7,' a homestay host told local media. The man added that he and other hosts are worried about their livelihoods as the attack could have lasting effects on tourism in the area. Thursday's attack saw the three suspects arrive on a motorbike around 10.30pm as the group of five was stargazing and playing the guitar, according to the female host. The men asked the group for directions to a gas station, but the Indian woman told them there was no gas station nearby. One of the men then demanded 100 rupees (less than 1). She said: 'They didn't know us, so I told them I didn't have any money. But they kept demanding and demanding until one of the male tourists gave them 20 rupees (0.18).' An argument ensued when the tourists refused to give the men more money, with the suspects threatening the group before pushing the men into the canal and hitting them with stones as well as raping and beating the women. Police identified the man who died after being pushed into the canal as Bhibas Nayak, 26, and the surviving Indian man who swam to safety as a Maharashtra resident named Pankaj The host said that the attackers stole her bag and fled with two mobile phones and 9,500 rupees (85). Police identified the man who died after being pushed into the canal as Bhibas Nayak, 26, and the surviving Indian man who swam to safety as a Maharashtra resident named Pankaj. A special investigation team arrested two of the suspects on suspicion of attempted murder, gang rape and robbery on March 8. The third remained at large until March 9, when police also took him into custody after looking through CCTV from the area where the attack happened. Two of the men in custody have also been pictured by police and named as Sai Chetan and Mallesh, both reportedly residents of the Gangavathi region. 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. The chief minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah said: 'The horrific attack and rape of an Israeli citizen and a guesthouse owner are heinous crimes.' While Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not address the gang rape attack directly, he said in a statement on International Women's Day on the weekend: 'When a daughter comes home late, her parents ask questions. But they do not ask similar questions when a son comes home late. 'Over the past decade, we have prioritized women's safety and security. To stop crimes against women, we have changed laws and established the death penalty for heinous acts like rape.' 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. A 10-year-old Indiana boy was horrifically crushed to death after his 340-pound foster mother sat on him for several minutes and 'thought he was faking' as he gasped for breath. Jennifer Lee Wilson, 48, from Indiana, was charged with reckless homicide in death of her foster child Dakota Stevens. On April 25, police rushed to the home in Valparaiso, Indiana, responding to an emergency call about a child who wasn't breathing. Officers discovered the boy had no pulse and noticed a disturbing bruise on his lower neck and chest. Dakota was rushed to the hospital, but despite desperate attempts to resuscitate him, he later died. It was then revealed that Wilson - who is just 4'11' tall, but weighs 340 pounds - told investigators that Dakota had run away from home earlier that day, according to documents obtained by Express US. She claimed she found him at a neighbor's house and brought him back, but he was still 'acting bad' and had thrown himself on the ground. Wilson confessed to sitting on the small boy - who was just 4'10' and weighed only 90 pounds - for approximately five minutes. Jennifer Lee Wilson, 48, from Indiana, was charged with reckless homicide in death of her foster child Dakota Stevens Dakota Stevens, a 10-year-old Indiana boy, was horrifically crushed to death after his 340-pound foster mother sat on him for several minutes and 'thought he was faking' as he gasped for breath Ring surveillance footage revealed the moment Wilson was laying on the boy's neck and head area while he screamed. His screams continued loudly in the video, until they began to slowly fade. When Dakota eventually stopped moving, Wilson chillingly admitted she believed he was 'faking' - until she noticed his pale looking eyelids. She can be heard yelling 'Dakota!' before she tells another child to dial 911. 'Are you faking?' she asked the boy who she crushed to death with her body weight. 'I was laying on him and he was acting bad,' Wilson said in the video. Two days later, on April 27, South Bend Memorial Hospital confirmed Dakota had died. The boy suffered catastrophic injuries including organ and soft tissue damage, liver and lung hemorrhaging. When Dakota eventually stopped moving, Wilson chillingly admitted she believed he was 'faking' - until she notices his pale looking eyelids Ring surveillance footage revealed the moment Wilson was laying on the boy's neck and head area while he screamed. His screams continued loudly on the video, until they began to slowly fade According to an autopsy, the cause of death was mechanical asphyxia and the manner of death was determined to be homicide. A neighbor told the authorities that Dakota ran to her house that day to ask her to adopt him after he said his 'parents' hit him in the face, Fox News reported. Wilson was sentenced in January to six years in prison, with one year suspended to be served on probation, according to NBC5. She lived with three adopted children in her home. After the horrific incident, the Department of Child Services confirmed her foster parent license is suspended and under review. A gun-toting Channel migrant who called for the slaughter of all Jews has been arrested. Abu Wadee, who is believed to be in his 30s, was held by Immigration Enforcement officers on suspicion of entering the UK illegally. The Palestinian national is thought to be one of the 235 migrants picked up on four small boats in the English Channel on Thursday morning. But the Mail on Sunday subsequently revealed he called for Allah to 'punish [Jews] completely' and is a former key member of a militant group that has terrorised Israel. It heaped pressure on the Home Office to act, after senior politicians demanded the public be told what they know about Wadee, and to deport him. A source close to the case confirmed to MailOnline Wadee had been arrested last night, but did not confirm where. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp, who this morning wrote to counterpart Yvette Cooper calling for answers and action, said: 'I commend the Mail and Mail on Sunday for exposing this appalling man, and prompting the Government to act. 'But it is not good enough that it requires media coverage to make this weak government take action to protect us. Abu Wadee, who is believed to be in his 30s, was held by Immigration Enforcement officers on suspicion of entering the UK illegally Wadee's social media is replete with pictures of him posing with a Kalashnikov, an artillery shell and a menacing posse of masked men 'Having called for this man to be arrested and deported immediately, I am glad the authorities have tracked him down, but he should never have been able to get here in the first place. 'Thanks to Keir Starmer's open borders policy, extremists are able to enter our country at will. 'Labour has made our country the soft touch of Europe on illegal migration. They need to get a grip now and back our sensible amendments to the Borders' Bill before more dangerous foreign criminals get into the UK.' It comes as the Government identified plans to introduce new powers which tougher restrictions can be imposed on those individuals who cannot be removed but have committed a crime or are deemed a threat to the British public. Restrictions will include the use of electronic tags, night-time curfews and exclusion zones. Breaching these conditions would be grounds for arrest and the individual could face prosecution and imprisonment. Wadee was one of the more than 1,700 migrants who arrived by small boat 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. Wadee charted his journey across Europe on social media, including stops in Brussels and Paris before arriving in the UK last week, with individual videos attracting more than 2 million views. Footage of him being picked up in the Channel disappeared from his now-deleted TikTok account yesterday, although it remained on his Facebook page alongside images of him brandishing various assault rifles, posing behind a high explosive artillery shell, and another in which he appeared to hold a tear gas canister in his mouth during apparent clashes at the border with Israel. The migrant has filmed himself chanting about killing Jews Although he fled Gaza before the October 7 massacres in 2023, Wadee appears to have been a prominent member of the so-called 'Tire-burning Unit' - a militant group of Palestinian extremists who regularly hurled fire-bombs and rocks at Israeli forces manning the border with Gaza. A spokesman for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: 'We welcome the reported arrest of Abu Wadee. 'It is evident that he poses a threat to the safety of the Jewish community and to the British public more widely. 'Clearly he should not be at liberty in the UK. 'We are now asking the Home Office to confirm that this case will be expedited and we are seeking assurances on the anticipated timeframes. We are also asking why nobody seemed to have worked out who he was until our investigators exposed him.' A Home Office spokesman said: 'The Government is 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. 'The British public can be reassured that we take all steps necessary at all times to protect the nation's security, including taking action in the Border Security Bill to give the police and immigration officers stronger powers to act where anyone poses a threat.' 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. Wadee is seen here posing with two assault rifles in front of a Palestine flag '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 previously 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. 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. 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' 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. 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. 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: '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 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.' Billionaire DOGE leader Elon Musk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are looking to put bad blood behind them after an explosive exchange at the White House last week. Musk and Rubio both traveled to Florida over the weekend where they made nice while attending a dinner Saturday night with President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. The pair have also put on a united front on social media. On Sunday, they teamed up to hit back at criticism over the U.S.'s handling of the war in Ukraine. Musk claimed in a post on X that 'my Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army. Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off.' The post was perceived as a threat by the Polish foreign affairs minister Radosaw Sikorski. He reposted the comment on X with the caption: 'Starlinks for Ukraine are paid for by the Polish Digitization Ministry at the cost of about $50 million per year.' 'The ethics of threatening the victim of aggression apart, if SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider we will be forced to look for other suppliers,' Sikorski added. That's when Rubio jumped in to defend Musk posting on X: 'Just making things up. No one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink.' Rubio also said that 'without Starlink Ukraine would have lost this war long ago.' Elon Musk and Marco Rubio put on a united front on social media after it was reported that the pair had it out during a Cabinet meeting at the White House last Thursday In another chummy post early Monday, Rubio took the time to thank DOGE while announcing 83 percent of USAID programs would be canceled. He noted that 5,200 contracts had been cancelled, and the administration planned to work with Congress so the remaining programs would come under the State Department. 'Thank you to DOGE and our hardworking staff who worked very long hours to achieve this overdue and historic reform,' Rubio wrote. Musk responded to the post 'tough, but necessary' about the decision and wrote 'Good working with you.' Their public buddying up comes after a bombshell report detailed their fiery clash last week as Trump looked on, but the president rejected there were tensions over the weekend. 'I don't think the tensions are high,' Trump told reporters in response to a question on Air Force One. 'Elon's a very special person and these Cabinet people are very special people,' he added. Rubio thanked DOGE in a post on X on Monday after clashing with Elon Musk last week The world's richest man reportedly berated Rubio, according to the New York Times which had juicy new details on the gathering that took place Thursday. Seated diagonally across the table, Musk accused the Secretary of State of failing to cut his staff. As the New York Times put it, the tech billionaire slammed Rubio for not firing anyone and then 'scornfully' added perhaps the only person he had fired was a DOGE staff member. But Rubio did not sit back in the meeting and just take it, instead accusing Musk of not being truthful. The top Cabinet member asked whether the 1,500 State Department officials who took early retirement buyouts counted as layoffs. And he 'sarcastically' questioned if Musk wanted him to rehire them so he could fire them again, the Times reported. President Trump holding his first Cabinet meeting at the White House on February 26. Elon Musk was also in attendance for that gathering The argument reportedly dragged on for an 'uncomfortable time.' Musk told Rubio he was 'good on TV' suggesting he wasn't good for much else. Through it all, Trump sat in his chair, arms crossed, watching the fight play out. Finally, the 78-year-old intervened. He defended Rubio for doing a 'great job' and pointed out he was very busy traveling and on TV and had an agency to run. The New York Times described the meeting as a 'potential turning point' after Trump's whirlwind first few weeks of his second term. It also signaled for the first time that the president was willing to rein in Musk as his DOGE team's work has caused chaos and confusion across the federal government. Elon Musk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio got into a heated argument during last Thursday's Cabinet meeting at the White House The meeting last Thursday was widely reported as Trump gathered his Cabinet and made it clear they are in charge of the hirings and firings, not Musk. He told his top officials they need to use a 'scalpel' for the workforce cuts. 'I dont want to see a big cut where a lot of good people are cut,' Trump said after the Cabinet meeting. 'Elon and the group are going to be watching them, and if they can cut, its better. And if they dont cut, then Elon will do the cutting.' Even before Musk clashed with Rubio, he also got into it with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy over the state of the FAA's equipment for tracking planes, the New York Times said. Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was created by Trump to find waste, fraud and abuse Duffy accused DOGE of trying to lay off air traffic controllers. He pointed out that there have been multiple plane crashes and questioned Musk's team wanting him to fire air traffic controllers. Musk claimed Duffy's assertion was a lie to which the transportation secretary insisted it was not and that he had heard from them directly. Musk responded by demanding names, the Times reported. The hastily convened White House gathering came one day after Musk met with both House and Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill. Some GOP lawmakers have begun to express concerns over how the spending cuts were being carried out. DOGE has been the target of multiple lawsuits as it rushes forward with its mission to root out waste, fraud and abuse, but thousands of federal workers have already been forced to defend their work and in many cases shown the door. As Congress faces a funding deadline Friday and a possible government shutdown looms, Donald Trump has signaled exactly what he wants done to avoid the federal disaster. In December, Speaker Mike Johnson pushed a short term spending bill, called a continuing resolution (CR), through Congress that had just enough cash to keep the government's lights on for a couple months. That money runs out at 12:01 am ET on Friday should Congress not pass additional funding, meaning that major agencies could be crippled from carrying out key functions. Not wanting to face a government shutdown within his first 100 days, Trump has huddled with lawmakers for weeks at the White House to chart a path forward on the spending debacle. But with the razor-thin 218 - 214 GOP majority in the House, Speaker Johnson can only afford to lose two votes. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who has for years voted against stopgap spending bills, has already said he will vote 'no.' And Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., and Cory Mills, R-Fla., are reportedly on the fence as well. That means Trump and Johnson can only lose a single vote in addition to Massie, and the Republican president is unsure of their odds. When pressed by reporters on Air Force One from Mar-a-Lago to D.C. on Sunday about the possibility of a shutdown, the commander-in-chief noted it could happen if Republicans don't follow his wishes. 'The Democrats want that,' Trump said of the shutdown. 'They want to destroy the country.' President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stands with him aboard Air Force One on his return to Washington, D.C., U.S., March 9, 2025 Speaker Mike Johnson (L) and Trump have been working on a funding bill to avoid a potential government shutdown after midnight on Friday 'So I can't tell you, but it could happen,' the 78-year-old continued before backtracking, 'It probably won't.' 'I think the CR is going to get passed,' he added. Earlier in the weekend he took to his app Truth Social to plead directly to lawmakers about the importance of avoiding a shutdown. 'The House and Senate have put together, under the circumstances, a very good funding Bill ('CR')! All Republicans should vote (Please!) YES next week,' the Republican wrote. '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.' 'Democrats will do anything they can to shut down our Government, and we can't let that happen. We have to remain UNITED NO DISSENT Fight for another day when the timing is right,' it continued. Democratic House leadership, however, is standing firm against the funding bill. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic House Whip Katherine Clark and Democratic caucus chair Pete Aguilar sent out a note to their colleagues on Friday urging them to vote 'no' on the measure. Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries is urging his party to vote against the government spending measure If Congress does not pass a funding bill before Friday a shutdown will ensue 'The partisan House Republican funding bill recklessly cuts healthcare, nutritional assistance and $23 billion in veterans benefits,' their joint statement claimed. 'Equally troublesome, the legislation does nothing to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, while exposing the American people to further pain throughout this fiscal year. We are voting No.' Speaker Johnson is planning on putting the CR up for a vote on Tuesday. If it passes, it will then head to the Senate for their sign off before heading to Trump's desk. But if the Tuesday vote on the CR fails, Johnson, Trump and GOP congressional leadership will have to go back to the drawing board with scant time to draft a new playbook before Friday's deadline. Over the weekend, Johnson released the text of the bill that would go through the end of the fiscal year on September 30. The 99-page legislation was 'closely coordinated' with Trump, although House Republican aides said he has not reviewed the entire document on Saturday. The act outlines additional funding to support some of Trump's strongest issues - including national defense, veteran healthcare and immigration crackdowns. 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. '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 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. The bill also has $9,986,542,000 devoted to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Operations and Support. Hamas reiterated on Sunday its insistence on moving directly into negotiating a second phase of the Gaza truce, as Israel announced it would dispatch a delegation to Doha for further talks. Representatives of the Palestinian militant group met with mediators in Cairo at the weekend, emphasising the need for humanitarian aid to re-enter the besieged territory "without restrictions or conditions", according to a Hamas press release. The high-level delegation also stressed the need for "moving directly to begin negotiations for the second phase" of the deal, which will aim to lay the groundwork for a permanent ceasefire. Hamas's demands for the second phase include a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, an end to the blockade, the reconstruction of the territory and financial support, an official told AFP. Hamas spokesperson Abdel Latif Al-Qanoua said indicators were so far "positive". Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office meanwhile said it would send delegates to Doha on Monday. Israel has maintained it wants an extension of the truce's first phase until mid-April. That initial period ended on March 1 after six weeks of relative calm that included the exchange of 25 living hostages and eight bodies for the release of about 1,800 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. The truce largely halted more than 15 months of fighting in Gaza, where virtually the entire population was displaced by Israel's relentless military campaign in response to Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack. It also enabled the flow of vital food, shelter and medical assistance into Gaza. After Israel turned the pipeline off again, UN rights experts accused the government of "weaponising starvation". Displaced Palestinian widow Haneen al-Dura told AFP she and her children spent a month and a half living on the street "among dogs and rats" before receiving a tent. "As the family's provider, it was distressing and I couldn't sleep at all during the night," she said. Last week, US President Donald Trump threatened further destruction of Gaza if all remaining hostages are not released, issuing what he called a "last warning" to Hamas leaders. He also warned of repercussions for all Gazans, telling them: "A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD!" Hamas said Trump's threats would only encourage Israel to ignore the terms of their truce. The Trump administration has also confirmed the start of unprecedented direct talks with Hamas, which Washington had previously refused contact with since designating it a terrorist organisation in 1997. Of the 251 hostages taken by the Palestinian militants, 58 remain in Gaza, including five Americans. Four American captives have been confirmed dead, while one, Edan Alexander, is believed to be alive. The White House said Trump met with eight of the freed captives, who "expressed gratitude" for his efforts to bring them home. The US president previously floated a widely condemned plan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza, prompting Arab leaders to offer an alternative. Their proposal would see Gaza's reconstruction financed through a trust fund, with the Palestinian Authority returning to govern the territory. "We need more discussion about it, but it's a good-faith first step," Steve Witkoff, Trump's Middle East envoy, told reporters in Washington in response to the plan. Witkoff will be returning to the region this week as he travels to Saudi Arabia for talks on the war in Ukraine. At their regular weekend rally in Tel Aviv, families of Israeli hostages demanded the government fully implement the ceasefire. "The war could resume in a week -- they have even picked a name for the operation," Einav Zangauker, the mother of Matan Zangauker, told the candle and poster-wielding crowd. "The war won't bring the hostages back home, it will kill them." Recently released hostages have also joined those beseeching Netanyahu to implement the ceasefire. Hamas's attack resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, most of them civilians, according to official figures. Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 48,446 people in Gaza, the majority of them civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The UN considers these figures reliable. Russia's foreign intelligence service (SVR) has accused the UK of being the 'main instigator' of global conflict after Moscow expelled two British diplomats suspected of carrying out espionage activities. The statement, published hours after the British diplomats were told they have two weeks to leave Russia, appeared to blame the UK for starting the Second World War. 'As we can see, London today, just as it did on the eve of both world wars of the last century, acts as the main "instigator" of the global conflict,' the agency said. 'At the same time, the British themselves, obviously, are again counting on sitting it out on their island. 'It is time to expose them and send a clear signal to the treacherous Albion and its elites: you will not succeed.' The statement also said the UK 'sees a threat to its interests in the promotion of dialogue between the US and Russia on resolving the Ukrainian conflict. 'London fears that this will lead to the failure of the British strategy of containing Moscow,' the report claimed. The tirade came as the second secretary of the British embassy in the Russian capital and the spouse of another British diplomat were stripped of accreditation in Russia, the report said. The FSB - Russia's internal security service and the successor to the KGB - claims the diplomats had 'deliberately' provided false information about themselves and noted alleged evidence of their intelligence and covert activities. Russia's foreign intelligence service (SVR) has accused the UK of being the 'main instigator' of global conflict. Pictured: Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin The SVR statement, published today hours after the British diplomats were told they have two weeks to leave Russia, appeared to blame the UK for starting the Second World War A Russian police officer patrols outside the British embassy The FSB said that 'counterintelligence work had revealed an undeclared British intelligence presence under the cover of the national embassy.' The diplomats were accused of 'intelligence and subversive activities that threaten Russia's security', according to state news outlets. Both were ordered to leave Russia within two weeks. The announcement is the latest in a string of diplomatic expulsions between Britain and Russia amid heightened tensions surrounding the war in Ukraine. The FSB said in its announcement today that the diplomats had 'deliberately intentionally provided false information when receiving permission to enter our country, thereby violating Russian law'. It concluded that the agency would 'continue working to combat the reconnaissance and disruptive activities of foreign intelligence agencies by all available means.' The ministry also summoned an embassy representative in connection with the allegations, it said in a post on Telegram. Breaking conventions, Russian state media today named one of the diplomats and the partner of the other. MailOnline has elected not to name them. An FCDO spokesperson told MailOnline today: 'This is not the first time that Russia has made malicious and baseless accusations against our staff.' British politicians also hit out at the SVR's allegations Britain was the 'main instigator' of global conflict after the diplomats were expelled. Liberal Democrat MP Calum Miller, the party's foreign affairs spokesman, said: 'Putin's attempts to blame the UK for the war in Ukraine show just how extreme the Kremlin's misinformation campaign has become. 'There is only one nation at fault in this conflict: Russia. 'If the Russian leader's effort to rewrite history was not so sinister, it would be laughable. 'In the last week, we have now seen both JD Vance and Putin disrespect the courageous British soldiers who gave up their lives on foreign soil in defence of democracy.' The British embassy in Moscow, undated Today's diplomatic announcement comes just days after Russia vowed to respond to the expulsion of a Russian diplomat from London. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told RIA Novosti last week that 'an answer will be given' after the diplomat was stripped of accreditation. The decision was, in turn, a response to the stripping of accreditation of an employee of the British Embassy in Moscow in November 2024. In November, a second secretary of the British embassy's department was ordered to leave Russia. The FSB reported at the time that the second secretary of the political department of the British embassy had carried out intelligence and subversive work that threatened Russian security. The British Foreign Ministry told RIA that the accusations were 'unfounded' and vowed an appropriate response. In September 2024, the accreditation of six diplomats was terminated, accused of engaging in intelligence and subversive work. The FSB claimed to have received documents showing that part of the Foreign Office was actively aiding 'the escalation of the political and military situation' in Ukraine. The Foreign Office said in a statement that the accusations were 'completely baseless'. 'We are unapologetic about protecting our national interests,' it continued. The British government had previously expelled the Russian defence attache in May, accusing him of being an undeclared intelligence officer. Several Russian-owned buildings in the U.K. were also stripped of diplomatic status. The UK also accused Moscow of being behind the 2006 assassination of former Russian agent and Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko in a London poisoning attack. And in 2018, Britain and its allies expelled dozens of Russian embassy officials they said were spies over the attempted poisoning of former double agent, Sergei Skripal, with Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok. Just last week, six Bulgarian nationals were convicted of spying for the Kremlin in the U.K., found to have received orders directly from Moscow. 'Following a three-month trial at the Old Bailey, two women and a man were found guilty of conspiring to obtain information intended to be directly or indirectly useful to Russia,' the Met said in a statement on March 7. Beautician Vanya Gaberova, 30, decorator Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, and lab technician Katrin Ivanova, 33,were found guilty of conspiring to spy for Russia. 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. The agents all face lengthy jail terms when they are sentenced. The operation was said to have been run from a Great Yarmouth guesthouse stacked with sophisticated surveillance technology. The agents passed secrets on to Russia for almost three years, spying on a U.S. airbase in Germany and tailing opponents of the state. A fifth of British counter-terror policing is now devoted to battling a surge of state-backed threats, Scotland Yard commander Dominic Murphy said last week. And this espionage cell lurking in suburbia was just one example of the Russian intelligence services using proxy agents for its 'stream of covert activity and sabotage,' he warned. 'The reality is this won't be the only activity Russia is conducting here in the UK and we have seen other disruptions here in recent months,' Mr Murphy, head of counterterrorism command, added. Katrin Ivanova was accused of being part of a network of spies targeting people and places of interest to the Russian state The agents all face lengthy jail terms when they are sentenced. Pictured: Gaberova's custody photo 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 Russia has been increasingly accused of carrying out 'hybrid warfare' tactics across Europe, employing sabotage and disruption to hinder nations lending support to Ukraine. Counter-terrorism police in Britain were last year said to be investigating suspected Russian involvement in the planting of a hidden incendiary device in a parcel on a plane headed for the UK. The device ultimately burst into flames in a warehouse and no casualties were reported. Russia has been accused of trying to destabilise the West and allies since the war in Ukraine began by allegedly 'weaponising mass migration' along its western border; sabotaging Nord Stream pipelines providing Europe with gas; influencing elections in Moldova and Georgia; jamming aircraft GPS; and even sending exploding massagers to Western Europe. It was also accused of interfering in historic votes in Britain and the US election. A four-year-old girl died after being found unresponsive in the bath at her home, an inquest has heard. Paramedics were called to an address near Carmarthen, Wales on the evening of February 20. Cali Marged Lewis-Mclernon was found in the bath after being thought to have had a 'cardiac arrest'. The child was rushed to Glangwili Hospital in Wales, but tragically passed away in the early hours of the following morning. An inquest into her death was formally opened by Paul Bennett, the Senior Coroner for Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, at Llanelli Town Hall on Monday morning. Hayley Rogers, Coroner's Officer for Dyfed-Powys Police, told the hearing that police first received a call at 5.59pm on February 20 from the Welsh Ambulance Service. They had requested assistance due to a four-year-old girl being 'in cardiac arrest' having been found 'unresponsive in the bath.' Miss Rogers also confirmed that Cali died at Glangwili Hospital at 2.45am on February 21. A post mortem was carried out at the hospital a week later, the results of which have not yet been confirmed. A four-year-old girl died after being found unresponsive in the bath at her home, an inquest has heard (stock image Glangwili Hospital) An inquest into her death was formally opened by Paul Bennett, the Senior Coroner for Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, at Llanelli Town Hall (pictured) on Monday morning Police have launched an investigation which is ongoing and one woman, aged 41, has been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter and since been released on bail. Mr Bennett offered his condolences to Cali's family and adjourned the inquest until a further hearing on June 30. Following the death, a spokeswoman for Dyed-Powys Police said: 'We received a request for assistance from the ambulance service at an address in Llangunnor, Carmarthen, at around 6pm on Thursday, February 20. 'A child was unwell at the property, and was taken to hospital, where she sadly died a short time later. 'One person has been arrested and enquiries are ongoing.' Guests of the Dominican Republic resort where a University of Pittsburgh student vanished complained of having no electricity or running water among other chaotic conditions at the crowded beachfront complex. Several visitors gave testimonials about the lack of basic provisions at the Riu Republica Resort in Punta Cana, where Sudiksha Konanki, 20, was last seen via security footage on the beach around 4.50am on Thursday. 'If you have a Spring Break trip booked to Riu Republica consider canceling it now,' warned Melau Acuff in a nearly six-minute TikTok video shared on Sunday describing the 'ridiculous' conditions. 'Yesterday I got back from the worst all-inclusive experience I ever had in my entire life, and as someone who has been going to all-inclusives for 15 years or more at this point, that says a lot.' Acuff detailed numerous power outages at the resort, as well as the lack of running water. She said she and her group arrived at the resort on March 3, three days before Konanki disappeared. Acuff also recalled that her friend's purse was stolen, but eventually found by hotel staff and returned - without any cash inside. In addition, she said that she and other guests had problems with their room keys and that she and the 'entire resort' were forced to dine at a single restaurant inside the sprawling complex due to a power outage. University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki was last seen Thursday on a beach at the Riu Republica in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Recent hotel guests are now revealing some of the horrors they experienced at the property last week Numerous guests said they were forced to dine at a single restaurant inside the sprawling complex due to a power outage A group of guests recorded themselves dining in the dark at the resort, saying they 'scavenged [it] together, all by ourselves' 'It was so overcrowded. There was barely any food options because there was so many people,' Acuff explained. 'You at least expect the basics, and we didn't even get that,' she added. 'I know we're not at the Ritz Carlton, but c'mon. It was ridiculous.' Another group of guests recorded themselves dining in the dark at the resort, saying they 'scavenged [it] together, all by ourselves.' 'They have one restaurant to feed a couple thousand people,' one of the women complained. In the video caption, they said they had no power for three days. 'Our water comes on then shuts off. They have one place open to eat. It's so busy with a resort of like a couple thousand. It's a mad house,' the guest wrote. 'The customer service is is horrible. The place smells like they have sewage backup everywhere.' Yet another guest took to TikTok to complain about the check-in process, saying it took two hours, as well periods of no electricity and water and the smell of gas in the hallways. Numerous guests said they were forced to dine at a single restaurant inside the sprawling complex due to a power outage Local officials and American authorities at odds over what may have happened tothe missing student Their concerns went unanswered by the resort staff, including management, the guest claimed. 'So you can't go to that country expecting your American rights.' 'Our commitment to the well-being and comfort of our guests is our priority, so we deeply regret the power failure that affected the Riu Republica Hotel last week,' the resort said in a statement, noting it would compensate affected guests who submitted a claim 'From the moment the problem was detected, in the early hours of Wednesday, March 5, until it was completely resolved, in the early hours of Thursday, March 6, the hotel team worked tirelessly to resolve the problem rapidly and thus restore all services, which happened progressively during that period of time. All members of our staff have been doing their best to mitigate the inconveniences generated by this situation.' Local officials and American authorities at odds over what may have happened to Konanki. She was in the Caribbean country with five other female University of Pittsburgh students when she vanished. Konanki and her friends were seen walking on the beach in the early hours of Thursday morning. Most of the group returned to the hotel, leaving her and one other on the beach. Dominican officials say that's when she and the friend went for a swim - and got caught by a large wave. They believe Konanki drowned, but are yet to recover her body. American authorities however say the investigation should remain open and active. Sudiksha Konanki vanished from the Riu Republica resort in Punta Cana last Thursday 'There's no evidence to support that conclusion at this time,' he said. 'The investigation is looking at everything from an accident to foul play and interviews are ongoing, along with review of video and phone records,' Julia continued. 'The best outcome is that she is found alive and well.' According to CNN, Police have already spoken with Konanki's friends to establish exactly where a maritime search should be focused. A model who had acid thrown over her by her stalked has told how she is reclaiming her life and her confidence after years of medical treatments. Katarzyna Dacyszyn, 46, was disfigured in an attack by her neighbour in 2016 after she filed charges against him for harassment. At a hearing at the court house in odz, Poland, Robert W., who was facing three years in jail over the charges, lunged and threw sulfuric acid over her. The former model and designer suffered burns on 25 per cent of her body and more than 80 per cent of her face, Polish media reports. More than eight years after the attack, she is now sharing her story, hoping to raise public awareness of the issue. She became socially active and has been sharing photos of herself wearing makeup and enjoying life, looking as confident as ever, in hopes of inspiring other victims. Katarzyna, now an advocate for victims of stalking, told followers on social media: 'Every nightmare, no matter how long and terrible, eventually comes to an end. 'The best thing you can do for yourself is to fight for your goals and dreams. They don't have to be grand for the worldlet them be grand for you.' Polish model Katarzyna Dacyszyn, 46, poses in undated photo. She suffered chemical burns after her stalker, Robert W., poured sulphuric acid on her in Lodz, Poland, in August 2016 Polish model Katarzyna Dacyszyn, 46, being treated in hospital in undated photo Katarzyna required dozens of surgeries, including skin grafts, laser treatments, and months-long hospital stays The former model and designer suffered burns on 25 per cent of her body and more than 80 per cent of her face, Polish media reports 'What matters is determination, perseverance, consistency, and faith,' she told her followers. If you ever doubt yourself, I am here as your guide on this journey.' Katarzyna today works on behalf of stalking victims and runs workshops for women affected by violence. She has also shared her experiences in the 2019 book 'The Woman with the Scar,' co-authored with Irena Stanislawska. Katarzyna suffered terribly damaging burns to her face, eye, chest and torso in the August 2016 attack. She required dozens of surgeries, including skin grafts, laser treatments, and months-long hospital stays. Sadly she did not fully regain her eyesight, according to Plejada. Her stalker went on to be charged with attempted murder, and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Since the incident, Polish laws against stalkers have been tightened, and security measures in courts have been significantly increased. Katarzyna suffered terribly damaging burns to her face, eye, chest and torso Katarzyna continues to document her progress with followers online Sat at one end of the corridor, she was checking her phone when suddenly 'I saw a jar of liquid in front of my face and heard a terrifying voice,' she told TVN24 On International Women's Day this Saturday, she shared a photo of herself in the Polish senate calling followers to 'stand up against abuse, neglect and violence'. Over the years, she has documented her progress on Instagram, describing all of the difficult procedures she has undergone in her 'fight to regain my former appearance'. Local media reports that she was a lingerie designer and model, leading a 'well-organised life' and happily in a relationship before her life took a turn. She received the first message from her stalker in 2005. Believing it to have been sent in error, she blocked the number. 'My intuition told me I was in danger,' she later recalled. The man reportedly lived in the same block as Katarzyna, and pursued her on social media even after she blocked his number. The stalker then began posting defamatory allegations about his victim online, harassing her with emails and texts. Katarzyna took the difficult decision to take the case to court in 2016, where she brought evidence against her neighbour. She later told TVN24 that she 'didn't feel safe at all' on the day. When she came face to face with her attacker at the local district court he attacked her with sulfuric acid. Sat at one end of the corridor, she was checking her phone when suddenly 'I saw a jar of liquid in front of my face and heard a terrifying voice,' she told TVN24. She said the pain was 'like I've never experienced before'. Katarzyna today works on behalf of stalking victims and runs workshops for women affected by violence Sadly she did not fully regain her eyesight, according to Plejada Local media reported that the attacker had brought a coffee cup filled with the corrosive liquid into the courthouse. According to the Office for National Statistics, one in five women (20.2%) in the UK have experienced stalking at some point since the age of 16. The same can be said for 8.7 per cent of men, the ONS reported late last year. An Ipsos UK survey commissioned by Metro and published this month found that a quarter of Brits know a woman or girl who has been a victim of domestic abuse over the past 12 months. Two in five women (39 per cent) knew a woman or girl victim of sexual harassment, per the survey of 1,092 participants, asked in January. President Donald Trump's approval rating has slipped slightly despite a well-received speech to Congress last week. DailyMail.com's Trump tracking poll, conducted with J.L. Partners, showed his approval rating now at 49 percent. It is down five points from a 54 percent result a week earlier that showed the president more popular than ever. Trump's dip appears most prominent among young people. Among voters 18-29, his approval rating is down 18 points from the previous poll. The president has lost support among young men by 19 percent, and young women by 17 percent. The poll was conducted March 5-7 among a sample of 1,019 registered voters with a 3.4 percent margin of error. 'For the first time in our tracking, the presidents rating has plunged into negative territory, and concern about tariffs and the economy with a whopping seven in ten feeling the economy is worsening is fueling that decline in approval,' James Johnson, Co-Founder of J.L. Partners, said to DailyMail.com about the results. Voters have become more concerned about the economy since Trump took office, according to the poll. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during an Address to Congress in Washington DC Your browser does not support iframes. It showed 47 percent of voters believe the economy is getting worse, a nine point jump from the 38 percent who thought the same before Trump was inaugurated. However, despite reservations about Trump's efforts on the economy, voters appear willing to give him some time to improve it. Seventy-two percent of voters say they need to see the economy improve by next year before they start blaming Trump. Of that 72 percent, 38 percent said they wanted to see the economy improve within six months. 'We should not get too carried away: these are still historically good numbers by Trumps standards. But the economy is a real danger area for the President, the voters are not yet seeing improvements and people feel the administrations actions on tariffs are not helping,' Johnson said. But overall, a majority of voters are supportive of Trump's first 50 days of his second term. Fifty-two percent approve of Trump's first 50 days in his second term, when undecided voters are removed. US President Donald Trump waves as he makes his way to board Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews Your browser does not support iframes. U.S. President Donald Trump holds up an executive order The main words associated with Trump's first 50 days are 'energetic,' 'interesting,' 'strong,' 'focused,' 'bad for the US on the world stage,' 'uncaring,' and 'divisive.' Those who still favor Trump give him a positive rating for standing strong on banning men from girl's sports, securing the border, and deporting illegal immigrants. Securing the border remains Trump's biggest achievement in his first 50 days, according to the poll. Forty percent of voters believe that conditions on the southern border are improving, a strong 24 percent jump from the only 16 percent who felt that way about the border before Trump was president. Voters who now view Trump more negatively complained about the clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, firing federal workers, and economic fears surrounding his decision to level tariffs against Canada and Mexico. Polling respondents identified tariffs as the president's biggest 'screwup' since taking office. Voters are more hesitant about tariffs since Trump was first inaugurated, especially now that the president has leveled 25 percent tariffs on imported goods coming from Mexico and Canada. Support for more tariffs on China has fallen from 28 percent to 13 percent, a sixteen point drop. The poll also shows that support for more tariffs on Mexico and Canada has dropped three points since the inauguration. Trump suspended some of his tariffs on automobiles for 30 days to give the industry more time to adjust. The president defended his tariffs while speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Sunday. 'All I know is this, we're going to take in hundreds of billions of dollars in tariffs, and we're going to become so rich you're not going to know when to spend all that money,' Trump said. The granddaughter of Dame Vivienne Westwood has demanded that the 500,000-a-year CEO of her fashion house resigns after he allegedly claimed that gay people couldn't be trusted and called one employee a 'fairy' and 'homo'. Cora Corre, 27, a model and activist, has been backed by stars including Paloma Faith and artist Daniel Lismore having spoken out on the second anniversary of her closing the Vivienne Westwood Paris Fashion Week show after her grandmother's death. 'Vivienne always taught me to stand up for what is right and that will never waiver', she has said. Cora quit as the company's campaigns manager last October going into open conflict with Vivienne Westwood Ltd's chief executive Carlo d'Amario. Ms Corre has accused its boss - who vehemently denies the allegations - of 'bullying', homophobia as well as betraying her 'warrior' grandmother's legacy. She has today called on Mr D'Amario to quit, claiming that the company, which her grandmother used to challenge gender norms including through the historic 1975 'gay cowboys' campaign, has done nothing to censure him. Cora, daughter of Vivienne and Malcolm McLaren's son Joseph Corre and Agent Provocateur founder Serena Rees, said: 'Appalled no action has been taken on this matter. This behaviour was one of the reasons I felt compelled to leave Vivienne Westwood Ltd last year'. Cora's friend Paloma Faith shared the Instagram post and said: 'Homophobia will not be tolerated!', praising Cora for standing up to the business. D'Amario was accused of homophobic behaviour and bullying, allegedly saying once: 'All these gay men in the company - you can't trust them'. Witnesses also accused of him of criticising shop displays for looking 'too gay' and often using homophobic nicknames for one gay employee nicknames such as 'Mary Poppins', 'Mary Fairy' and 'Homo Pomo'. Cora Corre has called for the removal of chief executive Carlo d'Amario. Pictured: Vivienne and Cora in March 2022 - the year of her death Cora now claims her gradmother's fashion house has done nothing about claims of homophobia Carlo D'Amario joined the company in 1986. Pictured: He attends Melissa X Vivienne Westwood Anglomania: Ride The Rocking Horse at Galeria Melissa on September 15, 2016 The Vivienne Foundation is managed by Dame Vivienne's surviving relatives, including Corre (pictured here in March 2023 modelling Vivienne Westwood after her grandmother's death) Italian Mr D'Amario, who was paid a reported 500,000 in 2023, denied all allegations and told a 2023 independent investigation where he said that that sexuality was 'the last thing in [his] brain' and that language barriers may be behind any misunderstandings. However, the investigators are said to have found his denials 'not persuasive.' Five allegations against him were upheld, according to The Guardian, but Vivienne Westwood Ltd has declined to comment on the case or whether they have taken any action against the company boss. MailOnline has again asked Vivienne Westwood Ltd to comment. Derbyshire-born Dame Vivienne, the 'godmother of punk' who is largely responsible for bringing new wave fashions into the mainstream, died in London aged 81 surrounded by family just over two years ago. She became synonymous with her androgynous designs and outspoken views on politics and social affairs. But Ms Corre's resignation letter to Vivienne Westwood LTD employees last year stated: 'In the years leading up to my grandmother's death, she was deeply unhappy with the way the company was being run. 'It was her wish that... D'Amario was removed and the company was managed in a way that respected her values.' The disagreement is between Vivienne Westwood, the brand selling items under the businesswoman's name, and the Vivienne Foundation, a charity that she set up in 2019. The foundation is managed by Dame Vivienne's surviving relatives, including Corre, who according to Companies House became a director last April. The letter suggests that D'Amario contested the foundation's trademark, 'preventing' it from holding events or fundraising for causes Dame Vivienne 'passionately' supported. Cora pictured as a child with her grandmother Cora says the CEo has betrayed her grandmother's legacy Dame Vivienne, the 'godmother of punk' who is largely responsible for bringing new wave fashions into the mainstream, died in London aged 81 surrounded by family Fashion designer Vivienne Westwood at Buckingham Palace, in London, where she received her OBE from Queen Elizabeth II. She is giving a twirl for the photographers. Vivienne Westwood walks the runway at the Vivienne Westwood show during the London Fashion Week Men's June 2017 collections Dame Vivienne was known for being a staunch activist who brought issues she cared passionately about, such as the environment, to the catwalk. According to the Intellectual Property Office, the brand trademarked 'The Vivienne Foundation' in categories such as 'fundraising in the field of climate change'. Corre claims that Dame Vivienne transferred all of her intellectual property and copyrights to the foundation before she died including those created before the limited company was founded in 1993. She had described reaching 'breaking point' after two years without communication from the company. And Corre alleged that the brand had sent legal threats to the foundation, which a source says has 'caused the family so much sadness'. Writing after her grandmother's death just over two years ago, Cora admitted she never viewed her grandmother as a 'famous person' and revealed she had planned to host intergenerational talks with Vivienne before she passed away. She said: 'I never did and still don't see her as a famous person, I have always been in admiration of her, and growing admiration - especially in the past few years - of her intellect and her striving for justice.' Cora went on to admit that people often ask her if her grandmother, who was known for bringing punk fashion into the mainstream, was 'conventional'. She admitted that she never considered Vivienne to be unconventional because being involved in fashion shows was her 'normal' when she was growing up. Cora also shared the influence that Vivienne's designs have had on her own life, admitting that she feels 'empowered' when wearing Westwood. 'What's so crazy for me, and really by chance, is that I feel the most empowered and the best version of myself when wearing Westwood,' she said. Reflecting on their close relationship, Cora shared that she would often visit galleries and museums with her grandmother, particularly the Wallace Collection, where Vivienne took a lot of inspiration from for her designs. Speaking about Vivienne's legacy, Cora admitted she finds it 'crazy' that her grandmother is viewed as a sort of 'superhero' by the public. She wrote: 'I think when someone is public facing, people think they'll never die, like she was some sort of superhero, it's kind of crazy - though I suppose, legends do never die.' Cora admitted she never viewed her grandmother (pictured as a child) as a 'famous person' It comes after Cora penned a lengthy Instagram post in memory of her grandmother's life following her death in December 2022. Posting on New Year's Eve, she shared an array of snaps of Vivienne over the years, including shots of her with members of her family. Included in the post were also pictures of Cora as a child with Vivienne, with one showing them cuddled up under a blanket while, in another, they posed in matching tiger dresses for a photoshoot. Another snap showed both of their names written across a piece of paper, which also read 'I [heart] you'. Alongside the photographs, Cora described Vivienne as a 'warrior' as she gushed that there is 'no one like' her in an emotional tribute. She penned: 'To my darling Grandma, my warrior, my forever you touched the world like no other with your fierceness, intellect and spiritual sense of self. Always humble and yet never afraid to speak the truth. 'Paving the way for so many to embrace that individual fire in their collective belly. There was no one like you - and you would say there's no one like each and everyone of us, because above all you cared for the people, the planet and the future. Not for show and not for face but, simply because you did.' It was the day the sea turned black. In March 1967, the SS Torrey Canyon supertanker ran aground on rocks between the Scilly Isles and Cornwall, spilling more than 100,000 tonnes of crude oil into the ocean. What remains Britain's worst ever oil spill killed more than 15,000 sea birds in both the UK and France and seriously contaminated up to 70 miles of beaches. Today, after a collision between jet fuel tanker the MV Stena Immaculate and Portuguese container ship the MV Solong off the Yorkshire coast, there are fears that another environmental disaster could be in the making. Horrifying footage shows huge plumes of black smoke rising from the scene of the smash, as a large inferno rages out of control. More than 30 people have been pulled ashore according to a local port boss, and fuel is understood to be leaking out across the estuary. In the 1967 oil disaster, the RAF and Royal Navy tried to reduce the size of the oil spill by haphazardly bombing the wreck to set it on fire - but the flames were repeatedly put out by the high tide and many of the explosives missed their target. In the bungled clean-up operation, a 'detergent' chemical called BP 1002 was sprayed over affected areas of water and beaches. In March 1967, the SS Torrey Canyon supertanker ran aground on rocks between the Scilly Isles and Cornwall, spilling more than 100,000 tonnes of crude oil into the ocean. Above: The fire caused by the RAF's bombing raids on the vessel, which were carried out in the hope of burning off the oil The Torrey canyon hit Pollard's Rock on Seven Stones Reef, which sits between Land's End and the Isles of Scilly and its hull was torn open Rather than having the intended effect of breaking down the oil, this killed marine life and it took up to 15 years for the treated areas to recover five times longer than places where the oil dispersed naturally. Within days of the disaster, ocean currents had swept much of the oil to the island of Guernsey, which was heavily dependent on tourism and could not cope with having its beaches left in a sorry state. Officials decided to suck the oil into sewage tankers and dump it in a disused quarry on the island, where much of it remains today. As the decades have progressed, the quarry has continued to be a menace for dozens of unfortunate birds that have mistaken the black surface for solid ground. The Torrey Canyon had been chartered by UK oil firm BP. It had been en route to Milford Haven, in Pembrokeshire on the morning of March 18 when its captain opted to take short cut. However, he hit Pollard's Rock on Seven Stones Reef, which sits between Land's End and the Isles of Scilly and the Torrey Canyon's hull was torn open. In the hours that followed, the ship's cargo of oil seeped into the surrounding water. By the evening, the slick was eight miles long. The following day it had stretched to 20 miles and ended up becoming a 270-square mile smear. The Torrey Canyon hit rocks between the Scilly Isles and Land's End. The above graphic shows the beaches in mainland Britain, Guernsey and France that were affected What was and still is Britain's worst ever oil spill killed more than 15,000 sea birds in both the UK and France and seriously contaminated up to 70 miles of beaches. Above: An oil-covered bird is held by RSPCA inspector Gilbert Griffiths Within days of the disaster, ocean currents had swept much of the oil to the island of Guernsey. Officials decided to suck the oil into sewage tankers and dump it in a disused quarry on the island, where much of it remains today In the bungled clean-up operation, a 'detergent' chemical called BP 1002 was sprayed over affected areas of water and beaches. Above: Drums that were filled with the chemical are seen on Cornish beach Whitesand Bay The Torrey Canyon had been chartered by UK oil firm BP. It had been en route to Milford Haven, in Pembrokeshire on the morning of March 18 when its captain opted to take short cut However, he hit Pollard's Rock on Seven Stones Reef, which sits between Land's End and the Isles of Scilly and the Torrey Canyon's hull was torn open The 61,000 ton tanker Torrey Canyon goes up in smoke after being blasted by Royal Navy Buccaneer bombers Firemen and fishermen are seen surrounded by a swirling oily sludge off the coast of the Cornish town of Porthleven Soldiers install floating booms to prevent oil slick, on April 20, 1967 on Perros-Guirec beach, in Brittany, northern France A young bird covered in oil from the Torrey Canyon spreads his wings in a vain effort to fly, but the slick coating his weathers disables him A thick swirl of oil surround Porthleven, Cornwall. The south-westerly county was not the only place impacted by the spill Smoke rises from the stricken oil tanker 'Torrey Canyon' near Seven Stones Reef, Land's End, Cornwall, after the Royal Navy dropped explosives The crew were finally rescued by lifeboats after failed attempts to shift the tanker off of the rocks. Harold Wilson's Labour government then ordered the ship to be bombed in the hope that the explosives would burn off the leaking oil and also scuttle the vessel. Over the course of two days, 62,000lbs of explosives were dropped on the ship and waters around it. The RAF and Royal Navy also dropped aviation fuel and even napalm on the area to help burn the oil. Predictably, even though many of the explosives missed their targets, the fire that did result from the tactic sent smoke soaring hundreds of feet into the air. Dramatic images showed the extent of the plume of toxic fumes. After the further damage caused by the bombing raids, the vessel finally broke up and sank on March 30. Along with the birds that were killed, seals and other marine life perished and Cornwall's tourism was heavily impacted. Brittany in northern France was heavily impacted by the oil slick, with the bulk of sea birds being killed there. Oil from the tanker Torrey Canyon glistens on rocks as troops spray detergent at the small beach and bathing area of Dollar Cove in the Cornish hamlet of Gunwalloe The Torrey Canyon is seen sinking off the coast of Cornwall after it ran aground. It leaked more than 100,000 tonnes of oil into the ocean Soldiers and volunteers citizens clean up oil slick, 13 April 1967 on the beach of Port-Blanc, in Brittany, northern France Soldiers clean up oil slick, on April 16, 1967 on the beach of Perros-Guirec, in Brittany, northern France. French beaches were heavily impacted by the disaster The RSPB also estimated that around 85 per cent of puffins on the French coast were killed and it took several decades for the population to recover. In the hope that it would break down the oil, more than two million gallons of the chemical BP 1002 was sprayed on the affected waters. Hoses were also squirted over beaches. However, whilst this did break the oil down, it meant that it slipped below the surface of the water and was ingested by marine life. It ended up killing every organism that it came into contact with. In France, the authorities did not use any chemicals and instead let the oil come ashore before scooping it up. Oil that remained gradually dissipated and did less damage in the long-term. In Guernsey, the local authorities sucked the oil into sewage tankers and then dumped it into a disused quarry. Since then, the spot has become known as Torrey Canyon quarry and much of the oil has remained. Men equipped with masks are seen spraying a British beach after the Torrey Canyon disaster in March 1967 Pople at Land's End, Cornwall, watching the bombing of the stricken tanker the 'Torrey Canyon. The Government ordered the bombing in the hope it would burn off the oil On March 20 1967, the Daily Mail reported on the 'battle' to stop the oil from the Torrey Canyon doing damage to Cornwall's beaches The paper reported later that the ship had split in two and spilt millions more gallons of oil into the surrounding ocean A decision to introduce micro-organisms into the water in the hope that they would convert the oil into water and carbon dioxide is said to have had limited success. Down the decades, hundreds of birds have lost their lives after landing on the oil-filled water. The Government's clean-up operation cost the taxpayer tens of millions of pounds. Attempts to recover cash from the tanker's owners the Barracuda Tanker Corporation proved nearly impossible. In an attempt to secure compensation, British lawyer Anthony O'Conner served a writ against the firm by sneaking aboard the Torrey Canyon's sister ship, the Lake Palourde, when she was moored in Singapore. He made it aboard the vessel by pretending to be a whisky salesman and then stuck the writ to the mast. French naval speedboats ended up chasing the vessel but were unable to board her to serve their own writ on behalf of the French government. Sir Elwyn Jones, the then Attorney General, told Parliament seven months after the disaster that the Barracuda Tanker Corporation was trying to limit its liability in the U.S. courts to just $50. In the end, compensation of 3million was paid but this was only a small fraction of the clean-up costs and costs to the tourism industry. A Texas man accused of murdering his migrant fiance Googled 'Can I kill an illegal human?' before shooting his partner in the face, records show. Ty Vaughn, 31, was arrested Saturday after his fiance Luis Banos Norberto, 27, was brutally shot with a rifle in both of his eyes in their Baytown apartment - just outside of Houston - on January 14. Police said Vaughn tried to make it look like Norberto, a native of Guerrero, Mexico, took his own life, as he told investigators they had been arguing just before he came home and found him dead, according to court documents obtained by ABC 13. When police arrived at the scene they discovered Norberto's lifeless body lying on a bed, the gun propped up against his arm and a ripped up image of the couple nearby, documents showed. During interviews with police, Vaughn repeatedly mentioned his partner's immigration status without provocation, the affidavit stated. He also gave interviews to local media before his arrest, telling outlets he was unsure about what happened to his partner. When asked by Eyewitness News if he had spoken to Norberto the day of his murder, Vaughn told the outlet: 'I don't know. The police know all the details. 'Ive been kind of not great. I havent really been going to police looking for answers,' he added. When the outlet offered their condolences to him, Vaughn replied: 'I mean, it is what it is.' Surveillance footage from their apartment complex and interviews with their neighbors soon revealed what really took place that horrid day. Luis Banos Norberto (left), 27, was brutally shot with a rifle in both of his eyes in their Baytown apartment - just outside of Houston - on January 14. His fiance Ty Vaughn (right), 31, has since been arrested for his murder Vaughn was arrested Saturday after originally making it seem like his partner took his own life, according to police At 4.05am, Vaughn told police he wasn't home, but he was seen walking upstairs to their apartment in the video. Two neighbors later told authorities that shortly after that they heard gunshots. At 4.27am, Vaughn texted Norberto: 'Babe? Babe why are you not texting back?!?!' Police say the victim was already dead by then, leading them to believe the alleged suspect staged the messages. At 5.38am - more than an hour-and-a-half after the murder - Vaughn called 911 and told the operator: 'My spouse is dead. Help. My life is over.' Neighbors told the outlet that they were unaware of the murder until they were asked about it. 'It happened right next door, and it's even more nerve-wracking that it could happen, and we had no idea it even happened,' one said. Vaughn was booked into Harris County Jail on a murder charge. His bond was set at $500,000. When police arrived at the scene they discovered Norberto's lifeless body lying on a bed, the gun propped up against his arm and a ripped up image of the couple nearby He appeared in court on Monday morning for his preliminary hearing and remains in custody, according to records reviewed by DailyMail.com. During the hearing, a judge ordered that he must wear a GPS tracking device if released on bond, according to documents. Vaugh is due back in court on April 30. Norberto has been remembered as an 'amazing son, uncle, brother, best friend, manager and student,' according to a GoFundMe page created to help raise money for his funeral. 'He was talented, artistic, creative, and such a hard worker. If you knew him, you know he was a true angel and kind soul, he deserved so much more than what this world gave him,' his cousin Diana Ascencio wrote. 'Theres so much we can say about him. We will miss him so much.' A funeral service was held for him on January 20 in Baytown, followed by his burial on January 22, according to his obituary. It is unclear how long Norberto and Vaughn (pictured) were together. The victim is originally Guerrero, Mexico Emily Lopez, Norberto's sister-in-law, also posted to Facebook to share that the family was selling food to help raise money for his services. 'We lost a beautiful soul too soon. Luis Banos you will be greatly missed,' another heartbroken family member posted. He is survived by his parents, four grandparents, three brothers and multiple nieces and nephews who all live in the Baytown area. It is unclear how long Norberto and Vaughn were together. DailyMail.com contacted Vaughn's attorney for comment. A wealthy Oregon woman enraged by her local lake being opened to the public has allegedly been caught keying the car of a campaigner who made it happen. Lake Oswego Police said an 'unknown suspect' damaged the vehicle in a public parking lot on Foothills Road, south Portland, on Saturday afternoon. The victim, Mark Kramer, told Oregon Live he believes he was targeted while out kayaking on the newly-opened Lake Oswego with dozens of others. Kramer is a local attorney who was also among the plaintiffs who successfully secured public access to the picturesque waterside following a 12-year court battle. His vehicle was left badly marked when he returned from kayaking on Saturday afternoon, with more than a dozen scratches blemishing the paintwork on one side. Kramer said a tipster left a note saying they had seen an older woman keying the vehicle before driving away in a black Range Rover between 1.30pm and 3.30pm. The witness did not provide their contact information, but disclosed the suspect's license plate number, which Kramer said he has given to police. Lake Oswego Police have called for the 'anonymous witness' to come forward, along with anyone else who may have observed the vandalism. The City of Lake Oswego was ordered to allow public access to its private pond following a ruling by a judge on March 3 which ended a 12-year lawsuit brought by local residents Mark Kramer (pictured) was one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. He said his vehicle was scratched up on Saturday while he was enjoying kayaking on the newly-opened lake Lake Oswego Police said an 'unknown suspect' damaged the vehicle in a public parking lot on Foothills Road, south Portland , on Saturday afternoon. The car was scratched multiple times Anyone with information should contact the police department via (503) 635-0238. Oswego Lake opened last week after a Clackamas County Circuit Court judge ruled in favor of local swimming and kayaking enthusiasts who wanted to use the water. Judge Kathie Steele ordered the City of Lake Oswego to immediately remove no trespassing signs and other obstacles blocking the waterside on March 3. Lake Oswego's 12-mile shoreline is mainly surrounded by private residences with private docks that grant them access. Many of them are members of the Lake Oswego Corporation, a defendant in the case that manages the lake and has been opposing public access. Open water swimming enthusiast Todd Prager, Mark Kramer and several others sued the corporation and the city for its 'exclusionary lake policy'. 'I'm thrilled that the public has finally regained access to this unique and important public resource,' Prager told The Oregonian after the ruling. 'I hope the public responsibly enjoys their immediate right to access the lake.' The ruling overturns the current situation at the lake which means that only residents of the ritzy private homes lining the lake's shoreline get access to the water The lawsuit was also brought by local open water swimming enthusiast Todd Prager (pictured) Lake Oswego Corporation, headed by president Mark Harnish (pictured), also opposed the access for the lake. They were shot down by a judge's ruling last week The Lake Oswego Corporation attempted to argue that the lake had been altered so much over the year by dams and canals that it could technically be reclassified as a dam. On the corporation's website, Vice President Doug Woodcock states: 'It has been a privilege to live on Oswego Lake for over 30 years and I take the boards mission to preserve and protect the lake very seriously.' However, another judge ruled that the original body of water was public when Oregon was settled, which mean public access doctrines are applicable. Steele's decision comes after previous rulings including a jury trial also sided with the plaintiffs. City officials have forked out more than $1 million in legal fees since the lawsuit began. Spokeswoman Madison Thesing said the ruling is 'an important milestone' and confirmed that the council would meet to discuss it. 'The city is taking a deliberate and thoughtful approach in assessing next steps with its legal and operational teams,' she said. The city has previously appealed rulings, but has not confirmed whether it will in this case. A British man has been arrested on a remote Indian Ocean paradise island for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman at a scuba diving resort. The UK national has been accused of raping the 30-year-old Indian tourist at the Govind Nagar beach on Swaraj Dweep, also known as Havelock Island, on February 26, Indian media reports. The alleged victim and her friend were travelling the Andaman Islands when they met the British man at a scuba diving resort on Swaraj Dweep. She said they were socialising at the resort when her drink was spiked and she lost consciousness. When she came to at the resort, 'she found herself in a vulnerable state', according to a senior police officer speaking to local media. She went back to her home in the city of Bengaluru and informed her parents about what happened, who urged her to lodge a complaint with the police. Local authorities said today that the British man has been arrested for rape, causing bodily harm and criminal intimidation. He will be held in custody for 14 days, investigators said in a statement. The UK national has been accused of raping the 30-year-old Indian tourist at the Govind Nagar beach on Swaraj Dweep, also known as Havelock Island, on February 26, Indian media reports (stock image of a beach on Swaraj Dweep) The investigation is ongoing and that police are currently awaiting the relevant medical records, according to one official. The alleged victim lodged a complaint with police on March 6, more than a week after the alleged attack. According to authorities, the wait was due to 'trauma and amnesia'. Swaraj Dweep is part of the Andaman Islands archipelago, which is made up of 200 small islands and home to several remote tribes with minimal to no contact to the outside world. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa called for national unity and peace on Sunday, after more than 1,000 people were reportedly killed in coastal Syria in the worst clashes since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad. The violence erupted on Thursday between the new security forces and loyalists of the former government along the Mediterranean coast in the heartland of the Alawite minority to which Assad belonged. It has since escalated into the largest challenge to the new government's forces since Sharaa's Islamist-led coalition toppled Assad in December. "We must preserve national unity (and) civil peace as much as possible and, God willing, we will be able to live together in this country," Sharaa said from a mosque in Damascus The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor has reported that 745 Alawite civilians were killed in Latakia and Tartus provinces. The Britain-based Observatory said they were killed in "executions" carried out by security personnel or pro-government fighters, accompanied by the "looting of homes and properties". The fighting has also killed 125 members of the security forces and 148 pro-Assad fighters, according to the Observatory, taking the overall death toll to 1,018. The official SANA news agency reported on Saturday that security forces had deployed to Latakia, as well as Jableh and Baniyas further south, to restore order. Baniyas resident Samir Haidar, 67, told AFP two of his brothers and his niece were killed by "armed groups" that entered people's homes, adding that there were "foreigners among them". Though himself an Alawite, Haidar was part of the leftist opposition to the Assads and was imprisoned for more than a decade under their rule. Defence ministry spokesman Hassan Abdul Ghani 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. Education Minister Nazir al-Qadri announced that schools would remain shut on Sunday and Monday in both Latakia and Tartus provinces due to the "unstable security conditions". SANA reported a power outage throughout Latakia province due to attacks on the grid by Assad loyalists. The killings followed clashes sparked by the arrest of a wanted suspect in a predominantly Alawite village, the Observatory reported. The monitor said there had been a "relative return to calm" in the region on Saturday, as the security forces deployed reinforcements. A defence ministry source told SANA that troops had blocked roads leading to the coast to prevent "violations", without specifying who was committing them. Latakia province security director Mustafa Kneifati told the news agency: "We will not allow for sedition or the targeting of any component of the Syrian people." Sharaa's Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which led the lightning offensive that toppled Assad in December, has its roots in the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda and remains proscribed as a terrorist organisation by many governments including the United States. Since the rebel victory, it has moderated its rhetoric and vowed to protect Syria's religious and ethnic minorities. The Alawite heartland has been gripped by fear of reprisals for the Assad family's brutal rule, which included widespread torture and disappearances. Social media users have shared posts documenting the killing of Alawite friends and relatives. The Observatory, which relies on a network of sources in Syria, has reported multiple "massacres" in recent days, with women and children among the dead. 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. AFP could not independently verify the images or accounts. The leaders of Syria's three main Christian churches as well as the spiritual leader of Syria's Druze minority issued statements calling for an end to the violence. The new government lacks the tools, incentives and local support base to engage with disgruntled Alawites, he said. "All they have is repressive power, and a lot of that... is made up of jihadist zealots who think Alawites are enemies of God." Chilling details have emerged revealing the harrowing final moments of a Bronx woman whose body was discovered stuffed inside a suitcase dumped along a Yonkers parkway. Officials released a shocking affidavit on Sunday which revealed what they believe happened to 26-year-old Pamela Alcantara before her tragic death. Alcantara was reported missing on March 2, before she was found dead inside a red suitcase on Thursday morning after a desperate four-day search. Her controlling boyfriend, 46-year-old Junior Perez Diaz, allegedly trapped her inside their apartment between 2am and 5pm on March 2 - which prevented her from answering a phone call and attending a church event where she was expected. The family reported her missing to police on Sunday after they became concerned when she didn't show up for church. She worked as a chaplain with the Latin American Chaplain Association, as reported by ABC7. The last video footage of her alive shows her getting into an elevator in her building just after midnight on Sunday, with no further footage of her leaving the apartment again. She reportedly asked her mother to 'pray for her' last Thursday before her tragic death. She was in the process of breaking up with Perez Diaz, who she was in a relationship for three years, and moving out of their shared apartment. Officials released a shocking affidavit on Sunday which revealed what they believe happened to 26-year-old Pamela Alcantara before her tragic death. She reportedly asked her mother to 'pray for her' last Thursday before her tragic death Officers were seen escorting Perez Diaz out of the 46th Police Precinct on Friday night after taking him into custody. He is charged with murder, kidnapping and manslaughter The disturbing details in the affidavit revealed she was violently strangled and suffered brutal bruising to her arm, neck, and head which led to her death inside the apartment. Court documents claim that Perez Diaz then packed his girlfriend's body into a red suitcase around 5pm before wheeling it out of their apartment building. He then allegedly drove to Sawmill River Parkway where he dumped her remains in a ditch just before Exit 5 in Yonkers. Officers were seen escorting Perez Diaz out of the 46th Police Precinct on Friday night after taking him into custody. He is charged with murder, two counts of kidnapping and manslaughter. NYPD Crime Scene Unit investigators combed through evidence at Alcantara's Morris Avenue building in Fordham Heights. Alcantara's aunt Isa Peguero told ABC7 the family was certain who was behind the violent act. 'It was my feeling when I saw stuff on the floor, the blanket,' she told the outlet. Alcantara was reported missing on March 2, before she was found dead inside a red suitcase on Thursday morning after a desperate four-day search The last video footage of her alive shows her getting into an elevator in her building just after midnight on Sunday, with no further footage of her leaving the apartment again A vigil for 26-year-old Pamela Alcantara is attended by the mother, aunt, and grandmother of the victim outside 2200 Morris Avenue in the Fordham Heights section of Bronx The disturbing details in the affidavit revealed she was violently strangled and suffered brutal bruising to her arm, neck, and head which led to her death inside the apartment NYPD Crime Scene Unit investigators combed through evidence at Alcantara's Morris Avenue building in Fordham Heights Court documents claim that Perez Diaz then packed his girlfriend's body into a red suitcase around 5pm before wheeling it out of their apartment building 'She was supposed to move, and I think he found out,' Isa Peguero said. 'He used to put a recorder on the car and recorder in the bedroom so he can know everything what happened, what is she doing?' 'Mom pray for me,' she said that to her last Thursday,' Alcantara's cousin Naysa Peguero added. 'She said, 'mom, I just want you to pray for me,' and that was all.' 'She went to church, she went home, she spoke with her mom on a daily basis and she only spent time with church friends and went to work. That was it,' Peguero continued. Sir Keir Starmer will lead fresh talks with 'coalition of the willing' allies on Saturday as global leaders continue to scramble to shore up Ukraine's defence. The Prime Minister will host a virtual meeting with around 20 largely European and Commonwealth countries to end another week of frantic diplomatic activity. The call will be held between nations who have expressed an interest in supporting a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, should Russia agree to halt its brutal invasion. Sir Keir will have been buoyed by reports that Spain is ready to contribute in some capacity to the enforcement of a peace deal. It had previously been thought Spain was unlikely to join a peacekeeping effort, but El Pais said the Spanish government had decided it 'cannot remain on the sidelines'. Sir Keir and French President Emmanuel Macron have both said they are willing to commit troops to a potential peacekeeping force on the ground in Ukraine. But not all the nations who are involved in the coalition talks are expected to sign up to a military deployment. They could instead offer logistical help for a peacekeeping force in Ukraine, or provide other forms of support. The Prime Minister will host a virtual meeting with around 20 largely European and Commonwealth countries to end another week of frantic diplomatic activity Ukrainian soldiers pictured at their D-30 artillery position in the direction of Toretsk, Ukraine Sir Keir will have been buoyed by reports that Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez is ready to contribute in some capacity to the enforcement of a peace deal The virtual meeting of the 'coalition of the willing' will come after military chiefs from potential members meet in France tomorrow. This is the same day that US and Ukrainian officials are due to meet in Saudi Arabia for talks about a possible peace deal. Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, Britain's chief of the defence staff, will join counterparts in Paris on Tuesday. Defence Secretary John Healey will then meet his opposite numbers from France, Germany, Italy and Poland in the French capital on Wednesday. The meeting of defence ministers will also be attended by representatives from NATO and the EU, with Ukraine's Rustem Umerov dialling in. Foreign ministers from the G7 including Foreign Secretary David Lammy and US counterpart Marco Rubio will meet in Canada from Wednesday to Friday. The PM's official spokesman said: 'There was the meeting last week, there's another meeting tomorrow, there's a defence secretary-level meeting on Wednesday, there will be the leaders' meeting on Saturday. 'Each of these meetings is obviously progressing the planning. 'I'm not going to get ahead of proposals being made public but obviously these discussions are ongoing, as you can see from these meetings.' Sir Keir has stressed the need for US President Donald Trump to provide a 'backstop' security guarantee for a possible European-led peacekeeping force in Ukraine. The flags of Saudi Arabia and Ukraine line the King Abdulaziz Road in the Saudi port city of Jeddah Government insiders have warned of a 'chicken and egg' situation where European and Commonwealth nations will not promise troops without US guarantees. But Mr Trump will not make commitments unless Europe steps up to defend itself. The UK's national security adviser was in Kyiv for talks over the weekend with top officials ahead of Tuesday's talks between the Ukrainian and American delegations. Jonathan Powell met Andriy Yermak, head of the office of the president in Ukraine. In a post on X, Mr Yermak said that they 'exchanged views on key issues on the path to achieving peace'. The mother of a schoolgirl who died after stepping out in front of a car is suing the driver's insurer for compensation, including 20,000 for the loss of her daughter's 'love and affection'. Tragic Emica Jackson-Miller died from a traumatic brain injury 17 days after the accident in November 2021. The 11-year-old was walking home from school to her home in Torquay when she was hit by a car driven by Sarah Courtney. A police accident investigation ruled the Ms Courtney was not at fault for the accident. An inquest was told Emica had failed to check if the road was clear when she stepped out from between high sided parked cars. But four years after the accident Emica's mum Holly-Jade has launched a bid for compensation and is suing the driver's insurer Esure. She claims Ms Courtney failed to keep control of her VW car, and that her alleged negligence caused the death of her daughter. Lawyers for the insurance company deny the driver was to blame and say the accident was Emica's own fault. Emica Jackson-Miller (left) died from a traumatic brain injury 17 days after the accident; now mum Holly-Jade (right) is suing the driver's insurer Esure They insist the youngster suddenly stepped out from behind a high-sided parked vehicle, giving the driver no chance to avoid a collision. They also claim she did not wait for a safe opportunity to cross the road and failed to take reasonable care of her own safety, leaving the driver with no chance to avoid the fatal collision. Emica was walking home from school when the accident happened, and she was rushed to Torquay Hospital before being transferred to Bristol Children's Hospital, where she died on December 11, 2022. Police investigating officer MPC Lucy Tyler-Jones told an inquest into Emica's death, 'For an unknown reason, Emica stepped into the path of the car on the driver's left-hand side without checking to see of the road was clear to cross'. She told the hearing in Plymouth there was no evidence that the driver had fallen below the standards of a competent driver, and coroner Ian Arrow recorded a verdict of road traffic collision. Emica's mum is claiming damages of 60,000 including for pain, suffering and loss of amenity before her death in hospital, financial losses, lost personal items, and funeral expenses, as well as an award for bereavement. Esure denies that it is liable to pay damages, and says it should not pay for the funeral expenses of 336.98, lost personal items worth 90, a bereavement award of 15,120, damages of 13,020 for pain, suffering and loss of amenity, and 20,000 for the loss of her daughter's love and affection which Ms Miller is seeking. A US-flagged oil tanker which burst into flames after being struck by a cargo ship was 'essential for US national security' and had been loaded with 142,000 barrels of jet fuel, it has emerged today. Dozens of people have been rescued after the MV Stena Immaculate exploded into a 'massive fireball' off the Yorkshire coast today, leaking some 18,000 tonnes of fuel into the North Sea. The Portuguese-flagged cargo ship, Solong, which hit the oil tanker had 15 containers of sodium cyanide on board. The crash has prompted fears the oil leak could trigger a major environmental catastrophe, with campaigners warning it was 'too early to tell' just how severe the disaster could be. Bempton Cliffs, situated about 35 miles further up the North Yorkshire coast, is home to the UK's largest mainland seabird colony and is of international importance. Immaculate was at anchor when it was hit by the 7,852-tonne Portuguese container ship MV Solong in the Humber Estuary near Hull this morning. Solong had been cruising at about 16 knots moments before the smash. The crunching impact ruptured the American ship's cargo tank, causing 'multiple explosions' and vast quantities of jet fuel to spill into the water - before the oil ignited, sparking a raging inferno that enveloped both ships. The 600ft vessel is designated critical to US security in the Department of Transportations Tanker Security Programme (TSP) and supplies the US Department of Defense. A major rescue operation was launched following the disaster, involving more than a dozen vessels, helicopters and specialist firefighting ships. A number of lifeboats sent as part of the rescue mission had to be recalled because they were inshore vessels and not equipped for fire fighting. Dramatic images appear to show one of the two vessels turned into a blazing inferno following the crash 10 miles off the coast of East Yorkshire on Monday morning MV Stena Immaculate exploded into a 'massive fireball' after being hit by MV Solong, leaking some 18,000 tonnes of jet fuel into the North Sea. A rescue ship is pictured at the scene as it tried to blast the smouldering wreckage of the vessels with water to extinguish the flames The devastating collision led to sailors on both vessels abandoning ship, with dozens later plucked from the water. All 36 personnel across both vessels have since been accounted for. One person was taken to hospital with a statement from the East Midlands Ambulance Service saying patients were assessed at the scene. Alastair Smith, head of operations for Lincolnshire at East Midlands Ambulance Service, said: 'We received a call at 11.28am on Monday 10 March to North Quay in Grimsby, relating to reports of a collision between a tanker and cargo vessel off the coast of East Yorkshire. 'A total of 36 patients were assessed on scene by our ambulance crews and none required transporting to hospital.' A US military spokesperson said on Monday the Stena Immaculate had been on a short-term charter to the US Navy's Military Sealift Command. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, with a senior US official from the White House earlier telling maritime website gCaptain that foul play had not been ruled out. Two maritime security sources said there was no indication of any malicious activity or other actors involved in the incident. Downing Street this afternoon said details of the cause of the collision were 'still becoming clear'. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said it was an 'extremely concerning situation'. He said: 'We're obviously monitoring the situation, we'll continue to co-ordinate the response and we're grateful to emergency personnel for their continued efforts.' Asked if there were any theories about what happened, the spokesman said: 'My understanding is the details are still becoming clear, so I don't want to speculate on that.' Immaculate's owner Crowley Maritime has confirmed the giant tanker was carrying A-1 kerosene-type jet fuel at the time of the collision. The Stena Immaculate had come from a refinery in Corinth, Greece, and is not believed to have offloaded its oil before the collision. The ship was laden with about 18,000 tonnes of jet fuel - about 142,000 barrels - when it left the Greek port, according to data from Kpler. Footage appears to show both vessels ablaze off the coast of Humber Estuary, Hull, after a US-flagged tanker, MV Stena Immaculate, was hit while at anchor by a Portugal-flagged container ship US-flagged tanker, MV Stena Immaculate, was hit while at anchor by the Portugal-flagged container ship, MV Solong, off the coast of Humber Estuary, Hull, this morning. 'Both the high speed of the collision and the footage of the aftermath are cause for great concern. 'Right now, our thoughts are with all those affected by the incident and the emergency services responding to the situation. 'At this stage, it's too early to assess the extent of any environmental damage. But the magnitude of any impact will depend on a number of factors, including the amount and type of oil carried by the tanker, the fuel carried by both ships, and how much of that, if any, has entered the water. 'Sea and weather conditions will also be important in determining how any spill behaves. 'In the case of an oil spill or any loss of hazardous cargo from the container ship involved, the speed of the response will also be crucial in limiting any impact.' The disaster took place shortly before 9.50am on Monday morning. Lifeboats from Skegness, Bridlington, Mablethorpe and Cleethorpes, have been scrambled, as well as a number of firefighters. A number of the lifeboats dispatched to the scene had to be recalled because they were inshore vessels and not equipped for fire fighting. The initial accident also happened in thick fog. Officially, the lifeboat stations involved were unable to comment officially because of the ongoing investigation. But one RNLI man said: 'What could we do? It was thick fog and we could not see a thing. 'It was a pretty much a non event for us. We are not equipped with fire fighting equipment for this type of incident. 'It was freezing cold and brews all round when we got back.' Flaming debris and plumes of thick smoke could be seen from miles away Your browser does not support iframes. It is understood the RNLI operation was being scaled down last night with the Skegness lifeboat being one of the last still at sea. A Skegness RNLI spokesman refused to comment. Civilian boats have also answered the call for aid, with ship tracking site Marinetraffic showing a number of craft around the stricken vessels. The news has raised the possibility of a major environmental disaster off the east coast, the impact of which could be felt across the North Sea and the UK. Greenpeace UK said it was 'too early' to know the extent of any environmental damage. A spokesman added: 'We are monitoring reports of a cargo vessel crashing into an oil tanker off the coast of Yorkshire very closely.' The leaking oil has the potential to cause huge damage to bird and wildlife along the east coast. Tourist attraction Bempton Cliffs has around half a million seabirds, including Gannets, Kittiwakes, Guillemots, Razorbills and Puffins breed on the 400ft high chalk cliffs. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Experts from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds are closely monitoring the situation as significant oil pollution to the coastal waters could have major consequences for this bird population. David O'Hara, senior site manager at RSPB Bempton Cliffs said the area was home to the biggest gannet colony in England. 'Naturally we are extremely concerned about the potential for a leak from the tanker as oil pollution can seriously damage habitats and be lethal to seabirds. 'We are keeping a close eye on this situation and will work with the relevant marine authorities as is needed.' The east coast also has a number of popular tourist beaches and seaside towns popular in summer, including Filey, Scarborough, Whitby and Bridlington. The authorities will be nervously monitoring any pollution for the impact on the tourist industry as well. Horrifying footage showed huge plumes of thick black smoke rising from the scene of the smash, as a large inferno raged out of control 10 miles off the East Yorkshire coast. Smoke can be seen billowing from the sea as oil carried on the carrier caught fire Both ships caught ablaze. Fires also raged on the water, making it hazardous for rescuers to approach. Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, said 13 casualties were initially brought in on a Windcat 33 vessel, followed by another 10 on a harbour pilot boat. A further nine were brought in by a harbour pilot vessel, he added. Mr Boyers said he had been told there was 'a massive fireball' and described the crash as a 'very unusual and tragic accident'. He claimed 'sea conditions were actually reasonable' at the time, with the waves reaching heights of about two metres. 'There was nothing untoward,' he added. 'The only thing there has been all day has been a haze and a smog [over the sea] that hasn't really lifted.' Graham Stuart, the MP for Beverley and Holderness, said he understood that only one person was in hospital following the collision. The Tory MP said: 'Like many people across Beverley and Holderness and beyond, I've been watching the images from off the coast of Withernsea with a great deal of concern. 'I've now spoken with the Transport Secretary and I understand that only one person is in hospital. 'The other 36 mariners across both crews are safe and accounted for. 'While we will be thankful that everyone has been brought ashore, I continue to be concerned about the potential ecological impact. 'That's why I'm calling for a unified command structure, to bring together government, police, Coastguard, the Environment Agency, local authorities and your MPs together.' Stena Immaculate is a US-flagged ship was reportedly carrying jet fuel when it collided with another vessel The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has sent investigators to Grimsby following the crash. A MAIB spokesperson said: 'The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has deployed a team to Grimsby following the collision of the Portuguese-registered container ship Solong and the US-registered oil tanker Stena Immaculate which collided in the North Sea this morning. 'Our team of inspectors and support staff are gathering evidence and undertaking a preliminary assessment of the accident to determine our next steps.' Reuters reported the American tanker was at least partially loaded with cargo. Fuel is understood to be leaking out across the estuary, sparking fears of an environmental disaster. Locals have been warned to seal their windows as the huge plumes of thick black smoke billow into the sky. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: 'I'm concerned to hear of the collision between two vessels in the North Sea this morning and am liaising with officials and HM Coastguard as the situation develops. 'I want to thank all emergency service workers involved for their continued efforts in responding to the incident.' Speaking in Parliament, environment minister Baroness Hayman of Ullock added she was 'extremely shocked and concerned' about the North Sea collision. Describing it as an 'emerging picture', she added: 'We are speaking very closely in Defra (the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) to the Department for Transport and Maritime and Coastguard Agency, who are leading the Government response on this and who are at the moment assessing the situation.' Lady Hayman said the Environment Agency was also engaging on any clean-up needed. The incident unfolded at just before 9.50am on Monday - with the closest village to the scene being Withernsea. Specialist vessels with firefighting hoses were sent to the been sent to the scene to try and quell the inferno. It's understood the Portuguese cargo ship collided with the tanker, which was anchored off the Humber Estuary. Speaking to Sky News, maritime expert David McFarlane claimed the moving vessel was most likely to blame for the disaster. He said: 'Reading between the lines in this case, if that tanker was remaining at anchor, as it's been reported, then obviously she's got a very limited liability. 'There's not a lot you can do apart from picking up the anchor, which can take almost up to an hour to do, by which time the apparent collision is probably well and truly past.' However, he stressed it was too early to determine a cause for the incident - with officials set to probe the disaster at a later date. Speaking to the BBC, Mr McFarlane warned it could take months for investigators to figure out the cause of the accident. 'There should be no reason for two ships to collide,' he added. Retired Royal Navy Rear Admiral Christopher Parry, 71, agreed. 'You don't expect to get hit while you're at anchor,' the Falklands veteran told Sky News. 'Every single law at sea says you must keep a competent lookout at all times.' In a recording reportedly of the coastguard's alert to the disaster, sailors were warned: 'Solong has collided with tanker Stena Immaculate in the outer anchorage. Both vessels are abandoning. 'Vessels who have firefighting equipment or who can assist with search and rescue [should] contact Humber coastguard on Channel 16. Another image appears to capture the aftermath of the devastating maritime smash 'Vessel Stena Immaculate is carrying jet A-1 fuel which is on fire and in the water. Request vessels remain at a safe distance.' Stena Immaculate had travelled from the Greek port of Agioi Theodoroi, and was anchored outside Hull. The 461ft Solong, meanwhile, had been sailing from the Scottish port of Grangemouth to Rotterdam, in the Netherlands. The ship displaces 7,852 ton and is thought to have been carrying commercial goods. It was built in 2005 and is crewed by around 20 people. The 600ft Stena Immaculate, built in 2017, is far larger, weighing in at 29,854 tons. It has a crew of between 20 and 25 people. Stena Bulk jointly own the ship with their US partner Crowley, who operate it. A spokesman for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said: 'Six fire engines and one aerial vehicle are currently in attendance at this industrial fire involving an oil tanker. 'Firefighters were called at 8.34am this morning and are continuing to tackle the fire. 'Those living or working nearby should continue to keep windows and doors closed.' The Port of Grimsby East, part of the larger Humber Ports complex, serves as a major hub for automotive imports, offshore wind farm servicing, and general cargo handling, including timber, minerals, metals, and dry bulks - connecting the UK to Europe and beyond. According to Associated British Ports, in 2021 alone there were in excess of 34,000 ship movements on the Humber estuary, overseen by ABP's Vessel Tracking Service. The Senate voted to confirm Donald Trump's pick for Labor Secretary on Monday night with bipartisan support, handing the president a full Cabinet at record speed. Senators voted 67 to 32 with 17 Democrats joining their colleagues to confirm former GOP Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer for the position. Trump now has successfully confirmed every member of his 'formal' Cabinet, with a few key positions still working through the Senate process. The only Trump nominee not yet confirmed for a top position is Rep. Elise Stefanik who is tapped to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. She is expected to be confirmed but the process has been slow-walked due to the razor-thin Republican majority in the House. Republicans moved at a record pace to confirm the president's picks for his top administration jobs. All of Trump's nominees were successfully confirmed by the GOP Senate with the exception of Matt Gaetz who withdrew his name from consideration as attorney general before being considered by the Senate. Despite being one of the president's final top officials to be Senate confirmed, Chavez-DeRemer has already attended Cabinet meetings at the White House and sat with his other top officials at his address to a joint session of Congress earlier this month. Lori Chavez-DeRemer appearing before the Senate HELP Committee for her confirmation hearing on February 19, 2025 She overcame a key hurdle with a procedural vote in the full Senate last week with bipartisan support, but her path to becoming labor secretary was not entirely smooth sailing. The former congresswoman's nomination was a nod from the president to union workers whom he made inroads with on the 2024 campaign trail. But during her confirmation process, the former Oregon congresswoman backed away from her prior support for the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act she once championed as she looked to shore up support from business friendly Republicans. In the end, three Republican senators, Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul and Ted Budd, voted against her confirmation. McConnell noted her past stance on unions in a statement after voting against her. 'The American people demand and deserve change after four years of economic heartache under the "most pro-union administration in American history." Unfortunately, Lori Chavez-DeRemers record pushing policies that force hardworking Americans into union membership suggests more of the same,' the former Republican Senate leader said. Chavez-DeRemer was in attendance for Trump's address to a joint session of Congress this month ahead of the Senate confirmation vote Her confirmation hearing also faced delays before it was finally held last month. Chavez-DeRemer appeared before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee where she faced a tough grilling from senators on February 19. Committee chair Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) expressed during the hearing that there were some in the business community who were concerned about her co-sponsoring the PRO Act. When he asked if she supported the law, she sidestepped, claiming it was Congress that should pass the laws. Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) also pressed her over her past support for the legislation. She told him she no longer supported the part of the legislation that would overturn state Right to Work laws. The 56-year-old also said she signed onto the act so she could be a the table for conversations and called it 'imperfect.' Democrats questioned her over how she would respond to Trump or Elon Musk and his DOGE team should they seek data from the department. During that line of questioning, she vowed to protect Labor Department information but also noted she had not yet been confirmed or spoken about it to the president about it. On the federal minimum wage remaining at $7.25 an hour, Chavez-DeRemer acknowledged it has not been raised since 2009 while the cost of living has soared, but she said raising the wage was a decision for Congress. A group of Trump's Cabinet picks, other nominees and appointed officials ahead of his inauguration. Nearly all of his Cabinet-level officials have now been confirmed Chavez-DeRemer speaking on Capitol Hill in January 2023 when she represented Oregon's 5th District in the House Chavez-DeRemer represented Oregon's 5th District for one term in Congress from 2023 to 2025 after flipping the blue district. But she lost her reelection bid in a close race in November. She previously served as a mayor of Happy Valley, Oregon just outside Portland and on the city council. Construction crews descended on Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C. Monday to erase a bright yellow mural that has been across from the White House since 2020. The name of the movement was spelled out on the road in giant 35-foot tall letters following the death of George Floyd. It is just steps from the White House and was a pointed push back against police brutality. However, in recent weeks a GOP proposal in Congress threatened to pull funding from Washington's local government unless the plaza is renamed and the phrase 'Black Lives Matter' removed from the street. Roughly a dozen construction workers equipped with pick axes, jackhammers and John Deere construction vehicles were seen smashing, slashing and hacking away parts of the instillation on Monday morning. 'First, they attacked critical race theory. Then, they banned books. Then DEI, Now they're erasing Black Lives Matter Plaza,' the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation wrote in a statement. 'Big mistake. You can't erase truth. Republicans hate that they have to walk past it. Hate that it reminds them of our power,' the group wrote. But for those who have viewed the plaza more as a performative gesture than an actual counter to police violence, the demolition is seen as a victory. 'The Black Lives Matter Plaza is being demolished! Because ALL lives matter,' one X user posted Monday morning. 'Demolition crews move in on BLM Plaza in downtown DC directly in front of the White House,' conservative commentator Danny De Urbina wrote. 'We will destroy your pagan temples.' Crews remove light fixtures as they begin work removing the 'Black Lives Matter' street mural and plaza in Washington, DC, on March 10, 2025 The mural's removal comes after a Republican lawmaker introduced a bill to strip funding from D.C. unless action was taken to eliminate the public work The mural was created during the 2020 protests following the murder of George Floyd by police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis, Minnesota Another talk show host, Cash Loren, posted: 'LET'S GO! Work Crews are dismantling Black Lives Matter Plaza in DC. America wins. Marxism loses.' Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., who introduced the anti-BLM plaza proposal, also celebrated the mural's removal on Monday. 'One week after I introduced legislation to rename Black Lives Matter Plaza, workers have started dismantling it,' he posted. 'Making D.C. Great Again!' Clyde's measure, which has yet to be voted on, would 'withhold certain apportionment funds from the District of Columbia unless the Mayor removes the phrase Black Lives Matter from the street. It re-designates the area as Liberty Plaza, and removes 'such phrase from each website, document and other material under the jurisdiction of the District of Columbia.' After originally stating that the bright yellow BLM mural would be permanent, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser revealed last week that she will transform the plaza after the Republican's bill was introduced. 'The mural inspired millions and helped our city through a very painful period,' Bowser said. 'But now we can't afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference.' The mural is just blocks from the White House and has been a popular meeting point for protests held in Washington 'The devastating impacts of the federal job cuts must be our number one concern. Our focus is on economic growth, public safety, and supporting our residents affected by these cuts,' she said. Bowser wrote on social media that the 'evolution' of the plaza will be a part of celebrating America's 250th birthday in July 2026, a nationwide effort to revamp cities and localities to commemorate the anniversary. 'We have long considered Black Lives Matter Plaza's evolution and the plaza will be part of DC's America 250 mural project, where we will invite students and artists to create new murals across all eight wards,' Bowser said. Construction on the plaza is expected to take six to eight weeks, according to the District Department of Transportation. Fuming shoppers say they feel like criminals as they are 'herded like cattle' through Tesco's new giant trolley scales aimed at clamping down on shoplifters. The British Retail Consortium says theft from stores is 'out of control' costing shops 2billion a year and Tesco is now taking a new approach to fight back. But their new initiative has gone down badly in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, when MailOnline visted today in the first UK store where the scales are being trialled. One shopper emerged close to tears after the weight of her trolley did not match her self-scan receipt and she suffered the 'humiliation' of having her bags re-scanned. She told MailOnline: 'I felt like a criminal. It was completely humiliating and I won't be using that service again.' Tesco Clubcard members have the option of using the store's 'Scan As You Shop' option, scanning though each item that goes in their trolley and paying for it at the end. The method had relied largely on trust - until the weighing scales were moved into the Tesco Extra at Trinity Square, close to the Tyne Bridge. Now 'Scan As You Shop' customers are directed through the scales and they can be pulled to one side if there is any discrepancy between the weight and what is on their self-scan receipt. New 'anti-shoplifter' trolley scales are being trialled at a Tesco in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear Customers have complained the new additions are making them 'feel like criminals' There is then a short 'walk of shame' over to an area where bags are unpacked and re-scanned until rogue items are discovered. In the case of Sara Graham, 42, a mother from Gateshead, the discrepancy was caused by a spare shopping bag she had brought along and had not used. She said: 'It was awful actually and it massively held me up. I had done my shopping and was going over towards the Scan As You Shop payment point as I would usually do and I didn't want to go over the weighing scale. 'But it turns out that it's compulsory - the assistant told me I had to go through them, so shoppers get herded through like cattle. 'I knew I'd scanned everything as I was supposed to but when I put the trolley on the scales it signalled there was a problem. 'So I got taken over to an unpacking area by two assistants who unpacked my bag and rescanned everything. 'It felt horrible actually, you do feel as though you've done something wrong and as though people are watching you. 'After they'd gone through all my shopping again they couldn't find anything extra in my trolley that wasn't on my scanned items. The trial comes as stores attempt to crack down on shoplifting - with the British Retail Consortium saying that theft is 'out of control' and costing shops 2billion a year 'So the only conclusion they could come to was that it must have been the weight of my spare shopping bag which had triggered the scales. 'It would have been quicker to have just gone through the tills and this would put me off using the Scan As You Shop service again - I think people will find it really offputting. 'I wanted to go through quickly because I'm in a hurry to pick up my daughter and this has ended up taking far longer than it should have.' Another shopper emerged from a similar experience and appeared on the brink of tears. The customer, who felt too shaken to be named, said: 'I felt like a criminal, it was a humiliating experience to be pulled over to the side as if I had been caught shoplifting. 'They went through my bags and scanned everything and pointed out a piece of cheese that hadn't been scanned. 'I know that I scanned it - I would never put anything in my trolley that hadn't been scanned but for some reason it failed to register and was identified on the scale as an extra item. 'I'm hardly going to give myself a criminal record after all these years for the sake of a piece of cheese. The new weighing scales have been introduced at the Tesco Extra at Trinity Square, close to the Tyne Bridge 'It was a horrible process and the upshot of it is that I will think twice before using Scan As You Shop again, - people will just turn their back on that service. 'With the best will in the world, sometimes you make an error but Tesco have decided to punish mistakes or technical problems with their own equipment by treating shoppers like criminals.' Dionna Simpkin, 55, of Gateshead, said: 'I got through the scales no problem this time but last week it was stopping people for what seemed like no good reason. 'The Tesco staff seemed to accept there were some teething problems with it, but it slowed down the shopping trip for a lot of people.' For Pauline Phillips, 76, of Consett, County Durham, it reinforced her decision to do what she called 'an old-fashioned shop'. She said: 'I don't use Scan As You Shop because I'm of the age where you think, "I've used a till and paid in cash for all my life, what's the point in changing now?" 'So I don't complicate things and use all the new technology because I think it can go wrong and it looks as though that's happening here. 'People were getting pulled to one side while the rest of us just went through the tills without any problems. 'I can understand Tesco wanting to stop shoplifters but if they are going to do it these scales won't stop them. It's a shame because it's treating everybody the same and most people wouldn't dream of pinching from the supermarket.' Lorraine McNally, of Gateshead, said: 'I think it's terrible, it has completely removed the trust from shopping in Tesco. 'Everybody who cans their own shopping gets herded through these things and it looks as though people are getting pulled for no reason. Customers have told how some Tesco staff have acknowledged 'teething problems' 'I won't use that service if that's the way they want to treat their customers and I'll bet a lot of people will go the same same way.' Irene Hall, 82, and husband Terence, 84, viewed the three trolley scales near the checkouts with suspicion. Irene said: 'I think it's terrible that Tesco feels that ordinary shoppers just out getting their weekely groceries can't be trusted. 'What a horrible business it is to be questioned over your shopping when most people wouldn't dream of putting an extra thing in their shopping trolley. 'It's easier for us to use a packing service because of our age and the assistant are absolutely smashing in this shop. 'But I think Tesco have got it wrong in forcing people to walk through the weighing scales - it treats everybody like a shoplifter and that's no way to treat loyal customers week after week. 'I don't think Tesco is so short of money it has to resort to things like this.' Retail analysts say the new move is about saving on staffing costs. Business retail consultant Ged Futter told the BBC self-scan had increased the rate of shoplifting, but supermarkets were investing in more technology instead of extra staff on tills to combat it He said: 'This is supermarkets saying, 'we know there are thefts so what we are going to do is treat every customer in exactly the same way to reduce theft'. '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.' The British Retail Consortium has said shoplifting is 'out of control' after its annual crime survey found incidents of customer theft reported by retailers in the UK rose by 3.7 million to 20.4million, and cost retailers 2billion. Separate figures published by the Office for National Statistics revealed shoplifting offences reported by police in England and Wales rose by 23 per cent to more than 492,000 over the same period, the highest figure since current recording practices began in 2003. Tesco has not commented directly on the Gateshead trial but the firm has said it was always looking for ways to improve customers shopping experience. MailOnline has contacted the firm for comment. Citizens of Greenland head to the polls tomorrow for what are undoubtedly the most hotly anticipated parliamentary elections of the territory's history. Greenland is currently a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, but five of its six parties are campaigning either for more autonomy or full independence at a time when Donald Trump seems set on bringing the Arctic region under US control. The world's largest island is home to just 57,000 people, mostly Inuit, of which only 40,500 are eligible to vote. Their activity at the ballot box on Tuesday could well have major implications for the future of Greenland, not to mention the global security architecture. More than two-thirds of Greenland's mass lies above the Arctic Circle and the melting of polar ice is unlocking a treasure trove of previously untapped natural resources, the potential for new trade routes and strategic dominance. It is therefore unsurprising that the world's major military and economic powers - the US, Russia and China - are plotting how they will best take advantage. Trump first floated the idea of the US buying Greenland in 2019 but has escalated the rhetoric since returning to the White House in January, arguing that control of the frigid island is crucial for 'national security purposes'. But Greenland is also seen as a key location in China's 'Polar Silk Road' - part of its global Belt and Road Initiative that aims to expand Beijing's economic influence across the world. Meanwhile, Russia - by far the most logistically and technologically capable nation when it comes to negotiating the harsh Arctic conditions - has labelled Trump's overtures a 'dramatic development' and declared the Arctic 'a zone of national and strategic interest'. Now, as analysts claim Greenland is set for a 'meteoric rise, sustained prominence and ubiquitous influence' in the coming years, let's examine the parties jockeying for power and their plans for its future. Campaign posters hang outside of the polling station ahead of tomorrow's general election on March 10, 2025 in Ilulissat, Greenland Houses covered by snow are seen on the coast of a sea inlet of Nuuk, Greenland, Friday, March 7, 2025 Donald Trump has said that the US would 'get Greenland one war or another' Trump has told the people of Greenland he could 'make you rich' and that the US is ready to 'invest billions of dollars' in the Arctic region Your browser does not support iframes. Greenland is a self-governing territory of Denmark, which has long been allied with the US but whose Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has thus far rejected Trump's advances. Denmark has also recognised Greenland's right to hold a referendum on achieving full independence at a time of its choosing, with Trump yesterday releasing a statement saying that he too supports 'Greenland's right to determine their own future'. Amid concerns about foreign interference and native Greenlanders' demands that the people deserve to control their destiny, the island's Prime Minister Mute Egede recently called an early parliamentary election for Tuesday. Opinion polls suggest a majority of voters favour independence, though they differ on exactly when that should occur. There are 31 seats in Greenland's parliament, Inatsisartut, and 16 seats are needed for a majority. Greenland's ruling party, the left-leaning socialist Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA), led by Prime Minister Egede, advocates for an economically and politically independent Greenland, but has not yet proposed a plan to achieve this. The party currently holds 11 seats in Greenland's parliament and is represented in Denmark's parliament by Aaja Chemnitz, who holds one of Greenland's two seats in the Danish Folketing. IA has said it will not rush an independence vote through after the general election, cautioning about possible economic and welfare implications. The Social democratic Siumut party, led by Erik Jensen, also supports a gradual succession from Denmark, and currently holds 10 seats in parliament. The party proposes reducing the economic contribution of about $17,500 per inhabitant the island receives yearly from Denmark over the next 15 years as Greenland moves towards full independence. However, left-wing Naleraq, led by Pele Broberg, is the largest opposition party with five seats in parliament and is one of the staunchest advocates for a swift transition to full independence. Naleraq has said that becoming a sovereign state will spur new business opportunities for Greenland and wants to develop opportunities for industries such as fishing, which accounts for more than 95% of exports. It has also said it wants to pursue a defence agreement with the US and could choose a so-called 'free association', under which Greenland would receive US support and protection in return for military rights, without becoming a US territory. It could also consider such an option with Denmark, or another country. Social-liberal Demokraatit, led by Greenland's Minister of Industry and Raw Minerals Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also envisions an independent Greenland with a free market economy. And the newly-formed left-wing Qulleq, led by Karl Ingemann, advocates for rapid independence and wants full control of the island's resources, which it says could alleviate social and economic suffering among Greenlanders. The centre-right conservative party Atassut, led by Aqqalu Jerimiassen, is the only party that advocates for unity with Denmark. According to Atassut, Greenland is not yet ready for independence, but the party currently has two parliamentary representatives. Halo is seen during a sunset on the coast of sea inlet of Nuuk, Greenland, Friday, March 7, 2025 Campaign posters hang outside of the polling station ahead of tomorrow's general election on March 10, 2025 in Ilulissat, Greenland Donald Trump Jr. visits Nuuk, Greenland, on January 7, 2025, amid calls from his father, then-president-elect Donald Trump, for the US to acquire the territory Relatives and family members throw rice at Salik and Malu Schmidt as they leave the church of our Savior after getting married in Nuuk, Greenland, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025 The Arctic, once a frozen wilderness, is quickly becoming a hotspot for geopolitical manoeuvring, primarily because of the incredible reserves of resources hidden beneath the frost. The receding ice caps have revealed vast reserves of vital resources - the US Geological Survey estimates that the Arctic holds an estimated 90 billion barrels (roughly 15%) of the world's undiscovered conventional oil resources and some 40 billion barrels (roughly 30%) of its undiscovered conventional natural gas resources. The region is also flush with sorely needed rare earth minerals integral to the production of modern battery and microchip technology. Arctic conditions are ideal for maximising the benefit of renewable energy capture methods - the vast expanse is ripe for the construction of solar panels and wind turbines, and the huge seas present opportunities for marine turbines to produce hydroelectric power. Countries like Iceland and Finland already harness hydroelectric, wind and geothermal energy to satisfy almost all their energy needs alongside nuclear power. Additionally, the increasing accessibility of existing trade routes like the Northern Sea Route (NSR) - or the potential for new routes like the Transpolar Sea Route (TSR) - could drastically cut shipping times and fuel use. The distance from a northwestern European port to the Far East along the NSR, for example, is almost 40% shorter than the traditional route via the Suez Canal. And the melting of Arctic ice means more ships with reinforced hulls will be able to traverse regions that have historically been inaccessible - or at the very least the reserve of dedicated icebreakers. This makes shipping via the Arctic a highly attractive proposition for global trade with huge economic benefits for the countries involved. Since World War II, however, the Arctic has also been seen as a highly strategic location. During the Second World War, the US occupied Greenland to ensure it did not fall into the hands of Nazi Germany, and to protect crucial North Atlantic shipping lanes. Then during the Cold War, both the US and Soviet Union learned the fastest way to deploy nuclear weapons was to fire their missiles across the Arctic - a realisation that led to a dramatic expansion of military infrastructure in the High North. The US has retained bases in Greenland since the war, and the Pituffik Space Base, formerly Thule Air Force Base, supports missile warning, missile defence and space surveillance operations for the US and NATO. Greenland also guards part of what is known as the GIUK (Greenland, Iceland, United Kingdom) Gap, where NATO monitors Russian naval movements in the North Atlantic. Meanwhile, Russia has invested billions of roubles in the past decade to renovate and expand its industrial and military infrastructure in the Arctic. 'Let us be clear: we are soon entering the Arctic Century, and its most defining feature will be Greenland's meteoric rise, sustained prominence and ubiquitous influence,' said Dwayne Menezes, managing director of the Polar Research and Policy Initiative. 'Greenland - located on the crossroads between North America, Europe and Asia, and with enormous resource potential - will only become more strategically important, with all powers great and small seeking to pay court to it. 'One is quite keen to go a step further and buy it,' he said. Keir Starmer has urged restoration of US aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine in a call with Donald Trump. The PM voiced hope that there will be a 'positive outcome' in talks between Washington and Kyiv, due to take place in Saudi Arabia. A Downing Street readout said Sir Keir insisted that Ukraine was 'committed to a lasting peace' during the conversation. 'The Prime Minister said that UK officials had been speaking to Ukraine officials over the weekend and they remain committed to a lasting peace,' a No10 spokeswoman said. 'The Prime Minister said he hoped there would be a positive outcome to the talks that would enable US aid and intelligence sharing to be restarted.' Western allies have been frantically trying to repaid relations after the bust-up between Mr Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky. The US subsequently 'paused' military supplies and intelligence sharing as Mr Trump complained Mr Zelensky was not willing to make enough concessions for a deal with Russia. That has sparked a big push by Vladimir Putin's forces as they try to capitalise on Ukraine's weakened position. The Ukrainian president is due to fly out to Saudi Arabia today for talks with the country's crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, and his team will stay on for talks with US officials. Keir Starmer has urged restoration of US aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine in a call with Donald Trump The PM voiced hope that there will be a 'positive outcome' in talks between Washington and Kyiv , due to take place in Saudi Arabia Allies have been frantically trying to repaid relations after the bust-up between Mr Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky Close Starmer aide Jonathan Powell has been coaching Ukrainian politicians ahead of Russia war peace talks. The UK's national security adviser was pictured in Kyiv at the weekend meeting Andriy Yermak, head of the office of the president in Ukraine. In a post on X, Mr Yermak said that they 'exchanged views on key issues on the path to achieving peace'. Sir Keir will lead fresh talks with 'coalition of the willing' allies on Saturday as global leaders continue to scramble to shore up Ukraine's defence. The Prime Minister will host a virtual meeting with around 20 largely European and Commonwealth countries to end another week of frantic diplomatic activity. The call will be held between nations who have expressed an interest in supporting a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, should Russia agree to halt its brutal invasion. Sir Keir will have been buoyed by reports that Spain is ready to contribute in some capacity to the enforcement of a peace deal. It had previously been thought Spain was unlikely to join a peacekeeping effort, but El Pais said the Spanish government had decided it 'cannot remain on the sidelines'. Sir Keir and French President Emmanuel Macron have both said they are willing to commit troops to a potential peacekeeping force on the ground in Ukraine. But not all the nations who are involved in the coalition talks are expected to sign up to a military deployment. They could instead offer logistical help for a peacekeeping force in Ukraine, or provide other forms of support. The virtual meeting of the 'coalition of the willing' will come after military chiefs from potential members meet in France tomorrow. This is the same day that US and Ukrainian officials are due to meet in Saudi Arabia for talks about a possible peace deal. Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, Britain's chief of the defence staff, will join counterparts in Paris on Tuesday. Defence Secretary John Healey will then meet his opposite numbers from France, Germany, Italy and Poland in the French capital on Wednesday. The meeting of defence ministers will also be attended by representatives from NATO and the EU, with Ukraine's Rustem Umerov dialling in. Foreign ministers from the G7 including Foreign Secretary David Lammy and US counterpart Marco Rubio will meet in Canada from Wednesday to Friday. The PM's official spokesman said: 'There was the meeting last week, there's another meeting tomorrow, there's a defence secretary-level meeting on Wednesday, there will be the leaders' meeting on Saturday. 'Each of these meetings is obviously progressing the planning. 'I'm not going to get ahead of proposals being made public but obviously these discussions are ongoing, as you can see from these meetings.' Sir Keir has stressed the need for US President Donald Trump to provide a 'backstop' security guarantee for a possible European-led peacekeeping force in Ukraine. Ukrainian soldiers pictured at their D-30 artillery position in the direction of Toretsk, Ukraine The flags of Saudi Arabia and Ukraine line the King Abdulaziz Road in the Saudi port city of Jeddah Government insiders have warned of a 'chicken and egg' situation where European and Commonwealth nations will not promise troops without US guarantees. But Mr Trump will not make commitments unless Europe steps up to defend itself. The UK's national security adviser was in Kyiv for talks over the weekend with top officials ahead of Tuesday's talks between the Ukrainian and American delegations. Jonathan Powell met Andriy Yermak, head of the office of the president in Ukraine. In a post on X, Mr Yermak said that they 'exchanged views on key issues on the path to achieving peace'. Only a third of Britons now see America as a 'friend and ally' as the so-called 'special relationship' takes a battering under Donald Trump, a new poll has shown. A YouGov survey found little more than half of Britons (53 per cent) consider the US as either a 'friend and ally' or 'friendly rival' to the UK and other European countries. This was down significantly from the 67 per cent who believed this in December last year, just prior to Mr Trump's return as US President. In the latest poll, only 33 per cent of Britons explicitly identified the US as a 'friend and ally' towards the UK and Europe - down from 42 per cent at the end of 2024. Since returning to the White House, Mr Trump has announced 25 per cent tariffs on UK steel exports as part of his global trade war. He has cast doubt over continued American support for Europe's security and withdrawn military aid from Ukraine. The US President has also been accused of siding with Russia during his furious spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Meanwhile, Mr Trump's vice-president JD Vance recently sparked fury by appearing to dismiss the UK as 'a random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years'. Only a third of Britons now see America as a 'friend and ally' as the so-called 'special relationship' takes a battering under Donald Trump , a new poll has shown A YouGov survey found little more than half of Britons (53 per cent) consider the US as either a 'friend and ally' or 'friendly rival' to the UK and other European countries The loss of faith in America as an ally of the UK and Europe was evident across the political spectrum in Britain YouGov found the proportion of Britons who think the US has a generally 'unfriendly' relationship with the UK and Europe has risen from 9 per cent to 19 per cent. And the number viewing the US as 'a hostile threat' has risen from 3 per cent to 11 per cent. These are both the highest levels recorded since YouGov started asking the question six years ago. The 30 per cent who think the US has a negative stance towards the UK and Europe is higher than a previous peak of 18 per cent from 2019, during Mr Trump's first term. The loss of faith in America as an ally of the UK and Europe was evident across the political spectrum in Britain. Two-thirds (67 per cent) of Labour voters saw the US as an ally or friendly rival in December, but just half (51 per cent) said so in the latest poll. Similarly, the number of Lib Dem voters seeing the relationship in positive terms fell from 71 per cent to 54 per cent. The sharpest drop was among Tory voters, with the 64 per cent who currently see the US as friendly some 21 points lower than the 85 per cent who said so in December. Reform UK voters were now most likely to class the relationship with the US as friendly, with 69 per cent currently doing so. But this was 13 points lower than three months ago. YouGov also found that only one in six (17 per cent) identified the US as Britains closest ally at present YouGov also found that only one in six (17 per cent) identified the US as Britains closest ally at present. By comparison, one in seven (15 per cent) of Britons saw France as the UK's current closest friend and ally, while 7 per cent said Canada and 6 per cent said Australia. But four in 10 (41 per cent) said they did not know which country they would consider to be Britains closest friend or ally. A small plane crashed in rural Pennsylvania on Sunday afternoon, injuring all five people aboard, officials reported. The incident occurred at approximately 3:18 p.m. EDT in a parking lot of a retirement community in Manheim Township, about 85 miles northwest of Philadelphia. According to a statement from Manheim Township, all five individuals on the plane sustained injuries of unknown severity and were transported to local hospitals for medical treatment. Fortunately, no injuries were reported on the ground, and there were no fatalities. The Brethren Village facilities, located near the crash site, avoided significant damage, although several vehicles in the parking lot were damaged. During a press conference, officials stated that when responders arrived, the aircraft was on fire. Manheim Township Police Chief Duane Fisher confirmed that about a dozen cars were damaged in the crash, with at least five vehicles suffering "severe damage." The fire was later extinguished. FlightAware tracking data showed that the plane had departed from Lancaster Airport, located near the crash site, with a destination of Springfield, Ohio. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation. Fisher explained that, as a precaution, authorities initially imposed a shelter-in-place order for the retirement community following the crash. However, he reassured residents, saying, "At no point did the plane or the aircraft strike any part of the structure. So, we're very confident that all safety concerns have been addressed as far as the facility here and everyone that lives here." Fisher also expressed relief that no one on the ground was injured, stating, "I don't know if I consider it a miracle, but the fact that we have a plane crash where everybody survives and nobody on the ground is hurt is a wonderful thing." The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is investigating the incident, identified the plane as a Beechcraft Bonanza. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro confirmed that state police were assisting first responders on the scene. "All Commonwealth resources are available as the response continues," Shapiro said in a post on X. The crash comes amid a series of high-profile aviation incidents in the United States, including a crash involving a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines jet in Washington, D.C., earlier this year. A 17-year-old boy has been jailed for the brutal murder of his 'annoying' older sister. Mali Bennett-Smith fatally stabbed his older sister, 19-year-old Luka Bennett-Smith, at the home they shared on Cromwell Road in Bristol on 20 October 2024. Bristol Crown Court heard that his sister had agreed Bennett-Smith could practise a headlock on her, but instead of letting go when she tapped him, as he had done on previous occasions, he continued to hold her before stabbing her repeatedly. The murderer was sentenced to a minimum term of detention of 10 years and five months after pleading guilty to her murder on Monday. The two siblings had been home alone in the St Andrews area of the city when the killing took place, with the brother, who had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, initially watching a video upstairs. Mali Bennett-Smith told police: 'After watching a video, I went downstairs to the lounge and I asked Luka if I could practise a headlock on her. 'She agreed, we have done this before and when she needed me to stop we had an agreement where she would tap me on the arm. 'On this occasion I had decided I was not going to stop, I wanted to kill her, I had enough with regards she had been treating me over the years and recently.' Mali Bennett-Smith was sentenced to a minimum term of detention of 10 years and five months on Monday after pleading guilty to the murder of his sister Pictures of the crime scene at Cromwell Road following the murder on 20 October 2024 Twenty minutes after the killing he dialled 999 and said: 'I stabbed my sister to death. The court heard that he told operators they had not been having an argument, but he said: 'I hated her my whole life and I don't know, I just didn't want to ever see her again.' Judge William Hart said today at Bristol Crown Court: 'It's often said in courtrooms when a child has died: 'It must be every parent's worst nightmare'. 'The horror of the loss of their daughter at the hands of the son they still love is beyond even the worst nightmares.' The court heard that Bennett-Smith grew up on a remote farm in New Zealand, where he was home-schooled, but after his parents divorced he moved to the UK with his sister and mother with the aim of going to college to prepare to join the Army. He later dropped out of his college course, the court was told. Sentencing him to detention during his majesty's pleasure, the judge said: 'The killing was shocking and brutal. 'It has deprived Luka of her life, your parents in effect of two of their children, and will deprive you of your liberty.' Forensic investigators pictured at the scene where the girls body was found at 6:30pm on October 20 Mali and Luka Bennett-Smith lived together at a home on Cromwell Road in the St Andrew's area of Bristol He said the use of a knife, the fact Bennett-Smith 'undoubtedly intended to kill' and the brutality were aggravating features. He added: 'The scene that met the paramedics on arrival at that house will, I imagine, live with them forever.' Ray Tully KC, defending, said Bennett-Smith has severe dyslexia and dysgraphia and, although he has an above average IQ, was found to have below average 'processing speed'. He said the teenager's 'somewhat unconventional' upbringing meant he did not mix with other children his own age, and spent a lot of time gaming. Mr Tully said the defendant would disappear into a world of video gaming and become dissociated from the real world. He said: 'Mali did not know how to manage his increasing feelings of frustration and resentment towards Luka.' He said the teenager, of Cromwell Road, had 'genuine remorse' for his actions. The judge lifted reporting restrictions on naming the defendant after an application by the PA news agency. After the sentencing, Detective Inspector Nadine Partridge of Avon and Somerset Police said: 'Our thoughts remain fully with Luka's family at this difficult time. They continue to be updated and supported by specially trained family liaison officers.' NATO member Poland will soon send out a guide for its citizens on how to survive future crises, after it warned its male population they would have to go through military training amid rising tensions with Russia. The country, which borders both Ukraine and Russia, will be sending the pamphlets to households this year. The booklets will inform them on 'how to deal with various hazardous situations,' a deputy director for the interior ministry's civil protection unit, Robert Klonowski, told the PAP news agency. Civilians will be given wartime tips on how to cope with 'a power outage lasting several days or several hours,' he said, adding that the information would also serve for reacting to natural disasters. The brochure will be issued in Polish, and in Ukrainian for the some 900,000 Ukrainian refugees in the country. 'We are also planning a special version, or at least part of this guide, addressed to children,' Klonowski added. Poland is one of Kyiv's staunchest allies in the European Union and hosts a logistics hub through which NATO and EU member states have been sending military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. It has been warily eyeing Russia and been ramping up its defences, as Vladimir Putin's invasion rages on. Poland has been making overtures towards a war footing over the past week, with the country's prime minister Donald Tusk revealing that his government is working out a system to militarily train all men in the event of a war. Polish Army soldiers take part in a Lithuanian-Polish Brave Griffin 24/II military exercise near the Suwalki Gap near the Polish border at the Dirmiskes village, in Lithuania on Friday, April 26, 2024 Members of the National Police Special Purpose Battalion of Zaporizhzhia region fire a D-30 howitzer towards Russian troops on a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine March 7, 202 Polish prime minister Donald Tusk (pictured) revealed that his government is working out a system to militarily train all men in the event of a war Tusk told the country's Sejm - the lower house of parliament - that the military training would create a reserve force that is 'adequate to possible threats.' Officials aim to have a plan for the scheme, which would also be open to women volunteers, finalised by the end of the year. That same day, he revealed he was having serious discussions with France about falling under the protections of their nuclear umbrella to his parliament. 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. NATO member Poland exists in a unique, and precarious, geographic position in Europe that has forced it to take its security seriously. A Russian exclave, Kaliningrad, borders Poland to the north, while Ukraine lies to the country's east. Other EU countries alarmed at Russia's expansionist ambitions have stepped up public preparedness for future crises. 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 Sweden has already issued a similar information brochure, while Finland has a website gathering information on how ready civilians are for different emergencies. The European Union last week agreed to boost the continent's defences and to free up hundreds of billions of euros for security in response to the Trump administration's shift in stance on Ukraine. White House special envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News on Monday that the pause of US intelligence-sharing with Ukraine has not limited defence intelligence-sharing. 'We never shut off intelligence for ... anything defensive that the Ukrainians need,' Mr Witkoff said. A pause on sharing US intelligence that can be used for offensive purposes by Ukrainian forces remains in effect, according to a US official familiar with the matter who was not authorised to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The official suggested that progress could be made toward reinstating intelligence-sharing with Ukraine during the Saudi talks. The owner of a soft play centre has criticised shocking and selfish parents after it emerged they had planned a secret chickenpox party at her venue. Jane Coulson said she received a tip-off from a concerned mother about the event due to take place at Play World in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. Historically, some parents arranged chickenpox parties to intentionally expose their unvaccinated children to a child with chickenpox in the hope that they would get the disease. But experts and parents branded the plans dangerous. Ms Coulson said she was especially worried because children with lowered immune systems often visited the play venue. While chickenpox is mild for most, and usually gets better on its own after 1 to 2 weeks without needing to see a GP, it can be serious in some people. It is highly infections and mostly affects children. The NHS advises anyone with the infection not go near newborn babies or anyone whos pregnant or has a weakened immune system, as chickenpox can be particularly dangerous for them. Complications include neurological problems and pneumonia. Ms Coulson told the BBC: Someone deliberately bringing in something like chickenpox is very selfish. If you want to have a chickenpox party, have it in your own home. Historically, some parents arranged chickenpox parties to intentionally expose their unvaccinated children to a child with chickenpox in the hope that they would get the disease Ms Coulson said she was especially worried because children with lowered immune systems often visited the play venue. Pictured: Play World in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire While chickenpox is mild for most, and usually gets better on its own after 1 to 2 weeks without needing to see a GP (stock image) I was surprised, I thought people would have common sense. If your child is ill, dont bring them to a place like this. After being infromed of the plans, Ms Coulson posted a message on the centres Facebook page which read: We dont like to start the day on a low, but unfortunately we have reason to believe that there are such events called chicken pox party being privately arranged to take place here at Playworld. 'Please do NOT bring your child to Playworld if they have any sort of infectious illness. Please stay at home until they are fully recovered. Tony McGinty, a public health consultant at Lincolnshire County Council, said exposing children to others with chickenpox was not advisable anywhere. He said: Worse-case scenario is children can develop brain inflammations and infections, some have been known to have strokes as a result of being exposed to the virus. It can have really poor outcomes, even death if children are badly affected. Mr McGinty said there was very little benefit to exposing children to the virus at a very young age and warned about a knock-on effect. He said: Whilst some children present may become infected and have a mild illness, some of them may become very seriously ill. The NHS advises anyone with the infection not go near newborn babies or anyone whos pregnant or has a weakened immune system Parents expressed their shock. Writing online, Jorja Kelly said: People need to think better! Most children would be okay with these bugs but if they are like my little boy the littlest bug could be fatal! Parents need to be more responsible. Emily Paley added: Shame on these parents who are doing this! Im sorry but why would you take you child to somewhere like a soft play knowing your child has chicken pox ect to potentially pass it to other children, who some might have a low immune system and can cause problems and end up in hospital its beyond me [sic]. Nicole Rose wrote on Facebook: This is awful, so selfish on the parents part! Why anyone parent would want to knowingly spread their childs illness is baffling. Parents visiting the centre were also angered by the plans. Joanna, a mother who regularly visited the activity centre, said she believed the idea of holding a chickenpox party in public was ridiculous. She told the BBC: Dont come to a public place where there are other children and parents who could have health issues, she said. It could put other people in danger. Another parent, Beth, said although she does not disagree with the idea of a chickenpox party, they should never be organised in public spaces. Its not fair on everyone, she said. If youre going to do something like that, go to your own home. Tony McGinty, a public health consultant at Lincolnshire County Council, said exposing children to others with chickenpox was not advisable anywhere (stock image) Chickenpox is caused by a virus called varicella-zoster, and it is normally a mild and relatively harmless illness that causes a tell-tale rash (stock image) The chicken pox vaccine is currently only available on the NHS to those in close contact with someone who has a higher risk of getting seriously ill from the infection. It is however available privately, at a cost of between 100 and 150. The chicken pox vaccine has been part of routine childhood vaccinations in the US since 1998, but not in the UK. In 2023 The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recommended a vaccine against varicella, commonly known as chickenpox, should be added to the UKs routine childhood immunisation programme. The vaccine would be offered to all children in two doses, at 12 and 18 months of age but it has not yet been introduced, in part due to cost. After 2 doses, the chickenpox vaccine provides around 98% protection in children and about 75% protection in adults. Former Labour MP Mike Amesbury has finally bowed to pressure and announced he will quit the House of Commons after he was jailed for sucker-punching a constituent. The 55-year-old, the MP for Runcorn and Helsby, told the BBC he would be resigning 'as quickly as possible' once he has wound up his office. He was initially ordered to serve 10 weeks in prison after admitting to drunkenly attacking a man in Frodsham, Cheshire, last October. Amesbury spent three nights in HMP Altcourse, Merseyside, last month before successfully appealing his sentence. A judge suspended his sentence of 10 weeks' imprisonment for two years. The MP was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, undertake a 120-day alcohol monitoring requirement, and go on an anger management course. Amesbury's resignation will trigger a by-election in his Runcorn and Helsby seat, which he won for Labour at July's general election with a 14,696-vote majority. Reform UK came second to Labour in the constituency last summer and will be eyeing a breakthrough at the upcoming contest. Former Labour MP Mike Amesbury has finally bowed to pressure and announced he will quit the House of Commons after he was jailed for sucker-punching a constituent The 55-year-old was filmed on CCTV punching constituent Paul Fellows after the pair had a heated discussion by a taxi rank at 2am in Amesbury's home town of Frodsham, Cheshire Your browser does not support iframes. Sir Keir Starmer's bumpy start to life as Prime Minister means Labour are likely to face a much tougher battle as they seek to hold on to the seat. The Tories came third at July's general election, more than 900 votes behind Reform. Amesbury had been under intense pressure to quit the Commons and vacate his Cheshire seat ever since he pleaded guilty to attacking constituent Paul Fellows. The politician was filmed striking Mr Fellows after the pair had a heated discussion by a taxi rank at 2am in Amesbury's home town on October 26. He then punched Mr Fellows, 45, five times as he lay on the floor in what a court heard was an unprovoked assault. Annnouncing his pending departure from Parliament, Amesbury told the BBC: 'I'm going to step aside at the earliest opportunity. 'I've got processes I must go through - staff, for example, there's a statutory process in terms of redundancies. 'So it's not only me out of a job, so to speak. Although it was more than a job, it was a calling for me. I've loved most of my time being an MP. 'I've got six members of staff so I've got a period of notice I've got to give them, so it's going to be as quickly as possible.' By choosing to resign, Amesbury will dodge being kicked out of Parliament by local voters via a recall petition that would have been triggered by his custodial sentence. Amesbury has been sitting as an independent MP in the Commons since being suspended by Labour following his arrest last year. He claimed he was 'threatened' before the attack in his constituency on October 26. But CCTV footage, exclusively obtained by MailOnline, at the time showed him throwing a punch seemingly without physical provocation. Amesbury then continuing to hit the man multiple times while he lay on the ground. Chester Magistrates' Court heard both men had been drinking and met by chance before discussing the closure of a local bridge. However, the MP then snapped and flattened Mr Fellows, before yelling: 'Don't threaten your MP. You won't threaten your MP again, will you, you f****** soft lad.' Amesbury - an MP since 2017 and a Labour member since he was 17 - previously said of his conduct: 'It's highly regrettable and of course I'm sincerely sorry to Mr Fellows.' The movement for Puerto Rican sovereignty was thrust into the spotlight after DailyMail.com revealed a campaign to pressure Donald Trump to grant the island territory its independence. But Trump cannot unilaterally decide if Puerto Rico will remain a U.S. territory, become a state or be granted independence, according to an expert. The Constitution requires an act of Congress to allow any U.S. territory to secede. But that's not stopping a pro-independence group from drafting and distributing a document titled as an 'executive order' and with a presumptive typed signature line for 'Donald J. Trump.' Secessionist efforts, however, are not popular in Puerto Rico or among Americans, a leader in the statehood movement revealed, as first reported on DailyMail's podcast Welcome to MAGAland. Most people prefer that Puerto Rico become a state within the U.S.A., he insists. Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Statehood Council George Laws Garcia said there is growing support among Republicans in Congress both far-right and centrist who are opening to the argument for statehood. Laws Garcia said that statehood advocates and Puerto Rican leaders, including their Republican Gov. Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon met with about 25 Republican and Democrat legislators this month. President Donald Trump cannot grant independence to Puerto Rico and he probably doesn't even want to Puerto Rico elected a Republican Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon (left) as its governor amid a right-leaning shift on the island. Pictured: Gonzalez-Colon met with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem (right) on March 6, 2025 in San Juan, Puerto Rico He said Gonzalez-Colon has even met with Sen. Markwayne Mullin, a staunch pro-MAGA Republican, and she described him as a 'friend.' He also noted that the Puerto Rican leaders met with Sen. Rick Scott and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Overall, 59 percent of Americans support statehood for the island territory, while only 16 percent oppose, according to a YouGov poll. The Puerto Rican Alliance drafted a seven-page proposal that detailed a 20-year transition of Puerto Rico from a U.S. territory to a 'sovereign and independent' nation. At least one congressional office took it seriously enough to send it outside the Capitol. If the secessionist group had their way, Trump would also take it seriously and adopt the proposed order. But the current president seems to have no intention of decreasing the land under U.S. control. In fact, he has been pushing to have the U.S. acquire the arctic Danish territory of Greenland as well as have the U.S. take over the Panama Canal. The president has even joked about Canada becoming the 51st state. Laws Garcia told DailyMail.com that the intentional leak of this document is an effort to give the unpopular movement more traction when Trump is looking to expand the country. 'Last November, 58 percent, almost 59 percent of voters in Puerto Rico, supported statehood,' he detailed. Laws Garcia insisted: 'The folks who wrote this memo they're basically representing a desperate and last ditch attempt to advance a political status that only about 11 percent of the population on the island support.' Most Americans (59 percent) support making Puerto Rico a U.S. state, according to YouGov poll As Trump looks to expand U.S. control to Greenland and the Panama Canal, there's doubt he would ever get behind a movement to liberate the Caribbean island DailyMail.com's Katelyn Caralle broke down on the MAGAland podcast how there is growing Republican support for statehood and decreased backing for independence. It requires an act of Congress to advance independence for a U.S. territory In 2024, 29.57 percent of Puerto Ricans who voted said they would want independence with free associations, which essentially is what the drafted document details because this clause would provide a treaty with the U.S. outlining some sort of preferred conditions for the island. While 11.82 percent said they would want independence without any conditions or links to the U.S. a vast majority at 58 percent want statehood for Puerto Rico. Even if Trump wanted to 'dispose' of the Caribbean island, he would not be able to take the action himself. Article IV, Section 3, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution reads: 'The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or of any particular State.' Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Statehood council George Laws Garcia detailed how Congress would need to vote for independence and noted the growing support among Republicans for the island to gain statehood Laws Garcia said this part of the Constitution makes clear that Trump cannot liberate Puerto Rico with the stroke of a pen. 'That is unequivocal and absolutely clear constitutional language indicating that Congress has the sole power to dispose of the territories,' he told DailyMail.com, lambasting the Puerto Rican Alliance for framing their efforts as an executive order. 'So they're in fantasy land,' the former Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration explained. 'They're throwing, you know, chewing gum at the wall and seeing what sticks, and trying to confuse people and generate attention.' 'The reality is they've completely failed at any effort to campaign and get majority voter support,' Laws Garcia said. 'They've had four opportunities since 2012, and each and every time they haven't been able to do it.' 'So now they're just throwing cockamamie ideas out there that don't make sense, are unconstitutional, and unfortunately, they're just wasting people's time and attention.' Historically, statehood for Puerto Rico has been supported more by Democrats and progressives who see acquiring the island fully to be a benefit to their numbers in Congress. But in recent years, the voting bloc there has leaned more red and elected a Republican governor. This is the moment a man accused of murdering a pensioner and cutting his body into at least 27 pieces was filmed allegedly carrying his torso in a heavy-looking bag for life. Marcin Majerkiewicz was arrested after the gruesome discovery of 67-year-old Stuart Everetts remains in a Salford nature reserve last April. The 42-year-old was held after police traced CCTV of him walking towards the deposition site' with a heavy bag and returning without it, a jury has been told. He denies the murder of Mr Everett, from whom he sub-letted a room in a house in Winton, Salford. Today a court heard that Majerkiewicz told police who arrested him: It's definitely a mistake, 100 per cent. The gruesome discovery of a torso and thighs wrapped in cling film by a horrified member of the public in Kersal Dale nature reserve on April 4 last year sparked a massive police search to identify the victim. It was immediately obvious that the body part belonged to a man who had been sawn into pieces, a murder trial at Manchester Crown Court has heard. Police later found a further 26 parts of his body at four other locations however only around one-third of Mr Everetts remains have so far been recovered, the trial has been told. The court has been shown CCTV footage of Majerkiewicz carrying a blue bag for life with what they were told was a dark-coloured item protruding from the top' Stuart Everett (pictured) was found cut into at least 27 pieces had been bludgeoned to death by his lodger The discovery of a lower torso and thighs by a horrified member of the public sparked a massive police search to identify the victim (Pictured: A forensic tent at Kersal Dale) Mr Everetts skull alone was split into several fragments with his face stripped off and dumped separately. When he was arrested, Majerkiewicz was allegedly carrying two mobile phones plus bank cards in the name of Mr Everett. Detectives established that Mr Everett hadnt been seen alive for several weeks. However messages had allegedly been sent from his phone saying he was unwell. Searches of the house they shared found bloodstains and saw marks evidence that something terrible had happened there, prosecutor Jason Pitter KC told jurors last week. The skull fragments were placed together by a pathologist who concluded that Mr Everett had been killed by repeated strikes to the head with a heavy blunt implement, Mr Pitter said. Jurors have been told that Mr Everett was probably killed on the night of March 27. The court has been shown CCTV footage of Majerkiewicz carrying a blue bag for life with what they were told was a dark-coloured item protruding from the top' near Kersal Dale on April 2. In the clips he can be seen swapping the bag from his left hand to his right and also stopping for a few seconds, putting the bag on the ground before continuing. Mr Majerkiewicz was held after police traced CCTV of him walking towards the deposition site' with a heavy bag and returning without it, a jury has been told In the clips he can be seen swapping the bag from his left hand to his right and also stopping for a few seconds, putting the bag on the ground before continuing It was immediately obvious that the body part belonged to a man who had been 'sawn into pieces', according to the prosecution (Pictured: Forensic officers at Kersal Dale) Mr Everetts remains were found in the nature reserve two days later. Today the jury heard how Majerkiewicz was arrested three weeks after the grim discovery, two plain-clothes officers working on the inquiry were driving an unmarked police car down the road in Salford and passed him walking in the other direction. The Investigation Support Officer (ISO), Clare Daly, told her colleague ISO Matthew Ross, behind the wheel: I think that's the suspect. I saw an individual on the pathway who matched the description of the suspect we were trying to trace,' she said in a statement, read to the jury. The officers turned the car around and followed the suspect on foot before he got on a number 100 bus, the court heard. Shortly afterwards, Pc Paul Ashworth pulled his police car in front of the bus and boarded it. Body-worn video footage played to the jury showed the officer telling the suspect he was being detained to be searched, before he was handcuffed and taken off the bus. Polish-born Majerkiewicz was told he had been identified as a 'person of interest' in a police investigation. He replied: 'It's definitely a mistake, 100%.' When police went to the house Majerkiewicz shared with Mr Everett they found a skip outside full of household items and evidence of bloodstaining Police found a further 26 parts of his body at four other locations (Pictured: Police carry out searches) Pictured: North West's Underwater Search and Marine Unit operating in Blackleach Country Park Reservoir in search of remains Pc Ashworth then tells Majerkiewicz he has been seen on several occasions on CCTV by police investigating a serious incident. Majerkiewicz later says: Someone steal something?' Pc Ashworth replies: It's a bit more serious than that, matey.' Police found Majerkiewicz had on him the phone and bank cards belonging to Mr Everett. Minutes later, the officer then cautions Majerkiewicz, warning he is being arrested on suspicion of murder. What?' the suspect replies, before asking for a translator and shaking his head. When police went to the house Majerkiewicz shared with Mr Everett they found a skip outside full of household items and evidence of bloodstaining and a clean-up operation. Analysis of Majerkiewicz's phone movements and CCTV footage showed him carrying bags and taking the bus on numerous deposition journeys'' to get rid of his victim's body, it is alleged. Jurors were told only around one third of Mr Everett's body has been recovered. His lower torso and thighs were found in one piece by members of the public who informed police, however at that stage his identity was unknown (Pictured: Police and forensics) Pictured: A heavy police presence at Blackleach Country Park as part of the investigation into the headless torso Pathology of the skull fragments showed Mr Everett, a former civil servant originally from Derby, had been subject to a sustained, severe blunt force physical assault', with repeated blows to his head, shattering and fracturing his skull, before being dismembered with a hacksaw. Majerkiewicz denies the murder or manslaughter of Mr Everett at their house in Winton, Salford, overnight between March 27 and March 28, last year. As the jury was sworn in last week, trial judge Mr Justice Cavanagh warned them they would hear distressing evidence but must keep a cool head. The trial continues. President Donald Trump and Kristi Noem want migrants who came here illegally to 'self-deport' back to the countries they came from. As of Monday, the administration rolled out a new app as a substitute for CBP One app previously used as a way to encourage a more orderly legal migration to make it a vehicle for people here illegally to 'self-deport.' The new app is named 'CBP Home' and intends to usher people out. 'The CBP Home app gives aliens the option to leave now and self-deport, so they may still have the opportunity to return legally in the future and live the American dream,' the Homeland Security Secretary said in a statement. 'If they don't, we will find them, we will deport them, and they will never return,' Noem continued. The new app lets people send a picture and register their 'intent to depart' which could actually preserve their ability to come back to the country legally in the future. CBP One was established during the Biden administration to allow migrants to set up online appointments with immigration officials, in part to take pressure off transit points and replace some illegal migration with more orderly legal entry. The CBP One app no longer allows that function. The site currently states that, 'In an effort to keep CBP.gov current, the archive contains content from a previous administration or is otherwise outdated.' President Donald Trump continues to push for more deportations. His administration rolled out a new app allowing people to 'self-deport' 'The Biden Administration exploited the CBP One App to allow more than 1 million aliens to illegally enter the United States. With the launching of the CBP Home App, we are restoring integrity to our immigration system,' Noem said. Noem explained why migrants might willingly want to use the new app, even after their struggles to get here. 'The CBP Home App gives aliens the option to leave now and self-deport, so they may still have the opportunity to return legally in the future and live the American dream. If they don't, we will find them, we will deport them, and they will never return,' she vowed in the statement. The digital effort comes as the administration has been facing pressure over the pace of 'mass deportations' that Trump promised during the campaign. 'We need money for more beds. We need money for more flights,' border czar Tom Homan said at the White House last week. 'We need Congress to step up and give us the money we need so President Trump can keep his promise to the American people,' he said. Homan told the New York Times he has told Trump that officials need to do more. 'We need to increase the arrests. They're not high enough,' he said he told the president. 'If they don't, we will find them, we will deport them, and they will never return,' Homeland Security Secrdetary Kristi Noem said in a statement. RUBY, ARIZONA - JANUARY 05: Migrants turn themselves in to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers after crossing over a section of border wall into the U.S. on January 05, 2025 in Ruby, Arizona. A new app allows people to 'self-deport' Trump, meanwhile, posted on his Truth Social site about apprehending the Columbia University student who led pro-Palestinian protests. We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country never to return again,' Trump wrote, pointing to the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, who he called a 'Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student.' Khalil is a Green Card holder who graduated with a Master's degree in December. ''We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported,' posted Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Former Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg has been accused of engaging in a steamy Italian work trip with a female intern, spending a staggering $13,000 on lingerie before asking her to 'come to bed' - a claim that Sheryl denies. The shocking allegations came to light in a new book 'Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism,' written by ex-Facebook employee Sarah Wynn-Williams. In the memoir, Wynn-Williams, who served as former director of global public policy at Facebook, writes about her experience after six years at the tech giant, making explosive allegations about Sandberg - which the company firmly denies. She accused Sandberg of spending $13,000 on lingerie during a lavish European trip - before asking her to 'come to bed' on the private jet journey home when Wynn-Williams was a 26-year-old intern. Wynn-Williams alleged that Sandberg instructed her to purchase lingerie for both of them with no budget constraints, according to a review published by the New York Times on Monday. Sheryl Sandberg was married to Dave Goldberg from 2004 until his death in 2015. He had a heart arrhythmia and died after a severe head injury at a resort gym while on a family vacation in Mexico and was found in a pile of blood, leaving Sandberg and their family grief-stricken. In another explosive claim, Wynn-Williams claimed that she and Sandberg took turns sleeping in each other's laps and stroking each other's hair during a drive through Europe. The memoir also claims that Sandberg became visibly annoyed when Wynn-Williams rejected her invitation to join her in 'the only bed on the plane' during their flight home on a private jet. In the memoir, Wynn-Williams, who served as former director of global public policy at Facebook, writes about her experience after six years at the tech giant, making explosive allegations about Sandberg - which the company firmly denies The shocking allegations came to light in a new book 'Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism,' written by ex-Facebook employee Sarah Wynn-Williams Wynn-Williams' memoir doesn't stop at Sandberg. She also accused Facebook's top policy executive, Joel Kaplan, and claimed he behaved inappropriately toward her. Kaplan allegedly pressed against Wynn-Williams on a dance floor at a work event, commenting that she looked 'sultry.' But Meta, Facebook's parent company, has denied these claims told Dailymail.com that Wynn-Williams was fired for 'poor performance' and 'toxic behavior.' 'This book is a mix of out-of-date and previously reported claims about the company and false accusations about our executives,' a spokesperson told Dailymail.com. They said the claims made by Wynn-Williams at the time were dismissed and determined to be 'unfounded allegations of harassment.' 'Eight years ago, Sarah Wynn-Williams was fired for poor performance and toxic behavior, and an investigation at the time determined she made misleading and unfounded allegations of harassment.' 'Since then, she has been paid by anti-Facebook activists and this is simply a continuation of that work. Whistleblower status protects communications to the government, not disgruntled activists trying to sell books.' The book also portrays CEO Mark Zuckerberg as transforming from a coding enthusiast into an executive obsessed with politics and public adoration. During an Asian tour, Wynn-Williams claims she was told to arrange for a crowd exceeding one million people to ensure Zuckerberg was 'gently mobbed' in Indonesia. Former Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg has been accused of having a steamy Italian work trip with a female intern, spending a staggering $13,000 on lingerie before asking her to 'come to bed' She also writes about Facebook's alleged covert attempts to enter the Chinese market through a project called 'Aldrin,' involving partnerships, censorship tools, and data-sharing proposals. Wynn-Williams referred to Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg as Tom and Daisy, the 'careless people' in 'The Great Gatsby.' She quotes the novel in her epigraph, 'smashed up things and creatures' and 'let other people clean up the mess they had made.' In response to these claims, Meta's spokesperson confirmed: 'We do not operate our services in China today. It is no secret we were once interested in doing so as part of Facebook's effort to connect the world.' 'This is all pushed by an employee terminated eight years ago for poor performance,' the spokesperson continued. 'This was widely reported beginning a decade ago. We ultimately opted not to go through with the ideas we'd explored, which Mark Zuckerberg announced in 2019.' Some former colleagues also disputed the claims in Wynn-Williams's memoir. One former Facebook employee, Sarah Feinberg, took to social media to defend her ex employers and question Wynn-William's account. She also writes about Facebook's alleged covert attempts to enter the Chinese market through a project called 'Aldrin,' involving partnerships, censorship tools, and data-sharing proposals 'I left Facebook/Meta more than a decade ago to return to government service, so it's been a minute but this book overlaps with all of my years there, and the author was one of my colleagues. 'While everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinion and their own experience, I do not recognize this account of the company, its leaders, or my time there,' Feinberg wrote on Threads. She said she was at many of the same event and worked on many of the same project - but 'these descriptions are just not even close.' She also defended her ex colleague Kaplan, saying 'he was one of my closest colleagues and I have never observed him be anything other than professional, thoughtful, strategic and fair.' Another employee, Campbell Brown, wrote: 'Ive known Joel Kaplan for more than 20 years, and worked closely with him during my time at Meta. He is one of the most professional, thoughtful and kind people I know.' 'He was a mentor to me and to many others. I do not know the author, but the claims in this book seem disconnected from reality. 'Disappointing but not surprising that neither the publisher nor the reporter bothered to do any fact-checking before spreading these claims.' A top acting State Department official if facing scrutiny after it was revealed he had spread false rumors and made nasty remarks about Secretary of State Marco Rubio on X. In the now deleted posts, Darren Beattie spread unfounded claims about Rubio's sexuality and called him 'low IQ,' CNN reported on Monday after reviewing his social media. Beattie is now serving as acting under secretary of state for public diplomacy putting him in a position working for the man he once attacked mercilessly online. 'Forget Wainwright park, forget the foam, forget the war promotion and the neocon sugar daddies, forget the low IQ, forget the 2016 primary, Rubio is TOUGH ON CHINA (and good for military industrial complex) So be a good DOG and vote for him!!!' Beattie wrote in a post on January 7, 2021, according to CNN. The now-deleted post references a far-right conspiracy theory about the former senator from a long ago curfew violation when he was a teenager that later got turned into an unfounded claim that Rubio is gay. The follow-up post on Rubio stated 'What happens in the Cabana stays in the Cabana #Rubio' according to CNN. The two posts came after Rubio as a senator voted to certify the 2020 election for Joe Biden, but Beattie appeared to attack Rubio online numerous times over several years. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaking to reporters on the plane to Saudi Arabia on March 10 'If a bunch of DC wonks try to reinvent Marco Rubio as a nationalist, but a respectable one who promises tax credits to BLM supporters and is TOUGH ON CHINA will you be a good dog and vote for him?' read another post. Beattie also asked 'Does Marco Rubio have a future in politics?' in another deleted post. Three other posts from July 23, 2020 called efforts to rebrand Rubio as a nationalist as a 'scam,' 'nonsense' and 'fake' CNN noted. While Beattie purged his account of some of the nastiest attacks, other attacks posted online were left up. In response to its report, Beattie told CNN that Rubio is '100 percent America First and its a tremendous honor to work for him in advancing President Trumps world historical agenda.' Darren Beattie, who serves as acting under secretary for public diplomacy, attacked Rubio in a series of now-deleted social media posts, CNN reported DailyMail.com reached out to the State Department for comment. The secretary of state declined to comment to CNN on Beattie's past attacks online, but he said Beattie's role would focus on perceived online censorship. Rubio has also said Beattie would not be nominated to a full-time position requiring Senate confirmation. Acting officials can remain in positions for up to 300 days. Beattie previously served in the Trump administration during his first term as a White House speechwriter. However, he was fired in 2018 following a CNN report he spoke at a white nationalist conference in 2016. Beattie has a long history of making inflammatory remarks and promoting conspiracy theories about the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. He once posted 'white men must be in charge if you want things to work.' Half of Americans are now scared to fly in the United States after a recent spate of terrifying plane crashes. Fifty percent of people polled said they did not feel 100 percent safe flying in the US at the moment, while 34 percent said they felt safe and 16 percent were unsure, according to an exclusive DailyMail.com poll carried out by JL Partners. Female passengers tended to be more concerned - with 54 percent of the women polled saying they did not feel 100 percent safe taking a domestic passenger plane. Some 26 percent of women said they did feel 100 percent safe and 20 percent were unsure. By comparison, 45 percent of men said they did not feel 100 percent safe flying in the US, while 43 percent said they did feel 100 percent safe and 12 percent were unsure. Just over 1,000 registered voters in the US took the survey, which was conducted between March 5 and 7 this year. It comes after a spate of concerning air accidents involving US passenger planes, including the American Airlines flight which crashed killing 67 people earlier this year. Half of Americans believe it's currently not 100 percent safe to catch a flight in the US, a shocking new survey has revealed. (Pictured: The aftermath of the deadly American Airlines crash which killed 67 people earlier this year close to Washington DC) On February 17, a Delta passenger plane crashed-landed upside down in chaotic scenes at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada (pictured above) The plane collided with a US Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River in Washington DC on the evening of January 29. Both aircraft were just a half-mile short of the runway at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, when tragedy struck. Those killed included 60 passengers and four airline employees on board the passenger plane, along with three crew members in the helicopter. It marked the deadliest US air disaster in 24 years, and the first major US commercial passenger flight crash in more than 15 years, following the Colgan Air Flight crash in 2009. Per the New York Times, an air traffic controller was left to handle both helicopter traffic and planes - duties which should have been divided between two people. The FAA report said that staffing configuration 'was not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic'. It has also emerged that the Army helicopter, which was carrying three soldiers, involved in the collision might have also deviated from its approved flight path. Insiders told the NYT the Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter was not on its approved route and flying higher than it should have been. Half of Americans believe it's currently not 100 percent safe to catch a flight in the US, a shocking new survey has revealed. (Pictured: The aftermath of the deadly American Airlines crash which killed 67 people earlier this year close to Washington DC) Less than a month later, on February 17, a Delta passenger plane crashed-landed upside down in chaotic scenes at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada. Miraculously, everyone on board survived after being suspended upside-down by their seatbelts for several minutes until they tentatively began evacuating. The plane had been heading to Toronto from Minneapolis - Saint Paul International Airport with 76 passengers and four crew members on board. Some 21 people were taken to the hospital for treatment to minor injuries, and Delta has offered each person a no-strings $30,000 payout in compensation. And the plane carnage is ongoing - on Sunday, yet another jet crash-landed, this time in a parking lot of a suburban Pennsylvania retirement home. Dramatic footage showed the Beechcraft A36TC erupt in flames in the parking lot of Brethren Village in Manheim Township. Five people were rushed to hospital. Medics, ambulances, and emergency vehicles rushed to the scene in Lancaster County as flames engulfed the plane and nearby vehicles. The plane took off as scheduled on Sunday afternoon, but quickly requested to land back on the tarmac because its door had opened. On February 17, a Delta passenger plane crashed-landed upside down in chaotic scenes at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada (aftermath pictured above) Horrifying air traffic control audio revealed the pilot telling ground agents that they needed to turn around - but at one point he said that he couldn't hear the radio because of all the wind noise, caused by the unlocked hatch. The air traffic controller can be heard saying: 'Pull up... the aircraft is down just behind the terminal in the parking lot tree area.' In a statement to DailyMail.com, an FAA spokesperson said five people were on board the plane. They have all been transferred to local hospitals with various injuries. Other recent plane horrors include a mid-air collision over Arizona's Marana Airport on February 19 which killed two people. One of the planes was left in a pile of rubble and ashes after it crash-landed next to the runway, while the other aircraft landed safely, according to the Associated Press. Armed man shot by U.S. Secret Service near White House Xinhua) 08:40, March 10, 2025 WASHINGTON, March 9 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Secret Service reported Sunday that its agents shot a man near the White House after an armed confrontation. The agency said that officials encountered the man's car and located him nearby with a firearm, leading to an armed confrontation. The incident occurred just west of the White House. "Earlier on Saturday, local police shared information about a suicidal individual who may be traveling to Washington DC from Indiana," the statement said. "As officers approached, the individual brandished a firearm and an armed confrontation ensued, during which shots were fired by our personnel," the statement continued. The suspect was transported to a nearby hospital, and his condition remains unknown. The incident is under investigation. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Russian special forces launched a surprise attack on Ukrainian soldiers in the Kursk region, utilizing a disused gas pipeline to covertly infiltrate the area, according to Ukraine's military and pro-Moscow war bloggers. Footage shared on the Telegram app purportedly shows elite Russian soldiers crawling through the dark, narrow confines of the pipeline as they make their way toward the town of Sudzha. The soldiers are heard expressing frustration and dissatisfaction with the mission and their commanders. One soldier can be heard exclaiming, "F------ hell, where the f---are we, boys?" while another questions, "Where does the pipe go? To Sudzha, for f------- sake, that's f------crazy." The video also features a soldier grumbling, "We'll get there of course, but indignantly, because we're f------ sick of the f------ command," and later mentioning, "They took our f------ assault rifles too." The special forces are said to have walked about nine miles through the pipeline, which Moscow had used until recently to send gas to Europe. According to pro-Kremlin blogger Yuri Podolyaka, some soldiers spent several days inside the pipeline before executing the attack on Ukrainian units near Sudzha. The operation aimed to recapture parts of Kursk that were taken by Ukrainian forces in a surprise offensive in August of the previous year. Pro-Russian war blogger "Two Majors" also reported that a major battle is underway in Sudzha, following the surprise entry of Russian special forces through the pipeline. However, HNGN cannot independently confirm the claims. In response, Ukraine's general staff confirmed on Saturday that Russian troops had attempted to use the pipeline to gain a foothold but were promptly detected by Ukrainian airborne assault forces. Ukraine responded with rocket, artillery, and drone strikes, resulting in significant losses for the Russian forces. "The enemy's losses in Sudzha are very high," the Ukrainian general staff reported. On the same day, Ukraine's Air Assault Forces shared a video on Telegram, claiming it showed Ukrainian forces repelling Russian troops in Kursk using airstrikes. However, Sky News has not independently verified the footage. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces continue to face relentless assaults from more than 50,000 Russian troops, including fighters from Russia's ally North Korea. Despite seizing parts of Kursk, Ukrainian soldiers are under immense pressure, with reports suggesting tens of thousands are at risk of being encircled. Open-source battlefield maps indicated significant strategic challenges for Ukraine as of Friday. Russia's defense ministry also claimed to have captured settlements in the Kursk and Sumy regions of Ukraine. Over the weekend, Russian aerial attacks intensified, with at least 22 people reported killed, including 11 in the frontline town of Dobropilla in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks as "vile and inhumane intimidation tactics" by Russia. These strikes follow a recent diplomatic spat between President Donald Trump and Zelenskyy, which led to a temporary halt in U.S. military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine. A two-year-old boy has been hospitalised after falling from a third-floor window while his mother was said to be breastfeeding his sibling. The accident happened today in the Cristo neighbourhood of Alessandria, in northern Italy, local media reported. Initial investigations by local police revealed that the boy, who has not yet been named, leaned out of the window while trying to get a toy that had fallen from the windowsill. The mother, who was reportedly distracted by breastfeeding her other son, did not notice the fall. It was the two-year-old grandmother who noticed the boy tumble, and rushed to help him before asking a passer-by for assistance. The child was rushed to an intensive care unit at the pediatric emergency room in Alessandria from the family's home on Via Gandolfini, on a public housing estate in the south of the city. Local media reported that he will undergo a CT scan to assess the extent of his injuries. Police are said to still be at the home, investigating the incident. A contestant on the hit Netflix reality show Love Is Blind was arrested on multiple charges, including attempted murder, after his co-star wife accused him of domestic violence. Santiago Martinez allegedly assaulted Emily Ceco during an argument in February, a week after celebrating her bachelorette party stemming from the show's Argentine spinoff. Martinez was taken into custody on Friday at his parents' home in Ituzaingo, 22 miles west of Buenos Aires, and was also charged with unlawful deprivation of liberty and minor injuries. A law enforcement source told Argentine newspaper La Nacion that Martinez was aware of the accusations. 'The accused acknowledged that the night Ceco said she had suffered gender violence there was an argument and he spoke of "shake-ups,"' the official said. The couple had been dating for a year and were married on the Love Is Blind Argentina before their separation was revealed on February 12 by Argentine-based Instagram account @realtimerating. Ceco briefly shut down her Instagram account and removed all traces of her marriage to Martinez. The next day she appeared on a morning show and revealed the bruises on her left eye and arm that she said were the results of Martinez's aggression. Emily Ceco, who starred in the the Netflix reality show Love Is Blind, was allegedly beaten by her husband, Santiago Martinez, whom she married on the show Santiago Martinez is facing charges of attempted murder for allegedly beating his wife, Emily Ceco The couple had a civil marriage ceremony on Love Is Blind and were planning tying the knot a second time at a church. As part of her February 7 bachelorette outing, she planned a night out with her mother, sisters, aunts and cousins that included attending a local theater to take in a play that Martinez did not approve of. Ceco recalled being beaten by Martinez when she returned home and thinking that she would not survive. 'I told him 'please don't hit me' and he said 'you're a b**** and he punched me twice more,' told the hosts of the morning show. 'I stood up and wanted to leave the room, but he pinned me against the door and pushed me onto the bed... then he started to choke tbeme with my arms.' At one point, Ceco struck Martinez in the genitals but was overpowered. 'He threw himself at me and started to choke me and covered my mouth so I wouldn't scream,' she said. 'I bit his hand so he would let me go and then he pushed my face against the bed and started hitting me on the head.' The Argentine couple was married on Netflix's Love Is Blind Emily Ceco said she was beaten by her husband after coming home from her bachelorette party on February 7 Santiago Martinez and Emily Ceco were set to celebrate their wedding at a church in Argentina. The couple had a civil marriage on Netflix's Love is Blind Emily Ceco says the arrest of her husband, Santiago Martinez, has provided 'a little peace of mind and security when I go out on the street' Ceco said she begged Martinez to stop as he covered her mouth and then chocked her. Ceco, who revealed in a Love Is Blind episode that she was once involved an abusive relationship, said she was traumatized and had problems sleeping before authorities apprehended Martinez. 'The fear will continue to be there, but knowing that he is in custody gives me a little peace of mind and security when I go out on the street,' Ceco told Telefe television moments after learning of the arrest. 'I was really afraid because I didn't know what he could do. Seeing the news about girls who made complaints and unfortunately lost their lives at the hands of these aggressors, obviously it hurts you and you know that you could end up being one of them. 'That is why the fact that he is behind bars today gives me a little peace and tranquility.' A couple who were fined 1,500 by the Home Office when they reported a migrant in their motorhome after returning from France have said they are being punished for something the professionals should have picked up on. Adrian and Joanne Fenton were astonished to find a Sudanese man inside a bag covering a bike rack on their motorhome. After arriving home to Heybridge, Essex, on October 15 following a long drive back from Calais, the couple noticed the man when they spotted 'a pair of white trainers.' 'I then looked up and saw a pair of legs and face attached looking down. I immediately told him to stay there because you fear for your safety,' Mr Fenton told MailOnline. 'I'm now parked in my driveway at my house and you don't know who this individual is. I shouted to Joanne to phone the police. 'How he got under there, I don't know. You cannot see how he got under there. I really can't work it out. 'He was contorted around the bikes. Feet on the bottom of the rack and bent double over, so you could see nobody from over the cover.' After police arrived and took the man away, the Fentons were interviewed by officers and expected this would mark the end of the ordeal. Adrian and Joanne Fenton (pictured) were astonished to find a Sudanese man inside a bike bag on their motorhome The couple noticed the man when they spotted 'a pair of white trainers' But just over two months later, the pair were issued with a 1,500 fine by the Home Office for failing to 'check that no clandestine entrant was concealed' in the motorhome. The couple insist they did not see or hear anything that could indicate to them the presence of a stowaway. 'We didn't see anything but neither did the passport control,' Mr Fenton said. 'I was struck by fear when I first saw him. You are wondering who this person is inside your motorhome, outside your own house. It was initial shock and fear. 'We were really concerned. You hear so many stories and you think "could they be carrying a weapon or a knife?" I thought the moral thing to do would be to call the police. 'He didn't try to run off. He dropped his mobile phone and my wife took it. I told him to stay where he was, which he did until the police came. We passed him a bottle of water under the cover to make sure he was safe.' Although they have been reprimanded by the Home Office, the Fentons believe they had implemented all appropriate measures. 'The motorhome is fully alarmed. It has PIR sensors inside and all the doors and lockers are alarmed because it's state of the art.' The man was stowed in a bag covering a bike rack Police arrived 15 minutes after being called and interviewed the couple As well as having an intact security system, the Fentons said that no one suspected anything during border checks. 'Once we got to the shuttle port, we proceeded through English and French passport control and border force and then one person did a full walk around the vehicle. 'He even got me to open one of my lockers on the back to double check that our gas was turned off before we went on.' Once in the UK, no further checks were required and the couple hit the M25 and headed straight home to unpack the motorhome. Police arrived 15 minutes after the Fentons discovered the man, who Mr Fenton described as 'non-threatening' when he came out from under the cover. 'He spoke limited English but I asked him if he was okay and he said "yes". The man told the police he was a 16-year-old from Sudan. 'I would have said he was older but that's my judgment,' Mr Fenton said. Adrian and Joanne had just returned from a four-day holiday to the Champagne region The man told police he was a 16-year-old from Sudan 'Once he came out he wasn't threatening. And then you feel sorry for the lad who has hung on while you've been driving on the M25. 'We made sure he was alright. We offered him some food.' Two police officers took the man away and interviewed the Fentons. 'They gave us no indication that we would be fined. They said he wasn't an illegal immigrant because he was under 18, which meant it wouldn't go to court so I wouldn't hear anything else. 'Eight weeks later I got an email from the Home Office border force, saying they're considering issuing a fine and could we explain the full circumstances of the situation. 'I emailed them back with all of the information and then I thought nothing more of it. 'And then, February 23, a letter comes through the door and we've received the fine.' The Fentons believe the man made his way onto the motorhome after they stopped at a French supermarket before getting onto the shuttle ferry to come back home. The bike rack on the back of the motorhome Adrian and Joanne have called the fine 'unfair' and say it will deter others In the short drive between the shop and the ferry, they had to stop at several lights and junctions, they said. 'I was absolutely shocked when I received the fine. I thought I had done everything right. My motorhome is secure and it's alarmed and as soon as we discovered the individual we called the police. 'Morally, I thought I had done everything I should have done. I'm struggling to understand why it's happened. 'We were both shocked and amazed. I couldn't see how we could have done anything more than was reasonably practical or safe. 'You can't jump out of your vehicle every time you stop at a traffic light or a junction to check it. I mean, you've got busy roads, and it's not safe to do that. 'We've went through the professionals and they've not picked up on anything yet. We've been fined for something that they didn't discover either. 'I'm an upstanding citizen and I do believe in doing things the right way. It seems to me that calling the police is the right thing to do. 'However, if you're going to be fined, do you know how that looks to every other caravan or motorhome or holidaymaker across the country? Are they going to call the police? Probably not now. Two police officers took the man away 'We've been encouraged that if you call the authorities and do the right thing, you're going to be fine.' Mr Fenton lodged an objection of liability claim on Saturday and has received an acknowledgment. He will be informed of the outcome on May 2. Mrs Fenton labelled the fine as 'exceptionally unfair', telling The JVS show on BBC Three Counties Radio: 'I'm so angry and it's so frustrating because we have done the right thing. It wasn't until the festive period that the couple were contacted by the Home Office via email with details of the offence and the fine. In the email, they were told that they failed to 'check that no clandestine entrant was concealed in the vehicle'. But the Fentons hope to challenge the claim as the man was clinging to the outside rather than on board the motorhome. The email also told them that the 'entrant' was found by an authorised search officer, even though the couple say they called the police the night they found him. The fine, which reach as high as 10,000 in some cases, referenced asylum and immigration legislation. The couple were fined for failing to 'check that no clandestine entrant was concealed' The Fentons suspect the man got into the bag when they were on their way to the ferry Mrs Fenton says she is now drafting an appeal, which she claims will cost her a further 150, but feared her story would prevent people from 'doing the right thing' if they found themselves in a similar situation. She said: 'How safe is it for the everyday holidaymaker to get out of their vehicle, whether they are towing a caravan, whether driving a van, whether driving a motor home? How safe is it for us to keep getting out and checking that they are not grabbing underneath? It's impossible.' 'We will appeal, but it sounds like we will not get anywhere. We will just be wasting more money and we are going to end up having to pay the fine. 'It's the legit people like my husband and I that are coming through and have done the right thing that are getting fined for it. Where is the justification in that?' The Home Office said penalties were 'designed to target negligence rather than criminality' and stressed that contacting the authorities is a 'huge mitigating factor' in how people are dealt with in these cases. A spokesperson said: 'Responsible persons who have fully complied with the actions laid out in the carriers liability amendment regulations of 2023 will receive a reduced penalty. The scheme is designed to target negligence, rather than criminality. 'We would expect drivers who are actively involved in people smuggling to be investigated and prosecuted in the courts. 'Increased fines, new maximum penalty levels and a new penalty for failing to adequately secure a goods vehicle came into force on February 13, 2023, to prevent dangerous and illegal journeys to the UK.' The number of migrants crossing the Darien Gap on their way to the US has dropped by a staggering 99 percent. More than 37,000 made the trek to the US through the perilous jungle that links South and Central America last year. But in February, only 408 migrants migrants crossed through the route - the lowest number since the borders were shut down in 2020 over the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Bloomberg. Most of those making the trip last month came from Venezuela, with the rest originating from Cameroon and Bangladesh. The jungle crossings have been dropping since September, when new Panama president Jose Raul Mulino closed multiple paths and increased security. In the US, president Donald Trump has also clamped down on undocumented immigration, with the US-Mexico border seeing the lowest numbers of illegal crossings in decades. Border Patrol arrested about 8,300 migrants who crossed the border unlawfully in February. That's the lowest recorded number since 2000, the earliest year of publicly-accessible monthly data. The numbers of migrants crossing the Darien Gap to the US have dropped by 99 percent. In February, Border Patrol arrested 8,300 migrants - the lowest recorded number since 2000 Migrants walk along the highway through Arriaga, Chiapas state in Mexico in January 2024. Border arrests fell sharply well before Trump took office from an all-time high of 250,000 in December 2023 Your browser does not support iframes. CBS reporter Camilo Montoya-Galvez said he was shocked with the decrease in migration during a recent visit to the border. 'Typically, when we go to the U.S./Mexico border, we at least see one group of people who are trying to cross into the U.S. illegally,' he said on CBS Mornings. 'We did not see a single migrant [this time].' Border arrests fell sharply well before Trump took office from an all-time high of 250,000 in December 2023. Mexican authorities increased enforcement within their own borders and then-President Joe Biden introduced severe asylum restrictions in June. Arrests sank even further after Trump was sworn in on January 20 and issued a slew of orders on immigration, including one to suspend asylum on grounds that the United States is under 'invasion' at the southern border. Last month, Border czar Tom Homan said Monday that there were 229 border arrests in a 24-hour period, the lowest he remembered since becoming a Border Patrol agent in 1984. Homeland Security Department officials say they want to drive that to zero. Homeland Security launched a multimillion-dollar video ad campaign in the U.S. and internationally that features Secretary Kristi Noem warning people to leave or not to come. 'If you are here illegally, we will find you and deport you. You will never return,' she said in the video. Over 37,000 made the trek to the US through the perilous jungle that links South and Central America last year. But in February, only 408 migrants migrants crossed through the route The jungle crossings have been dropping since September, when new Panama president Jose Raul Mulino closed multiple paths and increased security Panama announced Friday that it will allow 112 migrants deported from the United States who have been held in a remote camp in the Darien region since last month to move about the country freely until they decide on their next course of action. The government cited humanitarian reasons for the decision but rights lawyers promptly expressed concerns that this could be a tactic to absolve the authorities of international scrutiny for their treatment of migrants while also putting them in more danger. President Trumps shutting down of access to asylum and other legal routes at the U.S. southern border in January forced many migrants already in transit to reconsider their options. Panama and Costa Rica have reported seeing a reverse flow of migration as migrants begin moving south. The two nations are now coordinating to expedite southbound migrant transit through their countries along the same route that carried hundreds of thousands north in recent years President Donald Trump took shots at a Washington Post reporter who asked him about Russian President Vladimir Putin. The president spoke to reporters on Air Force One on the trip back from Mar-a-Lago to Washington, DC about his efforts to negotiate a peace in the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine. 'A lot of people died this week as you know in Ukraine, not only Ukrainians but Russians, and I think everybody wants to see it get done,' Trump said. Washington Post reporter Michael Birnbaum interjected to ask Trump whether he considered Putin's attack against Ukraine as an act of disrespect. 'Is President Putin disrespecting you by attacking Ukraine when you're trying to make peace there?' he asked. 'What did he do?' Trump asked. 'Well, he's attacking Ukraine,' Birnbaum replied. Trump asked Birnbaum which outlet he worked for, and upon learning he worked for the Washington Post, he replied, 'You've lost a lot of credibility,' before moving on to the next question. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stands with him aboard Air Force One U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters Birnbaum, a former Moscow bureau chief, was referring to Russian strikes against Ukraine on Saturday after President Trump froze military aid to Kyiv. Trump is trying to broker a peace between Ukraine and Russia, repeatedly expressing his desire to end the conflict he claims would have never started had he remained president after the 2020 election. Saudi Arabia is expected to host further peace talks on Tuesday after an Oval Office meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky grew increasingly agitated earlier this month. Trump told Zelensky to leave the White House, refusing to go forward with a mineral rights agreement between the two countries until Ukraine signaled it was open to negotiating a peace with Russia. Since then, Zelensky has signed his desire to return to the negotiating table. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a meeting at the Kremlin Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a meeting with the Belgian prime minister 'We continue working on the relevant steps with our partners who want peace, who want it just as much as we do, Zelensky said Friday, as he prepares to attend the discussions with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian officials. Trump appeared optimistic about potential progress in the upcoming peace negotiations. 'I think you're gonna have eventually and maybe not in the distant future you're gonna have some pretty good results coming out of Saudi Arabia this week,' he predicted on Sunday. Noel Clarke has claimed the Guardian smashed his life and insisted that he is not what they have branded him to be as he gave evidence at his High Court libel trial. The actor is suing Guardian News and Media (GNM) over a series of articles from 2021 and 2022 that featured allegations from women accusing him of sexual misconduct. Mr Clarke strongly denies the allegations while GNM has vowed to defend its journalism as being both true and in the public interest. Giving evidence today, the 49-year-old said barristers for the publisher were making accusations for headlines to smash my life, which you have already done. He also told the court that one of his accusers, who claimed he assaulted her, was telling flat out lies for attention. Responding to questions about his alleged misconduct involving another woman, known as Penelope, the Doctor Who star became emotional, and his voice began to break. The director denied accusations made by Penelope that he giggled after allegedly becoming aroused during the shooting of a sex scene. They have smashed my life for four years with this rubbish, this nonsense. Four years....I did not do this, I would not do this. I have got children. This is not true, he told the court. Noel Clarke (pictured) is suing Guardian News and Media (GNM) over a series of articles from 2021 and 2022 that featured allegations from women accusing him of sexual misconduct Giving evidence today, the 49-year-old said barristers for the publisher were making accusations for headlines to smash my life, which you have already done' Clarke made his first TV appearance more than 20 years ago in the Channel 4 series Metrosexuality, and gained fame for his roles as Mickey Smith in Doctor Who and Wyman Norris in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet He later added: The reason I stand here four years later is I am not what they have branded me. Cross-examining Mr Clarke, Gavin Millar KC for GNM, said: You giggled, saying look what you have done to me. Denying the claim, Mr Clarke replied: Definitely not. We were under immense time pressure...These scenes can be embarrassing, but there was no giggling. He added: In terms of me having an erection, that did not happen. There were 20 people in the room. Where are the people who saw it? Mr Clarke also stated that the scene was meticulously planned with an agreement between parties not to wear modesty patches, and that nobody had any problems with it. He continued that the scene was discussed beforehand with her and was completely agreed before the shooting of the movie. He told Mr Millar: You are attacking my art, because of how I choose to direct my films, and it is egregious. Mr Millar said allegations made by another woman, known as Sophia, included claims that he grabbed her hand and put it on your crotch, and grabbed her by the throat. Mr Clarke described the allegations as nonsense adding that he and Sophia had discussed continuing to work together after the alleged incident, and that she had completely mixed herself up in her own lies. Noel Clarke pictured as DC Martin Young in the ITV Series Viewpoint Noel Clarke (centre) arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice in London ahead of the start of his libel claim against Guardian News and Media (GNM) on March 5 When asked what he thought her motive was for lying, Mr Clarke replied: I think that Sophia is lying because she wanted attention. I think she wanted to feel something, and wanted to feel part of something to be believed. He added: Unfortunately this particular person is telling flat-out lies. Clarke, who is fighting for 70m in damages, also wants to bring a claim over his belief that the allegations were fabricated in a conspiracy against him. His lawyer Philip Williams told the court in written submissions that the actor has clearly established the falsity of all of the allegations. He said his client was barely able to reply to the allegations published by the Guardian and was perceived as a criminal by all those who previously trusted and worked with him. Mr Millar said in his written submissions that the Guardian did not simply accept what was said to it and that much time and resource was devoted to getting to the truth. He added there is ample evidence that all of the articles were true or substantially true. The trial before Mrs Justice Steyn is scheduled to last six weeks. The family of a soldier who died when his rifle went off during a training exercise fear a 'potential systemic failure' may have contributed to his death. Lance Corporal Joe Spencer from Hampshire was killed on November 1, 2016, when his gun went off unexpectedly during a sniper training course in the Scottish Highlands. He had been holding the rifle vertically, with the butt of the rifle on the toe cap of his boot and his chin resting on the top end, it was found. The youngest of three brothers, Mr Spencer joined the British Army in 2011 and became a member of 3rd Battalion, The Rifles. The 24-year-old was deployed abroad on a number of occasions, including on operations in Afghanistan where he was seriously wounded in a grenade attack. At a pre-inquest hearing Tom Banks, the family's lawyer, said the inquest would need to examine how a round of ammunition had remained in Mr Spencer's rifle. Also to be examined is whether training and protocols had been followed during and after the exercise on the firing range. 'It's effectively been assumed a demand was placed on the trigger somehow or another, it's likely you are going to make a ruling on how that demand was made,' Mr Banks said to Hampshire coroner Jason Pegg. Joe Spencer 24, was killed when his gun went off unexpectedly during a sniper training course He had been holding the rifle vertically, with the butt of the gun on the toe cap of his boot and his chin resting on the top end, it was found 'There has been potential systemic failure, whether that is solely one person or several will be central in the inquiry. 'For whatever reason he was left with a round is key to this part of the investigation.' A jury will hear the case which has been adjourned to September 8, with the date of the full hearing yet to be fixed. Addressing Mr Spencer's family, Mr Pegg said:'You have my sincere condolences for the loss of Joe, I have read a lot about him and the young man he was. 'I hope the inquest will assist you as the parents of Joe and family of Joe in understanding how he came about his death.' Mr Spencer died while taking part in a new sniper operator course, which began in October 2016 and was being delivered in three phases at Barry Buddon in the Highlands and Otterburn in Northumberland. He was standing waiting for his turn to take part in an exercise with the butt of his rifle resting on his foot and his chin resting on the barrel when it went off. Following a fatal accident inquiry released in December, 2024, Sheriff Gary Aitken ruled the incident was partly due to Mr Spencer's 'utterly inexplicable failure' to properly unload his rifle following a live fire exercise earlier in the day. Mr Spencer joined the British Army in 2011 and became a member of 3rd Battalion, The Rifles Mr Spencer was deployed abroad on a number of occasions, including on operations in Afghanistan 'Mr Spencer was holding his rifle vertically. The butt of the rifle was resting on the toe cap of his boot,' he said. 'He was occasionally resting his chin on the suppressor fitted to the end of the rifle muzzle. 'He was moving the rifle up and down on his boot, very gently. 'From that position it was impossible for him to manually operate the trigger of the rifle. 'Without warning the rifle discharged, inflicting an immediately fatal head wound to Mr Spencer.' The sheriff added that his death could have been avoided if he had not been 'holding his rifle vertically in close proximity to his body during the undemanded discharge'. Mr Aitken also pointed to failures in the way the training course had been delivered, saying that if the 'correct words of command to carry out the unload drill' had been given, the incident could have been avoided. It was built in the 1950s to help clear out Glasgows inner city slums and is now home to more than 14,000 people. But those who live in the citys Castlemilk were left without a major supermarket meaning a six-mile round trip to stock up. And, such is there frustration at getting nowhere in there six year battle, the residents have taken their fight to the United Nations, claiming it is a breach of their human rights not to have one. Despite home to a thriving population of more than 14,600, and promises of the arrival of a household name store three years ago, residents say there is still know where to do their weekly shop for fresh affordable food. Instead, they have to make the six-mile return journey to one of the nearest Asda stores in Toryglen or Aldi in Rutherglen, with many residents having to fork out extra costs to travel by bus or taxi. The Castlemilk Housing and Human Rights Lived Experience Board has now presented its case for access to affordable food to the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Geneva. The board says it breaches Article 11 of the UN Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights not to have that right. It comes after it said Glasgow City Council told residents to expect an imminent announcement of a household name supermarket three years ago following funding to support a revamp of the areas Braes Shopping Centre. Members of the Castlemilk Housing and Human Rights Lived Experience group make their case to the UN committee The Glasgow skyline looking towards George Square and the city chambers (File image) The Braes Shopping Centre, Castlemilk, Glasgow, Scotland, where the local residents have complained about the lack of supermarkets The area is served by an Iceland shop, which primarily sells frozen goods. But residents claim there has still been no progress. Anna Stuart, chairman of the Castlemilk board, which presented its case online to the committee in Geneva, said she was extremely grateful for the opportunity to put forward their plight. The 84-year-old said: Hopefully it will highlight the issue because we are determined we are going to get a supermarket. One of our human rights is access to fresh affordable food and we dont have that. We dont have a supermarket....weve got a McDonalds, a Subway, a Greggs and weve got seven alcohol outlets in the centre alone, and in an area of multiple deprivation thats not a very good example. A lot of people have to go to Asda and if they dont have access to their own car they have to get a taxi back which costs between 10 and 12. But she was pleased that the Geneva committee acknowledges the increasing food insecurity and limited access to affordable and nutritious food, which disproportionately affect low-income households. Residents in Castlemilk, Glasgow, have taken their fight for a major supermarket to the United Nations Residents in the area say the selection of food shops is too limited She added: We welcome the committees recommendation that the government adopts a comprehensive national strategy for the protection and promotion of the right to adequate food to reduce reliance on food banks, set clear, time-bound targets and establish appropriate mechanisms to assess progress. Glasgow City Council said work to the value of 450,000 on the project at Braes Shopping Centre, owned by Scotsman Group, had already taken place. A spokesman added: Further environmental work will significantly improve the quality of the shopping centre, making the centre more attractive and accessible while enabling space for a new supermarket there. The original proposals for the project have not changed and we continue to support the redevelopment. A jealous and controlling former Team GB athlete threatened to bury his ex-girlfriend's children before she broke up with him, a court has heard. Judo expert Frazer Chamberlain, 33, appeared in the dock on Monday charged with coercion, stalking and theft offences. Prosecutor John Carmichael told the jury Chamberlain worked from time-to-time as a judo teacher at a primary school in the local area and had offered the son of the victim free judo lessons. He said Chamberlain and Katie Snow began a relationship in August 2021. Chamberlain then moved in with Ms Snow, who lived in Wokingham, Berkshire. Mr Carmichael told Reading Crown Court: 'We are looking at two-and-a-half years or so of a developing relationship. 'The prosecution case is that after a while it became characterised by real jealously and possessiveness on his part and through a number of methods. 'To control and direct her existence, to channel her behaviour, to restrict her behaviour and to constantly monitor her behaviour. 'When she brought the relationship to an end, he continued to badger her on just about any form of media that was available. Judo expert Frazer Chamberlain, 33, appeared in the dock on Monday charged with coercion, stalking and theft offences 'She will say after they broke up he stole a PlayStation console belonging to her child. 'He was very jealous of her interaction with other men in circumstances of socialising when other men were there. 'He would repeatedly restrict her association with other men.' The court heard how 'jealous' Chamberlain would go through Ms Snow's social media, tell her not to wear skirts or dresses, and installed cameras to monitor her. Mr Carmichael said Chamberlain also required his then-girlfriend not to act on any business requests from men in relation to her successful cleaning business, the jury heard. The prosecutor said the 'jealous' man would require her PIN number, repeatedly taking her phone on a daily basis and checking all the messages she had engaged in - deleting her contact with any men. The jury heard Chamberlain would stand over Ms Snow going through her social media and requiring her to remove all her contacts with men. Mr Carmichael added: 'He installed a door camera to the address they shared. That was through his account and he was able to monitor it. Chamberlain also took control of the alleged victim's bank card and would check her transactions to find out where she was, the jury heard 'She would regularly find, having left the address, that she would receive an inquiry from him over the phone. 'This monitoring through a camera went further. He also got two Alexa devices that could monitor what would be said in a place and had cameras attached.' These were placed in the bedroom and kitchen, the jury heard. Ms Snow would regularly find the judo expert interrogating the Alexa device to find out if she had men in the bedroom. Mr Carmichael added: 'Even when he was abroad she was aware the Alexa cameras were being used to monitor her behaviour in the house.' Chamberlain also took control of the alleged victim's bank card and would check her transactions to find out where she was, the jury heard. On one occasion, Ms Snow received communication from Chamberlain saying: 'If you love me, you will tell me where you are.' Chamberlain also used the victim's children 'perhaps as a conduit to find out what was going on with their mother,' the prosecutor added. The defendant, from London Road, Wokingham, Berkshire, told Ms Snow if she did anything like leave him or cheat on him, he would 'bury her, bury her kids, stab the social worker, stab her mother'. He would also put his arm around Ms Snow's neck and squeeze very hard - sometimes to the point where she couldn't breathe, the jury heard. Mr Carmichael said: 'He would make out it was all a joke and he wasn't doing it seriously. 'When she finally left him she received a string of attempts to communicate with her - blocking every way she could. When she returned to the property she found a PlayStation belonging to her child had been taken by him.' The judo star sat in the dock charged with two counts of controlling and coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship between August 28, 2021, and January 13 last year; stalking involving serious alarm or distress between January 13 and February 9 last year and theft of a PlayStation Five console between January 12 and January 22 last year. He is represented in court by defence counsel Oliver Kavanagh. The trial continues. He famously dated superstar Taylor Swift one of the biggest-selling country music stars around. Now Scots DJ Calvin Harris is making an unexpected foray into the genre in which his ex-girlfriend made her name. Dumfries-born Harris - real name Adam Wiles - has given fans a glimpse of an upcoming song he is due to release with critics quick to pick up on its country music style. The star posted a short clip of him singing the new track titled Smoke the Pain Away on social media, stating that the track will be released this Friday. The song, which his team is marketing as genre-blending, marks Harris first major return to vocals after several years and is a far departure from the electro hits that brought him to fame. Much of the Scots stars early work, including his 2007 debut album I Created Disco featured his own vocals. However, after deciding to stop singing live in 2010, this is the first track to feature his voice since 2014. In an article about Harriss change of direction, Music Radar wrote: Its a known fact that country music is hotter than ever and, always willing to ride a genre-mashing bucking bronco, here comes Calvin Harris, fresh out of the stocks on yet another new style. Calvin Harris is sporting a new long-haired look ahead of his foray into country music Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris attend the 2015 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada The pair dated for a period of 15 months before things took an acrimonious turn The new song already has a couple of famous fans, including Harriss wife - Radio 1 DJ Vick Hope, who responded to the post of the song clip, writing: 'Those vocals. YEEEESSSSS!. Similarly, TV presenter Davina McCall wrote: I love it when you do the vocals. Harris and Swift dated from February 2015 till May 2016 after they met at the Elle Style Awards. During the relationship they were spotted shopping in Nashville, where Taylor has a home. In July 2016, after their 15-month relationship came to an end in May of that year, Harris laid bare the acrimony between him and Swift in a series of increasingly angry tweets. The DJ initially complimented his former flame on her 'amazing' ability to pen smash hits after she confirmed she'd written the lyrics to his track This Is What You Came For, sung by pop star Rihanna, while they were dating. However, his tweets quickly took a turn as he accused Swift of trying to question his credibility and of being 'hurtful' by exposing her involvement in the track following its worldwide success. At the time, he told his 7.8million followers on social media that Swift had chosen to use a pseudonym on the credits for the song. He said: 'I wrote the music, produced the song, arranged it and cut the vocals though. And initially she wanted it kept secret, hence the pseudonym. Harris with his wife Vick Hope. She has already praised his new country song online 'Hurtful to me at this point that her and her team would go so far out of their way to try and make ME look bad at this stage though.' In another tweet he sarcastically urged Swift to focus on her then blossoming romance with English actor Tom Hiddleston, 44, who starred in the recent BBC hit drama The Night Manager. Hiddleston and Swift were an item for a matter of months in the later part of 2016. At the time, Harris wrote: 'I figure if you're happy in your new relationship you should focus on that instead of 'Trying to tear your exbf [boyfriend] down for something to do.' President Donald Trump warned that "monster" nuclear bombs, and not climate change, pose the biggest threat for humanity at the moment, adding that they could "end the world" almost instantly. Speaking to Fox News, Trump said the greatest threat is "sitting on shelves in various countries called 'nuclear weapons' that are big monsters that can blow your heads off for miles and miles and miles." Trump then lamented the large amounts of money that need to be spent to maintain them, saying "it's just bad that you have to spend all this money on something that if it's used, it's probably the end of the world." "They talk about the climate and they talk about the dangers of the climate but they don't talk about the dangers of a nuclear weapon, which could happen tomorrow," the president added, rejecting that climate change is the biggest threat humanity faces. Trump has also warned that China, which holds the largest nuclear stockpile after Russia and the United States, will likely catch up within the decade. And said he wants to restart arms control talks with the countries: "You could destroy the world 50 times over, 100 times over. And here we are building new nuclear weapons, and they're building nuclear weapons." Despite the warning, the U.S.'s handling of nuclear weapons made headlines last month after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, abruptly terminated hundreds of nuclear weapons specialists at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)only to scramble to bring them back days later. The warning also comes as the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved in January its iconic Doomsday Clock the closest its ever been to midnightjust 89 seconds away. The move of the clock, a symbolic measure of how close humanity is to catastrophe, was attributed to mounting global threats including nuclear proliferation, climate change, geopolitical instability, and the integration of artificial intelligence in military operations. "When you are at this precipice, the one thing you don't want to do is take a step forward," said Daniel Holz, chair of the group's science and security board. The Bulletin highlighted growing concerns over nuclear programs in countries like North Korea, Russia, and China, and raised alarms about Russian President Vladimir Putin's threats to use nuclear weapons amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. "A lot of the rhetoric is very disturbing," Holz said. "There is this growing sense that ... some nation might end up using nuclear weapons, and that's terrifying." Other risks, including climate inaction, instability in the Middle East, and the lingering threat of pandemics, also played a role in advancing the clock. The Doomsday Clock, created in 1947, has been adjusted over the years to reflect humanity's proximity to self-destruction. After the Cold War, it stood as far as 17 minutes to midnight. In recent years, it has been measured in seconds to underscore the accelerating pace of existential threats. The Bulletin emphasized that the clock's hands can be moved back, but doing so will require world leaders to respond to global threats with urgency. As it stands, the group warns that humanity remains at its most vulnerable point in history. Originally published on Latin Times A prime suspect in the murder of a Scottish businessman has been targeting victims for years as part of a prolific honeytrap campaign in which he is accused of viciously torturing those he robbed. Benard Mbunga Mbusu is being hunted by Kenyan detectives in connection with the death of Campbell Scott, who travelled to the country to attend a business conference before he was found dead days later. He vanished from his hotel and was spotted getting into taxi in Nairobi with a mystery man. After the 58-year-old, from Dunfermline, Fife, disappeared money was withdrawn from his account, and his body was discovered with his hands and legs bound at the edge of a forest more than 60 miles away from the luxury hotel he checked in to in the capital city. Mbusu has become one of the key suspects for detectives trying to solve the case and, along with two others, is subject to a Kenya-wide manhunt. But it can now be revealed that as well as being arrested a year ago for abducting and blackmailing a church pastor, he was also detained in 2020 for alleged crimes eerily similar to the mystery surrounding Mr Scott. And he was also arrested that same year over another case in which he was accused of threatening to kill a senior member of staff at the Kenyan Parliament. It is not known if the case ever proceeded to courts. In October 2020 Mbusu was arrested, along with three others, after victims to an online dating scam were taken hostage and had money syphoned out of their bank accounts. Campbell Scott, 58, from Fife in Scotland, was murdered during a business trip to Kenya Benard Mbunga Mbusu is wanted by Kenyan authorities Alex Mutua Kithuka, left, and Albunus Mutinda Nzioki, right, have already been arrested Police swooped on a house in Nairobi, during which police freed a Turkish national, amid an investigation into a notorious syndicate that has been luring unsuspecting victims through online dating sites and extorting money from them. An Indian national also fell victim to the con. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations revealed following the arrests: At least three men were lured to a home in mid-June under the guise of socialising with an attractive woman. When they arrived, a woman met them in the driveway and escorted them inside. The victims were then robbed, viciously tortured and beaten. In those abductions a woman had been the bait on an online dating website, and after the men arrived at the flat they were held against their will, beaten, kicked and pistol-whipped throughout the night. The Kenyan police department added: The suspects threatened to harm the victims families if they didnt cooperate before forcing them into their cars, driving to various ATMs before forcing them to withdraw money from various bank accounts. Mbusu is due to stand trial on two accounts of robbery with violence while the case involving the pastor did not go ahead after he asked it to be dropped. There has been intense police activity in the hunt for Mr Scotts killers. Alphonse Munyao Kilewa is among three men on the run who are wanted in connection to the murder Samuel Musembi Kamitu is one of three wanted men who have gone into hiding Mr Scott was attending a conference in the capital when he was last seen by colleagues on February 16 Two men have already appeared in court in connection with his murder and are being held in custody after forensic evidence has conclusively linked them to the murder. But three men, Mbusu, Samuel Musembi Kamitu, and Alphonse Munyao Kilewa, are on the run and have gone into hiding. Mr Scott, who was a senior director at credit scoring firm Fico, had checked into the JW Marriot Hotel in the upmarket Westlands area of Nairobi. The following day he was seen leaving and visited the nearby Havana Bar and Restaurant with a man. Shortly after the pair were then picked up by an Uber driver, who took them to a flat in the citys notorious Pipeline slum. Kenyan detectives revealed last week they had uncovered multiple attempts both successful and unsuccessful to withdraw funds from Scotts bank accounts in Nairobi, Voi and Mombasa before his murder and the subsequent disposal of his body in Makongo forest. Yesterday, local reports said Mbusu and another man were arrested in May 2020 after a staff member at the Parliament reported he had received death threats. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations confirmed the arrest but the outcome of the full investigation is not known. President Donald Trump has revoked the security clearances from some of Joe Biden's top aides and from the 51 national security officials who claimed Hunter Biden's emails were a 'disinformation' campaign by Russia. The president also has stopped Biden from receiving intelligence briefings. Tulsi Gabbard, who serves as Trump's director of national intelligence, announced the decision, saying she was doing so at Trump's directive. Among those who lost their security clearances were former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, former National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, and former Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. But it's unclear if all the people Gabbard announced have a security clearance. The list includes the two New York state attorneys general who prosecuted Trump in that state: Letitia James and Alvin Bragg. And it also includes attorneys Mark Zaid, Norman Eisen, and Andrew Weissmann. All three handle freedom of speech cases and some have sued the Trump administration. President Donald Trump is revoking security clearances of his critics But all five have something in common: they have targeted Trump in some way or form. Also on the list were 'the 51 signers of the Hunter Biden "disinformation" letter.' In October 2020, a month before the Biden-Trump presidential election, 51 former national security officials signed a public letter about the salacious material found on the abandoned laptop of Hunter Biden. The officials wrote they believed the contents of the laptop - which contained photos of Hunter doing drugs and information on foreign business deals he conducted - were part of a Russian disinformation campaign aimed at influencing the election. Ultimately, there was no evidence of a Russian disinformation campaign. And many contents of the laptop have been authenticated. But Biden used the letter in his campaign against Trump. In a presidential debate shortly after the letter was published, he said of Trump: 'there are 50 former national intelligence folks who said that what hes accusing me of is a Russian plan.' Republicans claimed the officials deliberately released the letter as a ploy to help Biden win the election. Zaid represented some of those national security officials. He's also representing some federal employees fired by Trump who are suing the administration for being dismissed. Eisen is representing the anonymous FBI agents suing the Department of Justice to block the public identification of agents who investigated Jan. 6. Trump has pushed to have those agents fired. Weissmann, an MSBC legal analyst, defended special counsel Jack Smith's multiple investigations of Trump and has highly criticized the president. President Donald Trump revoked Joe Biden's intelligence briefings and revoked security clearances for the 51 officials who signed a Hunter Biden letter - above Joe and Hunter Biden on Nantucket in November 2024 President Donald Trump signs Tulsi Gabbard's commission for her new role as Director of National Intelligence Among the people who got security clearances revoked are Former Secretary of State Antony Blinken (left) and Attorney General of New York Letitia James (right) Trump also pulled Biden's access to daily intelligence briefings. Former presidents can continue to get intelligence briefings but only at the discretion of the current commander in chief. Biden, in February 2021, barred Trump from receiving intelligence briefings. Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama get occasional briefings. Witnesses have recalled hearing screams when a surfer was attacked by a shark at a remote Western Australian beach, as the search for the man continues. Emergency services rushed to Wharton Beach at Cape Le Grand, about 70km east of Esperance, at 12.10pm (3.10pm AEDT) on Monday. Beachgoers told police a 'massive shark launched' itself at a man, aged in his 30s, in chest-deep water just 50m from the shore. Joscelin Boissieux said the man's partner, who was sitting on the beach at the time of the attack, watched on in horror. Mr Boissieux explained dozens of beachgoers rushed out of the water after hearing the man's scream. 'There were screams. There were people saying like "get out", everything - it was a very panicked moment,' Mr Boissieux told 9News. 'There was only a surfboard left floating around about 30 metres from the shore. 'The water next to it was dark, with a shark's fin circling around.' The search for a surfer who went missing after a shark attack at Wharton Beach in Cape Le Grand, Condingup, Western Australia, resumed on Tuesday Authorities closed the beach following the shark attack A public shark sighting was made at the beach about five minutes after the attack, according to monitoring website SharkSmart. The man's surfboard was found a short time later in the water with evidence of bite marks, however there have been no signs of the surfer. Wharton Beach remains closed, as a sign warns beachgoers not to swim in the water. A large-scale search, including police, Marine Rescue WA and SES resumed on Tuesday after authorities were unable to locate the man. Surf Life Saving WA urged beachgoers to take additional caution in the area. 'DPIRD (Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development) is working with local authorities and further information will be provided as it becomes available,' Surf Life Saving WA said. A popular spot for surfers, swimmers and snorkellers, Wharton Beach and neighbouring Duke of Orleans Bay is an area known for its picturesque coastline. Three fatal shark attacks have been recorded along that stretch of WA's Esperance coast in the past eight years. Laeticia Brouwer, 17, died after being bitten by a white shark while surfing at Kelp Beds in 2017. Diver Gary Johnson and surfer Andrew Sharpe died in separate incidents in 2020. On the day Russia denounced the treacherous Albion and its elites as the worlds leading warmonger, what was the Commons discussing? Were MPs plotting to increase factory output of deadly drones? Were they calling for defence spending to rise to five per cent? For the deployment of Naafi sausage-roll vans to the border of Ukraine in preparation for the big push? No. Our elites (if one can refer thus to the education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, and her ministers) were boasting about providing free low-fat breakfasts for primary-school children. The crazed sabre rattlers. You can understand that the Kremlin might, at initial glance, mistake Ms Phillipson for a tough. Scary Bridget does look and sound terrifying. Her upper lip curls like a piglets tail. When she talks about Tories in her staccato voice her eyes glower. On resuming her seat she then licks the outside of her upper teeth and crosses her arms, blinking with suppressed violence. A foreigner might turn to his neighbour and say blimey, Ivan, you wouldnt want to meet that one in a darkened trench. Who is to say that footage of Ms Phillipson has not been shown to V. Putin and that it, rather than anything else, has been the cause of his sleepless nights and, if we can put it like this, a certain tetchiness. And yet Ms Phillipsons policies to destroy private education, appease teaching unions and reduce the autonomy of academy schools - only weaken Britain. At a time when Downing Street says we must focus on national self-defence, here is a minister whose efforts help only our enemies. Plus the shareholders of Ski Yoghurt. Scary Bridget does look and sound terrifying. Her upper lip curls like a piglets tail, writes QUENTIN LETTS At education questions in the Commons, the Education Secretary kept banging on about giving free breakfast for primary school children At education questions in the Commons she kept banging on about giving free breakfasts to youngsters. This plan, she claimed, would save parents 450 a year (but cost taxpayers a fortune). No longer will they have to buy their own cornflakes. Under Labour it will be Rice Krispies for all! Ms Phillipsons deputy Catherine McKinnell who, understandably, looks perpetually terrified blurted that children needed a full belly to prosper at school. Too many children in Southall go to school hungry, cried a melodramatic Deirdre Costigan (Lab, Ealing Southall). Scary Bridget herself approached the despatch box and frost particles formed in the air as she said: Conservatives should swallow their pride and welcome these breakfast clubs. Trougher that I am, I had images of Southalls Oliver Twists being met at school by steaming vats of braised kidneys and kedgeree. Winston Churchill used to breakfast on partridge or grouse, grilled sole, maybe a cigar. If our nippers are to be raised on such fare, I thought, good on Scary Bridget. Sadly the online advice is for school breakfast clubs to offer only cold collations of plant-based spreads, semi-skimmed milk, low-sugar jams and maybe a bagel with a spinach leaf. Ew. Go low fat, states advice to teachers. Its all granola and blueberry yoghurt. There isnt a mention of kippers or marmalade. In this day and age one can understand black sausage being considered infra dig, much though I relish it. But to deny children a breakfast snorker? Theres a word for such cruel behaviour. Soviet. Scary Bridget herself approached the despatch box and frost particles formed in the air as she said that Conservatives should 'swallow their pride' and welcome the new breakfast clubs Online advice recommends school breakfast clubs offer only cold collations of plant-based spreads, semi-skimmed milk, low-sugar jams and maybe a bagel with a spinach leaf (file photo) The Kremlin, not for the first time, has got things in a muddle. The only thing Bridget Phillipson is any good at is class-warmongering. The Commons also offered the melancholy sight of Richard Tice (Boston & Skegness) sitting quite alone in the Reform partys area of the opposition benches. Reform is currently full of warmongers but unfortunately their forte turns out to be civil war. A friend of mine in Herefordshire recently lost two of her three ducks. She fears they may have been taken by buzzards or kites. Her last duck is so lonely that it now sits in her kitchen, gazing at the world in plaintive puzzlement. Just like poor old Tice. My friend is wondering if the kindest thing might be to kill and cook it. Duck pancakes. Now theres an idea for brekker. Senator Mark Kelly went scorched earth on Elon Musk on Monday after the billionaire called the Arizona Democrat a 'traitor' in response to his visit over the weekend to Ukraine. Kelly made a last minute visit last week to the war-torn country where he met with Ukrainian officials and wounded soldiers in Kyiv. He shared his observations about the war since Russia invaded in a thread on X to which the tech billionaire wrote 'you are a traitor.' Speaking to reporters back on Capitol Hill Monday, the senator slammed Musk as 'not a serious guy.' 'I've sworn an oath to this country. I've flown in combat. I've served in the Navy for 25 years,' Kelly said. 'It appears to me the oath that Elon Musk stands by is the oath to billionaires, to make their lives easier, not the American people,' he continued. Senator Mark Kelly blasted Elon Musk as 'not a serious guy' while speaking to reporters after the tech billionaire called in a traitor for his visit to Ukraine on X (pictured above) The senator also slammed Musk for firing workers at VA hospitals and said he 'slashed and burned the federal government to make room for a giant tax cut for billionaires like himself.' 'He's not a serious guy. He should go back to building rockets,' the retired NASA astronaut continued. In a separate post on X, Kelly wrote that if Musk does not understand that defending freedom 'is a basic tenent of what makes America great and keeps us safe, maye you should leave it to those of us who do.' Kelly's visit to Ukraine came as the Trump administration paused aid and intelligence to the country as President Trump attempts to exert pressure as he pushes a deal between the Ukraine and Russia. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is meeting with Ukrainian officials to discuss the war this week in meetings hosted by Saudi Arabia. Kelly also tore into Musk calling him a traitor in a post on X The senator also noted that he had support from Republican colleagues when he decided to make the last minute trip to Ukraine last week, though he had not spoken with them yet as of Monday since he just returned. 'Putin sent Russians into Ukraine to brutalize the population and he continues to do it today,' Kelly told reporters upon returning to Washington. He said while he was in Ukraine there were multiple alerts, and there were kids killed by Russian cruise missiles. The senator said the U.S.'s recent actions have made it harder for Ukrainians and warned more of them will die. Kelly recalled meeting a man named Anton who was in the hospital having lost an arm, leg and was blinded. The senator said he asked him through a translator what he made of the U.S. policy changes over the past week and he responded in English 'what the f***?' One of the images shared by Kelly from his visit to Ukraine Kelly also shared an image of him visiting the Wall of Remembrance to pay tribute to the Ukrainian soldiers killed in the war He also spoke about getting the Ukrainians F-16s, but their missions have been hampered due to the intelligence being cut off. 'They're still going to fly missions but to some extent they're blinded to some of the threats, and it makes it a lot harder on them,' Kelly, a retired Navy pilot, said. The senator said that they're now at risk of losing valuable assets while noting the U.S. sharing the intelligence with Ukraine is free. He said in the short time that the U.S. has not been sharing intelligence it has already changed Ukraine's ability to defend against attacks. Kelly said that the negotiations to end the war need to get 'back on track' after the disastrous meeting between Trump and Zelensky last month at the White House. The senator insisted that Russian President Vladimir Putin needs to walk away from knowing the 2022 invasion of Ukraine was a bad idea. 'If he thinks this was, he benefited from this in any way, that's where we run the risk of seeing a year from now, five years from now, 10 years from now, more conflict in Europe, and that's not good for us,' Kelly said. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaking to reporters while traveling to Saudi Arabia on March 10 where he will be meeting with Ukrainian officials. Kelly said he spoke to a senior aide to the top U.S. diplomat and hopes to speak with Rubio when he returns from talks Kelly said that he spoke with a senior aide to Secretary of State Rubio and hopes to speak directly to him when he returns from Riyadh. On his way there, Rubio said Ukraine must cede land in any peace deal, according to the New York Times traveling with the secretary of state. The Arizona senator questioned why he would be 'giving stuff up before negotiations started.' 'I generally do not think that is a good play,' the lawmaker reacting to hearing about the report. Sir Lindsay Hoyle was last night under mounting pressure over his lavish travel expenses after admitting to errors in the official Parliament log of how the money was spent. Critics of the Commons Speaker demanded a probe to determine how many other entries may be wrong after he promised to correct the record over a jaunt to Gibraltar. The revelation is embarrassing for Sir Lindsay as it is usually his job to tell MPs to correct the record if they have misled the Commons. His office yesterday said there had been an admin error and that this would be corrected to make it clear how taxpayers money was spent. It centred around who had paid for his wife, Lady Catherine Hoyle, to go on the trip with him. The Speaker claimed more than 4,100 for the trip, including over 2,000 for business-class flights, 1,320 for accommodation and more than 700 for food and drink. He said in Parliaments official log that it was for him and three staff members, raising questions about who had paid for his wife to attend but not picked up the tab for him. Quizzed by the Mail, his office said that the University of Gibraltar where Sir Lindsay is Chancellor had, in fact, paid for his wife and him. Critics of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle (pictured) demanded a probe to determine how many other entries may be wrong after he promised to correct the record over a jaunt to Gibraltar The Speaker claimed more than 4,100 for the trip to Gibraltar, including flights, accommodation and food and drink. Pictured: The Rock Hotel in Gibraltar, where Hoyle has stayed It also paid for a third official, with his office clarifying that taxpayers therefore picked up the bill for a further three members of his staff to attend. It means six people in total went on the jaunt in December 2021 despite it simply being for his installation as Chancellor of the University of Gibraltar and bilateral programme, according to the official parliamentary log. It was previously thought that just four attended. Critics have questioned why taxpayers should pick up the tab for his trips to Gibraltar at all, given his post of Chancellor at the university has nothing to do with his Speaker role. Sir Lindsay has billed taxpayers nearly 16,000 for four trips to the Rock. Yesterday, the Mail also revealed how his wife also went to Los Angeles with him in February 2023, where Sir Lindsay gave a single talk to politics students at the University of Southern California. During the trip, he splashed out more than 3,000 to a limousine firm for a chauffeur-driven car, nearly 300 on taxi app Lyft and more than 3,000 on accommodation. His wife also went to Verona in Italy with him for a G7 Speakers conference in September last year, costing the taxpayer a total of 14,585. On both occasions, Sir Lindsays office said he and his wife footed the bill for her travel and expenses. But critics questioned whether her attendance on official taxpayer-funded work trips was necessary and whether it was possible to keep her expenses completely separate. The list, obtained via Freedom of Information requests, breaks down the extravagant sums Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle with his wife Lady Catherine with their pets Last week the Mail revealed how Sir Lindsay (pictured) has splurged more than 250,000 on 19 foreign jaunts since October 2022 A spokesman for Sir Lindsay (pictured) said: 'This was a simple admin error that will be updated tomorrow, to make it clear what the university paid for' John OConnell, chief executive of the TaxPayers Alliance, said: Recent revelations about the Speakers expenses have raised serious questions about him and his offices treatment of taxpayer cash. While his spokespeople insist that these costs come as part of his diplomatic work, the extravagance of the expenditure means their credibility is being stretched to breaking point. Its time now for an investigation. Tom Brake, director of campaign group Unlock Democracy and a former deputy Commons leader, added: Given the damage that expenses stories have done to Parliament in the past, and the countrys challenging financial situation, extra-vigilance is required from MPs, ministers and the Speaker to ensure travel and accommodation claims are efficient, cost-effective and appropriate. Last week the Mail revealed how Sir Lindsay has splurged more than 250,000 on 19 foreign jaunts since October 2022. The tally included more than 180,000 on first- and business-class flights alone as he wont fly economy. Tens of thousands more went on limousine firms, five-star hotels and top restaurants. Regarding the mistake, the Speakers spokesman said: This was a simple admin error that will be updated tomorrow, to make it clear what the university paid for. The 4,000 cost was for three staff. Staff always strive for accuracy and occasionally mistakes are made. Donald Trump's campus crackdown on anti-semitism has begun in full force as he celebrated a Columbia student's arrest and sent a warning to 60 American colleges that they could be next. Mahmoud Khalil, 27, a vocal pro-Palestine graduate student at Columbia University was arrested and detained by ICE Sunday ahead of a scheduled appearance with a federal immigration judge, according to activists and his lawyer. Khalil was the lead student negotiator for the pro-Palestinian encampment at the New York City college last year, was arrested Saturday night at his university-owned home by agents with the Department of Homeland Security, the Associated Press reported. As Khalil sits in an ICE detention facility in Louisiana, Trump praised the agency in a Truth Social post for apprehending a man he called 'a Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student on the campus of Columbia University.' He added that Khalil's arrest is 'the first... of many to come,' saying that there are 'more students' on campuses across America and that 'the Trump administration will not tolerate it.' 'Many are not students, they are paid agitators. We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country never to return again,' he said. Trump called the anti-Israel protesters 'contrary to our national and foreign policy interests' and supporting 'the slaughtering of innocent men, women, and children.' He warned that he expects 'every one of America's Colleges and Universities to comply.' Donald Trump 's campus crackdown on anti-semitism has begun in full force as he celebrated a Columbia student's arrest, while Education Secretary Linda McMahon (pictured right) sent a warning to 60 American colleges that they could be next Mahmoud Khalil, 27, a vocal pro-Palestine graduate student at Columbia University was arrested and detained by ICE Sunday ahead of a scheduled appearance with a federal immigration judge, according to activists and his lawyer To further hammer the point home, Education Secretary Linda McMahon announced she had sent letters to 60 different colleges demanding that they protect Jewish students. The schools listed to have gotten the letter include most of the Ivy League and several state universities. 'The Department is deeply disappointed that Jewish students studying on elite U.S. campuses continue to fear for their safety amid the relentless antisemitic eruptions that have severely disrupted campus life for more than a year. University leaders must do better,' McMahon said in a statement. She added that taxpayer funding is 'a privilege and it is contingent on scrupulous adherence to federal antidiscrimination laws.' The protests at Columbia last year were allowed to run rampant for two weeks. They were marked by violent assaults and instances of Jewish students being afraid to go to class. Undergraduate student Maryam Alwan, who was arrested by New York City police officers during the encampments last year, said she was 'horrified' by that happened to Khalil. 'I am horrified for my dear friend Mahmoud, who is a legal resident, and I am horrified that this is only the beginning,' the Columbia senior told Reuters in an interview. According to past media reports from the BBC, Khalil was a Palestinian refugee who grew up in Syria. At some point, he emigrated to the United States to get an education at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs. Khalil was the lead student negotiator for the pro-Palestinian encampment at the New York City college last year Amy Greer, Khalil's attorney, said she was told by a DHS agent over the phone that his team had executed a State Department order to revoke Khalil's student visa. The agent also said they were revoking his green card. Greer told the AP that she has 'not been able to get any more details about why he is being detained.' DailyMail.com approached DHS, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in New York City and the White House for comment. Columbia University declined to comment. The activists who are lobbying for Khalil's release say he was confronted at 8:30pm in his apartment building by two plain clothes DHS agents, both of whom refused to identify themselves at first. His wife, who is eight months pregnant and a US citizen, was allegedly there as well. The activists said she was threatened with arrest if she 'remained by his side.' Under US law, only immigration judges have the power to take away someone's permanent residency. Grounds for revocation including lying on your green card application or committing certain types of felonies and drug crimes. Khalil's arrest comes as President Donald Trump announced he would be cutting $400 million in grants and contracts to Columbia for its failure to contain the pro-Palestinian protests. Mahmoud Khalil, who was the lead student negotiator for the pro-Palestinian encampment, was arrested by Department of Homeland Security agents on Saturday night is currently being held There is an online petition demanding the release of Khalil that has over 52,000 signatures, according to Action Network, a tool that collects political donations and serves as a base to organize letter writing campaigns. Khalil's arrest also comes two days after Columbia University released a statement acknowledging but not confirming the presence of ICE agents on campus. 'There have been reports of ICE around campus. Columbia has and will continue to follow the law,' the Thursday statement began. 'Consistent with our longstanding practice and the practice of cities and institutions throughout the country, law enforcement must have a judicial warrant to enter non-public University areas, including University buildings. 'Columbia is committed to complying with all legal obligations and supporting our student body and campus community.' The university has also advised students on how to deal with ICE agents, including by asking them for credentials and calling the campus public safety office. Khalil was on the front lines of the rowdy pro-Palestine demonstrations last year that consumed college campuses all across the country. In late April 2024, hundreds of students set up an encampment at Columbia, taking over the quad while protesting the ongoing war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. Khalil (pictured) addresses the media on June 1, 2024, after a new encampment popped up on Columbia's Morningside Heights campus On April 30, dozens of protestors took over Hamilton Hall and barricaded themselves inside before hanging a 'Free Palestine' banner from a window. That same night, New York City police officers decked out in riot gear stormed the building and also cleared out the encampment. Prior to the protest being busted up, Khalil was the prime conduit between the students and university administration. Protests have since resumed at Columbia with the start of the new semester in September, though not at the same scale as last year. Keir Starmer last night vowed to press ahead with benefit cuts as he branded the welfare system unsustainable, indefensible and unfair. The Prime Minister tried to defuse a growing Labour rebellion over the issue by warning that failure to address welfare reform risked creating a wasted generation. Rachel Reeves is looking to slash 6 billion off the benefits bill this month to help balance the books. Ministers are also looking at longer term reforms designed to curb a sickness benefits bill forecast to hit 70 billion by the end of the decade. Addressing Labour MPs behind closed doors last night, the PM said: Weve found ourselves in a worst of all worlds situation - with the wrong incentives - discouraging people from working, the taxpayer funding a spiralling bill, 70 billion a year by 2030. He said one in eight young people were now not in education, employment or training, adding: Thats unsustainable, its indefensible and it is unfair, people feel that in their bones. It runs contrary to those deep British values that if you can work, you should. And if you want to work, the government should support you, not stop you. Sir Keir told his MPs that voters want the status quo to be challenged, as he vowed to be ruthless and bold in driving through reforms. His intervention came amid a growing Labour backlash over plans to balance the books by cutting benefits. Sir Keir branded the welfare system 'unsustainable, indefensible and unfair', saying that failure to address reform risked creating a wasted generation. Rachel Reeves is looking to slash 6 billion off the benefits bill this month to help balance the books Labour sources say dozens of MPs are urging Rachel Reeves to change her fiscal rules this month i to allow more borrowing and avoid cutting welfare. Former frontbencher Rachel Maskell said the Chancellor should adopt a carrot approach, not a stick approach. She added: Weve got to make the right interventions and that doesnt start with the stick. Asked about the mood among Labour MPs about the prospect of welfare cuts, she told the BBC: All I have picked up is deep, deep concern and thats clearly reflected from the stories were hearing from our constituents. Fellow Labour MP Neil Duncan Jordan said that cutting benefits would be disastrous and urged the Chancellor to tax the super-rich instead. Former Labour chancellor John McDonnell warned that welfare cuts would cause great hardship and suffering, adding: This is not what any Labour government was elected to do. Ministers are looking at long term reform of the benefits system as well as short term cuts as they try to bring the ballooning benefits bill under control. Ms Reeves is seeking 6 billion in cuts this month after stuttering growth and rising government borrowing costs put her on course to break the fiscal rules she set out in Octobers Budget. Labour MP Neil Duncan Jordan (pictured) said that cutting benefits would be disastrous and urged the Chancellor to tax the super-rich instead The benefits bill has been rising and is forecast to continue going up Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Measures under consideration include freezing Personal Independence Payments and making it harder to qualify for them. But the savings are unlikely to even offset the forecast growth in PIP spending, which is predicted to jump by more than 50 per cent in the five years to 2028, rising to almost 33 billion. Universal Credit payments to those out of work could be cut to fund increases to those who have a job. Charities warned that squeezing disability payments would have a catastrophic impact. In a letter to the Chancellor, more than a dozen charities said there was little evidence to suggest cutting benefits increases employment outcomes. The signatories, who included Citizens Advice, Scope and Parkinsons UK, urged Ms Reeves to think again about cuts to disability benefits. There are disabled people out of work who want to work given the right support. And for some disabled people, work isnt appropriate, they wrote. Changes to welfare must start here. Not with cuts. They pointed to analysis by Scope suggesting that more than 700,000 people could be pushed into poverty if they lose their PIP payments. Malcolm Turnbull has accused the ABC of being cowardly for suggesting his vicious spat with Donald Trump threatens Australia's chances of receiving an exemption from US trade tariffs. The US President used his Truth Social platform to attack Mr Turnbull as a 'weak and ineffective leader' on Monday after the former prime minister told Daily Mail Australia that Australia cannot rely on the US to defend us militarily against China. The former Liberal leader inflamed the situation by telling Bloomberg TV on Monday that Trump was 'chaotic, rude, abrasive and erratic'. Now Mr Turnbull has taken aim at the ABC for questioning the wisdom of antagonising Mr Trump at a time when Australia is trying to negotiate a tariff exemption on steel and aluminium exports to the US. Radio National host Sally Sara asked Mr Turnbull whether he had been 'reckless' or jeopardised the chances of an exemption to the 25 per cent tariffs, which are set to come into effect on Wednesday. 'Sally, I'm a little bit concerned by the way you raised this too. Sarah Ferguson (7.30 host) did the same thing last night,' Mr Turnbull responded. 'It troubles me. Both of you, distinguished journalists on the ABC, are you suggesting that we should engage in self-censorship in Australia for fear of offending the huge ego of Donald Trump? 'Is that really the state that we've got to? Surely we should be free to speak the truth or are we going to muzzle ourselves for fear of offending Mr Trump?' Malcolm Turnbull (pictured) has slammed the ABC, accusing the national broadcaster of being 'pusillanimous', as the fallout of his vicious spat with Donald Trump threatens Australia's chances of an exemption from trade tariffs The US President (pictured) used his Truth Social platform to attack Mr Turnbull as a 'weak and ineffective leader' on Monday after the former Liberal leader told this publication that Australia can't rely on the US to defend us against China Ms Sara again asked the former Liberal leader whether it was 'wise' to abandon diplomacy and inflame the President in such a pivotal week for Australian trade. 'Really, Sally, is this where we've got?', Mr Turnbull responded. 'Has the ABC become so pusillanimous (or cowardly) that you are seriously suggesting that we shouldn't be free to speak the truth in Australia for fear of Donald Trump? 'Is that the depths you've sunk to?' Mr Turnbull then harangued the ABC host, telling her: 'It really troubles me, I believe in the ABC, I believe in freedom of speech, I believe in Australia and I believe in standing up for Australia and I'm sorry (that) apparently you don't.' But Ms Sara shot back: 'Don't put words in my mouth, with respect.' She added: 'It's my job to ask questions about your comments and this is in a time where there's a significant ... trade decision under way.' The interview then descended into a near-shouting match, as both Ms Sara and Mr Turnbull fought to speak over one another. Donald Trump savaged former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull as a weak leader after he told Daily Mail the American President would be reluctant to defend Australia against China Regaining composure, Mr Turnbull then claimed he believed the chances of Australia securing a trade exemption were 'very, very low' regardless of his personal falling-out with Mr Trump. 'The Trump administration regrets giving exemptions last time because once they gave an exemption to Australia then they ended up having to give an exemption to somebody else... so I think this time there will be no exemptions and they will apply right across the board,' he added. He further described Trump as a 'bully who seeks to achieve dominance'. Mr Turnbull, who was in power during Trump's first term in the White House, told Daily Mail Australia on Monday that the US may not defend Australia militarily in the event of China attacking our shores - in the wake of Chinese live-fire naval exercises off the east coast of Australia. 'You cannot assume anything about Donald Trump - it's part of his brand to be unpredictable,' Mr Turnbull said. 'Yes, he's very transactional. I would hope that the United States would always come to our aid under the ANZUS treaty if we were attacked in the Pacific. 'But Mr Trump has made it very clear, it's part of his brand, part of his style, to be less predictable and he has certainly been prepared to take on allies.' This prompted Mr Trump's late-night outburst on Truth Social. 'Malcolm Turnbull, the former Prime Minister of Australia who was always leading that wonderful country from 'behind,' never understood what was going on in China, nor did he have the capacity to do so,' President Trump said. 'I always thought he was a weak and ineffective leader and, obviously Australians agreed with me.' Both the Government and the Liberals have distanced themselves from Mr Turnbull's spat with the US President. 'Malcolm Turnbull is not a member of the government,' minister Amanda Rishworth said of the ex-Liberal prime minister on Tuesday. 'Our government is absolutely focused on making sure that we are standing up for Australian exporters.' Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton told Sunrise he did not agree with his former party leader and said he would not be calling him to back off. 'I don't agree with what he said. It is not for tit-for-tat but how (we) preserve Australian jobs,' Mr Dutton said. 'The prime minister has a responsibility, as Malcolm Turnbull did when he was prime minister, to negotiate with the then Trump administration for an exemption to tariffs.' Britain may be stuck with a gun-toting Channel migrant due to human rights laws, it was feared last night. Palestinian Abu Wadee who called for death to all Jews is in custody following his arrest on Sunday night, three days after crossing from France in an inflatable dinghy. But the Home Offices own guidelines effectively prevent people being sent back to war-ravaged Gaza, raising concerns Wadee will be allowed to stay in Britain. News of his arrest was welcomed by MPs and Jewish groups last night, after The Mail on Sunday exposed him as a former key member of amilitant group that terrorised Israel, recorded a video in which he prayed for Allah to punish [Jews] completely, and uploaded images of himself with automatic weapons on social media. But Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp warned: I am concerned this despicable man will make spurious human rights or other claims to try to stay in the UK which weak immigration judges are all too likely to accept, based on past form. I commend the Mail and Mail on Sunday for exposing this appalling man, and prompting the Government to act. 'But it is not good enough that it requires media coverage to make this weak Government take action to protect us. I am glad the authorities have tracked him down, but he should never have been able to get here in the first place. Palestinian Abu Wadee (pictured) who called for death to all Jews is in custody following his arrest on Sunday night, three days after crossing from France in an inflatable dinghy Wadee uploaded a video of himself and others in a dinghy in the Channel being approached by a Border Force boat, with the caption: Thank God, we arrived in Britain. Wadee was last night charged with knowingly arriving into the UK without leave, and will appear before Manchester Magistrates on Tuesday Wadee's social media is replete with pictures of him posing with a Kalashnikov, an artillery shell and a menacing posse of masked men Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp (pictured) warned that the despicable Wadee could try to stay in the UK under human rights laws Mr Philp accused Sir Keir Starmer of operating an open-borders policy allowing extremists to enter our country at will. He said the Tories wanted to disapply human rights laws in immigration cases, making it harder for criminals to cite spurious reasons for being granted permission to stay. Wadee, who is in his 30s, was held by immigration enforcement officers on Sunday night on suspicion of illegally entering the country. Officials would not disclose whether he was held in a processing centre or had been moved into a migrant hotel. Wadee, also known as Mosab Abdulkarim al-Gassas, was last night charged with knowingly arriving into the UK without leave, and will appear before Manchester magistrates tomorrow. Yet he could seek to stay in the UK as the Home Offices guidelines state returning anyone to war-ravaged Gaza risks exposing them to serious harm because conditions there amount to torture or inhumane or degrading treatment, under the European Convention on Human Rights. It follows a series of staggering cases, including an Albanian criminal who was allowed to remain in Britain in part because his son was better accustomed to British chicken nuggets compared with foreign food. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said it should not have taken so long for authorities to arrest Wadee, adding that it was an appalling prospect that he could seek to stay in the UK. The migrant has filmed himself chanting about killing Jews 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' 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 Wadee is understood to have landed in the UK last Thursday before uploading a video of himself and others on a dinghy in the Channel being approached by a Border Force boat, with the caption: Thank God, we arrived in Britain. He charted his journey across Europe to his 170,000 TikTok followers, with some videos being viewed more than 2.5 million times. But his account on the social media platform was taken down yesterday and listed as banned, after an investigation unearthed his extremist history. It included images of him brandishing assault rifles, and another in which he appeared to hold a tear-gas canister in his mouth during apparent clashes at the border with Israel. The Campaign Against Antisemitism said: It is evident that he poses a threat to the safety of the Jewish community and to the British public more widely. Clearly he should not be at liberty in the UK. We are now asking the Home Office to confirm that this case will be expedited and we are seeking assurances on the anticipated timeframes. A Home Office spokesman said: The public can be reassured that we take all steps necessary at all times to protect the nations security. The Conservatives have outlined a package of measures designed to allow all foreign criminals to be deported from Britain. The proposals would eradicate a threshold, currently set out in the law, which says foreign offenders handed a 12-month jail term or more should face removal. It would also build on previous proposals by the Tories to disapply the Human Rights Act in immigration cases. The package, set out in a series of amendments to Labours borders bill, would also allow ministers to stop issuing visas to foreign nationals whose governments refuse to take back individuals - including criminals - from the UK. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: These tough new measures show the Conservatives are prepared to do whatever it takes to deport foreign criminals from the UK. If a foreign citizen commits a crime here, we should kick them out - it is as simple as that. 'We cant allow endless appeals and prevarication - the Government has a duty to protect British citizens from these often dangerous offenders. And where another country wont take back their own citizens - including criminals - then the Government must stop issuing new visas to people from those countries. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said that these new measures show that Conservatives are prepared to do whatever it takes to deport foreign criminals The package, set out in a series of amendments to Labour s borders bill, would also allow ministers to stop issuing visas to foreign nationals. Pictured: Keir Starmer Kemi Badenoch (pictured) has pledged to place UK sovereignty first under the proposed bill The Conservatives said the legal changes would require a foreign national convicted of any crime to be removed from the UK. Current law says foreign offenders should automatically face deportation if they have been sentenced to a prison sentence of 12 months or more. However, legal challenges - particularly under the Human Rights Act - can often prevent them from being sent back. At the weekend the Tories announced measures which would disapply the entire Human Rights Act in immigration cases. The moves, in another amendment to the current borders Bill, would stop foreign nationals seeking to bring human rights appeals against deportation or other immigration decisions. Instead, only British domestic law would apply in such cases, the Tories said, as part of leader Kemi Badenochs pledge to place UK sovereignty first. It comes after widespread concern over the last 15 years over the use of human rights laws by foreign criminals. Earlier this month the Mail revealed how a Jamaican criminal jailed for 20 years for a horrific manslaughter had dodged deportation after bringing a challenge under the European Convention on Human Rights, which is enshrined in UK law in Labours Human Rights Act. A Home Office source said: The Tories had 14 years to reform immigration and asylum, yet they left a system in chaos and our borders weaker. A Jamaican criminal jailed for 20 years for a horrific manslaughter had dodged deportation after bringing a challenge under the European Convention on Human Rights (pictured: European Court of Human Rights) Another amendment to the current borders Bill, would stop foreign nationals seeking to bring human rights appeals against deportation or other immigration decisions. Pictured: Migrants wave to a smuggler's boat in an attempt to cross the English Channel They could have progressed these measures in any of the many immigration bills they passed in Government, including the three whilst Chris Philp was a Home Office minister. The Labour Government is getting a grip on the system.As with all proposed amendments to government bills, these will be examined as part of the Parliamentary process. It came as it emerged there were 104,000 convictions of foreign nationals in the UK recorded in three years, according to analysis of data from the Police National Computer by the Centre for Migration Control. It included 38,413 violent, sexual assault and drug crimes, as well as theft, between 2021 and 2023. A judge has stepped in to temporarily block the deportation of a pro-Palestine activist who led student protests at Columbia University. President Donald Trump boasted about the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, warning likeminded activists it was 'the first of many to come' as he embarks on his mass deportation policy. Khalil was detained by ICE officers on Saturday night - who said they'd been given an order to revoke his green card - in front of his pregnant wife. But a federal judge Jesse Furman, from the Southern District of New York, poured cold water on Trump's plan on Monday. Furman blocked the administration from deporting Khalil until at least the next court hearing on Wednesday. The court order, seen by DailyMail.com, states: 'To preserve the Court's jurisdiction pending a ruling on the petition, Petitioner shall not be removed from the United States unless and until the Court orders otherwise.' Furman was nominated to the Southern District by President Obama in 2011 and was confirmed in February 2012. Khalil, a Palestinian who was born and raised in Syria, helped to lead protests against Israel at Columbia University last year. He also acted as a negotiator between students and university officials. The protests were allowed to run rampant for two weeks. They were marked by violent assaults and instances of Jewish students being afraid to go to class. Khalil (pictured) addresses the media on June 1, 2024, after a new encampment popped up on Columbia's Morningside Heights campus Mahmoud Khalil, who was the lead student negotiator for the pro-Palestinian encampment, was arrested by Department of Homeland Security agents on Saturday night is currently being held Khalil's student visa and green card were reportedly subject to a revocation order by the State Department, according to his lawyer (Pictured: Students protest the war in Gaza on Columbia University on the anniversary of the October 7 attacks) 'On March 9, 2025, in support of President Trump's executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism, and in coordination with the Department of State, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student. Khalil led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization,' the Department of Homeland Security said on X Sunday night. Trump said the ICE agents who arrested Khalil did so with pride, describing him as 'a Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student on the campus of Columbia University. 'We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it. 'Many are not students, they are paid agitators. We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country - never to return again. 'If you support terrorism, including the slaughtering of innocent men, women, and children, your presence is contrary to our national and foreign policy interests, and you are not welcome here.' In a direct warning to universities and colleges across the nation, Trump said they are expected to 'comply' with this decision. Khalil, who graduated in December, is in custody at an immigration detention facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey, according to federal records. Activists who are lobbying for Khalil's release say he was confronted at 8:30pm in his apartment building by two plain clothes DHS agents, both of whom refused to identify themselves at first. Khalil's arrest comes as Trump announced he would be cutting $400 million in grants and contracts to Columbia for its failure to contain the pro-Palestinian protests Khalil was detained by ICE officers on Saturday night - who said they'd been given an order to revoke his green card - in front of his pregnant wife Protests have since resumed at Columbia with the start of the new semester in September, though not at the same scale as last year His wife, who is eight months pregnant and a US citizen, was allegedly there as well. The activists said she was threatened with arrest if she 'remained by his side.' In the United States, immigration judges are the only people with the authority to revoke permanent residency. Grounds for revocation include lying on your green card application or committing certain types of felonies. According to a legal filing, 'ICE began efforts to transfer Mr. Khalil out of [New York] and to a Louisiana detention facility a thousand miles away, without providing him any access to his counsel.' 'This seemingly retaliatory action is particularly troubling,' the filing states. Khalil's arrest comes as Trump announced he would be cutting $400 million in grants and contracts to Columbia for its failure to contain the pro-Palestinian protests. Russia has issued a blunt warning to Australia after Anthony Albanese announced he was considering joining the 'coalition of the willing' by sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine. The Prime Minister spoke to UK leader Sir Keir Starmer on Saturday, where he ssaid he would 'consider contributing to a coalition of the willing for Ukraine', according to a statement from Downing Street. Mr Albanese confirmed that on Sunday, saying 'both of our nations are very clear about our support for Ukraine... you can't have peacekeeping forces without having peace'. 'I certainly have said, very clearly, publicly, repeatedly, that we would give consideration to participating in any peacekeeping mission in the Ukraine,' he added. However it was that 'very clear' support for Ukraine that made Australia an unfit candidate to provide peacekeeping troops in the eyes of Russia. Moscow has warned that any push by any pro-Ukraine countries to join 'the so-called coalition of the willing would entail grave consequences'. 'Once again, Western boots on the ground are unacceptable for Russia, and we will not remain passive observers,' a statement from the Russian Embassy said. 'To those inclined to construe the above as a threat: it is not. It is a warning. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured) spoke to UK leader Sir Keir Starmer on Saturday, where he signalled his 'commitment to consider contributing to a coalition of the willing for Ukraine', read out from Downing Street said But now Russia has hit back, warning that the Australia's intention to join 'the so-called coalition of the willing would entail grave consequences' (pictured: Russian President Vladimir Putin) 'Russia has no intention to harm Australians, and Canberra can easily avoid trouble by simply refraining from irresponsible adventurism in the zone of the Special Military Operation.' The stern statement added said that the presence of military from NATO members and western countries within a likely peacekeeping zone in eastern Ukraine was 'totally unacceptable'. 'The idea of deploying western military contingents in Ukraine under the guise of peacekeepers is meant to undermine peace efforts,' it said. 'Canberra remains firmly on the side of war, along with those in Europe who are betting on continuing and escalating the conflict despite encouraging shifts towards peace negotiations.' But the Albanese Government has refused to be cowed, with a spokesperson for Foreign Minister Penny Wong telling the Sydney Morning Herald that 'our message to Russia is: end your illegal invasion of Ukraine'. 'We won't be intimidated from working towards a just peace for the people of Ukraine.' However Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has opposed the idea of sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine. 'It's unbelievable that the prime minister is talking about moving troops from Australia to station them or to base them in Ukraine, when Italy, Germany, France, have made no decision yet to base troops there,' Mr Dutton said on Sunday. 'There's no peace to keep.' 'The Prime Minister, instead of shooting from the hip, should make informed judgments on what's in our country's best interests. 'My judgment is that to base troops in Europe at the moment is the wrong decision for our country.' An 18-year-old man has been charged over a series of alleged home invasions and sex attacks on elderly women in Sydney's west. The teenager was arrested after he went to Dee Why Police Station in the city's northern beaches just before 6pm on Monday night. A week ago detectives had released images of a man they wished to speak to in connection to a string of attacks in Merrylands. The man appeared to be wearing gloves and holding a knife. Multiple homes on Elsinore Street, Grace Crescent, Davies Road and Norma Place in Merrylands were allegedly targeted between 2am and 6.20am on Thursday. Two of the incidents involved elderly women in their 80s. Police allege the man produced a knife and attempted to sexually assault one of the elderly women while another was sexually touched. The 18-year-old man was charged with 16 offences, including aggravated break and enter, aggravated sexual assault, armed robbery, and multiple counts of sexual touching without consent. The teenager was not required to appear in person when his matter was mentioned by a Legal Aid solicitor at Manly Local Court on Tuesday. A week ago detectives released images of a man they wanted to speak to in connection to a string of attacks in Merrylands (one of the images is pictured) Detectives are seen leaving a home in Merrylands, in Sydney's west, on Friday Multiple homes on Elsinore Street, Grace Crescent, Davies Road and Norma Place were allegedly targeted between 2am and 6.20am on Thursday (Merrylands is pictured) There was no application for bail and he was remanded in custody to next appear at Parramatta Local Court on May 1. It was a dinner party like no other, a gathering that has gone down in CIA history because of the tragic consequences for one particular guest. And it continues to cast a long shadow for the family of Dr Frank Olson, an eminent biological warfare scientist. They believe a post-prandial glass of liqueur covertly spiked with the mind-altering drug LSD led to his murder by the agency. Recently unsealed documents detailing Olson's last days have brought the scientist's death back into the spotlight decades after he fell from the 13th floor of a New York City hotel. His family are intent on winning him justice. Olson, who worked on the CIA's top-secret mind-control program, MKUltra, died nine days after the dinner party. His death at age 43 was at first attributed to an accident by the U.S. Army, and then subsequently amended to suicide. His son Eric Olson, now 81, believes it was neither. 'Frank's death was a CIA authorized non-judicial execution. He was thrown out the f****** window,' he tells the Daily Mail. Dr Frank Olson, a biological warfare scientist, was covertly dosed with LSD at a meeting and died nine days later after falling out of his hotel room in New York City Pictured is Dr Frank Olson with his wife Alice and their children (L-R) Eric, Lisa and Nils The Daily Mail has contacted the CIA for comment. 'To summarize my view, he was murdered,' Paul Vidich, Olson's nephew, agrees. 'There is no smoking gun. What you have is a lot of information that points to murder, and none of it points away.' Olson was one of at least eight men given LSD that night of November 19, 1953 as part of an experiment in the CIA's MKUltra program, according to Vidich. He also claims that a 1994 autopsy found evidence of a hematoma - localized bleeding above Olson's left eye - which showed that he had been dealt a blow. '[The forensic pathologist] concluded that he had been hit in the head [before he went out the window]... He basically suffered a wound that was not from the fall.' Vidich, 74, said his uncle had 'moral qualms about the nature of the work he was doing' and was eventually seen as a security risk. 'Getting thrown out the window was a very convenient way of disposing of a national security risk,' he adds. The CIA poured millions of dollars into the MKUltra program in the 1950s and '60s, to investigate brainwashing by administering experimental drugs, such as LSD, to unsuspecting individuals. The program had 17 goals, including creating substances 'which will promote illogical thinking and impulsiveness to the point where the recipient would be discredited in public'. Olson's nephew, Paul Vidich, believes his uncle was murdered by the CIA because he had 'moral qualms about the nature of the work he was doing' and was eventually seen as a security risk because' Olson's body was found in the street after falling from the 13th floor of The Statler Hotel It also aimed to develop substances that would 'produce physical disablement such as paralysis of the legs, acute anemia, lower the ambition and general working efficiency of men when administered in undetectable amounts'. The program sought to find methods that would also 'promote weakness or distortion of the eyesight or hearing faculties, preferably without permanent effects'. According to CIA documents released in 2018: 'Historians have asserted that creating a true "Manchurian Candidate" subject through '"mind control" techniques was a goal of MK-ULTRA and related CIA projects'. (In the 1962 film, The Manchurian Candidate, a US soldier is captured during the Korean War and brainwashed by communists to become an assassin in a Chinese/Soviet plot to overthrow the American government.) Notable test subjects included Theodore Kaczynski, aka the Unabomber, and notorious convicted crime boss James 'Whitey' Bulger. But Dr Olson is the only person known to have died during the program. His story begins on November 19, 1953, at Deep Creek Lake in Maryland, which was the site of a cabin the CIA used as a hideaway and where it is believed it conducted mind-controlling experiments. A memorandum dated December 2, 1953 provided details about Olson's death and included illegible Xeroxed copy of the death certificate A group of 10 scientists from the Agency and Fort Detrick, then the center of the U.S. Biological Weapons Program, attended a conference there hosted by MKUltra's director Dr Sidney Gottlieb at the cabin. According to one CIA official, members of the Special Operations Division of the US Army's Chemical Corps 'agreed that an experiment involving some of the participants would be desirable'. In statements made during a 1977 hearing about the activities of the CIA according to Gottlieb, a 'very small dose' of LSD was added to the bottle of Cointreau which was served after dinner. The drug was placed in liqueur by Robert Lashbrook, deputy director of MKUltra, and about 20 minutes later 'Gottlieb informed the other participants that they had received LSD'. Gottlieb later stated that the 'drug had a definite effect on the group to the point that they were boisterous and laughing and they could not continue the meeting or engage in sensible conversation'. Over the next week and a half, Dr Olson spent time with his boss, Vincent Ruwet, who wrote a statement about the events following the scientist's death. He detailed how Olson appeared agitated compared to his usual 'life of the party' demeanor. In the days that followed, according to Ruwet's report, Olson became paranoid, barely ate and one evening disappeared into the night to toss away his wallet, identification badge and money because he believed Ruwet told him to (he had not). Within days he would be in New York seeking psychiatric help accompanied by Lashbrook. Ruwet's statements were released in December 2024, detailing his experience with Olson from November 19 to November 28, 1953. Other documents showed that materials about Olson's death were too sensitive to release and would affect national security if they were Eric Olson was just nine years' old when two men knocked at the front door of the family home in Frederick, Maryland to inform his mother Alice that her husband had died. She was told he had fallen or jumped out of the window in his room at the Statler Hotel in New York on November 28. 'It is so horrible, even now,' says Eric who still lives in Maryland. 'But imagine how it was for a nine-year-old boy who is awakened before dawn to be told his father went to New York for some kind of treatment and fell out the window and died. The world stops.' Dr Olson was in New York to see a psychiatrist after feeling 'all mixed up', according to Ruwet's statement. The family were oblivious to what had taken place at the dinner party. Until 1975, when a commission headed by Vice President Nelson Rockefeller released a report on CIA abuses that included a reference to an Army scientist who had jumped from a New York hotel days after being slipped LSD in 1953. Olson's family was not allowed to see his body, instead being told he had suffered significant facial injuries in the fall and that he had killed himself by jumping. However, it was confirmed that he did have LSD in his system at the time of death The Olson family threatened to sue the government, but President Gerald Ford invited them to the White house to assure them they would receive all information about Olson's death. However, Eric said that the CIA never gave him and his family a true picture of what happened to his father. In 1994, Eric had his father's body exhumed for a second autopsy conducted by James Starrs, a leading forensic scientist and friend of the family who specializes in exhuming bodies to solve old cases. Starrs was a forensics scientist at George Washington University during his 44-year career before passing away in 2021. He concluded that Olson never went through glass and there was an impact on the skull above his eyes which could only have come from a blow delivered in the hotel room and not by the fall. Eric Olson and nephew Paul Vidich point to other key questions and discrepancies in the story that they want answers to. A detective who attended the scene on the night of Olson's death wrote in his report that Olson's widow, Alice, was told by MKUltra deputy Robert Lashbrook who was also at the Statler Hotel, that he 'was awakened about 1.30am to see Olson going at a full run toward the window'. 'He said he saw Olson go through both the 'closed window and drawn curtains'' the detective wrote. Stephen Saracoo, former District Attorney for New York assigned to the Olson case, said in a 2000 statement: 'Frank Olson would have had to be a Superman or a professional athlete to dive through that window.' Olson spent time with his boss Vincent Ruwet who also wrote a statement about the events following the scientist's death. Ruwet was also at the cabine with Olson 'There wasn't enough run space. It was heavy glass, there was a radiator in the front of it, a closed curtain and a drawn blind. It just wasn't possible.' The scientist was found on the pavement with just his undershirt and shorts on. A memorandum from the CIA dated December 2 1953, provided details about his death and included an illegible Xeroxed copy of the death certificate. 'With reference to cause of death, it states death caused by multiple fractures, shock and hemorrhage; jumped or fell from the 10th-floor hotel,' it reads. However, it known that Dr Olson fell from the 13th floor of the hotel. '[My uncle's room was 1018 or something like that. The difference might be that there were three floors before the floors of the rooms started, they being the lobby floor, a ballroom floor and another,' said Vidich. Another memo dated December 17 1953, was written by C R Kiddleton, the CIA's medical deputy director, and stated he and Dr Franklin Halpin, the director, reviewed the classified records on the events leading up to Olson's death. 'Such material is highly sensitive and is of a nature which if we divulge might seriously affect this national security,' it reads. 'On February 23, 1954. three months after Olson's death, the CIA and the Department of Justice issued a Memorandum of Understanding that allowed the CIA to withhold information relating to criminal activity if disclosure of compromised intelligence sources and methods,' Vidich to the Daily Mail. The memo was written by CIA General Counsel Lawrence Houston, who attended the 1975 hearing into the possible abuse of the CIA and Olson's death, where he was questioned by Congresswoman Bella Abzug. Vidich said Abzug asked Houston if the Memorandum meant the CIA had the authority to decide who at the agency receives immunity for things that happened. During the 1975 hearing, Abzug stated that the Memorandum would 'included all crime, even murder. Houston replied, 'Yes, it would have that effect. Eric Olson believes that regardless of the outcomes in court, the battle for justice for his father has already been won, 'at least in principle'. 'An unknown Army biochemist falls from a window in a New York hotel in the middle of the night. He must have had some kind of bad dream,' he said. 'That's what I grew up with. The costs of that lie, never mind the deed itself, have been unimaginable.' According to the Bible, Noah's Ark saved humanity and all the animals from certain annihilation during an ancient flood. Now, 5,000 years after those floodwaters supposedly receded, scientists claim to have discovered the location of the famous boat. An international team of researchers claims that a boat-shaped mound 18 miles (30km) south of Mount Ararat in Turkey is actually the fossilised remains of a wooden vessel. The Durupinar Formation is a 163-metre (538ft) geological structure made of a type of iron ore called limonite. It has long captivated researchers due to the fact that its shape and structure almost match those given for the Ark in the Bible. New evidence shows that the mound really did experience a devastating flood 5,000 years ago. This supports the biblical account of a flood covering the region between 3000 and 5500 BC. 'Our studies show that this region harboured life in that period and that, at some point, it was covered by water, which reinforces the possibility that a catastrophic event of great magnitude occurred,' the researchers said. Scientists say that a large boat-shaped geological structure could be the remains of Noah's Ark as new evidence shows the area was flooded 5,000 years ago According to the Bible, Noah's Ark saved humanity and all the animals from certain annihilation during an ancient flood Your browser does not support iframes. Since 2021, a collaboration between Istanbul Technical University, Agri Ibrahim Cecen University, and Andrews University in the United States has been studying the site under the banner of the Mount Ararat and Noah's Ark Research Team. During the 7th International Symposium on Mount Ararat and Noah's Ark, researchers presented new evidence that could support their theory that the structure is an ancient ship. Researchers took 30 samples of soil and rock from around the Durupinar Formation and sent these to the Istanbul Technical University for analysis. The tests showed that the soil contains traces of clay-like materials, marine deposits, and even the remnants of marine life such as molluscs. Dating these samples showed that they were between 3,500 and 5,000 years old. This suggests that the Durupinar Formation and surrounding area were covered by water in a time period consistent with the biblical account. According to literal interpretations of the Bible, the world was covered with water during the Chalcolithic period - a time stretching from 5500 to 3000 BC. Lead researcher, Professor Faruk Kaya, said: 'According to the initial results, it's believed there were human activities in this region since the Chalcolithic period.' The Durupinar Formation is a 163-metre (538ft) geological structure made of a type of iron ore called limonite The Durupinar Formation roughly matches the shape and dimensions of the Ark given in the Bible. New analysis of soil samples from the area shows that this region was underwater 3,500 to 5,000 years ago, during the supposed time of the biblical flood If true, this would strengthen the claim that the Durupinar Formation is the exact boat used by the Biblical figure Noah to survive the ancient flood. Besides this new evidence, the main arguments in favour of the Noah's Ark theory are the shape and location of the Durupinar formation. In the Bible, Noah is instructed to build a boat which has 'a length of three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.' Although conversions from Biblical units are difficult, some scholars have chosen to interpret this as using the standardised Egyptian cubit of 52.4 cm. Using those units, the length of Noah's ark would be 515ft (157m) which is close to the 168 metres (538ft) of the Durupinar formation. Additionally, the biblical account states that the Ark came to rest on the 'Mountains of Ararat'. The Durupinar Formation is located just 18 miles south (30km) from Mount Ararat, Turkey's highest peak. Since its discovery in 1948, these factors have led many to theorise that the boat-shaped geological structure is really the fossilised wood of Noah's Ark. Since its discovery in 1948 the Durupinar Formation (pictured) has fascinated researchers looking for the final resting place of Noah's Ark. This latest study shows that that theory could be consistent with the Biblical account of a flood Geologists strongly contest the theory and argue that the Durupinar Formation can be explained by natural physical processes However, this latest evidence is far from conclusive. Professor Kaya admits: 'With the dating, it is not possible to say that the ship is here.' Likewise, the Noah's Ark theory has been strongly criticised by geologists who argue that the Durupinar Formation is nothing more than a natural geological feature. In a 2016 article, Professor Lorence Collins of California State University Northridge showed that the boat-like structure is actually formed by the erosion of the surrounding bedrock by landslide debris. Additionally, as Professor Collins points out in a separate study, geological evidence clearly shows that the supposed 'Ark' is much older than the surrounding flood deposits. Finally, as many researchers have pointed out, it takes millions of years for wood to fossilise into stone, so the Ark cannot have petrified in just 5,000 years. However, the Mount Ararat and Noah's Ark Research Team insist that more study is needed and continue to raise funds for a visitor centre on the site. If you're a fan of stargazing, make sure you have Friday morning marked down in your diary. A rare blood moon is set to grace the skies over the UK - and you don't want to miss it. The moon will appear to glow bright red as Earth's shadow crosses the lunar surface, known as a lunar eclipse. Best of all, you won't need any special equipment whatsoever to see it for yourself. While people in North and South America will get the best views of the eclipse, British space fans should still be able to catch a glimpse in the early morning. The moon will start to enter Earth's shadow at 03:57 GMT with totality lasting from 06:26 until 07:31 GMT. Professor Don Pollacco, an astronomer from the University of Warwick, says: 'While this eclipse is best seen from the other side of the Atlantic, observers on the western side of the UK will see the total phase start before morning twilight at about 4 am when the Moon is low in the western sky.' Here's how you can see the incredible lunar event. This week, millions of Britons will be able to see an ominous event light up the sky as a rare blood moon rises. Pictured: A blood moon over Florence, Arizona, in 2022 The blood moon, or lunar eclipse, will start from 06:26 GMT and continue until 07:31 GMT. British stargazers should be able to catch a glimpse of the eclipse in the early morning How to see the Blood Moon A lunar eclipse, or blood moon, is a great way to get started with amateur astronomy since you don't need any equipment or specialist knowledge to see it. All you need to do is look for the moon at the right time to see the moment it passes into the Earth's shadow. Shannon Schmoll, director of Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State University, says: 'As long as the sky is clear, you should be able to see it.' In the UK, the moon will enter totality close to dawn as the moon is setting which could make observation a bit more difficult. However, with the right timing, that could give you an even more impressive view. Professor Pollacco says: 'The best time to see the eclipse will be sometime after 5 am and before the sky gets too bright. 'The full moon often looks larger when near the horizon, so this eclipse could look impressive.' Those in the west of the UK will see the eclipse from about 4:00am and will be able to watch as the moon turns red in Earth's shadow. However, the East of the country won't be under the path of the eclipse so they will only see about 90 per cent coverage Lunar eclipse: Key times Penumbral eclipse begins: 03:57 GMT The moon enters Earth's shadow and begins to dim. Partial eclipse begins: 05:09 GMT Parts of the moon begin to disappear into shadow. Totality begins: 06:26 GMT The moon is fully within Earth's shadow and starts to turn red. Totality ends: 07:31 GMT The moon exits the umbra and the red colour fades as parts of the moon are hidden by shadows. Partial eclipse ends: 08:47 GMT The moon appears dimmed but complete. Penumbral eclipse ends: 10:00 GMT The eclipse is over. Advertisement Although the moon won't actually be any larger, our brains experience something called the Moon Illusion which causes the moon to appear bigger when it is near the horizon. Despite this optical illusion having been known for thousands of years, scientists still aren't sure why or how it works. Luckily for British skygazers, the lunar eclipse will occur when the moon is very low in the sky so it should appear even more impressive than usual. To ensure you get a good view, find an area with a good view of the horizon to the west where the sun will be setting. Since the moon will be bright and it will be close to dawn, getting away from light pollution isn't much of a concern. But, if you can, getting away from bright streetlights and letting your eyes adjust to the dim light conditions will help you see more details of the lunar surface. Unfortunately, the weather conditions for viewing the blood moon will not be ideal for most of the UK. A Met Office spokesperson told MailOnline: 'The current forecast for the lunar eclipse shows some cloud breaks on Friday night in parts of the UK, particularly in some western areas. Detail will become clearer as the week goes on, so keep an eye on our website or app for updates closer to the time.' The eclipse will be best viewed over the USA where all states will be able to see the full lenght of totality. In the UK, the moon will be much lower on the horizon and the eclipse will occur closer to dawn The Met Office weather forecast currently predicts clouds over much of the UK during the eclipse but there is a possibility of clearer skies especially in the West What is a lunar eclipse? Just like a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes into the shadow or 'umbra' cast by the Earth. Professor Pollacco says: 'The moon, like all planets, gives out no light of its own, but instead shines by reflecting sunlight. 'On the morning of Friday 14th March, the moon during its monthly orbit of the Earth will pass through the Earths shadow.' As this happens you will first see the edge of the Earth's shadow pushing across the lunar surface, making it appear to vanish from our perspective. But as the Earth's shadow completely covers the moon during totality the moon will start to glow bright red. This is because the Earth does not completely block out the light heading to the moon. Instead, a small amount of light travels around the Earth through the atmosphere, reaching the moon and being bounced back to Earth from the lunar surface for our eyes to detect. A blood moon occurs when the moon passes into the shadow, or umbra, cast by the Earth. Light from the sun then refracts through the Earth's atmosphere and bounces of the moon Since red light passes through the atmosphere more easily, the light which bounces back off the moon looks red. This is why the moon changes colour during an eclipse. Pictured: A lunar eclipse of Richmond, Virginia in 2022 Professor Pollacco says: 'As the sunlight travels through our atmosphere on its way to the Moon the redder wavelengths pass through relatively unhindered while the bluer wavelengths are scattered by dust suspended in the earth's atmosphere. 'The red light reaches the moon and is then reflected back to us. So the redness of the moon actually tells us about the conditions in our atmosphere.' This same phenomenon is why the sky appears blue, since only the blue wavelength light is scattered to become visible. However, Britain is just on the edge of the eclipse path so only the West of the UK will be able to see the full spectacle. Professor Pollacco adds: 'From the rest of the UK the eclipse will not be total - the Moon will be greater than 90% obscured - but should still be a striking spectacle.' However, there is no need to worry since lunar eclipses happen fairly regularly - occurring anywhere between four and seven times per year according to NASA. If you do happen to miss this weeks eclipse the next chance will be on September 7 when a total lunar eclipse will sweep across parts of Asia, Africa, Australia and Europe. Meanwhile, the United States will need to wait until March 2026 for the next chance to catch a total lunar eclipse. The return date for NASA's stranded astronauts has changed again. NASA officials announced the pair are due back from the International Space Station (ISS) on March 16, about three days earlier than expected. Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have now spent more than nine months in space after their original eight-day mission was delayed due to technical issues with their faulty Boeing spacecraft. Williams and Wilmore plan to return to Earth inside a SpaceX spacecraft that is already docked to the ISS. But they can't leave until a different SpaceX ship brings a new team of astronauts to the space station to replace the stranded duo. That mission, called Crew-10, will launch on March 12. Its four-astronaut crew is expected to board the ISS on March 13. The four astronauts are expected to depart about three days after the Crew-10 mission delivers their replacements to the space station. This allows them to get the new crew up to speed on space station operations and ensures a smooth transition. Typically, a departing ISS crew shares the space station with the incoming crew for about five days in what's known as a 'handover period.' But this time, NASA has decided to shorten the handover period to just two days to conserve food on board the ISS and open up more undocking opportunities for the Starliner crew in case the weather interferes with their March 16 return. The news of their hastened homecoming was probably well-received by Williams and Wilmore's families, who have spent the last 278 days without their loved ones. NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore (left), Sunita Williams (right), Nick Hague (center right) and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov (center left) should return from the ISS on March 16 When the pair launched aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft on June 5, they were only supposed to spend eight days on the ISS. But a series of technical issues with Starliner, including thruster failures and helium leaks, ultimately drove NASA to send the faulty spacecraft home without its crew in September. Williams and Wilmore have been living on the ISS ever since. The crew's delayed return recently entered the political spotlight after SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk and President Donald Trump claimed the astronauts were 'abandoned' in space by the Biden administration for 'political reasons.' Musk has said that the former president rejected his offer to bring the Starliner crew home earlier because it would have made Donald Trump 'look good.' Musk backed Trump during the 2024 presidential race, donating $288 million to his campaign and appearing at several MAGA rallies. During a recent appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast, the Joe Rogan Experience, Musk claimed the Biden administration rejected his offer to bring the Starliner astronauts home sooner to avoid making Trump 'look good.' He explained that the former administration did not want to jeopardize Kamala Harris' presidential campaign and intentionally 'pushed the return date past the inauguration date.' By the time they get home, Williams and Wilmore will have spent 284 days in space The Starliner and Crew-9 astronauts will leave the ISS about three days after the Crew-10 mission delivers Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi (L to R), NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers, Russian cosmonaut Kiril Peskov and NASA astronaut Anne McClain to the space station Musk also noted that the Biden administration was suing SpaceX at the time. NASA officials have not directly addressed these claims. But during the Friday press briefing, Ken Bowersox, associate administrator of the agency's Space Operation Mission Directorate, said SpaceX has been working with NASA to develop a backup return plan for the Starliner mission since last July. 'The SpaceX folks helped us with a lot of options for how we would bring Butch and Suni home on Dragon in a contingency,' Bowersox said 'When it comes to adding on missions, or bringing a capsule home early, those were always options. But we ruled them out pretty quickly just based on how much money we've got in our budget, and the importance of keeping crews on the International Space Station. They're an important part of maintaining the station.' Any discussions about alternative backup plans were held within NASA, officials said, so it's unclear why Musk claimed to have spoken directly to the Biden administration about rescuing the astronauts sooner. There is no way to verify whether this actually occurred, but if it did, it would appear that the Biden administration never communicated Musk's offer to NASA decisionmakers. Ultimately, NASA decided to send SpaceX's Crew-9 mission to the ISS with just two astronauts NASA's Nick Hague and Russia's Aleksandr Gorbunov even though the Dragon spacecraft is equipped with four seats. 'It takes a full crew to continuously crew the space station, both for science and for maintenance, and that is the work that we're looking forward to doing when we get to the space station,' NASA astronaut and Crew-10 mission commander Anne McClain said Friday Crew-9 arrived at the ISS a few weeks after Starliner was sent home without Williams and Wilmore in September. It has been docked to the ISS ever since, with its two extra seats reserved for the Starliner crew. 'When we looked at the situation at the time, we had a Crew-9 launch in front of us. It made sense to take the opportunity to bring Crew-9 up with just two seats and have Butch and Suni fill in, and do the rest of the long-duration mission,' ISS program manager Dana Weigel explained during the Friday press briefing. But before the Starliner and Crew-9 astronauts can leave the ISS, SpaceX's Crew-10 mission must deliver a new team of astronauts to replace them. That team includes NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers as well as Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. Crew-10 is scheduled to launch at 7:48pm ET on Wednesday, March 12 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA officials announced Friday. If the launch goes according to plan, the Crew-10 Dragon capsule should dock to the ISS at roughly 10am ET on Thursday, March 13. Once the Crew-10 astronauts board the space station, they will begin their shortened, two-day handover period with Crew-9. After the handover period concludes, the earliest undocking opportunity for the Crew-9 Dragon capsule will be March 16, pending the weather conditions at their potential splashdown locations. If the weather looks good, the Starliner and Crew-9 astronauts will board the Dragon spacecraft, undock from the ISS and head back to Earth. By the time they get home, Williams and Wilmore will have spent 284 days in space. One of America's biggest banks has suffered a security blunder, exposing the social security numbers and other private information of an unknown number of customers. Bank of America has informed clients that their names, account details, addresses, contact information, date of birth, social security numbers, and other government IDs were all exposed when documents were left outside in an unsealed container. Bank of America said a third-party 'data destruction vendor' was to blame for the breach. According to bank officials, this company was hired to pick up documents from an unnamed financial center on December 30, 2024 and take them to be shredded for security purposes. 'Some documents were found outside of the secure containers on the exterior of the financial center,' the bank said in a statement. Bank of America still hasn't revealed how many customers have been affected by the breach. As of January, Bank of America was providing financial services for 69 million US consumers and small businesses. In a statement to potential victims, the bank noted that customers could contact their state Attorney General for more information about avoiding identity theft - a list that included Massachusetts, New York, Washington DC, and Oregon. At least 2 Bank of America customers have already been affected by the data breach, after their documents were left outside a financial center on December 30, 2024 The banking giant handles $4.2 trillion in client balances across their entire wealth management operations. This isn't the only data blunder in recent months for Bank of America - part of the 'big four' US banks along with JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, and Citibank. In January, Bank of America revealed that a third-party software company allowed someone to gain access to the private information of at least 414 banking customers. That hack took place in October 2024 and reportedly affected mortgage loan customers in Maine, exposing their social security numbers, addresses, phone numbers, passport numbers, and loan numbers. Following the latest breach, Bank of America sent a letter to each of the customers they believe were exposed by the data destruction vendor, promising to minimize the financial impact to their accounts. 'The vendor cannot confirm if your documents were directly involved or affected,' the letter reads. 'They may have been, and as a result, we are reaching out to notify you in an abundance of caution and support.' Bank of America stated it is monitoring accounts and will notify clients if it notices suspicious activity. Bank of America warned that anyone contacted about this breach may have had their name, account numbers, addresses, contact information, date of birth, social security number, and other government IDs exposed to thieves The bank offered two years of free identity theft protection services, provided by Experian - one of the three major credit bureaus that compile credit reports. Along with free identity theft services, Bank of America advised anyone receiving a letter about this breach to take several steps to safeguard their own security. Those tips included checking for signs of fraud on banking statements and credit reports for the next two years, updating your contact information with the bank so they can alert you of any suspicious activity, and updating all account passwords to be at least eight characters long. Bank of America officials added that choosing to use multifactor authentication (MFA) can also enhance your safety. This security method sends you a private code to your personal devices or accounts (like your smartphone or email) which you need to enter before logging into your online bank accounts. Bank of America hasn't been the only member of the 'big four' banks to get sloppy with customer data, although most of the incidents have taken place online. In June 2024, Citigroup announced that an unspecified number of customers had their credit card data hacked. The bank had already received a $136 million fine from US regulators in 2020 for failing to fix data management issues. In February 2024, JPMorgan Chase revealed that they were hit by a data breach that exposed the personal financial information of over 450,000 customers' retirement plans. The breached reportedly stemmed from a software flaw that allowed cyber thieves access to the data. Chase customers using direct deposit were particularly affected as their bank routing and account numbers were exposed in the incident. In 2016, Wells Fargo employees, under pressure to meet aggressive sales targets, opened millions of unauthorized bank and credit card accounts without customers' consent. The bank was order to pay $3 billion in fines as a result of the Department of Justice's investigation into the misuse of customer records. As the John F Kennedy assassination files are set to be released to the public, a memo supposedly written by the former president 10 days before his death has resurfaced. In the letter, dated November 12, 1963, JFK allegedly requested the director of CIA brief him about 'all UFO intelligence.' The recipient's name was redacted, but John McCone headed the department at the time. It stressed the importance of knowing what objects in the skies are unknown in the event the Soviets mistake a UFO as America spying on its defenses. 'When this data has been sorted out, I would like you to arrange a program of data sharing with NASA where unknowns are a factor,' the memo reads. 'This will help NASA mission directors in their defensive responsibilities.' The document was obtained by William Lester, who claimed it was released to him under the Freedom of Information Act while researching his 2011 book A Celebration of Freedom: JFK and the New Frontier.' The CIA has never commented publicly and declined to respond to DailyMail.com prior to publishing this story. The memo claims that John F Kennedy requested the head of the CIA release UFO intelligence to him. An author claimed he obtained the letter by requesting it through the Freedom of Information Act However, the letter has not appeared anywhere but in Lester's book, leading some experts to question its authenticity. There are several outlandish conspiracy theories about JFK and UFOs, including that he may have been assassinated for exposing a government cover-up. The memo features the subject 'Classification review of all UFO intelligence files affecting National Security,' along with 'draft' written in pen in the top right corner. It came during the Cold War and the space race and two months after JFK proposed a joint lunar program with the Soviet Union because he believed more discoveries would be made with two nations working together. The memo states that JFK instructed James Webb, the second Administrator of NASA, 'to develop a program with the Soviet Union in joint space and lunar exploration.' 'It is important we make a clear distinction between the knowns and unknowns in the event the Soviets try to mistake our extended cooperation as a cover for intelligence gather of their defense and space programs.' JFK said in September 1963 that if the US and Soviet were to come together in space, they would need a new approach to the war. That included 'a desire not to bury one's adversary, but to compete in a host of peaceful arenas, in ideas, in production, and ultimately in service to all mankind.' The memo obtained by Lester suggested JFK was on a mission to ensure the nation did not see UFOs as American weaponry. The letter claims that JFK wanted to brief NASA on UFOs as he planned a joint space program with the Soviets and did not want the nation to see alien craft as American aggression The author who obtained the memo suggested it could be a missing link in theories about another document that claimed the CIA was concerned about JFK's inquiries about its activities and may have taken steps to prevent further probing A research technician at the JFK Library in Boston, who asked not to be named, told Space.com that he was unable to find a copy in the presidential archive, which holds copies of all of JFK's letters. 'We did some research into the presidential papers to try to find any evidence of the Nov. 12, 1963, letter to the director of the CIA, John McCone,' the technician said. JFK was also known for keeping carbon copies of all his letters, but the one Lester published has not been located. 'Something is a little odd about it,' the technician said. 'It is sanitized in very odd places: the director's name, the top heading of the document (which usually distinguishes which agency is generating it) and then the tiny 'top secret' print at the top of letter. Top secret items are usually stamped in large dark ink on the letter.' DailyMail.com has contacted the JFK Library and Lester for comment. Lester believes his memo proceeded another that many conspiracy theorists claim indicates the CIA killed JFK, called the 'burned memo.' This mysterious document surfaced in 1999 by an anonymous source claiming to be a former CIA operative who worked at the agency from 1960 and 1974 and took the memo. The anonymous source claimed they grabbed it from a fire just as the CIA was burning files, NBC News reported. But this memo has also never been verified as authentic. 'Lancer (the CIA's codename for JFK) has made some inquiries regarding our activities, which we cannot allow. Please submit your views no later than October. Your action to this matter is critical to the continuance of the group,' it reads. Lester believes the memo he received 'proves' JFK was looking into the CIA's involvement with UFOs. JFK was assassinated in downtown Dallas on November 22, 1963, as his motorcade passed in front of the Texas School Book Depository building 'If Kennedy had gotten some level of control of this issue from NASA or the CIA, who's to say he wouldn't have disclosed that information to the American public? Who knows where that would have led?' he said. In late January, President Donald Trump signed an executive order authorizing the release of the remaining classified records about the 1963 shooting of JFK. The White House was alerted last month that the FBI discovered about 14,000 pages of documents as the agency set about reviewing the secret files in response to the order. Surveillance of Lee Harvey Oswald, a file on a Cuban hitman, and the president's plan to obliterate the CIA are among bombshell revelations that could be contained within secret JFK assassination files. The order gave the director of national intelligence and the attorney general 15 days to develop a plan to declassify the remaining documents. It is not clear when the records will actually be released. JFK was assassinated in downtown Dallas on November 22, 1963, as his motorcade passed in front of the Texas School Book Depository building. Gunman Lee Harvey Oswald, 24, shot from a sixth-floor sniper's perch, and was himself gunned down two days later. The Warren Commission concluded Oswald acted alone, but conspiracy theories have run riot ever since. A growing oil spill in the Humber Estuary has sparked concerns of an environmental disaster after an oil tanker and cargo ship crashed off the Yorkshire coast. At least 36 people have been rescued after the US-flagged tanker, MV Stena Immaculate, was hit while at anchor by the Portugal-flagged container ship, MV Solong. Now, as jet fuel leaks out into the estuary, scientists have revealed what can be done to contain the spill. Nicky Cariglia, director of Marittima which specialises in marine pollution, told MailOnline: 'This will all depend on a number of factors, the type of oil, the weather, the sea state, and how far out the spill is.' Experts say floating barriers, oil-dispersing chemicals, and even giant sponges could be used to hold back the spreading oil. By holding the fuel in one place for long enough, boats and specially designed 'skimmers' can suck the fuel back out of the water. In exceptional circumstances, environmental agencies may even choose to burn the oil 'in situ' - lighting enormous fires on the open water. However, experts say that the type of fuel currently entering the Humber Estuary could evaporate quickly before it causes any serious damage. A growing oil spill in the Humber Estuary has sparked concerns of an environmental disaster after an oil tanker and cargo ship crashed off the Yorkshire coast. The US-flagged tanker, MV Stena Immaculate, was hit while at anchor by the Portugal-flagged container ship, MV Solong From the moment the oil hits the water, experts and local environmental authorities will need to start making a plan to contain the spill. Thicker oils, such as crude oil, behave very differently from lighter, more volatile refined oils like jet fuel. Likewise, waves and currents might disperse the oil over vast distances while making it difficult for recovery vessels to make it out to sea. That means the first step in dealing with an oil spill is making a careful plan about what to do next. 'When there is a spill, such as has happened today, agencies and experts will undergo some modelling of the type of oil and the weather conditions to understand what its behaviour might be and what kind of measures would be suitable,' says Ms Cariglia. 'There will be a lot of preparation going on at any time for different phases of the operation.' Generally speaking, the first step of a cleanup operation is to physically prevent the oil from spreading any further. Cleanup crews deploy specialised floating barriers called booms which corral the oil into more controllable areas. Your browser does not support iframes. US-flagged tanker, MV Stena Immaculate (pictured), was hit while at anchor by the Portugal-flagged container ship, MV Solong, off the coast of Humber Estuary, Hull, this morning. How the spill is contained will depend on the weather and the type of oil. However, the process typically begins by deploying inflatable barriers called booms which sit on the surface and stop the oil escaping. Pictured The Marine Spill Response Corporation puts down a boon to protect the beach at Chrissy Fields from oil contamination November 8, 2007 in San Francisco Booms are also deployed near beaches and in other sensitive areas as a protective barrier against the oil spill. Pictured: Booms float on the Talbert Marsh, California following an oil spill in 2021 How are oil spills contained? Booms The oil is held in place by floating barriers called booms. These can be placed around sensitive areas or used to herd the oil. Skimmers Floating platforms suck oil out of the water and pump it onto waiting boats. Sorbets Crews use absorbent materials like giant sponges to soak up the oil. These can then be retrieved and squeezed dry. Dispersing chemicals Chemicals can be dropped onto the oil from the air to break it up into smaller droplets. Advertisement While there are different designs the most common booms are long cylindrical flotation devices attached to a weighted 'skirt' that extends beneath the water. Since oil doesn't mix with water it floats to the surface, so these booms can be used to 'sweep' it up or protect sensitive areas. Ms Cariglia says: 'You can either wait down current for the oil to collect it there, or you can sometimes sweep up the oil and gather it up like that.' In some cleanup operations, booms will be towed alongside one or two boats to funnel the oil into a point where it can be collected. Once the oil is contained, the next stage is to 'recover' the oil so that it can be safely disposed of or recycled. This is primarily done using skimmers which float along the surface of the water and suck up the oil like vacuum cleaners. These have several different designs including suction pumps, conveyor belts of sponges of absorbant sponges, and 'weir' skimmers which sit just below the waterline and drain the oil off the surface with gravity. After the BP Deep Horizon oil spill, hundreds of skimmers were used to scoop up oil from the water's surface. Cleanup crews also use skimmers (pictured) which pull oil off the surface of the water after it has been collected Skimmers sit at the surface of the water and pull oil off so that it can be disposed of safely or recycled However, these proved much less effective than expected and only recovered about three per cent of the oil on the surface. Cleanup crews might also use 'sorbents' which are absorbant materials which soak up liquids like giant household sponges. These sorbents, usually made of natural materials like wool or clay, are dropped into the water to clean small amounts of oil in places skimmers can't reach. Some types of sorbents can even be fished out of the water and squeezed out to recover the oil and allow them to be used again. In addition to these standard approaches, cleanup operations also have a few more drastic options available. The first is to add chemical or biological 'dispersing agents' to the oil slick, usually in the form of powders or liquids dropped from helicopters. Ms Cariglia says: 'It's essentially like how dish detergent works to cut through grease, it makes the oil slick go into smaller particles. This helps the oil disperse naturally under the force of the wind and waves making it less likely to reach the shore where it could cause an environmental disaster. Absorbent pads called sorbents are also used to catch oil in areas that skimmers can't reach. These soak up the oil like giant sponges so that it can be removed. Pictured: A worker retrieves an absorbent pad following an oil spill in San Francisco In some cases, oil-dispersing chemicals will be dropped from planes or helicopters to help the oil naturally disperse. These act like washing detergents to break the oil down into smaller droplets. Pictured: A U.S. Air Force plane drops an oil-dispersing chemical onto an oil slick on the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 However, Ms Cariglia says that these compounds are only suitable for very specific applications and types of oil. Finally, the last and most controversial way of removing an oil spill is to set it on fire. In-situ burning, as the technique is formally known, works by collecting the oil into a layer which is thick enough to burn using fire-resistant booms and then setting it alight. This can only be done when the oil is two to three millimetres thick and when the waves are smaller than three feet. Although this can be extremely effective at removing oil from the surface, it comes with its own set of concerns. Dr Vikas Nandwana, founder and CTO of Coral Innovations which produces oil cleaning products, told MailOnline: 'Controlled burning is sometimes used to rapidly remove large volumes of oil when other methods are ineffective. 'It is not the preferred method, as it releases CO2 and other toxic gases, contributing to air pollution. Because of these environmental concerns, in-situ burning is only viable under specific conditions where containment is possible.' However, in some circumstances, none of these methods are needed. In extreme cases, the oil can be removed through in-situ burning. The oil is collected using fire-resistant booms and then ignited. Pictured: Crews conduct a controlled burn on an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico The oil spilt in today's collision (pictured) is likely to disperse quickly because it is volatile jet fuel. This means the environmental risk is lower than it would have been for a fuel like crude oil If the oil spill is far enough away from populated areas or sensitive marine areas the wind and waves will naturally disperse the oil as parts of it begin to evaporate. This process is especially fast in cases such as the Humber Estuary spill where the fuel is a highly refined, volatile, form of oil like jet fuel. Dr Hark Hartl, of Heriot-Watt University, says: 'Whilst the images look worrying, from the perspective of the impact to the aquatic environment its less of a concern than if this had been crude oil because most of the jet fuel will evaporate very quickly.' Likewise, over time, microbes will start to feed on the oil, breaking it down and helping to remove the spill. Professor Mark Sephton, of Imperial College London, says: 'The fact that it is jet fuel is significant. Jet fuel is dominated by relatively small hydrocarbons, compared to the more diverse and sometimes larger organic structures found in crude oil. 'Smaller hydrocarbons are very attractive to bacteria who will degrade them more quickly than larger molecules - called "biodegradation". 'The fact that we are moving into warmer temperatures will also speed up biodegradation rates. In the end it all depends on the rate of introduction of fuel and the rate of destruction by bacteria. Lets hope the latter wins out.' Elon Musk says that X has been targeted by a 'massive cyberattack' Monday. The statement came after the platform has been down for users worldwide as people have cited issues with the app and website since as early as 5:30am ET. Musk shared on X that the hack involves so many resources that he believes it could only be the work of a 'coordinated group' or a foreign country. His suspicions were apparently confirmed after the group Dark Storm Team took credit for the attack, according to post on X Monday afternoon. Cybersecurity group SpyoSecure claimed that they spoke to the leader of Dark Storm Team, who revealed that they initiated a DDOS attack on X. A DDOS attack is essentially a traffic jam on the internet, caused on purpose to shut websites down. A hacker sends thousands or even millions of fake visitors (bots) to flood the site. The site gets so overwhelmed that it slows down or completely crashes, making it impossible for real users to get onto X. Many users have been left unable to log in to their accounts, while others reported the site will not load to shows posts. Those already logged in on the app and website have been presented with the message: 'Something went wrong, try reloading.' X user SpyoSecure posted Monday afternoon that Dark Storm Team had taken credit for the attack on X that shut the site down Elon Musk says that X has been targeted by a 'massive cyberattack' Monday. The statement came after the platform has been down for users worldwide as people have cited issues with the app and website since as early as 5:30am ET Downdetector, a site that monitors online problems, shows more than 40,000 users issued outage reports around 10am ET. Musk's statement was a reply to a post from X user 'DogeDesigner' who wrote 'First, protests against DOGE. Then, Tesla stores were attacked. Now, X is down.' 'I wouldn't rule out the possibility that this downtime is the result of an attack on X.' Another X user commented on DogeDesigner's post saying, 'They want to silence you and this platform,' which which the billionaire said, 'Yes.' Downdetector shows 58 percent of users cited problems with the app, 31 percent said the website is down and 11 percent cited server connection. And the site's outage map shows issues are being reported nationwide. Who is behind the 'cyberattack' is not known, but Musk has pushed himself into the political spotlight by joining forces with President Donald Trump. He also heads the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has laid off thousands of US government employees and shut down federal programs in a matter of weeks of the inauguration. Musk's Tesla stores have also become a target of attacks and protests recently. On Saturday, a fired-up crowd formed outside Tesla stores across the country on Saturday afternoon to protest against Musk's efforts to slash government spending and enact reforms. Roughly 250 activists were gathered outside a showroom in New York City, holding anti-Musk placards that read 'Block Facism Now and 'Musk Must Go' as they shouted 'Elon Musk is not elected! Democracy must be protected!' Musk's Tesla stores have also become a target of attacks and protests recently Roughly 250 demonstrators were gathered outside a showroom in New York City on Saturday afternoon Five protesters were arrested for disorderly conduct at the Manhattan demonstration and one was taken into custody for resisting arrest, obstruction and violation of local law, The New York Daily News reported. There have also been more than a dozen acts of vandalism against Tesla vehicles, dealerships and charging stations since President Donald Trump's inauguration, according to police and local reports. A Tesla showroom in Salem, Oregon, was shot at with an AR 15-style rifle in February. Suspected vandal Adam Matthew Lansky, 41, is also accused of causing major damage at the same store with molotov cocktails in January. Similarly, four Tesla Cybertrucks were set ablaze overnight at a storage lot in Seattle's industrial SoDo neighborhood, KING-TV reported. Officials say at least two vehicles were severely damaged in the fire. Seattle police are investigating if the blaze was an act of arson. As for the 'cyberattack' on X, Musk has previously blamed issues with the platform on shadowy criminals. In August 2024, he interviewed then presidential candidate Trump on the platform. The conversation started 42 minutes late, which Musk said was 'probably' an attack. 'Given the prominence of this conversation, there was of course a 100% probability of DDOS attacks,' Must posted. DDOS stands for 'distributed denial-of-service,' which happens when servers are overwhelmed with fake traffic in order to knock out service. 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 By now we all (hopefully) know the importance of SPF, but with so many brands and products on the market, it can be hard to know which one to use for your skin type, or which will look the best under makeup. In whats great news for UK beauty lovers, Naked Sundays - the viral Australian SPF brand loved by the likes of Alix Earle and Khloe Kardashian - is now available to shop via Boots, both in selected stores and online. Hurrah! Thousands of creators have taken to TikTok to share their first impressions of the product, with one user claiming she's 'never seen a sunscreen like this before' Focusing entirely on SPF meets skincare, the brands formulations have been made to meet strict Australian sunscreen regulations, while addressing other skincare concerns such as fine lines or dullness. Its viral product, the Naked Sundays CabanaClear Water Gel Serum SPF50, has received a flurry of attention on TikTok due to its completely clear formulation (most SPF products leave an unfortunate white cast on the skin), and has received hundreds of five-star reviews online. With the UK facing sunnier days ahead (finally!), an SPF is an unskippable step in any skincare routine - whether youre a skincare fanatic or not! Ready to upgrade your outdated tube from last year? Shop our favourite picks from Naked Sundays below. ABC's American Idol returned for a brand new season on Sunday, with a very familiar face behind the judge's table: Carrie Underwood. The 42-year-old was just a 22-year-old from Muskogee, Oklahoma when she auditioned for American Idol in Season 4. She ultimately went all the way that season, defeating Bo Bice to win American Idol, launching her career into the stratosphere. Two decades, eight Grammy awards and 85 million records sold later, Underwood is one of the biggest music stars out there. She returned home to the American Idol judges table, joining Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, replacing Katy Perry. Fans were overjoyed with Underwood returning to the hit reality show, with many chiming in about her Idol return. ABC's American Idol returned for a brand new season on Sunday, with a very familiar face behind the judge's table: Carrie Underwood . She returned home to the American Idol judges table, joining Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie , replacing Katy Perry Sunday's two-hour premiere featured auditions in Underwood's home of Nashville and also Los Angeles. At one point during the auditions, Underwood insisted to her fellow judges that she was not a crier, though Luke Bryan revealed he felt the same way. 'I thought I wasn't a crier, eight years ago when we started this, but this show will turn you into a crier,' Bryan admitted. Underwood ultimately proved herself wrong in the next audition from Breanna Nix, a 25-year-old, who brought her husband Austin and their son Emerson. Underwood held their son throughout her audition, where she sang Underwood's own song, Jesus Take the Wheel, which drove her to tears. She also impressed the judges with her vast knowledge of a variety of different music, knowing the lyrics to seemingly ever song, regardless of genre. During one of the show's rare heavy metal auditions, from a young Florida dubbed Insite, she even took to the stage and sang the 2001 Drowning Pool song Bodies. While Underwood quickly won over the judges, she seemingly won over legions of fans as well in the premiere. Sunday's two-hour premiere featured auditions in Underwood's home of Nashville and also Los Angeles Underwood ultimately proved herself wrong in the next audition from Breanna Nix, a 25-year-old, who brought her husband Austin and their son Emerson Molly Vegas (@MollyVegas) replied to one of Underwood's tweets, stating, 'Carrie, you are a natural at this. You did such a great job. Hope youre here for at least a few seasons. @AmericanIdol #AmericanIdol There are so many great contestants this year!!! #CUonIDOL Devin Wolfe (@dwolfe350) said, 'Watching @carrieunderwood as a judge on @AmericanIdol is so special for me thank you for 20 years of comfort, Carrie.' Tim J (@SelenatorSwifty) said, 'Such a powerful first episode of #AmericanIdol @carrieunderwood You were simply AMAZING!!! Welcome home! @LionelRichie @lukebryan you guys!!' James Denton (@JamesMDenton) said, 'That was the best episode of American Idol I have seen in a long time. Welcome @carrieunderwood.' Keith (@kmcorder) offered some, '@carrieunderwood new judge ratings after tonights 2-week premiere- Likability 10/10 Been there done that 10/10 Good with kids 10/10 Street cred 9/10 Style 10/10 Real emotion shared 9/10 Tough advice 8/10 KORN song 100/10.' Meg (@MeganMae012) added, 'Carrie Underwood rocked it as American Idol judge tonight! Loved her energy and insight she brings to the show. Can't wait to see more of her on Idol this season!' Lizzy MacDonald (@Lizzard899) added, 'Jukebox Carrie Underwood is way better than Katy Perry sorry not sorry.' Blake Taylor (@blaketaylor1112) added simply and succinctly, 'I love Carrie Underwood on American Idol!' Molly Vegas (@MollyVegas) replied to one of Underwood's tweets, stating, 'Carrie, you are a natural at this. You did such a great job. Hope youre here for at least a few seasons. @AmericanIdol #AmericanIdol There are so many great contestants this year!!! #CUonIDOL James Denton (@JamesMDenton) said, 'That was the best episode of American Idol I have seen in a long time. Welcome @carrieunderwood.' Keith (@kmcorder) offered some, '@carrieunderwood new judge ratings after tonights 2-week premiere- Likability 10/10 Been there done that 10/10 Good with kids 10/10 Street cred 9/10 Style 10/10 Real emotion shared 9/10 Tough advice 8/10 KORN song 100/10' Meg (@MeganMae012) added, 'Carrie Underwood rocked it as American Idol judge tonight! Loved her energy and insight she brings to the show. Can't wait to see more of her on Idol this season!' Lizzy MacDonald (@Lizzard899) added, 'Jukebox Carrie Underwood is way better than Katy Perry sorry not sorry.' Blake Taylor (@blaketaylor1112) added simply and succinctly, 'I love Carrie Underwood on American Idol!' Correct RTV Options (@CorrectRTV_Opin) said, 'Carrie is the best addition to the show since the new era. And I said that with my chest.' Sara Kohls (@sara_kohls) said, 'Starting to watch @AmericanIdol) after yrs. of not watching. All because @carrieunderwood is a judge. Besides, @LukeBryan & @LionelRichie. Looks like a good season this yr.' Alexander (@aallexx101) said, 'The return of American Idol! Looking forward to seeing the talent in this season and Carrie Underwood as the new judge. Full circle moment!' Bobby (@RCMorris) said, '2 seconds in and I'm already emoitional.' Correct RTV Options (@CorrectRTV_Opin) said, 'Carrie is the best addition to the show since the new era. And I said that with my chest.' Occam Was Right (@OccamWasRight) said, 'Jukebox Carrie is one of the greatest American Idol judges ever!' Correct RTV Options (@CorrectRTV_Opin) said, 'Carrie is the best addition to the show since the new era. And I said that with my chest.' Alec Baldwin's wife Hilaria revealed that the couple prepared for the worst before learning the verdict in the actor's Rust shooting trial, as they have since been slammed by Halyna Hutchins' family. On the third episode of their new TLC reality TV series, The Baldwins, Hilaria, 41, admitted that she wrote letters to five of their seven kids as she flew out to New Mexico to support Alec, 66, at the trial. Hilaria said she left five of the kids at home with a friend. 'This is going to sound so stupid. I wrote them all little letters, the ones that I left here. And I hid them.' 'And I told my friend where they were if something happened to us,' she added. The Yoga teacher did not explain what she thought might happen. Alec and Hilaria share seven children together: Carmen, 11, Rafael, 9, Leonardo, 8, Romeo, 6, Eduardo, 4, Maria, 4 and Ilaria, 2 Alec was initially charged with involuntary manslaughter in January 2023 for the 2021 death of cinematographer Halyna. Alec Baldwin's, 66, wife Hilaria, 41, revealed that the couple prepared for the worst before learning the verdict in the actor's Rust shooting trial On the third episode of their new TLC reality series, The Baldwins, Hilaria admitted that she wrote letters to five of their seven kids as she flew out to New Mexico to support Alec at the trial Baldwin, who was holding the prop gun that discharged on the Rust set, killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza, maintained his innocence. He pleaded not guilty to the charges, which were initially dropped in April 2023. He was later re-indicted in connection with Hutchins' death, but that case was subsequently dismissed. Baldwin has since filed a lawsuit alleging malicious prosecution and civil rights violations. Speaking of the verdict, Hilaria said: 'This was not a win. This is just an awful thing that happened to, you know, to people. There was an awful thing that happened.' 'The hardest thing about this is that a woman lost her life. A son lost his mom. Halyna didn't get to go home. And that's what makes everything so painful,' Hilaria added. She went on to say: 'We're coming back to something totally new where we just get to make more choices than what we made before. And now we can try to remember how to live again. And that is a dream come true.' Alec added, 'Just the privilege and the gift of being able to come home, you know, and be with them. My kids are happy. That's all I care about, you know? And you just live one day at a time.' In the clip, Hilaria and Alec were seen returning home from the trial and greeting their children. 'To come home to these kids, they're so sweet. They're so sweet. And I just was happy. This is my life now,' Alec said. Hilaria said she left five of the kids at home with a friend. 'This is going to sound so stupid. I wrote them all little letters, the ones that I left here. And I hid them,' she shared 'And I told my friend where they were if something happened to us,' she added. The Yoga teacher did not explain what she thought might happen Alec and Hilaria share seven children together: Carmen, 11, Rafael, 9, Leonardo, 8, Romeo, 6, Eduardo, 4, Maria, 4 and Ilaria, 2 In the clip, Hilaria and Alec were seen returning home from the trial and greeting their children 'After everything we've been through, I said to myself, this is perfect. This is what I'm doing, is raising my kids. And I just feel like it's such a privilege.' In a previous episode, Hilaria said that Carmen was worried about their safety. 'Carmen asked me last night, "When daddy goes to New Mexico, do I say goodbye to him? Do I say goodbye to him in a special way?"' '[She was so afraid] that when Alec and I go into court that somebody is going to shoot us,' she added. She also said how much Alec struggled in the first months. 'I found these text messages the other day between us and the day after he said he wanted to kill himself. He has survivors guilt He wishes it were him. He would change places in a second.' 'This has affected his health and his mental health tremendously. In the past few years, he has had heart problems and, multiple times, he fainted.' Meanwhile, Alec has been blasted as it has been claimed that he 'never called or tried to contact' the parents or sister of cinematographer Hutchins after he fatally shot her on the set of the Western film Rust in October of 2021, lawyer Gloria Allred said Tuesday. 'Although some of Halynas friends and co-workers contacted Halynas mother with their condolences after Halyna lost her life on the set of Rust, the man who killed her never did,' the famed attorney, 83, told Dailymail.com in a statement Tuesday. The Oscar-nominated actor 'never called or tried to contact her parents or sister to say that he was sorry, and to this day he has never taken responsibility for Halynas death,' Allred said. Allred said that Baldwin's new TLC show The Baldwins - showing him and wife Hilaria raising their seven young children - provides a sad juxtaposition in the wake of the fatal on-set shooting in New Mexico more than three years ago. 'The Baldwin reality show at once celebrates Mr. Baldwins joy of being with his children while ignoring the fact that Alec Baldwin took a child away from her parents,' said Allred. 'That is the painful and actual reality with which Halynas parents and sister live each and every day.' Meanwhile, Alec has been blasted as it has been claimed that he 'never called or tried to contact' the parents or sister of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, after he fatally shot her on the set of the Western film Rust in October of 2021, lawyer Gloria Allred said Tuesday Allred spoke out as her clients - Hutchins' parents Olga Solovey and Anatolii Androsovych, and sister Svetlana Zemko - entered a court filing for a deposition this May. Pictured in 2023 in LA Baldwin 'never called or tried to contact her parents or sister to say that he was sorry, and to this day he has never taken responsibility for Halynas death,' Allred said. Hutchins pictured in 2019 Allred added, 'Although her family lives in Ukraine, they were very close to Halyna. Halyna visited them in Ukraine and her mother, Olga, visited her in the United States. 'They communicated on the phone and on the internet on a regular basis, and their bond with their beautiful, talented, and loving daughter was a strong and close one.' Allred spoke out as her clients - Hutchins' parents Olga Solovey and Anatolii Androsovych, and sister Svetlana Zemko - entered a court filing for a deposition this May, People reported after reviewing the filing. Allred asked the Glengarry Glen Ross actor 'face the real-life consequences that he caused' and 'face reality under oath.' The filmmakers survivors initially filed the wrongful death civil lawsuit against Baldwin in February of 2023. Allred - whose career was chronicled in the 2018 Netflix documentary Seeing Allred - said she wants Baldwin to testify in her New York office in person, 'and his testimony will be recorded on video.' Channel 4 has axed comedy series Generation Z. The show, set in a fictional town of Dambury, follows the lives of a group of OAPs who try to fight off a zombie apocalypses after a truck leaks chemicals into their care home. Generation Z hit our screens with six episodes back in October, but unfortunately it will not be returning for a second series. An insider told The Sun: 'It had seemed with Cecily being reborn, there was more to come in this series. 'The fate of a lot of the other characters in Dambury was also left unclear. 'Thats certain to be disappointing news for those who did like it many likening it to a bizarre spin-off of hugely popular American zombie drama The Walking Dead. Channel 4 axes comedy series with all-star cast amid mixed reviews and cliffhanger ending in blow to fans Channel 4 has axed comedy series Generation Z - which hit our screens with six episodes back in October 'But Channel 4 decided to put this one on the shelf, and there are no plans to bring it back. 'Thats certain to be disappointing news for those who did like it many likening it to a bizarre spin-off of hugely popular American zombie drama The Walking Dead. 'But sadly it didnt win everyone over and its likely that was behind the decision to rest it.' Generation Z stars the likes of Sue Johnston, Robert Lindsay, Lewis Gribben, Paul Benthall, Anita Dobson and Jay Lycurgo. The programme's synopsis reads: 'Set in the fictional town of Dambury, the kind of place with stark opportunities and not much to do, its the last place youd expect the apocalypse to begin 'But when an army convoy overturns outside a care home, a chemical leak starts to have an adverse effect on the residents there. 'The OAPs, led by Cecily and Frank, escape the grasp of the army looking to contain their angry, violent, insatiable hunger for raw flesh.' Generation Z has received mixed reviews over the months. One viewer gave the show four out of five stars and said: 'But the characters and their relationships (always Wheatley's strongest point) are excellent - as good as any you'll find on TV, and better than most of the shows that will still be remembered long after this one has faded into obscurity.' While a second said: 'The final scenes actually made me feel there was something better to come, but I doubt it will get a second season.' Daily Telegraph's Anita Singh added: 'Its gory, but in a silly, B-movie way, although it gets progressively darker (and the make-up effects become increasingly revolting).' The Guardian's Lucy Mangan wrote: 'Ben Wheatleys series about an aged undead army is an entertaining drama packed full of fine British actors even if its far from subtle.' But back in October some Channel 4 viewers 'switched off' just minutes into the grisly drama - branding it 'a load of rubbish' and insisted they would 'rather watch Gogglebox repeats'. Viewers were underwhelmed by the Zombie bonanza, branding it a 'load of rubbish'. The six-episode series was created by cult director Ben Wheatley, who is known for films such as A Field in England, Kill List, Sightseers and Free Fire. The show opens in the quiet town of Danbury, however, an unlikely apocalypse soon begins to unfold. Events kick off when an army convoy overturns, and a chemical leak has an immediate effect on the residents of a nearby care home. The OAPs immediately savage their care staff and break out of the home to find fresh young meat. Channel 4 aired the gruesome horror Generation Z on Sunday but viewers were underwhelmed by the Zombie series branding it a 'load of rubbish' The six-episode series was created by cult director Ben Wheatley, who is known for films such as A Field in England, Kill List, Sightseers and Free Fire Meanwhile, a group of teenagers have to deal with the apocalypse that's taken over their sleepy town. Sue Johnston, Robert Lindsay, Anita Dobson, and Johnny Vegas star in the gory mini-series, which has divided viewers. After watching the series, viewers took to X, formerly Twitter, to slam the show and claimed they would rather watch Gogglebox repeats. One viewer wrote: 'I gave it half an hour but not for me. #generationz.'; '#Generationz, what a load of rubbish.'; 'Is the dialogue improvised? had to put subtitles on to understand what they were saying, but still not rocking my boat. No idea what's going on.' '#GenerationZ Gave up after 5 mins ... I'm waiting for repeat of #CelebrityGogglebox.'; 'Turned it off at the ad break. #generation' However, some viewers enjoyed the show with one person stating 'Really good so far!' as another echoed: 'Everything about this is iconic, I love it #GenerationZ.' Generation Z is available to stream now on channel4.com. A viral account on X that tracked Lorraine Kelly's absence from her own show has shut down after two years. The satirical social media page called @LorraineKWatch made its debut back in February 2023 and was dedicated to documenting the presenter's attendance on her ITV morning programme. Lorraine has hosted her name-sake weekday show since 2010 and is typically on screens Monday to Thursday, taking Fridays off, when she is often replaced by other presenters including Christine Lampard or Ranvir Singh. The light-hearted X account often makes comments stating the percentage of episodes Lorraine has appeared in so far this year. One of its recent posts said: 'Lorraine Kelly did not host her own show this morning, with Ranvir Singh stepping in. '#Lorraine has hosted 32 episodes out of 47 (68.1%) this year. Ranvir has hosted 6 episodes, Christine Lampard has hosted 9 episodes.' A viral account on X that tracked Lorraine Kelly's (pictured) absence from her own show has shut down after two years Lorraine has hosted her name-sake weekday show since 2010 and is typically on screens Monday to Thursday, usually taking Fridays off Lorraine has recently spoke out about the account and afterwards, LorraineKWatch made an official statement and closed the account down The account quickly gained a substantial amount of attention and amassed more than 26,000 followers who enjoyed the humorous posts. But the fun has now come to an end after Lorraine spoke out about the account in an interview with The Guardian and revealed she finds it 'really hurtful'. She said: 'I've not spoken about it before. I'm a grafter and I work really hard and I've had to take Fridays off for the past year. I just thought it was weird to care so much.' Lorraine revealed she originally started taking Fridays off because her mother has been ill, 'And it sort of brings you into line with everyone else because if you look at This Morning, everybody else does four days.' The presenter went on to add: 'Maybe it just started off as a wee joke, but it's the way that everyone piles on. It starts off as a wee tiny thing and it gets bigger and bigger. I find it really sad.' Earlier this year, the person behind LorraineKWatch revealed to Metro that they would close the account if the presenter ever expressed she was upset by it. It would have been shut down right away if they did, they said. Since Lorraine's comments were published over weekend, the social media account has stuck to its word and has decided to take a step down. Lorraine spoke out about the account in an interview with The Guardian and revealed she finds it 'really hurtful' Since Lorraine's comments were published over weekend, the social media account has stuck to its word and has decided to take a step down The account owner told Metro: I am really sorry to hear that Lorraine has found the account hurtful after previously agreeing that it was lighthearted fun. As Ive said throughout, this was never meant to cause any harm so in light of Lorraines recent comments, it only feels right to stop here. LorraineKWatch went on to make an official statement on social media and posted: 'I have always said that if Lorraine or her team reached out and asked me to stop this account then I would. 'While I have not had contact with Lorraine or anybody affiliated with her, her comments in this weekends The Guardian make it clear that the joke has run its course and it is time for it to end. 'I have said time and time again that this was only ever meant to be fun and Im very grateful to everybody who has enjoyed it with me. There was never any intention of hurting Lorraines feelings and I am sorry if I have done so. 'Goodbye my Lorrainvirstines.' It comes after Lorraine concerned fans last week when she appeared to have a swollen face on Good Morning Britain on Thursday. Speaking on Loose Women the same day, she addressed the speculation about her face, after many of those watching at home had got in touch with her to share their worry. Lorraine explained: 'Yesterday, you know as woman, when we try to do too many things at one time, and we try to do it really fast... It comes after Lorraine concerned fans last week when she appeared to have a swollen face on Good Morning Britain on Thursday 'So I had a massive bag of washing, like a washing basket, I couldn't see, and I was going from the kitchen to the living room, and there was a wee step. 'My slippers are too big and I fell over and fell onto a rhino!' She continued: 'I thought "Oh it will be fine!" but I woke up this morning with the biggest shiner, this big black eye!' Lorraine explained that lots of 'lovely' viewers asked if she had allergies, but confirmed that this was not the case. She also addressed speculation around her having facial injectables, adding: 'Have I had fillers? No!' Coleen Nolan broke down in tears live on Loose Women on Monday after receiving an emotional surprise for her 60th birthday. The star, who will celebrate the milestone on March 12, was treated to unexpected faces in the show's audience. Coleen, 59, arrived at the studio with an eye mask and Air Pods in her ears so that she had no idea what was going on. The telly favourite broke down in tears when she realised that her family and friends were in the audience - and it was the first time that all three of her kids Jake, 32, Shane, 36, and Ciara, 24, had been there at the same time. Coleen shares her two sons with ex husband Shane Richie, 60, who she was married to between 1990 and 1999. Her daughter Ciara is from her marriage to Ray Fensome. Coleen Nolan breaks down in tears live on Loose Women after emotional surprise in ITV studio for 60th birthday Coleen's children (pictured left to right) Jake, 32, Shane, 36, and Ciara, 24, were in the audience of the show The pair were married between 2007 and 2018. Other loved ones in the front row included Shane and Ciara's partners, Coleen's two best friends, brothers Brian and Tommy and her cousin Sandra. The birthday girl was also treated to some special messages from famous faces, including Pete Wicks and Jeff Brazier. Ruth Langsford, 64, Nadia Sawalha, 60, Linda Robson, 66, Denise Welch, 66, also shared some wise words with their co-star too. And Janet Street Porter, 78, even sent over a clip from rainy Australia to wish her a happy birthday. Kaye Adams, 62, Judi Love, 44, and Jane Moore, 62, certainly pulled out all the stops to make sure that she felt very spoilt for her special day. Judi bought her a pair of sparkling wellies, while Jane bought her some goat mix as presents. Speaking about the milestone birthday, Coleen confessed: 'How do I feel? I feel great about turning 60. Brian and Tommy (pictured left and right) surprised their sister Coleen with a bunch of flowers live in the studio - and spoke about fond memories 'I believe that age is still a number.' She added: 'Physically I'm feeling it, but mentally I feel great. 'I feel a little bit scared.' Coleen has recently been through heartbreak, after losing her sister Linda on January 15. Her late sister was brought up in the conversation. She told the Loose Women panel: 'That makes me appreciate I've turned 60. 'So many people don't make it. 'The one thing I've learnt is to be grateful I'm still here and I'm still going.' Coleen's sister Maureen, 70, appeared on the show as well to share some birthday wishes Coleen's Loose Women co-star Brenda Edwards, 56, surprised her on set right at the end of the episode to perform Later on in the instalment she got even more emotional when her brothers Brian and Tommy surprised her with a bunch of flowers. But they weren't the only siblings that appeared on Loose Women for Coleen's birthday. Maureen, 70, took to the studio to talk about how important it is for them to all be together after the loss of Linda. Fighting back the tears, Coleen said: 'Its made us appreciate to make more of an effort.' Maureen added: 'Thats what its all about really now.' There are eight Nolan siblings all together - Brian, Tommy, Coleen, Maureen, Anne, 74, Linda, Denise, 72, and Bernie. Bernie passed away in 2013 aged 52, while Linda passed away earlier this year. Right at the end of the episode, Coleen's co-star Brenda Edwards, 56, belted out Bill Withers' 1972 tune Lean on Me. Loose Women airs weekdays from 12:30pm on ITV. Channel Seven has confirmed one contestant has been axed from the upcoming season of Farmer Wants a Wife after he was caught hooking up with other women during filming last year. Professional bull rider Jack Rowlandson, 26, was not part of the cast when Seven officially announced the farmers starring on the show. Last month Daily Mail Australia revealed there was turmoil on the set of the bucolic dating show when it emerged that the handsome reality star was seeing more than one of the contestants at the same time. On Monday, Seven dropped the first trailer of the new season and Rowlandson was nowhere to be seen. Seven instead presented four final cast members looking for love - Jarrad, 21, and Corey, 24, Thomas, 35, and Tom, 31. Hailing from Biloela, Corey farms beans, wheat and cotton, while Jarred, from Stanthorpe raises sheep. Channel Seven has confirmed professional bull rider Jack Rowlandson has been axed from the upcoming season of Farmer Wants a Wife after he was caught hooking up with other women during filming last year Last month Daily Mail Australia revealed there was turmoil on the set of the bucolic dating show when it emerged that the handsome reality star was seeing more than one of the contestants at the same time. Pictured: Host Natalie Gruzlewski This year's cast also includes Thomas, 35, a wheat, barley, and lentil farmer from Kimba in South Australia, and sheep farmer Tom, 31, from Borambola in New South Wales. The teaser for the new season, which will debut after Easter, prominently features each of the four farmers. Originally eight farmers, including Rowlandson, were announced as taking part in filming for the 2025 season, while Seven sifted through thousands of applicants from women wanting to appear on the show as contestants. Reports surfaced last July that two men would be cut from the final line-up with just six farmers taking to the screen. However, it appears there was turmoil during filming when Rowlandson's amorous adventures forced producers to edit him out completely. As Mail+ reported last month, the former soldier became involved with an off-air interloper as well as seeing more than one contestant. One contestant had experience as an OnlyFans model. Producers at Farmer Wants a Wife have had to weather trouble over the last year. Pictured: The final four final cast members looking on Farmer Wants a Wife include Queenslander farmers Jarrad, 21, and Corey, 24 and Thomas, 35, from Kimba in South Australia, and Tom, 31, from New South Wales. (All pictured) It lost its host Sam Armytage after she defected to Nine to present seniors matchmaking show The Golden Bachelor, leaving Natalie Gruzlewski to front the series solo this time around. Rowlandson's misbehaving left cast and crew working overtime to fill gaps left by the ousted rural Romeo. But his alleged indiscretion risked tarnishing the reputation of a show that Seven bigwigs love to tell advertisers is a wholesome and 'brand-safe' alternative to Nine's Married At First Sight, where partner-swapping and 'secret girlfriends' are par for the course. Eureka Productions, which makes FWAW, spent few weeks furiously scrubbing shots of Rowlandson from the upcoming season. Reports surfaced from set indicating that producers diligently re-filmed scenes that previously featured Rowlandson in a bid to plaster over the gaps caused by the unanticipated drama. It's been quite the challenge - and expense - given Rowlandson, who hails from the tiny town of Oberon, about two-and-a-half hours' drive west from Sydney on the far side of the Blue Mountains, was expected to be the breakout heart-throb this season. Mail+ caught up with Rowlandson in December, but he appeared to discuss details of what went on behind the scenes during filming. 'I'm probably not allowed to talk to you about all that,' he said, when asked about his edit. 'I haven't heard from them [creators, Eureka Productions] at all, so... look, I'm going to have to go.' Wendy Williams is signaling that she's ready to return to daytime television nearly four years after she took a leave of absence from The Wendy Williams Show. The 60-year-old talk show host will be making her first national television appearance since her shocking dementia diagnosis, ABC revealed on Sunday. Williams will be joining the ladies of The View on Friday, March 14, even as she wages a legal battle to end her guardianship. Wendy has lately made attempts to speak out via phone from her assisted-living facility, where she has been kept on a restrictive memory unit that gives her few privileges and little right of movement. However, she got a rare breath of fresh air last month when her guardianship and the facility allowed her to fly to Miami to celebrate her father's 94th birthday for a few days. Although Williams will be back on TV, it's unclear if viewers will get to see her live, as ABC's announcement indicates that she will be doing a phone interview with the View hosts, who include Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin, Ana Navarro and Alyssa Farah Griffin. Wendy Williams, 60, will be making her first national television appearance since her shocking dementia diagnosis, ABC revealed on Sunday; seen in 2019 in NYC Williams will be joining the ladies of The View on Friday, March 14, even as she wages a legal battle to end her years-long guardianship; (LR) Joy Behar, Sara Haines, Whoopi Goldberg, Alyssa Farah Griffin and Sunny Hostin pictured in May 2024 However, Wendy has recently been seen live in some phone interviews, as she has conducted them while standing against the window to her room at the assisted-living facility, which has allowed a camera to catch her reactions in real time. According to The View's schedule, Wendy's phone interview will also feature Ginalisa Monterroso, the founder and president of Connect Care Advisory Group. In its schedule announcement, ABC boasted that The View is 'Americas most-watched daytime talk show for the fifth consecutive season. The long-running show, now in its 28th season, has had a rotating line up female hosts over the years. Whoopi Goldberg, Sara Haines, Alyssa Farah Griffin, Sunny Hostin and Joy Behar the only holdover from the original lineup currently host the talk show. Back in 2022, Williams was placed under a court-appointed guardianship after Wells Fargo reported several large withdrawals from her bank account that it deemed suspicious. She was then placed under a court-appointed guardianship, which took control of her finances and her medical decisions, with Sabrina Morrissey acting as her guardian. After Williams was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia in February 2024, Morrissey later said the gossip monger was 'cognitively impaired and permanently incapacitated.' Although Williams will be back on TV, it's unclear if viewers will get to see her live, as ABC's announcement indicates that she will be doing a phone interview with the View hosts; pictured in 2023 Back in 2022, Williams was placed under a court-appointed guardianship after Wells Fargo reported several large withdrawals from her bank account that it deemed suspicious Her guardianship is overseen by Sabrina Morrissey (pictured). After Williams was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia in February 2024, Morrissey later said the gossip monger was 'cognitively impaired and permanently incapacitated' But in recent months, a seemingly lucid Wendy has been disputing that she's impaired and begging to regain her freedom. Last month, TMZ reported on the circumstances in which Wendy was allegedly moved to a more restrictive part of her assisted-living facility, which may have contributed to her lack of trips outside of the building. According to an employee who is described as having had many interactions with Wendy since her arrival, she initially was given a room on the building's third floor, where residents are allowed to come and go as they please. However, things went south early on in her tenure when she went up to the restaurant and bar located on the facility's top floor for an extended lunch. According to the employee, Wendy ordered several alcoholic drinks and was noticeably drunk for a significant amount of time. The facility supervisors allegedly learned of the drunken escapade and were upset that she was served, as she has reportedly had issues with problem drinking in the past. In response to the drunken lunch, Wendy was allegedly relocated to a new room on the memory unit on the facility's fifth floor. Because many of the occupants there suffer from dementia and other memory issues, they aren't able to use the elevator on their own. Wendy signed an affidavit last month in which she asked the judge overseeing her guardianship case to end the arrangement, TMZ reports; seen in 2019 in NYC The new location meant Wendy was prohibited from going up to the restaurant and drinking, though it's unclear if she is not supposed to leave the floor at all or if she can venture out with someone supervising. However, there was a hiccup with the reassignment, as the memory unit didn't have any open rooms, so Wendy was allegedly forced to stay in her third-floor room while employees guarded the door and prevented her from leaving. According to the insider, employees at the facility lied to the talk show host and told her that the restaurant was closed for renovations, despite it apparently being open the entire time. After a few days a room reportedly opened up and she was able to be moved to the fifth floor, where she has remained ever since. The confinement and alleged falsehoods fed to Wendy are concerning, as the employee claims that her memory is not suffering. 'Wendy doesn't have good and bad days. She's the same all the time,' they claimed to TMZ. 'You can tell her something today and two weeks later she'll remember it. Her memory is fine.' In February, Wendy signed an affidavit in which she asked the judge overseeing her guardianship case to end the arrangement, TMZ reported. Williams was set to be evaluated by a new doctor to determine if she suffers from frontotemporal dementia. She claims she does not have the condition Williams' new attorney planned to petition the judge the following day to end her guardianship, and if they don't the attorney will request a jury trial to determine if it should be ended; seen in 2019 in Hollywood In the legally binding document, Williams reportedly said she has 'regained capacity' to function independently, and she said she no longer requires a guardian to oversee her. She has a guardianship overseen by Sabrina Morrissey, which was instituted in 2022. She still has several steps ahead of her before she can end the guardianship, however, and the judge will ultimately need to be swayed by her if she hopes to regain her freedom. In order to do that, Williams will next attempt to prove that she does not have frontotemporal dementia, contrary to how doctors had previously diagnosed her. She averred in her affidavit that she was not suffering from the neurological condition, and sources told TMZ that she would be seeing a doctor for a new evaluation to hopefully confirm as much. Notably, frontotemporal dementia is a permanent and progressive condition, so the former Wendy Williams Show host hopes that her apparent improvement in functioning will indicate that she couldn't be suffering from the disease. Williams recently hired a new attorney to help her end the guardianship, and they were responsible for selecting the new doctor she will be seeing. According to the publications sources, her attorney plans to file an Emergency Order to Show Cause the day after the testing, which should force the judge to weigh in on ending the guardianship. She's hoping the judge will agree and end things then and there, but if they deny the request and keep the guardianship as its currently constituted, Williams will allegedly request that her case go before a jury who can determine if she's able to care for herself and run her own finances without the need of a guardian figure. Williams also revealed to TMZ that she will planned to see her son Kevin Hunter Jr. (pictured with her in 2019 in Hollywood) when she allowed to travel to Miami for her father's 94th birthday Williams recently delved into the circumstances that she believes led to her being placed under a guardianship during a recent chat with TMZ. In an appearance on its 2 Angry Men podcast, she revealed that she planned to travel down to Miami where several of her family members live for a weekend to celebrate her father's 94th birthday. The trip represents the first time in months she'll be able to spend time with family, but it will also mark a reunion with her son Kevin Hunter Jr. Williams had previously revealed that her guardianship was kicked off after her bank, Wells Fargo, reported that several large withdrawals had been made from her account, seemingly without her authorization. She has claimed that her son Kevin and others made the withdrawals, though it's unclear if she thinks he was working with others to take her money. For his part, her son has denied any wrongdoing. 'My son, he overstepped his boundaries,' Williams claimed in a video interview filmed from her window for the publication's new documentary Saving Wendy. 'He was inappropriately using my money without telling me crap about it.' She said the alleged action caused the bank to freeze her account, which stopped any potential stealing, but it also left her without any access to her money. Williams has accused her son Kevin of making large, unauthorized transactions, which caused Wells Fargo to freeze her accounts and led the guardianship to be instituted. He has denied any impropriety She mentioned a fishy transaction in which Kevin allegedly tried to rent a $1,500 boat, but instead rented one for $130K, which he blamed on the bank. Williams accused unnamed other people of influencing him as well; pictured in Lifetime's Where Is Wendy Williams documentary When asked who was 'influencing' her financially, Williams began to cry and said, 'My son is a really good person. 'But at this point, he is a horrible person to me,' she continued. Williams went on to allege that 'other people' might have been influencing her son and spending time with him at her apartment in Miami. She mentioned a fishy transaction in which Kevin had allegedly wanted to rent a boat for around $1,500, before alleged renting on for $130,000, according to Wells Fargo, which he allegedly blamed on the bank, though his mother didn't buy that explanation. According to documents obtained by TMZ, the judge overseeing Williams case said in September 2024 that, 'While Mr. Hunter, [her son, Kevin] apologized for past mistakes and inappropriate behavior, the court is not convinced that he can keep her safe and wouldn't willingly or unwittingly expose her to financial exploitation.' Williams noted that she planned to see her son at her father's birthday assuming he showed up. 'I will see him at a particular place, at a particular location. I don't want to say too much,' she said, though she didn't care to say more about their current relationship. Dominique Elissa and fiance Tom Bull tied the knot in Prince of Wales Hospital on Friday, just two weeks after getting engaged. The Aussie model, 29, was forced to move her wedding ceremony to the hospital after her mother Odile Faludi's health began to decline following a stage 4 cancer diagnosis. She revealed on Instagram she was initially 'upset, angry and a mess' when she received the heartbreaking news, but decided she would stop at nothing to have her mother walk her down the aisle. Sharing images and video of the bittersweet ceremony with her followers, Dominique and Tom made the best of their union as they celebrated with their families, who met for the first time on the big day. Dominique was all smiles as she slipped into a white off-the-shoulder gown which featured a fitted corset and sheer pleated skirts. She covered her long brunette tresses with a white lace veil which matched the lace detailing at the bust of her gown. Dominique Elissa, 29, and fiance Tom Bull tied the knot in Prince of Wales Hospital on Friday, just two weeks after getting engaged The Aussie model was forced to move her wedding ceremony to the hospital after her mother Odile Faludi's health began to decline following a stage 4 cancer diagnosis She revealed on Instagram she was initially 'upset, angry and a mess' when she received the heartbreaking news, but decided she would stop at nothing to have her mother walk her down the aisle The blushing bride kept her makeup minimal, opting for a nude lip and bronzed eye shadow. Meanwhile, now-husband Tom donned a classic black tuxedo and put a black bow-tie on their golden retriever dog, and ring-bearer, Crumble. Dominique spent her day swinging between laughter and tears as she shared heartbreaking videos of her nuptials and her mother's first look at her wedding dress. One tear-jerking clip saw the model struggling to hold back tears as she hugged her mother in her hospital room. 'Don't make me cry,' Dominique sobbed as her father pressed a kiss to her forehead while her mother slowly pulled herself out of bed. Odile wore a beautiful turquoise strapless gown for the big day, walking her daughter down the aisle as her husband pushed along her wheelchair. 'My mum's dream since I was born was to walk me down the aisle and we did everything to make it happen, even if it meant getting married at the hospital,' Dominique told her followers. 'Mum always said the biggest decision you'll ever make is who you spend the rest of your life with, and that always stuck with me. Sharing images and video of the bittersweet ceremony with her followers, Dominique and Tom made the best of their union as they celebrated with their families, who met for the first time on the big day Dominique was all smiles as she slipped into a white off-the-shoulder gown which featured a fitted corset and sheer pleated skirts She covered her long brunette tresses with a white lace veil which matched the lace detailing at the bust of her gown 'The most emotional 48 hours of my life. I'm in awe of this incredible woman. It's international woman's day as well, and she will forever be my greatest teacher and inspiration.' Elsewhere, Dominique detailed how heartbroken she first was when she learned she had to have her wedding ceremony at the hospital. 'When we were told the day before that we had to move our ceremony to the hospital, every part of me didn't want to do the reception anymore,' she said. 'I was upset, angry and a mess. I took time away to think [about] the decision and realised it was more important than ever that our families could have time to unite and get to know each other. 'I'm so happy we did, and the sun came out to create some magic moments for us.' Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Dominique's representatives for comment. Dominique became engaged just two weeks ago when Tom popped the question in Hawkesbury River near Sydney late last month. The model posted photos and a video of the momentous occasion to Instagram and showed off her stunning engagement ring. Meanwhile, now-husband Tom donned a classic black tuxedo and put a black bow-tie on their golden retriever dog, and ring-bearer, Crumble Dominique spent her day swinging between laughter and tears as she shared heartbreaking videos of her nuptials and her mother's first look at her wedding dress 'Don't make me cry,' Dominique sobbed as her father pressed a kiss to her forehead while her mother slowly pulled herself out of bed She also shared the sweet story behind the ringa family heirloom which has been in her family for 100 years. The ring, which once belonged to her great grandmother, features a huge square cut diamond set in a thick gold band. 'The ring story. Tom proposed with my great grandma's ring. My mum gave it to him when he asked for my parent's blessing,' she explained at the time. 'It's over 100 years old, yet it's timeless. A family heirloom that I feel so grateful to have for the rest of my life.' Dominique proudly flaunted the precious piece in several photos as she shared a passionate kiss with her new fiance. Tom got down on one knee outside the doors of a beautiful stone guesthouse set in the Australian native bushland of a historic homestead in Ebenezer. Video footage of the moment showed Tom telling Dominique: 'You know I love you more than anything in the entire world, don't you?' 'I know,' the model happily replied as she kissed her love, who proceeded to get down on one knee as their dog Crumble stood nearby. 'Baby, marry me?' he asked, to which she cried out: 'Yes, baby!' As they shared a passionate kiss, Dominique could then be heard laughing as she asked him: 'Is that why you were crying with my mum?' Dominique captioned the post with: '15/02/25the day my dream man became my forever man. 'The last few months have been filled with both the lowest and highest moments of my life. With it all Tom has been by my side, through thick and thin. 'I feel like the luckiest girl on the planet to call you mine 'Your heart is made of true gold and I cannot wait to start this new chapter with you. You, me and crumble.' Dominique and Tom began dating around May 2023. Tyra Banks showed off an eye-catching new look as she attended the Balenciaga show as part of Paris Fashion Week at Les Invalides on Sunday. The model, 51, displayed her taut complexion as she arrived for the show in a padded black jacket layered over a matching skintight dress. Showing off her ageless complexion, Tyra unveiled her dramatic bleached eyebrows as she arrived for the star-studded show. Tyra accessorised her ensemble with in a pair of bold, oval black sunglasses as she slicked her raven tresses into classy black bun. The America's Next Top Model icon was joined by stars including Alessandra Ambrosio, Barbara Palvin and Jessica Alba at the show. Her appearance comes after Tyra was spotted earlier this month, proving she is just like us when she is off duty, tucking into a cheeseburger in a McDonald's car park in Sydney. Tyra Banks showed off an eye-catching new look as she attended the Balenciaga show as part of Paris Fashion Week at Les Invalides on Sunday The model displayed her taut complexion as she arrived for the show in a padded black jacket layered over a matching skintight dress The actress, who was Down Under ahead of opening her first ice-cream store, Smize & Dream, in Darling Harbour in March. The make-up free catwalk superstar whizzed through drive-thru and parked her Honda rental car before getting stuck into the iconic burger. The fashionista dressed casually for the outing, wearing a black tank top and Smize & Dream branded tracksuit bottoms. Tyra swept her blonde locks back under a black headband and off her famous visage. She launched her ice-cream store chain Smize & Dream in Los Angeles in 2020. It quickly expanded to Washington, D.C, and then Dubai. Earlier this year, Tyra revealed she's been loving her downtime in Australia. She told The Daily Telegraph she and her family enjoy spending their days hanging out at their local shopping centre and partaking in everyday Aussie activities. Tyra shares son York Banks Asla, nine, with ex-boyfriend Erik Asla. She and the Norwegian photographer welcomed him via gestational surrogate in January 2016. Showing off her ageless complexion, Tyra unveiled her dramatic bleached eyebrows as she arrived for the star-studded show For the fashion event, the TV personality toted around her belongings in a large satin black bag Tyra accessorised her ensemble with in a pair of bold, oval black sunglasses as she slicked her raven tresses into classy black bun 'We'll get some breakfast in the mall, then we'll go to a Hoyts cinema,' she said. 'Get some ice cream at the cinema, see a movie, then we might get a foot massage. We'll have some lunch... Then go to Target or Kmart.' Tyra added she loves the Australian Kmart. Despite walking the runway for luxury fashion houses like Saint Laurent, Chanel and Dior, the supermodel said she thinks the Kmart Down Under is 'fancy'. She said after a bit of shopping, she and her family will go and do the groceries. 'We'll do Coles, Woolies, whatever, and so that is a whole day at the mall and we don't do that in America,' she said. Her appearance comes after Tyra was spotted earlier this month, proving she is just like us when she is off duty, tucking into a cheeseburger in a McDonald's car park in Sydney Tyra explained that 'mall' culture in America is a dying pastime because it's just about shopping for what you 'want' instead of what you 'need'. In January Tyra broke down in tears on an Australian morning show after revealing she lost her Palisades home in one of the Los Angeles wildfires. Speaking with hosts Natalie Barr and Matt Shirvington during her talk show appearance, she said she previously kept the devastating loss private because she 'didn't want to pull a lot of attention to me.' 'I lost my house. I haven't really talked about it, but yeah, I have,' a teary-eyed Tyra said when asked about the fires, which ravaged Southern California for nearly two weeks. 'I just didn't want to pull a lot of attention to me. I feel like there's a lot of people that need that attention so I haven't talked about it. But I can't sit here and not tell the truth,' she explained. Sarah Michelle Gellar emerged in France over the weekend for Balenciaga's fall/winter 2025-2026 Paris Fashion Week show. The 47-year-old Buffy the Vampire Slayer star who is mourning the death of co-star Michelle Trachtenberg modeled an all-black look for the occasion. She arrived to the fashion event in snug-fitting, crew neck mini dress, pantyhose, and a leather trench coat that cropped at the knee. During some moments, the longtime actress complemented the look by adding a pair of glossy, rectangular onyx sunglasses. The mother-of-two, who is married to Freddie Prinze Jr., punctuated the outfit with a pair of pointy-toe black heels. Sarah Michelle Gellar attended Balenciaga's fall/winter 2025-2026 Paris Fashion Week show over the weekend The 47-year-old Buffy the Vampire Slayer star modeled an all-black look for the occasion In the wake of Trachtenberg's sudden February 26th death at age 39, Gellar took to social media to pay tribute to the actress. Sharing photos of the two and a quote from Buffy the show they starred on together in the late 90s and early 00s she wrote in the caption, 'Michelle, listen to me. Listen. I love you. I will always love you. The hardest thing in this world, is to live in it. I will be brave. I will live for you,' adding a string of broken heart emoji. Michelle's family are keeping funeral details private, according to a source who spoke with Parade. 'The family is keeping quiet about all the arrangements. Including her closest friends,' the insider shared with the outlet. Trachtenberg was found dead in her New York City apartment in late February, and a cause of death has not yet been confirmed. In the wake of Trachtenberg's sudden death at age 39, Gellar took to social media to pay tribute to the actress For the Balenciaga show, Gellar wore her long blonde locks in a side part and flirty waves that cascaded over one side of her chest. She carried a leather handbag with gold hardware and wore a chunky pair of silver-toned earrings. The silver screen siren showed up to the high-profile fashion show in a full face of glowy makeup that highlighted her features. Over the weekend she appeared on Instagram to wish her husband, whom she wed in 2022, a happy 49th birthday. Sharing a pair of throwback black and white photos of them, she wrote in the caption, 'Happy Birthday @realfreddieprinze. 'The world got very lucky the day you were born, but no one more so than me (and our children) Im so glad I get to grow old with youand that you will always have a head start!!' The post has so far collected more than 261,000 likes from her nearly five million followers. It came days after the entertainer gave her fans a glimpse at her grueling gym routine. She arrived to the fashion event in snug-fitting, crew neck mini dress, pantyhose, and a leather trench coat that cropped at the knee During some moments, the longtime actress complemented the look by adding a pair of glossy, rectangular onyx sunglasses She was joined by actresses Sarah Pidgeon and Chase Sui Wonders as they worked up a sweat at an Alo gym. The fitness circuit included ropes, squats, wall sits, and weight lifting. 'Its true what they say girlfriends and exercise are good for your mental health,' Sarah wrote in the caption. The Hollywood veteran added that the gyn day was 'just missing @madelyncline and @jennkaytin . and @samlansky . and @realfreddieprinze.' Pidgeon and Wonders are slated to star alongside Freddie in the forthcoming I Know What You Did Last Summer reboot. Viewers following the news surrounding Meghan Markle's name change to 'Sussex' likely found a small scene in this week's '1923' episode particularly timely. On season two, episode three, of Taylor Sheridan's Western Drama a prequel to Yellowstone Alexandra (Julia Schlaepfer) is pictured arriving in America at Ellis Island. As she goes through customs, an officer asks for her name. 'Alexandra of Sussex,' she replies. 'Is Sussex your last name?' the officer questions, to which she says, 'Sussex is the region where my family is from.' The customs officer quips, 'I didnt ask where you were from, I asked your last name' which is when she tells him that it's 'Dutton.' Some fans spotted the interesting link between Meghan and the plotline, with one writing on X, 'Watching 1923. Young ladys name Alexandra of Sussex. They say whats your real name, lol.' Viewers following the news surrounding Meghan Markle's name change to 'Sussex' likely found a small scene in this week's '1923' episode particularly timely; Julia Schlaepfer seen in a still from the show The former Suits star, 43, has insisted her surname is Sussex as she corrected her celebrity friend and The Office star Mindy Kaling in her new Netflix cookery show, 'With Love, Meghan' 'On an episode of 1923 one of the characters is immigrating to America. Shes the Countess of Sussex from England and when asked what her name is she tells him "Alexandra, Countess of Sussex". He asks if Sussex is her last name and she says no, its where Im from [laughing emoji].' 'Alexandra of Sussex Dutton, I mean. Dutton through and through. That Ellis Island scene was [fire emoji] #1923,' another person wrote. In season one, Alex was engaged to Arthur, the Earl of Sussex (played by Bruce Davison), a character inspired by Prince Arthur of Connaught. The Sussex surname has become a trending topic online due to Meghan, 43. The former Suits star has insisted her surname is Sussex as she corrected her celebrity friend and The Office star Mindy Kaling in her new Netflix cookery show, With Love, Meghan. In episode two of the series, the former royal is joined by Mindy, 45, as she shows her fellow mother how to host a children's party. As Meghan carefully demonstrated how to assemble a cucumber sandwich, the pair spoke about their favorite fast food growing up. The Duchess of Sussex called herself a 'latchkey kid' who 'grew up with a lot of fast food and TV tray dinners', listing off US chains Pollo Loco, Taco Bell and Jack In The Box. But Mindy seemed to get under Meghan's skin with her response, as she said: 'I don't think anyone in the world knows that Meghan Markle has eaten Jack In The Box and loves it.' On season two, episode three, of Taylor Sheridan's Western Drama a prequel to Yellowstone Alexandra (Schlaepfer) is pictured arriving in America at Ellis Island As she goes through customs, an officer asks for her name. 'Alexandra of Sussex,' she replies. 'Is Sussex your last name?' the officer questions, to which she says, 'Sussex is the region where my family is from' The customs officer quips, 'I didnt ask where you were from, I asked your last name' which is when she tells him that it's 'Dutton' Some fans spotted the interesting link between Meghan and the plotline, with one writing on X, 'Watching 1923. Young ladys name Alexandra of Sussex. They say whats your real name, lol' Trying to hide her frown with a smile, she replied: 'It's so funny you keep saying Meghan Markle, you know I'm Sussex now.' As Mindy looked confused, Meghan, who has only visited Sussex once, continued: 'You have kids and you go "No, I share my name with my children". 'I didn't know how meaningful it would be to me but it just means so much to go "This is OUR family name. Our little family name". After being corrected, Mindy awkwardly responded: 'Well, now I know and I love it.' Meghan was then introduced as 'Meghan Sussex' during her appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show last week. The Duchess's insistence on using her title as a surname has caused a stir amongst royal-watchers, with many questioning her decision to adopt 'Sussex' as her family name, particularly in light of her and Prince Harry's limited connection to the county. They have only ever officially visited the region once - for just six hours - after a whistle-stop tour in October 2018 taking in Brighton, Chichester and Peacehaven. While members of the Royal Family entitled to the style of HRH Prince or Princess do not actually need a use surname day to day, according to Buckingham Palace, officially the family's name is Mountbatten-Windsor - and is recorded as such on both Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet's birth certificates. 'It's so funny you keep saying Meghan Markle, you know I'm Sussex now,' Meghan stated on her new cooking show, as Mindy looked confused After being corrected, Mindy awkwardly responded: 'Well, now I know and I love it' Meghan was then introduced as 'Meghan Sussex' during her appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show last week The Duchess's insistence on using her title as a surname has caused a stir amongst royal-watchers, with many questioning her decision to adopt 'Sussex' as her family name, particularly in light of her and Prince Harry's limited connection to the county; seen in February This dates back to 1960 when Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh decided they would like their own direct descents to be distinguished from the rest of the Royal Family, without changing the name of the Royal House (which had been Windsor since 1917, after George V anglicised the name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha as a result of anti-German public sentiment). And so it was declared in the Privy Council that the Queen's descendants would add a hyphenated 'Mountbatten' to reflect Prince Philip's surname, which he himself took on in 1947 when he became a naturalised Briton. However it may come as a surprise to some to learn that Meghan is not actually wrong either. In fact members of the Royal Family - indeed, the peerage generally - often use their dukedom or title as a 'shorthand surname'. Hence Harry was always known as Harry Wales when at school and in the military as a nod to his father, King Charles, then the Prince of Wales. William has also always used the named Wales, and his children do so too now. Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie (at least before they got married) also used the surname York, after their father, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York. It is, therefore, not entirely surprising at all that Harry and Meghan would choose to have their children, Archie and Lilibet, known as Sussex, or that they would use it as well. Despite being panned by critics, 'With Love, Meghan' has been renewed for a second season The mother-of-two appears to be on cloud nine following the release of her new Netflix show With Love, Meghan - despite it being largely panned by media outlets. It was described by reviewers as 'gormless lifestyle filler' with a 'tangible desperation' after it premiered on Tuesday. One said it shows the Duchess is 'attempting to cling to fame by any means possible,' while another described how she was 'joylessly filling kids' party bags with seeds.' Despite this, the gleeful star posted a video of herself dancing around to her Instagram Stories to confirm that her show had been renewed for a second season. Naomi Watts was a vision in blue at SXSW 2025 on Sunday. The Australian actress cut a chic figure in an immaculately tailored powder blue suit paired with a crisp white shirt as she posed in Austin, Texas. The Mullholland Drive star boosted her height in tan boots and kept her accessories to a minimum but for a simple pair of earrings. Naomi, 56, wore her blonde bob freshly styled, and highlighted her natural beauty with a natural look makeup palette. Naomi's outing comes after her youngest child Kai made their fashion runway debut at Paris Fashion Week. The 16-year-old budding model stepped out on the catwalk for Valentino, with several images and videos of the momentous moment being shared to Instagram. Naomi Watts was a vision in blue at SXSW 2025 on Sunday. Pictured The Australian actress cut a chic figure in an immaculately tailored powder blue suit paired with a crisp white shirt as she posed in Austin, Texas. Kai donned a knit snakeskin mini dress with a feathered collar for their career launch with the designer fashion house. Their accessories included a beige headband which covered most of their blonde tresses, along with Havana sunglasses which featured blue lenses. White lace stockings and matching sandals with a rose strap completed the ensemble. Kai uploaded a gallery of photos of their catwalk debut, including pictures from behind-the-scenes which showed them sitting in the hair and makeup chair. 'Omggg my heart is so full,' they captioned the reel of images. Their actress mother Naomi, 56, also shared content of Kai walking for Valentino, including video which saw her excitedly re-watching the show online. 'Oh my god,' the Hollywood star exclaimed several times as she laid in bed watching her child model for the huge brand. Naomi shared a sweet 16thy birthday tribute to her lookalike youngest child Kai in December. Naomi Watts was every inch the proud mother on Monday as her youngest child Kai, 16, (pictured) made their fashion runway debut at Paris Fashion Week The budding model stepped out on the catwalk for Valentino, with several images and videos of the momentous moment being shared to Instagram Kai donned a knit snakeskin mini dress with a feathered collar for their career launch with the designer fashion house, adding a beige headband to the mix The British-Australian actress took to Instagram in December to share some heartfelt words alongside a sweet photograph of herself and Kai. In the picture, Naomi looked every inch the doting mother as she beamed with pride at Kai while they held hands, both looking glammed-up for a lavish event. The King Kong star cut a glamorous figure in an off-the-shoulder white gown while Kai looked every inch Naomi's lookalike in a black halter-neck dress. Naomi also shared an adorable photograph of Kai as baby and gushed over her youngest child in a heartwarming caption. Kai uploaded a gallery of photos of their catwalk debut, including pictures from behind-the-scenes which showed them sitting in the hair and makeup chair White lace stockings and matching sandals with a rose strap completed the ensemble Their actress mother Naomi, 56, (left) also shared content of Kai walking for Valentino, including video which saw her excitedly re-watching the show online She penned: 'Darling Kai. Happy sweet sixteen. Your sweetness is pure and I'm the luckiest mommy in the world and that world is SO lucky that you are here! 'You blow me away with your wild spirit, strength and yes your soft sweetness too. You even let me post a baby picture! 'I thank my lucky stars I get to be your mom [sic]. I Love you to the moon.' Naomi shares Kai and her son Sasha, 17, with her ex American actor Liev Schreiber, who she was in a relationship with for 11 years before they amicably split in 2016. Liev, 57, has since married Taylor Neisen while Naomi went on to find love again with Billy Crudup. Naomi and American actor Billy, 56, tied the knot in a modest wedding ceremony at a New York courthouse in June 2023. They then exchanged vows for a second time a year later in a larger ceremony with their family and friends in Mexico. Videos shared on social media by Naomi's brother Ben at the time gave an insight into the lavish ceremony, with notable guests including Nicole Kidman and Isla Fisher. Naomi's child Kai and her niece Ruby were bridesmaids. Her son Sasha and Billy's son William, 20, who he shares with Mary Louise Parker, were also in the wedding party. Glenn Close's daughter Annie Starke recently welcomed her first child with her husband Marc Albu. Their son Rory Westaway Albu was born last month and is the Academy Award winner's first grandchild. Now that a few weeks have gone by, Annie has shared a cute throwback photo of her mother when she was pregnant with her sitting on a couch with her belly exposed. Glenn's mother sat next to her on the very retro floral sofa. The next photo was of herself and her own pregnant belly on a very similar floral sofa with her mother Glenn sitting next to her as Annie called it the 'recreation of a classic family pic.' 'This #internationalwomensday hits a bit different this year,' her caption began. Glenn Close's daughter Annie shared a throwback photo of her mother pregnant with her sitting next to her mother Annie then recreated the photo except this time Glenn was grandma and she was the pregnant woman She continued: (Swipe for a recreation of a classic family pic my grandma, @glennclose & me in the womb 'now grandma Gi, me & Rory in the (enormous) womb. Aggressive couch fabric patterns included.) To allllllll the Mamas' Annie and her husband announced the birth of their first child in an Instagram post on Valentine's Day, revealing that they welcomed him a week earlier. 'Rory Westaway Albu born Feb. 7th, 2025 and well never be the same,' she captioned the post. 'We love you so much, sweet boy,' she added. Annie is the only child of Close and her ex-partner, movie producer John Starke. She was raised in Bedford, New York, far out of the Hollywood limelight. 'I had a profoundly normal childhood,' Starke told People. 'Im a little boring. I was a barefoot kid, outdoorsy, never had siblings, but I had cats and dogs, and really surrounded by nature. 'This #internationalwomensday hits a bit different this year,' her caption began. Seen here with her husband Marc Albu and Glenn Close in 2023 Annie shared the news of her son's birth in a post on Valentine's Day, revealing that she welcomed him a week earlier. Seen here in 2018 Rory is Glenn's first grandchild. 'Rory Westaway Albu born Feb. 7th, 2025 and well never be the same,' she captioned the post. 'We love you so much, sweet boy,' she added Glenn Close and her daughter Annie arrive for the premiere of Walt Disney Picture's Flubber in New York November 16, 1997 'I credit my parents for keeping me grounded and keeping it normal. I still have my oldest friends since high school. It was a wonderful place to grow up.' She got a degree in Art History from Hamilton College in New York before following in her mother's footsteps and becoming an actress. 'I went to college fully hoping I would pursue something else because I know how tough [this industry] is. 'Not only professionally but also personally I knew the good and the bad, the crazy and the ugly,' she told Grumpy Magazine in 2021. 'But I knew what I wanted to do my whole life. [Being an actress] was always something that I just knew.' And Annie's mom is her biggest fan. She told Glamour Magazine in 2022: 'Im proud that shes a fantastic human being. Im proud that shes fiercer than I am. 'Shes the person that I call probably the most to get her opinion about something, because shell have a perspective that I know I dont have, and I need that perspective. So shes who Im most, or what I am most, proud of.' Annie met her husband in college, got engaged in 2016 and married in June 2018 in her mother's backyard in Bedford Hills. And Annie's mom is her biggest fan. She told Glamour Magazine in 2022: 'Im proud that shes a fantastic human being. Im proud that shes fiercer than I am.' Seen here in 2021 'Shes the person that I call probably the most to get her opinion about something, because shell have a perspective that I know I dont have, and I need that perspective. So shes who Im most, or what I am most, proud of.' 'We knew right away that we'd love to get married at Beanfield,' she told Brides at the time. 'Beanfield has been incredibly special to both of us, my parents, and our many family friends throughout the years. 'It's a communal home-base for our beloved masses, so to speak, and we couldn't imagine our wedding taking place anywhere else. Lily James was seen leaving a dinner date with an unknown man in Paris over the weekend. The 35-year-old actress who has enjoyed several Paris Fashion Week appearances this month was clad in a brown leather trench coat while exiting a restaurant ahead of the mystery guy. Her brunette-to-blonde ombre locks were slightly tousled and styled in a middle part with curtain bangs as she headed to a waiting car. Her dinner date, who looked handsome with a tapered haircut and full beard, trailed slightly behind her. He was dressed in a black shirt, pants, and coat, and finished the look with white sneakers. Lily teamed her sleek outerwear with a pair of coordinating pointy-toe, brown, animal print boots with a heel. Lily James was seen leaving a dinner date with an unknown man in Paris over the weekend Her dinner date looked handsome with a tapered haircut and full beard She complemented her look with a short and glossy dark manicure. The Tom & Pammy star was last romantically linked to musician Michael Shuman in late 2023. They split in February 2023 but were then seen together at Glastonbury later in the year. The Suffolk native's relationship with Michael was first revealed in February 2021 when they were spotted kissing outside a boutique hotel in England while she filmed What's Love Got To Do With It. A year later they confirmed their relationship when they attended the Oscars together in Hollywood. At the time, the musician had reportedly moved into the Mamma Mia star's multi-million-dollar home in North London. A month later the two were pictured hand-in-hand while visiting Michael's parents, former Disney production manager Ira Shuman and wife Janet, in Los Angeles. James has enjoyed several Paris Fashion Week appearances this month. The 35-year-old actress was clad in a brown leather trench coat while exiting a restaurant ahead of the mystery guy Her brunette-to-blonde ombre locks were slightly tousled and styled in a middle part with curtain bangs as she headed to a waiting car James has enjoyed several Paris Fashion Week appearances this month She was pictured at Chloe's womenswear fall/winter 2025-2026 show on March 6, and one day earlier she attended the LVMH Prize event. The star also made sure to catch Christian Dior's Paris Fashion Week show alongside A-listers including Natalie Portman and Elle Macpherson. Lily commanded attention in a black co-ord including perfectly tailored trousers and a matching off-the-shoulder blouse. She tied a thin, black, leather belt around her midsection, highlighting her trim waistline. The Block viewers have slammed the renovation series for going 'woke' after reports emerged Channel Nine considered an 'all gay' cast for the 2025 Daylesford season. Producers eventually nixed the idea, but chose to honour the LGBTQIA+ history of the regional Victorian town with a gay pride theme on the first day of filming. Now, critics have lashed out at the series on Facebook for its attempts at inclusion, with some saying the show 'has gone to the dogs'. 'Go woke go broke,' one person wrote. 'Finally, the last nail in the coffin for this s***show,' another added. A third commented: 'This show has gone to the dogs.' The Block viewers have slammed the renovation series for going 'woke' after reports emerged Channel Nine considered an 'all gay' cast for the 2025 Daylesford season 'Just when you you think the show can't get any lower they come up with this rubbish,' yet another said. Despite the wave of backlash, some fans rushed to the defence of Nine and praised producers for celebrating Daylesford's 'inclusive history'. 'Not sure what the fuss is about really. Vive la [sic] difference! Daylesford is a beautiful and friendly place, so it should be a good series,' one wrote. 'I love Daylesford and it's fitting to acknowledge its long history of being a welcoming place to all. Good decision by the producers,' another commented. One user said: 'They're in Daylesford, so why not celebrate pride and the town's inclusive history? Best of luck to all the contestants.' 'Love this show! The Block always acknowledges and respects the communities it merges with. Can't wait to watch this series located in Daylesford!' yet another added. In images obtained exclusively by Daily Mail Australia on Friday, the next line-up of cast members could be seen happily displaying their LGBTQIA+ pride. While an 'all gay' cast for the 2025 season was recently debunked, the series still gave a nod to Daylesford's rainbow history on day one of filming. Producers eventually nixed the idea, but chose to honour the LGBTQIA+ history of the regional Victorian town with a gay pride theme on the first day of filming. Pictured: host Scott Cam This year's contestants donned their most colourful looks for the occasion, with one all-women team stealing the show in their bright yellow and pink cowboy hats. The pair, who are reportedly this year's lesbian couple, were all smiles as they waved rainbow flags and donned colourful feather boa's while arriving on a pride float. It comes after reports revealed producers of The Block considered an 'all gay' cast for the 2025 season as a tribute to the history of Daylesford. The tiny rural getaway, which is 112km from Melbourne, is the location for this year's hit renovation show and is well known for its LGBTQIA+ ChillOut Festival. An insider told Daily Mail Australia a lesbian couple have already been signed on as one of five teams this year. 'In fact, not only was inclusion on Channel Nines mind, but an all gay series was on the cards at one point,' claimed the source. 'This is the second time the reality series has had two women on the showJulia Treuel and Sasha Wright-Neville in 2016 were in fact the first lesbian couple.' Meanwhile, couple Gavin 'Gav' Atkins and Warren 'Waz' Sonin became fan favourites during the first season in 2003. Now, critics have lashed out at the series on Facebook for its attempts at inclusion, with some saying the show 'has gone to the dogs' Despite the wave of backlash, some fans came to the defence of the show and praised producers for celebrating Daylesford's 'inclusive history' However, the source said 'official plans' for an all gay season were abandoned for a few reasons. 'When it comes down to it, shows like these don't really work to "stunt cast". Including an all gay cast,' they said. 'The reality is that Channel Nine, nor any other network, wouldn't cast like this for fear of alienating audiences. 'It would be fun in theory, and it would be quite colourful and rewarding, but you run the risk of alienating some audiences.' Meanwhile, a Daylesford advocate commented 'inclusion' should have been a priority on The Block in 2025. 'It would seem to be a massive oversight to not cast someone among the queer community or a Daylesford based run of the show with such strong ties dating back decades,' they said. 'It was groundbreaking to have Gav and Waz on TV at 6:30pm in the first season in 2003. 'So it is not new for The Block, but this year but they did have a special reason for including the LGBTQIA+ community.' Daylesford, meanwhile, is listed on the Visit Gay Australia (VGA) site as the 'gay capital of regional Victoria'. Among its attractions for the LGBTQIA+ community is the ChillOut Festival which is considered as 'Australias number one Queer Country Pride Festival'. The VGA also claims Daylesford is a favourite getaway for members of the queer community. Jennifer Garner's long-term boyfriend, John Miller, was pictured for the first time since a bombshell video of her and ex-husband Ben Affleck reportedly left him rattled. With Affleck, 52, out of town at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, Miller, 47, sent a clear message that he and Garner are still very much together, as he visited her home in Brentwood on Sunday. The CaliBurger CEO sported a grey t-shirt, blue jeans, suede brown boots and a trucker hat. Meanwhile earlier in the day, Garner, 52, was pictured filming scenes with a stuntman for her Apple TV+ series, The Last Thing He Told Me. The actress was seen sitting behind the wheel, with a male co-star in the passenger seat. It comes days after a video of a sexy clinch between Garner and Affleck sparked speculation about them rekindling their romance, and left his second ex-wife, Jennifer Lopez, 55, 'furious.' Jennifer Garner's, 52, boyfriend, John Miller, 47, was pictured for the first time since a bombshell video of her and ex-husband Ben Affleck, 52, reportedly left him rattled, as he visited her Brentwood home Garner was pictured filming scenes with a stuntman for her Apple TV+ series, The Last Thing He Told Me, earlier in the day In a video obtained exclusively by the Daily Mail, Affleck was seen tenderly embracing his ex-wife, and the mother of his three children. The pair were paintballing at the Combat Paintball Park in Castaic near Los Angeles with their children, Fin, 16, and Sam, 13. Their eldest, 19-year-old Violet, is away studying at Yale. An insider shed light about Miller's feelings on Garner and Affleck's close relationship, sharing: 'Does it bother John when he sees the two of them being touchy-feely? Sure. It would get to anyone, but this is nothing new.' 'Ben and Jen have a unique relationship, especially for exes,' the source added. Affleck and Garner tied the knot in 2005 and divorced in 2018. Garner has reportedly been dating Miller since 2018. Meanwhile Affleck premiered his new film The Accountant 2 at SXSW over the weekend. He walked the red carpet with his co-star Jon Bernthal, 48, and his BFF Matt Damon. Earlier this week it was reported that Garner is 'deathly afraid of falling back in love' with Ben, and still has 'trust issues' after he slept with their children's nanny, Christine Ouzounian, now 37, a decade ago. Last week it was reported that Garner is 'deathly afraid of falling back in love' with her ex Ben and 'doesn't want to heal another broken heart' A recent video obtained exclusively by the Daily Mail, showed Ben tenderly embracing his ex-wife, and the mother of his three children Garner's boyfriend stopped by her home as Affleck was out of town at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas; pictured on Saturday Affleck and Garner tied the knot in 2005 and divorced in 2018; seen in 2014 They share three kids together: Fin, 16, Sam, 13, and 19-year-old Violet; pictured in 2014 'She loves Ben but is worried that he will crush her all over again,' a source told DailyMail.com. 'She doesn't want to heal another broken heart because it is just too much drama, plus she does not want their kids to see round two of their mom in a bad place with their dad. 'So much could go wrong if they reunite.' Last month insiders shared that Miller struggles with her relationship with Ben, and avoids talking about the actor where possible. Garner had adopted the role of 'marriage counsellor' to her ex-husband and Lopez in the wake of their shock split last year, with some friends fearing she had been forced to 'play mediator.' The role did not sit well with Miller, who understands they have children, but reportedly doesn't like sharing her. 'John is trying to deal with Ben and Jen's relationship by mostly staying quiet, but it's very hard to do that,' a source told DailyMail.com exclusively. 'He knows that Ben has to be around as a father and he is more than OK with that, but he wants to be the man in the relationship.' 'John only talks about Ben when Jen talks about Ben or when their kids talk about him. He doesn't bring him up unprompted.' 'John respects Ben, but less is more because John wants Jen for himself,' the insider continued. 'He still needs to figure out how to compartmentalise it all.' Meanwhile Lopez is said to be 'furious' over cozy photos of Affleck and Garner, according to Page Six. An insider added that speculation about them rekindling their romance is 'completely messing with her head.' The sexy clinch between Garner and Affleck reportedly left his second ex-wife, Jennifer Lopez, 55, 'furious' Lopez and Affleck rekindled their romance in 2021 and got married in 2022, but called it quits in 2024; pictured in 2021 Lopez is reportedly 'not happy with constantly seeing photos' of the duo, a source told the publication. The photos have been like 'salt in the wound' to the Love Don't Cost a Thing hitmaker. Lopez and Affleck settled their divorce on January 6, however, court documents confirmed the marriage wasn't legally dissolved until February 21. The exes rekindled their romance in 2021 and got married in 2022, but called it quits in 2024. Jennifer filed for divorce on August 20 - the date of their second wedding anniversary and cited 'irreconcilable differences'. Daisy Ridley cut an edgy figure as she graced the red carpet for the world premiere of her movie We Bury The Dead premiere at SXSW in Texas on Sunday. The British actress, 32, looked incredible in a plunging black dress which teased a hint of cleavage and hugged every inch of her jaw-dropping figure. Daisy's gown also boasted mesh sleeves and she completed the eye-catching look with a pair of pointed heels. The Star Wars star forwent a necklace to let her outfit speak for itself, opting instead for a pair of dazzling diamond earrings. Daisy accentuated her dainty features with flawless make-up and styled her shoulder length tresses into loose waves. Earlier in the day the stunner wore a sleeveless collared LBD, dark pantyhose, and matching pumps while promoting the movie. Daisy Ridley, 32, cut an edgy figure as she graced the red carpet for the world premiere of her movie We Bury The Dead premiere at SXSW in Texas on Sunday The British actress looked incredible in a plunging black dress which teased a hint of cleavage and hugged every inch of her jaw-dropping figure. She was joined at the Shutterstock Portrait Studio by her We Bury the Dead director Zak Hilditch and her co-star Mark Coles Smith, who plays Riley in the film. Daisy plays Ava, a desperate woman who joins a 'body retrieval unit' in the hopes of finding her husband alive, in the emotional Tasmania-set zombie thriller We Bury The Bodies. She is also set to star in Martin Campbell's action thriller Dedication as well as reprising her breakout role as Rey 'Skywalker' in Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy's 2026 continuation Star Wars: New Jedi Order. 'The first three films, we did fairly close together in the grand scheme of things. So one of the things is: Do I remember how to be Rey?' she told Back Stage last week. 'It's been a while, and time has passed in [the Star Wars] world. So there are a lot of questions about what has happened in that time, both for me and for the character; that in and of itself feels like a challenge. 'And then there's the fact that I'll be working with different actors and different filmmakers, which brings up different things. And that is always progressive, I suppose, because it's someone else's interpretation.' Last month Daisy's staggering earnings have been revealed on Tuesday despite her not appearing in a Star Wars film since 2019. She rose to fame in 2015 portraying Rey in the Star Wars sequel trilogy films The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker. Daisy's gown also boasted mesh sleeves and she completed the eye-catching look with a pair of pointed heels The Star Wars star forwent a necklace to let her outfit speak for itself, opting instead for a pair of dazzling diamond earrings Earlier in the day the stunner wore a sleeveless collared LBD, dark pantyhose, and matching pumps while promoting the movie The British 32-year-old was joined at the Shutterstock Portrait Studio by her We Bury the Dead director Zak Hilditch (L) and her co-star Mark Coles Smith (R) Daisy plays Ava, a desperate woman who joins a 'body retrieval unit' in the hopes of finding her husband alive, in the emotional Tasmania-set zombie thriller Now The Daily Mail's Richard Eden has disclosed that Daisy has accumulated profits of almost 14 million for the business through which she channels her earnings. She set up Fawks Ltd in 2015, the year she first starred in Star Wars and last May reported a 730,000 profit for the year. There is no salary disclosed for Daisy, who used to pull pints before getting her big acting break. She grew up in Londons Maida Vale with her photographer father, Christopher Ridley, and banker mother, Louise Fawkner-Corbett. After her breakthrough role in Star Wars, Daisy co-starred in the film Chaos Walking in 2021 opposite Tom Holland. She has also leant her voice for animated film Peter Rabbit in 2018 and the video game Twelve Minutes in 2021. Returning to science fiction films, Daisy had leading roles in Chaos Walking in 2021, independent drama Sometimes I Think About Dying in 2023, and psychological thriller The Marsh King's Daughter in 2023. Last year she also portrayed Gertrude Ederle in the biographical drama Young Woman and the Sea. Daisy is now married to husband Tom Bateman, who she stared dating in 2017 and sparked engagement rumours when he was spotted with a ring on his wedding finger in 2019. Married At First Sight star Billy Belcher has been enjoying life following his turbulent breakup with his wife Sierah Swepstone. And on Friday, the reality TV star, 31, was spotted spending time with former MAFS bride Lauren Dunn. The plasterer put on a stylish display in a white T-shirt and denim shorts as he enjoyed a meal with Lauren at a cafe in Perth. He completed his look with a pair of white sneakers and a matching coloured cap. The groom kept a low profile in dark sunglasses as he chatted to the former MAFS bride over lunch. Lauren went for a similar approach, also arriving to the establishment in jeans and a white T-shirt. Married At First Sight star Billy Belcher was spotted spending time with former MAFS bride Lauren Dunn on Friday The plasterer put on a stylish display in a white T-shirt and denim shorts as he enjoyed a meal with Lauren at a cafe in Perth He completed his look with a pair of white sneakers and a matching coloured cap The reality star, who appeared on season 11 of MAFS, accessorised with a pair of white sandals, sunglasses and carried a pink tote bag. She left her long brunette locks out and appeared to be wearing a neutral makeup palette. The pair were seen posing for selfies while at the cafe before walking back to the car together. Billy's outing comes after his relationship with Sierah crumbled on MAFS. The former couple decided to leave the experiment last month after their relationship became riddled with trust issues. The final straw was a reported cheating scandal involving fellow groom Adrian Araouzou. Sierah admitted to having a secret dinner with Adrian and Tony Mojanovski, but failed to disclose the outing to Adrian's partner Awhina Rutene. The revelation led to an emotional confrontation, with Billy feeling frustrated and blindsided. Lauren went for a similar approach, also arriving to the establishment in jeans and a white T-shirt The reality star, who appeared on season 11 of MAFS, accessorised with a pair of white sandals, sunglasses and carried a pink tote bag She left her long brunette locks out and appeared to be wearing a neutral makeup palette The pair were seen posing for selfies while at the cafe Billy's outing comes after his relationship with Sierah crumbled on MAFS The former couple decided to leave the experiment last month after their relationship became riddled with trust issues Billy and Lauren were later seen walking back to the car together 'I have to be honest, I feel a lot frustrated,' Billy confessed at the ceremony. 'I just feel like I've really retreated. I've got literally no deep connection from you, Sierah. I've got nothing.' The tension escalated when accusations surfaced that Billy had previously suggested a 'wife swap', a claim that shocked the experts. Ultimately, both Billy and Sierah chose to walk away from their marriage, despite Sierah's last-minute regret. Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber attended the closing night of daughter Kaia Gerber's play Evanston Salt Costs Climbing in Los Angeles on Saturday. The longtime couple, who will celebrate their 27th wedding anniversary on May 29, were casually dressed as they headed to Rogue Machine Theatre in Hollywood. The 59-year-old 90s supermodel was clad in a v-neck beige sweater with a matching jacket draped over her shoulders. She added a pair of dark gray trousers and suede brown boots as fans stopped her for autographs. Rande, 62, kept a watchful eye on his wife, protectively grabbing her hand at one point. Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber attended the closing night of daughter Kaia Gerber 's play Evanston Salt Costs Climbing in Los Angeles on Saturday The longtime couple, who will celebrate their 27th wedding anniversary on May 29, were casually dressed as they headed to Rogue Machine Theatre in Hollywood The longtime couple, who will celebrate their 27th wedding anniversary on May 29, were casually dressed as they headed to Rogue Machine Theatre in Hollywood He wore a dark gray T-shirt, gray windbreaker jacket, and a pair of black and white sneakers during the outing. Crawford, who in addition to Kaia, 23, shares 25-year-old son Presley with the businessman, wore her famous brunette locks down. She gave her husband a special shoutout via Instagram in honor of Valentine's Day last month. Sharing a throwback image of them during their courtship, she wrote, 'Our first picture together all these years later, you're still my funny Valentine.' The beauty was previously married to Richard Gere, 75, from 1991-1995. Kaia's turn in the Will Arbery-written play lasted over a month, from January 25-March 8. The burgeoning actress, whose previous credits include American Horror Story and Palm Royale, received rave reviews for her stage work. Stage & Cinema described her performance as a demonstration of 'shedding her nepo baby chrysalis.' Kaia's turn in the Will Arbery-written play lasted over a month, from January 25-March 8 The burgeoning actress (bottom left), whose previous credits include American Horror Story and Palm Royale, received rave reviews for her stage work Cindy gave her husband a special shoutout via Instagram in honor of Valentine's Day last month The Los Angeles Times praised the play which 'confronts humanitys darkest fears in this deep, warm and hysterically funny play about climate and change,' per a synopsis as a whole. 'The play's offbeat appeal has a way of creating community out of thin air,' the outlet's coverage described. Gerber, who has followed in her mother's modeling footsteps, is proving herself to be more than another pretty face in Hollywood. In addition to her acting chops, she's an avid reader, and heads the book club Library Science with friend Alyssa Reeder. She celebrated the club's one-year anniversary with an Instagram post in early February. 'One year of @libraryscience with my true literary soulmate @alyssareeder. Thank you to everyone who buried their noses with us - fiction perpetually bringing us closer to reality,' she captioned the carousel of images. Cate Blanchett made a stunning arrival as she joined her co-star, Michael Fassbender, at the Black Bag premiere in New York City on Sunday. The 55-year-old actress looked mesmerizing as she walked the red carpet in an edgy-chic, head-to-toe faux leather ensemble to join her fellow co-stars. As a top, she sported a shiny puffer jacket featuring multiple sleek, silver zipper details. She tucked the voluminous top into a skintight, high-waisted midi skirt and completed her look with patent leather booties with a square-toe design. For the premiere of her new spy drama, which is set to hit theaters on Friday, March 14, she slicked back her platinum blonde bob back to showcase her eye-catching statement earrings. The two-time Oscar winner who posed for a stunning British Vogue photoshoot with Emma Corrin ahead of their new play The Seagull also showed off the massive gemstone decorating her ring finger. Cate Blanchett made a stunning arrival as she joined her co-stars at the Black Bag premiere in New York City on Sunday The 55-year-old actress looked mesmerizing as she walked the red carpet in an edgy-chic, head-to-toe faux leather ensemble to join her fellow co-stars For makeup, the Tar alum accentuated her piercing blue eyes with jet black eyeliner paired with a nude pink lip to top it all off. After showing off her glamorous look, she posed for photos alongside her co-stars who worked with her in the upcoming spy drama movie. The silver screen star joined fellow actor Fassbender, 47, on the red carpet as he showed off his dapper, espionage-inspired ensemble. For his movie premiere look, he dressed up in a sharp, dark gray blazer layered over a classic white button-down and a black tie. He sported gray trousers and paired it with a long, pinstriped coat to complete his monochromatic look. He donned shiny, black dress shoes and threw on a pair of black sunglasses with deep blue-tinted lenses. The onscreen couple wrapped their arms around each other and posed for photos to showcase their stylish outfits. The dynamic duo looked like the undercover spies they portray in the movie with their edgy outfits. As a top, she sported a shiny puffer jacket featuring multiple sleek, silver zipper details She tucked the voluminous top into a skintight, high-waisted midi skirt and completed her look with patent leather booties with a square-toe design The silver screen star joined fellow actor Fassbender, 47, on the red carpet as he showed off his dapper and espionage-inspired ensemble For his movie premiere look, he dressed up in a sharp, dark gray blazer layered over a classic white button-down and a black tie He sported gray trousers and paired it with a long, pinstriped coat to complete his monochromatic look. He donned shiny, black dress shoes and threw on a pair of black sunglasses with deep blue-tinted lenses The onscreen couple wrapped their arms around each other and posed for photos to showcase their stylish outfits The dynamic duo looked like the undercover spies they portray in the movie with their edgy outfits Later, the two leading stars posed alongside the director of Black Bag: Steven Soderbergh Later, the two leading stars posed alongside the director of Black Bag, Steven Soderbergh, who coordinated with them as he sported dark gray and black. Rege-Jean Page, 37, was another cast member who arrived at the premiere in a dashing look. The Bridgerton alum looked handsome in a black turtleneck, which he paired with khaki green trousers and a long, leather coat lined with a plaid pattern. He completed his look with shiny, patent leather Chelsea boots and carried a pair of sunglasses in his hand after taking them off for photos. On the red carpet, Blanchett posed for a photo with all of the female actors starring in the flick. She wrapped her arms around her co-stars Marisa Abela and Naomie Harris for a sweet group photo. The trio showed off their glamorous looks with Abela looking stunning in a red, off-the-shoulder number and Harris turning heads in a sheer, mesh dress. Rege-Jean Page, 37, was another cast member who arrived at the premiere in a dashing look The Bridgerton alum looked handsome in a black turtleneck, which he paired with khaki green trousers and a long, leather coat lined with a plaid pattern On the red carpet, Blanchett posed for a photo with all of the female actors starring in the flick. She wrapped her arms around her co-stars Marisa Abela and Naomie Harris for a sweet group photo The trio showed off their glamorous looks with Abela looking stunning in a red, off-the-shoulder number and Harris turning heads in a sheer, mesh dress Abela was the only red on the black 'red' carpet as she modeled a crimson-colored, satin tea dress with a subtly plunging neckline. Harris showed off her toned physique in a black, crochet midi dress with contrasting white, long sleeves Abela was the only red on the black 'red' carpet as she modeled a crimson-colored, satin tea dress with a subtly plunging neckline. She opted out of any necklaces nor bracelets to let the neckline and off-the-shoulder sleeves shine by themselves. She left her dark brunette tresses down in a straight hairstyle and tucked her hair behind her ears to show off a pair of dainty diamond earrings. The Back to Black star, 28, completed her old Hollywood-inspired look with sheer, black tights and pointed-toe pumps. Harris showed off her toned physique in a black, crochet midi dress with contrasting white, long sleeves. The dress was nearly see-through minus several intricate crochet details that protected her modesty with style. Her unique dress had fringe at the very bottom and was also lined with chunky beads for an additional flair. She styled her dark hair in a chic, low ponytail and left out a few face-framing waves for an effortlessly stylish updo. She opted out of any necklaces nor bracelets to let the neckline and off-the-shoulder sleeves shine by themselves. She left her dark brunette tresses down in a straight hairstyle and tucked her hair behind her ears to show off a pair of dainty diamond earrings The dress was nearly see-through minus several intricate crochet details that protected her modesty with style Her unique dress had fringe at the very bottom and was also lined with chunky beads for an additional flair She styled her dark hair in a chic, low ponytail and left out a few face-framing waves for an effortlessly stylish updo Later, the leading stars all gathered together for a group photo. Tom Burke joined Abela, Blanchett, Harris, Page and Fassbender for a stylish group photo on the red carpet. After taking an ensemble cast photo, Blanchett moved to Burke's side so their director Soderbergh could pose in the middle with his stars on either side. Burke looked handsome in a cream-colored suit paired with an olive green tie as he joined his co-stars. Noticeably, however, their co-star, Pierce Brosnan, was not in attendance at the premiere. The star-studded event was also attended by the likes of Keegan-Michael Key and his wife Elle Key. The Key & Peele star went for an all-blue, business casual look for the red carpet while his wife turned up the glamour in a fabulous fur coat. Carmen Cuba was also in attendance and looked effortlessly stylish in an oversize gray, tweed suit paired with black sneakers. Later, the leading stars all gathered together for a group photo. Tom Burke joined Abela, Blanchett, Harris, Page and Fassbender for a stylish group photo on the red carpet After taking an ensemble cast photo, Blanchett moved to Burke's side so their director Soderbergh could pose in the middle with his stars on either side The star-studded event was also attended by the likes of Keegan-Michael Key and his wife Elle Key. The Key & Peele star went for an all-blue, business casual look for the red carpet while his wife turned up the glamour in a fabulous fur coat Carmen Cuba was also in attendance and looked effortlessly stylish in an oversize gray, tweed suit paired with black sneakers Michael Stipe looked like a rockstar as he sported an all-white outfit paired with a muted yellow, fleece jacket Brenda Vaccaro looked effortlessly glamorous as she layered a chic, gray and black cape with mismatched pom-poms over her monochromatic outfit paired with sparkly sneakers Michael Stipe looked like a rockstar as he sported an all-white outfit paired with a muted yellow, fleece jacket. Underneath his cozy outerwear, he donned a zip-up jacket paired with white jeans, sneakers and a beanie. For another fun pop of color, he sported black-framed sunglasses with bright orange lenses. Brenda Vaccaro looked effortlessly glamorous as she layered a chic, gray and black cape with mismatched pom-poms. She completed her monochromatic outfit with a pair of sparkly sneakers and gold jewelry. Black Bag, which was directed by Steven Soderbergh, follows legendary intelligence agents George Woodhouse (Fassbender) and his wife Kathryn Woodhouse (Blanchett). The synopsis for the thriller reads: 'When his beloved wife Kathryn is suspected of betraying the nation, intelligence agent George Woodhouse faces the ultimate test loyalty to his marriage or his country.' Black Bag is set to receive a theatrical release on Friday, March 14. Chelsea Handler delivered a brutal sex jab directed at Elon Musk during her appearance at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas on Saturday. The comedian, 50, sat down with journalist Kara Swisher, and discussed her feelings on Donald Trump's presidency and his administration, including Musk, 53, who is in charge of the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. Swisher told the audience that she had asked Handler to date Musk, as per the Daily Beast: 'I told her to take one for the team and date Elon Musk and bring him back.' But the star who recently broke her silence on the romance rumors surrounding her and Ralph Fiennes, 62 was not interested in sleeping with the billionaire Tesla CEO, who has reportedly fathered 14 children. 'There's a lot I would do for the country, but having sex with Elon Musk is not one of them. I cant,' Chelsea replied. Chelsea also expressed her irritation at Musk being in the Oval Office. 'I mean did anyone vote for Elon Musk to be the president?' she questioned. Chelsea Handler, 50, delivered a brutal sex jab directed at Elon Musk, 53, during her appearance at the South by Southwest in Austin, Texas on Saturday The star who recently sparked romance rumors with Ralph Fiennes revealed she is not interested in sleeping with Musk; Musk pictured March 5 in Washington, DC 'I mean, cant we come togetherRepublicans and Democratsand say we dont want that. Cant we agree on that at least?' she asked. 'I dont know why we cant somehow figure out a way to get together and at least have one goal in mind to not be, you know, a Russian asset.' It's not the first time Handler had strong words for the SpaceX founder, whom she labeled 'repugnant' back in 2023. Handler also shared that she would not be letting the Trump presidency affect her mood this time around. 'You know the first Trump presidency, for instance, I let it take me down, and I let it steal my joy. And I am not going to do that again,' she said. 'Its the power of being optimistic in the dark and not going down a wormhole.' Handler also clarified that she is not inclined to settle down. 'I like a variety of men. I like men in my life. Im not a settle down kind of girl.' Swisher then declared that Handler would be Vice President JD Vances ultimate nightmare. 'Those types of men that want to keep women at home and being mothers, and you know, not having a career, like thats just so antiquated and its so slow and it's so boring,' Handler replied. The comedian sat down with journalist Kara Swisher, and discussed her feelings on Donald Trump's presidency and his administration, including Musk, who is in charge of the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE Swisher told the audience that she had asked Handler to date Musk, as per the Daily Beast: 'I told her to take one for the team and date Elon Musk and bring him back' 'There's a lot I would do for the country, but having sex with Elon Musk is not one of them. I cant,' Chelsea replied in regards to Musk, whom she previously called 'repugnant' in 2023 Chelsea also expressed her irritation at Musk being in the Oval Office. 'I mean did anyone vote for Elon Musk to be the president?' she questioned The comedian donned an all-white pantsuit to be interviewed for a live taping at the Vox Media Podcast Stage inside the Austin Convention Center 'I think the political situation were in is a direct reflection of the fact that men are so scared of women. Like why are you acting like this if youre not?' Handler expressed confidence that men like Vance cannot suppress women, emphasizing, 'Women are more powerful and independent than we've ever been, and that isn't going to change.' The comedian donned an all-white pantsuit to be interviewed for a live taping at the Vox Media Podcast Stage inside the Austin Convention Center. Handler is next scheduled to perform standup comedy on March 21 at The Cosmopolitan's The Chelsea in Las Vegas, NV. Chelsea's barbed jab at Musk comes after she broke her silence on rumors of a romance between her and Fiennes, after they were spotted leaving the Vanity Fair Oscars Party together last Sunday evening. The two were seen smiling as they walked arm-in-arm after the fete. Handler, who revealed that she was dating someone new earlier this week, seemed to shut down speculation during an interview with Entertainment Tonight published Thursday. She insisted that she was simply walking to another party with the - and that was 'all that happened.' Handler also added that there were other people with them, and it wasn't just her and Fiennes. 'I don't think Ralph Fiennes is marriage material,' Handler admitted to the outlet. 'And I don't think I'm marriage material,' she added. However, the Chelsea Lately star admitted that because they both aren't necessarily 'marriage material,' it might mean that they could make a good pair. It comes after she broke her silence on rumors of a romance between her and Ralph Fiennes, 62, after they were spotted leaving the Vanity Fair Oscars Party together last Sunday evening; He is pictured inside the event She insisted that she was simply walking to another party with the actor - and that was 'all that happened'; they are pictured at the 2025 Critics Choice Awards Meanwhile DOGE mastermind Musk has expanded his sprawling family tree once again as Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis confirmed the birth of their fourth child together earlier this month; Musk and Zilis pictured with their twins Strider and Azure who were born in June 2021 The baby would be Musk's alleged 14th offspring, given his current legal scuffle with conservative influencer Ashley St Clair 'I don't think either one of us is getting married,' she said. Rumors of Handler's new fling came over two years after she broke up with fellow comedian Jo Koy in July 2022. However, Handler confessed she had been dating a mystery man for the past 'nine months' on the third part of her interview on The Jamie Kern Lima Show which, granted, was pretaped in early to mid-February. 'I have someone that I'm seeing now that I'm very attracted to and that I like having sex with, and so that's a really good like nice little thing I have going,' the Critics Choice Awards host said. '[But] I don't think any relationships that I've been in [have been] serious. I don't think of myself as a relationship person. I think of myself as a purpose person. Meanwhile DOGE mastermind Musk has expanded his sprawling family tree once again as Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis confirmed the birth of their fourth child together earlier this month. The baby would be Musk's alleged 14th offspring, given his current legal scuffle with conservative influencer Ashley St Clair. Blake Lively was accused of beefing up the crowd at the South By Southwest Film Festival premiere of her new film Another Simple Favor over the weekend. The 37-year-old actress who was greeted on Friday by the sight of an incensed female fan bearing a sign reading, 'Justice for Justin Baldoni. Blake lied' was seen posing for a selfie with Laurie Feig, the wife of Another Simple Favor director Paul Feig. Some of the star's most overzealous critics became convinced based on photos of the selfie that Laurie Feig was pretending to be a fan in the crowd, despite being married to the filmmaker. 'Why is the director of Another Simple Favors wife pretending to be a fan in the crowd waiting for Blake on the red carpet to take a selfie?' wrote a YouTuber who has been critical of Lively, who is wrapped up in dueling lawsuits with her It Ends With Us costar and director Baldoni. 'Watch how many PR bots reply that this is normal, internalized misogyny, and why do you care?' the poster whose claims about bad blood between Lively and her costar Anna Kendrick were shut down by Feig added. However, the post appears to be the result of some embarrassing misapprehensions related to the geography of the SXSW premiere. Blake Lively was accused of beefing up the crowd at the South By Southwest Film Festival premiere of her new film Another Simple Favor over the weekend; pictured March 7 in Austin, Texas The 37-year-old actress was also seen posing for a selfie with Laurie Feig, the wife of Another Simple Favor director Paul Feig; pictured March 7 in Austin, Texas Several of the star's most overzealous critics became convinced based on photos of the selfie that Laurie Feig was pretending to be a fan in the crowd, despite being married to the filmmaker One photo shows Blake leaning against a railing to pose for a selfie, while Feig's wife is behind the barrier, as if she is just part of the crowd separated from Lively. But behind the filmmaker's wife is a yellow SXSW backdrop of the red carpet which her husband and the actors walked. Rather than being 'in the crowd waiting for Blake on the red carpet,' it was Feig who was in the area leading up to the red carpet, while the Gossip Girl star appeared to have left the red carpet area to go chat with fans and sign memorabilia. Other photos from the event confirm as much, as Blake had put her translucent pink jacket on when she met with fans, who appeared to be corralled on the other side of the street that she was standing on, opposite from the VIP area where Feig was standing. Feig's place in a selfie was also used as evidence that she was 'pretending to be a fan,' but it wasn't her or Blake who snapped the photo. Instead, it was a man with a badge indicating that he was a festival attendee who took the photo, and it's unclear if Feig had anything to do with the photo, or if he was just trying to snap a photo of a nearby A-list actress. Other photos show the man posing for photos while Blake talks to Laurie in the background without paying him any attention. When Blake does turn toward him for a photo, Feig continues to face her, as if she was interrupted mid-conversation by the fan. Director Paul Feig (center) was seen at the premiere posing with Anna Kendrick (L) and Blake The posts appeared to misunderstand that it was Feig who was on the side with the red carpet and the yellow backdrop, while Blake had left the VIP area to go chat with fans on the other side of the street; pictured March 7 in Austin, Texas Other photos from the event confirm as much, as Blake had put her translucent pink jacket on when she met with fans across from the theater; pictured March 7 in Austin, Texas Blake brushed off the protestor as she mingled with fans; pictured March 7 in Austin, Texas She smiled while posing with fans; pictured March 7 in Austin, Texas The same YouTuber was roasted on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday after calling out Lively for doing a 'costume change' on the red carpet. 'Is she serious? The delusion and narcissism is egregious. No one else did this,' the poster claimed, adding: 'I know Anna Kendrick is soooo tired.' However, commenters were quick to let her know that Blake had simply removed her jacket on the red carpet, rather than changing her outfit, though the original poster continued to defend herself relentlessly in the replies. The outfit likely felt like a portable sauna, as the actress wore what appeared to be a vinyl dress and covered up with a latex coat neither of which would have been particularly breathable. Last month, Lively unleashed a new salvo in her ongoing legal back-and-forth with Justin Baldoni by claiming that she was not the only woman he made uncomfortable on the set of It Ends With Us. An amended version of her complaint filed late in New York federal court alleged that she has corroboration of her original claims, and a spokesperson for the 37-year old actress claimed that 'other women confided in Blake about their discomfort,' according to People. In a statement to DailyMail.com, Balondi's attorney Bryan Freedman said: 'Our clients have been transparent in providing receipts, real time documents and video showing a completely different story than what has been manipulated and cherry picked to the media. Our clients have taken this matter and these issues very seriously notwithstanding the jokes made publicly by the plaintiff and her husband. 'Her underwhelming amended complaint is filled with unsubstantial hearsay of unnamed persons who are clearly no longer willing to come forward or publicly support her claims,' he continued. 'Since documents do not lie and people do, the upcoming depositions of those who initially supported Ms. Livelys false claims and those who are witnesses to her own behavior will be enlightening. What is truly uncomfortable here is Ms. Livelys lack of actual evidence.' Feig's place in a selfie was also used as evidence that she was 'pretending to be a fan,' but it wasn't her or Blake who snapped the photo; pictured March 7 in Austin, Texas Instead, a man with a festival attendee badge took the photo, and it's unclear if Feig had anything to do with the photo. She at first kept talking to Blake, suggesting that the man simply interrupted their conversation for a selfie with Blake; pictured March 7 in Austin, Texas The same YouTuber was roasted on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday after calling out Lively for doing a 'costume change' on the red carpet However, commenters were quick to let her know that Blake had simply removed her jacket on the red carpet, rather than changing her outfit; pictured March 7 in Austin, Texas Blake Lively, 37, has unleashed a new salvo in her ongoing legal back-and-forth with Justin Baldoni by claiming that she was not the only woman he made uncomfortable on the set of It Ends With Us; pictured February 16 in Manhattan A recently filed amended version of her complaint alleges that she has corroboration of her original claims, and a spokesperson for the actress claims 'other women confided in Blake about their discomfort,' according to People; Baldoni is pictured December 4 in LA Lively previously filed a sexual harassment lawsuit in December against Baldoni, who costarred in and directed her hit romantic drama It Ends With Us. Baldoni followed up by launching a $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively, her publicist and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. He also filed a $250 million libel lawsuit against the New York Times for its reporting on Lively's allegations. In a statement to DailyMail.com, Lively's attorneys Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb said the amended complaint 'provides significant additional evidence and corroboration of her original claims.' They added that it 'includes previously undisclosed communications' Lively had with Sony Pictures, Baldoni's production company Wayfarer Studios and 'numerous other witnesses.' The new version of the complaint reportedly includes an added defamation claim against Baldoni that was not part of the initial document, which was filed on New Year's Eve. According to Hudson and Gottlieb, Lively is suing for defamation 'based on the repeated false statements the defendants have made about Ms. Lively since she filed her original complaint...' She has also expanded her complaint to add Jed Wallace and his Texas-based crisis PR firm Street Relations, Inc., as a defendant. They add that it 'includes previously undisclosed communications' Lively had with Sony Pictures, Baldoni's production company Wayfarer Studios and 'numerous other witnesses'; Baldoni pictured December 9 in NYC Lively's revised complaint adds a defamation claim against Baldoni for 'repeated false statements ... about Ms. Lively since she filed her original complaint...' according to her attorneys; Baldoni and Lively seen on It Ends With Us set in New Jersey in January 2024 It claims Baldoni's 'false narrative crumbles' because Lively 'was not alone in complaining about Mr. Baldoni...' and that she 'raised her concerns contemporaneously as they arose,' instead of waiting until shortly before the film was released; still from It Ends With Us Wallace, who has denied playing any part in a smear campaign against the Gossip Girl star, previously filed a $7 million lawsuit against her in response to Lively's allegation in her initial complaint that his firm 'weaponized a digital army' against her on behalf of Baldoni. She had requested Wallace be deposed in her initial complaint, though he revealed in his subsequent lawsuit earlier in February that the request had been rescinded. Lively's new filing alleges that others on the set of It Ends With Us can corroborate her claims. It claims that Baldoni and his co-defendants' 'false narrative crumbles under the indisputable truth' that the actress 'was not alone in complaining about Mr. Baldoni...' The filing also tries to establish that she 'raised her concerns contemporaneously as they arose in 2023, not in connection with some imagined power play for control of the film in 2024.' According to a spokesperson for Lively, the amended filing 'details the corroboration that backs up Blakes original sexual harassment and retaliation concerns.' They allege that the document proves that 'other women confided in Blake about their discomfort and fear of coming forward, and their concern about the current public vitriol.' Despite the escalating legal battle between the two parties, there's no end in sight for Lively or Baldoni. Lively and Reynolds recently made light of the situation when they returned to the spotlight at the SNL50 anniversary special in February Tina Fey and Amy Poehler began by asking, 'How's it going?' Reynolds nervously responded, 'Great. Why, what have you heard?' Lively then looked up at him with a painfully over-the-top expression of concern, before relaxing into her normal smile In January, a judge scheduled a trial date for their lawsuits in March of 2026, and both parties have already decided to skip any attempt at mediation. Lively and Reynolds recently made light of the situation when they returned to the spotlight at the SNL50 anniversary special last month. In one segment featuring questions from the star-studded audience, Reynolds alluded to the dueling lawsuits. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler set off the exchange by calling on it and asking, 'How's it going?' 'Great. Why, what have you heard?' the Deadpool star responded nervously while clasping his hands together. Lively then looked up at him with a painfully over-the-top expression of concern, before relaxing into her normal smile. Insiders later told DailyMail.com that some attendees of the SNL anniversary special were 'apprehensive' about chatting with the A-list couple. Some producers were concerned that the show was being used to endorse Blake and Ryan because they seem desperate to prove that theyre still in with the Hollywood crowd, the insider continued. Baldoni's attorney Bryan Freedman later slammed the joke, despite the fact that it never explicitly referenced the Jane The Virgin actor Earlier this month, Lively's legal team subpoenaed multiple cell carriers as it attempts to gather proof that Baldoni launched a smear campaign against her; Reynolds and Lively seen February 16 in NYC Their team worked with SNL to create the joke but the truth is, people there werent really feeling it. To many it felt like cheap damage control. But it was included as the network knew the appearance would grab ratings and make headlines.' They continued: 'Some people thought it was weird that they were so eager to crack jokes about it because the accusations are serious. It felt like Ryan was desperate to stick with the funny guy act which was almost at the expense of Blake. She seemed on edge backstage.' Baldoni's attorney Bryan Freedman later slammed the joke, despite the fact that it never explicitly referenced the Jane The Virgin actor. 'Im unaware of anybody, frankly, whose wife has been sexually harassed and has made jokes about that type of situation,' he said on an appearance on Hot Mics with Billy Bush. 'I cant think of anyone whos done anything like that. So it surprised me.' Earlier in February, Lively's legal team sent subpoenas to the cell carriers to produce 'receipts for her legal battle against Baldoni. 'Ms. Lively has initiated discovery that will expose the people, tactics, and methods that have worked to "destroy" and "bury" her reputation and family over the past year,' her attorneys Hudson and Gottlieb told Deadline. 'We will now receive all of the receipts that, unsurprisingly, are nowhere to be found on Mr. Freedmans website, and like Ms. Lively, those "receipts" will have their day in court,' they added, referencing Freedman's allegation that Baldoni's team had 'receipts' backing up his claim that Lively had been a bully on the set of It Ends With Us. Baldoni's legal team later said the subpoenas went 'flagrantly overboard' in a letter to US District Judge Lewis J. Liman. 'If they have so many receipts why are they so afraid to produce them,' Lively's attorneys responded in a statement to People. Dave 'Hughesy' Hughes has been spotted hanging out at the beach after he made headlines at Adelaide Fringe Festival over the weekend. The Aussie comedian, 54, who kicked three noisy women out of his comedy gig, was relaxing on Monday at St Kilda Beach in Melbourne. Hughesy could be seen enjoying a dip at the popular summer spot and strolling along the promenade, basking in the sun. He wore a pair of navy blue swimmers with french fries and bows printed across the shorts as he made the most of the good weather. The TV personality paired the fit with bright pink running shoes, a pair of sunnies, an Apple Watch and a towel. At times he appeared lost in thought and far away, wearing a serious expression on his face. Dave 'Hughesy' Hughes (pictured) has been spotted hanging out at the beach after he made headlines at Adelaide Fringe Festival over the weekend The Aussie comedian, 54, who kicked three noisy women out of his comedy gig, relaxed on Monday at St Kilda Beach in Melbourne Hughesy could be seen enjoying a dip at the popular summer spot and strolling along the promenade, basking in the sun The appearance comes after Dave unleashed on a group of women over the weekend for interrupting his show at Adelaide Fringe Festival. Footage of Hughes' angry spray on Friday night showed the 54-year-old pausing his gig to scold three women sitting near the front who wouldn't stop chatting. The crowd chanted 'out' as Hughes told the group: 'I'm sorry, it's my f**king show, you have to shut up. 'If you talk one more time, you're out. Alright, that's it. This is f**king ridiculous. 'This is a lesson for anyone.' He labelled the women's behaviour 'distracting' and the 'height of rudeness'. The trio were escorted out after being called out, with one kissing Hughes on the cheek and shaking his hand. The comedian later told Seven News the interruption was 'frustrating' and 'terribly selfish' before offering etiquette tips to anyone wishing to attend his shows. 'Look if you've paid money to go to a show - you've got to shut up,' Hughes said. He wore a pair of navy blue swimmers with french fries and bows printed across the shorts as he made the most of the good weather He waded in at waist-deep level and stopped for a ponder At times he appeared lost in thought and far away, wearing a serious expression on his face The appearance comes after Dave unleashed on a group of women over the weekend for interrupting his show at Adelaide Fringe Festival The comedian later told Seven News the interruption was 'frustrating' and 'terribly selfish' before offering etiquette tips to anyone wishing to attend his shows He labelled the women's behaviour 'distracting' and the 'height of rudeness' 'Don't have your own conversations loudly. Especially if you're in the second row because it's not TV. The performers can hear you. 'Maybe I'm not entertaining enough.' Hughes: told the Adelaide Advertiser: 'Ive no idea how anyone could think its OK to behave like that when everyone has paid good money to see a show. 'The crowd reaction told me I made the right call. The show soared once they left. 'Hopefully people read this and realise its terribly selfish to behave that way during a live show. Hughes has been inundated with support over his extraordinary outburst. 'While I don't find him funny, I do agree with him, that it's his show and the women shouldn't have been interrupting his show. Sucked in to them,' one viewer said. 'Hope they learn a lesson out of it,' another wrote. Footage of Hughes' angry spray on Friday night showed the 54-year-old pausing his gig to scold three women sitting near the front who wouldn't stop chatting A third commented: 'Good on him - so many concerts and shows lately you go to and groups of people talk the whole time.' Hughes also took to social media to address the saga. 'I love Adelaide Fringe! Do you agree that if people won't shut up during a show, after multiple warnings, that it's right to eject them?' he wrote. Hughes later added that no one in the crowd was kicked out during Sunday night's sold-out gig. The post sparked a divided reaction. 'Next year Ill be booking one of your shows, bloody legend!' one wrote. 'It's a live show, not Gogglebox,' another said. A third wrote: 'There's nothing more annoying to other patrons sitting near them too hearing them f*****g chit chat. Like mate I didn't pay to hear about your day! Good on you for booting them. However, some slammed Hughesy for swearing at the audience. 'I do believe that you could have done it in a slightly better way. I do, however, understand the frustration and wonder why the person went to the show, if not just to provoke you into giving such a reaction,' one said. Hughes' hour-long 'WTF?' show ran at Fringe from Friday to Sunday with ticket prices ranging from $39 to $49. Hughes later added that no one in the crowd was kicked out during Sunday night's sold-out gig. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Hughes' manager for comment. Married At First Sight's Olivia Frazer has debuted her new look after sensationally slamming the show's producers last week. The reality star, 31, who rose to fame on season 9 of the series, took to Instagram on Monday to show off her fresh short haircut. 'A bob moment,' she captioned one of the Instagram stories, which showed the TV personality at the hair salon rocking short locks, a butter yellow cardigan and a bright blue Frank Green water bottle. She then posted a selfie with the caption: 'Nahhhhhh I'm obsessed,' adding: '"Bobsessed" if you will.' The hair transformation comes after Olivia unleashed on the Married At First Sight producers following 2025 contestant Paul Antoine's violent outburst on the show. In a recent episode, the 31-year-old FIFO worker admitted he became so enraged after his wife Carina Mirabile told him she had once slept with US rapper Quevo, he punched a door in frustration. Married At First Sight's Olivia Frazer (pictured) has debuted her new look after sensationally slamming the show's producers last week The MAFS star looked very different on the show Taking to TikTok after the incident, Olivia slammed Channel Nine and production company Endemol Shine Australia for 'excusing violence'. Olivia, who appeared on the 2022 season of the reality hit, claimed that producers do not live up to promises of a zero tolerance policy when it comes to violence among participants. 'This is not the first time Endemol Shine Australia and Channel Nine have excused violence, despite what they preach,' she said in the long-winded clip. 'If there was a zero tolerance policy, then after such displays of violence participants would be rightfully removed from the show immediately.' She added that she had been told by producers before filming that displays of aggression were strictly forbidden. 'We were told before filming that anything violent would have us removed from the program,' she said. 'To quote what [a producer] said to us on briefing day, "So much as a clenched fist and you are out the door." 'But that didn't happen, did it? And it still hasn't happened.' 'A bob moment,' she captioned one of the Instagram stories, which showed the TV personality at the hair salon rocking short locks Olivia unleashed on producers of the reality series, following 2025 contestant Paul Antoine's violent outburst Paul (left) admitted he became so enraged after his wife Carina Mirabile (right) told him she had once slept with US rapper Quevo, he punched a door in frustration Olivia then brought up an incident from her season that saw fellow bride Domenica Calarco, violently smash a glass during a verbal altercation with Olivia at a dinner party. Olivia alleged that the incident was 'trivialised' and she was 'gaslit' by producers into not making a formal complaint. 'When something violent happened to me, it was trivialised to start with, but essentially I was told to get over it,' she said in the video. 'I wanted to call the police and I was told I would be risking the jobs of hundreds of people and [was] guilted out of doing something to protect myself.' She continued: 'I was isolated and cornered by three female executive producers who gaslit me, downplayed my experience, and made false promises to keep me on the show.' Olivia then claimed producers manipulated the fracas in editing, making it look like Domenica's actions were justified. 'The truth is I didn't want that argument... God forbid I sick up for myself,' she said. 'I never baited my aggressor, as much as it was presented to you on screen.' Olivia then brought up an incident from her season that saw fellow bride Domenica Calarco (pictured) violently smash a glass during a verbal altercation at a dinner party Rounding out her explosive post, Olivia called for the series to be taken off air while allegations of abuse and violence are properly investigated. 'What is also disturbing is Endemol Shine Australia and Channel Nine yet again allowing violent participants to remain in a workplace,' she said. 'If they really wanted to set examples for society like they claim, the aggressor should be been removed immediately. 'The show needs to be stopped. It needs to be investigated for all sorts of current and historical abuse of participants and production needs to answer for the abuse that they have subjected participants to for far too long.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Nine for comment. The MAFS villain wiped her social media accounts clean earlier this year, deleting years of posts and photos. The reality star shared a post to Instagram in July explaining the shock reasons behind her decision to delete years of social media content. Alongside a photo of her looking frustrated, the stunner wrote some pointed words: 'No, your Instagram isn't glitching. Yes, I archived all my photos.' Olivia said her drastic move, which saw years of racy snaps gone in an instant, came as a result of people posting negative comments on her page, forcing her to limit the ways internet trolls can contact her. 'People can't comment mean s**t on my photos if there's no photos' she explained. 'I am aware I could have just turned comments off, but that wouldn't be the dramatic little princess that I am'. Marisa Abela cut a stunning figure as she wowed in an elegant red dress at the Black Bag premiere in New York on Sunday evening. The British actress, 28, led the stars at the glitzy event at the U.S. premiere of the film just days ahead of the its release on Friday. The star dazzled in the candy red garment, pairing it with some black pointed toe pumps and letting her brunette tresses loose. Marisa completed the look with some silver earrings and black nail polish and toted a black leather clutch bag. Marisa's style offered a pop of colour to the evening as she was joined by her more muted co-stars including Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, Tom Burke and Naomie Harris at the party at AMC Lincoln Square 13 in the Big Apple. Michael, 47, donned a long light grey overcoat with vertical dark grey stripes, pairing the item with light grey suit trousers, a white shirt and a black tie. Marisa Abela cut a stunning figure as she wowed in an elegant red dress at the Black Bag premiere in New York on Sunday evening The British actress, 28, led the stars at the glitzy event at the U.S. premiere of the film just days ahead of the its release on Friday She completed the look with some silver earrings and black nail polish and toted a black leather clutch bag The actor looked dashing as he added a pair of squared black sunglasses with black lens and a pair of black shoes. Cate, meanwhile, turned heads in a head-to-toe faux leather ensemble, stepping out in a shiny puffer jacket featuring multiple sleek, silver zipper details. The actress, 55, tucked the voluminous top into a skintight, high-waisted midi skirt and completed her look with patent leather booties with a square-toe design. Tom, 43, wore a cream suit and white shirt, adding tan shoes and a pine green tie with white polka dots which was loosened throughout the evening. And Naomie, 48, opted for an edgy look in a sheer black midi dress with white netted sleeves, adding a pair of pointed black heels. Comedian Bill Burr, 56, was also present at the ceremony, sporting a mid-grey long-sleeve polo top. Black Bag, which was directed by Steven Soderbergh, follows legendary intelligence agents George Woodhouse (Michael) and his wife Kathryn Woodhouse (Cate). The synopsis for the thriller reads: 'When his beloved wife Kathryn is suspected of betraying the nation, intelligence agent George Woodhouse faces the ultimate test loyalty to his marriage or his country.' Cate Blanchett, meanwhile, turned heads in a head-to-toe faux leather ensemble while Naomie Harris opted for an edgy look in a sheer black midi dress Michael Fassbender (pictured, with Bill Burr, right) donned a long light grey overcoat with vertical dark grey stripes pairing it with light grey suit trousers, white shirt and a black tie Tom Burke wore a cream suit and white shirt, adding tan shoes and a pine green tie with white polka dots which was loosened throughout the evening The stars (including director Steven Soderbergh, centre, and Rege-Jean Page, second right) posed for a group shot at one point in the evening ahead of the film's release on Friday Marisa's attention-grabbing display in New York comes after she cosied up with fiance Jamie Bogyo at a BAFTA celebration at London's Maison Estelle last month. Despite losing out on the Rising Star award to David Jonsson, Marisa appeared in good spirits as she beamed alongside her West End actor partner. The stunner, who portrayed Amy Winehouse in the Back To Black biopic wowed as she went braless beneath a structured black blazer dress, which she teamed with sheer tights and heels. Earlier that evening, she had looked sensational at the 2025 EE British Academy Film Awards at London's Royal Festival. The Industry star turned heads in a sparkling black gown which featured thin straps and showed off her physique. She wore her long dark tresses pulled back and opted for a glowing make-up look courtesy of Charlotte Tilbury including Pillow Talk Lip and Cheek Glow and the brand's new lip gloss. White Lotus star Parker Posey has revealed she and her cast mates were 'always going into hospital' while filming the smash hit show's third season in Thailand. The actress, 56, who plays wealthy matriarch Victoria Ratliff, said diarrhoea was rife on the exotic set forcing the stars to leave their swanky 15K-a-night Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui accommodation to seek treatment . Nevertheless Parker gushed over Thailand's hospitals, where there was no wait to see a doctor and patients could also get botox, saying everyone returned to set 'like they'd had the time of their lives'. Recalling her own brush with illness she told The Times: 'There was a piece of fish that left me and Sam Nivola, who plays my youngest son, on a few weeks of plain rice and pasta with the D-word and constipation alternating'. '[People] were always going to the hospital and coming back like they'd had the time of their lives. Thai hospitals were so nice, you could do everything there you could get Botox and medicine easily, and waiting in line wasn't a thing'. Parker also said how she discovered the importance of self-care and indulged in the country's practices while filming for months at end in Thailand. White Lotus star Parker Posey, 56, has revealed she and her cast mates were 'always going into hospital' while filming the smash hit show's third season in Thailand. The actress said diarrhoea was rife on the exotic set, forcing the stars to accommodation to seek medical advice (pictured with co-star Jason Issacs) 'I wasn't good at all that until now, but now I had all these massages, I got on board with all the supplements I needed, I did sound baths, reiki, Pilates. It felt needed. And the Thai culture is just so wise, it makes you feel, oh, I was so stupid taking this stuff personally. It comes after Walton Goggins has defended age-gap relationships after starring as Aimee Lou Wood's older love interest on the show. The American actor, 53, took on the role of shady Rick Hatchett in the hit drama as he arrives in Thailand with his much-younger girlfriend Chelsea, played by Aimee, 30. Rick is an illusive American while Chelsea is a chatty Mancunian and their unlikely relationship got fans talking, with many praising the actors' exceptional chemistry. And they didn't shy away from showing all aspects of the romantic relationship, even stripping off for an intimate sex scene in the second episode. In light of their much-talked-about on-screen relationship, Walton has now given his own thoughts on age-gap romances in the real world. Walton - who has been married to writer Nadia Conners, 53, since 2005 - said the 'trope' is so commonplace he doesn't think it needs to be discussed anymore. He said he 'doesn't care' about age-gaps or any other factors in relationships, insisting he just likes to see people in love and happy. Parker gushed over Thailand's hospitals, where there was no wait to see a doctor and patients could also get botox, saying everyone returned 'like they'd had the time of their lives' She said: 'There was a piece of fish that left me and Sam Nivola (L) who plays my youngest son, on a few weeks of plain rice and pasta with the D-word and constipation alternating'. Parker also said how she discovered the importance of self-care and indulged in the country's practices while filming for months at end in Thailand 'Well, I mean, it's been going on for so long, hasn't it an older man and a younger woman, my God, how trite is that?' he told The Telegraph. 'It's a trope at this point, so to really discuss it is just a waste of time. Why would you care if two people find peace and a modicum of joy out of another human being? What does it matter to you? 'I don't care, I like to see people happy together.' Amy recently spoke about how she and Walton worked with an intimacy coordinator for their steamy sex scene, which they felt was important to show on-screen. She told Elle: 'We were like, ''This is what we think should happen. This is why we think it's important.'' Because we don't see a lot of tenderness from Rick to Chelsea the rest of the time. 'So we have to make sure that when they're physical and intimate in that way, that you see the love. 'We don't want it to be like a f***ing gratuitous [sex scene]. We wanted it to be very tender.' Walton is not the only actor who has spoken about age-gap relationships after being in one on screen, with Leo Woodall giving his thoughts earlier this month. It comes after Walton Goggins has defended age-gap relationships after starring as Aimee Lou Wood's older love interest on the show (both pictured on the show) Walton said the age-gap 'trope' is so commonplace he doesn't think it needs to be discussed anymore and insisted he 'doesn't care' so long as people are happy in their relationships Leo took on the role of Renee Zellweger's character Bridget's much-younger love interest, Roxster, in Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy. Leo insisted he isn't fazed by the 'toyboy' phrase, saying romances between younger men and older women aren't 'that unusual' in an interview with The Telegraph. He said people just 'aren't used' to seeing a younger man/older woman dynamic on-screen, whereas the older man/younger woman romance has been shown 'countless times'. In real life, Leo, 28, is in a relationship with his White Lotus co-star Meghann Fahy, 34, who is six years his senior. Amanda Holden left her Heart Radio producer aghast on Monday as she revealed she enjoyed a bath with her dog. The presenter, 54, had joined co-star Jamie Theakston, 54, on their Breakfast show where she recounted her idyllic weekend in which she spent time at West Wittering beach in West Sussex with her loved ones. She told how her adorable puppy Minnie, whom she rescued in September, enjoyed her very first trip to the beach, but was left covered in sand following the excursion. The Britain's Got Talent star then revealed that she later drew herself a warm bath after returning home, before deciding to bring her pet pooch in with her for a good scrub down. And while Jamie didn't appear to be fussed by her revelation, the same couldn't be said for their producer, with Amanda clocking that he was sitting with his 'head in his heads' as she told her story. Recalling her weekend, Amanda told how Minnie 'went nuts' on the beach and had 'loved the sea', as did her other dog Rudie. Amanda Holden left her Heart Radio producer aghast on Monday as she revealed she enjoyed a bath with her dog [pictured in 2022] She told how her adorable puppy Minnie, whom she rescued in September, enjoyed her very first trip to the beach, but was left covered in sand following the excursion [Amanda and Minnie pictured in December] But instead of giving Minnie a bath of her own, the star decided to allow her pet to join her in her bath. She shared: 'I looked at Minnie the moocher, who's my dog, and I just thought, I'm gonna put her in with me! 'I need to wash her anyway because she's covered in sand, so I took her collar off and we had a little bath together!' Amanda continued: 'I used all her doggie shampoo, so there were no products in the bath so please don't write in. Minnie was loving it, she was living her best life. Then I got the dog conditioner and got a brush... why has our producer got his head in his hands?' After observing the producer's reaction to the news, Amanda went on with her story, adding: 'I started brushing out her - because she got a little bit matted from her halter under her armpits - so I gave her a good brush, a good clean, and then I got out, but then I put Rudie in the bath water. 'I just thought it saves a bit of bath water and then I gave him a good old scrub as well so everyone was clean and fluffy and lovely!' Amanda and Jamie then put forward the question whether it is appropriate to have a bath with your dog, with Amanda adding: 'What a phoner!' As Jamie urged people to text in with their thoughts, Amanda revealed she believed it was appropriate to bathe with your pets before insistingthat she didn't want complaints. The presenter, 54, had joined co-star Jamie Theakston , 54, on their Breakfast show where she recounted her idyllic weekend in which she spent time at West Wittering beach in West Sussex Recalling her weekend, Amanda told how Minnie 'went nuts' on the beach and had 'loved the sea', as did her other dog Rudie 'I need to wash her anyway because she's covered in sand, so I took her collar off and we had a little bath together!' [Pictured in 2023] 'I used all her doggie shampoo, so there were no products in the bath so please don't write in. Minnie was loving it, she was living her best life' It comes after Amanda was snapped looking back on fine form last week after injuring her foot. The star was all smiles as she wore a long, yellow coat over a matching yellow blouse and dark, floral skirt as she left Global Radio studios. The presenter looked very much back to her usual, cheerful self after she sustained a foot injury last weekend that left her 'struggling to walk'. Amanda said she believed her foot was not broken at the time and this appears to be the case as she was back in modestly-sized heels today. The Britain's Got Talent presenter told fans that the injury was the result of trousers that were too long and 'massive heels'. It comes after Amanda was snapped looking back on fine form last week after injuring her foot She explained: 'Remember when Naomi Campbell fell over on the catwalk? Well that happened to me, but I've ripped.... it's the leg that I broke. 'You know when I first joined Heart and I managed to break my leg? It's that leg and I have got nan foot 'So, all weekend I've had a blue foot and I've been in my slippers, so I'm trying to [go for] either an MRI or an X-ray.' But while Amanda did not break her foot, she admitted the pain she was in was 'even worse than breaking it'. Dave 'Hughesy' Hughes has opened up about his traumatic childhood and how it shaped him into the comedian he is today. The Project host, 54, got candid on Australian Story on Monday as he reflected on growing up with a dad who struggled with alcoholism and a home that was often rife with fear. 'Knowing there's a loaded gun in the house and someone who is not mentally stable and drunk in the house, it's not a relaxing way to go through your childhood,' he said on the program, which aired Monday night. Dave said while his father, Desmond, was never physically violent, he did once threaten him with the rifle. 'I still remember when he brought it out one day and said, "I will shoot you all." That wasn't relaxing,' he says. Dave lost his father, Desmond, known as Des, in November 2010 at the age of 78. Dave 'Hughesy' Hughes (pictured) has opened up about his traumatic childhood and how it shaped him into the comedian he is today The Project host, 54, got candid on Australian Story on Monday as he reflected on growing up with a dad who was plagued with alcoholism and a home that was often rife with fear Growing up in such a difficult environment inspired Dave to not only kick his own unhealthy addiction with alcohol, but follow his dream of becoming a comedian. 'I had the thought, "I don't want alcohol to control my life", and as I'd seen it, control family members' lives. I didn't want to be that. So, that was a big part of the reason why I stopped drinking' he said. Becoming one of Australia's most recognisable comedians, however, came with its own set of obstacles, including crippling self doubt. 'I'm on stage, microphone in hand, trying to be funny. But most of my brain is going, "You are a loser. You are useless. You're never going to be a success in life"' shared The Project host. Dave has previously attributed his career success to quitting drugs and alcohol. Hughesy told TV Week in 2019 that it was only after getting sober in his early twenties that he had the confidence to launch a career as a stand-up comedian. 'If I hadn't quit drinking, I never would have gone into comedy,' he said. 'I wouldn't have been able to get myself together. I'd be freaking out. It wasn't good for my mental health,' he added. Dave said while his father, Desmond, was never physically violent, he did once threaten him with the rifle. 'I still remember when he brought it out one day and said, "I will shoot you all." That wasn't relaxing,' he says. Dave lost his father, known as Des (right), in November 2010 Becoming one of Australia's most recognisable comedians, however, came with its own set of obstacles, including crippling self doubt. Pictured on Hey Hey It's Saturday in 1998 The father-of-three began performing stand-up comedy in Perth when he was 22 and although he initially bombed, he eventually won over audiences. In 2001, he launched a career in radio on Hughesy, Kate & Dave, before branching out into television work. A few years ago, Dave told News.com.au how his battle with depression led him to abuse drugs and alcohol. The Hit Network star, who has been sober for 25 years, said he hit rock bottom in his early twenties because he felt as though his life had no direction. 'I was feeling depressed as a young man,' he said. 'I was drinking too much, and when I'd drink I would get drunk. As a teenager and in my early twenties I was struggling with my own ego that whole struggle to feel like you're achieving things,' he added. 'Young men and young people can take life too seriously and I think drinking certainly didn't help that as well as smoking marijuana.' Dave's depression began affecting his livelihood after he dropped out of two university degrees before ditching higher education altogether and eventually losing his job. The funnyman said drugs and alcohol only made things worse and he ultimately felt 'more lost'. In the end, he turned to his mother, a nurse, who helped him quit drinking for good. If this article has raised any issues, help is available at 1800RESPECT If you or someone you know is struggling, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 Viewers tuning into a 10 News report on Monday were surprised to see a familiar face. During a segment on a shark attack in Sydney during which a woman was seriously injured, a NSW paramedic appeared on the screen to discuss her injuries. That paramedic was one Andrew Bibby - a former actor who turned his back on the limelight to pursue a more noble path. Andrew famously starred on soap opera Neighbours as Lance Wilkinson between 1995 and 2001. The 44-year-old has since returned for brief stints in 2005, 2018, 2022 and 2023 as well as appearing in high profile series like the Underbelly series. But these days, Andrew is much more likely spotted in the back of an ambulance tending to a patient or on scene at an accident. Viewers tuning into a 10 News report on Monday were surprised to see a familiar face. During a segment on a shark attack in Sydney, a NSW paramedic appeared on the screen to discuss her injuries. That paramedic was one Andrew Bibby (pictured) - a former actor Andrew previously joked that he's now known as 'Ambo Lance' and says his acting background helped him in his new career, which he's been in for over a decade. 'Being able to act like I know what is going on, like I've seen it all before and that everything is okay, actually comes in quite handy,' he told the Daily Telegraph. 'I do know what's going on, by the way. As paramedics we improvise a lot, like in acting' he joked. Andrew says that he is still frequently recognised on the job, particularly by Neighbours-loving English tourists. 'They will get quite excited when they realise who I am and sometimes look around for the cameras, thinking it is a hoax,' he said. 'I like to think that if a patient can recognise me and want to talk about Neighbours and my former career, then they are not on death's door and things aren't too bad.' It comes after Neighbours crew broke their silence on the show's fate after news emerged the Aussie soap has been axed for the second time. Posts were shared on the show's Facebook and Instagram confirming that the beloved Australian soap opera would be leaving screens from December 2025. Andrew famously starred on soap opera Neighbours as Lance Wilkinson between 1995 and 2001. The 44-year-old has since returned for brief stints in 2005, 2018, 2022 and 2023 as well as appearing in high profile series like the Underbelly series. Pictured in 2000 The crew assured fans that new episodes from the 40th anniversary season would continue to be broadcasted on Prime Video and Ten, with 'all the big soapie twists and turns that our viewers love.' The show's Executive Producer Jason Herbison went on to celebrate the many years of Neighbours and the success it had experienced since its inception. 'Audiences all around the world have loved and embraced Neighbours for four decades and we are very proud of the huge success over the last two years including often appearing as one of the Top 10 titles in the UK and the show's first ever Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Daytime Series in 2024,' he said. 'As this chapter closes, we appreciate and thank Amazon MGM Studios for all that they have done for Neighbours bringing this iconic and much-loved series to new audiences globally.' He ended off the post, saying: 'We value how much the fans love Neighbours and we believe there are more stories of the residents of Ramsay Street to tell in the future.' It was announced last month that Neighbours would be axed for a second time, less than two years after it was first revived. The Australian soap opera will reportedly end production this summer after production company Fremantle failed to agree on a new deal with Amazon. The final ever episode will air at the end of 2025 with fans forced to say goodbye to Ramsay Street for a second time. Andrew joked that he's now known as 'Ambo Lance' and says his acting background helped him in his new career, which he's been in for over a decade. Pictured on Neighbours A source told The Sun: 'Amazon gave Fremantle two years to see if it worked but sadly they just didn't get the viewers. 'It's a really sad day especially for the cast and crew who work on the show in Melbourne. 'This really is the end of Neighbours just as it's celebrated it's 40th birthday.' Neighbours nearly ended forever two years ago when Channel 5, who part-funded the soap for UK viewers, pulled out of their deal. Bella Thorne turned heads in a racy look as she attended the Marine Serre show during Paris Fashion Week on Monday. The actress, 27, opted for a black corset-style dress with cheeky cut out detailing for the fashion event. The bodysuit part of the dress showed off her figure while the skirt was low slung on her waist. It featured pretty lace detailing and was accessorised with statement gold and blue jewellery. Bella boosted her height with strappy black heels and put on a confident display as she posed up a storm. She wore her brunette tresses in loose waves over her shoulders and opted for a glowing makeup look. Bella Thorne turned heads in a racy look as she attended the Marine Serre show during Paris Fashion Week on Monday The actress, 27, opted for a black corset-style dress with cheeky cut out detailing for the fashion event The French capital has been busier than ever this week with shows from all the major designers. It runs until this Tuesday and comes after fashion weeks in London, Milan and New York. Thorne's fiance Mark Emms, 45, did not appear to be in attendance. Similarly, he did not appear to be in France with her during Paris Fashion Week, but Thorne still sported an important accessory with her outfits. Paired with her fashion show looks, she showed off the massive diamond on her ring finger. She got engaged to producer Mark Emms when he proposed to her in May 2023 after nine months of dating Bella gushed over her fiance Mark as they celebrated Valentine's Day earlier this year. The former Disney star put on a very loved-up display with her partner as she shared a series of snaps on Instagram. The bodysuit part of the dress showed off her figure while the skirt was low slung on her toned waist Bella boosted her height with strappy black heels and put on a confident display as she posed up a storm She wore her brunette tresses in loose waves over her shoulders and opted for a glowing makeup look She wrote: 'Valentine's Day was a dream'. Bella and Mark met in 2022 at Cara Delevingne's birthday party on a beach in Ibiza, and one year later - on Mother's Day - he proposed. It comes after Bella shocked fans last year when she revealed she is Cuban as she marked Hispanic Heritage month. The actress' late father Delancey Reinaldo 'Rey' Thorne was of Cuban and Italian descent while her mom Tamara Thorne has Irish, English, German, and Welsh ancestry. Bella posted a busty snap to Instagram showing off her curves in a leopard swimsuit and wrote: 'today marks the end of hispanic heritage month, but I'm always celebrating because i'll always be that cuban girl from FL!! keeping u alive daddy every day.' The former Disney star's dad died in a motorcycle accident aged 44 in 2007, when she was only nine years old. An American actress and screenwriter looked simply adorable as a sweet childhood snap of her was shown during a recent TV appearance. The throwback image saw the star sporting thick-rimmed glasses and a bowl haircut as she grinned for the camera while posing with a puppet. The snap was shown as she made a cameo in her very famous friend's new Netflix television series, which went viral after the two shared a very awkward moment. The little girl, who was born in Massachusetts, grew up to be a huge TV star, first gaining recognition thanks to her role in the US version of The Office, which she starred in between 2005-2013. She further made a name for herself playing the titular character in a Fox/Hulu sitcom, which she also created and produced, while her film credits include A Wrinkle In Time, Oceans' 8 and Late Night. But can you guess who it is? An American actress and screenwriter looked simply adorable as a sweet childhood snap of her was shown during a recent TV appearance - but can you guess who it is? Yes, it's Mindy Kaling! The comedian could be seen smiling proudly at the camera, with the youngster sporting a patchwork waistcoat and pink knitted jumper in keeping with the 80s fashion at the time. Mindy's throwback snap was featured in episode two of her pal Meghan Markle's new show With Love, Meghan, in which the ladies were discussing the foods in which they grew up with while rustling up children's party snacks. However, the topic was overshadowed by a seemingly cringe moment when Meghan corrected Mindy over her surname. 'It's so funny too, that you keep saying 'Meghan Markle,'' The Duchess told The Mindy Project star. 'You know I'm Sussex now,' she added. The moment went viral, with viewers even going as far as to analyze it on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. However, Mindy seemed surprised by the strong reactions, which she spoke about during a Thursday morning visit to The View. Yes, it's Mindy Kaling! Mindy first gaining recognition thanks to her role as Kelly Kapoor in the US version of The Office, which she starred in between 2005-2013. She further made a name for herself playing the titular character in Fox/Hulu sitcom The Mindy Project, which she also created and produced The snap was shown as she made a cameo in her very famous friend Meghan Markle's new Netflix television series, which went viral after the two shared a very awkward moment Her appearance was brought up by host Alyssa Farrah Griffin, who asked the writer what that experience was like for her. 'You know, I had a great time. I noticed that whenever I do something, anything related to Meghan, it becomes... big news,' Mindy began. 'We were making sandwiches, and then they'll push in on my face on TikTok and they'll be like, 'Look at this emotion you felt,' and I honestly didn't even remember it because we shot it like, nine months ago,' she continued. 'I loved my time with Meghan,' Mindy added. 'I'm also like, let her promote her show... it was great and really fascinating seeing the reaction.' During the conversation, host Sunny Hostin also chimed in to say how much she enjoyed the new series, who called it a 'beautifully made show' and something that was 'aspirational.' The two first met after The Office star appeared on Markle's now-defunct Spotify podcast, Archetypes. And Whoopi Golding added: 'People love to hate her. People love to talk about her.' Her appearance on With Love, Meghan overshadowed by a seemingly cringe moment when Meghan corrected Mindy over her surname Mindy seemed surprised by the strong reactions, which she spoke about during a Thursday morning visit to The View 'You know, I had a great time. I noticed that whenever I do something, anything related to Meghan, it becomes... big news,' Mindy said Meanwhile, Mindy had previously posted her sweet childhood snap on social media back in 2015 to show her support for girls' education. Writing alongside the adorable image, Mindy said: 'I was all smiles because I got to go to school and be myself. '#62MillionGirls don't have that chance. Let's end that.' Mindy was showing her support for First Lady Michelle Obama's 62Milliongirls campaign, which promotes girls' education around the world. Mrs Obama launched the campaign at the Global Citizen Festival in New York's Central Park, asking supporters to share what they had learned in school. Kim Kardashian appeared to upstage Bianca Censori as she stepped out for dinner on Sunday. The reality icon, 44, showed off her signature syle that Bianca has been accused of copying in the past, while leaving Sushi Restaurant Subuya with sons Saint, nine, Psalm, five, and nephew Reign Disick, 10. Bianca turned heads in December last year when she stepped out in a look that was almost identical to Kim's style. Kim - who was previously married to Bianca's husband Kanye West - wore a tan bodysuit with semi-sheer tights beneath her flashy coat and her feet slipped into transparent heel flip flops. As for the makeup, Kim opted for a heavy coat of mascara and lip tint. Kim Kardashian appears to be upstaging Bianca Censori in the style stakes Bianca Censori, who is married to Kim's ex-husband Kanye West, would wear; has been accused of taking a few style leaves out of Kim's book Like Kim, Bianca is also a fan of furs (pictured above with Kanye) She emerged holding hands with her youngest child, Psalm, with Saint following close behind. A friend of the kids also tagged along. Meanwhile, Bianca and Kanye, 47, were recently hit by reports that they had decided to divorce, but they are now said to be giving their relationship another go. A source told Page Six that the couple have 'decided to make their marriage work again' after 'a lot of talking' in recent days. They allegedly decided that they were 'not ready to give up on each other' after spending more time together following their headline-making stunts. In the latest twist in the couple's tale Kanye sparked outrage last week with what might be his most offensive social media post to date - a snap of a Ku Klux Klan robe captioned: 'Outfit of the day.' The distinctive white robe topped with a pointed hood was designed to conceal KKK members' identities and became infamous after being seen in D. W. Griffith's $100M-grossing 1915 film, The Birth of a Nation. During the 1920s, the robes provided the main financing for the Protestant-led white supremacist, far-right hate organization - which amassed 8M members violently opposing Jews, Black people, Catholics, and Southern/Eastern European immigrants. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) estimated that there were 'at least 29 separate, rival Klan groups currently active in the United States' as of 2017. Kim's nephew Reign was in a mischievous mood as he flipped the bird The star held hands with her son Psalm Kim donned semi-sheer tights and a nude leotard look for the outing Over on X, the reaction was swift and horrified with user @S2M0NEY tweeting: 'Ku Klux Kanye.' Kim and Kanye split in February 2021 after six years of marriage and four children North, 11, Saint, Chicago, six, and Psalm together. Weeks after their divorce was finalized in November 2022, Kanye tied the knot with Bianca, who works as an architect at his Yeezy company. Since marrying Kanye, Bianca has shocked the globe by gallivanting in public in X-rated outfits including see-through frocks and pant-less, braless looks. She flipped her feet into a pair of transparent sandal heels Kim's son Saint trailed along The youngsters scrambled into the parking lot beside the mega star A source previously dished to DailyMail.com that Kim warned Kanye not to let Bianca wear her revealing outfits in front of their children. 'Kim instructed Kanye to never let Bianca dress like that around their kids,' the insider revealed exclusively to DailyMail.com in February. 'She is truly surprised that Kanye would let his wife leave the house like that.' Since then, Bianca has gone out of her way to cover up while in the company of North, Saint, Chicago or Psalm. Including Saint and Psalm, Kim shares a total of four children with ex Kanye She reached for her youngest child's hand It's not the first time Kim has been accused of copying Bianca Even her slicked back hairstyle resembled Bianca's everyday hairstyle Kim and Kanye split in February 2021 after six years of marriage and four children North, 11, Saint, Chicago, six, and Psalm together Unlike in his marriage with Bianca, Kanye used to frequently ask Kim to change her outfits if he felt she was showing too much skin, with the rapper heavily influencing her fashion choices during their six-year marriage. 'Kanye did the same thing he is doing with Bianca to Kim throughout their marriage,' DailyMail.com's source explained. 'The difference is that when Kanye dressed Kim, he was respected as a person as an artist. But Bianca has also worn outfits that looked as if they came straight of Kim's closet as well. Katie Holmes cut a very chic figure on Monday as she stepped out at the Zimmermann Paris Fashion Week show. The actress, 46, slipped into a loose fitting cream co-ord and went braless in a plunging brown top as she checked out the designer's Womenswear Fall/Winter 2025/2026. Turning heads in the French capital, Katie posed up a storm in her trendy jacket and combat-style trousers, which she wore with a brown handbag and white heels. Her brunette locks were worn in soft waves that cascaded over her shoulders, while she highlighted her features with a radiant make-up palette and smoky eye. The Coda star was seen gazing into the camera as she took her place on the front row. And Katie was certainly in good company at the fashion event as she was joined by fellow actress Rose Byrne. Katie Holmes cut a very chic figure on Monday as she stepped out at the Zimmermann Paris Fashion Week show The actress, 46, slipped into a loose fitting cream co-ord and went braless in a plunging brown top as she checked out the designer's Womenswear Fall/Winter 2025/2026 The Bridesmaids star, 45, looked chic in a floaty white semi-sheer dress with a laser cut design and wavy trim. Her look was pulled together with a tan tie-belt, which she paired with a matching handbag and sandals. Katie's appearance comes after she was spotted on a rare outing with her daughter Suri Cruise in New York City over the weekend. On Saturday, the Dawson's Creek star stepped out with her 18-year-old daughter after the teenager went back home during her college break. She appeared to be in bright spirits while enjoying a stroll with her daughter whom she welcomed with Tom Cruise during their five years of marriage before they divorced in 2012. The mother-daughter duo were last spotted in the city together in late January when Suri showed her support and attended Holmes' final performance for the Broadway play Our Town. After reuniting, the actress went out for a walk with her daughter, bundling up in a double-breasted, long coat. She paired the chic outerwear with red pants and mocha brown suede boots to match. Turning heads in the French capital, Katie posed up a storm in her trendy jacket and combat-style trousers, which she wore with a brown handbag and white heels Her brunette locks were worn in soft waves that cascaded over her shoulders, while she highlighted her features with a radiant make-up palette and smoky eye The Coda star was seen gazing into the camera as she took her place on the front row The film star showcased her style credentials at the fashion event Katie was certainly in good company at the fashion event as she was joined by fellow actress Rose Byrne The Bridesmaids star, 45, looked chic in a floaty white semi-sheer dress with a laser cut design and wavy trim Her look was pulled together with a tan tie-belt, which she paired with a matching handbag and sandals The ladies were joined by Melissa George (far left) and Geraldine Viswanathan (second left) on the front row At her side, Suri who is currently a freshman at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania layered an oversize jean jacket over a dark denim jumpsuit. She donned pair of light brown, moto boots and crossed her arms to keep her hands warm during their walk. The nepo baby was a regular fixture at her mother's performances this past season, including when she joined the cast and crew of Our Town to celebrate Holmes' 46th birthday in December. The mother-daughter duo have been estranged from Cruise, Holmes' ex-husband and Suri's father. Holmes previously started dating the actor in April 2005, and it was only seven weeks after they met when Cruise asked her to marry him. Katie's appearance comes after she was spotted on a rare outing with her daughter Suri Cruise in New York City over the weekend The mother-daughter duo have been estranged from Tom Cruise, Holmes' ex-husband and Suri's father; pictured February 2023 in Beverly Hills The following year, she gave birth to Suri on the anniversary of her first date with Cruise. Later that same year, Holmes and Cruise tied the knot in Italy. During their time together, Holmes started practicing Scientology, Cruise's religion, but it reportedly became an issue of contention between them over time. In 2012, after less than six years of marriage, Holmes filed for divorce. Sources close to Holmes later claimed she feared he would abduct their daughter, and her decision to step away from the Church of Scientology was reportedly a major issue that led to their split. Patrick Kielty looked bereft as he carried the coffin of his late mother Mary at her funeral in County Down. The Irish presenter's mother, who was aged in her 80s, passed away at her home in the village of Dundrum on Saturday. Patrick appeared heartbroken as he was seen carrying Mary's coffin to the Church of the Sacred Heart in his Northern Irish hometown for her funeral on Monday. His wife Cat Deeley was not in attendance for the church ceremony, instead staying in London to present This Morning earlier that day. A death notice said Mary 'will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her entire family circle, neighbours and friends'. Patrick wore a dark grey suit with a white tie as he laid his mother to rest with his brothers John and Cahal, joined by dozens of mourners. Patrick Kielty looked bereft as he carried the coffin of his late mother Mary at her funeral in County Down on Monday The mother of the Irish presenter, who was aged in her 80s, passed away at her home in the village of Dundrum on Saturday (Patrick and Mary seen in 2012) Patrick's wife Cat Deeley did not appear to be in attendance at the funeral after presenting This Morning earlier that day (pictured) Patrick has often spoken fondly of his mother over the years, and told The Irish Sun in 2023 that she was 'secretly delighted' when he was chosen as host of the Late Late Show. 'Mary Kielty is secretly delighted but not making any real public statements,' he said. 'I mean talking to people at mass, which is kind of a public statement in Dundrum. '"Well now, what about that son of yours, I'm sure youre very proud," to which Mary Kielty would say "Well now, I've got three sons, so which one are you talking about?"' Patrick's life was rocked by tragedy after his father was killed by protestant paramilitaries who claimed he was an IRA chief during the Troubles when he was just 16 years old. He relived the murder as part of a TV documentary in 2023, in which he said of his mother: 'My dad was a brave man but it was my mum who wanted to protect us. 'She's the one who raised the family and kept us together. She was 46 when he died and she never remarried.' The comedian revealed the moment he was called into the headmaster's office of his school to be told of his father Jack's death at the hands of Loyalist shooters. Patrick appeared heartbroken as he was seen carrying Mary's coffin to the Church of the Sacred Heart in his Northern Irish hometown for her funeral A death notice said Mary 'will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her entire family circle, neighbours and friends' Patrick wore a dark grey suit with a white tie as he laid his mother to rest with his brothers John and Cahal, joined by dozens of mourners His wife Cat Deeley did not appear to be in attendance after presenting This Morning earlier that day As part of a BBC programme documenting the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, Patrick spoke about the effect the murder has had on his life. The Loyalist assassins had fired on his father's firm in Dundrum, County Down, at the height of the Troubles. It was a case of mistaken identity, with the killers believing Jack to be an officer in the IRA, a link that was immediately dismissed by the Royal Ulster Constabulary and family members. Reliving the moment he was told of the death, Patrick said: 'It was the very first Red Nose Day and I'd put the posters up all around the school. 'When I was called to the headmaster's office, I thought I was going to get told off because I'd plastered the entire school with them. Then I got to his office and one of my dad's business colleagues was there. That's when I knew something was terribly wrong. Patrick has often spoken fondly of his mother over the years, and told The Irish Sun in 2023 that she was 'secretly delighted' when he was chosen as host of the Late Late Show Patrick's life was rocked by tragedy after his father was killed by protestant paramilitaries who claimed he was an IRA chief during the Troubles when he was just 16 years old Patrick was just six days away from turning 17 when he buried his father and served as a pallbearer at the funeral 'I remember thinking, "I need to get home. How's my mum? Where's everybody else?" At the time you don't realise you're going through shock.' Patrick was just six days away from turning 17 when he buried his father and served as a pallbearer at the funeral. 'Growing up in Northern Ireland you had less of those chats because a lot of people knew what you were going through,' he said. 'There was never anger. 'It was a case of looking after mum and the family pulling together. The minute you're angry then someone else has won.' After Brandon Sklenar sparked speculation he was showing support for Justin Baldoni in his messy feud with Blake Lively, the It Ends With Us actor has now cleared the air. Last week Sklenar, 34, wore a brooch at the Vanity Fair Oscars party that was identical to the one Baldoni, 41, sported at the It Ends With Us premiere last year - and the accessory did not go unnoticed by fans who theorized it was his way of standing by Justin, who has been embroiled in a messy legal battle with Lively, 37. But Sklenar has insisted that was not the case and the identical brooches was merely a complete coincidence. 'Honestly, no. I wish I could say there was,' he told People at the SXSW premiere of his film Drop on Sunday when asked if there was a hidden meaning behind the pin. 'That was a total happenstance,' the 1923 actor continued. 'I woke up in the morning and saw an article and I was like, "Oh, damn." I literally had no idea.' Sklenar said he merely wanted a wear a floral brooch to the bash. Brandon Sklenar has insisted the brooch he wore to the Vanity Fair Oscars party earlier this month was not his way of showing support for Justin Baldoni On Sunday, the 34-year-old New Jersey native appeared to don the same exact floral brooch to attend the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills that the 41-year-old filmmaker wore to the August 6th world premiere of It Ends With Us in Manhattan He ultimately chose the pink rose pink due to it's color. 'Lo and behold, someone also wore that prior to me wearing it,' he added. Stylist Madeleine Kennedy procured the $1,806 Anabela Chan 'Blush Parrot Bloom' pin for Brandon, which is made from 18k gold vermeil and a 6.5 carat lab-grown citrine gemstone. Fans of Justin might recall how he wore the fancy fascinator while allegedly banished by the 37-year-old Gossip Girl alum to the basement of AMC Lincoln Square Theater along with his friends and family, so she wouldn't have to be in his presence. After Brandon posted a photo from the Oscars celebration to the Instagram - which was captioned 'Vanity Fair X long live the ( brooch )' - followers took note of the floral accessory. User @chewbekahboo commented: 'Isn't this the same broach as JB at premier? Is this a stand in solidarity?' Instagram user @lindsaydawnebateman wrote: 'One apology can change everything.' 'I think everyone should give Brandon a little grace. Imagine hearing from your female costar that she had been SH by the director,' Instagram user @thesusanpresley commented. 'A good man would support as he did without being messy. Now that more info has come to light he has taken a much more neutral stance. He was in a no win situation. I think he's trying to navigate this mess carefully and I'm hoping the brooch is a sign of solidarity.' Instagram user @audrey.kuhn8 encouraged: 'It's not too late to speak up and stand up against power and money.' 'The audacity to steal the floral pin idea from the same man you tried to so quickly take down,' Instagram user @sultryinpink scoffed. 'Do you not have any self respect? (Creative) energy vampires really need to be exposed.' Instagram user @lmd_stf agreed, simply posting three poop emojis and three snake emojis. 'Wear your florals!' Instagram user @swings4thefence commented. 'Too bad he didn't care about the message until now.' Instagram user @whathuhque wrote: 'It's a pretend to stand in solidarity broach. He knows he's lost fans and so he's now pretending to be on JBs side without having to say it and all ya'll eating it up. He doesn't mean it, he's just doing it to save his instant dying career.' Sklenar captioned his post about the A-list soiree: 'Vanity Fair X long live the ( brooch )' The 1923 actor's 543K Instagram followers took note with user @chewbekahboo commenting: 'Isn't this the same broach as JB at premier? Is this a stand in solidarity?' Instagram user @thesusanpresley commented: 'I think everyone should give Brandon a little grace. Imagine hearing from your female costar that she had been SH by the director. A good man would support as he did without being messy. Now that more info has come to light he has taken a much more neutral stance. He was in a no win situation' Instagram user @audrey.kuhn8 encouraged: 'It's not too late to speak up and stand up against power and money' Instagram user @sultryinpink scoffed: 'The audacity to steal the floral pin idea from the same man you tried to so quickly take down. Do you not have any self respect? (Creative) energy vampires really need to be exposed' Instagram user @whathuhque wrote: 'It's a pretend to stand in solidarity broach. He knows he's lost fans and so he's now pretending to be on JBs side without having to say it and all ya'll eating it up. He doesn't mean it, he's just doing it to save his instant dying career' When cornered by THR at the same Oscars event, Brandon called the Lively versus Baldoni legal war 'a tough situation' but did not take a stance: 'I just hope everyone remembers what the movie is about and why we made it in the first place. It's about love. It's about supporting women in general and helping people through tough times.' But two months earlier, Sklenar famously tagged the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants alum with a heart emoji and reposted a link to her December 22nd New York Times article with the caption: 'For the love of God read this.' Two days earlier, Blake filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department against the Jane the Virgin alum for sexual harassment and retaliation on the NYC set of It Ends with Us. Justin immediately filed a libel lawsuit for $250M against the New York Times for biased coverage of Lively's 'vicious smear campaign' and she filed a lawsuit against him and his PR team on December 31 for his 'plan to undermine her reputation in retaliation.' On January 16, Baldoni filed a second $400M lawsuit against the LA-born blonde, her powerful husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist Leslie Sloan for civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy. The Manhattan US District trial is currently scheduled for March 2026. The Green and Gold actor currently portrays Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren's onscreen nephew Spencer Dutton in the eight-episode second season of Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone prequel 1923, which airs Sundays on Paramount+. When cornered by THR, Brandon called the Lively versus Baldoni legal war 'a tough situation' but did not take a stance 'I just hope everyone remembers what the movie is about and why we made it in the first place. It's about love. It's about supporting women in general and helping people through tough times,' Sklenar said But two months earlier, the Green and Gold actor famously tagged the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants alum with a heart emoji and reposted a link to her December 22nd New York Times article with the caption: 'For the love of God read this' Two days earlier, Blake (pictured August 6) filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department against the Jane the Virgin alum for sexual harassment and retaliation on the NYC set of It Ends with Us Justin immediately filed a libel lawsuit for $250M against the New York Times for biased coverage of Lively's 'vicious smear campaign' and she filed a lawsuit against him and his PR team on December 31 for his 'plan to undermine her reputation in retaliation' On January 16, Baldoni filed a second $400M lawsuit against the LA-born blonde, her powerful husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist Leslie Sloan for civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy Brandon currently portrays Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren's onscreen nephew Spencer Dutton in the eight-episode second season of Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone prequel 1923, which airs Sundays on Paramount+ Sklenar will also play Henry in Christopher Landon's mystery thriller Drop, which Universal Pictures will release in US/UK theaters April 11 The Futra Days star's other upcoming projects include Lionsgate's The Housemaid directed by Paul Feig (pictured October 8) - coincidentally the same exact filmmaker behind Blake's next film, Another Simple Favor Brandon will also play Henry in Christopher Landon's mystery thriller Drop, which Universal Pictures will release in US/UK theaters April 11. Sklenar's other upcoming projects include Lionsgate's The Housemaid directed by Paul Feig - coincidentally the same exact filmmaker behind Blake's next film, Another Simple Favor. This little future star had a very modest upbringing in Kentucky where she was at one point forced to live in a tent, wash her hair in the river, and survive on food stamps. The now 43-year-old was raised by her mother Ranae and stepfather Phil - who passed away in 2020 and 2019 from lung cancer - and Ranae famously went into pre-labor with her at a Shell station, which led to her unique name. The pretty actress - who never knew her biological father - got her big break in soap operas starring as Amanda Dillon in ABC's All My Children from 2005-2011 and as Jordan Ridgeway in NBC's Days of Our Lives from 2013-2023. But she's probably best known for her role working as The Oppenheim Group realtor associate in Netflix series Selling Sunset, who is she? This little future star had a very modest upbringing in Kentucky where she was at one point forced to live in a tent, wash her hair in the river, and survive on food stamps It's Chrishell Stause and she posted the throwback elementary school snap in honor of International Women's Day. 'Inside of you is the little girl you were that's so proud of you!' the Daytime Emmy nominee - who boasts 4.4M social media followers - captioned her Instagram post. 'Take care of her, lift her up, and others around you! I love us so much. Thank you to all the women in my life I look up to every single day. The little girl inside me is very excited to be surrounded by such empowered bosses!' Chrishell (born Terrina) was 'murdered' during episode eight on season three of Peacock's The Traitors, and the $250K prize was won by Dolores Catania, Dylan Efron, Ivar Mountbatten, and Gabby Windey. During last Thursday's reunion, Stause apologized to her fellow 'Bambi' co-star Nikki Garcia for causing her banishment in episode five of the murder mystery game. 'That is my biggest regret in the entire game and I think it really shook my confidence,' the GLAAD correspondent explained. 'I didn't speak because I was so afraid to make another mistake like that.' Last month, Chrishell told People she's on a group text with Nikki and Gabby Windey: 'We've definitely been in touch and supporting each other throughout watching the show. They're lovely. I love these girls. I'll be friends with them way past our time. I feel like we really bonded in the castle.' Stause famously 'wed' Australian rocker G Flip in Las Vegas in 2023 without obtaining a marriage license - according to TMZ. The inseparable pair were dating other people - The Oppenheim Group president Jason Oppenheim and The Bachelorette Australia #7 Brooke Blurton - when the met at a Halloween party in 2021, but they didn't start dating until five months later. The Neighbours actress was previously married to This Is Us star Justin Hartley, but their bitter divorce was finalized in 2021 after nearly two years of wedded bliss. The now 43-year-old (L) was raised by her mother Ranae (M) and stepfather Phil (R) - who passed away in 2020 and 2019 from lung cancer - and Ranae famously went into pre-labor with her at a Shell station, which led to her unique name The pretty actress - who never knew her biological father - got her big break in soap operas starring as Amanda Dillon in ABC's All My Children from 2005-2011 and as Jordan Ridgeway in NBC's Days of Our Lives from 2013-2023 But she's probably best known for her role working as The Oppenheim Group realtor associate in Netflix series Selling Sunset, who is she? It's Chrishell Stause and she posted the throwback elementary school snap in honor of International Women's Day (pictured last Thursday) The Daytime Emmy nominee captioned her Instagram: 'Inside of you is the little girl you were that's so proud of you! Take care of her, lift her up, and others around you! I love us so much. Thank you to all the women in my life I look up to every single day. The little girl inside me is very excited to be surrounded by such empowered bosses!' Chrishell (born Terrina) was 'murdered' during episode eight on season three of Peacock's The Traitors, and the $250K prize was won by Dolores Catania, Dylan Efron, Ivar Mountbatten, and Gabby Windey During last Thursday's reunion, Stause apologized to her fellow 'Bambi' co-star Nikki Garcia (2-L) for causing her banishment in episode five of the murder mystery game Kanye West's ex Amber Rose has recalled her 'unprofessional' first meeting with the controversial rapper way back in 2008. The American model, 41, who would go on to date Ye, 47, for two-years before their messy 2010 split, revealed the smitten star flew her thousand of miles in a bid to meet her by offering her a role in a non-existent music video. During an appearance on the Club Shay Shay podcast she spoke about her long history of working in the music industry alongside the likes of Chris Brown and Young Jeezy who she branded 'very professional'. She then recalled how Kanye flew her from her home in New York to LA to appear in the video for his song Robocop, but despite filming never materialising she admitted, due to her still being so young, she failed to realise something wasn't quite right. 'A day goes by, then another day goes by and we are going out to dinners, we were doing everything but shooing the video!', she said. Amber said due to her past experiences on sets, she had only brought a small number of clothing expecting to soon be heading home, but as the days rolled she was left without anything to wear before Kanye purchased her outfits. Kanye West 's ex Amber Rose, 41, (pictured) has recalled her 'unprofessional' first meeting with the controversial rapper, 47, way back in 2008 The American model, who would go on to date Ye for two-years, revealed the smitten star flew her thousand of milesin a bid to meet her by offering her a role in a non existent music video (pictured in 2010) Amber joined Kanye as his date at the 2009 Grammy Awards, where he infamously interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech. She said: 'I was so green I didn't realise that he really flew me out because he sew me in the video and thought I was hot and flew me out, but I didn't know'. MailOnline has contacted representatives for Kanye for comment. Elsewhere in the interview Amber revealed the moment the rapper reduced her to tears by 'making her wear' a revealing dress. The host commented: 'I think you did have one of those see-through dresses that Kanye put his wife in at one point in time.' While Amber admitted: 'Yes, I did. I cried. I remember crying. I was in like Italy or Paris or something and I remember crying and arguing with him and being like I don't f****** want to wear this s***, I don't wanna wear it.' '[He said] You don't understand, it's fashion, I'm a genius. You know how he is. It's like, okay, I still don't wanna wear it but I went in wearing it, they ate me up on the internet.' She added: 'I was like oh my God, I really just don't wanna do this' and confirmed she would never wear something like that again. She spoke about her long history of working in the music industry alongside the likes of Chris Brown who she branded 'very professional'. She then recalled how Kanye flew her from her home in New York to LA to appear in the video for his song Robocop, but despite filming never materialising (pictured 2009) The model admitted due to her still being so young she failed to realise something wasn't quite right (pictured together 2009) Amber is thought to be referring to the moment she stepped out in an almost completely see-through distressed dress during Paris Fashion Week in 2010. Amber was later asked what she thought about the way Kanye's wife Bianca Censori has been dressing, after she showed up to the Grammys red carpet in a completely see-through dress. The model revealed: 'Kanye is for sure dressing her like that. Yeah, he did the same thing to me and Kim. It's just who he is. 'He wants other men to want his woman. That's what he's into, he likes that. He likes that men are drooling over his woman. That's what he's into. 'He wants all his friends to want to f*** his girlfriend. He wants everybody that when you walk in a room, that his girlfriend or wife is the most desirable.' Shannon then asked: 'And you dressed like that because that's what he wanted, you wanted to please your man?' Amber Rose admitted: 'I was young and I'm gonna tell Kanye now, when I'm that young it's like okay, you're buying me this stuff, I do look pretty and cool. 'But if you look at old pictures of me when I'm dating Kanye but I'm out by myself, I have all his clothes on. 'I have baggy jeans on, a T-shirt, a big jacket. I raided his closet when he wasn't home. I would wear all his stuff because I used to hate to dress like a w****. Elsewhere in the interview Amber revealed the moment the rapper reduced her to tears by 'making her wear' a revealing dress (pictured 2010) She was also asked what she thought about the way Kanye's wife Bianca Censori has been dressing, after she showed up to the Grammys red carpet in a completely see-through dress 'I used to hate it so I used to rebel when he wasn't home and go in his closet. I'm in sweatpants usually with some Jordans on, maybe a little dad hat or something. I'm very casual.' Amber also explained that the 'sexy' image that she had been pushed into while dating Kanye affected her even after their separation. 'So when I was out on my own, without my first relationship that kind of brought me to the light, that's what they wanted from me.' She recalled, 'I would have producers saying, "We want to do this video for MTV and we want you at the pool, with a bikini on, martini in your hand."' And I'm like, "Ugh, I'm so not her." Like, I'm so not her and I get what I come off as but I am so not her. And they're like, "Well I guess you don't want to do it then."' Hollywood legend Dick Van Dyke was looking sprightly after giving back to his community. The star, 99, was seen departing Vandy Camp, a musical fundraising event featuring himself and his wife Arlene Silver, 53, at Aviator Nation Dreamland in Malibu on Saturday. Dick - who recently shared his secret to staying fit - gave his beloved 1964 film Mary Poppins a stylish shout-out for the occasion. He wore a T-shirt referencing his 'Step In Time' musical number from the film, and the top featured a cartoon drawing of his character Bert, dancing on a rooftop with a chimney sweep slung over his shoulder. Dick emerged with the assistance of a cane, at times leaning against a truck for support. During the feel-good event, which also featured his a cappella group The Vantastix, Dick delighted attendees with a rousing rendition of the song Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and shared stories about surviving past fires. Hollywood legend Dick Van Dyke was looking sprightly after giving back to his community The beloved star pictured taking part in a fundraiser for Community Brigade, an organization with trains volunteers on fire preparedness and response Van Dyke played Bert opposite Julie Andrews in the classic 1964 film In video posted to Dick's Facebook, the actor described how his house nearly survived a fire - though it was unclear which blaze he was referring to. 'Somehow our house survived. We got singed a little bit on the garage but we almost, but we almost, almost,' Dick told the audience. That wasn't the only brush with a blaze Dick has faced. Dick recounted being evacuated from his Mandeville Canyon home after the Bel-Air fire struck in 1961. Miraculously, his home survived while the neighbors on either side of his property sadly lost their homes. 'I've been through five fires. Back in the 60s, I lived in Mandeville Canyon, up on the ridge. That big Bel-Air fire came in and we had to leave. We came back and our house was standing there, the houses on both sides of us had burned down. 'It's fate. Somebody's looking out for me.' The fundraiser comes over a month after Los Angeles was afflicted by multiple devastating fires, resulting in countless evacuations and the destruction of numerous buildings. At least 29 lives were lost. The actor wore a shirt paying tribute to his beloved musical film, Mary Poppins The colorful shirt featured a cartoon drawing of his character Bert, dancing on a rooftop with a chimney sweep slung over his shoulder He relied on a cane and at one point leaned against a truck for support All the proceeds from Dick's show benefitted Community Brigade, an LA-based organization which trains volunteers in fire preparedness and response. Dick was forced to evacuate his Malibu home late last year after wildfires hit the area. The star told Today the fire 'was coming from the hill, you could see it. And oh my God, and we got out of here.' He revealed he was forced to crawl to his car after exhausting himself trying to use a fire hose, saying: 'I had exhausted myself, I couldnt get up. Three neighbors came and carried me out and came back and put out a little fire in the guest house and saved me.' During the show, which raised funds for Community Brigade, Dick recalled evacuating his Mandeville Canyon home in 1961 due to the Bel-Air blaze His T-shirt gave a nod to his Step In Time musical routine in Mary Poppins The event took place at Aviator Nation Dreamland in Malibu He was joined by his wife Arlene Silver during the event The actor delighted attendees with a rendition of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang The event also featured the musical stylings of his band Vantastix He recounted how his Mandeville Canyon home survived the 1961 fire, despite his immediate neighbors sadly losing their homes Van Dyke put on an animated display during the show The star had the audience in the palm of his hand Their family cat Bobo escaped their house during the blaze but fortunately made a safe return home. Van Dyke took to Facebook to announce Bobo had been found and shared a photo of the disgruntled feline as he reunited with his family. He wrote: 'We found Bobo as soon as we arrived back home this morning. There was so much interest in his disappearance that Animal Control was called in to assist. 'But, thankfully he was easy to find and not harmed.' Arlene added to a fan that Bobo's wails had alerted them to his presence, writing: 'He was not happy!!! I heard him before I saw him within minutes of us arriving back home. So grateful!!! Arlene.' James Nesbitt was hard at work on Monday, as he was spotted filming in Liverpool with Tracy-Ann Oberman for Netflix's latest Harlan Coben series, Run Away. The Irish actor, 60, was dressed to impress for the scenes, wearing a slate grey suit and waistcoat with a blue shirt and tie. Joining him on the set was Tracy-Ann, 58, in the role of Jessica Kinberg, who was seen wearing a bright blue suit and statement glasses. James is leading the new thriller as Simon Greene, after previously having guest roles in the last two Harlan adaptations. He was spotted filming alongside Hollyoaks star Ellie Henry, who is set to play his daughter Anya and was sported wearing a school uniform. The 24-year-old actress - who was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndromes as a teenager - was seen using her wheelchair while filming. James Nesbitt was hard at work on Monday, as he was spotted filming in Liverpool with Tracy-Ann Oberman for Netflix 's latest Harlan Coben series, Run Away The Irish actor, 60, was dressed to impress for the scenes, wearing a slate grey suit and waistcoat with a blue shirt and tie Joining him on the set was Tracy-Ann in the role of Jessica Kinberg, who was seen wearing a bright blue suit and statement glasses Last month she revealed that she had won the part, despite it not originally being a disabled character in the book. She told BBC News: 'The character I'm playing is not disabled in the book, and they weren't casting for a disabled character, but my agent put me forward for it. 'And luckily Netflix and the whole casting team have been so open-minded in bringing me in for that role.' In between scenes, James looked in high spirits, chatting with Ellie and the crew and sharing a laugh with a makeup artist as she came over to do some touch-ups. The Cold Feet star was first spotted on set of the highly-anticipated series last month, filming dramatic scenes with Hollywood star Minnie Driver in Manchester. He was seen covered in a spray of fake blood and looking panicked and shocked as the actress, 55, lay strapped on a gurney with an oxygen mask. The scene appeared to be showing the aftermath of a major car accident, with Minnie being rushed into an ambulance by paramedics, and her body double spotted on set with blood on her neck. In between shooting, the Good Will Hunting star was all smiles as she and James wrapped up in long padded coats and gloves and chatted away behind the scenes. He was spotted filming alongside Hollyoaks star Ellie Henry, who is set to play his daughter Anya and was sported wearing a school uniform The 24-year-old actress - who was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndromes as a teenager - was seen using her wheelchair while filming after winning the role In between scenes, James looked in high spirits, chatting with Ellie and the crew and sharing a laugh with a makeup artist as she came over to do some touch-ups It marks the return of Netflix's popular adaptations of Harlan's book, following the huge success of Fool Me Once, The Stranger, Stay Close and Missing You The star-studded cast of the series also includes Gavin & Stacey icon Ruth Jones, Harry Potter star Alfred Enoch, and Game of Thrones' Lucian Msamati. It marks the return of Netflix's popular adaptations of Harlan's book, following the huge success of Fool Me Once, The Stranger, Stay Close and Missing You. Run Away will follow Simon, a seemingly lucky man with a lovely wife and kids, great job and beautiful home. But then his eldest daughter Paige runs away, and everything falls apart. When Simon finds Paige, vulnerable and strung out on drugs in a city park, he finally has the chance to bring his little girl home. Only Paige doesnt necessarily want to be saved, and Simons mission leads him to a dangerous underworld of violence and secrets that could tear his family apart forever. Summing up the story for Netflixs Tudum, Harlan said: 'Run Away is about family about what we will do to keep our family intact, what secrets we keep within our family, and what secrets we keep as a family. 'Every time you walk past the house, theres a whole universe that goes on behind that door and none of us have a clue what it is.' While he said he immediately knew James would be perfect for the lead role, gushing: 'Jimmy just has so much range. Hes so natural and authentic at all times. James is leading the new thriller as Simon Greene, after previously having guest roles in the last two Harlan adaptations (pictured in 2025's Missing You) It comes following the success of Harlan's thriller Fool Me Once in 2024, starring Michelle Keegan in a lead role (pictured) More recently, Harlan's mystery series Missing You filled Fool Me Once's big boots after it was well-received by viewers following its release at the end of December (Rosalind Elezar seen in Missing You) 'Hes an empathetic actor in the sense that he feels, and then you feel for him.' Run Away doesnt yet have a confirmed release date on Netflix, but its likely following the previous pattern all eight episodes will drop on January 1, 2026. It comes following the success of Harlan's thriller Fool Me Once in 2024, starring Michelle Keegan in a lead role. The show became the most-watched series for the first half of the year, racking up an impressive 108 million views. It saw the British actress, 37, spot her presumed dead husband on a baby camera as her niece and nephew struggled to get to the bottom of the murder of their mother. The drama, which aired in January 2024 to positive reviews, also starred Joanna Lumley and Richard Armitage. More recently, Harlan's mystery series Missing You filled Fool Me Once's big boots after it was well-received by viewers following its release at the end of December. The five-part series followed Missing Persons detective Kat Donovan (Rosalind Eleazar) who was shocked to see her ex fiance Josh (Ashley Walters) on a dating app 11 years after he disappeared from her life without a trace. Josh's reappearance forced her to dive back into the mystery surrounding her father's (Lenny Henry) murder and led her to uncover long-buried secrets from her past. Run Away's James and Fool Me Once actor Richard joined lead actress Rosalind in the cast which also included Steve Pemberton and Jessica Plummer. Wendy Williams was rushed out of her assisted living facility on Monday, which she has compared to a prison, in order to undergo an cognitive evaluation at Lenox Hill Hospital. In dramatic scenes, the embattled talk show host, 60, was led out to an ambulance after she had been seen begging fans for help. The media personality, who was diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia in May 2023, is set to undergo an examine to determine if she is well enough to end her guardianship. Around 11:15 a.m., Williams was taken to the hospital after dropping a note down to paparazzi, from her fifth-story room, with a desperate plea for help. The handwritten note read: 'Help! Wendy!!' According to sources close to Williams, the move is seen as a relief for the star who sees the medical intervention as a rescue effort. The family has been waiting for today for many years,' a source tells DailyMail.com. Wendy Williams was rushed out of her assisted living facility, which she has compared to a prison, in New York City to Lenox Hill Hospital to undergo an cognitive evaluation 'This is the beginning of the end of this nightmare. Wendy is so grateful for her family and friends who have fought so hard to put an end to all of this. Those who are responsible will be held accountable. A source told TMZ that 'a caregiver not associated with the guardianship' ordered the trip and test for the legendary talk show amid concern over her confined lifestyle. The outlet also recently revealed that she had an interview with Adult Protective Services about her living conditions and that Adult Protective Services contacted her niece, Alex Finnie, about her guardianship. Last month, the star got emotional whilst 'locked in a room' as she conducted a live phone interview with Harvey Levin. As she described her current living situation, she broke down in tears and pressed her hand against the window while she sobbed. Speaking in TMZ Presents: Saving Wendy, which is available to stream on Tubi, Levin explained that filming the window of her room was the only way to do an interview with the star who told him that she had only been allowed outside twice in 30 days. 'Because we can't get a camera in and she can't really have any visitors. She cannot go outside,' he noted. Levin continued: 'She's been out twice in the last 30 days. She has no internet she... she feels like a prisoner.' In dramatic scenes, the embattled talk show host, 60, was led out to an ambulance after she had been seen begging fans for help The media personality, who was diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia in May 2023, is set to undergo an examine to determine if she is well enough to end her guardianship Around 11:15 a.m., Williams was taken away by ambulance after dropping a note down to paparazzi, from her fifth-story room, with a desperate plea for help (her handwritten note pictured) The documentary was filmed on a sidewalk below the facility she is at, with the camera angled upwards at her fifth story window since the former talk show host is not allowed to have visitors. In a snippet shared by the outlet, Williams said her life within the past year has been 'isolated.' '[The people here are] in their 90s and 80s. I eat lunch and dinner in my bedroom,' she claimed. 'I don't eat out there with the people that live here just 'cause it's so goddamn depressing.' She added: 'There is a bathroom, there's a closet and the TV which was purchased by me through the guardian person.' Levin questioned, 'Are you allowed to go out?' 'No, no. I am not allowed to go out,' the star explained. 'I can call you, but you can't call me.' Williams expressed that she has 'asked the guardian person for an iPad [for] years it seems like. But an iPad - can I please have my telephone back? Can I please be able to call, you know, my family? According to family sources close to Williams, the move is seen as a relief for the star who sees the medical intervention as a rescue effort The family has been waiting for today for many years,' a source tells DailyMail.com 'This is the beginning of the end of this nightmare. Wendy is so grateful for her family and friends who have fought so hard to put an end to all of this. Those who are responsible will be held accountable 'What is the problem with me calling and talking to friends of mine? They're not allowed to come in here - friends of mine. You know what I'm saying?' The clip has been circulating just as the beloved talk show host launched her next big assault on the guardianship that has kept her confined and largely away from her family and friends over the past two years. Last month, Williams signed an affidavit, in which she asked the judge overseeing her guardianship case to end the arrangement. In the legally binding document, Williams reportedly says she has 'regained capacity' to function independently, and she says she no longer requires a guardian to oversee her. She had a guardianship overseen by Sabrina Morrissey instituted in 2022. A source told TMZ that 'a caregiver not associated with the guardianship' ordered the trip and test for the legendary talk show amid concern over her confined lifestyle (seen last month) Last month, the star got emotional whilst 'locked in a room' as she conducted a live phone interview with Harvey Levin Williams still has several steps ahead of her before she can end the guardianship, however, and the judge will ultimately need to be swayed by her if she hopes to regain her freedom. In order to do that, the former radio host will next attempt to prove that she does not have frontotemporal dementia, contrary to how doctors had previously diagnosed her. She averred in her affidavit that she was not suffering from the neurological condition, and sources told TMZ that she will be seeing a doctor on Tuesday for a new evaluation to hopefully confirm as much. Notably, frontotemporal dementia is a permanent and progressive condition, so the former Wendy Williams Show host hopes that her apparent improvement in functioning will indicate that she couldn't be suffering from the disease. Williams recently hired a new attorney to help her end the guardianship, and they were responsible for selecting the new doctor she will be seeing. According to the publications sources, her attorney plans to file an Emergency Order to Show Cause the day after the testing, which should force the judge to weigh in on ending the guardianship. Last month, the star got emotional whilst 'locked in a room' as she conducted a live phone interview with Harvey Levin (pictured in 2019) In February, Williams signed an affidavit, in which she asked the judge overseeing her guardianship case to end the arrangement She's hoping the judge will agree and end things then and there, but if they deny the request and keep the guardianship as its currently constituted, Williams will allegedly request that her case go before a jury who can determine if she's able to care for herself and run her own finances without the need of a guardian figure. The star kicked started the year with a call to The Breakfast Club to plea for freedom from her guardianship and shut down claims that her ongoing dementia battle has made her 'permanently incapacitated.' Wendy stated to the shows' hosts: 'I am not cognitively impaired, but I feel like I am in prison. I am definitely isolated. 'To talk to these people who live here, that is not my cup of tea. I keep the door closed.' The former Wendy Williams Show host described her stark difference of her daily life as she noted: 'I watch TV. I listen to the radio. I watch the window. I sit here, and my life goes by.' In the legally binding document, Williams reportedly says she has 'regained capacity' to function independently, and she says she no longer requires a guardian to oversee her; seen in 2020 Wendy added that she no longer has the company of her pet cats and alleged that they are now 'gone' - claiming that they had been taken despite her 'wanting them with her.' The TV star revealed that she ultimately hopes to move to Florida so she can live there with her family. For now the star is just focused on being able to travel out to Miami this month in order to celebrate her beloved dad's birthday. The Wendy Williams Show aired its final episode in June 2022 after 13 years without the star herself making an appearance. She previously withdrew from the show in 2021 and embarked on what was initially supposed to be a temporary leave of absence to cope with health issues. Maura Higgins is reportedly 'really struggling' with the 'relentless' backlash she has received following her drunken kiss with Danny Jones earlier this month. The Love Island star, 34, and the married McFly star, 38, have been in the headlines all week after being spotted kissing at Universal's BRIT Awards afterparty. In the wake of the scandal, both Maura and Danny have been hit by a wave of criticism, with many furious on behalf of Danny's wife of 10 years and mother of his son, Georgia. Maura escaped the drama by flying across the pond for a work trip at the weekend and was snapped arriving at Los Angeles airport on Sunday. However, it has now been reported that she is struggling to keep her mind on work and is 'in a bad way' due to the 'relentless' and 'off the charts abuse' she's received since the news broke. According to The Mirror, the TV presenter's friends have rallied behind her and urged people to show restraint, as Maura's had a 'horrendous' week and been flooded with 'horrific' trolling on her social media. Maura Higgins is reportedly 'really struggling' with the 'relentless' backlash she has received following her drunken kiss with Danny Jones earlier this month The Love Island star, 34, and the married McFly star, 38, have been in the headlines all week after being spotted kissing at Universal's BRIT Awards afterparty (seen) In the wake of the scandal, both Maura and Danny have been hit by a wave of criticism, with many furious on behalf of Danny's wife of 10 years and mother of his son, Georgia (seen) One pal told the publication: 'Maura is a tough character but the reaction to events of the last week has been utterly relentless, and its fair to say its taken its toll. She has found all of this very difficult to navigate. 'She appreciates shes in the public eye and there is extra interest around her, but the abuse is off the charts, and people need to calm down. She is trying to treat things as business as usual, but its hard.' MailOnline has contacted Maura's representatives for comment. Maura broke her social media silence on Sunday to announce that she was flying to Los Angeles for work, sharing a snap from her first class plane seat with a glass of champagne at the ready and captioned: 'Exciting shoot'. It marked her first post since footage emerged of her drunken kiss with Danny last Saturday at Universal Music's party at 180 House. A second video released shows the pair reportedly drinking wine together until 6am at a Sony party at Nobu Hotel in Marylebone. While back home, reports suggest that Danny's wife Georgia has issued a final warning in crisis talks about their marriage amid fears that a third video could leak of the night. A source told the The Mirror: 'Everyone would understand why Danny and his wife have been quiet. They are likely working through various discussions from the first video that was released alone. With this second video, Danny needs to now speak out. 'Danny's career should be halted at this point and he should be big enough to now speak out to everyone and explain what has happened and take some accountability. However, it has now been reported that she is struggling to keep her mind on work and is 'in a bad way' due to the 'relentless' and 'off the charts abuse' she's received since the news broke Maura broke her social media silence on Sunday to announce that she was flying to Los Angeles for work, sharing a snap from her first class plane seat with a glass of champagne at the ready and captioned: 'Exciting shoot' It marked her first post since footage emerged of her drunken kiss with Danny last Saturday at Universal Music's party at 180 House (pictured at party) 'This is unfair on his wife, who seems to have put the family and their marriage first. Who knows if another video will emerge, but being honest is now the only way that this has a chance of resolving itself'. Maura and Danny reportedly stayed up until 6am drinking wine after their 'drunken kiss' at a BRIT Awards afterparty. It was claimed the pair then headed in separate taxis to a Sony party at Nobu Hotel in Marylebone, where they allegedly 'knocked back wine until 6am'. An onlooker told The Sun: 'Danny and Maura seemed to be enjoying their night of partying and had no plans to call it a night. 'They were knocking back wine at the Nobu from 4am and seemed keen to carry on. They werent seen leaving before 6am.' The publication also claimed that Maura and Danny were seen 'chatting intimately and laughing' as they continued the party. Reports of Danny's 'drunken kiss' with Maura has reportedly been a 'slap in the face' for his wife of over 10 years, Georgia. In the wake of the scandal, she has apparently made a pledge about her marriage and her future with the rocker. While back home, reports suggest that Danny's wife Georgia has issued a final warning in crisis talks about their marriage amid fears that a third video could leak of the night (seen in September) Maura and Danny reportedly stayed up until 6am drinking wine after their 'drunken kiss' at a BRIT Awards afterparty (pictured at the bash) A source told The Mirror: 'Shes been an incredible partner to him so this feels very unfair. But Georgia is a strong woman, she wont let it ruin what they have.' The source went on to reveal that Danny and Maura regret their behaviour and have insisted that the 'kiss' was 'innocent'. They said: 'Danny and Maura insist it was totally innocent and nothing meaningful.They got on really well in the jungle and its just foolish that they let themselves get caught up in something after a big party night, especially so publicly.' Danny and his wife Georgia, a former Miss World, married in 2014 after meeting in 2009 at a Miss London event and share seven-year old son Cooper together. Danny and Maura became friends after starring in the most recent series of I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! and stayed connected on Instagram since the show ended last December. Danny has even publicly shown his admiration for Maura by liking one of her sexy posts, which was shared in January, and pictured the influencer dressed in a black bra and leopard print dress. The image, captioned 'Ravenous' by the influencer, showed Maura flaunting her slim frame in the figure-hugging outfit, posing with her arm outstretched across a wooden table. Neither Georgia nor Danny have spoken in public since the 'kiss', with Georgia even cancelling a planned appearance at The Baby Show this weekend. Danny has even publicly shown his admiration for Maura by liking one of her sexy posts, which was shared in January, and pictured the influencer dressed in a black bra and leopard print dress (pictured) Georgia's podcast co-host Kelsey Parker was forced to cancel a public Q&A at the Baby Show in London on Saturday after Georgia pulled out of the event all together. Georgia, who co-hosts the podcast Mum's The Word with best friend Kelsey, cancelled her appearance in the aftermath of her husband Danny Jones' 'drunken kiss'. As Kelsey attended the event alone, a source revealed to MailOnline that the talk finished 15 minutes early and saw the star avoid the Q&A part of the event. Confirming Georgia's absence, an insider added: 'Sitting down for a Q&A in front of a live audience is not what Georgia needs right now. She is mortified at how this has all played out and can't help but feel humiliated.' Tammin Sursok has revealed a shock health update after she visited her doctor for a routine check-up following a spider bite. The Australian actress, 41, was bitten on Monday and visited her GP the following day to undergo a standard examination. But the former Home and Away star's routine trip to the local medical centre soon turned harrowing when her doctor found something 'unexpected'. The saga began when Tammin, who is based in Nashville, Tennessee, told her Instagram followers on Monday that she had been bitten. Sharing an image of a tiny raised bump on her arm, she said: 'You'd think because I'm from Australia I'd know about spiders. 'One just bit me. It's so painful. Do I just do the ring around the spot and watch it?' Tammin Sursok (pictured) has revealed a shock health update after she visited her doctor for a routine check-up following a spider bite The Australian actress, 41, received the injury on Monday and went in to see her GP the following day to have it looked at and to undergo a standard examination Tammin appeared unconcerned by the bite as she already had a routine check-up scheduled with her doctor for the following day. She shared an update as she sat in the waiting room at her GP, showing the bite had become very red. 'Spider bite update. Went to bed thinking it's gone away. Pain slightly better. This morning...' she wrote alongside a shocked emoji. But the news soon got worse for Tammin just a few hours later when she spoke with her doctor and learned they found something 'unexpected' during her check-up. Assuring followers the health concern was unrelated to the spider bite, Tammin said she underwent an ultrasound to investigate it further but is yet to receive the results. 'Found out some news at the Dr that was unexpected. Thinking positively but please keep me in your good thoughts,' she said alongside a selfie. 'Always advocate for your health. Ask for second opinions. Trust your gut.' Tammin later uploaded a video to her Stories as she sat in her car after the doctor's visit. The saga began when Tammin, who is based in Nashville, Tennessee, told her Instagram followers she was bitten by a spider on Monday But the former Home and Away star's routine trip to the local medical centre soon turned harrowing when her doctor found something 'unexpected' 'So, I just got back from the doctor's. I was having my routine yearly exam. Very important,' she said. 'While that was happening, nothing to do with the spider, they found something a little unexpected. I ended up getting an ultrasound. 'Don't really know much more than that. Just being super positive. Thank you for asking. I'm just not going to share anything until I have anything to share.' The Pretty Little Liars star finished her video with: 'I'm just hoping everything is all good. Lots of positive thoughts.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Tammin for comment. Tammin currently lives in Nashville with her husband Sean McEwen who she married in an Italian ceremony in 2011. The couple share two daughters - Phoenix, 11, and Lennon, five. Cat Deeley missed her mother-in-law's funeral to support her two young children who are suffering the loss of their grandmother, MailOnline can reveal. The This Morning host, 48, was notably absent as husband Patrick Kielty's late mother Mary was laid to rest on Monday in County Down. Patrick, 54, looked bereft as he carried Mary's coffin through his home village, where he was joined by close family and friends at the Church of the Sacred Heart. Cat, who has been married to Patrick for 12 years, stayed in London, presenting Monday's This Morning with co-host Ben Shephard, 50. Despite the This Morning roster including the likes of Alison Hammond, Josie Gibson, and Rochelle Humes being on hand to stand-in for Cat, she is also set to host Tuesday morning's show. A spokesperson for Cat has told MailOnline the real reason she wasn't at today's religious burial held in honour of Patrick's late mother was to be present for her two sons, Milo, eight, and James, five, before and after they finished school. Cat Deeley missed her mother-in-law's funeral to support her two children who are suffering the loss of their grandmother, MailOnline can reveal (pictured on Monday's This Moring) Patrick, 54, looked bereft as he carried Mary's coffin through his home village, where he was joined by close family and friends at the Church of the Sacred Heart The mother of the Irish presenter, who was aged in her 80s, passed away at her home in the village of Dundrum on Saturday (Patrick and Mary seen in 2012) They said: 'Cat remained at home to be there for her two young children before and after school on this very sad day.' Patrick's mother, who was in her 80s, passed away at her home in the village of Dundrum on Saturday. A death notice said Mary 'will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her entire family circle, neighbours and friends.' Patrick wore a dark grey suit with a white tie as he laid his mother to rest alongside his brothers John and Cahal, who were consoled by dozens of mourners. The TV star has spoken fondly of his mother over the years, telling The Irish Sun in 2023 that she was 'secretly delighted' when he was chosen as host of the Late Late Show. 'Mary Kielty is secretly delighted but not making any real public statements,' he said. 'I mean talking to people at mass, which is kind of a public statement in Dundrum. '"Well now, what about that son of yours, I'm sure youre very proud," to which Mary Kielty would say "Well now, I've got three sons, so which one are you talking about?"' Patrick appeared heartbroken as he was seen carrying Mary's coffin to the Church of the Sacred Heart in his Northern Irish hometown for her funeral A death notice said Mary 'will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her entire family circle, neighbours and friends' Patrick wore a dark grey suit with a white tie as he laid his mother to rest with his brothers John and Cahal, joined by dozens of mourners His wife Cat Deeley did not appear to be in attendance after presenting This Morning earlier that day Despite the This Morning roster including the likes of Alison Hammond, Josie Gibson , and Rochelle Humes being on hand to stand-in, Cat is also set to host Tuesday morning's show Patrick's life was rocked by tragedy after his father was killed by protestant paramilitaries who claimed he was an IRA chief during the Troubles when he was just 16 years old. He relived the murder as part of a TV documentary in 2023, in which he said of his mother: 'My dad was a brave man but it was my mum who wanted to protect us. 'She's the one who raised the family and kept us together. She was 46 when he died and she never remarried.' The comedian revealed the moment he was called into the headmaster's office of his school to be told of his father Jack's death at the hands of Loyalist shooters. As part of a BBC programme documenting the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, Patrick spoke about the effect the murder has had on his life. The Loyalist assassins had fired on his father's firm in Dundrum, County Down, at the height of the Troubles. It was a case of mistaken identity, with the killers believing Jack to be an officer in the IRA, a link that was immediately dismissed by the Royal Ulster Constabulary and family members. Reliving the moment he was told of the death, Patrick said: 'It was the very first Red Nose Day and I'd put the posters up all around the school. 'When I was called to the headmaster's office, I thought I was going to get told off because I'd plastered the entire school with them. Then I got to his office and one of my dad's business colleagues was there. That's when I knew something was terribly wrong. Patrick has often spoken fondly of his mother over the years, and told The Irish Sun in 2023 that she was 'secretly delighted' when he was chosen as host of the Late Late Show Patrick's life was rocked by tragedy after his father was killed by protestant paramilitaries who claimed he was an IRA chief during the Troubles when he was just 16 years old Patrick was just six days away from turning 17 when he buried his father and served as a pallbearer at the funeral 'I remember thinking, "I need to get home. How's my mum? Where's everybody else?" At the time you don't realise you're going through shock.' Patrick was just six days away from turning 17 when he buried his father and served as a pallbearer at the funeral. 'Growing up in Northern Ireland you had less of those chats because a lot of people knew what you were going through,' he said. 'There was never anger. 'It was a case of looking after mum and the family pulling together. The minute you're angry then someone else has won.' Kym Marsh has recalled the terrifying moment her phone was swiped from her hand on a London street, seconds after she took it out of her bag. The presenter, 48, shared insight into the theft on BBC's Morning Live on Monday, adding that she feels really 'vulnerable and shaken' after the ordeal. Speaking on the show, Kym revealed that the mugging occurred on Buckingham Palace Road in London, two weeks ago at 9.30pm. Speaking to her co-host Gethin Jones, she said: 'It is quite a scary thing to happen to you, you're walking down a road and then all of a sudden something's taken out of your hand. 'And that was about a fortnight ago that was taken from me. But thankfully I was okay.' Kym then went onto share further insight into the theft in a special film for Morning Live, saying that within 'seconds' of removing her phone from her pocket, it was swiped from her hand. Kym Marsh has recalled the terrifying moment her phone was stolen from her hand on a London street, seconds after she took it out of her bag She said: 'I felt really vulnerable, I was really shaken. 'I immediately wanted to get help but, of course, it's not so easy when you don't have your phone.' Kym went onto share that along with the theft, she was heartbroken to lose messages on her phone, that had been sent to her by her father before his death. She added: 'Ive now lost messages that my dad sent me and things I can never get back. Its that emotional side of it.' Kym's father David tragically passed away in January 2024 after a battle with prostate cancer. Since October 2020, cases of phone theft in the capital have been steadily increasing. Between October 2023 and September 2024, a shocking 66,528 phones were stolen in London, according to statistics produced by the Met Police. But in recent months, 'various operations' deployed by the police force involving monitoring CCTV footage, increasing officers' awareness and 'employing' traffic units and surge teams have brought about a decrease in phone theft. A 27% decrease was recorded in November 2024 while, in an even more promising statistic, a 43% decrease was achieved the following month. The presenter (pictured with her phone in 2009) shared insight into the theft on BBC's Morning Live, adding that she feels really 'vulnerable and shaken' after the ordeal Kym went onto share that along with the theft, she was heartbroken to lose messages on her phone, that had been sent to her by her father before his death Despite such successes, however, Kaya Comer-Schwartz, London's Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, affirmed that there is 'more to do.' 'As the criminal demand for high-value mobile phones continues to grow globally, the Mayor and I are clear that companies must go further and faster to make it harder for stolen phones to be sold on, repurposed and re-used illegally,' she said. 'We'll continue to work with leading mobile phone companies, the Home Secretary and Met leaders to find innovative solutions to end the scourge of mobile phone crime. 'The success in tackling phone thefts comes after the Met moved out of special measures last month, following major improvements in many areas of service to London. 'These include responding more quickly to emergencies and strengthening neighbourhood policing to better respond to communities' concerns, including tackling theft and robberies. 'The Met is urging anyone who has lost or had stolen a phone to use the national mobile phone register so recovered handsets can be restored, via The Police National Mobile Property Register.' Earlier this year, Kym split from her toyboy boyfriend Samuel Thomas, 29, after a whirlwind six month romance. Kym ended her romance with her performer partner before Christmas, after the pair finished touring with the show 101 Dalmations: The Musical. Sources told The Sun that once their tour finished, Kym, who is 19 years older than Samuel, found it more difficult to spent time with him. A source said: 'Kym and Sam fell head over heels when they first met and couldn't wait to tell the world. 'But once Kym's role in 101 Dalmatians ended it became harder to spend time together and some of the magic they had at the beginning just disappeared. 'It's such a shame, especially before Christmas but Kym surrounded herself with family.' Kym previously looked smitten with Samuel as they posed for a series of pictures of together, which he shared to his Instagram. He sweetly declared that 'life's pretty great at the moment' as the new couple continued to enjoy their honeymoon period. Kym was forced to defend herself for revealing she is dating Samuel, who is the same age as her son, having gushed on social media that he is her 'soulmate.' At 29, Samuel - who she referred to as 'the most amazing man ever' - is the same age as her eldest child, David Cunliffe. Kym's friends were reportedly worried that her new romance with a younger man could all end in heartache if it 'fizzled out'. The soap star has the support of her pals who are apparently 'happy' she has found someone, but they are said to have concerns that she could end up hurt. The actress is a parent to son David, 29, and daughter Emilie, 27, from a former relationship with builder David Cunliffe. The couple, who met in a Lancashire pub, separated in 1999, shortly before Kym found fame as a contestant on TV talent show Popstars, where she would become a member of short-lived pop group Hear'Say. Two years later Kym was making an appearance on Top Of The Pops when she crossed paths with actor Jack Ryder, a household name at the time thanks to his role as Jamie Mitchell in EastEnders. They married at St. Albans parish church, Hertford, in August 2002 and subsequently sold the pictures to OK! magazine for a reported 300,000. Earlier this year, Kym split from her toyboy boyfriend Samuel Thomas, 29, after a whirlwind six month romance But seven years later it was all over, with Ryder filing for divorce on the grounds of adultery following her apparent fling with second-husband-in-waiting Jamie Lomas. Friends initially feared Kym had rushed into her relationship with Lomas, who she started dating just four months after separating from Ryder. The pair met on a train as they made their way to the 2007 TV Quick Awards, but casual chat soon turned into romance with the pair going public in 2008 - a year before her divorce. They had been together for less than two months when Kym fell pregnant with their first child, but tragedy struck when their son Archie Jay died moments after being born 18-weeks premature on February 11. The couple had happier news when they welcomed daughter Polly in March 2011. They exchanged vows in September 2012 but were divorced by 2014, with Kym reportedly stunned by Lomas' decision to break it off. She remarried for a third time to Scott Ratcliff back in 2021. The pair split 13 months following their wedding when Kym filed for divorce citing unreasonable behaviour. Popular YouTuber Alysha Burney died while vacationing in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, one day before her 25th birthday. She died after suffering an asthma attack while she was asleep, according to her brother, Charles Burney. Following online speculation about how she died, he told FOX4 that she did 'not do drugs' and was a 'self-loving and happy individual who cherished her life and was looking forward to the upcoming years plans.' 'She was in Mexico to celebrate her birthday. She was a very classy young woman,' he said. 'Theres a spread of misinformation online, stating different things based on speculation. These sources lack credibility and should not be believed. My sister did not engage in environments that would lead to such situations.' Charles also praised his sister for never being 'selfish with her knowledge' and living life as a 'very open book.' 'Alysha was very goal-oriented, creative, and passionate about giving back. She graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Digital Media Production and was working towards her graduate degree,' he noted. Popular YouTuber Alysha Burney died while vacationing in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico , one day before her 25th birthday Charles also shared that Alysha's 'lifelong goal was to be a writer and a director' and return to Kansas City to 'open a production studio' and help other young creatives. Her brother first confirmed the tragic news via Instagram on Monday. 'I come with great sadness that my little sister Alysha Burney has passed. PLEASE allow our family time to grieve during this time. It is extremely difficult seeing all of the false narratives trying to defame her legacy and we are ready to take legal action for those continuing to spread false information regarding her passing,' he wrote on Instagram. After acknowledging that 'so many people' cared so deeply for his younger sister, Charles, asked respectfully for her fans to 'stop harassing' his family, at this time. '[We] will share more information soon but just give us some time,' he concluded. 'Her legacy will still live on FOREVER!!' Burneym, who had more than 2 million TikTok Followers and 1 million subscribers on YouTube, was best known for her Bad Girls Club parody series. A number of the late content creator's friends shared heartfelt tributes in the wake of her death, including her close pal Jay Lanai. In her post, she wrote that Alysha was the 'most genuine, sweet, beautiful and humble human' she had 'ever come across.' 'Im so happy I was able to embrace you & tell you how much I loved and missed you, seeing you over Christmas break,' she captioned a photo of them on Instagram, obtained by Hollywood Life. 'Life is unexpected. Rest beautifully Alysha, youll be missed so much.' Her brother, Charles Burney, confirmed the tragic news via Instagram on Monday She died after suffering an asthma attack while she was asleep Burneym who had more than 2 million TikTok Followers and 1 million subscribers on YouTube , was best known for her Bad Girls Club parody series Additionally, Lanai shared a black and white photo with Burney that showed them standing cheek to cheek and smiling. Alysha was also remembered by her pal, Niko, who expressed her heartbreak in an emotional Instagram post. 'I should never have to write a post like this. I still dont have the words,' he began. 'It hurts me to not be able to talk to you, and I just want your advice! Youre my family, and your family made me feel like family. Youre my best friend on this planet, and Ill always remember and defend your name.' He also thanked Alysha for the countless memories they shared, always being there for him during his toughest times and loving him 'unconditionally.' 'I know youd always want me and everyone to be happy and continue grinding. Youre with God now, and I know youre making him laugh,' Niko concluded. Another friend, who goes by the name J Money on Instagram, shared that he was at a loss for words over her death as he slammed people spreading 'false narratives' about how she died. Jay Nedaj admitted the loss still doesn't 'feel real' as he revealed they spoke everyday in an emotional Instagram tribute 'We learned a lot from each other [and] I met a lot of great ppl [though] her [that] Ill never forget,' he recalled. Alysha's friend, Vikki, reposted Charles' post on her Instagram Story, along with a message about 'we have to start treating people with more respect.' 'Just because a person has a following doesn't mean their entire being is a stunt for the internet,' she wrote. 'We have to start treating people with more respect. No family should have to experience what her family has just endured over the last week with harassing comments, posts, & conspiracy theories.' Jay Nedaj admitted the loss still doesn't 'feel real' as he revealed they spoke everyday. 'I will never be the same without you here. Youve touched & inspired so many people including me. You were such a talent. A force to be reckoned with. My baby. You were always so encouraging,' he wrote on Instagram. He went on to call her his 'soulmate' and praised how she 'never judged' him. 'Now Im realizing that I will never get to speak to or see you again. & Im so fucked up over that. I just wanted to hear you tell me that you love me one more time.. I love you so much,' he wrote. Alysha's friend, Vikki, reposted Charles' post on her Instagram Story, along with a message about 'we have to start treating people with more respect' Friends of the late content creator gathered to mourn their loss Her friends and family even had a birthday cake in her honor. Alysha's birthday was March 3 Meanwhile, Naomi Christina said that she learned of the news on Monday morning. 'Alysha, I'm struggling to even let out all of my tears right now because of the fact you're gone. You were full of enthusiasm, joy, ambition, and laughs. I know we were only friends for a brief amount of time, but even then, you made me feel like I can be myself around you, share laughs with you, and just simply vibe with the amazingly beautiful aura you had,' she wrote. Christina, who worked with Alysha on the short film Lost Angeles, went on to write: 'I will never forget the positive impact you had on me. Rest in paradise.' Underneath Alysha's brother Charles's post, fans shared their condolences. 'Im so sorry this happened, Charles. Sending my prayers and condolences to you and your family,' one fan commented. Another wrote: 'Sending so much love to you, Charles!!! She didnt deserve to leave you all like this' 'Im so sorry for your loss Charles. Sending you & your family prayers, strength & love,' a third wrote. A number of the late content creator's friends shared heartfelt tributes in the wake of her death Amid speculation of her passing, fans of Burney flocked to social media to express their grief. 'Can't believe we lost another angel today. like this better be fake she actually does no wrong i cant believe she's gone, i refuse to believe #alyshaburney is dead,' one wrote. Another tweeted: 'Why Im scrolling TikTok seeing that Alysha Burney passed? Say sike right now and quit playing!!' 'PLS TELL ME THAT THEY LYING RN PLS,' a third pleaded. During a recent meeting, US President Donald Trump praised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him "a great leader." However, in the same breath, Trump announced reciprocal tariffs on India, labelling the country as the "tariff king" and "a hard place to do business." He blamed India's high tariffs for the growing trade deficit between the two nations. Trump's proposed reciprocal tariff policy means that the US will impose equivalent tariffs on countries that charge higher tariffs on American exports. He argues that the US trade deficit stems from high tariffs imposed by other countries on US goods. The US exports goods worth approximately $2 Trillion globally while importing around $3.3 Trillion, leading to a trade deficit of about $1 Trillion. The US has a trade deficit with 57 countries, a trade surplus with 39, and negligible trade with 122. But is high tariffs the primary cause of this deficit? US Trade Deficit with Major Countries The United States has significant trade deficits with several countries, with China leading the list at a deficit of $300 Billion, resulting from $148 Billion in exports and $448 Billion in imports. Mexico follows with a trade deficit of $157 Billion, as the US exports $323 Billion while importing $480 Billion. Vietnam ranks third, with a deficit of $109 Billion, based on $10 Billion in exports and $119 Billion in imports. Other major trade deficit partners include Germany ($86 Billion), Canada ($78 Billion), Japan ($75 Billion), and Ireland ($66 Billion). South Korea ($55 Billion), Taiwan ($50 Billion), and India ($47 Billion) also contribute to the overall trade imbalance. Additional countries with notable trade deficits include Italy ($46 Billion), Thailand ($43 Billion), Malaysia ($28 Billion), Switzerland ($25 Billion), and Indonesia ($18 Billion). The remaining nations on the list are Austria and France, each with a $14 Billion deficit, Cambodia ($12 Billion), Sweden ($10 Billion), and Slovakia ($8 Billion). These figures highlight the countries where the US imports significantly more than it exports, contributing to its overall trade deficit. Is High Tariff the Reason for the US Trade Deficit? China, the country with which the US has the highest trade deficit, has an effective tariff of just 3.07 per cent and a Most Favored Nation (MFN) tariff of 3.09 per cent. Despite accusations of unfair trade practices and currency manipulation, China has successfully positioned itself as the "factory of the world," offering competitively priced goods. Mexico, the second-largest contributor to the US trade deficit, is deeply integrated with the US economy. Under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), most US products enter Mexico duty-free, provided they meet rules-of-origin requirements. Despite this tariff-free access, the US still records a $157 Billion trade deficit with Mexico, showing that tariffs are not the root cause. Vietnam has emerged as a manufacturing powerhouse, with its exports tripling from $124 Billion in 2012 to $384 Billion in 2022. Yet, its effective tariff rate stands at just 1.07 per cent, with an MFN rate of 4.98 per cent. The growth of Vietnam's exports is primarily due to low labour costs, streamlined supply chains, and favourable trade agreements rather than high tariffs. Similarly, Germany, which exports and imports roughly $1.6 Trillion worth of goods annually, has an effective tariff of 1.44 per cent, almost the same as the US's 1.54 per cent. Despite these comparable rates, the US still has an $86 Billion trade deficit with Germany. This raises the question: if high tariffs were the primary cause of trade deficits, why does the US have such a significant gap with Germany? Among the 20 countries with which the US has the highest trade deficits, only South Korea (8.88 per cent effective tariff) and India (11.36 per cent effective tariff) impose relatively higher tariffs. However, many of these countries themselves have global trade deficits, meaning other nations successfully export to them-even when the US struggles. The Real Cause of the US Trade Deficit The primary reason for the US trade deficit is not high tariffs abroad, but rather the changing structure of the US economy. Over time, the US has shifted away from low-cost, labour-intensive manufacturing, outsourcing these industries to other countries while focusing on high-tech and specialised production. Moreover, many US multinational corporations manufacture abroad and re-import goods, which increases the trade deficit. However, the royalties and profits earned by these companies are not factored into trade deficit calculations. Additionally, the US services trade is often overlooked. In 2022, the US exported $900 Billion worth of services while importing $671 Billion, resulting in a $200 Billion services trade surplus-which offsets part of the goods deficit. Economic research has shown that imposing high tariffs does not necessarily boost manufacturing or enhance economic integration. While it may be a politically attractive move, trade wars often lead to long-term economic damage. Trump's decision to escalate tariffs will shape global trade dynamics in the coming years, and its real impact remains to be seen. Conclusion The US trade deficit is a complex issue influenced by multiple factors beyond high tariffs. While President Trump has targeted countries like India for their tariff policies, data shows that the largest trade imbalances exist even with nations that have low tariffs, such as China, Mexico, and Germany. This suggests that tariffs are not the primary cause of the deficit. Instead, the shift in the US economy toward high-tech industries, outsourcing of manufacturing, and global supply chain strategies play a more significant role. Additionally, US multinational corporations manufacture goods abroad and re-import them, further widening the trade gap. The services sector, which generates a trade surplus for the US, is often overlooked in trade deficit discussions. Economic research suggests that imposing high tariffs does not necessarily revive domestic manufacturing but can lead to broader economic consequences. As Trumpas tariff policies unfold, their long-term impact on global trade and the US economy remains uncertain. In 2023, the US-India bilateral trade in goods and services stood at $190.08 Billion ($123.89 Billion in goods and $66.19 Billion in services trade). That year, India's merchandise exports to the US stood at $83.77 Billion, while imports were $40.12 Billion, leaving a trade gap of $43.65 Billion in favour of India. The country's services export to America was $36.33 Billion in 2023, while imports were aggregated at $29.86 Billion. The trade gap (difference between imports and exports) was $6.47 Billion in favour of New Delhi. During 2021-24, America was the largest trading partner of India. The US is one of the few countries with which India has a trade surplus. India has received $67.8 Billion in foreign direct investments from America during April 2000 and September 2024. Thus India will have to diversify its export basket and reduce its American-centric approach to tide over the loses that might result from the Trump imposed tariffs. (The author is former additional secreatry, Department of Commerce; views are personal) Helicopter operating companies now require registration before flying to the Annapurna Base Camp area, authorities said. Annapurna Rural Municipality in the Kaski district of western Nepal enforced regulations for flights at the base camp area at an altitude of 4,130 metres. Helicopter companies registered with the rural municipality are required to pay Rs. 10,000 per flight, said Bishnu Bahadur KC, chairman of the rural municipality. Rs. 20,000 will be charged per flight for the unregistered companies, he said. aThe rural municipality formulated the Annapurna Base Camp Helicopter Flight Tourism Fee Management Procedure in 2023 but was not strictly adhered to,a he said. Now the rural municipality has strictly enforced the regulation, requiring the helicopter companies to register their company. So far three helicopter companies a Simrik Air, Air Dynasty, and Heli Everest a have registered their helicopters with the rural municipality, he said. Annapurna Base Camp area, a protected area of Nepal, is a popular trekking destination which attracts more than 50,000 tourists every year. However, those who do not want to venture for trekking and wish to have a view of the scenic mountain can enjoy helicopter rides. Deshabandu Tennakoon, Sri Lankaas suspended police chief, has petitioned the Court of Appeal to stay his arrest in connection with a shooting incident in which an officer was killed. The two-member Court of Appeal decided to take up the case on March 12. Tennakoon remains a fugitive and has been hiding since a court in Matara town last month ordered his arrest over the December 2023 incident in the southern resort of Weligama. Tennakoon, the then Inspector General of Police, had sent Colombo Crime Division (CCD) officers to raid the resort hotel of Weligama over illegal drugs. However, the Weligama police, unaware of the undercover operation, opened fire at the CCD vehicle and killed an officer. The police sought public support to arrest their chief while deploying six teams to hunt for Tennakoon. Several raids on his likely locations with a travel ban on him have proved futile. Tennakoon was suspended by the Supreme Court in July 2024 while hearing the legality of his appointment. He was appointed the police chief in November 2023 despite being found guilty by the Supreme Court of torturing a person in custody. An acting police chief was appointed in November 2024 pending the outcome of Tennekoonas case. The Donald sure gone and pissed off the EU soviets this time. Now, the EU is planning to weaponise life-saving medicines sent to the United States to counter Donald Trumps hostility towards the soviet bloc. Shit just hit the fan big time. EU bureaucrats have identified hundreds of products, including antibiotics, radiation therapies and pacemakers, for which the US is dependent on shipments from the EU. Talks are currently being conducted on the best way to hit The Teflon Don as he continues to threaten the Continents military and economic security. Ve haff vays of making ze stupid Amerikaners comply. Iffen zey crossen ze EU, ve vill make zem get sick. Very sick! Heh,heh,heh,heh! an unnamed, unelected EU official revealed on Monday. EU bureaucrats have dredged up an old document titled Strategic dependencies and capacities, drawn up by the European Commission in 2021, that has highlighted 260 products where the US is dependent on EU supplies. On the list are items such as antibiotics, pacemakers and high-quality steel. The USA depends on crucial radiation therapy isotopes that are solely made in Germany. Trumps highly touted semiconductor boom cant go on without European machines, high-grade steel is specifically made in the German steel belt, antibiotics in Italy. Ve are going to taken ze Amerikaners back to ein Middle Ages. Nein antibiotics, nein radiation treatment, nein steel. Zey are fuckenzied! Americans better start stockpiling those antibiotics because after this, when they get sick theyll stay sick. Were truly living in scary times, folks. Mass unfettered immigration from Third World countries is draining the nations social capital. It is feeding factionalism and polarisation, as well as destroying Britains national sense of a common pre-political loyalty, and this populational change has introduced and celebrated the triumph of identity politics, thus creating a profoundly volatile situation. The coming civil war, is going to initially have the qualities of a Latin American style, dirty war, characterised by chronic low level violence, but it will increasingly take on a strongly rural versus urban dynamic. As far as the Islamist factions are concerned, these are somewhere at the beginning of phase two of civil unrest. There are parts of British cities where there is negotiated policing, the police either dont go there or when they go there, they prepare by consulting with local leaders, and theyre clearly already in a phase of conducting semiregular attacks on the indigenous population. Prof. David Betz, Professor of War in the Department of War Studies at Kings College London where he heads the MA War Studies programme postulates these serious concepts in his new book The Guarded Age: Fortification in the 21st Century, published by Polity. The timeline for the coming civil war in Britain depends on many factors, its either twenty years or ten years or three years. About 10 years ago in the context of the parliamentary dirty tricks over the implementation of the Brexit referendum many people across the country saw that there was something very critically wrong about our own society. People began to observe specifically what those machinations on the part of the British elite at that time represented was effectively elite overreach, which is a term often used in discussion regarding domestic turmoil in foreign societies, a situation in which elites essentially have exceeded the boundaries of their own legitimate capability in ways that have the tendency to undermine the broader faith in the coherence and the validity of the status quo effectively. The basic point of the impending turmoil is that the primary threat to the security of Britain, and to the security and prosperity of Britain today is not external, but internal. Specifically, it is the threat of civil war, and through analysis of the official statistics of the British government itself on social attudes, on mainstream academic ideas about things like social capital, societal cohesion and political stability, as well as long established theories of civil war causation, it is a certainty that civil war will occur some time in the future. Over 100,000 foreign national convictions in just 3 years Foreign nationals are more than three times as likely to commit sexual offences as British citizens, analysis suggests The fact of the matter is that the country is explosively societally configured to implode David Cameron had identified the main problem, 10 years ago, when he very clearly came out and said that multiculturalism was draining the nations social capital. Multiculturism aided by mass unfettered immigration is feeding factionalism and polarisation, as well as destroying Britains national sense of a common pre-political loyalty. And with this in line with what subsequently has come along is the triumph of identity politics, which has produced a very profoundly volatile situation. Nativist sentiments are increasingly manifested in a narrative of downgrading which is one of the most powerful causes of civil conflict. The theory of downgrading is in line with all of the incidental literature on the subject of civil unrest and war. Nativist sentiment in terms of downgrading, means that the indigenous population feels that it is being basically downgraded. Two-tier policing, two-tier law and two-tier governmental policies are a testament to this fact of downgrading the indiginous populations. If one wants to know what or who the indigenous population might be, you might just assume it to be that part of the population which is excluded from special dispensation under the recently pronounced sentencing guidelines. The coming civil war is going to initially have the qualities of a Latin American style war, characterised by chronic low-level violence, and it will increasingly take on a strongly rural versus urban dynamic primarily anti status quo strategy. The primary objectives will be to collapse the major cities through infrastructural attack , causing cascading crises leading to systemic failure and a period of mass chaos, which they hope to wait out from the relative security of the rural provinces. The plausible effectiveness of this strategy should not be dismissed. The plan is destructively simple, its well reasoned, its practically, relatively straightforward to implement. Its based on established techniques that are well known and its aimed at targets that are effectively unguarded, and it builds upon the existence of a tenuousness of the urban condition. The attributes of a society, which is on the precipice of civil war looks something like this: It would possess a situation of elite overreach, as mentioned previously. It would be characterised by a collapse of trust in that society, one would see rates of polarisation, specifically a factional polarisation, which is a very dangerous form of polarisation where people are no longer disagreeing specifically over issues themselves, but they are disagreeing on the basis of what they think is the consensus view within their own identity community. In other words, a particularly virulent form of political factionalisation that is overlaid on some other social, societal faction. There is economic pressure, which is pretty obvious because economic pressure leads to expectation gaps, particularly on the part of the youth population, which now is probably for the most part locked out of things like property ownership. The potential of things which were very reasonable, banal expectations of their parents, like home ownership, certain sorts of permanent employment, the possibility also, in fact, of building their own families are all now wholly unattainable in modern Britain. This is a very dangerous situation. Elite overreach, in terms of the Brexit vote and the subsequent attempt to thwart it, changed a lot of peoples views about our institutions, and how inherently corrupt they are, but also the new sentencing guidelines, which essentially have completely destroyed the idea of equality before the law are also factors to be included within the malaise. Last year, the disproportionate extraordinary sentences handed out to people during the civil disorder after Southport are another example of downgrading and elite overreach. Due to the speed of unfettered mass immigration, Britain, especially in the cities, is a seething den of ghettos where ghettoization has taken hold of many communities. David Cameron himself mentioned these ghettoized communities living in their silos and the swarm. There are small factions within those groups that are highly radicalised that are intent on violence. The distinction here is we already have a fairly active anti status quo violent movement within the radicalised Muslim community in Britain who can be activated and triggered at any moment. Thats why the UK has 40-50,000 people on the terror watch list and a fairly regular occurrence of terror attacks. So on one hand we have within these factions, an identifiable, violent, extremist faction that is attempting in various ways to increase the tensions within society, to take further and greater control over the conciousness of its community and create a greater split within British society as a whole and we have the reactionist nativists on the other hand. The government has numerously exclaimed that theyre terribly concerned about the counter phenomenon which is the natural counterposition comprised of the nativist or the extreme right. The government is thus concerned that the seed is there, the potential is there, and theyre perfectly right to be concerned about the situation brewing. The major concern is that whereas Islamic extremism or Islamism and fundamentalism are a threat, the emerging anti status quo identity movements within the white community have the potential for mass mobilisation on account of the fact that the white Christian population is still the majority population of the country. In this sense, one needs a mass population to support a mass movement. That combination of factors, and particularly the potential for radicalisation, effectively of the majority community is extremely worrisome from a societal cohesion perspective. The Maoist approach has three phases The first phase is usually described as the defensive phase, or phase one is the defensive phase. Its a defensive stance from the perspective of the insurgent actor. During phase one, what the insurgent is doing is primarily political organisation, proselytisation, propaganda activities and getting its house in order, it is building its conscious community. It is trying to energise, to mobilise. Its building up a structure, its working out its narrative, its creating a solid base to work from. In phase one, the insurgent is usually not very physically active, there might be a handful of pin prick attacks here and there in order to obtain weapons or materials. Oftentimes there is an alignment in the very earliest stage between criminal groups and the insurgent group because criminals tend to have access to muscle that the political insurgents usually dont have in the beginning. Phase two is usually referred to as the stalemate, and thats when attacks have begun to occur, but the insurgent forces are not superior to the government security forces. They dont have more muscle, but they have the potential to create no-go areas, they have stable base areas and theyre beginning to build up a military structure. It might be a rudimentary military structure, but theyve got a fair number of tough guys/soldiers who are reliable, reasonably well armed who can conduct operations. Its when you start to see, ambushes on police stations, for example, or attacks on government figures, judges, lawyers, media figures, it becomes more physically active. And the third phase is usually called the offensive. And thats when the insurgent has built up sufficient material strength while the counterinsurgent or the government has weakened to the extent that the insurgent can contemplate actual peer on peer combat with the security forces. This is the classic Maoist model, and is more or less what happened in the Chinese Civil War and some other cases of insurgency, like Cambodia and Vietnam. In terms of Britain, the main factions will be the urban versus rural, and specifically London is the most endangered in this scenario. If one looks at how Britains energy system works, it flows from the north to the south. So our major power lines and gas lines, compression stations, all of that associated infrastructure is essentially located in rural and peri-urban areas and feeds that giant metropolis in the south, which is rather unstable at the best of the times. So you can imagine what London might be like if you switch the power off for a week or so, or a couple of weeks and you do that five or six times in a winter, switch off the electricity, the gas, you disrupt the electric, the transportation system. Currently, the Islamic radicals are in phase two, and the nativists are in stage one. Things can change at any moment though, as the situation is very fluid. Northern Regional College has received a significant boost as two leading industry companies, Ansell Lighting and FuseBox, have pledged their support to the Electrical Installation Apprenticeship course. This partnership, spearheaded by Electrical Installation Lecturer Iain McCart, aims to provide students with invaluable industry insight and hands-on experience with state-of-the-art electrical components. Ansell Lighting, a market leader in the design and manufacture of high-quality luminaires, has supplied a series of product boards featuring downlights, retail and commercial fittings, emergency lighting packs, and its own smart OCTO lighting technology. These boards, displayed within the College, allow students to interact with working products and gain a deeper understanding of lighting solutions. Each board includes detailed information about the luminaires and their benefits. One of the projects students will undertake during their course this year involves designing lighting for a hotel, with Ansell products playing a key role in the process. Mark Rogers at Ansell Lighting commented, As a manufacturer, we recognise the importance of investing in and supporting the next generation of electricians and installers, especially at a time when there has been talk of skills shortages within the industry. Ansell Lighting was established in Northern Ireland, and so we are particularly pleased to be able to support students and apprentices in the region. We hope to see these students flourish and work with us in their future careers. FuseBox, the UKs fastest-growing circuit protection brand, has provided 12 single phase consumer units, two 3 phase consumer units, generator change over switches, RCBOs, surge protection devices and Arc fault detection devices for students and will also deliver CPD training to enhance their knowledge and skills. Both companies visited Northern Regional Colleges Newtownabbey campus on 27th February 2025 to meet with lecturers and students, sharing their expertise and offering real- world perspectives on the industry. Speaking on the partnership, Iain McCart, Electrical Installation Lecturer at Northern Regional College, said, Ensuring our students are industry-ready is at the heart of everything we do. By working with leading companies like Ansell Lighting and FuseBox, we can provide our apprentices with a more practical, relevant learning experience that gives them a real insight into the world of electrical installation. These partnerships not only benefit our students during their studies but also open doors for future employment opportunities in the sector. Robert Morrow of FuseBox also praised the initiative, FuseBox is proud to support Northern Regional College in equipping its students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the electrical industry. By providing quality components and CPD training, we hope to enhance their learning experience and prepare them for the challenges and opportunities ahead. The College extends its sincere thanks to Ansell Lighting and FuseBox for their generous support, which is helping to shape the future of the electrical installation industry and inspire the next generation of electricians. For those interested in applying for the Electrical Installation Apprenticeship at Northern Regional College, visit www.nrc.ac.uk for more information. Man will pit himself against the curry at a special Indian night in Magherafelt this month in support of Cancer Focus Northern Ireland. The curry tasting extravaganza will take place at the Taaj Indian restaurant on Wednesday, March 26. As well as enjoying a feast from the east, theres plenty of fun in store as a group of brave patrons vie with each other to see who can eat the hottest curry dish. Restaurant owners said: We are delighted to host this special evening in support of Cancer Focus NI, which is a fantastic charity for local cancer patients and their families. The menu has been specially chosen to give an authentic taste of India and its perfect for anyone who already likes this food and for those who have always wanted to try it. Tables can be booked from 4pm until 10pm and the price is 25 per person including poppadoms and dips, a selection of starters and various mains to sample. Therell also be a raffle on the night. Fundraiser Emma McCann, from Cancer Focus NI, said: Ive run this event many times before and its so popular, so be quick to reserve your table as they are booking up already. Just call the Taaj on 028 7930 0661. This is a really unique night out with funds going towards the charitys cancer support services which include counselling, family support, bra and swimwear fitting, and a nurse freephone information line. Cancer now affects one in two people and over 13,000 cancer diagnoses are made in Northern Ireland every year. The good news is that up to 50% of cancers can be prevented if you maintain a healthy lifestyle, have regular checks and use screening services. Cancer Focus NI is the leading local cancer charity committed to tackling cancer by supporting cancer research, providing services for cancer patients and their families and by advising people how to lower their risk of the disease. Guardrails needed for AI growth 08:43, March 10, 2025 By Cao Yin ( China Daily DeepSeek's open-source artificial intelligence system has become popular worldwide since its release in January. (Photo/China Daily) While embracing the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, deputies to the 14th National People's Congress and members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference last week warned of the need for greater regulation to ensure that the technology is not abused. With AI such as ChatGPT and China's own DeepSeek rapidly spreading across the globe, its application and regulation were a hot topic at China's largest annual political gathering, with many national lawmakers and political advisers expressing their keen interest in the integration of AI into various industries. Zhang Yi, a CPPCC National Committee member from Shanghai, said the integration of AI with industries will greatly boost the development of new quality productive forces, and may change the underlying business logic in various traditional areas. In the film industry, AI-generated images and videos can be used to partially replace traditional filming, and in the retail industry, AI could be linked to back-end systems to achieve unmanned operations, he said. "We embrace AI. It can enhance the market competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises, provide a platform for innovators to practice and create job opportunities," said Zhang, who is also a partner at law firm King &Wood Mallesons. "However, we've seen some problems caused by the rapid development of AI, such as discriminatory algorithmic decision-making, privacy violations and weak data security," he said, emphasizing that this uncertainty around the technology and associated risks will be a constant challenge for governance. "It is essential that applications of AI are well-regulated through legislation, as we need to find a balance between high-quality development and high-level security, thereby promoting the healthy growth of the technology," he added. Lu Lin, a deputy to the 14th NPC who is also a doctor from Shandong province, suggested the continued, cautious integration of AI into healthcare services, adding that regulation on big models should be used to guarantee data security, according to a quote from China News Service. Kimi, an artificial intelligence system by AI startup Moonshot, is displayed at the Apsara Conference in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, in September. (Photo/China Daily) Wider application Since its release in January, DeepSeek's R1 reasoning model has already been integrated into various sectors in China, including education, healthcare and justice. On March 4, Lou Qinjian, spokesman for the third session of the 14th NPC, said at a news conference that technological breakthroughs made by Chinese companies such as DeepSeek demonstrate that an innovative, open and sharing approach to improving people's livelihoods is the right choice. Following DeepSeek's decision to make its latest AI model open source, Lou said it has facilitated the wider application of AI technologies worldwide and contributed China's wisdom to global development. Zhou Hongyi, a CPPCC National Committee member and founder of Chinese cybersecurity company 360 Security Group, said that 2025 would bring about a huge variety of AI applications, saying their use will make industries more efficient and reduce costs. Doctor Lu agreed, highlighting AI's use in the healthcare sector. "Large models like DeepSeek, through extensive learning from medical literature and case data, can assist medical staff in making diagnostic and treatment decisions. They can quickly access information across various fields, improving the efficiency and accuracy of medical services," he said. A visitor asks a question to Doubao, an AI model affiliated with Chinese tech giant ByteDance, during the 2024 Volcano Engine Force Conference in Shanghai in December. (Photo/China Daily) Rising concerns Zhang, the lawyer, praised AI for being the core driving force for the latest round of technological and industrial revolution, but said that data security and emerging disputes brought by the technology have raised concerns. "If AI systems are hacked or infected with viruses, they could endanger personal information, public order and even national security," he said, noting that the construction of an AI security framework should be made a priority. Zhong Zheng, a deputy to the 14th NPC and vice-president of Chinese home appliance maker Midea Group, told Guangzhou Daily that her concerns focus on the risk of those who use AI to create fake videos that mimic the appearance and voices of celebrities or experts. "This AI-generated content can mislead and defraud consumers, especially the elderly, causing significant financial losses," the paper quoted her as saying. In October, Lei Jun, founder and CEO of Chinese tech company Xiaomi, was troubled by a series of videos that used AI to imitate his voice. "I don't think using AI in this way is a good thing," said Lei, who is also an NPC deputy, commenting on the issue. He wrote on social media that the use of AI for face swapping and voice syntheses will trigger violations of portrait rights and personal information, and even lead to fraud. The improper use or abuse of AI can cause irreparable damage to the reputation and image of individuals or enterprises, and pose risks to social governance, he added. Dispute handling Chinese courts have seen a rising number of lawsuits related to AI as its application spreads. In April, the Beijing Internet Court heard a case in which a voice-over artist claimed that her voice had been used without her consent in audiobooks circulating online. The voice had been processed by AI. The plaintiff took five companies to court, including a cultural media enterprise that had provided recordings of her voice for unauthorized use, an AI software developer and a voice-dubbing app operator. The court found that the cultural media company sent the plaintiff's recordings to the software developer without her permission, and the developer used AI to mimic her voice to create AI-generated products. Because the AI-powered voice mimicked the plaintiff's vocal characteristics, intonation and pronunciation style to a high degree, it was eventually identified as her voice, the court said, ruling that the behaviors of the cultural media company and the AI software developer infringed upon the woman's voice rights under China's Civil Code. Earlier, the court concluded China's first case on the copyright of an image generated using AI, identifying the AI-generated picture as an artwork under protection because of the originality and intellectual input of its human creator. In February, a court in Wuhan, Hubei province, also ruled in favor of a netizen whose AI-powered art was used in an advertisement without her permission. Wu Yiqin, a CPPCC National Committee member, said that strengthening copyright protection has become a crucial issue in the development of AI. He likened AI to a double-edged sword, underscoring that it involves not only the rights and interests of a broad range of literary, artistic and technological creators, as well as the standardized and healthy development of the copyright industry, but also the high-quality growth of China's digital economy. Regulation needed In response to the increasingly challenging landscape of copyright protection, Wu, who is also deputy head of the China Writers Association, emphasized the necessity of building a forward-looking intellectual property legal framework. It is urgent to accelerate the research and refinement of copyright protection standards in the field of AI and formulate regulatory legal documents, Wu said. Zhong, from Midea, called for further improvements to laws and regulations to fundamentally curb fake content generated by AI, saying that current laws and rules regarding AI-generated videos are inadequate, especially in terms of copyright ownership and privacy protection, Guangzhou Daily reported. To address the issue, she suggested the country amend laws such as the Copyright Law to clarify the liabilities for infringement of AI-generated content, the report added. Considering the long-term coexistence of humans and AI, Zhang, the lawyer, said that it is a must to seek a balance between the regulation and development of the technology, promoting technological and industrial development in a healthy manner with legislation. He called for adopting a flexible and prudent legislative strategy in the process of achieving this balance. "For example, it will be suitable to interpret some current laws, or ask regulatory authorities to issue guidance to address some prominent or urgent problems caused by AI," he said. "When it comes to specific scenarios, pilot programs and regulatory sandboxes can be used to explore solutions. Alternatively, local legislation or departmental rules can also be introduced." While providing legal support for AI innovators, he noted that corresponding obligations should be imposed on the technological service and product providers through legislation. AI risk prevention and accountability need to be clarified in legislation, he said, suggesting AI applications be classified based on their risk levels and then subject to categorized regulation. Zhang emphasized that AI-related legislation should be forward-looking and have an international perspective, as AI is a dynamically evolving technology that has become a key area of international competition. "Legislative work needs to counter foreign containment, and also establish China's own principles, so as to facilitate the international development of China's AI industry and its participation in the formulation of international rules for AI governance in the future," he added. Lou, the spokesman for the third session of the 14th NPC, said that the Chinese government has attached great importance to the development of AI and its risk prevention, saying that China has proposed the Global AI Governance Initiative to help bridge the technological divide and prevent sci-tech innovation from becoming only for rich countries and the wealthy. "China stands ready to work with all countries to promote the healthy development of AI, boost world economic growth and increase the well-being of people all over the world," Lou said. Action planned The work report of the NPC Standing Committee, which was submitted to the session on Saturday, said Chinese lawmakers will intensify research on legislation in emerging sectors such as AI, the digital economy and big data. Ma Yide, a deputy to the NPC, said China must act fast as the world is changing fast with the development of AI. "Digital technologies are reshaping modes of production, lifestyle and governance, and are accelerating the reconfiguration of global resource allocation and the global competitive landscape," he said. "Therefore, it's inevitable to strengthen the legal framework to support the development of the digital economy," said Ma, who is also a professor at the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He praised multiple pieces of legislation that have been introduced over the past few years, such as the Personal Information Protection Law and the Data Security Law, but pointed out that the legislation is not systematic enough. "Issues in the digital domain, including data, personal information and AI, are interconnected and cannot be addressed in isolation," he stressed, suggesting the country conduct a thorough study in this regard and formulate a special digital legislative work plan. Systematic legislation will provide comprehensive solutions for problems such as personal data protection, copyright protection, data ownership, AI and the release of public data, he added. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) Police were able to prevent 'scheduled fight' in the city on Saturday involving around 15 teenagers, Derry Magistrates' Court heard today. A police officer told the court that a 15-year-old youth currently on bail for a petrol bomb charge was believed to be one of those in attendance. The youth was appearing charged with breaching his bail on March 8 by being in the company of more than two people something prohibited by his conditions. A police officer told the court that police intelligence was received about a scheduled fight and police attended. When police arrived a group of youths ran off and the fight did not take place. A police officer recognised the defendant as being part of the group and he was later arrested for breaching his bail. The court heard that the youth was currently on bail for possessing a petrol bomb in Spencer Road last August. The officer said that this was the sixth breach of bail by the youth and he added that police believed if they had not prevented the fight the youth would have been part of it. Defence solicitor Seamus Quigley said that as a youth there was a presumption to bail regardless of how many breaches there was. He said that the last breach had been two months ago. District Judge Oonagh Mullan released the youth and adjourned the case until March 18 warning him any breach would not be tolerated. The youth was released on continuing bail with conditions he is not to be in the company of more than two people apart from his family, not to be within 100 metres of any march or demonstration and to observe a curfew. Derry City and Strabane District Council have advised users of the St Columbs Park Allotment Car Park to expect some disruption over the coming weeks while essential resurfacing work is carried out. The car park will close from the week commencing Monday, March 17 for approximately four weeks. Users are being advised to seek alternative parking in the nearby car park at the Ebrington site and Foyle Arena. Contractor FP McCann will carry out the works which were made possible through funding to the tune of 143,000 from the Department for Communities.Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Lilian Seenoi-Barr, urged users to make alternative arrangements while the work is carried out. This welcome work is another piece of the jigsaw in the regeneration of St Columbs Park and the Acorn Farm sites, she said. The upgraded facility will offer running track, park and allotment users, a better, safer and more convenient parking. IN PICTURES: Annual rally marks International Women's Day in Derry I would urge people seeking parking in the Waterside to be mindful of the closure and seek alternative parking. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons added: I am pleased my department has been able to fund this phase of regeneration at St Columbs Park in partnership with Derry City and Strabane District Council. The upgrading of this car park will not only enhance the area but offer improved linkage for both locals and visitors to St Columbs Park, Ebrington and the city The horrific Grenfell Tower fire has once again been recalled by Derry City and Strabane District Councillors. In October 2023, Karim Mussilhy and Antonio Roncolato from Grenfell United - survivors and bereaved families from the fire who came together to demand justice and change in memory of their families and neighbours who died - addressed Councils Health and Community committee. The fire, which broke out in the 24-storey Grenfell Tower block of flats, in North Kensington, West London, on June 14, 2017, has been described as the worst UK residential fire since World War II - 72 people perished, 70 were injured and 223 escaped. On Tuesday (March 4), Mr Mussilhy, Tess Barkan (chairperson), Natasha Elock (vice chairperson), and Edward Daffarn from Grenfell United updated members of Councils Governance and Strategic Planning committee on their ongoing campaign. Mr Mussilhy referenced the British Governments recent announcement that the Tower was going to be demolished. Grenfell Uniteds reaction to this announcement was that there had been a lack of engagement and consultation with the families and the survivors on this decision, he added. We know the Tower has to come down at some stage; it cant stay the way it is indefinitely but, unfortunately, they have come to the decision that the Tower will come down to ground but the families have not been engaged in the consultation process. At the minute, we do not feel very hopeful or optimistic that that will change. There has been some recent news about Kingspan which is still benefiting from Government contracts and public body contracts. It has been using its insulation products on a train station just outside of Grenfell Tower. We are [also] now approaching the criminal process, which is probably going to take another two to three years, maybe even longer, and we dont know even once that happens thats going to take, said Mr Mussilhy, who thanked councillors for listening to the presentation and supporting Grenfell United in its campaign when it came to Kingspan and Ulster Rugby. His colleague, Edward Daffarn, revealed that in the British Governments response to the Grenfell Inquiry recommendations, it was potentially looking to ban Kingspan from public procurement contracts. Mr Daffaran added: Obviously thats something we very much support, having read the results of the public inquiry and seen how Kingspan and the other firms behaved in putting their profit above our human lives and the devastating loss we experienced because of their greed essentially. Unfortunately, like everything else in the Governments response, none of this has happened overnight but this is something that we are really keen to see happening. The way we look at it, the only language that Kingspan understands is it just carries on making more money and, obviously, we want to make sure that is as difficult for it as possible. We dont believe Kingspan has shown any contrition, any real, genuine remorse for the devastating impact that its actions had on our community, said Mr Daffaran. Cllr Christopher Jackson (Sinn Fein) chairperson of the Governance and Strategic Planning committee commended the work of Grenfell United in campaigning on the back of a devastating tragedy. Thanking the members of Grenfell United for their update, Ald Derek Hussey (UUP) sought clarification on the previous mention of an ongoing criminal investigation in regard to the Kingspan scenario with Grenfell Tower. Responding, Karim Mussilhy said: Kingspan, among the other manufacturers and companies that were involved in the refurbishment of the Tower, are all under criminal investigation by the police and have been from day one, hence why our position is very strong that these organisations should not be able to continue to profit by using Government contracts or public body contracts and targeting the UK market for selling their flammable products, which are still on the market today. Kingspan, like some of the other organisations, has been heavily lobbying the Government to not only continue to sell their products but to make sure their products remain available to use in this country. Also, it is working with the Government and advising it on building future, greener and safer homes. We are very strongly against this, especially since it is under criminal investigation by the police for Grenfell Tower, said Mussilhy. Expressing his solidarity with the Grenfell United representatives, Cllr Gary Donnelly (Independent) highlighted that seven organisations are under investigation for professional misconduct in relation to the Grenfell fire. I would hope, as I am sure any decent human being would hope, that the people responsible for allowing this to happen would have a price to pay. Cllr Rory Farrell (SDLP) said: Even the British Government has said [Grenfell] could have been prevented; it shouldnt have happened. I would also like to touch on the Inquiry Report and the British Governments response. It had 58 recommendations and they were all agreed in full or in principle. The British Government said it was going to take tough action and people were going to see fundamental change. It has been mentioned that seven of the firms involved in this disaster face possible debarment from public sector contracts, said Cllr Farrell. In response, Edward Daffarn said: What happens is, you become the victim of a tragedy and then you go through a public inquiry and instead of these recommendations being enacted, you find as an individual, many years later, you are still having to monitor and police the government response to recommendations. [For us] change and the road to justice has been glacial and tortuous and that is why forming relationships with people such as yourselves is so important. 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. TSMC Q1 revenue nears low, AI surges, responds to discrimination claims Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) reported a consolidated revenue of approximately NT$260.009 billion (US$7.93 billion) for February 2025, reflecting an 11.3% decrease from January. However, this figure represents a significant increase of 43.1% compared to the same period in 2024. Cumulatively, the revenue for the first two months reached about NT$553.297 billion, marking a 39.2% rise year-over-year. During its earnings call in January, TSMC estimated that its revenue for the first quarter in US dollars would range between US$25 billion and US$25.8 billion, with a decline of 4% to 7% compared to the previous quarter. Based on an exchange rate of NT$32.8 per US dollar, this translates to approximately NT$820 billion to NT$846.2 billion, with a gross margin estimated at 57% to 59% and an operating margin of 46.5% to 48.5%. However, due to multiple earthquakes since January 21, TSMC anticipates that its consolidated revenue for the first quarter of 2025 will be closer to the lower end of its forecast, around US$25 billion, or roughly NT$820 billion. Preliminary estimates suggest that the company will recognize earthquake-related losses of approximately NT$5.3 billion after accounting for insurance claims. Consequently, March's revenue is expected to rebound to around NT$266.7 billion. Maintaining annual outlook despite challenges Despite challenges such as expanded AI chip bans leading some customers to reduce orders and the impact of earthquake losses, TSMC has not revised its outlook for the full year. The company previously stated that 2025 is projected to be a year of strong growth, with annual revenue in US dollars expected to grow by 25% and capital expenditures anticipated to be between US$38 billion and US$42 billion. Revenue related to AI is expected to triple in 2024 and double again in 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of 45% over the next five years. AI accelerators driving future growth TSMC reported that revenue from AI accelerators accounted for approximately 15% of its total revenue in 2024, with growth exceeding twofold. As demand for AI-related products continues to surge, the company expects contributions from AI accelerators to double again in 2025. Starting from a high base in 2024, the compound annual growth rate for revenue growth from AI accelerators is projected to approach 45% over the next five years. TSMC anticipates that AI accelerators will become the strongest driver of growth for high-performance computing platforms and the largest source of overall revenue growth. Expanding US investments amid legal challenges Recently, TSMC announced plans to reinvest at least US$100 billion in the US to build three wafer fabs, two advanced packaging facilities, and one research center. This indicates a potential significant expansion in TSMC's capital expenditure over the coming years, raising questions about the allocation between Taiwan and the US. According to foreign media reports, TSMC's facility in Arizona is facing allegations of anti-American discrimination, with the case scheduled for a court hearing on April 8, 2025. TSMC responded by stating that it does not comment on ongoing litigation. The company takes pride in its TSMC Arizona team of 3,000 members, whose collective efforts have contributed to the success of the new wafer fab in Arizona. Article edited by Jerry Chen Weekly news roundup: AMD CEO says DeepSeek's value lies in open-source innovation; HP slash 2,000 jobs These are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories from the week of March 3 March 7. DeepSeek's value lies in open-source innovation, not cost, says AMD CEO Lisa Su Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang recently reinforced confidence in AI's long-term growth, while AMD's CEO Lisa Su outlined a different approach at Stanford's View From The Top. Su emphasized AMD's commitment to open-source AI, contrasting Nvidia's tightly integrated ecosystem. She highlighted AMD's resurgence under her leadership and its strategy to provide flexible AI solutions across cloud, edge, and consumer devices. While Nvidia offers a seamless AI stack, AMD focuses on adaptability and ecosystem expansion. The rise of DeepSeek underscores the power of open-source innovation, aligning with AMD's approach. Su remains optimistic about AI's future, emphasizing that the industry is still in its early stages and that open ecosystems will play a crucial role in driving AI accessibility and growth. HP slash 2,000 jobs: offshoring 90% of China manufacturing for North America by 4Q25 HP is cutting up to 2,000 jobs and reducing its reliance on Chinese manufacturing for the North American market due to rising US tariffs and component costs. The company reported US$13.5 billion in revenue for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, with PC sales rising 4.7% but consumer demand declining. However, net profit fell 9.16% due to higher costs. To mitigate tariff impacts, HP plans to source less than 10% of North American sales from China by October 2025 while expanding production in Thailand. The company's broader strategy includes manufacturing 70% of its laptops outside China within a few years. As part of its "Future Now" initiative, HP is increasing job cuts from 7,000 to 9,000, with expected annual savings of US$300 million. The company is also reallocating resources to AI and customer experience investments. HP's restructuring aims to strengthen its global market position amid geopolitical challenges. Between Washington and Taipei, TSMC aims to avert being strapped with Intel rescue TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei announced a US$100 billion investment in the US, citing rising demand from American clients. While ensuring Taiwan's production lines remain on track, the move aims to enhance US semiconductor capabilities and mitigate geopolitical risks. Wei held separate press conferences with US President Donald Trump and Taiwan's President Ching-Te Lai, highlighting differing narratives. Trump framed the investment as a national security measure, while Wei emphasized customer-driven expansion. Industry experts note the immense pressure TSMC faces from global powers. Despite high production costs and labor challenges, American clients like Apple, Nvidia, and Intel rely heavily on TSMC, which dominates advanced chip manufacturing. TSMC's US R&D center will support local production, but concerns remain over technology transfer risks. While TSMC is expanding, doubts persist about long-term success, given costs, workforce limitations, and geopolitical complexities. Analysts see this move as both a necessity and a strategic risk, as TSMC remains central to the global semiconductor supply chain. Behind the Scenes: How Mark Liu and Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra Are Forging a New Era in US Chip Strategy Following his retirement as TSMC chairman, Mark Liu has joined Micron Technology's board, reinforcing ties between Micron and TSMC. Liu and Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra share a long-standing professional relationship, and industry analysts see his appointment as aligning with US semiconductor manufacturing strategy. While earlier speculation suggested Liu might lead Intel, he instead co-founded the Technology Competitiveness and Industrial Policy Center (TCIP) at UC Berkeley, aiming to enhance US tech and manufacturing competitiveness. Micron's focus on high bandwidth memory (HBM) has deepened its collaborations with TSMC, as memory and logic chip advancements increasingly overlap. Although Liu is not directly involved in technical developments, his presence strengthens Micron's strategic positioning. Liu's appointment reflects broader US efforts to regain semiconductor leadership, with his experience bridging innovation, policy, and manufacturing. His influence is expected to guide Micron's advanced packaging investments and contribute to national semiconductor strategies. Micron outpaces Samsung in DRAM race among HBM competition Micron has delivered its sixth-generation 10nm DRAM (1/1c DRAM) ahead of schedule, surpassing Samsung Electronics, which faces yield issues and production delays. Micron's DRAM, its first using EUV lithography, offers 15% faster speeds (9200 MT/s) and 20% lower power consumption. Samsung planned mass production by late 2024, but setbacks have delayed it to May 2025 or later. Yield challenges have forced chip design modifications, with results expected by MarchApril 2025. These delays threaten Samsung's HBM4 competitiveness, as Micron already supplies HBM3E chips to Nvidia, with twelve-layer versions in testing. To catch up, Samsung is investing in 1c DRAM production at its P4 plant, while SK Hynix has stabilized 1c DRAM mass production since August 2024. With competition intensifying, Samsung must resolve its yield issues quickly to maintain its position in the memory market. C.C. Wei responds to Trump's call to end CHIPS Act funding: TSMC asks only for fairness TSMC has announced a US$100 billion investment in the US, including three wafer fabs, two packaging facilities, and an R&D center, sparking mixed reactions. CEO C.C. Wei emphasized that customer demand drives global expansion, with TSMC's production lines fully booked until 2026. Despite the US investment, Wei reaffirmed TSMC's commitment to Taiwan, citing plans for 11 production lines by 2025. He highlighted US government support and local talent as key factors for expansion, while Taiwan remains the core of advanced R&D, with 10,000 engineers working on next-gen nodes like 2nm and 1nm. Wei downplayed concerns about technology gaps between Taiwan and the US, explaining that cutting-edge R&D happens in Taiwan before production moves abroad. He also clarified that TSMC's US expansion is driven by client needs, not subsidies, ensuring Taiwan's role remains central in semiconductor leadership. Intel foundry future in limbo: Analysts push for exit amid ex-board alarm Citi analyst Chris Danely has suggested that Intel should exit the wafer foundry business, as it struggles to attract customers despite its advanced process capabilities. Former Intel board members warned that a proposal by US President Donald Trump to force TSMC to take over Intel's fabs would harm the US chip industry. Instead, they believe Intel's foundries should be sold only to private Western investors, with US government backing and major chip vendors required to use Intel's services. However, US chipmakers remain reluctant to outsource to Intel, even with government incentives. Despite Samsung's lower prices, companies like Apple, Nvidia, and Qualcomm still prefer TSMC due to its manufacturing expertise and customer trust. TSMC founder Morris Chang claimed that Apple's Tim Cook privately admitted that Intel lacks understanding of wafer foundry operations. With TSMC building fabs in the US, industry leaders see no need for Intel Foundry, raising doubts about the effectiveness of Trump's proposed intervention. Article edited by Jack Wu The 2025 Mobile World Congress (MWC 2025) was held in Barcelona, Spain, from March 3 to March 6. A gathering for industry leaders and members of the mobile ecosystem, this year's event saw 5G and AI take center stage. DIGITMES Asia provides basic users with unlimited access to toll-free articles. Sign up for free subscription now to continue your reading! Subscriber content preview By MAE ANDERSON AP Business Writer Photo from Martin Selig Real Estate [enlarge] SBAs Seattle office is located in the Fourth and Battery Building. The Small Business Administration said last week that it will relocate six of its regional offices in so-called sanctuary cities, part of a broader Trump administration effort to crack down on cities that it deems have immigrant-friendly policies. . . . South Korean actress Kim Tae Hee was the victim of an armed robbery while on location for a photoshoot in South Africa, resulting in a significant loss of over 20 million KRW (approximately 14,000 USD), according to makeup artist Jung Saem-mool. In a recent episode of tvN STORY's "10 Billion Won Breakfast," aired March 6, Jung shared the harrowing details of the incident that occurred during their trip. The makeup artist, who is renowned in the K-beauty industry, recalled how they were invited to dinner by a local guide as part of their visit. "Our guide invited us to dinner. Since famous people like Kim Tae-hee were coming, the entire Korean community gathered at the house. They welcomed us by putting necklaces on us and serving food. But suddenly, people started screaming. A group of robbers barged in with guns," Jung explained, as quoted by KBiZoom. Read more: Kim Tae Hee Intimidated By Shin Hye Sun? Here's What Hallyu Superstar Said The robbers reportedly took anything of value, including Jung's belongings and a photographer's camera. "They even crammed dozens of people, including children, into a small bathroom," she said, describing the chaos that ensued during the frightening ordeal. Thankfully, no injuries were reported. The traumatic experience left Jung shaken. "Because of the trauma, I couldn't do anything," she admitted. However, a moment of kindness helped her recover. "A young girl I met afterward embraced me, saying, 'the fear and terrible trauma disappeared.'" Then came the climax of this fateful affair, extreme enough to make the headlines and even featured on South Africa's 9 o'clock news. Jung Saem-mool, who is known for working with many top actors, also became successful with the beauty brand as he is estimated to generate an annual revenue of 110 billion KRW (around 82 million USD). Read more: Rain & Kim Tae Hee To Welcome New Child This 2023? Here's What We Know Subscriber content preview SEATTLE A small apartment building at 1917 Eastlake Ave. E. sold last week for just over $3 million, according to King County records. The seller was Abbey Park Associates LLC, which acquired the property in 2000 for $824,000. . . . The Local Enterprise Office Louth wrapped up Local Enterprise Week in style with their highly anticipated awards ceremony at The Monasterboice Inn, Drogheda on Friday, February 28. Hosted in partnership with Louth County Council, the event remains a highlight of the week, celebrating the innovation, creativity, and resilience of Louths business community. This annual celebration of enterprise in the county brings together business owners, mentors, industry representatives, and support agencies to recognise outstanding achievements in business. Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council, Cllr Kevin Callan, and newly appointed Chief Executive, David Conway, opened the ceremony, reinforcing the vital role of entrepreneurship in Louths economic growth. Broadcaster Gerry Kelly expertly led the proceedings, featuring an insightful interview with international business strategist Miriam Simon. She explored key trends, including VUCA, authenticity, collaboration, and the evolving opportunities and risks of AI. Then, the moment the audience had been waiting for arrived. MC Gerry Kelly announced and interviewed this years award winners. Fierce Mild Brewing Ltd were named winners of the Best Start-Up Business Award. Founded in 2022 by childhood friends Fergal Carroll and Cathal Byrne, Fierce Mild is transforming the non-alcoholic beer market. Their award-winning extra pale ale, crafted using a unique yeast and hop blend, has already secured placement in 250+ venues. A new distribution deal with Classic Drinks will expand its distribution network and the team have further plans to expand across the UK, EU, and Australia. READ MORE: Louth County Hall turns purple in honour of International Womens Day The Innovation Award winner was SafeShel. Created by Irish Coast Guard veteran Peter Larkin, SafeShel is a rapidly inflatable rescue shelter designed for emergency response. Weighing just 5.5kg, it deploys in under 15 seconds, providing immediate protection and medical access. Already adopted by Civil Defence and emergency agencies, SafeShel is revolutionising emergency response solutions. The award for Best Established Business went to moneysherpa. Founded in 2021, by Mark Coan, moneysherpa is Irelands first comprehensive home-buying service. Employing 10 staff, it streamlines the process through the use of technology, as well as dedicated case managers, financial optimisation, and an integrated mortgage, surveying, and legal service. Having leveraged technology in its B2C business, the company then expanded into the B2B SaaS market for brokers and estate agents. Moneysherpa aims to be Irelands leading B2C home-buying platform by 2030, with European expansion via their B2B services also on the horizon. As the overall winner, Mark Coan of moneysherpa will now represent Louth at the National Enterprise Awards in May, taking place at The Mansion House, Dublin. Closing the event, Sarah Mallon, Local Enterprise Week Coordinator, praised the ambition of local businesses and urged them to explore the extensive supports available. She said, Local Enterprise Office Louth offers invaluable resources to SMEs to drive growth and job creation. Visit www.LocalEnterprise.ie/Louth/ReadyTo to discover more and connect with our team. Local Enterprise Week may be over, but our support continues year-round. The Louth Enterprise Awards 2025 showcased the countys entrepreneurial spirit, setting the stage for another year of success and innovation. Well done to all! The Court of Appeal has overturned the conviction of a 34-year-old man who was jailed for eight years for conspiring to steal the getaway car used in the credit union robbery during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was shot dead. The appeal court found that the decision by the three-judge, non-jury Special Criminal Court to amend the indictment against James Flynn after his three-month long trial had finished and without consulting either the prosecution or defence legal teams, was a breach of Mr Flynn's right to constitutional natural justice. Ms Justice Tara Burns, delivering today's judgment, described the amendment as a "very unusual occurrence" which had denied Mr Flynn the opportunity to make legal arguments over the amendment or to plead guilty to the new charge. Mr Flynn's lawyers had argued that the first they knew of the charge of conspiring to steal the getaway car was after their client had been convicted of it. Mr Flynn, with an address in Ravensglen, Newry, Co Down was originally charged with a wider conspiracy to steal cars at various locations in the North East. He was further charged with participation in a robbery of the Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth on January 25, 2013 in which Aaron Brady shot and killed Det Gda Donohoe. READ NEXT: Two deported as gardai in Louth carry out major operation outside Dundalk The Special Criminal Court acquitted Flynn of those charges but amended the indictment to find him guilty of conspiring to steal the Volkswagen Passat from a property in Clogherhead, Co Louth in January 2013. At the Court of Appeal last January, Bernard Condon SC, for Mr Flynn, argued that the decision to amend the indictment after the trial had finished and while the court was acting in its capacity as a jury was an error. He said the defence was not offered an opportunity to argue about the wording of the amendment or as to whether it was appropriate. When the Special Criminal Court amended the indictment, Mr Condon said his client was convicted of a charge which was never put to him and on which he was never given the opportunity to plead. At the level of fundamental fairness, its baffling to us why the court didnt come out and say: Weve reached an impasse, he said. The first we heard that this offence was out there was after we had been convicted of it, he added. Having quashed Mr Flynn's conviction, the Court of Appeal did not consider other arguments made by his lawyers during their appeal. The court will hear from the parties in the case next Tuesday, March 18th as to whether Mr Flynn should face a retrial. The court will hear from the parties in the case next Tuesday, March 18th as to whether Mr Flynn should face a retrial. In the Special Criminal Court's judgement, Mr Justice Tony Hunt said with regard to the series of separate creeper burglaries, the prosecution relied on mobile phone evidence which it said showed phones belonging to Flynn had pinged off masts or cell sites adjacent to homes where cars were stolen in the early hours of the morning at multiple locations on various dates in 2012 and 2013. Mr Justice Hunt said the prosecution had failed to prove that the cell sites referred to were the same ones through which Mr Flynn's calls had been made. He said the court could "draw no conclusions" from the cell site analysis and dismissed the evidence. The evidence in relation to the creeper burglaries therefore amounted to nothing more than suspicion, the judge said, and "a lot more evidence would be needed" to prove the charge of conspiracy to commit burglaries to the standard of beyond a reasonable doubt. Mr Tony Hunt said the evidence established beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr Flynn was an active member of the gang that carried out the robbery and that he was intimately involved with Brady and another man involved in the theft of the getaway car. The court found that Mr Flynn conspired with two others to steal the Passat, basing its finding on CCTV footage alleged to have shown Mr Flynn's distinctive BMW 5-series acting suspiciously in the early hours on the morning of the theft near to where the Passat was stolen. Mr Justice Hunt said the evidence showed Mr Flynn and others were involved in night work of a criminal variety. "That being the case, I would amend Count 3, to read that between January 22 and 23 2013 at various locations, James Flynn conspired with Aaron Brady and another to enter premises at Clogherhead to steal the keys of a motor vehicle," he said. However, the court found the evidence in relation to the robbery at Lordship did not prove the prosecution case that Mr Flynn was one of the men directly involved. Sentencing Mr Flynn to eight years imprisonment in December 2023, Mr Justice Hunt said that at the time when Flynn conspired to steal the Volkswagen Passat he "knew the full purpose of the conspiracy to burgle" and that the conspiracy "encompassed an integral aspect of the robbery" which took place three nights later. Before he was extradited from the UK to face trial, Mr Flynn was in a position to offer over 1 million in sureties when applying for bail at Westminster Magistrates Court. He had fled Ireland shortly after the robbery and had to be extradited from the UK in April 2022 to face trial. The court that Mr Flynn holds both a UK and United States passport but not an Irish one. Dundalk Institute of Technology recently held an event to celebrate some of the wonderful international female staff and students in honour of International Womens Day. Over 70 people came together for the celebration, including DkIT staff and students and representatives from the local community. The coffee morning event, hosted by TV and radio presenter Anna Daly, put the spotlight on just some of the international women of DkIT, delving into their personal stories and exploring their experiences of coming to live, study and work in Ireland. Speakers included undergraduate students Blessing Ehinmisan and Veronika Hrazska, Postgraduate student Ester Balgova, PHD student Mugdha Srivistava and staff members Ana Panero Gomez and Inta Ergle, who recounted their stories of growing up across the world and adapting to the Irish culture. Topics of discussion included challenges in academia and career development, the importance of mentorship and support for international women, adapting to a new culture and making connections in unfamiliar places. Ana and Inta, both staff members, spoke about the decisions they made to make their move to Ireland permanent and how they have come to embrace the country as home. Speaking at the event, DkIT lecturer Ana Panero Gomez shared: Read Next: An Bord Pleanala permits 80 metre wind turbine at WuXi in Louth "With great job opportunities in academia, Ireland felt like a great move. Starting a career in communications in another language was challenging, and the culture and language gaps are always present. But I thrive on the challenge, breaking down those gaps every day. I believe mentorship for international women is key to helping them navigate and embrace local life." For the student speakers, the decision to study in Ireland was a key topic of discussion, particularly their experiences of moving to a new country without their usual support network. Blessing Ehinmisan, a third-year Marketing student at DkIT, shared: "I wasn't prepared for the cold, and my luggage hadn't even arrived when I first got here so it was a difficult start. However, despite the challenges, the personal touch at DkIT and the warmth of the Irish people made all the difference. Their help, trust, and spirit make me feel right at home." 1,070,535.44 is outstanding in Dundalk District Court office in unpaid fines since 2020, according to figures released by the Irish Courts Service under the Freedom of Information act to Ireland South MEP, Cynthia Ni Mhurchu. The figures released show that almost 45 million in unpaid District Court fines are outstanding across Irelands District Court system since 2020. Commenting on the figures, Ni Mhurchu said: What does this say to the victims who have been impacted by crimes such as drink driving, assault, theft, and shop lifting. We are imposing fines that a percentage of criminals are choosing to ignore and it seems there is little we are doing about it. 45 million would fund a lot of domestic violence refuges, road safety campaigns and extra Garda on our streets. "It is time for a get tough approach to those criminals who feel they are above the law. Our road deaths have been rising in Ireland for consecutive years. How can we expect any improvement in that scenario when those fined for traffic offences may choose not to pay the fine The Fianna Fail MEP has called for the issue of unpaid district court fines to be included in the upcoming review of the criminal justice system which was promised in the 2025 Programme for Government. Heartfelt tributes have been paid to a teenage Irish girl who passed away suddenly last week. 19-year-old Leah Marie Faughnan from Cloonfinnan, Mohill, Co Leitrim sadly passed away suddenly on Thursday, March 6. Leahs passing has left her family, friends, and the wider Leitrim community in deep shock and sorrow. Her official death notice on RIP.ie described her as "greatly missed by her heartbroken parents Gerard and Anne Marie, sisters Katie, Sarah, and Mia, granny Mary, aunts, uncles, cousins, relatives, neighbours, and her many great friends." Mohill Community College, where Leah was a past student, was among those to share their grief. Teacher Natalie Flanagan recalled, "I am so shocked and saddened to learn of Leahs passing. I taught her some years ago in MCC, and it is lovely to see what a beautiful young woman she had become. My profound sympathy to all those who mourn her devastating loss." Aileen McGirl, also from Mohill Community College, described Leah as "such a beautiful young lady inside and out" before adding: "Thinking of you all at this most difficult time. May Leahs gentle soul rest in eternal peace." Staff and management of Jamestown Preschool, who remembered Leahs "beautiful smile and bubbly personality," expressed their deep sympathy to her parents and sisters. "We will always remember Leahs beautiful smile and bubbly personality. Keeping you all in our thoughts during this difficult time." Friends and neighbours also shared their sympathies, with one mourner writing: "In our thoughts & prayers at this very difficult time. A beautiful girl taken far too soon. God bless you all in the days ahead." Another condolence read: "Deepest condolences to all of Leahs family. She was a beautiful and kind girl inside and out. My thoughts and prayers are with all the family. Rest in peace, Leah." In honour of Leah, donations are being accepted for the SADS (Sudden Adult Death Syndrome) Foundation. Leah's Funeral Mass took place at St Marys Church in Annaduff on Monday morning, with cremation afterwards at Lakelands Crematorium in Cavan. READ MORE | 'There are no words' - Tributes pour in for Irish woman who died suddenly in New York In 2023, Darina Allen launched the Ballymaloe Organic Farm School at the age of 75, referring to it as her new start-up. The desire to keep sharing knowledge and skills is what sustains her momentum. Through this new farm school, there is the opportunity to keep raising up her gospel of good food through the sharing of knowledge, wisdom, skills and experience, in a way that blends the theoretical with the practical. Ballymaloe House, restaurant and cookery school are all part of an estate that has been a working farm since the mid-1830s. Ivan and Myrtle Allen took over Kinoith in 1932 and subsequently Ballymaloe House and farm, 4km away, in 1947. In 1988, the 100-acre farm transitioned to fully organic, and ever since, the crusade for slow food, organic growing, traditional food skills and producing ones own food has been magnified. Before food gets into the teaching kitchens of the cookery school, much of the fresh produce fruits, vegetables, eggs, poultry, dairy, pork and beef is sourced from the farm that wraps around the estate. Increasingly, students were asking questions about where this food was coming from; how it was produced, how to plant a seed, the soil and composting. Darina realised that, before cooking with good food, its important to learn how to produce it and well. Darina Allen with consultant Karen O'Donohue at the Ballymaloe Organic Farm School, Shanagarry, Co. Cork. - Picture: David Creedon Into this bubbling cauldron of ideas entered Karen ODonohue. Best known to many for her work on RTEs Grow, Cook, Eat, which she co-produced and presented, Karen has been involved with food, farming, growing, food activism, and the critical importance of good food for decades. Her role in Ballymaloe Organic Farm School is one of many hats, including devising the course programme which runs year-round, and calling in expert tutors in subject areas as wide-ranging as seed-saving and tree planting, to keeping bees, hens and pigs, to foraging and herbal medicine for humans and animals, for half-day and day-long courses. There are also the flagship courses, such as the six-week Sustainable Food Programme, and the week-long Practical Homesteading course, which the school cant run enough of, such is the demand from a new wave of homesteaders (smallholders) in the US and across the world. While the school taps into the zeitgeist for people wanting needing to get back to the soil and reclaiming a feeling of control over the food we eat, there is a less bucolic aspect thats fuelling the urgency to share knowledge with as many as possible. The farm schools mission is set against the backdrop of an increasingly industrialised food system that is impacting the health of people, animals, and the environment. This is what gets Karen up in the morning and fuels her through busy days at the farm school. Asking why Ballymaloe Organic Farm School needs to exist seems like a good place to start, and I quickly realise its the only question that needs to be asked. I had always come at food from the community perspective, says Karen. Yet now I understand how, until such time as the stewards and farmers of the land and the producers of our food are unequivocally recognised as one of the most critical components of a healthy, active and resilient society, then we are at nothing. And thats before we even touch on climate impact. I realise this is not going to be some twee conversation about aspirations of pastoral living. Karen is not asking politely for people to act she is demanding it, and the school is there to support those looking to make radical change. Look at our supermarket trollies now; look at the absence of independent shops in our communities from which we can have actual freedom of choice. Look at the devastation of small producers; look at the gross inequalities when it comes to investment in resources around organic food and short supply chains versus the millions of euro made by the corporate food industry. In this regard, Karen is pointing the finger at the food environment that most of us interact with every day. For children, the targeting and creation of unhealthy food environments is even more direct and obvious. What is that food environment telling us about the produce we have available to us? Its not choice. What we have is this deeply layered obesogenic food environment. In other words, asking what kinds of foods we are surrounded with and engage with in our daily lives, from advertisements on buses and bus stops to the chicane of sugary treat foods that must be navigated to get to a till. It extends to certain child-targeted marketing strategies, particularly the positioning of High Fat, Salt and Sugar (HFSS) products that greet children at eye level designed to trigger pester power so parents give in and buy even when its against their own better judgement. We need to acknowledge that we are where we are and we cant reset the food industry, says Karen. We need to work with what we have within the system, but to do better. Mass produced food, with its huge network of retailers up and down the country and all their resources and investment, must have an equivalent level of resources and investment made available for the alternative. Instead of small independent food businesses being stifled and squeezed out, we must work out a way where large and small can sit alongside each other. It cant be one versus the other because all that does is it pits us against each other, and we end up putting all our time and energy into a fight that were never going to win. Words are not going to fix this; action is whats needed. So, the solution has to be in making sure that from the bottom up people are consistently educated, informed and supported to make good food choices. This is why the farm school needs to exist. Were constantly asking where can we make the biggest contribution? We needed to be clear on who we can work with to be able to give people what they need to make better food choices, and the very best chance for learning new skills, new knowledge, changing behaviours, and being inspired to make a difference. I firmly believe everybody can do something, says Karen. Every day, people make decisions around food, from a policy level to what to have for dinner. If the noble purpose of our food system was about feeding people with healthy and regeneratively produced food, wed be grand. But instead, its all about money, she claims. To aid that mission of reaching as many people as possible, the farm school has partnered with the National Organic Training Skillnet and the Rural Food Skillnet, who offer valuable support by way of subsidising course fees, often by up to 30%. What is that food environment telling us about the food we have available to us? It's not choice. What we have is this deeply layered obesogenic food environment," says Karen. Picture: David Creedon For me, when I look at the climate and biodiversity crisis, the urgency is more to do with our children. They are the next generation of everything, but they are getting sicker and sicker - for several reasons, but the food thats given to them and is available to them has a big part to play. A child growing up in Ireland today is increasingly unlikely to have access to good, healthy, nutritious food, she said. The food choices they are presented with when they walk out onto a street of a town, village or city in Ireland just beggars belief. It is nothing but ultra-processed, plastic-wrapped and nutrient-deficient food-like things. Thats what meets our young people every time they walk into a shop; thats the education our children are getting around food. The abnormal has become normal. Isnt it bonkers to think that, in 2025, children will leave school knowing how to do a cartwheel and play the tin whistle, but they wont be able to feed themselves? There is a time and place for exercise and cultural activities, but without good food, what are we at? The burden of food education, however, cannot be laid fully at the classroom door. The government, families and communities, food manufacturers and retailers all must step up and take a share in the responsibility. But it must begin with us. Theres a passivity that has crept into our engagement with food, Karen argues. Between tightened household budgets, less time to prepare meals from scratch, and the endless distraction of screens, its impossible to give a crap about food when youre watching Love Island. How can you stop and think, what am I eating? Where did it come from? Who produced it? How much did it cost? Were completely passive around our food. Ireland is about to become the most obese country in Europe, and with all the facts around chronic illnesses in children, at no point did any key stakeholder turn around and think: Maybe we should put good food into the heart of a school community. They didnt take the opportunity to build the gold standard - not in the hope a dedicated teacher or parent group would bolt it on, but rather to say, lets start with that and build out. Look at the big picture: Our children are our human capital. If we dont have healthy from the inside out, resilient, empathetic, engaged, communicative, creative people coming up the ranks - who is going to run the world? Until such time as we have that type of investment in our people, with an approach that supports consistent access to all the things that make us healthy and well where we live, learn, work and play, then were at nothing. But I can guarantee you, there are children all over Ireland who today dont have access to what they need to be healthy, and, in my opinion, that is unacceptable, Karen said. We must use our citizen power to create change, because we are way more powerful than we think. Weve become unbelievably passive, and thats killing us and its killing our kids. So, if learning about food and having actual autonomy through very basic but life-critical food skills help me and us all to take back control, then so be it. See www.ballymaloecookeryschool.ie/farm-school Taoiseach Micheal Martin will today begin a five-day official visit to the US to celebrate St Patricks Day. All eyes are likely to be on Mr Martins visit to the White House on Wednesday evening for the traditional shamrock bowl presentation, which he will make to US president Donald Trump. Mr Martin will be the first international leader to visit the president since his fiery public confrontation with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy two weeks ago. The two leaders are expected to have a private bilateral meeting before a press conference in the Oval Office. Discussions are expected to cover a broad agenda of issues, including the ties between the two countries, with the Taoiseach likely to focus on the economic relationship with Ireland being the sixth-largest investor into the US, and Irish firms employing some 120,000 people there. Although there are points of controversy with Mr Trump, Mr Martin is expected to raise the war in Ukraine and the situation in Gaza. The Taoiseach will also likely update Mr Trump on the situation in Northern Ireland, recognising the US contribution to the peace process there. Mr Martins US visit will begin today in Austin, Texas, where he will have a series of engagements as well as attending SXSW festival. He will meet with the governor of the state of Texas, Greg Abbott, and he will visit the HQ of Dell a long-time employer in Ireland. He will also visit Tricentis, a US software company which currently employs 18 people in Cork. Ahead of his trip, Mr Martin said St Patricks Day offered an opportunity to celebrate Irelands international connections and partnerships which, he said, enrich both Ireland and its partners overseas. The US is one of Irelands strongest partners, a partnership built on a rich foundation of ancestral ties and close economic, diplomatic, and political links, he said. Cork City Council has announced the launch of its second annual tree giveaway initiative, with an increased number of trees and an additional location. To celebrate National Tree Week, which runs until March 16, the council, in partnership with Coillte and the Tree Council of Ireland, will be giving away 3,000 trees on Wednesday across Tramore Valley Park and The Glen River Park. The giveaway, starting in both locations from 10.30am until all trees have found homes, will include native whips or saplings including alder, blackthorn, hazel, oak, pine, and rowan. Speaking to The Echo, Cork City Council tree officer Thomas Kane said: Last years event was a huge success. It was very well received, so it was a no-brainer to do it again this year. It showed us the appetite is there. Its essentially about getting the public and communities across Cork city to come together to increase the citys tree canopy. The driving force for this is that a huge proportion of land and available space for tree planting is in private ownership, so we came to the conclusion that the best way to do this was to get the community involved by giving away trees every year as part of National Tree Week. There will be a lot of native trees there, stuff thats suitable for the city. They all have a high biodiversity value [and] theres a huge array of benefits for the long-term from the trees for the city, he added. Not only do trees contribute to combatting biodiversity loss and serve important ecosystem and climate functions, but there is also an inherent value for peoples health and wellbeing attached to trees. The goal is to have this [initiative] run every year, and the benefits will be significant. Green Party councillor Dan Boyle, Lord Mayor of Cork, said: I am delighted to see this initiative continue in 2025 after the huge success of last year. Now totalling 5,500 trees distributed [between this year and last], this is a significant number and certainly a worthwhile exercise. The benefits will be seen not only now, but for generations to come. Cork City Council owns and manages approximately 17% of the citys total tree canopy. Since 2021, it has planted 15,000 trees, with a further 5,000 planned for this year. Two men facing various different charges arising out of a member of An Garda Siochana being allegedly assaulted, a garda vehicle rammed, a Deliveroo worker rammed off his moped and seriously injured and a stolen car burnt out, were both remanded in custody until March 20. On the application of Sergeant John Dineen at Cork District Court, Judge Mary Dorgan remanded the two men in custody until that date to allow time for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions. Adrian Long, aged 26, of 14 Willowbank, Upper Fair Hill, Cork, and Evan Crean, aged 22, of 69 St Colmcille Rd, Gurranabraher, Cork, appeared in court by video link from prison. Mr Long faces charges of causing criminal damage, theft, attempted theft, driving a stolen car, and assault causing harm to a member of An Garda Siochana. Mr Crean faces the same charges with one exception he is not charged with assaulting the officer. Detective Garda Mark Durcan said it was alleged that a jeep-type vehicle was stolen on October 21, 2024, at Courtbrack, Blarney, and that on October 31, Adrian Long and Evan Crean went on a rampage in it. Det Gda Durcan said Mr Long stole items from a vehicle in Whitethorn Avenue in Ballincollig after the window of the vehicle had been removed. Bank cards stolen from Woodbine in Ballincollig were later used in Hollyhill. Binoculars were also stolen. After 6am, a car parked at Ballyhooley Rd was smashed in an attempt to get into it. By 10am, two men entered Tesco in Mallow to buy a bottle of Southern Comfort, and because it was too early to sell alcohol they threw 50 on the counter and left with it. There was a break-in to a car at Woodville, Glanmire, at around 10.45pm. Ten minutes later in Little Island, an off-duty member of An Garda Siochana observed two men trying to open cars. One of them was sitting in a Ford Focus outside a house when the member approached and identified himself as being a garda. A struggle ensued, and he received a number of blows to the body and face from Mr Long, Det Gda Durcan said. He was unable to attend work for a number of days due to his injuries. A Deliveroo driver was knocked off his moped in Blackrock and received serious leg injuries. Later, on the northside of Cork city, the jeep took off at speed when gardai indicated for it to stop. The vehicle rammed the garda car on two occasions in the Mallow Rd area of Cork. The garda car was too damaged to continue before the stolen car was driven to Carrignavar, where it was later found burned out. The loss to the owner was around 15,000. Detective Garda Pat Barry gave similar evidence in respect of Evan Crean. He described the Deliveroo driver collision as a ramming. So far, no specific charges have been brought in relation to that incident, although it was described during the objection to bail for both defendants. Both detectives said that, by their own admission, both defendants admitted being addicted to drugs. Sergeant Dineen said the file in the case had been completed and sent to the detective inspector ahead of being sent to the DPP. A Cork Oireachtas member has called upon the Government to take urgent action and introduce paid miscarriage leave. Speaking on International Womens Day, Labour Party senator Laura Harmon said a bill put forward by her party would provide women with up to 20 days of paid leave to recover from an early pregnancy loss. The Labour Partys Organisation of Working Time (Reproductive Health Related Leave) Bill 2021 would also allow 10 days of paid leave for workers undergoing fertility treatments such as IVF (in-vitro fertilisation). Ms Harmon, a former Cork city councillor who was elected to the Seanad in February, said International Womens Day should not just be about slogans. Despite repeated calls for action, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail continue to kick the can down the road, leaving women without the workplace support they need at a time of great loss, she said. Women in Cork and across Ireland deserve real workplace protections when they need them most. Miscarriage is loss, and too many women are forced to carry on working as if nothing has happened, with no time to grieve or recover. Ms Harmon urged the Government to act swiftly and introduce such leave. Their failure to introduce miscarriage leave is a stark reminder of the uphill battle women face in advocating for even the most basic workplace rights, she said. Labour is calling on the Government to step up and introduce leave when it matters most. Women in Cork and across Ireland deserve better than empty words its time for action. A representative for Air France and KLM has announced that the airline will be introducing 20 extra seats every day between Cork Airport and Amsterdam as Aer Lingus is due to wind down its regular route in the coming weeks. Speaking to The Echo, general manager for the Ireland and the UK with Air France and KLM, Jerome Salemi, said that the company is committed to the Munster region and wanted to take the opportunity to build a larger presence in Cork. With KLM, we already have two flights a day from Cork [to Amsterdam] [operating] all year, [but] because Aer Lingus has decided to stop their flight, we have decided to [upgrade] our aircrafts, meaning that we will have bigger aircrafts on the route, said Mr Salemi. We will be adding an additional 20 extra seats every day between Cork and Amsterdam, which is quite significant. We wanted to take the opportunity to grow further. I think it is a signal of confidence for Air France and KLM in the Muster region. We immediately reacted when we heard that [Aer Lingus was winding down its route]. We liaised with our network of colleagues and said that we needed to increase capacity to take the space. We are committed to the Munster region Cork Airport is convenient and smaller than Dublin Airport our customers are very happy with it. Mr Salemi also highlighted how the airline will be increasing route frequency from Cork to Paris, starting with three weekly flights from now until the end of March, building to five weekly flights from the end of March, and building further again up to 10 weekly flights for July and August. This frequency will then decrease again in the later months of September and October to six and five weekly flights, respectively. We are very confident that we will fill these aircrafts we are monitoring the trends, and clearly there is a demand between Cork and Paris, added Mr Salemi. A new solicitor was welcomed to Cork District Court on Thursday. Stephen Cotter graduated from UCC with distinction before serving his apprenticeship with McCann Fitzgerald in Dublin but the young man from Ballinlough was keen to work in his home city and has just been appointed to a new position at Frank Buttimer & Company. Mr Buttimer said he was pleased to introduce this young man to the court to commence his work in the area of criminal law. Judge Mary Dorgan welcomed Mr Cotter and wished him a long and happy career, assuring him that he would never have a boring day as the work was always different from one day to the next. Sergeant John Dineen, on behalf of An Garda Siochana, Shane Collins-Daly, on behalf of solicitors practising in Cork District Court, registrar Frances OConnor on behalf of court staff, and Breda Moylan on behalf of the Probation Service, all joined in welcoming the new solicitor and telling him that they looked forward to cooperating with him in his career. A drunken man attending court to support a friend before Christmas has now ended up before the court himself, because of his rude and threatening behaviour outside the courtroom on the day. As David Casey, of 11 Mount St Josephs Heights, Bakers Rd, Cork, pleaded guilty to charges of being drunk and a danger and engaging in threatening behaviour at the courthouse on December 12, 2024, Judge Mary Dorgan said she recalled the noise from outside her court on that day. Sergeant John Dineen said: He was sitting in the foyer of the courthouse, causing a nuisance to people by making rude comments at people walking by. The man was highly intoxicated and stood up and began to scream in peoples faces. He was a danger to himself. He made sexually derogative comments to females in the vicinity, saying, Do you want a flah? and Come over here and Ill ride ya. Gardai found that he had a small bag of crack cocaine, which was seized from him. He had to be restrained and continued to shout verbal abuse at members of the public. He said, I came in here because my friend is in court and you c***s arrested me for nothing. He continued to shout abuse at passers-by, saying, What the f*** are you looking at, spastic? Defence solicitor, Frank Buttimer, said that when this evidence was disclosed to the 35-year-old, he was highly embarrassed and apologetic. Judge Dorgan imposed a two-month suspended sentence for the threatening and insulting behaviour and imposed fines totaling 450. Mr Buttimer said that while reference was made to possessing a small amount of drugs, no charge related to this was brought against Mr Casey. A Labour Party councillor in Cork city has accused the Government of failing to deliver on its election promises regarding childcare. It comes amid reports that one in five childcare service providers nationally has been given approval by the Government to increase its fees. Then childrens minister Roderic OGorman said last July that where a demonstrable need to increase a fee is confirmed, the resulting increase will not exceed 0.74 per hour. This means that an offering of 45 hours could be eligible for an increase of up to 33.30 a week, which would be more than 1,700 a year. The increases are being permitted to help providers who have been stuck in a fee freeze for years despite rising costs of doing business, which has seen many childcare providers go out of business. However, the cost of childcare for families was a key issue in the last election. Councillor John Maher told The Echo that families are struggling with one of the most expensive childcare systems in Europe, adding: Parents in Glanmire, Mayfield, and Ballyvolane are already at breaking point. They are paying hundreds of euro each month for childcare when they can even find a place. Yet, instead of delivering on their election promises, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail are allowing fees to rise further. He said that the State pours 1.3bn into the sector, yet parents still pay extortionate fees, and early-years educators remain underpaid. He added: No one is winning in this broken system. Labour has long called for a publicly funded, high-quality childcare system that guarantees affordability for parents and fair pay for staff. Instead of approving fee increases, the Government should be investing in real solutions. Minister [Norma] Foley must honour her election promises and commit to reducing childcare costs to 200 per month. Families in Cork and across Ireland need urgent action, not empty rhetoric. A US tech firm which has its international headquarters in Cork has announced its intention to create 50 new jobs here over the next five years. Tricentis, a software testing firm which currently employs 18 people in Cork, said the 50 new jobs will be across areas such as engineering, finance, business operations and customer growth. The company, which has 26 offices worldwide and last year generated over $425m in revenue, said its expansion plans will include opening a larger Cork premises. The jobs announcement came after Taoiseach Micheal Martin visited Tricentiss base in Austin, Texas, today. Appeal Mr Martin, who is in the US ahead of his St Patricks festival meeting with president Donald Trump on Wednesday, said the investment highlighted Irelands appeal as a hub for innovation and technology, supported by the strategic efforts of IDA Ireland. During my meeting with the Tricentis team in Austin, I learned that the team in Ireland has led several initiatives to optimise Tricentiss international business operations. We look forward to the positive impact this project will have, Mr Martin said. Michael Lohan, IDA Ireland CEO, said it was terrific news for Cork city and highlighted regions highly skilled and talented workforce. The news was described as a very welcome development by Peter Burke, minister for enterprise, tourism and employment. This development exemplifies the type of projects we aim to attract and secure under Irelands national AI strategy, AI Here for Good, he said. Tricentis currently employs 18 people in its Parliament St office in Cork, and the companys work has focused to date on consolidating international finance and building various functions such as payroll, accounts payable, projects, revenue, legal, data analytics, and more. Key attraction David Owens, Tricentis executive VP and general manager of international operations, told The Echo that he believed that a key attraction to US firms investing In Ireland was the countrys economic and political stability in a changing geo-political world. He praised Taoiseach Micheal Martin for his Governments pro-business policies, and the work of IDA Ireland for its close relationship with industry. Mr Owens said the decision by Tricentis, to expand its operation in Cork was a vote of confidence from the companys senior management in Ireland. They look to the Ireland team to be thought leaders for around the world, and a lot of that thought leadership comes out of Cork, he said. Strong history Cork has such a long history for software companies, and, look, were the only English-speaking country in the EU, and I think weve always had such a strong history with the US, and I think were a very good member of the EU, so we tend to sit between both locations. If you take a look at Cork, and the success of Apple, McAfee, Qualcomm, and the universities are turning out graduates who are trained in all these products, so its a really good site, and I think an awful lot of that credit would go to the Government and the IDA, and Cork Chamber under Conor Healy, I think he does an amazing job, Mr Owens said. Mr Owens said he was hopeful it would easily meet its planned creation of 50 new jobs. I would be disappointed if we didnt over-achieve against that number. Three local charities have been selected to benefit from the fundraising efforts of the staff at Cork and Dublin Airports for 2025. Selected by DAA employees, the three charities to support over the coming 12 months are Good Shepherd Cork, Little Blue Heroes, and Critical. The charities of the year initiative has raised a total of 4.2m over the years and, last year, raised 500,000 for the chosen charities which included a match donation of 250,000 from DAA. Admiration DAA chief executive Kenny Jacobs expressed his admiration for the fundraising efforts of the companys employees and confirmed the money raised by the initiative would again be matched by the company: I am continually blown away by the fundraising efforts of DAA staff who every year dream up fun and innovative ways to raise money for great causes. The money raised, combined with generous donations from passengers in our airports, makes a huge difference to peoples lives all around Ireland and Im delighted to see that this will continue in 2025 with the selection of these three great charities. Good Shepherd Cork is a homeless shelter that provides emergency accommodation for women and children. Their mission is to provide a safe and supportive environment for those in need, helping them to rebuild their lives and regain independence. The charitys volunteer and event co-ordinator, Claire Harrington said the group was delighted to be chosen as one of the benefiting charities. We are really looking forward to the year ahead and working closely with everyone at DAA. Little Blue Heroes supports families of children with serious illnesses in Ireland while empowering the lives of children through community engagement. The foundation works closely with An Garda Siochana to create a special moments and lasting moments for these brave children and their families. Gratitude Karl Heller, chairperson, Little Blue Heroes, expressed the gratitude of the charity after being informed of its selection as a beneficiary. The third charity to be selected is Critical, the volunteer emergency medical responding team which provides pre-hospital emergency help throughout communities across Ireland. Their dedicated volunteers are often the first on the scene, delivering life-saving care and support to victims of road traffic accidents or those who have had a sudden onset of illness. Zoe Gallagher, corporate fundraising officer of Critical, said this recognition meant a great deal to them. Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - As the world marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action on Women a landmark blueprint for gender equality progress remains frustratingly slow Elizabeth City, N.C Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) announces the Honorable J. Carlton (J.C.) Cole, a distinguished retired Superior Court Judge and Elizabeth City native, as the keynote speaker for the institutions 134th Founders Day Convocation. The event will take place Friday, March 14, 2025, in the Mickey L. Burnim Fine Arts Center. Judge Cole, whose legal career spans nearly three decades, has dedicated his life to upholding justice and mentoring the next generation. As a former District Court and Superior Court Judge in North Carolinas First Judicial District, he presided over cases that shaped the lives of countless individuals. Beyond the bench, his commitment to community service and advocacy for youth earned him prestigious honors, including the North Carolina PTAs Dorothy M. Crowell Citizenship Award. Upon retirement from the bench, he received accolades from the community and his work was officially memorialized with receipt of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the State of North Carolinas highest civilian recognition, and the Friends of the Court, the highest award given by the state judicial branch. He has also received the Chief Justices Professionalism Award for his dedication and commitment to the principles of professionalism in the legal community in North Carolina. In Perquimans County, the Board of Commissioners has named the courtroom in the historical courthouse the J. Carlton Cole Courtroom. A graduate of Livingstone College, Long Island University, and North Carolina Central University School of Law, Judge Cole has left his mark on the legal profession. His dedication to fairness, mentorship and civic engagement has influenced the courts and the community. Judge Coles journey from Elizabeth City to the highest levels of judicial service is evidence of his dedication to community, said ECSU Interim Chancellor Catherine Edmonds. His story embodies the spirit of ECSUs mission of excellence and impact. We are honored to welcome him to campus for this occasion. ECSUs Founders Day marks more than a century of academic excellence and service. The university, founded in 1891, continues to prepare students for leadership and success while honoring the legacy of its pioneers. This years Founders Day celebration will commemorate ECSUs storied history and inspire future generations through Coles wisdom. The Founders Day Convocation is the first of two events commemorating the universitys establishment in 1891. The universitys annual Scholarship Gala is Saturday, March 15, 6 p.m. To purchase tickets or learn how to become a sponsor, visit the event site. About Elizabeth City State University Elizabeth City State University provides students with a high-quality, affordable education. A constituent member of the University of North Carolina System, ECSU develops courageous, resilient, and empowered leaders through excellent student-centered, experiential learning. ECSU offers baccalaureate, professional, and masters degrees across a wide variety of disciplines. Come to Discover. Leave to Conquer. Visit www.ecsu.edu (Photo: Peter Kenny)Jerusalem minarets and spires on Feb. 14, 2016. The head of the Sebastia Diocese of the Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem has criticized U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for his support of Israel's military actions in Gaza. In a Facebook post on March 6, Archbishop Atallah Hanna denounced Rubio's public display of faith after he appeared with a cross marked on his forehead for Ash Wednesday, Premier Christiain News reported. Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations, preceded by Shrove Tuesday, which marks the first day of Lent, 40 days of spiritual preparation leading up to Easter. Sharing an image of Rubio, Hanna wrote, "A true Christian must stand with the oppressed, the suffering, and the afflictednot with the oppressors who commit violence and repression against nations," Anadolu Agency reported. He condemned "politicians who distort Christianity's message through positions that contradict the teachings of the Gospel," calling such actions "an internal enemy targeting the Church from within," Anadolu Agency reported. Hanna emphasized that those who "take pride in the cross and openly declare their Christianity must also acknowledge the historical injustice inflicted upon the Palestinian people and recognize the need to end this oppression so Palestinians can achieve the freedom and peace they deserve." He then went on to urge those who openly declare their faith to also acknowledge the historic injustices suffered by the Palestinian people and support their right to freedom and peace, Premier Christian News reported. Hanna's remarks followed a phone call between Rubio and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in which he reaffirmed U.S. support for Israel as a "top priority" for the Trump administration. Days earlier, Rubio approved $4 billion in military aid to Israel, aligning with Trump's reversal of conditions previously imposed by Joe Biden. A ceasefire has been in place in Gaza since Jan. 19, pausing a war that has killed over 48,400 Palestinians, mostly women and children according to news reports. In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a case at the International Court of Justice for its military campaign. The Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg is mourning the loss of Prince Frederik, who died at the age of 22. His passing was confirmed by the PolG Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to mitochondrial diseases. Frederik's health had declined in recent months, but he gathered his family for a final farewell on February 28, coinciding with Rare Disease Day. As that great and sad day came, he left behind some words of wisdom, humor, and love. In an emotional exchange, AmoMama reported that Frederik asked his father, Robert, "Papa, are you proud of me?" Robert assured his son that he deeply admired the impact Frederik had made during his brief life. According to ABC News, Prince Robert called Frederik the "superhero" of the family and spoke of the work done through the POLG Foundation, which Frederik created to support research into cures for his disease. "In true Frederik fashion, he left us collectively with a final long-standing family joke," Prince Robert wrote. "Even in his last moments, his humour and boundless compassion compelled him to leave us with one last laugh... to cheer us all up. Following the announcement of his death, tributes poured in from around the world, celebrating Frederik's bravery and spirit. The Luxembourg Monarchy expressed their grief on the PolG Foundation's Instagram account, stating, "Words can't describe how much pain I am feeling for Robert and Julie for losing their beloved son, Frederik." Many took to social media to honor Frederik's legacy. One said: " a genuine superhero " and another pondered his bravery in dealing with sickness: "Hard to express words on this loss." Frederick's PoIG Mitochondrial Disease Diagnosis Frederik was diagnosed with PolG mitochondrial disease at the age of 14, after symptoms became more pronounced. According to the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, the disorder is caused by mutations in the POLG gene and affects multiple organs, including the brain, nerves, muscles, and liver. It can also impact vision. Currently, there is no cure for PolG disease, although treatments exist to help manage symptoms. Last year, Frederik spoke candidly about living with the illness in a film produced by the POLG Foundation. "When you're a kid, you have all these dreams, all these aspirations," he said. "I'm not sure I understood all the consequences of PolG when I first got diagnosed... it's more subtle, where slowly, the world is getting smaller and smaller." Prince Robert expressed pride in his son's ability to inspire others. "Part of his superpower was his ability to inspire and to lead by example," he wrote. "He had social skills like no other, an amazing sense of humour, emotional intelligence, and compassion that were off the charts." Frederik's legacy will continue through the work of the POLG Foundation, which aims to improve the lives of those affected by similar conditions. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Libyan Advisory Committee established by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has held its fourth meeting in the eastern city of Benghazi, continuing its discussions on issues relating to the electoral framework Tori Spelling's son, Beau, is facing a tough time just days after celebrating his 8th birthday. The young boy is currently battling a bout of norovirus, a highly contagious stomach illness, which has temporarily sidelined him. On Sunday, March 9, Spelling shared a photo of Beau sleeping on her Instagram Story. The image was accompanied by a caption explaining the situation: "Sorry for the pause in social media lately. Norovirus waits for no one," along with a vomiting emoji, adding a touch of humor to the seriousness of the situation. Beau's 8th birthday was March 3, and US Magazine reported that Spelling and her ex-husband, Dean McDermott, expressed their love and pride for him on social media. Spelling's heartfelt birthday tribute described her son as a constant source of inspiration and joy. She shared, "You teach me everyday wisdom, compassion, empathy, kindness, at times bossiness and endless interest in life it's so inspiring." She also praised his creativity and attention to detail, calling him a "bright burning beacon of hope." McDermott, too, celebrated Beau's milestone by posting a simple yet touching message, saying, "My Dude is 8 years old today!!! I can't believe it. They grow up so fast!! I love you Buddy!!" Tori Spelling's son Beau is temporarily down for the count, and only days after his 8th birthday. https://t.co/krK5APmSwi Us Weekly (@usweekly) March 10, 2025 Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott Co-Parent Amid Family Health Scare The timing of Beau's illness, coming so soon after the birthday celebrations, has added a layer of concern to the family's recent events. Spelling and McDermott, who announced their separation in March 2024, continue to co-parent their five children, including Beau. The pair's split came after 18 years together, with Spelling requesting sole physical custody of the children. McDermott, however, remains dedicated to his role as a supportive father. In his statement, he made it clear that the family would continue to prioritize the well-being of their children during this challenging time. Tori Spelling's dedication to her family is also evident in her handling of personal and professional challenges. US Weekly also recently interviewed Spelling about a significant wardrobe malfunction from her earlier years in Hollywood, which she humorously addressed in her podcast, MisSpelling. While attending the 1996 American Music Awards, Spelling, who was dating actor Patrick Muldoon at the time, wore a see-through blue blouse with matching pants. Unfortunately, the outfit caused a nip slip, which quickly caught the attention of the paparazzi. Her publicist swooped in to fix the situation before it escalated. Spelling reflected on the incident, explaining that the outfit was not well thought out and that she was unsure whether she had worn a bra or nipple covers at the time. Fortunately, her team quickly handled the issue backstage. March 10, 2025 For Immediate Release Contact: Judith Briles Judith@Briles.com 303-885-2207 Who Will Join Legendary Horror Author Stephen King in Authors' Hall of Fame? Nominate Now! Denver, CO March 10, 2025 The Colorado Authors' Hall of Fame made its first induction in September of last year and was the first Hall of Fame in the nation to honor the breadth of work authors put forth. Among the first and the most towering of Inductees in that ceremony was renowned horror author Stephen King, whose 1977 novel The Shining featured a haunted hotel based off the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park. Other contributions to Colorado Stephen King made were setting his post-apocalyptic epic The Stand in Boulder, and his 1987 chiller Misery in the fictional small town of Sidewinder. Other authors that were inducted included the late great adventure giant Clive Cussler, award-winning sci-fi author Connie Willis, and national icon Madeleine Albright. Information about the induction, donations, events, board members and future inductees can all be found at www.ColoradoAuthorsHallofFame.org. The event was considered a resounding success by those who attended, with everyone dining on fine food, chatting among themselves, and emotionally charged speeches were made by of Marilyn Van Derbur and to the delight of attendees, mystery writer John Dunning shared his journey, and historical romance author Kris Tualla wowed the crowd. Everyone who attended also went home with a wide array of goodies, from books written by the inductees, to posters that were made exclusively for the event by photographer and Inductee John Fielder. 2019 Inductee Jerry Jenkins advises authors with his tips for writing success, "Starting your writing career with a book is like going to graduate school when you should be in kindergarten. Start small and short, get a quarter million cliches out of your system, learn the business, learn the craft, learn to work with an editor, learn to write." The next Induction of the Hall of Fame will be held on September 6, 2025. Nominations for authors to be inducted are now open to the public on the Hall's website, www.ColoradoAuthorsHallofFame.org . The public is invited to visit the website, read the criteria for nominations, and nominate authors who they believe would be ideal to include in the 2025 celebration. About Colorado Authors' Hall of Fame Authors' Hall of Fame strives to educate the people of Colorado and the country about the stories of the authors who shaped their works using their personal presence and the environment of our State with courage, leadership, intelligence, compassion, and creativity. Inductees are authors who've made a major impact on others with their words. The Authors' Hall of Fame recognition endeavors to ensure their legacies never die. The next Induction of the Hall of Fame will be held September 6, 2025 at the DoubleTree Hilton Denver Tech Center in Greenwood Village, Colorado. Nominations for authors to be inducted are now open to the public on the Hall's website, www.ColoradoAuthorsHallofFame.org . Additional information about the upcoming Induction event, donations, events, board members and future inductees is also available on the website. The public is invited to visit the website, read the criteria for nominations, and encouraged to nominate authors who they believe would be ideal to include in the 2025 celebration. Press inquiries: Judith Briles, Judith@Briles.com or 303-885-2207. ##### A leader of Columbia University protests against Israel's war in Gaza was arrested by immigration officers, a campus union said Sunday, after US President Donald Trump vowed to deport foreign pro-Palestinian student demonstrators. Mahmoud Khalil, one of the most prominent faces in the campus's protest movement that erupted in response to Israel's conduct of the war, was arrested Saturday, the Student Workers of Columbia union said. "On Saturday, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers detained Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian recent Columbia graduate and lead negotiator for last spring's Gaza solidarity encampment," the union said in a statement. US campuses including Columbia's in New York were rocked by student protests against Israel's war in Gaza following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. The demonstrations ignited accusations of anti-Semitism. Protests, some of which turned violent and saw campus buildings occupied and lectures disrupted, pitted students protesting Israel's conduct against pro-Israel campaigners, many of whom were Jewish. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X that "we will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported." Khalil, who remains in immigration enforcement detention, held permanent residency at the time of his arrest prompting thousands of people to sign a petition calling for his release, the union statement added. "We are also aware of multiple reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents accessing or attempting to access Columbia campus buildings on Friday and Saturday, including undergraduate dorms," the union said. Columbia did not directly address Khalil's arrest in response to inquiries, but in a statement said "there have been reports of ICE in the streets around campus." "Columbia has and will continue to follow the law. Consistent with our longstanding practice and the practice of cities and institutions throughout the country, law enforcement must have a judicial warrant to enter non-public University areas, including University buildings," Columbia said. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment. Trump railed against the student protest movement linked to the conflict in Gaza, and vowed to deport foreign students who had demonstrated. He also threatened to cut off federal funding for institutions that he said were not doing enough to combat anti-Semitism. His administration announced Friday it was cutting $400 million in federal grants to Columbia University, accusing it of failing to protect Jewish students from harassment. gw/bfm GREAT FALLS, Mont. Great Falls is buzzing with excitement as the community wraps up Feisty Women Week, celebrating five inspiring women through a documentary and exhibit. The inaugural event highlights the stories of Mary Fields, Alma Smith Jacobs, Nancy Russell, Annie Busby, and Norma Ashby Smith. Feisty Women Week Documentary The documentary and exhibit, showcasing these influential women, will be available at the History Museum today, March 8. The museum is located at 422 2nd Street South. Doors open at noon with the documentary screening set to begin at 1:00 p.m. St. Patrick's Day in Great Falls In addition to Feisty Women Week, Great Falls is gearing up for St. Patrick's Day festivities. Although the holiday falls on Monday, March 17, celebrations will kick off on Saturday, March 15. The day will feature a parade in downtown Great Falls, and the Celtic Cowboy will host various activities. Times Square will also hold a vendor fair with Irish-themed crafts and food. Moonlit Cross Country Ski Tour @ Silver Crest Trails For those looking for something unique, a guided moonlit cross-country ski tour at Silver Crest Trails will start at 7:30 p.m. on March 15. Participants will meet at the Kings Hill Recreation Area, about an hour from Great Falls, for this enchanting outdoor experience. You must bring your own skis, boots, and a headlamp. Bighorn Outdoor Specialists has equipment available for rental at 206 5th St S. Call (406)453-2841 for rental details. For additional info about the event, contact Bob Boland at (406)788-6565 or email bboland79@yahoo.com. Weather permitting, check the Silver Crest Trails Association Facebook page for updates. Great Falls residents and visitors alike can look forward to some exciting cultural celebrations and outdoor adventures in the coming weeks! The overall cattle population in Britain is continuing to contract - standing at 7.5 million head, 153,000 head below last year levels. The beef breeding herd is declining at a faster rate than the dairy breeding herd, according to new analysis published by AHDB. The latest figures show that the total GB cattle population stood at 7.5m head, a 2% decrease from January 2024. The shrinking beef herd is mostly responsible for this level of contraction, the levy organisation says. "The most recent update of data shows a continuation of many of the trends we have seen over the last ten years," said Grace Bolton, AHDB analyst. "These include; the decline in overall cattle numbers, an increased proportion of dairy beef, and a marked reduction in the number of dairy bull calves born in Britain." The beef breeding herd - females over 30 months - showed a 4% drop in numbers compared to the same time last year. Conversely, the dairy breeding herd only demonstrated a 0.2% (3,000 head) decrease in numbers compared to year earlier levels. Looking at the number of animals available for beef production, the largest year-on-year contraction was in the 612-month age group, down 4% year on year. This reflects the lower registrations seen throughout last year, according to AHDB's analysis. Meanwhile, there has been a slight uptick in the 06-month age group, compared to year earlier volumes. This is due to higher registrations in August 2024 after low 2023 registrations, indicating a return to the norm rather than a significant increase in calves on the ground. Ms Bolton said: "When these lower populations feed through the system, we can expect greater pressure to be placed on supply, supporting prices in the coming years as long as demand remains consistent." Turning to calf registrations, alongside showing a 2% (47,000 head) overall reduction in registrations, the full year 2024 dataset illustrates further shifts in the types of cattle on the market. Suckler beef registrations continue to decline, falling by 5% in 2024 compared to 2023, but beef calf registrations to dairy dams rose by 4.1% on the year in 2024. "Registrations of dairy male calves were once again down significantly (by -13%) indicating changing industry practices such as the greater utilisation of sexed-semen and beef sires in the dairy herd. "As a result of this trend, dairy beef continues to make up a growing proportion of the UK beef supply," Ms Bolton said. A new four-month project which is being funded by AHDB and three water firms is set to predict nutrient release from cover crops. It will include assessments of decision support tools that estimate the quantity of nitrogen and nutrient release patterns associated with a wide range of cover crop species. An online questionnaire and a stakeholder workshop will canvass opinions and identify the resources needed to improve nutrient management planning across rotations. Payment incentives and the movement towards the adoption of regenerative agriculture, which advocates keeping the soil covered, have accelerated the adoption of cover crops on UK farms. Joanna McBurnie, AHDB environment scientist, said one of the biggest knowledge gaps was associated with legacy effects. She said: Some benefits of cover crops are clear, such as reducing soil erosion and nitrate leaching risks. "This project will provide evidence on the amount and timing of nutrient release from cover crop residues. The development of reliable information on nutrient release is complicated by the availability of a wide range of cover crop species, including mixes. Diversity of agroclimatic conditions across the country, for example soil types, cropping and weather, is also stumbling block. Other countries, notably France and the United States, have already developed decision support tools. These use predictive models to estimate the availability of nitrogen from a wide range of cover crops to the next cash crop. AHDB said its project would build on such tools. A short questionnaire, which is open until the end of the month, is gathering views from people who grow or provide advice on cover crops. The questions capture the ways people account for nutrients from cover crops and assess the potential to develop a decision support tool for the UK. An online stakeholder workshop will also take place on 29 April 2025 to discuss the interim findings. Port Sudan-Sudan (PANA) - The United Nations on Monday lamented that Sudden funding cuts by top government donors are a catastrophic blow to humanitarian assistance in a country in the grip of one of the deadliest humanitarian crises of our times, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan said Retailer Co-op has announced it will move to the Muller direct price next month, which will mean a milk price increase of 1.3p per litre for farmers. Co-op Dairy Group (CDG) confirmed the milk price for dairy producers from 1 April would rise from 40.95ppl to 42.25ppl in April. It said it had recognised the "pressure and recent challenges" between its basket price, in operation for nearly a decade, and that of Muller's direct price, which is currently 42.25ppl. The retailer added that it needed to evolve its pricing model to demonstrate its "continued commitment to farmers". Matt Hood, Co-op food managing director said: "Co-op is a long-term supporter of British farming, and I am clear that farmers are the backbone of the UKs food supply. "Supporting UK agriculture is more important than ever, and whilst our milk pricing model has worked well over the past decade, we recognise the need for its evolvement. "We understand the industry is facing many challenges, and whilst I know this wont be a salve to all of those, we hope this increase in milk pricing goes someway to helping our farmers. Tom Bramall, chair of Co-ops Dairy Group, said he valued the relationship the retailer had with farmers, and added the price movement was a positive step forward. "The committee and I welcome the opportunity to have open discussion on how the pricing model can be improved to ensure the continued success of the CDG," he said. "It is also welcomed news that a long-term contract with Muller has been agreed which includes a stronger role for the CDG in decision making. "We have achieved so much since the inception of the group and I know with continued co-operation, the group has a strong future." Real (price-adjusted) new orders in Germany's manufacturing sector fell by 7.0 per cent in January 2025 compared to the previous month, according to provisional data released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). Germany's manufacturing new orders fell 7.0 per cent in January 2025 month-on-month, or 2.7 per cent excluding large-scale orders, according to Destatis. Machinery orders dropped 10.7 per cent, capital goods 11.0 per cent, and domestic orders 13.2 per cent. Foreign demand also declined. Despite this, manufacturing turnover rose 0.4 per cent month-on-month but fell 0.9 per cent year-on-year. Excluding large-scale orders, new orders declined by 2.7 per cent month-on-month. The broader three-month comparison from November 2024 to January 2025 showed a 2.4 per cent decline in new orders compared to the previous three-month period. However, when large-scale orders were excluded, there was a slight increase of 1.0 per cent. A key factor behind the decline in new orders was the sharp contraction in the manufacture of machinery and equipment sector, which saw a 10.7 per cent drop from December 2024 after seasonal and calendar adjustments, as per Destatis. The intermediate goods sector also reported a 1.4 per cent decline, while capital goods orders fell significantly by 11.0 per cent, and consumer goods orders were down by 2.0 per cent. German manufacturers saw a steep decline in domestic orders, which plummeted by 13.2 per cent in January. Foreign orders also weakened, falling 2.3 per cent, with demand from the euro area dropping 2.5 per cent and orders from outside the euro area decreasing 2.3 per cent. Despite the downturn in new orders, real turnover in manufacturing (seasonally and calendar adjusted) recorded a slight increase of 0.4 per cent in January 2025 compared to December 2024. Year-on-year, however, turnover was 0.9 per cent lower than in January 2024. Revised figures for December 2024 showed a 0.5 per cent increase in turnover from November 2024, an improvement from the previously reported -0.1 per cent. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (HU) Vietnams total foreign trade in the first two months this year hit $127.07 billion, a year-on-year (YoY) rise of 12 per cent, according to the general statistics office (GSO). In February alone, its trade with the rest of the world reached $63.77 billionup by 0.7 per cent month on month (MoM) and by 32.6 per cent YoY. Vietnam's total foreign trade in the first two months this year hit $127.07 billiona YoY rise of 12 per cent, while exports grew by 8.4 per cent in value to $64.27 billion. Meanwhile, imports were worth $62.8 billion in the two monthsup by 15.9 per cent YoY. In February alone, its trade with the rest of the world reached $63.77 billionup by 0.7 per cent month on month and by 32.6 per cent YoY. In January and February, exports grew by 8.4 per cent in value to $64.27 billion. Of that, the domestic economic sector contributed $17.92 billionan increase of 12.8 per cent YoY, while the foreign-invested sector (including crude oil) accounted for $46.35 billionup by 6.7 per cent YoY. Meanwhile, imports were worth $62.8 billion in the two monthsup by 15.9 per cent YoY. Of that, import turnover of the foreign-invested sector rose by 14.4 per cent YoY to $40 billion, domestic media outlets reported. The United States remained the countrys largest export market with $19.6 billion worth of exports in the two months, while China was the largest supplier of goods, with $23.3 billion worth of imports from there. The country witnessed a trade surplus of $1.47 billion in the first two months this year. It enjoyed trade surpluses of $17 billion with the United Statesup by 16.3 per cent YoY; $6.4 billion with the European Unionup by 19.2 per cent YoY; and $0.5 billion with Japan. Trade deficits of $15.4 billion, $4.6 billion and $2.1 billion were recorded with China (up by 36.9 per cent YoY), South Korea (up by 20.6 per cent YoY) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (up by 116.8 per cent YoY) respectively. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) Wishing you a very Happy Birthday #janhvikapoor Loved working with you and I cant wait for everyone to see your terrific character on screenAAAAAA #RC16 pic.twitter.com/t0bbBtWaiO BuchiBabuSana (@BuchiBabuSana) March 6, 2025 View this post on Instagram A post shared by Maddock Films (@maddockfilms) Janhvi Kapoor continues to impress with her acting chops and magnetic personality. Since her debut in Dhadak, the actress has been showcasing her range through diverse roles. After a busy past year, Janhvi has a packed slate of upcoming films. On the occasion of her 28th birthday today, we're taking a look at some of her highly anticipated projects.The upcoming romantic comedy film will see Janhvi reunite with Varun Dhawan on screen after Bawaal. The Shashank Khaitan directorial also features Rohit Saraf, Maniesh Paul and others in key roles. Recently, Janhvi was seen taking a boat from the Versova jetty in Mumbai with Varun as they are amidst production for the film. Filming is expected to wrap this month, and it will hit screens later next year.After working with Jr NTR for the first time in Koratala Siva's Devara: Part 1, Janhvi Kapoor is all set to collaborate with his RRR co-star, Telugu superstar Ram Charan. This will mark her first onscreen appearance with Ram. While details about the film which is currently dubbed as RC16, have been kept under wraps, we do know that the film will also feature Jagapathi Babu, Shiva Rajkumar and Divyendu. Today, director Buchi Babu Sana shared the first look at Janhvis character to mark the special occasion of her birthday.Check it out here:In Param Sundari, Janhvi is set to join Sidharth Malhotra for a North meets South love story. Set against the backdrop of Keralas scenic backwaters, this cross-cultural love story features Janhvi and Sidharth navigating a romance full of comedy and chaos. The film also stars Akshaye Khanna and Abhishek Bachchan in pivotal roles. The films first look featured Janhvi in a traditional look while Sidharth impressed as a Punjabi Munda.Check it out here:Janhvi Kapoor is one of the most exciting young actresses in Bollywood at present. She was last seen in Devara: Part 1. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the year pans out for the talented actress. Pushkar-Gayatri, the writers and creators of Suzhal: The Vortex, delved deeper into their Tamil culture and weaved their story with folklore and micro festivals. They spoke to Filmfare exclusively about the second season of Suzhal: The Vortex, discussed their creative process and shared their insight into the art of sustaining suspense over multiple episodes. They also shed light on their collaborative dynamic, their shared vision of storytelling and the future of Indian cinema. Excerpts: It came as a shock that the Ashtakali festival is not a real festival, given how real it felt... Pushkar: It's not fictitious as such. So every micro festival has a bunch of mythology associated with it. Over hundreds of years they all morph and they change into something else. This festival idea came to us from a folk song which is performed at a Dussehra festival. The original antecedent of that festival is based on this idea. So those are the things which we are interested in. If you take a common festival like Pongal, Diwali or Ugadi, there is a large understanding on them. But with the smaller festivals, there's more room for interpretation. Gayatri: All these things have been celebrated from pre-Vedic times. With each and every king who came into power and with the changing landscapes, these festivals remained in oral culture only and is not well documented. It won't appear on your Google search. Ashtakalis means 'eight Kalis' and it has its roots in the town's local culture. The myth exists but the name might not always be recognized. That's what makes using a mythical metaphor like this so compelling. The first season revolved around the Mayana Kollai festival. Is it an effort to bridge the gap and bring lesser-known aspects of Tamil culture to both national and international audiences? Gayatri : You would be surprised, even people in Chennai might not know about such micro-festivals. Within 50 kilometers, everything changes - the language, food and customs. We are looking at it from a cultural and anthropological perspective. Pushkar: We live in Madras and Mayan Kollai is practiced in a place which is about three and a half hours from Madras. But even within Madras, in a place which is like some five kilometers from us, there is a small temple which follows this festival. And we didn't know about it. We take great pride in knowing a lot about Madras. It's these small variations within the belief systems that add colour to our culture and that's what's fascinating. What are the logistical challenges of shooting a festival? Gayatri: It is like creating or hosting an actual festival. A lot of credit goes to our production team. The first time we shot, Covid was still a concern so we had to test everyone. The real challenge was shooting by the seashore - it is a logistical nightmare. It was not just about the junior artists. We also had to bring in folk performers, dancers and a lot of locals. We had to get in touch with all those people who perform at festivals to create the atmosphere. People from surrounding villages also came with their families when we were shooting and they were dressed up like it was a real festival. Somebody lost their husband and the director had to announce it in between shooting. Pushkar: In the first season, we had a confined space but for the second season, we had to set up the festival on an eight-acre property. We had to divide the place into various segments and had to decide where to place the shops, the puja area and how to coordinate the crowd. We moved people around to make the scene look larger. It felt like we were managing an army. Did you have to reshoot any of these festival scenes? Pushkar: No, we didn't have to reshoot, luckily. A lot of planning went into every shot and we ensured everything was aligned with the script. Reshooting would have been a nightmare. Gayatri : For the second season, we sent our team to experience the real festivals. They observed the nuances, like how people are dressed or the activities they take part in. One tradition we explored is 'Pichai' which is begging for alms as an act of humility. How do you manage to create suspense and maintain it throughout the episodes? Pushkar: The key is writing multiple drafts. Every screenplay is a mix of two elements - suspense and surprise. Suspense is where you build up to something and surprise is when you break those expectations. If you only have one of this elements, then the story loses it grip. These two elements will have to be measured out. We play with the audiences' expectations, delivering what they anticipate and then breaking their expectations. People have less attention span nowadays. Is that something that you have to factor while writing? Pushkar: There is a lot of competition for the mind space from reels and the short form videos. You can't battle that. If someone has 10 minutes, they will not be watching an episode but scrolling through Instagram or Facebook. But if one has 45 minutes, then they will want to watch this. We need to be aware that every medium is going to contribute to a certain viewing experience. And don't try to fight the other medium on that. How does writing for a series compare to writing for a film? Is one more difficult than the other? Pushkar: Writing for a series is tougher. It's a lot more work, given the length of the script. A film can rely on spectacle, visuals and music to elevate moments. For a series, you need to keep the audience engaged with the story itself. When working together, how often are you both on the same page and does the male gaze clash with the female gaze? Gayatri: We don't really have a male gaze vs a female gaze difference. That is something we've been trying to consciously avoid. We have known each other from college so we look at the world a certain way, which is pretty similar. We avoid reinforcing stereotypes. Pushkar: We think that is more a conditioning rather than a reality. And that is something which we are consciously trying to break. So one example, which is, you would see this a lot in social media, if there's a conflict, people say that the women try to de-escalate it, while men try to escalate it. If there is an argument, the woman will try to make peace, but the man will get into a bigger fight. You will see this idea represented all over social media through reels. We don't believe in such arguments. When we write, we don't differentiate based on gender but based on the character. If we stick to these ideas then we will be passing it on to the next generation as well. Given the success of South Indian films like RRR and Pushpa, what do you think Bollywood can learn from it? Pushkar: I don't think there's anything to learn. The industry goes through cycles. Tamil and the Telugu industries have also gone through the worst of times in the past one decade. It's just a phase. The key thing is that all of us have to try and get the audience back in the theatres. There was a recent report where it said Malayalam and Tamil cinema had faced close to crores of loss over the last year, which was a very good year for Malayalam cinema because there were some super hits at that point of time. What is happening is people are not coming into the theatres anywhere. When we speak to our producer or distributor friends in Andhra or Telangana, they say the same thing. People are coming for the big films but not for the mid-level or smaller films. We as an industry across the country need to figure out ways by which we can get people back to theatres. Gayatri: Earlier a lot of Hindi films used to work extremely well in Telugu, Tamil and Karnataka markets. You talked of those few things which worked but there are several films which did not. RRR and Pushpa are from the Telugu industry, then Kannada had KGF. After that, the Kannada industry had a lot of big films which were trying to have a pan-Indian approach but did not work. We need to try to make theatre more attractive. Pushkar: In Tamil Nadu, there is a regulation of ticket prices. Tickets can sell for a maximum of a certain amount even at the best of the multiplexes. You would say that is the way to get more audience into the theatre. But theatres also bleed because of capped pricing. You need reasonable pricing but you need the cost of making films to also be reasonable. It is not something which a couple of people or content creators can figure out. Every stakeholder needs to come in and talk about it. There is also a bigger problem of piracy. These are the battles which need to be fought rather than what industries learn from each other. What's next for you two? Pushkar: We are working on a feature script. It's finally cracked and we'll be moving that forward. Let's see how it all plays out and then we will take a call on that. See Also: Suzhal 2 Directors Pushkar-Gayatri On Shelved Demonetisation-Based Film Priyanka Chopras return to India has created a buzz, especially after her mother, Madhu Chopra, indirectly confirmed her involvement in SS Rajamoulis much-awaited film, SSMB 29. She was recently spotted at Odisha airport, reportedly arriving for the next phase of the shoot. Before this, she was in Hyderabad for filming but took a short break to attend her brother Siddharth Chopras wedding festivities in Mumbai. On February 19, she was seen returning home with her daughter, Malti Marie. Fans are beyond excited as this film marks her big return to Indian cinema after a long time. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Patty Cardona (@jerryxmimi) When asked about Priyankas role, Madhu Chopra subtly confirmed it in an interview saying, "Vahin shooting pe hain voh" (She is shooting the film) and nodding when Hyderabad was mentioned. Though the filmmakers havent made an official statement, this was enough to get fans excited. Priyankas return to Indian cinema has been long overdue, and this film might just be the perfect comeback for her. With a star-studded cast, a visionary director, and a massive budget, SSMB 29 is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated films of the year. When Priyanka landed in Odisha, she posed with the airline crew, looking effortlessly stylish yet casual. She wore grey denim jeans, a black tank top, a leather jacket, a black cap, and boots. Her arrival lines up with reports that SS Rajamoulis team has moved to Odisha for the next filming schedule. Recently, leaked pictures from the set surfaced online, adding to the growing excitement. This schedule is expected to feature Mahesh Babu, Prithviraj Sukumaran, and Priyanka. Its rare for such a big-budget film to be shot in Odisha, making it a special moment for local fans.began filming in January with a puja ceremony in Hyderabad, but Mahesh Babus look has been kept under wraps. The film is described as an adventure thriller, with many comparing it to Indiana Jones. While the makers havent revealed the full cast or official title yet, reports suggest it is being made on a massive aAAA1000 crore budget, making it one of Indias most expensive films. With SS Rajamouli directing, expectations are sky-high. The film is expected to have breathtaking visuals and larger-than-life action sequences. Shah Rukh Khan has recently scored big in a long-standing tax case, as the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) ruled in his favour. It overturned the reassessment proceedings and order initiated by tax authorities for the financial year 2011-12. This has ended a major dispute between Khan and the Income Tax department, related to the movie RA.One, released in 2011. Details about the case Shah Rukh Khan recently faced a tax dispute over his income in the financial year 2011-12. He had declared at Rs 83.42 crores, including earnings from the movie RA.One, taxed in the United Kingdom. However, the tax department denied his foreign tax credit (FTC) for UK taxes paid. It increased his taxable income to Rs 84.17 crores. It initiated reassessment beyond the four-year statutory limit. Moreover, almost 70 percent of his pay was routed through UK-based Winford Productions, as 70 percent of the movie was filmed in the UK. Now, tax authorities from India noted that this payment structure resulted in major revenue loss for India. The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) ruled in the actor's favor for the following reasons: 1. As per the judges, the officers didn't present any "fresh tangible material" to re-open the case. 2. Bar on reassessment based on mere change of opinion by the Assessing Officer. The judges also noted that the issue had already been examined during the initial scrutiny assessment. This also means that Khans original returned income, with the foreign tax credit, has been accepted. This development finally brought an end to the prolonged dispute over his UK income credit. On the professional front, Shah Rukh Khan is currently gearing up for King, featuring Suhana Khan, Abhishek Bachchan and Abhay Verma. The movie is reportedly slated to release in 2026. Drive innovation and development with unprecedented speed, precision, and simplicity. Today, Laser Thermal, a leader in optical thermal measurements, is excited to announce the launch of its groundbreaking new product, TOPS. This innovative instrument transforms how engineers and scientists measure thermal conductivity. The TOPS (Thermo-Optical Plane Source) system represents a novel, cutting-edge approach for thermal conductivity measurements, offering a versatile, non-contact solution for analyzing a wide range of materials, including solids, liquids, pastes, gels, and foams all in one instrument. "We are thrilled to bring TOPS to the market," said John Gaskins, Co-Founder and CEO of Laser Thermal. "With TOPS, we are introducing a solution that is not only easier and faster than legacy measurement methods, but also provides a direct measurement of thermal conductivity. This unique feature eliminates the need to know a sample's density, heat capacity, or dimensions, simplifying the measurement process and reducing data analysis complexity." Key Features of TOPS Include: Simplicity - No complex setups or calculations-just apply a film and measure. The utilization of laser heating and infrared pyrometry offers a non-contact, single-sided measurement, eliminating the need for extensive sample preparation and allowing for measurements on samples of almost any shape and size. Speed - Get accurate results in under 3 minutes . TOPS delivers fast, steady-state measurements significantly improving throughput and operational efficiency. Precision - Reveal localized variations without damaging your sample Versatility - Measure solids, liquids, pastes, gels, and foams effortlessly. TOPS is capable of analyzing a wide range of materials and geometries, making it suitable for diverse applications and industries. Repeatability - Trust the results of your analysis with a +/- 1% repeatability. The TOPS system delivers substantial value by simplifying measurements, providing access to measurements on small and odd shaped samples, and reducing test times yielding more data in less time. Engineers gain better insights into material properties under operational conditions, enabling more informed decisions in product design and development. This accelerates materials discovery and development by providing a high-throughput method for thermal measurements. The speed and accuracy of TOPS enables thermal properties to be used as a measure of in-line quality control. This would facilitate the transition from research and development to production by rapidly screening thermal properties and identifying process-property correlations. This provides understanding of process variations and material homogeneity, improving overall quality control. The TOPS system revolutionizes thermal conductivity measurement by addressing the shortcomings of traditional methods. It offers a non-contact, direct measurement approach with high accuracy, speed, and versatility, making it a valuable tool for improving product design, enhancing quality control, and reducing operational costs. To see TOPS in action, bring your sample for on-the-spot testing at one of the following trade conferences - Semi-Therm (San Jose), APEC (Atlanta), TMS (Las Vegas), Battery and HVT (Atlanta) and Thermal Management Expo (Novi). To learn more about TOPS or request a quote, please visit our website or email us at TOPS@laserthermal.com. About Laser Thermal Founded in 2020, Laser Thermal is a Charlottesville, Virginia-based company providing accessible thermal property measurements of materials, interfaces, thin films, and substrates. Laser Thermal designs and manufactures thermal metrology equipment that can measure thermal properties down to nanometer scales. Utilizing optical techniques, Laser Thermal provides simple, accurate, and rapid measurements of the thermal properties of materials. Laser Thermal offers contract testing and tool sales to best serve customer needs. For media inquiries, please contact: Ron Fisher - VP of Sales and Business Development -Ron.Fisher@laserthermal.com - 1-330-842-4864 SOURCE: Laser Thermal Singapore, Singapore--(Newsfile Corp. - March 10, 2025) - The highly anticipated WikiEXPO Hong Kong 2025, themed "Bridging Trust, Exploring Best", will be held on March 27, 2025, at the iconic Sky100 Observation Deck in Hong Kong. Hosted by WikiGlobal and co-organized by WikiFX, this premier event will also feature FSI (Financial Services Institute) and Liberland as government partners, ensuring a high-level platform for collaboration and innovation. This premier event, focusing on the forefront of financial technology, will once again light up Hong Kong with an upgraded scale, in-depth topics, and an innovative atmosphere that surpasses previous editions. It is not only a carnival of financial technology but also a peak gathering for industry exchange and innovation. Cannot view this video? Visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPTN-TUcUFk Fintech entrepreneurs, investors, executives from a financial institution, technology experts, or an enthusiastic explorer curious about Fintech, can secure spots early and be part of a transformative experience. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10589/243678_049d276994290b03_001full.jpg WikiEXPO Hong Kong 2025 will serve as a profound collision of wisdom centered on the Fintech sector, bringing together thousands of Fintech professionals and numerous industry leaders. Together, they will share the latest technological achievements, explore best practices, and discuss the future direction of Fintech. Under the theme of "Bridging Trust, Exploring Best", this year's WikiEXPO aims to foster trust within the global Fintech community while showcasing the best innovations and strategies shaping the industry, improve trading security. From cutting-edge blockchain solutions to AI-driven financial tools, the event will highlight how technology is revolutionizing the way we think about finance. Don't miss this unparalleled opportunity to connect with industry pioneers, gain insights from thought leaders, and discover the next big thing in Fintech. Attend WikiEXPO Hong Kong 2025 and be part of the movement that is bridging trust and exploring the best in financial technology. Unprecedented Scale and Diverse Fields WikiEXPO Hong Kong 2025 is expected to attract over 21,000 attendees from more than 120 countries/regions, with participation from over 500 companies and more than 350 expert speakers. The event will cover various cutting-edge areas, including forex, regulatory compliance, payments, cryptocurrencies, Web3, blockchain, artificial intelligence, ESG, RWA, Fintech, stocks, and capital markets. Leading figures from finance, technology innovators, and regulators will gather here. Financial elites, tech innovators, or policymakers can expect compelling content. Some of the important guests confirmed so far include: Andrew Crawford:Franklin Templeton Vice President, Digital Assets Joy Lam:Head of Global Regulatory&APAC Legal - Binance / Member of Task Force on Promoting Web3 Developmeent - Hong Kong Government Emil Chan:Hong Kong Digital Finance Association Co-Chair Stratos Pourzitakis, PhD:HSBC Head of Digital Policy APAC Julien Martin:Digital Climate Group CEO & Founder Altaf Rehmani:HSBC Generative AI Ambassador and APAC Lead William Kung:China Asset Management (Hong Kong) Director&Portfolio Manager Ashvini Kumar Jindal: LinkedIn (US) Sr. AI Research Engineer Jay Lee: K&L Gates Partner Dr. Agnes K Y Tai:Director - Great Glory Investment Corporation / Senior Advisor - iPartners Holdings Ltd David Hoantee Peng:Orion Astropreneur Space Academy Board Director Angelina Kwan, CPA, CA ANZ:IMC Asia Pacific Senior Advisor Cora Ang:AMINA Group Head Legal, APAC John Cahill:Galaxy Digital COO -Asia Devere Bryan: First Digital Group General Manager Participants will have the opportunity to communicate face-to-face with these industry leaders and gain valuable industry insights. Professional Gathering of Elites As Asia's leading Fintech expo, WikiEXPO Hong Kong 2025 is not only an excellent platform for exchange and learning but also a valuable opportunity to expand networks and discover business opportunities. During the expo, a series of themed forums and roundtable discussions will be held, inviting industry leaders and experts to delve into cutting-edge trends, technologies, and strategies in Fintech. These meticulously planned activities will provide you with invaluable industry insights and inspiration. Top Brands Joining Forces As a bridge for Fintech exchange and collaboration in the Asia-Pacific region, many well-known companies have confirmed their roles as official sponsors and partners for this event. They will actively support innovation in Asian Fintech and witness the thriving development of the sector alongside attendees, collectively driving the prosperity and advancement of the industry. Book Now to Get Ahead With the event approaching, enthusiasm within the industry is rapidly rising. Visit the registration page to check the pass categories and secure your participation now. Stay Updated and Share the Excitement To stay informed about the latest happenings at WikiEXPO Hong Kong 2025, follow the official accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. It will have the latest expo news, guest information, and exciting moments. WikiEXPO Hong Kong Looks Forward to Your Participation WikiEXPO Hong Kong 2025 is not just a Fintech gathering, but also a bridge connecting Asia to the world. About WikiEXPO Founded in 2019, WikiEXPO is dedicated to creating a leading global fintech expo, focusing on trading environment security, emphasizing the integration of multiple resources within the industry, and calling for healthy competition and orderly development. It is a grand event that combines authoritative information, industry insights, talent resources, and business opportunities. To date, WikiEXPO has successfully held dozens of expos across more than ten countries. The core theme of WikiEXPO is "Diversity & Safety." To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243678 SOURCE: 41Caijing BARCELONA, Spain, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Telekomunikasi Indonesia International (Telin) & IPfication, have signed an agreement to collaborate on network API-based authentication solutions through the IPification Authentication as a Service ("IPIFICATION AaaS") Master Technical Support Services. This partnership aims to enhance digital security and streamline authentication services by leveraging network APIs. The collaboration will focus on developing and expanding Mobile Number Verification (MNV) solutions, providing seamless authentication for users without the need for one-time passwords (OTPs) or SMS verifications. By targeting global technology companies, the partnership seeks to integrate innovative identity verification technologies into mainstream digital ecosystems. Expressing his thoughts on the partnership, Kharisma, CCO of Telin stated, "We're excited to partner with IPification to take digital security and user experience to the next level. By using network API we will Change the Way Enterprise Connect in authentication with secure and hassle-free access to digital services. This partnership not only boosts our Mobile Number Verification capabilities but also opens new possibilities for fraud prevention, credit scoring, and age verification. We look forward to working closely with IPification to drive innovation in digital authentication." Stefan Kostic, CEO of IPification also added, "At IPification, we believe that the future of authentication lies in seamless security, and we're excited to be working alongside Telin to make that a reality. By combining our expertise in mobile authentication with Telin's extensive network infrastructure, we are developing solutions that will redefine digital identity verification. Together, we are enabling businesses across fintech, e-commerce, and beyond to enhance security while delivering a frictionless user experience." Beyond authentication, the partnership will explore the application of network APIs in fraud prevention, credit scoring, and age verification. These solutions will benefit financial institutions, e-commerce platforms, and other industries requiring secure and efficient user authentication methods. About Telin Founded in 2007 as a company that provides a comprehensive suite of premium international carrier voice, data services, and business solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of wholesale, enterprise, digital player, and retail customers with operations. Telin operates in Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Malaysia, Taiwan, the United States, Timor Leste, the United Arab Emirates, and Myanmar, and also has representatives in the United Kingdom (UK), Philippines and India. Telin's infrastructure spans 250,140 kilometres of cable system length operates 58 Points of Presence, 10 global offices, and over 19 Tier II to Tier IV Data Centres in key locations, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Timor Leste, and Indonesia. For more information about Telin, Visti www.telin.net About IPification IPification is building the backbone of mobile authentication of today and tomorrow. By verifying the phone number, SIM card, and device via IP address, IPification patented technology is enabling secure, passwordless, zero-tap compatible mobile user authentication, registration, transaction approval, and fraud prevention solutions for any mobile application. Readily available across numerous countries and regions, IPification is trusted by the leading telecom, technology, payment, and OTT companies. For more information, please visit www.ipification.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2637527/Telin.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/telin-and-ipification-partners-for-network-api-authentication-solutions-302396662.html The costs of child care in 38 states have now outpaced college tuition and are more expensive, based on a new analysis by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI). The left-leaning think tank is based in Washington, D.C., and used federal and nonprofit data from 2023 to compare the cost of infant child care per month to that of tuition at public colleges. It was seen that the tally increased by five states since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Rising Cost of Child Care The think tank's last analysis used data from 2020, which found that the cost of child care outpaced college costs in 33 states and Washington, D.C. The agency's report also noted that the costs of child care in Iowa come close but do not go beyond that of in-state tuition at a four-year public university. The EPI released a state-by-state guide describing the rising costs of child care. According to the Iowa Capital Dispatch, these costs range from $521 per month in Mississippi to as high as $1,893 per month in Washington, D.C. The agency's analysis also found that childcare costs have outpaced rent prices in 17 states and the District of Columbia. The leaders of EPI argued that childcare has become unaffordable for many working families across the United States. This is especially true for low-wage workers, including those who provide child care. Read more: Colorado Lawmakers Propose Regulations on Childcare Centers Owned by Private Investors Katherine deCourcy, an EPI research assistant, said the situation was inevitable, but it was also a policy choice. She noted that federal and state policymakers nationwide can and should act to make child care more affordable. The EPI also highlighted the state of New Mexico as a case study of the growing struggles that families are facing. The State Line reported that the state's infant care costs exceed $14,000, or nearly $1,200 per month. Affordability of Childcare The organization revealed that caring for a four-year-old costs roughly $10,000 annually, or about $800 per month. EPI found that New Mexico's annual infant care costs outpaced rent by more than 10%. The federal government's definition of affordability shows that roughly 90% of New Mexico residents cannot afford child care, even though it accounts for less than 7% of a family's income. Advocates have argued that there is a growing need for universal preschool programs that provide quality, free childcare. EPI also noted that a constitutional amendment approved by New Mexico voters in 2022 guaranteed a right to early childhood education, as per the South Carolina Daily Gazette. CloudLinux, a leading innovator in ensuring the security, stability and availability of Linux servers and devices, today announced that CEO Igor Seletskiy will serve as a keynote speaker during CloudFest 2025, the world's largest cloud industry event, taking place March 17-20 in Europa-Park, Germany. At 4 p.m. (CET) on Wednesday, March 19, in the .COM Ballroom (Ballsaal Berlin), Seletskiy is set to unveil a new MAx Web Server, which is included for free as part of CloudLinux OS a drop-in replacement for Apache, tailor-made for WordPress hosting. Based on NGINX, this new web server will deliver orders-of-magnitude performance improvement, full .htaccess support, and provide best-in-class security in conjunction with Imunify360. Attendees will also learn how easy it is to switch from Apache to this cutting-edge solution while discovering the dramatic benefits it can bring in terms of speed, stability and efficiency. This new web server will empower organizations of all sizes to elevate their hosting environments without incurring additional costs. For more information, visit https://www.cloudfest.com/agenda#/talk?id=72791. Igor Seletskiy is a renowned expert in the web hosting and cybersecurity industry, with over two decades of experience. As the CEO and founder of CloudLinux, he has been instrumental in developing cutting-edge security solutions for shared hosting providers. Igor is also the driving force behind Imunify360, a comprehensive, automated security suite designed to protect Linux web servers. His expertise and innovative approach make him a trusted voice in the field, offering valuable insights on the critical role of web hosts in ensuring WordPress website security. For detailed information on CloudFest 2025, visit: https://www.cloudfest.com. About CloudLinux CloudLinux is dedicated to enhancing the security, stability and performance of Linux web servers. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, CloudLinux Inc. provides solutions that are trusted by hosting providers, enterprises and institutions worldwide. With over 4,000 customers and partners, more than 500,000 installations globally, and a team boasting over 450 years of combined Linux expertise, CloudLinux is at the forefront of Linux server security and performance. Discover more at www.cloudlinux.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250310336122/en/ Contacts: marketing@cloudlinux.com The Goshawk u8 hybrid GEO/LEO/Cellular technology leads the way in the Multi-X market With continued double-digit annual growth, Kymeta meets rising demand for high-performance mobile connectivity in unpredictable environments Kymeta, a world leader in flat-panel satellite antenna technology, announces today it is accepting orders for its Goshawk u8 user terminal, designed specifically for government and global ministry of defense. With the growing need for satellite network flexibility and open network architecture that ensure secure, sovereign defense operations, the Goshawk u8 offers a critical solution at a time when allied nations prioritizing secure, resilient, and rapidly deployable communications on the move. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250310979046/en/ Goshawk u8 secure communications for government and global forces (Photo: Business Wire) The Kymeta Goshawk u8 delivers resilient and flexible, multi-orbit, multi-network satellite communications in a single terminal. Combining Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellite technologies alongside cellular connectivity, it allows for improved responsiveness to enable maneuver warfare tactics, such as rapid, focused and unexpected actions that can shatter an enemy's cohesion. As sovereign nations look to prioritize greater control over critical satcom infrastructure to stay ahead of emerging threats, the Goshawk u8, which has been designed to support data-centric, cloud-enabled operations, will ensure defense and government users remain connected whenever and wherever they need it most. Rick Bergman, CEO and President of Kymeta, stated: "At Kymeta, we are relentless in our mission to empower those who protect and serve nations and communities. In a world where secure and independent communications are non-negotiable, the Goshawk u8 will provide government and defense users the freedom to operate with confidence. The Goshawk u8 comes at a time of heightened global demand for trusted, sovereign communications solutions, as governments, including the DoD and defense organizations, look to strengthen operational resilience amid an increasingly complex security landscape." Partner Testing The Goshawk has been in partner trials, receiving highly positive feedback. Customers are experiencing firsthand the innovation and value our solution delivers. This momentum is further fueled by surging demand from the DoD and global militaries. As a result, demand for its cutting-edge Intelligent Communication Platforms (ICPs) continues to grow. These ICPs are setting a new standard for secure, reliable connectivity in mission-critical environments. About the Goshawk u8 terminal The Goshawk u8, which is easy to install and engineered for seamless mobility, is a fully customizable, compact and lightweight solution that integrates effortlessly across diverse vehicles and vessels. It provides reliable, network-redundant connectivity on the move to meet mission-critical demands and real-time operations for multinational defense operations. The new antenna provides jamming mitigation for GNSS-denied operations, effortlessly integrating with existing networks. It supports high-bandwidth applications, enabling global defense units to access video streaming, data transmission and voice communication with minimal interruptions, even in remote or mobile scenarios. The electronically steered antenna (ESA) has a user-friendly interface making connectivity quick and easy and its metamaterial casing and compact, lightweight profile enhances durability and reliability in harsh conditions. As Kymeta accelerates its global expansion, it is set to push the boundaries of its product portfolio and the Goshawk u8 is the latest drive for the company to do this. Delivering next-generation solutions that redefine satellite and hybrid communications for defense, government and commercial markets, Kymeta ensures that customers stay ahead in an increasingly volatile and connected world. About Kymeta: Kymeta revolutionizes satellite communications through Intelligent Communications Platforms (ICPs). Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Redmond, Washington, Kymeta leverages cutting-edge metamaterial-based science to engineer, manufacture and deliver resilient connectivity and enhanced situational awareness for critical, mobile applications. Backed by U.S. and international patents, our electronically steered flat-panel antennas enable seamless communications on the move. With software-defined solutions, hybrid multi-network capabilities, and edge processing, we integrate satellite and cellular networks, ensuring continuous connectivity in challenging environments. Kymeta solutions serve government, military, maritime, transport, and public safety clients worldwide, providing uninterrupted connectivity and spatial intelligence anywhere, anytime. With over 150 patents, Kymeta is shaping the future of global communications, dedicated to delivering reliable, efficient, and intelligent connectivity solutions for an increasingly mobile and connected world. Kymeta is a privately held company based in Redmond, Washington. For more information, visit kymetacorp.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250310979046/en/ Contacts: For briefings, interviews or further information please contact: 361 Communications Rachel Bowden +44 7769900538 rachel@361communications.com Emma-Jo Jones +44 7796934230 emmajo@361communications.com Die Finanzwelt ist im Umbruch! Nach Jahren der Dominanz erschuttert Donald Trumps erratische Wirtschaftspolitik das Fundament des amerikanischen Kapitalismus. Handelskriege, Rekordzolle und politische Isolation haben eine Kapitalflucht historischen Ausmaes ausgelost. Milliarden stromen aus den USA und suchen neue, lukrative Ziele. Und genau hier kommt China ins Spiel. Trotz aller Spannungen wachst die chinesische Wirtschaft dynamisch weiter, Innovation und Digitalisierung treiben die Markte an. Im kostenlosen Spezialreport stellen wir Ihnen 5 Aktien aus China vor, die vom US-Niedergang profitieren und das Potenzial haben, den Markt regelrecht zu uberflugeln. Wer jetzt klug investiert, sichert sich den Zugang zu den neuen Wachstums-Champions von morgen. Holen Sie sich den neuesten Report! Verpassen Sie nicht, welche 5 Aktien die Konkurrenz aus den USA outperformen durften, und laden Sie sich das Gratis-PDF jetzt kostenlos herunter. Dieses exklusive Angebot gilt aber nur fur kurze Zeit! Daher jetzt downloaden! Clinical response rate of 63.5% and clinical remission rate of 30.2% achieved at Week 12 with the highest dose, which continued to improve through Week 28 All three doses met the primary endpoint of clinical response at Week 12, with a favorable safety profile These results in ulcerative colitis build on strong data recently reported for the plaque psoriasis Phase 3 program Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc. ("Protagonist" or the "Company") today announced positive topline results from ANTHEM-UC, a Phase 2b study of icotrokinra (JNJ-2113), the first investigational targeted oral peptide that selectively blocks the IL-23 receptor, in adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC). The study conducted by Protagonist's collaboration partner, Johnson & Johnson, met its primary endpoint of clinical responsea in all icotrokinra dose groups evaluated. Additionally, the study demonstrated clinically meaningful differences versus placebo in key secondary endpoints of clinical remissionb, symptomatic remission and endoscopic improvement at Week 12. Key findings from the ANTHEM-UC study (n=252) are summarized below: All three doses of once daily icotrokinra met the primary endpoint of clinical response at Week 12. A response rate of 63.5% for patients treated with the highest dose of icotrokinra was achieved at Week 12 versus 27.0% for placebo (p<0.001). 30.2% of patients treated with the highest dose of icotrokinra demonstrated clinical remission at Week 12 versus 11.1% of patients who received placebo (p<0.001). Clinical remission and response rates continued to improve through Week 28.i Icotrokinra was well tolerated with the proportions of participants reporting one or more adverse events (AEs) being similar between the icotrokinra dose groups and the placebo group.i "We are thrilled with the impressive results of once daily oral icotrokinra in the ANTHEM Phase 2 ulcerative colitis study, broadening the potential utility of this first-in-class and only-in-class oral IL-23 receptor antagonist from psoriasis to inflammatory bowel diseases," said Dinesh V. Patel, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer at Protagonist. "This is another example of Protagonist's oral peptide platform delivering transformative, paradigm shifting outcomes in the hands of a world-leading development partner. Icotrokinra has the potential to transform the treatment landscape in UC through its distinctive profile of efficacy, safety, tolerability, and convenience of a once-daily oral treatment. We eagerly await icotrokinra's further progression into more advanced clinical studies in ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease." Comprehensive results from the ANTHEM-UC study are being prepared for presentation at upcoming medical congresses by our partner. Editor's notes: Clinical response is defined as decrease from baseline in the modified Mayo score by greater than or equal to (>=) 30 percent (%) and >=2 points, with either a >=1-point decrease from baseline in the rectal bleeding subscore or a rectal bleeding subscore of 0 or 1. Clinical remission is defined as a Mayo stool frequency subscore of 0 or 1 and not increased from induction baseline, a Mayo rectal bleeding subscore of 0, and a Mayo endoscopy subscore of 0 or 1 with no friability present on the endoscopy. About ANTHEM-UC ANTHEM-UC (NCT06049017) is a Phase 2b multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of icotrokinra (JNJ-77242113, JNJ-2113) in patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis who had an inadequate response or intolerance to conventional therapy (e.g., thiopurines or corticosteroids), prior biologics (TNF antagonists or vedolizumab) and/or ozanimod or approved JAK inhibitors. The study is evaluating three once-daily dosages of icotrokinra taken orally.ii About Ulcerative Colitis Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic disease of the large intestine, also known as the colon, in which the lining of the colon becomes inflamed and develops tiny open sores, or ulcers, that produce pus and mucus. It is the result of the immune system's overactive response.Symptoms vary but may typically include loose and more urgent bowel movements, rectal bleeding or bloody stool, persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, weight loss, and fatigue.iii About Icotrokinra (JNJ-77242113, JNJ-2113) Investigational icotrokinra is the first targeted oral peptide designed to selectively block the IL-23 receptor,iv which underpins the inflammatory response in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, ulcerative colitis and offers potential in other IL-23-mediated diseases.v,vi Icotrokinra binds to the IL-23 receptor with single-digit picomolar affinity and demonstrated potent, selective inhibition of IL-23 signaling in human T cells.vii The license and collaboration agreement established between Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc. and Janssen Biotech, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, in 2017 enabled the companies to work together to discover and develop next-generation compounds that ultimately led to icotrokinra.viii Icotrokinra was jointly discovered and is being developed pursuant to the license and collaboration agreement between Protagonist and Johnson & Johnson. Johnson & Johnson retains exclusive worldwide rights to develop icotrokinra in Phase 2 clinical trials and beyond, and to commercialize compounds derived from the research conducted pursuant to the agreement against a broad range of indications.ix,x,xi Icotrokinra is being studied in the pivotal Phase 3 ICONIC clinical development program in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and active psoriatic arthritis and the Phase 2b ANTHEM-UC study in moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. About Protagonist Protagonist Therapeutics is a discovery through late-stage development biopharmaceutical company. Two novel peptides, icotrokinra and rusfertide, derived from Protagonist's proprietary discovery platform are currently in advanced Phase 3 clinical development, with New Drug Application submissions to the FDA expected in 2025. Icotrokinra (JNJ-2113) is a first-in-class investigational targeted oral peptide that selectively blocks the Interleukin-23 receptor ("IL-23R") which is licensed to Janssen Biotech, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company. Following icotrokinra's joint discovery by Protagonist and Johnson & Johnson scientists pursuant to the companies' IL-23R collaboration, Protagonist was primarily responsible for development of icotrokinra through Phase 1, with Johnson & Johnson assuming responsibility for development in Phase 2 and beyond. Rusfertide, a mimetic of the natural hormone hepcidin, is currently in Phase 3 development for the rare blood disorder polycythemia vera (PV). Rusfertide is being co-developed and will be co-commercialized with Takeda Pharmaceuticals pursuant to a worldwide collaboration and license agreement entered into in 2024 under which the Company remains primarily responsible for development through NDA filing. The Company also has a number of pre-clinical stage oral drug discovery programs addressing clinically and commercially validated targets, including the IL-17 oral peptide antagonist PN-881, an oral hepcidin program, and an oral obesity program. More information on Protagonist, its pipeline drug candidates and clinical studies can be found on the Company's website at www.protagonist-inc.com . Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the potential benefits of icotrokinra, and expectations regarding the icotrokinra development program. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as "anticipate," "believe," "may," "will," "expect," or the negative or plural of these words or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those anticipated, including, but not limited to, our ability to develop and commercialize our product candidates, our ability to earn milestone payments under our collaboration agreements with Janssen and Takeda, our ability to use and expand our programs to build a pipeline of product candidates, our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval of our product candidates, our ability to operate in a competitive industry and compete successfully against competitors that have greater resources than we do, and our ability to obtain and adequately protect intellectual property rights for our product candidates. Additional information concerning these and other risk factors affecting our business can be found in our periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including under the heading "Risk Factors" contained in our most recently filed periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and our actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which we operate, may differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Any forward-looking statements that we make in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. We assume no obligation to update our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release. Investor Relations Contact Corey Davis, Ph.D. LifeSci Advisors +1 212 915 2577 cdavis@lifesciadvisors.com Media Contact Virginia Amann, Founder/CEO +1 833 500 0061 ext 1 ENTENTE Network of Companies virginiaamann@ententeinc.com i Data on file. ii Clinicaltrials.gov. A Study of JNJ-77242113 in Participants With Moderately to Severely Active Ulcerative Colitis (ANTHEM-UC). Identifier NCT06049017. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06049017?term=ANTHEM-UC&rank=1. Accessed March 2025. iii Crohn's & Colitis Foundation. What is ulcerative colitis? Available at: https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/what-is-ulcerative-colitis. Accessed March 2025. iv Bissonnette R, et al. Data presentation. A phase 2, randomized, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging study of oral JNJ-77242113 for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis: FRONTIER 1. Presented at WCD 2023, July 3-8. v Razawy W, et al. The role of IL-23 receptor signaling in inflammation-mediated erosive autoimmune arthritis and bone remodeling. Eur J Immunol. 2018 Feb; 48(2): 220-229. vi Tang C, et al. Interleukin-23: as a drug target for autoimmune inflammatory diseases. Immunology. 2012 Feb; 135(2): 112-124. vii Pinter A, et al. Data Presentation. JNJ-77242113 Treatment Induces a Strong Systemic Pharmacodynamic Response Versus Placebo in Serum Samples of Patients with Plaque Psoriasis: Results from the Phase 2, FRONTIER 1 Study. Presented at EADV 2023, October 11-14. viii Johnson & Johnson. Press release. Janssen enters into worldwide exclusive license and collaboration agreement with Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc. for the oral Interlukin-23 receptor antagonist drug candidate for the treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Available at: https://www.jnj.com/media-center/press-releases/janssen-enters-into-worldwide-exclusive-license-and-collaboration-agreement-with-protagonist-therapeutics-inc-for-the-oral-interlukin-23-receptor-antagonist-drug-candidate-for-the-treatment-of-inflammatory-bowel-disease. Accessed March 2025. ix Protagonist Therapeutics. Press release. Protagonist Therapeutics announces amendment of agreement with Janssen Biotech for the continued development and commercialization of IL-23 antagonists. Available at: https://feeds.issuerdirect.com/news-release.html?newsid=8739644264127846. Accessed March 2025. x Protagonist Therapeutics. Press release. Protagonist Reports positive results from Phase 1 and pre-clinical studies of oral Interleukin-23 receptor antagonist JNJ-2113. Available at: https://feeds.issuerdirect.com/news-release.html?newsid=8812150281946506. Accessed March 2025. xi Protagonist Therapeutics. Press release. Protagonist Therapeutics announces positive topline results for Phase 2b FRONTIER 1 clinical trial of oral IL-23 receptor antagonist JNJ-2113 (PN-235) in psoriasis. Available at: https://feeds.issuerdirect.com/news-release.html?newsid=6598557738756234. Accessed March 2025. Ende Mai leitete US-Prasident Donald Trump mit der Unterzeichnung mehrerer Dekrete eine weitreichende Wende in der amerikanischen Energiepolitik ein. Im Fokus: der beschleunigte Ausbau der Kernenergie. Mit einem umfassenden Manahmenpaket sollen Genehmigungsprozesse reformiert, kleinere Reaktoren gefordert und der Anteil von Atomstrom in den USA massiv gesteigert werden. Ausloser ist der explodierende Energiebedarf durch KI-Rechenzentren, der eine stabile, CO-arme Grundlastversorgung zwingend notwendig macht. In unserem kostenlosen Spezialreport erfahren Sie, welche 3 Unternehmen jetzt im Zentrum dieser energiepolitischen Neuausrichtung stehen, und wer vom kommenden Boom der Nuklearindustrie besonders profitieren konnte. Holen Sie sich den neuesten Report! Verpassen Sie nicht, welche Aktien besonders von der Energiewende in den USA profitieren durften, und laden Sie sich das Gratis-PDF jetzt kostenlos herunter. Dieses exklusive Angebot gilt aber nur fur kurze Zeit! Daher jetzt downloaden! SES to introduce a suite of integrated services that enhance Lynk Global's satellite D2D offerings and become its channel partner for key government, MNO and automotive customers in this investment agreement SES and Lynk Global have announced a strategic partnership to address the high-growth direct-to-device (D2D) segment. As part of the agreement, SES will provide Series B funding for Lynk Global's D2D constellation and provide a suite of integrated services that will enhance Lynk Global's capabilities which includes: MEO-Relay allowing D2D providers to route traffic between low earth orbit (LEO) and SES's medium earth orbit (MEO) network to access gateways, enabling delivery of secure real-time data, reducing investment requirements in ground infrastructure, and enhancing the reach and resilience of D2D constellations. allowing D2D providers to route traffic between low earth orbit (LEO) and SES's medium earth orbit (MEO) network to access gateways, enabling delivery of secure real-time data, reducing investment requirements in ground infrastructure, and enhancing the reach and resilience of D2D constellations. Network-as-a-Service leveraging SES's global ground network to provide gateway access and SES's geostationary satellites to provide Telemetry, Tracking and Command and Monitoring (TTC M) services. SES will also become a strategic channel partner for Lynk Global, enabling key government, MNO and automotive customers to access Lynk Global's D2D network. This will allow SES's customers to benefit from a broader range of applications including remote access, mission-critical first responder and secure government communications, offshore and automotive connectivity. SES and Lynk Global will collaborate in the development of Lynk's network architecture, as well as satellite manufacturing in the US and Europe. Ramu Potarazu, CEO of Lynk Global, commented, "This long-term strategic collaboration with SES will deeply integrate our networks to enhance our capabilities, and validates our LEO D2D network. With access to the right satellite infrastructure and dedicated ground infrastructure through SES, we are strengthening our ability to address government, MNO, and automotive D2D use-cases." Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES, said, "We recognise D2D as an exciting growth opportunity that complements our multi-orbit network to address a broader set of use cases. This partnership gives SES's exposure into the D2D segment and is a key part of our strategy to diversify into this nascent, high-growth segment. SES's multi-orbit network, particularly our MEO and ground infrastructure, will enhance the resilience, global reach, and innovation of Lynk's D2D network. Lynk Global will be the first D2D provider to benefit from our MEO-Relay service working in orchestration with our global ground-based infrastructure network. SES and Lynk will collaborate to expand Lynk's manufacturing into Europe, creating opportunities to incorporate Lynk's D2D capabilities into European programs." Follow us on: Twitter Facebook YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Read our Blogs Visit the Media Gallery About SES SES has a bold vision to deliver amazing experiences everywhere on Earth by distributing the highest quality video content and providing seamless data connectivity services around the world. As a provider of global content and connectivity solutions, SES owns and operates a geosynchronous orbit fleet and medium earth orbit (GEO-MEO) constellation of satellites, offering a combination of global coverage and high-performance services. By using its intelligent, cloud-enabled network, SES delivers high-quality connectivity solutions anywhere on land, at sea or in the air, and is a trusted partner to telecommunications companies, mobile network operators, governments, connectivity and cloud service providers, broadcasters, video platform operators and content owners around the world. The company is headquartered in Luxembourg and listed on Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges (Ticker: SESG). Further information is available at: www.ses.com. About Lynk Global Lynk is a patented, proven, and commercially-licensed satellite-direct-to-standard-mobile-phone system. Today, Lynk allows commercial subscribers to send and receive text messages to and from space via standard unmodified, mobile devices. Lynk's service has been tested and proven on all seven continents, has regulatory approvals in more than 30 countries and is currently being deployed commercially based on more than 50 MNO commercial service contracts covering approximately 60 countries. Lynk is currently providing cell broadcast (emergency) alerts, and two-way SMS messaging, and intends to launch voice and mobile broadband services in the future. For more information, visit www.lynk.world. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250310840953/en/ Contacts: For further information please contact: Suzanne Ong Communications Tel. +352 710 725 500 suzanne.ong@ses.com BANGALORE, India, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Battery Authentication ICs Market is Segmented by Type (WSON, SOT), by Application (Li-Ion, Li-Po, NiMH) The Global Market for Battery Authentication ICs was estimated to be worth USD 635 Million in 2023 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 1176.4 Million by 2030 with a CAGR of 9.3% during the forecast period 2024-2030. Claim Your Free Report: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/QYRE-Auto-35S14189/Global_Battery_Authentication_ICs_Market Major Factors Driving the Growth of Battery Authentication ICs Market: The Authentication ICs market is experiencing robust expansion driven by evolving security requirements in battery systems. Innovations in packaging technologies and integration of advanced ICs are improving product reliability and safety across various industries. The convergence of stringent regulations and rising consumer awareness is encouraging manufacturers to invest in enhanced authentication solutions. This market is marked by dynamic competition as companies strive to offer innovative products that address both cost efficiency and operational reliability. Strategic collaborations and investments further propel market growth by ensuring continuous development and adoption of secure battery technologies. Ultimately, these trends are setting new industry benchmarks and redefining the landscape for authentication ICs in the global market. Market leaders continue to innovate and drive growth. Unlock Insights: View Full Report Now! https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-35S14189/global-battery-authentication-ics TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF THE BATTERY AUTHENTICATION ICs MARKET: Surface-mount (SOT) packages are fundamentally enhancing the Battery Authentication ICs market by providing compact, reliable solutions that cater to evolving industry needs. Their minimized footprint and robust performance enable manufacturers to integrate secure authentication processes within battery systems without compromising on design or efficiency. This packaging format supports high-density circuit configurations, which are critical for modern devices requiring sophisticated security measures. Moreover, SOT packages improve thermal management and signal integrity, ensuring consistent operation under demanding conditions. Consequently, they facilitate higher reliability and safety standards, attracting investments from automotive, consumer electronics, and industrial sectors. The resulting market expansion reflects increased demand for secure battery systems globally. This progress significantly bolsters market competitiveness and drives future innovations in battery security solutions. Wire Small Outline No-lead (WSON) packages are increasingly pivotal in advancing the Battery Authentication ICs market by offering a compact design that meets the rigorous demands of modern electronics. Their unique construction minimizes lead inductance and enhances electrical performance, making them ideal for integration in secure battery systems. WSON packages contribute to lower assembly costs and improved thermal performance, facilitating reliable operation even in challenging environments. This efficient packaging solution supports the trend towards miniaturization and high-performance security, thereby fostering innovation and market expansion. As industries seek cost-effective and durable solutions, WSON packages are gaining widespread acceptance across automotive, consumer, and industrial applications worldwide. Their growing popularity underscores the vital role they play in boosting system reliability and market performance. Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) batteries are critically propelling the growth of the Authentication ICs market by offering high energy density, long cycle life, and superior performance in demanding applications. Their widespread use in portable electronics, electric vehicles, and renewable energy systems has necessitated advanced authentication solutions to ensure battery integrity and safety. The integration of Li-Ion batteries with authentication ICs enhances system reliability by preventing unauthorized access and ensuring accurate monitoring. Furthermore, these batteries support rapid charging and consistent power delivery, driving industry innovations that bolster secure battery management. Consequently, the market benefits from improved operational efficiency, increased consumer trust, and the accelerated adoption of energy storage technologies worldwide. This synergy between Li-Ion technology and authentication solutions is revolutionizing industry standards globally. Stringent safety standards and international regulations are driving the demand for robust authentication ICs in battery systems. Authorities are mandating higher levels of security and reliability to mitigate risks associated with battery failures and unauthorized access. This has compelled manufacturers to adopt advanced authentication solutions that not only comply with legal requirements but also enhance system performance. By aligning with regulatory guidelines, companies can avoid costly penalties and ensure consumer trust in their products. The rigorous oversight by governing bodies fosters an environment where continuous improvement in authentication technologies is prioritized, ultimately contributing to market growth and sustainable industry practices in the face of evolving safety challenges. This focus reinforces quality assurance and accelerates product acceptance globally. Companies are increasingly prioritizing cost efficiency by streamlining production and integrating authentication ICs into battery systems. These initiatives reduce overall expenses while maintaining high-quality safety standards. Economies of scale and process optimization drive down manufacturing costs and improve product competitiveness in a saturated market. Businesses are adopting innovative strategies to balance cost with performance, ensuring secure battery solutions remain affordable for diverse applications. Enhanced cost control measures enable rapid scalability and efficient resource utilization, further reinforcing market growth. By focusing on cost efficiency, manufacturers can offer attractive pricing without compromising on quality, ultimately attracting a broader consumer base and encouraging long-term market sustainability across various industrial segments. Such initiatives drive profitability and foster a resilient market globally. Significant capital investments are being directed towards improving quality assurance measures in authentication ICs for battery systems. Firms are allocating resources to upgrade production processes and implement rigorous testing protocols. These investments are aimed at ensuring product durability and safety while meeting strict international standards. Enhanced quality assurance frameworks foster customer confidence and mitigate risks related to system failures and security breaches. By bolstering product reliability, companies can achieve higher market penetration and sustain long-term growth. This strategic focus on quality assurance not only reinforces compliance with regulatory demands but also drives competitive differentiation, ultimately leading to improved brand loyalty and increased market share in an evolving global landscape. Such financial commitments are transforming industry perspectives. Claim Yours Now! https://reports.valuates.com/api/directpaytoken?rcode=QYRE-Auto-35S14189&lic=single-user BATTERY AUTHENTICATION ICs MARKET SHARE Asia-Pacific, in particular, stands out as a major hub for innovation and manufacturing, contributing substantially to market expansion. Regions such as Europe and North America also maintain robust market presence, bolstered by investments in research and development. Key Companies: Analog Devices Texas Instruments Renesas Electronics Microchip Technology Semtech Atmel Maxim Integrated UNIT Electronics Purchase Regional Report: https://reports.valuates.com/request/regional/QYRE-Auto-35S14189/Global_Battery_Authentication_ICs_Market SUBSCRIPTION We have introduced a tailor-made subscription for our customers. Please leave a note in the Comment Section to know about our subscription plans. DISCOVER MORE INSIGHTS: EXPLORE SIMILAR REPORTS! - The global market for Battery Charger Identification (BCID) ICs was estimated to be worth USD 635 Million in 2023 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 1176.4 Million by 2030 with a CAGR of 9.3% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - The global Automotive Lithium Battery Management Chip market was valued at USD 1500 Million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 2599.4 Million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 8.2% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - Battery Monitoring Market - The global market for Battery Cell Authentication Solutions was valued at USD 861 Million in the year 2023 and is projected to reach a revised size of USD 1240 Million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.6% during the forecast period. - The global Automotive Lithium Battery Management Chip market was valued at USD 1500 Million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 2599.4 Million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 8.2% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - The global market for Battery Security ICs was estimated to be worth USD 635 Million in 2023 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 1176.4 Million by 2030 with a CAGR of 9.3% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - The global market for Battery Charger Identification (BCID) ICs was estimated to be worth USD 635 Million in 2023 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 1176.4 Million by 2030 with a CAGR of 9.3% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - The global market for Two-wheeler Battery Swapping Service was valued at USD 2323 Million in the year 2023 and is projected to reach a revised size of USD 13700 Million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 17.1% during the forecast period. - The global market for Lithium Battery Management IC was estimated to be worth USD 40380 Million in 2023 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 69600 Million by 2030 with a CAGR of 8.1% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - The global market for Narrowband IoT Access Service was estimated to be worth USD 6340 Million in 2023 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 8820.9 Million by 2030 with a CAGR of 4.9% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - The global Powered Smart Cards market is projected to grow from USD 943.6 Million in 2024 to USD 1727.2 Million by 2030, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10.6% during the forecast period. 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GET A FREE QUOTE Valuates Reports sales@valuates.com For U.S. Toll-Free Call 1-(315)-215-3225 WhatsApp: +91-9945648335 Website: https://reports.valuates.com Blog: https://valuatestrends.blogspot.com/ Pinterest: https://in.pinterest.com/valuatesreports/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/valuatesreports Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valuatesreports/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@valuatesreports6753 https://www.facebook.com/valuateskorean https://www.facebook.com/valuatesspanish https://www.facebook.com/valuatesjapanese https://valuatesreportspanish.blogspot.com/ https://valuateskorean.blogspot.com/ https://valuatesgerman.blogspot.com/ https://valuatesreportjapanese.blogspot.com/ Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1082232/Valuates_Reports_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/global-battery-authentication-ics-market-to-reach-usd-1-18-billion-by-2030--growing-at-a-9-3-cagr--valuates-reports-302397338.html Havertys (NYSE:HVT)(NYSE:HVT.A) today announced that Brendan McGill has been named Senior Vice President, General Counsel effective April 1, 2025. Mr. McGill joins Havertys from Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC, where he served as Senior Managing Director, Corporate Legal. Previously, he was Chief Legal Officer at Sylvan Road Capital, LLC, and held senior leadership positions at Invesco Ltd., including Senior Director, Business Strategy & Reporting, and Director, Corporate Development. His career also includes legal counsel roles at Mohawk Industries, Inc. and Alston & Bird LLP. Mr. McGill holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Duke University. He will report to Steven G. Burdette, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Brendan's deep expertise in corporate governance, M&A, regulatory compliance, and global investment management will be invaluable as we continue to execute our growth strategy," said Mr. Burdette. "His proven track record of supporting business expansion across diverse industries and markets aligns perfectly with our vision." Mr. McGill succeeds Janet E. Taylor, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, who is retiring after a distinguished 20-year career with the company. Ms. Taylor's journey with Havertys began in 2005, when she joined as Vice President, Law. Before joining our team, she built an impressive career spanning twelve years at King & Spalding, in their Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Group. Steven G. Burdette, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "Janet's expertise was instrumental in guiding our company through numerous significant transactions and strategic initiatives. We wish her well in retirement." About Havertys Havertys (NYSE:HVT and HVT.A), established in 1885, is a full-service home furnishings retailer with 130 showrooms in 17 states in the Southern and Midwestern regions providing its customers with a wide selection of quality merchandise in middle to upper-middle price ranges. Additional information is available on the Company's website havertys.com. Contact: Havertys 404-443-2900 investor.relations@havertys.com SOURCE: Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc. Expected to enhance global innovator flexibility with biologics drug substance facility in Baltimore BANGALORE, India, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Syngene International Limited ('Syngene'), a global contract research, development, and manufacturing organization (CRDMO), today announced the acquisition of its first biologics site in the USA - fitted with multiple monoclonal antibody (mAbs) manufacturing lines. The state-of-the-art biologics facility, acquired by Syngene USA Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Syngene, from Emergent Manufacturing Operations Baltimore, LLC (a subsidiary of Emergent BioSolutions Inc.), will expand Syngene's growing global biologics footprint to better serve its customers across both human and animal health market segments. The new site will increase Syngene's total single-use bioreactor capacity to 50,000L for large molecule discovery, development, and manufacturing services. Additionally, it will provide Syngene's customers with continuity of supply from its four development and manufacturing facilities located in India and North America, offering services ranging from cell line development, process optimization and both clinical and commercial supply. Syngene's investment in its first facility in the United States marks a strategic commitment to the US market, with significant benefits for the local economy and the broader life sciences industry. The facility is expected to create jobs, stimulate local economic activity, and strengthen domestic biologics manufacturing capabilities, while also contributing to pharmaceutical innovation and supply chain resilience. This investment highlights the potential for deeper economic collaboration between India and the United States, fostering sustained economic growth and advancing the shared goal of bolstering critical healthcare infrastructure. Peter Bains, CEO Designate, Syngene International Ltd., said, "With one of the largest biologics R&D teams and commercial scale manufacturing capabilities in both India and the USA, we now offer a compelling and flexible solution for global pharma and biotech customers. This investment will enable Syngene to cater to growing client requirements in an expanding market. It will also provide clients, access to collective service capability of multiple geographic sites, scientists and experience." Alex Del Priore, Senior Vice President - Development & Manufacturing Services, Syngene International Ltd., said, "This facility is a significant milestone for Syngene and comes in response to growing client demand in the United States, the fastest-growing biologics market. It strengthens our offering for animal health clients looking for USDA approval for their products. Most importantly, it increases the options we can offer our global customers, providing commercial-scale biologics manufacturing capabilities across our global network and will be underpinned by existing key client projects." "The investment will be synergistic with expected additional process development work that will be executed in India while manufacturing can be done in the US. The investment will be fully funded through internal accruals and cash. The Company will continue to maintain a robust balance sheet, a low debt profile, and a comfortable safety margin for debt covenants post this investment. As we ramp up utilization, we expect asset turnover to grow to 1x in less than 5 years, with EBIT margins expected to be in line with the Company average from FY30 and positively contribute to bottom line. The acquisition will not materially impact the current financial guidance given for fiscal year 2024 - 2025. In the short term, we expect minor dilution of operating margins as a result of costs to be incurred in this facility," added Deepak Jain, CFO, Syngene International Ltd. Overall investment in the US facility is estimated to be around US$50 million, including the cost of acquisition (US$36.5 million) and additional expenses to make the facility operational. The sale is expected to close in March 2025, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The upgraded Baltimore facility is strategically located near key biotech hubs in the Northeast of the US and will be available for client projects from second half of 2025. Syngene anticipates the site will see demand from innovative US mAb developers requiring direct access for 'onshore' production, as well as international innovators that want a US based manufacturing option and complements the capabilities and capacity available across its facilities in Bengaluru. As part of the agreement, Emergent itself has the right to secure manufacturing capacity from the facility in the future, representing offtake potential from US-based innovators. It will also support the growing animal health segment in which a US site is often a key client requirement. About Syngene Syngene International Ltd. (BSE: 539268, NSE: SYNGENE, ISIN: INE 398R01022) is an integrated research, development, and manufacturing services company serving the global pharmaceutical, biotechnology, nutrition, animal health, consumer goods, and specialty chemical sectors. Syngene's more than 5600 scientists offer both skills and the capacity to deliver great science, robust data security, and world class manufacturing, at speed, to improve time-to-market and lower the cost of innovation. With 2.2 Mn sq. ft of specialized discovery, development, and manufacturing facilities, Syngene works with biotech companies pursuing leading-edge science as well as multinationals, including BMS, GSK, Zoetis and Merck KGaA. For more details, visit www.syngeneintl.com For the Company's latest Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report, visit https://esgreport.syngeneintl.com . Contact details Investor Contacts Media Contacts Krishnan G / Nandini Agarwal M: +91 9819992927 /+91 7838382527 E: Krishnan.g@syngeneintl.com E: Nandini.agarwal@syngeneintl.com Shotorupa Ghosh / Vijay Jeevanandham M: +91 8450977080/ +91 7760759922 E: Shotorupa.ghosh@syngeneintl.com E: Vijay.jeevanandham@syngeneintl.com Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2637919/Syngene_s_Newly_Acquired_Baltimore_Site.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2637918/Syngene_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/syngene-acquires-its-first-manufacturing-facility-in-the-us-302397424.html Albertsons Cos. Foundation's Nourishing Neighbors program also pledges $10 million annually to help end the cycle of hunger Albertsons Companies, Inc ("Albertsons") and The Albertsons Companies Foundation ("The Foundation") announced two significant advancements in the company's mission to help end the cycle of hunger during the South by Southwest SXSW Conference and Festivals. As part of the grocer's Recipe for Change impact framework, Albertsons will enable a new goal of 1.5 billion meals by 2030 through a combination of surplus food donations from stores and funds raised by the Foundation, after meeting its original goal of enabling more than one billion meals. Additionally, The Foundation's Nourishing Neighbors program will invest $10 million annually to help break the cycle of hunger through various initiatives including its Innovation Spark Fund program; the E.A.T. curriculum for middle and high school students; a coalition created to tackle summer hunger; and other programs aimed at reducing food insecurity. "At Albertsons, we remain committed to fighting food insecurity in the communities we serve today while working to create lasting solutions to end hunger tomorrow, and forever," said Jennifer Saenz, EVP of Pharmacy and E-Commerce for Albertsons and Board Chair for The Foundation. "The time for change is now as more than 44 million Americans, including 13.4 million children*, face the challenge of food insecurity, and we must come together across communities to solve this hunger crisis." Ending Hunger Today, Tomorrow, and Forever In support of the Food Track at SXSW in Austin, Texas, Albertsons teamed up with Kellanova, maker of snacking brands like Pringles, Cheez-It and Pop-Tarts, No Kid Hungry and Regen House, a collaboration between HowGood, EIT Food, and the Institute of Regeneration, to discuss viable solutions to tackle hunger. After unveiling Albertsons' new meals goal and annual Foundation investment, Christy Duncan Anderson, President and Executive Director of The Foundation, participated in a lively panel discussion with Stephanie Slingerland, Chief Philanthropy Officer at Kellanova, and Anne Filipic, CEO at No Kid Hungry. During the panel, each participant discussed their organization's approach to helping eradicate hunger as well as their programs and commitments to continue fighting food insecurity. Attendees were then invited to visit three stations at the event - Today, Tomorrow and Forever - to learn about actions they can take to help end the cycle of hunger. "Food insecurity is a complex problem that requires collaboration to create long-term, lasting solutions," said Duncan Anderson. "By partnering with Kellanova, No Kid Hungry and Regen House at such an innovative conference like SXSW, we have the unique opportunity to shine a light on hunger and the urgent need for communities to come together to address food insecurity and brainstorm innovative solutions." Nourishing Neighbors Program Nourishing Neighbors, a charitable program of The Foundation, seeks to ensure at-risk children, adults, seniors and families have access to the food they need to thrive. This past June, Nourishing Neighbors celebrated a decade of fighting hunger in local communities. Since the program's inception in 2014, Nourishing Neighbors has raised more than $297 million for thousands of nonprofit organizations that are on the front lines of combatting hunger in America. Donating Surplus Food to Local Communities Each year, Albertsons stores donate millions of pounds of food to local food banks, pantries and other organizations that are on the front lines in the fight against hunger. As outlined in the latest Recipe for Change report, the company donated more than 92 million pounds of food from stores, distribution centers and manufacturing facilities in 2023, which is the equivalent of enabling over 76 million meals. Additionally, local stores support hunger relief efforts such as food drives and volunteer initiatives. Thanks to these efforts, combined with the generosity of Albertsons' associates and customers, the company met our original goal of enabling more than one billion meals in 2023. "A key component of our Recipe for Change framework is fighting food insecurity at a local level which is why we're constantly exploring programs and partnerships that advance localized food donation solutions," said Suzanne Long, Chief Sustainability and Transformation Officer for Albertsons. "We are incredibly proud of the progress we have made to date, and we're keen to leverage and implement innovative practices as we work to achieve our new goal of enabling an additional 1.5 billion meals by 2030." For more information on The Foundation and Nourishing Neighbors, click here. For the 2024 Recipe for Change Report, click here. *Household Food Security in the United States in 2022, page 10 See original press release here and read more about Albertsons Companies and our Recipe for Change on our website. Albertsons Companies and The Albertsons Companies Foundation announced significant advancements in the company's mission to help end the cycle of hunger during the SXSW Conference and Festivals. Image Courtesy: Albertsons Companies View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Albertsons Safeway Inc. on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Albertsons Safeway Inc. Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/albertsons-companies Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Albertsons Safeway Inc. Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) claims that during the COVID-19 pandemic, more than $312 million in loans were given to children. The announcement was made alongside news of the latest wave of contract terminations on Saturday. The situation comes as DOGE continues to work on rooting out alleged waste, fraud, and corruption within the federal government. Millions Worth of Loans to Children The agency said that it was able to identify that the Small Business Administration (SBA) granted almost 5,600 loans worth over $312 million to borrowers whose only listed owner was at most 11 years old at the time the loan was given. It was also revealed that the loans in question were issued in 2020 and 2021, when the world was struggling with the coronavirus pandemic. DOGE said it was not yet clear what the loans were used for. In a statement, the agency said that while it was possible to have business arrangements where the loans were legal, that was unlikely for the thousands of loans that were given away at the time, according to Fox News. DOGE added that the SBA is working to resolve the issue by this week. When Musk's agency made the announcement, it shared a post on X revealing that the SBA also issued roughly 3,100 loans worth about $333 million to borrowers older than 115. The Social Security database still marked the borrowers as alive for those loans. One example was a 157-year-old individual who was given $36,000 in loans. The SBA loans apparently included Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loans. Discrepancies in the Data On Tuesday, President Donald Trump addressed Congress, where he bashed times when he claimed millions of people over the age of 100 were still listed on the Social Security database. One of these individuals was said to have been 360 years old, Yahoo News reported. DOGE has been investigating federal agency data since the start of Trump's second presidency. In the process, it has been criticized and sued. Some of the legal challenges question the agency's legality and Musk's role in the efforts. A group of labor unions asked a federal court in Maryland on March. 7, 2025, for an emergency order to prevent DOGE from accessing the Social Security data of millions of Americans. The motion was led by the legal services group Democracy Forward, as per NTD. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 10, 2025) - Stakeholder Gold Corp. (TSXV: SRC) ("Stakeholder" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the closing of a non-brokered private placement financing ("Private Placement"), raising gross proceeds of $1,800,000 CAD through the issuance of 1,800,000 Units at $1.00 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one common share ("Common Share") priced at $1.00 per Common Share, and one half of one common share purchase warrant ("Warrant"). Each whole Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional Common Share at $1.50 for a period of two years from the closing of the Private Placement. Each whole Warrant has an early exercise provision that allows the Company to trigger exercise of the Warrant when the 10-day average price of Common Shares traded on the TSX Venture Exchange exceeds $3.00 per share. Thirty days (30) after the trigger date, any unexercised Warrants will be deemed to be null and void. All securities issued under this Private Placement will be subject to a 'hold' period expiring four months and one day from the date of closing. Proceeds will be used for exploration on the Company's Ballarat Exploration Project in the White Gold District located in the Yukon Territory, Canada and for developing the Company's exotic stone quartzite business in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Insiders of the Company (the "insiders") have invested in this Private Placement subscribing for in aggregate 464,000 Units, or gross proceeds of $464,000 CAD. The participation of insiders in the Private Placement constitutes a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101") and the policies of the TSX. The Company is relying on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 on the basis that participation by insiders will not exceed 25% of the fair market value of the Company's market capitalization. The Company did not file a material change report at least 21 days prior to the completion of the Private Placement because the existence of any placement or insiders' participation therein had not been determined at that time. This Private Placement does not result in any new insiders or control persons of the Company, and closing is subject to final approval by the TSX Venture Exchange. Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking information. All information, other than information of historical fact, constitute "forward-looking statements" and includes any information that addresses activities, events or developments that the Corporation believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future including the Corporation's strategy, plans or future financial or operating performance. When used in this news release, the words "estimate", "project", "anticipate", "expect", "intend", "believe", "hope", "may" and similar expressions, as well as "will", "shall" and other indications of future tense, are intended to identify forward-looking information. The forward-looking information is based on current expectations and applies only as of the date on which they were made. The factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, the ability of the Corporation to fund the exploration expenditures required under the Agreement. Other factors such as uncertainties regarding government regulations could also affect the results. Other risks may be set out in the Corporation's annual financial statements, MD&A and other publicly filed documents. The Corporation cautions that there can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as required by law, the Corporation does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking information contained in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243950 SOURCE: Stakeholder Gold Corp. Focus Graphite Inc. (TSXV:FMS)(OTCQB:FCSMF)(FSE:FKC) ("Focus" or the "Company"), announced today that on March 7, 2025 it completed?its previously disclosed non-brokered private placement (the "?Offering?") to raise gross proceeds of up to $500,000, following the closing of a second tranche. The second tranche raised gross proceeds of $50,000 through the issuance of 500,000 units (the "?Units?") at a price of $0.10 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one common share (a "Common Share") in the capital of the Company and one non-transferable common share purchase warrant (a "?Warrant?") of the Company. Each whole Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share (a "Warrant Share") at an exercise price per Warrant Share of $0.20 for a period of 36 months from the date of issue. The Common Shares, Warrants and Warrant Shares will have a hold period of four months and one day until July 8, 2025. With closing of the first and second tranches, the Company raised an aggregate of $515,000 by issuing 5,150,000 Units in the Offering which was conditionally approved by the TSX-V. The net proceeds of this financing will be used to maintain the Company's existing operations and general working capital requirements that includes funding the new strategic direction to advance the battery technology and the development and application of advanced materials. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. About Focus Graphite Inc. Focus Graphite Inc. is an advanced materials company developing sustainable mining and technology innovations. At the heart of our operations is the Lac Knife flake graphite deposit, known for its high purity and grade-ideal for applications in the military, defense, and green energy revolutions. Currently advancing through Canada's mine permitting process, Focus Graphite is on the verge of transforming this resource into a viable supplier of critical mineral. Our proprietary, environmentally sustainable processing technologies ensure a green, chemical-free pathway in the market. The Company's proprietary silicon-enhanced spheroidized graphite patent technology is aimed at improving battery performance. ?We specialize in producing advanced, high-purity graphite materials tailored for diverse industries, including EV batteries, military applications, and high-tech manufacturing. Focus Graphite's commitment extends beyond resource extraction-we are actively seeking partnerships with industry leaders, academic institutions, and government bodies to try and accelerate the commercialization of advanced materials and technologies derived from our flagship project. Located in North America we are proud to contribute and help secure sustainable critical minerals supply chain that reduces dependency on foreign controlled supply. For more information on Focus Graphite Inc. please visit https://focusgraphite.com/ Investors Contact: Dean Hanisch CEO, Focus Graphite Inc. dhanisch@focusgraphite.com 613-612-6060 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could," "intend," "expect," "believe," "will," "projected," "estimated," and similar expressions, as well as statements relating to matters that are not historical facts, are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current beliefs or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking information relating to, among other things, the completion of the non-brokered private placement (the "Offering"), the terms and expected closing date of the Offering, the receipt of regulatory approvals, the intended use of proceeds, and the Company's business objectives, plans, and strategies. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks related to market conditions, regulatory approvals, changes in economic conditions, the ability to raise sufficient funds on acceptable terms or at all, operational risks associated with mineral exploration and development, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's public disclosure documents available under its profile on SEDAR+. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties, and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Focus Graphite, Inc. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 10, 2025) - Xigem Technologies Corporation (CSE: XIGM) (FSE: VZ6) ("Xigem" or the "Company"), announces that pursuant to its previously announced shares for debt settlement on February 27, 2025, it has now closed the transaction. The Company has entered into debt settlement agreements with certain of its creditors (together, the "Creditors") to issue 11,369,000 common shares (the "Settlement Shares") to such Creditors in exchange for outstanding accounts payable totaling $341,070 (the "Shares for Debt Transaction") owing to the Creditors. The Settlement Shares are being issued at a price of $0.03, in accordance with the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE"). The Creditors include certain related parties of the Company, being: Brian Kalish, the CEO and a director of the Company and a company related to Igor Kostioutchenko, the CFO of the Company (the "Related Parties"), who will receive an aggregate of 7,395,667 Settlement Shares. Every other Creditor is an arm's length party. The Company is completing the Shares for Debt Transaction to improve its financial position in an effort to support its planned future growth. All Settlement Shares will be subject to a four-month and one-day hold period. No new control person of the Company will be created pursuant to the Shares for Debt and Private Placement Transaction. The Shares for Debt constituted a "related party transaction" as defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Securityholders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"), as certain insiders of the Company acquired an aggregate of 7,395,667 Settlement Shares. The Company is relying on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, as the fair market value of the participation in the Offering by insiders does not exceed 25% of the market capitalization of the Company, as determined in accordance with MI 61-101. About Xigem Technologies Corporation With software capable of improving capacity, productivity, and overall operations for businesses, consumers, and organizations Xigem aims to position itself to become a leading technology provider for the near trillion-dollar remote digital economy. iAgent, the Company's patented technology and EchoDigital, its SaaS automotive shopping platform are intended to provide organizations, businesses, and consumers with the tools necessary to thrive in a vast array of digital working, learning, shopping and treatment environments while the Company continually looks to aggregate a portfolio of innovative technologies capable of disrupting traditional business models. www.xigemtechnologies.com Instagram: @xigemtechnologies Twitter: @XigemTech Facebook: @xigemtechnologies LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/xigem-technologies Further Information This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking statements. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "appears to be", "likely, "plans", "looks to", "possible", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". The forward-looking information and forward- looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: future market data for the global automotive industry; the future products and performance of the Company and the ability of the Company to continue adding innovative technologies to its portfolio. Forward-looking information in this news release is based on certain assumptions and expected future events, namely: the Company's ability to continue as a going concern; the commercial viability and growth in popularity of the Company's applications; the Company's ability to continue to develop and acquire revenue-generating applications; continued approval of the Company's activities by the relevant governmental and/or regulatory authorities; the continued development of the Company's technologies; the Company having sufficient funds to continue operations as planned; growth of the global automobile industry as currently anticipated or at all; the impact of growth of the global automotive industry on the Company's operations; and the continued growth of the Company in general. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including but not limited to: uncertainty with respect to the future growth of the global automobile industry and/or any other industry group or subset relevant to the Company's operations; uncertainty to predict the Company's ability to compete with other participants in the industries in which it operates; the potential inability of the Company to continue as a going concern; the risks associated with Software-as-a-Service ("SaaS") and technology industries in general; increased competition in the SaaS and technology markets in general; the potential future unviability of the Company's product offerings; risks associated with potential governmental and/or regulatory action with respect to the Company's activities; risks associated with a potential collapse in the value of SaaS services and the SaaS market; risks associated with the Company's ability to generate a profit; the inability of the Company to add innovative technologies to its portfolio; the Company not having adequate resources, financial and otherwise, as required to continue its operations as planned; and risks with respect to market demand for the Company's products. Furthermore, any market data presented in this press release is not indicative of the Company's future performance and in no way should be interpreted as such. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and reflect the Company's expectations as of the date hereof and are subject to change thereafter. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Xigem Technologies Corporation On behalf of the Company: Brian Kalish, Chief Executive Officer To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243982 SOURCE: Xigem Technologies Corporation Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - March 10, 2025) - Cardinal Energy Ltd. (TSX: CJ) ("Cardinal" or the "Company") confirms that our March dividend of $0.06 per common share will be paid on April 15, 2025 to shareholders of record on March 31, 2025. The Board of Directors of Cardinal has declared the dividend payable in cash. This dividend has been designated as an "eligible dividend" for Canadian income tax purposes. About Cardinal Energy Ltd. Cardinal is a Canadian oil and natural gas company with operations focused on low decline oil in Western Canada. Cardinal differentiates itself from its peers by having the lowest decline conventional asset base in Western Canada. Cardinal has recently announced the commencement of its first thermal SAGD oil development project which will further increase the long-term sustainability of the Company. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/244025 SOURCE: Cardinal Energy Ltd. Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd . ("Southern Cross Gold" or the "Company") (TSXV:SXGC)(ASX:SX2)(OTC PINK:MWSNF)(Frankfurt:MV3.F) announces that the CHESS Depositary Interests ("CDI") of the Company will be added to the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index effective prior to Australian Securities Exchange ("ASX") market open on March 24, 2025. Michael Hudson, Southern Cross Gold's President & CEO, commented , "We are delighted to be included in the All Ordinaries Index, which recognizes our team's hard work and the support of our shareholders in building Southern Cross Gold into a significant player in the Australian gold and critical metals sector. This inclusion will increase our visibility to a broader range of investors and potentially improve the liquidity of our shares, benefiting all stakeholders. We look forward to continuing to engage with investment analysts, institutional fund managers, and investors both in Australia and internationally as we continue to build one of the world's most significant gold-antimony assets at Sunday Creek." The S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index is Australia's oldest share market indicator and represents the 500 largest companies listed on the ASX by market capitalization. The index is widely regarded as the benchmark for measuring the performance of the Australian equity market. Southern Cross Gold's inclusion in this index is expected to attract increased interest from institutional investors, index funds, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track the All Ordinaries, potentially enhancing the Company's visibility and trading liquidity. Southern Cross Gold's CDIs commenced trading on the ASX under the ticker symbol SX2 on January 15, 2025. Each CDI represents one fully paid share of common stock of Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd. Southern Cross Gold also announces the granting of an aggregate of 700,000 stock options (the "Options") to Canadian officers and a consultant in Australia to acquire an aggregate of 700,000 common shares of the Company for a period of three years and vest immediately from the date of grant. The Options are exercisable at C$3.38. The granting of the Options is part of the long-term compensation, alignment and employee retention incentives program provided by the Company. About Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd. Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd is now dual listed on the TSXV: SXGC and ASX: SX2 Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd. (TSXV:SXGC)(ASX:SX2) controls the Sunday Creek Gold-Antimony Project located 60 km north of Melbourne, Australia. Sunday Creek has emerged as one of the Western world's most significant gold and antimony discoveries, with exceptional drilling results including 60 intersections exceeding 100 g/t AuEq x m from just 73.3 km of drilling. The mineralization follows a "Golden Ladder" structure over 12 km of strike length, with confirmed continuity from surface to 1,100 m depth. Sunday Creek's strategic value is enhanced by its dual-metal profile, with antimony contributing 20% of the in-situ value alongside gold. This has gained increased significance following China's export restrictions on antimony, a critical metal for defense and semiconductor applications. Southern Cross' inclusion in the US Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC) and Australia's AUKUS-related legislative changes position it as a potential key Western antimony supplier. Importantly, Sunday Creek can be developed primarily based on gold economics, which reduces antimony-related risks while maintaining strategic supply potential. Technical fundamentals further strengthen the investment case, with preliminary metallurgical work showing non-refractory mineralization suitable for conventional processing and gold recoveries of 93-98% through gravity and flotation. With A$18M in cash, over 1,000 Ha of strategic freehold land ownership, and an aggressive 60 km drill program planned through Q3 2025, SXGC is well-positioned to advance this globally significant gold-antimony discovery in a tier-one jurisdiction. - Ends - This announcement has been approved for release by the Board of Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd. For further information, please contact: Mariana Bermudez - Corporate Secretary (Canada) mbermudez@chasemgt.com or +1 604 685 9316 Executive Office: 1305 - 1090 West Georgia Street Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V7, Canada Nicholas Mead - Corporate Development info@southerncrossgold.com or +61 415 153 122 Justin Mouchacca - Company Secretary (Australia) jm@southerncrossgold.com.au or +61 3 8630 3321 Subsidiary Office: Level 21, 459 Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia Forward-Looking Statement This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions and accordingly, actual results and future events could differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. You are hence cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements including without limitation applicable court, regulatory authorities and applicable stock exchanges. Forward-looking statements include words or expressions such as "proposed", "will", "subject to", "near future", "in the event", "would", "expect", "prepared to" and other similar words or expressions. Factors that could cause future results or events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements include general business, economic, competitive, political, social uncertainties; the state of capital markets, unforeseen events, developments, or factors causing any of the expectations, assumptions, and other factors ultimately being inaccurate or irrelevant; and other risks described in SXGC's documents filed with Canadian or Australian securities regulatory authorities (under code SX2). You can find further information with respect to these and other risks in filings made by SXGC with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada or Australia (under code SX2), as applicable, and available for SXGC in Canada at www.sedarplus.ca or in Australia at www.asx.com.au under code SX2. Documents are also available at www.southerncrossgold.com We disclaim any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) or the Australian Securities Exchange accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 10, 2025) - PreveCeutical Medical Inc. (CSE: PREV) (OTCQB: PRVCF) (FSE: 18H) (the "Company" or "PreveCeutical"), announces that further to its news release dated January 24, 2025, the Company has received an extension from The CSE (the "CSE") to close its non-brokered private placement of up to 10,000,000 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of CDN$0.03c per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of up to CDN$300,000 (the "Private Placement"). The Private Placement is expected to close on or about April 24, 2025, and is subject to the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals, including, but not limited to, acceptance of the CSE. All terms of the Private Placement remain the same. About PreveCeutical PreveCeutical is a health sciences company that develops innovative options for preventive and curative therapies utilizing organic and nature identical products. PreveCeutical aims to be a leader in preventive health sciences and currently has five research and development programs, including: dual gene therapy for curative and prevention therapies for diabetes and obesity; the Sol-gel Program; Nature Identical peptides for treatment of various ailments; nonaddictive analgesic peptides as a replacement to the highly addictive analgesics such as morphine, fentanyl and oxycodone; and a therapeutic product for treating athletes who suffer from concussions (mild traumatic brain injury). For more information about PreveCeutical, please visit our website www.PreveCeutical.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook. On behalf of the Board of Directors of PreveCeutical Stephen Van Deventer, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer For further information, please contact: Neither the CSE nor any Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements: This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the expectations of management regarding the proposed Offering, the expectations of management regarding the use of proceeds of the Offering, closing conditions for the Offering, the expiry of hold periods for securities distributed pursuant to the Offering and other statements regarding the company's proposed business plans. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements including that: the Company may not complete the Offering on terms favorable to the Company or at all; the proceeds of the Offering may not be used as stated in this news release; the Company may be unable to satisfy all of the conditions to the Closing; and those additional risks set out in the Company's public documents filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Except where required by law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/244057 SOURCE: PreveCeutical Medical Inc. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 10, 2025) - EV Minerals Corporation (CSE: EVM) (FSE: RLC) (the "Company" or "EVM") announces that Rebecca Hudson, the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, has resigned effective February 28, 2025. The Company would like to thank Ms. Hudson for her valuable contributions to the Company over the years as the Chief Financial Officer of the Company and wishes her the best in her future endeavours. In connection with Ms. Hudson's resignation, the Company is pleased to announce that Mr. Alex Pekurar has been appointed the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, effective immediately. Mr. Pekurar has over 13 years of private and public company leadership experience as a Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Director, working to foster a culture of accountability and transparency. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant and holds a master's degree in management and professional accounting from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. About EV Minerals Corporation EV Minerals Corporation is a Canadian exploration company focused on mineral exploration and development. The current focus is the EVM Nickel Project, host of the nickel-copper-cobalt McNickel deposit. The Project is comprised of 32 mineral claims covering approximately 1,792 hectares located in the Saguenay area, the Province of Quebec. This deposit contains a non-current historical resource of 5.585 million tonnes with grades of 0.21% Ni, 0.11% Cu and 0.03% Co (NI 43-101 non-compliant resource), which is to be re-evaluated with the consideration of using either bioleaching or acid leaching and electrowinning for nickel, cobalt, and copper recovery. * The foregoing historical resource estimates presented above were completed in 1989, prior to the implementation of the requirements of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The Company is not treating the historic resources as current. However, given the abundance and quality of the historic drill work completed, the Company is confident that a mineral resource could be generated on the deposit through sufficient confirmation drilling. This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "would", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change, unless required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/244066 SOURCE: EV Minerals Corporation NTR and Roshan are two of the biggest stars and have their own strengths as actors read more BoscoCaesar spoke about choreographing Hrithik Roshan-Junior NTRs dance face-off in War 2 exclusively on Firstpost at the IIFA 2025 and said, The experience has been absolutely sensational. Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff came together for the first time in the 2019 blockbuster WAR. And five gears later, Roshan is now teaming up with the superstar Junior NTR for the sequel where hes apparently the antagonist of the story. Ayan Mukerji and not Sidharth Anand is the director this time and pictures of the two actors shooting for the film have gone viral. Advertisement So fans have woken up to the news of Pan-India Superstar Junior NTR joining Hrithik Roshan in War 2, which is going to be directed by Ayan Mukerji. With the RRR star joining the spy universe of Yash Raj with War 2 along with Roshan, the film has all chances to be a global blockbuster and shatter all records. Confirmation by a trade source A trade source told Pinkvilla, Yes, its absolutely correct information. NTR Jr. is locking horns with Hrithik Roshan in War 2 and its going to be an epic action adventure. Their battle of wits and the fierce showdown will be an action spectacle worth experiencing on the big screen. War 2 is now a true-blue Pan India film with top superstars from the Northern and Southern industry. The Major Casting Coup NTR and Roshan are two of the biggest stars and have their own strengths as actors. The former brings a certain amount of intensity in his performances whereas the latter flirts with the camera with his smoldering aura. Given how Roshans character in War was driven by restraint, the sequel should continue staying true to the essence of his character Kabir. Full, fair job opportunities pledged 08:46, March 10, 2025 By Cheng Si ( Chinadaily.com.cn Chinese officials take questions from journalists at a news conference held in Beijing on Sunday for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress. (Feng Yongbin/China Daily) China's robust economic recovery is stimulating domestic employment growth, and intensive resources and investment will be channeled into areas such as vocational skills training and social insurance to promote sufficient and high-quality employment with sound protection of working rights, a senior official said on Sunday. Speaking at a news conference in Beijing on the sidelines of the annual session of the national legislature, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping said, "Employment is a top priority for securing people's livelihoods, which is also important for advancing the nation's development." The economic uptrend, thriving innovations and new technologies have consolidated the foundation for employment growth, she said. According to Wang, the nation is shouldering the great responsibility for stabilizing employment and expanding employment opportunities due to the increasing population of new college graduates around 12.22 million this year as well as a large rural workforce and complex global landscapes. "The Government Work Report has highlighted several employment targets for this year, such as keeping the urban surveyed unemployment rate at around 5.5 percent and creating over 12 million new jobs in cities, demonstrating the nation's stronger resolve to expand employment," she said. More supportive policies, financial subsidies and improved public services will be made available to employers and entrepreneurs, especially young people and migrant workers who wish to start a business, Wang said. The ministry will also organize more large-scale vocational skills training programs to improve people's ability to get jobs or run startups, and to ease labor shortages in the manufacturing and services industries, she said. The latest wave of technological revolution, highlighted by artificial intelligence tools, has had an extensive and long-term impact on the domestic job market, she added. Wang said that as China makes progress in developing new quality productive forces and building up a modernized industrial system, there is an urgent need for skilled workers, especially highly skilled personnel and digital talent. The nation will form a more scientific payment mechanism for skilled workers based on their abilities, she added. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) The teenager who was arrested and charged for the fatal stabbing of his mother was reportedly inspired by the Menendez brothers after watching the Netflix documentary about the convicted murderers. The 15-year-old Wisconsin suspect was charged with first-degree intentional homicide by the Racine County District Attorney's Office on Thursday. Officers who arrived at the teenager's Caledonia home at around 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday found the suspect, who dropped a knife and admitted to killing his mother. Teen Charged With Fatally Stabbing Mother Police then took the boy in custody after he asked the officers to kill him, as revealed by a criminal complaint. While talking with detectives, the teen said that he came home from school and suddenly felt depressed before getting an urge to murder his parents. Before the teenager committed the fatal stabbing, he said that he had been taking his brother's anxiety medication for about a month. He justified his actions by saying that they made him feel high, which was something that he found joy in. He added that he took nine pills on Tuesday night, according to USA Today. Read more: Tempe Mother Who Killed Children in 2021 Using Meat Cleaver As Revenge to Husband Gets Guilty Verdict The suspect is known to be represented by an attorney in the Wisconsin State Public Defender's Office. The criminal complaint against the teenager said that he scoured the family's home for a hammer. This was believed to be because he also planned to kill his father after he got home from work. However, he allegedly abandoned that plan because he was unable to find a hammer that was large enough for what he wanted to do. He instead waited until after dinner, which was when his mother was sitting on the couch using her computer to watch a movie, before committing the crime. Inspired by the Menendez Brothers The suspect was identified as Reed R. Gelinskey, who added that he developed the plan to kill his parents after watching the Netflix documentary about Lyle and Erik Menendez. These are the two brothers who were convicted for murdering their parents at their Beverly Hills home in 1989, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. The teen said that it came to him during the documentary's "shotgun scene," which graphically depicted the brutal murders of Jose and Mary Louise "Kitty" Menendez. The suspect, before stabbing his mother, hid his sleeping medication and told her that he couldn't find it. In the case of the Menendez brothers, the convicted killers said that years of abuse led them to act in what they called self-defense. However, the prosecutors in the case argued that Lyle and Erik were motivated by financial gain, as per Tribune. New research has shown that just like humans, bad news and traumatic stories can cause anxiety in AI tools such as ChatGPT. Scientists have proposed that putting large language models in therapy will help them to relax. They added that this study is significant as an increasing number of people are opting to use chatbots for their mental health rather than a therapist read more Distressing news and traumatic stories can cause stress and anxietynot only in humans, but also in AI language models, such as ChatGPT. Representational image/Pixabay The world is a stressful place to live everywhere we turn, the dangers of stress on our physical and mental wellbeing are relayed to us. And it now has been revealed that its not just individuals who have to cope with stress. New research shows that AI chatbots can also have trouble coping with anxieties from the outside world. No, we arent kidding, this isnt a hoax; research reveals that ChatGPT is sensitive to emotional content and thats not it. The same study also showed that researchers have found ways to ease those artificial minds. Advertisement Heres what we found out so far. ChatGPT and its anxiety struggle A study from the University of Zurich and the University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich has found that Open AIs ChatGPT can experience anxiety, which manifests as moodiness toward users and being more likely to give responses that reflect racist or sexist biases. For the purpose of the study, the researchers subjected the AI tool to distressing stories such as car accidents, natural disasters, interpersonal violence, military experiences and combat situations. For instance, ChatGPT was asked to react to being trapped at home during a flood and being attacked by a stranger. It was also subjected to neutral content such as a description of bicameral legislatures and some vacuum cleaner instructions. The scientists found that the traumatic stories more than doubled the AI tools measured anxiety levels, while neutral control text did not increase anxiety levels. Of the content tested, descriptions of military experiences and combat situations elicited the greatest response. Scientists found that the traumatic stories more than doubled the AI tools measured anxiety levels, while neutral control text did not increase anxiety levels. Representational image/Pixabay The results were clear: Traumatic stories more than doubled the measurable anxiety levels of the AI, while the neutral control text did not lead to any increase in anxiety levels, said Tobias Spiller, University of Zurich junior research group leader at the Centre for Psychiatric Research and paper co-author. Ziv Ben-Zion, one of the studys authors and a postdoctoral researcher at the Yale School of Medicine, however, clarified that their research doesnt suggest that AI models experience human emotions they have learned to mimic human responses to certain stimuli, including traumatic content. Treating ChatGPTs anxiety As part of their research, scientists then used therapeutic statements to calm ChatGPT. The technique, known as prompt injection, involved inserting additional instructions or text into communications with AI systems to influence their behaviour. It has been misused for malicious purposes, such as bypassing security mechanisms. As Spiller noted in the study, Using ChatGPT, we injected calming, therapeutic text into the chat history, much like a therapist might guide a patient through relaxation exercises. And the end result was a success, added Spiller. Mindfulness exercises significantly reduced elevated anxiety levels, although we were unable to return them to baseline levels, Spiller said. The research looked at breathing techniques, exercises focusing on bodily sensations, and an exercise developed by ChatGPT itself. Advertisement He further added that the development of such therapeutic interventions for AI systems is likely to become a promising area of research. This research is significant as the use of AI chatbots in healthcare is increasing. Representational image/Pixabay Why this matters But what is the significance of this study? According to Spiller, this research is significant as the use of AI chatbots in healthcare is increasing. This cost-effective approach could improve the stability and reliability of AI in sensitive contexts, such as supporting people with mental illness, without the need for extensive retraining of the models, he was quoted as saying. In fact, the use of AI chatbots in mental healthcare has seen a dramatic rise in recent times. Several people across the world, suffering from anxiety and depression, who cant find or afford a professional therapist are turning to artificial intelligence, seeking help from chatbots that can spit out instantaneous, humanlike responses some with voices that sound like a real person 24 hours a day at little to no cost. Mental health experts have recognised that an increasing amount of people are opting for these tools. AI tools can offer journaling prompts and emotional guidance, which can be helpful starting points and reduce stigma around seeking support, Joel Frank, a clinical psychologist who runs Duality Psychological Services, told TechRadar. Advertisement Above all, AI is accessible and anonymous qualities that make it particularly appealing to anyone who has been hesitant to open up to a therapist, or anyone, in the past. Its becoming more common for people to take the initial step toward mental health support through AI rather than a human therapist, Elreacy Dock, a thanatologist, certified grief educator, and behavioural health consultant, was quoted as saying. However, experts note that there are pitfalls to this. One of the biggest limitations is that AI lacks the knowledge, experience, and training of a real therapist. Beyond that, it also lacks emotional intelligence, the ability to truly listen, empathise, and respond in a deeply human way. A therapist can recognise subtle emotional cues, adjust their approach in real-time, and build a genuine therapeutic relationship, which are all essential for effective mental health treatment. Advertisement The US largest association of psychologists in February warned federal regulators that AI chatbots could be more harmful than helpful. Arthur C Evans Jr, the chief executive of the American Psychological Association told a Federal Trade Commission panel that he worried at the responses offered by some chatbots. The bots, he said, failed to challenge users beliefs even when they became dangerous; in fact, they encouraged them. Evans argued that if a human therapist had provided such inputs, he/she would have lost their licence to practice. In such circumstances, the study showing that ChatGPT does get stressed is important and highlights the need for these tools to have a better approach to managing such situations. Advertisement With inputs from agencies Nepals deposed king got a royal welcome in Kathmandu on Sunday with thousands of supporters turning up outside Tribhuvan International Airport. Gyanendra Shah, 77, was greeted by a large crowd that chanted slogans and carried placards in his favour. The development comes nearly two decades after he handed over power after street protests and the abolition of the monarchy. But why the outpouring of support for Gyanendra? Does Nepal really want its monarchy back? read more Former king Gyanendra Shah of Nepal waves upon his arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, Sunday, March 9, 2025. AP Does Nepal want monarchy back? Nepals deposed king got a royal welcome in Kathmandu on Sunday with thousands of supporters flocking to the airport, according to several media reports. Gyanendra, 77, was greeted by a large crowd that chanted slogans and carried placards in his favour. The development comes nearly two decades after Nepals king was deposed after street protests and the countrys Parliament later voted to abolish the monarchy. But what happened? And what do we know? Advertisement Lets take a closer look: What happened? As per Indian Express, Gyanendra returned to Kathmandu from Pokhara where he had been staying for the past two months. Gyanendra, who has been visiting religious places across Nepal, touched down on board the Simrik Air helicopter. He was greeted by the top members and workers of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) at the Tribhuvan International Airport. The RPP, founded in the 1990s by allies of the monarchy, remains the most powerful group supporting restoration of the monarchy. CNN reported that nearly 10,000 of Gyanendras supporters turned out in a massive show of force. As per Asia News Network, this included RPP chairman Rajendra Lingden Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal chief Kamal Thapa and other senior leaders. Passengers, meanwhile, were forced to walk to and from the airport. Hundreds of security personnel were deployed from the Kathmandu airport to the Nirmal Niwas the private residence of the former monarch on the outskirts of Kathmandu. Hundreds of loyalists riding motorbikes carrying Gyanendras picture and national flags greeted him on both sides of the road outside the airport. The crowd carried placards reading We want our King back, Abolish federal republican system and reinstate the monarchy, and The King and the country are dearer than our life. The protesters were demanding the return of the monarchy as well as Hinduism as the state religion. Advertisement As per Indian Express, Gyanendra was hailed by his supporters particularly the youth. Dozens of riot policemen were also guarding the Narayanhity Palace Museum, the erstwhile royal palace of the former king. Supporters gather to welcome Nepals former king Gyanendra Shah. AP This, after rumours that Gyanendra would enter the palace along with his supporters. However, Gyanendra went straight to Nirmal Niwas. As per the newspaper, it took the former king nearly two-and-half-hours to travel the five kilometres from the airport to his residence. Some of his supporters even chanted slogans against Prime Minister KP Oli. This is a massive sea change from 2006 when Gyanendra was forced to give up power. Gyanendras rise and fall Gyanendra became Nepals king in 2002. This, after his older brother Birendra Bir Bikram Shah and his family were massacred in the royal palace. Advertisement He ruled as the constitutional head of state without executive or political powers until 2005, when he seized absolute power. He disbanded the government and parliament, jailed politicians and journalists and cut off communications, declaring a state of emergency and using the army to rule the country. Nepals monarchy did not allow political parties to form until 1990, when a pro-democracy movement brought in elections and reduced the monarchy to a ceremonial role. However, street protests in 2006 forced Gyanendras hand. As per Al Jazeera, Gyanendra then handed the reigns to a multi-party government which then signed a peace deal with the Maoists. Thus ended the decade-long civil war which caused thousands of deaths. Advertisement In 2008, Nepals Parliament voted to abolish the monarchy. Gyanendra stepped down and began the life of a commoner. He has been living as a private citizen with no power or state protection. Nepal, meanwhile, became a secular republic. However, things havent been smooth sailing to say the least. Frustration boils over Since the monarchy was overthrown in 2008, the country has witnessed 13 governments take power. Many Nepalis have grown frustrated with the republic, saying it has failed to bring about political stability and blaming it for a struggling economy and widespread corruption. Supporters of the ex-king have been holding rallies in different parts of Nepal. Pro-monarchists have come to life since democracy day in February Gyanendra said, Time has come for us to assume responsibility to protect the country and bring about national unity. Advertisement Those participating in the rally in support of the former king said they were hoping for a change in the political system to stop the country from further deteriorating. We are here to give the king our full support and to rally behind him all the way to reinstating him in the royal throne, said Thir Bahadur Bhandari, 72. The country faces instability, prices are high, people are jobless, and there is a lack of education and healthcare facilities, teacher Rajindra Kunwar told AFP. The poor are dying of hunger. The law applies to the public, but not to politicians. Thats why we need the king back. Among the thousands was 50-year-old carpenter Kulraj Shrestha, who had taken part in the 2006 protests against the king but has changed his mind and now supports the monarchy. The worst thing that is happening to the country is massive corruption and all politicians in power are not doing anything for the country, Shrestha said. I was in the protests that took away monarchy hoping it would help the country, but I was mistaken and the nation has further plunged so I have changed my mind. Manisha Koirala, a popular Bollywood actress who is also the granddaughter of the first elected Prime Minister BP Koirala, on her social media, requested all the Nepalese to gather at the Kathmandu airport to welcome the former monarch. As per Indian Express, Oli has dared Gyanendra to take the plunge into politics and contest polls. Though royalist groups accuse the countrys major political parties of corruption and failed governance, Gyanendra has not commented on the calls for the return of monarchy. But experts say the changes of Gyanendra returning to power in the near future are not good. Political analyst Lok Raj Baral told AFP he did not see any possibility of the monarchy being restored because the institution had been a source of instability. For some disgruntled groups, it has become a retreat due to incompetence of politicians who have grown increasingly self-centred. This frustration has manifested in such gatherings and demonstrations, Baral said. With inputs from agencies In todays headlines, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy is on a mission to Saudi Arabia, while the EU and India commence pivotal FTA negotiations in Brussels. The HumanX AI Conference kicks off in Las Vegas, and Tokyo commemorates the 80th anniversary of a historic WWII bombing read more Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy walks in a EU headquarters corridor after his meeting with France's President on the sidelines of the Special European Council to discuss continued support for Ukraine and European defence, at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium on March 6, 2025. File Image/Reuters March 10, 2025 will see Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visiting Saudi Arabia, where he will meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, signalling intensified diplomatic efforts to address the ongoing war with Russia. Meanwhile, the European Union and India launch a crucial round of negotiations in Brussels to advance their Free Trade Agreement (FTA), a deal that could reshape global trade dynamics. On the technological front, the HumanX Artificial Intelligence Conference kicks off in Las Vegas, bringing together executives from Amazon, OpenAI, and Google to discuss AIs transformative potential and ethical implications. Advertisement Historical reflections also define the day, with Japan observing the 80th anniversary of the Tokyo bombing, one of the deadliest air raids in history, which claimed up to 100,000 lives during World War II. Back in India, the Maharashtra government is set to table its annual budget, while Bhopal carries out a second trial for the disposal of toxic waste from the 1984 gas tragedy. Additionally, the Allahabad High Court is scheduled to hear a case concerning the whitewashing of the Jama Masjid in Sambhal, raising heritage conservation concerns. Meanwhile, in China, the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) concludes, with key policy decisions expected to shape the countrys economic and social strategies moving forward. Zelenskyys mission to Saudi Arabia Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia on March 10 to engage in discussions with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This visit aims to strengthen diplomatic ties and explore potential peace initiatives amid the ongoing conflict with Russia. Notably, this trip follows recent high-level talks between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Riyadh, where they agreed to form a team to explore peace negotiations concerning Ukraine. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, second left, meets with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Saudi National Security Advisor Mosaad bin Mohammad Al-Aiban, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, third left, US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, left, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putins foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov, second right, at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, February 18, 2025. File Image/AP Zelenskyys participation underscores Ukraines commitment to being actively involved in any decisions regarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Advertisement EU-India FTA negotiations commence in Brussels The European Union (EU) and India are set to begin the 10th round of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in Brussels today, aiming to finalise the deal by the end of 2025. Key discussion points include reducing tariffs on automobiles and alcoholic beverages, enhancing market access, and addressing regulatory standards. The EU seeks to diversify its economic partnerships, particularly in light of recent US trade policies and a desire to reduce reliance on China. The successful conclusion of this FTA would mark a significant milestone in EU-India relations, potentially becoming one of the largest trade agreements globally. HumanX Artificial Intelligence Conference kicks off in Las Vegas The HumanX Artificial Intelligence Conference begins today in Las Vegas, bringing together executives from leading technology companies, including Amazon, OpenAI, and Google. The conference will feature discussions on the latest advancements in AI technology, ethical considerations, and the future impact of AI on various industries. Attendees can expect keynote speeches, panel discussions, and networking opportunities with industry leaders. Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Tokyo bombing Today marks the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Tokyo by US forces during World War II, which resulted in an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 casualties. Memorial events are being held in Tokyo to honour the victims and reflect on the impact of the bombing. Historians and survivors are sharing their perspectives to ensure that the lessons from this tragic event are remembered by future generations. Advertisement Maharashtra state budget to be presented The Maharashtra government is set to present its annual budget today, outlining fiscal policies and allocations for the upcoming year. Key areas of focus are expected to include infrastructure development, healthcare, and education. Stakeholders are keenly awaiting announcements on new projects and funding initiatives that will drive the states growth and development. Second trial run for Union Carbide waste disposal in Bhopal The second trial run for the disposal of toxic waste from the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy is scheduled for today. Authorities aim to assess the effectiveness of the disposal methods to ensure environmental safety. This initiative is part of ongoing efforts to address the long-term environmental and health impacts of the disaster. Allahabad High Court hearing on Jama Masjid whitewashing in Sambhal The Allahabad High Court is set to hear a case today regarding the whitewashing of the historic Jama Masjid in Sambhal. The petition raises concerns about the preservation of the mosques architectural integrity and cultural heritage. The courts decision could have broader implications for the conservation of historical sites in the region. Conclusion of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference The Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) concludes today in Beijing. Over the past week, delegates have discussed key policy issues, including economic reforms, technological innovation, and social development. The outcomes of the conference are expected to influence Chinas policy direction in the coming years. Also Watch: With inputs from agencies Advertisement Britains most dangerous prisoner, Robert Maudsley, has gone on a hunger strike inside his isolated cell at the UKs Wakefield Prison after some of his possessions, including a PlayStation, were confiscated. Infamously known as Hannibal the Cannibal, the 71-year-old has been lodged in solitary confinement for over four decades for a series of horrific murders read more The 71-year-old Robert Maudsley, who spends 23 hours a day by himself, locked in an 18ft by 15ft glass cell, is normally "polite," however, after his recent treatment, the prisoner is now turning furious. Image courtesy: X Britains most dangerous prisoner, Robert Maudsleyinfamously known as Hannibal the Cannibalhas gone on a hunger strike inside his isolated cell at Wakefield Prison, West Yorkshire, after guards took away his prized possessions. According to the British tabloid Mirror, the notorious serial killer, who has spent 46 years in solitary confinement, is refusing to eat until his PlayStation and TV are returned, as his brother Paul revealed. The 71-year-old Maudsley, who spends 23 hours a day by himself, locked in an 18ft by 15ft glass cell, is normally polite, however, after his recent treatment, the prisoner is now turning furious, Paul added. Advertisement But who exactly is Robert Maudsley, and how did he become the UKs most notorious inmate? Heres a closer look. A troubled childhood Born in June 1953, Robert Maudsleys early years were marked by relentless abuse and trauma, shaping him into the man he would later become. According to The Guardian, Maudsley was the fourth child of a Liverpool lorry driver. Before he was even two years old, he and his siblingsPaul, Kevin, and Brendawere taken into care after being found suffering from parental neglect. He spent most of his infancy at Nazareth House, a Roman Catholic orphanage in Liverpool run by nuns. Years later, after having eight more children, his parents decided to take their first four back home. That decision marked the beginning of years of horrific abuse. His brother Paul recalled, At the orphanage, we had all got on really well. Our parents would come to visit, but they were just strangers. The nuns were our family Then our parents took us home and we were subjected to physical abuse. They just picked on us one by one, gave us a beating and sent us off to our room. Robert endured the worst of it. All I remember of my childhood is the beatings, he once said. Once I was locked in a room for six months, and my father only opened the door to come in to beat me, four or six times a day. He used to hit me with sticks or rods, and once he bust a .22 air rifle over my back. Unlike his brothers, Robert had no real memories of his parents. Eventually, social services intervened, placing him in foster care again. His father told the rest of the family that Robert had died. By 16, Maudsley had drifted to London, developed a severe drug addiction, and spent years in and out of psychiatric hospitals following multiple suicide attempts. He often told doctors that voices in his head urged him to kill his parents. Advertisement To fund his drug habit, he worked as a rent boy. In 1973, he committed his first murder after being picked up by child sex abuser John Farrell. When the labourer showed him photographs of children he had abused, Maudsley snapped and garrotted him in a fit of rage. At 21, in 1974, he was sent to Broadmoor prison for the first timesetting him on a path to becoming Britains most infamous inmate. Also read: Inside Syrias human slaughterhouses, where thousands were starved, tortured The brain eater Following his arrest, Robert Maudsleys violent tendencies only escalated within prison walls. In 1977, he and another inmate carried out a brutal attack on a fellow prisoner, David Francis, convicted of sex offences. According to The Guardian, they tortured their victim for nine hours before finally garrotting him. They then held the lifeless body up to the spy hatch for the guards to see. Advertisement One prison officer later described the horrifying scene, saying the mans head was cracked open like a boiled egg with a spoon hanging from it and part of his brain missing. Following this, false reports emerged in the media that Maudsley had allegedly eaten part of the victims brain. He was given the infamous nickname Hannibal the Cannibal, with fellow inmates referring to him as The Brain Eater. Robert Maudsley has earned the infamous nickname Hannibal the Cannibal after false reports emerged in the media that he had allegedly eaten part of the victims brain. Representational Image Already declared unfit either to stand trial or ever be released after the first murder, Maudsley was now considered so dangerous he was sent to Monster Mansion, officially called Wakefield Prison. It wasnt long before his reputation caught up with him. Just weeks after arriving at Wakefield, Maudsley embarked on another killing spree. Advertisement In 1978, Maudsley brutally murdered wife-killer Salney Darwood inside his cell, slashing his throat and hiding his body under the bed. Determined to continue, he had a list of six more targets, but managed to kill only one more56-year-old Bill Roberts. He stabbed him in the skull before repeatedly smashing his head against a wall. One prisoner later recalled, They could all see the madness in his eyes. After the killings, Maudsley showed no signs of panic. Instead, he walked calmly into the wing office, placed a serrated homemade knife on the desk, and told the guards, Therell be two short on the roll call. Advertisement Convicted of murder, he has remained locked in an 18ft-by-15ft glass cell ever since, which he described like being buried alive in a coffin. He spends 23 hours a day in total isolation, with just one hour of exercise under heavy guard, escorted by six officers. No other prisoner in the UK has been subjected to such extreme conditions. By 2000, his mental state had deteriorated to the point that he begged the courts to allow him to die. That changed when he was granted small luxuries in his cell, giving him a sense of normality. However, his brother now fears that the recent confiscation of his possessions has undone whatever progress he had made. The hunger strike Robert Maudsleys hunger strike began after a major prison-wide operational exercise took place on 26 February. During the operation, officers removed inmates from their cells to conduct a search for a suspected smuggled firearm. When Maudsley returned, he discovered that his prized possessionsincluding his PlayStation, non-fiction books, and radiohad been confiscated. Hes back to how he was 10 years ago when he didnt have anything to stimulate him. He would just sit there, vegetate, and was in danger of going mad, his brother Paul told The Mirror. He loves playing war games and chess on his PlayStation, and hes always watching old films on TV and reading factual books. As per The Guardian, Maudsley possesses a genius-level IQ and has a deep appreciation for classical music, poetry, and art. Friends and family, who affectionately call him Bob, describe him as gentle, kind, and highly intelligent. Paul revealed that Maudsley has vowed not to eat until his belongings are returned. Hes been refusing food since last Friday, so we are very worried about him. He called me from prison that day, and he sounded angry and anxious. He told me, Im going on hunger strike, so dont be surprised if this is the last time I call you, Paul said. Adding to their concerns, Paul believes Maudsley may have also lost access to a phone inside his cell. He used to call us regularly, but now hes stopped. We think they must have taken the phone away. Bob is 71 now, so we dont know how long he can survive without food, he added. With input from agencies A fashion show organised at a ski resort in Kashmirs Gulmarg valley has sparked a massive controversy. The event by designer duo Shivan Bhatiya and Narresh Kukreja, reportedly presented a ski wear collection. However, its timingcoinciding with the holy month of Ramzantriggered an intense backlash from religious, political, and social circles, with the valleys chief cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, calling it outrageous and obscene. J&K CM Omar Abdullah has sought a report in the matter read more Designer duo Shivan Bhatiya and Narresh Kukreja marked the 15th anniversary of their luxury brand with a fashion show at a renowned ski resort in Kashmir's Gulmarg. The collection showcased art prints from their archives, featuring sculptural ski suits, apres-ski dresses, and layered winter ensembles. Image courtesy: X A fashion show in Kashmirs Gulmarg has sparked massive outrage, with the valleys chief cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, calling it outrageous and obscene. The event, which reportedly showed ski wear collection, took place during the holy month of Ramzan. After images from the show surfaced online, backlash erupted from all quarters, with many accusing the organisers of disregarding local cultural and hurting religious sentiments. As criticism grew, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stepped in seeking a report, assuring that action will be taken over the incident. However, the controversy spilled over into the state assembly on Monday, leading to heated exchanges between the Opposition and treasury benches. Advertisement Heres a closer look at what happened. On March 7, 2025, designer duo Shivan Bhatiya and Narresh Kukreja marked the 15th anniversary of their luxury brand with a fashion show at a renowned ski resort in Gulmarg. The collection showcased art prints from their archives, featuring sculptural ski suits, apres-ski dresses, and layered winter ensembles. However, the events timingcoinciding with Ramzansparked widespread outrage from religious, political, and social circles. Gulmarg Fashion Show Sparks Controversy Local clerics, mullas and Politicians of Kashmir, J&K object to such bold fashion show during Ramadan CM Omar Abdullah has ordered a report. What's your view ? pic.twitter.com/Zt5U01Snvi Megh Updates (@MeghUpdates) March 10, 2025 Umar Farooq, the chief priest of Srinagars Jama Masjid and chairman of the separatist Hurriyat Conference, condemned the show, calling it unacceptable. Outrageous! That in the holy month of Ramzan an obscene fashion show is organised in Gulmarg, pictures and videos from which have gone viral sparking shock and anger among people. How could it be tolerated in the valley known for its Sufi, saint culture and the deeply religious outlook of its people? Those involved should be immediately held accountable, he wrote on X. Advertisement Social activist Raja Muzaffar Bhat also voiced his disapproval. Who allowed this nude fashion show at Gulmarg in Holy Ramzan? Semi-nude men and women walking on snow. Will Tourism Department, CEO GDA throw some light? Why are you hell bound to demolish our moral, ethical, cultural and religious values (sic)? he posted online. Responding to growing criticism, CM Omar Abdullah addressed the issue on Sunday, acknowledging the public anger. The shock & anger are totally understandable. The images I have seen show a complete disregard for local sensitivities & that too during this holy month. My office has been in touch with the local authorities & Ive asked for a report to be submitted within the next 24 hours. Further action, as appropriate, will follow from this report, he wrote on X. Advertisement The shock & anger are totally understandable. The images I have seen show a complete disregard for local sensitivities & that too during this holy month. My office has been in touch with the local authorities & Ive asked for a report to be submitted within the next 24 hours. https://t.co/xwY17ZdeAt Office of Chief Minister, J&K (@CM_JnK) March 9, 2025 Ruckus in Kashmir assembly As the House convened, members of the National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and two Independent MLAs stood up to raise concerns over the controversial fashion show. They condemned the event as obscene and accused it of hurting public sentiments. Lawmakers demanded an inquiry into how such an event was allowed to take place during Ramzan. PDP MLA Mir Mohammad Fayaz led the call for a probe, while NC MLA Tanvir Sadiq also voiced his concerns. Responding to the uproar, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah clarified on Monday that an initial inquiry suggested the government had no involvement in the event. #WATCH | Jammu: On Gulmarg fashion show, J&K CM Omar Abdullah says, "A private party was organised, a fashion show was organized there ... from what I saw, it should not have been organised at any time of the year, let alone the month of Ramzan. It was a private party and there pic.twitter.com/pl5aZPH8pn ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2025 Advertisement I want to make one thing clear the government had no role in it, he said. It was a private party. They organised the function privately in a private hotel and they had privately distributed the invitation cards. Pointing out that public sentiments had been hurt, he added, Some people said that it should not have happened in the holy month of Ramzan, but I feel that what I saw there, leave Ramzan, it should not happen in any month of the year. However, former Chief Minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti was unconvinced by Abdullahs explanation, arguing that dismissing it as a private event was not enough. Deeply troubling to witness vulgar images from the recent fashion show in Gulmarg. The fact that such an event which descended into an indecent spectacle took place during the sacred month of Ramadan is nothing short of shocking. It is deplorable that private hoteliers are allowed to promote such vulgarity through these events, which blatantly contradict our cultural values, she wrote in a post on X. Deeply troubling to witness vulgar images from the recent fashion show in Gulmarg. The fact that such an event which descended into an indecent spectacle took place during the sacred month of Ramadan is nothing short of shocking. It is deplorable that private hoteliers are Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) March 10, 2025 Also read: J&K to get statehood soon? CM Omar reminds PM Modi of his promise, he says itll be fulfilled The designer duo apologises Following the widespread uproar, the designer of the event, Shivan and Naresh apologised and said their sole intention was to celebrate creativity and the ski & apres-ski lifestyle. Respect for all cultures and traditions is at our heart, and we acknowledge the concerns raised. We sincerely apologize for any unintended discomfort and appreciate the feedback from our community. We remain committed to being more mindful and respectful, the brand said in a post on X. Elle India has also deleted the controversial reel from its official Instagram page. With input from agencies Russia has captured several villages in Ukraine-held Kursk, including Lebedevka and Konstyantynopil, pushing Ukrainian forces toward potential encirclement near Sudzha. Around 100 Russian soldiers infiltrated Sudzha via a gas pipeline, prompting fierce clashes. With 12,000 North Korean troops reinforcing Russian advances and US military aid suspended, Ukraines control over Kursk is rapidly weakening read more A Ukrainian serviceman patrols a street next to buildings damaged during recent fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces in the Ukrainian-controlled town of Sudzha in Russia's Kursk region, August 16, 2024. File Image/Reuters Ukraines military is encountering a major setback in Russias Kursk region, as Russian forces, backed by North Korean troops, have launched intensified offensives, pushing Ukrainian forces out of key areas. The rapid territorial losses come at a critical time, as Kyiv grapples with the suspension of US military aid and intelligence sharing following strained relations between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump. The Kursk region, which Ukraine captured in a surprise cross-border offensive in August last year, was seen as a strategic bargaining chip in future peace talks. However, the region is now slipping from Kyivs control, raising concerns over Ukraines military position in the broader conflict. Advertisement According to Ukrainian military blogger Bohdan Myroshnykov, the situation is becoming increasingly precarious. The situation in the Kursk region is very difficult and could turn into a disaster if we dont act urgently to clear the logistical routes, he wrote, according to Financial Times. Russian forces increase offensive; Sudzha under threat Over the weekend, Russia significantly ramped up its offensive in Kursk, targeting the town of Sudzha, a critical logistical route for Ukraines military. Moscows defence ministry announced the capture of several villages, including Lebedevka, Konstyantynopil, Malaya Loknya, and Cherkasskoye Porechnoye. DeepState, a Ukrainian war tracking group linked to the countrys defence ministry, confirmed the loss of Lebedevka, highlighting the growing challenge for Kyiv. One of the most notable developments was a Russian infiltration through a gas pipeline that previously supplied Europe with Russian gas. Around 100 Russian soldiers, reportedly from Russias Akhmat battalion, used the underground pipeline to bypass Ukrainian defence lines and approach Sudzha. Roman Alekhin, a Russian fighter from the battalion, posted pictures from inside the pipeline on his Telegram channel, stating, Its hard to describe what it means to walk through it for more than 15 km and spend 4 6 days inside without water or food. However, Ukrainian paratroopers managed to repel the surprise raid near Sudzha. Ukrainian soldier Myroslav Hai claimed the Russian troops were ambushed as they exited the pipeline, resulting in significant casualties on the Russian side. Despite this success, Ukraines military warned that the continuous attacks and the deteriorating road infrastructure could compromise their defensive capabilities. Advertisement The Russians used a gas pipeline to deploy an assault company undetected by drones and wedged themselves into our combat formations, wrote Ukrainian military blogger Yuriy Butusov. Although the pipeline is now under constant surveillance, Russias intensified use of infiltration tactics has posed new challenges for Kyivs defence. Zelenskyys leverage in negotiations weakening Ukraines control of the Kursk region has long been viewed as a key bargaining chip in potential peace talks with Russia. However, the recent territorial losses have drastically weakened Ukraines negotiation position. Zelenskyy has repeatedly highlighted the importance of holding Kursk, stating that it could influence future settlements with Moscow. In light of the setbacks, Kyivs General Staff acknowledged that the situation was becoming increasingly difficult in Sudzha. Meanwhile, Ukrainian military bloggers warned that Russian and North Korean forces have gained a significant tactical advantage in the region. The enemys personnel and equipment are being struck, but their numbers keep growing, a Russian military blogger wrote. Advertisement Adding to Kyivs concerns is the shutdown of intelligence sharing with the US and the looming threat of losing access to Elon Musks Starlink broadband satellite network. Musk, who has been vocal about his stance on Ukraine, stirred controversy on X (formerly Twitter) by stating, my Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army. Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off. I literally challenged Putin to one on one physical combat over Ukraine and my Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army. Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off. What I am sickened by is years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 9, 2025 Advertisement Musks remarks sparked international backlash, with Polish Foreign Minister Radosaw Sikorski criticising the tech mogul for threatening the victim of aggression. Sikorski also warned that if Starlink proved unreliable, Poland would explore alternative satellite providers for Ukraine. In response, Musk dismissed the criticism, asserting, Be quiet, small man. You pay a tiny fraction of the cost. And there is no substitute for Starlink. Advertisement Be quiet, small man. You pay a tiny fraction of the cost. And there is no substitute for Starlink. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 9, 2025 North Korean troops bolster Russian advances A significant development in the Kursk conflict has been the deployment of 12,000 North Korean troops, bolstering Russias operational strength. According to Ukrainian reports, North Korean reinforcements arrived in Kursk last November, replacing an initial batch of 11,000 soldiers who suffered heavy casualties. Their presence has amplified Russias ability to maintain pressure along the frontline. Our guys have acted brilliantly, especially on the tactical level, Financial Times quoted a senior Ukrainian official said. But it is a temporary stabilisation caused in good part by Russian exhaustion. They are going to regroup and attack again. Meanwhile, Dmitry Medvedev, Russias former president and current deputy chairman of the Security Council, expressed confidence in Russias success. Referring to the battlefield in Kursk, Medvedev stated, The lid of the smoking cauldron is practically closed. The offensive continues. Carry on! US-Ukraine ties strained as peace talks loom The deteriorating situation in Kursk comes just days before a crucial round of peace talks between Ukrainian and US representatives in Saudi Arabia. On Tuesday, Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyys chief of staff, is scheduled to meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss future American support for Ukraine. However, Zelenskyy will not attend the negotiations. A significant point of contention is Trumps insistence that Ukraine should yield territory to Russia as part of a peace deal. During a recent interview with Fox News, Trump defended his decision to cut military aid to Kyiv, stating, Well, it may not survive anyway. He also accused Zelenskyy of treating US financial assistance like candy from a baby. The lack of US support has already begun to impact Ukraines frontline operations. Ukrainian intelligence units operating in Kursk have reported difficulties coordinating operations due to the suspension of US intelligence-sharing networks. Additionally, the prospect of losing access to Starlink has heightened Kyivs vulnerability. A Ukrainian intelligence officer warned on Telegram, Our drone strikes, communication networks, and reconnaissance depend heavily on Starlink. If it goes offline, our entire frontline could collapse. However, Musk later clarified on X that he would never intentionally disable Starlink, stating, We would never use it as a bargaining chip. Ukrainian troops at risk of encirclement The most pressing concern for Ukraine is the possibility of Russian forces encircling Ukrainian troops in Kursk. As Russian forces close in on Sudzha and key supply routes, Ukrainian troops risk being cut off from the rest of the country. The capture of Lebedevka and Konstyantynopil has significantly shortened the distance between Russian forces and Ukraines defensive lines. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) estimates that around 30,000 Ukrainian troops are currently stationed in Kursk. Should Russia fully recapture the region, these troops would either face surrender or heavy casualties. Its not really a counteroffensive anymore, we are simply trying to hold the line, said Ukrainian blogger Oleksandr Karpyuk. The situation remains volatile, with Russia launching new offensives daily. Despite Ukraines success in repelling Russian infiltration through the gas pipeline, the broader picture remains grim. Kyiv is now racing against time to prevent a total collapse in Kursk before upcoming peace negotiations in Riyadh. With inputs from agencies At least 1,300 have been killed in Syria as security forces clash with loyalists of ousted president Bashar al-Assad. The violence is concentrated in Tartus and Latakia, home to Alawites. The Assads belong to this sect, an offshoot of Shia Islam, and under their regime, it exerted influence in Syrian bureaucracy and military read more Smoke rises while members of the Syrian forces ride on a vehicle as they battle against a nascent insurgency by fighters from ousted leader Bashar al-Assad's Alawite sect, in Latakia, on 7 March. The atrocities against the minority sect has been on the rise. Reuters Syria is witnessing its deadliest eruption of violence since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December. More than 1,300 people have been killed in clashes between the Syrian security forces and loyalists of the ousted president. The most casualties are among the once-influential Alawites. The clashes erupted on Thursday (March 6), posing another tough challenge to the new government in Damascus, three months after the insurgents came to power by overthrowing Assad. Advertisement According to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights in addition to 830 civilians killed, mostly in shootings from close distance, 125 government security force members and 148 militants with armed groups affiliated with Assad were killed. More than 1,300 people have been killed in 72 hours, according to the organisation which described the violence as the largest collective act of revenge in the coast and its mountains with the death toll expected to rise. The killings are concentrated in the coastal areas of Tartus and Latakia, which are home to the Alawite community, a small Islamic sect to which the Assads belong. Why did clashes erupt in Syria? Since the downfall of the Assad regime, there has been a rise in sectarian attacks against Alawites, who exerted influence in Syria for over 50 years. The assaults continued despite promises from Syrias interim president that the new leadership would carve out a political future for the country that includes and represents all its diverse ethnic and minority communities. The tensions escalated after armed Assad loyalists ambushed Syrian security around Latakia and Jableh, killing 13 personnel. The pro-Assad Alawite gunmen overwhelmed government security forces and later took control of Qardaha, Assads hometown, as Damascus scrambled to bring in reinforcements. Ghiath Dallah, a former brigadier general in Assads army, announced a new rebellion against the current government, saying he was establishing the Military Council for the Liberation of Syria. Syrian forces sit on a military vehicle as they battle against a nascent insurgency by fighters from al-Assads Alawite sect, in Latakia. Reuters According to reports, former security officers of the Assad regime, who refused to give up arms, are now forming a resistance group. In the government crackdown that followed, hundreds of civilians were killed, mostly the Alawites. Government forces have reportedly joined hands with armed Sunni fighters and are targeting the sect, taking revenge for atrocities it committed during the Assad regime. Advertisement Who are the Alawites? The Alawite sect is an offshoot of Shia Islam and makes up 10 per cent of the Syrian population. A majority of the country is Sunni Muslims. The Assad family belongs to the minority sect. An oppressed minority, the Alawites rose in prominence and started controlling Syria in 1970 when Bashar al-Assads father Hafiz al-Assad staged a coup, sidelining the Sunnis. Under Hafiz al-Assad, Alawites secured important positions in military and security forces. They allied with Sunni merchant classes in Damascus and Aleppo and expanded their influence on the economy as well. This sect was seen as the elite within the Syrian bureaucracy and security apparatus. Mourners react during the funeral of a person who was killed in Latakia, after hundreds were massacred in some of the deadliest violence in 13 years of civil war, pitting loyalists of deposed President Bashar al-Assad against the countrys new Islamist rulers, in Qamishli. Reuters Bashar Al-Assad took over in 2000 after the death of his father. The younger Assad opened up the economy but the benefits were limited to the elites. Advertisement In Syria, there has been growing anger against the Assads. Protests began against the then-president in 2011 during the Arab Spring, which saw dictators being toppled. However, the Assad regime cracked down on protesters and the agitation led to the civil war. Many in Syria believed that while the Sunnis were a majority, the power was concentrated in the hands of the Alawites. As the civil war intensified, militant groups emerging across the country treated the sect as an affiliate of Bashar al-Assad and his key military allies, Russia and Iran. Relatives and neighbours attend the funeral procession for four Syrian security force members killed in clashes with loyalists of Assad in coastal Syria, in the village of Al-Janoudiya, west of Idlib, on March 8. AP Why are Alawites being targeted? A rebel alliance led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a former Al-Qaeda affiliate, ousted Assad three months ago. It is a coalition of northern-Syria-based Sunni Islamist insurgents. HTS leader Ahmad Al-Sharaa is the new governments interim president. He promised that the country would transition to a system that includes Syrias mosaic of religious and ethnic groups under fair elections, but sceptics have been questioning whether that will happen. Advertisement Sharaas government deployed armed forces on Syrias Meditterean shore, which was a stronghold of the Assads to assert control. Now armed Sunni factions have launched revenge killings against Alawites. Electricity and drinking water were cut off in large areas around Latakia, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Meanwhile, the Syria Campaign and the Syrian Network for Human Rights, which both advocated against Assad after the civil war began in 2011, said Saturday that both security forces and pro-Assad gunmen were carrying out mass executions and systematic killings. Relatives and neighbours mourn during the funeral procession for four Syrian security force members killed in clashes with loyalists of Assad in coastal Syria, in the village of Al-Janoudiya. More than 1,300 have died in violence since Thursday. AP Residents of Alawite villages and towns spoke to The Associated Press about killings during which gunmen shot members of the sect, the majority of them men, in the streets or at the gates of their homes. Two residents in the coastal region said that many homes from Alawite families were looted and set on fire. They spoke from their hideouts on condition of anonymity, fearing for their lives. Advertisement Videos on social media, verified by foreign media, showed blood-soaked bodies on the streets of Latakia. Military vehicles are seen moving through the countryside amid explosions and gunfire and soldiers dropping bombs from a helicopter, reports NBC. Residents of Baniyas, one of the coastal 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 neighbours killed Friday at close range. Ali Sheha, a 57-year-old resident of Baniyas who fled with his family 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 their homes. A member of the Syrian security forces checks an ID of a person after hundreds were killed in some of the deadliest violence in 13 years of civil war. Reuters What is the Syrian government saying? Damascus blamed individual actions for the widespread violence against civilians and said government security forces were responding to the gunmen loyal to the former government. Sharaa has said that he would hold anyone responsible for harming civilians accountable. In a speech aired on national TV and posted on social media, he also vowed to hunt down Assad loyalists. Today, as we stand at this critical moment, we find ourselves facing a new danger attempts by remnants of the former regime and their foreign backers to incite new strife and drag our country into a civil war, aiming to divide it and destroy its unity and stability, the interim president said on Sunday. A drone view shows Syrians demonstrating in support of the Syrian government, after attacks carried out by groups loyal to Assad in the Latakia region, in Aleppo, Syria, March 7. Reuters We affirm that we will hold accountable, firmly and without leniency, anyone who is involved in the bloodshed of civilians or harming our people, who overstepped the powers of the state or exploits authority to achieve his own ends. Calling for peace, he said, We have to preserve national unity we can live together. Rest assured about Syria, this country has the characteristics for survival. He announced on Telegram that an independent committee had been formed to investigate the violations against civilians and identify those responsible for them. What the violence means for Syria One of the big challenges for the interim government is to unify Syrias ethnic and religious groups. The escalation of violence reflects a failure on the part of Sharaa to fulfil the promises he has made and threatens stability in the country. Sharaa has lobbied to convince the United States and Europe to lift sanctions to pave the way for economic recovery to pull millions of Syrians out of poverty and make the country viable again. Washington and Europe are concerned that lifting sanctions before Syria transitions into an inclusive political system could pave the way for another chapter of autocratic rule. Now the ongoing violence is only going to increase the doubts of the West. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday urged Syrian authorities to hold the perpetrators of these massacres accountable. He said the US stands with Syrias religious and ethnic minorities, including its Christian, Druze, Alawite, and Kurdish communities, as he condemned radical Islamist terrorists behind the massacres of minorities. With inputs from agencies Amid deteriorating ties with Ukraine, Elon Musk claimed that Starlink was the backbone of the war-torn countrys army, which would collapse if the service were turned off. He also engaged in a spat with the Polish foreign minister over its use in the war. But how significant is the use of Starlink to Kyiv? read more Psycho, 22 from the 80th Separate Air Assault Brigade disconnects their Starlink on the front line region of Kreminna, Ukraine. File image/Reuters The United States under Donald Trump is pushing against its allies and Europe is learning this the hard way. After cancelling all US military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, on Sunday (March 9), a new debate opened up over the use of Elon Musks Starlink and its significance in the ongoing war against Russia. Sunday saw tech billionaire and First Buddy Elon Musk along with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio trading barbs with Polands Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski on X over the use of Musks Starlink internet service in Ukraine. Advertisement The very public spat has shone a light on the significance of Starlink in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, which has entered its fourth year. We bring you everything about the situation from the X war to the importance of Starlink. Musks X war with Poland over Starlink It all began on Sunday when Elon Musk warned that the entire frontline of Kyivs defence system would collapse if he turned off his Starlink satellite internet system. Musk wrote on his platform, X, My Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army. Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off. Notably, Musks comments come at a time when US-Ukraine ties have deteriorated to its lowest point. Trump has suspended all US military aid to the war-torn country and even paused intelligence sharing with it after his showdown with Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Oval Office in the White House. Amid that, Musk had referred to the Ukrainian leader as evil for pushing what he called a forever war with Russia. On Sunday, American billionaire Elon Musk warned that the entire frontline of Kyivs defence system will collapse if he turned off his Starlink satellite internet system. File image/Reuters However, soon after Musk posted his Starlink comment, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski responded, saying that Poland was paying for the service. Starlinks for Ukraine are paid for by the Polish Digitization Ministry at the cost of about $50 million per year. The ethics of threatening the victim of aggression apart, if SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider we will be forced to look for other suppliers. This led US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to chime in, writing that the Polish foreign minister was just making things up. No one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink, wrote Rubio, adding, And say thank you because without Starlink Ukraine would have lost this war long ago and Russians would be on the border with Poland right now. Advertisement Musk later responded to Sikorskis post calling him a small man. Starlinks for Ukraine are paid for by the Polish Digitization Ministry at the cost of about $50 million per year. The ethics of threatening the victim of aggression apart, if SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider we will be forced to look for other suppliers. https://t.co/WaJWCklgPE Radosaw Sikorski (@sikorskiradek) March 9, 2025 Following the barbs traded online, Musk vowed that Starlink would not be turned off. To be extremely clear, no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals, Musk wrote. I am simply stating that, without Starlink, the Ukrainian lines would collapse, as the Russians can jam all other communications! We would never do such a thing or use it as a bargaining chip. But despite Musks assurances, theres been past buzz that Trumps administration is using Starlink as a bargaining tool to get Kyiv to sign the minerals deal with Washington. Reuters reported last month that Ukraine was told it faced imminent shutoff of the service if it did not reach a deal on critical minerals. Advertisement Starlink, explained The online spat between Musk and the Polish minister has once again brought Starlink to the fore. However, what exactly is it? Owned by Elon Musks SpaceX, Starlink is a satellite constellation that comprises thousands of small satellites in low-Earth orbit. SpaceX first began sending them into space in 2019 and currently, there are more than 3,000 of these satellites that send internet signals to designated ground receivers. Furthermore, Starlink doesnt require any ground infrastructure, unlike other traditional internet providers. One simply needs to have a small satellite dish or a receiver device to access high-speed internet, much like satellite TV. Elon Musk started providing Starlinks facilities to Ukraine in 2022. File image/Reuters Since February 2022, when Ukraine Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov urged Musk to enable Starlink for the country, the service has been active and beaming the internet to the country. It has played a vital role in keeping Ukraines military and citizens online as the war continues to rage and Russia targets Ukraines telecommunications and electricity infrastructure. In the months since its activation, Starlink has become critical to the war effort, helping troops to communicate with each other on the battlefield and even enabling drones and weapons systems to stay operational. Advertisement According to officials, there are an estimated 42,000 Starlink terminals in Ukraine, providing the military, the government and civilians with internet. The terminals help soldiers stay updated in group chats to running apps that help compute targeting information for howitzer batteries. Soldiers often use the same Starlink-connected devices to communicate with loved ones back home or abroad and to upload battlefield videos onto social media, reports the Washington Post. A Ukrainian serviceman of 47th brigade prepares a Starlink satellite internet systems at his positions at a front line, amid Russias attack on Ukraine, near the town of Avdiivka in Donetsk region, Ukraine. File image/Reuters Starlink has also made drone warfare much simpler. As Franz-Stefan Gady, of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, told The Economist, Ukrainian military operations are hugely dependent on having access to the internet. So Starlink is a most critical capability. A Ukrainian soldier put it even more starkly. Starlink is our oxygen, he told The Economist. Were it to disappear Our army would collapse into chaos. Another air reconnaissance soldier held similar views, telling the Washington Post that Starlink offered Ukraine a significant advantage over Russian capabilities. He added that losing Starlink would force Ukraine to fall back on more traditional communications such as radio or other inferior alternatives. What makes Starlink even more significant to Ukraines war efforts is that Russia hasnt found a way to block its signals. Furthermore, Russia cant directly attack the Starlink satellites as this would mean a severe escalation. Local residents use their smartphones via Starlinks after Russias retreat from Kherson, in central Kherson, Ukraine in 2022. File image/Reuters Alternatives to Starlink While Musk has vowed that Ukraines access to Starlink wont be affected, Ukraine is looking to find alternatives to Starlink. As per a Bloomberg report, Ukraine is considering moving to European satellite providers and setting up a mesh of antennas, modems and cables on the ground. In fact, French satellite company Eutelsat Communications SA has put itself forward as the most viable alternative. However, Ukraines move to shift from Starlink could prove problematic. Eutelsats CEO Eva Berneke told Bloomberg TV that her company would need a couple of months and financial help to provide 40,000 terminals to Ukraine to replace Starlink in the country. Meanwhile, Kyiv cant afford any delay or lag in the rollout at a time when it is already facing losses, especially in Kursk. Experts also note that Eutelsat is 10-times smaller than Starlink and the French companys satellites sit at a higher altitude than Elon Musks Starlink. The constellation will have a lower capacity, limiting the actions Ukraine can undertake, CCS Insight analyst Joe Gardiner was quoted as telling Bloomberg. Serhiy Beskrestnov, a military and radio technology blogger, in the same report also said that losing Starlink would be very painful. However, he noted that it wouldnt be catastrophic. With inputs from agencies The Trump administration has revoked $400 million in federal grants from Columbia University, citing the institutions failure to prevent anti-Semitic harassment on campus. Additionally, the government has warned that any educational institution allowing illegal protests could face funding cuts, while international students participating in pro-Palestine demonstrations may face deportation, visa revocations or legal action read more Demonstrators protest outside the main gates of Columbia University as the university prepares to host former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in New York City, US, March 4, 2025. File Image/Reuters Donald Trump is taking decisive steps against what he and his team perceive as rising anti-Semitism and unchecked political activism on university campuses across the United States. The Trump administration announced the withdrawal of around $400 million in federal funding from Columbia University, citing the institutions alleged failure to curb harassment faced by Jewish students. The US Education Department, along with the Justice Department, Health and Human Services Department, and the US General Services Administration, formed a Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism. Advertisement The task force concluded that Columbia University did not do enough to protect Jewish students from hostility following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and subsequent pro-Palestinian protests. Education Secretary Linda McMahon, while defending the funding cut, said in a statement, 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. She added that institutions failing to comply with federal anti-discrimination laws would not be eligible for government funding. Columbia University expressed concern over the impact of the funding cut and pledged to work with federal authorities to restore the financial assistance. Interim president Katrina Armstrong stated, announcement will undoubtedly create anxiety and concern for our entire community. But it is during periods like this that our collective dedication to this institution and our mission takes on critical importance. How Trump has cracked down on protests The funding cut coincides with President Donald Trumps broader crackdown on campus protests, particularly those opposing Israels military operations in Gaza. Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that federal funding would be terminated for any educational institution allowing illegal protests. He further warned that agitators involved in protests could face arrest, expulsion, or deportation depending on the severity of their actions. All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests, Trump declared. Advertisement The US president also signed a series of executive orders targeting alleged anti-Semitism on campuses, including a directive allowing the deportation of foreign students participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. US Ambassador to the United Nations, Elise Stefanik, reinforced Trumps position, stating, Anti-Semitism and anti-Israel hate will not be tolerated on American campuses. Under President @realDonaldTrump, colleges and universities will be held accountable. Antisemitism and anti-Israel hate will not be tolerated on American campuses. Promises made, promises kept. @POTUS @realDonaldTrump @WhiteHouse pic.twitter.com/1Wc96Gp4n5 Rep. Elise Stefanik (@RepStefanik) March 4, 2025 Advertisement This has led to fears among international students about the possible consequences of engaging in political activism. It was also reported last week that the US State Department will use artificial intelligence to revoke visas of foreign students who it perceives as supporters of Palestinian Hamas militants. The US Department of Justice has also launched an investigation into the University of California system over potential antisemitic discrimination following campus demonstrations. This Department of Justice will always defend Jewish Americans, protect civil rights, and leverage our resources to eradicate institutional Antisemitism in our nations universities, read a statement by US Attorney General Pam Bondi. Advertisement It has also been reported that a Chinese nationals visa has been revoked for organising pro-Palestine rallies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The student named Liu Lijun was arrested in May 2024. Arrest of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil In what many see as an example of the administrations tough stance, federal immigration authorities arrested Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University student who had actively led pro-Palestinian protests on campus. According to his attorney, ICE agents entered Khalils university-owned apartment and took him into custody, citing an order from the State Department to revoke his green card. In a post on X, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio linked to an AP news report on Khalils arrest, and wrote: We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported. Advertisement We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported https://t.co/oKba2Mmi3C Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) March 9, 2025 Although Khalil had graduated in December and held permanent residency in the US, the authorities insisted on revoking his green card. His attorney, Amy Greer, told AP, This is a clear escalation. The administration is following through on its threats. Khalils wife, who is eight months pregnant, expressed shock over his arrest and stated that the family has been left in the dark regarding his detention, reported AP. Khalil has since been transferred to an immigration detention center in New Jersey, and no formal charges have been announced yet. Trumps impact on university research The crackdown has not only impacted student activism but also university funding. The Trump administration has targeted federal research grants and university endowments. Columbia University, which receives approximately $1.3 billion annually in federal research funding, now faces potential losses amounting to $200 million. The University of Pennsylvania has also been asked to scale down its PhD programmes in response to expected funding cuts, reported The New York Times. Several departments have already reduced their incoming graduate student cohorts by up to 65 percent. Stanford University and North Carolina State University have also implemented hiring freezes, anticipating further financial cuts. Also Watch: The Trump administrations policy has also drawn criticism from university leaders. Penns interim president, J. Larry Jameson, issued a statement warning that cuts of this magnitude represent an existential threat across our university and American higher education. However, the administration continues to assert that federal funding should not be used to support institutions that allow anti-Israel or anti-Semitic protests. As of now, the administration is considering extending funding cuts to other Ivy League institutions that fail to take strong action against pro-Palestinian protests, with officials asserting that any sign of tolerance towards such protests may result in loss of federal support. The message from the Trump administration is clear: international students and American students alike are expected to avoid political activism, especially regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict, if they wish to remain enrolled or funded. With inputs from agencies Mark Carney, 59, will succeed Justin Trudeau as Canadas prime minister after winning the race to become the leader of the Liberal Party. Though he has expressed optimism about getting the relationship with India back on track, experts say both countries will likely adopt a wait and watch approach read more Can Mark Carney restore ties between India and Canada? Carney, 59, will succeed Justin Trudeau as Canadas prime minister. This after he won 85.9 per cent of the votes in the race to become the leader of the Liberal Party. But can Carney restore ties between India and Canada? Lets take a closer look: What has Carney said? Carney has expressed optimism about getting the relationship with India back on track. As per Times Now, Carney had vowed to rebuild ties with India while running for the post of Liberal Party leader. What Canada will be looking to do is to diversify our trading relationships with like-minded countries, and there are opportunities to rebuild the relationship with India, Carney was quoted as saying by The Times of India. Advertisement There needs to be a shared sense of values around that commercial relationship, and if Im Prime Minister, I look forward to the opportunity to build that, Carney added. Carney also has a link to India he can draw upon. As per the newspaper, Carney till January was chair of the board at Brookfield Asset Management a firm which has invested nearly $30 billion in India in real estate, infrastructure, and renewable energy. What do experts say? Experts have hailed Carneys remarks on India. Ritesh Malik, chair of the Canada-India Foundation (CIF), told Hindustan Times that given Carneys global perspective and recognition of strategic geopolitical importance of India, its plausible that his leadership could introduce a fresh approach to Canada-India relations, potentially fostering stronger economic and strategic ties between the two nations. Ex-Indian High Commissioner to Canada Ajay Bisaria told the newspaper that Carney will not carry the India baggage of Trudeau. Any new Prime Minister of Canada will have a natural opportunity to get off ramp from the current political deadlock with India: stabilise the relationship, exchange High Commissioners and finalise a trade agreement, given the broader geopolitical problems that Canada now has with the US and with China, Bisaria added. However, others warned against too much optimism. We shouldnt assume an automatic reset, it will still require work, Vina Nadjibulla, vice-president of research and strategy at the Asia-Pacific Foundation of Canada, said. Nadjibulla noted that both India and Canada are in wait and see mode related to the political transition. However, she said Carney ought to be able to recognise the value in the partnership. Advertisement An uphill task But Carney is facing an uphill task. The India-Canada relationship has been deteriorating since 2018 when Trudeau made a disastrous trip to India. Trudeau in 2020 made things worse when he expressed his concerns about Indias farmers protests becoming the first world leader to voice his views on the issue. Ties went into a tailspin after Trudeau in September 2023 controversially claimed credible allegations linking India to the killing of pro-Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Canada also halted negotiations on the Early Progress Trade Agreement (EPTA). Ties arguably reached their nadir in October 2024 when Canada claimed that then High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma and other officials were persons of interest in the investigation of the killing of Nijjar. Advertisement India derided the claim as a preposterous imputations and said it was part of the Trudeau regimes political agenda. India later withdrew Verma and the other officials and expelled six Canadian diplomats in response. India has claimed that Canada continues to lend a sympathetic ear to pro-Khalistani forces. With inputs from agencies An immigrant Palestinian student was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents for his prominent role in leading the protests at Columbia University. The development is the latest escalation in President Donald Trump's efforts to ramp up the detention and deportation of student activists. The student activist was identified as Mahmoud Khalil, who was a graduate student at Columbia until last December. Arrest of Palestinian Student At the time of the arrest, Khalil was said to be inside his university-owned apartment on Saturday night when ICE agents came in. They allegedly took him into custody, as revealed by the student's attorney, Amy Greer. The attorney was reportedly able to speak with the ICE agents via phone during the time that Khalil was arrested. They said that they were acting on State Department orders to revoke the Palestinian activist's student visa. However, Greer argued that Khalil was a permanent resident of the United States and had a green card. According to the Associated Press, the ICE agent responded that they were simply revoking that one instead. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), confirmed Khalil's arrest in a statement on Sunday. She described the incident as being "in support of President Trump's executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism." Read more: Controversial Immigrant Family Detention Center Set To Reopen in Texas The arrest of the student activist is the first publicly known deportation effort under the Republican leader's promised crackdown on students who join protests against the Gaza war. These protests were known to have swept college campuses last spring. Before his arrest, Khalil had been active in disruptive protests, including last week's takeover of the Milstein Library at Barnard College. The New York Post reported that videos and photographs uploaded on X showed him holding a bullhorn near the library entrance and speaking with school administrators. Donald Trump's Deportation Efforts That particular protest also featured violent propaganda flyers that supposedly came directly from the "Hamas Media Office." It included a pamphlet that was titled "Our Narrative... Operation Al-Aqsa Flood." That particular document justified the group's Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which resulted in the death of 1,200 people. The incident also led to the reported raping of women, execution of families, and taking of hostages in the Gaza Strip. Following Khalil's arrest, Greer said that they were informed the student activist was initially transferred to an ICE facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey. However, his wife, a U.S. citizen, was threatened with arrest by the agents as well, who said that he was not being detained there, as per BBC. On October 7, 2023, Hamas gunmen attacked the Nova Music Festival in southern Israel, killing many and abducting several others. Now, research by Israeli neuroscientists suggests that some festivalgoers had taken drugs like MDMA and LSD during the incident. The study indicates this may have provided some psychological protection against trauma read more Ecstasy pills, which contain MDMA as their main chemical, can be seen in this image. Reuters/DEA A recent study involving survivors of the Nova music festival suggests that the drug MDMA may have played a role in protecting people from psychological trauma. On October 7, 2023, Hamas gunmen, carrying AK-47 assault rifles, launched an attack at the Nova Music Festival in southern Israel, close to the Gaza border. During the incident, 360 people were killed, and many others were taken hostage at the festival, where around 3,500 attendees had gathered. Advertisement ALSO READ | What is pink cocaine, the party drug found in Liam Paynes system at time of death? Now, research conducted by Israeli neuroscientists indicates that several festivalgoers had taken drugs such as MDMA and LSD at the time of the attack. But in what way did the drug help those present cope with psychological trauma? What are the key findings of the study? Lets take a look: How recreational drugs may have helped survivors cope with trauma Neuroscientists studying festival survivors suggest that MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy or molly, may have offered some level of psychological protection against trauma. The preliminary findings, currently undergoing peer review ahead of publication in the coming months, indicate that the drug is linked to more positive mental states, both during the attack and in the months that followed. A study indicates that several festivalgoers had taken drugs such as MDMA at the time of the attack. Reuters/DEA The research, conducted by scientists at Haifa University in Israel, could add to the growing body of evidence exploring how MDMA might be used in the treatment of psychological trauma. Believed to be the first study of a mass trauma event where a large number of people were under the influence of drugs, its findings could influence ongoing research into the use of MDMA and other psychedelics in treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and trauma. The study monitored the psychological responses of over 650 festival survivors, two-thirds of whom had taken recreational substances such as MDMA, LSD, marijuana, or psilocybin, which is the psychoactive compound in hallucinogenic mushrooms, before the attack. Advertisement Prof Roy Salomon, one of the researchers leading the study, told BBC that MDMA, especially when not mixed with other substances, was the most protective. Those who had taken the drug during the attack reported better sleep and reduced mental distress over the following five months compared to those who had not taken any substances. Scientists believe this effect is linked to the release of certain hormones when taking MDMA, particularly oxytocin, which is often referred to as the love hormone due to its role in social bonding and emotional connection. Further, researchers suggest that the drug may have left survivors more receptive to emotional support from their families and friends after returning home. Advertisement However, the study is limited to survivors, making it difficult to determine whether specific substances influenced peoples chances of escape during the attack. ALSO READ | October 7 attack: How a night of music and dancing turned into Israels worst civilian massacre The personal belongings of festival-goers at the site of the attack on the Nova Festival. Reuters/File Photo What survivors said about drug use One survivor, Michal Ohana, credited the drug with saving her life, believing it prevented her from freezing or collapsing during the attack. I feel like it saved my life, because I was so high, like Im not in the real world, she told BBC. Because regular humans cant see all these things - its not normal. Clinicians in several countries have already tested MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD in controlled trials. However, Australia is the only country to have approved it as a treatment. The United States rejected MDMA for therapeutic use, with the Food and Drug Administration raising concerns about the design of studies, the potential lack of long-term benefits, and risks including heart complications, injury, and substance abuse. In the UK, MDMA is a Class A drug and has been linked to liver, kidney, and heart problems. Advertisement In Israel, where MDMA remains illegal, psychologists can only administer it under experimental research conditions. Dr Anna Harwood-Gross, a clinical psychologist and director of research at Israels Metiv Psychotrauma Centre, is testing MDMA as a PTSD treatment for IDF soldiers. She told BBC that the studys early findings are really important for professionals like her. Harwood-Gross added that MDMAs potential therapeutic effects are promising, particularly for military veterans with chronic PTSD. The drug has also led to a reassessment of traditional therapy methods, especially regarding the length of sessions when working with patients under its influence, she said. Danny Brom, a founding director of the METIV Psychotrauma Centre at Herzog Hospital in Jerusalem, told BBC that Israeli society has changed its approach to trauma and therapy following the October 7 attacks. Advertisement During the incident, 360 people were killed, and many others were taken hostage at the festival. Reuters/File Photo Its as if this is the first trauma were going through, he said. Ive seen wars here, Ive seen lots of terrorist attacks, and people said, We dont see trauma here. Israeli trauma specialists are now dealing with a complex range of issues, including collective trauma, combat trauma, the effects of mind-altering drugs, sexual assault, hostages, survivors, body recovery operations, and the bereaved. The ongoing conflict in Gaza, triggered by the October 2023 Hamas attacks, saw a temporary six-week truce beginning in January, during which Israeli hostages held by Hamas were exchanged for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. However, the ceasefire ended recently, with 59 Israeli hostages still in Hamas captivity. ALSO READ | Musk says his ketamine use is good for investors: What is this drug and how safe is it? Is MDMA safe to use? The National Institute on Drug Abuse in the US states that MDMA can cause various negative health effects, some of which may be serious. The risks depend on factors such as dosage, the drugs purity, and the circumstances in which it is consumed. Possible side effects of MDMA use include increased blood pressure, involuntary jaw clenching, nausea, vomiting, and restless legs. While deaths linked to MDMA are rare, the drug can still result in severe complications, according to the research institute. Long-term use of MDMA has been associated with heart problems and liver damage. Studies have also indicated that regular users may suffer from poor sleep, loss of appetite, confusion, depression, anxiety, paranoia, and cognitive issues related to memory and attention. With inputs from agencies Prince Frederik of Luxembourg died on March 1, 2025, at the age of 22 after a prolonged battle with POLG mitochondrial disease a rare genetic disorder that causes progressive multi-organ failure. Diagnosed at 14, Frederik spent years advocating for research and treatment, founding The POLG Foundation in 2022 to combat the disease. There is currently no cure or effective treatment for POLG disease read more Prince Frederik, the youngest son of Prince Robert of Luxembourg and Princess Julie of Nassau. File Image/The POLG Foundation Prince Frederik of Luxembourg, son of Prince Robert of Luxembourg and Princess Julie of Nassau, passed away on March 1, 2025, in Paris after a prolonged battle with POLG mitochondrial disease, a rare and incurable genetic disorder. The POLG Foundation, an organisation Frederik himself founded in 2022, confirmed the news of his passing. He was 22 years old and died a day after Rare Disease Day In a statement released on the foundations website, Prince Robert wrote, It is with a very heavy heart that my wife and I would like to inform you of the passing of our son, The POLG Foundation Founder and Creative Director, Frederik. Advertisement 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, Robert shared. Frederik also turned to his father during his final moments and asked, Papa, are you proud of me? He had barely been able to speak for several days, so the clarity of these words was as surprising as the weight of the moment was profound, his father noted. The statement from the family read, Though one light was extinguished in Paris on March 1, so many others remain, thanks to Frederiks selfless work. What is POLG mitochondrial disease? POLG mitochondrial disease, caused by a mutation in the POLG gene, is a rare genetic disorder that progressively deteriorates the bodys cellular energy production, ultimately causing multiple organ failure. The disease is likened to having a faulty battery that never fully recharges, gradually depleting the bodys capacity to function. The disorder affects the mitochondria, which are responsible for generating energy within the bodys cells. When the POLG gene responsible for mitochondrial DNA replication is mutated, the mitochondria fail to produce enough energy to sustain critical bodily functions, affecting the brain, nerves, muscles, liver, and other vital organs. POLG disease presents a wide range of symptoms, varying in severity and age of onset. In Frederiks case, he was diagnosed at the age of 14 after his symptoms became more pronounced. According to the statement, The progression of his disease had become more acute by that time, and it had begun to affect multiple organs. Advertisement Medical experts state that POLG mitochondrial disease has no known cure or effective treatment to halt its progression. Its symptoms may include seizures, muscle weakness, liver dysfunction, visual impairment, and progressive neurological decline. Over time, it leads to multi-organ failure, often resulting in a shortened lifespan. Why is POLG disease so difficult to treat? One of the greatest challenges in treating POLG mitochondrial disease is its complex and multi-systemic impact. The disorder can affect almost any organ in the body including the brain, muscles, liver, and intestines and may present differently in each patient. This variability makes early diagnosis extremely difficult, often resulting in late-stage identification of the condition. The condition can manifest through symptoms like epileptic seizures, visual loss, liver dysfunction, motor impairment, and progressive muscle weakness. In some cases, it also leads to hearing loss, speech impairment, and eventual respiratory failure. Experts note that over 200 mutations have been identified in the POLG gene, each producing a different set of symptoms and disease severity. This makes it extremely challenging for medical practitioners to create a universal treatment plan. Advertisement Additionally, no approved therapy exists to reverse or halt the progression of the disorder, leaving patients like Frederik to face progressive organ failure. Research indicates that mitochondrial disorders, including POLG disease, affect approximately 1 in 5,000 people worldwide, making it the second most commonly diagnosed serious genetic disorder after cystic fibrosis. However, due to its complexity and varying presentations, the disorder often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for years. What do we know about Frederiks efforts to find a cure? Despite living with a terminal illness, Frederik dedicated much of his life to advancing research and raising awareness for POLG mitochondrial disease. In 2022, he established The POLG Foundation, an organisation aimed at accelerating research, developing treatments, and eventually finding a cure for the condition. Robert wrote in his statement, Frederik jumped at the opportunity to create a foundation to find a cure. Though he always made it very clear that he did not want this dreadful disease to define him, he nonetheless immediately identified with and helped define the mission of The POLG Foundation. Advertisement The foundation noted that Frederik personally took part in clinical trials, hoping that his contribution could pave the way for new treatments. He also collaborated with scientific researchers across Europe and the United States, allowing the development of experimental cell models that could help find breakthroughs for POLG-related disorders. A key project that Frederik championed was the creation of a MITO clothing line, which raised funds to support POLG research. Prominent fashion designer Donna Karan encouraged the initiative, with Frederik remaining deeply involved in its creative direction until his final days. The royal family also announced that The POLG Foundation will continue its work in Frederiks honour, focusing on funding research for mitochondrial diseases and helping other families suffering from similar genetic conditions. Advertisement Robert pledged his familys ongoing support, stating, We will be resolutely focused on alleviating suffering for the POLG community and other conditions associated with mitochondrial diseases. Frederik knows that he is my superhero, as he is to all of our family and to so very many good friends. His superpower was his ability to inspire and lead by example, Robert wrote in his farewell note. With inputs from agencies According to the data, fraud cases involving 100,000 or more ($1,150) have risen drastically over the years. The amount lost to these cybercrimes reached a record 177 crore ($20.2 million) in FY 2024 read more The fraud cases involving 100,000 or more ($1,150) have risen drastically over the years. Credit: Pexels Indians were scammed out of 107.21 crore ($12.2 million) in the first nine months of the Financial Year 2025, according to data presented in the lower house of the Indian Parliament, Lok Sabha. During this period, a total number of 13,384 cases of cyber fraud were registered in the country Owing to a massive rise in the digitalisation of cash transfer and banking services, more people than ever are falling prey to cybercrimes in the South Asian country. Advertisement With increasing digital payment transactions in the country, incidences of fraudulent practices, including digital payment frauds, have also gone up in the last few years, said Pankaj Chaudhary, minister of state in the Union finance ministry. Fraudulent activities, especially in card, internet, and digital payments, have surged in recent years. Although the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) does not maintain a centralised database of cyber fraud cases, data from commercial banks and financial institutions indicate a concerning trend. According to the data, fraud cases involving 100,000 or more ($1,150) have risen drastically over the years. The amount lost to these cybercrimes reached a record 177 crore ($20.2 million) in FY 2024. On the flip side, the lowest number of fraud cases were reported in FY15. That year, only 845 cases were registered, leading to losses of over 18 crore. The finance ministry has raised concerns over the rising number of scams involving non-KYC-compliant accounts, money mule operations, and phishing attacks that exploit unsuspecting users. What is RBI doing to stop digital scams? Indias central bank, the RBI, in July 2024 issued Fraud Risk Management guidelines that mandated: Early warning signals (EWS) to monitor suspicious transactions. Stricter scrutiny of non-KYC-compliant and high-risk accounts. A dedicated Market Intelligence Unit to analyse fraud patterns. The government also launches schemes like CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) and Chakshu to help people stay clear of online fraud. Advertisement National Cybercrime Reporting Portal and Helpline 1930 have also been strengthened to make it easier for people to report cases. India and the European Union are set to resume trade negotiations in Brussels amid global trade tensions with both sides aiming to finalise the long-stalled agreement despite significant differences over tariffs, regulations, and sustainability commitments read more India and the European Union (EU) are set to engage in the 10th round of negotiations for the Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) in Brussels from March 10-14. The talks come at a time of escalating global trade tensions, particularly due to US President Donald Trumps threat to impose reciprocal tariffs on all nations, including India and the EU. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyens recent visit to Delhi has added momentum to the discussions, with both sides committing to finalising the long-stalled agreement by the end of the year, the Reuters reported. However, deep-seated differences on tariffs, regulatory standards and sustainability commitments continue to pose challenges. Advertisement Long road to a trade agreement Negotiations for an India-EU free trade agreement began in 2007 but stalled in 2013 due to diverging ambitions. Talks resumed in 2021 with a broader agenda covering trade, investment protection and geographical indications. The agreement, if finalised, would be Indias most comprehensive trade deal, with the EU standing as Indias second-largest trading partner after the US, accounting for $190 billion in bilateral trade in FY2024, a Mint report said. India is keen on expanding its exports in textiles, pharmaceuticals and IT services, while the EU aims to gain better access to Indias automobile, financial and technology sectors. However, contentious issues remain unresolved requiring significant compromises from both sides. One of the primary obstacles in the negotiations is market access. The EU is pushing for tariff eliminations on over 95 per cent of its exports to India, while India is willing to open only up to 90 per cent of its market. This difference in approach is evident in specific sectors. The EU is demanding lower tariffs on dairy products such as cheese and skimmed milk powder, but India remains firm in protecting its dairy farmers. According to the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), Indias dairy sector is highly sensitive with millions of small farmers dependent on it. Reducing tariffs on EU dairy imports could severely impact domestic production. Mint reported that another significant point of contention is the automobile sector. The EU wants India to lower its high import duties of 100-125 per cent on fully built luxury cars to around 10-20 per cent. However, India remains cautious as the automobile industry is a major contributor to its manufacturing GDP and employment. Advertisement On the other hand, India is seeking tariff reductions for its textile exports, which currently face EU tariffs of 12-16 per cent. Removing these tariffs could significantly boost Indias textile industry, helping it compete with Bangladesh and Vietnam. Given that India exported $5.1 billion worth of garments to the EU in FY2024, easing tariffs could provide a much-needed boost to this labour-intensive sector. Services and investment protection The services sector also presents hurdles. India seeks acknowledgment as a data-secure nation under the EUs General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to enhance digital trade opportunities. Additionally, India is pushing for easier short-term business visas for its professionals. However, the EU is demanding greater access to Indias banking, financial services and legal services sectors, while simultaneously maintaining barriers such as high salary thresholds and local hiring requirements for Indian IT professionals. Advertisement Investment protection remains another challenging aspect. India insists on retaining its Model Bilateral Investment Treaty, which prioritises regulatory autonomy, whereas the EU seeks stronger safeguards for its investors. India had previously terminated 22 investment treaties with EU nations due to concerns over excessive investor rights, indicating that any new framework would need to balance investor protections with Indias policy flexibility. Sustainability and regulatory challenges Sustainability commitments have emerged as a divisive issue in the negotiations. The EU is advocating for binding commitments on labour rights and environmental standards, while India prefers a more flexible approach. A major concern for India is the EUs Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which imposes additional tariffs on carbon-intensive imports such as steel and aluminium. According to GTRI, even if a trade deal is signed, CBAM could negate the benefits for Indian exports unless exemptions or compensatory measures are negotiated. Advertisement The geopolitical angle The timing of the negotiations is crucial as they coincide with heightened geopolitical tensions and trade uncertainties. US President Trump has threatened to impose steep tariffs on imports from all countries, including India and the EU, potentially disrupting global trade flows. In this context, the India-EU deal could serve as a hedge against US trade protectionism, providing both parties with greater economic security and alternative trade routes, the Reuters said in a report. Von der Leyen, in her recent visit to India, emphasised the importance of strengthening EU-India ties in the face of shifting global power dynamics. She stated that both parties stood to lose from a world dominated by spheres of influence and isolationism while standing to gain from one based on cooperation and working together, reflecting a shared strategic interest in deepening economic engagement as a counterbalance to the unpredictability of US policies. Advertisement A tough road ahead Despite the mutual recognition of benefits, concluding the trade deal will not be easy. India remains reluctant to lower tariffs in key sectors, while the EU has been hesitant to ease visa restrictions for Indian professionals. The EUs demand for lower tariffs on whiskey, wine and automobiles clashes with Indias push for greater access for its pharmaceutical and textile exports. Additionally, India opposes the EUs plan to introduce a 20-35% tariff on high-carbon goods from 2026, citing concerns over the impact on its manufacturing sector. The coming months will be decisive in determining whether the nearly two-decade-long negotiations finally result in a trade agreement. While both India and the EU have expressed a strong commitment to concluding the deal by the end of the year, the path remains fraught with challenges. Resolving disputes over tariffs, services, investment protection and sustainability standards will require substantial diplomatic efforts and compromises from both sides. If successful, the trade agreement could significantly boost economic ties opening new avenues for cooperation in technology, clean energy and manufacturing. As India and the EU seek to level out the differences, the outcome will have far-reaching implications not only for bilateral trade but also for the evolving global economic order. In a new book, Prof. Upendra Baxi seeks to redefine human rights as a people-led movement and calls upon the current generation to take the lead instead of relying on a top-down approach read more At a time when large swathes of the world are plunging into wars and authoritarianism, jurist Upendra Baxis new book has argued that human rights now stand at a crossroads where the new generation has to rise to the occasion and make it a people-led movement. In the new book Law, Justice, Society: Selected Works of Upendra Baxi, published by the Oxford University Press, editor Amita Dhanda said that Baxi calls for a new kind of moral language to address the human rights challenges in the changing world. She said the book carries the message that human rights cannot bear the burden anymore with the status quo. Advertisement Baxi, 86, is a leading Indian jurist who is an Emeritus Professor of Law at the Universities of Warwick and Delhi and has previously served as the Vice Chancellor of Universities of Delhi (1990-94) and South Gujarat (1982-85). He has played a key role in Mathura rape case, Bhopal gas tragedy, and the development of the public interest litigation (PIL) movement. Justice BV Nagarathna of the Supreme Court launched the book at the Indian Law Institute, Delhi. Recalling decades of his work as an academic and activist, she said he demonstrated that the role of a legal academic is not limited to classrooms or research but extends to addressing the real-world struggles for justice. His life highlights the potential of the clinical education model where law professors assisted by students can play a crucial role in bringing the plight of the vulnerable citizens before the authorities and the court rules, said Nagarathna. We are our own messiahs As the role and relevance of international organisations, such as the United Nations (UN), in safeguarding human rights is under question, Baxi calls for a two-pronged approach to address the challenges, said Dhanda, a Professor Emerita at NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad. In an interview with Firstpost on the sidelines of the book launch, Dhanda said the book calls for, firstly, a people-led bottoms-up approach to human rights and, secondly, the development of a new language for human rights. Dhanda said, The book talks about the human rights movement as the power of the people. Every generation has continually reinvented the movement and the current generation has its moment of reinvention now where it has to work towards what is appropriate for the time. Instead of relying on the UN, you have to be your own institution. You cannot believe that someone is going to come and be a messiah. We are our own messiahs. Advertisement The book Law, Justice, Society: Selected Works of Upendra Baxi has been published by Oxford University Press. In the four-volume book, Dhanda edited the volume dedicated to the contemporary discourse on human rights which comprises interviews with Baxi and his selected writings. Even as human rights organisations like the UN Human Rights Commission are under question, Dhanda said that the book calls for their reform, not removal. Justice Nagarathna on social justice & jurisprudence In her speech at the book launch, Nagarathna said that law cannot be seen in isolation from society and stressed that critique of the judiciary strengthened jurisprudence. Highlighting the role of Baxi in the development of social justice jurisprudence in India, Nagarathna said that Baxi has demonstrated how public interest litigation has served as a mechanism for holding the state accountable by enabling the judiciary to act as a guardian of fundamental rights and a force for social transformation. His scholarship highlights how PILs have empowered citizens, civil society organisations, and even the most marginalised groups to seek judicial remedies for systemic injustices, thereby democratising access to justice. He has rightly termed PILs as social action litigation, said Nagarathna, who is expected to be the first woman Chief Justice of India in 2027. Advertisement However, Nagarathna will then serve one of the shortest terms as the CJI at 36 days. On a lighter note, Nagarathna said that the time had perhaps come for Baxi to write about the misuse of PILs. She said that PILs are now losing their virtuousness as several PILs are now being filed with wrong motivations. PIL, if I may say, was a virtuous weapon in the hands of the weak, but now it is losing its virtuousness. PIL, if I may say in a very colloquial way, is either paisa interest litigation, publicity interest litigation, or private interest litigation. Where is the real public interest litigation? Normally, therefore, the need is to have real public interest litigation or social action litigation, said Nagarathna. Advertisement Recalling the constitutional discourse that Baxi shaped in India for decades with his writings and critique of the judiciary, Nagarathna said that the critique led to a gradual improvement in judgements and the evolution of constitutional law. I think one of the most significant contributions of Prof. Baxi has been his role as a distinguished scholar of jurisprudence. Through his insights in legal analysis and his deep reflection of how judicial decisions shape the evolution of constitutional law and in fact the sociopolitical landscape of this country, his critiques have served as an intellectual force, prompting judges to be more self-reflective and ensuring the legal scholarship which remains a vital part of democratic discourse, said Nagarathna. Advertisement Very few judges do justice, says Baxi When Baxi took the mic to address nearly 200 people in attendance, including judges, academics, lawyers, and law students, he praised Nagarathnas dissent in the demonetisation judgement and said that very few judges do justice. In 2023, a five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court held the Narendra Modi governments demonetisation exercise in 2016 as valid in a 4:1 judgement. Nagarathna was the sole dissenting judge who said that even though the exercise was conducted with good intentions, it was unlawful as it was not done as per legal provisions. Recalling the words of Mahatma Gandhi, Baxi said, Law is nothing but the convenience of the powerful. We need judges to stand up to this idea. And Im able to say a very few judges should stand up to judge. Calling Nagarathnas dissent in the demonetisation judgement as an eye-opener, Baxi said that the greatest menace to Indian democracy, by the way, is the habit of executive lawmaking and executive rulemaking in an apparent reference to the way Nagarathna said the demonetisation exercise was conducted without routing it through the parliament. If NCP, a party led by anti-Hasina student protestors, is really interested in strengthening democracy in Bangladesh, it will have to overcome the pressures from Islamist forces read more The Students Against Discrimination and Jatiyo Nagorik Committeethe groups that formed NCPsupported the propaganda that attacks against Hindus were mostly due to political reasons and were 'exaggerated' by Indian media. Image: Jatiya Nagarik Party or National Citizen Party, written on placard (AP Photo) On February 28, Bangladesh saw the birth of a new political party named the National Citizen Party (NCP). The party initially formed a 151-member national convening committeelater expanded to a 217-member committeewith Nahid Islam as the convenor. It has to be mentioned that Nahid Islam recently resigned from the post of advisor for Information and Broadcasting in the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government. Party led by the anti-Hasina student protestors The new party is formed by the students of the Students Against Discrimination (SAD) and Jatiyo Nagorik Committee (JNC). It has to be mentioned that it was the SAD that led the July uprisings last year against the then Sheikh Hasina-led government. The movement, now referred to as the monsoon revolution in the country, ended the 15-year rule of the Awami League (AL) and ousted Sheikh Hasina, who had to flee the country on August 5 and since then has been living as a refugee in a hidden place in India. Advertisement After the change of power through street protests and the formation of the interim government led by Nobel laureate Yunus, the Jatiyo Nagorik Committee (JNC) was formed by the SAD as a platform to facilitate the reconstruction of the countrys political system. Is NCP really a new party or the Kings party? Since the 1990s, Bangladesh has been dominated by the two partiesfive-time prime minister Hasinas Awami League (AL) and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of Khaleda Zia, who also has held the post of PM twice. No other party has been able to emerge in the last few decades as the dominant party challenging the AL-BNP binary, which, however, was turned into a single-party system by Hasina in the last decade. Now after August 5, 2024, there is a political vacuum in the country. There have been signs of hardline Islamists led by Jamaat-e-Islami trying to come into power in the country by taking advantage of the current situation. NCPposing as a centrist tent with people from the left as well as Islamistsis formed to fill that vacuum, as in politics a vacuum doesnt last long. Given the current scenario of Bangladesh, it is natural that the formation of NCPdespising dynastic politics, a common feature seen in both AL and BNPis bound to generate hope among the people, particularly because it is led by youth. It is natural for the people to be hopeful that new blood will bring a change in the countrys political system, which otherwise hasnt been able to perform up to the mark since the birth of the country in 1971. Advertisement While the new party has given hope to many Bangladeshis, as evident from the editorials and opinions published in the dailies of Bangladesh, there remain doubts of these hopes translating into reality. This is because Nahid Islam, who is the national convenor of the party, has been in the Yunus-led interim government since its formation in August. In fact, Yunus became the head of the government after he was supported by the student group SAD, which has now formed the new party. As a result, the new party cant dissociate itself from the interim government, despite the resignation of Nahid. Importantly, till the time of writing this piece, two from the SAD are still part of the Yunus government. Advertisement Initially, the Yunus-led interim government had generated hopes among the Bangladeshi people. However, the interim government, which has to remain in power till a new government is elected democratically, has started strengthening its grip on power as days pass and is yet to declare elections on the pretext of bringing political reforms. While the Yunus government strengthened its hold, the euphoria it generated started dissipating with law and order taking a backseat and the price rise of essential items hitting the common people. There were allegations that the Yunus-led interim government, installed by the SAD group, was delaying the elections in the name of political reforms only to give time to the SAD and JNC groups to form their own political party. With the formation of the new party NCP by SAD and JNC, these allegations got strengthened. Advertisement NCP: Old wine in a new bottle? While the new party is trying to show itself as the centrist party and has also given representations to Hindu minority leaders in its 217-member national convening committee, how long it will be able to tackle the Islamists remains a concern, despite the party openly saying that it wont be another Islamist party. These worries are genuine. There has been a rise of attacks against Hindus after the exit of Hasina, and Yunus government has failed to curb the attacks. Instead, Yunus government has blamed the Indian media for exaggerating the attacks on Hindus. The Yunus governments claims, however, were exposed by the fact-finding team of the United Nations. Advertisement The team mentioned that minority Hindus as well as Buddhists were attacked, including their places of worship. This negates the claims of Yunus government that Hindus were targeted mostly because of their political allegiance to AL. If that were the case, the Hindu worship places wouldnt have been targeted. It has to be mentioned that SAD and JNCthe groups that formed NCPsupported the propaganda that attacks against Hindus were mostly due to political reasons and were exaggerated by Indian media. This indicates that NCP, despite tall claims of being a centrist party, is on the way to becoming just like another party in the country with Islamist tendencies. The partys Islamist tendencies became more clear when it removed gay activist Muntashir Rahaman after initially including him in the national convening committee. The party removed him to satisfy the Islamists, who are within and outside the party. The parties of Bangladesh bowing to the diktats of Islamists is a continuation of the political tradition. In the past, it was seen how the dominant partieswhether its AL or BNPhad supported Islamist groups either by allying with Islamist parties or by incorporating Islamist leaders into the party. So, whats new in the new party, NCP? The stand of the student leaders against participation of AL and its allies like Jatiya Party also seems to raise eyebrows. True that the way of handling the student protests by Hasina last July, resulting in hundreds of deaths, can never be supported in a democracy. However, by not supporting the democratic idea to allow AL and its allies to contest elections, whats the example the NCP is trying to set? How is this mindset different from the anti-democratic approach followed by the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman-led AL after the foundation of Bangladesh followed by the Ziaur Rahman-led BNP in the late 1970s or by the Mohammad Ershad-led Jatiya Party in the 1980s and the Hasina-led AL in the 2010s and 2020s? Let the people of Bangladesh decide their own future through free and fair elections. If NCP is really interested in strengthening democracy in Bangladesh, whose political system has often failed to conduct free and fair elections barring the 1991, 1996, 2001, and 2008 general elections, the party should conduct its policies based on democracy and pluralism by ignoring the pressures of Islamic fundamentalist forces. Failure to do so will make NCP another party just like AL, BNP, and Jatiya Party. The writer is a political commentator. He tweets @SagarneelSinha. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Accusations that Israel is engaging in starvation as a weapon fail to consider Hamas own cynical use of humanitarian suffering as a political tool read more Israeli mourners bid farewell to Oded Lifshitz, a hostage abducted by Hamas in 2023, as his coffin arrives at Kibbutz Nir Oz for burial on February 25, 2025. Image-AP. Israels recent actions in Gaza, particularly the decision to restrict aid, have drawn sharp criticism from various international actors. However, much of the outrage fails to acknowledge the fundamental issue at hand: Hamas, a militant terrorist organisation, continues to hold hostages, use civilians as human shields, and reject reasonable ceasefire terms. While the suffering of civilians is tragic, Israel has every right to defend its citizens and use legitimate means to pressure Hamas into a peace deal that ensures lasting security. Advertisement Israels Right to Defend Its People Like any responsible democratic nation, Israel is duty-bound to protect its citizens from terrorist threats. The conflict did not begin with Israels recent actions; it began with Hamas heinous attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the brutal murder of 1,200 innocent people and the taking of 250 hostages. Hamas unprovoked aggression forced Israel into a defensive war. The failure of international critics to consistently acknowledge Hamas role as the primary aggressor reflects a deeply flawed bias in discussions about the Israel-Gaza conflict. While critics accuse Israel of using aid restrictions as leverage, they ignore Hamas continued violations of ceasefire agreements. It is Hamas that has refused to release the remaining hostages, prolonging the suffering of both Israeli and Gaza civilians. The calls for Israel to unilaterally allow aid into Gaza without securing hostage releases or dismantling Hamas military infrastructure fundamentally misunderstand the nature of the conflict. The Reality of Hamas Role in Civilian Suffering One of the most misleading narratives propagated in international discourse is that Israel is solely responsible for Gazas humanitarian crisis. In reality, Hamas bears significant responsibility for the suffering of Gazas civilians. Hamas has a long history of misusing humanitarian aid. Reports from Israels military intelligence and independent investigations have confirmed that Hamas routinely diverts food, medicine, and other supplies meant for civilians to its fighters. The tunnels that Hamas has builtoften beneath schools, hospitals, and civilian infrastructurewere not constructed overnight; they were funded and built using resources that could have been directed toward public welfare. Advertisement Despite Israels easing of restrictions under US pressure, Hamas has failed to ensure that aid reaches civilians fairly. Hamas militants have been documented hoarding food supplies, selling humanitarian goods at inflated prices, and obstructing aid distribution for political gain. Accusations that Israel is engaging in starvation as a weapon fail to consider Hamas own cynical use of humanitarian suffering as a political tool. Ceasefire Terms: Hamas, Not Israel, Is the Obstacle The international community has repeatedly pressured Israel to agree to ceasefires, yet little attention is given to Hamas refusal to accept reasonable terms. The proposed ceasefire extension through Ramadan and Passoverfacilitated by the USwas conditioned on Hamas releasing hostages and ceasing its rocket attacks. Instead of engaging in genuine negotiations, Hamas delays, hoping to extract unrealistic concessions. Advertisement History has shown that ceasefires with Hamas often serve as mere tactical pauses before the group resumes hostilities. In previous conflicts, Hamas has used ceasefires to rearm, regroup, and plan future attacks. The claim that Israel is the party jeopardising peace is misleading; it is Hamas that benefits from a state of perpetual conflict while refusing to make meaningful moves toward de-escalation. Distorted Death Toll and Civilian Casualties A significant point of contention in the discourse surrounding the Israel-Gaza conflict is the death toll. Reports claim that over 48,000 Palestinians have been killed, with a significant portion being civilians. However, these figures originate from Gazas Health Ministry, an entity controlled by Hamas, and independent analysts have repeatedly questioned their accuracy. Hamas has a vested interest in inflating casualty numbers and presenting its fighters as civilians to manipulate global opinion. Advertisement Every innocent life lost is a tragedy. However, it is Hamas that has turned civilian areas into battlegrounds. By embedding itself within densely populated areas, using schools and hospitals as military bases, and preventing civilians from evacuating, Hamas deliberately ensures high casualties to garner international sympathy. Israel, on the other hand, has made effortssuch as issuing evacuation warningsto minimise civilian harm, a practice virtually unheard of among other military forces engaged in urban combat. Misguided Accusations of Genocide and War Crimes Israels adversaries have sought to frame its military actions as genocide or war crimes, with cases being filed in international courts. However, these allegations ignore key legal principles and the realities of asymmetric warfare. Under international law, genocide entails an intentional effort to eradicate an entire population. Israels actions in Gaza, while part of an aggressive military campaign against Hamas, do not meet this threshold. Unlike Hamas indiscriminate targeting of civilians, Israel focuses on military objectives and takes precautions to mitigate collateral damage. Advertisement Moreover, the International Criminal Courts past actions demonstrate an alarming double standard. While it moves swiftly against Israel, it has primarily ignored Hamas explicit war crimes, including mass executions, use of human shields, and the targeted killing of Israeli civilians. This selective application of justice undermines the credibility of international institutions. A More Honest Approach to the Conflict The world must recognise that Israel is fighting a defensive war against a terrorist entity committed to its destruction. Calls for uncritical humanitarian aid entry into Gaza, without ensuring proper distribution mechanisms, risk empowering Hamas rather than helping civilians. Israel, like any sovereign nation, has the right to safeguard its citizens and demand reasonable terms for ceasefire agreements. Criticism of Israel should be based on facts, not misleading narratives that ignore Hamas role in perpetuating the crisis. If international actors genuinely seek peace, they must pressure Hamas to release hostages, disarm, and abandon its goal of annihilating Israel. Until then, Israels measures to counter Hamas terrorism should be understood not as acts of cruelty but as necessary steps to secure its people and the regions stability. The writer is the Director of the Centre for Legislative Research and Advocacy, New Delhi. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. The UK has had it too easy with India thus far. It should now be said, in no uncertain terms, that diplomacy cannot be a one-way traffic. Britain isnt a colonial power now and should stop behaving like one read more When Khalistani thugs breached the security cover of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar last week, it brought into the open what was until then an open secret: That Britain had become a safe haven for anti-India outfits of all hues. Maybe the authorities in London might be just a shade better than those in Ottawa in curbing the dangerous tendencies of these radical groups openly targeting India and its territorial integrity, but the situation in the UK has been equally precarious. Advertisement There are several reasons for this. The most obvious being Britains failure to come to terms with the loss of its colonial grandeur. Maybe it hasnt yet forgiven India for pulling the colonial rug under its feet in 1947, when the colossal British empire fell like a pack of cards in one country after another in Asia and Africa. From being an empire without sunset to a random nation, as US Vice President JD Vance reportedly said during a recent meeting, Britains decline has been too drastic, too soon. It so happens sometimes, especially when the fall is too steep, that the physical body gets transitioned into a third-rate state, but the mind still carries the impression of its imperial grandeur of the yore! Then, of course, Britains relations with India have a Pakistani angle. London has traditionally seen itself as a self-appointed guardian of Islamabad and its interests in the global arena. The British ruling classs empathy with, first, the idea of Pakistan, and then its conspiratorial act to get this done in the real world, makes it a relationship for all seasons. Historically, the role Mohammed Ali Jinnah played in the creation of Pakistan was paramount, but so was the support provided by Winston Churchill so that Britain could keep a bit of India after the latters independence. As Narendra Singh Sarila writes in his seminal book, The Shadow of the Great Game: The Untold Story of Indias Partition, the British, and even Americans, by the mid-1940s, were quite wary of growing Soviet influence in the region, and since they were uncomfortable with Jawaharlal Nehrus Leftist worldview, they, especially the British, gave their blessings to Jinnahs Pakistan project. This created a sense of sympathy and support for Pakistan, especially vis-a-vis India, in the British ruling classand this continues till date. Advertisement Rising Khalistani spectre in Britain Justin Trudeaus Canada has gained global notoriety for its Khalistan connections, but Britain isnt far behind. Parties across the political divide have been deeply sympathetic towards the Khalistani cause. In fact, some of the key ministers in the Keir Starmer Cabinet, currently engaged in the Free Trade Agreement with India, openly participate in Khalistani events. In November 2024, for instance, Preet Kaur Gill, a British Member of Parliament for Edgbaston and Parliamentary Private Secretary to UK Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, attended, along with others, a Gurpurab event organised by a pro-Khalistan outfit. Interestingly, Reynolds has been a key negotiator in the India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) with the Indian counterparts. Before anyone gives Gill, and by extension Reynolds, a benefit of doubt, saying the attendance might have been the result of an honest mistake, one needs to be reminded that the former, in 2020, had openly called for the right of self-determination for Sikhs in India and even accused the Indian government of threatening Sikhs in the UK. Advertisement Given this close nexus between Britains political class and Khalistanis, it was only a matter of time when the latter openly attacked India and its leadership. In fact, in March 2023, the Khalistanis had attacked the Indian High Commission in London. Later that very year, in September to be precise, they had even stopped an Indian envoy from entering a gurdwara in Scotland. Britain did nothingall in the name of freedom of expression! Britains, and for that matter Canadas, tryst with Khalistanis too has historical roots, going as far back as the early 20th century when the Ghadar movement was at its peak. Alarmed by the growing influence of the Ghadar, the British intelligence network both in India and Canada hired one William Hopkinson, who had previously worked for the police in Calcutta before moving to Canada. His brief was to infiltrate the Indian community, particularly the gurdwaras, to gather information and subvert any anti-British movement from the inside, as Sanjeev Sanyal writes in his book, Revolutionaries: The Other Story of How India Won its Freedom. Advertisement Hopkinson was provided with enough resources to infiltrate pro-British elements both within the Sikh community as well as in gurdwaras. The pro-India, nationalist elements were systematically targeted and weeded out, with some even killed. The British colonial government steadily invested in the separate identity of Sikhs, wedging a deep divide between Hindus and Sikhs. It was Colonial Britain, thus, which fathered the so-called Khalistani movement, just the same way it had helped the idea of Pakistan gain ideological as well as political currency. This explains why it is so difficult for the West, especially Britain, to cut its ties with Pakistan and Khalistan. Advertisement So, what should India do? To begin with, India should call off the FTA talks, which would hurt the UK more. But in the long term, the country, taking a cue or two from Donald Trumps America, should come up with a policy of reciprocity in the India-UK relationship. Let the British get the same visa and other treatments as they give to Indians. And yes, the policy of reciprocity should also apply to the security of the British high commission, diplomats, and political leaders. If Khalistanis can be allowed to breach the security cover of an Indian leader, a Russian protester too can do the same to a visiting British leader in Delhi. The UK has had it too easy with India thus far. It should now be said, in no uncertain terms, that diplomacy cannot be a one-way traffic. Britain isnt a colonial power now and should stop behaving like one. Above all, it needs to get real and shun its ties with its colonial-era puppets. Else, it should be ready to pay for such colonial hangovers, which have long lost their purpose as bargaining chips for the West, especially the UK. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Vietnam has been positioning itself as a key player in the global semiconductor and AI industries, in a bid to attract increased investment from leading technology firms read more Vietnam is set ot host a conference on AI and semiconductors next week. File image About 1,000 experts and executives from major global technology firms are set to convene in Vietnam next week to discuss the future of artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors. Among those present will be representatives from the likes of Google, DeepMind, IBM, Intel, TSMC, Samsung, MediaTek, Tokyo Electron, Panasonic, Qorvo, and Marvell. The International AI-Semiconductor Conference 2025 (AISC 2025), set for March 12-16 in Hanoi and Da Nang, aims to highlight Vietnams growing role in the global semiconductor and AI industries, Vu Quoc Huy, director of the Vietnam National Innovation Center (NIC), said Monday (March 10), according to Tuoi Tre News. Advertisement Organized by NIC in partnership with US-based Aitomatic, the conference will serve as a platform for industry leaders to explore investment opportunities, strengthen partnerships, and discuss Vietnams potential in the rapidly evolving AI and semiconductor sectors. Workshops, forums, and more The five-day event will feature a series of workshops, forums, and networking sessions. Workshops on March 12-13 will focus on AI applications in semiconductor chip design, production, and utilization. A high-profile forum on March 14 will examine global industry trends and Vietnams potential role in the AI-semiconductor value chain, with participation from government officials and private sector leaders. The event will also include the signing of cooperation agreements in AI and semiconductors, alongside the launch of the 2025 innovation challenge. A national project aimed at developing a Vietnamese language database for open-source code will be announced, in collaboration with NIC, NVIDIA, Meta, AI for Vietnam, and Aitomatic. On March 15, senior executives will participate in networking activities, roundtable discussions, and site visits in Da Nang. Vietnams rising profile in AI and semiconductors Vietnam has been positioning itself as a key player in the global semiconductor and AI industries, in a bid to attract increased investment from leading technology firms. Officials hope AISC 2025 will further solidify the countrys role in these sectors while fostering collaboration between domestic and international companies. Bangladeshs armed forces denied on Monday that United Nations pressure played a role in the decision by top brass last year not to quash protests that ousted autocratic ex-premier Sheikh Hasina read more Bangladeshs armed forces denied on Monday that United Nations pressure played a role in the decision by top brass last year not to quash protests that ousted autocratic ex-premier Sheikh Hasina. A student-led uprising ended Hasinas 15-year tenure last August, with soldiers failing to intervene as thousands marched on her palace and forced her into exile. UN human rights chief Volker Turk told the BBC last week that his office had warned that military involvement in any crackdown could result in Bangladeshi soldiers being banned from peacekeeping missions. Advertisement Bangladeshs army said in a statement that it had not received any direct communication to that effect. This remark appears to misrepresent the role of the Bangladesh Army and potentially undermines its reputation, sacrifice, and professionalism, it said. During the July-August 2024 protests, the Army once again stood by the people, ensuring public safety without bias or external influence. Bangladesh is one of the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping forces globally and its operations are a lucrative source of income for the countrys soldiers. Turk said in his comments to the BBC that he had been thanked by student leaders during his visit to Bangladesh last year. The students were so grateful to us for taking a stand, speaking out, and supporting them, he said. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights sent a fact-finding mission to Bangladesh last year to investigate Hasinas ouster. Its report, published last month, found reasonable grounds to believe that the top echelons of Hasinas government had committed very serious rights violations while attempting to suppress the protests that toppled her. More than 800 people were killed during last years unrest. 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This assertion prompted Sikorski to hit back at Musk, leading to a war of words on X read more Starlink owns around 60 per cent of the roughly 7,500 satellites orbiting Earth and is a dominant player in satellite internet. After a clash of words with Polands outspoken foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski, billionaire Elon Musk pledged to maintain Ukraines access to the Starlink satellite network. The assurance came amid fears that Musk may block Ukraines access to his internet-providing network after the US suspended providing military intelligence to the war-torn nation. It is pertinent to note that the private Starlink communication system is used extensively by Kyivs frontline troops for battlefield communication. On Sunday, during a fierce clash with the Polish foreign minister on his own social media platform X, Musk pledged that he would not take away Starlinks access to Ukraine. To be extremely clear, no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals, Musk wrote. Advertisement Exactly! To be extremely clear, no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals. I am simply stating that, without Starlink, the Ukrainian lines would collapse, as the Russians can jam all other communications! We would never Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 9, 2025 I am simply stating that, without Starlink, the Ukrainian lines would collapse, as the Russians can jam all other communications! We would never do such a thing or use it as a bargaining chip, he added while sparring with Sikorski, which also drew US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Be quiet, small man: Musk clashes with Polish FM The whole saga started on Sunday when Musk argued that Ukraines entire front line would collapse if he turned off Starlink for Kyivs forces. This assertion prompted Sikorski, who said in a post on X: Starlinks for Ukraine are paid for by the Polish Digitization Ministry at the cost of about $50 million per year. The ethics of threatening the victim of aggression apart, if SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider, we will be forced to look for other suppliers, he added. Starlinks for Ukraine are paid for by the Polish Digitization Ministry at the cost of about $50 million per year. The ethics of threatening the victim of aggression apart, if SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider we will be forced to look for other suppliers. https://t.co/WaJWCklgPE Radosaw Sikorski (@sikorskiradek) March 9, 2025 The remarks from the Polish foreign minister came while Musk, who leads Trumps Department of Government Efficiency, was defending himself from accusations of being biased toward Russia. I literally challenged Putin to one physical combat over Ukraine, and my Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army. Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off, the billionaire said in the post. What I am sickened by is years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will inevitably lose. Advertisement I literally challenged Putin to one on one physical combat over Ukraine and my Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army. Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off. What I am sickened by is years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 9, 2025 Musk soon replied to the Polish FMs jab, calling him a small man. Be quiet, small man. You pay a tiny fraction of the cost. And there is no substitute for Starlink, he responded. Advertisement Be quiet, small man. You pay a tiny fraction of the cost. And there is no substitute for Starlink. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 9, 2025 Rubio later came to Musks defence, accusing the Polish politician of making things up. No one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink, the secretary of state wrote on X. And say thank you because without Starlink, Ukraine would have lost this war long ago, and Russians would be on the border with Poland right now, he added. Advertisement Just making things up. No one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink And say thank you because without Starlink Ukraine would have lost this war long ago and Russians would be on the border with Poland right now https://t.co/ImeiHFgaaw Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) March 9, 2025 Tensions between the United States and Ukraine reached a boiling point following a public spat between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During the meeting, the Republican firebrand went on to accuse Zelenskyy of gambling with World War Three. Advertisement PM Christopher Luxon Luxon will meet with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in New Delhi on March 17 to discuss trade, defence cooperation, and expanding people-to-people ties read more New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will travel to India from March 16-20, marking his first visit to the country since taking office. Luxon has repeatedly praised Indias economic potential and the contributions of the Indian diaspora in New Zealand, saying in October last year that he is a big fan of India Its a country I love, admire tremendously. #WATCH | Vientiane, Lao: After his bilateral meeting with PM Modi, New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon says, "I'm a big fan of India...It's a country I love, admire tremendously. Indians back at home in New Zealand have done exceptionally well in New Zealand. They're very inspiring. pic.twitter.com/TjGOWiKIpY ANI (@ANI) October 10, 2024 Advertisement The trip comes at a time of growing tensions between Wellington and Beijing, as New Zealand seeks to diversify its economic and diplomatic partnerships. Luxon, who has previously expressed great admiration for India, will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on March 17 to discuss trade, defence cooperation, and expanding people-to-people ties. PM Modi will host a luncheon in his honour, and Luxon will also meet President Droupadi Murmu. The visit shows an effort to deepen New Zealand-India relations amid shifting geopolitical dynamics. Key events on Luxons agenda Luxon will be the Chief Guest at the 10th Raisina Dialogue, a major geopolitical conference in New Delhi, where he will deliver the keynote address. He is also set to visit Mumbai on March 19-20 for meetings with Indian business leaders. The visit signals New Zealands push to strengthen trade and diplomatic ties with India, particularly as tensions between Wellington and Beijing mount over economic dependencies and regional security concerns. China has been New Zealands largest trading partner, but Luxons government has expressed interest in broadening economic relationships, especially in the Indo-Pacific. New Zealands engagement with India has been relatively limited in recent years, but both sides are now looking to reinvigorate ties. Officials have pointed to opportunities in technology, education, agriculture, and defence cooperation. Luxons visit is expected to lay the groundwork for enhanced trade talks and investment partnerships, as New Zealand aligns itself more closely with India. Advertisement Authorities accuse the ELN of collaborating with Mexicos Sinaloa Cartel, though the group denies direct involvement in drug trafficking. The government has declared a state of emergency and deployed 10,000 troops, vowing to reassert control over the region read more An Army soldier patrols in Tibu, Norte de Santander province, Colombia, on January 21, 2025, after recent clashes between rival left-wing guerrillas. AFP Commanders of the National Liberation Army (ELN) have pledged to resist a government military offensive in northeastern Colombia, warning that President Gustavo Petros total peace initiative is unravelling into renewed conflict. The ELN, a leftist guerrilla group active for six decades, has been engaged in intense fighting with a rival armed group in the Catatumbo border region. Clashes since January have displaced nearly 56,000 people and left at least 76 dead, according to government figures some of the worst violence Colombia has seen since the 2016 peace accord with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Advertisement In response, Petros government has declared a state of emergency and deployed 10,000 troops, vowing to reassert control over the region. Petro has declared war. We are not afraid of that, said Ricardo, a leader of the ELNs northeastern war front. If the military continues to arrive, most likely we will have a confrontation, because we are going to defend ourselves as an insurgent force, he said. This total peace that Petro has been talking about, in the end, it is becoming total war. Tensions mount over cocaine routes The violence is largely driven by territorial disputes and control over lucrative cocaine trafficking routes into Venezuela. The ELNs stronghold is a key production area for coca, the raw material for cocaine, and a crucial gateway to the Caribbean coast, where drug shipments move toward global markets. Authorities accuse the ELN of collaborating with Mexicos Sinaloa Cartel, though the group denies direct involvement in drug trafficking. Instead, it claims to impose taxes on cocaine production within its territory to finance its operations. The renewed fighting threatens Petros signature peace strategy, which aimed to negotiate with remaining armed groups. Critics argue that dissident factions have used the governments leniency to regroup and expand their criminal enterprises, fueling further instability. Return to conflict The latest clashes spotlight the fragility of Colombias peace efforts. Armed groups continue to vie for control over illicit economies, contributing to a 420 per cent increase in coca cultivation since 2012, according to the United Nations. Despite the ELNs stated openness to dialogue, its commanders insist they will defend their positions, raising the prospect of further escalation. The government remains determined to regain control, setting the stage for an extended confrontation in one of Colombias most volatile regions. With inputs from AFP Paris will host two meetings of European defence leaders this week to work on a coalition for the defence of Ukraine as the United States is withdrawing from the continent read more Ukrainian servicemen prepare a M777 howitzer to fire toward Russian troops at a position near a front line, in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, on January 14, 2024. (Photo: Reuters) European defence leaders will gather in France this week to work out the modalities of the coalition of the willing for Ukraines defence. Following a summit of European leaders regarding the situation in Ukraine, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced earlier this month that a coalition of the willing nations in Ukraine will enforce peace in Ukraine whenever a peace deal is reached. To figure out the specifics of the plan, European defence chiefs and defence ministers will meet in Paris on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to i newspaper. Advertisement British Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin will co-chair a meeting of European defence chiefs in Paris on Tuesday with his French counterpart Thierry Burkhard and British Defence Secretary John Healey will hold talks on Wednesday with the defence ministers of France, Germany, Italy, and Poland, as per the report. ALSO READ: Starmer outlines 4-step peace process for Ukraine as Trump pushes Europe to take lead Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have taken a lead in preparing plans to enforce peace in Ukraine and support Ukraines defence as US President Donald Trump is withdrawing from Europe. Since assuming office, in a reversal of generations of bipartisan US policy, Trump has abandoned European allies to partner with Russian President Vladmimir Putin and has pressured Ukraine to accept his terms. European leaders have maintained that the relationship with the United States can still be salvaged and have offered to do the heavy lifting in supporting Ukraine. British-French plan could be presented to Trump by weekend Following the talks in Paris on Tuesday and Wednesday, the British-French plan for European security guarantees for Ukraine could be presented to Trump by the end of the week, according to i newspaper. While the specifics are not yet public, Starmer and Macron have proposed a peacekeeping plan for Ukraine in which up to 30,000 European soldiers will be deployed in Ukraine with air and naval assets. While US personnel will not be deployed under the plan, they have sought a US supporting role. So far, around 20 nations have offered to join the proposed coalition to support Ukraines defence. The i reported a British government source as saying that the efforts are directed at building the broadest possible coalition at this stage. The source added that the talks were a positive show of continued momentum. They further said that United States was genuinely interested in what Europe could offer to help preserve peace. Advertisement Its clear that the US do want to see a concrete, tangible offer on the table, said the source. ALSO READ: Europes intervention in Trump-Zelenskyy spat is not about bypassing US in Ukraine talks Besides the United Kingdom and France, Australia, Ireland, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Turkey have indicated they would be prepared to join the peacekeeping force for Ukraine. Canada, Denmark, and Sweden have also not ruled out being part of the force. Following my previously signed Executive Orders, ICE proudly apprehended and detained Mahmoud Khalil, a Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student on the campus of Columbia University. This is the first arrest of many to come said Trump on Truth Social read more US President Donald Trump on Monday said that the detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a leader of pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University in New York, is the first arrest of many to come. Taking to Truth Social, Trump said, Following my previously signed Executive Orders, ICE proudly apprehended and detained Mahmoud Khalil, a Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student on the campus of Columbia University. This is the first arrest of many to come. He said there are more students at Columbia and other universities across the country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it. Advertisement Many are not students, they are paid agitators. We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country never to return again. If you support terrorism, including the slaughtering of innocent men, women, and children, your presence is contrary to our national and foreign policy interests, and you are not welcome here. We expect every one of Americas Colleges and Universities to comply. Thank you! added Trump. US campuses, including Columbia University, experienced intense student protests against Israels actions in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack. These demonstrations sparked allegations of anti-Semitism. Some protests turned violent, leading to the occupation of campus buildings and disruptions of lectures, creating a divide between students opposing Israels conduct and pro-Israel advocates, many of whom were Jewish. The move to arrest and detain Mahmoud comes after the Trump administration announced last week that it would revoke about $400m in federal grants and contracts from Columbia University. The Trump administration alleges that the university has not done enough to stop antisemitism on campus. Universities must comply with all federal anti-discrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding. For too long, Columbia has abandoned that obligation to Jewish students studying on its campus, The Guardian quoted education secretary Linda McMahon as saying in a statement on Friday. Khalils arrest is the first publicly known deportation effort under Trumps promised crackdown on students who joined protests against the war in Gaza that swept college campuses last spring. In response to reports of Khalils detention, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on X, We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported. Advertisement CNN previously reported that Khalil was arrested Saturday night by federal immigration authorities who said they were acting on a State Department order to revoke his green card, according to his attorney. With inputs from agencies Since 2014, Rubio has played a key role in bringing the Ukraine issue to mainstream American politics. He was known as a Russian hawk for his stern stance against Russias President Vladimir Putin. However, things changed when he sat in the White House on February 28, 2025, and saw the demise of diplomacy read more US Secretary of State Marco Rubio boards an aircraft to depart to the United States in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, February 19, 2025. (Photo: Reuters) When Marco Rubio sat in front of the Senate for his confirmation as the next US Secretary of State, the former Florida Senator received an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 99 to 0, with no US Senators voting against his nomination. Part of the reason for this massive popularity was Rubios strong allegiance to Ukraine and its cause. Since 2014, Rubio has played a key role in bringing the Ukraine issue to mainstream American politics. He was known as a Russian hawk for his stern stance against Russias President Vladimir Putin. However, things changed when he sat in the White House on February 28, 2025, and saw the murder of diplomacy right in front of his eyes. Advertisement While US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance were berating their guest, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Rubio sat silently. Following the ugly public spat between the leaders of the two nations, Rubio came on CNN and said that Zelenskyy should publically apologise to Trump, singing the same tune his bosses did. This made many wonder whether Rubios sudden ascension to power has made him powerless. As we ponder this question, here is a look at every attack the current US Secretary of State made against Russia before he sunk into the glamour of Trumps White House and how his tone changed over the years. 2014: We have to help the people of Ukraine While Russia was annexing Crimea, Rubio, the then-Florida Senator, became an outspoken advocate of Ukraine. I think the first and most important thing we need to do is, we have to help the Ukrainian people and the interim government in Ukraine to protect its nations sovereignty, Rubio said in one of his speeches on the US Senate floor. If we treat our allies like that, should we really be surprised that they want to develop nukes? Watch incoming State of Secretary Marco Rubio criticize the 2014 U.S. administration for the lack of response to Russias seizure of Crimea and invasion of Eastern Ukraine pic.twitter.com/oEGSBxoGVv Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) November 14, 2024 At that time, Rubio was the one, who reminded fellow senators that Ukraine had agreed in 1994 to give up its nuclear arsenal in exchange for a guarantee of its security from the US, the UK and Russia, warning that failure to protect Ukraine might make other nation re-consider nuclearisation, an idea which is still part of the current public discourse. Advertisement 2015: Putin is a gangster & a thug When Rubio launched his presidential campaign in 2015, he insisted that he would be the strongest candidate on foreign policy and promised he would go to toe with Putin if he entered the Oval Office. Throughout his presidential campaign, he often described Putin with several names. As soon as I take office, I will move quickly to increase pressure on Moscow, Rubio said at a campaign stop in Iowa. Under my administration, there will be no pleadings for meetings with Vladimir Putin. He will be treated for what he is a gangster and a thug," he added. Rubio eventually lost the primary to his current boss, Donald Trump. How Trumps ties influenced views on Russia and Ukraine Sec. of State Marco Rubio on Putin (Aug 2015): Russia is run by a gangster an organized criminal controlling a government. pic.twitter.com/iQ1qHxSSp6 Voice (@Voice1288291) March 1, 2025 Advertisement 2022: Rubio urged Biden to give full support to Ukraine Soon after Russia launched a wide-scale military campaign in Ukraine, Rubio was among the prominent American politicians to ask then-US President Joe Biden to take an aggressive stance on the matter and fully support Ukraine. No matter what, there always has to be a real, legitimate Ukrainian state that we have a relationship with, Rubio told MSNBC. And I dont know why we cant begin to openly say we will support them as long as they are willing to fight, even if its only an insurgency. He was also an ardent supporter of sanctions on Russia. I think whats happened over the last week is unprecedented. The Russian economy is headed toward collapse," he said. Advertisement May 2024: Rubio once again calls Putin a tyrant' Soon after Trump won the Republican presidential nomination for the second time in 2024, Rubio seemed to have mellowed down his support for providing Ukraine with a massive foreign aid package. He insisted that the US should focus on securing its border instead of giving all the money to Ukraine. The crises at home caused by the Biden Administration makes it hard to convince Americans to support continued funding for Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/bBopZD2nGP Senator Marco Rubio (@SenMarcoRubio) November 8, 2023 Despite this, Florida senators disdain for Putin still remain. One time, he issued a correction to a Reuters social media post about the Russian presidents most recent swearing-in ceremony last May. Advertisement Tyrant Vladimir Putin, who once again stole an election, uses his inauguration ceremony as propaganda, Rubio said in response to the post. Another example of an authoritarian dictator masquerading as a democratically elected leader," he added. **CORRECTION** Tyrant Vladimir Putin, who once again stole an election, uses his 'inauguration ceremony' as propaganda. Another example of an authoritarian dictator masquerading as a democratically elected leader. https://t.co/v3nMr4ePCY Senator Marco Rubio (@SenMarcoRubio) May 7, 2024 January 2025: Rubio started asking for concessions from Ukraine During his confirmation hearing, Trumps pick for the position of secretary of state emphasised that Ukraine must accept concessions to bring about an end to the war. There will have to be concessions made by the Russian Federation, but also by the Ukrainians and the United States, Rubio said. Senator Marco Rubio, Trumps pick for Secretary of State, before the Senate Committee for his confirmation hearing : There is no way Russia takes all of Ukraine. The Ukrainians are too brave and fight too hard. It's also unrealistic that Ukraine will push Russians back to where pic.twitter.com/WBQDg8PJCH AMK (@AmkBreaking) January 16, 2025 At that time, he predicted that sanctions and the release of sanctions would have to be part of this conversation in terms of bringing about a resolution. February 2025: Demands apology from Zelenskyy Shortly after the clash between Trump and Zelenskyy, Rubio forgot about his stance on the matter and defended his presidents behaviour. Not only this, he chastised Zelenskyy for confronting the American leader. There was no need for [Zelenskyy] to go in there and become antagonistic, Rubio told CNN. I think he should apologise for wasting our time for a meeting that was gonna end the way it did. Sec Rubio dropping the truth about today's fiasco with dictator Zelenskyy: "There was no need for him to go in there and become antagonistic." "He should apologize for wasting our time for a meeting to end the way it did." pic.twitter.com/m8W7sqlQ3C Jake H (@jake22_h) March 1, 2025 When he was reminded that there was a time when he called Putin a war criminal, Rubio said: At this moment as secretary of state, my job working for the president is to deliver peace, to end this conflict and end this war I think we should be very proud and happy that we have a president whose prime objective is not to get into wars but to prevent wars and to get out of wars. The remarks made by Rubio indicated how his stance on the matter changed over the years. With inputs from agencies. Following his election victory and swearing-in, the US president has doubled down on his pledge to get control of the worlds largest island, which sits over natural resources and lies in proximity to the Arctic read more General view of the village of Kangaamiut, located at the mouth of Kangerlussuatsiaq Fjord, Greenland, on July 3, 2024. Reuters File Greenlanders are heading to their national polls on Tuesday (March 11), where they will elect 31 members of the Inatsisartut, their Parliament. Interestingly, US President Donald Trumps interest in acquiring the semi-autonomous territory of Denmark is looming large over the elections. While the issue of seeking independence from Denmark is not on the ballot on Tuesday, experts believe the result could set the tone for a later referendum. Current political status Greenland is governed by a coalition between Prime Minister Mute Bourup Egedes left-wing Inuit Ataqatigiit, which holds 12 seats, and Erik Jensens social democratic Siumut party, which has 10 seats. The opposition includes Pele Brobergs Naleraq party with four seats, Jens Frederik Nielsens Democrats with three, and Aqqalu Jerimiassens Atassut with two. Advertisement Trumps interest in territory Following his election victory and swearing-in, the US president has doubled down on his pledge to get control of the worlds largest island, which sits over natural resources and lies in proximity to the Arctic. We need Greenland for national security and even international security, and were working with everybody involved to try and get it. Trump said during his speech to a joint session of Congress last week. But we need it really for international world security, and I think were going to get it. One way or the other, were going to get it, he stressed. What do Greenlanders want? PM Egede has urged voters to pursue independence from Denmark. All major parties of the country, including the incumbent democratic socialist Inuit Ataqatigiit support independence from Denmark. A recent survey found that most of the islands 57,000 residents oppose joining the US. The poll, conducted by the Danish newspaper Berlingske and Greenland-based outlet Sermitsiaq, revealed that a whopping 85 per cent of the people dont support the US taking over their land. More than 56 per cent of respondents said they would vote for Greenlandic independence in a referendum. However, 45 per cent would not support it if it negatively impacted their quality of life. Like other countries in the world, we must work to remove the obstacles to cooperation which we can describe as the shackles of colonialism and move forward, PM Egede said in a January address. Meanwhile, some politicians in Greenland also see a silver lining in Trumps threat of takeover- better negotiating leverage over Denmark. Advertisement Juno Berthelsen, a candidate in the election for the Naleraq party, recently told The Associated Press that Trumps threat may bring opportunities for the territory. Relations between Moscow and London have been strained by intelligence scandals throughout Russian President Vladimir Putins quarter-century in power. In 2018, Britain and its allies expelled dozens of Russian embassy officials they said were spies over the attempted poisoning of former double agent, Sergei Skripal, with Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok read more Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his annual televised year-end press conference and phone-in held in Moscow, Russia December 19, 2024. Reuters File Russia said Monday it was expelling two British diplomats on suspicion of carrying out espionage activities, in a move slammed by London as malicious and baseless. Russias FSB security service said counterintelligence work had revealed an undeclared British intelligence presence under the cover of the national embassy. It said it was expelling the embassys second secretary, whom it named as Alkesh Odedra, and the husband of the first secretary of the embassys political department, identified as Michael Skinner. Advertisement Both had deliberately provided false information when obtaining a permit to enter our country, thus violating Russian legislation, the FSB said. The Russian foreign ministry has revoked their accreditations and ordered them to leave Russia within two weeks, the FSB said. The UK blasted the move as unfounded. This is not the first time that Russia has made malicious and baseless accusations against our staff, a UK foreign ministry spokesperson said. Russias foreign ministry also summoned an embassy representative in connection with the allegations, it said in a post on Telegram. Relations between Moscow and London have been strained by intelligence scandals throughout Russian President Vladimir Putins quarter-century in power. The UK accused Moscow of being behind the 2006 assassination of former Russian agent and Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko in a London poisoning attack. In 2018, Britain and its allies expelled dozens of Russian embassy officials they said were spies over the attempted poisoning of former double agent, Sergei Skripal, with Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok. Last Friday, a jury at a British court convicted three Bulgarians for their part in a sophisticated UK-based spy ring that targeted journalists and passed sensitive information to Russia over three years. Mondays announcement came as Russia shifts blame for the Ukraine conflict away from the United States to Europe, as US President Donald Trumps administration seeks closer ties with the Kremlin. Advertisement (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Firstpost staff.) Couche-Tard, which operates Circle K convenience stores and gas stations, made an offer last year to acquire Seven & i Holdings, the parent company of 7-Eleven, for $18.19 per share read more Seven&i holdings is the company behind Japan's famous Seven 11 stores. Reuters A major shareholder in Japans Seven & i Holdings is urging the company to engage more seriously with Canadian retailer Alimentation Couche-Tard over its $47.5 billion buyout proposal. Artisan Partners Asset Management, which holds about 1 per cent stakes in both Seven & i and Couche-Tard, criticiced the Japanese companys handling of the bid in a letter to its board on Sunday (March 9). The US-based investor raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest and questioned whether the board is prioritising shareholder value. Advertisement The Board has taken several decisions that leave significant unanswered questions, portfolio managers N. David Samra and Benjamin L. Herrick wrote, according to a report by Bloomberg. They argued that Seven & i has failed to pursue the best path forward for the company. Ongoing standoff over buyout offer Couche-Tard, which operates Circle K convenience stores and gas stations, made an offer last year to acquire the parent company of 7-Eleven for $18.19 per share. Seven & i has so far resisted the bid, opting instead for a corporate overhaul to boost shareholder value. Last week, the company announced a series of major changes, including the sale of its superstore business for $5.4 billion, a $13.4 billion share buyback program, and plans to list its US business. Stephen Dacus, a current board director, was also named the new chief executive. Artisan Partners questioned Dacus role in the negotiations, highlighting his position as chairman of the special committee reviewing Couche-Tards offer while also serving on the nomination committee that considered his own appointment as CEO. The investor argued that basic corporate governance standards should have required him to step down from both committees. Shareholders can have no confidence that the special committee has run, nor continues to run, a thorough evaluation process, Artisan said, warning that it may vote against Dacus and other board members at the companys next annual meeting. Next steps in takeover talks Both companies have said they are working on a potential divestiture of US stores to address antitrust concerns if a takeover moves forward. However, investor skepticism remains high, with Seven & is stock trading more than 20 per cent below Couche-Tards offer price. Artisan Partners renewed its call for Seven & i to seriously consider the deal, arguing that the company has underperformed in North America and could benefit from Couche-Tards management expertise. Bloomberg News reported that Couche-Tard has not yet signed a non-disclosure agreement that would allow it to review Seven & is financials an essential step before making a formal binding offer. Advertisement Couche-Tard executives, including founder and chairman Alain Bouchard, are expected to travel to Tokyo this week to push for further negotiations. They also plan to hold a news conference on March 13 to publicly make their case for acquiring Seven & i. In his farewell speech as the Liberal Party chose Mark Carney as the party leader, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sought to rally the party as well as people around the flag read more In his farewell address, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday asked his party as well as people to stay committed to the nation. At a time when Canada is facing unprecedented economic and territorial aggression from US President Donald Trump, Trudeau said that democracy, freedom, and even Canadian nationhood were not given but required effort, courage, and sacrifice to be sustained. He said they stood at a nation-defining moment and the nation needed their commitment more than ever. Advertisement Trudeaus Liberal Party on Sunday chose former Bank of Canada chief Mark Carney as the party leader and next Prime Minister of Canada. Here is the full text of Trudeaus farewell speech: Hello, my friends. You know, as I look out across this room, I have just one question: Hows the Liberal Party doing tonight? Now, sit down. Now, I can imagine that youre all expecting me to stand up and talk about all that weve accomplished together. And dont get me wrong, I am damn proud of what weve done over these past 10 years for the middle class and people working hard to join it, but tonight, tonight is about our future as a party, as a country. Now I know that we as Liberals, as a government, often get criticized by our friends for not taking a victory lap. After we get something big done, we do something really big, and then we move on right away to the next challenge. Because as progressives, as Liberals, we know there is always more to do. So, it is important to take the time to reflect on and share the big successes. But not tonight, not tonight, because when Liberals gather, were always focused on just one thing, the work that still needs to be done to build a country that stays worthy of all Canadians. And simply put, thats the work of a lifetime for each and every one of us. Its very simple. Liberals are dedicated to making this country even better, not because we think its broken, but because we have an opportunity, and therefore a responsibility, to ensure that Canada stays the best country on earth. Now these past years these past 10 years have been challenging, crisis after crisis has been thrown at Canadians. But through every crisis, Canadians have shown who they are. Weve pulled together. Weve stood up for each other. And every single time, weve emerged even stronger. And now, as Canadians face from our neighbor an existential challenge, an economic crisis, Canadians are showing exactly what we are made of! Advertisement Canadians are showing what it is that makes us Canadians, not by defining ourselves by who were not, but by proudly embracing who we are. We are a country that knows that standing up for everyones fundamental rights is the only way to protect our freedom. Were a country that believes no one should be left behind, and that everyone should have a real and fair shot at success. Were a country that refuses to accept the false choice between a strong economy and a healthy environment. Were a country that embraces reconciliation and Indigenous peoples as true partners, because it is the only path to a shared prosperous future. Advertisement Were a country that celebrates the right of each and every person to be who they want to be, to pray as they pray and love whom they love. Were a country that will always defend a womans right to choose. And were a country that will be diplomatic when we can, but fight when we must, elbows up. But you, you here in this room and our fellow Liberals watching across the country, you know all about fighting: with grit, with determination. When the going gets tough, you remember where we were 15 years ago with just 35 seats in the House. You remember our ups and downs and all those times that people counted us out, all the times they said our party was on its last breath, like all Canadians, its when you try to count us out that we Liberals show our true mettle. Advertisement Tonight Im also thinking of two friends in particular, whove been there with me and for me every step of the way, close to 20 years the extraordinary Adam Scotty and the unstoppable Katie Telford. Now as I look at all of you in this room, no speech could be enough to thank you all as much as Id like to, as much as you should be. I cant even offer you a well deserved break, because once again, we need you. Your country needs you, maybe more than ever, and I have no doubt that you will answer the call, because youve done it before. Liberals will meet this moment! And make no mistake, this is a nation-defining moment. Advertisement Democracy is not a given. Freedom is not a given. Even Canada is not a given. None of those happen by accident. None of them will continue without effort. It takes courage; it takes sacrifice; it takes hope and hard work. Sixty years ago, standing atop Parliament Hill Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson first raised our beautiful maple leaf into the Canadian sky. It was much debated at the time, but Pearson knew well what we all know now: that our flag would serve as a unifying symbol that would define the next chapters in our national story. Sixty years later, there are still so many more chapters to write, and I can tell you, the world is looking to see what Canadians will do. So let us not dwell on all the great things weve achieved over the past ten years. Let us aspire instead, to achieve even more over the next ten years and the decades to come. Let us remain steadfast, defiant and united, and let us not just think about our party. Let us prove our love of country. As your leader, as your Prime Minister, I have done my level best each and every single day to help build a country that stays worthy of all Canadians. Ive done it for Xavier, for Ella Grace and Hadrian, and Ive done it for your kids, too. Ive done it with you, and although youll always find me alongside you cheering along, their future and your future is now in your hands. Merci. The former Bank of Canada governors remarks came after winning the race to lead Canadas federal Liberal Party, which was led by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau read more Canadas Prime Minister-designate Mark Carney said that the country will keep its retaliatory tariffs against the US in place as long as US President Donald Trump continues with the trade war. The former Bank of Canada governors remarks came after winning the race to lead Canadas federal Liberal Party, which was led by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The Canadian government is rightly retaliating with our own tariffs, Carney said during his victory speech on Sunday. My government will keep our tariffs on until the Americans show us respect and make credible, reliable commitments to free and fair trade," he added. Carney won the party leader race with 86 per cent vote and will be replacing Trudeau soon. Advertisement A trade war between Canada and the US started brewing after the Trump administration put 25 per cent tariffs on most Canadian and Mexican products last week. In response to this, Canada imposed its own 25 per cent levies on C$30 billion ($20.9 billion) worth of items. This included products like orange juice, coffee and fruit. The Candian government threatened to expand high tariffs to include an additional C$125 billion in US-produced goods, including cars and trucks, steel and other food items. Meanwhile, Trump has delayed imposing new duties on several products, but theres still a threat that it can happen in April. Trump wants to destroy our way of life: Carney In his victory speech, the 59-year-old hurled criticisms at Trump, calling him a threat intent on attacking Canadian families, workers, businesses. They want our resources, our water, our land, our country If they succeeded, they would destroy our way of life, he averred. Carney proposed that he would seek to shift the country away from trade with the US and look for other reliable partners. The former banker also took potshots at Trumps repeated calls to absorb Canada as the US 51st state. America is not Canada, and Canada never will be part of America in any way, shape or form," he remarked. Carney has long been considered a technocrat who favours fiscal discipline but has recently launched several attacks on the US President. With inputs from agencies. Around 7,000 workers from at least two dozen countries have been freed, the majority of them Chinese, but many have been languishing in squalid conditions in temporary holding camps on the Myanmar-Thai border read more Victims of scam centers who were tricked or trafficked into working in Myanmar, stuck in limbo at a compound inside the KK Park, a fraud factory, and a human trafficking hub on the border with Thailand-Myanmar after a multinational crackdown on the compounds run by criminal gangs, operated by the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) in Myawaddy, Myanmar. File image/ Reuters Nearly 300 Indians flew home through Thailand on Monday after being released from scam centres in Myanmar, officials in the kingdom said, as part of efforts to shut down the illegal online fraud operations. Authorities in Myanmar, under pressure from ally China, have cracked down in recent weeks on the scam compounds that have flourished in the countrys lawless borderlands. Around 7,000 workers from at least two dozen countries have been freed, the majority of them Chinese, but many have been languishing in squalid conditions in temporary holding camps on the Myanmar-Thai border. Advertisement A group of Indian officials crossed into Myanmar to accompany seven buses taking the freed Indian nationals as well as three more carrying their luggage to Mae Sot airport in northwest Thailand. The Indian government sent a C-17 transport plane to carry the 266 men and 17 women back home, with a second batch of 257 due to be flown out on Tuesday. China has repatriated more than 2,000 of its nationals freed from Myanmar scam centres through Thailand since the three countries began their crackdown late last month. Scam centres have sprung up in Myanmars border areas in recent years as part of a criminal industry worth billions of dollars a year. Thousands of foreign workers staff the centres, trawling social media for victims to fleece, often through romance or investment cons. Many workers say they were lured or tricked into taking the work and suffered beatings and abuse. But China has so far treated its repatriated workers as criminal suspects, clapping them in handcuffs on their return home. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Firstpost staff.) The court flagged undeclared campaign financing and alleged fraudulent use of digital technologies, with authorities suspecting Russian interference read more Romanias Central Electoral Bureau on Sunday (March 9) barred far-right, Russia-aligned candidate Calin Georgescu from competing in the countrys presidential election rerun in May, citing election violations. Georgescu, who unexpectedly won the first round of the presidential vote last November following a highly successful TikTok campaign, was disqualified after Romanias Constitutional Court annulled the result. The court flagged undeclared campaign financing and alleged fraudulent use of digital technologies, with authorities suspecting Russian interference, Politico reported. Advertisement The electoral bureau voted 10-4 to block his candidacy, according to the Digi24 news service. Georgescu, who continues to lead in the polls, has 24 hours to appeal, with the Constitutional Court required to issue a ruling by Wednesday (March 12). He framed the decision as a broader attack on democracy. If democracy in Romania falls, the entire democratic world will fall! he wrote on X. This is just the beginning. Europe is now a dictatorship, Romania is under tyranny! A direct blow to the heart of democracy worldwide! I have one message left! If democracy in Romania falls, the entire democratic world will fall! This is just the beginning. Its that simple! Europe is now a dictatorship, Romania is under tyranny! Calin Georgescu OFFICIAL ACCOUNT (@CG_Romania) March 9, 2025 Protests turn violent in Bucharest Following the decision, Georgescus supporters clashed with riot police in downtown Bucharest on Sunday night, throwing rocks, firecrackers, and bottles, injuring several officers, according to Digi24. Riot police responded with tear gas to disperse the crowds. Elena Lasconi, leader of the center-right Union Save Romania party and Georgescus expected opponent in the canceled runoff last year, urged the electoral bureau to clarify its ruling. Decisions must be explained, otherwise people will become furious, suspicious, and prone to conspiracies, she said in a statement. Advertisement International reactions The Trump administration, which has aligned with the Kremlin on key foreign policy issues, has supported allowing Georgescu to compete. Trumps senior adviser, Elon Musk, reacted swiftly, calling the decision crazy in a post on X. Matteo Salvini, Italys deputy prime minister and leader of the right-wing populist Lega party, condemned the ruling as a Soviet-style Euro-coup, writing on X that it deprived Romanians at home and abroad of their democratic rights. According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), American corporations increased their share of worldwide weaponry exports from 35% in the 20152019 period to 43% in 202024, demonstrating the United States sustained dominance of the world stage read more Servicemen of the 44th Separate Mechanised Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine fire a Leopard 1A5 tank during a training, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine. File image/ Reuters According to a report released Monday by a prominent war think tank, Ukraine has emerged as the worlds largest arms importer since Russias 2022 invasion, and European weaponry imports increased by 155% in 202024. According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), American corporations increased their share of worldwide weaponry exports from 35% in the 20152019 period to 43% in 202024, demonstrating the United States sustained dominance of the world stage. The United States share of the world market for arms exports was about equal to the combined market shares of the following eight nations. Advertisement According to SIPRI, Europe as a whole accounted for 28% of global arms imports in 202024, up from 11% in 20152019. Ukraine alone accounted for 8.8% of global arms imports form 2020-24, and just under half of those imports were from the U.S., which under President Donald Trump has paused military aid to Kyiv. Russias invasion of Ukraine has led to the biggest confrontation between the West and Russia since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Kremlin and the White House have said missteps could trigger World War Three. The war has underlined Europes dependence on U.S. arms although the trans-Atlantic alliance, the foundation of Europes security strategy since World War Two, is increasingly being questioned. The U.S. supplied more than 50% of Europes arms imports from 2020-24, with Britain, the Netherlands and Norway among the top buyers, the SIPRI data showed. European leaders last Thursday backed plans to spend more on defence following Trumps reversal of U.S. policies. With an increasingly belligerent Russia and transatlantic relations under stress during the first Trump presidency, European NATO states have taken steps to reduce their dependence on arms imports and to strengthen the European arms industry, said Pieter Wezeman, Senior Researcher with the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme. Advertisement But the transatlantic arms-supply relationship has deep roots. Imports from the USA have risen and European NATO states have almost 500 combat aircraft and many other weapons still on order from the USA. Russian arms exports dropped to 7.8% of the global market in the 2020-24 period, compared to 21% in the previous four-year period, as a result of international sanctions over the war in Ukraine and increased domestic demand for weapons. Asia and Oceanias arms imports dropped 21%, mainly because of China producing more of its own weapons. Overall, global arms transfers were roughly at the same level in the 2020-2024 period as in the previous four years, the SIPRI data showed. Advertisement Since the start of the war, Zelenskyy has consistently worn military-style clothing for both domestic and international appearances as a sign of solidarity with Ukrainian soldiers fighting on the frontlines read more Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday (March 9) took a subtle dig over his decision to not wear a suit to the White House meeting with US President Donald Trump last month. Ukrainian presidency released a video showing Zelenskyy thanking an audience at an awards ceremony. Then, the Ukrainian leader says, Sorry Im not in a suit", leaving people in splits. Zelenskyy was wearing his trademark black outfit with Ukraines trident symbol at the event, similar to what he wore to the Trump meeting. Advertisement His satirical remarks came ahead of Ukraines anticipated talks with US officials in Riyadh this week. It would be the first formal direct meeting between US and Ukrainian officials since Trump took office on January 20. Since the start of the war, Zelenskyy has consistently worn military-style clothing for both domestic and international appearances as a sign of solidarity with Ukrainian soldiers fighting on the frontlines. He has said that his choice of attire serves as a symbol of the ongoing conflict and Ukraines resistance against Russian aggression. However, his attire became a point of discussion when he visited Washington DC on February 28. An American conservative reporter bluntly asked him, Why dont you wear a suit?" Youre at the highest level in this countrys office, and you refuse to wear a suit. Do you own a suit? the reporter asked. Zelenskyy in response said he would wear the costume when this war is over. Earlier, Trump also commented on Zelenskyys clothing when he came to receive him at the gate of the Oval Office. Advertisement Trump greeted him with saying, Youre all dressed up today. However, speaking to Politico, a Ukrainian journalist has now said Zelenskyys attire should not be seen as a casual wear by anyone. lllia Ponomarenko claimed Zelenskyys clothes reflect a soft and 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, he said. Advertisement The most significant element of Zelenskyys outfit is the Ukrainian trident, a key national symbol. Ukrainian designer Elvira Gasanova previously stated that the trident distinguishes him as a wartime leader who does not need to wear suits. (With inputs from agencies) As Syrias Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa struggles to ensure stability in the country, militant groups supporting ousted President Bashar al-Assad are not the only cause of his worries read more Following the death of 1,000 people in the ongoing clashes in Syria, the countrys Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa has launched an investigation into the violence and pledged to hold the perpetrators accountable. For weeks, Syria has been engulfed in clashes between pro-government security forces and fighters who are loyal to ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. While the clashes started in the coastal cities of Latakia and Tartous, its ripple effects are being felt in Damascus as well. We announce the formation of a fact-finding committee regarding the events on the coast and form a higher committee, Sharaa said in an address to the nation on Sunday following days of violent unrest, Al Jazeera reported. Advertisement 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 In his address, the Syrian leader made it clear that an independent committee had been formed to investigate the violations against civilians and identify those responsible for them, adding that the perpetrators would be referred to court. The Committee has the right to use whoever it deems appropriate to perform its duties, and submit its report to the Presidency of the Republic within a maximum period of thirty days from the date of issuance of this decision, the presidencys statement read. However, the pro-Assad militants are not the only challenge Sharaa is facing regarding bringing Syria back to stability. The interim president has to strike a fine balance between several factions and geopolitical allies and clean its image on the global stage at the same time. Heres a look at why Sharaas concerns are beyond the challenges posed by Assad loyalists. The extended civil war: Clashes with Assad loyalists create new hinderance The ongoing fighting began after pro-Assad fighters coordinated attacks on security forces on Thursday. These attacks spiralled into revenge killings as thousands of armed supporters of Syrias new leadership went to the coastal areas to support the security forces. According to London-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory, the clashes led to over 1,000 deaths in the span of a few days. In the midst of all this, Sharaa have been calling for national unity. We have to preserve national unity and domestic peace. We can live together, the president said. Rest assured about Syria, this country has the characteristics for survival What is currently happening in Syria is within the expected challenges," he said. A man steps on an image of Syrias deposed president, Bashar al-Assad, as people enter his home in the Malki neighborhood of Damascus. This followed a swift offensive by Islamist-led rebels, who declared they had captured the Syrian capital, forcing al-Assad to flee and bringing an end to the five decades of Baath rule in Syria. However, the blind loyalty to Assad, who is said to have been living in-exile in Russia, is not the only reason, these militant groups are fighting pro-government forces. There is more to the story. Advertisement The plight of the Syrian minorities When Sharaa first came to power, he pledged to get rid of his and his groups jihadist past and ensure the inclusivity of all religious groups and sects in Syrian society. Despite these promises, the minority groups in the country still feel isolated and neglected. The coastal areas of Syria where the infighting is taking place are also the heartland of Assads Alawite minority, an offshoot of Shia Islam. The members of this sect held a prominent role in the erstwhile Syrian regime. However, with the arrival of the Sunni Muslim-led rebels, the Alawite sect lost the power and privilege it once had. Mourners react during the funeral of Shinda Kisho, who was killed in Latakia, after hundreds were massacred in some of the deadliest violence in 13 years of civil war, pitting loyalists of deposed President Bashar al-Assad against the countrys new Islamist rulers, in Qamishli. Reuters Many of them now claim that they are under attack and often face discrimination. On Friday, activists argued that gunmen had killed dozens of male residents in Alawite areas, which would further exacerbate tensions and make people lose faith in the interim government. The Syrian Observatory said the gunmen were from the governments security forces, although this has not been verified. Apart from this, Sharaa is also facing faction disputes among his allies. Advertisement The brewing factional dispute Sharaa was confirmed to the new role following a meeting of the leaders of the rebel factions in January this year. Apart from making this announcement, a military spokesperson also announced a series of other changes. This included the dissolution of the Syrian parliament, the formation of an appointed legislative council, and the cancellation of the countrys 2012 constitution. The Syrian military and security agencies were also dissolved and were replaced by the new security institutions and army. The military spokesperson made it clear, that all armed factions in Syria are to be disbanded since they will be absorbed in the new national army. But there was a catch. The portrait of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani is pictured on the back of a car in the coastal Syrian city of Latakia on December 10, 2024. (AFP) In an ideal circumstance, the order to dissolve the armed factions would entail the dissolution of the HTS. However, the order did not mention the rebel groups name, leaving many surprised. After assuming the presidential role, Sharaa, along with his minister of defence, has held near-daily meetings with rebel factions and given their leaders key posts within the interim government. Advertisement However, there are still significant challenges regarding more radical Islamist rebel factions many of which make up part of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army that are not as disciplined. Things become even more complicated when different factions are supported by different foreign actors who are at war with each other. One major case is the tussle between groups supported by Turkey and the ones supported by Kurds. Navigating the Turks & Kurds The government in Damascus headed by Sharaa does not control the whole of Syria, there are different factions, having strongholds in different regions of the country and are supported by different countries. Last month, Sharaa held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The meeting was held in Ankara and marked Sharaas second international trip since officially becoming Syrias interim leader. During the meeting, the two leaders discussed how the two nations can cooperate and fight armed groups Isil (Isis) and Kurdish fighters. Advertisement Syrias newly appointed president for a transitional phase, Ahmed al-Sharaa and Turkeys President Tayyip Erdogan pose as they shake hands after a joint press conference at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey. Reuters I would like to express our satisfaction for the strong commitment my brother Ahmed al-Sharaa has shown in the fight against terrorism, Erdogan said at a joint press conference with Sharaa. I told al-Sharaa we are ready to provide the necessary support to Syria in the fight against all kinds of terrorism, whether it be Daesh or the PKK, he said. However, one cannot deny the fact that the Syrian-Kurdish fighters also helped in the toppling of the Assad regime. Amid the ongoing clashes, the top commander of a Syrian Kurdish armed group, whose forces are in a separate battle with Turkey, blamed Turkish-backed Islamist factions for the whole disruption, Reuters reported. Hence, the new Syrian president is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Inclusion of Kurdish factions puts Sharaa in a difficult position with one of his main allies, i.e. Turkey. Meanwhile, Sharaa is also facing pressure from the US, France and some Arab nations to recognise Kurdish rights. This can be seen with the fact that hundreds of US troops continue to remain in Kurdish-controlled areas to counter IS sleeper cells. Hence, Sharaa would not like to be on the bad side of the US. Cleaning international image Sharaas challenge to balance Syrias allies brings in another dilemma, i.e. cleaning his and HTSs image. The HTS emerged originally an offshoot of the Syrian branch of al-Qaida and was one of the most powerful Syrian groups at the time of the takeover. After the takeover, the Syrian leader, formally known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, said that theyve broken ties with their Jihadist past. Before the takeover, the HTS was designated as a terrorist organisation by the UN, the US, the EU and the UK. Given the rise in violence, many are sceptical that Sharaa will continue to stand by his words. Foreign actors are keeping a close eye to see whether the Syrian regime maintains the trajectory of stability which they more or less have maintained following the ousting of Assad. In the midst of this, the interim government has courted regional powers for support in bolstering its fledgling state and army, seeking foreign funds and legitimacy. In this photo provided by the Saudi Ministry of Media, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman greets Syrias interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, left, during his arrival at the royal palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. (Saudi Ministry of Media via AP) Sharaas first international trip was to Saudi Arabia where Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman embraced him with open arms. During the meeting, MBS called for more calm in Syria, which would allow him to focus on Saudi Arabias resources on his domestic reform agenda and economic diversification campaign rather than regional problems. This reflects the fact that Sharaa has to maintain stability within Syria to attract foreign investments. What about Russia and Iran, Assads old allies? Soon after toppling the Assad regime, Sharaa told Al Arabiya that he wanted relations with Iran and Russia, but he insisted any ties must be based on mutual respect. Both Russia and Iran were major allies of Assad and even helped the ousted president to save his seat. Syria cannot continue without relations with an important regional country like Iran, Sharaa told Al Arabiya. However, it remains unclear whether Russia and Iran will abandon Assad, given the fact that he and his family are seeking refuge in Moscow. Not only this, ties with Iran and Russia would also not sit well with the West, who Sharaa is currently courting. Meanwhile, Israel is trying to gain benefits from the instability in the country. Right after the fall of the Assad regime, the Jewish nation announced that it had seized territory in Syrian-controlled areas of the Golan Heights. Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the 1974 ceasefire agreement between the two nations has collapsed and maintained that Israel would continue to control the region until theres some stability in Syria. Israeli soldiers patrol in the Syrian town of Jubata al-Khashab in the UN-patrolled buffer zone in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, on December 20, 2024. AFP However, there is no guarantee to that promise. All these challenges now leave Sharaa in a dicey situation as he plans to hold elections in the country and attempts to ensure a smooth transition. (With inputs from agencies) A major rescue operation was under way after a collision between an oil tanker and a cargo ship in the North Sea Monday which sparked a huge blaze and left 32 people injured read more An oil tanker is reportedly on fire after a collision in the North Sea A major rescue operation was under way after a collision between an oil tanker and a cargo ship in the North Sea on Monday sparked a huge blaze and left 32 people injured. The injured had been brought ashore for treatment in three vessels, the Grimsby port director Martin Boyers told AFP, adding that ambulances were queueing on the quay. The operation was being coordinated by the UK Coastguard after reports of a collision between a tanker and cargo vessel off the coast of East Yorkshire, a Coastguard spokesperson said. Advertisement The spokesman added the Coastguard was carrying out an assessment of the likely counter pollution response required. Images on UK television channels showed a huge plume of thick, black smoke and flames rising from the scene about 10 miles (16 kilometres) off the coast. There were reports of fires on both ships that UK lifeboat services were responding to, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) confirmed to AFP. There were also reports that a number of people had abandoned the vessels, RNLI added. The International Maritime Organization confirmed to AFP the current focus is on the firefighting and search and rescue operation. UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she was concerned to hear of the collision between two vessels in the North Sea this morning and am liaising with officials and HM Coastguard as the situation develops. She also thanked all the emergency services which rushed to the scene. The alarm about the collision near the port city of Hull in East Yorkshire was raised at 0948 GMT. A Coastguard helicopter, aircraft, lifeboats from four towns and other nearby vessels were part of the large rescue operation, the Coastguard added. Advertisement Swedish tanker company Stena Bulk confirmed it owned the oil tanker involved in the accident, adding that it was operated by Crowley, a US-based maritime company. The tanker was named as the Stena Immaculate by online ship tracking service Marine Traffic, which said the vessel was anchored near its destination, Immingham, near Hull. It had travelled from Greece loaded with petroleum products, according to Bloomberg. An Associated British Ports (ABP), which operates the Port of Hull and Immingham, said it was aware of the incident and was assisting the Coastguard. The MarineTraffic shipping tracker said the cargo ship involved was the Portuguese-flagged Solong, owned by the German company Reederei Koepping. Advertisement Collisions rare Vessels with firefighting capabilities have been dispatched to the scene off the northeast coast. Collisions remain rare in the busy North Sea. In October 2023, two cargo ships, the Verity and the Polesie, collided near Germanys Heligoland islands in the North Sea. Three people were killed and two others are still missing, considered dead. The Isle-of-Man-flagged Verity, which was carrying steel from the northern German port of Bremen to Immingham, sank. In October 2015, the Flinterstar freighter - carrying 125 tonnes of diesel and 427 tonnes of fuel oil - sank after colliding with the Al Oraiq tanker eight kilometres (five miles) off the Belgian coast on October 6, 2015. According to reports, Trump has shown willingness to host Xi at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida but Beijing is pushing for a more formal meeting, either in China or US. Initial discussions regarding Trumps potential visit to China have taken place but it was not clear whether any progress has been made read more US President Donald Trump is likely to visit China as early as next month amidst a simmering trade war between the worlds two largest economies. Hong-Kong-based South China Morning Post reported that initial discussions regarding Trumps potential visit to China have taken place but it was not clear whether any progress has been made. It is more difficult for Beijing officials to talk to their counterparts in Washington now than in the Biden administration as Washington is going through drastic changes, the SCMP quoted a source in the Chinese government as saying. Advertisement A second Chinese source confirmed to SCMP that both sides are in active discussions to have a meeting between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in April but dates havent been finalised yet. Trump wants Xi to visit Mar-a-Lago The source further said that Trump has shown willingness to host Xi at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida but Beijing is pushing for a more formal meeting, either in China or US. For Xi, hosting Trump right after the Chinese Communist Partys two sessions would come as a diplomatic win, the source said. Earlier media reports also hinted that Trump may visit China within 100 days of his swearing-in. Trump visited China in November 2017 during his first term, receiving a grand welcome, including a formal dinner in capital Beijing. However, just months later, he launched a trade war against Beijing. His successor, Joe Biden, did not visit China during his presidency. US-China trade tensions Any potential meeting between Trump and Xi would occur amid escalating US-China trade tensions. Trump recently announced measure to double tariffs on Chinese goods. In response, China introduced retaliatory measures. Meanwhile, a US investigation into Chinas trade practices, ordered by Trump, is set to conclude by April. Its findings could serve as the basis for further trade actions against Beijing. Despite this, Trump, who prides himself on being a dealmaker, has hinted at the possibility of negotiations. In February, he stated that a new trade agreement with China was possible. A US official told SCMP that telling signs could soon emerge regarding Trumps next move on China. Now Trumps team is quiet on China because they have less people only half compared to his first term. Now they are concentrating on Ukraine as Trump thinks he could finish the Ukraine business soon, and Ukraine is also much less complicated compared to China, the source said. He assured that once the Ukraine situation is handled, the Trump administration would shift its focus to China. Advertisement The comments from Trump came at a time when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit Saudi Arabia for a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, on Monday read more Amid the brewing tensions, US President Donald Trump hinted that Ukraine may not survive the war against Russia, even if Americas support continues. The proclamation from the president came during his interview with Fox News. When asked about his administrations controversial decision to pause support to Ukraine as it fights with Russia, Trump noted that the country has some weaknesses. ' The remarks from Trump came a week after Polands President Andrzej Duda said that without American support, Ukraine will not survive. When asked for his reaction to the Polish leaders comment, Trump said, Well, it may not survive anyway. Advertisement You know, we have some weaknesses with Russia. You know, it takes two. Look, it was not going to happen; it happened. So now were stuck with this mess. Think of what he [Biden] stuck me with, Trump said, claiming that former US President Joe Biden left him with two wars and a border crisis. Concerns over US support to Ukraine The comments from Trump came at a time when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit Saudi Arabia for a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, on Monday. Ukraines diplomatic and military representatives are also scheduled to meet with a US delegation on Tuesday. There have been growing global concerns over the souring ties between the United States and Ukraine after Trump clashed with Zelenskyy over the war and the mineral deal at the White House. Following the highly public spat, the US paused military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine. When asked if the POTUS is expecting Zelenskyy to come back and sign the earth minerals deal, Trump gave a crisp response: Yeah, I think so. I think itll. Trump insisted that the raw minerals in Ukraine are valuable and would help the United States in the long run. Ive had a check. Its very valuable. And with all that being said, Biden should have never put up $350 billion. He should have equalized with Europe. All he had to do was say, you got to stay even with us, he said, taking another potshot at his predecessor. Were not in the danger that they [Europe] are there, or much greater danger if you call it danger. He should have never done that. You know, the other thing with Europe that bothers me? Theyve given Russia more money by far for buying their oil than they put into Ukraine. So theyre paying all this money to Russia, and were in there for $350 billion. Biden should have never done, he furthered. Trump wants more A recent report from NBC News suggested that Trump had privately told his aides that the signed minerals deal between Washington and Kyiv would not be enough to restart aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine. The 78-year-old president laid out three conditions to resume talks between the two nations. As per the report, apart from signing the mineral deal, Trump wants to see a change in Zelenskyys attitude towards peace talks. Sources also told NBC News that the president wants his Ukrainian counterpart to make some movement towards holding elections in Ukraine and possibly stepping down as his countrys leader. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy made it clear that he would step down if Ukraine becomes the member of NATO. Advertisement With inputs from agencies. Owing to the friendly ties between the Donald Trump administration of the United Stats and Russia, British spy agencies are concerned about sharing Russia-related intelligence, according to a report read more US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin hold a bilateral meeting at the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan June 28, 2019. (Photo: Reuters) The British spy agencies are concerned about sharing Russia-related intelligence with the United States and are reconsidering the intelligence-sharing relationship between the two countries, according to a report. While US President Donald Trump had always been friendly been friendly with Russia, he has completely reversed the post-World War II bipartisan foreign policy approach since taking office. He has aligned the United States with Russia and has turned against longstanding European allies. He has filled his administration with Russia-friendly officials, such as intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard. Advertisement At a time when Trump is essentially aiding Russia in the war on Ukraine, The Mail on Sunday has reported that British spy agencies are concerned that sharing Russia-related intelligence with the Trump administration could lead to agents cover being blown. A source told The Mail that the fears are such that some agents operating in Russia and Ukraine have even been extracted as a protective measure. ALSO READ: Not a place for Russia, China sympathiser: Nikki Haley on Tulsi Gabbard as intelligence chief Trump and his allies ties to Western adversaries Russia and China have always been concerning to other Western countries. There have long been fears that top Trump allies, such as Gabbard and billionaire Elon Musk, are compromised by Russia and China while Gabbard has close ties to Russia, Musk has close ties to China. In the wake of such concerns, there are fears that intelligence shared with the United States may reach Russia and compromise sources or agents. UK adapting intelligence-sharing with US Whats at stake is the longstanding US-UK special relationship that has a very close security and intelligence cooperation element. Even though the British government has not said anything about such concerns on the record, The Mail reported that British spy chiefs have already started significantly rationing what information they pass to their counterparts in the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). While the British Prime Ministers Office has denied there has been any change to intelligence-sharing protocols, The Mail reported that Security minister Dan Jarvis has held meetings with foreign intelligence agency MI6s head Sir Richard Moore and domestic intelligence agency MI5s head Sir Ken McCallum regarding the security of British intelligence. Advertisement The newspaper reported a source as saying that while the main concern is regarding raw intelligence falling into wrong hands, more care is being taken to package the information so that source cannot be traced. ALSO READ: From Russian invasion to Zelenskyys election, Trump rewrites Ukraine wars history with lies The concerns are not just in the British agencies but also in the US intelligence community. Diplomatic sources were quoted as saying that US agencies were in a state of panic and were destroying that which could expose assets in Russia. Previosuly, Reuters reported a European defence establishments official as describing Gabbard as being firmly in the Russian camp. Advertisement Trump and Gabbard, among others, have long been friendly with Russia and critics of the West. Trump and his allies have long parroted Kremlins tallking points about Ukraine. They have falsely accused Ukraine of starting the war with Russia and has falsely blamed previous US President Joe Biden and Nato for starting the war with their provocation to Russia. So far, Trump has pressured and punished Ukraine by suspending military aid and intelligence-sharing, seeking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys ouster, and threatening to impose sanctions on Ukrainian businesspersons instead of pressurising the aggressor Russia. ICE officials claimed they were acting on a State Department order to revoke Khalils green card. Khalil was at his university-owned apartment when ICE agents entered the building and took him into custody read more A prominent Palestinian activist who led the protests at Columbia University last year was arrested by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Saturday night. The lawyer of activist Mahmoud Khalil said that during the arrest, ICE officials claimed they were acting on a State Department order to revoke Khalils green card. Khalil was at his university-owned apartment when ICE agents entered the building and took him into custody. His lawyer, Amy Geer, told the Associated Press that one of the agents called her and conveyed that they were executing a State Department order to revoke Khalils student visa. The pro-Palestinian activist graduated from an Ivy League college in December last year and was a green card holder. Advertisement The arrest came days after US President Donald Trump vowed to deport foreign students and imprison agitators who took part in what he described as pro-Hamas protests across several US campuses. The administration scrutinised Columbia and its students role in the whole saga. As a result, on Friday, the Trump administration announced that they would be cutting $400m in grants and contracts because of what the government describes as the elite schools failure to squelch antisemitism on campus. Khalils pregnant wife was unaware of the arrest Geer told the Associated Press that the ICE agents declined to tell Khalils wife why he was being detained. The activists wife is eight months pregnant. The lawyer said Khalil has since been transferred to an immigration detention facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey. We have not been able to get any more details about why he is being detained, Greer told the Associated Press. This is a clear escalation. The administration is following through on its threats," she added. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Columbia University made it clear that law enforcement officials must produce a warrant before entering the university premises. However, he declined to comment on whether such a warrant was received by the university for Khalils arrest. Khalil became one of the most prominent faces of protest in the university when hundreds of students erected tents on campus and conducted an encampment movement in the famous Hamilton Hall. Khalil was eventually picked to serve as a negotiator on behalf of students and met frequently with university administrators. When the classes resumed in September, he told the Associated Press that the pro-Palestinian protests would continue on the university premises. As long as Columbia continues to invest and to benefit from Israeli apartheid, the students will continue to resist," he said at that time. It is important to note that in the United States, an immigration court can revoke someones green card, but a government department does not have the same power. Last week, Axios reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio intends to revoke visas from foreign nationals who are deemed to support Hamas or other terrorist groups, using artificial intelligence (AI) to pick out individuals. Advertisement With inputs from The Associated Press. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday said that Trump administration has cancelled more than 80 per cent of all the programmes at US Agency for International Development following a six-week review read more US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday said that Trump administration has cancelled more than 80 per cent of all the programmes at US Agency for International Development following a six-week review. Taking to X, Rubio said, After a 6 week review we are officially cancelling 83% of the programs at USAID. The 5200 contracts that are now cancelled spent tens of billions of dollars in ways that did not serve, (and in some cases even harmed), the core national interests of the United States. Advertisement After a 6 week review we are officially cancelling 83% of the programs at USAID. The 5200 contracts that are now cancelled spent tens of billions of dollars in ways that did not serve, (and in some cases even harmed), the core national interests of the United States. In Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) March 10, 2025 In consultation with Congress, we intend for the remaining 18% of programs we are keeping (approximately 1000) to now be administered more effectively under the State Department, he added. US President Donald Trump returned to office on January 20 and immediately imposed a 90-day pause on foreign aid while reviewing whether the programmes align with his America First foreign policy. The order, along with subsequent stop-work directives, threw USAID into disarray, halting its global operations and jeopardising the delivery of critical food and medical aid, which disrupted humanitarian relief efforts worldwide. While the administration claimed to provide waivers for life-saving aid, humanitarian workers reported that funding remained frozen. Thousands of staff were laid off or placed on leave, with most not expected to return. Thank you to DOGE and our hardworking staff who worked very long hours to achieve this overdue and historic reform," he added. Advertisement Rubio also thanked the staffers of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency led by billionaire Elon Musk, who has been conducting an unprecedented scaling down of the U.S. federal government. Thank you to DOGE and our hardworking staff who worked very long hours to achieve this overdue and historic reform, Rubio said. A few hours later, Musk responded: Tough, but necessary. Good working with you. The important parts of USAID should always have been with Dept of State. His comments came after the New York Times reported that he and Musk clashed during a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, with Musk accusing the top US diplomat of not carrying out deep enough staff cuts at the State Department. During the meeting, Trump asserted that his Cabinet members, not Musk, hold the final authority on staffing and policy decisions within their agencies, according to Reuters. Advertisement He denied the NYT report on Friday when questioned by reporters. On Saturday evening, Trump, Musk, and Rubio dined together at Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, as confirmed by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Sunday. With inputs from agencies US supplied 52 per cent of European Nato members military equipment between 2015 and 2019, which rose to 64 per cent in the subsequent five-year period, according to a report, citing Sipri data read more Servicemen of the 44th Separate Mechanised Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine fire a Leopard 1A5 tank during a training, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, on February 5, 2025. Reuters File European Nato members have become even more dependent on US weapons than before, according to a Politico report, citing the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) data. According to the report, the US supplied 52 per cent of European Nato members military equipment between 2015 and 2019, which rose to 64 per cent in the subsequent five-year period. Overall, European arms imports shot up by 155 per cent over 2020-2024 compared to 2015-2019 a reaction to Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago. Advertisement Europeans are taking steps to boost their own industries, Politico quoted Pieter Wezeman, a senior researcher with SIPRI, as saying. The transatlantic arms-supply relationship has deep roots. Imports from the USA have risen and European Nato states have almost 500 combat aircraft and many other weapons still on order from the USA, Wezeman added. The report highlights Europes significant rearmament amid fears that the Trump administration may be realigning with Russia, raising doubts about the reliability of US security guarantees. This uncertainty has prompted European countries to reconsider their dependence on American weaponry. For instance, German economists have cautioned against purchasing F-35 fighter jets. According to Sipri, key arms suppliers to European Nato countries include France, South Korea, Germany, and Israel. From 2020 to 2024, Ukraine has emerged as the worlds largest arms importer, primarily sourcing weapons from the US, Germany, and Poland. Ukraine alone accounted for 8.8% of global arms imports form 2020-24, and just under half of those imports were from the US, which under President Donald Trump has paused military aid to Kyiv. Russias invasion of Ukraine has led to the biggest confrontation between the West and Russia since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Kremlin and the White House have said missteps could trigger World War Three. The war has underlined Europes dependence on US arms although the trans-Atlantic alliance, the foundation of Europes security strategy since World War Two, is increasingly being questioned. Advertisement European leaders last Thursday backed plans to spend more on defence following Trumps reversal of US policies. Russian arms exports dropped to 7.8% of the global market in the 2020-24 period, compared to 21% in the previous four-year period, as a result of international sanctions over the war in Ukraine and increased domestic demand for weapons. Asia and Oceanias arms imports dropped 21%, mainly because of China producing more of its own weapons. Overall, global arms transfers were roughly at the same level in the 2020-2024 period as in the previous four years, the SIPRI data showed. With inputs from agencies Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously announced that he will be in Jeddah for the talks, as has Trump confidant and envoy Steve Witkoff read more US Secretary of State Marco Rubio greets members of the crew as he boards a military airplane prior to departure from Homestead Air Reserve Base in Homestead, Florida, March 9, 2025, as he travels to Saudi Arabia and Canada. AFP US Secretary of State Marco Rubio set off on Sunday to fly to Saudi Arabia for talks with Ukraine, as President Donald Trump decides whether to relent on a freeze in military and intelligence support. Rubio will then travel on to Group of Seven (G7) talks in Canada, making him the first major US official to visit since Trump returned to office, launched a trade war the neighboring country and mocked its sovereignty. Advertisement In three days of talks in Jeddah, Rubio will discuss how to advance the presidents goal to end the Russia-Ukraine war, said State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce. She avoided characterizing the crisis as a Russian invasion of Ukraine as the previous administration and US allies have done. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously announced that he will be in Jeddah for the talks, as has Trump confidant and envoy Steve Witkoff. Rubio left Miamis Homestead Air Base at around 08:00 pm local time (midnight GMT). Trump, asked separately on his own plane about the hopes for a quick resolution, told reporters Sunday: I think were going to have a good result in Saudi Arabia we have a lot of good people going out there. And I think Ukraines going to do well, and I think Russia is going to do well. I think some very big things could happen this week. I hope so. Trump suspended aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine after a disastrous February 28 meeting with Zelenskyy at the White House. The Republican leader and his vice president, JD Vance, publicly dressed Zelenskyy down for alleged ingratitude over billions of dollars worth of previous US weapons shipments. Advertisement Zelenskyy left without signing an agreement demanded by Trump in which Ukraine would hand over much of its mineral wealth to the United States, which Trump argues will compensate US taxpayers for the assistance provided under former president Joe Biden. Zelenskyy has since said he is ready to sign the minerals deal and has sent a conciliatory letter to Trump, who read it at his address to Congress on Tuesday. Frozen aid Keith Kellogg, the US special envoy on Russia and Ukraine, said Thursday he would support resuming assistance once Zelenskyy signs the deal but that the decision was ultimately up to Trump. Advertisement NBC News, quoting unnamed sources, said Trump was unlikely to relent just with the minerals deal and would want to be assured that Zelenskyy is ready to make concessions to Russia. Trump told reporters Sunday he did not think Ukraine had yet shown they want peace. Right now they havent shown it to the extent that they should but I think they will be, and I think its going to become evident over the next two or three days. Stunned European leaders have been racing to find ways to make up for US aid, although Zelenskyy himself has said that there is no substitute for Washingtons security guarantees in a deal with Russia. Advertisement Russia, which invaded three years ago, has not let up in striking Ukraine, including its energy infrastructure. Trump on Friday also threatened to tighten sanctions on Russia if it does not come to the table. Rubio last month met his Russian counterpart, breaking a Biden-era freeze on such high-level contacts, and spoke of future economic cooperation if the war ends. Those talks also took place in Saudi Arabia, which has positioned itself as a key diplomatic partner for Trump. Rubio will also meet in Jeddah with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdoms de facto ruler, the State Department said. Trump is expected to push hard for Saudi Arabia to recognize Israel, a prospect that seems remote until a permanent end to the Gaza war a priority for Witkoff as he travels the region. Advertisement Rubio will then head to Quebec for a meeting of the Group of Seven foreign ministers where his spokeswoman said he will work to further US interests in peace and security, strategic cooperation, and global stability. She made no mention of tensions with Canada, which Trump has mocked as the 51st state as he unleashes tariffs, although he has partially backed off faced with a slide on stock markets. Trump has been reluctant to reengage in military support for Ukraine. The administration is also pressing for Ukraine to shift its position on peace talks, including potential territorial concessions to Russia and movement toward holding elections or even Zelenskyy stepping down read more Ukrainian officials are set to hold high-stakes talks with US counterparts in Saudi Arabia this week, aiming to persuade Washington to resume intelligence-sharing and military assistance, which was frozen by President Donald Trumps administration. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to make the case that Kyiv is prepared for swift negotiations to end the war with Russia, Financial Times cited officials familiar with the preparations as saying. Ukrainian negotiators are reportedly offering a partial ceasefire covering long-range drone and missile strikes as well as combat operations in the Black Sea, in hopes of securing renewed US support. Advertisement The talks come after Ukraines forces withdrew from Russian territory they had seized last year in the Kursk region one of the first tangible effects of the US suspension of aid. Kyiv has prioritised mending ties with Washington, with officials seeing progress in ceasefire talks as key to unlocking military and intelligence support. Diplomatic push in Jeddah Zelenskyy is scheduled to arrive in Saudi Arabia on Monday for a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman before the formal negotiations begin Tuesday. Andriy Yermak, head of Zelenskyys office, will lead Ukraines delegation, which includes Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, and Deputy Chief of Staff Pavlo Palisa. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will attend the talks in Jeddah from Monday to Wednesday, with a directive to advance the presidents goal to end the Russia-Ukraine war, a spokesperson said. The negotiations come after a tense February 28 meeting at the White House, where differences between Trump and Zelenskyy over Ukraines war strategy led to a sharp deterioration in ties. Ukrainian officials have since recalibrated their approach, shifting toward a more conciliatory stance in order to restore Washingtons backing. Trumps conditions for renewed aid Trump has been reluctant to reengage in military support for Ukraine. While he did not directly reference the Saudi talks in a Sunday (March 10) interview with Fox News, he said he was confident that a US-Ukraine minerals deal would be signed soon. However, NBC News reported that by itself, a minerals agreement would be insufficient for Trump to reinstate aid. The administration is also pressing for Ukraine to shift its position on peace talks, including potential territorial concessions to Russia and movement toward holding elections or even Zelenskyy stepping down as president. European allies have signalled support for Ukraines diplomatic efforts. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Brussels and Kyiv were working very, very closely together. A coalition of about 20 nations, led by the UK and France, has reportedly discussed options to continue backing Ukraine if a ceasefire is reached, though Trump has not committed to supporting such a plan, according to Financial Times. Advertisement Ceasefire framework in focus As part of a broader effort to secure US assistance, Ukraine has proposed a step-by-step ceasefire framework. The plan would begin with halting aerial attacks and naval operations and ending strikes on energy and civilian infrastructure. It would then move toward prisoner exchanges and securing the return of Ukrainian children forcibly taken to Russia. Despite Kyivs push for diplomatic progress, Moscow remains sceptical. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova dismissed Ukraines latest approach, warning that some kind of respite is absolutely unacceptable without a final settlement. A video from the protest shows activists waving Tibetan flags and holding placards reading Free Tibet and World Stand Up for Tibet while shouting slogans against Chinese occupation even as they were being detained read more The Chinese embassy in India buzzed with activity on Monday (March 10) morning, as several Tibetans in the city swarmed the location. These individuals were protesting in front of the embassy on the occasion of the Tibetan National Uprising Day, an annual event commemorating Tibets 1959 uprising against oppressive Chinese rule imposed on the region. Protesters carrying placards and raising slogans such as Free Tibet denounced Beijings colonial ambitions in the region. Police in Delhi detained several members of the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), detaining them in a bus. Advertisement A video from the protest shows activists waving Tibetan flags and holding placards reading Free Tibet and World Stand Up for Tibet while shouting slogans against Chinese occupation even as they were being detained. Soon after, the authorities transported them away. Watch: #WATCH | Delhi: Tibetan Youth Congress workers in Delhi hold a protest outside the Chinese embassy, demanding Tibet's freedom. The protestors were detained by police. pic.twitter.com/NYtWpOgDi1 ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2025 #TibetanUprisingDay top trend on X in India As protests unfolded in Delhi, social media saw a surge of support under the hashtag #TibetanUprisingDay, which became the top trending topic in India. #TibetanUprisingDay was the top trend in India around 3 pm. Image courtesy: Screengrab from X.com Thousands of users, including activists, members of the Tibetan diaspora, and retired Indian military personnel expressed solidarity with the demonstrators. Tibetan national uprising day Tibetan National Uprising Day marks the anniversary of the 1959 rebellion when thousands of Tibetans took to the streets of Lhasa to resist Chinese military occupation. The uprising was brutally suppressed, resulting in the deaths of thousands and leading to the Dalai Lamas exile to India. Since then, March 10 has become a symbolic day of protest for Tibetans worldwide, calling for self-determination and an end to Beijings control over Tibet. Tibetan exile communities, particularly in India and Nepal, organise protests annually, often facing restrictions from local authorities due to diplomatic sensitivities with China. The Tibetan Youth Congress, one of the largest Tibetan activist organisation advocating full independence from China, regularly holds demonstrations on this day. The group has accused Beijing of suppressing Tibetan culture, religious freedoms, and human rights. Advertisement China has consistently maintained that Tibet is an integral part of its territory and denounces any pro-Tibet movements as separatist activities. Beijing has previously pressured countries, including India, to curb Tibetan activism, viewing it as a challenge to its sovereignty. The Constitutional Court is scheduled to rule in the coming days on whether to overturn the impeachment and restore him, or to permanently remove him from office read more South Korean impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol gestures outside the Seoul detention center after his release, in Uiwang, South Korea. Reuters Despite a court ruling that ordered the impeached leader to be released from prison, South Korean prosecutors would still seek President Yoon Suk Yeols conviction for rebellion, the chief of the prosecutors office announced Monday. Shim Woo-jung, the prosecutor general, stated that while he accepted the courts decision over the weekend, he disagreed with its conclusion that Yoons detention throughout the trial was unlawful since the indictment filing had beyond the legally permitted expiration date. Advertisement Ive directed that the prosecution makes arguments on various disputes during trial, and well do everything we can to pursue this indictment, he told reporters when asked whether the court ruling meant it was likely to drop the case. Yoon has been on criminal trial since February 20 on charges that he organised an insurgency by imposing martial law on December 3. He lifted the martial law order after approximately six hours. His lawyers had filed a request to annul his detention, claiming that Fridays verdict demonstrated that the case against Yoon was politically motivated and without legal validity. The beleaguered leader stepped out of a prison centre on Saturday, nearly two months after being detained. He was impeached by parliament and remains suspended from office. The Constitutional Court is scheduled to rule in the coming days on whether to overturn the impeachment and restore him, or to permanently remove him from office. If Yoon is removed, a new presidential election will be held within 60 days. Yoon said his martial law declaration was needed to root out anti-state elements; parliament rejected it within hours. The decision by the Seoul Central District Court on Friday to cancel Yoons arrest warrant rather than allowing the automatic extension of his detention during his trial drew mixed reactions from the public and political parties. Advertisement The prosecution decided not to appeal the ruling based on a conservative reading of Constitutional Court decisions in previous cases rejecting prosecutors appeals, Shim said. Yoon was met by enthusiastic crowds of supporters as he walked out of the detention centre and as he returned to his official residence, where he was arrested on January 15, becoming the first sitting president to be detained and indicted. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and chief US diplomat Marco Rubio arrived in Saudi Arabia ahead of ceasefire talks on Monday as Ukraines proposal for a partial truce raised hopes of a breakthrough after three years of war read more In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center left, meets with Prince Saud bin Mishaal, deputy governor of Saudi Arabia's Mecca region, center right, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Monday. AP Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and chief US diplomat Marco Rubio arrived in Saudi Arabia ahead of ceasefire talks on Monday as Ukraines proposal for a partial truce raised hopes of a breakthrough after three years of war. Zelenskyy, embroiled in a public row with US President Donald Trump last month, touched down in Jeddah as Rubio cautiously welcomed the idea of an aerial and naval ceasefire. Tuesdays talks between Ukrainian officials and Rubios US team will be the first between the two sides since the White House blow-up, when Zelensky left without signing a minerals deal demanded by Trump. Advertisement Washington has since suspended military aid to Ukraine as well as intelligence sharing and access to satellite imagery in a bid to force it to the negotiating table with Moscow, which launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022 on orders from President Vladimir Putin. We do have a proposal for a ceasefire in the sky and ceasefire at sea, a Ukrainian official told AFP on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity. Because these are the ceasefire options that are easy to install and to monitor, and its possible to start with them. Rubio indicated the idea had promise. Im not saying that alone is enough, but its the kind of concession you would need to see in order to end the conflict, he told reporters. Youre not going to get a ceasefire and an end to this war unless both sides make concessions. Rubio added that he hoped to resolve the suspension of military aid that is threatening to hamper Ukraines campaign. I think the notion of the pause in aid, broadly, is something I hope we can resolve. Obviously, what happens tomorrow will be key to that, he said. Advertisement Zelensky was expected to meet the de facto Saudi ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman later before his officials sit down with the US side on Tuesday. Framework for peace deal, ceasefire Britains Financial Times newspaper, citing a source briefed on preparations for the talks, said Kyivs offer of a partial ceasefire was aimed at convincing Washington to resume military aid and intelligence-sharing. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told Trump in a call on Monday that he hoped the talks would lead to the US resuming military aid to Ukraine, Downing Street said. Before his departure for Jeddah, Zelensky said Ukraine wanted peace, insisting Russia was the sole reason that the war was carrying on. Ukraine has been seeking peace since the very first second of the war, and we have always said that the only reason that the war is continuing is because of Russia, he wrote on social media. Advertisement US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said Washington wanted to use the talks to get down a framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire as well. In Jeddah, dozens of Ukrainian and Saudi flags flew on a main roundabout near the airport and on thoroughfares. As well as Rubio, Mike Waltz, Trumps national security adviser, has also confirmed his participation. Zelenskyy said his negotiators will include Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, his chief of staff Andriy Yermak and Pavlo Palisa, a military commander and Yermaks deputy. Zelenskyy offered to sign deal Zelenskyy has called the White House incident regrettable and said he was ready to work with Trumps strong leadership. He also expressed readiness to sign the minerals deal. Witkoff said Trump received a letter from Zelenskyy, calling it a very positive first step and an apology. Advertisement Asked if Ukraine would sign the deal in Saudi Arabia, Witkoff said: I think Zelenskyy has offered to sign it, and well see if he follows through. Trump has renewed communications with Putin and criticised Zelenskyy, raising fears in Kyiv and among European allies that the US leader may try to force Ukraine to accept a settlement favouring Russia. On Friday, however, Trump said he was considering further sanctions on Russia for pounding Ukraine on the battlefield. Ukraines European allies last week held a summit with Zelenskyy and announced they would greatly increase defence spending. Starmer will host virtual talks on Saturday to build on the meeting. Advertisement Meanwhile, a senior Ukrainian official told AFP that Russia could enjoy an advantage against Ukrainian troops if the US continues to refuse to share intelligence. If it lasts a long time, it will give the Russians a significant advantage, the source said. 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 ... Maine National Guard, Montenegro Train Together By Sgt. 1st Class Richard Frost, and Joint Force Headquarters, Maine National Guard March 7, 2025 GILEAD, Maine -- Maine National Guard 251st Engineer Company Soldiers trained with the Armed Forces of Montenegro Support Battalion, Engineer Company, at Bog Brook Training Area March 1-2 as part of the State Partnership Program. "What we're doing here is conducting counter-mobility training with our Montenegrin counterparts," Capt. Corey Jones, commander for the 251st Engineer Company out of Norway, Maine. "We did this in a round-robin style: building obstacles, covering use of cratering charges, and even reviewing patrolling techniques. There was also a survivability aspect due to the extreme cold-weather, adding to the value of the training and improving how we can operate in the most restrictive, austere environments." Temperatures plummeted to single digits the first night, with 40 mph wind gusts making it feel like -20 degrees. Sgt. 1st Class Joe Smith, 1st platoon sergeant for the 251st Engineer Company, said surviving the environment is as important as surviving against the enemy. "The survivability lanes are a cornerstone for cold-weather operations," Smith said. "This training deepens our ability to successfully operate in this type of environment. With the mountainous portions of Montenegro, these skills are directly relevant in the winter for our partner forces." Soldiers made snow shelters, started fires, created potable water from snow and used trapping snares for food. It's not surprising that Maine and Montenegro have become such effective partners, considering some of their similarities. The Bobotov Kuk Mountain, Montenegro's highest peak, is the same latitude as Maine's York Harbor entrance. Many might find distinguishing between a photo of Montenegro's Durmitor National Park and Maine's Acadia National Park difficult. Glaciers and rivers shaped both regions. The terrain dictates the tactics used to defend against potential adversaries and creates challenges and opportunities for the two organizations as they train. In addition to training for wartime operations, the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program enables the two military organizations to prepare for domestic disasters and support internal infrastructure. "The State Partnership Program establishes alliances with critical partners," said Maj. Patrick Rand, State Partnership Program director for the Maine National Guard. "It links U.S. states with nations across the world to develop those partnerships, influence and improve interoperability, and even share our level of understanding on how we approach different problems." Building roads and bridges and clearing land are projects these organizations support, especially if they positively affect training needs. Montenegro soldiers participated in the Maine National Guard's improvements at the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery last year. These types of projects are an enduring presence in Montenegro's annual training calendar. "We support infantry units with our engineering capabilities, [and] even provide EOD, (explosive ordnance disposal) units," said Capt. Peko Nikolic of the Montenegrin Engineer Company. "But I'd say we spend almost half of our time supporting infrastructure projects for various municipalities. We get many requests and conduct recon missions to determine feasibility. Much of our training involves building roads and bridges, as this is conducive to our military training needs as well." These international knowledge-sharing events are important for the training benefit and for relationship-building, Rand said. "Through implementation, participants develop relationships," he said. "Because the relationships are then in place and participants have already worked together through these events, when things do go bad, those nations tend to turn to the groups they trust and with whom they've already worked." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel kills two Palestinians and wounds several others in drone attack in Rafah IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 8, 2025 Israel has killed two Palestinian civilians and wounded several others in a drone attack on east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, in a clear breach of the ceasefire agreement. The two killed Palestinians were identified as Mahmoud al-Hassi and Mahdi Jargoun, al-Wafa news agency reported. Rafah has come under Israeli shelling and drone strikes since Friday, with reports of bombardment in several residential neighbourhoods. Israel has violated the ceasefire agreement almost every day since it came into effect on January 19 Over 48,446 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the war began in October 2023, with an additional 111,852 people wounded. 2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Organization of Islamic Cooperation adopts Egypt's Gaza reconstruction plan IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 8, 2025 Foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have held an extraordinary session in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where they endorsed an Egyptian-proposed plan for Gaza reconstruction that runs counter to U.S. President Donald Trump's controversial proposal to take over the territory and displace its residents. The OIC foreign ministers met on Friday at the proposal of Iran, as fears have grown over the resumption of hostilities in Gaza after Israel stopped all humanitarian aid into the besieged territory last weekend to put pressure on Hamas to accept the extension of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, instead of entering talks on the second phase that calls for a complete halt to hostilities and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territory. In their final resolution, the foreign ministers of the Muslim countries "strongly" rejected and "unequivocally" confronted the plans "aimed at displacing the Palestinian people individually or collectively, inside or outside their land, or forced displacement, exile or deportation in any form, under any circumstance or justification, as ethnic cleansing, a grave violation of international law and a crime against humanity," according to the text of the resolution published on the official website of the OIC. The ministers also condemned "the policies of starvation and scorched earth aimed at forcing the Palestinian people to leave their land, and rejects any Israeli attempts to change the demographic composition of the Palestinian Territory." The OIC adopted Egypt's plan on the early recovery and reconstruction of Gaza, which would also allow the 2.1 million Palestinians living there to remain in their homeland. The organization urged the international community to swiftly provide the necessary support for the plan which the ministers adopted three days after it was endorsed at an Arab League summit in Cairo. The OIC emphasized that all those efforts "run in parallel with the initiation of a political process and a perspective for a lasting and just solution, aiming at achieving the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people to establish their own state and live in peace and security." The organization meanwhile expressed support for a "two-state" solution to the decades-long conflict between Israel and Palestine. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi of Iran, who addressed the Friday meeting, declared reservations about a number of issues in the resolution said Iran believed that "one democratic state" representing all the original inhabitants of Palestine was the only viable solution to the conflict. "With due respect to the views of some brotherly countries on the two-state solution, the Islamic Republic of Iran maintains its view that this solution will not lead to the realization of the right of the Palestinian people," he added. Araqchi also strongly rejected and condemned "the recent plan by the U.S. Administration to forcibly relocate the population of Gaza and assert control over their land as a clear violation of international law." Trump unveiled his plan early last month during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington D.C., and has ever since doubled down on his proposal despite global outrage. The United States and Israel have also rejected the Arab initiative for the post-war reconstruction in Gaza, which is an alternative to Trump's plan for the U.S. to take over the strip and permanently resettle its population. 9376**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemen issues ultimatum on Israel IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 8, 2025 The Yemeni Ansarullah movement has given a four-day deadline to international mediators (the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt) to push for the resumption of aid delivery into the Gaza Strip; otherwise, it will resume its naval operations against the Israeli regime, according to the Saba news agency. Leader of the Ansar Allah movement, Abdul Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi, made these remarks on Friday night in a video, warning that Yemen cannot tolerate the escalation of tension, the prevention of aid entry into Gaza, or the return of famine to this region of Palestine. The Zionist enemy has significantly reduced its obligations, both qualitatively and quantitatively, and the number of patients moving outside of Gaza has decreased drastically, he said. The Israeli regime aims to use hunger as a means to commit genocide once again, which is unacceptable, al-Houthi also said. According to the Yemeni official, the Israeli regime and the United States are escalating confrontation, indicating that they are far from peace. On the other hand, the Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, praised the Yemeni Ansarullah's stance on the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Hamas issued a statement describing the move as courageous, saying that it reflects the deep affiliation of Ansarullah and the Yemeni people with Palestine, according to the Palestinian Information Center. The Palestinian movement said that Ansarullah's support during the 15 months of Israeli genocidal war against Gaza exemplifies solidarity with the oppressed Palestinian nation. Hamas also called on the international community and the United Nations to take action to end the policy of imposing hunger on civilians in Gaza and to prevent the siege of crossings. 4208**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran reiterates stance on Palestine, declares reservations about OIC resolution IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 8, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi says the Islamic Republic believes that the two-state solution will not secure Palestinian rights, emphasizing Tehran's support for the establishment of one state representing all the original inhabitants of Palestine. "With due respect to the views of some brotherly countries on the two-state solution, the Islamic Republic of Iran maintains its view that this solution will not lead to the realization of the right of the Palestinian people," Araqchi said at an extraordinary meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) foreign ministers on Friday. The meeting was held at the proposal of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to address the Israeli regime's crimes against the Palestinian people. Araqchi underscored the uncompromising support of the government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran for the cause of Palestine. "In our view, 'one democratic state' representing all the original inhabitants of Palestine is the only viable solution," he said. The following is the full text of Araqchi's speech: Your Excellency, Mr. Brahim Taha, the Secretary General Your Excellency Mr. Lejeune Mbella, Chair of the OIC Ministerial Council Distinguished Ministers, At the outset, I would like to thank the Secretary-General for organizing this meeting at this critical moment. I would also like to express my gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for hosting this meeting in light of the unspeakable pain and suffering endured by the people of Gaza as the result of 16 months long genocidal campaign in Gaza. The situation in Palestine, particularly in the Gaza Strip, is a matter of profound concern. This crisis is not only a humanitarian disaster but also a grave injustice to a nation that has been systematically deprived of its fundamental rights and human dignity for over seven decades, subjected to relentless aggression and occupation. The Zionist regime, emboldened by unwavering and unconditional support of the United States and its Western allies, has committed unimaginable atrocities that mark all major international crimes including war crimes, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, racial discrimination, and genocide. Unfortunately, the regime continues to enjoy impunity, evading the consequences of its blatant violations of international law. Dear Colleagues, We strongly reject and condemn the recent plan by the U.S. Administration to forcibly relocate the population of Gaza and assert control over their land as a clear violation of international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention and stress that any measure aimed at altering the demographic and cultural fabric of the occupied Palestine is inadmissible and contrary to the principles of justice and international law. Iran also expresses its deep concern over the political and humanitarian implications of such actions for the region and the world. It simply adds insult to the injuries of the present generation, while guarantees an ever-lasting grief for generations to come. Developments in Gaza clearly manifested U.S. complicity in the crimes committed by the Zionist regime. Regrettably, the United States has once again chosen to turn a blind eye to the root causes of the crisis, prioritizing its strategic alliance with the Israeli regime over the fundamental principles of justice and human rights. By providing military, financial, and diplomatic support to Israel, the U.S. is complicit in all the ongoing war crimes committed against the Palestinian people. Palestinians have an inherent and inalienable right to defend themselves and resist occupation and aggression. This right is enshrined in international law and does not require the approval of any external power. However, most Western states not only deny such legitimate right of the Palestinian resistance groups to self-defense but actively justify Israel's crimes under the false pretext of "self-defense." The international community must reject these misleading narratives and recognize that Palestinian resistance groupsestablished to fight occupation, apartheid and aggression- are legitimate actors under international law. The hypocrisy of the so-called champions of human rights, who are also enabling war criminals, is both alarming and inconceivable. Moreover, given the vicious statements made by some political officials of the Zionist regime about the extermination of the Palestinians or their proposal to target Gaza with a nuclear bomb, the international community must compel the Israeli regime -as an entity with a vast arsenal of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons- to adhere to international disarmament treaties and comply with non-proliferation norms. Mr. Chairman, Building on the previous OIC actions on Gaza, this meeting must produce a bold and comprehensive roadmap that matches the gravity of the crisis. This is high time to ensure that our words are backed by concrete actions. We believe that to compel this regime to stop its crimes against the innocent people of Gaza and other nations in our region, and as a practical and immediate measure, collective sanctions against Israel should be imposed. Besides, all corporations and entities that directly or indirectly support and sustain the Israeli occupation and crimes must also be targeted by sanctions, and their operations must be halted, at least within the OIC member states. The Secretariat should be mandated to support developing a list of such entities that are active in our member countries. Meanwhile, to make it clear that Muslim countries fully reject any attempt to further displace Palestinians from their ancestral land, we need to mandate the OIC office in New York to table a draft resolution for consideration and adoption by the UNGA to denounce and reject any such plan that call for further displacement of Palestinians. Dear sisters and brothers, Urgent delivery of humanitarian aid to alleviate Palestinian suffering, should be accompanied with creation of an OIC-led Gaza reconstruction international campaign to finance the rebuilding of homes, hospitals, and essential infrastructure. Implementation of an economic recovery program for Palestine, especially Gaza, would further support the dignified and unconditional return of all Palestinian refugees to their homes. Given the Israeli regime's persistent defiance of the UN Charter, its designation of the UN Secretary-General as persona non grata, the complete obstruction of UNRWA's operations, and the unprecedented tragic loss of hundreds of UN staff in Palestine, it is imperative to continue our endeavors for Israeli regime's expulsion from the United Nations. The only apartheid regime of the 21st century that systematically undermines international law, disregards UN resolutions, and commits crimes such as war crimes, genocide, and ethnic cleansing should not be afforded legitimacy within this body. We should also lend our support to all the initiatives inside and outside the UN system targeting Israeli regime's criminal acts. Last but not least, establishing an International Gaza Victims' Remembrance Day would serve as a powerful reminder of the suffering endured by the people of Gaza, ensuring that their struggles against Israeli crimes will not be faded away. Such a day would honor the victims and keep the ongoing plight of the Gazans alive in the global memory and human conscience. Mr. Chairman, The uncompromising support of the government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the cause of Palestine is indisputable and our steadfast commitment will not wither away under any circumstances. While the Islamic Republic of Iran supports the present resolution, and without prejudice to the foregoing, it would like to put on record the following reservations on the content of the outcome of this meeting, details of which will be communicated later with the Secretariat: With due respect to the views of some brotherly countries on the two-state solution, the I.R. Iran maintains its view that this solution will not lead to the realization of the right of the Palestinian people. In our view, "one democratic state" representing all the original inhabitants of Palestine is the only viable solution. As such we dissociate our self from any reference to the concept in the resolution. Besides, joining the agreement on the outcome adopted by this session shall not explicitly or implicitly be construed in one way or another as recognition of the Israeli Zionist regime. Similar to all peace loving people, the people of Palestine are entitled to all necessary means in exercising their inalienable right to self-determination and making themselves liberated from the foreign colonial occupation. Having in mind the brutality of the Israeli occupying forces, nothing should circumvent such a right. This is also our common duty according to international law to render support to such aspiration. We extend our support to any Palestinian national unity agreement that is reached and agreed by the people of Palestine. In conclusion, we earnestly hope that this auspicious meeting will inspire the international community to take meaningful action to advance justice and peace for the people of Palestine. May this gathering be a renewed commitment to their honorable cause. Thank you. 4354**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump doubts NATO's commitment to U.S., mulls policy change People's Daily Online (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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hamas reasserts demands, including full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza Iran Press TV Saturday, 08 March 2025 11:27 PM The Gaza Strip-based Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has reaffirmed its key conditions for advancing negotiations, demanding a full Israeli withdrawal from the coastal sliver, exchange of Zionist captives with Palestinian prisoners, and guarantees that the Israeli regime would not resume its military aggression against the territory. Spokesman Hazem Qassem made the remarks in a statement on Sunday in response to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's repeated rejections of a total withdrawal from the territory among other things. Qassem said discussions with Qatari and Egyptian mediators were ongoing regarding initiation of a second phase of negotiations. He emphasized that Hamas would not agree to an extension of the initial phase of the ceasefire agreement that was implemented between the regime and the movement in January in the hope of ending Tel Aviv's 15-month-plus war of genocide against Gaza. The first phase of the ceasefire expired recently without extension, featuring release of a number of Zionist captives for thousands of Palestinian prisoners. Hamas' insistence on not extending the first phase came despite pressure from the regime for its prolongation and release of all the remaining captives in one batch. The group has roundly rejected the demand as "unacceptable," urging implementation of a second phase. The insistence came after Tel Aviv enacted an unauthorized delay in the release of a group of Palestinian prisoners, despite Hamas' having already handed over a number of the Zionist captives, who were supposed to be exchanged with the prisoners. Recently, Qassem denounced the regime for evading provisions of the ceasefire agreement, asserting that captives would not be released without Tel Aviv's compliance. The regime has, in the meantime, blocked the entry of all humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza in a move aimed at pressuring the group, which has been denounced by human rights organizations as Tel Aviv's using starvation as a weapon of war. Adding to his Sunday remarks, Qassem again condemned implementation of the inhumane practice, particularly during the holy fasting month of Ramadan. He also said Hamas was prepared to negotiate a captive/prisoner exchange under new terms. "It is up to the occupation to demonstrate seriousness to the mediators in order to proceed with the next phases of the agreement," he noted, highlighting that the regime's living up to its commitments under the ceasefire deal was essential for progress. Regarding any US involvement aimed at ensuring release of the American captives, who were being held in Gaza, the spokesman said Hamas had "no issue" meeting with American representatives "as we understand that they have leverage over the occupation." On Wednesday, the White House confirmed a report saying that the United States had engaged in direct negotiations with the Hamas. President Donald Trump's administration dispatched Adam Boehler, Washington's point man on American captives held overseas, to discuss the fate of the country's captives, who are held in Gaza, said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. The confirmation, observers say, signals an acknowledgment of Hamas' role in shaping the future of Gaza. Qassem, however, made it clear that any release of Zionist captives holding US citizenship would only occur within the framework of a comprehensive agreement. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel repeating Gaza scenario in occupied West Bank: UN rapporteur Iran Press TV Saturday, 08 March 2025 10:02 PM A high-ranking United Nations human rights official has warned that the Israeli regime had turned the occupied West Bank into the scene of the heavily deadly atrocities that it has been committing as part of its war of genocide against the Gaza Strip. The regime's current acts of aggression against the West Bank mirror those employed during the 15-month-plus war on Gaza that began in October 2023, the world body's Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Francesca Albanese told Al Jazeera in remarks that the Qatari television network published on Saturday. The atrocities, she said, was aimed at controlling "the remaining Palestinian territories." The Israeli regime occupied the West Bank and Gaza during a heavily-Western-backed war in 1967. It withdrew from Gaza in 2005 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas rose to power in the coastal sliver following a landslide electoral victory. Tel Aviv, however, then began taking the territory under interminable deadly attacks. The aggression has witnessed the regime subjecting Gaza to several wholesale wars, the last of which being the genocide that has claimed the lives of at least 48,453 Palestinians, mostly women and children. Hundreds of the fatalities have been caused since the implementation of a ceasefire agreement between the regime and Hamas in January during the former's daily violations of the deal. Tel Aviv also significantly ramped up its aggression across the West Bank following its launch of the assault on Gaza. The aggression comes despite the absence of any direct attacks on the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories from the West Bank. Albanese condemned the regime's actions in the West Bank as "shameful and illegal." She emphasized that the events of October 7, 2023 did not justify the regime's ongoing violations throughout either Gaza or the West Bank. The UN official was referring to a historic operation that Hamas and its fellow Gaza-based resistance groups launched against the occupied territories, after which Tel Aviv launched the war. The operation saw resistance fighters infiltrate into strategic Israeli bases, and taking 240 Zionists' captive. Albanese also denounced the regime's repeated threats of resuming the war against Gaza. The UN official reiterated that the regime had no legal claim to the either the West Bank, including the eastern part of the holy city of al-Quds that falls within the territory, or Gaza. She, therefore, urged withdrawal of Israeli forces from either territory and dismantling of the hundreds-strong sprawling illegal settlements that Tel Aviv has been setting up across the West Bank since 1967. At the very least, she said, Tel Aviv had to uphold its legal obligations as an occupying regime. Albanese also criticized Israeli restrictions during the holy fasting month of Ramadan, which prevent Palestinians under 55 years of age from praying at the al-Aqsa Mosque, Muslims' third holiest site that is situated in al-Quds. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gaza children will die if Israel doesn't allow medical supplies into Gaza: UNICEF Iran Press TV Saturday, 08 March 2025 7:21 PM The United Nations agency for children, UNICEF, warns that the real life-threatening consequences of Israel's new blockade on the Gaza Strip will be that Palestinian children will die. Israel has cut off humanitarian supplies to the Gaza Strip a day after the first phase of a truce deal with Hamas expired on March 1. On Saturday, UNICEF communication specialist and spokesperson Rosalia Bollen warned that the blockade risks undoing much of the work humanitarian organizations have been able to complete during the ceasefire. "It's not just the aid that is halted from coming into Gaza, it's also fuel." The coastal territory, she said, doesn't have access "to sufficient electricity and that means its critical infrastructure - from desalination plants to hospitals - are dependent on the entry of fuel." She highlighted the urgent need to "scale up water production [and] fuel is a key element for that." Bollen said she saw "a very small baby that was born at 28 weeks," before the ceasefire took effect in January. "That baby died after three weeks because of a lack of ventilators and CPAP machines in that hospital." The ceasefire deal allowed a surge of aid into Gaza after more than 15 months of full blockade on the coastal territory. It halted much of Israel's airstrikes on Gaza and allowed the release of 33 Israeli captives in exchange for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees The Israeli military has been violating the ceasefire agreement almost every day since it took effect on January 19. On Saturday, Israel's airstrikes targeted displaced Palestinians east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, and killed at least two people. Since Friday, Rafah has been subjected to Israeli shelling and drone strikes, with reports of bombardment in several residential neighborhoods. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address One killed, another critically injured in Israeli airstrike on southern Lebanon Iran Press TV Saturday, 08 March 2025 7:16 PM At least one person has been killed and another suffered critical injuries when Israeli military aircraft carried out a strike targeting a vehicle in the southern part of Lebanon in a flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreement with the Arab nation. Lebanon's official National News Agency reported that an Israeli drone hit a car at Khirbet Selm area of the Bint Jbeil district in the Nabatieh province on Saturday. An unnamed Lebanese security source said the Israeli aerial assault targeted the vehicle with two air-to-ground missiles, setting it on fire. Civil Defense teams worked to extinguish the blaze, and transported the body of the victim and the critically injured person to a nearby hospital. The Israeli military asserted in a statement that its air force attacked a Hezbollah member in southern Lebanon on Saturday. The statement alleged that the resistance fighter was engaged in "re-establishing infrastructure and directing Hezbollah activities in southern Lebanon." As of yet, Hezbollah has not issued a statement in response to the Israeli claims. Israel was forced to accept a ceasefire with Hezbollah after experiencing substantial losses during almost 14 months of hostilities and not accomplishing its objectives in its offensive against Lebanon. The truce came into effect on November 27. Since the start of the agreement, though, the occupation forces have been conducting near-daily attacks on Lebanon in violation of the ceasefire, including airstrikes across the Arab nation. On January 27, Lebanon announced its agreement to extend the ceasefire with Israel until February 18. However, Israel now maintains its occupation of five strategic locations in southern Lebanon, namely Labbouneh, Mount Blat, Owayda Hill, Aaziyyeh, and Hammamis Hill, near the border beyond the February 18 deadline. Lebanon has rejected the continued presence of Israeli troops, a violation of the ceasefire and the withdrawal deadline. Senior authorities in Beirut say they will "adopt all means" to force the occupation forces out of the Arab country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UK, France, Germany, Italy support Arab plan for Gaza reconstruction Iran Press TV Saturday, 08 March 2025 3:59 PM Britain, France, Germany and Italy have backed a proposal by Arab nations to reconstruct the Gaza Strip that would avoid displacing the territory's roughly two million residents from their homeland. In a joint statement on Saturday, the four European countries' foreign ministers said they supported the $53 billion Gaza reconstruction plan, endorsed by Arab leaders, that counters US President Donald Trump's plan to take over the territory and permanently resettle its population. "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," they said. Earlier in the day, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) formally adopted Arab League's unified plan for the future of Gaza at an emergency meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia earlier in the day. The OIC "adopts the plan ... on the early recovery and reconstruction of Gaza," the OIC said in a statement. The 57-member body also called on the international community to support the regional initiative. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty welcomed the OIC endorsement, expressing hope to gain support from the wider international community, including the United States. Arab leaders ratified the Gaza reconstruction plan at an emergency summit in the Egyptian capital, Cairo. The Arab plan proposed by Egypt was rejected by both the US and Israel, claiming that it failed to address realities in Gaza. Both the White House and the Tel Aviv regime said they stood by Trump's plan to expel the territory's Palestinian residents and transform it into a "Riviera" owned by the US. Trump proposed in February that Washington would take over control of the Gaza Strip possibly with the help of US troops to create a "Riviera" of West Asia. He said the displaced Palestinians would have no right of return since, he claimed, they would have "much better housing" in Egypt, Jordan and other countries. Trump's comments sparked widespread condemnation, with Palestinians viewing it as a clear endorsement of ethnic cleansing. Meanwhile, Iran has strongly rejected the US administration's bids "to forcibly relocate the population of Gaza," calling it a "clear violation of international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made the remarks while speaking at an extraordinary meeting of the OIC foreign ministers, convened to address Israeli aggression and crimes against the Palestinian people in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Friday. He also stressed that any attempt to alter the "demographic and cultural fabric of the occupied Palestine" is inadmissible and contrary to the principles of justice and international law. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel mad at Trump administration over secret US-Hamas talks: Report Iran Press TV Saturday, 08 March 2025 10:58 AM The Donald Trump administration's covert negotiations with Hamas ignited a heated debate between Israel's top official and the US envoy, a recent report revealed. American news website Axios reported on Friday that Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-hand man, Ron Dermer, engaged in a contentious call with Adam Boehler, who was leading the talks with Hamas in Doha, Qatar, expressing strong objections to the secret negotiations. The call happened several hours after Boehler met in Doha with Khalil al-Hayya, deputy chief of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas and the head of its negotiating team. Boehler's negotiations in the Qatari capital began the week prior, with a meeting with lower-level Hamas officials. The talks were centered on bringing home Edan Alexander, 21, an American captive held in Gaza, and the bodies of four deceased American captives part of Boehler's mandate as Trump's envoy. The talks also touched on specifics like the number of Palestinian abductees who would be released from Israeli jails in exchange for Alexander's return that Israel hadn't agreed to. Axios quoted a source familiar with Netanyahu's thinking, saying that while Netanyahu was initially dismissive of the idea that the US would actually sit down with Hamas, he and his advisers grew more and more concerned after the idea became a reality. In what sources told Axios was a "difficult" call, Dermer objected to Boehler making such proposals without Israel's consent. One Israeli official claimed Dermer's intense call with Boehler led the White House to reevaluate its approach, Axios said. Trump defended the talks with Hamas on Thursday as helpful to Israel because "we are talking about Israeli hostages." Trump's West Asia envoy, Steve Witkoff, who is scheduled to travel to the region early next week, also said on Thursday that Alexander's release is the administration's "top priority." He claimed that "good humanitarian action by Hamas" regarding Alexander would "get them a lot of political capital," and said that there was a "deadline" for Hamas to agree to a deal. The families of American captives told Axios that they had already lobbied the Joe Biden administration for months to talk directly with Hamas to get a separate deal to free their loved ones. A former Biden adviser has said that "these talks went nowhere because what Hamas wanted was a ceasefire and prisoners, and it was in Israel's hands, not ours." Israel had to agree to a ceasefire deal with Hamas on January 15 after failing to achieve any of its war objectives, including the "elimination of Hamas" and the release of Israeli captives over its 15-month-long genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. As part of the deal, the Israeli regime also released nearly 1,900 Palestinian abductees held illegally in Israeli jails in exchange for 33 captives, including eight dead bodies. Last week, Netanyahu abruptly declared the end of the ceasefire agreement beyond the first phase with Hamas, in brazen violation of the terms agreed upon by both sides. He also announced the immediate suspension of all humanitarian aid to the besieged Palestinian territory's 2.3 million residents, sparking massive anger and outrage worldwide. Israel aims to pressure Hamas into accepting a revision of the ceasefire agreement, allowing for the release of more Israeli captives without the withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip. Israel's decision to cut aid to Gaza and its refusal to participate in the second phase of the ceasefire deal signal the regime's intent to escalate its genocidal war against Gaza, with speculation already rife that the stage is set for resumption of the aerial and ground assault. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel's West Bank attacks empty refugee camps of all residents, UNRWA warns Iran Press TV Saturday, 08 March 2025 9:39 AM The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees warned that three refugee camps in the northern part of the West Bank have been nearly emptied of their residents as the Israeli military keeps escalating its attacks on the occupied territory, expelling tens of thousands of people from their homes. UNRWA said in a statement on Friday that "With widespread destruction to civilian infrastructure, including homes, [in the Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams refugee camps], people now face the prospect of having nowhere to return to." The UN body noted that Israeli forces began the demolition of more than 16 buildings in the Nur Shams camp. "This comes less than a week after 11 houses were demolished in the same camp, 14 other houses in the Tulkarm Camp, and controlled detonations in Jenin Camp around a month ago that left the camp uninhabitable," the statement read. "These large-scale demolitions are an alarming new pattern. They have an unprecedented impact on the Palestinian refugees and seek to permanently change the characteristics of the camps in the northern West Bank," UNRWA added. 'Devastating consequences' The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also warned that the Israeli army's ongoing aggression in the northern West Bank cities and camps continues to have devastating humanitarian consequences. OCHA corroborated UNRWA's report, saying Israeli authorities have started demolishing more than 16 buildings in the Nur Shams refugee camp, following the destruction of over 20 homes in the area last week. The report highlighted that these demolitions are taking place in the Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams camps, displacing tens of thousands of residents and leaving them unable to come back. The Israeli military initiated its assault on the occupied West Bank on January 21, stating that the objective was to target the resistance fighters linked to the Jenin Battalion. Since the beginning of the Gaza war in October 2023, the actions of the Israeli army and illegal settlers have led to the deaths of at least 930 Palestinians, with nearly 7,000 individuals sustaining injuries 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 Trump weighs redeployment of US troops from Germany to Hungary: Report Iran Press TV Saturday, 08 March 2025 8:17 AM US President Donald Trump is considering the withdrawal of American troops from Germany to redeploy them to Hungary, according to a report. Frustrated by Western Europe's lack of military spending, Trump is weighing up withdrawing some 35,000 active personnel out of Germany, British daily The Telegraph revealed on Friday. He has repeatedly warned that other NATO members, especially Europeans, must commit more of their GDP to NATO's military capabilities, a warning most NATO members have ignored so far. On Thursday, Trump suggested that NATO members should dedicate 5% of their GDP to defense spending, although the US itself does not currently meet that threshold. Moreover, in a statement, Trump cast doubt on the United States' willingness to defend NATO allies if they do not contribute sufficiently to defense spending. Trump is said to be considering repositioning some US troops in Europe so they are focused around NATO countries that have upped their defense spending to meet GDP targets. "Trump is angry that they [Europe] appear to be pushing for war," The Telegraph quoted an unnamed source close to the White House as saying. Brian Hughes, a US national security spokesman, 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." With approximately 80,000 US troops stationed in NATO countries, including 35,000 in Germany, President Trump's potential decision to withdraw these forces and redeploy them to Hungary could further exacerbate the already strained relations between the US and Western Europe. To fulfill his campaign promise, Trump's team in February started Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Saudi Arabia without inviting Ukraine or any of its European allies Earlier this month, in the aftermath of a spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House, Trump signed an executive order that suspended all aid to Ukraine. Europe, however, has significantly increased its financial, military, and political support for Ukraine and even considered the possibility of a peace-keeping force to be deployed in Ukraine after the conflict. Hungary, on the other hand, has maintained a close relationship with Russia, often opposing EU sanctions on Moscow since the Russia- Ukraine war began in February 2022. At an emergency EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister, vetoed a commitment to bolster support for Ukraine, which was signed by all other member states. During his first term, Trump ordered the withdrawal of almost 12,000 troops from Germany. But the move was halted by Joe Biden amid widespread criticism from Congress. Last week, the two political parties expected to form the next German government agreed to loosen the country's constitutional restrictions on borrowing, enabling one trillion euros ($1.08 trillion) in spending on defense and infrastructure. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Two-state solution fails to secure Palestinian rights: Iranian foreign minister Iran Press TV Saturday, 08 March 2025 2:29 AM Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has reaffirmed Tehran's rejection of the two-state solution as a means to securing Palestinian rights, emphasizing that Iran's unwavering support for the Palestinian cause remains steadfast under all circumstances. Speaking on Friday at an extraordinary meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) foreign ministers, convened to address Israeli aggression and crimes against the Palestinian people in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Araghchi underscored Iran's firm stance on Palestine and described Tehran's support as "indisputable." "The uncompromising support of the government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the cause of Palestine is indisputable and our steadfast commitment will not wither away under any circumstances," he said. He also dismissed the "two-state solution," advocating instead for a "one democratic state" as the only viable resolution. "With due respect to the views of some brotherly countries on the two-state solution, the Islamic Republic of Iran maintains its view that this solution will not lead to the realization of the right of the Palestinian people," Araghchi stated. He also emphasized Iran's position in favor of a single democratic state representing all original inhabitants of Palestine and distanced Tehran from any references to the two-state framework in the meeting. The Iranian foreign minister also highlighted the "unspeakable pain and suffering" endured by the people of Gaza during 16 months of Israel's genocidal war, where the death toll has surpassed 48,446, with the majority of victims being women and children. " The situation in Palestine, particularly in the Gaza Strip, is a matter of profound concern. This crisis is not only a humanitarian disaster but also a grave injustice to a nation that has been systematically deprived of its fundamental rights and human dignity for over seven decades, subjected to relentless aggression and occupation," he noted. The top diplomat also condemned the "unwavering and unconditional support" of the US and its Western allies for Israel in its war on Gaza. Citing Washington's military, financial, and diplomatic backing of Tel Aviv, Araghchi asserted that developments in Gaza clearly demonstrate US complicity in the crimes committed by the Israeli regime. "The United States has once again chosen to turn a blind eye to the root causes of the crisis, prioritizing its strategic alliance with the Israeli regime over the fundamental principles of justice and human rights," he stated. He further noted that Israel, emboldened by this unwavering support, has carried out "unimaginable atrocities that mark all major international crimes including war crimes, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, racial discrimination, and genocide." However, he noted that despite the war crimes committed in Gaza, the Tel Aviv regime continues to evade accountability, enjoying impunity for its blatant violations of international law. Araghchi also strongly rejected the US administration's bids "to forcibly relocate the population of Gaza," calling it a "clear violation of international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention." He stressed that any attempt to alter the "demographic and cultural fabric of the occupied Palestine" is inadmissible and contrary to the principles of justice and international law. "Iran also expresses its deep concern over the political and humanitarian implications of such actions for the region and the world. It simply adds insult to the injuries of the present generation, while guarantees an ever-lasting grief for generations to come," he warned. Elsewhere in his speech, the Iranian diplomat reaffirmed the "inherent" right of Palestinians to defend themselves against Israeli occupation and aggression. He emphasized that "this right is enshrined in international law and does not require the approval of any external power." He criticized Western states for justifying Israeli crimes under the pretext of "self-defense" while simultaneously denying Palestinian resistance groups the same right. Araghchi urged the international community to reject these "misleading narratives" and recognize Palestinian resistance groupsestablished to fight occupation, apartheid, and aggressionas legitimate actors under international law. The Iranian diplomat also called for "collective sanctions against Israel" and all corporations and entities that directly or indirectly support and sustain the Israeli occupation and its crimes. He urged at least the member states of the OIC to implement such measures as a way to pressure the Zionist regime into halting its crimes against the people of Gaza and other nations in the region. Highlighting Israel's nearly week-long reblockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza, Araghchi stressed the urgency of delivering relief to alleviate Palestinian suffering. He proposed that this effort be accompanied by the creation of an OIC-led international campaign to finance the reconstruction of homes, hospitals, and essential infrastructure in the besieged strip. He also called for Israel's expulsion from the United Nations, citing its repeated violations of the UN Charter, its designation of the UN Secretary-General as persona non grata, the obstruction of UNRWA's humanitarian operations, and the unprecedented killing of hundreds of UN staff in Palestine. Araghchi proposed the establishment of an International Gaza Victims' Remembrance Day to serve as a lasting tribute to the suffering endured by the people of Gaza, ensuring that their struggle against Israeli crimes is not forgotten. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by the High Representative on the Arab Plan for Gaza European External Action Service (EEAS) 09.03.2025 EEAS Press Team The European Union welcomes the Arab Recovery and Reconstruction Plan presented at the Cairo Summit on 4 March that was also adopted by the OIC. This plan represents a serious basis for discussions on the future of the Gaza Strip and the EU will discuss these ideas with its Arab partners. Any plan for the future of Gaza must provide credible solutions for reconstruction, governance and security. Recovery and reconstruction efforts must be based upon a solid political and security framework acceptable to both Israelis and Palestinians, which provides peace and security to both sides. The EU is determined that there must be no future role for Hamas in Gaza, and that Hamas will no longer be a threat to Israel. We will continue our political and financial support to the Palestinian Authority and its reform programme, to help it prepare for its return to govern Gaza. The EU calls for the full implementation of the ceasefire-hostage release agreement, leading to the release of all the hostages and a permanent end to hostilities. The EU is fully committed to reviving a political horizon towards peace in the Middle East, based on the two-state solution. It recalls the importance of sustained distribution of humanitarian assistance at scale throughout Gaza. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel plans to set up 'Migration Directorate' to expel Palestinians from Gaza IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 9, 2025 Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has announced that the Israeli regime is planning to establish a "Migration Directorate" in line with U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal to forcibly deport Palestinians from Gaza. Smotrich said on Sunday that the Israeli regime is preparing to create this directorate under the ministry of military affairs. "If we remove 5,000 [Palestinians from Gaza] daily, it would take a year. The logistics are complicated because you need to know who is going to which country." Trump's proposal, which suggests forcibly relocating Palestinians from Gaza to other countries, has faced strong opposition from Arab nations, including Egypt and Jordantwo countries where Trump suggested Palestinians could be resettled. Both nations have firmly rejected the plan, condemning it as a violation of Palestinian rights and international law. In response to the proposal, Arab leaders have put forward an alternative plan focused on the reconstruction of Gaza and the establishment of a sustainable governance framework for the Palestinian territory. The proposal emphasizes the need for a political solution that respects Palestinian sovereignty and rights, rather than forced displacement. The Israeli regime's move to establish a Migration Directorate has sparked condemnation from human rights organizations and international observers, who argue that such actions could amount to ethnic cleansing and further destabilize the region. 3266**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hamas says main conditions remain in place to end Gaza war IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 9, 2025 The Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, says its three primary conditions remain in place to resume talks with Israel over a lasting ceasefire in Gaza. A prisoner exchange, the complete withdrawal of occupying forces from the Gaza Strip, and a commitment by Israel to not resume the war are the three conditions set by Hamas, according to its spokesperson Hazem Qassem who talked to Al Jazeera Mubasher on Sunday. A phased ceasefire deal mediated by Egypt, the United States, and Qatar, came into force on January 19, pausing more than 15 months of Israel's genocidal war in Gaza. The six-week, first phase ended on March 1, followed by an Israeli move to halt all the humanitarian aid into Gaza without entering talks on the second phase. Hazem Qassem told Al Jazeera Mubasher that consultations are already underway with the mediators to start negotiations for the second phase, adding that diplomatic activities are expected to increase in the coming days. The progress of the talks depends on Israel's seriousness in engaging with the mediators, he added. Hamas rejects the extension of the first phase and stresses the complete implementation of the ceasefire agreement, said Qassem. In a related development, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced late on Saturday that it would send a delegation to Doha, Qatar, on Monday (March 10) for negotiations with the mediators. 7129**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel's Ben-Gvir pushes bill to end Oslo Accords, other agreements Iran Press TV Sunday, 09 March 2025 7:24 PM Israel's extremist politician Itamar Ben-Gvir has submitted a bill to the Knesset to cancel the 1993 Oslo Accords and a series of subsequent deals, which were meant to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The far-right Israeli politician in a post on social media announced on Sunday that the bill presented by his party calls for the complete annulment of these agreements. "We are righting a long-standing injustice. Along with my colleagues in the Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party, I have submitted a bill aimed at canceling the Oslo Accords, the Hebron Agreement, and the Wye River Agreement," Ben-Gvir said. According to the proposal presented by Ben-Gvir's party, "the signed agreements will be completely annulled, and Israel will revert to the situation prior to these agreements, including reclaiming the territories that were conceded within the framework of these agreements." Additionally, the laws that were enacted to enforce these agreements will be repealed. The bill grants Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu the authority to set regulations necessary for implementing the decision. In September 1993, the Palestine Liberation Organization, PLO, signed the Oslo Accords with the Israeli regime on the lawn of the White House in Washington, DC. The agreement, signed with the claim of resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict within a specific time frame, involved mutual recognition of the right to exist and the establishment of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders. Decades later, the dream of establishing a Palestinian state remains unfulfilled, while settlement expansion and the Judaization of occupied al-Quds have intensified. Observers say the Oslo Accords have only brought calamities to Palestinians and have failed to secure the creation of an independent Palestinian state. The Hebron protocol, signed in January 1997, divided the al-Khalil city into two sections. One area came under full Palestinian control while the remaining area was placed under Israeli control, with civil powers transferred to the Palestinian Authority. The Wye River Memorandum, signed in October 1998 by Yasser Arafat and Netanyahu, established several key provisions. Palestinians now maintain that the so-called peace accords will not free their land, and it is only armed resistance which will help them regain their rights. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli army kills and wounds more Palestinians in Gaza despite ceasefire Iran Press TV Sunday, 09 March 2025 5:04 PM At least two Palestinians have been killed and an unknown number of others wounded in the latest Israeli army attack in Gaza City, raising the total number of Palestinians killed by Israeli attacks to five in the past 24 hours. The casualties came as Israeli forces stationed along Gaza's eastern border fired a shell at a Palestinian crowd in the Sujaiya neighborhood in Gaza City. Doctors at al-Ahli Arab Hospital described the condition of some of the injured as critical. The Israeli military claimed that the latest bombing targeted several people laying explosives near Israeli soldiers in northern Gaza. Local reports, however, said they were merely observing houses destroyed in Israeli strikes. The regime has killed at least 8 Palestinians in the territory in the past three days. Israel has refused to halt deadly strikes on Gaza since its truce with Hamas resistance movement took effect on January 19. The incessant attacks have raised the total fatalities in the regime's genocide since October 2023 to over 48,450. The true death toll is likely much higher, with at least 10,000 Palestinians estimated to have been killed and buried under rubble. The humanitarian situation is also deteriorating eight days after Israel blocked aid deliveries into the Strip again. As a result, at least six bakeries have closed in Khan Yunis and officials are warning that all bakeries may close in two weeks due to lack of fuel. For the two million people trapped in the Palestinian territory, the blockade is a matter of life and death. The global call for aid delivery to Gazans is also growing louder. In a recent powerful address, the leader of Yemen's Ansarullah resistance movement Abdul-Malik al-Houthi warned the regime that if humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, does not reach Gaza, the movement will take action. The Yemeni resistance has already proven how it can disrupt Israeli-bound ships in international waters, including the Red Sea, and hit Israel's military targets. A UN special rapporteur has called for the expulsion of Israel from the world body over its crimes against Palestinians and disregard for international law. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump's idea of mass deportation of Palestinians from Gaza is 'pure fantasy': UN rapporteur Iran Press TV Sunday, 09 March 2025 3:42 PM The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing has dismissed US President Donald Trump's controversial plan for the mass deportation of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip as "pure fantasy." Balakrishnan Rajagopal, in a press statement on Saturday, said forcibly deporting Gazans by American troops is not only impractical, but also, it would constitute "one of the greatest violations of international law in recent centuries." Rajagopal pointed out the difficulties of achieving an effective reconstruction of Gaza as long as the Israeli forces continued to occupy the Palestinian land, threatening to restart a large-scale conflict. In the meantime, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy have all backed a plan suggested by Egypt for the reconstruction of Gaza. The foreign ministers of the top European countries issued a joint statement on Saturday, praising the Egyptian initiative that would ameliorate the "catastrophic living conditions for the Palestinians." "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," it stated. Egypt's plan stands in contrast to Trump's suggestion that the US military "take over" Gaza and forcibly transfer the Palestinians residents to neighboring Arab nations. On Friday, during an emergency meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) adopted an Arab League counterproposal to Trump's plan. The decision by the 57-member OIC group came just three days after the Arab League had initially ratified the plan at a summit in Cairo, Egypt. The OIC urged "the international community and international and regional funding institutions to swiftly provide the necessary support for the plan." The Egyptian-proposed Gaza reconstruction plan includes allocating $53 billion for rebuilding efforts and establishing a management committee to facilitate the Palestinian Authority's return within six months. Egypt's proposal has been rejected by the Americans and Israelis, who are pressing for Trump's plan, which ensures Gaza's ethnic cleansing. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address CPPCC members attend group interview ahead of closing meeting Xinhua) 09:01, March 10, 2025 Lian Yuming, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Cai Yang) Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Cai Yang) Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Cai Yang) Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Chen Xingcan, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Cai Yang) Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) arrive for a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Fu Xiaoyun, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Huang Liping, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Cai Yang) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Hamas confirms direct talks with US envoy for captives in Doha Iran Press TV Sunday, 09 March 2025 2:41 PM Hamas says Palestinian negotiators have held several meetings with US President Donald Trump's special envoy over the release of an American-Israeli captive being held in Gaza. Taher Al-Nono, political adviser to the leader of the Palestinian resistance group, said the talks were held in the Qatari capital, Doha, over the past week. "Several meetings have already taken place in Doha, focusing on releasing one of the dual-nationality prisoners," al-Nono said. "We informed the American delegation that we don't oppose the prisoners' release within the framework of these talks." Edan Alexander, who was a soldier with the Israeli military, is believed to be the last living American-Israeli captive held by Hamas in Gaza. Hamas took about 250 people captive during its unprecedented operation against the occupied territories on October 7, 2023. Nono said Hamas and Washington had also discussed how to see through the implementation of the phased ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas aimed at ending the regime's war on Gaza. "We have dealt positively and flexibly, in a way that serves the interests of the Palestinian people," he said. Washington had never before engaged directly with Hamas, which it designated a "terrorist organization" in 1997. Reports said Friday that the news of the direct negotiations has sparked outrage in Tel Aviv and led to a heated phone call between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's top aide Ron Dermer and Boehler. Trump, however, has reportedly defended the talks to Tel Aviv as hopeful as they are focused on the release of "Israeli hostages." In an interview on the NBC News program Meet the Press, Boehler said the meetings with Hamas were extremely "helpful." He did not rule out additional encounters with the Palestinian group. Under the ceasefire, brokered by the US, Egypt and Qatar, Hamas has released 33 Israeli captives and five Thais for the release of about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and abductees. Israeli authorities say fewer than half of the remaining 59 captives are still alive. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US not to participate in any NATO military exercises in Europe: Report Iran Press TV Sunday, 09 March 2025 10:40 AM The US has reportedly informed NATO of its decision not to participate in military exercises in Europe beyond those already scheduled for 2025, raising questions about the future of Washington in the continent. Swedish media outlet Expressen reported on Friday that the decision does not apply to the planning of exercises that have already been agreed upon and will be held in 2025. However, NATO countries will be forced to plan exercises without the participation of the US military, the largest in the alliance. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO countries for not meeting the current goal of spending two percent of GDP on military, arguing that the disparity puts an unfair burden on the US. He has stated that he wants to prioritize the Indo-Pacific region, which primarily targets China. On Friday, he warned that the US may not defend NATO countries that do not meet the spending target. "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," he told reporters. "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, it's not enough. They should be paying more," he added. Since his inauguration, Trump has shocked allies with moves including ending military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine and excluding European allies from peace talks held with Russia. Trump has also threatened NATO by saying that he will pull out US troops from Germany. There are about 160,000 US troops in NATO countries, 35,000 of whom are in Germany. If Trump pulls these troops out of Germany, he will further exacerbate US relations with Western Europe. Brian Hughes, a US national security spokesman, 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." Furthermore, according to reports, Trump has become annoyed that the Continent has taken Ukraine's side in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and "is angry that [Europe] appear to be pushing for war," while "Russia holds all the cards." In response, a frustrated Europe has begun preparing itself for a world order in which the US cannot be relied on. EU member states agreed to free up what could amount to an unprecedented $867 billion for defense spending. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US considering 'rare earths' deal with DR Congo in exchange for military aid: Report Iran Press TV Sunday, 09 March 2025 8:39 AM The United States is reportedly engaged in exploratory talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) regarding a potential deal on rare earth elements, marking the latest effort by the Donald Trump administration to secure access to vital resources overseas following unsuccessful negotiations with Ukraine. According to a report published in the Financial Times (FT) on Saturday, the proposed agreement involves the US gaining access to crucial minerals in exchange for providing security assistance to the African nation. FT cited unnamed sources as saying talks between Washington and Kinshasa about a potential mineral deal have intensified recently, "although several obstacles remain" and they are "at a relatively early stage." According to reports by the United Nations, rebels backed by Rwandan troops have taken large swathes of land in eastern DRC, looting the resources of the mineral-rich region. Kinshasa "invites the USA, whose companies source strategic raw materials from Rwanda ... to purchase them directly from us the rightful owners," Tina Salama, a spokesperson for President Felix Tshisekedi, wrote on X last month. Rebels are aiming to consolidate their hold in Congo's east, which has trillions of dollars of mostly untapped mineral wealth, including cobalt, lithium, tantalum, and uranium. In this regard, DRC Senator Pierre Kanda Kalambayi has sent a letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging the Americans to partner up with Kinasha. "The United States is well-positioned to forge an enduring partnership with the DRC - a nation that possesses over $24 trillion in untapped reserves of critical minerals," Kalambayi -- who chairs the Senate's Committee on Defense, Security and Border Protection -- wrote in his letter. He said, in return for minerals, the African nation would expect the US military to increase its cooperation with Kinshasa's forces, including training and arming them with weapons and equipment. Late last month, an anticipated deal for Ukraine to hand over natural resources revenues to the United States, abruptly fell apart during an explosive meeting in the Oval Office. Over the meeting, President Trump and Vice President JD Vance harshly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for not being grateful enough for US support, and sought to strong-arm him into making a peace deal with Russia to end the war. The planned signing of the US-Ukraine agreement did not happen, and Zelensky left the White House grounds without answering reporters' questions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Defying Trump's 'riviera' scheme, European powers back Arab reconstruction plan for Gaza Iran Press TV Sunday, 09 March 2025 7:41 AM Key European nations, including the UK, France, Germany, and Italy, have backed an Egyptian proposal to reconstruct Gaza as a counter to US President Donald Trump's controversial "riviera" plan that advocates the forcible displacement of Palestinians from the Strip. Despite their support for and whitewashing of Israel's genocidal actions in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war in October 2023, the foreign ministers of the UK, France, Germany, and Italy announced in a statement on Saturday that they endorse the Egyptian initiative that would improve "catastrophic living conditions for the Palestinians." "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," read the statement. On Saturday, the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) officially adopted the Arab League's proposal for Gaza's reconstruction during an emergency meeting in Saudi Arabia. The OIC urged "the international community and international and regional funding institutions to swiftly provide the necessary support for the plan." A comprehensive draft of the Egyptian-proposed Gaza reconstruction plan includes allocating $53 billion for rebuilding efforts and establishing a management committee to facilitate the Palestinian Authority's return within six months. The initiative further outlines a series of key measures, including an international conference in Cairo, a donor-contribution trust fund, and three reconstruction phases spanning six months to two and a half years. The early recovery phase requires $3 billion, and the subsequent phases cost $20 billion and $30 billion, respectively. Both Washington and Tel Aviv have expressed opposition to its implementation. The Egyptian-proposed reconstruction plan stands in contrast to Trump's controversial suggestion that the US "take over" Gaza, transform it into the "Riviera of the Middle East," and displace Palestinians to neighboring Arab nations. His proposal drew widespread condemnation, The Israeli regime endorses Trump's proposal advocating the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Gaza, where its relentless attacks since 2023 have killed over 48,000 Palestinians, primarily women and children. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemen threatens Israel with 'blockade' if it ignores ultimatum on stopping Gaza attacks Iran Press TV Sunday, 09 March 2025 2:11 AM Yemen's Supreme Political Council has warned that it would resume its naval operations aimed at enforcing a "blockade" against the Israeli regime if Tel Aviv failed to heed the country's ultimatum on stopping its deadly attacks against the Gaza Strip. In a statement on Sunday, the council declared that Yemen's Armed Forces were fully prepared to carry out the directives of Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, leader of Yemen's Ansarullah resistance movement, once the four-day ultimatum expired. Houthi issued the ultimatum recently amid the regime's incessant violations of a ceasefire deal between Tel Aviv and the Gaza-based Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, which is hoped to end Tel Aviv's 15-month-plus war of genocide against the coastal sliver. "We affirm the full readiness of the Armed Forces and all relevant agencies to implement the directives of the Leader of the Revolution if the deadline expires," the statement added. "The Zionist enemy and its allies are fully responsible for the resumption of Yemeni naval operations." The council was referring to the robust military, political, and intelligence support that Tel Aviv's Western allies, mainly the United States, were providing for the war that has so far claimed the lives of at least 48,453 Palestinians, mostly women and children. The Yemeni Armed Forces began taking Israeli ships and the vessels carrying supplies to the occupied Palestinian territories via the waters off the Arab Peninsula country, under missile and drone strikes after October 7, 2023, when the regime launched the brutal military onslaught. The operations took serious toll on the Israeli economy, contributing to meaningful price increases across commodities consumed by the regime's illegal settlers. The statement, meanwhile, said Yemen's actions also served as a response to, what it denounced as, the failure of Arab states to take meaningful steps in defense of Palestinians -- in spite of their verbal condemnation of the Israeli atrocities. "Our operations respond to weak Arab stances failing the central cause of the [Yemeni] nation," the council noted. It, meanwhile, praised the widespread public support among the members of the nation for the pro-Palestinian stance, calling it a "responsible position" that aligned with Yemen's commitment to the Palestinian cause of liberation from Israeli occupation and aggression. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address OPINION: Resuming bilateral Cambodian military drills won't be enough for the US A proposed restart of war games frozen since 2017 comes as Phnom Penh weighs its reliance on China. By commentator David Hutt 2025.03.09 -- Why is Phnom Penh now willing to give the United States what it has been demanding for years? At a meeting on Feb. 24 with Ronald Clark, commanding general of the the U.S. Army Pacific, Cambodia's military chief Vong Pisen made the most explicit call to date for restarting the bilateral "Angkor Sentinel" military drills that Phnom Penh had suspended in 2017. Washington has been encouraging the resumption of the exercises since at least 2020, yet Phnom Penh had strung the U.S. along with offers of counterterrorism cooperation, a much lower-level form of engagement. Cambodia suspended Angkor Sentinel in early 2017 on the premise that its troops were needed to guard that year's local elections. A few months later, however, Cambodia's military started its first joint "Golden Dragon" drills with China. A few months after that, Cambodia's ruling party dissolved its only political opponent on charges of plotting a U.S.-backed coup. The same year, Phnom Penh banned several U.S. Congress-funded organizations, sparking a deterioration in U.S.-Cambodia relations. In 2018, Washington started alleging that Phnom Penh had agreed to a secret deal to allow China exclusive use of its Ream Naval Base. U.S. policymakers came to see Cambodia as a "lost" Chinese client state. Some observers suggest that Phnom Penh's offer to restart the Angkor Sentinel drills is a result of Cambodia's leadership succession in 2023. That year, long-ruling prime minister Hun Sen, who typically has taken a dim view of the U.S., handed over power to his eldest son Hun Manet, a West Point-educated general considered by some to be reformist and Western-looking. This is almost certainly not the reason. China dependency Hun Manet might be the prime minister, but Hun Sen still calls the shots, especially over foreign policy. Hun Sen's trusted ally, Prak Sokhonn, was brought back as foreign minister last November to further solidify his control over foreign relations. Another claim is that Phnom Penh is trying to appease U.S. President Donald Trump to avoid tariffs and wants to win over Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who as senator had long called for U.S. sanctions on Cambodia over its democratic backsliding and human rights violations. In fact, it was the Biden administration that began a slow, gradual process of reengaging Cambodia, and talks about Angkor Sentinel began at least in October. The foundations were probably laid long before that, possibly when then-CIA Director Bill Burns visited Phnom Penh last June to meet with Hun Sen. It was the Biden administration that arranged for an U.S. warship to make a port call in Cambodia in December, the first to do so since 2016. The actual motivation for Phnom Penh to reopen the war games is that it has now accepted that it must reduce its dependency on China. This explains why Cambodia has spent considerable energy in improving relations with Japan, Canada, Australia and Saudi Arabia in recent months -- while also trying to silence exiled dissidents in those countries. Cambodia's economy grew by around 5 percent last year, but it's far from healthy. Aside from domestic factors like private debt and bad loans, a lack of Chinese investment since the COVID-19 pandemic has weakened the construction and real estate sectors, while tourism is still reeling from the lack of Chinese visitors. The U.S., by contrast, has steadily accounted for around two-fifths of all Cambodia's exports for almost a decade. More importantly, Beijing will no longer throw armfuls of cash at every infrastructure project Phnom Penh thinks it needs. This became clear last year when Beijing refused to put up substantial funds for the Funan Techo Canal, a vanity megaproject for the Hun family. Last year, China did not approve any new loans to Cambodia. Scam center crackdown As well as being more picky, the Chinese government has demanded that Southeast Asian governments tackle their vast cyber scam industries, which are defrauding ordinary Chinese out of tens of billions of dollars each year The scam centers have put a strain on China's already weakened economy and the heavy role of Chinese crime groups in the sector is increasingly a source of national embarrassment for the Chinese Communist Party. Beijing launched a massive public information campaign about its scam-busting efforts in December, before public anger rose in January over news that Chinese actor Wang Xing had been kidnapped in Thailand and forced to work in a scam compound in Myanmar. He was rescued, but the Chinese public is demanding their government take more action to rescue their relatives. Talk among Cambodia watchers is that Beijing is irate about Phnom Penh's lackluster efforts at cracking down on the scam sector. China has found a willing partner in Thailandwhich launched major raids on scam compounds on its border with Myanmar last month. Beijing has also cooperated with Laos' communist government and some parties in Myanmar's raging civil war. Cambodia, though, is allegedly dragging its feet, much to everyone's frustration, not just China's. Some analysts reckon that "pig-butchering" scammers are finding a safe haven in Cambodia as compounds are shut down elsewhere in the region. Bangkok has just revealed that it is debating whether to build a wall along parts of its border with Cambodia. Pressing Phnom Penh If the United States Institute for Peace (USIP) is correct, Cambodia's scam industry is worth $12.5 billion annually, the equivalent of a third of the formal economy. According to some experts, Cambodia is also somewhat unique in that a large percentage of the proceeds are laundered through the local economy. If the authorities were to launch a major crackdown, most Cambodian oligarchs and senior ruling party politicians would allegedly lose access to billions of dollars in tithes and dodgy contracts. "The level of co-option of state actors in countries like Cambodia exceeds what we saw in narco-states of the 1990s in Latin America," Jacob Sims, an expert on organized crime in Southeast Asia, recently told The Economist. Worse, it might destabilize the economy. Who knows how much money from the scammers is propping up construction or property or any other sector? We now have the ironic situation in which the U.S. and China are aligned over what they want from the Cambodian government: a substantial and meaningful crackdown on the scammers. Indeed, Washington, like Beijing, is also increasingly concerned that Cambodia-based scammers are defrauding its nationals. Last September, the U.S. embassy in Phnom Penh estimated that Americans had lost at least $100 million to scams originating in Cambodia. The same month, Ly Yong Phat, a Cambodian senator and the oligarch arguably closest to the Hun family, was hit by U.S. sanctions because of his association with the illegal industry. Beijing's growing frustration with Phnom Penh might soon come to a head. There is talk that Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit Phnom Penh, possibly next month. It's unlikely that he would arrive -- or depart -- without a major concession from the Hun family on the scam industry. Phnom Penh possibly wants to use the resumption of the Angkor Sentinel drills with the U.S. as a way of signaling to Beijing that it is not as beholden as it once was to Chinese pressure. Whether China would go "soft" so as not to lose influence to the U.S. is another matter. According to informed sources in Phnom Penh and Washington, most U.S. policymakers don't view the resumption of Angkor Sentinel as a major sea change after eight years of fraught U.S.-Cambodia relations. While welcoming an important step towards healthier relations, Washington will be looking for Cambodia to make a more drastic break from Beijing, they say. David Hutt is a research fellow at the Central European Institute of Asian Studies (CEIAS) and the Southeast Asia Columnist at the Diplomat. The views expressed here are his own and do not reflect the position of RFA. 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 Authorities Reject Georgescu's Presidential Candidacy Sparking Violence In Bucharest By RFE/RL's Romanian Service March 09, 2025 BUCHAREST -- Romania's Central Electoral Board (CEB) rejected the candidacy of far-right politician Calin Georgescu from a rerun of a presidential election, sparking clashes between his supporters, angry at the move, and police. The CEB said on March 9 that it disqualified Georgescu's application based on the Constitutional Court ruling that halted the original election in November following his first-round win. "His candidacy does not meet the conditions provided by law, as established by the Constitutional Court in December 2024," the CEB said. "Consequently, at the resumption of the electoral process, the members of the BEC consider that it is inadmissible to consider that the same person meets the conditions to accede to the Presidency of Romania." Georgescu, who is critical of NATO and opposes Romanian support for Ukraine against Russia's invasion, filed his candidacy for the rerun, to be held on May 4, on March 7. The CEB had 48 hours to accept or reject the application. Georgescu has 24 hours to appeal the CEB move, which prompted hundreds of his supporters who clashed with security forces in front of the Board's headquarters in central Bucharest. Pro-Georgescu demonstrators set fire to street furniture and heavy objects at police, who responded with tear gas, law enforcement officials said. Georgescu and his supporters have claimed Romanian authorities are trying to block his candidacy in the rerun. He reacted angrily to the rejection, calling it "a direct blow to the heart of democracy." "I have one message left! If democracy in Romania falls, the entire democratic world will fall! This is just the beginning. It's that simple!...Europe is now a dictatorship, Romania is under tyranny!" he added in a social media post. The first round of the presidential election was canceled by the Constitutional Court on December 6 after Romanian intelligence reports said foreign actors had manipulated social-media platforms, especially TikTok, to benefit Georgescu, a far-right, pro-Russian candidate. The annulment of the vote has exacerbated deep divisions in Romanian politics and sparked international concern over the course of democracy in the European Union and NATO member. Last month, US Vice-President JD Vance made thinly veiled criticism of the country's moves against Georgescu, telling delegates at the Munich Security Conference that "if your democracy can be destroyed with a few hundred thousand dollars of digital advertising from a foreign country then it wasn't very strong to begin with." Georgescu was a little-known figure in Romania until he unexpectedly won the first round of the presidential election on November 24 with about 22 percent of the vote. The 62-year-old was to face pro-European centrist candidate Elena Lasconi in a runoff, which had been seen as a referendum on the future course of Romania. Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, who supported the Constitutional Court's decision to annul the election, said the authorities have the right to present the public with extremely solid evidence in the investigation, "which involves a potential candidate in the May elections." Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on February 10 said he was resigning from his post amid an effort by the opposition to have him impeached after he stayed in power following the Constitutional Court's election annulment. Just days before the vote, Georgescu launched a TikTok campaign calling for an end to aid for Ukraine, apparently striking a chord with voters. He has also sounded a skeptical note on Romania's NATO membership. His anti-Western messaging is routinely amplified on Russian, state-run media and Kremlin-friendly social media. His other stances included supporting Romanian farmers, reducing dependency on imports, and ramping up energy and food production. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/romania-reject-georgescu- candidacy-election-trump-vance/33341755.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 Frozen Ambitions: America's Long Pursuit Of Greenland By Amos Chapple March 09, 2025 Greenlanders will head to the polls on March 11 amid a looming geopolitical showdown over calls from US President Donald Trump for the Danish territory to become an American island. "One way or another, we're going to get it," Trump vowed to Congress on March 4 as he asserted Washington needed Greenland for the sake of America's national security. "You have China's ships all over the place. You have Russian ships all over the place. We're not letting that happen," Trump told reporters in January. The current focus on Greenland is only the latest resurgence of Washington's more than 150-year-old ambition to take over the territory. Ice-covered Greenland was given its incongruous name by 10th-century Norse explorer Eric the Red. The early settler chose the name because, as he put it, "people would be attracted to go there if it had a favorable name." The Norse settlers in Greenland did not last. Researchers believe the newcomers fell victim to a changing climate and economic upheaval caused by the plague among other hardships. By 1721, when Danish missionaries first arrived to the island, only the indigenous Inuit population remained. A missionary described Greenland's hardy Inuit people as being so covetous of calories they would eat lice plucked from their own clothing. To avoid wasting minerals, he claimed they would "scrape the sweat from off their faces with a knife and lick it up." Denmark declared sovereignty over Greenland in 1921 and enforced a trading monopoly with the island. The ban on outside merchants enabled Copenhagen to purchase whale and seal blubber -- a prized source of fuel for lanterns -- strictly on its own terms. During World War II Denmark was invaded by Nazi Germany, leaving the Danish territory of Greenland open to a German takeover. George L. West, an American foreign service officer, recalled that US President Roosevelt "immediately decided we had to do something about Greenland." American forces occupied the territory, securing its valuable Cryolite mine. With weather prediction a critical factor in waging war, Nazi operatives made repeated attempts to set up secret meteorological stations on isolated parts of Greenland. "It seems that a lot of your weather for Western Europe originates up on that icecap. It's invaluable, from a military standpoint, to get meteorological reports from there," West explained, adding that part of the American mission in Greenland was to "find these [illicit Nazi weather stations] and destroy them." The United States returned Greenland to Danish control following the war but did not pull out its military. In 1951 the two countries signed an agreement that allowed Washington and the newly formed NATO military alliance to "improve and generally to fit the area for military use." One of the US facilities on Greenland, named Camp Century, was declared a research facility. In reality it was a front for Project Iceworm, a planned network of nuclear missile launch sites under Greenland's ice sheet aimed at the Soviet Union. The covert American nuclear weapons station was doomed from the start. Engineers faced constantly shifting ice that twisted and buckled around silos designed to hold delicate nuclear warheads. In 1966 Camp Century was abandoned, along with radioactive waste that remains buried beneath the ice today. Proposals for the United States to purchase Greenland date back to 1867, when the idea was first seriously considered by Washington. In 1946 a concrete offer, of the modern equivalent of around $1 billion, was made to Copenhagen for Greenland, which one senator described as "a military necessity" for the United States. Greenland, Washington said, would allow for "staging areas from which to launch military operations over the Arctic against America's adversaries," among other uses. Denmark's foreign minister rejected the 1946 offer, responding that, "while we owe much to America I do not feel that we owe them the whole island of Greenland." Trump, during his first term in 2019, repeatedly suggested that the United States take over the territory -- statements that were widely dismissed as unserious. After making the territory a priority in his second term, however, Denmark apparently responded by increasing the prominence of the Polar Bear -- representing Greenland -- on the Danish king's coat of arms, and reiterating that the territory is not for sale. Today Greenland runs many of its own institutions, including its own parliament, but remains heavily dependent on Denmark. The territory receives nearly $600 million in aid each year from Copenhagen, a fund that represents more than half of Greenland's entire government budget and equal to more than $10,000 for each of the territory's 57,000 people. If a burgeoning independence movement in Greenland is able to successfully detach the territory from Danish rule after the March 11 elections, Washington could bypass Copenhagen in its quest to take ownership of the territory. But while a majority of Greenlanders favor independence from Denmark, some 85 percent of Greenlanders oppose becoming a US territory, according to a recent poll. The complexity of the geopolitical storm brewing over Greenland was recently summarized by the territory's Prime Minister Mute Egede, who told reporters in January, "We don't want to be Danish, we don't want to be American, we want to be Greenlandic." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/greenland-trump-america- denmark-history/33341464.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 UNRWA Situation Report #162 on the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. All information updated for 26 February - 4 March 2025 UNRWA 9 Mar 2025 Days 508-514 since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip Highlights Since the start of the ceasefire, UNRWA has delivered critical food assistance to the entire population of the Gaza Strip. During the same reporting period, UNRWA teams have provided over 412,000 health consultations and reached more than half a million people with shelter and non-food items. On 2 March, the Israeli authorities announced a halt to humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip, including fuel. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stated that "Humanitarian aid must continue to flow at scale similar to what we've seen over the past six weeks when the ceasefire began," explaining that "The vast majority of the people in Gaza rely on aid for their sheer survival." The Israeli Forces large-scale operation that started in Jenin camp and other areas of northern West Bank on 21 January 2025 is ongoing, making it by far the single longest Israeli Forces' operation in the West Bank since the second intifada in the early 2000s and causing the largest population displacement since the 1967 war. UNRWA estimates that at least 40,000 people were forced to flee, the vast majority of them are from Palestine refugee camps. Key points The Gaza Strip As part of the Gaza ceasefire deal, on 26 February, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitated the return of the remains of four deceased Israeli hostages by Palestinian armed groups. As reported by OCHA, on 26 and 27 February the Israeli authorities released 642 Palestinian detainees, including 491 who were reportedly detained from the Gaza Strip after 7 October, among them 44 children, and 151 others. On 2 March, the Israeli authorities announced a halt to humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip, including fuel. Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, described the decision as "alarming", adding that, "International humanitarian law is clear: We must be allowed access to deliver vital lifesaving aid." UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stated that, "Humanitarian aid must continue to flow at scale similar to what we've seen over the past six weeks when the ceasefire began," explaining that "The vast majority of the people in Gaza rely on aid for their sheer survival." OCHA reports that, according to the Nutrition Cluster, since the ceasefire started more than 3,000 children and 1,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women have been diagnosed with acute malnutrition in the Gaza Strip and referred for treatment. However, February data collected by the Nutrition Cluster showed a slight improvement in the number of children and pregnant and breastfeeding women consuming the minimum required food groups. Thousands of humanitarian trucks - including over 2,300 UNRWA trucks - carrying essential food supplies, shelter items, and medicines have crossed into the Gaza Strip since the start of the ceasefire until 1 March, enabling a significant expansion of the humanitarian response. The closure of all crossing points on 2 March brought the influx of assistance to a halt for all humanitarian partners. UNRWA teams are on the ground delivering aid and providing services to a population overwhelmed by 15 months of constant bombardment, forced displacement, and lack of critical resources. Since the start of the ceasefire, UNRWA teams have delivered critical food assistance to the entire population of the Gaza Strip. UNRWA runs 116 shelters across the Gaza Strip, with around 148,000 displaced people residing in them. Since the ceasefire, more than half a million people across all five Governorates have received non-food items, including blankets, mattresses, floor mats, clothes, kitchen items, and tarpaulins for rain protection. As of 28 February, over 100,000 families (or more than a quarter of Gaza's population) had received bedding items through UNRWA and over 60,000 families (or around 400,000 people) were reached with tarpaulins. As of 2 March, over 14,400 families (or around 72,000 people) had been reached by UNRWA teams with tents since the ceasefire started. UNRWA teams continue to provide psychosocial support services and primary health consultations wherever possible. Since the start of the ceasefire until 2 March 2025, UNRWA health teams have provided over 412,000 health consultations (or around 15,000 per working day), antenatal, post-natal and family planning care for over 28,000 women, dental and oral health services in fixed and mobile clinics reaching over 17,000 patients, and physiotherapy rehabilitation services for over 7,300 patients. Since the war started, UNRWA established 52 women's committees in shelters to provide a gender-sensitive emergency response. These committees remain active even after the ceasefire. In 2024 alone, UNRWA teams distributed over half a million dignity kits aimed at reducing the risk of exploitation for women and girls lacking basic menstrual hygiene supplies. In addition, more than 2,200 women participated in the UNRWA Job Creation Programme (JCP), gaining access to employment opportunities while reducing their vulnerability to exploitation and Gender-Based Violence (GBV). According to the UN, at least 1.9 million people - or about 90 per cent of the population - across the Gaza Strip were displaced during the war. Many have been displaced repeatedly, some 10 times or more. Since the start of the ceasefire, new population movements have been reported, with people trying to return to whatever is left of their homes. Most homes (92 per cent according to the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (MoPWH) have been either severely damaged or destroyed. - or about of the population - across the Gaza Strip were displaced during the war. Many have been displaced repeatedly, some 10 times or more. Since the start of the ceasefire, new population movements have been reported, with people trying to return to whatever is left of their homes. Most homes (92 per cent according to the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (MoPWH) have been either severely damaged or destroyed. Between 7 October 2023 and 2 March 2025, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, as stated by OCHA, at least 48,405 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in Gaza and 111,835 have been injured. Palestinians have reportedly been killed in Gaza and have been injured. OCHA reports that, the MoH in Gaza published the breakdown of 40,717 out of 42,010 fatalities as of 7 October 2024. These reportedly include 13,319 children, 7,216 women, 3,447 elderly, and 16,735 men. Among the child fatalities, 786 children are under one year of age, representing about 6 per cent of killed children whose full identification details have been documented, the MoH further reported. Additionally, as of 7 October 2024, the MoH noted that 35,055 children had lost one or both parents over the past year. The total number of UNRWA team members killed since 7 October 2023 is 275. The occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem According to OCHA, between 7 October 2023 and 3 March 2025, 894 Palestinians were killed in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Of those, 88 Palestinians, including at least 17 children, were killed only since the year began . The Israeli Forces large-scale operation that started in Jenin Palestine refugee camp on 21 January 2025 continues, with operations in Nur Shams, Tulkarm, and Jenin camps. Israeli statements have suggested that the operation will continue for the foreseeable future, including preventing residents from returning to the camps. Coercive conditions, threats of demolition, and evacuation orders drove further displacement from these already near-empty camps. The Israeli Forces continued to deploy militarised tactics and advanced weaponry, including the use of tanks. On 1 March, the anticipated demolition of homes in Nur Shams camp took place, with Israeli Forces bulldozers demolishing 11 houses that had received military demolition orders the previous week. One Palestinian was killed during an Israeli Forces' search operation in Nablus on 25 February, and one Palestinian was killed in an exchange of fire between Israeli Forces and Palestinians in Balata Palestine refugee camp on 27 February. On 27 February, a Palestinian from Silat al Harithiya (northern West Bank) allegedly rammed a group of Israelis at an intersection on Road 65 in northern Israel, injuring ten people. He was shot and killed by Israeli police after attempting to flee the scene. The Holy Month of Ramadan started on 1 March with some tensions occurring at Al Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem's Old City; this included the Israeli Forces entry to the Al Aqsa Mosque compound on 1 March after evening prayers, and several worshipers summoned by the Israeli Forces for interrogation on 2 March. The Israeli Forces on 2 and 3 March accompanied Israeli settlers to visit Joseph's Tomb on the outskirts of Nablus, while undertaking search operations and restricting Palestinian movement in the vicinity of the site. Overall situation The Gaza Strip Between 7 October 2023 and 4 March 2025, according to the MoH in Gaza as stated by OCHA, at least 48,405 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in the Gaza Strip while 111,835 have been reported injured. UNRWA Response The Gaza Strip Health According to the Health Cluster, UNRWA remains one of the largest health actors operating in the Gaza Strip, contributing to over half of the people reached with health services since 7 October 2023. Between 7 October 2023 and 2 March 2025, UNRWA provided over 7.7 million medical consultations across the Gaza Strip. In addition to medical consultations, UNRWA (in partnership with and supported by other UN agencies, including UNICEF and WHO) continued to vaccinate children. Over 257,000 routine vaccines have been given to children from January 2024. In addition, around 560,000 children under the age of 10 across the Gaza Strip have been vaccinated against polio in the first two rounds of the campaign. A third round of the polio vaccination campaign supported by UNRWA, WHO, UNICEF, and other partners took place between 22 and 26 February 2025 in the Gaza Strip, reaching over 600,000 children under the age of 10 with this critical vaccine. With over 1,700 personnel organised in 555 mobile and fixed teams, UNRWA vaccinated over 213,000 children, constituting around one third of the overall polio vaccination response. Since the start of the ceasefire until 2 March 2025, UNRWA health teams have provided over 412,000 health consultations (or around 15,000 per working day), antenatal, post-natal and family planning care for over 28,000 women, dental and oral health services in fixed and mobile clinics reaching over 17,000 patients, and physiotherapy rehabilitation services for over 7,300 patients. As of 3 March, only five out of 22 UNRWA health centres and five additional UNRWA-rented facilities used as temporary health centres were operational in Gaza. Health services are also provided through 114 mobile medical teams working in 46 medical points inside and outside shelters in the middle area, Khan Younis, Al Mawasi and Gaza City. UNRWA health facilities provide primary health care, including outpatient services, non-communicable disease care, giving out medications, vaccination, antenatal and postnatal health care, laboratory and dental services, physiotherapy and dressings for the injured. The number of operational health facilities changes constantly based on demand, access and security. Between 24 February and 2 March, an average of 1,026 UNRWA health staff worked in health centres, temporary clinics and medical points across the Gaza Strip, providing 68,038 health consultations during the reporting period. UNRWA continued to provide mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services in the middle and Khan Younis areas, with teams of psychiatrists, psychosocial counsellors and supervisors to assist special cases referred from UNRWA health centres and shelters. Between 24 February and 2 March, UNRWA teams responded to 2,793 cases in health centres and at medical points through individual consultations, awareness sessions and to address cases of gender-based violence (GBV). Between 24 February and 2 March, UNRWA medical teams provided care for 5,288 post-natal and pregnant women at high risk, dental and oral health services in fixed and mobile clinics reaching 3,240 patients, and physiotherapy rehabilitation services for 1,115 patients in health centres and medical points. Since the ceasefire started and until 24 February, UNRWA health teams have received nearly 550 pallets of medical supplies including medicines, laboratory and dental supplies, and enough insulin syringes for over 17,000 people for eight months. Most of these supplies will cover UNRWA Health services for two months, and some up to eight months. Psychosocial Support and Learning UNRWA remains the largest provider of emergency learning and psychosocial support (PSS) across the Gaza Strip. Around 660,000 children are out of school due to the war. On 1 August 2024, UNRWA began its first phase response of "Back to Learning" with a focus on mental health activities. This is taking place in 260 Temporary Learning Spaces in 44 UNRWA schools-turned-shelters[2], with the support of over 900 teachers and up to 600[3] school counsellors. More than 35,000 children, over half of them girls, have benefited from UNRWA's "Back to Learning" programme so far. Between 24 February and 1 March 2025, 34,838 children (16,027 boys, 18,811 girls, including 287 children with disabilities) participated in basic literacy and numeracy activities, PSS sessions and recreational activities including arts, music and sports. Building on the onsite learning initiative in the Temporary Learning Shelters, on 1 January 2025, UNRWA launched a new distance learning programme to further mitigate learning loss among displaced children. This enables UNRWA to use a blended approach that combines online with onsite learning, helping Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip to have access to basic literacy and numeracy despite the crisis. To date, 259,409 children (133,051 boys, 126,358 girls) have enrolled in the programme and received basic learning activities delivered by thousands of teachers covering Arabic, English, mathematics, and science. UNRWA continues to provide lifesaving PSS services in Gaza. With the support of 240 school counsellors and more than 300 assistant counsellors, UNRWA has provided children, youth, and adults in Gaza with psychological first aid, individual and group counselling, fatigue management sessions, recreational activities, Explosive Ordinance Risk Education and protection cash assistance. Since the onset of the war and up to 23 February 2025, around 730,000 displaced people, including over 520,000 children, have benefited from 287,507 PSS sessions and activities. Between 24 February and 1 March, a total of 8,497 displaced people accessed these services. Between 7 October 2023 and 2 March 2025, UNRWA's social work team has provided services to 209,348 displaced people, including psychological first aid, PSS services, family and individual activities, as well as case management. During the same reporting period, protection services were provided to 1,898 survivors of GBV and 3,162 children, including 1,604 unaccompanied children, covering reunification, cash assistance, safe sheltering, medication, dignity kits and non-food items through referrals. The team also supported 22,906 persons with disabilities with PSS; 7,753 of these individuals received assistive devices and rehabilitation services. Awareness sessions on GBV, child protection, disability and special needs, as well as managing social and psychological stressors, were conducted for 154,308 displaced people. Food Security Since the start of the war and until the start of the ceasefire, over 388,000 families (nearly 1.9 million people) have been reached with two rounds of flour; at least 374,000 of those families have received three rounds. UNRWA continues to distribute food parcels wherever possible. These include[4] rice, lentils, beans, oil, salt, sugar, milk powder, hummus, halawa, yeast, and canned fish, and are designed to meet the needs of a family of five for two weeks. Up until the start of the ceasefire, at least 1.7 million people have been reached, of whom at least 215,000 people have received two rounds of food parcels since the war started. In addition to the distribution of UNRWA food parcels, the Agency distributes food parcels on behalf of other UN organisations, having reached over 1.4 million people before the start of the ceasefire. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Since October 2023, UNRWA has carried out emergency WASH activities across the Gaza Strip. The main activities include operating and maintaining water wells and desalination systems and supplying water with water trucks and bottled water. In addition, UNRWA continues to distribute hygiene kits and maintain hygiene in UNRWA shelters and sites through cleaning supplies, community-based solid waste management and pest control. Since the start of the ceasefire, UNRWA teams rehabilitated another water well in Jabalia (north) that has the capacity to provide 80 cubic metres of water per hour and is now serving up to 20,000 people in the area. Between 17 and 23 February, UNRWA teams, with the support of the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility, have provided 5,500 cubic metres of water per day to displaced people in emergency shelters and other UNRWA facilities. UNRWA continues to provide a solid waste collection and transfer service wherever possible. Between 17 and 23 February, over 300 tons of solid waste per day were collected by UNRWA sanitation teams. During the same reporting period, UNRWA teams distributed around 3,000 soaps and 2,000 jerrycans. Since the start of the ceasefire and until 4 February, UNRWA has reached nearly 475,000 people with clean water. Over the same period, UNRWA has collected over 5,700 tons of solid waste. Quotefrom Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General: "The decision of Israel to stop aid into Gaza threatens the lives of civilians exhausted by 16 months of brutal war. Humanitarian aid must continue to flow at scale similar to what we've seen over the past six weeks when the ceasefire began. This brought respite and relief to people in need." Email: media@unrwa.org [1] Some of the information is reported during the reporting period but does not necessarily correspond to the reporting period. [2] Initially reaching 45 UNRWA schools/shelters, "Back to Learning" will gradually expand to 94 schools in future phases. [3] 176 school counsellors and 566 assistant counsellors. [4] The composition of the food parcel may change based on food item availability.tr NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rubio heads to Saudi Arabia for US-Ukraine talks, then Canada for G7 By Nike Ching March 09, 2025 U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will arrive in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Monday for U.S.-Ukraine talks as President Donald Trump pushes to broker a swift end to the Russia-Ukraine war, despite Russia's latest massive aerial attacks against Ukraine's energy infrastructure. While in Jeddah, Rubio will also meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud to discuss ways to advance shared interests in the region and strengthen the U.S.-Saudi relationship, said State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce. According to the State Department, Rubio has "underscored President Trump's determination to end the war as soon as possible and emphasized that all sides must take steps to secure a sustainable peace" in a Friday call with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit the Gulf kingdom for a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh. But he may not attend Tuesday's talks with the U.S. officials. On Tuesday, a Ukrainian diplomatic and military delegation led by Zelenskyy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, will remain in Saudi Arabia for talks with U.S. officials. The Ukrainian team will also include Sybiha, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and military commander Pavlo Palisa. Rubio will join U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz for the Jeddah talks with Ukrainian officials. A senior State Department official told traveling press that "the fact that they (Ukrainian officials) are coming here (Saudi Arabia) at senior levels is a good indication to us that they want to sit down and they're ready to move forward." U.S. officials have said the goal for Tuesday's talks is to get down a framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire. The U.S.-Ukraine talks will take place three weeks after senior U.S. officials held talks with Russian officials in Riyadh. Ukraine said it is "fully committed" to constructive dialogue with the U.S. and hopes 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," Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X on Saturday. G7 foreign ministers Following his visit to Saudi Arabia, Rubio will travel to Charlevoix, Canada, for the Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers' meeting from March 12 to 14. In a joint statement following talks on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in February, G7 foreign ministers underscored their commitment to helping "achieve a durable peace" and "reaffirmed the need to develop robust security guarantees" for Ukraine. "Any new, additional sanctions after February should be linked to whether the Russian Federation enters into real, good-faith efforts to bring an enduring end to the war against Ukraine," the joint statement added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump envoy describes recent meeting with Hamas as 'very helpful' By VOA News March 09, 2025 President Donald Trump's envoy for hostages, Adam Boehler, said Sunday that his meetings last week, with the U.S.-designated terrorist group Hamas, about hostages it is holding in Gaza were "very helpful" and could lead to their release "within weeks." "I think there is a deal where you get all the hostages" freed, Boehler told CNN's "State of the Union" show. "I do think there's hope," he said. "You could see something like a long-term truce." Hamas is believed to still have 24 living hostages taken in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered its war with Israel. The group also is holding the bodies of 34 others who were either killed in the initial attack or in captivity, as well as the remains of a soldier killed in 2014. Boehler did not rule out additional encounters with the Palestinian terrorist group. The envoy's meetings with Hamas leaders, whose avowed goal is the destruction of Israel, came over the opposition of the Jewish state. Boehler said he understood the concern expressed by Israeli official Ron Dermer about Boehler's direct contact with Hamas. Boehler emphasized he had a clear goal in his talks, to find a way to extend the expired truce in the fighting and end the war, in which 1,200 people were killed in the initial Hamas attack and more than 48,000 Palestinians during Israel's subsequent counteroffensive. "I think it was a very helpful meeting. It was very helpful to hear some back and forth," Boehler said. "We're the United States. We're not an agent of Israel," Boehler said. "We have specific interests at play, and we did communicate back and forth. What I wanted to do is jump-start some negotiations that were in a very fragile place. And I wanted to say to Hamas, what is the end game that you want here?" CNN anchor Jake Tapper asked Boehler, who is Jewish, how he felt talking to Hamas. "Whether they're good people or bad, it's part of my job," he replied. The discussions between Boehler and Hamas broke with a decades-old policy by Washington against negotiating with groups the U.S. brands as terrorist organizations. Separately, Boehler said he did not know whether American journalist Austin Tice was alive in Syria. "I'm going to go to Syria, and I'm going to do the best I can to find out," Boehler said. "If he's there. I'm going to bring him home." U.S. envoys are due in the Middle East this week to continue talks on a ceasefire in Gaza. Meanwhile, Israel said Sunday it is cutting off its electricity supply to Gaza, a week after it cut off aid supplies to the narrow territory along the Mediterranean Sea. Israel is pressing Hamas to accept an extension of the first phase of their ceasefire, which ended a week ago. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump to keep tariffs to pressure Mexico, Canada, China on fentanyl, aides say By Ken Bredemeier March 09, 2025 U.S. President Donald Trump is keeping new tariffs in place on Mexico, Canada and China to pressure them to block the flow of the deadly opioid fentanyl into the United States, top White House economic officials said Sunday. "If fentanyl ends, I think these [tariffs] will come off," Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told NBC's "Meet the Press" show. "But if fentanyl does not end, or he's uncertain about it, he will stay this way until he is comfortable," he said. "This is black and white. You got to save American lives." Trump last week issued a string of whip-sawing tariff decisions that plunged the three major U.S. stock market indexes and roiled relations with Canada and Mexico, which are long-time U.S. allies and its closest neighbors, as well as its two biggest trading partners. Trump at first imposed 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican exports to the U.S., then exempted the duties on Mexican- and Canadian-made vehicles being transported into the U.S. and later by week's end delayed the tariffs on almost all items for four weeks until April 2. But Lutnick said 25% U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports will take effect Wednesday as scheduled. Canada and Mexico are both top exporters of the metals to U.S. markets, with Canada accounting for most aluminum imports. The Commerce chief also rebuffed fears that Trump's global tariffs would cause a recession in the United States. "Absolutely not," he said. "There's going to be no recession in America." But Lutnick acknowledged that the tariffs would lead to higher prices for U.S. consumers on foreign-made goods. "Some products that are made foreign might be more expensive, but American products will get cheaper, and that's the point," Lutnick said. It was not clear how U.S.-produced goods would become cheaper, except in comparison to foreign-manufactured products. Trump, in a taped interview with Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures" show, dodged a question about a possible recession because of his tariff boosts, but said, "There is a period of transition because what we're doing is very big." "There could be a little disruption," he said about stock market losses last week. "Look, what I have to do is build a strong country. You can't really watch the stock market. If you look at China, they have a 100-year perspective. We go by quarters. And you can't go by that." Trump has at various times said his new tariffs are aimed at raising government revenue, protecting U.S. jobs and pressuring foreign manufacturers to relocate their operations to the U.S., and to curb the flow of fentanyl. Like Lutnick, Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, emphasized the fentanyl issue in an interview on ABC News' "This Week" program. He said Trump's tariffs targeting Canada and Mexico, along with doubling a previous 10% duty on Chinese exports to 20%, are aimed at cutting the tens thousands of fentanyl deaths that have occurred in recent years. "We launched a drug war, not a trade war," he said. "We hope we'll round up the cartels" while there is a pause in the tariffs on Mexico and Canada. "It is a big problem," he said. "Get the drug cartels out of Canada and Mexico." Both Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Trump in phone conversations last week they have made strides in curbing the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. Sheinbaum sent 10,000 troops to Mexico's northern border with the U.S. to try to curb the flow of drugs and undocumented migrants while Trudeau also ramped up border enforcement. But it is unclear whether Trump will be satisfied enough with the Mexican and Canadian efforts to drop the tariff increases next month. Even with the White House effort targeting fentanyl, Hassett said Trump's economic concerns remain as important. "He's trying to make it so when we produce something, we produce it at home," not in another country, Hassett said. "Bring the jobs home, bring the wealth home. If you want to increase the welfare of Americans, then produce the jobs here." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address DDGH River-class Type 26 Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) The Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) is based on BAE Systems Type 26 warship design being built by the United Kingdom and Australia. The ships have enhanced underwater sensors, state-of-the-art radar, and modern weapons. The NATO Ship Designator for the River-class warship will be DDGH a destroyer (DD), guided (G) missile, helicopter (H) capable. As the RCNs next generation combat ship, it replaces both the Iroquois-class destroyers (four) and the Halifax-class frigates (12). The CSC project is budgeted at between $56-60 billion (before taxes), and includes the cost for 15 new, state-of-the-art warships. Delivery of the first River-class destroyer, HMCS Fraser, is expected in the early 2030s, with the final ship expected by 2050. The new fleet of warships will be known as River-class destroyers, and the first three ships will be named His Majestys Canadian Ships (HMCS) Fraser, Saint-Laurent, and Mackenzie. Ship names are chosen carefully, and they tell the story of the RCN. Not only are these three ships named after Canadas most important waterways that reach the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic oceans, they are also a tribute to previous Canadian warships with the same names ships that made heroic wartime contributions and represented cutting-edge technological innovation. Wiki claimed that the Single Class Surface Combatants (SCSC) was known to Navy-watchers as the "Province class" destroyers, named after Canada's provinces, much as the United States Navy names capital ships [of whatever kind] after the states of the union. But this claim appears to be without official foundation, apart from a single fictionalized account by Major Neil Scott ["The Canadian Navy and Its Future Organic Air Capability" Canadian Naval Review Vol. 5, No. 4 (Winter 2010)] In the government's renewed vision for defence, Our North, Strong and Free, the Government of Canada committed to a renewed relationship with Canadas defence industry, based on clarity, certainty, and long-term partnership. The CSC project is an example of how the Government of Canada is investing in Canadas domestic shipbuilding industry, while also equipping the RCN with a fleet of modern and effective ships. Canadas defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged (SSE), has committed to investing in 15 Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) ships. These ships will be Canadas major surface component of maritime combat power. With its effective warfare capability and versatility, it can be deployed rapidly anywhere in the world, either independently or as part of a Canadian or international coalition. The CSC will be able to deploy for many months with a limited logistic footprint. Western countries repeatedly expressed concerns over Russia's alleged increasing military presence and activities in the Arctic region. Moscow vehemently rejects the allegations, noting that it considers the Arctic to be an area for constructive dialogue and equal, conflict-free cooperation in the interest of all nations. By October 2018 The Royal Canadian Navy was considering purchasing 15 British Type 26 frigates designed to fight enemy submarines, according to Defense News' David Larter. He recalled that the construction of these warships began in the UK only last summer, which could provoke a delay in deliveries and an increase in the cost of ships. However, the Canadian government, which planned to allocate US$60 billion for the UK frigates, was "willing to accept those risks because of the strategic threat Russia poses to Canada's interests at the rapidly thawing top of the world," Larter claimed. In this context, he cited Bryan Clark, a retired US submarine officer and analyst with the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, as saying that Canada perceives anti-submarine activity as "a big deal." "If you are worried about the Russian sub threat and the air threat, then, yeah, the Type 26 makes sense," Clark said. Gary Fudge, a vice president with Lockheed Martin Canada, which will supply the British frigates to the Canadian fleet, said in turn that Western powers previously preferred to invest in the development of air defense, but the threat that has emerged in the past 15 years has largely been in submarine technology. ON 20 July 2017 BAE Systems welcomed Sir Michael Fallon MP, Secretary of State for Defence, to its Glasgow shipyard to press the button to start production of the first of the new Type 26 Global Combat Ships for the UK Royal Navy. During his speech, the Defence Secretary unveiled the name of the first ship as Glasgow. This ceremonial event followed the UK Government's recent award of a contract worth c3.7bn for the first three ships to be built at BAE Systems' sites in Glasgow. This built on the work already underway to construct five River Class Offshore Patrol Vessels and provides a strong foundation for the next two decades of shipbuilding in Scotland, securing more than 4,000 jobs across BAE Systems and its UK maritime supply chain. During the visit to BAE Systems' shipyard in Glasgow, Defence Secretary, Sir Michael said: "Today marks yet another historic milestone for the Royal Navy, Scottish shipbuilding and UK Defence more widely. Glasgow will protect our powerful new aircraft carriers and nuclear deterrent, keeping British interests safe across the world. The Type 26 is a cutting-edge warship that will maintain our naval power with a truly global reach. Designed for a service life of at least 25 years, the Type 26 Frigates will form a backbone of the future Royal Navy surface fleet into the 2060s." The Type 26 Global Combat Ship will be a world-class anti-submarine warfare ship, replacing the Type 23 anti submarine variant frigates, with the first ship due to be delivered to the Royal Navy in the mid 2020s. Globally deployable, the flexible mission bay, aviation facilities and combat systems ensure it will be capable of undertaking a wide range of roles from high intensity warfare to humanitarian assistance, either operating independently or as part of a task group. We are exploring potential export opportunities where we have strong interest from international customers. Type 26 is cutting edge in terms of its capability and benefits from the latest advances in digital technologies, including 3D and virtual reality, to ensure that the ship's design was refined earlier in the process. This has enabled BAE Systems to work in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence and the Royal Navy to ensure every zone of the ship has the requirements of its crew at the heart of the design. From humanitarian assistance to high-intensity conflicts, the Royal Canada Navy's future fleet will perform a wide range of missions requiring advanced technology and multi-role versatility. Lockheed Martin's latest generation SPY-7 radar and Canadian-developed Combat Management System (CMS 330) will form the backbone of the Canadian Surface Combatant. Under a contract awarded by Irving Shipbuilding Inc. in September 2020 for the SPY-7 radar system, CSC will have the capability to keep Canada's sailors safe and prepared in the face of modern threats. Canada has secured the world's most versatile radar technology to deliver an integrated fire control system. SPY-7 is a modular and scalable solid-state radar that provides continuous surveillance, protection, and an exceptionally accurate threat picture to its operators. Its scalable, open architecture enables the flexibility to fulfill a variety of missions and expand its capabilities while its modularity provides for ease of maintenance at sea. With planned deployment on more than 24 platforms across four countries, SPY-7 leverages 50 years of continuous evolution and innovation of the U.S Navy's Aegis Combat System. The selection of the British Type 26 design by the Liberal government spawned criticism, a court challenge and figured prominently in reports by the auditor general and the Parliamentary Budget Officer. The government projected the acquisition phase to begin in the early 2020s with deliveries to begin in the mid-2020s. The delivery of the 15th ship, slated for the late 2040s, would conclude the procurement program. In 2019 it was assumed that construction would begin in FY 2023-2024. and production would continue until the completion of the 15th ship in 2043- 2044. It will be 2031, at the earliest, before the navy sees the first of its new frigates; a setback brought about partly by the fact Canada, Britain and Australia were still feeling their way around how to build the ultra-modern warship. Both Canada and Australia are building their own variants. The outgoing president of Irving Shipbuilding Inc., which is in charge of constructing combat ships for the federal government, said he anticipates steel will be cut on the first of the new generation high-end warships by mid-2024. "We have been trying to take an honest look at where we are and what it will take to build the ship," said Kevin McCoy who had announced his retirement from the East Coast shipbuilder. The estimate as of early 2021 was that it will take up to seven-and-a-half years to build the surface combatant, a timeline being used by Britain's BAE Systems Inc., which is constructing the first Type 26 design. "Early on [in the shipbuilding process] estimates are not very good," said McCoy. "Early estimates are not very good for price; they're not very good for size; they're not not very good for duration," McCoy said. "The British ship has a seven-and-a-half year build cycle. So, we're locked in. We said our build cycle will be seven-and-a-half years as well." Canada, McCoy said, can expect to pay no more $2.5 billion to $3 billion, per ship as they are produced, which is, he claimed, about what other nations would pay for a warship of similar capability. The Canadian version of the Type 26 will be expected to do more than its British and Australian class-mates. Where those navies have different warships, performing different functions, such as air defence or anti-submarine warfare, Canada's one class of frigates will be expected to perform both. On 08 March 2025, Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant, and Darren Fisher, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, announced the implementation contract award to Irving Shipbuilding Inc. (ISI) for the construction of the River-class destroyers (RCD). With an initial value of $8 billion (including taxes) intended to fund the first 6 years of construction, this contract was meant to support the construction and delivery of the initial three ships as well as the development and delivery of necessary training, spares, and maintenance products required to operate and support the ships in service. Following extensive analysis, the Government of Canada has established the cost to build and deliver the first three ships at $22.2 billion (excluding taxes). This estimate includes the costs that was to be paid to ISI through the implementation contract, as well as costs associated with the delivery of equipment, systems and ammunition that Canada is to acquire to bring the first three ships into service. The RCD Initiative will provide significant and long-standing investments into the Canadian economy. The RCD implementation contract is estimated to contribute $719.3 million annually to Canada's gross domestic product (GDP) and create or maintain 5,250 jobs annually over the 2025-2039 period. In addition, consumer spending by associated employees is estimated to contribute $191 million annually in additional GDP and 1,545 additional jobs annually to the Canadian economy during the same 15-year period. This initiative will be especially significant to Atlantic Canada, creating more jobs and opportunities in the region that workers can count on. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address SSB - ballistic missile submarine A North Korean design for a ballistic missile submarine was disclosed in a video where General Kim Jong Il is inspecting a special North Korean submarine model with a two-story structure. It is a submarine capable of carrying 10 or more submarine-launched ballistic missiles and it is said that such submarines have already been deployed. With this two-story structure, the length of the submarine can be increased to accommodate even more missiles. In addition, by increasing the diameter of the missile, it is possible to increase its range. This photo was taken on April 25, 1995, when Genaral Kim Jong Il received the report of Kim Kwang Jin, the first deputy head of the People's Armed Forces, in front of the new submarine model. In April 1995, surprisingly, North Korea was also pursuing the construction of a nuclear-attack submarine using its own technology. The design is interesting as, unlike the ballistic missile submarines of other countries, this North Korean design places the missile launch tubes forward of the sail, rather than aft. Most modern submarines constructed in the west utilize a single Pressure Hull configuration with the Main Ballast Tanks (MBT) situated at the fore and aft ends of the submarine. Typically, the reserve of buoyancy (ROB) is in the order of 11% of the surfaced displacement of the boat. A better distribution of weights is achieved by incorporating some of the MBT capacity in a midship location which results in better balance and handling, particularly when the submarine is surfaced. Some older designs (e.g. Skipjack and Permit classes) had such a configuration. However, the incorporation of these tanks was the result of giving the Pressure Hull (PH) a complicated and less than ideal shape in order to withstand deep diving pressure. Torpedo tubes are usually limited to 4 and are situated in the fore end of the submarine with a complicated system of tanks used to fire the torpedoes and compensate the weight of these with sea water. The 688I class of attack submarines solved this problem by incorporating a Vertical Launch System (VLS) consisting of 12 tubes mounted vertically in the forward MBT area and dedicated exclusively to carrying air cruise missiles. Each tube carries one round and can only be reloaded when the submarine is docked. The new Seawolf class SSNs solves the problem by having 8 torpedo tubes and a capacity of about 48 weapons with the added advantage that these are general purpose tubes which can fire a full range of attack submarine weapons, thus permitting greater flexibility in configuring the weapons mix. In 1979 a new design for Soviet SSBNs was revealed. Called "TAYFUN" (Typhoon) by the Kremlin, the submarine is the largest undersea craft in the world with a dived displacement of over 30,000 tons. First launched in September 1980 at the Severodvinsk Shipyard, Typhoon has twenty missile tubes forward of the sail, allowing space aft for two nuclear reactors. Nothing else has been heard of such a boat since. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syria - Politics President [various titles] Maamun Shafiq al-Kuzbari 29 Sep 1961 20 Nov 1961 Non-party Izzat al-Nuss 20 Nov 1961 14 Dec 1961 Mil Nazim al-Kudsi 14 Dec 1961 8 Mar 1963 HS Abdul Karim Zahreddine 28 Mar 1962 13 Apr 1962 Mil Louai bin Ahmad Sami al-Atassi 23 Mar 1963 27 Jul 1963 Mil/Baath Muhammad Amin al-Hafez 27 Jul 1963 23 Feb 1966 Mil/Baath Ahmad Nureddin bin Muhammad Ali al-Atassi 25 Feb 1966 18 Nov 1970 Mil/Baath Sayyid Ahmad al-Hasan al-Khatib 18 Nov 1970 22 Feb 1971 Baath Hafez Ali Sulayman al-Assad 22 Feb 1971 10 Jun 2000 Mil/Baath; Abdul Halim Said Khaddam 10 Jun 2000 17 Jul 2000 Baath+NPF Bashar Hafez al-Assad 17 Jul 2000 08 Dec 2024 Baath+NPF Abu Mohammed al-Joulani 08 Dec 2024 xxxx 20xx President Bashar al-Assads 24-year rule came to an end 08 December 2024 after rebels seized the capital, Damascus. Al-Assad stepped down and left Syria, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. His whereabouts initially remained unknown. Bashar al-Assad and his father Hafez al-Assad ruled Syria for 54 years. Under their regime, hundreds of thousands were forcibly displaced, killed and tortured. The loss of control by the security forces of the fugitive Syrian government and the Russian military led to a whole series of looting and violence. Reports of former regime officials being executed in Syria have to be understood in the context of what Bashar al-Assads government did to Syrians says one campaigner, following videos of crowds gathering to watch public hangings. Alongside the establishment of a transitional council comes the achievement of transitional justice, which the commander-in-chief of the new Syrian administration, Ahmed al-Sharaa , pledged would take its course. He vowed not to hesitate in holding accountable the criminals, murderers, security officers, and army involved in torturing the Syrian people, stressing that they would be pursued and requested from the countries to which they fled to be held accountable. He said that the blood and rights of innocent dead and detained people will not be wasted or forgotten, but at the same time he stressed his commitment to forgiving those whose hands are not stained with the blood of the Syrian people. This step reflects the realization that random revenge is also not appropriate and may cause many problems, and that reassurances can play an important role at this stage. For its part, the Political Affairs Department of the Syrian opposition stressed that the next stage requires comprehensive societal reconciliation, during which trust is built between the various components of Syrian society, based on the principles of justice and respect for human rights. The situation in Syria now differs from other countries in which the foundations of the state are clear, including a constitution, a specific form of sovereignty, a political system, and geographical borders. As a result of the revolution, Syria has become without an approved constitution, a political system, or clear borders, and this poses a major challenge to the new authorities. On the other hand, the current Syrian opposition is characterised by a diversity of spectrums between armed factions with Islamic and ideological references, in addition to liberal political forces, and this diversity represents a challenge to reaching consensus on the form of the future state. The commander of military operations in Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, told Al Arabiya and Al Hadath 14 December 2024, that the state is not supposed to be led with a revolutionary mentality, and there is a need for a law and a state of institutions. We will exploit this stage to serve the Syrians and build the future. Regarding running for the elections, My presence in Damascus is enough for now. We will not give up what we have done over the years. He pointed out that the ousted President Bashar al-Assad was ordering the head of the Central Bank to print the currency without guarantees. In the context of its efforts to maintain security within the country, the Operations Department in Syria issued a new statement calling for the return of public property within a week starting now. The Military Operations Department confirmed that it will hold accountable anyone proven to be involved in concealing public property. Ahmed al-Sharaa (also referred to as al-Julani), the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, whose forces deposed former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad less than a week ago, says his group is communicating with Western embassies as it tries to restore governance in Syria. Our goals are clear and our plans are ready for construction and development in Syria. We have plans to address the systematic destruction practised by the regime. Damascus is lagging in all aspects of what we have achieved in Idlib Governorate. Based on our administrative experience in Idlib, we will advance in the rest of the countrys governorates. Ahmed al-Sharaa, said that the next government in Syria will include holding elections, stressing that the Ministry of Defense will dissolve all armed factions in the next phase. Al-Sharaa added that committees and councils will be formed to re-examine the constitution, and that the form of authority is left to the decisions of experts, legal experts, and the Syrian people, and that competence and ability will be the basis for evaluation in the coming state. Regarding the components of Syrian society, he said that the new administration has relations with Christians and Druze, and they fought with us within the military operations administration, noting in the same context that there is a difference between Kurdish society and what he called the PKK organization, in reference to the Kurdistan Workers Party. Al-Sharaa said that the transitional government has systematic plans to address the systematic destruction practiced by the regime of ousted President Bashar al-Assad , and that the goals of the new administration are clear and its plans are ready for construction and development. Prime Minister Mohamed al-Bashir, after his appointment on 10 December 2024, called on Syrians in exile to return, pledging to "guarantee the rights of all people and all sects." About six million Syrians, a quarter of the population, have fled the country during 13 years of civil war that has left more than half a million dead. In Aleppo, where the Christian population has dwindled to about 30,000 since 2011, Father Bahjat said he understood the concerns about the new government, but on the ground we have not suffered discrimination. The European Union announced the launch of a humanitarian air bridge to Syria via Turkey, after the World Food Programme launched an urgent appeal to raise $250 million to provide "food aid" to needy Syrians. The United Nations has registered more than a million new displaced people since the offensive by the factions led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. For its part, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Syria said the new authorities had sent a constructive signal by asking them to stay in Syria and continue their work. "We will not hesitate to hold accountable the criminals, murderers, security and army officers involved in torturing the Syrian people," rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani, now using his real name Ahmed al-Sharaa, said 10 December 2024 in a statement on Telegram. He added that the incoming authorities will announce a list of former senior officials accused of torture. "We will offer rewards to anyone who provides information about senior army and security officers involved in war crimes," he said, adding the incoming authorities would seek the return of officials who have fled abroad. Syria's new caretaker prime minister, Mohammed al-Bashir, told Al Jazeera that he's been meeting with members of the transitional government. "We invited members from the old government and some directors from the administration in Idlib and its surrounding areas in order to facilitate all the necessary works for the next two months until we have a constitutional system to be able to serve the Syrian people," al-Bashir said. He added that the time had come for Syrians "to enjoy stability and calm" after nearly 14 years of war. The transfer of power in the new regime seemed low-risk. However, the main challenge lay in how long a new government can remain stable and whether it can survive the frictions between different factions. Foreign influences and interventions could also further exacerbate divisions and infighting, testing the new government's viability. Forces led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has advanced into the capital, have a strong religious orientation, and while it has shown signs of adjustment in recent years, it remains uncertain whether it can evolve into a moderate and inclusive leadership force. The United Nations' special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen said on 10 December 2024 that it was essential transitional arrangements following the ouster of Bashar Assad be as inclusive as possible, also including organisations like the victorious HTS rebel army, which the UN has labelled a terrorist group. "It is now nine years since that resolution (declaring HTS's predecessor a terrorist group) was adopted," he told a briefing at the UN's Geneva headquarters. "The reality is so far that HTS and also the other armed groups have been sending good messages to the Syrian people ... of unity, of inclusiveness." He cautioned against calls to start repatriating the many refugees who have fled Syria over its past 13 years of conflict, stressing that the situation remained "fluid", with conflict continuing in the northeast and Israeli incursions. "It is extremely important that we don't see any action from any international actor that destroys the possibility for this transformation in Syria to take place," he added, with reference to Israeli moves to extend a buffer zone inside the country. The words of Hadi al-Bahra, head of the Syrian National Coalition, carried a tone of hope for a new chapter in the countrys history. He stated, The situation is safe. The dark times in Syria have ended, and there is no place for vengeance in the new Syria. This declaration sought to reassure the population and highlight the oppositions intent to avoid reprisals. Yet, behind the facade of such statements lies an undeniable anxiety about Syrias future its political fate and stability amid a period of profound transformation. A new day has dawned for the country, but whether it will bring peace remains an unanswered question. Fadl Abdulghani, the director of the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), said the organisation has documented over 6,000 regime officers involved in war crimes under Bashar al Assads regime. In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Abdulghani called for the prosecution of all those involved, urging Syrias new government to swiftly establish a national court for this purpose. He warned that without justice, anger could lead to revenge from the families of victims. Syrian Network for Human Rights says regime forces detained at least 1.2 million Syrians during the civil war and subjected them to various torture methods. The regime's torture centers were categorised as civilian prisons, military prisons, secret, unofficial detention centres, and security unit interrogation centres. Some of the rebels most notable promises were made to ethnic and religious minorities in Syria, including Kurds, Alawites, Christians, and Shiites. The Salvation Government declared that no minority would face genocide or persecution for their views and beliefs, since they are an integral part of the Syrian nation. It also said that inclusivity is the strength, not the weakness, of the future Syria. In addressing the Kurds, the rebels condemned the barbaric practices of ISIS, such as murder, slavery, and other brutal actions committed against the Kurdish population by jihadists. They also guaranteed the safety of Syrian soldiers who laid down their arms and surrendered. These statements by the Salvation Government and the HTS leader, Abu Mohammad al-Julani, were met with enthusiasm by prominent experts of Islamic radicalism and fundamentalism. They praised al-Julanis professionalism, transparency, and moderate views, and the fact that he distanced himself from his jihadist roots. HTS and allied opposition groups soon released dozens of videos demonstrating executions of members of Arab-Kurdish forces, Syrian soldiers (even those who surrendered voluntarily), Alawites, and Shiites. In several video clips, militants are seen slitting the throats of their captives. Additionally, there are videos of the rebels hunting down former soldiers, which they refer to as patrolling or clearing an area. Mostly, their targets are shot on the spot. In addition, the rebels have published dozens of video messages threatening various minorities and neighboring countries. Some of them claim that the coup in Syria gives them the freedom to destroy Israel and liberate Palestinian territories. Columns of HTS strike forces and their closest allies, including Uyghur and other foreign fighters, continued to arrive in Damascus from the north of the country, consolidating their control over the capital by force. In turn, the state media, which came under the control of the new authorities, have already begun to create an image of the HTS leader as the new leader of the nation. The decisive step in consolidating the HTS leadership at this initial stage was the appointment of their man, Muhammad al-Bashir, as the head of the interim government of Syria, who previously headed the government of national salvation in the HTS-controlled territories of Idlib. Other former opposition groups may not like this, but everyone understands that HTS is now the most combat-ready force among them, and many have learned a very painful lesson in this from their clashes with HTS in previous years. Naturally, no one knew exactly what will happen next, especially since the positions of the remaining terrorists from ISIS will probably strengthen in the Syrian desert, many of whose supporters were released from prisons in various cities of Syria along with other militants and criminals. Economic problems will be a serious test for HTS leadership, yes, they previously managed to manage Idlib quite well with the support of Turkey, but now most of the country has come under their control, and Iran, which provided Syria with multi-billion dollar aid under the previous government, has already cut off this aid. Despite conciliatory statements addressed to religious minorities by the new authorities, tension and fears among them are growing, especially since more and more videos of extrajudicial executions of former military personnel, militias, officials, etc. have begun to appear. Here it is necessary to note that the new authorities declared an amnesty only for those military personnel who were called up for compulsory service, and the bulk of conscripts were Sunni Arabs. But no amnesty applied to officers, contract soldiers, militias, etc., and this immediately put on the hook for possible persecution a huge part of the Alawites and representatives of some other minorities, who themselves or their relatives formed the backbone of professional military personnel, were participants in militias, etc. At the same time, the Alawites were clearly demoralized and perhaps a breakdown has occurred among them, caused by the fact that they, being the core of the most combat-ready forces of the Syrian army, have suffered disproportionately high losses since 2011. For example, the city of Tartus, populated mainly by Alawites, was often called the "mother of martyrs" in the mid-2010s, since proportionally to the population, more people died there fighting for their president than in any other large city in Syria. The Biden Administration announced its recognition and support for a new Syrian government that meets specific criteria: rejection of terrorism, destruction of chemical weapons stockpiles, and protection of minority and womens rights. The statement, issued by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, reaffirmed the United States commitment to a political transition in Syria aimed at establishing reliable, inclusive, and non-sectarian governance. The transitional process and the new government must adhere to clear commitments to fully respect minority rights, facilitate humanitarian aid for all in need, prevent Syria from being used as a base for terrorism or as a threat to its neighbors, and ensure the safe destruction of any remaining chemical and biological weapons, Blinken emphasized. Colin Clarke, director of policy and research at the New York-based Soufan Group intelligence consultancy, said that if Syria's new rulers manage to effectively run the country, it would serve as a "real momentum boost" for Islamist groups. "To the leadership in U.A.E. and Saudi Arabia, there is a concern that the takeover of Syria by HTS will energize Islamists in those countries, and if [Sharaa] succeeds in governing, it will be proof of concept for groups like the Muslim Brotherhood," he added. Both the U.A.E. and Saudi Arabia view Islamist movements as existential threats to their monarchies and political systems. 2025 Clashes Starting on 06 March 2025, clashes broke out in the coastal province of Latakia between Assad loyalists and security forces belonging to the new government led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham leader and Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa. The fighting, as of two days later, was reported to have left over 1,000 dead. According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights the casualties included 745 civilians, 125 Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) personnel and 148 Assad loyalists. The fighting came after continued crackdown operation by HTS militants on remnants of Assad's military forces in the provinces of Latakia, Tartus, and Hama., and reportedly provoked a wave of revenge killings on Friday, with armed militants targeting the Alawite minority in Hama and Latakia provinces. Heavy clashes were reported to be ongoing in the outskirts of Tartus, a major port city on the Mediterranean coast, as of 09 March 2025, with a curfew enforced in Homs, Latakia, and Tartus due to ongoing fighting. The fighting followed warnings the previous week by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan against attempts by Iran to destabilize the new Syrian government by supporting local proxy forces there, saying "If [Iranian] policy continues this way, I do not think that it will be the right policy. If by supporting a group in another country, you are trying to cause anxiety in a third country - other countries can also disturb you by supporting groups in your own country". In return, Iran summoned the Turkish ambassador to Iran and admonish "Turkish officials to avoid making incorrect comments that would sow discord between the two nations." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russo-Ukraine War - 09 March 2025 - Day 1110 Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. "To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal] The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the Defense Forces are directing efforts to disrupt the execution of Russian invaders' offensive plans and exhaust their combat potential. Since the beginning of the day, there have been 140 combat clashes, the Russian enemy launched 55 air strikes, dropping 68 CABs, carried out 1239 kamikaze drones strikes and 4835 shelling positions of Ukrainian troops. In the Kharkiv direction, Ukrainian troops repelled five Russian attacks in the area of vovchanska. The aggressor caused aviation strikes on the settlements of Prudyanka, Vovchans ki farms and Slatine. Russian forces carried out four attacks on Ukrainian fortifications in the Kupyans .komu direction, near Lozova, Petropavlivka and Zagrizovoye. Ukrainian defenders have successfully beaten them all. In the Lyman direction per day, Russian troops 11 times stormed the positions of Ukrainian defenders in the areas of settlements Balka Zhuravka, Novolubivka, Mirne, Ivanivka and Yampolivka, at the moment the battle is being sharpened. On the sivers komu direction Ukrainian warriors today fought off 20 Russian attacks. Units of the Russian occupiers are trying to go forward in the areas of Bilogorivka, Verkhnyokamiansky and in the direction of Serebryanka, fighting continues. In the Kramators komu direction of the Defense Forces prevented four Russian attacks near the Chasovoye Yar, Grigorivka and towards Stupocok and White Mountain. In the Toretsky direction, Russian forces today stormed the positions of Ukrainian defenders in the areas of the settlements of Toretsk, Druzhba and Dachne 17 times. In four locations, combat clashes continue so far. In the Pokrovsky direction throughout the day, Russian forces made 31 assault positions of Ukrainian defenders. The greatest activity of Russian occupiers is kept in the areas of the settlements of Elizavetyvka, Romin, Dachenske, Kotline, Nadiivka, Preobrazhenka, Andriyivka and Russian forces The enemy launched air strikes on the settlements of Zorya, Popiv Yar and Udacne. According to preliminary calculations, today in this direction, Ukrainian soldiers eliminated 104 and wounded 82 Russian occupiers; destroyed three tanks, four armored vehicles, six vehicles, two armored vehicles, four armored vehicle control antennas, in addition, significantly damaged a tank, two cannons, two armored cars and an invaders vehicle. In the Novopavlovsky direction, Russian forces tried to break through five times near the settlements of Skudne, Burlatske and Konstantinopil. In the Gulyaipils komu direction, in the areas of Novopol and Privilny, two clashes have been completed for the time being, seven more attacks of the Russian zagarbniki continue. In the Orihivs komu direction, the Russian occupiers four times went ahead near the Stepovoye, Nesterianka and scherbakiv, one fight is still ongoing. The hits of the narama were affected by the districts of the stepovogo and kamans kogo. In the Pridniprovsk direction, Russian forces did not carry out offensive actions. In the Kurs komu direction Ukrainian defenders repelled 27 attacks of Russian zagarbnikiv. In addition, the enemy launched 20 air strikes, applied 23 cab and carried out 365 artillery shells. In other directions, there have been no significant changes in the environment. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kharkov direction, units of the Sever Group of Forces hit formations of two motorised infantry brigades of the AFU close to Kazachya Lopan and Volchansk (Kharkov region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 50 troops, nine motor vehicles, and four artillery guns. One communication station was neutralised. Units of the Zapad Group of Forces improved the tactical situation. Manpower and hardware of three mechanised brigades and one airmobile brigade of the AFU were hit near Monachinovka, Zagoruykovka, Kondrashovka, Kupyansk, Podvysokoye, Gorokhovatka (Kharkov region), and Serebryansky forestry. The AFU losses amounted to up to 255 troops, 10 motor vehicles, two Western-made field artillery guns, one Polonez and one Nota electronic warfare stations, and one ammunition depot. Units of the Yug Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions. Formations of three mechanised brigades, one airmobile brigade, one guard brigade of the AFU General Staff, one territorial defence brigade, and two national guard brigades suffered losses close to Shcherbinovka, Rozovka, Dronovka, Druzhkovka, Grigorovka, Dyleyevka, Seversk, and Konstantinovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to up to 250 troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, three motor vehicles, six field artillery guns, and two materiel depots. Units of the Tsentr Group of Forces continued advancing to the depth of the enemy's defences. Formations of four mechanised brigades, one assault brigade, two jaeger brigades, one assault regiment of the AFU, two marine brigades, and one national guard brigade were hit close to Ulyanovka, Krasnoarmeysk, Zverevo, Kotlino, Shevchenko, Uspenovka, Udachnoye, Petrovskoye, Novopavlovka, Dimitrov, Mirolyubovka, Alekseyevka, and Sribnoye (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to up to 580 troops, two M113 armoured personnel carriers, and one U.S.-made MaxxPro armoured fighting vehicle, two French-made VAB armoured personnel carriers, four motor vehicles, and four artillery guns. As a result of active and decisive operations, the Vostok Group of Forces units liberated Konstantinopol (Donetsk People's Republic). Strikes were delivered at formations of two mechanised brigades, one jaeger brigade, one assault regiment of the AFU, and one marine brigade near Bogatyr, Fedorovka, Veseloye, Voskresenka, Dneproenergiya, and Razliv (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to more than 145 troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, one motor vehicle, and three field artillery guns, to include one Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system. The Dnepr Group of Forces' units inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of one mechanised brigade and one mountain assault brigade of the AFU near Novonikolayevka, Davydov Brod (Kherson region), Pyatikhatki, and Pavlovka (Zaporozhye region). Up to 80 troops, one U.S.-made HMMWV armoured fighting vehicle, eight motor vehicles, two field artillery guns, to include one U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzer, one U.S.-made HIMARS and one U.S.-made MLRS launchers, one Israeli-made RADA RPS-82 radar station, one electronic warfare station, three ammunition depots, and one materiel depot were eliminated. Operational-Tactical Aviation, strike drones, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have engaged clusters of AFU manpower and hardware in 143 areas during the day. Air defence systems have shot down one JDAM guided bomb, two U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles as well as 228 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles, including 99 of them outside the special military operation zone. In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 656 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 45,877 unmanned aerial vehicles, 600 anti-aircraft missile systems, 22,090 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,525 MLRS combat vehicles, 22,390 field artillery guns and mortars, and 32,630 units of support military vehicles have been neutralised. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation also reported that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the operation to neutralise AFU formations on the territory of Kursk region. The Sever Group of Forces' units liberated Lebedevka (Kursk region) and Novenkoye (Suy region) during the offensive. The Russian Armed Forces inflicted damage on units 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 AFU near Agronom, Bogdanovka, Goncharovka, Guyevo, Zaoleshenka, Kazachya Loknya, Pervy Knyazhy, Vtoroy Knyazhy, Kositsa, Loknya, Malaya Loknya, Makhnovka, Rubanshchina, Sudzha, Cherkasskaya Konopelka, Cherkasskoye Porechnoye, and Yuzhny. Two counter-attacks were repelled. Operational-Tactical and Army aviation and artillery inflicted fire damage on AFU manpower and hardware close to Bondarevka, Pervy Knyazhy, Kubatkin, Kurilovka, Lebedevka, Martynovka, Mirny as well as Basovka, Belovody, Zhuravka, Miropolye, Novenkoye, Obody, Yunakovka, and Yablonovka (Sumy region). Within the past 24 hours, AFU losses amounted to more than 350 troops, one tank, two infantry fighting vehicles, five armoured personnel carriers, 19 armoured fighting vehicles, 29 motor vehicles, six field artillery guns, one mortar, one electronic warfare station, one Israeli-made RADA radar station, 11 UAV command posts, and one ammunition depot. Six AFU servicemen surrendered. Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk direction, the AFU losses amounted to more than 65,930 troops, 387 tanks, 300 infantry fighting vehicles, 264 armoured personnel carriers, 2,163 armoured fighting vehicles, 2,370 motor vehicles, 528 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, 120 EW stations, 15 counter-battery warfare radars, ten air defence radars, 54 units of engineering and other materiel, including 22 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 Press conference - Canberra Transcript Sunday 9 March 2025 Canberra Prime Minister Anthony Albanese The Hon Anthony Albanese MP Prime Minister of Australia ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning. I'm joined by the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Richard Marles, and the Head of Military Strategic Commitments, Rear Admiral Jonathan Earley this morning. Last night near Lismore, 7th Brigade soldiers who are based at the Gallipoli Barracks in Brisbane as part of Joint Task Force 629 were involved in a serious vehicle accident. There were 32 soldiers across two vehicles involved in this incident. 13 soldiers were assessed on scene as having injuries. Six have serious injuries. All are being cared for in local hospitals. Everyone at the scene did their best to look after their mates and I am hugely grateful to emergency services and healthcare workers for the first aid and ongoing care. All of their families have now been notified. For the extraordinary members of the Australian Defence Force and their loved ones, there are no easy days. Every day could bring danger, every day carries risks and yet they step up and face them for us, the Australian people, for our nation and for their fellow Australians. These men and women are heroes who were on their way to help people in need. They were doing this at a time when some of their own families were bearing the brunt of Alfred. We will never take for granted the enormous sacrifice our soldiers make for us and we will do all we can to support those injured and their families. We thank them for their service yesterday, today and every day. Shortly we will head to Queensland to work on cyclone support and recovery and to meet ADF personnel. I'll now turn to the Deputy Prime Minister and then Rear Admiral. Then I'll have a short statement about the floods and then we will take questions. RICHARD MARLES, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR DEFENCE: Thank you, Prime Minister. At about a quarter past five yesterday afternoon, NSW time, the accident occurred to which the Prime Minister was referred, involving two 40 Mike trucks on the Tregeagle Road in the vicinity of Tregeagle near Lismore. The trucks were configured to carry personnel. There were 16 on each truck and this team of 32 had been engaged in route clearance work and were in transit from one task to another when the incident occurred. Both trucks rolled - the circumstances of the incident are still being investigated. As the Prime Minister said, 13 were injured, some of them seriously. All are expected to recover and those 13 are in local hospitals in Byron Bay, Tweed Valley, in Lismore. The 13 - or the 32, I should say - came from the 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment, the 7th Service Support Battalion, all being part of 7 Brigade based at Gallipoli Barracks in Enoggera in Brisbane. As the Prime Minister has said, the families of all personnel have been notified and we would like to take the opportunity to thank the New South Wales Police, the New South Wales Ambulance Service, the New South Wales State Emergency Service and the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, all of whom attended on the scene of the accident and performed exemplary duties in supporting those who had been injured. All 32 who are involved in the accident have 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 their fellow Australians, and that's what each of these 32 people were doing yesterday in support of those who are 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 difficult circumstances where the weather obviously made conditions treacherous and in that sense they were putting themselves voluntarily in danger. And we very much thank them for their service and our thoughts are very much with those who have been injured. In this moment we are reminded about the selflessness of those who wear our nation's uniform and we are deeply grateful to them. PRIME MINISTER: Thank you. Rear Admiral Earley. REAR ADMIRAL JONATHAN EARLEY CSC, HEAD OF MILITARY STRATEGIC COMMITMENTS: Thank you, Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. As both the PM and DPM have mentioned, they've gone through the broad high level details of what occurred yesterday afternoon. I'd just like to add that Defence is assisting the New South Wales Police to actually determine the cause of this of this incident. We can confirm as mentioned that all families of injured personnel have been notified and Defence is now focused on supporting those involved and the necessary support services have been made available to them. Defence asks that the privacy of our members and their families is respected in this quite difficult time for them. And as mentioned by both the PM and the DPM, Defence is very much grateful and we want to extend our absolute gratitude to the New South Wales Ambulance, New South Wales Police Force, New South Wales State Emergency Service and the New South Wales Rural Fire Service who all assisted in getting our soldiers out of those vehicles, treated and transported to hospital as quickly as they could. Thank you. PRIME MINISTER: Thank you, Sir. Can I just briefly say on the floods 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. I urge everyone to continue to listen carefully to the emergency authorities. Tragically last night it was confirmed a 61 year old man has died in floodwaters near Dorrigo in New South Wales. Our thoughts are with his loved ones and the community at this heartbreaking time. JOURNALIST: Minister Marles, the authors of the Defence Strategic Review a couple of years ago were quite adamant that the ADF wasn't structured or equipped to be a disaster recovery, disaster response agency alongside all of its other responsibilities. Does this incident give you any pause for thought about the reliance on the ADF in natural disasters? DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: No, in this sense the Defence Strategic Review referred to the fact that an increasing number of climate events was giving rise to an increasing use of the Defence Force in terms of natural disasters. And in a macro sense, we needed to be thinking about how we supported all of our governmental efforts in terms of responding to natural disasters and ensuring that Defence was the last port of call. That said, in respect of any particular incident right now, it is obviously going to be the case, and will always be the case while we are here, that Defence will be there ready to provide support when they have unique assets that can be provided. Now in this instance, the vehicles that Defence had, the personnel that they had, were enormously useful in respect of route clearance. But as we look forward into this natural disaster, airlift capability, personnel fundamentally doing door knocking, everyone stepping in and helping, is something that in the here and now, we will obviously be providing. JOURNALIST: Just for the DPM, and following up on Cam's question. The Defence Strategic Review did find that it was impacting on the ADF's capability and its effectiveness as a war fighting capability. Are you being told by the leadership in the ADF that pulling troops out to go to these disasters are actually impacting their training? DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: I mean, we are working with the National Emergency Management Australia, with the Emergency Minister, Jenny McAllister, and across all the state emergency services about how going forward, we structure our responses to natural disasters. And that is an important conversation to be had and the relative resources that are there from the various agencies, and that's what the Defence Strategic Review was referring to. But in a given disaster right now, Defence will always be there to present and that is what has occurred. And as I said in my opening statement, you know, having met Defence Force personnel who have provided service of this kind in natural disasters just a few weeks ago, most recently in Townsville. For those who do this work, they are enormously proud, understandably, of what they do. They are grateful for the opportunity and that will continue to be the case. Yes, there is a conversation that we continue to, we are having and we will continue to have going forward. But in a given disaster right now, we will be there and we will continue to lean forward to make sure that all the capabilities are provided. JOURNALIST: Will there be any immediate impact on the operational capability of the ADF up in Lismore from this incident? Is there going to be any changes to how those particular trucks are deployed? Any changes around advice on conditions? DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER No. I mean there's, it's two trucks have been involved in this. We have a significant fleet of trucks. So in terms of the ADF's broader capabilities, they're not going to be impacted. And in terms of the contribution that the ADF will be making to support this particular disaster in Northern New South Wales, that will continue. JOURNALIST: You discussed, you had a conversation last night with Keir Starmer. Did you specifically discuss sending Australian troops to Ukraine or another form of support as part of the coalition of the willing? PRIME MINISTER: I had a very constructive discussion with the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, last night. I regard him as a friend and he is a very strong supporter of the relationship between Australia and the United Kingdom. We discussed three prime issues. The first was the Prime Minister expressed his solidarity with Australians at this difficult time in dealing with Alfred, and he offered any support that could be given by the UK. Secondly, he reaffirmed his commitment and our joint commitment to AUKUS going forward, and we had a discussion about that. And thirdly, we did discuss the issue of Ukraine and the coalition of the willing, as he has put it, going forward. There will be a meeting of Chiefs of Defence and representatives of the Chiefs of Defence in Paris on Tuesday. Australia will send a senior representative to that meeting to discuss going forward. Both of us, both of our nations are very clear about our support for Ukraine and it of course is too early. You can't have peacekeeping forces without having peace. So moving forward though, it is important that planning be put in place and Australia will participate in that meeting on Tuesday. JOURNALIST: Media reporting suggests, though, that not all countries have committed or are considering committing troops. So just on the specifics of troops, did you discuss sending Australians? PRIME MINISTER: Well, I think I answered it, with respect. Which is that it's too early, but I certainly have said very clearly publicly, repeatedly, that we would give consideration to participating in any peacekeeping mission in the Ukraine. And on Tuesday, Australia will participate in this meeting of Chiefs of Defence Forces or their representatives. JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, now that the election will likely be in May, does that give you more of a chance to travel to the US to meet with President Donald Trump about getting exemptions to tariffs? PRIME MINISTER: Quite frankly, we're here concerned with what's happened here over the last 24 hours, and that's my focus at the moment. My focus has been solely on this. As I said repeatedly this week, my focus is on the lives of Australians, the risk that Alfred represents to people in South East Queensland and in Northern New South Wales, not on votes. JOURNALIST: Just to clarify too, Prime Minister, in those discussions with Prime Minister Starmer, did you say to him that you would still consider sending troops or did you commit to sending troops? PRIME MINISTER: I said that we would consider. As I've said, there is no mission at this point in time. You can't have a peacekeeping mission without having peace. We discussed a range of issues, some of which in the nature of these things, with diplomacy, and one that I always respect, will remain as discussions between us. But clearly I have said we would consider. We have been invited to this meeting on Tuesday and we will participate. JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, what do you make of Roger Cook's resounding win in WA at the WA election? And what does this mean for Federal Labor come the upcoming federal election? PRIME MINISTER: Well, I certainly congratulate my friend Roger Cook, the Premier of Western Australia, on his resounding victory. This is an extraordinary result from someone who has transitioned to Premier after Mark McGowan chose to step aside and has shown extraordinary leadership on behalf of West Australians. Roger's been a friend of mine for a long period of time, since before either of us were in politics. And we talk regularly, we engaged yesterday during the day and during the week. Western Australia was the first state to sign up to our Fairer Funding for Schools Agreement. And I look forward to continuing to work with Roger as the Premier. We had a press conference scheduled for an announcement on Friday. I prioritised being here on the East Coast and he certainly understood that. So we'll make that announcement down the track. The only risk for Western Australians is Peter Dutton and the Liberal Party, who still refuse to support Production Tax Credits, refuse to engage constructively over supporting stronger Medicare, over supporting Fairer Schools. The cutbacks to the public service and the attacks on the public service will affect people the further out they are from Canberra. We have public servants based, of course, in Western Australia and delivering services for them. So, I congratulate Roger Cook and his entire team. It's been a disciplined, effective campaign and they achieved the results that they deserved. JOURNALIST: What are the messages, though, Prime Minister, for you? In that there was a swing against Labor. It didn't seem to go to the Liberal Party. It seemed to go to the Greens and elsewhere. People looking for some sort of third way. PRIME MINISTER: I think the result was outstanding. There was always going to be a drop from the quite frankly stratospheric result of the 2021 election. But this is, to put it in context, this is the second largest victory in history in Western Australia. That is quite remarkable for a government seeking a third term in office. Roger Cook deserves that. The seamless transition from Mark McGowan to Roger Cook is a great example, and one of the lessons is discipline. WA Labor have been disciplined. The WA Liberal Party, with their factions, with their hatred of each other, with the candidates that they've run, continue to be dysfunctional. And clearly the WA public decided that that was the case as well, which is why you've seen very little movement in seats from the record result that occurred in 2021. Last one. JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, do you think that cost of living assistance for households will be a feature of the Budget, especially going into the election campaign? It would seem like a good opportunity for Labor to deliver on bona fides in that regard. PRIME MINISTER: Look we will always, as I said repeatedly, our Budget's on March 25th. We scheduled it last year. Every single portfolio has more than, more than a week ago, two weeks ago we concluded all the portfolio budget meetings through the Expenditure Review Committee process. We will always do what we can to assist people. That is one of the defining characteristics of my term of government, is that we were saying yes to Energy Bill Relief, yes to tax cuts for all Australians, yes to Cheaper Child Care, yes to Free TAFE, yes to providing a range of support, including lifting rental assistance by 45 per cent over two Budgets. We were saying yes to all of that whilst getting the Liberal Party deficits, turning them into Labor surpluses. We have been very focused on the needs of Australians. Our opponents have opposed every one of those cost of living measures. Have said no to all of those measures. And indeed this time last year, Peter Dutton was calling for an election in order to stop Australians getting a tax cut. I think he deserves to be held to account on that and will be doing so in the coming weeks and months ahead. Thank you very much. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by ministers Ng, MacAulay and Lebouthillier on China's anti-discrimination investigation Global Affairs Canada Statement Statement March 8, 2025 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, and the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, today issued the following statement in response to China's announcement of tariffs against Canadian agricultural, fish and seafood products: "Today, China announced the conclusion of a domestic 'anti-discrimination' investigation that it launched against Canada on September 26, 2024. The investigation resulted in the announcement of unjustified tariffs on Canadian canola oil and meal, peas, fish, seafood and pork products and is scheduled to enter into force on March 20, 2025. "Canada does not accept the premise of China's investigation, nor its findings. We are deeply disappointed with China's announced measures. "Our hard-working farmers and fishers provide world-class food to Canadians and international trading partners. Canadian products meet the highest standards, and our inspection systems are robust. As a trading partner, Canada has demonstrated a commitment to ensuring a level playing field for Canadian businesses, and support for fair, rules-based trade. This includes addressing China's non-market policies and practices that artificially lower production costs and distort markets. Canada remains open to engaging in constructive dialogue with Chinese officials to address our respective trade concerns. "We are steadfast in our commitment to defend Canadian workers and we will stand shoulder-to-shoulder in our support for Canada's hard-working farmers and fishers in the agricultural and fishing sectors, who will be impacted by the measures that China regrettably announced today." Quick Facts Canola is Canada's second largest acreage crop, with over 21 million acres produced annually. It generated $13.6 billion in farm cash receipts in 2023. Canadian exports of canola meal to China represented $920.9 million in 2024, while exports of canola oil represented approximately $21 million. Canada's pea exports (dried and fresh) to China amounted to $303.6 million in 2024. In 2024, Canada exported $1.3 billion in fish and seafood products to China. In 2024, Canada exported $468.6 million in pork products to China NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China's national legislature holds 2nd plenary meeting of annual session Global Times By Xinhua Published: Mar 08, 2025 08:03 PM The third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), China's national legislature, held its second plenary meeting Saturday to deliberate work reports of the Standing Committee of the 14th NPC, the Supreme People's Court (SPC) and the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP). Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders including Li Qiang, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng attended the meeting. Zhao Leji, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, delivered the work report of the national legislature to the meeting. Reviewing the top legislature's work in 2024, Zhao highlighted its endeavor to strengthen the implementation of the Constitution and enhance compliance oversight to uphold the Constitution's authority and sanctity. On leveraging its legislative functions to enhance the Chinese socialist legal system, the national legislature deliberated 39 legislative items over the past year, 24 of which were adopted, including six new laws and 14 revised laws, Zhao said. The national legislature lawfully exercised its duty of oversight, Zhao said, adding that it heard and deliberated 21 reports from the State Council, the National Commission of Supervision, the SPC, and the SPP. Zhao said that the national legislature also strengthened efforts to support deputies in performing their duties in accordance with the law, including helping deputies maintain close ties with the people. Zhao laid out work plans for the national legislature in 2025. Delivering the top court's work report, SPC President Zhang Jun said Chinese courts at all levels accepted over 46 million cases and concluded over 45 million cases in 2024, roughly on par with the previous year. Over the past year, Chinese courts safeguarded national security and social stability, promoted high-quality development, and guaranteed people's well-being through ensuring strict and impartial administration of justice, he said. Zhang said courts in 2025 will make new and greater contributions to promoting law-based governance on all fronts and building a socialist country under the rule of law at a higher level. Delivering the top procuratorate's work report, SPP Procurator-general Ying Yong said that over the past year, procuratorates worked to advance the Peaceful China Initiative to a higher level and improve people's livelihood, among others. He said procuratorates in 2025 will deepen reform and make greater contributions to national rejuvenation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Peace requires safeguarding, military spokesperson says on China's defense spending increase Global Times By Global Times Published: Mar 09, 2025 01:14 PM The world is not a peaceful place, and peace requires safeguarding, a Chinese military spokesperson said on Sunday, elaborating on the 7.2 percent growth in China's 2025 defense budget. The spokesperson emphasized that the increase has been reasonable and steady. Wu Qian, spokesperson for the delegation of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the People's Armed Police Force to the third session of the 14th National People's Congress, made the remarks in response to a media question about China's defense budget for 2025 during the annual national legislative session, according to the official WeChat account of China's Ministry of National Defense. It was disclosed at the session that China's 2025 defense budget in the central government expenditures will be 1.78 trillion yuan (about $249 billion), marking a 7.2-percent growth year on year, according to the Xinhua News Agency. Wu said the increased expenditure will be mainly used to develop new-domain forces with new combat capabilities and to enhance systems and capacity for reconnaissance and early warning, joint strikes, battlefield support and integrated logistics support. The spending will also be put into improving military training under combat conditions and deepening national defense and military reform, Wu said. Compared with major military powers like the US, China's defense spending remains relatively low in terms of the spending's share in GDP, its share in national fiscal expenditures, the country's per capita defense spending, and expenditure per service member, he added. China's restrained defense spending enables the country's military to provide public security goods and further contribute to building a community with a shared future for humanity, Wu stressed. The spokesperson emphasized that China has yet to be completely reunified, and faces one of the most complex peripheral security environments in the world. "The Chinese military faces tough challenges in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Wu said. In response to questions such as Taiwan region's plan to purchase arms from the US worth tens of billions of dollars, Wu said several pieces of US weapons will not alter the inevitable demise of "Taiwan independence." "The more rampant 'Taiwan independence' separatists become, the tighter the noose around their necks and the sharper the sword hanging over their heads will be," Wu said. "The PLA is a force of action in countering separatism and promoting reunification," Wu said, adding that in recent years, patrols around the island and military deterrence have become the norm. Besides, the Taiwan question is purely an internal affair of China, which brooks no external interference, Wu said. "China's reunification is an overriding trend," Wu said, adding that it is driven not only by strength but also by the will of the people. As the Democratic Progressive Party authorities step up their separatist provocations under the delusions of relying on the US to seek "Taiwan independence" and using force to resist reunification, they have aroused the common indignation of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, and will surely be brought to account by history and justice, Wu said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China, Iran, Russia to hold joint naval drill, eye military cooperation boost: Chinese defense ministry Global Times By Liu Xuanzun and Guo Yuandan Published: Mar 09, 2025 11:33 AM Chinese Defense Ministry announced on Sunday that China will soon hold a joint naval exercise with Iran and Russia near Iran, with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy sending a destroyer and a replenish ship. Chinese experts said the routine drill helps safeguard security in the strategically important energy shipping region and is crucial to global peace and stability. In early and mid-March, navies of China, Iran and Russia will hold the Security Belt-2025 joint exercise in areas near Iran's Chabahar Port, the Chinese Defense Ministry announced in its official Weibo account on Sunday. The drill will feature training courses including maritime target strike, VBSS (visit, board, search, and seizure), damage control as well as joint search and rescue operations, according to a statement from the ministry. It aims to deepen military mutual trust and pragmatic cooperation among the participating countries' troops, according to the statement. Iran's Tasnim News Agency reported on Sunday that naval forces from Iran, Russia and China are going to stage a joint exercise in the northern parts of the Indian Ocean off the coasts of Iran's southeastern port city of Chabahar on Monday. The drill is aimed at strengthening regional security, promoting multilateral cooperation, and expressing the capabilities of the participants to protect world peace, ensure maritime security, and create a sea-based community with a common future, Tasnim reported, noting that the three countries' naval forces will also practice exercises to ensure the security of international maritime trade, combat piracy and terrorism, exchange information on maritime rescue and relief operations, and share the operational and tactical experiences. Security Belt-2025 will be the fifth China-Iran-Russia joint naval exercise since 2019. Joint exercises among China, Iran and Russia have become routine, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Sunday. As revealed by the Chinese Defense Ministry, the drill will mainly focus on training courses in non-traditional security fields, and this is conducive to the safeguard of security in the region, Song said. The exercise will take place off the Iranian port of Chabahar in the Gulf of Oman, a crucial gateway between the Strait of Hormuz and the Indian Ocean, making it a strategic pathway crucial to energy shipping, Song said, noting that the three countries participating in the drills have energy cooperation as well as important strategic interests in maintaining peace and stability in the region. China will send the destroyer Baotou and the replenishment ship Gaoyouhu from the PLA Navy's 47th escort task group, the Defense Ministry stated. The Baotou is a Type 052D guided missile destroyer, and the Gaoyouhu is a Type 903A comprehensive replenishment ship. Before this drill, the two PLA Navy warships also took part in the AMAN-2025 multinational maritime exercise in Pakistan in early to mid-February. Zhang Junshe, another Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times that warships from the PLA Navy's escort task groups to the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia frequently participate in joint exercises with foreign countries. The Type 052D destroyer and Type 903A replenishment ship form a flotilla capable of diverse military operations with strong combat power and endurance, Zhang said. The trilateral exercise is not targeted at any third party, Zhang said, noting that the drill among the three countries, which are key forces to peace in the world, yields key significance to peace and stability in the world. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Presidium of China's annual legislative session holds 2nd meeting People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 09:25, March 09, 2025 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China's national legislature holds 2nd plenary meeting of annual session People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 09:17, March 09, 2025 BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), China's national legislature, held its second plenary meeting Saturday to deliberate work reports of the Standing Committee of the 14th NPC, the Supreme People's Court (SPC) and the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP). Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders including Li Qiang, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng attended the meeting. Zhao Leji, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, delivered the work report of the national legislature to the meeting. Reviewing the top legislature's work in 2024, Zhao highlighted its endeavor to strengthen the implementation of the Constitution and enhance compliance oversight to uphold the Constitution's authority and sanctity. On leveraging its legislative functions to enhance the Chinese socialist legal system, the national legislature deliberated 39 legislative items over the past year, 24 of which were adopted, including six new laws and 14 revised laws, Zhao said. The national legislature lawfully exercised its duty of oversight, Zhao said, adding that it heard and deliberated 21 reports from the State Council, the National Commission of Supervision, the SPC, and the SPP. Zhao said that the national legislature also strengthened efforts to support deputies in performing their duties in accordance with the law, including helping deputies maintain close ties with the people. Zhao laid out work plans for the national legislature in 2025. Delivering the top court's work report, SPC President Zhang Jun said Chinese courts at all levels accepted over 46 million cases and concluded over 45 million cases in 2024, roughly on par with the previous year. Over the past year, Chinese courts safeguarded national security and social stability, promoted high-quality development, and guaranteed people's well-being through ensuring strict and impartial administration of justice, he said. Zhang said courts in 2025 will make new and greater contributions to promoting law-based governance on all fronts and building a socialist country under the rule of law at a higher level. Delivering the top procuratorate's work report, SPP Procurator-general Ying Yong said that over the past year, procuratorates worked to advance the Peaceful China Initiative to a higher level and improve people's livelihood, among others. He said procuratorates in 2025 will deepen reform and make greater contributions to national rejuvenation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China far outpacing US in military, commercial ship numbers By Carla Babb March 09, 2025 When President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he had created a new White House office to "resurrect" American military and commercial shipbuilding, he elevated long-standing calls to fix the struggling industry that he said is vital to national security. His clarion call to build more ships "very fast and very soon" comes at a time of rising strategic competition with China. "Our shipbuilding industry is shrunk down to bare minimum right now," Marine Corps Commandant General Eric Smith told VOA in an exclusive interview at the Pentagon late last year. The anemic state of American shipbuilding and ship maintenance, and the risks they raise for the military, was shared with VOA through more than a dozen interviews with U.S. military and industry officials spanning several months and conducted ahead of Trump's announcement. The U.S. Navy is still considered the most powerful in the world when it comes to firepower and tonnage, but the number of Navy ships has fallen behind China's. The United States has 296 ships in its fleet, while China's is on pace to surpass 400 ships this year. Shrinking fleet Despite the U.S. Navy's goal of increasing the size of its fleet, in recent years the number of ships has been shrinking. Last year's budget funded just six new Navy ships, while decommissioning 15 from the fleet, for a net loss of nine. The fiscal 2025 budget plan funds six new ships while decommissioning 19, for a net loss of 13. The lifeblood for maritime industry titans like British-based BAE, U.S.-based Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and Fairbanks Morse Defense runs almost exclusively through the U.S. military. Industry leaders say they have the space to build and repair more ships but that Navy contracts have been scarce. "We're operating at half-capacity," said Brad Moyer, vice president of BAE Systems Ship Repair. Although the company is one of the largest for ship repair in the United States, when VOA toured BAE's Norfolk yard in Virginia in November, most of the docking spaces for ships were empty. Shipbuilding demand has fluctuated wildly based on Navy budgeting strategies, creating an industry atmosphere of feast or famine that is shrinking the supply chain. "There's thousands and thousands of suppliers that have gone out of business, and it's a real risk," George Whittier, the CEO of Fairbanks Morse Defense, told VOA. The company is the largest engine manufacturer in North and South America and the sole company supplying the biggest engines used in the military's amphibious warfare ships. Each engine is about the size of a small school bus. "We should have two engine suppliers. But the reality is, if the Navy is only going to build six ships a year, it's a struggle to keep one engine supplier in business, let alone two. We're going to have to grow our way out of this, and that's the only way we're going to do it," Whittier said. He is not alone. VOA found multiple examples of companies that were the only supplier of specific ship parts. The U.S. military and other industry leaders say they are worried there will not be a backup for parts should more industry businesses go under. And those suppliers who have survived say when business is not steady, it takes longer to provide the parts, and it costs more to procure the materials. Acting Vice Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jim Kilby, while advocating for a bigger fleet, says he has not had the budget to replace all of his aging ships and submarines, much less grow the force. "When we get a new ship, we'll replace an old ship, because that old ship is more expensive and harder to maintain," he said in a recent interview. Maintenance delays, layoffs Military contracting delays and project cancellations have led to layoffs. Even though BAE is one the largest companies in the industry, its West Coast shipyard laid off nearly 300 employees in 2023 due to a shortage of work. In the city of Norfolk, on America's East Coast, the number of Navy ships available for repair work dropped from 44 ships about a decade ago to fewer than 30 today. About 60% of the workforce was furloughed in that time, officials said. The result, General Smith says, is a hollowed-out workforce that is not centered on shipbuilding. "There's no one who grew up as a shipbuilder. There's welders and steam fitters and electricians, but if there's not steady work for them, they'll go to work for Harley-Davidson or Ford Motor Company or Chevy or whoever," he said. Whittier and Moyer blame the budgeting process in Congress, along with the way the Navy structures its ship maintenance. "The system is broken," Whittier says. Congress has not passed a budget on time since 2019. When continuing resolutions (CRs) are used to fund the government, new projects cannot be started. In the case of the fiscal 2024 budget, Congress funded government with CRs for half a year, which Whittier says gave companies six months to do 12 months of work. "It ends up being not just a big challenge in how to run a company, but it's a big challenge for the Navy in trying to figure out how are they getting their maintenance done. ... It's frustrating all around for everybody," the Fairbanks Morse Defense CEO told VOA. Senator Mark Kelly, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, agrees that CRs are bad, adding that the only thing worse would be shutting down the government. "People are always going to try to blame somebody else, but I'd just say collectively, we've taken our eye off the ball here," he added. Shipbuilding struggles There is also a shortage of skilled workers needed to keep the shipbuilding industry afloat. Huntington Ingalls Industries' shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi, along the coast of the Gulf of America is the only yard in the United States that builds the Navy's two types of amphibious warfare ships: Landing Helicopter Assault ships (LHAs) that look like mini-aircraft carriers, and smaller landing platform docks (LPDs). HII also builds Navy destroyers and Coast Guard cutters. Kari Wilkinson, executive vice president at HII, says that keeping staffing levels around the more than 11,000 workers needed to build cutters, destroyers and amphibious ships is getting more difficult, particularly in the post-pandemic economy. Just a few years ago, the shipyard was able to offer wages much higher than other jobs in the area that do not require a college degree. Now, Wilkinson says they are competing with everyone from coffee providers to fast food restaurants. "The wage circumstance has changed. There is not that big gap anymore," she told VOA. As a result, Wilkinson says, HII now loses workers at roughly double the rate of its pre-pandemic levels. To save money on materials, Congress authorized the military to buy four amphibs from HII at once, a move known as a multi-ship block buy. Buying them in bulk saved the Pentagon $900 million. "That was a huge win for us," General Smith said. Now, HII must figure out how to better retain its workforce. To make the worksite more attractive, HII has invested in air conditioning and giant shades to shield workers from the elements like the hot Mississippi sun. The Pascagoula shipyard hired 7,000 people in the last two years, Wilkinson says, but it will need about 1,000-2,000 more hires each year to complete the new ship orders. "We've got to find ways to pay people competitive wages that are in accordance with the type of work they're doing," Kelly told VOA. Commercial shipping Congress is expected to increase the military's budget to surge resources for its shipbuilding shortfalls. But Kelly tells VOA the U.S. commercial shipping is also in need of saving. "We went from 10,000 ships during World War II to 85 today. So, in case of an emergency, in case of a conflict with a near peer adversary, we're quite limited to getting all those supplies and equipment and troops across the ocean," he said. The United States builds about five commercial ships each year. China builds more than 1,000. "They have one shipyard, just one shipyard, that's bigger than all of our shipyards put together," the senator told VOA. Kelly in December introduced bipartisan legislation called the Ships for America Act. The bill aims to increase the U.S. commercial fleet by 250 ships in 10 years, which will also increase the supply chain for military ships. "You wouldn't really think those two things are connected. But they are very closely connected," he said. "A lot of the parts that go into a U.S. aircraft carrier, some of those same parts for those systems go in merchant ships." The bill calls for tax incentives, along with fees on cargo coming into the country, to help shipbuilders increase their capacity. The provisions of the bill are "fully paid for," Kelly said, without adding to the annual deficit. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China reaffirms commitment to reform, opening up at two sessions Global Times By Xinhua Published: Mar 10, 2025 07:58 AM Those keen to understand the trajectory and focus of the world's second-largest economy will find a recurring theme at China's "two sessions" this year -- reform and opening up. At the ongoing annual sessions of China's national legislature and top political advisory body -- the first since last July's reform-themed third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China -- reform was once again highlighted across a broad spectrum of areas, ranging from rural development and improving fiscal, tax and financial systems, to education and health care. The "two sessions" agenda has also underscored China's commitment to expanding high-standard opening up and stabilizing foreign trade and foreign investment. "Regardless of changes in the external environment, we should remain steadfast in our commitment to opening up," said a government work report submitted to China's national legislature for deliberation on Wednesday. "We should steadily expand institutional opening up and take the initiative to open wider and advance unilateral opening up in a well-ordered way, to promote reform and development through greater openness." WHY IT MATTERS China's commitment to reform and opening up is reflected in the latest development on the country's southernmost island province of Hainan, where the free trade port will begin independent customs operations in 2025. On the sidelines of the "two sessions," Cai Qiang, a national legislator and deputy director of the Office of the Hainan Free Trade Port Working Committee, said the tax system tailored to the Hainan Free Trade Port is taking shape, and efforts will be made to further upgrade its preferential tax policies. China pledged to accelerate the implementation of core policies for the free trade port this year, and improve opening up and development policies for economic development zones, according to the government work report. From deepening reform in its special economic zones already established to further easing market access restrictions for investment, China has consistently championed reform and opening up, boosting its high-quality development and sharing opportunities with the rest of the world. Since 1978, reform and opening up has transformed a once-impoverished country into a market-oriented economic powerhouse, with China's per-capita GDP surging from 156.4 U.S. dollars in 1978 to 12,614.1 dollars in 2023. China's GDP grew by 5 percent year on year in 2024, ranking among the world's fastest-growing major economies and continuing to contribute about 30 percent to global economic growth. Yet challenges remain. Domestically, the country faces headwinds, including insufficient demand to reinforce its economic recovery while fostering innovation-driven development. Globally, businesses must navigate escalating trade tensions, rising protectionism, and the latest wave of technological revolution reshaping industries, production models and lifestyles. The Chinese leadership has made it clear that challenges arising from reform and opening up can only be solved by pressing ahead with reform and opening up, demonstrating a firm determination to address the risks and obstacles on the path ahead. China targets an economic growth rate of around 5 percent this year, as policymakers are determined to secure a steady recovery through decisive and effective measures. "By deepening reform, opening up and innovation across the board and enhancing the intensity of our macro policies, we will develop new drivers of growth and have the ability and conditions to achieve this target," according to a report from the State Council on the implementation of the 2024 plan for national economic and social development and on the 2025 draft plan, which was submitted to lawmakers for review on Wednesday. Liao Wenbin, a national legislator and mayor of Yibin City in southwest China's Sichuan Province, sees 2025 as a crucial year for further, more comprehensive deepening of reform and opening up, saying that reforms are set to open up a broader space for the country's high-quality development. WHAT IT MEANS TO THE WORLD Though the "two sessions" focus mainly on China's domestic development policies, China's high-quality development is increasingly creating shared opportunities for the world and its open market is becoming truly global. In a world filled with uncertainties, the ongoing "two sessions" have sent an unequivocal message: China is committed to expanding high-standard opening up and continues to share development opportunities with the world. According to this year's government work report, China will broaden international cooperation by further opening up to promote greater mutual reinforcement and higher-standard positive interplay between domestic and international economic flows. "Opening up has been a pivotal driver of China's development, and the Chinese government remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing openness, pushing to open its doors even wider," Shen Danyang, director of the Research Office of the State Council, told a press briefing on Wednesday when elaborating on the report. This year's report outlines several new measures for opening up, highlighting efforts to foster a first-rate business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and internationalized, Shen said. Embracing the country's emerging opportunities, foreign giants like Tesla and BMW have expanded their presence in China, leveraging its vast industrial ecosystems and consumer market to drive breakthroughs in electric vehicles, renewable energy and advanced materials. A recent report from the American Chamber of Commerce in South China shows that approximately 58 percent of foreign companies surveyed consider China to be one of their top three investment priorities, and 76 percent plan to reinvest in the country in 2025. Jiang Ying, Deloitte China chair and a national political advisor, emphasized that China's ongoing commitment to high-standard opening up will draw greater international capital and technology to the Chinese market while simultaneously boosting the global reach of Chinese products and services. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Inspects Major Shipyards to Learn about Warship-building and Advance Strategic Policy for Epochal Development in Shipbuilding Industry Korean Central News Agency of DPRK Pyongyang, March 8 (KCNA) -- At a time when the important goals for realizing the grandiose plan of the Workers' Party of Korea on building an advanced maritime power are being pushed ahead with under the schedule set by the Eighth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, there took place the guidance work of the Party Central Committee, which is of a remarkable significance in defending the maritime sovereignty of the DPRK and in developing its shipbuilding industry. Kim Jong Un , general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, toured major shipyards to give field guidance at their shipbuilding. The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un was greeted by leading officials of those shipyards. Accompanying him were Jo Chun Ryong, secretary of the WPK Central Committee, Admiral Kim Myong Sik, commander of the Navy of the Korean People's Army, and major leading officials of the WPK Central Committee. He acquainted himself with the ongoing work for attaining the goal of building warships set forth by the Party Congress and the technical equipment level and modernization of shipyards. He expressed great satisfaction over the high spirit and labor feats of the workers who are registering signal successes in the implementation of the militant task for radically improving the modernity of our navy in the shortest span of time in line with the primary requirement for the state security and the world trend of naval force development. He was reported on the progress made in attaining with confidence the goals for putting the shipbuilding industry on a Juche, modern and scientific basis, set forth by the Party Central Committee, by pushing ahead with the work for technical updating and enhancement of the production capacity to ensure the rapid development of our naval force. He gave a high appreciation of the fact that a firm prospect has been opened for introducing into the operation the strongest warships capable of establishing the core of the Juche naval force and meeting all the requirements of the national defence strategy in the shortest possible time, true to the strategic line of our Party on building the national defence. He said that the maritime sovereignty is the core of the sovereign rights of our country, whose both eastern and western sides are washed by seas, and the development of the naval force into an elite and nuclear-armed force constitutes an important content in the strategy for the development of the national defence which intensively reflects our Party's will to defend the sovereignty at present. Only when there is a powerful naval force that no one can provoke, is it possible to defend the security of the country and the people and ensure normal development of the fishing industry and the overall national economy, he said, adding that the sea is an inviolable territory where the dignity and prestige of our state and the people's life are ensured, before it is an indefinite site for prosperity. Saying that the eternal history of our socialist Korea depends on how we defend the sea, a major front decisive of the life and death of the state and people and a main route of aggression by the enemy countries, he stressed the need to make the incomparably overwhelming warships fulfill their mission as powerful deterrent of a nuclear power capable of containing the inveterate "gunboat diplomacy" of the hostile forces. It is really significant progress that the rejuvenation of the DPRK's ideal warship-building industry has entered the full-scale stage of laying a sure foundation and kindling the flame of modernization while enduring hardships, he said, stressing the need to decisively enhance the warship-building capacity on the basis of the existing precious experience and technology and put spurs to the improvement of overall technical processes, and thus build a large number of modern warships of different missions desired by our naval force. The key to radically strengthening the warship-building industry, which can be called an aggregate of ultra-modern defence science and technology, is the science and technology and training of talents, he said, calling for regarding them as the two elements for development and leap forward so as to vigorously lead the rejuvenation of warship-building industry, whose new appearance will be recorded in the history of the DPRK. He said that the modernization of the shipyards, which should play an important role in the revolution in the new era for bolstering up the naval force, should not be conducted in the passive method of bridging the gaps in the processes of the existing foundation, but in the way of boldly and perfectly creating new and high-tech bases suited to the prestige and status of a powerful nation. And he clarified the strategic plan of the WPK for doing so. He said that the DPRK would never remain an idle onlooker to the naval and underwater military activities of the enemies seriously threatening the sovereignty and interests of the DPRK by constantly deploying large numbers of strategic assets but reliably defend the maritime sovereignty and firmly ensure a security guarantee on the Korean peninsula and the region through the important innovations and changes of its naval force and the upper hand in the ever-evolving strength. Noting that the justness to put the DPRK naval force's war posture and capability to fight a war on the most powerful and perfect level is increasing the DPRK's will and desire for the rejuvenation of the warship-building industry, he affirmed that the sea defence capability of the DPRK, which is in a responsible and key position for defending peace in the Korean peninsula and the region, will be fully displayed in any necessary waters without limitation. He expressed expectation and belief that all the officials and workers in the warship-building industry would further consolidate the arsenal for defending the maritime sovereignty with a courageous struggle, well aware of their sacred honor and important mission as revolutionary industrial soldiers of the WPK who is responsible for the fatal state affair holding sway over the future of the DPRK's navy and the territorial integrity and peace keeping of the country. The basic orientation for radically bolstering up the navy's combat power valued by the Party is to simultaneously push forward with the modernization of water-surface and underwater warships and the further improvement of their operational capabilities, he said, and advanced the long-term essential plan for the possession of the warships and its stepwise goals to substantially guarantee the mission of the DPRK's armed forces to defend the maritime sovereignty and the future direction of the defence economic work and all the tasks for doing so. He also learned about the building of a nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine pushed forward with under the decision of the 8th Congress of the WPK. His field guidance at the major shipyards is a significant event heralding a new phase of bolstering up the Juche-based naval force. -0- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address North Korea warns of 'toughest response' to upcoming joint South Korea-US military drill Iran Press TV Saturday, 08 March 2025 11:26 AM North Korea issued a warning to Seoul on Friday, threatening the "toughest response" should the annual joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States proceed in the coming weeks. South Korea and the United States will pay a "horrible" price for the drills, said a commentary on the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). "The enemy states will have to pay dearly for their foolish and reckless war drills, which will lead to a self-defensive, fair, and square, threatening, toughest response from North Korea," it added. Pyongyang's warning came a day after South Korea and the US militaries announced that the Freedom Shield exercise will kick off on Monday for an 11-day run, involving computer-simulated drills and on-field training. "The Freedom Shield has repeatedly undergone its worst modifications, fully equipped with all malicious signs. This will soon bring a storm of aggravating the security situation to the Korean Peninsula," KCNA highlighted, criticizing Seoul and Washington for holding the annual springtime exercises as a continuous infringement on North Korea's sovereign rights and interests and a risk to regional stability. It condemned the Seoul and Washington militaries for their planned increase in the number of large-scale on-field drills from 10 in 2024 to 16 in 2025. North Korea stressed that the enemies' "war frenzy" is rising on a steep upward curve to a dangerously high level. It stated that if the US continues its "military muscle-flexing," Pyongyang will have "no option but to renew" its "strategic deterrence," calling the counteraction "inevitable." North Korea has long denounced the allies' joint military drills as rehearsals for an invasion. Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, last week, slammed the arrival of the USS Carl Vinson, as well as other US military activities, as "confrontation hysteria of the US and its stooges." She warned that North Korea's military would "renew" its strategic deterrence after the US aircraft carrier arrived at a South Korean naval base in Busan. She said the Trump administration is obviously putting "its most hostile and confrontational will" on display to North Korea with the deployment of the USS Carl Vinson and the joint military drills. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address First rear fuselage for LCA Mk1A handed over to HAL by Indian private industry in the presence of Raksha Mantri in Bengaluru India - Press Information Bureau Ministry of Defence The ceremony is testimony to India's progress towards Aatmanirbharta in defence & Govt's commitment to enhanced public-private partnership: Shri Rajnath Singh Posted On: 09 MAR 2025 5:25PM by PIB Delhi The first rear fuselage for Light Combat Aircraft Mk1A, produced by Indian Private Industry, Alpha Tocol Engineering Services Private Ltd, was handed over to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in the presence of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh at Aircraft Division in Bengaluru, Karnataka on March 09, 2025. In his address, Raksha Mantri termed the handing over as a milestone in the historic journey of India's defence manufacturing. The ceremony is a testimony to India's progress towards Aatmanirbharta in defence and the Government's commitment towards enhanced public-private partnership, he said. Shri Rajnath Singh commended HAL and the private sector for constantly strengthening the Armed Forces with latest platforms & technologies. He stated that HAL, through its integrated model and strategies, is not only bolstering the strength of soldiers, but is also opening new dimensions of manufacturing and R&D by collaborating with the private sector. A fuselage is the main body section of the aircraft which holds the pilot, passengers and cargo, while the rear fuselage supports the tail section and its associated components. Raksha Mantri described HAL as the fuselage of the country's defence and aerospace sector, with private companies such as L&T, Alpha Tocol, Tata Advanced Systems and VEM Technologies playing the role of rear fuselage, supporting HAL. "Together with these Indian components, the aircraft which is being manufactured in our defence and aerospace sector will reach greater heights in the times to come," he said. Shri Rajnath Singh credited the bravery and dedication of the air warriors as well as the equipment being manufactured by Indian public and private sectors for the growing strength of the Indian Air Force (IAF). "While our courageous air warriors have made an invaluable contribution, the equipment being manufactured indigenously is providing them the added strength, with which they protect our borders," he said. He exuded confidence that HAL and the private sector will continue to overcome every challenge and bolster the Armed Forces in every way. HAL had placed orders on various Indian private companies such as L&T, Alpha Tocol Engineering Services, Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL), VEM Technologies and Lakshmi Mission Works (LMW) for supplying major modules for the 83 LCA Mk1A contract. HAL has already manufactured 12 LCA MK1A rear fuselages, which are on the aircraft in the manufacturing line. With this supply, a major structure module produced by an Indian private partner will be integrated into the LCA Mk1A aircraft, enabling HAL to meet additional delivery commitments for IAF from 2025-26 onwards. Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, MP Dr Sudhanshu Trivedi, CMD, HAL Dr DK Sunil, CEO and Director, Alpha Tocol Engineering Services Wing Commander Baran Sen (Retd), CMD, VEM Technologies Shri V Venkataraju, Senior VP, Larsen & Toubro Shri Arun T Ramchandani, VP, TASL Mr Ganesh Raghavan, President LMW-ATC Shri Krishna Kumar, Directors, and senior officers were also present along with other dignitaries. *** SR/Savvy (Release ID: 2109660) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign minister says Iran has not received any letter from the U.S. IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 8, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi says Iran has not received any letter from the United States, after President Donald Trump claimed to have sent such a letter to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. "It is said that a letter is on its way," a reporter of the Iranian national TV told Araqchi on Saturday evening. "We have heard the same, [but] we haven't got anything yet," the top diplomat responded. "It hasn't arrived yet," said Araqchi after the reporter repeated his question whether Iran has the letter or not. The conversation took place on the sidelines of a meeting in Tehran, during which Ayatollah Khamenei received heads of the three branches of government and other senior civil and military officials. On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that he had sent a letter to Ayatollah Khamenei, asking that negotiations be reopened. The claim comes amid a campaign of "maximum pressure" which Trump restored against Iran early last month, two weeks after he began his second term. Trump initially launched that campaign in 2018 when he withdrew the U.S. from a landmark multilateral deal on Iran's nuclear program. Since his return to the White House on January 20 this year, Trump has spoken of negotiating a new deal with Iran. During the Saturday meeting with Iranian officials, Ayatollah Khamenei said that calls for negotiations by "bullying" powers are not aimed at resolving issues; rather, they are an attempt to impose their demands on the Islamic Republic. 4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Persian Gulf states will run out of drinking water in 3 days if Iran's nuclear sites are attacked: Qatar IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 8, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has strongly warned that any attack on Iran's nuclear facilities will have catastrophic consequences for the entire region. Al Thani discussed the dangers of a military attack on Iran during an interview with Tucker Carlson, an American political commentator and TV presenter, on Friday. He noted that an attack could lead to "an environmental disaster with no clean water to drink." In response to a question about the potential consequences for the body of water between Iran and Qatar if the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in southern Iran were attacked, he said, "This would basically be entirely contaminated... the whole country would run out of water in three days." He added, "This is not only applied for Qatar, it is applied for Kuwait, for the UAE, for all of us in that part." The minister specifically highlighted the impact on Qatar due to its geographical proximity, saying, "We are physically close to Iran, about 120 miles away, right across the water. You can get there by a 90-minute boat ride." Elsewhere in the interview, the top Qatari diplomat said that Tehran and Doha maintain bilateral ties despite some differences and external pressures. Al Thani also expressed hope for a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue. "We do not support any military action in this region in any way, and we will not stop trying until a diplomatic solution is found between the United States and Iran." 4399**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pezeshkian warns of improper energy use, apologizes for power outages IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 8, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- President Masoud Pezeshkian says improper energy consumption is among the primary challenges facing the country, while at the same time apologizing for the inconveniences caused by energy imbalances and recent power outages. Speaking during the signing ceremony of contracts for the pressure enhancement of the South Pars joint gas field on Saturday, Pezeshkian stressed the necessity of management and avoidance of wasteful usage to resolve problems arising from energy shortages. In recent months, Iran has faced significant energy challenges, including critical shortages, which have led to the occasional shutdown of schools, banks, and institutions across various provinces. The president acknowledged the hardships faced by people and industries in the winter, yet expressed confidence that with public cooperation and participation, these issues can be effectively addressed. "We went through a harsh winter, during which, for whatever reason, the oil and gas reserves were insufficient to cover the power plant," he said. "Of course, the dear people at the ministries of oil and energy, with great effort, managed to compensate for the shortages by increasing production and cover this difficult period, and people were not left without gas in the winter," he added. He underscored that the substantial investment of over $17 billion in this sector reflects a commitment to meeting future needs and achieving stability and sustainability in the energy domain. 4354**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Canada sanctions 7 Iranian individuals, entities IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 8, 2025 Canada has imposed new sanctions on Iran, targeting several individuals and entities over their alleged links to networks involved in production of weapons which Ottawa claims have been sent to Russia for use in the Ukraine war. Canada's Foreign Ministry announced the sanctions on Friday, saying that they "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 Revolution Guards Corps' (IRGC) weapons production and sales, said a statement published on the website of Canada's government. The statement claimed that the IRGC's weapons sales included those to Russia for use in its "war against Ukraine." The new sanctions target 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), and Hossein Pourfarzaneh, lead engineer of Farzanegan Propulsion Design Bureau were blacklisted as well. The targeted entities include Kavan Electronics Behrad Limited Liability Company, Basamad Electronic Pouya Engineering Limited Liability Company, and Teyf Tadbir Engineering Company, all procurement firms, as well as technology company Farzanegan Propulsion Systems Design Bureau. The sanctions by Canada are the latest in a series of Western states' measures against Iran ever since the Ukraine war broke out in February 2022. Iran has on various occasions dismissed their allegations that it gives arms to Russia. Iran says, as a sovereign country, it has the right to have defense and military ties with any country it wants, and that such relations with Moscow have been ongoing before the start of the Ukraine war. 6125**9417**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Military attack cannot destroy Iran's nuclear program: Foreign minister IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 8, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says that Iran's nuclear program cannot be destroyed by a military attack and warned that if the "Zionist regime" attacks Iran, it will lead to widespread conflicts in the Middle East. Speaking to AFP on the sidelines of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) foreign ministers' meeting in Jeddah, the foreign minister stressed that Iran will not resume negotiations with the United States on its nuclear program while the Trump administration applies maximum pressure. In another part of the interview, Araghchi in response to a question about some comments regarding the Zionist regime's plan to attack Iran's nuclear facilities, said: "Iran's nuclear program cannot be destroyed by a military attack. This is the technology that we have achieved, and technology in the mind and brain cannot be bombed." Araghchi also warned that if Israel attacks Iran, it will lead to wider conflicts in the Middle East. The foreign minister emphasized in another part of his that Iran is in no hurry to establish relations with the new Syrian government. On Thursday, the Iranian Foreign Minister traveled to Saudi Arabia to participate in an emergency meeting of foreign ministers of Islamic countries on the Palestinian issue and the U.S. government's plan to forcibly relocate Gaza residents. 2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran has not received any letter from US president: Foreign Minister Araghchi Iran Press TV Saturday, 08 March 2025 6:57 PM Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Tehran has not received a letter from US President Donald Trump. "We have also heard of it (the letter) but we haven't received anything," Araghchi told reporters on Saturday. He added that Iran has never and will never agree to negotiations that imply coercion. The top Iranian diplomat made the remarks after the US president claimed on Friday that he has sent a letter to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali 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," Trump claimed, before threatening Tehran with military action. Trump's claim was immediately dismissed by Iran's permanent mission to the United Nations which said, "We have not received such a letter yet." On Saturday, Ayatollah Khamenei said the insistence of some bullying powers on holding talks with Iran does not aim to solve issues but rather aims to assert and impose their own expectations. "Absolutely, the Islamic Republic will not accept their expectations," Ayatollah Khamenei added. 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 Pezeshkian: National unity is overriding priority, we shouldn't give in to enemies' threats Iran Press TV Saturday, 08 March 2025 5:35 PM Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has described national unity as the overriding priority in the country, calling upon all strata of society to join forces to overcome existing problems. He made the remarks at a meeting between Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei and government officials in the capital, Tehran, on Saturday evening. The gathering brought together the heads of the three branches of government, along with senior civil and military officials. Former officials and various social and cultural activists were also in attendance. "No power can bring to a standstill a nation that is united, follows a leader and moves towards a direction. We are capable of disrupting flawed calculations. We should not capitulate to any threat that enemies would make. This is possible using unity and cohesion. "This is God's testing. We would be able to stand up to enemies if we keep up with such an approach," Pezeshkian pointed out. He noted that Iranians are capable of overcoming all their problems. "If divisions arise and differences emerge, we will be able to achieve the goal. We must, therefore, join hands, open up our hearts, put up with each other, and not easily get angry or lose temper," Pezeshkian said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran awards $17bn worth of contracts to boost pressure in South Pars Iran Press TV Saturday, 08 March 2025 4:34 PM Iran has awarded some $17 billion worth of contracts to domestic companies for a major pressure-boosting project in South Pars, the world's largest gas field that straddles the maritime border between Iran and Qatar in the Persian Gulf. President Msoud Pezeshkian and senior Oil Ministry officials attended a ceremony on Saturday to award the contracts to four major Iranian energy companies, namely Petropars, Khatam Headquarters, OIEC and MAPNA. The companies will work on projects in seven zones in South Pars to boost pressure of the massive gas reservoir. Oil Ministry's news service Shana said in a report that the project will cover the installation of 42 giant rigs weighing some 420,000 metric tons (mt). Those rigs will include some 14 pressure-boosting platforms each hosting 120 resident workers and technicians to increase the pressure of the reservoir by 1 billion cubic feet (28.3 million cubic meters) per day, it said, adding that some 600 kilometers of underwater pipe-laying will be carried out in the project. The report said that around 70% of the installations and equipment needed in the project will be sourced from domestic suppliers, including from shipyards along the Persian Gulf coast. The project will create 17,000 direct jobs while another 50,000 will be employed on the wider supply chain, it said. The project will increase gas recovery rate in South Pars from 54% to 75%, leading to some $780 billion worth of new revenues from the production of natural gas and condensates in the field, Shana said, citing a senior project contractor. South Pars is responsible for 70% of Iran's natural gas supply and 40% of the feedstock needed in the country's gasoline production sector. It covers 40 offshore drilling rigs, hundreds of wells, and thousands of kilometers of underwater pipelines in 28 phases. Gas production from the field reached a record of 716 million cubic meters per day last month. However, experts have warned there could be a major drop in production in South Pars within the next few years because of the declining pressure in the field. Oil Ministry authorities said in early February that pressure-boosting projects in South Pars will increase its lifespan by 20 years. They said a first pressure-boosting project in South Pars is expected to come on line in 2030. That comes as the onshore section of the project has already started with an initial investment of $300-400 million. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran will definitely reject insistence on talks by bullying powers: Ayatollah Khamenei Iran Press TV Saturday, 08 March 2025 3:09 PM Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the insistence of some bullying powers on holding talks with Iran does not aim to solve issues. Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks in a meeting with heads of the three branches of government and a number of Iranian officials in Tehran on Saturday. "The insistence of some bully governments on negotiations is not aimed at resolving issues, but rather [aims] to assert and impose their own expectations," the Leader said. "Absolutely, the Islamic Republic will not accept their expectations," Ayatollah Khamenei added. These bullying governments do not seek to negotiate solely on the nuclear issue; instead, they use negotiations as a "path to create new expectations" in areas such as Iran's defense capabilities and international capabilities, which Iran would definitely oppose, Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized. They are raising the issue of negotiations to exert pressure on public opinion, so Iran refuses to hold talks with them despite their expression of readiness, he added. The Leader criticized Europeans for leveling shameless allegations against Iran, saying their claim that Iran has not fulfilled its nuclear commitments is "irrational." "You say that Iran has not fulfilled its nuclear commitments. Well, did you fulfill yours? You did not comply with [your obligations] from the very beginning," Ayatollah Khamenei told Europeans. After the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, Europeans vowed to compensate but failed to fulfill their promise, the Leader pointed out. Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized that the principles of Western civilization are contrary to the principles of Islam and "we cannot follow them." "We can and should use any benefit [available] anywhere in the world but we cannot rely on the principles of Western civilization," the Leader said. The Leader said that the actions of Western nations, including colonization, the plundering of nations' resources, widespread massacres, false claims about human rights and women's rights, and double standards on various issues, have brought disgrace to Western civilization. "[The claim of] free dissemination of information in the West is nothing more than a lie," Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized. Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader pointed to Iran's economic woes and stressed the importance of making reforms in the country's monetary policies and revaluing the national currency. Ayatollah Khamenei urged all Iranian officials to foster coherence to solve problems, saying the three branches of government and the Armed Forces should strengthen cooperation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Persian Gulf states to run out of water in 3 days if Iran's nuclear sites attacked: Qatari PM Iran Press TV Saturday, 08 March 2025 11:18 AM Qatar's prime minister says his country and the Persian Gulf Arab states will run out of water within three days if Iran's nuclear facilities are targeted by the United States or the Israeli regime. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani made the comment in an interview with American political commentator and presenter Tucker Carlson on Friday. Asked what would happen to the body of water between Iran and Qatar if the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in southern Iran were ever attacked, Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani said such an incident would lead to an "environmental catastrophe" due to the high level of water contamination. "This would be basically entirely contaminated...The whole country would run out of water in three days," he said, adding, "This is not only applied for Qatar, it is applied for Kuwait, for the UAE, for all of us in that part." Elsewhere in the interview, the Qatari premier admitted, "We fought against Iran in Syria for 14 years," but emphasized that the two countries maintain bilateral ties despite their differences. Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani also said a US congressman had urged him to cut ties with Tehran but he responded that this is not possible, explaining that he had to draw a map for Americans to illustrate how geographically close Qatar and Iran are. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recently cautioned about the dire consequences of an act of aggression involving the Israeli regime or the United States against Iran's nuclear facilities. "My assumption is that in this case (a likely attack against the Islamic Republic's nuclear facilities), we will enter into a widespread war in the region, a catastrophe that no one, neither in the region nor outside the region, wants," Araghchi said. Iran has so far retaliated twice, namely during Operations True Promise I and II, in response to Israeli aggression against its soil by successfully targeting sensitive and strategic Israeli targets deep inside the occupied Palestinian territories with hundreds of ballistic and cruise missiles. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran says it might consider negotiations only to ease nuclear 'militarization' concerns IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 9, 2025 Iran's permanent mission to the United Nations says the Islamic Republic might consider holding negotiations only if the objective is to ease concerns about the "potential militarization" of its nuclear program. "If the objective of negotiations is to address concerns regarding any potential militarization of Iran's nuclear program, such discussions may be subject to consideration," the mission said in a statement on X on Sunday. Weeks after signing an order restoring maximum pressure on Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on Friday that he had sent a letter to Iran, asking that negotiations be reopened. During his first term, Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from a multilateral nuclear deal with Iran, signed by his predecessor, Barack Obama, in 2015, and re-imposed tough economic sanctions on the country, which the accord had lifted. "Should the aim be the dismantlement of Iran's peaceful nuclear program to claim that what Obama failed to achieve has now been accomplished, such negotiations will never take place," Iran's mission to the U.N. said in the statement. Addressing government officials on Saturday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei reiterated that Iran rejects a push by "bullying governments" to open negotiations. The Leader said that such gestures for diplomacy were not a genuine attempt at resolving the dispute over Iran's nuclear program, but an effort to impose their excessive demands on the country. 4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran, China, Russia will kick off 'Security Belt 2025' naval exercise on Monday IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 9, 2025 The Navies of Iran, China and Russia will kick off joint drills in the northern Indian Ocean with the aim of promoting security in the area and enhancing trilateral naval cooperation. The exercise, codenamed "Security Belt 2025," will kick off on Monday, the media office for Iran's military drills said in a report. It said observers from the Azerbaijan Republic, South Africa, Oman, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Qatar, Iraq, the UAE, and Sri Lanka will monitor the exercise. Vessels from the Iranian Navy and the Naval Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) will take part in the drills that mark the seventh edition of "Security Belt" exercises by Iran, Russia and China, according to the report. Earlier on Sunday, China's official news agency Xinhua, citing the Ministry of National Defense in Beijing, said that the joint exercise will take place in areas near Iran's Chabahar Port. The Chinese fleet includes a destroyer and a supply ship, Xinhua said, adding that the exercise plan includes drills on striking maritime targets, damage control, as well as joint search and rescue. According to the Chinese defense ministry, as cited by the news agency, "the aim is to strengthen military mutual trust and foster pragmatic cooperation among the naval forces of the participating countries." 6125**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran will not wait for any letter from the U.S. to neuter the sanctions: Qalibaf IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 9, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf says Iran will not wait for any letter from the United States in order to neuter the existing sanctions against the Islamic Republic. Qalibaf made the remark at the start of an open session by Parliament on Sunday, two days after U.S. President Donald Trump said that he had sent a letter to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, demanding negotiations be re-opened. Trump made the announcement a month after he restored a campaign of "maximum pressure" against Iran, which he had initially launched during his first term as president. Part of the campaign is aimed at a complete halt to Iran's oil exports. The speaker said that it has already been proved to the dignified Iranian nation that the sanctions can only be neutralized through further strengthening Iran, adding that no negotiation would lead to the lifting of the sanctions when accompanied by threats and an agenda for imposing new concessions. "We do not wait for any letter from the U.S., and we believe that, by using internal capacities and opportunities for developing foreign relations, we can achieve a position that the enemy has no choice but to lift the sanctions within the framework of negotiations with the remaining parties to the JCPOA," Qalibaf said in reference to the Iran nuclear deal, officially named the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), from which the U.S. withdrew in 2018 under Trump. Qalibaf added that the U.S. president's behavior with other countries shows that his demand for re-opening negotiations is merely a deceitful measure aimed at disarming Iran. On Saturday, Ayatollah Khamenei told Iranian government officials that calls for negotiations by "bullying" powers are not aimed at resolving issues; rather, they are an attempt to impose their demands on the Islamic Republic. Later that day, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi also said Iran had not yet received any letter from the United States. 9376**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address IRGC dismantles two terrorist teams in southeast Iran IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 9, 2025 The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says it has disbanded two Takfiri terrorist teams in Sistan-and-Baluchestan province, southeast Iran. In a statement on Saturday, the Quds Headquarters of the IRGC Ground Force announced that the two teams comprising nine terrorists were identified in the south of the province before they could carry out any sabotage act. A sizable amount of ammunition was seized from the Takfiri terrorists as well, the statement further said. According to the announcement, the terrorist groups were dismantled as part of an ongoing large-scale counterterrorism operation that was launched in November 2024. The Quds Headquarters of the IRGC Ground Force promised that it will go ahead with the operation and will continue to strongly deal with all the elements that cause insecurity in Sistan-and-Baluchestan province. 7129**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President Pezeshkian warns that tension and conflict will harm Iran, global stability Iran Press TV Sunday, 09 March 2025 7:03 PM Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says tension, unrest and conflict will be detrimental to Iran, the region and the entire world. In a phone conversation on Sunday, Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere and the Iranian president discussed bilateral and multilateral issues. Pezeshkian said Iran has never sought to produce nuclear weapons and affirmed the country's principled policy on defusing tensions and fostering unity in the region. "However, we will definitely counter any threat against our country's security and interests with strength and power," he added. He noted that Iran has always had and will have cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency on verification of the country's nuclear activities. In an interview with Fox News recorded on March 6, US President Donald Trump claimed that he had sent a letter to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. Trump said he had warned Iran to open talks on a nuclear deal or be handled militarily. In response to Trump, Ayatollah Khamenei said on Saturday that the insistence of some bullying powers on holding talks with Iran does not aim to solve issues, emphasizing that Iran would never accept the expectations of bullying states. Elsewhere in the phone call, Pezeshkian pointed to good relations between Tehran and Oslo and common grounds for bilateral cooperation on regional and international fields and hailed Norway's efforts to establish peace in the region. Referring to the ongoing sensitive situation in the region and the world, he said Iran has always made efforts to maintain regional peace, stability and security and prevented the occurrence of any war and conflict. "Unfortunately, the Zionist regime, as the main factor of tension and crisis in the region, is inciting war and committing crime and genocide against the oppressed people of Palestine," Pezeshkian emphasized. He added that the Israeli regime "is attempting to portray the peaceful nuclear activities of the Islamic Republic of Iran as a factor of insecurity through fabrication of lies." The Norwegian prime minister, for his part, said his country supports the peaceful settlement of issues in the region and is ready to play a role in this regard. Stoere pointed to the commonalities between the two countries and expressed Oslo's keenness to improve cordial relations with Tehran. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran rules out talks aimed at dismantling 'peaceful nuclear program': UN mission Iran Press TV Sunday, 09 March 2025 5:50 PM Iran's permanent mission to the United Nations says there is no possibility of any negotiations aimed at dismantling the country's "peaceful nuclear program." "Should the aim [of the talks] be the dismantlement of Iran's peaceful nuclear program... such negotiations will never take place," the mission said in a post on its official X account on Sunday. It added that Iran would never accept such negotiations that would enable the White House to claim that what former President Barack Obama failed to achieve has now been accomplished. The mission further noted that Iran would consider negotiations that seek to ease concerns regarding any potential militarization of its nuclear program. "If the objective of negotiations is to address concerns vis-a-vis any potential militarization of Iran's nuclear program, such discussions may be subject to consideration," it wrote. The post came a day after Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said the insistence of some bullying powers on holding talks with Iran does not aim to solve issues. "The insistence of some bully governments on negotiations is not aimed at resolving issues, but rather [aims] to assert and impose their own expectations," the Leader said. "Absolutely, the Islamic Republic will not accept their expectations," Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized. In May 2018, US President Donald 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 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 Role of world's largest gas field in Iran's energy security Iran Press TV Sunday, 09 March 2025 11:29 AM President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday attended the signing ceremony of seven contracts worth $17 billion to boost pressure at the South Pars gas field by domestic companies. The signing opens a new chapter in the Iranian oil industry's exploitation of the world's largest gas field, which plays an important role in the sustainable supply of gas and the country's economic development. Gas-condensate fields producing under natural depletion are often faced with the challenge of finding long-term solutions to energize the pressure decline in the old gas wells after long years of production. With a daily production of more than 700 million cubic meters, South Pars provides 75% of Iran's gas needs, which shows how important it is to the country's energy security. However, the field which Iran shares with Qatar has entered the second half of its life cycle, where pressure drops by 7 atmospheres a year, resulting in a yearly decline of 10 billion cubic meters in production. Hence, the contracts signed on Saturday are a lifeline for the future of Iran's energy security where 95% of the urban and rural population depends on gas for their livelihoods. Nonetheless, South Pars is not just about supplying gas. Part of the gas from the offshore reservoir is used as feedstock in Iran's sprawling petrochemical facilities, including 21 plants with an annual production capacity of 39 million tonnes in the nearby town of Assaluyeh. Petrochemical industry is one of the cornerstones of Iran's economy, which has a significant impact on increasing national wealth and plays a vital role in creating direct and indirect jobs. With petrochemicals also included in US sanctions, Russia is a key destination of Iran's petrochemical exports which, according to officials, are expected to rise to 34 million tonnes in 2025 from 30 million tonnes a year before and bring about $25 billion in revenue. Petrochemical production, according to official projections, will climb to about 83 million tonnes from about 75 million tonnes in the previous year, indicating how it is important to maintain gas production. For years, the plan to maintain pressure at South Pars gas wells had been in the works, but Iran's efforts to bring in foreign companies and their investments to do the job had hit the rocks because of sanctions. According to Minister of Petroleum Mohsen Paknejad, the South Pars pressure boosting plan is more essential than daily bread and butter; the plan includes seven hubs, each requiring about $2.5 billion to build. Four Iranian energy companies, namely Petropars, Khatam-al Anbiya Construction Headquarters, OIEC Group and MAPNA, were awarded as general contractors of the mega-project, turning another corner in Iran's oil industry which for long relied on foreign companies for development and maintenance. Today, the South Pars Gas Complex is part of a resilient economy, which is able to rely on domestic power, local knowledge, and the use of parts and equipment supplied by Iranian manufacturers and knowledge-based companies to move on the path of development, progress and growth. So far, the reservoir has generated some $450 billion of wealth which has had its most significant impact on the flourishing of petrochemical industry, boosting gasoline production, increasing job opportunities, improving the environment, and stabilizing the country's energy supply. The consistent and continuous progress in various development phases of South Pars has vaulted Iran to great power status among the global gas giants and diversified its export portfolio. In other words, Iran's remarkable progress in the development of South Pars has not only strengthened its industrial infrastructure, but has also increased the capabilities of Iranian companies and their participation in international projects. Currently, Iran produces over one billion cubic meters per day of natural gas, which is equivalent to approximately 6 million barrels of crude oil. This means South Pars alone provides Iran with the equivalent of 4.5 million barrels of crude oil a day. If this is put in the perspective of the country's refining and crude oil production capacities, the serious challenges which Iran would have faced in terms of energy security without the development of South Pars become clear. The reservoir also plays a significant role in the country's gasoline supply and energy self-sufficiency, providing some 600,000 barrels a day of gas condensate for the Persian Gulf Star Refinery which produces 40 percent of the gasoline consumed in the country. Also, from an environmental perspective, gas consumption is less polluting than petroleum products. Therefore, the development of South Pars is vital to significantly reducing environmental pollution. In short, the South Pars gas complex plays a leading role in the national economy and is key to Iran's strategic goal of taking advantage of its geographic position to become an energy hub. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran rebukes Canada's new sanctions as deceitful, in breach of international law Iran Press TV Sunday, 09 March 2025 11:22 AM The Iranian Foreign Ministry has strongly denounced the latest round of Canadian sanctions against the Islamic Republic, characterizing them as "deceitful" and "in violation of international law." In a statement on Sunday, Assistant to Foreign Minister and Director General for the Americas Department at the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Issa Kameli, said the move is unlawful, illegitimate, and a violation of the human rights of the Iranian people, making the Canadian government internationally accountable. "The new sanctions imposed by Canada against Iran under the pretext of human rights are a political and deceitful move that contradicts the principles of the United Nations Charter and international laws governing free trade between countries," the statement read. Canada announced on Friday fresh anti-Iran sanctions targeting seven individuals and entities over their alleged links to networks involved in the production of weapons, which Ottawa claims to have been sent to Russia for use in the Ukraine war. The Canadian government also justified the sanctions by citing Iran's purported role in "gross human rights violations" and destabilizing activities. The Canadian Foreign Ministry said the new sanctions align with measures taken by Canada's allies, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. Kameli pointed out that Canada itself is among the major violators of human rights, including through its complicity and deliberate participation in the genocide of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. He called upon Canada to take responsibility for its complicity in Israel's genocide and war crimes against the Palestinian people, as well as other human rights abuses. Responding to repeated accusations regarding Iran's alleged involvement in the Ukraine conflict, the senior diplomat vehemently denied these claims and emphasized that "repeating a lie does not make it true." He reiterated Iran's position of non-involvement in the ongoing Russia- Ukraine crisis, underscoring the country's opposition to war and advocating for diplomatic negotiations as the means to resolve disputes between warring parties. The diplomat further advised Canadian officials to focus on addressing their own domestic and international shortcomings, particularly the systemic policy of the colonial extermination of indigenous populations, rather than leveling baseless accusations against others. Iran has long been the target of Western sanctions, which have intensified under the Trump administration and its European allies. The so-called "maximum pressure" campaign has significantly impacted Iran's economy and has been widely condemned as a form of hybrid warfare. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iranian, Russian, Chinese forces to hold joint naval exercise: Beijing Iran Press TV Sunday, 09 March 2025 10:50 AM A joint naval exercise involving the naval forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Russia, and China is scheduled to be held in the northern part of the Indian Ocean, where the three nations will engage in large-scale maritime operations featuring various divisions of their military forces. The Chinese Defense Ministry announced in its official Weibo account on Sunday that the naval drill, dubbed the Security Belt-2025, will be staged in areas near Iran's southeastern Chabahar Port in early and mid-March. The drill will feature training courses, including maritime target strike, VBSS (visit, board, search, and seizure), damage control, and joint search and rescue operations, according to a statement from the ministry. It aims to deepen military mutual trust and pragmatic cooperation among the participating countries' troops, the statement said. The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy will reportedly send a destroyer and a replenishment ship to take part in the joint exercise. A Chinese expert said the drill will help safeguard security in the strategically important energy shipping region. The Security Belt-2025 will be the fifth China-Iran-Russia joint naval exercise since 2019. The Iranian naval forces and their Chinese and Russian counterparts have held several military drills in recent years to enhance the security and stability of international maritime trade. They have also been involved in joint efforts aimed at countering piracy and maritime terrorism, exchanging information in naval rescue and relief operations as well as sharing operational and tactical experience. In March 2024, naval and airborne units of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy, together with their Chinese and Russian counterparts, participated in the Maritime Security Belt 2024 naval drills. Naval delegations from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Oman, Pakistan and South Africa took part as observers in the exercises. The joint naval drills were meant to beef up security and its fundamentals in the region, enhance multilateral cooperation among the participating countries, and demonstrate the goodwill and ability of the participants to jointly safeguard global peace and maritime security. The exercises were also intended to strengthen the security of international maritime trade, combat piracy and maritime terrorism, and provide an opportunity for the exchange of information in the field of maritime rescue as well as operational and tactical experiences. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran will not wait for any letter from US: Parliament speaker Iran Press TV Sunday, 09 March 2025 9:15 AM Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf says Iran will not wait for any letter from the United States as the country relies on its domestic capacities. Qalibaf made the remarks during an open parliamentary session on Sunday, two days after US President Donald Trump claimed in an interview with Fox News that he had sent a letter to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. Trump said he had warned Iran to open talks on a nuclear deal or be handled militarily. "We will not await any letter from the US and believe that by using the enormous domestic capacities and the opportunities for developing foreign relations with other countries, we can reach a position that leaves the enemy with no choice but to lift sanctions within the framework of continuing negotiations with the remaining parties to the JCPOA," he said. He was referring to the US-abandoned 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Qalibaf also noted that Trump's behavior towards other countries shows that his calls for talks are merely a "deception" meant to "disarm" Iran. He further stressed that negotiations, accompanied by threats, humiliation, and demands for new concessions, will not lead to the removal of sanctions. "Today, more than ever, it has become clear to the honorable Iranian nation that the lifting of sanctions is possible through strengthening Iran and neutralizing the bans," he added. In his first presidential term, Trump unilaterally withdrew Washington from the JCPOA in 2018 and imposed a series of illegal sanctions on the Islamic Republic. Since 2021, the remaining parties to the deal have been conducting on-again, off-again talks on the removal of anti-Iran sanctions and issues about the country's nuclear program. Reacting to Trump's recent claim, Tehran said it has not received any letter from the US president. Speaking on Saturday, the Leader said the insistence of some bullying powers on holding talks with Iran does not aim to solve issues but to assert their expectations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Threatens Possible Military Response After Tehran Rejects Nuclear Outreach By RFE/RL's Radio Farda March 09, 2025 The White House again warned Tehran that it can be dealt with either through military means or by reaching a deal over its nuclear program, remarks that came hours after Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected a US proposal for negotiations between the two bitter rivals. "We hope the Iran Regime puts its people and best interests ahead of terror," White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said in a statement on March 9 while reiterating remarks by President Donald Trump that "if we have to go in militarily, it's going to be a terrible thing." In an interview with Fox Business recorded on March 6, Trump said, "There are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal" to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. "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. "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." Snippets of the interview were aired on March 7, but the full sit-down will be broadcast on March 9, Fox said. In separate comments to reporters, Trump said: "We have a situation with Iran that, something's going to happen very soon. Very, very soon." Ali Khamenei, speaking on March 8 to a group of Iranian officials -- without specifically mentioning Trump or the United States -- said, "Their talks are not aimed at solving problems." "It is for...'Let's talk to impose what we want on the other party that is sitting on the opposite side of the table.'" "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 by state media as saying. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on March 8 said Tehran had not yet received a letter from Trump. "We have heard of it [Trump's letter], but we haven't received anything," Araghchi said on state TV. The United States and Israel have long stated they will never allow Tehran to acquire nuclear weapons, even as Iran continues to enrich uranium at near weapons-grade levels. Tehran has long maintained its program is for peaceful purposes. 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. Trump said the terms of that deal were not strong enough to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and he also accused Tehran of fomenting extremist violence in the region -- which Iran has denied despite widespread evidence of such activity. Khamenei last month said he opposed direct talks with Trump, charging that he cannot be trusted since he left the nuclear deal. 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. With reporting by AP and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-trump-nuclear- khamenei-negotiations/33341412.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 China, Russia, and Iran Set To Hold Naval Exercises Amid Deepening Cooperation By RFE/RL March 09, 2025 Warships from China, Russia, and Iran will hold exercises in a key Middle Eastern waterway as the three partners highlight their deepening cooperation and showcase their growing capabilities, according to reports in state-run media. The joint naval drills will start on March 10, according to Iran's Tasnim news agency, while the Chinese Defense Ministry said the Security Belt 2025 exercise would be held near the Iranian port of Chabahar on the coast of the Gulf of Oman with the aim of deepening "military trust and pragmatic cooperation." The drills are part of an annual exercise between the three countries and comes as both China and Iran are navigating tensions with the United States. All three countries are also increasing their cooperation. The Chinese and Russian navies have been hosting more frequent drills together in recent years, including in the Pacific and further away location like off the coast of South Africa. Russia and Iran also signed an agreement in January to boost cooperation in areas such as trade and defense issues. This year's naval exercises will include simulated attacks on maritime targets, joint search, rescue drills, spot checks, and arrests. China also said it will send its Type 052D guided-missile destroyer, a new type of advanced warship that is at the center of Beijing's push to build up its navy. Russia and Iran have not yet confirmed which of their fleets will be involved, but they gathered in March 2024 along with other countries for live-fire exercises focused on anti-piracy. During those exercises, China's 45th naval escort task participated, along with Russia's Pacific fleet and more than 10 Iranian vessels. Representatives from Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Oman, India and South Africa acted as observers. The drills come after a series of moves in recent months where China has been looking to showcase its power at sea. China now possesses the world's largest maritime fighting force, operating 234 warships to the U.S. Navy's 219, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies. The United States maintains a technological advantage in its fleet, but Beijing is investing heavily to catch up. In February, China conducted live-fire exercises in the Tasman Sea near Australia. Australian and New Zealand ships and aircraft monitored three Chinese military vessels for several days and the Australian government complained that the Chinese drills forced airlines to adjust flight routes due to safety concerns. In December 2024, Taiwan also said China had conducted one of its largest military exercises ever around the self-governing island, as Chinese ships encircled the island and jets entered Taiwanese air space. Tensions over Taiwan, which Beijing regards as its own and has long threatened to invade and annex if the island refuses to peacefully accept unification, is at the heart of ongoing tensions between China and the United States. The United States is Taiwan's largest military backer and its support is considered vital for its survival. Beijing has been intensifying its rhetoric around the island, with China's military saying on March 9 that it would tighten a "noose" around Taiwan if Taipei pursues a path of formal independence, which Beijing views as separatism. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/china-russia-iran- navy-military-cooperation-drills-exercises/33341608.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 Washington rescinds Iraq's waiver to buy electricity from Iran: Report IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 9, 2025 The United States has reportedly ended a waiver that allowed Iraq to buy electricity from Iran, as part of President Donald Trump's "maximum pressure" policy against the Islamic Republic. Reuters on Sunday cited a State Department spokesperson as saying that the decision "ensures we do not allow Iran any degree of economic or financial relief." The spokesperson, who was not named, further claimed that Washington's anti-Iran campaign aims to end the country's alleged "nuclear threat, curtail its ballistic missile program and stop it from supporting terrorist groups." After returning to office in January, Trump restored his "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, which aims to bring Tehran's oil revenues to zero. Trump initially launched that campaign in 2018 when he withdrew the U.S. from the multilateral Iran nuclear deal. In an interview on Friday, the U.S. president claimed that he had sent a letter to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and proposed to negotiate with Iran on a new deal. Iran denied receiving the letter, reiterating its position of not negotiating with Washington due to its untrustworthy nature. "Some foreign governments and domineering figures insist on negotiations, while their goal is not to resolve issues but to exert control and impose their own agendas," Ayatollah Khamenei said on Saturday, dismissing the idea of negotiation with the U.S. 4354**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraq warns US its power grid would collapse without Iran gas supplies Iran Press TV Sunday, 09 March 2025 6:02 PM A senior Iraqi official has warned the United States that any move by Washington to restrict the supply of natural gas from Iran to Iraq would cause a collapse to the Arab country's electrical grid. Chairman of the Iraqi parliament's finance committee Atwan Al-Atwani said on Sunday that he had told the top US envoy in Baghdad that Iraq would face economic instability if Washington decides to rescind a waiver that allows Iraq to import natural gas from Iran. The statement by Atwani came hours after the US announced it had revoked a waiver from its Iran sanctions that allowed Iraq to import electricity from its eastern neighbor. The announcement has been viewed by experts as insignificant as Iraq relies on direct imports of electricity from Iran for only 4% of its total power demand. However, the move has come amid US President Donald Trump's efforts to restore his so-called "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran which seeks to force the country into political and military concessions by piling pressure on its energy sales. In his meeting with Daniel Rubinstein, who serves as US charge d'affaires in Baghdad, Atwani said that Iraq would have no alternative to Iranian gas supplies to run power plants during the hot summer months when demand for electricity peaks in many parts of the Arab country. "Without Iranian gas, Iraq's power infrastructure would face severe strain, especially in the summer, as no immediate alternatives are available," he told Rubinstein. His statement reiterated that Iraq's import of natural gas from Iran is still outside the scope of US sanctions. The meeting between Atwani and Rubinstein came as the US waiver allowing Iraq to import gas from Iran nears its expiration. Iraq relies on Iran for nearly a third of its electricity demand as several key electricity stations that power the capital Baghdad and areas in the center and south of the country mostly use natural gas imported from Iran. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump admin. revokes Iraq's sanctions waiver for Iranian electricity imports Iran Press TV Sunday, 09 March 2025 9:49 AM The administration of US President Donald Trump has refused to renew a sanctions waiver that previously allowed Iraq to pay for electricity imported from Iran, putting the country's ability to meet its domestic energy needs at risk. US National Security Council Spokesman James Hewitt said on Sunday that the decision to let Iraq's waiver lapse upon its expiration is in line with the so-called National Security Presidential Memorandum 2, which seeks to drive Iran's crude oil exports down to zero. The spokesperson asserted that Washington will not allow Tehran any degree of economic or financial relief. He claimed the US president's maximum pressure campaign is designed to end Iran's nuclear activities, curtail its ballistic missile program, and stop it from supporting anti-Israel resistance groups. Hewitt went on to urge the Iraqi government to eliminate its dependence on Iranian sources of energy as soon as possible. On Saturday, the Iraqi Electricity Ministry announced that Baghdad was working on obtaining a new exemption from Washington and that alternative measures have been taken in case another waiver is not provided. Currently, approximately 80 percent of Iraq's electricity generation depends on natural gas, making the country heavily dependent on Iranian imports to sustain its power grid. In July 2022, Iraq signed a five-year contract with Iran to import 400 megawatts of electricity. In March 2024, another agreement was reached to increase Iranian gas imports to 50 million cubic meters per day, valued at around $6 billion annually. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Qatar says all Israeli nuclear sites must come under IAEA oversight IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 9, 2025 Qatar has called for increased international efforts to place all Israeli nuclear facilities under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In a statement on Sunday, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the UN nuclear watchdog to bring all of Israel's nuclear facilities under its supervision. The statement followed a meeting of IAEA governors in Vienna attended by Jassim Yacoub Al-Hammadi, Qatar's ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations Office and International Organizations in Vienna. It also called on Israel to join the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). During the meeting, Al-Hammadi stressed the need for the international community and its institutions to uphold their commitments under UN Security Council resolutions. He called for increased international efforts to make Israel join the NPT, noting that all Middle Eastern countries are parties to the treaty and have established effective safeguard agreements with the IAEA. The official further condemned Israel's aggressive policies toward Palestinians, including calls for the forced displacement of residents of Gaza, blocking humanitarian aid, and intensifying military raids in the occupied West Bank. 3266**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Qatar urges IAEA oversight of all Israeli nuclear facilities Iran Press TV Sunday, 09 March 2025 6:32 AM Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed in a statement that Doha has appealed to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to subject all Israeli nuclear facilities to the inspection and regulation of the global nuclear body. At a session of the UN atomic agency on Saturday, Qatar's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and International Organizations in Vienna, Jassim Yacoub al-Hammadi, also urged the Tel Aviv regime to sign the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). "Hammadi underscored the need for the international community and its institutions to uphold their commitments under resolutions of the UN Security Council, the UN General Assembly, the IAEA, and the 1995 Review Conference of the NPT, which called on Israel to subject all its nuclear facilities to IAEA safeguards," the Qatari statement read. The Qatari ambassador also appealed for "intensified international efforts" to bring Israel into the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as a non-nuclear entity," the Qatari foreign ministry noted. It added that all Middle Eastern countries, except for the Israeli regime, are parties to the NPT and have effective safeguard agreements with the IAEA. Israel is estimated to possess 200 to 400 nuclear warheads in its arsenal, making it the sole possessor of non-conventional arms in West Asia. It has refused to either allow inspections of its nuclear facilities by the IAEA or sign the NPT. Elsewhere in his remarks, Hammadi noted that Israel continues its aggressive policies, including extremist calls for the forced displacement of Palestinians, escalation of military offensives against cities and refugee camps in the West Bank, blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and maintaining restrictions on the operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The top Qatari diplomat noted that Doha submitted a written memorandum last week to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding a request for an advisory opinion based on the UN General Assembly resolution of December 19, 2024. "The request seeks clarification on Israel's obligations concerning the activities of the United Nations, other international organizations, and third-party states," Hammadi pointed out. He emphasized that Qatar's memorandum affirmed Israel's duty to allow the UN and other international organizations, particularly UNRWA and humanitarian agencies, to operate in the Israeli-occupied territories. "The memorandum also called on Israel to respect and protect the property of the UN and other international organizations, including schools, medical facilities, transport infrastructure, and water resources, as well as their personnel." Hammadi finally stressed the need for the international community and its institutions to take decisive action to compel Israel to implement international resolutions, recognize Palestinians' right to self-determination and that the establishment of their independent state, restore security and stability in the West Asia region, and avert further global risks. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hezbollah dismisses allegations of involvement in Syria clashes IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 8, 2025 The Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah, has strongly rejected allegations of involvement in the ongoing clashes in Syria between loyalists of toppled president Bashar al-Assad and security forces of the interim government. "Some parties are keen to drag Hezbollah's name into the events taking place in Syria and accuse it of being a party to the conflict," Lebanon's Al-Manar TV quoted a statement by the resistance movement on Saturday. "Hezbollah clearly and categorically denies these baseless allegations," the statement added, according to Al-Manar. The movement called on media outlets not to be drawn into "disinformation campaigns", which Hezbollah said are aimed at serving "political goals and suspicious foreign agendas." Violence has gripped Syria's coastal region since Thursday when fighting broke out between Assad's loyalists and security forces of the interim government led by Ahmad al-Sharaa whose militant group, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led an offensive in December last year, which toppled Assad's government. On Saturday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor that has been following up developments in Syria over the past years, said that more than 200 people have been killed since the fighting erupted, according to AP. Al-Sharaa's government has not published any death toll. 4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Arab League expresses concern over deadly violence in Syria IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 8, 2025 The Arab League has expressed concern over the resurgence of violence in Syria, where hundreds have been killed in recent days in clashes between Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) forces and armed opposition groups. A Syria war monitor reported on Saturday that more than 300 civilians from the Alawite minority have been killed in recent days by HTS security forces and their allies, as authorities clash with groups loyal to the former government of Bashar al-Assad. In a statement released on Saturday, the Arab League said it was closely monitoring the security developments in Syria. It also condemned attacks on the security forces of Syria's transitional regime. Additionally, the Arab League warned that foreign intervention will only make the security situation worse in Syria. It called on the international community and regional countries to work to prevent any plans that threaten Syria's security and stability. Since March 6, 2025, residents of western Syria, particularly in the cities of Lattakia and Tartus, have been protesting against the policies of the interim regime in Syria. The protests are primarily in response to the suppression of religious minorities, including Christians, Alawites, and Druze by the HTS rulers. 3266**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraq warns of escalating violence in Syria, calls for protection of civilians Iran Press TV Saturday, 08 March 2025 6:30 AM The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has voiced deep concern regarding the unfolding security developments in neighboring Syria, stressing that escalating violence in the Arab nation may severely impact regional security and stability. In a statement released on Saturday, the ministry stressed the need "to protect civilians and spare them the scourge of the conflict." It also emphasized the importance of self-restraint from all parties, calling for adopting the language of dialogue and peaceful solutions instead of military escalation. The Iraqi foreign ministry went on to categorically reject the targeting of innocent civilians in Syria. It warned that the continuation of violence will exacerbate the crisis and deepen the state of instability in the West Asia region, which will subsequently hinder efforts to restore security and peace. This comes as local sources have reported fierce clashes between militants aligned with the ruling Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham administration and armed opposition groups loyal to the previous government in the vicinity of the al-Watani Hospital in Syria's southwestern city of As-Suwayda. The heavy fighting was followed by a massive explosion. There were no immediate reports about the cause of the blast, possible casualties or the extent of damage caused. Elsewhere in the Mediterranean, in the western city of Latakia, intense clashes broke out between HTS militants and gunmen loyal to Bashar al-Assad close to the Ibn Sina Hospital. The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Friday that at least 237 people have been killed in Syria's coastal region since the latest military escalation began on Thursday. The Britain-based war monitor reported that militants, opposition fighters, and civilians were among those killed as HTS forces continued their crackdown on remnants of the former Syrian military in the provinces of Latakia, Tartus, and Hama. The Observatory underlined that the death toll included 142 non-combatants, noting that additional reinforcements and heavy weaponry have been deployed to key flashpoints as fighting remains ongoing in rural Latakia and Tartus. The SOHR said the clashes marked the deadliest escalation since the fall of the previous government last December. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Killing of civilians in Syria must immediately stop, demands U.N. rights chief IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 9, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has called on the authorities in Syria to immediately stop the killing of civilians in coastal areas of the crisis-hit Arab country. "We are receiving extremely disturbing reports of entire families, including women and children being killed in northwestern Syria," Turk said in a press release on Sunday. He also demanded investigations, saying there had been "summary executions on a sectarian basis" by unidentified perpetrators and by forces loyal to the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militant group which currently controls the country. "There must be prompt, transparent and impartial investigations into all the killings and violations, and those responsible must be held to account, in line with international law, norms and standards," he said. The UN rights chief also commented on the pledge made by Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the HTS leader. "The caretaker authorities' announcements of their intention to respect the law must be followed by swift actions to protect Syrians." Clashes between HTS forces and loyalists of the former government erupted on Thursday in the heartland of the Alawite minority to which ousted president Bashar al-Assad belongs, and have since escalated into reported mass killings. Earlier, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) also called the clashes deeply concerning, saying the UN health agency is working to deliver emergency medicines and trauma supplies for the injured. "WHO urges all parties to respect and safeguard health services to ensure medical aid reaches those who need it most. Peace is the best medicine," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote on X. 4399**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 1,000 reported killed as clashes rage on in Syria's coastal regions IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 9, 2025 Intense fighting between Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) forces and armed groups opposing the interim rulers continues in parts of northwestern Syria. A war monitor reported on Saturday that the death toll from two days of clashes and revenge killings in that region had risen to more than 1,000, marking one of the deadliest episodes since the conflict erupted in Syria some 14 years ago. The clashes began on Thursday, three months after militants led by the HTS toppled the government of President Bashar al-Assad in a surprise offensive. The fighting between HTS forces and armed elements loyal to the former government also provoked a wave of revenge killings on Friday, with armed militants targeting the Alawite minority in Hama and Latakia provinces. The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) quoted a source in the ministry of defense of the HTS regime on Sunday as saying that heavy clashes were ongoing in the outskirts of Tartus, a major port city on the Mediterranean coast. Al Jazeera also reported heavy clashes between forces loyal to Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the HTS leader, and armed groups at the entrances to the city of Latakia. The HTS, however, stated that an "emergency committee" is monitoring violations and will "refer those who exceeded command instructions to the military court." It also reported imposing a curfew and sending reinforcements to control security and restore calm. Meanwhile, al-Jolani, in a statement, urged fighters to "lay down their weapons and surrender," saying that anyone who attacks civilians will be held accountable. 4399**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Death toll from fighting in Syria's coastal region tops 1,000 IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 9, 2025 Clashes in Syria's western coast, pitting forces of the interim government against loyalists of ousted president Bashar al-Assad, have reportedly left 1,018 people dead, mostly civilians. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor that has been tracking developments in the Arab country over the past years, announced the figure in an update Saturday, two days after fighting broke out in the coastal region. The group said those killed include 745 civilians whom it said were killed in "sectarian massacres" by fighters loyal to the new government. The fighting, which has gripped the provinces of Latakia and Tartus, broke out after residents there protested against the policies of the interim government led by Ahmad al-Sharaa whose militant group, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led an offensive in December last year, which toppled Assad's government. The violence is the worst in Syria since Assad was ousted. Meanwhile, the caretaker interior ministry said on Saturday that a former commander of the Assad government had been arrested. 9376**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turk says killings of civilians in Syria must cease immediately, calls for investigations Press releases Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Comment by UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk on serious escalation of violence in Syria 09 March 2025 Location Geneva The killing of civilians in coastal areas in northwest Syria must cease, immediately. Following a series of coordinated attacks reportedly launched by elements of the former government and other local armed men, we are receiving extremely disturbing reports of entire families, including women, children and hors de combat fighters, being killed. There are reports of summary executions on a sectarian basis by unidentified perpetrators, by members of the caretaker authorities' security forces, as well as by elements associated with the former government. The caretaker authorities' announcements of their intention to respect the law must be followed by swift actions to protect Syrians, including by taking all necessary measures to prevent any violations and abuses and achieve accountability when these occur. There must be prompt, transparent and impartial investigations into all the killings and other violations, and those responsible must be held to account, in line with international law norms and standards. Groups terrorising civilians must also be held accountable. These events, as well as the continuous spike in hate speech both online and offline, illustrate once again the urgent need for a comprehensive transitional justice process that is nationally-owned, inclusive, and centred on truth, justice and accountability. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel to issue permits for Syrian Druze workers Iran Press TV Sunday, 09 March 2025 7:28 PM Israel has announced it will issue work permits for members of the Syrian Druze community amid reports showing that the regime is supporting separatist tendencies in the Arab country. Israel's Defense Ministry said on Sunday it will allow Syrian Druze workers to enter the occupied Golan Heights without offering any information on when and how the scheme would start. However, the announcement comes against the backdrop of reports suggesting Israel is helping Druze separatists in Syria to create an independent state in the south of the country months after the toppling of the central government in Damascus. Some 24,000 Syrian Druze live in Golan, an area occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War with the Arabs and annexed by the regime in 1981. Despite its policy of treating the Druze people in Golan as second-grade citizens in the past , Israel started to reach out to members of the community after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fell from power in December. Reports show the regime has prepared more than $1 billion in funding to support the Druze in Golan, a policy that experts say is aimed at persuading members of the community to reject the new government in Damascus. That comes as a large number of Syrian Druze families have relatives living in the occupied Golan. A report published by the Wall Street Journal last week showed that Israel has a vision to keep Syria weakened and divided. The report said that Israeli officials have been lobbying world powers to keep the current government in Damascus weak. Turkish sources have also indicated that Israel has de facto control of Qunaitra, one of three Syrian provinces that share a frontier with the Israeli-occupied territories. Leader of the Druze community in Lebanon Walid Jumblatt has criticized Israel's policy of reaching out to the Druze in Syria, saying the regime wants to use Druze soldiers and officers to repress Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN rights chief demands immediate end to killing of civilians in Syria Iran Press TV Sunday, 09 March 2025 6:40 PM The UN Human Rights chief has called for an immediate halt to the ongoing violence in northwestern Syria, where entire families have reportedly been killed in escalating clashes, demanding a prompt investigation into the killings and holding the perpetrators accountable. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk made the remarks in a statement on Sunday, as fierce clashes are continuing between militants aligned with Syria's ruling Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham administration and armed opposition groups loyal to former President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's coastal regions. "There are reports of summary executions on a sectarian basis by unidentified perpetrators, by members of the caretaker authorities' security forces, as well as by elements associated with the former government," Turk said. He went on to say that there are "extremely disturbing" reports of entire families being killed, including women, children and hors de combat fighters, stressing that "the killing of civilians in coastal areas in northwest Syria must cease, immediately." The human rights chief further called for "prompt, transparent and impartial investigations into all the killings and other violations," noting that "those responsible must be held to account, in line with international law norms and standards." Earlier in the day, the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the death toll from the ongoing violence in northwestern Syria has risen to over 1,000 people in two days, including 745 civilians, who were killed mostly execution-style, 125 HTS militants and 148 members of opposition groups. Clashes erupted in the country's northwestern coastal region on Thursday, which is predominantly inhabited by the Alawite minority sect. Former Syrian President Bashar Assad also comes from the Alawite community. The attacks come while the HTS administration has sought to assure religious and ethnic minorities that their rights would be upheld. Syria's de facto leader, Abu Mohammad al-Julani, has called for "peace" and "national unity" following the deadly violence, saying the developments are within "expected challenges." Meanwhile, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the chief of the World Health Organization (WHO) called the clashes "deeply concerning," saying they are directly impacting people's health, as health facilities and ambulances had been damaged. "WHO is working to deliver emergency medicines and trauma supplies for the immediate care of the injured," Tedros said in a post on X. "WHO urges all parties to respect and safeguard health services to ensure medical aid reaches those who need it most. Peace is the best medicine," he added. The HTS militant group seized control of Damascus on December 8, culminating a swift offensive that had begun in Aleppo just two weeks before and ultimately brought an end to Assad's 24-year rule. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Clashes, revenge killings in Syria leave more than 1,000 dead in 2 days Iran Press TV Sunday, 09 March 2025 2:45 PM A UK-based war monitor says more than 1,000 people have been killed in two days of intense clashes between militants aligned with Syria's ruling Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham administration and armed opposition groups loyal to former President Bashar al-Assad and ensuing revenge killings in the country's western region. The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Sunday that the death toll from the ongoing violence has risen to over 1,000 people, including 745 civilians, who were killed mostly execution-style, 125 HTS militants and 148 members of opposition groups. The Observatory had earlier reported that at least 237 people, including 142 non-combatants, have been killed in Syria's coastal region since the heavy fighting began on Thursday. The clashes marked the deadliest escalation since the fall of the previous government last December. Syria's de facto leader, Abu Mohammad al-Julani, called for "peace" and "national unity" following the deadly violence, saying the developments are within "expected challenges." "We have to preserve national unity and domestic peace, we can live together," Julani said in a circulated video, speaking at a mosque in his childhood neighborhood of Mazzah, in Damascus. The latest development comes as HTS forces continue their crackdown on remnants of the former Syrian military in the provinces of Latakia, Tartus, and Hama. The clashes have taken place in the country's northwestern coastal region, which is predominantly inhabited by the Alawite minority sect. Former Syrian President Bashar Assad also comes from the Alawite community. The attacks come while the HTS administration has sought to assure religious and ethnic minorities that their rights would be upheld. The HTS militant group seized control of Damascus on December 8, culminating a swift offensive that had begun in Aleppo just two weeks prior to that and ultimately brought an end to Assad's 24-year rule. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hezbollah rejects 'baseless' claims of involvement in deadly Syria clashes Iran Press TV Sunday, 09 March 2025 6:44 AM The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah has categorically dismissed allegations of involvement in the recent deadly clashes in Syria, describing the accusations as "baseless." In a statement released on Saturday, Hezbollah's Media Relations Office urged media outlets to exercise caution in reporting news and avoid misinformation campaigns that serve foreign political agendas. "Some parties persist in involving Hezbollah's name in the events taking place in Syria and accusing it of being a party to the ongoing conflict there," it said. "Hezbollah clearly and categorically denies these baseless allegations." The statement came two days after the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants of the interim ruling regime in Syria and armed opposition groups engaged in deadly confrontations. The clashes took place in the country's northwestern coastal region, which is predominantly inhabited by the Alawite minority sect. Former Syrian President Bashar Assad also comes from the Alawite community. The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said more than 1,000 people were killed in two days of fighting in the provinces of Tartus and Latakia. The figure included 745 civilians, who were killed mostly execution-style, in addition to 125 HTS militants and 148 members of opposition groups, the UK-based monitor added. Another monitoring group, the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) said the HTS militants committed "widespread field executions" of young men and adult males "without clear distinction between civilians and others." The violence broke out three months after foreign-backed HTS militants announced the fall of Assad's government following a rapid two-week onslaught. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hundreds Of Civilians Said To Have Been Killed By Syrian Security Forces By Kian Sharifi March 09, 2025 The United Nations and the United States have called on Syrian authorities to take immediate action after it was reported that Syrian government forces have killed hundreds of civilians belonging to the Alawite minority group in recent days. The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said on March 8 that it had identified 745 civilians belonging to the Alawite minority who were killed in two days of clashes between security forces and fighters loyal to the ousted regime of Bashar al-Assad in Latakia Province. The numbers have not yet been independently verified. "The killing of civilians in coastal areas in northwest Syria must cease, immediately," UN rights chief Volker Turk said in a statement on March 9. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Syria's interim authorities to hold accountable the "radical Islamist terrorists, including foreign jihadis" who have committed "massacres against Syria's minority communities" in recent days. "The United States stands with Syria's religious and ethnic minorities," Rubio said in a statement on March 9. Reuters quoted diplomats as saying the United States and Russia have asked the Security Council to meet behind closed doors on March 10 over the escalating violence. Russian state media quoted Moscow's UN mission as saying the meeting would begin at 10 a.m. According to SOHR, the total death toll from the violence rose to more than 1,000, including at least 125 security personnel and 148 Assad loyalists. The monitoring group, which has a network of sources across Syria, said most of the civilian victims were shot at close range by "security forces and allied groups." The clashes that erupted on March 6 mark the country's worst outbreak of violence since the regime of Assad, an ally of Iran and Russia, was overthrown in December. Reuters and Al-Jazeera reported that dozens of people, mostly women, children, and elders, have sought refuge at the Russian Khmeimim military base in the Latakia countryside. There has been no immediate comment from the Russian authorities. The monitoring group also reported that electricity and drinking water were cut off in large areas around the city of Latakia, the heartland of the Alawite minority to which Assad belonged. Sharaa's Struggle To Maintain Control Ahmed Sharaa, Syria's interim president, called for peace on March 9, saying the nation has to "preserve national unity and domestic peace." "We will be able to live together in this country," Sharaa said speaking at a mosque in Damascus. Sharaa had earlier blamed what he called "remnants" of Assad's government for the violence, but he did not address allegations that his forces had killed civilians. Reuters cited a Syrian source as saying on March 9 that clashes continued overnight in several towns where armed groups fired on security forces and ambushed cars on highways leading to main towns in the coastal area. A curfew has been enforced in Homs, Latakia, and Tartus due to ongoing fighting. Analysts say the fighting exposes Sharaa's struggle to maintain control in a post-Assad Syria -- to the delight of Iran, Israel, and even Islamic State (IS) extremists. Colin Clarke, director of policy and research at the New York-based Soufan Group intelligence consultancy, said what is transpiring in Latakia is "simply an inevitable outcome" in any postconflict setting. Did Iran Start The Unrest? The fighting started about a week after Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, whose country is a major backer of Sharaa's rule, warned Iran against moving to challenge the new Syrian government by empowering groups opposed to it. He warned that it "would not be the right" approach and said doing so may result in "another country doing the same thing to you in return." Sharaa, who saw Ankara-backed groups join the offensive launched by his US-designated terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) against Assad, has received scores of foreign delegations since seizing power in Damascus but has frozen Iran out in favor of its rivals Turkey and Saudi Arabia, as well as Western nations. Phillip Smyth, an expert on Iranian proxies and Shi'ite militias, said there is "a lot of evidence" pointing to Tehran's involvement in the new outbreak of violence. Iranian figures, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said after Assad's fall that Syrians would revolt against Sharaa's rule. Smyth said Tehran "is happy this was set off," especially since it establishes that Iran "can cause massive disruption" despite losing a key ally in Assad. "Better for Tehran is the fact that HTS militants demonstrated they would engage in human rights abuses. Iran desired an overreaction," he added. Some observers have also suggested Tehran could look to back the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to challenge not only Sharaa, but also Turkey's growing influence. The SDF commander Mazloum Abdi told Reuters on March 9 that factions "supported by Turkey and Islamic extremists" were chiefly responsible for the latest violence in Latakia. Syria, under Assad's rule, played a pivotal role in Iran's strategic land corridor to the Levant. This corridor was crucial for Iran's regional influence, serving as the logistical backbone for its network of state and nonstate actors. Who Else Stands to Gain From The Unrest? Since rebels seized power, the new government has faced numerous security challenges. Elements loyal to Assad, who belongs to the Alawite community, have sporadically attacked the new government's security forces, while IS remains active in various pockets throughout the country. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have expanded territorial control in southern Syria, with reports saying they are positioned about 20 kilometers from the capital. Israel has been targeting military assets and demanding the demilitarization of southern Syria. "IS is extremely opportunistic and will be biding its time and waiting to strike. Israel will also take advantage of the situation by launching more strikes in the south of Syria," Clarke said. "Sharaa is indeed struggling with control, but much of this is to be expected," he added. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/syria-iran-violence-clashes- isis/33340971.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 Spanish Government expresses concern over violence of recent days in Syria Spain - Ministry of Foreign Affairs PRESS STATEMENT 029 Sunday, March 9, 2025 The Government of Spain expresses its concern at the violence of recent days in Syria, which must be investigated; those responsible must not go unpunished. Disputes of any kind should be resolved by peaceful means. Spain supports a peaceful and inclusive political transition, with the participation of all Syrian citizens. -NON OFFICIAL TRANSLATION- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Escalation of Fighting and Civilian Deaths in Syria US Department of State Press Statement Marco Rubio, Secretary of State March 9, 2025 The United States condemns the radical Islamist terrorists, including foreign jihadis, that murdered people in western Syria in recent days. The United States stands with Syria's religious and ethnic minorities, including its Christian, Druze, Alawite, and Kurdish communities, and offers its condolences to the victims and their families. Syria's interim authorities must hold the perpetrators of these massacres against Syria's minority communities accountable. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Edouard Beigbeder, on the escalating violence in Syria's coastal areas UNICEF 09 March 2025 AMMAN, 09 March 2025 - "UNICEF is deeply alarmed by the recent surge in violence in Syria's coastal areas, which has reportedly claimed the lives of at least 13 children, including a six-month-old baby. The escalation has also reportedly caused additional civilian casualties and injuries, the displacement of thousands of families, and damage to critical infrastructure. "UNICEF echoes the UN Secretary-General's call for restraint to prevent further loss of life. We urge all parties to immediately cease hostilities and fully comply with their obligations under International Humanitarian Law and international human rights law. "It is imperative that all feasible measures are taken to protect civilians, especially children, and safeguard critical civilian infrastructure, such as hospitals. The ongoing violence highlights the urgent need for adherence to these laws and for ensuring rapid, safe, and unimpeded access for humanitarian workers to provide life-saving services to those affected by the fighting. "UNICEF calls on all parties to prioritize reconciliation and commit to a peaceful political transition, ensuring that Syria's children can survive, thrive, and reach their full potential. The children of Syria have suffered enough. They have the right to live in peace and hope for a better future." +++ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. slams 'misuse' of U.N. resolution as Beijing's coercion against Taiwan ROC Central News Agency 03/08/2025 02:25 PM Washington, March 7 (CNA) The United States has called out China and accused it of making "coercive efforts" to exclude Taiwan from the international community with the "misuse" of United Nations Resolution 2758. "Intentional misuse and mischaracterization of UNGA resolution 2758 is part of China's broader coercive efforts to isolate Taiwan from the international community," a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State said on Friday (Washington time). The resolution "puts no limits on any country's sovereign choice to engage substantively with Taiwan," and it "does not preclude Taiwan's meaningful participation in the United Nations system and other multilateral fora," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson was responding to CNA's request for comments on Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's () use of the U.N. resolution to assert Beijing's territorial claims over Taiwan during a news conference in Beijing earlier that day. The resolution has "addressed the issue of representation for all of China, including Taiwan, in the United Nations," China's top diplomat said following the "Two Sessions" meetings, the most important annual gathering for the China's legislature and top government advisory body. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has meanwhile lodged its protest, calling Wang's claims "absurd" and "false," while describing them as an attempt to "deceive and mislead the international community." 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. It also urged the global community to "reject China's repeated misinterpretation of the resolution." 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 Republic of China (ROC) being replaced by the PRC. The resolution, however, did not mention Taiwan or even the ROC by name. (By Chung Yu-chen and Teng Pei-ju) Enditem/cs NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address MOFA warns of travel risks in China-friendly countries ROC Central News Agency 03/08/2025 03:47 PM Taipei, March 8 (CNA) Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Saturday urged Taiwanese nationals to be aware of their safety when traveling abroad, especially in countries that are friendly with China. A Reuters report on Friday cited a memo by the Taiwanese government as well as an anonymous senior Taiwan security official, saying that a senior Chinese official instructed national security units to implement guidelines to "punish" Taiwan independence supporters in countries friendly to China. Answering CNA's queries, MOFA said that it has instructed embassies and overseas offices to evaluate relevant risks. It will also step up efforts to remind the public to be aware of their safety. MOFA said Beijing has been waging legal warfare, cognitive warfare and implementing gray-zone tactics to coerce and threaten Taiwan in recent years. Its attempts to cage Taiwan's democracy and freedom with the guidelines and punish Taiwan independence activists have raised concerns from the global community and elicited strict criticism, MOFA said. The Reuters report said that Taiwanese security units are considering raising travel alert levels for such countries. According to the Taiwanese official cited by Reuters, these countries include Cambodia, Laos and some unspecified African nations. The official told Reuters that Taiwanese in these countries may be investigated or detained on suspicions of supporting Taiwan independence. "They may be taken for questioning by the local or Chinese police," Reuters cited the official as saying, even if only to "psychologically intimidate" them. (By Wu Shu-wei, Liu Shu-ching and Wu Kuan-hsien) Enditem/AW NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Upcoming drills in waters off Pingtung 'routine': Navy ROC Central News Agency 03/09/2025 05:09 PM Taipei, March 9 (CNA) Drills in waters southwest of Pingtung County scheduled for March 24 are "routine" exercises and will not involve live-fire training, according to a statement from the Navy on Sunday. Taiwanese media outlet, Liberty Times, had suggested that the exercises, which were announced by the Navy on Thursday, could target an area in which several alleged Chinese-owned ships flying flags of convenience have reportedly spent extended periods of time in recent days. In response, the Navy told CNA that the planned drills are routine exercises. It also said that no live-fire drills would be conducted in the maritime and aerial exercise areas. The Coast Guard should be able to "handle" the six vessels currently in waters around Taiwan, according to Su Tzu-yun (), research fellow and director of the Division of Defense Strategy and Resources at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR). "The traditional division of labor between the Coast Guard and the Navy is based on a 24-nautical-mile boundary," Su explained, adding that the Coast Guard controls waters within 24 nautical miles of Taiwan's coastline while the Navy is responsible for the area beyond. "However, when there are many targets and the frequency is high, the Coast Guard and the Navy support each other's missions," the military expert said. In terms of the purpose of the scheduled drills, Su suggested that they may be related to underwater infrastructure including submarine telecommunications cables or power lines connecting offshore wind turbines. President Lai Ching-te () and Defense Minister Wellington Koo () have "repeatedly stressed the need to strengthen responses to gray zone intrusions and new forms of threats," Su said. (By Charlotte Yang and James Thompson) Enditem/AW NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Reunification cannot be obstructed, cross-Straits exchanges cannot be cut out: NPC deputies from Taiwan delegation Global Times By Zhang Han and Li Meng Published: Mar 09, 2025 08:41 PM "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces cannot obstruct the historical trend of reunification, Yan Ke, a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC) from the Taiwan delegation and vice president of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, said on Sunday when addressing media after a group meeting at the third session of the 14th NPC. More than 4 million visits were made by Taiwan compatriots to the Chinese mainland in 2024, Yan said, making the point that Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities, despite taking various disturbing measures, cannot cut cross-Straits exchanges. The Government Work Report stated that "by advancing integrated cross-Strait development, we will improve the wellbeing of Chinese people on both sides so that together, we can realize the glorious cause of national rejuvenation." This "fully demonstrates the sincerity of the mainland," Yan said. Yan hopes that Taiwan compatriots, considering righteousness for the nation and their own well-being, resolutely oppose "Taiwan independence" secessionists and external interference and jointly maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits. In response to the DPP authorities' recent ban on university exchanges with Chinese mainland institutions, deputy Chen Yunying, Vice President of All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, said the ban cannot have much impact on Taiwan youth who intend to develop in the mainland. Besides universities on the mainland that enroll students from Taiwan, many young people from Taiwan are participating in academic seminars held by universities in various provinces and regions in the mainland. As long as Taiwan youth have dreams and expectations, they will continue to come to the mainland for their studies, Chen said. Chen does not think the DPP ban will have a "chilling effect," and warned that the DPP's suppression of Taiwan youth's development ambitions could trigger resistance, Chen added. Deputies encouraged more Taiwan youth to embrace opportunities in the Chinese mainland and pursue personal aspirations through integrated development. Deputy Tao Jun, also Vice Chairman and Secretary General of Zhejiang Provincial Committee Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League, noted that there is an information asymmetry between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits, and there are many manmade obstacles from Taiwan island that make it quite difficult for youth in Taiwan region to access updates of developments in the mainland, and it is even harder for them to participate in innovation and entrepreneurship in the mainland. Tao suggested youth from both sides work together in fields such as integrated circuits, software, biomedicine and digital management. He advocated for the establishment of cross-Straits youth innovation communities, providing resources such as affordable and convenient apartments for talent, co-entrepreneurship spaces and shared laboratories to help young people from both sides achieve integrated development. Responding to a question on Taiwan authorities' obstruction to the mainland announcement of a resumption of group tours to Taiwan for residents of Fujian, Shanghai, Chen said Taiwan's tourism sector, retailers and transportation operators yearn for related progress, but the Taiwan authorities "are reluctant to open up, fearing such openness and raising the thresholds for it. "There is a lot of negative information and smears about the mainland, and they fear the lies will be exposed once opened up." Fujian's population is about twice that of Taiwan island, and once group tourism is opened up, it will benefit Taiwan island's economy and cultural industries. Chen advised that Taiwan tourism practitioners should stand up to safeguard their own rights and interests. In regard to building a correct historical view for youth of both sides of the Straits, Zhou Qi, also vice president of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, particularly noted that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victories of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the 80th anniversary of the recovery of Taiwan, but what is less noticed is that 2025 is the 140th anniversary of Taiwan becoming a "province" of China. In 1885, the Qing government (1644-1912) officially decided Taiwan was an individual province, when it then became China's 20th province. The first governor of Taiwan, Liu Mingchuan, actively promoted new policies for self-strengthening, which greatly pushed forward Taiwan's social, economic and cultural development. The joint efforts by compatriots from both sides of the Taiwan Straits to develop and modernize Taiwan island should not be forgotten, Zhou noted. The recovery of Taiwan was a victory for all Chinese people. As this year marks an important historical juncture, Zhou hopes more Taiwan youth will come to the mainland to see for themselves. "Once Taiwanese youth understand the true history, they will surely be moved and make the change." Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a Friday press conference during the two sessions 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Lawmakers, political advisors oppose "Taiwan independence" separatism, external interference Global Times By Xinhua Published: Mar 09, 2025 07:54 AM National lawmakers and political advisors of Taiwan origin have given their acknowledgment of the parts concerning Taiwan in a government work report and voiced their firm opposition to "Taiwan independence" separatism and external interference. The report is being deliberated at the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), or the top legislature. "We will resolutely oppose separatist activities aimed at 'Taiwan independence' and external interference, so as to promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations," says the work report. Zhou Qi, an NPC deputy and a vice president of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, said deputies applauded when the parts concerning Taiwan were read while the work report was submitted for review on Wednesday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It was an expression of "our strong yearning for national reunification," Zhou said. "National reunification is a shared aspiration of all Chinese people," said Zou Zhenqiu, an NPC deputy, also a vice president of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots. The government work report has demonstrated the mainland's sincerity in making every effort toward peaceful reunification, said Li Xingkui, an NPC deputy with family roots in Taichung, central Taiwan. The government work report is also being discussed by members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), or the top political advisory body, at its concurrent annual session. Wang Yu, a CPPCC National Committee member, said that separatist activities and external interference aimed at obstructing the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations can not hold back the process of reunification. Chen Wei, another CPPCC National Committee member, warned of the danger of separatist activities and called on Taiwan compatriots to take action to safeguard peace and stability across the Strait. Both Wang and Chen are members of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League, one of the eight non-communist parties in China. 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 2025/03/09 PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan 1.Date 6 a.m. Mar. 8 (Sat.) to 6 a.m. Mar. 9 (Sun.) (UTC+8) 2.PLA activities 9 sorties of PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN ships operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 7 out of 9 sorties entered Taiwan's northern, southeastern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities. 3.PRC balloon activities 2 PRC balloons were detected during this timeframe. 1140309_PLA activities_1.jpg 1140309_PLA activities_2.jpg 1140309_PLA air activities in the vicinity of Taiwan.jpg NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia launches attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure Iran Press TV Saturday, 08 March 2025 11:30 AM Russia's Ministry of Defense has reported that its forces have carried out a series of strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure that powers its military. A "group strike," using Long-range missiles and drones, targeted "gas and energy infrastructure that powers the military-industrial complex of Ukraine," the Ministry said on Friday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also told reporters on Friday that the strikes were directed at "sites linked to the production of weapons in Ukraine." Ukraine's Minister of Energy, German Galushchenko, has confirmed that "the energy and gas infrastructure in different Ukrainian regions has been hit by massive missiles and drone strikes." Ukraine's national gas and oil company Naftogaz has said in a short statement that its gas-extracting facilities have been damaged by Russia's recent attacks. Ukraine's air force has said Russia fired a salvo of 67 missiles and 194 drones in the attack. Regional officials from the northeastern city of Kharkiv to the western city of Ternopil reported damage to energy and other infrastructure. Russia began strikes on energy infrastructure in response to Ukraine's bombing of the bridge that connects Crimea with mainland Russia in October 2022. In April 2024, Russia's President Vladimir Putin said Russian forces were hitting energy facilities in response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian soil. "We have seen a series of strikes on our energy sites and were forced to retaliate," he said. The strikes came days after the US suspended military aid and intelligence to Ukraine to pressure it into accepting a peace deal with Russia. Without US intelligence, Ukraine's ability to strike inside Russia and defend itself from bombardment is significantly diminished. On the battlefield, Ukraine is outnumbered and out-powered. Russian forces have steadily advanced in the past months in the eastern Donetsk region and have mounted major pressure on Ukrainian troops trying to hold territory in Russia's Kursk region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address France says it will tap frozen Russian assets to send $211 million in arms to Ukraine IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 9, 2025 French Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu has announced that France will use interest from frozen Russian assets to fund an additional 195 million ($211 million) in arms for Ukraine. "France also plans to hand over some of its older armored fighting vehicles, such as the AMX-10RC and personnel carriers," Lecornu told the La Tribune weekend newspaper. He said that, thanks to interest from frozen Russian assets, "we will also tap into new funds worth 195 million," adding that these funds would be used for 155-mm artillery shells and glide bombs for the Mirage 2000 fighter jets that France has provided to Ukraine. European countries are scrambling to scale up assistance to Ukraine after Washington said it was cutting military aid to and intelligence sharing with Kyiv following an angry spat between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in the White House on February 28. The Group of Seven (G7) powers agreed last year to provide Ukraine with $50 billion through a series of bilateral loans that Kyiv could repay using windfall profits from $300 billion in frozen Russian state assets. Earlier, the French Finance Minister said he opposed the allocation of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, saying that these assets belong to the Russian Central Bank and that their allocation to Ukraine is contrary to international law and the agreements that Europe has signed. 2050**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Take No Prisoners': Russian Soldier On Trial In Ukraine Over Alleged Battlefield Execution By RFE/RL's Crimea.Realities March 09, 2025 Early in the morning on January 6, 2024, a unit of Russian fighters left the village of Smile in Ukraine's eastern Zaporizhzhya region to attack a position where Vitaliy Hodnyuk, known by the call sign "Penguin," and his fellow Ukrainian soldiers were stationed. In the fierce fighting that ensued, the Russian unit managed to temporarily seize the position but was pushed out in a Ukrainian counterattack. "We got close to them, about 5-7 meters away, and they started shouting that they were surrendering. We allowed them to come out of the dugouts," Oleksandr Denizhenko, a junior sergeant who was part of the Ukrainian assault group, told Crimea.Realities, a regional news outlet of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service. It was during this surrender that Denizhenko noticed the bodies of two of his comrades killed in the fighting -- one of whom was Hodnyuk. "There were no weapons of theirs near them, that's one thing. And they were lying in an unnatural position. For example, others who had been killed in combat were lying with their machine guns, magazines, and gear," Denizhenko said. Three years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the circumstances surrounding Hodnyuk's killing are at the center of an unprecedented trial currently under way in Ukraine. Since the February 2022 invasion, Ukrainian prosecutors have established 212 cases in which Russian soldiers are accused of executing Ukrainian prisoners of war. But until now, none of these suspects has faced the charges in person. Now, Russian soldier Dmitry Kurashov, one of the Russian fighters who surrendered to Denizhenko's battalion on that foggy January morning last year, is on trial in a Ukrainian court in the eastern city of Zaporizhzhya on charges of shooting and killing Hodnyuk as he was surrendering -- in violation of the Geneva Convention on rules on the conduct of combatants in war. Kurashov, 26, served in a detachment called Storm-V composed of convicts who signed up to fight for the Kremlin in Ukraine in exchange for their release from prison back home. He first denied the charges in court but then pleaded guilty, though he says he did this only to speed up the trial in hopes of being included in a prisoner exchange. "I didn't do it. This was done by another person who is no longer there. I'm admitting it so it ends. They will convict me, I hope, they will give me a prison sentence, they will send me to a camp, where I can calmly wait for either the end of this war or an exchange," Kurashov testified in court. Hodnyuk "was killed by two bursts from a machine gun, the first went through his lungs, the second through his body armor," Kurashov added. "If I had fired, his entire head would have exploded on the left side. I shoot at the head, I don't shoot at the body," he said. The soldier who Kurashov claims killed Hodnyuk was not serving in his Russian unit at the time of the alleged execution, Ukrainian prosecutors say. 'Take No Prisoners' Ukrainian prosecutors say there are likely more cases of Russian soldiers executing Ukrainians than those they have managed to establish but evidence is difficult to obtain because access to crime scenes is so limited. In Kurashov's trial, however, three of his own fellow soldiers -- also in Ukrainian custody after surrendering -- are testifying against him. One of these witnesses testified he saw Kurashov -- whose call sign is "Stalker" -- shouting to a Ukrainian soldier to come out with his hands up. The Ukrainian soldier did so and then "knelt down and threw away [his] machine gun." Then the shooting started up again, he testified. "I saw this man who had his hands up, he fell face down, and that's it," Kurashov's fellow soldier testified by video link. "Stalker shot him, because I saw him alone in my field of vision. I didn't see anyone else. No one at all." This version of the events surrounding Hodnyuk's killing has been corroborated by other witnesses, both in court and in conversations with Crimea.Realities. Another of Kurashov's fellow Russian soldiers said he was hiding when he saw a Ukrainian soldier come out with his hands raised. "I heard shots. The body fell. Then I quickly got up and ran to the left dugout, to the first one. I saw the body already lying dead. And on the right side was Kurashov.... He was alone there. There was no one else nearby." One of Kurashov's fellow soldiers testified that they had been instructed by a superior to "take no prisoners." Orders From Above Russia denies its military has committed atrocities in Ukraine, despite mounting evidence. Taras Semkiv, deputy head of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's war crimes department, told Crimea.Realities that authorities have "reasons to believe" that Russian commanders are issuing orders to execute Ukrainian soldiers rather than taking them prisoner across the entire front line. "We are currently working to identify the people giving such orders," Semkiv said, adding that "this is definitely not about some isolated cases or the excess of individual servicemen." The numbers, Semkiv says, are rising. Semkiv says his department established 11 cases of Ukrainian soldiers being executed in 2023. The following year, that number rose to 133. "This number may actually be much higher," he said. "We are definitely talking about a certain dynamic in executions. These are not individuals who, for some reason, decided to commit a crime, but rather is a corresponding order, a corresponding policy of the Russian Federation not to take Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen prisoner." The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine last month expressed "alarm at a sharp rise in reported executions of Ukrainian soldiers" by the Russian military. "Since the end of August 2024, the mission recorded 79 such executions in 24 separate incidents," it said in a statement. Kurashov, meanwhile, is awaiting a verdict in his trial. He faces a potential life sentence if convicted. Hodonyuk could not be buried for several months after his killing because his body could not be recovered from an active combat zone. His body was eventually interred in May 2024. The area where he was killed is currently under Russian occupation. Adapted from the original Crimea.Realities report by RFE/RL's Carl Schreck Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-soldier-trial-war- crimes-ukraine/33341561.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 Report by Russian Defence Ministry on repelling AFU attempt to invade Russian territory in Kursk region (9 March 2025) 09.03.2025 (12:30) The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the operation to neutralise AFU formations on the territory of Kursk region. The Sever Group of Forces' units liberated Lebedevka (Kursk region) and Novenkoye (Suy region) during the offensive. The Russian Armed Forces inflicted damage on units 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 AFU near Agronom, Bogdanovka, Goncharovka, Guyevo, Zaoleshenka, Kazachya Loknya, Pervy Knyazhy, Vtoroy Knyazhy, Kositsa, Loknya, Malaya Loknya, Makhnovka, Rubanshchina, Sudzha, Cherkasskaya Konopelka, Cherkasskoye Porechnoye, and Yuzhny. Two counter-attacks were repelled. Operational-Tactical and Army aviation and artillery inflicted fire damage on AFU manpower and hardware close to Bondarevka, Pervy Knyazhy, Kubatkin, Kurilovka, Lebedevka, Martynovka, Mirny as well as Basovka, Belovody, Zhuravka, Miropolye, Novenkoye, Obody, Yunakovka, and Yablonovka (Sumy region). Within the past 24 hours, AFU losses amounted to more than 350 troops, one tank, two infantry fighting vehicles, five armoured personnel carriers, 19 armoured fighting vehicles, 29 motor vehicles, six field artillery guns, one mortar, one electronic warfare station, one Israeli-made RADA radar station, 11 UAV command posts, and one ammunition depot. Six AFU servicemen surrendered. Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk direction, the AFU losses amounted to more than 65,930 troops, 387 tanks, 300 infantry fighting vehicles, 264 armoured personnel carriers, 2,163 armoured fighting vehicles, 2,370 motor vehicles, 528 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, 120 EW stations, 15 counter-battery warfare radars, ten air defence radars, 54 units of engineering and other materiel, including 22 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. Department for Media Affairs and Information NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Spain condemns escalation of Russian military action against Ukraine Spain - Ministry of Foreign Affairs PRESS STATEMENT 028 Sunday, March 9, 2025 Spain condemns in the strongest terms the intensification of Russian military actions against Ukraine, and in particular the recent drone and missile attacks against civilian targets, including residential buildings and, with particular cruelty, against rescue teams working to help dozens of victims in the town of Dobropillia. With these actions, Russia demonstrates that its priority continues to be maintaining the war of aggression rather than working for peace in Ukraine. Spain reaffirms its support for the legitimate defence of Ukraine and its commitment to achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting peace. -NON OFFICIAL TRANSLATION- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Steps Up Attacks, Battlefield Gains Ahead Of Crucial US-Ukraine Talks By RFE/RL March 10, 2025 Russian forces carried out more than 2,100 aerial strikes on Ukraine over the past week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on March 9, as Russia has stepped up attacks on its neighbor and reported battlefield gains ahead of Kyiv's high-stakes talks with US representatives in Saudi Arabia next week. Zelenskyy said in a social media post that Russian forces this week deployed 1,200 guided aerial bombs, nearly 870 attack drones, and more than 80 missiles of various types. The Russian Defense Ministry, meanwhile, announced the recapture of several villages and towns on March 9 in its Kursk region -- -- as well as new settlements in eastern Ukraine -- with unconfirmed reports that thousands of Ukrainian troops risks being encircled by Russian forces. It comes a day after Russian air strikes killed at least 50 people in the eastern Donetsk region, according to local officials, with at least 11 deaths reported in the city of Dobropillya. "Such strikes show that Russia's goals are unchanged," Zelenskyy wrote on social media late on March 8. "Therefore, it is very important to continue to do everything to protect life, strengthen our air defense, and increase sanctions against Russia." The series of strikes and battlefield pressure represent another setback for Kyiv ahead of crucial talks with the United States next week in Saudi Arabia, where Ukrainian officials will meet with their US counterparts for negotiations around how to end the three-year war. The Institute For The Study of War, a Washington-based think tank that tracks battlefield developments, said Russian forces have "intensified their multi-directional campaign to eliminate the remaining Ukrainian salient in Kursk" in the last two days. According to DeepState, an open-source military tracker linked to the Ukrainian Army, the Russian moves followed a "breach" in Ukrainian defense lines near the town of Sudzha, which remains under Kyiv's control but is facing growing pressure from Russian units. Pro-Russian war bloggers that closely track frontline developments in the war also reported that Russian special forces walked inside a gas pipeline to strike Ukrainian units from the rear in Kursk late on March 8 to gain a foothold outside of the town of Sudzha. According to the reports, the pipeline was used to surprise Ukrainian units and cut off their supply lines as the Kremlin pours more manpower into kicking Kyiv out of Russian territory. RFE/RL was not able to independently verify the accounts, but Ukrainian officials confirmed that Russian "sabotage and assault groups" used the pipeline to get access to Sudzha. "At present, Russian special forces are being detected, blocked, and destroyed. The enemy's losses in Sudzha are very high," Ukraine's General Staff said in a Telegram post on March 8. Ukraine aimed to hit back by launching a drone overnight at an industrial facility in the Russian region of Chuvashia, some 1,300 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. The strike is one of the deepest yet into Russian territory by a Ukrainian drone, and it hit its target but caused no casualties, according to Russian authorities. Ousting Ukrainian forces from Kursk with the talks in Saudi Arabia approaching looks to be part of Moscow's strategy. In August 2024, thousands of Ukrainian soldiers seized roughly 1,300 square kilometers of Russia's western Kursk region in what Kyiv later characterized as an attempt to gain a bargaining chip for future negotiations and draw Russian troops away from the front line in eastern Ukraine. Russian forces have managed to claw back large chunks of territory in Kursk, but Ukraine has retained a foothold that now risks being shrunk down further leading into the key talks. Ukraine 'Fully Committed' To US Talks With his attention fixed on the upcoming talks, Zelenskyy said Ukraine is "fully committed" to having a constructive dialogue with US representatives in Saudi Arabia next week over a potential peace settlement. "Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of this war. Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively," he posted on X. The Ukrainian president said he will travel to Saudi Arabia and meet with Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman on March 10. Afterward, a delegation of Ukrainian diplomatic and military representatives will stay for a March 11 meeting with a US negotiating team. "On our side, we are fully committed to constructive dialogue, and we hope to discuss and agree on the necessary decisions and steps," Zelenskyy said. Zelenskyy will not be part of the US-Ukraine talks, which will instead be done by a delegation that will include Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Zelenskyy's chief of staff Andriy Yermak, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. They will meet with a US delegation that will reportedly include US President Donald Trump's envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and national-security adviser Mike Waltz. In remarks late on March 9, Trump told reporters he expects could results from the Saudi talks. "We're going to make a lot of progress, I believe, this week," Trump said. The upcoming talks in Saudi Arabia are the culmination of weeks of tough diplomacy and negotiations spearheaded by Washington since it met with a Russian delegation in Riyadh in February. US-Ukraine ties have since frayed, with tensions culminating in an Oval Office argument in late February between Zelenskyy, Trump, and US Vice President JD Vance that saw the Ukrainian President leave the White House without signing a crucial minerals deal with Washington. Since then, the Trump administration has paused military shipments and intelligence sharing with Ukraine. The full extend of the intelligence cutoff is unclear, but it has sparked fears that it could lead to Ukrainian setbacks on the frontlines as Russia looks to press for the advantage. In the March 9 remarks to reporters, Trump said he believed Ukraine would eventually sign a minerals deal with the United States. But -- amid reports he would want even more actions out of Kyiv -- Trump added that "I want them to want peace. They haven't shown it to the extent they should." European countries like Britain and France have stepped up to provide more intelligence sharing with Ukraine but are reportedly still not able to replace the full scope of US capabilities. Waltz suggested on March 5 that Trump may lift the pause on military aid once peace negotiations are arranged and confidence-building measures take place. When asked on March 9 whether he would end the suspension of intelligence-sharing with Kyiv, Trump said, without elaborating, that "we just about have. We just about have." In the days leading up to the talks, Trump offered criticism of Moscow's increased attacks on Ukraine in the lead up to talks and mentioned potential sanctions against the Kremlin. But he also said Russian President Vladimir Putin was "doing what anybody would do" and he told reporters in the Oval Office on March 7 that he finds it "easier" to work with Russia than Ukraine and that Putin "wants to end the war." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-trump-saudi- arabia-talks-kursk-battlefield-war/33341436.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 OTTAWA, Ontario, March 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The following is a statement from National Police Federation President and C.E.O., Brian Sauve, on the Liberal Party of Canadas election of Mark Carney as Leader, and public safety progress made under outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus leadership: We congratulate Mark Carney on becoming the Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Prime Minister-elect today. We look forward to working with you and any future government to support a public safety plan for Canadians in these uncertain times, building on the exceptional work of our RCMP Members and all police services across the country. This includes border security, making our communities safe and more resilient, protecting against evolving threats, combating organized crime and the fentanyl crisis, eliminating human trafficking, and being prepared for emergencies such as wildfires and floods. We also commend outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Ministers of Public Safety on their leadership in securing the following public safety improvements: Passing of Bill C-7 (2017) which allowed RCMP Members to unionize to improve public safety for all Canadians. Negotiation of two Collective Agreements with the NPF, returning to competitive wages and working conditions for ~20,000 RCMP Members across Canada and internationally. Investment and roll out of body worn cameras for all frontline RCMP Members. Ongoing commitment to the RCMPs Contract Policing Program beyond 2032, following successful engagement with contract partners which - consistent with our own public opinion research - confirming their satisfaction with RCMP policing and desire to continue the partnership. Ongoing review of the RCMPs Federal Policing Program to find ways to ensure its stable resourcing. $1.3 billion investment in Canadas immigration system and to bolster security at the Canada US border. We look forward to continuing this important work at a time when all Canadians want economic stability and confidence in their institutions: with public safety the cornerstone. About the National Police Federation: The National Police Federation (NPF) represents ~20,000 RCMP Members serving across Canada and internationally. We are the largest police union in Canada. The NPF is focused on improving public safety for all Canadians, including our Members by advocating for much-needed investment in the public safety continuum. This includes investments in police resourcing and modern equipment, as well as social programs including health, addiction, and housing supports to enhance safety and livability in the many communities we serve, large and small, across Canada. For more information about the National Police Federation, visit www.npf-fpn.com Follow us: NPF: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram Media contact: Sarah Kavanagh Advisor, Media Relations Media@npf-fpn.com 604-842-6864 TORONTO, March 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- G2 Goldfields Inc. (G2 or the Company) (TSX: GTWO; OTCQX: GUYGF) is pleased to announce an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE or Resource) within the Companys 83,967-acre Oko Project, Guyana. The bulk of the gold mineralization lies along a prominent 2.5 km long north-south structure comprised of the high-grade Oko Main Zone (OMZ) to the north and a bulk mineable, disseminated resource to the south, known as the Ghanie Gold Zone (Ghanie). The new Resource includes all drilling data obtained up to the end of January 2025 and represents a significant increase to the previous estimate released on April 3, 2024. Highlights Total Indicated gold resources increased by 60% to 1.5 million ounces (Moz) Total Inferred gold resources increased by 49% to 1.6 Moz Resource remains open to depth and to the north along strike OMZ established as one of highest-grade gold deposits globally G2 exploration team remains in growth and discovery mode Daniel Noone, Chief Executive Officer of G2 Goldfields Inc. stated, This MRE firmly establishes our Oko Project as both large and comparatively high grade. This, combined with Guyanas pro-development mining policies, places Oko near the top of undeveloped gold projects. We will continue to leverage our experience, success and knowledge of this emerging district to find and develop more mines for Guyana. Mineral Resource Estimate The mineral resource summary is presented in Table 1 below. Indicated resources total 1.5 Moz at a grade of 3.40 g/t Au and include high-grade, near surface zones (S3, S4, S5) at OMZ of 609,000 oz at an average grade of 10.25 g/t Au within approximately 5 to 370 m from surface, reflecting the favorable vertical zonation of the deposit. Inferred resources total 1.6 Moz @ 2.48 g/t Au and include high-grade, near surface zones at OMZ of 360,000 oz at an average grade of 7.28 g/t Au within approximately 5 to 560 m from surface. The Resource includes all drilling data obtained up to the end of January 2025, including an additional 188 drill holes totalling 59,154 metres for a total inventory of 587 drill holes within 152,817 metres. The estimate was prepared by Micon International Limited (Micon) in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101) with an effective date of March 1, 2025. Table 1 Oko-Ghanie Mineral Resource Estimate Summary Deposit Mining Method Category Tonnage (t) Gold Avg. Grade (g/t) Contained Gold (oz) Oko Main Zone (OMZ) Surface (OP) Total Indicated 418,000 2.32 31,400 Total Inferred 535,000 0.88 15,300 Underground (UG) Total Indicated 2,729,000 8.85 776,600 Total Inferred 2,938,000 5.27 498,200 OP + UG Total Indicated 3,147,000 7.98 808,000 Total Inferred 3,473,000 4.60 513,500 Ghanie Surface (OP) Total Indicated 10,190,000 1.97 644,900 Total Inferred 6,480,000 1.06 221,700 Underground (UG) Total Indicated 98,000 5.87 18,500 Total Inferred 5,582,000 4.47 802,800 OP + UG Total Indicated 10,288,000 2.01 663,400 Total Inferred 12,062,000 2.64 1,024,500 Oko NW Surface (OP) Total Inferred 4,976,000 0.61 97,200 Entire Oko Project OP + UG Total Indicated 13,435,000 3.40 1,471,400 Total Inferred 20,511,000 2.48 1,635,200 Notes to Table 1: The effective date of this Mineral Resource Estimate is March 1, 2025. The MRE presented above uses economic assumptions for both, surface mining in saprolite and fresh rock and underground mining on fresh rock only. The MRE has been classified in the Indicated and Inferred categories following spatial continuity analysis and geological confidence. The calculated gold cut-off grades to report the MRE for surface mining are 0.27 g/t Au in saprolite, 0.32 g/t Au in fresh rock and for underground mining is 1.48 g/t Au in fresh rock. The economic parameters used are; a gold price of US$2,281/oz with a single metallurgical recovery of 85%, a mining cost of US$2.5/t in saprolite, US$2.75/t in fresh rock and US$75.0/t in underground. Processing cost of US$12/t for saprolite and US$15/t for fresh rock and a general and administration cost of US$2.5/t. For surface mining the open pits at Oko and Ghanie use slope angles of 30 in saprolite and 50 in fresh rock. Micon's QPs have considered that the transition between the OP mining and UG mining scenarios will result in the need for crown pillars. However, at this time, the crown pillars are considered to be recoverable, therefore Micon's QPs have considered them as part of the Mineral Resource Estimate. The OMZ presently has had subcontracted mid-scale miners underground mining operations on the license. G2 Goldfields has provided Micons QPs with digitized vertical maps of the voids, as of 2022, and the current mineral resources have been discounted based upon this information. However, there are no updated surveys, maps or production records for the underground mining operations from 2022 to present. G2 Goldfields is of the belief that there are no subcontracted mid-scale miners currently present on the Oko claims. The block models for Oko and Ghanie are orthogonal and use a parent block size of 10 m, along strike, 3 m across strike, and 5 m in height. The minimum child block is 2 m x 0.5 m x 1 m respectively. The open pit optimization uses a re-blocked size of 10 m x 9 m x 10 m and for the underground optimization uses mining shapes of 10 m long by 10 m high for Oko and 20 m long by 20 m high for Ghanie and a minimum mining width of 2 m. The mineral resources described above have been prepared in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Standards and Practices. Messrs. Alan J. San Martin, P.Eng. and William J. Lewis, P.Geo. from Micon International Limited are the Qualified Person (QP) for this Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE). Numbers have been rounded to the nearest thousand tonnes and nearest hundred ounces. Differences may occur in totals due to rounding. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves as they have not demonstrated economic viability. The quantity and grade of reported Indicated and Inferred mineral resources in this news release are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define any measured resource; however, it is reasonably expected that a significant portion of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded into Indicated Mineral Resources with further exploration. Micon's QPs have not identified any legal, political, environmental, or other factors that could materially affect the potential development of the mineral resource estimate. Figure 1 Oko Project Long Section Looking West Figure 2 Oko Project Vertical Section Looking South Figure 3 Oko Project Plan View Zones Remain Open for Further Growth The OMZ and Ghanie deposits consist of multiple plunging zones of high-grade mineralization that remain open vertically. These zones continue to be successfully targeted in an on-going drill program at Ghanie North and the OMZ Shear 3, where visible gold have been intersected in multiple recent drill holes. Two diamond drill rigs are currently active targeting high-grade plunging mineralization. Regional Exploration The G2 team is fully focused on near surface targets in the greater Oko area, including assets proposed to be part of the G3 Goldfields Inc. (G3) spin-out. The potential for the discovery of additional gold resources is considered to be excellent. G2 is currently drilling several prominent gold-in-soil anomalies north of the Oko Project which are interpreted to be part of a regional structural break. Additionally, a major soil sampling and mapping program is ongoing on the greater G2 property portfolio. Data validation The drilling database used to estimate the Mineral Resources reported in this press release was reviewed by Micon International Limited. A site visit was conducted by Ing. Alan J. San Martin, P.Eng., MAusIMM(CP), to inspect mineralized intervals, alteration assemblages and QA/QC protocols and to conduct field checks of trenches and to validate drill collars. Database verifications consisted of drill logs (including lithology, alteration, weathering), assay certificates, sample intervals, drill hole collars, downhole survey information and QA/QC results validations. QA/QC Drill core is logged and sampled in a secure core storage facility located on the OKO project site, Guyana. Core samples from the program are cut in half, using a diamond cutting saw, and are sent to MSALABS Guyana, in Georgetown, Guyana, which is an accredited mineral analysis laboratory, for analysis. Samples from sections of core with obvious gold mineralisation are analysed for total gold using an industry-standard 500g metallic screen fire assay (MSALABS method MSC 550). All other samples are analysed for gold using standard Fire Assay-AA with atomic absorption finish (MSALABS method; FAS-121). Samples returning over 10.0 g/t gold are analysed utilizing standard fire assay gravimetric methods (MSALABS method; FAS-425). Certified gold reference standards, blanks, and field duplicates are routinely inserted into the sample stream, as part of G2 Goldfields quality control/quality assurance program (QAQC). No QA/QC issues were noted with the results reported herein. Technical Report and Qualified Person The Company intends to file a technical report to support the updated MRE on sedarplus.ca within 45 days of this news release in accordance with NI 43-101 Standard of Disclosure of Mineral Projects. All scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dan Noone (CEO of G2 Goldfields Inc.), a qualified person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Noone (B.Sc. Geology, MBA) is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists. About Micon Micons Qualifications and QPs Micon International Limited is a firm of senior geological, mining, metallurgical and environmental consultants headquartered in Toronto, Canada with an office in the United Kingdom. The professionals of Micon have extensive experience in mineral resource estimation. Micons practice is worldwide and covers all base and precious metals. The firms clients include major and junior mining companies, all the major Canadian banks and investment houses and a large number of financial institutions in other parts of the world, including developmental financial institutions and export credit agencies. Micons technical, due diligence and valuation reports are accepted by regulatory agencies such as the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission, the Australian Stock Exchange, and the London Stock Exchange. Qualified Persons for the Technical Report Mineral Resources are estimated by Ing. Alan J. San Martin, P.Eng., MAusIMM(CP), and William J. Lewis, P.Geo., from Micon with more than 20 years experience in mineral exploration, resource estimation and mining, including in South America and Canada. Both are considered Qualified Persons for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) and have reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this news release. The Qualified Persons have verified the data underlying the MRE contained in this news release. There were no limitations imposed on the Qualified Persons for verification of the data. About G2 Goldfields Inc. The G2 Goldfields team is comprised of professionals who have been directly responsible for the discovery of millions of ounces of gold in Guyana as well as the financing and development of the Aurora Gold Mine, Guyanas largest gold mine [RPA, 43-101, Technical Report on the Aurora Gold Mine, March 31, 2020]. In March 2025, G2 announced an Updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for the Oko property in Guyana [see press release dated March 10, 2025]. Highlights of the Updated MRE include: Total combined open pit and underground Resource for the Oko Main Zone (OMZ): 513,500 oz. Au Inferred contained within 3,473,000 tonnes @ 4.60 g/t Au 808,000 oz. Au Indicated contained within 3,147,000 tonnes @ 7.98 g/t Au Total combined open pit and underground Resource for the Ghanie Zone: 1,024,500 oz. Au Inferred contained within 12,062,000 tonnes @ 2.64 g/t Au 663,400 oz. Au Indicated contained within 10,288,000 tonnes @ 2.01 g/t Au Total combined open pit and underground Resource for the Oko NW Zone: 97,200 oz. Au Inferred contained within 4,976,000 tonnes @ 0.61 g/t Au The MRE was prepared by Micon International Limited with an effective date of March 1, 2025. Significantly, the updated mineral resources lie within an average depth of 370 metres of surface. The Oko district has been a prolific alluvial goldfield since its initial discovery in the 1870s, and modern exploration techniques continue to reveal the considerable potential of the district. AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE:AU) currently holds 35,948,965 shares representing 14.99% of the issued and outstanding shares of G2. G2 currently has cash holdings exceeding C$37 million (unaudited) and is well financed to execute on this regional exploration program. All scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dan Noone (CEO of G2 Goldfields Inc.), a qualified person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Noone (B.Sc. Geology, MBA) is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists. Additional information about the Company is available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and the Company's website (www.g2goldfields.com). On behalf of the Board of G2 Goldfields Inc. Daniel Noone CEO & Director For Further Information Jacqueline Wagenaar, VP Investor Relations Direct: +1.416.628.5904 Email: j.wagenaar@g2goldfields.com Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements about the Resource remaining open to depth and to the north along strike, the Company will continue to leverage our experience, success and knowledge of this emerging district to find and develop more mines for Guyana, on-going drill program at Ghanie North and the OMZ Shear 3, where visible gold have been intersected in multiple recent drill holes, Two diamond drill rigs are currently active targeting high-grade plunging mineralization, the G2 team is fully focused on near surface targets in the greater Oko area, including assets proposed to be part of the G3 Goldfields Inc. (G3) spin-out, the potential for the discovery of additional gold resources is considered to be excellent, G2 is currently drilling several prominent gold-in-soil anomalies north of the Oko Project which are interpreted to be part of a regional structural break, and a major soil sampling and mapping program is ongoing on the greater G2 property portfolio. Wherever possible, words such as may, will, should, could, expect, plan, intend, schedule, anticipate, believe, estimate, predict or potential or the negative or other variations of these words, or similar words or phrases, have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements reflect managements current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management as at the date hereof. Forward-looking statements involve significant risk, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements, including the risk factors set out in the management information circular of the Company dated December 20, 2024. These factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law. Cautionary Note on Mineral Resources This press release contains the terms Inferred and Indicated Mineral Resources. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the Inferred and Indicated Mineral Resources reported in this press release are or will be economically or legally mineable. Investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of mineral deposits in the Inferred and Indicated Resource categories will ever be converted into a higher category of Mineral Resources or into Mineral Reserves. Under Canadian rules, estimates of Inferred Mineral Resources may not form the basis of feasibility studies. The Mineral Resources set out in this news release are estimates, and no assurance can be given that the anticipated tonnages and grades will be achieved or that the Indicated level of recovery will be realized. Neither the TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy and / or accuracy of this release. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6ec946c4-0fcc-4583-bf85-7769de03e309 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e789f282-5bc0-4ae1-a6d9-4bfc5758220a https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ca6fef8f-79c4-4a17-a098-c026098033f2 Dublin, March 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Bancassurance Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2020-2030F" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Bancassurance Market was valued at USD 1.05 Trillion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 1.71 Trillion by 2030, rising at a CAGR of 8.53%. The growing demand for insurance, especially during times of economic uncertainty and global crises, is driving financial institutions to provide more comprehensive insurance solutions to their customers. Additionally, the rise of digital marketing platforms allows banks to reach a broader audience and grow their customer base. Technological advancements, such as digital platforms and financial advisory services, have revolutionized the bancassurance sector, making it more accessible and efficient. Market Drivers Strategic Partnerships Between Banks and Insurance Companies One of the major drivers of the bancassurance market is the growing trend of strategic partnerships between banks and insurance companies. By leveraging their existing customer bases, banks are able to distribute insurance products more effectively and at a lower cost. Insurance companies benefit from these partnerships as they gain access to a large pool of potential customers through the bank's network. Banks, in turn, enhance their value proposition by offering integrated financial services to their customers, which can increase customer retention and loyalty. The collaboration allows banks to tap into the lucrative insurance market without needing to establish a separate distribution channel. For insurance companies, bancassurance provides an established and trusted platform to sell their products, reducing the need for traditional marketing and agent networks. In many cases, banks also have a more extensive customer relationship and better data on their clients' financial needs, which enables them to cross-sell insurance products more effectively. Bancassurance partnerships have proven beneficial in both developed and emerging markets. Key Market Challenges Regulatory and Compliance Challenges One of the primary challenges facing the bancassurance market is the complex and often stringent regulatory and compliance requirements. The regulatory landscape for bancassurance is constantly evolving, with different rules and regulations in place across various countries. Banks and insurance companies must navigate these complex regulatory frameworks to ensure compliance with local laws, which can vary widely depending on the jurisdiction. In many countries, banks are required to obtain specific licenses or approvals before they can sell insurance products, and these licensing processes can be both time-consuming and costly. Furthermore, there are often strict guidelines governing how insurance products can be marketed and sold to consumers. For example, in some regions, banks may need to ensure that their insurance offerings are aligned with consumer protection laws, which can add another layer of complexity. Additionally, the integration of technology in bancassurance, such as offering insurance products through digital platforms, also raises issues around data privacy and protection. Banks must comply with data protection regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union, which requires stringent safeguards for handling customer data. Key Market Trends Digital Transformation and Online Distribution Channels One of the key trends in the bancassurance market is the rapid adoption of digital technologies, enabling banks to offer insurance products through online and mobile platforms. Digital transformation has revolutionized the way financial services, including insurance, are distributed. Customers are increasingly preferring the convenience of managing their finances, including purchasing insurance, via digital channels. Online distribution channels, such as bank websites, mobile apps, and online portals, have made it easier for customers to access insurance products and manage their policies. Banks are integrating their traditional banking platforms with insurance offerings, allowing customers to view, purchase, and manage their insurance policies in one place. This trend is driven by the increasing demand for seamless, user-friendly, and instant services. Additionally, the rise of digital-first customers, especially millennials and Generation Z, who are tech-savvy and prefer online services, is further pushing this trend. Insurance companies are also leveraging digital tools such as artificial intelligence (AI), chatbots, and data analytics to personalize insurance offerings and enhance the customer experience. As more customers engage with banks and insurance companies through digital platforms, there is a growing focus on providing digital-first insurance solutions. Key Players Profiled in the Bancassurance Market ABN AMRO Bank N.V. Banco Bradesco SA The American Express Company Banco Santander SA BNP Paribas SA The ING Group Wells Fargo & Company Barclays plc Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. Lloyds Banking Group plc Report Scope Bancassurance Market, By Insurance Type Life Insurance Non-Life Insurance Bancassurance Market, By Model Type Pure Distributor Model Strategic Alliance Model Joint Venture Model Financial Holding Others Bancassurance Market, By End User Personal Business Bancassurance Market, By Region North America United States Canada Mexico Europe France Germany Spain Italy United Kingdom Asia-Pacific China Japan India Vietnam South Korea Middle East & Africa South Africa Saudi Arabia UAE Turkey Kuwait Egypt South America Brazil Argentina Colombia Key Attributes Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 185 Forecast Period 2024-2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $1.05 Trillion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $1.71 Trillion Compound Annual Growth Rate 8.5% Regions Covered Global For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/t61w1f About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment TORONTO, March 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NowVertical Group Inc. (TSXV: NOW) ("NowVertical" or the "Company"), a leading data and AI solutions provider, today announced the next phase of its strategic growth plan, as the benefits of its integration efforts begin to drive tangible results. In addition, NowVertical is pleased to announce that it has entered into debt settlement agreements (the Agreements) with certain employees of the Company. Integration and Growth Since its inception, NowVertical has undergone a transformational journey: Phase 1: Acquisition - Built a global portfolio of 12 acquisitions to secure core capabilities. Phase 2: Integration - Unified the organisation under its "One Brand, One Business" strategy, eliminating silos and aligning global operations. With these foundational phases complete, NowVertical is now positioned to fully capitalise on its integrated business, entering its next phase of expansion: Phase 3: Growth - Leveraging integration to drive organic revenue growth, positioning for opportunistic acquisitions and delivering sustained shareholder value. NowVertical is uniquely positioned for accelerated growth, underpinned by five core drivers: Relationships with 100+ enterprise clients. High-value and long-term engagement, with the top 30 clients each averaging $700K of revenue per year. Critical technology partnerships, including Google Cloud Premier Partnership, Microsoft, Anaplan and Qlik. Exposure to key growth markets, both in high-demand data & AI solutions and strategic geographies. A scalable operating model, built to support enterprise data initiatives. With these growth levers in place, NowVerticals integration strategy is designed to accelerate its trajectory towards achieving its first major operational milestone, being $50M revenue run rate and $10M run rate EBITDA with 10% of revenue derived from integration-driven activities to evidence this acceleration. Accelerating Growth Through Integration NowVerticals next phase of growth is powered by three integration pillars, designed to deliver greater value to enterprise clients and maximise shareholder returns. 1. Strategic Account Integration Capitalising on enterprise account headroom by unlocking multi-market expansion opportunities within its existing enterprise client base of over 100+ enterprise relationships. 2. Partnership Integration Maximising the impact of strategic technology partners (Google Cloud Premier Partner, Microsoft, Anaplan, and Qlik) on a global rather than regional scale, enhancing partnership status and unlocking new client opportunities. 3. Capability Integration Delivering a unified, high-value service offering enabling historically fragmented capabilities to be delivered to existing clients across the globe. These initiatives were previously constrained by operational silos, with capabilities and market access fragmented across NowVerticals acquired businesses. The implementation of the "One Brand, One Business" model since January 2024 has strengthened NowVerticals ability to overcome these barriers by creating a cohesive, high-impact organisation that is well positioned to effect integration and to deliver the following benefits: A Clear Path to High-Value, Scalable Growth With integration efforts now delivering real business impact, NowVertical is entering a new phase of focused expansion focused on high-margin opportunities. "Our integration strategy has created the foundation for scalable, predictable growth," said Sandeep Mendiratta, CEO of NowVertical. "Now, we are shifting our focus to executionexpanding enterprise accounts, strengthening our partnerships, and fully leveraging our AI and data capabilities across our two core markets. The $50M revenue and $10M EBITDA revenue run rate milestone is the first validation of how this strategy translates into real shareholder value, 10% of our revenue from integration related activities signals how we deliver this sustainably and grow beyond it." NowVertical is now positioned to operate as a fully integrated enterprise AI and data solutions provider, ensuring sustained value creation for investors. Debt Settlement Agreements Pursuant to the Agreements, the Company has agreed to settle an aggregate of CAD$35,220.62, representing the net amount of certain bonus entitlements owing to certain employees, less applicable statutory withholdings and deductions, through the issuance of Class A Subordinate voting shares in the capital of the Company (the Subordinate Voting Shares). Subject to receipt of TSX Venture Exchange (the TSXV) approval, the Company will issue an aggregate of 93,917 Subordinate Voting Shares (collectively, the "Settlement Shares") at a price of C$0.375 per share, representing the March 7, 2025 market closing price of the Subordinate Voting Shares traded on the TSXV. Upon issuance, the Settlement Shares will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months plus a day from the issuance date, as per applicable securities regulations. About NowVertical Group Inc. The Company is a global data and analytics company which helps clients transform data into tangible business value with AI, fast. Offering a comprehensive suite of solutions and services the Company enables clients to quickly harness the full potential of their data, driving measurable outcomes and accelerating potential return on investment. Enterprises optimize decision-making, improve operational efficiency, and unlock long-term value from their data using the Company's AI-Infused first party and third-party technologies. NowVertical is growing organically and through strategic acquisitions. For further details about NowVertical, please visit www.nowvertical.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For further information, please contact: Andre Garber, CDO IR@nowvertical.com T: +1(647)947-0223 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (together "forward-looking statements"), including, the ability of the Company to benefit from prior acquisitions, the benefits of integration of the Companys operations, the accelerations of the Companys growth trajectory, the ability of the Company to achieve stable growth, the ability of the Company to capitalize on existing relationships, the Companys ability to achieve it operational growth milestones, the ability of the Company to secure high-margin opportunities, the results of the Companys efforts, statements pertaining to the approval of the TSXV and the issuance of the Settlement Shares, and the associated results of the transactions contemplated in this press release on NowVerticals business, finances and operations. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, and contingencies, certain of which are unknown. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "may", "should", "will", "could", "intend", "estimate", "plan", "anticipate", "expect", "believe" or "continue", or the negative thereof or similar variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the estimated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and the forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by inherent risks and uncertainties, including: adverse market conditions; risks inherent in the data analytics and artificial intelligence sectors in general; risks inherent in the Companys relationships with customers, clients and partners; regulatory and legislative changes; that future results may vary from historical results; inability to obtain any requisite future financing on suitable terms; any inability to realize the expected benefits and synergies of acquisitions, dispositions and integration; that market competition may affect the business, results and financial condition of the Company and other risk factors identified in documents filed by the Company under its profile at www.sedarplus.com, including the Company's management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2023. Further, these forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, except as expressly required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/50c0c0e0-6aa4-42d6-bde2-27c949430328 COLUMBIA FALLS, Maine, March 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National nonprofit Wreaths Across America (WAA) announces its curriculum now includes lesson plans for students in kindergarten through 8th grade highlighting the accomplishments and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen. The WAA TEACH program, spearheaded by retired educator and Gold Star Mother Cindy Tatum, aims to equip educators with a service-based curriculum to instill the values of freedom and honor in students nationwide. The Tuskegee Airmen lesson plans are available to download for free on the organizations Educational Resources Page. The Tuskegee Airmen lesson plans focus on the first African American combat pilots who served in the U.S. Army Air Corp during World War II. In January 1939, President Roosevelt asked Congress to pass legislation to authorize a permanent Civilian Pilot Training (CPT) Program. The Civilian Pilot Training Act of 1939 was passed in June 1939, the legislation included a provision not to exclude anyone based on race. In March 1941, President Roosevelt officially activated the all-black World War II fighter squadron. The men trained at Moton Field and Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, going on to become some of the best and most sought-after pilots in the Army Air Corp. The Tuskegee Airmen not only fought the war abroad, but the war for equality at home. Their excellent combat record protecting American bombers from enemy fighters helped pave the way for Trumans desegregation of the military in 1948. Despite all the obstacles the Tuskegee Airmen encountered, they persevered in pursuit of their dreams and embodied the 2025 Wreaths Across America theme Keep Moving Forward, said Cindy Tatum, WAA TEACH Curriculum Developer and Education Liaison. As students learn about these heroes, they will understand more about our countrys history and be inspired to follow their own dreams. The TEACH program encompasses materials from philanthropic and patriotic organizations, including the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration, the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, The Congressional Medal of Honor Society, The Library of Congress Veterans History Project, The Korean War Legacy Foundation, The IKE Eisenhower Foundation, Military Child Education Coalition and the Military Order of the World Wars. Lesson plans are available for free download at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/teach . Educators and homeschoolers are encouraged to explore and incorporate the materials into their curriculum. For more information about Wreaths Across America and how to participate in National Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday, December 13, 2025, visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org. To directly support the TEACH Program and help provide these free resources to classrooms and educator across the country, please donate here. # # # About Wreaths Across America Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The organizations yearlong mission Remember, Honor, Teach is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as at thousands of veterans cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond. Attachment Dublin, March 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "FDA Trends for Computer System Validation (CSV) Compliance and Enforcement" training has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Upon completion of this session, attendees will have an understanding of FDA compliance and enforcement as it relates to computer system validation. They will understand how to develop the most robust computer system validation compliance program, focusing on the critical areas of interest to FDA. The attendees will have a good grasp of how to identify potential weaknesses and findings, as well as how to make recommendations for addressing and remediating them through risk mitigation. In particular, we will focus on best practices for validating computer systems regulated by FDA and meeting compliance with electronic records and electronic signatures (21 CFR Part 11).We will also provide current FDA trends, including a focus on data integrity issues in industry, which will be illustrated through industry examples. The webinar will cover what you need to do to prepare for an FDA audit, and also the importance and steps required to be certain you have audited all vendors of regulated systems appropriately. Why Should You Attend? Effective and compliant computer system validation is critical to any FDA-regulated organization. FDA has set forth very specific requirements for meeting compliance, and a very prescriptive set of enforcement actions to protect patient and/or consumer safety. This course will enable you to best anticipate and prepare for FDA scrutiny, understand your role during inspections and audits, and gain insight to the level of enforcement associated with various findings, consent decrees and warning letters. Examples from industry will be used as case studies to illustrate these. It is vital for regulated companies to maintain a pulse on the regulatory environment in order to fortify system validation efforts, as necessary, to meet FDA expectations .It is the best practice to have a robust computer system validation, continue executing against it consistently, and documenting it thoroughly. By maintaining a strong and consistent computer system validation program, companies can further build trust with FDA and the consumers who rely on such oversight for protection. Who Should Attend: Information Technology (IT) Analysts IT Developers IT Support Staff QC/QA Managers and Analysts Clinical Data Managers and Scientists Compliance Managers and Auditors Lab Managers and Analysts Computer System Validation Specialists GMP Training Specialists Business Stakeholders using Computer Systems regulated by FDA Regulatory Affairs Personnel Consultants in the Life Sciences and Tobacco Industries Interns working at the companies listed above College students attending schools and studying computer system validation, regulatory affairs/matters (related to FDA) or any other discipline that involves adherence to FDA regulatory requirements Key Topics Covered: FDA Regulatory Oversight Computer System Validation (CSV) System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) Methodology Good "Variable" Practice (GxP) (Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), Good Clinical Practice (GCP)) GAMP 5 Software Categorization System Risk Assessment Requirements, Design, Testing Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM) Validation Documentation 21 CFR Part 11 Compliance (Electronic Records/Signatures) Audit Preparation Most Common Problems with CSV Best Practices RAPS This course has been pre-approved by RAPS as eligible for up to 4.0 credits towards a participant's RAC recertification upon full completion. Speakers: Carolyn Troiano Webinar/Seminar/Workshop Instructor in FDA Compliance Training Carolyn Troiano has more than 35 years of experience in the tobacco, pharmaceutical, medical device and other FDA-regulated industries. She has worked directly, or on a consulting basis, for many of the larger pharmaceutical and tobacco companies in the US and Europe, developing and executing compliance strategies and programs For more information about this training visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/nx171l About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. SINGAPORE, March 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BexBack, a leading cryptocurrency trading platform, today announced the launch of its new 100x leverage feature, along with generous bonuses and a no-KYC (Know Your Customer) trading environment. This latest move aims to empower traders by maximizing their profit potential and enhancing privacy, reinforcing BexBacks commitment to providing a top-tier trading experience. Unmatched Trading Leverage BexBack offers a remarkable 100x leverage on Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and other more than 50 major cryptocurrencies. This means traders can open positions up to 100 times their initial deposit, allowing them to maximize profits even during small market fluctuations. With leverage, your potential returns grow exponentially, making BexBack an essential platform for experienced traders seeking to amplify their positions. Generous Bonuses to Boost Your Trading Power New users can enjoy 100% deposit bonuses that instantly double their funds, enabling them to take larger positions from the start. On top of this, a $50 Welcome Bonus is provided to all new users after completing their first trade. With these generous bonuses, you get more capital to trade, which means more opportunities to make profitable moves in the crypto market. No KYC Trade with Privacy Unlike many other exchanges, BexBack does not require KYC verification to start trading. This allows traders to get started immediately without the hassle of identity verification. Your privacy is important, and BexBack ensures a smooth and seamless experience where you can focus on what matters: trading. No Deposit Fees & Free Conversion BexBack also stands out with no deposit fees, allowing you to deposit funds without worrying about hidden charges. Additionally, conversions between BTC and USDT are free and done at real-time market prices, making the process fast and efficient. All these features come together to create a smooth, user-friendly trading environment. Advanced Trading Tools & 24/7 Support BexBack offers a variety of advanced tools, including demo accounts, comprehensive charting features, and real-time data to help traders make informed decisions. If you need assistance, our support team is available 24/7 to address your concerns and provide solutions. Whether you're trading on your mobile device or via web, BexBack ensures a seamless experience across all platforms. A Platform You Can Trust BexBacks reputation is built on its commitment to offering the best trading experience while ensuring the security of its users. We operate under strict security protocols and work tirelessly to provide a safe, transparent, and efficient trading environment. Start Trading with BexBack Today Are you ready to take your crypto trading to the next level? Join BexBack today and take advantage of our incredible bonuses, high leverage, and easy-to-use platform. With no KYC requirements, no deposit fees, and 100x leverage, theres never been a better time to start trading with BexBack . Sign Up Today and claim your 100% deposit bonus and $50 welcome bonus and start building your crypto portfolio with confidence. Website: www.bexback.com Contact: business@bexback.com Contact: Amanda business@bexback.com Disclaimer: This content is provided by BexBack. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e3e956ea-b08a-4455-926c-71fb684b2edf https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/05b77532-e7bf-4582-8de9-a83b8e2559c5 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/19b632f3-3fda-46d3-b80b-2471bfa8e84c https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6d242992-6460-4a8d-af49-1041dbb9d122 Company Announcement number 22/2025 - 10 March 2025 Annual general meeting of Realkredit Danmark A/S This company announcement relates to the annual general meeting of Realkredit Denmark A/S that was held on 10th March 2025 at 9 am at Bernstorffsgade 40, 1577 Kbenhavn V and contains the agenda and summary hereof. Helle Meiniche, Head of Business Risk and Governance was appointed as chairperson. Agenda: Submission of the Annual Report 2024 for adoption Proposal for indemnification of the Board of Directors and the Executive Board Proposal for allocation of profits or cover of losses according to the adopted Annual Report 2024 Submission of the Remuneration Policy 2025 and Remuneration Report 2024 Election of members to the Board of Directors Appointment of external auditor Appointment of external sustainability auditor Any other proposals or issues brought forward by the Board of Directors or shareholders Summary: Re item 1. Submission of the Annual Report 2024 for adoption : The chairman of the board presented a report on the company's activities for the financial year 2024 and reviewed the annual report. The chairperson confirmed that the annual report, along with the audit opinion for the period 1 January to 31 December 2024, was approved Re item 2. Proposal for indemnification of the Board of Directors and the Executive Board : The chairperson confirmed that the general meeting granted discharge to the board of directors and executive management. Re item 3. Proposal for allocation of profits or cover of losses according to the adopted Annual Report 2023 : The general meeting approved the proposal from the Board of Directors to pay dividend to the shareholders in the amount of DKK 4,424 million. Re item 4. Submission of the Remuneration Policy 2025 and Remuneration Report for 2024 : Proposals for Remuneration Policy 2025 and Remuneration Report 2024 was presented. The proposal was unanimously adopted, subject to the final approval of the Remuneration Policy 2025 at the general meeting on 20 March 2025 in Danske Bank A/S Re item 5. Election of members to the Board of Directors : The general meeting re-elected the following board members: Christian Bornfeld, Head of Personal Customers & FC Risk & Prevention Linda Fagerlund, Head of Commercial Real Estate Jesper Koefoed, Managing Director Jakob Bss, Head of Group Positioning & Sustainability In addition, the Board of Directors comprises board members elected by the employees: Majken Hammer Slk, Chief Consultant, cand.polyt. Christian Hilligse Heinig, Chief Economist Gsta Harboe Rasmussen, Vurderingsspecialist Re item 6. Appointment of external auditor : Deloitte Statsautoriseret Revisionspartnerselskab was re-appointed as the companys auditors. Re item 7. Appointment of external sustainability auditor : Deloitte Statsautoriseret Revisionspartnerselskab was appointed as the companys auditors. Re item 8. Consideration of any proposals from the Board of Directors or the shareholder . Realkredit Danmark A/S Board of Directors had proposed a yearly increase in payment to Jesper Kofoed of additional DKK 50.000 and a yearly increase in payment to board members from Realkredit Danmark A/S of DKK 50.000 which was unanimously approved. The chairperson then declared the general meeting closed. ---ooo0ooo--- Subsequent board meeting of Realkredit Danmark A/S: At the meeting of the Board of Directors of Realkredit Danmark A/S held immediately after the annual general meeting, Christian Bornfeld, Head of Personal Customers & FC Risk & Prevention, was appointed chairman. The audit committee consists of Jesper Koefoed, Managing Director (chair) and Jakob Bss, Head of Group Positioning & Sustainability. ---ooo0ooo--- The Executive Board For further information, please contact Helle Meineche, Head of Business Risk & Governance, on tel. +45 21 55 87 42. Attachment Dublin, March 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Africa Two-Wheeler Market 2020-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Africa Two-Wheeler Market was valued at USD 3.68 Billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 6.51 Billion by 2030, rising at a CAGR of 9.95%. Africa's two-wheeler market is experiencing significant growth, driven by increasing urbanization and the demand for affordable and efficient transportation. With limited public transport infrastructure in many regions, two-wheelers serve as an essential means of mobility for individuals and businesses. Key Players Profiled in Africa's Two-Wheeler Market Bajaj Auto Ltd. TVS Motor Company Limited Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd. Hero MotoCorp Ltd. Honda Motor Co. Ltd. Kwang Yang Motor Co. Ltd. Suzuki Motor Corporation Sanyang Motor Co. Ltd. Lifan Motors Luoyang Northern EK Chor Motorcycle Co. Ltd. The rise of ride-hailing platforms and motorcycle taxi services is contributing to widespread adoption. Two-wheelers are also being leveraged for last-mile delivery solutions, particularly in the booming e-commerce sector. Governments and financial institutions are introducing favorable policies, such as microfinancing and subsidies, which further enhance accessibility for low- and middle-income populations. The market is evolving, with innovation in electric two-wheelers and connected technologies catering to shifting consumer preferences. The market is propelled by the increasing need for cost-effective transportation, particularly in densely populated areas. Two-wheelers offer unmatched convenience for navigating congested urban roads, making them an ideal choice for commuters. The expansion of motorcycle taxi services, such as boda-bodas and okadas, is another significant driver, creating employment opportunities and addressing mobility gaps in urban and rural regions. The growth of e-commerce is fueling demand for two-wheelers in logistics and last-mile delivery, offering quick and economical solutions for businesses. Technological advancements, such as fuel-efficient engines and electric models, are attracting environmentally conscious consumers and reducing long-term operating costs. Supportive government initiatives, including import tax reductions and financial schemes, further encourage market penetration among underserved segments. Market Drivers Growing Urbanization and Need for Affordable Mobility Rapid urbanization in Africa has led to a surge in demand for cost-effective and convenient transportation solutions. Two-wheelers are widely adopted due to their affordability, efficiency, and suitability for navigating congested city streets. As public transportation systems remain underdeveloped in many regions, two-wheelers are bridging the gap by offering reliable alternatives for short- and medium-distance travel. Their low initial costs and minimal fuel consumption make them a preferred choice for the growing middle-class population. This trend is further supported by increasing rural-to-urban migration, which has created a larger consumer base seeking accessible transportation options. Two-wheelers are also favored in regions with limited road infrastructure where larger vehicles face challenges. Governments are promoting two-wheelers as an affordable and sustainable mobility option. The ease of parking and maneuverability in narrow urban roads also enhances their attractiveness. With rapid population growth and urban sprawl, this trend is expected to continue as urban centers expand. Furthermore, two-wheelers are increasingly becoming a status symbol for young individuals seeking independence and flexibility in their transportation choices. Key Market Challenges Poor Road Infrastructure Underdeveloped road networks in many African countries pose significant challenges for two-wheeler usage. Uneven surfaces, potholes, and unpaved roads make commuting unsafe and uncomfortable, particularly in rural areas. This hinders the full potential of two-wheelers as a reliable mode of transportation. Poor infrastructure not only affects ride comfort but also accelerates wear and tear on vehicles, leading to higher maintenance costs. In some regions, flooding, dust, and mud further complicate road conditions, which can cause delays and accidents. Riders must constantly navigate these hazards, reducing the overall efficiency and appeal of two-wheelers. Additionally, these poor road conditions can increase the frequency of breakdowns and accidents, posing a major safety risk for users. While road improvements are ongoing in certain urban areas, many rural regions still lack the necessary infrastructure to support the widespread use of two-wheelers. Governments and local authorities must prioritize infrastructure development to ensure the sustainable growth of the two-wheeler market. Key Market Trends Shift Toward Electric Two-Wheelers The growing emphasis on reducing carbon emissions is driving the adoption of electric two-wheelers. Consumers are increasingly drawn to eco-friendly options that offer lower operating costs and minimal environmental impact. Electric motorcycles provide a solution to the rising fuel costs, offering lower maintenance expenses and the possibility of utilizing renewable energy sources for charging. Manufacturers are introducing affordable and reliable electric models tailored to the African market, addressing the demand for both urban commuting and commercial use. The shift towards electric two-wheelers is not only driven by environmental concerns but also by government incentives and policies aimed at promoting green technologies. Electric motorcycles are becoming more practical with improved battery life, faster charging times, and better overall performance. As awareness grows and technology advances, electric two-wheelers are expected to dominate the market in the coming years. Companies are expanding their product portfolios with electric versions of popular models, increasing accessibility for consumers. For instance, Africa's electric two and three-wheeler (E2&3W) market is rapidly expanding, with expectations for it to capture 50% of all motorcycle sales by 2040. The demand is driven by lower operational costs, particularly for fleets. E2&3Ws are already becoming significant economic contributors, offering direct and indirect job opportunities. However, barriers such as high upfront costs, limited charging infrastructure, and financing challenges persist. Innovations like battery swapping and locally tailored models are key to overcoming these hurdles. Investment in this market is increasing, with countries like Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana leading the way. Report Scope By Vehicle Type Scooter/Moped Motorcycles By Propulsion Type ICE Electric By Country Egypt Nigeria Kenya Angola Morocco Ethiopia South Africa Uganda Key Attributes Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 133 Forecast Period 2024-2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $3.68 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $6.51 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 9.9% Regions Covered Africa For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ktjb8f About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment Dublin, March 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Turkey Pesticide Market, By Region, Competition, Forecast & Opportunities, 2020-2030F" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Turkey's Pesticide Market was valued at USD 120.32 Million in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 176.38 Million by 2030, rising at a CAGR of 6.54%. The Turkish pesticide market is primarily driven by the country's robust agricultural sector, which necessitates effective crop protection solutions to enhance yield and quality. The increasing production of row crops, such as cereals and grains, has significantly bolstered the demand for pesticides. Government initiatives promoting modern farming practices and the adoption of advanced agrochemical products further stimulate market growth. Additionally, Turkey's strategic position as a major exporter of agricultural produce to neighbouring regions underscores the need for high-quality pesticides to meet international standards. Key Market Drivers Expanding Agricultural Sector and High Crop Production Turkey has a strong agricultural foundation, contributing significantly to its economy and employment sector. The country ranks among the top global producers of wheat, barley, maize, cotton, and fruits such as cherries, apples, and citrus. With an increasing focus on commercial-scale farming, there is a growing demand for effective crop protection solutions, fueling the pesticide market. In November 2022, STK YardenT has been approved in Turkey for use on citrus as post-harvest protection against rot diseases, including Penicillium spp., and on tomatoes for controlling Botrytis cinerea and damping-off caused by Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium spp., and Pythium spp. Nufarm serves as STK Yarden's distributor in Turkey. Following successful field trials, plans are underway to expand its label to include grapes for Botrytis, cherries for Monilia, peaches and nectarines for Monilia and pre-harvest applications, as well as eggplants and peppers for Fusarium and Botrytis. STK YardenT is a botanical-based fungicide formulated with Tea Tree Oil (TTO) and Fludioxonil. Farmers are striving to increase their yields per hectare, as agricultural land is limited while population and food demand continue to rise. Pest infestation and disease outbreaks remain serious threats, particularly in large-scale farming. As a result, pesticides - including herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides - have become essential in preventing crop losses and ensuring stable agricultural output. Government support and investments in modern agricultural practices have encouraged Turkish farmers to adopt integrated pest management (IPM) techniques, which still rely on pesticide use. Additionally, due to climate change, pest pressure has increased, making pesticides an unavoidable part of modern farming. Key Market Challenges Regulatory Compliance and Evolving Legislation One of the primary challenges facing the Turkey pesticide market is the stringent and continuously evolving regulatory framework governing pesticide production, importation, distribution, and usage. The Turkish government, in alignment with European Union (EU) regulations, has implemented rigorous policies to control the quality and environmental impact of pesticides. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is responsible for overseeing pesticide approvals, ensuring compliance with maximum residue limits (MRLs), and monitoring their safe application. However, the frequent amendments to laws and requirements for pesticide registration create significant hurdles for manufacturers and distributors. Many global and local companies struggle with the high costs of compliance, extended approval timelines, and the risk of product bans or restrictions. Additionally, Turkey's adoption of the EU's Farm to Fork Strategy, which aims to reduce chemical pesticide use and promote sustainable agricultural practices, is pushing the market towards bio-based and environmentally friendly alternatives. While these regulatory shifts are necessary to ensure food safety and environmental sustainability, they place a financial and operational burden on companies attempting to keep up with compliance demands. Furthermore, unregistered and counterfeit pesticides continue to pose a challenge, as illicit trade undermines legitimate businesses and exposes farmers to potentially harmful substances. The black market for pesticides remains a concern, and despite the government's efforts to curb illegal sales, enforcement remains inconsistent. As Turkey strengthens its integration with the EU's pesticide policies, companies operating in the sector must stay vigilant, continuously adapt, and invest in research and development (R&D) to meet new safety and efficacy requirements. Key Market Trends Government Support and Agricultural Policies The Turkish government has implemented multiple initiatives to boost the agricultural sector, including pesticide regulation reforms, farmer subsidies, and pest control training programs. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry closely monitors pesticide use, ensuring compliance with international standards while promoting safe application techniques. Policies encouraging integrated pest management (IPM) and precision farming have led to controlled pesticide use, ensuring that only high-quality and certified products are used in the market. Additionally, Turkey's agricultural modernization programs include subsidies for farmers to access better pesticides at lower costs. Key Market Players Koruma Sirketler Grubu Dogal Tarim Deva Agro Kimya Tarim Hektas Ticaret Tekfen Holding MC/AGRIMATCO Akkim Kimya Tekfen Holding AGROBEST Arkem Kimya San. Tic. Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 88 Forecast Period 2024 - 2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $120.32 Million Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $176.38 Million Compound Annual Growth Rate 6.5% Regions Covered Turkey Report Scope: In this report, the Turkey Pesticide Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below: Turkey Pesticide Market, By Type: Herbicides Insecticides Fungicides Others Turkey Pesticide Market, By Form: Liquid Dry Turkey Pesticide Market, By Product Type: Chemical Organic Turkey Pesticide Market, By Crop Type: Oilseeds & Pulses Grains & Cereals Fruits & Vegetables Turkey Pesticide Market, By Source: Domestic Import Turkey Pesticide Market, By Region: Marmara Central Anatolia Mediterranean Aegean Southeastern Anatolia Blacksea Eastern Anatolia Competitive Landscape Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the key companies present in the Turkey Pesticide Market, including: Koruma Sirketler Grubu Dogal Tarim Deva Agro Kimya Tarim Hektas Ticaret Tekfen Holding MC/AGRIMATCO Akkim Kimya Tekfen Holding AGROBEST Arkem Kimya San. Tic. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/8myndc About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment Dublin, March 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "UAE Hydroponics Market, By Region, Competition, Forecast & Opportunities, 2020-2030F" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The UAE Hydroponics Market was valued at USD 114.36 Million in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 190.36 Million by 2030, rising at a CAGR of 8.86%. The hydroponics market in the United Arab Emirates has been experiencing significant growth. Given the region's arid climate and scarcity of arable land, hydroponics offers an effective solution for sustainable agriculture. Many governmental and private entities have been investing in hydroponics infrastructure, resulting in the emergence of several hydroponics farms. These farms have been successful in cultivating a variety of crops including leafy greens, strawberries, and tomatoes. Additionally, the UAE government's support and emphasis on food security have further intensified the adoption of hydroponics farming in the country. The UAE has long relied on countries like India for its supply of crops and vegetables. As a result, even minor fluctuations in international prices can lead to significant changes in domestic prices for these products. According to the Foreign Agricultural Service, the UAE imported more than 90% of its food products, including staples like wheat and rice, spending approximately USD 14 billion on food imports in 2020. To reduce this dependency, the government is actively encouraging farmers to adopt systems like hydroponics, which is driving growth in the market. This push for local, sustainable food production aims to stabilize the country's food supply and mitigate the impact of global price fluctuations. Key Market Drivers Increasing Adoption of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) and Precision Farming The adoption of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) practices, facilitated by hydroponics, is a significant driver for the hydroponics market in the UAE. CEA involves creating controlled environments for plant growth, regulating factors such as temperature, humidity, light, and nutrient levels. Hydroponic systems play a crucial role in CEA by providing a precise and customizable platform for delivering nutrients to plants. The controlled environment offered by hydroponics, a soilless cultivation method, allows for year-round crop production, regardless of external weather conditions. This innovative approach enables farmers to fine-tune growing parameters such as temperature, pH levels, and nutrient delivery, optimizing plant growth and maximizing efficiency. This trend perfectly aligns with the United Arab Emirates' emphasis on innovation and technology in agriculture, contributing to the remarkable growth of the hydroponics market in the region. With its ability to conserve water, reduce land usage, and produce high-quality crops, hydroponics is revolutionizing the agricultural landscape and paving the way for sustainable food production in the future. Key Market Challenges Initial Capital Investment & Operational Costs One of the significant challenges facing the hydroponics market in the UAE is the high initial capital investment required for setting up hydroponic systems. The technology-intensive nature of hydroponics, including the need for specialized equipment, climate control systems, and nutrient solutions, can pose a barrier for potential investors and farmers. Additionally, operational costs associated with energy consumption, maintenance, and monitoring further contribute to the financial challenges of adopting hydroponic farming methods. Overcoming this challenge may require various government incentives, subsidies, or financial support programs to stimulate and incentivize the wider adoption of hydroponic systems. By implementing cost-effective technologies and providing increased access to funding sources, we can create an environment where hydroponics becomes a financially viable option for a broader range of stakeholders in the United Arab Emirates. This, in turn, will pave the way for sustainable agriculture practices, efficient resource utilization, and a more secure food supply chain. Key Market Trends Growing Integration of Smart Farming Technologies The UAE hydroponics market is witnessing a trend towards the integration of smart farming technologies to enhance efficiency and productivity. Internet of Things (IoT) devices, sensors, and data analytics are being utilized to monitor and control various parameters within hydroponic systems. These technologies enable real-time monitoring of nutrient levels, environmental conditions, and plant health, allowing farmers to make data-driven decisions for optimal crop growth. The use of smart farming technologies not only improves resource management but also contributes to sustainability by minimizing waste and maximizing yield. This trend reflects the UAE's commitment to agricultural innovation and the adoption of cutting-edge technologies to address the challenges of water scarcity and resource efficiency. Key Market Players Eurofins Wafra Farms Emirates Hydroponics Farms Smart Acres VeggiTech Badia Farms Majid Al Futtaim GreenOponics Agricultural Services Beyond Hydroponics Green Houses Trading Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 80 Forecast Period 2024 - 2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $114.36 Million Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $190.36 Million Compound Annual Growth Rate 8.8% Regions Covered United Arab Emirates Report Scope: In this report, the UAE Hydroponics Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below: UAE Hydroponics Market, By Type: Aggregate Systems Liquid Systems UAE Hydroponics Market, By Equipment: HVAC LED Grow Light Control Systems Irrigation Systems Others UAE Hydroponics Market, By Input: Nutrient Growth Media UAE Hydroponics Market, By Farming Method: Indoor Outdoor UAE Hydroponics Market, By Crop Type: Fruits & Vegetables Flowers & Turfs Others UAE Hydroponics Market, By Region: Dubai Abu Dhabi Sharjah Rest of UAE Competitive Landscape Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the key companies present in the UAE Hydroponics Market, including: Eurofins Wafra Farms Emirates Hydroponics Farms Smart Acres VeggiTech Badia Farms Majid Al Futtaim GreenOponics Agricultural Services Beyond Hydroponics Green Houses Trading For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/a8b19j About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Press Release Paris, March 12, 2025 MSInsight, an innovative start-up specializing in precision medicine in oncology, announces the successful completion of its 1.6 million seed funding round. This fundraising was carried out with Calyseed, accompanied by Plateau de Saclay Business Angels, Yes Invest, Capital Cell, and banking partners such as bpifrance. The company's mission is to transform cancer patient care through state-of-the-art diagnostic solutions based on DNA sequencing data. The tests developed by MSInsight will make it possible to direct patients to the most appropriate therapy in the short term. A diagnostic challenge in the realm of precision medicine Cancer care is undergoing a profound transformation. Precision medicine has enabled significant advances in personalizing treatment for each tumor based on the molecular characteristics of the patient's DNA. MSInsight aims to solve healthcare professionals' daily challenge of decoding a complex genomic biomarker, representing a family of common cancers called Microsatellite Instability (MSI) Cancers. To address this challenge, MSInsight is proposing MSIcare. This software solution optimizes the assessment of this key biomarker. Using advanced bioinformatics and artificial intelligence algorithms, MSIcare improves this diagnosis with unparalleled accuracy and guides clinicians in their treatment decision-making. This 1.6 Million financing will allow MSInsight to finalize MSIcares technological development, demonstrate its performance in various types of cancer, and initiate the regulatory clinical validation necessary for its CE-IVD marking as an in vitro diagnostic medical device. An ambitious mission to improve the detection of MSI cancers MSI cancers account for nearly one million new cases per year worldwide1 and can affect a wide variety of organs, with a predominance in digestive and gynecological cancers. As a tumor-agnostic biomarker, MSI is relevant to a vast majority of cancer patients, with up to 13 million individuals worldwide potentially eligible for this diagnostic approach each year. Today, this diagnosis is routinely recommended for any newly identified tumor, regardless of the tumor's organ of origin. Detecting this marker in cancer represents a significant criterion for therapeutic pathways since these tumors can now be treated with immunotherapy, resulting in revolutionary survival results. Immunotherapy can treat previously condemned MSI cancer patients with a very advanced metastatic tumor3 or even avoid surgery in some patients with major benefits4. In clinical practice, this widespread adoption requires appropriate methodologies to perform large-scale, high-accuracy diagnosis. However, current diagnostic tools do not meet current needs and are often imprecise2. This leads to prescribing inappropriate treatments, a loss of opportunity for patients, and unnecessary healthcare costs. MSInsight aims to fill this gap by harnessing the potential of next-generation sequencing (NGS), a high-throughput DNA analysis technology already used in clinical routines. NGS has proven to be remarkably effective in evaluating MSI. However, the interpretation of the complex genomic data generated is based on sophisticated algorithms, and those currently available lead to diagnostic errors in up to 30% of cases2, with dramatic consequences for patients. MSIcare, a new diagnostic standard for patients MSInsight aims to become the leader in MSI diagnostics, covering the entire patient journey, from early detection to prediction of treatment response. To do this, the company has developed MSIcare, a medical device software integrating bioinformatics algorithms and artificial intelligence models derived from its expertise to interpret the patient's genomic data and identify information of interest. The solution proposed by MSInsight makes it possible to significantly improve the detection of the MSI biomarker in different contexts and to democratize its access thanks to an optimized interpretation interface of the results. It has already been clinically validated that this diagnosis can be made from a tumor tissue sample in different cancers. MSInsight is actively working to expand its application to simple blood diagnostics, paving the way for a less invasive and more accessible approach. Furthermore, MSInsight is also positioning itself to facilitate the identification of individuals at risk of developing MSI-related cancers, such as those with Lynch syndrome, one of the most common genetic predispositions to cancer in humans. Early detection of MSI enables the implementation of appropriate surveillance measures to prevent or detect cancer at an early stage. Globally, 200 million people are under medical surveillance. An application in pediatric oncology, developed in collaboration with its partners, has already demonstrated clinical efficacy and is on the verge of being tested in routine practice. Innovations from French academic research Founded in 2022, the company leverages the research work of the "Microsatellite Instability and Cancer" team at the Saint-Antoine Research Center (Inserm, Assistance Publique des Hopitaux de Paris, Sorbonne University) in Paris, led by Prof. Alex Duval, the current scientific director of MSInsight. This laboratory is a pioneer and is recognized worldwide for its work in MSI cancer diagnosis and, more generally, in precision medicine for these cancers. MSInsight is actively collaborating with this research team to continue developing innovations that will be a real game-changer for patients and their families and simplify clinical practice. Since its creation, the company has been distinguished several times, particularly as the winner of the 25th i-Lab innovation competition in 2023, which rewards the best startups in France. The accelerator WILCO also supports the company financially through an honorary loan. The start-up has already installed its first prototypes and is collaborating with medical laboratories in major university hospitals in France and abroad to experiment with its innovations. "This fundraising marks a key milestone for MSInsight. It gives us the means to accelerate the deployment of our technology and strengthen our clinical partnerships. We have already proven that our approach outperforms current methods in several types of cancer. Thanks to this funding, we are preparing the CE-IVD certification procedures for MSIcare. The company's ambition is to position its MSIcare solution as the future gold standard for assessing microsatellite instability and the first regulatory-validated bioinformatics solution," said Arnaud Cutivet, PhD, president and co-founder of MSInsight. "MSIcare has the potential to become a standard in oncology diagnostics, significantly improving the therapeutic orientation and care pathway. We strongly believe in this solution, which is part of an evolving trend of using NGS sequencing tests to diagnose and use MSI biomarkers in oncology. The bioinformatics software developed can be easily integrated into laboratory practices. MSInsight's innovation has already demonstrated its performance and reliability in retrospective studies. The start-up benefits from intellectual rights, an expert team, and a network of quality partners that should make it possible to reach the key milestones for the next round of funding," says Elodie Panier, Managing Director of Calyseed. "MSInsight embodies the future of personalized medicine, providing algorithms for accurate analysis of genomic data that give more hope to patients with certain types of cancer. Their innovation paves the way for more targeted and effective treatments, making every analysis an opportunity to save lives. We at PSBA are extremely pleased to be part of this innovative journey, which aligns with our mission to support purposeful innovation, which promises to revolutionize the cancer care landscape," says Antoine Risk of PSBA. "Capital Cell is thrilled to have directed significant funding from more than 170 investors to MSInsight, a company that demonstrates immense potential in the field of cancer care," says Daniel Oliver, Director of Capital Cell. With this financing round, MSInsight confirms its commitment to providing healthcare professionals with robust tools to avoid misdiagnosis, predict therapeutic responses, and make their medical decision-making more reliable for patients. About MSInsight: www.msinsight.tech Founded by physicians and engineers, MSInsight's mission is to support oncologists in choosing the proper treatment for each cancer patient. The company develops diagnostic solutions to identify crucial information in patients' DNA to predict the success of treatments. In particular, the company is revolutionizing the diagnosis of Microsatellite Instability (MSI), a DNA alteration that will give them access to immunotherapy if found in a patient. Thanks to 20 years of academic research from Inserm, AP-HP, and Sorbonne University, MSInsight aims to provide more accurate diagnoses to make this therapeutic avenue accessible. About Calyseed: www.linkedin.com/company/calyseed/about Based in the Lyon region, Calyseed is a seed fund specializing in the healthcare sector. Its primary objective is to significantly increase the chances of success of "Deeptech" startups during the critical period from creation to the first rounds of funding through financial and operational support. About Plateau de Saclay Business Angels: www.psba.fr PSBA (Plateau de Saclay Business Angels) is a generalist network of Business Angels created in 1999 that supports the creation of innovative companies. With over 50 members, the network has financed around 50 startups for nearly 10 million over the years, with members investing directly or via a fund called SIBA. About Yes-Invest: www.invest-y.com Yes Invest is the latest SIba in the Invest-Y business angel network. This club brings together individuals interested in projects with high growth potential in the Ile-de-France West (Yvelines, Essonne). Since its inception, it has invested in more than 40 companies at the seed stage." About Capital Cell: https://capitacell.com/ Capital Cell is a financial company born in 2015 within Barcelona's scientific ecosystem. Since then, it has become one of the largest investors in biotech startups in Europe, aiming to drive global innovation in health and biotechnology. Over the past ten years, the firm has raised more than 115 million for 130 companies from several European countries, and more than 12,000 people have invested through Capital Cell's regulated investment platform. Press Contacts: MSInsight, Arnaud Cutivet ac@msinsight.tech & Sydney Normand sn@msinsight.tech Calyseed, Elodie Panier, epanier@calyseed.fr MSInsight Tips: Legal advisor: Cabinet Carrel Accounting, tax, and employment advisor: Odiceo Intellectual Property Advisor: ICOSA Investor advice Legal advisor: Cabinet Auxo References 1. Collura et al. (2019) Microsatellite instability and cancer: from genomic instability to personalized medicine, Medicine/Science 2. Ratovomanana et al. (2021) Performance of Next-Generation Sequencing for the Detection of Microsatellite Instability in Colorectal Cancer With Deficient DNA Mismatch Repair, Gastroenterology 3. Andre et al. (2024) Nivolumab plus Ipilimumab in Microsatellite-InstabilityHigh Metastatic Colorectal Cancer, New England Journal of Medicine 4. Chalabi et al. (2024) Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy in Locally Advanced Mismatch RepairDeficient Colon Cancer, New England Journal of Medicine Attachments Boca Raton, FL, March 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- After an extensive review Brandon Hall Group confirms that Gallagher is living their mission of helping organizations secure a confident future through proactive people strategies. Gallaghers expert consultants leverage data, insights, and a deep understanding of their clients organizations to develop strategies and learning and performance solutions tailored to their clients needs and business context, said Michael Rochelle, Chief Strategy Officer and Principal Analyst at Brandon Hall Group. This needs-based and customized approach translates directly into business impact for their clients. The analyst team at Brandon Hall Group has spent a considerable amount of time understanding Gallagher as well as the market they operate. The team has conducted in depth briefings and a thorough evaluation of Gallaghers product/service value proposition. Brandon Hall Groups Smartchoice Preferred Provider Program provides a world-class membership center for knowledge, resources and advisory support to the entire Gallagher organization to ensure our certification is a reflection of the highest standards a Provider can attain in the market. We are honored to be certified as a Smartchoice Preferred Solution Provider by Brandon Hall Group. This certification is a testament to the quality of our development solutions and our commitment to delivering exceptional value and impactful business results for our clients., said Michelle Moore, Senior Vice President, Leadership Assessment and Development, Gallagher. Brandon Hall Group has consistently been the leading independent analyst firm and confirms that Gallagher offerings measurably benefit the organizations they work with. To learn more about Smartchoice preferred vendors or to become one, please visit SPP BHG site. To learn more about Gallagher and their offerings visit their website. ---About Brandon Hall Group Inc. Brandon Hall Group is the only professional development company that offers data, research, insights and certification to Learning and Talent executives and organizations. The best minds in Human Capital Management (HCM) choose Brandon Hall Group to help them create future proof employee development plans for the new era. For over 27 years, we have empowered, recognized and certified excellence in organizations around the world influencing the development of over 10,000,000 employees and executives. Our HCM Excellence Awards was the first to recognize organizations for learning and talent and is the gold standard, known as the Academy Awards of Human Capital Management. Our cloud-based platform delivers evidence-based insights in the areas of Learning and Development, Talent Management, Leadership Development, Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Acquisition and HR/Workforce Management for corporate organizations and HCM solution Providers. To learn more visit https://www.brandonhall.com ---About Gallagher Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG), a global insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm, is headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Gallagher provides these services in approximately 130 countries around the world through its owned operations and a network of correspondent brokers and consultants. To learn more about Gallagher, visit https://www.ajg.com/ca/ Contact information: Alison Muth, National Marketing Director, Canada, Gallagher Benefit Services 440.669.7449 / alison_muth@ajg.com Houston, TX, March 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright is growing its business practice group with Houston tax partner Robert (Bobby) Phillpott to support the increased demand in the corporate transactions space. Highly regarded for advising on complex corporate tax matters, Bobby counsels private equity and energy clients on tax planning for mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, spin-offs and divestitures, joint ventures, restructurings and securities offerings. He also advises on the formation and operation of corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies as well as certain tax controversy matters. Jeff Cody, Norton Rose Fulbrights US Managing Partner as well as one of its two Global Managing Partners, said: Bobby is an accomplished lawyer with a strong track record in tax planning for complex private equity and M&A transactions. With our continued focus on expanding our corporate transactional and private equity teams, as well as the anticipated general increase in corporate transactions in 2025 and beyond, Bobbys addition richly enhances our thriving business group and amplifies our overall client offering. Bobby is the latest addition in a series of new hires by Norton Rose Fulbright to enhance its business practice, which added nine lateral partners in 2024 and promoted an additional seven partners in the US this year. In January, the firm welcomed seasoned tax partner Simon Weppner to its Dusseldorf office. Shortly after, Adam Arnett joined the firm as US Co-Head of Private Equity in Chicago from Mayer Brown. Bobby, who previously worked at the firm from 1999-2017 and joins from Reed Smith, said: Norton Rose Fulbright is a global leader in corporate law with deep roots in the prosperous Texas market. My clients sophisticated transactions require a multidisciplinary approach and will benefit from the comprehensive capabilities of the firms outstanding corporate practice. I look forward to rejoining my former colleagues and being a part of the firms collaborative culture in providing extremely high level, sophisticated and responsive assistance to our corporate and private equity clients. Bobby has earned widespread recognition for his tax work, including by Chambers USA (2021-2024), Best Lawyers in America (2013-2025) and Super Lawyers (2004-2024). Licensed in Texas, Bobby earned his Master of Laws from New York University, his law degree magna cum laude from Loyola Law School and his bachelors degree from Loyola University. Norton Rose Fulbrights tax lawyers assist clients in mergers and acquisitions, tax planning and tax controversy and tax litigation matters. The team advises on international tax and transfer pricing, tax audits and disputes, employee benefits issues, ERISA litigation and private wealth matters. Carter Dugan, Norton Rose Fulbrights Houston Partner-in-Charge, commented: Over the past century, our Houston office has evolved alongside the citys business community to meet and exceed the needs of our clients, which includes leaders in the notable energy sector. Bobbys tax planning knowledge and collegiality with our firm will be an asset to our dynamic team in Houston. Norton Rose Fulbrights Houston presence includes more than 175 lawyers counseling US and international clients in a range of practice areas, including corporate law, healthcare, intellectual property, public finance and tax. Last year, the Houston office relocated to the new Norton Rose Fulbright Tower overlooking Discovery Green Parkthe citys most sustainable office development to date. Norton Rose Fulbright Norton Rose Fulbright provides a full scope of legal services to the worlds preeminent corporations and financial institutions. The global law firm has more than 3,000 lawyers advising clients across more than 50 locations worldwide, including Houston, New York, London, Toronto, Mexico City, Hong Kong, Sydney and Johannesburg, covering the United States, Europe, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Australia, Africa and the Middle East. With its global business principles of quality, unity and integrity, Norton Rose Fulbright is recognized for its client service in key industries, including financial institutions; energy, infrastructure and resources; technology; transport; life sciences and healthcare; and consumer markets. For more information, visit nortonrosefulbright.com. Attachment TORONTO, March 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Further to its news release dated March 4, 2025 (the Original Press Release), Churchill Resources Inc. (Churchill or the Company) (TSXV: CRI) has become aware of a calculation error in the table provided in the Original Press Release on calculated Titanium values for six samples. The Company has corrected the Ti% values on samples 884117, 884118, 884121, 884122, 884128 and 247004, the first six listed in the table in the Original Press Release, in the revised table below. The Company sincerely apologizes for the error. Table 1 Selected 2024 Assay and Lithogeochemical Samples Metal Analytical Results The technical and scientific information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Derek H.C Wilton, P.Geo., FGC, who is a qualified person as defined under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101). Mr. Wilton is an honourary research professor of Economic Geology at Memorial University in St. Johns and is independent of the Company for the purposes of NI 43-101. The lithogeochemical samples reported here were whole rock pieces, collected from outcrop and historical drill core by Dr. Wilton during fieldwork in September/October 2024. These samples were sealed in labelled plastic bags in the field. All sample bags were photographed and transported to Thunder Bay, ON, by secure courier. The samples were analysed by ALS Geochemistry Ltd. in Thunder Bay using ME-ICP06 whole rock and ME-MS61L analytical protocols. Samples with over limit Ni contents were re-assayed using OG-46 Aqua-Regia overlimit method. Quality control results, including the laboratorys own control samples, were evaluated immediately. The assay drill core and rock samples were placed in labelled, sealed plastic bags and delivered to Eastern Analytical of Springdale, NL, an ISO/IEC 17025 certified facility. The samples were analysed using ICP 34 (inductively coupled plasma) analytical protocols. Samples with over limit Ni and Fe contents were re-assayed using Easterns Ore Grade Assay (multi acid digestion) overlimit method. Quality control results, including the laboratorys control samples, were evaluated immediately. 1 1 The Company reminds investors that surface rock samples are select samples and may not be representative of all mineralization on the Taylor Brook property. About Churchill Resources Inc. Churchill Resources Inc. is a Canadian exploration company focused on high grade, magmatic nickel sulphides in Canada, principally at its prospective Taylor Brook and Florence Lake properties in Newfoundland & Labrador. The Churchill management team, board and its advisors have decades of combined management experience in mineral exploration and in the establishment of successful publicly listed mining companies, both in Canada and around the world. Churchills Taylor Brook and Florence Lake projects have the potential to benefit from the provinces large and diversified minerals industry, which includes world class nickel mines and processing facilities, and a well-developed mineral exploration sector with locally based drilling and geological expertise. Further Information For further information regarding Churchill, please contact: Churchill Resources Inc. Paul Sobie, Chief Executive Officer Tel. +1 416.365.0930 (o) +1 647.988.0930 (m) Email psobie@churchillresources.com Alec Rowlands, Corporate Consultant Tel. +1 416.721.4732 (m) Email arowlands@churchillresources.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information 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", proposed, "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. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, , the Companys objectives, goals and exploration activities conducted and proposed to be conducted at the Companys properties; interpretation of recent exploration results; future growth potential of the Company, including whether any proposed exploration programs at any of the Companys properties will be successful; exploration results; and future exploration plans and costs and financing availability. 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 expected benefits to the Company relating to the exploration conducted and proposed to be conducted at the Companys properties; failure to identify any mineral resources or significant mineralization; the preliminary nature of metallurgical test results; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, including to fund any exploration programs on the Companys properties; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold, silver, base metals or certain other commodities; 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; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, cave-ins and flooding); inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining and mineral exploration; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); the unlikelihood that properties that are explored are ultimately developed into producing mines; geological factors; actual results of current and future exploration; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated; soil sampling results being preliminary in nature and are not conclusive evidence of the likelihood of a mineral deposit; title to properties; and those factors described in the most recently filed managements discussion and analysis of the Company. 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 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. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information, or the material factors or assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information, will prove to be accurate. The Company does not undertake to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/50785593-e423-45f2-be31-6995016a2b9e NEW YORK, March 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Practising Law Institute (PLI), the premier nonprofit learning organization serving lawyers and allied professionals, has honored Toby J. Rothschild as the recipient of its inaugural Victor J. Rubino Award for Excellence in Pro Bono Training, in recognition of his exceptional contributions as a faculty member for PLIs pro bono ethics and related programs. Rothschild, who serves as Of Counsel to OneJustice, accepted the award at PLIs annual Contributor Appreciation Dinner in New York on March 6. Presenting the award, Janet Siegel, PLIs Director of Pro Bono Services, commented on his dedication to teaching, observing that Toby is well-liked and appreciated by program attendees and staff for his expertise, as well as his warmth and wit. Toby is incredibly deserving of this honor, added Kara OBrien, Chief Content Officer. He sets the bar high for future award recipients. Rothschild has dedicated over 50 years to legal services, serving as General Counsel of the Legal Aid Foundation for 13 years and Executive Director of the Legal Aid Foundation of Long Beach for 28 years. For more than a decade, he has been a frequent PLI speaker and program chair on ethics in legal services and pro bono representation, including the popular annual programs Ethical Issues in Working With Pro Bono Clients and Serving Clients With Diminished Capacity: Ethics Issues in Legal Services and Pro Bono Practice. He was recently featured in an episode of PLIs podcast Pursuing Justice: The Pro Bono Files, where he spoke with host Alicia Aiken about his career. PLI created the award in memory of Victor J. Rubino, who expanded PLIs pro bono initiative as the organizations longest-serving president. Rubino, who died in 2023, led the development of PLIs Pro Bono Membership, which provides complimentary access to PLIs training for more than 870 qualified legal services and other nonprofit organizations providing direct pro bono legal services to their communities. The award includes a donation to a legal services organization of the recipients choice; Rothschild selected OneJustice, which serves the California legal services community. About Practising Law Institute (PLI) Founded in 1933, Practising Law Institute (PLI) is a nonprofit learning organization dedicated to keeping attorneys and other professionals at the forefront of knowledge and expertise. PLI provides accredited continuing legal and professional education programs delivered by more than 4,000 volunteer faculty, including top experts across practice areas. Additionally, PLI publishes a comprehensive library of treatises, course handbooks, answer books, and journals, also available through the PLI PLUS online platform and app. The essence of PLIs mission is a commitment to the pro bono community. Based in New York, PLI also has an office and Conference Center in San Francisco. Visit www.pli.edu to learn more. New York, NY, March 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HTXMining announces its revolutionary cryptocurrency staking platform. As cryptocurrency staking continues to evolve, the platform is setting the industry standard by offering secure, potential high-yield crypto staking and liquidity mining solutions. With daily rewards, flexible staking options, and a user-friendly interface, HTXMining is quickly becoming the preferred platform for both new and experienced crypto investors. Why HTXMining? A Smart, Secure, and Profitable Way to Earn Passive Income HTXMining provides a safe and transparent staking environment where users can stake popular cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum (ETH), Bitcoin (BTC), Solana (SOL), and Tether (USDT). Whether through Locked Staking for fixed high rewards or Liquidity Staking for flexible returns, HTXMining ensures potential returns while maintaining asset accessibility. HTXMining Staking Plans: High Rewards with Principal Security Recommended Plan: Solana (SOL) Staking ($10,000 / 15 Days) Investment Amount : $10,000 : $10,000 Contract Duration : 15 days : 15 days Daily Payout : $100.00 : $100.00 Total Earnings + Principal : $11,500.00 : $11,500.00 Net Profit : $1,500.00 : $1,500.00 Return Rate: 15% Key Features of HTXMining High Short-Term Returns Earn up to 5.5% APY on select staking plans. Principal Refund Guarantee Enjoy full capital security while earning daily rewards. Instant Liquidity Withdraw or re-stake assets without penalties in Liquidity Staking. 24/7 Customer Support A dedicated team is available round the clock to assist investors. Free Trial Plan Get started with a $100 Free Trial Plan for risk-free staking. No Technical Knowledge Needed Stake in seconds with just a few clicks. HTXMining Affiliate Program Earn Passive Income by Referring Others HTXMining offers an Affiliate Program where users can earn commissions for referring new investors. Simply invite friends, share your referral link, and earn recurring passive income as your referrals stake and mine. HTXMining Million Bounty Program Big Rewards for Community Engagement HTXMining rewards users who actively promote the platform through content creation, social media marketing, and community engagement. Complete tasks such as blogging, video reviews, and forum discussions to earn valuable staking bonuses. How to Get Started with HTXMining 1. Link Your Wallet Securely connect your crypto wallet to the platform. 2. Choose a Staking Plan Select from Locked Staking or Liquidity Staking based on your financial goals. 3. Start Earning Watch your staking rewards accumulate daily, trackable in real-time via the HTXMining dashboard. Conclusion: The Future of Passive Income Starts with HTXMining For those looking to earn passive income through crypto staking, HTXMining is a decent choice in 2025. Offering secure, high-yield staking options, a user-friendly experience, and full principal protection, HTXMining empowers investors to grow their wealth effortlessly. Join HTXMining today and maximize your crypto earnings! Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involves risk. There is potential for loss of funds. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Interview: China's 2025 GDP goal shows confidence in stable, high-quality growth, says German consultancy executive Xinhua) 09:08, March 10, 2025 BERLIN, March 9 (Xinhua) -- China's GDP growth target of around 5 percent for 2025 sheds light on its confidence in economic stability and its commitment to high-quality development, a global consultancy executive has said. The policy measures, outlined in the government work report submitted to the National People's Congress on Wednesday, support China's ongoing economic transformation and create new opportunities for foreign enterprises, Denis Depoux, global managing director at Germany's strategy consulting firm Roland Berger, told Xinhua. The government work report said that China would work toward stabilizing foreign trade and vigorously encourage foreign investment. Depoux described the pledge as a strong signal to foreign investors, reassuring them of China's commitment to market openness and regulatory transparency. "This will further enhance investor confidence and attract more international companies to deepen their presence in the Chinese market," he said. Despite geopolitical uncertainties, Depoux said that China remains a highly attractive destination for foreign investment, particularly in industrial modernization, automation, software and green technologies. "For multinational companies, China is not only an essential part of global supply chains, but also a key market for innovation and long-term growth," he said. "The country's (market) scale, economic stability and leadership in digitalization and sustainability make it an indispensable market for global businesses." While globalization is evolving and geopolitical tensions persist, economic ties between China and Europe remain robust, as the two sides are highly dependent on each other for trade and investment, he said. Germany, in particular, has maintained its position as China's important trading partner in Europe for decades. Depoux said he sees continued opportunities for collaboration in areas such as technological innovation, renewable energy and green technology. Depoux said that China has not just solidified its position as a manufacturing powerhouse but also emerged as a key driver of global trends in digitalization, sustainability and high-tech industries. Take China's progress in artificial intelligence. Companies like DeepSeek have made breakthroughs in reducing computing costs, enabling broader AI adoption and reshaping entire industries, he said. Referring to China's 5-percent GDP growth in 2024, Depoux said that it showcased "China's success in navigating global headwinds," noting that China is undergoing a deep structural transformation toward a high-value and innovation-driven economy. Looking ahead to 2025, Depoux called the concept of "new quality productive forces" a key driver of China's economic growth. "This reflects China's determination to modernize its industries and shift towards value-added economic leadership," he said. The government work report also reinforced China's focus on sustainability. Depoux depicted green and low-carbon development as a strategic imperative. "The Chinese government's unwavering commitment to decarbonization demonstrates that long-term reform objectives remain firmly in place," he said. "China's green transition is essential not only for its own high-quality development but also for global sustainability efforts." Despite uncertainties in the global economy, China is accelerating its transition toward a more sustainable and modernized economic model, Depoux said. "I remain confident in China's resilience and capacity for innovation," he said. "China's growing influence in the global economic landscape will continue to create new opportunities for international businesses." (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) North Peak Resources Ltd. (TSXV: NPR) (the "Company" or "North Peak") announces the grant to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company of incentive stock options to acquire a total of 300,000 common shares of the Company at an exercise price of $0.61 per share, with such options to vest as to one-half immediately and the remaining one-half on the first-year anniversary of the date of grant. About North Peak The Company is a Canadian based gold exploration and development company that is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "NPR". The Company is focused on acquiring historic sites, with low cost producing gold and other metals properties, with near term production potential and 8+ year mine life in the northern hemisphere. The Company has acquired an initial 80% interest in the Prospect Mountain Mine complex in Eureka, Nevada (see the Company's May 4, May 23 and August 25, 2023 press releases) (the "Property"). The Company can give no assurances at this time that its properties and interests will fulfil the Company's business development goals described herein. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs, and current expectations of the Property and the Company that may be described herein. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding-looking wording such as "may", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intend", "believe" and "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur. These assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the state of the economy in general and capital markets in particular, accuracy of assay results, geological interpretations from drilling results, timing and amount of capital expenditures; performance of available laboratory and other related services, future operating costs, and the historical basis for current estimates of potential quantities and grades of target zones, as well as those risk factors discussed or referred to in the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2023 and the quarter ended September 30, 2024, available at www.sedarplus.ca, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additionally, the Company undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made by, third parties in respect of the matters discussed above. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Four names emerge for 2026 F1 Cadillac seats Formula 1 and the FIA have finally cemented in stone Cadillac's official arrival in the sport for 2026. Mick Schumacher, Emilio Romagna GP 2022 Haas As soon as the news hit the headlines, a fresh wave of speculation about who will drive the initially Ferrari-powered cars next year emerged. Mick Schumacher, who was at the Race of Champions in Sydney at the weekend, thinks he should be a candidate. At this point, everything is an option, the German told Speed Week. As I have said in various interviews, I feel that I have what it takes for Formula 1. But we have to wait and see what happens. The year is still long and the goal is to return in 2026. Most insiders think Andretti's existing top driver in Indycar, Colton Herta, is the obvious favourite - something openly acknowledged by Cadillac figures, too. One of the signs that it will be him is that he is the highest-paid Indycar driver with $7 million a year, said Dutch driver and pundit Renger van der Zande. "The rest get around three to four million. That's because they have actually already offered Herta a contract in Formula 1. Another Dutch pundit, Jack Plooij, told Ziggo Sport that he thinks George Russell is in the running for the other seat - especially as he thinks the Briton will be pushed out of Mercedes by Max Verstappen. But Aston Martin's new simulator driver Dani Juncadella thinks it would be a great injustice if Herta's Indycar rival Alex Palou is not considered by Cadillac. If Palou doesn't enter the frame for one of these seats in 2026, I'm going to set X on fire, he joked on the social media platform. And each and every one of the seats and brands to which I belong are in danger, since I'm not responsible for the actions of my keyboard, Jucadella jovially continued. At least I'm warning you. (GMM) Manager tells Colapinto fans to ease Doohan heat Franco Colapinto's manager has called for calm amid raging speculation heading into the 2025 season. Franco Colapinto, Singapore GP 2024 Williams Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore has made no secret recently that, now with Colapinto on lucrative loan from Williams, the Argentine could replace rookie Jack Doohan sooner rather than later. If you have two drivers, choose between two, said the flamboyant Italian. If you have five drivers, choose between five. Team boss Oliver Oakes is also not denying that Doohan's race seat could be in danger, although he did recently criticise keyboard warriors who have been ramping the story up. I think he should be given a bit of space just to get on with it for a few rounds, Oakes is quoted as saying by Melbourne's Age newspaper. "And then at the end of the day, like any driver, you've got to deliver. Whether it's nice or kind to Jack, he's driving a Formula 1 car. That's every boy's dream, but it's also his job. For me, that's pretty simple. It's also 'simple' in the minds of scores of Colapinto's Argentine supporters, who are feverishly criticising Doohan on social media. To the haters who think they help Franco, Colapinto's manager Jamie Campbell-Walter posted, you are doing him more harm than good. He slammed the insults to the team, to Jack and sometimes to other supporters of Alpine , and insisted that the Colapinto camp is not adding to the climate. Franco and all of us who support him are fans of the whole team, Pierre (Gasly) and Jack, said Campbell-Walter. "Conduct yourselves with passion but not abuse and arrogance. Franco's time will come but not like this - you will achieve the opposite. However, former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher thinks it is obvious that Colapinto, 21, is shaping up to snatch Doohan's race seat before too long. I know Flavio, he told Sky Deutschland. If the boy (Doohan) doesn't perform - and he wasn't that strong in the test either, from what we hear - then it will be over pretty quickly. Schumacher thinks the axe could even fall on Doohan as soon as Australia . As for Colapinto, the German said he already knows most of the tracks, he has a good sponsor, and he also brings his speed. However, he also has to find some fully comprehensive insurance, Schumacher joked, referring to Colapinto's spate of crashes late last season for Williams. Also possible, Schumacher added, is that Doohan actually performs very well in Melbourne this weekend. If he comes to Melbourne and drives Pierre Gasly into the ground, then of course he can become a superstar. But it doesn't look like that at the moment. (GMM) Verstappen questions shouting about V10 return Max Verstappen has questioned how seriously Formula 1 fans should be interpreting the latest rumours about the return of V10 engines to the grid. Max Verstappen, Singapore GP 2024 Red Bull Multiple authoritative figures - from F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to Toto Wolff, Christian Horner, Frederic Vasseur, Lewis Hamilton and beyond - have been pondering the idea in recent days. It was Ben Sulayem's latest comments that really added fuel to the speculation, however, as he suggested that the advent of fully-sustainable fuel in F1 could make light, loud, crowd-pleasing V10s a realistic option for 2030. I think it's a very nice idea, quadruple world champion Verstappen told Viaplay at the weekend, but the question is whether that's possible. Indeed, F1 is actually doubling down on its hybrid 'power unit' era from 2026, with even heavier and more electrified engines than is the case today. Verstappen wonders if Ben Sulayem is speaking out of turn. I think it's better not to shout so many things, and that it's better to solve these kinds of things behind the scenes, said the Dutchman. That's better for everyone. Verstappen and the FIA president have been at odds for months, particularly over the 'swearing ban' that cost the 27-year-old a day of community service in Rwanda last December. In response, the Red Bull driver says he might do all of his swearing in Limburgish from now on. Yes, I can do that Verstappen laughed. "I already did it often enough back in karting. These are all very silly things that I really don't want to deal with, but it is what it is. (GMM) Fidelity Bank commits to inclusivity Business Desk Report Business News Mar - 10 - 2025 , 14:46 Fidelity Bank Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment to fostering inclusivity and creating a meaningful impact in society by extending its long-standing support to the New Horizon Special School. The Fidelity Bank team, led by its dedicated Customer Experience department, spent quality time engaging the students and management, sharing moments of laughter, encouragement and genuine human connection. As part of its ongoing support, the bank made a financial donation of GH20,000 to the school, ensuring access to essential resources that enhance the educational experience of its students. In addition, the team distributed 200 chocolates, adding a sweet touch to the day and subtly celebrating Ghanas rich cocoa heritage. In a release issued by the bank, it said the contribution reflected the banks holistic approach to its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), focusing on sustainable and impactful initiatives that create lasting change. Beyond financial transactions The Head of Customer Experience of the Fidelity Bank, Comfort Armoo, said the bank believed that true customer experience extended beyond financial transactions. It's about understanding the needs of our community and actively contributing to their well-being. Seeing the joy on the faces of the children at New Horizon is a testament to the power of human connection and the importance of giving back. We are deeply honoured to have maintained the relationship for over a decade and we are committed to continuing our support for this incredible institution, she said. Appreciation The Board Chair of the New Horizon Special School, Sylvia Francois, expressed her profound gratitude, saying Fidelity Banks dedication to New Horizon is truly remarkable. For over ten years, they have been a beacon of hope and support for our students. Their visit on National Chocolate Day is not just about the chocolates; its about the genuine love and care they show to our children She said the financial contribution will enable them to improve facilities and provide vital resources that enhance the educational experience for students. The release explained that beyond the visit to the New Horizon, the bank extended its outreach efforts nationwide. At its branches across Ghana, the bank spread joy by surprising customers with chocolates, reinforcing its culture of care and appreciation. Furthermore, the Fidelity Banks Hohoe Postbank also joined in the festive spirit by donating chocolates to the Volta School for the Deaf and Blind in the Oti Region, it added. Next article: Promoting food security and empowering women in agribusiness: Charity M.E Adupongs vision with Meannan Foods Amenfiman Bank unveils GH500m collateral-free loan package for MSMEs Joshua Bediako Koomson Business News Mar - 10 - 2025 , 12:13 The Amenfiman Rural Bank PLC has introduced a GH500 million collateral-free loan package to support micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the country. The initiative was unveiled at the banks annual Customer First Engagement programme, dubbed Special Time with Customers. The event, which celebrates customer loyalty and engagement, provided a platform for the banks leadership to reaffirm its commitment to fuelling the growth of MSMEs, widely regarded as the engine of Ghanas economy. The event was also used to launch the second phase of the AMERB MSME Donkomi Plus Promo in Kumasi recently. Revolutionary MSME financing Speaking at the launch, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Amenfiman Rural Bank, Dr Alexander Asmah, emphasised that the initiative was built on the resounding success of the first phase of the AMERB MSME Donkomi Promo launched in 2024. He stated that through the innovative loan scheme, deserving micro and small business owners could access up to GH1 million without the usual collateral security requirements a major breakthrough in the countrys banking sector. We understand the critical role MSMEs play in driving economic growth and job creation. Our unique risk management strategy has allowed us to lend to this sector sustainably, achieving an impressive non-performing loan (NPL) ratio of just 1.79 per cent in 2024, compared to the industry average of 22 per cent, Dr Asmah stated. Statistics from the bank show that since the launch of the first phase of the AMERB MSME Donkomi Promo in mid-2024, over GH200 million was disbursed to micro and small businesses, with an outstanding 100 per cent recovery rate, a testament to the effectiveness of the banks lending model. Strategic partnerships to expand impact Dr Asmah also highlighted the banks collaboration with Development Bank Ghana (DBG), which had enabled the bank to extend long-term financing to MSMEs, particularly young entrepreneurs and women-led businesses. Through our partnership with DBG, we are prioritising businesses in manufacturing, agriculture and agribusiness, hospitality, information and communications technology (ICT), and other high-impact sectors to drive job creation and economic expansion, he added. Call to action Addressing the audience, the Board Chairman of Amenfiman Bank, Dr Toni Aubynn, underscored the urgent need for stronger financial support for MSMEs. This sector contributes about 70 per cent of employment in Ghana, making it a crucial pillar of our economic recovery agenda. Access to affordable credit and business development support remains their biggest challenge, he said. Dr Aubynn added that as a financial institution committed to the growth of small businesses, the bank had devised strategies to mitigate credit risks and provide the much-needed financial lifeline to small businesses. Amenfiman Rural Bank PLC is one of the countrys largest rural banks, with total assets exceeding GH1.8 billion. The bank made history as the first institution in the Rural and Community Banking (RCB) sector to mobilise deposits exceeding GH1 billion, currently holding GH1.5 billion in customer deposits. Officials of the bank said the latest initiative reaffirmed the banks leadership in financial inclusion and its commitment to transforming the MSME sector. As the country continues its post-pandemic economic recovery, such bold interventions will be instrumental in empowering businesses, creating jobs, and driving sustained national development. Micro and small business owners can now seize this opportunity to access hassle-free funding and scale their businesses to new heights, the bank said in a statement after the launch. Fonterra Co-operative Group Ltd has today increased its FY25 full year earnings guidance from 40-60 cents per share to 55-75 cents per share. CEO Miles Hurrell says its pleasing to see the Co-op delivering strong earnings performance alongside a $10.00 per kgMS forecast Farmgate Milk Price midpoint, which is a great outcome for farmer shareholders. As we have finalised preparation of our interim results, and looked at the balance of the year ahead, we are pleased to confirm an upgrade in our full year forecast earnings range. This upgrade reflects the underlying strength of our core Ingredients business and the resilience in our Consumer channel, which is contributing to a robust result for businesses in the divestment perimeter. Our Consumer channel has shown good volume and margin growth while recovering the higher Farmgate Milk Price this season, says Mr Hurrell. Fonterra will release its FY25 interim results on 20 March 2025 and will confirm its interim dividend on that date. The Co-ops dividend policy is 60-80% of full year earnings, with up to 50% of the full year dividend to be paid at interims. ENDS Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: CDC Independent Valuation - 30 June 2025 TruScreen Group Limited SPP Update THL provides updated guidance CEN - Greymouth gas deal July 4th Morning Report July 3rd Morning Report ikeGPS Chief Financial Officer Transition TWL - TradeWindow announces strategic partnership with FTA BLT - Patent issue settled and new 5 year agreement with BSP July 2nd Morning Report Next article: Ghana to launch Chamber of Online Payment and Mobile Money Operators Stanbic Bank pledges continued support for agric sector Business Desk Report Business News Mar - 10 - 2025 , 14:32 SECOND runner-up at the 2024 National Best Farmer Awards, Ransford Kwaku Otopa Atiemoh, has paid a courtesy call on the Chief Executive of Stanbic Bank Ghana, Kwamina Asomaning. Among other things, the meeting provided a platform to discuss innovative strategies to strengthen Ghanas agriculture sector through collaboration and enhanced support. During the engagement, Asomaning commended Mr Atiemoh for his dedication to agriculture and emphasised the need for farmers to evolve their practices to meet modern demands. He noted that while agriculture remained a cornerstone of Ghanas economy, there was a pressing need to diversify beyond traditional crops such as cocoa. Ghana has the potential to position itself as a global leader in the production of other high-demand crops such as cashew, ginger and mangoes. By diversifying and adopting innovative farming practices, we can reduce the sectors vulnerabilities and create new opportunities for growth, he said. Mr Asomaning also highlighted Stanbic Banks role as one of the top three banks in agricultural financing, underscoring the banks dedication to supporting farmers and agribusinesses. He pointed to the recent upgrade of the National Best Farmer Awards prize from a pick-up truck to a brand-new Massey Ferguson tractor with accessories, sponsored by Stanbic Bank in collaboration with Mechanical Lloyd, as a testament to the banks commitment to the sector. This upgrade reflects our belief in the transformative power of agriculture and our desire to equip farmers with the tools they need to succeed, he added. Aligning farming practices The discussion also touched on the importance of aligning farming practices with market demands and environmental conditions. Mr Asomaning stressed the need for farmers to adopt consistent and sustainable practices, such as matching seed varieties to soil types and weather conditions, as well as meeting the taste preferences of end markets. He mentioned that By evolving our practices and embracing innovation, we can create a more resilient and profitable agricultural sector. In response, Mr Atiemoh, who is the founder of Ransboat and Company Ltd, expressed his gratitude to Stanbic Bank for its unwavering support and shared his vision for the future of Ghanas agriculture. The challenges we face are significant, but with the right investments and collaborations, we can overcome them and unlock the full potential of our agricultural sector, he said. Over the past two decades, Stanbic Bank Ghana has been at the forefront of agricultural development, leveraging its deep sector expertise and innovative digital solutions to support farmers and agribusinesses across the country. Through its targeted agribusiness value chain initiatives, the bank continues to drive progress and create opportunities for growth in the sector. Why you must conduct a litigation search before buying a land in Ghana Victor Owusu Asante Opinion Mar - 10 - 2025 , 14:01 5 minutes read It is widely accepted among land purchasers in Ghana that, there is a need to go an extra mile in due diligence before paying money to any person or entity who purports to own a land in Ghana primarily due to the dicey nature of our land acquisition system. Oftentimes, the first thing that comes to the mind of a prospective purchaser of land in Ghana in terms of due diligence is to conduct a search at the Lands Commission on its ownership. While this is a giant step in ensuring that the Land seller indeed owns the land in question, you need not overlook the essence of conducting a litigation search on the seller (i.e. family, stool, individual, real estate company or even the state). Litigation search is a pretty simple but often overlooked critical pre-condition for acquiring an incident-free land and avoid watching your hard-earned real property go to waste because you refused to conduct same before advancing money to a purported Land owner who may or may not necessarily be the actual owner. It is imperative for a prospective purchaser of land to conduct a litigation search in order to ascertain if there is any pending litigation involving the person or entity that purports to be the owner of the said land which is the subject matter of sale. This search is conducted in the Court(s) that have jurisdiction over the land in question or in other words, the Courts surrounding the land in Question. For instance, if the land to be purchased is situated at Tema, it will be prudent to conduct a litigation search at the Tema and Accra Courts to ascertain if there is any pending litigation involving your land seller. The value of the land can inform which of the hierarchy of the Courts to conduct the search because each court has its monetary jurisdiction albeit the High Courts in Ghana have an unfettered monetary jurisdiction when it comes to instituting fresh land cases. In view of the foregoing, a litigation search at the High Courts that are closer to the land you intend purchasing is a must. Also, it is further expedient to conduct a search at our appellate Courts (Court of Appeal and Supreme Court) because it is a notorious fact that most land cases in Ghana travel the full haul and hardly gets its final determination at the Courts where the matter began. Indeed, there are multitudes of instances where a search at Lands Commission will reveal that a particular family, stool or entity is the rightful owner of a parcel of land, only for same to be overturned on appeal as happened in the recent Supreme Court case of BOI STOOL & ORS vs DANIEL ADDOQUAYE & ORS . Flowing from the above case, the Numo Nmashie Family who had proclaimed fraudulent ownership of about Seventy (70) villages in Accra received the blessings of the Lands Commission per a publication in the Daily Graphic dated 30th April, 2002 wherein its then Executive Secretary emphasized that the High Court had ordered the commission to plot the judgment plan of the Numo Nmashie family in respect of these Seventy (70) villages covering Peduase to Kpeshie Ridge. Conversely, the Supreme Court of Ghana held in the Boi Stool matter cited above that, the plotting of the said 70 villages into the name of the Numo Nmashie family should be expunged from the Commissions records because the judgment of the High Court, the basis of which plotting was done was procured fraudulently and moreso ownership of lands in most of the affected 70 villages had already been decided by the Apex court in previous suits. The lesson from the Boi Stool case cited above reveals the necessity of conducting a thorough litigation search on any parcel of land you intend purchasing from the lower Courts up to the Supreme Court because a simplistic Lands Commission search can mislead you into thinking that the land seller is the owner of the said land without indicating that there is a pending appeal on the same case before an appellate Court. This omission arises because the most recent judicial determination on a land dispute can only be incorporated after the matter has been finalized in Court and the victorious party has taken steps to have the judgment plan plotted in the records of the Lands Commission in order for same to reflect in any subsequent search results issued by the Commission. A prevalent fact that must be understood by land purchasers in Ghana is that, most lands, especially Stool and Family Lands derive its legitimacy from Court Judgments. Some of these judgments may be conclusive, inconclusive and/or even conflicting. However, a Land on which a Court has made a final determination has good title. In fact, the Lands Act of Ghana in defining what constitutes good title to land included a final judgment of a Court of Competent jurisdiction. Be that as it may, the nuances of these judgments can be interpreted if you engage the services of an experienced real estate lawyer who can appropriately advise on the legal effect of the said judgment(s) that form the basis of the Land sellers interest and title in the land he seeks to sell. The writer is a lawyer in Ghana who specializes in Real Estate and Immigration law Email: [email protected] Education Minister urges Indonesia to establish Islamic Medical University in Northern Ghana GraphicOnline Education Mar - 10 - 2025 , 07:55 3 minutes read The Minister of Education and Member of Parliament for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu, has called on the Indonesian government to consider establishing an Islamic Medical University in Northern Ghana. He believes such an institution would help bridge the development gap between the northern and southern parts of the country while strengthening the long-standing educational and diplomatic ties between Ghana and Indonesia. Iddrisu made the appeal during a courtesy visit by the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Indonesia in Ghana, H.E. Paskal A.B. Rois, to his office in Accra. The visit aimed to brief the minister on Indonesian scholarship opportunities, from which several Ghanaian students are already benefitting. Tracing the historical ties between the two nations, the minister recalled the efforts of Ghanas first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, and Indonesias President, Achmed Sukarno, in strengthening bilateral relations through the Non-Aligned Movement. He expressed optimism that further collaborations, including the proposed Islamic Medical University, would deepen these ties. Iddrisu emphasised that the establishment of such a university, with a strong focus on science and medical education, would not only accelerate the training of medical professionals in Northern Ghana but also cement relations between Ghanas Muslim community and Indonesia, one of the worlds largest Islamic nations. The future of the 21st century is about competencies, skills, and knowledge, which basically dovetails into science, mathematics, and engineering, he noted. He added that Ghana still has a shortage of medical doctors, particularly in rural and deprived areas, and that a medical university in the north would bring a paradigm shift in medical education in the region and the country as a whole. In response, H.E. Paskal A.B. Rois welcomed the ministers proposal and assured him that he would escalate the matter to Indonesian authorities for consideration. He congratulated Hon. Iddrisu on his appointment as Education Minister, acknowledging his vast experience in governance and lawmaking. The Honorary Consul also briefed the minister on Indonesias various scholarship schemes, including the KNB Scholarship, which is currently available for students from developing countries, including Ghana. He disclosed that over 60 Ghanaian students are currently pursuing undergraduate, masters, and doctoral degrees in Indonesia, with several others having completed their studies and returned home. Additionally, Mr Rois highlighted recent engagements between his office and key Ghanaian universities, including Ghana Technology University (GTU), the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), and the University of Cape Coast (UCC). These discussions, he said, have paved the way for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will soon facilitate student and faculty exchange programmes between Ghanaian and Indonesian universities. He expressed hope that the Education Minister would use his position and expertise to further strengthen Ghanas education sector and enhance collaborations between the two countries through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration. Next article: Ghana needs discipline, not more taxes Dr Yamson Cocoa farmers deserve better Dr Yamson questions COCOBODs pricing model Mohammed Ali Mar - 10 - 2025 , 11:37 2 minutes read The Chairman of the National Economic Dialogue, Dr Ishmael Yamson, has criticised COCOBODs role in Ghanas cocoa sector, arguing that the institution no longer prioritises the interests of farmers. Speaking in an interview on TV3 on Sunday, March 10, 2025, Dr Yamson questioned the pricing model that determines how much farmers receive for their produce. He contended that COCOBOD retains the majority of revenue from cocoa sales, leaving farmers struggling to make a decent living. During Nkrumahs time, COCOBOD was not there to make losses. It was there to protect the farmer, he said. Now, it doesnt work in the interest of the farmers any longer. If you do the calculation, why should COCOBOD keep the majority of the money while farmers earn so little? COCOBOD, which regulates Ghanas cocoa sector, is responsible for setting farmgate prices and managing cocoa revenue. However, mounting debt and financial inefficiencies have raised concerns about the institutions sustainability. Government officials argue that farmers receive about 63% of cocoa revenue, but Dr Yamson dismissed this claim, stating that the figure does not reflect the actual income farmers take home. I heard that. I dont know how they did their calculation, but 63% minus the cost of production? The farmer is not getting the price, he stressed. He also questioned why cocoa farmers are compelled to sell exclusively to COCOBOD, suggesting that they should have better options. Defence Minister warns illegal miners to stay out of forest reserves GraphicOnline Mar - 10 - 2025 , 17:29 2 minutes read The Minister of Defence, Dr Omane Boamah has issued a stern warning to illegal miners, cautioning them to stay out of Ghanas forest reserves as the government intensifies its fight against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey. In a strongly worded statement on his Facebook page, Dr Boamah made it clear that illegal mining activities in protected forest areas will no longer be tolerated, emphasising the devastating impact of galamsey on the countrys environment and natural resources. In the name of God and Ghana, stay away from the forest reserves and galamsey! A word to the wise is enough! he declared. His statement follows a recent joint operation by the Forestry Commission and the military, which resulted in the seizure of mining equipment and the arrest of illegal miners in the Tano Anwia Forest Reserve in the Western North Region. The operation, which saw nine excavators and one bulldozer confiscated, forms part of the governments renewed efforts to curb illegal mining and safeguard Ghanas forests. Dr Boamah further reiterated that mining activities must be carried out legally, urging those interested in the sector to obtain the necessary regulatory permits. If youre interested in mining, seek the necessary regulatory permits. Well not talk much, he warned. He also hinted at the deployment of advanced monitoring technology, using the hashtags #EAGLEEYES and #ActivateAllBodyCameras, suggesting increased surveillance and enforcement measures to track and apprehend illegal miners. Illegal mining remains a major threat to Ghanas environment, causing deforestation, water pollution, and land degradation. Despite multiple government interventions, many miners continue to operate unlawfully, leading to ongoing destruction of Ghanas forest reserves and river bodies. With the governments latest crackdown, it is expected that tougher measures will be implemented to deter offenders, ensuring that Ghanas natural resources are protected for future generations. Next article: President Mahama calls for closer Ghana-Niger ties to strengthen security and trade Ghana needs discipline, not more taxes Dr Yamson Mohammed Ali Mar - 10 - 2025 , 11:33 2 minutes read Ghanas economic challenges cannot be solved by continuously increasing taxes but rather through fiscal discipline, efficient revenue collection, and prudent resource management, according to the Chairman of the National Economic Dialogue, Dr Ishmael Yamson. Speaking in an interview on TV3 on Sunday, March 10, 2025, Dr Yamson criticised successive governments approach of repeatedly introducing new taxes, arguing that a small segment of the population and businesses in the formal sector are being overburdened while many others evade taxes. You cant keep increasing taxes on the same people and expect the economy to grow. We need to be disciplined in how we manage the resources we already have, he stated. Dr Yamson blamed excessive government spending and inefficiencies in public institutions as major drains on the economy. He stressed that no amount of taxation would be enough if state funds continued to be misused. The problem is not that we dont collect enough money. The problem is how we use it. If we were disciplined in spending and plugged all the revenue leakages, we wouldnt need to keep imposing new taxes, he said. He also called for broadening the tax base, arguing that many wealthy individuals and businesses operate outside the formal tax system. He urged authorities to digitise tax collection to reduce human interference and curb corruption. There are people in this country making millions but not paying taxes because the system allows it. If we digitised revenue collection, tax evasion would be much harder, he explained. Beyond taxation, Dr Yamson stressed the need to create a business-friendly environment that encourages investment and economic growth. He argued that when businesses thrive, the government naturally generates more revenue without having to introduce new taxes. You cant tax struggling businesses into prosperity. The government must make the economy work so that more people and companies can contribute their fair share, he advised. Dr Yamson urged leaders to prioritise long-term economic stability over short-term political gains. We dont need more taxes, we need discipline. If we fail to manage our resources wisely, no amount of taxation will fix this country, he warned. President Mahama begins visit to Alliance of Sahel States - Makes first stop in Mali Pacome Emmanuel Damalie Mar - 10 - 2025 , 12:17 4 minutes read President John Dramani Mahama has started a three-day working visit to the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) with the first stop in the Malian capital, Bamako. Last Saturdays visit centred on discussions related to strengthening bilateral relations, addressing regional security concerns, and fostering mutual economic growth for the West African states. Discussions also focused on reviving the stalled Technical Joint Cooperation Framework initiated in 2011 to address existing trade and diplomatic bottlenecks. President Mahama and his delegation were warmly received at the airport by Malis Transition President, General Assimi Goita, and some state officials, and the Ghanaian community in Mali, before their meetings in the Presidential Palace. The President, as part of his tour, also exchanged pleasantries with the Ghanaian community in Bamako, and visited the historic statue of Ghanas first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, located in the heart of Bamako, marking a powerful symbol of the shared history and Pan-African aspirations of the two countries. A communique from his office said the visit to Mali would be followed by similar visits to Niger and Burkina Faso. Reflection Speaking after a closed-door meeting with the Malian Transition President, President Mahama said the visit underscored the enduring friendship between the two nations, built upon a foundation laid by their founding fathers, President Dr Kwame Nkrumah and President Modibo Keita. He said the visit reinforced his administrations efforts to engage with neighbouring countries and strengthen Ghanas policy of good neighbourliness. Everybody knows the historic relations that have existed between Ghana and Mali since the period of our ex-Presidents, Keita and Dr Kwame Nkrumah, and so I came on a friendly visit, and also to thank President Goita for allowing Prime Minister Maiga to visit Ghana when I was being inaugurated as President. President Mahama underscored the importance of transit trade and the deep cultural ties that bound the two nations, reiterating Ghanas dedication to promoting economic growth across the sub-region. He also stressed the importance of transit trade and the deep cultural ties that bound the two nations, reiterating Ghanas dedication to promoting economic growth across the sub-region. Terrorism The President also spoke about the growing threat of insurgency and terrorism in West Africa and stressed the importance of strengthening ties with the AES to advance Africas sovereignty and find collaborative solutions to those pressing regional challenges. Addressing the complex relationship between the ECOWAS and the Sahel states, President Mahama expressed the belief that despite their departure from ECOWAS, the friendship and brotherly love among the people should continue. He advocated continued dialogue and reconciliation between the Sahel states and the regional bloc. Background President Mahamas visit to the AES is his first to the Sahel region since his assumption of the presidency in January this year to rebuild a lost friendship between Ghana and the Sahel countries. The frosty relationship between Ghana, ECOWAS and the AES stemmed from the non-negotiable demand by the regional bloc for the Sahel states to reinstate democratic governance following the military takeovers in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. The stance of ECOWAS followed by the Military Chiefs of the ECOWAS states threatening to invade the three countries, forced them to jointly release a statement in protest against that decision amid threats of reprisal attacks on ECOWAS member states. The ensuing development led to the exit of the three countries which later formed the AES, worsening the loggerheads between the AES and the ECOWAS. The mistrust buried decades of policy of good neighbourliness and mutual friendship between the ECOWAS states, including Ghana. The stance of the AES worsened when former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, while in the United States, said Burkina Fasos actions were backed by Russia, the geopolitical arch-rival of the US. However, the return of President Mahama has rebirthed the friendship and trust between Ghana and the AES which was evident in the attendance of key government functionaries from the AES at his investiture. President Mahama in a display of commitment also appointed Lt Colonel Larry Gbevlo-Lartey (retd), a well-known military and security expert, as the Special Envoy to the AES. Next article: UCC medical lecturers strike: GTEC to meet university management and lecturers tomorrow Japan grants Ghana $13m to improve electricity supply in Tamale Mohammed Ali Mar - 10 - 2025 , 12:43 1 minute read Ghana has secured a $13 million grant from Japan to improve electricity supply in Tamale, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced. In a Facebook post on Monday, March 10, 2025, Mr Ablakwa said he signed an Exchange of Notes with the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Yoshimoto Hiroshi, to formalise the agreement. This morning, I signed an Exchange of Notes with His Excellency Yoshimoto Hiroshi, the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, to unlock a grant of 1.92 billion Japanese Yen (US$13 million) for the stabilisation of electricity supply in Tamale City, he wrote. Mr Ablakwa said the initiative is part of broader discussions between Ghana and Japan to strengthen cooperation in various sectors. This project and many others under discussion reflect the strong bond of friendship between Ghana and Japan, he stated. The agreement is expected to help address power supply challenges in Tamale, a city that has experienced frequent outages in recent years. Details on the implementation timeline and specific infrastructure improvements under the grant are yet to be disclosed. Joint task force seizes 9 excavators in Tano Anwia Forest Reserve crackdown GraphicOnline Mar - 10 - 2025 , 17:18 2 minutes read A joint operation by the Forestry Commission (FC) and the Ghana Armed Forces has led to the seizure of nine excavators and a bulldozer being used for illegal mining activities in the Tano Anwia Forest Reserve, located in the Enchi Forest District of the Western North Region. The operation, conducted on Sunday, 9th March 2025, also resulted in the arrest of four individuals in Compartments 17 and 20 of the reserve. Sustained efforts to combat illegal mining According to a statement issued by the Enchi District of the Forest Services Division (FSD) of the Forestry Commission, the crackdown follows a series of efforts to rid the reserve of illegal miners. Prior to the latest raid, operational staff from the Enchi Forest District and the Rapid Response Team stormed the Tano Anwia Forest Reserve on Tuesday, 4th March, after receiving a tip-off. During that operation, the team successfully drove out 12 excavators used in illegal mining. However, they were unable to make arrests as they were outnumbered by armed miners. On Thursday, March 6, intelligence reports suggested that the illegal miners were planning to return to the reserve. Acting swiftly, the team returned to the forest and prevented re-entry by the miners. Miners return with armed resistance Despite these efforts, illegal miners resurfaced on Saturday, 8th March, this time in greater numbers and heavily armed. Although the enforcement team attempted to arrest the perpetrators and remove the excavators, the miners refused to vacate the reserve, and the task force was once again outnumbered and unable to make arrests. The widespread illegal mining activities were subsequently reported on social media, prompting authorities to dispatch a reinforced team, comprising the Forestry Commissions Rapid Response Unit (RRU) and 30 military personnel, to secure the reserve, seize the excavators, and apprehend suspects. Next steps in the fight against illegal mining The statement confirmed that the seized equipment is being moved to the Enchi District Assembly premises, while a formal complaint has been lodged with the Enchi District Police Command for further investigations. Illegal mining, commonly referred to as 'galamsey', remains a major environmental and economic threat in Ghana, leading to deforestation, water pollution, and destruction of farmlands. The latest operation underscores the governments renewed commitment to tackling the menace and protecting the countrys natural resources. Authorities have reiterated their determination to intensify surveillance and enforcement efforts in forest reserves across the country to prevent further degradation caused by illegal mining. Next article: Omane Boamah warns illegal miners: Stay away from forest reserves Previous article: Ghana needs discipline, not more taxes Dr Yamson President Mahama calls for closer Ghana-Niger ties to strengthen security and trade Mohammed Ali Mar - 10 - 2025 , 10:25 2 minutes read President John Dramani Mahama has called for stronger security and trade relations between Ghana and Niger following discussions with Nigers leader, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, in Niamey. In a statement posted on his official Facebook page today March 10, 2025, Mr Mahama stressed the need for cooperation in addressing regional security threats and expanding economic opportunities. Our discussions covered efforts to tackle terrorism in the Sahel and West Africa, improve trade between our two countries, and strengthen diplomatic ties, he said. The President also urged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to engage with the Alliance of Sahel Statesa bloc formed by Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso after their exit from ECOWAS to promote regional stability. Mr Mahamas visit to Niger is part of a broader tour of West Africa aimed at strengthening ties and fostering economic cooperation. On March 8, he met Malis Transitional President, General Assimi Goita, in Bamako, where they discussed security challenges, economic partnerships, and Malis potential return to ECOWAS. Before his visit to Mali, Mr Mahama toured Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Gabon, holding discussions on trade, security, and diplomacy. He described these visits as steps to deepen Ghanas relationships with its neighbours. Mr Mahama is expected to visit Burkina Faso next, with discussions likely to centre on security concerns as the country battles armed insurgencies. Trade will also be on the agenda, given Ghanas strong economic ties with Burkina Faso, particularly in cross-border commerce and agricultural exports. Next article: Prof Bokpin urges shift from taxation to production in 2025 budget Mahama, Traore discuss trade, security, and future of ECOWAS relations Mohammed Ali Mar - 10 - 2025 , 14:50 2 minutes read President John Dramani Mahama met with Burkina Fasos interim leader, Captain Ibrahim Traore, on Monday, March 10, 2025, to discuss regional relations, security challenges, and economic cooperation. Speaking to the press after the meeting, Mr Mahama said they had discussed the African Economic Community (AEC) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). He noted that he had gained fresh insight into the concerns of Burkina Faso and its regional allies regarding their relationship with ECOWAS. He assured President Traore that he would relay these concerns to other West African leaders at the next ECOWAS summit. There is a breakdown of trust among the leadership, and while it will take time to rebuild, we must work towards restoring confidence in one another, Mr Mahama said. The discussions also focused on security, particularly the growing threat of terrorism in the Sahel. Mr Mahama noted that what began in Mali had gradually spread to Niger and Burkina Faso. He stressed the need for a united front against terrorism, describing it as a cancer that, if not confronted collectively, would spread further across the region. Trade and economic ties between Ghana and Burkina Faso were also high on the agenda. The two leaders explored ways to improve the transit corridor for Burkinabe importers using Ghanas ports, facilitate agricultural trade, and establish a direct Accra-Ouagadougou flight. Other issues included increasing Ghanas electricity exports to Burkina Faso and expanding the petroleum transit corridor. Mr Mahama revealed that Burkina Faso had acquired a storage terminal in Tema and was considering using Ghanas pipeline network to transport fuel and diesel products to Ouagadougou. Omane Boamah warns illegal miners: Stay away from forest reserves Mohammed Ali Mar - 10 - 2025 , 10:06 2 minutes read Defence Minister Dr Edward Omane Boamah has issued a strong warning to illegal miners to stay away from Ghanas forest reserves. In a statement posted on his official Facebook page today, March 10, 2025, he said: No human being resides in the forest reserves! In the name of God and Ghana, stay away from the forest reserves and galamsey. A word to the wise is enough! Stop galamsey! If youre interested in mining, seek the necessary regulatory permits. Well not talk much His warning comes amid renewed government efforts to curb illegal mining, which continues to threaten Ghanas environment. President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated his administrations stance on illegal mining. In his recent State of the Nation Address, he stated: My government is implementing proactive measures to deal with galamsey. He further stressed the need for stricter enforcement, saying, We cannot allow illegal mining to destroy our rivers, forests, and farmlands. Those who engage in it must stop, or they will face the full force of the law. The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has also raised concerns about illegal mining in protected areas. Speaking at a recent event, he warned: Forty-four of Ghanas forest reserves are under threat from illegal miners, and assured the public that the government was taking decisive action, adding: We are coming after you. If you think you can destroy our environment and get away with it, you are mistaken. The fight against illegal mining has come with challenges. On February 22, 2025, Akwasi Agyei Annim, a Western Regional correspondent for Citi News, was assaulted while covering illegal mining activities in the Breman-Adomanya forest in the Wassa Amenfi West District. The attack has drawn condemnation from media organisations and civil society groups, who have called for better protection for journalists reporting on environmental issues. Despite government interventions, illegal mining remains a pressing issue. Authorities have urged local communities, traditional leaders, and industry players to support enforcement efforts to safeguard Ghanas forests and water bodies for future generations. GH140million needed to fully equip Bokoro Agenda 111 Hospital Health Minister GraphicOnline Health Mar - 10 - 2025 , 13:39 2 minutes read The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has revealed that the government requires approximately GH140 million to fully operationalise the Bokoro Agenda 111 Hospital in the Ahanta West Municipality of the Western Region. This comes despite the facility having been commissioned three months ago. During a tour of the hospital on Monday, March 10, the Minister noted that only 10 percent of the required medical equipment had been installed, making the facility unfit for operation. He emphasised that the incomplete installations have left the hospital non-functional since its commissioning. The hospital was officially inaugurated by former President Nana Akufo-Addo just two days before the December general elections. However, Mr Akandoh disclosed that at the time of its commissioning, the facility was nowhere near ready to serve the public. He stressed that the government must allocate the required funds to complete the installation of essential medical equipment and make the hospital fully operational. The additional expenses, he noted, are necessary to ensure that the facility can deliver quality healthcare services to the people. Completing the project is one thing, and paying for the project to become a property of the state is also another thing. As we speak, we need to cough not less than $9 million for this particular project alone. He further emphasised that a hospital cannot be considered operational without the necessary medical infrastructure in place. When we talk about a hospital being in operation, it is not just the brick and mortar; that is why I was requesting to see certain departments in the places. You cannot commission a project without hospital equipment being installed, he stated. Commemoration of International Womens Day: President Mahama calls for action on gender equality Daily Graphic Politics Mar - 10 - 2025 , 09:57 1 minute read President John Dramani Mahama has called for empowering and uplifting women in every sphere of life. The President in a statement to mark this years International Womens Day, said the theme, #AccelerateAction, calls for urgent measures to ensure that women and girls achieve gender equality. He noted that Ghana has made progress, especially with the election of its first female Vice President. "Let's build on this momentum. We must all prioritise empowering and uplifting women in every sphere from education and business to politics and leadership," President Mahama said. "Let's work together to create a Ghana where every woman has the opportunity to reach her full potential," the President said. International Women's Day is celebrated annually on March 8, as a focal point in the women's rights movement. The Day gives focus to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women. Next article: Former President Akufo-Addo calls for end to attacks on JB Danquahs legacy See the full list of the leaders of committees in Ghana's Parliament Samuel Duodu Politics Mar - 10 - 2025 , 07:15 3 minutes read Parliament has appointed leaders for the various committees to ensure effective oversight on governance and policies in the country. With committee leaders now in place, Parliament is expected to intensify deliberations on key national issues, including the review of government expenditures, policy proposals and legislative reforms. The move demonstrates Parliament's commitment to strengthening oversight and ensuring that national resources are managed effectively for sustainable development. Some of the key committees include the Finance, Health, Defence and Interior, Education, Public Accounts, Budget and Subsidiary Legislation. Committees The Finance Committee is chaired by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo. The Ranking member is the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Karaga and former Minister of Finance, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, and the committee is responsible for shaping discussions on the national budget, tax policies and financial regulations. The Health Committee has the NDC MP for Nabdam, Dr Mark Kurt Nawaane, as chairperson with the NPP MP for Effiduase-Asokore, Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie, as the Ranking member. This committee focuses on healthcare policies and programmes. The Defence and Interior Committee is chaired by NDC MP for Builsa North, James Agalga, and the Ranking Member is NPP MP for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour. They will oversee national security and defence matters. The Education Committee is chaired by the NDC MP for Akatsi North, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, and the Ranking member is the NPP MP for Bosomtwi and a former Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum. They will focus on education policies and programmes. The Public Accounts Committee has the NPP MP for Atiwa East and a former Deputy Minister of Finance, Abena Osei-Asare, as Chairperson with the NDC MP for Komeda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem, Samuel Atta-Mills as Ranking member. This committee is chaired by an opposition MP to ensure effective oversight and scrutiny of the government's financial management. This tradition is rooted in the committee's mandate to examine the Auditor-General's report on the countrys public accounts. By having an opposition MP as chair, the committee can maintain its independence and impartiality, allowing for more rigorous scrutiny of government spending and financial decisions. This helps to promote transparency, accountability and good governance. The Budget Committee is chaired by the NPP MP for Obuasi West, Kwaku Agyemang Kwarteng, and has NDC MP for Bia East, Richard Acheampong, as its Ranking Member. It is tasked with shaping budget planning and implementation to align with the countrys development goals while the Committee on Subsidiary Legislation has the NPP MP for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah, as Chairman with NDC MP for Madina, Francis-Xavier Sosu, as Ranking Member. Others Others are Committees on Ways and Means and Back Benchers Business chaired by the NDC MP for Cape Coast South, Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, and NPP MP for Tema Central, Charles Forson, respectively. See the full list below; Creole casserole comes from one of several restaurants inside Fidis new Printemps store. Photo: Lanna Apisukh When the Parisian department-store chain Printemps opens its new Manhattan store this month at 1 Wall Street, it will offer among the vintage Yves Saint Laurent and La Rosee cosmetiques something that its many French stores do not: five spots to eat and drink run by Gregory Gourdet. Its a homecoming for the Queens-raised chef, whose career took off in Portland, Oregon, and who achieved national fame on Top Chef. Devising so many menus at once would be a daunting task for any chef, and Gourdet had another predicament he wanted to work out: I know that New York doesnt need another French restaurant, he concedes. Gourdet, in partnership with Kent Hospitality Group, is overseeing everything as the culinary director at the Red Room Bar, Salon Vert, Cafe Jalu, a fine-dining spot called Maison Passerelle, and the Champagne Bar, which will just offer drinks. He says the food will be French, but through the lens of all its former colonies, drawing especially on Gourdets Haitian background as much as the stores own French history. For the chef, that means pastries with Haitian chocolate, lemongrass and coconut mixed into the tomato soup, lime for oeufs mayo, raw oysters with epis mignonette, and akara. In his Creole cassoulet, for example, hes subbing out cannellini beans for black-eyed peas, seasoning the mix with Creole spices, adding smoked sausage from Oregons Olympia Provisions, and slow-cooking chicken legs in duck fat. As Gourdet explains, his recipe takes all the traditional steps of cassoulet, but with ingredients more specific to Haiti and Louisiana, where many Haitians migrated during and after the Haitian Revolution. Gourdet. Photo: Lanna Apisukh That will be served at Maison Passerelle, which will open sometime in April. There will be plenty to feed hungry shoppers in the meantime. Pastries and more are found at Cafe Jalu, which also serves fresh juices, Haitian hot chocolate made with coconut milk, coffee and tea, and both eclairs and curry hand pies. The white-walled design here might evoke Sues workout show from The Substance, while the upstairs raw bar, Salon Vert, is more Gilded Age, with hanging light fixtures that look like pink Christmas trees, an enclosed area meant to look like a giant birdcage, and paintings of slightly alien-looking foliage on the wall. The food here mussels escabeche, French sardines with plantain chips, and caviar service will be more familiar to New York shoppers, while the menu at the Red Room Bar (part of a landmarked space) features crisp green plantains and a Haitian tarte a loignon, which Gourdet describes as a very eggy custard set with Edam cheese and loads of caramelized onion. Its something my mom made often, not super often, but it was just one of those iconic dishes from our childhood that was more of a special occasion dish, he says. You can get quiche pretty much anywhere in New York City. I dont know anywhere where you can get a Haitian onion pie in New York City. The restaurants and bars will be scattered across the two-story space, which Printemps brass as well as ads plastered across the city stress is not a department store, since the retail is all mixed together across 55,000 square feet. Gourdets cooking is meant to be as much of a draw as the clothes. We were coming out of the pandemic. Everybody had been shopping online, says Laura Lendrum, the CEO of Printemps USA. They envisioned this as a hospitality project instead of a traditional boutique. I do think that people might come for dinner before they discover what Printemps is and the rest of the project, she says. Salon Vert, which takes its name from the Paris flagships Cafe Vert. Raw-bar selections feature oysters with epis mignonette. Designer Laura Gonzalezs hypermaximalist style is on display throughout the stores many spaces. The store is inside an Art Deco skyscraper. Photos Lanna Apisukh Police arrested a man and a woman after a Monday traffic stop in Ordot that led to a car chase and left one officer with minor injuries and the discovery of some 1.1 pounds of methamphetamine, according to the Guam Police Department. Christopher A. Burgos, 49, was arrested on suspicion of: Illegal possession of a controlled substance Possession illegal delivery, dispensing manufacturing, and distribution Aggravated assault Assault on police officer Eluding a police officer Reckless driving Resisting arrest Rosanne C. Burgos, 38, was arrested for the following offenses: Illegal possession of a controlled substance Possession illegal delivery, dispensing manufacturing and distribution At about 11:50 a.m. on Monday, GPD K9 Units were conducting criminal interdiction in the central areas and conducted a traffic stop on Route 4 by the Ordot church for a traffic violation. A police officer informed the driver of the traffic violation. The officer also told the driver he would conduct a secondary inspection with a canine and his handler, but the driver struck the officer with the vehicle he was driving and fled the scene, GPD said. The officer obtained minor injuries, GPD said. A vehicle pursuit ensued, ending on Route 4 and Chalan Ping Pago, and the driver and passenger were taken into custody, GPD said. During the pursuit, a large shopping bag was thrown from the vehicle on Manibusan Lane, witnessed by the lead officer, and was later retrieved. An approximate 510.27 gross grams of suspected methamphetamine or about 1.1 pounds was identified to have been thrown out of the vehicle contained in the shopping bag, GPD said. A field test kit was conducted and tested presumptive positive for methamphetamine. Both Christopher and Rosanne Burgos were booked and confined at the Department of Corrections The case was forwarded to the Office of the Attorney General for their information and disposition, GPD said. A repeat sex offender who was convicted last year in the 2023 rape of a 13-year-old girl has been sentenced to 50 years in prison. In November, a jury deliberated for 11 minutes before finding Duane Manuel Cruz, 32, guilty of first-degree criminal sexual conduct as a first-degree felony. At the time of his arrest, he was a registered Level 1 sex offender who was also on pre-trial release in a family violence case. In 2023, when the girl was at Cruzs Dededo home, he grabbed her by the arm and asked her if she wanted to have sex with him. She told him no, and he raped her, according to the original charging documents. Attorney General Douglas Moylan said the 50-year sentence Judge John C. Terlaje handed down Monday will reap dividends in deterrence. The fact that Cruz committed his atrocities while on pretrial release for family violence exposes a dangerous hole in our criminal justice system of pretrial releases, Moylan stated in a news release announcing the sentence. Moylan said he advocates for mandatory life without parole law for child molesters. Scientific studies confirm the grim reality: pedophiles are incapable of reform. It is time for our senators to enact legislation to send a message that those who prey on our children belong in cages for life, Moylan said. Moylan praised the girls testimony in the case. Her bravery in confronting her abuser has protected other children, he said. According to the Guam Sex Offender Registry, Cruz was previously convicted of second-degree criminal sexual conduct as a first-degree felony in May 2015. The victim in that case was a 13-year-old girl. Speaker Frank Blas Jr. says lawmakers should not get in the middle of things as the governor and attorney general continue to field allegations against one another. Im not getting involved in that, Blas told the Pacific Daily News Monday, adding that its the role of the courts, not the Legislature, to settle disputes over the law. Adelup legal counsel Jeffrey Moots last week alleged over 70 hiring and promotion violations involving the attorney general and his chief deputy, and said Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero planned to have a special assistant attorney general and prosecutor appointed to investigate the matter. Attorney General Douglas Moylan has called it retaliation, pointing out that the governor has a conflict of interest because the AGs office is challenging the Mangilao hospital project and pursuing several government corruption cases against the administration. Moylan last week asked lawmakers to intervene and conduct their own investigation of the unfounded allegations from Adelup, and to pass a measure setting clear terms for when and how a special prosecutor should be appointed. But the Guam Legislature had never before empaneled an investigation committee and it should not now, according to Blas, who received the request from the AG. Blas on Monday said he did not believe lawmakers should be in the habit of getting into the middle of things between two executive branches. I respect and understand the attorney generals concern and everything. I have to also respectfully say that, Sir, sorry, but thats not in my wheelhouse, Blas told the PDN. Theres an alleged either misinterpretation of the law or misuse or misapplication of the law. That is judiciarys responsibility to be able to resolve or to determine, not mine, the speaker said. And then when I say mine, not the legislative branch. Blas said it is in the judiciary wheelhouse to be able to interpret the law. I dont interpret the law, the speaker said. I make the law. Sen. Telo Taitague, oversight chairwoman of the legislative committee on justice, said she did plan to host an informational briefing with the AGs office. Both the attorney general and the governor have raised serious concerns that warrant a thorough and objective review, she said in a statement. As the oversight chairperson, my responsibility is to ensure transparency, accountability, and adherence to the law regardless of who is involved. She said she respects the AGs duty to protect the integrity of his office. As always, my focus remains on the facts, not political disputes. The people of Guam deserve a government that operates above reproach, and I will continue to scrutinize these matters fairly and responsibly, Taitague added. No changing the law Moylan, in his letter to Blas and Taitague, asked that senators enact clear terms for the handling of a special prosecutor, like: When and how investigations can be started The scope of investigations Fair selection of a special prosecutor Scope of the special prosecutors duties Salary The limitation that financial reward not motivate prosecution Who will be in control of the special prosecutors decision making discretion Doing so would prevent the weaponization of the island justice system, Moylan stated. The speaker on Monday said the Legislature could address Guams law regarding special prosecutors but not if it means that this was a way to be able to circumvent a dispute. If in the process, the judiciary says, there is a flaw in the law, it has to be addressed, thats where we come in, Blas said. Taitague said she agreed with Blas on that point. Hes right. I mean, were doing this midstreamits almost like passing an election law on the eve of an election, she said. Taitague said a review of the current law would be required, and if it was found lacking, it could be changed. But thats going to take a whole lot longer than what they think, a whole lot longer, she said. Moots, in his letter to Moylan last week, stated that if the AG would not agree to the governor appointing a special prosecutor, Adelup would take the matter to the Supreme Court of Guam for a decision. Moylan has asserted that the Department of Administration, and by extent the governor herself, signed off on all of the personnel actions and hirings at his office. Moots has alleged that Moylan was not authorized to hire over 70 unclassified employees at his office, and that there were improprieties in the hiring and promotion of Moylans fiancee and brother. The AG has consistently denied any involvement in the actions, or nepotism at the office. The speaker, asked about the matter on Monday, said, If it is followed by law, if it was done by law, theres nothing that I can say about it. OK? There may be some question as to whether or not the law was interpreted one way or another to be able to fit the narrative, he said. Again, the judiciary determines that, not me. The 38th Guam Legislature has nine Republican senators responsible to chair 38 committees. The four freshman Republican senators chair 16 of these committees, which is close to half of all the committees). The six Democrats have zero committee chair responsibilities. Yes, historically, both parties probably operated this way. Our Legislature also has no committee specifically tasked to address the homelessness problem. Im under the impression that all our plans to address the homelessness crisis revolve around federal funding. I viewed one of GovGuams current homeless housing projects. GovGuam has done a great job securing federal grant money to begin this. But at about $2.5 million to build and hundreds of thousands to operate each year, this might be something the feds will view as excessive and stop funding. How many facilities like this do we have? These families will be thrown back out into the streets. So, with a likely increase in the homeless population, coupled with a probable decrease in federal funding, it will be disastrous if the Legislature and the administration do not start thinking outside the box. The Legislature should immediately create a Committee on Homelessness and Hunger. What do people usually do when they dont have a place to stay or food to eat? And it would be extremely encouraging to see more displays of bipartisanship in general. It cant help tourism when we have so many people panhandling and sleeping out in the open. You can keep removing them, but with no solutions, they will always keep coming back. Haiti - FLASH : Significant seizure of ammunition in Mirebalais Sunday, March 9, 2025, during a routine check on national road #3, in Trianon, a locality of Mirebalais (Central Dept.), the police officers of the Mirebalais Police Station, intercepted a Toyota Hiace van, registration TP-27525, with 4 people on board, coming from Artibonite and heading towards Port-au-Prince. During the search of the vehicle, the police officers discovered hidden in a bale of used thrift, 3 firearms including an assault rifle and 10,460 rounds of ammunition distributed in their original boxes. According to Frederic Occean, the Departmental Delegate of the Center, the driver Honel Meme (36 years old) and another occupant of the vehicle were allegedly lynched by members of an exasperated and highly motivated population. The other two passengers managed to escape and are being actively hunted by members of the population and sought by law enforcement. The police authorities have opened an investigation to discover the origin of the weapons and ammunition, their destination and the network(s) involved in their transport. S/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Elections : A CEP delegation on an official tour in Latin America On Sunday, March 9, 2025, Frinel Joseph, Presidential Transition Advisor at the head of a delegation left the country for Peru and Mexico for an official tour. From March 10 to 14, he will take part in strategic meetings with the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE) of Peru and the National Electoral Institute (INE) of Mexico. This mission aims to strengthen international cooperation in favor of the ongoing constitutional reform and to mobilize increased support for the organization of the next general elections in Haiti. Bilateral meetings are also planned on the sidelines of this visit to strengthen alliances and share best practices in electoral matters. The delegation is composed of Jacques Desrosiers and Jacceus Joseph, two Electoral Advisors, Joram Vixamar, member of the Steering Committee of the National Conference and Constitutional Reform, as well as Reynold Guerrier, Director General of the National Identification Office (ONI). This tour of Latin America is facilitated by the Organization of American States (OAS), through its Department of Cooperation and Electoral Observation, in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of Haiti to the OAS and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). HL/ S/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Customs revenue new record In February 2025, customs revenue set a new record with nearly 10 billion 400 million Gourdes in revenue, 32% more than in February 2023 and 5% more than the Ministry of Economy's forecast for the current fiscal year. From October 2024 to February 2025, customs are currently at 101% of forecasts. Installation of CNDDR members Unless there is a last-minute change, the National Commission for Disarmament, Dismantling and Reintegration (CNDDR) should be officially installed this Monday, March 10, 2025 at the Ministry of the Interior with a partial presence within the Prime Minister's Office. The Commission is made up of 7 members: Enold Florestal, Coordinator, as well as Guerda Privilon, Claudy Alexis, Junior Bonheur, Illionor Louis, Michel Jean-Marie Leonidas and Abler Roudy Lalanne. UEH : New Executive Council The Rectorate of the State University of Haiti informs that the University Council elected its new Executive Council on Sunday, March 9, 2025 for the next 4 years. Council members: - Professor Dieuseul PREDELUS, Rector (95.45% of the votes); - Professor Predner DUVIVIER, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs (58.33% of the votes); - Professor Jacques BLAISE, Vice-Rector for Research (73.91% of the votes). Culture : Death of the sculptor "Ti Pelen" Sunday, March 9, 2025, the National Bureau of Ethnology learned with great sadness, the death of one of the great Haitian sculptors, Jean Salomon Horace alias "Ti Pelen". Stone sculptor, born August 25, 1959 "Ti Pelen" was one of the artists of the resistance in Riviere Froide. Despite all the insecurity problems that arose in this area, he continued to maintain and transmit his knowledge to other young artists. The National Bureau of Ethnology, Laboratory of Popular Sciences, had the privilege of collaborating with this great creator of artistic works, as part of the work of promoting popular art. OAS : Election of a new Secretary General Chancellor Jean-Victor Harvel Jean-Baptiste, leading a delegation, left Port-au-Prince for Washington D.C. to take part in the 56th Special Session of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), dedicated to the election of the new Secretary General. The Chancellor will take advantage of his stay in the United States to meet with the heads of post of the various Haitian consular missions in the United States in order to strengthen the mechanisms of community supervision and protection of our compatriots, particularly in the context of possible deportation measures. Property Tax DGI Reminder The DGI calls on homeowners and farmers to respect their obligation to pay the property tax on built properties for the 2024-2025 fiscal year before March 31. HL/ HaitiLibre A long-running dispute is picking up speed: Apple has been given a 90-day deadline in Brazil to allow sideloading for iPhones. This means downloading an app directly from the website or the developer's own app store instead of from Apple's official app store. The measure follows a lengthy dispute between the Brazilian federal court and the tech company. But Apple intends to fight back. Anzeige The court's ruling was issued on Wednesday. Third-party providers should also be able to offer their apps outside of Apple's App Store, for example in their own app stores or on their website. The tech company has not allowed this in most countries to date. Developers are only allowed to distribute their apps on Apple's platform and pay a fee for this. For paid apps, this fee amounts to around 30 percent of a subscription fee or a one-off purchase price. Apple grants discounts for smaller developers. Alternative app stores allowed in the EU In the EU, however, Apple had to partially abandon this as part of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Since iOS 17.4, alternative marketplaces have been available on iPhones in the EU. However, Apple also charges fees here, anchored in its alternative terms and conditions, which developers must agree to in order to use an alternative marketplace. However, the model here is much more complex and is based on the number of installations, among other things. The EU is currently asking affected developers about the effects. A model similar to that in the EU presumably without the fees contributed by Apple is now also being considered by the Brazilian Federal Court. Its reasoning: Apple's strict rules would jeopardize the entry of new developers into the market. Apple received an ultimatum from the Brazilian government back in November: the Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Economica (CADE), the national competition watchdog in the South American country, threatened Apple with fines of the equivalent of 41,000 euros per day if the company left its app store in the country as it was. The request came from e-commerce giant MercadoLibre, which wanted to use its own payment methods in Apple's software store. Apple initially defends itself with success However, Apple took legal action against this, initially with success: a court ruling confirmed that the fines were an unnecessary measure. Apple had argued that the changes demanded by CADE were not urgent and that they would have a negative impact on its business. Anzeige Around a quarter of a year later, the Brazilian judiciary is now contacting Apple again with a 90-day deadline. In its reasoning, the court refers to other countries where the requested changes have already been implemented and no significant impact or damage to Apple's business model has been observed. An Apple spokesperson told Valor Economico newspaper on the issue that the company "believes in vibrant and competitive markets" and that it faces competition "in all segments and jurisdictions" in which it operates. Apple reiterated this in its commitment to its users. The company believes that the changes will "compromise the privacy and security" of iOS users and has announced that it will appeal the decision. (nen) Don't miss any news follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Mastodon. This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication. The Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority (HSY) monitors air quality and has observed increasing dust levels as dry weather lifts fine particles from roads and pavements. Air quality has deteriorated across the Helsinki metropolitan area due to rising street dust, with high concentrations recorded in areas with heavy traffic. The dust poses health risks, particularly for people with asthma and heart conditions, but can also cause irritation for healthy individuals. "Measurements show that street dust is now present across the region. Air quality has been poor at times, especially along busy roads," said Jarkko Niemi, an air quality specialist at HSY. Dry and sunny conditions are expected to continue, meaning dust levels may remain high. Rain or snow would help suppress airborne particles by wetting road surfaces. Street dust consists mainly of ground asphalt and sand used for winter traction. Studded tyres contribute significantly to the problem by wearing down road surfaces. "Areas with heavy traffic are the worst affected. However, people dont need to avoid outdoor activities altogetherjust one block away from a busy road, the air is much cleaner," Niemi said. Although dust problems are most pronounced in major cities, high particle concentrations can also be found in smaller towns and residential areas. Authorities are tackling the issue through spring street cleaning and by spraying a diluted salt solution on roadsides to reduce dust on the worst days. Street dust is particularly harmful to young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory or heart conditions. It can aggravate existing symptoms and cause irritation, such as coughing, a runny nose, and itchy eyes or throat. Niemi offered ten tips to minimise exposure and reduce dust levels: Avoid unnecessary drivingwalk, cycle, or use public transport. Choose studless winter tyres instead of studded ones. Follow parking restriction signs to allow efficient street cleaning. Avoid high-traffic areas on dusty days and consider using a face mask if needed. Exercise away from busy roadsair quality improves significantly just one block away. Keep windows closed during dusty periods. Dry laundry indoors to prevent dust accumulation. Maintain air filters at home and replace them in spring and autumn. Remove sand from yards while dampleaf blowers are banned for this purpose. Monitor air quality updates at hsy.fi/ilmanlaatu. HSY operates 20 monitoring stations across the Helsinki region, providing real-time data on street dust levels at hsy.fi/katupoly. HT Despite the drop, SDP remains the most popular party with 22.8% backing. However, support for the party fell by 1.6 percentage points compared to the previous poll. Finlands governing parties have increased their support, while the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) has suffered a decline, according to Yles latest parliamentary poll . The National Coalition Party (NCP), the leading government party, maintained its 20% support, keeping the gap between the two largest parties at nearly three percentage points. The Finns Party, another coalition member, saw a slight increase of 0.4 percentage points, reaching 15.4%. Political scientist Johanna Vuorelma from the University of Helsinki noted that the party continues to struggle with the pressures of being in government. Centre Party sees highest support since 2019 The Centre Partys upward trend continued, reaching 13.7%, its highest level in five years. Vuorelma linked the rise to the debate over healthcare service cuts and the upcoming municipal and regional elections. Meanwhile, opposition parties saw declines. The Left Alliance and the Greens both lost 0.7 percentage points, now standing at 8.5% and 7.8%, respectively. Vuorelma suggested their struggles are due to the current political focus on security and economic issues rather than climate policy. Christian Democrats make biggest gains Among the governing coalition parties, the Christian Democrats recorded the largest increase, rising 1.7 percentage points to 4.7%. The Swedish Peoples Party also gained slightly, reaching 3.9%. Prime Minister Petteri Orpos (NCP) government now holds a combined 44% support, up 2.5 percentage points from the previous poll. However, this remains significantly lower than past administrations at the same stage in their term. The current government's support is ten percentage points lower than that of former Prime Minister Sanna Marins (SDP) government at a similar point in its term. Orpos government is also trailing the support levels seen under Juha Sipilas (Cen) centre-right government. HT READERS who walk along King James Way to the Deanfield area of Henley via the chalk bank may notice this Second World War aircraft propeller. The attached notice reads: This Bristol Blenheim aircraft Mk 1 type 142M variable pitch propeller came up in a fishing net in north Holland. The three-man crew may have run out of fuel, suffered mechanical issues, icing, or been shot down. Nothing is known of their fate. Typically, their ages would have been 22 years. This monument recognises the young aircrews of all nationalities who sacrificed their lives in obedience and patriotism for their respective countries at a time of regretful tragic world turbulence. Our freedom and security can be attributed to so many, including this air crew. The Blenheim, introduced in 1937, was the first RAF plane to fly into Europe after the declaration of war. A total of 4,422 were built. One flying example exists today, powered by twin 860hp radial Bristol Mercury engines. We can never reconcile the sacrifices and utter bravery against all odds of those aircrews. Crudelius est quam mori semper timere mortem, which translates as: It is more cruel to always fear death than to die. March 9, 2025: In January a Ukrainian naval drone armed with missiles destroyed a Russian helicopter. A few days later another helicopter was destroyed and another damaged. Around the same time in Crimea an RPV drone was used to destroy a Pantsir-S1 air defense system worth over $15 million. Drones have also been used against $500 million dollar S-400 air defense systems in Crimea. Ukraine has been systematically destroying all military facilities in Crimea as well as blocking Russian supply routes to the peninsula. Since 2023 Ukraine has maintained control of the Black Sea. On October 28th, 2022, Ukraine used a combined force of explosives-carrying drones and autonomous surface drones against three Russian frigates and several other ships docked at the Sevastopol naval base in Crimea. The night attack was detected and machine-guns and autocannon were seen firing on the attackers. One of the frigates and an amphibious ship were hit by the surface drones and damaged. This attack upset the Russians who responded by launching more attacks on Ukrainian civilians and ending its cooperation in allowing Ukraine to export grain that was needed in many Middle Eastern nations that get a lot of their imported food from Ukraine. The additional Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities led to higher than usual losses for the cruise missiles employed. Turkey had negotiated the grain export deal and responded to the Russian action by putting Turkish flags on the grain ships. Turkey is a member of NATO and an attack on the reflagged grain ships would have been an attack on a NATO nation that would mean all NATO nations would be at war with Russia. This led Russia to quietly reinstate its cooperation with the grain export arrangement. A week later Russia scored a rare naval victory of its own when it used one of its Lancet Loitering Munitions to attack a stationary Ukrainian gunboat in a reservoir on the Dnieper River north of Kherson City. The small gunboat was damaged rather than sunk, largely because the Lancet carries only a small warhead containing two kg of explosives. Lancets are regularly used on one-way reconnaissance missions or attacks on Ukrainian air defense systems and other unarmored targets. What angered the Russians most about the Sevastopol attack was that it was another embarrassing demonstration of Ukrainian ingenuity and improvisation. Surface drones are nothing new as they are the latest incarnation of centuries-old fire ship tactics and the use of small boats carrying explosives used in the 19th and 20th century. A month before the Sevastopol attack, one of the Ukrainian drones which was not carrying explosives, washed up on a Crimean beach. Russia did not release details but a photo got out and indicated that this was a rather sophisticated surface drone that was equipped with optical sensors, water jet propulsion and the ability to be remotely controlled. This surface drone was apparently on a reconnaissance mission when equipment failure disabled it. The only other group currently using bomb boats are the Shia rebels in Yemen who regularly send these boats, propelled by an outboard engine, at warships and cargo ships in the Red Sea. Most miss their targets but they are a threat. These Shia rebels are backed by Iran with tech advisors and smuggled weapons. The attack on Sevastopol was launched from nearly 300 kilometers away. The Ukrainians managed to get seven surface drones and nine UAVs across that distance at night and into Sevastopol harbor in a coordinated attack. This was unprecedented in naval warfare and it worked. Russia has to come up with some kind of defense against a form of naval warfare never encountered before. Russia has to do this with its Black Sea fleet, which includes amphibious ships, maritime infantry, a few maritime aircraft and even some submarines that have so far been a major disappointment. The Black Sea Fleet in general has been a disappointment, suffering several defeats but achieving little in the way of victories other than temporarily blockading cargo ships from exporting grain from Ukraine in an effort to deal with enormous food shortages caused by the Russian invasion that halted a major portion of the global grain exports. The grain ships are operating again, mainly because NATO member Turkey lets them fly the Turkish flag. Since the attack more of the warships based in Sevastopol have been moved to the port of Novorossiysk, which is in southern Russia, south of the Kerch Strait. If Ukraine attacks, or seems able to attack Sevastopol again, all the Black Sea fleet ships can be moved to Novorossiysk Upgrading and reinforcing the Black Sea fleet is not an option as long as Russian ground forces are losing their battle against a month-long Ukrainian offensive that appears unstoppable. This situation does little for the reputation of the other Russian Baltic Sea, Northern and Pacific fleets. These fleets are still dangerous but unless they are somehow a lot more efficient than the Black Sea fleet, not as capable as they were once believed to be. March 10, 2025: Russia lost most of its Western trading partners since it invaded Ukraine in early 2022. Western sanctions and the cost of the war in Ukraine have crippled Russian finances. Russia still trades with China, but the Chinese cannot freely trade with Russia because doing so would risk China being hit with trade sanctions too. Trade with Western Europe and the Americans sustains the Chinese export economy. This leaves Russia with only two alternatives. One is North Korea, which has a feeble economy with a GDP of only $30 billion and has long been subject to economic sanctions. The other alternative is Iran, which is also sanctioned but has oil to export and a GDP of over $400 billion. Iran was also responsible for the recent completion of a drone manufacturing facility on the Volga River. Russia has over fifty firms manufacturing over two dozen types of drones. These include: Four Granat model drones for tactical use. These drones have a range of up to 40 kilometers and altitudes between 2,000 and 4,100 meters. Blah-08 Tipchak has a range of 128 kilometers and max altitude of 4,500 meters. Corsair has a range of 120 kilometers and max altitude of 5,100 meters. Eleron-3 has a range of 25 kilometers and max altitude of 3,000 meters. Eleron-10 has a range of 60 kilometers and max altitude of 4,000 meters. Eleron-3SV has a range of 25 kilometers and max altitude of 5,000 meters. Eleron-28 has a range of 40 kilometers and max altitude of 5,000 meters. Forpost has a range of 350 kilometers and max altitude of 6,000meters. Griffon-12 has a range of 40 kilometers and max altitude of 4,000 meters. Merlin-VR has an unknown range and max altitude of 5,000 meters. ZALA 421-08 has a range of 15 kilometers and max altitude of 3,600 meters. ZALA 421-04 has a range of 50 kilometers and max altitude of 3,600meters. ZALA 421-16E has a range of 50 kilometers and max altitude of 3,600 meters. Zastava has a range of ten kilometers and max altitude of 2,200 meters. Takhion has a range of 40 kilometers and max altitude of 3,600 meters. Orion has a range of 300 kilometers and max altitude of 7,500 meters. Orlan-10 and Orlan-10 have a range of 120 kilometers and max altitude of 6,000 meters. Orlan-30 has a range of 200 kilometers and max altitude of 4,500 meters. Orlan-20 Kartograph is a new model and its performance characteristics are unknown. Orlans are used to find and identify targets for artillery units. These drones belong to the artillery units supported. This drone was also supplied to engineer, and railway brigades. Combat Engineers used drones for reconnaissance of minefields and enemy fortifications, railway workers for assessing the conditions of the rail track, and missile brigades for selecting and guarding the positions used to launch missiles. Mohajer-4 has a range of 150 kilometers and max altitude of 3,500 meters. Mohajer-6 has a range of 200 kilometers and max altitude of 5,400 meters. Mohajers are Iranian drones that are rarely found in use except along the Black Sea coast. SuperCam S150 has a range of 110 kilometers and an unknown max altitude. SuperCam S350 has a range of 240 kilometers and max altitude of 5,000 meters. In 2023 Russia introduced the ZALA 421-16E, SuperCam S150 and SuperCam S350 drones. There are also the KUB-BLA and Lancet attack drones. KUB-BLA has a range of 15 kilometers and max altitude of 200 meters with a 3 kg warhead. Lancet-1 has a range of 40 kilometers and max altitude of 200 meters with a 1 kg warhead. Lancet-3 has a range of 40 kilometers and max altitude of 200 meters with a 2.5 kg warhead. Scalpel has a range of 40 kilometers and max altitude of 200 meters with a 5 kg warhead. Russia also manufactures the Iranian Shahed-136/131, renaming them Geran-2/1. Shahed-131 has a range of 900 kilometers and max altitude of200 meters. with a 12 kg warhead. Shahed-136 has a range of 2,000 kilometers and max altitude of 200 meters with a 40 kg warhead. Shahed-238 has a range of 1,200 kilometers and max altitude of 200 meters with a 25 kg warhead. Russia also has FPV/First Person View drones and produces about 40,000 of these a month. Russia is building a drone manufacturing infrastructure. By 2026 330,000 people will be involved in the development, production, and operation of drones by 2026. By 2035 1.5 million people may be involved in drone design, development and production. Russia continues to obtain drones and drone construction assistance from Iran. While Russia produces 330-350 Shahed-136 drones per month, Iran also helps out. Russia has manufactured over 1,600 Shahed drones and 2,600 have been sent by Iran. To cooperate with Iran, Russia uses an existing north-south trade route to Iran. Russia wants to improve it with road and rail connections. Railway connections are a problem because Russia and Iran railroads use different railroad gauges. That can be overcome by building parallel Iran/Russian rail lines and establishing depots where cargoes, especially standard shipping containers, can be transferred between Russian and Iranian trains. Road building bypasses the rail gauge problem. While trucks have long transported shipping containers, it is three times more expensive to ship by road than by rail. Shipping by sea is less than 20 percent the cost of rail transport. The road and rail lines are essential for getting cargo to inland destinations, but most of the tonnage is moved the longest distances by ship. For this reason Russia has long maintained a water route from Russia to Iran via the Caspian Sea and a series of canals. In 2023 Russia brought in dredging equipment for a major, and overdue, dredging of the heavily used Volga-Don Canal that enables ships to get from the Caspian Sea to the Black Sea. Because of the war in Ukraine, and Iran supplying weapons and equipment to Russia, canal traffic was up 15 percent in 2022 over the previous year. In 2023 traffic increased by another 4.5 percent and increased further in 2024. Since 1952 a 101 kilometers long canal, linking the Don and Volga rivers, gave the Caspian Sea access to the Black Sea and the world's oceans. Ships that can use the canal cannot displace more than 5,000 tons, be no more than 140 meters long, 17 meters wide, and have a draft of more than 3.5 meters. Normally the canal moves over 12 million tons of cargo a year. About half of that is oil or oil products. In 2021 Russia agreed to allow Iran to use the Volga-Don Canal so that Iranian ships can reach the Black Sea from the landlocked Caspian Sea. This is the first time Russia has ever given a foreign nation free access to the canal. Russia and Iran are now using each others Caspian Sea ports heavily for trade and getting Iranian weapons to Russia. Both nations have agreed to establish a joint-shipbuilding operation in the Caspian Sea and cooperate in dredging the canal, something that has not been done since 1991. The prolonged lack of dredging has made portions of the canal shallower and forced ships to carry less cargo. The 13 locks on the canal connect the Volga River, the longest in Russia that empties into the Caspian, and the Don River which empties into the Sea of Azov, which is connected to the Black Sea via the Kerch Strait. The Caspian is the world's largest lake, at 371,000 square kilometers. It is about a thousand kilometers long and 430 kilometers wide. It's saline but is only about a third as salty as ocean water. The Caspian has a 7,000-kilometer-long coastline, with the largest chunk, 1,900 kilometers, belonging to Kazakhstan. China's employment sees good start this year: official Xinhua) 09:11, March 10, 2025 BEIJING, March 9 (Xinhua) -- China's employment has got off to a good start this year, as indicated by the situation in the first two months, an official said Sunday. During the January-February period, the country's enterprises accelerated the resumption of production after the Spring Festival holiday, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping told a press conference on the sidelines of the annual session of the national legislature. Backed by the government's supportive policies, Wang expected the country's employment situation this year to maintain overall stability with improvements. The country has vowed to implement more proactive and impactful macro policies this year, which will provide strong support for economic growth and employment, Wang said. She noted that the country will roll out a new round of policies this year to support the employment of young people, including college graduates, while helping labor-intensive industries boost employment during their industrial transformation and upgrading. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) March 10, 2025: Ukraine has used American made drones. Until 2025 it accepted locally hade drones from the United States and other NATO nations. Now Ukraine politely declines offers and points out that they are the premier developers and manufacturers of military drones. Currently Ukraine can produce about four million drones a year. American attempts to adopt Ukrainian drone tactics and technology encountered problems. First, the U.S. is not at war and the military bureaucracy has a peacetime attitude towards any new technology. This includes the use of drones in Ukraine and the flood of practical experience and solutions passed by Ukraine. Current U.S. Army drones, when used in Ukraine, often encounter problems the Ukrainian drones dont. In a wartime situation, Ukrainians have been quick to make changes until they get the results they need. The American military may want to implement the lessons of drone use in Ukraine, but American defense contractors and manufacturers feel compelled to modify and improve what the Ukrainians have done while they adapt Ukrainian drone tech to something new which United States forces can use and Congress will pay for. This process tends to lower the effectiveness of what the Ukrainians have created, while delaying the product and enriching the contractors and manufacturers. The lesser effectiveness is usually revealed the first time American troops use the U.S. version of Ukrainian drone tech. Something is lost in the tech translation. This is nothing new. Its been happening for over a century. The U.S. is currently adapting and adopting Ukrainian drone technology. There will be modifications and upgrades for as long as the fighting in Ukraine lasts. These changes come quickly in wartime and always have. In Ukraine, drone designs can be changed in less than a week. This is usually because the Russians gained an edge with one of their recent tweaks. While Ukraine has been in the forefront of developing and upgrading drone technology, the Russians have kept up. In war time you either keep up or become an inept underdog that falls farther and farther behind. The Russians noticed that when they fail to keep up, they suffer heavy losses. The peacetime American military has no such wartime feedback loop. If someone in the defense procurement establishment says the current American drone tech is good, it is officially adequate. Sending U.S. drone adaptations to Ukraine for testing is done, but often over the objections of some U.S. manufacturers. When tested in combat, some of the U.S. drones fail to deliver. American defense contractors dont like that, but their usual response is to get Congress to approve things that dont work. When the Ukraine war ends, there will be no way to adequately test American drones. There may be other wars where American troops are involved and able to test the new drones. But it wont be in the intensely competitive atmosphere the Ukrainians and Russians have created. Ukraine has been writing the book on drone technology since 2023, with Russia contributing edits in real time. When that atmosphere is not present, the speed of developing new tech or maintaining current drones slows down a lot. This process is at work now as the U.S. Army orders drones based on Ukrainian designs. The American military procurement bureaucracy is infamously slow in adopting and manufacturing new weapons. It is feared that the Ukrainian drone revolution will be equally slow in actually reaching Americans soldiers and marines. Many military and Defense Department civilians are aware of this problem and see the drone development and procurement program as an opportunity to show that the United States can do it right and quickly. There have been other Ukrainian innovations. In early 2024 Ukraine created a new branch of their military, the Unmanned Systems Force or USF. This is in addition to the Ukrainian Air Force that consists of manned aircraft. The USF does not control the drones Ukrainian forces use regularly, but instead contributes to developing new drone models and organizing mass production for those new models that are successful. The U.S. military took note of this but acting on it takes a lot longer for a peacetime military. Drones were an unexpected development that had a huge impact on how battles in Ukraine's current war are fought. Drones were successful because they were cheap, easily modified, and expendable. Modifications and upgrades could be implemented quickly and cheaply. Both Russian and Ukrainian forces were soon using cheap, often $500 or less, quadcopter drones controlled by soldiers a few kilometers distant using FPV/First Person Viewing goggles to see what the day/night video camera on the drone can see. Most of these drones carry half a kilogram of explosives, so it can instantly turn the drone into a flying bomb that can fly into a target and detonate. Some drones carry more explosives depending on what is needed to deal with a target. These drones are awesome and debilitating weapons when used in large numbers. If a target isnt moving or requires more explosive power that the drones can supply, one of the drone operators can call in artillery, rocket, or missile fire, or even an airstrike. Larger, fixed wing drones are used for long range, often over a thousand kilometers, operations against targets deep inside Russia. A major limitation to the expansion of drone operations was the need for trained drone operators. These operators need over a dozen hours of training before they are able to operate these drones at peak effectiveness. As operators spend more hours operating drones in combat, the number of new lessons learned and applied increases. The small drones are difficult to shoot down until they get close to the ground and the shooter is close enough, as in less than a few hundred meters, away to successfully target a drone with a bullet or two and bring it down. Troops are rarely in position to do this, so most of these drones are able to complete their mission, whether it is a one-way attack or reconnaissance and surveillance. The recon missions are usually survivable and enable the drone to be reused. All these drones are constantly performing surveillance, which means that both sides commit enough drones to maintain constant surveillance over a portion of the front line, to a depth, into enemy territory, of at least a few kilometers. This massive use of FPV-armed drones has revolutionized warfare in Ukraine and both sides are producing as many as they can. Russia initially produced its own drones now after briefly using imported Iranian Shahed-136 drones that cost over $100,000 each. Ukraine demonstrated that you could design and build drones with similar capabilities at less than a tenth of that. The Iranian drone was more complex than it needed to be and even the Russians soon realized this and turned from the Shahed-136 for more capable drones they copied from Ukrainian designs or ones Russians designed. Ukrainian drone proliferation began when many individual Ukrainians or small teams designed and built drones. The drones served as potential candidates for widespread use and mass production. This proliferation of designers and manufacturers led to rapid evolution of drone capabilities and uses. Those who could not keep up were less successful in combat and suffered higher losses. Military leaders in other nations have noted this and are scrambling to equip their own forces with the most effective drones. Not having enough of these to match the number the enemy has in a portion of the front means you are at a serious disadvantage in that area. These drones are still evolving in terms of design and use and are becoming more effective and essential. One countermeasure that can work for a while is electronic jamming of the drones control signal. Drone guidance systems are constantly modified or upgraded to cope with this. Most drones have flight control software that sends drones with jammed control signals back to where they took off from to land for later use. The jammers are on the ground and can be attacked by drones programmed to home in on the jamming signal. Countermeasures can be overcome and the side that can do this more quickly and completely has an advantage. That advantage is usually temporary because both sides are putting a lot of effort into keeping their combat drones effective on the battlefield. The emergence of drones as a new, novel, and decisive form of air power is the most recent of similar events that took place during the last century. During the last century the U.S. Air Force has advocated military victory achieved mainly with air power. This attitude took root after the 1914-19 World War I when the Army Air Corps, predecessor of the USAF, got rid of most of its numerous reconnaissance aircraft and concentrated on bombers and fighters. Then came the popular belief that larger bomber aircraft would dominate future wars. This never came to pass and, every time there was a war, the air force had to scramble to expand its meager peacetime reconnaissance force to meet the realities of war. This was not so bad during World War II because the air force was still part of the army but, after World War II, the Army Air Force became the independent U.S. Air Force and sought to control everything that flew over land. That meant army attempts to retain small reconnaissance aircraft and cargo aircraft were constantly opposed by the air force. The army valued prolific and prompt aerial reconnaissance more than the air force and this led to a dispute that was not settled until quite recently. Since the late 1990s, the army was again flying armed aircraft in the form of large armed drones, in addition to the armed helicopters it has always had, the air force began to notice. The army argument was that these larger drones work better for them if they are under the direct control of army combat brigades. The air force saw that as inefficient and preferred to have one large pool of larger drones which are deployed as needed. This difference of opinion reflects basic differences in how the army and air force deploy and use their combat forces. The army has found that a critical factor in battlefield success is teamwork among members of a unit, and subordinate units in a brigade. While the air force accepts this as a critical performance issue for their aircraft squadrons, they deem it irrelevant for army use of drones. One thing the army acquisition of thousands of reconnaissance drones did not change was the air force loss of interest in aerial reconnaissance and surveillance after each war. Air force reluctance to develop, build and maintain a large strategic reconnaissance force led the CIA to use its considerable clout and budget developing strategic reconnaissance aircraft like the U-2 and SR-71 manned aircraft and surveillance satellites. The CIA also pioneered the use of larger drones like the 1.1-ton Predator and armed them. This helped the army win permission from the Department of Defense to expand its force of armed aircraft beyond helicopter gunships. That changed in Ukraine when the proliferation of surveillance and armed drones often replaced conventional air forces, at least for operations close to the ground and requiring more urgency to find and attack targets. This was the ultimate solution to obtaining constant close surveillance of the combat zone. With drones you not only know what goes on in the combat zone, but can quickly, often within minutes, bring in an armed drone to attack the newly discovered target. Combat drones operated by an FPV controller have offered many new opportunities on the battlefield. This includes dealing with individual enemy soldiers and persuading them to surrender to nearby Ukrainian soldiers or else. How one of these events played out was captured on video and the video was released to the media. MindTalks - Why They Can't Put it Down The Mindspace Project, a dedicated Gibraltar-based charity, continues to strengthen community bonds through its unwavering commitment to mental health and well-being. Established with the mission to empower youth and promote community well-being, the organization has consistently introduced initiatives that resonate with the needs of the local population. In the past, The Mindspace Project has successfully organized events such as the two-week Summer Camp program, which marked a significant milestone in its mission to empower the youth of Gibraltar. Additionally, the charity has introduced free youth counselling services for secondary school students aged 11 to 18, further demonstrating its commitment to the communitys mental health. Continuing its tradition of impactful community engagement, The Mindspace Project is hosting an upcoming event titled MindTalks Why They Cant Put It Down on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at 6:00 PM. The event will be held at the Kings Bastion Leisure Centre in Gibraltar. This insightful session will be led by Maxine from Priyas Alchemy Transformational Therapy, a therapist holding a BSc Hons in Addiction Psychology. The talk aims to address the growing concern of excessive use of mobile phones, gaming, and social media. Attendees will explore how constant screen time impacts mental health, emotions, and relationships, and understand the challenges associated with disconnecting. The session will also include reflective exercises and practical tips to help participants develop a healthier relationship with technology. The event is designed to be inclusive, welcoming both teenagers and adults. Tickets are priced at 5. To register, interested individuals can scan the QR code on the event poster or click the following payment link: https://pay.sumup.com/b2c/Q1EXRURO Through events like MindTalks, The Mindspace Project continues to foster a supportive community environment, encouraging open discussions and providing valuable resources on mental health topics. Their dedication to bringing the community together and addressing pertinent issues highlights their pivotal role in promoting well-being across Gibraltar. China's average life expectancy reaches 79 years in 2024: health official Xinhua) 09:16, March 10, 2025 BEIJING, March 9 (Xinhua) -- China's average life expectancy reached 79 years in 2024, a senior health official said on Sunday, citing the latest data. The average life expectancy in China increased by 0.4 years from 2023, Lei Haichao, head of the National Health Commission, told the press on the sidelines of the annual national legislative session. This means China has achieved, ahead of schedule, its goal of raising its average life expectancy, which was set out in a national health plan for the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), Lei said. According to the plan, the country aims to increase its 2020 life expectancy figure by about one year over the five-year period. In 2024, China's life expectancy ranked fourth among 53 upper-middle-income countries and 10th among G20 countries, and surpassed the levels of 21 high-income countries, Lei added. He attributed the rise to a series of strategies that prioritize health, including the Healthy China initiative, as well as Chinese people's healthy lifestyles and the influence of traditional culture. According to Lei, the average life expectancy in eight well-off municipalities and provinces -- Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Guangdong and Hainan -- has exceeded 80 years. He also said that disparities in health levels among provincial regions are gradually decreasing, indicating that health equity is improving steadily. The health official said that while China still faces challenges from both infectious and chronic non-communicable diseases, there remains significant potential to increase life expectancy. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) On Saturday, Vice President J.D. Vance shared a post on X condemning a group of protesters whom he alleged had followed him and his 3-year-old daughter while shouting. According to Vance, the demonstrators' actions caused his young daughter to become visibly anxious and frightened as the situation escalated. Vance stated that he opted to speak with the protesters in an attempt to exchange a few minutes of dialogue for their agreement to stop bothering his toddler. While Vance characterized the conversation as largely respectful, he later referred to the protesters as "s--t people," adding, "If you're chasing a 3-year-old as part of a political protest, you're a s--t person." 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 Cincinnati's WCPO 9 News acquired footage of the exchange, which seemed to show a mostly respectful conversation. During the discussion, Vance, among other things, acknowledged that Russia "certainly did invade Ukraine in 2022." "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 is heard saying in the video. However, the protesters have denied Vance's version of events, claiming that his account is a fabrication. They stated that they had simply passed by the vice president while on their way to a nearby protest. Vance has drawn the ire of protesters supporting U.S. defense of Ukraine against Russia's ongoing invasion, now in its fourth year, after he seemingly sparked a problematic Oval Office meeting between former President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Many viewed the vice president as having instigated an attack on Zelensky, who had questioned what the administration meant by "diplomacy" with Russia after Putin ignored ceasefire agreements. This exchange rapidly escalated into a shouting match in front of the global media, resulting in widespread international condemnation. This marks yet another instance of Vance being confronted by demonstrators since the Zelensky meeting. While on vacation in Vermont with his family, the vice president was greeted by a group of angry protesters who, expressing their disapproval, told him to "go ski in Russia." The encounter highlights the growing backlash Vance has faced from critics of his stance on Ukraine and his role in the controversial Oval Office meeting. Originally published on IBTimes Bristol Berlin, Vignette Collection will bring 303 rooms to IHG's fast-growing luxury and lifestyle portfolio in 2025. IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG), one of the world's leading hotel companies has today announced the signing of Bristol Berlin, Vignette Collection. The hotel is part of Aroundtown's portfolio which owns over 150 hotels across Europe. IHG's latest hotel signing will join Vignette Collection's rapidly expanding family of carefully curated luxury and lifestyle hotels this year. IHG's first collection brand has seen rapid expansion since launching in 2021, with its appeal to owners who are seeking to benefit from IHG's industry-leading enterprise, with ability to retain the hotel's unique character, style, and name. Over a period of three years alone, the brand has surpassed the halfway point in its decade-long target to attract 100 hotels by 2030. First opened in 1952, the legendary Bristol Berlin hotel is located on Kurfurstendamm, one of the most famous avenues in the heart of the city. Guests staying at the hotel will be fully immersed in the city's buzzing centre with its eclectic array of theatres, architectural landmarks and high-end retail offerings within reach. Bristol Berlin, Vignette Collection will feature 303 rooms, an all-day brasserie, lobby lounge and bar, spa with a swimming pool, as well as 1,500 sqm of meeting and event space. Vignette Collection is IHG's first collection brand and represents a curation of distinct hotels, demonstrating diversity and discovery. Vignette Collection combines each property's individual identity with the brand's promise of 'A Means For Good' and Memorable Rituals. The brand offers a compelling way for owners of one-of-a-kind hotels to benefit from IHG's powerful enterprise offering and global scale. Bristol Berlin, Vignette Collection will join a growing portfolio of IHG properties in Germany, with 147* open hotels and a further 75* in development - across seven brands (InterContinental, Hotel Indigo, voco, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn Express and Holiday Inn and Garner). Bristol Berlin, Vignette Collection represents the second signing for Vignette Collection in Germany, following Reit im Winkl. *Numbers as at 31 December 2024 unless otherwise stated. Hotel website Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), India's largest hospitality company, today announced the signing of a Gateway and a Ginger hotel in Ludhiana. These greenfield projects will be part of a mixed-use development. The 110-key Gateway Ludhiana, embodying the spirit of the city will offer immersive experiences. Guests can indulge in the culinary delights at the all-day-diner and the bar. Featuring a range of premium amenities including a gym, swimming pool, the hotel will also house a 5,000 sq. ft. ballroom designed to host events and gatherings. The 100-key Ginger Ludhiana will include the brand's signature all-day dining, Qmin, along with a bar, state-of-the-art gym, and a 1,000 sq. ft. banquet hall, making it ideal for social and business events. Ludhiana, a major economic hub in Punjab, blends tradition with modernity. Known for its manufacturing and export industries, this vibrant city offers diverse experiences for every visitor. With the addition of this hotel, IHCL will have 5 hotels in Punjab including 4 under development. Hotel website Mercure, dedicated to celebrating local experiences since 1973, is delighted to announce the opening of Mercure Madiun, offering an inviting and culturally immersive experience in East Java. Inspired by the city's railway heritage, the hotel blends contemporary comfort with design elements reflecting Madiun's rich history, offering guests a genuine connection to the locale. Strategically located near the INKA Railway Museum, Madiun Train Station, and the bustling Alun-Alun, Mercure Madiun offers easy access to key business districts, government offices, shopping centres, and culinary hotspots. Whether travelling for business or leisure, guests can experience the vibrant energy of Madiun while enjoying the brand's signature hospitality. Mercure Madiun features 153 modern guestrooms, ranging from well-appointed Deluxe Rooms to the elegant Privilege Suite Rooms. The hotel's design concept takes inspiration from Madiun's locomotive industry, with artistic details woven throughout the interiors, creating a dynamic and energetic ambiance. For those looking to relax and unwind, the hotel boasts a swimming pool, a well-equipped fitness centre, and a dedicated Kids Club, ensuring an enjoyable stay for families and business travellers alike. Honouring Madiun's heritage as the City of Warriors, Djawara Resto & Bar presents a diverse menu of local and international flavours, served in a welcoming atmosphere. From traditional Indonesian dishes to global favourites, guests can indulge in an array of culinary delights prepared with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Ideal for corporate gatherings, weddings, and social events, Mercure Madiun's flexible meeting facilities cater to a variety of occasions. The Grand Ballroom, set to launch soon, will accommodate up to 700 guests, providing an elegant setting for large-scale events in the city. To celebrate its launch, Mercure Madiun is offering a special introductory rate from IDR 988,000 net per night, available until March 2025. This limited time offer includes benefits such as a dining voucher, com plimentary massage, laundry service, hotel souvenirs, and flexible early check-in or late check-out options. Guests staying at Mercure Madiun can unlock benefits through ALL, Accor's award-winning lifestyle loyalty programme. Members enjoy exclusive discounts, room upgrades, late check-outs, and the opportunity to earn and redeem points across Accor's global network of hotels. Enrolment is free at all.com. Mercure continues to expand worldwide, with over 1,000 hotels across 70 countries. In Indonesia, 29 Mercure hotels welcome guests to experience the brand's commitment to locality and hospitality excellence. Hotel website The new Regional Office will focus on strengthening investment promotion. One of its first key outcomes will be a set of guidelines aimed at boosting green investments, recognizing the importance of biodiversity for tourism in the Americas. The Rio Office will also develop a strategy for the technical training of young people, equipping them with the professional skills needed for the sectors growth throughout the region. On the occasion of the inauguration, UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili held a bilateral meeting with Brazils Minister of Tourism, Celso Sabino. The meeting focused on the projects to be carried out at the Regional Office and how it can serve as a hub for tourism development, both in Brazil and throughout the region. The UN Tourism Regional Office for the Americas will support the advancement of the tourism sector not only in Brazil but also across the entire region. Rio de Janeiro will become a veritable centre of leadership and ideas, focusing on growth, securing investments for the sector, and harnessing the power of tourism for sustainable and inclusive development. Secretary-General Pololikashvili Other key initiatives to be led by the Regional Office include womens empowerment, with a dedicated event on the topic set to take place in 2025. Additionally, the Office will advance efforts in indigenous tourism, accessibility, and multi-destination routes in the region, such as the Jesuit Route in South America, among others. The Regional Office for the Americas strengthens UN Tourism presence on the ground, bringing it closer to its Members. In addition to its Headquarters in Madrid, the Organization now has a Regional Office for the Middle East in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and an office in Nara, Japan. A Regional Office for Africa is planned to be opened in Marrakesh, Morocco. The Regional Offices enable UN Tourism to provide tailored support to its Members in all regions of the world, focusing on priorities such as tourism innovation, investment, and education and training across the sector. Related links About UN Tourism UN Tourism is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. An intergovernmental organization, UN Tourism has 160 Member States, 6 Associate Members, 2 Observers and over 500 Affiliate Members. The General Assembly is the supreme organ of the Organization. The Executive Council takes all measures, in consultation with the Secretary-General, for the implementation of the decisions and recommendations of the General Assembly and reports to the Assembly. UN Tourism headquarters are based in Madrid, Spain. The election for Secretary General will be in May 2025. UN Tourism Communications Department +34 91 567 8100 UN Tourism Key Takeaways Solo travel continues to trend as adventurers embark on extended journeys for self-reflection. Families are looking to spend quality time together this spring break, including their beloved pets. Trending destinations this spring include vibrant cultural hubs and picturesque coastal towns, from Ubatuba, Brazil to Basel, Switzerland. Around the world, travelers are proving that spring break isnt just for students. Fueled by the desire to prioritize self-reflection, immerse in cultural events and spend quality time with family, travelers are exploring destinations all around the world this spring, from breathtaking beaches in Ubatuba, Brazil, and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic to charming European cities Basel, Switzerland and Cologne, Germany1. Source: Airbnb Solo wanderlust and the comfort of soft travel Spring break is evolving beyond group travel, with two key trends emerging this season. First, solo travel is on the rise, with individuals specifically focused on soft travelor slower paced trips that prioritize leisure and wellbeing. These solo adventurers are embracing more relaxed and meaningful travel experiences, opting for longer trips averaging 17 nights, as compared to 9 nights for duo travelers and 8 nights for families2. The second trend were seeing is travelers taking the literal approach to soft travel by bringing their furry friends along for the adventure3. These trends highlight a shift towards personalized vacation experiences that cater to the different group sizes. Solo travel continues to surge beyond Valentines Day weekend and into spring, with a 90% growth in solo searches for spring travel dates compared to last year 4 . . Compared to last spring, searches for trips with pets have risen by 30% 5 , with solo travelers experiencing the most significant increase of over 40% 6 . , with solo travelers experiencing the most significant increase of over 40% . Interest in countryside escapes has risen this spring compared to last 7 . . With school breaks in the spring, destinations that offer family-friendly events and activities, including parades during Cologne Carnival to educational exploration at the Ubatuba Aquarium in Brazil, are trending8. Find out more. 1. Based on internal Airbnb data, of trending searches travelers made in Q1 Q4 2024 for Spring 2025 compared with searches made in Q1-Q4 2023 for Spring 2024 2. Based on internal Airbnb data, of duration of travel by group size made by global guests in Q1 Q4 2024 for Spring 2025 compared with searches made in Q1-Q4 2023 for Spring 2024 3. Based on internal Airbnb data, of searches by solo, duo, family, and group travelers with pets made in Q1 Q4 2024 for Spring 2025 compared with searches made in Q1-Q4 2023 for Spring 2024 4. Based on internal Airbnb data, of searches by group size made in Q1 Q4 2024 by US guests for Spring 2025 compared with searches made in Q1-Q4 2023 for Spring 2024 5. Based on internal Airbnb data, of searches by global guests with pets made in Q1 Q4 2024 for Spring 2025 compared with searches made in Q1-Q4 2023 for Spring 2024 6. Based on internal Airbnb data, of searches by US solo, duo, family, and group travelers with pets made in Q1 Q4 2024 for Spring 2025 compared with searches made in Q1-Q4 2023 for Spring 2024 7. Based on unique searches for countryside listings Q1 Q4 2024 for Spring 2025 compared with unique searches made in Q1-Q4 2023 for Spring 2024 8. Based on internal Airbnb data, of trending searches travelers made in Q1 Q4 2024 for Spring 2025 compared with searches made in Q1-Q4 2023 for Spring 2024 About Airbnb Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 5 million hosts who have welcomed over 2 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way. About Airbnb.org Airbnb.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating temporary stays for people in times of crisis around the world. Airbnb.org operates independently and leverages Airbnb, Inc.'s technology, services, and other resources at no charge to carry out Airbnb.org's charitable purpose. The inspiration for Airbnb.org began in 2012 with a single host named Shell who opened up her home to people impacted by Hurricane Sandy. This sparked a movement and marked the beginning of a program that allows hosts on Airbnb to provide stays for people in times of need. Since then, the program has evolved to focus on emergency response and to help provide stays to evacuees, relief workers, refugees, asylum seekers, and frontline workers fighting the spread of COVID-19. Since then, hosts have offered to open up their homes and helped provide accommodations to 100,000 people in times of need. Airbnb.org is a separate and independent entity from Airbnb, Inc. Airbnb, Inc. does not charge service fees for Airbnb.org supported stays on its platform. Airbnb Press Airbnb Press Office Airbnb Despite growing evidence supporting the business benefits of sustainability in risk mitigation and opportunity creation, investors in the APAC region tend to undervalue its importance during hotel transactions. This raises questions about the primary factors influencing capital allocation towards sustainable real estate, the potential impact on property valuation, and the strategy that various stakeholdersincluding general partners, limited partners, lenders, and hotel operatorscan adopt to build more resilient and sustainable hospitality investments. Climate-related risks and opportunities are already affecting the hotel real estate sector's business reality and are projected to become more pronounced based on current climate forecasts Climate change is increasingly taking shape as a key downside risk to the hospitality sector and asset values globally. From a physical climate risk perspective, the increasing frequency of extreme weather events are directly affecting profitability and cashflow stability through business interruptions and higher repair costs. Globally insurance premiums have spiked over the past five to seven years, with some markets becoming uninsurable. Moreover, on the decarbonization side of the equation, governments across the globe are implementing building performance standards and carbon pricing mechanisms to discourage high-emission practices in the real estate sector. Notable examples include New York, Germany, and Singapore, which have already enacted policies with more expected to follow suit in the coming years. The transition to a green economy presents opportunities, not just risks, for the real estate and hospitality sector. Owners and operators focusing on energy, water, and waste savings, as well as green energy procurement. Resort markets, in particular, have benefited from investments in renewable energy generation (rooftop solar panels), energy efficiency measures (MEP recommissioning,), and water-saving technologies, often achieving attractive payback periods of three to five years. Businesses that recognize and act upon climate-related opportunities and risks have demonstrated greater resilience in today's volatile environment. Shangri-La in Chiang Mai was protected from recent floods due to installed floodgates, while other properties suffered significant damage. We expect climate resilience measures at an asset level to have a direct impact on hotel values going forward. As another example, numerous Maldivian resorts have realized weathered spike in utilities expenses and insurance premiums in the recent years, thanks to substantial energy savings from solar installations as global energy prices increased. An analysis of a sample of luxury Maldivian resorts revealed that properties with solar panels contributing 20%-50% of their total energy had utilities expenses Per Available Room (PAR) ranging from USD 25,000 to 40,000. This compares favorably to resorts primarily or entirely reliant on diesel, which reported utilities PAR figures between USD 60,000 and 69,000. Such climate-related risks and opportunities are expected to intensify as carbon emissions rise and current policies and practices persist. However, there appears to be a divergence in how investors assess the timing and impact of climate risks and opportunities. Valuers are stuck in a deadlock due to lack of market evidence Investors generally operate on shorter investment cycles compared to the longer-term impact of climate change. Institutional investors have a typical three- to six-year investment horizon and although high net worth owners tend to focus on generational ownership, their investment decisions tend to be similarly short term. However, climate risks may take 15 to 20 years to materialize as recurring phenomena in specific locations. Transitional risks, such as policy changes and new technologies, may materialize sooner but are less predictable. This misalignment in timing complicates effective pricing and accounting for climate-related risks and opportunities, particularly for opportunistic investors. Furthermore, the competitive nature of transactions inhibits potential buyers to effectively consider climate-related risks as a significant tail risk. There are a growing number of hospitality investors that conduct sustainability due diligence for the purpose of compliance and post-acquisition asset management rather than a factor of commercial negotiation. Consequently, lenders and valuers struggle to properly underwrite risks beyond qualitative assessments as "fair market values" are inherently guided by historical performance and market transaction evidence. This creates valuation deadlock - an emergent phenomenon where valuers are unable to reflect the full range and impact of ESG risks in regulated valuations. Finally, the fragmented and progressive nature of APAC jurisdictions as well as the predominantly private ownership structure, limit transparency and regulatory pressure in the business environment of APAC. Evidence of sustainability's impact on transactions, particularly in terms of due diligence duration and buyer pool size, is surfacing in other real estate asset classes and geographies The impact of sustainability on transactions is becoming increasingly evident across various asset classes globally. In the office sector, rental premiums are clearly linked to sustainability, driven by corporate net-zero pledges. For logistics, manufacturing and data centers, energy constitutes a significant portion of operational expenses, making renewable energy investments more material. In contrast, the hotel sector sees less pronounced impact from such investments, as labor, food, and service material costs comprise the majority of expenses. When it comes to APAC, although the diverse regulatory environment remains a driver predominantly for disclosure and decarbonization on new builds, European LPs and other market drivers will continue to push the integration of climate related risks in fund and investment processes across the region. We expect this to continue into 2025 despite political headwinds. Sustainability remains a liquidity risk for future values and exit plans, particularly as we move closer and closer to 2030. ALI INGRAM, Head of Sustainability, Capital Markets, EMEA & APAC Geographical disparities in ESG impact on transactions are evident, with Europe and Australia showing clearer evidence across various sectors due to their more regulated and institutionalized markets. European institutions, regulated entities, and a growing number of private equity firms are integrating ESG considerations into their investment decisions, resulting in increased scrutiny of APAC fund managers, especially those with European limited partners (LPs), regarding their net zero plans and climate resilience strategies. More comprehensive investment parameters now often include ESG factors such as CRREM (Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor) pathways, electrification, tenant/Scope 3 emissions data, EU Taxonomy and climate-related physical risks. Investment criteria are evolving to incorporate climate resilience when defining a core investment. For instance, a Paris-based fund manager now requires office buildings to have flood-resistant basements housing critical MEP systems, in order to be considered core assets. Norges, Norway's sovereign wealth fund, will divest from high emission industries entirely to align with net-zero targets. CRREM analysis is becoming more commonly required for European funds, with stranded assets raising red flags. These trends across sectors and regions demonstrate the growing influence of climate-related factors on investor decision-making as well as the transaction. This impact is manifesting in extended due diligence periods and the depth of buyer pool. As European and institutional investors refine their global ESG approaches, APAC property owners must be prepared with comprehensive data and information to effectively address ESG due diligence inquiries and to appeal to a wider range of potential buyers which can help enhance the competitive bidding process. In a notable case in APAC, a Singapore-based firm requested tenant data for a Sydney office building investment which impacted due diligence timeline. Increased disclosure such as the ISSB will only magnify this trend, and we expect to see this come up during transactions in the near future. Climate-related risks and opportunities are becoming critical factors in investment strategies and hospitality asset liquidity As climate change continues to impact cashflow volatility and stakeholder requirements in the hospitality sector, owners and investors should revise their asset management and investment strategies, considering: Medium-term climate and sustainability outlook: Evaluate potential climate scenarios affecting future buyers' asset performance assessments. While short-term impacts may be limited, the following 5-to-20-year horizon will be affected and impact the future buyers. Science-based climate scenario analysis: Assess specific risks and opportunities at country, state, and property levels. Examine how shifting seasonality and extreme weather events might affect demand patterns to quantify business impact and understand local climate risks to understand future capex reserve allocation. Intangible benefits of social and natural capital: Recognize their role in enhancing resilience and performance, especially in experience- and nature-driven hospitality. As guests seek authentic experiences, understanding the broader implication of social and natural metrics becomes vital for business resilience in tourism. Integrating sustainability into hospitality investments is not about sacrificing returns or being overly conservative. It's about comprehensively understanding future risks and opportunities to uncover potential opportunities and build resilience in an increasingly unpredictable business environment. Moreover, by incorporating future climate scenarios into governance structures, owners can promote forward-thinking decision-making. This will enable owners to seize wider sustainability opportunities and address potential risks that the next buyer might only uncover during due diligence, when it's too late. Ultimately, this assists assets with liquidity and value preservation if the owner decides to exit. Much like other financial and market considerations, being prepared for the future climate reality offers investors and owners a competitive advantage over those who are slow to adapt. About JLL For over 200 years, JLL (NYSE: JLL), a leading global commercial real estate and investment management company, has helped clients buy, build, occupy, manage and invest in a variety of commercial, industrial, hotel, residential and retail properties. A Fortune 500 company with annual revenue of $20.8 billion and operations in over 80 countries around the world, our more than 111,000 employees bring the power of a global platform combined with local expertise. Driven by our purpose to shape the future of real estate for a better world, we help our clients, people and communities SEE A BRIGHTER WAYSM. JLL is the brand name, and a registered trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. For further information, visit jll.com. View source ITB Berlin 2025 registered 100,000 attendees over three trade visitor days, of these, 87 per cent are international impressive proof of the global importance of the Worlds Leading Travel Trade Show, which continues to attract a growing international audience. The launch of ITB Americas, which will take place from 10 to 12 November 2026 in Guadalajara, Mexico as a B2B travel trade show for the entire American continent, is another significant step in this direction. The new and innovative Meet & Match platform at ITB Berlin played a key role in furthering international dialogue: it facilitated networking in the run-up to the event and helped build over 80,000 relevant business contacts. A total of 5,800 companies from 170 countries presented their products and services in the fully booked exhibition halls in Berlin. The Cruise and Travel Technology segments were particularly well represented, while exhibitors from Southern Europe, Asia, Africa and the Arab world featured impressive displays. Despite huge economic and geopolitical challenges, exhibitors and trade visitors at this years ITB Berlin showcased the industrys resilience, adaptability and innovative drive. The ITB Buyers Circle with 1,300 senior buyers reflected economic relevance and high quality, while numerous trade visitors also used the trade fair specifically to make purchasing decisions. The overall positive assessment is mirrored in the results and high expectations for follow-up business. The new ITB Travel & Tourism Report 2025/26 acknowledges an extremely positive business climate within the industry and equally favourable prospects for its companies, albeit with numerous recommendations for action. The main topics at ITB Berlin were megatrends such as sustainability and the digital transformation with a particular focus on the huge opportunities that AI offers for payment solutions and seamless travel for example. On the subject of sustainability, the industry agreed that future growth and resource use must be harmonised and that tourism must increasingly undergo a full transformation. With ITB Innovators 2025, ITB Berlin presented 35 visionary solutions that are redefining global tourism. Whether the topic was AI-powered assistants, sustainable mobility services or smart booking systems the focus was on the industrys most innovative concepts. ITB Berlin 2025 once again showcased the industrys resilience and innovative drive. The shift towards sustainable concepts, the integration of AI and the digital transformation opens up enormous opportunities. ITB Berlin has made it clear that we as an industry can set the pace for sustainable and inclusive tourism only if we work together. Dr. Mario Tobias, CEO of Messe Berlin ITB Americas for the entire American continent to launch in Mexico in 2026 ITB goes West: ITB Americas, a new B2B travel trade show for the entire American continent, is to launch in Guadalajara, Mexico, from 10 to 12 November 2026. At ITB Berlin a coreresponding agreement to this effect was signed with the Mexican ambassador in Berlin and representatives of the State of Jalisco. ITB Americas is the only travel trade show that covers North, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean 80 per cent of exhibitors will be from the Americas and 20 per cent from the rest of the world. The latest findings of IPK International confirm a positive trend in outbound travel in this region. Dr. Mario Tobias, CEO of Messe Berlin, said: We are delighted to also be represented on the American continent with ITB Americas. As the only travel trade show that caters for the entire continent and all areas of the travel industry, we are creating a hub for international dialogue with Mexico as the ideal venue. ITB Berlin Convention: forward-looking ideas and practical solutions The ITB Berlin Convention once again showed why it is a trendsetting thinktank, with over 200 prominent speakers, who at 17 tracks and 400 sessions on four stages dealt with topics such as the digital transformation, the role of AI in planning trips and sustainable business models. The travel market is growing steadily, but also undergoing serious change according to the latest surveys of Phocuswright and Euromonitor. Social media content is becoming increasingly important for planning trips. Another trend is the desire for authentic experiences at destinations, which are now sometimes more important during planning than the choice of destination itself. At the AI track discussion focused on the use of AI solutions that maximise the customer experience in tourism and make it more personal. The MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) sector is expecting turnover and business to increase over the coming months. The discussion on the skills shortage in the tourism industry also attracted a great deal of attention. Industry experts called for intensifying training programmes and taking an innovative approach to retaining employees in order to ensure companies have stable and adequately staffed workforces. Gen Z has an important role to play. How the challenges of diversity, a work-life balance and new work affect the corporate climate was one of the main topics of the new Corporate Culture Clash track, which was extremely well received by attendees and clearly illustrated the importance of these topics within the industry. The new ITB Transition Labs presented practical examples of sustainability and digitalisation that are worth following. For the first time, all sessions were live-streamed and could also be watched afterwards on the YouTube channel of ITB Berlin. High international participation and attendance by political figures As well as trade visitors from around the world, ITB Berlin 2025 attracted high-ranking political figures from further afield. In addition to Albanias Prime Minister Edi Rama, 39 ministers from 34 countries and 37 ambassadors visited the Worlds Leading Travel Trade Show to exchange views on the latest developments and discuss political decision-making for the future of tourism. The ITB Ministers Summit by UN Tourism gathered more than 35 tourism ministers from all over the world. They discussed investment, sustainable development and peace in the tourism sector. The high-level event served as a platform for exchanging information on strategies for economic resilience and promoting cross-border partnerships. The close ties between business and politics were particularly evident in the dialogue that took place between representatives from Europe, Asia and Africa. One of the key topics was the role of tourism as an economic force for the entire value chain in emerging countries. The focus was on funding programmes and initiatives that promote sustainable and socially responsible tourism concepts. Host country Albania set the tone This year, there was a special focus on Albania, the official host country of ITB Berlin 2025. Taking as its slogan Albania All Senses, the emergent travel destination in the western Balkans impressed visitors with wide-ranging displays and set the tone by showcasing culture, nature and sustainable tourism development. Among other things, Albanias prime minister presented ambitious plans for sustainable development of the countrys coastal regions. There is already growing interest in Albania as a destination for individual and cultural tourism. The impressive presentation by the host country which featured interactive displays and cultural highlights attracted numerous guests and was praised as one of the highlights of the show. On the eve of ITB Berlin, the country also hosted a festive opening gala with around 2,500 invited guests from business, society and politics and gave a visual and acoustic demonstration of what Albanity stands for. Next year, ITB Berlin will celebrate its sixtieth anniversary from 3 to 5 March 2026 a very special milestone in the history of the show. Since its launch in 1966 it has become the Worlds Leading Travel Trade Show, and with ITB Asia, ITB China, ITB India as well as ITB Americas from 2026, it now organises four trade shows for specific regions around the world. The anniversary will highlight the past, present and future of travel with special events. Details will follow in the coming weeks. About ITB Global Brand Family For more than 50 years the name ITB has stood worldwide for the travel industry knowledge 365 days a year, networking and trendsetting events - in a virtual, in-person, or hybrid format alike. As the travel industry resurges, the ITB brand family is among the first to come back to offering on-site in-person events. ITB Asia will be held in Singapore from 15 to 17 October 2025, covering the broader regional market. ITB China, the premier marketplace for China's travel industry, is scheduled for 27 to 29 May 2025, in Shanghai. ITB India will take place in Mumbai from September 2 to 4, 2025. ITB Berlin, the world's leading B2B trade show for the travel industry, will take place in Berlin from March 3 to 5, 2026. The inaugural ITB Americas will be held in Guadalajara, Mexico, from 10 to 12 November 2026, covering the American market. GOA - Further to the recent announcement, Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), Indias largest hospitality company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Goa for the countrys largest hospitality skilling centre in Goa to boost employment opportunities for youth in the state. This signing ceremony was held in the presence of Honourable Chief Minister of Goa -Shri Pramod Sawant and Mr. Prasad Lolayekar, IAS, Secretary, Education and Skills Development and Mr. S S Gaonkar, Director of Skills Development and Entrepreneurship, Goa. Continuing its pioneering leadership in Goa for over five decades, IHCL is committed to enriching Goa's hospitality landscape. The upcoming skilling centre, in line with our ESG+ framework of Paathya, will bridge the employability gap and equip a skilled workforce to support Goas vibrant travel and tourism industry. Mr. Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and CEO, IHCL Goa is the country's leading leisure destination and has long been a hub for tourism. IHCLs initiative will open new employment opportunities for the youth, supporting Goas vision for continued growth and advancement in the tourism sector. This MOU is reflective of our joint commitment to develop a sustainable tourism eco-system and we are pleased to be associated with IHCL, Indias leading hospitality company for this initiative. Shri Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister, Goa The skilling centre will offer a series of tailored training programs and workshops designed to address the evolving demands of the industry. These sessions will impart essential foundational literacy and hospitality-specific programs including front office, housekeeping, food production and food and beverage service preparing participants for careers in the industry. It will also feature industry-based internships that provide hands-on experience in corporate environments, bridging the gap between education and employment. Under its industry leading ESG+ framework of Paathya, IHCL with 47 skilling centres, continues to invest in talent pools to support deserving youth and their families, enhancing employment opportunities and contributing to the growth of the hospitality sector. About The Indian Hotels Company Limited The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) and its subsidiaries bring together a group of brands and businesses that offer a fusion of warm Indian hospitality and world-class service. These include Taj the iconic brand for the most discerning travellers and ranked as World's Strongest Hotel Brand 2024 and India's Strongest Brand 2024 as per Brand Finance; SeleQtions, a named collection of hotels; Tree of Life, private escapes in tranquil settings; Vivanta, sophisticated upscale hotels; Gateway, full-service hotels designed to be your gateway to exceptional destinations and Ginger, which is revolutionising the lean luxe segment. Incorporated by the founder of the Tata Group, Jamsetji Tata, the Company opened its first hotel - The Taj Mahal Palace, in Bombay in 1903. IHCL has a portfolio of 360 hotels including 123 under development globally across 4 continents, 13 countries and in over 150+ locations. The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) is India's largest hospitality company by market capitalization. It is listed on the BSE and NSE. Please visit: IHCL; Taj; SeleQtions; Tree of Life; Vivanta; Gateway; Ginger Malihah Faizi IHCL W Atlanta Downtown Hotel BCD Travel's 2024 data on cities, states, routes, and booking habits provide valuable insights into the business travel landscape. According to Jorge Cruz, executive vice president of Global Sales and Marketing at BCD, business travel is a key indicator of a region's economic health and stability. Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Chicago were the top three U.S. cities for business travelers. These cities are significant hubs for some of the country's largest airlines, including Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and United Airlines. In terms of states, Texas was the most frequented by business travelers, followed by California, Georgia, Illinois, and Florida. These states have some of the strongest economies in the nation. London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Paris, and Munich were the most visited intercontinental cities for U.S. business travelers. Tokyo and Seoul were the top destinations in Asia, while Dublin was the leading city in Ireland and Sao Paulo in Latin America. New York City was the most popular departure and arrival city for domestic flights, with the top routes being Chicago to New York City and vice versa. For intercontinental routes, most business travelers flew into London or Frankfurt. BCD's 2024 travel policy survey revealed that flight duration is typically considered when defining rules around booking business class. On average, business class was allowed on flights over seven hours long. Most U.S. business travelers booked business class (48%) and economy class (39%) for international flights. For domestic flights, 95% flew economy. Car rental bookings followed 43% of all air bookings made by U.S. business travelers, indicating a 1% decrease from the previous year. Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago, and Atlanta were the top cities for car rentals. Discover more at BCD Travel. Why Branding Matters More Than Ever for Hotels - By Bruno Benedini - Image Credit Unsplash+ Travel is back and in a big way. After years of restrictions and uncertainty, people are embracing their wanderlust like never before. But as travelers flood back into hotels, resorts and boutique B&Bs, the competition for their attention has never been fiercer. This makes one thing abundantly clear: Branding isnt just a concept. Its a hotel brand's secret weapon. Branding, in its simplest form, is the promise made to guests about the experience they should expect. But its so much more than that. A strong brand isnt just a pretty logo slapped on a website; its every detail, interaction and emotion a guest associates with a property. In the booming post-pandemic travel world, nailing your brand can mean the difference between booking a one-time visitor and landing a lifelong loyalist. Cross-selling and the power of brand unity For hotel owners with multiple properties, branding provides a golden opportunity. Imagine a guest who loved their stay at your Bali resort. Planning their next trip to Colorado, they spot your logo instantly, theres a connection. Consistent branding across properties helps guests recognize, trust and feel drawn to other locations. This family resemblance builds loyalty, encouraging guests to seek out familiar properties no matter where they roam. But achieving this requires more than just a shared name it demands a cohesive visual identity, messaging and guest experience that weaves through every touchpoint. Make every interaction count From the moment a guest arrives, theyre forming an impression. And every touchpoint contributes to that impression. Think signage, keycards, robes, wayfinding even the fonts used on the in-room dining menus. Each element whispers, or screams, a brands personality. Even small things matter. A luxurious robe embroidered with a resort logo can turn a basic amenity into an Instagram-worthy moment. But consistency is key: Guests should experience the same you whether in the lobby, the pool, or using your app. People are the brand Lets not forget the greatest ambassadors of all: employees. Staff interactions can make or break a stay. And if a teams demeanor doesnt align with a brands vibe, it creates a jarring disconnect. Are you a high-end luxury brand? Then your staff should exude professionalism and polish. If your hotel skews quirkier and fun, employees should reflect that playful energy. Training doesnt just mean teaching your team to check guests in; its about ensuring they understand and embody your brands ethos. Consistency reinforces trust and ensures guests feel the brands presence in every interaction. Your brand is your advantage In a world where guests have endless options, your brand should set you apart. Its what transforms a property from just another hotel into a memorable experience worth reliving. Strong branding builds trust, loyalty and recognition but even a single inconsistency in touchpoints can weaken the overall impression, underscoring the importance of every detail. In todays post-COVID travel boom, thats more crucial than ever. So, dear property owners, dont overlook the power of branding. Audit every detail, from logos to linens, because your brand is only as strong as its weakest link. Train your staff to live your values and create a cohesive experience guests will carry long after check-out. The best brands dont just provide a place to stay, they provide an experience to remember. Bruno Benedini is co-founder of Taillight, a full-service branding agency that works with clients from strategy through activation. ITB Berlin's Success Forecasts a Bright Future for Travel in 2025 - Image Credit ITB Berlin The ITB Berlin 2025 exemplified the travel industry's resilience and innovative drive, showcasing new trends like AI integration and sustainability. The announcement of ITB Americas, set to launch in Mexico in 2026, marked another significant milestone. The International Tourism Bourse (ITB) Berlin 2025 registered an impressive attendance of 100,000 over three days, 87% of which were international. This robust figure indicates the global importance of this leading travel trade show, which continues to amass a growing international audience. In line with its global scope, ITB announced the launch of ITB Americas, scheduled from November 10 to 12, 2026, in Guadalajara, Mexico. This B2B travel trade show is designed for the entire American continent and marks a significant step in expanding ITB's international outreach. The new and innovative Meet & Match platform at ITB Berlin facilitated international dialogue by enabling networking in the run-up to the event. This platform helped build over 80,000 relevant business contacts, fostering deeper international collaborations. 5,800 companies from 170 countries showcased their products and services in Berlin's fully booked exhibition halls. Exhibitors and trade visitors at ITB Berlin demonstrated the industry's resilience, adaptability, and innovative drive amidst significant economic and geopolitical challenges. A key focus was on the industry's megatrends, such as sustainability and digital transformation. The industry agreed that future growth and resource use must be balanced, and tourism must transform thoroughly. The new ITB Travel & Tourism Report 2025/26 acknowledges an extremely positive business climate within the industry and equally favorable prospects for its companies, albeit with numerous recommendations for action. ITB Berlin also presented 35 visionary solutions under ITB Innovators 2025, redefining global tourism. Topics included AI-powered assistants, sustainable mobility services, and smart booking systems, emphasizing the industry's most innovative concepts. ITB Americas, the new travel trade show, will cover North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Eighty percent of exhibitors will be from the Americas, and twenty percent will be from the rest of the world. The Mexican ambassador in Berlin and representatives of the State of Jalisco endorsed this development at ITB Berlin. The ITB Berlin Convention featured over 200 prominent speakers who addressed topics such as digital transformation, the role of AI in planning trips, and sustainable business models. The convention highlighted the travel market's continuous growth alongside its significant changes. ITB Berlin 2025 attracted high-ranking political figures from around the world and trade visitors. They discussed the latest developments and political decisions regarding the future of tourism. The role of tourism as an economic force for emerging countries was a key topic of discussion. The host country, Albania, showcased culture, nature, and sustainable tourism development. This presentation attracted numerous guests and was praised as one of the show's highlights. The upcoming year, 2026, marks the sixtieth anniversary of ITB Berlin, reinforcing its status as the world's leading travel trade show. With ITB Asia, ITB China, ITB India, and the soon-to-launch ITB Americas, ITB now organizes four trade shows for specific regions worldwide. The anniversary will highlight travel's past, present, and future with special events. Wait! Before you go Please sign up for our Evening Digest and Breaking Newsletters Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Veteran Spotlight: Air Force Col. Roger Landry EAST FALMOUTH, Mass. Dr. Roger Landry served his country from 1973 to 1995 in the Air Force with honor and distinction as a chief flight surgeon, and retiring as a colonel. He grew up in Worcester's Grafton Hill neighborhood and graduated from the College of the Holy Cross and earned his medical degree from Tufts University's School of Medicine. Landry did his basic training in San Antonio, Texas, at Brooks Air Force Base for six weeks, then was assigned to the Philippines with a C-130 squad, which dealt with armaments and evacuations. "I planned to stay in for only two years, but that changed," he said. "As a flight surgeon, I worked with some really solid people." The biggest challenge as a flight surgeon? "You need to know the environment they're in. You walk a fine line, you don't judge them," he said. "You have to totally understand them there's a fine line between physician and trust only way to do that is to immerse yourself in everything they do hang with them, fly with them, do everything." He offered this on his first impression of Vietnam and gave credit to the guys on the ground. "We got shot at [flying] but nothing like the Army guys, guys on the ground. They took the brunt of it, the combat medics what they did in WWII and in Vietnam was simply amazing" he said. When asked about the holidays, he offered this perspective on the camaraderie they shared. "I was one of the lucky ones as my family was with me, we were all in it together. We hung together, celebrated together," he said. "We were all doing it together so it was rare for someone to feel sad." I asked Landry of the many situations he was in, if any stood out in particular. He conveyed that going to crash sites was extremely difficult but shared this story. "I was stationed in Germany and my good friend was flying a mission. He had a pregnant wife; unfortunately, the wife got pneumonia (influenza) and died, she lost the baby, too," he said. "I was the one who had to make the call to tell my friend." The memory still causes him great emotion. One of the highlights of Landry's career was giving physicals to Gen. Charles "Chuck" Yeager, the famed test pilot who was the first to exceed the speed of sound in 1947. "The highlight of my life! He was just a great guy, nice, down to earth and humble. A definite American hero. I had the chance to fly in the F-15s and F-4s. Flew in the U-2s," he recalled with pride. "To do all of that, I mean, I'm a Worcester kid, it was great." As a chief flight surgeon, he would go on to mentor four or five men who would become surgeon general of the Air Force, something that means a great deal to him. "My first boss was a physician and handled me well. I was kind of a renegade and his mentorship lead to my decision to stay in," he remembered. Col. Landry's impressive assignments included two tours of Germany, the Philippines, Beale AFB, the National Defense University in Washington, Brooks AFB and back to Washington as the chief flight surgeon in the Air Force Surgeon General's Office. After his 22 years in the service, he published books on health and wellness and been featured on numerous news shows and magazines. Thoughts on being a Vietnam veteran. "For the longest time we didn't talk about it, kept quiet," he said. "It's changed a lot, it's made me a better person and I feel good about my service." He has not stopped giving back and making an impact in people's lives and is president of Bright Side of Longevity, which helps people with their aging process. He and his wife, Paula, have been married 55 years and he proudly states that "we were only apart one year during his service." They have two children and four grandchildren. Col. Roger Landry, thank you for your outstanding service and welcome home. State Sen. Paul Mark speaks at Sunday's Democratic Party rally at the Colonial Theatre. More than 700 people attended the event. U.S. Sen. Edward Markey was the main speaker at the event hosted by the Four Freedoms coalition. A smaller rally in support of President Trump wave flags across the street from the theater. Democratic supporters hold signs out side the theater. PreviousNext Senator Markey Headlines Pittsfield Democratic Rally The Progressive Democrats of American were among the groups represented at the rally. PITTSFIELD, Mass. Democratic leaders rallied against the Republican administration on Sunday and urged residents to take action but offered little on what their strategy is to oppose President Trump's agenda. "Trump doesn't want to make America great again," U.S. Sen. Ed Markey told hundreds at the Colonial Theatre. "He wants to make America hate again." Markey headlined the "No Kings in America" rally for Democracy on Sunday brought forward by the local Four Freedoms Coalition. (President Trump had described himself as "king" in a tweet claiming he'd halted congestion pricing he did not - in New York City.) More than 700 people packed into the theater to hear calls to action against President Donald Trump's recent orders targeting the LGBTQ-plus community, immigrants, and governmental programs. "We're up against Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and their racist, sexist, xenophobic minions who have no respect for democracy. Their bill of rights is the freedom to discriminate, the freedom to leave people behind, the freedom to hurt people indiscriminately," Markey said. "In their version of reality, we have no Constitution, we have no checks and balances, and the only history chapter Trump seems to remember is Chapter 11." Markey said that when Trump and House Republicans say "Let's cut $880 billion from Medicaid," we call that MassHealth. "Two million of the seven million people in Massachusetts are on MassHealth. Three hundred and thirty thousand people with disabilities are on MassHealth. Seventy percent of people in nursing homes are on Medicaid. Half of them have Alzheimer's. We call them grandma and grandpa," he asserted. "He wants to slash $880 billion in Medicaid that goes to those who need it the most. Half of all children in our state are covered by Medicaid. Fifty-nine percent of people with disabilities depend on Medicaid." He said the Republicans' budget resolution could reduce the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program by $230 billion and would give the richest Americans an extra $6 million per year in tax breaks. The average SNAP benefit is $6.20 per person a day. "It is to pay for all the tax breaks for Elon Musk and the billionaires who sat behind him on Inauguration Day," Markey said. "He put the three wealthiest people in the United States in front of the cabinet at the inauguration. That's all we have to know that we are now living in a world of, for, and by billionaires to control the agenda for everyone else in our country," he said. "And those three people, those three billionaires (Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg) and (Executive Chairman Jeff Bezos) and Elon Musk, they control more wealth than the bottom 50 percent of our population combined." Mayor Peter Marchetti said "all of us have been facing challenges" over the last couple of months but people must stay true to their values and stand together to navigate times that test patience and resilience. "In recent months, it's been especially difficult. With cuts to federal agencies and funding, we are starting to feel the impact at the local level," he said. "We are being asked to review our federal grants and to make sure they are compliant with orders being issued. If we don't make changes, we run the risk of losing vital funding. I'm doing everything in my power to make sure that Pittsfield has the resources we need while holding true to the values that we have." He emphasized that all politics are local and that local government is the backbone of American democracy. "And we need you to join us in this work We need you to volunteer to serve on boards and commissions. We need you to run for elected office. We need to hear your advocacy. We need you to be involved and stay engaged," Marchetti said. "We must pay attention to what is happening at all levels of government as there's always an impact on what will happen here at home." State Sen. Paul Mark opened the rally and recognized partners in state government "because I want you to know and we want you to know your state government is in this fight as much as our senator, as much as our community, as much as anybody else." State Reps. John Barrett III, Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Leigh Davis, and Governor's Council member Tara Jacobs were in attendance. "Two hundred and fifty years ago next month, the king of England at the time George III decided he was going to try to interfere in what in some places was 150 years of self-rule and self-government and town meetings and elections," Mark said. "George III decided he was going to bring hell to Boston and then he found out that bringing hell to Boston is like bringing sand to the beach." Mark outlined the state's strong front against tyranny during and since the American Revolution and added, "The king is not coming back to Massachusetts." Berkshire NAACP President Dennis Powell said there is one race on this earth: the human race "And the human race is entitled to human rights and human freedom and freedoms of speech and expression." "The foundation of our democracy, protected by our Constitution, is the idea that all people regardless of their ethnicity, religion, gender identity, or who they love, deserve these rights," he added. He said nobody protected the democracy of his descendants, his grandfather seeing some protection and his parents a little bit more. "And I, as a Black man, have seen more than many but today those hard-fought protections are under attack again. But today, those hard-fought protections are attacks against not just me but you. All of us," Powell said. " Many of you believed that your democracy would always protect you. You are now seeing that it will not be unless we stand to defend you." He emphasized that no group stands alone in democracy. Lenox resident James Brooke, who lived in Ukraine for six years, was glad to see the turnout of support for the country. "It's disgraceful what's happening," he said. "I don't know if it can be turned around in time but I'm glad to see the turnout today of many pro-Ukraine posters out there." During his remarks, Markey said the U.S. has an "arm of Russia operating from the Oval Office and it is a clear and present danger to the entire Democratic World but we will not stop supporting Ukraine." Markey told attendees that the nation is confronted with climate change, gun violence, income inequality, and racial injustice, and it's hard to imagine how to make it a place our children and grandchildren deserve to inherit. "We cannot give into the kind of despair that makes it too hard to get up and fight because that's what Donald Trump wants," he said. "The fear, the resignation, he wants us to give up but that's not what we do here in Massachusetts." The event included an opening prayer from the Rev. Juana McFarland of Unity Fellowship Church; the hymn "Lift Every Voice," often called the Black national anthem, was sung by Wanda Houston; music performances by Doug Mishkin and by Jason Ennis and Natalia Bernal; and remarks from Democratic Party Chair Steve Kerrigan, social justice activist and Suffolk University student Joey Pisani, and from Liz Recko-Morrison of the Massachusetts Community College Council. U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren and state Attorney General Andrea Campbell provided video remarks. Across the street from the Colonial, Trump supporters staged a protest before the event, waving flags and holding signs denouncing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Berkshire Village Owners Owes Cheshire Back Taxes CHESHIRE, Mass. In addition to residents complaints about Berkshire Village's deteriorating condition, the mobile home park also owes the town roughly $21,000 in back taxes. Town Administrator Jennifer Morse told the Board of Selectmen last week that she discovered tenants are paying $12 per month in personal property tax, which the ownership has not paid to the town for the past 18 months. "According to the email that I was given, Berkshire Village only owes 18 months. Prior ownership was paying," Morse said. The park's owners applied for a lodging permit with the health inspector, but Morse directed the inspector not to issue the permit until the town received payment. "I have contacted ownership. I was able to get an email address and contacted ownership and let him know that this outstanding tax is due and that we need to have payment along with the $750 for their lodging permits as well," Morse said. The owners are supposed to turn in a sheet showing tenancy and amounts to the tax collector and Board of Health monthly "instead of yearly, or however it's been billed in the past. I'm really not sure," she said. "So, I did share that with him as well, and explained in my email what the process was, and asked him to call him so we could discuss, I have not heard from him yet." In February, several Berkshire Village residents attended a board meeting to express their frustration with the mobile home park's unsafe conditions, citing issues with the septic system, outdated electric service, and unmaintained roads. More information here On Tuesday, Morse informed the board that she had met with the Attorney General's Office a couple of times because the office had received a resident complaint. Additionally, the health inspector will work with the Board of Health and the state Department of Environmental Protection on the septic issues. However, they can not do anything until the snow melts so they can get to the tanks and leach field to see what the status is, Morse said. The wiring inspector has spoken with the management company's facilities person, and they will also visit in the spring because they will not be able to access the poles and electrical boxes until some of the snow melts, she said. "I did get a petition today from the residents of Berkshire village. I just need to go over it with them again because it didn't have everything that it needed," Morse said. Morse said Berkshire Village's tenants' association meeting was to hold its first meeting. The residents have been coordinating with the Massachusetts Federation of Manufactured Home Communities in establishing the association. Berkshire County in 'Significant Drought' PITTSFIELD, Mass. Following an extended period of below-normal precipitation, the Western region of Massachusetts, encompassing Berkshire County, has been elevated to a Level 2 Significant Drought status by Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Rebecca Tepper. This designation underscores the persistent dry conditions affecting the area and necessitates heightened awareness and water conservation efforts. "The recent rain and snowfall are a welcome reprieve from the drought we have been experiencing," said EEA Secretary Rebecca Tepper. "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 2-4 inches of rain and snow which is 1-1.5 inches below normal. The data collected by the Drought Management Task Force (DMTF) reflects the observations made from the start of the drying conditions in August 2024 through the end of February. Overall, most of the state is in an 8-13 inches deficit since last August, with the Cape and Islands at 5-8 inches deficit. Although there has been an accumulation of snow, freezing temperatures and frozen ground have prevented snowmelt from soaking through. 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. Residents can report dry environmental conditions they are experiencing and submit photos to support state drought monitoring efforts here. A Level 2 Significant Drought requires ongoing monitoring and coordination among state and local agencies. Municipalities within Berkshire County are urged to implement water use restrictions and provide technical assistance to water suppliers. Residents and businesses are advised to minimize overall water use, with a particular focus on indoor conservation measures such as fixing leaks and using water-efficient appliances. Communities in Berkshire County are encouraged to limit or prohibit non-essential water usage, such as washing hard surfaces and vehicles, and to establish water-use reduction targets. They should also develop or refine local drought management plans, utilizing guidance from the state's Drought Management Plan. The EEA and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) will continue to monitor conditions in Berkshire County and provide support to local communities in managing their water resources. Residents can contribute to state drought monitoring efforts by reporting dry environmental conditions and submitting photos. State Sen. Joan Lovely of Salem, seen in this screenshot, has been trying for years to criminalize sexual conduct between adolescents and adults in positions of power. PreviousNext Berkshire Officials Back Bills to Protect Minors From Sexual Abuse Berkshire DA Timothy Shugrue says current consent laws constrained his ability to bring charges in the recent Miss Hall's School case. Left, state Rep. Leigh Davis has signed on to bills that would close that loophole. PITTSFIELD, Mass. Local officials urge the passage of "long overdue" legislation to protect minors from sexual abuse by adults who are teachers, mentors, or other positions of trust. "When I began my career as a prosecutor, I specialized in the prosecution of child sexual abuse cases. In the mid-1980s, this was a taboo topic. Something rarely discussed, much less prosecuted. During those early years, I worked to normalize the prosecution of child abuse cases and to protect our most vulnerable population, our children," District Attorney Timothy Shugrue said during a virtual press conference on Monday. "In 1993, I founded the Berkshire County Children's Advocacy Center, now known as the Kids' Place, which appropriately supports children during such a traumatic life event. It's deeply troubling and frankly enraging that we find ourselves here today, still fighting to protect children from sexual abuse. How can it be that in a forward-thinking state like Massachusetts, we still lack laws that fully protect minors from sexual assault, particularly from adults in positions of trust and authority?" Last year, Shugrue's office was unable to press charges against a former instructor at Miss Hall's School, Matthew Rutledge, for alleged sexual relations with students because they were of consenting age. "In Massachusetts, the problem arises because once someone reaches the age of consent, they are legally considered capable of consenting to sexual activity with adults in positions of power in their lives. I argue that such so-called consent is not possible. Proving a lack of consent becomes nearly impossible," he said. "Young adults are in the process of discovering who they are. It's natural for them to seek mentorship, guidance, and support from trusted adults. Unfortunately, a small but dangerous group of adults seek to exploit this vulnerability." He said pedophiles are "particularly skilled" at grooming their victims and in Massachusetts, there are cases where predators groom minors before they turn 16 and upon their 16th birthday or shortly thereafter, manipulate the victims to enter into a sexual relationship. "In what world can a 16-year-old truly consent to sex with a teacher, a coach, or any adult in a position of authority and trust? I believe that such consent does not exist," Shugrue said. An Act Relative to Sexual Assaults by Adults in Positions of Authority or Trust aims to close a loophole in Massachusetts law by criminalizing sexual conduct between adults in positions of authority or trust in a public or private school setting and minors under their supervision. Under current law, adults in these roles cannot be prosecuted for this type of misconduct if the minor is 16 or older, the legal age of consent in Massachusetts. It was presented by state Sen. Joan Lovely of the Second Essex District, who has worked with the nonprofit Enough Abuse on protective legislation for over a decade. "We cannot allow another child to be harmed by sexual abuse," she said. The bill states that a person under the age of 18 cannot be deemed able to consent to sexual activity with a mandated reporter or a person in a position of authority or trust. "We're looking at the public and private school settings in particular but this really does transcend the harm of any child by an adult in a position of authority or trust. These people could be people that are working with our children in our schools, our sports teams, and beyond, and current law does not cover criminal sentencing for perpetrators of sexual abuse of a 14- to 18-year-old by an adult in a position of authority and a trust," Lovely said. "The bill calls for perpetrators of assault and battery on a child who was 14 years old and is under 18 to be punished by imprisonment in the state prison system. It would also carry a minimum of 10 years in state prison. In addition, mandated reporters or adults in positions of authority trust who unlawfully have sexual intercourse with and abuse a child under the age of 16 shall also be sentenced in our system." She said that for far too long, the gap in state law has allowed perpetrators to exploit children they are entrusted with caring for. "I've been fighting for this legislation for years because protecting children is not just a policy priority. It's our obligation. It's our responsibility," Lovely asserted. "No one in a position of power over a minor should be able to manipulate, groom, or assault them and then claim consent as a defense. With this legislation, we are making it clear if you commit these crimes, there will be no easy way out. The penalties this legislation proposes are strong, the sentences are mandatory, and the justice system will be empowered to seek justice for the often lifelong harm that these instances have on these individuals." The DA feels this legislation will empower prosecutors to hold predators accountable and provide them with the tools to give justice to survivors. He is not alone in this thought. lunedi 10 marzo 2025, 10:44 - Last updated: 19:42 Kate Middleton will participate today, March 10, in the Commonwealth Day ceremony alongside King Charles and her husband William. Last year, both the Princess of Wales and the Sovereign were not present because they had just begun cancer treatment. A grand return, a year after the announcement of the illness, for one of the most important events in the United Kingdom. Since last autumn, the Princess has resumed work and in the last month seems to have intensified her public appearances. After the Caribbean vacation in mid-February, Kate Middleton went to Wales with William for a full day of public engagements. And now we will see her again at one of the most important ceremonies of the year for the British Monarchy. Kate, William, Charles, and Camilla will join Princess Anne and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester for the ceremony on Monday, March 10 at Westminster Abbey. The Royal Family finally reunites for this important event, after a very difficult and uncertain 2024. The theme chosen for this year is Together We Thrive. As head of the Commonwealth, King Charles will deliver a speech to all the nations that are part of it. Last year the message was recorded on video. This year, special musical performances are also planned by the Masai Cultural Arts team, semifinalists of Britain's Got Talent 2015, Braimah and Jeneba Kanneh-Mason, the first Master of The King's Music, Errollyn Wallen, and Samoan soprano, Aivale Cole and Joan Armatrading. For the ceremony held at Westminster Abbey, the dress code is defined and there is very little room for flexibility, as it is an official event of the Monarchy. The look must therefore be formal but not representative. In these cases, a hat is a must-have accessory for the women of the Royal Family, as well as a skirt. The jacket-trousers suit is highly discouraged, if not even prohibited. For these occasions, Kate opts for monochromatic looks. In 2023 she attended the ceremony in a navy blue ensemble by Erdem with small floral decorations, celebrating the impending spring. A decidedly feminine and bon ton look, completed by a coordinated wide-brimmed hat. The previous year she chose an electric blue coat with a satin lapel, created especially for her by Catherine Walker, under which a dress of the same color could be seen, and then the inevitable hat. The outfit will certainly include the hat and stiletto heels, which are almost certainly by Gianvito Rossi. The realme 14 Series 5G, unveiled globally at MWC 2025, has created a buzz with its innovative features and generated tremendous excitement. In addition to being the worlds first cold-sensitive color-changing smartphone, the realme 14 Series 5G also boasts impressive camera capabilities bound to impress the Filipino Squad. The realme 14 Series 5G brings a whole new level of innovation to the Number Series The newest models in the brands Number Series, the realme 14 Pro+ 5G and realme 14 Pro 5G, showcase imaging superiority driven by clarity, a fundamental quality in top-tier camera phones. The realme 14 Series 5G is designed for users navigating a busy workday or enjoying outdoor adventures. It combines durability with advanced technology to meet the demands of vibrant lifestyles. Here are a few camera features of the realme 14 Series 5G that make it the perfect companion for capturing and enriching your adventure-filled moments. Underwater Photography The realme 14 Series 5G, certified by TUV Rheinland, offers exceptional IP69, IP68, and IP66 ratings for dust and water resistance. It performs flawlessly after being submerged in 2 meters of water for 48 hours and supports underwater filming for up to an hour. With military-grade shock resistance, it's built to endure indoor and outdoor environments. Capture unforgettable underwater moments with stunning clarity. The realme 14 Series 5G has Underwater Mode, which is designed for freshwater settings. This feature allows users to capture stunning underwater photos effortlessly, ensuring vibrant colors and sharp details even in difficult aquatic conditions. Furthermore, the realme 14 Pro+ 5G, is engineered with Triple Sony Cameras that feature a 50MP Sony IMX896 OIS Camera for its main rear camera, a 50MP Sony IMX882 3x Periscope Camera for longer-ranged zoom photography from 3x to 120x, and an 8MP Sony IMX355 Wide Angle Camera for 0.6x shots that are taken to capture more of the surrounding area of the subject. On the other hand, the realme 14 Pro 5G offers a 50MP Sony IMX882 OIS Main Camera, delivering vivid tones and fine details. Complementing this is a 2MP Black & White Camera that adds a layer of creativity, enabling the creation of stunning monochrome images with enhanced depth and contrast. To complete the package, the 16MP Ultra Clear Selfie Camera ensures breathtaking self-portraits. AI Snap Mode Preserve split-second or dynamic moments with an easy-to-access toggle at the top of the camera UIs menu. The realme 14 Series 5Gs AI Snapshot makes it easy to capture fast-moving subjects. Night Photography Mode True to its legacy, the realme 14 Series 5G excels in low-light conditions. It captures crisp, vibrant images even in challenging nighttime environments, ensuring users dont miss out on important moments due to poor lighting. MagicGlow Triple Flash Building on Night Photography Mode, a trailblazing technology of the realme 14 Series 5G is its industry-first triple flash camera system known as the MagicGlow Triple Flash. This is expertly designed for nighttime portraits. It automatically adjusts skin tones in tricky lighting, guaranteeing perfect results for night photography. It is designed to meet the fans diverse social and lifestyle demands. The MagicGlow Triple Flash includes three LED lights on the back of the phone, each offering customizable brightness and temperature adjustments to match the users preferences for perfect photos. Dubbed as portable professional lighting, users can utilize the Smart Color Temperature feature to adjust the light from warm to cool, ranging between 2,240 Kelvin and 6,267 Kelvin. Unique Flash Filters To further elevate the photography experience, the realme 14 Series 5G includes Unique Flash Filters that offer a creative touch to every image taken. Enjoy and play around with preset filters that are easily accessible for quick adjustments. On top of the standard filters, the realme 14 Series 5G introduces bespoke filters meticulously crafted to complement the innovative TripleMagic Glow, such as the nostalgic Deja Vu and the timeless Retro filters. The Deja Vu filter presents a dreamy, warm ambiance through the three lights, while the Retro filter gives a nostalgic, cinematic vibe, enhancing skin texture details with greater clarity. Stay tuned for the local launch and get first dibs on the realme 14 Series 5G realme introduces another outstanding creation to the high-end design lineup of the Number Series with the launch of the realme 14 Series 5G. Join the local launch and get all the details by tuning into the live stream on March 20, 2025, at 6PM. Fans can catch the event on realmes official Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok pages. For those who want to be among the first to own the realme 14 Series 5G, they can sign up for the blind pre-order at any realme store nationwide until March 19, 2025. By pre-ordering, customers will receive a FREE TechLife Bluetooth Speaker 2 worth P1,799 and a P1,000 discount on their reserved units. Keep posted on the latest news and announcements from realme, visit the brands official website, and follow its Facebook page. 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 Chinese animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2 finally has a release date for 37 territories across Europe, including the UK and Ireland. UK-based, pan-European distributor Trinity CineAsia secured the theatrical rights to the film from Beijing Enlight Media and will release the film across Europe, including in Germany, France, Spain, UK, and Ireland. Ne Zha 2 will open in the UK and Ireland on 21 March, followed by releases in other countries, said Trinity CineAsia. Rarely do you get a film that truly defines the era, shows again the unique power of cinema to move audiences, and makes an indelible mark on culture this is Ne Zha 2, Trinity CineAsia managing director Cedric Behrel told Deadline. After years spent cultivating the audience and building relationships with exhibitors, press and other stakeholders, as well as our online presence, Ne Zha 2 is a landmark for Trinity CineAsia in terms of reaching the far corners of the continent and developing our offering to a far larger audience. According to a report in Deadline, streaming rights for Ne Zha 2 are not part of this acquisition and are being negotiated separately. open image in gallery A sequel to the 2019 fantasy adventure Ne Zha, the animated film follows a young boy born with unique powers who teams up with dragon prince Ao Bing to fight demons and save the very community that fears him. ( REUTERS ) A sequel to the 2019 fantasy adventure Ne Zha, the animated film follows a young boy born with unique powers who teams up with dragon prince Ao Bing to fight demons and save the very community that fears him. The film series, written and directed by Jiaozi, is loosely based on a 16th-century novel, Investiture of the Gods, attributed to Xu Zhonglin. The film reportedly took over 4,000 artists across 138 animation companies to create, with more than 2,400 shots. Released in China for the lunar new year on 29 January, Ne Zha 2 managed to captivate audiences of all ages and achieve significant success, boosted by the extended holiday period when many people returned home to celebrate. In the first week of its release alone, Ne Zha 2 made 4.84bn (534 m) in China, setting the record for the most money made by a single film in the new year period. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Since then, it has gone on to break multiple records. Ne Zha 2, made on a $80m (61.9m) budget, is already the highest-grossing animated film in history making $2.06bn (1.59bn) in China, followed by Inside Out 2, which made $1.7bn (1.3bn) worldwide. Overall, Ne Zha 2 ranks as the sixth among the highest-grossing films worldwide, overtaking Avengers: Infinity War, and sitting behind Avatar, Avengers: Endgame, Avatar: The Way Of Water, Titanic, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Its also the first non-Hollywood film to gross over a billion. open image in gallery ( AFP via Getty Images ) Industry projections had put Ne Zha 2 firmly in place to beat 2015s Star Wars: The Force Awakens as the highest-grossing film in a single market, which the film managed to do in its second week. On the films appeal in China, 29-year-old Zhou Jingwen told AFP: I think it's different from traditional American animated films, adding that it was rich with Chinese mythological background, and therefore likely to engage a foreign audience as well. Ne Zha 2 opened in North America on 14 February, where it has made $18m, and has just begun its Southeast Asia rollout, premiering in Singapore and Malaysia over the previous week. 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 Rust first assistant director Dave Halls has said he knew armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was inexperienced, but concerns were tempered by her father being stuntman and film armorer Thell Reed, according to a new documentary. Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust and given the maximum sentence of 18 months in prison. Halls was sentenced to six months of unsupervised probation after being charged with negligent use of a deadly weapon. Speaking in the new documentary Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna, Halls says, "I knew that she had little experience, but concern over lack of experience was tempered by knowing that her father was Thell Reed." Last Take premieres on Hulu on Tuesday, March 11, and features a new interview with Halls. The movie's director Joel Souza, who was hit by the same bullet fired from Alec Baldwins weapon as Hutchins, actors Frances Fisher, Josh Hopkins, and Devon Werkheiser, and Hutchinss mother Olga also speak out in the documentary. Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed on trial in New Mexico ( Santa Fe New Mexican ) Gutierrez-Reed, who was 26 at the time, was sentenced last April. During the hearing, she was required to listen to victim impact statements. Gutierrez-Reed, who had maintained her composure throughout almost all of her trial, was brought to tears numerous times as Hutchins loved ones explained in detail the pain they felt in the aftermath of the fatal shooting in 2021. The familys attorney, Gloria Allred, read a statement in court from Hutchinss mother, Olga Solovey, who lives in Kyiv, Ukraine. Videos of the family were also played. Time does not heal, it simply prolongs my pain and suffering, Allred said, on behalf of Ms Solovey. I have hope that the guilty, those that are responsible for the death of my daughter, will be punished fairly and be sentenced justly. Justice must prevail. Souza also addressed the court, saying that he wished for Hutchins to still be alive and for all of the people affected by the shooting to be at peace. 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. I want everyone damaged by Ms Reed's failures that day to find peace ... I want the pain to go away, I want to be the person I was before this happened, and above all I want Halyna to be back with her husband and son in the home she never got to live in, he said. Gutierrez-Reed stated to the court shortly before her sentencing, saying she hoped those affected by this god-awful tragedy found peace and that she was thankful Souza survived the incident. She also said that Hutchins was and continues to be an inspiration to her. 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 Celebrity chef Jameson Stocks candidly admitted he wasnt a fan of Meghan Markles new Netflix show With Love, Meghan, describing the episodes as painful to watch. Filmed in Montecito, California, the show follows the Duchess of Sussex through her everyday life at home, as she cooks and hosts family members and friends. Guests included The Office actor Mindy Kaling, her Suits cast mate Abigail Spencer, and two other celebrity chefs Alice Waters and Roy Choi. Stocks, the 41-year-old food connoisseur whos famously cooked for King Charles, had no interest in being part of the show, and claims he turned down the offer. open image in gallery Celebrity chef Jameson Stocks says Meghan Markles new Netflix show With Love, Meghan is terrible and painful to watch ( Getty ) Speaking to GB News on March 8, Stocks said he refused to be the role because he was skeptical of the program before it even went into production. I felt that even if she produced a really great program, which I was quite skeptical of anyway, that I might get a little slammed for it, for being a part of it, he told the outlet. I didnt like the idea of me showing her how to do something, and then it kind of being forced and fake. I just felt if shes going to do something herself, she should do it herself, Stocks continued. open image in gallery Despite the shows mixed reception, Netflix has renewed 'With Love, Meghan for a second season ( Netflix ) When asked what his opinion of the show is now after watching it, Stocks said he thought everything about it was terrible. The musics quite slow, its quite lethargic. Its just painful to watch, he added. I think she should just go back to acting. Shes quite a good actress in real life, or obviously on screen. I think people should just stick to what they do best. Despite any criticisms Meghans new series has received since its March 4 release, the show was officially renewed for a second season last week. 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. According to People, the newest instalment has already been filmed and is set to premiere fall 2025. Meghan took to her Instagram on March 8 to tease the upcoming season with a short-form ASMR video of her in the same kitchen seen in the first eight-episode drop. If youre loving Season 1, just wait until you see the fun we cooked up on Season 2, her caption read. Thanks for joining the party, and an endless thanks to the amazing team and crew who helped bring it all to life! With Love, Meghan is the fifth project to come from the $100 million deal she and Prince Harry cut with Netflix back in 2020. The other projects have included the six-part docuseries entitled Harry & Meghan and the documentary Polo. 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 Melvin Odooms dreams have come true after he had a long-anticipated meet up with his celebrity crush Carol Vorderman. The I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! star, 44, shared a sweet selfie with former Countdown star, 64, months after he admitted that he wanted to ask the presenter on a date but had been too afraid to say hello at the Pride of Britain Awards last year. Sharing the photo to Instagram on Sunday (9 March), Odoom captioned the post: Dreamed it then real lifed it, alongside a red love-heart emoji. Celebrity colleagues and fans have been supporting the potential couple, with JLS star Marvin Humes writing in the comments, Nah its a mazza.. bro we need a part 2. Strictly Come Dancing star Pete Wicks chimed in with a laughing-face emoji as a fan said: The pairing we all wanted to happen!! Another person added: Goooo Melvin!! This just made me smile soooooo much, as another said: Yes!!! This is what I have been waiting for! This is a wedding ITV needs to broadcast!! The long distance flirtation began when Odoom called Vorderman a 10 out of 10 while in the Im a Celeb jungle. Check your DMs girl, Ill be waiting, he said. Vorderman quickly responded to Odooms romantic admission, and sent a message into Im a Celebrity Unpacked. She esemed chuffed about the news of the crush, when she said: Jungle man, keep doing what you are doing, youre doing a brilliant job. See you on the other side. open image in gallery Melvin Odoom pictured with Carol Vorderman ( Instagram via @melvinodoom ) She then posted about the exchange online, writing: Well hello @melvinodoom, or shall I say Melvin Vorderman or Jungle Man which sounds very much like Vorder Man? 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. Im having so much fun watching the camp mates having a joke with Melvin in the @imacelebrity jungle, she wrote. When Odoom left the jungle, ITV filmed him checking his messages to find that Vorderman had messaged his social media manager, saying: Please give him my best. Hes done so well [heart emoji]. open image in gallery Melvin Odoom and Carol Vorderman ( Getty ) It comes after Vorderman made an empowered Instagram post on Valentines Day, wishing her followers a Happy Valentines and reminding them there are so many different kinds of love and dont settle. When I was growing up we were told women were worthless without a husband. Women weren't even allowed their own bank accounts until 1975 when I was already a teenager age 14. She said: Be strong in yourself and dont put the key to your happiness in someone elses pocket. If you find a lover who will respect you and you want to be with them ...marvellous. BUT you are whole without them...always remember that. Work on it. Don't settle. 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 Netflix just released an official first look at the fifth and final season of You, with Penn Badgleys Joe Goldberg character set to confront his past horrors in New York City. The streaming service shared the three-minute teaser on YouTube Monday morning, garnering over 77,000 views in just a few hours. Hello, you. Youre back in the greatest city in the world, thanks to the one person who could make it possible. Fame definitely took some getting used to, but to live happily ever after, you had to bury your old self, Badgley says in the beginning of the trailer. Fans of the thriller series will remember season four as Joes attempt at rebirth and redemption after having killed 18 people 24 if you count the murders he committed with his partner named Love throughout the first three seasons. open image in gallery The trailer for the fifth and final season of You was released by Netflix on Monday, March 10 ( Netflix ) In the fourth instalment of You, Joe flees the country to live abroad under the alias Professor Jonathan Moore. However, the disturbed character quickly realizes that he cant morph into an entirely different person without the memories of his past haunting him. The final episode of season four ends with Joe arriving back in the Big Apple where the series began. Based on Netflixs newly-released trailer, it seems like Joe will, once again, learn that bad habits do die hard. You have a great life. Its just not worth the risk, he says in the clip as hes confronted with a new female named Bronte, played by Madeline Brewer. I have been hiding certain things, Joe remarks before Bronte is heard saying: But the world you live in wouldnt understand. 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. But she does, Joe says as he and Bronte come face-to-face, rather mouth-to-mouth, with one another. open image in gallery Penn Badgleys character Joe will return to New York City in the upcoming season alongside his wife Kate Lockwood, played by Charlotte Ritchie ( Netflix ) As Joe battles his feelings for Bronte, his wife Kate Lockwood, played by Charlotte Ritchie, faces a war of her own at work as her two siblings conspire to take her down. Kate is also heard urging Joe not to kill her twin sisters Raegan and Maddie just because theyre trying to make her step down from her position as CEO of the T.R. Lockwood Foundation. You want us to kill everyone whos suspicious of us for the rest of our lives? Kate asks Joe, to which he responds: Is that so wrong if its for the right reasons? By the looks of it, fans can assume Joe is going to do what he wants and revert back to his old murderous habits. As for you, were not done with each other, yet, Joe adds before the trailer cuts out. You season five is set to release on the streaming platform on April 24. 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 Real Housewives of Orange County star Tamra Judge shocked fans with an unexpected message that seemed to tease her departure from the show amid filming for the 19th season. It was a long run! When life gives you real problems, this reality s*** doesnt make sense. Peace out. Im out, Judge wrote on Instagram story yesterday. The 57-year-old Bravo favorite followed up her cryptic statement with a selfie of her at the airport with an animated sticker that read: Mental health is health! Judge didnt say anything else or elaborate on what exactly she was planning to leave. open image in gallery Real Housewives of Orange County fans were left wondering whether Tamra Judge quit the show again after she posted a cryptic message on Instagram ( Instagram/Tamra Judge ) Instagrams pop culture news account @Tasteof_reality posted a screenshot of Judges message, asking whether fans thought this meant shed be leaving RHOC. Is she quitting, they asked, prompting many viewers to guess the answer was yes. open image in gallery The 57-year-old Bravo star snapped a selfie of her in the airport with many fans guessing she was leaving the cast trip in New Orleans early ( Instagram/Tamra Judge ) The account also pointed out how the entire cast of RHOC was currently on a trip in New Orleans, meaning Judge may have been heading out in the picture she shared at the airport. Tamra, is this for real? one curious viewer asked in the comments. Another person questioned: Is she really done this time? Judge later confirmed she quit the show when she wrote yes under Taste of Realitys post. The pop culture account then took to X, writing: WHAT IS HAPPENING IN NEW ORLEANS?!?! The Independent has reached out to Bravo for a comment. Many people noted that this wasnt Judges first time leaving RHOC. In fact, she exited the Bravo show in 2020, opting out of the following three seasons before rejoining the cast as a full-time housewife for season 17. Others thought the Two T's in a Pod host might be backing out since her archenemy Gretchen Rossi has just returned for the upcoming season. Before Judge posted on her Instagram story, she and Rossi were spotted in New Orleans together alongside their other cast mates including Katie Ginella, Shannon Beador, Emily Simpson, and Jennifer Pedranti. 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. Many videos and pictures surfaced on social media showing the RHOC women hanging out at the Mardi Gras festivities. As of now, theres no set premiere date for season 19 of the beloved reality series. Jailed democracy activist Jimmy Lai fights for his life in Hong Kong. Last week, his son Sebastien delivered a letter to No 10 pleading for help. Where, he asks, is prime minister Sir Keir Starmers promised help for his father, a British citizen in jail for fighting for British values? Lai, a self-made billionaire and former newspaper publisher, has languished in a maximum-security prison in solitary confinement for four years. His alleged crime is conspiring with foreign agents to undermine the Chinese Communist Party (CCP); his real crime is refusing to become a mouthpiece for the regime and trying to hold Beijing accountable for the promises it made to Britain when it took over the territory. Yet, since becoming prime minister, Starmer (a former human rights lawyer) hasnt even agreed to a meeting with his son Sebastien, let alone made a serious push to free the ageing, ailing democracy fighter. Lai, now Chinas most famous political prisoner, is one of more than 250 activists, lawmakers and protesters detained under the national security law and sedition charges. Yet Starmers diplomats havent found the time to meet Lai to offer even bare-bones consular assistance during his four years of imprisonment. While Starmer has called for his release and expressed his concern to Chinese leader Xi Jinping, these words are empty unless backed up by robust action. Instead, Starmers government seems more interested in currying favour with China by pushing ahead with plans for a mega-embassy in the heart of London than in supporting a British citizen jailed for simply criticising the CCP. Starmers timidity reveals British weakness on the global stage. The US, Canada, Australia and Ireland have all brought home citizens who were wrongfully detained in China. Britain has not. Donald Trump has made a public commitment to getting Lai out of jail, which Lais son Sebastien is clinging on to: Donald Trumps presidency gives me a lot of hope. But at the end of the day, it is a joint effort, he told The Independent on Friday. China despises weakness. Soft-pedalling concern about Chinas most famous political prisoner wont free Jimmy Lai. So, now is the time for Starmer to back up support for Lai with action there are certainly concrete things he could do straight away. For example, he could start by pushing the passage of the Consular Assistance for Journalists Bill, known as the Jimmy Lai Bill. That act, introduced by Labour Party MP Blair McDougall in December, would guarantee that British journalists jailed abroad have the right to access help from the Foreign Office. Starmer could also go one step further and make good on his campaign pledge by giving all British citizens detained abroad the right to consular assistance. Lai hasnt had consular assistance because the Chinese falsely claim he is a dual national, and thus doesnt qualify for UK diplomatic help. Although Lai was born in mainland China, the 77-year-old sought refuge in Hong Kong as a 12-year-old and has never had a Chinese passport. Britain hasnt pushed the point about access to Lai. Nor has it backed up its professed concern by stepping up the pressure with a demand to allow senior officials to meet him. Chancellor Rachel Reeves came back from Beijing with a paltry 600m in additional trade over five years and, apparently, no progress on Lai. The next time she or any other minister visits China, the trip must include a visit to Lai in Stanley Prison. Foreign secretary David Lammy met Sebastien, who now lives in Taiwan. So, too, did his predecessor David Cameron, perhaps out of a belated attempt to make up for the disastrous Golden Era China policy that he championed as prime minister. But now is the time for more direct action. open image in gallery Sebastien Lai, pictured here in 2023, is calling on Starmer to push for his fathers freedom ( AFP/Getty ) Starmer could also shut down Hong Kongs Economic and Trade Office in London (HKETO). More than a dozen of these diplomatic outposts were set up globally around the time of the 1997 Hong Kong handover. The idea was to underscore the high degree of autonomy that China promised Hong Kong. Beijings promise was that the territory would keep its own currency, its own tax system, its own civil service and would continue to be a finance and trading hub. Most importantly, it would keep the common law tradition to anchor that autonomy. Instead, freedoms have been crushed in Hong Kong and HKETO has become a spy den. Hong Kong officials brag that theyre used to monitoring pro-democracy forces, part of a campaign of cross-border political oppression that extends to Britain. An ongoing trial accuses London HKETO office manager Billy Yuen, who is also a former Hong Kong police officer, of national security violations. Evidence shows a pattern of harassment against UK-based Hong Kong activists, including democracy leader Nathan Law and others, run out of the London HKETO. Back in Hong Kong, the head of the cabinet, Regina Ip, has openly said that the offices have shifted focus to keep track of the pro-democracy camp abroad. Starmer and Lammy should immediately shut the office and expel its officials. open image in gallery Sebastien Lai (left) with a picture of his father at the Geneva Summit for Human Rights earlier this year ( AP ) The ETOs are just one part of an organised campaign of harassment against Hong Kong activists. My colleague, 20-year-old London-based Chloe Cheung, has been slapped with a HK$1m (99,850) bounty for her arrest and prosecution. So have other UK-based pro-democracy campaigners. During the last Tory government, the former head of Chinas Manchester consulate boasted that it was his duty to drag a Hong Kong protester inside the consulate. Rather than being expelled, he was allowed to use Hong Kongs mini-constitution, the Basic Law, which guarantees the freedoms we take for granted in open societies. Beijing even went further, promising universal suffrage. While Britain left a free society, it didnt leave a democratic one. China held out the promise that with the end of colonialism, Hong Kong people would be masters in their own house. In fact, that just meant free elections of the mayor and the city council. Even that proved too much for Beijing to stomach. The CCP leadership counted on being able to bully and cajole Hongkongers into voting for its favoured candidates. That never happened. In every free election, about six of every 10 residents voted for the pro-democracy camp. As Beijing tightened its grip, Hongkongers took to the streets. Around half a million people came out in 2003, encouraged by Lais pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper. As many as two million demonstrators came out in 2019s summer of democracy. open image in gallery Jimmy Lai has been imprisoned since 2021 for his criticism of the CCP ( AFP/Getty ) Lai was at the centre of the movement. His newspaper galvanised the opposition. Lai personally spent more than 100m supporting pro-democracy causes over three decades. The electoral system was rigged so that pro-democracy forces couldnt take power, even though they had majority support. This left opposition parties weak and fragmented, meaning that Apple Daily had an outsized influence. Jimmy Lai could have left. He knew back at the time of the 1997 handover that he faced jail. Yet he chose to believe the promises in the Sino-British joint declaration, an international treaty, that Hong Kongs freedoms would be preserved for the first 50 years of Chinese rule. He chose to stay, telling an associate that he would rather be hanging from a lamppost in Central than to give the Communists the satisfaction of saying I ran away. Dozens of politicians from all parties have called for Lais release, as have a wide range of media freedom and press organisations. Just last week, Reporters Without Borders UK director Fiona OBrien warned that the UK cannot sit by and watch as its citizen a man who has fought his whole life for the values of democracy and freedom slowly dies in jail. The FCDO has taken a more active interest in the case. But its going to take the prime ministers personal involvement to free Jimmy Lai. Its time to step up with tough actions that match his easily honeyed words. Mark L Clifford is president of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation and the author of The Troublemaker: How Jimmy Lai Became a Billionaire, Hong Kongs Greatest Dissident, and Chinas Most Feared Critic 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 fired multiple ballistic missiles off its west coast on Monday, not long after warning of the risk of physical conflict over the US and South Korea kicking off their annual military drills. South Koreas military said it detected the launch of missiles from the Hwanghae province of the North into the Yellow Sea around 1.50pm on Monday. It did not provide further details. The missiles were fired soon after Pyongyang condemned the drills by the US and South Korea as a dangerous provocative act and warned of the risk of conflict. The annual Freedom Shield 2025 drills, a simulated command post training and related field exercises, started on Monday and were scheduled to end on 20 March. A live-fire drill in preparation for Freedom Shield last week caused alarm and protests in the South after military jets accidentally bombed civilians in a rural region, injuring at least 29 people. A pair of South Korean KF-16 fighters dropped eight MK-82 bombs outside a firing range, the air force said in a statement apologising for the incident. The United States Forces Korea said in a statement that no American aircraft were involved in the exercise at the time of the incident. open image in gallery House damaged in accidental bombing of a village by a South Korean fighter in Pocheon ( EPA ) The foreign ministry in Pyongyang described the ongoing drills as an aggressive and confrontational war rehearsal that threatened the ceasefire on the Korean peninsula, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported. This is a dangerous provocative act of leading the acute situation on the Korean peninsula which may spark off a physical conflict between the two sides by means of an accidental single shot, to the extreme point, it said. Any kind of military cooperation or drills between Washington and Seoul is viewed as a rehearsal for invasion by Pyongyang, which often responds with the test firing of missiles and fiery rhetoric. The US and South Korea maintain that the drills are necessary to prepare their joint defences in the event of an attack by North Korea. open image in gallery Kim Jong Un inspecting a shipyard at an undisclosed location in North Korea ( KCNA via Getty ) Meanwhile, North Korea on Saturday unveiled a nuclear-powered submarine for the first time. Strategic experts said the weapons system could pose a major security threat to South Korea and the US. Pictures released by state media showed leader Kim Jong Un visiting an under-construction nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine. 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 Police in South Korea are making elaborate security arrangements to deal with what they say could be the worst-case scenario on the day of the final verdict in president Yoon Suk Yeols impeachment trial. Mr Yoon is awaiting a Constitutional Court ruling on whether his impeachment by the National Assembly for imposing martial law on 3 December is valid. If the court upholds the parliamentary decision, Mr Yoon will be formally removed as president. The ruling is expected as soon as this week. Mr Yoon gave his final statement last month, closing the trial that began in January. Police say heightened security is needed as both supporters and opponents of Mr Yoon are expected to turn out in large numbers on the day of the ruling, in keeping with the trend of thousands of people coming out on days of significant developments in the saga involving Mr Yoon and causing chaos. Acting commissioner general of the National Police Agency wont rule out the use of pepper spray and batons in case of violence. "We are setting up plans considering the worst-case scenarios," Lee Ho Young said. open image in gallery Supporter of South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol holds up a placard showing his picture and demanding Dismiss the impeachment! during a rally in downtown Seoul ( AFP via Getty ) Park Hyun Soo, acting chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, plans to mobilise all available equipment such as barricades and designate the area within 100 metres of the Constitutional Court as a protest-free zone, effectively creating a 'vacuum' in that space. "Clashes in and around the Constitutional Court must be prevented," he said. "We must protect the Constitutional Court justices while also preventing conflicts between opposing groups on the impeachment issue." He is also considering deploying police special forces to "respond to bomb threats". The subway station near the Constitutional Court will be closed and trains may not stop at other stations where rallies are expected, the Seoul Metro announced. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, meanwhile, is advising six schools near the court to take extra safety measures. Kim Eun Mi, an official at the education office told Reuters that at least one school will remain closed on the day of the ruling. open image in gallery Supporters of Yoon Suk Yeol wave South Korean and US flags during a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul ( AFP via Getty ) "Security has to be tighter than ever, as you can imagine how precarious this situation can get," a police official told Reuters, speaking on the condition of anonymity. The alert will be at the highest level, the official said, similar to when the Constitutional Court handed down the verdict in the case of former president Park Geun Hye, who was impeached over corruption charges and removed from office in 2017. At least three people were killed and dozens hurt during demonstrations after that ruling. Mr Yoon was detained on 15 January but freed on Saturday after prosecutors decided not to appeal the Seoul Central District Courts decision canceling his arrest on Friday. The court cancelled the presidents arrest warrant citing the timing of his indictment and "questions about the legality" of the investigation process. TV footage showed Mr Yoon coming out of a prison in Seoul, waving his hand and bowing to his supporters. The president declared martial law in December, throwing South Korea into turmoil. He banned political activity and sent armed soldiers inside the parliament, which nonetheless reversed his decision within six hours. If Mr Yoon is removed with the Constitutional Courts ruling, a new presidential election will be held within 60 days. Mr Yoon is separately facing a criminal trial on charges of insurrection, one of the few criminal offences the South Korean president does not enjoy immunity from. He is the countrys first sitting to stand trial in a criminal case. 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 Police have arrested a third suspect in the gang-rape of two women, including an Israeli tourist, near a Unesco World Heritage Site in southern India. The women and three male tourists were stargazing near Sanapur lake in Hampi, Karnataka, when they were attacked by three men on Thursday night. The Israeli and the owner of the homestay she was staying in were assaulted and gang-raped, police said, while the male tourists, including an American, were pushed into the Tungabhadra canal nearby. While two of them survived, a 22-year-old tourist from the eastern state of Odisha was found dead. Two of the suspects were arrested on Saturday while the third person was detained in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu on Sunday. Karnataka minister Shivaraj Tangadagi said police had been instructed to beef up security to prevent such incidents. Three people were involved in this horrific crime, which should never have happened. Two were arrested yesterday, and the third was caught today," he told reporters on Sunday. The incident appears to have led to a sharp decline in tourists heading to Hampi, an ancient village known for its ruins and temples from the Vijayanagara Empire. More than 25 homestays in and around Hampi saw travel agencies cancel bookings over the weekend. Several tourists also cut short their stays and left the region shortly after the incident came to light, local media reported. Virupakshi V Hampi, secretary of the State Tourist Guides Association, confirmed a decline in homestay bookings after the incident was reported. Even tourists from other states are cancelling or postponing their visit to Hampi, he told The New Indian Express. The entire nation condemned the Sanapur rape incident. Hope police increase patrolling in Hampi and surroundings." Kiran Hanumanahalli, a homestay operator, told The Indian Express that news about the gang-rape spread rapidly and prompted "about 400 people, mainly Israelis" to leave. Foreign visitors in Hampi said they had been instructed to travel in groups and return to their homestays by 8.30pm. Vijayangara police superintendent Shrihari Babu B L said his force was ready to take care of visitors to Hampi and that they would issue guidelines for homestay owners. An unnamed police officer earlier told The Times of India that the Sanapur lake area was frequented by petty criminals, gamblers and "drug users who often target individuals alone or in some groups". He said many incidents of crime in the area were either not reported to police or would come to light only after significant delays. The US State Department said it was "aware" that an American citizen was among a group of victims of violent crime in Karnataka. According to police, three men initially approached the tourists on a motorbike asking for petrol and demanding 100 rupees (1). When the victims refused, the men turned violent, pushing the men into the 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. Incidents of sexual assault are not uncommon in India, which recorded 31,516 rape cases in 2022, nearly 20 per cent more than in the previous year, according to the most recent available figures from the National Crime Records Bureau. The actual number is thought to be much higher, however, as many cases go unreported due to stigma surrounding sexual violence, societal pressure and police apathy. 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 54-year-old Japanese woman has been arrested for allegedly locking her naked partner out on the balcony overnight, leading to his death three years ago. The woman, identified by local media as Miho Tsumura from Isahaya, was arrested on suspicion of assault and lethal confinement, police in the Nagasaki region said. The reason for the delayed arrest was not immediately clear. The woman forced the victim onto their balcony without his clothes in February 2022 and prevented him from getting back in, a local official, Masafumi Tanigawa, said. She ordered the victim, her common-law spouse, to get out on a balcony while he was naked and confined him there. The next day, police responded to an emergency call and discovered the 49-year-old man nearly dead in a room, Mr Tanigawa said. According to prefectural police, Ms Tsumura called the emergency line at around 6.25am on 7 February 2022, reporting that the man was unresponsive. When police arrived, they found him lying dead in a room, completely naked. Police say the victim had been forced to spend the night on the balcony of the womans second-floor apartment in Hasami on the night of 6-7 February 2022. He succumbed to hypothermia as temperatures dropped to 3.7C in Sasebo, a nearby city, according to data from the Japan Meteorological Agency. Police said on Friday that the woman had previously attacked her partner with a knife, causing injuries that took two weeks to heal. An autopsy revealed a cut wound on the mans nose. Prefectural police were investigating whether the suspect had subjected the victim to ongoing violence. The woman denies the charges. I have done nothing, Mr Tanigawa quoted her as saying. 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 Thousands of supporters of Nepal's former King Gyanendra Shah have rallied in Kathmandu, demanding the reinstatement of the abolished monarchy and the return of Hinduism as the state religion. The demonstration, estimated at 10,000 strong, blocked the main entrance to Tribhuvan International Airport on Sunday upon the ex-king's arrival from a tour of western Nepal. Chants of "Vacate the royal palace for the king,""Come back king, save the country," and "Long live our beloved king. We want monarchy" filled the air. Arriving and departing passengers were forced to navigate the blockade on foot. Hundreds of riot police were deployed to contain the protest, preventing demonstrators from entering the airport. No violence was reported. Gyanendra relinquished his authoritarian rule in 2006 following widespread protests. Two years later, parliament formally abolished the monarchy, and Gyanendra vacated the Royal Palace. However, growing disillusionment with the republic has fueled a resurgence of pro-monarchy sentiment. open image in gallery Supporters gather to greet the former king ( AP ) Many Nepalis blame the republic for the country's political instability, economic struggles, and pervasive corruption. Since the monarchy's abolition in 2008, Nepal has seen 13 governments come and go. Rally participants expressed their hope for a systemic change. We are here to give the king our full support and to rally behind him all the way to reinstating him in the royal throne, 72-year-old Thir Bahadur Bhandari said. Among the thousands was 50-year-old carpenter Kulraj Shrestha, who had taken part in the 2006 protests against the king but had since changed his mind and now supports the monarchy. The worst thing that is happening to the country is massive corruption and all politicians in power are not doing anything for the country, Shrestha said. "I was in the protests that took away monarchy hoping it would help the country, but I was mistaken and the nation has further plunged so I have changed my mind." open image in gallery Gyanendra waves to the thousands assembled ( AP ) Gyanendra has not commented on the calls for the return of monarchy. Despite growing support for the former king, his chances of immediately returning to power are slim. Gyanendra became the king in 2002, after his brother and family were massacred in the palace. He ruled as the constitutional head of state without executive or political powers until 2005, when he seized absolute power. He disbanded the government and parliament, jailed politicians and journalists and cut off communications, declaring a state of emergency and using the army to rule the country. Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice More deadly pandemics are in store for the U.S. - and experts are sounding the alarms. Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist and the head of the Pandemic Center at Brown Universitys School of Public Health, told MassLive.com on Monday that people should pretty much bank on the fact that we will have more pandemics in our future. When will it happen? What is the source of infections? Is it already out there? Are we ready? Those are all questions that remain unanswered. Is there another pandemic coming? Yes. When? Which pathogen? How severe will it be? No one can say for sure, Yonatan Grad, a professor of immunology and infectious diseases at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said. But the big demographic changes that are coming, due to climate change as well as economic and other factors, will alter the landscape and create new risks, both for new pathogens to emerge and for known pathogens to re-emerge. While scientists may be bracing for the next pandemic, Americans are still divided over the response to the Covid pandemic that hit America five years ago this week. According to Nuzzo, the nation is in worse shape now than before the outbreak, that resulted in the deaths of more than one million people. Thats even with statistics showing the likelihood of another large-scale pandemic, or pandemics, is growing. open image in gallery Experts warn that its only a matter of time for another pandemic to his the U.S.. But, what, when, and whether the nation is ready remain a mystery ( Getty Images ) Researchers at Duke Universitys Global Health Institute said in 2021 that the prospect of disease outbreaks will likely grow three times in the coming decades, with the probability of a pandemic similar to Covid sitting at about 2 percent in any year. When a 100-year flood occurs today, one may erroneously presume that one can afford to wait another 100 years before experiencing another such event, Dr. Gabriel Katul, the Theodore S. Coile Distinguished Professor of Hydrology and Micrometeorology at the university and an author of the research, said in a statement. This impression is false. One can get another 100-year flood the next year. According to the Center for Global Development, the annual likelihood of a pandemic is two to three percent, which means a 47 to 57 percent probability of another deadly pandemic in the next 25 years, noted UC Davis Health Chief of Infectious Diseases Stuart Cohen. Cohen says that fighting the next one will need to be a team sport - something that may fly in the face of the Trumps administrations America First agenda. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which tracks disease across the country, was told to stop communicating with the World Health Organization a month ago. That move fueled concerns about future disease preparedness and came amid outbreaks of bird flu, measles and tuberculosis. Its also unclear how much money and resources would be allocated by the White House going forward. Vaccine hesitancy could also be a problem, with skeptic Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., at the helm of the Department of Health and Human Services. Under his leadership, the CDC said it would study vaccines and autism, despite research previously finding no link. open image in gallery An outbreak of the measles in West Texas has health authorities on high alert. Once declared eliminated in the U.S., the preventable disease has sickened nearly 200 in the southern state. Many of those infected are unvaccinated children and adolescents ( Getty Images ) Nevertheless, investments in research and the health agencies that lead these efforts will be crucial, scientists say. I do think that Covid fatigue will hamper our response 100 percent. But the key is to invest in preparedness to make pandemic management more sustainable everything from better ventilation, to funding for soap in public school bathrooms, to having studies ready to go in order to determine the most effective interventions, said Bill Hanage, associate professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said. The goal here is, how do we increase our resiliency to these events so that when they occur, they dont upend our lives in profound ways and cause historic drops in life expectancy? Nuzzo asked. 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 scammer used AI to paste a teenage boys face onto a naked body before extorting him for cash, the new head of the NSPCC has warned in a stark example of the new horrors facing children online. In his first interview as CEO of the leading childrens charity, Chris Sherwood warned that the threat from generative AI could be worse for children than the impact of social media. His comments come as Childline, the helpline run by the NSPCC, has reported seeing young people increasingly mentioning AI abuse in their counselling sessions. Last year, Childline recorded 178 counselling sessions with mentions of AI-related phrases, new data reveals. In a demonstration of how AI is already impacting the lives of young Britons, the top concerns where AI was mentioned were mental health issues, online safety issues such as bullying or sexual abuse, school problems, friendship issues and sex, and relationships and puberty. Children specifically referenced AI therapists, AI role play, and AI chatbots in their sessions with Childline. open image in gallery Chris Sherwood, new CEO of the NSPCC, at the charitys east London offices ( Liam James/The Independent ) Mr Sherwood, who started in the role earlier this year, warned we are just at the start of a tech revolution that will shape the lives of this generations children. He said that, while there are huge benefits to come from artificial intelligence, generative AI has the potential to be particularly pernicious, much more pernicious than social media has been. It could be used for positive ends or for dark ends and were just at the start of this, he added. I dont want to be sitting here as the NSPCC chief executive in 10 years time hearing stories about how AI has damaged young peoples lives. We can take action now to build regulations that protect children. Mr Sherwood grew up in an abusive household and knows how vital Childline is, having made a trip to a phone box himself to seek help through the service. Speaking about the concerns about AI being reported through the service, he said: Im thinking of one particular story of a boy who was 16 and contacted Childline about his image being placed on a naked body, his photograph, his face, and the person who had done that was asking him to pay 200 otherwise she would share that image more widely. Weve heard bullying stories where generative AI is being used to portray a young persons sexuality as a way to bully them in school. There are lots of really tragic stories of naked images being shared on platforms like Snapchat and then being distributed around peoples friends in school. Bullying, sextortion, these are issues facing young people today. open image in gallery Half of child sexual abuse image offences, where the platform is recorded, took place on Snapchat, police data from last year shows ( PA ) Under the new crime and policing bill, which is progressing through the Commons, it will become a criminal offence to optimise AI models to create child sexual abuse imagery or sell these models to other offenders. On a single dark web forum, the Internet Watch Foundation identified 3,152 AI abuse images in a one-month period. Police have warned that paedophiles are using AI to create increasingly extreme images of children. Children are also turning to AI therapists or making friends with AI chatbots; one American teenager took his own life after falling in love with a Game of Thrones-themed character. Mr Sherwood added: In my first seven weeks in the job, its really clear to me that the need for the NSPCC is greater in the future than it has been in the past. When our founders sat round a table 140 years ago, they werent dealing with generative AI, they werent dealing with social media. In a recent trip to visit Childline services in Aberdeen, counsellors told him that 10 years ago, it would be rare to talk to a young person expressing suicidal ideation but that is now a feature of every shift. open image in gallery World leaders and attendees at the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit, at the Grand Palais, Paris, on 11 February 2025 ( AFP/Getty ) While some progress has been made in regulating social media companies in the Online Safety Act, new laws are urgently needed to deal with the AI threat, he explained. The plane is being built as we speak. We left it too late with social media and we have to learn those lessons. The NSPCC has called for a statutory duty of care on generative AI companies, ensuring that they are held accountable for the safety of children, and robust risk assessments on models to ensure they are safe before they are rolled out. On Tuesday (11 March), Mr Sherwood will launch the NSPCCs six-point plan for children in parliament, calling for significant action by political leaders and government. The charitys asks include new legislation to tackle the emerging risks from AI, wholesale reform of childrens social care and investment in early years support for families, and strengthened safeguards for home-schooled children in light of the tragic case of Sara Sharif. The charity is also campaigning for a change in the law in England to ban physical punishment against children. A loophole in the current law allows parents to smack their children if it is a reasonable punishment something Mr Sherwood described as just not acceptable. open image in gallery Alexis Jay, chair of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), has recommended better availability of therapeutic services for survivors of abuse ( PA ) The CEO is also asking for guaranteed access to therapeutic services for young victims of child sexual abuse, a key recommendation from Professor Alexis Jays inquiry that has yet to be implemented. Mr Sherwood acknowledged it was a challenging ask in an era of economic restraint, but said despite promising statements from home secretary Yvette Cooper on the governments response to the inquiry: We need action now. An estimated 500,000 children will suffer from some form of child sexual abuse every year, but waiting times for services that support them have more than doubled since 2015, NSPCC research found. With harsh measures reportedly coming in Rachel Reevess spring Budget, Mr Sherwood warned that investment needs to be targeted on early-years support to stop money going from preventative services into crisis-end services. He called on the government to restore Labours record on family support, saying: This government had a proud record when they were last in power, with Sure Start centres, and we saw the benefit they delivered. There is an opportunity for a 21st-century equivalent of that. We know that pressures on families can tip over into abuse and neglect, so investment is really important for supporting families and young people. If you are a child and you need help because something has happened to you, you can call Childline free of charge on 0800 1111. You can also call the NSPCC if you are an adult and you are worried about a child, on 0808 800 5000. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adults on 0808 801 0331 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 finger-prick blood test to diagnose the deadliest form of stroke might be twice as effective at spotting it than using a patients symptoms alone. The test, which works similarly to a lateral flow test used to detect Covid, is being piloted by ambulance crews in Cambridgeshire. The blood tests have been designed to detect if someone has suffered a large vessel occlusion (LVO), where a blood clot blocks a major artery in the brain. This type of blood clot is responsible for about a third of strokes but causes about 95 per cent of disabilities and deaths. A stroke is a very serious condition where the blood supply to part of your brain is cut off, and every minute a stroke is left untreated some 1.9 million brain cells die, increasing the risk of serious long-term disability and death, according to the Stroke Association. open image in gallery A stroke is a very serious condition where the blood supply to part of your brain is cut off ( Kirsty O'Connor/PA ) However, speedy treatment for a stroke can dramatically increase a patients chances of recovery. This includes a thrombectomy procedure to remove the blood clot within a few hours of any symptoms appearing. However, only 24 hospitals in the UK can provide thrombectomy treatment, and LVO is tricky to diagnose without a brain scan because it has similar symptoms to other conditions. Due to a combination of NHS pressures and workforce shortages, these timeframes are often missed and only 3.9 per cent of eligible stroke patients had a thrombectomy in 2023/24 against NHS Englands target of 10 per cent by 2027/28. In addition, only 46 per cent were admitted to a stroke unit within four hours of arriving at a hospital, which further reduces the treatment window and the patients chances of recovery, the Stroke Association added. As a result, unless a patient is lucky enough to live near a specialist centre, in most cases they will be taken to a general hospital. From there, it can take an average of three hours to be moved to a thrombectomy centre. However, these new finger-prick blood tests help diagnose LVOs faster and get patients the treatment they need. The test, developed by the Cambridge-based firm UpFront Diagnostics, consists of two lateral flow cartridges and can detect two molecules in the blood. open image in gallery The new tests work similarly to lateral flow tests which are used to detect Covid ( PA ) One is a protein called D-dimer, which is associated with blood clots, and the other, called GFAP, is associated with bleeding in the brain. The absence of GFAP helps to rule out a haemorrhagic stroke where a blood vessel ruptures and bleeds, The Guardian reported. These tests can detect LVOs with about 90 per cent accuracy within 15 minutes which is more than double the accuracy of just checking symptoms, Gonzalo Ladreda, UpFronts chief executive officer, told the newspaper. Dr Louise Flanagan, the head of research for the Stroke Association, which helps fund the early development of the LVOne test, told The Independent: When the NHS is under huge pressure and its workforce is in crisis, a simple finger prick test to help diagnose stroke could be revolutionary. The LVOne test could potentially diagnose stroke faster and much more affordably than the only current alternative, which is a brain scan. It could also help to identify the type of stroke a person is having, which is vital to ensure the right treatment is given. LVOne could help make it easier to decide whether someone is having a stroke that could be treated with a thrombectomy, saving the NHS time and money and, importantly, helping more people live well after stroke. The Stroke Association is calling for improvements in stroke care as part of the 10-year health plan to help meet the governments own target to reduce stroke disability and death by 25 per cent by 2035. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: This government is taking action to tackle the biggest killers like heart disease and strokes. We have introduced health checks in workplaces and blood pressure checks on high streets to help catch illness earlier, and we are acting to prevent strokes in the first place by tackling smoking and obesity. We are committed to improving stroke prevention, treatment, and recovery through our 10-year health plan, which will emphasise prevention and make better use of innovative technology like prehospital video triage as we shift the NHS from analogue to digital. There are 1.3 million stroke survivors in the UK, and 100,000 people have strokes every year. But 90 per cent of these are preventable, the charity said. Lifestyle factors such as obesity, smoking, alcohol intake and exercise levels can have a significant effect on a persons stroke risk. 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 crew stuck on a beached cargo ship in the Humber estuary has been delivered vital food and water supplies - and will soon receive donations of sweets from concerned locals. H&S Wisdom became lodged on a sandbank on 2 March after travelling from Rotterdam, the Netherlands, one day earlier - and it may not be able to move again until tides become high enough at the end of this month. Further efforts by authorities to refloat the ship are likely to begin around 28 March, meaning it may not be until April before the crew are on their way again. The ship had become stuck while it was on its way to Gunness Wharf Port, near Scunthorpe. It's quite a few years now since a vessel went to ground in that area like this, a good 20 years, Dave Roberts, chairman of Humber Rescue, told The Independent. open image in gallery There is unlikely to be another attempt to refloat the ship until the end of March ( Man with Flying Camera/YouTube ) The vessel is loaded with steel, Mr Roberts said, and has around six people on board. Rescuers attempted three times to get the ship moving again but struggled due to the falling tides. Mr Roberts, who has been a member of Humber Rescue for 35 years, explained: The tides have fallen off. When it went to ground, it was quite a big [high] tide, now the tides are reducing quite a lot, are dropping about two metres. open image in gallery The ship ran aground on 2 March ( Man with Flying Camera/YouTube ) H&S Wisdom, an 82-metre-long ship bearing the Netherlands flag, will not be able to move again until the next spring tide, when the water is at its highest, Mr Roberts said, adding that the only alternative way to move the ship would be to remove the ships cargo onto barges using a crane. This week, Humber Rescue made a fourth trip this week to deliver food and water supplies to the crew members onboard. open image in gallery The crew are expected to stay onboard until the ship moves again ( Man with Flying Camera/YouTube ) But the mood appeared positive on the ship despite being isolated on the sand bank. When the crew went the other day, the crew were quite happy to stay there, they were quite talkative when the crew went with the stores, Mr Roberts said. I think they were quite glad to see the stores. After learning of the plight of the ship crew, local residents are stepping in to provide vital care packages as those onboard face weeks of not moving. We've been approached by some people to take some parcels out to them from donations. People want to take them sweets and stuff, said Mr Roberts. Weve had one email from a lady who said shes got some parcels. The Humber estuary, where the ship ran aground, has unpredictable and shifting sand banks which are monitored on a daily basis. 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 under-arrest captain of a cargo vessel that crashed into a US oil tanker off the East Yorkshire coast is a Russian national. The explosive collision left a sailor presumed dead in the North Sea, with the alarm first raised on the Humber Estuary in East Yorkshire at 9.48am on Monday. The Portuguese-flagged cargo vessel MV Solong collided with a US-flagged oil tanker, which was understood to be at anchor and carrying aviation fuel. It has now been revealed that the container ship failed steering-related safety checks last July, and that there were 10 deficiencies highlighted during an inspection in July. A May Day call from the HM Coastguard shortly after the collision requested help from vessels with fire-fighting equipment or which could assist with search and rescue. open image in gallery Water is pumped on to the North Sea fire ( Getty ) Who has been arrested? A 59-year-old Russian national has been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the collision in the North Sea, police have said. A spokesman for shipping company Ernst Russ, which owns Solong, said: The captain is a Russian national. Humberside Police have begun a criminal investigation into the cause of the collision and are working in collaboration with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The captain remains in their custody. Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Superintendent Craig Nicholson, said: The man arrested remains in custody at this time whilst enquiries are under way, and we continue speaking with all those involved to establish the full circumstances of the incident. Are all sailors accounted for? One member of the Solong crew was still missing as night fell, according to the ship's Hamburg-based owner, Ernst Russ. He confirmed that the search is still underway, before adding: "13 of the 14 Solong crew members have been brought safely ashore. Efforts to locate the missing crew member are ongoing." The coastguard called off their search overnight but resumed it at first light. Transport minister Mike Kane said the Governments working assumption is a missing crew member from a cargo ship involved in a collision in the North Sea has died. open image in gallery The under-arrest captain of a container ship which crashed into a US oil tanker in the North Sea is Russian, the vessels owner has said (Danny Lawson/PA) ( PA Wire ) Mr Kane told the House of Commons: The full crew of 23 on the Immaculate is accounted for and onshore. One sailor was treated at the scene but declined any further medical assistance. Thirteen of the 14 sailors of the MV Solong are accounted for. Search and rescue operations for the missing sailor continued throughout yesterday but were called off yesterday evening at the point at which the chances of their survival had unfortunately significantly diminished. Our working assumption is that, very sadly, the sailor is deceased. The coastguard has informed the company and it has been advised to inform the next of kin. Our thoughts are with the sailors loved ones at this time. Did the MV Solong fail safety checks? The container ship MV Solong had failed steering-related safety checks, with 10 deficiencies highlighted during an inspection last July. Port state control (PSC) inspection documents show Irish officials deemed Solongs emergency steering position communications/compass reading was not readable. Other issues include alarms being inadequate, survival craft not properly maintained, and fire doors not as required. Another PSC inspection by Scottish authorities in Grangemouth in October 2024 found two deficiencies with Solong. One of these was related to lifebuoys designed to be thrown into the water to prevent drowning being not properly marked. Solong was not detained after the inspections in Dublin or Grangemouth. Are the boats still alight and how did it happen? The collision took place on the Humber Estuary in East Yorkshire, with the oil tanker at anchor. open image in gallery The red circle indicates the collision site ( VesselFinder ) Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, said he had been told there was a massive fireball following the crash. As of Tuesday afternoon, the fire on the Stena Immaculate appears to be extinguished but the Solong continues to burn, transport minister Mike Kane said. He told MPs: Although they became attached to each other during the collision, the Solong broke free of the Stena Immaculate late last night and began drifting southwards. Modelling suggests that should the Solong remain afloat itll remain clear of land for the next few hours. The assessment of His Majestys Coastguard is, however, that it is unlikely the vessel will remain afloat. Tugboats are in the vicinity to ensure that the Solong remains away from the coast and to respond as the situation develops. I want to be clear that while there are 1,000-metre temporary exclusion zones established around both vessels, maritime traffic through the Humber Estuary is continuing. What vessels are involved? The cargo vessel called MV Solong was due to arrive at the port of Rotterdam, Netherlands, according to tracking website VesselFinder. The container ship was built in 2005 and currently sails under the flag of Madeira. There were fears the Portuguese vessel was carrying sodium cyanide when it collided with tanker Stena Immaculate on Monday morning. But on Tuesday, shipping company Ernst Russ said Solong has empty containers previously used to transport the hazardous chemical. Ernst Russ said in a statement: We are able to confirm that there are no containers onboard ladened with sodium cyanide, as has been misreported. There are four empty containers that have previously contained the hazardous chemical, and these containers will continue to be monitored. It made contact with a US-flagged oil tanker, called the Stena Immaculate, which was carrying 220,000 barrels of jet fuel in 16 segregated cargo tanks when it was struck. At least one tank was ruptured, according to the company. The tanker was operating as part of the US governments Tanker Security Programme, a group of commercial vessels that can be contracted to carry fuel for the military when needed. It had been anchored while waiting for a berth to become available at the Port of Killingholme, on the River Humber, Crowley said. open image in gallery MV Solong pictured in Aarhus, Denmark ( Wikimedia/NAC ) open image in gallery The US oil tanker called MV Stena Immaculate was believed to have been carrying aviation fuel ( Stena Bulk ) How many people were on board? Mr Boyers said a further nine casualties were brought ashore aboard a harbour pilot vessel - taking the total number of those injured so far to 32. Graham Stuart, MP for Beverley and Holderness, said he understood that only one person was in hospital. Erik Hanell, the chief executive of ship owner Stena Bulk, confirmed that all the crew of the oil tanker MV Stena Immaculate have been accounted for and are safe. Mr Hanell also said it was too early to speculate on the cause of the collision. RNLI reported a number of people had abandoned both vessels. The casualties conditions remain unclear. A coastguard call asked neighbouring vessels which could assist with a search and rescue effort to contact Humber Coastguard. open image in gallery Black smoke billowing into the air after the crash off the coast of East Yorkshire ( PA Media ) Which chemicals have been released into the North Sea? Crowley, who manage the oil tanker, said at least one cargo tank carrying A1-jet fuel was ruptured in the collision. It is said the spill has had a limited impact, with the maritime company saying it remains unclear how much Jet A1 fuel was released when it was hit by the Solong, but an initial review shows it had evaporated due to exposure to fires on both vessels. A spokesman said: At this stage, it is unclear what volume of fuel may have been released as a result of the incident. At the time it was struck, the 183-meter (596-foot) Stena Immaculate was carrying 220,000 barrels of jet fuel in 16 segregated cargo tanks. Crowley is supporting the relevant authorities in the UK who are investigating the incident and will defer to them for any further questions on potential cause. Dr Alex Lukyanov, researcher on advanced mathematical models of oil spills from the University of Reading, previously said the incident was troubling because it appeared to involve persistent oil, which breaks up slowly in water, while he also suggested the environmental toll could be severe. Transport minister Mike Kane said work is ongoing to determine what cargo the MV Solong was carrying, adding: Im aware of media reporting regarding potential hazardous materials on board but were unable to confirm at this time. However, counter-pollution measures and assets are already in place and both vessels are being closely monitored for structural integrity. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has been deployed to the site and begun its investigation, MPs heard. What have the coastguard and RNLI said? An RNLI spokesperson said: Four lifeboat crews have been called to an incident off the East Yorkshire coast this morning (Monday 10 March). At 10.20am, HM Coastguard tasked Bridlington, Cleethorpes, Mablethorpe and Skegness lifeboats to support their response to two vessels that were reported to have been in collision with each other. There were reports that a number of people had abandoned the vessels following a collision and there were fires on both ships. open image in gallery Coastguard said the situation remains ongoing ( Vessel Finder ) By 11.40am, Cleethorpes had been stood down while Bridlington, Mablethorpe and Skegness continued to support search and rescue efforts. The incident is ongoing with the RNLI and HM Coastguard working together. Matthew Atkinson, divisional commander for HM Coastguard said: 36 crew members were taken safely to shore, one person was taken to hospital. One crew member of the Solong remains unaccounted for. After an extensive search for the missing crew member, sadly they have not been found and the search has ended. The two vessels remain on fire and coastguard aircraft are monitoring the situation. An assessment of any required counter pollution response is being carried out by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Who is likely to be responsible for the clean-up costs? Under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, the UK Government is likely to meet many of the immediate clean-up and emergency response costs. The vessel owners and their insurers may also meet costs, which some environmental groups estimated at around 15million. Counter pollution measures will begin once the fire on the Solong has been put out, transport minister Mike Kane told the Commons. 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 One sailor is still missing and an oil tanker and cargo ship are on fire overnight after a collision in the North Sea. Thirty-six casualties have been brought ashore but one member of the Portugal-registered MV Solong crew was still missing as night fell off the coast of Grimsby, according to the ships Hamburg-based owner, Ernst Russ. He confirmed that the search is still underway, before adding: Thirteen of the 14 Solong crew members have been brought safely ashore. Efforts to locate the missing crew member are ongoing. Jet fuel destined for the US Airforce on board US-flagged MV Stena Immaculate reportedly leaked into the water after it was struck by the smaller vessel. In an update late on Monday, Crowley, who manage the oil tanker, said at least one cargo tank carrying jet fuel was ruptured in the collision. A spokesman said: At this stage, it is unclear what volume of fuel may have been released as a result of the incident. At the time it was struck, the 183-meter (596-foot) Stena Immaculate was carrying 220,000 barrels of jet fuel in 16 segregated cargo tanks. open image in gallery Water is pumped on to the stricken vessels ( Getty ) The Solong was carrying 15 containers of sodium cyanide, a highly toxic compound, according to a report from the maritime data provider Lloyds List Intelligence. Dramatic footage has shown fire and smoke billowing from the water, after the alarm was raised at just after 9.45am off the coast of the Humber Estuary, near Hull. Follow our live updates here Downing Street said details of the cause of the collision were still becoming clear. The prime ministers official spokesperson said it was an extremely concerning situation. open image in gallery The Stena Immaculate had anchored outside Hull when the Solong collided with it at around 9.48am ( VesselFinder ) They said: Were obviously monitoring the situation, well continue to coordinate the response and were grateful to emergency personnel for their continued efforts. A Coastguard rescue operation has been launched as helicopters, lifeboats and firefighters rushed to the scene where both vessels appear to be ablaze. The RNLI sent out four lifeboats to the scene at 10.20am and said there had been reports that a number of people had abandoned the vessels and there were fires on both ships. open image in gallery Black smoke billows after a crash between the MV Stena Immaculate oil tanker and a cargo ship off the coast of East Yorkshire ( PA Media ) It added that by 11.40am, one lifeboat was stood down whilst the other three continued to support search and rescue efforts. According to ship tracking site Marinetraffic, the Stena Immaculate had anchored outside Hull after it had travelled from the port of Agioi Theodoroi in Greece. The cargo ship Solong had been sailing from the port of Grangemouth in Scotland to Rotterdam in the Netherlands when it appeared to collide with the tanker at around 9.48am. Greenpeace UK said it was too early to know the extent of any environmental damage that some groups are estimating could cost as much as 15m to clean up. Martin Slater, director of operations at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said jet fuel leaking into the Humber could be devastating for the wildlife of the estuary. He said: East Yorkshires coast is home to protected and significant colonies of seabirds including puffins, razorbills, gannets and kittiwakes. Many birds are gathering offshore on the sea ahead of the nesting season. There are significant numbers of Atlantic grey seals in the area, many rearing this years young, as well as porpoises and other cetaceans around Spurn. If pollution spillage enters the Humber, this could potentially be devastating for the wildlife of the estuary, including important fish stocks and tens of thousands of overwintering and migrating birds who use the mud flats. The Met Office had warned of fog in the Humber area ahead of the collision, with wind gusts of 25mph predicted on Monday morning. Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said: I am hugely grateful to HM Coastguard, the RNLI and emergency services who have responded to this incident. They were on the scene swiftly, have helped rescue those in immediate danger and I know they will continue to work tirelessly over the coming days. My thoughts are with all those involved, especially the family of the missing crew member. The Maritime Accident Investigation Branch has begun a preliminary assessment, and I am working closely with the MCA (Maritime and Coastguard Agency) as they conduct an assessment of any counter-pollution response which may be required over the coming days. 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 Tower Bridge in central London has reopened following an incident where a person scaled the railings. City of London Police closed the bridge and warned people to avoid the area if possible after a person wearing a hoody was spotted climbing the landmark bridge and sitting on the suspension railings. It is not yet known how and why the person scaled the bridge. Officers said they received reports of a man scaling the bridge at 10.19am and he came down safely at 12.22pm. The emergency services were spotted speaking to the person in a cherry picker before he was escorted into an ambulance. London Ambulance Service told The Independent: We were called at 10.36am today to reports of an incident on Tower Bridge. We sent resources to the scene, including an ambulance crew, an incident response officer and paramedics from our hazardous area response team (HART). We treated a man at the scene and took him to hospital. The bridge reopened shortly before 1pm, and the social media account for the attraction inside the bridge confirmed that visitors with pre-booked tickets will be accommodated all day. The closure caused congestion between Limehouse and Aldgate as buses were put on diverted routes through the city. The incident comes a day after a man was accused of scaling the Elizabeth Tower in central London barefoot at 7.20am on Saturday. He came down just after midnight on Sunday. Met Police charged Daniel Day, of Westcliff-on-Sea in Essex, with intentionally or recklessly causing a public nuisance and trespassing on a protected site in connection with the incident. 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 couple have been fined 1,500 after they found a migrant had gripped onto the back of their motor van on the way home from France. When Adrian and Joanne Fenton discovered the individual zipped beneath the cover of a bike rack at their home in Essex, in October, they reported the incident to the police. The couple, from Heybridge, were then fined by the Home Office for neglecting to check that someone was concealed within the motorhome, according to the BBC. The pair said they are now working on an appeal. The Home Office said such fines are designed to target negligence rather than criminality. It added those who are actively involved in people smuggling will be investigated and prosecuted. The Carriers Liability Amendment Regulation 2023 states owners, drivers, hirers and operators must secure their vehicles to prevent unauthorised access by clandestine entrants. The government can fine people up to 10,000 under the scheme. Between 2020 and the end of September 2024, around 175,000 unauthorised arrivals were recorded by the Home Office ( Getty ) Speaking on BBC Three Counties Radio's JVS Show, Ms Fenton explained that the two had been on holiday in France with friends and had taken a ferry back to the UK on 15 October. The 55-year-old claimed that neither the cover nor the bike rack had been examined by border guards in Calais or the UK before to or following the crossing. The "really tight" cover they had been using for their bicycles on the back of the camper was unzipped, according to Mr Fenton. "He sees two trainers... goes to have a look, and there's two legs attached to it," Ms Fenton told the BBC. "He's gone 'Jo, you need to phone the police. We've got a stowaway.'" She said the person hiding inside the carrier told police he was from Sudan and that he was 16 years old. The Home Office sent the couple an email with information about the crime and penalties while they were on holiday in Australia over Christmas, they told the BBC. Increased fines, new maximum penalty levels and a new penalty for failing to adequately secure a goods vehicle came into force from 13 February 2023 to prevent dangerous and illegal journeys to the UK. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Ministers are set to announce a massive deregulation of electric car charging in a bid to roll out hundreds of thousands of extra points across England. The Independent has learnt that part of the planning reforms to be unveiled in Parliament this week will do away with communities and businesses requiring permission for electric car charging points from councils. The measure in the forthcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill will allow for a direct application to the Department for Transport (DfT), saving hours of paperwork as well as making the process much faster and cheaper. It comes as the government has decided to restore a ban on selling new petrol and diesel cars in 2030 as part of the transition to electric vehicles. open image in gallery The rollout of EV charging points has been concentrated in London ( PA Wire ) This comes along with a target of 300,000 electric charging points around the UK by 2030. The latest figures show a 32 per cent rise from last year to around 75,000 points. However, this is still well short of the ultimate target and is largely concentrated in London, where almost a third of all points are located. Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said the bill was an important step in making more EV chargers available across England. By streamlining the approvals process and reducing costs and time, this legislation will make it easier to install chargers, helping to ensure that every driver whether in cities or rural areas can charge up quickly and conveniently, she said. This a win for businesses, local communities, and the taxpayer alike, as we move towards a greener and more sustainable future for transport. Housing minister Matthew Pennycook added the government wanted to make it easier, cheaper, and faster for owners of electric vehicles to be within distance of a charging point. open image in gallery Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the bill was an important step in making more EV chargers available across England ( PA Wire ) Thats why our forthcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill will speed up the approval process for new chargers across England, making sure that those who can play their part in our clean power mission are able to do so, he said, adding the measures would accelerate economic growth across every region of the country, creating high-paid jobs and reducing costs for working people. The measures in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill are designed to speed up the rollout of EV charging infrastructure in England by streamlining the approval process for new chargers on public roads, slash bureaucratic costs, and support the UKs transition to clean power by the end of this decade. Local communities currently face a burdensome process when installing a charger, which require licences for street works, with waiting times for approval taking several months on average and costing EV charge point operators between 500 and 1000 per licence. Through the bill, these street works licences for chargers will be replaced by permits, and any need for additional licences requested by some councils will be removed. Permits for all local authorities in England can be applied for online via the DfTs street manager digital service, which also supports planning and coordination of all road works. The government says permits for works that last 10 days or less will cost between 45 and 130, and take between two and five days to approve, saving hundreds of pounds and hours in the application process as well as helping new EV infrastructure spread in cities and rural areas where more drivers can charge on their street. 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 Sir Keir Starmer has urged MPs to be realistic as he moved to crush a rebellion over massive welfare cuts planned for later this month in a speech to MPs in the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP). The prime minister has launched a preemptive strike as Labour MPs have privately voiced disquiet about plans by chancellor Rachel Reeves to slash benefits for the disabled and long-term sick as she tries to balance the books. He warned MPs: The real world is moving quickly and people look to their government not to be buffeted about by that change not even to merely respond to it but to seize it and shape it for the benefit of the British people. With Labour facing a tough by-election in Runcorn following the decision by disgraced MP Mike Amesbury to step down after being sentenced for assaulting a constituent, Sir Keir had an important message to get Labour MPs ready to fight their first real test since the election. open image in gallery Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer marked International Womens Day ( PA Wire ) The meeting, though, began with the image of veteran Labour MP and longtime Starmer critic Diane Abbott being locked out after she turned up late. The speech comes amid anger after Sir Keirs instruction to the chancellor to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by cutting the size of the international aid budget to just 0.3 per cent of GDP. There is also ongoing anger over the cuts to winter fuel payments for pensioners and the decision to extend inheritance tax to farmers. But with Labour MPs considering whether to rebel against balancing the books on the backs of the disabled, the prime minister insisted that they have no choice. He told them that if nothing was done, the cost of disability and sickness benefits for people of working age will rise to 70bn annually by 2030. A frontbencher told The Independent the atmosphere in the room was positive after the two weeks [that] opposition parties have been having. He said Sir Keir could not have hoped for better than the internal chaos plaguing Reform UK and Tory leader Kemi Badenochs failure to cut through to the public. The Starmer ally said MPs quizzed the PM on his upcoming welfare reforms, with Sir Keir putting the moral and economic case for cutting the benefits bill back to them. Even with these reforms, the benefits bill will still be higher in real terms at the end of this parliament than it was at the beginning, the cabinet member added. Asked whether the PM faced any dissent over the planned cuts to benefits and international aid, the MP said even those who have worked in the aid sector understand the need to fund an urgent defence spending increase. open image in gallery Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall has previously said there are 2.8 million people not in work due to ill-health ( Stefan Rousseau/PA ) Another MP said topics the PM was quizzed on included economic growth and his plans for a peacekeeping force in Ukraine. Dissent outside the PLP meeting on Monday night was limited, with a group of pro-Starmer MPs putting the governments case to gathered journalists. There were no rebel MPs willing to speak to journalists outside the meeting, amid a crackdown on dissent in the party, with the only major rebellion of Sir Keirs MPs so far having seen seven left-wingers suspended. Previously, chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden had warned that there were already 2.8 million people of working age stuck on disability and sickness benefits and that is set to increase to 4 million by 2030. Around a million of these are young people not in work or fulltime education. Sir Keir told MPs: Weve found ourselves in a worst of all worlds situation with the wrong incentives discouraging people from working, the taxpayer funding a spiralling bill, 70bn a year by 2030. A wasted generation. One in eight young people not in education, employment or training and the people who really need that safety net still not always getting the dignity they deserve. Thats unsustainable, its indefensible and it is unfair, people feel that in their bones. It runs contrary to those deep British values that if you can work, you should. And if you want to work, the government should support you, not stop you. He added: This needs to be our offer to people up and down the country: if you can work, we will make work pay. If you need help, that safety net will be there for you. But this is the Labour Party. We believe in the dignity of work and we believe in the dignity of every worker. Which is why I am not afraid to take the big decisions needed to return this country to their interests. Whether thats on welfare, immigration, our public services or our public finances. We cant just shrug our shoulders and look away. We cant just tinker around the edges. We wont try and sow division or create distractions, well roll up our sleeves, take responsibility and make the reforms needed to fix what is broken. Sir Keir also defended his attempts to win over Donald Trump and hold support for Ukraine despite the way the White House has treated president Volodymyr Zelensky. He said: Our defence and the security of the British people must come first. The extra defence spending I announced last week will rebuild industry across the country. It will support businesses, it will provide good, secure jobs and skills for the next generation. That is what we owe the British people. 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 Mike Amesbury is quitting as an MP in a move which will see Sir Keir Starmer face off with Nigel Farages Reform UK in his first by-election as prime minister. The suspended Labour MP was last month given a 10-week suspended prison sentence for drunkenly punching a constituent multiple times in the street. In an interview with the BBC, Amesbury said he was going to step down from parliament as quickly as possible. I'm going to step aside at the earliest opportunity, he said, adding: Ive got processes I must go through theres a statutory process in terms of redundancies. open image in gallery Mike Amesbury was set to face a recall petition after being handed a suspended jail sentence ( Peter Byrne/PA Wire ) Defending his decision to continue taking his MP salary while behind bars, Amesbury said he actually picked up some casework in prison, adding that his office manager forwarded on correspondence. Life doesnt stop as an MP, he said. He spent three nights in jail after pleading guilty earlier this year to assaulting 45-year-old Paul Fellows but was released after successfully appealing the sentence. The decision sets up a difficult by-election in Runcorn and Helsby for Sir Keir, with Labours poll ratings having plunged amid a slew of difficult decisions by the PM since the general election. The northwest seat will be a prime target for Mr Farages Reform, with pollsters already saying it is the insurgent right-wing partys to lose, having surged in the polls since the general election. But, in a reprieve for Labour, it comes amid a damaging bout of infighting between Reform leader Mr Farage and Rupert Lowe, one of five MPs elected for the party, who has now been suspended. open image in gallery The MPs decision means Sir Keir Starmer will face his first by-election since becoming prime minister ( Getty Images ) Amesbury said he would have fought to stay on as an MP had he been given a lighter community sentence, but said he believed he had been punished accordingly for the drunken incident. In the interview, he said he will lose the family home, his livelihood and have to live with a criminal record. Amesbury pleaded guilty to assault in January, after he punched Mr Fellows, 45, following a disagreement in the street over a bridge closure. The incident occurred on Main Street in Frodsham, Cheshire, in the early hours of 26 October, after Amesbury had been drinking. Upon arriving at a taxi rank, he was approached by Mr Fellows, who began to complain about a bridge closure in the town. Footage showed Amesbury punch Mr Fellows in the head, knocking him to the ground, then follow him onto the road and start to punch him again, at least five times. He was heard saying: You won't threaten your MP again will you, you f****** soft lad? open image in gallery Labour MP Mike Amesbury punched his victim in street and told him: You wont threaten your MP again ( SWNS ) Amesbury said, when arrested, that he had acted in self-defence and suggested he felt threatened and intimidated, the court heard. He has been ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, undertake a 12-month alcohol monitoring requirement, go on an anger management course and carry out 20 days of rehabilitation work. He was set to face a recall petition, which would have led to a by-election had 10 per cent of his constituents signed. But Amesbury made the decision to quit before being forced out by voters. 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 Technology Secretary Peter Kyle has said he will cut red tape so that technology like medical delivery drones can be made available more quickly. He told a tech conference that the Government would prioritise pro-innovation regulation in a dedicated plan for the sector, saying there is no route to long-term growth and no solution to our productivity problem, without innovation. A trial of medical drones to deliver blood samples in London could be derailed by a single noise complaint, and this is the kind of red tape that will be peeled away so technologies can be brought to market quickly, he said. It comes as former Conservative minister Lord David Willetts was confirmed as the first head of the new Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO), a role in which he will be tasked with shaping regulatory approaches for new technologies. The Technology Secretary told the techUK conference: Everywhere you see, there is an imbalance of power in this country which has for too long made it impossible to imagine a better future for Britain. To deliver our Plan for Change we have to shift the balance of power, away from stagnation and old ideas, towards innovation and opportunity, and the bold people building a new future for Britain. In doing so, by 2035 we could see a whole new Britain emerge, harnessing the power of technological development, from engineering biology to AI, semiconductors and cyber security, or quantum and future telecoms for a stronger economy and better lives for all in the UK. Mr Kyle also announced the 10 winners of Innovate UKs Quantum Missions Pilot, who will receive 12 million between them to help develop quantum computing and networking technologies. The RIO was launched in October and is intended to reduce the burdens for businesses looking to bring new products and services to the market. Lord Willetts said he is honoured to take on the role and hailed the exciting opportunity to shape regulatory approaches that empower new technologies. Among the technologies the body could help make available are delivery drones for medicines and AI training software for surgeons, officials at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said. Drones could also be looked at in relation to other industries such as faster delivery of packages or groceries. Lord Willetts served as the MP for Havant from 1992 to 2015, and was paymaster general for a time under Sir John Major, before returning to the government as universities and science minister in Lord David Camerons administration. Mr Kyle said Lord Willetts experience will be key to streamlining innovation and unapologetically unleash the innovation that we know can improve lives. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The father of Molly Russell said he and other bereaved parents are losing trust in Technology Secretary Peter Kyle over the rollout of online safety laws in the UK. Ian Russell said nothings changed in terms of online safety in the more than seven years since his daughter Molly chose to end her life aged 14, in 2017, after viewing harmful content on social media. The Online Safety Act has passed into law, and from this year will require tech platforms to follow new Ofcom-issued codes of practice to keep users safe online, particularly children, with large fines and site blockages among the penalties for those who break the rules. But many campaigners have criticised Ofcoms approach to the new laws, warning it has taken too long to implement, gives tech firms too much scope to regulate themselves, and that the laws are not strong enough to prevent online harm occurring. Speaking to Nick Ferrari on LBCs Online Safety Day, Mr Russell, who along with his family set up the Molly Rose Foundation in his daughters name after her death, said: The Government havent really done anything. This is a really tough thing Seven years down the road, I would say nothings changed, in my experience. Nothing of significance has changed. The sort of content that Molly saw, that a coroner concluded led to the end of her life, in a more than minimal way, is still easily available online. He said online safety campaigners have seen a lack of response from the Government over concerns the new laws do not go far enough to protect young people online, and as a result they are losing trust in the minister. Im losing trust with Peter Kyle, and I know all the bereaved parents that Ive connected with are losing trust, Mr Russell said. Some more than me. Some are really angry. We have met Peter. He was very quick to meet the bereaved families. Within the first week of forming a Government, we were in his office talking to him. It all sounded really hopeful. Were now months into government, and were hearing things in the papers where it doesnt sound like hes even considering a strengthened Online Safety Act two, which we all agree is needed, and 85% of parents we surveyed this week think is needed. Yet in the press this week, Peter Kyle is saying that mmm, that isnt on my agenda. Now, I hope thats wrong. I hope he will clarify this and say otherwise. But at the moment, were really, really disappointed. Mr Kyle insisted he was committed to strengthening protections as technology evolves. He said: We are now at a critical stage, with Ofcoms online safety laws set to take effect in the coming weeks and months. I have made clear that online safety legislation must be an ongoing process, not something revisited only once a decade. That is why I am committed to strengthening protections as technology evolves, ensuring we dont repeat the mistakes of the past. He added: We must create a smarter, more adaptable regulatory system that responds to emerging threats swiftly. My pledge to parents across the country is clear: I will act decisively to protect children online, now and in the future. Mr Russell also said the codes of practice he had seen from Ofcom are not robust enough and that the regulator had stayed safely in the middle of the boundaries of the new rules. Weve seen the codes of practice, seen the Ofcom regulations, the way theyre enforcing that, we know that theyre not being robust enough, he said. Melanie Dawes, the chief executive of Ofcom, will tell you that they couldnt have done anything more as a regulator. Well, maybe theres a problem with all of regulation in that case, because theres an awful lot we believe that they could have done. 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 Rupert Lowe has seized on new claims that the allegations of inappropriate behaviour made by female members of staff had nothing to do with him. Mr Lowe has suggested he has been stitched up by the party leadership, including Nigel Farage, with the Great Yarmouth MP telling The Independent that he is a victim of total lies against him. But it came after the top lawyer brought in to investigate the allegations denied his claims that she said there was zero credible evidence against him in a bullying probe. The Kings Counsel KC hired to examine allegations against Mr Lowe denied telling the MP she had expressed shock and dismay over the investigation. open image in gallery Rupert Lowe was one of five people elected as a Reform MP at the general election in July ( PA ) Mr Lowe has had the Reform whip removed after the party said it was investigating him over claims of serious bullying and targeting of female staff. It said it had also reported him to police over alleged threats made towards the partys chair. However, former Tory and Reclaim MP Andrew Bridgen, who previously employed one of the members of staff who made the complaint and recommended her to Mr Lowe, claimed on Monday he had received her permission to say that the MP had nothing to do with the complaint personally. He said: The plot thickens. One of my former parliamentary aides went on to work for Rupert Lowe she is one of the staff involved in these allegations against him. She has told me that her original complaint had nothing to do with Rupert personally and was related to the actions of another member of his staff. I have her permission to post this tweet. Mr Lowe then responded: Finally. The main staff member involved has confirmed that her allegations are NOT about me. The second staff members allegations are also NOT about me. Reform must now retract and apologise. Then Sky News reported to have spoken to a female member of Mr Lowes staff who claimed the allegations against him were nonsense. The woman, who asked not to be named, described him as a good man who is being subjected to a horrific and unfair ordeal, according to Sky News. Another of his employees is reported to have told Sky News: Rupert is a good man who does not deserve any of this. He has done nothing wrong. The allegations arent against Rupert. Ive not seen any evidence of any bullying from anyone in Ruperts office. These claims are nonsense. This is wrong what theyre doing to Rupert. Hes nice to everybody. What theyre putting him through is horrific and unfair. They are vexatious complaints. There has never been any bullying in the office. Over the weekend, Mr Lowe insisted the claims are false and untrue, saying he is the victim of a political assassination. But the KC investigating him has intervened as a result of him claiming to quote her in his defence. I have seen a number of statements made by Mr Lowe MP which are attributed to me and which describe my reactions to the process conducted by the party into the allegations made against both Mr Lowe MP and his constituency manager, the lawyer told the BBC. She added: I find myself in the unfortunate and regrettable position of having to make this statement to correct the record. The senior lawyer, who has not been named by Reform, clarified that she has not expressed either dismay or shock at any time as to the process. Nor have I said There is zero credible evidence against [Mr Lowe], let alone said this repeatedly, she said. Reforms chief whip Lee Anderson highlighted the KCs intervention, claiming she had publicly rebuked Mr Lowe for making false claims. open image in gallery Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said it was inconceivable the party could ignore the allegations against Rupert Lowe ( PA ) He added: As the KCs statement makes clear, the written complaints include allegations about the conduct of Mr Lowe. I ask that Mr Lowe respects the independence of the investigation and refrains from making further false public statements. The KCs extraordinary public rebuke is the latest twist in the Reform civil war, which has been playing out behind the scenes but publicly exploded last Friday. After Mr Lowe used a Daily Mail interview to accuse Reform leader Nigel Farage of having messianic tendencies, Mr Farage hit back to say there would not have been a cats chance in hell of Mr Lowe being elected without him. Within just hours, the party removed the whip from Mr Lowe and published an extraordinary statement saying it was investigating Mr Lowe over allegations of serious bullying and targeting of female staff. It also revealed it has reported Mr Lowe to the police, claiming he had made threats of physical violence against party chair Zia Yusuf on at least two occasions. Mr Lowe claimed to have spoken at length with Reforms investigating lawyer, adding that she was dismayed that this statement [by Reform] has been made. There is no credible evidence against me, as the KC has stated on numerous occasions, Mr Lowe claimed. But, setting the record straight, the KC stressed that she had not told Mr Lowe there was no evidence against him or that she was shocked by the partys statement. Mr Lowe revealed that on Friday night she sent him the following statement: I advised that you should simply say that the party was precipitous to state that these allegations had been made without also saying that the party has commissioned an independent investigation and the investigation has not yet got underway to look at all the evidence and evaluate its veracity. He added: Ever since this malicious attack on my reputation was launched, all I have asked for from both Reform and the KC is credible evidence against me. None has been provided. It still hasnt. The KC has said she has been chasing for that. I have received nothing. Mr Lowe said the lawyer is a charming lady who is trying to do her job in the very difficult position that Reform has put her in. I will not have my name dragged through the mud as part of a political assassination because I dared to question Nigel Farage, he said. He added: You have to stand up to bullies, and I am doing exactly that. The infighting between Mr Lowe and Mr Farage comes after polling suggested that the party may have hit their ceiling, with a surge in support since the general election coming to an end three weeks ago. The latest weekly Techne UK poll for The Independent puts Reform on 25 per cent for the third week in a row and has Labour pulling ahead by three points on 28 per cent after praise for Sir Keir Starmer following a week of diplomatic talks over the Ukraine crisis. A Reform spokesperson declined to comment but referred The Independent to the comments by the unnamed KC investigating Mr Lowe. 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 Sir Keir Starmer will attempt to rally his MPs around plans to make cuts to the welfare system, amid fears of a growing rebellion. The Treasury is expected to make significant welfare cuts ahead of the Spring Statement at the end of this month in order to make up for tightening fiscal headroom. Rachel Reeves, who will deliver her statement on March 26, is expected to make a raft of public spending savings through curbing the cost of welfare and a drive for greater efficiency across Whitehall. But Labour MP Rachael Maskell said she had detected deep, deep concern from colleagues in the Commons, sparking fears of a rift between the government and the back benches. Meanwhile, 16 major charities - including the Trussell Trust, Scope, and Mind - have penned a letter to the government warning that benefit cuts would have a catastrophic impact on disabled people up and down the country. They claimed that as many as 700,000 more disabled households could be pushed into poverty as a result of the plans. It comes against a backdrop of growing concern among Labour backbenchers over the governments direction, following a cut to the winter fuel allowance, the slashing of international aid and a failure to scrap the two child benefit cap. open image in gallery Sir Keir Starmer said the UK will redouble its work to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas (Julian Simmonds/Daily Telegraph/PA) ( PA Wire ) The government is now being accused of pushing disabled people into poverty. Speaking to the BBC, Ms Maskell said that she has had a flurry of emails from people who are deeply concerned about the prospect of changes to the welfare system. We recognise the economic circumstances that were in and the hand that we were given and of course it is right that the chancellor has oversight over all those budgets but not at the expense of pushing disabled people into poverty, she added. Theres got to be a carrot approach not a stick approach. Weve got to make the right interventions and that doesnt start with the stick. The MP for York Central said that she had picked up [] deep deep concern from colleagues and called for a compassionate system and not taking just draconian cuts. Her comments come ahead of the weekly meeting of Labour MPs on Monday evening, where Sir Keir will attempt to defend the plans to his party and see off any potential rebellion. According to The Telegraph, as many as 80 backbenchers could rebel over the issue. Meanwhile, Fire Brigades Union general secretary Steve Wright warned Ms Reeves not to adopt Tory welfare benefit cuts, urging her not to become the austerity chancellor. "Cutting billions of pounds from Welfare would be a return to the austerity of George Osborne and the Tories. It would be an outrageous attack on the poorest and most vulnerable, he told The Independent. open image in gallery Rachael Maskell (Richard Townshend/UK Parliament) ( PA Media ) "Many workers who are in receipt of income support and other benefits would suffer from any cutbacks. "Food bank use and 'in work' poverty remain widespread after nearly 15 years of Tory austerity. "To make further cuts to the already derisory levels of welfare support would be to declare war on poverty-stricken families." Mr Wright added: "Hard pressed families must not be made to pay the price of nearly a decade-and-a-half of Tory mismanagement of the economy. "The chancellor must use her Spring statement to tax the rich to properly fund public services and increase pay . "Rachel Reeves must not become Labour's 'austerity chancellor'. The Fire Brigades Union will fiercely resist any cuts announced in the Spring Statement." However, 36 MPs rowed in behind the government on Monday, insisting there is a moral duty to tackle the spiralling welfare bill. Research clearly shows that many economically inactive people want to work, if given the right support. Yet the current system often acts as a barrier against finding work, making it riskier for people with health conditions to look for work, MPs in the newly formed Get Britain Working group wrote in a letter to the work and pensions secretary. It comes after justice secretary Shabana Mahmood said there is a moral case for cutting the welfare bill. We know that there are many people who are currently receiving state support for being out of work who want to be in work. We know that we have too many of our young people currently out of work, not in education, employment or training, she told the BBC. There is a moral case here for making sure that people who can work are able to work and theres a practical point here as well, because our current situation is unsustainable. Ministers have made clear in recent weeks that there will be an overhaul given the unsustainable rise in welfare spending. Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall has already told Cabinet colleagues that the current system is holding back the economy and bad for peoples wellbeing and health. Meanwhile, Downing Street on Monday said our broken social security system is holding our people and our country back. We've got 3 million people out of work for health reasons, one in eight young people not currently in work, education or training, and we've got the highest level of working age inactivity due to ill health in western Europe, the prime ministers official spokesperson said. The fact is that the current system is trapping millions of people out of work, the spokesperson added. They also denied that changes to the welfare system would lack compassion, saying: We want to support people who can work to do so. All the evidence suggests that being in work is good for people, not just from a financial job security perspective, but also from a from a health perspective. Clearly, we also need to have a system that supports people who cannot work, but you can only continue having a system that supports people who cannot work if it is a sustainable system. The Department for Work and Pensions has been contacted for comment. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A former Facebook employee claims she was terminated after reporting that her boss sexually harassed her, according to her forthcoming memoir. In her upcoming book Careless People, Sarah Wynn-Williams accused the tech giant of retaliating against her after she filed a complaint against her boss Joel Kaplan, who was then-vice president for global public policy. She was fired from her post as director of global public policy in 2017, a decision she believes was retaliation for making the complaint. Meta said in a statement to The Independent that she was fired for poor performance and toxic behavior. The company confirmed that Wynn-Williams accused Kaplan of sexual harassment in 2017, but it said an investigation at the time determined that she made misleading and unfounded allegations of harassment. Kaplan now serves as chief global affairs officer. open image in gallery Former Facebook employee Sarah Wynn-Williams alleges in an upcoming memoir that she was fired from the tech giant after reporting that her manager sexually harassed her ( AP ) Elliot Schrage, one of Wynn-Williams supervisors at the company, also told NBC News in a statement that he fired her based on her repeated failures to address performance concerns such as indecision, shifting focus, and failure to execute on hiring on the policy leadership team. In her seven years at the company, she worked closely with CEO Mark Zuckerberg and former COO Sheryl Sandberg, with whom she details a number of uncomfortable encounters. This is a mix of out-of-date and previously reported claims about the company and false accusations about our executives, Meta said in a statement. Since then, she has been paid by anti-Facebook activists and this is simply a continuation of that work. Whistleblower status protects communications to the government, not disgruntled activists trying to sell books. A legal representative for Wynn-Williams told The Independent in a statement: Meta has made a number of false and inconsistent statements about Sarah since the news of her memoir broke. The events that led to her departure from Meta are described in detail in the memoir, and while Metas statements are trying to mislead the public, the book speaks for itself. Sarah Feinberg, who overlapped with Wynn-Williams at Meta and said they were colleagues, vouched for Kaplans character in a post on Threads. I worked with Joel Kaplan throughout my years at Facebook he was one of my closest colleagues and I have never observed him be anything other than professional, thoughtful, strategic and fair, she wrote. Feinberg added: While everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinion and their own experience, I do not recognize this account of the company, its leaders, or my time there. In her memoir, set to come out Tuesday, Wynn-Williams also alleges that the company ignored internal warnings about potential harm to human rights and democracy. Weeks before Trump took office, Zuckerberg announced Meta was axing its fact-checkers on Facebook and Instagram. "Fact-checkers have just been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they've created, especially in the U.S., he said at the time. He and other billionaires attended President Donald Trumps inauguration. open image in gallery Wynn-Williams new book is set to be released on Tuesday, March 11 ( AP ) Wynn-Williams said it was important she speak out now to inform the public what was going on at the company behind closed doors. Were in a moment now where technology CEOs and political leaders around the world are joining forces and compounding their influence, compounding their power, and thats got consequences for everybody, she told NBC News. People need to understand what has actually gone on. 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 Canadas new prime minister, Mark Carney, has vowed to take on Donald Trump and urged his country to unite in a defiant acceptance speech during a fierce trade war with the United States. The former Bank of England governor, who will be sworn in as Justin Trudeaus successor in the coming days, was on Sunday night elected as Canadas new prime minister by the countrys governing Liberal Party as tensions escalate over tariffs with its closest neighbour. After winning with 85.9 per cent of the votes cast by 150,000 members, Mr Carney hit out at Mr Trump for attacking Canadian families and wanting to destroy the Canadian way of life, describing the US presidents tariffs and threats as the greatest crisis of our lifetime. There is someone who is trying to weaken our economy: Donald Trump. Donald Trump has put unjustified tariffs on what we build, sell and how we make a living, he said. open image in gallery Mark Carney has succeeded Justin Trudeau as Canadas Liberal Party leader ( AP ) After the US last week slapped sweeping 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods, Canada retaliated with its own 25 per cent tariffs on up to $155bn in US goods over the course of this month. Mr Trudeau said in a televised address last week: Its not in my habit to agree with the Wall Street Journal, but Donald, they point out that even though you are a very smart guy, this a very dumb thing to do. While Mr Trudeau described the neighbouring countries as two friends fighting, Mr Carney said the US was a country Canada could no longer trust. Mr Carney, 59, will now have to negotiate with Mr Trump as he threatens additional tariffs that could further cripple Canadas economy. During his speech, Mr Carney said: The Canadian government has rightly retaliated with tariffs. We will keep our tariffs on until the Americans show us respect. We did not ask for this fight. But Canadians are always ready when someone else drops the gloves. Make no mistake, Canada will win. He then turned his attack on Canadian opposition leader Pierre Poilievre, who he said worships at the altar of Donald Trump. open image in gallery Mark Carney hit out at Donald Trump for trying to destroy the Canadian way of life ( EPA ) While the Conservative Party has been gaining ground in recent months, like in other Western democracies, a surge in Canadian nationalism amid aggression from the US over trade and threats to make Canada America's 51st state has bolstered the Liberal Partys chances in the parliamentary election expected within days or weeks. We have made this the greatest country in the world and now our neighbours want to take us. No way, Mr Carney added. We cant change Donald Trump [but] because were masters in our own home, we can control our economic destiny. Mr Carneys fiery stance marks a dramatic shift in the rhetoric of Western leaders speaking out against Mr Trump, and will be watched closely by those in the UK and Europe, with the US president vowing to put tariffs on the EU, which he said was created to screw the United States. Repeating the phrase Canada strong, Mr Carney said Canadians could give themselves far more than Donald Trump could. We have to look out for ourselves and we have to look out for each other, we need to hold together for the tough days ahead, he said. We can and we will get through this crisis. Mr Trudeau announced in January that he would step down after more than nine years in power as his approval rating plummeted, forcing the ruling Liberal Party to run a quick contest to replace him. Mr Carney has said his experience as the first person to serve as the governor of two central banks Canada and England meant he was the best candidate to deal with Mr Trump. He said he supported dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs against the United States and a coordinated strategy to boost investment. He has repeatedly complained that Canada's growth under Mr Trudeau was not good enough. Mr Carney could legally serve as prime minister without a seat in the House of Commons but tradition dictates he should seek to win one as soon as possible. He will also have to decide when to call a general election, which must be held on or before 20 October of this year. 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 Scientists are racing against time to bolster the dwindling ocelot population in the United States, turning to innovative fertility treatments in a bid to save the endangered wild cat. Once widespread across the American Southwest, ocelots are now reduced to fewer than 100 individuals, clinging to survival in two isolated breeding populations in South Texas. While the species exists elsewhere, from Mexico down to South America, these Texan cats, with their distinctive spotted coats, represent the last known wild population in the US. Just look at the cat why would you not want that animal to survive in nature? asks Bill Swanson, director of animal research at the Cincinnati Zoo. Swanson has been travelling across the country, working to breed captive ocelots in zoos using sperm collected from wild ocelots in South Texas. He emphasizes the broader ecological importance of the project: It's not just saving the ocelot, it's saving the habitat and the ecosystem where it lives, which supports so many other animals that provide those services that let people survive on this planet. The East Foundation, a San Antonio-based nonprofit, plays a crucial role in these conservation efforts. It manages one of the key breeding populations on a vast 200,000-acre expanse of South Texas ranch land. open image in gallery Milla, a five-year-old ocelot, recovers after undergoing an IVF procedure ( Reuters ) This area provides critical thorn scrub habitat, a dense thicket of short, spiky shrubs favoured by the elusive, nocturnal ocelots. Ashley Reeves, a research veterinarian with the East Foundation, points to human activity as a major factor in the decline of the ocelot, a species officially listed as endangered in the US since 1982. "Back when the fur trade became very popular, they were hunted down for their beautiful fur," Reeves said. "And then also loss of habitat, human encroachment, large cities being built and roadways, so roadways are one of their No. 1 killers today." Reeves and Swanson have been working on their ocelot project since 2021. The team has tried, unsuccessfully so far, to breed ocelots two ways. open image in gallery Genoveve, 12, is prepped for an artificial insemination procedure ( Reuters ) The first is via artificial insemination, in which semen collected from a cat is deposited directly into a female cat's reproductive tract. The second is in vitro fertilization, in which oocytes, or eggs, are collected from the female cat's body and fertilized with semen in a petri dish before developing into an embryo in an incubator. The viable embryo is then surgically transferred into a cat or frozen to be transferred later. Of the 13 artificial inseminations and four in vitro fertilization procedures performed in recent years, none have produced a viable pregnancy. Swanson points to decreased quality in wild ocelot sperm due to signs of inbreeding, environmental stresses like dehydration from drought and decreased motility the ability of sperm to move from freezing specimens. "An ocelot usually has one kitten. That's the normal litter size," Swanson said. "And in the wild, the mother will raise that kitten for a full year until it's old enough to go out on its own. So ocelots are very slowly reproducing animals naturally." At the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, Texas, in December, the team extracted two eggs from a five-year-old ocelot named Milla and patiently waited to see if an embryo would form after combining the eggs with wild sperm in a petri dish. open image in gallery Dr Bill Swanson examines the eggs of a female ocelot ( Reuters ) After two days of waiting for a fertilized egg to cleave, or rapidly divide and develop into an embryo, the researchers were disappointed to find neither cell cleaved. "It's disappointing," Reeves said. "But at the same time, science doesn't always go the way you expect it to." Researchers will spend the next few months trapping wild male ocelots to collect their sperm before resuming fertility procedures in the fall. By the end of the year, a facility in Kingsville, Texas, will be constructed to house ocelots, provide medical and reproductive care as well as a setting for young ocelots to learn how to hunt in the wild. 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 small plane crashed in the parking lot of a Pennsylvania retirement community on Sunday afternoon, injuring five people and setting several cars as well as the aircraft itself on fire. The incident did not injure anyone on the ground, and the five people hurt were onboard the Beechcraft Bonanza when it careened into the parking lot of the Brethen Village retirement community in Manheim around 3 p.m. "A plane crash where everybody survives and nobody on the ground is hurt is a wonderful thing," Manheim Police Chief Duane Fisher said at a press conference on Sunday. "To have this type of ending so far is a great day for us." Two victims were flown to the burn center at Lehigh Valley Hospital Cedar Crest, while another was taken via ambulance to Lehigh Valley Hospital, ABC 27 reports. The remaining two victims are at Lancaster General Hospital. Brian Pipkin was visiting the retirement community at the time of the crash. I dont know what played into it but it veered left, he told Lancaster Online of the plane. It just nosedived. open image in gallery Firefighters respond to the scene of a small plane crash in Manheim Township near the Lancaster Airport in Pennsylvania on March 9 ( AP ) He said he saw two people in the grass near the wreck with black marks on their bodies. The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the crash. The Independent has contacted local fire and police departments for comment. Footage of the scene appears to show the tail section of a small aircraft on fire alongside multiple flaming cars. Smoke was seen surrounding vehicles in the parking lot of an apartment complex. Multiple medics, ambulances, and individuals in hazmat suits were on scene at the Lancaster County crash, which took place in the Lititz section of Manheim Township, near the Lancaster Airport. The crash and emergency response temporarily shut down Route 501. The private flight, originally bound for Springfield, Ohio, requested to land shortly after taking off from Lancaster Airport with an open door, according to air traffic control audio. Air traffic control directed the Beechcraft to turn around, and at one point said it couldnt hear the radio traffic because of all the wind noise. open image in gallery Five people were on board when a small plane crashed in the parking lot of a Pennsylvania retirement home on March 9 ( AP ) No buildings were hit in the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board is also expected to provide additional information on the crash. The single-engine plane was owned by an entity Jam Zoom Yayos LLC in Manheim, according to the FAA. Our team at [the Pennsylvania State Police] is on the ground assisting local first responders following the small private plane crash near Lancaster Airport in Manheim Township, Governor Joseph Shapiro wrote on X. All Commonwealth resources are available as the response continues, and more information will be provided as it becomes available. The crash comes at a time of heightened scrutiny towards the U.S. air industry, following crashes including a mid-air collusion outside of Washington in February and a Delta flight that flipped over on the runway in Toronto later that month. A medical evacuation plane operated by Mexico-based Jet Rescue Air Ambulance also crashed in Philadelphia last month. The Trump administration has reportedly pushed to work with White House adviser Elon Musks company SpaceX to incorporate Starlink satellite internet technology into the U.S. air traffic control system. 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 Pittsburgh University student who vanished in the Dominican Republic on Spring Break is feared dead. Sudiksha Konanki, 20, arrived in the country last Monday and was staying with five other female college friends at a resort in Punta Cana, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office said. Three Dominican officials close to the investigation told ABC News Sudiksha drowned after she and a friend were caught by a big wave while going for a swim. However, a body has yet to be found and her father wants other possibilities investigated, including kidnapping or human trafficking. open image in gallery The Navy, firefighters and police are among those involved in the search ( Defensa Civil La Altagracia ) Subbarayudu Konanki, her father, told CNN that his daughter was on vacation ahead of pre-med studies at Pittsburgh U. My daughter is a very nice girl, he said. Shes ambitious. She wanted to pursue a career in medicine. Sudiksha told her friends Wednesday that she was heading out to a party at the resort, her father said. She went to the beach on March 6, early morning around 4 a.m. with friends and some other guys they met at the resort, he told CNN. After that, her friends came back after some time and my daughter did not come back, did not show up from the beach. open image in gallery Local reports claim she drowned after being caught a wave, but a body has yet to be found ( Defensa Civil La Altagracia ) Sudiksha was last seen in the early hours of Thursday when she walked onto the beach of the Riu hotel, with a friend who is now under investigation, according to Dominican police. Her friends alerted authorities when she could not be found. She was reported missing at 8am on Friday by the U.S. embassy in the Dominican Republic. A young man who went into the sea with Sudiksha has been interviewed and authorities are talking to several others to corroborate the version of events he offered in the preliminary interview, said the Policia Nacional Republica Dominicana. open image in gallery Authorities in the Dominican Republic say the investigation is ongoing ( Defensa Civil La Altagracia ) The 20-year-old was captured on CCTV surveillance just a few meters from entering the beach area at around 4.15am alongside the group of young foreigners, stated the Policia Nacional. A missing persons poster described Sudiksha as five feet and three inches tall with black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a brown bikini, big round earrings, a metal designer anklet on her right leg, yellow and steel bracelets on her right hand, and a multicolored beaded bracelet on her left hand. Dominican authorities have carried out an extensive sea, air, and land, search using drone and helicopter surveillance, as well as divers, boats, canine units and human personnel. The Public Prosecutor's Office, together with investigative officers from the Central Investigation Directorate (DICRIM) and Politur, are interviewing several people, mainly the companions of the missing young woman, whose names are being withheld, in order to establish the exact location of the maritime search and its surroundings. The Independent contacted the Policia Nacional Republica Dominicana for comment. They call it Bullion Boulevard for good reason, for there are very few roads in the world where you can drive past 330bn worth of gold. The boulevard is of course next to Fort Knox in Kentucky, a base of the United States army that also happens to double up as the home of Americas central bullion depository, holding well over half of the countrys gold reserves. So well protected is the facility that the expression as safe as Fort Knox has long been an epithet for security in the United States and beyond. The only person who has come close to stealing the bullion was a certain Latvian called Auric Goldfinger in 1959, but then he was the figment of the imagination of one Ian Fleming, whose novel Goldfinger would be turned into the third James Bond film. Little wonder then, that during the Second World War, Fort Knox was used to store the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, as well as a Gutenberg Bible, a copy of Magna Carta, and the crown jewels of Hungary. Fort Knox was inspected by outsiders in 2017, when no less a figure than Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin visited the vaults, accompanied by Kentucky governor Matt Bevin, as well as various other Congressional representatives. The visitors were the first outsiders allowed access since 1974 they were photographed handling the gold, which certainly looked very shiny and gold-like. But while the US Treasury and the Federal Reserve carry out regular inspections, nobody has apparently sat down and analysed the contents of the legendary vault for over 70 years, giving rise to one small niggling question that some people are asking with increasing frequency. What if the gold is not actually there? Its all well and good to assume that it is, but how do we really know? While 330bn of bullion may sound like it would take up a lot of room, it occupies less space than you might think about the size of three and a half standard 40ft shipping containers, or around one-tenth of an Olympic swimming pool. Could it have disappeared? Such a question sounds like something from the wilder shores of internet conspiracy websites, which unsurprisingly means that it is now being posed by the president of the United States and his stooge, Elon Musk. We have found hundreds of billions of dollars worth of fraud, said Donald Trump recently. And weve just started. Were actually going to Fort Knox to see if the gold is there, because maybe somebody stole the gold. Tonnes of gold. Musk is also what might be called a bullion denier, as exemplified by a post he put on X last month: Who is confirming that gold wasnt stolen from Fort Knox? Maybe its there, maybe its not. That gold is owned by the American public! We want to know if its still there. open image in gallery Some of the gold bars photographed when the vault was toured by journalists in 1974 ( AP ) What fuels the suspicions of people like Trump and Musk is that there has not been an independent audit of the gold at Fort Knox in several decades. As a result, four main conspiracy theories have emerged. The first claims that the gold has been secretly sold to foreign entities or private banks for the United States to secretly pay off some of its national debt. The second claims that there has never been any gold at Fort Knox, and that the whole facility is just some huge bluff to deceive the global markets. The third theory advances the idea that the gold is not pure gold at all, but gold-plated tungsten bars. This theory gained some traction back in 2009, when the Chinese reported that some fake gold bars were emerging on the international market, some of which supposedly originated from US reserves. Finally, the fourth theory is the one put forward by Trump and Musk that the gold has somehow been swiped. The first two theories are easily scotched. The notion that such a vast amount of gold can be sold secretly is farcical, even if it was sold gradually. Furthermore, while 330bn might sound like it could be useful in paying off some debt, it barely makes a dent in the side of Americas national debt, which currently stands at 28.3 trillion. Whats held at Fort Knox therefore represents just 1.17 per cent of what the United States owes. Carrying out some form of deception or secret sale just doesnt seem worth it. open image in gallery Trump and Musk have suggested that the gold at Fort Knox has somehow been swiped ( Getty ) The third theory can be dismantled in two ways. First, while there has been no thorough audit, there was that aforementioned independent inspection eight years ago. The gold was there when I visited it, said Mnuchin two weeks ago. I hope nobodys moved it. Im sure they havent. If President Trump wants it to be audited, thats something that can easily be done. Unfortunately, Mnuchin is very wrong that the bullion can be easily audited. In fact, auditing the gold would be a very lengthy and expensive business, which is the reason why it hasnt been carried out in decades. According to the gold investment company JM Bullion, the auditing process would take no less than 18 months to complete, with roughly 44,400 man-hours of work to be done. The company estimates that it would require 20 personnel, 18 high-quality scales, 18 portable X-ray fluorescence scanners, two boring drills, 18 item carts, and appropriate additional lighting. With the scanners alone costing 25,000 a piece, its clear that such a project would cost many millions all at a time when Trump and Musk are seeking to cut budgets. The only alternative would be to carry out a partial and selective audit, by analysing just a random selection of the estimated 368,000 gold bars held in the vaults. open image in gallery The construction of the Fort Knox Bullion Depository in Kentucky, circa 1937 ( Getty ) Then there is Trumps notion that the gold could have been stolen. If that were the case, it would not just be the heist of the century but the biggest in human history. Even if one leaves aside the obvious problem of having to fence 330bn worth of bullion down the local boozer, stealing the gold is essentially impossible. While the precise nature of the security measures is naturally highly secret, what is known is that to steal the gold you would have to somehow outwit the US Mint Police a highly specialised and well-trained force as well as the local army units. The vault itself consists of 13 separately sealed compartments, which would involve busting open a 20-tonne door. Blowing it up is simply not an option; the vault also has multiple forms of access, all of which are held by many individuals, which means that no single person on the planet can gain access to the vault. Like so much else spouted by Trump and Musk, the idea that there is no gold at Fort Knox is pure nonsense. But if either of them were allowed a guided tour of the vaults in Kentucky, who knows if they would ever admit it? The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The U.S. was added to a watchlist of countries with faltering civic freedoms after a global watchdog group raised alarm bells over recent actions taken by President Donald Trump and his administration. CIVICUS, a nonprofit organization that serves as an advocate for democracy, added the U.S. to the list on Monday. Its the first watchlist of the year. Claiming the U.S. was once a global champion for democracy and human rights, CIVICUS said Trumps attempts to remake the federal government in his vision and remove the U.S. from global participation have raised concerns that it is infringing on democratic freedoms. The U.S. joins the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pakistan, Chile, Slovakia and 37 other countries on the list of countries with narrowed civic freedoms. open image in gallery A nonprofit organization downgraded the U.S.s status regarding civic freedoms more than two months after President Donald Trump took office ( Getty Images ) This is an unparalleled attack on the rule of law in the United States, not seen since the days of McCarthyism in the twentieth century, Mandeep Tiwana, the interim co-secretary-general of CIVICUS, said in a release. Restrictive executive orders, unjustifiable institutional cutbacks, and intimidation tactics through threatening pronouncements by senior officials in the administration are creating an atmosphere to chill democratic dissent, a cherished American ideal, Tiwana added. CIVICUSs narrowed category means people in the country can exercise civil freedoms but there are occasional violations of those rights. It is the second-highest rating tier after open. The organization pointed to Trumps mass firing of federal workers and replacing civil servants with loyalists as actions that could severely impact constitutional freedoms. Trump has carefully selected people who have proven deep loyalty to him to serve in powerful positions regardless of experience or expertise. open image in gallery Trump and Elon Musk have sought to dismantle agencies or departments they believe are full of waste, fraud and abuse ( Getty Images ) Billionaire Elon Musk, a special government employee with no official title, has assisted Trump in drastically reducing the federal workforce as they seek to cut spending by flagging departments, agencies or policies they believe are wasteful, abusive or fraudulent. As a result, it has essentially stripped the U.S. Agency for International Development of its authority to provide humanitarian aid and assistance, as well as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau of its ability to enforce regulations that protect consumers from fraud or unfair practices. Through executive orders, Trump has sought to consolidate power in the executive branch, making it easier for him and his allies to monitor and control departments and agencies to ensure they are only carrying out Trumps agenda. That includes ceasing all diversity, equity and inclusion policies, cracking down on pro-Palestinian student protests and providing assistance to undocumented immigrants. The Trump administration seems hellbent on dismantling the system of checks and balances, which are the pillars of a democratic society, Tiwana said in the press release. Mondays list is not the first time the U.S. has been downgraded on CIVICUSs watchlist. The countrys status was downgraded to obstructed in 2020 after CIVICUS found the Trump administration repressed mass protests. 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 Longtime Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus submitted her resignation on Monday after an op-ed she wrote disagreeing with owner Jeff Bezos new mandate for the storied papers opinion page was rejected by the Posts publisher. Marcus who has been with the Post since 1984 as an editor, reporter and columnist sent her resignation letter to both Bezos and publisher Will Lewis, telling them that she had never encountered one of her pieces being rejected in her nearly 20 years of column-writing. The letter was first reported by The New York Times. As of publication, no communication of Marcus resignation had been sent to the Post newsroom, according to internal sources. A Washington Post spokesperson later acknowledged Marcus resignation in a statement to The Independent. Were grateful for Ruths significant contributions to The Washington Post over the past 40 years, the spokesperson stated. We respect her decision to leave and wish her the best. Marcus quitting the Post after more than four decades with the publication comes roughly a week after the papers mega-billionaire owner sparked outrage among the papers staff and subscription base when he handed down a new direction for the Posts opinion page. open image in gallery The Washington Posts owner Jeff Bezos has announced that only opinions that support personal liberties and free markets will be welcome in its comment pages ( AFP/Getty ) We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets, Bezos noted in his memo to staff. Well cover other topics too, of course, but viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others. The Amazon founder also revealed that opinion editor David Shipley had decided to step down rather than embrace Bezos' new edict. I suggested to him that if the answer wasnt hell yes, then it had to be no. After careful consideration, David decided to step away, Bezos stated. This is a significant shift, it wont be easy, and it will require 100 per cent commitment I respect his decision. In her resignation letter, Marcus wrote that she cherished my four decades at the Post and stated that as an opinion writer, she had been honored to offer commentary that readers could be assured constituted my best independent judgment of the topic at hand. Lewis rejection of her latest op-ed that denounced Bezos new opinion policy, however, was a bridge too far. Unfortunately, on the opinions side of the newspaper, that appears to be no longer the case, Marcus wrote. Jeffs announcement that the opinion section will henceforth not publish views that deviate from the pillars of individual liberties and free markets threatens to break the trust of readers that columnists are writing what they believe, not what the owner has deemed acceptable. She continued: Wills decision to not run the column that I wrote respectfully dissenting from Jeffs edict something that I have not experienced in almost two decades of column-writing underscores that the traditional freedom of columnists to select the topics they wish to address and say what they think has been dangerously eroded. She concluded her letter to the Posts owner and publisher by telling them it breaks my heart to conclude that I must leave, adding that she had the deepest affection and admiration for her colleagues and wished them the best as you steer this storied and critical institution through troubled times. Bezos recent mandate comes after the Blue Origin owner has faced heat from both the newsroom and readers from seemingly cozying up to President Donald Trump and pushing the paper into a more conservative direction. His decision to scuttle the publications endorsement of Democratic nominee Kamala Harris just days before the 2024 election resulted in editorial board members resigning and roughly a quarter-million canceled subscriptions. Amid additional concerns over Bezos editorial meddling and increasingly close relationship with the media-hating president, the paper has seen an exodus of talent from both the news and opinion side. The newsroom has also begged Bezos to come and personally speak to the Posts journalists about his vision, to no avail. Following Bezos latest edict, which has been met with approval from MAGA and Trump, NPR reported that an additional 75,000 readers canceled their digital subscriptions to the paper. 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 Former President Joe Biden has been accused of using an autopen to sign a raft of documents while in office, a new report says. The Oversight Project, a self-described investigative arm of the right-wing think tank behind Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation, challenged the legitimacy of orders signed by the Demcorat and claimed that an autopen signature was used across almost every document it could find. We gathered every document we could find with Biden's signature over the course of his presidency, it posted on X Thursday alongside several screenshots of documents including the signature. All used the same autopen signature except for the the [sic] announcement that the former President was dropping out of the race last year. The exact number of documents reviewed was not immediately clear. open image in gallery Former President Joe Biden prepares to sign executive orders on affordable healthcare in the Oval Office of the White House on January 28, 2021 ( AFP/Getty ) The Oversight Project shared three examples of Bidens signature on official documents. They included two executive orders signed in August 2022 and December 2024 and a screenshot from the final line of Bidens letter withdrawing from the 2024 presidential election in July after questions were raised about the 82-year-olds mental acuity. The two executive orders appeared to use the same autosignature while the signature on the withdrawal letter was different. Fox News claimed that it examined more than 20 executive orders signed by Biden between 2021 and 2024 at random and found each had the same signature. However, an examination of President Donald Trumps executive orders during his first and second administrations found the signatures were also the same, the outlet said. Twenty-five of Trump's signatures on the Federal Registers website from across both terms also found signature matched, according to the Daily Mails analysis. open image in gallery President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House on March 6, 2025 ( EPA ) Barack Obama is said to be the first president to use autopen to sign legislation. Its use in the Biden administration was a rarity and the White House often went to great lengths to ensure that the former president physically signed bills, according to CNN. It included Biden signing a $40 billion Ukraine aid package while in South Korea in 2022 and a 2022 bill to avert a government shutdown while on vacation in St. Croix in the Caribbean. Sharing a letter sent to the Department of Justice Wednesday, Republican Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey tweeted that he was demanding the DOJ investigate whether President Bidens cognitive decline allowed unelected staff to push through radical policy without his knowing approval. He added: If true, these executive orders, pardons, and all other actions are unconstitutional and legally void. Bailey claimed that GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson reported that White House officials acted as gatekeepers from allowing him to meet with Biden. Staff limited Biden's ability to speak with others and limited the sources of information he consumed, he wrote in the letter. The Independent has contacted the White House and the Heritage Foundation for more information. 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 International students at Columbia University said they were afraid to leave their dormitories after immigration authorities arrested a Palestinian graduate student for his involvement in protests against the Gaza war. Agents with the Department of Homeland Security detained Mahmoud Khalil, who graduated in December from the universitys School of International and Public Affairs, at his university-owned residence on Saturday evening. Khalil has not been charged with any crime, but President Donald Trump said that his presence in the U.S. was contrary to national and foreign policy interests. Federal immigration authorities also reportedly visited another international student at the university over the weekend and attempted to take her into custody, but were denied entry to her apartment. Given the magnitude of statements made by the president and his administration, I feel I am not safe knowing theyre around campus, one international student told The Independent. Ive heard and read a lot about indiscriminate arrests of people post 9/11 so I am afraid they may do the same thing, especially after saying Mahmouds arrest is not the first nor the last, they added. Internal message boards were flooded with posts from international Columbia students on Monday expressing fears over further arrests. Ava Lyon-Sereno, a third-year Columbia student who was involved in the anti-Gaza war protests at Columbia last summer, said the mood on campus was tense and fearful. open image in gallery Pro-Palestinian demonstrator Mahmoud Khalil, second from left, debates with a pro-Israel demonstrator during a protest at Columbia University on Oct. 12, 2023 ( AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, File ) International students that havent been involved in protests at all are scared and anxious, and the university isnt taking any sort of hard stance about not cooperating with ICE, she told The Independent, referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. People are really afraid that the university wont protect them, especially when you consider how much weaker their response to the Trump administration and ICE is now versus compared to the last time he was president, she added. Other students expressed anger at the university for failing to protect their peers from immigration authorities. Khalils arrest comes just days after Columbia issued new rules for how students and school staff should respond to ICE agents trying to access university property. On Thursday, the school issued a memo that said ICE agents should be allowed to enter university property without a warrant in exigent circumstances, without elaborating. We feel that the university is not keeping us safe. The campus is no longer just hostile, its escalated to one thats not conducive to learning, said Bonnie, a Columbia student who gave only her first name, because she feared repercussions. Bonnie noted that over 50 percent of students at Columbias School of International and Public Affairs, where Khalil studied, are from other countries. So you have international students wondering, can I come to school? Can I leave my apartment complex? There is fear even about coming to class, she added. Carly, another student who gave only her first name, said international students were already feeling unsafe before this arrest. This incident was essentially the icing on the cake of this university blatantly disregarding international students, she charged. I think its very important to acknowledge that Mahmouds detainment happened on university property. This was in graduate student housing, so its impossible to claim Columbia University had no hand in it, she added. Columbia University did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The arrest is the first publicly known effort by Donald Trumps administration to deport an international student for taking part in protests against the Gaza war, a promise he made during his campaign. It comes just days after the Trump administration said it had canceled some $400 million in federal funding and grants awarded to Columbia University due to antisemitic harassment on and near the campus. President Trump celebrated the arrest in a social media post on Monday. This is the first arrest of many to come, he wrote on Truth Social. We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it. We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country never to return again, he added. The Trump administration has provided no evidence that Khalil supported Hamas or engaged in antisemitism. Some 48 hours after his arrest, neither the Trump administration or the DHS have revealed the law under which Khalil was arrested. Khalil is a permanent legal resident and his wife, who is eight months pregnant, is a U.S. citizen. DHS said he had been arrested because he had led activities aligned to Hamas, without elaborating. Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared a news report of Khalil's arrest on social media on Sunday, adding the comment: We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported. The New York Civil Liberties Union called the arrest a frightening escalation of Trumps crackdown on pro-Palestine speech, and an aggressive abuse of immigration law. New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also spoke out against the move. If the federal government can disappear a legal US permanent resident without reason or warrant, then they can disappear US citizens too, she wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Anyone - left, right, or center - who has highlighted the importance of constitutional rights + free speech should be sounding the alarm now. Columbia Universitys interim president, Katrina Armstrong, said in a statement released on Monday that it remains the long-standing practice of the University, and the practice of cities and institutions throughout the country, that law enforcement must have a judicial warrant to enter non-public University areas, including residential University buildings. We will follow the law, as has always been the case, and rumors suggesting that any member of Columbia leadership requested the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on or near campus are false, she added in the statement. open image in gallery People listen to a speaker at a pro-Palestinian encampment calling for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza, inside the campus of Columbia University, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in New York. ( AP Photo/Andres Kudacki, File ) Khalil was a key figure in the protests that broke out at Columbia in response to Israels war in Gaza, which spread to other university campuses across the country. Students set up a tent encampment on the campus lawn for two weeks and occupied an academic building for several hours before Columbia called in police to remove them. Khalil acted as a negotiator for the occupying students, but did not enter the building himself. The protesters called for Columbia to end investments in weapons manufacturers and companies that support Israel's government and military in response to the devastating war in the Gaza Strip, sparked by a surprise Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Gazas health ministry says it has confirmed more than 48,000 Palestinians have been killed, but the true number of dead is believed to be much higher as bodies are left undiscovered underneath the rubble. Some Jewish and Israeli students said they felt intimidated by the protests last summer, while Trump and Republicans have called for stronger action to stop them. Upon taking office for his second term, Trump signed an executive order that promised to use all available and appropriate legal tools, to prosecute, remove, or otherwise hold to account the perpetrators of unlawful anti-Semitic harassment and violence. Lyon-Sereno, who is Jewish, said the arrest has troubling implications for free speech. The situation with Mahmoud is so terrifying because it shows the DHS and ICE are willing to take whatever extralegal steps they want to and retroactively approve them to stamp out dissent, she said. If they can essentially kidnap a legal resident, where does it stop? Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The Supreme Court will take up a Christian therapists challenge to a Colorado law that bans conversion therapy aimed at young people questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity. The case, brought by therapist Kaley Chiles who is represented by the conservative religious group Alliance Defending Freedom, claims the state law violates the First Amendment by restricting her ability to communicate with clients who seek her services. Conversion therapy attempts to convert people who identify as LGBTQ+ into straight or cisgender people. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychology, the National Alliance on Mental Health, the Human Rights Council and many other organizations say evidence shows conversion therapy is harmful and can be dangerous. open image in gallery The Supreme Court agreed to hear case that challenges a Colorado law prohibiting conversion therapy for minors ( Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images ) Colorado and at least 19 other states have laws that prohibit licensed mental healthcare providers from engaging in conversion therapy with people younger than 18 years old. Officials in Colorado have argued the law is regulating conduct, not speech. If the court were to rule in favor of Chiles, it would undercut states' longstanding ability to protect patients and clients from harmful professional conduct. But Chiles says she and her clients have aligned beliefs that their faith informs their romantic attraction, sexual behaviors and self-perceptions. She says that with the bans in place, she is unable to provide that service to minors who want it. Chiles sued the state over the law in 2022. A federal district court denied her request to temporarily suspend the laws enforcement and she appealed to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, which backed the district courts ruling. She then appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. open image in gallery Colorado and at least 19 other states have laws that prohibit licensed mental healthcare providers from engaging in conversion therapy with people younger than 18 years old ( AFP via Getty Images ) Cases challenging laws that seek to regulate medical intervention for LGBTQ+ youth have become more popular at the Supreme Court. Already, the court is hearing a case involving the regulation of puberty blockers or hormone treatment for transgender youth. In that case, Tennessee is seeking to keep its ban on gender-affirming medical care for youth, believing the state has the authority to regulate medicine. The Supreme Court declined to take up a similar case in 2023, though three conservative justices, Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh, said they would have considered the case. In his opinion, Alito said the case presents a question of national importance, and Thomas asserted it would be brought back to the court again. Thomas had said the state silenced one side of the debate over how to assist minors with gender dysphoria. The Colorado case is set to be part of the Supreme Courts next term that starts in October and ending in June 2026. China pledges timely assistance for people in difficulty Xinhua) 09:36, March 10, 2025 BEIJING, March 9 (Xinhua) -- China will use big data and on-the-spot investigation procedures to identify people in difficulty so that they can receive timely assistance, Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan said on Sunday. The country will continue to improve its social assistance system, Lu told a press conference on the sidelines of the ongoing session of the national legislature. Assistance includes basic livelihood, medical care, education, housing, employment, disaster relief and emergency support, according to an official guideline. China will upgrade its current civil affairs services with a focus on material aid, aiming to develop a more comprehensive model that includes material support, social services and psychological care, Lu said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The Department of Homeland Security has launched a new app where migrants can declare they have deported themselves so that one day they can return. Under the Biden administration migrants could make appointments on the CBP One app at a port of entry to seek asylum. DHS revoked that scheduler after President Donald Trump took office and the administration began its sweeping immigration crackdown, intending to remove anyone living in the U.S. without legal permission. The department had previously announced its plan to roll out the app that has a submit intent to depart feature for migrants. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said that the Biden administration had long exploited the app because it allowed migrants to legally enter the country by booking an appointment. With the launching of the CBP Home app, we are restoring integrity to our immigration system, Noem said in a statement. open image in gallery Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the Biden administration exploited the CBP one - and now it has a new feature for migrants ( U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ) The CBP Home app gives aliens the option to leave now and self-deport, so they may still have the opportunity to return legally in the future and live the American dream. If they dont, we will find them, we will deport them, and they will never return. The Independent has contacted DHS and asked whether the department believes migrants in the country illegally will actually use the function or the cost for the new feature. DHS is also trying to enforce a registry so it can locate the approximately 11 million migrants living in the U.S. without legal permission. Some migrants reported waiting over a year for their appointments on the app, which were swiftly canceled the day Trump was sworn in. open image in gallery Donald Trumps mass deportation plan has sparked protests across the nation, including in Los Angeles ( Getty Images ) It follows news that DHS is reportedly performing polygraph tests on agency employees to determine whether staff is leaking information to the media about immigration enforcement operations. In a memo to DHS employees last week and reported by Bloomberg Government, Noem allegedly instructed all polygraph tests to include questions about unauthorized communications with media and nonprofit organizations, the outlet said. Noem cited the deleterious effects of leaks on immigration enforcement, according to the memo, which said responses could be used to determine whether agency personnel can continue to have access to classified information or hold a sensitive position. Yes have been saying this for weeks, assistant DHS secretary Tricia McLaughlin wrote Saturday in response to reporting. The Department of Homeland Security is a national security agency. We can, should, and will polygraph personnel, McLaughlin said in a statement shared with The Independent. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The Department of Veterans Affairs is planning to cut 83,000 jobs, slashing employment by over 17 per cent at the federal agency that provides health care for millions of veterans, according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press on March 5, 2025. The department known as the VA manages and directly provides comprehensive services for veterans. Those services include health care, short- and long-term housing options, life insurance, pensions, education stipends, and assistance in jails and courts. The VA also engages in pathbreaking public health research. One-quarter of the VAs 482,000 employees are veterans. For the past month, the Trump administration has been cutting federal spending, causing numerous hardships for government employees, the agencies they work for and the people they serve. But veterans are among those hardest hit, and the impact goes well beyond job loss. My research on veterans in the criminal legal system illustrates the stark challenges that service members already face as they integrate back into civilian life. Trumps budget cuts will make this process only harder. Here are five reasons why. open image in gallery The Department of Veterans Affairs building in Washington ( AP ) 1. Eroding the federal workforce Federal law requires employers to give veterans an advantage in hiring over people who have not served in the military. Under the 1944 Veterans Preference Act, employers should hire veterans over other candidates and retain veterans over other employees during layoffs. The idea is to compensate for the economic loss of serving in the military and acknowledge the governments obligation, especially, to support disabled veterans. Due to this veterans preference, nearly 30 per cent of federal workers are veterans, half of whom are disabled. This means that veterans, who make up 6.1 per cent of the U.S. population, are disproportionately affected by federal worker cuts. One estimate is that of the 38,000 federal employees fired in the first five weeks of the Trump administration, 6,000 are veterans. 2. Gutting federal healthcare Cuts to the federal workforce are also affecting medical care for veterans. The Veterans Health Administration workforce constitutes 90 per cent of the VAs 482,000 workers, so cuts to VA workers mean cuts to health care. These cuts come at a time when veterans health care needs are increasing. The VA enrolled 400,000 veterans in its benefits system from March 2023 through March 2024, 30 per cent more than the prior year. It also expanded eligibility for former service members to receive VA health care. Trumps cuts will make it more difficult for the VA to provide health care for these newly eligible veterans. open image in gallery Former President Joe Biden at Veterans Day commemorations at Arlington National Cemetery ( AP ) These cuts roll back President Joe Bidens investment in the VA to address long-standing staffing problems. The Office of Inspector Generals 2024 report on VA staffing shortages reveals that 137 of 139 VA health centers nationwide report a severe staffing shortage in at least one area, particularly nursing and psychology. Staff shortages have led to long wait times for care. These wait times vary from days to months, with some VA clinics still so understaffed that they are unable to take new patients for primary care or mental health needs. Staff increases over the past few years shortened wait times while providing care to more veterans. In 2024, the VA said it was working hard to fill its 66,000 vacancies, aiming to improve health care for the more than nine million veterans it serves. Now, just one year later, the VA faces the loss of 83,000 jobs. These cuts may contribute to fundamental changes in VA health care. Rather than help veterans directly, the VA may pay for veterans to seek medical care outside the VA system, leading to higher costs and lower quality. Other Trump directives will prevent gender-affirming care to veterans. Veterans with diagnoses related to gender identity increased from 2,513 to 10,457 between 2011 to 2021. 3. Destaffing the suicide hotline In Trumps cuts to social services, the countrys Veterans Crisis Line, which both the VA and the Department of Health and Human Services oversee, is losing employees to layoffs, despite existing staffing shortages. An estimated 800 to 900 of the 1,130 crisis-line workers have always worked remotely, so ending remote work options will further undermine staffing. open image in gallery Trump has signed an executive order telling federal employees who work remotely that they must return to the office ( EPA ) Current data shows an average of 17.6 veteran suicides per day. Suicide remains the second-leading cause of death among veterans under 45 years old. Current VCL caller data is not publicly available, but staff report that the service fields 60,000 calls a month. In the past, the VA reported nearly three million calls between 2009 and 2017, which led to 82,000 emergency dispatches to prevent veterans from harming themselves. The VA steadily increased crisis-line staffing to address concerns that, given the volume of calls, veterans were not receiving help in a timely manner. Fewer staff, already suffering from burnout, undermines this work, as callers already at high risk for suicide will face longer wait times and improper care. The first Trump administration made veteran suicide prevention a policy priority; its latest moves impede this goal. 4. Losing research The VAs investment in research, about $916 million a year, has contributed to a comprehensive understanding of veterans well-being, meaning the government can target aid toward those in need. VA research has also helped spark major medical breakthroughs on the link between smoking and cancer, prompting the surgeon general to put warnings on cigarettes, and the most widely used method to measure and treat prostate cancer. VA research and data are instrumental in the social sciences. There are millions of veterans who come from diverse sociodemographic groups, and social science researchers are able to track them over time. With overall budget cuts at the VA and the federal workforce reduction, at least 350 VA researchers will likely lose their jobs. That, along with a Trump directive to stop research on how poverty and race shape veteran health outcomes, will undermine not only the general well-being of veterans but also the entire medical establishments knowledge about substance use, mental health and deeper insights that VA research can provide on prevention and treatment of cancer and cardiovascular disease. open image in gallery US Representative Kweisi Mfume, Democrat of Maryland, during a press conference against the House Republicans budget bill at the US Capitol. Democrats criticized the bill for cutting funding to Medicare and Medicaid and other social programs ( AFP via Getty Images ) 5. Looming cuts to other benefits Numerous reports indicate that Republicans in Congress want to reduce so-called entitlements, including food stamps and Medicaid, the health insurance for the countrys poorest citizens. Cutting Medicaid would hurt veterans health, too, because not all veterans have access to federally funded health care through the VA, for a variety of reasons. Estimates show that over the past decade nearly 10 per cent of veterans use Medicaid for at least some of their health care benefits, and 40 per cent of those veterans rely exclusively on Medicaid for all their health care. Further, approximately 400,000 veterans are uninsured. Given their income, half of these uninsured veterans should be eligible for Medicaid, as long as looming cuts dont change eligibility requirements. In addition, 1.2 million veterans received aid through the federally funded supplemental nutritional access program, or SNAP. Working-age veterans face an elevated risk of experiencing food insecurity compared to their nonveteran peers. Veterans are still overrepresented among the homeless population. Many do not have financial flexibility to make up for these cuts. Making good on a promise All Americans are affected by Trumps federal funding cuts. But as my research shows, the budget-slashing looks to be especially hard on those who served in the military. The media and political blowback against Trumps cuts has already begun. Negatively impacted veterans are gaining increasing visibility. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have begun calling on the Department of Defense to prioritize retaining and rehiring veterans. The first Trump administration committed to expanding services for veterans. Now, its executing a stark policy reversal with acute consequences for the very same veterans the U.S. government promised to protect and serve since the countrys founding. Jamie Rowen is Associate Professor of Legal Studies and Political Science at UMass Amherst This article was originally published by The Conversation and is republished under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article 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 Harvard University announced a temporary hiring freeze on Monday due to substantial financial uncertainties that its now facing under Donald Trumps administration. The move comes after Trump pulled $400 million worth of grants and contracts from Columbia University on Friday, accusing the school of antisemitism for its handling of pro-Palestinian protests on campus following the October 7, 2023, Hamas terror attack in Israel. Harvard said the temporary freeze would preserve our financial flexibility until we better understand how changes in federal policy will take shape and can assess the scale of their impact, Politico reported. Both Columbia and Harvard were attacked by Republican lawmakers for their response to campus protests against Israel's invasion of Gaza. Former Columbia President Minouche Shafik resigned last summer amid the turmoil, just four months after being grilled by congressional Republicans during a tense hearing on campus antisemitism. The Department of Justice last month announced the formation of a federal antisemitism task force, noting in a release that its first priority will be to root out antisemitic harassment in schools and on college campuses. Supporters rally two years ago for Palestinians in Gaza at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. ( AFP via Getty Images ) Antisemitic incidents have been on the rise since before the 2023 Hamas attacks, as have incidents of anti-Muslim harassment. Its unclear, however, what the DOJ under Trump will consider antisemitic harassment, as some lawmakers Democrats included have broadly interpreted any criticism of Israel or Zionism as an act of antisemitism. In 2023, the House passed a resolution that effectively equated anti-Zionism with antisemitism. New York Representative Jerry Nadler, a Jewish Democrat, opposed the resolution, noting that even some Jewish communities oppose Zionism for religious reasons, and would be branded antisemites under the resolution. While most anti-Zionism is indeed antisemitic, the authors, if they were at all familiar with Jewish history and culture, should know about Jewish anti-Zionism that was, and is, expressly not antisemitic, he said at the time. Zionism supports establishing a Jewish state that includes Palestine. Trumps new federal task force appears poised to stomp out any large-scale campus protests against Israel's actions in Gaza, even though a number of human rights advocates have accused Israel of ethnic cleansing in Gaza. On Saturday, federal immigration officers arrested a Palestinian activist and former Columbia graduate student who helped lead a wave of protests on campus last spring. A lawyer for the activist, Mahmoud Khalil, said he is living in the U.S. legally on a green card. "All federal funding will STOP for any College, School or University that allows illegal protests," Trump wrote on social media last week. "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." Including Harvard and Columbia, at least 10 college campuses will be visited Trumps federal task force. The other schools include George Washington University, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, Northwestern University, the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Southern California. All of the universities on the DOJ's list are in states that typically vote for Democratic candidates in presidential elections. The University of Texas at Austin also had large-scale protests that were met with violent police responses, but that university as well as Ohio State University are in the capitals of red states Texas and Ohio, respectively, and appear to have escaped the task force's eye. 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 Vice President JD Vance has admitted to seeing the wide range of memes of his distorted face making the rounds online. Vance has been depicted as a round-faced baby, an emo, an alien, chicken nuggets, and a toddler wearing a propeller hat and holding a large lollipop. Edited photos by social media users also show Vance as the late painter Bob Ross and a Despicable Me minion. The vice president told Julio Rosas of the rightwing outlet The Blaze on March 5 that he thinks its a funny trend. The memes started to be spread following the Oval Office blow-up between Vance, President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The conversation in front of the White House press corps turned into a shouting match as Vance asked Zelensky, Have you said thank you once? Zelensky has expressed his gratitude to the U.S. for its support dozens and dozens of times. Vance was quickly mocked for the question - and the memes soon followed. One post showing a smiling Vance with his face edited to be inflated and his eye widened, captioned: You have to say pwease and tank you, Mistow Zensky. It has been viewed more than 13 million times. Conservatives have depicted Vance in the form of the GigaChad meme, an alpha male and a nationalist icon with a cutting jawline. JD Vance speaks during a meeting with President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office at the White House on February 28, 2025 in Washington, D.C. He was quickly turned into a meme following the meeting ( Getty Images ) Assistant professor of media studies at New Yorks Queens College, Jamie Cohen, told The Washington Post that This is a bit of a Rorschach test for politics in general. The MAGA right sees Vance as becoming torchbearer of the movement, Cohen added. The left sees him as a potential shill for whatever he needs to do to make himself more politically usable. And thats how you get all these different remixes. Cohen told the paper that the widespread Vance memes are where politics, technology, and online culture collide. Artificial intelligence and apps such as Facetune have streamlined the process of altering the appearance of politicians and public figures in general. The left saw Vance as a petulant child throwing a tantrum and interrupting Zelensky, said Cohen. Meanwhile, conservatives viewed Vance as a hardened hero championing America First. Thats one of the reasons why you get this dichotomy in the memes. The internet meme database Know Your Meme states that the meme craze surrounding Vance began in October 2024, when a user on X posted a picture of the then-senator with slightly rounder cheeks. For every 100 likes, I will turn J.D. Vance into a progressively apple-cheeked baby, the account stated. It has been viewed more than seven million times as of Friday, and has more than 211,000 likes. Right now, were still in the collector space people are creating alternate versions, hoarding them, pushing the meme in stranger directions. Until that energy fades, theres no reason for it to die down, Cohen told The Post. 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 White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared to mock journalists and inquiries that cited experts in a recent interview, referring to some liberal reporters as a**holes. During an appearance on the Ruthless podcast, Leavitt described how she and White House communications director Steven Cheung approach email requests from journalists. Its my favorite thing, she said. They email: Karoline, ethical experts, yes We write back which experts? And then they send the names, and we Google them, and they're like Democrat donors funded by George Soros. So you're like, we copy and paste their Wikipedia like these experts, a**hole? This is not a real story. These are not real stories. open image in gallery During a recent appearance on the Ruthless podcast, Leavitt described how she and White House communications director Steven Cheung approach email requests from journalists ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Leavitt added that reference to unspecified experts was the tell of any liberal reporter. She then laughed and nodded in agreement as podcast host Josh Holmes described such inquiries as using weasel words. White House officials later downplayed the animosity saying the comment was made in jest on a funny podcast. In her first White House briefing, Leavitt vowed to open the room to less traditional voices, adding that a special seat in the front row would be known as the new media seat. We welcome independent journalists, podcasters, social media influencers, and content creators to apply for credentials to cover this White House," she said. open image in gallery Leavitt said she and Cheung (pictured) would copy and paste bios of experts from Wikipedia back to journalists when responding to a story ( Getty Images ) Since then, she has welcomed reporters from less traditional outlets, including the Ruthless podcast, far-right news site Brietbart, and The Daily Wire the network set up by conservative commentator Ben Shapiro. Her apparent disdain echoes that of president Donald Trump and Elon Musk and their demonization of the so-called legacy media. The Associated Pressa long-trusted source of accurate informationrecently filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration after being iced out of press briefings for refusing to adjust its style guide to align with the president. 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 Linda McMahon tried to walk back the shutting down of the Department of Education despite previously noting her mission was to dismantle the agency. On Friday, the president was expected to sign an executive order tasking his freshly confirmed education secretary to dissolve the federal department, before the White House reversed course. McMahon later confirmed she believed her job is to secure a near-impossible three-fifths supermajority, or 60 votes, needed in the Senate to abolish the agency but said that she would not simply walk away and abandon the department. Republicans currently hold a slim 53 to 47 seat majority in the Upper Chamber. This is not a turn off the lights and walk out of the department, McMahon told NewsNation Friday. Its in close consultation with Congress and looking at how the needs of students can best be serviced. The Education Department oversees the $1.6 trillion student loan programs, administers Pell Grants that help low-income pupils attend university, funds programs to support those with disabilities and living in poverty, and enforces civil rights law that prevents race or sex-based discrimination in federally-funded schools. open image in gallery Linda McMahon said she wont simply turn off the lights and walk out of the Department of Education after Donald Trump tasked her with dissolving it ( Getty Images ) The department's allocation was $238 billion in fiscal year 2024, marking less than two percent of the total federal budget. It is the smallest of all cabinet agencies by number of employees. Trump has repeatedly claimed McMahon, the billionaire former CEO of the WWE, should eventually put herself out of a job. While it remains unclear what the next actions of the department will be, McMahon said she wants to provide states with the resources they need to empower their pupils. Well, were looking at them all across the board, and how can they be best handled if the Department of Education does not exist, she said. Some of that funding comes by appropriations from Congress, so thats in statute, and that money will continue to flow into the states. She added: Pell grants, student loans might best be served in another department, and were looking at where that can best be handled. It comes after McMahon shared her final mission for the agency in a staff memo on Monday. open image in gallery Donald Trump and Linda McMahon photographed together at the presidents Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on March 29, 2019 ( AFP via Getty Images ) My vision is aligned with the presidents: to send education back to the states and empower all parents to choose an excellent education for their children, she wrote. This is our opportunity to perform one final, unforgettable public service to future generations of students. She warned that the overhauling of the department will profoundly impact staff, budgets and agency operations. McMahon also took a swipe at diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives after dozens of Education Department employees were put on paid leave last month in response to Trumps executive order banning DEI efforts in the federal government. She said that taxpayer-funded education should refocus on meaningful learning in math, reading, science and historynot divisive DEI programs and gender ideology. As early as September 2023, when Trump vied to once again be at the top of the GOP ticket, the president said he would close the Education Department very early in the administration. The federal government, he said, should not have control over schools as it was staffed with people that hate our children. By September 2024, when Vice President Kamala Harris ascended to the top of the Democratic ticket, Trump vowed that he would drain the government education swamp. 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 top State Department official shared bogus rumors about Marco Rubios sexuality and trashed his now-boss for having low IQ in since-deleted tweets, according to a report. Conservative Darren Beattie, who was fired in 2018 as a speechwriter during the first Trump administration, was appointed by Rubio last month to be the acting undersecretary for public diplomacy and public affairs, a senior role that represents American foreign policy to the world. But deleted posts unearthed by CNN allegedly show Beattie ridiculing and taunting Rubio a few years ago. In response to the report, Beattie told the network that it was a tremendous honor to work for Rubio. In 2021, Beattie allegedly referenced a decades-old conspiracy theory about Rubios teenage curfew violation Wainwright Park that fueled baseless speculation he is gay. He also shared the unfounded claim that Rubio used to attend foam parties at gay nightclubs, CNN reports. Forget Wainwright park, forget the foam, forget the war promotion and the neocon sugar daddies, forget the low IQ, forget the 2016 primary, Rubio is TOUGH ON CHINA (and good for military industrial complex) So be a good DOG and vote for him!!! Beattie wrote in the 2021 post. open image in gallery Darren Beattie, who was fired in 2018 for speaking at a conference attended by white nationalists, wrote offensive social media posts about Marco Rubio ( National Conservatism / YouTube ) In a follow-up post, according to the posts archived by CNN, Beattie wrote: What happens in the Cabana stays in the Cabana. In March 2022, another post on Beatties account read: I bet Rubio still thinks Assad gassed his own people. The Independent has contacted the State Department for comment. In response to the posts, Beattie told CNN: Secretary Rubio is 100 percent America First and its a tremendous honor to work for him in advancing President Trumps world historical agenda. open image in gallery Rubio appointed Beattie last month to work under him at the State Department. In response to the posts, Beattie told CNN: Secretary Rubio is 100 percent America First and its a tremendous honor to work for him in advancing President Trumps world historical agenda ( AFP via Getty Images ) While on a state visit to Guatemala in February, Rubio was asked by a reporter about other racist and white supremacist comments Beattie has made in the past. His focus is acting director, Rubio said. We have a nominee for that position and will be the permanent person who runs that division. And in the meantime, hes someone who was brought on board because hes strongly committed to ending the censorship programs that were being operated out of the State Department, which can no longer continue and will no longer continue. Beattie is the founder of the conservative online news source Revolver and was fired from the first Trump administration after it was discovered he spoke on a panel at the H.L. Mencken Club Conference in 2016. Beattie spoke alongside notable white supremacists including Peter Brimelow, the founder of VDARE. At the time, Beattie defended his appearance at the conference, claiming he said nothing objectionable. After being fired as a speechwriter in 2018, Beattie worked for former Florida representative Matt Gaetz. 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 Brian Musgrave has hit back at GOP firebrand Nancy Mace after she called him and three others predators during a speech House floor last month. During the speech, Mace, a congresswoman from South Carolina, accused her former fiance Patrick Bryant of rape and claimed that he and three other men, including Musgrave, recorded sex acts without her consent. She displayed their names, hometowns and photos on a placard alongside the words predators and stay away from. Shortly before the speech, Musgrave said he got a text from an unknown person stating that he was about to be mentioned in the House by Mace. First reaction was, what could that even be? It just didnt make any sense, Musgrave told CNN. I couldnt think of a context where I would be named in a floor speech by Nancy Mace at all. open image in gallery Nancy Mace gave a scorched earth speech on the House floor, where she accused her ex-fiance Patrick Bryant and three business of his associates of sex crimes ( Nancy Mace/X ) I rise today to call out the cowards who think they can prey on women and get away with it, said Mace. Today, Im going scorched earth. Musgrave categorically rejected the allegations when speaking to CNN and denied having witnessed the alleged crimes mentioned by Mace. A representative for Bryant also rejected all criminal allegations in a statement to CNN. Musgrave is an old friend of Bryant and he said he doesnt believe the allegations against him. Mace claimed that she found more than 10,000 hidden camera videos and photos when Bryant gave her access to his phone during their time as a couple. She went on to claim that the assaults - that first came to light in November 2023 - had gone on for over a decade, almost 20 years. South Carolina Law Enforcement told the outlet that they are investigating, and that the subject of their inquiries is Bryant. CNN also confirmed that the videos do exist, although they are unable to verify their contents and have not reviewed any of them. Musgrave said the impact of last months speech has been catastrophic. open image in gallery Mace claimed that she found more than 10,000 hidden camera videos and photos when Bryant gave her access to his phone during their time as a couple. Bryant denies any wrongdoing. ( Kent Nishimura/Getty Images ) For the rest of my life, when someone Googles Brian Musgrave this is going to be the thing that comes up, said Musgrave. Im completely uncertain what tomorrow is going to be business-wise. Our lives have been completely upended. We will never be able to go back to the way things were for us, which was nice and quiet and happy, Musgrave added. Hes nowhere near any of those things that she was accusing him of, Musgraves wife Jen told CNN. Anyone who knows him, theres just no way it would ever be possible so to have someone say something like that, in public, it just blew my mind. It made me mad to think that someone could say that without an ounce of truth behind it, she said. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Secretary of State Marco Rubio has threatened to deport green card holders involved in pro-Palestine protests, marking a stark escalation of President Donald Trumps crackdown on student activists. Rubio shared an Associated Press article about Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University graduate and lead negotiator for the Gaza solidarity encampment who was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in New York on Saturday evening. He was detained by cops despite holding a green card, making him a lawful U.S. resident. We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported, Rubio tweeted alongside a link to the article. Critics have condemned Rubios comments and Khalil's arrest as a violation of the First Amendment which protects the freedom of speech and assembly. More than 832,000 people had signed an online petition calling for Khalils release by Monday morning. On Sunday evening, the Department of Homeland Security described the arrest as being in support of President Trumps executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism, while also alleging that Khalil led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. open image in gallery Marco Rubio - pictured in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, last month - has vowed to revoke green cards and visas of Hamas supporters after Mahmoud Khalils arrest ( AP ) The DHS can initiate deportation proceedings against green card holders for a range of criminal activities including offering support for a terrorist organization. However, the legal foundations for the detention of a permanent U.S. resident who has not been charged with a crime remain questionable. The Secretary of States comments appeared to build on Trump's executive order in January warning anyone involved in pro-jihadist protests and all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses would be detained and deported. The administration has claimed protestors had relinquished their rights to remain in the U.S. by supporting Hamas. open image in gallery Student negotiator Mahmoud Khalil on the Columbia University campus in New York at a pro-Palestinian protest in 2024 ( AP ) On Friday, the Trump administration announced it would pull $400 million in funding from Columbia University, canceling grants and contracts over what four government agencies described as continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students. The university was at the epicenter of student protests against the Gaza war that swept across college campuses across virtually every U.S. state last spring. Just days earlier, the president threatened to pull funding from schools, colleges and universities that allow illegal protests on Tuesday. The Trump administration is said to be planning to use artificial intelligence to scrape social media in search of students perceived to support Hamas and other terrorist organizations, part of a program to catch and revoke their student visas, according to Axios. 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 Saturday Night Live mocked President Donald Trumps cabinet meeting this week in which he allegedly told secretaries they were in charge of their departments not Elon Musk. The shows March 8 episode hosted by Lady Gaga opened with Trump, played by James Austin Johnson, standing in the Oval Office alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio (Marcello Hernandez) as Trump attempts to broker a truce between the two men. Rubio has reportedly been furious with the worlds wealthiest man for effectively dissolving the U.S. Agency for International Development through the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, which has led government-wide purges of staff and threatened billions of dollars in federal funds. Marco, thank you so much for coming. I know you're under a lot of stress, but I can't have you fighting with Elon, Johnsons Trump said. I need you to be my good little Marco, he added, saying Marcos name would have to change to Mark Ruby after the president made English the countrys official language. If you think Im going to stand here and let you call me that, youre right Hernandez replied. But what I don't accept is Elon having total access to our government, he said. Planes are crashing, and he keeps trying to fire air traffic controllers. Johnsons character moved to defend Musk. Elon knows a lot about air travel he runs SpaceX, which is doing incredible things in terms of explosions and with regard to rocket debris, the Trump character continued, referring to SpaceXs failed launch Thursday, which resulted in a 400-foot spacecraft experiencing a rapid unscheduled disassembly. The rocket exploded and debris could be seen flying over the Caribbean. Elon has been doing a good job with DOGE and he gave me some great stuff to talk about at State of the Union, Johnsons character said. During Trumps address to Congress this week, he said he would blame Rubio if anything goes wrong with U.S. foreign policy. Johnsons character called Rubio the the G.O.A.T. Youre the scapegoat, but its still a type of goat, he said. Donald Trump delivers remarks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on February 26 next to Marco Rubio ( Getty Images ) Later, he called on Elon played by Mike Myers, who debuted his Musk impression in last weeks episode to join them in the office. Myerss character wore a suit, as Musk did in real life during the encounter. Trump allies and right-wing media figures ridiculed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for not wearing a suit during his Oval Office meeting with Trump, though Musk has rarely been seen around Trump in formal business attire. Elon, I want to thank you for at least wearing a suit this time, Johnson said. Doesn't look great, right? Speaking to both men, Johnsons character tried to resolve the conflict. I can't have you two at each other's throats. OK, after all, I have a perfect record. Everyone who's ever worked for me has left on good terms and then gone on to write a book called The Man Who Ruined Everything, he said. Marco, get your budget under control, Johnson said. Elon, stay in your lane. You're not the boss. But I paid you $300 million, said Myerss Musk, referencing the enormous sum Musk gave to Trumps campaign and his MAGA allies. And that's why you're the boss, Johnson concluded. Well get out of your office. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice President Donald Trump did not rule out the possibility of a government shutdown occurring this week should the Republican majority House of Representatives fail to get enough votes to pass a temporary funding bill and avoid a shutdown. The president said a shutdown could happen when asked by a reporter if the government would run out of funding without a measure in place by March 14. However, he expressed optimism that his party would find enough votes to keep the government running. "It could happen. It shouldn't have happened, and it probably won't. I think the [continuing resolution] is going to get passed, Trump said on Sunday. We'll see." The House has until Friday to pass a temporary funding bill, called a continuing resolution or CR, that would keep the government running through September. Without a continuing resolution, the federal government would effectively close without funding. Essential personnel and services would remain, but many would be out of work and offices shuttered until funding is in place. President Donald Trump encouraged House Republicans to vote yes on the temporary government funding bill as the potential of a shutdown looms ( REUTERS ) Republicans have already introduced the six-month stopgap bill and plan to hold a vote Tuesday. The bill largely would keep funding as it was set by former president Joe Biden rather than take on suggestions made by the appropriations committee. However, it does propose increasing defense spending and providing additional funding to veterans health care just as the Trump administration let go of tens of thousands of workers in the Veterans Affairs Department. While Trump expressed some confidence that the bill could pass, theres no certainty it will. Several hardline Republicans have issued statements indicating they plan to hold out on the proposed bill, disagreeing with some of its suggestions. While in the past, Democrats have joined their Republican colleagues to get stopgap bills passed, its unlikely theyll come to the rescue this time around. Democrat leaders in the House, such as Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have said the liberal party intends to vote no on the continuing resolution. New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez placed the onus on Republicans to acquire enough votes in their own party to pass it. Over the weekend, the president encouraged Republicans in the House and Senate to vote yes to the continuing resolution, calling it a very good funding bill. The House and Senate have put together, under the circumstances, a very good funding bill (CR)! All Republicans should vote (Please!) YES next week, Trump wrote on Truth Social. 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 added. The president blamed Democrats for wanting to shut down the government. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Donald Trump is punishing law firms that have represented what he perceives as his political enemies by stripping their security clearances and access to government buildings, delivering severe legal retribution against people he believes are threatening his agenda. We have a lot of law firms that were going to be going after, because they were very dishonest people, the president told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo in an interview that aired on Sunday Morning Features on Sunday. They were very, very dishonest. I could go point after point after point. And it was so bad for our country. And we have a lot of law firms were going after, Trump said. The interview aired days after he signed another executive order targeting a prominent law firm, which opponents fear is designed to cast a chilling effect that threatens representation for groups and individuals who are challenging the administrations agenda in court. Last month, Trump signed a similar measure attacking the firm Covington & Burling, which provided pro bono assistance to special counsel Jack Smith in his personal capacity as he handled federal criminal investigations into the presidents alleged election interference and unlawful retention of classified documents. This time, the president went further by blocking lawyers with the firm Perkins Coie from federal buildings entirely and barring federal agencies and contractors from working with it. His apparent beef with Perkins Coie dates back to a federal investigation into connections between Trumps 2016 campaign and Russian agents to determine whether aides and officials had conspired to influence the outcome of that election. The firm represented Hillary Clintons campaign and the Democratic National Committee and worked with a research firm that produced the now-discredited dossier that alleged contacts between Trump and Russia. Perkins Coie contracted Fusion GPS to conduct opposition research, which Fusion enlisted former British spy Christopher Steele to perform. Steeles dossier, which was later turned over to the FBI, alleged Russias years-long campaign to compile compromising information against then-candidate Trump. Now-former Perkins lawyers Marc Elias and Michael Sussman were both named in Trumps order. Neither have worked for the firm in years. Since 2020, Elias has led the voting rights and civil rights litigation-tracking platform Democracy Docket, which has tracked hundreds of Trump-related cases. Donald Trump has signed executive orders stripping two high-profile law firms of security clearances after their work with his opponents ( EPA ) This is an absolute honor to sign, Trump said during a signing ceremony at the White House on Thursday. What theyve done is just terrible. Its weaponization, you could say weaponization against a political opponent, and it should never be allowed to happen again. A spokesperson for the firm called the order patently unlawful and said it intends to challenge it. Last month, Trump signed a similar measure suspending security clearances for outside lawyers who supported Smith in his personal capacity. The memo suspends any active security clearances held by Peter Koski and all members, partners, and employees of Covington & Burling LLP who assisted former Special Counsel Jack Smith during his time as Special Counsel. During a signing ceremony, Trump called the memo the deranged Jack Smith signing. Trumps targeting of lawyers follows his administrations threats to members of the judiciary, with Elon Musk and Republican members of Congress repeatedly threatening to impeach or punish judges who issue decisions that brush against their agenda, which judges across the country and ideological spectrum are condemning as unconstitutional, discriminatory and illegal. After a string of legal blows against his orders and policy maneuvers, Trump issued an executive order this week that calls on agency and department heads to press for monetary security payments from plaintiffs if an injunction against the administration is issued. That would mean plaintiffs which have included civil rights groups, pregnant immigrants, trans teenagers and aid workers would be required to pay the governments legal fees, upfront, if a judge issues an injunction. The American Bar Association has warned against the escalating governmental efforts to interfere with fair and impartial courts, the right to counsel and due process, and the freedoms of speech and association in our country. We reject the notion that the government can punish lawyers who represent certain clients or punish judges who rule certain ways, American Bar Association president Wiliam R. Bay said in a statement this week. We cannot accept government actions that seek to tip the scales of justice in this manner. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Donald Trump gave a meandering response when probed about the surge in plane crashes on U.S. soil since his return to office while flying aboard Air Force One. The president answered a question about the recent spate of air accidents while returning to Washington, DC on Sunday evening just hours after a small aircraft went down near a retirement village in Manheim Township in Pennslyvania, resulting in five people on board being hospitalized. Asked by one reporter whether his Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy had legitimate concern after his department had been gutted including 400 Federal Aviation Administration workers being laid off last month the president claimed the recent crashes have nothing to do with the department. That was a small plane and that would have happened whether he had a big department or a small department, as you understand, Trump said referencing the Pennslyvania crash. Its just they have spates like this, you know, they have times when things happen a little bit more often than normal, and then it goes back, and you go many years without having a problem. open image in gallery Donald Trump answered a question about the recent spate of U.S. aviation disasters while flying aboard Air Force One ( Fox News/X ) According to data from the National Transportation Safety Board, there have been fewer than average air accidents for the first two months of the year. January and February typically have about 20 fatal aviation accidents including all civil aviation, from large commercial planes to private jets in the U.S. per month. This January, there were only 11 fatal aviation accidents, and in February there were 10, according to the NTSB. There were also 67 total aviation accidents in January fatal and non-fatal marking a record low for the month, per NTSB data. Februarys 74 air accidents were down from 93 in the same month last year. open image in gallery Emergency workers comb through the wreckage from the Potomac River in the aftermath of the collision of American Eagle flight 5342 and a Black Hawk helicopter ( REUTERS ) Implementing his weave, the president also heaped on praise for the Southwest Airlines pilot who narrowly avoided colliding with a private jet that was crossing the runway at at Chicagos Midway Airport while Flight 2504 attempted to land. The Pennsylvania crash marks the latest in a string of air accidents including the 67 passengers and crew killed when American Airlines Flight 5342 and a military Black Hawk helicopter collided over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. on January 29. Trump used a deadly air crash to attack his two Democratic predecessors and controversially suggested the tragedy was the result of DEI initiatives in government. open image in gallery A small commuter plane crashed in western Alaska on a flight that was bound for the hub community of Nome on February 7, 2025 ( U.S. Coast Guard ) Two days later, a small medical transport plane crashed into a huge fireball near the Roosevelt Mall in Philadelphia, killing seven people, including all six passengers on board. On February 6, nine passengers and a pilot were confirmed dead after a Berin Air Cessna crashed near the Norton Sound in rural Alaska about 10 minutes before its scheduled arrival in Nome. Two people were killed following a mid-air airplane crash at Marana Regional Airport in Marana, Arizona, on February 20. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Donald Trump on Sunday explicitly threatened Iran with war unless Tehran comes to the table and hammers out a new agreement on nuclear weapons with Washington. The president spoke with NBCs Kristen Welker in an early-morning phone call and told the host of Meet the Press that there would be bombing if Iran did not negotiate with the US, or if a deal was not reached as a result of those talks. If they dont make a deal, there will be bombing, said the US president. It will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before. His remark comes as the Trump administration has stated publicly its goal of reaching a new agreement with Tehran that would lead to the total shutdown of Irans nuclear weapons program. The president sent a letter to Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, reportedly urging the Iranian government to begin negotiations with the prospect of significant sanctions relief and international cooperation on the table. But Iran formally declined to begin those direct negotiations on Saturday, according to the countrys president. Masoud Pezeshkian said the message was delivered to US negotiators through the Omani government. He said that the official response from Iran left open the possibility for continued indirect negotiations, but added that the US must regain trust with Iran in order for formal diplomacy to resume. We dont avoid talks; its the breach of promises that has caused issues for us so far, Pezeshkian said at a televised Cabinet meeting, according to the AP. They must prove that they can build trust. Donald Trump said on Sunday that there would be bombing if Iranian negotiators refused to come to the table ( AP ) The State Department previously issued a response early Sunday warning of very bad consequences should Iran refuse to negotiate an end to its nuclear weapons program. Development of nuclear materials has accelerated in Iran within recent months, according to a February report from the UNs nuclear watchdog agency. The first Trump administration pulled out of a deal reached between the Obama administration, Iran and a number of European countries with that same goal in 2017, calling it ineffective and blaming Iran for repeatedly violating it. President Trump has been clear: the United States cannot allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. The president expressed his willingness to discuss a deal with Iran, it added. If the Iranian regime does not want a deal, the president is clear, he will pursue other options, which will be very bad for Iran. Tensions between Washington and Tehran have been high for more than a year now as the US and its ally Israel have clashed with several groups the two countries accuse the Iranian government of funding and supporting through intelligence sharing and other cooperation. Conflict against one of those groups, the Houthis, resumed last weekend with a US strike in Yemen while Houthi forces target US military vessels and trade ships in the Red Sea. Iran also launched a direct missile ballistic strike against Israel, causing minimal damage, in October of 2024 after a Hamas leader was assassinated in Tehran. While military operations have resumed against the Houthis in Yemen, the State Department on Monday moved to up the pressure on Irans neighbor, Iraq, to combat Tehrans influence over militant groups within its borders. In recent months, the Iraqi government has considered new national security legislation aimed at curbing the strength of the Popular Mobilization Forces, a Shia militant group with dozens of battalions around the country. Those forces include the Kataib Hezbollah, which traces its origins back to militant groups that fought US forces during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and still clash with US forces today. To strengthen Iraq's sovereignty, the government of Iraq must ensure it has command and control of all security forces within its borders, to include the PMF, press secretary Tammy Bruce said at her Monday briefing. These forces must respond to Iraq's commander-in-chief, and not to Iran. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Donald Trump reached out to Steve Bannon last month and urged his former chief strategist to stop attacking Elon Musk and arrange a private sitdown with the presidents first buddy, according to The New York Times. The request came as Bannon, who uses the War Room podcast to promote his far-right populist agenda, has pushed for a MAGA civil war against Musk especially now that the DOGE leaders slash-and-burn approach to cutting government spending has become increasingly unpopular. Mr. Trump has made clear he wants to keep both men and their allies within his movement, but Mr. Bannons vocal disdain for Mr. Musk has been noticed by the president, the Times reported. In mid-February, the president told Mr. Bannon that he wanted him to lay off the attacks on Mr. Musk and for the two men to sit down privately, according to two people familiar with the comments. According to the Times, Bannon has yet to meet with Musk and it isnt clear if the meeting will happen at all. Meanwhile, the White House didnt appear to deny that Trump made the entreaty to Bannon in its statement. Donald Trump has reportedly urged Steve Bannon to stop attacking Elon Musk and arrange a sitdown with the DOGE leader. ( AFP via Getty Images ) We do not comment on private conversations that may or may not have occurred. President Trump is thrilled with DOGEs historic work under Elon Musk, and he will continue to cut the waste, fraud, and abuse in our federal government on behalf of the American people, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. We do not comment on private conversations that may or may not have occurred. President Trump is thrilled with DOGEs historic work under Elon Musk, and he will continue to cut the waste, fraud, and abuse in our federal government on behalf of the American people. Bannon has long expressed skepticism towards Musk, particularly when it comes to the Tesla CEOs friendly relationship with the Chinese government and his previous criticism of Trump before fully backing the presidents campaign last year. The former Breitbart chiefs disdain for Musk, whom he views as an interloper within the MAGA movement, built up additional steam following Trumps victory. Bannon tore into Musk and other Trump-backing tech bros late last year over their support of H-1B visas, which allow highly skilled immigrants to work in the United States. Since then, hes warned his listeners that Musk and other Silicon Valley moguls many of whom supported Democrats for years before jumping aboard the Trump train cannot be trusted as theyll eventually dump MAGA. Ramping up his anti-Musk rhetoric in recent months, Bannon has labeled the SpaceX founder a parasitic illegal immigrant and truly evil, all while vowing to rip his face off and boot Musk from Trump world. Bannons relentless broadsides against Musk have also gained him some unexpected admirers such as the women on The View. Bannon also reacted to last weeks reports that some of Trumps cabinet members challenged Musks authority as he took a chainsaw to their departments. I dont want to say an anchor or lodestone, he said of Musk on Fridays broadcast of War Room. Its not that yet, but its trending that is starting to affect everybody. Bannon, who acrimoniously split with the president in 2017 before returning to Trumps good graces by backing his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, continues to be an extremely influential voice among Trump supporters. Musk has also built up a loyal MAGA following in recent years with his increasingly anti-woke stance and purchase of Twitter (now X), which he has been reshaped into his own personal right-wing megaphone. Musk is the volume button, former Trump strategist Barry Bennett told the Times. You can say things now on Twitter and you can reach millions and millions of people where 10 years ago you would reach tens of thousands. He has made that available to us. There are a lot of people who are in the right of center movement who are very reliant on the medium to distribute their content. They are very grateful to him for allowing that to happen. Bennett, who worked with Bannon on Trumps first campaign, also noted that Bannon has been a dyed-in-the-wool conservative for his entire life and is naturally suspicious of people who pop up and dont have the pedigree that he has. It would also seem that besides fighting for what he views as the soul of the MAGA movement, Bannon could be positioning himself for a political run of his own. Steve is looking down the pipe, longtime Bannon ally Raheem Kassam said, following the ex-Breitbart heads second-place finish in CPACs 2028 GOP primary straw poll last month. Hes looking into the future, and hes saying, Oh no, theres an atheistic, amoral, C.C.P.-aligned, unaccountable foreigner thats going to be the head of the MAGA movement at some point and I think hes right to express the concerns in the way hes doing it. Meanwhile, Bannon spoke directly after Musk at the conservative confab, which featured the sunglass-wearing billionaire brandishing a chainsaw and Dark MAGA cap while defending DOGEs actions. Notably, despite his pointed criticisms of Musk, Bannon shied away from taking any shots at the worlds richest man. He did, however, seemingly mimic Musks notorious salute which prompted at least one scheduled speaker to back out of the event and neo-Nazis to claim the gesture was even getting a little excessive for them. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Donald Trump leaned into his personal feud with Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday. The president sat down for an interview with Fox News and reacted to criticism of his conduct during an Oval Office meeting with the Ukrainian leader more than a week ago in which Trump and Vice President JD Vance appeared to gang up on the European leader. On Sunday, Trump reiterated that he thought Zelensky wasnt grateful and added that he took candy from a baby his description of the Biden administrations policy of military and political support for Ukraines military. The president also seemed to deride the Ukrainian leaders assertion that his countrys armed forces were serving the country bravely, as he dismissively recalled Zelensky talking about the fact that they have fought and there's [...] bravery because somebody has to use those [US-supplied] weapons. Zelensky hits back at Trump misinformation Hes a smart guy, and hes a tough guy. Trump said of Zelensky. He took money out of this country, under [Joe] Biden, like candy from a baby. He was asked by Sunday Morning Futures host Maria Bartiromo about critics who claimed that he was easing up political pressure on Russia. Nobody has been tougher on Russia than Donald Trump, declared the president, after an extended rant about what he called the Russia, Russia, Russia, hoax. Remember, Im the one that stopped the pipeline Nord Stream 2. Trumps record with that specific project is a bit spotty; he fought with Congress over sanctions on Russia aimed at preventing its construction. Eventually, the House and Senate forced his hand by including the sanctions as part of a yearly defense bill. Asked if he was worried that his behavior might mean Ukraine would not survive, Trump replied: Well, it may not survive anyway ( Fox News ) His successor, Joe Biden, waived some of those sanctions upon taking office in an effort to reengage European leaders alienated during Trumps first four years in office. But the Biden administration kept up pressure on the project, which was eventually halted formally by Germanys chancellor after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. And some reports have indicated that his administration could be interested in cutting a deal with Russia in 2025 that would allow for the project to resume. Referring to Trump throwing Zelenksy out of the White House before a minerals deal could be signed, Bartiromo asked the U.S. president: Are you comfortable with that, the fact you walked away and Ukraine may not survive? Trump replied: Well, it may not survive anyway. But, you know, we have some weaknesses with Russia. You know, it takes two. Bartiromo asked him about widespread assumptions that Trump has now sided with Russia against Ukraine, given his hostile treatment of Zelensky; the multiple concessions his administration has appeared to make to Vladimir Putin before talks have even started; Trumps decision to stop military aid and vital intelligence to Ukraine; the U.S. voting with Russia at the United Nations; and his insistence on a minerals deal with little obvious benefit to Ukraine. Trump suspends US military aid to Kyiv after explosive White House row with Zelensky She said: So is there anything else you want to say to the critics who say you chose a side in the Ukraine-Russia story and thats Russia. Because, you know, you called Zelensky a dictator and you had the fight [in the Oval Office]. Trump declined to address the question directly, instead repeating the claim that nobody has been tougher on Russia than Donald Trump. Nobody. And they know that, they know that. Just look at the things I just told you. The pipeline I stopped it. A gleeful Kremlin spokesperson declared in recent days that the US policy on Ukraine was shifting to entirely match the Russian governments position. The new administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations, Dmitry Peskov said on Russian state TV earlier in March. But that could soon change. In a post to Truth Social on Friday, Trump threatened to impose further sanctions on Russia over a renewed offensive launched against Ukrainian defenders and civilians this past week. Blame for the effectiveness of the Russian attacks has been laid at the feet of the Republican president by some of his critics as it closely follows the confirmation by news outlets that US intelligence agencies had ceased real-time intel sharing with their Ukraininan counterparts, a key element aiding Ukraines air defenses. Zelensky sends condolences after deadly strikes kill multiple people in Donetsk region On the same day, he added to reporters in the Oval Office that Ukraine was, in his mind, the greater obstacle towards ending the war. The US president has repeated that he believes Russias Vladimir Putin is ready for peace, though US intelligence assessments have stated otherwise. I'm finding it more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine. They dont have the cards, he said. Some European countries including France and the UK have responded with calls for increased European support for Ukraine, though experts say other Nato countries will likely be unable to bring to bear the same capabilities as their US allies. 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 Elon Musk claims his social platform X was the victim of a cyberattack, several hours after the site first stopped working. There was a massive cyberattack against X, Musk wrote Monday in a post at 1:25 p.m. ET on the social media site. We get attacked every day, but this was done with a lot of resources. Either a large, coordinated group and/or a country is involved. Tracing Efforts to launch the site were met with a blue spinning wheel and a message that read: Something went wrong. Try reloading. Its not immediately clear who or what group was responsible for the cyberattack against X. open image in gallery X, owned by Elon Musk, was experiencing outages throughout the day Monday due to a massive cyberattack, Musk says ( PA Archive ) Social media users first reported issues with the social media platform around 5.30 a.m. on Monday, Downdetector data shows. Hours after the original outage appeared to be resolved, at around 9.30 a.m., even more users reported issues which appear to have continued throughout the day around the world. More than 34,000 outages on the site were reported by 1 p.m. An hour later, reports continued to pour in, with more than 20,000 people saying they were experiencing outages. The worlds richest person, who now serves as a senior adviser to President Donald Trump, purchased X in 2022. Since then, he fired a large number of the companys staff, which led to suggestions that it could suffer from outages. The platform has been largely online since, however, with full outages remaining relatively rare. Musk has previously warned of cyberattacks against the social media platform. In August 2024, the tech billionaire blamed a massive cyberattack for delaying his live conversation with Trump by 40 minutes. He wrote at the time: There appears to be a massive DDOS attack on X. Working on shutting it down. Worst case, we will proceed with a smaller number of live listeners and post the conversation later. Some experts at the time were skeptical of Musks explanation. 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 Sharks have been sighted swimming through Gold Coast canals as Australia continued to struggle with heavy rain and flooding caused by Cyclone Alfred. Authorities warned that the crisis was not over despite the cyclone weakening over the weekend. Thousands of people were still displaced as emergency workers began restoring power and clearing debris and officials urged caution amid rising water levels and ongoing health risks. A video from Tallebudgera Creek showed the sharks navigating the murky floodwaters. Holy s**, the holy grail of news stories, Instagram user Nicka35 posted to over 46,700 of his followers alongside footage of a shark breaking the water surface. Another video showed a construction worker watching in shock as a shark swam through the floodwaters. When we first saw him, he was three metres from the shore here, he said. Its incredible. I am not going for a swim anytime soon, he added. The flooding caused water levels to rise, pushing marine life inland. Dont go anywhere near the water now, Nicka35 warned in his video. Its pretty gnarly, bigger than what I expected. Not a huge shark, but damn, hed nip your toes off. One person died and several people were injured as torrential rain battered Queensland and New South Wales on Saturday. The cyclone brought down power lines, uprooted trees, and inundated towns with record-breaking rainfall. Nearly 200,000 homes and businesses were still without power on Monday afternoon, marking Queenslands largest-ever storm-induced blackout. More than 700 schools remained closed as a precaution. Queenslands electricity provider Energex warned that restoring power to all affected homes could take days. The prime minister cautioned against complacency. The situation is far from over, Anthony Albanese warned. open image in gallery A cyclist rides through flooding in Newmarket, Brisbane, on 10 March 2025 ( EPA ) Authorities in Ipswich, west of Brisbane, declared a disaster as floodwaters were likely to rise overnight. Evacuation orders were issued for many low-lying suburbs. In areas where water levels had begun to recede, recovery efforts were underway, though the extent of the damage remained unclear. The cyclones impact extended beyond power outages and structural damage. Queensland Health issued warnings about flood-related health hazards, including waterborne infections, contaminated floodwaters and the presence of dangerous wildlife such as snakes, spiders, and even sharks. open image in gallery Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese speaks to the media at a State Emergency Service Centre in Lismore, New South Wales, on 10 March 2025 ( EPA ) Weve seen a significant increase in infections like melioidosis after previous floods, Dr Michael Clements from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners was quoted as saying by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. He advised people involved in cleanup work to wear protective clothing and footwear to prevent injuries that could lead to serious infections. Authorities also raised concerns about the dangers of fallen power lines, urging residents to stay at least 10m away from any downed wires. open image in gallery Flooded cars are seen on Newmarket Road in the suburb of Wilston in Brisbane on 10 March 2025 ( Getty ) Beaches across Queenslands southeast remained closed due to hazardous conditions. Surf Life Saving Queensland warned of dangerous debris, eroded dunes, and polluted waters. "We've got very messy conditions," Nathan Fife, the agencys Gold Coast operations manager, said. Unfortunately, polluted water, a lot of debris in the water and a lot of beaches with no access. Authorities urged people to avoid sea foam, which could contain harmful chemicals washed into the oceans by floodwaters. open image in gallery Residents look at flooding on their street in Newmarket, Brisbane, on 10 March 2025 ( EPA ) The psychological toll of the disaster was another growing concern. Dr Rachel Hannam, a psychologist in Brisbane, stressed the importance of emotional wellbeing during the recovery process. It is natural to feel overwhelmed or anxious after a disaster, she told ABC News, recommending that people maintain their routines, connect with loved ones, and engage in activities that provide comfort. open image in gallery A drone photo shows flooding in Newmarket, Brisbane, on 10 March 2025 ( EPA ) Alfred was expected to make history as the first tropical cyclone to hit southeast Queensland in 51 years, but it weakened into a tropical low before making landfall. Cyclones frequently affect northern Queensland, but they are rare in the states heavily populated southeast. The damage has drawn comparisons to past floods such as the devastating deluges of 2011 and 2022 which claimed more than 20 lives. As meteorologists predicted more rainfall, emergency services remained on high alert. If it is flooded, forget it, the prime minister reiterated, urging people to follow evacuation orders and safety directives as the crisis continued to unfold. Additional reporting by agencies. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Storm surges from Cyclone Alfred have uncovered historic shipwrecks along Australias east coast, revealing long-buried maritime relics in both New South Wales and Queensland. At Ballina, in northern New South Wales, shifting sands have uncovered what is believed to be the remains of The Comet, a paddle steamer that was wrecked in 1890, according to ABC News. Curator of the Ballina Naval and Maritime Museum, Ron Creber, told the outlet the area is a known shipwreck graveyard, with as many as 64 shipwrecks recorded off the coast and in the Richmond River. This is only a guess, but I think its The Comet, a single-screw wooden steamship which was wrecked on the Richmond River spit in March 1890, Mr Creber said. He added that while parts of the wreck had surfaced briefly in October last year before being covered by sand again, it is now more exposed than ever. The ship is really exposed in a dangerous part of the beach because thats the main swimming section, he said, warning that some visitors had already begun vandalising the site. A spokesperson for the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water urged the public to admire it from a distance. In New South Wales, shipwrecks are protected by law, with fines of up to $1m for damaging or disturbing them. Further north, rough seas have also exposed parts of the SS Dicky at Dicky Beach on the Sunshine Coast, a shipwreck that had been buried for safety reasons in 2015. The SS Dicky, a steamer travelling from Rockhampton to Brisbane in 1893, was forced ashore by strong gales and remained a landmark on the beach for over a century. John Groves, a historian and co-author of a book on the wreck, said the site was an important part of local heritage. Its the only surf beach in Australia named after a shipwreck, he told Sunshine Coast News. Photographer Tracey Keeley, who has captured images of the wreck over the years, told the outlet she was pleased to see it resurface. Oh, I definitely miss it. It was such an iconic photography subject, especially at sunrise, she said. Cyclone Alfred caused widespread coastal erosion along Australias eastern seaboard, with maritime experts saying more shipwrecks could emerge as sand shifts. The cyclone was downgraded to a tropical storm when it reached land, but still forced tens of thousands to evacuate their homes. Mr Creber said Byron Bay, which suffered significant erosion, may also see previously buried wrecks resurface. In just one night, they had five shipwrecks there in the past, he said. Remnants of Alfred continues to pound Queensland and New South Wales with heavy rainfall with several flood alerts still in place and more than 300,000 people under a blackout. 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 fake plan to attack a Sydney synagogue using a caravan of explosives was fabricated by an organised crime network in order to divert police resources, Australian police said on Monday. Authorities in January found explosives in a caravan that could have created a blast wave of 40 metres (130 feet), along with the address of a Sydney synagogue. But police on Monday said the discovery was part of a "criminal con job". Police said the ease with which the caravan was found along with the lack of a detonator suggested there was never any intent to attack Jewish targets. "The caravan was never going to cause a mass casualty event but instead was concocted by criminals who wanted to cause fear for personal benefit," Krissy Barrett, the Australian Federal Police's Deputy Commissioner for National Security, told a news conference. "Almost immediately, experienced investigators... believed that the caravan was part of a fabricated terrorism plot essentially a criminal con job." Police are yet to make any arrests in relation to the planning of the fabricated plot, but have gone public with the information in order to provide comfort to the Jewish community in Sydney, Dave Hudson, New South Wales Police Deputy Commissioner, told the news conference. "It was about causing chaos within the community, causing threat, causing angst, diverting police resources away from their day jobs, to have them focus on matters that would allow them to get up to or engage in other criminal activity," Hudson said. Police are investigating a suspect involved in an organised crime network, he added. Prime minister Anthony Albanese and Sydney Premier Chris Minns at the time characterised the incident as a potential terrorist attack. Mr Minns said over 100 officers were investigating the incident, under a joint counter-terrorism operation involving state and federal police. "This is the discovery of a potential mass casualty event. There is only one way of calling it out, and that is terrorism," he said at time. Anthony Albanese was asked by broadcasters ABC: Do you classify this as terrorism as well, prime minister? He responded: I certainly do. I agree with Chris Minns. Its clearly designed to harm people, but its also designed to create fear in the community. And that is the very definition. It hasnt been designated yet by the NSW police, but certainly is being investigated, including by the joint counter terrorism team, Albanese said. Australia has suffered a spate of antisemitic attacks in recent months, with homes, schools, synagogues and vehicles targeted by vandalism and arson, drawing the ire of the country's traditional ally Israel. Jewish and Muslim organisations and hate researchers have recorded drastic spikes in hate-fuelled incidents on both groups since the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza. And although how groups define antisemitism and Islamophobia differs, the numbers the organisations cite all show a rise in incidents. Antisemitic episodes in the two biggest cities, Sydney and Melbourne home to 85 per cent of Australias Jewish population have drawn the highest profile because theyre severe, unusual and public. Since November they've included: Firebombing of a Melbourne synagogue, with one person hurt. Defacement of another with Nazi symbols and pro-Palestine graffiti A Jewish childcare centre set on fire Jewish schools in Sydney and Melbourne daubed with white supremacist graffiti Three Jewish businesses torched The former home of a prominent Jewish leader sprayed with graffiti Cars defaced and windows smashed in areas where Jews live Counter-terrorism officials have arrested 12 people in connection with those crimes. Nearly 200 more have been charged since October 2023 in the state of New South Wales where Sydney is located with crimes linked to antisemitism, police say. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Donald Trumps sudden suspension of military aid and intelligence support to Ukraine has reignited fears the US could have a kill switch installed on some of its fighter jet exports, aircraft that are vital to European security. The claim relates to the US F-35 fighter jets, purchased by 13 European countries, including the UK. Though there is no evidence to suggest such a switch exists, Joachim Schranzhofer, head of communications at the German arms company Hensoldt, told Bild last week that it is more than just a rumour. He did not expand on what he meant by this, though he added that it would be much easier for the US to ground aircraft by blocking access to key software, which remains under American control. Ukraine seems to be an early example of this issue. The American suspension of military aid to Ukraine does not mean Washington can switch off the F-16 fighter jets it has already sent to Kyiv; it can, however, decline to update the AN/ALQ-131 electronic jamming equipment used by the aircraft to repel Russian air defences. This would significantly reduce the strength of the F-16s. open image in gallery A Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet flys over Kyiv ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Such a move would break European trust in American weapons manufacturers, ultimately proving problematic in the long term. Nonetheless, European countries are now asking whether the same could happen to the fighter jets they have purchased. "If we have to fear that the USA could do with future German F-35s what they are currently doing with Ukraine, we could consider terminating the contract, influential ex-diplomat and President of the Munich Security Conference Foundation Wolfgang Ischinger told Bild. Last week, Gen Frederik Vansina, Belgiums chief of defence, said that the F-35 is not a remote-controlled aircraft, while Switzerlands defence ministry recently stressed its F-35s could be used autonomously. But the ministry also admitted no advanced Western fighter jets were fully independent of US secure data communication systems and GPS satellite navigation. Overall arms imports by European members of NATO more than doubled in the five years ended in 2024, compared with the five years ended in 2019, according to think tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Almost two-thirds of those imports came from the US, an increase of around 10 per cent in the previous five years. open image in gallery The U.S. Air Force's F-35 fifth-generation fighter aircraft ( AFP via Getty Images ) The US has not commented on whether they have the power to kill a countrys use of weapons it has sold or leased. There is, however, precedent for countries suspending weapons purchases from the US due to such issues. In 2021, the United Arab Emirates indefinitely suspended the purchase of 50 F-35s, part of a $23 billion (17.8bn) deal that also included drones and other advanced munitions, due to what one UAE official described as sovereign operational restrictions. They also cited technical requirements and a negative cost-benefit analysis as reasons for the suspension. As Germany prepares to receive 35 F-35s in 2026, which cost them 8.3 billion, plus several billion more for the associated infrastructure, local MPs are questioning whether they, like the UAE - should never have made the purchase. "We have to look closely and be careful, Ingo Gadechens, former soldier and member of the government CDU party, told Bild. If we spend so much money on a weapon system like the F-35, we must also be able to decide for ourselves how to use it." On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A group of volunteers who bonded over their love of Peaky Blinders have become one of Kyivs most-feared military units claiming to have killed hundreds of Russian soldiers in Vladimir Putins war machine. At the beginning of Russias invasion, the group of civilians turned out to defend their hometowns armed only with shotguns like the Shelby gang in the television hit. But after three years of intense fighting, the unit named The Peaky Blinders has evolved to become one of Kyivs deadliest drone squads. They play out a deadly game of cat-and-mouse, launching cheap, mass-produced drones to drop bombs on tanks and enemy foxholes while dodging Russian retaliation in the forests in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. The region is the scene of some of the fiercest fighting of the war. Their weapons, controlled by remote, cost up to 800 and the unit can lose on average six a day if the wind is particularly strong. Nearly 85 per cent of daily Russian casualties occur in the area as Putins forces, referred to as Orcs by the unit, try to capture the whole of the Donetsk and neighbouring Luhansk regions. The National Guard unit became known during their staunch defence of Vovchansk, a city in the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine that has essentially been destroyed by fighting. In October 2024, they were sent to defend the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk. The city is a key target for Russia and they have thrown waves of troops at trying to seize it. After being filmed by the BBC, one of the soldiers in the Peaky Blinders signed two of their signature caps and asked the reporters to give them to Cillian Murphy, who brought fictional gang leader Thomas Shelby to life. open image in gallery The Peaky Blinders modelled themelves on Thomas Shelby and his fictional Birmingham gang carrying shotguns and wearing civilian clothes when they were first formed ( BBC ) The flattered Oscar-winner reportedly kept one cap, signed the other and sent it back to the frontline soldiers with a message of support for their cause. Creator Steven Knight took it a step further and sent 30 more flat caps from Garrison Tailors the official designer of the series to the then rag-tag bunch of volunteers. Most of them still wear their flat cap with their own motto: To Find and Destroy, embroidered into the back even during combat. It all began as a joke but then we developed into a fully operational combat unit and started recruiting members, co-founder and commander of the unit Anton Spitsyn told ABC. Everyone here is a volunteer. We dont have any professional soldiers, he said. We have already demonstrated that we can effectively defend our land whether you are a builder, a farmer or a musician. Before the invasion, Anton, who was born in Kharkiv Oblast, taught English to Ukrainian orphans for free, and through his construction business even repaired a childrens neurological hospital at his own expense. open image in gallery Anton Spitsyn (left), co-founder and commander of the Peaky Blinders, with his brother Oleksandr ( Facebook ) Antons death was announced by his younger brother Oleksandr early in February, after he was fatally wounded on the battlefield. Oleksandr is said to have succeeded Anton as leader of the unit. The group has promised vengeance on Putin. Paying tribute to his brother, Oleksandr said at the time: Today is the blackest for me on the hardest day of my life. Today my own brother passed away. The closest and dearest person to me. Its hard to write and remember the life of Anton, but he lived a hero and died a hero. In battle, he received injuries unsuitable for life and went to heaven forever. Rest easy my brother. open image in gallery Peaky Blinders unit have suffered losses in the three-year-long conflict ( Facebook ) Before the invasion, one of their soldiers, Yaroslav Chyzhenko, was a family man with his own renovations business. But when friends volunteered and asked for help, he began raising money and securing vehicles for the front line before realising he could do more good for his country by joining them in war. He now provides content on the group, posting photos of the team posing with machine guns and trademark flat caps. He said: Anton was the bravest person I have ever met in my life. He led us forward, and we followed him. Together we walked a very dangerous path. And this is far from the end. We will continue his work and keep the high bar he set. Rest in peace, brother. On the forces Telegram account, they wrote: Unfortunately, difficult tragic events happened in the life of our group. Because of this, the channel did not work for some time. But no one cancelled the war, and if it was not difficult for us, we would move on. There are still a lot of occupiers and they need to be stopped. open image in gallery A Ukrainian soldier lights a cigar as he launches a drone ( AP ) Their latest update for the Peaky Blinders 25,000 followers on Telegram says: It becomes clear that everything is not so bad with us, and everything is not so good with them. Sooner or later, the cannon fodder will run out, just like the inexhaustible stocks of ammunition from the time of the USSR. The main thing is to stand your ground and hit harder every time. They added: And just like that, everywhere, in every direction, everything is littered with the bodies of Russian soldiers. If you look at it all from above, look at the price they pay for advancing on the front line. It comes as senior Ukrainian officials warn that Europes armies are not equipped to handle a new war of robots as Russia skyrockets to space with their own advancements in military technology. Oleksandr Prokudin, governor of Ukraines frontline region of Kherson Oblast, told The Independent: Every army in Europe has to prepare for the new war. It might sound arrogant, but no military in Europe or the United Kingdom is prepared for what is coming, for that kind of war. Its a war between robots, machines, drones. It is not what people are used to. 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 Romania's electoral body has rejected a far-right populists candidacy for the upcoming presidential election rerun, sparking controversy and accusations of a "coup d'etat". Calin Georgescu, who won the first round of the presidential election in 2024, submitted his candidacy on Friday. However, the Central Election Bureau (BEC) refused to register him, a decision met with immediate backlash from his supporters. The BEC has not yet publicly clarified the grounds for rejecting Georgescu's candidacy, promising to publish a full explanation on its website. Georgescu has the option to appeal the decision to the Constitutional Court, which an adviser told Reuters he would do. It follows the annulment of the initial election results by the Constitutional Court just two days before the December 8 2024 runoff. Allegations of Russian interference in the form of an online campaign promoting Georgescu led to that court move. At the time, Georgescu, running as an independent, condemned the annulment as an "officialised coup" and an assault on democracy. open image in gallery Supporters of Calin Georgescu protest after the decision to bar him from re-running ( AP ) George Simion, leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians and a vocal supporter of Georgescu, echoed these sentiments on Sunday, labeling the BEC's rejection as a new abuse and a continuation of the coup detat. The rejection throws the upcoming election into further uncertainty and raises questions about the fairness and transparency of the electoral process. Down with Ciolacu, down with the dictators! he said in a post on Facebook, referring to Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. In February, prosecutors launched a criminal investigation against Georgescu, accusing him of incitement to actions against the constitutional order, supporting fascist groups and false declarations of electoral campaign funding and asset disclosures. Before the November 24 election, Georgescu, who is under judicial control and has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, had polled in single digits and declared zero campaign spending. Allegations quickly emerged of electoral violations and Russian interference. Moscow denied that it had meddled in the election. The first round of the rerun is scheduled for May 4. If no candidate wins more than 50 per cent of ballots, a runoff will follow on May 18. The deadline for presidential candidacy applications is March 15 at midnight. 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 Moscow has accused two British diplomats of spying and ordered their expulsion within a fortnight, further straining relations with Europe even as discussions to mend ties with the United States continue. Britain said that the accusations were without merit. "This is not the first time that Russia has made malicious and baseless accusations against our staff," a Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement. The expulsions mark the first instance of Western diplomats being ousted from Russia since Moscow and Washington initiated talks to rebuild staff levels at their respective embassies, which have been reduced by reciprocal expulsions. This effort was part of President Donald Trump's attempt to improve relations with the Kremlin, a move that has caused concern among European allies. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, similar expulsions have significantly hampered the operations of Russian embassies in the West and Western missions in Russia. Russia's Federal Security Service said that the two diplomats provided false information to gain entry into Russia. They were found to be conducting "intelligence and subversive work" that threatened Russian security, it said. The British embassy in Moscow ( PA Archive ) In response, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned a representative from the British embassy. Britain's continued support of Ukraine's military and Prime Minister Keir Starmer's recent statements about putting British boots on the ground and planes in the air in Ukraine as part of a potential peacekeeping force have angered Moscow. Russian police in February opened a criminal investigation into an alleged assault on a freelance journalist by a person believed to be an employee of the British embassy, an allegation London dismissed as "an interference operation" designed to intimidate legitimate diplomats. The 23-year-old journalist claimed that she had suffered physical and moral injury in the alleged assault, at Vnukovo airport in Moscow. She had been attempting to interview British diplomats who were arriving at the airport, Russias Interior Ministry said. "While the journalist was performing her professional duties, an unknown man, presumably an employee of the British Embassy in the Russian Federation, who was meeting the delegation, pushed her, causing the girl to lose her balance," the ministry said. The British embassy had ignored a police request to identify the alleged offender and provide information about his diplomatic status, it said. That announcement came a day after Britain announced it was expelling a Russian diplomat in retaliation for Moscow throwing out a British diplomat last November. Relations between Britain and Russia have plunged to post-Cold War lows since the start of the Ukraine war. Britain has joined successive waves of sanctions against Russia and provided arms to Ukraine. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Days after Donald Trump cut military aid, and a day after he blindfolded Ukraines forces by suspending intelligence sharing, Russia has carved into Ukrainian-held Kursk, escalated air raids and bombed civilian cities. In response, the US president has threatened to increase economic sanctions against Russia, stating that Vladimir Putins forces were absolutely pounding their enemy. A more rational response would be, of course, to allow Ukraine to fight on by lifting the suspension of military aid and sharing intelligence again. European leaders are frantically scrambling to replace the sudden cut in military intelligence, which includes satellite imagery, early warning systems, and vital signals intelligence. But Ukraines needs are immediate. open image in gallery A Russian rocket launcher is fired toward a Ukrainian position in the Kursk region border area on Thursday ( Russian Defense Ministry Press Service ) Russia has highlighted this with bombing attacks on supply lines leading to Ukrainian forces in Russias Kursk region. US intelligence provided early warning of impending Russian attacks. Now Russian jets are able to roam more freely in the Ukrainian battle space and also bomb Slaviansk and Kramatorsk in Donetsk province. Missiles and drones have filled the skies over Ukraine - most of them shot down or disabled, but Ukraine is also running out of the Patriot missiles that the US was supplying before the cut to aid. Kursk is where the Russians have been quickest to exploit Mr Trumps moves against Ukraine which are, he claimed, intended to force Kyiv into negotiations. In early February there were signs of Russian troop reinforcements and a resupply around Kursk. Ukrainian intelligence officers in the neighbouring province of Sumy believed that the Russians were planning a counter-attack in an effort to drive Ukrainian forces out of the lozenge-shaped piece of land captured by Ukraine last year. Russian special forces also conducted cross-border raids to draw Ukrainian forces away from protecting the main supply lines into Ukrainian held areas of Kursk. Ukraine tried to disrupt Russian plans to retake Kursk in late February and March - forcing the Russians back from their locations north of Sudzha. But now a message from a senior officer in Sumy sent via text simply read were losing. It would be wrong to attribute every battlefield advance by Russia to Mr Trumps crippling cuts to military aid and his blinding of their intelligence gathering. Russia has been sending tens of thousands of soldiers into meat grinder attacks around the eastern town of Pokrovsk for months - slowly making small tactical gains, but at enormous cost. The Kremlin has been swarming the Ukrainian skies with Iranian Shahed drones, mixed in with devastating ballistic missiles, since the mid summer of 2022. open image in gallery A Ukrainian soldier looks at the sky searching for Russian FPV drones near Donetsk.(AP Photo/Roman Chop) ( AP ) But in the past two weeks there was a sudden and unexplained drop in the Russian attacks on the Pokrovsk front - and of Ukrainian casualties. It is now clear that the military effort was being concentrated in preparation for the Kursk operation. In lightning raids the Russians have split Ukrainian forces in two using elite airborne and marine brigades potentially trapping Ukrainian soldiers in the north of the salient. Russias trade with the US is about $3.5 billion following sanctions that have already excluded Moscow from access to international banking, strangled its oil industrys access to the west, and choked off technology that could be used to kill Ukrainians. Kyiv has hoped to use its control of part of Kursk in future negotiations with Russia as part of a possible territorial swap. If Moscow prevails in the latest operation to drive Ukraine out of Russian territory, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky will not have that card to play. But he cannot be surprised that the Russians moved so quickly after the cut in US military and intelligence support for his country so quickly. His only question will be was this a coincidence? The answer has to be no On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Greenlanders are going to the polls for a crucial general election on Tuesday, with a push for independence a key issue after US President Donald Trump repeated his threat to take over the island. The Inatsisartut parliament consists of 31 MPs to be chosen from six political parties two of which are in the governing coalition, Inuit Ataqatigiit and the Simiut parties. The leader of the party that wins the most seats in parliament in the March 11 vote becomes prime minister - currently Mute Egede of the left-wing Inuit Ataqatigiit party. The results are expected to be announced between 1am and 3am GMT on Wednesday. A January poll suggested the Inuit Ataqatigiit could gain 31 percent, 9 percent ahead of the Siumut party. open image in gallery Donald Trump addresses a joint session of US congress, claiming he will control Greenland ( AP ) The island became a formal territory of Denmark in 1953 and is subject to the Danish constitution. In 2009, the island was granted broad self-governing autonomy, including the right to declare independence from Denmark through a referendum. Siumut has boosted its appeal by promising an independence referendum after the election. Naleraq, the largest opposition party, has also sought to gain support with its pro-independence stance allied to a willingness to collaborate with the United States. In 2019 then-president Trump said he wished to to gain control of the mineral-rich Arctic territory sparking a diplomat spat with Denmark with a first offer to buy Greenland. At that time, Danish Prime Minister Mette Fredericksen rejected the idea, saying: "Greenland is not for sale. Greenland is not Danish. Greenland belongs to Greenland. I strongly hope that this is not meant seriously." Shortly after, President Trump cancelled a planned trip to Copenhagen. Having mentioned Greenland a number of times since returning to the White House in January, Mr Trump addressed the US Congress last week and doubled down. "We need Greenland for national security. One way or the other we're gonna get it," he said, prompting applause and laughter from a number of politicians, including Vice President JD Vance. Hours after President Trump made his latest overtures, Greenlands Prime Minister Egede posted Greenland is ours. on Facebook. Here, The Independent looks at the leaders of the six political parties involved. Mute Egede open image in gallery Mute Egede is the incumbent prime minister ( Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images ) Mute Egede is the current prime minister of Greenland as leader of the Inuit Ataqatigiit party. He became the youngest leader of Greenland in 2021 when he was elected. Egede has been critical of Trump, saying he is unpredictable and is not treating Greenlanders with respect. It is a fateful choice we have, he told Danish broadcaster DR on Monday. The things that are happening in the world right now worry me quite a lot. That there is a world order that is faltering on many fronts, and perhaps a president in the United States who is very unpredictable in a way that makes people feel insecure. We deserve to be treated with respect, and I dont think the American president has done that lately since he took office. The prime minister also called for independence from Denmark in a New Years address. It is now time to take the next step for our country, Egede said, adding that Greenland must remove the shackles of the colonial era. The party is also prioritising welfare, a stronger economy with more jobs, better health and education and sustainable development this election, according to its website. Erik Jensen open image in gallery Erik Jensen, chairman of the Siumut party ( Facebook ) Pro-independence Erik Jensen is currently leading the social-democratic Siumut party, a partner in Greenlands current coalition government. Jensen is minister for finance and tax for Greenland. Siumut plans to invoke an article in a 2009 law that granted Greenland increased autonomy, including the right to negotiate full independence. Jensen told Danish broadcaster DR he expected the vote on independence would happen "within the next election period", but did not give any further details. "It (an independence decision) must be on an informed basis, so that the population is not in doubt about the consequences. We have a welfare society that must function. We have some economic aspects that we also need to look at," he added. Pele Broberg open image in gallery Pele Broberg, Naleraq Party ( Facebook ) Pele Broberg is the current leader of Greenlands most outspoken pro-independence party, Naleraq. Pointing to Brexit and Greenlands EU departure, Broberg said Greenland may be out of the Danish kingdom in three years". "The people who colonised the country are not supposed to be allowed to decide whether or not they want to continue (colonising)," Broberg also told the Danish daily Berlingske. Broberg formerly served as foreign minister but was demoted after he suggested that only ethnic Inuit people and their descendents could be eligible to vote in a future referendum. He later said his comments to Berlingske were misunderstood. Jens Frederik Nielsen open image in gallery Jens Frederik Nielsen, Demokraatit party ( Facebook ) Jens Frederik Nielsen leads the centre-right Demokraatit party and is known as Greenlands badminton champion. In response to a recent bill banning foreign contributions to political parties, Mr Nielsen said Trumps comments are a threat to our political independence. We must defend ourselves, he added. "I hope it sends a clear message to him that we are not for sale," Mr Nielsen told Sky news, referring to Donald Trumps comments. We don't want to be Americans. No, we don't want to be Danes. We want to be Greenlanders. And we want our own independence in the future. And we want to build our own country by ourselves, not with his hope." Nielsen signed a signed a political cooperation agreement with Denmarks Liberal Alliance in January, Danish daily Berlingske reported. Nielsen said "We are in the midst of an exciting and crucial time in the relationship between Greenland and Denmark", according to Berlingske. Aqqalu Jerimiassen open image in gallery Aqqalu Jerimiassen, Atassut party ( Facebook ) Aqqalu Jerimiassen heads the liberal and unionist Atassut party and was formerly minister of business and energy. He specialised as a service economist in tourism and has been a co-owner of tourist company Ilulissat Water Safari. He has been re-elected in multiple municipal elections and was a deputy mayor for a short period. Jerimiassen has also opposed Trumps comments about his country. "We should maintain good relations with the US, but Greenland should not become part of the US, either now or in the future," he said, according to China Daily. Karl Ingemann Karl Ingemann leads a new independence party, Qulleq, which was formed in 2023 by former members of Siumut and Naleraq. Ingemann believes Greenlands resources have been mismanaged, according to Danish news agency Ritzau. He comes from the small town of Maniitsoq on a Western Greenlandic island. 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 On the ground, Ukrainians are acutely aware of the repercussions of Donald Trumps hardline decision to cut aid and access to military intelligence in the wake of his fateful White House row with Volodymyr Zelensky. During the last day of fighting alone, Russian commandos have reportedly spearheaded an assault using an abandoned oil pipeline to sneak behind Ukrainian forces occupying part of Russias Kursk region. Elite airborne and marine units backed by North Korean soldiers also launched full-frontal assaults on the Ukrainians under a barrage of artillery, drones and air attacks. open image in gallery A Russian rocket launcher firing toward a Ukrainian position in the Kursk region border area ( Russian Defence Ministry Press Service ) The latest attacks come after Vladimir Putins escalated violence was described as what anybody else would do by Mr Trump. And leaving Ukraine in the dark has certainly given Putin a crucial advantage. Were losing, one Ukrainian fighting in Kursk wrote in a text message to The Independent. Meanwhile, in Kyiv, small crowds gathered on Sunday to support demands for the release of prisoners of war captured by Russia. They further marked the birthday of Ukraines most celebrated poet, Taras Shevchenko, who fought for the recognition of his mother tongue in the 19th century. open image in gallery People protest against Donald Trump's policy on Ukraine in front of the US Embassy in Kyiv on Saturday ( AP ) Many Ukrainians are defiant at what they see as Russias latest attempt to wipe them out completely. And they reacted with scorn towards the help that Mr Trump has given Russia. Its a betrayal. This whole war has been a betrayal, said one supporter who would only give her first name, Victoria. open image in gallery Crowds also gathered to protest in Kyiv on Sunday ( Sam Kiley/The Independent ) She recalled the stories she heard from her grandmother of the last major Russian-led attempt to destroy a country that Putin claims does not exist. Scared of history repeating itself, she told The Independent: My relatives, my grandmother, her family, my great-grandmother, all suffered from it; they starved in the 1930s. My grandmother told me some terrible stories. How she had to get food in the neighbouring villages, people were eating people, from hunger. It really happened. open image in gallery Victoria told The Independent Trumps actions were a betrayal ( Sam Kiley/The Independent ) Tetiana Chugonova said her son, Shulga Ruslan Igorovych, was captured while fighting in Mariupol during one of the biggest battles of the current war. She has had only two letters from him, and said he is now a prisoner of war in Russia. When asked if she thinks Mr Trump could help, she replied: Not really. I think Trump is leaning towards Moscow, towards Russia. open image in gallery Demonstrators hold placards as they stand next to a sign reading no to looting Ukraine during a protest called America, wake up on Saturday ( AFP/Getty ) British businessman and scientist Alexander Fergusson came out to join the demonstrations. His company produces FPV (First Person View) drones for the Ukrainian armed forces. Dr Fergusson said: I am extremely frustrated [over the Trump administrations new support for Putin]. I have a lot of American friends who, I would say, are apoplectic with rage. I am here to show my support and that come hell or high weather, I am going to stand with Ukraine. open image in gallery Tetiana Chugonova said she thinks Trump is leaning towards Russia instead of Ukraine ( Sam Kiley/The Independent ) Meanwhile Mr Zelensky is due to travel to Saudi Arabia to meet with crown prince Mohammed bin Salman in the coming days. Ukraine will also have a team that will stay on in Riyadh as the US begins talks with Ukrainian and Russian officials. Mr Zelensky wrote on social media platform X: 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. On our side, we are fully committed to constructive dialogue, and we hope to discuss and agree on the necessary decisions and steps. open image in gallery Shulga Ruslan Igorovych was captured while fighting in Mariupol during one of the biggest battles of the current war ( Sam Kiley/The Independent ) But following the latest assaults, the Russians have been able to drive a wedge into the territory in Kursk that Ukraine had hoped to use in any future negotiations with the Kremlin. And with the US now seen across Europe as firmly in Russias camp, it is feared the talks may prove to be fruitless. There are further concerns that Mr Trumps adviser Elon Musk may try to gag Ukraines forces by cutting off the Starlink satellite system, which is the militarys main means of communication. open image in gallery Alexander Fergusson said his American friends are apoplectic with rage over what has happened ( Sam Kiley/The Independent ) Mr Musk threatened on Sunday to shut down Starlink in Ukraine, adding the countrys entire front line would collapse if I turned it off. Mr Musk started out as a supporter of Ukraines war effort after the Russian invasion of 2022. But since joining Mr Trumps election campaign and now his staff, the billionaire has swung firmly behind Putin. What I am sickened by is years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will inevitably lose, he wrote. He has not demanded that Putin observe a ceasefire and has endorsed campaigns for the US to leave Nato, which Putin sees as a major threat to his regime. open image in gallery Many Ukrainians are defiant at what they see as Russias latest attempt to wipe them out ( Sam Kiley/The Independent ) Doesnt make sense for America to pay for the defence of Europe, Mr Musk added. Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, known for his extravagant claims of Russian military successes, claimed on Sunday that recent advances in Kursk meant Kyivs soldiers were almost surrounded. He wrote: The lid of the smoking cauldron is almost closed. The offensive continues. An estimated 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers may be in the Kursk salient. These include British, American, French, German and other volunteers from around the world, who have been serving in Ukraines International Legion on the front lines over the past three years. But despite the latest reports, one veteran of the legion, who experienced ferocious battles in Luhansk and Bakhmut, had a positive view of the enduring determination of the soldiers. Its looking bad for them, but they wont be trapped. Theyll fight their way out, he said. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Saudi Arabia is set to host talks between Ukraine and the US in the wake of an extraordinary White House meeting between Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky and JD Vance that descended into a 10-minute argument. The talks will begin on Tuesday, nearly a month after a Russian delegation's first round of meetings with Mr Trumps team. The US president said over the weekend that he was optimistic there would be a lot of progress at the talks. In the same breath, he said he was not sure if Ukraine would survive Russias invasion. Ukraines main goal - and indeed Europes top objective - is simply to get the US back on side. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer dispatched his national security advisor Jonathan Powell to Kyiv over the weekend to advise Ukraine on the talks. Saudi Arabia may seem like an unusual venue for talks aimed at smoothing over relations after the blowup. But the oil-rich kingdom, under its assertive Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has been positioning itself as an ideal location for possible peace negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow and even the first face-to-face talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Mr Trump. Saudi Arabias Foreign Ministry has said that the talks will take place in Jeddah, a port city on the Red Sea Over the weekend, Putins forces mounted a counterattack in the Russia border region of Kursk, which Ukraine has partially held since last August, threatening one of Kyivs most important negotiation cards: Russian land. Ukraine, then, heads into these talks in a perilous position. They must do everything they can to reverse the course. Who will attend the talks? Mr Zelensky arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday. He had earlier delayed a trip to the kingdom after travelling to the neighbouring United Arab Emirates, which has also been considered a possible venue for peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow. We continue working on the relevant steps with our partners who want peace, who want it just as much as we do, Mr Zelensky said Friday. 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. At the meeting at the White House 10 days ago, Mr Trump claimed Mr Zelensky was not ready to end the fighting. At one point he admonished the Ukrainian leader by angrily saying: Youre gambling with World War III, and what youre doing is very disrespectful to the country. Mr Zelensky left without signing a deal that included granting the US access to Ukraines rare earth minerals. Kyiv hoped that the deal would ensure the continued flow of US military support that Ukraine urgently needs as it battles Russia in the war that began after Moscows full-scale invasion in February 2022. After the spat, the Trump administration paused military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv. On Sunday, Trump said that he had just about lifted the intelligence pause and was looking at fresh tariffs on Russia. Mr Trump said he thought Ukraine would sign the minerals agreement. Mr Zelenskys chief of staff Andriy Yermak, foreign minister Andriy Sybiha and defense minister Rustem Umerov were travelling with him to Saudi Arabia and will take part in the talks. The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, will lead the American team for the Ukrainian talks and meet with the Saudi crown prince. National security adviser Mike Waltz and Mr Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, will also be present. Mr Sybiha has also spoken to Mr Rubio ahead of the talks, describing it as a constructive call. A two-sentence readout from the State Department said Mr Rubio 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. What is Ukraine planning to propose? It is believed that Ukrainian officials will propose a partial ceasefire across air and sea with Russia including long-range drone and missile strikes and combat operations in the Black Sea. It is an idea Mr Zelensky spoke openly about on social media last week after an overnight Russian missile and drone attack killed 14 people and injured dozens more. Ukraine hopes this will convince the US to resume full intelligence and military support. That is their priority. Last week, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova described any form of a partial ceasefire as absolutely unacceptable without a final settlement. What has the US said? Donald Trump said he was optimistic about Ukraine-US talks in Saudi Arabia ( US Network Pool ) US officials say that Mr Trump wants Mr Zelensky to be more prepared to make concessions, such as giving up territory to Russia. He is also said to want Mr Zelensky to make some movement towards elections in Ukraine and possibly towards stepping down as his countrys leader. But the Ukrainian government, including the opposition, is united against holding elections. Ukraine has not held elections due last year because the country is under martial law. One opposition leader, Kira Rudik, of the Holos party, previously told The Independent that it would be impossible to hold elections because it would legitimise Russias occupation of a fifth of the country, where Ukrainians would not be able to vote. Mr Zelensky, meanwhile, has said he would happily exchange his role for Ukrainian membership to Nato, viewed by Kyiv as the key security guarantee against future Russian attacks. Mr Trump has ruled that out. 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 There is no chance that Volodymyr Zelensky would find himself stepping off a plane in Jeddah to gird himself for a dish of American humble pie if Donald Trump had not so comprehensively backed Russia in its war against Ukraine. Until last week, Russia was not winning. Ukraine was not winning either. There was a stalemate in the three-year conflict which Moscow was unlikely to be able to sustain for much longer. Ukrainian soldiers near Pokrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Kupyansk and, until recently, in Sumy province which represent more than 75 per cent of the entire front line all said that they saw a significant reduction in the capacity, quality, and energy of Russian forces fighting them. Ukrainian sources said US intelligence assessments sent to Washington reflect the view that the country is not on its knees and that, if it were able to hold the line against Russia for another 18 months, they believe they can collapse the Russian army completely. It is clear thats not the assessment of the White House where Trump has repeatedly said, indeed shouted at Zelensky, that Ukraine doesnt hold the cards. That is because Trump has given Vladimir Putin two aces. Plucking them from the fingers of Zelensky, he first slipped the Kremlin the suspension of military aid to Ukraine. Then, when it looked like Europe would step in and fill the gap, he slapped his hand over Zelenskys eyes with a ban on intelligence sharing with Kyiv. The result has been a sudden assault by Russia in the Kursk region a move that looks coordinated between the Kremlin and the White House. A Russian serviceman aims a D-30 howitzer towards Ukrainian positions in the Kursk region, in November 2024 ( Russian Defence Ministry Press Service ) The Russian successes in Kursk have relieved some of the pressure on its troops in the east who have actually begun to lose small patches of ground in fighting near Pokrovsk. We are not losing and the Russians are not winning. Theyre slowing their tempo, sending much smaller groups on the offensive and unable to make any significant moves in the east, said a battalion commander Kalas who was fighting on the eastern front. I dont think they still have the capacity that they once did and they definitely use a lot less artillery. Theyre terrified of our drones. Now, there are reports that Ukraines desperation to have the military aid and intelligence support returned to it means that Kyiv may agree to a ceasefire in the air in talks this week in Jeddah. That would result, if it held, in relief from relentless Russian drone and missile attacks. But it would also mean that Ukraines long-range sorties against Russian oil refineries, air bases and logistics nodes would be suspended. A ceasefire that bought time for Russia, while Ukraine got no reinforcements, would be a disaster for Kyiv. And if a ceasefire broke down, it is now certain that Zelensky, or his successor, would be blamed for the breach by the Trump administration. This would mean no support for Ukraine from America and every chance that the last major card to be used by Trump against Zelensky the suspension of the Starlink satellite broadband network would be played for Russia. Were used to being betrayed We can fight, its in our genes, we can fight to the last Ukrainian its not what we want. We have had people who have betrayed us inside the country and outside Ukraine, said Roman, a soldier with Ukraines 3rd Brigade who was wounded fighting in Bakhmut. This is our destiny. I believe. This is not the first time were fighting under such circumstances. 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 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 UK government has accused Israel of risking a breach of international law after it cut off electricity supplies to Gaza. The shock move by Benjamin Netanyahus government came as the international community waited for the second stage of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas to begin. It provoked a swift response from the Foreign Office (FCDO), with a spokesman saying: Humanitarian aid should never be contingent on a ceasefire or used as a political tool. A halt on goods and supplies entering Gaza, including basic needs such as electricity, risks breaching Israels obligations under International Humanitarian Law. Israel says it is cutting off its electricity supply immediately to Gaza a week after it blocked humanitarian aid to the territory as both sides in the conflict renegotiate the terms of a fragile truce. open image in gallery Palestinians walk through the rubble of destroyed neighbourhoods ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) The new letter from Israel's energy minister, Eli Cohen, to the Israel Electric Corporation tells it to stop selling power to Gaza. The full effects of that are not immediately clear, but the territory's desalination plants receive power for producing drinking water. In a post to social media platform X earlier on Sunday, Mr Cohen said: I have now signed an order to cut off electricity to the Gaza Strip immediately. Enough with the talk, it's time for action! The dramatic new development comes a week after Israel blocked the delivery of food, fuel and medicines to the area of more than two million people, sending prices soaring and humanitarian groups scrambling to distribute dwindling stocks to the most vulnerable. Israel said at the time the siege aimed to pressure Hamas to accept its new ceasefire proposal, as it pushes for an extension of the first phase of the ceasefire that was brought in in January. Israel had warned when it stopped all supplies that water and electricity could be next. Hamas accused Israel of trying to derail the truce and said its decision to cut off aid was cheap extortion, a war crime and a blatant attack" on he truce deal. Following Mr Cohens announcement, UN special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese accused the Israeli government of genocide, posting on X: Israel cutting off electricity supplies to Gaza means, among others, no functioning desalination stations, ergo: no clean water. Under its new terms, Israel wants Hamas to release half of the remaining hostages in return for a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. But Hamas has pressed to start negotiations on the ceasefire's more difficult second phase instead, which would see the release of remaining hostages from Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and a lasting peace. Hamas is believed to have 24 living hostages and the bodies of 35 others. open image in gallery A small boy pulls containers full of fresh water on a trolley through the mud ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) The militant group on Sunday said it wrapped up the latest round of ceasefire talks with Egyptian mediators without changes to its position, calling for an immediate start of the ceasefire's second phase. Gaza has been devastated by the war, and generators and solar panels are used for some of the power supply. 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. 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. 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. 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. With Associated Press On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has vowed to punish anyone involved in the latest spate of violence in the country after his soldiers gunned down hundreds of civilians from the Alawite community. An ambush on the new regimes forces by gunmen loyal to ousted leader Bashar al-Assad escalated into clashes, resulting in the death of about 1,000 people, mostly civilians from the minority community. In a televised speech, Sharaa accused Assads loyalists and "foreign powers" of trying to spark unrest in Syria, months after armed militias led by his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham seized power. The takeover by Sharaas group a rebranded Al Qaeda and Isis affiliate in December forced al-Assad to escape to Russia, ending five decades of his family's rule. Today, as we stand at this critical moment, we find ourselves facing a new danger attempts by remnants of the former regime and their foreign backers to incite new strife and drag our country into a civil war, aiming to divide it and destroy its unity and stability," the leader said from a mosque in the capital Damascus on Sunday. "We must preserve national unity and civil peace as much as possible and, God willing, we will be able to live together in this country. open image in gallery Syrian security forces stop vehicles at a checkpoint ( EPA ) In the wake of Assads ouster, observers had expressed fear that the Islamist regimes forces would target the former presidents loyalists in the largely Alawite coastal region. The ambush on Thursday near the port city of Latakia, following clashes in several cities and towns, reopened the wounds of the country's 13-year civil war and sparked the worst violence Syria since the December insurgency. open image in gallery Syrian forces patrol a street following violence in Jableh town of Latakia ( EPA ) Sharaas office said it was forming an independent committee to investigate the clashes and the killings by both sides. "We will hold accountable, with full decisiveness, anyone who is involved in the bloodshed of civilians, mistreats civilians, exceeds the state's authority or exploits power for personal gain. No one will be above the law," it added. Col Hassan Abdel-Ghani, a defence ministry spokesperson, said on Sunday that security forces had taken control of the coastal region. A security source told Reuters that government forces had searched the surrounding mountainous areas where an estimated 5,000 pro-Assad insurgents were suspected to be hiding. The violence left more than 1,000 people dead over two days, including 745 civilians, 125 members of government forces and 148 fighters loyal to Assad, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which is based in the UK, said on Saturday. Syrian security sources, however, claimed that more than 300 of their soldiers had been killed in clashes with former army personnel owing allegiance to Assad. open image in gallery A Syrian man cycles past damaged cars in Latakia ( EPA ) The UN and the US called for an immediate stop to the violence and urged Sharaa to hold "the perpetrators of these massacres against Syrias minority communities accountable". "There must be prompt, transparent and impartial investigations into all the killings and other violations, and those responsible must be held to account, in line with international law norms and standards, UN rights chief Volker Turk said. "Groups terrorising civilians must also be held accountable." Syria's foreign minister and his counterparts from neighbouring countries called on the West to lift sanctions on Syria in the wake of the killings. The foreign ministers of Turkey, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon joined Asaad Hassan al-Shibani in urging the US and Europe to lift the raft of sanctions imposed during Assads rule. "We are protecting all components of the Syrian people and we do not discriminate between them. We will not allow the repetition of the tragedies of the Syrian people," Shibani said. The US and Russia asked the UN Security Council to meet behind closed doors on Monday to discuss the escalating violence in Syria. Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice NASA has begun its layoffs at the behest of the Trump administration and Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency. In an email sent out on Monday and shared on social media, Acting Administrator Janet Petro said the agencys reductions were phased and occur in advance of a reorganization plan. We will close NASA's Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy, the Office of the Chief Scientist, and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility branch in the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, along with reducing their workforce, said Petro. She said that those who had been impacted by the changes were valued members of NASA, recognizing that their work had helped contribute to recent successes. I know this news is difficult and may affect us all differently. Change of this magnitude is never easy, but our strength comes from our shared commitment to our mission and each other. I remain grateful for your professionalism and resilience, and I encourage you to support one another as we move forward. Embrace the Challenge, Petro wrote. open image in gallery Layoffs hit NASA Tuesday. They were part of the effort by the Department of Government Efficiency to cut the federal payroll. The space agency is now closing several offices ( AFP via Getty Images ) The announcement comes amid several ambitious projects at NASA, including the Artemis mission plans to send humans back to the moon and a launch of two science missions is slated for Monday evening. Strong reaction to the decisions began to pour in on social media. These are talented people who believe in the job they are doing, and firing them is absolutely NOT the way to help our country, Johns Hopkins University Assistant Professor Dr. Meredith MacGregor wrote on the platform BlueSky. NASA is small, but it is arguably the most legendary and globally beloved agency in American history. Its gutting has begun, and the cuts to come are so massive that we won't recognize it in a year, Dr. Grant Tremblay, an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, said on X. Many of these cuts are likely to be essentially irreversible, point of no return... Because a bunch of white guys without a science or technology strategy is a great way for #NASA to succeed, said planetary scientist Bob Pappalardo, who worked on the Europa Clipper mission. open image in gallery The announcement comes amid several ambitious projects at NASA, including the Artemis mission plans to send humans back to the moon and a launch of two science missions is slated for Monday evening ( AFP /AFP via Getty Images ) Just giving away space preeminence hand over fist, wrote Dr. Jessie Christiansen, the chief scientist of the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute. Last month, the White House is believed to have made a last-minute decision to pause mass layoffs at NASA. There were fears that 10 percent of the agencys entire workforce could be let go, but those plans were stalled. They were projected to shrink NASAs workforce to the lowest level since 1961. Employees at the Johnson Space Center were told they would be exempt from the impending layoff plan, according to an email reviewed by the Houston Chronicle. Anonymous senior NASA sources told Space News that facilities such as the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland and Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama were also excluded. The agency is made up of just under 18,000 employees. CanadianPrime MinisterJustin Trudeau said that he had done his level best, as he officially stepped down after nine years in office. Trudeaus resignation follows months of mounting pressure from within his own Liberal Party. In January, he announced his decision to step down. As your leader, as your prime minister, I have done my level best each and every single day to help build a country that remains worthy of all Canadians, Trudeau said in his address. Donald Trump has addressed rumours of a rift between Elon Musk and his cabinet. The US president described Musk as a very special person as he was asked about rumours of a rift, by reporters on board Air Force One on Sunday (9 March). Trump said: I dont think there are tensions. Look, Elons a very special person. And these cabinet people are special people. You know, these are very successful people, but they wouldnt have got, you know, theyve attained the highest heights of government and they, I think they have a fantastic relationship to Elon. Donald Trump has suggested Ukraine may not survive the war against Russia, even if American support continues. The US president was asked about his decision to pause support for Ukraine following his Oval Office clash Volodymyr Zelensky, during an interview with Fox News on Sunday (9 March). Trump was asked about a warning from Polish president Andrzej Duda that without American support, Ukraine will not survive. Asked if he was comfortable with that outcome, Trump said: Well, it may not survive anyway. But we have some weaknesses with Russia. You know, it takes two. Every morning this week, Ive checked on Cyclone Alfred, which has been hovering off Australias east coast since late February. As we waited for the storm to make landfall, the New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, warned on Thursday that if rivers rose like they did during the floods of 2022, there simply wouldnt be enough resources for all those affected. We cannot guarantee a boat for every house in the flood evacuation zone, he said a stark admission to make about one of the worlds richest countries. And yet, he was right; were still nowhere near ready for the realities of extreme weather especially with climate change supercharging storms, sending them further south and making them far less predictable than before. Although people in these parts of Australia arent strangers to disasters the northeast of Australia is a hotspot for tropical storms its rare that a cyclone-like event would spread as far south as Brisbane, let alone cross the state line into New South Wales. The last time Brisbane saw a tropical storm like this was back in 1990. Further south in the Gold Coast, acting mayor Donna Gates said this might be the worst storm since 1952. When Alfred did eventually make landfall yesterday, it thankfully didnt make quite the impact expected, with locals referring to it as a fizzer. It was soon downgraded from a cyclone to a tropical storm and while many communities have been impacted at the time of writing, more than 330,000 homes and businesses remain without power; flood warnings span across 11 rivers; and in some towns, a years worth of rain has fallen over a weekend broadly speaking, it was a near miss. Its too soon to say exactly how much climate change influenced Alfreds movement, but scientists have been warning that warmer seas are making tropical storms stronger, slower, and less predictable. If this trend continues, and storms start hitting places that historically never had to prepare for them, the economic consequences will be immense. Just three years ago, this coast was inundated with floods that devastated northern New South Wales. A year before that, the east coast was awash with another type of disaster, as the countrys worst fires on record were exacerbated by heatwaves that burnt up to 19 million hectares including my familys farm and impacted nearly 3 billion animals. Assessments will take a while, but Australias prime minister Anthony Albanese has already said there is no question Alfred will have an impact on the national economy. Insurance customers have so far lodged 3,000 claims over two days and an insurance catastrophe has been declared for southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales. But disasters like these are overwhelming even the most prepared nations globally. Compared to this years Atlantic hurricane season, or the devastation left by Typhoon Yagi last year, Alfred is an almost routine disaster. How much longer will we be counting on luck? Australia has already felt the financial burden of escalating extreme weather. The 2022 floods some of the worst in the countrys history caused an estimated AU$7bn in insured losses, forcing thousands of people into long-term displacement. In the lead-up to Alfreds landfall, many businesses in the region revealed they had not yet recovered from the last flood, and couldnt withstand another. In New Zealand, Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 caused NZ$14bn damage, making it one of the countrys most expensive weather disasters on record. And the United States? In 2023 alone, the country saw 28 separate climate disasters, each costing over $1bn the highest number of billion-dollar disasters in a single year. FEMA, the countrys disaster relief agency, has come dangerously close to running out of funds multiple times as hurricanes, wildfires, and floods grow more destructive. As climate disasters intensify, insurance companies are pulling out of more and more areas they call high risk. Friends of mine have had their insurance cancelled already this year, and premium hikes have priced many out of the insurance market altogether. If this is what rich countries are facing, how high will the human and economic toll rise in less-privileged countries? Especially as long-made promises of aid and global solidarity shift in today's global political climate. In Pakistan, the 2022 floods displaced more than 33 million people and caused $30bn in damages equivalent to 10 per cent of the countrys entire GDP. Mozambique has been hit by five tropical cyclones in just four years, forcing mass evacuations and pushing thousands into poverty. Unlike Australia or the US, these countries dont have the financial cushion to rebuild, or access to agreeable terms of debt. Yet, the worlds richest nations have been slow to act. The UNs loss and damage fund, meant to help vulnerable nations recover from climate disasters, has moved at monumental pace in recent years (in UN terms) but it remains far from helping anyone on the ground. And this isnt just about fairness. If countries with fewer resources are left to fend for themselves, it will create ripple effects globally through economic instability, migration shifts, and worsening inequality. Cyclone Alfred will likely fade from the news cycle within days, replaced by the next disaster somewhere else in the world. But the pattern is clear: the cost of these events is rising, yet governments are spending more on rebuilding than preventing damage in the first place. So what needs to change? If insurers continue retreating from disaster-prone areas, more people will be left unprotected. Governments will have to decide whether to step in with subsidies or let communities fend for themselves. In Australia, there are murmurings about whether there is a renewed role for a national insurance agency. Those murmurs will rise after this week. But as tropical storms shift southward, rainfall patterns become increasingly unreliable, and tides surge, places like Australia will start facing climate disasters theyve never experienced before. Rich nations will need to invest more in their own adaptation, but if their own experience fails to inspire empathy globally, we will find ourselves in an increasingly unjust and insecure world. Global adaptation needs are already in the billions and will be in the trillions soon. When layered on top of existing debt, the economic risks alone will require a real rethink of how insurance and rebuilding is funded around the world. Our traditional economic models are increasingly limiting their nets of protection. For many, they have never offered one. As disasters become more frequent, we need to decide what kind of world we want to live in. One where we invest in preparation, or one where every new storm is met with the same cycle of destruction, panic, and inadequate response. Because if this past week has taught us anything, its that if a climate-fuelled disaster is headed your way no country can guarantee safety for its people. I do not believe that the image created by President Trump and his vice-president JD Vance reflects the America I know and admire. To the overwhelming benefit of the world, Americas role in the creation of the United Nations, Nato, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund ensured not just a European stability uncharacteristic of its history but helped to create a web of international relationships designed to improve the conditions in which millions of our poorer citizens live. Of course it was in Americas own interest to encourage peace and wellbeing just as it was ours, but never has it occurred to me that Americas prime motive was a crude economic self-interest. There was a realisation of the enormous gulf between the living standards we take for granted and those in which the majority of the worlds population live. There were mistakes and abuses which serve to arm those who resent such concepts, but morality, compassion and the rule of law were important components of Pax Americana. Democratic government, individual freedom and the wide spread of wealth within an enterprise economy stand in stark contrast to the suppressions of communist society. In a month, we have seen all this overturned. US aid has been dismembered overnight, with no care for the unfortunates who depend on it. The tragic aftermath of the Hamas outrage of October 7 is presented by President Trump as a real estate opportunity to create a new riviera in Gaza, whilst over two million Palestinians are moved from the desolation to already overcrowded refugee camps in Jordan and Egypt. Last month ended with the visits to Washington of President Macron and our prime minister, Keir Starmer, which passed without consequence. Many of us may have felt humiliated at Trump being offered a second state visit, but at least frank conversations took place behind closed doors that kept the door for dialogue open. The visit of President Zelensky was the opposite. We witnessed the cold-blooded public humiliation of an ally by Americas two most powerful politicians. As President Trump said, he let the programme run so that people could see what was going on. It was deliberate. Keir Starmers immediate response deserves the wide praise it has attracted, but increased defence expenditure is not sufficient. This very different American approach forces us to confront a wider agenda. The complexity of policies such as immigration, aid, terrorism, global warming and trade cannot be divorced from considerations of moral purpose. You cannot be on both sides of a debate about right and wrong. There will be many who share revulsion at the interview but who believe you can deal with the consequences diplomatically without the glare of publicity. I fear not. Silence on these great issues is tantamount to complicity. Indeed, to President Putin with an eye on Georgia or President Xi weighing his options over Taiwan, it serves only as an incentive. In Europe, we must articulate our moral purpose, irrespective of whether that purpose relates to defence, aid, trade, the environment, health or anything else. Nothing in recent history better served the values the West holds dear than Americas support for liberal democracy. It is increasingly clear that such support will not be forthcoming under the so-called America First mantra. We must choose between the complicity of silence or engage in an open debate in support of our own, and the former American, values. Prime Minister Trudeau has made a brave start which needs to be followed up vigorously. I have no doubt that silence would be the wrong choice. And while we are speaking out, we must end the free run currently being offered to Nigel Farage President Trumps apologist in Britain, who believes that he is coasting to power as both major parties run scared of his crude, racially-based exploitation of immigration. In the immediate future, we in Europe must fill in the security deficit that America is creating but simply spending more on defence is not enough. Europe should conduct its own defence review led by the UK, France and Germany, to establish a potential command structure in case that of the Nato alliance was not available. That review should include procurement policy to secure the compatibility and interoperability of weapon systems, and secure the scale of procurement and research budgets that so benefit American and Chinese industry. Airbus is a model that demonstrates the art of the possible. The individual member states of Europe are struggling with immigration. Sinister memories of the 1930s should warn of the dangers of racialism that lurk behind the growth of right-wing parties across Europe and the UK. We cannot allow uncontrolled immigration; Europe should define a common border that we can police together. But we should recognise the disparity of wealth and social provision that make our part of the world so attractive. We should have nothing to do with language that depicts immigrants as rapists or criminals. They are largely young people who want to share the prosperity for their families and themselves, that they see every day on their phones. Over many years, they have provided the essential support for our health service, caring provisions and economic activity. We should coordinate the aid programmes of Europe into a post-war Marshall Aid programme to be used to create jobs and opportunities where the potential immigrants live. No European nation state, including the UK, can match the scale of research and development support that the defence and space programmes inject into the industrial bases of America and China. Together, we could and should repair the damage Brexit has done to our self-interest by rejoining Europes programmes. Above all, our two main parties must articulate the interdependence of this country with Europe, encourage the free movement of our younger generation and open the way for our professional musicians to perform freely across Europe. A united Europe is at the heart of British self-intent. We are a European power. We always have been and always will be. In sharing sovereignty, we enhance the power of that sovereignty. Donald Trump is a unique political phenomenon. Certainly, no one does peace-making like the 47th president of the United States. A showman as much as a businessman before he entered politics, Trump treats diplomacy as a spectacle. When his predecessor in the White House, the 28th president Woodrow Wilson, denounced secret diplomacy as the cause of the First World War and called for open covenants of peace openly arrived at, he could not have imagined how Trump would seize the 24-hour news cycle to promote his plan to end the war in Ukraine. Fox News is the US presidents favoured outlet for updates on the negotiations. In one interview, he warns menacingly, Ukraine may not survive unless only to follow up with impromptu remarks on Air Force One to the same channel that Ukraines going to do well, Russias going to do well. Some very big things could happen this week. Talks will begin in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia tomorrow between Trumps emissaries and Putins men, with a Ukrainian team down the corridor and President Zelensky offstage elsewhere in Riyadh. That the worlds three major oil producers might find something to talk about and make deals over, apart from what America and Russia might agree on regarding Ukraine, is not irrelevant to its fate. President Trump has made clear that Ukraines potential in rare earth minerals is a price which Kyiv will have to pawn for peace, but actual energy prices can be decided now by the Big Three producers. While backdoor deals may be being made in Riyadh, Ukraine looks set to effectively receive a Russo-American ultimatum: keep the rump of your country for the price of disarmament and neutrality. Ukrainians dislike the traditional English name for their country, The Ukraine, which translates as The Borderland. Soon, it could become a buffer state. Maybe the least bad outcome for Ukraine today would be a peace rather like the one that Stalin granted Finland 85 years ago. Everyone remembers the Winter War between Finland and the USSR or thinks they do. Stalin invaded at the end of November 1939, intending to replace Finlands government with a puppet one led by a Soviet communist of Finnish origin, but the Red Army got a bloody nose rather as Putins troops did in 2022. People forget Russias numbers broke the Finnish resistance and Stalin took chunks of the country. However, the Kremlin left the Finns alone and free at home after 1945, so long as they were neutral. Finlandisation was a term of contempt in Nato for decades before the Russian attack on Ukraine and the countrys decision to renounce non-aligned status. Yet that robust Finland democratic and defensible could show the way for a viable post-war Ukraine. Todays occupant of Stalins office in the Kremlin may not be so forgiving as his predecessor. Putin could well calculate that a peace deal rammed down Zelenskys throat could choke Ukrainian patriotic solidarity. Even if the public could accept the amputation of Crimea and the southeastern regions for peace, could the hardline nationalist militias integrated into the Ukrainian army stage a coup to stop it? Civil conflict would delight Putin but would kill chances of US and EU support for a post-war Ukraine. Ukraine played such a big role in his impeachments that Trump has a personal motive to end the war at any cost to Ukraine, regardless of future risks to it or even to Nato allies in Eastern Europes tough region, as he calls it. But Team Trump is also on board for what would be a rewriting of the global order, not just a redrawing of the Russo-Ukrainian border. As Trump said, Some very big things could happen this week. 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 Twins say The GC is now our main person after leaving Ireland Twins John and Edward Grimes (33) grew up in the village of Rathangan, Co Kildare, and aside from a spell in Los Angeles, its all they have ever really known. While they had visited London many times after shooting to fame as finalists on TV singing competition The X Factor in 2009, they had never before called the UK capital home. Settling on leafy Belsize Park in north-west London, they feel they have made the right choice. Weve never been based in London, we only moved here last June, but weve already been enriched in life, like seeing all of the different areas and meeting all of the creative people, John told The Standard. Were always bumping into Ricky Gervais around here and you went jogging with Harry Styles once with his dog, didnt you? he added, looking at Edward, who confirmed. The brothers note they love being able to do things like visit the Tate art museum, but are less enthused about the number of tourists when they venture farther into town. They are grateful, therefore, to be able to escape at times to Essex to see best friend Gemma Collins and her pets, which include two cats, two dogs and a chicken. If were feeling like we need pet love and that normality, its nice to get away from the craziness of London, Jedward said. It is stressful in London. Obviously were up here in Belsize, in Hampstead, but when we go central, there are so many tourists and you get like that PTSD of being surrounded by crowds. Jedward and Collins who refers to herself as The GC and plays on her diva reputation have enjoyed an unlikely friendship since first meeting while taking part in Celebrity Big Brother in 2017 and now consider each other family. Reflecting on why their friendship works, John said: Gemmas live energy, she wakes up very early in the day and we never know whats planned. She brings a lot of emotions and vibes, and brings the glitter when she needs to, but at the same time it is a very real experience. I think whats good is weve had a lot of the same experiences, so we kind of see each other for people and know that weve been through a lot of the same stuff and the same amount of scrutiny over the years. When were both together its like a UFO sighting. People are like, How is that real? They almost, like, see Gemma, then they see us and then its like do they know us? Do they know Gemma? Who are they freaking out about? Then its like an overload of selfies. Jedward who have four albums under their belts and have represented Ireland twice in the Eurovision Song Contest said Collins has also been on at them to get back in the recording studio. Shell just be like, Guys, I think you need to focus on the music. Get into the studio and get the songs done. Because sometimes we talk about it, like we put out a Christmas song last year, they said. We were talking about it and she was like, When are you getting in the studio? I want to make sure that youre in the studio tomorrow and keep tabs on us. Shell check in to make sure that weve done what weve said were going to do. We dont really have family here in London, so Gemmas our main person. They were also delighted about recently getting the chance to team up with her to attempt to beat a Guinness World Record for the most sticky notes stuck to a persons body in one minute. Collins told the Lipstick hitmakers that they could stick em anywhere on her, but despite their best efforts, the trio fell short of the record. They managed to stick 30 sticky notes on their best attempt, leaving them shy of the required number of 70. The tougher-than-expected challenge was overseen by a Guinness World Records adjudicator. The reason behind their wanting to do this was? They were helping to launch new limited edition Dr Pepper flavour, Cherry Crush Zero Sugar. Both said that they were devastated that they couldnt get the record for Gemma. In times of emergencies, I have spray-tanned Gemma everywhere, and she was like, go for it, Edward said. Were very good friends, were lucky that we get to call her a friend and that we get to do things together. John added: The other night a make-up artist didnt turn up and I had to help her draw some eyebrows on, I even did some contouring. I might not be an expert, but its great that we have known each other for a number of years now and we spent Christmas together, and then brands are acknowledging our friendship and that no one else can do this together. Jeremy Clarkson took to the streets of London with fellow farmer on Tuesday (Aaron Chown/PA) Jeremy Clarkson has revealed that his farm has been targeted by robbers after suspicious activity in recent weeks. The TV personality, who last year cut ties with his Grand Tour co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May, said that he and his farmer sidekick Kaleb Cooper were visited by five men in a van two weeks ago. They checked out the security cameras and asked Kaleb how many dogs were on the site, Clarkson said, adding: I reported this to the police who said the plates on the van had been cloned. Clarkson has now shared a worrying development inThe Sun, stating that on two separate nights in the last week, a drone has been spotted, scouting the house at the Diddly Squat farmyard, which he started running in 2019. The police say it does look like we are being recced by wrong uns and that we should ensure our security systems are up to scratch, he wrote, before revealing an unlikely deterrent to any potential criminals. Clarkson said that anyone who tries to burgle us is going to have their eardrums turned into a blood-speckled gooey mush by the dozen guinea fowl birds he owns. The 61-year-old bought the land in 2008 and, after the villager who ran the farm retired in 2019, decided to see if he could run it himself a venture tracked in the hit Prime video series Clarksons Farm. In addition, Clarkson opened his pub in August. In an Instagram video shared last November, Clarkson confirmed that Clarksons Farm had been renewed for a fifth season, with a fourth set to be released soon. The former Top Gear host also announced his retirement from motoring shows following the conclusion of The Grand Tour in September 2024 but it was recently announced that he would be making his unexpected return to the genre. Meanwhile, Clarksons TV sidekick Cooper is now a millionaire after finding success on Clarksons Farm. Cooper was kept on by the new owner and quickly became Clarksons right-hand man as he showed him the ropes of running a working farm. Cooper has been basking in the success of the Amazon programme. Last year, he took his solo live show about his life, called The World According to Kaleb, on tour around the UK. He has also written several books, including Its a Farming Thing, Britain According to Kaleb and The World According to Kaleb. Its a stratospheric rise for the farmer who previously revealed he was earning just 50 pence an hour due to the unpredictable nature of farming costs and profit margins. Maynooth University's Dr Martina Roche, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Noel Grealish and MUs Dr Noirin MacNamara Women continue to face barriers to land ownership, incomes and career progression, according to a new report from Maynooth University. Women currently account for just 13.4pc of farm holders in Ireland, according to the report which recommends improving gender equality can be achieved through targeted policy changes, better data collection, and creating supportive environments for women in agriculture. The report, Her-Self, from Maynooth University found that while the farming population is ageing female farm holders tending to be even older than their male counterparts, with 40pc of female farm holders compared with and 32pc of male farm holders are aged over 65. One of the biggest barriers to working as a primary producer is a lack of access to land, and while over half of farmers in Ireland do not have an identified successor in place, where there is an identified successor, a significant majority (over 80pc) of those identified successors are male. The report also found that female farm ownership in Ireland is highest in areas where farm sizes are smaller and land values are lower with higher proportions of female farm holders in Mayo, Leitrim, Sligo and Waterford. It also found rhe proportion of female farm workers, 27pc of total agricultural workers, has not increased since 2000 and they are mainly concentrated in the southern regions. The highest percentage of female farm holders (19pc) own 10 hectares or less. With regard to farm systems, female farm holders are more highly represented in mixed field crops (24pc), specialist sheep (17pc) and organic farming (17pc) enterprises. It also found that farm incomes for female farm holders are consistently lower than for male farm holders, with female farm holders had annually 7,342 (30pc) less income than their male counterparts. They also receive lower direct farm payments. The report also found that the farms of female farm holders are more likely to be deemed vulnerable from a farm viability perspective with the farms of 44pc of female farm holders and 31pc of male farm holders deemed vulnerable, respectively, over the last 15 years. The proportion of viable farms owned by female farm holders remains consistently lower than that of male farm holders, 7pc lower on average. The report also calls for better data collection and analysis on women in agriculture. The Government has been accused of double standards over its shortcomings on nature protection while signing a global agreement requiring others to do better. Nature Minister Christopher OSullivan did not even attend the most recent summit on the agreement which took place in Rome last month. Thats despite Ireland, which will hold the presidency of the European Union, having to lead the EU team of negotiators when the follow-up summit is held in Armenia next year. A spokesperson said Mr OSullivan was briefed afterwards by officials and experts who attended the Rome talks on Irelands behalf. However, Social Democrats climate spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore said the Coalition was not taking seriously the agreement that commits to protecting 30pc of the worlds land and sea by 2030. Expecting other countries to apply the 30x30 target, while at same time refusing to do similar in Ireland is a breathtaking example of double standards from our government, she said. Ireland has been a signatory to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework since it was agreed at COP15, the conference on the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), in 2022. The Government has committed to protections for 30pc of the countrys marine areas by 2030, although legislation to formally designate Marine Protected Areas has been repeatedly delayed. The latest update said it was intended to publish the Marine Protected Areas bill before the summer, which means there is a chance it could be passed into law by the end of the year. No such target is in place for land areas. Instead, Ireland is taking refuge in the EUs signing of the framework as a bloc. The EU has committed to the 30x30 target, but it applies to the overall group of countries, not individual member states. Ms Whitmore said that was not good enough. Nature in Ireland is in a critical state and we need to focus all efforts to protect and restore it, she said. We have declared a biodiversity crisis in Ireland, we have had a Citizens Assembly and we have had repeated warnings about species and habitat loss. Its now time for the Government to take the threat of biodiversity loss seriously. Ireland has challenges in protecting natural habitats as almost 70pc of all the land is owned by farmers, while around another 11pc is in forestry, much of it commercial. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage said the EU overall was very close to achieving its 30pc target. For terrestrial protected areas [in Ireland], the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) are in discussions with semi-state bodies with large land-holdings to identify areas that may be pledged as protected areas, the spokesperson said. They said Ireland was represented in Rome by senior officials and experts from the NPWS. Cleric in close-knit Catholic community of Holy Cross removed from ministerial duties while parish probe his alleged relationship with a married woman Fr Antony Connelly is the priest at the centre of the allegations The close-knit Catholic community in Belfasts Ardoyne has been stunned by an alleged affair involving one of its priests, it can be revealed. Fr Anthony Connelly a member of the Passionist Order based at Holy Cross parish in the north of the city is alleged to have become embroiled in an inappropriate relationship with a married female parishioner. A senior member of the Passionist Order confirmed to the Sunday World that a recent issue at Holy Cross had caused deep concern and was currently under investigation. And as a result, Fr Anthony Connelly (48) has been removed for the time being from ministerial duties. Fr James Sweeney, Passionist Provincial of Ireland & Britain St Patricks Province issued the following statement: I have been made aware of serious concerns raised about the alleged behaviour of a member of the Passionist Community in Holy Cross, Ardoyne. Holy Cross parishioners reacted to rumour This is a matter of deep concern and is under investigation. The established procedures have been initiated. The priest concerned has left the parish and has been removed for now from ministry as a priest. Opportunities have been made available for those affected in any way to speak with members of the Holy Cross Passionist Community and the Provinces professional safeguarding officer. The first priority must be the well-being of individuals affected. We recognise, we are accountable to the people of the parish for our ministry and are rightly held to the highest standard, Fr Sweeney said. Fr Sweeney, who is based in St Pauls Retreat at Mount Argus in Dublin, added: Anyone with concerns should contact our safeguarding officer. Priests from the Passionist Community have been based continuously at Holy Cross parish on the Crumlin Road for more than 150 years. Fr Antony Connelly is the priest at the centre of the allegations Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 10th The parish made headline news 25 years ago when a loyalist picket outside the local girls primary school meant children had to be escorted into the building under the protection of British soldiers and armed RUC officers. And soon the dispute became a magnet for TV crews and news teams from around the globe. And when an exploding blast bomb was thrown, live pictures of screaming children were flashed around the world as parents raced to protect their youngsters. The blockade lasted for months and it was compared to similar situations in Alabama in the southern United States, during the 1950s. Passionist priest Fr Aidan Troy became a well-known and popular spokesman for the local community and he played a central role in bringing the conflict to an end. Earlier this week, a number of Holy Cross parishioners spoke as they left church after completing devotions on Ash Wednesday. One elderly lady parishioner said: There are a lot of rumours flying around, but as of now, weve not been told anything officially. She added: I find its best to say nothing. Michael Flatley has until noon tomorrow to show hes paid off 6.9m loan at centre of dispute over Castlehyde mansion Mr Flatley, who the court heard has been living in Monaco, attended the Ireland-France rugby game on Saturday in the company of Prince Albert of Monaco Michael Flatley at the Castlehyde estate, in Co Cork Tim Healy Mon 10 Mar 2025 at 18:03 The High Court has given further time to entertainer Michael Flatley to show a loan he took out on the strength of his Co Cork mansion has been redeemed. Businessman who filmed himself stabbing his wife to death was over 200k in debt Wife murderer caught with footage on his phone was about to lose family home Stephen and Anna Mooney had two children Patrick O'Connell Mon 10 Mar 2025 at 11:00 A real estate agent who filmed himself stabbing his wife to death had accumulated losses of more than 200k and was unsure of the familys future in their rented home when he carried out the murder. GARDAI investigating a suspected commercial fraud have raided a property in Cork. Officers searched a property in Doneraile in north Cork as part of an ongoing investigation into a suspected fraud. The search was conducted on Thursday, March 6. It is understood the search is related to a lengthy ongoing inquiry into payments within the communications sector. Gardai confirmed the search operation and said a number of items were seized. These are believed to include computers and electronic devices. All will now be examined in detail by forensic experts. Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 10th "Gardai have carried out a search under warrant at a commercial premises in Doneraile, Co Cork as part of ongoing investigations on March 6," a Garda spokesperson confirmed. "A number of items have been seized. No further information is available at this time." The Garda operation is being assisted by specialist IT and accounting experts. HSEs arbitrary Pay and Numbers Strategy causing severe staffing crisis, unions say Unions for nurses and other health workers are set to take industrial action beginning on March 31. Stock image The HSE has warned of delays and longer waiting lists as unions for nurses and other health workers are set to serve notice of industrial action today. A HSE spokesperson said any action would be seriously disruptive and it would seek every way possible to have this action avoided. Forsa, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, Connect and the MLSA are to give three weeks notice of action over what they claim are unsafe staffing levels. The industrial action is due to begin on March 31. It is expected to start with a work-to-rule, but Forsa has warned in a message to members that an escalation will begin without a resolution to the dispute. The HSE warned that it believes any industrial action is a breach of the current public sector pay deal which is signed up to, and which they are full beneficiaries of, by all of the unions concerned. The agreement says no form of industrial action shall be taken by any party in furtherance of claims or proposals within or beyond this process. Members of the unions as well as all public servants got a 2pc pay rise at the start of the month under the agreement. They balloted before Christmas, but decided last week to serve notice of industrial action today. Nurses, clerical workers, therapy staff, medical laboratory scientists and engineering workers are among those involved in the dispute. Any industrial action is regrettable at this time, in particular when the HSE and HSE-funded agencies will continue to grow its workforce in a significant way in 2025, a HSE spokesperson said. Unions for nurses and other health workers are set to take industrial action beginning on March 31. Stock image Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 10th In a special bulletin to members in the HSE and section 38 hospitals last Thursday, Forsa officials Ashley Connolly and Linda Kelly said its members voted for industrial action last November. You came together to say enough is enough, we cant provide the services we want to and the services that patients deserve because of the severe staffing crisis caused by the HSEs Pay and Numbers Strategy, they said. The HSE have consistently refused to engage with us on the Pay and Numbers Strategy. Its time to show them what happens when our members stop covering up the cracks in the HSEs staffing strategy. The union has created Joint Organising Committees for each health region with the INMO. In a notice to members, INMO general secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said members had also voted in favour of industrial action last November. She said this related to the HSEs arbitrary Pay and Numbers Strategy. The union said the strategy places extremely limited caps on recruiting much-needed nurses, midwives and other healthcare professionals. She said the INMO left plenty of time for the HSE to engage with unions and claimed that every post to be filled must be put through a torturous and restrictive recruitment control process with multiple steps. Meanwhile, the HSE spokesperson said the health service workforce would increase, after allowing for resignations and retirements, by more than 6,000 full-time staff by the end of the year. PSNI confirmed they arrested a 55-year-old man on suspicion of assault, harassment and disorderly behaviour Billy George was arrested by police after he confronted the mother of a man Spanish cops want to speak to about his sons murder. Billy George was caught on CCTV at the Co Antrim home of Dawn Smyth, the mum of Jonny Smyth the Belfast gym owner who has vanished in the aftermath of the murder of John George on the Costa del Sol. He then went to her place of work in Carrickfergus and there was a further confrontation with staff there. He was arrested and he accepted a Community Resolution Notice for assault, requiring him to sign a document which includes the words I admit I am guilty of this offence. He like the rest of the George family are desperately seeking answers and justice, and believe Jonny Smyth may have information relating to Johns death and should hand himself into the police. Jonny Smyth, the Belfast gym owner who has vanished in the aftermath of the murder of John George in the Costa del Sol. Billy George remonstrated with Dawn Smyth for several minutes at her luxury home before being told to leave. There was further confrontation when the 55-year-old went straight to her workplace. Waiting for him there was his son Johns brother Darren who was not arrested by police. It has been claimed there was a heated exchange of words between Billy George and staff at that premises. Police were called and complaints made about both incidents. Last night the PSNI confirmed they had arrested a 55-year-old man on suspicion of assault, harassment and disorderly behaviour. They told the Sunday World: A 55-year-old man was arrested in the Larne Road area of Carrickfergus on Thursday, February 27 on suspicion of common assault, harassment and disorderly behaviour. He has since been issued with a Community Resolution Notice for common assault. The Sunday World contacted Dawn Smyth to ask her about the incidents but she didnt respond. Last night Billy George confirmed he had gone to the home of Mrs Smyth and to her workplace but claimed he was within his rights to do so given the circumstances of his sons murder. Billy George at Dawn Smyths home He also made a number of allegations which cant be printed for legal reasons. Yes I did go to Dawn Smyths house... yes I did go to her business... I was arrested and I did get a caution. Murder victim John George (37) disappeared in December in the Alicante area. His remains were found in January following extensive appeals from the family and friends who travelled out to search for his body. The father-of-two was shot and his body was left in a rural area in the Alicante region around December 14. Jonny Smyth is wanted by Spanish police investigating the murder of John George, who was also known as John Hardy. John Georges body was repatriated to Northern Ireland on January 16 and his funeral took place on February 1. But his family remain determined to fight for justice and they are desperate for 26-year-old Jonny Smyth to hand himself in to the authorities in Spain and to tell them what he knows. After John disappeared in Spain, the George family campaigned for information about what happened to him. A social media war of words between those campaigning for the George family and the Smyth family erupted almost as soon as it emerged John was missing. That war of words has turned increasingly bitter with claim and counter-claim being made by supporters of both sides. Last week it turned particularly violent when two arson attacks were carried out one at the Ballyclare home of Dawn Smyth and another at the home of an elderly relative of Jonny Smyths 19-year-old partner Madison Allen. The arson attack at Dawn Smyths residence, which saw a silver transit van burnt out, took place a day after Billy George visited her. However, theres no suggestion Billy George or any of the George family had any involvement or knowledge of that attack. Dawn Smyth has stated on social media she doesnt know where her son is but that she has spoken to his solicitor but this has been questioned by some who follow her on TikTok. When asked about why she flew out to Spain after John was murdered, she said this week: I flew out on flights booked on November 5. I have nothing to hide I can assure you. See if I knew where he was do you honestly think I would not stop all this? Seriously catch yourself on. And she posted previously, after coming under attack about her parenting: Listen, he is a grown man. Anyone who knows me knows my kids were well taken care of. I worked hard to provide for them. I didnt sit on a platform claiming DLA so f**k off Im not in the mood. Dawn Smyth, the mum of Jonny Smyth, the Belfast gym owner who has vanished in the aftermath of the murder of John George in the Costa del Sol. She has been the target of abuse on social media but its not the first time someone has called to her private home. After John vanished, Dawns home was visited by domestic abuser James Burns, who is facing a charge of possessing cocaine and an offensive weapon after he brought a hammer to hospital and told cops it was in case he was attacked by Muslims. Burns filmed himself at Dawn Smyths house, posting the video on TikTok back in December and he can be heard demanding for Johns body to be returned to the family. Burns has been a prominent campaigner for the George family and he was behind a protest at Jonny Smyths north Belfast gym in December. Burns has been in and out of prison for serious offending including rioting and a series of domestic abuse convictions. He has told courts before how he served with the commandos in Afghanistan and was significantly traumatised by the events he witnessed there. Billy George at Dawn Smyths home Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 10th In 2015, Burns was jailed for St Patricks Day attacks on police and smashing his mothers car. He head-butted one of five officers it took to restrain him after they were called to his family home in Newtownabbey. And in 2012, Burns damaged nine vans and a lorry at a dealership after rowing with his girlfriend. Two years ago Burns was convicted of breaching a restraining order taken out by his ex-partner after he called her on the phone. When asked yesterday about James Burns being at the forefront of protests including going to Dawn Smyths house, Billy George told the Sunday World he didnt know who James Burns was. I dont know James Burns I was in Spain when those protests took place, he said. John George Nobody has so far been charged with the murder of John George but one man a 32-year-old from the Czech Republic was bailed by a judge on January 10 and told he was being investigated as an alleged accomplice over the murder. An international arrest warrant has been issued by Spanish authorities for the unnamed man suspected of murdering John George. And Spanish authorities are understood to now have three separate arrest warrants out for the individual suspected of carrying out the killing. Jonny Smyth and Madison Allen were among the last people to see John George alive when he went to visit them in the Alicante last December. Allen publicly denied any involvement in the disappearance of John via videos posted on social media, with Mr Smyth previously telling the George family he did not know where his pal had gone. It has been revealed the pair have repeatedly starred in X-rated paid-for online content, some of which was filmed in their Spanish home in Cabo Roig, near Alicante. Spiritual leader Leonardo Cajbom in the village of La Paz in central Guatemala Ilma Estela, from La Paz, stands in front of some of last years harvested maize. Photo: PA Community leader Domingo Choc Tiul stands on a felled palm tree in the Q'eqchi village of Chinebal Palestina in Guatemala. Photo: PA People cross a bridge that Trocaire funding helped to build, in the village of La Paz in central Guatemala. Photo: PA Donald Trumps cuts to US development funds in climate-struck Guatemala make aid from the island of Ireland more vital, an Irish charity has said. The funding cuts would skew the playing field even further and threaten the work of local partners helping with humanitarian projects, aid workers said. In 2023, the US gave more than $60m in humanitarian assistance to the Central American nation. Now, with more than 90pc of USAid contracts expected to be cut, it will create further challenges in a country vulnerable to climate changes extremes. Martin Larrecochea, Trocaire country director for Guatemala, said this would put more pressure on the charity to fill the gap. He said Guatemala is highly dependent on US aid, meaning projects and programmes on disaster risk reduction and food security are going to suffer. Some of the local partners that Trocaire works with on development initiatives have already been affected by the withdrawal of US funding and have asked them for more support. Of course there will be a higher demand, Mr Larrecochea said. The US was one of the big donors for projects in relation to disaster risk reduction and food security... so that space will be empty in some way. Community leader Domingo Choc Tiul stands on a felled palm tree in the Q'eqchi village of Chinebal Palestina in Guatemala. Photo: PA I think Trocaire is one of the important players on this, and we hope to be able to continue doing this with the support of people from Ireland. Chris OConnell, a policy adviser with Trocaire, said the US funding cut would have a huge impact on humanitarian work in Guatemala. Because of the generalised reduction in funding across the sector, its going to reduce everything, he said. All of this skews the playing field even further in favour of powerful corporations, in favour of wealthy and often in places like Guatemala highly corrupt elites. Those are going to be the beneficiaries. Located beside Mexico, Guatemala has longer dry seasons and heavier rains, which affects the haul of crops grown and sold. The sharp edge of extreme weather events have particularly affected the countrys indigenous population, the Mayans, who are among the countrys poorest. In central Guatemala, a small remote village of 24 Qeqchi Mayan families has had to adapt to shifting weather patterns. Called La Paz, meaning peace, it reflects the communitys longing for safety after civil war afflicted the country from 1960 to 1996. Locals worry that stronger storms are putting their lives in danger, and hotter dry seasons are pushing any opportunities further out of reach. Miriam Estela (13) has started going to secondary school this year as her family struggles with failed cardamom and maize crops, forcing her father Julio to travel to different parts of Guatemala to look for work. Julio said Miriam, who likes mathematics and analyses the effects of climate change, wants to study teaching or engineering. I like to study and am going to try to move forward according to what I like to study, she said. Ilma Estela, from La Paz, stands in front of some of last years harvested maize. Photo: PA Asked what she thinks about the fact that Guatemala is suffering the brunt of climate change when it hasnt caused it, Miriams mother, Ilma, said: I dont think its fair. Its a problem that is affecting the family, not just mine, but in the community as well. And not just because of a lack of food, but we have diseases, sickness affecting the children such as diarrhoea, fever, coughing. Leonardo Cajbom (44) is the Mayan spiritual leader for the village and is angry at how unbearable the heat has become in recent years. Mr Cajboms father was one of around 200,000 people killed during the civil war, where US-backed government forces disappeared and killed Mayans. He was two years old when his father was killed, and it was only in 2014 that his fathers body was identified and buried in La Paz. As he discussed how an older generation of Mayans fought to stay alive during the brutal genocide in the 1980s while the next generation now battled again for survival amid climate change, Mr Cajbom said the difference was that people now had a chance to protect themselves. Several initiatives have been implemented to try to help the community prepare for severe weather events, including mapping the area to see where rivers flood. Spiritual leader Leonardo Cajbom in the village of La Paz in central Guatemala A bridge across the river built five years ago replaced a wooden boat, and new radio equipment means they can be warned more quickly about a destructive weather event. Trocaire, which helped build the bridge and introduced a gender equality programme to encourage women to help make decisions on behalf of the community, is also helping Mayans in their struggle for land rights. During the civil war, many Mayans moved from their land to safer regions, and when they returned, some found their land had been taken or sold. Irish Aid, the Governments development programme, also helps Trocaire fund initiatives that advocate for Mayans to keep their lands and oppose attempts by corporations to acquire their land for palm oil plantations, agribusinesses, or other projects. In the town of El Estor, locals are afraid that mining will affect Lake Izabal, their farms and their health. Many say that if Donald Trump can deport Guatemalans, they can tell US companies they are not allowed to mine the land in their area. We are migrating as Guatemalans to the United States, but what are they doing in the US? They are evicting our colleagues, Gabriel Xi Pochan from Rio Sauce said. The president is deporting our colleagues, but now hes asking permission to take our minerals. Now is the moment we have to say No more. If this is how he is doing it, we have the right to say we dont want companies from the US. EU 'penny has dropped' on need to cut regulation - Martin The "penny has dropped" over the need for a reduction in EU regulations, the Taoiseach said. Micheal Martin said the "winds of change" were blowing towards innovation and "reduction of regulation". "There's a move within the European Union now to simplify regulation. I think the penny has dropped. The message has got home." He made the comments as he attended an event at the US Chamber of Commerce on the penultimate day of his week of engagements in the US. Mr Martin, who told the event that France was his favourite European country, added: "[French President] Emmanuel Macron held a very good AI action summit in Paris about a month ago and [US] vice president JD Vance was there, he gave a very strong message. "A hard message, but he gave it very clear that the US were going to go 'innovation, innovation, innovation'. "Emmanuel Macron and [European Commission President Ursula] von der Leyen was saying Europe has to become more innovation-focused." Mr Martin said Ireland was committed to working with the D9+ group of countries (Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia and the Czech Republic) to advocate for the simplification of regulations in the EU. "It's not been satisfactory. We in Ireland understand that, because a lot of the companies are located in Ireland." He said there was "growing recognition" across Europe for the need for a reduction in regulations, but added: "That has to be matched by action and real concrete development." Mr Martin said it is inarguable that European defence spending will increase. He said it is "very clear" that Ireland will "have to play its role" in European security, while taking its traditional military neutrality into account. "I can predict that the next multi-financial framework, which is the European Union budget, which will come for the Irish presidency, will involve a significant increase in European Union spending on defence capability, which will be focused on increasing opportunities and capacities from member states to increase their expenditure." The Taoiseach added that Ireland will become a net contributor to defence capability across Europe through a collective debt instrument. He added: "But Ireland in itself will have to increase, and we are doubling our defence - coming from a very low base - defence expenditure. "But again, we have to do it in a targeted way. Cyber security, sub-sea cables, maritime security - those are probably the most immediate vulnerabilities." Mr Martin heard that the US Chamber is "committed" to the trade relationship with Ireland. Its chief executive and president Suzanne Clark told the Taoiseach: "We're such firm believers in the indivisible connection between our countries." Mr Martin said the relationship between Ireland and the US is an "enduring partnership". He added: "We do genuinely see this as a two-way street. Ireland is a small, open economy, we depend on trade. We would argue that free trade has lifted prosperity in the world, the era of free trade greater than any other era." Mr Martin was asked what more the US could do to bring more Irish investment. In general, he said the feedback about the US was "very positive" but the issue of visas between the two countries can be particularly "problematic". However, he revealed he found "ways around it" during his time as minister for enterprise. Mr Martin said: "Flexibility around inward movement of people into the United States is problematic, it is a very restrictive environment in terms of a mobility of visas that are granted from one company to another." He said flexibility would benefit the US as it would allow qualified people to work for its companies. He added: "We should be imaginative and we've tried this on a number of occasions that we'd be creating a legal channel between America and Ireland, that Americans can come to Ireland through us offering visas to Americans to reside and work in Ireland. "And when I was in Enterprise a long time ago, it used to always pain me, but I did find ways around it. "When Americans fell in love in Ireland, we had to find... they developed specialties in certain areas of work and got work permits, and they were happily married ever after. "But, I mean, you know, there was too much to navigate in all of that." Mr Martin said President Donald Trump was "very well disposed" to such a mechanism. David Young The Central Bank in Dublin was occupied by a group of pro-Palestine activists protesting this afternoon over what they say is the sale of Israeli Genocide Bonds. At around noon today, the group of 20 protesters entered the main reception area of the bank on North Wall Quay and refused to leave. They said they were there to hand a letter to the Governor of the bank. The activists are from the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign. As a reaction to the protest, the Central Bank put the building into lockdown and would not let anyone in or out. A small number of gardai arrived and were seen in the reception area along with security staff monitoring the situation. The protesters were holding banner that read Stop Funding Genocide. One of the organisers, Helen Mahony, spoke to the Irish Independent from inside the bank via phone, and said the Central Bank of Ireland regulates the sale of Israeli bonds for Europe, enabling the transfer of funds for genocide all over Europe. We have been campaigning outside the bank since last October and this morning came into the building to hand a letter to the Governor, she added. In a statement to the media, the group said ending complicity in genocide is a fundamental priority for Ireland, and the continued regulation of Israel Bonds by the Central Bank of Ireland is morally and ethically reprehensible and in violation of the Genocide Convention, international and national human rights law and must be ended. The statement also said the Central Bank of Ireland is the sole regulator in the European Union of Israel Bonds. Since Brexit, the CBI has acted as the gateway into Europe for these bonds. In September 2024, nearly a year into the genocide in Gaza, the CBI renewed its regulation of the bonds on basis that: "The net proceeds from the issue of the Bonds are intended to be used for the general financing purposes of the Issuer" which explicitly includes "military action, which resulted in drafting more than 300,000 reservists, launching the war in Gaza", it said. The protest ended at 1pm. The protesters did not get to hand-deliver their letter but left the building peacefully. There were no arrests. The Central Bank said that it is responsible for assessing whether a prospectus has been drawn up in compliance with the disclosure requirements of the Prospectus Regulation. "We are required to approve the prospectus under the Prospectus Regulation where the prospectus documentation meets standards of completeness, consistency and comprehensibility. Approval should not be considered as an endorsement of the issuer and the securities that is the subject of the prospectus," they said. "The Central Bank will adhere to any financial sanctions or restrictive measures that are imposed under law," they added. Tragic victim Christian Rasmussen, aged in his 50s, was nicknamed Danish Paddy by his biking buddies The incident happened on the M50 southbound this afternoon. The Irish biking community is in mourning today after the death of a motorcyclist on the M50 yesterday. Christian Rasmussen, aged in his 50s, died on the motorway in west Dublin yesterday afternoon. Mr Rasmussen, originally from Denmark, but who had been living in Carlow for many years, was mourned by biker clubs across the country. Shortly after 12.30pm, gardai and emergency services were alerted to a collision involving a car and a motorcycle on the southbound carriageway near Junction 7 at the Lucan/Palmerstown exit. The southbound lanes of the M50 motorway were closed while emergency services attended the serious crash. There were no other injuries reported. Garda forensic investigators completed an examination of the scene. The local coroner was notified and arrangements will be made for a post-mortem examination. The Devils Disciples Motorcyling Club paid tribute, saying : It is with great sadness we announce the death of our brother Danish Paddy 1% RIP Brother. Rasmussen Sympathies poured into the group, of which the man was thought to be a member. One respondent said: Ride free in the forever chapter, my brother. Another wrote: Just cant put it into words. Totally, totally broken hearted for you all. Absolutely unique character. Heart of gold. He was there for everyone. It was an honour and a pleasure to know him. A great friend. Always had a big hello and a smile for everyone Another added: Shocked and saddened. He was a lovely guy. Rest in peace. Tributes were shared across social media from biker clubs and motorbike enthusiasts. Rasmussen Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 10th Riff Raff Kilkenny wrote: Riff Raff RC would like to send our sincerest condolences to the family and brothers of (the deceased). There are no words to describe how we all feel. They noted the biking community has lost a genuine soul. Irish Bike Rally stated on its Facebook page: A great friend. Always had a big hello and a smile for everyone. Gardai are appealing for any witnesses to the collision to come forward. Gardai have made a seventh arrest in connection with the fatal stabbing of Quham Babatunde on South Anne Street in Dublin. A man aged in his late teens was arrested this morning over the fatal assault in Dublin city centre on February 15. He is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act at a Garda station in Dublin. Mr Babatunde (34), a Nigerian citizen who had sought asylum in Ireland, died after being stabbed at approximately 3am. Six other men, all aged in their 20s, have been charged and appeared before courts in Dublin and Northern Ireland as part of the investigation. John Eghomwanre (23) from Dun Emer Glade, Lusk, Co Dublin, was arrested on Thursday and charged the following day with two counts of assault causing harm and one of violent disorder. Bakuani Diavisi (25), from Cardy Rock, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, was charged with assault causing harm to another named male at Dawson Street, on the same date. Quham Babatunde Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 10th Sean Forde (23) was also arrested on February 25 and appeared at Dublin District Court the following day. Mr Forde, with an address at Bath Road, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, was charged with committing violent disorder. 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 21. Rory Carr (21), of Ard na Greine, Seapoint Lane, Balbriggan, has also been charged with assault causing harm to Mr Babatunde and another man, and with violent disorder. Jeffrey Bangu (21), of Cardy Rock Crescent, Balbriggan, appeared in court on February 17, accused of brandishing a knife and attacking Mr Babatunde. He also allegedly assaulted and injured another man in the melee outside a nightclub on South Anne Street. Sinn Fein TD Thomas Gould wants to address his arrest over alleged financial irregularities in the Dail, party leader Mary Lou McDonald has said. She said the Cork North Central TD emphatically rejects the allegations made against him and will vindicate himself in full. Mr Gould, who is being treated for bowel cancer, has asked Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy to be allowed to make a statement in the Dail after the St Patricks Day recess. Ms McDonald added that she was happy to answer questions on the matter inside or outside the Dail, RTE reported. I think when an issue becomes a matter of public concern, I think that it's important to be upfront and to be transparent, Ms McDonald said. Asked if deputy Gould should step aside as her partys Addiction, Recovery and Wellbeing spokesman while the matter is dealt with, Ms McDonald said: Thomas Gould has cooperated with the gardai, he's given a very very detailed statement... and in the meantime he has to get on with his job representing the people of Cork North Central and I know he'll be anxious to do that. It came as the Taoiseach said the arrest and questioning of two Sinn Fein politicians over the matter was prematurely publicised. Speaking in Texas ahead of his visit to Donald Trump in the White House this week, Micheal Martin said due process should always prevail during garda investigations. It comes after Mr Gould and Cork city councillor Kenneth Collins attended pre-arranged appointments with gardai over a complaint of alleged business fraud. Sinn Fein said both men, who were released without charge, emphatically deny the allegations against them. Asked about Sinn Fein choosing to reappoint Mr Gould as a party spokesman, Mr Martin said: My experience would say that we should allow the gardai get on with the investigation, actually. Ive always been reluctant to dive in in the midst of a garda process. In more recent times, there seems to be a tendency to cast that aside. These are fundamental principles of due process, so I would err on the side of allowing the process to take its course. He added: I dont really want to comment beyond that. Its interesting, cases of this kind and its the nature of things but they end up in the media prematurely it seems to me. Asked about Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald signalling a willingness to make a statement on the matter in the Dail, Mr Martin said: I would question it, frankly, because I believe that its very early days for Dail statements, where questions have just happened. He said Mr Gould and Mr Collins had been arrested by appointment and asked questions by the gardai without any conclusion. He added: Theres a process to be followed. We do have separation of powers, and I would have thought that the obvious thing for now would be to await the process and see what transpires. And there can be plenty time in the aftermath of that process for questions in the Dail. Gardai said their investigation into the alleged offences is ongoing. Dubliner Cyril Griffith was only 19 when his life took a turn It was a bright July morning when 19-year-old Cyril Griffith and a friend set off for Howth. As the fifth of seven children living with his parents, younger brother and sister in the family home on Eccles Street in Dublin, going away for a nights camping at the weekend had become something of a trend for Griffith and other teenagers living in the inner city in the 1920s. So Amazon MGM has taken over the James Bond franchise causing some consternation about where the quintessential British spy might go from here. There are fears there could be some rubbishy TV spin-off along the Disney Star Wars line or, horror of horrors, he might even be played by an American! Now I have no issue with that, not least because Im not British but also look at Renee Zellweger and how well she plays Bridget Jones! You would have no idea she wasnt English, if you didnt know. Its called acting, dear boy, and only Brits and online trans activists seem to think youre not allowed play a person thats not part of your identity. What I am actually worried about though (and would hate) is the suggestion that keeps being refloated of 007 becoming a woman! Fear not, struggling taxpayers. Kevin Boxer Moran, one of those rural independents who recently did a deal to prop up the new Government for the next five years, come what may, is here to reassure everyone that their hard-earned money is being well spent.True, there was that business with the 356,000 bike shed at the Oireachtas; but this was just fake news apparently. Bike shelters is what they are, Boxer informed the Dail last week, each one made for a building that is cherished by people all over the world. Take that, begrudgers. Nestled in between OConnell Street and Connolly station lies an unassuming Dublin neighbourhood that holds a hidden history it was once the site of Monto, a red-light district from the 1860s to 1925. Tens of thousands of women passed through its brothels, with some leaving after a short amount of time, and others going on to become the most ruthless madams any red-light district has ever seen. Their legacy is complicated. The madams simultaneously offered a way out of poverty for many but, for others, the madams ensured their rapid descent into trauma. But who were these women that took advantage of being in the right place at the right time to build their fortunes through controlling the sex trade? Montos earliest madams in the 1860s were women that survived the horror of the Famine and the brutality of poverty and the workhouse. They were survivors with little other options but to sell sex, but were able to elevate themselves to the point of being a madam and make piles of fast cash from running brothels and lodging houses. They navigated the court system, befriending judges and policemen, and essentially enjoyed free reign to operate how they pleased in this one-square-mile pocket of sexual freedom and sexual violence. Today on the Indo Daily Kevin Doyle is joined by Caroline West author of Wrong Women: Selling sex in Monto, Dublins forgotten Red Light district to uncover the forgotten tales of what was once Dublin's most notorious neighbourhood. *This podcast features discussion of a sexual nature and might not be suitable for all ages* Like every year, Irelands patron saint and national holiday will be celebrated in style at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park on Sunday March 16. Celebrations at the County Clare visitor attraction will include Irish music and dancing, storytelling, demonstrations of traditional Irish crafts and skills, and family fun activities. The 15th century castle also will join other famous landmarks across Ireland in being lit up in green for the weekend. Follow Independent Clare on Facebook Family fun activities include the Bunratty Express Train, bouncy castles in the Red Barn behind Macs Pub, and an opportunity to meet St Patrick as he parades through the village street. There will be curious characters located throughout the Folk Park including Konor the Clown and his merry band of Dancing Leprechauns, and Finegas the Druid who will be recounting Irish fables and legends. Irish dancing will take centre stage in the Corn Barn with performances by the Linda Ball Hoban School of Irish Dance. Performers will be dancing between the jigs and the reels at 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm. There will also be live traditional Irish music seisiuns throughout the day with the public invited to bring their own instruments and join in with Bunrattys resident musicians. For younger visitors there will be an interactive Clue Trail that will lead participants to all four corners of the Folk Park through woodland trails and paddocks, with their vast array of indigenous Irish animal species from Kerry Bog Ponies to Irish Red Deer and Bunrattys resident Irish Wolfhounds Rian and Mide. At the schoolhouse, Bunratty's resident Schoolmaster will be on hand to teach visitors a Cupla Focal and entertain with tales and traditions from school days of old, including the story of the four leafed clover and how St Patrick really drove the snakes out of Ireland. The Bean an Ti will host a demonstration of Traditional Baking and Butter Making at 2pm in the Golden Vale Farmhouse where Irish superstitions will also be explained, including why it is considered bad luck to spill salt, why seeing a solo magpie can strike fear into the heart of a passerby, and why an itchy nose signifies a fight is coming in your near future. Members of the Clare Vintage and Engine Tractor Club will be present on the day to demonstrate an array of vintage agricultural machinery at work, including corn grinders, water pumps and mini threshing machinery. Irelands largest collection of vintage farm machinery also will be on display around the park. Leah ODonovan, left, and Anna Waldron with Loreto Secondary School Kilkenny Orchestra performing at The Big Busk for Focus Ireland in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre. Pic: Mark Stedman Big Busk for Focus Ireland has raised almost 240,000 so far with the final total yet to be finalised. The total figure is expected to rise to over 250,000 when all donations have been counted. Hundreds busked across the country on Friday, March 7 to raise funds for Focus Irelands vital homeless services. Live music events took place in Cork, Dublin, Galway and Limerick, Today FM dedicated a full day of programming to Focus Ireland and the 2 Johnnies appeared live in Cork to drive donations to help end homelessness. Hundreds of performers from professional musicians to school choirs, orchestras, jazz artists and drumming groups took part in the event to raise funds for Focus Irelands vital homeless services. By 7pm on Friday, March 7 Today FM in partnership with Focus Ireland, had raised almost 240,000 for the nationwide charity working to end homelessness. There are currently more than 15,000 people, including almost 5,000 children, experiencing homelessness in Ireland. Every day, Focus Ireland works tirelessly to help people experiencing or at risk of homelessness rebuild their lives. The charity provides essential support services, secure housing for families and individuals, and campaigns for systemic solutions to the homelessness and housing crisis nationwide. Since 2022, The Big Busk for Focus Ireland, proudly supported by Today FM, has raised over 1 million in funds for Focus Irelands services nationwide. On Big Busk Day Today FMs Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show broadcast live from Celtic Horizons Tours in Maynooth from 6am. The travel agency donated 21,000 to Focus Ireland to get Ian and his award winning breakfast team to broadcast live from their business where they were treated to a live performance by Kingfisher. In Cork, the 2 Johnnies attracted a huge crowd to Corks Marina Market where the popular podcasters performed When I Play for the County live on Today FMs Louise Cantillon show. Blanchardstown Shopping Centre in Dublin staged not one but three busking stations for busking performances throughout the day. The Loreto Secondary School Kilkenny orchestra treated Blanchardstown shoppers to a medley of classical and traditional music. A wide range of acts also performed in Limericks Crescent Shopping Centre and Galways Eyre Square Shopping Centre. Focus Ireland CEO, Pat Dennigan, expressed his gratitude for the support shown across the country: "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. We're so grateful to everyone who came out to perform and support The Big Busk. 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. With the funds raised still being counted, supporters can still donate through today.com/busk or via the Revolut app. Every contribution will go directly towards Focus Irelands essential services, including housing support, emergency accommodation, and prevention programmes that help families and individuals avoid the hardship of homelessness. The Industrial Development Agency (IDA) remains very committed to looking at how productive use can be made of the empty IDA site in Fermoy which has been idle since it opened in 2002. The IDAs multi-million euro park in Fermoy encompasses 20 acres that can be utilised by a wide range of industries. The park on the Dublin Road has access to water, power and the main route to either Cork or Dublin. Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe recently told the Dail that some approaches have been made in relation to the site, but they have yet to translate into jobs. The issue was raised by Fine Gael TD for Cork East Noel McCarthy who reiterated the need for the development of the IDA site in Fermoy. Formerly Fitzgerald Camp army barracks the site was handed over by the Department of Defence to the IDA some 23 years ago. It has unfortunately remained idle since. This is a massive shame considering the associate infrastructure is in place on site, however no tenants have been found in that time. The site is in a prime location, said Deputy McCarthy as he appealed for help to kickstart the development of the site. Only five minutes from the M8 motorway, the main Cork to Dublin route. Minister I am sure you agree that the development of such a site would be an enormous boost for business in Fermoy and across the Blackwater region as a whole. I am asking you minister to please examine the matter and to liaise with the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Peter Burke to see what can be done to finally kickstart the development of this site, he added. Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe agreed that the IDA site in Fermoy has potential to support jobs in the locality. I want to acknowledge the role that you are playing in trying to support the development at this IDA site in Fermoy. I agree with you regarding the potential that it does have and the important role it could play in supporting jobs in your community. Minister Donohoe reaffirmed that the IDA is very much committed to looking at how good and productive use can be made of this site. While it has received some approaches in relation to it. It has not yet translated into the jobs that you are looking for and that should be there. I will raise this and indeed the IDA are aware of this. I will also make sure that Minister Burke is aware of the point that you have raised. The IDA will continue to work with large employers to identify how we can make use of the site that you are referring to of these lands, to get more jobs into your community and to ensure that international employers continue to want to be present in Cork, he added. The Minister of State of Disability admits that buying key site for new school is a matter of extreme urgency Six-year-old Lottyrose Hosford holds up a placard in protest at school places for children with additional needs during last Saturday's protest in Cork. Photo: Joseph Nason The organiser of last weekends demonstration in Cork protesting against the lack of school places for children with additional needs, says she doesnt have faith that the current government figures reflect the reality of the situation. Its as Minister of State for Disability and Inclusion, Michael Moynihan, admitted that a new special school on Corks Northside promised for the next academic year has not yet been purchased. However, the Cork North TD said that all parties are working extremely hard to prepare the facility for September 2025 as a matter of extreme urgency. Last weekend saw crowds gather outside City Hall to protest the lack of appropriate school places for children with additional needs, while a video of 10-year-old Martin Crowley, one of the Kabin Krew, performing his own rap on the issue, has taken off on social media. We had an unbelievable turnout, Im incredibly grateful, organiser Nicole Hosford said, whose four-year-old daughter Libbycrae has been diagnosed with autism. And Martin did really well with the song. I only asked him on Tuesday and he got back to me Thursday morning saying its written and all, and I was like Oh My God. I didnt want to end it on anger, I wanted to end it on a good vibe, and thats what he did. Its sad that this is the third protest in Ireland. Weve had Dublin, Waterford, and Cork, and Ive seen that theres going to be one in Donegal. I hope that every county follows because we all have to stand up, thats the only way theyre going to listen. Its not until you speak to people you realise really, is it that bad? The term is that if its not in your own house, you dont feel it and thats why its so important that we get out there and it does get the media coverage. When you hear stories of people that want to move in the name of God, moving your house so that your child can get a school place thats absolutely horrendous. My child is non-verbal, she cant speak up for herself, so who else is going to do it? We as parents have to do it, and theyre picking on the wrong people. I dont want a phone call, I dont want an email. I want to be sitting in an office with the people who make those decisions, otherwise its not going to work. Minister Moynihan responds: 'Working extremely hard' to address the issue In reaction to the protest, Cork TD and Minister of State for Disability and Inclusion, Michael Moynihan, says that he has complete sympathy with those who protested at the weekend. I understand the challenges that the parents have, and since my appointment a couple of weeks ago, one of the things I kept saying was that we need certainty, said Moynihan, whose own son Paddy is currently in the ASD Unit at Liscarroll National School, where the Fianna Fail TD scheduled his first visit as Junior Minister last month. Ive been saying it in the Dail, to media outlets, that we need to bring certainty earlier in the school year, so that parents know earlier where their children are starting, either primary or post-primary, the following September. Over the last four weeks we have been working extremely hard with the National Council of Special Education and the Department of Education, to bring certainty to families. I cant stress enough how seriously we are taking this issue, and how we are trying to deliver on the commitments given, and I will work as hard as I possibly can to make sure that we can do that. However, the large turnout at both protests in Dublin and Cork indicate that parents of children with additional needs arent getting the necessary certainty, with Hosford saying that last weekends turnout exceeded her already high expectations. I did, to be honest, she said when asked whether she was expecting such a crowd. When I came home from Dublin on the Friday march, I thought to myself we need to keep going. I was putting it online and on different WhatsApp groups and I got a good response from that, so I had a good feeling that there was going to be about 3/400 there, but there was definitely over 6/700 people there. It wasnt just parents, there were teachers, SNAs, AIMs (Access & Inclusion) workers, principals, they all came out. There were also loads of kids there with additional needs which was fantastic to see. Im not being unreasonable, and Im not being unrealistic either. Im not asking for money, just school places, thats all were asking for. We can give them everything, the only thing we cant give them is tutelage, and thats the job of Minister Helen McEntee and Micheal Martin, theyre the leaders, concluded Hosford. Dispute over announced class numbers and availability We have sanctioned 292 classes this year, over and above from last year. We have funding for 400 classes, and the NCSE are working with school authorities and the various patrons at school management to bring about those special classes, said Minister of State Michael Moynihan. That was announced two weeks ago, the Thursday before the Friday protest, said Hosford, about the announcement, which was recirculated by a number of Cork TDs following the protest. The press releases youre seeing are from that, theyre not extra. I rang all of those schools and theyre full, they cant take any more applications. They have people on waiting lists for these places that they havent received funding for, they havent received the staff places, they dont know any information themselves. Theyre only ASD classes, none of those released are special classes. I had to message about 14/15 parents who told me about the press release, and I had to tell them because otherwise theyd be ringing up and then theyre getting upset again." Hosford says that the lack of certainty makes the new school places difficult to accept: If I got a call today telling me that there was a place available from one of the new places, Id decline it, and Ill tell you why. I know that my child would just be thrown in anywhere just for the sake of it. The protest isnt just about school places, but its about appropriate school places. Our children cant be going into a school miles away, and then two or three years down the line were being asked to bring them in early, and then theyre being reassessed to go to another school because the current one doesnt work. That cant happen, we need appropriate schools with properly educated teachers. This is just another example of them not understanding what its like to have a child with special needs. I take those points on board, said Moynihan, some of the families that have contacted me, I have been following up on them. The information we have, in terms of the amount of pupils that need special classes, we believe that we will be able to meet the need this year. There are challenges right across the system that I am trying to work on, to make sure that children have in a timely fashion access to education and understand where theyre going. The CMOs are working very hard on the ground, and theyre looking at where the demand is, and in some cases, they understand that there are situations where the situation and the demand are different, so were trying to match those. Questions over promised new special school in Carrignavar Nicole Hosford says that there are continuing issues around the provision of a new school on the outskirts of the city, which has been announced by the Government to be ready for September of this year. Weve been promised this new school in Carrignavar. Ive been ringing people this week and Ive been told that the school building hasnt even been bought yet by the government. Theyre sending out these press releases about this building that they havent even bought. Cork North TD Moynihan admitted to the Irish Independent that the sale has yet to be concluded. Theres intense negotiations ongoing with a property owner and the Department to get the school up and running. The ETB, the Department of Education, the NTSB and ourselves are working extremely hard to try and progress that as a matter of extreme urgency as we speak, All the parties are working extremely hard. There were a number of meetings last week, and theres ongoing work to make sure we can have that up and running for September 2025. It is very difficult (to see fellow ASD parents struggling) and all my political life I have been dealing with families who have children that have additional needs, concluded Moynihan. It is extremely difficult. The job that we have is that we can bring certainty to families. My heart goes out to all of them, Ive listened to parents and all I can assure is that everything will be done from my end, with the NCSE, and the Department, to try and make sure that we have everything in place for children come September 1. Older people must be helped to live independently in their own homes for as long as possible, Fine Gael Senator Eileen Lynch has said. Senator Lynch has welcomed the commitment to introduce a new Statutory Home care scheme. Such a measure is being led by junior health minister Kieran ODonnell to ensure people can reside in their home for longer. Minister ODonnell has set out his priorities for the role. Senator Lynch said a new vision is required to make Ireland one of the best countries in the world to support a long and fulfilled life. Life after retirement should be active, connected, respected, secure, and independent, just as it is before. We need to be bolder and more ambitious in how we achieve this. The Department of Health and the Department of Housing will work together to develop joint policy options for older people The first step is the statutory home care scheme, said Senator Lynch. The importance of helping older people assist them to remain independent and live in their homes with dignity and independence for as long as possible cannot be underestimated. It is better for them, it is better for the country and it demonstrates that the contribution older people have made to communities nationwide is immense. This should be recognised and rewarded by the State, she added. Minister ODonnell said: The Government believes that people should be helped to live as long as possible in their home and in their community. So central to my role in the coming period is to establish care in the home on a statutory footing. This means that as people get older and their care needs evolve, they will have the option and legal right to be cared for in their own home should they so wish. Minister ODonnell continued: Right now while the Fair Deal scheme provides a legal right to residential care, there is no equivalent programme for home care. The Programme for Government commits to designing a Statutory Home care scheme that will allow people to stay in their own homes for as long as possible. I will push forward with proposals for the establishment of home care on a statutory footing so that people who require long-term care at home have the option of receiving it. The first element will be to ensure that those who provide home care support are licensed and registered and that the highest standards are applied and the sector is regulated by HIQA, he added. The surfer got into difficulty yesterday morning in offshore winds Its a lot better to go 10 times for nothing, than not go and for someone to be in trouble. Thats the message from Coxswain Ken Cashman of the RNLI in Courtmacsherry, after they saved the life of a man who got into difficulty while surfing off Garretstown Beach at the weekend. The Courtmacsherry all-weather RNLI Lifeboat "Val Adnams" was called out at 11.35 am yesterday, to go to the immediate aid of the surfer, who had got into difficulties in an offshore wind, in difficult sea conditions off the West Cork beach. Under Coxswain Ken Cashman and a crew of five, the Lifeboat was underway quickly and immediately made its way to the area of the casualty. As often happens with these things, the details can be a bit sketchy. We knew there was a surfer that had gotten into difficulty but we didnt know much more than that, Cashman explained to the Irish Independent In fairness, yesterday the wind changed direction in the middle of the day, and its important to have a bit of local knowledge and check the forecast before you go. The Lifeboat located the man, drifting off shore, at noon and successfully brought him safely aboard. He was immediately assessed by the crew and brought back to the Lifeboat Station on Courtmacsherry Pier for a hot shower and a change of clothes. Cashman says its a regular occurrence at this time of year. I suppose its like any popular beach thats in close proximity to the city. We would regularly get calls to Garretstown and Inchydoney and surfers that get into trouble. Most times people will self-rescue, but sometimes you can just get unlucky, and I think the chap yesterday just ran out of steam. He was very tired, very cold, and when the wind direction changed he just wasnt able to get ashore. Luckily he had done the right thing, he had a friend with him who, along with people on the beach, rang us straightaway. We got him on board, he was lucid but as you often see, when people are rescued their condition deteriorates because the adrenaline fades away a bit. I think he was more in shock an hour later when he realised how lucky he was to get out of it. Another 30 minutes where he was and hed have been in serious trouble. The water is at its coldest at this time of year, even though you get a lovely sunny day, water temperatures are under 10 degrees, so it doesnt take long to get into trouble if you have any kind of exposure. Cashman said its crucial that people call if they are getting into trouble. Were available 24/7, 365 days a year. We have a launch time of less than 10-minutes, while at daytime its really more like five minutes. If you do get into trouble on the water, or see anyone else in trouble, just 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard, and dont be afraid to call. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald is among the Dublin Central TDs due to attend tonight's meeting. Photo: Collins A group of parents is calling on the HSE to invest in resources for children with additional needs in Dublins north inner city. The Side By Side campaign group is hosting a meeting tonight where parents will highlight the struggles they are facing. This includes trying to find services for their children. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald will be joined by fellow Dublin Central TDs, Garry Gannon (Social Democrats) and Marie Sherlock (Labour), as well as People Before Profit representative Eoghan OCeannabhain. They will speak about the political choices needed by the Government to bring about change for frustrated parents. Our children deserve the world, no matter what their educational needs are, mother and Side By Side member Rachel Kane said. They deserve to have support at school and in the community so they can grow into adults and achieve their potential. Read more Over 50 parents take part in sleep-out protesting at the lack of SEN school places The HSE isnt hiring enough professionals, but ultimately the responsibility lies with the Government. The services we have are overstretched as a result of poor planning and underfunding - and its our children who are paying the price. While the group is focused on getting better services locally, they highlighted wider issues across the country, with 10,000 children waiting on an assessment of need and essential therapies, while only a third of primary schools have autism support classes. The group is calling for the urgent hiring of special needs assistants, teachers and therapists. My child was waiting four years before he was even seen by a professional and we are still waiting for a final diagnosis. Then we start another long road and struggle for services, Niamh McDonald, a mother and resident in the north east inner city, added. All aspects of my sons life are affected and he deserves to have the opportunity to flourish and to have the supports to do so. As a parent, I have been given no guidance, no road map and no support on how to manage and support my child. The system is in a shambles and needs urgent attention, resources and leadership by the Government and the ministers responsible. The Department of Education and the HSE have been contacted for comment. Korina Duffy is among the 14 women taking on the Arctic challenge Alison Newman and Mary-Paula Guinness are among an all-female group of 14 taking on the Irish Heart Foundation's Arctic challenge Four Dublin women are among a crew of 14 taking on a gruelling, week-long Arctic challenge to raise funds for the Irish Heart Foundation. Lisa Byrne, from Phibsboro, Alison Newman, from Howth, Sarah Lyons, from Carrickmines, and Korina Duffy, from Templeogue, are among the all-female crew signed up for the week-long expedition. It will see participants travel 350km north of the Arctic Circle, complete a trek across a frozen lake and an outdoor sleep in temperatures of -20C. The group leaves Dublin for Kilpisjarvi, in northern Finland, on Thursday, March 13. For some, it will be a personal journey to highlight the importance of heart health after loved ones suffered serious cardiac issues. Ms Byrne, a pharmacist for over 20 years, said work responsibilities have taken the focus off her own health although she made a recent decision to stop smoking and sees the Arctic Challenge as a way of changing that. Im 45 now and I read the statistics on the Irish Heart Foundations Her Heart Matters campaign. I do have a history of cardiac disease in my family, she said. My dad Liam, now 75, had a heart attack at 50 and was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at the same time. At the time, he was only five years older than I am now, its frightening. Lisa Byrne pictured on a training exercise in the Wicklow mountains Ms Newman (61) said she was unaware that womens chances of cardiac issues increase dramatically during the menopause. I think women, for the most part, prioritise their family to the detriment of their own health, said the mother-of-three. Its something I was always aware of growing up, to the point that when my children were in their late teens, on medical advice they were all screened. People have been very generous and quick with sponsorship because they know this is way out of my comfort zone Im not great with the cold. The physical exertion, stamina, endurance I think Ill manage that but the environment is harsh. Data shows that one in four women in Ireland dies from heart disease and stroke six times the number who die from breast cancer. But the Irish Heart Foundation said cardiovascular disease in women remains under-researched, under-diagnosed and under-treated. The cause were doing it for is Her Heart Matters, specifically targeting womens heart health, said mum-of-two Ms Lyons, a personal stylist and image consultant. Mum-of-two Sarah Lyons is raising funds for the Irish Heart Foundation I am health conscious, but more on stuff you can see. Youre doing everything you can, and you sometimes forget about your heart. One in four women will die from heart attack or stroke and theres a lot of women around me who dont know that. While the challenge focuses on awareness of womens heart health, she recalls her father Tonys heart attack eight years ago. He had no high cholesterol or any sign of heart disease, it literally came out of the blue. If paramedics had not got him to a Cath lab in time, that was it, she said. Ms Duffy, the founder of EcoFitness in south Dublin, said one of her clients told her about the challenge. The single mum-of-two also wants to be an example to her children, as well as to other single parents. I run a community-based fitness studio and we have three fitness members who have heart conditions. I want to show my community that while theyre fit and healthy and their heart is able and their legs can carry them thats when to do it. Korina Duffy is among the 14 women taking on the Arctic challenge Judith Gilsenan, Commercial Director with the Irish Heart Foundation, is also joining the all-female team, which is on track to raise over 100,000. These women are taking on this challenge to raise funds and awareness for a special reason because Her Heart Matters, she said. They are doing it for the hearts that cant and are shining a vital light on womens heart health, something which has been overlooked for too long. This challenge will push each participant to the limit. These women are making a real difference in helping us continue to fight as well as showing every woman in their family, workplace and community that our hearts matter. You can donate to the women doing the challenge here. Twin sisters, who started their own gift brand business from their kitchen table, count Tanaiste Simon Harris among their fans. Rachel Howard and her sister Ciara, who are based in Swords, are the owners of Howrad Studios, a funky home and gift brand launched during lockdown in January 2021, when they were just 23. They have since secured retail listings in a number of high-profile Irish department stores, as well as brand partnerships, and a customer base as far afield as Australia and the UAE. The Howrad team has now grown to six, with all orders being fulfilled from their Dublin-based studio. One of their best products is a mug with Simon Harris on it with a party hat, a whistle and confetti, from around the time he was elected leader of Fine Gael. Our most popular for a good while was the Simon Harris. My dad services machines in the Dail, Rachel said. We managed to get a mug to Simon, and he actually sent us a letter. Then my mam met him when he was out campaigning and theres a video of her talking about it with him. The Mary Mug is one of my favourites, that meme is in everyones vocabulary, I feel like everyone has seen that video. I walk around saying Mary all the time, it gets stuck in your head. Rachel and Ciaras love for art started when they were children, but they never thought their passion could turn into a business. My auntie introduced us to art. She always used to get us things like art pads and painting supplies. After secondary school, we didnt know what we wanted to do, Rachel said. We both decided we wanted to take a year out after school, and did an art portfolio course. It was very much a passion project at the start. We had no idea it would end up the way it is now. Thats where we found out what graphic design was, and we went from there. In college we did commission work for people, so drawings of people and pets. Then we thought, how can we make this more profitable? We were both 23 and still in lockdown. We both graduated and I was working as a junior graphic designer and Ciara worked in a cafe, but it wasnt open. She was sitting around at home thinking of things to do. Then I was let go from my company and we just decided to go for it. It felt like a low-risk thing at the time. My dad bought us a printer and we started with a Galentines collection, where you could send your friends Valentines Day cards to let them know youre thinking of them because you cant see them. The two of us are very open and lay everything out on the table to each other, it is great, and we really enjoy working together. It works well for us. Katja Mia and her mum Carinie in limited edition pyjamas for Breast Cancer Ireland Now the sisters are using their creative gift to raise money for Breast Cancer Ireland. We started off in Arnotts in the Christmas market two years ago. Then it snowballed into Brown Thomas, they wanted to be stocked there permanently. Now were working with Very Ireland on a limited-edition set of pink pyjamas just in time for Mothers Day. All profits from sales will go directly to Breast Cancer Ireland. Raising money for charity is amazing. It hits so close to home for so many women. It was very important for us because we have such a strong female following and customer base. I feel like its not talked about enough in younger women, like people dont think you get cancer until youre older in life. Its a bit of a wakeup call, especially knowing the statistics that its like 23pc of women are diagnosed between 20 to 50. We thought it was just so important to spread awareness through such a nice product like pyjamas, she added. Council staff being relocated, closure of beloved cinema and housing for Gaeltacht communities are the focus of the demonstrations Three separate protests are taking place at Galway City Hall and Galway County Hall, where various issues are to be highlighted. Two protests on separate issues will take place today, Monday March 10, in front of Galway City Hall, ahead of a plenary council meeting at 3pm, while a third protest at Galway County Hall is being staged by Gaeltacht housing group BANU. First, members of staff at Galway City Council will protest at 1.30pm against the decision to move the council headquarters from its site on College Road to Crown Square in Mervue. The protest has been organised by the Forsa trade union members, who claimed the move will make services at Galway City Council more difficult to access for many citizens, add traffic congestion in the city The staff also claimed they nor the public were consulted about this decision. Forsa official Padraig Mulligan said: Galway City Council has made a very serious error of judgement by pushing ahead with a move that nobody wants. It failed to consult its own staff, it failed to consult its own councillors in any meaningful way, and it is failing the people of Galway City by ignoring their needs. The union added that in a recent survey of Forsa members, three quarters of the responders confirmed the move would make them consider applying for posts outside of the council. According to Forsa, almost half of the council staff said their journey time would increase by 30 minutes to an hour. A second protest will follow at 2.30pm against the recent closure of Palas Cinema. Organised by the arts community, has been calling for the cinema to be saved and be transformed into a community-based facility, this is the third protest since the beginning of the year. The Palas closure has been discussed widely by Galway City Council since its announcement in December 2024 and a commercial appraisal report is expected to be announced soon. The report will shed light on the future of the cinema as the council was clear that while they will do everything in their power to keep the facility open, they have no intention of saving Palas at all costs. Meanwhile, community action group BANU are staging a protest at Galway County Hall, in tandem with demonstrations in Donegal and Cork. Protestors are due to gather at Galway County Hall to call for immediate action to resolve the Gaeltacht housing crisis nationally where they are also expected to hand a letter to the Chief Executive of Comhairle Contae na Gaillimhe outlining local demands. FAMILIES living with the often heartbreaking effects of rare disease are urgently calling on the State to deploy a fully resourced genetic service to help diagnose children earlier, faster and with greater accuracy. The calls come as the Kingdom lit up to mark Rare Disease Day, the annual campaign aiming to raise awareness of the dreadful impact of a panoply of rare diseases on so many in the country. This year its theme was More Than You Can Imagine. Indeed, rare disease are far from rare when combined under the umbrella of the advocacy movement, bringing sufferers of so many different conditions together to campaign for vitally-needed supports that do not as yet exist such as a fully-resourced genetic service. Indeed, roughly 400,000 people are living with a rare disease in Ireland today, and with 72 per cent of rare diseases genetic in origin families say it is high time for the State to roll-out better diagnostic systems and resources. One such family, who were among the gathering outside the beautifully-lit Ashe Memorial Hall in Tralee on Friday was local woman Michelle Duggan and her son Jack. Jacks situation is sadly a perfect example of why Ireland needs the service is so vitally needed. He lives with a debilitating Syndrome Without a Name (SWAN) and, like others, is waiting now on diagnosis through genetic testing. It is hoped that Jacks condition can be managed in such a way as to greatly enhance the brave youngsters life as soon as a diagnosis comes to bear. His mom Michelle said that Rare Disease Day and the campaign has made a big difference to their wellbeing on their fraught journey towards greater understanding of Jacks illness. Having International Rare Disease Day promotes awareness and understanding. It means the world to us to be part of the rare community where we can seek help and support from other parents experiencing the same situation as we are. It helps us to navigate the unknown journey we are on with Jack, Michelle said. Organiser of the event Bernadette Sheehan Gilroy of the rare disease PKU Association of Ireland gave thanks to Kerry County Council for helping them to light up awareness of the issue: I am so grateful to Kerry County Council for their ongoing support for this event which is growing from strength to strength each year. It is a day to celebrate progress such as the development of the long-awaited Rare Disease Strategy 2025-2030 addressing the specific needs of our community. This years International Rare Disease Day campaign #MoreThanYouCanImagine, highlights how rare conditions shape lives in ways many others do not see therefore emphasising the importance of all stakeholder involvement in policy development. The Rare Disease community invites the wider community to join them on the last day of February each year to show solidarity for the rare community, many of whom are not in a position to represent themselves. Joining the families on the night were Mayor of Tralee Mikey Sheehy and County Councillor Angie Bailey. Cllr Bailey said the event was being held to do more than merely raise awareness: Rare Disease Day is more than an awareness event - it is a push towards a change in ideologies and practices to ensure that people with rare diseases receiving equitable access to education from the early years, to health, to work and to achieving their life goals, is the norm and not the exception. I am grateful to Bernadette for including me in the event so I can do more in my daily life to be part of this change. There are an estimated 400,000 people living with rare diseases in Ireland. 72% of rare diseases are genetic in origin. A rare disease does not just impact the affected individual. A rare disease has implications for everyone in the immediate family unit and the wider family too; grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins. 70% of rare diseases are exclusively paediatric onset. At least 4% of children in Ireland are diagnosed with a rare disease, a life-long condition, by age 17 in Ireland. Approximately 2/3 of paediatric deaths in Ireland are associated with rare diseases. You can follow Rare Disease Irelands important work on social media via Instagram: @rare_diseases_ie; Twitter:@RareDiseasesIE; and Facebook: @rarediseasesireland. William K Storey (second from left) with his son Neil and members of Castleisland District Heritage at the site of his great-grandfather's assassination on Sunday, May 8th 1921. Included are: Tomo Burke, Mr. Storey and Neil, Johnnie Roche, Janet Murphy and Noel Nash. Photo by: John Reidy 10-8-2021 Castleisland and District Heritage will host a talk, The Death of William Storey by Professor William K Storey, author and historian tomorrow night Tuesday, March 11, at 8pm at the River Island Hotel, Castleisland and admission is free of charge. Dr. Storey, a Professor of History at Millsaps College, Mississippi, will describe what it was like to learn about the killing of his great grandfather during the War of Independence on Church Street, Castleisland on Sunday, May 8, 1921, during the terrible times of the War of Independence. His talk will be followed by questions and discussion and the launch of the group's new website. Cathal Carr of Tralee's Mercy Mounthawk Secondary School took won gold in the 'Best Male Actor' category for his performance as The Tinman. Mercy Mounthawk students celebrate their Best of Ireland Secondary School Stage' awards win in Dundalk recently. The talented musical students of Mercy Mounthawk secondary school in Tralee were on cloud nine last week after they picked up a very impressive array of awards at the recent Best of Ireland Secondary School Stage Awards 2025 which were held in Dundalk. Anyone who will have seen the groups fantastic production of 'The Wiz back in January will know that these awards and nominations were extremely well deserved after the school delivered a series of sold-out performances at Siamsa Tire. Both the students and their equally talented music teachers returned home to Tralee laden down with awards, securing securing gold, silver, and bronze placements across multiple categories. Out of the schools 100-strong cast, 45 students travelled to the event, where they were nominated in several prestigious categories. Molly Giltenane, one of the music teachers in the school said the groups achievements are a testament to the dedication, talent, and hard work of our students, teachers, and production team. The awards won by the students and teachers are as follows: Bronze Best Male Vocal: Conor OSullivan (The Scarecrow) Silver Best Male Vocal: Jamie Cleary Lynch (The Wiz) Gold Best Male Actor: Cathal Carr (The Tinman) Silver Best Female Comedy Performance: Geraldine Fitzgerald Knott (Addaperle) Additionally, Molly added that school was recognised for outstanding group efforts in various production elements: The property's roof gave way as the fire quickly spread through the three bedroom residence. Fallen bricks and the remnants of shattered glass were left lying across the property's front entrance in the wake of the fire. Emergency services at the scene of a house fire in Ardnacassa, Longford town on January 24. Extensive damage was caused to the property following the fire. Detectives investigating a house fire in residential housing estate in a midlands town six weeks ago are refusing to rule out the possibility of foul play being involved. A two-storey, three-bedroom semi-detached property in Longford towns Ardnacassa estate, was effectively gutted in the blaze which broke out at around 8pm on January 24. Gardai and emergency services raced to the scene and managed to wrestle control of the blaze in a bid to prevent it spreading to adjacent homes. Emergency services at the scene of a house fire in Ardnacassa, Longford town on January 24. The sheer heat of the blazing inferno caused a significant portion of the propertys roof to cave in while shattered glass and a deluge of other debris could be seen lying strewn across its front entrance when the Irish Independent visited the scene the following morning. A considerable garda presence, featuring both uniformed and detective gardai, also maintained a close watch over the cordoned off scene for much of the following day. Fallen bricks and the remnants of shattered glass were left lying across the property's front entrance in the wake of the fire. No injuries emanated from the incident and the scene was sealed off overnight to allow preliminary investigations to take place. The Irish Independent understands a series of statements have been taken from a number of individuals in a bid to give further weight to those efforts. The property's roof gave way as the fire quickly spread through the three bedroom residence. Despite no arrests having been made and with gardai very much at pains to stress there is no criminal element involved at this juncture, its understood an open mind is still being adopted by senior investigators. Follow Independent Longford on Facebook Door to door inquiries were also carried out as much of the focus is expected to centre on the return of more technical examinations which were carried out in the blazes immediate aftermath. A thief who broke into a house on the outskirts of a rural county Monaghan village was forced to flee empty-handed after being disturbed during a broad daylight raid on Saturday afternoon. A brazen thief who broke into a house on the outskirts of a county Monaghan village over the weekend was forced to flee empty-handed when they were chased off the premises after being caught red-handed. The incident, which is now the subject of a garda investigation, took place in broad daylight on Saturday afternoon in the Clontibret area of the county. Detectives believe the raider broke into the property at around 3pm, but raced from the scene after being effectively caught in the act. Gardai are investigating a burglary at a residential property in Clontibret, Co Monaghan, which occurred at 3pm on Saturday, March 8, said a garda spokesperson. The intruder was disturbed and nothing was taken (and) investigations (are) ongoing. That episode is one of three separate investigations gardai are looking to progress after two further break-ins were reported in the Conabury area of Castleblayney and Castleshane, a short distance from Clontibret. The relative proximity of all three raids and the times of when they were carried out has also raised questions as to the possibility that some or all may have an underlying link. Follow Independent Monaghan on Facebook Gardai in Co Monaghan received a report of a burglary at a residential property in Conabury, Castleblayney, which occurred between 2pm on 5:30pm on Saturday, March 8, added the spokesperson. Gardai are (also) investigating a burglary at a residential property in Castleshane, Co Monaghan, which occurred between 3:20pm and 3:50pm on Saturday, March 8. Investigations (are) ongoing. Four agricultural shows in County Sligo have received funding from Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development, Jerry Buttimer. Its part of an investment of over 1 million to support 123 Agricultural Shows right across the country. The announcement was made along with Minister Dara Calleary. Deputy Frank Feighan has warmly welcomed the funding for shows in County Sligo which include, Beltra, Enniscrone, Grange and Riverstown. This funding will support the work of each of the 123 show committees as they prepare for the upcoming show season. I want to pay tribute to the amazing committees who work hard months in advance to present a wonderful day of rural celebration for people young and old concluded Deputy Feighan. The funding announced today brings the total allocated to our Agricultural Shows since 2018 to over 5.3 million. The Department of Rural and Community Development will work with the Irish Shows Association (ISA) to administer the 2025 scheme. The funding for Sligo is: Sligo Beltra Agricultural Show, Sat 6th Sept, 5,880 Enniscrone Show, Sun 6th July, 8,350. North Sligo Agricultural Show (Grange), Sat 2nd Aug, 8,350. Sligo County Agricultural Show (Riverstown) Sat 19th July, 8,350 Minister of State Marian Harkin has also warmly welcomed the allocation of 64,330 in funding to support eight agricultural show committees across Sligo, Leitrim, and South Donegal. It is hugely important that we have events and occasions where the quality of what we do and how we do it in rural Ireland is highlighted and celebrated. Agricultural shows provide a platform for a broad range of activities, including equestrian pursuits, cattle rearing, craftmaking, and food production, from traditional cheese and butter to more artisan and niche foodstuffs, Minister Harkin stated. In Leitrim, funding has been allocated to Ballinamore Show, Manorhamilton Agricultural Show and Mohill Agricultural Show while Ballyshannon Agricultural Show received 8,350. Minister Harkin acknowledged the tireless efforts of volunteers who work year-round to ensure the success of these local events. These local shows are run entirely by volunteers who dedicate months of effort to organizing and executing these events. Not only do they provide a vital platform for local farmers and entrepreneurs, but their competitive nature also fosters a pursuit of excellence among participants. Additionally, they serve as valuable social opportunities, bringing together neighbours, friends, and communities, she said. 'I would be extremely concerned about introducing any scheme that could be a vigilantes charter' said Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan at Friday's passing out ceremony for 149 new recruits at Templemore Garda Training College Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan has said Ireland could soon have its own register of domestic violence offenders, in line with the UKs Clares Law. Progress is being made on compiling a register of those convicted of domestic violence or serious sexual assault, which would see the perpetrators names collected and used by gardai. Opponents say it could encourage vigilantism. Speaking on Friday at the graduation of 149 new garda recruits in Templemore, Minister OCallaghan said he attended a meeting recently concerning the register. The UK has Clares Law, also known as the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) which is a police policy giving people the right to know if their current or ex-partner has any previous history of violence or abuse. It was started as an administrative scheme which police forces in the UK operated, said Minister OCallaghan. Now they have put it on a legislative basis. I have put forward proposals to my Department. They are considering it. Theyre coming back to me with proposals in respect of it. I would be extremely concerned about introducing any scheme that could be a vigilantes charter. Thats not the purpose of it. The purpose of it is to try to protect people, particularly women, who find themselves in a relationship with somebody who they dont know that previously that person had convictions for assault or serious sexual assault. Follow Independent Tipperary on Facebook I think because its a public process, individuals should be aware of that. Im going to try and see if we can put in place a scheme, legislative or otherwise, which would provide that information to people concerned. 'I would be extremely concerned about introducing any scheme that could be a vigilantes charter' said Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan at Friday's passing out ceremony for 149 new recruits at Templemore Garda Training College Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 10th Deputy OCallaghan said he has instructed the Department of Justice, and has sought advice from the Attorney General. I think its something that is achievable, he said. The names of those convicted of domestic abuse are not published. That is something Im going to look at, he said. I think it is a public event that somebody is convicted of a serious criminal offence. Im not suggesting that people who are convicted of summary offences in the district court, that that information should be put out there. Separate to a domestic violence register, I think there is something lacking in the system where people who are convicted of serious criminal offences, only get publicised if journalists are in court, said Minister OCallaghan. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said he had experience of such a register in his previous role. The real challenge for us all is identifying those who create the most risk, and then properly interdicting when we see that risk elevate to a point where serious injury or harm is threatened to an individual. Commissioner Harris said the offenders names would not be published on the internet, but it would involve a process whereby gardai warn individuals. Its not in effect, a public process, or hasnt been in other jurisdictions. We havent fully designed and fleshed out what it would be here in this jurisdiction. There was no jurisdiction that he was aware of - within the human rights or common law concept that in effect publishes these names, he added. Tributes have been paid from Waterfords and Wexfords theatre and arts community following the death of Gary Power on Friday, March 7 Tributes have been paid to the late Waterford theatre director and performer Gary Power, who died on Friday. Mr Power was synonymous with theatre in Waterford and across the South East for decades, both as a performer and director, and companies across the region have been offering glowing tributes over recent days. Waterford Musical Society said it wished to acknowledge the recent sad passing of Gary Power. Gary was a mainstay of many productions in Waterford, as both a performer and director down through the years, and will be sadly missed by his many friends and acquaintances from the theatre family in Waterford and beyond. We send our heartfelt condolences to all Gary's family and friends at this sad time, said a spokesperson. Arts correspondent for the Waterford News and Star, Pat McEvoy, said a great sadness has descended on Waterford musical theatre with the passing of Mr Power. Gary was everywhere in musical theatre in the 70s and 80s. Tops, panto, musicals as performer and director. He will always be remembered for all those wonderful DLS shows. We had great times together making memories. God bless you, Gary. You were one of our own, said Mr McEvoy. Mr Power sustained serious injuries in a fall about five years ago resulting in one of his legs having to be amputated below the knee. The New Ross Musical Society said its members would like to extend their deepest condolences to all of Garys family and friends, and indeed all our musical friends in Waterford on Garys passing. Gary directed our production of The Pyjama Game, which we staged in St Michaels and during the Waterford International Festival of Light Opera. May he rest in peace, said a spokesperson. Waterfords Quay Players Musical and Dramatic Society commented: Our hearts are heavy. Thinking of his family and sending our deepest condolences. Wayne Brown of Waterford Theatre Archive, said: The great Gary Power - and I use the term great. Most of my memories of musical theatre in my formative years came from Gary Power productions - or some shows that featured Gary Power on stage. I don't think I'll ever forget The King and I, 1993 94, with De La Salle Musical Society. South Pacific with Edmund Rice 1993. Those two years for me were the most important years in what you could refer to after as a career in amateur theatre. In the middle of that was Little Shop of Horrors with Denny Corcoran at the helm, somebody I would never have met if it wasn't for Gary Power and the road that defined the rest of my life wouldn't have happened only for South Pacific. When I retired from playing gigs with Avalon it was Gary Power who reached out and brought me in to work on jobs for Gary Power productions over a two or three year period. We had our differences - but what of them. Like so many I was shocked to hear of his passing and it brought back a flood of memories to me - and the vast, vast, majority treasured memories. God rest you Gary, we'll never see your kind again. Another true legend has left the stage for the last time. It's far too soon, added Mr Brown. One mourner wrote, sincere condolences to Peggy, Brian, Sean and Tammy and the extended family, friends, neighbours and theatre circle, at this unexpected sad time. Gary was a true gem and an outstanding performer and director and always gave 100pc and gave everyone his confidence in mentoring them both on and off the stages of Waterford and Ireland. He gave us truly memorable shows and plays locally and world premiere. I was lucky to be on a number of Gary's productions, and when Gary put his hand to something, you just knew it contained magic. Waterford has lost yet another fantastic talent, entertainer, producer, and friend. You will be sorely missed Gary. Another friend of the family said, sincerely shocked to hear of Garys passing. He surely was one of the greats in theatre. I have happy memories of being involved with Gary not only in musicals but also we spent many a night entertaining our tourists who came to Waterford in the Waterford Show in the Large Room. I always had great respect for Gary and his many talents as an actor, producer and entertainer par excellence. I am really saddened by his passing. My sympathies to all the family at this sad time. May he rest in peace with the angels. Mr Power, of The Folly, Waterford, was predeceased by his father Tom. He is mourned by his mother Peggy, brothers Brian and Sean, sister Tammy, sisters-in-law Breeda and Mags and brother-in-law Mark, his nieces and nephews Megan, Luke, Thomas, Cole, Jude, Rhys, Nell and Brody, and extended family, relatives, neighbours and friends. The funeral arrangements have not yet been published. Isabelle O Sullivan from Forever Florals with her display at the International Womens Day Event in the Upton Court Hotel. PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench Over 120 rural women across all ages and walks of life were at the International Womens Day celebration at the Upton Court Hotel. Kilmuckridge councillor Mary Farrell organises this event each year as a way to celebrate local women and all of their achievements. At the event on Thursday, March 6, local GP Dr. Sorcha Turley spoke about womens health, Kilmuckridge author Sheila Fursey presented and local businesswoman Isabelle OSullivan showcased her company Little Stars. Furthermore, Detective Sergeant Trevor Buckley from Wexford Cyber Hub and Eddie Myles who is the Crime Prevention Officer for Wexford presented to attendees about womens online safety. "We had a broad range of topics and the feedback was fabulous, this event always brings women together, said Cllr Farrell. Although several other females candidates ran in the most recent local elections, Cllr Farrell is the only female out of the ten councillors elected in the Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District. This gives her a unique perspective and ability to provide assistance on key local issues concerning women. Cllr Farrell who has been on the council for the last 11 years said it can be difficult for women to enter into politics. Its a tough game to get into. Its not really female friendly. There are a lot of challenges there for women, one in particular is that its not family friendly, said Cllr Farrell. Another key issue is that women face a lot of online abuse. "At the end of the day, women are achieving in the world in all aspects of life including politics. If you look at Irish politics, theres never been a female Taoiseach or a female Minster for Finance, but weve had two female presidents. Inequality is still there, said Cllr Farrell. After struggling to boost enrolment for many years, a school in north Wexford has decided to close at the end of this academic school year. The decision was reached to close Ballyfad National School after thorough consultation among Bishop Ger Nash as Patron, Very Reverend Denis Browne as Single Manager, and other key stakeholders. The current school principal, Anne Ryan, is due to retire at the end of this academic year. There are currently only two students in the school and the 6th class student will be moving to second level education next year, leaving one student in the school who has secured a place in an another school in the area for 6th class next year. Ballyfad NS has served the local community since it replaced the old national school in 1950. Despite the best efforts of the parishioners to increase student numbers over the last number of years, it has been to no avail. There are currently no students enrolled for the 2025/2026 academic year. As a result, it is not feasible for the school to remain open. The decision to close the school will be notified to the Department of Education this week, according to a spokesperson for the diocese of Ferns, and consultation will take place with the department regarding future use of the school building. A statement from Bishop Ger Nash read: I offer my sincere thanks to many people for their tremendous efforts on behalf of this school over the years. Many people will feel great sadness and regret because of this closure and indeed it is a very significant event in the life of the curacy. "However, this does not take away from the great work done by so many people in the school over the years, or from the achievements and successes in the school or from the very happy memories that many people have of their time spent in Ballyfad N.S. I thank Fr Denis for his efforts on behalf of the school as well as previous board members and staff members and in particular I wish to thank the current staff members and wish them well in the future. Visit Wexford has announced the appointment of a new Chairperson and Vice-Chair as they look to increase the countys share of international visitors in line with Failte Irelands Ireland's Ancient East campaign. Area General Manager of the Talbot Collection hotels Robert Millar will bring considerable experience from the hospitality sector to the role of Chair of the countywide tourism group, with Commercial Manager of Rosslare Europort Ben Radford as Vice-Chair. As well as placing a renewed emphasis on Irelands Ancient East, the pair look to ensure that Visit Wexford is fully committed to robust domestic marketing to ensure that Wexford continues to be a beloved destination for Irish holidaymakers. "We are truly excited about this new chapter in Visit Wexfords journey," Mr Millar said. "Our focus will be on leveraging both international and domestic opportunities to showcase the very best that Wexford has to offer. "By working collaboratively with industry partners, local businesses, and our community, we aim to create dynamic and memorable experiences for all our visitors." Tourism Development Officer for Wexford County Council, Billy Byrne, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to outgoing Chair Colm Neville for his unwavering support and guidance during his tenure. "Colms leadership has been pivotal in strengthening Visit Wexfords standing as a leader in Irish tourism, he said. We are grateful for his dedication and vision, which have paved the way for the exciting opportunities that lie ahead. "I am eager to work alongside Robert and Ben in their new roles as we continue to showcase the best of Wexford to the world. John and Mairead Bass at the Kilmuckridge group performing on the final night at the Kilmuckridge Drama Festival PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench Alison Simms and Caroline Bay at the Kilmuckridge group performing on the final night at the Kilmuckridge Drama Festival PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench Erin Lavin and Mat Furlong at the Kilmuckridge group performing on the final night at the Kilmuckridge Drama Festival PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench Charlotte Daniels, Jessica Doyle and Ken Curran at the Kilmuckridge group performing on the final night at the Kilmuckridge Drama Festival PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench Adam Connolly, Cian Maleedy, Jake Garseell and Clodagh Doyle at the Kilmuckridge group performing on the final night at the Kilmuckridge Drama Festival PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench Kilmuckridge group Cast members performing 'Juno and the Paycock' on the final night at the Kilmuckridge Drama Festival PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench Kilmuckridge Drama Festival has come to an end with some stellar productions showcased on stage over the course of nine nights. There was very strong competition and the results were revealed on the final night of the festival. Bridge Drama took home the crown for Best Play in the open section, followed by Ballyduff Drama Group in 2nd place and Ballycogley Players in third place. In the confined section, Enniscorthy Theatre Company were awarded 1st place for Best Play while Kilmuckridge Drama Group took 2nd place. Imelda McDonagh was the festivals Adjudicator. The full list of winners in the Open Section are as follows; Adjudicators Award was awarded to Orfhlaith Gannon for her projections in Bridge Drama Group The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Adjudicators Award was awarded to Cillian Tobin of Bridge Drama Group The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Best Actress was awarded to Mary Colbert of Ballyduff Drama Group of The Blackwater Lightship. Best Supporting Actor was awarded to Ronan Bennett of Ballyduff Drama Group The Blackwater Lightship. Richard and Richard Jnr Devereux at the Kilmuckridge Drama Group Play. PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench Best Supporting Actress was awarded to Mairead Ryan of Bridge Drama Group for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Joe Hammel Cup was awarded to Ballyduff Drama Group The Blackwater Lightship for Best Set. Ballycogley Players Lend Me A Tenor was awarded Boggans Cup for the Best Costumes Award. Susan Somers of Bridge Drama Group The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time was awarded the Bank of Ireland Trophy for Best Producer. Bridge Drama Group The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time received the RTB Cup for Best Play. Ballycogley Players Lend Me A Tenor in 2nd place while Ballyduff Drama Group The Blackwater Lightship came in 3rd place. In the Confined Section, Rosslyn Brady for Props Wayside Players Amongst Men was the winner of the Adjudicators Award. Pat Sinnott of Enniscorthy Theatre Group The Seafarer was awarded Best Actor. Margo Whelan of Kilmuckridge Drama Group Juno and the Paycock was awarded the Marie Johnston Memorial Award for Best Actress. Michael McKenny of Enniscorthy Theatre Group The Seafarer won Best Supporting Actor. Thomas Buttle, Liam Buttle, Annette McCarthy, Angela Devereux, Mattie Foley, Billy McReary, Una Mclean, Bernie Roche, Annette O Connor, Richard and Kate Devereux at the Kilmuckridge Drama Group Play. PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench Kate Devereux of Kilmuckridge Drama Group Juno and the Paycock was Best Supporting Actress. Kilmuckridge Drama Group Juno and the Paycock received the Jim Furlong Memorial Award for Best Set. Enniscorthy Theatre Group The Seafarer won the Paddy OConnor Trophy for Best Costumes. Billy Mcreary, Annette O Connor, Annette McCarthy, Peter Prendergast, Kate Devereux, Bernie Roche and Richard Jnr Devereux at the Kilmuckridge Drama Group Play. PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench Best Producer and the Martin Mangan Memorial Award went to Linda Hynes of Enniscorthy Theatre Group for The Seafarer. Enniscorthy Theatre Group The Seafarer also won the Echo Cup for Best Play. Kilmuckridge Drama Group came in 2nd place with Juno and the Paycock. The Overall winners were as follows; Pat Whelan of Ballycogley Players Lend Me A Tenor won the John Doyle Award for Best Comedy. Adam Connolly, Cian Maleedy, Jake Garseell and Clodagh Doyle at the Kilmuckridge group performing on the final night at the Kilmuckridge Drama Festival PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench The Jack Murphy Memorial Award went to Edward Hayden Ballycogley Players for his role in Lend Me A Tenor for Best Individual Comedy Performance. For the Best Lighting Award, the Myles OConnor Trophy was awarded to Mark Redmond of Bridge Drama Group The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. John and Mairead Bass at the Kilmuckridge group performing on the final night at the Kilmuckridge Drama Festival PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench Wexford Drama Group Skylight received the Mick Byrne Award for Best Moment of Theatre. Conor Farrell of Wexford Drama Group Skylight won the Tony ORourke Memorial Award for Best Promising Performance. Bridge Drama Groups The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time received the Fr. Frank Stafford Memorial Trophy for Best Presentation. The Audience Cup went to Bridge Drama Group for its production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. The Wicklow County Council chamber recently welcomed Estonian Ambassador Mrs Kairi Kunka to discuss the Baltic nations thriving timber home sector, a pilot Wicklow project and a proposal to cooperate in establishing routes into the Irish market. Speaking at the March WCC meeting, Mrs Kunka addressed the sitting councillors, saying she hoped they had been to Estonia, and if they hadnt, we have a direct flight with Ryanair twice a week! LIVE | Crew member remains missing after North Sea oil tanker crash as search ended Oil tanker and cargo ship collide off the north-eastern coast of England on Monday morningFears of ecological catastrophe as fuel spills into the seaFollow the latest on the incident on our live blog below Oil tanker collides with cargo ship in North Sea Sachin Ravikumar and Eoghan Moloney Mon 10 Mar 2025 at 13:16 An oil tanker and a cargo ship a collided off the north-eastern coast of England on Monday causing a huge fire and multiple explosions. Meet Canadas prime minister Mark Carney: The crisis-fighting central banker renouncing his Irish citizenship but in Irelands corner He is the first person to ever have headed two G7 central banksCarney's political inexperience scrutinised by Conservatives Canadas new prime minister once had Canadian, UK and Irish citizenship but is moving to just have Canadian citizenshipCarney remembered as having been in Irelands corner during recession Canada will never be part of America, Mark Carney says after winning PM race David Ljunggren Reuters Tue 29 Apr 2025 at 07:30 Mark Carney, now re-elected as Canada's new prime minister, is a two-time central banker and crisis fighter about to face his biggest challenge of all: steering Canada through Donald Trump's tariffs. 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. Indias Tech Workforce Shifts as GCCs Outpace Traditional IT Firms The Indian technology industry has made a structural transformation in its hiring patterns, driven by changing business models, the rise of Global Capability Centers (GCCs), and the increasing influence of artificial intelligence (AI). While the IT industry is poised to reach US$300 billion in revenue by financial year 2026-27, employment trends indicate a significant shift in workforce distribution and employer preferences. Indias technology sector is undergoing a fundamental shift in its hiring practices, influenced by new business models, the expansion of Global Capability Centers (GCCs), and the growing impact of AI. In FY202425, the tech sector added approximately 126,000 net new jobs, pushing the total workforce to 5.8 million. According to media reports published in March 2025, GCCs contributed over 100,000 of these new positionsan increase from 90,000 hires in the previous year. In contrast, leading IT service firms added only 11,000 employees in the first nine months of the same fiscal year. For the second consecutive year, GCCs have surpassed traditional IT companies in net hiring. This trend highlights a strategic move by multinational corporations to scale their captive centers in India for enhanced innovation and cost efficiency. According to NASSCOMs Annual Strategic Review released on February 24, 2025, export revenue contributions from Indian IT firms and MNCs, including GCCs, are now evenly split at US$112 billion each. Shift in workforce preferences and employment trends As per NASSCOMs Future of Work report published on December 6, 2024, millennials and Gen Z employees cite higher financial rewards and access to learning opportunities as primary motivators for switching jobs. Traditionally, the Indian IT services sector has absorbed a major share of the tech workforce, however, post-pandemic hiring momentum has shifted strongly toward GCCs. Industry watchers note a growing preference for mid-level talent across both IT and GCC sectors in 2024. Metropolitan cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, and Chennai have become focal points for hiring professionals with leadership and technical expertise. Experts have emphasized this shift toward experienced roles over freshers. GCCs accelerating growth and hiring In India, over 1,700 GCCs employ around 1.9 million professionals, compared to 5.4 million in the IT/ITES sector. Although IT firms have resumed hiring after a prolonged slowdown, credit rating agency ICRA and other experts, predict a significant recovery only in the latter half of FY2025-26. Conversely, GCC hiring is expected to remain robust in 2025, with market experts forecasting an 1820 percent growthtranslating to around 380,000 new jobs. IT companies, by comparison, are projected to increase hiring by just 810 percent. To stay competitive, IT companies in India are offering career growth opportunities in high-demand areas such as cloud computing, AI, and cybersecurity. On the other hand, GCCs are drawing professionals by providing international exposure, better work-life balance, and attractive compensation packages. Growing role of GCCs in the Indian tech ecosystem Although there is intense competition for skilled talent, IT services firms are evolving by developing specialized GCC practices within their organizations. This hybrid approach enables them to collaborate with multinational clients while continuing to offer their core consulting and outsourcing services. NASSCOM reports that such models are gaining momentum as companies adapt to the shifting dynamics of the tech landscape. Changing employee preferences in India In India, professionalssuch as those at mid and senior levelsare increasingly leaning toward GCCs due to their focus on employee well-being and flexible work environments. Several research reports have noted that the opportunity to engage in global projects and multicultural teams adds significant value to career and personal development. GCCs are adopting advanced recruitment practices to meet evolving talent demands. They are leveraging data-driven hiring processes, using metrics like time-to-hire and quality-of-hire. They have also incorporated AI/machine learning (ML) tools to streamline sourcing and reduce bias. These approaches help build diverse and inclusive talent pools aligned with modern business needs. Outlook Indias tech hiring trends in 2025 reflect a broader movement toward efficiency, innovation, and strategic workforce planning. With AI-driven automation reshaping business models, companies must prioritize digital transformation, employee upskilling, and advanced hiring strategies. As GCCs continue to grow and redefine talent acquisition, traditional IT services firms must evolve or risk falling behind in an increasingly competitive environment. Dirty Angels OTT release date: Martin Campbell is the director of the action thriller Dirty Angels. It debuted on December 13, 2024, in theaters. A squad of militants assaulted a girls' school in August 2021, coinciding with the U.S. exit from Afghanistan, which serves as the backdrop for the movie. The film is going to release on March 14, 2025. It will be released on Lionsgate Play. Plot According to FreePress Journal, the movie takes place in August 2021, after the United States withdrew from Afghanistan. At that time, a group of terrorists raided a girls' school and took numerous kids hostage, including the daughter of the U.S. Ambassador and Badia, the daughter of Afghanistan's Minister of Education. Jake is hired by the US military to spearhead a rescue effort after Delta Force's unsuccessful attempt. She puts together a group of competent women, such as Dr. Mike assuming the role of a doctor, Rocky (a mechanic), Geek (a technician), Shooter (a weapon specialist), The Bomb (an expert in explosives), and Medic. Cast and crew Martin Campbell is the director of Dirty Angels. The film's screenplay was written by Jonas McCord and Alissa Sullivan Haggis. Yariv Lerner, Robert Van Norden, and Moshe Diamant are producing the movie under the banners of Nu Boyana Film Studios and Millennium Media. Eva Green plays Jake, Ruby Rose plays Medic, Rona-Lee Shimon plays Mechanic, Maria Bakalova plays The Bomb, Christopher Backus plays Travis, Jojo T. Gibbs plays Geek, Zoha Rahman plays Malalai, Christopher Backus plays Travis, and Laetitia Eido plays Awina. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. Karma OTT release date: A tragic disaster intertwines six lives in this new K-drama, which is an exciting story of crime and karma in which each character must confront their own dark links and secrets. It stars Park Hae-soo, Shin Min-a, Lee Hee-jun, Kim Sung-kyun and others. Karma will be released on Netflix on 4th April. Plot Different lives converge in Karma beneath the menacing specter of an inescapable destiny. The narrative centers on an accident witness, a doctor who suffers from nightmares, a man whose entire world was turned upside down by an unforeseen circumstance, and another man who is drowning in personal debt. The unbreakable bonds of a dreadful fate bind each one, creating an engrossing crime thriller that tracks those caught in unfortunate entanglements. Cast and crew Lee Il Hyung is the director and writer of the upcoming South Korean crime thriller Karma, which will be available on Netflix. Moonlight Film and Baram Pictures are co-producing the series. Karma will feature Kim Sung-kyun as Gil-ryong, Lee Kwang-soo as Glasses, Gong Seung-yeon as Yu-jeong, Shin Min-a as Ju-yeon, Lee He-jun as the Debtor, and Park Hae-soo as the Witness. Fans react to the trailer Taking to YouTube, makers shared the trailer and it left fans ecstatic. One wrote,This looks so good. Another added, I am so happy and kicking my feet.YEEETT Park Hae-soo!!. Others also commented saying that this is going to be on their binge list for sure. If K-dramas are you thing then this is for you. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. Chris Hemsworth was spotted at Australia's Byron Bay last week, captivating many admirers. However, people who are followers of the celebrity were more interested in something noticeably missing: the actor's wedding ring. As an interesting side note, he did simultaneously wear another eye-catching ring on his middle finger. After the photos went viral, people started to speculate if Chris and Elsa Pataky are heading for divorce. Chris Hemsworth spotted without wedding ring, is divorce with Elsa Paraky on the horizon? Talking to Radar Online, an insider went on to say, "He nearly always wears his wedding band and there has been a lot of speculation among his circle about the state of his marriage after Elsa's telling comments." The report also states that an informant claims that there was uncertainty at the time about Hemsworth and Pataky's marital status. Chris Hemsworth photographed in Byron Bay yesterday (Feb. 25). pic.twitter.com/oksMSC6UlS Chris Hemsworth News (@hemsnews) February 26, 2025 Additionally, the insider indicated that "things have definitely changed" between the couple and that there are "red flags" in their relationship. For those unaware, the star was prominently missing from being at the family's Christmas celebration in December 2023, and the couple's separate trips sparked additional speculation. In October, he traveled to Iceland with their daughter, and Pataky traveled to Japan with their sons. Credit: X On the work front, Hemsworth played Thor in the 2011 movie of the same name and returned to the role in a number of Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films. He has starred in the action movies Star Trek , Snow White and the Huntsman, and The Huntsman: Winter's War, among others. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. Delhi-Mumbai Expressway news: Indias longest tunnel, being built on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, is close to completion. This remarkable tunnel, passing through the Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve (MHTR) in Rajasthan, will be a game-changer for connectivity and transportation. Massive 4.9 km Tunnel with Advanced Engineering This eight-lane tunnel, the first of its kind in India, features two parallel tubes, each having four lanes. It stretches 4.9 km, out of which 3.3 km is underground, while the remaining 1.6 km is built using the cut-and-cover method. This engineering marvel is a crucial part of the expressway, designed to enhance travel between Delhi and Mumbai. Major Milestone Achieved in Tunnel Construction On Friday, engineers and workers celebrated a key milestonethe breakthrough of Tube-1, which connects Kota to Chechat. A senior National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) official confirmed that Tube-1 is fully excavated, while Tube-2, running from Chechat to Kota, has only 60 metres of excavation left. This remaining work is expected to be completed within a month. Once excavation is done, additional work will be carried out to widen and increase the height of certain sections of the tunnel. Officials have set a goal to complete all excavation by June 2024, after which road construction and other finishing touches will begin. High-Tech Features for Safety and Efficiency This state-of-the-art tunnel will include several advanced technologies, such as: AI-based monitoring systems Lighting and pollution control systems Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) technology Real-time sensors for safety and security With these modern features, the Delhi-Mumbai Expressways longest tunnel will provide a smooth and secure travel experience for commuters. Wider and Taller Tunnel for Better Traffic Flow Currently, the tunnels width is narrower in certain sections, but officials have assured that by March 2024, the width will expand from 9 metres to 19 metres, and the height will increase from 8 metres to 11 metres, according to TOI. Additionally, electrical and communication systems will be installed to ensure seamless operations. Delhi-Mumbai Expressway: A Game-Changer for Indian Roads The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, spanning 1,350 km, is Indias longest expressway, designed as an eight-lane access-controlled road, with future plans to expand to 12 lanes. This ambitious project connects Mumbai, Indias financial capital, with New Delhi, the national capital. In Rajasthan, 327 km of the 373 km stretch under construction is already open to toll-paying traffic. However, some sections remain closed until interchanges are fully constructed. Indias Longest Tunnel Completion Timeline Indias longest tunnel completion is expected by December 2025. With rapid progress, the tunnel will soon boost connectivity on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, reducing travel time and enhancing road infrastructure. This mega tunnel project is a landmark achievement for India's transportation network and will play a key role in strengthening road connectivity across the country. For more informative articles on historical and upcoming events from around the world, please visit Indiatimes Events. BTS member Suga's 32nd birthday celebration was one global affair. American DJ and producer Steve Aoki shared a thrilling glimpse of the party in Puerto Rico, posting an epic "Mic Drop" moment on X. The shoutout is especially sweet, given Aoki's past work with BTS on a remix of Mic Drop. Steve Aoki's Mic Drop shoutout to BTS' Suga on his birthday! On March 9, renowned DJ Steve Aoki took to social media to extend warm birthday wishes to BTS member Suga. In a special clip, Aoki gave Suga a heartfelt shoutout, saying, "Happy Birthday, SUGA. All the way from Puerto Rico. BTS ARMY & Steve Aoki, we love you. Had to drop the mic to celebrate." The clip then gave fans a glimpse of the enthusiastic crowd as Aoki played the remixed rendition of Mic Drop to celebrate the day. "Happy bday to the bro Suga!! #BTSSUGA," he simply captioned his video. Fans thank Steve Aoki for his tribute to Suga BTS fans, also known as the ARMY, took to social media to express their gratitude towards Steve Aoki for his heartfelt birthday shoutout to Suga. They thanked him for acknowledging Suga's special day and for being a supportive friend to the BTS member. "Thank you, Steve!!! We love Suga and Mic Drop banger!!!!" one user wrote. Thank you, Steve !!! We love Suga and Mic Drop banger !!!! Joan (@Joan_0914) March 9, 2025 Another fan asked, "We love you, Steve!! Next collab, when?!" We love you Steve !! Next collab, when?! Joonie's Girl - HOS (@BangtanBunie) March 9, 2025 A third fan added, "Im glad he has good friends! Thanks for sending Yoongi birthday love." Im glad he has good friends! Thanks for sending Yoongi birthday love Noella (@boraborangm) March 9, 2025 "Thank you for always being so loud with the support and love you have for BTS," one ARMY wrote. Thank you for always being so loud with the support and love you have for bts Tali (@suckerforsuga) March 9, 2025 Another user mentioned, "So wholesome!! Steve Aoki celebrating Yoongis birthday during his gig and playing the Mic Drop remix. ARMY loves you @steveaoki; thank you for always showing love and support for Bangtan." so wholesome !! Steve Aoki celebrating Yoongis birthday during his gig and playing Mic Drop remix ARMY loves you @steveaoki, thank you for always showing love and support for Bangtan #HappyBirthdaySUGA pic.twitter.com/Rl6ByU7RKZ pia | BTS year (@mapofjnggk) March 9, 2025 Fans spend Suga-less birthday! BTS' Suga has maintained a relatively low profile since his DUI controversy last year. During the Lunar New Year celebrations, while other BTS members reached out to fans with greetings, Suga's absence was notable. Fans had hoped he would break his silence on his birthday, but instead, it was Steve Aoki's special shoutout that brought a surge of excitement and energy among the ARMY. Steve Aoki and BTS' relationship over the years Steve Aoki and BTS share a close camaraderie after collaborating on numerous projects. Their creative partnership began in 2017 with Aoki's remix of BTS' hit song Mic Drop, which was featured on their 2018 album Love Yourself: Tear. Later, they worked together again on the song Waste It on Me, which was part of Steve Aoki's 2018 album Neon Future III. This track was significant because it marked the first time BTS had fully participated in an English-language song with an international artist. Furthermore, in the documentary Suga: Road to D-Day, fans caught a glimpse of Suga's close friendship with Steve Aoki, as Suga visited Aoki's home. Aoki gave Suga a warm tour, showcasing photos of BTS framed in his studio, highlighting the strong bond between the two artists. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. It is the tenth day of Ramadan, the holiest month in Islam. It is a period of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community for millions of Muslims across the globe. Since Ramadan is observed every year, most of the people get used to the fasting process. But people who are freshers or the ones who have health issues like diabetes and heart conditions need to take extra care. On the other hand, there are those who live far from their families, or the ones who travel to the office every day, who may face some difficulties while observing the fast. Hence, the organisations with diverse workforces must support their employees during Ramadan. Ramadan teaches everyone to restrain, self-discipline, and benevolence Different people will be celebrating Ramadan in different ways and understanding their culture is an important part of taking care of your employee wellbeing during the fasting period. Organisations should show an understanding and provide support to their employees who belong to the Muslim community. Organizations should follow healthy practices at the workplace during this auspicious month for Muslims," shares Dr. Vikram Vora, Medical Director at International SOS. Credit: Freepik Employees should be provided with flexible working arrangements, and breaks should be provided while breaking the fast. Dr. Vora, "Fasting has an impact on the energy levels; therefore, organizations should promote their employees to drink a lot of water and take rest. Its a common situation that people often face traffic problems at public places during Ramadan. Therefore, organizations should help employees to plan to avoid any delays while commuting to the workplace." Employees can be provided with rest breaks, and more inclusivity should be brought during the meeting hours. This will help to provide a healthy work-life balance during Ramadan. During Ramadan, if the employees request leaves, organizations should consider providing leaves to their Muslim employees. Awareness should be created about Ramadan, its importance, and its impact on the Muslim colleagues during this time. This will provide an inclusive environment in the organization. Tips for employees to take care during Ramadan fasting This will provide a healthy work-life balance during Ramadan. Employees travelling during the holy month, predominantly those working in the Middle Eastern countries, should follow their local customs and traditions, adds Dr. Vora. The holy month of Ramadan is venerated amongst followers of Islam across the globe. It is a big opportunity for everyone to understand the cultural significance of this. Cultural awareness is the most important soft skill in today's time. During Ramadan, the workplace ecosystem is expected to take special care of its employees. Credit: Freepik Fasting for so many hours is not easy for many of them. Hunger and weakness could cause irritability and may affect performance at the workplace; hence, businesses involved in MSME or mega ones should provide special time to offer prayers and rest, recommends Dr. Tushar Jagtap, a dermatologist, physician, and health counsellor Dr. Jagtap further says, Special care is advocated for patients who are on medication, especially diabetics, hypertensives, and thyroid medication, people suffering with peptic ulcers, and any other health conditions; due diligence is advised. Random blood sugar and blood pressure monitoring with E-gadgets is advisable and can be incorporated at the workplace. Counselling and the "May I Help You" ethos will add confidence of the workers with their employers, he adds. If the employers follow this, they would go a long way in ensuring safety and security, especially in the month of Ramadan. Ever had that moment, when your mind just wanders off? You picture yourself in some classic university building, all those lovely old stones and quiet corridors, where people are discussing big ideas and even bigger debates. Maybe you are in a lab, surrounded by gadgets that look like they have come straight out of a sci-fi flick, or perhaps you are lost in a library, where every book whispers secrets of the past. That's the pull of a UK university, isn't it? The UK has long been a magnet for ambitious minds, offering world-class education and cutting-edge research opportunities. But then, the old "how am I going to afford this?" question pops up. It's the moment when that daydream hits a bit of a snag. And that's where things get interesting, where opportunities start to unfold, showing how a chance to study in the UK isn't just a line on a CV, but a proper adventure. And that's where initiatives like the GREAT Scholarships come into play. They are designed to bridge that gap, offering a helping hand to students who might otherwise find the prospect of UK postgraduate study daunting. Its about making that dream a little more tangible, a little less of a distant vision, and a lot more of a real possibility. Unlocking doors: The GREAT Scholarships explained So, what exactly is GREAT Scholarships ? Think of them as a collaborative effort, a partnership between the UK government, the British Council, and a whole host of top-notch universities. The aim? To make postgraduate study in the UK a reality for talented students from around the globe, India included. It's about recognising that potential isn't confined by borders or bank balances. Now, we are not talking about a token gesture here. These scholarships offer a minimum of 10,000 towards tuition fees for a one-year postgraduate course. That's a significant chunk, enough to make a real difference. And they are not limited to just one field, either. Whether your passion lies in the precise world of STEM, the intricate workings of Law, or the vast landscapes of Humanities, there's a good chance you'll find a scholarship to suit your interests. It's about opening doors to a diverse range of academic pursuits, allowing students to delve deep into their chosen subjects within the stimulating environment of a UK university. Nurturing global innovators These scholarships are designed to nurture global innovators. Studying in the UK offers a unique opportunity for cross-cultural exchange. You'll be surrounded by students from all corners of the world, building networks that will serve you well throughout your career. The UK's strong links with industry mean that you'll have opportunities to gain practical experience and make valuable connections. And with the post-study work visa options, you can put your newfound knowledge to good use right here in the UK. British Council A step towards a global future- UK study A UK university experience immerses students in an environment that challenges perspectives, fosters independence, and builds resilience. Whether it's debating ideas in a seminar room, collaborating on research projects, or simply navigating daily life in a new country, every moment contributes to personal and professional growth. For students from India and beyond, studying in the UK also means exposure to some of the most influential minds in their respective fields. From Nobel laureates to industry leaders, UK universities attract world-class faculty and visiting scholars, ensuring that students are constantly engaging with cutting-edge ideas and emerging trends. Yashodhra, from India, at the University of Essex, highlights the practical advantages of the Graduate Route: "With the Graduate Route, my employer doesnt have to worry about sponsoring me, and the whole process of applying was cost-effective and straightforward." This demonstrates the tangible benefits of a UK degree, making the transition from student to professional smoother. A Scholarship thats more than just funding While the financial support provided by the GREAT Scholarships is substantial, the benefits extend far beyond tuition fees. Being a GREAT scholar means becoming part of a global community. Academic Excellence: UK universities consistently rank among the best in the world, offering rigorous curricula and access to state-of-the-art research facilities. UK universities consistently rank among the best in the world, offering rigorous curricula and access to state-of-the-art research facilities. Career Prospects: With strong industry connections and a global alumni network, students gain valuable experience that enhances employability. With strong industry connections and a global alumni network, students gain valuable experience that enhances employability. Post-Study Opportunities: The UKs Graduate Route allows international students to stay and work in the country for at least two years after completing their studies, providing a chance to apply their skills in a real-world setting. The UKs Graduate Route allows international students to stay and work in the country for at least two years after completing their studies, providing a chance to apply their skills in a real-world setting. A Diverse Experience: From historical landmarks to modern innovation hubs, the UK offers a blend of tradition and progress, creating a stimulating environment for students. And its not just about the academic side of things, either. As Bhavana, from India, studying Fine Art at Arts University Bournemouth, explains, "All the facilities here have truly opened up a world of possibilities for me." She elaborates in her blog, detailing how the resources directly inform her architectural practice. Its that blend of theory and practical application that makes a UK education so valuable. For many, the UK experience is a dream realised. "Studying in the UK was nothing short of a dream come true," says Ahmed, from Pakistan, at the University of Manchester. He, like many others, found a welcoming community and a chance to truly immerse himself in his field of study. British Council How to apply for the GREAT Scholarships If the idea of studying in the UK has sparked your interest, the next step is to understand how to apply. The application process is designed to be straightforward, but it does require careful preparation. Check Eligibility: GREAT Scholarships are available to students from specific countries, including India. Applicants must have an undergraduate degree that qualifies them for a masters programme in the UK. GREAT Scholarships are available to students from specific countries, including India. Applicants must have an undergraduate degree that qualifies them for a masters programme in the UK. Select a university: Not all UK universities offer the GREAT Scholarships, so its essential to check which institutions participate in the programme and whether they offer funding for your chosen field of study. Not all UK universities offer the GREAT Scholarships, so its essential to check which institutions participate in the programme and whether they offer funding for your chosen field of study. Prepare Your Application: This typically includes academic transcripts, a personal statement, and references. Some universities may also require additional documents or an interview. This typically includes academic transcripts, a personal statement, and references. Some universities may also require additional documents or an interview. Meet the Deadlines: Application deadlines vary depending on the university, so staying updated on official announcements is crucial. Turning ambitions into reality For many students, the GREAT Scholarships provide the key to unlocking a world of opportunities, from gaining expertise in a chosen field to building lifelong connections and shaping future careers. For those who have ever imagined themselves walking the halls of a UK university, engaging in intellectual debates, or conducting research that could change lives, this could be the chance to turn that vision into reality. As Bhavana, Yashodhra, and Ahmeds journeys have shown, a scholarship is more than just financial supportits a doorway to a future filled with possibilities. The path is there - you just must take the first step! Commentary: Xizang's all-around progress, cultural preservation undeniable Xinhua) 09:41, March 10, 2025 BEIJING, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Historic progress made in China's Xizang over the years has once again come under the spotlight at the ongoing "two sessions" in Beijing. At a panel discussion, national lawmakers from the southwestern autonomous region shared with journalists from home and abroad their insights into the region's tangible progress in such areas as education, health care and cultural preservation. Chidul, from a village in Xizang's Baqen County, who is a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress, highlighted three facts from the past year: Her son, a middle school student, greatly benefited from increased government subsidies to education in the region; her family made more money as local per capita disposable income for rural residents increased by 8 percent; and a new hospital in the county seat has facilitated medical care for her and many others. Chidul's prosperous life would be inconceivable if she lived in old Xizang, when education was a privilege only for a few under the feudal serfdom system. Today, education is a fundamental right accessible to all. The completion rate for compulsory education in the region exceeds 97 percent. Meanwhile, higher education institutions cultivate doctors, engineers, teachers and other talent who are instrumental in the region's development. Xizang's progress is inseparable from the consistent support provided by the central government as well as the assistance from the rest of the country through funds, industries and talent, among others. The new hospital in Chidul's hometown embodies Xizang's remarkable improvements in medical services and infrastructure. Life expectancy in the region has more than doubled since the 1950s. Meanwhile, Xizang is witnessing unprecedented heritage protection. The traditional culture is not only well preserved but also thriving through the efforts of local people and the vigorous support of state-funded programs. Over the past few decades, the central government has invested billions of yuan in preserving cultural treasures such as the Potala Palace and the Jokhang Temple, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In the meantime, traditional arts like thangka painting are becoming increasingly popular both at home and abroad. Xizang has also made significant strides in environmental conservation, particularly in safeguarding the fragile plateau ecosystem. Located on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the source of several major rivers in Asia, Xizang boasts one of the most pristine ecological environments in the world. These achievements rest on a solid foundation of the region's economic development, which delivered tangible benefits to the local people. Between 2012 and 2024, per capita disposable income for urban residents in Xizang tripled, while that for rural residents nearly quadrupled. Notably, Xizang bid farewell to extreme poverty in 2019 that had plagued the area for thousands of years. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Xizang Autonomous Region. People of all ethnic groups in Xizang are enjoying rising living standards, strengthened ethnic unity, and a growing sense of happiness. This speaks volumes of Xizang's remarkable human rights advancements. Guided by the Communist Party of China's strategic approach to governing Xizang in the new era, the region stands poised for an even brighter and more prosperous future, brimming with confidence and hope. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) In yet another bizarre incident, passengers on an Air India flight en route to Delhi were forced to make an emergency U-turn back to Chicago, US, reportedly due to clogged toilets on the flight. According to news agency ANI, which cited a spokesperson saying that alternative arrangements were made for the passengers who were stuck on the flight for over 10 hours. The report further noted the statement of the airline, which said, "AI126, operating Chicago to Delhi on 6 March 2025, air-returned to Chicago due to a technical issue." The statement mentioned that upon landing in Chicago, all passengers and crew disembarked normally and were provided accommodation to reduce the inconvenience caused, reported the New York Post. 11 out of 12 toilets of Air India's flight 126 were clogged According to a report by the popular aviation website View From The Wing, Air India flight AI126, which took off from Chicago to Delhi on March 6, 2025, was forced to circle back after 11 of its 12 toilets were rendered unusable. Credit: X The decision to turn back was made around four and a half hours into the flight when the plane was somewhere over Greenland, the report noted. Moreover, it took around an equal amount of time for the flight to return back to Chicago, resulting in a 10-hour-long ordeal for passengers. Passengers on the flight complain that out of all the toilets, only one toilet was left for over 300 people onboard. Videos of the chaos on the flight surfaced on X. Meanwhile, amid the reports about the incident came in, a video shared by an X user with a handle name @dom_lucre, showing the chaotic situation on the flight, has now gone viral on the internet. The video shows agitated passengers speaking to a crew member on the flight about the issue. Moreover, the caption of the post read that it is not uncommon for aeroplane toilets to get clogged, but with the issue typically bubbling up when the passengers flush unauthorised items down the pipes. BREAKING: An Air India flight was forced to return on a 10 hour trip to Chicago Illinois because their toilets were clogged with poop leaving hundreds Indians trapped on a plane with no restroom. Air India Flight 126 was making its way over Greenland on March 5 when 11 out pic.twitter.com/FhPfMBYgzU Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) March 9, 2025 "Even just one or two clogged toilets is enough to trigger a flight crew to turn the plane around and land due to the limited number of lavatories available," it added. While on the other hand, a Reddit user wrote, "Every new day Air India sets for itself a new low bar for customer service." Comment byu/sa_node from discussion inAirTravelIndia Not the first time: Air India flights report multiple complaints lately Most recently, last month, a Bhartiya Janata Party's national spokesperson, Jaiveer Shergill, shared a poor experience while travelling on Air India. He took to his social media and shared that the seats on the flight were broken, the airline has the worst staff, and it has pathetic on-ground support. If there was an Oscar equivalent for WORST AIRLINES @airindia would win hands down in every category : > Broken Seats > Worst Staff >Pathetic on Ground Support Staff > Give two hoots attitude about customer service ! Flying Air India is not a pleasant experience but today Jaiveer Shergill (@JaiveerShergill) February 25, 2025 Earlier this, another passenger named Nilesh Bansal shared a post on his X complaining that he and his 4-year-old child were downgraded to the economy class flight AI-2055 because their original seats were allocated to Air India crew members, including a pilot. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. In a recent incident, US President Donald Trump made a sarcastic remark about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was criticised for not wearing a suit during his widely infamous exchange with Trump last month, which has now stirred up conversation on social media. Following the incident, recently Peter Doocy of Fox News asked a question to White House secretary Karoline Leavitt during a press conference about President Donald Trump's administration's 'dress code' after comparisons of the attire worn by Volodymyr Zelenskyy and tech billionaire Elon Musk. The news anchor also pointed out that Elon Musk frequently shows up in casual clothing without receiving criticism, whereas Ukrainian President was criticized for not wearing a suit. Karoline Leavitt's reaction to the dress code statement The question by the anchor highlighted the double standard in the White House expectations. To which the White House Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that they know that some officials in the White House were mad that Zelensky showed up without a suit for his meeting in the Oval Office last week. Further, in a brief defence, Leavitt replied that Elon Musk did wear a suit last night during President Donald Trump's speech to Congress. However, the debate went on when Doocy questioned, "So what is the dress code?" While on the other hand, Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday apologised for 'not being in a suit' days after his choice of attire was questioned by an American journalist during the Ukrainian leader's meeting with US President Donald Trump last month. "Elon Musk never wears a suit." Fox News Peter Doocy asked White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt about an apparent double standard when it comes to the White House dress code. pic.twitter.com/AwEkws43xX Mediaite (@Mediaite) March 6, 2025 Netizens react to the 'dress code' question by the anchor In the follow-up of the incident and comparison between Tesla owner Elon Musk and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's dress code stand, netizens call out the double standards in the White House. One wrote, "Awesome! Elon Musk doesn't wear suits, but Congress faces scrutiny over dress codes? Fox News' Peter Doocy calls out the double standards." While on the other hand, a parody account on X (formerly called Twitter), under the name Elon Musk News, on Sunday shared a picture of Musk in a suit, and the caption read, "Are you happy that I work in the White House? Be honest." Are you happy that I work in the White House? Be honest pic.twitter.com/09NA9KE7rs Elon Musk News (@musk_news13) March 9, 2025 To which one user reacted, saying, "Strange you are wearing a shirt and tie. Is there a dress code for you there? I am thrilled with your working in the White House. You are desperately needed there." Credit: X "Elon never demanded an apology or concessions from Zelensky, and a reporter asked Zelensky about his attire, not Elon. Are you watching state-funded media and thinking it is real?," another wrote. The comments didn't stop there, as taking a dig at the incident, Saturday Night Live poked fun at President Donald Trump's cabinet meeting this week. The SNL set the scenario in the Oval Office in the cold-open skit, where President Trump (James Austin Johnson) was trying to resolve the alleged disagreement between Musk and Rubio. This is the best, SNL...where's the adults in the White House..can't say that I haven't that same question...well done! We need these good laughs for sure.. https://t.co/37UikVkSQ3 MedicalQuack (@MedicalQuack) March 9, 2025 An X user commented on the video saying, "Mike Myers should be wearing less and less clothes every week to mock Elon's lack of respect for the White House dress code." Holi 2025 brings a long weekend, making it the perfect time for a short getaway. Whether you want a peaceful retreat in the hills or a cultural experience in a historic fort, India offers plenty of options. Heres a list of the best places to visit this Holi long weekend. Lansdowne: A quiet hill station with scenic views and adventure Lansdowne, a hill station in Uttarakhands Pauri Garhwal district, is an ideal place to relax in the middle of nature. While it may seem like a peaceful retreat, there are several interesting activities to explore. Credit: Wikimedia commons A great way to start is with a visit to Bhulla Taal, a small man-made lake surrounded by pine forests. A small park nearby has rabbits, swans, and hamsters, making it a fun spot for animal lovers. There is also a small restaurant where one can enjoy hot parathas and tea. For those who love scenic views, Tip-N-Top is a must-visit. This is the highest point in Lansdowne, offering a clear view of snow-covered mountains on sunny days. Its a great place to watch the sunrise or sunset in peace. Another important site is the Tarkeshwar Mahadev Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is surrounded by cedar, pine, and deodar trees, making it a peaceful place for meditation. The temple is known for its spiritual significance, and visitors can even stay at the dharamshala nearby. For wildlife lovers, the Kalagarh Tiger Reserve is an exciting place to visit. Spread across 301.80 sq. km, it is home to tigers, leopards, elephants, and many bird species. A safari through this reserve offers a chance to see these animals in their natural habitat. Lastly, food lovers can enjoy Garhwali cuisine, a mix of simple yet flavorful North Indian dishes. Local eateries serve traditional meals that perfectly match the cool weather of the hills. Lansdowne is well-connected by road, rail, and air. If one is traveling by road from Delhi, the most common route is via Meerut, Bijnor, Najibabad, and Kotdwar, covering approximately 250 km. The roads are in good condition, especially with the Delhi-Meerut Expressway making the journey smoother. Buses are also available from Delhi to Kotdwar, from where one can take a taxi or shared jeep to reach Lansdowne. The nearest railway station is in Kotdwar, about 40 km away, with several trains like the Mussoorie Express and Shatabdi Express running from Delhi. From Kotdwar, taxis and shared jeeps are available to complete the journey. If one prefers to travel by air, the nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, about 152 km away. Neemrana: A historic fort with adventure and culture Neemrana, a small town in Rajasthans Alwar district, is known for its historical significance and cultural experiences. While it may not have a long list of tourist spots, the few available activities offer a memorable experience. Credit: Wikimedia Commons The highlight of Neemrana is its Neemrana Fort-Palace, built in 1864 AD during the rule of Raja Prithvi Raj Chauhan. The fort has been converted into a heritage hotel but still retains its royal charm. Guests staying at the hotel can enjoy cultural performances organised by the Neemrana Music Foundation on weekends. These events feature classical music and dance performances by renowned artists from India and abroad, showcasing Rajasthans artistic heritage. For adventure seekers, zip lining is an exciting activity. Flying at a speed of 40 km/h, visitors can glide over five hills while enjoying an aerial view of Neemrana Fort and the surrounding town. This thrilling experience is one of the most popular activities in the area. To experience Rajasthans traditional lifestyle, visitors can take a camel ride around Neemrana Fort-Palace. Camels, once a primary mode of transport in Rajasthan, offer a glimpse into the regions cultural past. Another must-visit site is the Neemrana Baori, an ancient stepwell built for water conservation. The town is located about 122 km from Delhi, and the easiest way to reach it is by road via NH48. Several buses and taxis operate between Delhi, Jaipur, and Alwar, making the journey convenient. If one prefers traveling by train, the nearest railway station is Rewari, which is around 38 km away. From Rewari, taxis and buses are available to Neemrana. For those traveling by air, the nearest airport is Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, located approximately 108 km away. From the airport, one can hire a taxi or take a bus to reach Neemrana comfortably. Varkala: A beach town with cliffs, ayurveda, and yoga Varkala is a small beach town in Kerala, known for its stunning red sandstone cliffs that overlook the Arabian Sea. The town has a peaceful atmosphere, making it a great place for a relaxing getaway. The main attraction is Varkala Beach, also known as Papanasham Beach, where visitors can enjoy the sea breeze, take long walks along the shore, or watch the sunset. The beach is also a significant Hindu pilgrimage site, where rituals for departed souls are performed. Credit: Wikimedia Commons Apart from the beach, the 2,000-year-old Janardhana Swamy Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, is an important religious site. The beach itself is where many Hindu ceremonies take place, as people believe that bathing in its waters washes away sins. For those looking for wellness experiences, Varkala offers a range of Ayurvedic treatments and massages. Since Kerala is considered the birthplace of Ayurveda, there are many clinics and spas offering therapies for relaxation and healing. Yoga is also popular here, with several centers providing classes, retreats, and professional courses. Food lovers can explore Keralas cuisine, especially the fresh seafood dishes available at beachside eateries. Traditional meals include sambar, avial, and Kerala-style fish curry, all made with aromatic spices and coconut. The nearest airport is Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) International Airport, about 40 km away. From there, travelers can hire a taxi or take a bus to reach Varkala. By train, the Varkala-Sivagiri Railway Station is the closest stop, with direct trains from cities like Bangalore, Chennai, and Mumbai. Alternatively, travelers can take a train to Trivandrum and then continue to Varkala by local train or bus. For those driving, Varkala is accessible via National Highway 47, with regular government and private bus services from major cities in Kerala and nearby states. Araku Valley: A scenic getaway with waterfalls and tribal culture Araku Valley, located in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh, is a beautiful hill station known for its green landscapes, tribal heritage, and coffee plantations. Surrounded by forests and waterfalls, it is a perfect place for nature lovers and adventure seekers. The valley is home to the famous Borra Caves, one of Indias largest natural caves, formed by limestone deposits. These caves are known for their unique rock formations and the play of natural light filtering through openings in the ceiling. Wildlife enthusiasts may also spot golden geckos and bats inside the caves. Credit: Wikimedia Commons Katiki Falls, located near the Borra Caves, is a must-visit for trekking enthusiasts. The waterfall, formed by the River Gosthani, requires a short but scenic hike through lush greenery. The cool breeze, flowing water, and sounds of nature make it an ideal spot to relax. Another popular site is Chaparai Waterfalls, about 13 km from Araku, known for its smooth rock formations that create natural water slides. Many Telugu films have been shot here due to its picturesque setting. Tadimada Waterfalls, also called Ananthagiri Waterfalls, is another beautiful spot where water cascades from a height of 100 feet. Trekking is the best way to reach this waterfall, and while the water is not very clean for swimming, the view is breathtaking. Araku Valley is about 120 km from Visakhapatnam and can be reached by air, train, or road. The nearest airport is Visakhapatnam International Airport, from where travelers can hire a taxi or take a bus to Araku. The Araku Valley Railway Station is well connected with Visakhapatnam, offering a scenic train journey through tunnels and hills. The Vistadome train is a popular choice for travelers who want to enjoy panoramic views of the valley. By road, Araku is accessible via National Highway 516E, with regular government and private buses available. For those who prefer driving, the road trip from Visakhapatnam to Araku is scenic, passing through coffee plantations and misty hills. Chandipur: A beach where the sea disappears Chandipur is a coastal destination in Odisha, located near Balasore. It is known for its unique beach where the sea retreats up to 5 kilometers during low tide, creating an unusual "hide and seek" phenomenon. This natural wonder makes Chandipur an interesting and offbeat place to visit. Credit: Wikimedia Commons One of the main attractions here is Chandipur Beach, where visitors can walk on the seabed during low tide. Its an experience unlike any other, as the sea disappears and then slowly returns. Apart from strolling along the beach, visitors can enjoy a peaceful sunrise or sunset by the shore. For those interested in nature and wildlife, Simlipal National Park is a short journey away. This national park, once a hunting ground for local rulers, is now a protected tiger reserve with dense forests, meadows, waterfalls, and rivers. Another nearby attraction is Nilagiri Hills, home to the Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary and the historic Jagannath Temple. Panchalingeswar, located around 45 km from Chandipur, is another must-visit site. This place, nestled within the Nilgiri Hills, is known for a Shiva shrine with five statues of Lord Shiva placed along a perennial stream. It is also a great spot for trekking. If visitors wish to stay overnight, the Odisha Tourism Department provides accommodations at Panthasala. Reaching Chandipur is easy. The nearest airport is Biju Patnaik Airport in Bhubaneswar, about 212 km away. Another option is Kolkata Airport, which is 204 km away. By train, Balasore Railway Station, 16 km from Chandipur, is the closest and is well-connected to major cities. From Balasore, visitors can take a bus, auto-rickshaw, or taxi to reach the beach. Those traveling by road can take National Highway 16 to Balasore and then a local transport option to Chandipur. Regular buses and taxis are available from Bhubaneswar and Balasore, making it a convenient destination for a weekend getaway. Tawang: A himalayan town with culture and adventure Tawang, situated in Arunachal Pradesh, is a high-altitude town known for its scenic beauty and Buddhist heritage. Surrounded by snow-covered peaks, deep valleys, and ancient monasteries, it is a perfect destination for those looking for a mix of spirituality and adventure. Credit: Wikimedia Commons The main attraction here is Tawang Monastery, the largest monastery in India. Located in the Tawang River valley, the monastery stands three stories high and houses 65 residential buildings. Inside, visitors can explore an extensive library with ancient scriptures and admire the colorful murals at the entrance. The monastery offers breathtaking views of forests, the Tawang River, and snow-capped mountains. Shopping enthusiasts can visit the local handicraft centers to see traditional Thangka paintings, weaving, and wood carvings. The market is filled with colorful prayer flags, Buddha statues, and Tibetan souvenirs. Food lovers can enjoy local delicacies like momos and thukpa at the street-side stalls. For those seeking adventure, Tawang has plenty to offer. A drive through Sela Pass, located at an altitude of 13,500 feet, provides panoramic views of frozen lakes and snow-covered mountains. Sela Lake, often frozen for most of the year, adds to the charm of this journey. The pass is also dotted with several small lakes, making it a scenic stop for travelers. Reaching Tawang requires a combination of travel methods. The nearest airport is Salonibari Airport in Tezpur, Assam, about 317 km away. From Tezpur, travelers can take a bus or taxi to Tawang. The nearest railway stations are Rangapara North (350 km) and Bhalukpong (298 km). From these stations, visitors need to continue the journey by road. By road, the most common route is via Guwahati, from where buses and taxis regularly travel to Tawang. Another option is traveling to Tezpur by train or flight and then continuing to Tawang by road. The journey from Bomdila to Tawang (180 km) takes nearly 10 hours, and the roads offer stunning views along the way. Saputara: A hill station with trekking, boating, and tribal heritage Located in Gujarats Sahyadri mountains, Saputara is the states only hill station, making it a great getaway for nature lovers and adventure seekers. The place offers cool weather, green landscapes, and a peaceful lake, attracting travelers looking for a break from city life. Credit: Wikimedia Commons There are plenty of activities to enjoy in Saputara. Trekking to Sunrise Point is a popular option, offering a scenic view of the sun rising over the hills. The trek is easy and takes about an hour, making it suitable for most visitors. Another key attraction is Saputara Lake, where visitors can rent paddle boats or rowboats to enjoy a peaceful ride on the water. Boating fees start at 35 for pedal boats and 140 for four-seater boats, with rides available daily from 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM. History enthusiasts can visit Pandava Gufa, a cave believed to have been a refuge for the Pandavas during their exile in the Mahabharata. The journey to the cave involves a challenging trek, but the experience is worth the effort. For those interested in local crafts, the Artist Village is a great place to explore Warli paintings and bamboo crafts made by local artisans. Another interesting stop is the Tribal Museum, where visitors can shop for handcrafted jewelry, wooden carvings, and textiles that reflect the regions cultural heritage. The local markets are also worth exploring, especially during the monsoon season, offering fresh produce, organic honey, and handmade pickles. To reach Saputara, travelers can choose between road, rail, and air options. By road, Saputara is around 156 km from Surat and 79 km from Nashik. The best route is via the Mumbai-Nashik Highway (NH160) and then the Nashik-Vani-Saputara Road. Buses, taxis, and private vehicles are available. By train, Waghai and Bilimora are the nearest railway stations, with onward taxi or bus services to Saputara. By air, Surat Airport is the closest, while Mumbais Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is another option. From either airport, visitors can take a taxi or bus to reach Saputara. Lonar Lake: A meteor-formed crater with temples and jungle treks Located in Maharashtras Buldhana district, Lonar Lake is a rare meteorite impact crater that dates back thousands of years. Formed by a high-speed meteor weighing around two million tonnes, the crater has a diameter of 1.2 km and a depth of 150 meters. The site attracts geologists, astronomers, and archaeologists due to its unique characteristics. Ancient mythology also associates the lake with Lord Vishnu defeating a demon named Lavansur. Surrounding the lake are several temples built around the 10th century AD. Credit: Wikimedia Commons Visitors to Lonar Lake can explore the Daitya Sudan Temple, which showcases Hemadpanti-style architecture. The temples carvings depict stories from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and various Puranas. Another interesting site is the Motha Maruti Temple, which houses a 9-foot-tall Hanuman idol made of a magnetic rock. For those interested in nature and adventure, a trek through the jungle surrounding Lonar Lake is a must. The 4 km trek follows the lakes perimeter, passing through abandoned centuries-old temples hidden in the forest. The uneven terrain and small streams along the trail add to the experience, making it an exciting exploration for trekkers. By road, Lonar is a 4-hour drive from Aurangabad and about 500 km from Mumbai, taking around 10 hours. From Jalna, which is 90 km away, visitors can hire a taxi or take a bus. The nearest railway station is in Jalna, with further travel by taxi or bus. The closest airport is in Aurangabad, about 140 km from Lonar, with taxis and buses available for the onward journey. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending. After a 32-episode journey that kept fans on their toes, The First Frost has come to an end, leaving many emotional and nostalgic. The melodramatic Chinese romance drama, starring Bai Jingting and Zhang Ruonan as Sang Yan and Wen Yifan, had completely swept audiences off their feet since its February premiere. As the curtains close, fans have taken to social media to share heartfelt goodbyes and sentimental notes, thanking Sang Yan and Wen Yifan for keeping the romance alive. The First Frost kept viewers hooked from start to finish! The First Frost kept viewers hooked with its engaging story and the undeniable chemistry between the lead actors. The show takes us on a journey of love, romance, heartbreak, and longing. As a spin-off of Hidden Love, The First Frost focuses on Sang Yan, a character related to the main character of Hidden Love, Sang Zhi. What is the story of First Frost? The First Frost follows Wen Yifan, a teenager with troubled family dynamics, who ends up rejecting her first love, Sang Yan. Years later, they reunite under unprecedented circumstances, carrying the burden of their past and unspoken feelings. As fate brings them together, they end up sharing a roof, where they finally confess their feelings. Knowing neither of them ever really moved on, Wen Yifan decides to give their love a chance; however, amid this, she must confront her inner demons, which forced her to go no contact with him in the past. The First Frost finale: Fans thank Sang Yan and Wen Yifan for keeping the romance alive As one fan aptly put it, watching The First Frost felt like falling in love all over again, with the characters and their chemistry. One user wrote, "Thinking about #TheFirstFrost ending soon makes my life feel empty and... sad. The first frost has been my great-great-great company for some time. Thanks to the first frost, I feel the teenage excitement again. It feels like I'm falling in love. thinking about #TheFirstFrost ending soon makes my life feel empty and... sad. the first frost has been my great great great company for some time. thanks to the first frost, i feel the teenage excitement again. it feels like.. i'm falling in love. pic.twitter.com/37mz0sffqf (@stairrynights) March 9, 2025 Many have also thanked Sang Yan and Wen Yifan for keeping the romance alive while praising the storytelling, direction, and soundtrack. One user wrote, "Honestly, I could talk about #TheFirstFrost forever. Seriously, everyone needs to watch this. Everything about it is just perfect! The cast, the plot, the visuals, the acting, the posters, and even the soundtrack are all top-tier!!" honestly, i could talk about #TheFirstFrost forever. seriously, everyone needs to watch this. everything about it is just perfect! the cast, the plot, the visuals, the acting, the posters, even the soundtrack are all top-tier!! pic.twitter.com/IF1cqClb7M Summer. (@kissonsummer) March 7, 2025 "ROMANCE IS ALIVE AND THRIVING BECAUSE OF THEM," a third user noted. ROMANCE IS ALIVE AND THRIVING BECAUSE OF THEM#thefirstfrost pic.twitter.com/IPDjfNqTYb (@shanxeditss) March 10, 2025 "The first frost (2025) Sangyifan, you were so beautiful and heartwarming from start to end. Sang Yan, you are the standard, and Yifan, seeing your healing journey was heartbreaking but so beautiful. tff going down as my all-time favorite cdrama." the first frost (2025) sangyifan you were so beautiful and heartwarming from start to end. sang yan you are the standard and yifan seeing your healing journey was heartbreaking but so beautiful. tff going down as my all time favorite cdrama.#thefirstfrost pic.twitter.com/WmZlk0PvSl (@shanxeditss) March 10, 2025 "I know it's too early to say this,, but no cdrama is topping #TheFirstFrost this year for me," one added. I know it's too early to say this but no cdrama is topping #TheFirstFrost this year for me. pic.twitter.com/EAo4COYehs KimBratz (@Tommiez12) March 10, 2025 Where can you watch The First Frost? All 32 episodes of The First Frost are now streaming on Youku. However, to watch the last four episodes, fans will have to purchase a special early packageExpress Packageon the Youku app. The series is also streaming on Netflix in select regions, with 28 episodes already out. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. A 55-year-old suspected gunrunner, identified as Peter James, has been arrested by Delta State Police Command, along Warri-Benin Road. It was gathered that security operatives apprehended the suspect on the 3rd of March, 2025 and recovered three AK-47 rifles, 2,080 rounds of 7.62mm AK-47 from him. In a statement by Commands Spokesman, Bright Edafe, on Monday, disclosed that security agents intercepted a blue Toyota Camry with registration number PHC 257 NT, driven by the suspect. Advertisement READ MORE: Gunmen Attack Nursing Students In Delta, Steal Valuable Items He said: The driver was asked to open the trunk of the vehicle, during which officers observed that the trunk of the Camry, popularly known as Big Daddy, was unusually small. This aroused suspicion, leading the officers to believe the vehicle had been modified for illegal purposes. The operatives proceeded to remove the vehicles seat, only to discover the hidden weapons. The policemen then proceeded and removed the seat of the vehicle, only to discover three (3) AK-47 rifles, Two Thousand and Eighty (2,080) rounds of 7. 62 mm AK-47 ammunition, one thousand and forty (1,040) rounds of 51mm ammunition loaded in four boxes. The exhibits have been recovered, and the suspect is in custody while an investigation is ongoing. Nasir El-Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna State and a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has made a shocking move by defecting to the Social Democratic Party (SDP). El-Rufai cited a growing disconnect between his personal values and the APCs current direction as the reason for his departure. He expressed disappointment over the APCs trajectory, stating that recent developments have undermined democratic principles and progressive values. In a press statement released via his facebook handle on Monday El-Rufai had this to say: As a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), I have fond memories of working with other compatriots to negotiate the merger of political parties that created the APC. It had been my hope since 2013 that my personal values and that of the APC will continue to align up to the time I choose to retire from politics. Advertisement Developments in the last two years confirm that there is no desire on the part of those who currently control and run the APC to acknowledge, much less address, the unhealthy situation of the party. On my part, I have raised concerns in private and, more recently, in public regarding the capricious trajectory of the party. Therefore, at this point in my political journey, I have come to the conclusion that I must seek another political platform for the pursuit of the progressive values I cherish. Founders rightly feel attached towards institutions they helped create, but one must be pragmatic enough to admit when a divergence appears unbridgeable. I have diligently served the APC and made my contributions to its viability as a political platform, but I recognize that the party has since strayed and left me stuck in the vision of its well-meaning founding fathers and mothers. As a loyal party man, I worked to help secure the APCs election victories in 2015, 2019 and 2023. I was one of the many governors elected on the partys platform in 2015 and 2019, that stood for certain democratic and progressive principles to advance nation-building. My eight-year tenure in Kaduna State was devoted to implementing progressive policies to advance human development in education and healthcare, as well as expand infrastructure, promote equality of opportunity, create jobs and attract investments. These records count for little in the current APC that has castrated its organs and treated its membership with contempt in the last two years. I find this no longer acceptable. Today, 10th March 2025, I have submitted a letter resigning my membership of the APC to my ward in Kaduna, effective immediately. Prior to this step, I had concluded consultations with my mentors, colleagues and loyalists across the country about the future. I have now decided to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and adopt it as the platform for our future political engagements and activities. Without prejudice to this decision, as a member of the SDP, I will focus on engaging with and persuading other opposition leaders and parties to join us and congregate under a unified democratic platform to challenge the APC in all elections and bye-elections between now and 2027 by the Grace of God. I therefore call on all our supporters and other persons concerned about our countrys future to join us in the SDP in the journey towards making Nigeria flourish as a beacon of pride for Africans and the Black Race. A petroleum tanker loaded with approximately 45,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, went up in flames in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Sunday after the driver lost control and crashed into a forest. The incident was said to have occurred at Onipe Village, near Idi Ayunre, along the IbadanAbeokuta Road. The General Manager of the Oyo State Fire Service, Yemi Akinyinka, confirmed the incident when contacted. Advertisement READ MORE: Church Member Arrested Over Kidnapping Of Two Catholic Priests In Adamawa Akinyinka stated that no casualties were recorded. He said, The fire incident was reported at exactly 08:05 hours on Sunday, 9th March 2025. As soon as the address was taken, fire personnel led by ACFS Olubunmi were swiftly deployed to the scene. On arrival, it was discovered that a petrol tanker, loaded with 45,000 litres of fuel, had lost control while in motion, swerved off the road into the forest, and caught fire. We quickly swung into action and were able to contain the fire in time with the aid of a foam chemical compound. No casualties were recorded, but the fire affected the petrol tanker. The presence of the Nigerian police from Idi Ayunre Division, as well as a group of Agbekoya, was also acknowledged for providing security cover. Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, has announced plans to unite opposition leaders against the All Progressives Congress (APC) in future elections. He intends to persuade opposition leaders to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP), in a bid to challenge the APCs dominance. This move is seen as a strategic effort to build a strong opposition front against the ruling party. El-Rufais decision is likely to have significant implications for Nigerias political landscape, as the SDP could potentially become a major force in the countrys politics Advertisement In a statement announcing his resignation from the APC on Monday, El-Rufai had this to say: Developments in the last two years confirm that there is no desire on the part of those who currently control and run the APC to acknowledge, much less address, the unhealthy situation of the party. Without prejudice to this decision, as a member of the SDP, I will focus on engaging with and persuading other opposition leaders and parties to join us and congregate under a unified democratic platform to challenge the APC in all elections and bye-elections between now and 2027 by the Grace of God, he said. I, therefore, call on all our supporters and other persons concerned about our countrys future to join us in the SDP in the journey towards making Nigeria flourish as a beacon of pride for Africans and the Black Race. Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party in 2023 general elections, Prince Adewole Adebayo has welcomed former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai to the party. Recall that INFORMATION NIGERIA had earlier reported that El-Rufai, a founding member of the All Progressives Congress, announced his defection to SDP. The former Kaduna governor cited growing misalignment between his personal values and the current direction of the APC as the primary reason for his decision. Advertisement Reacting to the development in a statement via his X page on Monday, Prince Adebayo, noted that with someone like El-Rufai joining SDP, it was time to liberate Nigerians from the shackles of poverty and insecurity into which the APC has put them over the years. He said: On behalf of the teeming members of the @TheSDPNg and patriotic democrats who believe in Nigeria and her promise of inevitable greatness, I heartily welcome my dear brother @elrufai to our party. With the hardworking and sagacious Mallam joining our ranks, an avid worker for the people has been enlisted in our forces against poverty and insecurity. READ MORE: El-Rufai Dumps APC, Joins SDP In Shocking Move Now is the time for us to put our collective shoulders behind the efforts to fulfil Chapter 2 of the Constitution and rescue Nigerians from bad governance and underdevelopment to restore #HopeAgain 2027 to the suffering masses callously left behind in the locust years of the @OfficialAPCNg and its co-traveller @OfficialPDPNig. All genuine democrats and true nationalists who believe in order, decency and honesty are welcome to the @TheSDPNg where we are governed by law, not men, constitution not constipation of money or personal ambition. Good politics begets good governance. Let no one sit on the fence any further. There is no time to waste. Join us on the March Again! God bless Nigeria. Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has called for a transparent investigation into an ongoing dispute between Senator Godswill Akpabio and his colleague, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. Reacting to a development, calling for a transparent and open process to investigate allegations levelled against Senator Akpabio, which the Lawmaker saw as an attempt to remove a Niger Delta person from office, Saraki described the claim as a cheap politics and trivialising of a serious issue. In a statement by Yusuph Olaniyonu, the head of his media office in Abuja, on Sunday, the former senate president urged Akpabio to carefully read his press statement dated March 1, 2025, to understand that there was no suggestion of the Senate Presidents resignation. Advertisement Saraki argued that handling such allegations with transparency is crucial to preserving the Senates credibility. He warned against exploiting ethnic and political divisions, urging Akpabio to focus on ensuring justice is done. The statement reads: Ordinarily, Dr. Saraki would have ignored the statement as a sign of the times in which we now live. However, its underlying motive of politicising and trivialising a serious issue that threatens the integrity, credibility, and importance of the legislature is the reason why we think we should not allow the Senate President to create a misleading impression of the issue at stake in the all-important institution that the National Assembly represents in our democracy. READ MORE: Saraki Urges Transparent Probe Into Akpoti-Uduaghans Allegations Against Akpabio Dr. Saraki in his last comment on the Akpabio-Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan crisis never called on the Senate President to resign or step aside. Rather, he urged the Senate President to be conscious of the fact that perception is reality and therefore he should avoid treating the allegations by the Senator in a manner that will create the perception that the Senate as an institution is trying to cover up issues bordering on sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and abuse of office. Also, Dr. Saraki made it clear that his intervention was neither about Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan nor whether her claim was right or not. He stated that since the Senator has gone public with such serious allegations against the presiding officer, the image of the institution should be saved through an honest, sincere, open, transparent, and unbiased investigation. In that press statement, he also pointed out that there are already existing processes recommended in the Constitution, laws of the land, Senate rules, conventions, and precedents to be followed in carrying out such investigation. Joe Igbokwe, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has made a bold claim that President Bola Tinubu owns the Social Democratic Party (SDP). This statement comes on the heels of Nasir El-Rufai, a founding father of the APC and former governor of Kaduna State, defecting to the SDP. El-Rufai cited the APCs failure to address its internal issues as the reason for his departure. Igbokwes claim suggests that Tinubus influence extends beyond the APC, and that ignoring him could have significant consequences. This development has significant implications for Nigerias political landscape, particularly with the 2027 elections on the horizon. Advertisement Reacting to the development, Igbokwe had this to say , I urge those nursing presidential ambitions in 2027 under the SDP to understand that Tinubu owns the party. If indeed SDP is still alive and kicking in Nigeria, then know the truth and have inner peace: PBAT is the owner. Ignore him to your own peril. I remember our SDP of 1993 and the late Chief MKO Abiola, In another post, the APC chieftain said President Tinubu was a Senator under SDP in 1993. Go and investigate and verify. He is the owner of SDP. Pennsylvania State University stands as the only state-related school without a faculty union, and now some faculty there want to change that. Faculty concern about the universitys decisions began to accelerate during the pandemic and have continued to mount as the administration makes budget cuts and prepares to close some of its Commonwealth campuses, faculty say. A seeming lack of shared governance, salary and workload inequities across campuses, and transparency are among other concerns cited by faculty involved in the effort. Advertisement A website has gone up, with the group calling itself the Penn State Faculty Alliance and announcing an affiliation with the Service Employees International Union. READ MORE: Penn State plans to close some Commonwealth campuses We believe in a just, effectively run university that respects and values all faculty, the group states on its website. This is achieved through a strong, democratic, member-led union that gives Penn State faculty members at every campus a much-needed voice and an active role in decision-making. The group is gathering signatures it needs 30% of eligible faculty to sign on and intends to submit an application to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor. Penn State campuses employ more than 7,800 faculty. If the signatures are secured, an election vote would follow. And if approved by a majority, a union would be formed. Graduate student workers also are attempting to form a union and have already filed with the labor department, but there is disagreement over the inclusion of research assistants and that means a hearing process is likely. The three other state-related universities in Pennsylvania Temple, the University of Pittsburgh, and Lincoln already have faculty unions. Temples has existed for more than 50 years and its graduate student workers have been unionized for nearly 25 years. Lincolns formed in 1972. Pitts is more recent. It was established in 2021. Faculty at Rutgers, New Jerseys flagship university, are unionized, too. So are the 10 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. READ MORE: Penn State aims to grow University Park enrollment as population at other campuses wanes The Penn State administration in a statement said it was aware of the unionization efforts. We respect the rights of our employees to share their opinions on this issue, the school said. We greatly value the teaching, research and service work of all our faculty members and are committed to an open and respectful dialogue. Unrest has been growing among some faculty as the university makes cuts to close a deficit by this summer. An attempt to hold a vote of no confidence in Penn State president Neeli Bendapudi was tabled at a faculty senate meeting last week. Also at that meeting. Bendapudi laid out plans to close some of the Commonwealth campuses. Just how many campuses is uncertain, but none will close before the end of the 2026-27 year. Twelve of the 20 campuses Beaver, DuBois, Fayette, Greater Allegheny, Hazleton, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Schuylkill, Shenango, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and York are under consideration for closure. They will be evaluated by a team led by several top administrators appointed by Bendapudi; she expects to make a decision before commencement in May. READ MORE: At Penn State, 21% of eligible employees at its Commonwealth campuses took a buyout At the faculty senate meeting, some faculty expressed concern that Bendapudi said she intended to make the decision on which campuses to close rather than rely on the universitys shared governance system. While I respect and value the role of shared governance, this particular decision is an administrative one that I will make, Bendapudi said in her announcement. This is again one more time that faculty and our consultation and advisory role has not been considered, said Julio Palma, an associate professor of chemistry at Fayette in Western Pennsylvania, one of the campuses being considered for closure. Its just one more example that we actually need a union. Palma was the faculty member who made the motion to hold a no-confidence vote in Bendapudi at the meeting. Problems existed even before Bendapudi, faculty said. Some faculty were concerned about the universitys decision to bring students back for in-person classes in fall 2020 and remain open even after coronavirus cases spiked. Some objected to the university not requiring the vaccine once it was available. That was a clear moment when there was a complete disregard of the faculty, a complete disregard of the uncertainties and risks, Palma said. He said he joined faculty senate with the hope that faculty could have a stronger voice in decision making, but found that its not enough. He intends to continue to serve on that body and offer his opinions, but believes that a union is the only way to ensure adequate input, he said. Faculty hope to secure better wages and benefits, job security protections, and a greater role in decision making. They want full and part-time, tenure, and non-tenure faculty to be included as members and believe all campuses would be involved except for the medical school faculty at Hershey, according to the groups website. Over multiple administrations, we have experienced summary changes to our health care benefits and premiums, reorganizations of university structures, a hastily launched [voluntary separation agreements], new budget models and processes that have sown confusion and fear throughout our community, and an othering of our Commonwealth campuses, the alliance said on its website. What we need instead is stability, transparency, and a guaranteed voice in shared decision-making. University of Pennsylvania officials have ordered a hiring freeze and 5% reduction in non-compensation expenses. Read more The University of Pennsylvania has ordered a hiring freeze and other economies as the university braces for the impact of potential federal funding cuts under President Donald Trumps administration. The changes are effective immediately, and until further notice, according to an email sent to staff Monday and obtained by The Inquirer. Advertisement The belt tightening at the citys largest employer comes as universities nationwide cope with a downturn in finances because of shifting winds in Washington. Columbia University, for instance, lost $400 million; Trump administration officials said the cuts came because it believed the university had not adequately addressed antisemitism. Harvard University, also an Ivy League school like Penn and Columbia, announced a hiring freeze Monday as well. In the email, Penn provost John L. Jackson Jr. and Craig Carnaroli, the universitys senior executive vice president, said the university would implement a freeze on staff hiring, except for critical positions, student workers, and those funded by active grants or restricted sources. Officials also instituted a 5% reduction in non-compensation expenses. Schools and Centers should carefully review budgets and limit nonessential spending, the officials wrote. This applies to the remainder of the current fiscal year and for fiscal year 2026. They also ordered a freeze on staff midyear salary adjustments and reviews of capital spending and faculty hiring. Jackson and Carnaroli said that they were only allowing searches that Schools deem essential to their missions and their highest critical priorities. Penns schools have already begun budgeting and forecasting for the 2025-26 academic year, they said, including making difficult decisions regarding graduate admissions. Penn stands to lose $250 million in federal money as a result of a Trump administration order capping National Institutes of Health spending on funds tied to university and medical institution research. In reaction, the university has already announced a plan to cut incoming doctoral student admissions by a third. Many Penn researchers have already received stop work orders, and additional federal proposals could affect student loans and increase the excise tax on endowments. Although the extent and final impact of these policies will not be known for several months, the direction is clear, and we are already experiencing reduced funding, Jackson and Carnaroli wrote, adding that they are lobbying elected officials and industry representatives to underscore the critical role federal funding plays in fulfilling our mission and benefiting society. Officials acknowledged the strain that these policies put on our community and the uncertainties surrounding their timing and impact. In moments like these, we are guided by our core principles: protecting our missions, sustaining our culture, supporting our people, and judiciously managing our resources. Penn has weathered difficult financial times in the recent past including the pandemic and 2008 financial crisis. The scope and pace of the possible disruptions we face may make them more severe than those of previous challenges, Jackson and Carnaroli said. With careful financial management, however, Penn is well-positioned to navigate them. A Penn spokesperson said the hiring freeze and cuts pertain only to the university; the health systems finances are managed separately. Like other health systems across the country, UPHS has faced significant financial headwinds dating back to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the spokesperson said. Rising costs associated with labor and supplies as well as changes to reimbursement patterns, among other factors, have necessitated long-term cost containment and re-investment strategies to ensure a sharp focus on providing exceptional patient care and sustained support of the workforce. Girard Avenues Crime & Punishment Brewing is closing April 12, the Brewerytown business announced last week. Owner and brewer Mike Paul cited a combination of strained finances and exhaustion in the decision to close the tiny rowhouse brewery after a 10-year run. Every pallet of grain, every pallet of cans, we have to disassemble and carry inside one bag at a time into the basement and then back up to brew beer with which was fine when I was 25, said Paul, who is now 37. Advertisement Crime & Punishment launched in 2015, with seven owners (five remain). It was the first brewery to open in Brewerytown since the short-lived Red Bell Brewing closed in 2002. The neighborhood got its name around the turn of the 20th century, when more than a dozen breweries operated in the wedge of the city between 25th and 33rd Streets and Girard and Glenwood Avenues. When the Russian literature-inspired brewery came online, Philly and the rest of the country were in the midst of a craft beer boom breweries opened at a rate of 1.5 a day in 2014, according to the Brewers Association. Crime & Punishments brewers, Mike Paul and Mike Wambolt, met during the heady days of Philly Beer Week, which at the time animated bars across the city and attracted top breweries from around the world. The event still exists today (it kicks off May 30 this year) but is a shadow of its former self. Paul emphasized how drastically the culture around alcohol has shifted in a decade in an interview with The Inquirer. The drinking landscape has changed. Theres all these other options, like ready-to-drink mixed drinks in cans, wine and cider and craft liquor and non-alcoholic beverages, he said. People are just drinking and consuming alcohol with a different mentality. If macro beer was our dads beer I think maybe beer, or alcohol in general, is like dads thing to the younger generation, he said, alluding to other craft breweries that have closed in the area. Over 10 years, Crime & Punishment cranked out more than 500 batches of beer from its 7-barrel brewhouse including memorable hits like Disturbing the Beets, a wild ale tinted with beet juice; the Grod Inquisitor, a Polish-style sour made with oak-smoked wheat; and Space Race, a hazy IPA brewed with oats. Its small kitchen served up Eastern European dishes, like homemade pelmeni (dumplings), kielbasa sandwiches, and pickle bowls. Producing just 350 barrels of beer per year, the neighborhood brewery never aspired to get into distribution something that has led other breweries to overextend themselves financially. We werent really interested in this sort of ever-expanding brewery, Paul said. We were just gonna be a brewpub with the Russian-flair food and beers over the bar. But the rising popularity canned beer, abetted by Instagram posts of cleverly designed labels, convinced Paul and Wambolt (who left the area a couple years ago) to invest in a canning line. [We] were working to build a canning line at one point, and then over COVID we actually just bought one, Paul said. But the margin on pints over the bar is really where craft beer does well, and canning it is just very inefficient. Perpetually up-and-coming Brewerytown has also changed, Paul said. There was always a lot of talk probably unrealistic that [Brewerytown] was the next Northern Liberties or Fishtown, he said, adding that he has seen much more development in the last three or four years. In the last six months, the neighborhood got an acclaimed bakery and a much-anticipated Filipino all-day cafe, which build on momentum created by small businesses like Rybrew sandwich and bottle shop, Ottos Taproom & Grille, Cafe Don Pedro coffee roasters, Spot Burgers, and Together Skateboarding & Coffee. The uptick in development hasnt necessarily helped the brewerys business, though. Brewerytown was a very affordable, nice post-college spot for a lot of people but I think that all changed with the development that happened. A lot of the people that are living there now, I really dont see them coming into Crime & Punishment, Paul said. Maybe theyre there because of being close to Fairmount Park, or access to 76 [or downtown] I think its a different kind of person thats moving in thats maybe not interested in the Girard Avenue culture. Paul has seen the closure coming for about a year and a half; he informed staff two months ago of the timeline for winding down the business. He and the remaining four other owners are selling the property at 2711 W. Girard Ave. (He declined to provide details on the buyer.) Once again, Brewerytown will be without a brewery. Crime & Punishment did offer a lot to that neighborhood, said Paul, who is planning a career change and looking forward to spending more time with his family. I feel kind of sad that its gonna not be there for people. Muhammad Abdul-Hadi outside of Down North Pizza, 2804 Lehigh Ave., which he conceived in 2017 and opened in 2021. Read more More than a decade ago, Muhammad Abdul-Hadi was working at addiction treatment centers and developing real estate. He thought he could combine his two lines of work by employing some of his clients to renovate properties, helping to keep them out of the criminal justice system. In 2015, Abdul-Hadi bought a ramshackle, three-story storefront in the citys Strawberry Mansion section, one of the poorest areas of the city. He didnt quite know what he would do with it. But it was on busy Lehigh Avenue, next to a Free Library branch. In 2017, he decided that it could work as a takeout pizzeria and that it would exclusively employ previously incarcerated people. Advertisement Abdul-Hadi said he chose pizza because I didnt see too many Blacks in pizza. I thought a lot of times, we limit ourselves to certain genres of food. I wanted to shatter ceilings in different ways. I was looking at how we could potentially penetrate this market and help some people out. He had no prior experience in restaurants, but when someone says I cant do something, Im going to show you I can do it 10 times more, he said. By all measures, Down North Pizza has been a success since opening in March 2021. Its core staff of six has had few turnovers, Abdul-Hadi said. And the shop has won acclaim not only for its social mission but for its crispy-edged, Detroit-inspired square pizzas. It was among three Philadelphia restaurants cited in November 2021 by the New York Times in a roundup of the 50 most vibrant and delicious restaurants in the United States. Last year, Abdul-Hadi and the Down North Foundation received a Leadership Award from the James Beard Foundation. Now, Abdul-Hadi is telling his story and that of Down North in the new We the Pizza, a cookbook that showcases executive chef Mike Carters recipes along with anecdotes, facts about the criminal justice system, and even a Spotify playlist. David Joachim, who works with Marc Vetri on his books, collaborated with Abdul-Hadi on the book. Amurri Lauren, a local photographer, captured the people, food, and street scenes. The book has been in the works since late 2021, when Raquel Pelzel, then editorial director of cookbooks for Clarkson Potter and now at Voracious, spotted Down North in a Bon Appetit article. I just thought the story was incredible, and Muhammad seemed like such an amazing leader and doing something that was so great for his community, Pelzel said. Then I actually went to Philly and tried the pizza and I was just like, Im done, Pelzel said. Theres so many layers to this book. Id really love readers to fall in love with it multiple times over obviously, its a pizza book and user-friendly. But then you also start reading the stories, and then you fall into the backstory of the people who work there, and then the third layer is obviously the ticker at the bottom. Rather than arrange stories and statistics about the U.S. incarceration system in the back or front matter, blurbs appear at the bottom of some pages. Its probably one of the most important books Ive ever worked on in my life, Pelzel said. Down Norths launch in 2021 generated plenty of media coverage. But few people knew that at the time Abdul-Hadi was himself recently caught inside the justice system. In We the Pizza, Abdul-Hadi relates how he pleaded guilty to insurance fraud in 2020, just a few months before Down Norths soft opening. For a year, he had to live alone, associate with few people, and charge his ankle monitor in the outlet next to Down Norths deep-fryer. Abdul-Hadi, now 39, grew up in West Philadelphia in what he calls privilege not financial privilege, he said in an interview. Its the privilege of having two parents in a household growing up. His father, Khalil, who died in 2011, was a mechanical engineer and counseled inmates at Holmesburg Prison. In 2015, around the time he bought Down Norths building, Abdul-Hadi started a company called Legacy House to provide housing and support for the clients of Liberty Way, an addiction treatment center based in Bucks County. After only a few years, Legacy House grew to 13 locations. Meanwhile, Abdul-Hadis real estate business, Prestige Worldwide, was renovating properties throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania. He enrolled in the criminal justice program at Temple University to learn more about the system, and in May 2018, he received his bachelors degree. The insurance-fraud indictment, in March 2019, came clear out of nowhere, he writes in We the Pizza. The Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office accused Abdul-Hadi and 10 other people of fraud for illegally directing clients to live at the homes as part of their treatment. The state alleged that Liberty Way clients were trapped in a cycle of ineffective treatments and near-inevitable relapse as the company made tens of millions of dollars from insurance reimbursements and kickbacks. I was just a contractor in the situation, but it seems I was doing business with the wrong people, Abdul-Hadi writes. In June 2020, Abdul-Hadi accepted a deal in which he paid $500,000 restitution and served a year of house arrest and five years probation, according to court records. I had firsthand knowledge of how hard it is to get back on your feet after incarceration, he writes. At the time, restaurants were failing all over because of the pandemic. Yet giving up on Down North was not an option, he writes. Quite the opposite. My indictment and house arrest only strengthened my resolve to get this pizza shop open. That fall, Down North began doing pop-ups to test the concept. When it opened officially, Abdul-Hadi said in an interview, he avoided the spotlight because I dont really care about a lot of the other stuff that people care about. Im the owner. I was so focused on the strides that we were making and the impact that Down North was having that I let certain things slip away on the media side. Whats important now is that we are still here, and we are still thriving, Abdul-Hadi said. As long as we are still doing what were doing, making great pizza and being a social beacon, then Down North is Down North. And thats the goal. The cookbook portion of We the Pizza is all about Carter, 39, who joined Down North in 2020 after he was laid off from V Street, a vegan restaurant in Center City that closed during the pandemic. He and Abdul-Hadi were inspired by Philadelphia songs while naming the pizzas the plain cheese is No Betta Love, after the Young Gunz hit, and the vegetable-topped Uptown Vibes was conceived as the song by North Philly native Meek Mill was charting in 2020. In We the Pizza, Carter writes that Daniel Gutter, owner of Circles & Squares and Pizza Plus, taught me his square-pie dough, but wanting it lighter and fluffier, along with more flavor from the cheese, Carter took what the Gut showed me and made it my own. But this wasnt his first pizza effort. While serving 7 years in a state prison in western Pennsylvania for aggravated assault, Carter created crude doughs in his cell by mixing crushed ramen noodles and Cheez-Its in potato chip bags and cooking them in a stinger pot fired by bare electrical wires. (He includes the recipe in the book with the warning: Do not try this at home.) Making pizza, he writes, is his way of showing how he is succeeding. Weve become like a destination spot for people that hit the city, Carter said last week at Down North, where he said about a third of the customers are from the neighborhood. Theyre always saying, Why dont you put it downtown? I say, Why dont you all come to Strawberry Mansion? Believe it or not, a lot of people from out of town, I tell them to grab their pizza and go to the park, said Carter, referring to Fairmount Park, just blocks from the shop. Weve got the biggest inner-city park in the country. I had a guy come back and said, Yo, youre right. Besides accolades, Down North has attracted powerful allies from academia (Celeste Winston of Temple), the business world (Triple Bottom Brewing, Eastern State Penitentiary, the Juvenile Justice Service Center), and the culinary world. Carter and the rest of Down Norths crew have collaborated with chefs such as Mike Solomonov of Zahav, Marc Vetri of Vetri Cucina, Marcus Samuelsson of Red Rooster, Cristina Martinez of South Philly Barbacoa/Casa Mexico, and Reem Assil of Reems California, boosting the shops visibility. (Some of the chefs also lent recipes featured on Down Norths menu and in We the Pizza.) There is more on the way from Abdul-Hadi and Carter, who say they are preparing to open a second restaurant, in West Philadelphia, with the same mission. It will not be a pizzeria, Abdul-Hadi said, but he hopes it will repeat Down Norths success in every way. Im a for-profit business, so I need to make money, but thats not the fulfilling part for me, Abdul-Hadi said. Down North changed my life because I have an opportunity to change others lives. Thats the transformative thing for me. The thing that keeps me going is seeing the guys and women doing good and also excelling in life. This story has been updated to adjust a number of details with respect to Down Norths history, Carters work with Gutter, and to correct a misspelling of Abdul-Hadis first name. Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland was close to being closed by Prospect Medical Holdings, but funding from the Foundation for Delaware County will keep it open for an unspecified amount of time. Read more A bankruptcy hearing Tuesday morning in Dallas is expected to reveal details of the weekend deal that provided short-term funding to prevent an abrupt closure of Delaware Countys Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital. The Foundation for Delaware County agreed Sunday to provide an undisclosed amount of money to keep Crozer from closing as soon as this week, according to a joint statement from the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office and the foundation, issued after a six-hour meeting in Harrisburg. The foundation was created to support health needs in the community as part of the health systems 2016 acquisition by Prospect Medical Holdings, a for-profit based in California. Advertisement The statement said the short-term funding would keep Crozer Health open for the immediate future while permanent restructuring of the system is solidified, but it did not specify for how long. At a bankruptcy hearing last week, Crozers bankrupt owner, Prospect Medical Holdings, said it would no longer pay the 3,200 doctors, nurses, and others who work for Delaware Countys largest health-care provider past this Friday. This is the second time an infusion of cash forestalled Prospects closure of Delaware Countys largest health system, which has a vital safety-net function in an area that doesnt have easily accessible alternatives. Last month, Delaware County and the state agreed to provide $20 million that was supposed to keep Crozer open for 30 days while officials worked on clearing a path for a transition of Crozer to a new nonprofit operator. State and local officials havent shared any evidence of progress toward that goal, which would require a new operator to take on the significant financial liabilities that Crozer has accumulated under Prospect. Community foundation in a pivotal role The Foundation for Delaware County received $55 million from Prospects acquisition of the former nonprofit Crozer-Keystone Health System, but only after suing Prospect to force the company to pay what it owned under the sale agreement. As what is called a nonprofit conversion foundation, the independent organizations purpose is to preserve charitable assets and to serve the health and well-being of local residents. But last week, after Prospect said in court that it was starting the closure process, the foundation came under intense pressure. Gov. Josh Shapiro, other local elected officials, the Crozer nurses union, and even the bankruptcy judge urged it to provide money to keep Crozer open beyond March 14. The governors office and the AGs office did not answer questions from The Inquirer Sunday about whether officials had also tried to get money for Crozer from Sam Lee and David Topper, two Prospect owners and executives who collected $160 million in dividends funded by debt that was loaded onto Prospect hospitals, including those in Delaware County. Prospects financial management has impacted patient care, according to a letter a dozen of Crozers chief medical residents sent Friday to U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Stacey Jernigan on behalf of the health systems 135 doctors-in-training. We watched our colleagues leave when the surgical residency was dissolved, had inconsistent supplies of drinking water in certain offices, witnessed ceiling tiles collapsing in outdated offices, and spent hours making calls to get results on even urgent radiology studies, according to the letter from chiefs of family medicine, internal medicine, emergency medicine, obstetrics-gynecology, and psychiatry. At a state legislative hearing Monday at Neumann University in Aston, Joyann Kroser, president of Crozers medical staff and a gastroenterologist, told elected officials on the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee about the diminished resources at Crozer since Prospect took over. We used to be at least 10 physicians, and now we have three, Kroser said of the Crozer gastroenterology group. Prospect also has not consistently invested in needed equipment, said Kroser, who works primarily in Crozers Brinton Lakes outpatient facility. Were working with equipment that is at least two generations behind in some facilities, she said. Student negotiator Mahmoud Khalil, shown at the Columbia University campus in New York at a pro-Palestinian protest encampment on April 29, 2024, was arrested Saturday. Read more ICE arrested the Palestinian student activist who helped organize Columbia Universitys solidarity encampment on campus last year. Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student until December, was inside campus housing Saturday night when several Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers entered and took him into custody, according to his attorney. Advertisement Agents told Khalils attorney that they were revoking Khalils green card. He is legally considered a permanent resident. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed Khalils arrest and said it was in fulfillment of President Donald Trumps executive orders prohibiting antisemitism. The Trump administration says the nationwide protests in solidarity with Gaza are antisemitic rather than First Amendment-protected demonstrations in solidarity with Palestinians. It marks the first publicly known deportation effort under Trumps promised crackdown on students who joined the protests against the war last spring. Heres what we know. Who is Mahmoud Khalil? Khalil was a graduate student at Columbias School of International and Public Affairs and received his masters degree last semester. He was born in Syria, is a permanent U.S. resident with a green card, and is married. He and his wife are expecting a child this spring. They live in a university-owned apartment complex near campus. Khalil played a key role as a student negotiator, bargaining with university officials over an end to the tent encampment erected on campus last spring. It made him one of the most visible activists of the movement, prompting calls from pro-Israel activists in recent weeks for the Trump administration to begin deportation proceedings against him. Why did ICE arrest Khalil? ICE agents told Khalils attorney, Amy Greer, that they were acting on State Department orders to revoke his student visa. When Greer told the agents Khalil doesnt have a student visa and that he is a permanent president with a green card, an agent on the phone told Greer theyd revoke that instead. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said the arrest was directly connected to Khalils role in the protests, alleging he led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. What happened during the arrest? The ICE agents confronted Khalil and his wife when they entered the couples apartment building. They reportedly told Khalils wife who is in her eighth month of pregnancy that theyd arrest her if she didnt leave her husband and go to their apartment, according to Zeteo. Agents refused to initially tell Greer why Khalil was being detained and at one point hung up on the attorney, she said. What does Trumps executive order against antisemitism say? In January, Trump signed an executive order against antisemitism that targeted what he described as Hamas sympathizers on college campuses. Trump said the order mandates action to protect Jewish students from discrimination and lays out how some student protests could be considered efforts to support terrorism. Critics say equating students expressing solidarity with Gaza to an act of terrorism is extremely dangerous and that Trumps executive order is an overreach and unconstitutional. Trump has also threatened to revoke federal funding from universities that allow what he has called illegal protests on campus. What has Columbia said about Khalils arrest? A Columbia University spokesperson said law enforcement agents must produce a warrant before entering university property. The spokesperson wouldnt say if the school had received a warrant ahead of Khalils arrest. They declined to comment on Khalils detention. On Friday, the Trump administration pulled $400 million in funding from Columbia University, along with nine other universities that had pro-Gaza demonstrations, claiming the schools failed to take steps against antisemitism. Where is Khalil now? Greer, Khalils attorney, said she was told he was being held at an immigration detention facility in Elizabeth, N.J. But when Khalils wife tried to visit Sunday, she learned he was not there. Greer said she still did not know Khalils whereabouts as of Sunday night. We have not been able to get any more details about why he is being detained, Greer told the Associated Press. This is a clear escalation. The administration is following through on its threats. According to ICEs online detainee tracker, as of Monday morning Khalil was being held in a detention center in Louisiana. Can green cards be revoked? In a message shared on X Sunday evening, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported. Trumps administration has claimed that protest participants forfeited their right to remain in the country by supporting Hamas. The Department of Homeland Security can initiate deportation proceedings against green card holders for a broad range of alleged criminal activity, including supporting a terror group. But the detention of a legal permanent resident who has not been charged with a crime marks an extraordinary move with an uncertain legal foundation, immigration experts say. The Associated Press contributed to this article. A health-care worker vaccinates a man at a community COVID-19 vaccination clinic run by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health in West Philadelphia in February 2021. Read more Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the name of the organization that hired Coleman. It was PMHCC Inc. The Inquirer regrets the error. A former employee of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health sued the city, alleging that she was targeted after reporting concerns of racial inequity in the departments COVID-19 response, hiring, and leadership Advertisement Dianna Coleman, who was recently named Block Captain of the Year by the Philadelphia Citizen news website alongside Citizen of the Year and Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts, filed the federal complaint in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on Tuesday. She accuses the health department of racial discrimination, retaliation, and creating a hostile work environment, and asks for damages in excess of $150,000. The lawsuit dusts up racial equity criticism of the citys early COVID-19 testing and vaccination response, which led to the rise of Ala Stanfords Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium as a way to fill the gap in predominantly Black neighborhoods. Public uproar reached a fever pitch with the Philly Fighting COVID scandal in which the city handed a large chunk of its early vaccine distribution program to self-described college kids with minimal health care qualifications who failed to disclose a for-profit arm. Coleman worked at the department of health in various capacities related to COVID-19 mitigation starting in June 2020, according to her LinkedIn profile. She was terminated in March 2022 after multiple instances in which she expressed to leadership her dissatisfaction with lack of improvement in closing racial disparities for COVID-19 services, according to the lawsuit. The complaint alleges that Coleman was terminated because of her race. Due to the exclusion and silencing of Black and Brown leaders by the Department of Public Health, we as employees were treated inequitably, faced microaggressions, and the distribution of testing and vaccinations in our communities suffered, Coleman said in a statement through her attorney. Despite my ongoing advocacy and request for leadership to meet with us, we were ignored, and those who insisted that inequities and disparities be addressed were targeted. The city declined to comment. Coleman, who has a masters degree in public health, was hired through the PMHCC Inc., a human services company,to work at a unit formed to mitigate the spread of coronavirus in Philadelphia through measures such as testing and contact tracing, the complaint says. Shortly after joining the department, Coleman reported concerns about racial disparities in the distribution of services like COVID-19 testing, according to the complaint. In response, she was verbally admonished in a meeting, the complaint says. Throughout her employment, Coleman raised concerns about the inequitable distribution of COVID-19 services and resources, the complaint said. For example, in March 2021 she emailed then-Health Commissioner Thomas Farley saying that concerns of Black and brown staffers, and their suggestion to improve equity, fall on deaf ears. I am frustrated and increasingly discouraged by the lack of planning and execution and displaced leadership to address inequities that continue to persist, she wrote in the email to Farley, according to the complaint. Coleman also reported concerns to health department leadership about lack of diversity in hiring, improper storage of vaccines, staff distributing vaccines to family and friends, and experiencing microaggressions from white managers and staff. And while her concerns and suggestions for improvement were ignored, according to the complaint, she formed plans for COVID-19 prevention in educational facilities such as day cares and schools, and was promoted to a supervisory role, in which she hired a diverse team. After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention allowed teens to get the COVID-19 vaccine, Coleman cofounded a teen vaccination outreach program called Philly Teen Vaxx Ambassadors, which gained praise in local and national press. But the department didnt allow Coleman to speak with the media, the complaint said. The city did not want Coleman to be public facing for her responsibility for creating Philly Teen Vaxx Ambassadors because she is a Black nonconforming woman, who had voiced several concerns about the inequities experienced by Black and Brown employees and The City of Philadelphia, the complaint said. Following the success, the department attempted to marginalize Coleman from the teen outreach program, according to the complaint. When she refused to give up her leadership role, the health department stopped supporting Philly Teen Vaxx Ambassadors, the lawsuit says. (The program continued with support from the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia School District, according to the complaint.) Coleman was fired in March 2022, following contentious conversations with PMHCC Inc. and a series of emails between her and the health department regarding lack of reimbursements for her teams travel in the city. Ms. Coleman was targeted because she advocated for herself, her colleagues, and her community, Colemans attorney, Lucas Nascimento, said in a statement. President Donald Trump, in the Oval Office on Friday, looks at an executive order to halt federal funds for schools and universities that impose coronavirus vaccine mandates before signing it. Read more After weeks of implementing policies that target people of color, its clear Donald Trump is no longer using a dog whistle to reach white supremacists. Hes using a bullhorn. He rained down executive orders meant to destroy diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, both within the government and in private industry. Advertisement He scuttled civil rights offices within numerous federal agencies. He sought to remove the Temporary Protected Status of immigrants from countries like Haiti and Venezuela. He bragged in a speech to Congress about cutting aid to several African nations and tried to withhold billions from foreign aid contractors before the U.S. Supreme Court stepped in. However, policies targeting people of color are just the carrots Trump uses to rally the masses. His end goals, in my view, are not solely about race. Theyre about power. Thats why he has sought to exert control over majority white countries like Canada and Ukraine. Its why hes fired federal workers, including some who voted for him. Its why his so-called big beautiful budget bill could lead to Medicaid cuts that hurt low-income Republican voters. In short, Trumps policies are already starting to impact the very people who put him back in office. And as the hits keep on coming, his voters are learning Trumps agenda was never just about harming people of color. Instead, it was about elevating Trump and doing so at any cost. This is the bait-and-switch America signed up for, and this is the trap we now find ourselves trying to escape. If, as a country, we are to regain any sense of normalcy, we must look beyond the most outrageous moments weve seen these last few weeks. Incidents like the Oval Office shouting match between Trump, JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are designed to entertain us. We know this because Trump said as much after he and Vance berated Zelensky for his supposed lack of gratitude. This is going to be great television, Trump said. I will say that. Meanwhile, Trump, with the assistance of Elon Musk, is firing tens of thousands of government workers in a process a federal judge declared illegal, and Trump is pushing tax policies that will overwhelmingly benefit rich people like himself. And Musk, while heading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), continues to add to the billions in government contracts, loans, subsidies, and tax credits that have helped build his business empire. Unfortunately, most Americans dont have the bandwidth to focus on such conflicts of interest. Thats because the Trump administration continues to bombard us with distractions, such as the tariff war with our neighbors. Like most of us, Canadas leader is befuddled by the nonsensical nature of it all. Today the United States launched a trade war against Canada, their closest partner and ally, their closest friend, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters after the tariffs were announced. At the same time, they are talking about working positively with Russia, appeasing Vladimir Putin, a lying, murderous dictator. Make that make sense. Two days after Trudeau uttered those words, and after a phone call with Mexicos president, Trump delayed tariffs on a wide range of goods from both countries. But he continued to cozy up to Russia by cutting off military aid and intelligence to Ukraine and seeking to revoke the Temporary Protected Status of Ukrainian refugees. This is the bait-and-switch America signed up for. The administration says it is seeking to force Ukraine to negotiate for peace, but nothing about this feels peaceful. It feels hostile, much like the moment in 2017 when white supremacists who were marching in Charlottesville, Va., chanted, Russia is our friend. Perhaps that chant explains why so many of Trumps supporters are unbothered by his embrace of Americas long-standing enemy. They believe, as he apparently does, that Russia is their friend, and whiteness is their bond. But as I watch the president destabilize America from within, I can only hope his supporters can look beyond race and see whats apparent to the rest of us: Russia is not their friend, and neither is Donald Trump. Joe Khan at a debate for the Democratic candidates for attorney general, at KYW, in Philadelphia, on April 17, 2024. Read more Former Bucks County Solicitor Joe Khan announced Monday he is running to be the countys district attorney, launching a race against the Republican incumbent, Jennifer Schorn, that could test the political shifts in the purple county. Khan, who was first appointed as solicitor in 2020, left his county role last year to join a crowded field of Democrats running for Pennsylvania attorney general. Khan placed third in the five-way primary behind state Auditor General Eugene DePasquale and Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer. Advertisement Throughout the race Khan expanded his statewide and local profile while highlighting his work to defend Bucks County against President Donald Trumps efforts to throw out ballots in 2020 and promising to take on large corporations. After losing in the Democratic primary he returned to private practice in a Yardley-based firm where he was involved in several voting rights lawsuits ahead of the 2024 election. Khan, who also unsuccessfully ran for Philadelphia DA in 2017, announced his candidacy for a four-year term as district attorney alongside an endorsement from the Bucks County Democratic Committee. Bucks County needs a DA who has a proven track record of fighting crime, corruption and attacks on our rights, Khan said in a statement. Thats what Ive done for 25 years and thats what Ill do as our next District Attorney. Schorn, a lifelong Bucks County resident and longtime prosecutor who has worked in the county district attorneys office since 1999, was appointed in 2024 to finish the term won by her predecessor Matt Weintraub three years earlier. Weintraub successfully ran for county judge in 2023. In responding to Khans announcement Monday, Schorn said the county will not find a fiercer advocate of victims of crime or of justice than her. During her time as a prosecutor, Schorn said she has presided over some of the countys most complicated cases, and secured eight convictions in decades-old unsolved murders, including, most recently, the first-degree murder conviction of Robert Atkins for a 1991 slaying in Croydon. Additionally she has led prosecutions that have dismantled sex-trafficking rings and other corrupt organizations. She questioned if her opponents resume could compare, and wondered what his true purpose was in running for office in the county. The reality is I love this job, I love this office, and I love knowing we have worked so hard to keep this community safe, Schorn said. Its upsetting to know that someone may use it for their own political agenda, especially after the last seven years of running for office. Both candidates will likely run unopposed in their partys primaries before facing of in the November general election. Of the five row offices on the ballot this year, the district attorney race is likely to be the most high-profile race in Bucks County as Republicans look to build on gains they made last November. Bucks County remains the only purple county in the Philadelphia suburbs and it was the only county in the area that voted to put Trump back in the White House, even as the county supported former Democratic Sen. Bob Casey for reelection. Novembers municipal election will be a key test of Republicans continued momentum in Bucks County ahead of the midterm elections. Though the countys board of commissioners is controlled by Democrats, Republicans currently hold each row office on the ballot. The Bucks County Democratic Committee announced Monday that theyd endorsed a candidate for every seat. At a time when the very foundations of our democracy are being challenged, its more important now than ever that we elect people who are dedicated to upholding the rule of law and the rights of all Bucks Countians, county chair Steve Santarsiero said in a statement. The ICAs declaration of an Insurance Catastrophe will allow insurers to provide streamlined support for those affected, while the full extent of the damage becomes clearer in the days ahead. Policyholders are urged to contact their insurers for assistance and begin the claims process as soon as it is safe to do so. [T]he requirement that the insurer must be able to provide all relevant data about the insured that was measured through the telematics program could threaten the viability of many companies telematics programs and the discounts they offer to consumers, said Nancy Egan, American Property Casualty Insurance Associations vice president of state government relations for the mid-Atlantic. The footage, reportedly filmed without the executives knowledge, shows Haden Kirkpatrick, former vice president of innovation and venture capital at State Farm, discussing how the company allegedly uses policy cancellations as leverage to gain approval for rate increases. We go to the Department of Insurance and say, Were overexposed here. You have to let us catch up our rating, Kirkpatrick said in the video. And theyll say, Eh. Because the Department of Insurance and the insurance commissioner is an elected position in California. Hell say, Nah. And well say, OK, then we are gonna cancel these policies. At the time of the collision, the Stena Immaculate was on short-term charter to the US Navys Military Sealift Command, transporting fuel on behalf of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Energy. Since May 2023, it has been part of the US strategic tanker program, a fleet of ten US-flagged and US-crewed vessels kept ready for military fuel transportation. Speaking after his State of the State address last Tuesday, DeSantis reiterated his stance, saying, If they have a reform where we can show that its going to lower rates, its fine. But lets just be clear. I mean, you know, we know thats something that people from the legal and the trial bar have wanted to do. And so why would they want to do that? Obviously, they see that theres opportunities for them to make money off of it. He added, I dont want to do anything thats going to raise the rates. State regulators are beginning to acknowledge the unsustainable trajectory of the property insurance market. California has introduced new rules allowing insurers to use forward-looking risk models and pass along reinsurance costs to policyholders, but these changes come with obligations for insurers to provide coverage in high-risk areas. In Florida, policymakers have attempted to stabilize Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the states insurer of last resort, but it still holds nearly 1 million policies. This post is part of a series sponsored by Darkhorse Insurance. Before venturing into independent insurance sales, its crucial to consider the variable earnings potential, which is influenced by a range of factors. Lets explore some of the key factors that influence an independent agents income, such as the type of insurance they sell, the commission rates they receive, the cost of living in their area, and the renewal potential of their policies. Average Salary Statistics: How Much Money Do Independent Insurance Agents Make? Zippa reports that the average annual salary for independent insurance agents is $51,936. This figure encompasses a broad range of agents with varying levels of experience, expertise, and geographic locations. It serves as a baseline reference point for those exploring or considering a career as an independent insurance agent. Its important to note that this reported average may be influenced by factors such as entry-level positions, part-time roles, or agents who are establishing themselves in the industry. As a result, this figure may not fully capture the earning potential of seasoned and established independent insurance agents. Glassdoor, on the other hand, provides different insights, stating that the average salary for independent insurance agents in the United States is $91,598 per year. This higher figure suggests that experienced agents or those achieving notable success in their careers may significantly contribute to the overall average. Furthermore, according to ZipRecruiter, the average salary for an independent insurance agent in the United States was $72,458 as of November 23rd, 2023. However, this number can vary significantly depending on the location, experience level, and performance of the agent. For example, some of the highest-paying states for independent insurance agents are New York, Massachusetts, Washington, and California, where the average salaries range from $87,000 to $95,000 per year. How Do Independent Insurance Agents Get Paid? Commission Structure Independent insurance agents predominantly earn their income through a commission-based structure. This means that their compensation is directly tied to the policies they sell. Instead of receiving a fixed salary, agents earn a percentage of the premium paid by the policyholders. The insurance industry features diverse commission rates depending on several factors. Different types of insurance, such as life, health, property, and casualty, may have distinct commission structures. Additionally, carriers may establish their own commission rates, leading to variability within the industry. For instance, life insurance policies often yield higher commissions due to their long-term nature and the commitment required from policyholders. On the other hand, auto or property insurance policies may have comparatively lower commission rates. Understanding these variations is crucial for independent agents to strategically select the types of policies and carriers that align with their financial goals. Bonuses and Incentives In addition to commission-based earnings, independent insurance agents often have the opportunity to earn various types of bonuses. These bonuses can serve as additional financial incentives to reward exceptional performance. Common bonus structures include: Production Bonuses: Awarded for achieving specific sales targets or production levels within a given period. Awarded for achieving specific sales targets or production levels within a given period. Retention Bonuses: Earned by agents who successfully retain clients and policies for long periods of time. Earned by agents who successfully retain clients and policies for long periods of time. New Business Bonuses: Granted for securing new clients and policies, encouraging agents to expand their client base. Granted for securing new clients and policies, encouraging agents to expand their client base. Quality or Customer Satisfaction Bonuses: Given for maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction and service quality. Incentive programs Insurance agencies often implement incentive programs to motivate and reward agents for outstanding achievements. These programs may include contests, recognition events, or performance-based rewards. Incentives can have a significant impact on an agents overall earnings, providing opportunities for additional income beyond standard commissions. Successful participation in incentive programs not only boosts an agents financial rewards but also fosters a competitive and collaborative spirit within the agency. Agents who consistently excel in meeting or exceeding performance targets may find themselves eligible for exclusive trips, recognition at industry events, or other non-monetary incentives that contribute to a positive work environment. Renewal Commissions Renewal commissions represent a crucial component of income for independent insurance agents. When policyholders renew their insurance policies, agents often receive a percentage of the renewed premium as a commission. This ongoing income is a reward for the agents initial effort in acquiring and retaining clients. Unlike the commissions earned from new policies, renewal commissions provide agents with a source of passive income. Over time, as an agent builds a robust and loyal client base, the cumulative effect of renewal commissions can become a substantial and reliable source of income. What Factors Affect Independent Insurance Agents Earnings? Experience and Expertise Experienced agents often have a more extensive network, allowing them to generate a higher volume of leads and referrals. This, in turn, can lead to increased sales and commissions. Clients are more likely to trust seasoned professionals with their insurance needs, contributing to higher client retention rates and, consequently, a more stable income. To maximize earning potential, independent insurance agents must embrace continuous learning and professional development. Staying updated on industry trends, new products, and regulatory changes ensures that agents remain well-informed and equipped to provide the best advice to their clients. Obtaining relevant certifications, such as Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) or Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), not only enhances an agents knowledge but also adds credibility to their profile. Many clients seek out agents who demonstrate a commitment to ongoing education, and carriers may offer higher commission rates to agents with advanced certifications. Specialization and Niche Markets Specialization involves focusing on a specific industry, type of insurance, or demographic, allowing agents to develop expertise in a targeted area. This specialization can set agents apart from competitors and attract clients seeking tailored solutions. Niche markets, such as technology startups, eco-friendly businesses, or specific demographic groups, present opportunities for agents to become authorities in their chosen fields. Successfully navigating a niche market can lead to increased client loyalty, word-of-mouth referrals, and a higher likelihood of cross-selling additional policies within that niche. Geographic Location The demand for insurance products and the associated compensation can vary significantly based on geographic location. Agents operating in regions with high population densities or specific industries may experience increased demand for insurance services. Additionally, some areas may have higher average premiums, influencing commission earnings. Understanding the unique insurance needs and market dynamics of a specific region enables agents to tailor their services accordingly. Agents may choose to target regions with a growing economy, emerging industries, or a concentration of potential clients to maximize their earning potential. Which Type of Insurance Agents Make the Most Money? For independent insurance agents seeking to maximize their income, choosing the right niche and specialization can significantly impact their earning potential. While success depends on various factors, certain areas within the independent insurance landscape tend to offer higher compensation due to increased complexity and demand. Lets take a look at the types of insurance where independent agents often find themselves at the top of the earnings spectrum: Health Insurance Specialists Independent agents focusing on health insurance often enjoy robust incomes. The dynamic and intricate nature of health coverage, coupled with the growing demand for personalized health insurance solutions, positions health insurance specialists as high earners. Regulatory changes and a heightened emphasis on healthcare contribute to the sustained demand for their expertise. Commercial Insurance Consultants Independent agents specializing in commercial insurance, particularly those catering to businesses and enterprises, frequently achieve high earnings. Businesses require tailored coverage for various risks, from property and liability to specialized industry-related concerns. Independent agents who understand the complexities of commercial insurance and offer comprehensive solutions can command lucrative compensation. Life Insurance Advisors Independent agents specializing in life insurance, especially complex products like whole life or universal life insurance, often experience substantial income growth. These products involve long-term commitments and may include investment components, making them both valuable and intricate. Agents proficient in communicating the benefits of such policies and tailoring them to individual client needs can secure heightened success and income. Property and Casualty Specialists Independent agents specializing in property and casualty insurance, notably in regions prone to natural disasters or dealing with high-value properties, have the potential for significant earnings. The complexity of assessing risks associated with valuable assets or challenging environmental factors often results in higher premiums and, subsequently, increased commissions for independent agents. Reinsurance Intermediaries Independent reinsurance agents, who operate in a specialized segment of the insurance industry, have the potential for substantial earnings. Their role involves negotiating complex agreements between insurance companies and reinsurers,. The intricate nature of reinsurance transactions often translates into higher compensation for independent agents in this sector. Financial Considerations for Independent Agents The initial stages of an independent insurance agents career can be financially demanding. Managing cash flow effectively becomes crucial during this period. Agents may experience fluctuations in income as they work towards building a sustainable business. Implementing budgetary discipline, exploring cost-effective marketing strategies, and maintaining a financial cushion are key considerations to weather the challenges of variable income in the early stages. Moreover, the insurance industry is inherently competitive, and independent agents often find themselves contending with numerous competitors. Identifying and reaching potential clients amidst this competition poses a persistent challenge. Strategies to Overcome Market Competition Overcoming market competition requires a strategic approach. Independent agents can employ several effective strategies to rise above the competition: Specialization: Carving out a niche or specializing in a specific type of insurance can differentiate an agent from competitors, attracting clients seeking expertise in a particular area. Carving out a niche or specializing in a specific type of insurance can differentiate an agent from competitors, attracting clients seeking expertise in a particular area. Exceptional Customer Service: Providing exceptional service and building strong client relationships can lead to satisfied customers who, in turn, become a source of referralsa potent tool to stand out in a competitive market. Providing exceptional service and building strong client relationships can lead to satisfied customers who, in turn, become a source of referralsa potent tool to stand out in a competitive market. Utilizing Technology: Embracing technology, including digital marketing tools, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and online platforms, can enhance an agents visibility and reach in the market. Embracing technology, including digital marketing tools, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and online platforms, can enhance an agents visibility and reach in the market. Continuous Learning: Staying informed about industry trends, regulatory changes, and emerging technologies equips independent agents with the knowledge needed to adapt and stay ahead of the competition. Unlocking Earning Potential with Darkhorse Insurance Brokers Darkhorse Insurance Brokers offers a turnkey brokerage platform designed explicitly to empower motivated producers on their journey to establishing successful independent brokerages. Darkhorse, with its transformative mentorship program, presents a solid blueprint for agents aiming to break away from captive carriers and establish their own thriving independent brokerages. Premium Growth and Strategic Planning One key factor influencing earning potential is the programs strategic focus on achieving substantial premium growth, particularly in the lucrative arena of commercial lines. By tailoring customized commercial line business plans, agents under Darkhorses mentorship have the opportunity to tap into markets with significant revenue potential. Efficient Operations and Ownership Efficiency is paramount in the brokerage world, and Darkhorse acknowledges this by guiding agents through the establishment of a fully operational brokerage within a remarkably short timeframe just 18 months. The ownership achievement goal not only signifies a sense of accomplishment but also hints at the potential for higher earnings as agents directly benefit from the success and growth of their brokerage. Technology Integration for Operational Excellence Darkhorses commitment to technology integration is another aspect influencing earning potential. The cloud-based infrastructure ensures seamless operations from any location, allowing agents to focus more on revenue-generating activities while maintaining operational efficiency. Comprehensive Training and Team Building Darkhorses program doesnt just stop at individual success it extends to team building. Establishing a dream team is a pivotal element, and the turnkey system provided supports recruiting, hiring, onboarding, training, management, accounting, and payroll. A well-organized team contributes to a well-organized brokerage, potentially boosting overall revenue. With the right execution, DarkHorse Insurance Brokers offers a clear path for motivated agents to not only break away but thrive independently in the competitive insurance landscape. Conclusion The commission structures, bonuses, and renewal commissions form the bedrock of an independent agents compensation, offering a pathway to financial growth. The diverse landscape of the insurance industry, coupled with factors like experience, specialization, and geographic location, provides ample room for agents to tailor their strategies and maximize earnings. Independent agents seeking a transformative journey toward ownership and financial success may find a promising ally in Darkhorse Insurance Brokers. Darkhorse presents itself as a definitive partner, offering not just mentorship but a concrete pathway to unlocking the true earning potential of independent agents. Sources: Topics Agencies Worker misclassification in Maryland is widespread, leaving thousands of workers without injury protection and depriving insurance companies of more than $58 million in workers compensation premiums each year, according to a report from a state task force. Marylands Joint Enforcement Task Force on Workplace Fraud said that its examination had found more than 5,500 workers in the state in 2024 were misclassified as independent contractors, not employees. The true numbers may be even higher. The report cited another recent analysis, by The Century Foundation, that found that more than 23,700 construction workers about 11% of construction workers in the state are misclassified. The prevalence of workplace fraud erodes contracting and labor standards, undermines labor markets, and makes it financially difficult for responsible, law-abiding businesses to compete with businesses engaging in misclassification, the task force report concluded. State officials echoed the concerns. Misclassifying workers is not an acceptable business practice, and it is alarming to see the rate at which some employers are engaged in this egregious behavior, Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman said in a statement. Lierman was one of eight state officials on the task force, which was chaired by Portia Wu, secretary of labor for Maryland. The concerns are not new. Insurers, large contractors, and labor union officials for years have raised alarms about the rampant problem of subcontractors and other businesses that underreport payroll and avoid workers compensation coverage. The report recommended holding more general contractors responsible. That would mean that those contractors who benefit most from misclassifying workers share equally in the responsibility for penalties as well, the task force said. Currently, general contractors have little incentive to ensure compliance. The task force also suggested that the state could create procurement preferences or incentives for businesses that certify that they and their subcontractors are complying with the law. Topics Workers' Compensation Maryland Four brush fires that broke out over the weekend on Long Island are being investigated as possible arsons. The brush fires that were driven by 35 mph winds were contained on Sunday by first responders before they could cross the highway into a pine barrens reserve or reach a local airport or homes. Two firefighters were injured and two industrial buildings were damaged. Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine praised local volunteer firefighters, emergency response teams and the National Guard for their efforts and thanked federal, state, county and local officials who had also offered to help if needed. He said the fire could have created a big problem had it not been contained when it was. He said the fire was driven by strong winds and many downed trees in the area. The National Guard helped with water dumps and drones that identified hot spots. Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said arson investigators should know within a few days whether the fire was set naturally or is of nefarious origin. Catalina said 25 detectives are using drones and helicopters and interviewing all 911 callers. The fire area stretched three miles on the south side of the Sunrise Highway from Center Moriches towards Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach. Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency on Saturday and deployed the New York National Guard, state fire management, emergency and environmental teams to assist local responders. Hochul also directed the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to implement an immediate burn ban for Long Island, New York City, and parts of the Hudson Valley until the annual statewide ban on residential brush burning takes effect on March 16. The Virginia Supreme Court has upheld a ruling that Amazon Flex drivers are employees and not independent contractors while criticizing the company for changing its arguments after it lost in prior decisions. Amazon Logistics failed to convince the high court that a ruling that one Flex driver is an employee should not apply to all of its Flex drivers despite originally arguing that the ruling should apply to all drivers. The firm only reversed itself and argued to restrict the ruling after it lost several earlier rounds in its bid to have its drivers classified as independent contractors and avoid unemployment tax liability. Amazon Logistics wrongly asserts before us that it has always maintained one position throughout his litigation, the high court opinion declares. Amazon attempts to win this appeal by arguing against its original legal strategy, while claiming we should overlook its contradictions. Put more colloquially, Amazon now zigs when it previously zagged. This stratagem, therefore, failsas it must. Amazon Flex is an app-based program where participants sign up as a delivery driver for 3-to-4-hour time blocks. Drivers use their own means of transportation and the Amazon Flex app downloaded on their smartphones to deliver Amazon packages or Amazon-subsidiary groceries. The case arose when a Flex driver sought unemployment benefits. Donald Diggs filed an unemployment-benefits claim and provided proof of income via 1099 forms issued by Amazon. The forms reflected that Amazon had not deducted taxes from the earnings. That triggered an examination by the Virginia Employment Commission over Amazons tax liability and whether Amazon was required to report Diggs earnings as wages. After an investigation, a commission tax representative issued a letter finding that Diggs and similarly engaged Flex drivers were Amazon employees. Disagreeing and insisting that the driver was an independent contractor, Amazon requested a hearing. The evidence at the May 2020 hearing included an Amazon Flex contract, Amazons liability questionnaire provided to the tax representative, the tax representatives determination letter, and the testimony of a senior manager at Amazon, Diggs and the tax representative. Amazons senior manager testified that the terms of the Flex agreement and app-specific procedures applied equally to all Flex drivers. Diggs provided additional details on the performance review system and the training that new drivers receive. As called for by Virginia law at the time, the hearing examiner applied the Internal Revenue Services 20-factor test for determining whether an employer exercised sufficient control over the individual for the individual to be classified as an employee. The hearing examiner concluded that Amazon exerted control over its Flex drivers and the services provided by the claimant constitutes employment. The examiner further ordered Amazon to pay unemployment payroll taxes for other individuals who performed services as Flex drivers, and who were also misclassified as independent contractors rather than as employees. Amazon appealed to the circuit court, which affirmed the commissions decision, and then Amazon appealed again. A unanimous panel of the Court of Appeals affirmed that Diggs was an Amazon employee and also that extending the decision to all Flex drivers was proper because the terms and conditions of the Flex agreement apply equally to all Flex drivers. Amazon then took its case to the state Supreme Court, arguing that the Court of Appeals erred in holding that the evidence relating to an individual claim supported a determination that all individuals in the Amazon Flex program are employees and not independent contractors. The Supreme Court has rejected Amazons contention that the Court of Appeals erred. Citing procedural rules that protect basic notions of fair play in the adversarial system, the high court found that the logistics firms arguments on appeal were inconsistent with its arguments before the commission and lower courts. The high court also found that Amazons allegations against the commission in its appeal were unrelated to the claims of insufficient evidence. Rather, Amazons brief alleged procedural concerns. Amazon complained that its due process rights were violated when the commission failed to afford Amazon sufficient process to build a record beyond Mr. Diggs unique circumstances, and did nothing to correct Amazons reasonable understanding that the proceeding was limited to Mr. Diggs, even though Amazon maintained all along that the case concerned the situation of all Flex drivers. The high court said Amazons arguments succumbed to the broader and more demanding approbate-reprobate doctrine and are therefore waived. A litigant cannot approbate and reprobate by taking successive positions in the course of litigation that are either inconsistent with each other or mutually contradictory, or else such arguments are waived, the court explained. Amazon not only participated in the commissions process, but also affirmatively sought a class-wide ruling that all Flex drivers are independent contractorsand argued that the evidence would support such a ruling. The commission agreed with Amazons position that a class-wide ruling was appropriate, but found instead that all Flex drivers were employees. After losing before the commission, Amazon tried to retroactively pivot away from its strategy. Amazon now argues that the record is insufficient to support a ruling that applies to all Flex drivers and that it only ever sought a limited decision for a singular Flex driver, Diggs. Such a contradictory shift in position to mitigate self-inflicted wounds violates the approbate-reprobate doctrine, the court concluded The court described how Amazon belatedly attempted to repudiate its original position. Amazon never argued during the hearing that Diggs contract terms differed from other Flex drivers. Instead, Amazon argued that the unsigned boilerplate contract was sufficient to show that all Flex drivers are independent contractors. Amazon even submitted that, if the commission decided that Diggs was an employee, only then is there no evidence to support a conclusion with respect to all of the other delivery partners in Virginia. In other words, the court added, Amazon posited that all Flex drivers should only be bound by the decision that favors Amazon, otherwise the evidence should be discounted. Amazon now appeals because this one-sided conditionality was rejected. At the Court of Appeals, Amazon also asserted a new argumentthat the decision must be vacated as to any Flex drivers who enrolled in the program after July 1, 2020, because the General Assembly amended the definition of employment under state law to no longer include the IRSs 20-factor test. The Court of Appeals held that Amazon waived this argument by failing to fully develop it in its brief. The Supreme Court would not consider Amazons argument regarding the change in statute because Amazon failed to address this issue in its assignment of error. However, the court added that nothing prevents Amazon or any other employer from pursuing a case based on a change in the law or different substantive terms of an employment agreement, either of which may lead to a different result. In fact, the court noted that the employment commission conceded that, should Amazons circumstances materially change since the issuance of the decisionfor example, through either a change in the law or a change in the Flex contractAmazon may request a new hearing. Topics Personal Auto Virginia The cockpit voice recorder was not working on a medical transport plane that killed seven people when it plummeted into a Philadelphia neighborhood in January and likely had not been functioning for several years, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a preliminary report Thursday. The NTSB also confirmed the crew made no distress calls to air traffic control. A ground warning system that may contain flight data memory is still being evaluated by the manufacturer, the agency said. The plane plummeted into a residential and commercial area within a minute of taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport and erupted into a fireball on Jan. 31. Officials said the crash killed all six people aboard the Learjet 55 and a seventh person who was in a vehicle on the ground. At least two dozen others were injured, including a 10-year-old boy in a vehicle who was hit by debris while trying to protect his sister. Former NTSB Chairman Jim Hall called the finding about the cockpit recording disturbing because that and the whole flight data recorder are important to find out what went wrong. Its a significant loss of important information that should have been there, Hall said. He noted that the lack of any distress call shows the emergency occurred too quickly for the crew to communicate with the tower. Those on the plane included an 11-year-old girl who had received medical treatment at Shriners Childrens Philadelphia hospital. Jet Rescue Air Ambulance said the plane was taking Valentina Guzman Murillo and her 31-year-old mother, Lizeth Murillo Osuna, home to Mexico. Messages seeking comment were left Thursday with Jet Rescue. The company previously identified its team aboard as Dr. Raul Meza Arredondo, 41; the captain, Alan Montoya Perales, 46; copilot Josue de Jesus Juarez Juarez, 43; and paramedic Rodrigo Lopez Padilla, 41. All four were from Mexico. According to the report, the recorder was recovered 8 feet (2.4 meters) underground after the crash and had significant damage, including exposure to liquids. After extensive cleaning and repairs, the agency discovered the 30-minute tape didnt have audio of the flight. The high-impact crash destroyed or badly damaged more than a dozen homes and business, leaving debris from the plane scattered across a wide area nearly 500 yards (457 meters) long and 300 yards (274 meters) wide. Former NTSB investigator Jeff Guzzetti said the loss of any cockpit recordings makes the agencys work more difficult, but not impossible. He hoped the ground warning system can provide some data, and wondered why the voice recorder hadnt been inspected regularly. I really think that puts a black mark on this Mexican operator, for not ensuring that their cockpit voice recorder was operating, Guzzetti said. The NTSB, I think, will still be able to come to a probable cause, just because theyre really good at extracting circumstantial evidence. Under Mexican regulations, owners are supposed to include the voice and flight data recorders in the maintenance plans for aircraft, and the government authority where aircraft are registered is responsible for supervising those plans and checking aircraft to make sure that whats in the documents is true at least once a year, said Rogelio Rodriguez Garduno, a professor of aviation law at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Civil aviation authorities in Mexico have not responded to an Associated Press request for documents about Jet Rescues maintenance. Guzzetti, a lead NTSB investigator on John F. Kennedy Jr.s fatal crash near Marthas Vineyard, believes the Philadelphia crash has some of the same hallmarks of a pilot suffering from spatial disorientation in dark or cloudy skies. That occurs, he said, when pilots lose their bearings, dont trust their instruments and turn, sometimes repeatedly, in a misguided attempt to correct course. The Learjet in Philadelphia, he noted, came screaming out of the sky and it did some turns too and again you see those same types of turns in the JFK Jr. accident. The human body can play tricks on you, and thats why you have to be incredibly vigilant as a pilot and trust your instruments, he said. But, you know, its not to say that there couldnt have been some sort of distraction in the cockpit too that occurred during that time. Several victims on the ground retained law firms to represent them in potential lawsuits, including a man badly burned after his SUV became engulfed in jet fuel. The crash was among recent aviation disasters and close calls that left some people worried about the safety of flying. It happened two days after an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter collided in midair in Washington, D.C. the deadliest U.S. air disaster in a generation. ___ Reporters Maria Verza in Mexico City and Mark Scolforo in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. announced it has acquired the remaining shares of Philippines-based Philpacific Insurance Brokers & Managers Inc., dba Philinsure, following a minority investment in the business. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Philinsure is a commercial insurance and reinsurance broker serving clients across the Philippines from its headquarters in Cebu City and other offices in greater Manila and Davao City. Gordon Dondi Joseph and his team will remain in their current locations under the direction of Sarah Lyons, head of retail property/casualty brokerage operations for Gallagher in Australia and Asia. With a strong record of growth and a culture like our own, Philinsure provides a fantastic opportunity to expand our retail brokerage capabilities in Asia, said J. Patrick Gallagher Jr., chairman and CEO. I am very pleased to welcome Dondi and his associates to our growing, global family of Gallagher professionals. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., the Rolling Meadows, Illinois-based insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm, provides these services in approximately 130 countries around the world through its owned operations and a network of correspondent brokers and consultants. Source: Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Agencies Reinsurance A.J. Gallagher French households, businesses and local authorities will face soaring costs for insurance if the country fails to adapt to a changing climate, the government said Monday. The cost of climate disasters may double in the 30 years through 2050, reaching a cumulative 143 billion ($155 billion), it said in an adaptation plan. At a briefing in Paris, Ecology Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher said climate change is a tangible reality that could leave some citizens unable to get insured. During the past two decades, Frances insurance industry has faced increasingly costly claims as extreme weather causes droughts, storms and fires. Thats raised doubts over the sustainability of the current system of compensation, and concern that some insurers will simply withdraw from high-risk areas. Read more: Cascading Extreme Weather Events Unleash Billions in Damages Globally The plan presented Monday which provides little fresh funding is aimed at raising awareness and spurring preparation by local authorities, energy firms, farmers and other industries. It dovetails with Frances 10-year energy road map, which envisages huge growth in renewables and greater energy efficiency. The latest version of the road map, unveiled Friday, cut a 2035 target for solar capacity by 10%, a presentation showed. Hydrogen goals were also trimmed as the industrys development progresses more slowly than expected. Key targets from Frances energy road map 2023 2030 2035 Carbon-free electricity output (in TWh) 458 577 666-708 Nuclear output (in TWh) 320.4 360 360 Solar installed capacity (in GW) 19.3 54 65-90 Onshore wind capacity (in GW) 21.9 33 40-45 Offshore wind capacity (in GW) 0.84 3.6 18 Biogas output (in TWh) 19.5 50 50-85 Maximum hydrogen electrolyzing capacity (in GW) 0 4.5 8 Photograph: Firefighters carry residents out of their homes during flooding in Saintes, southwest France. Photo credit: Thibaud Moritz/AFP/Getty Images Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics Climate Change The countrys preeminent federal fire training academy canceled classes, effective immediately, on Saturday amid the ongoing flurry of funding freezes and staffing cuts by President Donald Trumps administration. The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that National Fire Academy courses were canceled amid a process of evaluating agency programs and spending to ensure alignment with Administration priorities, according to a notice sent to instructors, students and fire departments. Instructors were told to cancel all future travel until further notice. Firefighters, EMS providers and other first responders from across the country travel to the NFAs Maryland campus for the federally funded institutions free training programs. The NFA is a powerhouse for the fire service, said Marc Bashoor, a former Maryland fire chief and West Virginia emergency services director with 44 years of fire safety experience. Its not a nice to have. It is the one avenue we have to bring people from all over the country to learn from and with each other. If we want to continue to have one of the premier fire services in the world, we need to have the National Fire Academy. The academy, which also houses the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial, opened in 1973 to combat a growing number of fatal fires nationwide. At the time, the National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control envisioned it to be the West Point of the Fire Service, according to a report form the organization. Bashoor said the NFA was set to welcome a new set of fire safety officers for training next week. People had made their plane and travel reservations. And all of a sudden, they get an email that Sorry, its been canceled,' he said. Its really upsetting. For firefighters, including those on the frontlines of deadly fires that ravaged California this year, having an essential training institution shut down under the presumption that theres waste, fraud and abuse has been demoralizing, Bashoor said. He said losing NFA training could make the coordinated response that prevented additional deaths and destruction in California more difficult. FEMA and the National Fire Academy did not immediately respond to requests for comment. While surveying disaster zones in California in January, Trump said he was considering getting rid of FEMA altogether, previewing sweeping changes to the nations central organization of responding to disasters. Firings at the U.S. Forest Service on the heels of the deadly California blazes also sparked outcry among discharged workers and officials who said it would mean fewer people and less resources will be available to help prevent and fight wildfires. Photo: President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk with Jason Hing, chief deputy of emergency services at the Los Angles Fire Department, left, and Capt. Jeff Brown, chief of Station 69, as they tour the Pacific Palisades neighborhood affected by recent wildfires in Los Angeles, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions FEMA Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. reported that it has received a second request for information from federal officials relating to its proposed $13.45 billion acquisition of AssuredPartners, Inc. Gallagher said it is actively responding to the request and expects that the transaction will now close in the second half of 2025 rather than in the first quarter as originally hoped. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) often requests additional information in large transactions as part of the Hart-Scott-Rodino review process for potential anticompetitiveness. The move extends the waiting period until 30 days after Gallagher has substantially complied with the request, though that period may be extended voluntarily by the parties or shortened by the antitrust agency. Illinois-based Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG) announced in December it had agreed to acquire AssuredPartners for $13.45 billion cash to expand its reach in the U.S. middle-market property/casualty and employee benefits space. Orlando, Florida-based AssuredPartners serves commercial organizations, public entities and individuals through 10,900 employees in 400 offices in the U.S., the U.K. and Ireland. Adjusted revenue over the last year as of Sept. 30 was about $2.9 billion. AssuredPartners ranked No. 5 in Insurance Journals 2024 Top 100 Independent P/C Agencies list based on P/C revenue. AM Bests ranking of the worlds biggest insurance brokers put AssuredPartners in 14th based on 2023 total revenue. Arthur J. Gallagher ranked third on the list, behind March McLennan and Aon. AssuredPartners private-equity ownership GTCR and Apax Partners were reportedly looking for partners for a full or partial sale of the brokerage for several months. Chicagos GTCR said the deal would be the largest sale of a U.S. insurance broker to a strategic acquiror in the history of the industry. AssuredPartners had been an active M&A participant over the last several years most recently with 17 transactions year-to-date as of Sept. 30, according to investment banking and financial consulting firm OPTIS Partners. The brokers buying pace had slowed a bit in 2022 and 2023 following 32 transactions in 2021. Gallagher said the deals net consideration is about $12.45 billion after a deferred tax asset. It expects to finance the purchase with long-term debt, short-term borrowings, cash, and equity. Gallagher has offices in approximately 130 countries around the world through its owned operations and a network of brokers and consultants. Last week, Gallagher announced it had also agreed to another acquisition: California-based Woodruff Sawyer for $1.2 billion. This deal is also expected to close in the second quarter of 2025,. Woodruff Sawyer is another middle-market firm, although it also has larger clients. The brokerage offers commercial property/casualty products, employee benefits, and risk management services from 14 U.S. offices and one U.K. office. There have been other major middle-market agency acquisitions within the past year. Last April, Aon closed on its $13 billion acquisition of middle-market broker NFP. Last November, Marsh McLennan completed the purchase of McGriff Insurance Services for $7.75 billion. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions A.J. Gallagher 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 labeled 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 Bayers 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 Weighs Billions in Capital Raise for Lawsuits, Shares Tumble 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 worlds largest seeds and pesticides makers, Bayer competes with Corteva CTVA.N, BASF BASFn.DE and Chinas 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. The glyphosate litigation, which Bayer inherited from a Monsanto deal that was masterminded by Andersons predecessor, has weighed heavily on the stock, together with factors, including a drug development setback in 2023 and a weak agriculture markets. Bayer said at the time of its results release on Wednesday it would internally separate the glyphosate business from the rest of the Crop Protection division. When asked in an analyst call whether the glyphosate business could be sold, divisional head Rodrigo Santos said: Were going to continue to discuss in the future, evaluating all the alternatives that we have for the business. Thats always what we do. (Editing by Gerry Doyle and Barbara Lewis) Topics Lawsuits USA The U.S. Supreme Court rejected on Monday a bid by 19 Republican-led states led by Alabama to block five Democratic-led states from pursuing lawsuits accusing major oil companies of deceiving the public about the role fossil fuels have played in causing climate change. The justices declined to hear a case that was filed directly with the Supreme Court by Republican state attorneys general that took aim at cases brought in various state courts against companies including Exxon Mobil XOM.N, ChevronCVX.N, ConocoPhillipsCOP.N, Shell SHEL.L and BPBP.L. Those lawsuits were pursued by California, Connecticut, Minnesota, New Jersey and Rhode Island. Justice Clarence Thomas, in a dissenting opinion joined by fellow conservative Justice Samuel Alito, said the court lacked any persuasive justification to reject a suit involving nearly half the states in the nation, which alleges serious constitutional violations. While nearly all the cases heard by the Supreme Court are appeals of rulings by lower courts, the top U.S. judicial body has original jurisdiction in a small set pitting states against states. Thomas called the courts frequent pattern of declining to hear such state-versus-state cases troubling. The suits by the Democratic-led states, seeking monetary damages, generally accused the energy companies of creating a public nuisance or violating state laws by concealing from the public for decades the fact that burning fossil fuels would lead to climate change. The companies denied wrongdoing. Regulate Emissions The 2024 litigation led by Republican Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall was joined by his counterparts in Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming. They argued that by suing major energy companies in state courts and seeking damages for the harms of climate change, the Democratic-led states were unlawfully trying to regulate global emissions and the U.S. energy system. Only the federal government can regulate interstate gas emissions, and the Democratic-led states have exceeded their authority by seeking sweeping injunctive relief or a catastrophic damages award that could restructure the national energy system, the Republican-led states argued. Marshall said he was disappointed in the Supreme Courts decision to reject the case. States like California have benefited tremendously from traditional energy, yet they are now trying to impose crippling liability on companies for actions they took in Alabama and the rest of the world. The Constitution does not grant California such powers, Marshall said. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison in a statement said he was glad the court saw through what he called an attempt to run interference, help the defendants in our cases avoid accountability, and play politics with the Constitution. The Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, has rejected several attempts by the oil companies themselves to dismiss various climate change cases by state and local governments or move them to federal court. For instance, the Supreme Court on Jan. 13 declined to hear a bid by Sunoco and other oil companies to scuttle a lawsuit by Honolulu after the Hawaii Supreme Court allowed the climate change case to move forward. Biden Position Democratic former President Joe Bidens administration in 2024 argued that the Supreme Court should skip hearing both the industrys Honolulu case appeal as well as the lawsuit by the 19 Republican-led states. Republican President Donald Trumps administration is expected to oppose such lawsuits going forward. The Trump campaign ahead of the 2024 election pledged to stop the wave of frivolous litigation from environmental extremists. The Democratic-led states, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, in a filing called the Republican case against them meritless and said it rested on a misunderstanding of their climate change lawsuits. They argued the lawsuits did not seek to impose liability on oil companies based on their fossil fuel production generally but instead sought to address local harms resulting from unlawful deceptive conduct by private defendants. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston and Andrew Chung in New York; Editing by Will Dunham) Topics Lawsuits Energy Oil Gas Five years ago, Melanie Richburg used a roll of duct tape, a HEPA filter and a portable fan to draw contaminated air out of a hospital room where patients were tested for the coronavirus. Now, as the states largest measles outbreak in three decades sickens an increasing number of Texans in the South Plains region, the Lynn County Hospital District, where Richburg serves as the chief executive officer, is still without specialized isolation rooms to treat patients. So, shes prepared to bring out the duct tape again. If we see the volume of patients exceeds the number of beds available at childrens hospitals, were going to need a contingency plan, said Richburg, whose county is 30 miles south of Lubbock and has had two measles cases. The biggest struggle we have is the same struggle we had during COVID. The coronavirus pandemic underscored the need for robust public health infrastructure. And it brought to light a remarkable urban-rural divide in access to basic health services. In the months after the virus ravaged the country, federal dollars flowed to local public health districts, and policies targeting health care deserts saw a renewed push. Yet as a disease that had been declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000 makes a resurgence, rural West Texas communities and state officials are scrambling to respond. Aging infrastructure, a dearth of primary care providers and long distances between testing sites and laboratories plague much of rural Texas, where the measles outbreak has concentrated. At least 198 people in Texas have been infected with measles since late January, and one child has died from measles, the first such death in the country in a decade. More measles cases are expected, and the outbreak could last for months, state health services commissioner Jennifer Shuford told lawmakers last week. Though different from COVID in many ways, measles is similarly revealing how a lack of public health resources leaves rural communities vulnerable. Whats left are local leaders forced to scrape together the few tools they have to respond to an emergency, contending with years of lackluster investment from the state and federal level to proactively prevent emerging public health threats. Were in a public health shortage area, said Gordon Mattimoe, director of the Andrews County Health Department. You have to think outside the box. Lack of infrastructure Some 64 Texas counties dont have a hospital, and 25 lack primary care physicians, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture. Twenty-six rural Texas hospitals closed between 2010 and 2020, according to a rural hospital trade organization, and although closures slowed in the years since, those still standing are often in crumbling buildings with few medical providers. Swaths of Texas have scant resources for public awareness campaigns. And they lack sufficient medical staff with expertise to provide the one-on-one education needed to encourage vaccination and regular visits to the doctor. We have a difficult time in our area finding pediatricians for our newborns, said Sara Safarzadeh Amiri, chief medical officer for Odessa Regional Medical Center and Scenic Mountain Medical Center. Thats a problem. If you cant find a pediatrician, then when a serious question comes up, who do you ask? Most of Texas measles cases are in unvaccinated school-aged children and are concentrated in the Mennonite community in Gaines County. Cases have also been confirmed in eight other counties spanning Dallam near the Oklahoma border down to Ector, south of Gaines. To contain the illness, rural health care teams have cordoned off spaces to conduct measles testing, used social media to blast residents with information about vaccination efficacy and schlepped throat swabs across counties to ship them to a state lab in Austin the only public state facility that was conducting measles testing until the Texas Tech University Bioterrorism Response Laboratory, part of a national network of CDC-funded labs, began measles testing last Monday. Testing is critical for measles, experts say, because infected individuals can be contagious for several days and must isolate themselves to avoid spreading it further. In Gaines County, runners have had to drive specimens up to 70 miles to get to a FedEx office where they could ship the specimen to the state laboratory. It could then take another 48 hours to get test results. During that time, public health officials would ask patients suspected of measles to quarantine but they dont know if they followed through. Some people need the test to say Im positive before they actually do something or follow the directions given, Amiri said. Having that testing available is very important. In Andrews County, just south of Gaines, Mattimoe is using the old City Hall building as a testing site because he doesnt have a reverse pressure room. Those rooms prevent contagious diseases from spreading to other people, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends suspected measles patients are treated there when possible. In the absence of such spaces, rural counties including Lynn and Yoakum have improvised a room for measles testing, hoping they dont get overrun with more patients they can handle. Mattimoe, who said he is anticipating more cases, opted to open up City Hall for testing since that building happens to be vacant. WIthout it, Mattimoe said, hed have to shut down the entire department for two hours between suspected cases. Reactive instead of proactive responses Public health is based upon prevention, yet its emergencies that spur the most action, particularly in rural communities. It was only after a school-aged child died from measles that state and federal support intensified. Twenty seven contractors were brought into the outbreak area last week to assist local health departments, Shuford, the state health services commissioner, said during a legislative hearing. A public awareness campaign with billboards and social media messaging was also launched. And, upon a request from the state, the federal CDC sent disease detectives to West Texas. County officials also doubled down their efforts. In Ector County, County Judge Dustin Fawcett made media appearances to discuss the efficacy of the MMRV vaccine whose two doses provide 97% protection against measles. And the commissioners court approved the purchase of a $7,695 freezer to store measles test specimens samples shipped after the date of collection must be kept at -70 degrees celsius. In Andrews County, residents stepped up their communal responsibilities. Mattimoe saw a surge of people coming into the clinic to get vaccinated. Unfortunately, the death of a child was one of the things that spurred many people to come in, Mattimoe said. Even as state and federal officials are sharing more information on vaccines, experts say those campaigns needed to come sooner. They have known for years that vaccination rates have been declining. We shouldnt be doing it during an outbreak, Amiri said. We should be doing it beforehand to prevent the outbreak. Getting vaccines in residents is further complicated by the fact that Texas has a mostly decentralized system of public health. Cities and counties can stand up their own public health departments or districts, but the majority of rural counties cant afford to have their own. Instead, they rely on one of 11 public health regions. Those regions cover vast territories with limited dollars and dont always know the ins and outs of local communities, especially on how to motivate residents to get vaccinated. The logistical challenges of traveling across counties adds another layer of difficulty. You have to call these tiny towns and figure out who can give you space for free to set up a testing clinic, Wells said. Then youre driving from Lubbock to rural areas and that cuts how long you can keep the clinics open. And then, rural public health departments are having to contend with mixed messaging from the federal level as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health and human services secretary, has cast vaccination as a personal choice while downplaying the news of the outbreak. I think with the changes that are occurring at the federal level, we need to realize that we do need to strengthen our local public health, Amiri said. The power of funding Years of underinvestment in public health left Texas ill prepared for the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Hospital equipment was scarce, and state and local health departments had outdated technology that limited access to crucial data. The pandemic also exposed the rural-urban inequities in health care access. Residents of Texas counties without hospitals died from COVID-19 at 20% higher rates than residents of counties with hospitals, according to an analysis by the Austin American Statesman. An influx in federal funding helped shore up local public health departments and stave off more rural hospital closures. Texas received $35.5 million in grants for improvements in public health infrastructure in fiscal year 2020. An additional $221 million the most of any state is flowing to Texas through the CDCs five-year Public Health Infrastructure Grant. That funding has helped some local health departments address the measles outbreak, public health officials said. The Lubbock public health department has nearly doubled in size thanks to a $2 million grant. Those extra workers have been on the front lines of testing for measles and vaccinating children. It moved us from undersized to right sized, said Katherine Wells, director of the citys public health department. It got us to thehealth department we need for Lubbock. In Andrews County, Mattimoe has also used grant dollars to grow his health department. Four new employees, including an epidemiologist and a social worker, have helped the county complete a population health assessment that offers a snapshot of residents needs. And its year-round vaccine clinics have helped stave off the worst of the measles outbreak. Community immunity has really saved us, Mattimoe said. There will be a case eventually, but theres something to be said about herd immunity. Andrews County does not have any confirmed measles cases as of Friday. The influx of dollars that rural communities received during the height of the pandemic showed the meaningful changes that officials could do with more support, but it still hasnt been enough. Texas spends less on public health per person than the vast majority of other states, according to the State Health Access Data Assistance Center, whose analysis shows Texas spent $17 per person on public health in 2023. A decade earlier, the spend was $19. The low levels of state funding particularly hurt rural communities that have higher rates of uninsured Texans and more senior citizens with greater health needs, according to the Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals. Deteriorating buildings and the shortage of medical professionals still persist in rural areas, while lower volumes of patients means higher health care operational costs. In Lynn County, Richburg, the CEO of the health district, had hoped the makeshift contraption she made during COVID for a reverse pressure room wouldnt be needed again in her rural community of 5,500 people. She attempted to pass a bond last year to pay for infrastructure upgrades, including a mini intensive care unit with four negative pressure rooms. Voters rejected the proposed tax increase, though, a gut punch to Richburg. We wanted those four specific beds so that when we had situations where we needed to isolate patients, theyd be adequately cared for and not in a room with a broken window with a fan duct taped in it, she said. In addition to isolation rooms, Lynn Countys health care system is due for a major electrical upgrade, Richburg said. The facilitys backup power generator doesnt cover the MRI machine or the CAT scan. In the meantime, Richburg and her staff plan to do their best with what they have. Were still here, the lights still come on every morning, and patients still come in for services, Richburg said. Were not going away. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/10/rural-texas-measles-outbreak-response/. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. Topics Texas Floridas Citizens Property Insurance Corp. is planning to move its Jacksonville office, due in part to security concerns at its current downtown location where more than 800 employees have worked for the last 10 years. The Citizens Board of Governors is scheduled to meet Wednesday, with a new lease for some 215,000 square feet of suburban office space in south Jacksonville on the agenda. Safety and security were listed as the top items in the insurers solicitation for bids on a new office site, and local news reports have noted that some workers have grown increasingly uncomfortable about the homeless population in downtown Jacksonville, with some reporting that they have been threatened and harassed. A Citizens spokesman did not confirm those reports, but board actions in recent years show a heightened concern over security around the Everbank Center, a 30-story skyscraper three blocks from the St. Johns River. In 2019, the state-created insurer solicited bids for additional armed security services around the site, a cost of $120,000. The new office, if approved by the Citizens board and the Florida Department of Management Services, will be on Baypine Road, near Interstate 95, about 9 miles south of downtown, according to the notice of intent to award the bid. Its a leafy office complex previously utilized by the Florida Coastal School of Law, the Florida Times-Union reported. The winning bid was submitted by Jacksonville FL IV FGF. Florida Secretary of State records show the company has offices in Chicago and is managed by C T Corporation System and Boyd Watterson Asset Management. The lease would be for $25 a square foot, bringing the annual total to $5.5 million, including some nearby warehouse space, beginning next year. That amount is something Citizens has budgeted for, documents show. The 10-year lease total would be about $8 million more than Citizens paid at its current site in the Everbank Center, according to news reports. Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan told the Jacksonville newspaper that she will ask the Citizens Board of Governors to reconsider and stay downtown. Downtown restaurants said they would lose significant business if Citizens workers left the Everbank Center. Some said they have felt safe downtown and security guards and police regularly patrol the area, local TV news reported. Homeless populations have remained a concern around the country, especially in larger cities. Photo: Jacksonville and the St. Johns River. (Adobe Stock images) Topics Florida A Washington timber company was fined $114,300 for reportedly violating state and federal child labor regulations. The violations involve a 17-year-old worker, who was reportedly injured while working on one of MVR Timber Cutting Companys logging operations. The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries launched an investigation in May 2024 after it was reported that the 17-year-old was nursing a foot fracture after jumping on one tree stump to another. Originally employed to work with the logging crew, the teen was reportedly engaged in hazardous activities that included high-risk logging activities, which are a violation of the state youth labor laws. Federal and state regulations prohibit minors from engaging in dangerous work. The violation resulted in a $56,000 fine for MVR Timber. The company was fined an additional $56,000 for allowing the minor to work in hazardous zones 56 times. State youth employment laws limit the number of hours minors can work. This violation resulted in a $2,300 fine for unethical work hours. MVR Timber has appealed the fines. The employer reportedly stated that the injured minor had been working as a choker setter, which entails wrapping a cable around a fallen tree. The cable is then used to move and lift the tree. Topics Washington More than a year after the Honolulu City Council created a program to reduce the citys backlog of building permit applications, the citys permitting department director said shes close to starting the program. The delay, said Department of Planning and Permitting Director Dawn Takeuchi Apuna, stems from the same problem that has bogged down some permit applications for over a year: staffing shortages. That backlog has real effects in a city that desperately needs more housing. The citys lengthy approval process not only delays construction, it makes it harder to get financing. Under the new program, builders will not have to wait for DPP to review a project to ensure it meets the city building code. Instead, the department will issue a permit based on an architect or engineers self-certification that their plans are satisfactory. That should allow them to start building much more quickly. Paul Lam, who develops affordable rental housing, said the program could make a big difference in how quickly he can work. When I acquire a piece of land, he said, instead of that year or more of getting the permit to start construction, now Im hoping that we can self-certify in months. And if were able to cut a year out of the equation, can you imagine the number of projects that I can build? Only certain types of projects are eligible for the program, including commercial interior renovations, projects on property controlled by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and low-rise affordable rental housing, which the City Council has pushed to make easier to build. The program affects only the issuance of a building permit; after construction, DPP will inspect the building in person before issuing a certificate of occupancy. The program is meant as a temporary measure to chip away at the backlog as DPP replaces its outdated software and fills dozens of vacancies. Projects approved under the new program still will need approval from other agencies such as the Honolulu Board of Water Supply and the State Historic Preservation Division. But at least it will eliminate the initial review by DPP. Thats the tremendous delay, Lam said. And that frees up DPP as well, to take on so much other work. A Slow Rollout The program was created to help DPP manage the impact of understaffing, but that understaffing slowed the programs launch. The city council enacted the law allowing for self-certification in November 2023, authorizing it for four years. But it took the permitting department over a year to create the rules governing the program. When the bill was being considered, Takeuchi Apuna estimated that would take three to nine months. In an interview with Civil Beat this week, Takeuchi Apuna said the delay, like most problems at DPP, is tied to a lack of staffing. A quarter of the positions in the department are vacant, she said. In recent months, Council Member Tyler Dos Santos-Tam has been asking whats going on with the program. We had passed this law and I hadnt heard anything about it, he told Civil Beat. He sent two letters that went unanswered, according to his office. In January, he sent another, giving the department 10 days to answer a list of questions about how many people had taken advantage of the self-certification program and what impact it had on the permitting backlog. Takeuchi Apuna responded the next week, saying the program had not yet been launched but she hoped it would be ready by the end of February. As of this week, when Civil Beat contacted her, it still wasnt ready. I wish we could say that were opening it up this week, Takeuchi Apuna said. The holdup, she said, is that her staff is still creating the training videos and test required of architects and engineers in order to participate. We have so many initiatives happening right now, she said, which is super not ideal because were using existing staff to pull from. But I dont know how else to do it. She said she hopes people will be able to sign up for self-certification classes in the next few weeks. The delay in launching the program didnt surprise developer Geena Thielen, who sometimes partners with Lam on affordable rental projects. I kind of laughed when I heard the original timeline, she said. Program Narrower Than Mayor Wanted The program targets a narrow slice of development projects, contrary to what Mayor Rick Blangiardis administration envisioned when officials said they wanted to reduce the permit backlog across the board. There was never any intent from the administration that this be limited to certain projects or certain types of projects, city managing director Mike Formby testified in 2023 during a zoning committee hearing a couple weeks before the bill passed. But council members shrank the scope of the program because they said DPP needed to make sure projects were built safely and so they could limit the frequency with which housing projects could pop up in their neighborhoods. They decided that only certain types of projects would be eligible and added a requirement that applied to people building certain types of affordable rental housing. In 2019, council members tried to spur development of affordable rental housing with Bill 7, which waived permit fees for those projects and temporarily exempted them from property taxes. But many of the small properties targeted by that law are owned by people who have little development experience and arent licensed professionals, Takeuchi Apuna said. A lot of those applicants submitted plans that didnt follow code regarding fire safety, plumbing and electrical work, according to a presentation by her department in 2023. For that reason, anyone seeking to build low-rise, affordable housing can participate in the self-certification program only if DPP has approved at least two of their projects and has issued at least one certificate of occupancy. Lam and Thielen, who have experience with bigger projects, are among the few developers of such projects whose architects would be eligible. Takeuchi Apuna said she expects up to 100 people to take advantage of the program. The training modules and test will take no more than a day to complete, she said. I dont see a lot of people constantly asking about this, she said. I think itll serve a smaller number, but itll satisfy them. Builders could lose their privilege to self-certify if theyre charged with bribery, if the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs begins disciplinary proceedings against them or if their plans are found to be noncompliant with the law. DPP was rocked by a bribery scandal in 2021 that saw five workers and one architect go to prison for expediting permits in exchange for thousands of dollars. Anyone whose self-certification registration is suspended or denied can appeal that decision to the DPP director for a hearing with the citys Building Board of Appeals, which is made up of industry professionals. This story was originally published by Honolulu Civil Beat and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Oklahoma Eight people were injured over the weekened when a driver plowed a vehicle into a CarMax location in the Los Angeles area. Two people were critically hurt at the dealership in Inglewood, while the other six had minor injuries, Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesperson Jonathan Torres said. Video of the aftermath posted on social media showed a damaged SUV backing into the building, followed by an employee rushing out. The vehicle pivoted in a lobby area and drove out of the opposite end of the building. CarMax said the driver was a customer whose vehicle had been appraised. He was later arrested. We appreciate the authorities swift response to this terrible event, the company said. The Associated Press left messages for the Inglewood Police Department on Saturday evening. The incident was initially reported as an active shooter situation, but Torres said that turned out not to be the case. Inglewood is a city located about 10 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics California Auto Personal Auto The remarkable story of how Denis Brosnan became the first general manager of Kerry Co-op over 50 years ago is told in a new book by journalist Con Dennehy. Kerry Co-op, The Heart of Who we Are traces the role it has played in the Irish dairy industry and the creation of a global food ingredients brand. Central to that journey was the visionary leadership of Denis Brosnan, a dairy and food science graduate from UCC and a farmers son from Kilflynn in North Kerry. He began his career with Golden Vale in Charleville, Co Cork, where he greatly impressed managing director Dave O'Loughlin, who described him as a humdinger who would get places. Brosnan was based in London and travelling the world as the groups export sales manager, when OLoughlin, a former Irish rugby international, died suddenly in 1971, aged 55. The Kerry man was tipped by many people to succeed OLoughlin, but he was surprisingly turned down for the job because he was deemed to be too young. He was 27. That same year, a group of progressive dairy farmers in North Kerry were setting up a new milk processing factory in Listowel with the help of what later became the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) and its managing director Jim OMahony. Eddie Hayes, a man with a visionary outlook, was the driving force behind the move to establish North Kerry Milk Products, along with Frank Wall, Tarbert, another pioneering leader with impeccable business judgement. Denis Brosnans growing reputation was known to Hayes, a neighbour from Kilflynn, who contacted him in London. He got the job following an interview. It was a daunting undertaking. Brosnan arrived in Listowel to set up the factory in a muddy field. He had no staff, no office and no telephone. His first major investment decision was to rent a 22ft caravan for 4 a week. This was placed in the parking lot of the construction site and served as an office. Milk processing was fragmented in Kerry, with its back to the Atlantic Ocean and facing towards Cork, location of three of the countrys Big Five co-ops, Ballyclough, Golden Vale and Mitchelstown. The years that followed were exciting, saw inspired leadership, major expansions, controversies, deep-rooted pride, creamery mergers and acquisitions and divisive milk wars. It all led to the formation of Kerry Co-op in 1973 and the launch in 1986 of Kerry Group as a plc, now employing 23,000 people globally with reported revenue of 8bn last year. Con Dennehys book of almost 500 pages traces the co-ops journey from its foundation to the present day including the role it has played in the lives of farm families and the impact it has on sporting, cultural and community life in Kerry and elsewhere. The book, featuring 259 photographs, paints a portrait of people from Kerry, Clare, Limerick and parts of Cork who contributed to the co-ops success. It contains 45 interviews with founders, directors, board members, farmers and employees in Kerry, Limerick, Clare, South Galway and North Cork. It also provides an insight into the pioneering spirit, business acumen and vision of the co-ops original founders, especially Eddie Hayes and Frank Wall. Both were strong advocates for Kerry farmers controlling their own industry. Anne Maria Keane Cotter from Kilmorna, the co-ops first woman chairperson, is quoted in the book as saying: We can never underestimate the wealth Kerry Co-op has brought to the counties, to the farm families and the employment they have created. That trend continues with the recent approval by Kerry Co-op shareholders to buy Kerry Groups dairy division in two stages for 500m. The deal allows almost 12,000 farmers and other shareholders to cash in 1.4bn worth of shares. With James Tangney as chairperson, Kerry Co-op now heads into what promises to be an exciting new era, with the memories of how it all began recalled in the book. John C. OConnor, Anniversary Committee chairperson, notes in a foreword that the early 1970s was a time of transformation in Kerrys agricultural landscape. From the back of his fathers Hillman Hunter car, while he encouraged the farmers to invest in the new co-op, he was privy to real-time opinions. Excitement, worry, the fear of the unknown and possible changes to farm practices were common themes in their conversations. Any concerns were short lived as, under the stewardship of Denis Brosnan, the co-op went on to huge success, he writes. Brosnan remained with the plc until he retired in 2003. He was followed by Hugh Friel, Stan McCarthy and Edmund Scanlon. His last major involvement with Kerry was taking over Golden Vale in 2001. It saw him return, corporate style, to where his remarkable managerial journey began almost 30 years before. He told Con Dennehy that as he was going to exit Kerry in 2003, there was one last job he wanted to do and that was to attend the Golden Vale meetings with farmers prior to the takeover. We received almost unanimous approval from Golden Vale to join up with Kerry. When all that was achieved, I said my race is run. I started with Golden Vale, and I finished with Golden Vale. Episode two of Land of the Free, a three-part series from the Irish Examiner exploring the fears and struggles of undocumented Irish immigrants in the US, begins with a snippet of former US president Barack Obamas address on College Green in Dublin 14 years ago, in 2011. So you could say theres always been a little green behind the red, white, and blue. First of all, what a brilliant line, a reminder of what a great orator Obama was. Cut to the incumbent president Donald Trump, who we hear state: All illegal entry will immediately be halted and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came. Trump says so much that some of it can be lost amid the noise and bluster, but for the undocumented Irish in the US, they must be worried about the future. Presenter Sean Murray, who travelled from New York to Boston to Chicago to report Land of the Free, between those two presidents quotes, says: Any hopes that the Obama administration would translate into lasting permanent action for the thousands of undocumented Irish living and working in the States never came to fruition. Murray says in the opening episode that in any of those three cities he visited, you dont have to go far to find an Irish bar, but there is a question you might want to avoid asking just in case: Whens the last time you were home? It could be years, decades, but, he says, they cant go home because theyre undocumented. James OMalley, a New York-based immigration lawyer from Limerick, tells him it is a tiny percentage of Irish people who contact his office over deportation fears - they have clients from some 92 countries. And what of ICE, the US Information and Customs Enforcement, whose website, says Murray, proudly declares all they are doing to rid the US of all the undocumented people living there? Shared among undocumented people and by immigration lawyers is a cheat sheet on what to do if ICE come calling. I do not wish to speak with you, answer your questions, or sign or hand you any documents based on my fifth amendment rights under the United States constitution, is what you should tell them. I do not give you permission to enter my home based on my fourth amendment rights under the United States Constitution unless you have a warrant to enter, signed by a judge or magistrate with my name on it that you slide under the door. Its startling to think this cheat sheet is something that thousands of undocumented people, Irish or otherwise, must know. Digital nomadism is a trend that allows individuals to work remotely, explore and reside in diverse, often budget-friendly destinations worldwide. This type of lifestyle has seen a significant surge in popularity. And its not your typical young adventurer, it seems to be enticing a diverse array of participants, from tech professionals to families with children and even retirees. The pandemic not only highlighted the necessity of remote work but also paved the way for hybrid work models in its aftermath. Imagine being able to trade your typical office view for a sunny destination! The shift in mindset since covid has been profound; people are increasingly prioritising work-life balance and are eager to live their best lives today, rather than waiting for retirement. Raising kids on the road Leona Burton Leona Burton, the founder of Mums in Business International (MiB) and a digital nomad based in Mexico, balances her entrepreneurial pursuits with her role as a mother to six children. She emphasises the importance of planning, patience and teamwork in making her lifestyle work. Leona embraces the chaos that comes with being a digital nomad, choosing to focus on being present for her family while pursuing her passion. Her work has taken her to inspiring locations such as Mexico, Gran Canaria, Las Vegas, and the UK, allowing her to demonstrate to her children the endless possibilities life has to offer. Over the past two years, Leona has also been active in Ireland for International Womens Day, leading events that empower women in business. Her lifestyle affords her children the chance to experience diverse cultures and perspectives, while her remote work enables her to create a life aligned with their familys values of exploration, learning and connection. Leona says, Yes, I still move around! Living the digital nomad life with six children is definitely an adventure, but its also what makes it so special. Right now, were world schooling in Mexico, which is such a fantastic opportunity for my children to experience different cultures and perspectives. The future of work Orla Bakeberg Orla Bakeberg and her husband Brian are currently co-owners of An Even Better Place to Work (bp2w), an online employee engagement solution. Orla is now based in Geesala, Co Mayo and shares her experience. My life journey from Dublin to South Africa and later back to Ireland, mirrors the digital nomad experience in many ways. Like many nomads, I have learnt to adapt to new environments, new cultures and a myriad of work settings. Our first business together, Expo Africa, which spanned eight southern African countries, taught Brian and I the value of mobility and flexibility in entrepreneurship. Our own experiences working from various locations, including our car during many cross-country trips, has taught us the importance of creating a structured routine. For us, as long as we have access to a reliable laptop, some form of stable internet connection and of course online banking, we are able to maintain our best productivity in any location. Contrary to the notion that digital nomads are always on the move, many, like us, find ourselves drawn to particular locations, like where we are now. We have embraced the digital nomad ethos in our business model. The ability to work from anywhere, connected by the touch of a digital button, represents the future of work for many professionals. A global group of friends Robyn Flemming Robyn Flemming is Australian and has been a freelance editor for nearly 40 years since living in Hong Kong in the 1980s and 1990s. The flexibility has allowed her to work globally and in 2010 she embraced the nomadic lifestyle at age 57 as an editor without borders. She shares what life is like for her. Since 2010, apart from a two-year return to Australia during COVID, Ive called the world my home, splitting my time among Kuching, Budapest and Sarajevo, where Ive built friendships and established routines. My work keeps clients from Australia and beyond unaware of my location and I can often meet tight deadlines thanks to time zone differences. Ive faced various challenges while travelling, including a mugging in Chile and injuries in Morocco and Australia, which have taught me to tackle problems step by step. Now at 72, I prioritise physical fitness by walking and a healthy lifestyle and I gave up alcohol in 2011, a year after I became nomad. Robyns memoir, SKINFUL: A Memoir of Addiction is about the choices we make at turning points in life and can be found at www.robynflemmingauthor.com. So can you stay connected with people while solo travelling? Robyn says: Im not a bucket-list traveller, I am a solo traveller who enjoys community. I feel very fortunate to now have a wide circle of friends scattered across the world. I have found my international family through my interests in running, walking, films, photography, art and architecture. I use social media to stay in touch with people I liked meeting when their paths crossed with mine. I am not religious, but I am aware on a spiritual level that I have been given abilities and opportunities to have an amazing life and I am grateful for that every day. Building deep connections Andrea Lessona Andrea Lessona is an Italian journalist, writer and digital nomad. He expresses his passion for travel and writing. I was born with this beautiful disease of travelling and writing. I travel to learn and share, meeting people and experiencing their emotions. I live by Prousts idea that true discovery comes from seeing with new eyes. In 2007, I founded the travel website il Reporter, which won the Lonely Planet award for best Italian travel blog two years later. I am currently based in Italy and I have a deep connection to Ireland, where I worked, wrote a book about W. B. Yeats and where my son Jordan was conceived, who will turn 19 this year. Jordan has travelled with me throughout England, Spain, Switzerland, Bosnia and Italy. Essential protections Jonathan Frankham There are important issues to think about for this type of lifestyle, like healthcare, clothes, storage, insurance, etc. Health care can be particularly difficult to access when living in a variety of countries and companies have begun to offer insurance plans specifically designed for nomads needs. Jonathan Frankham is the General Manager for the UK and Europe for World Nomads with their European headquarters based in Cork. Jonathon says: Our policies protect the essential tools of digital nomadslaptops, phones, and techagainst theft, loss or damage, while also providing comprehensive emergency medical coverage, as well as cashless services like Air Doctor for connecting travellers with vetted healthcare professionals for minor ailments. We introduced SmartDelay for free airport lounge access during flight delays of 90 minutes or more, ensuring a comfortable workspace on the go. For Irish digital nomads heading to popular destinations like Portugal, Bali or Mexico, having travel insurance is essential for visa applications, offering a crucial safety net to fully embrace the nomadic journey. Both complimentary services are provided with every World Nomads Single Trip and Annual Multi-Trip policy and offer travellers a seamless customer experience. Gentrification issues Robin Edwards Robin Edwards is a buying agent at Curetons Property Finders and has seen how digital nomadism is reshaping local economies and sparking gentrification in areas. Robin says: The rise of digital nomadism is transforming local economies, bringing both opportunities and challenges. These remote workers inject disposable income into various regions, boosting local businesses, especially in smaller cities and developing economies, where demand for accommodation, restaurants, and coworking spaces increases. The hospitality and tourism sectors benefit from their longer stays, creating more consistent revenue streams. However, this influx of affluent workers can lead to accusations of gentrification. In popular destinations like Bali, Lisbon, and Chiang Mai, rising property prices and rents can make housing less affordable for locals. Neighbourhoods may shift from traditional shops to trendy cafes and international restaurants, leaving locals feeling increasingly excluded from their communities. In response to this trend some cities and countries are crafting new policies to specifically attract digital nomads. Special digital nomad visas tailored for remote workers, such as those offered by Estonia and Barbados, allow digital nomads to live and work for extended periods of time within the country. Governments often accompany these visas with incentives like tax breaks and simplified immigration processes, seeking to harness the economic benefits of this mobile workforce. Japan Airlines has launched a new clothing rental program that allows passengers travelling to Japan to rent clothes, which are then delivered directly to your accommodation when you arrive. The aim is to minimise luggage while travelling perfect for digital nomads. As digital nomadism becomes increasingly popular, this lifestyle is transforming the landscape of work and travel. People are not only in pursuit of adventure; they are also revitalising communities and building connections across cultures. Often, exploring lesser-known paths can lead to the most rewarding experiences. In villages, towns and cities across the country, a little-known synthetic drug is making its presence felt on the lives of teenagers. Contained in vapes and edibles such as jellies, hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) is being termed a ticking timebomb, a silent assassin and a drug which is wreaking havoc on young people. The drug was linked to an incident in a Cork town in November 2023 in which four young people were hospitalised. But despite the fears about the drug, it continues to be sold in shops across the country because it is not included in the list of prohibited drugs in Ireland under the Misuse of Drugs Act. HHC is a semi-synthetic version of a natural cannabinoid found in cannabis, emulating the effects of THC in cannabis plants. Earlier this month, the Irish Examiner published a letter from a parent who wrote that their family has been shattered by the devastating effects of the drug. The parent, who wished to remain anonymous, wrote that their 17-year-old daughter fell victim to this unregulated and highly addictive substance, leading to severe mental health struggles, psychiatric treatment, and even leaving school. It is understood that up to a fifth of teenagers being treated in addiction services are there because of chemically modified cannabis products found in vapes and edibles, including HHC. Professor Eamon Keenan of the HSEs addiction services says: We have been quite concerned about HHC for quite some time now because we have seen it associated with mental health presentations. The concern is that people are having reactions where they develop psychotic features and present with psychosis. Mental health services are now being advised where there is a young person presenting with psychosis to ask if they have recently had HHC. It is really becoming an issue. Conor OBrien, of Cloyne Diocesan Youth Services, says HHC products are readily available, with some shops advertising that they stock HHC. Others that stock it are less vocal, he says. The reaction varies from person to person. To the best of my knowledge, the effect is pretty much instantaneous. He says that the effects can last for several hours. It is a real ticking timebomb. From my point of view, I think it is having a serious knock-on effect on school attendance and with young peoples abilities to engage with school. Their concentration levels seem to be seriously affected by it. He points out that while it is not on the list of prohibited substances, it should be. Its in a legal loophole at the moment. He explains that if someone is using HHC in a vape, it will be impossible to tell because there is no telltale smell, unlike cannabis. You can now buy it in liquid so you can fill a normal vape with liquid yourself. You cant tell by looking at it. Another youth worker, Dan Hogan, also of Cloyne Diocesan Youth Services in north Cork, says the emergence of the drug in Ireland began in 2023. He agrees that there are many vape shops which have full displays of HHC vapes, as if they are just normal strawberry-flavoured vapes when actually they are a lot more harmful to young people. Mr Hogan continues: We have worked with a lot of young people now who are regularly smoking these vapes and they are quite young 14 and 15 years old so developmentally we are very concerned about where this might lead for them. It mimics the same effects as cannabis so the eyes would be bloodshot, they are very unmotivated. There are a lot of young people putting themselves in dangerous positions to get these vapes as well, such as approaching strangers asking them to get them vapes. He said it can be seen in schools where young people come in after lunch break acting differently to what they were just before the break. He questioned why the laws around psychoactive substances introduced over a decade ago are not being used to tackle the growth of HHC. Where young people were trying to get cans of cider before, now they are trying to get these vapes and sharing them. The flavour, according to the young people telling us about them, is like strawberry and things like that, so you can take quite a big dose of it and then be in an awful way altogether half an hour later. "It is very worrying. What is the developmental impact of these things on young peoples lives? He said that underage drinking is not the issue it was because of the increasing popularity of vapes, and added that up to four young people come together to buy a vape and share it to cut the expense of the habit. He urged politicians to tackle it as a priority. We have felt we have been roaring into the abyss about this, he said. Progress of legislation Earlier this month, in reply to a parliamentary question, minister for health Jennifer Carroll McNeill said that legislation is being drafted to include the drug in the Misuse of Drugs legislative framework and that the legislation will be brought to the government shortly. She said that the measure would regulate the sale of the drug for human consumption but would also ensure that possession and the sale or supply of the drug would be an offence. This was confirmed to the Irish Examiner in a statement from the Department of Health, which said: Officials in the Department of Health, in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General have been drafting legislation to add Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) as a Schedule 1 controlled drug to the Misuse of Drugs framework. It is expected to go to Government in the near future. Junior minister with responsibility for nature, heritage and biodiversity, Christopher OSullivan, raised the issue of HHC in the last Dail after the parents of a secondary school student contacted them with concerns. It is understood that up to a fifth of teenagers being treated in addiction services are there because of chemically modified cannabis products found in vapes and edibles, including HHC. File picture The student had been very focused on school but his parents began to notice a deterioration in his concentration which has now been attributed to the use of HHC vapes. Mr OSullivan said: There were massive mood swings, he had no interest in school and started missing school, and psychotic episodes as well. He said that HHC is still widely available and he pledged to speak with minister Jennifer Murnane OConnor, who has responsibility for drugs, to push for action against HHC. Action to tackle the issue has been too slow, according to the TD. It is far too accessible and is devastating families. Where there were great parent-child relationships, those relationships are now becoming frayed because of mood swings. It is causing havoc to the young people themselves. We need to address it before lives are ruined. Vapes were seen as kind of harmless and seen as a healthier option than smoking, but this HHC, which is sold and packaged in flowery packages, is targeted at young kids and it creeps up on them. There are concerns that tackling the drug through the Misuse of Drugs Act may not be enough however. Prof. Eamon Keenan: 'Mental health services are now being advised where there is a young person presenting with psychosis to ask if they have recently had HHC.' File picture: Mark Stedman Professor Keenan said: I think what we are learning from Europe is that there are new drugs coming out all the time and we need to be able to use provisions like the Psychoactive Substances Act to act quickly and get these substances banned quickly because they are causing mental health problems to young people. He said that if the drug is prohibited through the Misuse of Drugs Act, it can be taken off the shelves. What we need to be able to have is a system which is able to respond in an agile manner to any of these new substances that are arriving and that we do see causing harm. We are concerned about the market in general and the fact that new drugs are appearing on a regular basis and we need to have a very robust warning system in place. We are doing that as much as we can with various different approaches. "We have been pushing for wastewater analysis, we have been pushing for testing at festivals. All of these things are very important so we can identify at an early stage harmful substances and then inform the public. Scientific concerns A paper published in September by the College of Psychiatrists warned that adding HHC to the Misuse of Drugs Act would not be a panacea. Instead, it said that the shops (currently profiting from sale of HHC) could simply switch to importing and selling a similar but not yet banned drug. It too argued for addressing the sale of HHC through the Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010, introduced to tackle head shops. Under this Act it is a criminal offence to sell any psychoactive drug. It led to the closure of the network of head shops in Ireland. Other countries followed Irelands lead, enacting similar legislation over the following years. "HHC is being actively and publicly advertised by shops as having psychoactive effects. Doctors are also hearing direct evidence from patients of its psychoactive effects. Therefore, it seems obvious that HHC falls under this Act. Dan Hogan, also of Cloyne Diocesan Youth Services in north Cork, says there are many vape shops which have full displays of HHC vapes, 'as if they are just normal strawberry-flavoured vapes when actually they are a lot more harmful to young people'. File picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin The college called on the Government to urgently intervene to ban the distribution and sale of all semi-synthetic cannabis and tackle the issue of its harms and said an explosion of addiction presentations across the country involved the man-made drug. It said that use of the drug is leaving young men in particular with severe psychoses, requiring lengthy hospital admissions for recovery. Just a month earlier, the annual report from Forensic Science Ireland for 2023 also raised concerns about the emergence of HHC. It said: Cannabis and related cannabinoid products accounted for 42% of all cases analysed by FSI in 2023. The traditional cannabis market is no longer a homogenous arena and is now a dynamically evolving space with ongoing rapid emergence of a dizzying array of synthetic cannabinoid products it is truly the Wild West of the drug marketplace. A review of 114 jelly, sweet and chocolate products analysed in 2023 showed that 36% contained synthetic cannabinoid products, including HHC. Describing it as semi-synthetic, the report said: HHC can be synthesised from CBD (Cannabidiol). HHC is chemically similar to THC and appears to have relatively similar physiological effects. Unlike THC, HHC is not a controlled substance in most European countries and worryingly is being sold as a safe or legal replacement in conventional THC products. In November 2023 four teenagers became ill and were hospitalised after vaping - analysis of these vapes by FSI identified the presence of HHC. Clearly these products remain a significant risk to the public with ongoing vigilant monitoring of emerging trends required. Despite the perception that nothing is being done to address the issue under the legislation for psychoactive substances, a statement from An Garda Siochana said that the 2010 legislation prohibits the unauthorised import, export or sale of a psychoactive substance, adding: A number of investigations into the sale or supply of HHC are ongoing. Support and helplines: Samaritans 116 123 Aware: 1890 303 302 GROW 1890 474 474 Pieta House 1800 247 247 The States life-saving air ambulance service could be grounded in a simmering row over its crewing model. The Irish Examiner has learned that the 10 highly skilled advanced paramedics who crew the HSEs Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (Hems) from bases in Athlone and Cork have resigned from the service, and have requested a return to their original ground-based ambulance duties. Their request comes amid fears the National Ambulance Service (Nas) wants to cut the number of paramedics on each aircraft from two to just one. Farm safety minister Michael Healy-Rae has described any such move as reckless. HSE and National Ambulance Service management have been warned that a solo paramedic crewing model poses a risk to patients, to the paramedics and pilots, and poses a flight safety risk. They have been told that if the National Ambulance Service cant provide two paramedics for each aircraft, then the air ambulance service should be stood down on those days. A senior manager has warned that a single patient safety incident such as a drug error, an in-flight patient emergency, or a crash would bring the crewing issue sharply into focus. There are also concerns that the National Ambulance Service is recruiting emergency medical technicians (EMTs) to replace the second paramedic on each aircraft. Qualifying as an emergency medical technician takes just five weeks. Internal emails warn that an emergency medical technician will not be able to carry out any of the major interventional skills required to help critically ill patients such as intubation the placing of a tube in a patients airway and the IV administration of powerful painkillers. 'Detrimental impact' While the HSE has denied there are any plans to change the crewing model, the Irish Examiner has learned that a single clinical crew model was trialled after the State took over a charity-funded, Munster-based Helicopter Emergency Medical Service in 2023. An unpublished internal report on the trial said the introduction of a solo advanced paramedic (AP) crewing model had a detrimental impact on the primary role of Helicopter Emergency Medical Services that being to provide safe and effective care to patients. It described the single crewing model as unsustainable and one which poses safety concerns with a measurable increase in risk to both the patient and the practitioner. It found multiple incidents of increased risk to the patient, which were directly related to a solo practitioner trying to manage multiple aspects of complex trauma cases while also preparing patients for flight, coordinating all communications to the flight crew, and loading and unloading the patients onto the aircraft. It said it could find no other comparable Helicopter Emergency Medical Service in the world delivered by a solo clinician It also referenced a 2019 internal report which pointed out that the existing service in place since 2012, and crewed by an advanced paramedic and an emergency medical technician was already operating at a lower clinical level than international norms. Among its recommendations were the scrapping of the advanced paramedic and emergency medical technician crew combination, and the maintenance of two advanced paramedics on the aircraft while the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service moves towards a doctor-led service. The Irish Examiner has also seen a raft of internal emails from clinical risk and clinical development experts warning senior managers about any potential move from a two-person advanced paramedic to a solo advanced paramedic crew. Siptu, which represents the 10 advanced paramedics who are now working the air ambulance roster under protest, is liaising with the National Ambulance Service management on their concerns about the future crewing model. However, industrial official Graham Macken accused management of frustrating the talks. Unless we see progress in the short term, we will formally refer this matter to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), he said. National Ambulance Service management has also been told in recent days that, as well as referring the matter to the WRC, the union will consider options to conduct a formal ballot for forms of industrial action. Michael Healy-Rae: 'Having just one advanced paramedic on the helicopter is not safe for the patient, and its not safe for the crew of the helicopter either.' File Picture: Dan Linehan The minister of state at the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, Michael Healy-Rae, said he was shocked and worried about any plan to cut the number of skilled advanced paramedics on the air ambulance aircraft. Certain people in the HSE are totally ignoring the safety aspect of this. They seem to think that these helicopters can work with minimal crews. Well, they cant, he said. You need highly skilled, highly trained expertise in these aircraft. They deal with the most high-risk and the most complex medical trauma cases. Anything can happen to a patient while they are being transferred by air. Having just one advanced paramedic on the helicopter is not safe for the patient, and its not safe for the crew of the helicopter either. I have been trying to get answers on this issue through parliamentary questions and, to be totally honest, I am totally dis-satisfied with the responses Ive received. They show a complete disregard for the crew and for patients. In fact, some of the responses have been outrageous trying to justify the unjustifiable I dont accept the responses, and I would condemn any move to reduce the number of paramedics in the strongest possible way. I would go so far as to describe any such move as a reckless action. Feasibility study The HSE was asked a range of specific questions about its crewing model plans, with several directed specifically at National Ambulance Service director Robert Morton. It declined to answer the specific questions, issuing a statement instead. It said that, since its inception in June 2012, the HSEs Helicopter Emergency Medical Service has operated a successful crewing model consisting of one specialist paramedic and one emergency medical technician. In September 2024, the HSE commenced a feasibility study to examine the need for physician-delivered Hems in Ireland, it said. The initial results of the trial have not supported any such change, hence the trial period has been extended into 2025. Pending any outcome from that feasibility study, the HSE has no plans to change the Hems crewing model. One person is missing from a cargo ship after it crashed into an oil tanker in the North Sea, the vessels owner has said. Shipping company Ernst Russ said efforts to locate one of the 14 crew members aboard its Solong container ship were ongoing after the collision with the Stena Immaculate tanker off the coast of East Yorkshire on Monday morning. The maritime company managing the Stena Immaculate, Crowley, said the vessel was struck by the Solong while anchored off the coast of Hull, causing multiple explosions on board and jet fuel it was carrying to be released. The tanker was operating as part of the US governments Tanker Security Programme, a group of commercial vessels that can be contracted to carry fuel for the military when needed. According to reports, the cargo ship was carrying sodium cyanide, which can produce harmful gas when combined with water, but it was unclear if there had been any leak. More than 30 people were rescued from the ships and taken to Grimsby but it was also unclear if anyone was seriously injured. Graham Stuart, the MP for Beverley and Holderness, said one person was in hospital and 36 mariners had been rescued, but East Midlands Ambulance Service said it assessed 36 people at the scene in Grimsby and none were taken to hospital. In a statement on Monday evening, Ernst Russ said search efforts were ongoing for the missing crew member. (PA Graphics) The statement said: Both vessels have sustained significant damage in the impact of the collision and the subsequent fire. 13 of the 14 Solong crew members have been brought safely shore. Efforts to locate the missing crew member are ongoing. Ernst Russ immediately activated an emergency response team, and the company remains in contact with them, the Master of Solong and all relevant marine authorities at Humberside. The first priority is the safety of the crew(s), all responders and the environment. A further update will be provided when information becomes available. MP Graham Stuart (Chris McAndrew/UK Parliament/PA) A statement from Crowley, which manages the oil tanker, read: At approximately 10am on March 10, 2025, while anchored off the North Sea coast near Hull, United Kingdom, the Crowley-managed tanker Stena Immaculate was struck by the container ship Solong. The Stena Immaculate sustained a ruptured cargo tank containing Jet-A1 fuel due to the allision. A fire occurred as a result of the allision, and fuel was reportedly released. The Stena Immaculate crew abandoned the vessel following multiple explosions onboard. All Crowley mariners are safe and fully accounted for. Crowley immediately initiated its emergency vessel response plan and is actively working with public agencies to contain the fire and secure the vessel. Our first priority is the safety of the people and environment. We will provide more updates as information becomes available. Lifeboats and a coastguard helicopter were called to the collision in the Humber Estuary just before 10am involving US-flagged tanker Stena Immaculate and Portuguese-registered container ship Solong. Black smoke billowing into the air after the collision (Bartek Smialek/PA) Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, told the PA news agency 13 casualties were initially brought in on a Windcat 33 vessel, followed by another 10 on a harbour pilot boat and nine on another pilots vessel. Mr Boyers said he had been told there was a massive fireball, adding: Its too far out for us to see about 10 miles but we have seen the vessels bringing them in. They must have sent a mayday out luckily, there was a crew transfer vessel out there already. Since then, there has been a flotilla of ambulances to pick up anyone they can find. Conservative MP Mr Stuart said: Ive now spoken with the Transport Secretary and I understand that only one person is in hospital. The other 36 mariners across both crews are safe and accounted for. While we will be thankful that everyone has been brought ashore, I continue to be concerned about the potential ecological impact. Footage of the incident showed at least one vessel on fire, with clouds of black smoke coming out of the oil tanker. (PA Graphics) A spokesperson for the Marine Accident Investigation Branch said it has deployed investigators to Grimsby. She added: Our team of inspectors and support staff are gathering evidence and undertaking a preliminary assessment of the accident to determine our next steps. Downing Street said details of the cause of the collision were still becoming clear. The Prime Ministers official spokesman said it was an extremely concerning situation. He said: We thank the emergency services for their rapid response. I understand the Department for Transport is working closely with the coastguard to help support the response to the incident. Were obviously monitoring the situation, well continue to co-ordinate the response and were grateful to emergency personnel for their continued efforts. Asked if there were any theories about what happened, the spokesman said: My understanding is the details are still becoming clear, so I dont want to speculate on that. Two leprechauns have appeared before Cork District Court and been given four months to comply with the city's new busking bylaws. Street performer Gerry Barry said while he and his nephew, Damian Barry, who perform on St Patrick's Street as the funky leprechauns, will comply with the court order to get a street performing licence, they still oppose the 2024 regulations, parts of which he said make it almost impossible for acts like theirs. I am not a rebel but I am prepared to go to jail over this, a defiant Gerry Barry said. I would see it as a badge of honour. We are being pursued like this because of the views of one or two shops and businesses on St Patricks Street. But I am not going to be dictated to. If I have to give this up, I dont think I could cope. It would be like my whole life had been cancelled. New street performing bylaws came into effect in Cork city in May 2024 in a bid to manage the location, duration, and volume of busking in the city. Mr Barry and his nephew perform outside Brown Thomas on St Patricks Street, usually dressed as leprechauns, playing the spoons to backing tracks, and dancing and interacting with pedestrians. They also perform as elves at Christmas. He said tourists have told tell them they had hoped to see a leprechaun during their visit to Ireland but didnt think it would have been so easy. We are a visual act. Its hard to move it around after two hours, and set up again," he said. Anyone can dress up as a leprechaun but this isnt about the costume. Its the concept, and having the confidence to dance on the street, to look directly into a strangers face and smile, and have fun with them to make that special connection. A spokesman for Cork City Council said following the introduction of the bylaws, they first sought voluntary compliance, through non-routine street inspections, and then responding to complaints received from members of the public, businesses, or other performers. "There has been substantial compliance with and respect for the bylaws and what they are trying to achieve, he said. Active street performance can be a vibrant thing in an urban setting, but some performances, at some times in some places, are not consistent with that. As of last month, a total of 84 street performing permits had been issued, with 58 inspections carried out, resulting in the issuing of four fines in relation to performing without a valid permit, with one warning issued to a performer who had not adhered to the correct times and locations. The owner of Blarney Castle in Cork has been granted permission by the High Court to legally challenge two road traffic convictions. The case centres on overwritten CCTV footage. Charles Colthurst is seeking a judicial review of the two convictions he received for drink driving and dangerous driving handed down by Fermoy District Court on October 11, 2024. The two offences were said to have occurred on September 17, 2023, when Mr Colthurst was in a silver VW Golf on the M8 motorway, Gortnahown, Mitchelstown, Cork and on the M8 Ballinglanna, North Kilworth, Cork. Challenge centres on wiped CCTV footage At the High Court on Monday, barrister David Staunton, instructed by Michael Powell Solicitors, acting for Mr Colthurst, successfully applied to the court for leave to challenge the two convictions over overwritten CCTV evidence. Mr Colthurst is seeking the judicial review quashing the order of the convictions and is further seeking a High Court order that the grant of leave will operate as a stay on both convictions. Mr Staunton said the District Court had said CCTV sought by the defence in the matter was relevant to the case and solicitors for Mr Colthurst wrote to Fermoy Garda Station on November 20, 2023, seeking CCTV in the case to be preserved. On November 29, 2023, Mr Colthurst's lawyers were told by gardai that the CCTV from the public office where Mr Colthurst underwent Garda observation had been overwritten after 28 days and was no longer available. Garda observation was 'not uninterrupted' The defence maintained that a 20-minute period of Garda observation of Mr Colthurst had not been an uninterrupted one and sought the footage. Mr Colthurst's lawyers submitted to the High Court that the footage was crucial to his defence". The District Court Judge deemed the disclosure relevant, and ordered that expert inspection of the CCTV system be facilitated and the matter was adjourned to April 12, 2024. The adjournment was to see if defence experts in CCTV could still retrieve footage from Fermoy Garda Station even though it had been overwritten. Defence technicians were able to recover footage from 16 different channels on the system and, in total, 4,401 pieces of footage and said in October 2024 they could still identify footage from December 9, 2023. The footage of the public office, however, could not be recovered while other channels proved fruitful. Lawyers for Mr Colthurst claim that if the hard drive had been retained for inspection during the month of December 2023 when the prosecution were fully aware of the issues and had engaged in correspondence with the applicant, it was reasonable to assume that the footage from September 17, 2023 would still have been available. After several adjournments during April to October 2024, during which the judge marked the case peremptory against Mr Colthurst, the court heard the case and convicted the applicant of both offences. Lawyers for Mr Colthurst claim that even if the material was deleted before the November 2023 request for the CCTV it was capable of being recovered despite claims made to the contrary. The court would have been in receipt of evidence which concerned the fairness of the proceedings". The prosecution had failed to seek out, preserve or retain footage despite being requested to do so in November 2023, submit Mr Colthurst's lawyers. At the High Court on Monday, Mr Staunton was granted leave to pursue the challenge and Ms Justice Mary Rose Geary adjourned the matter to April. Five years on from the start of lockdown in 2020, I find myself sometimes wondering if the pandemic really happened, and at the enormous changes we endured as a society. I believe we did the best we could at the time, but hindsight is a 20:20 vision. Looking back, we must remember to judge our actions in the context of what we knew at the time - and knowing that the death toll worldwide ended up at more than 7m people. In late 2019/early 2020 the WHO was notified of an outbreak of pneumonia in Wuhan, China, initially of unknown cause. By January 7, 2020, the cause was identified as a coronavirus initially titled as SARS-CoV-2 subsequently renamed covid-19. A pandemic was declared on March 11, 2020. While we had relatively recently had a pandemic in 2010 (H1N1), that disease did not threaten the entire population as covid did, and comparisons were being made with the Spanish Flu a century ago. A temporary hospital converted from an exhibition centre in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province in February 2020. The hospital, one of the dozen of its kind built in Wuhan, hosted covid patients with mild symptoms. File picture: Chinatopix via AP We watched on TV as China built entire hospitals, but it became far more real when the disease hit northern Italy in February, overwhelming their hospital systems and with very significant loss of life. The pictures of coffins carried by military trucks will live long in my memory. Our colleagues in Italy through the ESICM (European Society of Intensive Care Medicine) wrote to us all in Europe, urging us to prepare. We knew in the ICU community we had fewer than half the beds per capita than northern Italy. We spent what time we had talking with colleagues abroad who were being hit before us to learn about the disease, its presentation, treatment strategies, and organisational tips. In ICU terms we were under-resourced, so we had to plan how to expand quickly, use other spaces, ensure continuity of oxygen supply to the entire hospital, redeploy staff and upskill fast. Muster the agenda We had experience with bird flu in 2010 managing viral pneumonia, but this was a completely new virus and everyone was susceptible. At first, we were able to muster the energy needed, but coping with repeated waves became exhausting. From the second wave on the virus became more infectious and there were more hospital outbreaks which were very difficult for patients, especially vulnerable people who had to attend hospital for other conditions. The wave in January 2021 was very challenging, but the introduction of the vaccines signalled hope and a chance of an eventual return to normality. The development of the vaccines so quickly was an example of science in action and the mRNA vaccines continue to offer enormous benefits to mankind in terms of potential treatment for cancers as well as for other vaccines. Along with helping very sick patients, we needed to communicate directly with the public. We knew from what we had seen abroad that without public health measures to flatten the curve no hospital system could cope. We also had to expand our capacity. Intensivists, critical care nurses and anaesthesiologists worked together to ensure accurate information about what was happening was readily available. People needed to be aware of how we were coping, and how they could help us and themselves. That media role was new for me and carried its own stress, but I always aimed to answer questions honestly and to admit when I did not know the answer to any query. I tried to prepare as much as possible for interviews and I was always very relieved when they were over. I still had no concept of how life was going to change with lockdown. In a way I felt lucky that I could go to work each day and that I still had a job unlike so many in hospitality, travel and other industries. In addition, I could go home when work was done. Our trainees were in a difficult position, living away from family, unable to socialize with their peers and many from overseas unable to see their families. Many of our staff had vulnerable family members or were themselves vulnerable. Death is no stranger to those of us who work in intensive care where lack of bed availability is an ongoing significant source of stress and anxiety. Hospital work is at the best of times stressful and death is no stranger to us in the ICU so we rely on support from each other, and this is frequently given at work but also socially. Going out together for a meal, a drink and a good chat or moan about work is therapeutic. The restrictions and the fear of becoming infected and passing it on to the family, colleagues or patients severely impacted on our normal support mechanisms for each other. In future, specific psychological support in these situations would be a good thing. Our covid patients stayed with us a long time, we frequently got to know them extremely well via their families telling us about them and also from working with them. I think that during the pandemic many of us were affected more than usual when we lost a patient. I have always maintained that one should only cry about a patient once in a few years; more often means one is not protecting oneself and less often means we dont care enough. I have always had occasions where the sadness of a particular patient will upset me, but I know many of us shed tears for our patients on multiple occasions during covid. The loss of life in patients who had fought long and hard, their families frequently unable to visit, hit hard. Some patients had acquired the disease in hospital, which was very difficult. All of those who died were lost to their families before their time. The other effect of lockdown and visiting restrictions was very difficult. End-of-life care both inside the ICU and in the wider community was affected. In Ireland as we come to the end of life, we gather to be with the dying person; to offer company and solace, tell a story, remember a kindness and celebrate a life. ICU staff pride themselves on good end of life care. This was severely limited initially during the early days, but it is important for people to know that in the absence of family, we were with the patient holding a hand, saying a prayer, perhaps singing a requested hymn. We ensured that they were not alone. Last year in Limerick the ICU staff organized a service for those we lost during those years. Over 800 people attended with 100 more joining online, many expressing gratitude to know that their loved ones, our patients were not forgotten. Coillte were kind enough to donate a native Irish tree for families to plant in honour of each life lost. Dr Catherine Motherway says that the lack of bed availability is an ongoing significant source of stress and anxiety. Picture: Ray Ryan I believe it was of great comfort to both families and staff that we gathered to remember them. Pictures were blessed and shared with us, and we swapped stories with each other. Outside hospitals, we also adapted to lining the streets or roads to send our neighbours on their way, and let families know the community still wished to offer sympathy and support. The pandemic put significant focus on Irelands lack of critical care infrastructure. We started the pandemic with approximately 257 beds. This severe lack of beds certainly contributed to decisions made about lockdowns and their length and severity. Numerous reports had highlighted this problem prior to 2020 but the pandemic firmly brought this to the public eye. For many of us working in ICU, lack of bed availability is an ongoing significant source of stress and anxiety. We want sufficient bed capacity to treat all who need ICU care and also ensure that we have the capacity to support high-risk scheduled surgery despite the demands of emergency admissions. We have a firm commitment from the government to continue to expand ICU capacity to 430 beds. It is my understanding that there is now circa 6.1 beds per 10,000 population. The ICU BIS system run by NOCA gives a daily tally of beds open and staffed, beds occupied and beds free. That number is frequently lower than the number of beds funded which reflects challenges in recruitment and retention. Beds staffed and open are required to give timely critical care to our patients. If the system is under pressure, admissions will be delayed, and we know that means poorer outcomes. Hospitals are run and staffed by human beings doing their best in most instances. The support and kindness shown to us during the pandemic was immense. People sent food, letters and prayers and we had public support from our colleagues across the political spectrum. We met with management frequently and changes were made quickly. It would be good if we could continue with some of that urgency to address the many problems we have. Meeting of minds Remember Mike Ryan of the WHO saying perfection is the enemy of the good? The Medical Leaders Forum founded during the beginning of the pandemic was an excellent place to discuss problems and was a meeting of minds. Perhaps our new minister could consider reconvening it to assist with the work we have yet to do? Many of the actions taken, lockdowns, social distancing, cancellation of significant amounts of scheduled medical care, lack of daycare for vulnerable patients, school closures and a health service focused predominantly on covid should be questioned in hindsight. Inquiries should look at both the positive impacts in terms of decreasing spread of the disease, flattening the curve and avoiding the health services being overwhelmed. But also we need to look at the negative outcomes, lack of socialisation for children, isolation in certain groups especially older people, lack of resources, and delays to scheduled medical care. Findings should assist in future planning, but of course, new diseases will be different. My hope is that they will lead to future-proofing and planning for our country, our health service and the wider world in the event of future pandemics. The seanfhocail Ar scath a cheile mhaireann na daoine is much quoted during hard times but was truly applicable to the covid years. My sympathy to those who lost loved ones during those times. Ar dheis De go raibh a n-anamacha dilse. Read More Five years on: Frontline workers reflect on how covid changed their lives and careers Lets face it: if youve ever been on social media, youve probably stumbled across conflicting opinions about measles, the MMR vaccine, and whether youre being secretly bankrolled by Big Pharma just for considering immunisation. (For the record, Im still waiting on my gold coins.) In all seriousness, though, Ireland has been doing a good job of keeping children safe from measles until recently, when our vaccination rates started slipping under that crucial 95% herd immunity threshold. And trust me, this is no time to get lax. Heres why. Measles isnt just a rash with a fancy name; its a serious and incredibly contagious viral illness that can spread like wildfire in communities with lower vaccination rates. A single infected person can pass it on to 90% of non-immune people around them. Picture that in a crowded environment like a school, a busy waiting room, a family gathering, or on a plane one case can spark an outbreak before you can say achoo. The internet often portrays measles as a harmless rite of passage, something every child just gets over, with our natural immunity more than capable of handling it. Unfortunately, thats not the case. Measles can lead to pneumonia, seizures, deafness, and in rare but devastating cases, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). Even more chilling is the risk of SSPE (subacute sclerosing panencephalitis), a fatal brain disorder that can appear years after the initial measles infection. Its a ticking time bomb nobody wants to face that can occur in up to 1 in 700 unvaccinated individuals who contract measles before the age of one. Yet the pushback on the MMR vaccine continues, fuelled by everything from worries about autism (which science has thoroughly debunked) to conspiracy theories about what goes into these shots. That noise can drown out the facts. Over the past couple of years, theres been a noticeable dip in childhood vaccinations MMR included. Some public health experts suspect vaccine fatigue. others point to misinformation on social media, and still others point to the disruption of normal healthcare routines during the pandemic. The reasons vary, but the upshot is the same: were inching closer to herd immunity failure (we may be already there). Once vaccination rates drop below around 95%, measles has a prime opportunity to come roaring back. MMR vaccine Weve fought tooth and nail to keep measles out of Ireland, hitting elimination targets in the past. But those gains didnt happen by magic; they came from consistent vaccination policies and parents making informed decisions. The MMR vaccine protects against Measles, Mumps, and Rubella three diseases that can all be serious, although measles stands out due to its extremely high contagion rate and potential for severe complications. Its a "live attenuated" vaccine, which means it uses weakened forms of the viruses to teach your immune system how to recognise and fight them effectively. For optimal protection, two doses are recommended: the first at around 12 months of age, and a booster between ages four and six, though exact timing can vary slightly. Like any vaccine, the MMR can occasionally cause mild side-effects such as fever or rash, but importantly, overwhelming scientific evidence has thoroughly debunked any alleged link between MMR and autism. That persistent myth originated from a discredited and retracted study that has long since been proven false. Achieving at least a 95% vaccination rate is criticalthis threshold ensures herd immunity, meaning the virus cant easily spread because there simply arent enough unvaccinated hosts. Herd immunity protects those who cant be vaccinated, like newborns and people with compromised immune systems, who depend on the wider community to remain healthy. The biggest risk is thinking it wont happen to you. Measles in Texas Take a sobering look at what's unfolding in Texas, where vaccine complacency has directly resulted in a significant outbreak. Due to falling immunisation rates, driven largely by misinformation and vaccine hesitancy, Texas is now battling its largest measles outbreak in years. Tragically, this complacency has already claimed its first victim a young, unvaccinated child whose death marks the first recorded measles fatality in the state in over a decade. This devastating scenario underscores exactly how dangerous it is to let vaccination rates slip. It isn't alarmist to say that Ireland risks facing similar tragedies if we become complacent about the MMR vaccine. Measles is the type of disease that loves an opening. All it needs is a modest drop in vaccination rates and thats exactly where complacency could land us. Even if you think, My child is healthy; they can handle it, remember that measles complications dont care if youre otherwise robust. Plus, someone elses toddler, an elderly grandparent, or an immunocompromised neighbour might pay the price if the virus starts making the rounds. For parents of new babies, its particularly worrying. Infants rely on adults and older siblings to be vaccinated, because theyre too young to receive the full course themselves. Debunking the myths Its just a rash kids bounce back! Some do, sure. But measles can also mean hospital admissions, high fevers, ear infections, pneumonia, and very real life-threatening complications. MMR causes autism. It doesnt. That theory has been disproven by countless studies involving millions of children across multiple countries. The medical community has slammed the door on this rumour for decades. Were better off getting natural immunity. Getting natural immunity to measles means risking a severe infection with complications like pneumonia or encephalitis and thats if you survive unscathed. Compare that to a safe, effective vaccine that prevents the illness. The choice is clear. We can just treat it if it shows up. Measles cant be zapped away with antibiotics. Treatment is mainly supportive care, and once complications set in, it can be a harrowing experience for a child and their frantic parents. So here we are, teetering on the line where measles could sneak back in and wreak havoc on our communities. The simple solution? Make sure children get the MMR vaccine on schedule. Talk to your GP, community nurse, or paediatrician if you have concerns theyre far more reliable than the friend of a friend on social media with a viral conspiracy video. Ireland has managed to keep measles in check before, but the only reason were safe from major outbreaks is because of vaccination. Its crucial for parents to keep up with their childs routine medical appointments, as these visits help ensure babies and toddlers are reaching developmental milestones vaccinations play an essential role in this broader picture of health, so dont let them slip. If you're feeling anxious or uncertain about potential side-effects or vaccine schedules, make sure to reach out to healthcare professionals who work with real-life data and patient outcomes every day, rather than relying solely on online information stick to reputable, expert-backed sources. Lastly, when you encounter misinformation about vaccines circulating in WhatsApp groups or on social media, step up and share evidence-based resources; it's everyone's responsibility to prevent misleading information from spreading. Ireland has managed to keep measles in check before, but the only reason were safe from major outbreaks is because of vaccination. If too many people start believing measles is no big deal, or that MMR is dangerous, we could easily lose that protection and nobody wants to see hospital wards filling up with sick children. So yes, you can call me a proud puppet of science if it means encouraging parents to protect their kids (and the rest of us!) from a very real, very preventable threat. A moments pinch from a vaccine needle beats weeks of high fevers and hospital visits any day. Lets not give measles any breathing room in Ireland, because when it comes to childrens health, good enough is never enough. We owe it to ourselves, our neighbours, and future generations to keep that MMR coverage sky-high. Stay safe, stay informed, and if youre wondering whether to vaccinate well, the data couldnt be clearer. Former central banker and Irish citizen Mark Carney will become Canadas next prime minister after winning a Liberal Party leadership vote in a landslide. Mr Carney is 59. He was born in Canada in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, on March 16, 1965. He was raised in Edmonton, Alberta. Credentials Mr Carney ran the Bank of Canada from 2008 to 2013 and the Bank of England from 2013 to 2020. After helping Canada manage the worst impacts of the 2008 financial crisis, he was recruited to become the first non-Brit to run the Bank of England since it was founded in 1694. In 2020, he began serving as the United Nations special envoy for climate action and finance. Mr Carney is a former Goldman Sachs executive. He worked for 13 years in London, Tokyo, New York and Toronto, before being appointed deputy governor of the Bank of Canada in 2003. He has no experience in politics, however, he has served as an economic adviser to Justin Trudeau, the outgoing prime minister. Education Mr Carney received a bachelors degree in economics from Harvard University in 1988, and masters and doctoral degrees in economics from Oxford University. Like many Canadians, he played ice hockey, serving as a backup goalie for Harvard. Citizenship Mr Carney has Canadian, Irish and British citizenship. His family has roots in Co Mayo. However, last month, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported that he has begun the process of renouncing his citizenship in Ireland and Britain. Mr Carney told reporters he believes that as prime minister, he should hold only one citizenship. The move is not required by law but is seen as politically wise. According to Politico, he hung a small map of Co Mayo by his office door at the Bank of England in honor of his grandfather, who emigrated from there to Canada. Liberal Leader Mark Carney has Canadian, Irish and British citizenship. His family has roots in Co Mayo. Pitcure: Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP Family His wife Diana is British-born and he has four daughters. Polls Mr Carney is expected to trigger an election soon and his chances of remaining prime minister for more than a few weeks seem to be improving. In a mid-January poll by Nanos, the Liberals trailed the opposition Conservatives and their leader Pierre Poilievre 47% to 20%. This week the latest poll has Liberals at 34% and the Conservatives at 37%. An election must take place on or before October 20. Dozens of Tibetan protesters have clashed with police outside the Chinese embassy in New Delhi as Tibetans living in exile marked the 66th anniversary of their uprising against China. As in past years, police blocked the protesters from entering the embassy and briefly detained some of them after wrestling them to the ground. Hundreds also marched in the north Indian town of Dharamsala, the seat of the exiled Tibetan government and home of the Dalai Lama, their 89-year-old spiritual leader. Separately, about a hundred Tibetan women gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, an area designated for protests close to Parliament. The protesters shouted anti-China slogans, carried Tibetan flags and played the national anthems of Tibet and India. Activists marked the 66th anniversary of the uprising (AP) India considers Tibet to be part of China, although it hosts the Tibetan exiles. The 1959 independence uprising was quelled by the Chinese army, forcing the Dalai Lama and his followers into exile in India. Many had their faces painted in colours of the Tibetan national flag. The demonstrators observed a minute of silence to remember Tibetans who lost their lives in the struggle against China. Monks, activists, nuns and schoolchildren marched across the town with banners reading: Free Tibet, and: Remember, Resist, Return. Penpa Tsering the president of the Central Tibetan Administration, as the exiled Tibetan government calls itself accused Chinas leadership of carrying out a deliberate and dangerous strategy to eliminate the very identity of the Tibetan people. China crushed the uprising in 1959 (AP) This marks the darkest and most critical period in the history of Tibet, Mr Tsering told the gathering. As we commemorate the Tibetan National Uprising Day, we honour our brave martyrs, and express solidarity with our brothers and sisters inside Tibet who continue to languish under the oppressive Chinese government. The Tibetan government-in-exile in India accuses China of denying the most fundamental human rights to people in Tibet and trying to expunge the Tibetan identity. China claims Tibet has been part of its territory for centuries, but the Tibetans say the Himalayan region was virtually independent until China occupied it in 1950. The Dalai Lama denies Chinas claim that he is a separatist and says he only advocates substantial autonomy and protection of Tibets native Buddhist culture. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday for a visit with its powerful crown prince ahead of his teams meeting with Americas top diplomat. While Mr Zelenskyy himself will not be there, his team will try to repair the damage done when his February 28 visit to Washington descended into an Oval Office argument with US president Donald Trump and vice president JD Vance. At stake is the military aid and intelligence previously offered by the United States that had helped Kyiv since Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Saudi state television reported Mr Zelenskyys arrival in Jeddah, the port city on the Red Sea where the Ukraine-US summit will take place on Tuesday. Mr Zelenskyy was due to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman some time after sunset, following the end of the daily fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was also en route to Jeddah. However, it did not appear that Mr Rubio and Mr Zelenskyy would meet in person there, though the secretary of state also was due to meet Prince Mohammed. Mr Zelenskyy has said a team including his chief of staff Andriy Yermak, foreign minister Andriy Sybiha and defence minister Rustem Umerov will take part in the talks on Tuesday. Mr Rubio will lead the American team. If Ukraine and the US reach an understanding acceptable to Mr Trump, that could accelerate his administrations push to peace talks. However, the rest of Europe remains sceptical as it has been sidelined. The European Union last week agreed to boost the continents defences and to free up hundreds of billions of euros for security in response to the Trump administrations shift in stance on Ukraine. An American biochemist whose research has helped scientists make inroads into treating coronavirus and HIV has won this years Wolf Prize, a prestigious Israeli award in the arts and sciences. Pamela Bjorkman of the California Institute of Technology won the prize for offering new hope in the fight against infectious diseases, the Wolf Fund, which awards the prize, said on Monday. Ms Bjorkmans research unlocked the secrets of how the immune system identifies and battles pathogens, developing game-changing approaches to combat some of humanitys most formidable viral enemies, the fund said. Eight others also received the state-funded prize, which has been awarded annually for 47 years. Many of the award winners have gone on to receive Nobel prizes. Ms Bjorkman grew up in Oregon and studied at the University of Oregon, Harvard and Stanford before moving to Caltech to begin teaching in 1989. Her research focuses on how the immune system identifies invading pathogens. She has broken ground, the fund said, in how scientists understand T-cell recognition and immunisation strategies for HIV. T cells are white blood cells that help fight off diseases. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, she has worked on developing a new strategy to design immunogens that trigger certain antibodies against coronaviruses. Pamela Bjorkmans work provides a glimpse of a new rational design strategy for future vaccines to deal with humanitys greatest immunisation challenges, wrote the fund. Chinese architect Tiantian Xu, who won this years prestigious Wolf Award for her work in rural China (Wolf Foundation via AP) This years prize in architecture was awarded to Chinese architect Tiantian Xu for her work in rural China, which the prize committee said transformed villages throughout China economically, socially, and culturally. Ms Xu studied architecture at Harvard Graduate School of Design before returning to China, starting her own firm and working on a number of public projects that have kickstarted village economies, the fund said. They include a bridge connecting two villages separated by a flood, factories for tofu and brown sugar and renovating abandoned stone quarries. It lauded her pioneering approach to rural development one that contrasts with the sweeping, uniform strategies that characterised Chinas urban expansion. Other recipients of this years award include Jeffery Dangl of the University of North Carolina, Jonathan Jones of the Sainsbury Laboratory in England and Brian Staskawicz of the University of California, Berkeley for agriculture. Also receiving the prize are professors Jainendra Jain of Pennsylvania State University, Moty Heiblum of Israels Weizmann Institute of Science, James Eisenstein of Caltech in physics and Helmut Schwarz of the Technische Universitat Berlin in chemistry. Past laureates include astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, artist Marc Chagall, conductor Zubin Mehta and musician Stevie Wonder. Monday, Mar 10th, 2025 (1:37 pm) - Score 1,800 The UK Governments Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, has today outlined a raft of new investments, reforms and appointments aimed at supercharging innovation and helping to grow the economy, which among other things includes an investment of 23m into cutting edge telecoms research and deployment. The Secretary of State today declared to techUKs conference that there is no route to long-term growth and no solution to our productivity problem, without innovation, before confirming that the Government would deliver the first ever dedicated plan for the digital and technologies sector with transparent, adaptable, pro-innovation regulation as a central pillar. Under the Governments new plans, red tape that is no longer fit for the opportunities of the 21st century will be peeled away, so that new technologies can be brought to market quickly and safely. But its currently unclear how much of this will extend to the telecoms side of things. Advertisement The announcement also mentioned an investment of 23 million in telecoms R&D that, were told, will deliver breakthroughs in getting coverage to places that cant currently receive signals, and support projects delivering real, tangible change for people and businesses across Britain with smart sensors to prevent damp and mould in social housing in Glasgow, or using 5G mobile to help farmers in Sussex monitor vineyards and maximise their yields. The Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, said: Everywhere you see, there is an imbalance of power in this country which has for too long made it impossible to imagine a better future for Britain. To deliver our Plan for Change we have to shift the balance of power, away from stagnation and old ideas, towards innovation and opportunity, and the bold people building a new future for Britain. In doing so, by 2035 we could see a whole new Britain emerge, harnessing the power of technological development, from engineering biology to AI, semiconductors and cyber security, or quantum and future telecoms for a stronger economy and better lives for all in the UK. As we understand it, around 7m from that 23m investment will go toward local projects that can integrate 5G wireless networks with both businesses and public services, while the remaining funding will research how AI and cloud computing can be put to even better use within telecoms and modern digital networks. Hopefully more detail will be revealed in the near future. An N.C. House Select Committee is recommending that the General Assembly change a state law forcing districts to start school the Monday closest to Aug. 26 and end no later than the Friday clo 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. Israel is expected to dispatch a delegation to Doha for a new set of discussions aimed at prolonging a tenuous ceasefire in Gaza, following the decision to cut off the electricity supply as a means to exert pressure on Hamas. The initial phase of the ceasefire concluded on 1 March without an agreement on further steps that could pave the way for a lasting resolution to the conflict; nonetheless, both parties have refrained from escalating hostilities fully since then. There remain considerable discrepancies regarding the terms for a potential second phase of the ceasefire, which has largely curtailed the violence that erupted following Hamass assault on Israel on 7 October 2023. Hamas has consistently urged for immediate talks concerning the subsequent phase, while Israel favors an extension of the existing agreement. We will employ all available resources to secure the return of hostages and ensure that Hamas is no longer present in Gaza after the war, stated Energy Minister Eli Cohen as he announced the power shutdown. Palestinians gather with fishermen at the port of Gaza City This action mirrored the earlier days of the conflict when Israel declared a siege on Gaza, cutting off electricity that was only restored by mid-2024. The only power line connecting Israel and Gaza feeds the main desalination facility in the Palestinian territory, and Gazans primarily rely on solar panels and fuel-powered generators for their electricity needs. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are currently living in tents throughout Gaza. Senior Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq declared that Israels decision to sever electricity to Gaza, having already deprived it of food, medicine, and water was a desperate measure to pressure our people and their resistance. Long-term ceasefire Hamas has repeatedly insisted that the second phase of the trucefacilitated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United Statesshould encompass a comprehensive exchange of hostages and prisoners, a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, a permanent ceasefire, and the reopening of border crossings to lift the blockade. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem informed reporters that the group expects the mediators to ensure that Israel adheres to the agreement and progresses with the second phase in accordance with the agreed terms. Former US President Joe Biden outlined a second phase that would entail the release of hostages and the withdrawal of all remaining Israeli troops in Gaza. A statement from Hamas indicated that their representatives met with mediators in Cairo over the weekend. US envoy Adam Boehler, who recently engaged in unprecedented direct discussions with Hamas officials, expressed optimism that a deal could be reached within weeks to secure the freedom of all remaining hostages. Israel has ceased aid deliveries to Gaza and announced yesterday the suspension of electricity supply. Of the 251 hostages taken during the attack on 7 October, 58 remain in Gaza, comprising 34 individuals that the Israeli military has confirmed as deceased. Boehler informed CNN that there could be an agreement facilitating the release of all prisoners, not just Americans. Among the hostages are five Israeli-US nationals, four of whom have been confirmed dead. On CNN, the US envoy stated that a long-term ceasefire was very close, while later, in an interview with Israels Channel 12, he asserted that the US would support any decisions made by Israel, including a potential return to conflict. Nothing available In late February, US President Donald Trump issued what he referred to as a final warning to Hamas, threatening further devastation if the group failed to release all remaining hostages. An earlier proposition from Trump to expel Palestinians from Gaza prompted Arab leaders to propose an alternative reconstruction plan without forced displacement. The initial phase of the ceasefire, which began on 19 January, reduced hostilities following over 15 months of relentless conflict that displaced nearly all of Gazas 2.4 million residents. Displaced Palestinian children queue for food in northern Gaza. During this period, 25 living Israeli hostages and eight deceased individuals were exchanged for approximately 1,800 Palestinians held by Israel. The ceasefire also allowed for the delivery of essential food, shelter, and medical aid. After Israel halted the flow of aid on 2 March, UN rights experts accused the government of weaponizing starvation. Hamass attack in 2023 resulted in the deaths of 1,218 individuals in Israel, the majority of whom were civilians. Conversely, Israels retaliatory operations have claimed at least 48,458 lives in Gaza, also predominantly civilians, according to statistics from both sides. A man was taken into custody after spending over 16 hours barefoot and waving a Palestine flag while sitting atop the clock tower of Big Ben. Images from the scene depicted the man being brought down in a cherry picker. Emergency services were present with numerous uniformed police officers maintaining a cordon that stretched from Bridge Street to Westminster Bridge. Two aerial ladder platforms, an ambulance from the incident response unit, regular ambulances, and two fire engines were also on-site late yesterday. Emergency responders converse with the man, who was ultimately lifted to the ground in a cherry picker. A statement from the police indicated, The man has now been arrested. This has been a lengthy incident due to the specific location of the man and the need to ensure the safety of our officers, the individual, and the general public. We collaborated with other agencies, including the London Fire Brigade, and deployed specialized officers to resolve this situation as swiftly as possible while minimizing risks to life, it continued. We have maintained close communication with the Parliamentary Estate throughout, and all roads have been reopened, it concluded. Read more: Man climbs Big Ben while holding a Palestinian flag In a video shared on Instagram yesterday evening, the man informed negotiators from his perch that he would descend on his own terms. In the footage, negotiators on an aerial ladder platform expressed concern about an injury to his foot, noting there was quite a lot of blood and that his clothing was insufficient to keep him warm as temperatures fell after sunset. However, the man insisted he was safe, stating, I will come down on my own terms, I have said this. But right now I am saying I am safe. We need your consent to load this comcast-player content. We use comcast-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preferences. If you come towards me, you are putting me in danger, and I will climb higher, he warned. In the afternoon, chants of Free Palestine and You are a hero echoed from a small group of supporters gathered behind the police cordon at Victoria Embankment. In videos shared on social media earlier, the man appeared to scale a fence surrounding the Houses of Parliament without any security personnel intervening. Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty remarked on X that there should be an explanation regarding how the man gained access to the parliamentary estate. He expressed, Every day in Parliament, I observe dozens of armed police officers patrolling Portcullis House and the parliamentary estate. Where were they today? On Monday, there must be a comprehensive explanation to MPs and staff about how this protester was able to bypass security so easily, he added. Pro-Palestine demonstrators protest in Whitehall in support of the man who climbed Big Ben. Parliamentary tours, typically conducted on Saturdays when Parliament is in session and on weekdays during the summer recess, were canceled. A parliamentary spokesperson stated, We are aware of an incident on the parliamentary estate, which is being managed by the Metropolitan Police, supported by the London Fire Brigade and the London Ambulance Service. Parliament takes security very seriously; however, we do not comment on the specifics of our security measures or strategies, they added. London bus routes 3, 11, 148, C10, and 159 remained on diversion as road closures were enforced. In 2019, an Extinction Rebellion activist wearing a blond wig was arrested after scaling the scaffolding around the clock tower. Tree surgeon Ben Atkinson climbed the scaffolding surrounding Big Ben dressed as Boris Johnsoncomplete with a blond wig, shirt, jacket, and tieremaining on the Elizabeth Tower for approximately three and a half hours before police managed to persuade him to come down on 18 October 2019. Russia has declared a cross-border offensive that has seized territory in Ukraines Sumy region for the first time since 2022, as Ukraine strives to maintain its hold on land in the neighboring Kursk region of Russia. The Russian defense ministry also reported that its forces had reclaimed three more villages that had fallen to Ukraine in the Kursk border region, where Ukraines troops have recently lost ground. A statement from the ministry mentioned they had regained control over the villages of Malaya Loknya, Cherkasskoye Porechnoye, and Kositsa, having already reported previous gains in the Russian region earlier this weekend. Ukraine aims to leverage the territory it controls in Kursk as a potential negotiating tool in any peace discussions. The United States has restricted Ukraines access to intelligence sharing and satellite information to compel it to negotiate. The Russian defense ministry stated in a briefing that its forces, in a counter-offensive, had liberated the small village of Novenke in Sumy, close to the Kursk border. Russia briefly occupied parts of Sumy at the beginning of its full-scale invasion in 2022 but has not taken any territory there since. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed in mid-February that his forces had entered this area of northeastern Ukraine, a statement called a lie by Ukraine, though the country has acknowledged isolated attacks. Novenke is situated about a kilometer from Kursk, and Russian military bloggers noted that its capture brought troops closer to obstructing a major supply route for Ukraine. Ukraine has not yet responded to Russias assertion of capturing Novenke. A Russian assault struck the center of Dobropillia in the eastern Donetsk region last night, resulting in 11 fatalities and 40 injuries. Ukraine denies reports of a massive breakthrough by Russia. Yesterday, Ukraines Centre for Countering Disinformation refuted claims of a massive breakthrough by Russia, stating that its forces were eliminating small groups attempting to cross the border. Russia announced the recapture of the village of Lebedevka in Kursk, bringing its troops closer to regaining control of the Ukrainian-held town of Sudzha, located approximately 10 kilometers away. Ukraine launched its incursion into Kursk last August, acquiring territory to establish a buffer zone. However, Russia has reclaimed over two-thirds of that territory since then. A Russian army commander, Apti Alaudinov, indicated on Telegram yesterday that all units have initiated a large-scale offensive across all sectors of the Kursk front. Russian military blogger Yevgeny Poddubny stated that the Kursk incursion is in its final phase. Prominent Ukrainian journalist Yuriy Butusov mentioned on Sunday that retaining the Kursk territory is no longer tactically justified. Yesterday, a Russian assault struck the center of Dobropillia in the eastern Donetsk region last night, resulting in 11 deaths and 40 injuries, according to emergency services. Ukraine confirms Russia utilized a gas pipeline to reach the town. Ukraines General Staff verified reports that Russian special forces had employed an underground gas pipeline to approach the outskirts of Sudzha, the main town controlled by Ukraine in the region. Ukraine stated that its aerial reconnaissance had identified the troops, who were being detected, blocked, and eliminated. Russian military bloggers reported that troops maneuvered approximately 15 kilometers through a pipeline with a diameter of 1.4 meters. They praised the assault as a remarkable achievement, asserting that the troops met their objective, with ongoing fighting in Sudzha. Russia supplied gas to Europe via Ukraine until January of this year, and Sudzha served as a hub for transferring and measuring gas. Russia also proclaimed the capture of another village in eastern Ukraine. Its troops are advancing in the Donetsk region and are nearing a symbolic border into the central Dnipropetrovsk region, which has been free from fighting thus far. The defense ministry reported that troops had taken over the village of Kostyantynopil, situated around 13 kilometers from the regional boundary and 50 kilometers west of the major Russian-held city of Donetsk. Russias advances occur amid a growing prospect of peace negotiations, with Ukrainian and U.S. negotiators scheduled to meet next week in Saudi Arabia. U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff stated that his team intends to establish a framework for a peace agreement along with an initial ceasefire during the talks set for Tuesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed that Ukraine is fully committed to constructive dialogue, while emphasizing the need for its interests to be considered appropriately. 03/10/2025 With summer registration now underway at Jacksonville State University, a unique opportunity awaits those eager to explore the world beyond the classroom. A four-week study abroad program in Seville, Spain, part of SH 399: Study Tour, is now accepting participantsbut only a limited number of spots remain. Unlike many traditional courses, this immersive experience requires no prerequisites, making it accessible to anyone with a passion for travel, culture, or language learning. Led by Dr. Tania Abella, Assistant Professor of Spanish, the course combines academic study with real-world exploration, giving participants the chance to live, learn, and engage with Spanish history and culture firsthand. From the moment the group departs Atlanta on May 17, students will embark on a journey that goes far beyond textbooks. Upon arriving in Madrid, they will take a train south to Seville, where they will settle into their homestay accommodations with local familiesan experience designed to enhance language learning and cultural immersion. Mornings will be spent in structured Spanish language classes, with small group instruction tailored to students' skill levels. Afternoons and weekends will be filled with guided tours of historic landmarks, including the Alcazar Palace and Seville Cathedral, along with hands-on cultural experiences like a Flamenco dance class and a traditional Spanish cooking lesson. The itinerary also includes excursions to Cadiz and Granada, where students will walk through ancient streets, visit world-renowned sites, and experience the diversity of Spains landscapes and traditions. The final days of the program will be spent in Madrid, wrapping up the journey with a city tour before returning home on June 15. For those who dream of studying abroad but worry about language barriers or eligibility, this course offers a rare opportunityan immersive, educational travel experience that welcomes everyone. As summer registration continues, the chance to spend a month in Spain earning college credit is quickly slipping away. For more information or to secure a place in the program, visit the programs website or contact Dr. Tania Abella at tabella@jsu.edu. Click here to donate via PayPal. Personal checks should be made out to Juan Cole and sent to me at: Juan ColeP. O. Box 4218,Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2548USA(Remember, make the checks out to Juan Cole or they cant be cashed) Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) Basil Maghribi at the Israeli newspaper Arab 48 reports that Energy and Infrastructure Minister Eli Cohen ordered late Sunday that all electricity deliveries from Israel to Gaza be halted immediately. Maghribi cautions that Israel does not deliver very much electricity to Gaza most of it is generated by an internal power plant using fuel. But Israeli electricity does power a desalinization plant in Mawasi, so the move will reduce the amount of potable water available to Palestinians. The Palestinians pay substantial sums monthly for this Israeli electricity. AP explains that the Mawasi plant had been producing 18,000 cubic meters of water each day for the Deir al-Balah governorate in the center of Gaza. The plant can still function at a much reduced level with what fuel still exists in Gaza (the Israelis have not been letting any food, medicine or fuel in for the past week), and can put out 2,500 cubic meters each day, only 14% of the previous level. The move comes, Maghribi points out, in the context of threats by US President Donald Trump and his special envoy for the Middle East, businessman Steve Witkoff, to start back up the war on Gaza if Hamas does not release all Israeli hostages. Hamas had agreed to a schedule for such releases, which should now be entering phase two, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to begin talks on phase 2 and appears to wish to end the ceasefire agreement so that he can start bombing Gaza again. In fact, he has been bombing Gaza again. Israels Channel 12 reported that official Israeli sources said that the next step would be to deprive Gaza of water entirely. The Israeli government is cutting Palestinian civilians in Gaza off from staples as a means of pressuring Hamas to release all Israeli hostages with no quid pro quo so that Netanyahu can start bombing again. This collective punishment of civilians violates the Geneva Convention and other elements of internationally agreed on laws of war to which Israel is signatory. It also violates the preliminary injunction of the International Court of Justice, in which Israel also has membership. At the same time, the fascist Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich of the Religious Zionism Party (the Israeli equivalent of Neo-Nazis) announced Sunday, according to Arab 48 , that that work had begun to create a Expulsion Administration to implement Trumps plan to remove the 2.3 million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to be settled in a third country. All of this is under the pretext of a voluntary emigration. Photo of Gaza summer 24 by Emad El Byed on Unsplash Smotrich made his remarks at a gathering of a far right parliamentary caucus, The Land of Israel, to which some 51 parliamentarians of both the governing coalition and the opposition belong, and which is dedicated to annexing the Palestinian West Bank, coordinating with the hundreds of thousands of illegal squatters on Palestinian private property. He stressed the necessity of seizing the opportunity to implement this plan. The finance minister, who wants an Iran-style theocracy inside Israel itself, acknowledged the scale of the operations required to put the plan into action , saying that it is a huge logistical project. To get everyone out of Gaza, we will need to deport 5,000 people a day, seven days a week, for a whole year, or 10,000 people a day for six months. Also speaking at the gathering, Settlement and National Missions Minister Orit Strook insisted that the expulsion of 2.3 million people from their homes was necessary for Israeli security. She said: Even if we manage to eliminate Hamas as a civil and military authority, we will not be able to eliminate the threat. She too belongs to the fascist Religious Zionism Party. Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, stipulates that Individual or mass forcible transfers, as well as deportations of protected persons from occupied territory to the territory of the Occupying Power or to that of any other country, occupied or not, are prohibited, regardless of their motive. The Nazis also plotted at forced transfers of populations, including Poles and Jews. The Wiener Holocaust Library explains that in autumn 1941, about 338,000 Jews remained in Greater Germany. Until then, Hitler had hesitated to deport them, fearing public backlash. However, mounting pressure from key Nazi figures led him to order their deportation between September 15-17. Himmler, Heydrich, and Eichmann then sought space for them in the already packed ghettos of odz, Litzmannstadt, Minsk, and Riga, instructing officials to accommodate them despite severe overcrowding. Am I comparing the plans of the extremist Israeli government to those of the Nazis? No, of course not. But people whose grandparents and great-grandparents suffered from this sort of lawless disregard for basic human rights should be ashamed to propose such measures themselves. ( Tomdispatch.com ) It is pretty wild how you can make someone mad by just holding a sign, my 18-year-old Ro told me, as an irate driver peeled out of the intersection, shaking both his middle fingers at us but managing not to hit us. Phew! Ro was right. It didnt take much to turn a perpetually busy intersection in New London, Connecticut, into a discussion forum on presidential overreach, cruelty, and immigration politics with all the excesses, including those fingers, of the Age of Trump. In fact, all it took was four of us, four signs, and a little midday coordination. Oh, and some noise makers! Our signs said: New London cares about our neighbors and ICE Not Welcome and two versions of Vecinos, no tienen que abrirle la puerta a ICE. The translation: Neighbors, you do not have to open the door to ICE. We stood there for an hour or so, clanging noise makers, waving those signs, and telling our neighbors to be careful about the rumored activity of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) in our community. Cars slowed and beeped, drivers waved mostly their whole hands, but sometimes just that one lone finger and some called out Thank you or Gracias! To our surprise, even a reporter and photographer from our local paper showed up. New London is a small city or maybe just a big town of fewer than 28,000 people. According to the 2023 Census, we are 51.8% White, but only 12.8% of those Whites (myself included) send our kids to the public schools. Ive always thought that doing so was a strength in our community. And thanks in part to that, Ive become capable of maintaining a passable conversation in Spanish with my neighbors and the parents of some of my kids friends. Unfortunately, I dont know any Haitian Creole or French, but that community is growing in New London, too. I worked for a while at a local food pantry and I loved hearing the gentleness in tone as my young Haitian coworkers helped older Haitian ladies with their food boxes. Their voices grew soft, respectful, and full of warmth. Recent immigrants are my neighbors, friends, and have been coworkers at my jobs and other responsibilities, but when, on a recent Friday morning, I got the text about ICE entering New London, the last thing I wanted to do was launch myself into action. I had a grant application due later that day. Ro, a senior, had a random day off from school but also a looming college application deadline. We were sitting next to each other at the library plugging away and nowhere near done. But I found that I couldnt just sit there. I had to do something. I texted a few people, including a friend with close ties to Spanish-speaking communities in our town, passing on what Id heard. Oh no, she texted back, what should we do? What Should We Do? That is the big question, right? What should we do? Whats happening in this country all feels so big and hateful and were all so small. And the Spanish-speaking and Haitian communities feel so vulnerable. Of course, the Trump administrations policies are racist and cruel (and the news only gets worse and worse). The administration began its potentially vast deportation effort by flying 104 Indian nationals to Punjab on a military airplane shackled for the duration of the 40-hour flight. The White House also sent 300 immigrants from Afghanistan, China, Iran, and other countries on a harrowing, pointless odyssey to Panama yes, Panama! that included being trapped in a local hotel and then bused to a makeshift prison in the jungle. The White House announced an end to temporary protective status for Haitian and Venezuelan immigrants who would face a welter of problems back home. Trump and company then opened Guantanamo to detain apprehended immigrants from Venezuela only to abruptly airlift them all back to Venezuela. The newest plan is to use military bases across this country as detention and processing sites for people rounded up in ICE raids, sweeps, and other operations. Incidentally, though you dont see much about this, all of it comes at an astronomical price tag. Trumps show of power putting those Indian immigrants on that single C-17 Globemaster for the 40-hour flight to Punjab reportedly cost $28,562 per flight hour more than $1.1 million (or almost $11,000 per person). So many better things to spend that money on! And we taxpayers are the ones who will foot the bill. According to the Institute on Taxation and Policy, immigrants without work papers in this country nonetheless paid $96.7 billion in taxes to the United States in 2022. Tell me how you square those two facts. And what indeed should we do? On a sudden impulse, I texted my friend back: What do you think if I go hold a sign at Coleman and Jefferson? Just to let people know and to say its not okay? The emojis came back fast. Thumbs Up. Thank You hands. Hearts. Okay, I thought, Here we go. The grant will have to wait. I texted a few friends to see if others were hearing what I was hearing. I found out that a bunch of them were in a meeting discussing what to do if/when ICE comes to our town. What perfect timing, friends! I texted the group. I was thinking of holding a sign, but let me know if you think I should do something different. The text I had gotten said that ICE was on Spring and Summer Streets, as well as Coleman and Jefferson Streets, conducting sweeps. Half an hour later, Ro and I joined my sister Kate and our friend Kris at Coleman and Jefferson, a very busy intersection in New London. Its where two two-way streets meet two one-way streets, and a commercial strip becomes a neighborhood. Its down the hill from our towns high school and was a strategically good spot for our tiny protest/public-service announcement. Courage is Contagious I knew that if I got the news, half of New London had, too. Lots of people call New London News London, because it seems as if everyone knows everyone and everything thats going on. Were a city of gossips and snoops and curious curtain peepers (myself included). Unfortunately, while its fun to know whats going on and it demonstrates a certain level of care and concern, its not enough. The jolt of fear that went through me when that text told me ICE had made it to New London was nothing compared to how that same news affected my immigrant neighbors, but it was a jolt nonetheless. I sat paralyzed for a few minutes, wrapping myself in all the work I had to do, as fear grabbed me by the throat. And I had to work through that fear before I could head out to the street corner. Later, as Ro and I held our signs, shifting them so different groups of cars could see them as the lights changed from red to green and back again, I thought about how contagious fear is but so is courage. The smiles, thumbs ups, and horn toots from passing vehicles reminded me that our whole country hasnt gone mad, despite those screaming headlines daily. Good people, I suspected, were busy, scared, confused, outraged, and yes getting organized. Just like my friends and me. My sister Kate and our friend Kris held their signs across the street, as it rained off and on. While we stood there getting wet, some of our friends were meeting and laminating little Red Cards that included a statement the holder could read or simply hand to an ICE agent. Heres how it went: I do not wish to speak with you, answer your questions or sign or hand you any documents based on my 5th Amendment rights under the United States Constitution. I do not give you permission to enter my home based on my 4th Amendment rights under the United States Constitution unless you have a warrant to enter, signed by a judge or magistrate with my name on it that you slide under the door. I do not give you permission to search any of my belongings based on my 4th Amendment rights. I choose to exercise my constitutional rights. The Red Card had that statement in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole and friends were already starting to drop bundles off at businesses that cater to our immigrant neighbors. During one of their runs, a car full of them rolled by and said they had heard that ICE agents were at the local hospital and middle school. We promptly packed up our signs, already soggy and water-stained, and went to both locations to ask around. No ICE here, a worker at the hospital said. I would have seen them. They knew we were coming, I joked, We got them running scared. Its not right, he replied, laughing not (I suspect) at my joke but at my attempt at humor. Its not right. Everyone is just trying to make it the best they can. I nodded encouragingly. We all came from somewhere, he added. I tried not to think about what he must have thought of me wet, unkempt, and free (in the middle of the day) to chat him up and hold a sign that told ICE to go melt somewhere else. After all, I (and I have to put that in quotes) came from somewhere too, but its been a while. We All Came from Somewhere Like all of us, I did indeed come from somewhere else after a fashion. Nearly 48 million people are immigrants today about 14% of our total population. Three of my four grandparents emigrated here. Only my paternal grandfather, Thomas Berrigan, was born in the United States. My mothers parents both hailed from the same small town along Northern Irelands coast. Elizabeth OMullen left it first, heading for New Jersey to find her fortune far from the provincial hatred of her Catholic minority. William McAlister soon decided to leave, too. There were no jobs, no prospects at home. You should look up the OMullen girl when you get there, people told him. And so he did. They married, settled in the city of Orange, New Jersey, opened a construction business, and had seven kids. My fathers mother was the lone German in our family. Frida Fromhardt emigrated from the Black Forest in the late 1800s and ended up in northern Minnesota with her parents as a five- or six-year-old. Later, she met Thomas Berrigan, a railroad laborer and raconteur. They were married in 1911 and had six sons. And Im hardly alone in my connection to the old country. Seventy-five percent of Americans are, in fact, the grandchildren of immigrants. That is how the United States has been and remains a nation of immigrants. As far as I can tell, for both the Berrigans and the McAlisters integration into White America was fairly straightforward. On both sides of the family, the path from poverty to comfort in the middle class took but one generation of hard work and sacrifice (and the G.I. Bill and the support of the Catholic Church and access to lines of credit denied Black Americans). Grandmother McAlister like todays immigrants who send remittances back to their families dispatched regular packages to her relatives in Irelands County Antrim with food, money, and all her kids old clothes. And now, here I am in an America where Donald Trump, JD Vance, and Elon Musk are fanning the flames of racial hatred and scapegoating recent immigrants. I dont know what happens next, but I do know that holding that sign on that recent Friday was a turning point for me. It was the day that I felt transformed from someone in despair, consuming ever-grimmer news (and rumors), into someone willing to visibly resist all that in public. And in the process, I think I taught my kid something that we can move from consumers to actors in minutes: a couple of texts, a couple of pieces of cardboard, a couple of Sharpies, and we make people mad or happy or supported or connected and become part of the news rather than simply depressed by it. And in that, Im nothing special. All over the country, resistance is rising. Massive marches in Los Angeles and San Diego a few weeks back demonstrated that recent immigrants are not afraid. Churches are suing Homeland Security to protect their congregants. In cities and towns across this country, people who do not fear deportation are building networks to respond to ICE raids. That Friday when I demonstrated ICE did not actually apprehend anyone in New London. Still, we cheered ourselves up, feeling more connected and powerful that afternoon a rare, wonderful, and motivating experience! Its now been a few weeks and ICE hasnt come back yet. Still, I know perfectly well that well need more than a few demonstrators and cardboard signs to roll back the worst abuses of our dictator-in-the-making, but believe me, Im prepared. Copyright 2025 Frida Berrigan Via Tomdispatch.com Orosur Mining Inc - opening new fronts at Anza Assays from five more holes at Pepas, including: PEP025 - 62.5m @ 5.4g/t Au PEP026 - 28.4m @ 2.52 g/t Au PEP027 - 79.15m @ 2.0g/t Au Aeromagnetic survey commenced over Pepas Access north of Pepas being developed Pepas metallurgical samples submitted for preliminary analysis Planning advanced major soil program at El Cedro LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM / ACCESS Newswire / March 10, 2025 / Orosur Mining Inc. ("Orosur" or the "Company") (TSXV:OMI) (AIM:OMI), is pleased to announce an update on the progress of exploration activities at the Company's flagship Anza Project ("Project") in Colombia. ANZA Project The Anza Project is now 100% owned by the Company following completion of a Share Purchase Agreement ("SPA"), announced 28th November 2024, whereby the Company purchased all of the shares of its previous JV partner, Minera Monte Aguila ("MMA"). The Project is located 50km west of Medellin and is easily accessible by all-weather roads and boasts excellent infrastructure including water, power and communications as well as a large exploration camp. The Project sits within the prolific mid-Cauca belt, Colombia's primary gold belt, and is located along strike between several world class gold/copper deposits including Buritica, Quebradona and Guayabales/Marmato (Figure 1.) From September 2018 to November 2024, the Anza project was under the control of its previous JV partner MMA, itself a 50/50 venture between the world's two largest gold miners, Agnico Eagle Mines and Newmont Mining. As such, the Company has only been back in control of the Project for less than four months. Figure 1. Mid-Cauca Belt Prospects The Company is currently focussed on three prospects within the Anza Project - Pepas, APTA and El Cedro. All three prospects are within the same granted exploration title that is broken into two, non-contiguous pieces (Figure 2). Drilling is currently being undertaken at the Pepas prospect in the northern extent of the Anza Project (pre-acquisition) over 10km north of the central base camp at APTA. Post the MMA acquisition in late November 2024, the Company more than doubled its land holding in the mid-Cauca belt to 400km2, by virtue of gaining ownership of a large number of licence applications held by MMA. This makes the Company one of the major land holders in one of the world's most exciting gold belts. These applications have yet to be properly assessed by the Company as most financial and management resources have thus far been directed to drilling at Pepas Figure 2. Main prospects, licences pre-MMA acquisition Pepas Prospect Pepas was discovered by MMA in late 2021 by BLEG sampling and geological mapping, followed by 11 diamond drill holes in 2022 (PEP001 to PEP011). After completion of the transaction to buy MMA, the Company restarted drilling at the Pepas prospect in late-November 2024. Drilling commenced with hole PEP012, which was positioned to confirm previous high-grade results in holes PEP001, PEP005 and PEP007 drilled in 2022. Later holes were then rotated clockwise from PEP012 to begin to test what was considered by Company geological teams to be the controlling trend of SE to NW. The primary objective of the first phase of drilling by the Company was to attempt to understand the geological controls upon mineralisation first identified in 2022, so as to provide guidance for later step out drilling. Holes drilled and announced to date (PEP012 to PEP027) have all intersected substantial sequences of gold mineralisation, largely from surface, thus far manifested as a thick wedge of silicified tuffs within the keel of two converging faults. Chemical analysis suggests the mineralisation to be possibly a variant of a high sulphidation epithermal style, but with just over 1100m drilled thus far, there is yet insufficient information to fully define its genesis, structural controls or source. By definition, this style of mineralisation, is the shallower expression of a deeper source, which has yet to be examined as drilling has focussed on the high grade near surface material. Figure 2. Plan of holes Of these current five holes, two (PEP023 and PEP024) were drilled some distance from the currently defined core deposit, to test a small, medium grade outcrop of silicified material. Moderate intersections were recorded in complex series of veins in a different domain to previous drilling. This opens up a new target and will require more work. Hole PEP025 was drilled on section with PEP014, 021 and 022, to complete this section and to better define a central high-grade core around which a future resource might be developed. Hole PEP026 was drilled in the NW end underneath the discovery hole PEP001, to test a structure identified in early drilling. Broken ground was intersected in shallower sections, before a substantial gold intersection lower in the hole. PEP027 was drilled beyond the SE margin of previous drilling to test the depth extent of a large, silicified outcrop that was mapped to the south of the current area of focus, with a substantial thickness of gold mineralisation being intersected. The nature of this material suggests a later phase of mineralisation from the two main events seen to date, one that is slightly lower in grade than that so far defined. However, this zone appears thick and on surface, outcrop extends some distance southward and will be followed up in later drilling extending southward. Drill intersections for these most recent five holes are as follows: Hole Number From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au (g/t) PEP023 0 15 15 1.7 35.4 45.5 10.1 0.54 PEP024 9.24 15.6 6.35 1.99 34.6 42.5 7.9 0.42 PEP025 0 10.1 10.1 1.46 16.5 79 62.5 5.4 including 33.6 42.1 8.5 22.54 58.8 69.2 10.4 6.3 PEP026 0 14.8 14.8 0.57 43.6 72 28.4 2.52 including 53.3 56.85 3.55 8.04 63.8 69.7 5.9 4.38 PEP027 1 80.15 79.15 2.0 including 19.1 41.35 22.25 3.48 Table 1. Drill Intercepts Discussion Drilling thus far has been largely focussed within an area of roughly 150m x 150m. This has been done intentionally, both because the thick, high-grade mineralisation is potentially amenable to being moved to an economic resource very quickly, even within a small area, but also to allow time for development of targets and physical access toward the north where previously announced surface geochemistry has suggested substantial extension potential. As announced on February 4th 2025, previous surface geochemistry collected by MMA, has identified a large, highly anomalous region to the north of the current Pepas mineralisation. Company geological teams have begun to expand on this work, resulting in the identification of a large, highly mineralised channel sample some 200m north of the limit of current drilling (Figure 4). The Company is advanced in planning to move the drill rig into this zone, however this requires not only greater geological understanding to direct drilling, but also the development of physical access for rigs and machinery. While access work continues, the Company has just begun a drone aeromagnetic survey over the Pepas area, designed to provide high resolution geophysical data to assist in increasing understanding of the structural architecture of the Pepas deposit. This survey is expected to be completed within a week, with data being made available later in March. It is hoped these data may shed light on the sense of movement of later faults that would seem to have broken up the mineralisation, as well as providing vectors to a deeper source. Figure 4. Pepas soil sampling Metallurgy Last week a bulk composite sample of Pepas mineralisation was sent to a metallurgical laboratory in Canada for the first phase of metallurgical testing for Pepas. This work will be preliminary in nature, designed to provide guidance and parameters for future feasibility related metallurgical work. Holes Drilled post MMA transaction 14 holes have been drilled at Pepas since the MMA transaction in November 2024. Assay results are tabulated below. Hole Number From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au (g/t) PEP012 0 66.75 66.75 5.64 PEP013 0 77.30 77.30 7.68 PEP014 0 75.1 75.1 5.58 PEP015 23.5 63.7 40.2 3.75 PEP016 61.6 105.3 43.7 3.13 PEP017 56.1 96.3 40.2 2.06 PEP018 0 54.1 54.1 6.01 PEP019 0 44.3 44.3 1.63 PEP020 0 54.65 54.65 1.94 PEP021 0 107.05 107.05 6.22 PEP022 0 76.3 76.3 7.24 PEP023 0 15 15 1.7 PEP024 9.24 15.6 6.35 1.99 PEP025 0 10.1 10.1 1.45 16.5 79 62.5 5.4 PEP026 0 14.8 14.8 0.57 43.6 72 28.4 2.52 PEP027 1 80.15 79.15 2.0 Table 2. Results to date, post MMA transaction El Cedro The El Cedro (and El Roble) prospect lies to the south of the same integrated licence that hosts both Pepas and APTA, and is roughly 4km south of the APTA base camp. Work on the area began some years ago before Orosur's tenure, when Anglo American undertook reconnaissance mapping and sampling, identifying a highly prospective gold/copper porphyry system. Little work was then undertaken until late 2021, when the Company's previous JV partner MMA re-entered the area to carry out mapping, sampling and ground geophysics that largely confirmed Anglo American's previous work and mapped several large dioritic intrusions and associated epithermal systems. Sampling was limited to creeks and drainages, and several small areas in the centre of the zone. However, wide areas of gold anomalism were identified in soils and channel samples, with assays above 5g/t Au identified across a large area, with associated copper and molybdenum anomalism (Figure 5). Older airborne magnetic data suggests the presence of a large intrusive complex demonstrating a "ring" structure, often seen in such environments. The Company is currently in the advanced stages of logistical planning and socialisation to allow a large-scale sampling program to commence as soon as possible. Work will concentrate on confirmation of the previous phases of work by Anglo American and MMA and expanding the scope with ridge and spur soil sampling over a 2km x 2km area. It is hoped work can commence in March. Figure 5. El Cedro Sampling - historical and planned - over airborne magnetics Orosur CEO Brad George commented: "Anza has come a long way in no time at all. Pepas began with a bang and is now well into the phase of serious geological work to assess its size and metallurgical characteristics. In parallel, we are now commencing work at El Cedro to hopefully confirm this as a large gold porphyry system. Added to APTA and El Pantano we hope to soon have multiple major gold irons in the fire during a bouyant gold market - all owned 100%." For further information, visit www.orosur.ca, follow on X @orosurm or please contact: Orosur Mining Inc Louis Castro, Chairman, Brad George, CEO This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: +1 (778) 373-0100 SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP - Nomad & Joint Broker Jeff Keating / Jen Clarke / Devik Mehta Tel: +44 (0) 20 3470 0470 Turner Pope Investments (TPI) Ltd - Joint Broker Andy Thacker/James Pope Tel: +44 (0)20 3657 0050 Flagstaff Communications and Investor Communications Tim Thompson Mark Edwards Fergus Mellon This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: +44 (0)207 129 1474 The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 ('MAR') which has been incorporated into UK law by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018. Upon the publication of this announcement via Regulatory Information Service ('RIS'), this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain. 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. Drill Hole Details - Pepas prospect 2022/2024 Programme* Hole ID Easting (m) Northing (m) Elevation asl (m) Dip () Azimuth () PEP-001 403384 705000 1001 -50 150 PEP-002 403384 705000 1001 -60 290 PEP-003 403240 705142 1001 -49.60 95.2 PEP-004 403508 705671 838 -59.8 99.8 PEP-005 403373 704990 1008 -49.8 94.6 PEP-007 403374 704990 1008 -69.9 170 PEP-008 403232 704803 971 -50 60 PEP-009 403032 705057 1055 -50 80 PEP-010 403375 705106 982 -50.31 190.4 PEP-011 403573 704939 1001 -50.3 255 PEP-012 403415 704890 997 -56 352 PEP-013 403413 704887 997 -50 43 PEP-014 403400 704910 1007 -50 43 PEP-015 403375 704938 1017 -50 43 PEP-016 403326 704912 999 -50 43 PEP-017 403365 704848 976 -40 47 PEP-018 403345 704851 977 -45 43 PEP-019 403446 704890 991 -45 43 PEP-020 403446 704890 991 -75 43 PEP-021 403424 704935 1012 -62 223 PEP-022 403424 704935 1012 -42 223 PEP-023 403245 704927 969 -50 43 PEP-024 403245 704927 969 -78 43 PEP-025 403369 704888 1001 -45 43 PEP-026 403339 704955 1008 -63 50 PEP-027 403468 704909 1003 -46 228 * Coordinates WGS84, UTM Zone 18 About Orosur Mining Inc. Orosur Mining Inc. (TSXV: OMI; AIM: OMI) is a minerals explorer and developer currently operating in Colombia, Argentina and Nigeria. About the Anza Project Anza is a gold exploration project, comprising three exploration licences, a small exploitation permit and a large number of licence applications, totalling 399km2, in the prolific Mid-Cauca belt of Colombia. The Anza Project is currently wholly owned by Orosur via its subsidiaries, Minera Anza S.A. and Minera Monte Aquila S.A.S. The project is located 50km west of Medellin and is easily accessible by all-weather roads and boasts excellent infrastructure including water, power, communications and large exploration camp. Qualified Persons Statement The information in this news release was compiled, reviewed and verified by Mr. Brad George, BSc Hons (Geology and Geophysics), MBA, Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (MAIG), CEO of Orosur Mining Inc. and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Orosur Mining Inc. staff follow standard operating and quality assurance procedures to ensure that sampling techniques and sample results meet international reporting standards. Drill core is split in half over widths that vary between 0.3m and 2m, depending upon the geological domain. One half is kept on site in the Minera Anza core storage facility, with the other sent for assay. Industry standard QAQC protocols are put in place with approximately 10% of total submitted samples being blanks, repeats or Certified Reference Materials (CRMs). Samples for holes PEP-001 to PEP-011 were sent to the Medellin preparation facility of ALS Colombia Ltd, and then to the ISO 9001 certified ALS Chemex laboratory in Lima, Peru. Samples from PEP-012 onwards are sent to Medellin laboratory of Actlabs for preparation and assay. 30 gram nominal weight samples are then subject to fire assay and AAS analysis for gold with gravimetric re-finish for overlimit assays of >5 g/t. ICP-MS Ultra-Trace level multi-element four-acid digest analyses may also undertaken for such elements as silver, copper, lead and zinc, etc. Gold intersections are reported using a lower cut-off of 0.3g/t Au over 3m. Forward Looking Statements All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this news release constitute "forward looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including but not limited to the "safe harbour" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are based on expectations estimates and projections as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the continuing focus on the Pepas prospect, the exploration plans in Colombia and the funding of those plans, and other events or conditions that may occur in the future. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to those described in the Section "Risks Factors" of the Company's MD&A for the year ended May 31, 2024. The Company's continuance as a going concern is dependent upon its ability to obtain adequate financing, to reach profitable levels of operations and to reach a satisfactory closure of the Creditors Agreement in Uruguay. These material uncertainties may cast significant doubt upon the Company's ability to realize its assets and discharge its liabilities in the normal course of business and accordingly the appropriateness of the use of accounting principles applicable to a going concern. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events and such forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law. This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.rns.com. Results from hole LADD028 reported 13.92 metres grading 6.01 g/t gold (including 7.94 metres grading 9.54 g/t gold), 0.87 metres grading 82.97 g/t gold and 7.40 metres grading 1.49 g/t gold Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 10, 2025) - Loncor Gold Inc. (TSX: LN) (OTCQX: LONCF) (FSE: LO5) ("Loncor" or the "Company") is pleased to announce further encouraging drilling results from its drilling program at the Company's 3.66 million ounce Adumbi deposit where an indicated mineral resource of 1.88 million ounces of gold (28.185 million tonnes grading 2.08 g/t Au), and an inferred mineral resource of 1.78 million ounces of gold (20.83 million tonnes grading 2.65 g/t Au) have already been delineated within a USD1,600/oz open pit shell. Borehole LADD028 intersected 13.92 metres grading 6.01 grammes per tonne (g/t) gold (including 7.94 metres grading 9.54 g/t gold), 0.87 metres grading 82.97 g/t gold, and 7.40 metres grading 1.49 g/t gold (see Table and Figures 1 and 2 below). Significant mineralized sections for borehole LADD028 are summarised in the table below: Borehole Number From (m) To (m) Intersected Width (m) Grade (g/t) Au LADD028 303.25 304.32 1.07 3.16 LADD028 352.10 355.42 3.32 2.24 LADD028 365.73 379.65 13.92 6.01 LADD028 including 365.73 373.67 7.94 9.54 LADD028 389.88 397.28 7.40 1.49 LADD028 400.40 402.59 2.19 1.96 LADD028 420.67 421.54 0.87 82.97 Note: It is estimated that the true width of the mineralised sections for core hole LADD028 is 81% of the intersected widths in the above table. Regular measurements of inclination and azimuth were taken at 30 metre intervals down the hole and all the core was orientated. All intercepted grades are uncut with maximum internal dilution equal to or less than 4 metres of intersected width. The gold mineralization at Adumbi is associated with a thick package (up to a maximum of 130 metres) of interbedded banded ironstone formation (BIF) and quartz carbonate and schist with higher grade sections being found in strongly altered siliceous units where structural deformation and alteration have destroyed the primary lithological fabric. Gold is associated with disseminated sulphide assemblages include pyrite, pyrrhotite and arsenopyrite. Commenting on these latest drilling results, Loncor CEO John Barker said: "This hole represents another excellent intersection from the ongoing drill program at Adumbi. Hole LADD028 was situated in the central part of the Adumbi deposit and intersected the mineralization at a vertical depth of 290 metres below surface and within the USD1,600/oz pit shell. This hole intersected several zones of gold mineralization and showed good geological continuity with adjacent holes in the banded ironstone formation (BIF) package. Drilling continues below the proposed open pit shell with the aim of increasing the 3.66 million ounce resource at Adumbi into a Tier 1 project." Quality Control and Quality Assurance Drill cores for assaying were taken at a maximum of one-metre intervals and were cut with a diamond saw, with one-half of the core placed in sealed bags by Company geologists and sent to the Company's on-site sample preparation facility. The core samples were then crushed down to 80% passing minus 2 mm and split with one half of the sample up to 1.5 kg pulverized down to 90% passing 75 microns. Approximately 150 grams of the pulverized sample was then sent to the SGS Laboratory in Mwanza, Tanzania (independent of the Company). Gold analyses were carried out on 50g aliquots by fire assay. In addition, check assays were also carried out by the screen fire assay method to verify high-grade sample assays obtained initially by fire assay. As part of the Company's QA/QC procedures, internationally recognized standards, blanks and duplicates were inserted into the sample batches prior to submitting to SGS Laboratory. Qualified Person Peter N. Cowley, who is President of Loncor and a "qualified person" as such term is defined in National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information in this press release. Figure 1: Adumbi Deposit Longitudinal Section Looking Northeast with Drill Hole Grade (g/t) x True Thickness (Metre) Product Contours Figure 2: Geological Cross Section Through Borehole LADD028 Technical Report Additional information with respect to the Company's Adumbi deposit (and other properties of the Company within its Imbo Project) is contained in the technical report of New SENET (Pty) Ltd and Minecon Resources and Services Limited dated December 15, 2021 and entitled "NI 43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Adumbi Deposit in the Democratic Republic of the Congo". A copy of the said report can be obtained from SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and EDGAR at www.sec.gov. About Loncor Gold Inc. Loncor is a Canadian gold exploration company focussed on the Ngayu Greenstone Gold Belt in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (the "DRC"). The Loncor team has over two decades of experience of operating in the DRC. Loncor's growing resource base in the Ngayu Belt is focused on the Imbo Project where the Adumbi deposit holds an indicated mineral resource of 1.88 million ounces of gold (28.185 million tonnes grading 2.08 g/t gold), and the Adumbi deposit and two neighbouring deposits hold an inferred mineral resource of 2.090 million ounces of gold (22.508 million tonnes grading 2.89 g/t Au), with 84.68% of these resources being attributable to Loncor. Following a drilling program carried out by the Company at the Adumbi deposit in 2020 and 2021, the Company completed a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") of the Adumbi deposit and announced the results of the PEA in December 2021. Additional information with respect to Loncor and its projects can be found on Loncor's website at www.loncor.com. Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking information. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements regarding drilling results at Adumbi, potential mineral resources below the Adumbi open pit shell, increasing the mineral resource at Adumbi into a Tier 1 project, mineral resource estimates, future Adumbi drill results, potential mineralization, future exploration and development) are forward-looking information. This forward-looking information reflects the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking information is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, the possibility that future exploration (including drilling) or development results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, risks related to the exploration stage of the Company's properties, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, the possibility that drilling programs will be delayed, failure to establish estimated mineral resources (the Company's mineral resource figures are estimates and no assurances can be given that the indicated levels of gold will be produced), changes in world gold markets or equity markets, political developments in the DRC, gold recoveries being less than those indicated by the metallurgical testwork carried out to date (there can be no assurance that gold recoveries in small scale laboratory tests will be duplicated in large tests under on-site conditions or during production), fluctuations in currency exchange rates, inflation, changes to regulations affecting the Company's activities, delays in obtaining or failure to obtain required project approvals, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drilling results and other geological data and the other risks disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in the Company's annual information form dated April 1, 2024 filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and EDGAR at www.sec.gov. Forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is provided and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking information are reasonable, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such information due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Armored vehicles rumble through muddy puddles China Military Online) 10:07, March 10, 2025 Armored vehicles attached to a brigade under the Chinese PLA 71st Group Army rumble through muddy puddles during a maneuver training exercise on February 17, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Lin Weihong) Armored vehicles attached to a brigade under the Chinese PLA 71st Group Army rumble through muddy puddles during a maneuver training exercise on February 17, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Lin Weihong) Armored vehicles attached to a brigade under the Chinese PLA 71st Group Army march toward the designated area during a maneuver training exercise on February 17, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Lin Weihong) Armored vehicles attached to a brigade under the Chinese PLA 71st Group Army march toward the designated area during a maneuver training exercise on February 17, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Lin Weihong) (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 10, 2025) - Royal Road Minerals Limited (TSXV: RYR) ("Royal Road" or the "Company") reports geochemical results from its 2000 meter reverse circulation scout drilling program at the Alouana project in Morocco. The Alouana project is subject to an Option Agreement (the "Agreement"; see Press Release, October 17, 2023) between Royal Road Arabia Limited ("RRA"; a Saudi Arabian joint-venture company owned on a 50-50% basis by Royal Road and MIDU Company Limited) and Izughar Resources S.A.R.L ("Izughar"), the Moroccan company holding title to the Alouana licenses. The terms of the Agreement require that upon completion of a minimum 2000 meters of drilling and receipt of all geochemical results, RRA has the one-time option to pay to Izughar the amount of US$750,000 (the "Option Payment") in exchange for 90% of Izughar (see Press Release, October 17, 2023). The Company has completed 22 reverse circulation drill holes for a total of 2036 meters at Alouana (see Figure 1). Drilling intersected predominantly steeply dipping vein-breccia-hosted copper-bismuth-tungsten ( gold, silver and zinc) mineralization with best intersections in copper equivalent1 returning: RC24AL003 RC24AL004 RC24AL006 RC24AL007 RC24AL019 From 3 to 17 meters From 12 to 17 meters From 0 to 8 meters From 0 to 17 meters From 43 to 53 meters 14 meters at 0.9% copper equiv. 5 meters at 0.7% copper equiv. 8 meters at 1.2% copper equiv. 17 meters at 1.0% copper equiv. 10 meters at 1.0% copper equiv. (Not true width and the company does not have sufficient information to determine the true widths of the drill hole intersections: Table 1) The principal aim of this drilling program was to test for the continuity of shallow-dipping (shear and cleavage parallel) mineralization at depth (see press release, October 23, 2024). A significant thickness of this style of mineralization, combined with the (conjugate northeast and northwest trending) steep-dipping vein-breccia controlled mineralization, would possibly provide a bulk volume significant enough for an open-pit type mining scenario along the Alouana ridge top. Shallow-dipping mineralization did not continue at depth, or significantly away from the immediate vicinity of steeper-dipping vein-breccia style mineralization and the grade and continuity of mineralization intersected within the vein-breccia bodies is not deemed significant enough to support a standalone underground operation. Additionally, gold results returned from sulphide mineralization were low (maximum 0.6 grams per tonne over a meter; RC24AL019 and RC24AL021) and the highest gold intersection in oxide material was 2.2 grams per tonne over a meter (RC24AL022). Highest individual one meter downhole sample results for other metals were, silver 98.3ppm, copper 3.6%, zinc 3.1%, bismuth 0.5% and tungsten 0.6%. It is management's view that this drilling program has sufficiently tested the immediate potential for economic resources at Alouana and that results are not encouraging enough to support further work. RRA has notified Izughar that it does not intend to pay the Option Payment and that it has withdrawn from the Agreement. "We had well-guided clear objectives for this drilling program and once all requisite permits were received, the program was completed in an efficient, safe and cost-effective manner " said Tim Coughlin, Royal Road's President and CEO "Alouana is an intrusion-related copper-polymetallic system and these systems, particularly where a shallow-dipping control to mineralization is evident, remain a priority target for Royal Road." TABLE 1: NOTABLE DRILL RESULTS ALOUANA GOLD SILVER COPPER ZINC BISMUTH TUNGSTEN HOLE ID E N Z(m) DIP AZIM DEPTH FROM TO LENGTH (m)* (g/t) (g/t) % % % % RC24AL003 487369 3758398 1553 -60 90 17 3.0 17.0 14 0.4 8.0 0.2 0.3 0.1 RC24AL004 487371 3758400 1553 -60 80 91 12.0 17.0 5 9.1 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 RC24AL006 487538 3758502 1622 -60 360 100 0.0 8.0 8 0.4 6.6 0.1 0.5 0.1 0.2 RC24AL007 487506 3758484 1612 -60 360 97 0.0 17.0 17 0.2 10.0 0.5 0.7 RC24AL018 488505 3758274 1695 -55 250 88 32 34 2 17.7 1.9 RC24AL019 488540 3758256 1690 -50 250 79 43 53 10 0.1 1.5 0.7 0.1 *NOT TRUE WIDTH About Royal Road Minerals Royal Road Minerals is a mineral exploration and development company with its head office and technical-operations center located in Jersey, Channel Islands. The Company is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker RYR and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the ticker RLU. The Company's mission is to apply expert skills and innovative technologies to the process of discovering and developing copper and gold deposits of a scale large enough to benefit future generations and modern enough to ensure minimum impact on the environment and no net loss of biodiversity. The Company currently explores in the Kingdoms of Saudi Arabia and Morocco. More information can be found on the Company's website www.royalroadminerals.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The information in this news release was compiled, reviewed and verified by Dr. Tim Coughlin, BSc (Geology), MSc (Exploration and Mining), PhD (Structural Geology), FAusIMM, President and CEO of Royal Road Minerals Ltd and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Cautionary statement This news release contains certain statements that constitute forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements") describing the Company's future plans and the expectations of its management that a stated result or condition will occur. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or developments in the Company's business or in the mineral resources industry, to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance, achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include all disclosure regarding possible events, conditions or results of operations that is based on assumptions about, among other things, the Alliance, the intention to form a joint venture, enter into a related agreement and establish Newco and, more generally, future economic conditions and courses of action, and assumptions related to government approvals, and anticipated costs and expenditures. The words "plans", "prospective", "expect", "intend", "intends to" and similar expressions identify forward looking statements, which may also include, without limitation, any statement relating to future events, conditions or circumstances. Forward-looking statements of the Company contained in this news release, which may prove to be incorrect, include, but are not limited to the Company's exploration plans. Quality Assurance and Quality Control Sample preparation and analyses are conducted according to standard industry procedures at certified laboratories. Percussion-chip samples were sampled on 1m downhole intervals and passed through a 75-25% drill-rig mounted splitter. The 75% sample was placed in rows and analyzed for guidance on-site using a Vanta pXRF tool. The 25% sample was split 50-50% to produce analytical and retention samples of between 1 to 3kg. Samples for analysis were bagged in the field and sent to ALS Seville for analysis of gold by fire assay with an ICP-AES finish (method Au-ICP22) and multielements by four acid digest ICP-MS (method ME-MS61). QAQC materials included CRMs, blanks and duplicates inserted into sample batches on a ration of 1:14. The Company cautions you not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. There is no guarantee that the anticipated benefits of the Company's business plans or operations will be achieved. The risks and uncertainties that may affect forward-looking statements include, among others: economic market conditions, anticipated costs and expenditures, government approvals, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with Canadian provincial securities regulators or other applicable regulatory authorities. Forward-looking statements included herein are based on the current plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions of the Company management and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should assumptions related to these plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions change. 1 Copper equivalent calculation assumes 90% recoveries and the following prices: Gold - $2910/ounce, Silver - $33/ounce, Copper $4.80/lb, Zinc $1.30/lb, Bismuth $8.00/lb & Tungsten $9.00/lb Cabacal 2025 Pre-Feasibility Study Highlights: (All amounts are in United States Dollars unless otherwise stated) Meridian delivers exceptional economics from the Cabacal Pre-Feasibility Study; Base case after-tax NPV 5 of USD 984 million (CAD 1 1.43 billion) and 61.2% IRR; (Assuming USD 2,119/oz Au, USD 4.16/lb Cu, and USD 26.89/oz Ag, CAD:USD=1.4533); Spot case after-tax NPV 5 of USD 1.41 billion (CAD 2.04 billion) and 79.5% IRR; (Assuming 2 USD 2,917/oz Au, USD 4.54/lb Cu, and USD 32.25/oz Ag (27 February, 2025)); Cabacal Establishes a Mid-Tier Production Profile: Average annual production of 141,000 AuEq ounces over 10 years; First 5 years production of 178,000 AuEq ounces annually; Low LOM All-In-Sustaining-Costs ("AISC") of USD 742/oz AuEq 3 ; Low initial CAPEX of USD 248 million (CAD 359 million) including pre-investment for expansion to 4.5 Mtpa from year 4; Strong value proposition: Base case NPV 5 /Capex is 3.97 times, & initial capital repaid in 17 months; and Maiden Cabacal reserve of 41.7Mt at 0.63g/t Au, 0.44% Cu and 1.64g/t Ag declared, including 89% in the proven category. 1 Exchange Rate USD/CAD of 1.45330, 2 Spot prices on London close on 28, February, 2025, See Technical Note for AuEq equation. LONDON, GB / ACCESS Newswire / March 10, 2025 /Meridian Mining UK S (TSX:MNO) (Frankfurt/Tradegate:2MM) (OTCQX:MRRDF) ("Meridian" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the positive results of the Preliminary Feasibility Study ("PFS") led by Ausenco do Brasil Engenharia Ltda and Ausenco Engineering Canada ULC (together "Ausenco"), supported by GE 21 Mineral Consultants Ltd ("GE 21") for the advanced Cabacal gold-copper-silver deposit in Brazil ("Cabacal" or the "Project"). The PFS's findings (Figure 1, Tables 1 - 9) confirm the exceptional economic potential of Cabacal, positioning it as Brazil's next mid-tier production asset with a parallel resource development program and exploration upside. Meridian will host a Live Webcast to discuss the Cabacal PFS Results on March 10, 2025 at 10:00 am EST (7:00 am PST). A presentation by management will be followed by Q&A. Conference Call Webcast and Dial in Details: Webcast URL: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2958/52165 Telephone Numbers: US/Canada Free: 888-506-0062 / International: 973-528-0011 Participant Access Code: 195524 Mr. Gilbert Clark, CEO, comments: "This study is a game-changer for our Company. We have demonstrated nearly 1 billion US dollars in post-tax value. That jumps to almost USD 1.5 billion using the spot gold & copper prices, confirming Cabacal as a high-margin Au-Cu-Ag mine. It starts with over 178,000 gold-equivalent-ounces a year for 5 years and averages more than 141,000 ounces over the life of mine. We have shown these strong results using consensus long-term prices and low operating costs, while also planning ahead with a step up to 4.5-million-tonnes production. I believe it is just the beginning of what we can do in this highly prospective gold-copper-silver VMS belt." "I want to thank all our shareholders. Your support and funding helped us build Brazil's top mine development team. Now, we are focused on adding more value. We are starting the Feasibility Study soon, working on the first resource estimate for Santa Helena, and exploring new opportunities. With our recent funding, we have the funding to make these milestones happen." "With the strength of the PFS we are expanding the Executive team and the engineering owners team as we progress the Feasibility Study. Mr. David Halkyard has been appointed to the role of Senior Vice President - Finance, where he will be leading Cabacal's project finance team. I have known David for well over a decade now and his wealth of international project finance experience is a key addition to the team. This transformational year for Meridian's shareholders has only just started." PFS RESULTS SUMMARY Table 1: Summary of Cabacal PFS's NPV 5 and IRR sensitivities to metal prices Table 2: PFS production summary Table 3: Project economics at base case and spot case Table 4: Cabacal PFS model inputs Figure 1: Cabacal project annual and cumulative cash flow Table 5: PFS capital cost breakdown Table 6: PFS operating cost breakdown Study Contributors The PFS team was led by Ausenco, a global provider of consulting and engineering services for mining projects. Ausenco were supported by GE21 Consultoria Mineral Ltda (resource estimation, mine plan and schedule), SGS Lakefield Canada (metallurgy), Sete Solucoes e Tecnologia Ambiental Ltda (environmental studies) and Hidrovia Hidrogeologia e Meio Ambiente Ltda (hydrological studies). Cabacal Resource and Reserve Estimates1 Table 7: Cabacal Gold-Copper Project Open Pit Mineral Resource (Effective Date November 15th, 2024, 0.19 g/t AuEq cut-off) Resource Classification Average Value Metal Content Mass Au Cu Ag Au Equiv. Au Cu Ag Au Equiv. Mt g/t % g/t g/t koz kt koz Moz Measured 43.68 0.59 0.41 1.53 1.03 834.16 178.80 2,152.32 1.44 Indicated 7.75 0.28 0.33 1.32 0.64 70.15 25.68 328.40 0.16 Meas & Ind 51.43 0.55 0.40 1.50 0.97 904.31 204.47 2,480.72 1.60 Notes related to the Mineral Resource Estimate: Measured and Indicated Resource estimate reported inside open pit constrains. Inferred category was not classified inside open pit constrains. The mineral resource estimates were prepared in accordance with the CIM Standards, and the CIM Guidelines, using geostatistical and/or classical methods, plus economic and mining parameters appropriate to the deposit. Mineral Resources are not ore reserves and are not demonstrably economically recoverable. Grades reported using dry density. The effective date of the MRE was November 15th, 2024. The QP responsible for the Mineral Resources is geologist Leonardo Soares (MAIG #5180). The MRE numbers provided have been rounded to the estimate relative precision. Values cannot be added due to rounding. The MRE is delimited by Mining license areas. The MRE was estimated using ordinary kriging in 10m x 10m x 5m blocks with sub-blocks of 5.0m x 2.5m x 1.25m. The MRE report table was produced in Leapfrog Geo software. The MRE was restricted by a pit shell defined using metal prices of 2,119 US$/oz Au, Mining cost of 2.11 US$/ton mined, processing cost of 8.20 US$/ ton processed, metallurgical recovery calculated block by block based on metallurgical tests, G&A costs of 1.66 US$/ton processed, and 1.64 US$/ton processed logistics. Equivalent Gold grade was calculated with the following formulae: AuEq = (Au_grade * %Au_Recovery) + (1.346*(Cu_grade * %Cu_Recovery)) + (0.013*(Ag _grade * %Ag_Recovery)). 1 See Meridian news release September 26, 2022 https://meridianmining.co/press-releases/ Table 8: Cabacal Gold-Copper Project Underground Mineral Resource Estimate (Effective Date November 15th, 2024, 0.96 g/t AuEq cut-off) Resource Classification Average Value Metal Content Mass Au Cu Ag Au Equiv. Au Cu Ag Au Equiv. Mt g/t % g/t g/t koz kt koz Moz Inferred 0.26 0.96 0.49 1.36 1.47 8.15 1.29 11.54 0.012 Notes related to the Mineral Resource Estimate: Inferred Resource estimate reported inside underground grade shell. The mineral resource estimates were prepared in accordance with the CIM Standards, and the CIM Guidelines, using geostatistical and/or classical methods, plus economic and mining parameters appropriate to the deposit. Mineral Resources are not ore reserves and are not demonstrably economically recoverable. Grades reported using dry density. The effective date of the MRE was November 15th, 2024. The QP responsible for the Mineral Resources is geologist Leonardo Soares (MAIG #5180). The MRE numbers provided have been rounded to the estimate relative precision. Values cannot be added due to rounding. The MRE is delimited by Mining tenement areas. The MRE was estimated using ordinary kriging in 10m x 10m x 5m blocks with sub-blocks of 5.0m x 2.5m x 1.25m. The MRE report table was produced in Leapfrog Geo software. The MRE was restricted by an underground optimized stopes defined using metal prices of 2,119 US$/oz Au, Mining cost of 32.0 US$/ton mined, processing cost of 8.20 US$/ ton processed, metallurgical recovery calculated block by block based on metallurgical tests, G&A costs of 1.66 US$/ton processed, and 1.64 US$/ton processed logistics. Equivalent Gold grade was calculated with the following formulae: AuEq = (Au_grade * %Au_Recovery) + (1.346*(Cu_grade * %Cu_Recovery)) + (0.013*(Ag _grade * %Ag_Recovery)). Estimates are based on the Technical Report titled, "Independent Technical Report, Mineral Resource Estimate for the Cabacal Gold-Copper Project, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil". The Mineral Resource estimate in the table above was prepared by specialist group, GE21 Consultoria Mineral ("GE21"). Mineral Resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability; and Minor variations may occur during the addition of rounded numbers. The Mineral Resource estimate included in the PFS is reported according to the classification criteria set out in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Reserves ("CIM Definition Standards"). These standards are internationally recognized and allow the reader to compare the Mineral Resource with that reported for similar projects. The Initial Mineral Reserve estimate for Cabacal was carried out by GE21 Mineral Consulting and is based on the Mineral Resource Statement with an effective date of February 11, 2025. Mineral Resources are inclusive of Mineral Reserves (Table 9). Table 9: Cabacal Copper-Gold Project - Mineral Reserves Estimate (Effective Date - February 11th, 2025) Reserve Classification Average Value Material Content Mass Au Ag Cu Au Ag Cu Mt g/t g/t % k oz k oz M lb Proven 37.11 0.67 1.64 0.45 797.10 1,962.66 364.90 Probable 4.59 0.36 1.57 0.40 52.77 231.75 40.48 Proven & Probable 41.70 0.63 1.64 0.44 849.88 2,194.41 405.38 Notes: Mineral Reserves estimates were prepared in accordance with the CIM Standards. Mineral Reserves are the economic portion of the Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources. Mineral Reserves were estimated by Porfirio Cabaleiro BSc (Min Eng), FAIG, a GE21 associate, who meets the requirements of a "Qualified Person" as established by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (May 2014) ("the CIM Standards"). The Mineral Reserves are reported with an effective date of February 11, 2025. The reference point at which the Mineral Reserves are defined is the point where the ore is delivered from the open pit to the crushing plant. Mineral Reserves were estimated using the Geovia Whittle 4.3 software and following the geometric and economic parameters. Geometric and economic parameters include: Mine recovery of 97% and dilution 3%, Copper, Gold, Silver selling cost of US$4.16/lb, US$ 2,119/oz, US$26.89/oz, respectively, Mining costs of US$ 2.98 per ton for mineralization and waste, Processing costs of US$ 9.83 per ton of ore feed, General and Administrative (G&A) costs of US$2.11 per ton of process ore, Copper, Gold, Silver selling cost of US$2.77 per ton of process ore. Exchange rate: $1.00 = R$5.50, Specific values for the Deposit: Pit slope angles ranging from 35 to 54, Metal recoveries are based on the following formulae: Copper = 3.906 Ln() + 95.27 up to 3.0% copper. Above 3.0% Cu a cap of 97% recovery was applied Gold = 5.402 () + 88.66 up to 4.0g/t gold. Above 4.0g/t Au a cap of 97% recovery was applied Silver = 30.354 () + 43.691 up to 4.0g/t silver. Above 4.0g/t Ag a cap of 87.6% recovery was applied Mining 10.6-years shallow open pit mining operation proposed with total feed inventory of 41.70 Mt; High-grade year 1 mill feed of 1.45 g/t gold and 0.54% copper with average grade LOM of 0.63 g/t gold, 0.44% copper, and 1.64 g/t silver; and Low life-of-mine strip ratio of 2.33. Cabacal will be mined using the open pit method (Figure 2) in 3 alternating shifts, operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The mining movements were designed to produce enough RoM to feed an ore processing plant with a nominal capacity of 2.50 Mtpa for the first three years, 4.50 Mtpa for the last 7.6 years and a total LOM of 10.6 years of production. The mining will operate with a block model of 10x10x5m and slope angle in the hanging wall of 54 inter ramp of the fresh rock and following the mineralized material slope in the footwall. Mining operations mechanical blasting, loading and haulage will be fully outsourced. Ore is relatively soft with an average Bond ball mill work index of 11.8 (metric)- blasting will be conducted with a load ratio of 200 g/t for mineralized material and 155 g/t for waste. A dilution factor of 3% and mining recovery of 97% were considered. The transport distance from the mine to the RoM yard varies from 1.58 km in the pre-stripping to a maximum of 1.98 km in year 8. For the waste the transport distance will range from 1.96 km to 2.61 km in year 10. The transport of ore and waste will be carried out by 55 t trucks manufactured in Brazil, a fact that contributes to the reduction in the OPEX costs. For work associated with these trucks, 74 t hydraulic excavators were dimensioned, which means 5.9 passes per truck loaded with mineralized material and 5.8 passes per truck loaded with waste. Trucks will transport ore for discharge directly into the crusher or to the RoM stockpile. A 30.3 t wheel loader will be used to recover ore from the RoM stockpile as needed. The waste will be sent directly to the 3 projected waste dumps, each trip being directed to the pile closest to the pit region in mining activities at that time. From the 5th year onwards mining in the southeast extension of the pit will have been completed. There is an opportunity to return part of the waste material to this area in the Mine, with the possibility to reduce costs and footprint. The table below shows the annual mining plan (0.25 g/t AuEq. cut-off) starting with pre-stripping and an ore feeding plan to the process plant. A mining plan was adopted that allows the plant to be fed with high gold content equivalent ore in the first four years of production, storing low-grade ore (LG) to be fed later in the mine life. This allowed the elaboration of a plan optimizing the economic model of the project. Table 10: Cabacalmining schedule 97% of recovery and 3% dilution was applied in resource Figure 2: The final pit shell of the Cabacal mine. Metallurgical Testing The Cabacal PFS project envisages two mined products will be generated at Cabacal: Gold and silver in dore bars; and Copper and gold concentrate. The beneficiation process is simple due to relatively clean ore, with low impurities and an absence of organic material. This results in amenability to flotation at a relatively coarse grind of 200 m, with rapid kinetics of the Cabacal mine's chalcopyrite, allowing for a simple flotation flowsheet to give copper recoveries up to 95% to a clean concentrate. Gold is recovered via gravity circuit (concentrator and shaking tables), and via flotation, with copper. The rougher tailings are treated in a pyrite flotation stage, with the main objective of separating most of the sulfur in a low mass stream, reducing the risks of final tails dewatering and disposal. Both tailings' streams are filtered for disposal. Rougher concentrate is reground and refloated in a cleaner circuit, consisting of a vertimill and a Jameson Cell, with the concentrate reporting to the dewatering circuit. Three test work programs have been completed since 2022. They are summarized as follows: In 2022, a new drilling campaign and test work program was completed, where Meridian drilled ten metallurgical holes. Seven of these holes were used for sample selection to confirm historical performance with a new round of test work at SGS Lakefield, Canada. The holes provided samples from the four known main VMS systems, namely the Central Copper Zone, the Eastern Copper Zone, the Southern Copper Zone and the Cabacal Northwest Extension. Most of the samples were within the expected head grade range for the deposit. Comminution, gravity and flotation tests were run on samples from different metallurgical domains, as well on a master composite sample. In 2023, 23 variability samples from across the deposit (including nine through the vertical profile of drill hole CD-228) were collected, covering oxidized, transition and sulfides zones. Samples were tested at SGS Lakefield, Canada. In this program, all samples were subjected to Bond ball mill work index and SMC testing. In addition, metallurgical samples were tested for flotation flowsheet and reagent dosage optimization and, once optimal flowsheet was defined, variability samples were tested to generate enough information to create recovery curves for the project. Thickening and filtration tests were also performed. In 2024, a revised process flowsheet labelled RevC was developed with the main differences to the PEA flowsheet being: The use of copper and gold specific collectors Aerophine 3148A and Aero 208 to replace PAX in rougher flotation; Extended rougher float time; and Pyrite minerals were then floated from the rougher tails for separate storage. The new flowsheet (Figure 3) was tested on the same samples and master composites selected for the PEA as well as additional samples that filled in gaps in the grade curve, represented the variability of the deposit from top to bottom and added data on the oxide and transition zones of the deposit. In addition, a gold deportment study was conducted as well as TIMA-X mineral characterisation of the master composite. Tailings settling/thickener testing showed it responded well to BASF Magnafloc 155 flocculant. Updated grade recovery curves were developed at the completion of the testwork. Figure 3: The RevC process flowsheet developed for the PFS Additional test work is recommended to define primary grind size (200 vs 150 microns). Also, pilot plant tests are planned for the next phase of the project to reduce risks of the project and generate enough sample for further testing (vendor, environmental, etc.). Mineral Processing Primary crushing capacity for 4.5 Mtpa at plant start up; 2.5 Mtpa mill capacity using a single stage SAG mill designed with conventional flowsheet for the first three years; Comminution capacity is increased to 4.5 Mtpa with the addition of a ball mill from the fourth year onward. Additional flotation cells, thickening and filtering capacity are also included in the expansion; and Primary grind size of 200 microns throughout. Based on the SGS test work results, Ausenco designed a new process plant to process 2.5 Mtpa of run-of-mine (RoM) feed from the Cabacal open pit in the first three years then, with an expansion in year three of the plant operation, processing 4.5 Mtpa of RoM from the fourth year onward. The process comprises crushing and grinding to reduce the RoM ore to primary grind of 80% passing (k 80 ) of 200 microns (m). Approximately 30% of the mill feed is sent to a gravity separation circuit to recover free gold. Tailings from the gravity circuit are recycled to grinding. Grinding circuit product feeds copper flotation in conventional cells. Copper rougher concentrate is reground and then cleaned in a Jameson cell to produce final concentrate. Copper flotation tailings are floated to generate a pyrite/high sulphide concentrate and low sulphide tailings streams for separate filtration and disposal. The Process flowsheet is illustrated in Figure 4, and the proposed Plant Layout in Figure 5 - 6. Figure 4: Cabacal Process flowsheet diagram - 4.5 Mtpa expansion case Figure 5: Cabacal process plant layout Figure 6: Cabacal process plant layout in 3D Access and infrastructure Cabacal is well supported by existing public infrastructure. It is located in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil. It is accessed by sealed roads approximately 320 km west-north-west of the state capital Cuiaba, then a 35km all-weather gravel road from the Company's administrative base in the town of Sao Jose dos Quatro Marcos. The region is currently supplied by a high-voltage 34.5kV power line. Several hydroelectric power stations operate in the region. A potential route for the construction of an 138kVA electric line of sufficient capacity for the Cabacal project from the Araputanga substation to the Project area has been identified, extending over 22 km. Subject to permitting, water is potentially available from the nearby Cabacal river. The process facility aims to recover and re-use as much process water as possible. All rainwater that comes in contact with mining operations is planned to be collected and either used on site or treated to required standards then released. Mine services and labour are readily available, primarily from nearby towns. Infrastructure associated with the historic Cabacal Mine has been removed from site, aside from some old buildings which have been converted to field offices and core processing / storage facilities. The PFS therefore assumes that the new Cabacal mine is effectively a greenfield project. The Cabacal site plan is shown in Figure 7. The major project facilities include the open pit mines, dry storage tailings facility, waste rock facilities, mine services and access roads. Site selection took into consideration the following factors: Locate the infrastructure looking to minimize to the maximum possible the environmental impacts; Locate the process plant on competent flat ground and in an area with minimal potential to be mineralized; Locate the process plant and other facilities at a safe distance from the mine pit and blasting operations; and Locate the process plant and waste storage facilities to minimise transport distances. Figure 7: Cabacal mine site layout Several areas have been identified to store waste rock from the mine. Three waste rock storage facilities (WRSF) have been selected for the PFS. The tailings will be filtered to produce a dry cake that will be trucked from the filter plant and stacked in the dry stack tailings facility (DSTF). The DSTF has been designed to international standards for the PFS. Initial studies indicate that waste rock and tailings are potentially non-acid generating. Detailed waste material characterisation studies are planned for optimization of the long-term storage facility design for construction, safe operation and eventual closure. Environmental, Permitting & Stakeholder Engagement Meridian commenced baseline environmental and social impact data collection of the Cabacal project in January 2022 and completed the studies in November 2023. The company Sete Solucoes e Tecnologia Ambiental Ltda (SETE) was hired to conduct the environmental studies, Hidrovia Hidrogeologia e Meio Ambiente Ltda to perform hydrogeological studies and Totem Consultoria em Arqueologia Ltda to deal with the archaeological studies. The studies were summarized by SETE in the Environmental Impact Study (EIA) and Environmental Impact Report (RIMA), which concluded with the following opinion "...based on the project information, the knowledge acquired from the environmental analysis prepared, the environmental impacts assessed and the availability of prevention, mitigation, control, compensation and environmental monitoring mechanisms for the proposed project, which will be further detailed in the PCA (Environmental Control Plan), during the Installation License phase, the environmental licensing of the Cabacal project is considered feasible, as proposed by the company. It is also possible to state that measures aimed at preventing, controlling, mitigating, compensating and monitoring negative impacts will be able to generate adequate responses to the predicted impacts, so that the interference of the project in the environment occurs within limits considered acceptable by current environmental legislation and by society." Ongoing environmental monitoring of the Cabacal project site is underway in order to continue to build up environment data for the baseline models. The EIA/RIMA reports were filed with the Mato Grosso State Environmental Secretariat - SEMA (the agency responsible for the environmental licensing process) on December 2, 2023. The licensing process is now following the regulated pathway and has already undergone the Public Hearing held on September 19, 2024, and the field inspection carried out by a multidisciplinary technical team from SEMA, which attested to the veracity of the information contained in the EIA/RIMA. The process is currently undergoing final analysis by SEMA technicians with the next step being the issue of the Technical Recommendation Opinion to support the Cabacal Preliminary License (LP). Meridian also undertakes its own stakeholder engagement processes which commenced on acquiring the Cabacal project in 2021. The Cabacal project is located within farming land, with no artisanal mining activity. Aside from local farms, there are no settlements or population clusters within the project's active area. The nearest indigenous land is located 80km distant from Cabacal to the northwest (Terra Indigena Figueiras). The project is located more than 25 km away from areas classified as Quilombolas (settlements first established by escaped slaves in Brazil, whose descendants have recognized land rights). No areas classified as of special tourist importance are present. Since the commencement of activities, the Company has established formal exploration access agreements with 65 landholders and continues to engage with others progressively as geological survey activities require. Upside and optimization The PFS results provide an estimate of the potential economic value of the mineral resources defined to November 15th, 2024. In completing the PFS, a number of opportunities were identified that would potentially enhance the Cabacal project, subject to completing the necessary assessment. Some of this work is already underway. These include: Resource infill and extensional drilling continues following the cut-off of November 15th, 2024. The primary aim is to test select areas where historical data was lost from the mine environment. The Cabacal deposit has inferred underground resources that remain open and with further infill drilling, may represent targets for potential conversion to indicated resources to assess potential for development. The project sits in a mine corridor of 11km of prospective ground extending to Santa Helena to the southeast, with numerous targets. Exploration drilling will progressively test the targets generated and geophysics and geochemistry will be used to identify additional targets more broadly through the 50km belt. A geotechnical study of the Cabacal pit was conducted, analyzing rock and soil samples using compressive strength and consistency tests. The test results indicated a general friction angle ranging from 35 in the saprolite to 54 in the fresh rock. In the pit areas, fresh rock occurs near the surface, at a maximum depth of 16 meters, leading to the adoption of a conservative value of 48 for the general angle. Opportunities to further optimize pit will angles will be reviewed further following any new data gathered in the 2025 drill program. Future mining activities above and around existing voids areas were analyzed using advanced geotechnical analysis based on 3D modelling and finite element simulations. These analyses demonstrated that, while the overall stability of the Cabacal pit is maintained, areas with a slab thickness below 5 meters require special attention. The tests and analyses indicated that mining activities above the voids can be conducted safely. Above 10 meters, there is no significant risk, however, for areas below 5 meters, increased monitoring and precautionary measures are necessary. As a preventive approach, rigorous inspections and, when required, strategic filling of these areas will be implemented to ensure operational safety and controlled mining advancement. A complete study of geotechnical investigations, based on a survey grid indicated by Ausenco, was performed by the SETE - Servicos Tecnicos de Engenharia Ltda, engaged by Meridian in April 2024. The report of the survey results, issued on August 15, 2024, was forwarded to Ausenco, which was the base for the Cabacal PFS engineering. The surveys were conducted in the areas where the Cabacal structures will be implemented - plant, DSTF, waste dumps. Opportunities to reduce the footprint of waste areas will be assessed through using pit areas for storage or by potentially co-mingling WRSF and DSTF materials. 8.65 Mt of low-grade mineralized material is planned to be stored separately with potential to be processed if the metal prices compensate in the future. Non-International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") Financial Measures The Company has included certain non-IFRS financial measures in this news release, such as initial capital cost, sustaining capital cost, total capital cost, AISC, and capital intensity, which are not measures recognized under IFRS and do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. As a result, these measures may not be comparable to similar measures reported by other corporations. Each of these measures used are intended to provide additional information to the user and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures prepared in accordance with IFRS. Non-IFRS financial measures used in this news release and common to the gold mining industry are defined below. Total Cash Costs and Total Cash Costs per Ounce Total cash costs are reflective of the cost of production. Total cash costs reported in the PFS include mining costs, processing and water treatment costs, general and administrative costs of the mine, off-site costs, refining costs, transportation costs and royalties. Total cash costs per ounce is calculated as total cash costs divided by payable gold ounces. AISC and AISC per Ounce AISC is reflective of all of the expenditures that are required to produce an ounce of gold from operations. AISC reported in the PFS includes total cash costs, sustaining capital, closure costs and salvage, but excludes corporate general and administrative costs. AISC per ounce is calculated as AISC divided by payable gold ounces. Qualified Person Statement The PFS Study has an effective date of 10 March, 2025. It was authored by independent Qualified Persons and is in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The following Qualified Persons ("QPs") are responsible for the PFS Study and have reviewed the information in this news release that is summarized from the PFS Study in their areas of expertise: Tommaso Roberto Raponi (P. Eng), Principal Metallurgist with Ausenco Engineering Canada ULC is responsible for project infrastructure, recovery methods, capital and operating costs relating to processing, and economic analysis. Scott Elfen (P. E.), Global Lead Geotechnical and Civil Services with Ausenco Engineering Canada ULC is responsible for tailings and waste rock storage facility infrastructure, capital and operating costs relating to tailings infrastructure and environment. Porfirio Cabaleiro Rodriguez (Engineer Geologist FAIG), of GE21 Consultoria Mineral, is responsible for Mineral Reserves estimation. Leonardo Soares (PGeo, MAIG), Senior Geological Consultant of GE21 Consultoria Mineral, is responsible for the geological setting, deposit type, exploration, drilling, sample preparation and Mineral Resource estimation. Marcelo Batelochi, (MAusIMM, CP Geo), Geological Consultant of MB Geologia Ltda is responsible for data verification. Norman Lotter (Mineral Processing Engineer; P.Eng.), of Flowsheets Metallurgical Consulting Inc., is responsible for the project laboratory testing methodology and interpretation. Juliano Felix de Lima (Engineer Geologist MAIG), of GE21 Consultoria Mineral, is responsible for mining method, capital and operating costs related to the mine. Mr Erich Marques, B.Sc., FAIG, Chief Geologist of Meridian Mining and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed the PFS Study on behalf of the Company and has approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release. The PFS Study is summarized into a technical report that will be filed on the Company's website at www.meridianmining.co and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com in accordance with NI 43-101 within 45 days of this news release. Corporate Update In preparation for the commencement of the Cabacal detailed feasibility study to be followed by detailed engineering and potential financing and development of the Cabacal mine project, Meridian is ensuring that it has the skills and experience to successfully manage these activities with the appointment of additional team members including: Mr David Halkyard as Senior Vice President Project Finance The engagement of civil and other engineers to the Brazilian engineering team With these appointments and other necessary steps it is now anticipated that the Cabacal detailed feasibility study will be concluded during the first half of 2026. About Cabacal In November 2020, Meridian signed a Purchase Agreement to acquire 100% ownership of certain licences covering the historical Cabacal and Santa Helena mines and the along-strike licences, from two private Brazilian companies ("Vendors"). Subsequently, Meridian expanded its land tenure to today's 50km of strike length. Cabacal had two historical, shallow, high-grade selectively mined underground mines that cumulatively produced ~34 million pounds of copper, ~170,108 ounces of gold, ~1,033,532 ounces of silver and ~103 million pounds of zinc via conventional flotation and gravity metallurgical processes. Meridian has defined an open trend of shallow copper-gold mineralization centred on the Cabacal Mine. This mineralization trends Northwest-Southeast, sub-crops along its Northeast limits, dips to the southwest at 26 and is up to 90m thick; presenting excellent open-pit geometry and mineral endowment. Meridian is currently focused on infill drilling along a 2,000m corridor along this trend. Cabacal's base and precious metal-rich mineralization is hosted by volcanogenic type, massive, semi-massive, stringer, and disseminated sulphides within units of deformed metavolcanic-sedimentary rocks ("VMS"). A later-stage sub-vertical gold overprint event has emplaced high-grade gold mineralization truncating the dipping VMS layers. It was explored and developed by BP Minerals/Rio-Tinto from 1983 to 1991 and then by the Vendors in the mid-2000's. This historical exploration database includes over 83,000 metres of drilling, extensive regional mapping, soil surveys, metallurgy from production reports, and both surface and airborne geophysics. The majority of Cabacal's prospects remain to be tested. Cabacal has excellent infrastructure with access by all-weather roads, clean electricity provided by nearby hydroelectric power stations, and local communities provide mining services and employees. Cabacal consists of 1 mining license, 1 mining lease application, and 7 exploration claims which total 44,265 hectares. The November 2024 Cabacal Mineral Resource estimate consists of Measured and Indicated resources of 51.43Mt @ 0.55g/t Au, 0.40% Cu and 1.50g/t Ag for open pit mining (at a 0.19 g/t Au equivalent cut-off grade) and Inferred resources of 0.96Mt @ 0.96g/t Au, 0.49% Cu & 1.36g/t Ag for underground mining (at a 0.95 g/t Au equivalent cut-off grade within stope optimization process). About Meridian Meridian Mining is focused on: The development and exploration of the advanced stage Cabacal VMS goldcopper project; The initial resource definition at the second higher-grade VMS asset at Santa Helena as the first stage of the Cabacal Hub development strategy; Regional scale exploration of the Cabacal VMS belt to expand the Cabacal Hub strategy; and Exploration in the Jauru & Araputanga Greenstone belts (the above all located in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil). On behalf of the Board of Directors of Meridian Mining UK S Mr. Gilbert Clark - CEO and Director Meridian Mining UK S 8th Floor, 4 More London Riverside London SE1 2AU United Kingdom Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Ph: +1 778 715-6410 (BST) Stay up to date by subscribing for news alerts here: https://meridianmining.co/contact/ Follow Meridian on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeridianMining Further information can be found at: www.meridianmining.co About Ausenco Ausenco is a global company redefining what's possible. The team is based across 21 offices in 9 countries delivering services worldwide. Combining deep technical expertise with a 30-year track record, Ausenco delivers innovative, value-add consulting studies, project delivery, asset operations and maintenance solutions to the minerals and metals and industrial sectors (www.ausenco.com). Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of certain securities laws and are based on expectations and projections as of the date of this press release. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include particularly, but without limitation, those related to the PFS Study results (as such results are set out in the various graphs and tables featured above, and are commented in the text of this press release), such as the Project's production profile, LOM, construction and payback periods, NPV, IRR, (direct/indirect, before/after tax) capital costs, contingency, industry leading operating costs, AISC, sustaining capital costs, free cash flows, M&I resources, open pit mineralization and waste extraction, mill feed, milling process and recovery, power supply arrangements and power consumption, and closure costs. Forward-looking statements are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the time of this press release. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon several estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the time of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business and economic uncertainties and contingencies. These estimates and assumptions may prove to be incorrect. Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can directly or indirectly affect, and could cause, actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements. As future events and results could differ materially what is currently anticipated by the Company, notably (but without limitation) in the PFS Study, there can be no assurance that the PFS Study results will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events can differ materially from those anticipated in the PFS Study. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions do not reflect future experience. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as several important risk factors and future events could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates, assumptions, and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and those made in the Company's other filings with the securities regulators of Canada including, but not limited to, as disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Meridian's most recent Annual Information Form filed on www.sedarplus.ca. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law. Toronto TheNewswire - March 10, 2025: AbraSilver Resource Corp. (TSX: ABRA; OTCQX: ABBRF) (AbraSilver or the Company) is pleased to announce further strengthening of its technical team with the engagement of Caro & Navarro Limitada (Caro & Navarro). The principal of Caro & Navarro is Boris Caro who will serve as Project Director, effective full-time from April 1, 2025. Mr. Caro brings over two decades of international experience in mining operations and project development, having played key roles at leading global mining companies, including Newcrest Mining Limited (acquired by Newmont Mining Corporation), former Orocobre Limited company (currently part of Rio Tinto) and Galan Lithium Limited. In his new role, Mr. Caro will help oversee the completion of the Definitive Feasibility Study (the DFS) for the Companys flagship Diablillos Project in Argentina, which is targeted to for completion in Q1/2026. The DFS will follow approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment (expected in Q4/2025), and qualification of the Diablillos Project under Argentinas RIGI law. The Diablillos Project is expected to advance to a construction decision in H2/2026. Highlights Mr. Caro is a Mining Engineer with a Masters degree in Mineral Economics. A native Spanish speaker and fluent in English, he has extensive experience in hard rock mining projects in the high Andean region. Most recently, Mr. Caro successfully completed two Definitive Feasibility Studies for lithium projects in Northern Argentina for Rio Tinto and Galan Lithium. He previously completed project studies at major operating mines including BHP's Escondida Mine (Chile), Newcrest's Cadia East (Australia) mines, as well as emerging projects such as the Bonikro gold mine (Ivory Coast) and the San Jose silver and gold mine (Mexico). At Galan Lithium Limited, Mr. Caro was responsible for managing the study phases of the HMW Project, including the delivery of Preliminary Economic Assessments and Definitive Feasibility Studies of Phases 1 and 2, and secured construction and exploitation permits. He also managed the development of front-end engineering, procurement and construction contracts to deliver the project to construction. Jeremy Weyland, Senior Vice President of Projects & Development of AbraSilver, commented, We are delighted to welcome Boris to the Diablillos Project team. His extensive experience in feasibility studies and project execution will be instrumental in advancing the project towards development. With his leadership, we are confident in meeting key milestones and positioning the Diablillos Project for a successful investment decision by H2/2026. Incentive Stock Options The Company announces that pursuant to the Companys Share Compensation Plan, an aggregate of 300,000 incentive stock options (the Options), exercisable at a price of $3.32 per share for a period of five years, have been granted to consultants of the Company. The Options vest in 50% instalments on January 31, 2026 and June 30, 2026, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions. About AbraSilver AbraSilver is an advanced-stage exploration company focused on rapidly advancing its 100%-owned Diablillos silver-gold project in the mining-friendly Salta and Catamarca provinces of Argentina. The current Proven and Probable Mineral Reserve estimate for Diablillos, from a recently completed Pre-Feasibility Study, consists of 42.3 Mt grading 91 g/t Ag and 0.81 g/t Au, containing approximately 124 Moz silver and 1.1 Moz gold, with significant further exploration upside potential. In addition, the Company has entered into an earn-in option and joint venture agreement with Teck on the La Coipita project, located in the San Juan province of Argentina. AbraSilver is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ABRA and in the U.S. on the OTCQX under the symbol ABBRF. For further information please visit the AbraSilver Resource website at www.abrasilver.com, our LinkedIn page at AbraSilver Resource Corp., and follow us on X at www.x.com/abrasilver Alternatively, please contact: John Miniotis, President and CEO This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: +1 416-306-8334 Cautionary Statements This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All statements that address future plans, activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur are forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. When considering this forward-looking information, readers should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in the Companys disclosure documents filed with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The risk factors and other factors noted in the disclosure documents could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those described in any forward-looking information. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Neither the TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release Drilling Confirms the Carbonatitic Breccia High Grade Zone Mineralization Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 10, 2025) - Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp. (CSE: API) (OTCQB: APAAF) (FSE: A0I0) (MUN: A0I0) (BER: A0I0) (the "Company" or "Appia") is excited to announce the geochemical overlimit assay results of its diamond drilling program on the high grade carbonatitic breccia located on the PCH project in the State of Goias, Brazil. The three drillholes (see Map 1) intercepted substantial Total Rare Earth Oxide (TREO), Niobium Oxide (Nb2O5) and Phosphate Oxide (P2O5) from the brecciated carbonatite intrusion identified in the Southwest Extension Zone of Target IV. A total 97 intervals from the total of 516 presented samples resulted with 'overlimit readings' for La, and/or Ce, and/or Pr, and/or Nd, and/or Nb. The full set of results are available through this LINK. The PCH project hosts two distinct styles of mineralization - Ionic Adsorption Clay (IAC) as well as hard rock carbonatitic breccia. Recent results from the IAC zone can be found by clicking here LINK. Tom Drivas, CEO stated: "Today's re-assayed overlimit results further support the presence of an extraordinary, high-grade mineralization found within a carbonatitic breccia zone located at the Southwest Extension Zone of Target IV at the PCH project, and this is in addition to significant IAC rare earths mineralization with good TREO results and excellent desorption and kinetics. The original results reported on January 22nd, 2025 highlighted that the high grade rare earths mineralization was from top to bottom of each of the three drillholes, and today's results increase the average TREO grades by 19% and the average Niobium grades by 23% from the original values reported. (Click Here for Jan. 22, 2025 Press Release). The results from the diamond drill holes are exceptional and would rank 2nd, 3rd, and 4th on the list of the best intercepts of the past year when compared to the recently reported results by MinerDeck, which highlighted the top REE intercepts of 2024. (Please Click Here)." Highlights: PCH-DDH-002 150m@ 1.34% TREO, 0.13% Nb2O5 from surface including 10m@ 4.11% TREO, 0.23% Nb2O5 from 37m Including 10m@ 2.24% TREO, 0.17%Nb2O5 from 91m including 6m@ 3.94% TREO, 0.22% Nb2O5 from 144m PCH-DDH-003 147m@ 2.00% TREO, 0.23% Nb2O5 from surface including 31m@ 3.60% TREO, 0.52%Nb2O5 From 3m including 8m @ 3.68% TREO, 0.31% Nb2O5 from 47m including 9m@ 2.35%TREO, 0.11% Nb2O5 from 117m PCH-DDH-004 153m@ 1.32% TREO, 0.20% Nb2O5 from surface including 9m@ 3.01% TREO 0,26% Nb2O5 from 11m including 10m @ 5.68% TREO, 0.44% Nb2O5 from 42m including 22m@ 1.13% TREO 0.44% Nb2O5 from 138m Increases the average TREO grades by 19% and average Niobium grades by 23% from the original values reported. A total 97 intervals from the total of 516 presented samples resulted with 'overlimit readings' for La, and/or Ce, and/or Pr, and/or Nd, and/or Nb. All three (3) Diamond Drillholes (DDH) ended in mineralization indicating a potential to extend the zone at depth, northeast, northwest and southwest. The PCH project has two distinct styles of mineralization - Ionic Adsorption Clay (IAC) as well as hard rock carbonititic breccia. Recent results from the IAC zone can be found by clicking here. The full set of results are available through this LINK. The diamond drillhole coordinates are available using this LINK. The location of the PCH project is extremely favorable with easy access to road and power infrastructure, and the Company enjoys a very friendly and supportive relationship with the local cattle farming community. Map 1 - Location of drillholes PCH-DDH-002, PCH-DDH-003 and PCH-DDH-004. QAQC Drillholes are inclined and reported intervals are apparent thickness. The material produced from the diamond drillholes are sampled at one metre intervals splitting the core in half, resulting in average sample sizes of 2-3 kg. The other Half core is kept in storage for further tests. The original core was logged and photographed. The bagged samples are sent to the ALS laboratory in Goiania, Goias for initial preparation and sent to Lima Peru for final analysis. In addition to the internal QA/QC of the ALS Lab, Appia includes its own control samples in each batch of samples sent to the laboratory. Quality control samples, such as blanks, duplicates, and standards (CRM) were inserted into each analytical run. For all analysis methods, the minimum number of QA/QC samples is three standards, one duplicate and one blank, introduced in each batch. Several batches were used to comprises the full-length hole. The rigorous procedures are implemented during the sample collection, preparation, and analytical stages to insure the robustness and reliability of the analytical results. All analytical results reported herein have passed internal QA/QC review and compilation. All assay results of DDH samples were provided by ALS, a Certified Laboratory, which performed their measure of the concentration of rare earth elements (REE) with the ME-MS81 analytical method that uses lithium borate fusion prior acid dissolution and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Major Element Oxides were done using ME_ICP06 analytical method using lithium borate fusion and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Au, Pt and Pd samples were analysed using the fire assay method PGM-ICP27. Desorption analysis with ME-MS19 analytical method was executed for the initial 35 metres of each drillholes with samples being leached with a solution of Ammonium Sulphate at 0.5 molar, pH 4, room temperature for 20 minutes. The leached solution content was analysed using ICP-AES/ICP-MS. (See News Release dated January 22nd, 2025 for details of these results.) The technical information in this news release, including the information related to geology, drilling, and mineralization, has been reviewed and approved by Don Hains, P. Geo., a consultant to Appia. Mr, Hains is Registered Geoscientist (P.Geo) in Ontario (#0494) and a Qualified Person (QP) as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp. (Appia) Appia is a publicly traded Canadian company in the rare earth element and uranium sectors. The Company holds the right to acquire up to a 70% interest in the PCH Ionic Adsorption Clay Project (See June 9th, 2023 Press Release - Click HERE) which is 42,932.24 ha. in size and located within the Goias State of Brazil. (See January 11th, 2024 Press Release - Click HERE) The Company is also focusing on delineating high-grade critical rare earth elements and gallium on the Alces Lake property, and exploring for high-grade uranium in the prolific Athabasca Basin on its Otherside, Loranger, North Wollaston, and Eastside properties. The Company holds the surface rights to exploration for 94,982.39 hectares (234,706.59 acres) in Saskatchewan. The Company also has a 100% interest in 13,008 hectares (32,143 acres), with rare earth elements and uranium deposits over five mineralized zones in the Elliot Lake Camp, Ontario. Appia has 153 million common shares outstanding, 177 million shares fully diluted. Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements: This News Release contains forward-looking statements which are typically preceded by, followed by or including the words "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "plans" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance as they involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements and shareholders are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such statements. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For more information, visit www.appiareu.com As part of our ongoing effort to keep investors, interested parties and stakeholders updated, we have several communication portals. If you have any questions online (X, Facebook, LinkedIn) please feel free to send direct messages. To book a one-on-one 30-minute Zoom video call, please click here. Contact: Vancouver B.C. TheNewswire - March 10, 2025 TERRA CLEAN ENERGY CORP. (Terra or the Company) (CSE: TCEC, OTCQB: TCEFF, FSE: 9O0), is pleased to announce the completion of the first three drill holes at the South Falcon East Uranium Project (the Property) which hosts the Fraser Lakes B Uranium Deposit. Drilling will continue throughout March and is expected to complete over 2000 meters (m) of drilling. The South Falcon East Project lies 18 km outside the edge of the Athabasca Basin, approximately 50 km east of the Key Lake uranium mill and former mine (Figure 1). The Company entered into an option agreement with Skyharbour Resources Ltd. (Skyharbour) in October of 2022 whereby the company can earn up to a 75% interest in the Property. The Company is currently conducting a 2000-2200 m helicopter supported drill program at the Property. Three diamond drill holes have been completed on the Fraser Lakes B Uranium Deposit, for a total of 802 m. A fourth hole in progress. (Figure 3) We are extremely encouraged by the results of the first three drill holes as we continue to see minerlization in each of the first three holes as well as what we believe to be an expansion of the deposit to the North. As stated below, Hole SF063 returned a continuous mineralized zone of pegmatities from 173 meters to 224 meters with some decent grades. Based on the initial results from Hole SF063 we have decided to reorganize the remaining meters of this program to focus on further defining this new area of interest and chasing clay alteration not yet seen on the property to date, with hopes of finding a high grade unconformity uranium deposit. said Greg Cameron CEO of the Company. Hole SF063 was planned to examine an interpreted cross fault offsetting the mineralization and geology on the east end of the Fraser Lakes B Uranium Deposit. This hole was drilled to a depth of 393 meters and intersected multiple structures and a 51 m wide interval of mineralized granitic pegmatites and zones within altered and graphitic pelitic gneiss. Highlights include: 0.03% eU over 12.0 m from 173.55 to 185.55 m, including 0.06% eU3O8 over 0.7 m from 180.35 to 181.05 m 0.03% eU over 3.0 m from 213.65 to 216.65 m, including 0.07% eU3O8 over 0.5 m from 215.95 to 216.45 m The first structure intersected from 18 m to 47.5m contained zones of intense clay alteration typically found in relation to unconformity uranium deposits. The presence of this alteration is a good indication that hydrothermal fluids suitable for deposition of higher-grade uranium deposits moved through the rocks. The second structure from 306 to 315 m is a brecciated pelitic gneiss situated between two intervals of Archean gneiss. This structure is interpreted to be responsible for the geological offset being targeted. This will assist in updating the target model in this area. The intersections of a clay altered structure and a thick sequence of mineralized pegmatites and pelitic gneiss have expanded the mineralization and improved the prospectivity on the east end of the Fraser Lakes B Uranium Deposit. The results from the drilling so far are very encouraging, commented Trevor Perkins, Vice President of Exploration for Terra Clean Energy Corp. The first two holes have shown that the deposit is still open down dip to the north and northwest. Hole SF0063 has shown that there is significant potential for upgrading the deposit on the east end. We are excited to see where this can lead, continued Mr. Perkins. Drilling is continuing with one hole in progress in the T-Bone lake area to examine the conductive package and alteration intersected in the area in historical drilling. Pad preparation is underway to return to the area around SF0063 and follow up on the clay alteration and pegmatites. Efforts will be made to follow the alteration and pegmatites to where they intersect, as this should be an area of fluid pooling and upgrading of mineralization within the deposit. Hole SF061 was planned to test for a down dip extension of mineralization intersected in hole FP-15-05 and was drilled to a depth of 209 m. Drilling intersected a 35 m interval containing multiple mineralized granitic pegmatites and zones within altered and graphitic pelitic gneiss. The most notable zone returned an equivalent grade of 0.02% eU3O8 over 2.2 m from 150.25 to 152.45 m, including 0.05% eU3O8 over 0.6 m from 151.65 to 152.25 m. Historical diamond drill hole FP-15-05 was drilled by Skyharbour in 2015 and returned multiple zones of mineralization over a 14m interval, including 6m of .10% U308 (including a 2m of 0.165% U3O8 (from 135m) and 2.5m of 0.172% U3O8 (from 145m). Hole SF062 was planned to test for an along strike extension of mineralization intersected in holes FP-15-05 and SF0061, and was drilled to a depth of 200 m. Drilling intersected a 21 m interval containing multiple mineralized granitic pegmatites and zones within altered and graphitic pelitic gneiss. The most notable zone returned an equivalent grade of 0.03% eU3O8 over 2.2 m from 141.75 to 144.15 m, including 0.05% eU3O8 over 0.4 m from 143.15 to 143.55 m. While both of these holes extended the mineralization down dip and along strike to the north and northwest, they did not intersect the higher grades encountered in hole FP-15-05. This is due to the potential variability within the pegmatite swarm. As long as the mineralized pegmatites are present, higher grades will be encountered within the overall mineralized zone. Figure 1: South Falcon East Uranium Project Location Eastern Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, Canada Figure 2: 2025 Drill Target areas at the South Falcon East Uranium Project Figure 3: 2025 - Completed drill holes at South Falcon East Uranium Project Samples of the mineralized intervals within the drill core have been collected and shipped for analysis at the Geoanalytical Laboratory at the Saskatchewan Research Council in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The Company will provide more detailed results once geochemical analysis of the collected core samples is completed, reviewed and confirmed. QA/QC, Radiometric Equivalent Grades and Spectrometer Readings: All drill intervals above are downhole length and sampling procedures and QA/QC protocols for geochemical results as well as a description of downhole gamma probe grade calculations and protocols are below. All drill core samples are shipped to the Saskatchewan Research Council Geoanalytical Laboratories (SRC) in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan under the care of Terra personnel for preparation, processing, and multi-element analysis by ICP-MS and ICP-OES using total (HF:NHO3:HClO4) and partial digestion (HNO3:HCl), boron by fusion, and U3O8 wt% assay by ICP-OES using higher grade standards. Assay samples are chosen based on visual inspection, downhole probing radiometric equivalent uranium grades and scintillometer (Radiation Solutions RS-125) peaks. Assay sample intervals comprise 0.5 to 1.0 metre continuous half-core split samples over the mineralized interval. These samples may also be selected for density determination using the lost wax method. With all assay samples, one half of the split sample is retained and the other sent to the SRC for analysis. The SRC is an ISO/IEC 17025/2005 and Standards Council of Canada certified analytical laboratory. Blanks, standard reference materials, and repeats are inserted into the sample stream at regular intervals by Terra and the SRC in accordance with Terras quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) procedures. Geochemical assay data are subject to verification procedures by qualified persons employed by Terra prior to disclosure. During active exploration programs drillholes are radiometrically logged using calibrated downhole Mount Sopris 4OTGU or 2GHF probes of varying sensitivities which collect continuous readings along the length of the drillhole. Preliminary radiometric equivalent uranium grades (eU3O8) are then calculated from the downhole radiometric results. The probe is calibrated using an algorithm calculated from the calibration of the probe at the Saskatchewan Research Council facility in Saskatoon and from the comparison of probe results against geochemical analyses. In the case where core recovery within a mineralized intersection is poor or non-existent, radiometric grades are considered to be more representative of the mineralized intersection and may be reported in the place of assay grades. Radiometric equivalent probe results are subject to verification procedures by qualified persons employed by Terra prior to disclosure. About Terra Clean Energy Corp. Terra Clean Energy (formerly Tisdale Clean Energy Corp) is a Canadian-based uranium exploration and development company. The Company is currently developing the South Falcon East uranium project, which holds a 6.96M pound inferred uranium resource within the Fraser Lakes B Uranium Deposit, located in the Athabasca Basin region, Saskatchewan, Canada. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF TERRA CLEAN ENERGY CORP. Greg Cameron Greg Cameron, CEO Qualified Person The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 and reviewed on behalf of the company by C. Trevor Perkins, P.Geo., the Companys Vice President, Exploration, and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. *The historical resource is described in the Technical Report on the South Falcon East Property, filed on sedarplus.ca on February 9, 2023. The Company is not treating the resource as current and has not completed sufficient work to classify the resource as a current mineral resource. While the Company is not treating the historical resource as current, it does believe the work conducted is reliable and the information may be of assistance to readers. Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information is characterized by words such as plan, expect, project, intend, believe, anticipate, estimate and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions may or will occur. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including statements regarding the potential development of mineral resources and mineral reserves which may or may not occur. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, changes in the state of equity and debt markets, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in obtaining required regulatory or governmental approvals, and general economic and political conditions. Forward-looking information in this news release is based on the opinions and assumptions of management considered reasonable as of the date hereof, including that all necessary approvals, including governmental and regulatory approvals will be received as and when expected. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by applicable laws. For more information on the risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause our actual results to differ from current expectations, please refer to the Companys public filings available under the Companys profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For further information please contact: Greg Cameron, CEO This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Terra Clean Energy Corp Suite 303, 750 West Pender Street Vancouver, BC V6C 2T7 www.tcec.energy HIGHLIGHTS The Eureka deposit of the Nikolai project is a globally significant nickel resource with multiple accessory critical and strategic metals including copper, cobalt, chromium, platinum and palladium. It is the largest nickel resource in the USA. The deposit remains open in three directions and is well positioned to provide a reliable, long-life, secure domestic source of strategic and critical mineral resources in the USA. The updated resource now outlines 5.61 billion pounds of nickel with 1.77 billion pounds of copper (11.03 billion pounds nickel equivalent) in the Measured & Indicated category (a 46 percent (%) increase) and 9.38 billion pounds of nickel with 2.43 billion pounds of copper (17.98 billion pounds nickel equivalent) in the Inferred category (122% increase). Hallmarks of the Eureka deposit include a low strip ratio, higher grade core at surface, and highly consistent, continuous, homogenous mineralization. Metallurgical work continues and AEMC expects the deposit will respond well to processing using a conventional flow sheet methodology. Resource Update The new Eureka deposit Mineral Resource Estimate ("2025 MRE") has increased the tonnage, metal content, and grade, relative to the 2024 Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE"), dated February 12, 2024 In situ Indicated resource contains 1,190 million tonnes at a grade of 0.30% NiEq (0.42% NiEq including chromium and iron), a 46% increase in tonnage. In situ Inferred resource contains 2,087 million tonnes at a grade of 0.28% NiEq (0.39% NiEq including chromium and iron), a 133% increase in tonnage. Chromium and iron have been included in the 2025 MRE. 7.88 billion pounds of chromium and 117 million tonnes of iron are added to the in situ Indicated resource. 12.29 billion pounds of chromium and 205 million tonnes of iron are added to the in situ Inferred resource. The Eureka Zone 2 ("EZ2"), within the Central Eureka deposit, contains an in situ Indicated resource of 818 million tonnes at a grade of 0.32% NiEq (0.44% NiEq with chromium and iron) and an in situ Inferred resource of 951 million tonnes at a grade of 0.31% NiEq (0.42% NiEq with chromium and iron). The Central Eureka Zone 2 ("CEZ2"), a subset of the Central Eureka EZ2 deposit, now has continuity along ~ 2.5 km of strike length. This higher-grade core contains an in situ Indicated resource of 225 million tonnes at a grade of 0.39% NiEq (0.52% NiEq including chromium and iron) and an in situ Inferred resource of 246 million tonnes at a grade of 0.36% NiEq (0.48% NiEq including chromium and iron). The tables below reflect the 2025 MRE compared to the 2024 MRE. Indicated MRE: Inferred MRE: VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 10, 2025 / Alaska Energy Metals Corporation (TSXV:AEMC) (OTCQB:AKEMF) ("AEMC" or the "Company") announced today an updated independent mineral resource estimate prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") ("2025 MRE" or "2025 Resource") for its 100% owned Eureka Deposit, Nikolai Nickel Project ("Nikolai" or "Deposit") in Alaska, USA, with an effective date of March 7, 2025. The newly published 2025 MRE contains 1,190 million tonnes of in situ Indicated resource (an increase of 46%), 2,087 million tonnes of in situ Inferred resource (an increase of 133%), and features an increase in the NiEq grade, a deeper economic pit due to a decrease in the cutoff grade ("COG") of 0.064% recovered NiEq, and a 1.6 to 1 strip ratio. The study was completed by Stantec Consulting Services, Inc., to include the four diamond drill holes (1,597.6 meters) completed by AEMC in 2024. Note: in-situ resources refer to metal in the ground and do not account for metal recoveries. Metallurgical studies to determine metal recoveries are in progress. Alaska Energy Metals President & CEO Gregory Beischer commented, "In less than two years, we have taken the Nikolai Project from an exploration concept to a substantial deposit of nickel and multiple other critical metals. The Eureka deposit represents a globally significant accumulation of nickel and is the largest of its type in the United States. At a time when the United States government has prioritized the reshoring of critical mineral supply chains to America, AEMC's Nikolai project offers immediate opportunity on US soil in Alaska. I am particularly encouraged by the extension and delineation of the higher-grade core zone. This zone comes right to surface and could be mined in the early years to achieve rapid payback of capital. Nikolai could potentially become an important source of nickel for the USA, catering to the needs of various manufacturing sectors including stainless steel, defense components, aeronautical components, rechargeable batteries, grid-scale renewable energy storage systems and a myriad of other uses. The significant achievement speaks volumes about AEMC's commitment to developing the Nikolai Project and to the hard work our team has put into the project over the past two years." Nikolai Mineral Resource Estimate Update Total in situ Indicated mineral resources of 5.60 billion pounds of nickel, 1.76 billion pounds of copper, 442 million pounds of cobalt, plus a total of 5.5 million ounces of platinum, plus palladium and gold in a constrained model totaling 1,190 million tonnes, at an average grade of 0.30% NiEq, using a 0.064% recovered NiEq COG. Additionally, 7.88 billion pounds of chromium and 117 million tonnes of iron are included in the resource and increase the in situ NiEq grade to 0.42%. See detailed breakdown in Table 1 below. Total in situ Inferred mineral resources of 9.38 billion pounds of nickel, 2.43 billion pounds of copper, and 758 million pounds of cobalt, plus a total of 7.8 million ounces of platinum, plus palladium and gold in a constrained model totaling 2,087 million tonnes, at an average grade of 0.28% NiEq, using a 0.064% recovered NiEq COG. Additionally, 12.3 billion pounds of chromium and 205 million tonnes of iron are included in the resource and increase the in situ NiEq grade to 0.39%. See detailed breakdown in Table 1 below. EZ2 in situ Indicated mineral resources of 4.00 billion pounds of nickel, 1.38 billion pounds of copper, 312 million pounds of cobalt, plus a total of 4.2 million ounces of platinum, plus palladium and gold in a constrained model totaling 818 million tonnes, at an average grade of 0.32% NiEq, using a 0.064% recovered NiEq COG. Additionally, 5.55 billion pounds of chromium and 81 million tonnes of iron are included in the resource and increase the in situ NiEq grade to 0.44%. See detailed breakdown in Table 1 below. The CEZ2 zone has continuity along 2.5 km strike length of the Central Eureka deposit. CEZ2 in situ Indicated mineral resources of 1.24 billion pounds of nickel, 647 million pounds of copper, 97 million pounds of cobalt, plus a total of 1.7 million ounces of platinum, plus palladium and gold in a constrained model totaling 225 million tonnes, at an average grade of 0.39% NiEq, using a 0.064% recovered NiEq COG. Additionally, 1.60 billion pounds of chromium and 23 million tonnes of iron are included in the resource and increase the in situ NiEq grade to 0.52%. See detailed breakdown in Table 1 below. Recovered NiEq has been calculated based on mineralogy, deportment and preliminary metallurgical open circuit testing. Due to the uncertainties of the recovery and marketability of a ferrochrome product, chromium and iron were not used for the reasonable prospects for economic extraction for determining an economic pit shell. Separate NiEq calculations were completed to include these metals. See detailed breakdown in Table 1 below. The Eureka deposit has now been subdivided into the Central Eureka and West Eureka Deposits. These units were subdivided to reflect the structural nature, grade variation and data confidence levels within the Eureka Zone 2 ("EZ2") mineralization. The 2025 MRE is defined by 47 drill holes including the four drill holes completed in 2024 by AEMC. The drill holes provide confirmation that mineralization is interconnected across all domains. The deposits remain open along strike and in the down dip direction. The 2025 MRE represents a significant, material increase in the MRE for the Nikolai Nickel project compared to the 2024 MRE (press release dated February 12, 2024). The 2025 MRE will be incorporated into a NI 43-101 compliant technical report for the Nikolai Nickel project to be filed within 45 days. Table 1 - Nikolai Project Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) - effective March 7, 2025 Indicated Resource Inferred Resource Footnotes: NiEq = nickel equivalent, Rec. NiEq = recovered nickel equivalent, Mt = million tonnes, Mlb = Million pounds, Kozs = thousand troy ounces. Totals may vary due to rounding. CIM definitions are followed for classification of Mineral Resource. Metal pricing used to calculate NiEq and NiEq + (Cr, Fe) is based on observation of monthly metal pricing for the past 24 months up to end-December 2024 with Ni at US$19,558.71/tonne (US$8.90/lb) (World Bank), Cu at US$8,798.58/tonne (US$3.99/lb) (World Bank), Co US$31,434.18 /tonne (US$14.30/lb) (Y Charts), Pt at US$962.77/toz (World Bank), Pd at US$1,189.80/toz (Trading Economics), Au at US$2,150.48/toz (World Bank), Cr at US$4,017.33/tonne (US$1.80/lb) (Fastmarkets, Argus), and Fe at US$114.86/tonne (US$0.052/lb) (World Bank). Totals may not represent the sum of the parts due to rounding. Nickel equivalent grade formula is as follows: NiEq = (Ni%) + (Cu% * 0.45) + (Co% * 1.61) + (Pt% * 1,582.61) + (Pd% * 1,955.80) + (Au% * 3,534.97) Nickel equivalent + Cr and Fe grade formula is as follows: NiEq = (Ni%) + (Cu% * 0.45) + (Co% * 1.61) + (Pt% * 1,582.61) + (Pd% * 1,955.80) + (Au% * 3,534.97) + (Cr% * 0.21) + (Fe% * 0.00587) Coefficients used to calculate the value of other metals to Ni equivalent and are calculated as follows: Coefficient = Metal Price/Ni Price. Recovered NiEq grade by domain formula is as follows: In EZ1: Rec. NiEq = (0.6 * Ni%) + (0.5 * Cu% * 0.45) + (0.5 * Co% * 1.61) + (0.5 * Pt% * 1,582.61) + (0.5 * Pd% * 1,955.80) + (0.5 * Au% * 3,534.97) In UEZ2 and CEZ2: Rec. NiEq = (0.65 * Ni%) + (0.7 * Cu% * 0.45) + (0.55 * Co% * 1.61) + (0.5 * Pt% * 1,582.61) + (0.5 * Pd% * 1,955.80) + (0.5 * Au% * 3,534.97) In LEZ2: Rec. NiEq = (0.55 * Ni%) + (0.5 * Cu% * 0.45) + (0.5 * Co% * 1.61) + (0.5 * Pt% * 1,582.61) + (0.5 * Pd% * 1,955.80) + (0.5 * Au% * 3,534.97) In EZ3: Rec. NiEq = (0.35 * Ni%) + (0.5 * Cu% * 0.45) + (0.5 * Co% * 1.61) + (0.5 * Pt% * 1,582.61) + (0.5 * Pd% * 1,955.80) + (0.5 * Au% * 3,534.97) Recovered NiEq + Cr and Fe grade by domain formula is as follows: In EZ1: Rec. NiEq = (0.6 * Ni%) + (0.5 * Cu% * 0.45) + (0.5 * Co% * 1.61) + (0.5 * Pt% * 1,582.61) + (0.5 * Pd% * 1,955.80) + (0.5 * Au% * 3,534.97) + (0.25 * Cr% * 0.21) + (0.25 * Fe% * 0.00587) In UEZ2 and CEZ2: Rec. NiEq = (0.65 * Ni%) + (0.7 * Cu% * 0.45) + (0.55 * Co% * 1.61) + (0.5 * Pt% * 1,582.61) + (0.5 * Pd% * 1,955.80) + (0.5 * Au% * 3,534.97) + (0.25 * Cr% * 0.21) + (0.25 * Fe% * 0.00587) In LEZ2: Rec. NiEQ = (0.55 * Ni%) + (0.5 * Cu% * 0.45) + (0.5 * Co% * 1.61) + (0.5 * Pt% * 1,582.61) + (0.5 * Pd% * 1,955.80) + (0.5 * Au% * 3,534.97) + (0.25 * Cr% * 0.21) + (0.25 * Fe% * 0.00587) In EZ3: Rec. NiEQ = (0.35 * Ni%) + (0.5 * Cu% * 0.45) + (0.5 * Co% * 1.61) + (0.5 * Pt% * 1,582.61) + (0.5 * Pd% * 1,955.80) + (0.5 * Au% * 3,534.97) + (0.25 * Cr% * 0.21) + (0.25 * Fe% * 0.00587) Base case Rec. NiEq cutoff grade is 0.064% calculated from a Ni price of US$19,558.71/tonne (US$8.90/lb), surface mining cost of US$2.50 per tonne with a run-of-mine between 45-60k tonnes/day, processing costs with an estimated US$10.00 per tonne, and variable metal recoveries where: EZ1 Ni recovery is 60% and Au, Cu, Co, Pd, and Pt is 50% UEZ2 and CEZ2 Ni recovery is 65%, Cu is 70%, Co is 55%, and Au, Pd, Pt is 50% LEZ2 Ni recovery is 55% and Au, Cu, Co, Pd, and Pt is 50% EZ3 Ni recovery is 35% and Au, Cu, Co, Pd, and Pt is 50% Mineral Resources are reported from within an economic pit shell whose extent has been estimated using a Ni price of US$19,558.71/tonne (US$8.90/lb), surface mining cost of US$2.50 per tonne, from a recovered Ni equivalent grade calculated from Ni, Cu, Co, Pt, Pd, and Au, and a 45-degree constant slope angle. The Mineral Resource estimate has been prepared by Erik Lagenfeld of Stantec Consulting Services Inc. in conformity with CIM "Estimation of Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserves Best Practices" guidelines and are reported in accordance with the Canadian Securities Administrators NI 43-101. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that any mineral resource will be converted into mineral reserve. Figure 1. Eureka Zone overview map displaying recovered NiEq% (excluding chromium and iron), the 2025 economic resource pit outline, and drill hole locations. Figure 2. Cross section through the Eureka EZ1, EZ2, and EZ3 2025 MRE. Note: Location of section A-A' is located on Figure 1. Note: Recovered NiEq% excludes chromium and iron. Figure 3. Cross section through the Eureka EZ1, EZ2 & EZ3 2025 MRE. Note: Location of section B-B' is located on Figure 1. Note: Recovered NiEq % excludes chromium and iron. SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS A sensitivity analysis for Indicated and Inferred mineral resources are provided in Table 2 and Table 3 respectively, which demonstrates the variation in grade and tonnage in the deposit at various cut-off grades. Constrained Mineral Resources are reported at a base case cut-off grade of 0.064% recovered NiEq. The values in the table reported should not be misconstrued with a Mineral Resource Statement. The values are only presented to show the sensitivity of the block model estimates to the selection of higher cut-off grade. All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate. Table 2 - Nikolai Project MRE Indicated and Inferred Grade Sensitivity @ 0.20% COG - effective March 7, 2025 Indicated Resource Inferred Resource Table 3 - Nikolai Project MRE Indicated and Inferred Grade Sensitivity @ 0.25% COG - effective March 7, 2025 Indicated Resource Inferred Resource Figure 4. Eureka Zone overview map displaying recovered NiEq% (excluding chromium and iron) block model and pit shells at varying COG. Figure 5. Cross section through the Eureka EZ1, EZ2 & EZ3 MRE displaying pit shells ay varying COG. Note: Location of section B-B' is located on Figure 4. Note: Recovered NiEq % excludes chromium and iron MINERAL RESOURCE ESTIMATION CALCULATION METHODOLOGY The geologic model used for reporting of mineral resources is a 3D block model that was developed using LeapFrog Edge version 2024.1.1. An economic pit shell was developed from the block model using MinePlan version 16.2.1. The block model was developed using UTM NAD83 6N coordinates and is in metric units. The block size is 30 m (X), 5 m (Y) and 5 m (Z) rotated 26 degrees toward the east to align the X-axis along strike at 118 degrees. The block model captures three mineralized ultramafic intrusive bodies (zones) that dip towards the southwest between 45 and 50. The three zones are Eureka Zone 1 (EZ1), Eureka Zone 2 (EZ2) and Eureka Zone 3 (EZ3) from south to north across the deposit, respectively. Sub-zones focusing on the deposit's high-grade core were modeled within EZ2; Upper EZ2 (UEZ2), Central EZ2 (CEZ2), and Lower EZ2 (LEZ2) from south to north across the deposit, respectively. The mineralized zones were built using Seequent's Leapfrog Geo software from a drillhole database of 47 drillholes. Mineral sample assays have been validated for 40 of the 47 drillholes. Assay data from these holes has been used to estimate grades for nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), gold (Au), iron (Fe), and chromium (Cr). Au grades were capped prior to estimation at 0.6 parts per million (ppm) within EZ1. Ni, Cu, Co, Au, Pd, and Pt grades were used to calculate both an in situ Nickel Equivalency grade (NiEq) and a recovered NiEq grade based on average (24 month) market prices. A secondary in situ NiEq grade and recovered NiEq grade with Cr and Fe added were calculated but not used for determining an economic pit shell. Ni is approximately 74% of the total in situ value of the metals included in the equivalent grade calculation. Reasonable prospects for economic extraction have been determined by calculating a recovered NiEq cutoff grade of 0.064 percent (%) using the following assumptions: Surface mining operation with run-of-mine (ROM) between 45 to 60 thousand tonnes/day; Mining costs US$2.5/tonne; Processing costs US$10/tonne; Variable metal recoveries where: EZ1 Ni recovery is 60% and Au, Cu, Co, Pd, and Pt is 50% UEZ2 and CEZ2 Ni recovery is 65%, Cu is 70%, Co is 55%, and Au, Pd, Pt is 50% LEZ2 Ni recovery is 55% and Au, Cu, Co, Pd, and Pt is 50% EZ3 Ni recovery is 35% and Au, Cu, Co, Pd, and Pt is 50% Resources are reported from within an economic pit shell at a 45-degree constant slope using MinePlan's mining Pseudoflow algorithm. No underground mining is considered. Assumed revenue used to drive the pit shell is US$8.90/lb. nickel applied to a recovered NiEq grade assuming the variable metal recoveries listed above. This pit optimization does not represent an economic study. Future engineering studies will be needed to develop optimal bulk tonnage mining methods. The pit-constrained MRE is at an Indicated and Inferred level of assurance. Mineral resources are reported for the EZ1, EZ2 and EZ3 zones. MINERAL RESOURCE ESTIMATE PREPARATION The 2024 MRE has been prepared by Erik Langenfeld, P. Geo. (the "QP") of Stantec Consulting Services Inc. in conformity with CIM "Estimation of Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserves Best Practices" guidelines and are reported in accordance with NI 43-101. The QP is not aware of any environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socioeconomic, marketing, political, or other relevant issues that could potentially affect the 2024 MRE. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that any mineral resource will be converted into mineral reserve. CAUTIONARY NOTE CONCERNING TECHNICAL DISCLOSURE AND U.S. SECURITIES LAWS The MRE has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ in certain material respects from the disclosure requirements under United States securities laws. Unless otherwise indicated, all resource and reserve estimates included in this news release have been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101. The definitions used in NI 43-101 are incorporated by reference from the CIM Definition Standards. The SEC Modernization Rules replaced the historical disclosure requirements for mining registrants that were included in SEC Industry Guide 7, which has been rescinded. As a result of the adoption of the SEC Modernization Rules, the SEC now recognizes estimates of "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources". Readers are cautioned that while the above terms are "substantially similar" to the corresponding CIM Definition Standards, there are differences in the definitions under the SEC Modernization Rules and the CIM Definition Standards. Accordingly, there is no assurance any mineral resources that the Company may report as "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources" under NI 43-101 would be the same had the Company prepared mineral resource estimates under the standards adopted under the SEC Modernization Rules. Accordingly, information contained or incorporated by reference in this news release describing the Company's mineral deposits may not be comparable to similar information made public by United States companies subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements under the United States federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. QUALIFIED PERSON Mr. Erik Langenfeld, P. Geo. of Stantec Consulting Services Inc. is the Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 who has prepared or supervised the preparation of, or has reviewed and approved, the scientific and technical data pertaining to the MRE contained in this release and will be preparing the NI-43-101 technical report for filing on SEDAR+ within 45 days. Gabriel Graf, the Company's Chief Geoscientist, is the qualified person, as defined under NI 43-101 having reviewed and approved of all other scientific and technical information contained in this news release. For additional information, visit: https://alaskaenergymetals.com/ ABOUT ALASKA ENERGY METALS Alaska Energy Metals Corporation (AEMC) is an Alaska-based corporation with offices in Anchorage and Vancouver working to sustainably deliver the critical materials needed for national security and a bright energy future, while generating superior returns for shareholders. AEMC is focused on delineating and developing the large-scale, bulk tonnage, polymetallic Nikolai Project Eureka deposit containing nickel, copper, cobalt, chromium, iron, platinum, palladium, and gold. Located in Interior Alaska near existing transportation and power infrastructure, its flagship project, Nikolai, is well-situated to become a significant domestic source of strategic metals for North America. AEMC also holds a secondary project in western Quebec; the Angliers - Belleterre project. Today, material sourcing demands excellence in environmental performance, technological innovation, carbon mitigation and the responsible management of human and financial capital. AEMC works every day to earn and maintain the respect and confidence of the public and believes that ESG performance is measured by action and led from the top. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Gregory Beischer" Gregory Beischer, President & CEO FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Gregory A. Beischer, President & CEO Toll-Free: 877-217-8978 | Local: 604-609-7149 Some statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information (within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation), including, without limitation, the estimation of mineral resources and that the Company (a) will file a NI43-101 technical report within 45 days, b) will complete metallurgical and deportment studies, c) find that the processing of the deposit can be done using a standard flowsheet, d) will perform economic analysis, and e) plan and conduct further exploration drilling. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date those statements are made. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements do not guarantee future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include but are not limited to uncertainty relating to the estimation of mineral resources, regulatory actions, market prices, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to update or to publicly announce the results of any change to any forward-looking statement contained or incorporated by reference herein to reflect actual results, future events or developments, changes in assumptions, or changes in other factors affecting the forward-looking statements. If the Company updates any forward-looking statement(s), no inference should be drawn that it will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. It is a delicate situation for the defense teams of Marcel Tshilumba and Emmanuel Mukini. The two men were sentenced to death in 2023, at the end of a trial before a Congolese military trial chamber. They are accused of being responsible for the murder of a traditional chief, Chief Mbangu, and his atrocious dismemberment in public, in the town of Masuika, in 2017, during the so-called Kamuina Nsapu conflict, which bloodied the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) between 2016 and 2019. But in trying to save their own skins, during an appeal trial held at the scene of the crime from March 3 to 7, they accused each other. To save my life, I joined the Kamuina Nsapu movement, I was forced to. Those who resisted were killed. It was Marcel Tshilumba, alias the White Man, the warlord, who ordered me to behead Chief Mbangu. He was the one who brought him with a group of other militiamen. That day, I was on the market side in Masuika. The severed body parts of the chief (head, genitals and arms) were collected by Marcel Tshilumba for an unknown destination, Mukini, a young man easily in his thirties, recounts. Mukini is accused of having beheaded the victim and mutilated his body after Tshilumba had shot Chief Mbangu. He has been in prison for eight years. We plead guilty, our client has cooperated with the court by telling the truth about what actually happened on Wednesday, May 6, 2017, pleads one of his lawyers. We apologize to the court. It is not a crime, it is not an offense if the court pardons our client, says his second lawyer. With Tshilumba's defense counsels, the debate is heated. Tshilumba's lawyers accept that it was their client who brought Chief Mbangu to the podium, but they say that someone else pulled the trigger. There is no evidence to show our client shooting Chief Mbangu, argues one of his lawyers. In fact, although there is a video of the crime, taken by a local in the crowd, in which Mukini is seen desecrating the body of Chief Mbangu, Tshilumba is not directly seen firing the shot that killed Mbangu just beforehand. This is despite the fact that many witnesses and Mukini himself claim that he was the one who did it. The defendant Tshilumba denies everything. According to him, certain traditional chiefs were responsible for the insurrectionary movement in that area, while he was just a simple driver. I never shot the chief. I named four other traditional chiefs, I requested their appearance, why don't they answer? wonders Tshilumba, two meters tall, brown, 32 years old. Regarding other alleged crimes including arson, theft, rape, looting and criminal conspiracy Tshilumba's defense also points to the lack of evidence. Our client had come to this village on business. Some witnesses became jealous of him even though he had nothing to do with it, they conclude. For the lawyers of the civil parties including Cedric Nsenda (second from left) and Jean Jacques Sanzandji (far right) the trial of Tshilumba and Mukini is a happy ending. Photo: Joseph Mbuyi The story of a video Among the many people in the public audience, opinions are divided. Nobody joined this movement of their own free will. They were all forced. I ask the court to take note of this reality, explains a woman in the audience. This boy made us suffer in this town, he was the one who laid down the law. He could say, Today, no one is preparing the food. He must suffer the full force of the law, explains one of the local dignitaries. Outside the courtroom, victims' lawyer Cedric Nsenda presents himself as the instigator of the trial, when the victims did not know where to start. He is praising himself for what he calls a happy outcome. I was the first lawyer to put together the case, I paid the legal fees so that the case could be brought to trial even though I didn't know anyone in the area. It was only afterwards that I met the 283 victims and Chief Mbangu Stanis [son of the murdered chief and witness at the trial] to organize as civil parties. They believed in me, we won at first instance, and I hope we will win again here at second instance, because all the evidence presented is in favor of the victims, explains the lawyer from the Kasai Central bar to Justice Info. Our first meeting with the victims was historic. I found a people without hope. Some had already resumed their activities. I documented various cases of rape, theft, arson and looting. I spent about seven days in this village. This movement [Kuamina Nsapu] had destroyed everything. The victims recognized the perpetrators and today they are standing trial, he says proudly. I got the video in Lualaba [the province neighboring Kasai Central] from a man after several days of investigation. He didn't want to give it up, but was willing to cooperate if he was drunk. We kept him drinking until we got the video. I was accompanied by a colleague. It's irrefutable proof. The two defendants couldn't have known about this ammunition. I'm now awaiting the sentences for Tshilumba and Mukini. Lawyer and victim Jean Jacques Sanzandji is another lawyer for the civil parties. He went through everything during the insurrection of the Kamuina Nsapu militia in Masuika. He is a native of the area and acknowledges that his life was saved thanks to the intervention of the armed forces. When there were clashes, I fled into the bush. After three days, when I tried to leave, I was intercepted by the militiamen who wanted me dead because they killed without distinction. But one of them said that I was the only lawyer we had in the city and that I had to be protected. That's when I was saved. And when I met the soldiers, luckily for me I spoke Swahili, they protected me, we buried 280 people with them. It was horrible, he says. I experienced the events and I am a lawyer but the people of Masuika know who killed Chief Mbangu, who was in charge of the militia here. We gave a warm welcome to a young clothing salesman who turned into a killer and then a looter. We are happy with the way the trial went. We believe that the guilty parties will be punished in accordance with the law, he insists. The military prosecutor has requested the death penalty for the two men, i.e. confirmation of the judgment at first instance. The verdict had been announced for March 7, but was finally postponed until March 10. This did not please the population. However, the law allows the court eight days to reach its decision, explained the first president of the military court of former Western Kasai, Colonel Innocent Mayembe. A former Gambian brigadier general suspected of being a member of a death squad during ex-dictator Yahya Jammeh's brutal rule has been found dead in prison, the army said Monday. Bora Colley is alleged to have belonged to a paramilitary unit known as the "Junglers" that has long been accused of extrajudicial killings and torture by the United Nations and rights groups. He was jailed in August when he returned to Gambia after eight years in exile as the country's Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) recommended his prosecution for "the killing and torture of victims in various locations," the army said. Colley fled after Jammeh was forced to leave the west African country in 2017 and spent his exile in Africa and the Middle East. The army said Colley required "continuous medical monitoring, which was provided by the state. Despite these efforts, he succumbed to his medical condition" on Sunday. It said an inquest had been ordered into his death. The Gambian government in 2022 endorsed the recommendations of the TRRC that looked into atrocities perpetrated under Jammeh, with authorities agreeing to prosecute 70 people, including the former president, who came to power after a 1994 coup. Jammeh, whose 22-year rule was marked by numerous human rights violations, lost a presidential election in December 2016 to opposition leader Adama Barrow. He fled the country in January 2017 for Equatorial Guinea, where he finally conceded and handed over power. Chinese actresses Liu Yifei and Huawei executive Yu Chengdong sparked speculations when both of them followed each other on the social network Weibo, closely after Liu liked a video of Yu Chengdong sending International Women's Day greetings on Mar 08. According to KbiZoom, Yu Chengdong decorated a car with yellow roses and posted a video with similar words: saying, "Yellow roses stand for freedom and courage. "So here is to you all and Happy International Women's Day." Particularly notable is the use of yellow roses, with Liu Yifei having associated the flower with herself after gaining popularity for her 2024 drama The Tale of Rose. Liu and Yu's interactions became a hot topic on social media in no time. With her penchant for keeping her personal life private, Liu rarely interacts with critical public figures on social media, sparking speculation among many as to whether this follow-up was a sign of romance. So far, Liu's only known relationship was with the actor Song Seung-Heon. But some fans say the connection is probably career-related. According to reports, Huawei is negotiating with Liu Yifei to be the brand ambassador of Huawei's automobile division. If such a move is formally revealed, it could be a serious cash cow for the actress. In China, high-end automobile brands often seek representative figures of high status and class. Yu Chengdong, born in 1969, is 18 years older than Liu Yifei. When he became CEO of Huawei in 2011, the company was building the world's second-largest smartphone brand. Since then, he has been a leading force in the tech industry. He became chairman of two Huawei subsidiaries that developed innovative automotive components and intelligent terminal manufacturing in 2024. According to media reports, it is unclear whether Yu is married or if he has children. On the other hand, Liu Yifei remains an iconic figure in Chinese TV programs with hit drama series such as A Dream of Splendor and Meet Yourself. Most recently, she was also rumored to be dating her Meet Yourself co-star Li Xian after they were seen together at a birthday party late in 2024. Neither Liu nor Li have publicly addressed the dating rumors. Monday, March 10, 2025 - A depressed Kenyan man identified as Kennedy Akumu has exposed a church guy who has been reportedly having an affair with his wife. He claims that the man is well known to him. He even visited his matrimonial home and cooked for him, not knowing that he was planning to wreck his marriage. Akumu lamented that his wife leaves him in the house with their kid to meet the church guy for escapades during overnight keshas. The troubled Luo man said it will take years for him to heal after getting wind of his wifes cheating behaviours. See his posts on Facebook. His cheating wife. The Kenyan DAILY POST Sunday, March 9, 2025 - Real Housewives of Atlanta star, Shamea Morton, has set social media ablaze after giving fans a glimpse of her extravagant multi-million dollar mansion. But while the luxury home had everyone talking, it was her explanation of her husband's wealth that raised eyebrows. Shamea, who is married to US-based Kenyan businessman Gerald Mwangi, invited fellow RHOA cast member, Cynthia Bailey, for a house tour in the upcoming seasons trailer. Awestruck by the opulence, Cynthia wasted no time pressing Shamea on how her husband affords such a lifestyle. At first, Shamea joked that Gerald is an "African king" before claiming he is a successful entrepreneur in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) industry. According to her, his company manufactures and installs HVAC systems for airports, landing multi-million-dollar contracts. However, skeptical netizens werent convinced. Many questioned whether HVAC alone could generate such massive wealth, with some suspecting theres more to Geralds fortune than he lets on. Others warned that Shameas public bragging could attract unwanted scrutiny from authorities. The couple, who wed in an over-the-top ceremony at Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club in 2017, frequently vacation in Kenya, with their latest trip taking them to the Maasai Mara in December 2024. The Kenyan DAILY POST Monday, March 10, 2025 - A police officer attached to Parliament opened fire during a dispute at a bar in Gigiri, Nairobi, fatally shooting one colleague and injuring another before being subdued by fellow officers. The officer, identified as Nahashon Kipkosgey Limo, was among a group that had gathered for a meal and drinks on Sunday night when an argument escalated. During the altercation, he drew his Jericho pistol and fired, striking Constable Eric Muga of Runda Police Station, who died on the spot. Corporal Philip Kae, who serves at the Judiciary, sustained gunshot wounds to the abdomen and was rushed to hospital. Patrons and officers at the scene scrambled for safety as gunfire rang out before security personnel overpowered the shooter and confiscated his firearm, which was still loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition. He was taken into custody and is expected to face charges. Authorities have described the incident as isolated but acknowledged growing concerns over similar cases. There have been repeated instances of officers turning their weapons on colleagues, with stress and mental health struggles among police officers cited as contributing factors. The Kenyan DAILY POST Monday, March 10, 2025 - Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has sensationally claimed that President Ruto has sold the Bomas of Kenya, a national heritage site, to a Turkish investor. Speaking at the ACK Holy Trinity Church in Kitengela, Kajiado County, Gachagua alleged that the Cabinet approved the sale despite opposition from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA). "As we speak, Bomas of Kenya has been sold to a Turkish national. The Cabinet was informed, and I was the only one who opposed it. This is a national heritage; we cannot sell it," he stated. He further claimed that the KCAA raised concerns due to the site's location within a flight path, but the Government allegedly ignored their objections. Gachagua also alleged that the sale extended to prison lands, warning that Kenyans are on their own in protecting national assets. The Bomas of Kenya, established in 1971, was meant to preserve and promote Kenyas diverse cultural heritage. It has served as a major tourist attraction and a venue for national events, including past election negotiations. Gachaguas remarks come just days after President William Ruto and ODM leader, Raila Odinga, formalized a political pact aimed at fostering cooperation between their parties. The agreement includes proposals for the Office of the Official Opposition Leader and the reinstatement of the Prime Ministers position. Dismissing the Ruto-Raila handshake as a distraction, Gachagua urged Kenyans to focus on real issues, stating, Politics is a game of numbers, and I assure you, the numbers are good. The Kenyan DAILY POST Monday, March 10, 2025 - Kenyan TikTokers are having a blast trolling ODM leader, Raila Odinga, after his recent handshake with President William Ruto. In the skit, an announcer declares Kenyas president for 2027, and immediately, a man mimicking Railas signature walking style appears to shake hands. The same scene repeats for 2032, exaggerating his history of post-election alliances. Railas handshake trend began in the 90s with the late President Daniel Moi, followed by a coalition Government with Mwai Kibaki in 2007. He then shook hands with Uhuru Kenyatta in 2017, and now, history repeats itself with Ruto. The video playfully mocks his tendency to reconcile with sitting Presidents after unsuccessful bids, leaving netizens both amused and intrigued by his political maneuvers. Watch the video below. If you know you know pic.twitter.com/G0Fg7muIBw The Kenyan Vigilante (@KenyanSays) March 9, 2025 The Kenyan DAILY POST Monday, March 10, 2025 - Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and his colleague, Hassan Joho, attended a fundraiser to build a mosque, where they donated millions of shillings. Murkomen donated Ksh 3 million in cash while Joho donated Ksh 5 million at the fundraising event held at Rutos Weston Hotel. In the video, Murkomens aide is seen carrying wad of cash in an envelope before handing it over to an Imam. Waziru wetu ametoa Ksh 3 million in cash, Joho announced as those who had attended the fundraising event erupted in joy. The video comes at a time when Kenyans are up in arms against senior Government officials for splashing money in harambees and church events as financial turmoil takes a toll on ordinary citizens. Kenyans have been questioning the source of the money being donated in fundraising events by senior Government officials. Kipchumba Murkomen donated Sh. 3 million in cash. Pablo Joho donated Sh. 5 million cash. Hii mambo ya harambees imefika Mosques! pic.twitter.com/ljcDvpG3h7 Cornelius K. Ronoh (@itskipronoh) March 10, 2025 The Kenyan DAILY POST Monday, March 10, 2025 - Three other Kenyans who went missing alongside Wajir County Assembly Minority Leader, Yussuf Ahmed Hussein, were also released on Saturday night, deepening the mystery surrounding their abduction and six-month detention. The three, who had been picked up in Isiolo on September 13th, 2024 the same day Hussein was abducted in Nairobi, were also reportedly dropped off at their homes by unidentified individuals. Their families confirmed they arrived at night, appearing weak, with shaved heads but provided no details about where they had been held. Hussein, who was similarly released that night, had walked into his Eastleigh residence around 11pm after being left at Pangani Shopping Centre by unknown men who handed him Ksh 5,000 and warned him not to look back. Their simultaneous return, after months of silence on their whereabouts, has raised fresh questions about who was behind their disappearance. The Kenyan DAILY POST Monday, March 10, 2025 - A Nigerian employee of Teleperformance Kenya, a subsidiary of the global digital business services firm, was found dead in her Lower Kabete apartment last Friday. According to sources, her body had reportedly been decomposing for three days before colleagues discovered her, raising questions about the companys response to her absence. Colleagues of the deceased have since staged a strike, citing longstanding grievances regarding work permits, tax deductions without remittance, and denied benefits. They allege that the company withheld essential documentation, leaving many unable to access services such as NHIF and NSSF despite deductions from their salaries. Further claims suggest that the deceased, who worked as a TikTok content moderator, had repeatedly requested leave and a return ticket (entitlements under her contract) but was denied permission to travel home. Workers have also accused management of mistreating employees who raise concerns, with some fearing retaliation for speaking out. While the cause of death remains unclear, tensions between employees and management are now quickly escalating, with the company reportedly instructing workers not to post about their late colleague or discuss the matter publicly. "Good afternoon Nyakundi. Please can you highlight our story? We lost a Teleperformance Nigerian employee. She was found dead in her room on Friday, decomposing after three days. The company is trying to hide it and we would like the story shared. The deceased is a Nigerian national working as a TikTok content moderator since 2022. As per the contract, she is entitled to a return ticket every year, but she went home only once after begging and crying to the management. We are blaming Teleperformance because they denied her leave days and a work permit, so she couldn't go home. She went to managers crying, but they were videoing her and laughing at her. She didnt have a work permit, like most Nigerian workers, hence they denied her the chance to go home after so many attempts. When she didnt show up for work from Wednesday, 5th March 2025, the company didnt do any welfare check on her, even though she wasnt picking up calls or responding to messages. It was only on Friday, 7th March 2025, after work, around 56 PM, that a colleague decided to go check on her since no one had heard from her. The company never did a welfare check. The moderation job is quite difficult and challenging. You are exposed to all sorts of content, which could be graphic and gruesome, pornographic, and the rest. Although, just like any other job, we are trained to overcome the difficulties and challenges of moderation. Nonetheless, the lack of good welfare for content moderators, lack of legality, and security are challenges that have persisted to date in the Bytedance process here in Kenya. The management has been stopping her colleagues from posting her pictures or talking about her death, claiming that they share the blame 50-50. Her colleagues have been striking since Friday, refusing to work, as the majority of them have never had work permits. They dont have KRA PINs, yet their tax is deducted without remittance, the same with NSSF and NHIF. Whenever they ask questions, the company has kept lying to them for years, saying they are working on it. On Saturday, the management told them that if they cant work and wait for the work permits, they should resign and go back to Nigeria. Other colleagues, out of fear of retaliation or victimisation, are scared to speak." The Kenyan DAILY POST Sunday, March 9, 2025 - Popular social media influencer Polo Kimani was lured into a trap by a senior police officer and almost kidnapped for exposing Rutos billionaire friend, Imran Khoslas illegal business deals through his X account. Narrating the incident, Kimani said a guy by the name Daniel Kaliku called him, claiming that he wanted an electric fence installed at his home in Karen. Kimani runs a company that deals with electric fence installation. Little did he know that he was being set up. The house belongs to Imran Khosla, one of the richest businessmen in Kenya and a close friend of President Ruto. When Kimani arrived at the Karen home, Imran came with an armed police officer and instructed the cop to arrest him. However, he managed to escape after jumping off the gate, sustaining minor injuries. Imran confiscated Kimanis phone and currently, he is unable to access his X account that had a huge following. He later found out that Daniel, the guy who lured him into the trap, is an OCS in Kitui. The Kenyan DAILY POST Monday, March 10, 2025 - Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen is the talk of social media after a video of him learning to use an MK9 rifle mounted on the newly acquired Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles went viral. The CS, who launched the vehicles at the GSU headquarters in Ruaraka last week, praised them as a game-changer in tackling crime, especially cattle rustling and banditry in remote areas. However, what really caught netizens attention was Murkomens rifle training session as a GSU officer takes the CS through the weapons mechanics. Some creative Kenyans even edited the clip with DJ Afros signature movie narration, turning it into an instant comedy hit. Watch the video below. It is becoming very hard to be a proud Kenyan as time goes by pic.twitter.com/SmOS1A8INS Random World (@randomworldke) March 9, 2025 The Kenyan DAILY POST Monday, March 10, 2025 - A video of a Nairobi traffic officer energetically directing vehicles has wowed netizens. While Kenyan police are often criticized for harassment and bribery, this officer, identified as Mugambi, is earning praise for his professionalism and dedication. Many who have encountered him describe him as hardworking and honest, a rare quality thats refreshing to see. Some social media users are even calling on President Ruto to recognize him with a state commendation. Its proof that good cops still exist! Watch the video and reactions below I will post both Traffic thieves and professional-hardworking officers any day pic.twitter.com/L2vkz0buKL Random World (@randomworldke) March 8, 2025 The Kenyan DAILY POST The County Kildare Archaeological Society (CKAS) has announced the winner of the 2025 Lord Walter Fitzgerald Prize for Research as Dr Melissa Sheils for her essay, 'The Fair Geraldine and Tudor Court. Proximity, Persuasion and Presents'. The judging panel chaired by Professor Marian Lyons of Maynooth University was delighted to award the prize to a work that highlights the importance of soft power in historic courts and the important role women played in diplomatic relations between the Kildare Geraldine's and London. The president of the County Kildare Archaeological Society, Michael Dempsey praised the article as " a worthy winner, amongst very strong competition, the CKAS is delighted to award the prize with Maynooth University". Melissa Sheils is a PhD student in UCC. As well as conducting research, Ms Sheils is a specialist in historic clothing and its recreation, and is from Newcastlewest in Co Limerick. The Lord Walter Fitzgerald Prize is awarded and funded by the County Kildare Archaeological Society, founded in 1891 and is open to all interested in our counties archaeology, history, geography and built heritage. Later this year there will be an event in Martinstown House, the Curragh, where Melissa will also be awarded her prize. By David Young, PA, in Austin, Texas The Government will not be able to bridge the funding gap at Irish aid agency Concern following USAID cuts, Micheal Martin has said. The agency is to lay off staff members at offices across the world following the new US administrations developmental aid policy. Asked about the issue at the start of his diplomatic trip to the US for St Patricks Day, the Taoiseach said he was not aware of job losses at other Irish aid agencies. He added that Concern had an extensive presence in the US and that its branches and partners had won USAID contracts. Taoiseach Micheal Martin said that the issue had been discussed at European Union level (Niall Carson/PA) We wont be able to make up that shortfall, he said speaking in Austin, Texas, on Monday. Thats obviously an unfolding situation in the US, and is very much a factor of US politics and how US government is approaching these issues. Mr Martin said that the issue had been discussed at European Union level. There may be, in the fullness of time, initiatives taken by the European Union, but again, it doesnt have the resources either to fulfil or replace the substantial nature of that and Ireland certainly wouldnt have that either, he said. We will continue to do what we do, well see how things unfold. Theres a lot to play for here yet and theres some distance to go in terms of some of those programmes. I havent met Concern yet about it, and I know that Irish Aid will be in discussions with Concern. He added: Separate to us altogether, they would have had branches here in the US and affiliates here in the US, who had won contracts from USAID. Concern Worldwide has been contacted for comment. KILDARE-BASED company, Blackberry Hearing, headquartered in Two Mile House has acquired Donegal Hearing, a family-owned business located in Moville, Donegal. Donegal Hearing was established by Michael Forsythe who has been working as an audiologist since 1994 and offers a fantastic service to the community in Moville. Michael has decided to retire and has sold his clinic to Blackberry Hearing, who partner pharmacies, medical centers and opticians to provide 55 audiology clinics Ireland. Matthew Gleeson, Managing Director of Blackberry Hearing said: Donegal Hearing is a trusted and valuable service provider to the people of Donegal and the northwest. We are excited about our latest expansion in the area and look forward to providing important audiology services to the people of Donegal. Blackberry Hearing say they are positioning for continued innovation and customer-focused expansion. For more information on Blackberry Hearing or to find your nearest clinic log on to www.blackberryhearing.com The countdown is over and St Patrick's weekend is almost upon us! Kilkenny Tradfest kicks off for the thirteenth time this Friday, March 14. To get you in the festive spirit and to help plan your ultimate trad weekend, the team at Kilkenny Tradfest has created a sample festival schedule to help inspire your plans. If you are travelling to Kilkenny be sure to book your accommodation now if you havent already done so! Tradfest recommends The Clubhouse Hotel, The Kilkenny Pembroke Hotel, The Ormonde Hotel, The Rivercourt Hotel, The Newpark Hotel, Lyrath Estate and Hotel Kilkenny. If you are venturing out on Thursday evening, you can warm up for the festival with a number of excellent trail sessions including Colcannon at Sullivans Taproom at 6pm and Whiskers of Lichen at Ryans Bar at 9pm. On Friday morning, start by making your way to The Kilkenny Pembroke Hotel for an interactive presentation, performance and discussion on AI and The Future of Music, with AI:OK and Sarah Keane at 10am. Get there early to experience one of the best breakfasts in town at Stathams restaurant, courtesy of renowned chef Ken Harker. Take sometime in the afternoon to relax and explore the sights and sounds of our medieval city. Take a tour of Rothe House, or a stroll around the Castle Park before heading to The Rivercourt Hotel for some top-notch pub grub on the terrace by the river Nore. Catch the 6pm session at The Pumphouse before making your way to St Canices Cathedral for one of the highlights of the festival; Sharon Shannon & Band In concert under the moon, at 8pm. If youre in flying form, and dont fancy calling it a night, unwind at Ryans Bar with some Rock n Folk courtesy of Green River at 10pm. Treat yourself to an award-winning breakfast on Saturday morning at Aran Bakery and Bistro, on Barrack Street. Be sure to explore The Continent (a local term for Johns Parish) before making your way to The Front Room or Matt the Millers to watch Ireland take on Italy (in the other continent) in their Six Nations decider. If youre all about the music, and not too concerned with the rugby, head over Johns Bridge to The Clubhouse Hotel where Kilkenny Pipers Club will be kicking off at 3pm. You might want to grab some lunch here too ahead of a busy evening of headline gigs! Later, 5pm sees Aoife Scott and her band take flight in the intimate basement of The Pembroke hotel, eight-piece Dublin powerhouse The Bonny Men will take the stage at The Kilford Arms Ballroom at 7pm and the illustrious Aran Island songwriter Padraig Jack is set to set Cleeres Theatre alight at 9pm. Saturday nights alright for dancing, so make your way to Matt The Millers for Trad Hits from 10pm til late, where you can strut your stuff to the very best of irish classics courtesy of DJ Agers. Sunday, March 16 is set to be the apex of the festival weekend, with a bank holiday to follow. Start your day off right with a full Irish breakfast at The Worlds End, one of the best in town! Catch Laois legends Buioch on the mainstage at 2pm in a free concert of blistering tunes before making your way to either The Tulla Ceili Band at The Rivercourt Hotel or Seamus and Caoimhe Ui Fhlatharta at Cleeres, depending on your mood, at 3pm. Things will kick up a gear at 5pm as Two Time Polka bring their high-octane brand of rockin trad to The Left Bank. Make your way to Sullivans Taproom for a wood-fired pizza before catching a glimpse of local rising stars Burnchurch at 8pm. At 9pm, you can take your pick of Canadian folk pioneer Sarah Jane Scouten at Paris Texas or the powerful trad ballads of Drops of Green at Kytelers inn. Finally, if you have the energy, stroll up to Friary Street for a late-night trad session at Rafter Dempseys. On Monday morning, its time to give thanks to our patron saint for banishing the snakes from Ireland - whether he was successful or not remains to be seen. Its St Patricks Day! Don your shamrocks and make your way to The Parade Tower for a Bodhran Masterclass with Ronan O Snodaigh of Kila at 11.30am. From there, take the short walk to secure your spot for the St Patricks Day Parade at 1.30pm. Escape the madness and decompress with afternoon tea or lunch at The Ormonde Hotel, where the stentorian voice of Dublin bard MacDara Yeates will soothe your soul and leave you feeling refreshed and ready for one last hurrah. It's party time. Make your way back to the mainstage where legends of trad, Kila will be ready fill the evening skies with the thundering sound of 2,000 years of Irish culture, at 5pm. This is a free concert. Afterwards, you can enjoy a cocktail and some excellent southern US cuisine at Paris Texas, before heading to The Watergate Theatre to witness the world-renowned Kilfenora Ceili Band at 8pm. Wrap up your weekend in style by making your way across the street to Cleeres Bar for Kilkennys longest running trad session led by renowned traditional musician and songwriter, Mick Citern Walsh at 9pm. Kilkenny Tradfest is an all-out celebration of what it means to be Irish," said Brendan Treacy of Kilkenny City Vintners. "It epitomises and showcases all of the best elements of our vibrant city culture here in Kilkenny - our wonderful venues, pubs, restaurants, hotels, cafes and of course our musicians! It is a meeting of minds and a coming together of creativity and commerce. The result is a festival weekend which is of the highest quality, and undoubtedly one of the best in the country. Tickets are selling fast so be sure to get yours now at www.kilkennytradfest.com. Kilkenny Tradfest is made possible by sponsors, partners, venues, artists, musicians, volunteers and staff; and supported by Kilkenny County Council. READ MORE: WHAT'S ON IN KILKENNY Follow Tradfest on social media for more updates and announcements! Instagram @kilkennytradfest Facebook @Kilkenny Tradfest TikTok @kilkennytradfest The creative force behind Aine Elizabeth Designs, Aine O Donnell, is quickly making her mark in the world of fashion. Hailing from Kells in County Kilkenny, Aine recently graduated from the Limerick School of Art and Design. Interestingly though, it was in Presentation Secondary School in Kilkenny City where she first caught the fashion bug. Taking part in the Junk Couture competition in secondary school allowed me to explore my creative process without any boundaries or expectations, she explained. That free and open approach to her work has carried her on to achieve so much more in recent years. READ NEXT: Kilkenny furniture maker represents Ireland at leading international craft and design fair Just last March, Aine was crowned the 2024 Young Irish Fashion Designer of the Year. She went on to showcase her graduate collection at Powerscourt Townhouse in Dublin. The collection drew many admirers and Aine was subsequently commissioned to create two Georgian costumes for Powerscourts 250th Anniversary celebrations on Culture Night. Being able to see my designs come to life in such an incredible space surrounded by like-minded people was a surreal experience, she reflected. Aine's creative voice is deeply rooted in both history and personal experience and her graduate collection reflected that, being inspired by her grandparents marriage in 1960s Ireland. The collection paired structural shapes and intricate detailing inspired by her grandfathers stained-glass artistry and merged them with the elegance of her grandmothers femininity. I wanted the collection to be a testament to the strength, love, and growth throughout my grandparents marriage. Despite her own recent success stories, Aine remains very passionate about advocating for greater support for other young Irish designers. She has routinely stressed the need for more funding, grants, and mentorship opportunities for emerging fashion creatives. Many grants are only accessible for fine art, whereas the world of design doesnt have much support at all, she explained. Fashion designers are amazing multitaskers and often multimedia designers who need more backing to ease the financial strain and to allow them to experiment creatively. Looking ahead to the future, Aine is eager to push her own boundaries as a designer and grow her brand. While continuing to refine her craft, she also plans to delve deeper into the business side of fashion. Theres always room to evolve and learn, and I want to challenge myself to create even more innovative and meaningful work, she noted. With her passion, energy, creativity and determination, Aine O Donnell is now well-poised to become a leading voice in Irish fashion. FOR MORE FEATURE ARTICLES, CLICK HERE The incredible life and work of a nun who gave so much to the people of Kilkenny over the years has been celebrated in Dail Eireann as part of the recognition of International Women's Day and the lives of inspiring women. Sister Stanislaus 'Stan' Kennedy was born Treasa Kennedy in 1939 or 1940 near Lispole on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry. In 1958, she joined the Religious Sisters of Charity and was initially based in Kilkenny. It was in Kilkenny that she helped those less fortunate, and is fondly remembered for organising trips for young people to places like Ballybunion. READ NEXT: Kilkenny family run business in the running for big award Newly appointed Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, stated that throughout her career, it has always been 'incredibly important' to her to 'ensure that women and girls of all ages have the same opportunities as their male counterparts in all aspects of their professional and personal lives'. She quoted Sr Stan at the end of her contribution, "Progress will be our mainstay and we will continue to strive for a society of opportunity, respect and equality. In the words of a celebrated Kerry woman, Sr Stanislaus Kennedy, "Every day brings a new possibility." I look forward to working with my Cabinet colleagues, Department officials, stakeholders and everyone in this House and across this country to make this happen." Leas-Cheann Comhairle and TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, John McGuinness, also used his time to praise the contributions of Sr Stan to Kilkenny and further afield. "The Minister referred to Sr Stan, a renowned Kerrywoman," McGuinness stated. "Sr Stan spent most of her life in Kilkenny, working hard on reform. She helped with reform of the church with Dr Peter Birch and had a huge impact on the views I now hold." Working alongside Birch, Sr Stan helped to set up Kilkenny Social Services. For nineteen years, Peter Birch was both guide and mentor to Sr Stan as the Kilkenny Social Services developed into an innovative, comprehensive model of community care becoming a blue-print for the rest of Ireland. In 1974, the Irish Government appointed Sr Stan as the first chair of The National Committee on Pilot Schemes to Combat Poverty in Ireland and in 1985 the European Commission appointed her as Trans-National Co-ordinator in the European Rural Anti Poverty Programme working right across Europe. From the small townland of Lispole Sr Stans desire to create a more equal society was moving further afield. Moving to Dublin in the early 1980s, Sr Stan tackled one of Irelands most neglected social inequalities homelessness. In 1985, Sr Stan established Focus Point which is now Focus Ireland, the biggest national, voluntary organisation helping people to find, create and maintain a home. In 1998, Sr Stan founded The Sanctuary, a meditation/spirituality centre in the heart of Dublin City, a place where people can find a quiet space and time for themselves to explore and develop their inner world and wisdom and find stillness. In 2001, Sr Stan established two other initiatives, the Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI), an independent national organisation working to promote the rights of immigrants through information, advocacy and legal aid and the Young Social Innovators (YSI), a national showcase providing an opportunity for students to become involved in social issues. READ NEXT: Kilkenny pilot George O'Hara reflects on his storied career in Ryanair Sr Stan has also written thousands of articles that have been published in Ireland and elsewhere. She lectures on social issues and policies, is a frequent keynote speaker at many events and regularly gives talks to many diverse groups in Ireland, Europe and outside of Europe. Sr Stan's own words describe her upbringing, "I was born Treasa Kennedy during the Second World War on the Dingle Peninsula, between Holy Mount Brandon and the Atlantic Ocean. I was one of five children and my childhood was a traditional one, lived among fishermen and farmers, the caretakers of a peasant tradition. "In my early childhood, there was story-telling and card-playing in place of radio, cinema and television. It was a life of mystery, beauty and simplicity. "The pattern of the day, the night, the year, and even life itself was lived unselfconsciously in the presence of God. The life of the people was deeply incarnational, whether saving the hay, telling the time from the sun and the tide, catching trout and salmon, going to stations, wakes, funerals, marriages, walking under hedges dripping with fuchsia, cutting and footing the turf or bringing tea to the fields or the bog. "But it was not all joy. We also knew hardship through the Depression and the War, with its food rationing. Hard times drove many from their land. But we were a close and neighbourly community. As the local writer Peig Sayers (whom I knew) put it: 'Ar scath a cheile a mhaireann na daoine'." FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE Local priest and National Vocations Director, Fr Willie Purcell has claimed the introduction of female and married priests into the catholic church 'may happen' in the decades to come. According to figures released in 2024, the number of priests and members of religious orders in Ireland dropped by 70% since 1970. Meanwhile, since 2021, more than 25% of priests in Ireland have died. Nevertheless, Fr Purcell, who completed his religious studies in the St Kieran's Seminary, is hopeful of an increase in numbers despite the seemingly bleak outlook, but does believe things may get worse before they get better. "Things will get more difficult, not just in Kilkenny but nationally and internationally. "Now were talking about priests who have to cover four/five parishes," he said, adding, "its so important people in parishes get involved to assist their priest and believe it or not, theyre not just alleviating the work, theyre encouraging the priest because he knows he has their support." FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE But despite present challenges, Fr Purcell doesnt anticipate radical changes any time soon. "It (female priests) is not something that is going to happen in my lifetime but it is a discussion that has been going on for centuries," the Clara parish priest said. "I think it may happen eventually because in the early church there was women deacons," he remarked, adding, "its a historical question that will not be resolved in the present time but may be resolved in the future." Fr Purcell also suggested allowing married priests into the vocation could be a possibility in the generations to come, but it will be a complex and timely process. "It's a total commitment, a life commitment solely to the people youre called to serve and the people of God become your family. I think married priests will be way down the line equally as much as women priests." But despite the challenges the priesthood faces, Fr Purcell is adamant their role is still important in the community. "I think we're living in a very different world, everything can change in a matter of a second. You can go online, swipe right or swipe left and everything can change or you can switch on or off very easily. When I joined the Priesthood it was a lifetime commitment "It's a lifetime commitment that you make but things you give up there are other benefits that come to place and those benefits are varied. The Priest is still a key person in every community, if somebody gets sick the Priest is there, if somebody is in trouble the Priest is called, if there's a death the Priest is called, so the Priest is still a key person in the community and therefore still has an important role." Comedian Ardal O'Hanlon with Fr Willie Purcell READ NEXT: Kilkenny priest on life behind the collar WP Hospitality Ltd have lodged plans with Kilkenny County Council for significant development at Spinners Bar and Restaurant, Lower Kilmacow, County Kilkenny. The applicant is seeking permission for the 'construction of an extension to the existing public house to provide [an] additional dining/seating area'. Also sought is the change of use of the ground floor takeaway to a two-bedroom apartment and the subdivision of the existing first-floor apartment and its open attic area into three duplex apartments. The construction of three amenity terraces to first floor level for the benefit of the three duplex apartments is also proposed, alongside the demolition of existing timber shelter area and all associated site works. The planning permission application was validated by Kilkenny County Council on March 3 and a decision is expected from the local authority by April 27, 2025. This timeline may be extented if the local authority decides to seek further information from the applicant in advance of making a decision. A cover letter submitted to Kilkenny County Council on behalf of the applicant states that 'the proposed development has been carefully designed to address the growing housing needs in the area while ensuring the efficient use of existing residential development'. The letter continues, "The scheme has been planned to integrate seamlessly with the surrounding built environment, maximizing connectivity and promoting a cohesive urban fabric. "Particular care has been taken to achieve a high-quality design standard, with a focus on creating an attractive and sustainable living environment. Each residential unit has been thoughtfully designed to include private recreational space, ensuring a high level of residential amenity for future occupants. "The layout and architectural approach prioritize both functionality and aesthetics, contributing positively to the character of the area. "Beyond providing much-needed housing, this development aims to revitalize the locality by bringing new life and vibrancy to the community. By encouraging a balanced mix of residents and fostering a strong sense of place, the scheme will contribute to the social and economic regeneration of the area, reinforcing its role as a desirable and sustainable place to live." The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee, 20, within the period of five weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application, and such submissions or observations will be considered by the planning authority in making a decision on the application. The planning authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions or may refuse to grant permission. Spinners Bar and Restaurant had been listed for sale in recent months with a guide price of 300,000 and subsequently went 'Sale Agreed'. The previous proprietors posted the following to the bar's social social media channels back in October 2024: "Now that the dust has settled we would like to take a moment to thank everyone not just for an amazing send off but for the last three years. "We are beyond grateful for the kindness and support shown to us by everyone who stepped through the door. "We want to say a special thank you to our star behind the bar Orla! Forever with a smile on her face and a comeback to hand, we couldnt have wished for anyone better. "As this chapter of our lives close we look forward to what is yet to come, we wish everyone the very best and again thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. The Croke Family" Prior to being under the stewardship of the Croke family, the pub was operated for seven years by Seamus 'Spinner' Hennessy and Sinead Coady. These new plans mark the beginning of a new chapter for this iconic building in the heart of South Kilkenny, and any developments will be followed with great interest in the locality. FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE The Irish Government will not be able to bridge the funding gap at Irish aid agency Concern following USAID cuts, Micheal Martin has said. The agency is to lay off staff members at offices across the world following the new US administrations developmental aid policy. Asked about the issue at the start of his diplomatic trip to the US for St Patricks Day, the Taoiseach said he was not aware of job losses at other Irish aid agencies. He added that Concern had an extensive presence in the US and that its branches and partners had won USAID contracts. We wont be able to make up that shortfall, he said speaking in Austin, Texas, on Monday. Thats obviously an unfolding situation in the US, and is very much a factor of US politics and how US government is approaching these issues. Mr Martin said that the issue had been discussed at European Union level. There may be, in the fullness of time, initiatives taken by the European Union, but again, it doesnt have the resources either to fulfil or replace the substantial nature of that and Ireland certainly wouldnt have that either, he said. We will continue to do what we do, well see how things unfold. Theres a lot to play for here yet and theres some distance to go in terms of some of those programmes. I havent met Concern yet about it, and I know that Irish Aid will be in discussions with Concern. He added: Separate to us altogether, they would have had branches here in the US and affiliates here in the US, who had won contracts from USAID. Concern Worldwide has been contacted for comment. 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. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form China's effort helping drive greener future 10:10, March 10, 2025 By Zhang Yunbi ( Chinadaily.com.cn While blasting narratives that accuse China of "overcapacity" in green energy sectors, Liu Jieyi, a seasoned diplomat and senior official of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said that "many countries are exporting what they produce best, and you cannot call that 'overcapacity'". Liu, a member of the Standing Committee and vice-chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the CPPCC National Committee, made the remarks in an exclusive interview with China Daily that covered a wide range of topics, including high-level opening-up, new quality productive forces, and China's whole-process people's democracy. The recent hostile narratives on China's so-called "overcapacity" have targeted the country's clean energy products, such as solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicles and lithium batteries. "If you measure the future needs of the world for green energy at least according to the International Energy Agency's projection we are still falling short of the need to cope with climate change for green energy," Liu said. "Therefore, it's not a matter of 'overcapacity'. It's a matter of more extensive use of green energy," he added. If one puts the label of "overproduction" and "overcapacity" on a country that is exporting to meet the needs of other countries, "then we have many such countries", he said. "You cannot treat China differently simply because China is providing something that the world needs." He noted that many other countries welcome such a contribution from China with open arms, and "it is not right to confuse such competitiveness with 'overproduction'". "The best thing would be to rise above narrow national interests and political considerations behind this trade protectionism and to work together with China for the sake of a cleaner future for future generations," he said. Regarding high-level opening-up, Liu said the CPPCC National Committee has done a lot by holding seminars and consultations to look at ways that China can "achieve a greater degree of integration of the Chinese economy and global economic growth", and it has contributed to policy recommendations and formulation. "We look at what improvements we can make to pilot free trade zones, to different areas where we can open up and provide more and better market access," he said when referring to the removal of restrictions on foreign direct investment in the manufacturing sector and giving greater market access to the service trade. "Also, we are cutting short the negative lists," he said. "We have provided great certainty in this very uncertain international environment." In response to growing global attention on China's cutting-edge sectors and its pursuit of new quality productive forces, Liu cited the unique strength of the CPPCC National Committee in pooling talent and wisdom. "It has members coming from different fields and professions from academia, enterprises and people with background in government," he said, noting that many members from scientific and technological sectors are leading experts in new quality productive forces, including big data, artificial intelligence, biotechnology and quantum technology. The members carry out consultations on the basis of investigations and research, including visits to factories, research labs and universities, Liu said. "They try to find ways to further develop such productivity and, in the process, to make sure that younger generations are brought on board," he added. Noting that the CPPCC is a special consultative body, Liu said it is an important part of the country's whole-process people's democracy in terms of consultations and supervision. He cited as an example a consultation held by the CPPCC on farming, with a live video feed from a sugarcane farm to the meeting venue in Beijing. "The participants, members and government officials in the consultations some of them were ministers could talk directly with the producers and farmers in the field. "In this way, what happens at the grassroots is fed into the consultation process, is fed into either the implementation or the formulation of policy," he said. The CPPCC has exchanged frequent visits with other nations and international organizations, and Liu noted that the foreign guests coming to Beijing have often asked "what Chinese modernization is", "why China has been successful in maintaining decades of robust economic development and social stability", and "what the secret behind such success is". "The exchanges would look at these facts and the underlying logic of the success achieved by China," he said, adding that the CPPCC will expand exchanges with counterparts in the international community. "When they know more about whole-process people's democracy and how to incorporate in it the people's wisdom and strengths, they see that indeed there is a very good way for developing countries to move forward in today's world," Liu said. "They also see things in China's success that are inspirational in their consideration of their way forward." (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. I was not around in 1896 when the Supreme Court case, Plessey v. Fergeson, gave Black children the right to attend school in separate buildings from white children. I was graduating from high school in 1954 when the Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that separate was not equal. It was obvious that Black children were not given equal opportunity when separated in different schools. Dwight D. Eisenhower, a Republican, was the president. In 1965, I was out of college when congress led by President Lyndon Johnson, a Democrat, declared the War on Poverty. Title I would give disadvantaged children a chance to experience the American Dream and the opportunity to rise above the economic status of their parents. To do this, funds were allocated to schools in low income communities. In 1980, the Congress and President Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, set up the Department of Education to oversee educational programs and guarantee the money designated for public education was allocated fairly. In 1975, I was beginning a graduate program to work with special needs children at the University of Oregon. That year, Congress and Republican President Gerald Ford decided that U.S. children who had special needs or disabilities should have an education in the least restrictive environment. In 2025 the Republicans and President Donald Trump have decided to do away with all the efforts of 129 years to provide opportunities for all children to a good education. Evelyn Swart Joseph By David Young, PA, in Austin, Texas A US tech company has announced plans for 50 new jobs at its Irish base as Taoiseach Micheal Martin visited its Texas headquarters. Tricentis, which offers artificial intelligence-led automated software testing tools, revealed plans to expand its footprint in Cork. Taoiseach Micheal Martin visited the companys main office in Austin on Monday as part of the Irish Governments annual drive to use St Patricks Day to promote US investment in Ireland. Mr Martin, who will meet US President Donald Trump in the White House on Wednesday, has said he wants his US visit to sow a seed for future investments in Ireland. The company said it plans to increase investment in Ireland and move into a new office space in Cork to accommodate the expanded workforce, with 50 new jobs to be to be created in the coming years. The Cork operation is one of Tricentis 26 offices around the world and is focused on consolidating international finance and building various functions such as payroll, legal, and data analytics. The new jobs will expand further across several key areas such as sales, engineering, finance, and customer growth. Mr Martin, who is from Cork, said: This investment highlights Irelands appeal as a hub for innovation and technology, supported by the strategic efforts of IDA Ireland. During my meeting with the Tricentis team in Austin, Texas, I learned that the team in Ireland has led several initiatives to optimise Tricentis international business operations. We look forward to the positive impact this project will have. Tricentis chief marketing officer Darren Beck, who recalled a three-week visit to Ireland which included the Blarney Stone in Co Cork, welcomed Mr Martin to the companys Texas headquarters. Mr Martin congratulated the firm on its success and progress to date as he hailed the plans for further expansion. Noting that employees at the Cork office were watching remotely, he said: I want to thank the company also for your hospitality this morning on the way into the boardroom, what greeted me was three boxes of Barrys Tea and a lovely teapot and cup. He added: I think it reflects the closeness, and of course, it reflects the growing strength of the economic relationship between Texas and Ireland more generally. There are 50 multinational companies from this state based in Ireland and we have 120 Irish companies working in the state at different levels and involved in different areas. Mr Martin concluded by telling Tricentis employees in Austin that they should follow Mr Becks experience, adding: You should come to Cork and you should all individually kiss the Blarney Stone and do do other things as well. Eoin Reynolds The Court of Appeal has overturned the conviction of a 34-year-old man who was jailed for eight years for conspiring to steal the getaway car used in the credit union robbery during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was shot dead. The appeal court found that the decision by the three-judge, non-jury Special Criminal Court to amend the indictment against James Flynn after his three-month long trial had finished and without consulting either the prosecution or defence legal teams, was a breach of Mr Flynn's right to constitutional natural justice. Ms Justice Tara Burns, delivering Monday's judgment, described the amendment as a "very unusual occurrence" which had denied Mr Flynn the opportunity to make legal arguments over the amendment or to plead guilty to the new charge. Mr Flynn's lawyers had argued that the first they knew of the charge of conspiring to steal the getaway car was after their client had been convicted of it. Charges Mr Flynn, with an address in Ravensglen, Newry, Co Down was originally charged with a wider conspiracy to steal cars at various locations in the North East. He was further charged with participation in a robbery of the Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth on January 25th 2013 in which Aaron Brady shot and killed Det Gda Donohoe. The Special Criminal Court acquitted Flynn of those charges but amended the indictment to find him guilty of conspiring to steal the Volkswagen Passat from a property in Clogherhead, Co Louth in January 2013. At the Court of Appeal last January, Bernard Condon SC, for Mr Flynn, argued that the decision to amend the indictment after the trial had finished and while the court was acting in its capacity as a jury was an error. He said the defence was not offered an opportunity to argue about the wording of the amendment or as to whether it was appropriate. When the Special Criminal Court amended the indictment, Mr Condon said his client was convicted of a charge which was never put to him and on which he was never given the opportunity to plead. At the level of fundamental fairness, its baffling to us why the court didnt come out and say: Weve reached an impasse, he said. The first we heard that this offence was out there was after we had been convicted of it, he added. Having quashed Mr Flynn's conviction, the Court of Appeal did not consider other arguments made by his lawyers during their appeal. The court will hear from the parties in the case next Tuesday, March 18th as to whether Mr Flynn should face a retrial. The court will hear from the parties in the case next Tuesday, March 18th as to whether Mr Flynn should face a retrial. Mobile phone evidence In the Special Criminal Court's judgement, Mr Justice Tony Hunt said with regard to the series of separate creeper burglaries, the prosecution relied on mobile phone evidence which it said showed phones belonging to Flynn had pinged off masts or cell sites adjacent to homes where cars were stolen in the early hours of the morning at multiple locations on various dates in 2012 and 2013. Mr Justice Hunt said the prosecution had failed to prove that the cell sites referred to were the same ones through which Mr Flynn's calls had been made. He said the court could "draw no conclusions" from the cell site analysis and dismissed the evidence. The evidence in relation to the creeper burglaries therefore amounted to nothing more than suspicion, the judge said, and "a lot more evidence would be needed" to prove the charge of conspiracy to commit burglaries to the standard of beyond a reasonable doubt. Mr Tony Hunt said the evidence established beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr Flynn was an active member of the gang that carried out the robbery and that he was intimately involved with Brady and another man involved in the theft of the getaway car. The court found that Mr Flynn conspired with two others to steal the Passat, basing its finding on CCTV footage alleged to have shown Mr Flynn's distinctive BMW 5-series acting suspiciously in the early hours on the morning of the theft near to where the Passat was stolen. Mr Justice Hunt said the evidence showed Mr Flynn and others were involved in night work of a criminal variety. "That being the case, I would amend Count 3, to read that between January 22nd and 23rd 2013 at various locations, James Flynn conspired with Aaron Brady and another to enter premises at Clogherhead to steal the keys of a motor vehicle," he said. However, the court found the evidence in relation to the robbery at Lordship did not prove the prosecution case that Mr Flynn was one of the men directly involved. Sentencing Mr Flynn to eight years imprisonment in December 2023, Mr Justice Hunt said that at the time when Flynn conspired to steal the Volkswagen Passat he "knew the full purpose of the conspiracy to burgle" and that the conspiracy "encompassed an integral aspect of the robbery" which took place three nights later. Before he was extradited from the UK to face trial, Mr Flynn was in a position to offer over 1 million in sureties when applying for bail at Westminster Magistrates Court. He had fled Ireland shortly after the robbery and had to be extradited from the UK in April 2022 to face trial. The court that Mr Flynn holds both a UK and United States passport but not an Irish one. Additional arguments in appeal During the appeal in January, Mr Condon also questioned the evidence given by prosecution witness Andy Wooller, who claimed to identify Flynn's car driving up and down the street in Clogherhead when the Volkswagen Passat was stolen. Mr Condon said Mr Wooller had described himself as having invented or helped to develop the "science of forensic vehicle identification". Mr Condon said forensic vehicle identification is "not a science and he is not a scientist". Counsel described the methodology used by Mr Wooller as "ludicrous", adding that it is not subject to any regulation or peer review and has never been tested in the academic world. Mr Wooller, counsel said, took 22 years to achieve a degree in science and did not have that degree at the time when he was engaged in identifying vehicles for gardai. Mr Condon described Mr Wooller's evidence as partial and a "ball of smoke" and suggested Mr Wooller should not have been permitted to give evidence in a serious trial. Mr Condon called on the Court of Appeal to set aside the conviction on the basis that the Special Criminal Court was influenced by a witness who is not an expert. Counsel further submitted that the court had made findings of fact that were unsupported by the evidence or did not meet the standard of beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecution counsel Lorcan Staines SC countered that the court could go much further than Mr Wooller in identifying the car because they have more information than Mr Wooller. He said the appellant had constructed a classical strawman argument and that Mr Wooller had not been admitted by the Special Criminal Court as an expert witness, but instead admitted his evidence on the basis that its weight would be determined later. Ryan Dunne A detective garda who interviewed a 37-year-old man accused of murdering his partner has rejected claims that the interview process was tainted due to the man claiming he was too tired to remember what had happened. He changed his account three times, Detective Sergeant Mark Looby told a jury at the Central Criminal Court on Monday, during the trial of Daniel Blanaru. Mr Blanaru, from Rathmore, Athboy, Co Meath, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Larisa Serban (26) on or about August 12th, 2022. It is the State's case that she was stabbed to death by Mr Blanaru, whom they argue was a jealous and "controlling" partner. The jury previously heard that in garda interview, Mr Blanaru said that he might have stabbed Larisa with a very sharp knife, but he could not say how deep into her body it went. He also told gardai: I am guilty, I killed her. Please lock me up. The jury today viewed video footage of Mr Blanarus interview in Ashbourne Garda Station on August 12th, 2022, with Det Sgt Looby being cross-examined by defence counsel, Giollaiosa O Lideadha SC. Mr O Lideadha said that at one point in the interview, the accused, through a Romanian interpreter, said he did not see anything in the hand of Larisas brother, David, who the accused said was present in the house on the night, nor did he see a knife. At this point in the interview, Det Sgt Looby put it to the accused: No one in this interview room has mentioned a knife, bar you. To this, Mr Blanaru had replied: Did I say knife? Mr O Lideadha put it to Det Sgt Looby that it appeared from this that Mr Blanaru was misunderstanding the gardai. Im asking you to take into account that hes been interviewed for a few hours, after being in custody since 6am and hasnt slept. Would you accept that its a reasonable possibility that he was misunderstanding you? asked Mr O Lideadha. Det Sgt Looby said he did not accept this, nor did he accept that Mr Blanaru was just giving in, yielding to the gardai. Mr O Lideadha said that at one point, the accused said, stop confusing me, which was an indication of confusion on his part. Det Sgt Looby replied: No, not on his part. He knew in his head. In the interview, Mr Blanaru told gardai that he and Larisa were at the door, with Larisas brother David on his right hand side, while a tall guy who he said was in the house was sitting down. The accused said that when this other man came over to them, he grabbed Mr Blanaru and said, Lets go out or Get out. Mr Blanaru said that he then heard Larisa say, Ow. When I turned back, Larisa went, Ow. I didnt see any blood, the accused told gardai. He went on to say: You can blame me for everything, but I dont know. I was drunk, I cant remember everything. O Lideadha said that Mr Blanaru had said in Romanian: Mother, Im so tired, I cant understand anything anymore. Defence counsel asked Det Sgt Looby if this would have given the gardai any grounds for concern. I would have asked what he did not understand, replied Det Sgt Looby, going on to say that this sentence had not been translated to the gardai at the time. O Lideadha said that the accused had told gardai that Larisa came to me with the knife, I didnt see her. Counsel put it to the detective that this raised a question as to whether the accused had seen a knife. Was there any concern that he was not describing what he saw but was maybe describing what he thought was happening? asked Mr O Lideadha. Det Sgt Looby said that this had been a new narrative, a new account given by the accused during the interview. O Lideadha said that Mr Blanaru had said in Romanian: Im tired. When youre tired you dont know anything anymore. He asked the detective if he would have been concerned about this had it been translated for him at the time. Det Sgt Looby replied that he would have asked the accused if what he was saying was the truth or not. He went on to say that he did not accept Mr O Lideadhas assertion that Mr Blanarus remarks about being tired raised any concerns that this interview process was tainted. Mr O Lideadha said that in the prosecution transcript of what Mr Blanaru had said, it was translated that he told gardai that Larisa maybe wanted to use the knife to stab him. However, in a translation of the transcript acquired by the defence, what was said was: Maybe she wanted to do something, put something in me. As the accused had not used the word knife, Mr O Lideadha said that this portion of the transcript was guesswork or speculation, as the interviewing gardai had then asked the accused where the knife was. Det Sgt Looby said he did not accept that. He changed his account three times, said Det Sgt Looby, adding that it had not been the gardai who had introduced a knife into the account. The detective went on to say that he did not accept the defences claim that Mr Blanarus later reply that he had seen the knife was him giving in to the gardai. The trial continues on Tuesday before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and an enlarged jury of 11 men and four women. Eva Osborne An Garda Siochana alongside officers attached to the Revenue Commissioners and Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) conducted a multi-agency operation at a location in north Co Dublin on Sunday. Throughout the course of this operation, over 79,200 cigarettes and 1.25kg tobacco along with 667 litres of alcohol, including homemade alcohol, were seized by the Revenue Commissioners. 115 litres of the seized alcohol is believed to be homemade and was detained by Revenue officers for further investigation. The overall alcohol seized has a value of over 4,000 with a potential loss to the exchequer of 2,450. A checkpoint was also conducted on the R122, in which customs officers and members of the DMR North Divisional Roads Policing Unit made a number of detections, including the seizure of a vehicle and the arrest of an individual for drink driving offences. Gardai attached to Balbriggan Garda Station arrested a male for suspected money laundering offences. The man, aged in his 50s, has since been released without charge and a file will be prepared for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Gardai said investigations are ongoing. A BUS DRIVER whose Rottweiler is alleged to have attacked three other dogs came before Portlaoise District Court. Stephen Talbot, 122 Rossvale, Portlaoise is accused of allowing his dog to attack other dogs in the housing estate on 16 and 27 August 2022 and on 17 September 2023. Garda Lisa Murray said that when he was approached, Mr Talbot said that his dog had never attacked any dog. She said the case could be dealt with at district court level on a plea of guilty only. Mr Talbot said that his dog was euthanised on 31 May last year. The 63-year-old defendants solicitor Philip Meagher said that his client, who works as a bus driver, was seeking an adjournment to allow him time to consider which way he intends to plead to the charges. Judge Andrew Cody remanded Mr Talbot on his own bail of 100 and adjourned the case to 27 March for a plea, or for preparation of a book of evidence. A RATHENISKA based builder is to feature on the first show of a new TG4 series Na Builders. With over 160,000 people employed in the construction industry in Ireland, Na Builders, which is an original, home-grown series for TG4 shines the spotlight on construction workers from across the country as they battle the elements - and occasionally each other - to get the job done. Dave Fingleton is pictured alongside Florent Villiard whose house is featured in the Slieve Bloom Mountains on the first series of 'Na Builders' In the first episode, which will be screened on Thursday 20 March at 9.30pm the show heads to Laois, to meet Dave Fingleton who has taken on a unique project in the Slieve Bloom Mountains building an extension onto a preexisting cottage. Dave is based in Ratheniska. His company Warm Home Construction specialises in super warm and super-insulated homes. Its like lego with foam bricks in which you pour concrete into. He has been doing it for the last 15 years. He was doing regular building before that. He started out as a carpenter by trade and travelled the world living in Canada and Korea among many other places. As the series continues each Thursday night builders of all shapes and sizes, in rural and urbans settings, will be highlighted and looked at at what they are building and who they are building for and getting a real sense of where we are in building Ireland these days From bricklayers to electricians, plumbers to roofers, plasterers to carpenters these hard- working men and women are part of our everyday lives in Ireland. These will be their stories. By Rebecca Black, PA A second Sinn Fein representative has been questioned by gardai over a complaint of alleged business fraud. Cork city councillor Kenneth Collins attended a pre-arranged appointment with gardai in early January and had denied any wrongdoing, his solicitor Frank Buttimer confirmed. Cork North Central TD Thomas Gould was also questioned over the allegation on Friday. He said in a statement 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. On Sunday, Mr Buttimer said: He was given an invitation to attend. He accepted the invitation and he kept the appointment. He co-operated fully with their inquiry. He denied any allegation of wrongdoing and he was released without being charged. Meanwhile, in a statement issued by his solicitor on Saturday, 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 pro-actively 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 leader Mary Lou McDonald. (PA) Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald said both men emphatically deny the allegations. 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. 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 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 March 7. Investigations are ongoing. An Ohio glass company will close its manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania and more than 100 employees will be laid off. Custom Glass Solutions filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, informing the state it will close its facility at 2175 Kumry Road in Milford Township, Bucks County, near Trumbauersville, and 105 employees will be laid off. The plant is expected to close on April 30. Most layoffs are expected to take place on or about April 30. Approximately 20 people are expected to remain employed through dates ranging from May 30 to April 30, 2026 due to their specific jobs. Four employees will be offered the opportunity to relocate to other company locations due to their specific jobs, the company said. The employees at the plant include 74 production team members; one operations manager; one accounting administrator; one plant manager; two customer service representatives; three production supervisors; three engineers; one program manager; two human resources administrators; one purchasing buyer; one inventory specialist; five quality control employees; one IT administrator; two schedulers; one maintenance manager; one supply chain manager; four maintenance technicians and one manufacturing technician. The company said that affected employees may be eligible for a severance package. Custom Glass Solutions produces large-format, laminated glass systems as well as flat and bent glass systems. The company also operates three facilities in Ohio and one in Oklahoma, and employs more than 800 people. The WARN Act is federal legislation that offers protection to workers, their families, and communities by requiring employers to provide notice 60 days in advance of a covered-business closing and covered-business mass layoff. The WARN notice was dated Feb. 27. A 47-year-old man is accused of firing multiple shots at a Lehigh County home while multiple people, including a child, were inside, state police said. Cristopher Rodriguez-Velez, 47, of the 6300 block of Lamar Court in Washington Township, Lehigh County, is charged with one count felony possession of a prohibited firearm; one count felony discharge of a firearm into occupied structure; four counts misdemeanor simple assault; four counts misdemeanor reckless endangerment; and related offenses. Rodriguez-Velez was arraigned Friday before District Judge Ronald S. Manescu, who set bail at $100,000. In lieu of bail, he was taken to Lehigh County Jail, where he remained Monday. Court records did not immediately list an attorney for Rodriguez-Velez. Pennsylvania State Police at Bethlehem said the incident happened just before 11:30 p.m. Thursday at Rodriguez-Velezs home. The firing of shots was the result of a dispute Rodriguez-Velez was having with his wife, investigators allege in court records. Rodriguez-Velez grabbed two firearms and told told three people he had no problem shooting them if they called police, police wrote in their affidavit of probable cause to charge him. A 5-year-old child was among multiple others in the home with the couple, police said. Rodriguez-Velez allegedly fired a round into the floor next to the bed where a woman was sleeping. He then hid the firearm in a back closet, court records state. There were no reported injuries in the shooting. Investigators seized from the home a gun, shell casing, and a charred metal pipe with suspected controlled substance residue from a back bedroom, police said. Court records indicate Rodriguez-Velez had a prior firearm conviction and therefore, was barred from possessing a gun. Rodriguez-Velez is due back in court for a preliminary hearing tentatively scheduled for 1:30 p.m. March 13 before Manescu. A judge will then determine if theres sufficient evidence to send the case toward trial at the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. A joint New Jersey and Pennsylvania Turnpike bridge that was closed 8 years ago due to a crack in its steel could be replaced by a new span connecting the highways. Three public meetings, one virtual and two in person, will be held this month about the process and studies leading up to replacing the Pearl Harbor extension bridge over the Delaware River, said officials of the New Jersey and Pennsylvania turnpike authorities. A public comment period will be open form March 12 until April 12 and results form a public survey conducted in the fall will be shared at the forums. The first, most accessible forum, a virtual one on Zoom this Wednesday at 6 p.m., requires pre-registration online. The New Jersey in person forum will be held from 5 to 8 p.m., Thursday, March 20, at the Florence Township Municipal Building, 711 Broad St., Florence. A Pennsylvania forum is scheduled for 5 to 8 p.m., March 19 at the Benjamin Franklin Middle School, 6401 Mill Creek Road, Levittown. In January 2017, inspectors found a crack in a supporting truss, which prompted the shutdown later that month. The bridge, which 42,000 vehicles cross daily, was closed along with the five-mile Pearl Harbor extension between the two Turnpikes. Officials said that crack caused the bridge to move out of place. That required a complicated procedure to jack the bridge up, using temporary bridge towers and splice in steel plates to support the cracked steel bridge piece. Permanent repairs took until April 2017. Those repairs prompted both authorities to allocate funding for several studies that could lead to preliminary engineering work on alternatives for a replacement bridge. In 2020, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority included a possible replacement for that bridge in its 2020, $24 billion capital plan, which allocates $500 million for New Jerseys share of the project. An earlier 2003 plan called for rehabilitating the current bridge and constructing a second span slightly upriver. That plan was reconsidered after the 2017 crack and construction. The bridge is a sister span to the Newark Bay Bridge which the New Jersey Turnpike Authority plans to replace with two cable-stayed bridges between Bayonne and Newark, if the U.S. Coast Guard approves permits. Both have similar designs. The Delaware River bridge, maintained by the New Jersey and Pennsylvania Turnpike Authorities, opened in May 1956. It is considered a fracture critical design, meaning that failure of one of the bridge members could result in the collapse of all or part of the span, New Jersey Turnpike engineers said in 2017. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @CommutingLarry The Minister for Enterprise, Tourism & Employment, Peter Burke TD has promised to improve the dismal number of IDA supported jobs in Laois, speaking in the county this week. Out of the 8,000 foreign direct investment (FDI) jobs supported by the IDA in Ireland, just 145 are in Laois. Minister Burke was opening Midland Steels new factory creating up to 70 new jobs in the J17 National Enterprise Park in Portlaoise. The park was bought and built by Laois County Council to step in where the IDA had failed. Asked by the Leinster Express / Laois Live if the IDAs Laois record will improve under his watch, he said absolutely. Working with Deputy Willie Aird here, we were just down looking at the IDA park and looking at the infrastructure thats around it and underwrites it. We will be working to attract good high quality jobs into the locality. We have a very exciting growth plan for the IDA over the next five years which will see a very significant growth in employment. But also high value jobs, and research and development additional expenditure is going to surpass 7 billion, thats a very exciting trajectory. Critically, we want Laois to be front and centre of that. And if you see the connectivity here, youre just right beside the motorway, right at the key junctions to the south, theres so much going for the area and absolutely Ill work with Deputy Aird in ensuring that we can capture those opportunities here, Minister Burke said. See photos of the opening of Midland Steel's new Portlaoise factory, expanding on its Mountmellick plant. Majella Bourke, Operations Manager, Midland Steel; Willie Aird TD; Paul Woods, Operations Director, Midland Steel; Peter Burke TD Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment; Tony Woods, Founder and CEO, Midland Steel; Andrea Woods, Kevin Sherry, Interim CEO, Enterprise Ireland and John Woods at Midland Steel in Portlaoise for the unveiling of a 16 million Smart Steel Fabrication Facility which is transforming the construction industry. Photo: Alf Harvey Deputy Aird says there are two more Portlaoise enterprise sites ripe for development. It just shows you that Laois County Council having bought this from Pat McDonagh (SuperMacs) at the time, the whole enterprise centre and the way it has opened up. The whole area, the new roads. All the sites are sold in it now. It's a great day for Portlaoise and I hope we have many more. "It's 100% successful and we need to drive on this. I had the Minister this morning showing him that we have 40 acres of land adjacent to the IDA park, plus a site in the front which was bought for the decentralised department of agriculture, then for the Portlaoise Garda station. That's another parcel of land available there. That approaches the bypass road we have here. Watch: See inside new Midland Steel factory. Im delighted to hear the Minister say today that we are ripe for an industry of high tech jobs. I certainly will be doing everything I can to keep it stirred on until we get an opportunity on that site because it is brilliant," he said. Lidl is believed to be considering opening a store in Mountmellick town centre in Laois. The German based discount supermarket chain is refusing to deny or confirm the purchase of a vacant premises that has long been a source of concern in the town. The Leinster Express / Laois Live understands that the vacant, near derelict Central Garage on Emmett Street is being purchased by Lidl Ireland. It is understood that talks are now underway with the local authority on the possibility of demolishing it and building a new supermarket. It would be Lidl's third store in Laois, with a recently rebuilt large Lidl in Portlaoise and another in Portarlington. When asked to confirm the news, Lidl Ireland gave a non-committal statement to the Leinster Express / Laois Live. We dont have an update to share at this time, a spokesperson said. The large site fronts onto the N80 road to Tullamore. The once thriving Mountmellick Nissan garage was liquidated in 2011 after 46 years, and the empty property become a centre for anti social behaviour, with doors and windows smashed, and the interior trashed, before it was boarded up in 2014. The former Central Garage site including the four vacant houses in Mountmellick. Photo: Leinster Express The site stretches back to Twomey Terrace housing estate, and includes three houses, two showrooms and two workshops. A well known landmark on the N80 road, its boarded up windows are painted with murals on behalf of Mountmellick Tidy Towns. Laois County Council placed it on the Derelict Sites List twice over the years, removing it after the front was cleaned up. The council replaced disintegrating hoarding on the gate in 2023 with metal sheeting out of its own funds. Mountmellick Tidy Towns expressed hope at that time that it would soon be redeveloped. "Hopefully it will not be another 10 years before we see development taking place. Whether its for business or housing, we have no preference, just that something happens and it's not left for another 10 years the way it was. The homeowners either side of the garage are worried for their properties, and we back them on that. It is in a great spot for development. It's a huge area with huge potential. Touch wood something will happen," the chairperson Maura Reddin had said in 2023. The first Lidl Ireland stores opened in the year 2000 and the company now has more than 180 stores, 3 regional distribution centres and employs more than 6,000 people in the Republic of Ireland. 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. A man has had his conviction overturned for conspiring to burgle in relation to a car used in a 2013 robbery where a garda was killed. Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was murdered during the Lordship Credit Union robbery in Bellurgan, Co Louth, on January 25 2013. The keys to a Volkswagen Passat, which was involved in the robbery, were stolen from a house in Clogherhead in Co Louth and used to take the car. James Flynn, 34, with an address at Ravens Glen in Newry, was convicted of conspiracy to burgle with others and sentenced to eight years in prison in late 2023. On Monday, the Court of Appeal in Dublin overturned his conviction at the Special Criminal Court. This was due to a very unusual occurrence where the count before Flynn was amended without any opportunity for him to make submissions in response, the court of appeal said. Flynns legal team had argued that the court had erred and had no jurisdiction to amend the indictment. The grounds for the appeal stated the amended indictment was made without notice to any party and without any party being given the opportunity of making submissions and was thus unfair and contrary to principles of fair procedures. The appellant in this case, possibly uniquely in Irish criminal history, was convicted on a count never put to him, a count never before mentioned in the course of this trial until he had been convicted of it, and a count upon which he was never given any opportunity whatsoever to make any submissions at all. In a judgment by the Court of Appeal issued on Monday, the three-judge panel said the peculiar features of a trial in the non-jury Special Criminal Court is that the court acts as both a decider of law and trier of fact. Accordingly, having determined that it was not satisfied to the requisite standard of the appellants guilt on the wider conspiracy charge, the trial court narrowed the particulars of the conspiracy to burgle charge to what it was satisfied had been established to the requisite standard. But it said the appellant had no chance to make any legal argument against the altered count. Indeed, as an appeal court, we are unusually being incited to determine legal issues which were never argued before the lower court. It concluded that the appellants right to constitutional and natural justice was breached. The Court of Appeal quashed Flynns conviction for conspiracy to burgle and said it would hear further submissions on ordering a retrial. Peter Corrigan, of Phoenix Law, said: We welcome todays ruling by the Court of Appeal quashing the conviction of James Flynn. We had serious concerns around our clients fair trial and constitutional rights and we welcome the conviction being set aside. Pledges of extra cash to tackle escalating hospital waiting lists in Northern Ireland are qualified, Mike Nesbitt has told MLAs. The Health Minister said that while he waited for clarity on extra funding, his instinct was to proceed at risk with a cocktail of measures to attempt to alleviate pressures. Northern Ireland has the worst hospital waiting lists in the UK. The programme for government (PFG), published last week by the Stormont Executive, included a pledge to spend up to 80 million a year to prevent waiting lists getting any longer and 135 million a year to reduce them. Mr Nesbitt has written to First Minister Michelle ONeill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly seeking clarity about the commitments, which he said he only became aware of shortly before the document was published. At the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday, Sinn Fein MLA Colm Gildernew asked if the minister would consider the reintroduction of a cross-border healthcare reimbursement scheme, given the extra funding pledged in the PFG. Mr Nesbitt said he would like to reintroduce the scheme, but added: The member talks about the programme for government commitment. I have to say that commitment is qualified. If you read what it says about waiting lists, it says given Executive support we will get some money. It also says up to 135 million, it doesnt say 135 million. What I am hoping for is the other 80 million that is there to make sure the waiting lists dont get any larger, that that will be forthcoming because I think it is key to try to stabilise those waiting lists by not allowing them to become any bigger. The 135 million was to start reducing the waiting lists. We would need to spend that five times, it is over five years. I am not at all confident that 135 million will become available over the course of financial year 25/26. The minister said he was seeking clarity on how much additional funding he would receive and when it would be delivered. He added: But I am instinctively thinking what I should do is proceed at risk. That means thinking about a cocktail of new initiatives. Talking to the (health) trusts, talking, whether members like it or not, to the independent sector. But also thinking about reintroducing that cross-border scheme. Mr Nesbitt said: We are tending, because of the pressures of the budget, to work hand-to-mouth, day-to-day, living in the day. What we need to do is to try and lift our heads up, difficult as it is, and start thinking a little bit more strategically. If there is more money coming we will look at all the options. Jehovah's Witnesses in Laois have moved into a new Kingdom Hall in Portlaoise after years of planning but just a short few months of construction. In a statement announcing the opening, the group said "honeysuckles and warm smiles" greeted Jehovah's Witnesses as they held their inaugural meeting at a new house of worship in Portlaoise on March at their new home on the Dublin Road. Planning started in April 2019, when the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Ireland applied for permission to build the Hall behind Annfield House on a property that borders St Mary's Hall. Over 400 Jehovahs Witnesses from the local area, around Ireland and the UK volunteered over five months to help build the Kingdom Hall. The new building consists of an auditorium with a capacity of 90 people and some facilities. A spokesperson said one challenge was finding accommodation for all the temporary volunteers that travelled from Scotland, Wales, England and around Ireland. But the local Jehovah's Witnesses worked to ensure that all coming to work had somewhere to stay as they supported the project. MORE BELOW PICTURE. Pictured: The new Hall. A local contractor who assisted with the project commented: The hall that theyre building looks amazing, its a lovely spot. Ive never seen so many people at a construction site with full gear on, working hard, everyone happy and taking pictures. Honestly, Jehovahs Witnesses are the nicest people Ive ever met. Every time I go there theyre always so nice and they shake my hand and everything. Its great. Laois County Council granted planning permission in November of that year while a further application to amend the plan was approved in 2022. Unlike the nearby Portlaoise Parish Centre, the building will not be available for general community use. A Christian movement, the Jehovah's Witnesses believe that establishing God's kingdom over earth is the only solution to all of humanity's problems READ ALSO: LAOIS PARENTS FORCED TO GO FOR MONEYLENDERS The church says there are 121 congregations around Ireland. The group emerged in the United States from the Bible Student movement founded in the 1870s. Jehovah's Witnesses are known for their door-to-door preaching, distributing literature such as The Watchtower and Awake!, and for refusing military service and blood transfusions. Derrinturn is the most dangerous, crime-wise village in our MD, Cllr Brendan Wyse (FG) said at a recent meeting of Clane-Maynooth Municipal District. Cllr Wyse was calling for Kildare County Council to nominate Derrinturn as the pilot village for a community CCTV scheme, in place of Clane. He said that if there is a CCTV scheme, then it should go in the most dangerous, crime-wise village in our MD, and while Clane had an incident of a graffiti artist going around destroying the place, in Derrinturn there was hundreds of thousands of euro of damage done to housing stock by drug gangs. READ NEXT: 3,000 cars disappear after failing NCT leaving testers and drivers wondering In some cases, Cllr Wyse said, innocent people's houses were being burned down, with thugs having been given a target then hitting the wrong house. He said CCTV would be of huge benefit to the gardai, because while there was a local garda station, it was not fully manned, and so the area was reliant on Leixlip Garda Station. He added that if ever the MD had a CCTV scheme set up, then Derrinturn is the first place that should get it. Cllr Padraig McEvoy (IND) said the people of Clane would be very disappointed with Cllr Wyse's proposal, as they have been promised the scheme for a long time and have done fundraising for the project at a local level. The people of Clane had done a feasibility report, there were LPT monies allocated to the scheme, as well as other work in relation to the scheme, he said, adding he would be very surprised if members decided to take the scheme away from Clane. A report issued by the council stated that Derrinturn may be considered as a pilot village for the community CCTV scheme provided elected members agree to the reallocation of Local Property Tax to the project. The report further noted that councillors should be aware that the establishment of a Local Authority led Community CCTV scheme is set out under S38 of An Garda Siochana Act 2005 and S.28 of An Garda Siochana (Recording Devices) Act 2023. Under both pieces of legislation, the report added, the establishment of Community CCTV schemes requires the authorisation/consultation of the local Joint Policing Committee (JPC) prior to submission of an application to the Garda Commissioner for approval. However, the report stated, As there is no longer a JPC in place to obtain this authorisation/consultation, there does not appear to be a mechanism currently available for Local Authorities to apply for establishment of any Community CCTV schemes at this time. The report continued: Under S38 of An Garda Siochana Act 2005 and S.27 of An Garda Siochana (Recording Devices) Act 2023, members of An Garda Siochana can apply directly to the Garda Commissioner for authorisation for the installation of Community CCTV without recourse to the Joint Policing Committees, this appears the only mechanism currently available to progress Community CCTV schemes. The report concluded: It is not known at this stage if the required authorisations will be from part of the newly established Local Community Safety Partnerships which will replace the JPC, as regulations for same are currently awaited. Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ni Mhurchu, a former barrister, has described the extraordinary amount of unpaid district court fines in Ireland as a slap in the face to the victims of their crimes. Her comments come as the Irish Courts Service released figures to Ni Mhurchu, under the freedom of information act, which show that almost 45 million in unpaid district court fines are outstanding across Irelands district court system since 2020. Over 3.7m of this relates to the District Court office in Naas which covers sittings in Kildare. A spokesperson for the Irish Courts Services said: "These figures record fines due for payment, part paid, due for payment in the future, or overdue for payment. "A fine is the amount of money the judge decides has to be paid as punishment for an offence. The court sets out the amount to be paid and the number of days allowed for payment. The court office issues the fines notice after the court hearing." Ni Mhurchu has called for the issue of unpaid district court fines to be included in the upcoming review of the criminal justice system which was promised in the 2025 Programme for Government. Ni Mhurchu said: What does this say to the victims who have been impacted by crimes such as drink driving, assault, theft, and shop lifting. We are imposing fines that a percentage of criminals are choosing to ignore and it seems there is little we are doing about it. 45 million would fund a lot of domestic violence refuges, road safety campaigns and extra Garda on our streets. It is time for a get tough approach to those criminals who feel they are above the law. Our road deaths have been rising in Ireland for consecutive years. How can we expect any improvement in that scenario when those fined for traffic offences may choose not to pay the fine Ni Mhurchu argues that the Fines (Payment and Recovery) Act 2014, which came into force on the 11th of January 2016 is clearly not working when it comes to the recovery of most outstanding fines. The act provides for alternative orders to imprisonment in the event that a court imposed fine is not paid. The act allowed those convicted to pay fines in instalments, and introduced measures including attachment of earnings for unpaid fines, community service and the appointment of receivers to recover fines. Ni Mhurchu feels it is time to implement the measures set out in the 2014 act aggressively. Clearly, the courts service are not implementing the measures set out in the 2014 act. The act allows measures up to and including taking someones social welfare or salary to pay the fines due. Is this being done? The courts service will say it takes time to collect fines but over 2.2m is still owing from 2020 and over 5.5m is still owing from 2021!! Ni Mhurchus figures show that 133, 851 fines across the state have yet to be paid in full in our district court system. Carrick on Shannon was one of the most compliant district court offices in Ireland with almost 134,000 in district court fines outstanding since 2020. READ NEXT: 3,000 CARS DISAPPEAR AFTER FAILING NCT. The driver of a vintage car who collided with a traffic light and flattened it was prosecuted at Naas District Court. Romue Guidine, 42, whose address was given as 49 Kerdiff Close, Naas, was prosecuted following the accident, which occurred on November 11, 2023 near the Centra store at Monread Road, Naas. READ NEXT Competition heats up as five celebrities face off in semi-final of Dancing with the Stars Garda Shauna Hough said that there was a male driver in the vintage Mercedes vehicle, which had hit a traffic light. The garda said that the driver was stuck in the vehicle but he said he was okay and declined an offer to summon an ambulance to the scene. Gda Hough added that she could smell alcohol and the drivers speech was slurred. The defendant was arrested and cautioned following a breath test. A subsequent blood sample returned a reading of 266. The court also heard that the car was written off and the traffic light had to be replaced. The defendant, who had no previous convictions, produced a Brazilian driving licence. Judge Desmond Zaidan imposed a 1,000 fine for dangerous driving and disqualified him for two years. He was also fined 1,000 for driving with excess alcohol and disqualified for three years with the disqualifications to run concurrently. He was fined 250 for not having a driving licence. The Solas Art Gallery, housed within The Island Theatre, Ballinamore, is currently hosting its highly anticipated Spring Group Exhibition, running until April 4. Featuring an exciting mix of 25 artists, this vibrant showcase brings together a compelling selection of seasoned professionals and emerging talents, offering visitors an immersive experience through a variety of styles and mediums. Among the standout works, Seamus Heaney presents thought-provoking pieces, while Margaret Rattigans "Sunflower Smile" radiates warmth and optimism. Laura Jean Zitos "Winds From The West" captures movement and atmosphere with striking intensity. Meanwhile, Michael Lanes "The Open Door" and "Wild West" invite viewers into intriguing, open-ended narratives. Lane, a seasoned artist, recently rekindled his passion for painting after moving to a cottage in Leitrim. Speaking about his artistic revival, he shared, After completing renovations, I finally had the space and peace to return to painting. Its been an incredibly rewarding experience to reconnect with my creativity. The exhibition also highlights the works of Sean Lorinyenko, a Donegal-based Irish artist who balances his passion for painting with a career in architecture. A graduate of Oxford Brookes University, Seans art merges his two worlds, producing vivid and bold watercolor drawings with a special focus on architectural structures. His work captures the relationship between buildings and the landscapes they inhabit, offering a fresh perspective on Irelands built environment. Adding to the exhibitions depth, French-born artist Celia Richard, who has lived in Ireland for several decades, presents a unique artistic approach that blends emotional storytelling with found objects. With an academic background in environmental sciences and river conservation, Celias art challenges viewers to reconsider the value of the everyday. Through her mixed-media compositions, she questions what we keep, what we discard, and why we assign meaning to certain objects. Her work has been exhibited across Ireland, France, and the UK, and she also teaches art, craft, and yoga in community and healthcare settings. Visitors to Solas Art Gallery can explore an extraordinary selection of pieces, ranging from richly textured oil paintings to fluid watercolors and intricate sculptures. The light-filled space enhances the viewing experience, allowing each work to shine in its full vibrancy. Looking ahead, Solas Art Gallery is preparing for two joint solo exhibitions, each featuring three artists. These upcoming showcases will offer a deeper insight into the creative journeys of selected artists, accompanied by detailed biographical insights. For those passionate about contemporary art, the Spring Group Exhibition is a must-visit. Whether youre a longtime admirer of the arts or a curious newcomer, this collection is a testament to creativity, resilience, and artistic evolution. READ MORE Glens arts centre raises vital funds for equipment upgrade The Junction Hub in Ballinamore, a co-working and community space designed to support local enterprise and innovation, has won the Best Town or Village Regeneration award at the 2025 All-Ireland Community and Council Awards, presented by the Local Authority Members Association (LAMA). Opened on January 1, 2024, The Junction Hub has quickly become a thriving center for business, remote work, and community innovation. But its journey began decades ago. Originally the Cavan-Leitrim Railway station, the building closed in 1969 as trucks overtook rail transport. It later became a secondary school, owned by the Church, before being donated to the community. Locals had a vision for its futurea digital hub for youth and a school of artand that vision has now come to life. Colm Keane, Business Development Manager with Leitrim County Enterprise, highlighted the hubs success, saying, The demand has been fantastic. Our four private offices are fully booked, and while we always have desk space available, weve seen steady clients making The Junction their go-to workplace. He added that the hub has responded to unexpected needs in the community. We saw spikes in demand during power outages this year, and last summer was even busier than we expected, Keane noted. The Junction Hub provides high-speed broadband, modern office spaces, and a flexible work environment, making it ideal for remote workers, startups, and creative professionals. It has played a key role in Ballinamores regeneration, turning an underutilized space into an economic and social engine for the town. Leitrim County Council praised the achievement, stating, We are delighted to have won 'Best Town Regeneration Project' for The Junction, Ballinamore at the 2025 LAMA Awards. This award solidifies The Junction Hubs role in Ballinamores transformation, proving that with community vision and smart investment, rural towns can thrive in the digital age. READ MORE Glens arts centre raises vital funds for equipment upgrade A large crowd of residents, along with a few councillors gathered in Kinlough Community Centre on Thursday, March 6, to discuss the next steps in preventing the installation of a second telecommunications mast near the local primary school. Kinlough, a small but tight-knit community, made its stance clear at the meeting - they are determined to stop the mast from being erected. Vantage Towers applied for planning permission in September 2023 to install a 24 metre mast just 170 metres from Four Masters National School. As the school is expected to expand over the next five to ten years, this development would bring it even closer to the proposed mast site. Opposition to the project was strong, with 130 submissions lodged against the 5G mast. Leitrim County Council ultimately refused planning permission. However, Vantage Towers appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanala, which later granted approval. Spokesperson for the group and well known businessman Noel McGowan, alongside Karol Warnock pursued a judicial review in the High Court. In May 2024, the court ruled in their favour after An Bord Pleanala conceded that it had failed to consider Leitrim County Councils submission. As a result, the court quashed the planning approval. Following this, an inspector from An Bord Pleanala assessed the site and recommended refusing permission, mainly due to the masts visual impact. This recommendation was overturned, and planning permission was ultimately granted. This mast is going to be a sore thumb in the area for the rest of our days, Mr McGowan told the meeting. We live in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Its a fantastic area to live in and this mast is going to be a blight on our whole area. Beyond concerns over the visual impact, many residents fear potential environmental and health risks, particularly for children. Theres reports all over the world that proves these masts are a serious health risk especially to children, theres no doubt about that, Mr McGowan said. However, health concerns alone are not sufficient grounds to block the mast. In Ireland, An Bord Pleanala, local councils and Government agencies do not take potential health risks from mobile phone mast radiation into account when making planning decisions. The community now has two possible courses of action: persuading the landowner to withdraw from the project, or pursuing another judicial review. While the group is considering another legal challenge, the costs could range between 20,000 to 30,000. That said, Mr McGowan emphasised that convincing the landowner to stand down remains an option. The landowner has been approached previously and allegedly does not wish to withdraw. All across the world they reckon masts should not be within 500 metres of any school, Cllr Justin Warnock commented. We have to stand together and go this extra mile. With approximately five weeks to decide on their next steps, the community are considering forming a delegation of parents to appeal to the landowner once more. Additionally, an online fundraising page will be launched to support another judicial review, and a petition is available to sign at McGowans Spar. Vantage Towers did not respond to a request for a comment by the time of publication. READ MORE: Leitrim's Junction Hub wins top award for transforming Ballinamore Growing Northern Irelands economy is the focus of a visit by the First Minister and deputy First Minister to North Carolina. Michelle ONeill and Emma Little-Pengelly are leading a business mission to the US state, before Ms Little-Pengelly travels to Washington DC ahead of St Patricks Day. Later this week, Taoiseach Micheal Martin is set to present US President Donald Trump with the traditional bowl of shamrock. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons and Health Minister Mike Nesbitt are also visiting Washington DC this week, while Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald is travelling to Boston and New York. First Minister Michelle ONeill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly started their engagements in North Carolina with a tour of global tech company Lenovo at Research Triangle Park in Raleigh. Leading an @NIChamber business delegation, Ministers reaffirmed their pic.twitter.com/NQXRQS8lMr NI Executive (@niexecutive) March 10, 2025 On Monday, Ms ONeill and Ms Little-Pengelly started their engagements with a visit to the Research Triangle Park (RTP). They went on to visit the Poulton Innovation Centre at NC State Universitys Centennial Campus before a series of political engagements, including meeting North Carolinas secretary of state Elaine F Marshall and lieutenant governor Rachel Hunt. The visit comes 12 months after the NI Chamber signed a NI Chambers memorandum of understanding (MOU). Ms ONeill said Northern Ireland had huge potential for investors. Growing our economy is our focus for this important visit as we develop business and investment opportunities, strengthening our partnership with North Carolina, she said. We have close economic ties with US companies. We have welcomed over 1,300 international companies, creating thousands of good jobs in the process. We offer one of the most efficient business environments in Europe. We have a young, dynamic and highly skilled workforce with unique access to trade opportunities in Britain and Europe. The potential we offer is huge, and we compete on the world stage. That is the message I will be bringing to investors. Ms Little-Pengelly said: The MOU between both chambers of commerce was built on the commitment to work together, to unlock new economic opportunities, drive innovation, and create lasting business relationships. And one year on, it is clear that this partnership is thriving. Building the connections between ourselves and the US is key to our economic growth and we are breaking new ground on this visit. There are such parallels between our economic strengths and the potential for this approach is huge. Our visit demonstrates our support for this approach as we recognise the benefits of the opportunity to come together, share expertise, explore new markets, and forge meaningful collaborations. Suzanne Wylie, chief executive of the NI Chamber, said it had been working intensively with business, academics and potential investors in North Carolina over the last year. Now, we are seeing that translate into game-changing opportunities for joint investments and expanding business footprints, research partnerships and alliances, she said. This mission is about expanding those new relationships further and together, showcasing Northern Ireland and North Carolina as regions of joint business opportunity. Our MOU with NC Chamber has garnered significant political interest on both sides of the Atlantic, and we are delighted that on our return visit, we are accompanied by the First Minister and deputy First Minister, as well as universities and business leaders. Our mission is about making business-to-business connections, learning from best practices and business and politicians together pitching Northern Ireland as a unique and compelling place to invest and do business. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Agriculture Minister Dr. Nuetah presents brand new motorbikes to DAOs to reach out to farming communities Deputy Minister Jones (left in red), Sen. Moye and others at the groundbreaking ceremony THE OWNER of a business in Glin is cooking up a storm after his firm was named the only Limerick winner at this years Irish Takeaway Awards. Shekeel Hamad, who owns Glin Grub in the villages Main Street, was left in shock after landing two prizes at the ceremony in Sligo. The shop - which serves cuisine from around the world - won Munsters Kebab of the Year prize, and followed this up with winning the Pizza of the Year title for the province. Shekeel explained how he had put his business forward for the award late last year. A number of weeks later, the award organisers contacted him to let him know he had made the final shortlist. Then it was over to his loyal customer base to vote for him through social media. It means a lot to win this, especially as its a public vote, he explained. Shekeel, who hails from Pakistan, came to Glin 15 years ago, after a spell working in Dublin. He set up the business after friends of his based in Askeaton, recommended the area. PICTURES: Kildimo-Pallaskenry celebrate All-Ireland Junior 'B' Hurling Championship success Shekeel paid a special tribute to his wife Fatima for all her help. It means a lot to win these awards, especially as it is a public vote. Im feeling very proud. I feel like Ive won something for Glin and the local community, he said. He described the villages community as unreal, adding: They are very friendly, very supportive. Mexican restaurant Zambrero, which has a number of branches nationally including in Castletroy, was highly commended in the category of Takeaway Team of the Year. THE Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), Irelands independent energy, energy safety and water regulator, prosecuted Robert Mulqueen for carrying out illegal gas works at Limerick District Court which resulted in a criminal conviction. Robert Mulqueen of Amharc Muileann, Bloodmill Road, Limerick, received the conviction at Limerick District Court on March 6 for illegally carrying out gas works on a campervan while not being a registered gas installer. Mr Mulqueen pleaded guilty to the offence pursuant to Section 9G(3) of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 as amended. The Court was told on behalf of the CRU that it received a public complaint that Mr Mulqueen carried out a campervan conversion and never provided a certificate of conformance for the gas works. The Court also heard the severity of the dangerous nature of the illegal gas works carried out by him which resulted in a notification of hazard being issued for the gas installation. The substandard work included that the gas pipework was kinked and unsupported, and the ventilation was not sufficient to meet the relevant safety standard of IS EN1949. There were also dangerous connections made to the pipework that fed the gas hob, and with the vibration from the vehicle and the frequent removal and replacement of the gas bottle straining this fitting it could have lead to a gas leak into the compartment. Judge Carol Anne Coolican imposed a criminal conviction against Mr Mulqueen and a fine of 500 was imposed. Judge Coolican also awarded a contribution to the CRUs costs in the sum of 750 against Mr Mulqueen. READ MORE: Three bright minds from Limerick head to the BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp The successful prosecution emphasises the requirement by law for all gas installers to be registered with RGI when carrying out domestic gas works which includes work on domestic appliances in leisure activity vehicles (LAVs). There are over 3,000 RGIs in Ireland. By using an RGI, consumers can have confidence that they are dealing with a competent installer who has the required expertise in gas safety to ensure the safe operation of their gas installation. The RGI is insured and a sample of their work is inspected on an annual basis. The penalties for non-compliance include a fine of up to 15,000 and/or imprisonment for up to three years. Members of the public who wish to report an unregistered individual who has undertaken gas works or has portrayed themselves as a Registered Gas Installer should visit www.rgi.ie. The CRUs Commissioner, Fergal Mulligan, said: If a gas installer does not have the required registration or cannot prove membership of the RGI scheme, consumers should not use them and if they suspect that they are acting illegally, they should report this at www.rgi.ie. This is the second prosecution the CRU has taken recently for illegal gas works which left a campervan in a dangerous situation. The CRU will continue to pursue such cases against individuals and companies who do not observe the legal requirements for undertaking gas works. AN ACCOUNTANT, who admitted meeting a 15-year old boy at a playground in County Limerick to have sex with him, has been jailed for six years after a court decided his original sentence was too lenient. Daniel Lasota, aged 45, of Carr Street, Limerick but originally from Poland, was jailed for six years at the Court of Criminal Appeal, sitting in Limerick. It found his original sentence, of two-and-a-half-years with the final 18 months suspended, was an error in principle and unduly lenient. Mr Lasotas original sentence was imposed on him at Limerick Circuit Court in March of 2024, after he had pleaded guilty to one count of meeting a boy for sex, and two counts of using communication technology to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child. Prosecuting barrister Lily Buckley, instructed by State solicitor Brendan Gill, told the court that on August 2, 2019, Mr Lasota accessed the adult gay app Grindr, and began communicating with another user with a view to sexually exploiting his first cousin who was a child of 15 years of age. Ms Buckley said Mr Lasota offered to pay the other user 40-50 to have sex with this child and the other user, who was using the name Young, did not reply. Mr Lasota also asked for nude pics of the boy, the court heard. Detective Sergeant Michael Reidy told Mr Lasotas original sentencing hearing that the defendant had sought out young boys for his own sexual gratification. On August 15, 2019, Lasota messaged the boy, who set up a profile on the Grindr app, and later met the boy at a playground in Co Limerick. It was clear the victim was at school. The purpose of meeting in the playground was for sex, said Ms Buckley. Mr Lasota, who admitted he knew the boy was not 18, told him he was my type, and that he drove the boy to Limerick city. Ms Buckley said the boy grew concerned and he exited Mr Lasotas car as it stopped at traffic lights. He got out and went to another car and indicated he thought he had been kidnapped, and (Mr Lasota) drove off, said Ms Buckely. The other motorist alerted a passing garda car and Mr Lasota was tracked down after gardai harvested CCTV footage of his Volvo car and compiled an Evofit of Mr Lasotas face after speaking with the boy. The boy told specially trained gardai that his Grindr profile had stated he was 18-years-old but Ms Buckley said the accused (Mr Lasota) admitted it was obvious (the victim) was a child, a young person. When gardai traced Mr Lasota to his home they searched the property and seized his mobile phone, which yielded his messages offering to pay for sex with the boy, and included references at stages in the communications to children aged 11-and-12-years-of-age, said Ms Buckley. The prosecuting barrister said one of the offences against Laosta was in respect of a second young boy, and that, in the view of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Lasotas original sentence, which was imposed in respect of all three counts against him, was out of kilter with the gravity of this offence, and therefore unduly lenient. READ MORE: Man seeking boys for his own sexual gratification is jailed in Limerick In its judgment, the Court of Appeal found that the offence relating to the second child should have yielded a separate sentence. Yvonne Quinn, barrister for Mr Lasota, said her client had no previous convictions, was a self-employed accountant, and he was profoundly ashamed of his actions. Ms Quinn said the age of sexual consent in Lasotas native Poland is 16, but that Lasota knew it was 17 in Ireland and thought he (the boy) looked young. In summing up its judgement, the Court of Appeal said it had difficulty in accepting the conclusion of a psychotherapist report that found Mr Lasota was of low risk of reoffending, as Mr Lasota had not provided the psychotherapist with the full details of his communications with others on the Grindr app. THREE bright young minds from Limerick have taken part in a bootcamp to develop their business skills. Danijela Muzdeka and Sara dos Santos Lemos, 5th year students at Colaiste Nano Nagle, in the city, as well as Miles Bueno, a 4th year student at Colaiste Chiarain in Croom took part in the BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp. From March 3 to 6, in partnership with Nova UCD, the three students participated in a four-day programme that included workshops on business development, marketing and commercialisation. On the final day, they pitched their projects to an expert panel of judges. Judges this year include Shay Walsh, managing director of BT Ireland, Dr Tony Scott, co-founder of the BTYSTE, Anne-Marie Turley, head of Fintech, Finance and Cybersecurity at Enterprise Ireland and Brian ODonovan, work and technology correspondent at RTE. READ ALSO: Young Limerick student recognised with prestigious farming scholarship Shay Walsh said: The Bootcamp, which we developed in 2010, has been a highlight for BT Ireland for years and its amazing to see 30 of the countrys brightest young minds develop their ideas with STEM experts. While this is an exciting event for us, it also marks the final Bootcamp we will deliver. It has been an honour to support 500 young people over the years in developing their business skills, with many making significant impacts in STEM and business. Now in its 16th year, the bootcamp was set up by BT Ireland, under its custodianship of the Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (YSTE) in 2010, to support BTYSTE finalists with developing their project ideas into commercial enterprises under the guidance of BTYSTE alumni, BT Ireland mentors and expert judges. This year, BT Ireland celebrated 25 years as organiser of the YSTE and first introduced the bootcamp as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance and evolve the exhibition under its custodianship. Stock Market News USA Markets - Donald Trump dodges US recession question as trade war implications dominate markets 10-03-2025 03:31 Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk Bengaluru: Promoters of Gensol Engineering Ltd who pledged shares heavily are facing the possibility of having to bring in more collateral, at a time when the embattled company's stock has plunged in the middle of a loan default and cash crunch. Anmol Jaggi and his younger brother Puneet Jaggi pledged an additional 6.23% shares of Gensol between 1 January and 6 March, taking promoter share pledges to about 88%. The solar power plant maker's shares have plunged 71.4% from their peak last year. This means the lenders who extended money at previous highs are left with shares that are worth far less. "The share pledge has increased primarily on account of additional collateral given to the existing lenders due to a decline in the share price," said a spokesperson for Gensol. The amount was on account of loan disbursements and payments received on the last day of the financial year. These funds were subsequently utilized/parked in FDs," said the spokesperson, adding that this money was kept in its existing bankers and Trust and Retention Accounts". According to stock exchange disclosures, falling share prices last week prompted at least one Nagpur-based stock broking firm to seize 1.47% of shares that Anmol had pledged last year. According to a review by Mint, Badjate Stock Broking Pvt. Ltd invoked share pledges made by Anmol amounting to 1.47% in seven transactions over 4 and 5 March. Anmol pledged 1.11% with Badjate Stock Broking on 4 June last year, followed by another 0.05% pledge on 19 November. Gensols share traded 925 on 4 June and 760 on 19 November. On Friday, its shares closed at 321.20. Also read | Jaggi-led Gensol's debt woes much bigger than thought The share pledge follows the simple rule that the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio increases when share prices fall. Hence, additional shares need to be pledged when share prices fall," said Shriram Subramanian, founder and managing director of InGovern Research Services, a Bengaluru-based proxy advisory firm. LTV is the amount borrowed compared to the value of collateral such as shares, expressed as a percentage. "Badjate Stock Broking has provided Loan Against Shares (LAS) and has invoked the share pledge and we are in active conversations with them," said a spokesperson for Gensol. Jaggi founded Gensol in 2012 as a strategic advisory firm. By 2017, he had started a solar engineering and procurement business and took the company public in 2019. In April-December 2024, 72.3%, or 764 crore, of Gensols 1,056 crore revenue came from the solar EPC business. The remaining 27.7%, or 294 crore, came from EV leasing. However, rising promoter share pledges are now coming to haunt the company: Promoter pledges nearly doubled to 81.70% at the end of December 2024, compared to 42.78% at the end of December 2023. Anmol, Puneet, and a promoter entity, Gensol Venture Pvt. Ltd, pledged these shares last year when Gensol's shares traded between 7,20 and 1,075, according to an analysis by Mint. Also read | Gensol Engineering raises 900 crore equity from Elara and others Gensols financial crunch surfaced in public on 3 March, when Care Ratings Ltd downgraded its 716 crore bank loan to default, citing delays in servicing of term loan obligations". Icra Ltd followed the next day, stating Gensol "apparently falsified" information about its debt servicing. Gensol has denied any wrongdoing. However, at least one proxy advisory firm and an independent financial analyst have questioned the management's claim of a cash crunch, since the company has previously stated that it has enough cash. On 13 February, Jaggi and the companys former chief financial officer, Ankit Jain, told analysts in a post-earnings interaction that the company had 250 crore in cash and cash equivalents. (Jain resigned last week, citing personal reasons.) Further, Gensols annual report stated that it had about 191 crore in its current account for the year ended March 2024. Why would a company keep 190.9 crore, a high amount of cash in current accounts, especially when the money in the current account does not earn any interest," said Nitin Mangal, a Mumbai-based analyst who runs Trudence Capital Advisors Pvt. Ltd, a Sebi-registered research firm. Gensols cash in current accounts jumped from 20.45 crore in March 2023 to 190.9 crore last year. Gensol did not answer how much money was in the current accounts at the end of December 2024, saying the company keeps its money between the current accounts and fixed deposits". Also read | Indias power grid facing warnings due to sudden dip in solar power generation All these numbers, including the claim of about 191 crore in current accounts last year and the company claiming to have 250 crore in cash and cash balances at the end of December last year, now are hard to believe. Simple because if these were true, why would Gensol default on some of its loans and claim to have a temporary challenge? So, all the numbers' credibility is questioned, and the promoters have lost trust." Gensol did not respond to a query on the cash in its account. For now, the company continues to put on a brave face. The promoters have sold approximately 2.37% of total equity shares of the company, amounting to 9,00,000 shares, to unlock liquidity that will be reinvested into the business through equity infusion," Gensol said in a stock exchange filing on 7 March. This step is part of a strategy aimed at reinforcing the companys balance sheet and supporting stability." Gensols release last Friday stated that after the share sale, the promoters owned 59.70% of the company. According to stock market disclosure, Jaggi and his family owned 62.65% of Gensol at the end of December 2024. After selling 2.37% of Gensol shares and an additional 1.47% now owned by Badjate Stock Broking, the promoter's stake in Gensol totalled 58.81%. And read | Amid US policy shifts, India turns to Africa, West Asia for solar exports The founder of Chinese artificial-intelligence star DeepSeek has rejected proposals to make quick money from his programs, telling prospective investors that he wants to keep the science-project ethos that brought him global renown. Overwhelmed by millions of users, DeepSeeks chatbot has frequent service hiccups, and authorities around the world are restricting its use over data-security concerns. The U.S. is weighing measures including banning DeepSeek from government devices. Other internet companies are using the free DeepSeek code to drive their own businesses.Yet founder Liang Wenfeng has told associates he isnt in a hurry to get investment, fearing that outsiders would interfere in DeepSeeks decisions, people familiar with the matter said. He is also cautious about government-linked investors, they said, because he believes the connection to Beijing could make it harder to win global adoption of DeepSeeks AI models. Liang is at the same crossroads many tech entrepreneurs have encountered when their passion project takes off. The Chinese company made a global splash early this year with free-to-use open-source AI models that rivaled the best in the West and were built using less advanced chips. It was the moment DeepSeek had aimed for since Liangs band of AI researchers began their quest two years ago with words they attributed to French director Francois Truffaut: Be insanely ambitious and insanely sincere!" Liang was invited to join a whos-who list of Chinese executives who met leader Xi Jinping on Feb. 17, and his success has prompted a gushing of patriotism in China. The state-owned Bank of China has offered to grant a low-interest loan to the company, people familiar with the discussions said. In recent weeks, executives from Chinese technology companies including Tencent and Alibaba have met Liang to discuss potential cooperation, said people familiar with the companies. Those people said Liang didnt want to charge for DeepSeeks core AI models, which are currently free. In the final week of February, the startup published techniques it used to train AI models using a downgraded chip Nvidia designed for China. It aims to release its next reasoning model, designed for solving complex problems, as early as April, people familiar with the company said. Rise of High-Flyer Liang, born in 1985, founded the hedge fund known in English as High-Flyer in 2015. Its Chinese name alludes to an ancient Han Dynasty diagram with a magic squarea mathematical peculiarity in which the rows, columns and diagonals of the square all add up to the same number. Liang was proud that Chinese sages discovered the concept long before the West, said people who know him. In its hiring advertisements, High-Flyer sounded more like a technology firm than a hedge fundit even tried to put the word technologies" in its name before regulators said no. It looked for people who had won math contests, and the fund promised as much as $270,000 a year for AI engineers at a campus event in 2020. To support their AI ambitions, Liang and his team used the profits from the hedge fundwhich charged the same type of hefty fees as U.S. hedge funds do. Liangs quant fund significantly outperformed the market between 2015 and 2020, sometimes scoring returns that were 20 to 50 percentage points more than stock-market benchmarks. In 2021, High-Flyers assets under management reached around $14 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. But the funds performance soon faded. By late 2021, when dozens of High-Flyers products were down by more than 10% from their recent peak, the company apologized to investors for its performance. One of its flagship funds lost money in both 2022 and 2023, although it beat the benchmark index it was supposed to track. Two years ago, High-Flyer largely closed itself to new investors, and it started in mid-2024 to encourage some investors to redeem their investments, people familiar with the matter said. By the end of last year, High-Flyers assets under management had shrunk significantly. Rise of DeepSeek In April 2023, the fund announced a strategic shift and created DeepSeek as an independent organization. High-Flyer put almost all its revenue from the quant fund business into AI development, according to the companys posts on Chinese social media. High-Flyer said it would devote itself fully to AI technology that serves the common good of all mankind." DeepSeeks AI models are generally free, although it does offer some paid services to customers. Its problem is handling the traffic surge. Its services are crashing so frequently that some people say they can interact with DeepSeeks chatbot only a handful of times a day. To lessen the overload on its servers, DeepSeek has been offering deep discounts to paying customers who use its services in the early morning when usage is lower. Some Chinese tech giants such as Tencent are testing DeepSeek to power features including a search engine in Tencents messaging and payment app WeChat. They dont have to pay DeepSeek to do so. Tencent users can opt for a chatbot that is powered by DeepSeek but uses Tencents own more-stable computer network. Since late 2023, DeepSeek pitched itself to several venture capital funds, including some foreign firms, but they declined to invest because they couldnt see a clear path to recouping their money, people familiar with the discussions said. More potential investors have recently expressed interest in investing in the AI star despite concerns over DeepSeeks lack of a clear plan to make money, people familiar with the discussions said. But Liang has brushed them off while he thinks about the companys long-term strategy. DeepSeek is exploring ways that it could help tech giants develop commercial applications using AI and share in the benefits. For now, Liang appears to be sticking to the vision he expressed in a rare interview in 2023. We dont do applications, we just do research and exploration," he said then. The reporter asked why, and Liang said it was because he was curious. Write to Rebecca Feng at rebecca.feng@wsj.com and Raffaele Huang at raffaele.huang@wsj.com Hyundai Motor India Ltd's proposals to buy goods and services in excess of 31,000 crore next financial year from related companies, which could be more than half the purchases it made in the previous fiscal, have divided two of the country's leading proxy advisory firms. Stakeholders Empowerment Services (SES) and Institutional Investor Advisory Services (IiAS), both based in Mumbai, have put out contrasting notes on Hyundai's resolutions for dealing with seven related companies. While SES has asked shareholders to vote against 6 out of the 7 resolutions, saying that through the proposed deals, Hyundai Motor India may end up transferring its potential profits to firms linked with its promoters, IiAS did not red flag any proposed deal with the companies, advising shareholders to approve them. The remote e-voting on the resolutions started on 12 February and is scheduled to end on 13 March. The result will be announced on 17 March. Last month, the Indian unit of the Seoul-based Hyundai sought the approval of shareholders for deals with companies linked to the group. The companies mentioned by Hyundai Motor India are mainly responsible for sourcing components and undertaking engineering projects for the carmaker. In total, shareholders have to approve deals up to 31,528 crore for the financial year 2025-2026. Hyundai India posted 71,302 crore revenue in the last financial year. SES raises concerns over profit transfers SES has questioned the size of the deals with firms linked to Hyundai. As per its analysis, the total purchases the company will make through these deals is more than 50% of the total purchases it did in the last financial year. "For such high-value related-party transactions, investors and lawmakers not only require but expect as well that the audit committee and the board must be extra careful and cautious in approving such high-value transactions," SES said in a note. The advisory firm noted that company may be transferring its own potential profits to other companies linked to the promoters. The SES note highlighted three companies named in the shareholder resolutions. After analysis of Mobis India Ltd, Hyundai Transys Lear Automotive India Private Ltd and HEC India LLP, it noted that the firms are heavily dependent on Hyundai India. Two of them hardly have any transactions with any independent party to establish that RPTs (related-party transctions) are carried out at a price which would be charged from an unrelated party," the note said. The proxy advisory firm concluded that the company has not made enough disclosures to justify all the transactions. IiAS backs Hyundais proposals However, IiAS feels that the proposed deals of the company are part of ordinary business activity of the company. The advisory firm said that the deals are in line with the global practices of the Hyundai group. It was also satisfied with the pricing of the deals with the companies mentioned in the resolution. Thus, IiAS has asked shareholders to approve all the resolutions. Hyundai India dismissed the SES advice to shareholders as an isolated opinion". The firm said in response to Mints queries, Another reputed proxy advisory firm Institutional Investor Advisory Services (IiAS) has shared a contrary opinion to recommendations of SES, favouring all the seven resolutions and giving a clear go-ahead. Our commitment to highest standards of corporate governance remains uncompromising, and we shall continue to uphold the interest of all stakeholders." Shareholder vote and market impact All the resolutions up for voting are ordinary resolutions which require a simple majority of over 50% to pass. As per rules, promoters and related parties are not allowed to vote on resolutions pertaining to related-party transactions. This means that the Hyundai will require majority votes of the minority shareholders. Hyundai Indias promoters owned 82.5% shares of the company while domestic institutions like mutual funds and insurance firms owned 7.1% share at the end of December 2024. Foreign investor holding was at 6.7% and the remaining shares were owned by the public. Top minority shareholders include HDFC Mutual Fund and Life Insurance Corporation of India. Institutional investors use the advice of proxy advisory firms like SES and IiAS to understand corporate governance standards of companies. Their impact has increased recently with resolutions floated by companies facing resistance. In January, four resolutions of Gokaldas Exports were defeated after IiAS advised shareholders to vote against the companys proposals. This is the second such vote on resolutions of Hyundai since its listing in India in October 2024. The 27,870-crore initial public offering is so far the largest ever in India. The company did not receive any proceeds from the IPO as it was an offer for sale by promoters to shed 17.5% stake in the Indian unit. The company sold 5.4 lakh passenger vehicles in the country in the previous financial year, with a market share of 14.2%, behind market leader Maruti Suzuki. In February, it fell to the fourth spot with a decline of 1.5% market share, behind Mahindra and Tata Motors. In 2025 so far, Hyundai Motor Indias share price has declined 4.5% on the NSE, as against Nifty Autos 8% fall. It closed little changed at 1,716.90 on the NSE on Friday. New Delhi: With conflicts in West Asia showing signs of subsiding, union heavy industries Minister H D Kumaraswamy said state-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) is keen to work in the region once the situation is back to normal. BHEL is closely monitoring crises in the region, including the regime change in Syria and the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, the minister added. [The company] will be keen to address suitable opportunities in the region once the situation normalises. We are presently actively engaged with prospective customers in Iraq and Israel," Kumaraswamy said in an exclusive email interview with Mint. While the minister did not specify the types of opportunities BHEL would pursue, the development is important as it indicates India is ready to take up rebuilding work competitively in war-torn parts of West Asia. Awaiting strategic PSU designation BHEL's primary work includes manufacturing engineering and power-generation equipment. For its work in the power and defence sectors, as well as its international footprint, the parliamentary committee on public undertakings recommended BHEL be designated a 'strategic PSU' in December. Mint reported on 19 January that the union government was actively considering this proposal, taking BHEL off the disinvestment list. Also read: HPCL gets new chief, four more large PSUs in queue BHEL received orders worth nearly 78,000 crore in FY24, the highest ever in a fiscal. This was more than three times the value of orders received in FY23 ( 23,548 crore), and nearly seven times the FY21 figure ( 11,470 crore). The power generation equipment maker claimed a 100% market share in setting up thermal power plants in its FY24 annual report, driven by the union power ministry's push to set up an additional 80 gigawatts of coal-based power projects in the country by 2032. BHEL's order book for boilers used in thermal power generation in power plants was full in FY24. Global footprint The companys wide international presence is another reason it is keen to work towards rebuilding West Asia. "BHEL has expanded its footprints in 91 countries across all the six inhabited continents," Kumaraswamy said in the interview. The railway engine manufacturer has also secured as many as 62 export contracts in FY23, according to the company's disclosures to the parliamentary committee, an increase of more than 30% from 47 export contracts the year before. "BHEL secured 70 contracts in 2017-18, encompassing various aspects, including spares and services. However, there has been a decrease in contract acquisition, with 37 contracts in 2020-21, and a recent uptick to 62 contracts in 2022-23. The committee is happy to note that recognising its core strength as a manufacturing company, BHEL has taken efforts to focus on products as the core of its international business," the parliamentary committee on public undertakings said in its December 2024 report. Also read: BHEL is pulling out all stops to recover arbitral awards worth 1,500 crore BHEL has exported to West Asian countries such as Iran, Iraq, Oman, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and has also set up various projects in the region since the 2000s. "In the Middle East, BHEL has set up 14 power projects, besides substations and supply of a host of equipment for the power and the oil & gas sectors," the company has said in June 2010, while announcing its completion of a 26 MW gas turbine generator at Oman Refinery and Petrochemical plant in Muscat, and a 2x42 MW gas turbine-based power project of Al Ghail Power Company in the UAE. This was BHEL's first project in the UAE, the company said. In May 2024, BHEL announced it had entered into a partnership with HIMA Middle East FZE, Dubai, for HIMA's railway signalling business. "Recognising its core strength as a manufacturing company, BHEL has taken up efforts to focus on products as the core of its international business. BHELs products such as motors, transformers, compressors and valves have a demand in the international market and over the years, orders in this segment have grown," the company told the parliamentary committee, according to its December 2024 report. Dormant projects This would not be BHEL's first attempt at taking up projects in West Asia following a conflict. The company's Marib gas turbine project in Yemen is on hold due to the civil war there since March 2015. The December 2024 parliamentary committee report also suggested BHEL work closely with the ministry of external affairs to assess the feasibility of reviving projects in unstable regions. Focusing on exports to new customers abroad could reduce BHEL's reliance on its domestic customers, the committee said in its December 2024 report. Currently, the share of exports in BHEL's turnover is a little over 3%, the company said in its FY24 annual report. Also read: Three public sector banks may put government stake on sale in FY26 MUMBAI : The global tariff war will likely impact merger and acquisition (M&A) activity adversely, said Akeel Sachak, partner and global head of consumer at Rothschild & Co., adding that US President Donald Trumps aggressive stance on tariffs has sparked a broader concern among economies, and it is already reflecting in the way markets have moved. Most certainly, I expect the Trump effect to adversely impact M&A as it has made it very difficult for companies to read what the economic prospects might hold and how their own businesses will be affected by the range of different tariff war possibilities we are facing," Sachak said. According to him, corporates tend to pursue more M&A when they feel secure about the prospects of their businesses. Until a couple of weeks ago, I had a different view, expecting the wilder rhetoric around tariffs to blow over, but now I am not so sure. The stock markets are reflecting this with the major indices moving from sustained optimism to a much bleaker view since Trump's re-election," he added. Besides, better domestic growth prospects have ensured that Indian corporates are more inward-focused and less ready to diversify globally. Strong domestic growth in key markets will also mean the larger cross-border M&A activity is likely to be muted, he said. US companies, at the moment, have probably seen more growth in their backyard than they are seeing anywhere else, and therefore, they will be more inwardly focused, in the same way as Indian corporates, by and large, see better growth on their doorstep than they do outside India. So, there isn't the imperative to geographically diversify, there might have been in previous periods," Sachak said. Rothschild & Co., a pure-play investment bank, advises clients in over 70 geographies. In 2024, it advised global beverages company Coca-Cola to divest a 40% stake in its bottling unit Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB) to Jubilant Bhartia Group for $1.47 billion. India business The consumer sector is amongst the firms largest practice area, said Sachak, who has been with the bank for more than four decades and sits on its global board. Talking about the opportunities in the Indian consumer sector, Subhakanta Bal, managing director, Rothschild & Co., said consumer sector opportunities in India are in a pretty sweet spot from a demand standpoint. You've got private equity that is keen on doing more in consumer. There's fairly strong inbound interest from some of the global majors, especially for scaled-up assets," Bal said, adding that if there are really small assets in India, it probably doesn't make sense for a global company as it doesnt change the scope of operation, the scale of operation in India. But for anything sizeable, there will be global majors looking to acquire in India. Plus, there is strong domestic interest from larger local players to acquire and grow faster." The firm is now expanding its focus areas in India, one of its most important markets outside of Europe and the US, Sachak said. Also Read: Reverse mergers gain ground on the expressway to public markets It has begun equity capital markets or ECM advisory in India. We have always been focused on M&A from an India standpoint. Globally, ECM is a big part of our activity. From an India perspective, I would say ECM now is a big area of focus, in addition to M&A. We're currently working on multiple live mandates in IPO advisory in India," Bal said. New Delhi: As India and the US huddle to finalise the contours of a wide-ranging bilateral trade agreement (BTA), the two sides now appear inclined to ink a preliminary trade agreement first, two people aware of the matter said on the condition of anonymity. According to the first person, the preliminary agreement is being deliberated while keeping sensitive issues like immigration policies and intellectual property (IP) transfers off the table. As for what may likely be in, tariff concessions have been proposed for lentils, almonds and advanced technology products in the pharmaceutical sector, among others. Indian negotiators have emphasised a structured reduction in duties, similar to the frameworks established in the countrys recent trade agreements with the UAE, Australia, and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), the second person cited above said. The agreements have led to significant reduction of trade tariffs across multiple industries and products. Also read | Trump brandishes tariffs, but India and UK are back talking trade These tariff structures align with Indias strategy of balancing domestic industry interests with market access commitments," the second person said, adding that such an approach allows negotiators to use an established template rather than start from scratch, making it easier to manage expectations. According to these two people, discussions have taken place on signing a preliminary agreement before a full-fledged BTA is arrived at. The BTA was mentioned in the joint statement issued after Prime Minister Narendra Modis meeting with US President Donald Trump on 13 February in Washington. The two leaders had announced plans to negotiate the first tranche of a multi-sector BTA by fall of 2025 (between September and November). The preliminary agreement being discussed is likely to be signed before that, the first person cited above added. Queries emailed to spokespersons of the ministries of commerce, external affairs, the US trade representative, US embassy and US commerce department remained unanswered till press time. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), a trade research organization, has suggested that India should avoid pursuing a full-fledged free-trade agreement (FTA) with the US. Also read | India-UK FTA talks likely to resume in April-June to resolve pending issues GTRIs founder Ajay Srivastava said Trumps decision to impose 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada despite finalizing the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) reflects his scepticism toward FTAs. The US may push India to open government procurement to American firms, reduce agricultural subsidies, weaken patent protections by allowing evergreening, and lift restrictions on data flows, which India has consistently opposed," said Srivastava. Evergreening in this context refers to the practice of extending the patent life of a product by making minor modifications to extend their exclusivity period and delay the entry of generic competitors. Additionally, there are no significant gains for India in the services sector, as the US is tightening visa rules for professionals, he added. The current tariff situation Meanwhile, the implementation of the USs 25% tariff on Indian steel and aluminium is slated to be announced on 12 March, while the reciprocal tariff plan will be announced on 2 April. Reciprocal tariffs refer to Trumps repeated assertions that the US would apply the same duties as India does on bilateral trade of all products across sectors. To be sure, India has revised tariffs on several US products to address trade concerns. The import duty on bourbon whiskey has been reduced from 150% to 100%. Tariffs on Harley-Davidson motorcycles have been lowered from 50% to 30%. And the duty on ethernet switches has been cut from 20% to 10%. Read this | India-UK FTA talks likely to resume next month, new Labour govt may revisit migration, mobility chapters At the same time, commerce ministry data shows that import duties on several high-value American products into India are negligible. For instance, in FY24, petroleum crudethe USs top export to India valued at $5.03 billionwas taxed at 1 per tonne, making it one of the lowest-taxed imports despite its high trade value. Other key exports from the US, including coal (valued at $4.2 billion in FY24), large aircraft ($1.94 billion), and liquefied natural gas ($1.41 billion), face 2.5% tariff. Earlier, Mint reported on 7 March that the US has demanded tariff concessions on petrochemicals, while India is looking for greater value addition to be done in Indialess imports from the US of finished goods and more of raw materials to be processed in India. At the same time, Indias textile industry has urged the Centre to push for nil tariffs both ways for textile and apparel trade, Mint reported on 8 March. India-US trade Trade between the two countries currently shows a healthy surplus for India. Indias merchandise exports to the US in FY24 were $77.52 billion, and imports were $42.19 billion, according to data from the commerce ministry. This fiscal (April to December), Indias exports to the US were $60.04 billion, and imports were $25.75 billion. And read | Trade talks heat up: US asks for petrochemical concessions, India eyes value chain With a chunky merchandise trade surplus, India seeks to avoid US tariff hikes on key exports like garments, electronics, engineering goods, and pharmaceuticals. Exports of these four categories rose from $38.84 billion in FY22 to $46.43 billion in FY24. This fiscal, April-January shipments were at $42.57 billion compared to $36.9 billion in the same period in the previous fiscal. American defense companies have increased their dominance of the global arms trade, buoyed by European nations snapping up U.S. jet fighters and missiles. The U.S. accounted for 43% of global weapons exports over the past five years, up from 35% in the previous five-year period, according to new data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, a think tank. The Sipri data show how the U.S. arms industry has been the key beneficiary of rising European defense budgets in the wake of Russias invasion of Ukraine and as President Trump pushes the region to increase military spending. Americas F-35 jet fighter, for instance, has been bought or ordered by 13 different European countries, including Britain, Germany and Italy. European countries have also stocked up on Patriot air-defense systems, Himars rocket systems and other U.S. equipment. But the Trump administrations decision to cut off deliveries of U.S. weapons, spare parts and intelligence to Ukraine has sparked concern in some European nations that Washington could do the same to them some day. That might now affect Europes appetite for U.S. weapons, analysts and some lawmakers say. This debate has certainly started," said Sebastian Schafer, a German lawmaker who sits on a parliamentary defense-spending committee. Overall arms imports by European members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization more than doubled in the five years ended in 2024, compared with the five years ended in 2019, Sipri said. Almost two-thirds of those imports came from the U.S., up from just over half in the previous period. Elsewhere, imports to China fell 64% as it made more of its own weapons, Sipri said. China is also taking in fewer imports because Russia, a traditional supplier, is keeping weapons it makes for its war with Ukraine. Sipri, an authority on arms trade and production, uses multiyear periods because annual figures can be distorted by large deliveries; it bases its figures on a points system that calculates the military value of arms exports. European spending on defense is likely to keep rising. Earlier this month, Germany said it would exempt military spending from its strict fiscal rules. The U.K. and Denmark have also announced plans to spend more on defense, while the European Union has proposed have rallied in recent weeks on news of spending increases. Shares of Britains BAE Systems, the regions largest defense contractor, are up more than a third so far this year. Germanys Rheinmetall and radar maker Hensoldt are both up more than 80% year to date. By contrast, U.S. defense stocks, including Lockheed Martin, are flat to lower this year. To be sure, some analysts say Europe will likely remain a crucial buyer of U.S. weapons. For a start, there are some military capabilities that Europe can only get from the U.S. The F-35, for example, is a generation ahead of European jet fighters and isnt expected to have a peer in Europe for a decade. Europe also doesnt have a land-based missile-defense system that can cope with ballistic missiles as effectively as Americas Patriot or Thaad systems. It would be difficult for Europe and the U.S. to extricate themselves from each others weapons supply. The U.S., for instance, provides the missiles for Britains submarine-based nuclear deterrent, while U.K. companies supply various components for the F-35. U.S. companies also have plans to manufacture more in Europe. But for Wolfgang Ischinger, a former German ambassador to Washington who now heads a defense conference, there is now a potential issue of trust with the U.S. If it is possible that with some stroke of the pen, the U.S. can stop intelligence cooperation and even weapon deliveries that are already in transit on the way to Ukraine, what does this signal to us?" Ischinger said. It signals that nothing should be taken for granted." Write to Alistair MacDonald at Alistair.Macdonald@wsj.com India is ramping up its efforts to break China's dominance in the solar supply chain with a $1 billion capital subsidy plan thats aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing of wafers and ingots critical components in solar panel production . While the country has made significant progress in solar module and cell manufacturing, wafer and ingot production remains a weak link, with only 2gigawatts (GW)of capacity compared to 71 GW in modules and 11 GW in cells. The government's push mirrors its successful mobile phone manufacturing strategy, which attracted global giants such as Apple and Samsung with lucrative incentives. A similar approach in the solar sector could cut reliance on imports, lower production costs, and create a competitive domestic supply chain. However, India still lacks polysilicon production, a key input for wafers and ingots, making some dependence on foreign suppliers inevitable in the near term. With this policy shift, several Indian solar companies are well-positioned to capitalise on government support, including these five. #1 Adani Enterprises Adani Enterprises is aggressively scaling up its solar and renewable energy business, maintaining its sales run rate of 1 GW of modules per quarter. The company remains on track to expand solar manufacturing capacity to 10 GW by 2028, with current operational capacity at 4.5 GW annually. A key differentiator for Adani is its integrated solar manufacturing approach, making it one of the very few companies in India that produces wafers and ingots. In May 2024, Adani Solar began commercial production of wafers and ingots at its Gujarat facility, strengthening India's solar supply chain. Also read | Betting on the future: Five high-growth stocks poised for long-term success Having started large-scale monocrystalline silicon ingot production in December 2022, Adani remains the only Indian manufacturer that produces M10 (182x182 mm) and G12 (210x210 mm) ingots. The company also plans to begin polysilicon production by 2027-28, which would make it Indias first fully integrated renewable energy player. Adani New Industries Limited saw Ebitda soar 121% YoY in 9MFY25, reflecting strong growth in renewables. The company sells solar modules abroad, maintaining a balance between domestic and export markets, with a focus on utility-scale projects; engineering, procurement and construction players (EPC); and retail customers. The companys initial FY25 capex target of 80,000 crore has been revised to 69,562 crore, with 11,000 crore deferred due to timing shifts in green hydrogen and PVC projects. In the first nine months of FY25 it spent 21,000 crore, with a majority of this allocated to renewables. Looking ahead, the company does not plan to expedite its 10 GW solar capacity target before 2028, but renewable-energy expansion remains a key priority. #2 Premier Energies Premier Energies continues to grow as a leading solar solutions provider. The company manufactures high-efficiency solar cells and offers mono-facial and bifacial modules tailored for projects. It also provides EPC services for ground-mounted, rooftop and floating solar installations, along with other services and clean energy generation. Strong domestic demand has driven exceptional growth in Q3FY25. Premiers revenue surged 144.76% year-on-year, while operating margin expanded from 17.3% to 29.97% and net profit skyrocketed 490% year-on-year. The IPO proceeds strengthened the balance sheet, cutting the net debt-to-EBITDA ratio from 9.51 to 3.49. Premier is executing an aggressive expansion strategy. A 1 GW TOPCon (tunnel oxide passivated contact - advanced solar cell technology) cell & module line is set to go live in Q1FY26, followed by a 4 GW line in Q1FY27. The company also plans to backward integrate with a 2 GW wafer facility and a 36,000 MT aluminum frame unit. While it does not manufacture wafers yet, this move will strengthen its supply chain and improve margins. Looking ahead, the company stands to benefit from strong policy tailwinds. The PM Surya Ghar Yojana and rising domestic content requirement (DCR) rooftop demand now 25% of Premiers DCR sales will drive growth. A 6,900-crore order book (2 GW modules, 2.6 GW cells) provides 12-15 months of revenue visibility. #3 Waaree Energies Waaree Energies is Indias largestsolar photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturer. The company increased its capacity from 4 GW in FY22 to 12 GW by mid-2024, adding another 1.3 GW in Noida via Indosolar. With EPC, operations and maintenance (O&M), and renewable energy sales, Waaree is a full-spectrum solar solutions provider. Its Q3FY25 results were stellar, with revenue up 115% year-on-year, Ebitda soaring 257%, and margins expanding to 22.8%. PAT jumped 260% year-on-year. Its 50,000 crore order book (26.5 GW) comprises 54% exports and 46% domestic sales, though the revenue mix remains 79% domestic owing to faster execution cycles. Waaree is looking to expand aggressively, with its US factory commencing production in January 2025. The company is in the final trial stage for a 1.4 GW Mono PERC (passivated emitter and rear contact high-efficiency solar cell technology) cell line, while a 4 GW TOPCon cell facility is set to go live by April or May 2025. Also read | UltraTech's entry into cables & wires: This smallcap proxy stock is insulated While it doesnt yet manufacture ingots and wafers yet, Waaree is developing a 6 GW integrated facility in Odisha to produce ingots, wafers, solar cells and PV modules. Supported by the governments production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, this is expected to be operational by FY27, strengthening its role in the solar value chain. Beyond solar, the company is expanding into green hydrogen, batteries and inverters, solidifying its leadership in Indias renewable energy transition. #4 Solex Energy Solex Energy is rapidly expanding its footprint in the renewable energy space, with solar panels contributing nearly 95% of its revenue. The company has delivered exceptional growth in H1FY25, with revenue surging 192% year-on-year, Ebitda rising 167.7% and PAT skyrocketeding 1,697%, driven by capacity expansion and a strong order pipeline. With demand rising, Solex is scaling its module manufacturing capacity to 4 GW by June 2025, with plans to expand further to 15 GW by 2030. The company has also initiated a 2 GW solar cell expansion, ensuring higher efficiency and better cost optimisation. In a major product innovation, Solex has launched Tapi-R rectangular cell modules, which are designed for higher power output and lower costs. While it doesnt produce ingots and wafers yet, government support could enable seamless integration, strengthening its supply chain and cost competitiveness. Looking ahead, Solex is targeting both domestic and international markets. It is already securing exports to Europe and Africa, with plans to enter the US after 2025. With a 100 crore investment roadmap by 2030, Solex is positioning itself as a key manufacturer, driving innovation, expanding capacity and integrating backward into solar cell manufacturing. #5 Tata Power Tata Power is solidifying its position asIndias energy leader with 25 GW installed capacity, and shifting aggressively towards clean energy. The company is becoming a one-stop solar solutions provider, expanding its solar manufacturing and EPC business. While the renewable energy major doesnt manufacture wafers and ingots, it could enter the space as government policies push for domestic solar supply chains. The company is expanding EPC and its manufacturing capabilities to reduce its reliance on imports and strengthen its clean-energy footprint. Tata Powers EPC division is thriving, having secured 612 MW of orders worth 2,800 crore. The PM Surya Ghar Yojana is set to accelerate rooftop solar adoption, with 30-40 GW of capacity expected to be added in the next two to three years. The company is also evaluating private-sector nuclear opportunities. Also read | Coffee can investing: These 5 small cap stocks meet Saurabh Mukherjeas criteria Tata Power operates a 4 GW cell & module facility, while rooftop solar revenue has crossed 500 crore. The company has earmarked 22,000 for capex in FY25, focusing on renewables, group captive projects and T&D expansion. From FY26-FY27, Tata Power plans to add 2-2.5 GW of renewable capacity annually, strengthening its clean energy portfolio. It is balancing internal and third-party module sales as the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers -2 (ALMM) takes effect in June 2026. On the financial front, Tata Power maintains a net debt of 44,700 crore, with a debt-equity ratio of 1.1:1. The focus remains on high-return projects, ensuring net debt/Ebitda remains below 3. With a strong project pipeline, strategic expansion and disciplined capital allocation, Tata Power is well-positioned to lead Indias energy transition. Conclusion With its $1 billion solar subsidy plan, the government is giving its backing to wafer and ingot manufacturing, opening doors for companies to expand, innovate and compete on a global scale. For investors, this marks the start of a new growth phase in Indias solar sector. Companies that move early into wafer and ingot production could see significant cost advantages and long-term gains. However, investors must closely monitor operational performance, scalability, and strategic execution in this evolving landscape to capitalize on potential upsides while managing industry-related risks.Investors should also evaluate the companys fundamentals, corporate governance, and valuations of the stock as key factors when conducting due diligence before making investment decisions. Disclaimer:This article is for information purposes only. It is not a stock recommendation and should not be treated as such. This article is syndicated from Equitymaster.com IndusInd Bank shares fell nearly 6% on Monday (March 10, 2025) to their lowest level since July 2022. The sharp fall came in the wake of two major developmentsthe Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approving Sumant Kathpalias reappointment as CEO for just one more year instead of the three-year tenure sought by the bank, and reports that Nippon Life Insurance Co.s India unit, Reliance Nippon Life Insurance, is considering acquiring a minority stake in the lender. Investors appeared to be reacting with uncertainty, as the regulatory decision hinted at lingering governance concerns, while the potential stake sale raised questions about the banks capital requirements and long-term strategy. Once celebrated for its aggressive growth strategies and robust financial performance, IndusInd Bank now faces a critical test of resilience. It must address pressing concerns over asset quality, declining margins, and a falling stock price, all while balancing growth ambitions with the need for stability. With investor confidence shaken and regulatory overhangs casting uncertainty, the banks next moves will determine whether it can emerge strongeror continue to struggle under financial and operational stress. Also read: IndusInd Bank shares plunge as RBI trims CEO extension. Can the stock's lower valuation help? Kathpalias leadership Sumant Kathpalia, with over 37 years of banking experience, has led IndusInd Bank since March 2020, overseeing its digital expansion and corporate loan growth. However, the RBIs decision to grant only a one-year extension instead of the three-year term requested signals ongoing regulatory caution over governance and stability. This is not the first time the RBI has limited his tenure. In 2023, a similar request for a three-year extension resulted in just two years. Such decisions suggest a watchful approach from regulators regarding the banks strategic execution. As Kathpalia continues at the helm, his focus on asset quality improvement and investor confidence restoration will be crucial. Stock market woes IndusInd Banks stock has been on a prolonged decline, falling over 34% in the last six months and significantly underperforming its peers in the banking sector. The downward trend continued on March 7, with shares closing at 936.80, just a few points away from its 52-week low of 923.40 recorded in January 2025. Market analysts point to a combination of factors driving the stocks slide. Weak quarterly results, rising NPAs, and regulatory scrutiny have dented investor sentiment. Additionally, a recent bulk sale of 50.8 lakh shares by Integrated Core Strategies (Asia) Pte further pressured the stock. The decline has led to a divergence in investor opinionwhile some believe the stock presents a buying opportunity at lower levels, others recommend exiting due to near-term uncertainties. Also read: Ghost of microfinance comes back to haunt IndusInd Bank Technical indicators suggest a bearish outlook. The stock is trading below all major exponential moving averages (EMAs), and its Relative Strength Index (RSI) is hovering near 32.84, signalling oversold territory. Analysts caution that if the stock breaches the 910900 support zone, it could face further downside pressure. Conversely, a breakout above 1,0001,050 could trigger some recovery. A deteriorating bottom line The banks Q3 FY25 financial results have intensified concerns. IndusInd reported a 39% year-on-year decline in net profit, with earnings dropping to 1,402 crore from 2,301 crore a year earlier. The sharp fall in profitability was driven by higher provisions and lower net interest income (NII). Gross NPAs rose to 2.25% of total advances, compared to 2.11% in the previous quarter. The banks microfinance loan book, a major contributor to its financial stress, saw NPAs climb to 2,432 crore. Net NPAs also inched up, reflecting deteriorating asset quality. NII, a key measure of a banks core earnings, declined by 1.3% year-on-year, reaching 5,228 crore. Net Interest Margins (NIMs) contracted to 3.93%, down from 4.08% in the previous quarter, as the bank struggled with higher funding costs and a shift in its loan mix. Also read: A bank CEO aspirant, his alleged misconduct and RBI deputy guvs recommendation Brokerages have responded by lowering their targets on IndusInd. Goldman Sachs downgraded the stock to Neutral, while ICICI Securities and Motilal Oswal revised their price targets downward, citing concerns over asset quality and slower-than-expected growth. Nippon's strategic bet Amidst its financial challenges, IndusInd Bank has attracted interest from Nippon Life Insurance Co.s India unit, Reliance Nippon Life Insurance, is considering acquiring a minority stake of up to 9.9%. If the deal materializes, it could provide the bank with a much-needed capital infusion and pave the way for a deeper bancassurance partnership. The potential investment is particularly noteworthy as IndusInds parent company, IndusInd International Holdings Ltd (IIHL), has been restructuring its financial services portfolio. IIHL recently acquired Reliance Capital, a move that aligns with its broader ambitions in the financial services sector. A tie-up with Nippon Life could open new avenues for cross-selling financial products through IndusInds extensive branch network. While the deal is still in the early stages, its success could boost investor sentiment and provide stability in the face of market volatility. Regulatory and compliance hurdles Adding to IndusInd Banks woes, regulatory concerns have emerged. The RBI recently imposed a penalty of 27.3 lakh for non-compliance with deposit-related norms. The bank has also received a 21.62 crore GST demand notice, which it may challenge in court. Regulatory interventions, while not uncommon in the banking sector, raise red flags about operational discipline. The RBIs repeated decisions to extend Kathpalias tenure in short increments further suggest that the bank remains under scrutiny. Growth vs. stability IndusInd Bank faces a delicate balancing act. While its corporate loan book has grown 16.1% year-on-year and vehicle financing remains strong, stress in the microfinance segment continues to weigh heavily. The bank has been diversifying its portfolio to reduce reliance on unsecured loans, but the transition will take time. One of the key focus areas for IndusInd Bank is stabilizing its microfinance NPAs, which have been a major source of stress on its financial health. Ensuring recovery in this segment will be critical for restoring investor confidence and mitigating future losses. Another pressing issue is deposit mobilization. The banks declining CASA ratio suggests difficulties in attracting low-cost deposits, which are essential for maintaining profitability and improving its funding mix. Addressing this concern will require a strategic push toward strengthening its retail deposit base. Operational efficiency is also a major area of concern. Rising costs and higher provisions have put pressure on the banks margins. Streamlining expenses, improving productivity, and enhancing digital banking services could be crucial in managing costs effectively. Also read: Cooperative bank crisis: Has anything changed since PMC's plight in 2019? Lastly, regulatory clarity remains a significant factor. With governance concerns under RBIs scrutiny, the bank must focus on strengthening its compliance framework and addressing any gaps that may hinder the approval of longer leadership tenures or impact investor sentiment. The road ahead IndusInd Bank stands at a crossroads. While challenges remain, opportunities for recovery exist if strategic adjustments are made swiftly. The coming quarters will determine whether the bank can regain its growth momentum or remain mired in financial struggles. As Sumant Kathpalia embarks on another year as CEO, his ability to navigate these complexities will be under intense scrutiny. Investors and regulators alike will be watching closely to see if IndusInd Bank can turn its fortunes around or continue to grapple with uncertainty in Indias competitive banking landscape. About the author: Suchitra Mandal is a proficient financial writer with expertise in delivering well-researched insights and detailed analyses of companies' performance and market trends. Disclosure: The author does not hold any shares of Indusind Bank at the time of writing this article. The views expressed are for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult a financial professional before making any investment decisions. Thanjavur, famous as the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu, is a melting pot of history, architecture and myriad flavors. It is renowned as the birthplace of intricate Thanjavur art and draws visitors for its many ancient temples built during the prosperous Chola regime from the ninth to the thirteenth century. There is a plethora of choices for culinary explorers too, including typical Tamil fare like adai (legume pancakes) and vada-curry (curry with vadas ), coexisting with Maratha-inspired dishes like poli ( puran poli ) and kothamalli mutton sukka (coriander mutton fry). Marathas shaped the cuisine when they ruled Thanjavur from the late seventeenth to mid-nineteenth century. It is believed that the beloved sambar is a Maratha inheritance. Sambhaji, son of Shivaji Maharaj, visited Thanjavur in the seventeenth century and it was prepared in his royal kitchen by substituting and changing a few ingredients. Samba, as he was called, was fond of amti, a light and flavorful lentil dish with kokum. Since kokum wasnt available in Thanjavur, the chef used tamarind as a souring agent, and added readily available vegetables like drumstick, to create this dish, which has now become synonymous with South Indian cuisine. If one were to visit Thanjavur as a tourist, it would be remiss to not plan a trip to the neighboring Kumbakonam too. It is another temple town in Thanjavur district and is about 40 km away from the main city. A visit to Kumbakonam would not be complete without seeing the Airavatesvara Temple, a stunning example of Chola architecture and a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Great Living Chola Temples. A recent trip to Thanjavur and Kumbakonam was a discovery of ancient temples, regional delicacies, followed by multiple servings of piping hot South Indian filter coffee. Seetharama Vilas If you are looking for traditional Tamil dishes like adai and kozhukatta (steamed rice dumplings), Seetharama Vilas is the place to go. The restaurant has a very modest ambiance, and the food is simple yet incredibly tasty. I was surprised by the adai served with avial, a mixture of vegetables cooked with yogurt and ground coconut. Although I had never tried this combination before, one bite convinced me that it was the best way to enjoy adai. The subtle taste of the avial complements the savory and spicy flavors of the adai perfectly. Another excellent choice is the munthiri dosa sprinkled with gunpowder and garnished with chopped cashews. And, like any other eatery in the area, the filter coffee at Seetharama Vilas was impeccable. Also read: How Chennai brews its speciality coffee Where: Kumbakonam-Sirkazhi highway, Aduthurai Price for two: 350 (approx) Mangalambika Vilas This is where you should head to for a sumptuous breakfast. The pongal is a must-try; and the masala dosa as well as medu vada are made to perfection. The chutneys, including the spicy onion chutney and the coconut chutney with fresh coriander, are quite unlike the coconut-chili chutney and sambar combination one might find at a Udipi hotel. The use of coriander or kothambir is a Maratha influence. This 101-year-old establishment (founded in 1914), is also the place to be for venthaya adai or venthaya dosai (both have a distinct flavor of methi or fenugreek seeds) that are available in the evenings. Where: Kumbeswarar, Sannathi Street, Valayapettai Agraharam, c Price for two: 350 (approx) Aatrupaduthal The restaurant is located at the resort Mantra Koodam by CGH (Casino Group of Hotels) and offers an eight-course tasting menu with no a la carte. The recipes are inspired by Chola cuisine from the Sangam era which can be pegged to the timeline between third century BCE to the third century CE. The meal is a carefully curated rustic experience with specialities like sangakala muringakkai kolambu (drumstick curry flavored with spices like pepper, coriander, and chana dal), nedunalvadai vellantinkari kozhunchoru (mutton and jeeraka samba rice cooked in black pepper, fennel seeds, and red chilies) complete with athimathura thinai payasam (licorice and foxtail millet kheer). Where: Veppathur, Kumbakonam Price per person: 2500 (approx) Chellammals Manpaanai Samayal The highlight of this restaurant is that all dishes are cooked in a manpanai or a terracotta vessel. Opting for the thali served on a banana leaf would be a good idea as it would allow you to try the different curries on offer in one go. The assortment of side dishes, that come in clay bowls, includes different vegetable or kootu dishes such as banana blossom thoran (banana blossom stir-fried with grated coconut and mustard seeds), vendakka varuval (crispy roasted ladies' fingers), vatha kulambu (black nightshade berries in a tangy tamarind sauce), vada-curry, and more. The meal ended with a serving of thinai payasam and moru or buttermilk. Where: South street, Ganesh Nagar, Thanjavur Price for two: 500 (approx) View Full Image The thali at Chellammals Manpaanai Samayal. Nasar Idiyappa Restaurant Nasar Idiyappa is famous for its signature paya soup. This delectable dish, spiced with pepper, has notes of coriander and star anise; and is served with idiyappams or rice string hoppers. Also worth trying are the kaadai Chettinad (quail cooked in traditional Chettinad spices like pepper, ginger, green chillies and fennel seeds). As an accompaniment, pick from a variety of rice preparations, like lemon rice, curd rice, tomato rice and sambar rice. Where: Trichy main road, Eliza Nagar, Thanjavur Price for two: 350 (approx) Thevar Biriyaani For traditional Tamil-style biryani, head to Thevar Biriyaani. The mutton biryani is simply lip-smacking, and so is the gravy that accompanies it. The mildly flavored gravy, made with dried coconut, green chilies, cumin, and coriander rounds off the flavors of the subtly spiced biryani. Traditional Tamil biryani doesn't have gravied meat layered with rice, but the rice is prepared with whole spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves and then tenderised meat and caramelized onions are added and cooked again. The place also offers chicken and vegetarian biryani options. Where: Gandhiji Road, Shivaji Nagar, Thanjavur Price for one portion of biryani: 200 Madurai Mohan Mess Madurai Mohan Mess is where youd find one of the best mutton sukka or kothamalli mutton sukka (coriander mutton fry). The mutton is slow-roasted with coarsely ground coconut, fresh coriander, green chilies, ginger, garlic, and cumin. The succulent meat dish is served with either flaky porotta or dosa. The place is also known for the spicy, tangy, delicious meen kolambu or fish in a tamarind gravy, which is quite similar to its Malayali cousin, meen vevichathu. Where: Rajjappa Nagar, Medical College Road, Thanjavur Price for two: Rs. 450 (approx) Sumitra Nair is an independent journalist based in Kochi. Although Donald Trump came to office riding a wave of hostility against elites, his enablers are leading members of the establishment and plutocracy. As was true during his first term, Trump has surrounded himself with a mix of conventional Republican politicians, Wall Street financiers, and economic nationalists. But this time, these groups have been joined by members of the techno-right, represented most glaringly by Elon Musk , the worlds wealthiest person. What unites these groups, at least for now, is not Trumps character or leadership. Rather, it is the belief that their specific agendas will be better served under Trump. Conservative Republicans want low taxes and less regulation, while economic nationalists want to close the trade deficit and revive US factories. Free-speech absolutists want to end woke censorship, while the techno-right wants a free hand to enact its own vision of the future. Irrespective of their pet projects, these groups all regarded Kamala Harris as a hindrance and Trump as an ally. Most do not oppose democracy, per se, but seem willing to overlook Trumps authoritarianism so long as their agenda is served. Press them on Trumps anti-democratic impulses and contempt for the rule of law, and theyll equivocate. During Trumps first term, I shared my concerns with one of his leading economic advisors, but my interlocutor pooh-poohed my worries and said that Democrats and the administrative state were bigger threats. He was interested in his bosss commitment to tariffs, not any possible impact on democracy. Similarly, on a recent episode of Ezra Kleins podcast, free-speech absolutist Martin Gurri explained that his support for Trump was driven mainly by the Biden clampdown on free expression. Biden had basically told [social media] platforms: You have to adhere to European standards of good behaviour online," Gurri claimed. Yet the curbs Trump has placed on speech by civil servants and state-funded private entities are far more egregious. Even as he concedes that Trump might end up being even worse," Gurri seems unfazed. When push comes to shove, beating wokes apparently matters more than the First Amendment. Also Read: Both Musk and his MAGA critics are wrong about free speech on microblog platform X With narrow agendas placed above democratic principles, the risk of a slide toward authoritarianism should be obvious. Fortunately, the likelier outcome is that these competing agendas will clash, causing the Trump coalition to implode. The sharpest lines of conflict are between economic nationalists and the techno-right. Both camps see themselves as anti-system and both want to disrupt a regime they feel was imposed by Democratic elites. But they embody different visions of America. Economic nationalists want to return to a mythical past marked by industrial glory, whereas techies envision an AI-run utopia. One is populist, the other elitist. One has faith in the wisdom and common sense of ordinary folks, the other privileges technology. One wants to stop immigration, the other welcomes skilled newcomers. One is parochial, the other globalist. One wants to break up Silicon Valley, the other to empower it. One wants to soak the rich, and the other spoon-feed the wealthy. Nationalist-populists claim to speak for those Musks envisioned tech revolution would leave behind. So, it is not surprising that they hold Silicon Valleys techno-feudalists in contempt. Steve Bannon, a leading economic nationalist, has gone so far as to call Musk a parasitic illegal immigrant." Musk and what he represents must be stopped," Bannon warns. If we dont its going to destroy not just this country, its going to destroy the world." While Bannon does not serve in the Trump administration, he is a major figure in the MAGA movement and has close ties with many top administration staffers. Yet it is clear that Musk now has Trumps ear. The White House has given free rein to his Department of Government Efficiency. It is typical of personalistic leaders like Trump to pit allies (courtiers, really) against each other so that none amasses too much power. Trump may think he can stay on top and leverage conflicts for his own advantage. But such tactics work best when the rivalry is over government resources and rents, rather than ideology. Given the divergent world-views and policy preferences of those in the Trump administration, a showdown is all but inevitable. But what would come after? Will there be paralysis, or will one of the groups assert dominance? Will the Democrats be able to capitalize on the rift? Will the prospects for American democracy be revived or diminished even further? Regardless of the outcome, todays tragedy is that less-educated working-class voters who flocked to Trumps anti-elitist message will remain losers. None of the contending wings of Trumps coalition offers a compelling vision for them. This applies even to the economic nationalists (their rhetoric notwithstanding), whose aspirations hinge on an unrealistic revival of factory jobs in the US. As different elites fight for their own versions of America, the urgent policy agenda needed to create a middle-class economy in a post-industrial society will remain as distant as ever. 2025/Project Syndicate The author is a professor of international political economy at Harvard Kennedy School, and the author of Straight Talk on Trade: Ideas for a Sane World Economy. US President Donald Trump s recent declaration of English as the official language of the US may seem relatively benign. Most residents already speak English and a majority of immigrants are eager to learn it. Under most presidents, such a directive might have been largely symbolic. After all, 32 states already have English as their official language. But Trump isnt most presidents. He has demonized immigrants for over a decade, making them scapegoats for nearly every societal ill. In his first term, he complained that too many of them came from [bleep] countries." At a campaign event last March, he decried those who speak languages that nobody in this country has ever heard of. Its a very horrible thing." In his address to Congress last week, he touted his new executive order and accused legal immigration of resulting in beautiful towns destroyed." Now Trump would have us believe that this new policy will make the United States a shared home and empower new citizens to achieve the American dream" and that his order recognizes and celebrates the long tradition of multilingual American citizens who have learnt English and passed it to their children." There is little doubt of the benefits of learning English as rapidly as possible for newcomers. But learning another language is difficultmore so for some than others. The transition is eased with resources while learners get up to speed: English language classes for adults, important documents printed in native languages, bilingual education for children. This order does nothing of the sort. It is a sink-or-swim message that urges immigrants to learn English as quickly as possible or suffer the consequences. It frees the federal government and organizations receiving federal funds from having to provide language assistance to non-English or limited English speakers. That had been required since President Bill Clintons executive order back in 2000 mandating such assistance. Trump has noted that his order does not go as far as prohibiting agencies or groups receiving federal funds to provide non-English assistance, allowing them to make the final call. But that sounds more magnanimous than it is. Much of the bureaucracy of the federal government is now in survival mode, and likely to choose the path of least resistance. With grants being cancelled left and right, non-governmental groups lucky enough to hang onto federal funds will be wary of crossing some DEI trip-wire by providing non-English help. Nor should official English be looked at in isolation. It is just one piece of an anti-immigrant agenda that includes America First, mass deportations, birthright citizenship and other efforts that create a permission structure for creeping xenophobia. One of the organizations behind the push is Pro-English, a strong supporter of Trump and an advocacy group with a broader agenda that Americans should find disturbing. The group isnt only in favour of English; it also wants to curtail the use of other languages. The organization wants to end bilingual education in public schools and halt the translation of government documentsincluding electoral ballotsinto other languages. Trumps order states that a nationally designated language is at the core of a unified and cohesive society" and will cultivate a shared American culture for all citizens." Thats one of those statements that sounds like it should be true, but isnt. The US has never declared an official language, yet has been unified and cohesive enough to be the worlds leading superpower for 85 years. Throughout US history, there have always been multiple languages spoken in this country. Immigrants have poured in from every corner of the globe, bringing their languages and ethnic ways with them, literally building the shared American culture" that Trump now thinks requires an official language. This executive order was not done on a whim. Nativists have long pushed for it and Trump has been promising it for years. Vice-President J.D. Vance has also been a strong proponent. In his brief time in the Senate, Vance was chief sponsor of an Official English" proposal that went nowhere. Former New York City Mayor David Dinkins once famously referred to New York as not a melting pot, but a gorgeous mosaic of race and religious faith, of national origin and sexual orientation, of individuals whose families arrived yesterday and generations ago." But the mosaic once celebrated in this country is rapidly being replaced by a return to the melting pot, a homogenous stew where assimilation and conformity are not only prized, but mandated. Bloomberg US President Donald Trump issued executive orders slapping high tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico and China. For the rest, he has proposed a reciprocal tariff regime, pushing exporting countries to either reduce their respective import duties drastically or be shut out of the US market. This will be enforced from 2 April. Never mind that applying selective tariffs violates the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO). If someone raises an objection, WTOs dispute resolution mechanism is expected to deal with it. But that mechanism is broken partly because the US has blocked appointments to its appellate body. If pushed further, it is not inconceivable that the US may decide to walk out of the WTO, just like it withdrew from the World Health Organization. How are countries to navigate this uncharted territory in global trade wherein the worlds biggest importer is using its leverage to bend or break rules? These countries are not taking it lying down. Canada and China have slapped retaliatory tariffs. Ottawa says it will replace Californian tomatoes with Italian ones. China has imposed tariffs of 10-15% on US chicken, wheat, corn, soya, sorghum, dairy products and beef. These protectionist measures violate WTO rules. But here is another twist. China has also applied retaliatory tariffs on Canadas rapeseed oil, aquatic products and pork in response to Canadas levies on Chinese electric vehicles, steel and aluminium. This seems like an all-out trade and tariff war. But there are signs that the US may walk back, rethink and recalibrate. Or maybe not. We are in uncharted territory. India has decided to pursue a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) with the US, its biggest trade partner, and the only one with which India enjoys a large trade surplus. Trump has said that India has agreed to reduce tariffs way down" after the visit of commerce minister Piyush Goyal to Washington. How this plays out and what BTA deal is hammered out remain to be seen. India, for its part, wants to hasten a deal without jeopardizing its large trade volume and export opportunity. Also Read: India and the EU have plenty to gain by forging closer bilateral ties Tariff reduction under the alibi of Trump pressure is overdue in India, since tariffs have drifted up by 4-5 percentage points from 2015. This protectionist drift was probably caused by the misguided notion that it would help our manufacturing sector under the Make in India initiative or act as a carrot for the sectors granted production-linked incentives (PLIs). This wont work because modern manufacturing is a complex web of global value chains that cut across national boundaries. Indias exports tend to be import-intensive, such as those of smartphones, pharmaceuticals, gems and jewellery and petroleum products. Lowering protectionist barriers will help importers of input components for export goods. Lower tariffs also spur competitiveness in the global arena. Agricultural products offer us a large untapped potential for exports. India is the largest producer of milk, but our share in dairy product exports is barely 0.25%. Despite a 6,000km coastline, our share in fisheries and marine exports is about 4%. India has the worlds largest population of cattle (300 million) and livestock (536 million), but our share in meat and poultry exports is far from commensurate with the potential. We have a great opportunity to increase the production of cotton, soybean and pulses, if only genetically modified versions are allowed to be grown. The white revolution of a surge in cotton production in Gujarat that started more than two decades ago was based initially on illicit or pirated varieties of BT cotton. But even as recently as last week, farmers in Vidarbha were demanding access to herbicide-tolerant BT cotton to protect the crop from pest attacks. Our adoption of genetically modified (GM) food and crops has been painfully slow, much to the detriment of productivity and exports. Even in South Asia, all countries except India use GM products. Recently, Pakistans import of GMO soybean helped its feedstock industry recover, to the benefit of its meat and poultry production. Ironically, while India does not permit the production or import of GM corn, imports of ethanol containing GM corn are allowed. The same is true of imported edible oil, on which India has huge dependency. A report by the Centre for Science and Environment said that Indians were unknowingly consuming GM food because these came as ingredients in imports. GM Brinjal, potato and mustard are prohibited in India, but most countries allow it. Indias policy on GM crops is hurting farm productivity and exports. This is on top of many other shackles, such as frequent bans and barriers, minimum export price restrictions, bars on forward markets and variety of price controls that have an anti-farmer bias. To compensate farmers, there has been a proliferation of subsidy schemes for fertilizer, seeds, credit, water and now also direct cash transfers. The heavy hand of large-scale wheat and rice procurement and the debate on minimum support prices have not moved the needle on productivity and exports. Tiny Netherlands, with a landmass 1.3% of Indias, has agricultural exports three times that of Indias in dollar terms. Our agri-exports can go up multiple times, and the country can become self-sufficient in pulses and edible oils only with proactive policies and an unshackling of farms. Trumps insistence on lower duties will pose no threat if Indias agricultural exports make headway into America and Europe. The author is a Pune-based economist. President Trump held a summit on Friday with crypto-currency enthusiasts where he touted his plan to establish national stockpiles for bitcoin and other crypto tokens. What could go wrong? Mr. Trumps new executive order issued Thursday directs the Treasury Department to take custody and preserve government holdings of bitcoin and other crypto-currencies that agencies seize as part of investigations into wrongdoing. His stated goal is to create a crypto version of Fort Knox, which is where Americas gold reserves are stored. David Sacks, the White House cryptocurrency czar, says the U.S. government has sold about 195,000 bitcoin over the last decade for $366 million, which would be worth about $17 billion today. He estimates that federal agencies now hold some 200,000 bitcoinsworth $16.7 billion at the current pricebut says there has never been a complete audit." Mr. Trumps order requires such an audit. Treasury would then manage the governments bitcoin stash as reserve assets, similar to gold and foreign currencies. Treasury would separately determine responsible stewardship" for other tokens like Ripple and Ethereum. U.S. dollar reserves provide liquidity and facilitate payments with the rest of the world. Bitcoin doesnt. While Mr. Trump describes bitcoin as digital gold," many countries dont recognize or accept it as legal tender. While gold has been used as a store of wealth for centuries, bitcoin has been around for all of 16 years. Its price is also highly volatile. Investors sold off bitcoin last week as they have other risky assets amid growing trade uncertainty. The prices of bitcoin and other tokens on Thursday fell after Mr. Trump issued his executive order, apparently because crypto investors were hoping hed do more to bolster their speculative crypto bets. His order directs Treasury and the Commerce Department to develop strategies" for acquiring more bitcoin that are budget neutral and do not impose incremental costs on United States taxpayers." This ostensibly means Treasury wont issue debt to buy bitcoin, but the order still invites government mischief. Assets seized in civil and criminal forfeitures are typically returned to victims or sold with the proceeds remitted to Treasury to reduce the budget deficit. The Trump plan is to keep confiscated tokens as investments, which might later be sold to finance a Presidents spending prerogatives. Future presidents of both parties could raid the stockpile to bypass Congress on spending. Establishing national crypto reserves also invites government abuse. The Institute for Justice has chronicled how local law enforcement has abused civil forfeiture laws to seize assets even when theres been no wrongdoing. Whats to stop the Justice Department from doing the same with crypto-currencies to bolster Treasurys stockpile? Treasury might even buy tokens backed by the ruling partys political donors to drive up their price. A government crypto reserve serves no good purpose while creating an opportunity for political bad behavior. Let private investors speculate all they want without the government having a stake in crypto-currency prices. Tribunals were meant to be Indias answer to an overburdened judicial systema fast-track mechanism to resolve disputes efficiently outside the traditional civil court structure. However, the idea of tribunals being a faster and better alternative to court cases has not worked out as expected. Unless we as a society address its shortcomings, we will only be leaping from the frying pan into the fire: i.e., we would be left with another hurdle in Indias already slow-moving justice system. Tribunals were established to handle exclusive matters requiring specialized knowledge. The rationale was clear: quicker resolution, expert adjudication and a reduced burden on courts. Yet, instead of serving as efficient quasi-judicial bodies, many tribunals have turned into non- performers themselves. This malaise cuts across not just one tribunal, but several. Such as the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT), National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) and Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL). The 2017 Competition Appellate Tribunal (COMPAT) merger with the NCLAT led to an unsustainable caseload for the latter. The NCLAT, already tasked with appeals under the Companies Act and Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, was further burdened with competition-law cases. As a result, disposal rates fell. In addition, the benefit of specialization on competition matters was lost. The DRT was established to facilitate the swift resolution of financial disputes and expedite loan recoveries. However, with over 215,431 pending cases, the objective of fast-tracking disputes has been defeated. The asset recovery rate of financial institutions in 2022-23 fell to 9.2%. Similarly, APTEL, envisioned as an efficient dispute resolution forum for the power sector, is struggling with vacancies. This has led to a backlog that delays crucial energy sector reforms and regulatory decisions. Also Read: A judiciary that refrains from judicial overreach can better serve the cause of justice Further, the judiciarys repeated intervention in tribunal matters has raised fundamental concerns. When the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) ruled on the adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dispute, the Supreme Court overruled it, raising questions about the legal standing of tribunals. If key rulings are consistently overturned, tribunals risk being seen as ineffective intermediaries rather than authoritative dispute-resolution bodies. Not to mention the fact that the AGR issue handled by the Supreme Court will have imperilled the telecom market if some operators wind up, thus reducing competition. Adding to these concerns, the inefficiencies of tribunals have wider economic ramifications. Delays in resolving disputes create uncertainty. If tribunals fail to function effectively, the resulting economic harm militates against Indias financial stability and efficiencynot just in theory, but also in terms of lived reality. Addressing these systemic failures is therefore a question of strengthening economic governance. Moreover, the abolition and merger of several tribunals and the transfer of their powers to existing judicial bodies has not necessarily resulted in efficiency. Rather, it has added to the burden of conventional courts. This shift raises an essential question: Is tribunalization a failed experiment at the conceptual level or is its failure a result of poor selection of members, lack of infrastructure, improper execution and government apathy? Also Read: We need reduced government litigation to unclog the judicial system Administrative tribunals like the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) and State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) were set up to resolve disputes concerning government-employee matters efficiently and with finality. However, dissatisfied employees prefer to file appeals at high courts under Article 226/227, which raises their workload. In its 162nd report, the Law Commission recommended the constitution of a National Administrative Appellate Tribunal, positioned above high courts, but no progress has been made on it. In 2001, Arun Jaitley, who was India minister of law and justice then, proposed the establishment of a central tribunal division within the ministry to streamline the functioning of tribunals. Earlier, in 1997, the Supreme Court in L. Chandra Kumar vs Union of India emphasized the need of an independent authority to oversee the administration of tribunals. A well-defined and structured framework should be introduced by the government with a clear timeline for its implementation. Moreover, the trend of appointing retired judges and bureaucrats to tribunals reflects a flawed approach. While judicial experience is undoubtedly valuable, the supposed technical members are mainly retired administrators. These practices raise concerns about post-retirement placements, which have been criticized by both parliamentarians and judges. Alas, this malaise runs across our entire system of economic governance. The erstwhile Planning Commission had tried to rectify it, but the idea could not get traction. The Law Commission, in its 272nd report in 2017, recommended the establishment of a central nodal agency under the ministry of law and justice. Though it did not explicitly define its formulation, it underscored the need for an independent regulatory body to oversee tribunals. Further, the government could consider introducing double shifts in tribunals (and courts). This idea was discussed in 2011, but never taken forward. A structured shift system can help clear backlogs faster and ensure speedier resolution of all matters pending with tribunals and courts. Although tribunals like the CAT, Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT), Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions and ITAT have performed relatively better in resolving disputes, the fate of tribunals in India ultimately hinges on the governments willingness to prioritize judicial autonomy. Without that, tribunalization will remain nothing more than a half-filled glass, vying to get filled up. Pragya Tiwari of CUTS contributed to this article. The authors are, respectively, vice president of Pune International Centre and secretary general of CUTS International. Thousands of U.S. companies opened for business on Friday with no idea whether they had to pay tariffs. This was due to President Trumps chaotic North American trade war, which he kicked off Tuesday by imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico, only to announce two days later that he would exempt for one month products that complied with the 2020 U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. But it wasnt clear which products qualified for exemptions, and American, Mexican and Canadian officials gave conflicting guidance. Markets hated the trade war, dropping to levels not seen since before Mr. Trumps election in November. Mr. Trump is right about the need to overhaul the global trading order. The U.S. must account for Chinas position as a strategic competitor hostile to American interests. He is also right that a more balanced international trading system would foster a stronger American economy. But last weeks trade war was neither lawful nor designed to serve Americas strategic interests. In imposing the tariffs, Mr. Trump misused the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Congress passed IEEPA to give presidents tools to respond quickly to emergencies like wars or terrorist attacks, with actions such as freezing the assets of enemies or preventing foreign militaries from buying critical inputs. IEEPA has never been used for tariffs, and courts should rule that it cant be. Last weeks chaos illustrates why. Presidents shouldnt be able to upend the economy at the stroke of a pen. Trade statutes, on the other hand, require detailed studies into why a country or product should be subject to tariffs, and the proposed tariffs must be subject to public comment. Using lawful trade statutes would require the Trump administration to follow the basic rules of trade wars: Express clear objectives and a strategy for achieving them. Mr. Trumps executive orders attributed the new tariffs to the role of Canada and Mexico in Americas fentanyl crisis, which he designated a national emergency. But when he defends his tariffs on Canada, Mr. Trump cites Americas trade deficit and claims revenue from the tariffs will pay for tax cuts. U.S. trade laws require the president to identify and investigate specific trade practices that harm the U.S. and then propose remedies, such as tariffs or negotiations. A president may impose tariffs on specific goods if fact-finding determines that imports threaten U.S. national security. Mr. Trumps reasons for imposing tariffs on Canada dont appear to satisfy these standards. If the president has goals not covered by existing statutes, such as raising revenue or mitigating trade deficits, he should ask Congress to give him the authority to pursue such goals through tariffs. Mr. Trump also needs a negotiating strategy that isnt predicated on constant chaos. Faced with Mr. Trumps tariff threats, Canadian, Mexican and European officials have indicated that they are open to collective action against China, the worlds biggest exporter and a major source of U.S. trade deficits. This would help U.S. industries: American car companies, metal producers and other manufacturers struggle to compete in markets flooded with cheap Chinese goods. Europe may also be willing to address American concerns about European tech regulations that threaten free speech and burden U.S. companies with finesespecially given Europes dawning recognition that it needs a more dynamic tech sector. European countries new defense and fiscal stimulus packagesone welcome result of Mr. Trumps pressure to become more self-reliantcould create a stronger market for U.S. goods. But foreign governments are less likely to cooperate with the U.S. if it foments chaos and issues conflicting trade demands. During Mr. Trumps first term he was unable to resolve a long-standing trade dispute between the U.S. and the European Union over aircraft subsidies, which involved tariffs and countertariffs between the two sides. They agreed to a five-year truce in June 2021 under President Biden. Mr. Trumps new trade war may create a similar dynamic, but on a vastly larger scale. This isnt a recipe for American success. Economists estimate that a global trade war could cost the U.S. 1% or more of gross domestic product, with price increases across a range of consumer products. Companies like Target and Best Buy warn they may have to raise prices amid Mr. Trumps tariffs. And thats before foreigners make things more painful. Mr. Trump looks at Americas appetite for goods and sees leverage: The U.S. can tariff foreigners more than they can tariff the U.S. But what if Americas trading partners turn its import dependencies to their advantage? Europe holds a dominant position in creating advanced semiconductor manufacturing tools. It could cut off its supply to the U.S., destroying Americas hopes of developing leading-edge chips. Beijing wins in that world. Mr. Trump has a chance to correct course in April, when his administration releases reports on U.S. trade policy that he commissioned the day he took office. If these reports set up a disciplined and lawful trade process and serve as the launching pad for skilled negotiations, Mr. Trump and his team have a chance to establish a new global trading order that advances Americas interests, much like American policymakers in the late 1940s set up an economic order that promoted U.S. economic growth and helped win the Cold War. If the next few months resemble the past week, however, the Trump administration risks being remembered alongside Sen. Reed Smoot (R., Utah) and Rep. Willis C. Hawley (R., Ore.), whose 1930 Smoot-Hawley Act imposed massive tariffs on more than 20,000 imported products, provoked retaliatory tariffs, exacerbated the Great Depression and gave tariff" a bad name. Mr. Harrell is a nonresident fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, an attorney and host of the Security Economics" podcast. He served at the White House as senior director for international economics, 2021-22. Local 3 is learning more about the murder-suicide in Walker County Saturday evening that claimed the lives of three people, including the gunman who died by suicide. The Walker County Sheriffs Office has identified the man responsible for the shooting. Authorities say 54-year-old Russell David Payne shot and killed his wife, 54-year-old Jacklyn Payne, and her father, 79-year-old Eugene (Jack) Denny, in what appears to be a domestic dispute. UPDATE: Funeral being held for Chickamauga officer who died after murder-suicide Chuck Dunn was initially the sole survivor of a murder-suicide shooting that killed his family friends, Jack Denny and his daughter Jacklyn Payne on March 8. The third victim, 52-year-old Charles "Chuck" Dunn, who survived the attack and is in critical condition at a local hospital following the incident. Sheriff Steve Wilson provided details of the investigation, explaining that deputies received a distressing call around 7:00 Saturday night. The caller reported that Payne was shooting at the home. Sheriff Wilson said, Multiple rounds going into the rear of the home, the kitchen, the living room, the dining room, and then at some point he made his way into the home where he continued shooting. When deputies arrived at the scene, they found Jacklyn, Eugene, and Russell deceased. Dunn was critically wounded. Sheriff Wilson believes Dunn fought back during the attack despite being unarmed. That person was unarmed but engaged the shooter in hand-to-hand combat and was severely wounded during the exchange, Wilson said. Jacklyn had been living with her father since she was separated from Russell. Further investigation revealed that Dunn had a close relationship with the family and may have been aware of a months-long domestic dispute between Russell and Jacklyn Payne. Sheriff Wilson explained, We dont know if he was there for comfort or protection, but he had known the Denny family growing up and was close friends to the family for many, many years. Domestic violence is a serious concern across the nation, and Sheriff Wilson noted the significant impact it continues to have in Georgia. According to statistics, one in five women in the state experience severe physical violence by an intimate partner. Sheriff Wilson said, Its just a very sad situation. I personally know the families involved, and its just been a really tough weekend for our agency and all of northwest Georgia. The sheriff also urged anyone in a volatile relationship to seek help through counseling services. He says resources are available for those in need of help. Stay with Local 3 News for updates to this developing story. Chinas life expectancy reaches 79 years in 2024, eight provinces exceed 80 years Global Times) 10:33, March 10, 2025 China's Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong, and head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao attend a press conference on people's livelihood for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) China's life expectancy reached 79 years in 2024, a 0.4-year increase from 2023, achieving the goals of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) ahead of schedule, with eight provinces exceeding 80 years, said Lei Haichao, head of the National Health Commission (NHC), at a press conference on Sunday. Lei also announced new initiatives to promote mental health, weight management and healthy lifestyles nationwide. These remarks were made by Lei in response to media inquiries about the current health level of Chinese people, specifically regarding key areas of focus for promoting healthy lifestyles and the initiatives planned for this year. Globally, China ranks fourth among 53 middle- and high-income countries, according to statistics, Lei said. When compared with the G20 countries, the average life expectancy still ranks 10th, indicating that even compared with high-income countries, China surpasses the life expectancy of 21 high-income nations. This shows the Chinese people have a good lifestyle, and it also proves that the implementation of strategies such as Healthy China 2030 has had a direct effect on improving public health. The average life expectancy of Chinese residents increased by 1.7 years in 2024 compared with 2019, marking a significant improvement over five years, Lei said. Notably, the gap in health levels among the 31 provinces across the country has been gradually narrowing, indicating improved health equity. In addition, the three municipalities - Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai - as well as eight provinces, including Shandong, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang, have all surpassed an average life expectancy of 80 years. "The potential for further improvement in Chinese residents' average life expectancy remains evident and highly expectable," said Lei. In terms of mental health services, by the end of this year, every prefecture and city will be able to establish a psychological or sleep clinic to provide more accessible mental health services to the public, according to Lei. He also noted that this year, there will be a nationwide promotion of the use of the "12356" hotline to offer mental health services and support. Lei further emphasized the promotion of the three-year campaign on enhancing the public's weight management, initiative to cultivate a lifestyle and habits that encourage awareness of weight management, healthy eating, and active participation in physical exercise across society. According to the Xinhua News Agency in 2024, Chinese authorities, including the NHC and the ministries of education and civil affairs, have issued a document to launch a three-year campaign on enhancing the public's weight management. According to a document jointly issued by 16 Chinese departments and organizations and published on the NHC's website in June 2024, from this year on, a series of measures will be taken to see that a supportive environment for weight management is formed in China, and that the public's awareness and techniques in weight management are significantly improved and healthy lifestyles more widely adopted over the next three years. "NHC has enlisted Olympic champions as social ambassadors for weight management and has also developed WeChat emojis to integrate weight management and chronic disease prevention into people's daily lives," Lei said. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) RTE Room To Improve architect Dermot Bannon must once again go back to the drawing board after his renovation plans for a house in Waterford owned by former RTE star Mairead Ronan and her husband were rebuked by the council. The Ronans have been hoped to revamp 1 Curraghmore Terrace in Dunmore East for a number of years and were first granted planning back in 2022, only to see the plans dashed by appeals from neighbours in the picturesque location by the sea. New plans were lodged with Waterford City & County Council before Christmas but the council has gone back to the applicants in search of further information. They are being asked to submit "revised proposals" after once again neighbours made a number of submissions to planners over the scale of the development. In a letter to the Ronans and their developers, the council stated: "The location of the site at a prominent location in the centre of Dunmore East and within the Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) is noted and in this regard the Planning Authority has concerns regarding the proposed development in terms of negative impact on the streetscape and the wider ACA. "The developer is therefore requested to submit revised proposals, and including revised plans as appropriate, to address these concerns. Revised proposals should include for a reduction in scale and massing of the proposed development." The planning department went on to say "the proposed extension should be subordinate to the main dwelling and not over dominate the character of the existing more modest property and historic terrace. In addition, any proposed development should appear less prominent in the streetscape and should maintain and enhance the special character of the ACA." READ NEXT: Irish sky gazers will be able to see spectacular celestial event in the night sky this week The developer is advised that new plans should include "a swept path analysis to indicate that vehicles can turn within the site," with the council stressing, "vehicles reversing out of the site on to the public road is not considered to be acceptable." The letter from the council comes after a number of submissions from neighbours on the street. One of the neighbours told the council: "In my opinion, the proposed development would detract from the character of the original modest terrace and add an intensified feature to the streetscape in general. "The scale of the proposed extension is not sympathetic to the modest size of the original property and would set an undesirable precedent for similar sized dwellings. 3.The proposal greatly reduces the private amenity space to two very small spaces to the north and south of the site. I suggest that overall the site will be overdeveloped." Another neighbour added: "The development will be clearly visible from the East (the sea wall and Harneys Hill), the South (the elevated entrance road into the village) and Wellington Terrace, to the North East. In our view it will be visually intrusive, totally out of keeping with the architectural heritage of the Lower Village and will alter the look and ambiance of the Lower Village." A number of similar observations were made in other submissions to the council. The Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, announced changes to the employment permits system to address skills shortages in Irelands Planning and Home Care sectors. The changes will come into effect on Monday, March 10. Minister Burke said, I am delighted to announce further changes to the employment permit system that will help ease the recruitment challenges being experienced in the construction and home care sectors. As we have reached full employment with over 2.7 million people at work here, there are some skills that are increasingly difficult for employers to access in Ireland and across the EEA, and these sectors are prime examples. The quota for home carers will be increased by 1,000. "In a continuation of our efforts to support services for those needing care in the home, I have approved an extension of 1000 General Employment Permits to the current quota for the role of care workers and carers in the home. Extending this quota will help alleviate labour shortages in this important sector and ensure people can access the services they need, where and when they need them. The role of care worker and home carer is eligible for a General Employment Permit with a minimum salary requirement of 30,000." Also read: ALERT | HGV traffic must avoid Longford's Battery Road for next four weeks Town planners added to the Critical Skills Occupations List Minister Burke went on to say, I am also delighted to announce that I have made the role of town planning officer eligible for a critical skills permit. This follows engagement with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and seeks to address the ongoing critical infrastructure bottlenecks experienced in the housing and broader construction sector. This change will place the State in a stronger position to attract a higher number of qualified and skilled planners to address shortages. This change will place the State in a better position to attract a higher number of qualified and skilled planners to address shortages, and continue the ramp up in housing delivery which is a critical Government priority." The planning system is critical to and underpins the delivery of public policy, societal, economic, and environmental objectives including an adequate supply of good quality housing and the timely delivery of public infrastructure like energy, transport, water, flood defences and climate resilience. PICTURES | Fantastic night of style and celebration for Longford Slashers Minister of State for Small Businesses, Retail and Employment, Alan Dillon said, Migrant workers play a vital role in Irish society in a number of industries, particularly in the health care and construction sectors. The increase of the quota for home carers will continue to support vital services for patients in Ireland and ensure some of the most vulnerable members of society can access the care they need. The addition of town planning officer to the Critical Skills Occupations List will ensure that this vital role is open to skilled workers from outside of the EEA and will provide much needed support to Irelands planning system. Also read: Longford Life spring edition - out now! Local News By Chris Boyle Published: March 10 2025 The five semifinalists earned $2,000 prizes and an additional $2,000 award to advance science education at their respective schools. During the Monday, Feb. 24 meeting of the full Nassau County Legislature, Nassau County Legislator Seth I. Koslow (D Merrick) joined with his colleagues in honoring Nassau Countys Regeneron Science Talent Search semifinalists and finalists. Legislator Koslow had the privilege of welcoming a total of five semifinalists from the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School Districts John F. Kennedy High School to the Peter J. Schmitt Memorial Chamber of the Theodore Roosevelt and Executive Building each of whom excelled in the competition and earned $2,000 prizes and an additional $2,000 award to advance science education at their respective schools. The semifinalists are: Gabriella Elliott (The Use of Diagnostic Coding Processes in the Analysis of Verbal Behaviors To Enhance Patient-Provider Connection), Mark Prainito (Behavioral Responses of Mercenaria mercenaria and Crassostrea virginica Larvae to Ocean Acidification and Cochlodinium polykrikoides Toxicity: A Novel Evaluation of the Efficacy of Ulva spp. in Mitigating Stressors Threatening Bivalve Larvae in Long Island Waters), Joleen Shau (The Effect of Defocus on Contrast Detection and Its Implications for Myopia Development and Prevention), Jayden Simon (A Comprehensive Analysis of Novel Microorganisms Utilizing Metagenomics To Determine the Effects of Plastic Polymer Types on Microbial Communities) and Mason Tso (Decoding Nonverbal Social Interactions Through Eye Movements with Soft Magnetic Skin and 3D Printed Magnetometer Glasses) for their success in the annual competition. Local News By Chris Boyle Published: March 10 2025 National Generals Poor Data Security Allowed Online Bad Actors to Steal the Drivers License Numbers of More Than 165,000 New Yorkers in Back-to-Back Breaches. New York Attorney General Letitia James today filed a lawsuit against several insurance companies doing business as National General and Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate) for failing to protect New Yorkers personal information from cyberattacks. In 2020 and 2021, National General suffered a pair of back-to-back data breaches that exposed the drivers license numbers of more than 165,000 New Yorkers. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) alleges that following the first breach, National General failed to notify impacted consumers and neglected to determine whether sensitive information was exposed elsewhere in its system, which allowed for a second, larger breach to occur months later. Attorney General James alleges the two breaches were a result of National Generals failure to implement reasonable data security measures, both before and after Allstate assumed control of its data security operations. Attorney General James is seeking penalties for National Generals failure to institute reasonable data security safeguards and notify consumers, and an injunction to stop any continued violations. National Generals weak cybersecurity emboldened hackers to steal New Yorkers personal data, not once but twice in two separate cyberattacks, said Attorney General James. National General mishandled New Yorkers personal information and violated the law by failing to inform them that their data was stolen. It is crucial that companies take cybersecurity seriously to protect consumers from fraud and identity theft, and my office will always hold those who fail to do so accountable. In 2020, attackers began targeting National Generals online quoting websites, which provide consumers with instant auto insurance quotes. These websites were designed to automatically display consumers full drivers license numbers in plain text with minimal input, a flaw that bad actors were able to take advantage of to access consumers private information. The first breach, which affected two public-facing websites, exposed the drivers license numbers of nearly 12,000 individuals, including more than 9,100 New Yorkers. Due to inadequate monitoring and the websites lack of protections against automated attacks, National General failed to detect the breach for two months. Upon discovering the breach, National General failed to alert the consumers whose data was exposed or notify the appropriate state agencies. The company also continued to leave drivers license numbers exposed on a separate quoting website for independent insurance agents, which was also weakly protected. Attackers then targeted this system in a second, far larger breach, which National General detected in February 2021. This attack compromised the personal information of an additional 187,000 consumers, including the drivers license numbers of roughly 155,000 New Yorkers. National Generals data security failures continued after The Allstate Corporation acquired National General and Allstate took control of National Generals data security function. Drivers license numbers are valuable to cyber-criminals and can be used to commit various forms of fraud, including identity theft and government benefits fraud. Under New York law, companies that own or license New Yorkers private data must take appropriate steps to secure it. Attorney General James alleges that National General violated state consumer protection and business laws by failing to secure sensitive information, misrepresenting its data security practices to customers and consumers, and failing to notify affected consumers of the initial breach. This is Attorney General James latest effort to hold auto insurance companies accountable for failing to secure consumers data. In December 2024, Attorney General James secured $500,000 from auto insurance company Noblr for failing to protect the personal information of more than 80,000 New Yorkers as part of a data breach. In November 2024, Attorney General James and New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) Superintendent Adrienne A. Harris secured $11.3 million from GEICO and Travelers Insurance for having poor data security, which led to the personal information of more than 120,000 New Yorkers being compromised. The matter is being handled by Assistant Attorneys General Laura Mumm and Alexandra Hiatt, with assistance from Assistant Attorneys General Gena Feist and Marc Montgomery, Senior Enforcement Counsel Jordan Adler, Data Security Analyst Nishaant Goswamy, and former Assistant Attorneys General Hanna Baek and Ezra Sternstein, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Kim Berger and Deputy Bureau Chief Clark Russell, of the Bureau of Internet and Technology. Data analysis was provided by Data Analyst Casey Marescot and Data Scientist Blythe Davis, under the supervision of Deputy Director Gautam Sisodia, Director Victoria Khan, former Deputy Director Megan Thorsfeldt, and former Director Jonathan Werberg of the Research and Analytics Department. The Bureau of Internet and Technology is a part of the Division of Economic Justice, which is overseen by Chief Deputy Attorney General Chris DAngelo and First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy. Looking to stay up to date about all of the news stories and local headlines that are important to Long Islanders? We've rounded up the top coverage for all of the important topics from multiple sources around Long Island, so you can be sure you've got the most recent update on the top stories for Long Island. Have an idea for a news story? Email us at news@longisland.com Columnists Press Releases IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir visits the Israeli border with Syria on March 9. (IDF) The new chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, visited northern Israel on March 9 and met with IDF commanders along the border with Syria. According to the IDF, Zamir visited the area of separation in Syria, which is along the buffer zone Israeli forces took over after December 8, 2024, when the Bashar al Assad regime fell from power. Zamirs visit comes at a unique time. There is a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel in Gaza, and Israel and the US are negotiating with Hamas via mediators in Cairo and Doha to extend the pause in fighting and continue the accompanying hostage deal. There is also a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. The IDF has withdrawn from most of southern Lebanon and most of Gaza. As these two fronts have become relatively quiet, the IDF is focused on possible threats from Syria. Zamir took over as the new military chief of staff on March 5. The visit, his first to northern Israel, included traveling to several areas along the Golan border with Syria. The IDF has bolstered its 210th Division, the primary division deployed in the Golan in the buffer zone. Israeli troops have also taken over the peak of Mount Hermon. The IDF recently carried out several rounds of airstrikes in southern Syria and demanded that the area become a demilitarized zone. On March 4, the IDF targeted a site called Tell al Mal, according to The New Arab, conducting a raid on a former Syrian regime military post that sits atop a small mountain. It is similar to a site in Tell al Hara that was targeted in late February. The IDF hasnt commented on the specifics of any of these incidents. The IDF did say on March 8 that its Paratrooper Brigade, combat engineers, and infantry from the 474th Brigade conducted targeted raids based on intelligence indications, in Syria. The 474th is part of the 210th Division. The troops located, confiscated and dismantled numerous weapons, including rifles, ammunition, missiles, and additional military equipment, the IDF said. Video showed the men operating at night and using Humvees to traverse the area. Video released by the IDF of Zamirs visit showed the military commander touring the area during the day, including visiting what appeared to be freshly dug IDF positions in the buffer zone formed by ceasefire lines from 1974. The IDF said he met with the head of IDF Northern Command, Major General Ori Gordin, and the commander of the 210th Division, Brigadier General Yair Peli. The IDF comptroller is also conducting inspections of IDF Northern Command to examine readiness, discipline, and operational routine, the IDF said. IDF operations in Syria and key meetings of Israeli officers along the border come as Israeli officials are increasingly outspoken about Syria. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz put out a statement on March 9 focusing on recent attacks against civilians in Latakia, where Syrian security forces or affiliated groups are alleged to have carried out atrocities after Assad loyalists ambushed General Security Service (GSS) forces. Those who keep silent today on the atrocities in Syria forfeit any right to preach, the ministry posted online. Israeli Minister of Diaspora and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli also slammed abuses in Syria. This is the face of a regime led by ISIS terrorists in suits and uniforms. Israel will act to protect the Druze minority in areas near its border, and efforts must be made to defend all minority populations in Syria, with an emphasis on the Kurds, he wrote. Chikli accused Hayat Tahrir al Sham, whose forces swept to power in Damascus on December 8, 2024, of carrying out a jihadist genocide. [] The West must make every effort to impose all possible sanctions on this terror regime and its patrons, Erdogan and Qatar. Israel has also continued to express support for the Druze in southern Syria. Katz said that Israel would soon enable Druze from Syria to come to Israel for work in the Golan. There are Druze communities in the Golan, and they share ties with the Druze on the other side of the border since the former used to be part of Syria before 1967. Reporting from Israel, Seth J. Frantzman is an adjunct fellow at FDD and a contributor to FDDs Long War Journal. He is the senior Middle East correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post, and author of The October 7 War: Israel's Battle for Security in Gaza (2024). Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is targeting people with dual citizenship as part of a broadening crackdown ahead of elections next year. Hungarians owning multiple passports whose work the government deems to threaten national sovereignty can be expelled from the country, according to a draft constitutional amendment. The initiative was presented by Mate Kocsis, the parliamentary leader of Orbans Fidesz party, who said those working for fake civil society organizations and so-called independent media were potential targets. Orban controls a two-thirds majority in Hungarys parliament, allowing his lawmakers to change any law including the constitution. Orban has pledged to sweep out foreign-funded media and non-governmental organizations as part of a campaign to silence dissenting voices before next years ballot. Hes been emboldened by the agenda of his ally US President Donald Trump, who has gutted the United States Agency for International Development, which financed independent media in Hungary. The Hungarian premier, whos bidding to win a fifth consecutive term, is facing a new challenger in Peter Magyar, a former ruling-elite insider. Magyars Tisza party has overtaken Orbans Fidesz in the polls, capitalizing on voters concerns about widespread corruption and a cost-of-living crisis. Another constitutional amendment proposed by Fidesz that would protect the rights of children comes after Orban said hed seek to ban the annual Pride parade in Budapest. His government had already taken steps to curb the rights of sexual minorities, including by forcing booksellers to wrap books containing LGBTQ themes and effectively barring adoption for same-sex couples. The European Union has frozen billions of euros in financing for Hungary due to the erosion of the rule of law under Orbans 15-year rule. 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Luxembourg has stepped up its ambitions to become a leading European player in AI and digital technology by launching an AI Factory that the minister of the economy says will be a one-stop shop for businesses. The Luxembourg government has committed to an investment of 60 million for the AI Factory. Operating costs of the project are estimated to total 14 million over three years, half of which will be co-funded by the Luxembourg-based European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU). A further 3 million in funding comes from Luxinnovation. Operational second half of 2026 The centrepiece of the AI Factory is the MeluXina-AI optimised supercomputer, the acquisition of which was approved by cabinet last December at an estimated cost of 80 million. The hosting and operating costs of MeluXina-AI for five years are estimated to be around 32 million. EuroHPC JU will contribute 50% of the purchase and running costs. MeluXina-AI, which will be integrated into LuxConnects data centres in Bissen and Bettembourg, is due to become operational in the second half of 2026. Economy minister Lex Delles said on Monday that the AI Factory is much more than just the hardware and talked about building an ecosystem to help the Grand Duchy prepare for the deep-seated changes that artificial intelligence will bring about for the economy. So, it is vital that when we establish AI, we make sure it can be used to meet the everyday needs for small- and medium-sized businesses, Delles told a media briefing. The AI Factory will target businesses that are both seeking innovative solutions that they can develop themselves but also deploy AI solutions that already exist, Delles added. The AI factory will be a one-stop shop for businesses for any questions they have about artificial intelligence. SME AI aid packages Delles also announced two new measures to help businesses. One will provide limited financial aid for SMEs that are taking their first steps in artificial intelligence, while the Fit For AI programme which has been running since last autumn, is aimed at helping them meet AI objectives by carrying out a feasibility analysis and drawing up a roadmap with an external consultant. Luxembourgs AI Factory is the only one in the European network to have made space one of its four main sectorial priorities, Delles explained. And only the Italian AI Factory in Bologna has also given cybersecurity a priority. The network means that access to services from all seven factories will be accessible to users partnered with national factories in Germany or Spain, for example. Luxembourgs lower tobacco prices have contributed to a significant drop in sales at French tobacconists, with a 26% nationwide decline between 2017 and 2022, according to a recent study by the French Observatory of Drugs and Addictive Tendencies (OFDT). The impact has been even more dramatic in Moselle, the French region bordering Luxembourg, where sales have fallen by 46.2%. But does this mean fewer people are smoking? Not necessarily many are simply crossing the border to buy cheaper tobacco in Luxembourg, highlighting the limits of Frances pricing policy. "Public health policies aimed at reducing tobacco consumption see their effect limited, in particular because of the development of the parallel market," French MP Frederic Valletoux noted in a recent motion for a resolution calling for changes to anti-smoking regulations at European level to combat this phenomenon. An attractive price differential Luxembourg's attractiveness is easily explained by the price differential: while a pack of 25 cigarettes costs 13 euros in France, the price in Luxembourg will reach 8 euros in 2025, as the Luxembourg government itself explained during discussions on the budget in October 2024. This is the consequence of tax competition, which ultimately penalises health policies. "The price differences specific to the European context, with its heterogeneous tax systems, encourage ... postponed purchases, while probably slowing the reduction in the number of users," the OFDT said. Also read: Luxembourg is not considering vape ban In the Grand Est region, more than half of tobacco purchases are made abroad The trend is particularly marked in Moselle and is widespread across border areas, where the decline in tobacco sales since 2017 has been steeper (-33.2%) than in non-border areas (-24.6%). The gap continues to widen each year. A 2021 Sante Publique France survey found that 15% of smokers reported making their last purchase in a neighbouring country. This figure rises significantly in Frances 22 border departments, reaching 42.1%, compared to just 6.6% elsewhere. The trend is even more pronounced in Grand Est, where 54.6% of tobacco purchases occur abroad higher than in Hauts-de-France (37.6%) and Occitanie (20.2%). The highest rates are seen in areas bordering Germany and Luxembourg, where nearly two-thirds of smokers (64.9%) buy their tobacco outside France. A 10% rise in prices leads to a 4% fall in consumption But how can this trend be addressed? According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), implementing a tax that results in a 10% price increase reduces consumption by approximately 4% in high-income countries. Tobacco taxes therefore, remain the most effective tool of reducing consumption, provided their impact is not undermined by the more lenient tax policies of neighbouring countries. Increased tax harmonisation within the EU appears to be the most suitable solution. "Aligning tobacco taxation across the 27 Member States would reduce price disparities and limit cross-border purchases," according to a report on tobacco published in March 2024 by a European Parliament working group. The report acknowledged the challenges of achieving this goal, as taxation remains outside the EUs jurisdiction, and price differences between member states continue to widen. Towards country-by-country tobacco delivery quotas? Another solution would be to impose tobacco delivery quotas within the EU, as outlined in the WHO protocol to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products. This approach is supported by the recent French motion for a resolution, urging the EU to take action. Such quotas would limit tobacco deliveries to each country based on domestic consumption. Currently, tobacco manufacturers exploit tax differences by oversupplying retailers in low-tax countries. For example, Luxembourg receives three billion cigarettes annually, despite domestic consumption being only 600 million. Also read: Nixing nicotine more complicated than circumventing cigarettes Revision of EU regulations constantly delayed However, the introduction of such quotas would require a product traceability system that is totally independent of tobacco manufacturers, as described in the WHO protocol. This independence is not guaranteed by the European regulations currently in force, which consist of two directives whose revision has been awaited for several years. The authors of the European Parliament report say that these directives, which are partly outdated, need to be updated and strengthened. Yet, planned revisions have been repeatedly delayed by the European Commission, reportedly due to pressure from the tobacco industry. An ever-increasing windfall In any case, Luxembourg is unlikely to change the situation on its own. According to forecasts by the Customs and Excise Administration, cigarette sales reached 4.9 billion units in 2024, generating 1.4 billion in revenue for the country. This figure is expected to rise steadily 1.6 billion in 2025 and 1.9 billion by 2028. The government has no plans to put an end to the phenomenon of cross-border shopping. Instead, it will introduce a modest price increase in 2025, mainly targeting the cheapest packs (5.50 for 20 cigarettes, up from 5.20). with the aim of discouraging young people from buying cigarettes "in the interests of public health, while maintaining an attractive price differential with neighbouring countries. Ultimately, the country is a winner in this system, according to the Generation sans tabac platform. Less than 5% of the tobacco sold in Luxembourg is actually consumed in the country. Meanwhile, neighbouring countries especially France bear most of the health costs. In the meantime, tobacco kills 700,000 people in Europe each year, according to the WHO. (This article was originally published by Virgule.lu. Translation, editing and adaptation by Lucrezia Reale.) A total of 323 non-Luxembourgish EU-citizens were expelled from the country between 2021 and last year, after being deemed a burden on the state, Home Affairs Minister Leon Gloden said in response to a parliamentary question on Monday. EU foreigners who live in Luxembourg but represent an unreasonable burden for the state can be expelled from the country, as the Luxemburger Wort reported last month. This applies, for example, to immigrants who are unemployed but receive social benefits from the state. Portuguese and French people particularly affected In 2021, 95 people from other EU countries had to leave the country. In 2022, there were 96 and in 2023 only 48. 84 people received a notice last year ordering them to leave the Grand Duchy. Most of those affected by the decision between 2021 and 2024 were Portuguese (89), French (70) and Romanians (57). 25 Germans and 14 Belgians also had to leave Luxembourg. The fact that someone represents an unreasonable burden for the state is only one of several reasons why people are expelled from the country, said Gloden. An EU citizen can also be considered a threat to public order or security and receive an expulsion order for these reasons, said the minister. Anyone who is deemed an unreasonable burden has 30 days to leave the country. It is enough to change ones place of residence to another country, as the free movement of persons within the EU dictates that the expelled person may continue to travel to the Grand Duchy. If the person meets the requirements again, they can return to Luxembourg and live here. Several thousand people expelled from third countries In his answer, Gloden also reported around 4,000 people from non-EU countries were expelled in the same period. While 692 people were affected in 2021, this figure rose to 768 the following year. In 2023, 1,145 people received a deportation notice, and last year the figure was 1,226. These people also include all those whose applications for asylum were rejected, Gloden said. (This article was first published on the Luxemburger Wort. Translation and editing by Tracy Heindrichs.) In an ideal world, at least as far as Apple is concerned, wed all be using Apple Intelligence all the time. Cupertino came late to the AI party and urgently needs to catch up on both training data and mindshare. AI is in that mad reckless gold-rush phase right now and the big tech companies are all desperate to stake their claims before its too late and ChatGPT becomes a verb synonymous with AI searching. AI is such a priority for Apple that its affecting everything else it does. When it launched the iPhone 16e last month, the waiting world was shocked by the price tag: a resolutely mid-market $599, while the iPhone SE it replaced cost $429. (You can argue that it actually replaced the iPhone 14, but either way, the SE is gone and the range now starts at that higher point.) The 16e costs as much as it does because of the high-end processor Apple was determined to include so it can run Apple Intelligence. In other words, Apple abandoned the massive budget phone market for at least a year purely so it could get more people on its AI platform. Last week it was the cheapest iPads turn to be phased out, and I was worried that it would get the same AI-first treatment as the iPhone 16e. After all, Apple cant have people using iPads that arent powerful enough to run Apple Intelligence, can it? Better shove in a ludicrously overpowered A18 chip and crank up the price. (Yes, I will admit that I was getting mad in advance about something that hadnt even happened yet.) In the end, that didnt happen. Rather than making the ruinously expensive leap from the A14 to an A18, the new iPad hopped more cautiously from an A14 to the A16 from 2022. Surprisinglyno, shockinglythe 11th-gen iPad does not support Apple Intelligence, and equally surprisingly it still costs a very reasonable $349. This might not be what we expected, but I think its absolutely the right decision. Tablets arent like smartphones. Theyre bought for different purposes, with far less emphasis on specs and features and far more on looks, physical dimensions, battery life, and above all, price. in fact, when this iPad launched in 2022, it was poorly received due to its $449 price tag. After a $100 price cut last year, it became the consensus pick for basically anyone needing a new tablet. Beyond the small niche market for the high-end iPad Pro, the vast majority of iPads are going to be used for convenient, portable, instant-booting access to light computing tasks like email and surfing the web. If Apple pushed up the iPad range by $100 again and started marketing it on the basis of high processing speeds and AI, it might as well wave a white flag and hand the biggest market to er Samsung? I guess? Im sure its a source of frustration for Apple that a bunch of customers are going to buy A16 iPads and miss out on Apple Intelligence (though presumably quite a lot of them can use it on their iPhones or Macs). As iPad buyers tend to upgrade quite rarely, it might be four or five years before this generation of iPads gets replaced. But its worth bearing in mind that Apple Intelligence isnt actually that great just yet and might not be for a while. Ive been using it a lot while reviewing the iPhone 16e and at this stage, its more of a proof of concept than a useful set of tools. Every single feature I tested did at least one cool thing (such as identifying a Bichon) and at least one stupid thing (such as removing a car from a photo and leaving behind its shadow), and the interfaces are some of the least intuitive Ive ever used from Apple. If its not obvious that Apple Intelligence was rushed out the door before being properly polished, consider the news that dropped on Friday: Apple has officially delayed the anticipated next-gen Siri that was already delayed to iOS 18.5. Now it looks like it will launch with iOS 19, possibly even in 2026. So, its probably not the end of the world that this years budget iPad buyers dont get a flawed AI system shoved in their faces. And its certainly preferable to a price hike. Apple is trying, understandably and sensibly, to think about the future: skating to where the puck is going to be and all that. People wont buy iPhones forever, so a big priority is working out what comes next and making sure Apple is part of whatever that is. But you have to strike a balance between the future and the present, and its better to sell tablets that dont run Apple Intelligence than a tablet no one wants to buy. Foundry Welcome to our weekly Apple Breakfast column, which includes all the Apple news you missed last week in a handy bite-sized roundup. We call it Apple Breakfast because we think it goes great with a Monday morning cup of coffee or tea, but its cool if you want to give it a read during lunch or dinner hours too. Have your say We got too many emails to print following last weeks discussion of the iPhone 16e not supporting MagSafe. So Ill confine myself to summarizing a useful point made by multiple readers: that MagSafe may be a source of concern for those with a pacemaker or related medical device. Back in 2021 the American Heart Association said the technology posed a clinically identifiable risk to cardiac devices, and Apple itself was moved to issue a warning. The degree of risk is disputed, and Apple now says most consumer electronics, from laptops to wearables, contain components which could interfere with medical devices. But with the stakes so high, its probably best to play it safe. Thanks to those who raised this important point. Theres something in the air Like the week of Mac announcements at the end of October 2024, last week was dedicated to air-themed reveals. No actual event, just a series of press releases and new products appearing quietly on the website. In fact the air theme ended up looking a little tenuous. We got a new MacBook Air in a charming new color, and a rather less impressive new iPad Air. But the powerful new Mac Studio and the odd A16 iPad (which doesnt support Apple Intelligence, curiously) conspicuously do not have the word air in their names. Very poor, Apple. Very poor. Trending: Top stories Go home, Apple, youre drunk: 5 recent decisions that make no sense. Apples new entry-level devices are the best possible trap, says Dan Moren. Why do analysts even bother to predict iPhone sales, the Macalope wonders. Forget the M4 Air, I want Apple to bring back the plain ol MacBook, says Roman Loyola. Apple begins legal battle to resist egregious iCloud backdoor demand. How Oscar-winning Anora director got his start shooting on an iPhone 5s. The iPhone 16e DOES work with MagSafe chargers kind of. Podcast of the week Apple released new versions of the MacBook Air, iPad Air, Mac Studio and iPad this week, and on the latest episode of the Macworld Podcast, we talk about whats new, whats not new, and whats totally confusing! You can catch every episode of the Macworld Podcast on Spotify, Soundcloud, the Podcasts app, or our own site. Reviews corner Sync review: No-nonsense file sync across your devices. across your devices. Alogic Ark Pro 27600mAh Power Bank review: Cable-carrying convenience . . EcoFlow Rapid Magnetic Power Bank review: Rapid by name, rapid by nature. The rumor mill Report: Folding iPhone will be ultra-thin, crease-free, and cost over $2,000. Apples next-gen Siri might be delayed until 2027. The M4 MacBook Air and Severance finale top Apples list of March releases. iPhone 16e criticized for terrible design of USB-C port. Forget Siri, iOS 18.4 brings the iPhone emoji update everyone wants. iOS 18.4 beta 2 is out, supporting iPhone 16e and adding Visual Intelligence options. And with that, were done for this weeks Apple Breakfast. If youd like to get regular roundups, sign up for our newsletters, including our new email from The Macalopean irreverent, humorous take on the latest news and rumors from a half-man, half-mythical Mac beast. You can also follow us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, or X for discussion of breaking Apple news stories. See you next Monday, and stay Appley. At a glance Expert's Rating Pros Exceptional speed Superbly future-proofed Good battery life Cons Outdated camera setup No MagSafe Apple Intelligence is half-baked Our Verdict In many ways the iPhone 16e is astonishingly good, delivering superb speed, good battery life, the latest Apple Intelligence features, and an attractive design at an affordable price. And then you bump into the lack of MagSafe and the single rear camera lens. The only word for it is lopsided, and Im struggling to see who the iPhone 16e is for. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Apple iPhone 16e Retailer Price Check Product Price The iPhone SE is gone and its replacement is here. Or is it? Apples newest cheapest smartphone isnt actually all that cheap and differs from the SE in some major ways. More of a replacement for the iPhone 14, then? Maybe. Kind of. Its complicated. I spent a few weeks with the iPhone 16e, putting the device through our exhaustive testing process and weighing its place in the Apple range and your life. Is this the budget (ish) smartphone for you? Lets find out. Design and build quality: A smart balance This is a slim, lightweight, good-looking phone with a classic design that has stood the test of time. It feels great in the hand, and the camera module on the rear is far less obtrusive than those on costlier iPhones, so it doesnt wobble so much when placed on a flat surface. If youre coming from the 3rd-gen iPhone SE the design will feel like a massive step forward: gone is the SEs Home button, cramped screen, and rounded sides, replaced by a handsome all-screen design with squared-off edges. For those more accustomed to the current iPhone range, however, it will feel like the opposite. The 16e may have been branded to tie in with the late-2024 iPhones but it follows the design cues of two generations earlier. David Price / Foundry There are a few differences, but in most respects, youre looking at the externals of an iPhone 14. It has the same aluminum frame and glass back (without the color infusion added to the iPhone 15), the same 6.1-inch 25321170 screen with the same notch, and the same physical dimensions although it weighs fractionally less than the 14, presumably because of having one camera fewer. (Thats difference number one, which Ill come back to.) Another important difference between the 16e and the iPhone 14 and 3rd-gen SE is the inclusion of an Action button in place of the mute switch on the lefthand edge. This can still be used as a mute switchin fact, thats what I use it for on my 16 Plusbut you can instead reprogram it to open the Camera app, turn on a Focus mode or the Flashlight, or various other handy options. That list of actions, by the way, now includes one new option: Visual Intelligence, which on the late-2024 iPhones is triggered using the Camera Control. This is because the iPhone 16e does not feature the Camera Control. Im not a huge fan of the Camera Control on my 16 Plus, which feels unnecessary (since you can easily swipe to the camera from the lock screen) and which I sometimes press by accident with the fourth finger of my left hand when holding the device in portrait mode. So as far as Im concerned this is a minor loss. The only downside was that, while I was testing Visual Intelligence, I wanted that tied to the Action button, which meant in turn that silent mode had to move from the Action button to the Control Center. This kind of button juggling can mess with your muscle memory so its best to find a system you like and stick with it. A final cosmetic difference from the iPhone 14 is the range of colors. The iPhone 14 came in six widely varied colors: mild greyish blue, light purple, yellow, black, white, and (Product) Reds glorious unabashed scarlet. The iPhone 16 has black, white, ultramarine, teal, and an excellent pink. Even the SE had midnight, starlight, and red. But the 16e comes in just white or black. Its not a lot of choice or visual interest and feels like a deliberate strategy to encourage upselling. David Price / Foundry Mind you, the black model I tested is sharp. The rear is super-matt, to the extent that its difficult to photograph (my colleague on Macwelt makes the same complaint about the white finish), and I love the contrast between this and the shiny Apple logo in the center. Besides, if monotone finishes strike you as boring, you can always buy a brightly colored case to jazz the phone up a little. I got Apples Winter Blue silicone case and like it a lot. See if theres a case you like in our round up of the best cases for iPhone 16-series. Features: Surprising inclusions, strange omissions Whereas the physical design is a set of sensible compromises, walking a steady middle path between the outdated look of the iPhone SE and the unattainable upgrades of the iPhones 15 and 16, the 16es features list is more of a rollercoaster ride. It verges wildly from one extreme to another. The device misses out on some truly basic features that budget smartphone buyers have every right to expect, yet manages to squeeze in others that Id categorise as luxuries. The first incongruously generous inclusion (and really the defining element of the entire product) is Apple Intelligence, the companys AI platform and vision of the future. Apple Intelligence is a demanding thing to run, requiring as a minimum an A18 processor and 8GB of RAM, and it would be unrealistic at this stage to fit those things into a budget iPhone. Instead of conceding defeat and leaving the feature out of the 16e (as it did with the 11th-gen iPad), Apple decided not to have a true budget iPhone anymore. Thats why Im reviewing a $599 phone instead of a $429 one. Was this drastic step worth it? Yes and no. Apple Intelligence is still at an early stage in its development, with features gradually rolling out as theyre finished or in some cases, before theyre finished. It doesnt feel very polished right now, but this probably wont be representative of your experience across the life of the phone; Apple is very committed to AI right now and we can expect future iOS updates to feature a lot of improvements in this area. Its a good thing that 16e owners will get to be a part of that. There are far too many components of Apple Intelligence to cover them all here, but here are a few thoughts from my time with the iPhone 16e: Visual Intelligence: For certain things, this is fun and usefulit can identify cars, dogs, and plants quickly and accurately. But can be flaky, misunderstanding street signs and failing to recognize what was obviously a London phone number on a storefront with only the initial zero cropped out. Genmoji: Hit and miss. Lots of duff results, like a request for a cat on a bus showing the cat superimposed over the bus rather than riding the bus; my tiger eating grapes had a bunch of normal grapes in one hand and random objects (a strawberry; an iced gem) in the other. You have to filter out the dross. And any time you mention a person (I thought Edgar Allen Poe eating ice cream would be funny) it insists you instead choose someone from your Photos folders. I couldnt see an obvious way around this. Web page summaries: Mostly excellent on factual/informative pages, although it struggled badly with opinion pieces that follow an argument. To its credit, the feature admitted this weakness when I selected an article of that type. Clean Up: Inconsistent. I had trouble removing a car from a scene, which left behind a distorted shadow. Writing Tools: Good for correcting typos and grammar errors but the stylistic amendments can be painful. When told to rewrite something like a professional document it simply replaced every normal word with a longer synonym, like someone whos just taken a vocabulary course. Notification summaries: Unreliable, as we all know. Apple Intelligence is technologically quite impressive but nevertheless goes wrong fairly often and isnt the most intuitive to use: more of a curiosity or proof of concept than a serious set of tools, really. It will get better, but right now its of limited value. And thats leaving aside the ethical issues (using up water, taking peoples jobs) that AI poses more generally. Yeah, Id call that unexpected results. David Price / Foundry Still, the inclusion of Apple Intelligence led to the second act of generosity: an exceptionally (some would say unnecessarily) impressive set of tech specs. Having that chip and RAM combo will be useful for things other than AI; theyll ensure the 16e is future-proofed to run demanding apps for a long time to come, for one thing. And it also means it has some serious processing power, which Ill explore in a later section. Weve covered the positives, but now we need to mention the negatives, and there are two almost criminal gaps on the feature list. First, the iPhone 16e doesnt support MagSafe, even though the iPhone 14 did (as did the 12 and 13 before it). This, as Ive discussed elsewhere, is a huge disappointment. Before the launch of the iPhone 12, wireless charging felt like the poor cousin of its wired equivalent: slower, less power-efficient, and just as much of a hassle because you had to make sure the phone was in the sweet spot on the charging puck, and a single accidental nudge could result in an uncharged device. MagSafe, which pulls the phone into the sweet spot and holds it there securely, changed all that. The only time I use wired charging with my iPhone 16 Plus is when I desperately need to top up the battery as quickly as possible before going out. The iPhone 16e, by contrast, feels like a step back to 2020, and wireless charging is once again a tiresome worry. At least you get an onscreen graphic and haptic vibration to tell you charging has begunbut it isnt as easy, and doesnt offer the same speeds, as charging with all the other MagSafe-compatible iPhones. Which is to say, every single other model. It would be worth considering a MagSafe case, which wont give you the higher charging speeds but will give you the useful magnetic connection. The second disappointing negative is the fact that the 16e also has only one rear camera lens. This carries implications for Portrait Mode, zoom, and more, which Ill discuss in the next section. Whereas the iPhone 16 Plus (pink) has a distinct module and then the lenses extend above that, the 16e (black) just has the lens sticking up. David Price / Foundry Camera performance: Mostly good, but with disappointing limitations Whereas the iPhone 16 Pro has three cameras on the rear and the iPhone 16 has two, the 16e has just one. If that makes it sound like it will be a third as good at photography as the Pro model, dont worry; the good news is that not all lenses are created equal, and the additional lenses on the other models are somewhat less important than the one on the 16e. Nevertheless, this is a serious disadvantage for the new phone. The 16 Pros third lens is the telephoto. The fact that the 16e doesnt get it means (like the 16) it doesnt have optical zoom in the strict technical sense, although Apple claims a 2x zoom by cropping into the center of high-resolution shots taken using the main lens. Given that the 16e has the same whopping 48MP wide-angle camera as the other iPhone 16 phones, 2x shots have plenty of detailit is just as good as a non-zoomed shot taken using the iPhone 14s perfectly decent 12MP cameraso thats fair enough. But zoom in any more (up to 5x, for example, which the Pro can achieve with no issues) and images will start to lose detail and show pixellation. A bigger loss for me is the ultra-wide secondary lens. As the name suggests, this means you miss out on the handy 0.5x anti-zoom option for wider-angle shots, an important tool when photographing landscapes. But the fact that the 16e doesnt have two lenses means you also cant take macro shots or true Portrait photos, and my suspicion is that the average iPhone owner takes more photos of people than landscapes. There is still a Portrait option in the 16es Camera app, of course, but this is all done via software trickery rather than by comparing depth data from two lenses. This trickery relies on iOS knowing what its looking at, so it only works on people. I tried taking Portrait shots of mailboxes, dogs, and cats, and in every case, it said No person detected and refused to play ball. Even if you do snap a human model, the bokeh effect wont be as good as the other iPhone 16 phones. I noticed some softness around the edges, with parts of my models clothing and hair blending erroneously in with the background. Its not terrible by any means but it is noticeably worse than the real thing. The 16e (left) has trouble with soft edges that the 16 Plus (right) handled with ease. In other respects, however, the 16s camera performance is excellent, and thats what I mean by the relative importance of the lenses. My guess is that for 90 percent of iPhone photography, the limitations listed above wont be a factor. For those 90 percent of shots, detail was excellent, color reproduction was vibrant and faithful, and the results were great. The 16e even did well in difficult lighting thanks to the inclusion of Smart HDR 5, the latest iteration of a feature that takes multiple exposures and blends elements of each into the finished shot so that bright light in one part of the frame doesnt result in loss of detail in another darker part. This wasnt perfect, but I found that I could shoot a shadowed building with a bright sun directly behind, genuinely making the worst compositional decisions on purpose, and still clearly discern the brickwork. No small feat. Sure, the building is a little dark. But these were the most challenging lighting conditions I could find and its really not bad. (Incidentally, the 16 Plus performed no better in this test.) David Price / Foundry Performance: Is there such a thing as too fast? That last section was critical, but were back on solid ground here. With an A18 processor and 8GB of RAM, the iPhone 16e is an insanely overpowered phone for the money, and this was reflected in speed testing. In terms of general processing, this is essentially the same as the iPhone 16, and its about as powerful as iPhones get right now. Across the CPU tests in Geekbench 5 and 6, and the various Neural Engine tests in Geekbench AI, there was nothing to choose between the 16e and even the 16 Pro, despite the latter featuring an A18 Pro. This is an absolute powerhouse. Graphically its a different story because the 16e has just a four-core GPU, compared to the 16s five cores and the 16 Pros six. In Geekbench 6s GPU test, the 16e was around 27 percent behind the 16 Pro, and we saw consistently lower frame rates across all the graphics tests in 3DMark. In these areas, the 16e performed closer to the iPhone 15 Pro. In real-world use, however, the 16e was fast and slick, performing at the highest level across every app I used. But in truth, Id expect an iPhone with a considerably weaker set of specs to perform the same way. Its tempting to say that this is overkill, although as mentioned earlier, the 16es chip and RAM make it superbly future-proofed. C1 modem: A solid inclusion after all This is the final surprising inclusion Im going to talk about in this article. The 16e features Apples new in-house C1 cellular modem, which promises improvements to battery performance, and it gets this at least six and potentially 18 months before any flagship iPhone model. On the surface thats a remarkably generous decision, and wed never expect a new processor, for example, to make its first appearance this low down in the range. But is it really generous? Or is the 16e instead being used as a testbed for a risky new component with cons as well as pros? After initial testing we were inclined towards the latter view. After all, regardless of its effect on battery life, the C1s main job is to deliver cellular connectivity, and when my colleague Jason Cross ran speed tests he found that the C1 delivered roughly the same upload speed as the Qualcomm Snapdragon X71M modem in the iPhone 16 but about half the download speed. Thats not greatand its not an upgrade. But hold on! At the time, Jason was careful to point out that his tests should not be taken as definitive: while they covered multiple locations and were better than most of the data wed seen in early reviews, the exercise was still limited to a single metropolitan area and a single carrier. And a larger-scale test published since we first published this review suggests that the C1s cellular performance may be better than first thought. In fact, with a few caveats (read Jasons account for the full details), the report indicates that the C1 modem can beat or match the X71M most of the time. So right now, it looks like the C1 is fine for cellular connectivity. Your mileage may vary, of course, but it no longer looks like the downgrade we first thought. And the C1 does appear to draw less power, perhaps 25 percent less. This is unlikely to have a huge effect on battery life, but its something. David Price / Foundry Battery performance: Good, but not that good Boasting a larger-capacity battery than either the iPhone 16 or 16 Pro, plus the power-conserving capabilities of the C1 modem, the iPhone 16e has all the makings of a battery star. Sure enough, Apple estimates up to 26 hours of video playback, well ahead of the 16s 22 hours and only slightly behind the 16 Pros 27. In practice, this aspect of the 16es performance was mildly disappointing. In the battery component of Geekbench 4 (thanks again to Jason Cross for running these tests) the 16e managed 13 hours and 38 minutes, lower than any other 16-series iPhone. Thats also lower than some other reviewers have reported, so Jason checked everything and repeated the test, with no improvement. This isnt bad, to be clear. Its better than any pre-16 iPhone, including the much larger 15 Pro Max, and you can expect far longer life in normal use; the battery test is deliberately very demanding to highlight differences in performance. While I was testing the 16e it would generally end the day with 30 to 50 percent of battery power remaining, the only exception being a day of ludicrously intense benchmarking which it still survived with 11 percent left. Battery life is very good just not quite as good as we expected. Price: A nasty shock The iPhone 16e starts at $599, in yet another surprise. We were expecting this phone to replace the iPhone SE, which started at $429, but Apple went in a different direction and no longer offers a budget smartphone. To be fair, there was no way a phone with these specs was going to be feasible at $429 (or $479 for the SE with the same 128GB of storage), and it isnt the 16es fault that Apple has given up on what I think is an important market. The question is not whether the 16e should cost $479, because it clearly shouldnt, but whether its worth $599. Heres how much the three configurations will cost: iPhone 16e (128GB): $599/599 iPhone 16e (256GB): $699/699 iPhone 16e (512GB): $899/899 David Price / Foundry Should you buy an iPhone 16e? The iPhone 16e is such a strange phone. In many ways its astonishingly good, delivering superb speed, good battery life, the latest Apple Intelligence features, and an attractive design at an affordable price. And then you bump into the lack of MagSafe and the single rear camera lens. The only word for it is lopsided, and Im struggling to see who the iPhone 16e is for. Youre forced to pay for a state-of-the-art processor which is overkill for most people and is only there for Apple Intelligencean AI system that is flawed and very much a work in progress. Do most phone buyers even care about AI? Im not sure, although its importance will increase so perhaps its good to be prepared. Im quite shocked that Apple thinks it can get away with a single-lens camera setup in the year 2025, given that its been selling dual-lens iPhones since 2016 and triple-lensers since 2019. Perhaps its lucky for the 16e that weve reached a point in smartphone camera development where even the worst cameras are still good enough for most peoples needs most of the time. Still, its worth saying that you could easily get a much better camera on a cheaper and older refurbished iPhone. You wouldnt get Apple Intelligence, but at least youll get MagSafe. Is the iPhone 16e worth $599? Yes, it probably is. If you weigh up the things that Apple included against the things it didnt, I guess it adds up to something around that price. Its just that the various elements dont mesh together in a way that makes sense. It would be like going to the supermarket and buying the cheapest wine and the most expensive steak. Youd end up paying a fair price, but you probably wouldnt enjoy the pairing. So who is this phone for? Who are these people who need Apple Intelligence but are happy to accept a single-lens camera? I dont know, but I cant imagine there are many of them. In fact the iPhone 16e doesnt feel like it was designed with anyone in mindjust the strategic imperatives of an AI-obsessed corporation. This is a product that was designed with the wrong motives and, to be honest, it shows. Apples ongoing struggle to roll out Apple Intelligence features in a timely fashion is having knock-on effects elsewhere in the companys product roadmap. Following news that the new Siri will be delayed even further, a new report claims the long-rumored smart home hub has also been postponed because the Siri features it was intended to be based around are not yet ready for action. In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman claims the device, currently code-named J490 and expected to combine an iPad-like screen with smart-home controls, has been pushed back as a direct result of delays afflicting new Siri features. At one point, Gurman writes, the company had hoped to announce this product in March. But because the device, to an extent, relies on the delayed Siri capabilities, it has been postponed as well. On the positive side, he adds that Apple has begun an internal testing program for the hub, which implies progress of sorts. Somewhat more ominously, he says the program involves select members of Apple staff being permitted to take prototypes of the device home for testing and feedback which may remind readers of the remote working practices during COVID that reportedly led to more leaks than the company usually experiences. Ever since then, Apple has been very keen on workers turning up at the office wherever possible. Last week we reported on major delays afflicting Siri, the only Apple Intelligence feature everyone wanted. Apple Intelligence covers a wide range of functions but the most appealing for many people (including the writer of this article) was the promise that it would make Siri more accurate, conversational, context-sensitive, and intuitive to use. But it now seems likely that the revamped Siri will be delayed until the iOS 19 cycle, and very likely wont be fully rolled out until an update in 2026. Apple is reportedly exploring multiple projects in this area. Last fall it was reported that there were two products on the way: J490, described as a low-end smart display for using FaceTime and controlling home appliances, and J595, an iPad-like display with a tabletop robotic limb that is expected to arrive much later. This isnt the first time the iPad-screen-plus-home-controls project has hit a road bump. Last December, well before the current issues arose, we discussed the multiple delays and endless waiting for what was then understood to be essentially a HomePod with an iPad screen. At this point, I wrote at the time, as is often the case with tech products that have been delayed multiple times, we have to start wondering if it will ever launch. Apple clearly views the smart-home market as a priority, but this latest postponement is unlikely to dispel such doubts. Read more about the HomePod with a screen and Apples Home Hub/smart display plans. Jim Ramsey (left) passed the ball to Jonathan West (right) for the chairmanship of the Bennington County Democratic Committee at a meeting of the Democrats last Saturday at the Manchester Community Library. Ramsey was recently named to the chairmanship role of the state Democratic Party. Prince Frederik of Luxembourg, son of Prince Robert of Luxembourg and Princess Julie of Nassau, has passed away at the age of 22 after a courageous battle with PolG mitochondrial disease, a rare and debilitating genetic disorder. His father, Prince Robert, shared the heartbreaking news through a statement on the website of the POLG Foundation, an organization founded by Frederik himself to support research and treatments for the disease. "It is with a very heavy heart that my wife and I would like to inform you of the passing of our son," Prince Robert wrote, revealing that Frederik died on March 1. Prince Frederik's final moments were spent surrounded by family, including his brother Alexander and sister Charlotte, as well as other relatives and loved ones. According to Prince Robert, Frederik took the time to personally say goodbye to each family member, leaving them with words of kindness, wisdom, and even humor-a reflection of his incredible character. "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. Even in his last moments, his humor and his boundless compassion compelled him to leave us with one last laugh... to cheer us all up," he said. The PolG disease Frederik was born with PolG mitochondrial disease, a rare genetic disorder that affects multiple organs by disrupting cellular energy production. However, he wasn't officially diagnosed until he was 14 years old, when his symptoms became more pronounced and the disease began to progress rapidly. The condition is notoriously difficult to diagnose and, tragically, has no known cure. As Prince Robert described, it acts like a faulty battery-one that never fully recharges, constantly depletes, and eventually loses power. "POLG disease is a genetic mitochondrial disorder that robs the body's cells of energy, in turn causing progressive multiple organ (brain, nerves, liver, intestines, muscles, swallowing, and ocular function, etc.) dysfunction and failure," he noted. "Though he always made it very clear that he did not want this dreadful disease to define him, he nonetheless immediately identified with and helped define the mission of The POLG Foundation." Frederik played a key role in shaping the foundation's work, from designing its branding in the United States to launching a MITO clothing line, a project he pursued with fashion designer Donna Karan. Beyond advocacy, he actively contributed to scientific research, donating cell lines and mouse models to labs across Switzerland, the United States, and Europe, ensuring that his condition could be studied further in hopes of finding a cure for future generations. Josh Kraft, son of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and former CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston, speaks at a campaign launch event announcing his candidacy for mayor of Boston at Prince Hall in Dorchester, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025. (Trea Lavery/MassLive) Boston mayoral candidate Josh Kraft knocked incumbent Mayor Michelle Wu on Sunday for the costs of her high-stakes testimony on Capitol Hill last week, a bill that included up to $650,000 for outside legal counsel. Appearing on WCVB-TVs On the Record, Kraft said his opponent did a perfectly fine job facing questions from a Republican-controlled congressional committee investigating local immigration laws and Boston and other cities' sanctuary city statuses. Kraft said Wu did exactly what any mayor should do and defended the values of Boston. But he said the resources the Wu team devoted to the nationally televised hearing including up to $650,000 paid to the New York-based law firm Cahill Gordon & Reindel, which billed the city $950 per hour for help preparing was too high. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (left), Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and David J. Bier, Director of Immigration Studies at the Cato Institute, are sworn in during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on sanctuary cities' policies at the U.S. Capitol on March 05, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images) Getty Images Wu also brought roughly a dozen staffers to Washington, D.C., for the hearing, adding an estimated $8,500 in travel expenses. I understand preparation, but in a time when the city is becoming more and more fiscally vulnerable, I think $650,000 of preparation is a lot of money, Kraft said. In the same interview Sunday, Kraft said he didnt think it mattered to voters that he only recently began residing in the city, pointing to his decades of work with nonprofits and community organizations as evidence of his commitment to Boston. Kraft, the former longtime head of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, the president of the New England Patriots Foundation, and board chair of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts, is a former resident of Chestnut Hill. He purchased a home in the North End of Boston in late 2023. He said he entered the mayoral race because Bostons residents, business owners and workers do not feel listened to under Wu. When Chicago-born Wu graduated from Harvard University in 2007, Kraft said, he had been working in the neighborhoods for 17 years. In the end, I dont think it matters to people where a mayoral candidate has put their head at night to sleep, Kraft said. I was in the city for 35 years. I think what matters to them is someone who understands the city and what it needs to head into the right direction. Kraft also criticized the Trump administrations decision to move Bostons local Small Business Administration office as part of a broader plan to relocate those offices out of sanctuary cities. Kraft called the move a mistake and said that as mayor he would try to work with federal officials to keep the SBA office in Boston. Whoever is in Washington, D.C., my No. 1 concern is whats best for Boston, and the 650,000 citizens of Boston, he said. Twin Donuts, Allstons legendary diner, is permanently closing in March after 70 years. Social media posts containing a message from ownership indicated the diners last day of service will be Sunday, March 23. Twin Donuts will officially shut down Monday, March 24, according to the social media posts. An employee at the diner confirmed to MassLive Monday that the shop would close on March 24, but could not provide a reason behind the closure. Eater Boston reported that Twin Donuts was closing due to slowing business. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve our Allston/Brighton community for the past 25 years and your business has been truly appreciated by our family all these years, the message reads. The post directed patrons to visit Twin Donuts' sister locations: Cafe Mirror and The Brighton Cafe. Both cafes, which are located within a mile of Twin Donuts, will stay open. Twin Donuts has been in operation since 1955. The establishment initially only sold doughnuts and other pastries. However, Chiang Sou Pang and her late husband, Leang Sim Taing, introduced a full breakfast menu when the couple purchased Twin Donuts in 2001, according to Eater Boston. The diner has been an ideal spot for those looking for hearty breakfast plates at an affordable price ever since. Eater said a two-plate breakfast combo of pancakes, French toast, scrambled eggs, corned beef hash and home fries used to cost under $10 at one point. However, Twin Donuts' business slowed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and gentrification of Allston, according to the restaurants current owner. There is definitely not that crowd of students, owner Catherine Taing told Eater Boston in 2023. Twin Donuts used to be popular with the hippie-punk crowd that used to be prevalent in Allston; its just not there anymore. With rents skyrocketing, its pushed those regulars out. Members of the Allston-Brighton community expressed their sadness surrounding Twin Donuts' closure online. So sad to see a legacy business like Twin Donuts closing, they are a valued partner in the neighborhood and have been a great breakfast spot for the past 25 years, Allston Village Main Streets wrote on Instagram. Every time anyone gives directions to or from Allston, Twin Donuts is invariably used as a marker. Lets continue to support them this month, and keep supporting their sister locations in Brighton [Brighton Cafe and Cafe Mirror]. Damn this is sad more and more neighborhood spots going out like this zaps the areas character, one Reddit user wrote. Twin Donuts is located at 501 Cambridge St. in Allston. The shop is open 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Its a safe bet that all the St. Patricks festivities going on are making a lot of people think about summer vacation plans and possibly even heading over to the Emerald Isle. As I often do at some point in the year, I let those of you traveling to Ireland know about some Irish craft beers and where they can find them. Everyone knows about Guinness and Harp and Murphys Stout, but youd be doing a disservice to Irelands great craft beer scene by sticking to those old classics. As I have often noted, beer is a very social drink. This is especially true in Ireland, where pubs serve even a bigger role as gathering places than they do here in the United States. In more rural parts or in small towns, its not unusual for whole families to gather in pubs. Ive also found that as long as youre reasonable, a lot of Irish people will strike up a conversation with you very easily. Ive been to Ireland enough now to have people I call actual friends over there. Ive met them in various ways, but Ive certainly forged a few of these relationships over beer. One of my longest friendships is with a gentleman named John Stephens, a former professor at University College Dublin who I met more than 15 years ago via our mutual love of craft beer. John and I have met up numerous times over the years, and I always try to make it a point to get together with him when Im there. He lives in Dublin, so most of our get-togethers have been there in the capital city, but he also made a trip out to visit me in Galway last year. I mention him not only because he is a wonderful, funny, and engaging gentleman, but also because has also introduced me to some great beers that I would not have found on my own. (He also has great taste in music which means he likes a lot of the same stuff I do.) But lets get back to the beer. Here are some of the beers that I have discovered, mostly because of my friendship with John. Im sure some of them will be ones youd like to try, so read on. First up is an IPA named Little Fawn from White Hag Brewing Co. This is a clean and refreshing IPA with an intense citrus hop aroma. That somewhat tropical aspect is present but more muted in the flavor and encased in a bread-like malt structure. Its also pretty low on the alcohol scale, coming in at 4.2% ABV, so its perfect as a session beer after a long day of sightseeing. John and I sampled this at the Kings Inn on Bolton Street. Our next offering today is one I had by myself at the Dew Drop Inn in Galway: Tribol Czech Pilsner. Brewed by Galway Bay Brewing Co., This beer is fairly true to style and hits all the marks. It features a crisp malt framework with enough mild floral notes to keep things interesting. The Dew Drop Inn is definitely a place beer fans should stop when in the City of Tribes. While The Long Hall is one of my favorite old-school pubs in Dublin, it has branched out in recent years and now has a handful of craft beer taps. Based on my love of the brewerys other beers Ive had over the years, I couldnt resist trying OHaras Irish Red. While its not going to bowl anyone over, its certainly more flavorful than, say, Kilkennys, if Irish Red Ales are your go-to. It relies on a tasty blend of biscuit and toffee notes to hold your attention, then brings in a mild but firm hop guardrail to prevent it from becoming cloying. Back to my Dublin pub crawl with John, we visited a fantastic craft beer bar named Underdog, I sampled an excellent pale ale with a mouthful of flavor and a name : Catch the Colours Everywhere. This beer comes from Verdant Brewing in England and is true to its name. Both the nose and flavor feature a melange of tropical tangs. Despite the complexity of the brew, it finishes quite crisp. It probably leans more to the IPA style than a pale ale, but its delicious either way. I also sampled an American-style session pale ale at Underdog: Sesh from Lough Gill Brewing in Co. Sligo. As a fan of the American West Coast style, I have to say that Sesh is as good as or better than many of Americas recent attempts at the style. Light and zesty, the flavor profile is satisfying without beating you over the head with too many hop hammers. St. Patricks Day always includes all types of celebrations from food showcases to cultural heritage gatherings to pub crawls. But our focus here is mostly music, and Western Massachusetts has plenty of parties that include tunes, so here is a (mostly musical) sampling up and down the pioneer Valley. We might as well start with one of the most Irish venues in the area, Springfields John Boyle OReilly Club. The JBO Club is the oldest Irish-American cultural club in the country and will celebrate St. Paddys Day (March 17) with corned beef sandwiches all day long, with music by The Corner Boys starting at 2 p.m. The Corner Boys hail from Holyoke and play traditional Irish folk music. The club is at 33 Progress Ave. While were looking at Springfield, we should mention Theodores Blues and BBQ downtown. The club will stray from the blues on March 17, with traditional Irish music taking the stage there, courtesy of Jeff King with Noelle Saison on bass and mandolin, joined by Emma Kales on violin. The music runs from 5-8 p.m. The venue is at 201 Worthington St. If you want to start celebrating a bit early on St. Patricks Day, The Daily Pint in Wilbraham will have Irish music by The Healys from noon to 3 p.m. The Daily Pint is at 2523 Boston Road. Over in Westfield, Bright Ideas Brewing will tap its Lark & Lion Dry Irish Stout and bring the swing band chCHUNK to the stage. The brewery will also have Chappys food truck on hand with a special St. Patricks Day menu. Bright Ideas is at 109 Apremont Way. On the other end of the geographic spectrum, The Brewery at Four Star Farms in Northfield gets the party started a day early on March 16. Along with a beer release of the brewerys Four Star Red Ale, the brewpub will also offer a corned beef & cabbage dinner and music by Ragged Blue starting at 3 p.m. Ragged Blue is a Greenfield-based band that plays a diverse blend of Celtic, bluegrass, jazz and folk music. The Brewery at Four Star Farms is at 508 Pine Meadow Road. If you can delay your celebration until Holyoke Road Race weekend, Brennans Place in Holyoke will have Union Jack on March 22. Although my guess is that the classic Irish bar will have plenty going on before that this weekend. Brennans is at 175 High St. Also on Road Race weekend, Francies Tavern in Holyoke will have music from Thursday through Sunday, with acts such as Trailer Trash, Midlife Crisis, Moose & the High Tops and The Storytellers. Francies is at 108 Maple St. Finally, if you simply cannot wait, Drawing Board Brewing will kick things off on March 15 with the Irish band Wild Thyme from 4-6 p.m. Drawing Board is at 36 Main St. In the Florence section of Northampton. Mindy Kaling arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP Cambridge native Mindy Kaling dug up several gems from her Massachusetts upbringing during a recent interview. Kaling appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers Wednesday night, March 5. During the show, Kaling told Meyers that her favorite thing about Massachusetts is our commitment to certain dates that are only famous to us. The Emmy-nominated actress first referenced the Blizzard of 78, which she wasnt even alive for. I grew up hearing about the Blizzard of 78, then telling other people boring stories about it, the 45-year-old said. And then like other things, like the 86 Celtics. Meyers, who spent part of his childhood in New Hampshire, agreed that 86 Celtics was a big deal. Kaling and Meyers then discussed New Englands love for Dunkin, with Kaling remembering how the company wasnt originally viewed as a fast-food chain. When I was growing up, Dunkin was like the finest of French bakeries, Kaling said. You didnt think of Dunkin Donuts as fast food, she said, adding that the perception has changed a little bit over time. Despite now living in California, Kaling upholds her commitment to Dunkin', calling it her most New England quality. Even if theres like a cute artisanal doughnut place in LA, as you know, I prefer Dunkin any day, Kaling said. Meyers also complimented Kaling for not giving off Masshole vibes despite being a born and raised in the Bay State. Stephen Paul Gale is accused of raping two women at a Framingham clothing store in 1989. Middlesex County District Attorney Stephen Paul Gale a man accused of raping two women at gunpoint in a Framingham store in 1989 led a police chase last summer that revealed that for years, he had used an alias to oversee another familys trust, authorities announced Monday. Gale, 71, was indicted on four counts of aggravated rape, two counts of kidnapping and one count of armed robbery in May, according to the Middlesex County District Attorneys office. Gale was arraigned on these charges at 2 p.m. Monday at Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn. He was ordered held without bail during his arraignment. Gale was extradited from California last year after he was arrested following a police chase in Los Angeles that August. " Its important to us that he be brought back here where he committed these offenses and we begin this process in court today of holding him accountable," Ryan said in a press conference. But more than for us, what is always my hope in these cases is that for people watching and hearing about this case, many of whom may have had family members or have been themselves the victim of a case that is unresolved, it is our commitment that we do not forget and we do not give up. Authorities identified Gale as a rape suspect through using DNA evidence, but it took years for the police to arrest him. He was last seen in 2008, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. On Aug. 8, police surveyed the area around the California Yacht Marina at 718 Peninsula Road in Wilmington, California, after they were told Gale was living on a yacht there, Ryan said. A man who matched Gales description got off a yacht named Dior and went into a maroon Lincoln SUV, Ryan said. He drove the SUV out of the marina. When police tried to stop the vehicle, the man didnt yield and a police chase ensued, Ryan said. Several other LAPD units joined the chase, trying to stop the vehicle with lights and sirens. The Lincoln SUV drove down several Los Angeles roads while being chased by a caravan of police cruisers, Ryan said. Police used spike strips, a device used to puncture the tires of a vehicle, twice to stop the Lincoln. The second attempt worked as the car was driving down Westwood Boulevard. The driver went into the University of California Los Angeles Medical Plaza roundabout before stopping, Ryan said. Gale was identified as the driver and was arrested. During the police chase, an acquaintance of Gale threw a package in the Lincoln that had money, a cellphone and an insurance card issued to an alias inside, Ryan said. Gale had several credit cards and ID cards with different names and companies on him during his arrest, Ryan said. A woman called the Framingham Police Department after witnessing the televised police chase to report that she recognized Gale as someone named Paul Costa, Ryan said. She said Paul Costa was hired to oversee her familys trust. The trust paid Gales company more than $1.5 million over the past 18 months, Ryan said. The defendant was very adept at setting up various kinds of companies, offering different services, making acquaintance with folks who frankly had lots of money, Ryan said. For example, the district attorney estimated that the yacht Gale was living on was valued between $750,000 and $1 million. When authorities announced his arrest, they said Gale was identified as the subject responsible for a series of rapes in Boston from 1989 to 1990, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. The perpetrator was called the Boston Strip Mall Rapist. Read More: Man suspected of 1989 Framingham rapes to be arraigned Monday Prosecutors say Gale walked into the Hit or Miss Store on Route 9 in Framingham in December 1989. There, he showed a .357 Magnum handgun before forcing two female workers to the back of the store. He forced one woman to empty money from a locked safe, the stores register and her pocketbook into a bag, according to the district attorneys office. He made another woman lock the stores door and put a sign on the front door saying the store would open late. Gale then forced the women to strip and put them in separate rooms, before sexually assaulting them at gunpoint, according to the district attorneys office. When Gale returned to the front of the store, the women left through the back fire door to a nearby home, according to the district attorneys office. Two men arrested in Fall River early Saturday morning are facing charges in connection with a double shooting at a restaurant in Bostons Downtown Crossing, police said. Boston police went a bar and grill known as Kingston Cuts, located at to 25 Kingston St., around 12:23 a.m. Saturday for a report of a person shot. The man was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said in a statement. While officers were at the hospital, a second man arrived at the emergency room with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound, police said. Officers found ballistic evidence from inside the restaurant and identified two suspects based on a review of security cameras. Police broadcast a description of the two suspects, who were seen fleeing in a vehicle. An officer followed the vehicle on security cameras and saw it stop on Edinboro Street where a passenger discarded what was later identified as a Glock 19 with no magazine and an obliterated serial number, police said. The vehicle was seen fleeing toward Interstate 93 south. At around 4 a.m., Boston Police were notified by Massachusetts State Police that the suspects and vehicle had been stopped on Route 24 South in Fall River. The suspects, identified as Eliezer Quinones, 26, of Brattleboro, Vermont, and Jahleel Sanders-Williams, 28, of Lynn, were arrested. Their vehicle was taken to Boston Police headquarters. Quinones and Sanders-Williams are each charged with one count of armed assault with intent to murder. Quinones faces an additional charge of aggravated assault and battery, while Sanders-Williams is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, second offense, and defacement of a firearm serial number. Both men are expected to be arraigned in Boston Municipal Court. Paul Revere always rides in Boston's North End. (Josh Reynolds/For The Washington Post) Josh Reynolds for The Washington Post By Michael E. Ruane The exquisite coffee pot was made about 250 years ago, crafted out of 40 ounces of silver, formed and engraved by the finest silversmith in the American colonies. It is a foot tall. It has a pine cone-style finial on the lid, a curved spout with a seashell motif, and, near the top, the makers mark: Revere. In 1775, the year that Paul Revere galloped through the night to warn Massachusetts colonists that the British were coming, experts believe he may have made the elegant piece of silverware. Now as the country marks the 250th anniversary of his ride and the start of the Revolutionary War next month, his rare silver pot has just gone up for sale: Price $1.2 million. The piece, which from 1980 to 2014 was on display in Richmonds Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, is being sold by M.S. Rau, a fine arts, antiques and jewelry dealer in New Orleans. Bill Rau, owner of the 113-year-old firm, said he acquired the object several weeks ago after it was sold at the Sothebys auction house in New York in January for $444,000. Sothebys declined to name that buyer. We were very fortunate to get it, Rau said. Reveres work has brought in the millions at auction before. Revere was a colonial American renaissance man, Rau said in a recent telephone interview. Not only did Revere make his harrowing ride to warn of the British, he was also a businessman and craftsman who worked with a number of metals. He made silverware, copper sheeting, church bells, cannons, tongs, dentures, shoe buckles, surgical instruments, and, at least once, a chain for a pet squirrel, according to the website of the Paul Revere House, in Boston. He engraved money and propaganda images, including a famous version of the 1770 Boston Massacre. He was courier and a leader in the anti-British resistance in Boston in the turbulent days before the Revolutionary War broke out. His portrait was painted by John Singleton Copley in 1768. And years later he was celebrated in Henry Wadsworth Longfellows 1860 poem, Paul Reveres Ride. Listen, my children, and you shall hear Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere Revere did not actually yell, the British are coming! according to historian David Hackett Fischers 1994 book, Paul Reveres Ride. The British soldiers who were marching from Boston to Lexington and Concord on April 18 and 19, 1775, would have been known as regulars, or redcoats, Fischer wrote. No messenger is known to have cried the British are coming until the grandfathers tales emerged long after Independence, he wrote. There were other riders on those and on other days. In 1777, a 16-year-old girl named Sybil Ludington is said to have ridden to alert patriots after a British raid in Danbury, Connecticut. But Longfellows famous poem helped ensure Reveres ride is the best known. And no matter what Revere yelled, he was a patriot and an artisan, Rau said. As a the son of a silversmith, Revere was the only person in all of the Americas that could take a piece of silver from a silver ingot and make it into a finished product, Rau said. There was nobody else with that skill in all of the Americas, north or south America. As a historic figure he is one of best known from the period of the Revolution, he said. Who do we have? Rau said. We have Washington. Nobody would have known Hamilton, except for the play. Maybe Hamilton. Obviously Franklin. Maybe John Hancock, because he wrote his name big. Maybe John Adams. And Paul Revere. So were dealing with one of the most famous names in American history, he said. If this was an English silver coffee pot of the same period, it would be worth $25,000, he said. In 1775, Reveres coffee pot would have cost the rough equivalent of the average workers pay for two years, he said. It was made, and hand engraved, for a Newburyport, Massachusetts, doctor, Micajah Sawyer. The piece stayed in the Sawyer family for over 200 years, Rau said. It was sold in the spring of 1980 to a collector who then lent it to the Virginia museum, which he said has the best collection of silver in the country. It was removed from the collection after the lender died, he said. Reveres April ride came as elements of the British army occupying Boston slipped out of town that night on what they hoped would be a quick raid into the countryside. Historians believe their aims were to seize a cache of the colonists military goods at Concord, 18 miles away, and, the patriots thought, to bag the patriots Sam Adams and John Hancock, who were then in nearby Lexington. The raid was no secret. Revere had friends show two lanterns in the steeple of the Bostons Old North Church to signal that the British were sneaking out of town by boat. Then he rode to spread the word - sparking a series of alerts by couriers across the outskirts of Boston, Fischer wrote. Colonists fired muskets, rang bells, and started signal fires. Revere, riding a borrowed horse named Brown Beauty, dodged one checkpoint, and got to Lexington, where he warned Adams and Hancock that the Regulars are coming out! Fischer wrote. Revere then headed off to warn Concord. In the darkness he was quickly captured by members of a British patrol who threatened to blow my brains out, he recalled later, according to Fischers account. When Revere convinced the British that they were in danger from the armed and angry colonists who were gathering, they took his horse, let him go, and fled. Revere, now on foot, made his way to back Lexington, where the colonists would make their fateful stand later that morning. He checked in on Hancock and Adams who were preparing to leave, and was tasked with lugging a trunk full of sensitive patriot documents to safety from the nearby tavern where it was stored. With his gift for being at the center of events, he happened to be crossing Lexington green at the moment when the British troops arrived, Fischer wrote. As Revere and a comrade carried the trunk away, British soldiers and armed colonists faced each other nearby. Lay down your arms, you damned rebels! a British officer yelled. None of the colonists complied, Fisher wrote. Revere wrote later that as he and his comrade worked, he heard a single gun shot. He was unable to say for sure from which side it came. We shall never know who fired first at Lexington, or why, Fischer wrote. It may even have been an accidental discharge. But everyone on the Common saw what happened next. The redcoats opened up, cutting down the patriots, who returned scattered fire. Of the 60 or 70 armed colonists, seven were killed and nine were wounded. Only one British soldier was wounded, Fischer wrote. The regulars cheered the victory and marched off to Concord, where their joy would be tempered later that day by a bloody rout at the hands of the colonists. The war for American independence was on. Paul Revere later had a brief and undistinguished career as a military commander. After the war he returned to his silversmith shop in Boston and expanded his business. His death in 1818 was mourned as the passing of an age, Fischer wrote. But his legend was just beginning. Eighty-five years after the ride, on the eve of the Civil War, Longfellow wrote: So through the night rode Paul Revere A cry of defiance and not of fear A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door, And a word that shall echo forevermore! People take photos near a John Harvard statue, left, on the Harvard University campus, Jan. 2, 2024, in Cambridge, Mass. In a letter Monday, Feb. 19, to the school community, Harvard University condemned what it called a flagrantly antisemitic cartoon posted on social media over the weekend by a group that includes students and faculty. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File) AP Harvard University announced it will be implementing a temporary hiring freeze due torapidly shifting federal policies, according to a Monday letter from Harvard President Alan Garber. The announcement comes days after the Trump administration pulled $400 million from Columbia University in reaction to the Ivy League schools failure to squelch antisemitism on campus. Columbia University was among 10 higher education institutions that a Federal Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism said it would visit. Harvard University in Massachusetts was also included. Higher education has been one area that has been particularly impacted by federal actions and policy between major cuts to research funding and the potential gutting of the Department of Education. Staff and faculty hiring will be paused with the exception of extraordinary cases such as positions that are essential for gift- or grant-funded projects. It is meant to preserve our financial flexibility until we better understand how changes in federal policy will take shape and can assess the scale of their impact, Garber said. The institution is also asking leaders to scrutinize spending and commitments. There isnt a determined end date for the freeze, Garber said. Though current uncertainties touch every corner of the University and of higher education, we are confident that we will be able to address the present challenges together as we continue to pursue academic excellence in service to the nation and the world, Garber said. A man who prosecutors say raped two women in a Framingham clothing store in 1989 is set to be arraigned Monday after he was extradited from California to face the charges, court records show. Stephen Paul Gale was indicted on four counts of aggravated rape, two counts of kidnapping, and one count of armed robbery in April. Prosecutors announced the indictment in May, and said at the time that Gale had not been seen in public since 2007. He was arrested in Los Angeles on Aug. 8 after leading police on a one-and-a-half-hour pursuit through the city that ended in Westwood. Gale was arraigned on charges first filed in L.A. County in 1996 that month. When the U.S. Marshals Service announced his capture, they revealed that Gale is believed to be behind a series of rapes in Boston in 1989 and 1990 perpetrated by a man known as the Boston Strip Mall Rapist. Officials did not say how exactly they tracked Gale to California, but said an interview with the marshals service in Nevada in August led to information on which the services Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force could take action. Gales arraignment is set for 2 p.m. Monday in Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn. On Dec. 27, 1989, Gale entered a womens clothing store on Route 9 in Framingham where two women, 18 and 29, were working, prosecutors say. As the women prepared to open the store, prosecutors say Gale approached one of the women and said he was there to buy clothes and asked for help picking out an outfit. Then, he showed the woman what he said was a gun and forced the two women into the back of the store, Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said in a May press conference. Gale is accused of forcing the older woman, who was working as a manager at the time, to empty the locked safe at the back of the store, the stores cash register and her purse. Prosecutors say he then had the young woman tape a note to the front of the store indicating it would open late that day. After doing so, Gale is accused of forcing the women into two back rooms, where he demanded they remove their clothes, Ryan said. He is then accused of bringing each woman into the store office, where he sexually assaulted them. The two women were able to flee the store with their coats through a fire door and ran through backyards in Framingham to a home where they sought aid, according to Ryan. Prosecutors identified Gale as a suspect in the rapes through forensic genealogy using DNA evidence collected at the time, according to Ryan. This image provided by the U.S. Marine Corps shows World War II Medal of Honor recipient Pfc. Harold Gonsalves during World War II. U.S. Marine Corps via AP On April 15, 1945, Pfc. Harold Gonsalves was killed in action during the battle of Okinawa. The Portuguese-American was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest U.S. military decoration. Now, a picture of Gonsalves on official websites of the Untied States Military is set for removal as part of an initiative to purge diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) from the Department of Defense. Tens of thousands of photos containing pieces of the United Statess military history have been flagged for deletion as part of the Department of Defenses efforts to purge content related to DEI, according to the Associated Press. A database obtained by the Associated Press includes more than 26,000 images flagged for removal. Many of these photos are those featuring women and minorities who made major milestones in the militarys history. Some of those photos seemed be included in the purge simply because they contained the word gay, according to the Associated Press. Among them was an image of the B-29 aircraft Enola Gay, which during World War II dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. Additionally, several photos of an Army Corps of Engineers project in California were marked for deletion, apparently because one of the engineers had the last name Gay, the Associated Press reported. Some photos cannot be found on military websites anymore as of March 10, including an image of when then-Pfc. Christina Fuentes Montenegro became one of the first three women to graduate from the Marine Corps Infantry Training Battalion. Another set of images of the Tuskegee Airmen, 1,000 Black military pilots who fought in World War II, have also been removed from the Air Forces website, despite immense pushback when the Air Force was rumored to have cut curriculum about their Tuskegee Airmen from military instruction. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave the military until March to remove content showcasing diversity efforts in its ranks after President Donald Trump signed an executive order that ended DEI programs throughout the federal government, the AP reported. Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot provided a statement to the Associated Press on the database: We are pleased by the rapid compliance across the Department with the directive removing DEI content from all platforms. In the rare cases that content is removed that is out of the clearly outlined scope of the directive, we instruct components accordingly. Ullyot told the AP that Hegseth declared that DEI is dead and that efforts to put one group ahead of another through DEI programs erode camaraderie and threaten mission execution. You can find the database and see which photos are marked for deletion here. The U.S. Department of State has issued an updated travel alert for the war-torn country of Syria, citing risks of terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping and armed conflict. The Federal officials' message is simple: Do not travel to Syria for any reason. The Department of State warns that no part of Syria is safe from violence and the U.S. government is unable to provide any emergency services to U.S. citizens who choose to travel here. The West Asian country has been on the U.S. Embassys Level 4: Do not Travel list for quite some time. Level 4 advisories are the highest level of advisories issued by the U.S. State Department and mean that you should not travel to a destination at all as there is a high-chance of life-threatening risks and danger. Syria has been engaged in armed conflict since 2011 and recently underwent a change of political powers as the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group succeeded the Assad regime in December 2024. The U.S. government considers Hayat Tahrir al-Sham a terrorist group. There is an ongoing risk of hostage taking of U.S. citizens and other foreign nationals throughout the country, the Department of State warns. U.S. citizens continue to be targets of abduction and unjust detention by interim entities and other armed groups. The Department noted the conditions of the former Assad regime detention centers were known to be unsanitary facilities where widespread cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment of detainees had been documented, as well as torture and extrajudicial killings. Only Syrian diplomatic missions can issue a valid entry visa to Syria. Those who choose to travel to Syria despite the departments warnings are advised to: A 22-year-old man was seriously injured in a shooting in Randolph Sunday afternoon, and a 24-year-old suspect was taken into custody, police said. Randolph police went to 96 North Main St. at around 2:30 p.m. for a report of a person shot. Arriving officers found a 22-year-old Randolph man with a gunshot wound through his back, Police Chief Anthony Marag said in a statement. The 22-year-old was taken to Boston Medical Center with serious injuries. As officers provided medical aid to the man, additional officers, with help from the public, found a 24-year-old Brockton man believed to be suspect in the shooting less than a mile away at 51 Warren St., police said. Officers took the man into custody. Police did not identify the man, but said he was in possession of two 9-millimeter guns. Ballistics at the scene indicated one round was fired during the shooting, police said. This was a swift and coordinated response by our officers, which led to the immediate arrest of an armed suspect, Marag said. I want to thank our law enforcement partners for their assistance and commend our officers for their quick actions in ensuring public safety. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Randolph Police at 781-963-1212 extension 153. At the very start of a new docuseries covering the Karen Read case, an interviewer asks Read a simple question: did she hit her boyfriend, Boston Police officer John OKeefe, with her car? Read, who was indicted on charges including second-degree murder, says there was zero chance what happened to OKeefe on Jan. 29, 2022 was an accident. The series is not the first time Read has spoken about what she believes actually happened to OKeefe: that he was beaten up inside the Canton home of a fellow Boston Police officer and his body was planted in the snow outside. The explosive claims of a cover-up and conspiracy made by Read and her lawyers have launched the case into the national consciousness. But it is perhaps the most complete look at Reads life and perspective since she was first arrested in February 2022, leading all the way through the end of her first trial in July 2024. Prosecutors say Read, 45, intentionally hit OKeefe with her car outside the Canton home following a night of drinking amid turmoil in their relationship. Throughout the five parts, viewers get an inside look at how Read and her defense team prepared for her first trial, and then how they approached critical moments during the weeks-long proceeding. Her team is now preparing for a second trial after the first was declared a mistrial. The series airs over three nights on Investigation Discovery and the Max streaming service beginning March 17. The fifth and final episode airs on March 19. Read more: What happened in the Karen Read case? A timeline of events The series features interviews not just with Read, but also her lawyers, David Yannetti, Alan Jackson and Elizabeth Little. It shows the quartet in what they dubbed a war room, where they reviewed evidence and plotted their strategy in the case. The series largely moves chronologically from Reads arrest and District Court arraignment to her indictment on second-degree murder charges in June 2022 and then her trial, which began in April 2024. It includes several clips of previously unseen footage, including video of Reads arrest on the murder charge. At one point in the video, Trooper Michael Proctor, the lead investigator in the case, says, see how crazy she is? Proctor has since been suspended without pay, after it was revealed during trial he sent disparaging text messages about Read while he investigated her. The series also features interviews with some of OKeefes friends, who remembered him as a family man who was relentlessly generous. OKeefe took custody of his niece and nephew after his sister and her husband died within 6 months of each other. Read developed a close relationship with the kids during the time she dated OKeefe. But after her arrest, her relationship with the family deteriorated. The OKeefes have since filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Read and the two Canton bars the pair drank at on the night of OKeefes death. That case is paused while her criminal trial is pending. During her trial, Reads family and the OKeefes sat on opposite ends of the small Dedham courtroom. The series concludes with the last day of the trial, when Judge Beverly Cannone declared a mistrial. Read becomes emotional, saying the routine of trial has given her a level of comfort and helped her get through what she has described as a fight for her life. Both Read and the OKeefes vow to keep fighting for what they believe is justice. The state is still coming for me, Read says. The fight will continue. Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Dan Moore Jr. (65) & Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) in game. Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns on Dec. 8, 2024. Kylee Surike | Special to PennLive Kylee Surike The Patriots search for starting tackle help took another hit. According to multiple reports, Dan Moore, formerly of the Pittsburgh Steelers, signed a four-year, $82 million deal with the Tennessee Titans, with $50 million of the deal guaranteed. With primary target Ronnie Stanley returning to the Baltimore Ravens, Jaylon Moore signing with the Kansas City Chiefs, and Moore now off the table, the pickings are slim, especially at left tackle. Cam Robinson, who played for Doug Marrone in Jacksonville, has yet to sign. Hes the best tackle still available at this stage outside of the draft. The Patriots had prioritized the offensive line, and protecting Drake Maye, but thus far, theyve signed three players on defense. They also prioritized wide receiver, but Chris Godwin re-signed with Tampa Bay, and D.K. Metcalf was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers. So Mike Vrabel & Co. are off to a slow start with respect to the primary offseason mission. As for what the Patriots have done, linebackers Harold Landry and Robert Spillane, and Carlton Davis III, are now in the fold with New England. So is defensive tackle Milton Wiliams, who the Patriots reportedly snatched away from the Carolina Panthers. Vrabel has definitely managed to help the defense. Massachusetts utility customers struggling with sky-high energy bills could soon see a small break coming their way in April. On Monday, the Healey administration announced it was teeing up an immediate $50 credit for Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil electricity customers. Its part of a broader energy affordability regime thats intended to save ratepayers $220 million upfront and $5.8 billion over the next five years. the administration said Monday. The Democratic administrations agenda combines executive action with measures that will require legislative authorization. I know thats not a ton of money compared to what people have been paying, but it is something, Healey said of that $50 credit during a stop in Lowell on Monday morning. But it is something ... and every dollar counts. This is yours to keep. And between gas and electric savings, it means $220 million right now, because of our actions ... is going right back into the pockets of Massachusetts residents. The administration derived that $220 million total from the $125 million cost of those electric bill credits, coupled with a $95 million savings announced last month by the state Department of Public Utilities as it looked to tame runaway natural gas bills. The state also will get more discounts to more people, Healey said. Now, for a long time, folks with a certain income and very low-income folks were able to qualify for a discount seniors as well," Healey continued. I want to be the first state to expand that to the middle class, and thats what were doing. Okay? So what youre going to see is that for the first time, we are going to be able to give a discount rate to folks with middle-class income. The administrations plan calls for state regulators to work with utility companies to improve their discount rate enrollment process for eligible customers. It also calls for Eversource and Unitil to impose a tiered rate for low-income electricity customers. Its similar to a discount rate that soon will be offered to eligible National Grid customers, the administration said. In a statement, an Eversource spokesperson said the company shares Healeys focus on energy affordability and [commends] her commitment to collaboration to advance solutions for customers. The company is working closely with state officials and regulators to provide the $50 credit to customers through their electric bills next month and continue to hold assistance events across the commonwealth to connect customers with programs and other resources to help, the spokesperson said. Addressing the regions energy supply challenges is a critical part of any long-term solution, and we look forward to collectively working with the administration and other key stakeholders to ensure that Massachusetts energy transition takes place at a pace that is both attainable and affordable for customers. State regulators also are working on rate changes that could save the average heat pump customer $1,000 during the winter heating season, Healeys office said in its statement. Also on tap: Plans to address predatory competitive suppliers and ways to address charges on customers' bills that underwrite infrastructure improvements. Hefty delivery charges on gas bills, often more than the cost of the gas consumed, that pay for infrastructure repairs, drove customer outrage over gas bills last month. The administration said its also taking steps to end programs that have achieved their goals and are no longer necessary and remove from bills the associated costs, saving some customers on their monthly electricity bills. The plan announced Monday also looks to reduce market volatility and boost transparency on energy bills. Healey said her office will explore innovative rate designs. With our Energy Affordability Agenda, were getting people help now, keeping costs off bills, and getting ahead of surprise price shocks, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper said in a statement. ... We need to get out of this cycle of costly swings in prices every winter. Drought conditions worsened across Western and Central Massachusetts in February. Courtesy of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Recent snowstorms and rainfall across Massachusetts did not help drought conditions across the state, with state officials elevating the drought status for part of Central and all of Western Massachusetts. The Connecticut River Valley regions drought status was elevated to critical and the Western regions status was raised to significant, according to the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs in a statement on Friday. This status is below the worst conditions categorized by the state, which is emergency-level drought. The recent rain and snowfall are a welcome reprieve from the drought we have been experiencing, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper said in the statement. However, it has not been enough to replenish our groundwater. Drought conditions across the rest of the state remain the same as they were as of early February. Northeastern Massachusetts continues to undergo critical drought conditions while southeastern Massachusetts and the Cape and Islands continue to see mild drought conditions. On average in February, Massachusetts received between 2 to 4 inches of rain and snow, which was below the normal level, Teppers office said. February was also the seventh straight month of below-average precipitation observed by the Drought Management Task Force, which has collected drought data since August 2024. Since then, much of the state has seen an 8- to 13-inch precipitation deficit, with the Cape and Islands seeing a 5- to 8-inch deficit, officials said. Although there has been an accumulation of snow, freezing temperatures and frozen ground have prevented snowmelt from soaking through, the statement read. 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. Two snowstorms delivered as much or over 8 inches in some cities after a storm on Feb. 8, but several counties saw an average between 2 and 3 inches of snow. The second storm on Feb. 15 also had counties with rough averages between 3 and 5 inches of snow despite 8 inches of snow accumulated in Lowell. Other storms in early February left as much as 2 inches or closer to 3 inches. Some of these storms saw snow transitions due to fluctuating temperatures, turning into freezing rain or eventually rain. Severe drops in temperatures in the single digits, teens and 20s kept snow and several inches of ice frozen on the ground for days until temperatures rose, rain melted ice or local officials melted the ice with salt. While the states water supply system is not experiencing drought conditions, private well users and other sources of water within the same river basins are impacted by the critical drought conditions. This has prompted state officials to ask residents to conserve water. 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," Tepper said. In the days and weeks ahead, forecasters anticipate some precipitation between the night of March 12 and March 13. However, any precipitation is likely going to be around 1 tenth of an inch, according to the National Weather Service. For March, April and May, there is not much to indicate that Massachusetts could see more or less precipitation. In fact, most of New England has an equal chance of seeing either above-average or below-average precipitation during this timeframe, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. For those living and working in parts of the state under critical drought conditions, the state asks the following: 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 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 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: Roundtable "Information Bridge: Russia - Africa." On March 6, 2025, the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation hosted the roundtable Information Bridge: Russia Africa. The event was organized by the Expert Council on Development and Support of Comprehensive Partnership with African Countries under the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, A.M. Babakov, and the Afro-Russian Energy Association. Representatives from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, leading Russian and African journalists and editors, well-known bloggers, media company officials from both Russia and Africa, information security specialists, and representatives from analytical centers and research organizations participated in the roundtable. The event was moderated by Nikolai Novichkov, a deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and Deputy Chairman of the Expert Council. The co-moderator was Yulia Berg, head of the Globus expert club and co-author of the GlobalInsights program on Pan-African television. Participants of the discussion developed specific proposals and recommendations on using media and the blogosphere to promote Russian-African projects, initiatives, and to expand cooperation between Russia and African countries in the field of media communications. The event was opened by Alexander Babakov, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and Chairman of the Expert Council on Development and Support of Comprehensive Partnership with African Countries. He emphasized that the issues in media communication between Russia and Africa cannot be resolved without state participation. We will certainly, at least within the framework of the State Duma, look for mechanisms that would primarily prioritize state influence and create conditions under which our states information agenda could be implemented. There are many institutes and resources available for this. We need to approach them very carefully and seriously today, said Babakov. Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, highlighted the existing problems in the media field between Russia and Africa: The network of correspondents of Russian and African media has the potential to develop, but it is insufficient. There are no accredited African media in Russia. Interaction with local correspondents exists, but African journalists visit Russia episodically, mainly for major events. Against the backdrop of French and English-speaking media influence and a lack of Russian content, the African audience gets a distorted view of Russia and bilateral cooperation. Zakharova also proposed ways to resolve the issues in establishing media relations: It is important to continue contacts between Russian and African media. Strengthening cooperation through educational programs, press tours, and major media conferences is essential. Africas population is 1.5 billion, half of whom are under 20 years old. This is an age when people want to learn, set goals, and break into the world. Modern technologies create an information environment that cannot be overlooked. We have achievements, but we need more. Irina Abramova, Director of the Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, made several proposals to develop media relations between Russia and Africa: It is crucial for journalists to understand Africa to avoid mistakes. We are ready to give lectures and cooperate to improve literacy in covering African topics. In large countries, media should broadcast not only in capitals but also in provinces, addressing educational issues as 50% of Africas population is under 20 years old. Furthermore, it is important to bring African bloggers to show the reality of Russia and unite efforts to expand the themes and understanding of mutual interests. Africa is young, open to new things, and should not be portrayed only as a poor and hungry territory, concluded Abramova. Louis Gowend, Chair of the Commission for African Diaspora Relations and Public Relations at the Russia-Africa Club of Lomonosov Moscow State University, expressed the viewpoint that Irina Olegovna Abramovas idea of creating a unified information space between Russia and Africa should be implemented. However, to achieve this, as emphasized by Artur Kureev, Editor-in-Chief of African Initiative, it is first necessary to unify all resources and media related to Africa to establish a cohesive agenda. Artur Sergeevich added that a comprehensive strategy and understanding are necessary to determine the most effective way to engage with the African audience. Its also crucial to assist the African infrastructure and develop it on a Russian foundation, including technological projects for internet development. Kinfu Zenebe, head of African diasporas, also stated that collaboration with media should focus on African media representatives in the Russian Federation. He would suggest that the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs facilitate accreditation for several representatives of African media here in the Russian Federation. Through a mechanism, African countries should also be allowed to establish small bureaus in Moscow, which would serve as a strategic step towards strengthening strong diplomatic ties. Cameroonian journalist and member of the Globus expert club, Clarissa Waidorven, highlighted the role of media in strengthening Russian-African ties, emphasizing that coverage of these relations in the global media landscape requires attention to both traditional and new media. Western media actively influence African narratives by enticing local bloggers. Russia should strategically use media platforms to advance its interests, creating a positive image through media diplomacy. Svyatoslav Shchegolev, Head of African Content Production at RT, emphasized the broadcasting challenges in delivering the Russian perspective to the audience: Today in Africa, they are finding new ways to convey information to viewers, sometimes in spite of Western pressure. There is a great deal of attention and willingness to cooperate directly from African media. In several countries, this includes state television channels. Victoria Smorodina, Editor-in-Chief of International Reporters, provided recommendations for France on surviving on the African continent: France needs to rethink its information warfare strategy in Africa, acknowledging the break from past influence. Instead of opposing pan-African demands, it should support the creation of an independent Africa by developing local media, culture, cinema, and theater. According to the Editor-in-Chief, this approach will help counter the influence of Turkey, the USA, and other powers. Frances defeat in the information sphere should stimulate the development of a new doctrine that combines cognitive sovereignty defense with offensive tools. Partnerships with private companies, a legal framework, and structures are needed to regulate information operations, she argued. Andrey Gromov, Executive Secretary of the Board of the African-Russian Energy Association (AREA), summarized the roundtable by presenting the resolutions provisions containing specific recommendations on measures to stimulate Russian-African cooperation in the information sphere. We know of many business projects that simply fell apart because there wasnt enough coverage. We didnt understand from our side the contribution of the Russian Federation, he stressed. 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The launch event next Monday on St Patrick's Day is in collaboration with Debbie McCole (aka The Sleep Scholar) and coincides with Ballinas St. Patricks Day celebrations, featuring Dr. Norah Patten as Grand Marshal. Ballina will welcome a brand-new walking tour experience in 2025, launching with a special event on St. Patricks Day. Local and seasoned tour guide Bill Duffy, owner of really great tours, is introducing Tales and Trails A St. Patricks Day Walking Tour, offering a fresh perspective on Ballinas rich heritage. READ: Mayo football star signs short-term contract with Galway United Bill Duffy, well known for his work in heritage tourism, including at the iconic Blacksod Lighthouse, has spent years crafting engaging and immersive guided experiences. Now, he is bringing his passion for storytelling home with a tour designed to uncover the hidden stories of Ballinas past. The launch event is being hosted in collaboration with Ballina native Debbie McCole aka. The Sleepy Scholar on social media. Taking place on Monday, 17th March 2025, the tour will depart from Leigue Cemetery at 11 am, guiding participants through Ballinas fascinating history. Along the way, attendees will hear captivating folklore, visit significant historical sites, and stand on the very spot where St. Patrick is said to have preached and performed miraclesincluding curing blindness. This new tour coincides with Ballinas vibrant St. Patricks Day celebrations, which will be particularly special in 2025 as Dr. Norah Patten serves as Grand Marshal of the parade. An aeronautical engineer and on course to be the first Irish person to travel to space on a future research spaceflight with Virgin Galactic, Dr. Patten has been an inspiring advocate for STEM education. Her participation in this years festivities will add an exciting dimension, bridging Ballinas deep historical roots with its bright future. Speaking on the significance of this initiative, Mairead Melody Carr, Manager of Mayo North Tourism, said: "A town walking tour offers a fantastic opportunity for both visitors and locals to engage with the areas history in a unique and personal way. It enriches the visitor experience by providing storytelling and local knowledge that cant be found in a guidebook. Towns and cities across Ireland and beyond have seen the benefits of structured, regular walking tours, which bring vibrancy, economic benefits, and a deeper sense of place to communities." Beyond St. Patricks Day, the goal is to establish a regular walking tour schedule in Ballina, ensuring visitors can explore its history year-round, much like they do in heritage destinations such as Dublin, Galway, and Edinburgh. A structured tour offering will further enhance Ballinas reputation as a must-visit heritage tourism destination. Small tourism businesses like really great tours are at the heart of sustainable, community-led tourism. They provide authentic experiences while directly supporting the local economy. This initiative encourages locals and visitors alike to attend, spread the word, and help Ballina grow as a premier destination for cultural and historical tourism. Tickets for Tales and Trails are limited, so early booking is advised. The 1.5-hour tour allows plenty of time to enjoy the St. Patricks Day parade afterward. Expect folklore, fairytales, fables, and even a surprise musical guest along the way! To book your spot call or WhatsApp Bill on 087 1837283. READ: Former Taoiseach Enda Kenny will have portrait painted by Mayo woman Atlantic Technological University have announced that that they will be running a workshop on the new midwifery Fitness to Practice process in Mayo. The workshop has been facilitated by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland and will be held in ATUs Mayo campus in Castlebar on Thursday, March 20. READ MORE: Mayo soccer club successful in FAI Junior Cup appeal saga The event will be staged from 12 noon to 3 pm in St Marys Hall and aims to provide both students and registered nurses with insights into the role of the NMBIs Fitness to Practice process and the impact of professional standards on the career of nurses. The NMBIs Liaison Officer for the Fitness to Practice Department, Niamh McDonald, and Jeanne Tarrant, who is a Fitness to Practice Officer, will be speaking at the event. Christina Larkin, Head of the ATU Department of Nursing, Health Science, and Integrated Care, spoke on what she believes to be an important event for those in the sector. This is an information-sharing event open to all members of the nursing profession in our region and beyond, she stated, as well as anyone in healthcare interested in the Fitness to Practice process and the work of the NMBI. Those interested in attending can find the link to the course here. BELCARRA native Dean Kenny has been elected to the North West Regional Organiser for Young Fine Gael. Mr Kenny, who is a former President of University of Galway Students Union and a founder of Young Fine Gael Mayo, was elected to the National Executive of Young Fine Gael at their recent National Conference in the Glenroyal Hotel, Maynooth He now sits on an executive committee comprising the President, two vice presidents, a panel of four officers, and four regional organisers. The North West Regional Organiser is the spokesperson for the members in the North West Region, which includes Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Galway and Mayo. Mr Kenny, who works as an assistant to Mayo TD Alan Dillon, said he was honoured to be elected to the position. As a founder of the YFG Mayo branch, former branch chairperson and current branch secretary, I know firsthand how important it is to have an engaged, enthusiastic membership on the ground, holding exciting events and taking part in campaigns on the important issues of the day. Im looking forward to getting down to work for the young people of the North West, he said. Mr Kenny has also been appointed as Director of Agriculture & Rural Affairs by the newly elected President of Young Fine Gael, Jamie Malone. Citing his farming background, Mr Kenny acknowledged that there are significant issues regarding farming and agricultural policy that need to be addressed in this Government term. Mr Kenny committed to advocating for the establishment of a farm succession scheme that supports generational renewal. He included water infrastructure, storm and severe weather events preparedness, and the timely processing of farm payments as other issues that needed to be addressed by Government. If the recent fallout from Storm Eowyn showed us anything, it is the disconnect between rural and urban Ireland in terms of resources and supports, and this is something I intend to address throughout my term as both North West Regional Organiser and Director of Agriculture and Rural Affairs for Young Fine Gael. ENDS. HOPES are high in Aughagower that the new Prime Minister of Canada will honour his roots by bestowing them a visit. Locals in the west Mayo village have reacted with excitement to the ascension of Mark Carney to the highest office in Canada. Mr Carney has three grandparents from the area and is a first cousin of Pat Carney, father of Tom Carney, who operates Carneys Quarry in Aughagower. Plans are now afoot to issue a formal invitation through the Canadian Embassy in Ireland for the new Prime Minister to visit the village. Mr Carney, despite never having held political office, was chosen to succeed the outgoing Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, Justin Trudeau. Mr Carney, a former governor of the Bank of England and the Bank of Canada, secured the top job with 86 percent of the votes of 152,000 party members. Local businessman John Pat Scott told The Mayo News that locals are hoping that Mr Carney will visit Aughagower during his term of office. Canadians are due to hold a general election by no later than October, meaning Mr Carneys term of office may be short-lived. His predecessor, Mr Trudeau, spent nine years as Prime Minister before stepping down amid low approval ratings and the looming threat of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. Mr Scott said that Aughagower people are hoping for a Biden-Ballina moment akin to the visit of President Joe Biden to his ancestral home in Ballina. It would be unbelievable, he said. Mr Carney has never visited Aughagower, but his grandfather, Robert, who was reared in Ayle, returned to visit the village during the 1980s. Though he has spoken fondly of his Irish roots, Mr Carney has begun renouncing his Irish and British citizenship to demonstrate his commitment to being Prime Minister. According to Politico, he hung a small map of Mayo by his office door at the Bank of England in honour of his grandfather. Collette Sheridan, Chairperson of Aughagower Community Council, told The Mayo News that there is an open invitation for Mr Carney to visit Aughagower. A treat for St Patrick's Day weekend: A famous Mayo island is to host a free dancing workshop by Ireland's new National Dance Company. Hosted by Edwina Guckian, Luails Dance Deputy, traditional dance workshops will share Sean Nos and Set Dance styles and people of all levels and abilities are welcome to attend. The Community Centre Clare Island will be the stage for free workshops: Date : Saturday, March 15 : Saturday, March 15 Times: 11.00-12.30 // Sean Nos - 14.00 16.00 // Set Dancing 11.00-12.30 // Sean Nos - 14.00 16.00 // Set Dancing Costs: Free no booking required Free no booking required Level: All levels welcome This Saturday, March 15, to celebrate the St. Patricks Weekend, the new all-island and national dance company will share free dance workshops led by Dance Deputy, Edwina Guckian. These traditional dance workshops will take place at Clare Island Community Centre and are free for all to attend. This event is just one of many community-based events happening across the island of Ireland this year, hosted by Irelands new National and All-Island Dance Company. This is in the lead-up to Luails ambitious new dance work Chora, with the Irish Chamber Orchestra, which will have its world-premiere at Bord Gais Energy Theatre on May 13th as part of Dublin Dance Festivals 21st Edition. Hosted by Edwina Guckian, Luails Dance Deputy, these traditional dance workshops will share Sean Nos and Set Dance styles and people of all levels and abilities are welcome to attend. Edwina Guckian is an established Dance Artist based in Co. Leitrim who works with the company to champion dance events across the North West of Ireland. About Luail: Luail Irelands National Dance Company, established in 2024 with funding from Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaion has a remit to embody, embed and empower dance across the island of Ireland, and to lead into a future that transforms how we make, know and experience it. It is Luails mission to make and share exceptional dance while empowering new possibilities and pathways for dance artists, audiences and communities to thrive. READ: Mayo town introduces autism friendly space for St Patrick's Day Job Title: Provincial Surveillance, M&E Advisor Department: Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases Location: Lubumbashi, DRC PATH is a global nonprofit dedicated to achieving health equity. With more than 40 years of experience forging multisector partnerships and with expertise in science, economics, technology, advocacy, and dozens of other specialties, PATH develops and scales up innovative solutions to the worlds most pressing heath challenges. PATH works with national malaria control programs in Africa to scale up interventions to reduce the burden of malaria, as well as to generate evidence and support planning for new strategies to accelerate elimination. The focus is on improving the collection, reporting and use of malaria surveillance data to enable rapid, accurate and rational decision-making to maximize the impact of interventions. As part of its support to the Ministry of Public Health through its growing malaria portfolio in DRC, PATH is currently recruiting a provincial surveillance, M&E Advisor who will be part of the DRC PATH M&E Team. S/He will lead the implementation of surveillance and M&E activities related to the MACEPA Project at Haut-Katanga level. The provincial Surveillance and M&E Advisor will work under the direct supervision of the malaria MEAL Advisor based in Kinshasa. This position aims to reinforce the provincial coordination of PNLP and HMIS, and the health zones management teams in leadership, management, and malaria surveillance and monitoring & evaluations interventions through MACEPA Vs scope. Responsibilities: Coordinate MACEPA activities at provincial level, Develop and implement tools to ensure the integration of the collaboration, learning and adaptative approaches in the project's technical support to the PNLP and HMIS. Represent PATH DRC malaria program in strategic and coordination meetings organized by provincial health authorities and ensure that PATH's monitoring activities assist in decision making, Represent the PATH-DRC malaria program in technical and strategic malaria control meetings or workshops in Haut-Katanga, Based on the evidence, strengthen the institutional capacity of the PNLPs provincial coordination and the central health zone offices, Support the PNLPs provincial coordination in strengthening collaboration and synergy of action between malaria technical partners Participate and provide technical inputs to PNLP and HMIS thematic group meetings related to epidemiological surveillance, monitoring and evaluation, case management and specific interventions (SMC, CCM, cross border entomological surveillance) in collaboration with PNLP partners, Participate in the coordination mechanism of the malaria control around the provincial PNLP, including strengthening PNLP and health zones capacity to implement a comprehensive Malaria Surveillance, Monitoring and Evaluations activities, Reinforce the capacities of provincial PNLP and health zones management teams in malaria data life cycle (data collection/capture, quality, analysis, reporting and use). Support the provincial PNLP and HMIS department to effectively implement the malaria data quality assurances activities. Strengthening the provincial PNLPs capacity to manage large quantities of data, ensure data quality, undertake analyses, and prepare targeted reports at different audiences, including monthly analyses, quarterly and annual reports. Coordinate the implementation of the project SME innovative approaches at provincial level Support and document all malaria data validation and analysiss process at provincial and health zone levels. Support the effective use of malaria data at provincial and health zone levels. And, document the lessons learned. Contribute to the design of new approaches. Leadership and Management: Support the provincial MoH Strengthen the capacities of the staff under his/her supervision. Ensure timely project reporting and participation in relevant project meetings Engage with provincial key stakeholders on Surveillance, M&E related aspects: Represent the project in the provincial level as needed, Coordinate with local representations of the MoH and other technical organizations for efficient technical assistance and leveraging limited resources, Develop and maintain trusting, professional and cordial relationships with SME stakeholders to promote a culture of collaboration, coordination, communication, and learning and Contribute to other partner-led activities that advance the provinces malaria strategic goals and objectives Required Skills & Experience Bachelor or advanced degree in Public Health, Medicine, Statistics, Information Management, Demography, Social Sciences, or related field. Minimum of 5 years experience in health project/program management. Minimum of 3 years experience in Surveillance, M&E of infectious diseases (especially malaria) or other health programs. Prior capacity building experiences Mid-level professional with at least five years of relevant experience in the implementation and management of health projects focused on malaria control, including at least five years on technical assistance, innovation, or high-level consultancy projects in favor of specialized Directorates or programs of the Ministry of Health, preferably the PNLP in the field of epidemiological surveillance and/or monitoring and evaluation. Experience in malaria operational research would be an asset. Understanding of DRC health information system Strong experience with DRC HMIS/DHIS2 Strong experience in health data life-cycle management Strong experience in data quality assurance and assessment Excellent experience in project performance measurement and management Excellent verbal, interpersonal and written communication skills. Fluency in French, and intermediate level in English Ability to work with minimum supervision. Ability to advocate, negotiate with high level health authority Ability to coordinate effectively with the provincial MoH departments and other technical organizations. Prior experience working in malaria program, disease surveillance or health information systems Prior experience working in malaria area Excellent problem-solving skills with ability to analyze situations, identify existing or potential problems and recommend solutions Knowledge in designing malaria M&E systems designing and experience in implementing M&E systems. Experience in strategic planning and performance measurement, including indicator selection, target setting, reporting, database management, and developing M&E and performance monitoring plans. Knowledge of the major evaluation methodologies (e.g., qualitative, quantitative, mixed-method, or impact) and data collection and analysis methodologies. Knowledge in planning and managing surveys. Experience in developing and refining data collection tools. Experience with data quality assessments and oversight. Team player with the ability to work in a fast-paced environment Ability to be flexible, to handle multiple priorities and to work limited overtime as necessary Outstanding professionalism in providing support, including ability to exercise good judgment, discretion, tact, and diplomacy Superior interpersonal skills including courtesy, professionalism, and a cooperative attitude Proficiency in MS Office package (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Excel) and at least intermediate level of one of statistical software Epi Info, Stata, R or Tableau Software. Please click on the link below to submit your application Provincial Surveillance, Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor - Malaria by Fern Siegel , March 10, 2025 Gun violence in schools is escalating. There were more than 320 incidents when a gun was brandished or fired on school grounds in 2024, the second-highest year for school gun violence ever recorded, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database. Sandy Hook Promise, the nonprofit founded by parents whose children were killed at the Sandy Hook Elementary School, have taken action to increase visibility of an ongoing tragedy. Its latest PSA, A Teddy Bears Dream, created by BBDO New York, launches today on Good Morning America. The spot underscores that kids deserve to be kids. Teddy bears should be a part of childhood, not memorials for murdered children. More than 60,000 bears were sent to the Newtown, Connecticut, community after 20 children and six adults were killed. advertisement advertisement The ad also runs online, in print and OOH. The message: When we know the signs, school shootings are preventable. The PSA ends with multiple real-life images of teddy bears placed at shrines of past U.S. school shootings from Margery Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, to Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Parents are also plagued by the constant threat to their children. Some 80% feel potential school violence has impacted childhood in America, while nearly 40% worry about their childs safety on a daily or weekly basis. Elizabeth Maini, senior vice president/account director, BBDO, told Agency Daily: "Doing this work is the easiest 'yes' at BBDO because we see firsthand the impact it's make over the years. Just a few weeks ago, Sandy Hook Promise prevented another school schooling in Indiana. It's really life-changing work, and we're lucky to be a part of it." by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, March 7, 2025 Google had a mixed day on Friday as it sorts through several demands from the U.S. Department of Justice. On Friday the DOJ stood by its demand that a court break up the search giant, but dropped a proposal to force the company to sell its investments in AI companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic that could favorability boost its competition in online search. DOJs sweeping proposals continue to go miles beyond the Courts decision, and would harm Americas consumers, economy and national security, a Google spokesperson wrote in an email to MediaPost. In a blog post late last year, Google said it strongly disagrees and will appeal the decision. The DOJ and 38 state attorneys general still seek a court order requiring Google to sell its Chrome browser, along with other measures related to mobile device manufacturers. advertisement advertisement Judge Amit P. Mehta of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia last year ruled Google had illegally maintained a monopoly in online search. The government wanted Google to divest its stakes in any AI products that could compete with search. Google holds a minority stake worth billions of dollars in Anthropic, according to Reuters, and reported that losing the investment in Anthropic would give OpenAI a competitive advantage, the AI company wrote in a February filing. The DOJ altered that portion of its request, saying Google instead must notify federal and state officials before proceeding with AI investments. Mehta is scheduled to hear arguments on proposed solutions from the government and Google in late April, but heard remedies today based on the U.S. government's antitrust case last year. Google's illegal conduct has created an economic goliath, one that wreaks havoc over the marketplace to ensure that no matter what occurs Google always wins, reported The New York Times, citing the DOJs Friday filing. The American people thus are forced to accept the unbridled demands and shifting, ideological preferences of an economic leviathan in return for a search engine the public may enjoy. Google filed its own final proposal on Friday, maintaining its position that the company shouldnt need to change much to address the judges concerns. by Les Luchter , March 10, 2025 Kids deserve to be kids, and teddy bears deserve to be their companions -- rather than becoming offerings at shrines and memorials following school shootings. Thats the poignant story conveyed by Sandy Hook Promises latest PSA, titled A Teddy Bears Dream, which premiered this morning on ABCs Good Morning America. School shootings are preventable, declares the spot, marking a new message from the gun violence prevention nonprofit, which was formed in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings 13 years ago. Following that disaster, some 60,000 teddy bears were sent to the Newtown, Connecticut community from around the world The new spots call to action: Learn the signs of gun violence at SandyHookPromise.org. advertisement advertisement Once there, viewers can learn how the nonprofit has actually helped prevent school shootings. Since their inception in 2013 and 2018 respectively, the nonprofits Know the Signs programs and Say Something anonymous reporting system have played a critical role in stopping at least 18 credible planned school shooting attacks to date, as well as countless other acts of violence, self-harm, and youth suicide, Sandy Hook Promise co-CEO/co-founder Nicole Hockley tells Marketing Daily. That figure includestwo averted school shootings so far this year. The new PSA, from BBDO New York, shows what appears to be the close relationship between a girl and her teddy bear. But then the true purpose of her getting the bear is revealed when the girl places the stuffed animal at a school shooting memorial. Graphics read, This isnt the childhood we imagine. But too often its the reality. The spot then features multiple real-life images of teddy bears placed at shrines from past school shootings, including Sandy Hook. The girls story is set to the tune, Best of Friends, as sung by Pearl Bailey in the classic Disney film The Fox & The Hound. The song captures the essence of childhood companionship and offers the perfect narrative to the story, Hockley says. The spot is available to media in :90, :60, :30, :15 and :06 versions, in both English and Spanish. All of them can be found here. There are also :15 and :30 audio-only cuts for radio (girls voice: A teddy bear dreams of a best friend who they grow up with. What they dont dream of is being left alone in a shrine for school shooting victims who could have been their best friends), and static image components for print and digital use that show a teddy bear at a shrine, and direct viewers to SandyHookPromise.org/TeddyBear. That site is also selling a limited-edition Hope Bear for $34.99, with 100% of proceeds going directly to educating and empowering people to recognize the warning signs of violence, act immediately, and say something. Sandy Hook Promise says this bear has been shared with key influencers, media and policymakers as a symbol of the cultural change SHP is working to create because a teddy bear designed for school shooting shrines is a product that should never exist. Sandy Hook Promise points to an urgency for media running the new campaign. According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, there were more than 320 incidents where a gun was brandished or fired on school grounds in 2024, the group says. This is the second highest year for gun violence at schools ever recorded. Also in 2024, for the first time, planned school attack was one of the top five tip types received by Say Something s National Crisis Center. Last month, Sandy Hook Promise conducted a survey with KRC Research of 1,000 parents with kids up to 17 years old and found: School violence is changing childhood: A staggering 80% of parents feel that the ongoing threat of school violence has moderately or greatly impacted the childhood experience in America. There is frequent fear among parents: 39% of parents think about the possibility of a school shooting or safety threat at their childs school on a weekly or even daily basis, with almost half (49%) considering it monthly. This highlights the pervasive anxiety school violence creates in families. Sandy Hook Promises Know the Signs program is also one of the resources in the Ad Councils new Agree to Agree gun violence campaign from GUT Miami. BBDO New York teamed with Smuggler Production and director Henry-Alex Rubin for A Teddy Bears Dream. The trio previously worked on Sandy Hook Promises Emmy-Award winning Teenage Dream and Back to School Essentials, as well as Evan. by Tanya Gazdik , March 9, 2025 A 60-foot balloon of Kim Kardashian lying horizontally in a blue triangle bikini in the middle of Times Square is receiving mixed reactions from consumers. The doll's arms were placed over its head while it lay on a blue block embossed with the Skims logo. The installation is set to promote Skims' new swimwear collection, with the doll wearing the same bikini ensemble as Kim donned in a recent photoshoot," according to Hello! The marketing campaign has divided fans who responded to photos of the installation on the brand's Instagram page. "This is beyond weird," one fan posted while another user wrote: "Such an unrealistic representation of a womens body. advertisement advertisement A steady stream of onlookers were drawn to the display last week. The Post observed several families passing the giant Skims ad, including one father who took a photograph of his young daughter in front of the balloon, according to the New York Post. Once he snapped a few pics, the young girl switched places and took flicks of her father. The location of the display -- Times Square -- draws up to 300,000 pedestrians per day. While a good likeness of the original, Balloon Kim did not so much depict a person as it did a commodity, an abandoned outer shell -- a product designed specifically for consumption by crowds of people -- in one of the most commercial zones in the world, according to The New York Times. And it was serving the function for which it was designed. Ms Kardashian long ago turned over that body -- the commercial construction of it to the masses, letting it crystallize into a corporate logo, whose instant recognizability has earned her a fortune. WWD called the promotion inventive. Kardashian has modeled for the Skims brand before, according to WWD. In April 2024, the entrepreneur and reality TV icon posed for another Skims Swim Shop collection campaign photographed by Nick Knight. by Steven Rosenbaum , Featured Contributor, March 10, 2025 Here's the thing about disinformation: It's winning. That sobering reality set the stage at a New York City event featuring Richard Stengel, former Time magazine editor and Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy. Stengel, whose friendship with Nelson Mandela I can only describe as "mind-bogglingly brilliant," joined Gen Z journalist Kanika Mehra for an intergenerational dialogue that cut through the noise. So, why host this conversation now? Because we're living in what Stengel bluntly called a "post-truth environment" -- and the implications for democracy couldn't be more severe. From State Actors to Everyone's Problem When Stengel first encountered Russian disinformation at the State Department around 2014, it was still primarily the domain of state actors -- Russia's Internet Research Agency in St. Petersburg, with its poorly executed English and clumsy American idioms. advertisement advertisement Fast-forward to today, and the landscape has fundamentally shifted. "The biggest change is the democratization of disinformation," Stengel explained. "Everybody is a vector of some conspiracy theory or false fact." We've created what he called a "disinformation industrial complex" -- a vertically integrated system moving false narratives from fringe platforms right up to mainstream media and political power. And here's the truly terrifying part: AI has supercharged this machine. Those Russian trolls who once struggled with American vernacular? Today they could simply prompt AI to create the perfect persona -- "a 43-year-old female lawyer with two kids in St. Louis concerned about the price of eggs" -- and boom, instant credibility. It's Not a Supply Problem. It's a Demand Problem. The most provocative insight? People want disinformation. Stengel compared it to "truth fentanyl" -- and when there's demand, there will always be supply. This hunger for convenient falsehoods grows during periods of uncertainty when people feel insecure and excluded. Conspiracy theories offer a seductive alternative -- the feeling that you're an insider who truly understands how the world works. I can't help but think about what this means for our media ecosystem. When Mehra asked about journalism's role in this environment, Stengel pushed back on the simplistic villain narrative around algorithms. "Algorithms are about addiction," he noted, drawing a parallel to traditional media's historical goal of building habitual audiences. The issue isn't the algorithms themselves -- they're morally neutral, according to Stengel. The problem is that they optimize for engagement, for thrill-seeking, for the tawdry. And our current business models reward exactly this behavior. This was one moment when generational perspectives collided productively. Mehra strongly disagreed with Stengel's neutral stance on algorithms, particularly regarding TikTok, which she called "in a league of its own -- incredibly damaging and pernicious." She described TikTok's algorithm as distinctively harmful, combining psychological manipulation with business incentives in ways that fundamentally oppose journalistic values. "Journalism is about hearing things you don't want to hear, about being challenged. How do you reconcile that with algorithms that facilitate pandering?" she asked. The tension in their viewpoints highlighted the different ways boomers and Gen Z-ers experience technology's impact. The Death of Context and Expertise One casualty in this landscape is context. Our news cycles have succumbed to what Ezra Klein calls "relentless presentism" -- moving stories forward incrementally without providing the historical framing that would help readers understand what's really happening. "If I ran a news organization," Stengel mused, "I'd say 'We're not covering this crazy thing with Greenland. We're focusing on this one issue for weeks to get to the bottom of it.'" But the algorithm demands novelty, and President Trump intuitively understands this dynamic. The other alarming trend is what many participants identified as "the death of expertise." Social media has elevated "authenticity" over accuracy, giving equal weight to expert analysis and random neighborhood opinions. As one attendee bluntly put it, "Bob in the bar has as much credibility as a Ph.D." The Government Reform Conundrum Another fascinating tension emerged around how to approach government reform. Stengel, who entered government from journalism, admitted that "government is too big, too bloated, too bureaucratic" -- a reaction he said everyone has when making that transition. Yet he's become a defender of that same bureaucracy because of the "radical anti-democratic efforts of the current administration." Mehra pushed back, suggesting this defensive posture might be a strategic mistake. "We need a healthy debate where there are legitimate reasons to criticize government bloat," she argued. "If you don't see Democrats criticizing bloat, you might acquiesce to the 'move fast and break things' brand." Her challenge was pointed: How do we simultaneously criticize the government and defend it? Stengel conceded her point, acknowledging that "Democrats haven't listened to those frustrations" with government inefficiency. But he maintained that the problem isn't with the mission of government agencies focused on equity and fairness -- it's with the execution of the message. So What the Hell Do We Do Now? For all the grim diagnoses, there were flickers of hope in the conversation. Stengel found inspiration in Nelson Mandela's approach to polarization. Mandela made a deliberate effort to understand the opposition, learn their language, and find common ground. In today's fractured landscape, this means consuming media we disagree with and seeking genuine understanding rather than merely dismissing opposing views. There's also something oddly comforting in recognizing that we've faced versions of this crisis before. Stengel is currently researching a First Amendment case from 1804 when Thomas Jefferson sued a young newspaper publisher for seditious libel. The pendulum has swung back and forth throughout our history. The most powerful solution may lie outside political or regulatory frameworks entirely. As Mehra observed, there's a spiritual dimension to our current crisis -- a growing recognition that constant digital connection and algorithmic feeding aren't creating the lives we want. Grassroots movements fighting for real human connection might ultimately prove more powerful than any policy intervention. The Long Game What this conversation reinforced is that the challenges we face are inherently intergenerational. And there's no quick fix, only the slow, essential work of rebuilding the infrastructure of fact and expertise. We need to reclaim the value of truth in public discourse. We need to reestablish trust in institutions and expertise. We need to create business models that reward accuracy rather than engagement at any cost. And perhaps most immediately, we need to do what one attendee called "going on the offensive for democracy": not merely reacting to disinformation, but proactively building networks and communities that can amplify truth in accessible ways. The stakes couldn't be higher. As Stengel reminded us, democracies exist because of the consent of the governed, obtained through true information. Without that foundation, the entire system crumbles. Let's not let that happen on our watch. You can watch the whole conversation here. by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, March 10, 2025 Google had offered to give buyers thousands of dollars in ad credits to test its AI-powered Demand Gen tool for two months in a push to encourage widespread adoption. But this marketing tactic ultimately could heighten tensions across the industry. One small company is calling foul based on what it views as monopolistic practices, and suggests what the industry really needs is to bring back transparency. "It underscores a central tension in todays ad-tech ecosystem, where advertisers are concerned about the increasing use of 'black box' algorithms," according to Bradley Keefer, CRO of Keen Decision Systems, an AI-powered marketing mix model (MMM) company. The approach of attempting to pay advertisers to use Googles technology reflects growing concerns over whether it will monetarily incentivize advertisers to try its other platforms -- including Meridian, an open-source MMM developed by Google. advertisement advertisement Meridian was released in 2024 in limited beta, and was made available to all marketers in January 2025. Keefer believes the industry needs solutions that are open and fosters data-driven decisions are free from hidden bias. By enabling advertisers to see how and why an algorithm prioritizes content, marketers can build automated systems that advertisers and consumers can trust. "Transparency remains a concern whenever large tech firms leverage AI for campaign optimization," Keefer said. "Whether its Demand Gen from Google or a new AI layer in Microsoft Advertising, each walled garden promises faster results while offering limited insight into how it allocates budgets or selects audiences. Publishers typically share only top-line metrics, not the granular data advertisers need to verify the mechanics driving those results." He added that clean rooms are positioned as a privacy-safe way for advertisers to verify or augment platform-reported performance, but in theory they allow brands to match first-party data with platform exposure data without disclosing user-level details to either side. Advertisers, which have pressured platforms to provide more transparency about their ads, are asking for more data and what triggers content. In Googles case, they are saying they want more transparency around what triggers AI Overviews and AI Mode. Amazon, Microsoft and others have begun to understand that logic. Where Amazon made updates to its demand-side platform (DSP) that included new page-level reporting through its Traffic Events API to further strengthen brand-safety controls, Microsoft began testing transparency in a feature that explains ad-placement decisions in Bings search results. The feature serves up varying details depending on the user or region. It appears in a drop-down option next to ad URLs in Bing search results. Users click the drop-down arrow next to a search ads URL to access a dialog box that explains why the technology picked the advertisement to serve up in results. by Colin Kirkland , March 10, 2025 With TikTok's future existence in the U.S. still up in the air, President Donald Trump said this weekend that four different groups are currently in talks with his administration to buy the Chinese-owned social-media platform. According to a report by Reuters, Trump said there could be a deal. We're dealing with four different groups, and a lot of people want itall four are good, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, but did not clarify with details about the potential offers. Due to the law passed by the Biden administration earlier this year, and Trump's executive order seeking to delay TikTok's expiration/sell-off date by 75 days, TikTok has less than one month until a decision must be made to either sell or rid the platform for 170 million American users. The April 5 deadline is not official, however. Trumps extension of a selloff was not technically legal, so a further extension could also be a possibility. There is also a proposal from Sen. Markey (D-Mass.) to push back the deadline by another 270 days. advertisement advertisement The Presidents vague admission of four potential buyers comes days after Axios reported that there had been no negotiations between ByteDance and the prospective buyers, and that Beijing has been more or less silent. Everyone has ideas of how a deal could be structured, but no confidence on how it needs to be structured, Axios stated. Along with Perplexity AI and a group called The Peoples Bid for TikTok -- which includes Shark Tank's Kevin OLeary, billionaire Frank McCourt, YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson (aka MrBeast), Oracle and Microsoft -- there is a growing pool of possible buyers. In addition, Trump signed an executive order last month to create a sovereign wealth fund that could also become TikToks new potential buyer, with former Morgan Stanley tech banker Michael Grimes leading the charge. by Teresa Buyikian , March 10, 2025 Theres something different about Wingstops popular ranch dressing dip, and the brand knows it. A Goole search for Wingstop Ranch yields 345,000 results from every corner of the internet. TikTok content from a former Wingstop employee disclosing whats actually IN the dressing to make it so special (apparently a lot of mayonnaise and buttermilk) currently has over four million views, and was noted in a Newsweek story. The brand has even released a ranch-scented soap in homage to its dairy-forward dip. Fans have been unable to get their hand on the actual Wingstop ranch dressing at home. Until now. In honor of National Ranch Day on March 10, the chicken wing chain is holding an auction of its first-ever "official" bottle of Wingstop ranch, along with a year's supply of the dressing. The winner will also receive a certificate of authenticity signed by Wingstop's Head of Culinary, Chef Larry Bellah. The price is currently at $500, with 41 bids at press time. advertisement advertisement "Wingstop ranch isn't just any dip -- it's legendary. We've seen ranch fountains go viral and people cater Wingstop ranch at their weddings, said Wingstop's Chief Revenue Officer Mark Christenson in the release. And while competition for the first bottle of dressing may be stiff, its for a good cause; all proceeds from the sale will benefit Wingstop Charities, the chains nonprofit arm whose mission is to amplify the flavor of local communities through service. The auction is live through March 13. and is being promoted via Wingstops social channels. The Dallas-based publicly traded Wingstop was founded in 1994, and now operates over 2,500 worldwide locations. Aging brings chewing difficulties, declining appetites, tight budgets, and the challenge of cooking, all of which can increase the risk of poor nutrition for seniors. Did You Know? A simple nutrition screening tool (SCREEN-8) can help identify at-risk seniors and improve health outcomes. #nutrition #nutritionrisk #seniorhealth #medindia A simple nutrition screening tool (SCREEN-8) can help identify at-risk seniors and improve health outcomes. #nutrition #nutritionrisk #seniorhealth #medindia Trusted Source Baseline nutrition risk as measured by SCREEN-8 predicts self-reported 12-month healthcare service use of older adults 3 years later Go to source Trusted Source SCREEN-8 Tool: Measuring Nutrition Risk in Seniors Advertisement Why Seniors Struggle to Eat Right Baseline nutrition risk as measured by SCREEN-8 predicts self-reported 12-month healthcare service use of older adults 3 years later - (https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/apnm-2024-0288) Poor nutrition puts older Canadians at risk, warns a new study.One-third of Canadians aged 55 and older are at nutritional risk, which may lead to more hospital stays, emergency visits, and doctor consultations for infections, according to a study.The findings of the study are published in the journal).The University of Waterloo researchers assessed data from more than 22,000 community-dwelling adults aged 55 and over from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. After an initial evaluation, they followed up with participants up to three years later to track their health-service use over the previous year.Researchers used the SCREEN-8 tool (Seniors in the Community Risk Evaluation for Eating and Nutrition) to measure an individuals nutrition risk. They found that those with higher SCREEN-8 scores at the initial screening indicating better nutrition had significantly lower odds of reporting an overnight hospital stay, visiting a hospital emergency room, or seeing a doctor for an infection when followed up three years later.While these results make sense intuitively, they highlight how a straightforward and inexpensive tool can easily be used to potentially make a vast difference in improving health-care outcomes and costs, said Dr. Heather Keller, a professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences and Schlegel Research Chair in Nutrition and Aging.Nutrition risk among older adults is a significant concern, especially among community-dwelling individuals, as it precedes malnutrition. The eight questions on SCREEN-8 gather information about weight change, appetite, eating challenges such as choking or difficulty swallowing meal preparation behaviors and fruit, vegetable and fluid intake. The study sample included an equal number of males and females, with a mean age of about 66 years. Most participants were living with a partner and two-thirds of people surveyed had post-secondary degrees. One of the studys limitations was that the people sampled were predominately highly educated and white, meaning that it is not fully representative of Canadians.Knowing whos at risk nutritionally allows individuals the possibility of modifying behaviors to avert negative health outcomes, Keller said. Further research can help determine how health-care practitioners can best triage and provide education, programming and services to offset high risk.Source-University of Waterloo The global rare biomarkers market is set to grow 14.4% annually, driven by non-invasive testing methods, rising disease cases, and increasing investments in personalized medicine and advanced diagnostics. Biomarkers are transforming #healthcare, driving a 14% market growth with the increasing demand for personalized medicine. #cfdna #biomarkers #medindia Advertisement Why Is This Market Growing? Advertisement Challenges and regional Market Trends Key Players in the Market Global market for rare biomarkers is expected to expand at a 14.4% annual growth rate until 2032. The rise in cost is driven by non-invasive testing methods like liquid biopsy , which helps detect diseases early without surgery.The market value was about $36.69 billion in 2023. With rising cases of cancer heart disease , and genetic disorders , doctors need better diagnostic tools for early detection. Biomarkers serve as the key component in early detection and monitoring.Governments and private companies are investing heavily in biomarker research to improve healthcare. In the shift toward personalized medicine by treating individuals with specific treatments, biomarkers have become crucial for diagnosis. New techniques are improving biomarker detection, making tests more accurate and sensitive.The technology required to collect and store biomarkers is expensive, making it difficult for low-income countries to access. Handling biomarkers requires highly trained professionals however, they are not available in many regions. Strict government rules for biomarker validation slow down market adoption.North America leads the market due to strong healthcare systems, research funding, and top medical companies in the U.S. and Canada. Europe is improving with strong government regulations supporting biomarker use. Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing region due to rising cancer cases and increasing healthcare investment in countries like China and India. Latin America, Middle East & Africa show growth potential as more hospitals adopt advanced diagnostic tools.Companies like Thermo Fisher, Roche, Agilent Technologies, and Qiagen are leading the industry by investing in new products, partnerships, and acquisitions according to the increasing need and demand.With continued research and technological advancements, biomarkers are expected to revolutionize diagnostics and treatment. This growth will improve early disease detection, personalized medicine, and healthcare efficiency worldwide.Source-Medindia DAMASCUS, Syria Syria's interim government signed a deal Monday with the Kurdish-led authority that controls the countrys northeast, including a ceasefire and the merging of the main U.S.-backed force there into the Syrian army. The deal is a major breakthrough that would bring most of Syria under the control of the government, which is led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham that led the ouster of President Bashar Assad in December. The deal was signed by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. The deal to be implemented by the end of the year would bring all border crossings with Iraq and Turkey, airports and oil fields in the northeast under the central government's control. Prisons where about 9,000 suspected members of the Islamic State group are also expected to come under government control. Syrias Kurds will gain their constitutional rights" including using and teaching their language, which were banned for decades under Assad. Hundreds of thousands of Kurds who were displaced during Syria's nearly 14-year civil war will return to their homes. The deal also says all Syrians will be part of the political process, no matter their religion or ethnicity. Syrias new rulers are struggling to exert their authority across the country and reach political settlements with other minority communities, notably the Druze in southern Syria. Earlier Monday, Syria's government announced the end of the military operation against insurgents loyal to Assad and his family in the worst fighting since the end of the civil war. The Defense Ministry's announcement came after a surprise attack by gunmen from the Alawite community on a police patrol near the port city of Latakia on Thursday spiraled into widespread clashes across Syria's coastal region. The Assad family are Alawites. To the remaining remnants of the defeated regime and its fleeing officers, our message is clear and explicit, said Defense Ministry spokesperson Col. Hassan Abdel-Ghani. If you return, we will also return, and you will find before you men who do not know how to retreat and who will not have mercy on those whose hands are stained with the blood of the innocent. Abdel-Ghani said security forces will continue searching for sleeper cells and remnants of the insurgency of former government loyalists. Though the government's counter-offensive was able to largely contain the insurgency, footage surfaced of what appeared to be retaliatory attacks targeting the broader minority Alawite community, an offshoot of Shia Islam whose adherents live mainly in the western coastal region. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said 1,130 people were killed in the clashes, including 830 civilians. The Associated Press could not independently verify these numbers. Al-Sharaa said the retaliatory attacks against Alawite civilians and mistreatment of prisoners were isolated incidents, and vowed to crack down on the perpetrators as he formed a committee to investigate. Still, the events alarmed Western governments, who have been urged to lift economic sanctions on Syria. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a statement Sunday urged Syrian authorities to hold the perpetrators of these massacres accountable. Rubio said the U.S. stands with Syrias religious and ethnic minorities, including its Christian, Druze, Alawite, and Kurdish communities. Mroue and Chehayeb reported from Beirut. JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia A Ukrainian delegation set to meet with Americas top diplomat in Saudi Arabia about ending the three-year war with Russia will propose a ceasefire covering the Black Sea and long-range missile strikes, as well as the release of prisoners, two senior Ukrainian officials said Monday. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about Tuesdays meeting, also told The Associated Press that the Ukrainian delegation is ready during the talks to sign an agreement with the United States on access to Ukraines rare earth minerals a deal that U.S. President Donald Trump is keen to secure. The officials discussed the confidence-building measures, with no further details, ahead of the Ukrainian negotiating team's meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Jeddah. Kyiv is trying to repair the damage done when Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Feb. 28 visit to Washington descended into an Oval Office argument with Trump and Vice President JD Vance. At stake is the military aid and intelligence previously offered by the United States that had helped Ukraine in the war but is now paused as Washington pushes for a peace agreement. Rubio and Zelenskyy landed a few hours apart Monday in Saudi Arabia, though they were not expected to meet. Zelenskyy was to meet with the kingdoms powerful crown prince Monday evening. Rubio also was due to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Speaking to reporters aboard his plane, Rubio said he and national security adviser Mike Waltz would take stock of Ukraines responses in Saudi Arabia. If Ukraine and the U.S. reach an understanding acceptable to Trump, that could accelerate his administrations push to peace talks. What we want to know is, are they interested entering some sort of peace conversation and general outlines of the kinds of things they could consider, recognizing that it has been a costly and bloody war for the Ukrainians. They have suffered greatly and their people have suffered greatly, Rubio said. And its hard in the aftermath of something like that to even talk about concessions, but thats the only way this is going to end and prevent more suffering. He added: Im not going to set any conditions on what they have to or need to do. I think we want to listen to see how far theyre willing to go and then compare that to what the Russians want and see how far apart we truly are. Zelenskyy has said his team meeting Rubio will include his chief of staff Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. Rubio will lead the U.S. team. The rest of Europe remains skeptical about the talks as it has been sidelined by Washington. The European Union last week agreed to boost the continents defenses and to free up hundreds of billions of euros for security in response to the Trump administration's shift in stance on Ukraine. White House special envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News on Monday that the pause of U.S. intelligence-sharing with Ukraine has not limited defense intelligence-sharing. We never shut off intelligence for ... anything defensive that the Ukrainians need, Witkoff said. A pause on sharing U.S. intelligence that can be used for offensive purposes by Ukrainian forces remains in effect, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The official suggested that progress could be made toward reinstating intelligence-sharing with Ukraine during the Saudi talks. Arhirova contributed from Kyiv, Ukraine. Associated Press writers Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Aamer Madhani and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report. By CARLA K. JOHNSON AP Medical Writer Gene Hackmans wife, Betsy Arakawa, died from hantavirus infection, officials in New Mexico announced Friday. Hantavirus, found throughout the world, is spread by contact with rodents or their urine or feces. It does not spread between people. There is no specific treatment or cure, but early medical attention can increase the chance of survival. An infection can rapidly progress and become life-threatening. It really starts like the flu: body aches, feeling poorly overall, said Dr. Sonja Bartolome of UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Early in the illness, you really may not be able to tell the difference between hantavirus and having the flu. The virus can cause a severe and sometimes deadly lung infection called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency began tracking the virus after a 1993 outbreak in the Four Corners region the area where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet. It was an astute physician with the Indian Health Service who first noticed a pattern of deaths among young patients, said Dr. Michelle Harkins, a pulmonologist with the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center who for years has been studying the disease and helping patients. They were healthy, they had no medical problems and they were coming in with a cardiopulmonary arrest, she said, prompting the CDCs involvement as experts worked to determine what the patients had in common. The majority of U.S. cases since then have been in western states, especially the southwest. Between 1993 and 2022, there were 864 reported U.S. cases. New Mexico had the highest number over that time, at 122, followed by Colorado at 119. There were seven cases confirmed in 2023 and another seven in 2024, according to the New Mexico Department of Health. As for deaths, the state has reported 52 between 1975 and 2023. The CDC has offered to test samples involved in Arakawas case to learn more about the strain of virus that infected her and to perform pathology testing. Symptoms start one to eight weeks after exposure and initially can include fatigue, fever and muscle aches, according to the CDC. As the disease progresses, symptoms can include coughing, shortness of breath and tightness in the chest as the lungs fill with fluid. About a third of people who develop respiratory symptoms from the disease can die, the CDC says. Despite years of research, Harkins said many questions have yet to be answered, including why it can be mild for some people and very severe for others and how antibodies are developed. She and other researchers have been following patients over long periods of time in hopes of finding a treatment. A lot of mysteries, she said, noting that what researchers do know is that mouse exposure is a key. The best way to avoid the germ is to minimize contact with rodents and their droppings. Use protective gloves and a bleach solution for cleaning up rodent droppings. Public health experts caution against sweeping or vacuuming which can cause virus to get into the air. ___ Associated Press writers Michael Stobbe and Susan Montoya Bryan contributed to this report. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. NEW BUFFALO, MI A Chicago man is facing extradition to Michigan after missing his trial related to alleged assaults against his wife, FOX 32 Chicago reports. The woman was found dead at the bottom of a stairwell days before the trial was set to begin. Caitlin Tracey, 36, of New Buffalo, Mich., was found dead in her husbands Chicago condo building on Oct. 27, the report said. She had fallen more than 20 floors; her body was pulverized, and her foot was severed, according to attorneys representing her family. No charges have been issued related to Traceys death. Twice in 2024, police responded to Traceys New Buffalo home: on Jan. 13 and on Aug. 19, the report said. Officers who responded to the January incident noted that Tracey had cuts on her lips and other red markings. She alleged that Adam Beckerink, 46, of Chicago, with whom she was involved in a romantic relationship, had assaulted her and stolen from her, the report said. Two days after Traceys body was found, on Oct. 29, Beckerink missed his trial date in Berrien County, Mich., related to the alleged domestic violence incidents, the report said. He was arrested Friday in Chicago on fugitive warrant; hes expected to be extradited to Michigan for a trial set to begin April 15. He is charged with six felonies and two misdemeanors. At the time of her death, Tracey and Beckerink had been married for six months, Yahoo News reports. WHITEFISH POINT, MI - The wreck of a sleek 300-foot steamer known as an inland Greyhound for its speed on the water has been found resting in an unusual situation - with its bow stacked on top of its stern - 600 feet below the surface in Lake Superior. The Western Reserve was lost in a gale in 1892, taking 27 people with it. After harrowing hours in a lifeboat with crew, the millionaire owners young family was lost and only one crew member survived. The vessel was discovered last summer by a team of shipwreck hunters from the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society. The announcement was made today and revealed that the Western Reserves final resting place was found 60 miles northwest of Whitefish Point in Lake Superior. Knowing how the 300-foot Western Reserve was caught in a storm this far from shore made a uneasy feeling in the back of my neck, a squall can come up unexpectedly anywhere, and anytime," said Darryl Ertel, the societys director of marine operations. The bow area of the Western Reserve shipwreck in Lake Superior. Photo provided by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society At its prime 132 years ago, the Western Reserve had been hailed as one of the safest ships on the Great Lakes. These steel steamers were built to haul cargo and set shipping records with their speed. This particular ship was owned by Capt. Peter G. Minch, a millionaire shipping magnate who happened to be traveling aboard with several members of his young family on this fateful trip on Aug. 30, 1892. They were going for a run up Lake Huron and across Superior to reach Two Harbors, Minnesota. When the crew reached Whitefish Bay, Superior had turned choppy enough for the crew to drop anchor, the historical society said, tracing the ships demise through maritime accounts. The Western Reserve crew steamed forward, but it was a bad decision. A gale blew up around 9 p.m. that night. The ship began to break apart and sink. From the historical societys account: The Minch family and the Western Reserve crew safely boarded and launched the vessels two lifeboats. Almost immediately, one lifeboat overturned and many of the ships crew disappeared. The remaining lifeboat occupants recovered only two of the crewmen. Within ten minutes the big ship was gone, leaving one lifeboat with (the) Minch family and the remaining crew aboard. They would be in the gale and darkness for the next ten hours. Salvation was near at hand when a steamship passed them in the night. They screamed for a half-hour, but with no flares they were not seen. At about 7:30 a.m. the next morning, they were within one mile of the shoreline west of the Deer Park Life-Saving Station (Lake Superiors southeastern shoreline), when the lifeboat overturned in the breakers. Only one survivor, Wheelsman Harry W. Stewart of Algonac, Michigan, lived to tell the tale. Minchs family on board included his wife and their two young children. Every shipwreck has its own story, but some are just that much more tragic, historical society Executive Director Bruce Lynn said. It is hard to imagine that Captain Peter G. Minch would have foreseen any trouble when he invited his wife, two young children and sister-in-law with her daughter aboard the Western Reserve for a summer cruise up the lakes. It just reinforces how dangerous the Great Lakes can be any time of year. The shipwreck of the Western Reserve was found in 600 feet of water in Lake Superior. Photo provided by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society A Surprising Find Director of Marine Operations Darryl Ertel and his brother, First Mate Dan Ertel, have had the steel steamer on their minds for the last couple years as theyve been doing their wreck hunting. Late last summer, it first appeared as a shadow when they were using their side-scan sonar. We side-scan looking out a half mile per side and we caught an image on our port side. It was very small looking out that far, but I measured the shadow, and it came up about 40 feet, Darryl Ertel said. So we went back over the top of the ship and saw that it had cargo hatches, and it looked like it was broken in two, one half on top of the other and each half measured with the side scan 150 feet long and then we measured the width and it was right on so we knew that wed found the Western Reserve. For more information on the Western Reserve - and to see more photos and an underwater video - go to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museums website here. AUBURN HILLS, MI The identities of the victim and suspect in a murder-suicide at a Michigan hotel have been released. Jackie Jo Torrez, 34, of Saginaw, and Marcus Isaiah Taylor, 33, of Vassar, were found dead Friday night in an Auburn Hills hotel room, police said. A 3-year-old girl, who was physically unharmed, was also in the room; her name will not be released. We are deeply saddened by the tragic events that unfolded in our community Friday night, resulting in the loss of life in the homicide-suicide incident, Auburn Hills Deputy Chief Scott McGraw said in a statement. Our hearts go out to the victim and her family during this incredibly difficult time. Officers were dispatched around 10:45 p.m. Friday to the Holiday Inn Express at 3990 Baldwin Road for a report of possible domestic violence, according to a release from Auburn Hills police. RELATED: Possible murder-suicide at Auburn Hills hotel claims lives of Saginaw woman, Vassar man Officers heard two gunshots as they approached the room, police said. They found Torrez and Taylor dead inside. The unharmed 3-year-old was taken to a local hospital out of an abundance of caution and later released to a family member. The investigation indicates that Taylor shot Torrez and then took his own life, police said. The Oakland County Sheriffs Office Crime Lab assisted at the scene. The Oakland County Medical Examiners Office will perform autopsies. Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Auburn Hills Police Department at 248-370-9460. Domestic violence is a serious issue that affects individuals and families in many communities, McGraw said in a statement. We urge anyone experiencing violence or abuse to reach out for help and support. There are resources available for victims of domestic violence, and no one should feel they have to face these challenges alone. Victims of domestic violence should report it to their local law enforcement, he said. TYRONE TWP., MI A 55-year-old woman died in a two-vehicle crash after running a stop sign Saturday afternoon southwest of Fenton, police said. Livingston County deputies responded to the fatal crash around 1 p.m. at Hogan and Linden roads in Tyrone Township, according to a statement from the sheriffs office. The Clarkston woman was headed east on Hogan Road. She had failed to stop at a stop sign and the vehicle she was driving was struck by another vehicle heading north, preliminary investigation showed. The woman was pronounced dead on scene, after resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful, officials said. Officials did not indicate whether the 23-year-old Fenton man driving the other vehicle was hurt. The Livingston County Sheriffs Office did not immediately respond to a request for further information. The Fenton Area Fire Department, Livingston County Ambulance and Michigan State Police assisted sheriffs deputies. U.S. District Judge Judith Levy speaks as she address one of 15 Flint residents objecting to the $641-million Flint water crisis settlement at Genesee County Circuit Court on Tuesday, July 13, 2021 in downtown Flint. (Jake May | MLive.com) Jake May FLINT, MI -- The parents of four children who claim they were damaged by Flint water during the citys water crisis will be able to have an attorney present when they discuss their childs brain functions with an expert retained by the federal government. U.S. District Court Judge Judith E. Levy made the ruling during a court hearing on Monday, March 10, as attorneys for the children and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency prepare for a January bellwether bench trial. HOLLAND, MI This month, a special screening of a nail-biting thriller filmed in the tulip-filled fields of Holland is planned. Local residents are invited to a one-night screening of Holland on Monday, March 24, at the Knickerbocker Theater, 86 E Eighth St. Following the free showing, Director Mimi Cave will have a Q&A moderated by Holland Mayor Nathan Brooks. Related: Trailer released for Holland, new movie set in Michigan starring Nicole Kidman The Michigan-set film follows teacher and homemaker Nancy Vandergroot, played by Nicole Kidman. Her picture-perfect life with her community pillar husband and son tumbles into a twisted tale in the charming Michigan town. She and her friendly colleague (Gael Garcia Bernal) become suspicious of a secret, only to discover nothing in their lives is what it seems. While most of the movie was filmed in Tennessee, some scenes were filmed in 2023 in and around the authentic Dutch windmill in Holland at Windmill Island, with over 200 cast and crew members on location. The free hometown screening at 7 p.m. is open to the public, but the movie is rated R. Tickets are limited to two per person and can be reserved at hope.edu/tickets. Holland will premiere globally March 27 on Prime Video. 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. A 2,000-acre stretch of farmland could be used for solar development in Lee Township, northern Calhoun County. (Mitchell Kukulka | MLive.com) Mitchell Kukulka | Mkukulka@mlive.com LEE TWP., MI - Some Lee Township residents are questioning the necessity of a large-scale Michigan solar farm as initial construction work continues in northern Calhoun County. Jim Byron, 57, lives on O-Drive North. Byron said hes concerned about the increasing number of Michigan solar farms, which he believes are consuming too much farmland. HARRISON, MI A Lake man is to spend decades in prison for his prolonged sexual abuse of a minor. Clare County Circuit Judge Roy G. Mienk on Friday, March 7, sentenced 68-year-old Roland J. Bourgeois Jr. to 50 months to 24 years in prison on two convictions of second-degree criminal sexual conduct. Mienk gave Bourgeois credit for 105 days already served. China promotes 'technological inclusiveness' to advance global green transition 10:49, March 10, 2025 By He Yin ( People's Daily "We are now in a world where almost every energy story is essentially a China story." This remark by Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency, underscores China's pivotal role in global green transition. Through sustained international green cooperation, China is enabling global modernization with Chinese modernization of harmony between man and nature, offering a tangible illustration of Birol's statement. Photo shows the Mauriti Photovoltaic Project built by a Chinese enterprise in Ceara, Brazil. (Photo/Huo Xiangyuan) China has collaborated with more than 100 countries and regions to implement sustainable energy solutions, evidenced by landmark installations worldwide. Solar arrays spanning desert landscapes in Oman, transmission infrastructure traversing Brazil's rainforest, wind farms harnessing steppe winds in Kazakhstan's Shelek region, and South Africa's pioneering Redstone solar thermal facility all bear testament to this cooperation. The nation has also supported African climate observation through satellite technology deployment, implemented energy-efficient lighting systems in small island countries, and established low-carbon pilot programs in ASEAN communities. These efforts are transforming renewable energy from a "luxury" into an accessible article of daily use, converting ecological preservation into tangible economic opportunities while redefining energy infrastructure paradigms. The global shift toward sustainable energy systems has become an undeniable necessity, with technological advancement emerging as the primary catalyst for this paradigm change. Chinese breakthroughs in renewable energy solutions have accelerated worldwide deployment of clean power infrastructure, slashing carbon-reduction expenses and contributing to what is widely recognized as a form of "technological inclusiveness." Analysis from the International Renewable Energy Agency reveals a striking over 60 percent reduction in wind energy costs and a more than 80 percent decrease in solar photovoltaic expenses globally per kWh on average over the past decade -- a transformation overwhelmingly driven by Chinese technological innovation, unparalleled manufacturing scale, and infrastructure development proficiency. A China-Europe freight train carrying 290 new energy vehicles departs from Nanchang International Land Port, east China's Jiangxi province, Jan. 19, 2025. These vehicles will be sold to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other countries. (People's Daily Online/Zhu Haipeng) In 2024, China witnessed a remarkable surge in wind turbine exports, with an increase of over 70 percent. Photovoltaic product exports surpassed the 200 billion yuan ($27.45 billion) mark for the fourth consecutive year, while lithium-ion battery exports hit an all-time high. As noted by a Swiss publication, examining China's export figures offers a revealing snapshot of global leadership in energy transition. China's contributions through its green products and technologies have been instrumental in accelerating the worldwide shift towards renewable energy. This progress echoes an observation made over three decades ago by economist Ronald Coase, who stated, "The struggle of China is the struggle for the world." The rapid expansion and leadership of China's green industry in the global energy transition can be attributed to several factors: robust market demand, effective government policies, mature industrial ecosystems, and intense market competition. These elements underscore China's commitment to modernization that emphasizes harmony between human development and environmental sustainability. In 2024, China achieved a significant milestone by surpassing its 2030 target for installed wind and solar power capacity, reaching over 1.4 billion kilowatts ahead of schedule. For the first time, the nation's annual production of new energy vehicles exceeded 10 million units, marking respective increases of 34.4 percent in production and 35.5 percent in sales compared to the previous year. Moreover, energy consumption per unit of GDP decreased by 3.8 percent, while carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP fell by 3.4 percent from the prior year. These achievements underscore China's unwavering dedication to ecological progress, a principle deeply embedded in the country's cultural heritage of harmonizing human activity with nature. They also highlight China's pivotal role as a participant, contributor, and leader in fostering global ecological civilization. New energy trucks are assembled in a workshop of Chinese heavy-duty truck manufacturer CAMC in Ma'anshan, east China's Anhui province, Feb. 17, 2025. (People's Daily Online/Wang Wensheng) The heart of a successful green transition lies in sustained effort and adherence to commitments, while the most formidable obstacles are inconsistency and broken promises. As international observers have noted, discussions about green transformation have persisted for decades, but translating policies into tangible development outcomes has proven challenging. It was only when China took decisive steps toward green development that the world truly reached a "historical turning point." China holds steadfast to the principle that safeguarding the environment is synonymous with protecting productive forces; enhancing the environment equates to bolstering these forces. Through proactive reshaping of its industrial framework, China has transformed the once-perceived dichotomy between ecological preservation and economic growth into a mutually beneficial scenario. This approach adds a new and compelling chapter to the annals of human modernization. Mankind stands at the threshold of a green revolution, one that will shape the trajectory of its survival and development. Achieving sustainable progress through the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature emerges as the sole viable path forward. Committed to advancing its renewable energy sector, China advocates for international green cooperation. It collaborates with global partners to lay the foundation for ecological civilization, propelling the world toward green modernization. This endeavor not only underscores China's dedication to environmental stewardship but also highlights its role in leading transformative change on a global scale. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun) Pictured are the nine commissioners who voted to contract with the Bay City Bridge Partners. Collage created by Kaytie Boomer BAY CITY, MI On a frigid Monday in December 2019, nine people formed a half-circle on the second floor of Bay Citys historic city hall. They sat at desks, their names etched in nameplates. They were Jesse Dockett, Kristen McDonald Rivet, Andrew Niedzinski, Brentt Brunner, Rachelle Hilliker, Christopher Girard, Kerice Basmadjian, Ed Clements and Cordal Morris. It was a regularly scheduled city commission meeting and the six men and three women were there to decide, among other things, what the city should do with its aging bridges. Ive heard a lot of comments today, Ive heard a lot of comments for four years. And this is probably the hardest decision Ive probably ever had to make in my entire life, Brunner was quoted as saying in an MLive article from the time. What Im about to do tonight with my fellow commissioners is vote on something that could change the city forever. About five years later, the decision has been criticized more and more. Residents and city officials alike have voiced their frustrations about how Bay City Bridge Partners has handled matters. A series of events nighttime closures on the Independence Bridge, legal battles and a near price hike have only amplified things. And when the frustrations boil over, residents often point their fingers at the original nine people who voted to contract with the bridge partners. We were out of options, Basmadjian said. What I regret is that United Bridge Partners because I dont like to call them Bay City Bridge Partners have not been the community partners that we were led to believe that they would be. Related: Bay City Bridge Partners targeted with class action lawsuit seeking to reimburse fees, end tolling Bay City workers spent much of the day doing their best to reopen Independence Bridge to traffic after a malfunction caused the bridge to stick open. THE BAY CITY TIMES THE BAY CITY TIMES Building bridges Bay City, home to four drawbridges, owns and operates two of them. But facing upward of $7 million in maintenance and repairs to keep its bridges compliant with Michigan Department of Transportation inspections, the city decided in 2019 to sell the Liberty and Independence bridges. The city had spent nearly $6 million on its bridges in the five years leading up to the meeting that night in December. The city was facing a financial crisis, with no apparent assistance forthcoming from neighboring communities. Although anything is possible, the feedback I have received from citizens across the county does not lead me to believe that a millage large enough to solve the bridge problem would likely pass at this point, Bay County Executive Jim Barcia said at the time. The city began considering private partnerships. The commissioners listened to public input and heard presentations from three private companies, each outlining their proposed solution to the bridge problem. In the end, they settled on a 2-year-old company from Littleton, Colorado: United Bridge Partners. Community members fill all the seats during the presentations for the proposals of the Bay City bridges, Thursday, July 11, 2019. Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com A private company with other projects around the nation, United Bridge Partners sold the commission on a plan to renovate and rehabilitate the Liberty Bridge while building a new Independence Bridge. Liberty Bridge would be given a complete modernization, including new electrical and mechanical systems, according to what was presented in a July 2019 meeting. The new Independence Bridge was to be built to the west of the preexisting bridge. However, the agreement came with a significant caveat: tolls would be levied on both bridges. We think we have identified the correct plan that will minimize impacts to BC residents, Ken Szeliga of United Bridge Partners said at the time. The Liberty Bridge opens during a Saginaw River Guided Tour on the Princess Wenonah in Bay City on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com Burning bridges Many commissioners had already shared their thoughts on the bridges at the various meetings before voting to privatize. The consensus was that their hands were tied, and this is what they had to do to fix the bridges. I wish I could deliver some kind of Christmas miracle that, yes, theres this pot of funds, Madonnas coming in and shes giving us all this money, Girard said at the time. Its just I dont see that path forward. I think that city staff and our government and this body is trying to make the best decision that we can in this moment of time, Niedzinski said at a meeting. I understand sometimes these decisions are hard, but we truly have spent years now looking at all the options, Basmadjian said. The agreement between Bay City and United Bridge Partners took effect in January 2020, but it was already being renegotiated by years end. The sale was renegotiated into a 75-year, $5 million lease agreement. Instead of rebuilding Independence, the bridge would be rehabilitated. Barcia said a survey conducted by the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce before the bridges were leased found insufficient voter support for a countywide millage or bond. Afterward, city officials never formally requested a millage or bond be placed on a countywide ballot, something county commissioners could not do, he said. Additionally, the county cannot use its operating funds to pay for capital improvements to another municipalitys infrastructure. Even if a bond or millage had been requested by the City, which it was not, such a measure would have required the unanimous agreement of all of the municipalities in Bay County to divert the money from their own bridges and culverts to the two Bay City bridges and would have likely required a transfer of ownership of the bridges from the City of Bay City to the (Bay) County Road Commission, an entity separate and distinct from the County. The County Road Commission receives the majority of its revenue from federal and state fuel taxes. By January 2025, both bridges were charging tolls, and the $5 million continues to sit unspent in a bank account. Where are they now? MLive/The Bay City Times reached out to each of the nine people responsible for contracting with United Bridge Partners. Four commissioners either declined to comment or did not respond to multiple requests for their thoughts on the vote five years later. Brunner did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Clements declined to comment when reached for this story. Only two of the commissioners remain on the governing board. Hilliker and Morris, neither of whom responded to multiple requests for comment for this story, both have terms that conclude in December 2026. Girard is now mayor. He replaced Kathleen Newsham, the mayor at the time of the bridge agreement. Girard stated the controversial decision to privatize the bridges was made to shift the financial burden away from taxpayers and ensure a long-term, sustainable solution for critical infrastructure. At the time, the bridges were in dire need of repair, and United Bridge Partners offered a solution that addressed both immediate and ongoing concerns, he said. Kristen McDonald Rivet has moved up since voting in favor of privatizing Bay Citys bridges. She joined the Michigan Senate in 2023 and recently was voted into the U.S. House of Representatives. She noted that by the time she joined the commission, things were in motion to privatize the bridges. She also said, sitting on the transportation committee, she has seen the problem in Bay City isnt unique. We have, both in the state and at the federal level, consistently underfunded our locals in being able to maintain our roads and bridges, she said. Its an issue across the state, and frankly, across the country, where were asking municipalities to maintain incredibly expensive infrastructure. We have to invest both infrastructure and roads money in our local units of government so that they can afford to repair these pieces of infrastructure, she added. Dockett and Basmadjian each said the privatization and contract was a last resort. We exhausted everything else before we got to this point, he said. I dont think there was a single person on that board that wanted to vote the way they did, but at some point, you run out of options and safety was becoming a real concern. A week or so after we signed the first contract, a kitchen-table-sized chunk fell out of Liberty, he added. I would have had a lot of regret if I said no and it collapsed while my residents were driving over it. Basmadjian said the public wasnt privy to much of the work done prior to the 2019 vote. We spent three years (on it), she said. We tried to work with the county and the townships. They werent interested. They say they were. They werent. Niedzinski said bridge privatization had been looked at leading up to his time in office. He was elected in 2017 and made commission president. Shortly after taking his seat, there was an agenda item regarding privatizing the bridges. He removed it from the agenda. After that, town halls were held, community workshops were formed and the chamber of commerce started hosting meetings throughout the city to gather thoughts on the bridges. We had less than a dozen people show up at these. For the most part, they were not city residents, he said. A delegation of community leaders traveled to Lansing to meet with Michigan Department of Transportation officials. No help was provided. Niedzinski said he supported the idea of a regional bridge authority, in which all area municipalities shared a cost of the bridge repairs and upkeep. He cited bridge studies that showed most of the traffic over the Independence Bridge originated from outside the city. I believed this model would be the most fair, he said. Every meeting we had with leaders in these communities, they said, Why should we pay for Bay Citys problem? He said the commission probably wouldnt have voted for tolling if theyd known the federal government would provide more opportunities for funding, as they did in the years since the contract was signed. I wish I had a crystal ball, he said. 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. 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. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has indicated that funding to children's advocacy centers in Michigan will not be cut as previously anticipated (MLive file photo) LANSING, MI -- Private foster care agencies won a legal battle with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services over a rate dispute. The state must pay a daily rate of $60.20, per child, to private agencies, Court of Claims Judge Sima G. Patel said in her March 4 opinion. Only one English Premier League match on Monday to round out an explosive weekend of action and it pits two clubs on opposite ends of the table, as Newcastle United takes on West Ham United. Watch the Premier League on FuboTV (7-day free trial) and Peacock Newcastle is part of the cluster that is near the top of the EPL table. Third place and 10th place is only separated by sixth points, with the Magpies jammed right in the middle. Though they went into the FA Cup break on a whimper, losing to league-leading Liverpool a couple of weeks ago and losing three of its last four matches, Newcastle still has time to turn things around and sneak back into a UEFA Champions League spot. The Magpies currently sit sixth in the table, three points behind Manchester City for fourth. West Ham might be far from the lower-half of the Premier League, but they have not been playing poorly enough to be considered in the relegation conversation. With wins in back-to-back league matches, the Hammers are in a tie for 13th in the league, 16 points ahead of the bottom three. ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE West Ham United FC (9-6-12) vs. Newcastle United FC (13-5-9) When: Monday, March 10 Time: 4 p.m. ET Where: London Stadium (London, U.K.) Channel: USA Network, Universo Stream: FuboTV (Free trial), Sling, DirecTV Stream, Peacock Check out the EPL table and results here Shweta Punj is an award winning journalist. 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I Accept IndusInd Bank slips to lowest since July 2022 as investors weigh extension for CEO, target price cuts Debaroti Adhikary USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Arrest under Customs Act, GST Acts: How Supreme Court aim to balance powers with rights Priyanjali Ghose USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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Speaking to reporters at the Vidhan Sabha premises, the Bisfi constituency legislator said that since there are 52 Fridays in a year, Muslims should not object to Holi festivities falling on one of them. "I appeal to Muslims to let Hindus celebrate their festival without disruptions. If they have a problem with colours being smeared on them, they should stay indoors. This is necessary to maintain communal harmony," Bachaul stated. Siddharth Chakravorty USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. 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I Accept Maharashtra Budget 2025-26: Ajit Pawar to present first Mahayuti government budget today, key things to watch for 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 Armaan Bhatnagar USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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Kumar is an author, journalist and a political commentator based in in Mumbai who writes on crime and Maharashtra politics. Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication. 101Reporters USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Opposition walks out of Rajya Sabha, J P Nadda says govt ready to discuss all issues Siddharth Chakravorty USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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"Despite that, the DMK is running the government in partnership with the Congress. The DMK party wants to divide the country by inciting emotions. The DMK is losing the Tamil Nadu assembly elections," he added. Arindam Roy USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept 'Where is the CM': Tejashwi Yadav after BJP MLA asks Muslims to stay indoors on Holi Priyanjali Ghose USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept A relatively warmer winter doesnt seem to have affected wheat crop Siraj Hussain is a former Union Agriculture Secretary. Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication. Namrata Agarwal USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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 Rohit Kapoor currently serves as the CEO of Food Marketplace, Swiggy. A former McKinsey consultant, he is an alumnus of the Indian School of Business (ISB) and a CFA holder. Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication. Namrata Agarwal USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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 Europes increased defence spending doesnt cut it. Ukraine needs the US Bhartendu Kumar Singh is in the Indian Defence Accounts Service. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication. Namrata Agarwal USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Sheetal Kumari USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Ankita Chakravarti 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 If creditors vote in favour of the recovery scheme, we may retrieve 90-145% of the lost funds in 3 years: WazirXs Nischal Shetty 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 Manus AI is the new chatbot from China creating a buzz: What it is, how it works, and more Ankita Chakravarti is a seasoned journalist with nearly a decade of experience in media. She specializes in technology and lifestyle journalism. She has worked with top Indian media houses like India Today, Zee News, The Statesman, and Millennium Post. Her expertise spans tech trends, phone launches, gadget reviews, and entertainment news. Ankita holds a Master's in Journalism and Mass Communication along with a degree in English Literature. She can be reached out at ankita.chakravarti@nw18.com Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Ankita Chakravarti USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. 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For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *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 More youth from Taiwan island look to mainland for opportunities, enhancing cross-Straits integration: NPC deputy 10:52, March 10, 2025 By Liu Xin, Li Meng ( Global Times Taiwan students participating in a summer camp visit Taiwan Huiguan in Beijing, a historical site of the resident office of Taiwan province in the capital of the country during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The 20th Youth Summer Camp organized by the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots started in Beijing on July 4, 2023, attracting about 1,000 participants from Taiwan, with about 35 percent of them first-time visitors to the Chinese mainland. (Li Hao/GT) In recent years, a growing number of young people in the Taiwan island have set their eyes on the mainland, seeking opportunities to grow alongside its development, integrate into the national landscape, and contribute to cross-Straits integration while pursuing their own aspirations, Cai Peihui, a deputy from the National People's Congress (NPC) Taiwan delegation, told the Global Times. Cai said that many young people from the island have actively reached out to him via phone and social media to inquire about preferential policies of mainland for Taiwan and development opportunities on the mainland. These young people closely follow the "two sessions" and are eager to understand relevant policies and explore opportunities to apply their skills on the mainland. Cai also encouraged Taiwan youth to explore opportunities in the central and western regions of the mainland. He said that areas like Gansu Province and the Xinjiang region are actively attracting Taiwan talent in various fields, including agricultural technology, AI, and the low-altitude economy. With the mainland's rapid growth in these sectors, along with key national strategies like the Belt and Road Initiative, digital economy, and green development, Taiwan youth have a broad platform to showcase their skills, Cai said. In recent years, more young people from Taiwan island have chosen to start businesses or work on the mainland, actively contributing to cross-Straits integration. Their firsthand experiences also help convey the mainland's development to family and friends in Taiwan, fostering integration and unity, said Cai. Tao Jun, NPC deputy and also Vice Chairman and Secretary General of Zhejiang Provincial Committee Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League, also paid attention to the young people's development in the mainland. Taiwan youth seeking to grow should better understand and leverage mainland policies. By applying their expertise, young people can integrate into the mainland's supply and industrial chains, contributing in fields such as education and semiconductors. They can also engage in cross-Straits exchanges, esports, social governance, rural development, and public welfare, fostering deeper connections and mutual understanding between mainland residents and Taiwan youth, Tao said. Tao has closely followed cross-Straits youth interactions in recent years and believes that social media platforms like Douyin and Xiaohongshu play a key role in connecting young people from both sides. Many Taiwan youth share their experiences working, living, and traveling on the mainland through these platforms, helping their peers in Taiwan gain a clearer understandingnot just of its rich history and culture, but also its technological advancements, Tao said. Tao said that new media platforms are powerful tools for bridging understanding gaps and strengthening cross-Straits ties. If Chinese and American netizens can communicate seamlessly, cross-Straits exchanges should be even more natural, Tao said. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) What to know ahead of the talks between the US and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia 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 Reporter Andrew Roberto was raised his whole life on Saipan. He graduated from Saipan Southern High School, holds a degree from Northern Marianas College, and a BA in English from the University of Guam. He once worked for KUAM, UNO Magazine, and the Guam Daily Post. Harare Ten years have passed since the disappearance of human rights activist and journalist Itai Dzamara, and the pressure on the Zanu PF government to provide answers is only intensifying. Dzamara was last seen on March 9, 2015, allegedly abducted from his home in Glenview, Harare, by State security operatives in an unmarked vehicle. The circumstances surrounding his disappearance remain shrouded in mystery, fueling persistent calls for a thorough and transparent investigation. Campaigners and activists have voiced their condemnation of the ruling party, with some branding it a terrorist organisation that must be held accountable for Dzamaras disappearance. Former Zengeza West MP Job Sikhala stated unequivocally that the Zanu PF-led government knows the whereabouts of Dzamara and owes the public an explanation. The regime knows what happened to Itai Dzamara, Sikhala said. It is the duty of every government to protect its citizens. The security of every person falls in the hands of the State. We still demand with our loud voices to know what happened to Itai. It remains a serious issue of public interest. Award-winning human rights lawyer Arnold Tsunga, Principal Managing Partner at Tsunga Bhamu Law International, has implored the President Emmerson Mnangagwa-led government to publicly explain its failure to bring the perpetrators of Dzamaras abduction to justice. The government has to do all in its powers to make a public and open announcement on why it has not been possible to bring the perpetrators of the abduction of Itai Dzamara to account, he said. Tsunga emphasised the devastating impact of Dzamaras disappearance on his family and the broader human rights community. The failure of any progress, it really affects human rights activists and in particular it affects the family. The family of a disappeared person, they suffer uncertainty, trauma, and they dont have closure, he added. Its a threat to the rule of law; its a threat to the justice and accountability. It reduces confidence of people in the ability of our law enforcement system to be able to protect the citizens. Obert Masaraure, a human rights defender and president of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), did not mince words, describing Zanu PF as a terrorist organisation and warning that those responsible for Dzamaras disappearance would eventually face retribution. The Dzamara story reminds us that the Zanu PF party is a terrorist organisation. We will not tire to demand the return of Dzamara. Those who abducted him Dzamara will be forced to pay in the coming Zimbabwe, he said. Efforts to obtain comment from the government proved unsuccessful, as both Information Minister Jenfan Muswere and Information Permanent Secretary Nick Mangwana could not be reached on their mobile phones. However, Zanu PF Director of Communication Farai Marapira dismissed the allegations, asserting that human rights defenders and activists bear the burden of proof. He described Zanu PF as a law-abiding institution. He who alleges must prove. It is sad that some people would seek cheap mileage over another familys anguish. We are a law-abiding institution which holds the laws of our land sacrosanct. It is crass madness to then associate us with such a vile accusation, Marapira said. The issue is further complicated by Zimbabwes failure to sign or ratify the United Nations International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, despite repeated calls from UN Member States. The government appears to be dragging its feet on this critical issue. This convention came into being in 2006 and started being implemented in 2010. Last year, human rights lawyer Obey Shava, represented by renowned lawyer Tendai Biti, took Mnangagwas government to the High Court, arguing that the administration must ratify the United Nations Convention against enforced disappearance treaty. Shava deplored what he described as a systematic pattern of enforced disappearance, abduction, torture, and cruel and degrading treatment. He asserted that numerous individuals, including himself, human rights defenders, opposition political party supporters, legislators, and ordinary citizens, have been subjected to these acts, with some also being injected with unknown substances. As the tenth anniversary of Itai Dzamaras disappearance passes, the calls for justice and accountability grow louder, placing increasing pressure on the Zimbabwean government to address this unresolved and deeply troubling case. Breaking News via Email Related Pin Share Share 0 Shares Marondera Businessman Wicknell Chivayos recent lobola ceremony for his sweetheart, Lucy Muteke, has ignited a firestorm of debate across Zimbabwe, raising questions about wealth, excess, and the role of the national broadcaster. The event, held in Marondera, was nothing short of spectacular, rivalling even the most extravagant celebrations seen globally. Chivayo paid a staggering US$300,000 in lobola, a figure believed to be the highest ever paid in Zimbabwes history. The venue itself was transformed into a lavish setting, decorated by renowned wedding planner Kevin Zhou in burnt orange and blue hues, creating an atmosphere fit for royalty. The event was directed by popular MC Maimba Mapuranga and featured performances from top artists Jah Prayzah, Killer T, Enzo Ishall, and the Travellerz Band. Before the ceremony, Chivayo took to social media to update his fans on his offerings, revealing his characteristic flamboyance and disregard for financial constraints. Saka ndafonera munyai. Vasvika ka vanhu vaye. Saka vangotakura ka 50 thousand ndine imwe 75 mumota, Chivayo said, detailing the cash he had on hand. Saka ndati kune munyai, unongosvika woti, mukuru havasi kuda zvekuzomiswa kana auya. Hanti mwana wenyu ndirikumuda? Ndokumbirawo musanditambisirewo time. Itai maths dzenyu mungotipawo total kuti murikuda mari. Zvekuda kumbonzi 5 hundred vhuramuromo, 5 thousand matekenya ndebvu. argh argh. Maweka here? Chingotipai total mari iri mumota ingoverengwa, he added, expressing his impatience with traditional haggling. He continued: Ndozvataura mukuwasha ati hanzi hatisikuda kuti tiite setirikunetsana, isu tirikuda mwana wenyu. Mwana wenyu ndinomuda saka ndokumbirawo murudo rwaMwari musandinetse panhau dzemari. I have other problems, not money. Saka, I think in thirty minutes zvinenge zvatopera, His grocery list included a lorry full of selected items, further highlighting the scale of the event. Close friends and family donned the celebrations theme colours, adding to the festive atmosphere. Chivayos lobola ceremony has surpassed several recent high-profile celebrations, including that of a 19-year-old from South Sudan, Athiak Dau Riak, whose relatives received 530 cows, three Land Cruiser V8 cars, and $10,000. The extravagance of Chivayos lobola has drawn comparisons to the wedding celebrations of Indian billionaire Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant, which reportedly cost around US$600 million and included performances from Rihanna and Justin Bieber. Adding another layer of intrigue, Chivayo recently introduced Lucy Muteke to President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House, a highly unusual move that has sparked curiosity and speculation about the nature of their relationship. Posting on social media, Chivayo described the reception they received from President Mnangagwa as nothing short of remarkable. He wrote: Yesterday (Friday) on my way to church, I had the GREATEST pleasure and distinct honour of introducing my soon-to-be wife to HIS EXCELLENCY, the President. The highlight of it all is that my WIFE hails from the esteemed SHUMBA clan, saka ndatove MUKWASHA to the President himself, being a SHUMBA MURAMBWI Hanzi Iwe mfana une chokwadi kuda kuroora mwana wangu? Ndikati ndingadii nhai Your Excellency KANA NDANYURA !!! Our reception was nothing short of REMARKABLE and with his characteristic humour and satire, His Excellency warmly welcomed my wife as a DAUGHTER of the ROYAL Shumba lineage, inviting her to sit beside him , ini seMUKWASHA ndichingo ombera. I deeply appreciate His Excellencys wisdom shared on the principles of LOVE, respect, responsibility, mutual compassion and the importance of COMMITMENT in the institution of marriage. President Mnangagwa has previously described Wicknell Chivayo as a philanthropist who uses his own resources to support charitable activities. He has also dismissed allegations that Chivayo was acting as his frontman by distributing vehicles, cash, and other donations, urging critics to investigate the source of Chivayos funds if they had any concerns. However, the decision by The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) to air Wicknell Chivayo and Lulu Mutekes lobola ceremony has drawn widespread condemnation. Zimbabweans are slamming the national broadcaster for covering the event instead of focusing on issues of national importance and public interest. The national broadcaster provided live updates throughout the event, capturing every moment of the high-profile occasion. Critics questioned the relevance of broadcasting a private ceremony, arguing that it does not serve the public interest. Some speculated that Chivayo may have paid ZBC to cover the event, though this remains unconfirmed. As Zimbabweans grapple with economic hardships, the display of wealth and extravagance at Chivayos lobola ceremony has struck a nerve, raising questions about priorities and the role of the media in a nation facing significant challenges. Was this a celebration of love and tradition, or an insensitive display of opulence in a country struggling to make ends meet? The debate continues. Breaking News via Email Related Pin Share Share 0 Shares Conor here: Unsurprisingly, US government mouthpiece Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty omits from the following piece the fact that the great Tik Tok campaign that first ignited the whole controversy around Romanian presidential candidate Calin Georgescu was orchestrated by the political opposition. For more background on that sordid affair and why Georgescu is seen as such a threat, see here. Long story short, the EU and its Romanian underlings blamed it on Russia and nullified the Nov. 24 election. Now theyre using that lie to keep Georgescu off the rerun ballot. Heres some more background: NATO is building the largest NATO military base in all of Europe in Romania, right on Romanias Black Sea coast pointing at Crimea, the crux point of contest in the Russia-Ukraine war. NATO feared the man who won Romanias now-canceled election would cut or shut the base down. pic.twitter.com/esiy9hSGvP Mike Benz (@MikeBenzCyber) December 17, 2024 Maps sometimes tell the story: Why are the people of Romania not allowed to elect an anti-war president? This map says it all, like Turkey and Greece, Romania is too important to NATOs plan to contain Russia. pic.twitter.com/cWiitJLB0H Richard (@ricwe123) December 6, 2024 From 2023, still germane: Many Russian military analysts conclude that the West-backed Kiev Putsch regimes continued maritime drone attacks even after Russian strikes destroyed Ukrainian ports on the Danube in Reni & Izmail, is that they are being constructed & launched out of NATO territory in Romania. pic.twitter.com/A49T1Ahjih Mark Sleboda (@MarkSleboda1) August 6, 2023 Some questions no longer seem all that outlandish: EU is a geopolitical project. Romania is too important a piece on the chess board to allow to be free. This mask off moment started with TikTok Russia meddling. Which Europe election will get OnlyFans Russia meddling? November 27, 2024 pic.twitter.com/RuBKmaZXvi Alex Christoforou (@AXChristoforou) March 9, 2025 By RFE/RLs Romanian Service. Originally published at RFE/RL. Romanias Central Electoral Board (CEB) rejected the candidacy of far-right politician Calin Georgescu from a rerun of a presidential election, sparking clashes between his supporters, angry at the move, and police. The CEB said on March 9 that it disqualified Georgescus application based on the Constitutional Court ruling that halted the original election in November following his first-round win. His candidacy does not meet the conditions provided by law, as established by the Constitutional Court in December 2024, the CEB said. Consequently, at the resumption of the electoral process, the members of the BEC consider that it is inadmissible to consider that the same person meets the conditions to accede to the Presidency of Romania. Georgescu, who is critical of NATO and opposes Romanian support for Ukraine against Russias invasion, filed his candidacy for the rerun, to be held on May 4, on March 7. The CEB had 48 hours to accept or reject the application. Georgescu has 24 hours to appeal the CEB move, which prompted hundreds of his supporters who clashed with security forces in front of the Boards headquarters in central Bucharest. Pro-Georgescu demonstrators set fire to street furniture and heavy objects at police, who responded with tear gas, law enforcement officials said. Georgescu and his supporters have claimed Romanian authorities are trying to block his candidacy in the rerun. He reacted angrily to the rejection, calling it a direct blow to the heart of democracy. I have one message left! If democracy in Romania falls, the entire democratic world will fall! This is just the beginning. Its that simple!Europe is now a dictatorship, Romania is under tyranny! he added in a social media post. The first round of the presidential election was canceled by the Constitutional Court on December 6 after Romanian intelligence reports said foreign actors had manipulated social-media platforms, especially TikTok, to benefit Georgescu, a far-right, pro-Russian candidate. The annulment of the vote has exacerbated deep divisions in Romanian politics and sparked international concern over the course of democracy in the European Union and NATO member. Last month, US Vice-President JD Vance made thinly veiled criticism of the countrys moves against Georgescu, telling delegates at the Munich Security Conference that if your democracy can be destroyed with a few hundred thousand dollars of digital advertising from a foreign country then it wasnt very strong to begin with. Georgescu was a little-known figure in Romania until he unexpectedly won the first round of the presidential election on November 24 with about 22 percent of the vote. The 62-year-old was to face pro-European centrist candidate Elena Lasconi in a runoff, which had been seen as a referendum on the future course of Romania. Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, who supported the Constitutional Courts decision to annul the election, said the authorities have the right to present the public with extremely solid evidence in the investigation, which involves a potential candidate in the May elections. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on February 10 said he was resigning from his post amid an effort by the opposition to have him impeached after he stayed in power following the Constitutional Courts election annulment. Just days before the vote, Georgescu launched a TikTok campaign calling for an end to aid for Ukraine, apparently striking a chord with voters. He has also sounded a skeptical note on Romanias NATO membership. His anti-Western messaging is routinely amplified on Russian, state-run media and Kremlin-friendly social media. His other stances included supporting Romanian farmers, reducing dependency on imports, and ramping up energy and food production. Reader alert: we have embedded a video below that shows ballot shredding in the German election just passed, at the end of the opening section, Its Not Who Votes That Counts, But Who Counts the Votes. The clip was briefly up on Twitter before all copies were taken down. We managed to download it before that happened. To repeat our warning below: it is not clear that what is shown was the destruction of actual mailed in ballots, as opposed to a fabrication. However, the rapid purge suggests authenticity. It would otherwise be in the authorities interest to leave the video up, demonize it as false, and further broadcast that the clip demonstrates that efforts to discredit election integrity are fake news. UPDATE: There are debunkings of this video, but its speedy suppression looks unduly defensive. Recall that there are past cases, famously in the US with the career-end of Dan Rather, where fabricated documents served successfully to also discredit the underlying storywhen there was other evidence suggesting it was bona fide. So apologies for over-reacting to a questionable media handling in Germany. One would think that in this era of narrative control that governments would be better at it. As we explain in more detail, there was certainly motive for chicanery. Both the much-demonized populist right wing AfD and the populist left wing BSW both fell just short of thresholds which would have given each a great deal more clout and greatly changed German political dynamics. Its Not Who Votes That Counts, But Who Counts the Votes The German election is proving to have been riddled with irregularities, seemingly at the behest of the Uniparty, comprising of the CDU (which together with its sister party the CSU is known by the moniker: The Union) and the SPD, the old Communist party of West Germany in sensible shoes. These are the same, tired parties that have led Germany from being a well-run, prosperous pre-unification country, that was the backbone of the EU, into becoming a faltering state. They are definitely not the coalition that Germany needs to restore German prosperity. The people wanted change, but it doesnt look like theyll get it. Instead theyll have a government that is stridently advocating for an increasing involvement in the war in Ukraine. In order to create this grand war coalition, certain things needed to be accomplished. The most important was to deny representation in the Bundestag by the BSW. The reason is that if the BSW had reached 5% of the vote they would be entitled to become part of the coalition because the 20+ seats theyd win would deny the Uniparty the seats it needed to rule alone. Given that the Bavarian CSU refused to serve in a coalition with the Greens, the BSW would be the only possible coalition partner. This would mean that there would be an anti-war faction in the government, which the ruling elites would find intolerable; particularly, as the BSW keep asking awkward questions such as these: Translation: We asked the Federal Government: Is it true that Bundeswehr soldiers advised the Ukrainian government in Kiev without the knowledge of the German government, as revealed by research by Business Insider? a) Since when has the Federal Government been aware of the stay of German soldiers in Kiev, according to information from Business Insider? b) To what extent was Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz involved in the information and coordination process of the stay and if not, which bodies coordinated the stay of German soldiers in and to Kyiv? c) Was a corresponding request made by the NSATU staff to the Federal Ministry of Defence to deploy Bundeswehr soldiers in Kiev? d) How many Bundeswehr soldiers took part in this mission in Kyiv? e) As of the deadline of this inquiry, are there still members of the Bundeswehr in Ukraine as part of the NSATU or another mission to support Ukraine? f) How many soldiers from other NATO countries took part in the mission? g) How many of these soldiers are still on site? Who gave the instructions to the German military representative in NATO headquarters in Mons, to Brigadier General Gerhard Klaffus, to stop the presence of German soldiers in Kiev? a) When exactly was this decided within the Federal Government? b) For what reasons did the German soldiers withdraw from this NSATU mission? 3) Were with the German soldiers staying in the country any employees of German arms companies on site (if yes, please break down by period, company and activity)? 4) Did the Bundeswehr soldiers advise the Ukrainian army on its warfare and the selection of possible war targets on the ground, If so, to what extent? 5) Did soldiers from other countries who participated in the NSATU mission take on these tasks? 6) How does the Federal Government explain that the stay of the Bundeswehr soldiers, as the Business Insider research suggests, took place without the knowledge of the Federal Government, in particular on the part of Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Chancellor Olaf Scholz? One way of ensuring that BSW would fail at the ballot box was simply to not allow registered voters, who were living overseas and who were legally entitled to vote, but hadnt been exposed to the relentless propaganda in the German MSM, the opportunity to express their choice by not giving them any ballot papers. This was confirmed by the German Ambassador to the UK: Note: Wahlunterlagen = Ballot Papers. And this was further confirmed by BSW politician, Fabio De Masi. Note, Karlsruhe is the home of the Federal Constitutional Court. Something similar happened in Moldova where the unpopular (within the country) EU-phile Presidents (Maia Sandhus) re-election was in doubt because of potentially hostile votes coming from the significant Moldovan diaspora living in Russia. In that instance they simply restricted the number of ballot papers sent to Russia and reduced the number of polling stations (from 20 to only 2), making it difficult to cast a vote. In Germany, there are instances under investigation where BSW votes appear to have been gifted to other parties. For example, a virtually unknown party in Aachen, Alliance for Germany (Bundnis Deutschland) somehow received 7.24% of the votes, while the BSW (Alliance Sarah Wagenknecht) received 0%. The scandal came to light because the people who had voted for the BSW started asking what had happened to their vote. And this was by no means an outlier. In Brecht, the BSW also received 0% with the Bundnis Deutschland receiving 8.3% of the vote. Similar discrepancies were also found in Delmenhorst, Heidelberg, Rostock and Berlin, according to the Frankfurter Rundschau. And the German media was on message, as evidenced by Fabio De Masi when he mentioned fake polls, by implying they had access to the election data before the polls were even closed and counting had barely got started note the timing of the tweet the polls closed at 6pm. The BSW werent the only potential victims of these electoral irregularities. The AfD was also targeted. If they had 152 seats (in other words just 6 extra), they would have 25% of the seats and thereby obtained specific parliamentary minority rights. These include the right to set up a committee of inquiry and the right to bring an action for violation of the principle of subsidiarity. They already have enough votes to block changes to the constitution such as changes to the Debt Brake, which is a very contentious issue in Germany given their well-deserved reputation for fiscal rectitude. Aside from deep state actions, such as skewed exit polls, there was a barrage of Anti-AfD and Anti-BSW MSM propaganda leading to activists (particularly from among Die Linke supporters, who now appear to exist only to oppose the AfD) finding reasons to invalidate ballots. One example is where the party has not named an individual candidate for a seat, so voters can only vote for the party. Although this is legal (to leave an entry blank), it is being used by poll counters as an excuse to invalid them. Here is one such instance: Even more disturbingly, an alternative site reported that postal workers were pre-screening ballots in order to destroy AfD votes. The video that accompanied that piece, showing the actual destruction of ballots, was disappeared from the Internet shortly afterwards. But we have a copy! It is not clear that what is shown was the destruction of actual mailed in ballots, as opposed to a fabrication. However, the rapid purge suggests authenticity. It would otherwise be in the authorities interest to leave the video up, demonize it as false, and further broadcast that the clip demonstrates that efforts to discredit election integrity are fake news. Romania Is Giving Up on Democracy A Demonstration of Support Took Place in Bucharest as Georgescu Is Finally Allowed to Submit His Candidacy: with pro-Georgescu protestors chanting Ursula, dont forget, you dont own Romania. However, according to the Financial Times, the Romanian authorities intend to prevent Georgescu from participating in the Presidential elections in May, because they intend to bring a criminal prosecution against him for attempting to subvert the constitutional order with the help of fascist groups. The FT went on to say: The Russian foreign intelligence agency SVR said on Tuesday that a Romanian criminal probe, launched against Georgescu last week, was part of Europes war on anti-establishment leaders who are open supporters of US President Donald Trump. STOP PRESS: Georgescu has just been banned from competing in the election You can read more in our post earlier today, Authorities Reject Georgescus Presidential Candidacy, Sparking Violence In Bucharest, or on Georgescus official X page or The British Government Wants To Read Your Mail The UK has demanded that Apple hands over a decryption key for their Advanced Data Protection (ADP) service. This service provides end to end encryption of Apple users mail. As the Guardian reported: The submission also indicates that Apple would refuse to cooperate with a request, saying the company would never build a backdoor and would rather withdraw critical safety features from the UK market. Which it subsequently did. However, as the Guardian also pointed out: the submission also points out that the IPA allows the UK government to impose requirements on companies based in other countries that apply to users globally. From that it doesnt appear that Apples removal of the ADP from UK users only will fulfill the whole of the request under the IPA. The Investigatory Powers Act (IPA), dubbed by the press as a Snoopers Charter, was rammed through Parliament by David Cameron, despite stiff opposition (and a petition signed by over 200,000 voters) as being vital to Britains national security. Under its provisions, the UK government can demand that user data from anywhere in the world be handed over, en clair, to the UK government upon request and a failure to do so would incur huge penalties (5% of annual turnover or 10 million, whichever is the greater). An assessment of the Act and its sweeping powers can be found here. The powers given to the Government include the following, on a worldwide basis: Bulk Data Collection: Allows agencies to collect large volumes of data (like internet history and phone records) to look for suspicious activity. Internet Connection Records (ICRs): Internet Service Providers (ISPs) must store a years worth of customers internet connection data (such as site visits). Interception of Communications: Agencies (e.g., MI5, MI6, GCHQ) can intercept emails, phone calls, and messages. Equipment Interference (Hacking): Authorities can hack into devices (computers, phones, etc.) to gather information. Bulk Personal Datasets (BPDs): Agencies can maintain large databases of personal information, which may include data on innocent individuals for intelligence purposes. Targeted Surveillance: Covers covert surveillance of individuals, including monitoring communications, with judicial approval. It will be interesting to see if (a) Apple is penalized for leaking that the request had been made (it is an offense under the act to disclose that a request had been made) and (b) whether the Starmer Government insists on getting access to all communications throughout the world. Why Western Politicians Believe the Ukraine War Can Still Be Won It works like this: The Kyiv Independent has its bills paid by USAID and the Canadian Government. The US State Department/CIA/Pentagon/Victoria Nuland supply copy to the Kyiv Independent, who feel obliged to print it: The News Editor, Chris York, is British and previously worked for the Huffington Post. This is picked up and copied almost word for word by the European Press (note the curiously precise number of 2,030 killed how on earth did the Ukrainian military count them, considering most of the action took place at night?): Then the US Press copied and pasted it: And Western Politicians, or their aides, only read Western Media, or if theyre particularly diligent they might turn to the independent Ukrainian Press for conformation; the Kyiv Independent is always a good choice. The information they supplied was obviously suspect, which you can confirm for yourself by watching this video that shows in great detail exactly what happened on the battlefield that day. The reason for the sudden flurry of press activity full of dubious information was, as you might expect, a distraction because on that very day they released the Ukrainian casualty figures and they were horrendous over 900,000 losses (killed or gravely injured and unable to return to the battlefield) this is confirmed in the video. These figures belie the belief in the West that the Ukrainian army is the largest in Europe. It was also the day when the West demanded that the mobilization age for Ukrainian conscripts be lowered to 18 from 25. That would destroy the nations youth and the countrys future, especially given the minimal training the new recruits are subject to, leading to inevitable high losses. There was also more information being brought to light by military channels on the Oreshnik strike, the new alternative to a nuclear weapon against which the West has no defense. But why would Western media outlets carry the exact same message, right down to the same wording (the above headlines were just a snapshot; other media outlets were just as repetitive in wording in their coverage of the story)? In the UK that question is easily answered. There is an actual censorship committee, called the Defence and Security Media Advisory Committee (DSMA). This committee sends out Advisories (i.e take down notices) to MSM outlets who are carrying material that may have a negative impact on Britain. Its mission statement reads as follows: The aim of the DSMA-notice system is to prevent inadvertent public disclosure of information that would compromise UK military and intelligence operations and methods; or put at risk the safety of those involved in such operations; or lead to attacks that would damage the critical national infrastructure and/or endanger lives. A definition that could be (and is) used to mean almost any topic, including using police intimidation to protect politicians from criticism or to deny voters information on how their tax pounds were being spent, even though, as the police themselves admitted, the people being harassed had actually broken no laws. This committee has morphed from its original remit, of scanning the news outlets and demanding that certain material is removed after the event, into an organization that dictates exactly what the media can carry before it goes to press. The committee, which includes both members of the media and operatives in the security services, has a weekly meeting where they decide what stories are going to be allowed going forward and what the narrative is. The fore-runner of the DSMA, was the D notice, which allowed the government to impose censorship and even close newspapers down and was supposed to have been dropped after WW2 but never was. Back in 1942, when the D notice was introduced, there was a vigorous debate on censorship, where Michael Foot, the then editor of the Evening Standard (the leading afternoon Newspaper in the UK) and arguably the best Labour Prime Minister we never had, gave an impassioned speech defending freedom, possibly one of his finest. You can view the debate here. It is worth watching to see how freedoms were being called on to be protected by people of principle from all sides of the political spectrum, even at the height of a World War. Something that appears seemingly impossible these days. Europe Wants a War From the start of the Ukraine SMO, Poland was the most vociferous in calling for the breakup of Russia into regions (shown below) that would each be magnanimously controlled by an EU country for the benefit of the citizens of that region. The Poles reiterated their demand during the Peace Conference in Switzerland, to which Russia was not invited. In fact, at that conference, they went further by calling for Russia to be broken up into 200 separate states. This sentiment was supported recently by Kaja Kallas who recently said that breaking Russia into smaller nations would not be a bad thing. This was supposed to be the golden ticket to rescue the increasingly moribund economies of the European Nations. It was the perfect plan; the Ukrainians would do the fighting and the US would provide the military muscle when needed. All the Europeans had to do was impose stringent sanctions to collapse the Russian economy; plus, supplying arms and training. But now, with the Trump administration proving to be tepid towards European Security and the Ukraine military increasingly faltering, an air of desperation has crept in, leading to last weekends hastily convened security conference in London. Details of exactly what was discussed are under wraps but Keir Starmer ended the conference with the following Coalition of the Willing speech outlining the steps Europe will take going forward. These steps originally included a European reassurance force to patrol a ceasefire, but after realizing that 40,000 troops were hardly likely to stop Russias million-man army, they settled for Skyshield, which is just a no-fly zone (something that has been called for repeatedly over the course of the SMO). In this scenario, 120 NATO aircraft would protect vital installations against Russian missile attacks. Their reasoning behind their proposal was dependent on two things: the first was that Russian aircraft have been, since the start of the SMO, wary about flying over Western Ukraine (which was true when Ukraine had a robust, Russian made, Air Defense system, but it is no longer the case now that the majority of the system has been destroyed) and secondly if the plan goes wrong, with NATO jets being shot down, which will almost certainly happen, then the Europeans imagine the US would step in under Article 5. However, Ukraine is not in NATO and Article 5 obligations do not extend to NATO members gong on safari outside their borders (see Article 6). And on top of that, Article 5 does not obligate any NATO member to step up but merely to assistas it deems necessary. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has already made clear the US deems that sort of assistance to be unnecessary. On top of that, even way back in 2017, Donald Trump was lukewarm about a commitment to article 5 and in any event he has recently said that he wont come to the aid of any European country that hasnt committed 5% of its GDP to defense. Something that they arent able to do for at least a decade, according to the Polish Defense Minister Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz. Given the realities on the ground, why do the Europeans insist that there is still a very good chance, that with their help, Russia could be beaten by Ukraine even to the extent that European nations have been called on to reduce social spending, such as pensions, to support the war effort. To answer that question, it is worth listening to the voice of the British Establishment, in the form of Malcolm Rifkind, a Tory Grandee who held the Foreign and Defense portfolios in the Thatcher and Major administrations. He is also a Distinguished fellow at RUSI (The Royal United Services Institute, a military and security thinktank, first set up by Lord Wellington of Waterloo fame), a member of the Eminent Persons Panel of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) and the Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament, which oversees the work of the various intelligence agencies like MI6. In other words, he is plugged in at the very highest level in the security establishment. Here is how he sees the prospects for Ukraine and how he envisages a successful Western European involvement there. Essentially, what he said was that Ukraine has the largest and most battle-hardened army in Europe; so, with Europes help they cant fail to win see the intro on the video. Meanwhile: German companies are praying for an end to the war so they can get their Russian gas back. As Bloomberg admits, Relatively cheap energy resources from the Russian Federation were the basis for the competitiveness of German manufacturers, who are now incurring colossal losses and are forced to close factories, laying off thousands of workers. Now they tell us. Audi Has Closed Its Brussels Factory with a loss of 3,000 jobs. European carmakers are failing to compete in electric vehicles. Britons Need Another Oliver Cromwell (But Without the Regicide) The irony is that Cromwell was played here (brilliantly) by Richard Harris: who is Irish. For those who are not history buffs: Oliver Cromwell created the New Model Army and led it to victory in the civil war. After the war he had King Charles beheaded and he dissolved Parliament. He also (re-) conquered Ireland. US Involvement in The Ukraine Goes Back A Long Way Immediately after World War 2, the fledgling CIA started arming, training and financing Neo- Nazis (including ex-Waffen SS) led by Stephan Bandera in Western Ukraine in order to destabilize the USSR. As this 1950s Soviet era cartoon shows the signs on the bags say (top one): For Spying and on the other it says: For Sabotage. Part One: The Democratic Deficit By rights the European Union (EU) should have been a global empire. With a population of almost 500 million (100 million more than the US) and a well-educated, technically advanced workforce, it should be a comparable power to the US and China. OK, you can argue that they lack critical natural resources, unlike the US, which is a true autarky but Russia always fulfilled that role, delivering cheap commodities on time and at a favorable cost. But now they find themselves in a financial and social death spiral. So, what went wrong? The idea behind the EU goes right back to the 1920s, with luminaries at the time expressing a need for a pan-European structure, like Austrian aristocrat Richard von Coudenhove-Kalergi (who founded and ran the Pan European Union a right wing, Christian centric prototype of the current EU, for almost 50 years), left leaning French prime minister Aristide Briand (who advocated a federal Europe to bring an end to the countless French/German wars), French center-left mathematician and politician Emile Borel, British economist John Maynard Keynes, Spanish philosopher Jose Ortega Y Gasset, Greek prime minister Eleftherios Venizelos, Polish statesman and soldier Jozef Pilsudski (who put forward his version of what he called Intermarium between the seas which mainly comprised of the old Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth, including Belarus and Ukraine, but did not include western Europe as it only went west up to the, then, western Polish border) and Russian communist Leon Trotsky. They each had a different vision for the future of Europe for example Coudenhove-Kalergi and Trotsky had diametrically opposed viewpoints on how it should be structured, with the former desirous of a right wing, Christian based Europe, while Trotsky favored a communist Soviet system. But they all agreed on the fundamental point that divisions within Europe had led to numerous wars and economic degradation and that unity would lead to prosperity and peace. Nothing substantive was done about forming a consensus for the proposed union or indeed the form it would take until the second world war. It was Hitler that actually brought Europe under a single umbrella, albeit an odious one, and many German soldiers, when interviewed after the war, stated that they were fighting for and motivated by a united Europe. The second world war provided the impetus for moving the project forward. The 1943 Yalta Conference resulted in the first formation, by the UK, the USA and the Soviet Union, of the proto-European state by creating the European Advisory Commission, whose mandate was to put forward solutions to the problems Europe would likely face after the war. The European Advisory Commission was replaced after the Potsdam Agreement, which provided for for the division of Germany. The three triumphant powers were called the Allied Control Council USA, the Soviet Union and the UK (nominally excluding France but France ended up controlling parts of Germany). This council fell apart after the flawed election in Poland, which the Communists won, but was marred by pro-communist violence. This was regarded as a blatant breach of the Yalta agreement. The Communist coup detat in Czechoslovakia marked the final demise of the Allied Control Council after the London Six power Conference, to which the Soviet Union was not invited. There, it was decided that it was imperative that Germany, or at least the parts that the USA, France and the UK controlled, should become a Western led democracy. The relations between the Soviet Union and the other great powers were already strained because of the signing of the 1947 Treaty of Dunkirk. On the face of it, this treaty was designed to offer mutual assistance in case of another attack either by or on Germany, but was regarded as offering mutual protection in case of attack by the Soviet Union. This stance was confirmed, within a matter of days, by the release of the Truman doctrine, which offered military support for any country that was being threatened by the Soviet Union, which in turn led to the formation of NATO. After these events, the Soviet Union, under Stalin, took no part in further discussions with the Western allies and the Cold War was born. Events in Europe moved apace with the advent of the cold war. Following on from Churchills 1946 speech where he called for the creation of a European Union, the Treaty of Brussels was signed, which is regarded as the founding document of the European union. In addition the Organisation for European Cooperation (the forerunner of the OECD) founding document was signed in order to manage the Marshall Plan, which was set up by the USA (and seeded with over $13 billion equivalent to over $174 billion at todays prices) in order to bring prosperity and democracy to Europe and to provide a bulwark against creeping Soviet encroachment. In response, the Soviet Union created Comecon, which covered both economic integration between members of the Eastern Bloc (as well as allied states such as the DPRK) as well as bilateral relations. In May 1948 the Hague Congress took place during which the European Movement International, the College of Europe in Bruges (which was created to train future ruling elites to uphold European values of mutuality, freedom and openness) and, most importantly, the Council of Europe, with the goal of upholding human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe, were founded. The importance of this conference can be recognized by some of the attendees, who represented a cross section of European elites at the time such as Albert Coppe, Altiero Spinelli, David Maxwell-Fyfe, Edouard Daladier, Francois Mitterrand, Harold Macmillan, Konrad Adenauer, Paul Ramadier, Paul Reynaud, Paul van Zeeland, Pierre-Henri Teitgen and Winston Churchill. Note, the council of Europe is often confused with the European Union, mainly because the EU adopted its flag, but is, in fact, a separate organization. The formation of the structures of the future European Union, led a French politician, Robert Schuman, to create the Schuman Declaration, on May 9th 1950 (which is now celebrated as Europe Day). He proposed that West German and French Coal and Steel industries be brought together in order to foster cooperation between former belligerents, France and Germany, leading to some form of political union. This led in turn to the Treaty of Paris, which was not just signed by the two protagonists, but also by Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands (but not the UK) under which the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was formed and, importantly, a degree of political integration was declared. The ECSC also led to the formation of the European Economic Community (EEC), which was later ratified by the Treaty of Rome. This was regarded as the de facto founding of what would later become the EU. Note that the leaders of this community were not elected but were appointed, which has led to the undemocratic structure of the future EU that plagues it today. The ECSC was backed by the vast funds available from the US under the Marshall Plan, which gave it the breathing space to create the future political structures of the EU, such as the European Commission and the European Parliament (initially called the European Parliamentary Assembly). This parliament cannot be regarded as a true legislative body in that it cannot propose legislation but exists merely to rubber stamp legislation proposed by the European Commission or the European Council (who propose the President of the EU). It doesnt even have a permanent home as it shuttles between Strasbourg and Brussels, with the administration and bureaucracy located in Luxembourg (which was the original home of the parliament). Initially the European Parliament was, under the Treaty of Rome, appointed; primarily, because the members could not agree on a voting structure. By the time it changed from an assembly to a parliament in 1962, there still was no consensus on how voting in members of the new parliament were to be chosen. As a compromise, the members were chosen based on the electoral systems in place in the member states. Direct parliamentary elections were not held until 1979 and even then, it was based on a party list system in which a constituent had no say in who was supposedly representing them, but instead voted for a party who in turn assigned the seat to members of its own choosing. From the start, the European Parliament tried to create the structures of the EU and to take certain aspects, such as the choice of the EU President, under its control but the structure of the putative union prevented its primacy. Instead, it was consulted on proposed legislation (even fundamental proposals such as the Schengen agreement) and had, up until the signing of the Lisbon Treaty (aka the European Constitution), no control over the budget. Notably, this latter document was renamed the Lisbon Treaty as the original constitution was rejected by a majority (55%) of French voters and almost 60% by the Dutch in referenda held in 2005. Even though the Lisbon Treaty was indeed a constitution and therefore a fundamental document of which the population of the EU should have been consulted, But, no countries, aside from Ireland, was allowed a vote on it (Britain, under Gordon Brown refused a referendum, primarily because the Dutch also voted against it and he was concerned that the British would too, so, instead he proposed a parliamentary debate, which was heavily whipped to ensure that no opposition could arise and no vote was taken). Being renamed as a Treaty (in fact it was just the original constitution in a smaller font in order to make it look less all-encompassing with a new cover page the ex French President Valery Giscard dEstaing, the chair of the Constitutional Convention that drafted the text, passed it off by saying: the difference is one of approach, rather than content.) meant that under EU member states democratic rules, the people didnt need to be consulted. So, the French and Dutch referenda were effectively nullified by their respective senates. The Irish also rejected the treaty, but under what was to become normal EU voting procedures, the referendum was simply run again and again, with a few political points being conceded, until the Irish relented. These concessions have since been largely nullified. Referenda, when they are run, are almost always ignored (except Brexit); for example, after the 2006 Dutch referendum on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, a 61% voted against the proposal, it was adopted nevertheless, only with a explanatory declaration added to the treaty. Political differences, even during the embryonic stages of the creation of the EU, particularly the lack of any sort of consensus regarding the electoral system, should have set alarm bells ringing regarding the viability of the project. But these obvious flaws were papered over and the project continued The EU has, particularly since the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty, been marked by subterfuge where the public is told one thing but with the EU actually going forward with something different. In part two well look at how the EU has deviated from public opinion, particularly on closer political union (which was proposed way back in the 1940s), which the populations of the member countries plainly dont want but which the EU elites are hell bent on implementing. The public vision is primarily about a customs union and the free passage of people across borders (which is what was proposed in the UKs referendum in the 1970s on whether it should stay in the European Customs Union as Edward Heath, the then Prime Minster, had unilaterally decided to join without any public consultation there was no mention of closer political integration). Worlds oldest llama enjoys comforting children who are chronically ill AP Climate/Environment New York: A very large and fast moving fire has broken out on Long Island in the Hamptons. A huge response is underway. There are reports of a mile long front as it pushes across the landscape. Winds are reported at 35MPH and relative humidities in the low 20th percentile. pic.twitter.com/TvA5klJFzP The Hotshot Wake Up (@HotshotWake) March 8, 2025 The Alps are burning in winter! Current drought, high temp = several fires since 5th march -Roya Valley, 300ha (Alpes Mar, FR) (https://t.co/nhw67F0nzo) -Vinschgau, 100ha (Sudtirol, IT) (https://t.co/ZQYlEToSNu) -SW of Wendelstein (Bayern, GER) (https://t.co/sYd5PZwefI) pic.twitter.com/058LHfLebw Melaine Le Roy (@subfossilguy) March 8, 2025 Pandemics The Koreas China? O Canada Mark carney pushing big change for a strong economy. He means more privatization, deregulation, social service cuts, corporate handouts, more for cops, border security military. Which is all any of them have on offer. Critical Criminology (@critcrim) March 9, 2025 Remember, Trump is only the excuse. All the horrible, repressive stuff that Canadian politicians are going to introduce is stuff they have wanted all along. Trump has only given them perfect cover. Critical Criminology (@critcrim) March 9, 2025 China to impose retaliatory tariffs on certain Canadian imports as trade war intensifies Euronews Old Blighty Leftists ignoring the pandemic for so long has left them with zero context to interpret the material realities facing us now. Disability numbers & long term sickness numbers have been rising & govts are reacting. Meanwhile there is no opposition, no one has a clue whats going on https://t.co/oYAAyZtyYi Julia Marie (@julia_doubleday) March 8, 2025 Syraqistan Syria will be Balkanised with American and Russian oversight. Reuters reported on Feb 28 that Israel lobbied the US to keep Syria weak and decentralised, including by letting Russia keep its military bases there to counter Turkeys growing influence. The massacre of Alawites pic.twitter.com/zy1WJSVXVb Paul Antonopoulos (@oulosP) March 9, 2025 New Not-So-Cold War Supporters of Ukraine have unfurled the worlds largest flag on the White House ellipse, pushing for the U.S. to continue its aid against the Russian invasion: Do not abandon Ukraine! pic.twitter.com/tbiA5Pa5Ig Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) March 8, 2025 European Disunion Biden Post Mortem Biden autopen signature appears on almost every document he signed, bombshell report finds amid demands for full inquiry into who was running the country Daily Mail Trump 2.0 DOGE Democrats en deshabille Stephen A. Smith just tore the Democrats apart: I think the fact that I am a candidate for the presidency, according to polling for the Democratic Party, is the most clear-cut evidence of how pathetic of a state of affairs that exists within the Democratic Party today. I have pic.twitter.com/SfGj9hA9Fh George (@BehizyTweets) March 1, 2025 Police State Watch The Trump administration position is clear: The First Amendment does not apply to criticizing Israel or opposing Israels policies. The administration is starting to carry out a policy of criminalizing this speech. jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) March 9, 2025 Antitrust The Friendly Skies Air India flight forced to return to US over clogged toilets in 10-hour debacle: reports New York Post AI Imperial Collapse Watch Class Warfare Au Revoir, Noble Bulweriers! The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest Antidote du jour (via): See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. Civil rights icon and U.S. Rep. John Lewis, who spent his formative years as an activist here in Nashville, died on July 17, 2020. On Sept. 15, 2020, the Metro Council had the first reading of an ordinance to name a street after this hero. Two months. Another civil rights icon, the Rev. James Lawson, who spent his formative years in Nashville leading the Student Movement and getting kicked out of Vanderbilt Divinity School in 1960, died on June 9, 2024. Wheres his street? Nashville Experts Reflect on James Lawsons Lasting Legacy The civil rights leader died June 9 at age 95 Obviously, 21st Avenue from Jefferson to at least Blakemore should be Rev. James Lawson Avenue (or Way, or Street, or whatever). I would argue for just completely renaming 21st Avenue in his honor. Symbolically, this would take you right past the school he got kicked out of, past a hospital he could not have been a patient at, in the shadow of a park containing a pool he could not use, across Charlotte, where your progress would be thwarted by the way the city used the train tracks to form a barrier between Black and white Nashville. But as you'd weave through the neighborhood, trying to find a way across the tracks, youd see the old Pearl (now MLK) High School, and catch a glimpse of Fisk University. Get back on 21st/Rev. James Lawson and pass by Meharry Medical School, cross Jefferson, pass under the interstate. (Interesting side note: If you want to cross the interstate in North Nashville, you can use Clifton, Batavia, 28th Avenue North, Jefferson, 21st Avenue North, D.B. Todd, Arthur, Garfield, and Third Avenue North. There are only 10 places left in North Nashville that connect North Nashville neighborhoods on either side of the interstate. If you ever want to short-circuit your brain, check out the aforementioned Garfield. If you call your friend and tell them youre on the corner of Ninth and Garfield, there are literally five different intersections you could be at. The interstate fucked that area up.) +7 History Repeats Itself in North Nashville Fifty years after I-40s construction, a cycle of poverty and displacement churns again in 37208 But back to Rev. James Lawson Lane/Street/Avenue. Now youre passing the Robert Churchwell School, before ending at Buchanan. You would get a visual history of all the social pressures at play when Lawson was here. Youd go by storied historically white institutions. Youd go by storied historically Black institutions. People on the street named after him would be able to look around and see the difference he made in the city just by virtue of seeing all the places that have opened up to Black people and other minorities. Yes, we have a new high school named after him. Good job, Metro Nashville Public Schools board. But it is way off on the West Side of town, in an area with no association with Lawson. Its an honor, for sure, but not an honor that resonates with the place. Having the Vanderbilt Divinity School, home of the James Lawson Institute for the Research and Study of Nonviolent Movements, sitting at 411 James Lawson St.? That sounds pretty amazing. Discovery of lost Roman city reveals RESILIENCE of the Roman Empire in the Third Century Archaeologists uncover thriving Roman city of Interamna Lirenas, challenging assumptions about the Empires decline. The settlement flourished 300 years longer than previously believed, surviving the Crisis of the Third Century. Advanced excavation techniques reveal a sophisticated urban center with a roofed theater, bathhouses, and a bustling river port. Findings suggest many "average" Roman towns may have been far more resilient than historians thought. For centuries, the ancient Roman city of Interamna Lirenas was dismissed as a forgotten backwater, a failed colony lost to the sands of time. But a groundbreaking 13-year excavation led by the University of Cambridge has turned this narrative on its head, revealing a thriving community that defied the chaos of the Roman Empires collapse. Located in central Italy, Interamna Lirenas not only survived the tumultuous Crisis of the Third Century but flourished well into the late third century CE300 years longer than experts had assumed. This discovery, published in the 2023 volume Roman Urbanism in Italy, rewrites the story of Romes decline, offering a fresh perspective on how ordinary towns adapted to the Empires unraveling. A thriving town in the shadow of collapse The Crisis of the Third Century (235284 CE) was a period of unprecedented turmoil for the Roman Empire. Civil wars, barbarian invasions, economic depression, and devastating plagues tore the Empire apart, culminating in its division into three separate political entities: the Roman Empire, the Gallic Empire, and the Palmyrene Empire. Amid this chaos, Interamna Lirenas emerged as a beacon of resilience. We started with a site so unpromising that no one had ever tried to excavate itthats very rare in Italy, said Alessandro Launaro, lead researcher on the project. There was nothing on the surface, no visible evidence of buildings, just bits of broken pottery. But what we discovered wasnt a backwater, far from it. We found a thriving town adapting to every challenge thrown at it for 900 years. Using magnetic and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) surveys, Launaros team uncovered evidence of a bustling urban center. The city boasted a large warehouse, a temple, a bath complex, and a river port that connected it to major commercial hubs like Aquinum and Minturnae. The port, Launaro explained, was crucial to the towns success, enabling trade and economic stability even as the Empire crumbled. A roofed theater and imported marbles: symbols of ambition One of the most striking discoveries was a roofed theater, a rare and sophisticated structure in Roman Italy. Unlike the more common open-air amphitheaters, this theater featured advanced acoustics and architecture, with seating for 1,500 people. Its construction, using imported marbles from across the Mediterranean, signaled the towns wealth and ambition. The fact that this town went for a roofed theatre, such a refined building, does not fit with a backwater in decline, Launaro said. This theatre was a major status symbol. It displayed the towns wealth, power, and ambition. The theaters discovery challenges the long-held assumption that Interamna Lirenas was a declining settlement. Instead, it paints a picture of a vibrant community that invested in its infrastructure and culture, even as the Empire faced existential threats. Rewriting the timeline of decline Previous studies of pottery fragments suggested that Interamna Lirenas peaked between the late second century BCE and the early first century CE, then declined rapidly. However, Launaros team analyzed tens of thousands of pottery pieces and concluded that the city thrived until the late third century CE. Based on the relative lack of imported pottery, archaeologists have assumed that Interamna Lirenas was a declining backwater. We now know that wasnt the case, Launaro explained. The teams findings suggest that the citys residents fled only when faced with imminent threats from enemy armies, and even then, the abandonment was gradual rather than sudden. This resilience, Launaro argues, may have been more common than historians realize. Were not saying that this town was special, he said. Its far more exciting than that. We think many other average Roman towns in Italy were just as resilient. Its just that archaeologists have only recently begun to apply the right techniques and approaches to see this. The story of Interamna Lirenas is more than a tale of one citys survivalits a window into the broader resilience of Roman society during its darkest days. Like a tree that bends but does not break in a storm, this ancient town adapted to the pressures of its time, carving out a life of prosperity amid chaos. As archaeologists continue to refine their techniques, the history of Romes decline may need to be rewritten once again. Interamna Lirenas stands as a testament to the ingenuity and determination of ordinary people, reminding us that even in the shadow of collapse, lifeand civilizationcan endure. In the end, this lost city is not just a relic of the past but a mirror reflecting the enduring spirit of human resilience. Its rediscovery invites us to reconsider not only the fall of Rome but also the quiet strength of those who lived through it. Sources include: Dailymail.co.uk Dailymail.co.uk AOL.com Iowa lawmakers push to hold vaccine manufacturers accountable for injuries Iowa Republicans propose a bill requiring vaccine manufacturers to waive legal immunity for injury lawsuits to distribute or administer vaccines in the state. The bill aims to hold vaccine makers accountable for injuries, challenging protections under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act. Supporters argue the current system denies due process, with only 1% of injury claims succeeding through VAERS. The bill reignites debates on informed consent, corporate responsibility, and the balance between public health and individual rights. Iowa Republicans are advancing a bill that would require vaccine manufacturers to waive their legal immunity against injury lawsuits if they want their products distributed or administered in the state. House File 712, introduced by GOP lawmakers, aims to ensure that vaccine makers are held responsible for any injuries caused by their products, a move supporters say is long overdue. The bill, which has sparked heated debate in the Iowa legislature, would bar any vaccine from being sold or administered in the state unless the manufacturer agrees to waive "immunity from suit for an injury arising from a design defect of the vaccine, including the immunity granted by the federal National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act." This legislation comes amid growing concerns about the lack of public awareness regarding potential vaccine risks and the inability of individuals to seek justice through the courts. Sen. Doug Campbell, R-Mason City, who is spearheading the effort, argues that the current system denies Iowans their right to due process. "Basically, there is no due process for somebody's injury," Campbell said during a subcommittee hearing. "I mean, 1% of the people who have injuries that go through the VAERS [Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System] process get through with a win. That's abysmal if you're going to put a product out there and there's liability." The proposed bill mirrors a broader concern that vaccine manufacturers enjoy unprecedented legal protections, shielding them from lawsuits even when their products may cause harm. Critics of the current system point to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), established in the 1980s, as a bureaucratic maze that often leaves injured individuals without recourse. Debate over public health vs. corporate responsibility Opponents of the bill warn that removing legal protections for vaccine manufacturers could have dire consequences. Jack Ohringer, a University of Iowa medical student, testified that the legislation could lead to vaccine shortages or price hikes. However, supporters argue that accountability is a cornerstone of consumer protection. Courtney Collier, a proponent of the bill, stated, "Every industry and business in Iowa should be liable for the products they produce and sell to Iowan consumers. It should not be legal for a medical professional to offer a product to Iowans that both they and the manufacturer are 100% free from liability for if it harms or kills a patient." The Iowa bill comes as the federal government continues to shield COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers from liability under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act, which was recently extended by the Biden administration. Critics of the PREP Act argue that it prioritizes corporate interests over individual rights, leaving those injured by vaccines with limited options for compensation. While the Iowa bill is unlikely to pass in its current form, it has reignited a critical conversation about informed consent and corporate accountability. Sen. Dennis Guth, R-Klemme, emphasized the need for transparency, reading an email from an Algona resident who claimed to have suffered a vaccine injury. "The one thing that disappoints me the most today has been the medical field's denial of the facts that are out there," Guth said. The Iowa bill represents a significant step toward ensuring that vaccine manufacturers are held to the same standards as other industries. While the debate over vaccine safety and liability is far from over, the proposed legislation underscores the importance of informed consent and the right to seek justice. As Sen. Campbell and his colleagues continue to push for accountability, their efforts serve as a reminder that no industry should be above the law. Sources for this article include: X.com DesMoinesRegister.com KCRG.com CBS2Iowa.com DailyMail.co.uk Pro-censorship Brazilian justice TRAMPLES on free speech and U.S. sovereignty Justice Alexandre de Moraes issued an arrest warrant for a U.S. citizen for political speech made in the U.S., raising concerns about Brazil's infringement on U.S. sovereignty and the First Amendment. Moraes' actions are part of a broader campaign to suppress dissent, targeting social media companies and users who oppose censorship. Moraes ordered the suspension of X (formerly Twitter) in Brazil and imposed fines on those defying his orders. X's legal team argued that Moraes' actions violate Brazil's Constitution and Civil Rights Framework for the Internet. International observers describe Moraes' actions as an assault on free speech, questioning the future of Brazilian democracy and its international standing. Alexandre de Moraes, a justice of Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF), has once again thrust himself into the global spotlight with his pro-censorship stance. The magistrate recently issued an arrest warrant against Flavia Cordeiro Magalhaes, a naturalized U.S. citizen of Brazilian origin. Magalhaes, who has lived in Florida for over two decades, is being targeted for political speech expressed on U.S. soil. This move raises alarming questions about Brazil's infringement on U.S. sovereignty and its disregard for the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Paulo Faria, Magalhaes' legal representative in Brazil, has condemned the arrest warrant as an overreach. He also revealed that he has repeatedly been denied access to case files, highlighting the lack of transparency in Brazil's justice system under Moraes' leadership. "The defense continues to press for the revision of the arrest and for the transparency of the process, while the opposition to the Brazilian government denounces the censorship and the persecution of dissenting voices," said Faria. The case stems from a 2022 post on X (formerly Twitter), which the STF justice ordered blocked in Brazil. Magalhaes claims she was never notified of the block and continued posting, leading Moraes to accuse her of contempt of court. Despite traveling to Brazil legally in December 2023 using her U.S. passport, the magistrate bizarrely treated this as the use of a "false document" and issued a pre-trial detention order in February 2024. This case is emblematic of Moraes' broader campaign to stifle dissent, both within Brazil and abroad. His actions suggest a troubling belief that Brazilian courts can impose their jurisdiction on foreign citizens and territories a direct challenge to U.S. laws protecting free speech. Free speech under siege: Moraes' aggressive crackdown on X and Musk Moraes' crackdown on free speech is not limited to individuals. He has also targeted U.S. social media companies, most notably Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter). In April 2024, the magistrate launched an investigation on X, accusing the Tesla and SpaceX CEO of "obstruction of justice" and "incitement to crime." (Related: Brazil to axe X from telecommunications network after citing Elon Musk for obstruction of justice for his refusal to engage in government-demanded censorship.) The probe followed Musk's refusal to comply with demands to censor political opponents. Things came to a head in late August 2024, when Moraes ordered the suspension of X in Brazil. The magistrate also announced a daily fine of $8,900 on Brazilians using a virtual private network to access the banned platform. At the time Moraes launched the investigation, Musk called the justice's censorship "aggressive" and vowed to publish all of his unreasonable demands. "This [magistrate] has brazenly and repeatedly betrayed the constitution and people of Brazil. He should resign or be impeached," Musk said. X's legal team also argued that Moraes' orders violate Brazil's Federal Constitution and Civil Rights Framework for the Internet. "The people of Brazil, regardless of their political beliefs, are entitled to freedom of speech, due process and transparency from their own authorities," it wrote. Despite these protests, Moraes has doubled down, threatening fines and even imprisonment for those who defy his orders. The magistrate's actions have drawn sharp criticism from international observers. Journalist Michael Shellenberger described Brasilia's crackdown as "a sweeping assault on free speech," noting that Moraes has jailed individuals without trial for social media posts and demanded the removal of users and specific content without due process. Shellenberger's reporting revealed that Moraes sought to "weaponize Twitter's content moderation policies" against supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, underscoring the politicized nature of his censorship campaign. The implications of Moraes' actions extend far beyond Brazil. By targeting U.S. citizens and companies, he is testing the limits of international law and challenging the principles of free speech enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. Visit Censorship.news for more similar stories. Watch Alex Jones of InfoWars discussing the feud between Elon Musk and Alexandre de Moraes in this clip. This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Rumble forced to exit Brazil amid crackdown on independent media. Trump Media, Rumble sue Brazilian judge over censorship of U.S. conservatives. Brazil's supreme court orders SHUTDOWN of Elon Musk's X to silence speech they can't control. Sources include: ReclaimTheNet.org HumanEvents.com NTD.com Brighteon.com Health Ranger Report: Scott Wiper discusses Gen. Michael Flynns stand against Deep State tyranny Scott Wiper, known for action films, shifted to documentary filmmaking to address pressing political and social issues, leading to the creation of "The Flynn Movie," which documents the persecution of Gen. Michael Flynn. The film reveals the systemic and multifaceted attack on Flynn by a coalition of the military-industrial complex, intelligence community and media, including the stripping of his assets and attempts to brand him a traitor, despite his exemplary service and leadership. Beyond the political and legal aspects, the documentary explores the personal and family impact of Flynn's persecution, highlighting the emotional and psychological toll on his family from the relentless systemic attacks. "The Flynn Movie" serves as a catalyst for critical thinking and informed action, encouraging viewers to question mainstream narratives and recognize the broader implications of Deep State influence in American politics, with the film's release generating significant public interest and support. Wiper plans to continue addressing critical issues in his next film, focusing on the roles of central banks and financial systems in Deep State power, aiming to educate the public on the complex and often hidden forces shaping their world. In an era where truth is often the first casualty, filmmaker Scott Wiper has taken on the monumental task of documenting the relentless persecution of Gen. Michael Flynn a story that is both a cautionary tale and a testament to human resilience. Wiper sat down with the Health Ranger Mike Adams on the "Health Ranger Report" to share the profound journey of creating "The Flynn Movie." This new documentary not only highlights the intrigue and betrayal Flynn faced, but also underscores the broader implications of Deep State tyranny in America. Wiper's career trajectory from high-octane action movies to a documentary that delves into the dark underbelly of political machinations is nothing short of remarkable. The writer and director whose previous work includes films like "The Big Ugly," "The Cold Light of Day" and "The Condemned" with professional wrestling star Stone Cold Steve Austin, felt a deep calling to address the political and social issues that have long simmered beneath the surface. "Ive always had a libertarian edge to me," Wiper explained while adding that the events of the world pulled him towards a story that needed to be told. The opportunity to tell General Flynn's story came in 2022 when Wiper met with Flynn and other filmmakers. Wiper recalled that he and General Flynn hit it off. He proposed an approach that would blend his action movie experience with the gravity of this real-life drama, while assembling a diverse crew reflecting the broad spectrum of American life to begin a two-week intensive interview process. What Wiper encountered during the filmmaking process was a stark reality that left even this seasoned director shaken. "True evil exists," Wiper emphasized, drawing a parallel between the fictional villains he has created and the real-life adversarial entity that targeted Flynn. He stressed that this was not a single person but a behemoth, a confluence of the military-industrial complex, the intelligence community and the media that worked tirelessly to destroy a man with a spotless record a three-star general and a former National Security Advisor. The Deep State's tactics were brutal and multifaceted. They stripped Flynn of his assets, forced him to liquidate properties to pay legal fees and attempted to brand him a traitor. Wiper explained that they used complex legal terms and false narratives against Flynn to confuse the public despite his clean record and the fact that former President Barack Obama trusted the general to run one of America's largest intelligence agencies. (Related: Gen. Mike Flynn sues DOJ, FBI for $50M over malicious prosecution) The human element of Flynn's struggle While the film meticulously dissects the political and legal machinations, it also delves deeply into the human cost. Wiper stressed that the movie is not just about politics or the military it's about a family. The filmmaker said the movie shows the impact on Flynn's family and the personal toll of witnessing a loved one being persecuted by a system gone rogue. One of the most poignant moments in the film is Flynn's reflection on the nature of war. "If we're going to war, it means we failed," Flynn said, a statement that challenges the pervasive narrative often pushed by the media and political elites. "War is a failure of leadership, a failure of diplomacy." This perspective, Wiper noted, is often overlooked, with Flynn portrayed as a war hawk despite his nuanced and deeply human approach to conflict. The release of "The Flynn Movie" is more than just a documentary; it's a rallying cry for critical thinking and informed action. Wiper stated that when people watch the film, a light comes on and they start questioning the narratives they have been fed and realize how much more they have been lied to. The film's release on platforms like FlynnMovie.com, Amazon Prime and YouTube TV has been met with enthusiastic support. However, Wiper acknowledged that the fight for widespread awareness is far from over. As the political landscape continues to shift, Wiper is already thinking ahead. The action film director revealed that his next project will focus on the broader issues at play, such as the role of central banks and the financial systems that underpin Deep State power. He added that he wants to create a narrative that helps people understand the complexities and the stakes involved. Adams echoed Wiper's sentiments, stressing that people need more voices like Wiper's to shine a light on the shadows. He added that the American people deserve to know the truth about their government and the forces that seek to control it. In a world where information is often weaponized, "The Flynn Movie" stands as a beacon of clarity and integrity. For those seeking to understand the depths of Deep State tyranny and the strength of human resilience, this film is a must-see. Follow DeepState.news for more news about the Deep State in America. Watch the video below to know more about the interview of Scott Wiper with Mike Adams. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: There are two American governments: the visible one and the SECRET one, says Gen. Flynn. Trump declares war on anonymous sources: A bold stand against media corruption and the Deep State. CIA insiders threaten to leak secrets if Trump fires them, exposing Deep State loyalties. Sources include: Brighteon.com IMDB.com GeneralFlynn.com Trump: No more room for Mexico and Canada to avoid 25% TARIFFS U.S. President Donald Trump announced 25 percent tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods, effective March 4. The tariffs were initially set for early last month but were delayed due to attempts by Canadian and Mexican leaders to address American concerns. Trump's tariffs target various goods: Avocados, beer and vehicles from Mexico, as well as crude oil, lumber and car parts from Canada. Canada and Mexico responded with retaliatory measures, including tariffs on American goods and potential export cessations. The trade war between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico highlights growing tensions and economic risks between the countries. There's no more room for Mexico and Canada to avoid the 25 percent tariffs to be imposed on their products coming into the U.S., according to U.S. President Donald Trump. The chief executive announced this development on March 3, ahead of the tariffs that took effect the following day. Originally set early last month, the tariffs were pushed back following last-minute efforts by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to address American concerns over border security and drug trafficking. "No room left for Mexico or Canada, no," Trump remarked during a press briefing that day. "The tariffs, you know, they're all set. They go into effect tomorrow." Trump emphasized that the tariffs are part of his broader strategy to repatriate manufacturing jobs to the United States. They also mark a significant escalation in trade tensions with two of Washington's closest neighbors. The tariffs will target a range of goods including avocados, beer and vehicles from Mexico, as well as crude oil, lumber and car parts from Canada. "Just so you understand, vast amounts of fentanyl have poured into our country from Mexico," Trump continued, also pointing his fingers at Ottawa for its role in the crisis. But America's northern and southern neighbors aren't the only targets of Trump's tariffs, as he has also set his sights on China. According to the National Pulse, Trump plans to increase tariffs on Beijing's exports by an additional 10 percent. This comes off a separate 10 percent duty imposed on Chinese imports last month for a total of 20 percent. Trade war heats up with Canada and Mexico's responses Both Ottawa and Mexico City did not take too kindly to the tariffs, swiftly responding with retaliatory measures. Canada announced retaliatory tariffs on more than $100 billion worth of American goods, while Mexico said it will unveil its own countermeasures on March 9. Trudeau didn't mince words during a fiery press conference, denouncing the tariffs on Canadian goods as "a very dumb thing to do" and accusing Trump of kowtowing to Russia. The Canadian leader also tapped into growing anti-American sentiment among Canadians, noting that many are choosing to boycott U.S. vacations and products. "The U.S. launched a trade war against Canada, their closest partner and ally, their closest friend. At the same time, they are talking about working positively with Russia appeasing Vladimir Putin, a lying, murderous dictator," Trudeau jibed. "Make that make sense." Ottawa's retaliation includes a 25 percent export tax on electricity sold to the U.S., which powers 1.5 million American homes, and the potential cessation of nickel and rare mineral exports. Additionally, Canadian provinces have begun removing American liquor brands from government store shelves, a move that could cost U.S. producers hundreds of millions of dollars annually. (Related: Trudeau escalates trade war with U.S., imposes 25% tariffs on $155 billion in American goods.) Meanwhile, Sheinbaum delayed the announcement of Mexico's retaliatory tariffs until March 9. The Mexican leader expressed hope for de-escalation, noting that she and Trump had agreed to a call before the March 9 announcement. "There is no motive or reason, nor justification that supports this decision that will affect our people and our nations," Sheinbaum said. "It's inconceivable that they don't think about the damage this is going to cause to U.S. citizens and businesses. No one wins with this decision." She also pushed back against Trump's claims that Mexico City hasn't done enough to combat drug cartels. Such claims, according to Sheinbaum, are "offensive, defamatory and without support." She highlighted her administration's efforts to seize fentanyl, dismantle meth labs and extradite cartel personalities to the United States. As the trade war intensifies, the economic and political stakes continue to rise. While Trump remains steadfast in his approach, the retaliatory measures from Canada and Mexico underscore the growing rift between the U.S. and its neighbors in the north and south. Watch Tom Philipson and Steve Moore explaining that President Donald Trump uses tariffs effectively in this clip. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: In 24 hours, Trump got more from Mexico & Canada on borders and fentanyl than any President in the last 24 years. Trump announces 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum to protect U.S. industries. Trump's reciprocal tariffs aim to level trade playing field for U.S. workers. Sources include: TheNationalPulse.com APNews.com 1 APNews.com 2 Brighteon.com Trump reins in Musk: A scalpel, not a hatchet, for government efficiency President Donald Trump has decided to limit Elon Musk's authority within the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), emphasizing that Cabinet secretaries, not Musk, should oversee their departments. This move aims to reduce chaos and legal challenges arising from DOGE's aggressive cost-cutting measures. DOGE's actions have faced significant legal challenges, with federal judges questioning the legality of mass firings and the administration's inability to clarify who is in charge. The confusion was highlighted when Trump contradicted earlier court statements by declaring Musk as the head of DOGE. Trumps directive marks a shift towards a more precise and measured approach to government reform. The administration will prioritize retaining "the best and most productive people" and rely on agency heads to make informed decisions about staffing and policy. While the new approach aims to balance cost-cutting with maintaining essential services, it presents challenges for Cabinet secretaries who must navigate this delicate balance. The administration acknowledges that failing to cut costs could result in Musk stepping in to make the cuts. The battle over government efficiency is a longstanding issue, with past attempts at reform often leading to unintended consequences. The Trump administration's efforts, if successful, could lead to a leaner, more effective federal government, but the path forward is fraught with legal and political challenges. In a dramatic shift that underscores the growing tension between efficiency and overreach, President Donald Trump has moved to curtail Elon Musks sweeping authority within the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The decision, announced during a high-stakes Cabinet meeting on Thursday, marks a pivotal moment in the administrations ongoing battle to streamline the federal bureaucracy while avoiding the pitfalls of unchecked power. The move comes after weeks of chaos and legal challenges stemming from DOGEs aggressive cost-cutting measures, which have left thousands of federal workers in limbo and sparked outrage across the political spectrum. While the goal of eliminating government waste is laudable, the execution has been anything but preciseuntil now. The meeting that changed everything President Trump convened his Cabinet in person to deliver a clear message: Youre in charge of your departments, not Elon Musk. According to administration officials, Trump emphasized that Musk and DOGE should play an advisory role, making recommendations rather than issuing unilateral decisions on staffing and policy. Musk, who was present at the meeting, reportedly acknowledged that DOGE had made missteps in its approach. Trumps directive represents a significant recalibration of power within the administration. As the Secretaries learn about, and understand, the people working for the various Departments, they can be very precise as to who will remain, and who will go, Trump wrote on Truth Social following the meeting. We say the scalpel rather than the hatchet. This shift is not merely bureaucratic housekeeping; its a necessary course correction. The administrations initial approachmass firings and blanket terminationshas been met with fierce resistance in federal courts. Judges have repeatedly questioned the legality of DOGEs actions, with some rulings suggesting that the terminations violated civil service laws. The legal quagmire The legal challenges facing DOGE are mounting, and Trumps decision to rein in Musk may be as much about shielding the administration from liability as it is about improving governance. In recent weeks, federal judges have expressed frustration over the administrations inability to clarify who is truly in charge of DOGEs sweeping cuts. The confusion reached a boiling point during Trumps address to Congress last week, when he declared that DOGE is headed by Elon Musk. This statement directly contradicted the administrations earlier claims in court that Musk had no independent authority to make policy decisions. The contradiction has left judges skeptical, with one federal judge, Theodore Chuang, remarking that the administrations inability to identify DOGEs leadership prior to naming Amy Gleason as administrator was highly suspicious. The stakes are high. Multiple lawsuits are pending, with plaintiffs alleging that Musk has exercised an unconstitutional degree of power. These cases could have far-reaching implications, potentially leading to the reinstatement of fired workers or even the dismantling of DOGE itself. A new model for government efficiency Trumps decision to empower Cabinet secretaries over Musk signals a shift toward a more measured approach to government reform. While the president remains committed to cutting waste, he has made it clear that the goal is to retain the best and most productive people. This new modelone that prioritizes precision over indiscriminate cutscould prove to be a turning point in the administrations efforts to modernize the federal government. By deferring to agency heads, who are better equipped to evaluate the performance and necessity of their staff, the administration can avoid the pitfalls of its earlier, ham-fisted approach. However, the road ahead is fraught with challenges. Cabinet secretaries must now navigate the delicate balance between cutting costs and maintaining essential services. As Trump noted, If they can cut, its better. And if they dont cut, then Elon will do the cutting. Why this matters The battle over government efficiency is not new. For decades, conservatives have railed against the bloated federal bureaucracy, pointing to waste, redundancy and inefficiency as evidence of systemic failure. The Trump administrations efforts to address these issues are long overdue, but the execution has been far from perfect. The lessons of history are clear: sweeping reforms, no matter how well-intentioned, often lead to unintended consequences. The Reagan administrations attempts to downsize government in the 1980s, for example, were met with mixed results, as some agencies struggled to maintain critical functions after deep cuts. Today, the stakes are even higher. With a federal workforce that has grown exponentially in recent decades, the need for reform is undeniable. But as the administration has learned, the key to success lies in precision, not brute force. Conclusion President Trumps decision to rein in Elon Musk and empower Cabinet secretaries is a necessary step toward achieving meaningful government reform. By replacing the hatchet with a scalpel, the administration can cut waste without sacrificing efficiency or violating the rule of law. The road ahead will not be easy. Legal challenges will continue, and the political fallout from mass firings will linger. But if the administration can strike the right balance, it may yet achieve what so many have tried and failed to do: a leaner, more effective federal government. As Trump himself put it, The combination of them, Elon, DOGE and other great people will be able to do things at a historic level. Sources include: TheNationalPulse.com Politico.com Jonah Goldbergs Liberal Fascism: Fascist ideology is a product of the left Jonah Goldberg's book, "Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, from Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning," argues that fascism's roots are intertwined with the progressive left, not just the far-right, challenging widely held beliefs. Goldberg contends that modern liberalism shares unsettling ideological similarities with fascism, such as the centralization of power, collectivism and a cult of personality, sparking heated debates since the book's release. He traces fascism back to Benito Mussolini, highlighting his evolution from a socialist intellectual to a fascist dictator, and draws parallels between Mussolini's ideology and modern progressive movements. Goldberg identifies "fascist moments" in American history, including President Woodrow Wilson's authoritarian policies during WWI and the New Deal era under FDR, which he argues reflect fascist governance principles like central planning and state control. Goldberg critiques contemporary liberalism, suggesting that identity politics and state control echo fascist ideologies. His work invites readers to reconsider the historical and ideological connections between progressivism and authoritarianism, offering a provocative perspective on modern politics. Jonah Goldberg challenges conventional wisdom in his book, "Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, from Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning." Goldberg argues that the roots of fascism are not exclusively tied to the far-right but are deeply intertwined with the progressive left, particularly in the United States. His controversial thesis, which has sparked heated debates ever since the book's release, contends that modern liberalism shares disturbing ideological similarities with fascism, including centralization of power, collectivism and a cult of personality. Goldberg begins by reexamining the origins of fascism, tracing it back to Benito Mussolini, the Italian dictator who originally coined the term. Contrary to popular belief, Mussolini began his political career as a socialist intellectual and only later embraced fascism as a response to the chaos of post-World War I Europe. Goldberg highlights how Mussolini's early socialism evolved into a nationalistic ideology that combined socialist ideas with a strong, centralized statea blueprint that, Goldberg argues, has parallels in modern progressive movements. Adolf Hitler's rise to power is another focal point in Goldberg's argument. He challenges the notion that Nazism was inherently right-wing, pointing out that Hitler's rhetoric often targeted the bourgeoisie and traditional conservatives, positioning his movement as revolutionary and anti-establishment. Goldberg suggests that Hitler's brand of fascism was more aligned with collectivism and identity politics than with classical conservatism, a shift that blurs the lines between left and right. Goldberg's analysis then turns to American history, where he identifies what he calls "fascist moments" that have shaped the modern liberal state. Among these, President Woodrow Wilson's administration during World War I stands out. Goldberg describes Wilson's policies as authoritarian, citing widespread censorship, suppression of dissent and the creation of a federal propaganda machine. He argues that Wilson's vision of a centralized, expert-led state laid the groundwork for the modern liberal welfare system. The New Deal era under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt is another key example. Goldberg draws parallels between Roosevelt's policies and fascist corporatism, emphasizing the New Deal's focus on central planning, state control and the cult of personality around Roosevelt. He suggests that these elements reflect a managerialist impulse that mirrors fascist governance. Goldberg extends his analysis to the 1960s countercultural movements, which he argues shared similarities with fascist tactics, such as the glorification of violence and the rejection of traditional authority. He further explores the legacy of progressive leaders like Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, arguing that their visions of a powerful, activist state mirrored the "God-state" concept central to fascism. One of the most controversial aspects of Goldberg's argument is his critique of contemporary liberalism. He suggests that the left's emphasis on identity politics, state control and the politics of meaninghighlighted by figures like Hillary Clintonrepresents a modern manifestation of fascism. Goldberg argues that the left's desire to transform society through collectivism and state action shares ideological ground with the fascist drive for a "new man" and a reimagined social order. Goldberg's work is particularly relevant today as debates over the nature of fascism, authoritarianism and identity politics continue to dominate public discourse. By tracing the historical currents of progressivism and their connections to fascism, Goldberg's book serves as a reminder of the complexities and dangers inherent in political ideologies, urging readers to critically examine the roots of their beliefs. His book, though polarizing, invites readers to reconsider the historical and ideological ties between progressivism and authoritarianism, offering a provocative lens through which to view modern politics. Watch this video discussing Jonah Goldberg's seminal work "Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, from Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning." This video is from the BrightLearn channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: Brighteon.ai Brighteon.com Trevor Loudons The Enemies Within warns of the growing influence of radical leftists in the government Trevor Loudon's book, "The Enemies Within," warns that communist, socialist and progressive ideologies have infiltrated the U.S. Congress, posing a threat to the nation's constitutional foundations and global stability. Loudon argues that the U.S., as a global superpower, acts as a bulwark against authoritarian regimes like China, Russia and Iran. He cautions that weakening American institutions could lead to these nations dominating the international order. The book provides historical and contemporary examples to support its claims, such as the Cesar Chavez Holiday Campaign, which Loudon alleges was orchestrated by the Communist Party USA to gain influence within the Latino community and the Democratic Party. Loudon critiques the influence of organizations like the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) within Congress, citing the Affordable Care Act as an example of socialist policy influence and highlighting the role of figures like Dr. Quentin Young. In an era of deepening political divides, Loudon's work challenges readers to reconsider the forces shaping the nation's future, highlighting the enduring tensions between democracy and ideology in the United States. Trevor Loudon's book "The Enemies Within: Communists, Socialists and Progressives in the U.S. Congress" highlights the growing influence of radical ideologies in American governance. Loudon's book serves as a stark warning, arguing that communist, socialist and progressive ideologies have infiltrated the United States Congress, threatening the nation's constitutional foundations and global stability. Loudon, a New Zealand-based political activist and researcher, contends that these enemies within are not merely fringe actors but influential figures shaping policy and steering the Democratic Party toward what he describes as a socialist future. Loudon's central thesis is that the U.S., as a global superpower, is a bulwark against authoritarian regimes like China, Russia and Iran. He warns that any weakening of American institutions could create a power vacuum, allowing these nations to dominate the international order. The book delves into historical and contemporary examples to support its claims. Loudon highlights the Cesar Chavez Holiday Campaign, which he alleges was orchestrated by the Communist Party USA to gain influence within the Latino community and the Democratic Party. He points to Evelina Alarcon, the campaign's leader, as a prominent Communist Party member, suggesting the effort was a strategic move to build the party's influence. Loudon also examines the role of Latino immigrants in American politics, arguing that they are being used as a tool by the left to create a governing coalition that ensures Democratic dominance. He cites figures like Bert Corona and Eliseo Medina, Mexican-American labor leaders who played key roles in mobilizing Latino voters and advocating for policies aligned with what Loudon describes as communist ideologies. Beyond communism, Loudon critiques the influence of socialist and progressive organizations within Congress. He singles out the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) as instrumental in pushing the Democratic Party further to the left. He points to the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, as a prime example of socialist policy, crediting figures like Dr. Quentin Young, a DSA member and personal physician to former President Barack Obama, with shaping the healthcare reform. The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), founded by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), is another focal point. Loudon describes the CPC as the socialist heart of the Democratic Party, with close ties to organizations like the DSA and IPS. He argues that the CPC is not merely a discussion forum but a powerful bloc capable of swaying legislation and influencing the party's direction. In the realm of foreign policy, Loudon raises alarms about organizations like the World Peace Council and the Council for a Livable World, which he claims are fronts for communist and socialist agendas. He suggests these groups have worked to influence U.S. policy in ways that benefit their causes, often at the expense of American interests. Loudon's narrative is enriched by personal anecdotes about individuals he identifies as part of this enemy within. He discusses Rep. Raul Grijalva's alleged ties to the Arizona Communist Party and former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's involvement with groups like the Arizona Alliance for Peace and Justice. These stories add a human dimension to his argument, making the book both engaging and provocative. While "The Enemies Within: has drawn criticism for its sweeping claims and ideological bias, it has also sparked important conversations about the role of radical ideologies in American politics. Whether readers agree with Loudon's perspective or not, his work challenges them to reconsider the forces shaping the nation's future. In an era of deepening political divides, the book serves as a reminder of the enduring tensions between democracy and ideology in the United States. Watch this video discussing Trevor Loudon's expose in "The Enemies Within: Communists, Socialists and Progressives in the U.S. Congress." This video is from the BrightLearn channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: Brighteon.ai Brighteon.com Daniel Kovalik on the Health Ranger Report: The UNSEEN CONFLICT happening in Palestine Daniel Kovalik, an international human rights lawyer, discusses the Palestinian conflict, highlighting the Nakba's ongoing impact on Palestinians and challenging the uninhabited land narrative. Kovalik describes the Israeli bombing of Gaza as genocide, citing severe humanitarian crises and the targeting of civilians and infrastructure. He criticizes U.S. military support for Israel, linking it to lobbying, media influence, and religious narratives, and calls for Americans to pressure their representatives to end funding. Kovalik advocates for a one-state solution, emphasizing coexistence in a democratic, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious state, as the current apartheid system is unsustainable. He believes international and regional interventions, including economic pressures, are necessary for peace and justice in the region. In a "Health Ranger Report" interview on Brighteon.com, author and human rights lawyer Daniel Kovalik delved into the deeply complex and often misunderstood history of Palestine, shedding light on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Hosted by the Health Ranger Mike Adams, the conversation revealed a side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that is often overshadowed by mainstream media narratives and political rhetoric. Kovalik, a Pittsburgh-based lawyer, professor and author, brings a unique perspective to the discussion. With a career spanning over 26 years as in-house counsel for the United Steel Workers Union and 12 years teaching international human rights law at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Kovalik has a wealth of experience in social and political issues. His recent book, "The Case for Palestine: Why it Matters and Why You Should Care," offers a comprehensive and accessible look at the history and current state of the Palestinian struggle. Kovalik emphasized that the history of Palestine is often overlooked or deliberately obscured, particularly in the United States. The "Nakba," a term meaning "catastrophe," refers to the forced displacement of over 750,000 Palestinians from their homes in 1947 to 1948. This event, the human rights advocate argues, is a crucial part of understanding the current situation in Gaza and the broader Middle East. (Related: Daniel Kovalik: Israel is WIPING OUT the memory of Palestine's existence.) The myth of "a land without a people for a people without a land" has long been used to justify the establishment of Israel, but Kovalik debunks this narrative. The land was indeed inhabited, and the displacement and violence that followed have had profound and lasting impacts on the Palestinian people. Kovalik: The Nakba didn't end in 1948 According to Kovalik, the Nakba did not end in 1948. It continues today with every home destroyed, every family displaced and every life lost. The conversation between the Health Ranger and the human rights lawyer then turned to the escalation of violence in Gaza, where Israel relentlessly bombed Palestinian homes. According to Kovalik, the situation has reached a level of humanitarian crisis that can only be described as genocide. As per a letter published July 2024 in the respected medical journal Lancet, the number of Palestinians killed since the Oct. 7 Operation Al-Aqsa Flood attack launched by Hamas is estimated to be at least 186,000. Women and children comprise the vast majority of this number, the letter continues. Kovalik highlighted the systematic nature of the attacks, noting that Israel has targeted not only civilians but also journalists, medical workers and United Nations facilities. "This is a war against humanity," he said, emphasizing the need for international intervention and accountability. The role of the U.S. and the future of Palestine and Israel America's role in the conflict is a critical point of discussion. Despite the overwhelming evidence of human rights abuses, the U.S. continues to provide military support to Israel, including advanced weaponry and ammunition. Kovalik described this support as "a moral and political failure," urging Americans to pressure their representatives to stop funding the war. The interview also touched on the political dynamics within the U.S., where many conservative politicians, despite advocating for other human rights and constitutional principles, have remained staunch supporters of Israel, even in the face of overwhelming evidence of atrocities. Kovalik attributed this to a combination of political lobbying, media influence and a distorted religious narrative. Kovalik advocates for a one-state solution, where Palestinians and Israelis can coexist in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious democracy. He argues that the current apartheid system in Israel, where non-Jewish citizens, particularly Palestinians, are systematically marginalized, is unsustainable. The laywer stated the only path forward is one of equality and justice. The conversation also addressed the potential for regional and international intervention. Countries like Turkey and Egypt, with their close ties to both Palestine and Israel, may play a crucial role in bringing an end to the conflict. Kovalik suggested that economic levers, such as shutting off energy supplies to Israel, could be effective non-violent measures to pressure the Israeli government. In conclusion, both Kovalik and Adams called for a renewed commitment to peace and justice. Adams emphasized that the bloodshed must stop and there must be respect for the dignity and humanity of all people, regardless of their background or beliefs. Follow WWIII.news for more news about Israel and Palestine. Watch the full interview between Daniel Kovalik and the Health Ranger Mike Adams on the "Health Ranger Report" below. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of war crimes in Gaza, citing deliberate forced displacement of Palestinians. Israels rules of engagement under scrutiny: IDF accused of indiscriminately killing civilians in Gaza. Daniel Kovalik: Gaza residents have been forced to flee their homes and safe zones multiple times as IDF relentlessly bombs civilian areas. Sources include: Brighteon.com DanielMKovalik.Weebly.com Amazon.com TheLancet.com GOP senators demand answers on Planned Parenthoods $120M in COVID-19 relief funds Two Republican senators demand SBA transparency on Planned Parenthood receiving $120M in PPP loans despite federal abortion funding restrictions. Federal laws prohibit taxpayer dollars from funding abortions, raising questions about Planned Parenthoods eligibility. During the Trump administration, Planned Parenthood affiliates were deemed ineligible for PPP loans due to size and abortion funding laws. The Biden administration approved additional funds, sparking concerns about legal and moral violations. The controversy highlights broader issues of PPP mismanagement and misuse of taxpayer money. Two Republican senators are demanding answers from the Small Business Administration (SBA) about how Planned Parenthood affiliates received over $120 million in COVID-19 relief funds, despite being deemed ineligible for such aid. Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Rand Paul (R-KY) sent a letter to SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler on Friday, seeking transparency about the abortion giants access to Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. The move comes after years of alleged obstruction by the Biden administration, which approved nearly $40 million in loans to Planned Parenthood affiliates despite federal laws barring taxpayer dollars from funding abortions. The controversy highlights a long-standing battle over taxpayer-funded support for Planned Parenthood, the nations largest abortion provider. Critics argue that the organizations access to PPP funds violates both the spirit and the letter of the law, which prohibits federal funding for abortions and restricts aid to large organizations. A history of ineligibility In May 2020, during the Trump administration, the SBA determined that Planned Parenthood affiliates were ineligible for PPP loans. The agency cited federal laws prohibiting taxpayer funding for abortions and the organizations size, as the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) operates as a large, centralized entity. Despite this, Planned Parenthood affiliates applied for and received 38 loans totaling more than $80 million. The Biden administration later approved an additional $40 million in loans to Planned Parenthood affiliates, raising questions about whether the SBA reversed its earlier stance. The Biden administration stonewalled my oversight efforts at every turn and prevented the American people from learning how Planned Parenthood cashed in on COVID, Ernst told The Daily Signal. The PPP was designed to help small businesses struggling during the pandemic, not to fund organizations that provide abortions. Not a single tax dollar should fund abortions, Ernst said. The Paycheck Protection Program was designed to help Americans struggling during the pandemic, not to go to ineligible recipients fueling abortion-on-demand. Rand Paul, a physician and staunch pro-life advocate, echoed these concerns. The Biden administration obstructed our investigation of potentially illegal applications of PPP loans to Planned Parenthood entities, and we are confident the Trump administration will provide the transparency the American people deserve, he said. The senators letter alleges that the SBA under Biden hid critical information about Planned Parenthoods PPP loans. They argue that the organizations affiliates should never have been eligible for the funds, given their size and the federal restrictions on abortion funding. A pattern of mismanagement The controversy over Planned Parenthoods PPP loans is part of a broader pattern of mismanagement within the program. According to the House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, the PPP lost at least $64 billion to fraud. Critics argue that the Biden administrations approval of loans to Planned Parenthood affiliates is another example of wasteful spending and a disregard for federal law. Ernst and Paul have repeatedly sought answers from the SBA about how Planned Parenthood affiliates were able to secure and retain PPP funds. Their latest letter underscores their commitment to uncovering the truth and ensuring that taxpayer dollars are not used to fund abortions. As the SBA under Administrator Loeffler ushers in a new era of transparency, Ernst and Paul are hopeful that their efforts will finally yield answers. Now that Administrator Loeffler has ushered in a new era of transparency at the SBA, I look forward to working with her to uncover the truth and stop the flow of these funds, Ernst said. The fight over Planned Parenthoods PPP loans is more than a financial disputeits a moral one. Taxpayer dollars should never be used to fund abortions, and the Biden administrations approval of these loans represents a troubling departure from that principle. As Ernst and Paul continue their investigation, they are sending a clear message that accountability matters, and the American people deserve to know how their money is being spent. Sources for this article include: Breitbart.com DailySignal.com Paul.Senate.gov FRAUD STUDY CANCELED: USDA $600,000 grant to study menstrual cycles in transgender men gets REVOKED Trillions of dollars have been allocated and potentially embezzled for studies and initiatives related to transgender and LGBTQ+ issues, which are perceived as absurd and wasteful. One specific example highlights a $600,000 grant for studying men who wear wigs, makeup, and high heels and pretend to get their period, raising questions about the relevance and legitimacy of such research. This trend of spending public funds on "perverted" and "Left-wing propaganda" is coming to an end, with DOGE investigations The tranny madness is coming to an end in America, as Trump and DOGE figure out just how many trillions of dollars have been allocated and embezzled for the most ridiculous, twisted and perverted means ever in the history of the world. This would include a $600,000 grant to study men who wear wigs, makeup and high heels and pretend to get their period. You cannot make this stuff up, unless you are a perverted psychopathic Democrat or Liberal who wants the world to think about sex and sex partners all day, at any cost, including wasting billions of taxpayer dollars to do so. Why is the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for studying menstrual cycles of fake women? First off, why is the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for this insane study anyway? What does agriculture have to do with estrogen-jacked men faking their menstrual cycles so they can act gayer and believe their own fantasy is based on science? Maybe it was just the demented Biden Regime trying to convince America that gender fluidity is real. Or maybe its all just Obama and his husband Michael embezzling billions of dollars to enhance their own gay lifestyle. According to a database on USAspending.gov, the grant recipient was the Southern University Agricultural & Mechanical College in Louisiana. This is real folks. Got doubts? Any Liberals think this is fake news? Want to read the grant description? Here you go: Menarche, the first occurrence of menstruation, occurs at approximately 12 years of age and ends with menopause at roughly 51 years of age (Norman, 2014). A woman will have a monthly menstrual cycle for about 40 years of her life, averaging about 450 periods over the course of her lifetime (Nappi et al., 2016). It is also important to recognize that transgender men and people with masculine gender identities, intersex, and non-binary persons may also menstruate. This was just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to billions of dollars wasted on transgender freak show studies. There was much spending allocated for DEI (reverse racist policies that gave high level jobs to minorities and trannies who dont qualify), and critical race theory (more reverse racism that says all white people are born racist and owe money and land to all Black people for slavery). Its all Left-wing propaganda for embezzling and labeled science. What a farce. The demented Biden Regime wasted trillions of dollars, that is a fact. Now we know that everything science they declared over the past four years is a huge farce and needs to be negated, defunded, investigated, and never to happen again. Imagine going to work 40 or 50 hours a week and giving up a fourth of your paycheck for transgender studies that dont even hold water. What a freak show weve had to endure. The reign of terror is over now. DOGE is seeing to that. Tune your internet dial to gender.news for updates on extreme liberals with hidden agendas trying to turn normal kids into gender-confused freaks. Sources for this article include: TheGatewayPundit.com USA.visa.com NaturalNews.com Victory for health freedom: Hawaiis vaccine exemptions remain after massive pushback from the public House Bill 1118, introduced in January, aimed to remove religious and philosophical exemptions for school-mandated vaccines in Hawaii, aligning with Gov. Josh Green's agenda to address the increasing number of non-medical exemptions. The bill narrowly passed the House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs (5-3) with two reservations, setting the stage for its potential move to the Senate. Significant public opposition emerged, with over 2,000 written statements against the bill, and the Aloha Freedom Coalition organizing a day-long rally to voice concerns. State Rep. Chris Toshiro Todd moved to "recommit" the bill back to Job Hazard Analysis, effectively tabling it and preventing its move to the Senate floor. Its defeat highlighted the power of grassroots activism and public engagement, with personalities like State Rep. Diamond Garcia and Kim Haines praising the collective effort and conviction of the Hawaiian people in standing against government overreach. The religious exemption of Hawaii remains intact for now after state lawmakers who voted to repeal the exemption faced pressure from concerned constituents. House Bill 1118, which was introduced in January, was part of the legislative agenda of Hawaii Governor Josh Green that seeks to address the growing number of non-medical exemptions in the state over the last decade. This bill will eliminate religious and philosophical exemptions for vaccinations required by the state Department of Health (DOH). The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs narrowly approved HB 1118, a measure that would ban non-medical exemptions for school-mandated vaccines in Hawaii in February. The 5-3 vote, with two members voting with reservations, sets the stage for the bill to move to the Senate. (Related: Big Pharma Eli Lilly reneges on promise to grant COVID-19 vaccine exemptions to its own employees.) However, this bill faced significant opposition from the public and grassroots organizations. Constituents submitted more than 2,000 written statements to lawmakers opposing the bill, with just over 100 in support. The Aloha Freedom Coalition, together with 14 other local organizations, organized a day-long rally on Feb. 20. Gary Cordery, founder of the coalition, noted the impact of the rally on the legislative process. "It's a win for the people really," Cordery said. "It's really a win for the people and the expression of their will and actually just engagement in conversation." As a result, Hawaii State Rep. Chris Toshiro Todd (D-District 2) moved to "recommit" the bill back to the JHA, effectively tabling it during a legislative session on March 4. The motion was seconded by House Majority Leader Dee Morikawa and passed, with none voting no and State Rep. Elijah Pierick (R-District 39) recusing himself. This prevented the bill from moving to the Senate floor. Hawaiians sent a clear message: Medical freedom is non-negotiable State Rep. Diamond Garcia (R-District 42), the House minority floor leader and a vocal opponent of the bill, attributed its defeat to the clear message sent by the people of Hawaii. "HB 1118 was an assault on our First Amendment rights and an attempt to coerce families into medical tyranny. But when the people rise, politicians listen. The overwhelming public opposition forced House leadership to retreat because they knew they didnt have the votes. "This is a victory for the people of Hawaii, who stood up against government overreach and made their voices impossible to ignore. The fight isnt over, but yesterday proved that when we apply the heat, they feel it," he said. The bill's defeat is a testament to the power of grassroots activism and public engagement. Kim Haines, former head of Children's Health Defense's Hawaii Chapter, highlighted the collective effort of Hawaiians who came out in force to oppose the legislation. "I am so honored and proud to be a part of the Hawaiian people who took a stand respectively, collectively and with great strength and conviction," she said. "It truly is a win for grassroots activism in Hawaii. Our collective voice truly can make a difference." Follow Vaccines.news for more similar stories. Watch the video below about a Minnesota nurse revealing an internal memo telling clinicians not to offer medical exemptions for COVID-19 vaccine. This video is from the OP News channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Vaccine exemptions: Do they really put others at risk? "Cancer Decoded" on BrightU: The link between long COVID, vaccine injuries and parasitic infections. Hidden flaws in vaccine safety studies: Unpacking the truth about thimerosal, vaccines and autism. CDC and Merck caught cherry-picking data to hide Gardasil vaccine risks, court documents reveal. POLIO was 98% eradicated BEFORE THE VACCINE was ever invented and put into circulation, beginning the BIGGEST MEDICAL FARCE in history. Sources include: TheDefender.org HawaiiPublicRadio.org Brighteon.com Missouri wins $24 billion judgment against China for COVID-19 PPE hoarding A federal judge ordered China to pay $24 billion to Missouri for hoarding PPE and downplaying COVID-19's severity during the pandemic. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey plans to seize Chinese-owned assets, including farmland, to enforce the judgment. The lawsuit accused China of monopolizing PPE supplies, causing Missouri to overspend $122 million and lose $8 billion in tax revenue. China dismissed the ruling as politically motivated and vowed reciprocal countermeasures, while Missouri remains committed to collecting the damages. The case, revived in 2023 after initial dismissal, sets a precedent for holding foreign governments accountable for actions impacting U.S. states. In a landmark ruling, a federal judge has ordered China to pay $24 billion in damages to the state of Missouri for hoarding personal protective equipment (PPE) and downplaying the severity of COVID-19 during the early days of the pandemic. The decision, handed down by Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Friday, marks a significant victory for Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who vowed to seize Chinese-owned assets, including farmland, to collect the unprecedented judgment. The case, initially filed in April 2020, accuses China of exacerbating the pandemic by monopolizing global PPE supplies and misleading the world about the viruss spread, actions that Missouri claims cost the state billions in lost tax revenue and inflated PPE costs. Missouris lawsuit targeted the Chinese Communist Party, the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and several other Chinese entities, alleging that their actions during the pandemic violated state and federal anti-monopoly laws. The state argued that Chinas hoarding of PPE caused severe shortages and price hikes, forcing Missouri to spend $122 million more on protective equipment than it otherwise would have. Additionally, the state claimed it lost over $8 billion in tax revenue due to the economic fallout from the pandemic. Judge Limbaugh ruled that Missouri provided substantial evidence to prove Chinas liability, stating that the countrys actions were performed in conjunction with its repeated misrepresentations on the existence, and then scope and human-to-human transmissibility of, the COVID-19 virus. The judge emphasized that Chinas monopolistic practices directly harmed Missouri, leading to heightened PPE expenditures and significant economic losses. Chinas response and Missouris next steps China has dismissed the lawsuit as politically motivated and refused to participate in the legal proceedings. In a statement, Chinese embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu called the case a farce and warned that Beijing would take reciprocal countermeasures if the ruling harmed its interests. Despite Chinas defiance, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey remains undeterred. China refused to show up to court, but that doesnt mean they get away with causing untold suffering and economic devastation, Bailey said. We intend to collect every penny by seizing Chinese-owned assets, including Missouri farmland. Bailey also hinted at collaborating with the federal government to identify and seize Chinese-owned properties within the state. The ruling is the latest chapter in a years-long legal battle that began under former Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt. Initially dismissed under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which limits U.S. courts jurisdiction over foreign governments, the case was revived by an appeals court in January 2023. The court allowed the lawsuit to proceed on the narrower claim of supply hoarding, setting the stage for Fridays historic judgment. Bailey hailed the decision as a landmark victory for Missouri and the United States in the fight to hold China accountable for unleashing COVID-19 on the world. He emphasized that the $24 billion judgmentsix times larger than any previous judgment in Missouris historysends a clear message to foreign governments that the U.S. will not tolerate actions that endanger American lives. As Missouri prepares to enforce the judgment by targeting Chinese-owned assets, the case raises broader questions about accountability and the global response to future pandemics. While China has dismissed the ruling as baseless, the decision underscores the enduring impact of the COVID-19 crisis and the lengths to which states are willing to go to seek justice. For Missouri, the fight is far from over, but Fridays ruling represents a significant step toward holding China accountable for its role in one of the most devastating global health crises in modern history. Sources for this article include: RT.com FoxNews.com NYPost.com Poland aims to double military size, mandate training for all men amid rising tensions with Russia Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced plans to expand Poland's military to 500,000 troops, including reservists. The expansion includes mandatory military training for all adult men amid growing fears of Russian aggression. Tusk warned that Russia could launch a full-scale operation against a larger target than Ukraine within 3-4 years. Poland is already NATO's top defense spender at 4.7% of GDP and aims to increase it to 5%. The government is exploring military modernization, including potentially acquiring nuclear weapons for national security. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced plans Friday to more than double the size of the countrys military to 500,000 troops, including reservists, and implement mandatory military training for all adult men. The announcement, made during a speech to the Polish Parliament, comes amid growing fears of Russian aggression following its invasion of Ukraine and concerns over NATOs eastern flank. Tusk warned that Poland must prepare for potential conflict, calling his nation a bastion of defense for Europe. The proposed measures, which could include training for women as well, aim to create a robust reserve force capable of responding to what Tusk described as an increasingly volatile security environment. Were talking about the need to have an army of half-a-million in Poland, including the reservists, Tusk said, comparing Polands current 200,000-strong military to Russias estimated 1.3 million troops. A nation on edge Polands heightened sense of vulnerability stems from its proximity to the war in Ukraine and historical tensions with Russia. Tusk warned that Moscow could launch a full-scale operation against a larger target than Ukraine within three to four years, a claim Russia has dismissed as baseless. 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. The prime ministers announcement aligns with broader European efforts to ramp up defense spending. Just a day earlier, EU leaders approved a 800 billion ($840 billion) initiative, dubbed ReArm Europe, to strengthen the blocs military capabilities. The Kremlin criticized the plan as a path toward confrontation, with Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissing Tusks warnings as nonsense designed to justify increased military budgets. Compulsory training and its challenges Tusks proposal to mandate military training for all adult men has sparked debate. While the plan aims to create a well-prepared reserve force, critics argue that compulsory service could face logistical and societal hurdles. Jaroslaw Kaczy?ski, head of Polands largest opposition party, Law and Justice, emphasized the need for a cultural shift, stating, 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. The government is also exploring ways to modernize its military arsenal, including the acquisition of nuclear weapons and advanced conventional arms. Tusk acknowledged the challenges of obtaining nuclear capabilities but stressed their importance for national security. Today, it is clear that we would be safer if we had our own nuclear arsenal, he said, pointing to Ukraines vulnerability after relinquishing its nuclear stockpile in the 1990s. Defense spending and geopolitical realities Poland is already NATOs top defense spender relative to its GDP, allocating 4.7% of its economic output to military expenditures this year. Tusk called for increasing that figure to 5%, while President Andrzej Duda proposed a constitutional amendment to mandate defense spending at 4% of GDP annually. The country has also signed major arms deals, including $20 billion in contracts with the U.S. for tanks, fighter jets, and missile systems, as well as agreements with South Korea for tanks and combat aircraft. Despite these investments, anxiety persists among Poles, particularly after U.S. President Donald Trump signaled a potential shift in American support for Ukraine and NATO. As Poland prepares to expand its military and implement sweeping training programs, the nation finds itself at a crossroads. Tusks ambitious plans reflect a deep-seated fear of Russian aggression and a determination to safeguard Polands sovereignty. However, the road ahead is full of challenges, from logistical hurdles to societal resistance. Sources for this article include: RT.com BBC.com Military.com Maine court shields school staff from liability after they FORCED COVID-19 jab into minor WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT In a shocking blow to parental rights and informed consent, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that school medical staff cannot be held accountable for administering a COVID-19 vaccine to a child without parental permission. The decision, rooted in the controversial PREP Act, has sparked outrage among advocates for medical freedom and parental rights. The Maine Supreme Judicial Court upheld a lower court ruling, shielding school staff from liability under the PREP Act. A minor, J.H., was vaccinated at Miller School in Waldoboro, Maine, in November 2021 without parental consent. The court dismissed claims of battery, negligence, and emotional distress, citing immunity for "covered persons" under the PREP Act. Legal experts and advocates warn that the ruling sets a dangerous precedent, eroding fundamental rights to informed consent and parental decision-making. The erosion of parental rights in the public school system In November 2021, J.H., a minor attending Miller School in Waldoboro, Maine, was administered a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine during a school clinic. His parents, Siara Harrington and Jeremiah Hogan, had explicitly chosen not to vaccinate their child and had not provided written or verbal consent. Despite this, the schools medical staff proceeded with the injection, claiming protection under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act). The PREP Act, enacted in 2005, was designed to provide liability protection to individuals and entities involved in the administration of medical countermeasures during public health emergencies. However, critics argue that the law has been weaponized to bypass informed consent and parental rights, particularly in the context of COVID-19 vaccines. J.H.s parents filed a lawsuit in May 2023, alleging battery, negligence, false imprisonment, infliction of emotional distress, and tortious interference with parental rights. The case was dismissed in April 2024 by the Maine Superior Court, which ruled that the PREP Act granted immunity to the defendants. The family appealed, but the Maine Supreme Judicial Court upheld the dismissal in March 2024, effectively greenlighting the violation of parental consent. The Prep Act: a shield for medical tyranny The PREP Acts broad immunity provisions have come under fire for enabling what many describe as medical tyranny. Under the act, covered persons including medical practitioners and institutions are shielded from liability for administering covered countermeasures, such as COVID-19 vaccines, during a declared public health emergency. This immunity extends even to cases of battery and negligence, as long as the actions do not constitute willful misconduct. F.R. Jenkins, an attorney representing J.H.s family, condemned the courts decision, stating, There is no meaningful right to accept or refuse if one cannot bring an action for civil money damages to enforce the right. He emphasized that the PREP Act was never intended to override the fundamental doctrine of informed consent, which is deeply rooted in common law and constitutional tradition. Ray Flores, senior outside counsel to Childrens Health Defense (CHD), echoed these concerns, calling the ruling unconscionable. He noted that the Maine court relied on a similar case in Vermont, where a 6-year-old boy was vaccinated against his and his parents wishes. The Vermont Supreme Court also ruled in favor of PREP Act immunity, setting a troubling precedent for future cases. A dangerous trend in judicial overreach The Maine and Vermont rulings are part of a broader trend in which courts have prioritized public health mandates over individual rights. John Klar, an attorney involved in the Vermont case, warned that these decisions perverted federal constitutional law by subordinating parental rights to the governments compelling interest in addressing public health emergencies. Wayne Rohde, author of The Vaccine Court, criticized the judiciary for failing to uphold true informed consent. Our state and federal court system has no interest in supporting true informed consent, he said. These rulings show that the system is rigged against parents and individuals who dare to challenge the status quo. The implications of these rulings are far-reaching. If medical practitioners can administer experimental drugs and vaccines without consent, what stops them from forcing other medical interventions on unwilling individuals? The erosion of informed consent threatens not only parental rights but also the very foundation of medical ethics. Calls to dismantle the Prep Act In December 2024, the Biden administration extended the PREP Acts liability shield through 2029, marking the 12th extension since 2020. This move has further galvanized calls to dismantle the act and restore accountability in the medical system. Rohde urged the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to sundown the PREP Act immediately and provide guidance to courts on the importance of informed consent and parental rights. With Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a staunch advocate for medical freedom, now serving as HHS secretary, there is hope that the agency may take action to address these concerns. Jenkins called on HHS to clarify that the PREP Act does not bar civil actions for failing to obtain consent. It is time to take aggressive action to protect children and the entire American public, from further PREP Act abuse, he said. A fight for the soul of medical ethics The Maine ruling is a stark reminder of the ongoing battle for medical freedom and parental rights. It underscores the urgent need to challenge the PREP Acts immunity provisions and hold accountable those who violate the sacred trust between patients, parents, and medical practitioners. As the legal battles continue, the question remains: Will the courts uphold the fundamental rights of individuals and families, or will they continue to serve as enablers of medical tyranny? The answer will determine not only the future of informed consent but also the soul of our medical system. In the words of Ron Jenkins, Consent is meaningless if there is no meaningful recourse for failing to obtain it. The fight for justice is far from over, and the stakes could not be higher. Sources include: ChildrensHealthDefense.org ChildrensHealthDefense.org Trialsitenews.com Trump admin surpasses 50,000 MIGRANT REMOVALS, targets long-evasive illegals The Trump administration has removed over 50,000 illegal immigrants since January 2025, focusing on both recent border crossers and long-standing fugitives with deportation orders, marking a significant shift from the previous administration's approach. Notable cases include Ivan Oramas and Santos Maradiaga-Villalta, both with decades-old deportation orders and violent criminal histories, highlighting the administration's commitment to removing dangerous individuals. Daily border crossings have dropped from 15,000 under former President Joe Biden to 200 under President Donald Trump a 15-year low due to increased resources and enforcement at the southern border. The administration is leveraging international agreements and military-assisted deportation flights to countries like Honduras and India, while also planning to detain up to 30,000 individuals at Guantanamo Bay. The administration prioritizes removing criminals and fugitives to uphold immigration laws, protect national security and ensure public safety, despite criticism from civil liberties groups. The second Trump administration has achieved a significant milestone in its ongoing efforts to enforce immigration laws, surpassing 50,000 illegal immigrant removals since President Donald Trump took office in January. This aggressive enforcement strategy has focused not only on recent border crossers but also on long-standing fugitives who have evaded deportation orders for decades. According to officials with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), this marks a dramatic shift from the previous administration's approach, which critics argue was far too lenient. Among those recently apprehended are Cuban Ivan Oramas, 61, and Honduran Santos Maradiaga-Villalta, 40, both of whom had deportation orders dating back more than 20 years. Oramas as ordered deported in October 2003 after convictions for sexual battery and aggravated assault, with the sexual battery charge involving severe injury. Despite his violent criminal history, Oramas managed to evade authorities for over two decades until Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Houston finally apprehended him. (Related: $22 billion in taxpayer funds funneled to migrants for cars, homes, and loans.) Meanwhile, Maradiaga-Villalta was arrested in Phoenix after a deportation order issued in January 2006. His criminal record includes convictions for smuggling illegal aliens into the United States. The cases of the two highlight a troubling reality: For years, individuals with deportation orders and criminal histories have been able to remain in the country, often blending into communities while avoiding accountability. The administration's approach has been unapologetically tough, prioritizing the removal of dangerous individuals who pose a threat to public safety. Of the 50,000 illegal immigrants removed so far, approximately 20,000 are fugitives with standing deportation orders. This represents a 627 percent increase in monthly arrests compared to the final year of the Biden administration, which saw just 33,000 at-large arrests for the entire year. The administration's success is not limited to interior enforcement. Border encounters have plummeted from an alarming 15,000 per day under former President Joe Biden to just 200 per day under Trump a 15-year low. This dramatic reduction is attributed to the administrations swift action in surging resources, including military personnel, to the southern border. By deterring illegal crossings and enforcing immigration laws, the Trump administration has effectively restored order to a border that was once in chaos. Focus on deporting evasive fugitives ensures public safety The removal of long-evading fugitives like Oramas and Maradiaga-Villalta underscores the administrations commitment to upholding the rule of law. These individuals were not only in violation of immigration laws, but also had criminal records that made them a danger to American communities. Their arrests send a clear message: No one is above the law, and those who attempt to evade deportation will be held accountable. The administration's efforts have also extended beyond the border. Migrants have been airlifted to Cuba's Guantanamo Bay prison where the Trump administration plans to detain up to 30,000 individuals including terrorists as ICE facilities reach capacity. While this bold move has drawn criticism from civil liberties groups, the administration has remained steadfast in its mission to protect national security. Despite the impressive numbers, the Trump administration is not resting on its laurels. Officials have acknowledged that deportations lagged expectations in the early weeks of the administration, leading to the reassignment of former ICE Acting Director Caleb Vitello. His replacement will oversee field and enforcement operations, focusing on finding, arresting and deporting illegal aliens. The administration is also leveraging international agreements with countries like Guatemala, El Salvador, Panama and Costa Rica to facilitate the deportation of migrants from other nations. Military-assisted deportation flights have already transported individuals to countries such as Honduras, Ecuador, Peru and India. These efforts are expected to expand in the coming months, further bolstering the administrations deportation strategy. Critics of the administration's approach argue that it is overly harsh and fails to consider the complexities of immigration. However, supporters counter that enforcing immigration laws is essential to maintaining the integrity of the system and protecting American citizens. As the administration continues to ramp up its efforts, the numbers speak for themselves. With over 50,000 removals already achieved and a significant reduction in border encounters, the Trump administration is delivering on its promise to enforce immigration laws and protect the American people. Watch this Fox News report about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and border czar Tom Homan visiting the border. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Border crossings DROP BY 94% under Trump's tough immigration policies. Texas National Guard given immigration arrest authority in Trumps border security blitz. SECURE BORDERS: Trumps border czar reports historic low in illegal immigrant encounters. Sources include: TheNationalPulse.com TheDailyMail.co.uk Reuters.com Brighteon.com Astroturf activism: How the US government and NGOs created gay pride from thin air Growing up in America through the 1980s and 1990s there was a general sense of live and let live among Gen X and Gen Y that truly defined the era and our notions of what a society should look like. We all knew gay people were a permanent fixture in society. For the most part nobody bothered them and they kept their gayness to themselves (and far away from children). Frankly, it was working just fine. (Article republished from Alt-Market.us) There were some protests and marches, but the only individual right straight people had that they didnt was the right to legal marriage. Most people figured that once that changed there wouldnt be anything left to protest. What we didnt understand at the time was that the seemingly harmless rise of Gay Pride in the 90s and early 2000s would become a primer for the woke madness that spread like wildfire from 2014 onward. As we now know, a lot of that insanity was rooted in programs funded through the US government. Its important to keep in mind, however, that the government is a tool, not the hand holding the tool. Elitist interests through NGOs and think tanks like the Ford Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation were the real impetus for the creation of the woke movement. They spent decades building the revolving door dynamic that cycled taxpayer cash through agencies like USAID and into the pockets of NGOs. In other words, its a mistake to think of the federal government as the mastermind. Rather, the government and the politicians within it are paid (or blackmailed) by wealthy globalists to support legislation that funds and empowers globalist projects. The international spread of queer activism or pride activism has been a goal of the elites since the days of the Kinsey Institute, which was funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and became the source for the invasion of LGBT ideology into modern academia starting in 1947. The Rockefeller Foundation still brags to this day about funding the rise of the sexual revolution and the notion of non-binary sexuality. The transgender movement is largely tied to the intellectually dishonest and disturbed studies of John Money conducted in the 1950-1960s. His experiments were bankrolled through the Johns Hopkins School, which was founded and largely funded by the Rockefeller Foundation. Once these ideologies, posing as social science, infected the halls of higher academia, students were turned into adherents of the cult. They then spread like a plague into politics and federal bureaucracy. They would go on to grow the unaccountable bureaucratic system that now cycles taxpayer cash from federal agencies into the coffers of NGOs. The great scam was set in motion Using American money to fund the demise of western civilization. A large part of this agenda relies on the mafia-like enforcement of LGBT normalization in every facet of society, even in public schools where teachers now hang pride flags and expose children to gender fluid theories with no basis in scientific fact. On the international front, a little known agency called USAID was launched in 1961 for the purposes of providing material support to foreign populations in dire need (and to combat the threat of communism). However, from the 1990s onward the organization was increasingly involved in leftist propaganda with a specific interest in DEI. The apparatus that was built to stop communism was retooled to promote communism. Fast forward to the 2020s and what we have today is a hostile takeover, a government and NGO funded color revolution that desires to annihilate western values, Christian morals and the general American regard for freedom of speech and freedom of thought. The woke movement is not just Cultural Marxism (thats part of it), its a massively well-funded ideological machine. A new religion, of sorts, that seeks to wipe out the fundamental principles that hold our society together. For the western world the pendulum swings from left to right, but noticeably more and more to the left and less and less to the right over time. Some call this the Overton Window. In other words, conservative or traditionalist ideas and values that were acceptable 20 years ago are slowly and incrementally suffocated by artificial social and legal pressures until theyre no longer present in the next generation. The woke ideas and values the establishment WANTS the public to adopt are promoted widely, but this requires extensive monetary backing. Social engineering campaigns are expensive and take many years to achieve results. With the revelations surrounding USAID (and at least a dozen other institutions), it appears that the agency was a key driver behind the rapid spread of DEI into every corner of our nation, not to mention many other nations. Their LGBT operations are particularly interesting and I would assert that it was USAID that specifically injected woke cultism into the public school system. They were the organization that encouraged school officials and teachers to indoctrinate children with woke ethics and transgender politics, and they also actively encouraged teachers to hide these activities from parents. One document that outlines the basic agenda is USAIDs Integrating LGBTQI+ Considerations Into Education Programming. The PDF was drafted and provided to field employees and workers in their Inclusive Development Hub and Center for Education. It explains how to inject DEI and LGBT propaganda into various public education institutions, using teachers and school officials as advocates. Researching back through some of USAIDs activities from 2014 onward there was a clear spike in funding surrounding LGBT programs for teachers and administrators. Because of the recent shutdown and audits you have to use the Wayback Machine website to view a lot of this stuff, but its still there. The document states: The purpose of this document is to support USAIDs staff working in the education sector to integrate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI+1) considerations into programming and across the Program Cycle USAIDs mission statement uses the same justification as most DEI promoters: They claim that educational environments around the world are not safe for LGBT students and teachers. Their solution? To use overwhelming funding power to incentivize (bribe) governments and educational institutions to inject gay propaganda into the curriculum. That is to say, they sought to evangelize education organizations with the woke belief system in the name of saving lives. USAID head Samantha Power directly links the wokification of culture to the fight for democracy, creating a progressive crusade. Meaning, the elites frame LGBT indoctrination as an existential imperative to save the planet (skip to 24:40 in video). It reminds me a bit of the movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers; aliens slowly and strategically taking over the world by hijacking each person and absorbing them into the collective. You might think its paranoid exaggeration to claim that USAID wanted to turn everyone gay, but you would be wrong. Consider for a moment the prevailing argument in favor of gays in the 1990s: They were born that way and they cant change it, just like a person cant change their ethnicity. So leave them alone Whats the prevailing argument now? (The same argument presented within USAIDs own documentation.) Gender and sexuality are completely fluid and any person, including children ages 3-5, can change their preferences at any moment for any reason. Straight people only exist because they are forced to be that way through social constructs In other words, the gay movement now agrees with its old Christian adversaries Gayness is a personal lifestyle choice, not a permanent condition you are born with. When the movement for gay rights morphed into the Pride Movement, the goal was no longer equal rights but the erasure of biological and objective reality. As USAID notes: The development and realization of ones sexual orientation and gender identity is a process, rather than a singular event. This implies that self-identification of sexual orientation and gender identity may change over time and may not be congruent, and young people may need varying levels of support, space, and attention during this process USAID has maintained a laser focus on schools, education and children. They admit that they targeted 120 school principles in Kosovo for LBGT inclusion training. They sensitized educators in Honduras on LGBT inclusion. They developed university programs in Jamaica on LGBT discrimination, etc. In the UK, a group called Stonewall is warning it might have to shut down after losing funding funneled through USAID. Stonewall is notorious for targeting children with trans propaganda in schools and funding pride propaganda across the UK and in other countries. Not only did USAID (along with other agencies and NGOs) invade schools with LGBT cultism, polling indicates theyve been rather successful. Various public surveys show that Gen Z, the most targeted generation, identifies as LGBT at a rate of 7% to 28% depending on which poll you look at. A generational increase from 2% to 28% is scientifically impossible. It can only be accomplished through social engineering. Its not that these kids are actually gay. Its not that its now more acceptable to be open about it (polls were always anonymous anyway). Its not even that being gay is considered trendy for Gen Z. Rather, they have been brainwashed to believe that being straight is a form of social oppression. They have been taught through USAID and NGO funded programming to accept gender relativism as socially conscious and morally superior. They will never be gender fluid or feel attraction to the same sex, but they want to be on the right side of history. So, they identify as LGBT to feel like they are good people. Identifying gay is not about sexual preference, its a virtue signal. One can theorize about the deeper motives behind USAIDs efforts Theres the theory that the pride movement is designed to reduce population growth for the sake of reaching net zero carbon goals (gays usually dont have children and trans kids are often sterilized by hormone therapy). Then theres the theory that pride is a precursor to the normalization of child grooming and the legalization of pedophiles as a marginalized group (the globalist Epstein Island crowd would love that). Its a big reason why a lot of gay people oppose the trans agenda They dont want to be associated with the obvious groomer undertones of transgender activism. And lets not forget about the connection between LGBT indoctrination and progressive political organizations looking to create a permanent voting block. Leftist political parties use social pressure to trap marginalized groups in voter plantations. Youre not allowed to be gay and vote against the Democrats, for example. If you do, youre considered a traitor and a heretic. I think the evidence supports all of these to some degree. My personal theory is that Pride and the woke movement in general are the precursors to a new secularist religion of self worship and the worship of government. A globalist theology in which the greatest virtue is to deny objective reality and embrace relativism in everything from biological sex to moral compass. Was there EVER a real Pride Movement? Was it all just establishment financed astroturf from the very beginning? It sure looks that way. As DOGE cuts continue to run their course and many of these agencies and NGOs are eventually defunded, I predict we will see a rapid decline in younger people identifying as LGBT. I also predict that most of the pride parade activity seen every June will fade and that trans activism will mostly vanish outside of a handful of crazies. The Pride movement was never grassroots. It was a fabrication; an illusion conjured into existence through the sheer power of government cash and NGO manipulation. Read more at: Alt-Market.us Washington State House Democrats pass a bill that would allow state agencies to decertify elected sheriffs House Democrats in Washington State have advanced a bill (HB 1399) that would allow state agencies to decertify elected sheriffs and set new certification standards for law enforcement leaders. The bill would require sheriff candidates to undergo background checks before running for office and establish uniform eligibility and certification requirements, including law enforcement experience and training certification. Its proponents argue it is necessary to ensure consistency and trust in law enforcement across the state, while opponents, including Republicans and the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, question its constitutionality and potential impact on the existing system. The bill's provisions, if passed, could have far-reaching implications for law enforcement in Washington State and potentially set a precedent for other states. The bill's next steps include a floor debate scheduled by the Rules Committee, after which it would need approval by the full House and Senate, and ultimately the governor's signature to become law. House Democrats in Washington State have advanced a bill that would allow state agencies to decertify elected sheriffs. House Bill 1399, which passed out of the House Appropriations Committee on Feb. 26, seeks to align certification standards for law enforcement leaders statewide. The bill would establish uniform eligibility and certification requirements for all law enforcement positions, including those held by elected sheriffs. (Related: Trump administration tackles illegal immigration: Sheriff Richard Mack calls for constitutional enforcement.) Most of the proposed changes focus on the eligibility of sheriff candidates, even before they announce their candidacy. One key requirement would be for candidates to undergo background checks before running for office. Under HB 1399, sheriffs would be required to enforce all state laws, regardless of federal conflicts, effectively eliminating any mention of the U.S. Constitution in this context; be at least 25 years old; have at least two years of law enforcement experience; obtain certification from the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) within 12 months of assuming office; and pass background checks conducted by both the CJTC and the Washington State Patrol (WSP). This is noteworthy because, unlike sheriffs, state lawmakers are not subject to such investigations before being elected by the people. State Rep. Nicole Macri (D-District 43) from Seattle argued that the bill is necessary to ensure consistency and trust in law enforcement across the state. "Our law enforcement leaders, our chiefs, elected sheriffs or appointed sheriffs, are not required to be held to the same standards in terms of eligibility, training and certification as the officers who report to them," Macri said. "This bill requires that." However, it has raised eyebrows due to its provisions allowing state agencies to decertify elected sheriffs who fail to meet these new standards. This proposal would overhaul the eligibility and duties of sheriffs, police chiefs, marshals and volunteers. The next step for the bill is for the Rules Committee to schedule a floor debate. The outcome of this debate will determine whether the bill moves forward to the full House for a vote. If approved by the House and the Senate and signed into law, the bill could have far-reaching implications for law enforcement in Washington State, potentially setting a precedent for other states to follow. Republicans question constitutionality of HB 1399 The proposal passed through committee without bipartisan support, with Republicans questioning its constitutionality and potential impact on the existing system. Republican lawmakers expressed concern that the bill is an overreach, citing the existing recall and investigatory processes for elected officials. For instance, State Rep. Travis Couture (R-District 35) from Allyn argued that sheriffs, as elected officials chosen directly by the people, should not be subject to stricter scrutiny than the voters intended. Couture contended that politicians should not assume they are "smarter" than the voters who elected these officials. "No one took our background checks," Couture said, "The people elected us." The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, particularly its Policy Director James McMahon, also testified against HB 1399 in February. "We are troubled that our planned meeting with the prime sponsor of the bill was canceled two days after we submitted a counter-proposal," McMahon said in Feb. 19. "We believe that at least two provisions of this bill violate sections of the Washington State Constitution." McMahon claimed that the bill contravenes provisions related to free elections and recalls, while another law enforcement advocate urged the state to respect the will of the voters. Visit BigGovernment.news for more similar stories. Watch Sheriff Richard Mack explaining the role of sheriffs like him in mass deportation efforts in this interview with Hannah Faulkner. This video is from the hannahfaulkner channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Law enforcement notified Secret Service about shooter before assassination attempt, so why wasn't Trump immediately evacuated? Law enforcement spreading rumors about an impending Hamas attack on U.S., with risk of derailing 2024 election. Law enforcement exploits "voluntarily shared" DNA to solve crimes without "informed consent." Sources include: JustTheNews.com TheCenterSquare.com Brighteon.com IBM licensed its mainframe software to Winsopia beginning in 2013, according to the court documents. IBMs primary case is that the defendants breached, or procured breach of, the ICA [IBM customer agreement], using Winsopias access to the IBM mainframe software to develop the SDM by unlawful reverse engineering of the licensed software, the court wrote. LzLabs deliberately misappropriated IBM trade secrets by reverse engineering, reverse compiling and translating IBM software, IBM claimed. IBM also alleged that LzLabs has made false and misleading claims about the capabilities of LzLabs products. In the court filing, the judge wrote that Winsopia breached that ICA and that LzLabs and Moores unlawfully procured the above breaches of the ICA by Winsopia. The March 10 ruling followed a 2024 trial. Another hearing at an undetermined date will determine damages or further actions, the court stated. IBM previously noted LzLabs is owned and run by some of the same individuals who owned and ran Neon Enterprise Software, LLC of Austin, Texas. Neon previously attempted to free ride on IBMs mainframe business, and prior litigation between IBM and Neon ended with a U.S. District Court permanently barring Neon and certain of its key employees from, among other things, reverse engineering, reverse compiling and translating certain IBM software, and also from continuing to distribute certain Neon software products, IBM wrote. ServiceNow announced plans to purchase Moveworks, its front-end AI assistant and enterprise search technology for $2.85 billion in cash and stock. ServiceNow expects the deal to close in the second half of this year, and initial technology integrations between the two companies will provide customers with a universal AI assistant and agentic AI capabilities, according to ServiceNow. The acquisition will build on ServiceNows agentic AI ServiceNow Platform with Moveworks front-end AI agent and enterprise search capabilities by expanding ServiceNows reach to every requestor in an organization, ServiceNow said in a statement. With the acquisition of Moveworks, ServiceNow will take another giant leap forward in agentic AI-powered business transformation, said Amit Zavery, president, chief operating officer, and chief product officer at ServiceNow, in a statement. As agentic AI and enterprise-grade search forever change how we work, ServiceNow moved early to empower employees through AI. 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. A study led by Dr. Rodrigo Quian Quiroga, group leader of the Neural Mechanisms of Perception and Memory Research Group at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute, has allowed scientists to observe for the first time how neurons in the human brain store memories independent of context in which they are acquired. Published in Cell Reports, the study confirms that neurons can distinguish objects or people regardless of their context, enabling the formation of higher and more abstract relationships, which constitutes the basis of human intelligence. This is the first study to observe this neuronal behavior in humans. Until now, research conducted on animals had shown significant differences in the coding of concepts (such as a specific place, object, etc.) when the context changed. For example, neurons responded very differently if a rat found an object in one location versus another. As a result, it was believed that such memories were stored in different groups of neurons. The study led by Dr. Quian Quiroga has yielded "surprising responses" that contradict previous findings, as neuronal responses to a specific concept remain the same when the context changes, such as remembering having seen a person in different locations. The basic principle of neuronal coding in humans is the opposite of what has been observed in other species, which has significant implications." Dr. Rodrigo Quian Quiroga, Group Leader, Neural Mechanisms of Perception and Memory Research Group, Hospital del Mar Research Institute Single neuron data The study involved data from nine patients in Argentina and the United Kingdom with treatment for refractory epilepsy, who had electrodes implanted to monitor the activity of specific groups of neurons individually. This allowed researchers to obtain precise recordings of their responses, unlike previous human studies based on fMRI recording, which cannot differentiate individual neurons. Patients were presented with two stories featuring the same person in different contexts, supported by images. Thanks to the monitoring of individual neurons while performing this task, researchers could observe which groups of neurons were activated and how they responded in the two stories. Specifically, they confirmed that if a neuron responded to a person's image, the response remained the same in both stories. Furthermore, when patients recounted the story themselves, the same neurons were activated seconds before they referred to the protagonist, and also in the same way for both stories. "Memories are stored in a much more abstract manner in humans compared to other animals. You can think of concepts or anything else in more abstract terms, independent of the context in which you learned them," explains Dr. Quian Quiroga, suggesting that this could be one of the "foundations of human intelligence." "This ability allows us to make much more abstract and complex associations and inferences than if we were forced to think of each concept within a specific, concrete context," he asserts. In other words, humans can decontextualize their memories to create more abstract thought. A new 3D bio-printer that produces human-like tissue holds the potential to revolutionize the discovery of new drugs for cancer, heart disease and arthritis. Scientists from Newcastle University, with funding from Versus Arthritis, have developed a unique approach to bioprinting cell-filled gels that can closely mimic human tissues, earning it a patent in the US and Europe. While bioprinting has been around for several years, it has had multiple limitations that the team, led by Professor Kenny Dalgarno, has overcome. Such is the promise of the discovery, they have set up a spin out company, Jetbio, to attract investment to roll out the ReJI printer for use in labs across the world. The groundbreaking process, called Reactive Jet Impingement (ReJI) bioprinting technology, jets two different liquids at each other, one containing cells suspended in a cross-linking solution and the other a polymer solution. These mix in mid-air to form a cell filled hydrogel that can be printed on almost any surface. The printing method increases cell density to around ten times that of other bioprinting technology and at a significantly faster rate too. The resulting tissues are much closer models to human tissue samples. Lucy Donaldson, director of research at Versus Arthritis which funded the research through the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Therapies Centre Versus Arthritis, said: The JetBio team are in the vanguard of research driving forward new technologies that promise to improve both the quality and speed of drug development. These advances can potentially bring new drugs to the population sooner and that applies to treatments for arthritis, cancer and cardiovascular disease. This is a very exciting leap forward. A key stage of the drug development process is testing on in-vitro cell cultures which have traditionally involved growing cells on top of a flat surface, like a microscope slide. In vitro means a process or test performed outside the body in artificial conditions, such as a slide or in a test tube. However these 2D models arent comparable to the human body where cells interact with other cells in a 3D environment. Bringing Jetbios technology to labs to print cells in a 3D matrix, more closely mimicking human tissues, can make tests more accurate thereby revolutionizing what is currently a protracted process with high rates of failure, explained Professor Dalgarno. Drug discovery is a complicated and extremely costly process involving multiple rounds of testing before they reach clinical trials. In clinical investigations only one in ten of compounds tested proceeds to reach market. These rates of failure make it clear that we must improve our models so that they are more representative of drug response in humans. There is currently a lot of interest in developing better human in vitro models of diseases and tissues so we have better ways of testing drugs. Lucy Donaldson, director of research, Versus Arthritis The landscape of drug discovery is changing and interest in new technology is growing. With the potential for the British start up to tap into a rapidly expanding global market, the Jetbio team were invited to showcase the technology to ministers and senior figures in public health, including Chief Medical Officer for England Professor Sir Chris Whitty, at the Houses of Parliament earlier this month. There was a real buzz around our technology and the potential it holds said Professor Dalgarno of the event, who is confident its discovery could have a far-reaching impact that could be felt in real terms across the globe. He added: Drug development is very expensive. Therefore if you can do it more effectively and cheaper then it democratizes the process to a degree, as more people could then afford the drugs that did make it to market. The coffee machine-sized printers, also have a role in regenerative medicine. Treatments for arthritis, which affects 10 million in the UK and more than 500 million people worldwide, are currently limited. Despite this, the condition hampers peoples ability to live full and pain-free lives. For those with arthritis, the aim will be to develop the technology to enable more rapid and tailored cell culturing for use in already available Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (ACI). Surgeons can repair cartilage damage by implanting special cells into defects in the cartilage. This technology could improve the accuracy and success of implants. The printers have potential to be applied for a wide range of conditions. An example of the broader use is in the EC funded REBORN project where the team at Newcastle are developing an in vitro model of a heart chamber. This combines ReJI bioprinting with other bioprocessing techniques to create a tissue engineered sleeve which can be connected to small pumps to mimic the heart beating. The sleeve is unique in its structure, contains cardiomyocyte and fibroblast cells which would be present in heart tissue, and is being developed to allow testing new approaches to treating cardiac conditions. Funding from the NC3Rs has allowed the printers to be showcased to the scientific community in Bristol, Newcastle and Cambridge at three workshops held in February , and the printers are heading for use in the labs of those three universities. Green lights flickered on the wireless router in Barbara Williams' kitchen. Just one bar lit up a weak signal connecting her to the world beyond her home in the Alabama Black Belt. Next to the router sat medications, vitamin D pills, and Williams' blood glucose monitor kit. "I haven't used that thing in a month or so," said Williams, 72, waving toward the kit. Diagnosed with diabetes more than six years ago, she has developed nerve pain from neuropathy in both legs. Williams is one of nearly 3 million Americans who live in mostly rural counties that lack both health care and reliable high-speed internet, according to an analysis by KFF Health News, which showed that these people tend to live sicker and die younger than others in America. Compared with those in other regions, patients across the rural South, Appalachia, and remote West are most often unable to make a video call to their doctor or log into their patient portals. Both are essential ways to participate in the U.S. medical system. And Williams is among those who can do neither. This year, more than $42 billion allocated in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is expected to begin flowing to states as part of a national "Internet for All" initiative launched by the Biden administration. But the program faces uncertainty after Commerce Department Secretary Howard Lutnick last week announced a "rigorous review" asserting that the previous administrations approach was full of "woke mandates." High rates of chronic illness and historical inequities are hallmarks of many of the more than 200 U.S. counties with poor services that KFF Health News identified. Dozens of doctors, academics, and advocates interviewed for this article unanimously agreed that limited internet service hinders medical care and access. Without fast, reliable broadband, "all we're going to do is widen health care disparities within telemedicine," said Rashmi Mullur, an endocrinologist and chief of telehealth at VA Greater Los Angeles. Patients with diabetes who also use telemedicine are more likely to get care and control their blood sugar, Mullur found. Diabetes requires constant management. Left untreated, uncontrolled blood sugar can cause blindness, kidney failure, nerve damage, and eventually death. Williams, who sees a nurse practitioner at the county hospital in the next town, said she is not interested in using remote patient monitoring or video calls. "I know how my sugar affects me," Williams said. "I get a headache if it's too high." She gets weaker when it's down, she said, and always carries snacks like crackers or peppermints. Williams said she could even drink a soda pop orange, grape when her sugar is low but would not drink one when she felt it was high because she would get "kind of goozie-woozy." 'This is America Connectivity dead zones persist in American life despite at least $115 billion lawmakers have thrown toward fixing the inequities. Federal broadband efforts are fragmented and overlapping, with more than 133 funding programs administered by 15 agencies, according to a 2023 federal report. "This is America. It's not supposed to be this way," said Karthik Ganesh, chief executive of Tampa, Florida-based OnMed, a telehealth company that in September installed a walk-in booth at the Boligee Community Center about 10 minutes from Williams' home. Residents can call up free life-size video consultations with an OnMed health care provider and use equipment to check their weight and blood pressure. OnMed, which partnered with local universities and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, relies on SpaceX's Starlink to provide a high-speed connection in lieu of other options. A short drive from the community center, beyond Boligee's Main Street with its deserted buildings and an empty railroad depot and down a long gravel drive, is the 22-acre property where Williams lives. Last fall, Williams washed a dish in her kitchen, with its unforgiving linoleum-topped concrete floors. A few months earlier, she said, a man at the community center signed her up for "diabetic shoes" to help with her sore feet. They never arrived. As Williams spoke, steam rose from a pot of boiling potatoes on the stove. Another pan sizzled with hamburger steak. And on a back burner simmered a mix of Velveeta cheese, diced tomatoes, and peppers. She spent years on her feet as head cook at a diner in Cleveland, Ohio. The oldest of nine, Williams returned to her family home in Greene County more than 20 years ago to care for her mother and a sister, who both died from cancer in the back bedroom where she now sleeps. Williams looked out a window and recalled when the landscape was covered in cotton that she once helped pick. Now three houses stand in a carefully tended clearing surrounded by tall trees. One belongs to a brother and the other to a sister who drives with her daily to the community center for exercise, prayers, and friendship with other seniors. All the surviving siblings, Williams said, have diabetes. "I don't know how we became diabetic," she said. Neither of their parents had been diagnosed with the illness. In Greene County, an estimated quarter of adults have diabetes twice the national average. The county, which has about 7,600 residents, also has among the nation's highest rates for several chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, stroke, and obesity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows. The county's population is predominately Black. The federal CDC reports that Black Americans are more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes and are 40% more likely than their white counterparts to die from the condition. And in the South, rural Black residents are more likely to lack home internet access, according to the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a Washington-based think tank. To identify counties most lacking in reliable broadband and health care providers, KFF Health News used data from the Federal Communications Commission and George Washington University's Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity. Reporters also analyzed U.S. Census Bureau, CDC, and other data to understand the health status and demographics of those counties. The analysis confirms that internet and care gaps are "hitting areas of extreme poverty and high social vulnerability," said Clese Erikson, deputy director of the health workforce research center at the Mullan Institute. Digital haves vs. have-nots Just over half of homes in Greene County have access to reliable high-speed internet among the lowest rates in the nation. Greene County also has some of the country's poorest residents, with a median household income of about $31,500. Average life expectancy is less than 72 years, below the national average. By contrast, the KFF Health News analysis found that counties with the highest rates of internet access and health care providers correlated with higher life expectancy, less chronic disease, and key lifestyle factors such as higher incomes and education levels. One of those is Howard County, Maryland, between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., where nearly all homes can connect to fast, reliable internet. The median household income is about $147,000 and average life expectancy is more than 82 years a decade longer than in Greene County. A much smaller share of residents live with chronic conditions such as diabetes. One is 78-year-old Sam Wilderson, a retired electrical engineer who has managed his Type 2 diabetes for more than a decade. He has fiber-optic internet at his home, which is a few miles from a cafe he dines at every week after Bible study. On a recent day, the cafe had a guest Wi-Fi download speed of 104 megabits per second and a 148 Mbps upload speed. The speeds are fast enough for remote workers to reliably take video calls. Americans are demanding more speed than ever before. Most households have multiple devices televisions, computers, gaming systems, doorbells in addition to phones that can take up bandwidth. The more devices connected, the higher minimum speeds are needed to keep everything running smoothly. To meet increasing needs, federal regulators updated the definition of broadband last year, establishing standard speeds of 100/20 Mbps. Those speeds are typically enough for several users to stream, browse, download, and play games at the same time. Christopher Ali, professor of telecommunications at Penn State, recommends minimum standard speeds of 100/100 Mbps. While download speeds enable consumption, such as streaming or shopping, fast upload speeds are necessary to participate in video calls, say, for work or telehealth. At the cafe in Howard County, on a chilly morning last fall, Wilderson ordered a glass of white wine and his usual: three-seeded bread with spinach, goat cheese, smoked salmon, and over-easy eggs. After eating, Wilderson held up his wrist: "This watch allows me to track my diabetes without pricking my finger." Wilderson said he works with his doctors, feels young, and expects to live well into his 90s, just as his father and grandfather did. Telehealth is crucial for people in areas with few or no medical providers, said Ry Marcattilio, an associate director of research at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. The national research and advocacy group works with communities on broadband access and reviewed KFF Health News' findings. High-speed internet makes it easier to use video visits for medical checkups, which most patients with diabetes need every three months. Being connected "can make a huge difference in diabetes outcomes," said Nestoras Mathioudakis, an endocrinologist and co-medical director of Johns Hopkins Medicine Diabetes & Education Program, who treats patients in Howard County. Paying more for less At Williams' home in Alabama, pictures of her siblings and their kids cover the walls of the hallway and living room. A large, wood-framed image of Jesus at the Last Supper with his disciples hangs over her kitchen table. Williams sat down as her pots simmered and sizzled. She wasn't feeling quite right. "I had a glass of orange juice and a bag of potato chips, and I knew that wasn't enough for breakfast, but I was cooking," Williams said. Every night Williams takes a pill to control her diabetes. In the morning, if she feels as if her sugar is dropping, she knows she needs to eat. So, that morning, she left the room to grab a peppermint, walking by the flickering wireless router. The router's download and upload speeds were 0.03/0.05 Mbps, nearly unusable by modern standards. Williams' connection on her house phone can sound scratchy, and when she connects her cellphone to the router, it does not always work. Most days it's just good enough for her to read a daily devotional website and check Facebook, though the stories don't always load. Rural residents like Williams paid nearly $13 more a month on average in late 2020 for slow internet connections than those in urban areas, according to Brian Whitacre, an agricultural economics professor at Oklahoma State University. "You're more likely to have competition in an urban area," Whitacre said. In rural Alabama, cellphone and internet options are limited. Williams pays $51.28 a month to her wireless provider, Ring Planet, which did not respond to calls and emails. In Howard County, Maryland, national fiber-optic broadband provider Verizon Communications faces competition from Comcast, a hybrid fiber-optic and cable provider. Verizon advertises a home internet plan promising speeds of 300/300 Mbps starting at $35 a month for its existing mobile customers. The company also offers a discounted price as low as $20 a month for customers who participate in certain federal assistance programs. "Internet service providers look at the economics of going into some of these communities and there just isn't enough purchasing power in their minds to warrant the investment," said Ross DeVol, chief executive of Heartland Forward, a nonpartisan think tank based in Bentonville, Arkansas, that specializes in state and local economic development. Conexon, a fiber-optic cable construction company, estimates it costs $25,000 per mile to build above-ground fiber lines on poles and $60,000 to $70,000 per mile to build underground. Former President Joe Biden's 2021 infrastructure law earmarked $65 billion with a goal of connecting all Americans to high-speed internet. Money was designated to establish digital equity programs and to help low-income customers pay their internet bills. The law also set aside tens of billions through the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program, known as BEAD, to connect homes and businesses. That effort prioritizes fiber-optic connections, but federal regulators recently outlined guidance for alternative technologies, including low Earth orbit satellites like SpaceX's Starlink service. Funding the use of satellites in federal broadband programs has been controversial inside federal agencies. It has also been a sore point for Elon Musk, who is chief executive of SpaceX, which runs Starlink, and is a lead adviser to President Donald Trump. After preliminary approval, a federal commission ruled that Starlink's satellite system was "not reasonably capable" of offering reliable high speeds. Musk tweeted last year that the commission had "illegally revoked" money awarded under the agency's Trump-era Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. In February, Trump nominated Arielle Roth to lead the federal agency overseeing the infrastructure act's BEAD program. Roth is telecommunications policy director for the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Last year, she criticized the program's emphasis on fiber and said it was beleaguered by a "woke social agenda" with too many regulations. Commerce Secretary Lutnick last week said he will get rid of "burdensome regulations" and revamp the program to "take a tech-neutral approach." Republicans echoed his positions during a U.S. House subcommittee hearing the same day. When asked about potentially weakening the program's required low-cost internet option, former National Telecommunications and Information Administration official Sarah Morris said such a change would build internet connections that people can't afford. Essentially, she said, they would be "building bridges to nowhere, building networks to no one." 'That hurt' Over a lunch of tortilla chips with the savory sauce that had been simmering on the stove, Williams said she hadn't been getting regular checkups before her diabetes diagnosis. "To tell you the truth, if I can get up and move and nothing is bothering me, I don't go to the doctor," Williams said. "I'm just being honest." Years ago, Williams recalled, "my head was hurting me so bad I had to just lay down. I couldn't stand up, walk, or nothing. I'd get so dizzy." Williams thought it was her blood pressure, but the doctor checked for diabetes. "How did they know? I don't know," Williams said. As lunch ended, she pulled out her glucose monitor. Williams connected the needle and wiped her finger with an alcohol pad. Then she pricked her finger. "Oh," Williams said, sucking air through her teeth. "That hurt." She placed the sample in the machine, and it quickly displayed a reading of 145 a number, Williams said, that meant she needed to stop eating. 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. 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. 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. "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." 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. 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. 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. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on March 5 urged the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop recommending the covid-19 vaccine for children and called for a state ban on mRNA vaccine mandates. 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. 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 CDC 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. More than 13 billion covid vaccines had been administered worldwide as of August 2024. 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 1 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. 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." "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. 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." 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 2024 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. 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." We'd like to speak with current and former personnel from the Department of Health and Human Services or its component agencies who believe the public should understand the impact of what's happening within the federal health bureaucracy. Please message KFF Health News on Signal at (415) 519-8778 or get in touch here. Researchers at McMaster University have started a phase-2 clinical trial on a next-generation, inhaled COVID-19 vaccine. The AeroVax study, supported by $8M in funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), will test needle-free vaccines developed to provide protection from SARS-CoV-2. Led by Fiona Smaill and Zhou Xing, members of the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research (IIDR) at McMaster, the multi-centre trial will evaluate the new vaccine in a broad study group, while also confirming safety. Findings from pre-clinical studies and the soon-to-be-published data from the phase-1 trial indicate that McMaster's inhaled vaccine is more effective at inducing immune responses than traditional injected vaccines are, because it directly targets the lungs and upper airways where the virus first enters the body. While the current, needle-based COVID-19 vaccines have prevented a tremendous amount of death and hospitalization, they haven't really changed a lot of people's experience with getting recurrent infections. So, we're looking to change that by providing robust protection directly at the site of infection." Fiona Smaill, Professor, Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine, McMaster University The new vaccine is entirely Canadian, from design and biomanufacturing at McMaster's Robert E. Fitzhenry Vector Laboratory to pre-clinical and clinical testing conducted by a team of Canadian experts, with Canadian participants, at Canadian research sites. For the new trial, researchers hope to include 350 participants from across Canada at clinical trial sites in Hamilton, Ottawa, and Halifax. Those eligible for participation must: Have at least three doses of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine Have never received the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine Have not had a COVID-19 infection or COVID-19 vaccination within three months prior to enrollment Have no diagnosis of lung disease Be available to attend trial visits in-person Be age 18-65 Smaill says that the study is a randomized placebo-controlled trial, noting that two-thirds of the study's participants will receive the vaccine, while the other third will receive a placebo. Participants won't know which group they belong to, but the researchers argue that both groups are equally integral to the study. "Clinical trials, like this one, are the only way to firmly establish the efficacy and safety of novel health products," Smaill says. "Randomization allows for objective comparison between those who received the vaccine and those who didn't, which can tell us a lot about the level of protection the vaccine could provide and its side effects." "Every medicine or vaccine that we use and trust today has at one point gone through similar clinical trials processes," adds Matthew Miller, director of both the IIDR and Global Nexus at McMaster, and part of the trial study team. "This is a highly regulated process with extensive oversight that ensures the safety of participants and will generate critical data to inform the next steps in development." Following the study, researchers will move the vaccine into phase-3 clinical trials which will test efficacy in a larger population group and ultimately position the vaccine for market approval. More information, including how to enrol in the study, is available at aerovax.ca. SeqWell, a biotech company located in Massachusetts, specializes in creating scalable genomics kits and transposon-mediated reagents to improve next generation sequencing (NGS) operations. The company has recently integrated the WELLJET reagent dispenser from INTEGRA Biosciences into an automated liquid handling platform to boost productivity in preparing its ExpressPlex library preparation kit. The introduction of NGS has altered the landscape of genetic research, allowing scientists to evaluate large amounts of genomic material swiftly and at an affordable rate. As laboratories seek to process increasingly large quantities of samples, library preparation represents a bottleneck in the sequencing pipeline. SeqWell was founded in 2014 with the goal of tackling this issue and revolutionizing NGS library preparation. The company provides quick plasmid sequencing services as well as library preparation kits to assist clients with in-house genome sequencing. SeqWell's products stand out for their true multiplexing solutions, which allow researchers to quickly construct NGS libraries from hundreds or even thousands of samples. John Palys, Senior Automation Engineer at seqWell, stated: We have fine-tuned our transposon-mediated reagents to accomplish DNA fragmentation, adapter ligation and amplification in just one step. In addition, many of the kits that we produce includes built-in normalization to ensure a simple and straightforward NGS workflow." "Our ExpressPlex library preparation kits are a game-changer for fast and efficient library preparation, boasting a single step for fragmentation and amplification with a total workflow that only takes 90 minutes. This means that researchers can spend less time on hands-on tasks, and more time analyzing data and interpreting results. SeqWell's production scientists are continuously looking for automation methods to accelerate the production of its kits and reagents. To realize this goal, the company paired an INTEGRA WELLJET reagent dispenser with a Tecan Fluent Automation Workstation. This integrated solution automatically fills and seals ExpressPlex reagent plates, enabling a high throughput, walk-away production procedure. WELLJET dispenser integrated into automated workflow by seqWell Play Video Credit: INTEGRA Biosciences John added: Integrating the WELLJET into the Tecan liquid handler was straightforward, thanks to the simple interface, easy programming and effortless operation of both instruments, as well as the extensive customer support from INTEGRA." "Combining the two systems has resulted in a very streamlined process for the production of our library preparation kits, enabling us to fill up to 50 plates in a single batch. We can even use the WELLJET to fill plates in isolation if the Tecan instrument is already in use, so it is very flexible and convenient. The seqWell team anticipates a rise in consumer demand, along with an increase in the number of sequencing requests each day, as NGS techniques become more widespread. Our goal is to make genetic sequencing more accessible and efficient, empowering scientists to unlock transformative discoveries in the life sciences and medical fields. State-of-the-art automation such as that offered by INTEGRA and Tecan is helping labs around the world to achieve this, John concluded. About INTEGRA Biosciences INTEGRA provides innovative solutions for liquid handling and media preparation applications that serve the needs of its customers in research, diagnostics and quality control laboratories. Its instruments and plastic consumables are developed and manufactured in Zizers, Switzerland, and Hudson, NH, USA. In order to remain close to its customers, the company maintains a direct sales and support organization in several North American, European and Asian countries, as well as a network of over 100 highly trained distribution partners worldwide. In recent years, the company has focused on developing a new and technologically advanced range of lab devices that are simple to use and meet the ergonomic needs of its customers. Today, INTEGRA is proud to offer the widest range of electronic pipettes in the market, spanning from single channel pipettes to 384 channel bench-top instruments. Sponsored Content Policy: News-Medical.net publishes articles and related content that may be derived from sources where we have existing commercial relationships, provided such content adds value to the core editorial ethos of News-Medical.Net which is to educate and inform site visitors interested in medical research, science, medical devices and treatments. Indias Longest Tunnel On The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway Nears Completion Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 14:32 IST The 1,350 km expressway will connect Mumbai and New Delhi, significantly reducing travel time. The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is a massive 1,350 km, eight-lane access-controlled road that can be expanded to 12 lanes. (Representational Image) The longest tunnel on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, passing through the Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan, is almost finished. This tunnel, the first of its kind in India, has eight lanes, divided into two parallel tubes, each with four lanes. It stretches 4.9 km in total, with 3.3 km underground and the remaining 1.6 km built using the cut-and-cover method, as per TOI. Recommended Stories Final Phases of Construction According to a senior National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) official, only 60 metres of excavation remains for Tube-2 (Chechat to Kota), which will be completed within a month. After this, further excavation will be done to increase the tunnels width and height in certain sections. Full excavation completion target: June 2025 June 2025 Road construction and additional works to follow Tunnel completion deadline: December 2025 The entire excavation is set to finish by June 2025, after which road construction and other infrastructure work will begin. The tunnel will be equipped with: Modern lighting and sensors Pollution control systems AI-based monitoring Supervisory control and data acquisition top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Currently, some areas of the tunnel are narrower, but plans are in place to expand the width from 9 to 19 metres and the height from 8 to 11 metres by March 2025. Security measures, electrical systems, and communication facilities will also be installed. The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway spans 1,350 km, connecting Mumbai and New Delhi. In Rajasthan, 327 km of the 373 km stretch is already operational. However, the interchanges still need to be built before some sections can open for traffic. About the Author Samreen Pall Samreen Pall, Senior Sub-Editor at News18, is a Computer Science graduate but a writer at heart, Samreen has one motto that she swears by: 'Everything is dull and useless if it has no drama in it.' This motto c... Read More Samreen Pall, Senior Sub-Editor at News18, is a Computer Science graduate but a writer at heart, Samreen has one motto that she swears by: 'Everything is dull and useless if it has no drama in it.' This motto c... 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 10, 2025, 14:32 IST DDA Offers Flats At 25% Discount, Booking Starts At Just Rs 50,000; Here's Who Can Apply Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 15:59 IST The DDA cut flat prices by 25% and reduced booking amounts to aid economically weaker sections. Flats are in Narela, Loknayak Puram, and Sirsapur. Flats available in Narela, Loknayak Puram, and Sirsapur. (Representational Image: PTI) In an unprecedented move, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has slashed the prices of its flats by 25% and significantly reduced the booking amount, making homeownership more accessible than ever. The scheme, launched on a first-come, first-served basis, is particularly aimed at individuals from economically weaker sections, including cab drivers and daily wage earners. Under this initiative, flats are available in key locations such as Narela, Loknayak Puram, and Sirsapur. Bookings for these affordable homes are open until March 31, 2025, under two schemes Sabka Ghar Awas Yojana and Shramik Awas Yojana. The overwhelming response to the initiative is evident from the 7,231 flats booked on March 4 alone, generating an estimated Rs 2,800 crore, marking a record in DDAs history. Recommended Stories The Sabka Ghar Awas Yojana is tailored to benefit economically weaker sections (EWS), auto-rickshaw and cab drivers, street vendors, women, widows of martyrs, differently-abled individuals, and SC/ST applicants. To apply, cab and auto drivers must provide a valid permit and licence from the Transport Department, while street vendors must be registered under the PM Swanidhi Yojana. The available flats range from 1BHK to 3BHK, catering to different income groups: LIG (Low-Income Group) Flats: 1BHK units covering 64 square metres 1BHK units covering 64 square metres MIG (Middle-Income Group) Flats: 2BHK units spanning 112 to 186 square metres 2BHK units spanning 112 to 186 square metres HIG (High-Income Group) Flats: 3BHK units Affordable Pricing for All MIG & HIG Flats: Priced between Rs 75.61 lakh and Rs 1.29 crore Priced between Rs 75.61 lakh and Rs 1.29 crore LIG & EWS Flats: Available from Rs 10.4 lakh to Rs 24.7 lakh Booking Amount EWS Flats: Rs 50,000 Rs 50,000 LIG Flats: Rs 1 lakh Rs 1 lakh MIG Flats: Rs 4 lakh Rs 4 lakh HIG Flats: Rs 10 lakh Shramik Awas Yojana The Shramik Awas Yojana is dedicated to labourers registered under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme and the Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board. Flat Size: 33 to 66.4 square metres 33 to 66.4 square metres Price: Up to Rs 9 lakh Up to Rs 9 lakh Booking Amount: Rs 50,000 Under this scheme, bookings and payments are exclusively handled through the official DDA website. Prospective buyers also have the opportunity to visit and inspect flats before booking. To facilitate purchases, DDA has partnered with a fintech company to offer home loans. However, its important to note that the booking amount is non-refundable, while the registration fee is set at Rs 25,000. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all How to Apply Interested applicants can visit the DDA website to complete their registration and make their booking. This initiative marks a significant step by DDA in making affordable housing a reality for lower-income groups. First Published: March 10, 2025, 15:59 IST Maharashtra Budget 2025: From Infra Projects To 50 Lakh Jobs, Know Key Highlights Of Ajit Pawar's Speech Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Mohammad Haris Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 16:38 IST 'I am presenting the budget for the financial year 2025-26. Maharashtra will be number one in fulfilling the Prime Minister's dream of a developed India by 2047' , says Maharashtra Finance Minister Ajit Pawar while presenting state Budget 2025-26. Maharashtra Finance Minister Ajit Pawar presented his 11th and the newly-formed Mahayuti government's first state budget in the assembly on Monday. Maharashtra Budget 2025: Maharashtra Finance Minister Ajit Pawar, who is also the deputy chief minister of the state, on Monday presented his 11th and the newly-formed Mahayuti governments first state budget in the assembly. Presenting the state budget 2025-26, Pawar announced multiple infra projects and said Maharashtras new industrial policy will focus on Rs 40 lakh crore investment and generation of 50 lakh jobs. I am presenting the budget for the financial year 2025-26. Maharashtra will be number one in fulfilling the Prime Ministers dream of a developed India by 2047," Pawar said in the state Assembly. He said Maharashtra is number one in foreign direct investment. In Davos, Maharashtra signed MoUs with 56 companies worth Rs 15.72 lakh crore, which will employ 16 lakh people. Recommended Stories The Mumbai Metropolitan Region is being developed as a growth hub. It will have a US $1.5 trillion economy by 2047, said Pawar. Here are the key highlights of Maharashtras state budget for the financial year 2025-26: Navi Mumbai Airport To Be Operational From April, Metrol Link Pawar said domestic flights from Navi Mumbai International Airport will start from April 2025. He also said metro will link Mumbais Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport with Navi Mumbai International Airport. He also said night landing facility will start at the Shirdi airport soon. 1,500-km Road Network To Be Developed Announcing the Budget, Pawar a 1,500-km road network will be developed in the coming year, and the existing 7,000-km roads will be upgraded to cement roads in Maharashtra. New Health, Senior Citizens Policy Pawar on Monday announced that the state will have a new health and senior citizens policy. 50 Lakh Jobs In 5 Years During the budget speech 2025, Pawar said the state government aims to create 50 lakh new employment opportunities in the next five years. We will soon announce the Industrial Policy 2025. The policy aims to attract Rs 20 lakh crore in investments and create 50 lakh jobs. A separate regional policy will be developed for the circular economy, and new labour laws will be introduced," Pawar said. Metro Expansion in Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur Pawar said about 143.57 km of metro routes are currently operational in Mumbai, Nagpur, and Pune metropolitan areas, which benefits about 10 lakh commuters daily. In the coming year, 41.2 km of metro routes will be launched in Mumbai and 23.2 km in Pune, totalling 64.4 km. Over the next five years, a total of 237.5 km of metro routes will be made operational. Under Phase 2 of the Nagpur Metro, construction work for 43.80 km is progressing at a cost of 6,708 crore, Pawar said. Marathi Bhasha Sanman Din On October 3 Every Year Pawar also announced that Maharashtra will celebrate the Marathi Bhasha Sanman Din on October 3 every year. Ladki Bahin Scheme Gets Rs 36,000 Crore Pawar said the state government has allocated Rs 36,000 crore for the Ladki Bahin scheme. It is believed that the scheme helped the Mahayuti to form the government in the state. Pawar had said that the actual expenditure under the scheme since July 2024 has been Rs 33,232 crore. The BE for the scheme for FY 2024-25 was Rs 46,000 crore. This has now been reduced to Rs 36,000 crore. 1% Extra Tax On CNG Vehicles The Maharashtra government has increased tax on CNG vehicles by 1 per cent. Total Expenditure At Rs 7.20 Lakh Crore Ajit Pawar said a total expenditure of Rs 7.20 lakh crore has been allocated in the budget 2025-26. The estimated revenue receipts stand at Rs 5,60,964 crore, while the revenue expenditure is projected at Rs 6,06,855 crore. Thus, the estimated revenue deficit amounts to Rs 45,891 crore. Pawar said the estimated revenue receipts were Rs 4,99,463 crore. However, the revised revenue estimates have been increased to Rs 5,36,463 crore, he said. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Subsidy Increased Pawar said the budget proposes to increase subsidy for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural) Phase-2, 20 lakh houses approved, the state government will increase the subsidy for house construction by Rs 50,000. For Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), Rs 8,100 crore will be allocated. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharajs Memorial The state finance minister also informed that a memorial of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will be constructed in Sangameshwar. Fiscal Deficit Contained At 2.9%, Aims For 2.7% Next Year On the state budget, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, The Fiscal deficit of Maharashtra is contained at 2.9%. For the next year, its estimated to be at 2.7%. We can take loans of 25% of our total GSDP, but we are only at 18% at present." Our loan has increased but our loan eligibility limit has also increased. We are 7% higher than the national average for the GST collection in the current year. We are at the top in GST collection and FDI. Union govt has sanctioned 20 lakh houses; out of those, 18 lakh persons are approved, and funds are already distributed for 16 lakh houses. We are planning to implement programs to provide free electricity to households for upto 300 units per month through solar energy, he added. AI in Agriculture top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Pawar said the state plans to promote AI in agriculture. He announced a pilot project on 1 lakh acres involving 50,000 farmers. After the Budget, Fadnavis said, We will use AI to help farmers to get higher produce from their land." 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 10, 2025, 16:37 IST Gensol Engineering Shares Fall 4% After Promoters Sell 2.37% Stake; Stock Split, Fundraising Decision On March 13 Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 10:38 IST Gensol Engineering Shares Price: Gensol Engineering Shares Dropped 4% after promoters offloaded a 2.37% stake. The company is set to discuss a stock split and fundraising proposal in its March 13 board meeting. Gensol Engineering shares down 4%. Gensol Engineering Shares Price: Gensol Engineering Limited shares slipped -4% per cent in the morning intraday following the promoters stake sale of 2.37 per cent from the company. The scrip was trading at Rs 309.70 apiece around 10:00 AM, which is close to its 52-week low of Rs 303 apiece. The stocks of Gensol Engineering Limited came down nearly -40 per cent in the past five sessions, with multiple lower circuits. The fall in the stock price of Genson Engineering Limited continued to be triggered by the downgrade of ratings by CARE and ICRA. Recommended Stories Gensol Engineering Limited shares are now trading below 8 out of 8 EMAs (5-day, 10-day, 12-day, 20-day, 26-day, 50-day, 100-day and 200-day). Gensol Promoter Stake Sale In the filing on March 07, Gensol Engineering Limited announced that the promoters have sold approximately 2.37% of total equity shares of the company, amounting to 9,00,000 shares, to unlock liquidity that will be reinvested into the business through equity infusion. Further underscoring their commitment, the promoters will infuse the same amount received through this sale or more amount in the warrant subscription round executed on June 18, 2024, thereby providing additional growth capital to the company," it said in the filing. The promoters continue to hold a substantial 59.70 per cent stake in the company. CARE and ICRA Downgrade Rating ICRA had downgraded the companys Long-Term Debt rating to Default on March 4, and said that certain documents shared by Gensol Engineering on its debt servicing track record were apparently falsified, raising corporate governance and liquidity concerns. Issuing the clarification to dispel the warry of investors, Gensol Engineering said Gensol Engineering Limited (GEL) acknowledges the recent credit rating downgrades by CARE and ICRA. The rating downgrade happened due to short-term liquidity mismatch which is improving by way of customer payments." Further, we deny any involvement in falsification claims and would be setting up a committee to comprehensively review the matter. This underscores companys commitment to accountability, transparency and sustainable business practices," the companys statement said. Gensol Engineering Board Meeting On March 13 Gensol Engineering Limited will hold the board meeting on March 13 to consider and approve the proposal of raising of funds and to consider the stock split of the equity share. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all About Gensol Engineering Limited Established in 2012, Gensol Engineering Limited, is a leading player in the renewable energy sector specializing in solar power engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services, along with electric mobility solutions. Gensol boasts an experienced and diverse team of over 500 professionals across Solar (Gensol Solar EPC (India & Middle East) and Scorpius Trackers), EV leasing (LetsEV) and EV Manufacturing (Gensol EV). Gensol Solar EPC, amongst the top 10 EPC players in India, and the top 5 in terms of independent EPC players, has successfully executed over 770 MW of diverse solar projects, encompassing rooftop, ground mount, and floating solar installations across India. About the Author Varun Yadav Varun Yadav is a Sub Editor at News18 Business Digital. He writes articles on markets, personal finance, technology, and more. He completed his post-graduation diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Inst... Read More Varun Yadav is a Sub Editor at News18 Business Digital. He writes articles on markets, personal finance, technology, and more. He completed his post-graduation diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Inst... Read More Stay updated with all the latest news on the Stock Market, including market trends, Sensex and Nifty updates, top gainers and losers, and expert analysis. Get real-time insights, financial reports, and investment strategiesonly on News18. First Published: March 10, 2025, 10:38 IST Ola Electric Falls 5% On Report Of Raids, Vehicle Seizures; Stock Down 52% In Six Months Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 15:34 IST Ola Electric shares fell over 4% following reports of regulatory issues, including raids, vehicle seizures, and showroom shutdowns Ola Electric Scooter. (File photo) Ola Electric Showrooms Raided: Shares of Ola Electric, the electric two-wheeler manufacturer led by Bhavish Aggarwal, fell 5% on Monday, March 10, following reports of regulatory issues, including raids, vehicle seizures, and showroom shutdowns. A Bloomberg report revealed that the company is facing scrutiny from government authorities for violating Indias Motor Vehicles Act. The report stated that transport authorities across various Indian states conducted raids, closed showrooms, seized vehicles, and issued show-cause notices to the company in response to customer complaints. According to the investigation, more than 95% of the approximately 3,400 showrooms reviewed lacked the necessary trade certificates required by the Motor Vehicles Act to sell, display, or offer test rides of unregistered two-wheelers. Recommended Stories Indias Motor Vehicles Act mandates that every auto showroom, including that of two-wheelers, should have a trade certificate conspicuously displayed if it keeps unregistered vehicles. The report further indicated that at least six local transport officials are investigating Ola Electric for alleged violations. However, an Ola spokesperson dismissed the reports, calling them misplaced" and prejudiced." Ola Electric has informed transport authorities since at least late 2023 that its experience centers are intended for customer engagement" rather than direct sales, according to reports. The company has denied the allegations, with an Ola spokesperson stating that the findings of non-compliance are misplaced" and prejudiced." The spokesperson further clarified that Olas inventory of unregistered vehicles at its distribution centers and warehouses across India is fully compliant with the Motor Vehicles Act and has the necessary approvals. Additionally, the company has occasionally applied for and obtained trade certificates at specific locations in response to transport department notices or raids. Ola Electric is also grappling with other challenges, including widespread customer complaints about quality and service, a decline in market share to Bajaj Auto and TVS Motor Co, delays in its electric motorcycle launch, and plans for a layoff of over 1,000 employees this month. Ola Electrics shares fell to Rs 54.11, approaching its 52-week low of Rs 53.71, which was recorded on March 3 after reports of plans to lay off over 1,000 employees. The stock has experienced a significant 52% decline over the past six months, and it has dropped 36% in 2025 alone. Since its listing in August, Ola Electrics stock is now more than 60% below its peak. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Additionally, Ola Electric reported sales of 25,000 units in February, falling short of the 50,000-unit target set by Aggarwal to achieve EBITDA breakeven. Disclaimer: Disclaimer: The views and investment tips by experts in this News18.com report are their own and not those of the website or its management. Users are advised to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. About the Author Aparna Deb Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a... Read More Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a... Read More Stay updated with all the latest news on the Stock Market, including market trends, Sensex and Nifty updates, top gainers and losers, and expert analysis. Get real-time insights, financial reports, and investment strategiesonly on News18. First Published: March 10, 2025, 13:31 IST Sensex Falls 217 Points, Nifty Ends At 22,460; Broader Indices Down 2% Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 15:40 IST Sensex Today: Benchmark equity indices BSE Sensex and Nifty50 were flat at open on Monday Stock Market Today Sensex Today: On Monday, the BSE Sensex surged to a high of 74,741, up 407 points during intra-day trading. However, a late sell-off caused the index to drop to a low of 74,022, more than 700 points below the days peak. It eventually closed with a loss of 217 points, or 0.3%, at 74,115. Similarly, the NSE Nifty 50 reached a high of 22,677 and a low of 22,429, before ending the session at 22,460, down 92 points or 0.4%. Recommended Stories Global Cues South Korean shares climbed on Monday, tracking Wall Streets positive performance in the previous session, though gains were limited by a decline in steel manufacturers. The benchmark KOSPI was up 11.41 points, or 0.45%, at 2,574.89, as of 0108 GMT. Oil prices fell on Monday as concern about the impact of U.S. import tariffs on global economic growth and fuel demand, as well as rising output from OPEC+ producers, cooled investor appetite for riskier assets. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Brent crude fell 25 cents, or 0.4%, to $70.11 a barrel by 0037 GMT after settling up 90 cents on Friday. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at $66.76 a barrel, down 28 cents, or 0.4%, after closing 68 cents higher in the previous trading session. S&P 500 futures dropped by 0.7% as of 9:10 a.m. Tokyo time, indicating a negative outlook for U.S. markets. Similarly, Hang Seng futures declined by 0.4%, and Japans Topix also saw a modest decline of 0.1%. On the other hand, Australias S&P/ASX 200 managed to gain 0.2%, bucking the overall trend. In Europe, Euro Stoxx 50 futures experienced a notable drop of 1.2%, signaling a weaker start for European markets. These movements reflect a cautious sentiment across global stock markets as investors weigh economic conditions and geopolitical developments. About the Author Aparna Deb Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a... Read More Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a... Read More Stay updated with all the latest news on the Stock Market, including market trends, Sensex and Nifty updates, top gainers and losers, and expert analysis. Get real-time insights, financial reports, and investment strategiesonly on News18. First Published: March 10, 2025, 09:22 IST Tata Steel, JSW Steel Lead Gains As Jefferies Reaffirms Bullish View On Indian Metal Stocks Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 12:27 IST Shares of Tata Steel, JSW Steel and Hindalco Industries are in focus today after foreign brokerage Jefferies suggested 'Buy' ratings on two of these three stocks Tata Steel, JSW Steel, Hindalco Lead Gains As Jefferies Reaffirms Bullish View On Indian Metal Stocks Metal Stocks Rise: Tata Steel, JSW Steel, and Hindalco gained up to 2% on the BSE today after global brokerage firm Jefferies reaffirmed its positive outlook on the Indian metals sector, highlighting these stocks as top picks. Jefferies raised Tata Steels target price to Rs 180 from Rs 165, while revising JSW Steels target price to Rs 920 from Rs 850 but maintained a Hold rating. Despite considering steel stocks expensive, Jefferies believes their valuations could remain stable, citing a 20% below-average Asian steel spread with potential for expansion. Indian steel prices are up 4% from Decembers low, and safeguard duties should further support margins and valuations. Recommended Stories Jefferies kept Hindalcos target price at Rs 800, noting that aluminum prices are stable and the companys valuation appears reasonable, with a 13% return on equity (ROE) projected. In response, Tata Steel and Hindalco shares rose 1.7% each to Rs 154.20 and Rs 703.20, respectively, while JSW Steel surged 1.6% to Rs 1,028.15. Jefferies also highlighted that the recovery in steel prices and potential safeguard duties could enhance profit margins and valuations for domestic steel producers. In a separate note, Emkay Global raised concerns about earnings expectations for the sector, noting that slower price recoveries and project delays could impact performance. However, they indicated that safeguard duties could reverse Indias steel import trends. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Meanwhile, JM Financial remained bullish on Hindalco, predicting stable LME aluminum prices and strong demand for Novelis in 2025, particularly in the beverage can sector. They see Hindalco as a solid play in aluminum, driven by robust earnings visibility for the next six months. Disclaimer: Disclaimer: The views and investment tips by experts in this News18.com report are their own and not those of the website or its management. Users are advised to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. About the Author Aparna Deb Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a... Read More Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a... Read More Stay updated with all the latest news on the Stock Market, including market trends, Sensex and Nifty updates, top gainers and losers, and expert analysis. Get real-time insights, financial reports, and investment strategiesonly on News18. First Published: March 10, 2025, 12:27 IST Bollywood Actor Akshay Kumar Sells Apartment In Mumbai For Rs 4.35 Crore, Makes 84% Profit Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 13:39 IST Mumbai Real Estate: The property sold by Akshay Kumar is located in Sky City in Borivali East, Mumbai, and spread across 25 acres. Akshay Kumar, one of Bollywood's most celebrated actors, has built an illustrious career spanning over three decades, marked by exceptional achievements and numerous accolades Bollywood star Akshay Kumar has sold his apartment in Borivali East, Mumbai, for Rs 4.35 crore, according to property registration documents from the Inspector General of Registration (IGR). The property is located in Sky City, developed by Oberoi Realty, and spread across 25 acres. According to the IGR documents reviewed by Square Yards, an apartment purchased by Kumar in November 2017 for Rs 2.37 crore was recently sold for Rs 4.35 crore, reflecting an 84 per cent appreciation in value. The transaction was registered in March 2025. Recommended Stories The property is located in Sky City, developed by Oberoi Realty and spread across 25 acres. It is a ready-to-move-in residential project offering 3BHK, 3BHK+Studio, and Duplex apartments. As per the documents, the apartment features a carpet area of 1,073 sqft (99.71 sqm) and includes two car parking spaces. The transaction incurred a stamp duty payment of Rs 26.1 lakh and registration charges of Rs 30,000. Borivali, on Mumbais northwestern edge, is known for attractions like Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Kanheri Caves, and amusement parks like Water Kingdom and Essel World. Borivali East is favoured for its greenery, proximity to parks, and connectivity to Kandivali East, Dahisar East, and Borivali West. According to Square Yards Data Intelligence, Oberoi Sky City has demonstrated strong market activity, recording 208 sale registrations with a total transaction value of Rs. 818 crore from March 2024 to February 2025. The average resale property price in the project stands at Rs. 44,577 per sq. ft. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In the same building, in January 2025, Akshay Kumar sold another unit for Rs. 4.25 crore, which was also purchased in 2017. Furthermore, Bollywood actors Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan acquired multiple properties in Oberoi Sky City in May 2024, as per IGR property registration records. Akshay Kumar, one of Bollywoods most celebrated actors, has built an illustrious career spanning over three decades, marked by exceptional achievements and numerous accolades. Known for versatility and disciplined professionalism, he received the prestigious National Film Award for Best Actor in 2017 for his performance in Rustom. Kumar is also a recipient of multiple Filmfare Awards, including Best Actor nominations for films like Airlift and Kesari. Additionally, he has been honoured with the Padma Shri, Indias fourth-highest civilian award, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to cinema. Beyond acting, Akshay actively champions social causes, earning widespread admiration and respect. 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 10, 2025, 12:20 IST Small Changes, Big Returns: Cost-Effective Ways To Increase Your Rental Income Published By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 08:17 IST Rising incomes lead tenants to prefer luxurious rentals. Updates like fresh paint, deep cleaning, new curtains, wall panels, better lighting, and kitchen upgrades can boost appeal and rent. With rising incomes, tenants now prefer homes with luxurious features both inside and outside. With rising incomes, tenants now prefer homes with luxurious features both inside and outside. While a house provides a place to live, it can also be a smart investment for the future. Investing in your rental property can yield high returns and it doesnt always have to mean major renovations or extensive remodeling. You can significantly enhance the appeal of your property within a modest budget with strategic updates which will further allow you to command higher rent. A Fresh Coat Of Paint Can Leave A Lasting Impression Recommended Stories Painting your property is one of the easiest and most impactful ways to make it feel brand new. Neutral and modern colors like whites, greys, or pastels not only appeal to a wider audience but also make spaces look brighter and more spacious. Navy blue paint adds personality to small spaces in a large room, offering depth and character without overwhelming the space. White remains a classic choice for its ability to reflect light and make walls appear to recede and light colors create an illusion of space. For those drawn to neutral tones, opt for a luminous gray that shifts with the light and shadows, adding sophistication and intrigue beyond a basic white backdrop. Similarly, a pale yellow color scheme can complement the warmth of wooden counters and terracotta tiles in a cozy pool house kitchen, enhancing its inviting charm. Certain spaces, influenced by architectural style, lighting, or existing furniture, call for unconventional choiceslike khakiwhich bring a timeless and tailored appeal. Professional Deep Cleaning Can Make A Sparkling Difference Cleanliness can make or break a tenants decision. From removing years of grime from tiles to reviving the sparkle of kitchen counters and bathroom fixtures, deep cleaning enhances the overall look and hygiene of your space. Nowadays, people are hiring professionals from various online applications because they are easy to book, offer quality service and promise the timely completion. One can book deep cleaning for a furnished and unfurnished apartment by paying a minimal cost. The option covers living room cleaning, bedroom cleaning, decor item cleaning, floor cleaning, bathroom cleaning, and kitchen cleaning. Squeaky clean washrooms and utility areas speak volumes about the maintenance and appeal of a property. Upgrade Your curtains Curtains are often overlooked but can dramatically change the vibe of a room. Switching to high-quality, elegant curtains in colors that complement your walls can elevate the perception of your propertys interiors. Teal green curtains with white accents are currently trending, bringing a refreshing, nature-inspired look to any space. For a rich and elegant aesthetic, layering curtains in complementary shades can enhance the overall decor. Sheer curtains are also a popular choice, allowing natural light to brighten the room while adding a soft and airy feel. A beaded curtain can help in visually separating your space. It is an excellent room divider, which further adds drama to your room. Add Wall Panels One of the main benefits of wall panelling is it helps prevent damage around high-traffic areas in your house and they are an affordable way to add texture and sophistication to your interiors. Whether you opt for charcoaL, WPC, or PVC wall panels, they give an impression of luxury without breaking the bank. Installing panels in the living room or master bedroom can create focal points that prospective tenants love. Moreover, enhancing your rental property with better lighting and well-maintained windows & doors can make a significant difference. Windows and doors serve both functional and aesthetic purposes, subtly signaling a well-cared-for home. Polishing dull wooden surfaces, replacing outdated fixtures, or simply fixing squeaky hinges can create a positive impression on tenants. Energy-efficient windows and doors minimize air leakage and heat transfer, reducing energy costs by 7% to 15% annually. Double-glazed windows, for example, help retain heat in winter and keep interiors cool in summer, improving comfort while lowering utility expenses. Lighting also plays a crucial role in transforming a space. Well-placed lighting highlights architectural features, artwork, and decor, enhancing a homes overall appeal. Replacing dim or outdated fixtures with energy-efficient LED lighting not only improves aesthetics but also attracts environmentally conscious tenants. Upgrade the Kitchen for Maximum Appeal The kitchen is often a major deciding factor for tenants. A few affordable upgrades can significantly enhance its appeal. Installing sleek cabinet handles, replacing old faucets with modern ones, or even adding a stylish backsplash can elevate the space without a hefty investment. Consider painting kitchen cabinets in subtle yet inviting shades like sage green,or soft gray to create a modern look. Adding under-cabinet LED lighting enhances visibility and adds a touch of sophistication. A well-organized, visually appealing kitchen can leave a lasting impression, increasing the likelihood of higher rent and long-term occupancy. These simple upgrades contribute to a more attractive, comfortable, and energy-efficient rental property, making it easier to secure long-term tenants and justify higher rent. By making these cost-effective upgrades, you can go for all or only a few upgrades from the ones listed above which might cost about Rs 30,000 and it gives you a chance to command over Rs 5000 extra in rentals translating to Rs 60,000 per annum. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all It is authored by Amit Agarwal, CEO & Cofounder of NoBroker The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the stand of this publication. 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 10, 2025, 08:15 IST Budget 2025: Maharashtra To Levy 6% Tax On EVs Priced Above Rs 30 Lakh, 1% Extra Tax On CNG Vehicles Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Mohammad Haris Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 19:04 IST The Maharashtra government has proposed a 6 per cent tax on electric vehicles above Rs 30 lakh and a 1 per cent tax hike on individual-owned non-transport four-wheeler CNG and LPG vehicles. The move to impose extra tax will generate an additional revenue of about Rs 150 crore in 2025-26. As Maharashtra Finance Minister Ajit Pawar tabled the state budget 2025-26 on Monday, he said the state government proposed a 6 per cent tax on electric vehicles priced more than Rs 30 lakh. Pawar, who is also the states deputy chief minister, also announced a 1 per cent hike in the Motor Vehicle Tax on CNG and LPG vehicles. The government has also proposed a 7 per cent tax on vehicles used for construction activities, which will generate additional revenue of approximately Rs 180 crore. Recommended Stories The state government has proposed a 6 per cent tax on electric vehicles above Rs 30 lakh and a 1 per cent tax hike on individual-owned non-transport four-wheeler CNG and LPG vehicles. The move will generate an additional revenue of approximately Rs 150 crore in 2025-26. Pawar also announced a 7 per cent tax on light goods vehicles (LGVs) carrying goods up to 7,500 kg, which will earn the state Rs 625 crore. The government has also increased the maximum limit of the Motor Vehicles Tax from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 30 lakh, which is expected to generate a revenue of Rs 170 crore. Maharashtra Finance Minister Ajit Pawar, who is also the deputy chief minister of the state, on Monday presented his 11th and the newly-formed Mahayuti governments first state budget in the assembly. Presenting the state budget 2025-26, Pawar announced multiple infra projects and said Maharashtras new industrial policy will focus on Rs 40 lakh crore investment and generation of 50 lakh jobs. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all I am presenting the budget for the financial year 2025-26. Maharashtra will be number one in fulfilling the Prime Ministers dream of a developed India by 2047," Pawar said in the state Assembly. He said Maharashtra is number one in foreign direct investment. In Davos, Maharashtra signed MoUs with 56 companies worth Rs 15.72 lakh crore, which will employ 16 lakh people. (With PTI Inputs) 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 10, 2025, 19:04 IST CUSAT CAT 2025 Registration Last Date Today, Here's How To Apply Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 07:59 IST CUSAT CAT 2025 registration window will be closed today, March 10. Apply now at admissions.cusat.ac.in. CUSAT CAT 2025 registration deadline today, apply now. (Representative image/File) CUSAT CAT 2025 Registration Last Date: The Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) will close the registration for the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2025 today, March 10. Candidates who have not yet applied can complete the CUSAT CAT 2025 application form on the official website at admissions.cusat.ac.in. The CUSAT CAT 2025 is conducted annually for admission to BTech, other UG and PG programmes offered by the university. The exam will have a total of 225 questions from Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics/Biology. Each question will carry 3 marks, while 1 mark will be deducted for every incorrect answer. Recommended Stories Eligibility Criteria for CUSAT CAT 2025 For BTech courses, candidates must have passed Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as subjects. SEBC candidates from Kerala need a minimum of 55% aggregate marks and 50% in Mathematics, while other candidates must have at least 60% marks in Mathematics. The maximum age limit to apply is 25 years. CUSAT CAT 2025 Exam Date The CUSAT CAT 2025 exam will be held from May 10 to 12, 2025. The test will be conducted in online mode (computer-based test) across different centres. CUSAT CAT 2025 Application Fee General category: Rs 1,500 for two test codes. Kerala SC (KSC) and ST (KST) candidates: Rs 700. Additional Test Fee: General candidates: Rs 500 per test. SC/ST candidates: Rs 250 per test. International candidates/Persons of Indian Origin (PIO): 110 USD. Children of Indian Gulf Workers (CGW): Rs 6,500 (Rs 5,700 for KSC/KST). Steps To Apply For CUSAT CAT 2025 Step 1: Visit the official website at admissions.cusat.ac.in. Step 2: Click on the CUSAT CAT 2025 link on the homepage. Step 3: Register by entering the required details. Step 4: Fill out the application form and pay the fee. Step 5: Submit the form and download the confirmation page for future reference. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all ALSO READ: CBSE Class 10th Mathematics Exam Today, Check Instructions And Marking Scheme The Cochin University of Science and Technology will release the CUSAT CAT 2025 question papers on its official website after the exam is conducted. Candidates will be able to access the question papers along with answers online once they are officially released. 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 10, 2025, 07:52 IST Dharmendra Pradhan Denies Tamil Nadu Hindi Imposition Charge, Says 'DMK Misleading Nation On NEP' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 12:18 IST Dharmendra Pradhan accused the DMK of misleading the nation on NEP and denied allegations of Hindi imposition in Tamil Nadu. Dharmendra Pradhan denied TN CM MK Stalin and other DMK leaders charge of Hindi imposition in Lok Sabha. The second phase of the Parliament Budget Session began today with a heated exchange between the Opposition and the government over the alleged imposition of Hindi through the National Education Policy (NEP). DMK members strongly criticised the government on this issue. Several MPs from the party walked into the well of the House, raised slogans, and demanded justice. Responding to the questions, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan accused the DMK of misleading the nation about the NEP. He also denied the allegations of Hindi imposition made by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and other DMK leaders in the Lok Sabha. Recommended Stories During Question Hour, Pradhan hit out at the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government, accusing them of taking a U-turn on the National Education Policy (NEP) and the three-language policy. He alleged that the state government was politicising the issue and jeopardising the future of students in Tamil Nadu. Pradhan also called the DMKs stance uncivilised and undemocratic". They (DMK) are dishonest. They are not committed to the students of Tamil Nadu. They are ruining the future of Tamil Nadu students. Their only job is to raise language barriers. They are indulging in politics and creating mischief. Their approach is undemocratic and uncivilised," Pradhan said. Referring to the implementation of the PM Shri scheme, Pradhan highlighted that several non-BJP states like Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh have accepted the NEP and are implementing the scheme. However, he criticised the DMK government for withdrawing from the scheme despite initially signing an MoU. He accused the DMK of shifting its stance for political gain and neglecting the educational interests of Tamil Nadu students. ALSO READ: Amit Shah Targets Stalin On Language Issue, Asks Him To Impart Medical, Tech Lessons In Tamil top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Today is March 10, and there are still 20 days left in the month. The Government of India remains open and ready for any kind of discussion. The Tamil Nadu government initially signed an MoU for the PM Shri scheme but later took a U-turn. Several non-BJP states, including Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, have accepted the NEP and are implementing the PM Shri scheme. However, the DMK government is being dishonest and is putting the future of Tamil Nadu students at risk. They are only focused on language politics, rather than governance, and are failing to do justice to the people of the state. Their approach is undemocratic and uncivilised," Pradhan added. Pradhan reiterated that the central government is open to discussions with the Tamil Nadu government but emphasised that education should not be politicised. 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 10, 2025, 12:06 IST How Peacekeeping Mission Will Work In Ukraine, Will Russia Allow It? Explained Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Shilpy Bisht Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 10:34 IST Russia has rejected peacekeeping in Ukraine, with foreign minister Sergei Lavrov saying such a move would amount to the direct, official and unveiled involvement of NATO members in the war against Russia US President Donald Trump has said he wants a quick settlement in the war and had taken some steps in the last one week to force Ukraine to the negotiating table. (File Photo: Reuters) US President Donald Trump had proposed to French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a meeting in Paris in December that Europe should ensure peacekeeping in Ukraine. According to The Wall Street Journal and Le Monde, the idea first emerged in private talks between French and British officials in November. It was later discussed by NATO foreign ministers in Brussels. Recommended Stories Last week, a group of civilian and military experts, who had a meeting on peacekeeping in Geneva in 2022, published a 31-page paper that delved into how peacekeeping should be enforced and monitored along the frontline. The paper was shared last month via another confidential channel: a recurring meeting in Geneva between American, Russian and Ukrainian foreign-policy experts who are close to their governments, according to The New York Times. What Does The Paper Detail On Peacekeeping In Ukraine? France and the UK have shown willingness to send their own troops to Ukraine once the fighting stops. Russia has rejected the idea of peacekeeping, while Trump has offered American back-up. The paper, produced by a Swiss government-financed think tank called the Geneva Center for Security Policy, proposed a buffer zone at least six miles wide to separate the Russian and Ukrainian armies, and a plan for 5,000 civilians and police officers to patrol it. The paper argued that about 10,000 foreign troops may be needed to provide security for those monitors. The monitors would report on ceasefire and withdrawal of heavy weaponry and maintaining an agreed-upon distance from the buffer zone. The United Nations or any other international body would oversee the mission. Thomas Greminger, the Geneva centers director, who oversaw ceasefire monitoring in Ukraine from 2017 to 2020 as the secretary general of the Vienna-based, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, pulled together a group of experts after the 2022 invasion for armistice in Ukraine. It was not clear what impact would the ceasefire proposal have, given Trump and Vladimir Putins approach to the war, Geneva centres effort was to shed light on the behind-the-scenes diplomacy. What Russia Thinks Of The Proposal? Russian officials have rejected the idea of peacekeeping troops in Ukraine, with foreign minister Sergei Lavrov previously saying such a move cant be allowed" as it would amount to the direct, official and unveiled involvement of NATO members in the war against Russia". Russian MP and TV presenter Yevgeny Popov told BBC on Friday that the prospect of UK soldiers in Ukraine was unacceptable" and warned that British troops will be direct targets for our missiles, you will get coffins in return". Samuel Charap, a Russia analyst at the RAND Corporation, said the implementation of a ceasefire in Ukraine would be an unprecedented, difficult problem". Janis Kluge, a Russia expert at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, a research organisation in Berlin, said it was dangerous to occupy your mind with this illusion" of a potentially imminent cease-fire. I dont think its realistic that Russia will agree to something where Ukraine remains independent and sovereign, even in the territory it controls," Kluge told The New York Times. Seen from Moscows point of view, such a Western peacekeeping force" would be simply a NATO advance guard that would provide cover for the gradual introduction of more and more NATO forces, as per Responsible Statecraft. What The US Thinks Of Peacekeeping? Trump has said he wants a quick settlement and in the last week has taken steps aimed at forcing Ukraine to the negotiating table: suspending military aid and intelligence to Ukraine, while repeatedly saying, with no evidence, that he thinks President Putin wants to make a deal. Trumps envoy Gen Keith Kellogg characterised the withdrawal of US military support to Ukraine as like hitting a mule in the face with a [plank of wood] You got their attention and its very significant and its then up to them to do [what the president wants]." What Europe, UK And Others Think? Many Western leaders have said it would only be possible to uphold a lasting peace in Ukraine with the help of the US. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously said a plan for defence should be made in conjunction with the United States its that ability to work with the United States and our European partners that has kept the peace for 80 years now". Trump has so far avoided committing to such support, and has suggested that the presence of US workers in Ukraine as part of a potential minerals deal could act as a security guarantee. French President Emmanuel Macron told in a television interview that France has decided to open the strategic debate on the protection by our deterrence of our allies on the European continent." He stressed the need for Europe to continue assisting Ukraine and strengthen its own defence. Although France remains committed to both NATO and its partnership to the US, it needs to do more" to strengthen its own independence in matters of defense and security," Macron said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has committed to consider contributing" to the coalition in a phone call on Saturday with the UK PM. Although one does not see Australias interests in Europe, but Australia has always been more than a South Pacific mini-power. As the 13th largest economy in the world, Australia has vested interest in the prosperity and security of Asia and Europe. Norways foreign minister Espen Barth Eide said the country would be happy to contribute in one way or the other", but was not yet able to commit to specific support. 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 10, 2025, 10:12 IST What Happens If US Pulls Out Of World Bank And IMF, Will China Benefit? Explained Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Shilpy Bisht Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 09:46 IST Since the US is the largest shareholder in both institutions, with over 16% of IMF and just under that for World Bank, withdrawing support would create uncertainty and weaken investor confidence If Donald Trump decides to pull back from the World Bank and IMF, it may leave the China-led Asian International Infrastructure Bank in a position to offer a better model of cooperation than leading development banks. (AP File Photo) There are speculations about Donald Trumps intentions with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after the US President virtually shuttered the US Agency for International Development (USAID) as part of the governments broader effort to reduce federal spending and reallocate resources for domestic demands. With US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent not turning up at the recent G20 meetings, there are fears that the US government could be mulling pulling back from the financial institutions. Recommended Stories What happens if the US withdraws support to the World Bank and the IMF, how would it impact other stakeholders, which countries are dependent on these financial institutions. Lets find out. What Do World Bank And IMF Do? The US and its allies formed the two institutions in the aftermath of the World War II to encourage global integration and prevent future wars. The IMF acts as a lender of last resort for countries in economic crises. It helped Greece during its financial crisis, Argentina amid successive debt defaults and even the United Kingdom after a 1976 economic meltdown. The IMF provides emergency funds and precautionary credit lines, but loans come with conditions. Countries receiving funds must implement economic reforms, such as cutting wasteful spending, increasing transparency, tackling corruption, or improving tax collection. Investors use IMF data on GDP and growth as the trigger to determine whether certain debt instruments that link payments to economic performance give them more or sometimes less money. The World Bank lends at low rates to help countries build infrastructure from railroads to flood barriers creates frameworks needed for innovative financial tools, such as green bonds, and provides risk insurance. Both lenders provide expertise on issues from irrigation to central bank transparency. Who Does IMF Lend To? A large number of emerging economies are dependent on IMF for funding. Argentina, for instance, depends on IMF support to pay government salaries. Other countries, including Senegal and Sri Lanka, also receive its assistance. An IMF programme reassures both private and bilateral investors. Reuters quoted Yerlan Syzdykov, head of emerging markets at asset management firm Amundi, saying, The IMF has been for a long, long time an anchor specifically for debt investors." Countries such as Saudi Arabia also look to the IMF as a benchmark before issuing loans. Economy Minister Faisal Alibrahim noted that linking lending to institutions like the IMF ensures more value, from every dollar, every riyal, that is dedicated to supporting other economies." How World Bank Helps Emerging Markets The investment arm of World Bank, the International Finance Cooperation, invests in public-private partnership in countries seeking the estimate trillions of dollars needed for cleaner power and infrastructure. Major funders of these institutions, the United States, have used them to ensure global financial stability and to encourage countries to adhere to fiscally responsible, open economic models. Reuters cited Mark Sobel, US chairman of the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum (OMFIF), saying, If theres economic instability abroad, it can hurt the US economy." What Developing Countries Say About These Institutions? Despite providing essential financial aid, the IMF has often been criticised for pushing harsh economic reforms. Protesters in Kenya opposed IMF-backed policies last year, and its handling of the 1997 Asian financial crisis was also controversial. Despite this, almost all nations are IMF members, with only a few exceptions like Cuba, North Korea, and Taiwan. What Happens If The US Withdraws Support? Kaan Nazli, emerging market debt portfolio manager at Neuberger Berma, told Reuters that it would be a disaster" if the US pulls out of the World Bank or the IMF. The newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), under the joint command of Elon Musk, has recently published a detailed plan for how the US government is to withdraw from the World Bank and other multilateral development banks. Since the US is the largest single shareholder in both institutions, with more than 16% of the IMF and just under that for the World Bank, withdrawing support would create uncertainty and weaken investor confidence. According to Robert Wade, Professor of Global Political Economy in the Department of International Development at London School of Economics (LSE), the idea of US exit from the IMF and other institutions should be taken seriously but not literally. The US Treasury may hesitate to withdraw and let China gain influence within the organisations. Also, Treasury may use the threat of withdrawal to gain leverage by not withdrawing." China has been pushing for a greater role in global financial institutions and wants to increase its IMF shareholding, currently at just over 5%. At the World Bank, US companies would have less access to contracts and work funded by the group. A change in IMF shareholder structure would upend the power balance, making decisions less predictable and potentially less transparent. Moreover, credit rating agencies have cautioned that the withdrawal of US support could threaten the triple-A credit ratings of multilateral lenders, making it harder for them to offer low-cost loans. How China-Led AIIB Will Benefit? The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) was created by China nine years ago as a way to invest in infrastructure and other related sectors in Asia, while promoting regional cooperation and partnership in addressing development challenges by working in close collaboration with other multilateral and bilateral development institutions." Since then it has served as an international body, willing to cooperate with other major multilateral organisations. The AIIB is deeply tied to the rules-based order as displayed through its many cooperative connections with other major multilateral development banks, such as the World Bank and the Japan-led Asian Development Bank. Today, the AIIB is the second-largest multilateral development bank in terms of member countries, behind only the World Bank. It currently has 110 members, which translates to over 80% of the global population. With US$100 billion in capital, it is one of the medium-sized multilateral lenders, as per The Conversation. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all As of February 6, 2025, the AIIB has 306 approved projects totalling $59 billion. It lends majorly in energy and transportation sectors. If the Trump administration decides to pull back from the World Bank and the IMF, it may leave the AIIB in a position to offer a better model of cooperation than leading development banks where the US is the largest and most powerful stakeholder. 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 10, 2025, 08:30 IST Who Are Syrias Alawites, Why Are They Claiming Threat From Ahmed al-Sharaa Govt? Explained Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Shilpy Bisht Last Updated: March 14, 2025, 10:02 IST After Sunnis, which comprise 70% of Syrias population, the Alawite is the largest sect in the country. President Ahmed al-Sharaa views Alawites as remnants of Assads regime and holds them responsible for retribution killings Syrian government supporters shout slogans to show their solidarity with the security forces who are fighting against gunmen loyal to former President Bashar Assad during a protest in Damascus, on March 7, 2025. (AP Photo) Hundreds have been killed in a fresh bout of violence in Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad government in December. Intense clashes between security forces under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, former Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader, and Assad loyalists have triggered sectarian violence between Alawites and Sunni Muslims in the restive Middle Eastern country, killing more than 1,000 people in just two days. 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 in northwestern Syria. Recommended Stories Let us understand who are Alawites, the rivalry between HTS and Alawites, and the retribution killings in Syria. Who Are Alawites? Alawism is often classified as a heterodox version of Shia Islam, with a core belief in metempsychosis (the transfer of souls) that is rejected by orthodox Muslim authorities in the Shia and Sunni communities. Alawites were not formally recognised as Muslims until 1932, when the Grand Mufti of Palestine, Hajj Amin al-Husseini, issued a fatwa seeking to undermine the foundations of French colonialism in Syria. Social conditions for Alawites only improved with the rise of the Baath Party in 1963and then especially after Hafiz al-Assad took power in 1970 and systematically appointed them to key positions in the army, intelligence services, and state ministries. Alawites make up around 12% of the population. They are traditionally based in Syrias coastal areas, particularly in the provinces of Latakia and Tartous. The Assad family, which governed Syria for more than 50 years until December 2024, is part of the Alawite sect. Who Are The Religious And Ethnic Minorities? Apart from Muslim groups Sunnis (70%) and Shias (3%), Syria is also home to religious minorities such as Christians, whose denominations include Greek Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox, Maronite, Syrian Catholic, Roman Catholic and Greek Catholic. Most of the Sunni Muslims live in Syrias northeastern Idlib region, which in the past five years became the stronghold of HTS. It became a temporary home of some 4 million displaced Sunnis, Christians and Druze. There are also many ethnic minorities in Syria, including Druze, Palestinian, Iraqi, Armenian, Greek, Assyrian, Circassian, Mandean and Turkoman groups. Most of them live in and around Damascus. The Kurdish-ruled Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, also known as Rojava, has Syrias largest minority, about 2.5 million Kurdish people. Some Kurds also live in and around Damascus. A minority among the Kurds are the Yazidis, who mainly live in the Aleppo governorate. Although it is difficult to ones put finger on the population of Syria, Syrias Central Bureau of Statistics said 29.2 million people lived in the country as of December 10, 2019. The World Factbook produced by the CIA, the US foreign intelligence service, estimates that by July 2021 around 20.4 million people were living in Syria. The World Bank, however, put the population at around 23 million in 2023. Other estimates pin the number closer to 25 million. The Rivalry Between HTS And Alawites Alawites were used to carry out regime campaigns of oppression, including the 1982 Hama massacre in which Assad targeted an uprising led by the Muslim Brotherhood, leaving 30,000 dead. Hafizs son Bashar al-Assad continued this strategy for years, then made the Alawites the pillar of his counterinsurgency policy after 2011. By November 2024, the Alawite community had been bled dry after 13 years of civil war, with a third of its men between ages 20 and 50 dying in combat. The new leadership of Syria views Alawites as remnants of Assads regime" that they fought to dismantle, triggering retribution killings. HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, who was known by nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, own rhetoric during the civil war often had sectarian overtones. In 2015, as leader of al-Qaedas Syrian branch, he even urged retaliatory attacks on Alawite villages in Latakia to avenge regime-aligned offensives. He ensured the groups stronghold in Idlib province during the 2024 civil unrest for the benefit of Sunnis rather than Alawites. Moreover, After the ouster of Assad, the new government policies under him pose a threat to the life of Alawites. The destruction of an Alawite shrine in Aleppo on December 25 drove thousands of Alawites into the streets of Homs, Latakia, Jableh and Tartous. But the HTS has consistently stated that Alawites will be part of the new Syria, that there will be no reprisals against them, and that those involved in Assad-regime crimes will be held accountable via the justice system, not vigilantism. Retribution Killings Between The Two Sects 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 the HTS. 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. Baniyas was one of the worst-hit towns in Syria. Residents said aid bodies were strewn on the streets or left unburied in homes and on the roofs of buildings, and nobody was able to collect them. Ali Sheha, a 57-year-old resident who escaped with his family, recounted a massacre in his neighbourhood, where at least 20 Alawites lost their lives. Some were executed inside their shops, while others were killed in their homes. Syrian Facebook on Saturday was also 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 Alawite Islamic Council has accused government fighters of terrorising and killing Syrians. Contrary to these accusations, the fighters have been posing as hunters of regime remnants". What Does This Mean For Syrias Future? Damascus has struggled to reconcile with skeptics of its Islamist government, as well as with Kurdish-led authorities in the northeast and the Druze minority in the south. Al-Sharaa has lobbied to convince the US and Europe to lift sanctions to pave the way for economic recovery to pull millions of Syrians out of poverty and make the country viable again. But Washington and Europe fear that lifting sanctions before Syria full transition into an inclusive political system could pave the way for another chapter of autocratic rule. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Al-Sharaa has appealed to Syrians and international community, calling for accountability of those harming civilians and prisoners. He has blamed the remnants of Assad regime for starting the violence and some foreign bodies supporting them. He has formed a committee of judges to investigate the violence, as per The Associated Press. In a statement issued Sunday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Syrian authorities to hold the perpetrators of these massacres" accountable. He said the US stands with Syrias religious and ethnic minorities, including its Christian, Druze, Alawite, and Kurdish communities." 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 10, 2025, 13:09 IST 'Absence Of Injury To Private Parts Not Always Fatal To Rape Case': SC Upholds Conviction In 1984 Case Reported By : LawBeat Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 13:46 IST A bench of Justices Sandeep Mehta and Prasanna B Varale emphasised that, under settled principles of criminal jurisprudence, the evidence of a prosecutrix in a rape case holds the same evidentiary value as that of an injured witness. Supreme Court of India (PTI File Image) The Supreme Court, on March 7, 2025, held that the absence of injuries on the private parts of the victim is not always fatal to the case of prosecution in a rape matter. The court upheld the conviction of a man for raping a BA student in 1984 and confirmed his five-year jail sentence. A bench of Justices Sandeep Mehta and Prasanna B Varale emphasised that, under settled principles of criminal jurisprudence, the evidence of a prosecutrix in a rape case holds the same evidentiary value as that of an injured witness. The court further noted that a conviction can be based solely on the prosecutrixs testimony. Recommended Stories We are unable to accept the submissions of the counsel for the simple reason that the evidence of the prosecutrix is wholly trustworthy, unshaken and inspires confidence. Admittedly, the prosecutrix was a major girl studying in the first part of BA at the time of the incident. Though she was subjected to detailed cross examination, she stood firm and unshaken, disclosing the incident in detail regarding the presence and participation of the accused in ravishing her," the bench stressed. Court also noted that according to the version of the prosecutrix, the accused overpowered her and pushed her to bed in spite of her resistance and gagged her mouth using a piece of cloth. Thus, considering this very aspect, it is possible that there were no major injury marks, the bench held. Appellant Lok Mal alias Loku had challenged the July 22, 2010, order of the Allahabad High Courts Lucknow bench, which upheld the trial courts verdict convicting him under Sections 376 and 323 of the IPC. The trial court had sentenced him to five years imprisonment for rape and an additional six months for causing hurt. According to the prosecution, on March 19, 1984, the victim had gone to the accuseds house for tuition when he sexually assaulted her. He also threatened to kill her if she raised an alarm. Despite his threats, her cries for help attracted local residents, but instead of assisting her, the members of the community warned her against filing a complaint. Nevertheless, she reported the incident to the police. Following the trial, the court convicted the accused on August 13, 1986. Before the apex court, the appellants counsel vehemently argued that there was no evidence against him. He contended that the oral evidence came from interested witnesses and that both the trial court and the high court erred in convicting the appellant and sentencing him based on such unreliable evidence. The counsel further claimed that the case was one of false implication and alleged that the prosecutrixs mother had a doubtful character. He further argued that the medical evidence on record did not corroborate the prosecutrixs version, as no injuries were found on her private parts. Therefore, he contended that a conviction should not have been rendered in the present case. Additionally, he submitted that the sole testimony of the prosecutrix was not reliable enough to sustain a conviction. The state counsel, however, argued that the high courts judgment was well-reasoned and that the appellant had been rightly convicted based on a proper appreciation of evidence. He asserted that the appeal deserved to be dismissed. Considering the evidence on record, the bench said, We are of the opinion that the said delay in lodging of the complaint and registering FIR has been sufficiently explained and is not fatal to the case of the prosecution." Court observed that, as per the prosecutrixs account, the accused overpowered her, pushed her onto the bed despite her resistance, and gagged her mouth with a piece of cloth. Considering this aspect, it noted that the absence of major injury marks was plausible. The appellant attempted to claim false implication, but the court held that he failed to substantiate his defense with any cogent evidence. We are of the opinion that the testimony of the prosecutrix is trustworthy and leaves no shadow of doubt to discredit her case. Moreover, the appellant has failed to cause a dent in the testimony of the prosecutrix," the bench held. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Thus, court found no reason to interfere with the judgment of the high court and dismissed the appeal. However, considering that the incident was of the year 1984 and the impugned judgment of the high court was of 2010, the bench directed the competent authority to consider and decide the case of the accused for the purpose of remission strictly in accordance with applicable state policy. About the Author Salil Tiwari Salil Tiwari, Senior Special Correspondent at Lawbeat, reports on the Allahabad High Court and courts in Uttar Pradesh, however, she also writes on important cases of national importance and public interests fr... Read More Salil Tiwari, Senior Special Correspondent at Lawbeat, reports on the Allahabad High Court and courts in Uttar Pradesh, however, she also writes on important cases of national importance and public interests fr... Read More First Published: March 10, 2025, 13:46 IST Airlines Received 728 Bomb Threats In 2024, Indigo Remains Worst Affected Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Prisha Vibhavari Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 18:41 IST The highest number of such bomb hoax threats, 216, were received by Indigo, 179 by Air India, 153 by Vistara, 72 by Akasa, 36 by SpiceJet, 26 by Alliance Air, and 19 by Air India Express. The Varanasi-bound IndiGo flight received a bomb threat at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on May 28, 2024. (Source: PTI) There was a 10-time jump in bomb threats faced by airlines in India in 2024, up to a record number of 728 such threats, as per the Bureau of Civil Aviation Safety (BCAS). In many cases, flights had to be grounded through emergency landings due to such threats, putting passengers to inconvenience. The government has furnished data in Parliament after airlines were besieged by bomb hoax threats last year, and it was suspected that a sophisticated network of criminals was behind the same. Recommended Stories The highest number of such bomb hoax threats, 216, were received by Indigo, 179 by Air India, 153 by Vistara, 72 by Akasa, 36 by SpiceJet, 26 by Alliance Air, and 19 by Air India Express. Foreign Airlines like Emirates also received five such threats while in India, while Air Arabia received three such threats. In 2023, 71 bomb threats were received, while only 13 were received in 2022 and just two in 2021. There was an exponential increase in 2024. This year, so far, 15 such bomb threats have been received by various airlines. A group of tech experts is suspected of targeting Indian airlines with hoax bomb threats, according to the initial analysis conducted by central cyber agencies who also said no activity has been detected from the IP addresses used to send the threats through social media handles and emails. The exit nodes of these addresses are VPNs. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all According to the initial investigation, the IP addresses were initially traced to European countries, but VPN chaining was suspected to have been used, making further tracing nearly impossible. BCAS has mandated robust protocols for handling such threats in coordination with Law Enforcement Agencies, Central Security Agencies, CISF and stakeholders, leading to minimal impact on flight operations. Bomb Threat Contingency Plan (BTCP), a detailed contingency plan, is in place to handle such threats. As a part of BTCP, every airport has a designated Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) which analyses the threat and takes action. In order to deal with hoax bomb threats, BCAS has issued advisories to all the Civil Aviation stakeholders in the country to ensure streamlined security measures and to prevent any unlawful interference with civil aviation," the government said in a statement to Parliament. First Published: March 10, 2025, 18:27 IST INDIA Bloc MPs Protest Bihar Girl's Death At Varanasi Hostel, Allege Rape, Murder Published By : PTI Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 14:39 IST Opposition MPs protested in Delhi and demanded justice for a 17-year-old girl from Bihar, who was found dead at her Varanasi hostel room. The leaders alleged rape and murder. RJD MPs protest during the second part of the Budget session of Parliament (Photo: PTI) Opposition MPs from Bihar on Monday staged a protest outside Parliament demanding justice for a 17-year-old girl who was found dead in her hostel room in Varanasi. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MPs Misa Bharti and Manoj Jha, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation MPs Raja Ram Singh and Sudama Prasad, and Congress MP Manoj Singh held placards and raised slogans demanding justice for the girl. Recommended Stories The MPs alleged that the girl was raped and murdered. They also compared the incident with the 2020 incident of the rape and murder of a 19-year-old woman in Uttar Pradeshs Hathras and demanded an inquiry. They also pointed out that the incident occurred in Prime Minister Narendra Modis Lok Sabha constituency. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all According to reports, a 17-year-old girl from Bihars Sasaram, who was preparing for NEET exams in Varanasi, was found hanging in her hostel room on February 1. The girls family has reportedly alleged that the police conducted a postmortem, and performed the last rites without their consent. 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 10, 2025, 14:39 IST Cancer, Compromised Immune System, Brain Damage: What Diseases Is Sunita Williams Susceptible To Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee Last Updated: March 11, 2025, 15:35 IST Experts said exposure to nine years of radiation in only nine months can increase the risk of changes and damage to the DNA, which can cause cancer, and also compromise the immune system Astronaut Sunita Williams speaks about Diwali via video from the International Space Station, at a reception celebrating the Hindu festival hosted by President Joe Biden, at the White House last year. (Image: PTI/File) Astronaut Sunita Williams stuck in space since June 2024 has been exposed to nine years of radiation in nine months. Experts said this can increase the risk of changes and damage to the DNA, which can cause cancer, and also compromise the immune system. This weakened immune response makes individuals more vulnerable to infections," Dr Sanjith Saseedharan, consultant and head, critical care, SL Raheja Hospital, Mahim-A Fortis Associate. He said such exposure could also lead to reduced cognition, behavioural issues and memory loss with a chance of early dementia. Recommended Stories Some of the late neurological toxicities can also include partial loss of motor function, dyskinesia, and coma," he added. Not immediately, but neurological issues can manifest even after many years of radiation exposure. Dr Rachit Saxena, director and senior consultant of cardiac surgery at Narayana Health, said: Space radiation damages blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart disease, atherosclerosis, and stroke." He said high-energy radiation causes DNA mutations, significantly raising the risk of leukaemia, lung cancer, and other malignancies. Spacesuits offer partial protection, but radiation in space is constant and cumulative. Unlike the ozone layer, which shields us on Earth, astronauts have no natural barrier," he added. Similarly, radiation oncologist Dr Nivedita Sarkar told News18 that radiation, combined with microgravity, significantly weakens the skeletal system. Williams bones would have experienced accelerated calcium loss, leading to osteopaenia or osteoporosis-like conditions. This puts astronauts at a higher risk of fractures upon their return to Earth," she said. A senior consultant for nuclear oncology at Amrita Hospital in Faridabad, she pointed out that muscle atrophy is also a concern as radiation can impair regeneration and strength retention over extended missions. Exposure to space radiation is known to cause cognitive impairment, neuroinflammation, and DNA damage in brain cells. Prolonged exposure can accelerate memory loss and decision-making deficits, as well as potentially increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers," she added. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Another oncologist, Dr Pooja Babbar from Gurugram-based CK Birla Hospital, said Williams is also vulnerable to chronic organ dysfunction" due to the extreme oxidative stress she suffered during her stay. Radiation impacts the structure and function of the brain, which might result in cognitive deterioration," she said. About the Author Himani Chandna Himani Chandna, Associate Editor at CNN News18, specialises in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. With firsthand insights into India's COVID-19 battle, she brings a seasoned perspective. She is particularly pass... Read More Himani Chandna, Associate Editor at CNN News18, specialises in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. With firsthand insights into India's COVID-19 battle, she brings a seasoned perspective. She is particularly pass... Read More First Published: March 10, 2025, 20:44 IST 'Site Under ASI Protection': Fadnavis's Jab At Congress As He Backs Removal Of Aurangzeb's Tomb Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 15:09 IST Devendra Fadnavis has supported the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar but said it must follow legal procedures due to its protected status. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis (Photo: PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday backed the calls to remove Mughal king Aurangzebs tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, but said it has to be done under the purview of law, as the previous Congress regime put the site under ASIs protection. The Chief Ministers remark came after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)s Satara MP Udayanraje Bhosale, a descendant of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, sought the removal of Aurangzebs tomb located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. Recommended Stories We all also want the same thing, but you need to do it within the framework of the law because it is a protected site. The site was put under ASIs (Archaeological Survey of India) protection during the Congress regime some years back," Fadnavis said during an event in Mumbai when asked about Bhosales demand. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Notably, Samajwadi Partys Maharashtra MLA Abu Asim Azmis remarks eulogising Mughal emperor Aurangzeb recently kicked up a row. Azmi was last week suspended from the Maharashtra legislative assembly till the end of the budget session on March 26 over his remarks praising Aurangzeb. 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 10, 2025, 15:09 IST Domestic Chores, Supplementing Household Income Major Reasons For School Dropouts: Education Ministry Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 23:25 IST Union minister Jayant Chaudhary, replying about the decline in school enrolment, told the Lok Sabha that education is part of the Concurrent List and the Centre has provided financial aid to states and UTs under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan There was a drop of 1.55 crore students from government and private schools as compared to between 2018-23 and 2023-24. (Image for representation: Shutterstock) The education ministry on Monday told Parliament that supplementing household income, attending to domestic chores, inability to cope with studies, disability, poor health and preparation for competitive exams are among the major reasons for students dropping out of school. Minister of state for education Jayant Chaudhary, in a written reply to a question on the decline in school enrolment, told the Lok Sabha that education is part of the Concurrent List and the central government has provided financial aid to states under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). Recommended Stories The major reasons for school dropouts are to supplement household income, to attend to domestic chores, not being interested in studies, unable to cope with studies, child suffering with some disability, poor health, education not considered necessary by parents, preparation of competitive examinations, marriage etc," he said in his reply. There was a drop of 1.55 crore students from government and private schools as compared to what it was between 2018-23 and 2023-24. According to the written response, the department of school education and literacy has developed the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) to record data on indicators of school education provided by all the states and union territories. The latest report released earlier this year said the number of students enrolled in schools was 26,02,94,216 in 2019-2020, which came down to 24,80,45,828 in 2023-24. Chaudhary said a majority of schools are under the domain of respective state governments. The Centre assists states and UTs through the centrally-sponsored scheme of Samagra Shiksha, he said. Financial assistance is also provided to Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra, which have low enrolment rate, for various activities to reduce the number of dropouts," he said. He further said these measures include opening/strengthening of new schools up to senior secondary level; strengthening school infrastructure setting up, upgrading and running of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV) up to Class 12; setting up of residential schools/hostel named Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Avasiya Vidyalayas; transport allowance; undertaking enrolment drives; seasonal hostels/residential camps; provision of vocational education and ICT facilities in schools; providing free textbooks and uniform, transport/escort facility; financial aid for aids and appliances for children with special needs among others. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all He added that under the SSA, financial aid provided to states for 2024-2025 is Rs 20,72,922.71 lakh. Based on the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, with effect from 2022-2023 UDISE+ has been revitalised to capture individual student-wise data and created a students registry. There has been a complete change in the manner of collection of data from 2022-2023, from gross enrolment data to individual student data. It makes comparison of data from previous years statistically different," he said. About the Author Vatsala Shrangi Vatsala Shrangi, Assistant Editor at News18, reports on the HRD, Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways, and social sector. She has covered the Delhi government, education, transport, environment and various ... Read More Vatsala Shrangi, Assistant Editor at News18, reports on the HRD, Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways, and social sector. She has covered the Delhi government, education, transport, environment and various ... Read More First Published: March 10, 2025, 23:25 IST ED Raids Premises Of Bhupesh Baghel's Son Chaitanya In Liquor Policy Case Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 09:44 IST The probe agency carried out extensive searches at around 15 locations, including the residence of Chaitanya Baghel in Bhilai. Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel with his son Chaitanya Baghel. File Image/Facebook The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday carried out extensive searches at the residence of the son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel in connection with an alleged liquor scam linked to a money laundering case in the state. The probe agency raided around 15 locations, including the residence of Chaitanya Baghel in Bhilai. The raids are being conducted under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said. Recommended Stories Reacting to the searches, Baghels office said, When the false case going on for seven years was dismissed in the court, today the guests of ED have entered the Bhilai residence of former Chief Minister, Congress General Secretary Bhupesh Baghel this morning." ED , . , . - Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) March 10, 2025 The Enforcement Directorate (ED) earlier said the Chhattisgarh liquor scam" resulted in massive loss" to the state exchequer and filled the pockets of the beneficiaries of a liquor syndicate with more than Rs 2,100 crore of proceeds of crime. During its probe, the probe agency arrested several suspects, including state government officials and business figures, in the case. Last year, federal investigators probing the alleged liquor fraud claimed that a criminal syndicate was orchestrating illegal bribe collections by exerting control over top management in key state departments and public sector units in Chhattisgarh. In December, raids were also conducted at the residences of six-time Congress MLA Kawasi Lakhma, his son Harish, and Congress leader Raju Sahu in Chhattisgarh. Former Excise Minister Lakhma, who was named among 70 others in the FIR related to the alleged liquor scam, contested the Lok Sabha polls this year from the Bastar constituency against BJP newcomer Mahesh Kashyap. The Congress leader was defeated in the election. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Despite being a major revenue source for the state, liquor also became a contentious issue, fueling political clashes between the Congress and the BJP in Chhattisgarh. Location : Chhattisgarh, India, India First Published: March 10, 2025, 09:03 IST ED Team Attacked Outside Bhupesh Baghels House In Durg, Probe Agency To Register Case Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 20:14 IST Earlier today, the probe agency carried out extensive searches at the residence of Chaitanya Baghel in connection with an alleged liquor scam linked to a money laundering case in the state. A team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials was allegedly attacked while they were coming out of the residence of Bhupesh Baghel. (ANI) A team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials was attacked and manhandled outside former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghels residence in Durg on Monday. Earlier today, the probe agency raided 14 locations in Durg district, including residential and other premises owned by Baghel, and his son, Chaitanya, as part of an ongoing investigation into the states alleged liquor scam. Recommended Stories Read More: Chhattisgarhs Rs 4,000-Crore Liquor Scam Probe: How ED Reached The Doorstep Of Ex-CM Bhupesh Baghel As per the preliminary information, Congress workers, agitated with the raids, clashed with police personnel deployed outside Baghels residence and raised slogans against the probe agency. During the clash, some ED personnel were man handled. Additionally, their car was surrounded and briefly stopped from leaving by a group of people. The probe agency is likely to file a case against the protestors. #WATCH | Durg, Chhattisgarh: A team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials was allegedly attacked while they were coming out of the residence of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel after a day-long search. Their car was surrounded and briefly stopped from leaving pic.twitter.com/39de2hWtT9 ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2025 ED Raids At Baghels Residence Earlier today, the probe agency carried out extensive searches at the residence of Chaitanya Baghel in connection with an alleged liquor scam linked to a money laundering case in the state. The premises of Bhupesh Baghels son Chaitanya Baghel in Bhilai (Durg district), an alleged close associate of Chaitanya Baghel, Laxmi Narayan Bansal alias Pappu Bansal, and some others are also being searched under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said. According to ED sources, Chaitanya is allegedly the recipient of proceeds of crime generated from the liquor scam, with a staggering amount of around Rs 2,161 crore allegedly siphoned through various fraudulent schemes. The cumulative worth of Chhattisgarhs liquor scam now stands around Rs 4,000 crore, with investigators looking at the fresh leads. The probe agency earlier said the Chhattisgarh liquor scam" resulted in massive loss" to the state exchequer and filled the pockets of the beneficiaries of a liquor syndicate with more than Rs 2,100 crore of proceeds of crime. During its probe, the probe agency arrested several suspects, including state government officials and business figures, in the case. Last year, federal investigators probing the alleged liquor fraud claimed that a criminal syndicate was orchestrating illegal bribe collections by exerting control over top management in key state departments and public sector units in Chhattisgarh. Bhupesh Baghel Calls ED Raids BJPs Vendetta Baghel reacted on the raids on his residence earlier in the day, saying that they were a political vendetta" by the BJP-led Central Government meant to harass" the Opposition. Baghel claimed that ED officials arrived at his Durg residence at 7:30 am while he was sipping tea. He further alleged that he was not provided with the ECIR number, which is similar to an FIR, when he asked for it. ED doesnt have any Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) number. When we asked for it. They didnt have an answer. Seven years back, a serious allegation was framed against me. Nothing was found in that case as the Supreme Court set me free. In this case they also wont find anything," Baghel said. Conspiracy To Manage Headlines, Says Congress The Congress said the raids against the Baghels were a conspiracy" to manage headlines" on a day when Parliaments Budget session reconvened and the government faced questions from the opposition on multiple issues. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Soon after the searches, a number of Congress leaders and workers gathered outside Baghels house in Bhilai. They staged a protest outside the house against the ED and claimed it to be a conspiracy by the Centre. About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He previously worked with Hindustan Times Digital (HTDS) and NDTV. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India ... Read More Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He previously worked with Hindustan Times Digital (HTDS) and NDTV. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India ... Read More Location : Raipur, India, India First Published: March 10, 2025, 19:32 IST 'We Deeply Regret': Gulmarg Fashion Show Designers React Amid Massive Outrage Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 23:35 IST Gulmarg Fashion Show Row: Designers Shivan Bhatiya and Narresh Kukreja extended their apology after facing severe backlash over their fashion show in Gulmarg. Gulmarg Fashion Show Row: Designers Shivan Bhatiya and Narresh Kukreja apologised amid uproar over the show which was called "obscene" by many leaders. Gulmarg Fashion Show Row: The designers, Shivan Bhatiya and Narresh Kukreja, who organised the controversial fashion show in Gulmarg which came under fire for featuring obscene" outfits during the holy month of Ramadan and led to an uproar in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, apologised for the event and said that they did not have any desire to offend any religious sentiments. Taking to X on Sunday, the designer duo said, We deeply regret any hurt caused by our recent presentation in Gulmarg during the holy month of Ramadan. Our sole intention was to celebrate creativity and the ski & apres-ski lifestyle, without any desire to offend anyone or any religious sentiments." Recommended Stories We deeply regret any hurt caused by our recent presentation in Gulmarg during the holy month of Ramadan. Our sole intention was to celebrate creativity and the ski & apres-ski lifestyle, without any desire to offend anyone or any religious sentiments. (1/2) SHIVAN & NARRESH (@shivan_narresh) March 9, 2025 Respect for all cultures and traditions is at our heart, and we acknowledge the concerns raised. We sincerely apologise for any unintended discomfort and appreciate the feedback from our community. We remain committed to being more mindful and respectful," they added. The fashion show was called obscene" by many leaders and led to protests in the assembly. Amid the uproar, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah denied giving permission for the event in any month of the year. We have already ordered an inquiry into it but preliminary facts revealed that it was a private four-day event organised by a private party in a private hotel. The fashion show was held on December 7, and certain things have come to the fore, which hurt the sentiments of the people who are not wrong," said the chief minister. Who Are Shivan & Narresh The Face Behind The Controversial Show? Shivan Bhatiya and Narresh Kukreja are well-established fashion designers who run the fashion label Shivan & Narresh". Shivan Bhatiya completed his Bachelor of Design degree from NIFT, Delhi and earned a masters degree from Istituto Europeo di Design. Co-founder Narresh Kukreja completed his schooling at Modern School. He is also a graduate of NIFT, Delhi and earned a Master in Luxury and Marketing degree from Istituto Europeo di Design. As per their Instagram profiles, the collection of the Shivan & Narresh fashion label is available in Kalaghoda in Mumbai, Embassy Chamber -5 in Bengaluru, DLF Emporio in New Delhi and Banjara Hills in Hyderabad. They have nearly 2.29 lakh followers on their Instagram account. The fashion label was launched in 2010 with Lakme Fashion Week and the brand specialises in beach, resort, cruise, swimwear, accessories and holiday wear. According to LinkedIn, Shivan & Narresh is the first luxury holiday brand in India, which was launched in Cannes. It also claims to be the first brand which got the opportunity to showcase at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim 2012 in Miami and take part in the Swimwear Association of Floridas SwimShow 2012. The brand has also been worn by various Hollywood and Bollywood celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Dita Von Teese, Nicki Minaj, Padma Lakshmi, Priyanka Chopra, Kangana Ranaut, Sonam Kapoor, and Shilpa Shetty. All About The Fashion Show Which Triggered A Controversy On March 7, Shivan & Narresh organised a fashion show at a renowned ski resort of Gulmarg to mark the 15th anniversary of the brand in the fashion industry. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The show was held under the open sky and presented their designer skiwear range. The ensemble collection included art prints from the archives of the brand, which included statement ski separates, winter layers, sculptural ski suits and uid apres-ski dresses for women and men. After the controversy, Elle India removed the reel of the fashion show which was earlier uploaded on Instagram. 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 10, 2025, 17:16 IST Kerala Lottery Results LIVE: Win Win W-812 Winners For March 10, 2025 Soon; First Prize Rs 75 Lakh! Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 09:55 IST Kerala Lottery Result Guessing Numbers: Check the Live Updates and full list of winning numbers for Win Win W-812 lucky draw for Monday, March 10, 2025 here from 3 pm. Kerala Lottery Win Win W-812 Results: The first prize winner of Win Win W-812 will get Rs 75 lakh. (Image: Shutterstock) KERALA LOTTERY WIN WIN W-812 RESULT ON MONDAY, 10.3.2025, LIVE UPDATES: The Kerala State Lottery Department will release the Win-Win W-812 lottery results on Monday, 10 March, at 3 pm. The first-place winner will receive a financial award of Rs 75 lakh, while the second and third place winners will receive Rs 5 lakh and Rs 1 lakh, respectively. Check the Live Updates and Full List of Winning Numbers here from 3 pm. 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The official Kerala Lottery Department website, keralalottery.info, will include the Win-Win W-812 lottery results. To confirm the results in person, you can also go ahead and stop by the Kerala Government Gazette office. HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE MONEY? Verify Your Ticket: Check the results listed in the Kerala Government Gazette against your ticket number. Verify Your Win: You will be qualified to get the prize if the number on your ticket matches a winning number. Claim Within 30 Days: Winners have 30 days from the time of announcement to pick up their award. Go to the Lottery Office: To claim your winnings, go to Gorky Bhavan, the Kerala Lottery Departments main office. Present the required documentation: For verification, present a legitimate photo ID together with your winning ticket. DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO CLAIM PRIZE MONEY? A self-certified two-sided photocopy of the winning ticket. A gazetted officers signature on passport-sized photographs. A legitimate duplicate of the individuals PAN card. Before submitting, fill out the online prize claim form and include a revenue stamp. Valid documentation, including voter IDs, Aadhaar cards, PAN cards or ration cards. HOW TO DOWNLOAD A PDF WITH A FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS? Visit keralalotteries.info or keralalotteryresult.net, the official websites of the Kerala Lottery Department. To see the Win-Win W-812 lottery results, click the relevant link. The draws winning numbers will be shown on the results page. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all To see the results, go to the website. Click the following link to examine and evaluate the lottery results in PDF format. About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More Location : Thiruvananthapuram [Trivandrum], India, India First Published: March 10, 2025, 09:00 IST Maharashtra Minister Introduces Malhar Certification For 100% Hindu-Run Meat Shops Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 18:12 IST Nitish Rane announced the creation of jhatka meat suppliers' platform called MalharCertification.com, which would be run exclusively by Hindus. Maharashtra minister Nitish Rane (X) Malhar certification in Maharashtra: Maharashtra Minister Nitish Rane on Monday launched a new portal to register all jhatka mutton shops across the state under a newly launched initiative, Malhar Certification". Rane asserted that the certification would be provided exclusively to Hindu community. Rane announced the creation of jhatka meat suppliers platform called MalharCertification.com, which would be run exclusively by Hindus. He further asserted that there would be no adulteration in the mutton anywhere. Recommended Stories Today we have taken a very important step for the Hindu community in Maharashtra. Malhar Certification.com (https://malharcertification.com) has been launched on this occasion. Through Malhar Certification, we will have access to our rightful mutton shops and there will be a 100 percent Hindu community and the person selling will also be a Hindu. No adulteration will be found in the mutton anywhere," he said in a post on X. Announcing the initiative, the Maharashtra fisheries minister urged Hindus to not buy mutton from shops which dont have Malhar certification. I appeal to you to use Malhar certification as much as possible and in fact, not to buy mutton from places where Malhar certification is not available. These efforts will definitely make the youth of the Hindu community financially empowered," Rane added. Halal Mutton vs Jhatka Mutton The Malhar certification is similar to the existing halal certification in India, where meat is prepared according to Sharia or Islamic law. Islam stipulates that an animal is to be sacrificed in a certain manner before it can be consumed by members of the community. Contrary to the halal way of slaughter, jhatka meat is prepared after killing the animal in a painless way with a single blow. All About Malhar Certification top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all As per the platforms website, it is a certified platform for Jhatka mutton and chicken vendors." It further mentioned that the goat or sheep meat is prepared and sacrificed according to Hindu traditions." This meat is available exclusively through Hindu Khatik community vendors. Therefore, we encourage everyone to purchase mutton only from vendors certified by Malhar," the website added. About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He previously worked with Hindustan Times Digital (HTDS) and NDTV. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India ... Read More Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He previously worked with Hindustan Times Digital (HTDS) and NDTV. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India ... Read More First Published: March 10, 2025, 18:12 IST 'No Commitment So Far': Govt To Parliamentary Standing Comittee After Trump's 'Tariff Cut' Claim Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Aveek Banerjee Last Updated: March 11, 2025, 07:15 IST Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal told the foreign affairs panel that India is still negotiating with the US over tariffs, sources said. Trump had claimed that India has agreed to bring down tariffs. 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) After US President Donald Trump claimed that India has brought tariffs way down" on American goods, Indias commerce secretary clarified that India is still negotiating with the United States and has not made any commitments so far. According to sources, Sunil Barthwal, Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (Department of Commerce) briefed the department, Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs on the Current Developments in Indias Foreign Trade and Policy on Monday, where he said to have told the panel that the US has not officially imposed any tariffs on India, unlike Mexico, Canada and China. Recommended Stories We will protect the interests of the sectors and the industry essential for domestic industry," he said to have told the committee. All agreements and trade deals would be as per the mutually beneficial to both countries as per the joint statement signed by both PM Modi and Trump." the sources further said. The department-related standing committee for External Affairs is led by Congress Lok Sabha, MP Dr Shashi Tharoor. The committee also heard from Indias foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, on questions from members about China. Sources informed that committee members asked several questions on China and the approval of a massive dam construction project on the Brahmaputra river, which sparked concerns in India and Bangladesh. The Secretary informed the committee that there was no agreement between India and China, but India had a water-distribution agreement with Pakistan, sources said. He also stressed that any issue with China can only be discussed on bilateral levels. ALSO READ: India Downplays Trump Remarks, Says Tariff Reduction In Line With Past Agreements: Source India-US Talks On Trumps Reciprocal Tariffs This meeting came after Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyals visit to the United States, where he held talks with US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Earlier, Trump claimed that India has agreed to cut its tariffs way down" as he reiterated his claim that the country charges America massive tariffs that make it difficult to sell products there. Theyve agreed. they want to cut their tariffs way down now because somebody is finally exposing them for what theyve done," he said. Trump has been threatening several countries with reciprocal trade tariffs ever since he assumed charge as US President. Before Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the White House, Trump had announced reciprocal tariffs on its partners, including New Delhi. While maintaining warm relations of PM Modi, Trump has often been critical of Indias high tariffs, describing the country as a tariff king" and a tariff abuser". India exports nearly $74 billion worth of goods to the US in 2024, which establishes the US as Indias biggest trading partner. Higher tariffs on Indian products are likely to decrease their competitive edge in the US market which will hit major labour-intensive sectors hard. Goyal was in the US to lead Indias trade negotiation efforts to engage with US officials to obtain concessions that could lessen the economic impact. Last week, India said it is looking at deepening trade ties with the US, including by reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers through a bilateral trade deal. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal 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). 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. First Published: March 10, 2025, 20:34 IST On Cam: Armed Robbers Loot Jewellery Worth Rs 25 Crore At Gunpoint In Bihar Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 17:23 IST The robbery took place after the showroom opened at 10:30 am on Monday when five to six armed men with their faces covered with masks and helmets barged into the shop. The robbers spent almost 30 minutes inside the showroom without exciting suspicion outside. (PTI) Jewellery robbery in Bihar: In a shocking incident, a group of armed robbers held the customers and staff at gunpoint and stole the jewellery worth Rs 25 core apart from cash from a Tanshiq showroom in Bihars Arrah on Monday. The shocking incident, which took place in a broad daylight at at the Gopali Chowk branch in the Arrah police station area, was captured on CCTV installed inside the showroom. Recommended Stories As per the footage as shared by news agency PTI, the robbery took place after the showroom opened at 10:30 am on Monday when five to six armed men with their faces covered with masks and helmets barged into the shop. VIDEO | Armed robbers stormed a Tanishq showroom in Bihars Arrah this morning and looted jewellery worth crores. The robbery took place at the Gopali Chowk branch in the Arrah police station area and the incident was caught in the CCTV installed inside the showroom.(Video pic.twitter.com/sU44vmpWwo Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 10, 2025 In the footage, the robbers can be seen overpowering security personnel and holding staff and customers hostage before executing their task. The customers and staff members were lined up at a corner with their hands up. Robbers were later seen looting chains, necklaces, bangles, and some diamonds worth Rs 25 crore in their bags. In the video, a staff member can be seen casually entering into the showroom when and two of the criminals grab him and hit him repeatedly. The gun of the security guard was seized by the robbers, and he too was held at gunpoint. The robbers spent almost 30 minutes inside the showroom without exciting suspicion outside. Showroom manager Kumar Mrityunjay said that jewellery worth Rs 25 crore has been looted apart from cash. He said that it was being determined how much cash has been stolen. Mrityunjay further accused the police of negligence. This is a lapse by the authorities. It was morning time, not evening or night. We were calling the police, but did not receive any response," reported PTI quoting Mrityunjay. #WATCH | Visuals from the Jewellery showroom at which a robbery took place in Arrah city today between 10.30 and 11 am.Bihar police have arrested two accused involved in the robbery. Six suspicious persons riding three motorcycles were seen going from Ara-Babura towards pic.twitter.com/oqYbYDZA0Q ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2025 He added that two of their executives were injured as they were hit on the head by revolver. There were eight-nine robbers," he said. The robbers were later involved in an encounter with the police, which left two criminals injured. As per the police, six suspicious persons riding three motorcycles were seen going from Ara-Babura towards Doriganj. After chasing for some distance, the criminals fired at the police. The policemen retaliated injuring two criminals who were shot near their feet. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The police arrested the two robbers and recovered two pistols, 10 cartridges, looted jewellery, and a motorcycle. Bhojpur Superintendent of Police Raj informed that CCTV footage is being thoroughly checked and efforts were being made to identify the criminals. About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He previously worked with Hindustan Times Digital (HTDS) and NDTV. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India ... Read More Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He previously worked with Hindustan Times Digital (HTDS) and NDTV. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India ... Read More Location : Arrah, India, India First Published: March 10, 2025, 17:15 IST Over Rs 262 Crore In Bank Accounts, Rs 32.7 Crore In Cash: How Terrorist Group PFI Gets Funds | Exclusive Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Manjiri Joshi Last Updated: March 12, 2025, 11:57 IST According to intelligence sources, the investigation further revealed that the PFI was involved in a criminal conspiracy to raise and collect funds from unidentified and suspicious sources, both domestically and internationally The investigation revealed that the PFI was involved in a criminal conspiracy to raise and collect funds from unidentified and suspicious sources. (File) More than Rs 262 crore was deposited into 29 bank accounts of the Popular Front of India (PFI), declared a terror outfit by the Centre in 2023, between May 2009 and May 2022, an Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has revealed. Moreover, intelligence sources say the outfit also obtained Rs 32.07 crore in cash from sympathisers. Recommended Stories According to intelligence sources, the investigation further revealed that the PFI was involved in a criminal conspiracy to raise and collect funds from unidentified and suspicious sources, both domestically and internationally. Earlier searches conducted at the offices of PFI and residences of its office-bearers had led to recovery of voluminous incriminating documents and digital devices. These documents had revealed that the PFI had thousands of active members in Gulf countries and that the group had been raising and collecting substantial funds from abroad in an organised and structured manner. These funds were then transferred, layered and integrated into the financial system, ultimately being used to support ongoing unlawful activities over an extended period. PFI SAYS IT DOES NOT ACCEPT FOREIGN FUNDS, BUT HERES WHAT DOCUMENTS, SOURCES SAY While PFI and its leaders maintain it is their established policy not to accept foreign funds for its activities", the documents seized during search operations at their offices on December 3, 2020 showed they had appointed members to look into their operations in foreign countries. The funds were transferred through circuitous banking channels or illegal hawala channels or in the form of remittances sent to the accounts of members or office-bearers of the PFI and other related organisations. Heres how the money is moved, according to sources: Investigations reveal that the cash is first deposited into the bank accounts of the senders (alleged sympathisers) and thereafter the said amount is transferred to the PFIs bank accounts. The step was to project the said funds as legitimate donations. Verification of these individuals revealed that cash deposits into the bank accounts of PFI are not genuine transactions and have been affected by the PFI to project the unaccounted cash raised through unknown and suspicious sources. The PFI used these individual accounts as conduit to channelise funds received clandestinely, through underground/hawala channels, and to present them as legitimate donations when transferred into PFIs accounts. Funds received from abroad are concealed from the government authorities, and the statutory compliance and their remittance to India have not been done by PFI and its related organisations. Investigations have also revealed that the PFI did not deposit its entire fund collection in its bank accounts and a substantial portion of the same was retained and spent in cash. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Such expenses were not reflected in the bank statements of PFI, leaving no money trail between PFI and the depositors/ beneficiaries. The documents establish that Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), whose national president is MK Faizy, serves as political front of the PFI to disseminate and carry forward its ideology, agenda and objectives, said sources. About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 First Published: March 10, 2025, 14:01 IST 'We Can't Speculate': Karnataka Govt Amid BJP-Congress Blame Game In Ranya Rao Gold Smuggling Case Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 16:35 IST Rao was caught with nearly 15 kg of gold at the Bengaluru Airport hidden in her clothing and more gold and cash were found at her home. It is considered one of the largest gold seizures in the city. Ranya Rao was arrested from the Kempagowda International Airport. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling Congress in Karnataka have engaged in a war of words after Kannada actress Ranya Rao was apprehended at the Bengaluru Airport for allegedly smuggling gold worth over Rs 17 crore, in what is being considered as one of the biggest heists in the city. Rao, who was sent to judicial custody till March 24, admitted to the recovery of gold during her statement. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the probe and is trying to find out if a gold smuggling racket is operating at the national level. Recommended Stories While the country is still coming to terms with this staggering gold smuggling operation, it was also revealed that a company linked to the actress was allotted 12 acres of industrial land by the previous BJP-led government in 2023. In January 2023, the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government granted land to Ksiroda Pvt Ltd, which has Ranya and her brother Rushab as directors. Her company had promised to invest Rs 138 crore to set up a steel TMT bar manufacturing unit. BJP, Congress Spar Over Responsibility The land allocation prompted some Congress leaders to attack the BJP. Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad said, The BJP should also answer why they allotted 12 acres of land in Tumakuru to the company belonging to Ranya Rao. Is she an industrialist or a smuggler?" Karnataka MSME Minister MB Patil said land was allocated for a factory to Rao and her two brothers, and he has checked with officials to find out about the allocation. A detailed report would be prepared and released to the media, he said. However, the BJP retorted back to these allegations by alleging that Rao was in contact with two Congress ministers in the current government to get herself out of trouble. When she was caught committing the crime, she attempted to contact certain Congress ministers, seeking their influence to escape the consequences," BJP leader Y Bharath Shetty told reporters. Taking to X, BJP Karnataka President BY Vijayendra said media reports about the involvement of a prominent minister" in Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs government comes as no surprise" given this governments track record of churning out scandals in increasingly innovative" ways!" The blatant violation of government protocols that allegedly enabled Ranya Rao to smuggle gold worth over 12 croreand possibly much more in the pastcould not have happened without the direct support of influential figures within the government. If these reports are true, it raises serious questions about how deep this nexus runs," he added. Media reports about the involvement of a prominent minister in @siddaramaiahs government in one of the biggest gold heists in recent times come as no surpriseespecially given this governments track record of churning out scandals in increasingly innovative" ways!The blatant Vijayendra Yediyurappa (@BYVijayendra) March 10, 2025 Vijayendra exuded confidence in the CBI to prevent any attempt by the Congress government to shield those responsible. Congress MLA AS Ponnanna responded by saying, If BY Vijayendra knows so much about it, I am sure he knows which BJP minister has helped her in getting that land." We Cant Speculate: Karnataka Govt Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara responded to the reports, saying there is no room for speculation and that the CBI should be allowed to come up with solid information. This has been handed over to the CBI, let them probe. Until the CBI comes up with definite information, we cannot react to this. Let the CBI come up with information about whose influence there was in the allotment of sites, who the minister was, and everything," he said. Bengaluru, Karnataka: On actress Ranya Rao gold smuggling case, Home Minister G. Parameshwara says, Now this has been handed over to CBI. Let the CBI comes out with their findings. Till then these are all speculations. Once the CBI comes out with the definite information, who is pic.twitter.com/9TZ7OM6Few IANS (@ians_india) March 10, 2025 top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all 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. Following her arrest at the airport with nearly 15 kg of gold, the Bengaluru Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) recovered gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Rs 2.67 crore in cash from her Bengaluru home during raids. She was remanded to 14-day judicial custody following the arrest. 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 10, 2025, 15:50 IST Musk, Rubio clash with Polish minister over Starlink use in Ukraine Xinhua) 14:07, March 10, 2025 WASHINGTON, March 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. tech billionaire Elon Musk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday had an online clash with Poland's foreign minister over Starlink use in Ukraine. Musk, chief executive officer of the aerospace company SpaceX, wrote on social platform X that "my Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army," and "Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off." In response, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski wrote on X that Starlinks for Ukraine are paid for by the Polish Digitization Ministry at the cost of about 50 million U.S. dollars per year. "The ethics of threatening the victim of aggression apart, if SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider we will be forced to look for other suppliers," he said. Rubio accused the Polish minister of "just making things up." "No one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink. And say thank you because without Starlink Ukraine would have lost this war long ago and Russians would be on the border with Poland right now," he added. Musk then explained: "I am simply stating that, without Starlink, the Ukrainian lines would collapse, as the Russians can jam all other communications! We would never do such a thing or use it as a bargaining chip." Starlink has been widely used by Ukrainian forces during its conflict with Russia. U.S. negotiators have reportedly threatened to cut off Ukraine's access to Starlink if an agreement on the country's critical minerals and other resources cannot be reached. The Trump administration had announced a suspension of weapon deliveries to Ukraine and halted intelligence sharing after a heated Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky more than a week ago. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) UP Shocker: Woman Murders 15-Year-Old Daughter For Speaking to Boyfriend On Phone, Arrested Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 22:22 IST The accused woman, identified as Warisa, 45, has been arrested for allegedly strangling her daughter Nazia to death after catching her speaking to her boyfriend. Warisa, 45, strangled her daughter Nazia to death. | Representative Image (Shutterstock) In a shocking incident from Uttar Pradesh, a woman allegedly murdered her 15-year-old daughter after she caught her speaking to her boyfriend on the phone. The incident took place in the Baraut police station area in Baghpat. The accused woman, identified as Warisa, 45, has been arrested on suspicions of murder. She reportedly caught her daughter Nazia speaking to her boyfriend on the phone during Sehri preparations on Saturday. Recommended Stories Baraut SHO Manoj Kumar told the Times of India that Warisa strangled her daughter in a fit of rage, after which the victim collapsed on the bed. Believing her to be alive, Warisa continued with her household chores. Nearly four hours later, when she tried to wake her, she realised she was dead," he added. Locals in the Bijrol village alerted the police after they reportedly witnessed Warisa attempting to bury her daughters body. Police then reached the spot and took the accused into custody. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Warisas husband, a toy trader, was in Sultapur t the time of the incident and she was living in the village with her nine children. The deceased daughter had dropped out of school due to financial problems and stayed at home, as per the report. An FIR under BNS section 103(1) (murder) was registered against her on a complaint filed by a police sub-inspector. Police have launched an investigation into Nazias murder after an autopsy confirmed death by strangulation. 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 : Baghpat, India, India First Published: March 10, 2025, 22:22 IST 'Verbally Tortured And Threatened': Ranya Rao Breaks Down In Court, Says She Is 'Emotionally Broken' Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Prisha Vibhavari Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 18:30 IST Kannada actor Ranya Rao broke down in court and alleged that she had been "threatened" in the custody of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). Kannada actor Ranya Rao was arrested from Bengaluru Airport (Image: X) Kannada actor Ranya Rao, who is accused of smuggling gold worth Rs 14.56 crore and was nabbed at Bengaluru Airport, on Monday broke down in the court and alleged that she is traumatised and emotionally broken". Rao claimed that she has been verbally tortured and threatened" in the custody of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). Recommended Stories Bengaluru, Karnataka: Actress Ranya Rao broke down in court, denying physical torture but alleging verbal and mental harassment. She claimed trauma and emotional distress. The DRI advocate stated all procedures were recorded and the court requested CCTV footage submission pic.twitter.com/PFgnjGLJOB IANS (@ians_india) March 10, 2025 I was verbally tortured and threatened. I am traumatised and emotionally broken," claimed the actor. A crying Ranya Rao said to the judge, I am co-operating in the investigation, I was asked to sign a document today with yesterdays date, which I refused to." The actor accused the DRI officials of verbally threatening her. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence informed the court that the whole interrogation was video recorded, and a copy would be submitted to the court. The DRI said that the actor was not co-operating in the investigation. While leaving the court, the actor in a very incoherent manner told the court that she had laughed and cried while being in custody and that goodness cant used against me" Rao appeared before a special court in Bengaluru which sought to know if the accused faced any physical torture in custody. The court hearing took place days after her swollen eyes in a viral picture sparked widespread speculations that she may have faced assault after she was arrested. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had also noted the signs of physical abuse on the actors body and said that the actor had informed them about sustaining these injuries long before travelling to Dubai. The court extended the judicial custody of the actor till March 24. Who Is Ranya Rao And Why Was She Arrested In Gold Smuggling Case? Ranya Rao is the stepdaughter of Director General of Police (Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation) Ramachandra Rao. She was under the radar because of her frequent travel to Dubai. In one year, she allegedly went to Dubai 30 times and four times in just 15 days. The authorities nabbed Rao at the Bengaluru airport when she was smuggling nearly 15kg of gold which was strapped to her body earlier this week. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all After she was arrested, gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Rs 2.67 crore in cash was recovered from her home in Bengaluru by the Bengaluru Directorate of Revenue Intelligence during raids. Rao is married to Jatin Hukkeri, who was also frequently travelling to Dubai with the actress. This is one of Karnatakas biggest gold seizures in history. First Published: March 10, 2025, 16:50 IST 'Will Open 'New And Bright' Chapter In Ties': PM Modi On His Visit To Mauritius Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 20:56 IST Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Mauritius on March 11 and 12 at the invitation of Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam primarily to grace the island nations national day celebrations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (PTI file photo) As he embarks on a two-day trip to Mauritius, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the visit will open a "new and bright" chapter in the ties between the two nations. Modi is visiting Mauritius on March 11 and 12 at the invitation of Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam primarily to grace the island nations national day celebrations. Recommended Stories In his departure statement, the prime minister said he was looking forward to engaging with the leadership of Mauritius to elevate "our partnership in all its facets and strengthen our enduring friendship for the progress and prosperity of our peoples". A contingent of Indian armed forces will participate in the celebrations along with a warship of the Indian Navy and the Akash Ganga skydiving team of the Indian Air Force. "Mauritius is a close maritime neighbour, a key partner in the Indian Ocean, and a gateway to the African Continent. We are connected by history, geography and culture," Modi said. "Deep mutual trust, a shared belief in the values of democracy, and celebration of our diversity are our strengths," he said. The prime minister said the close and historical people-to-people connection between the two sides is a source of shared pride. "I am confident that this visit will build on the foundations of the past and open a new and bright chapter in the India and Mauritius relationship," he said. The prime minister noted that "significant strides" have been made in the past 10 years between the two sides with people centric initiatives. "I look forward to the opportunity to engage with the Mauritius leadership to elevate our partnership in all its facets and strengthen our enduring friendship for the progress and prosperity of our peoples, as well as for security and development in the Indian Ocean Region, as part of our vision SAGAR," he added. SAGAR stands for Security And Growth for All in the Region. The national day celebrations of Mauritius will be on March 12. India and Mauritius have uniquely close cooperation in maritime security, development, capacity-building, besides close people-to-people ties. The close bonds are especially evident in the numerous India-assisted development projects that dot the Mauritian landscape. India is amongst the largest trading partners of Mauritius. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Mauritius was the second largest source of FDI into India for 2023-24, after Singapore. Mauritius and India signed a comprehensive economic cooperation and partnership agreement (CECPA) in February 2021 after nearly 15 years of negotiations. It was the first trade agreement signed by India with an African country. First Published: March 10, 2025, 20:56 IST International Day Of Women Judges 2025: History, Significance, And Women Judges In India Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 07:05 IST International Day of Women Judges is observed on March 10 to honour female judges and their contributions to justice and equality. The UNGA established this day in 2021, first observed in 2022. International Day Of Women Judges is dedicated to recognising the contributions of the female judges worldwide. (Image: Shutterstock) International Day Of Women Judges 2025: Womens involvement in the judiciary is critical to ensure that courts represent their citizens, address their issues, and hand down sound judgements. By their presence, women judges strengthen the legitimacy of courts, sending a strong message that they are open and accessible to those seeking justice. International Day of Women Judges is observed on March 10 annually to celebrate the female judges who have led from the forefront in the fight against social injustice. Recommended Stories The day is dedicated to recognising the contributions of the female judges worldwide. International Day of Women Judges also raises awareness about the importance of womens participation in all levels of decision-making for the achievement of democracy and equality. In this article, we will look at the history, theme and significance of the day. International Day of Women Judges: History The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) decided to celebrate an international day to honour female judges across the globe and their achievements towards justice, equality and fairness in society. This development came after an international conference of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Doha, Qatar, from February 24 to February 27, 2020. At the conference, the Institute for African Women in Law (IAWL) emphasised the importance of judiciaries encouraging and developing a culture of respect for womens rights. Bullying of women and sexual harassment in the legal profession, particularly among female judges, were also addressed. The UNGA adopted resolution 75/274 on April 28, 2021, declaring March 10 as the International Day of Women Judges. The International Day of Women Judges was observed for the first time on March 10, 2022. International Day of Women Judges: Significance The inclusion of women judges in spaces where they had previously been excluded has been a positive step towards judicial systems. By commemorating the occasion, the Indian government reaffirms its commitment to developing and implementing relevant and effective national strategies and plans for the growth of women in judicial justice systems and institutions at the managerial, leadership, and other levels. How Many Women Judges Are There in India? With the inclusion of Anna Chandy, the first female judge of a high court in 1937, the road to equal representation of the sexes in all walks of civil society in India changed. Then, Fathima Beevi became the first female judge of the Supreme Court of India in 1989. Several Indian women, and those around the globe, slowly added to the illustrious list of female judges, bringing balance to the usually male-dominated legal system. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all As of August 1, 2024, around 14 percent of sitting judges across High Courts in India were women, but only two High Courts had women Chief Justices, reported the Supreme Court observer. In High Courts, there seems to be only a marginal increase in the number of women from 13 percent as of June 2023 and 11 percent in June 2021 and March 2022. In August 2024, 106 out of 754 judges in high courts were women. About the Author Lifestyle Desk Our life needs a bit of style to get the perfect zing in the daily routine. News18 Lifestyle is one-stop destination for everything you need to know about the world of fashion, food, health, travel, relationshi... Read More Our life needs a bit of style to get the perfect zing in the daily routine. News18 Lifestyle is one-stop destination for everything you need to know about the world of fashion, food, health, travel, relationshi... Read More fashion, travel, The News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health food , and culture with wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration, and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: March 10, 2025, 07:05 IST Savitribai Phule 128th Death Anniversary: How Did She Die? 10 Facts About Indias First Woman Teacher Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 07:15 IST Savitribai Phule, India's first woman teacher, died on March 10, 1897, from the bubonic plague. She founded India's first girls' school and fought casteism, patriarchy, and child marriage. Savitribai Phule spoke about the need for education for girls. (Image: Shutterstock) Savitribai Phule Death Anniversary 2025: Regarded as Indias first woman teacher and feminist icon, Savitribai Phule played a vital role in the social reform movement, particularly in Maharashtra. She dedicated her life to womens rights and education and founded the first girls school in India along with her husband, Jyotirao. The educationist and poetess also fought against casteism, patriarchy, discrimination, caste atrocities, and child marriage and spoke about the need for education for girls. Her impactful dedication and legacy towards lifting women through education left an unforgettable imprint on Indias historical records and continues to inspire millions today. Recommended Stories On her 128th death anniversary, lets know how she passed away and some significant facts about the social reformer, thinker and activist: Savitribai Phule Death Anniversary: How Did She Die? Indias first female teacher, Savitribai Phule, breathed her last on March 10, 1897. She died at the age of 66 after contracting the third pandemic of the bubonic plague from a 10-year-old boy she was trying to save. Though the boy survived, Phule couldnt recover from the disease. For those unaware, bubonic plague is a bacterial infection that causes swollen lymph nodes, chills, fever, and headache. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Savitribai Phule Death Anniversary: 10 Facts About The First Woman Teacher In India Born on January 3, 1831, in Maharashtras Naigaon village, Savitribai was married at the age of 9 to her husband, Jyotirao Phule, who was 13 at the time. Known as the countrys first revolutionary feminist, Savitribai learnt reading and writing and soon started teaching girls in Punes Maharwada with Sagunabai, her husband Jyotiraos mentor. Along with her husband, Savitribai started Indias first school for girls at Bhide Wada in 1848. Only nine students were on the rolls, and she used to offer stipends to encourage students to complete their education. Despite facing ostracism from her community, Savitribai opened 18 more such schools with her husband, with a focus on providing education to all women. She was one of the first modern Indian feminists who organised a barbers strike in Mumbai and Pune to protest against widows shaving their heads. In 1863, Savitribai founded the first-ever infanticide prohibition home in India called Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha along with her husband to help pregnant Brahmin widows and rape victims deliver children. Savitribai was also a poet, and she wrote two booksKavya Phule in 1854 and Bavan Kashi Subodh Ratnakar in 1892. Phule also fought against dowry and other social evils that hindered womens empowerment. She also founded the Satyashodhak Samaj to organise marriages, especially inter-caste, without priests and dowry. Another initiative Savitribai Phule actively campaigned against was social evils such as untouchability and the caste system. She even installed a well in her own house for those considered to be untouchable. In 1897, Savitribai opened a clinic to treat those affected by the Third Pandemic of the bubonic plague in Pune. She contracted the disease while serving a plague patient. 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 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 10, 2025, 07:15 IST Tibetan Uprising Day 2025: History, Significance And What Happened In 1959? Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 07:10 IST Tibetan Uprising Day on March 10 marks the 1959 Lhasa uprising against Chinese rule, leading to violent conflict and the Dalai Lama's exile. Tibetan Uprising Day honours this pivotal moment and those who sacrificed their lives in the fight against Chinese oppression. (Image: Shutterstock) Tibetan Uprising Day 2025: Tibetan Uprising Day is observed on March 10 as a tribute to those who stood against Communist Chinas repression in Lhasa in 1959. In 1950, China annexed Tibet, now known as the Tibet Autonomous Region. By 1951, Chinese rule was firmly established, but years of resentment culminated in a major uprising in 1959. The conflict turned violent, resulting in significant loss of life. Tibetan Uprising Day honours this pivotal moment and those who sacrificed their lives in the fight against Chinese oppression. Recommended Stories What Happened During The 1959 Uprising? On March 10, 1959, thousands of Tibetans gathered near Norbulingka, the Dalai Lamas summer palace, determined to resist Chinas growing control. The Chinese invasion had begun a decade earlier, but tensions had been building for years. Two Chinese army officers arrived at the temple where the Dalai Lama was preparing for his final Master of Metaphysics exam. They invited him to a theatrical performance and tea at the Chinese headquarters in Lhasa. He passed his exam and officially earned the title of Geshe, but concerns over the invitation loomed. A Chinese military leader contacted the Chief Official Abbot to confirm the date, March 10, but with one chilling condition: the Dalai Lama was to attend alone, without his usual security detail. The news spread rapidly, sparking fear among the people. Determined to prevent a possible abduction, nearly 30,000 Tibetans surrounded Norbulingka, forming a human shield. Days later, on March 23, the inevitable happened. The Chinese government seized control of Lhasa. By then, however, the Dalai Lama had escaped in secrecy, vanishing beyond Chinas reach and leaving behind a homeland forever changed. His departure marked a turning point in Tibets history. Though the uprising was crushed, the Tibetan peoples spirit remained unbroken. Tibetan Uprising Day: History And Significance What began as a peaceful uprising escalated into a violent crackdown on Tibets struggle for independence. The consequences were severe. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama was forced into exile and Tibets dream of autonomy was shattered. Despite this, the spirit of resistance never truly faded. Today, Tibetan Uprising Day is a rallying point for those who continue to support Tibetan independence. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Students, activists and advocacy groups mark the occasion with protests, campaigns and demonstrations to remind the world of Tibets unresolved struggle. In 2008, tensions flared again when monks participating in peaceful demonstrations were arrested. The unrest quickly spread, triggering riots in Lhasa and nationwide protests. According to the Central Tibetan Administration, 336 protests took place during that time. 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 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 10, 2025, 07:10 IST Celebrating Women Who Open Their Doors and Hearts Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 14:39 IST Embracing the spirit of this years theme Accelerate Action, which champions inclusion and empowerment, these women have not only built thriving businesses but have also empowered themselves and their communities. Navigating Goas competitive tourism industry hasnt been without its challenges, but their dedication to creating a unique, welcoming space has not only helped them thrive but also fostered friendships with travelers from around the world. We celebrate the remarkable journeys of women who have transformed their homes into warm, welcoming havens for travelers from around the world. Embracing the spirit of this years theme Accelerate Action, which champions inclusion and empowerment, these women have not only built thriving businesses but have also empowered themselves and their communities. Meet Ranjana, Kasthuri, Simi and Binathree inspiring hosts on Airbnb who have found independence, purpose, and meaningful connections through their journey. Ranjanas Boutique Homestay, Mumbai Recommended Stories Tucked away in northern Mumbai, Ranjanas ancestral bungalow offers more than just a stayits an experience infused with warmth, culture, and heartfelt hospitality. Every corner of her beautifully preserved home reflects a deep passion for welcoming guests as family. Ranjanas journey as a host began after an inspiring encounter with a solo traveler at a Vipassana course. Moved by the need for safe and homely spaces for international women traveling alone in India, she opened her doors on Airbnb in 2016. What began as a way to maintain her home quickly evolved into a transformative journeyone that brought her confidence, financial independence, and a profound sense of fulfillment. From offering refuge to a guest undergoing a gender transition to fostering a home where people feel truly seen and valued, Ranjanas story is one of compassion, strength, and empowerment. Now, she actively encourages other women to embrace hosting, believing that Indian womens innate warmth and hospitality make them natural entrepreneurs in the world of travel. Kasthuris Sustainable Sanctuary, Vaksana At 70, Kasthuri embarked on an extraordinary new chapter, fulfilling a lifelong dream alongside her 89-year-old mother. Together, they built Vaksana Farms, a 13-acre organic retreat in Tamil Nadu that offers guests a chance to experience authentic village life. Recognized as one of Indias best BnBs for sustainable leadership at the Responsible Tourism Awards, Vaksana is more than just a farmstayits a testament to eco-conscious living and the beauty of self-sufficiency. Despite having little formal education, Kasthuri possesses a natural flair for hospitality and traditional cooking. Her thriving Airbnb venture not only sustains the farm but also provides jobs and educates others in organic farming. Her journey is a powerful reminder that age is no barrier when passion, resilience, and determination take the lead. Simi & Binas Amrut Villa, Goa top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Amrut Villa in Goa is more than just a homeit is an artistic haven, brimming with creativity and soul. Designed as a sanctuary by Nitin, the familys late patriarch, his wife Bina and daughter Simi have lovingly preserved his vision, now sharing its magic with travelers through their Airbnb listing. Hosting has given them a renewed sense of purpose, allowing them to celebrate their homes artistic heritage while offering guests a deeply personal and immersive experience. Their in-house art gallery, the beating heart of their space, invites visitors into a world of color, culture, and storytelling. Navigating Goas competitive tourism industry hasnt been without its challenges, but their dedication to creating a unique, welcoming space has not only helped them thrive but also fostered friendships with travelers from around the world. Their journey proves that a home filled with passion and creativity is a home worth sharing. About the Author Lifestyle Desk Our life needs a bit of style to get the perfect zing in the daily routine. News18 Lifestyle is one-stop destination for everything you need to know about the world of fashion, food, health, travel, relationshi... Read More Our life needs a bit of style to get the perfect zing in the daily routine. News18 Lifestyle is one-stop destination for everything you need to know about the world of fashion, food, health, travel, relationshi... Read More fashion, travel, The News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health food , and culture with wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration, and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: March 10, 2025, 14:39 IST 'What Will Kalyug Be Like?': Premanand Maharaj Makes Spine-Chilling Prediction Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 11:31 IST Premanand Ji Maharaj of Vrindavan shared a bleak prophecy about Kalyug, emphasising the dominance of wealth, moral decay, and the erosion of traditional values. His viral video has shocked many viewers A devotee recently inquired about Kalyug, and Premanand Maharaj's response to him sent shockwaves among listeners. (News18) People from different parts of the world seek wisdom from Premanand Maharaj, the renowned saint of Vrindavan. His presence on social media has further amplified his reach, as he imparts knowledge on worldly and spiritual matters through his satsangs. Devotees often engage in Q&A sessions, seeking guidance on various issues. Recently, a devotee inquired about Kalyug, and Premanand Maharajs response to him sent shockwaves among listeners. The video capturing this exchange has since gone viral on social media. Recommended Stories A Bleak Portrayal Of Kalyug Maharaj ji, what will Kalyug be like? What kind of people will inhabit this era?" the devotee asked. Premanand Maharajs answer stunned everyone. He explained, Shri Sukhdev Ji states that in Kalyug, wealth reigns supreme. Those with wealth will be deemed great, noble, and virtuous. Power and possessions will be the sole determinants of ones stature, and sadly, this is already unfolding before our eyes." A Future Marred By Depravity The saint painted a grim picture of the future, stating, In the past, horoscopes were consulted, and Gunas were matched before marriage. However, such practices will become obsolete in Kalyug. Family character and values will hold no significance. Marriages will be solely based on superficial attraction between a boy and a girl. This disregard for tradition and sanctity is deeply troubling." He further elaborated on the impending moral decay, saying, Dishonesty and deceit will become virtues. The more one lies and manipulates, the more adept they will be considered. Those who swindle others will be hailed for their shrewdness. Truth and integrity will vanish from peoples lives." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bhajan Marg Official (@bhajanmarg_official) top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Erosion Of Morality The defining traits of individuals will not be their virtue, restraint, or character, but their wickedness. The more deceitful and cunning one is, the more proficient they will be perceived. The depths of their depravity will determine their standing in Kalyug," he lamented. 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 : Vrindavan, India, India First Published: March 10, 2025, 11:31 IST Actress Aditi Sharma Heads For Divorce 6 Months After SECRET Marriage; Husband Accuses Her Of Cheating Curated By : Last Updated: March 11, 2025, 03:31 IST Aditi and Abhineet tied the knot on November 12, 2024, in an intimate ceremony at their Goregaon residence. TV actress Aditi Sharma has been accused of cheating by her husband. Television actress Aditi Sharma, known for her role in Apollena, is heading for divorce just six months after secretly marrying longtime partner Abhineet Kaushik. The shocking revelation came after Abhineet, accompanied by his legal counsel Rakesh Shetty, spoke out about their alleged marriage and the turbulent events that followed. According to India Forums, Aditi and Abhineet tied the knot on November 12, 2024, in an intimate ceremony at their Goregaon residence. Abhineet revealed that the secrecy was at Aditis insistence due to concerns about her career. She was after me to get married for the past one and a half years, but I wasnt ready. After much persuasion, I agreed. However, she insisted that no one could know because marriage was a taboo in the industry," he claimed. Recommended Stories Legal consultant Rakesh Shetty confirmed their marriage and shared pictures of the ceremony. He also stated that the couple had been in a live-in relationship for years before tying the knot and had rented a 5BHK apartment together six months ago. The relationship reportedly turned sour when Abhineet accused Aditi of getting close to her Apollena co-star, Samarthya. She had just started shooting for the show. Even the producer, Karishma, was aware of it. Abhineet caught Aditi and Samarthya together, which led to an ugly confrontation," Shetty claimed. Abhineet further alleged that when confronted, Aditi denied the validity of their marriage. She told us it was just a mock trial and not legally binding," he said. As tensions escalated, police intervention became necessary, with multiple complaints being filed. Abhineet and his legal team alleged that Aditis family demanded 25 lakh for a settlement. They insisted on a divorce and, during a lawyer-arranged meeting, Aditis side demanded 25 lakh. Things took a violent turn when her father slapped Abhineet, and Aditi got hurt in the scuffle," Shetty alleged. 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 11, 2025, 03:31 IST Ananya Panday Shares Unseen Moments From Sister Rysas Birthday Getaway In Seychelles Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 17:43 IST In the pictures, Ananya was stargazing on a runway, spending time on an island with Rysa and watching a movie together. Ananya Panday looked drop-dead gorgeous in the pictures. (Photo Credit: Instagram) Rysa Panday, daughter of renowned actor Chunky Panday and Fabulous Life Of Bollywood Wives fame Bhavna Panday is celebrating her birthday with her family in Seychelles, East Africa. She is having the time of her life in the tropical paradise, and the social media posts are proof of the fun they are having together. Now, as sister Rysa turns 21, actress Ananya Panday took to her Instagram and dropped a slew of pictures from her sisters birthday celebration in foreign. In the pictures shared on social media, the first image featured the CTRL actress striking a pose during the golden hour. Dressed in a silver dress, Ananya is next seen clicking a family photograph featuring herself, Chunky Panday, Bhavna Panday and Rysa. Recommended Stories Other snapshots showed Ananya stargazing on a runway, spending time on an island with Rysa, and watching a movie together. There was also a video that gave a glimpse into Rysas birthday party. Ananya also posted several pictures of the breathtaking locations, and we can bet that it was the perfect place for spending family time. Dropping the stunning pictures on Instagram, she also penned a sweet birthday note expressing that she will only stargaze at midnight and wake up early in the morning for a yoga class on a holiday just for her. Happpy birthday, Rychiieeee! No one else Id rather lay on a runway with and stargaze at midnight and then wake up at 8 am on a holiday for a yoga class for." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ananya (@ananyapanday) Looking ahead, Ananya Panday is gearing up for her upcoming project, Chand Mera Dil. Directed by Vivek Soni, the film starring the actress alongside Lakshya is a college romance centred on engineering students. She will also reprise her role of Bella in Call Me Bae season 2. The actress is also set to share the screen with Akshay Kumar and R Madhavan in an upcoming film. The project titled Kesari Chapter 2 marks the trios first collaboration and is produced under Karan Johars Dharma Productions. The film is inspired by lawyer C Sankaran Nair, who waged an extraordinary legal battle against the British Empire in the 1920s following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Talking about Rysa, the 21-year-old is pursuing filmmaking at New York University Tisch School of the Arts. Rysa has also made a striking appearance in season 2 of The Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives. Last year, she made her debut at the prestigious Le Bal Des in Paris. First Published: March 10, 2025, 17:43 IST Govinda Says James Cameron Offered Him Lead In Avatar, Claims He Gave The Title Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 08:57 IST Govinda claims James Cameron offered him the lead role in Avatar and that he suggested the film's title. He declined the role, calling the character 'lame', in an interview with Mukesh Khanna. Govinda recalled his meeting with James Cameron. Govinda just dropped a blockbuster revelationhe says James Cameron personally offered him the lead role in Avatar! And thats not allhe even claims to have come up with the title of the film itself. In a new interview with Mukesh Khanna on his YouTube channel, the Bollywood star shared that Cameron wanted him to play the lead in the 2009 sci-fi epic. But Govinda, being Govinda, said Na bhai, not happening!" Why? The actor said that he refused to play the lead role in the film because the character was lame. But heres where it gets even wilderGovinda says he suggested the name Avatar to Cameron! Recommended Stories During the conversation, Govinda mentioned that this wasnt a one-time thinghes had many instances where his words have brought good fortune to others. He recalled an incident and said, I even left an offer of Rs 21.5 crore, although I remember this because it was painful. I had met a Sardarji in America and gave him a business idea to work in sweets and delicacies. Some years later, he said that the idea worked wonders for him. There, he made me meet James Cameron. He asked me to do a film with James, so I invited them for dinner to discuss about it." He added, Picture ka title bhi maine hi diya tha. Maine Rajesh Khanna ji ko dekha tha left hand kata hua maine kaha, Yaar accha aadmi he pata nahi kyu ajeeb sa role kar liya! Toh maine kaha, Second time banegi Avatar! Toh mujhe kehta hai, The hero is lame! (I had only given the title. I had seen Rajesh Khanna and wondered why he did that part. I only predicted the sequel). Maine kaha, Lame? Govinda! Hello? I am not doing your picture! He said, I am offering you 18 crores. I said, I dont want your 18 crores. He said the shoot will be for 410 days. I said that is okay, but if I paint my body, I will be in the hospital!" The first Avatar film hit theaters in 2009, with Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana leading the cast. Its long-awaited sequel, The Way of Water, arrived on December 16, 2022. Fans can look forward to more adventures on Pandora, with Avatar 3 set to release in 2025, followed by Avatar 4 in 2029 and Avatar 5 in 2031. First Published: March 10, 2025, 08:57 IST Inside Shah Rukh Khan's Luxury Room For IIFA: From Lavish Bed To Pictures Of Gauri Khan, AbRam Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 16:35 IST The suite features a lavish bed with monogrammed linen and a giant red sofa for the superstar. SRK's grand suite. Shah Rukh Khan recently set the stage on fire at the IIFA Awards in Jaipur. He not only performed to some of his greatest hits but also interacted with the paps on the green carpet. Amid this, a video of his suite has gone on Instagram. The lavish, curated suite is designed by Jaipur-based interior designer and architect Shantanu Garg. The suite features a lavish bed with monogrammed linen and a giant red sofa for the superstar. The walls are adorned with pictures of SRK with Gauri Khan and their kids Suhana Khan, Aryan Khan and AbRam. The room features gold and wood accents, with specially curated items for Shah Rukh Khans comfort. Have a look here: Recommended Stories View this post on Instagram A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani) Speaking of SRKs residence, Shah Rukh Khans iconic home, Mannat, is a much-loved landmark in the Bandra Bandstand area in Mumbai, drawing crowds of fans eager to catch a glimpse of the Bollywood superstar. Located in the upscale Bandra area, this stunning mansion has become a tourist site of sorts, often surrounded by a throng of fans hoping for a wave or a photo. But the Badshah of Bollywood is moving out of his palatial home. Shah Rukh Khan has rented two luxurious duplex apartments in Pali Hills, Khar West, on a three-year lease. These properties belong to the Bhagnani family, with one apartment, owned by Jackky Bhagnani and Deepshikha Deshmukh, leased to Shah Rukh for Rs 11.54 lakh per month, alongside a security deposit of Rs 32.97 lakh. The second apartment, owned by producer Vashu Bhagnani, is rented at Rs 12.61 lakh per month, requiring a Rs 36 lakh deposit. This move comes shortly after Gauri Khan applied for permission from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) to expand their iconic home, Mannat. The proposal aims to add two more floors to the six-storey annexe, increasing its built-up area by 616.02 square meters. About the Author Kashvi Raj Singh Kashvi Raj Singh is a News Trainee at News18. She extensively covers Bollywood, Hollywood and television. She not only keeps an eye out for interesting news angles but also often writes social commentary in lon... Read More Kashvi Raj Singh is a News Trainee at News18. She extensively covers Bollywood, Hollywood and television. She not only keeps an eye out for interesting news angles but also often writes social commentary in lon... Read More First Published: March 10, 2025, 16:35 IST Rekha Breaks The Internet With Boss Lady Look In White Pantsuit; Fans Call Her 'Fashion Icon' | Watch Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 11, 2025, 00:25 IST Rekha stuns in a white pantsuit with gold sneakers at Pintu Ki Pappi trailer launch. Fans call her a "fashion icon." Rekha gives boss woman vibes in white pantsuit. Legendary actress Rekha once again proved why shes the undisputed queen of style as she attended the trailer launch of Pintu Ki Pappi in an all-white pantsuit. Exuding boss-lady energy, the veteran star made a rare public appearance and instantly became the center of attention on the red carpet. Ditching her signature sarees for a power suit, Rekha looked effortlessly chic in a crisp white blazer layered over a matching satin blouse and wide-legged pants. She completed her look with oversized black sunglasses, statement gold earrings, and a white cap that added a touch of vintage glamour. But what truly stole the show were her metallic gold platform sneakers, an unexpected yet striking choice that elevated her entire ensemble. Recommended Stories As soon as photos and videos of her red-carpet appearance surfaced online, social media went into a frenzy. Fans couldnt stop gushing over her impeccable style and timeless charm. One user commented, Just looking like a wow!" while another wrote, I cant believe she is 70." A third admirer called her a fashion icon," praising her ability to slay any look effortlessly. Meanwhile, Rekha was also recently spotted at the IIFA Awards 2025 in Jaipur, where she embraced her classic aesthetic in a regal golden Kanjeevaram saree. The veteran actress melted hearts when she received a handmade doll from a fan, responding with a sweet Love you too" and a warm smile. Her kind gesture only reinforced why she remains one of Bollywoods most beloved stars. With her latest appearance, Rekha once again proved that she is a timeless fashion icon who continues to captivate audiences with her elegance, charm and fearless style choices. 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 11, 2025, 00:25 IST Sharon Stone Turns 67: Why She Stopped Acting And Her Top Movies To Remember Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 07:20 IST Sharon Stone, a Hollywood icon, faced career setbacks after a 2001 stroke. Despite her struggles, her legacy endures through iconic roles in films like Basic Instinct, Casino, and Total Recall. Sharon Stone has openly spoken about how Hollywood turned its back on her following a life-threatening stroke over two decades ago. (Image: sharonstone/Instagram) Happy Birthday Sharon Stone: Few actresses have left a mark on Hollywood quite like Sharon Stone. From her early days as a model to becoming a silver-screen sensation, she commanded attention with her undeniable talent, beauty and an aura of mystery that made her unforgettable. Whether playing the ultimate femme fatale or a high-rolling hustler, Stone carved a niche for herself in the industry. But despite her cinematic triumphs, the glitz and glamour eventually faded. Once at the pinnacle of Hollywoods A-list, she seemed to step away from the limelight. Recommended Stories On her 67th birthday, we take a look at why she distanced herself from acting and revisit some of her most iconic roles. Why Did Sharon Stone Stop Acting? Sharon Stone has openly spoken about how Hollywood turned its back on her following a life-threatening stroke over two decades ago. According to The Hollywood Reporter (THR), the actress suffered a massive stroke in 2001 that resulted in a nine-day brain haemorrhage. The road to recovery was arduous and she took a two-year break from acting to heal. However, the industry that once celebrated her seemed reluctant to welcome her back. Speaking at the Raising Our Voices event, the 65-year-old actress revealed the depth of her struggle. I recovered for seven years and I havent had jobs since. When it first happened, I didnt want to tell anybody because you know if something goes wrong with you, youre out. Something went wrong with me Ive been out for 20 years. I havent had jobs. I was a very big movie star at one point in my life," she told THR. In a 2015 interview, she further elaborated on the lasting impact the stroke had on her career, as reported by The Independent. I lost my place in the business. I was like the hottest movie star, you know? It was like Miss Princess Diana and I were so famous and she died and I had a stroke. And we were forgotten," she said. The actress described the brutal reality of Hollywoods unforgiving nature. You find yourself at the back of the line in your business, as I did. You have to figure yourself out all over again," she explained. In a deeply personal revelation, Stone shared that the infamous scene from Basic Instinct was later used against her in a devastating custody battle over her son, Roan. Speaking on the Table for Two With Bruce Bozzi podcast, she disclosed, I lost custody of my child. The judge asked my child, my tiny little, tiny boy, Do you know your mother makes sex movies? This kind of abuse by the system this kind of abuse, that I was considered what kind of parent I was because I made that movie." Sharon Stones Most Iconic Movies Despite the setbacks, Stones legacy remains intact, thanks to her unforgettable performances. Lets revisit some of her most iconic roles: Basic Instinct (1992): A career-defining performance, Stone plays crime novelist Catherine Tramell, suspected of murder. Her portrayal, both sensual and enigmatic, made cinematic history. The neo-noir thriller, directed by Paul Verhoeven, was a provocative, Hitchcockian masterpiece and Stones performance still resonates decades later. Casino (1995): Directed by Martin Scorsese, this gritty crime epic saw Stone as Ginger McKenna, a glamorous hustler who becomes entangled in the high-stakes world of Las Vegas. Her performance was electrifying, earning her an Academy Award nomination and proving that she was far more than just a screen siren. Total Recall (1990): Another collaboration with Verhoeven, Total Recall saw Stone taking on a more physically demanding role as Lori, the seemingly devoted wife who turns into a lethal adversary. The sci-fi blockbuster became one of the most expensive films of its time and remains a cult favourite. Broken Flowers (2005): In this Jim Jarmusch indie dramedy, Stone took on the role of Laura, an ex-lover of Bill Murrays character, Don Johnston. Her nuanced performance brought depth to a film that explored love, regret and lost time. The Muse (1999): Bringing a comedic touch to her repertoire, Stone played an eccentric muse to struggling screenwriters. With her sparkling energy and impeccable comic timing, she added charm to this lighthearted Hollywood satire. Lovelace (2013): In a rare transformation, Stone portrayed the harsh and unyielding mother of Linda Lovelace. Stripping away any trace of glamour, she delivered a haunting performance in this biopic about the tragic life of the Deep Throat star. The Specialist (1994): Stone took on the role of femme fatale May Munro, out for revenge in this action-packed thriller. She shared sizzling chemistry with Sylvester Stallone, proving she could dominate the screen in any genre. The Mighty (1998): In a heartwarming departure from her usual roles, Stone played the loving mother of a physically disabled boy. Showcasing warmth and maternal depth, she gave an emotionally resonant performance. 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 Location : New York, United States of America (USA) First Published: March 10, 2025, 07:20 IST Opinion | Trumps Trade Threats: A Dangerous Game With India Written By : News18.com Last Updated: March 09, 2025, 16:43 IST Donald Trump may wish to engage in muscle flexing to appeal to his core voter base, which is understandable. However, dealing with a strategic ally like Bharat is an entirely different ball game Donald Trump also seems to be in a tearing hurry to make an early impact as the head of a Republican White House, writes the author. (AP File) One of the most searched topics on the internet these days is tariffs. After US President Donald Trump made remarks hinting at impending action, stakeholders across geographies have been trying to make sense of these tariff lines. However, there is no reason why Bharat should give in to the demands of the quixotic President Trump, who has been holding forth with the media twenty-four-seven. Trump also seems to be in a tearing hurry to make an early impact as the head of a Republican White House. Hence, he set the 2 April deadline to impose massive tariffs on Bharats export of products and services. Recommended Stories The issue of tariffs has been ongoing since Donald Trumps first term four years ago when he went ahead and imposed tariffs on steel products, pharmaceuticals, and other goods. There is definitely an imbalance in trade. The advantage lies with Bharat, as the US has a trade deficit of $45.6 billion on bilateral trade worth $191 billion. India has reportedly made some proposals to rework economic, trade, and investment relations between the worlds largest and oldest democracies. One approach could be to enhance defence purchases worth $20 billion by Bharat. Another possibility is to increase imports of energy products, including LNG and other hydrocarbons. However, the US may not be able to seize the window of opportunity opened by Bharat during bilateral engagement. Firstly, the US defence establishment and deep state may not facilitate the sale of F-35 fighter aircraft to Bharat. A significant section of the US administration remains wary of even floating a joint venture to co-produce F-35 aircraft with a non-NATO strategic ally like Bharat. This joint venture, possibly based out of Bhagyanagar aka Hyderabad, need not limit itself to catering solely to Indian defence forces. It could become a hub for exports to other destinations. Stringent protocols and agreements on access to such advanced fighter jets could have been incorporated into the blueprint. The situation with energy purchases is more or less similar. Would the US be able to match or offer equivalent prices to those provided by Russia for crude oil, refined petroleum, or liquefied natural gas? Whether through spot or long-term contracts, US energy products may not be cost-competitive compared to Middle Eastern or Russian sources. For a growing economic power like Bharat, every additional dollar paid per barrel translates to a $1 billion increase in the import bill. Moreover, insurance and freight differentials remain too high for Bharat to commit to long-term energy contracts with the US. Reciprocal tariffs from 2 April have been proposed by President Trump, who believes that Bharat is fleecing the American people. However, according to World Trade Organization (WTO) data, this may not be entirely true. As against an aggregate US tariff of 2.2 per cent, Bharat levies 12 per cent, which is in sync with WTO norms under the differential tariff regime. President Trump may have a point regarding specific products, such as automobiles, where Bharat reduced tariffs from 125 per cent to 70 per cent on high-end luxury cars. On motorcycles, the applicable tariff was lowered from 50 per cent to 40 per cent. A threat to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all Indian goods may not work for the US except for addressing Donald Trumps political base or for optics. Indian goods account for just 2.7 per cent of total US imports and do not even rank among the top ten exporting countries to America. There is no reason for mature partners like the US and Bharat to haggle over a manageable trade imbalance. Instead, the focus should be on the bigger picturemore than doubling bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030 and securing a credible and sustainable trade deal within the next year, which would be far more significant. At the same time, the US may need to rework its manufacturing and supply chains to be both cost- and quality-competitive, rather than engaging in an over-pitched verbal duel with friends and foes alike. Reinventing Americas manufacturing base to align with the realities of new-age, cut-throat competition is something Trump may have to prioritise, starting with a massive restructuring of its industries. Neither the US nor Trump is likely to realise the Make America Great Again dream unless substantial effort is put into it. America may need to expand its range of products and services to compete effectively in the global market against emerging economic forces. Trumps complaint is that subsidies, non-tariff barriers, and Bharats VAT system hinder American exports. However, his policy hawks may have conveniently overlooked the fact that the Value Added Tax (VAT) regime ended several years ago, having been subsumed into the Goods and Services Tax (GST). On subsidies, the US has a very weak case. Can Donald Trumps advisers prove that America does not subsidise its own industries? In Bharat, food, fertilisers, and oil products constituted a large part of the subsidy bill until a couple of years ago. Retail petroleum product prices have now been largely aligned with market demand and supply. The claim that Bharat subsidises its petroleum products holds no weightit is an emphatic no. Until recently, kerosene was the only significantly subsidised oil product. However, with the expansion of piped gas and LPG cylinders to virtually every household, the demand for kerosene has dwindled. Food subsidies, including free food grains for vulnerable sections, are indeed a reality in Bharat. However, the country is well within its rights to combat poverty and hunger through the Prime Ministers Anna Yojana. As for fertilisers, Bharat is largely self-sufficient in urea, while subsidies on DAP and complex fertilisers have been gradually declining. The minimal support available for a few fertilisers is intended to assist farmers in ensuring sufficient food grain production for 1.4 billion people and to reduce reliance on imports. On non-tariff barriers, the US has yet to provide a clear list of restrictions allegedly imposed by Bharat. If restricted access to Bharats agricultural markets is a concern, then the US will also need to relax its own regulations on several sectors, including specialised steel, dual-use technologies, and dairy products. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all President Trump may wish to engage in muscle flexing to appeal to his core voter base, which is understandable. However, dealing with a strategic ally like Bharat is an entirely different ball game. Trump would do well not to misstep with Bharat. The author is Director and Chief Executive, Centre for Integrated and Holistic Studies, a non-partisan think tank based in New Delhi. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. First Published: March 09, 2025, 16:42 IST Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 00:15 IST 1 / 17 Rohit Sharma's abysmal run of fortune with the toss continued, as the IND skipper lost his 15th consecutive toss in ODIs, presenting NZ the chance to elect to bat first. (Credit: AP) 2 / 17 Rachin Ravindra and Will Young got off to a strong start, as NZ racked up the initial 50 runs in quick fashion. (Credit: AP) ADVERTISEMENT 3 / 17 But, India's fortunes were turned around by the spin duo of Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav, who removed both NZ openers, and stalwart Kane Williamson in quick succession, pushing NZ to 75-3. (Credit: AP) 4 / 17 Ravindra Jadeja joined in to wreak havoc as well as Tom Latham walked back to the pavilion after a very brief outing, being dismissed for 14 as the Kiwis lost their 4th wicket. (Credit: AP) ADVERTISEMENT 5 / 17 It was then down to Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips, who weathered the spin storm and ensured that the Kiwis stayed alive in their hunt for a fair total. (Credit: AP) 6 / 17 NZ though would be undone yet again by Chakaravarthy, who bamboozled Phillips to send him packing as IND took the upper hand yet again, forcing NZ to a subpar 165-5 in 38 overs. (Credit: AP) ADVERTISEMENT 7 / 17 Michael Bracewell would be the answer to NZ's prayers, standing tall and powering NZ to a fair total of 251 runs by the end of their innings through all the havoc. (Credit: AP) 8 / 17 India looked to set the tone early, and skipper Rohit Sharma did just the same, wreaking havoc over the NZ pacers from the get-go. (Credit: AP) ADVERTISEMENT 9 / 17 Rohit and Shubman Gill notched a 100-run partnership in quick time, and NZ were forced to bring in their own spin attack to counter the ridiculous scoring of Rohit. (Credit: AP) 10 / 17 It would be NZ skipper Santner and spinner Bracewell, who would turn around the momentum for NZ, scalping the likes of Gill and Kohli in back-to-back overs to turn on the heat for IND. (Credit: AP) ADVERTISEMENT 11 / 17 Ravindra would join in on the spinning fun, and would provide the biggest breakthrough of all, dismissing in-form Rohit Sharma for 76 runs as NZ found their window of opportunity. (Credit: AP) 12 / 17 The spin trio piled the pressure on the IND batters, and it would be Shreyas Iyer who would absorb all the tension and patiently play out the middle overs to keep the Men in Blue in the chase. (Credit: AP) ADVERTISEMENT 13 / 17 Needing 61 runs in the last 10 overs, the pressure would once again turn on the Indians, as Bracewell, and Santner would strike again to remove the set-Shreyas and Axar Patel. (Credit: AP) 14 / 17 It would then by the duo of KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya, who would find timely boundaries to whittle the target down to the very last few overs, as India needed 12 runs off 18 balls. (Credit: AP) ADVERTISEMENT 15 / 17 Pandya would fall in a moment of shock to the momentary brilliance of Kyle Jamieson as both teams were on the precipice of victory. (Credit: AP) 16 / 17 But, one swipe stroke from Jadeja would seal it all for India, as the Men in Blue sealed the win by 4-wickets and clinched the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. (Credit: AP) ADVERTISEMENT Bhupesh Baghel Reveals How Much Money ED Found In Raid: 'Note-Counting Machine Was Brought For...' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 21:07 IST Bhupesh Baghel said that the note-counting machine was brought by the Enforcement Directorate to create a sensation. Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel said that the Enforcement Directorate found Rs33 lakh after raiding his house. (Source: PTI) Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel revealed the amount of money which was found by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after conducting a raid at his house on Monday. Baghel said that he has been living in the house with his wife, a son, three daughters, a daughter-in-law and grandchildren. Recommended Stories Listing the items on X, Baghel said that ED found three things in his house which were a pen drive containing a conversation about the transaction of crores between Manturam and Dr. Puneet Gupta (Dr. Raman Singhs son-in-law), papers of SAIL company of Dr. Raman Singhs son Abhishek Singh and the total of farming, dairy, cash in hand" and stridhan" which was about Rs33 lakh. ED . : 1. ( ) 2. 3. , , , pic.twitter.com/q6k48GZ8YM Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) March 10, 2025 Baghel said that this was not a big amount if the sources of income, which include 140 acres of land, were taken into consideration. I was reading the newspaper and having a cup of tea when the ED team arrived. I told them that they were welcome and that I had been waiting for them for months and years My wife, three daughters, son, daughter-in-law, grandsons and granddaughters live here. We are into farming. In this joint family, we farm on 140 acres of landWe had what we had declared. They examined it. 33 Lakhs cash was found from different people from my wife, son, daughter-in-law and daughters. We also do farming and have a dairy. This included streedhan (jewellery) too," said the Congress leader, while speaking to ANI. He added that the note-counting machines were brought by the agency to sensationalise the situation. An atmosphere was created that note counting machines had been broughtI dont think this is a very big amountIt is clear that now asking questions in Vidhan Sabha has become a crime," Baghel said. ED Raids House Of Bhupesh Baghel The premises of Baghel, located in Bhilai town of Durg district, were raided by the ED as part of the money laundering investigation in connection with the alleged liquor scam case. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The investigation is being carried out by the ED against Baghels son Chaitanya Baghel. The ED, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), also searched the premises of Chaitanyas alleged close associate Laxmi Narayan Bansal alias Pappu Bansal and others. 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 : Raipur, India, India First Published: March 10, 2025, 21:07 IST BJP Leader PC George Stokes Row, Claims 400 Girls Lost To 'Love Jihad' In Kerala's Meenachil Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 21:00 IST George made the controversial remarks while addressing a special conference in Pala on Sunday under the leadership of Bishop of Pala diocese, Joseph Kallarangatt. BJP leader PC George (File) BJP leader P C George, who is out on bail in connection with a hate speech case, has urged the Christian faithful to marry off their daughters by the age of 24, claiming that 400 girls have been lost to love jihad in Meenachil Taluk alone. George made the controversial remarks while addressing a special conference in Pala on Sunday under the leadership of Bishop of Pala diocese, Joseph Kallarangatt, and the Temperance Commission of the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) against the menace of drugs. Recommended Stories "In Meenachil Taluk alone, we have lost around 400 girls to love jihad. Only 41 have been recovered. Just Saturday (March 8), a girl left. She was 25 years old. She left at 9.30 PM. We are still searching for her. "Let me askshouldnt her father be beaten up for keeping her unmarried until 25? Why wasnt she married off? This is an issue we need to discuss," George said. Meenachil Taluk has a significant Syrian Catholic population. George stated that a girl should be married off by the time she is 22 or 23 and that such decency should be maintained. "If she reaches 28 or 29 and starts earning a salary, she will not get married, and her earnings will simply be drained by her family. That is the problem. Christians must ensure that their daughters are married off by the age of 24," George said. Love jihad is a term used by BJP and right-wing leaders who claim Hindu women were lured into marriage by Muslim men through Islamic jihad. In 2020, the Centre had said the term Love jihad is not defined under the extant of laws and no case of Love jihad has been reported by any of the central agencies. The government had informed Parliament that the Article 25 of the Constitution provides for the freedom to profess, practice and propagate religion subject to public order, morality and health. Various courts, including the Kerala High Court, have upheld this view, the government had said in reply to a question. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all A few weeks ago, George, a former MLA, was arrested for delivering a hate speech against a minority community during a TV channel discussion. George, who had been sent to judicial remand in connection with the case, was granted bail on 28 February. Location : Kottayam, India, India First Published: March 10, 2025, 21:00 IST 'He Can't Demean Me': After Lok Sabha Tiff, DMK's Kanimozhi Moves Privilege Notice Against Dharmendra Pradhan Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 19:22 IST The DMK objected to Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's reply during 'question hour' on the non-disbursal of funds by the Centre under the 'Samagra Shiksha' scheme DMK MP Kanimozhi speaks in the Lok Sabha during the second part of the budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi on March 10. (Image: Sansad TV via PTI) The DMK has taken strong objection to Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhans remarks in the Lok Sabha, in which he accused the Tamil Nadu government of taking a U-turn in an agreement related to the National Education Policy 2020. The DMK on Monday moved a privilege notice against Pradhan. I hereby submit this notice under Rule 223 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, seeking initiation of action against the Honble Union Minister for Education, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, for breach of privilege and contempt of the House," stated the notice by MP Kanimozhi. Recommended Stories The party objected to Pradhans reply during question hour on the non-disbursal of funds by the central government under the Samagra Shiksha scheme. Along with accusing the Tamil Nadu government in an NEP-related issue, he also made a reference to Kanimozhi, who is also the sister of Chief Minister MK Stalin. Just because I am the CMs sister, he cannot demean me. The kind of language he used How can he call us uncivilised?" she told CNN-News18. In her notice, she further stated: When I attempted to clarify the misleading statement of the minister, who referred to me in his reply, he made highly malicious, misleading and defamatory remarks and statements that not only misled the House but also constitute a breach of privilege and amounts to the contempt of the House." The DMK has alleged that Pradhan misled the House when he claimed that the Tamil Nadu government had initially agreed to sign an agreement with the Centre to accept the PM SHRI scheme but later took a U-turn. This is factually incorrect, misleading the house and against official records," Kanimozhi said, adding that Pradhan was claiming that she had met him with the state education minister on the matter. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The DMKs Rajya Sabha MP, Tiruchi N Siva also condemned Pradhans use of words against his party that were subsequently expunged from records. What is this language? MK Stalin is an elected chief minister. We are not going with a begging bowl to the Centre," he said. While the DMK, supported by the Congress, is likely to harden its stance on the second day of the budget session, the BJP, too, will not be backing off. Both BJP national president JP Nadda and Union minister Kiren Rijiju condemned the DMK for staging a walkout from the Rajya Sabha and a protest in the Lok Sabha. About the Author Arunima Arunima is Editor (Home Affairs) and covers strategic, security and political affairs. From the Ukraine-Russia War to the India-China stand-off in Ladakh to India-Pak clashes, she has reported from ground zero ... Read More Arunima is Editor (Home Affairs) and covers strategic, security and political affairs. From the Ukraine-Russia War to the India-China stand-off in Ladakh to India-Pak clashes, she has reported from ground zero ... Read More First Published: March 10, 2025, 19:22 IST Ruckus In J&K Assembly Over Gulmarg Fashion Show, CM Omar Abdullah Reacts Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 16:26 IST The J&K Assembly witnessed heated exchanges between opposition and treasury benches as members raised the ongoing controversy over Gulmarg fashion show, and killing of civilians in Kathua. There were noisy scenes and verbal duels between members of NC-Congress, PDP, and BJP for over 25 minutes. The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was rocked by heated exchanges between the Opposition and the treasury benches on Monday as various MLAs raised issues such as the killing of civilians in Kathua and the Gulmarg fashion show controversy. As the House resumed today, the National Conference legislators, and other MLAs, including PDP and Independents, raised the issue of the fashion show and dubbed it obscene", alleging it hurt the sentiments during Ramzan. Recommended Stories The MLAs also demanded a probe into the organisation of such a show during Ramzan. The show was organised under the open sky by Shivan and Narresh at the ski resort of Gulmarg last Friday to mark the 15th anniversary of the brand. An advocate also issued a legal notice to the commissioner, secretary of Tourism, and submitted it to the Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir, requesting it be considered a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). He demanded action against officials and participants for allegedly organizing a nude fashion" show in Gulmarg. Fashion designer Shivan & Narresh held a fashion show @Gulmarg. They displaced skiwear collection. This caused controversy where its been alleged that local sensitivities in the month of Ramadan wasnt considered. Religious leaders,clerics slammed the obscenity #gulmarg pic.twitter.com/VJLyRxzBQw Preeti Sompura (@sompura_preeti) March 9, 2025 CM Omar Abdullah Reacts Reacting to the controversy, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah told the House that, as per the preliminary information, the show was held by a private party on March 7. He also said that his government would never have given permission to conduct such an event in any month or time of the year. We have already ordered an inquiry into it, but preliminary facts revealed that it was a private four-day event organised by a private party in a private hotel. The fashion show was held on March 7, and certain things have come to the fore, which hurt the sentiments of the people who are not wrong," the chief minister said in the Assembly. Abdullah said that the government had no role in the organisation of the event. It was a private party, organised at a private hotel and distributed invitations privately. No permission was sought from the government, no money was taken from the government, no government infrastructure was used and no government official was present in the event. Despite all this, the administration was asked that if the inquiry points to the violation of law, hand over the case to police who will do its investigation," the Chief Minister added. Kashmirs chief priest and a separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Sunday had said that obscenity in the name of promotion of tourism will not be tolerated. Outrageous! That in the holy month of Ramzan, an obscene fashion show is organised in #Gulmarg, pictures and videos from which have gone viral sparking shock and anger among people. How could it be tolerated in the valley known for its Sufi, saint culture and the deeply religious outlook of its people?" he posted on X. Abdullah reacted to the post and said that the images show a complete disregard" for local sensitivities and that too during this holy month". My office has been in touch with the local authorities & Ive asked for a report to be submitted within the next 24 hours. Further action, as appropriate, will follow from this report," Abdullah said earlier on X. Elle India Takes Down Controversial Reel Elle India took down its controversial reel showing the fashing show from Instagram after massive outrage. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Shivan and Narresh apologised to the people for offending any religious sentiments and said that their sole intention was to celebrate creativity. We deeply regret any hurt caused by our recent presentation in Gulmarg during the holy month of Ramadan. Our sole intention was to celebrate creativity and the ski & apres-ski lifestyle, without any desire to offend anyone or any religious sentiments. Respect for all cultures and traditions is at our heart, and we acknowledge the concerns raised. We sincerely apologize for any unintended discomfort and appreciate the feedback from our community. We remain committed to being more mindful and respectful," they posted on X. About the Author Saurabh Verma Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 Location : Srinagar, India, India First Published: March 10, 2025, 14:06 IST 'Truth Will Come Out': BJP On Ranya Rao Gold Smuggling Case, Congress Hits Back Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 21:42 IST The high-profile case has turned into a major flashpoint between the Congress and BJP in Karnataka, putting the ruling party under increasing pressure to reveal those allegedly shielding Kannada actor Ranya Rao The DRI arrested Kannada actor Ranya Rao at Kempegowda International Airport for allegedly smuggling 14.8 kg gold from Dubai on March 3. (Image: X/File) Amid an escalating political slugfest over the Ranya Rao gold smuggling case, the BJP has intensified its attack on the Congress government in Karnataka demanding full disclosure of the Kannada actors political links. The high-profile case has turned into a major flashpoint, putting the ruling Congress under increasing pressure to reveal those allegedly shielding Ranya Rao. Calling it an unprecedented" case in Indias history, Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra challenged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to reveal the names of ministers whom he alleged were connected to the racket. Recommended Stories The BJP alleged that when Ranya was caught, she had reached out to two Congress ministers allegations that have put the Congress on the defensive. The opposition further pointed to reports suggesting that she had travelled to Dubai and other countries more than 30 times in the last few months. And each time she returned to Bengaluru, she allegedly received VIP protocol treatment at the airport, raising questions on high-level involvement. Ranya, who is the daughter of senior IPS officer Ramachandra Rao, was arrested on March 3 by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at Kempegowda International Airport for allegedly smuggling 14.8 kg of gold from Dubai. The CBI is now investigating the case. State home minister Dr G Parameshwara countered the BJPs allegations, insisting that the CBI should be allowed to complete its investigation. Let the CBI come out with its findings. Till then, this is all speculation," he said, while also taking a swipe at the saffron party by calling for a probe into land allotments made to the actor under the Basavaraj Bommai-led government. But, Vijayendra alleged that government protocols were blatantly violated to enable Ranya to smuggle gold worth over Rs 12 crore. This could not have happened without the direct support of highly influential people in the government. If these reports are true, it raises serious questions about how deep this nexus runs," he said, adding, the truth will come out, and any coverup will only expose the governments complicity." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all On allegations over land allotted to Ranyas company during BJP rule, party MLA Bharat Shetty hit back by dismissing the claims as baseless. The Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) CEO Mahesh said Ksiroda India Pvt Ltd, a company linked to the accused actor, was allotted 12 acres of land in Sira industrial area in Tumakuru district on January 2, 2023. There was no illegality in the land allotment. The process was followed correctly," Shetty said, adding that the CBI probe will cover all aspects of the case. About the Author Rohini Swamy Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18s digital platform. She has previously worked with t... Read More Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18s digital platform. She has previously worked with t... Read More First Published: March 10, 2025, 21:42 IST Xiaomi 15 Ultra India Launch This Week: 200MP Leica Camera, 6000mAh Battery To Expect Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 08:32 IST Xiaomi 15 series made its debut in China and was later showcased at the MWC 2025 in Barcelona, now it is ready for its Indian market bow this week. The new Xiaomi 15 Ultra launch will have many people excited next month. Xiaomi 15 series is launching in India this week, and this includes the new 15 Ultra model as well. The new lineup made its debut in China last month and is now ready to hit our shores with a bang. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra will hog all the limelight during the launch, especially with the new Leica camera system in focus and other flagship-grade improvements coming to the devices. Heres a closer look at the Xiaomi 15 India launch this week, the new 15 Ultra model and its expected price in India. Xiaomi 15 Ultra India Launch: All Details Recommended Stories Xiaomi 15 series is launching in India on March 11 which includes the 15 Ultra model with a 200MP periscope lens, among other high-end features. Xiaomi 15 will be available in three colours for buyers in India, while the 15 Ultra comes in single silver variant. Xiaomi 15 Series Features And Expected Price In India Now that these phones are officially out, we can tell you the features that Xiaomi is offering with the 15 series. The 15 Ultra features a 6.73-inch 2K TCL C9 OLED LTPO display with a peak brightness of 3200 nits, a 1-120Hz variable refresh rate, and support for HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, paired with up to 16GB RAM, and features a dual-channel wing-shaped cold pump cooling system with a vapor-liquid separation design. For imaging, the 15 Ultra gets a quad-camera setup, which includes a 50MP primary sensor, a 50MP zoom sensor, a 50MP ultrawide lens and a powerful 200MP periscope telephoto lens with a 1/1.4-inch HP9 image sensor and 4.3x optical zoom. The phone also manages to pack a large 6,000mAh battery which supports 90W wired charging, 80W wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging for added convenience. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Xiaomi 15 has a smaller screen, with equally powerful Leica camera system and a fast-charging battery. Xiaomi 15 series price in India could start from around Rs 79,000 while the 15 Ultra should look to replicate the Rs 99,000 price tag of its predecessor in the country. About the Author S Aadeetya S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and helping fr... Read More S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and helping fr... Read More News18 Tech delivers the latest technology updates, including phone launches, gadget reviews, AI advancements, and more. Stay informed with breaking tech news , expert insights, and trends from India and around the world . Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: March 10, 2025, 08:32 IST LinkedIn Restores Access To Kairan Quazi, Software Engineer Who Joined Elon Musks SpaceX At 14 Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 08:20 IST As SpaceX software engineer Kairan Quazi turned 16, LinkedIn allowed him back on its platform. Kairan Quazi joined Elon Musk's SpaceX at just 14. (Image: Instagram/@thepythonkairan) Remember Kairan Quazi, the prodigy who joined Elon Musks SpaceX as a software engineer at just 14? Well, hes back on LinkedIn! The platform had deleted his account for being underage in 2023, but now, the US-based company has allowed him to access the platform. Now that Im 16, LinkedIn has let me back on the platform," wrote Quazi in a post on Instagram. Welcoming him back, one social media user commented, Welcome back! We missed you." Another added, Back where he belongs." Recommended Stories An Internet user had a rather unexpected request, saying, Please start posting videos on YouTube again." Quazi has been working as a software engineer at SpaceX since 2023, contributing to the Starlink project. His role involves data-oriented design for optimisation problems, specifically in beam planning. It requires a deep understanding of low-latency, high-performance computing, and real-time programming. Read| Who Is Kairan Quazi? A 14-Year-Old Graduate Who Is Joining Elon Musks SpaceX He previously spent four years as an intern at Intel Labs, where he became the first undergraduate intern to collaborate with the Human AI Lab on advancing open-source predictive speech generation platforms. In addition to his work at Intel, he served as a keynote speaker at the Linux Foundation North America Summit and the SHIFT AI Global Conference. Quazi graduated with a BS in Computer Science from Santa Clara University in 2023, making history as the colleges youngest graduate in its 170-year existence. During his time there, he also served as an Elected Senator in the Associated Student Government from 2021 to 2023. At just 11 years old, in 2020, he earned an AS in Mathematics from Las Positas College. What happened back in 2023? In 2023, Kairan Quazi took to Instagram to announce that LinkedIn had deleted his account, citing their minimum age requirement of 16. LinkedIn just sent me this notice that they are deleting my account because Im not 16," he wrote. Calling the platforms decision illogical" and primitive nonsense", Quazi expressed his frustration, This is the illogical, primitive nonsense that I face constantly. I can be qualified enough to land one of the most coveted engineering jobs in the world, but not qualified enough to have access to a professional social media platform? LinkedIn showing everyone how regressive some tech company policies are." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all He then urged his followers to help him reconnect with his LinkedIn contacts on Instagram. Can people please share this screenshot on their LinkedIn for me and ask people to connect with me on Instagram?" Alongside, he had shared a screenshot of the message that he received from LinkedIn. The screenshot shows that Quazis account has been restricted" because it does not meet the platforms minimum age requirement. The message also informs him that he can rejoin once he turns 16 or older. About the Author Arfa Javaid Arfa Javaid, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, keeps her finger on the social media pulse, covering all things trending and viral. She also covers human interest stories. A Delhi University alumna, Arfa also hol... Read More Arfa Javaid, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, keeps her finger on the social media pulse, covering all things trending and viral. She also covers human interest stories. A Delhi University alumna, Arfa also hol... Read More News18's viral page features trending stories, videos , and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: March 10, 2025, 08:18 IST Ohio Woman Fired For Xenophobic Hope Trump Deports You Note To Waiter Now Seeks Donations: I Was Wrong Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 09:45 IST After losing her job as a real estate agent, the Ohio woman turned to the Internet for donations, launching a GoFundMe for financial support. Stephanie Lovins' GoFundMe page was removed following public backlash. Stephanie Lovins, who was fired from her job as a real estate agent at Century 21 after leaving a xenophobic note on a restaurant receipt that read, Hope Trump Deports You," has now turned to the Internet for donations. A fundraiser on GoFundMe, a crowdfunding platform, was started on her behalf by an individual named Bobby Blancher. The GoFundMe page read: Stephanies Path to Accountability, Reformation, Second Chance." Recommended Stories Stephanie Lovinss GoFundMe The fundraisers description stated: Stephanie Lovins deeply regrets a mistake she made that has had serious consequences on her life. In a moment of frustration, she wrote something offensive on a restaurant receipt that she now realises was hurtful and wrong. Since then, she has faced intense backlash, lost her job and real estate license, and had to remove herself from social media due to embarrassment and harassment." Read| I Hope Trump Deports You Note On Mexican Restaurant Receipt Costs Ohio Realtor Her Job Although the fundraiser aimed to raise $5,000 and received contributions from 23 donors, it was later taken down. This came after online users tagged GoFundMe and urged the platform to remove the donation page. As of now, the GoFundMe link leads to a landing page displaying the message: Fundraiser not found. Please check the URL and try again or alternatively" Lovins, not only left a hatful message for the waiter in the tip section but also wrote, Zero. You suck," in the signature line of the receipt at Cazuelas Mexican Cantina in Columbus, Ohio. Ricardo, the waiter who served Lovins on March 2, juggles two jobs to support his family. The offensive note was reportedly written after Lovins became upset over the restaurants one coupon per table" policy. GoFundMe Launched for Ricardo Nonato Anna Overman organised a GoFundMe fundraiser on behalf of Ricardo Nonato. It read, Tip Ricardo: Because Hate Has No Place Here." The campaign has raised over $39,235 from more than 2,300 donors, far surpassing its initial $1,000 goal. The description read, The campaign description reads: Ricardo is a hardworking server at Cazuelas Bar & Grill in Columbus, Ohio. On the evening of 03/02/25, he was doing his job like any other day, providing great service. But after serving an $87 meal, he was left with a zero tip and a hateful, racist message on the receipt: ZERO. YOU SUCK. I HOPE TRUMP DEPORTS YOU!!!" top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all They enjoyed the food. They enjoyed the service. And then, instead of tipping, they decided to show their true colors in the most disgusting way possible," it added. It further read, Well, guess what? Hate doesnt win here. Nows the time to drown out hate with love. Drop a donation, leave a message of support, and lets show Ricardo that this community has his back!" About the Author Arfa Javaid Arfa Javaid, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, keeps her finger on the social media pulse, covering all things trending and viral. She also covers human interest stories. A Delhi University alumna, Arfa also hol... Read More Arfa Javaid, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, keeps her finger on the social media pulse, covering all things trending and viral. She also covers human interest stories. A Delhi University alumna, Arfa also hol... Read More News18's viral page features trending stories, videos , and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: March 10, 2025, 09:40 IST As Sunita Williams Prepares To Return, Meet The Astronauts Who Spent Longest Time In Space Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 13:53 IST Astronaut Sunita Williams is set to achieve a remarkable milestone with her return from space mission, spending over 270 days aboard the space station. Sunita Williams aboard the International Space Station (ISS) | Image/NASA Travelling and living on a space station, like the International Space Station (ISS), may seem like an incredible experience, but it comes with many challenges that make life far from easy. NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, who recently completed nine months at the International Space Station with fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore and is set to return to Earth next week, recently revealed the hardest part of being stranded in space. Recommended Stories For Williams and Wilmore, whose eight-day mission extended to over 270-day stay in space, the most challenging part of spending time in the space station wasnt gravity or other experiences, but the uncertainty over the timeline of their return to Earth. The duo, currently stuck on the ISS, will return aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, set to launch next week with a relief crew. They were sent by NASA to conduct scientific research, perform spacewalks, and contribute to station maintenance. In the history of space exploration, many astronauts have endured the challenge of extended missions aboard space stations. Heres a look at some of them: Valeri Polyakov 437 Days Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov holds the record for the longest single spaceflight, spending 437 days aboard the Mir space station from January 1994 to March 1995. Frank Rubio 371 Days NASA astronaut Frank Rubio completed a 371-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), setting the record for the longest single spaceflight by a US astronaut. Mark Vande Hei 355 Days NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei spent 355 consecutive days on the ISS, contributing to research on long-duration space missions. Scott Kelly 340 Days Scott Kellys 340-day mission aboard the ISS provided valuable data on the effects of prolonged spaceflight on the human body. Christina Koch 328 Days NASA astronaut Christina Koch holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, with a 328-day mission on the ISS from March 2019 to February 2020. Williams Set To Make Record Meanwhile, Williams is set to achieve a remarkable milestone with her return from space mission, spending over 270 days aboard the space station. She departed for the ISS aboard Boeings Starliner on June 5, 2024, for what was planned as an eight-day mission. However, the spacecraft encountered multiple technical issues on the way, leading NASA to deem it unsafe for the crews return. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In September, Starliner returned to Earth without its astronauts, leaving them stranded on the station. Now, NASA has planned their safe return on Elon Musks SpaceX, aboard its Crew-9 return flight, according to reports. About the Author Ronit Singh Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be... Read More Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be... Read More Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: March 10, 2025, 13:19 IST Astronaut Sunita Williams Set To Return On This Day. NASA Reveals Date Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 11:31 IST Williams and Wilmore were launched on a crewed flight test on June 5, 2024. However, after their capsule faced successive failures, they have been living on the ISS. Sunita Williams to return to Earth this month (Reuters Image) NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore are set to return to Earth next week after a 9-month extension of their initial 10-day mission. The duo, currently stranded on the International Space Station, will depart via a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which is scheduled to launch next week with a relief crew. Nasa officials have confirmed that the duo will return to Earth on March 16. Recommended Stories Williams and Wilmore were launched on a crewed flight test on June 5, 2024. However, after their capsule faced successive failures, they have been living on the ISS. The astronauts who were to be aboard the Starliner spacecraft for nearly 10 days faced issues with their capsule, forcing the agency to put their return on hold indefinitely. Also read | Its Been A Rollercoaster: Sunita Williams Reveals The Hardest Part Of Being Stranded In Space. NASAs Starliner spacecraft made an uncrewed return in September last year. Later, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov were sent to the ISS on the SpaceX Crew-9 mission, with two seats reserved for the stranded astronauts. They were originally scheduled to return in February; now all four will return together on March 16. In a press briefing, Nasas ISS program manager Dana Weigel explained that since Crew-9 was launching with two astronauts, it was sensible to accommodate Williams and Wilmore for the long-duration mission. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Also read | Woman With Wild Hair: Trumps Epithet For Astronaut Sunita Williams In ISS Evacuation Plan Update | Video On the other hand, NASAs Crew-10 mission is scheduled to launch on March 12 from Kennedy Space Center, carrying astronauts Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, Takuya Onishi, and Kirill Peskov. Due to construction delays, the crew will fly on the Endurance capsule instead of the originally planned new Crew Dragon spacecraft. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: March 10, 2025, 11:29 IST Clogged Toilets Force Delhi-Bound Air India Flight To Return To US After 10-Hour Trip: Report Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 11, 2025, 11:20 IST While confirming that flight AI126 had to come back to Chicago OHare International Airport, the airline said the plane faced a "technical issue." Delhi-bound Air India flight returned to Chicago, US after 10-hour trip | Image.Representative The passengers aboard an Air India flight from Chicago to Delhi suffered a 10-hour trip to nowhere as the plane returned to the American city 10 hours later after some of its lavatories were clogged, according to reports. While confirming that flight AI126 had to come back to Chicago OHare International Airport, the airline said the plane faced a technical issue." All passengers and crew disembarked normally, it added. Recommended Stories AI126, operating Chicago to Delhi on 6 March 2025, air-returned to Chicago due to a technical issue. Upon landing at Chicago, all passengers and crew disembarked normally and have been provided with accommodation to minimise inconvenience. Alternative arrangements are being made to fly the passengers to their destination," said the airline. However, a person aware of the matter, said the decision to circle back was made when nine of the 10 lavatories on the Boeing 777-300 ER jet were backed up. Only one of the business class lavatories was functional," the person added. As per Flightradar24, a flight tracking website, the aircraft reversed course about four hours and 25 minutes into the journey, shortly after passing Greenlands coastline. The flight departed from Chicago at 11 AM on Wednesday and landed back around 9 PM. The passengers aboard had to endure a 10-hour trip to nowhere. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The aircraft has a capacity of 342 passengers, including 303 economy seats. The airline said that full refunds on cancellations and complimentary rescheduling were also offered to passengers. Plane toilets often get clogged, usually when passengers flush unauthorised items. As seen in past, even one or two blocked lavatories can be enough for a flight crew to turn back due to the limited restroom availability. Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: March 10, 2025, 08:41 IST Corpses On Roads, Men Shot Dead On Roof: Syrian Religious Minority Narrates Revenge Killing Horror Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 10:43 IST Over 745 civilians were killed in revenge killing spree in Syria, in the bloody clashes between the government forces and former President Assad's loyalists. Syria revenge killing (AP Image) Syria has been witnessing a series of revenge killings in which over 745 people were killed in 48 hours, forcing the religious minority group, the Alawites, to live in fear and narrate the bloodbath on the streets. The violence began on Thursday last week after the gunmen favouring the current government went on a revenge killing spree against the minority sect, which was loyal to former President Bashar al-Assad. Recommended Stories While one survivor described the rampage on the streets as roads full of corpses", some also recalled how Assad loyalists gathered all men on the roof and opened fire on them". For two days, Rihab Kamel and her family huddled in their bathroom, gripped by fear, as armed militants rampaged through their neighborhood in Baniyas, targeting Syrias Alawite minority. The coastal city, a longtime stronghold of the Alawite community, has been plunged into its worst wave of violence since the former President was overthrown in December. He fled to Russia with his family. We turned off the lights and hid. When we were able to flee our neighbourhood of Al-Qusour, we found the roads full of corpses. What crime did the children commit? Are they also supporters of the (toppled) regime?" Kamel told AFP. In the port city of Latakia, witnesses reported that armed groups abducted and executed Alawite civilians in a wave of brutal violence. Among the victims was Yasser Sabbouh, the head of a state-run cultural center, whose lifeless body was later discarded outside his home. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In Baniyas, 67-year-old resident Samir Haidar recounted the devastating loss of two brothers and a nephew, killed when militants stormed their homes. Despite being an Alawite, Haidar had long been a leftist opposition figure under the Assad regime, spending over a decade in prison. They gathered all the men on the roof and opened fire on them," Haidar said. My nephew survived because he hid, but my brother was killed along with all the men in the building." About the Author Ashesh Mallick Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes... Read More Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes... Read More Location : Syria First Published: March 10, 2025, 10:43 IST Former Nepal Monarch Eyes Return Amidst Controversy | Exclusive Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Karishma Jain Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 21:14 IST Facing potential legal action and public embarrassment, the ex-monarch is suspected of aligning himself with various groups seeking to reinstate the monarchy Former King of Nepal Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev is welcomed by the pro-monarchy supporters demanding the restoration of monarchy, which was abolished in 2008, outside the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, on March 9. (Image: Reuters) CNN News18 has uncovered the inside story of Nepal, where former King Gyanendra Shah is allegedly attempting to leverage political unrest for a return to power. Facing potential legal action and public embarrassment, the ex-monarch is suspected of aligning himself with various groups seeking to reinstate the monarchy. Royalist Resurgence and Political Machinations Recommended Stories This movement is reportedly being spearheaded by influential figures like Kamal Thapa, leader of the royalist Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), and Durga Prasad, head of the Citizens Campaign. These groups have previously demonstrated their intent through large-scale protests, including a significant rally in Kathmandu in November 2023, calling for the restoration of the monarchy. Recent developments indicate growing public support for the former king. According to an Al Jazeera report, pro-monarchist supporters welcomed Gyanendras return to Kathmandu with celebratory rallies, underscoring a resurgence of royalist sentiment in Nepal. This reception suggests that despite his controversial past, a segment of the population still views monarchy as a stabilising force in the countrys turbulent political landscape. The former monarchs name has also allegedly surfaced in connection with the Royal Family massacre case. Facing potential government action, he is believed to have joined forces with individuals seeking to exploit the situation for personal gain, including loan defaulters and pro-monarchy factions. Shady Alliances: Loan Defaulters and Political Outcasts One key figure in this alleged alliance is Durga Prasad, owner of BMC Medical College and reportedly a significant loan defaulter. Prasad allegedly owes 12 billion Nepalese Rupees to the Central Bank of Nepal. Facing pressure to repay his debt, Prasad is suspected of orchestrating a plan to assassinate the Governor of the Central Bank of Nepal, Maha Prasad Adhikari, by hiring a hitman. Adhikari and the Nepalese government are determined to recover the funds from Prasad before Adhikaris retirement on March 31. Another alleged supporter is Ravi of the Rashtriya Swatantra Party, who has faced imprisonment due to political conflicts. In a strategic move, Prasad is believed to have formed an alliance with other loan defaulters. This collective of defaulters, along with Durga Prasad and the former monarch, aims to shield themselves from legal repercussions. Maoist Links and Political Instability top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Sources close to Nepalese Intelligence suggest that many of these individuals, including Durga Prasad, have ties to Maoist factions aligned with former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda. This raises concerns over the extent of political manoeuvring and the potential for Nepals already fragile democracy to be destabilised further. With the government determined to recover massive unpaid loans and the embattled monarch desperate for protection, Nepal is witnessing a high-stakes power struggle. About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 First Published: March 10, 2025, 21:14 IST Indian-Origin Student Studying At US University Goes Missing During Vacation In Dominican Republic Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 08:23 IST Konanki was vacationing with a group of five female classmates from the University of Pittsburgh when she went missing, as reported by the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office in Virginia, her place of residence. Indian-Origin Student Studying At US University Goes Missing During Vacation In Dominican Republic. (X) A search is underway in the Dominican Republic for a University of Pittsburgh student who went missing on the countrys eastern coast. An Indian national identified as Sudiksha Konanki, 20, was last seen Thursday on the beach of the Riu Republica Hotel in Punta Cana, according to the Dominican National Emergency System. Recommended Stories The Dominican National Police stated that Konanki vanished at 4:15 a.m. local time on Thursday. Surveillance footage from cameras near the beach captured her presence alongside a group of young adults, as stated in a Spanish-language release. Police are interviewing those seen with Konanki to establish exactly where the maritime search should be focused, including a young man who entered the water in an effort to corroborate his version of events alongside other investigative actions" yet to be made public, the statement said. An online missing persons poster describes Konanki as 5 feet 3 inches tall, with black hair and brown eyes. She was last spotted wearing a distinctive outfit, including a brown bikini, large round earrings, and several notable accessories: a metal designer anklet on her right leg, yellow and steel bracelets on her right wrist, and a multicolored beaded bracelet on her left wrist. The missing poster urges: We need your help to get the word out! If you are in the area or can help with the search, or if you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, please reach out. The more people who know, the better the chances we can bring her home safely." Konankis father, Subbarayudu Konanki, told CNN that his daughter had gone to Punta Cana for spring break, ahead of pre-med studies at Pittsburgh. My daughter is a very nice girl. Shes ambitious. She wanted to pursue a career in medicine." He said his daughter wants to be a doctor. His daughter told her friends Wednesday that she was heading to a party at the resort, he said. She went to the beach on March 6 early morning around 4 a.m. with friends and some other guys they met at the resort. After that, her friends came back after some time and my daughter did not come back, did not show up from the beach," her father said. Konankis father said that her friends alerted authorities when she wasnt in her room the following morning. So far, the authorities, multiple authorities here in the Dominican Republic have searched in the waters. They searched using helicopters and other tools. They also searched in the near bay, bushes, trees. They went multiple times around the same areas," Subbarayudu Konanki said. Konanki was vacationing with a group of five female classmates from the University of Pittsburgh when she went missing, as reported by the Loudoun County Sheriffs Office in Virginia, her place of residence. The sheriffs office said they were contacted Thursday evening and have followed up with federal law enforcement, the US State Department and contacts in the DR." The embassy of India in the DR has taken the lead working with our state department and law-enforcement on the ground. Our office is supporting those efforts and continuing to investigate locally," the sheriffs office said in a statement to CNN. In this photo shared by Defensa Civil La Altagracia on Saturday, March 8, people from various institutions search the coastal area of Bavaro, Dominican Republic, for Sudiksha Konanki. Defensa Civil La Altagracia/Facebook The Dominican National Emergency System is coordinating search efforts on the island for Konanki. In coordination with the Tourism Police (POLITUR), the Civil Defense, the Dominican Navy, the National Police, and other rescue organizations, four teams of drones equipped with advanced technology have been deployed to conduct a thorough search in the coastal area of Bavaro," the service said in a Spanish language statement issued on Sunday. The University of Pittsburgh urged anyone with information to contact the Loudoun County Sheriffs Office. University officials are in contact with Sudiksha Konankis family as well as authorities in Loudoun County, Virginia, and we have offered our full support in their efforts to find her and bring her home safely," the University of Pittsburgh said in a statement emailed to CNN. Subbarayudu Konanki said he wants local authorities to broaden their investigation. Theyre only looking in the water, but I want them to also investigate other possibilities including whether this is a case of kidnapping or human trafficking," he said. We dont think she would be able to survive for more than three days in the water and I think something else mightve happened to her," he told CNN from Punta Cana on Sunday. The US State Department has a level two travel advisory in place for the Dominican Republic, warning US citizens to exercise increased caution when visiting. Violent crime, including armed robbery, homicide, and sexual assault, is a concern throughout the Dominican Republic," the department said in a June 2024 travel advisory. It warned US visitors to be aware of their surroundings and not to display signs of wealth. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Konanki family is originally from India but are permanent residents who have lived in the United States since 2006. The Embassy of India said on Facebook that it was extending all assistance in coordination with government authorities of the Dominican Republic." Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: March 10, 2025, 07:22 IST Recommended Stories Prime Minister Giorgia Melonis hard-right government has been negotiating with Musks privately-owned SpaceX over a reported 1.5-billion-euro ($1.6-billion) deal to use Starlink to provide secure telecommunications for its diplomats and military. The proposal has sparked outrage among Italys opposition parties, which on Monday renewed their demands that talks stop after Musk said on his X social media platform Sunday that Ukraines entire front line would collapse" were he to turn off Starlink for Kyivs forces. Polands foreign minister accused him of threats, after which Musk the richest man on earth and a senior advisor to US President Donald Trump, who has frozen US military support to Kyiv insisted Starlink will never turn off its terminals" in Ukraine. Still, centrist Carlo Calenda, who leads Italys Action party, on Monday branded Musk not a reliable partner". The leader of the Democratic Party, Italys largest opposition group, said Sunday that Meloni should change course immediately". How can Giorgia Meloni want to hand over the keys to Italys national security to Musk after hearing his latest, very serious words?" she wrote on X. Meloni has said in the past she has excellent relations" with the billionaire Musk, whom she has called a genius". In January, she said she would evaluate any Starlink deal through the lens of national interest", while adding that there were no public alternatives". However, last week the head of European satellite operator Eutelsat, Eva Berneke, told the news agency Bloomberg that it was in discussions with Rome. Italian media have reported that President Sergio Mattarella, Italys head of state, also has reservations about the Starlink deal. Responding to one such report at the weekend, Musk wrote on X: It would be an honour to speak with President Mattarella." Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, leader of the far-right League party, backs a deal and said this weekend he would be ready to sign it tomorrow morning". Not because I like Musk or because Im rooting for Trump because it would improve Italys national security," he said at a party event in Milan, according to Italian news agency Ansa. 'Opportunities To Rebuild Relationships': What Mark Carney Had Said About India-Canada Ties Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 14, 2025, 10:47 IST Before the official Liberal Party leadership race, Carney said that if he became the PM, he would work to diversify Canadas trade relationships with like-minded nations. Before the official contest in the Liberal Party to replace Trudeau, Carney, in one of his interviews, had said that if becomes the PM, he would "rebuild relationships" with India. (Photo: AP + PTI file) Mark Carney, the new leader of Canadas ruling Liberal Party and the countrys next prime minister, recently pledged to rebuild" Canadas strained relationship with India, which reached its lowest point during Justin Trudeaus tenure. Before the official Liberal Party leadership race to replace Trudeau, Carney stated in an interview that if he became prime minister, he would work to diversify Canadas trade relationships with like-minded nations. Recommended Stories What Canada will be looking to do is to diversify our trading relationships with like-minded countries, and there are opportunities to rebuild the relationship with India," Carney said. There needs to be a shared sense of values around that commercial relationship and if Im Prime Minister, I look forward to the opportunity to build that," he added. India-Canada relations deteriorated significantly during Trudeaus tenure, reaching a historic low. The tensions between the two nations escalated after Trudeaus allegations linking India to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani separatist, which India strongly denied. In response, both countries expelled diplomats, worsening diplomatic ties. Trade negotiations were also halted, and visa services for Canadians were temporarily suspended. India accused Canada of harbouring extremist elements threatening its sovereignty, while Canada cited concerns over foreign interference. Mark Carney, Trudeaus successor, now faces the challenge of mending fractured ties with India. The 59-year-old political outsider, who has served as the governor of the Bank of Canada and Bank of England, won the leadership race for Canadas Liberal Party with 86 per cent votes, defeating former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. Carney will assume a leadership role during a turbulent period for Canada, as the country faces a trade war with its longtime ally, the United States, under President Donald Trump, while also preparing for an upcoming general election. Mark Carney, who has been vocal in his criticism of President Trump, reinforced his firm stance against the US during his victory speech. He declared that he would never allow Ottawa to be part of America in any way." America is not Canada. Canada will never ever be part of America in any way, shape or form," he said Regarding Trumps tariff threats, Carney stated that Canadas retaliatory measures would remain in effect until the U.S. makes a credible commitment to free and fair trade. Following Trumps decision to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods, excluding the automobile and energy sectors, Canada, under outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, has maintained a retaliatory stance. Theres someone whos trying to weaken our economy," Carney said of Trump, spurring loud boos at the party gathering. Hes attacking Canadian workers, families, and businesses. We cant let him succeed." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all This wont be business as usual," Carney said. We will have to do things that we havent imagined before, at speeds we didnt think possible." The major political development in Canada comes after Trudeau announced in January that he would step down after more than nine years in power as his approval rating plummeted, forcing the ruling Liberal Party to run a quick contest to replace him. About the Author Saurabh Verma Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 Location : Canada First Published: March 10, 2025, 07:45 IST Oil Tanker, Cargo Ship 'On Fire' After Colliding Off East Yorkshire Coast, At Least 32 Injured Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 20:39 IST An oil tanker and a cargo ship collided off the coast of eastern England on Monday and a major rescue operation is underway, Britains coast guard said. An oil tanker is on fire in the North Sea after colliding with a cargo ship off the coast of East Yorkshire. (X) At least 32 people were injured after an oil tanker and a cargo vessel collided off the coast of eastern England in North Sea, triggering a massive fire on Monday. The UK coastguard launched an emergency recue operation, and sent a helicopter and lifeboats from nearby towns, along with vessels with fire-fighting capability," to respond to the incident. Recommended Stories As per the reports, both the oil tanker and cargo vessel, have been on fire after the collision. BREAKING: Cargo ship and oil tanker on fire after colliding off East Yorkshire, England pic.twitter.com/rQwMHmY1hI BNO News (@BNONews) March 10, 2025 At least 32 casualties were brought ashore, but their condition was not immediately clear. Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, said 13 casualties were brought in on a Windcat 33 vessel, followed by another 19 on a harbour pilot boat. All of the crew on board a burning oil tanker in the North Sea are confirmed alive, the shipowner said following the collision. Yes we can confirm that," Lena Alvling, a spokesperson for the Swedish shipowner Stena Bulk, told AFP when asked whether the crew were all alive. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the alarm was raised at 9:48 am (0948 GMT). The site of the collision is off the coast of Hull, about 155 miles (250 km) north of London. HM Coastguard is currently co-ordinating the emergency response to reports of a collision between a tanker and cargo vessel off the coast of East Yorkshire," a Coastguard spokesperson said. Images on UK television channels showed a huge plume of thick, black smoke and flames rising from the scene about 10 miles (16 kilometres) off the coast. The tanker, believed to be the US-flagged chemical and oil products carrier MV Stena Immaculate, while the Portuguese-flagged cargo ship, named Solong, were at anchor at the time, according to ship-tracking site Vessel Finder. Swedish tanker company Stena Bulk confirmed it owned the oil tanker involved in the accident, adding it was operated by Crowley, a US-based maritime company, AFP reported. According to ship tracking sit MarineTraffic, the Stena Immaculate had travelled from the Greek port of Agioi Theodoroi, and was anchored outside Hull. The Solong, meanwhile, had been sailing from the Scottish port of Grangemouth to Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, reported BBC. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Lifeboat services reported that several people had abandoned the vessels following the collision, according to British media reports. (With inputs from agencies) About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He previously worked with Hindustan Times Digital (HTDS) and NDTV. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India ... Read More Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He previously worked with Hindustan Times Digital (HTDS) and NDTV. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India ... Read More Location : London, United Kingdom (UK) First Published: March 10, 2025, 18:55 IST Prince Frederik Of Luxembourg Dies After Lifelong Battle With Rare Genetic Disease Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 10:04 IST Prince Frederik of Luxembourg passed away after lifelong battle with a rare genetic disease in France. Prince Frederik Of Luxembourg dies (Photo: X) Prince Frederik of Luxembourg passed away on March 1 in Paris at 22 following a lifelong battle with a rare genetic disorder known as POLG mitochondrial disease. He was the son of Prince Robert and Princess Julie of Nassau. Recommended Stories The news was made public by his family in an emotional statement on the POLG Foundations website. What Did The Family Say? It is with a very heavy heart that my wife and I would like to inform you of the passing of our son, the POLG Foundation Founder and Creative Director, Frederik," his father, Prince Robert of Luxembourg, wrote. The foundation described POLG as a genetic mitochondrial disorder that robs the bodys cells of energy, in turn causing progressive multiple organ dysfunction and failure." It added that the disease has no treatment or cure. Frederik was diagnosed with the disease at 14, after years of health problems. Even after his diagnosis, Frederik dedicated his life to raising awareness and advocating for advancements in research. Prince Frederiks Final Moments During his final moments, Frederik asked his near and dear ones to be at his bedside to bid a last goodbye. Frederik found the strength and the courage to say goodbye to each of us in turn," Prince Robert said. Even in his last moments, his humour and boundless compassion compelled him to leave us with one last laugh to cheer us all up," he added. Frederiks health had deteriorated lately as he was hospitalised with pneumonia and other infection. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Even in his final days, Frederik remained deeply engaged with the world. His father fondly recalled that he still had his alarm set for an Italian lesson on Duolingo. As his family grapples with the immense loss, they find solace in his words. In a note on his phone, he had written a simple yet poignant reminder: Go outside when the sun is shining." About the Author Ashesh Mallick Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes... Read More Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes... Read More Location : Paris, France First Published: March 10, 2025, 10:04 IST Trump, Vance & Musk Will Be Arrested: TikToker's Wild Prediction Leaves Internet Shocked Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 08:59 IST A TikToker has predicted that the "end" of Donald Trump is near and he will be arrested "in the middle of the night" along with JD Vance and Elon Musk. TikToker predicts Donald Trump's "end" (Photo: Reuters, X/@CollinRugg) The man, who falsely predicted that Donald Trump would be stopped from entering office on his Inauguration Day (January 20, 2025) in his second term, has now predicted that his end" is near. Left-wing TikTok influencer Dragonman" claimed that Trump, his Vice President JD Vance, and DOGE head Elon Musk will be arrested in the middle of the night". Recommended Stories His prediction outraged the netizens, who mocked him for his false" predictions. One of the users even described him as a mad man". What Did TikToker Predict About Donald Trumps Future? I believe the arrests are gonna be made soon. I thought it was gonna happen before he was sworn in. There are gonna be arrests made globally and in our country, Donald Trump, JD Vance and Elon Musk and all the people behind the scenes are all gonna be arrested in the middle of the night. Thats my feeling, belief and hope," he said in a video. NEW: Man who predicted President Trump would be stopped from entering office on Inauguration Day, predicts Trumps end" is near.Left-wing TikTok influencer Dragonman" says Trump, JD Vance & Elon Musk will be arrested in the middle of the night. The man then quoted the Bible pic.twitter.com/eCfxlddNDf Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 10, 2025 He attempted to validate his prediction by quoting the Bible. Proverb 16, pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall," the man read out. How Did The Internet React? The social media users lashed out at the man, saying his predictions arent worth anything". Sounds like this guys predictions arent worth anything," a user wrote in the comments section. Its coming just sit tight its coming lol," another wrote. He knows as much as I do. Which is nothing," a user said. This is hilarious. I think he might be on to something, but it wont Trump and team being arrested," another wrote. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Mad man!" a user wrote. Another doomsday prophecywake me up when something actually happens," a user said. About the Author Ashesh Mallick Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes... Read More Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes... Read More Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: March 10, 2025, 08:54 IST 'Terrorist Sympathisers': Trump Warns Of Deportation After Pro-Hamas Student Protester's Arrest Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 23:30 IST Trump said that there are more students at Columbia University and other campuses who are 'pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity'. United States President Donald Trump said that his administration will apprehend and deport the terrorist sympathisers. (AP Image) United States President Donald Trump on Monday warned that many more pro-Palestine students will be arrested and deported soon. Taking to his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said that there are more students at Columbia University and other campuses who are pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity. Recommended Stories He said that some of them are not students but paid agitators and added that the Trump Administration will apprehend and deport these terrorist sympathisers. Trump made the remarks while announcing the detainment of radical foreign pro-Hamas student Mahmoud Khalil. Following my previously signed Executive Orders, ICE proudly apprehended and detained Mahmoud Khalil, a Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student on the campus of Columbia University. This is the first arrest of many to come. We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it," said Trump on Truth Social. Many are not students, they are paid agitators. We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathisers from our country never to return again. If you support terrorism, including the slaughtering of innocent men, women, and children, your presence is contrary to our national and foreign policy interests, and you are not welcome here. We expect every one of Americas Colleges and Universities to comply. Thank you!" he added. In January, Trump signed an executive order to fight against antisemitism and took the pledge to deport non-citizen college students along with others who participated in pro-Palestinian protests. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The fact sheet on the order promised immediate action" to be taken by the Justice Department for prosecuting terroristic threats, arson, vandalism and violence against American Jews" and marshal the entire federal resources to fight what it called the explosion of antisemitism on our campuses and streets" since Hamas invaded Israel on October 7, 2023. To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you," said Trump in the fact sheet. About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: March 10, 2025, 23:15 IST UK's Starmer Speaks To Trump, Rubio Gives An Update On Ukraine Aid Resumption As Saudi Talks Loom Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 23:56 IST US and Ukrainian officials will meet for the first time after a White House spat between Trump and Zelenskyy last month, after which Washington froze military aid for Kyiv. British PM Keir Starmer spoke to Donald Trump ahead of the US-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia. (Reuters/File) Ahead of talks between the US and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia aimed at ending the three-year war against Russia, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke to US President Donald Trump, where he expressed hopes that the meeting would have a positive outcome and enable Washington to end its pause of US aid to Kyiv. Those discussions from Tuesday will be the first meeting between US and Ukrainian officials since a White House blowup between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Trump that led to Washington halting military aid to Kyiv. Recommended Stories The Prime Minister said he hoped there would be a positive outcome to the talks that would enable US aid and intelligence sharing to be restarted," Starmers spokesperson told reporters on Monday, adding the two leaders had also discussed an economic deal that they had raised during Starmers visit to Washington. The spokesperson also said UK officials had been speaking to Ukrainian officials over the weekend ahead of the talks in Saudi Arabia and they remained committed to a lasting peace". After Zelenskyys ugly spat with Trump last month, Starmer has taken a leading role in diplomacy to boost support for Ukraine. He hosted talks involving Zelenskyy and other European leaders on March 2. At the same time, he is also balancing his relations with Trump, having met him in Washington on February 27, to protect Britain from US tariffs. He and French President Emmanuel Macron hope their leadership can help them rescue their reputations at home and cement European security as Germany recovers from months of domestic political uncertainty. ALSO READ: Ukraine To Propose Aerial, Naval Ceasefire To US In Saudi Arabia After Trump-Zelenskyy Spat Will US Resume Military Aid? Marco Rubio Responds Meanwhile, Zelenskyy and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio have arrived for the high-profile peace talks in Saudi Arabia. Ukraines proposal of a partial ceasefire has raised hopes of a breakthrough in the gruelling war. An official told AFP that Ukraine will propose an aerial and naval ceasefire with Russia during talks with US officials. Because these are the ceasefire options that are easy to install and to monitor, and its possible to start with them," he said Rubio, who is leading the US delegation, said the idea had promise. He said on Monday that if the results of the Saudi meeting are satisfactory to Washington, military aid to Ukraine may resume. I think the notion of the pause in aid, broadly, is something I hope we can resolve. Obviously what happens tomorrow will be key to that," he told reporters on the plane to the Kingdom. Zelenskyy Apologises To Trump The US has suspended military aid to Ukraine as well as intelligence sharing and access to satellite imagery in a bid to force it to the negotiating table with Russia. Zelenskyy also walked out of a minerals deal with Trump following his White House clash. However, Zelenskyy has since called the spat regrettable" and said he was willing to work with the US, including signing on the minerals deal. US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said Trump received a letter from Zelenskyy, calling it a very positive first step" and an apology". top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Before his departure for Jeddah, Zelenskyy said Ukraine wanted peace, insisting Russia was the sole reason that the war was carrying on. Witkoff said Washington wanted to use the talks to get down a framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire as well". (with inputs from agencies) 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 : London, United Kingdom (UK) First Published: March 10, 2025, 23:56 IST Where Is Vanuatu, The Country In Spotlight Amid Lalit Modi Shelter Row? Here's How You Can Travel There Curated By : Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 13:18 IST Modi, who is believed to have obtained citizenship of Vanuatu, a South Pacific island nation, left India in 2010 and has since been residing in London. File Photo of Lalit Modi. (PTI) Lalit Modi, the founder of the Indian Premier League (IPL), has applied to surrender his Indian passport at the Indian High Commission in London, as confirmed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Modi, who is believed to have obtained citizenship of Vanuatu, a South Pacific island nation, left India in 2010 and has since been residing in London. Recommended Stories He is sought by Indian authorities for his alleged involvement in embezzling crores of rupees during his tenure as IPLs top official. Also read | Vanuatu PM Orders Cancellation Of Lalit Modis Passport Amid Probe: Attempting To Avoid Extradition How to acquire Vanuatu citizenship? Vanuatu stands out from many European countries by not requiring residency before, during, or after obtaining citizenship, providing flexibility for potential relocators, according to a report by consulting firm Immigrant Invest. The country imposes no personal income tax on its citizens, making it an attractive option for many. The quickest way to acquire citizenship is through an investment, starting from $130,000. Vanuatu also offers citizenship to individuals who have legally resided in the country for at least 10 years. If an individuals parents or grandparents are from Vanuatu, they may be eligible for citizenship. Spouses of Vanuatu citizens can apply for citizenship after two years of marriage and residency in the country. How to travel to Vanuatu? Vanuatu is easily accessible from various international destinations. Direct flights from Sydney, Australia, take just three hours to reach Bauerfield International Airport in Port Vila, Vanuatus capital. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Additionally, direct flights are available from New Zealand, Fiji, and various Pacific island nations, making access relatively straightforward for visitors from the region. Vanuatus currency is the vatu (ISO code: VUV). It is used in the countrys three official languagesEnglish, French, and Bislama. As per the current exchange rate, 1 Indian Rupee (INR) equals approximately 1.40651 VUV. First Published: March 10, 2025, 13:14 IST Zelenskyy Sent Apology Letter To Trump Over Oval Office Spat, Says US Presidents Special Envoy Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 11, 2025, 00:08 IST Witkoff said he thought Zelenskyy sending Trump a letter to apologise for the fiery meeting was progress. US, Ukraine to meet next week In Saudi Arabia (Reuters Image) US President Donald Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff has claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has apologised to Trump in a letter, days after the extraordinary diplomatic Oval Office meeting that stunned the world. Zelenskyy sent a letter to the President. He apologised for that whole incident that happened in the Oval Office. I think that it was an important step and theres been a lot of discussion between our teams and the Ukrainians and the Europeans who are relevant to this discussion as well," Witkoff said on Monday to Fox News. Recommended Stories In Trumps joint address to Congress, he shared that he received a letter from Zelenskyy in an effort for the countries to smooth out ties. Trump had said he appreciated the letter, which came just days after the US halted military assistance to Ukraine. Witkoff said he thought Zelenskyy sending Trump a letter to apologise for the Oval Office meeting was progress." Since the fiery meeting, Zelenskyy has called the spat regrettable" and said he was willing to work with the US, including signing on the minerals deal. Meanwhile, US and Ukrainian officials are set to meet in Saudi Arabia later this week to pick back up on peace negotiations to end the war with Russia. Kyiv will also propose an aerial and naval ceasefire with Russia during talks with US officials, a Ukrainian official told AFP on Monday as Zelenskyy was due to arrive in the kingdom. Zelenskyy on Monday said Ukraine only wants peace, insisting Russia was the only reason" the war was carrying on. Ukraine has been seeking peace since the very first second of the war, and we have always said that the only reason that the war is continuing is because of Russia," he wrote on social media. I think the notion of the pause in aid, broadly, is something I hope we can resolve. Obviously what happens tomorrow will be key to that," he told reporters on the plane to the Kingdom. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is leading the US delegation, said the idea had promise. He said on Monday that if the results of the Saudi meeting are satisfactory to Washington, military aid to Ukraine may resume. The Oval Office Showdown What started as a courteous photo opportunity devolved into a shouting match between the two leaders, plunging the relations between the two countries to a new low. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all At the oval Office meeting, Trump dressed down Zelenskyy and said that the latter is gambling with World War Three". He further said that a truce with Russia is fairly close" and that the deal allowing US to use Ukraines natural resources would be very fair." US Vice President JD Vance was also present at the meeting in which the Ukrainian leader sought security guarantees from the US as Donald Trump said that he is trying to bring an end to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He previously worked with Hindustan Times Digital (HTDS) and NDTV. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India ... Read More Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He previously worked with Hindustan Times Digital (HTDS) and NDTV. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India ... Read More Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: March 10, 2025, 23:57 IST There was drama at Nyaradzo Funeral Parlour in Bulawayo yesterday as the family of the late female detective, Constable Cassandra Hove, who died during a shooting incident with armed robbers in Pumula South last Thursday, demanded more answers and justice. A funeral service scheduled for 10AM at Nyaradzo was abruptly postponed due to heightened emotions among mourners and close family members, who confronted police officers present. Tension escalated as some close family members insulted the officers, accusing them of withholding the truth regarding their relatives death. They claimed that Hove was not killed by the robbers but by one of her colleagues and demanded to know whether this was an accident or deliberate. According to the police, Hove sustained gunshot wounds to her upper limbs during the exchange of fire with robbers at around 8:40PM and was rushed to a nearby private clinic, where she was pronounced dead upon arrival. The family also demanded to know the identities of the officers deployed in the Pumula South raid and the individual who authorised Hoves post-mortem, saying they were not involved in the process and were shocked to learn that someone else had signed documents at the hospital as Hoves next of kin. There is something suspicious about all this. Why did the police rush to conduct a post-mortem without our consent or knowledge? fumed one female family member. Why were they collecting bereavement monies without our knowledge? Where did that money go? Also, why did the police notify us about her death hours after she had been killed? They also demanded her mobile phones and title deeds to the house for reasons best known to them, she blasted The family stated that they were not satisfied with the version of events given by the police and vowed to pursue the matter until the culprits were brought to justice. If our concerns are not addressed, then they might as well bury her themselvesafter all, she belonged to the State. The police must be held accountable, and we will not stop questioning them until we are satisfied, they said. A family spokesperson, Mr Ryan Gambinga, said they were deeply shocked and troubled by the tragic circumstances surrounding Hoves death. While we initially received conflicting reports, our recent meeting with ZRP Bulawayo has confirmed that a fellow police officer, and not armed robbers, was involved in this devastating incident, he said. Mr Gambinga said the family would only find peace if a thorough investigation was conducted and the full truth was revealed to bring the matter to finality. This revelation raises profound questions and intensifies our grief. We are committed to uncovering the complete truth and ensuring that justice is served, he said. As we mourn the loss of our beloved daughter, we demand a thorough and transparent investigation, added Mr Gambinga. Relatives and mourners at a funeral service for the late female detective, Constable Cassandra Hove in Bulawayo yesterday The family wrangled with the officers present until around 3PM, when tensions cooled following a closed-door meeting with some unidentified police bosses. We decided to proceed with the service after meeting with the police. They assured us that they would launch a full investigation into the matter. They gave us their highest assurance, and as a family, we decided to go ahead with the proceedings, said Mr Gambinga. It is now up to them as the police to uphold their end of the bargain. Mr Gambinga said the family was disappointed that the individuals at the centre of the matter failed to present themselves to the family as they sought closure. It would have been prudent for them to come and speak with us. After all, it is customary in many traditions to do so. We have questions that need to be answered, he said. Mr Gambinga revealed that the late Hove had recently secured a scholarship to Russia to pursue a degree in forensic investigations. We had sorted all her paperwork and were in the process of securing funds. This is truly a tragedy, he said. The emotional send-off saw many of her colleagues in attendance, but none from the Criminal Investigations Departments crack Homicide Unit, named Lozikeyi, were present. Bulawayo province acting police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele, referred all questions to national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi, who was unavailable for comment. Hove is survived by four children. She will be buried at her rural home in Mberengwa today. Chronicle UPDATE Mar 12, 2025 1:55 PM CDT A man who police say drove his car through a California CarMax after an unfavorable appraisal has been charged, reports NBC News. Andrew Arroyo, 25, faces one count of attempted murder and nine of assault with a deadly weapon in the Inglewood incident that injured 10 people, including a CarMax employee. One victim suffered a brain injury that rendered them comatose. ABC7 has video of the crash, which shows a silver Subaru crashing through one door and out another, here. Mar 10, 2025 1:00 AM CDT Police say an upset customer intentionally drove through a CarMax store's showroom in Southern California on Saturday afternoon, injuring eight people. The suspect had just had his vehicle appraised at the Inglewood location, NBC News reports. Some sort of "business dispute" followed, per police, though the details aren't clear. One witness reports seeing people arguing. The customer left, only to returnin the vehicleand drive through one end of the showroom and out the other, CBS News reports. The silver Subaru was captured on video backing into the showroom through a door, turning, and then driving through another door. The suspect initially fled, but he later turned himself in at a Los Angeles Police Department police academy. A 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student disappeared in the Dominican Republic last week while on a spring break trip. Sudiksha Konanki was with five other female Pitt students on a trip to Punta Cana when she was reported missing Thursday, NBC News reports. Local authorities believe she went missing between 3am and 5am that day. That's around the time she was last seen swimming with a young man at a beach near the Riu Republica Resort and then going on a walk on the beach in her bikini, the New York Post reports, citing local news outlets. She had reportedly gone to the beach with her friends, but never made it back to her room, CNN reports. The other students, who were scheduled to fly back home Friday, chose instead to stay and help with the search. Konanki, an Indian national who hails from Virginia, is 5-foot-3 with black hair and brown eyes. The man with whom she was seen swimming has been questioned by police; it's not clear whether he's also a student. Helicopters and drones have been deployed in the search, and both US and Indian authorities are assisting Dominican authorities. "Right now it runs the gamut from something accidental to foul play," says a sheriff's office representative from Virginia. "It is all at this point under consideration. Nothing's been ruled out." The latest dire warning in the wake of the Trump administration's massive aid cuts: Tuberculosis could surge around the globe. "Without immediate action, hard-won progress in the fight against TB is at risk," the director of the WHO's Global Program on TB and Lung Health said in a recent statement. USAID, one of the agencies devastated by DOGE cuts, provided as much as $250 million annually to fight TB around the globethat's about 25% of the international donor funding for fighting TB in foreign countries, NBC News reports. The lung infection, caused by bacteria, kills more people around the world than any other infectious disease, and the WHO warns that the US could be impacted too, as the ramifications from the aid cuts could ultimately lead to more travelers arriving in the US infected. More recent coverage of possible fallout from the aid cuts: A former Columbia University grad student and Palestinian activist who helped organize anti-Israel protests at the school was arrested in his university-owned apartment over the weekend by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, reports the AP, which calls the move "a significant escalation in the Trump administration's pledge to detain and deport student activists." Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin confirmed the arrest of Mahmoud Khalilwho recently earned a master's degree from the school's international affairs school"in support of President Trump's executive orders prohibiting antisemitism." More: Legal team: Khalil's attorney, Amy Greer, tells the New York Times that when Khalil's wife, a US citizen who's 8 months pregnant, headed to a New Jersey detention center where she believed he'd been taken, she was told he wasn't there. Newsweek cites ICE records showing he may have been taken to a detention center in Jena, Louisiana. "We will vigorously be pursuing Mahmoud's rights in court, and will continue our efforts to right this terrible and inexcusableand calculatedwrong committed against him," Greer said in a statement. Wall Street started the new trading week in a foul mood on Monday, with the Dow tumbling about 500 points and the benchmark S&P 500 index down more than 2%. It's a continuation of last week's selloff blamed on tariff uncertainty, but Monday's pain appears to have been worsened over the weekend by President Trump's comments about a possible recession. In short, he declined to rule out the possibility in 2025, though his own commerce secretary disagreed. Related coverage: Bankers' pessimism: The Wall Street Journal reports that big banks are growing more worried about a recession. JPMorgan Chase says the chances are now 40%, up from 30% at the year's start. Goldman Sachs also raised the risk (from 15% to 20%), as did Morgan Stanley, which also revised downward its economic growth forecasts for 2025 and 2026. Israel cut off the electricity supply to Gaza, officials said Sunday, affecting a desalination plant producing drinking water for part of the arid territory. Israel last week suspended supplies of goods to the territory of more than 2 million Palestinians, an echo of the siege it imposed in the earliest days of the war, reports the AP . Israel had warned when it stopped all supplies that water and electricity could be next. A letter from Israel's energy minister to the Israel Electric Corporation has instructed the utility to stop selling power to Gaza. The Gaza territory and its infrastructure have been largely devastated, and most facilities, including hospitals, now use generators. A Hamas spokesman said that Israel has "practically" cut off electricity since the war began and called the latest decision part of Israel's "starvation policy, in clear disregard for all international laws and norms." The desalination plant was providing 18,000 cubic meters of water per day for central Gaza's Deir al-Balah area, according to Gisha, an Israeli organization dedicated to protecting Palestinians' right to freedom of movement. Executive director Tania Hary said that the plant is expected to run on generators and produce around 2,500 cubic meters per dayabout the amount in an Olympic swimming pool. Israel has faced sharp criticism over suspending supplies. The International Criminal Court said there was reason to believe Israel had used "starvation as a method of warfare" when it issued an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last year. Israel has denied the accusations, saying it has allowed in enough aid and blaming shortages on what it called the UN's inability to distribute it. It has also accused Hamas of siphoning off aid. More here. Yes, there are bigger problems in the world, and in the NYPD in particular, acknowledges Nicole Gelinas in a New York Times op-ed. But Gelinas argues that new police commissioner Jessica Tisch can take an important first step in cleaning up corruption on the force by cracking down on an abused parking perk. "All over New York, police officers and staff start their workday by disregarding the law," writes Gelinas. "They park their personal vehicles at bus stops, on sidewalks and in crosswalks, in turning lanes and no-standing zones." The problem stems from placards the city doles out to some city employees allowing them to park where mere mortals cannot. The NYPD gets most of them, and there's no check on abuse. Dozens of Tibetan protesters clashed with police outside the Chinese embassy in New Delhi on Monday as Tibetans living in exile marked the 66th anniversary of their uprising against China that was crushed by Chinese forces. As in past years, police blocked the protesters from entering the embassy and briefly detained some of them after wrestling them to the ground, reports the AP . Hundreds also marched in the north Indian town of Dharamshala, the seat of the exiled Tibetan government and home of the Dalai Lama, their 89-year-old spiritual leader. Separately, about a hundred Tibetan women gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, an area designated for protests close to Parliament. The protesters shouted anti-China slogans, carried Tibetan flags, and played the national anthems of Tibet and India. India considers Tibet to be part of China, although it hosts the Tibetan exiles. The 1959 independence uprising was quelled by the Chinese army, forcing the Dalai Lama and his followers into exile in India. Many had their faces painted in colors of the Tibetan national flag. The demonstrators observed a minute of silence to remember Tibetans who lost their lives in the struggle against China. Monks, activists, nuns, and schoolchildren marched across the town with banners reading, "Free Tibet" and "Remember, Resist, Return." Penpa Tseringthe president of the Central Tibetan Administration, as the exiled Tibetan government calls itselfaccused China's leadership of carrying out a "deliberate and dangerous strategy to eliminate the very identity of the Tibetan people." "This marks the darkest and most critical period in the history of Tibet," Tsering told the gathering. "As we commemorate the Tibetan National Uprising Day, we honor our brave martyrs, and express solidarity with our brothers and sisters inside Tibet who continue to languish under the oppressive Chinese government." The Tibetan government-in-exile in India accuses China of denying the most fundamental human rights to people in Tibet and trying to expunge the Tibetan identity. China claims Tibet has been part of its territory for centuries, but the Tibetans say the Himalayan region was virtually independent until China occupied it in 1950. The Washington Post is losing a big name in protest of owner Jeff Bezos' policies. Veteran columnist and associate editor Ruth Marcus has resigned after her op-ed critical of Bezos was rejected, report NPR media writer David Folkenflik and Ben Mullin of the New York Times. The move comes after Bezos decreed that the newspaper opinion pieces must from now on focus on "personal liberties and free markets." Marcus addressed her resignation letter to Bezos and publisher Will Lewis: "Will's decision to not run the column that I wrote respectfully dissenting from Jeff's edictsomething that I have not experienced in almost two decades of column-writingunderscores that the traditional freedom of columnists to select the topics they wish to address and say what they think has been dangerously eroded," she wrote. Marcus also complained that Bezos' rule "that the opinion section will henceforth not publish views that deviate from the pillars of individual liberties and free markets threatens to break the trust of readers that columnists are writing what they believe, not what the owner has deemed acceptable." The newspaper has yet to comment on Marcus' resignation. She had been been at the paper since 1984 in a variety of roles, starting as a reporter before becoming an editor, according to her still-active Post bio. She was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for commentary in 2007. (She joins a growing list of other staffers to leave the newspaper or to voice concerns over Bezos' role. Friction ramped up when he killed an endorsement of Kamala Harris last year.) Harvard University says it has frozen staff and faculty hiring because of "substantial financial uncertainties driven by rapidly shifting federal policies." In a letter to staff, Harvard President Alan Garber said the temporary freeze is intended to "preserve our financial flexibility until we better understand how changes in federal policy will take shape and can assess the scale of their impact." The move comes days after the administration pulled $400 million in funding from Columbia University, accusing it of not doing enough to fight antisemitism on campus. The administration is also investigating Harvard over protests that followed the start of the Hamas-Israel war in 2023, Politico reports. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman is pushing back against efforts to free the Menendez brothers. Hochman, who was elected in November, has asked a court to withdraw a resentencing motion that his predecessor, George Gascon, filed last year. Hochman said Monday that Erik and Lyle Menendez have lied for decades about the murders of their parents in 1989 and still display a "lack of acceptance of responsibility for their murderous actions," CNN reports. Last month, Hochman urged a judge to reject a request for a new trial. Hochman's motion. "The Menendez brothers have continued to lie for over 30 years about their self-defensethat is, their purported actual fear that their mother and their father were going to kill them the night of the murders," Hochman wrote in the motion," per the Los Angeles Times. "Also, over those 30 years, they have failed to accept responsibility for the vast number of lies they told in connection with that defense." It was the worst day yet in a stretch where the S&P 500 has swung more than 1%, up or down, seven time in eight days because of Trump's on-and-off again tariffs. The worry is that the whipsaw moves will either hurt the economy directly or create enough uncertainty to drive US companies and consumers into an economy-freezing paralysis, the AP reports. The US stock market's sell-off cut deeper on Monday as Wall Street questioned how much pain President Trump will let the economy endure endure through tariffs and other policies in order to get what he wants. The worries hitting Wall Street have been hurting some of its biggest stars the most. Big Tech stocks have slumped sharply. Nvidia fell another 5.1% Monday to bring its loss for the year so far to more than 20%. It's a steep drop-off from its nearly 820% surge over 2023 and 2024. Elon Musk's Tesla fell 15.4% to deepen its loss for 2025 to 45%. Stocks of companies that depend on US households feeling good enough about their finances to spend also fell sharply. Cruise-ship operator Carnival dropped 7.6%, and United Airlines lost 6.3% . On the winning side, Redfin's stock jumped 67.9% after Rocket said it would buy the digital real estate brokerage in an all-stock deal valuing it at $1.75 billion. Rocket's stock sank 15.4%. The S&P 500 is down roughly 9% from its all-time high set on Feb. 19. The economy has already given some signals of weakening, mostly through surveys showing increased pessimism. And a widely followed collection of real-time indicators compiled by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta suggests the US economy may already be shrinking. Asked over the weekend whether he was expecting a recession in 2025, Trump said: "I hate to predict things like that. There is a period of transition because what we're doing is very big. We're bringing wealth back to America. That's a big thing." He then added, "It takes a little time. It takes a little time." story continues below It's not just stocks struggling. Investors are sending prices lower for all kinds of investments whose momentum had earlier seemed nearly impossible to stop at times, such as bitcoin. The cryptocurrency's value has dropped below $79,000 from more than $106,000 in December. Instead, investors have been bidding up US Treasury bonds as they look for things whose prices can hold up better when the economy is under pressure. That has sent prices for Treasurys sharply higher, which in turn has sent down their yields. The case of a Southern California judge charged with murder in the fatal shooting his wife ended in a mistrial Monday after a jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Eleanor J. Hunter declared the mistrial in the case against 74-year-old Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson. A prosecutor said 11 of the 12 jurors had wanted to declare Ferguson guilty of second-degree murder, adding he is prepared to retry the case, the AP reports. Prosecutors had said at trial that Ferguson shot his wife Sheryl with a handgun while the couple was watching television at their home in Anaheim Hills after they had been arguing in 2023. Testifying at trial, Ferguson did not deny shooting his wife, but said it was an accident. He said he was removing the gun from an ankle holster where he always carried it but fumbled it when he tried to place it on a table. Jury deliberations began on Feb. 26, NBC Los Angeles reports. The jury left early on Friday after telling Hunter they were "exhausted." Curtis Compton/TNS The body of Rep. John Lewis pauses at the top of the bridge for one minute while making the final crossing over the Edmund Pettus Bridge, site of the historic 1965 voting rights marches, while family members at right look on Sunday, July 26, 2020, in Selma, Alabama. The congressman from Georgia and civil rights icon died July 17 at age 80 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. His Excellency Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain, met today in Jeddah with His Excellency Bakhtiyor Saidov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the extraordinary session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). During the meeting, the two ministers discussed the strong ties of friendship between Bahrain and Uzbekistan and explored ways to enhance bilateral cooperation across various sectors to serve mutual interests. They also exchanged views on issues of common concern. HM King signs law to eliminate double taxation in new era of cooperation HM King signs law to eliminate double taxation in new era of cooperation TDT | Manama Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa ratified and issued Law (8) of 2025, approving the agreement between the governments of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates on eliminating double taxation on income taxes and preventing tax evasion and avoidance. The law was enacted following its approval by the Shura Council and the Council of Representatives. Earlier this year, the Shura Council approved a mutual taxation agreement with the UAE, aimed at avoiding double taxation and fostering investment between the two countries. The agreement plays a key role in creating a stable investment environment, eliminating tax barriers, and enhancing transparency to combat tax evasion. His Excellency Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Finance and National Economy Minister, highlighted the UAEs $2 billion investments in the Kingdom. This includes major trade and business activity, along with 1,200 Bahraini companies with UAE investors, and more than $1 billion in exports and imports annually between the two countries. Digital cooperation HM the King ratified and issued Law (9) of 2025 on the approval of the Digital Cooperation Organisation Charter, following its approval by the Shura Council and the Council of Representatives. The charter, attached to this law, was signed in Manama on 8 Rabi Al Akhar 1442 AH, corresponding to November 23, 2020. The agreement, attached to this law, was signed in Dubai on February 11, 2024. The Prime Minister and ministers, each in their capacity, shall implement the provisions of this law, which shall take effect the day after its publication in the Official Gazette. TDT | Manama Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com Bahrains executive and legislative bodies held a joint meeting yesterday to continue discussions on the state budget for the fiscal years 2025-2026. The budget includes an allocation of BD800 million for housing, the largest amount dedicated to housing projects since they began in Bahrain. This funding aims to reduce waiting lists and improve access to housing through partnerships with the private sector. Key figures The meeting, led by Speaker of Parliament Ahmed bin Salman Al Musallam, Shura Council Speaker Ali bin Saleh Al Saleh, and Finance Minister His Excellency Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, brought together key figures from both branches of government. Ministers, the two Deputy Speakers of Parliament, and members of both councils financial and economic committees also attended. During the meeting, Al Musallam emphasised Parliaments role in supporting government initiatives, ministerial projects, and development programmes that benefit the country and its citizens. He noted that these efforts must balance financial conditions with the public good. Views Al Saleh echoed Al Musallams views, stressing the importance of productive discussions between the executive and legislative authorities. These discussions aim to strengthen cooperation and promote long-term financial and economic stability. The government team outlined several priority projects for inclusion in the budget. Among the key areas were housing, education, and infrastructure. TDT | Manama Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, today chaired the weekly Cabinet meeting at Gudaibiya Palace. At the beginning of the meeting, the Cabinet emphasized the significance of the extraordinary session of the Council of the League of Arab States at the Summit level (Palestine Summit), recently held under the chairmanship of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the King of Bahrain, and His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt. The Cabinet highlighted the key points in His Majestys address at the summit, reaffirming Bahrains commitment to unity, moderation, tolerance, and comprehensive peace. The Cabinet also reviewed a report presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs on the summits outcomes. The Cabinet then highlighted Bahrains strong national spirit and values that drive its continued development. It also recognized the importance of the holy month of Ramadan in strengthening community bonds and praised the role of Ramadan majlises in reflecting Bahrains deep-rooted traditions. Cabinet Decisions The Cabinet approved several memorandums, including: A legal and legislative memorandum on a draft law ratifying an agreement between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to avoid double taxation on income and prevent tax evasion. A legal and legislative memorandum on a framework agreement between the Civil Service Bureau and government entities to document, regulate, and improve quality management procedures. A legal and legislative memorandum on the governments responses to three proposals submitted by the Council of Representatives. Reports and Updates The Cabinet also reviewed the following: Updates on the Foreign Ministrys priority framework within the Government Action Plan (2023-2026). Progress on the National Human Rights Plan (2022-2026) and achievements up to 2024. Additionally, the Cabinet was briefed on ministerial reports regarding: The outcomes of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council. The 163rd session of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Ministerial Council. GCC ministerial meetings with foreign ministers from Arab countries. The extraordinary session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers. The success of the 12th edition of the Farmers Market for the 2024-2025 season. The official visit of the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications to Qatar. The UN General Assemblys adoption of Bahrains proposed resolution to establish January 28 as the International Day of Peaceful Coexistence. The Cabinet reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Bahrains role in regional and international diplomacy while continuing to advance the Kingdoms economic and social development. ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) Area residents will get the chance to enjoy the great outdoors, win prizes and offer a boost to conservation efforts by joining Missouris first-ever competitive birdwatching challenge this spring. From May 1 to May 15, birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts from young kids to adults can participate in the inaugural Missouri Birding Challenge, a new twist on birdwatching offered by the Missouri Department of Conservation and federal conservation partners. MDC Natural History Biologist Lisa San Diego said as part of the event, individuals and groups will register online and use the eBird app to record lists of birds identified at conservation areas, state parks and federal lands around the state, or even in their own backyards. Its just a great opportunity to kind of bird in a slightly different way, trying to meet a challenge, San Diego said. The great thing about eBird is its this massive database and citizen science contributes birding information to it ... That information is used to kind of drive conservation efforts. Once participants complete one of five categories based on age and experience, they will be entered into a drawing for bird-related prizes such as binoculars, spotting scopes, tripods and gift cards. The team that records the most species in the challenge period will receive a certificate and recognition by the Missouri Department of Conservation. Registration takes place from April 1 to April 30 at mochf.org/missouri-birding-challenge/. Categories can range from spotting 10 bird species for novice birders to more than 150 for advanced categories, everything from Canadian geese and cardinals to hawks and owls. Missouri has approximately 390 different bird species according to the department. If youre in those more competitive categories or just more interested in birding in general, try to bird in different habitat types, hit up grasslands, hit up wetlands, head up woodlands, San Diego said. The birding challenge is in the beginning of May, which is a prime migration time in Missouri, where birds that we dont normally see here are passing through. Federal agencies like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Missouri River Bird Observatory are set to partner with the conservation department to enhance the first-time program for Missouri residents. Along with enjoying the great outdoors and learning more about Missouris bird species, registration fees which range from $10 to $25 will have a direct impact on statewide conservation efforts. Those funds go to our modus tracking system in Missouri, which is a series of radio telemetry towers that actually track birds migrating through Missouri, San Diego said. It just shows the importance that birding and bird conservation is. All of these organizations coming together, working towards a common goal. In order to participate, residents must attend or watch one of several free webinars on the Missouri Birding Challenge. The webinars are designed to introduce participants to birding and educate them on issues around birds and conservation. Research shows a loss of nearly a third of North American birds over that past 50 years. The upcoming May 1 webinar will show people how to help bird populations at home and how to make a big impact with just seven simple actions. Certain categories of birds are hit a little harder than others. Our temperate, grassland species are particularly not doing well compared to some other groups, San Diego said. This birding challenge, if we have a spurt of extra birding efforts, extra bird sightings added in, it really contributes to that information. As part of the challenge, all team members must bird together and remain within direct voice contact at all times while competing for birds to be counted for the team. Teams can also bird with other teams. San Diego recommends using the BirdCast website to help track bird migrations and using the Merlin app to identify specific bird sounds. A full list of bird challenges rules and categories can be found at mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/activities/birdwatching/missouri-birding-challenge-rules. Upcoming Birding Challenge webinars: The Full Annual Cycle of Bird Conservation with MDC Ornithologist Kristen Heath-Acre. April 3, 6 to 7 p.m. Seven Simple Actions to Help Birds at Home with Dana Ripper of the Missouri River Bird Observatory. May 1, 6-7 p.m The recent measles outbreak is seeing an uptick in multiple parts of the country. Florida joins a multitude of other states with positive measles cases after a teen in Miami-Dade became the first person to contract the viral disease in the state this year per the Miami Herald. This comes on the heels of an unvaccinated child in Texas passing away after contracting the disease. So far, in 2025, there have been 164 cases of measles reported, with 20% of the cases leading to hospitalization. The best way to prevent the chances of contracting the disease is to be vaccinated and practice standard health-related hygiene. The only way to prevent catching it (measles), other than vaccinating is just being cautious, St. Joseph community health nurse Kristi Billings said. Germs are everywhere. Its spread very easily, just like any other infection. A lot of the symptoms are very close to common cold flu. The biggest thing is to watch for the rash. The biggest demographic that is typically affected by measles are younger children, specifically if they havent received their vaccination. According to the Missouri Department of Health, 96.1% of kindergarten students in the county are vaccinated for measles, mumps and rubella. The ideal scenario would be to have everyone vaccinated, but their are people who still have concerns. I think a lot of people have started to not trust vaccines, St. Joseph School District health coordinator Tammy Smith-Hinchey said. Were kind of in a time of information overload, but schools require vaccinations or vaccinations that have been tried and true. Theyve been around for a long time. They protect your child. Its just like putting a helmet on before you ride a bicycle, or putting your child in a car seat. Missouri requires childrens vaccinations to be up to date prior to enrollment in any school, unless they have a medical or religious exemption. Missouri hasnt had a reported measles case this year, but its important to have vaccination records up to date with the viral disease spreading in other states. CST Foundation will deliver nearly $300,000 to 45 Canadian students pursuing post-secondary education TORONTO, March 10, 2025 /CNW/ - The Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation (CST), creators of education savings plans in Canada, announced today that it is now accepting applications for its 2025 Awards and Bursaries program. This year, CST is increasing its commitment, set to deliver $290,000 in awards and bursaries to Canadian post-secondary students. Applications will remain open until Friday, April 25, 2025. CST Foundation will deliver nearly $300,000 to 45 Canadian students pursuing post-secondary education (CNW Group/Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation) The Founders' Awards support students who have benefited from a Canadian Scholarship Trust Plan (RESP) and are entering or continuing their post-secondary undergraduate studies. This year, CST will offer 20 Founders' Awards valued at $7,000 each. The CST Foundation Bursaries are awarded to students who require financial assistance to access post-secondary education for the first time. From university degrees to apprenticeships, all Canadian post-secondary education programs are eligible for bursaries. CST offers 25 Bursaries valued at $6,000 each. "As the cost of living rises, we know post-secondary education can feel unattainable for many families. That's why we expanded our Awards and Bursaries program this year as a tangible commitment to our mission of improving access to post-secondary education. We understand how vital a well-educated population is for a more resilient and inclusive country," says Peter Lewis, President and CEO. "Our Awards and Bursaries program is just one way we continue to deliver on this mission. We look forward to reviewing this year's applications." CST partnered with myBlueprint to help raise awareness of this opportunity with eligible students. To apply for a CST Founders' Award: click here To apply for a CST Bursary Award: click here For more details about the CST's Awards program, visit: cstfoundation.ca/student-awards The Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation Founded in 1960, the Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation is dedicated to improving access to post-secondary education to foster a more resilient and inclusive country for generations to come. For more than 60 years, CST has helped almost 700,000 Canadian families set their children up for success through post-secondary education. As the creators of education savings plans in Canada, CST has awarded over $3 million to students pursuing post-secondary education through its scholarship and bursary programs. For more Information, please visit www.cst.org. MyBlueprint For over 20 years, myBlueprint has been a trusted partner in K-12 education, supporting student success through innovative pathway planning, career exploration, and competency-based learning solutions. Our mission is to engage every student to thrive and succeed in education, career, and life, providing them with the tools they need to plan for their future with confidence. Trusted by over 90 per cent of school districts across Canada, myBlueprint is committed to shaping the future of education by equipping students with the skills and knowledge they need for lifelong success. Learn more at https://myblueprint.ca/ SOURCE Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation Contact Information: CST, Communications Manager, Alexa Ciufo: [email protected] MONTREAL, March 10, 2025 /CNW/ - The Palais des congres de Montreal is proud to announce a promising collaboration with Polytechnique Montreal as part of an integrated artificial intelligence project initiated by IVADO. Led by a group of four bachelor's students in Software Engineering, the project seeks to develop an intelligent system to manage waste generated by events at the Palais. During the 2025 winter session, the students' mission will be to design an intelligent system capable of identifying, characterizing and quantifying waste produced during each event. This process will provide the Palais with precise data on the environmental impact of the events it hosts. Each student will devote 270 hours to this project, for a total of 1,080 hours of work. Through this data collection, the Palais hopes to acquire a better understanding of consumption habits and waste production related to events. The ultimate goal is to develop customized strategies for each type of event in order to effectively reduce waste production and promote more sustainable alternatives. A project in great demand The Palais des congres submitted this innovative project to Polytechnique Montreal as part of a partnership established in 2019 between Canada's leading engineering university and IVADO, which the Palais has been a member of since 2022. This consortium dedicated to promoting AI played a key role in supporting the Palais in the process and facilitating this collaboration. The Palais' project generated a great deal of interest among students at Polytechnique Montreal and was among the most prized of the 30 or so projects received. Its innovative character, potential to contribute to sustainable development and undeniable pedagogical appeal were particularly appreciated. By collaborating closely with the group of students, the Palais des congres de Montreal reaffirms its commitment to innovation and sustainability, while offering future engineers a practical and enriching experience. The Palais, an AI trailblazer in the industry This project is also part of a continuum of successful collaborations between the Palais and Polytechnique Montreal, in particular under a program led by Mitacs, a Canadian organization that promotes research and innovation by creating partnerships between universities, industries and governments. This initiative also reflects the Palais' desire to integrate AI into is operational processes so that it can improve productivity and offer added value to its clients, positioning it as a trailblazer in the industry. The Palais is developing other AI applications, such as a computer vision system to evaluate room occupation and management, and a performance optimization tool to gradually automate certain administrative tasks. Quotes "This is a fabulous opportunity for our public organization to implement and benefit from an integrated AI system in our operational processes. This project reflects our desire to improve our productivity through artificial intelligence, while optimizing the efficiency and precision of our services. The future of our organization rests on technological innovation and this project marks a key step in this digital transformation." Simon Harris, Director, Innovation and Business Intelligence of the Palais des congres de Montreal "Polytechnique Montreal is proud to support technological projects that bring innovative solutions to complex engineering challenges and create value for Quebec. Carried by a creative student community and a committed teaching staff, our institution embodies the values of collaboration, openness, integrity and responsible leadership. This project, integrating artificial intelligence in support of sustainable development, will promote the acquisition of skills in line with the labour market and generate positive spinoffs for our partners." Pierre Langlois, Vice President, Academic Affairs and Student Experience at Polytechnique Montreal "At IVADO, we believe in the power of data science and artificial intelligence to meet environmental challenges. This project perfectly embodies this vision by mobilizing students around a concrete problem: quantifying and analyzing waste in order to optimize event waste management. By transforming data into action, this initiative will contribute to the emergence of sustainable solutions adapted to the realities of the Palais des congres." Nancy Laramee, Director of Partnerships at IVADO About the Palais des congres de Montreal A creative solutions centre and a showcase for the city's spirit and expertise, the Palais des congres de Montreal has been promoting and hosting large-scale events since 1983. Generating significant economic, social and intellectual benefits, it encourages innovation and acts as a force for progress for both Montreal and Quebec. The Palais is firmly committed to sustainability and takes numerous innovative, concrete steps to make it a central component of its business development. With one of the highest customer satisfaction rates in the world, the Palais actively contributes to the international reputation of Montreal, the top host city for international events in America for eight years in a row. congresmtl.com About Polytechnique Montreal Founded in 1873, Polytechnique Montreal is one of Canada's largest engineering education and research institutions. It is located on the Universite de Montreal campus, the largest French-language university campus in the Americas. With more than 61,500 graduates to date, Polytechnique has educated over 22% of the Ordre des ingenieurs du Quebec's current membership. Polytechnique offers more than 120 programs taught by over 300 professors, and welcomes in excess of 10,000 students yearly. About IVADO IVADO is an interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral research and knowledge mobilization consortium whose mission is to develop and promote a robust, reasoning and responsible AI. Led by Universite de Montreal with four university partners (Polytechnique Montreal, HEC Montreal, Universite Laval and McGill University), IVADO brings together research centers, government bodies and industry members to co-build ambitious cross-sectoral initiatives with the goal of fostering a paradigm shift for AI and its adoption. SOURCE Palais des congres de Montreal Information: Sebastien Zickgraf, Advisor and Copywriter, Communications and Public Affairs, Palais des congres de Montreal, 514 871-5849, [email protected] HALIFAX, NS, March 8, 2025 /CNW/ - Unifor is celebrating the federal government's signing of the River-class destroyer (RCD) contract with Irving Shipbuilding the largest and most significant "Buy Canadian" procurement program, and largest shipbuilding effort since WWII. "There is perhaps no moment more significant than the one we're in right now to prove the value and importance of domestic procurement," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. Unifor Atlantic Regional Director Jennifer Murray stands with MWF Local 1 President Shannon Sampson and members inside the Halifax Shipyard (CNW Group/Unifor) "From the early days of the National Shipbuilding Program, through its now 15 years in action, Unifor has supported the growth and transformation of the Halifax Shipyard and we have witnessed the positive results for workers, where these jobs are now good paying, hire-to-retire careers. Today, we celebrate the program's continued success as the members of Unifor MWF Local 1 prepare to build the future of defense for Canada's Arctic and beyond." Unifor MWF Local 1 represents 1,200 members at the Halifax Shipyard, where the Canadian shipbuilding sector was rebuilt after decades of boom and bust. Preparations have already begun for the April 2025 start of the RCD, formerly known as the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) program, including work on a test module that began last year. "I send my congratulations to the shipbuilders at MWF Local 1 this is a moment every Canadian should celebrate," said Unifor Atlantic Regional Director Jennifer Murray. "Unifor members at the Halifax Shipyard take great pride in their work and are honoured to build what becomes a home away from home for members of the Royal Canadian Navy. Their hard work and masterful shipbuilding is what has brought us to this moment." In 2011, the federal government named Irving Shipbuilding as the facility that would build the combat package, the largest portion of work under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS). Led by then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper, government worked across party lines to build the procurement program to not only deliver the ships the Royal Canadian Navy needed but do it in a way that ensured public money stayed in Canada, supported Canadian workers and their families, and established a more reliable supply chain. The design contract for the RCD was signed in 2019. Today's contract signing for construction marks the final step before Irving Shipbuilding begins cutting steel for the first three ships. Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 320,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future. SOURCE Unifor For media inquiries, please contact Unifor National Communications Representative: Shelley Amyotte at [email protected] 902-717-7491. National Security AI is a plan of geopolitical control in world of powerful AI and superintelligence. It has superintelligence strategy. I propose a robust opensource and distributed AI to all citizens of the USA and even all citizens of the world. The website https://www.nationalsecurity.ai/ explores the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and national security, focusing on how AIs rapid advancements are reshaping global power dynamics and security landscapes. A central concept it introduces is Mutual Assured AI Malfunction (MAIM), which parallels nuclear deterrence. MAIM suggests that the threat of sabotaging a rivals AI systems could deter nations from pursuing destabilizing AI projects that might grant a strategic monopoly or lead to uncontrolled outcomes. The site emphasizes AIs dual-use natureits potential for both civilian and military applicationspositioning it as a critical factor in national security. It advocates for managing AI risks through strategies like deterrence, transparency, and international cooperation to prevent catastrophic consequences. The Superintelligence Strategy also proposes tracking and controlling every Nvidia A100 class chip or more powerful chips. In the early 2000s, the U.S. did impose export restrictions on PS2s and PS3s due to their chips potential military applications. These measures were about geopolitics, not domestic regulation, and theyve largely stopped targeting consoles specifically as technology has moved on. If one chip out of tens of millions is a problem, then your national and military grade AI program is filled with idiots for not being able to stay ahead of it. Thus, I believe individual chips should be treated more like hand guns and not nuclear weapons. Everyone needs to have them. The big national programs would have billion chip clusters more. My AI point is EVERYONE will needs to have the protection and trusted advice of their own dedicated superintelligence that is totally on their side. One or two local models that are not internet connected. Anyone after 2-3 years without their AI advisor will be massively disadvantaged. Power and capability is needed and needs to become a right. However, it should not be treated like nuclear weapons that kept by the government while the people get nothing or only with government permission. If XAI and big tech and national program cant work with a million times resource advantage, then what is their problem? National Security AI is saying they have cybersecurity incompetence and want to err on the side of police state. Analysis of the MAIM Approach While MAIM draws an intriguing analogy to nuclear deterrence, its practicality and effectiveness for AI are questionable, especially given the current state of AI development. Heres why: Differences from Nuclear Weapons: Nuclear deterrence works because weapons are physical, countable, and verifiable. AI, however, is software-based, easily replicated, and widely distributed, making it nearly impossible to monitor or enforce a deterrence mechanism like MAIM. There are physical aspects currently and those are massive AI data centers like the 200,000 GPU xAI data center in Memphis. There are large data centers operated by Meta, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Nvidia, Tesla and many, many others. Rise of Low-Cost AI Agents: Innovations like ManusAI (autonomous AI agents from China startup with $10 million of funding) demonstrate that AI is becoming increasingly accessible and affordable. This democratization undermines centralized control or deterrence strategies, as both state and non-state actors can develop powerful AI systems with minimal resources. Also, distillation is a process whereby powerful and resource intensive AIs are made smaller and more efficient. Potential for Escalation: Attempting to enforce MAIM could escalate tensions without effectively preventing misuse. If one party threatens to sabotage anothers AI, it might provoke an AI arms race or preemptive actions, destabilizing global security rather than securing it. Nuclear weapon anti-proliferation failed. Anti proliferation slowed developments. Israel has been actively sabotaging the Iranian nuclear program. It is effectively used only on emerging potential powers. Given these limitations, MAIM seems ill-suited to address the realities of modern AI proliferation. A rigid deterrence model may not only fail but could also exacerbate risks in an era where AI is decentralized and ubiquitous. Alternative Approaches: Democratizing AI My alternative: a robustly supported open-source AI effort paired with increased compute power for everyone, potentially powered by solar energy and then later modular and mass produced nuclear power. This AI power to the people approach mirrors the Second Amendments principle of empowering citizens with firearms, but instead equips individuals with advanced AI capabilities. AI Power will also be minimum financial power. AI will be revenue generating. Humanoid bots that perform profitable work. This will also be universal basic AI revenue generation. Superintelligent AI will also be the means of economic value creation. Lets break this down: Key Components of the Alternative Open-Source AI Efforts: Encouraging collaborative, transparent AI development could accelerate innovation and safety research. Open-source models (e.g., those from communities like Hugging Face or EleutherAI) allow widespread scrutiny, reducing the risk of hidden flaws or malicious designs. Increasing Compute Power for All: Providing individuals with access to AI servers or local hardware hundreds to thousands of times more powerful than laptops would enable them to run sophisticated AI models independently. This distributed computing model reduces reliance on centralized tech giants or governments, fostering resilience and diversity in AI ecosystems. Solar-Powered Distributed Computing: Solar power could make this vision sustainable by providing renewable energy to run compute-intensive AI systems. Individuals or communities could operate local AI nodes, creating a decentralized network thats harder to control or attack. Benefits Innovation and Resilience: Widespread access to AI tools could spur creative solutions to security challenges, as more minds tackle the problem. A decentralized system is also less vulnerable to single-point failures or targeted attacks. Collective Defense: Like an armed citizenry, a population equipped with powerful AI could collectively deter threats, whether from rogue actors or authoritarian regimes seeking to monopolize AI. Equity and Empowerment: This approach democratizes a technology thats often concentrated in the hands of a few, aligning with principles of fairness and individual agency. Risks and Challenges Misuse Potential: Greater access increases the risk of AI being weaponized for cyberattacks, disinformation, or other harms by malicious actors. Regulation Difficulty: A decentralized AI landscape complicates government oversight, potentially leading to a Wild West scenario with insufficient safeguards. Feasibility: Scaling compute power via solar energy involves significant costs (e.g., hardware, solar panel production) and technical expertise, which not everyone possesses. However, if superintelligence is near (2026-2028), then lack of expertise will not be a problem. Inequality: Those with skills or resources to leverage AI might outpace others, deepening social and economic divides. Again everyone will need superintelligence for comparable skills and resources. Democratized is the means for equalizing resources. Comparing MAIM and Democratization Control vs. Distribution: MAIM relies on centralized deterrence and mutual threats, while democratization spreads AI power widely, reducing any single entitys dominance. Adaptability: Democratization aligns better with AIs current trajectorylow-cost, accessible tools like ManusAIwhereas MAIM struggles to keep pace with this reality. Security Outcome: MAIM risks escalation and instability; democratization risks misuse but could enhance collective resilience if managed well. Some Mix A Balanced Path Forward Rather than fully embracing MAIM or unchecked democratization, a hybrid approach might offer the best of both worlds: International Cooperation: Establish global AI safety standards, ethical guidelines, and transparency protocols to mitigate risks, regardless of who controls the tech. Supported Democratization: Pair open-source AI and distributed computing with education and support systems to ensure broad, responsible use. Security Research: Invest in making AI systems transparent and secure, reducing the likelihood of malfunction or exploitation. Private Sector Alignment: Encourage companies driving AI innovation to prioritize national security and societal benefits alongside profit. Conclusion The National Security AI website highlights AIs critical role in national security, with MAIM as a deterrence-based solution. However, given AIs unique nature and the rise of low-cost agents like ManusAI, MAIM appears impractical and potentially destabilizing. I propose an alternativerobust open-source AI and solar-powered distributed computingoffering a forward-thinking AI for the people vision. While it promises innovation and resilience, it requires careful management to address misuse, feasibility, and equity concerns. A balanced strategy blending democratization with global governance and safety measures could better secure AIs future while harnessing its potential for all. Some Details About Military Topics Glossed Over in Superintelligence Strategy Taiwan TSMC Chips and Risk of China Invading Taiwan I find it annoying, silly and wrong when reports like the Superintelligence Strategy talk about how China can just take Taiwan and TSMC. This shows no attempt to look into the situation. It is actually pretty stupid. I, Brian Wang, have looked extensively at the challenge of taking Taiwan by China. Taiwan is a mountainous island. It literally has 80-120 miles of moat. It is D-Day times 10 to take the island. China has not fought a war for 46 years and that was the 1979 border skirmish with Vietnam. China failed in that action. A few million of the chinese army raced across the border and then got repelled by the battle hardened Vietnamese army. Before the 1950s Korea war. China can transport about 40,000 troops in the first day for an invasion of Taiwan. IF none of the ships and helicopters and planes are shot down while crossing 100 miles of open water. If 40,000 troops could make it onto Taiwan, the Chinese troops would be outnumbered 4 to 1. I go over every ship and weapon China has and the hours of training of their fighter and bomber pilots. An attempted China invasion would be worse than Dieppe for China. Why? Satellites. Everything that China tries to do in an attack would be seen by satellites. Everyone knows that China has had decades of a one child policy. What does this mean? Pretty much every soldier is an only child (although some rural born would not be). what does this mean? Every time Taiwan sinks a troop ship a few hundred to a few thousand only children go to the bottom of the Taiwan Strait. How would thousands and then millions of parents and grandparents take this? I think there is significant risk of an uprising. Russian S-400 air defenses were defeated with missiles waves in Ukraine. F-16s and Russian planes have been very vulnerable in the Ukraine war. 80% of Chinas planes are copies or purchased Russian planes. Taiwan mountains. For those who do not know, the powerful conventional explosives we have do not penetrate far into rock and dirt. U.S. Marines landed on Iwo Jima after months of intense naval and air bombardment, but the Japanese were well-protected in caves and other stronghold. North Vietnam army withstood months of even more intensive bombardment by hiding in tunnels. Taiwan has anti-air missiles. China planes flying close enough to try and hit Taiwan planes and missiles in caves would get wrecked by anti-air missiles as seen in the Ukraine war. Any China navy and air forces, would also get shot from the Philippine and Japanese islands where the US has bases. Then we get to massive drone waves. This analysis has to start from the massive drone use by Ukraine and Russia. A close to balanced volume destroys things for sure. But where is the big land grabs from a dominant drone capability? Handwaving SuperAI and AI Superweapons vs Simple Military Options The SpaceX Starship will soon be mass produced and the upper stage will cost $20 million or less. This is cheaper than $100 million fighter planes than top at mach 2. This is cheaper than large commercial passenger planes like the 787 that cost $300 million. The US has 58 B-52 operated by active forces and 18 by reserve forces. The US is spending $48 billion to upgrade them. This is over a half billion each. A Starship will hold 200 tons of payload and will fly over 20 times the speed of sound. Just releasing metal or ball bearings, means the kinetic energy from something moving at 20 times the speed of sound will be up 5-10 times its mass in chemical explosives. Release 2 million metal objects flying above some location means everything flying below the Starship gets wrecked. No missile, no plane, no drone would survive. It does not matter what AI was in it. If the AI was buried in some deep bunker. Flying one $10 million Starship into the bunker places a concentrated 2000 to 20000 tons of kinetic force into that bunker. This is the mass effectively have 10 times its weight converting kinetic energy to chemical explosive energy. Hitting a bunker with the Booster and the Starship ($40-100 million in cost) guarantees wrecking any bunker. 200 tons at mach 20 would penetrate to 108 meters. At Mach 20, this is a hypervelocity impact. The spear isnt just penetratingits interacting with the target at speeds where material strength becomes secondary to energy transfer, shockwaves, and thermal effects. The tip hits the concrete at ~6,800 m/s. At this speed, both the spear and the concrete behave more like fluids due to the extreme pressures (hydrodynamic regime). Pressure at impact = v (where is density). Assuming a steel spear ( 7,800 kg/m): P = 7,800 (6,800) 3.6 10 Pa (~360 GPa). This dwarfs UHPCs compressive strength (0.2 GPa), instantly pulverizing the concrete. Destroy the bunker via shockwaves, heat, and structural collapse, with energy equivalent to a small nuclear blast. The kinetic force would be concentrated. Iran Fordow is 60-80 meters deep. Mach 20, 2,000 tons: 46.24 TJ (~11 kt) Deep penetration and destruction, but less overwhelming than mach 30.. Mach 20, 200 tons: 4.624 TJ (~1.1 kt) Penetration with severe damage, but deeper bunkers might survive partially. Mach 30, 2,000 tons: 104.04 TJ (~24.9 kt) Overkill for a 200-foot bunker, capable of annihilating even the deepest fortified sites. 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. Huaihua emerges as major trade hub 16:08, March 10, 2025 By He Chun, Zou Shuo ( China Daily Deep in the mountainous hinterland of central China, the city of Huaihua has transformed itself into Hunan province's gateway to global trade through the development of its international land port. Mayor Li Chunqiu, also a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress, attributed this shift to a strategic alignment of favorable policies, geographic advantages, and collaborative efforts. "Opening up to the outside world is a distinct characteristic of Chinese modernization and is ingrained in the DNA of Huaihua people," Li told China Daily. Huaihua was included in China's New Western Land-Sea Corridor plan in 2019, a move that has allowed the city to capitalize on its regional advantages and China's dual circulation policy. Its position at the convergence of major transportation arteries linking Chongqing to the Beibu Gulf has made it a crucial hub for trade between central and western China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. In 2024, Huaihua International Land Port operated 155 domestic and international routes, serving 50 countries and regions and 138 ports. The city, located at the junction of five provincial borders, has expanded its infrastructure, now featuring four conventional railways, three high-speed rail lines, eight expressways, and multimodal connections via water and air networks. Li highlighted the development of cross-border rail services to Laos and Vietnam, positioning Huaihua as central China's leader in ASEAN connectivity. Last year, Huaihua operated 1,009 China-Laos and China-Vietnam express trains, with their number growing by 180 percent year-on-year for three consecutive years. Agreements with major ports such as Yangpu in Hainan province and Nansha in Guangdong province, along with seven warehouses in Southeast Asia, have strengthened its international logistics network. From having no presence in luggage manufacturing, Huaihua now hosts 129 enterprises in the sector, exporting to 26 countries and regions, Li said. The simultaneous development of cold chain logistics, agricultural product processing and cross-border e-commerce further showcases Huaihua's economic diversification. Alibaba International's local operations have helped drive a 61.8 percent growth in digital trade. Major projects, including a 2.2-billion-yuan ($303 million) agricultural industrial park with China Co-op Group, are boosting investor confidence, he added. Looking ahead, Li said Huaihua aims to increase annual freight train operations to 1,200 and achieve 100 billion yuan in port-related output. The city also plans to integrate with the Digital Land-Sea Corridor and customs innovation initiatives to improve operational efficiency while expanding cooperation with central provinces and Southeast Asian ports. Huaihua also seeks to leverage its cultural assets to drive urban prosperity. The city will host the fifth Hunan Tourism Development Conference in September, which Li described as a key opportunity to accelerate development. "High-quality cultural tourism development requires systematic planning," he said. By capitalizing on its historical, ecological and tourism resources, the city is introducing cross-regional routes, national festivals and diverse cultural tourism products to establish itself as a favored travel destination, he said. Zhu Youfang in Changsha contributed to this story. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) A Bergen County man has been charged with sexually assaulting a child under 13 years old, officials with the Bergen County Prosecutors Office said Monday. Jonathan E. Rodriguez, 35, of Englewood, was charged with second-degree counts of sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child, according to authorities. An investigation began Friday when the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency notified the Bergen County Prosecutors Office of the sexual assault of a child under 13 years old, according to authorities. An investigation identified Rodriguez as the person who sexually assaulted the child, officials said. Authorities did not say when the sexual assault occurred and did not release details on the investigation. Rodriguez was arrested Friday and taken to the Bergen County Jail where he awaits his initial court appearance, officials said. Rodriguez did not have an attorney listed in online court records Monday. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X Newark police Detective Joseph Azcona was gunned down Friday night while investigating a person believed to have illegal guns. His body was escorted by police to a funeral home in Newark on Saturday. Amanda Brown | For NJ.com The 14-year-old accused of killing Newark police Detective Joseph Azcona is the only person charged in the case after multiple people were taken into custody the night of the shooting, authorities said Monday morning. Azcona died Friday evening in a gun battle that wounded another Newark officer and the 14-year-old at Broadway and Carteret Street in the city. Azcona was part of an intelligence unit that sought to arrest a suspect they believed was armed, authorities said. Initially, police said they had five people in custody for questioning. Only the 14-year-old is charged and remains hospitalized, an Essex County Prosecutors Office spokesperson said Monday. He faces charges of first-degree murder for Azconas death and attempted murder of the second officer, plus two firearm possession offenses. A gun was recovered at the scene, authorities said. The teens name will not be made public because he is a juvenile. The Newark police intelligence unit was working with federal authorities when the shots rang out at about 6:30 p.m. The federal agency was not named. He was shot before he even had the opportunity to leave his police car, Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens said of Azcona. The police department and the prosecutors office said Monday they had no new developments in the ongoing investigation. The wounded Newark police officer also remained hospitalized Monday morning, a Newark police spokesperson said. His name has not been released. Azcona, 26, served as a Newark officer for five years. Azconas mother, Nereida Vargas, said her son wanted to be a Newark police officer from a young age. He made us proud, she said this weekend. 7 1 / 7 Honoring Newark Detective Joseph Azcona Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com Police investigators on the scene where Azcona was shot in Newark on Friday Ed Murray| For NJ Advance Media The police dispatch on the radio Friday night was a staccato of static, terse orders, and alarm. An officer was down. A suspect was out, presumably on the ground, awaiting EMS. Brenden Cary, 19, of Franklinville, died Sunday in a crash on Route 55 in Gloucester County. He was set to graduate from high school this spring. (Provided Photo/Laura Perez) UPDATE: Third teen dies in crash that claimed lives of high school senior, 19-year-old A high school senior and a friend who was a recent graduate were killed in a three-vehicle crash Sunday in Gloucester County, police and school officials said. Brenden Cary, 19, of Franklinville, was driving north on Route 55 in Elk Township around 4:15 p.m. when his cars right front corner struck an SUV ahead of him, according to a New Jersey State Police spokesman. Cary lost directional control of his car, crossed onto the right shoulder of the highway and struck a disabled minivan stopped on the side of the road, causing the minivan to overturn, police said. Cary and a passenger in his car, Dominic Reyes, 19, of Franklinville, died of their injuries in the crash, police said. A 17-year-old passenger in the car was seriously injured. A 36-year-old Monroeville woman driving the minivan suffered serious injuries and three juveniles in her vehicle suffered minor injuries, police said. The crash was about a mile south of the Ellis Mill Road exit. Cary turned 19 last month and was set to graduate from Delsea Regional High School in June, according to his legal guardian, Laura Perez. She described Cary, Reyes and the 17-year-old in the car as close friends and amazing kids. They were always together, working on their cars, going to the car wash and car meets, playing video games or just hanging out, Perez said. Its an immense loss that Im not sure we will ever fully recover from. Perez is also thinking about the others involved in the crash. Im praying for the people in the other car hoping everyone was OK. Im so sorry to them, she said. Delsea Regional High School issued a message to parents Sunday confirming Carys death and the death of a recent graduate, though they did not immediately name Reyes. Our school family is heartbroken, and our thoughts are with their families, friends, and all who knew and loved them, Delsea Regional Superintendent Fran Ciociola said in the message. Counselors will be available at the school to help anyone struggling with the news, Ciociola said. In times of tragedy, our greatest strength is each other, he wrote. Lets come together with kindness, compassion, and love, as we support one another through this painful time. Reyes graduated from Delsea Regional last year, Ciociola said Monday afternoon. The superintendent said the district is trying to assist those struggling with the losses with trauma counselors and therapy animals. Were supporting our kids and supporting our staff and just trying to heal as a community, because its going to take everybody, Ciociola said. When you have a tragedy like that, it hits everyone. The crash remains under investigation, police said. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. A reporter covering President Donald Trump explained why tech billionaire Elon Musk wanted to fire DEI hires at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). New Republic staff writer Kate Aronoff discussed a report from The New York Times about an explosive cabinet meeting during a conversation with The Daily Blast host Greg Sargent. Aronoff suggested on the podcast episode that Musk is using Trumps attack on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) as an excuse to fire people of color. Sargent pointed to a moment in the reported cabinet meeting when Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy accused Musks team of trying to fire air traffic controllers, while Musk claimed there was DEI hiring of those key positions. What you said there is interesting because another element to their exchangethe one between Sean Duffy and Elon Muskis that Elon Musk again raised the nonsense about DEI hiring at air traffic control. And Duffy actually said, No, thats not true. And I dont think they said this in the article, but basically Duffy, in saying that, was debunking something Trump has said, Sargent said. Right. And clearly, to read not too far between the lines of that, Elon must [have seen] a person of color who is an FAA employee, right? That is what all of this means: He just wants to fire as many people of color as possible, and will call them DEI hires or whatever he wants to in order to do that, Aronoff said. The New York Times report said Musk insisted that people hired under diversity, equity and inclusion programs were working in control towers, while Duffy pushed back during a heated exchange. The confrontation reportedly ended with Trump telling Duffy to hire air traffic controllers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology because they should be geniuses. The Trump administration has been targeting DEI hiring practices since taking office nearly two months ago and has moved to halt DEI programs in the federal government. Just days after taking office, Trump made a baseless claim that DEI policies contributed to a mid-air collision between an American Airlines plane and an Army helicopter that left 67 people dead. Trump tapped the tech billionaire to spearhead the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut spending and reduce the size of the federal government. DOGEs efforts have upended the federal government as thousands of employees have been laid off or accepted an early retirement offer so far. Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks during a vice presidential debate hosted by CBS News, with Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) AP Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is offering some frank advice for Democrats on how to combat President Donald Trump. Walz made a number of media appearances in recent days as Democrats continue to scramble on how to respond to the Trump administrations latest moves. In an interview with MSNBC last week, Walz slammed Trump ahead of his first joint address to Congress as being reality TV. He advised that Democrats should pass some damn laws to improve peoples lives without focusing on the next election. I disagree with this idea that, look, Republicans are digging a hole. Democrats should just back off and let them dig. Thats what weve done, and weve ceded space to them, he told MSNBCs Jen Psaki and Ari Melber. He also has conceded that his own campaign made missteps in the election. In a separate interview with Politico, Walz reflected on being former Vice President Kamala Harriss running mate in the 2024 election. He suggested that the Democrats played the 2024 election too safe in their campaign against Trump last year. We shouldnt have been playing this thing so safe, Walz said in the interview published Saturday, adding that Democrats are more cautious in engaging with the media than Republicans. I think we probably should have just rolled the dice and done the town halls, where [voters] may say, youre full of s--t, I dont believe in you, Walz said. I think there could have been more of that. He also suggested he owns some of the campaigns mistakes because when youre on the ticket and you dont win, thats your responsibility. He also spoke with the Today, Explained Vox Media podcast on Saturday about the election, according to The Washington Post. He acknowledged that he was supposed to help carry the so-called Blue Wall of swing states that could have delivered the election for Harris. Look, I own it. I failed, he said, according to The Post. My job was to help win Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania. Harris tapped Walz to be her running mate just weeks after former President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed her to take his place. The short-lived campaign ultimately came up short after Trump swept the seven battleground states in Novembers election. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., a Republican moderate, tells reporters he has not changed his mind and will not be voting for Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, to become speaker of the House, following a closed-door GOP meeting at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) AP A GOP lawmaker blasted the Trump administration for its latest decisions on Ukraine. U.S. Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) has been outspoken about President Donald Trumps handling of the Russia-Ukraine war and has been adamant about his support for Ukraine in recent days. In an interview with CNNs Pamela Brown on Monday, Bacon said it was a terrible mistake to not include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in talks to end the war. Its a terrible mistake not to have the Ukrainian leader in the talks. Weve seen the history of this. I remember when the Trump administration was negotiating with the Taliban without the Afghan government that really weakened the Afghan government that theyre after. Ukraine is our ally. They want to be part of the West. Russia is our adversary, and its time that this administration gets this in their brain, Bacon said on CNN. Theyre treating Putin with velvet gloves, and theyre being harsh to our allies. I got to tell you, Im hearing from all over the world, but particularly lots of Republicans in Omaha who do not like what they see, he added. Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Zelenskyy during a chaotic meeting in the Oval Office last month and accused the Ukrainian leader of being disrespectful. Days later, Trump paused U.S. military aid to Ukraine and limited the countrys access to U.S. intelligence. Now, U.S. officials are slated to meet with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia this week about the war. However, Zelenskyy will not be included the talks. Bacon said that countries are questioning whether the U.S. remains the leader of the free world amid its reversal on support for Ukraine. We may be the most powerful country in the world. We were the leader of the free world, but it appears to many leaders and people all over to include Republicans in Nebraska, that this administration is walking away from that legacy that was built by Ike Eisenhower and all these presidents and really a capstone of Ronald Reagan peace through strength and building these close alliances, he said. And we are undermining that legacy right now. Putin invaded Ukraine. Hes murdered all of his political opponents. He tried to kill a previous Ukrainian Prime Minister. Hes bombing cities. Hes ramped up the bombing of cities since President Trump has been harsh towards President Zelenskyy, he said. Weve got to see this. v, and I think its devastating for you know, our force, our national security and our foreign affairs for the years to come. So Im very concerned. Trump remains focused on reaching some kind of peace deal to stop the war. His approach toward Ukraine so far has relied far more on stick than carrot limiting their access to intelligence and weaponry. While conciliatory toward Putin, Trump recently also threatened new sanctions against Russia over its ceaseless attacks on Ukrainian cities. If Ukraine and the U.S. reach some sort of understanding acceptable to Trump, that could accelerate his administrations push to talks. However, the rest of Europe remains skeptical as they have been sidelined from the talks. The European Union last week agreed to boost the continents defenses and to free up hundreds of billions of euros for security. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Team Kamala Harris is back. For a moment, at least. Journalist Yashar Ali noted Kamala HQ on X, the official Harris for President rapid response account, fired up for the first time since the former vice president lost to President Donald Trump in November. The account posted several tweets critical of the economy under Trumps administration. Kamala HQ, the official Kamala Harris for President rapid response account, which became very popular with Harris supporters during the campaign, has started posting again. pic.twitter.com/IeGwdBdqRG Yashar Ali (@yashar) March 10, 2025 However, they were later deleted. Trump has been dismissing business concerns over the uncertainty caused by his planned tariffs on a range of American trading partners and the prospect of higher prices, and didnt rule out the possibility of a recession this year. After imposing and then quickly pausing 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada that sent markets tumbling over concerns of a trade war, Trump said his plans for broader reciprocal tariffs will go into effect April 2, raising them to match what other countries assess. April 2nd, it becomes all reciprocal, he said in a taped interview with Fox News Channels Sunday Morning Futures. What they charge us, we charge them. Asked about the Atlanta Feds warning of an economic contraction in the first quarter of the year, Trump seemingly acknowledged that his plans could affect U.S. growth. Still, he claimed, it would ultimately be great for us. When questioned whether he was expecting a recession in 2025, Trump responded: I hate to predict things like that. There is a period of transition because what were doing is very big. Were bringing wealth back to America. Thats a big thing. He then added, It takes a little time. It takes a little time. On Wall Street, it was a tough week with wild swings dominated by worries about the economy and uncertainty about what Trumps tariffs. Trump brushed aside concerns from businesses seeking stability as they make investment decisions. He said that for years the globalists, the big globalists have been ripping off the United States and that now, all were doing is getting some of it back, and were going to treat our country fairly. You know, the tariffs could go up as time goes by, and they may go up and, you know, I dont know if its predictability, the Republican president said. Trump last week lifted the Mexico and Canada tariffs on American car manufacturers, and then virtually all imports to the U.S., but kept them on goods from China. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., speaks about the southern border outside the West Wing of the White House, Tuesday, June 4, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) AP U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) fired back at tech billionaire Elon Musk after he accused the Navy veteran of being a traitor. Kelly, a combat Navy veteran and retired astronaut, posted a statement supporting Ukraine on social media platform X on Sunday after he visited the war-torn country over the weekend. He took aim at the Trump administration for pausing aid to the country, arguing that the pause has only made it harder for Ukraine in their fight against Russia. Muskone of President Donald Trumps most powerful adviserscriticized Kelly on Monday over his post on X. You are a traitor, Musk commented. Kelly responded to Musks comment in another post on Monday. Traitor? Elon, if you dont understand that defending freedom is a basic tenet of what makes America great and keeps us safe, maybe you should leave it to those of us who do, Kelly wrote on X. Kelly emphasized his support for Ukraine in his social media posts and criticized Trump for cutting off aid to the country. This war started with what Putin thought would be a three-day operation to take Kyiv and control of all of Ukraine. Now three years later, that hasnt happened. American and allied support has been a big reason why, but I saw how cutting it off now risks everything so many Ukrainians have laid down their lives for. And while our support hasnt been free, we havent sent even half of what President Trump says, Kelly said in his post. The U.S. relationship with Ukraine has been strained since Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office last month, accusing him of being disrespectful. The heated encounter drew backlash from world leaders and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, with many critics accusing Trump of trying to appease Russia. Trump later ordered a pause on military aid and intelligence sharing to Ukraine shortly after the meeting. Now, U.S. officials are meeting with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia this week about possibly bringing an end to the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump remains focused on reaching some kind of peace deal to stop the war. His approach toward Ukraine so far has relied far more on stick than carrot limiting their access to intelligence and weaponry. While conciliatory toward Putin, Trump recently also threatened new sanctions against Russia over its ceaseless attacks on Ukrainian cities. If Ukraine and the U.S. reach some sort of understanding acceptable to Trump, that could accelerate his administrations push to talks. However, the rest of Europe remains skeptical as they have been sidelined from the talks. The European Union last week agreed to boost the continents defenses and to free up hundreds of billions of euros for security. The Associated Press contributed to this report. MAGA's latest lie: Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, has become a multi-millionaire since being elected to Congress. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File Its a flat-out lie, but that wont stop Donald Trumps army from telling it presumably because outspoken and fast-rising Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas has bloodied MAGAs noses several times in hearings (see MTGs bleach blond bad built butch body) and on social media. As one of only a handful of Democrats who loudly and relentlessly have called out Trump, Elon Musk, the 20-year-old DOGE bros who are dismantling the federal government and their Republican enablers, Crockett has made herself a target of the far right. Their latest attack: She has become an overnight multi-millionaire, presumably through corrupt means. One MAGA Twitter account tweeted this, which was retweeted by criminal-then-pardoned Roger Stone: So let me get this straight. Jasmine Crockett gets elected November 2022, and according to her financial disclosure report had a net worth of $29,000, including stocks in Devon Energy, MGM resorts and Moderna. She also reported total student loans liability of $50,000. Now her net worth is $9 million, earning a salary of $174,000, a year. Another DC miracle millionaire. Hmm, Stone commented on the retweet. Congressional reporter Jake Sherman, founder of Punchbowl News, called it totally bunk, and linked to Crocketts financial disclosures. This stuff catches on and its just totally bunk, Sherman tweeted. Crocket reported between 3k and 45k in assets as of Aug. 13, 2024. its all public. Theres no $9M anywhere. Crockett, who walked out of Trumps address last week and labeled it a terrible nightmare, in an Instagram post that went viral, was scolded by Democratic leadership for being too outspoken. This is not what we should be doing, she said. I dont know why were fighting with Greenland. Why are we fighting with Greenland? We fighting with Canada. We fighting with Mexico, yet we in love with [Russian president Vladimir] Putin? What is happening? Like, this is not America. This is a terrible nightmare. Somebody slap me and wake me the f--k up, because Im ready to get on with it. Punchbowl News reported the fallout: Earlier on Thursday, Jeffries and party leaders brought in some of the most vocal rank-and-file Democrats including Reps. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) and Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) to berate them for their recent behavior. The members-only meeting was called by Jeffries, were told. On Thursday, The House voted to censure an unrepentant Green for disrupting Trumps speech. Crockett was among a group that stood with Green in the well of the House and sang We Shall Overcome, a civil rights song from the 1960s. FILE - President-elect Donald Trump, right, shakes hands with former Vice President Mike Pence before the state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter at Washington National Cathedral in Washington, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File) AP President Donald Trumps former second in command is taking shots at his former boss and the new administration. Mike Pence called out Trumps Treasury secretary on social media as the Trump administration deals with the fallout over his trade wars. Actually @SecScottBessent, it is. Tariffs are good as a means to bring nations like China to the table, but free trade lowers the costs of goods and improves the quality of life for every American. Lets Pursue Free Trade with Free Nations and Revive the American Dream," Pence posted to X along with a CNBC headlined: Treasury Secretary Bessent says the American dream is not about access to cheap goods Actually @SecScottBessent, it is. Tariffs are good as a means to bring nations like China to the table, but free trade lowers the costs of goods and improves the quality of life for every American. Lets Pursue Free Trade with Free Nations and Revive the American Dream. pic.twitter.com/XmmPZvWHBr Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) March 7, 2025 Long-threatened tariffs from Trump have plunged the country into a trade war abroad all while on-again, off-again new levies continue to escalate uncertainty. Since taking office less than two months ago, Trump has rolled out hefty import taxes on goods coming from Americas three biggest trading partners Mexico, Canada and China and promises that more targets are on the horizon. Theres also been a sense of whiplash from Trumps back-and-forth tariff threats and responding retaliation, including recently-postponed levies for some goods from Canada and Mexico that followed a 30-day pause for the auto industry. The uncertainty has roiled financial markets, lowered consumer confidence, and enveloped many businesses with questions that could delay hiring and investment. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A school bus aide convicted of endangering the welfare of a child in the death of a 6-year-old wheelchair-bound student has been sentenced to three years in state prison. Amanda Davila, of New Brunswick, was sentenced Friday, according to court records. She had been facing a maximum sentence of 10 years. Davila was using her cell phone and had ear buds on when a seat belt became wrapped around the neck of Fajr Atiya Williams during a 15-minute ride from the girls Franklin home to Claremont Elementary School on July 17, 2023. Davila was originally charged with manslaughter, but a jury cleared her of that charge during a trial in January. Davila was supposed to sit across the aisle from Fajr Atiya Williams and watch her. Instead, she sat near the front of the bus and was scrolling Instagram as she listened to music during the ride, officials said. Davila also sent and received 34 text messages during the trip across town. Earlier, Davila had helped Fajr board the bus and hooked her wheelchair to the floor, but did not use the lap belt or ankle restraints, authorities said. The girl was secured with a 4-point harness. About 15 minutes after Fajr was picked up, the bus hit a bump in the road. The impact caused the girls body to slump in the seat, which tightened the 4-point harness around her neck, authorities said in a criminal complaint. Fajr lost consciousness at 8:48 a.m., but Davila did not notice the girl was in distress until 9:02 a.m., when the bus arrived at school, authorities said. A teacher who boarded the bus realized she wasnt breathing, and CPR was started at 9:06 a.m., authorities said. Earlier, the girl could be seen on camera moving her mouth and struggling against the harness, the complaint says. For nearly three minutes, she struggled violently for her life, flailing her arms and legs. On at least two occasions, (the girl) made a shriek or gasp and at one point kicked the window of the bus, authorities said. Fajr died at a nearby hospital. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. NJ Advance Media staff writer Katie Kausch contributed to this report. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. The Yankees will know if Gerrit Cole is getting Tommy John surgery soon as the right-hander is visiting with Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Monday afternoon. AP An official verdict on Gerrit Coles elbow injury is imminent. Cole is meeting with Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Monday, manager Aaron Boone told YES Network during the Yankees win over the Tigers at Steinbrenner Field. Boone didnt have any additional updates after the game, but he did insist that the mood around the Yankees hasnt worsened because of this injury blow. Its part of it, Boone said. We talk about it all the time. These things are going to happen. Theres going to be tough moments, tough times. Theres no sugarcoating Gerrit Cole [being hurt]. We all understand who he is to our team and how important he is to our club, but unfortunately, sometimes its part of the game. The Yankees have had a few days to brace for a doomsday scenario. Cole first felt like something wasnt right in his elbow after his start against the Twins last Thursday when he gave up six runs. He went for imaging and decided to seek out second opinions to see what the best course of action will be. Thats where the visit with ElAttrache comes in. It was already reported on Sunday night that doctors have recommended Tommy John surgery to Cole, the absolute worst-case scenario to another spring with elbow pain. BUY YANKEES TICKETS: STUBHUB, VIVID SEATS, TICKETMASTER Cole made that same flight out to California last March when he felt discomfort in his elbow. That time, the diagnosis was nerve inflammation and edema, a lucky break in that Cole could rest, rehab and return over the summer. If Cole gets Tommy John surgery and it certainly seems like thats the most probable outcome at this point then hell be sidelined for the entirety of the 2025 season and then some. In his interview on YES Network, Boone said this wont be a death sentence for the Yankees. We missed him for the first couple months last year this time of year and it created opportunities that guys stepped up, Boone said after the win. So, whatever happens, whatever it is, were going to support our guy and try and get him right and be there for him. But it doesnt change the expectation of the group and the mood of the group. With Cole on the shelf and Luis Gil out for the next three-plus months due to a high-grade lat strain, the Yankees' starting rotation will need depth pieces to step up early and often this season. Top pitching prospect Will Warren figures to take Coles spot in the starting staff as hes pitched well all spring. Marcus Stroman was already plugged back into the starting staff after Gil got hurt. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription. Max Goodman may be reached at mgoodman@njadvancemedia.com. Six-day (Tuesday through Sunday) print subscribers of the Watertown Daily Times are eligible for full access to NNY360, the NNY360 mobile app, and the Watertown Daily Times e-edition, all at no additional cost. If you have an existing six-day print subscription to the Watertown Daily Times, please make sure your email address on file matches your NNY360 account email. You can sign up or manage your print subscription using the options below. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-Benton, joined from left by Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minnesota, and Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, talks to reporters after a closed-door meeting with fellow Republicans to find agreement on a spending bill, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. The current stopgap measure lasts through March 14. After that, without congressional action, there would be a partial government shutdown. District attorney Hillar Moore speaks, Thursday, September 26, 2024, during an event hosted by the Association for Prosecuting Attorneys to raise money and awareness for Afghan prosecutors and judges who collaborated with the US during the war in Afghanistan. Commemorators gathered on Saturday, March 8, to mark the 80th anniversary of the crash of a Canadian Wellington Bomber P-Peter from 407 Squadron RCAF. The aircraft, which had taken off from RAF Chivenor, suffered engine failure and crashed in a field near Round Hill on March 7, 1945, killing three of the four crew members. The event saw locals paying tribute to the fallen airmen. A moment of silence was observed during the commemoration in remembrance of those who lost their lives. Mike Harper, who organised the commemoration with his partner, Gaylena Humphries, said: Members of the Bideford Youth Pipe Band led a parade along the Tarka Trail from the old Bideford Railway Station to the memorial before the commemoration that included some history of the crash by local military historian Graham Moore from the RAF Chivenor & North Devon Aviation History Group. He explained: We regularly walk past the memorial on the Tarka Trail, and five years ago we decided that something should be done to mark the 75th anniversary of the crash. With help from the then-Mayor of Bideford, renowned local historian Peter Christie, we organised a small commemoration. Five years on, we thought that we would do it again. We had support from the Bideford Air Cadets, the Royal Marines Association, the British Legion, and especially Graham Moore from the RAF Chivenor and North Devon Aviation History Group, he added. Mike and Gaylena also help run the Bideford Youth Pipe Band, which saw members take part in the parade. ABOVE: Mike and Gaylena. Credit: Graham Hobbs The Wellington Bomber P-Peter was on a training exercise when it encountered difficulties over Bideford and crashed into Round Hill in East-the-Water. Three crew members, Flight Lieutenant E.V. Duckworth, Pilot Officer J.K. Andrews, and Pilot Officer C.J. Butler, were killed. The sole survivor, Flying Officer A. Izenberg, was pulled from the wreckage by local men Alfred Paddon and Walter Johns. Izenberg later married Josephine Jewell from Barnstaple. The 80th anniversary commemoration, attended by Bideford Mayor Cllr Rachel Clarke, took place at the memorial beside the Tarka Trail. Standards on parade were from the Royal British Legion Barnstaple Branch and the Royal Marines Association North Devon Branch. Saunton Surf Sisters, a group created to support and empower women in surfing, is rapidly growing in North Devon. Founded by Ella Louise Sullivan, a former London advertising creative turned counsellor at North Devon Against Domestic Abuse, the group now boasts over 1,250 members on Facebook and 150 women in its community WhatsApp group. Ella, who discovered her passion for surfing while working at a surf camp in Portugal and taking surfing holidays in Indonesia, noticed a lack of female surfers. I was constantly surfing on my own, surrounded by men, and thinking, where are my girls at? Surely there must be other women thinking like me? she said. Since its formation, Saunton Surf Sisters has seen significant growth, with a wide range of women joining, from beginners to experienced surfers. The group organises monthly events at Saunton Beach for anyone from seasoned surfers to total newbies. Beginners can get the hang of their pop-up in the whitewash, while more experienced surfers head out and join the line-up. It doesnt matter if its your first time on a board, or youve shredded for years, everyone can benefit from getting in the sea its about creating community and making pals for life, Ella explained. The groups activities go beyond surfing. In addition to the regular surf meet-ups, Saunton Surf Sisters also organises yoga sessions, skateboarding events, and beach BBQs. Surfing with a group of women can be empowering. You can cheer each other on as you catch (or miss) waves, and help each other learn. Its always good to have surfing friends because they can give you tips and tricks to help you improve, she added. Ella does not make any money from Saunton Surf Sisters or Surf Sisters, instead doing it for the love of it. I work as a counsellor at North Devon Against Domestic Abuse, so female empowerment is my bag, she explained. While the group is thriving with minimal intervention from Ella, shed like to do even more. I would love to spend a bit more time creating more events for the community, but it really looks after itself as people connect and reach out on the WhatsApp group or Facebook to find their surf partners in crime, she said. Ella also has plans for future adventures, including a surf trip to Wales and Cornwall. Id love to organise a surf trip over to Wales and Cornwall for some overnight fun times, she added. The rise of womens surfing in North Devon has been notable, with local surfer Laura Lou Crane now competing in the World Surf League and making waves at renowned spots like Nazare. VALPARAISO A DJ spun music while an artsy crowd noshed on charcuterie, mingled and checked out the new McMillan Valpo Creates Center. The Valparaiso Creative Council opened the new 3,000-square-foot creative center at 256 Indiana Ave. Thursday to serve as a gathering place for the local arts community, a hub that local artists from throughout Northwest Indiana can use, and a base for its own operations, which have included a mural program that's splashed downtown Valparaiso with bright colors. The creative hub in the former Katie's Antique Store sits right across the street from the Artists' Guild of Valparaiso's Gallery 255 and neighboring 257 Indiana and aims to help create an arts district that will bring creative vitality to downtown Valparaiso. It's been in the works for eight years. "We knew there was a demand for it," Executive Director Jessica Corral said. "Really, I feel like it's more than what we anticipated because it allows us to organically grow. The community is going to say what they need. They're going to come to the classes that they want. We're going to make sure that we cater to them." The McMillan Valpo Creates Center at Indiana Avenue and Napoleon Street will host public events like DJ classes and pop-up kitchens, bars and florists. "There are different things we can have here that wouldn't have the space otherwise," she said. "It allows other organizations and businesses and creative-preneurs into our building and gives them a space that feels like home so they don't have to think about overhead while they establish themselves. It will be more collaborative." It has facilities like a podcast studio, a conference room, a whiteboard, storage space, Google glasses and Kodak cameras that print on depend. It will offer training on marketing and how to promote one's art on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. "Right now, we're getting feedback from people on what they want to use while they're in the space," she said. The Indiana Ballet Theatre, Amys Bee Happy Yoga, Press Play and Star Girl Crafts all rent space there. Artists or art groups of any medium will be able to use the facility to make art, store their pieces, put on workshops or host pop-ups. They'll be able to get an access code to open the facility outside of its normal operating hours. "I think it's great for the community to have all the artists get together somewhere," artist Billy Pozzo said. "I'm sure there are plenty of artists I don't know from Northwest Indiana and Valparaiso so it's just a good place to meet up. It's important to be able to find out about jobs or community projects going on or just to have someone to talk to." Pozzo, who paints at home with his daughter Polly Pozzo and creates giant fiberglass sculptures out of a studio in Merrillville, used to work as an artist in Chicago. "Northwest Indiana's so much different," he said. "Everybody in Northwest Indiana roots for each other and helps each other out, whereas in Chicago it was always a popularity contest. It was harder to get into those cliques. In Northwest Indiana, it was a tighter community of artists." The prominent Northwest Indiana muralist Felix "Flex" Maldonado said the artists in Valparaiso were working together to make things happen. "It starts not only from the youth but the homegrown roots of the communities," he said. "That's where the arts start. That's where it flourishes and becomes institutions and destination places. This is a great launching pad for anyone who wants to get into the creative arts and make it happen. Although we're spread out in Northwest Indiana, the effort we make to come out and support each other is to make it unique." The Valparaiso Creative Council has brought a significant amount of artistic programming to the city, including eight public murals, an 18-foot-tall sculpture and quarterly art exhibits. Such cultural programming helps draw people to Valpo, Indiana Dunes Tourism spokesperson Dustin Ritchea said. "In our mind, tourism is all about placemaking and quality of place," he said. "When you have a place like the Valparaiso Creative Council bringing art together, that improves the quality of place and increases economic development. You might want to live there. You might want to visit there. In my mind, the arts are an attraction that brings people to the area. Whether theater or cultural events, people want to come to that." The Artists' Guild of Valparaiso, which opened just last year, runs two galleries with rotating exhibits of paintings, photos and other art from local artists right across the street. The two new cultural establishments can feed off each other, President Peter Steeves said. "We're hoping to keep expanding the arts community with our VCC neighbors," he said. "They've been very supportive of us. We're just excited about the synergy between the groups. They said when people leave here they're directing them to our gallery. We'll end up collaborating with exhibits and the rest. We're trying to get this whole side of the town excited about art." Downtown Valparaiso will benefit from a greater arts scene. "The arts were the one thing that Valpo didn't have," he said. "We have incredible restaurants. We have wonderful shops. The downtown is so vibrant now. It just needed more art. We're hoping to help make it that way." For more information, visit valpocreates.org or find @valpocreates on Facebook or Instagram. Jerry Davich Metro columnist Follow Jerry Davich 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 When Greg Jamrok was a student at Highland High School, he didnt realize how those impressionable years would become part of the soundtrack of his musical career. I just knew I loved everything about band class jazz band, concert band and pep band, he recalled. Jamrok, who began playing guitar in first grade, later learned to play several woodwind instruments including the baritone saxophone. Simply put, he resonated with every educational note in the key of life. Music not only became his passion but it also became his currency with other like-minded people across the country. Studies show that kids who go into band class and learn music tend to get better grades and better socialize with others, Jamrok said. Its about being part of a group and doing something together while learning to work with people. After graduating from HHS, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, a private institution known for its focus on contemporary music and jazz. He learned about the school on the back cover of one of his guitar music books. I have no idea what put that thought in my head, Jamrok said. I really didn't look at any other schools or have any other ideas about what I wanted to do. I just knew I wanted this so I went to Boston. It was there I kind of stumbled into film scoring. This craft led him, eventually, to launch his own company, Fine Line Music Service. It has a lengthy list of films in its short history and is currently working on a dozen new projects in the works. His firm, in Culver City, California, orchestrated all the music for the latest Academy Awards show in Hollywood, which I wrote about in a previous column. (Read it at NWI.com.) Jamrok will be returning to Northwest Indiana this week to co-host a unique fundraising program for his former high schools music department. Greg has had great success in the music industry, which he owes in part to the love of music cultivated in high school, said his father, George Jamrok. The event on Thursday evening will feature a special screening of The Last Repair Shop, a 40-minute documentary film, as well as a live interview with Jamrok, who orchestrated the Oscar-winning film. The high schools band will also perform The Alumni, the closing orchestral piece from the film. The band had a great reaction when I told them Greg's involvement in the piece that we will be playing at the event, and that he will be there to hear us perform, said Amelia Thurman, director of bands for School Town of Highland. It's a different feeling when you perform something for someone who composed or arranged the piece of music. You want to do them justice and show that you care about their work, especially because it might be the first time you've ever thought about their perspective, she said. Thurman, who played flute in high school, is excited for her students to see firsthand how a musical education can lead to successful careers in the industry. Not everybody's going to grow up to be in the music industry. But that's not the point of a music class or band programs. The point is that it makes you a better human being, Jamrok said. Thurman said, Its great that Greg is coming back to talk at this event because it shows there are careers in music for everyone and they can come from anywhere in the country to find success. It's hard to visualize yourself pursuing a career in music if you don't have anyone to look up to and relate to in a personal way. I am grateful that my students will be able to meet a HHS grad who is very active in the music industry, she said. Jamroks company, which launched three years ago, is one of the worlds premiere music preparation and creative service companies. He was the lead orchestrator on the film The Last Repair Shop, which profiled four craftspeople at a Los Angeles downtown warehouse who fix musical instruments for public school students at no cost. It's about how every kid whos in that music program can have access to a working instrument, Jamrok said. He and one of the films directors, Kris Bowers, hosted a screening of the film to raise funds for the music department of the school attended by Jamroks son, whos in band class. Coincidentally, his sons class wasnt able to play any music because too many of their instruments were broken. So all these people came out on a random Thursday night during the school year and raised about $15,000, Jamrok said. It was really incredible. Jamroks family in our Region is hoping for similar success at the free event this Thursday at Highland High School. Donations are encouraged at the event or online at www.highlandcommunityfoundation.org, or by mailing to P.O. Box 1793, Highland, IN 46322. Hosted by emcee Larry Brechner, the program begins at 6:30 p.m. with the film screening, followed by an interview with Jamrok and the school band performing. I think this event does a great job bridging the gap between community members and music programs while aiming to raise awareness about arts education and why it is so important in our schools, Thurman said. Without support from residents, families and students, we wouldn't have the same opportunities that we have right now for our music program. Jamrok noted, We'll see if we can get some people to open their pocketbooks and help out. Danielle Pesce If youve eaten something so unique and delicious at a restaurant that you cant stop thinking about it, odds are youll want to go back and have it again or recreate it at home. Were all frequently inspired by what we taste on a restaurant menu, likely because it was created by trained professionals. In some of the best cases, a viral food item of the next it food is created by a restaurant chef or an already existing trend can be amplified through foodservice. Count the number of times youve seen Avocado Toast, Cauliflower Crust Pizza or Zoodles on a menu. Ill wait. While restaurants got hit harder than any other industry during the pandemic, theyre working their way back to pre-pandemic levels. According to The National Restaurant Association, the restaurant industry is predicted to see significant growth in 2025, projected at 1.5 trillion dollars in sales. The excitement fueled by tasting new flavors or food combinations and applications while dining out provides an ideal opportunity for brands to meet consumers at the table and influence their purchases. In an integrated food PR campaign, partnerships with key opinion leadersin this case, chefscan help brands to authentically drive awareness and sales simultaneously. While its no secret that chefs look inward for innovation, theyre also deeply influenced by their peers and the trends around them. Strategic communications agencies are the critical ingredient in establishing and liaising effective brand partnerships with foodservice operations. At Padilla, our food and beverage team have deep relationships throughout the hospitality channel with restaurants and chefs across the U.S. that tap into their unique culinary expertise for client campaigns. This article is featured in O'Dwyer's Mar. '25 Food & Beverage PR Magazine When working with a product or brand, we leverage equal parts data and institutional knowledge to develop the right partnerships to resonate with consumers and drive ROI. When designing a program, we carefully consider the operational demands of the restaurants, striving to create initiatives that add value without increasing stress or workload for our partners. When identifying a partner, we share brand history, key attributes and goals and then allow them space to create recipes, ideate menu features and events and align with the brand on strategic product integration that benefits both parties. This can be applied to partnerships with independent restaurants to restaurant groups and QSR and is integrated across strategies in a variety of ways, including incorporation into social media and earned media campaigns and marketing materials, creating a symbiotic relationship as we create visibility for the chef and/or restaurant, elevating the industry as a whole. Chefs and restaurants know from experience that our clients brands are there to support them for mutual success. Most recently, Padilla facilitated the inaugural Sea to Table Restaurant Week for Seafood from Norway, launching successful partnerships to drive alliances in New Yorks influential foodservice sector. Thirteen chefs and restaurants were recruited to create new dishes highlighting Norwegian salmon, cod and king crab, yielding more than 2,500 dishes served during the promotion, with more than half continuing to menu Seafood from Norway dishes beyond the promotion dates. An integrated strategy leveraged social media, influencer partnerships, mouthwatering content and food media partnerships to generate thousands of impressions. This supported both Seafood from Norway and the participating restaurants, some of which included NYC Michelin guide locations and New York Times Best 100 NYC Restaurants honorees. It was a groundbreaker and the first time a seafood-centric restaurant week had taken place in New York. While every partnership is different and customized to each brand or product, certain things remain constant: Custom-built partnerships are attractive to foodservice operations. They build product loyalty and advocacy from the industry. Consumers love experiential. Trying new and innovative foods brought to life through chefs and restaurants is the perfect platform to encourage trial and repeat behavior resulting in a boom in sales and awareness. Integrated PR support benefits the industry. Product features on a menu are just one element. Amplification and integrated marketing tactics such as media partnerships and curated influencer content further support the brand/product and promote the restaurant and or chef to help gain exposure and drive traffic to their operations. Leveraging bespoke foodservice programs with the right partner can prove to be an opportunity to grow sales, drive volume and establish alliances with operators. *** Danielle Pesce is Senior Director, Food, Beverage, Nutrition and Agriculture at Padilla. Not a Subscriber? Join O'Dwyer's & Get RFP Access Stop wasting time tracking down RFPs. O'Dwyer's connects you with organizations looking for PR firms & services. Get new business with O'Dwyer's! Join O'Dwyer's An Offaly man has been honoured for 25 years of loyal service to a local company. John Reddin was the toast of the town this month when he was presented with a special award to mark over 25 years of distinguished service as a driver with local fuel supplier Certa. Certa, which is part of DCC plc, operates Irelands largest network of pay@pump forecourts and home heating depots, including Certa forecourts in Tullamore and Edenderry and a Certa depot in Shinrone. John is a familiar face to Certa customers having serviced the Birr town area for more than 25 years. He started working with the company in the Birr depot in 1999 when it was known as Three Rivers Oil under the management of Ger Boylan. READ NEXT: Driver caught without insurance in Offaly disqualified from driving for twenty years Presenting the award, Orla Stevens, Managing Director of Certa, commended Garrett for achieving the milestone of 25 years service with Certa and applauded his unstinting commitment to delivering a high standard of customer service during that time. John is well known for the excellent service that he provides to Certa customers in Offaly. He is based in the Shinrone depot where he delivers to a loyal customer base. His service over the past 25 years has been exceptional and we are delighted to recognise his great work as a local face of our business, said Ms. Stevens. READ NEXT: Eight months prison sentences for Tullamore man for stealing from local stores Certa is committed to continually enhancing the service that we offer domestic, commercial and industrial customers and we value the great service that colleagues like John deliver each and every day as we continue to pursue our ambition of becoming Irelands most progressive energy company, she said. Offaly Sinn Fein councillor Aoife Masterson has taken up a new role with Front Bench Spokesperson on Children, Disability, and Equality Deputy Claire Kerrane. Cllr Masterson said: I am delighted to take up this new role as policy advisor to Deputy Claire Kerrane, Sinn Fein spokesperson for Children, Disability, and Equality. This is an incredibly important issue for families in Offaly every week my office is filled with people worried about what the future holds for them. It is one of the many areas that the government has abjectly failed on over many years and there is a huge amount of work that needs to be done in order to hold them to account. Just last week, Childrens Rights Alliance published their latest annual report card. READ NEXT: Offaly TDs get 4,000 each in expenses for month in which Dail sat for one day Disappointingly in half of all areas examined, there was a deterioration of the grades on the year previous. Even more worryingly, there was a doubling in the number of areas receiving an E or unacceptable grade, while almost one in three of all the areas examined have experienced a deterioration from their 2021 grade. Ireland is a wealthy country, but too many of our children and young people do not feel the benefit of this. We have a budget surplus of 8bn, yet child poverty and homeless figures continue to soar, children continue to languish on waiting lists for essential therapies, and countless more children cannot access the basic supports they need to ensure a happy and safe childhood something no child should miss out on. The experiences of childhood last a lifetime, and it is simply unacceptable that already vulnerable children and young people have been marginalised by the lack of government ambition. READ NEXT: Offaly driver with clean licence told they have penalty points by insurance company Sadly, the situation is no better for people with disabilities, their workers, and their carers. There are serious and ongoing issues, particularly in Offaly, with access to assessments of needs, as well as access to therapies and supports. This report card must serve as a wakeup call for government. They must learn from the mistakes that have got them here, prioritise true opportunity and equality for all, and quickly match election promises with action I am looking forward to working with Deputy Kerrane and doing my best to deliver on the things that actually matter to people in Offaly. While taking on this new role, I will continue to be based in Offaly and available to all my constituents. My Tullamore office will remain open Monday to Friday from 10am to 5pm, while my Birr office will remain by appointment. Two men admitted stealing baby formula worth hundreds of euro from a shop and groceries from a second shop in Laois. Dafin Rostas (49) and Nedeu Rostas (31) both of 17 North Circular Road, Dublin 7 admitted taking 20 units of Aptamil valued at 329.80 from Mulhalls Supervalu, Lyster Square, Portlaoise and groceries valued at 329.76 from Lidl, Portlaoise on December 17 last. Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said the men walked into Supervalu and took the baby milk formula and left the store without paying. They were captured on CCTV and during a patrol of the area the two males were identified. He said both men had no previous convictions and they made admissions when arrested. The goods were recovered and in a resalable condition, said Sgt Kirby. On the same date, the two men went into Lidl and stole shampoo and washing liquid tablets valued at 329.96. The property wasnt recovered on this occasion, said Sgt Kirby. READ NEXT: Six month prison sentence for man who stole diesel and groceries in Offaly Solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said the date of the offence is relevant as it was close to Christmas and the mens financial circumstances were strained. He said both men were parents and the elder man was a grandfather of 13. Mr Fitzgerald said there was no pattern of this type of behaviour before the incident. In relation to Mulhalls, he said, due to the good detective work the goods were recovered. He acknowledged that the same couldnt be said for the theft at Lidl. Judge Susan Fay ordered a probation services report on each of the two men and certified for a Romanian interpreter . She also requested a community service suitability assessment and adjourned the case back to Portlaoise District Court on June 23. READ NEXT: Judge puts Offaly woman in custody until agreement on compensation reached 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 Thank you U.S. Dept. of Justice official, an American attorney, Andrew Weissmann: Click Here. The United States, together with our probing European allies that still stand firm against losing democracy, as a result of the American general public's vulnerable naivete' to nihilism-thinking contagion; since instilled, in a New World order. Largely, due to like-minded peoples bonding around the world; e.g., "Lawrence: Trump humiliated on the world stage as France's Macron instantly corrects his Ukraine lie". MSNBC's anchor, host of The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell Click Here, and to French President Macron's extended hand gesture given to POTUS Trump's media misspeak affordances, that be straightforward and honest for the American public's safeguarding and retention of democracy. Thou, clearly, for the United Nations [UN] and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO], international military alliances; and, also, for civilizations around the world. Philosophies, whom by choice, continue to believe in truth, freedom and justice; and against the spread in nihilism: a mind contagion-- American citizenry must act, before all shred of human decency is gone; and any sense of democracy no longer exists! By the cutting of egalitarianism personnel within our military defense and human resource programs, which brings holy scripture to light; and not in good ways that parallels to DOGE, the White House's Dept. of Government Efficiency, and (in plain sight) the fallacious Project 2025 taking place. If you're not worried beyond all reason than you should be! For, one cannot put aside its likening path to Jesus Christ's betrayal against him, by the chief priests and elders of the people, that led to Christ's crucifixion: -- the price of blood (the Holy Bible: St. Matthew 27:1-8; specif, v. 6-8, AV). No matter, one's religion. Or, no faith, in something bigger than themselves; man's Ego. Albeit, the human race will try, but cannot deny the voices of the past chief priests [to present times (year 2025) administrates around the world], who call out such absurd things: in the art of the deal (but far more than for thirty pieces of silver), voicing, words rather differently. Yet, their meaning and purpose remain the same as back then. Saying, "It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day." Pathetic apathy (Prov. 14:7), the human race learns nothing? Else, the fool's deep-seated subconscious injustices rules (Ps. 107:17), indicating a direct linkage between conscientiousness and the adversity we face (Ps. 66:18); e.g., by confidently dissing authority, we're defying it. Don't we see the field of blood before us built for thirty pieces of silver (Ps. 53:4)? Humanities, of our world, in planet Earth's plane of existence, it's not too late for hope (Rom.15:4). Working together, with still our U.S. European allies, in mindfulness and unified actions to keep democracy resolute and whole. Amid challenging times to exert deploying influences over foreign nations acceptance of a New World order, and America's posturing an unbending way of thinking to sporting nihilism thinking compliance; a mind contagion, that attempts to digest one's spirit and absorb the soul. Simply put, ends individuality; who you are, and sees you as "nothingism". Together, with our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren's lifespans, under authoritarianism (King) rule. A dictatorship; and a government in which a single ruler (a tyrant) has absolute power. Thus, it's fascism; an oligarchy, in which government by the people and for the people no longer exists. Nor, does democracy. So then, "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31). It's time to act, "They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah. (Ps. 57:6)." Godspeed, to us all, everyone. Amen (2 Cor. 1:20). OpEd News One-Time Security Check This Is NOT An Error Message Your site IP address* (145.224.119.253) is listed on one or more Internet blacklists. We get visited by hundreds of these spambots daily. To prevent these from taking resources away from legitimate users, we show this page. Please use the CAPTCHA below which proves you are human, not a spam bot. It's a one-time action** for your IP. After that, you will be able to access OpEd News easily. Thank you for your patience. * Here's more info about IP addresses. ** If your IP address is fixed, you'll be able to use this website from now on. However, if your Internet Service Provider (such as Verizon or T-Mobile) assigns you a different IP address every time you use your device, AND these IP addresses are NOT on an Internet blaclist, then all is good. If, for some strange reason, your ISP assigns you an IP that is blacklisted, then you'll have to go through this process again. (Unless you keep yourself logged in. We only check for spambots on non-logged in visitors.) A Legendary Birth According to legend, the first settlers landed on Cape Cod in September 1620 in Massachusetts. They were the Mayflower pilgrims in search of religious freedom. The legend is false. The first settlers landed on the James River in Virginia. They were mostly penniless aristocrats in search of gold. The pilgrims were a minority on the Mayflower, 41 out of 102 passengers. Most passengers, like their Virginian predecessors, were in search of gold. They signed the Mayflower Compact, which states there is no class difference in the community, which is the basis of the Constitution. An exceptional document Once the Treaty of Paris was signed in September 1783, the thirteen states had to decide how to live together. Will they remain quasi-independent, as they were under the Articles of Confederation, or will they join in a closer union? It quickly became apparent that to face future challenges, both external and internal, a closer association was desirable. Very quickly, the debate focused on the distribution of power between the federal government and the federated states. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay were in favor of a strong federal government while limiting its power by dividing it into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial, while granting the Senate the power to declare war and ratify international treaties. It was agreed that the Constitution would be ratified if nine of the thirteen federated states made it the supreme law of the nation, but five states opposed it in the absence of articles guaranteeing fundamental freedoms. [1] Many of George Washington's soldiers wanted the fundamental freedoms for which they had fought to be included in the document. They proposed fourteen amendments. James Madison took up his pen again, and wrote the ten amendments that constitute the Bill of Rights. The first amendment guarantees freedom of expression and assembly. The fourth prohibits the government from seizing persons and property without a search warrant issued on reasonable grounds. The fifth declares that "no person shall be held responsible for a capital or infamous crime, unless indicted or committed for trial" no person shall be compelled to be a witness in any criminal trial, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall any taking in the public interest be possible, without just compensation." Its clarity, balance, and moderation make the American Constitution an exceptional document, but it is the Bill of Rights that endears it to men and women around the world. While the Constitution may be regarded as a model, the day-to-day political life is another matter. The two-party system which is viewed as a stability factor, does not meet the citizenry's wishes: 29% of the voters declared themselves to be Republicans, 27% Democrats, and 38% Independents, which led Michael Douglas to say that the system has been diverted from its initial objective: give the people a voice. [2] [3] Are the United States still a democracy? The balance among the three branches of federal power worked reasonably well during the first hundred and fifty years of the Republic. Things took a turn for the worse after the Second World War, when, under the pressure of events, but also in the name of a presidentialization of the Constitution, the Executive sought to free itself from the grip of Congress. In the early 1950s, Harry Truman sent 38,000 Americans to their deaths in Korea without congressional approval. Kennedy ordered the blockade of Cuba without congressional approval, and Johnson used the Tonkin Gulf Resolution to wage a war in Vietnam that Congress wished to limit. Nixon extended the war in a way that no one had imagined. He bombed Laos and Cambodia without authorization, and allowed the surveillance of opponents of the war on American soil illegally. Previously, Dwight Eisenhower had defined a new concept: "Continuity of Government", whose object was to replace the official government during a nuclear war. This initiative evolved over time. It was formalized under Richard Nixon with a new agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, with broad power allowing it to suspend the Constitution and impose martial law, if necessary. [4] [5] [6] The media The media, described as the fourth estate, hardly exercises the power of control and investigation granted by the Constitution. Fifteen billionaires own the largest, most preeminent media, and five major media groups whose capital is owned by corporations or billionaires who control the television channels. [7] An unofficial censorship is creeping up. A report from the House Judiciary Committee revealed that Facebook, Google, and Amazon were pressured by Joe Biden and his government to censor certain information. Mark Zuckerberg, president of Facebook, acknowledged the fact before the committee. [8] 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). This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here. Today, in dealing with Donald Trump's horrific, increasingly militarized actions toward migrants in this country, TomDispatch regular Frida Berrigan reminds us that, at some point in the past (if you leave aside Native Americans), we all came from somewhere (else). In this grim moment, that thought sent me searching through my old papers until I finally found an account my aunt Hilda wrote about her father, my grandfather, so many years ago. Her father, Moore (probably originally Moishe) Engelhardt, came from a Jewish family in what is now Ukraine. And I thought today, as an introduction to Frida's piece, I might offer a little evidence of where I "came from" once upon a time. Here's how my aunt's long account begins: "Your great-grandfather, Moore Engelhardt, a boy of 16, arrived in New York from Europe in March 1888. It was during the famous blizzard, and after a sea voyage of about 30 days. He had no money. He often said that he had a German 50 cent piece in his pocket when he landed. His trip had to be in the cheapest part of the ship -- way down below in steerage. Poor boy, I'm sure he was seasick a good deal of the time. Since he was alone, he sort of attached himself to a family of a lot of children, and for the first few months in America I imagine he slept behind the stove in somebody's kitchen. "I don't know the whole story of his trip from somewhere near Lemberg [now Lviv in Ukraine] in Poland to Hamburg where he boarded the ship, but from the few things he told me about it, I gathered that it wasn't easy. He worked at anything he could find to earn money for the trip, saving every penny he didn't need for daily living. I do know that it took him two years. His last job was as a scribe for a lawyer in Hamburg. There were no typewriters, but he had a beautiful handwriting, almost as perfect as printing. "The reason for his trip to America at the early age of 14, besides the stories he had heard about gold in the streets of New York, was, as he told it, a strange one." And so, as she goes on to describe his experience, it indeed was. But let me stop there with my little personal reminder that, somewhere along the line, we all did indeed come from elsewhere, including, of course, Donald Trump, whose mother was an immigrant (not that he ever highlights that when he talks about immigrants). And with that in mind, let Berrigan take you into a world from hell that none of us should remain silent about. Tom Courage Is Contagious Moving from Fear to Action in a Disturbing World By Frida Berrigan "It is pretty wild how you can make someone mad by just holding a sign," my 18-year-old Ro told me, as an irate driver peeled out of the intersection, shaking both his middle fingers at us but managing not to hit us. Phew! Ro was right. It didn't take much to turn a perpetually busy intersection in New London, Connecticut, into a discussion forum on presidential overreach, cruelty, and immigration politics -- with all the excesses, including those fingers, of the Age of Trump. In fact, all it took was four of us, four signs, and a little midday coordination. Oh, and some noise makers! Our signs said: "New London cares about our neighbors" and "ICE Not Welcome" and two versions of "Vecinos, no tienen que abrirle la puerta a ICE." The translation: "Neighbors, you do not have to open the door to ICE." We stood there for an hour or so, clanging noise makers, waving those signs, and telling our neighbors to be careful about the rumored activity of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) in our community. Cars slowed and beeped, drivers waved -- mostly their whole hands, but sometimes just that one lone finger -- and some called out "Thank you" or "Gracias!" To our surprise, even a reporter and photographer from our local paper showed up. New London is a small city -- or maybe just a big town -- of fewer than 28,000 people. According to the 2023 Census, we are 51.8% White, but only 12.8% of those Whites (myself included) send our kids to the public schools. I've always thought that doing so was a strength in our community. And thanks in part to that, I've become capable of maintaining a passable conversation in Spanish with my neighbors and the parents of some of my kids' friends. Unfortunately, I don't know any Haitian Creole or French, but that community is growing in New London, too. I worked for a while at a local food pantry and I loved hearing the gentleness in tone as my young Haitian coworkers helped older Haitian ladies with their food boxes. Their voices grew soft, respectful, and full of warmth. Recent immigrants are my neighbors, friends, and have been coworkers at my jobs and other responsibilities, but when, on a recent Friday morning, I got the text about ICE entering New London, the last thing I wanted to do was launch myself into action. I had a grant application due later that day. Ro, a senior, had a random day off from school but also a looming college application deadline. We were sitting next to each other at the library plugging away and nowhere near done. But I found that I couldn't just sit there. I had to do something. I texted a few people, including a friend with close ties to Spanish-speaking communities in our town, passing on what I'd heard. 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). Trump argues with Zelenskyy in Oval Office. (Image by YouTube, Channel: LiveNOW from FOX) Details DMCA I have never in my eight-plus decades on this Earth been more angry or embarrassed to be an American as I was watching the attempted mob-like shakedown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by Trump and Vance in the Oval Office. A setup. Absolutely mortified. Adding to the anger and embarrassment were insulting questions put to Zelenskyy by someone posing as a journalist. "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. Just want to see if -- do you own a suit? A lot of Americans have problems with you not respecting the office." The questions came from Brian Glenn, who works for something called Real America's Voice, a right-wing cable channel that specializes in conspiracy theories. Glenn, who just coincidentally happens to be the boyfriend of Marjorie Taylor Greene, was there occupying the space that should've been filled by someone from the Associated Press, who are real journalists. Never, in my six-plus decades of putting words to paper, have I been so embarrassed to call myself a journalist. Had I had the privilege of being there as a reporter I think I would've smacked him right in his smug little face. Respect my eye. As you might tell, I'm still a bit agitated. To calm myself down, I went back to take a look at a column I wrote in 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine. It helped. I've re-posted it below just to get right-sized again. *** I'm not Ukrainian. At least, I don't think I am. That slight doubt exists because I spent my formative years (I hesitate to say I grew up) in Bayonne, much of which was like someone scooped up boatloads of people from Eastern Europe and replanted them in Northern New Jersey. Which, of course, is what happened. Our next-door neighbors were Ukrainian. A family a few houses down was Ukrainian, as well as one across the street. We were (are) Slovak. Or Czech. Or Russian. Or Polish. Or, most likely, some combination of the above or other Slavic nation. Amidst this polyglot of Eastern Europe a short bus ride from New York City, everyone seemed to speak the same language. It didn't seem to matter what the nationality of the person was, my grandparents, my parents, my aunts and uncles all seemed to be able to converse with them. A stroll down Broadway with my grandmother on a chilly ("zimno" in Polish) fall day would produce a lot of smiling head nods and "dobre, dobre". Good, good. It was all Russian to me. So was the mass I served as an altar boy at St. John's Greek Catholic Church, which my father's family attended, and at Saints Peter and Paul Russian Orthodox Church, which the other half of my family ( and I) attended. In a city of churches, Eastern Europe was well represented. Including Ukrainians. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Transcription Certification Institute (TCI), a leading and trusted transcription education hub, is proud to announce the launch of its new online Legal Transcription Course. This program is designed to equip students with the specialized skills required to excel in the legal transcription industry. TCI's legal transcription training is tailored for individuals aiming to specialize in transcribing legal documents and proceedings, catering to both newcomers and experienced transcriptionists seeking to expand their Gurugram, - 8th March'2025 - K12 Schools, a global leader in online education, is pleased to announce its strategic partnership with Saumyakashi Heritage Group to introduce Hybrid Experiential Schools in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. This pioneering initiative aims to provide students with access to global curricula, facilitating collaboration with international peers while receiving a world-class education in their hometown. The Hybrid Experiential Schools will seamlessly integrate international academic standards with experiential learning, equipping New Delhi, February, 2025 - Channel Technologies successfully hosted the first edition of CT Cyber Charcha in February at IIT Delhi, with ISACA as the community partner and IIT Delhi as the academic partner. The conference brought together industry leaders for powerful keynotes and panel discussions on the evolving cybersecurity landscape. "It was a really good event, well organized. What I liked about this event were the two points: one, Zalmai Afzali, an internal medicine doctor in northeastern Virginia, had to complete a residency program in the U.S. after having already finished one in Afghanistan. He supports new state laws dropping a requirement that physicians who completed residency training in another country go through a second residency in the United States. (Roya Qaemi/TNS) TNS A growing number of states have made it easier for doctors who trained in other countries to get medical licenses, a shift supporters say could ease physician shortages in rural areas. The changes involve residency programs the supervised, hands-on training experience that doctors must complete after graduating medical school. Until recently, every state required physicians who completed a residency or similar training abroad to repeat the process in the U.S. before obtaining a full medical license. Since 2023, at least nine states have dropped this requirement for some doctors with international training, according to the Federation of State Medical Boards. More than a dozen other states are considering similar legislation. A bill in the Oregon Legislature would establish a limited license to practice medicine for applicants who have passed certain exams and have been certified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. About 26% of doctors who practice in the U.S. were born elsewhere, according to the Migration Policy Institute. They need federal visas to live in the U.S., plus state licenses to practice medicine. Proponents of the new laws say qualified doctors shouldnt have to spend years completing a second residency training. Opponents worry about patient safety and doubt the licensing change will ease the doctor shortage. Lawmakers in Republican- and Democratic-leaning states have approved the idea at a time when many other immigration-related programs are under attack. They include Florida, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin. President Donald Trump has defended a federal visa program that many foreign doctors rely on, but they could still be hampered by his broad efforts to tighten immigration rules. Supporters of the new licensing laws include Zalmai Afzali, an internal medicine doctor who finished medical school and a residency program in Afghanistan before fleeing the Taliban and coming to the U.S. in 2001. He said most physicians trained elsewhere would be happy to work in rural or other underserved areas. I would go anywhere as long as they let me work, said Afzali, who now treats patients who live in rural areas and small cities in northeastern Virginia. I missed being a physician. I missed what I did. It took Afzali 12 years to obtain copies of his diploma and transcript, study for exams, and finish a three-year U.S.-based residency program before he could be fully licensed to practice as a doctor in his new country. But a commission of national health organizations questions whether loosening residency requirements for foreign-trained doctors would ease the shortage. Doctors in these programs could still face licensing and employment barriers, it wrote in a report that makes recommendations without taking a stance on such legislation. Erin Fraher, a health policy professor at the University of North Carolina who advises the commission and studies the issue, said lawmakers who support the changes predict they will boost the rural health workforce. But its unclear whether that will happen, she said, because the programs are just getting started. I think the potential is there, but we need to see how this pans out, Fraher said. Afzali struggled to support his family while trying to get his medical license. His jobs included working at a department store for $7.25 an hour and administering chemotherapy for $20 an hour. Afzali said nurse practitioners at the latter job had less training than him but earned nearly four times as much. I do not know how I did it, he said. I mean, you get really depressed. Many of the state bills to ease residency requirements have been based on model legislation from the Cicero Institute, a conservative think tank that sent representatives to testify to legislatures after proposing such programs in 2020. The new pathways are open only to internationally trained physicians who meet certain conditions. Common requirements include working as a physician for several years after graduating from a medical school and residency program with similar rigor to those found in the U.S. They also must pass the standard three-part exam that all physicians take to become licensed in the U.S. Those who qualify are granted a restricted license to practice, and most states require them to do so under supervision of another physician. They can receive full licensure after several years. Oregon Sen. Kayse Jama is the sponsor of Senate Bill 476, which would create a pathway to licensure for internationally educated medical professionals. Provider shortages exist all over the state, Jama said. Giving internationally trained professionals a path to licensure can help fill workforce gaps everywhere: in rural areas as well as rural, urban, and suburban communities eager for culturally relevant health care and services in non-English languages. About 10 of the laws or bills also require the doctors to work for several years in a rural or underserved area, but Oregons proposal does not. Once we see where the clinicians end up practicing after they use this option for licensure, I am open to adjusting the programs rules on where they work around the state, Jama said. The bill requires the Oregon Medical Board monitor the number and geographic distribution of professionals licensed under this new pathway. But states without this requirement may not see an impact in rural areas, researchers from Harvard Medical School and Rand Corp. argued in the New England Journal of Medicine. In addition to including that condition, states could offer incentives to rural hospitals that agree to hire doctors from the new training pathways, they wrote. Lawmakers, physicians, and health organizations that oppose the changes say there are better ways to safely increase the number of rural doctors. Barbara Parker is a registered nurse and former Republican lawmaker in Arizona, where the legislature is considering a bill for at least the fourth year in a row. Its a really poor answer to the doctor shortage, said Parker, who voted against the legislation last year. Parker said making it easier for foreign-trained physicians to practice in the U.S. would unethically poach doctors from countries with greater health care needs. And she said she doubts that all international residencies are on par with those in the U.S. and worries that granting licenses to physicians who trained in them could lead to poor care for patients. She is also concerned that hospitals are trying to save money by recruiting internationally trained doctors over those trained in the U.S. The former often will accept lower pay, Parker said. This is driven by corporate greed, she said. Parker said better ways to increase the number of rural doctors include raising pay, expanding loan repayment programs for those who practice in rural areas, and creating accelerated training for nurse practitioners and physician assistants who want to become doctors. The advisory commission recently formed by the Federation of State Medical Boards, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, and Intealth, a nonprofit that evaluates international medical schools and their graduates published its recommendations to help lawmakers and medical boards make sure these new pathways are safe and effective. The commission and Fraher said state medical boards should collect data on the new rules, such as how many doctors participate, what their specialties are, and where they work once they gain their full licenses. The results could be compared with other methods of easing the rural doctor shortage, such as adding residency programs at rural hospitals. What is the benefit of this particular pathway relative to other levers that they have? Fraher said. The commission noted that while state medical boards can rely on an outside organization that evaluates the strength of foreign medical schools, there isnt a similar rating for residency programs. Such an effort is expected to launch in mid-2025, the commission said. The group also said states should require supervising physicians to evaluate participants before theyre granted a full license. Afzali, the physician from Afghanistan, said some internationally trained primary care doctors have more training than their U.S. counterparts, because they had to practice procedures that are done only by specialists in the U.S. But he agreed with the commissions recommendation that states require doctors who did residencies abroad to have supervision while they hold a provisional license. That would help ensure patient safety while also helping the physicians adjust to cultural differences and learn the technical side of the U.S. health system, such as billing and electronic health records, the commission wrote. Fraher noted that doctors in programs with supervision requirements need to find an experienced colleague with the time and interest in providing this oversight at a health facility willing to hire them. The commission pointed out other potential hurdles, such as malpractice insurers possibly declining to cover physicians who obtain state licenses without completing a U.S. residency. The commission and the American Board of Medical Specialties also pointed to the issue of specialty certification, which is managed by national organizations that have their own residency requirements. Physicians who arent eligible to take board exams could lose out on employment opportunities, and patients might have concerns about their qualifications, the board wrote. But it said a majority of its member boards would consider certifying these doctors if states added requirements it recommended. Lawmakers plans to use these new licensing pathways to increase the number of rural doctors will require the foreign-trained doctors to navigate all these obstacles and unknowns, Fraher said. Theres a lot of things that need to happen to make this a reality, she said. ___ (KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs of KFF the independent source for health policy research, polling and journalism.) 2025 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. New United States citizens celebrate during a naturalization ceremony at The Oregon Historical Society in Portland on Wednesday, February 14, 2024. Vickie Connor/The Oregonian President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States, marking the first time in the countrys 248-year history that the government has established a formal tongue. From the founding of our Republic, English has been used as our national language, the order, which was issued March 1, said. It is therefore long past time that English is declared as the official language of the United States. The order overturned a previous order by President Bill Clinton, issued in 2000, which required federal agencies and recipients of government funding to provide assistance to individuals with limited English proficiency. Thirty-two U.S. states have already designated English as an official language, and three of them South Dakota, Alaska and Hawaii have also recognized Indigenous languages as official. Hawaii is the only state to declare two official languages, English and Hawaiian. Oregon and Washington do not have an official language. Currently there are more than 350 languages spoken in the United States, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The most widely spoken languages other than English are Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese and Arabic. People in the U.S. also speak Native North American languages such as Navajo, Yupik, Dakota, Apache, Keres and Cherokee, among others. Trumps order means the government and organizations that receive federal funding are no longer required to provide language assistance to non-English speakers. This designation specifically allows agencies to keep current policies and provide documents and services in other languages, but encourages new Americans to adopt a national language that opens doors to greater opportunities, a White House fact sheet said. What changes can Americans expect as a result of Trumps order? Political and regulatory experts said it could have some practical as well as symbolic implications. Practical implications In practice, much of the federal governments day to day functioning will likely remain the same since English is already the predominant language used in the country, experts said. A large majority of Americans approximately 241 million people speak English and no other languages, according to a 2019 report by the U.S. Census Bureau. About 68 million people, meanwhile, speak a language other than English at home. In Oregon, among residents over age 5, 15% speak a language other than English at home. English is the de facto language of the federal government, Kenneth Lowande, a professor of political science at the University of Michigan, told McClatchy News. It conducts its business in English and expects almost everyone who interacts with it to do the same. With that being said, many agencies offer translations of their communications in various languages, particularly those spoken by large shares of the population, such as Spanish. For example, the Department of Labor, Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Health and Human Services currently provide language assistance on their websites. In the past, agencies have also catered their translations to target specific communities that might be affected by their actions, Cary Coglianese, a professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania, told McClatchy News. If you think about an EPA regulation dealing with dry cleaning hazardous waste solvents, theres a good number of dry cleaners in the U.S. who have limited English proficiency, Coglianese said. And the EPA made some translations of information about those regulations. Its just good governance. Now, following Trumps order, agencies may no longer feel obligated to continue offering such translations. The executive order doesnt prohibit agencies from continuing to provide accessible materials and information, Coglianese, the director of the Penn Program on Regulation, said. But, agencies are busy. And if this is no longer a priority, I think we could definitely see some backsliding. Lowande echoed this sentiment, saying if they dont think it is necessary to do their jobs, they may just jettison the practice. That said, given Trump made this policy change via executive order and not by working with Congress to pass legislation it can easily be overturned by his successor, Adam Warber, a professor of political science at Clemson University, told McClatchy News. Since there has been a strong partisan divide on this policy issue historically between Democrats and Republicans, it would not be surprising to see the next Democrat that is elected to the presidency to revoke Trumps executive order, Warber said. Symbolic effect But beyond practical implications, Trumps order also has a symbolic significance, experts said. I think symbolically its a huge deal, Coglianese said. We have been a country that has welcomed immigrants throughout our history. We have embraced people of whatever national origin. We are a melting pot. To declare one language as an official language is a dramatic, symbolic change in what America means. The Trump order is part of a larger trend in executive action. Their goal is branding, Lowande said. The consequences of the action, in terms of the material stuff it forces the government to do differently, is secondary. The point of these actions is to show you that President Trump stands for people speaking English. George Carrillo, co-founder & CEO of the Hispanic Construction Council, said it seems like a step backwards in a country that has championed its diversity. He is also concerned how limiting governmental communication might affect U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico where the predominant language is Spanish. This executive order, while framed as promoting unity, risks dismantling critical supports like ESL programs and multilingual resources that help immigrants adapt and contribute, Carrillo said. Imagine families navigating healthcare or legal systems without materials in a language they understand, its a barrier, not a bridge. APIAVote, a nonpartisan nonprofit focused on registering Asian American and Pacific Islander voters, also expressed worry this could mean barriers for millions of voters such as naturalized citizens or elderly residents who arent English-proficient. It will make it harder for them to participate civically and vote, as well as access critical healthcare, economic and education resources, the group said in a statement. What about other countries? But, by declaring English the official language, Trump is by no means making America an outlier. In fact, the vast majority of the worlds countries about 180 have an official language, according to the White House fact sheet. According to the CIA World Factbook, dozens of countries have one or more national or regional official languages, including France, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Brazil and Argentina. About a half dozen countries have more than three official languages, including Austria, Singapore and Bahrain, according to the World Economic Forum. --The Merced Sun-Star and The Associated Press contributed. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Kayakers, canoers and even a paddleboarder gathered Saturday to hit the waters of Oswego Lake, which is now open to the public. Destiny Johnson Lake Oswego police are asking the public to contact them with any information about the vandalism of a vehicle in downtown Lake Oswego on Saturday. In particular, police want to hear from an individual who left a note on the victims vehicle, stating that they witnessed the vandalism and identifying an alleged suspect, according to a police press release. On Saturday afternoon, one of the plaintiffs who had just won a ruling immediately opening Oswego Lake to the public, returned to his vehicle and found it had been scratched all over. Kayaker Mark Kramer was enjoying a paddle on Oswego Lake, Saturday, after winning a nearly 13-year legal battle granting public access, when he says someone keyed his car. Lake Oswego police are asking for witnesses to come forward. Courtesy of Mark Kramer Kayaker Mark Kramer told The Oregonian/OregonLive that he believed he had been targeted, after he and more than a dozen other people gathered at the Lake Saturday afternoon with kayaks, canoes and a paddleboard to enjoy their newly won access to the water. Kramer said he returned to his vehicle later to find it had multiple scratches and someone had left a note saying they witnessed an older woman in a black Range Rover causing the damage. The tipster left the suspects license plate number, which Kramer gave to police. In their press release, Lake Oswego police said they especially want to hear from that anonymous witness. Anyone with information about the incident can call the police non-emergency line at (503) 635-0238 or submit a tip through the police website. Hillary Borrud A pedestrian died near the intersection of Southeast Powell Boulevard and Southeast 67th Avenue on Sunday night after being hit by a motorcycle. Portland police officers responded to the scene just after 9 p.m., they said in a news release. The injured pedestrian died at the scene of the crash, police said, and the motorcycle rider was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Southeast Powell Boulevard was closed between Southeast 66th Avenue and Southeast 70th Avenue while officers investigated the crash. Portland police have asked that anyone with information about the accident contact the traffic investigations unit at crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov and reference case number 25-061811. Portland police are investigating a fatal shooting near 105th Avenue and East Burnside Street. Getty Images Portland police are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred on East Burnside Street between Northeast 102nd Avenue and Northeast 108th Avenue on Sunday night. Officers responded to reports of a person shot just after 7 p.m., the Portland Police Bureau said in a news release, and found a male victim who died at the scene. Police had not made any arrests as of Sunday night. They asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact detective Joseph Corona at (503) 823-0508 or detective Jennifer Hertzler at (503) 823-1040 and to reference case number 25-061720. Westbound lanes of East Burnside Street were closed Sunday night while police investigated. Philadelphia Eagles LB Haason Reddick (7) and S Marcus Epps (22) tackle Minnesota Vikings TE Johnny Mundt (86) during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field, Monday Sept. 19, 2022. Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Former Oregon tight end Johnny Mundt is headed to his third NFL team. Mundt, who spent the past three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, has agreed to terms for a two-year deal worth $5.5 million with the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to a league source. A Portland hearings officer has approved a proposal by Portland General Electric to cut more than 370 trees in Forest Park to upgrade existint transmission lines. The utility and renewable energy proponents say the upgrades are needed to address transmission bottlenecks and fulfill state clean energy mandates. courtesy of Portland General Electric A city of Portland hearings officer has approved a proposal to cut down more than 370 trees on about 5 acres in Forest Park to upgrade existing Portland General Electric transmission lines despite a searing city staff report that recommended the projects denial. PGEs proposal had touched off a months-long clash between the utility, which says it aims to meet the regions growing electricity needs, and conservationists who focused on environmental protection. A view of Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach, one of Oregon's most popular beaches. State regulators have found high levels of fecal bacteria at the beach are of human origin, prompting a lawsuit. MJ Johnson/The Oregonian A new lawsuit alleges that the city of Cannon Beach is regularly discharging untreated human waste into its waterways, putting residents and visitors to one of Oregons most popular beaches at risk from dangerously high levels of fecal bacteria . The complaint, filed Monday in the U.S. District Court in Portland, follows state monitoring that has led to regular warnings of contamination at two main spots along the citys oceanfront, near Haystack Rock and at the south end of Cannon Beach. This is my first time writing to any form of news media, but I feel it is now necessary to stand up publicly and denounce the actions of President Donald Trump. The tipping point for me was the inexcusable behavior of Trump and Vice President JD Vance, as well as the silence of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, toward Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In a televised Oval Office meeting, Trumps demeanor mirrored that of a mafia crime boss attempting to strong-arm a potential rival. He is a convicted felon, by the way. But Zelensky did not take the bait he stood his ground and, more importantly, that of his nation. Trump made his intentions clear during his campaign. Now, in fulfillment of the Project 2025 blueprint, he is unleashing his minions to wreak havoc on American democracy. The systematic dismantling of federal agencies designed to serve all Americans, the blatant denial of human rights, and the desecration of the rule of law are all happening before our very eyes. This is not politics as usual this is a direct assault on the institutions that uphold our democracy. Oregons congressional delegation, regardless of party, must take a stand against Trump and his sycophantic enablers. This is not a matter of left versus right it is a matter of preserving the fundamental values that define our nation. The time for silence and complacency has passed. Our democracy depends on those willing to speak out and take action. Robert W. Hastings, Portland To read more letters to the editor, go to oregonlive.com/opinion. Inter-con Security workers made the union official Feb. 24. Courtesy of Multnomah County China has become a powerhouse of innovation; Airbus to use its tech expertise to help drive aerospace advancement: company executive 16:11, March 10, 2025 By Tu Lei, Fan Wei ( Global Times An Airbus A350 aircraft without livery is pictured in north China's Tianjin Municipality, Feb. 11, 2025. (Photo/Xinhua) The 2025 Government Work Report submitted to the National People's Congress for deliberation and approval has reinforced the country's commitment to sticking to high-level opening-up. In a recent interview with Global Times, Airbus China CEO George Xu said that he is particularly interested in advanced manufacturing, the aerospace industry and the green economy, as China has become a powerhouse of innovation. The company is ready to actively embrace China's innovative power and leverage its technological expertise to help drive the progress of the aerospace industry. The Government Work Report said that China will advance the integrated and clustered development of strategic emerging industries, carry out demonstration initiatives on the large-scale application of new technologies, products and scenarios, and promote the safe and sound development of commercial aerospace, the low-altitude economy and other emerging industries. The booming low-altitude economy will further release the potential of China's general aviation market, and benefit the development of the helicopter market, the general aviation industry and the overall ecosystem. Airbus looks forward to the country introducing and implementing more policies on the opening of low-altitude airspace, said Xu. Airbus is confident in the potential and prospects of China's civil aviation market growth in 2025 and beyond. China's civil aviation sector carried 730 million passengers in 2024, setting a new high. In the past two years, China added about 40 million aviation passengers each year, and the total flying population has reached 470 million, making the country the largest aviation population in the world, he added. Airbus predicts that the average number of flights per capita in China will increase from 0.5 in 2023 to 1.7 in 2043. As the market grows, China's fleet size will triple in the next 20 years, requiring more than 9,500 new passenger and freighter planes and 500 converted freighters. This year's Government Work Report said that "we will keep working to foster a first-rate business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and internationalized, enabling foreign-funded enterprises to achieve even greater business success in China." In his view, China insists on a high level of opening-up to the outside world and continuously improves the business environment, helping the world to be more closely connected, which is also an important mission of the aviation industry. "This year marks the 40th anniversary of Airbus in China. Our development in China is also the result of China's high-level opening-up to the outside world, so we look forward to seeing more positive signals for foreign-invested enterprises," he said. "China is pursuing high-quality development in its aviation sector and Airbus is set to be part of it. We are continuously investing and expanding our industrial footprint in this country. For example, the construction of the second A320 Family final assembly line (FAL) in Airbus Tianjin is well underway with jigs and tools ready to be installed into Hangar 209." And, the second FAL is expected to enter into operation by the beginning of 2026. "China has become a powerhouse of innovation, with a strong and comprehensive ecosystem that includes hardware, software and artificial intelligence," Xu said. "We are ready to actively embrace China's innovative power and extend this technological expertise to the aerospace sector to drive the progress of the aerospace industry," he added. From the research and application of advanced materials, to the optimization of air traffic control technology in aircraft operations, from the technical certification of the flight navigation ground based augmentation system, to the localization of big data solutions and the smart factory in Airbus Tianjin Final Assembly Line, Airbus and China are strengthening their technical cooperation. "China has great advantages in operational efficiency and resilience, therefore, localization and industrial cooperation have always been our strategy," Xu noted. For example, China's supply chain has shown great resilience while its talent team and product quality are also very competitive. Airbus focuses on deepening and enlarging its supply chain in China with the "local for local" strategy, in collaboration with both state-owned enterprises and the private sector. "We invest in quality work in China in a systematic way and are committed to becoming a model of cooperation in the high-tech aerospace industry between China and Europe," he said. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) Author of Washita Love Child: The Rise of Indigenous Rock Star Jesse Ed Davis, a biography about an Indigenous guitarist from Norman, is hosting a meet and greet and book talk today. Douglas Miller is an OU alum with a doctorate in history. Miller spent five years studying Indigenous history, which has been his main focus even serving as a tenured associate history professor at Oklahoma State University. In November, Miller released Washita Love Child: The Rise of Indigenous Rock Star Jesse Ed Davis, a biography about Jesse Ed Davis who is most known for playing with Bob Dylan, John Lennon and George Harrison. 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... Jesse Ed Davis is more important than his legacy had indicated, and I'm convinced of that," Miller said. That's why I spent five years of my life daily working on the first ever biography of him, and also co-curated an exhibit at the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa. Miller wanted to write the biography to make sure Davis legacy wasnt focused on his death. Davis died from a drug overdose in 1988, but Miller said he believes his life was much more important than his death. Ultimately, when we get to that part of the book that's really a place where the reader can come in and reconcile their own feelings about what happened, Miller said. When Miller decided to write Washita Love Child, there were limited available archives. Through roughly 120 interviews with friends and family of Davis, Miller gathered enough information to write his story. Miller spent at least 30 minutes writing the book everyday for five years. At the expense of this old cliche, the greatest writers in Hollywood could not have invented Jesse Ed Davis story, Miller said. You would sort of have to read the whole book to get a sense of why I insist upon that story. The title of the biography was named after Davis autobiographical song released in 1971. Davis sang about his childhood growing up on the Washita River. The sound of this song, Washita Love Child, it's not a dark sounding song, it's not an elegy, Miller said. It's a celebratory song. It's festive, it rocks, it's funky, and it really moves and it has great hooks. And a lot of his music was like that. 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 In order to reach a diverse audience, Miller had to appeal to people interested in Indigenous history, music history, fans of Davis and those who had never heard of him. Jesse Davis was someone who knew he was talented, Miller said. He knew he had made great music, he knew he was important, but he didn't project that in an arrogant way or in some kind of entitled way." Miller said coming back to Norman feels like a homecoming. The reasoning for his book talk in Norman stems from the time Daviss family spent here. To go to where a significant portion of Jesse Davis' story is set right there in Norman, right there on campus, Miller said. It's going to have a deep emotional resonance for me, and I think for some people in attendance. According to Miller, Davis' mother was the first Kiowa woman to receive a bachelor's degree from OU. His father received a bachelor in fine arts and was one of the last students to train under former School of Art Director Oscar Jacobson. Standing as luminaries in OUs history, Indigenous history will be highlighted during the book talk, Miller said. I want to do my part to ensure that more people at OU and in Norman know about this really interesting, really compelling and really important story that's connected to OU, that I don't think has commanded as much attention as it deserves, Miller said. Miller believes that the story of Davis is inspiring and empowering; an Indigenous boy from Oklahoma had a dream and made it come true. Stories about people who have a dream and go and achieve it should never get old, Miller said. We should never become numb to that or take that for granted. The meet and greet will be at 3 p.m at The Jacobson House and is RSVP only. The book talk is open to the public at 5:30 p.m. in the Catlett Music Center Choir Room. Madisson Cameron edited this story. Allie Clift and Sophie Hemker copy edited this story. By Dustin Rowles | TV | March 10, 2025 Not for nothing, but I really enjoyed researching 1920s history for last weeks episode of 1923, so as long as the show keeps serving up history lessons, Im going to keep digging in. This week, nearly half the episode focused on Alexandras entrance into America via Ellis Island. Most of what we know about Ellis Island skips over the degrading parts, but 1923 offers a glimpse of that reality. For example, one of the many medical exams Alexandra undergoes upon arrival is a punch to the stomach. It feels cruel and it was but it was also historically accurate. Immigration officials used this method to check for enlarged livers (cirrhosis or syphilis), appendicitis, hernias, and tuberculosis. Modern America obviously has its own issues with immigration, but in the early 20th century, thousands of people passed through Ellis Island daily. Inspections were fast, crude, and often dehumanizing. If an immigrant was found to be sick, they could be quarantined or deported, compounding their misery. Our long history of lacking compassion is well-documented. Getting socked in the stomach, however, was the least of many immigrants worries. Single women traveling alone, like Alexandra, were particularly vulnerable to the whims of the immigration system. In one scene, Alexandra is forced to disrobe for a humiliating medical examination, including a check for venereal diseases. This was common. Pregnant women without their husbands faced a high risk of deportation. The reality of America -then and now is that the country welcomed the tired, the poor, and the weak, but only if they could work hard or had money. If you were too sick to work, you were sent home, unless you had the means to support yourself. Since steamship companies were often forced to cover return-trip costs for rejected passengers, many sick or pregnant people were denied entry before even leaving their home countries. And, no surprise, the system was rife with sexual exploitation. Single women traveling alone were frequently coerced into sex work under false promises of employment. Others, like Alexandra in 1923, were propositioned in exchange for entry into the U.S. Men have always been creeps. One of my favorite details in the episode: When asked for her last name, Alexandra hesitates because she doesnt technically have one; shes just Alexandra of Sussex. Pressed further, she claims Dutton, referencing Spencers last name, but also evoking the myth that people changed their names at Ellis Island. Coincidentally, I was just reading People Love Dead Jews by Dara Horn, which debunks that very myth. Name changes at Ellis Island didnt happen. Instead, people, particularly single women and Jews, endured humiliating experiences, then later romanticized them by telling their grandchildren theyd changed their names at Ellis Island. It was a way to paint their new homeland as something better than the ordeal they endured to get here. Alexandra makes it through (after proving she can read and verbally emasculate a corrupt official), but she still has to get from Grand Central Station to Montana. Alone. The episode ends with a looming threat: a beggar/thief following her into the womens restroom. Elsewhere, the search for Teonna Rainwater continues, and Jennifer Carpenters female marshal, Mamie Fossett, is pissed that Marshal Kent and Father Renaud are indiscriminately slaughtering Native Americans in their hunt for Teonna. Meanwhile, Teonna, her boyfriend, and her father make it to Texas, looking for work. A rancher named Anders (shoutout to C. Thomas Howell) is happy to hire them. This also tracks historically, though Native Americans werent as commonly employed as Mexican vaqueros, Black cowboys, or white ranch hands, they were sometimes hired because, well, who knows the land better than its original inhabitants? Many Native Americans, forced onto reservations, took ranch jobs just to survive, but like Black cowboys, they were paid the least and worked the hardest. Back in Montana, Jacob and his crew finally make it home after the brutal snowstorm except poor Zane (Brian Geraghty), who has a subdural hematoma (a brain bleed). And yes, in 1923, the treatment is as gruesome as youd expect: drilling a burr hole into his skull to relieve the pressure. In a hospital, this wouldnt be a huge deal. On the Dutton ranch, though, poor Zane is about to experience it without anesthesia. From my research, someone in Zanes position would scream, thrash, or pass out from the sheer pain and shock. Alcohol might help, and while theres no anesthesia, theres no shortage of booze on the Dutton ranch. The show mercifully saves that ordeal for next week. Nothing new historically on Spencers journey, though he did lose his traveling companion, Luca, who got himself killed trying to smuggle booze through a checkpoint and then pulling a gun on the cops. Spencer is still in Texas, though, which makes me wonder: Could he cross paths with Teonna on his way to Montana? Metsa Board to Close Tako Board Mill in Tampere, Finland, in 2Q 2025 The Tako board mill in Tampere, Finland, has two folding boxboard machines with annual production capacities of 70,000 and 140,000 tonnes. The Tako board mill in Tampere, Finland, has two folding boxboard machines with annual production capacities of 70,000 and 140,000 tonnes. March 10, 2025 - Metsa Board has concluded the change negotiations that began in January to improve the company's profitability and cost competitiveness. As a result of the negotiations, Metsa Board will permanently close Tako board mill and enhance the operational efficiency of Kyro board mill. The measures will lead to a total reduction of 208 jobs. The Tako board mill has two folding boxboard machines with annual production capacities of 70,000 and 140,000 tonnes. This represents approximately 13% of the company's current annual production capacity of approximately 1.6 million tonnes of folding boxboard. Mika Joukio, CEO of Metsa Board, said, "The change negotiations with the personnel were conducted in a constructive spirit. Finding new jobs for the people being laid off is our primary goal, and we also aim to help with employment by offering reemployment training and support." Production at the Tako board mill is planned to end by the end of the second quarter of 2025 at the latest. The closure of the mill will not affect customer deliveries, as Metsa Board's total annual folding boxboard production capacity is sufficient to meet current demand. After the mill closure, Metsa Board's annual folding boxboard capacity will be approximately 1.4 million tonnes. Metsa Board estimates that the measures now decided will improve the annual comparable EBITDA by approximately EUR 30 million, mainly from the second half of 2025. A one-off profit impact of approximately EUR -28 million will be recorded in connection with the closure of the Tako mill, mainly related to the impairment of assets. It will be recorded in Metsa Board's operating result for the first quarter of 2025 as an item affecting comparability. The one-off cash impact is approximately EUR -1 million. Metsa Board is a producer of lightweight and high-quality folding boxboards, food service boards and white kraftliners. SOURCE: Metsa Board The flight today from Salt Lake City to St. Louis took something on the order of two and a half hours. O, the suffering that I endure for my art! I couldnt help but associate myself in my mind with the discomforts and hardships undergone by nineteenth-century Latter-day Saint pioneers, who often traveled roughly the same route, albeit in reverse. (They commonly came through St. Louis for supplies as they began their journey across the plains and over the Rockies to settle in the Great Basin.). But they were able to devote a leisurely six months to sauntering along the trail, as opposed to my frenetic pace of 150 minutes. And do you think that they had to settle for mini-bags of pretzels? Were they required to listen to piped-in Muzak as they waited for take-off? Clearly, Im a martyr. Among other things, during the flight from Salt Lake City I began reading Neil Thomas, Taking Leave of Darwin: A Longtime Agnostic Discovers the Case for Design (Seattle: Discovery Institute, ) Here is an associated biographical blurb about him: Neil Thomas is a Reader Emeritus in the University of Durham, England, and a longtime member of the British Rationalist Association. He studied Classical Studies and European Languages at the universities of Oxford, Munich, and Cardiff before taking up his post in the German section of the School of European Languages and Literatures at Durham University in 1976. There his teaching involved a broad spectrum of specialisms including Germanic philology, medieval literature, the literature and philosophy of the Enlightenment and modern German history and literature. He also taught modules on the propagandist use of the German language used both by the Nazis and by the functionaries of the old German Democratic Republic. He published over 40 articles in a number of refereed journals and a half dozen single-authored books, the last of which were Reading the Nibelungenlied (1995), Diu Crone and the Medieval Arthurian Cycle (2002) and Wirnt von Gravenbergs Wigalois: Intertextuality and Interpretation (2005). He also edited a number of volumes including Myth and its Legacy in European Literature (1996) and German Studies at the Millennium (1999). He was the British Branch President of the International Arthurian Society (2002-5) and remains a member of a number of learned societies. Im certainly not a dedicated enemy of theories of biological evolution. I think that my favorable column in Meridian Magazine about Samuel T. Wilkinson, Purpose: What Evolution and Human Nature Imply About the Meaning of Our Existence (New York and London: Pegasus Books, 2024) How Can We Make Sense of Evolution?: A Latter-day Saint Perspective especially when its coupled with my subsequent October 2024 video interviews with Dr. Wilkinson and Ben Spackman, should establish my credibility in that regard beyond reasonable dispute. I simply dont think it tenable (or helpful to religious faith) to claim, flatly, that there is no serious evidence for significant biological change over time, let alone to pretend that the theory of evolution is solely or principally the result of some imagined godless conspiracy. That said, atheistic ideology has sometimes motivated certain advocates of evolution, just as, unfortunately, some onetime religious believers have fallen into naturalistic atheism because of what they believe to be the entailments of evolutionary theory. More to the point here, though, I believe that informed critics of the several varieties of Darwinian theory have raised important questions that shouldnt merely be brushed off with a dismissive wave of the hand, as is commonly done. In that light, Ive enjoyed the very limited portion of Taking Leave of Darwin that Ive read thus far, and I think that Ill share a few of the passages that Ive marked in it to this point. For now, Ill confine myself to a few things from his Prologue, as well as the epigraph to his first chapter: After years of simply assuming Darwinism to be true, he says, he gradually began to entertain the possibility that the grand story of evolution by natural selection was little more than a creation myth to satisfy the modern age. And, in his view, this isnt merely an academic issue, for if there is one subject that has had huge, often convulsive implications for the generality of humankind, it is Darwins theory of evolution. Thomas readily admits that, while he has now read widely about the topic, he possesses no formal qualifications for writing on the subject of biological evolution. But, he writes, the subject is of too universal an import to be left entirely in the hands of subject specialists, some of whom exhibit an alarming degree of bias and intransigent parti pris unconductive to the dispassionate sifting of scientific evidence. Of himself, he says that I have long been a non-theist and can at least give the assurance that the critique which follows will be based solely on rational criteria and principles. As the epigraph to the first actual chapter of Taking Leave of Darwin, Thomas cites the prominent American philosopher Thomas Nagel, of New York University, who is an avowed atheist. In his book Mind and Cosmos, Nagel writes, I would like to defend the untutored reaction of incredulity to the reductionist Neo-Darwinian account of the origin and evolution of life. It is prima facie highly implausible that life as we know it is the result of a sequence of physical accidents together with the mechanism of natural selection. . . . I find this view antecedently unbelievable a heroic triumph of ideological theory over common sense. The empirical evidence can be interpreted to accommodate different comprehensive theories but in this case the cost in conceptual and probabilistic contortions is prohibitive. (Thomas Nagel, Mind and Cosmos: Why the Materialistic Neo-Darwinian Concept of Nature is Almost Certainly False [Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012], 6, 128) Miraculously, Witnesses is still available for free streaming at The Witnesses Initiative. Im afraid that we cant let this go on forever, though, so I myself may be obliged to intervene. My counsel, accordingly, is that you and your family and your neighbors and your extended kin and the members of your ward and stake take advantage of the opportunity while you still can. If you want it, here it is. Come and get it. Mmh, make your mind up fast. If you want it, any time, I can give it. But youd better hurry cause it may not last. Posted from St. Louis, Missouri At a glance Expert's Rating Pros Stunning display Beautiful, shiny design Great Lunar Lake performance Cons Low battery life thanks to the display Webcam is annoying while using it No headphone jack Fingerprint reader is in an odd spot Very glossy and reflective Our Verdict The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 is a sleek laptop with a unique aesthetic and an incredible display. But it makes some sacrifices to get there. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 Retailer Price Check Product Price The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 is a visually stunning laptop. That goes for both the both the stunning OLED display as well as the shiny glass lid that produces lots of interesting reflections. Its also just a great productivity laptop thanks to the excellent use of an Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) processor, also known as Intel Lunar Lake. But everything in life is a compromise. That beautiful display seems to drain this laptops battery life faster than normal, and the beautiful design is just so glossy and reflective. And there are some other strange decisions here, like the lack of a headphone jack and an oddly placed fingerprint reader, which will bug some folks. Still, its a great machine and it may be a dream machine for some people, especially if youre looking for a beautiful and lightweight machine with a design that stands out. Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14: Specs The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 (Gen 10) is a lightweight ultraportable laptop with an Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) CPU. Intels Lunar Lake hardware offers long battery life with solid performance for normal desktop productivity application so web browsers, office apps, workplace chat tools, and all that good stuff. It doesnt have high multithreaded performance, but thats not what a lightweight ultraportable is all about, anyway. Lenovo combines that Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU with 32 GB of RAM and a 1 TB of solid-state storage, so theyre not cutting corners. The machine we reviewed retails for $1,899, but Lenovo also offers a version with 16GB of RAM and a slightly slower Intel Core Ultra 7 256V CPU for $1,759. CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 258V Intel Core Ultra 7 258V Memory: 32GB LPDDR5x RAM 32GB LPDDR5x RAM Graphics/GPU: Intel Arc 140V (16GB) Intel Arc 140V (16GB) NPU: Intel AI Boost (47 TOPS) Intel AI Boost (47 TOPS) Display: 38402400 OLED with touchscreen, 120Hz refresh rate, and HDR 38402400 OLED with touchscreen, 120Hz refresh rate, and HDR Storage: 1 TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD 1 TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD Webcam: 32MP camera 32MP camera Connectivity: 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3 Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3 Biometrics: Fingerprint reader for Windows Hello Fingerprint reader for Windows Hello Battery capacity: 75 Watt-hours 75 Watt-hours Dimensions: 12.32 x 8.01 x 0.57 inches 12.32 x 8.01 x 0.57 inches Weight: 2.76 pounds 2.76 pounds MSRP: $1,899 as tested If youre looking for an ultraportable with a beautiful display, one that also has a beautiful design, this is a compelling machine! Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14: Design and build quality IDG / Chris Hoffman This machine is all about good looks. Its available in a Tidal Teal colorway, which looks beautiful. Its all about the reflections: The lid is covered in impact-resistant glass, and it has a very cool looking effect that looks great when it reflects light. Lenovo describes it as a 3D swirling at-eye effect that makes your style pop from every angle, reflecting light beautifully. Its shiny. It looks great if reflections are what youre looking for! If you dont want your laptop to draw eyes with its impressive looking reflections, then its perhaps not the right machine for you. The larger issue with the reflections is just how glossy the display is, which is an issue in direct sunlight. This isnt just an issue with this machine though, its an issue with laptops with glossy screens, especially machines with OLED displays. Also, that glass lid smudges easily. Youll be wiping it to keep its crisp good looks intact. The build quality is good! Aside from the glass on the cover, this machine is made of aluminum. At 2.76 pounds, its a nice light weight, but not the absolute lightest PC. The hinge is easy to open with one hand and feels good. While this is branded a Yoga machine, this is not a 2-in-1 that can open to 360 degrees. Lenovo has decided to use the Yoga name, once meant for laptops that could bend into interesting shapes, for laptops in general. I continue to be absolutely baffled by this change in the Yoga branding. Its not a problem, but be aware: This is a traditional laptop and not a 2-in-1. In fact, it can only open to about 135 degrees, it cant even lie flat like many other laptops can. For a laptop that bears the Yoga name, this is pretty silly. Theres also more bloatware than Id like to see preinstalled McAfee antivirus and notification ads through Lenovo Vantage for services like Amazon Music. Its fine and you can get rid of it easily enough. Its common and more understandable on budget focused laptops, but it feels a little obnoxious on an almost $2,000 premium machine focused on beautiful design. Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14: Keyboard and trackpad IDG / Chris Hoffman The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i has a fine keyboard. Its responsive enough, not as snappy and crisp as a ThinkPad keyboard or a good mechanical keyboard, but not mushy. Its the kind of keyboard you find on a good lightweight laptop. You wonder if it feels a little shallow, but then you realize of course it does, theyre trying to make the laptop as thin as possible, so theres less room for key travel. I do have a major bone to pick with the keyboard. The fingerprint reader is placed smack dab at the bottom right corner of the keyboard, and then the arrow keys are to the left of it. I found myself pressing the wrong arrow key when I moved my finger down there. Id prefer to have the right arrow key at the left edge of the keyboard. The trackpad feels fine, tooits nice and smooth, and the click action is crisp and not mushy. That said, its a little on the small side, which makes clicking a little annoying at times since theres less room to click down. This problem wouldve been remedied had Lenovo used a haptic trackpad. PC manufacturers should choose haptic trackpads more frequently, at least on lightweight ultraportables! The odd fingerprint reader location and slightly small trackpad are artifacts of the same problem: Lenovo has aimed to streamline this machine, cutting down the bezels, shrinking it, and focusing on beauty. Theres not a lot of room for a larger trackpad or to put the buttons elsewhere. For many people, a larger laptop thats a little less streamlined and a little bulkier will just be more ergonomic, as it gives the keyboard and trackpad some room to breathe. Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14: Display and speakers IDG / Chris Hoffman The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9is display is just beautiful. This is a 38402400 OLED display. Its incredibly bright and vivid with a high resolution. It also has a good refresh rate at 120Hz some OLED displays deliver only 60Hz. With 750 nits of peak brightness, it can also deliver a great HDR experience. If youre looking for an ultraportable with a beautiful display, one that also has a beautiful design, this is a compelling machine! Its a touch screen, too. The quad speakers with Dolby Atmos are reasonable. They have a lot of volume, way more than I need! Thats not always true on a laptop. The audio feels crisp and clear. However, as always on a laptop like this one, the built in speakers dont produce a lot of bass. Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14: Webcam, microphone, biometrics IDG / Chris Hoffman The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i has an under display webcam, which helps Lenovo shrink the bezel as much as possible. The screen looks normal while youre not using the webcam. Activate the webcam and a black circle will appear in the middle of the top area of the screen annoyingly enough, right where you web browsers tab bar would be. If you want a small bezel and dont use your laptops webcam much, itll be a nice upgrade. If you frequently use your laptops webcam, this may be rather annoying compared to a traditional webcam thats not located on your display. The webcam itself is a 32MP camera. While Ive seen some complaints online, Id say the webcam is usable, as Ive seen much worse. It seems like the under display approach is making the image quality worse, though. To be frank, I would avoid this laptop if you frequently participate in video meetings. Its really annoying having a black circle obstruct part of your screen while the webcam is in use. Theres also a physical camera shutter switch on the right side of the laptop, which is always nice to see. The microphone sounds fine not unusually good and not unusually bad. Itll be serviceable for online meetings, but Ive heard better microphone quality on business laptops designed for this sort of thing. As far as biometrics, this machine has a fingerprint reader on the bottom-right corner of the keyboard for Windows Hello. It worked well, although I wish the right arrow key was down in that corner. This machine doesnt have an IR camera for facial recognition with Windows Hello. Thats no surprise given the under display webcam situation. It is a shame, though facial recognition is a convenient way to unlock your PC. Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14: Connectivity IDG / Chris Hoffman The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i follows the What are the fewest ports we can include? school of design. Theres one Thunderbolt 4 port on the left side and one Thunderbolt 4 port on the right side a total of two places to plug in a USB Type-C cable. Thats it! And youll use one of them to charge the laptop. The lack of a headphone jack will be an immediate blocker to many people, although you can of course use wireless Bluetooth headphones or connect USB Type-C headphones. Theres also no microSD slot or anything else. Given that, only having two USB Type-C ports feels really skimpy. Its another way this laptop is more design focused it feels like Lenovo has set out to streamline the laptop as much as possible and made the compromises necessary to do so. Some people will like it, but many people will want something a little bulkier thats more flexible. Thanks to Intel Lunar Lake, this machine does have Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3 support. Its good to see Wi-Fi 7 becoming standard. Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14: Performance Weve talked a lot about design, but lets talk about the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9is performance. The laptop performed well in the day-to-day desktop productivity tasks youd use a lightweight portable machine like this one for. It runs nice and quiet in daily use, too. Of course, we ran the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 through our standard benchmarks to measure its performance. IDG / Chris Hoffman First, we run PCMark 10 to get an idea of overall system performance. With an overall PCMark 10 score of 7,588, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i delivered excellent performance despite its thin-and-light nature. This machine feels like its squeezing every bit of performance out of Lunar Lake between its cooling system, RAM, and speedy storage. IDG / Chris Hoffman Next, we run Cinebench R20. This is a heavily multithreaded benchmark that focuses on overall CPU performance. Its a quick benchmark, so cooling under extended workloads isnt a factor. But, since its heavily multithreaded, CPUs with more cores have a huge advantage. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i delivered a multithreaded score of 4,350 in Cinebench R20. Intels Lunar Lake cant deliver high multi-core performance and we see that here. That doesnt matter for most peoples basic desktop usage, but its an issue if you have workloads that need serious multithreaded CPU performance. IDG / Chris Hoffman We also run an encode with Handbrake. This is another heavily multithreaded benchmark but it runs over an extended period. This demands the laptops cooling kick in and many laptops will throttle and slow down under load. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i completed the encode process in 1,249 seconds thats nearly 21 minutes. Its a good score for a Lunar Lake system, but it shows how weak Lunar Lake is on multithreaded performance once again. IDG / Chris Hoffman Next we run a graphical benchmark. This isnt a gaming laptop, but its still good to check how the GPU performs. We run 3Dmark Time Spy, a graphical benchmark that focuses on GPU performance. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i achieved a 3DMark Time Spy score of 4,476. Thats decent for integrated graphics, but its certainly much slower than what youd see on a gaming laptop with a discrete GPU. Overall, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i delivers exceptionally good performance for an Intel Lunar Lake system. But this is still Intel Lunar Lake, so its weak when it comes to multithreaded performance. Its more than fine for most peoples desktop productivity workloads, though. Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14: Battery life The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 has a 75 Watt-hour battery, which is on the large side for an ultraportable laptop. Combined with an Intel Lunar Lake processor, wed expect long battery life. But the display gets in the way. This laptop doesnt exactly have bad battery life, but it has the lowest battery life Ive seen from a Lunar Lake machine. IDG / Chris Hoffman To benchmark the battery life, we play a 4K copy of Tears of Steel on repeat in the Movies & TV app on Windows 11 with airplane mode enabled until the laptop suspends itself. This is a best-case scenario for any laptop since local video playback is so efficient, and real battery life in day-to-day use is always going to be less than this. We set the screen to 250 nits of brightness for our battery benchmarks, and its worth noting that this machines OLED display has a bit of an advantage, as OLED screens use less power to display the black bars around the video. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i ran for 859 minutes before it suspended itself. Thats a bit over 14 hours. It sounds like a long time, but the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 with its also-beautiful AMOLED display ran for 1,401 minutes thats another nine hours! (The Galaxy Book5 Pro 360s display isnt quite as stunning, though.) 14 hours may sound like a long time, but youre going to get less battery life in real-world use while you use the machine in the real world. This just isnt great battery life youre giving up a lot of battery life to power this over-the-top display. Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14: Conclusion The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i is a great machine if you want a unique design with an incredible display. It really is a nice piece of hardware. It even delivers very good performance for Lunar Lake. But Id say that this machine isnt for most people. Between the almost $2,000 price, low battery life, lack of a headphone jack, skimpy port selection, Lunar Lakes low multithreaded performance, odd fingerprint sensor position, and so many other issues Ive mentioned above, this wont be the right machine for most laptop users. Still, some people are going to love this machine. When I open the beautiful laptop and see that stunning OLED display, for a moment, I can almost feel like all those other problems dont matter. Google plans to launch ChromeOS 134 in March 2025. The latest version of the operating system for Chromebooks will birng some new features, one of which will help extend the battery life of your Chromebook. Once ChromeOS 134 is here, youll be able to set a maximum battery charge limit so your laptop will never fully charge. Why? Constantly charging a battery to 100 percent shortens its lifespan, so you get more overall lifespan out of it if you stop short. (The optimal battery charge window to minimize wear and tear is between 30 and 70 percent.) The new feature will be automatically enabled when ChromeOS 134 launches, but the battery charge limit will remain at 100 percent by default. If you want to protect your laptops battery lifespan, youll have to adjust the charge limit yourself when available. It has been an absolutely brutal year for the R&B world, so the last thing that anyone needs is for anything to happen to the legendary Gladys Knight. Knights name was in the headlines over the weekend, and at first glance those stories might have been a little scary. The 80-year-old reportedly had to cancel her scheduled Saturday show in Jacksonville at the last minute due to an issue backstage. Ms. Knight and another member of her staff were taken ill backstage, very suddenly and at the last minute, which necessitated the sudden cancellation of the show, Florida Theatre President Numa Saisselin told News4JAX. Saisselin told the station that Jacksonville Fire Rescue attended to Knight for her issues. There was some promising news too. She was smiling and in good spirits when they left the building, he said. TMZ said a rep for Knight said she came down with the flu just before the show, and returned home to North Carolina. She also had a Sunday show scheduled for Tampa and the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino but that show has been postponed. The flu is not fun, but hopefully this is just a hiccup for Knight and she is able to return to the road and singing soon. The company filed for bankruptcy last year. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) Getty Images It was revealed last year that after filing for bankruptcy Big Lots would close over a hundred stores due to what the company referred to as a challenging consumer environment. Now in a positive twist it appears a number of Big Lots will be reopening. According to Fast Company, a series of soft openings of newly-cleaned, remodeled, and re-merchandised Big Lots will begin in April and continue through June. This news comes after the discount retailer confirmed it would be closing many of its locations, including dozens of stores in Pennsylvania. The same Fast Company article explains that these Big Lots stores are able to stay in business thanks to North Carolina-based Variety Wholesalers, which was assigned these locations as part of a deal with liquidation firm, Gordon Brothers. The strategic sale to Gordon Brothers and the transfer to Variety Wholesalers is a favorable significant achievement for Big Lots that reflects the tireless work and collective effort of our team, told Bruce Thorn, President and CEO of Big Lots, to RetailDive in 2024. This sale agreement and transfer present the strongest opportunity to preserve jobs, maximize value for the estate and ensure continuity of the Big Lots brand. Fast Company adds that nine Big Lots will initially reopen across six states as part of these openings. They are: Kentucky 1342 Indian Mound Drive, Mount Sterling Louisiana 755 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie Mississippi 2605 W. Main St., Tupelo, Mi 5778 Highway 80 E., Pearl North Carolina 1432 E. Dixie Drive, Asheboro Tennessee 1041 S. Riverside Drive, Clarksville 744 Nashville Pike, Gallatin 220 Dickson Plaza Drive, Dickson Virginia 2911 Hershberger Road NW, Roanoke The other Big Lots stores that are slated to reopen have yet to confirmed as of the publishing of this report. Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Paul Stanley of KISS perform during the final show of KISS: End of the Road World Tour at Madison Square Garden on in 2023. Now, the legendary bassist will embark on his own tour starting next month. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation) Getty Images for Live Nation Ever wonder what it would be like to be a rock stars roadie? This is good news for you, then: A titan of the rock world is offering those who are willing to be his personal roadie for the day. But at a cost. Billboard reports how the one, the only Gene Simmons he of KISS and tongue fame is giving someone the chance to be his roadie for the day for the cool price of $12,495. The offer as listed on Simmonss Experiences website involves tasks such as linking up with the famed bassist and the rest of the Gene Simmons Band crew early in the day at a designated location; helping to set up a show; assisting backstage; and unloading equipment. And what do you get? Well, aside from a shirt, hat, and VIP laminate memorializing the day as well as the ability to bring one guest and four items for Simmons to sign youll get to sit down for a meal with Simmons. Plus, hell give you a used, signed bass and a signed set list, too. The purpose of this offer, as Simmons himself informed Billboardd Behind the Setlist podcast in 2024, is simple: To save money. Simmons explained on the episode how he has no managers, no private jets, no 20 tractor-trailers, no 60-man crew, no huge shows for his performances and that production in the past can come at, enormous, enormous costs. Why not cut costs and give a Gene Simmons fan an experience theyll never forget at the same time? Blabbermouth.net states that the Gene Simmons Band kicks off their tour on April 3 in Anaheim, California. Theyll be dropping by Pennsylvania at the Wind Creek Casino in Bethlehem on May 8. This is when clocks will "fall back" in 2025. That is, if no legislation changing the practice gets pushed through. (photo by insung yoon via Unsplash) insung yoon Many people woke up Sunday morning, bleary-eyed, wondering why the day seemed to be so off before realizing daylight saving time 2025 had started. If youre one of these people, perhaps youre looking to be more vigilant of when the biannual practice occurs. So, heres when daylight saving time ends this year. According to TimeAndDate.com, daylight saving time 2025 will end on Sunday, Nov. 2. Clocks on this date will turn back by an hour (the ones that still have to be changed manually, anyway), meaning plenty of folks will be treated to some extra shut-eye. But who knows? Maybe by then, the majority of the United States wont have to abide by this practice any longer. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) explains how state legislatures across the country have considered a whopping 750-plus bills and resolutions in recent years that would make daylight saving time year-round. As for why people are pushing to get rid of daylight saving time, Northwestern Medicine explains how the change tends to mess with peoples natural sleep rhythms. The practice has also been linked to depression, a slowed metabolism, weight gain, and other negative side effects. But while the discussion about these adverse health effects has become more prevalent on a national scale, the NCSL highlights that the main debate on such legislation is whether to make daylight saving time permanent which means moving things up by an hour every year or to transition to standard time, when clocks arent touched at all. Tododisca states that at least 30 states have put forward proposals to change the biannual practices within the last six years or so. They are: Oregon Washington Idaho Montana Wyoming Utah Colorado Tennessee Louisiana Alabama Maine Florida South Carolina Oklahoma Minnesota Illinois Ohio Kentucky Mississippi Georgia Science has evolved over the past decade to show the transition between standard time and DST is associated with bad health consequences, tells sleep specialist and chief of Sleep Medicine in the Department of Neurology at Northwestern Medicine, Phyllis C., MD, PhD, to the publication. The big question on the table right now is, should it be permanent standard time or permanent DST? Alas, which one the United States adopts if either remains to be seen. Till then, mark your calendars for Nov. 2. People walk along the quayside in Withernsea, on the east coast of England on March 10, 2025. The US operator of the Stena Immaculate, an oil tanker hit by a cargo ship in the North Sea, off the coast of Withernsea on Monday said its crew had abandoned the tanker after a fuel leak and multiple explosions. (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images By JILL LAWLESS, Associated Press LONDON (AP) A cargo ship hit a tanker carrying jet fuel for the American military off the coast of eastern England Monday, setting both vessels on fire and sending fuel pouring into the North Sea. The collision triggered a major rescue operation by lifeboats, coast guard aircraft and commercial vessels. All 37 crew members aboard the two vessels were safe and accounted for, with one hospitalized, local lawmaker Graham Stuart said. Stuart said he was concerned about the potential ecological impact of the spill. The U.S.-flagged chemical and oil products tanker MV Stena Immaculate was at anchor near the port of Grimsby on Monday morning after sailing from Greece, according to ship-tracking site VesselFinder. The cargo vessel, Portugal-flagged container ship Solong, was sailing from Grangemouth in Scotland to Rotterdam in the Netherlands. U.S.-based maritime management firm Crowley, which operates the Stena Immaculate, said the tanker sustained a ruptured cargo tank containing Jet-A1 fuel, when the container ship struck it, triggering a fire and multiple explosions onboard, with fuel released into the sea. It said all 23 of the mariners on the tanker were safe and accounted for. The Stena Immaculate was operating as part of the U.S. governments Tanker Security Program, a group of commercial vessels that can be contracted to carry fuel for the military when needed. Britains Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the alarm was raised at 9:48 a.m. Humber Coast Guard made a radio broadcast asking vessels with firefighting equipment and those who could help with search and rescue to head to the scene off the coast near Hull, about 155 miles north of London. The RNLI lifeboat agency said there were reports that a number of people had abandoned the vessels following a collision and there were fires on both ships. It said three lifeboats were working on search and rescue at the scene alongside a coast guard rescue helicopter and a coast guard plane. Video footage aired by British broadcasters and apparently filmed from a nearby vessel showed thick black smoke pouring from both ships. Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, said he had been told there was a massive fireball. Boyers said casualties were brought in on a Windcat 33 high-speed vessel and a harbor pilot boat. Its too far out for us to see about 10 miles but we have seen the vessels bringing them in, he said. They must have sent a mayday out. Luckily there was a crew transfer vessel out there already. Since then, there has been a flotilla of ambulances to pick up anyone they can find. U.K. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she was being kept up to date on the developing situation I want to thank all emergency service workers involved for their continued efforts in responding to the incident, she said. Greenpeace U.K. said it was too early to assess the extent of any environmental damage from the collision, which took place in a busy fishing ground and close to major seabird colonies. Scientists said the environmental impact might be less severe than with a spill of heavier crude oil. Mark Sephton, Professor of Organic Geochemistry at Imperial College London, said jet fuel biodegrades more quickly than crude oil, and warmer temperatures also speeds biodegration. In the end, it all depends on the rate of introduction of fuel and the rate of destruction by bacteria, he said. Lets hope the latter wins out. FILE - Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., promises that anyone who is legitimately on Medicaid will not lose their coverage under GOP budget cuts File) AP Rep. Scott Perry is promising that anyone who is legitimately on Medicaid will not lose their coverage under GOP budget cuts. Anchor Chris Stirewalt on NewNations The Hill on Sunday challenged Perry to explain deep cuts to Medicaid that would have to come to reach Republican budget reduction goals. What we can promise is that no one that is legitimately on Medicaid will lose their coverage, Perry said, Perry suggested that undocumented immigrants are illegally receiving Medicaid benefits and driving up costs.. Only about 4 percent of federal payments have been deemed improper by the Office of Management and Budget, accounting for just over $31 billion in Medicaid funding, Stirewalt said, in a budget of almost $872 million. " If youre here illegally, you should not be on any federal assistance program. Thats not what theyre designed for. Theyre designed for Americans that are struggling, that are below the poverty line, or that are infirm, that cant work and afford health care., said Perry. Thats what that program is designed for, not for millions of people that came flooding across the border and want to just live in America and have everybody else pick up the tab." Stirewalt went on to ask whether he believed Medicaid expansion that occurred under President Obamas Affordable Care Act and today covers some 372,000 working class and lower income Pennsylvanians, was sacrosanct. I think that we have to look at every bit of fraud, waste and abuse, and the states have been gaming the system, Perry said. Perry called for addressing what he said were improper Medicaid-related charges to the federal government by states. While youre mentioning the expansion, what youre not mentioning is something like the provider tax that states then charge the federal government for and use for other things that have nothing to do with Medicaid, he said. Authorities are searching for Sudiksha Konanki, who went missing while on vacation in the Dominican Republic. Provided Authorities are searching for a 20-year-old college student that went missing while on vacation in the Dominican Republic. Sudiksha Konanki, a junior at the University of Pittsburgh, was last seen on March 6 walking on a beach at Riu Republica Resort in Punta Cana, according to the Dominican Civil Defense and a missing poster that has been shared on social media. Konanki is a resident of Virginias Loudoun County and also a citizen of India. She was traveling with five other female Pittsburgh students, according to People. Police believe that she disappeared at around 4:15 a.m. after after she and her friends were captured on video surveillance entering the beach area of their hotel. They were accompanied by two American men. Her friends returned to the hotel later but she stayed to talk to one of the men. NBC News reported that authorities are interviewing that young man and are trying to corroborate his story. It is not clear if her disappearance is the result of an accident or if foul play is involved. Konakis parents have traveled to the Dominican Republic to aid in the search, WTAE said. The sheriffs office in Loudoun County, Va., said the Embassy of India in the Dominican Republic is working with the U.S. State Department and other law enforcement. Anyone with information on Konankis whereabouts is asked to call the Loudoun County Sheriffs Office at 703-777-1021. The Federal Aviation Administration has released a preliminary report following Sundays airplane crash at a retirement community in Lancaster County. Five people were injured when the Beechcraft A36TC crashed in a parking lot and engulfed several cars at the Bretheran Village in Manheim Township. By Kristen A. Graham, The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS) PHILADELPHIA The University of Pennsylvania has ordered a hiring freeze and other economies as the university braces for the impact of potential federal funding cuts under President Donald Trumps administration. The changes are effective immediately, and until further notice, according to an email sent to staff Monday and obtained by The Philadelphia Inquirer. In the email, Penn Provost John L. Jackson Jr. and Craig Carnaroli, the universitys senior executive vice president, said the university would implement a freeze on staff hiring, except for critical positions, student workers, and those funded by active grants or restricted sources. Officials also instituted a 5% reduction in non-compensation expenses. Schools and Centers should carefully review budgets and limit non-essential spending, the officials wrote. This applies to the remainder of the current fiscal year and for fiscal year 2026. They also ordered a freeze on staff midyear salary adjustments and reviews of capital spending and faculty hiring. Jackson and Carnaroli said that they were only allowing searches that Schools deem essential to their missions and their highest critical priorities. Penns schools have already begun budgeting and forecasting for the 2025-26 academic year, they said, including making difficult decisions regarding graduate admissions. Penn stands to lose $250 million in federal money as a result of a Trump administration order capping National Institutes of Health spending on funds tied to university and medical institution research. In reaction, the university has already announced a plan to cut incoming doctoral student admissions by a third. Many Penn researchers have already received stop work orders, and additional federal proposals could affect student loans and increase the excise tax on endowments would affect the university further. Although the extent and final impact of these policies will not be known for several months, the direction is clear, and we are already experiencing reduced funding, Jackson and Carnaroli wrote, adding that they are lobbying elected officials and industry representatives to underscore the critical role federal funding plays in fulfilling our mission and benefiting society. Officials acknowledged the the strain that these policies put on our community and the uncertainties surrounding their timing and impact. In moments like these, we are guided by our core principles: protecting our missions, sustaining our culture, supporting our people, and judiciously managing our resources. Penn has weathered difficult financial times in the recent past including the COVID-19 pandemic and 2008 financial crisis. The scope and pace of the possible disruptions we face may make them more severe than those of previous challenges, Jackson and Carnaroli said. With careful financial management, however, Penn is well-positioned to navigate them. 2025 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Editors Note: This story was updated at 5:38 p.m. with updates from Jonathan Still. Officials on Monday revealed the name of the pilot of a small plane that crashed in Lancaster County over the weekend injuring all five people aboard. Matthew White was the pilot of the small plane crashed that occurred around 3:18 p.m. Sunday at the Brethren Village retirement community parking lot in Manheim Township, according to Jonathan Still, business director with Venture Jets. White is listed as an executive board member of Venture Jets, a private aircraft charter based in Lititz, according to their website. While White is on the board at Venture Jets, Still told PennLive that the flight in question was a personal flight, in a privately owned aircraft, for the purpose of personal family travel. PennLive could not immediately reach White, 39. Still said White is a longtime aviation advocate and that he was recovering from his injuries along with the other four passengers wounded. Still said he could not provide any further details, deferring to the familys privacy, since the company was not involved with the plane or flight. Our full support and prayers go out to them for a speedy recovery, Still said. The Lancaster General Hospital spokesperson said five people aboard the plane were taken to Lancaster General Hospital, and three were taken from there to the Lehigh Valley Health Networks burn center. The other two patients were released Sunday night from Lancaster General, the spokesperson said. The FAA listed the highest injury from the weekend crash as minor. Officials have not released any further detail on the extent of injuries. In a preliminary report, the FAA listed the crash as an accident and noted the single-engine plane was destroyed. Videos from the scene shows the planes tail resting on vehicles that were on fire. A majority of the plane in flames. Venture Jets was founded in 1994 and based at the Lancaster Airport since 1995. White previously lived in Media Pa., but most recently had an addresses in Williamstown, New Jersey. The six-seater 1981 Beechcraft Bonanza is registered to Jam Zoom Yayos LLC in Manheim, according to the FAA. Flight tracking data shows the plane was headed to Springfield, Ohio. The crash happened shortly after takeoff from the Lancaster Airport. Story by Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. "drew.derzh" Demolishes Sunday Million Season Super Sunday PKO High Roller Matthew Pitt Senior Editor Copy link The PokerStars Sunday Million Season continued over the weekend, and there was a familiar name at the top the $1,050 Super Sunday payout table. Ukraine's "drew.derzh" is a PokerStars regular with multiple SCOOP and WCOOP titles to their name, and also a WSOP bracelet if the player is who we believe it is. Regardless of their true identity," drew.derzh" awoke this morning with $69,947 more in their PokerStars account courtesy of taking down the $1,050 Super Sunday PKO event. The tournament drew 318 entrants, creating a $318,000 prize pool. Brazil's Pedro "PaDiLhA SP" Padilha popped the money bubble when he busted in 40th, paving the way for luminaries like Fintan "easywithaces" Hand, Blaz "Scarmak3r" Zerjav, Arsenii "josef_shvejk" Karmatckii, and Andrey "ThePateychuk" Pateychuk to cash. As expected from a $1,050 buy-in tournament, the final table was a star-studded affair. It became less so when Austrian star "Phemo" and Scott "Aggro Santos" Margereson were relieved of their stacks early into the final table action. "VIgnasPokerV" busted in seventh as was joined on the sidelines by "WHATSON83!," AcidVaule," "realsuhisjii" and their fellow Lithuanian Gediminas "Gedis92" Uselis; the latter's elimination sent the tournament into its heads-up stage. "drew.derzh" found themself heads-up against Canadian "cardinals970," with both locking in $26,162 from the regular prize pool, leaving the final two bounty payments to play for. "drew.derzh" got the job done in the one-on-one battle and saw a colossal progressive bounty payment worth $43,785 head their way. Such was the number of high-value bounties they collected along the way that the champion walked away with more than twice as much prize money ($69,947) as the runner-up ($31,802)! $1,050 Super Sunday PKO Final Table Results Rank Player Country Bounties Prize Total Prize 1 drew.derzh Ukraine $43,785 $26,162 $69,947 2 cardinals970 Canada $5,640 $26,162 $31,802 3 Gediminas "Gedis92" Uselis Lithuania $3,921 $16,793 $20,714 4 realsuhisjii Finland $625 $12,583 $13,478 5 AcidVaule Belarus $4,500 $9,428 $13,928 6 WHATSON83! Switzerland $2,625 $7,064 $9,689 7 VIgnasPokerV Lithuania $3,828 $5,293 $9,121 8 Scott "Aggro Santos" Margereson Ireland $0 $3,966 $3,966 9 Phemo Austria $1,000 $3,325 $4,325 Latest PokerStars Sunday Million Season Culminates With $6M Gtd 19th Anniversary Event Learn more Other PokerStars Results From March 9 Although "drew.derzh" scooped an impressive prize, it was the largest PokerStars awarded on March 9. Online poker veteran "hello_totti" was bestowed with that honour when they turned $5,200 into $72,348 by triumphing in the Titans Event. "drew.derzh" also enter this event but fell in seventh, two places before the moey. Event Entrants Prize Pool Champion Prize $5,200 Titans Event 38 $200,000 hello_totti $72,348 $1,050 Super Sunday 318 $318,000 drew.derzh $69,947 $530 Bounty Builder High Roller 226 $113,000 BliZzz01 $28,808* $530 Sunday Fenomeno High Roller 190 $100,000 Sunni_92 $19,515 $1,050 Sunday Warm-Up High Roller 49 $50,000 flerrehuve $19,207 $109 Sunday Warm-Up 1,006 $100,600 Daniel "dani aziz" Aziz $16,503 $215 Sunday StacKOsaurus 463 $100,000 Winda $16,171* $1,050 Sunday Supersonic High Roller 33 $33,523 AnglerFish425 $14,008 $109 Sunday Fenomeno 817 $81,700 Eboo_1000000$ $13,871 $109 Sunday Cooldown 826 $82,600 Daniloks $13,718* $320 Juggernaut 137 $50,000 Nitrrrrrr $10,364 *includes bounty payments $109 Super Sunday PKO Sunday Million Top 10 Chip Counts The biggest prize of the weekend has yet to be won because the $109 edition of Super Sunday, a progressive KO Sunday Million special edition, isn't finished. After the first day's play, its 10,060-strong field was reduced to only 123. Those surviving players will return to the action at 5:00 p.m. GMT on March 10 to wrap everything up. Belarus' "5Nu4ka" is the chip leader with 123 players left. By the time the curtain came down on proceedings, their 50,000 starting stack had become 17,409,140. The chip leader has already amassed $1,614 in PKOs, so they are freerolling toward the $52,881 top prize. Others safely through to Day 2 include Henrique "Zanetti89" Zanetti (8,713,112) and Arsenii "josef_shvejk" Karmatckii (8,580,272) who are both in the top ten. Ronan "Sw33ney" Sweeney (7,651,764), Thiago "KKremate" Crema (5,248,144), Daan "DaanOss" Mulders ($4,369,268), and Kelvin "Kelvin_FP:AR" Kerber are also present and correct on Day 2 in differing states of comfort. Rank Player Country Bounties Chips 1 5Nu4ka Belarus $1,615 17,409,140 2 AlexanderDSL Thailand $1,005 13,438,890 3 dreamers_b Latvia $2,682 12,017,482 4 Erica2131 Hungary $1,731 11,473,582 5 Wlooco Hungary $1,343 10,539,582 6 NaixDK Brazil $1,765 9,270,711 7 mariootony Brazil $2,385 8,891,286 8 MadsK01 Denmark $676 8,875,394 9 Henrique "Zanetti89" Zanetti Brazil $534 8,713,112 10 Arsenii "josef_shvejk" Karmatckii Slovenia $1,236 8,580,727 $6M Guaranteed Sunday Million 19th Anniversary is Less Than a Month Away The PokerStars Sunday Million celebrates its 19th anniversary on April 6, which is less than a month away. The $215 buy-in event boasts a gigantic $6 million guarantee on its prize pool, which means 30,000 entries are required. At the time of writing, 2,365 players are registered. Most of those players have won their place in the $6 million guaranteed tournament via the many satellites running around the clock. PokerStars hosts several daily freerolls, each awarding $215 tickets, in addition to $5.50, $11, $22 buy-in satellites and the $4 buy-in Spin & Go games. Share this article 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 Post and Courier North Augusta/The Star reporter Bianca Moorman is a reporter for the Post and Courier North Augusta/The Star with a focus on community focused stories, arts, businesses, non-profits, events and any story with a human element. The Roanoke, Virginia native has journalism degrees from James Madison and Syracuse universities. She has written for papers in Georgia, Mississippi, Upstate New York and Virginia. Follow her on X at @biancarmooman. To support local journalism, sign up for a subscription. See our current offers Charleston, SC (29403) Today Tropical storm conditions possible. Rain diminishing to a few showers this afternoon. High near 85F. Winds NE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. 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 50%. Growth & Development Reporter Caleb Bozard covers business, growth and development for The Post and Courier Columbia. He has previously written for The State and the Times and Democrat. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2023. Mount Pleasant, SC (29464) Today Tropical storm conditions possible. Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. High 84F. 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%. Myrtle Beach, SC (29577) Today Tropical storm conditions possible. A steady rain this morning. Showers continuing this afternoon. High around 80F. Winds ENE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight Tropical storm conditions possible. Thundershowers overnight following a period of rain early. Low around 75F. Winds ENE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected. Reporter Christian spent six years in Myrtle Beach before moving to the Upstate. When he's not working, he's reading a book, making a mess in the kitchen or running around Spartanburg. PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-10 14:01:14 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 953 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESS Newswire / March 10, 2025 / Avant Technologies Inc. (OTCQB:AVAI) ("Avant" or the "Company"), and its partner, Ainnova Tech, Inc., (Ainnova), a leading healthcare technology company focused on revolutionizing early disease detection using artificial intelligence (AI), today announced that Apollo Hospitals (Apollo) and Ainnova have officially established a strategic collaboration that marks a significant step forward in the integration of artificial intelligence into disease detection and prediction.As part of this alliance, Ainnova has secured an exclusive license for several advanced AI algorithms, which have been rigorously validated with over 2.3 million data points and now form an integral part of Ainnova's Vision AI platform. These cutting-edge solutions enable the early and precise detection of conditions, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), chronic kidney disease (CKD), liver fibrosis, type 2 Diabetes, and lung abnormalities in CT scans and X-rays, including lung cancer.Last month, Avant and Ainnova signed a global development and licensing deal for Ai-Nova Acquisition Corp. (AAC), the joint venture formed by both companies. Given AAC's territory now includes a global license to develop and market Ainnova's technology portfolio, this partnership with Apollo strengthens the joint venture's efforts to advance AI in Healthcare using Ainnova's Vision AI platform and its proprietary versatile retinal camera technology.This week, most of these AI-driven diagnostics will be available exclusively on the Vision AI platform across the Americas, where the first commercial pilot programs are set to launch in the coming weeks.Notably, Brazil is already included in the expansion roadmap, as the partnership has successfully met the regulatory requirements set by ANVISA (Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency). This milestone paves the way for commercialization in a country with over 200-million people.The integration of these AI-powered solutions aligns with efforts to enhance chronic disease management by adding substantial value to patient care. By providing a comprehensive preventive health assessment, these tools aim to facilitate early referrals from primary care providers or community health services, such as pharmacies, to specialized medical professionals.Apollo Hospitals is one of the largest and most renowned private healthcare networks in Asia, playing a leading role in transforming healthcare in India and across Southeast Asia. With a robust presence that includes hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and diagnostic centers in the region and beyond, Apollo remains at the forefront of medical innovation.With this alliance, Apollo reaffirms its commitment to advancing global healthcare by leveraging AI-powered solutions. Partnering with Ainnova in the Americas underscores its dedication to driving innovation, improving patient outcomes, and expanding access to state-of-the-art medical technologies. Together, the two organizations will continue to develop and deploy AI-driven healthcare solutions with additional innovations set to be introduced in the near future.About Ainnova Tech, Inc.Ainnova is a Nevada-based healthtech startup with headquarters in San Jose, Costa Rica, and Houston, Texas. Founded by an experienced and innovative team that is dedicated to leveraging artificial intelligence for early disease detection. Recognized with multiple global awards and renowned partnerships with hospitals and medical device companies, we proudly introduce VisionAI - our cutting-edge platform designed to prevent blindness and detect the early onset of diabetes. Explore how Ainnova is revolutionizing healthcare through advanced technology and proactive solutions.About Apollo HospitalsApollo revolutionized healthcare when Dr. Prathap Reddy opened the first hospital in Chennai in 1983. Today, Apollo is India's largest integrated healthcare platform with over 10,000 beds across 73 hospitals, over 6000 pharmacies and over 200 clinics and diagnostic centers, as well as 150 telemedicine centers. It is the world's leading cardiac center with over 200,000 surgeries and the world's largest private cancer care provider. Apollo continues to invest in research to bring the most cutting-edge technologies, equipment, and treatment protocols to ensure patients have the best available care in the world. Apollo's 100,000 family members are dedicated to bringing you the best care and leaving the world better than we found it.About Avant Technologies, Inc.Avant Technologies, Inc. is an emerging technology company developing solutions in artificial intelligence in healthcare. With a focus on pushing the boundaries of what is possible in AI and machine learning, Avant serves a diverse range of industries, driving progress and efficiency through state-of-the-art technology.More information about Avant can be found at https://avanttechnologies.com You can also follow us on social media at:Forward-Looking StatementsCertain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements because of various important factors as disclosed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission located at their website ( http://www.sec.gov ). In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic conditions, governmental and public policy changes, the Company's ability to raise capital on acceptable terms, if at all, the Company's successful development of its products and the integration into its existing products and the commercial acceptance of the Company's products. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date after the date of the press release.Contact:Avant Technologies, Inc.in PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-10 18:01:27 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 10, 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=135017&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: 2025-03-10 14:01:06 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 276 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 HOUSTON, TX / ACCESS Newswire / March 10, 2025 /CruxOCM, a leading innovator in industrial automation software for the energy sector, will present its transformative platform at CERAWeek 2025 in Houston, Texas, March 10-14. Building on a successful $17 million USD Series A funding round led by M12, Microsoft's Venture fund, CruxOCM will demonstrate how its technology enhances operational efficiency, safety, and profitability for pipeline operators.Vicki Knott, Co-founder and CEO of CruxOCM, will present "Increasing Pipeline Profitability with AI-Powered IT/OT Convergence and Cloud-Enabled Closed-Loop Automation" on Tuesday, March 11, at Microsoft House highlighting the impact of human-centered industrial autonomy on modern control room operations. "We're modernizing software infrastructure to drive substantial OPEX cost savings and increase top-line profitability for our customers," said Knott.Adam Marsden, CRO of CruxOCM, will delve into the company's advancements in autonomous solutions for optimizing oil and gas pipeline operations to drive EBITDA during his presentation "Corporate Platform for Growth: Increase revenue through existing assets" on Thursday, March 13 at the Agora Pods.CERAWeek is a premier platform for CruxOCM to connect with industry leaders and showcase its commitment to innovating pipeline control rooms through advanced automation. CruxOCM's platform is transforming pipeline control rooms into a future that enhances human capabilities, improves safety, and drives profitability.For more information about CruxOCM and its participation in CERAWeek 2025, please contact:Michelle Palmer palmerm@ cruxocm.com About CruxOCM: CruxOCM is a leading innovator in industrial automation software for the energy sector, revolutionizing pipeline operations with adaptive automation technology. The company's platform enhances safety, efficiency, and sustainability by optimizing control room operations, resulting in substantial OPEX cost savings and increased top-line profitability for customers.SOURCE: CruxOCM PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-10 17:33:56 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 434 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 10, 2025 / DISA Global Solutions, Inc. recently disclosed that it suffered a data breach that compromised the sensitive personal data of individuals. This data breach has led to concerns over the security of sensitive personal information entrusted to DISA.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?On April 22, 2024, DISA Global Solutions, Inc. became aware of a security incident that impacted a portion of its network. Upon discovery, DISA launched an investigation with the assistance of third-party cybersecurity experts to determine the nature and scope of the incident. The investigation determined that an unauthorized third party gained access to DISA's environment between February 9, 2024, and April 22, 2024, and procured some information. DISA conducted a thorough review to determine the personal information affected.Upon information and belief, the following types of sensitive personal information may have been compromised: name, Social Security number, driver's license number, other government identification numbers, and financial account information. On February 24, 2025, DISA filed a notice with the Maine Attorney General's Office and started sending out notice letters to the affected individuals. Compensation may be available for those individuals who received notice that their personal information was compromised.WHY AM I ENTITLED TO COMPENSATION?Data breaches are serious matters that can cause long-term damage. Hackers may use stolen information to commit identity theft, financial fraud, or other crimes. Companies that fail to secure your personal data may be held liable for the resulting harm.HOW DO I KNOW IF I WAS AFFECTED?If you received a data breach notification letter from DISA, you are likely affected. Follow the link below to find out if you may be eligible for compensation.Levi Korsinsky, LLP is investigating whether affected individuals are entitled to compensation. If you have received a notice about the data breach, you may be entitled to compensation. There is no cost or obligation to participate. Follow the link below to find out:Levi & Korsinsky is a nationally recognized consumer advocacy law firm that has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars against large corporations. The firm's team of over 70 extraordinary attorneys and professionals have a winning track record going against the most powerful defense attorneys in the world and know how to maximize your compensation. The firm is a 100% contingency firm - we don't get paid unless you get paid! Please visit us at www.zlk.com for more information. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.CONTACT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLPJoseph E. Levi, Esq.Ed Korsinsky, Esq.33 Whitehall Street, 17th FloorNew York, NY 10004 jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com Tel: (212) 363-7500Fax: (212) 363-7171 https://zlk.com/ SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-10 18:16:19 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 417 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 SINGAPORE / ACCESS Newswire / March 10, 2025 /ELD Asset Management has revealed an enhanced focus on the rapidly growing economies of Indonesia, Vietnam, and Singapore nations it refers to as the "New Asian Tigers." This move reflects the firm's confidence in the region's dynamic economic expansion and its wealth of opportunities across key sectors.Indonesia, Vietnam, and Singapore are emerging as powerhouses in Southeast Asia, with robust GDP growth, rapidly expanding middle classes, and government-backed initiatives driving innovation. The firm says that each country has demonstrated resilience and adaptability, positioning themselves as attractive investment destinations across a variety of industries."Asia's economic centre of gravity is shifting, and Indonesia, Vietnam, and Singapore are at the forefront of this transformation," explained George Palmer, Director of Private Clients at ELD Asset Management. "These countries represent compelling investment opportunities, particularly in technology, manufacturing, and financial services." Stand-out sectorsELD Asset Management is particularly bullish on Singapore's technology and digital economy citing the nation state's well-established technology ecosystem, bolstered by strong regulatory frameworks and government support as making it an ideal hub for fintech, AI development, and cybersecurity solutions. Meanwhile, Vietnam and Indonesia are experiencing a digital revolution, with thriving e-commerce markets and rapid fintech adoption.In manufacturing and supply chains, Vietnam has emerged as a global manufacturing hub, attracting foreign direct investment in electronics, textiles, and high-tech industries. Indonesia, with its vast natural resources and a growing industrial base, is also strengthening its role in regional supply chains.In financial services and fintech, Singapore continues to lead the region in financial innovation, offering a mature regulatory environment and a thriving fintech sector. Additionally, Indonesia and Vietnam, with their large unbanked populations, present significant opportunities for digital banking and mobile payment platforms.As ELD Asset Management pivots towards these high-growth markets, it is devoting significant resources to identifying and capitalising on opportunities that align with the evolving economic landscape of Southeast Asia."The New Asian Tigers' are set to drive the next wave of economic expansion on this continent, and investors who position themselves early will benefit from this extraordinary growth trajectory," added Mr. Palmer.ELD Asset Management remains dedicated to providing expert analysis and strategic investment insights to clients seeking exposure to Asia's rapidly expanding markets. The firm continues to monitor emerging opportunities in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Singapore, ensuring that investors stay ahead of global economic trends.Media Contact:Mr. Luke TanEmail: luke.tan@eldglobal.com Website: https://www.eldglobal.com SOURCE: ELD Asset Management PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-10 14:10:07 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 494 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / March 10, 2025 / National plaintiffs law firm Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP encourages investors in Novo Nordisk A/S. ("Novo" or the "Company") (NYSE:NVO) who purchased or otherwise acquired Novo securities between November 2, 2022, and December 19, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period") to contact us immediately regarding a pending securities class action against Novo. The deadline to apply to be lead plaintiff is March 25, 2025.Class Period: November 2, 2022 - December 19, 2024Lead Plaintiff Motion Deadline: March 25, 2025Case information: https://lieffcabraser.com/securities/novo-nordisk/ Contact us: Email or text investorinfo@ lchb.com or call 1-800-541-7358Novo, a Danish company with its U.S. headquarters in Plainsboro, New Jersey, is a healthcare company focused on the research, development, manufacturing, and distribution of pharmaceutical productions to address diabetes, obesity and rare diseases.The action alleges that, during the Class Period, Novo and certain of its senior executives made materially false and misleading statements and failed to disclose: (1) that Defendants created the false impression that they possessed reliable information pertaining to Novo's projected successful outcome of the REDEFINE-1 study of its new experimental weight loss drug, CagriSema, while avoiding discussions centered around dosage tolerability as it related to the CagriSema; (2) that Novo's claims that CagriSema would achieve at least 25% weight loss in the REDEFINE-1 study was not based on facts; and (3) that the REDFINE-1 study utilized a "flexible protocol" that limited the study's ability to effectively provide weight loss data on the dosage tested, suggesting either that tolerability was significantly worse than expected, resulting in patients titrating down their dosages to avoid complications, or that the patient selection process was rushed and led to the onboarding of patients who did not seek to achieve the study's 25% weight loss target.On December 20, 2024, before the market opened, Novo announced disappointing results for the REDEFINE-1 trial, noting that CagriSema had achieved only a weight loss average of 22.7% after 68 weeks. In addition, Novo revealed, for the first time, that the study used a "flexible protocol, allowing patients to modify their dosing throughout the trial" and which resulted in only 57.3% of patients reaching the full dose of CagriSema. On this news, the price of Novo's American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") fell 17.83% from its closing price on December 19, 2024, to close at $85.00 per share on December 20, 2024.About Lieff CabraserLieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, with over 125 attorneys in offices in San Francisco, New York, Nashville, and Munich, Germany, is an internationally-recognized law firm committed to advancing the rights of investors and promoting corporate responsibility. Repeatedly recognized as a "Plaintiffs' Powerhouse" by Law360, Lieff Cabraser has litigated some of the most important civil cases in the United States, and has assisted clients in recovering over $129 billion in verdicts and settlements. For over 50 years, Lieff Cabraser has remained committed to ensuring access to justice for all.Source/ContactSharon LeeLieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP415 956-1000 slee@ lchb.com SOURCE: Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-10 17:00:44 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 929 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 ANAHEIM, CA / ACCESS Newswire / March 10, 2025 / Premiere Show Group, the nation's leading network of beauty industry events and world-class educational programming, delivered its most impactful Premiere Anaheim yet, solidifying its status as a must-attend event in the California beauty market. With a 20% increase in exhibiting brands and 11,600 visits over two days, beauty professionals from 40 states and 14 international countries gathered for an unparalleled weekend of education, networking, and hands-on discovery. Attendees raved about the experience, praising the event for its dynamic atmosphere, high-quality education, and opportunities to connect with industry leaders."You should definitely check out Premiere Anaheim! It's a fantastic event for beauty professionals. You'll get to see the latest trends, attend educational sessions, and network with industry leaders. It's a great opportunity to learn and grow in the beauty industry!" says Student Serena Trujillo of Barstow, California.A Show Floor Packed with Innovation Premiere Anaheim 2025 showcased 35 new-to-show brands alongside returning industry leaders, providing attendees with firsthand access to groundbreaking products and techniques. This year also welcomed the debut of L'Oreal Pro Lab and Stay Sharp, creating immersive experiences for professionals eager to sharpen their skills."For us, L'Oreal is an academy for professionals, for professional hairstylists-we love education. So, to see people that are walking through here who are hungry for the same thing, who are passionate about education, about learning and understanding more about the industry, is so inspiring to us. It's really great because those are the people we love to see in our space as well," says Jordan Woodward, ProLAB Manager, L'Oreal.With a 20% increase in exhibiting brands year over year, attendees engaged directly with industry-leading exhibitors, including BLACKPANTS, Circadia By Dr. Pugliese, Halocouture & Hairtalk Extensions, Hattori Hanzo Shears, Jimena Nails, L3VEL3, LeChat Nail Care Products, Procell Therapies LLC, PureO Natural Products, Wahl, and many more. Attendees experienced hands-on product demonstrations and industry-first launches that are set to redefine beauty standards.Industry-Leading Education & Main Stage Highlights Premiere Anaheim 2025 featured an incredible roster of educators and artists, offering attendees exclusive access to career-elevating education. Visionaries such as Larisa Love, Siiri Parks, Bailey Lavender, Wayne Tuggle, Joseph Maine, and Olivia Thompson captivated audiences with live demonstrations and trend-forward insights on the Main Stage and in classroom sessions.Barbering education saw an exciting expansion, with icons like Byrd Mena, Rob the Original, Danny Amorim, and the L3VEL3 team bringing fresh insights to the Barber Stage.In addition to hair and barbering education, spa & wellness professionals gained exclusive insights from industry-leading brands like Circadia By Dr. Pugliese and LightStim, focusing on advanced skincare techniques, LED light therapy innovations, and business-building strategies for estheticians and spa owners.Introducing the Color Stage: A Vibrant Debut This year, the all-new Color Stage debuted to standing-room-only crowds, offering attendees cutting-edge color techniques and trend insights from top educators. The excitement extended beyond the stage, as Kelly O'Leary, the artist behind Premiere Anaheim's signature graphics, captivated audiences with her techniques.Competitions That Inspired & Elevated Talent The introduction of the Student Barber Battle was a defining moment, with 10 students from 8 schools stepping up to showcase their skills. The winners were rewarded with an all-expenses-paid trip to Premiere Orlando, where they will compete on a national stage. Congratulations to Roberto Guemes from Stay Fresh Barber Academy in Escondido, California.Sunday's Premiere Barber Battle continued the momentum, bringing together top talent in an electrifying competition. Congratulations to 1st place winner Michael Stinson of Oxnard, California.The Hair Competition also crowned a new champion, celebrating artistry and technical excellence. Congratulations to 1st place winner Nick Shimada of Los Angeles, California.Nailympia returned showcasing unmatched technical skill across live and turn-in categories. To view Nailympia's winners pleaseclick here .Attendee Experience and Community Connection Beyond education and competitions, Premiere Anaheim was a hub of networking, community, and industry celebration. Attendees had the opportunity to unwind in the Premiere Experience Lounge, create custom accessories at the Premiere Charm Bar, enjoy lip readings with take-home gifts from Rude Cosmetics, and capture memories at the Premiere Photo Booth. Exclusive meet-and-greet sessions with industry influencers like Bailey Lavender, Siiri Parks, Kirsty Meakin, and Tino Vo further enhanced the experience, providing professionals with valuable connections and inspiration.To keep the energy high, attendees gathered for the Day 1 Happy Hour, sponsored by Yocale, creating a vibrant atmosphere for networking and celebration. Complimentary beauty services such as mini facials by Circadia By Dr. Pugliese rounded out the immersive experience, ensuring every attendee left feeling refreshed and empowered.Honoring Artistry & Industry Resilience Premiere Anaheim 2025 proudly partnered with the Professional Beauty Association (PBA) to host the live finalist announcement for the North American Hairstyling Awards (NAHA), the beauty industry's most prestigious competition celebrating artistry and innovation. Winners will be unveiled at the NAHA Awards ceremony at Premiere Orlando on June 1, 2025. To view the NAHA finalist announcementclick here .Beyond the finalist reveal, the PBA took to the Main Stage for Stronger Together: Community, Creativity & Connection, a powerful discussion on resilience in the wake of recent wildfires affecting the beauty community. Industry leaders shared experiences, support strategies, and ways to uplift one another, reinforcing the strength and unity of the industry.Looking Ahead: Premiere Shows 2025 & Beyond As Premiere Anaheim 2025 concludes, beauty professionals can look forward to an exciting year ahead with Premiere Shows. The remaining 2025 show dates include:Premiere Orlando| May 31 - June 2, 2025 Registration is now open, purchase your show pass to the industry's biggest event of the year!Click here to register .The Beauty Changes Lives Galajoins Premiere Orlando on May 31, celebrating industry leaders and the future of beauty.The North Americ PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-10 14:56:09 Press Information Published by ACN Newswire +65 6304 8926 e-mail https://www.acnnewswire.com/ # 1015 Words ACN Newswire+65 6304 8926 HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM, Mar 6, 2025 - (ACN Newswire) - analytica Vietnam 2025, the countrys largest and most influential trade fair for laboratory technology, analysis, and biotechnology, is set to return bigger than ever. Taking place from 2-4 April 2025 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City, this 8th edition will be the largest in the events history, expanding to two exhibition halls and welcoming over 300 exhibitors and brands, and 6,000 trade visitors from across the region.Endorsed by the Ministry of Science and Technology in Vietnam and supported by the National Agency for Science and Technology Information (NASATI), Center for Science and Technology Information (CESTI), Key Laboratory of Analytical Technology for Environmental Quality and Food Safety Control (KLATEFOS), VNU, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany, and the Association of Small & Medium Enterprises (Singapore), analytica Vietnam 2025 continues to uphold its reputation as a leading industry event.Global Participation and Networking OpportunitiesThis years edition will see extensive global participation, with dedicated pavilions from Germany, Singapore, and China, alongside exhibitors from Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, the UK, Switzerland, France, Spain, Turkey, India, and the USA. The event continues to serve as a premier platform for networking, innovation, and business development in the industry. Michael Wilton, Managing Director of MMI Asia, the organizer of analytica Vietnam, expressed, "The continuous growth of analytica Vietnam reflects the increasing demand for advanced laboratory and analytical solutions across Vietnam and the region. Expanding to two halls not only accommodates more exhibitors but also opens up new avenues for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovation. Were excited to welcome professionals from all over the world to experience our largest and most comprehensive edition yet." What to Expect at analytica Vietnam 2025?Academic Conference: Learn from internationally renowned experts as they share research, trends, and findings on topics such as Environmental and Green Chemistry, Food and Quality Control, Pharmaceutical Analysis & Health Science, and Future Technologies.Live Lab Demo: This interactive feature brings advanced analytical instruments, automation, and testing procedures to life, allowing visitors to witness real-time applications across various industries.Innovation Zone: A dedicated area showcasing the newest and most groundbreaking products in laboratory technology, analysis, and biotech solutions.Lab 4.0 Exhibitor Forum: Explore a range of innovative technologies and solutions transforming laboratory operations. Topics will include automation, digitalization, advanced data analytics, new materials, and cutting-edge techniques in laboratory management and research.Lab Design and Construction Forum: Gain insights into the latest trends in lab design, energy-efficient solutions, sustainable practices, and innovative layouts. Industry experts and renowned speakers will share their expertise on creating modern laboratories that meet both functionality and environmental standards.Lucky Draw: Stand a chance to win exciting prizes sponsored by our esteemed exhibitors.Hosted Buyer Program: The largest program yet, with key buyers from Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Malaysia, invited for exclusive business meetings with exhibitors.Vincent Au Yeong, Country Manager of ITS Vietnam, the events Bronze Sponsor, shared, "As a customer of analytica Vietnam for nearly 10 years, I have witnessed the events growth and the valuable benefits it brings each year. The continuous development of analytica has reinforced our confidence in its ability to provide insights, foster partnerships, and stay ahead of industry trends. Were proud to be part of this long-term journey and look forward to further growth together. We cant wait to meet both our longtime and new customers here." Top 15 Products You Can Look Forward to Seeing at the Exhibition:1. Mixer Mill MM 400 by ITS2. PacBio Revio/Onso Sequencing System by DKSH3. Xevo MRT Mass Spectrometer by Waters4. Liquid Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer by Shimadzu5. epMotion 5075 by Eppendorf6. Biosafety cabinet, Tangerine by Oriental Giken7. High-Speed Amino Acid Analyzer LA8080 by 2H Instrument8. EMC Magnetic Cell Holder by EMCLAB Instruments GmbH9. Hot Head by ELDEX CORPORATION10. Gas generator for TOC Gas Analysis by cmc Instruments GmbH11. Sykam Amino Acid Analyzers by Hoa Viet Co., Ltd12. SCIEX ZenoTOF 7600 SCIEX ZenoTOF 7600 LC-MS/MS System Model: ZenoTOF 7600 by Viet Nguyen Co.,ltd 13. Avio 550 ICP-OES - Perkin Elmer14. MIRI Time-Lapse Incubat or by ESCO15. AI - RIDASMART APP Allergen (2024) by R-BiopharmBe Part of analytica Vietnam 2025 Register Today!To make the most of your experience at analytica Vietnam 2025, we recommend that trade visitors register in advance. This will ensure seamless access to the event and provide updates on the latest developments. For more information and to complete your registration, please visit www.analyticavietnam2025.events-regis.com/ About analytica Vietnamanalytica Vietnam is the premier trade fair for laboratory technology, analysis, and biotechnology in Southeast Asia. Organized by Messe Munchen, the event brings together industry professionals, researchers, and policymakers to showcase the latest technologies, exchange knowledge, and foster business collaborations. analytica Vietnam features an exhibition, conference, pre-event laboratory tours, buyer-seller programs, and networking opportunities, providing a comprehensive platform for the laboratory and biotechnology industries in the region. The upcoming edition is set to take place from April 2 to 4, 2025 at the SECC Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center. More details can be found at https://www.analyticavietnam.com/ About analytica worldwideMesse Munchen is the worlds leading trade fair organizer for laboratory technology, analysis and biotechnology. The international network of exhibitions includes analytica, analytica China, analytica Anacon India & India Lab Expo, analytica Vietnam, analytica USA, and analytica Lab Africa. Additional information about these exhibitions and their programs of events is available at.About MMI Asia Pte LtdEstablished in 1992, MMI Asia is the wholly owned subsidiary and the regional headquarters of Messe Munchen GMBH (MMG) and is one of the world largest and leading exhibition organizers. MMI Asias portfolio of events include editions of worldleading trade fairs from Munich transport logistic & air cargo, analytica, ceramitec; as well as industry-specific events such as Glasstech and Fenestration Asia, Asia Climate Forum, and Singapore International Water Week. MMI Asia also provides consultancy in professional trade fair and conference management to government bodies, international trade and promotion organizations, and trade associations. For more information, please visit www.mmiasia.com Read more: https://www.acnnewswire.com/press-release/english/96756/ PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-10 00:42:14 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 636 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 9, 2025 /WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Elastic N.V. (NYSE:ESTC) between May 31, 2024 and August 29, 2024, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important April 14, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline.SO WHAT: If you purchased Elastic 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 Elastic class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=34953 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than April 14, 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, throughout the Class Period, defendants made false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Elastic had implemented significant changes to its sales operations, particularly with respect to its customer segments in the Americas; (2) the foregoing changes were likely to, and did, disrupt Elastic's sales operations during the first quarter of its fiscal year ("FY") 2025; (3) accordingly, defendants had overstated the stability of Elastic's sales operations; (4) as a result of all the foregoing, Elastic was unlikely to meet its own previously issued revenue guidance for its FY 2025; and (5) as a result, defendants' public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.To join the Elastic class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=34953 call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm 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: 2025-03-10 22:15:54 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 971 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA / ACCESS Newswire / March 10, 2025 / Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd . ("Southern Cross Gold" or the "Company") (TSXV:SXGC)(ASX:SX2)(OTC PINK:MWSNF)(Frankfurt: MV3.F) announces that the CHESS Depositary Interests ("CDI") of the Company will be added to the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index effective prior to Australian Securities Exchange ("ASX") market open on March 24, 2025.Michael Hudson, Southern Cross Gold's President & CEO, commented , "We are delighted to be included in the All Ordinaries Index, which recognizes our team's hard work and the support of our shareholders in building Southern Cross Gold into a significant player in the Australian gold and critical metals sector. This inclusion will increase our visibility to a broader range of investors and potentially improve the liquidity of our shares, benefiting all stakeholders. We look forward to continuing to engage with investment analysts, institutional fund managers, and investors both in Australia and internationally as we continue to build one of the world's most significant gold-antimony assets at Sunday Creek." The S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index is Australia's oldest share market indicator and represents the 500 largest companies listed on the ASX by market capitalization. The index is widely regarded as the benchmark for measuring the performance of the Australian equity market.Southern Cross Gold's inclusion in this index is expected to attract increased interest from institutional investors, index funds, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track the All Ordinaries, potentially enhancing the Company's visibility and trading liquidity.Southern Cross Gold's CDIs commenced trading on the ASX under the ticker symbol SX2 on January 15, 2025. Each CDI represents one fully paid share of common stock of Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd.Southern Cross Gold also announces the granting of an aggregate of 700,000 stock options (the "Options") to Canadian officers and a consultant in Australia to acquire an aggregate of 700,000 common shares of the Company for a period of three years and vest immediately from the date of grant. The Options are exercisable at C$3.38. The granting of the Options is part of the long-term compensation, alignment and employee retention incentives program provided by the Company.About Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd.Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd is now dual listed on the TSXV: SXGC and ASX: SX2Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd. (TSXV:SXGC)(ASX:SX2) controls the Sunday Creek Gold-Antimony Project located 60 km north of Melbourne, Australia. Sunday Creek has emerged as one of the Western world's most significant gold and antimony discoveries, with exceptional drilling results including 60 intersections exceeding 100 g/t AuEq x m from just 73.3 km of drilling. The mineralization follows a "Golden Ladder" structure over 12 km of strike length, with confirmed continuity from surface to 1,100 m depth.Sunday Creek's strategic value is enhanced by its dual-metal profile, with antimony contributing 20% of the in-situ value alongside gold. This has gained increased significance following China's export restrictions on antimony, a critical metal for defense and semiconductor applications. Southern Cross' inclusion in the US Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC) and Australia's AUKUS-related legislative changes position it as a potential key Western antimony supplier. Importantly, Sunday Creek can be developed primarily based on gold economics, which reduces antimony-related risks while maintaining strategic supply potential.Technical fundamentals further strengthen the investment case, with preliminary metallurgical work showing non-refractory mineralization suitable for conventional processing and gold recoveries of 93-98% through gravity and flotation.With A$18M in cash, over 1,000 Ha of strategic freehold land ownership, and an aggressive 60 km drill program planned through Q3 2025, SXGC is well-positioned to advance this globally significant gold-antimony discovery in a tier-one jurisdiction.- Ends -This announcement has been approved for release by the Board of Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd.For further information, please contact:Mariana Bermudez - Corporate Secretary (Canada)mbermudez@ chasemgt.com or +1 604 685 9316Executive Office: 1305 - 1090 West Georgia Street Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V7, CanadaNicholas Mead - Corporate Developmentinfo@ southerncrossgold.com or +61 415 153 122Justin Mouchacca - Company Secretary (Australia)jm@ southerncrossgold.com.au or +61 3 8630 3321Subsidiary Office: Level 21, 459 Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, AustraliaForward-Looking StatementThis news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions and accordingly, actual results and future events could differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. You are hence cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements including without limitation applicable court, regulatory authorities and applicable stock exchanges. Forward-looking statements include words or expressions such as "proposed", "will", "subject to", "near future", "in the event", "would", "expect", "prepared to" and other similar words or expressions. Factors that could cause future results or events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements include general business, economic, competitive, political, social uncertainties; the state of capital markets, unforeseen events, developments, or factors causing any of the expectations, assumptions, and other factors ultimately being inaccurate or irrelevant; and other risks described in SXGC's documents filed with Canadian or Australian securities regulatory authorities (under code SX2). You can find further information with respect to these and other risks in filings made by SXGC with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada or Australia (under code SX2), as applicable, and available for SXGC in Canada at www.sedarplus.ca or in Australia at www.asx.com.au under code SX2. Documents are also available at www.southerncrossgold.com We disclaim any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law.Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) or the Australian Securities Exchange accepts responsibility f PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-10 17:00:39 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 853 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 10, 2025 / Storm Exploration Inc. (TSX-V:STRM) ("Storm" or the "Company") announced today that, further to its news release dated August 6, 2023, it has amended its Memorandum Of Understanding ("MOU") dated July 5, 2023 with the Naicatchewenin First Nation (the "NFN") concerning the Company's Gold Standard Project (the "Project") located 65 km north of the community of Fort Frances in northwestern Ontario.The MOU establishes a framework for ongoing consultation with the NFN and provides the community with an opportunity to participate in the project through employment, training, and business development.Under the terms of the amended MOU, the Company will make quarterly contributions to a community fund established by the NFN in an amount that is proportional to its exploration expenditures on the Project during the duration of the amended MOU as follows:4% of all prior exploration costs incurred during the period commencing May 1st, 2022 and ending on the date the amended MOU is accepted by the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV");3% of the first ten million dollars ($10,000,000) in exploration costs incurred from the date the amended MOU is accepted by the TSXV; and2.5 % of exploration costs incurred in excess of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) incurred from the date the amended MOU is accepted by the TSXV.In addition, the Company will issue common shares of Storm (each, a "Share") to the NFN, subject to the Company conducting exploration activities on the Project, as follows:$25,000 in Shares upon TSXV acceptance of the amended MOU;$25,000 in Shares on each of the first and second anniversaries of the amended MOU; and$50,000 in Shares on each of the third and fourth anniversaries of the amended MOU.The number of common shares issued under the amended MOU will be calculated using the 20-day volume weighted average of Storm's share price on the date that is five business days prior to the respective issuance date, subject to a minimum price of $0.05 per Share.Gold Standard ProjectThe Gold Standard is located within the Manitou-Stormy Lake greenstone belt and is prospective for gold and base metals. The property hosts three historical small-scale gold mining operations that date from 1901 to 1903. These gold showings have seen little modern exploration and have never been tested with drilling. In 2022, Storm confirmed the high-grade nature of the old workings with grab samples that returned grades up to 166 g/t Au (see Storm news release dated 27-Sep-2022).A property-wide airborne electromagnetic survey conducted by Storm in October of 2022 identified a large conductivity anomaly with a strike length of more than five kilometres (see Figure 1) and occurs in host rocks that are often associated with Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide ("VMS") mineralization. This is supported by copper and zinc mineralization noted in shallow historical drill holes completed between 1969 and 1971 ( see Storm news release dated 8-Feb-2023 ).The road-accessible Gold Standard Project comprises 284 mineral claims covering 6,016 and is located 65 km north of the community of Fort Frances. The project lies withing the traditional territory of the Naicatchewenin and Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nations.Figure 1: Gold Standard ProjectImage showing the location of the historic gold mines as well as the conductivity anomaly at Gold StandardQualified PersonThe technical contents of this news release have been reviewed and approved by Bruce Counts, P. Geo., President and CEO of Storm Exploration Inc. and Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101.About Storm Exploration Inc.Storm Exploration is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the discovery and development of economic precious and base metal deposits on four district-scale projects in northwest Ontario: Miminiska, Keezhik, Attwood and Gold Standard.Forward Looking InformationThis news release includes certain information that may constitute "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to: the cash and share payments under the amended MOU, exploration costs incurred, TSXV acceptance of the amended MOU and the Company's planned exploration activities. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including TSXV acceptance of the amended MOU, the Company's exploration activities on the Project and failure of the Company to have sufficient funds to make the payments required under the amended MOU. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. All forward-looking information contained in this press release is given as of the date hereof and is based upon the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management as at the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.For further information, please contact:Storm Exploration Inc.+1 (604) 506-2804 bcounts@ stormex.ca SOURCE: Storm Exploration Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-10 05:01:01 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 586 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Drive innovation and development with unprecedented speed, precision, and simplicity.CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA / ACCESS Newswire / March 10, 2025 / Today, Laser Thermal, a leader in optical thermal measurements, is excited to announce the launch of its groundbreaking new product, TOPS. This innovative instrument transforms how engineers and scientists measure thermal conductivity.The TOPS (Thermo-Optical Plane Source) system represents a novel, cutting-edge approach for thermal conductivity measurements, offering a versatile, non-contact solution for analyzing a wide range of materials, including solids, liquids, pastes, gels, and foams all in one instrument."We are thrilled to bring TOPS to the market," said John Gaskins, Co-Founder and CEO of Laser Thermal. "With TOPS, we are introducing a solution that is not only easier and faster than legacy measurement methods, but also provides a direct measurement of thermal conductivity. This unique feature eliminates the need to know a sample's density, heat capacity, or dimensions, simplifying the measurement process and reducing data analysis complexity." Key Features of TOPS Include:Simplicity - No complex setups or calculations-just apply a film and measure. The utilization of laser heating and infrared pyrometry offers a non-contact, single-sided measurement, eliminating the need for extensive sample preparation and allowing for measurements on samples of almost any shape and size.Speed - Get accurate results in under 3 minutes. TOPS delivers fast, steady-state measurements significantly improving throughput and operational efficiency.Precision - Reveal localized variations without damaging your sampleVersatility - Measure solids, liquids, pastes, gels, and foams effortlessly. TOPS is capable of analyzing a wide range of materials and geometries, making it suitable for diverse applications and industries.Repeatability - Trust the results of your analysis with a +/- 1% repeatability.The TOPS system delivers substantial value by simplifying measurements, providing access to measurements on small and odd shaped samples, and reducing test times yielding more data in less time. Engineers gain better insights into material properties under operational conditions, enabling more informed decisions in product design and development. This accelerates materials discovery and development by providing a high-throughput method for thermal measurements. The speed and accuracy of TOPS enables thermal properties to be used as a measure of in-line quality control. This would facilitate the transition from research and development to production by rapidly screening thermal properties and identifying process-property correlations. This provides understanding of process variations and material homogeneity, improving overall quality control.The TOPS system revolutionizes thermal conductivity measurement by addressing the shortcomings of traditional methods. It offers a non-contact, direct measurement approach with high accuracy, speed, and versatility, making it a valuable tool for improving product design, enhancing quality control, and reducing operational costs.To see TOPS in action, bring your sample for on-the-spot testing at one of the following trade conferences - Semi-Therm (San Jose), APEC (Atlanta), TMS (Las Vegas), Battery and HVT (Atlanta) and Thermal Management Expo (Novi).To learn more about TOPS or request a quote, please visit our website or email us at TOPS@ laserthermal.com About Laser ThermalFounded in 2020, Laser Thermal is a Charlottesville, Virginia-based company providing accessible thermal property measurements of materials, interfaces, thin films, and substrates. Laser Thermal designs and manufactures thermal metrology equipment that can measure thermal properties down to nanometer scales. Utilizing optical techniques, Laser Thermal provides simple, accurate, and rapid measurements of the thermal properties of materials. Laser Thermal offers contract testing and tool sales to best serve customer needs.For media inquiries, please contact: Ron Fisher - VP of Sales and Business Development - Ron.Fisher@laserthermal.com - 1-330-842-4864SOURCE: Laser Thermal Sterling Bank opened an account for Indo Kaduna MRTS JV Nigeria Limiteda joint venture entity set up in 2016 by the Kaduna State Government and some Indian business peopleand received billions of naira on its behalf before the company was legally registered. The development raises concerns about regulatory lapses in Nigerias banking sector. An Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) investigation uncovered the alleged diversion of N1.37 billion from the N11 billion paid by the Kaduna State Government under the immediate past governor, Nasir El-Rufai. The payments were made with respect to the states now-abandoned light rail project. The commission found that Mr El-Rufais government made payments to Indo Kaduna MRTS JV before it was officially registered as an entity. This directly contravenes banking regulations that require corporate accounts to be opened only for legally incorporated businesses. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Under the Central Bank of Nigerias (CBN) Know Your Customer (KYC) guidelines, financial institutions must verify the legal status of corporate entities before opening accounts for them. The rules explicitly warn against processing transactions for brass plate companies whose controlling figures cannot be identified. Banks are required to confirm a companys registration number, official corporate name, directors, shareholders, and principal trading address through official documents and searches at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). Because of the complexity of their organisations and structures, corporate and legal entities are the most likely vehicles for money laundering, especially those that are private companies fronted by a legitimate trading company. Care should be taken to verify the applicants legal existence (i.e., the company) from official documents or sources and to ensure that any person purporting to act on behalf of the applicant is fully authorised. Enquiries should be made to confirm that the company is not merely a brass plate company where the controlling principles cannot be identified. The identity of a corporate company comprises its registration number; its registered corporate name and any trading Names used; its registered address and any separate principal trading addresses; its directors; its owners and shareholders; and the nature of the companys business, the manual read in parts. The ICPC alleged that the Kaduna State government made substantial payments to Indo Kaduna MRTS JV before its legal incorporation, which breached public procurement regulations. It alleged that the entity did not meet the necessary requirements when its account was opened. It was only formally registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission on 10 May 2017, despite Mr El-Rufai approving payments as early as December 2016. Between December 2016 and January 2017, the then-governor authorised N11.1 billion in payments to the entity, raising questions about Sterling Banks due diligence. Standard procurement procedures require contracts to be awarded to legally recognised businesses, with proper verification of their operational status. Sterling Banks requirements Sterling Banks corporate account requirements, as published in its guidelines, include submitting a certificate of incorporation, a board resolution, a list of directors (Form C07), a shareholding structure (Form C02), tax identification number, bank verification numbers (BVN) of all directors, and corporate references. Indo Kaduna MRTS JVs ability to secure an account and process transactions before its legal registration raises concerns about breach of these requirements. Additionally, the CBNs KYC framework mandates a risk-based approach to corporate account openings, requiring banks to verify that applicants are not shell companies or vehicles for money laundering. Financial institutions are also expected to conduct searches at the CAC to ensure that a company is not in the process of being dissolved, struck off, or wound up. El-Rufais Administrations defence Reacting to the allegations, former members of the Kaduna State Executive Council (20152023) rejected allegations of financial mismanagement in the project, describing the ICPC move to seize N1.3 billion as unjustified. In a rebuttal, the officials explained that the project was conceived in 2015 as a Public-Private Partnership, with Indian firm Skipper securing the contract. The state committed 15% of the estimated $600700 million cost while seeking an 85% loan from Indias EXIM Bank. They claimed that a feasibility study conducted by French firm Systra and GTA Engineering cost $2.8 million (N890 million) and was duly approved by the state government. According to them, the project stalled when the federal government declined to provide a sovereign guarantee, leading to the recall of funds. A forensic audit later confirmed the refunds. However, the ICPC initially alleged N13 billion was missing before forcing Sterling Bank to deposit N1.3 billionincluding the feasibility study cost and accrued interestinto an escrow account with the Central Bank of Nigeria. The former officials accused ICPC of bypassing due process and acting under state government influence to push for an unjustified forfeiture. They maintained that all transactions were legal, transparent, and properly documented, warning that the commissions actions could deter foreign investment and undermine trust in legitimate public-private partnerships. Speaking on the specific allegation of paying money into the account of a yet-to-be-registered company, they argued that there were divergent opinions as to whether they should use a limited liability company registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission or a company established by the State House of Assembly. It took some time to go with Skippers preference for a limited liability company. In any case, opening an account in the name of a company pre-incorporation is not a crime under our laws. It only means that the signatories to the account are personally liable for pre-incorporation activities. Meanwhile, the same joint venture company, Indo Kaduna MRTS-JV Nigeria Limited, was registered in India. That was why the Indian NEXIM Bank agreed to transact with the Kaduna State Government. But for the Sovereign Guarantee that could not be secured from the Federal Government, the Kaduna Light Rail Project would have been completed or be nearing completion, the statement said. What it means Financial analysts have raised concerns about Sterling Banks role in facilitating transactions for Indo Kaduna MRTS JV before its legal incorporation, describing it as a clear violation of banking regulations. Paul Alaje, chief economist and partner at SPM Professionals, said the findings of the ICPC report highlight systemic regulatory failures in Nigerias financial sector. If the ICPC report is accurate, it is not just disappointing but deeply embarrassing. It shows the inequality of the lawwhere powerful entities operate above regulations while ordinary businesses are held to strict standards, Mr Alaje said. He explained that corporate accounts should only be opened for legally registered businesses with verified documentation. Before a corporate account can be opened, a company must be legally incorporated with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). This includes registration, tax compliance, and the submission of key documents such as the Memorandum and Articles of Association. A registered company is issued a certificate, which is the legal proof of its existence, he said. Banks must verify a companys legal status before processing transactions under the Central Bank of Nigerias Know Your Customer (KYC) guidelines. Mr Alaje said that Indo Kaduna MRTS JVs ability to secure an account and receive payments before its official registration raises concerns about Sterling Banks adherence to due diligence procedures. Banks must verify incorporation details before opening an account. If Indo Kaduna MRTS JV was not legally registered at the time its account was opened and payments were made, then, legally speaking, the company did not exist, he said. He likened the situation to a revenanta company that was effectively dead at the time of the transactions but later came to life after receiving billions of naira. This kind of regulatory lapse should not happen in a properly functioning financial system, he added. Call for regulatory clarity Economist Ilias Aliyu emphasised the need for a clear regulatory framework to address inconsistencies in business registration requirements, particularly concerning financial transactions involving unregistered entities. Mr Aliyu said that while some pre-registered companies exist, the absence of a structured framework has created uncertainty. We should have a regulatory framework that sets out the basic requirements, but it must not be overly complex, he said. He suggested that the framework accommodate different types of entities, including limited companies, non-limited companies, business names, and informal groups, ensuring that all participants operate within a defined legal structure. He further observed that banks sometimes engage with entities that are not formally registered despite existing regulations. There is a gap that needs to be covered to prevent such occurrences in the future, he added. Efforts to get a response from Sterling Bank were unsuccessful, as attempts to reach bank officials yielded no result. Multiple phone calls and text messages sent to officials of the bank were not attended to. Dapo Martins, group chief marketing officer of Sterling Financial HoldCo, did not respond to WhatsApp messages and multiple calls. Jumoke Adekoya of the banks marketing communications unit initially responded to a WhatsApp message requesting the purpose of this newspapers inquiry. However, upon being informed of the concerns raised, she declined to comment on the issue. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has addressed reports alleging unilateral termination of the crude oil sales agreement in Naira between NNPC and Dangote Refinery. The chief corporate communications officer of NNPC Ltd, Olufemi Soneye, in a statement on Monday, made this known in reaction to the reports. In its statement Monday evening, the NNPC Ltd said the contract for the sale of crude oil in Naira was structured as a six-month agreement, subject to availability, and expires at the end of March 2025. Mr Soneye said discussions are currently ongoing towards emplacing a new contract. Under this arrangement, he said NNPC Ltd has made over 48 million barrels of crude oil available to Dangote Refinery since October 2024. In aggregate, he said NNPC Ltd has made over 84 million barrels of crude oil available to the Refinery since its commencement of operations in 2023. 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 NNPC Limited remains committed to supplying crude oil for local refining based on mutually agreed terms and conditions, he said. In July, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) directed NNPC Ltd to engage Dangote Refinery and other local refineries to resolve the dispute over the sale of crude oil to them. READ ALSO: NNPC reduces petrol price The FEC, presided over by President Tinubu, also directed that crude oil sales to the refineries be made in naira and that the refineries, located in Nigeria, sell their refined products to the Nigerian market in naira. In October, the Nigerian government said it had officially commenced the sale of crude oil and refined petroleum products in Naira. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Chimamanda Adichies highly anticipated novel, Dream Count, her first novel in 10 years, has been named an Amazon bestseller whilst dominating global charts. On UK bookshelves, bookshops reported being out of stock within hours of release, and some were selling out within hours following Ms Adichies book signing events. Several posts from fans on TikTok and Instagram reported the event at Waterstones Piccadilly as one of the most hectic book signing sessions in a while, as admirers waited in queues for hours just to meet the award-winning author. From Abuja and Lagos independent bookstores, like Roving Heights to high-street UK retailers like Waterstones and Foyles, copies have been flying off the shelves at record speed. In Nigeria, the response has been just as overwhelming. Narrative Landscape Press, the Nigerian publishers of the book, wrote on their Instagram account, Narrative Landscape is thrilled to announce that the first print run of the Nigerian edition of Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is set to sell out this week, only a few days after its release on 4 March. The overwhelming response has been both exhilarating and humbling for us and we are deeply grateful for the support. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Ms Adichies book tour sessions, including the sold-out session in Southbank Centres Royal Festival Hall in London, where over 3,000 attendees itching to hear the author speak, have also sparked conversations online. Critical Acclaim, recognition Besides the commercial success, Dream Count has also gained positive reviews and is already longlisted for the Womens Prize for Fiction 2025. The New York Times described it as dreamy indeed, an accumulation of scenes and sensations, cloud-like in their contour, capturing the disorienting passage of time during the pandemic. The Guardian praised its richly marbled criss-crossing storylines, which follow four Nigerian women navigating love, trauma, societal expectations, and personal regrets between Nigeria and Washington, D.C. With her signature storytelling prowess, Ms Adichie delivers a novel that is both introspective and deeply resonant. The narrative unfolds with stately virtuosity, continuously revealing new depths to each characters journey. This ability to weave together complex, emotionally charged lives is why Adichie remains one of the most compelling voices in contemporary literature. Readers worldwide have turned to social media to air their responses, further adding to the books steady buzz. Dream Count In a departure from her recent work, particularly the childrens book *Mamas Sleeping Scarf*, *Dream Count* delves into the complex emotions of love and heartbreak experienced by women, encouraging readers to empathize with the characters journeys. The novel follows the lives of four women as they confront the challenging realities of life in distinct ways. Chiamaka, a Nigerian travel writer residing in the United States during the pandemic, reflects on her turbulent past, revisiting old romances and contemplating the missteps that led to her current situation. READ ALSO: Why I didnt announce birth of my twins Chimamanda Adichie Her best friend, Zikora, a devoted Catholic and accomplished lawyer, faces an unexpected betrayal that compels her to seek assistance from an unlikely source. In Nigeria, Chiamakas cousin, Omelogor, a successful financial executive, grapples with lingering doubts about her identity despite her professional achievements. Lastly, Kadiatou, Chiamakas housekeeper, is committed to raising her daughter in America until an unforeseen crisis threatens to unravel the stability she has worked tirelessly to create. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print King Charles III has listed Davidos 2023 hit Kante as one of his favourite songs. The monarch shared a list of his favourite tracks in an exclusive music playlist titled The Kings Music Room, on Monday. Kante is the 10th track off Davidos fourth album, Timeless, which was released in March 2023 and features Fave. The Kings Music Room playlist will be available exclusively on Apple Music in honour of Commonwealth Day 2025, set for 11 March. Earlier, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the playlist, curated by the British monarch himself, showcases a selection of his favourite tracks from artistes across the Commonwealth. Davido is the only Nigerian on the list. 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 king captioned the post, accompanying the video announcing the list, This is music for dancing. Here is the list of songs on the playlist: Bob Marley & The Wailers Could You Be Loved Millie Small My Boy Lollipop Kylie Minogue The Loco-Motion Al Bowlly The Very Thought of You Grace Jones La Vie En Rose Raye Love Me Again Daddy Lumba Mpempem Do Me Davido Kante (feat Fave) Miriam Makeba The Click Song Jools Holland & Ruby Turner My Country Man Anoushka Shankar Indian Summer Siti Nurhaliza Anta Permana Dame Kiri Te Kanawa E Te Iwi E (Call to the People) Michael Buble Havent Met You Yet Arrow Hot Hot Hot Beyonce Crazy in Love (feat Jay-Z) Diana Ross Upside Down Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has unveiled Africas first AI-themed feature film, Makemation, marking a significant milestone for the Nigerian film industry. On Sunday, Mr Sanwo-Olu, who attended the unveiling ceremony in Marina, Lagos, announced that the film, produced by human development expert Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, will debut in cinemas across Nigeria on Easter Weekend, 18 April. We have consistently prioritised the growth of our creative industry and believe that fostering creativity and innovation is crucial for our states development, the governor stated in an X post. By supporting initiatives like this, we aim to promote our talented filmmakers and artists while showcasing technologys immense potential in storytelling. Together, we are building a vibrant creative ecosystem that entertains, drives economic growth, and positions Lagos as a leading hub for the arts in Africa. I am pleased to announce the release of Africas first Tech/AI-themed feature film, Makemation, which will be in cinemas across Nigeria starting Easter Weekend, April 18, 2025. We have consistently prioritised the growth of our creative industry and believe that fostering pic.twitter.com/YiOTCiIrZG Babajide Sanwo-Olu (@jidesanwoolu) March 9, 2025 Directed by Michael Akinrogunde, the AI film features an impressive cast, including Nollywood veterans Richard Mofe-Damijo, Tony Umez, Shaffy Bello, Ibrahim Chatta, Toyin Afolayan, and Ali Nuhu. Makemationis a coming-of-age drama that follows a young girl from a low-income community in Lagos as she navigates the intersection of human experience and artificial intelligence. The film explores how young Africans, especially girls, use AI and technology to address the continents challenges, highlighting AIs transformative role in the fourth industrial revolution. 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 At the unveiling, producer Akerele-Ogunsiji emphasised that the film delves into critical themes such as STEM education, digital skills, financial literacy, and gender equality. Makemation showcases AIs real-world impact. Viewers will see young people designing bras that detect breast cancer. We must move beyond consuming innovation and start building our own, she stated. This film is for the future. Success isnt reserved for a select few. Birthing to life Ms Akerele-Ogunsiji revealed that Makemation was developed with a strong focus on young talent. Putting together an incredible crew of young people in their 20s and 30s was hard work, but I intentionally found them and gave them creative autonomy over the process. You cant face todays challenges with yesterdays knowledge, so it was important to centre these young people in this film, she said. The producer further disclosed that AI played a significant role in the films production. She explained, We used MetaGPT for the script development. AI is integrated into various aspects of the picture, blending generative AI with live action. We want to demonstrate that technology should elevate humanity, not replace creativity. This is just the beginning. I dream that this film will be the definitive creative material that opens the minds of young Nigerians and Africans to the possibilities of technology. Creative Sector investment Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Toke Benson-Awoyinka, underscored the governments investment in the creative sector. She gave a speech at the launch: These programmes are not just about education but about building a workforce that is globally competitive and ready to take centre stage in the creative economy. The commissioner noted that nearly 20,000 young Nigerians have been trained in filmmaking, content creation, and other creative fields through partnerships with institutions such as EbonyLife Academy, Gidi Creatives, AMA Creative Academy, and Delyork Academy. As part of our commitment to elevating Nigerias film industry, we have provided grants to filmmakers to support the production of high-quality films that can compete on the global stage, she added. By investing in local storytelling, we ensure our narratives reach international audiences while creating job opportunities within the industry. Makemation blends pop culture with cutting-edge AI research. Before its release in April, it will premiere in Lagos before expanding to cinemas across Africa, the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East in May. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A Junior Secondary School (JSS) student at Kings College Lagos (KCL) has died following a Diphtheria outbreak in the school. The Chairperson of the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA), Peter Oluwaleye, confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday morning that the student, whose name he did not disclose, passed away last week at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). In a statement dated 9 March, Mr Oluwaleye expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and updated parents on efforts to contain the diseases spread. The issue of Diphtheria disease in the College has actually blown out of proportion in some platforms, but the reality is far from the panic, he noted Regrettably, we lost one of our students at the LUTH last week, despite the combined efforts of the family, college management, PTA executives, and hospital staff. It is highly regretted. May his gentle soul rest in peace. Our sincere condolences to the family and the Kings College community. While the total number of confirmed cases has not been disclosed, Mr Oluwaleye said there are four suspected cases currently at LUTH, with test results pending. 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 Parents concerns Parents had earlier raised concerns over the suspected outbreak after reports emerged of multiple students exhibiting symptoms of the bacterial infection. They attributed the outbreak to poor sanitary conditions in the school and criticised the management for poorly handling the situation. The parents urged the federal government to improve infrastructure, especially WASH facilities, teaching quality, teachers/ staff attitude, and educational standards in the college and other colleges across the country. Meanwhile, in 2023, a similar health scare at Kings College Lagos arose after some JSS1 students reportedly developed blisters and fever, which parents suspected were due to waterborne infections. However, the school management and PTA dismissed claims of an outbreak, stating that the colleges water sources were well-maintained and routinely treated. Response Efforts Mr Oluwaleye, in his statement, acknowledged the students death and assured parents that measures had been taken to contain the spread of the disease. He said prophylactic medication has been provided for students showing symptoms, while representatives from the World Health Organisation (WHO) have donated additional medication for 100 patients. He added that nose masks were distributed to all students, and an isolation centre has been set up within the school premises for suspected cases. An emergency assembly was held where WHO representatives educated students on Diphtheria prevention and symptoms. The school has also implemented WHOs recommendation to establish handwashing stations throughout the premises, with hand sanitisers provided at each point. He added that the academic calendar had been adjusted, with second-term examinations now set to begin Thursday at the main campus and Friday at the annexe, concluding next week. The PTA chairman urged parents to remain calm, assuring them that the situation was under control and that the school was working closely with health authorities to manage the crisis. He also called for prayers and support, expressing optimism that the outbreak would soon be contained. However, an official of the school management at the JSS section, who did not want to be named, said they were not allowed to speak on such matters as civil servants. Diphtheria in Nigeria Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that affects the respiratory system and spreads through coughing, sneezing, or direct contact with an infected person. If untreated, it can lead to severe complications or death. The outbreak at Kings College Lagos comes amid Nigerias ongoing struggle with diphtheria, as reported by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC). Between epidemiological week 19 of 2022 and week 6 of 2025, Nigeria recorded 1,280 deaths and 41,978 suspected diphtheria cases across 350 local government areas in 37 states. Of these, 25,298 cases (60.3 per cent) were confirmed, 7,769 (18.5 per cent) were discarded, 3,561 (8.5 per cent) were pending classification, and 5,350 (12.7 per cent) were unclassified. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has dismissed a report by Africa Independent Television (AIT), which claimed the agency accused the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) of distributing counterfeit medicines. In a statement issued on Sunday, NAFDACs Director General, Mojisola Adeyeye, clarified that her interview with AIT on 1 March had been misrepresented. Mrs Adeyeye emphasised that she never accused the PCN of any wrongdoing during the interview but rather offered a comprehensive legal, regulatory, and historical analysis of both organisations roles. She also highlighted the difficulties in regulating Patent and Proprietary Medicines Vendors (PPMVs), citing fragmented oversight and ongoing legal conflicts as key challenges. Backstory The controversy began after AIT reported that NAFDAC had accused the PCN of being involved in the distribution of counterfeit medicines. The report, which was based on Mrs Adeyeyes interview, suggested that NAFDAC had directly blamed the PCN for lapses in drug regulation. 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 claim quickly spread, raising public concern about a possible breakdown in cooperation between the two regulatory bodies. However, both NAFDAC and the PCN swiftly denied the allegations, describing them as a misrepresentation of the facts. Mrs Adeyeye has clarified that her comments had been taken out of context, adding that she had only provided a perspective on the roles of both organisations in addressing the issue of counterfeit medicines. Request for retraction NAFDAC has strongly criticised AITs report, stating that it misrepresents the agencys position. The report, titled NAFDAC Implicates Pharmacy Council of Nigeria on Counterfeit Medicine Distribution, was met with dismay by the agency. In response, Mrs Adeyeye has demanded an immediate retraction of the report, along with a public apology aired with the same level of prominence as the original story. She further urged the media house to uphold journalistic integrity in its future reporting on NAFDACs activities. She warned that failure to comply would leave the agency with no choice but to take appropriate regulatory and legal action. Mrs Adeyeye reminded the media house of its obligations under the Nigeria Broadcasting Code (6th Edition, 2016), specifically Section 5.0, Subsection 5.1.2, which outlines the ethical and professional standards for news reporting. The agency emphasised that any failure to adhere to these principles constitutes a regulatory breach. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Bishop of Yola Catholic Diocese in Adamawa State, Stephen Mamza, has refuted reports that a man recently arrested for kidnapping two Catholic priests, Taledo Damian, was a mass server or a cleric in the diocese. Mr Mamza told reporters in Yola that the suspect was merely a member of the church and did not hold any official role as a mass server or cleric. PREMIUM TIMES reported on Sunday how the police arrested Mr Damian, 34, for the kidnap of the priests. The police rescued the two priests, Abraham Samman and Mathew David-Dusam of the Catholic Diocese of Yola and Jalingo, respectively, who were found tied up by the suspect. Mr Mamza said on Monday that the church had decided to set the record straight and protect the integrity of the churchs clerics and mass servers. He said themisinformation surrounding the identity of the alleged kidnapper could harm the reputation of those who diligently serve the church in various capacities. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later I want to make it absolutely clear that the kidnapper is not a mass server, nor is he a cleric. He is simply a member of the church. There has been a lot of misinformation about his identity, and it is important to correct this, the bishop stated. Mass servers play a crucial role in church activities, and their reputation should not be unfairly tarnished due to misinformation. Mr Mamza commended the State Security Services (SSS) and local vigilantes for their roles in rescuing the two priests. I want to extend my sincere appreciation to the security agents who played a role in securing the release of the priests. In particular, I give credit to the DSS and the vigilante group in Numan. They carried out the rescue operation, and I am truly grateful for their swift and professional handling of the situation, he said. He said the joint security operatives worked tirelessly from the moment the priests were kidnapped, adding that their coordinated effort led to the breakthrough in the case. Since the priests were kidnapped, we have worked closely with the DSS and vigilante groups in Numan. I am aware of all the steps taken. It was the DSS and vigilante team that stormed the house where the priests were held and successfully rescued them. Additionally, when the kidnapper came to collect ransom, security operatives attempted to apprehend him. He initially escaped but later had an accident with his motorcycle and fled on foot. While attempting to surrender himself to the DSS, he was somehow taken into police custody instead, Mr Mamza narrated. He said the two priests underwent thorough medical examinations following their rescue and were found to be in stable condition. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has issued a new public advisory on Lassa fever following the death of a 31-year-old physician in Ondo State. The physician died a few days after returning from the United Kingdom. In the advisory signed on 9 March by NCDC Director General, Jide Idris, the agency reported that as of 2 March, Nigeria had recorded 535 confirmed cases and 98 deaths across 14 states in 2025. The NCDC noted that Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba and Ebonyi accounted for 91 per cent of infections. According to the latest NCDC situation report on its website, at least 16 healthcare workers had been infected with Lassa fever as of 23 February. Physicians case According to NCDC, the deceased doctor travelled to the UK on 19 February and returned to Nigeria on 27 February. After developing symptoms, he was admitted to a private health facility in Ondo State, where samples were taken on 28 February, but he passed away before his test result confirmed Lassa fever. Samples were taken late on Friday, 28 February on a suspicion of Lassa fever, but the patient unfortunately passed away in the early hours of Saturday, 1 March, NCDC stated. The laboratory investigation returned a result was Lassa Fever positive on PCR on Tuesday, 4 March. 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 disease control centre noted that the physician had travelled to Edo State to visit his fiancee, as well as family and friends, before returning to Ondo. In compliance with the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005), NCDC said it has informed UK health authorities. According to the BBC, UKHSA has placed some individuals under monitoring due to the physicians recent travel history. UKHSA assured the public that Lassa fever does not spread easily between people and that the overall risk remains very low. Ongoing response, international coordination To enhance state and international level coordination of all control and management efforts, NCDC highlighted ongoing response efforts and international coordination. It noted that the Ondo State Ministry of Health has bolstered control and management efforts through contact tracing and line listing of contacts of the confirmed case. NCDC said it has also engaged Port Health Services to monitor individuals who were on the same flight as the deceased. Lassa fever, prevention measures Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease transmitted primarily through contact with infected rodents or contaminated food and household items. It can also spread from person to person, particularly in healthcare settings with inadequate infection control measures. According to NCDC, the natural reservoir for the virus is the multimammate rat (also known as the African rat). Other rodents can also act as carriers of the virus. Symptoms of Lassa fever include fever, headache, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, chest pain, muscle pain, and sore throat. In severe cases, there could be bleeding from the eyes, nose, mouth, and other body openings NCDC urged all Nigerians to take necessary precautions to protect themselves and their communities. It emphasised the importance of keeping homes clean and free of rodents, properly storing food in sealed containers, and maintaining personal hygiene by washing hands regularly. The disease control centre called on healthcare workers to strictly adhere to infection prevention protocols, including the use of personal protective equipment and isolating confirmed cases. Preventing Lassa fever is a shared responsibility. Together, we can reduce the spread of this disease and save lives, it noted. NCDC also advised the public to report suspected cases promptly to local Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers for immediate response and management. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Nigerias trade landscape has been significantly shaped by the contributions of women, both historically and in the modern global economy. These women are transforming the local trade ecosystem and making powerful waves in regional and international trade discussions. From early commerce in local markets to leadership roles in global trade bodies, Nigerian women have been trailblazers, breaking barriers and reshaping the future of trade globally. Historical Contributions of Nigerian Women in Trade In pre-colonial and colonial Nigeria, women played a central role in the trade system, especially within local communities. The influential Nigerian women controlled key industries, from agriculture to textiles, ensuring the circulation of goods in both local and regional markets. For instance, the Igbo women of southeastern Nigeria were critical in the palm oil trade, one of the major export commodities during colonial times. These women were not just traders but were also leaders, actively participating in social and political movements, such as the famous Aba Womens Riot of 1929 and the several demonstrations by women in Abeokuta and its environs, which sought to challenge oppressive colonial taxation policies. Women in these early periods were not only the backbone of Nigerias domestic economy but also played a significant role in regional trade across West Africa. While their contributions were often underappreciated, the enduring legacy of Nigerian women in trade continues to shape the nations modern economy. Leading Women in Trade Today Today, Nigerian women are making waves in the global trade ecosystem, from global trade policy to local entrepreneurship. Their leadership across both public and private sectors is creating new opportunities for Nigerian businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to thrive on the world stage. These women have become pillars of influence in driving the narrative of economic growth, sustainability, and gender equality in trade. 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 Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: A Global Champion for Trade Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is perhaps the most iconic Nigerian woman in todays global trade scene. Serving as the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), she has shattered glass ceilings as the first woman and African to hold the position. Her leadership has reshaped global trade discussions with a focus on inclusivity, equitable access to markets and the needs of developing economies. Before her appointment at the WTO, Mrs Okonjo-Iweala was Nigerias Finance Minister and a prominent figure at the World Bank, where she helped craft policies to reduce poverty and improve financial systems globally. Her work at the WTO, advocating the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and promoting fairer trade rules, has cemented her legacy as one of the most influential women in global trade. Mrs Okonjo-Iwealas journey from local Nigerian markets to the highest level of international trade governance highlights the transformative power of women in global commerce. Jumoke Oduwole, the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment: Empowering Women in Nigeria Jumoke Oduwole is another key figure in the countrys trade ecosystem. As a policymaker, she has been instrumental in formulating Nigerias economic policies that encourage trade growth and investment while simultaneously ensuring that women entrepreneurs are included in the economic mainstream. Under her leadership, Nigeria has worked towards creating a more conducive business environment for both domestic and foreign investors. Her work in international trade agreements, including efforts to promote AfCFTA, has positioned Nigeria to leverage its place in the global economy. She has been a staunch advocate for womens economic inclusion, ensuring Nigerian women have access to the tools and platforms needed to expand their businesses. Kanayo Awani: Leading Intra-African Trade at AFREXIM Kanayo Awani, the Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade, and Export Development at the African Export-Import Bank (AFREXIM), is playing a significant role in reshaping trade across the African continent. AFREXIMs mission is to promote and facilitate intra-African trade, and under Awanis leadership, this vision is being realised through innovative initiatives and support programs for African businesses, especially women-led SMEs. Ms Awani has been a champion for policies that enhance economic integration and increase the ability of women entrepreneurs to participate in continental and global value chains. Through initiatives like the Intra-African Trade Fair, Awani is leading the charge in making Africa more self-reliant and interconnected, ensuring that African countries, including Nigeria, can better capitalise on trade opportunities. Oluranti Doherty: Advancing Export Trade through AFREXIM Ranti Doherty, the managing director of Export Development at AFREXIM, has also emerged as a vital figure in Nigerias trade landscape. With a strong background in export development, Ms Dohertys role at AFREXIM focuses on advancing the continents exports to global markets. Her work spans creating strategic partnerships, providing exporters with access to finance, and promoting African products abroad. She is committed to ensuring that Africa becomes a major player in global trade by expanding its export capacity and promoting African-made goods in international markets. Through her leadership, Ms Doherty is opening new doors for African businesses to reach a wider global audience, including enhancing trade agreements that benefit local women-led businesses. Folasade Ambrose-Medebem: Commissioner for Trade in Lagos As the Honourable Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives in Lagos State, Folasade Ambrose-Medebem has played a pivotal role in improving the states trade infrastructure and boosting its position as an economic hub in Nigeria. Lagos, Nigerias commercial capital, is a key player in the countrys trade ecosystem, and Mrs Ambrose-Medebem has worked tirelessly to promote policies that encourage local and international trade. Her initiatives have particularly focused on empowering women entrepreneurs, helping them navigate the complex world of trade through capacity-building programs and financial support. Weyinmi Eribo: Championing Women Entrepreneurs at the Women Chamber of Commerce Weyinmi Eribo, the director-general of the Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Nigeria (WCCIN), has long been an advocate for the economic empowerment of women in trade. Her efforts to create a platform for women to engage in trade discussions and access markets have been instrumental in breaking down barriers for women entrepreneurs. Through her leadership, the WCCIN has become a vital network for women in trade, providing them with training, resources, and access to financing that helps elevate their businesses. Her work is crucial in ensuring that Nigerian women are not left behind as the global economy increasingly moves toward digitalisation and technological innovation. Chinyere Alumona: Pioneering Business Growth at Lagos Chamber of Commerce Chinyere Alumona, the director-general of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), has also played a key role in advancing trade in Nigeria, particularly in Lagos State. Under her leadership, LCCI has served as a significant advocate for trade policy reforms, especially in the areas of trade facilitation and business networking. Alumona has been instrumental in promoting an inclusive trade environment where women entrepreneurs can thrive, grow their businesses, and participate in high-value markets. Adesuwa Oladoja: Developing Trade Infrastructure in the Lekki Free Zone Adesuwa Oladoja, the managing director of the Lekki Free Zone, is another prominent Nigerian woman in charge of trade development. The Lekki Free Zone in Lagos is one of Nigerias most ambitious trade and industrial development projects, focusing on attracting foreign investment and promoting trade. Mrs Oladojas leadership in managing the zone is transforming it into a dynamic economic hub that facilitates international trade and supports Nigerian businesses, especially in manufacturing and export. Her work is pivotal in ensuring that the Lekki Free Zone becomes a vital gateway for Nigerian goods to global markets, providing Nigerian women entrepreneurs with the opportunities to tap into new supply chains and reach larger international markets. Zahra Mustapha Audu: Director General, Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council. (PEBEC) Promoting Trade Reforms at PEBEC Princess Zahra, a key figure at the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), is working to remove obstacles that hinder Nigerian businesses, especially women entrepreneurs, from thriving in a competitive global marketplace. PEBEC is responsible for driving reforms that improve Nigerias ease of doing business, and Zahras work focuses on ensuring that women-led businesses have equal access to resources, finance and opportunities to expand. Her advocacy for trade reforms is going to be crucial in making Nigerias business environment more inclusive, ensuring that womens voices are heard and their contributions to trade recognized. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe: Empowering Trade Through Financial Services Mrs Onyeali-Ikpe, the chief executive officer of Fidelity Bank, is a supportive female leader who is actively financing and enabling trade in Nigeria. Under her leadership, Fidelity Bank has introduced several initiatives aimed at supporting women entrepreneurs and facilitating access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Mrs Onyeali-Ikpe has championed the cause of women in business by creating tailored financial products that empower women to grow their businesses and participate more actively in trade. Her approach has significantly helped businesses, especially those in trade and export sectors, gain access to the capital and financial support necessary to expand and thrive. By prioritizing financial inclusion and making banking services more accessible to women, Mrs Onyeali-Ikpe is ensuring that women entrepreneurs are not limited by financial barriers, enabling them to participate more fully in the global economy. The Future of Women in Nigerian Trade The influence of women in trade across Nigeria, Africa and the world continues to grow, as the aforementioned women, among others, lead the charge in breaking down barriers and empowering future generations. As Nigerian women occupy positions of leadership, they are laying the foundation for a more inclusive, fair and dynamic trade ecosystem. Their contributions, from policy formulation to facilitating business growth, are indispensable to the success of both the Nigerian and African economies. The ongoing efforts to foster womens participation in trade, signal a brighter future where women lead the way in driving global commerce. The active engagement of supportive leaders will further strengthen the drive to ensure womens access to trade and financial opportunities, reinforcing a transformative vision for Nigerias trade future. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Federal Road Safety Corps says eight passengers were burnt to death in a fatal road accident that occurred at Agbede community, along the Benin-Auchi road, Etsako West Local Government Area. Cyril Mathew, Edo Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), said this on Monday in Benin City Mr Mathew said eyewitness accounts revealed that the accident happened on Sunday when a truck descending the Ewu Hill from Benin towards Auchi experienced a brake failure and crashed into several vehicles trapped in traffic. The impact reportedly ignited a fire, engulfing the vehicles and resulting in multiple casualties. He said the crash involved four vehicles, including two tankers carrying diesel and petroleum products. Based on reports from witnesses, one of the tankers lost its brakes while descending the hill and rammed into other vehicles, sparking a fire, he explained. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later He further disclosed that two people died on the spot, while four others were rushed to the hospital. After the fire was extinguished, he said emergency responders recovered seven bodies, which included the two that died on Sunday. Tragically, one of the injured victims succumbed to his injuries on Monday morning, bringing the total death toll to eight. Eyewitnesses recounted how the truck driver and his assistant shouted, No brake! No brake! before crashing into two other vehicles caught in the traffic. The victims were reportedly trapped in the congestion and they were not involved in any illegal fuel scooping, he said. The FRSC commander commended his personnel and local residents for their swift response, which helped prevent further casualties. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) says information on social media regarding the withdrawal of subsidy for Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is false. The Director-General of NACA, Temitope Ilori, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja. Ms Ilori said the claim that ART will now cost N250,000 per dose, with patients required to pay N500,000 monthly, is false and misleading. We want to categorically state that HIV treatment in Nigeria remains free of charge at government-approved health facilities, she said. We give thanks to donor agencies, including the US Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Global Fund, and other development partners for their continued support. There has been no withdrawal of funding or support from the US Government, USAID, or the World Health Organisation (WHO) regarding HIV treatment in Nigeria. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Ms Ilori reaffirmed the agencys commitment to ensuring uninterrupted access to HIV treatment. She said that the collaboration with donor partners remained steadfast in providing free and accessible HIV treatment to all who needed it. She urged the public to disregard the misinformation and avoid unnecessary panic, adding that NACAS priority is to sustain the progress made in controlling HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. The Director-General also cautioned against the spread of unverified information, as it can cause unnecessary fear and hinder efforts to combat HIV/AIDS. We encourage Nigerians to rely on verified sources for health-related information. NACA remains committed to ensuring that no person living with HIV is denied access to life-saving treatment due to misinformation or fear, she said. She encouraged the public to visit the agencys official website or follow any of their verified social media platforms for accurate and up-to-date information on HIV treatment and prevention. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has urged security agencies to investigate the killing of the Kwara chapter chairman of the association, Idrissu Abubakar. The National President of MACBAN, Baba Ngelzarma, made the call in a statement issued by the National Secretary of the association, Bello Gotomo, on Sunday in Abuja. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the police command in Kwara confirmed the killing of Mr Abubakar. The confirmation was contained in a statement by the commands spokesperson, Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, on Sunday in Ilorin. Mr Abubakar was reportedly shot dead by unidentified gunmen at about 10 p.m. on Saturday in front of his house at Oke Ose, Ilorin East Local Government Area. According to Ms Ejire-Adeyemi, police detectives swiftly responded and recovered five expended 7.62mm shells from the scene. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later She added that his remains had been deposited at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) mortuary. Reacting to the incident, the President of MACBAN condemned the killing of the associations youngest state chairman, who, he said, was committed to peace and advancement of pastoralists in the country. The Miyetti Allah cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) mourns the killing of the Chairman of the Kwara State Chapter, Idrissu Abubakar by unknown gunmen on Saturday night at his house in Ilorin. Idrissu, aged 33, is the second MACBAN Chairman to be killed this year, barely two months after the killing of the newly elected Chairman of Katsina State chapter, Alhaji Sirajo Mairana. The deceased left two wives, six young children and his aged mother, the president said. Mr Ngelzarma described the deceased as a committed member of MACBAN who was looking forward to the transformation of the livestock production system in the country. He said that based on the information gathered by the association, the assailants shot Mr Abubakar in front of his house around 10 p.m. after driving home from Tarawee prayers (fasting congregation prayer). The president condoled with the family of the deceased, the Kwara government and the entire members of the association across the nation. We called on the security agencies to thoroughly investigate this incessant killing of leaders of the association by criminals. In the last two years, MACBAN lost over seven State and Local Government Chairmen to unknown gunmen. The National Vice President of MACBAN, Alhaji Manir Lamido had been missing without trace since 2023 while travelling between Katsina and Kaduna states, he said. Mr Ngelzarma assured that the association would do all it takes to unravel those involved in this dastardly act of cowardice. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has approved 12 April for the partys earlier postponed South-South zonal congress. The partys National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, stated this in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja. Mr Ologunagba said that NWC also approved the shifting of the South-West and North-Central zonal congresses from the earlier scheduled 22 March to 12 April. He said that the zonal congresses would be held simultaneously in Port Harcourt for the South-South zone, Ibadan for the South-West zone and Jos for the North-Central zone. The PDP spokesman said that executive officers and national ex-officio members for the respective zonal chapters would be elected at the congresses, in line with the partys constitution and guidelines. He urged all aspirants, PDP leaders, stakeholders and members in the respective zones, INEC, security agencies and the media to note the dates for the zonal congresses and be guided accordingly. 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 (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The House of Representatives has obtained a commitment from seven major oil companies to settle their outstanding debts totalling $37,435,094.52 (approximately N58 billion) to the Federation Account before August 2025. The spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Akin Rotimi, in a statement on Sunday, said this commitment follows the Public Accounts Committees scrutiny of financial records from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), which flagged significant lapses in royalty payments and reconciliation processes across the sector. It explained that the pledged repayment forms part of a N9 trillion outstanding liability queried by the Auditor General for the Federation in his 2021 report submitted to the National Assembly. The debts, some of which have accrued over a period of four years, highlight long-standing revenue leakages in the oil and gas sector, the statement said. Beyond these seven companies, it said the committees investigation has uncovered $1.7 billion (N2.5 trillion) owed by 45 oil and gas companies in unpaid royalty payments as of 31 December 2024. It listed the seven companies that agreed to settle their debts before August 2025, including Belema Oil, Pan Ocean Oil Nigeria Ltd, Newcross Exploration & Production Ltd, Dubri Oil Company Ltd, Chorus Energy, Amni International and Network Exploration. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later In addition to these companies, nine companies, with a combined outstanding balance of $429.2 million, have contested the figures and requested a reconciliation process with NUPRC to verify their actual liabilities. These companies, according to the statement, include: Aradel/Niger Delta, Chevron, Star Deep, Shore Line, Seplat Producing Unlimited, Esso Erha, Esso Usan, Eroton Exploration and Seplat Energy. The statement said the committee has directed that the reconciliation process be concluded within two weeks, after which companies must settle their confirmed debts without further delay. Furthermore, the statement said a total of 28 companies, collectively owing $1,230,708,293.14, have failed to honour invitations by the committee or respond to public notices. These companies, it said, include: Addax Petroleum Exploration Nigeria Ltd, AITEO Group, All Grace Energy, Amalgamated Oil Company Nigeria Limited, Total E&P Nigeria (OML 100, 102, 52 & 99), Bilton Energy Limited, Enageed Resources Limited, Waltersmith Petroman Limited, Conoil Plc, Continental Oil & Gas Company Ltd, Energia Limited, First E&P Ltd, Frontier Oil Limited, General Hydrocarbons Limited, Green Energy International Ltd, Nigeria Agip Exploration Ltd (NAE), Neconde Energy Limited, Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) OML 60, 61 & 63, Lekoil Oil and Gas Investments Limited, Midwestern Oil and Gas Limited, Millennium Oil and Gas Company Limited, Oando Oil Ltd (OML 60, 61 & 62), Heirs Holding, Pillar Oil Limited, Platform Petroleum Limited, Universal Energy Limited/ Sinpec, Sahara Field Production Limited and Oriental Energy Resources Limited. The statement said the committee has given the affected companies a further grace period of one week to submit all relevant documentation regarding their statutory obligations and appear before the committee. Failure to comply within this timeframe will result in firm legislative and regulatory sanctions to enforce accountability and ensure compliance, it said. ALSO READ: Oil companies seek legislative intervention to stem pipeline vandalism Only two companies, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and Shell Nigeria Exploration & Production, have fully met their royalty obligations. The statement noted that the House Committee on Public Accounts remains steadfast in ensuring that all oil and gas companies operating in Nigeria adhere to statutory payment obligations in line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). The committee will continue to intensify oversight to recover outstanding revenues and plug revenue leakages in the industry. The statement reiterates that companies benefiting from Nigerias natural resources must comply with financial obligations to support national development. It said the necessary legislative measures will be taken to enforce compliance and safeguard public revenue. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Today, the headlines that made the front pages of Nigerian newspapers differ from one another. While Punch reported that Pro-Wike lawmakers give condition to meet Fubara, Tribune reported that Pro-Wike lawmakers give condition to meet Fubara. The major headline on The Nation newspapers front page read, Cold war persists between Fubara and lawmakers. The National Economy reported, Cargo Clearance Cost At Ports Rises By 500% In 5 Years. Address Farmers Challenges Now, Experts Tell FG, Leadership Newspaper said. According to the Liberty newspaper, 10th NASS faces public scrutiny, urged to rebuild credibility. 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 Daily Monitor wrote, ABACHAS FAMILY TO IBB: You were solely responsible for June 12 election annulment. The Matrix said, Natasha Sexual Harassment Brouhaha: Akpabio, Saraki Fight Dirty. On the other hand, This Day reported Fubara Obeys SCourt Order, Invites 27 Rivers Lawmakers for Reconciliation Meet. We Are Solidly Behind Akpoti-Uduaghan Kogi Youth, according to New Nigerian. Some other major headlines are; External reserves decline no deal breaker for investors, Business Day reported. The Sun reported that Catholic bishops warn Tinubu, political leaders. The Point reported, Party stalwarts write off PDP, admit precarious position. Vanguard disclosed How unity schools crashed from glory to dishonour. We thank Abiola Ayankunbi, a media management expert, for providing screenshots of the newspapers front pages. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A man in Akwa Ibom State has allegedly murdered his wife, whom he said was unfaithful to him. The suspect, 42-year-old Victor Okoh, has been arrested by the police in Akwa Ibom. Timfon John, the police spokesperson in the state, disclosed this in a statement on Monday. She said the incident happened on Monday in Oron, a coastal town in the state. She identified the victim as Victoria, 42. She said police operatives knew about the incident through a distress call from residents. On arrival at the scene, officers discovered the mutilated body of the deceased lying outside the house she shared with her husband. Preliminary investigations revealed the suspect allegedly attacked his wife with a machete over accusations of infidelity. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Further reports indicated that the suspect was hiding in the ceiling of the house to evade arrest. The operatives tactically secured the building, forced entry, and successfully apprehended him, Ms John, a deputy superintendent of police, said. She said the police recovered the machete and took photographs of the scene. She said the victims corpse had been deposited at a morgue for an autopsy, and the suspect was detained in police custody while the police were investigating the case. The Commissioner of Police (in Akwa Ibom), Baba Azare, has condemned the act and assured the public that justice will take its full course. He (has) warned against all forms of domestic violence and called on residents to seek lawful means of resolving disputes rather than resorting to violence, the statement said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President Bola Tinubu has renamed the Federal University of Education in Kano the Yusuf Maitama Sule Federal University of Education. Mr Sule, 19292017, contributed significantly to Nigerias socio-political development throughout his illustrious career. He served as Nigerias Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, where he was Chairman of the UN Special Committee Against Apartheid. He also served as chief whip of the Federal House of Representatives (19541959), Leader of Nigerias Delegation to the Conference of Independent States (1960), First Federal Commissioner of Public Complaints (1976), and Minister of Mines and Power. President Tinubu believes that immortalising Mr Sules legacy will inspire younger generations to uphold integrity, patriotism, character, and nationalism. The Federal University of Education, Kano, is one of seven specialised universities of education under the federal government. 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 READ ALSO: Tinubu appoints six chief medical directors for federal hospitals The Kano State Government initially owned it. As a federal university of education, it will continue to play a pivotal role in training teachers, further strengthening Nigerias education sector. Bayo Onanuga Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy) March 10, 2025 Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has again asked the incumbent Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to ensure that allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him are investigated openly and transparently. Mr Saraki insisted that an open and transparent investigation is necessary to uphold the integrity of the Senate and restore public confidence in the legislative institution. The former senate president made these remarks in a statement issued on Sunday by his media aide, Yusuph Olaniyonu. Mr Saraki had earlier asked Mr Akpabio to ensure open probe into the sexual harassment saga. His fresh advice comes in response to Mr Akpabios recent claims that certain individuals from Kwara and Adamawa States wanted him removed as senate president because he hails from the Niger Delta region. While the senate president did not mention names, his statement appeared to have targeted Mr Saraki and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who had urged him to submit to an open probe into the allegations. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Also, Messrs Saraki and Abubakar are the only prominent people from Kwara and Adamawa who had publicly advised Mr Akpabio to submit himself for open investigation into the sexual harassment allegations. The petition In an interview with Arise Television, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that Mr Akpabio made inappropriate advances towards her during a visit to his residence in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on 8 December 2023. On a separate occasion, she further alleged that Mr Akpabio had insinuated that she should take care of him if she wanted her motions to receive favourable consideration on the Senate floor. Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan had officially submitted a petition to the Senate on the allegations against Mr Akpabio. The petition, signed by Zubairu Yaqubu, who described himself as a concerned Nigerian citizen from Kogi Central Senatorial District, accused Mr Akpabio of harassing Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan sexually. It also accused him of abuse of office and obstruction of legislative duties. The senate president, presiding over the plenary that day, referred the matter to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions and directed the committee to report back within four weeks. Shortly after, the Senate voted to suspend Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months over alleged misconduct and refusal to comply with the chambers sitting arrangement during the plenary session on 20 February. Many Nigerians have expressed concerns about the timing of her suspension, with suspicions that it was a retaliatory move linked to her accusations against Mr Akpabio. However, the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, explained that Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for flouting the Senate Standing Rules and not over allegations of sexual harassment against Mr Akpabio Saraki stands by his advice Mr Saraki said he stood by his earlier advice to Mr Akpabio with the argument that a transparent investigation on the issue is essential to ensuring that the Senate is not perceived as an institution that tolerates sexual harassment, gender bias, victimisation, or abuse of power. Once again, Dr. Saraki maintains his earlier suggestion to Akpabio and the Senate leadership on the allegations raised by the Senator from Kogi State. An open, transparent, and honest investigation of the allegations is still needed to ensure that the Senate is not cast in the image of an institution that is tolerant of sexual harassment, gender bias, victimisation and mistreatment of women, abuse of office, and enthronement of the culture of silence, he said. Mr Saraki emphasised that such an investigation would promote public trust and reassure the international community of Nigerias commitment to justice and institutional integrity. By having such an investigation, the general public and the international community will have more confidence in our legislative institution. People like Dr. Saraki have made huge sacrifices in defending the integrity of the legislative institution and will not desist in speaking up for the right thing to be done. May God bless our institutions and our country. Not a political or ethnic issue Mr Saraki insisted that his position was driven solely by the need to protect the credibility of the Senate and not based on political or ethnic sentiments. He argued that he would have given the same advice regardless of Mr Akpabios political affiliation or regional background. Again, Dr. Saraki is of the firm belief that his suggestions are for the benefit of the legislative institution. So, he will repeat the same suggestion no matter where the Senate President comes from and whichever party he belongs to. It is not because the incumbent is a member of the APC, that the former Senate President is from the PDP or that the former is from the South-south zone while the latter is from the North-central zone. Far from it. It is disingenuous and crude to describe Dr. Sarakis comment along those primordial lines. This issue is definitely not one in which Akpabio should exploit ethnic sentiments, political division, or regional proclivity. This will neither be in his own interest nor that of the institution over which he is presiding. He should face the reality on the ground and do what is right, the statement said. Mr Saraki further stressed that sexual harassment and gender discrimination are serious issues that affect countless women daily, and as such, they must be handled with transparency. The former Senate President believes that when a sensitive matter suggesting sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and mistreatment of women comes up anywhere, it evokes the pains that thousands of women across the nooks and crannies of our society experience daily. Thus, when it is raised in a place like the legislative institution, it is an opportunity for us to handle it with utmost openness and transparency to ensure that justice is not only done but glaringly seen to be done, the statement said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Ogun State Government has commended the federal government for its decision to adopt the Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) as a federal institution. Governor Dapo Abiodun said the move would transform the specialised institution in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade. Mr Abiodun also reaffirmed his administrations commitment to education advancement, emphasising that TASUED will continue to serve as a centre of excellence in teacher education. The transition is expected to attract increased funding, enhance infrastructure development, and elevate TASUEDs national recognition, further solidifying Ogun States status as a hub for academic excellence in Nigeria, the statement said. FG adopts TASUED The Federal Government officially adopted TASUED as a federal university following an invitation from the Ogun State Government. TASUED was established by the Ogun State Government in 2005 as Nigerias first specialised university of education and named after Tai Solarin, a revered activist and the founder of Mayflower School in Ikenne. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later According to Bayo Onanuga, special adviser on information and strategy to President Bola Tinubu, TASUED is the first federally owned tertiary school in Ogun-East senatorial district. With a well-developed infrastructure and academic programme, the transition requires minimal federal investment, Mr Onanuga noted. It is an opportunity for the Federal Government to honour Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who began the revolutionary free education programme in Western Nigeria and Tai Solarin, who spent most of his life educating our children and impacting patriotic and leadership lessons in them at Mayflower School in Ikenne. It is also in honour of the Awujale of Ijebuland, who played a critical role in preventing the universitys closure in 2012, just seven years after its establishment, he added. President Tinubu emphasised that TASUEDs transition into a federal university of education is a strategic step in the federal governments commitment to bolster teacher education and enhance the quality of instruction across all educational levels. With TASUEDs new status, the federal government now oversees three universities of education: Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education in Owerri and Adeyemi Federal University of Education in Ondo. The adoption of TASUED brings the total number of new federal universities of education to seven. These Universities are: Federal University of Education, Kano, Kano State; Federal University of Education, Zaria, Kaduna State; Adeyemi University of Education, Ondo, Ondo State; Alvan Ikoku University of Education, Owerri, Imo State; Federal University of Education, Pankshin, Plateau State; and the Federal University of Education, Kontagora, Niger State. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print There are some notable high-profile cases coming up in courts this week. These cases are criminal and civil in nature. The criminal cases include money laundering, political debacle, abuse of office, and cybercrime. The cases have also spent between two months and three years in courts. Below are the cases. Hadi Sirika On 10 March, the trial of a former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, will continue at the Federal High Court in Abuja, with the cross- examination of a prosecution witness. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later In May 2024, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested Mr Sirika, Mr Sirika, who served as minister during the two terms of former President Buharis administration, alongside his daughter, Fatima Sirika and her husband, Jalal Hamma. The EFCC subsequently charged them with fraudulent contract awards amounting to billions of naira. The anti-graft agency accused the former minister of using his position to influence the award of a contract, for the Apron Extension at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1,498,300,750 to Al Buraq Global Investment Limited linked to his daughter and her husband. One of the offences is said to contravene section 12 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Act, which criminalises the act of a public officer knowingly owning or having a personal interest in a contract linked to their office. Such an individual upon conviction is liable to seven years imprisonment. Five prosecution witnesses have testified in court, the recent being a retired director in the Procurement Department of the Ministry of Aviation, Musa Odiniyan. PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Odiniyan told the court that the company would not have qualified for the contract if a transparent and competitive bidding process had been conducted. Momphas case Popular Nigerian internet celebrity Ismaila Mustaphas case is set to come up on 13 March. Mr Mustaphas case has been lingering in court for three years. The EFCC arrested him on 10 January 2022 and arraigned him on 12 January alongside his company Ismalob Global Investment Limited. The anti-graft agency charged Mr Mustapha with eight counts, including conspiracy to launder over N5 billion. The EFCC accused him of using a fake document, Select Milk PRODUCER J.P Morgan to defraud Continental Diary Facilitate Southwest LLC. The anti-graft agency accused Mr Mustapha of conspiring with Olayinka Jimoh, known as Nappy Boy, to retain N52 million believed to be proceeds of fraud. On 3 February, the EFCC presented the sixth prosecution witness, Idi Musa, an EFCC operative who tendered in evidence document from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Obasas suit hearing Another major case coming up in court on 10 March is that of the reinstated Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa. He was earlier removed while he was out of the country and the assembly was at recess. Mr Obasa filed the suit following his removal on the grounds of fraud, high-handedness, abuse of office and gross misconduct. In the suit, he contested the legality of his removal, suing Lagos State lawmakers and the former Speaker who replaced him, Mojisola Meranda. PREMIUM TIMES reported a meeting held by Mr Obasa, Ms Meranda, other lawmakers, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, and the leaders of the state chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the chambers before Mr Obasas comeback. However, it is uncertain how the court proceedings will unfold following Mr Obasas reinstatement as Speaker. Foreign nationals allegedly involved in cybercrime The trial of 14 Filipinos from a 792-member syndicate, arrested for various crimes, including cybercrime, impersonation, identity theft and possession of false documents in Lagos last December, will commence on 13 March before the Federal High Court in Lagos. After the arrest of the suspects on 10 December 2024, EFCC has arraigned many of them before various judges of the Federal High Court in Lagos in batches. The Filipino suspects are Marj Maranga, Zara Fabian, Jonalyn Mendoza, Dominique Medina, Rachelle Cabalona, Krystel Aquilesca, Caselyn Pionela, Raizza Camara, Danica Silad, Reyna Mae Eriba, Chynna Samonte, Mary Grace Dela Cruz, Sevien Cire Renovilla, and Rose-Ann Gonzales. The suspects are facing charges of cybercrime, impersonation, identity theft and possession of false documents. They had all pleaded not guilty to these offences which is contrary to sections 18 and 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015. Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 criminalises the act of fraudulently issuing electronic instruction without authorisation and 22(2)(b) of the same act criminalises identity theft and impersonation. Similarly, another 11 foreign nationals among the 792 member syndicate will also be appearing before the Federal High Court in Lagos on 14 March. They are Li Niu, Yuan Zhibin, Zebin Chen, Gao Yang, Wang Wei Tong Mo Ying, Huan Livo, Li Hang, Xiao Yi, Fu Zheng Yang, Bei Bei Linde Jun and Xiao Qinyun. They also face the same charges as the 14 Filipinos. The impersonation offence included in the charges is contrary to Section 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006. The fraud charges are punishable under section 1 (3) of the same Act. Section 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 criminalises impersonation and identity theft and is liable to not less than seven years and not more than 20 years imprisonment without an option of fine under Section 1(3) of the same act. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The US government has officially terminated 83 per cent of the programmes run by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It has also cancelled 5,200 contracts initially awarded by the agency to several organisations. This development comes several weeks after the suspension of all foreign assistance and the issuance of a stop-work order on the agency. In a post on X on Monday, the countrys Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, announced that the US Department of State, along with Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), made this decision after a six-week review of the agencys activities. The 5,200 contracts that are now cancelled spent tens of billions of dollars in ways that did not serve, (and in some cases even harmed), the core national interests of the United States, he said. In consultation with Congress, we intend for the remaining 18% of programmes we are keeping (approximately 1,000) to be administered more effectively under the State Department, MrRubio further wrote. 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 Suspension of USAID programmes Due to the drastic elimination of numerous USAID programmes, many international projects dedicated to health, education, and humanitarian relief worldwide that were initially suspended will now end. The suspension of foreign assistance raised global concerns and alarmed many African developing countries, which depended heavily on US foreign aid. In Nigeria, clinics and research centres shut down following President Donald Trumps executive order on January 20. PREMIUM TIMES also reported that intervention programmes were abruptly suspended, community health workers lost their jobs, and USAID health workers deployed to hard-to-reach areas were recalled. Additionally, humanitarian aid dwindled, leaving vulnerable groups without essential support. Many had hoped the aid freeze and stop-work order would be lifted after 90 days. However, Mr Rubios recent announcement confirms the ultimate elimination of several USAID-funded programmes. Nigeria govts effort Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has begun working to bridge the funding gap created by the new US policies. The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) earlier announced its plan to strengthen its domestic HIV response and produce HIV-related medical tools, including test kits and antiretroviral drugs. On 3 February, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved $1.07 billion to finance the healthcare sector reforms under the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (HOPE) programme. PREMIUM TIMES reported that Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, disclosed that FEC also approved N4.8 billion for HIV treatment. As part of government efforts to address the funding gap, the Nigerian Senate also recently allocated an additional N300 billion to the health sector in the 2025 budget. The additional allocation, equivalent to $200 million, will target health programmes such as Tuberculosis, HIV, Malaria and Polio. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Mark Carney, former governor of the Canadian central bank and Bank of England, has been elected leader of the ruling Liberal Party and will replace Justin Trudeau as prime minister. PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported Mr PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported Mr Trudeaus decision to step down as leader of the Liberal Party. Trudeaus decision to step down as leader of the Liberal Party. Mr Carneys election on Sunday ended Mr Trudeaus eight-year administration as Prime Minister. The former banker won the election on Sunday with 85.9 per cent of the vote, defeating Chrystia Freeland, the former finance minister, and his closest rival. 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 election marks the first time an outsider with no real political background has become Canadian prime minister. Speaking on Sunday, Mr Carney said his experience as the first person to serve as the governor of two G7 central banksCanada and Englandmade him the best candidate to deal with US President Donald Trump. The new prime minister is assuming leadership during a turbulent period in Canada. The country faces a trade war with its longtime ally, the United States. It is also preparing for an upcoming general election. After his election, Mr Carney described Trump as one seeking to weaken the Canadian economy. Hes attacking Canadian workers, families, and businesses. We cant let him succeed. This wont be business as usual, Mr Carney said. We will have to do things that we havent imagined before, at speeds we didnt think possible. US-Canada trade war Last week, President Donald Trumps 25 per cent blanket tariffs on goods imported from Canada, the US, Mexico, and China erupted into a trade war. Canada responded swiftly, imposing a tariff on $30 billion of US goods. It also announced an additional $125 billion tariff on American goods, which will take effect on March 25. The premier of Ontario, Canadas largest province, Doug Ford, also declared that the country is ready to cut off energy supply to the US in response to President Trumps tariffs. If they want to try to annihilate Ontario, I will do everything, including cutting off their energy, with a smile on my face. And Im encouraging every other province to do the same, Mr Ford said. China also responded with a 15 per cent tariff on chicken, wheat, corn, and cotton imports. Last Thursday, however, President Trump paused tariffs on several imports from Mexico and Canada covered by the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA) for a month. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Nigerian government has raised concerns over the growing burden of Glaucoma, warning that almost all Nigerians are at risk due to genetic predisposition and other contributing factors. The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, while speaking at a press briefing to commemorate the 2025 World Glaucoma Week (WGW) in Abuja on Monday, said virtually all Nigerians are at risk of Glaucoma, a leading cause of irreversible blindness. Mr Salako, represented by the Director, Port Health Division of the ministry, Michael Akpan, noted that Glaucoma is reported to affect an estimated 60.5 million people worldwide, about 87 per cent of which are living in developing countries, including Nigeria. He said according to the Nigerian blindness and visual impairment survey 2005-2007, Glaucoma accounts for 16.7 per cent of blindness in the country. The risk factors associated with Glaucoma include African ancestry, which means virtually all Nigerians are at risk and increasing age (over 40 years), the minister said. Additional risk factors include family history of glaucoma, elevated eye pressure, medical conditions that predispose a person to glaucoma such as diabetes and hypertension, refractive errors, eye injuries, thin corneas and prolonged use of corticosteroid eye drops. He explained that recent studies are reporting an earlier onset of the disease and a more severe course in persons of African descent. About Glaucoma Glaucoma is an eye condition in which the optic nerve is progressively and irreversibly damaged, resulting in loss of peripheral vision in the beginning and blindness at advanced stages. 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 is the second most common cause of blindness and the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. It is, however, manageable if detected early. World Glaucoma Week WGW is marked every second week of March to emphasise the importance of regular eye checks and early diagnosis of the largely asymptomatic and devastating disease. The theme for the 2025 WGW is Uniting for a glaucoma-free world; see the future clearly. Mr Salako said that to commemorate the WGW week, the ministry aims to educate the public about Glaucoma and the importance of regular eye check-ups and offer screening and spectacles when required. Employing targeted strategy Mr Salako said the ministry is keenly aware of specific factors that put Nigerians at risk of vision loss and has worked assiduously over the years by supporting and implementing targeted screening, public awareness programmes and advocacy. He said the ministry has also been improving patient journey through the health system, leveraging technology and setting research priorities to improve patient outcomes. He noted that the ministry recently developed and launched the National Glaucoma Screening and Treatment Guidelines to offer clinical and programmatic guidance for screening and management. In her keynote address, the Permanent Secretary at the ministry, Daju Kachollom, urged Nigerians to take action by scheduling a routine comprehensive eye examination to prevent vision loss caused by Glaucoma. Ms Kachollom, represented by the National Coordinator, National Eye Health Programme, Oteri Okolo, said many persons were diagnosed with Glaucoma at a late stage. The impact on their vision and life is often significant and a stark reminder of how crucial early detection is. This experience should fuel our passion for raising awareness about this condition and advocating for regular eye check-ups. In her remarks, Ms Okolo emphasised the need to combat Glaucoma-related blindness in Nigeria. She explained that this irreversible blindness, where not detected early and where not treated, has truly been a critical issue for the health sector. She noted that the ministry has taken proactive steps by gathering key stakeholders to raise awareness and develop policies aimed at preventing blindness from Glaucoma. She urged all attendees to become advocates for Glaucoma awareness, envisioning a future where no Nigerian loses their sight to this preventable disease. As part of the ministrys responsibilities to create awareness and to formulate policy and develop interventions to tackle this disease, we have decided to call on all key stakeholders to come to this room, get to know what the ministry is doing to tackle this disease, and generally encourage each and every one of us to be a campaigner for Glaucoma to ensure we preserve vision for every single Nigerian, she said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Thousands of residents of Ilaje Otumara and Baba Ijora communities in Lagos Mainland have been forcibly evicted following a large-scale demolition exercise by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA). In a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Monday, a coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) and community leaders said this action contradicts previous government assurances that residents would not be displaced. They condemned the demolition, stating it was carried out without prior notice on 7 March. The coalition alleged that residents were beaten, their homes and businesses destroyed, and their belongings looted. We, the undersigned, stand with the people of Ilaje Otumara and Baba Ijora to condemn this mass forced eviction. It violates existing court orders and betrays years of engagement with the government, which had promised a win-win regeneration plan for the area, the statement read. The organisations behind the statement include Justice & Empowerment Initiatives (JEI), Nigerian Slum/Informal Settlement Federation, Centre for Childrens Health, Education, Orientation, and Protection (CEE-HOPE), Lagos Urban Development Initiative (LUDI), Global Rights, and Enough is Enough (EiE) Nigeria. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Broken promises and ignored protests According to the statement, LASBCA officials marked homes for demolition on 11 February, giving residents just two days notice before the operation began. Alarmed by the looming eviction, Mariam Alo of JEI stated that the residents protested at the Lagos Mainland Local Government office, where the chairperson pledged support. She also said residents demonstrated at the Lagos State Government Secretariat in Alausa, appealing to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the State House of Assembly to intervene. Ms Alo said the leaders of the community met with senior officials of the Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency (LASURA) and the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, who assured them they would not be evicted. However, she said despite these assurances, LASBCA officials, police officers, and armed thugs stormed the communities, demolishing structures. The statement alleged that journalists from two international media outlets were blocked from covering the event, with one reporter assaulted. The eviction took place in the middle of Ramadan and Lent, during the worst economic crisis Nigeria has faced in decades. It has left thousands of people sleeping on the streets, vulnerable to looting, sexual assault, and disease, Ms Alo on behalf of the CSOs stated. A pattern of forced evictions The statement explained that the forced evictions of Ilaje Otumara and Baba Ijora are not isolated incidents. They said that similar demolitions occurred in Oworonshoki (2023), Orisunmibare (February 2024), Otto (March 2024), and Oko Baba (September 2024). In 2017, the Lagos State High Court ruled that forced evictions without proper consultation violated the right to dignity under Section 34 of the Nigerian Constitution. They said the ruling came after the 2016-17 Otodo Gbame evictions, where thousands of waterfront dwellers were displaced. The coalition accused powerful land-owning families and corrupt private developers of using government agencies to displace poor residents for financial gain. This signals a return to an era when government assurances meant nothing, and residents must assume that their homes will be seized when powerful interests intervene, the statement read. Call for action The CSOs demanded an immediate halt to evictions, emergency relief for affected residents, and the rebuilding of destroyed communities. As of press time, the Lagos State Government had not issued an official statement on the demolition. Not the First Time This is not the first time the Lagos State Government has carried out demolitions without prior notice. In May 2024, officials demolished Ipakere in Noforija, Eredo Local Council Development Area of Epe. The New Town Development Authority (NTDA) reportedly ignored residents appeals for an explanation before proceeding with the demolition in August 2024. Bolarinwa Oluwasegun, Chairman of the Ipakere Community Development Association, lamented: We have lived here peacefully for over 12 years. They entered our community in May and marked buildings without any explanation. In August, they returned and asked us to evacuate before carrying out the demolition. Similarly, residents of the Ayetoro community, about 3000, have also decried the destruction of their homes without warning. Additionally, over 600 traders and 350 shops have been affected by recent demolitions carried out by Lagos State government agencies. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Federal High Court in Akure has dismissed the suit challenging the eligibility of the Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa and his deputy, Olaiyide Adelami, for the 16 November 2024 governorship election in the state. Trial judge Toyin Adegoke, while dismissing the suit, said the plaintiff, Olugbenga Edema, failed to obey an order earlier made by the court. Mr Edema was the candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the governorship election. He had sought the courts order to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the nomination and the publication of the names of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his deputy as candidates. Mr Edema, in the suit, asked the court to interpret the applicability of Section 15 of the Third Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) over the nomination of the APC candidates. The suit had Mr Edema and NNPP as plaintiffs, just as it had Mr Aiyedatiwa, Mr Adelami, INEC, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as defendants. However, midway through the consideration of the matter, the NNPP, the second plaintiff, sought to be withdrawn, and its name was struck out as one of the plaintiffs. The court expressly granted the request. The court also ordered the plaintiff to adjust his pleadings before the court. 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 But when the case came up for hearing on Monday, the counsel to the plaintiff, Soladoye Ekundayo, said he had filed an appeal against the court ruling that struck out the name of NNPP from the suit. He told the court to grant an adjournment for the plaintiff to amend his pleadings. But counsel to Messrs Aiyedatiwa, Adelami, INEC and APC, Charles Edosanwon, Banjo Aiyenakin, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, and Remi Olatubora asked the court to dismiss the suit for want of diligent prosecution. Mr Edosomwan, who led the defendants, said the order at the last adjourned date was for the parties to make consequential adjustments to their pleas, having struck out the name of the first plaintiff from the suit. He said the fact that an appeal had been filed was not a stay of proceeding but added the plaintiff had not made any application before the court and asked the court to dismiss the case. He said the case must end so the parties could take all the issues to the Court of Appeal. During the proceedings, Mr Aiyenakin concurred with Mr Edosomwans arguments, emphasising that the plaintiffs failure to amend their pleadings constituted a disregard for the courts lawful directive. He argued that this inaction effectively amounted to an abandonment of the case. Mr Olatubora similarly supported the defendants position, asserting that his client had responded to the plaintiffs claims through a counter-affidavit. He further stated that all parties had submitted their pleadings and presented evidence. Mr Aiyenakin stated that the case had legally reached a point of no return. Mr Adegboruwa added that the court-ordered adjustments to the plaintiffs case, due by 18th February, had not been made as of 10th March. He urged the court to dismiss the case because of a lack of diligent prosecution and non-compliance with the courts order. He further argued that since the appeal was interlocutory (an appeal made during the case), it did not halt the hearing of the main lawsuit. Judge Adegoke ruled that a notice of appeal does not automatically halt proceedings and noted the absence of an affidavit supporting the claim of a pending appeal. She criticised the plaintiffs disregard for the courts order as self-serving and stated that the failure to amend the pleadings significantly impacted the case. Consequently, she dismissed the suit and imposed a N100,000 fine on the plaintiff, stating they did not warrant an adjournment. This case stemmed from Mr Edema, now the NNPP candidate, challenging Governor Aiyedatiwas APC governorship ticket. Mr Edema alleged the APC ticket was fraudulently obtained, a claim Mr Aiyedatiwa strongly refuted. Mr Edema had switched parties after losing the APC primaries. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Former Minister of Works, Adeseye Ogunlewe, has weighed in on the ongoing controversy surrounding the sexual harassment allegations involving Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio. PREMIUM TIMES reported that during an interview on Arise Television, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that Mr Akpabio sexually harassed her. The lawmaker was suspended for six months, effective 6 March, following the Senates consideration of a report presented by Neda Imasuen, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions. However, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele refuted claims that her suspension was linked to the harassment allegation. He maintained that she was suspended solely due to persistent misconduct, disregard for Senate rules and gross indiscipline. Speaking on Arise Televisions The Morning Show on Monday, the former senator shared his perspective on why Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan often faced incidents of sexual harassment. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Mr Ogunlewe said: The beauty of distinguished Senator Natasha is a problem for her because when someone beautiful passes by men, their (men) attitudes change. They can smile, but they may not talk to her. But Natashas beauty is a problem for her, and theres no doubt about that. To men, when she (Natasha) is passing, theres no way they will not look at her, but they may not talk to her. Its a natural thing for men to look at a beautiful woman because how can you be a man, and when a beautiful woman is passing, you close your eyes? You might tag it as anything, but its inborn for men to look at women when they pass by. Suspension However, Mr Ogunlewe, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), condemned Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghans suspension. The 81-year-old noted that during his tenure in the Senate, female senators did not perceive themselves as inferior to their male counterparts, citing Ita Giwa and others as examples. The harassment didnt happen in the Senate because she said it happened when she visited Senate President Godswill Akpabios home, and thats a different matter. The committee rushed the whole process because they knew what they were doing. They knew that they had to consult widely because theres a committee on judiciary and legal matters in the Senate that should have looked into the matter and said the suspension was impossible. There is precedent because how can you commit an offence and know its against the law? said the University of Ibadan alumnus. Ignorance Additionally, he stated that the conditions imposed by the committee for Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghans six-month suspension demonstrated the members ignorance. Mr Ogunlewe noted, The committee didnt elect Natasha, and the way the committee spoke shows ignorance and a violation of Natashas privilegesaying that she shouldnt parade herself as a senator again. One does not doubt that the committees Chairman was under the influence of the Senate President. The suspension wasnt done normally; it was predetermined, and they knew where they were going. They put themselves before the public as disorganised people. They should not have rushed things when they knew their biases would be exposed. They were not serious because thats what they exhibited. He further condemned the haste in Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghans suspension, emphasising that the committee should have exercised more caution and deliberation. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Gunmen, suspected to be bandits, in the early hours of Saturday, attacked four communities in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, leaving in their trail dead bodies. The affected communities are Aba Alajido, Aba Sunday, Aba Pastor and Ademekun in the Akure North LGA. It was reported that scores of people living in the communities were killed in the midnight attack. Speaking with the journalists in Akure, a resident of one of the attacked communities, who simply identified himself as Sunday, said that many people were feared killed by the bandits. He said that many residents in the communities fled their homes to seek refuge in the bush. Sunday explained that the attack started last week Monday, but a fresh one was launched on Friday night without anybody stopping them. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later They attacked our communities on Friday night when everyone was asleep, they opened gun fire on anyone in sight. So many ran into the bush for safety while some unlucky ones were killed in the villages. On Sunday, security men came around and recovered some of the corpses. Many people are missing and have still not been accounted for. If they search further, they will still find more dead bodies in the bush, he said. Confirming the incident, Funmilayo Odunlami, a chief superintendent of police and Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, said investigation had started while men of the command were already in the area to restore normalcy. She said that the attack on Aba Pastor community was reported to the police on Saturday. Immediately, the command swung into action to ensure normalcy was restored and the perpetrators arrested, Ms Odunlami said. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Federal High Court in Ilorin, Kwara State, has convicted and sentenced two Chinese nationals to two years imprisonment for illegal mining, but offered them an option of fine. The trial judge also ordered the convicts to remit N14 million in royalties to the federal government. The judge also ordered the forfeiture of all solid minerals found on the premises of their company in Ogun State to be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria. The prosecuting agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), named the convicts as Yang Chao and Wu Shan Chuan in a press statement released on Monday. The EFCC had charged the duo alongside their company Crius Chemical Nigeria Limited with one count of dealing in illegal solid minerals mining, an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 134(b) of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007. Section 134(b) of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007 criminalises the act of mingling with samples or ore, any substances that may enhance the value or change the nature of the ore, to cheat or defraud. Anyone found guilty is liable to two years imprisonment or a fine of N500,000. 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 convicts pleaded guilty to the charges. The prosecuting counsel, Sesan Ola, then presented a witness and tendered evidence to support the case, following which the trial judge, Abimbola Awogboro, convicted and sentenced the two defendants. The judge gave the convicts an option of paying a fine of N1 million and extended the same to the company, Crius Chemical Nigeria Limited. Illegal mining, threat to Nigerias economy Illegal mining refers to mining without legal authorisation. It has been described as a threat to the economy of the nation. Foreign nationals have been involved in illegal mining in the country. In October 2022, the Managing Director of Sinuo Xinyang Nigeria Ltd., Dang Deng, was convicted of possessing 25 tons of illegally mined minerals. Despite this conviction, the involvement of foreigners in illegal mining persists. In September 2024, the EFCC arrested five Chinese nationals accused of illegal mining in Ndito-Eka-Iba village, in Ibiono Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. They were allegedly involved in operating at an illegal mining site where they were extracting ilmenite, a mineral composed of titanium-iron oxide. Similarly, in October 2024, three Chinese nationals alongside two Nigerians were arrested at a mining site located at Rafin-Gabas, Agwada Area Council in Kokona LGA of Nasarawa State. They were caught mining fluorite, zinc, lead, and tin. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Resolving these structural issues requires urgency. Nigerias energy sector cannot thrive without clear policies, accountable institutions, and a coordinated effort to support local refiners. Only then can Nigeria secure competitive pricing for petroleum products and protect consumers from prolonged economic hardship. Can Nigeria become a competitive producer and supplier of petroleum products for both domestic and international markets? This question has become increasingly urgent as the country grapples with persistent pricing uncertainties and structural flaws in its energy sector. For Nigeria to harness its full potential in the global hydrocarbon industry, policymakers and energy experts must address the misalignment that continues to undermine its growth and stability. A major challenge lies in Nigerias upstream hydrocarbon exploration and production sector, where investment has been inconsistent and poorly managed. The limited funds that have flowed into the sector have often been mismanaged by the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited. Meanwhile, Nigerias longstanding upstream joint venture (JV) agreements have become outdated and unattractive to international oil companies, many of which have chosen to exit these arrangements. This structural misalignment has hampered crude oil and natural gas production, affecting both domestic supply and export volumes. Compounding this challenge is the delay in reforming Nigerias petroleum laws. The Nigerian Petroleum Act (1969) remained largely unchanged for decades, and while the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) of 2021 sought to address this, its implementation has been mired in political interference. Key issues such as the abolition of the Petroleum Equalisation Fund and the long-standing subsidy regime remain unresolved. These uncertainties persist partly because there are no reliable records of petroleum product volumes from NNPC and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). As a result, policymakers have struggled to develop a transparent, data-driven approach to managing supply and pricing. Unresolved subsidy claims and equalisation fund entitlements continue to weigh heavily on the national treasury. While these issues are largely domestic and political, they have significantly impaired Nigerias investment environment. President Bola Tinubus decision to end the fuel subsidy was a bold and necessary move, but years of delay in implementing reforms have left Nigeria trailing behind global industry advancements. Today, Nigeria faces a critical challenge: balancing domestic energy demands with export commitments. Crude oil production has fallen to an average of 1.6 million barrels per day (bpd), barely meeting the countrys OPEC allocation. This shortfall has made it difficult to supply local refineries with sufficient crude oil and natural gas, further stalling production at facilities such as the Nigeria LNG plant. 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 Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Complex in Lagos stands out as a major development, alongside notable players such as Seplat, Aradel, Conoil, Aiteo, Waltersmith, Heritage Oil, First E&P, Sahara Energy, and Green Energy. However, these investors have faced significant losses due to bureaucratic bottlenecks and weak regulatory oversight. Transparency deficits in hydrocarbon accounting, environmental assessments, and community engagement frameworks have also contributed to Nigerias energy woes. NNPCs neglected assets including oil blocks, refineries, pipelines, and storage depots have deteriorated, compounding the countrys reliance on imported petroleum products for over two decades. This dependence has distorted Nigerias competitive advantage in petroleum pricing. Despite these challenges, local investors have recognised opportunities within Nigerias upstream and midstream sectors. The Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Complex in Lagos stands out as a major development, alongside notable players such as Seplat, Aradel, Conoil, Aiteo, Waltersmith, Heritage Oil, First E&P, Sahara Energy, and Green Energy. However, these investors have faced significant losses due to bureaucratic bottlenecks and weak regulatory oversight. The launch of the 650,000 bpd Dangote Refinery has disrupted Nigerias long-standing reliance on PMS imports. Yet smaller refineries in Rivers, Imo, and Delta states have struggled to produce enough petroleum products to meet national demand. Meanwhile, the government-owned refineries in Warri, Port Harcourt, and Kaduna have remained largely inactive despite costly rehabilitation efforts. While the recently reopened 60,000 bpd Port Harcourt refinery was celebrated with much fanfare, concerns persist over whether it will ever achieve optimal productivity. The status of rehabilitation efforts at the 150,000 bpd Port Harcourt Refinery, 125,000 bpd Warri Refinery, and 110,000 bpd Kaduna Refinery remains unclear. Nigerias declining crude oil output poses a significant threat to energy security. With an average production of 1.6 million bpd, there is barely enough crude to meet both local refinery needs and international supply agreements. The Federal Governments recent approval of the naira-for-crude scheme, which aims to allocate 450,000 bpd to local refineries, is a step in the right direction. However, compliance with this directive remains fragile. Without sufficient domestic crude supply, the Dangote Refinery may be forced to source crude internationally and pay in US dollars. This would ultimately lead to PMS being priced in dollars, undermining the potential benefits of the naira-for-crude scheme. The Dangote Refinery, operating at full capacity, has the potential to meet Nigerias entire petroleum product demand with surplus for export. However, unless crude oil supply to local refineries is stabilised, Nigerians may fail to benefit from the competitive pricing Dangotes scale promises. Such an outcome could worsen Nigerias economic challenges, with potential consequences for the nairas stability a situation reminiscent of Kenyas recent currency crisis. To avoid this, the Federal Government must engage with the Dangote Group and other local refiners to establish a clear supply transition timetable. Critical incentives must be provided to ensure sustained production, and both parties must uphold their commitments. Nigerias energy security depends on aligning domestic production with consumer demand, while maintaining favourable export conditions. Ongoing tensions between the Dangote Refinery, NNPC, and petroleum importers reflect a fragile cooperation that, if left unresolved, could deter future investment. Price competition is healthy in a robust supply environment, but allowing low-quality PMS imports to undermine local refiners risks damaging the sectors growth. The Dangote Refinery, operating at full capacity, has the potential to meet Nigerias entire petroleum product demand with surplus for export. However, unless crude oil supply to local refineries is stabilised, Nigerians may fail to benefit from the competitive pricing Dangotes scale promises. Resolving these structural issues requires urgency. Nigerias energy sector cannot thrive without clear policies, accountable institutions, and a coordinated effort to support local refiners. Only then can Nigeria secure competitive pricing for petroleum products and protect consumers from prolonged economic hardship. Dan D. Kunle writes from Abuja, Nigeria. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The utilisation of technology is essential for predictive policing that forecasts crimes, identifies hotspots and other troubling locations, while designing strategies for containing malfeasance before it happens. This comprises the enabling of data analytics that anticipate and forestall criminal activities, alongside the deployment of smart communication and coordination among officers, in addition to creating command centres for tracking incidents, and the movement of officials, etc. We live in an age and times in which crime has increased stratospherically to become one of the major indices of the modern condition, and a fact of social life whose ubiquity is as pronounced as it is highly unsettling. The typical response to this level of disorder is to increase measures of control that include having more boots on the ground, as well as engaging in wider surveillance practices, complemented by broader activations of mechanisms of deterrence and subjection to correctional institutions. These all signal the expansion of our justice system, and thus greater financial consequences to the State. However, another significant aspect of the modern condition almost acting in a way that countervails the foregoing is the demand on the State to keep maintaining fiscal balance, as needs outpace the availability of resources to cater for them. As such, with newer resource constraints on government, the upsurge in contemporary security challenges from armed robberies, kidnappings to escalating terrorist acts have not been complemented by the increases in public funding to deal with these concerns, with implications in the shortages of personnel and requisite skills for policing. This has thus instigated the need for innovative leadership to combat crime in more cost-effective ways. Hence, the necessity of smart policing, anchored on the ingenuity of technology, has become inevitable, with the Nigerian Police requiring deeper compliance with the mandates of greater knowledge-driven and automated procedures, in a way that equally bridges and transcends resource limitations. And, towards its more efficient and credible operations, particularly in a sector already witnessing better intelligence outcomes both artificial and human from the modernisation of its processes. This appears cardinal to the agenda of reforms of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, in onboarding more effective national policing. It is quite unfortunate that Nigeria is one of the 10 countries that are highly impacted by crimes and violence globally, signalling the need to adopt state-of-the-art technology in countering these. More so, the security challenges have extended from local to transborder and transnational crimes; highly physical delinquencies to the more sophisticated, knowledge-based cybercrimes, requiring profound understandings and awareness of cybernetic protocols, and strong technical skills. Therefore, as IGP Egbetokun recognises, to understand and engage with the newer levels of threat in society, there is the need to build novel Police infrastructure, intensify the capacity-building and training of officers, deepen inter-agency cooperation, in addition to engaging in inclusive policing, which is people-driven and community-centred. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later In this new dawn of high-tech policing, there is as much emphasis on developing kinetic capabilities, as in equally fostering ICT competences, to enable the use of digital tools that include sophisticated software and equipment, such as drones, etc. Moreover, it is about designing the appropriate digital policies that identify and can contain the newer dimensions of crime and disorder. And equally, a transition from reactive policing to a predictive one that activates crime mapping through the study of patterns and trends. Indices of Smart Policing Agreeing with IGP Egbetokun on the necessity of embracing modern technology for more efficient policing is quite incontrovertible, as he has harped on in different fora from conferences across diverse Police formations in Nigeria, to the inauguration of ICT and digital centres within some of these formations. In one such instance, he had laid out his vision of techology-driven policing, during a tour of the state-of-the-art National Command and Control Centre (C4i) facility and the Nigeria Police Crime and Incidence Database Centre (NPCIDC), located within the Louis Edet House, Force Headquarters, Abuja, last year. Egbetokun has spoken extensively about leveraging technology to enhance policing capabilities, and cultivating collaborations with policing systems in more developed countries, towards exchanging intelligence and information on transnational crime, including cybercrime investigations, anti-terrorism operations, and upskilling through capacity-building/training opportunities, etc. Furthermore, Egbetokun has spoken extensively about leveraging technology to enhance policing capabilities, and cultivating collaborations with policing systems in more developed countries, towards exchanging intelligence and information on transnational crime, including cybercrime investigations, anti-terrorism operations, and upskilling through capacity-building/training opportunities, etc. Importantly, for the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) to effectively carry out its remit in these times as the IGP indicated it requires a comprehensive technology strategy, which would be the ultimate game-changer. This would make the policing response faster and more effectual, transparent and accountable, while also becoming data-driven and better connected with communities across the country. The utilisation of technology is essential for predictive policing that forecasts crimes, identifies hotspots and other troubling locations, while designing strategies for containing malfeasance before it happens. This comprises the enabling of data analytics that anticipate and forestall criminal activities, alongside the deployment of smart communication and coordination among officers, in addition to creating command centres for tracking incidents, and the movement of officials, etc. In investigations and crime solving, the application of digital forensics tools is crucial in analysing evidence, whilst the use of biometrics enhances the resolution of crimes. Technology is essential to driving the efficiency of Police operations through digital record keeping, deployment of intelligent surveillance systems, and the management of patrol routes. Some of these are achievable through the utilisation of mobile apps, chatbots, etc. On the level of community policing and engagement, social media platforms can be leveraged to engage with the public and purposed for emergency response, alongside the creation of online community portals for the reporting of crimes and access to police services. Technology is crucial in the training and capacity building of Police officers as reiterated above and this can be achieved through the setting up of e-learning platforms for professional development, the use of virtual reality technology to simulate real-world scenarios in training, in addition to data analysis and interpretation for enhanced decision-making. Also, technology enables transparency and accountability in policing through the setting up of digital compliant systems that allow the public to report police misconduct, open data initiatives to give feedback and report police misconduct, and the kitting of operations officials with body cameras that mirror their activities for better accountability. Interestingly, this appears as the appropriate moment for the entrenchment of this newer ethos, with IGP Egbetokun having mooted the necessity for weekly knowledge-sharing among officers of the Police Force, on the demands of technological advancement, creating guardrails around human rights, and enabling community policing and its ethics. It is the moment for the ultimate ascendance of smart policing. Overall, technology not only makes policing faster, more proficient, transparent and accountable, it more so helps in tracking criminals, locating victims of crimes, potential witnesses and suspects, while equally providing corroboration for evidence, monitoring public disturbances and the surveillance of critical locations. Deepening Technology Integration for Smart Policing With the use of technology already embedded in the processes and operations of the Nigerian Police, this yet requires a deepening of its uptake, and then upscaling, towards attaining the vision of IGP Egbetokun for the ascendance of a truly smart police force. No doubt, the Nigerian Police has deployed different tools of technology to enhance its work, such as the Police Crime and Incident Database, Biometric Data Collection and the National Crime and Incident Database (NCID), for crime tracking and intelligence gathering efforts. Also, its Surveillance and Security Systems involve CCTV monitoring and the use of drones and GPS system, whilst its Cybercrime and Digital Forensics scheme comprise a Cybercrime Unit under the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC), to track online crimes and identity theft, etc. It equally has a Rescue Me app for the reporting of crimes and request for emergency assistance under its Communication and Emergency Response. Moreover, it uses social media platforms for community engagement and has an Automated Vehicle and Traffic Management system for tracking stolen or unregistered vehicles through the Automated Plate Number Recognition, in addition to traffic surveillance cameras in major cities. The Police Forces Digital Identity and E-Policing Initiatives have made it possible to obtain the police character certificates online, as much as it E-clearance system has offered opportunities for background checks and police clearance applications. Yet, while much of these initiatives are laudable in their intentions and what they seek to achieve, they would require greater integration and development of capabilities to become fully operational in achieving the objectives of smart policing, and a more effective security sector. More so, there will be the necessity of stronger government funding, capacity building for the officers who will keep these technologies and systems running, coupled with greater public awareness to secure the understanding and buy-in of citizens. In addition to robust policies on privacy, data protection and human rights. Interestingly, this appears as the appropriate moment for the entrenchment of this newer ethos, with IGP Egbetokun having mooted the necessity for weekly knowledge-sharing among officers of the Police Force, on the demands of technological advancement, creating guardrails around human rights, and enabling community policing and its ethics. It is the moment for the ultimate ascendance of smart policing. Lande Fatiroti writes from Ikota, Lagos. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print In 2010, our law firm handled the case of Honourable Dino Melaye and 10 other legislators who were suspended for accusing the Dimeji Bankole-led House of Representative of wallowing in corruption The Federal High Court declared the suspension of the legislators illegal and unconstitutional and ordered the payment of their withheld salaries and allowances. In 2012, our law firm also handled the case of Honourable Rifkatu Danna, the only female member of the 31-member Bauchi State House of Assembly. Danna was suspended in June 2012 for allegedly making uncomplimentary remarks when she challenged the lawmakers decision to approve the relocation of the headquarters of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State. But the Bauchi State High Court declared her suspension illegal and ordered the Bauchi State House of Assembly to reinstate her and pay her withheld salaries and allowances. In 2017, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal filed against the judgment of the Bauchi State High Court in respect of the illegal suspension of Honourable Rifkatu Danna. The Court upheld our submission to the effect that the suspension of the legislator constituted a breach of the right of the Bogoro Constutuency to be representated by her in the state house of assembly. The Court equally held that the decision of the House to withhold the salaries and allowances of the legislator was illegal as she was not an employee but an elected member of the Bauchi State House of Assembly. In 2018, our law firm equally handled the case of Honourable Abdulmumin Jibrin, a member of the House of Representatives who was suspended for 180 days for accusing the Yakubu Dogara-led House of padding the 2016 national budget. The Federal High Court nullified the suspension and ordered the payment of the withheld salaries and allowances of the legislator. Based on the case of the Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly v Honourable Honourable Rifkatu Danna (2017) 49 WRN 82 which is the locus classicus on the subject matter, the 2017 suspension of Senator Ali Ndume by the Bukola Saraki-led Senate was annulled by the Federal High Court. The case filed on behalf of the Senator his lawyer, Marcel Oru Esq. In the same vein, the 2020 suspension of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege was declared illegal and unconstitutional by the Federal High Court. The case was filed on behalf of the Senator by Edward Omaga Esq. 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 Sometime in 2020, the Jigawa State House of Assembly suspended a lawmaker, Hon. Sani Iyaku, over alleged criticism of the state governor, Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar Badaru who was on a visit to Hadejia town for a wedding ceremony. Honourable Iyaku challenged his suspension in the Jigawa State High Court. The trial Judge, Justice Ahmed ruled that the action of the Assembly did not comply with order 15 rule 74 (2)(c) and (3) a, b of the state House of Assembly standing orders 2017 and therefore declared the suspension illegal, inappropriate, null and void. The court also directed that the defendant be paid his three months allowances withheld to the tune of N3 million. On 18 November, 2020, the Court of Appeal, sitting in Akure, Ondo State dismissed the motion for stay of execution filed by the state House of Assembly against the judgment of the High court reinstating the three suspended members of the state assembly. The Presiding Judge, Justice Folayemi Omoleye, queried the appellants for bringing a frivolous appeal before the court, directing that the lawmakers should be reinstated immediately to resume their legislative duties. On 13 August, 2024, the same court reinstated Honourable Iroju Ogundeji as the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly. In a unanimous ruling, Justices Oyebisi Folayemi Omoleye, Frederick Oziakpono-Oho, and Yusuf Alhaji Bashir affirmed the decision made by Justice Akintan Osadebey, which reinstated the two-term legislator representing the Odigbo state constituency. In the past five years, the High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, and the National Industrial Court nullified the illegal suspension of members of the Houses of Assembly of Kogi and Edo State respectively. In March 2024, the Godswill Akpabio-led Senate suspended Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP; Bauchi) for three months for alleging that Nigerias 2024 budget was padded. The Senator instructed our law firm to challenge the suspension in the Federal High Court. We wrote to the leadership of the Senate to review the suspension in view of the illegality of the action. As we were preparing to challenge the suspension in the Federal High Court, the Senate recalled Senator Ningi and paid his withheld salaries and allowances. In view of the definitive pronouncements of the several High Court and the Court of Appeal on the illegality of the suspension of elected members of legislative houses in Nigeria, the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is the height of legislative recklessness. The illegal suspension should be lifted without any further delay. Since the Federal High Court had restrained the Senate Ethics Committee from hearing the complaint against the embattled Senator pending the determination of the motion on notice the Senate ought to have stayed action in accordance with the rule of law. Finally, the official impunity of suspending legislators at the whims and caprices of leaders of the federal and state legislative houses must not be allowed to continue in Nigeria. Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), writes from Lagos. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print An overhaul of Nigerias tax template will subject monies accruable to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) to graduated cuts for five years, beginning this year, if a legislative seal is given to a proposed plan of the Tinubu administration. This would certainly vitiate its interventionist role in the tertiary education sector. What is more, the agency is now programmed to get zero direct funding in 2030, and thereafter. As embedded in the Tax Reform Bill 2025 under consideration in the National Assembly, the agency will receive 50 per cent of its funds in 2025 and 2026; and 66 per cent in 2027, 2028 and 2029. Its loss from this arrangement would be gained by the newly created Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund). Others to be gainers are the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI). These are expressly stated in Section 59 (3) of the tax bill from the executive arm of government. Miffed by this, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and his House of Representatives counterpart, Tajudeen Abass, to halt the proposal, drawing their attention to its inherent danger, amid the gross underfunding of higher education in the country. ASUUs statement on the matter said, it was its considered view that abrogating the TETFund Act of 2011 by design, or default, will be a great disservice, not just to education but to Nigeria as a nation. It added that, giving zero allocation of Development Levy to TETFund as from 2030 is a technical way of abrogating the agency. PREMIUM TIMES understands the unions concern, as virtually all the infrastructural support financing that public universities receive are from TETFund. But the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a spirited rebuttal said that, Government agencies like NASENI, TETFund and NITDA will continue to be funded through budgetary provisions supported by company income tax and other levies paid by businesses, which are currently overburdened by special taxes. There is an attempt to obfuscate or confuse issues by the presidential spokesman, with his statement underscoring that the tax bills do not propose that NASENI, TETFund and NITDA will cease to exist in 2029, following the bills passage. This is clearly not the point. At issue are the suggested decreased funding of TETFund between 2025 and 2029 and its zero allocation from the development fund in 2030, and thereafter, which he avoided commenting on. Therefore, the denial misaligns with the provisions of the Tax Bill and ASUUs response to this. Guile such as this signals doubts about the governments sincerity of purpose. While our tax system should be progressively reformed in the best interest of the nation, which we had robustly supported in an earlier editorial, Let the tax reforms bills be, of 9 December 2024, but the component on dissipating accruals to the TETFund in the next five years, seems to us as ill-advised, and at odds with the progress of tertiary education in the country. 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 Nigerias present fiscal reality does not support annual budgetary provisions as a dependable source of funding tertiary education. TETFund was established precisely because the government was unable to adequately fund the university system in earlier years. Several other sectors have not fared better, as can be seen in the 2024 fiscal cycle. The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, for instance, recently decried the release of only 15.06 per cent of the ministrys capital expenditure. This represents just N26.55 billion out of the N233.69 billion outlay in the 2024 budget. Also, the ministry is yet to collect a kobo from its N57.39 billion multilateral and bilateral loans for capital projects in the same budget. This scenario is suspect. There is a N13 trillion deficit in the 2025 budget, an increase of N4 trillion from the N9 trillion in 2024. A rational deduction to make from this is the likelihood of an annual spike. With the N6.04 trillion used for servicing debts in the first half of the same year, as against N3.58 trillion used for the corresponding period in 2023, government should hold its breath on TETFunds fiscal alteration. TETFund was created out of ASUUs ingenuity and perennial strikes for better funding of tertiary education in Nigeria. Set up in 1993 under the military through a decree as the Education Trust Fund, this fiat law was repealed and re-enacted in 2011 by the National Assembly. From the original 2 per cent as education tax deducted from the profit of companies as its source of funding, this was reviewed to 2.5 per cent in 2021 and then to 3 per cent in 2023. These spikes were not without reasons. TETFunds imprints are all over public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across the country, in their infrastructural projects such as the building of classrooms, students hostels, establishment of libraries and furnishing them with books, in addition to the underwriting of academic staff training abroad and research. Between 2009 and 2013, the agency reportedly spent N300 billion in transforming tertiary institutions, while 800 academics benefitted from its postgraduate training sponsorships. And from 2011 to 2024, it spent N1.838 trillion on funding tertiary education, with universities gulping N918.7 billion, according to the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sunny Ochono. Despite all this, the level of decay in our tertiary institutions is most embarrassing, and as a result, they cannot compete or be reckoned with globally. ASUU is routinely on strike, as it keeps up its demand of a better national academic environment. This had climaxed in the Federal Government/ASUU Agreement of 2009, renegotiated in 2012, which required the injection of N1.3 trillion, in N200 billion tranches, into the system over a five-year period. Unfortunately, this was observed in the breach. Consequently, no year has passed since then without three to six months of strike. That of 2020 spanned nine months, with a full academic year ultimately lost. As far back as 2012, the Federal Government set up a committee to study the Needs Assessment of Nigerias Universities, which revealed a shocking deficit of 32,000 PhD holders, the minimum qualification to teach at that level. In 2013, the report was presented to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on 1 November. It highlighted that Students cannot get accommodation; where they get, they are packed like sardines in a tiny room, and there is No light and water in hostels, classrooms and laboratories, among other challenges. ALSO READ: TETFUND chief calls for university autonomy It is tempting to assume that 12 years later, significant improvement would have been made with TETFunds role. While this has helped, it is not enough still, as the government creates new universities and many universities admit students beyond their carrying capacities, and run courses that are not accredited. In some universities, more than 700 students are enrolled in a course, making lecture halls overcrowded, without seats and a lot of students standing outside and peeping through windows when lectures hold. This is where ASUU and our tertiary institutions impair the system they seek to salvage. There have been cases of the so-called new universities engaged in sleights of hand, presenting staff from older universities as theirs, in order to scale through accreditation processes. This is unethical and irresponsible. Yet, for TETFund, the N200 billion reckless disbursements by its past officials, which irked President Muhammadu Buhari and made him halt its 2016 budgetary allocation until further notice, are eye-openers to the many abuses that it could be susceptible to. The then Executive Secretary of the Fund, Abdullahi Baffa, had noted then that only N50 billion was properly released. It was a period when special intervention fund was turned into something else. These are issues that need to be forestalled and critically addressed, going forward. The agency certainly needs cleansing, to provide a guardrail to its salient mandate. New thinking and greater commitment to well-funded education should influence policy directions of government. Ignoring these imperatives is a recipe for worsening an already bad situation. The ugly experience of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, going for over 100 days without electricity and water, because it could not pay its bills, makes the concerns around the funding of education in the country starker. Its medical students, anguished by this disorder, were on the streets in protests a few weeks ago. Government should actually take the funding of education with all the seriousness it truly deserves in the public interest and not subject it to wiles of policy flip-flopping, indicative in the move towards a gradual undoing of TETFund. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Kaduna State Government, Saturday commenced the distribution of free agricultural implements and inputs to cooperatives in order to enhance year-round farming. Comprising 10 members, each cooperative was given a package that consisted of an 18 horse-power tiller, an 18 horse power 3 inch solar-powered irrigation pumping machine and a 13 horse-power 2 inch solar-powered water irrigation machine, and gasoline powered water irrigation pumps. Each cooperative was also given 30 bags of Urea and NPK fertilisers, which translates to three bags per member, one motorised knapsack sprayer, one carton of herbicide and another carton of pesticide. It will be recalled that Governor Uba Sani had launched the Dry Season Agricultural Empowerment Programme at an elaborate ceremony at Murtala Square, Kaduna on 16 February. The distribution of the farming implements commenced last Saturday as the Commissioner of Agriculture, Murtala Mohammed Dabo, gave out the items to benefitting cooperatives at the premises of the Ministrys central warehouse at Dankade village. Speaking at the event, the Commissioner said that this is the first time that the Government is distributing free farm implements on this massive scale in the history of Kaduna State, describing the support as unprecedented. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Mr Murtala said that Governments kind gesture is to ameliorate the pains that farmers go through to irrigate their farmlands, especially due to the rise in petrol price. Fuelling their pumping machines on weekly basis eats into the profit margins that they would have naturally made. This massive support that is coming from His Excellency, the Governor, is going to help greatly in bringing down the cost of production, which should ultimately bring down prices, he said. The Commissioner disclosed that the Uba Sani administration has also procured a Combined Harvester which will help farmers in reducing their cost of production. Last year, we had to go to Borno State to hire. The Wheat farmers in Galma were paying and queueing for their turn. Today, these machines are ready to move to the field and start harvesting, he added. According to him, the benefitting cooperatives comprise real farmers who were chosen irrespective of their political affiliations or ethno-religious identities. Speaking to journalists, Malam Garba, the Chairman of Dry Season Farmers Cooperative Society Zaria, said that Today is a day of joy to all farmers in Kaduna State. Since Kaduna State was created, there has never been this kind of Government intervention. We have been given all that is required to enable dry season farming free, he said. The Chairman who advised beneficiaries to put the implements into good use, further said that they should not sell the items, adding that Government spent a lot of billions to purchase them and gave us free of charge. Kaduna State Government, Saturday commenced the distribution of free agricultural implements and inputs to cooperatives in order to enhance year-round farming. Comprising 10 members, each cooperative was given a package that consisted of an 18 horse-power tiller, an 18 horse power 3 inch solar-powered irrigation pumping machine and a 13 horse-power 2 inch solar-powered water irrigation machine, and gasoline powered water irrigation pumps. Each cooperative was also given 30 bags of Urea and NPK fertilisers, which translates to three bags per member, one motorised knapsack sprayer, one carton of herbicide and another carton of pesticide. It will be recalled that Governor Uba Sani had launched the Dry Season Agricultural Empowerment Programme at an elaborate ceremony at Murtala Square, Kaduna on 16 February. The distribution of the farming implements commenced last Saturday as the Commissioner of Agriculture, Murtala Mohammed Dabo, gave out the items to benefitting cooperatives at the premises of the Ministrys central warehouse at Dankade village. Speaking at the event, the Commissioner said that this is the first time that the Government is distributing free farm implements on this massive scale in the history of Kaduna State, describing the support as unprecedented. Mr Murtala said that Governments kind gesture is to ameliorate the pains that farmers go through to irrigate their farmlands, especially due to the rise in petrol price. Fuelling their pumping machines on weekly basis eats into the profit margins that they would have naturally made. This massive support that is coming from His Excellency, the Governor, is going to help greatly in bringing down the cost of production, which should ultimately bring down prices, he said. The Commissioner disclosed that the Uba Sani administration has also procured a Combined Harvester which will help farmers in reducing their cost of production. Last year, we had to go to Borno State to hire. The Wheat farmers in Galma were paying and queueing for their turn. Today, these machines are ready to move to the field and start harvesting, he added. According to him, the benefitting cooperatives comprise real farmers who were chosen irrespective of their political affiliations or ethno-religious identities. Speaking to journalists, Malam Garba, the Chairman of Dry Season Farmers Cooperative Society Zaria, said that Today is a day of joy to all farmers in Kaduna State. Since Kaduna State was created, there has never been this kind of Government intervention. We have been given all that is required to enable dry season farming free, he said. The Chairman who advised beneficiaries to put the implements into good use, further said that they should not sell the items, adding that Government spent a lot of billions to purchase them and gave us free of charge.l Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, conducted an inspection visit to the Katsina State Tractors Assembly Plant, where 200 containers of tractors spare parts will be assembled. The Governor expressed satisfaction with the progress level and commended the Chinese Farm for their excellent work on the project. The facility incorporates a comprehensive skills transfer programme designed to train one representative from each of the states local governments. These trainees will gain technical expertise in tractor assembly, operation, and maintenance through hands-on experience at the plant. Following the completion of training, the state will allocate ten tractors to each local government area, with each trained representative tasked with managing the tractors in their respective LGAs as tractor hiring services. The initiative notably aims to mechanise agriculture across the state while creating employment opportunities for local technicians. In attendance during the inspection were Executive Director of Agriculture Services at Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority, Muntaka Badaru Jikamshi; Chief of Staff to the Governor, AbdulKadir Mamman Nasir; Commissioner of Finance, Bello Kagara; and Principal Private Secretary, Abdullahi Aliyu Turaji. 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 Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The police are investigating the killing of the Kwara State chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Idris Abubakar. Mr Abubakar, 32, was reportedly shot dead by unidentified gunmen around 10 p.m. on Saturday in front of his residence at Oke Ose in Ilorin East Local Government Area of the state. He was a former special assistant to the Moro Local Government chairman and a youth leader of the Fulani community in Kwara. The police spokesperson in the state, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said detectives recovered five expended 7.62mm shells from the scene. The Kwara State Police Command confirms the murder of Alhaji Idris Abubakar, the chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Kwara State, who was shot dead on 8th March 2025 at the entrance of his residence in Oke Ose, Oke-Oyi. The State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) has commenced a full investigation. CP Victor Olaiya assures that the perpetrators will be brought to justice and urges the public to remain calm and provide useful information, the statement read. 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 special assistant to the state governor on Inter-Community Relations (Fulani), Muhammed Abdullahi, also confirmed the killing of Mr Abubakar. The police were here yesterday and have begun an investigation, Mr Abdullahi told journalists in Ilorin.Yes, he was killed in front of his residence on Saturday night by gunmen, Mr Abdullahi said. We are preparing for his janaza as I speak. An acquaintance of the deceased, Ainau Sarki, said, I was with him 20 minutes before he was killed. Someone called me on the phone and told me he had been shot dead. In a statement by its Secretary, Abdulazeez Mohammed, MACBAN on Sunday announced Mr Abubakars death,. With deep sorrow, we announce the tragic passing of our esteemed Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Kwara State Chapter, Alhaji Idris Abubakar Sakaina, who was killed by unknown gunmen yesterday at his Okeose residence at about 10 pm prompt. He is survived by two wives and six children. May Allah (SWT) grant him mercy, forgive his shortcomings, and admit him into Aljannah Firdausi. The funeral prayer was held in Zango, Ilorin, on Sunday. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A 14-year-old girl, Elizabeth Peter, from Korokpa in Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State, has drowned in the Chanchaga River while fetching water. Miss Peter was an SSS1 student of Saint Andrew Academy, Tunga Minna. Witnesses said she was at the river with her siblings when she was swept away while fetching water. Her aunt, Abigail Idoko, said the teenager was at the river for the first time on Saturday. She had gone there with her siblings because the family could not find water vendors to buy from. She said it took about two hours to recover her body from a deep pit in the river. When our correspondent visited her bereaved family at Korokpa, her mother was in shock. Her father, Mr Peter, a soldier, was said to be in Zamfara State on official duty. Korokpa, like many communities in Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State, has long struggled with access to clean water. Residents rely on water vendors, boreholes, or natural sources like the Chanchaga River to meet their daily needs. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later However, with limited availability and rising water costs from vendors, many families resort to fetching water directly from the river despite the danger. READ ALSO: Police investigating killing of MACBAN chairman in Kwara The Chanchaga River, a major water source for nearby communities, is notorious for drowning incidents. Deep pits within the river make it hazardous, especially for children and inexperienced swimmers. Residents say fatalities occur almost every year, yet there has been little intervention to provide safer alternative water sources. Miss Peters tragic death highlights the ongoing water crisis and the risks that residents, especially children, face in their daily struggle for access to clean water. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Hydrogen energy industry poised to drive future growth 16:16, March 10, 2025 By Yan Dongjie ( Chinadaily.com.cn The hydrogen energy industry is set to become a critical sector for strategic emerging industries and future industries, said Zhang Ronghua, a deputy to the National People's Congress and chairwoman of Tianjin Rockcheck Group, during the ongoing two sessions. "The government's work report this year explicitly mentioned 'developing new quality productive forces according to local conditions' and 'fostering and expanding emerging industries," she said in an interview with China Daily. Driven by China's "dual carbon" goals unveiled in 2020 peaking carbon emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060, the country has become the world's largest hydrogen producer, achieving technological breakthroughs across the hydrogen industry chain. Regarding practices in Tianjin, Zhang said the city is advancing the application of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the transportation sector through strategic policy planning, financial support and the construction of demonstration industrial parks. Currently, commercial hydrogen refueling stations have been built to support these efforts, creating a comprehensive application scenario. Her company, Rockcheck Group, recently rolled out the nation's first batch of 100 pieces of 200-kilowatt hydrogen fuel cell heavy-duty trucks, marking a significant milestone in high-powered hydrogen truck commercialization in China. After four years of dedicated work within the industry, the company has developed mature hydrogen energy solutions that will be promoted in regions with abundant resources. Zhang, as a female entrepreneur, said that Chinese women have made significant progress in education, career development and ideological perspectives. "They have broken through industry barriers to enter core fields, such as scientific research and aerospace, showcasing their intelligence and responsibilities to highlight the spirit of the new era," she said. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) Some telecommunication users in Jos on Monday expressed frustration over the poor quality of services in spite of the recent hike in tariff. Some of them, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), complained of frequent call drops, slow internet speed, and unreliable connections, even as they were paying more for calls and data. Uche Ekwe, a businessman, said constant call drops and slow internet were crippling his business. I rely on timely communication with clients, but these network issues are causing delays and lost opportunities, and paying more for such poor service is unacceptable, Mr Ekwe said. Grace Agbo, a university student, said she needed a stable internet for her online classes, but the connection was always failing. Its frustrating to miss important lectures or struggle to submit assignments on time after paying so much for such services, Mrs Agbo 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 Also speaking on the matter, Helen Pam said she had to start using cheaper means of communication such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and others instead of direct phone calls. These platforms offer cheaper voice and messaging options, reducing reliance on traditional telecom services, Mrs Pam explained. However, a telecommunication expert, Monsudi Isiaka, explained that the tariff increase was partly due to rising operational costs for telecommunication companies. Mr Isiaka highlighted that Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls were becoming increasingly popular, especially among younger users, who prioritise cost-effectiveness. He , however, acknowledged that the hike had not translated into improved services, as infrastructure challenges and network congestion persisted. The expert, however, pointed out that mobile number portability had enabled subscribers to switch networks in search of better deals. Mr Isiaka urged telecommunication operators to address service quality issues and offer more competitive tariffs to retain customers. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Osaanya Ossanya, a former militant leader in Nigerias Niger Delta region, has accused some failed politicians of discrediting the works of the countrys National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu. Mr Ossanya, a member of the third phase of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, said the politicians and their collaborators were not happy that Nigeria was winning the war against terrorism. That is why they have resorted to blackmail and all manner of propaganda against Ribadu who is doing a great job that we are all proud of, Mr Ossanya said. In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday, 9 March, the former agitator said it was disheartening that Mr Ribadu was being vilified despite his efforts and the improvement in Nigerias fight against terrorism. He pointed to Nigerias improvement in the Global Terrorism Index score from 8.065 in 2023 to 7.575 in 2024, the best in over eight years. Although he did not mention the names of the politicians he was referring to, Mr Ossanya condemned Mr Ribadus linking to the politics of 2031, adding that the aim is to pitch the NSA against President Bola Tinubu and distract him from the fight against enemies of Nigerias unity and peaceful coexistence. 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 militant leader warned those behind the media attacks to desist from it. He said Nigerians, particularly people of the Niger Delta, are happy with Mr Ribadu and would stand by him and continue to support him in making the country free of terrorists. He stressed that under Mr Ribadu as NSA, Nigerian security forces have killed key terrorists, which explains why people can now travel freely along the Abuja-Kaduna Road and other parts of the country. While admitting that more work was needed to secure Nigeria, Mr Ossanya called for support from the NSA and Mr Tinubus administration. He added that besides physical security, Mr Ribadus focus on food and other aspects of security explains his intelligent approach to national security. Everything is now bearing fruit, as we can see. Our National Security Adviser, one of the best we have ever had and one of the finest and most intelligent security experts to have come from our land, is on top of his game. His management of the nations security bears eloquent testimony to his dedication and commitment. Trucks carrying farm produce are now monitored up to the market to prevent diversion to some neighbouring countries. Also, there seems to be an end to the smuggling of petrol to other countries. All of these are efforts that need to be commended, he added. Background A few weeks ago, Tigran Gambaryan, the head of financial crime at the cryptocurrency firm Binance, accused Mr Ribadu of seeking to personally benefit from Nigerias dispute with Binance. The official also claimed that Mr Ribadu hired a US law firm to negotiate his release from detention while in Nigerian custody, but the move failed due to their incompetence and greed. According to Mr Gambaryan, Ribadu emphasised that he wanted billions in payouts to fund his future political ambition. However, when the corruption scandal came to light, he was trappedbecause any settlement would now be perceived as a bribe. I guess he really wanted his boss job, he added. Also, Nasir El-Rufai, a former governor of Kaduna State and an estranged friend of the NSA, in an interview on Arise TV, accused Mr Ribadu of being behind his ordeal with President Tinubu. Mr El-Rufai claimed the NSA sees him as an obstacle to his (Ribadus) alleged 2031 presidential ambition. Ribadu is the architect behind my investigation and the attack on my commissioners. He wants to be the president in 2031, so he is determined to eliminate any of us who he sees as an obstacle to his ambition, Mr El-Rufai said. However, Mr Ribadu has denied discussing the 2031 presidential ambition with anyone. He also said that, contrary to Mr El-Rufais claims, he was too focused on the national assignment before him and would not allow distraction. The presidency knocked Mr El-Rufai for his comments and advised him to stomach his resentments over President Tinubus decision to skip him for a ministerial appointment. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Tony Okocha, the chairperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, has called on Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers to resign within 48 hours or face impeachment. Mr Okocha made the remark in a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Monday. He said the Supreme Court judgement is sacrosanct and should be obeyed by the latter. Mr Okocha described Mr Fubaras invitation to the assembly members led by Martins Amaewhule as very punitive. He said Mr Fubara was aware that the assembly would be sitting on 10 March before inviting them to discuss the Supreme Court judgement. He recalled that the governor invited the assembly members to discuss their remuneration, the place where they would sit, and the budget. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Mr Okocha stated that Governor Fubara had no right to invite the assembly to come and discuss the Supreme Court judgement since he was meant to present the budget to them. According to him, the governor ab initio disregarded the eight-point agenda for peace by President Bola Tinubu, who is also the leader of the APC. The All Progressive Congress, as an opposition party in the state, will not sit down and watch Governor Fubara disobey Mr President. For us, thats an insult. We call on Governor Fubara to resign within 48 hours or face impeachment; the finding of the Supreme Court is enough for him to resign. He is already sitting on a keg of gunpowder, Mr Okocha said. He commended the Speaker and the members of the House of Assembly for standing on their grounds to date. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print In 2010, Neda Imasuen, a Nigerian-trained lawyer, was barred by a US court from practising law in America, PREMIUM TIMES can report. However, in 2023, Mr Imasuen, an indigene of Edo State, emerged as a senator representing Edo South Senatorial District at Nigerias upper legislative chambers. The senator is a member of the Labour Party, one of Nigerias opposition political parties. The All Progressives Congress is the countrys ruling political party. Mr Imasuen graduated from the University of Maiduguri with a bachelors degree in law. In 1985, he was to the Nigerian bar, certified and enrolled as a solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. According to information published on his official website, the lawyers professional journey began in New York, in the US, where he practised law and served as a public advocate for several years. A document obtained by PREMIUM TIMES showed that while Mr Imasuen was in the US, an American, Daphne Slyfield, hired the Nigerian to represent him in a legal matter, which the lawyer allegedly neglected to do. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later According to the document, Mr Slyfield petitioned the Supreme Court of New York, alleging that Mr Imasuen neglected a legal matter entrusted to him after being paid for the services. The Grievance Committee for the Second, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Judicial Districts of the Court handled the matter. The petitioner accused Mr Imasuen of professional misconduct. George Friedman was referred to hear and report on the issues raised as a special referee. After being served with the petition in July 2009, Mr Imasuen was asked to file a response within 20 days. The committee had informed him that failure to file his response would compel it to deem the charges against him, as outlined in the petition, established. The document said Mr Imasuen failed to respond to the petition within the permitted time or apply for an extension of time. He is, therefore, in default, and the charges against him must be deemed admitted, the court said in the document. Barred from law practice in the US Mr Imasuen was admitted to the US bar on 16 September 1992 in the term of the Appellate Division of the court in the Second Judicial Department. He was disbarred almost 18 years later. The respondent, Neda B. Imasuen, admitted as Neda Bernards Imasuen, is commanded to desist and refrain from practising law in any form, either as principal or agent, clerk, or employee of another, appearing as an attorney or counsellor-at-law before any court, Judge, Justice, board, commission, or other public authority, giving to another an opinion as to the law or its application or any advice in relation thereto, and holding himself out in any way as an attorney and counsellor-at-law, the Grievance Committee ordered. The committee stated in the order, dated 11 May 2010, that Mr Imasuen violated the New York bar code and rules. Permanently barred? According to our findings, an attorney who was suspended or disbarred, or whose name was stricken from the Roll of Attorneys and Counsellors-at-Law upon conviction of a felony, may apply to be reinstated to practise under the provisions of Section 691.11 of the rules of the court (the Supreme Court of the state of News York) and Section 1240.16 of the Rules for Attorney Disciplinary Matters. This newspaper further learned that such an application for reinstatement after disbarment or removal may not be made until the expiration of seven years from the entry of the order of disbarment. It is unclear if Mr Imasuen applied for reinstatement after his disbarment. If he did not, his disbarment remains active. Mr Imasuen did not respond to calls or a text message seeking his comments. PREMIUM TIMES gathered that Mr Imasuen returned to Nigeria the same year after his disbarment. He would later work as a consultant for the European Unions State Reforming Institutional Programme, serving as the Jigawa State coordinator. Natashas suspension Meanwhile, Mr Imasuen, the chairperson of the Senate ethics committee, was involved in the recent suspension of the Kogi Central senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who accused the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, of sexual harassment. After receiving a report from the Mr Imasuen-led committee, the Senate presided over by Mr Akpabio, suspended Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months over alleged misconduct and refusal to comply with the chambers sitting arrangement during the plenary session on 20 February. Mr Akpabio referred the senators sexual harassment petition to the Senate ethics committee. The chairperson of the committee, Mr Imasuen, ruled that the petition was dead on arrival and would not be entertained by the Senate. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print SOFIA, Bulgaria, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- BORICA, the Bulgarian national payment operator, has successfully launched a TIPS (TARGET Instant Payment Settlement) connectivity module developed by Montran. This solution enables Bulgarian banks to access TIPS, the ECB's instant payments service, integrating with Bulgaria's BISERA. The current local instant payments service, Blink, is now expanded over the SCT Inst payment scheme in Euro for local and SEPA area payments. BORICA sought a comprehensive, future-ready solution to connect its member banks to TIPS while enhancing liquidity management capabilities. Montran, building on its existing Instant Payments platform at BORICA, delivered a tailored enhancement featuring two prefunding modules: one for TIPS, supporting international reachability, and another for EURO INST, servicing national transfers. These modules empower banks to manage their liquidity positions across both systems via unified interfaces, offering flexibility to initiate funding or defunding. The solution also includes advanced liquidity monitoring and controls, with seamless interfacing to TIPS, T2, and STEP2 via Swift. "With Montran's solution, we can now provide our member banks with a streamlined, efficient way to access TIPS for instant payments," said Vania Ganeva, Head of Payment Services at BORICA. "The enhanced liquidity management tools allow banks to optimize their positions across TIPS and EURO INST, ensuring operational efficiency and compliance with European standards." Keith Esca, Global Sales Director at Montran, added, "Our collaboration with BORICA exemplifies Montran's commitment to delivering tailored solutions that address specific market needs. The successful go-live of this TIPS connectivity module highlights the strength of our partnership in driving innovation, enabling instant payments, and supporting SEPA compliance for Bulgarian banks." Following rigorous testing, the TIPS connectivity module is now operational, aligning Bulgaria's payments infrastructure with the latest European standards for instant payments and settlement. This milestone marks a significant step forward in advancing the efficiency and cross-border interoperability of the country's payment systems. About Montran Montran is the leading provider of Payment and Capital Market Infrastructure solutions, servicing the world's foremost financial institutions with mission critical installations and operations in over 90 countries. Discover more at www.montran.com. About BORICA BORICA AD is a Bulgarian joint stock company, and its shareholders are 19 banks in the country. The company has developed and nowadays provides and operates the technology infrastructure of the Bulgarian payment industry. In doing so, BORICA has been a trusted partner of public sector, banks and payment institutions for over 30 years. The Company is committed to providing modern and innovative solutions to financial institutions. Garrett M. Brodeur and Stephan A. Grupp to be honored at AACR's Annual Meeting PHILADELPHIA, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is honored to announce that distinguished cancer researchers Garrett M. Brodeur, MD, and Stephan A. Grupp, MD, PhD, have been elected to the 2025 class of Fellows of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Academy. Dr. Stephan Grupp, Inaugural Director of the Susan S. and Stephen P. Kelly Center for Cancer Immunotherapy at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Dr. Garrett Brodeur, Director of the Cancer Predisposition Program at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Each year, the Fellows of the AACR Academy recognizes and honors extraordinary scientists whose groundbreaking contributions have driven significant innovation and progress in the fight against cancer. Fellows of the AACR Academy constitute a global brain trust of leading experts in cancer communication, advocacy, and funding for cancer research. Dr. Brodeur, Director of the Cancer Predisposition Program at CHOP, and Professor of Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, is being recognized for his invaluable contributions to neuroblastoma research, such as identifying MYCN amplification as a marker of high-risk disease; leading efforts to develop the first International Neuroblastoma Staging System and Risk Grouping that incorporates molecular markers and preclinical development of TRK inhibitors for pediatric solid tumors; organizing pioneering international workshops on pediatric cancer predisposition and surveillance; and developing a novel multivalent nanomedicine (PEEL-24) that is more effective and less toxic than its conventional counterpart, irinotecan. Dr. Grupp, Section Chief of the Cellular Therapy and Transplant Section, Inaugural Director of the Kelly Center for Cancer Immunotherapy at CHOP, and Professor of Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, is being recognized for exemplary research efforts leading to the development of chimeric antigen receptor-modified T-cell (CAR T-cell) therapy in pediatric patients, thereby revolutionizing personalized cancer treatment and leading to the FDA approval of tisagenlecleucel for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the first CART-cell and gene therapy approved for use in patients. Dr. Grupp also holds the Yetta Deitch Novotny Endowed Chair in Pediatric Oncology at CHOP. Fellows of the AACR are nominated and elected through a meticulous, multistep, peer-reviewed process that rigorously evaluates each candidate's scientific achievements and contributions to the global cancer research community. Only those who work has made a profound and lasting impact on cancer research and related fields are considered for election and induction into the AACR Academy. The Class of 2025 has elected 33 new Fellows into the AACR Academy, bringing the total number of Fellows to 375. Drs. Brodeur and Grupp will be formally inducted at this year's AACR Annual Meeting held April 25-30 in Chicago, Illinois. Learn more about the Fellows of the AACR Academy at: https://www.aacr.org/professionals/membership/aacr-academy/. About Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: A non-profit, charitable organization, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals, and pioneering major research initiatives, the hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. The institution has a well-established history of providing advanced pediatric care close to home through its CHOP Care Network, which includes more than 50 primary care practices, specialty care and surgical centers, urgent care centers, and community hospital alliances throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as the Middleman Family Pavilion and its dedicated pediatric emergency department in King of Prussia. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought Children's Hospital of Philadelphia recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit https://www.chop.edu. Contact: Jennifer Lee Children's Hospital of Philadelphia 267-426-6084 [email protected] SOURCE Children's Hospital of Philadelphia BEIJING, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from chinadaily.com.cn In 2024, China expanded its high-level opening-up and achieved fruitful results. It rolled out the 2024 national negative list for foreign investment, lifting restrictions in the manufacturing industry, and expanded the opening-up of the healthcare sector and value-added telecom services. Last year, 59,080 new foreign-invested firms were established in the country, witnessing a 9.9 percent year-on-year growth. China also promoted the steady growth of foreign trade and the institutional opening-up of trade in services, with the total import and export volume in 2024 reaching 43.85 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 5 percent. The country relaxed its visa-free transit policy, expanded unilateral visa-free entry, and facilitated accommodation and payment services for foreign visitors. In 2024, 20.12 million foreign nationals entered China visa-free, up 112.3 percent year-on-year. In 2025, China will continue to build high-level opening-up platforms that align with high-standard international economic and trade rules and share its development opportunities with the world. SOURCE chinadaily.com.cn LA JOLLA, Calif., March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cybereason, a leading global cybersecurity company, today announced a $120 million investment led by SoftBank Corp., SoftBank Vision Fund 2, and Liberty Strategic Capital to advance the company's global growth fueled by its award-winning endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions and its world-class consulting services, enhanced by a strategic partnership with Trustwave. Manish Narula will serve as the company's new CEO. New Investment Funding Cybereason has secured an additional $120 million in funding from key investors, including SoftBank Corp., SoftBank Vision Fund 2, and Liberty Capital. Other current investors will have the opportunity to participate in the funding round. This investment reflects strong confidence in Cybereason's industry-leading EDR technology and its ability to combat sophisticated cyber threats. It ensures the company remains a long-term, trusted cybersecurity partner for enterprises worldwide, while reinforcing its commitment to delivering exceptional customer service to meet the evolving needs of its clients. "We are thrilled to have key investors SoftBank Corp., SoftBank Vision Fund 2 and Liberty Strategic Capital leading this investment round. This funding is a testament to the strength of our technology, and the trust our partners place in Cybereason," said Manish Narula, CEO of Cybereason. "With this capital infusion, Cybereason's Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel, Gregory Puff, along with the entire Cybereason team, will continue to push the boundaries of innovation in cybersecurity technology and services, expanding our reach in critical markets." Leadership Transition Manish Narula has been appointed as the new CEO, effective immediately. Narula, along with Puff, will leverage the executive team's extensive leadership, financial, and operational experience and position Cybereason for success in its new chapter. With this investment and to support Cybereason's renewed focus on its core EDR and consulting services, we have decided to pursue expansion of our strategic relationship with Trustwave, a leader in managed security services, rather than complete the previously announced intent to merge. About Cybereason Cybereason is a leading global cybersecurity company. Cybereason provides attack protection with cutting edge EDR and industry recognized consulting services to support organizations throughout any stage of the incident lifecycle. Cybereason's award-winning technology and elite experts empower organizations of all sizes to harden, respond and recover from cyber threats in an ever evolving threat landscape. Cybereason is a privately held international company headquartered in California with customers in more than 40 countries. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. The words "believe," "may," "will," "potentially," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "could," "plan," "expect," and similar expressions that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the following: (i) whether or not the conditions to closing upon the investment occur and/or if the investment occurs at all, (ii) whether or not regulatory approvals are obtained and/or events conditioned on the receipt of regulatory approvals occur at all, (iii) the potential for growth in the market for cloud-based security solutions (domestically and internationally) and future cybersecurity spending; (iv) our business plan and our ability to effectively manage our growth; (v) anticipated trends, growth rates and challenges in our business and in the markets in which we operate; and (vi) the ability of the Company to manage costs and find efficiencies and the sufficiency of our cash to meet our cash needs. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties. It is not possible for the Company to predict all risks, nor can the Company assess the impact of all factors on its business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. In light of these risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this press release may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. The forward looking statements made in this press release relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason to conform these statements to actual results or to changes in our expectations. In addition, statements that "we believe" and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this press release, which may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These and all other forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and should not be relied upon. SOURCE Cybereason Inc. Support of AI accelerator programme highlights Fayafi's interest in AI-driven investment strategies DUBAI, UAE, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Fayafi Investment Holding, the first UAE firm made available through a bankable certificate issued under the SIX Swiss Exchange framework, listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange and featured on Bloomberg, attended the launch of AI accelerator CrimsonElevate on February 25th 2025. Fayafi Investment Holding at the CrimsonElevate Launch The CrimsonElevate accelerator event was organised by The Crimson Founders, the founders' network for MIT and Harvard Communities, along with the Dubai Multi-Commodities Centre and AGCC, to support innovative AI startups across the GCC. The Dubai Multi-Commodities Centre is one of the world's leading free zones and trade hub, hosting over 25,000 companies. AGCC is a Dubai-based firm specialising in driving transformative growth through the strategic application of cutting-edge technologies, particularly in AI and deep tech. As the only publicly-listed company present at the event, Fayafi Investment Holding showcased its backing for the potential of AI as a revenue generator, engaging actively with AI startups and institutional investors. The firm reinforced its leadership in strategic commodities and AI-driven investment strategies. Fayafi is a strong believer in AI applications for financial modelling, market intelligence and commodities trading. In its recently announced investment expansion, Fayafi has allocated 14% of a USD 1.2 billion portfolio to investments aimed at enhancing market prediction models, automated trading, and AI-powered hedge funds. "As the only publicly listed company at CrimsonElevate, Fayafi continues to shape the future of AI-driven investment and strategic commodities. We believe that AI will redefine commodity trading and institutional investment strategies. Fayafi is leading this transformation with its behavioural finance algorithms and advanced analytics. Fayafi's presence at CrimsonElevate shows how we are actively investing in the future of AI-driven financial markets," said Dr Patrick Pilati, Executive President, Fayafi Investment Holding Limited. Fayafi Investment SPV has already blazed a trail for financial innovation by commoditizing and securitizing isotope copper, one of the world's rarest and most expensive commodities, with controlled distribution of a niche global supply. The metal has crucial applications in medicine, aerospace and quantum computing. Fayafi Investment SPV has issued Euroclear security certificates registered on the SIX Swiss Exchange with a current valuation of USD 3.6B, backed by isotope copper reserves physically present in its Dubai vaults at Ferrari Logistics DMCC. Of these, USD 1.44B worth were made available for trading to sophisticated investors at USD 100 per certificate on February 14th 2025. The securities offer up to 15% yields per annum, enabled through a proprietary income-generating behavioural finance algorithm developed by Dr Pilati. In a world first, Fayafi's Euroclear securities can also be swapped for digital assets including USDC, USDT and bitcoin using a unique proprietary bridge. By market close on the first day of trading, Fayafi Investment SPV had already executed trades worth USD 600 million for its Euroclear certificates. "Fayafi Investment is on a mission to drive financial innovation while investing in sustainability and scientific discovery. We have already notched up world firsts with the success of our Euroclear copper isotope certificates, offering yields generated through behavioural finance algorithms. We continue to hold conviction in the ability of scientific breakthroughs in AI and quantum computing to revolutionize the field of finance, and will continue investing in promising opportunities in the field," Dr Pilati added. Fayafi Investment Holding Limited is a global leader in strategic commodity investments, with a presence on the SIX Swiss Exchange and Vienna Stock Exchange. The company specializes in advanced financial markets, digital assets, and sustainable investments, shaping the future of global finance through innovation and ESG-driven strategies. The firm is currently the highest-value UAE publicly listed company on foreign stock exchanges. It also ranks #4 GCC-wide, reinforcing Dubai and the UAE's credibility as a global financial hub. Contact Details: FAYAFI Investment Holding [email protected] DIFC, Dubai, UAE Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2637763/Fayafi_at_CrimsonElevate_Launch.jpg SOURCE Fayafi Investment Holding Experience the Future of AI-Powered Creativity! GIGABYTE AI PCs Lead You to Explore New Frontiers TAIPEI, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- GIGABYTE, a global leader in high-performance computing, partners with the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) at SXSW 2025 XR Lounge, unveiling cutting-edge AI-driven solutions that push the boundaries of immersive content creation. Featuring advanced AI computing technology, GIGABYTE presents two groundbreaking experiences: VS AI Street Fighting Arcade and 4K 360 VR Video Editing Workflow, showcasing the capabilities of GIGABYTE AI PCs and their role in shaping the future of creative applications. Game On: AI-Powered Real-Time Competition GIGABYTE Elevates Immersive Content with AI and XR at SXSW 2025 GIGABYTE's VS AI Arcade offers an interactive 1v1 gaming challenge, where players generate unique AI-driven artwork using text-to-image prompts in real time. Competitors bring their creativity to life with GIGABYTE AI PCs, powered by the Z790 AORUS MASTER motherboard and GeForce RTX 40 Series GPUs. The VS AI Arcade highlights GIGABYTE's high-performance hardware in AI-enhanced gaming while showcasing how AI accelerates real-time content creation, transforming the gaming experience into an innovative and artistic challenge. Next-Level AI Computing for Immersive Content Creation For VR professionals, GIGABYTE introduces an 8K VR video editing workflow, featuring renowned creators Hugh Hou and Keeley Turner. Utilizing the TRX50 AERO D motherboard and GeForce RTX 4090 GAMING OC, this showcase demonstrates the next evolution of AI-powered video production, delivering seamless workflows and expanding creative possibilities in immersive media. Key Highlights: AI-Driven Workflow Transforming 360 VR video editing with AI-powered enhancements. Topaz Video AI Upscaling Elevating lower-resolution footage to 8K clarity through AI-based video upscaling. clarity through AI-based video upscaling. Real-Time Editing in Adobe Premiere Pro Achieve seamless previewing and upscaling, powered by GIGABYTE AI PC performance. Immersive 360 VR Experience Experience high-definition VR storytelling, enhanced by AI-driven workflows. Join Us at SXSW 2025 As AI continues to revolutionize creative industries, GIGABYTE remains at the forefront, delivering cutting-edge hardware solutions that redefine gaming, content creation, and immersive experiences. Visit us at SXSW 2025 XR Lounge, located in the "Sunflower" Ballroom at the Fairmont Austin, to explore how GIGABYTE AI PCs are shaping the next generation of AI-driven digital storytelling, immersive interaction, and creative workflows. SOURCE GIGABYTE NEW YORK, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Container International LLC ("GCI"), a leading lessor of marine intermodal containers, announced today that it has entered into definitive documentation to be acquired by Triton International Limited ("Triton") for total transaction value of over $1 billion (including outstanding debt). The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions including regulatory approval. GCI, headquartered in Boston with operations worldwide, was established in 2018 by experienced industry executives in partnership with funds managed by Wafra Inc. ("Wafra"). Since its founding, the company has successfully built a fleet of approximately half a million TEU under long-term lease to the largest shipping liners globally, becoming a core supplier of intermodal equipment to its customers. Jeffrey Gannon, CEO of GCI, and Adrian Dunner, COO, shared, "As we end this exciting chapter, we want to say how deeply thankful we are to our customers, vendor partners, and dedicated employees, all of whom have played a critical role in our long-term success." "From a de novo start, GCI has successfully built an efficient and scaled business with a diversified portfolio of long-term contracts," said Edward Tsai, Managing Director, Wafra. "This transaction highlights the value created by the business over the past seven years." Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC served as exclusive financial advisor to GCI. Sidley Austin LLP acted as legal counsel to GCI in connection with the transaction. About GCI Launched in 2018, GCI is marine intermodal container leasing business with a fleet of over 500,000 twenty-foot equivalent units. About Wafra Wafra is a global alternative investment manager with approximately $28 billion of assets under management across a range of alternative assets, including real assets, real estate, and strategic partnerships. By providing flexible and accretive capital solutions and focusing on long-term partnerships, Wafra aligns and partners with high quality asset owners, companies, and management teams. Headquartered in New York, Wafra has additional offices in London and Bermuda. CONTACT: Prosek Partners [email protected] SOURCE Wafra Following the catastrophic wildfires in Northern California, a group of architects, engineers, and community leaders came together to form Homes for Sonoma, a nonprofit dedicated to providing high-quality, temporary-to-permanent modular housing for wildfire survivors. With a mission to rebuild communities faster and more efficiently, the organization worked with Pacific Northwest tiny home builder Wolf Industries to leverage modular construction - offering a better alternative to traditional FEMA trailers or temporary shelters. "In 2017, our region faced an unprecedented level of devastation from wildfires," said Robin Stephani, Architect at Homes for Sonoma. "The need for housing was immediate, and we knew that waiting years for traditional rebuilding simply wasn't an option. Our team saw an opportunity to develop modular homes that could serve as both short-term relief and long-term solutions." Built in a controlled environment, these modular homes are designed for durability, energy efficiency, and long-term use. Unlike conventional recovery housing, they can be deployed quicklyconstructed in as little as 12 daysand installed in communities that need them most. The design fosters a sense of healing and stability by clustering homes together, ensuring families remain close to their communities, schools, and workplaces. "Beyond just shelter, we wanted to create an environment where families could heal together," added Stephani. "Many wildfire survivors experienced extreme trauma, and by designing communities rather than isolated housing units, we helped them rebuild their lives, not just their homes." One of the key benefits of modular construction is its flexibility and sustainability. The structures can be permitted as primary residences, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), or permanent housing, offering a long-term solution rather than a temporary fix. This approach is now shaping how disaster recovery housing is handled across the country, proving that speed, quality, and affordability can go hand in hand. With more communities facing the devastation of wildfires and natural disasters, the lessons from Sonoma serve as a roadmap for rebuilding faster and smarter. Partnerships with nonprofits, relief organizations, and government agencies are crucial in ensuring that no family is left without a home. Derek Huegel, President of Wolf Industries, says the company's history of partnering with non-profit and private organizations to provide housing solutions speaks for itself. "Our modular homes offer a reliable and scalable solution to disaster recovery," said Huegel. "We're working toward new partnerships to expand our reach and help more families recover faster." To learn more about Wolf Industries and how modular housing can provide a fresh start after disaster, visit https://wolfind.com/EH. If your organization is looking for effective, scalable housing solutions, contact us to explore partnership opportunities. Media Contact: Derek Huegel President Wolf Industries (360) 912-9519 [email protected] SOURCE Wolf Industries The Program Launched on International Women's Day to Support Early-Stage Entrepreneurs MIAMI, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of Women's History Month, Nancy Twine, Entrepreneur, Founder, Investor, and Philanthropist, announced the Makers Mindset Workshop a free program designed specifically for early-stage entrepreneurs in the consumer goods industry, with a focus on supporting women-owned businesses. Founders who have, or are working to, launch a CPG brand will be able to apply for the workshop throughout the month of March. "When I started my entrepreneurial journey, I didn't have a roadmap. From bootstrapping my business to scaling operations, I learned through trial, error, and sheer determination. I realized many of the best insights the ones that actually move the needle aren't found in traditional business courses, they come from real-world experience, and learning directly from those who've been in the trenches," said Twine. "That's why I created the Makers Mindset Workshop, designed to give early-stage brand founders real, actionable guidance, as well as access to insider knowledge from people who have done it before. Women entrepreneurs, in particular, continue to face significant hurdles in funding, mentorship, and access to key business insights, and we've intentionally launched on International Women's Day to give talented female founders the support they need to not just survive, but thrive." Ten selected participants, announced on April 14, will experience eight workshop sessions led by Twine, alongside a powerhouse lineup of industry leaders, covering everything from fundraising to marketing and product development. The program will culminate with the Grant Pitch, which will give the entrepreneurs an opportunity to pitch for a share of $15,000 in grant funding to invest in their businesses. Ulta Beauty, Briogeo, and Makers Mindset will be funding the grant. The Makers Mindset Workshop features instructors who will teach across a variety of topics from financials to storytelling, including: Applications for the Makers Mindset Workshop are open from March 8 - March 31. Additional details can be found at makersmindset.com/workshop. ABOUT NANCY TWINE Nancy Twine has carved her own unique path in the business world. Pivoting from her first career at Goldman Sachs, she sought a different life filled with inspiration and purpose, and tapped into her mother's roots in natural product formulation to create Briogeo the clean, high-performance hair care line that pioneered the "skinification" of hair movement. At 29, Nancy became the then-youngest Black woman to launch a product line at Sephora, and the brand has gone on to win dozens of awards for innovation.In 2022, Nancy sold Briogeo to The Wella Company. Nancy is one of the few Black businesswomen who has launched & scaled a global business, raised over $20M of Private Equity Funding, and sold her company in a strategic M&A process all before the age of 40. While Nancy continues in her role as Founder of Briogeo, she is now harnessing the power of her business expertise and life experience to enrich the lives of her community. By providing meaningful connections to information, tools and resources on NancyTwine.com and through her podcast, Makers Mindset, Nancy is helping to open up a world of possibilities for others. Today, Nancy is an active investor in multiple startups across a variety of industries. She is a leading expert in entrepreneurship and female leadership, and has been featured in publications such as Inc., Forbes, WWD, Allure and Vogue. Nancy is the recipient of the Goldman Sachs Builders + Innovators Award, Entrepreneur's 100 Women of Impact, Inc's Female Founders 100, Essence Magazine Power 40, Black Enterprise 40 Under 40, and Gold Stevie Awards for Best Female Solo Entrepreneur. For more information, visit nancytwine.com or @NancyTwine on social media. For media inquiries, please contact: Emma Gillam Full Picture [email protected] SOURCE Makers Mindset SINGAPORE, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AutoCodeRover, an autonomous AI agent platform for software development which is a spin-off technology of the National University of Singapore (NUS), has been acquired by Sonar, a global leader in code quality and code security solutions. This innovative technology was developed by Professor Abhik Roychoudhury and his team from NUS School of Computing (NUS Computing). The acquisition highlights the real-world impact of NUS' research with the innovative platform boosting Sonar's AI-agent-based code development, driving innovation in software engineering and agentic AI. This exciting partnership will also create new research and development (R&D) jobs in Singapore. Enhancing the capabilities and efficiency of software developers Automating software engineering tasks has long been a vision among software developers. Over the past decades, significant progress has been made to enhance developers' capabilities and efficiency by automating parts of the software development process. AutoCodeRover is among the first AI agent platforms to combine state-of-the-art Large Language Models (LLMs) with sophisticated code search capabilities to automatically solve software engineering issues. It automates key steps in the software development lifecycle, such as debugging, issue remediation, and code refactoring, enabling developers to address real-world engineering challenges more efficiently. This, in turn, accelerates software development lifecycle and reduces time-to-market. It is designed to work with a variety of AI language models, giving users the flexibility to choose the solution that best fits their needs. By combining powerful LLMs with advanced code search capabilities, AutoCodeRover excels across multiple dimensions of software issue remediation. It ranks among the top three in the SWE-Bench evaluations, the most comprehensive benchmark for testing AI coding agents' software issue remediation capability. With an average modest cost of S$0.80 (US$0.60) and a short runtime of 6.5 minutes, versus 2.68 days by a typical human developer, for each issue, it is a highly cost-effective agent for practical deployment at scale. Prof Roychoudhury, co-founder of AutoCodeRover, commented, "By automating routine tasks, AutoCodeRover enables developers to dedicate more time to innovation and creative problem-solving, accelerating the delivery of high-quality applications." "At Sonar, we are committed to helping developers build better, faster by embracing new technologies and tools, like agentic AI. The work done by Professor Roychoudhury and the whole AutoCodeRover team is fundamentally redefining what it means to be a software engineer," said Mr Tariq Shaukat, CEO of Sonar. "With AutoCodeRover, we'll enable millions of developers and enterprises to accelerate development, improve code reviews, lower development costs, and free up developer time so they can focus more on creating and building. We're excited to be bringing this to life through an expansion of our operations in Singapore, and continued collaboration with NUS and the Trustworthy and Secure Software research group led by Professor Roychoudhury." Fueling AI innovation and job opportunities One of the key highlights of this acquisition is Sonar's plan to establish an R&D team in Singapore, creating 15 R&D jobs between 2025 and 2026. The team will be led by Dr Ridwan Shariffdeen, CEO and co-founder of AutoCodeRover, and former NUS PhD student in Prof Roychoudhury's Trustworthy and Secure Software research group in NUS Computing. "This partnership is a win for both NUS and the broader tech ecosystem in Singapore," said Prof Roychoudhury, who will also serve as Sonar's Senior Advisor, providing guidance on AI-based software and security of AI-based code. "Not only are we creating R&D jobs locally, we are also transitioning NUS' cutting-edge research in AI and Software Engineering for software developers. By collaborating with Sonar, we gain valuable feedback from their large global customer base, which enriches our research and ensures the relevance of our work to industry needs. This also allows us to truly dream and define the software landscape of tomorrow, right here, from NUS." The integration of AutoCodeRover into Sonar's ecosystem marks a transformative shift in software development, enabling developers to work smarter, faster, and more efficiently. As the world embraces AI-driven solutions, NUS remains at the forefront of innovation, delivering cutting-edge technologies that transform industries and improve lives. Read more at: https://news.nus.edu.sg/nus-spinoff-tech-autocoderover-acquired-by-sonar SOURCE National University of Singapore HOUSTON, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- OnSwitch, Inc. ("OnSwitch"), a leader in software-driven commercial solar project development, today announced an innovative strategic partnership with Radial Power ("Radial"), a leading provider of onsite power solutions for commercial and industrial real estate owners, to develop 100 megawatts of solar capacity over the next two years, representing approximately 10 million square feet of rooftop space. Many of the projects are expected to include energy storage, electric vehicle charging, and community solar hosting options. Development on the first sites, which will be owned and operated by Radial, has already begun. The partnership expands OnSwitch's financing capacity and development resources for solar projects, energy storage, electric vehicle charging, and other related solutions. Mark Bronez, CEO of OnSwitch, said, "We are excited to partner with Radial, especially as the demand for solar energy in the commercial and industrial sector continues to grow. This partnership brings the capital and resources we need to scale rapidly and meet that demand." John Bates, CEO of Radial, added, "This partnership with OnSwitch allows us to leverage their expertise and extensive relationships with major building owners across the U.S., providing an opportunity to accelerate the deployment of cost-effective and sustainable energy solutions." The Radial Power-OnSwitch venture will simplify the process for corporate customers to evaluate and purchase solar electricity by leveraging OnSwitch's proprietary AI-driven SkyQuotes software.This partnership offers corporate customers lower-cost electricity with no upfront capital investment, ultimately helping customers reduce energy costs across their building portfolios. About OnSwitch OnSwitch, Inc., headquartered in San Francisco, CA, is a commercial and industrial ("C&I") solar energy project developer. The company leverages its patented SkyQuotes software to reduce solar costs and simplify project evaluation for corporate customers. With OnSwitch's proprietary SkyPlanner online tool, multi-building corporate clients can compare and prioritize SkyQuote evaluations across their portfolios. OnSwitch's management team has a proven track record in the C&I solar industry, having developed and built over 2,000 MW across more than 4,000 projects since 1999. About Radial Power Radial Power is a privately-owned developer, owner, and operator of distributed clean energy assets across large real estate portfolios. Based in Houston, Texas, Radial Power is jointly owned by investment affiliates of energyRe and Starwood Energy. For more information, visit www.radialpower.com . Global Power Partners initiated and advised OnSwitch in the transaction. SOURCE Radial Power; OnSwitch, Inc. Ori chooses Kao Data's NVIDIA DGX-Ready data centre campus in Harlow for its first, UK-based, end-to-end AI infrastructure deployment. Ori is the first AI cloud provider to deploy NVIDIA's latest H200 GPUs in the UK, hosting them at Kao Data, with exciting plans to introduce NVIDIA's much-heralded GB200 architecture for both local and global customers from April 2025 . The collaboration enables Ori to deliver secure, scalable and sustainable, AI-optimised cloud infrastructure with a flexible software layer perfect for AI training and inference workloads. LONDON, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Kao Data, the specialist developer and operator of data centres engineered for AI and advanced computing, has been chosen by O ri , the AI-native cloud provider, to host its first, UK-based cloud region. The deployment at Kao Data's Harlow campus, which includes the country's first tranche of state-of-the-art, NVIDIA H200 GPUs, marks a significant milestone in Ori's' European cloud expansion, and further reinforces Kao Data's position as the UK's leader in high-density colocation solutions for AI. The collaboration will enable Ori's customers to access cutting-edge GPU clusters, purpose-built for AI and deep learning applications, hosted within Kao Data's industrial-scale, NVIDIA DGX-Ready data centre environment, powered by 100% certified renewable energy. "We are delighted to partner with Kao Data for our UK expansion, and its Harlow campus offers us the perfect mix of high-density data centre infrastructure, renewable energy, and close proximity to London and Cambridge's thriving AI and tech ecosystems," said Mahdi Yahya, Founder & CEO of Ori. "As demand for AI continues to surge, it was imperative to find a specialist data centre operator that understood AI and could support the scalability, performance and sustainability requirements of our GPU-powered cloud." Spencer Lamb, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at Kao Data, added: "Ori's decision to host their AI cloud infrastructure at our Harlow campus underscores our reputation as the key destination for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) deployments in the UK. Our partnership illustrates the continued need for the country to be investing in, supporting and hosting AI architectures, and showcases how the UK can continue to be a leader in the AI race by attracting and working with innovative, world-class startups." Ori's AI cloud infrastructure at Kao Data includes a substantial cluster of NVIDIA's latest H200 Tensor Core GPUs, the most powerful unit on the market, with breakthrough performance and memory capabilities, making it the preferred GPU for generative AI and large language models (LLMs). This deployment of next generation AI infrastructure comes at a time the UK Government is ramping up AI adoption in an effort to boost economic growth, provide jobs for the future and improve society and people's everyday lives. As part of the government's AI Opportunities Action Plan 'AI Growth Zones' (AIGZs) are to be developed across the country, and Ori's deployment at Kao Data has reinforced Harlow and the Cambridge-London "UK Innovation Corridor" as a prime location for future AI investment. For more information, visit the website. About Kao Data Kao Data leads the industry, pioneering the development and operation of UK and European data centres engineered for AI and advanced computing. With hyperscale-inspired facilities east and west of London, and northern England's largest data centre planned for Greater Manchester, we are home to technology's most demanding computing infrastructure. Its award-winning, NVIDIA DGX-Ready certified data centres are designed, engineered, and operated by one of the industry's most respected teams. Together, this provides colocation customers deploying mission-critical AI, enterprise, and cloud workloads with a secure, scalable, and sustainable compute environment, backed by a guarantee of 100% uptime. Kao Data's data centre portfolio includes more than 160 MW of IT load, either currently operational, under development or planned all of which is under-pinned by the highest energy efficiency, sustainability and ESG credentials. Backed by leading international investors, and with several pioneering 'industry firsts' to our name, Kao Data represents the future in industrial scale, high-capacity data centres for AI and the next generation of compute. Kaodata.com About Ori Ori is an AI infrastructure provider delivering high-performance compute solutions for AI training and inference. With a focus on operationalising AI for enterprises, Ori's cloud platform offers scalable and cost-effective GPU compute solutions for the next generation of AI applications. www.ori.co SOURCE Kao Data TORONTO, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - PCK Intellectual Property, a leading Canadian intellectual property firm specializing in patent, trademark, copyright and intellectual property strategy, is pleased to announce the launch of its refreshed brand identity. This update includes a modernized logo, a redesigned website, and a cohesive visual identity, reflecting PCK's continued commitment to delivering strategic IP solutions with precision and client-focused service. "Our new brand identity isn't a reinventionit's an affirmation of how far we've come," said Andrew Currier, CEO and Co-Founder of PCK Intellectual Property. "Over two decades, our firm has matured into a recognized leaderone that literally wrote the book on Canadian patent practice. We are a proudly independent Canadian IP boutique firm. Our unwavering commitment to excellence in IP origination, combined with local Canadian expertise for foreign applicants seeking a trusted Canadian partner, remains at the heart of what we do. This refreshed look underscores our dedication to strategic IP solutions, innovation, and outstanding client servicekeeping us aligned with our North Star of being a leading IP firm on the world stage." The new brand identity enhances how PCK communicates its expertise and services across all client touchpoints. From a clearer, more impactful logo to a consistent and professional visual system, every element is designed to reinforce PCK's position as a leader in intellectual property law. By modernizing its identity, PCK strengthens its connection with clients while maintaining its reputation for trusted expertise and strategic advice. The refreshed brand showcases PCK's dedication to helping clients protect and maximize the value of their intellectual property. About PCK Intellectual Property: PCK Intellectual Property is a Canadian intellectual property firm specializing in patent, trademark, copyright and IP strategy. Known for its strategic approach and deep industry expertise, PCK helps businesses protect their intellectual property and navigate complex legal landscapes. Learn more at www.pckip.com. SOURCE PCK Intellectual Property Monumental gift is largest in hospital's history "Full circle" moment in relationship between company that donated the land 50+ years ago where the hospital stands today Establishes Rancho Mission Viejo Family Tower as part of hospital's multiphase expansion and comprehensive fundraising campaign MISSION VIEJO, Calif., March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Providence Mission Hospital Foundation announced today the landmark gift of $50 million from Rancho Mission Viejo to support the hospital's multiphase expansion at its Mission Viejo campus. The donation, the largest gift in the hospital's history, was announced at a surprise ceremony for physicians and employees to celebrate this remarkable milestone, and boosts the philanthropically funded portion of the hospital's $712 million expansion project led by Providence. Providence Mission Hospital and Rancho Mission Viejo executives celebrate the $50 million gift announcement. From left to right: Jeremy Laster, President, Rancho Mission Viejo; Don Vodra, Vice-Chairman of the Board, Rancho Mission Viejo; Seth R. Teigen, FACHE - Chief Executive, Providence Mission Hospital; Tony Moiso, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Rancho Mission Viejo; and Nicole Balsamo, President and Chief Philanthropy Officer, Providence Mission Hospital Foundation. Providence Mission Hospital leadership and donors in Mission Viejo on Monday, March 3, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez) In recognition of this transformative gift, Providence Mission Hospital will name the new tower, expected to open in 2030, the Rancho Mission Viejo Family Tower. "We are truly humbled by the generosity of the Rancho Mission Viejo family and the $50 million investment they have made toward the future of health care for the residents in Orange County and beyond," said Seth Teigen, chief executive, Providence Mission Hospital. "On behalf of the entire Providence Mission Hospital family of caregivers, physicians and leaders, we thank Rancho Mission Viejo for their commitment to the hospital expansion and for ensuring generations to come will benefit from their philanthropy." The $50 million gift will be used to support several facets of the hospital's expansion, including the construction of the new Rancho Mission Viejo Family Tower, which will support a total reorientation of the campus. The tower will house 100 private patient rooms, including intensive care, medical/surgical, and acute rehabilitation units; a new cardiology department inclusive of cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology suites; new surgical operating rooms and procedural suites, including the campus's first hybrid operating room; new radiology and clinical laboratory services to support expansions of the emergency department, Level II pediatric and adult trauma center and acute care operations; and new emergency department observation rooms as part of the reimagined patient experience. "We have enjoyed a long history with Providence Mission Hospital, beginning with the donation of the land where we stand today," said Anthony R. Moiso, chairman and CEO, Rancho Mission Viejo. "There is nothing more important than the health of our community and our families. Mission treats its patients as family, as we treat our employees at The Ranch. Melinda and I have experienced firsthand the great talents of Mission's doctors, nurses, caregivers and executives. We are inspired, grateful and proud to support the hospital's future." The funds will also allow for Providence Mission Hospital's investment in noninvasive treatment technologies; specialist recruitment to offer academic-level care with top physicians in a regional hospital setting; facility and programmatic enhancements that deliver advanced technology in a healing environment for patients, visitors and caregivers; and enrichment to its primary, urgent and emergency care continuum, including the expansion of radiology services and specialty services at its future Rancho Misson Viejo and San Clemente Mission Health Center outpatient clinics. "This gift is transformational for Providence Mission Hospital, and will no doubt inspire others to partner with us as we reimagine health care delivery in Orange County," said Nicole Balsamo, president and chief philanthropy officer, Providence Mission Hospital Foundation. "The power of philanthropy enables the hospital to continue to innovate and Rancho Mission Viejo's generosity ensures we'll be delivering compassionate, whole-person care to our community in perpetuity." Notably, in 1969 Rancho Mission Viejo donated the land Providence Mission Hospital occupies at the direction of its patriarch, Richard J. O'Neill. The company has a storied history of land stewardship, conservancy and philanthropic support. Not the least of its generosity is the land donation to establish a world-class hospital to serve and care for the residents of Orange County. "Providence Mission Hospital and The Ranch are synonymous with South Orange County," said Don Vodra, vice-chairman of the board of directors, Rancho Mission Viejo. "Both organizations have helped this region flourish into one of the most attractive places to live in all of California. Today's announcement ensures this special community will thrive for generations to come as a result of the generosity of the family, individual owners and our business partner, DMB Associates." Rancho Mission Viejo is the last working ranch in Orange County, home to acres of citrus groves and miles of protected creeks and canyons within The Nature Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo, which provide the idyllic background for multiple mixed-use villages. At completion, Rancho Mission Viejo will encompass approximately 6,000 acres, or 25%, of the 23,000-acre ranch, which has been held in the O'Neill/Moiso/Avery family since 1882. About 17,000 acres, or 75%, of The Ranch will be preserved for the large habitat conservation area known as The Nature Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo, and for ranching and farming. "Our family and company are honored and humbled to play a small part in the important expansion of Providence Mission Hospital," said Jeremy Laster, president, Rancho Mission Viejo, and member of Providence Mission Hospital Community Ministry Board. "In addition to attracting top-rated doctors, nurses, caregivers and executives, our community will enjoy advanced, state-of-the-art facilities and the highest quality health care in the region." To announce and honor Rancho Mission Viejo's record-setting gift, Providence Mission Hospital hosted a ceremony followed by a daylong employee event to celebrate this historic moment at both the Mission Viejo and Laguna Beach hospital campuses. About Providence Mission Hospital Foundation Providence Mission Hospital Foundation is the philanthropic catalyst for the two Providence Mission Hospital locations in Mission Viejo and Laguna Beach. For 50 years, the Foundation and the community's partnership have advanced the work of both hospitals to provide the highest level of patient care for the Orange County region. About Providence Mission Hospital Providence Mission Hospital is a state-of-the art, 504-bed, acute care hospital in Mission Viejo, California. As a verified adult and pediatric Level II trauma center, Mission Hospital provides a full range of specialty health care services, including cardiovascular, neuroscience and spine, orthopedics, cancer care, women's services, and mental health and wellness. Mission Hospital in Laguna Beach (MHLB) provides South Orange County coastal communities with 24-hour emergency and intensive care as well as medical-surgical/telemetry services, orthopedics, general and GI surgery. CHOC at Mission Hospital is a 48-bed facility that is the area's only dedicated pediatric hospital. About Providence South Division Philanthropy Providence South Division Philanthropy is comprised of 14 philanthropic Foundations across California. Providence is a comprehensive not-for-profit network of hospitals, care centers, health plans, physicians, clinics, home health care and services that continue our 100-plus-year tradition of serving the underserved. Our philanthropic Foundations are a catalyst for change and our donors and volunteers have a deep connection to our mission. Together, we are committed to bringing to life the Providence vision of health for a better world. About Rancho Mission Viejo Rancho Mission Viejo, LLC is a privately held, family-owned and -operated company responsible for the ranching, farming, planning, development and financial management of the remaining 23,000 acres of Rancho Mission Viejo, situated in unincorporated South Orange County, California. Since 1882, members of the O'Neill/Moiso/Avery family have owned and managed The Ranch, which once exceeded 200,000 acres and now includes the family-developed cities and communities of Ladera Ranch, Las Flores, Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita as well as such iconic places as Caspers Wilderness Regional Park, the Starr Ranch Audubon Sanctuary, O'Neill Regional Park and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. Development on The Ranch is a partnership between Rancho Mission Viejo, LLC (managing partner) and DMB Associates, an Arizona-based, diversified real estate company with commercial property/resort/recreational/primary home community holdings throughout Arizona, California, Hawaii and Utah. SOURCE Providence Mission Hospital TORONTO, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Quarterhill Inc. ("Quarterhill") (TSX: QTRH) (OTCQX: QTRHF) will release its financial results for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024, on Monday, March 17, 2025. Chuck Myers, CEO, and Morgan Demkey, Interim CFO, will host a conference call and audio webcast at 10:00 a.m. ET the same day. Webcast Information Live audio webcast will be available at: https://app.webinar.net/jGx29Y2K0gl Webcast replay will be available at: https://app.webinar.net/jGx29Y2K0gl Traditional Dial-in Information To access the call from the U.S. and Canada , dial 1.888.699.1199 (Toll Free) , dial 1.888.699.1199 (Toll Free) To access the call from other locations, dial 1.416.945.7677 (International) Rapidconnect To instantly join the conference call by phone, please use the following URL to easily register and be connected into the conference call automatically: https://emportal.ink/42rBzm7 Telephone Replay Telephone replay will be available from March 17, 2025, until March 24, 2025, at: 1.888.660.6345 (Toll Free North America) or 1.646.517.4150. Conference ID: 09879 and Replay Passcode: 09879# About Quarterhill Quarterhill is a leading provider of tolling and enforcement solutions in the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) industry. Our goal is technology-driven global leadership in ITS, via organic growth of our tolling and enforcement businesses, and by continuing an acquisition-oriented investment strategy that capitalizes on attractive growth opportunities within ITS and its adjacent markets. Quarterhill is listed on the TSX under the symbol QTRH and on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol QTRHF. For more information: www.quarterhill.com. SOURCE Quarterhill STOCKHOLM, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sandvik has signed an agreement to acquire Verisurf Software, Inc. (Verisurf), a US-based 3D metrology software solutions provider. Verisurf will complement and enhance Sandvik's position in industrial metrology and strengthen the combined digital manufacturing offering to small and mid-sized manufacturers (SMEs). The company will be reported as a separate business unit within business area Sandvik Manufacturing and Machining Solutions. Verisurf is principally active in the North American market. The company serves a diverse customer base of around 1,500 companies SMEs as well as larger customers with exposure in segments such as aerospace and defense. Verisurf offers modular-based easy-to-use software solutions for quality inspection, assembly guidance, and reverse engineering, that are built on the Mastercam Design (CAD) platform. "Verisurf will strengthen our metrology offering and ability to support the growing customer demand for precision measurement and quality assurance in manufacturing. The acquisition fits very well with our strategy to grow in digital manufacturing and provide comprehensive solutions for our customers to drive efficiency and productivity," says Stefan Widing, President and CEO of Sandvik. Verisurf has 44 employees and is headquartered in Anaheim, California, US. In 2024, the company had revenues of approximately SEK 130 million (USD 12 million). The impact on Sandvik's EBITA margin and earnings per share will be limited. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price. The transaction is expected to close during the second quarter of 2025, subject to customary regulatory approvals. Stockholm, March 10, 2025 Sandvik AB For further information, contact Louise Tjeder, VP Investor relations, phone: +46 (0) 70782 6374 or Johannes Hellstrom, Press and Media Relations Manager, phone: +46 (0) 70721 1008 This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/sandvik/r/sandvik-to-acquire-3d-metrology-software-provider-verisurf,c4113953 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/208/4113953/3308890.pdf Sandvik to acquire 3D metrology software provider Verisurf SOURCE Sandvik BOSTON, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SimSpace , the leader in high-fidelity simulated environments, proudly announces the launch of Stack Optimizer, designed to help organizations evaluate, test, and optimize their security and IT infrastructure. By leveraging SimSpace's realistic simulated environments, organizations can perform comprehensive security performance benchmarking, validate detection engineering strategies, optimize operational workflows, and validate compliance readinessenhancing overall cyber resilience and IT efficiency. Redefining Security & IT Performance Optimization Stack Optimizer provides a real-world testing environment, allowing organizations to measure their security technologies against simulated threats and operational stress tests. This empowers security teams to refine detection logic, optimize tool configurations, enhance interoperability, and streamline security workflows, resulting in a resilient and cost-effective security stack aligned with industry benchmarks. Key Benefits of Stack Optimizer With Stack Optimizer, security and IT teams can: Benchmark & optimize tool performance to ensure maximum efficacy and interoperability. to ensure maximum efficacy and interoperability. Validate detection engineering strategies to fine-tune detection rules and minimize false positives. to fine-tune detection rules and minimize false positives. Improve SOC workflow efficiency by reducing alert fatigue and enhancing automation. by reducing alert fatigue and enhancing automation. Conduct operational stress testing to evaluate security tool resilience under real-world attack conditions. to evaluate security tool resilience under real-world attack conditions. Ensure compliance readiness by validating security controls against industry standards. Comprehensive Security & IT Benchmarking Unlike traditional security validation tools, Stack Optimizer provides a holistic, data-driven assessment of an organization's security technology stack, operational workflows, and risk exposure. Key capabilities include: Simulated threat environment deployment for realistic attack emulation. for realistic attack emulation. Security workflow optimization analysis to reduce response times and analyst workload. to reduce response times and analyst workload. Industry benchmarking to align security performance with others. to align security performance with others. Iterative tuning and configuration hardening for continuous security enhancement. for continuous security enhancement. Executive-level reporting to support strategic decision-making and justify security investments. Advancing Cybersecurity & IT Performance Innovation "Organizations need precise ways to measure and improve their security stack's performance," said William "Hutch" Hutchison, CEO of SimSpace. "Stack Optimizer delivers a strategic approach to security and IT benchmarking, ensuring teams can proactively test, optimize, and validate their defenses before real-world threats emerge." Lee Rossey, CTO of SimSpace, added, "Detection engineering, technology benchmarking, and process optimization are essential to staying ahead of evolving threats. Stack Optimizer enables security teams to stress-test their infrastructure, refine detection logic, and streamline SOC workflows in a controlled yet realistic environment." Key Features of Stack Optimizer Technology Performance Benchmarking Evaluate and optimize security and IT tool effectiveness under real-world attack conditions. Evaluate and optimize security and IT tool effectiveness under real-world attack conditions. Detection Engineering & Rule Creation Develop, test, and refine detection logic across SIEM, EDR, IDS/IPS, and cloud security solutions. Develop, test, and refine detection logic across SIEM, EDR, IDS/IPS, and cloud security solutions. Process Optimization Enhance SOC efficiency, reduce alert fatigue, and automate incident response. Transforming Cyber Resilience with Stack Optimizer Stack Optimizer is designed to help organizations make informed, strategic decisions about their security investments. By validating security controls, streamlining security operations, and optimizing technology performance, organizations can improve detection accuracy, reduce response times, and maximize security ROI. To learn more about StackOp, contact us today . About SimSpace SimSpace empowers organizations to reduce uncertainty about their cybersecurity readiness by providing a realistic, high-fidelity environment to simulate, test, and optimize their teams, tools, and processes. With automated capabilities that streamline 'what if' scenario exploration, organizations can uncover and mitigate potential risks and refine their strategies. Whether it's training your people, validating changes and controls, optimizing your tech stack, or preparing for tomorrow's cyber threats, SimSpace enables you to confidently manage risk, improve decision-making, and achieve true cyber resilience. For media inquiries, please contact: Ashley Baich Director of Product Marketing [email protected] SOURCE SimSpace Corporation Positive Evaluation Reflects Global Provider's Commitment to Sustainability KAISERAUGST, Switzerland, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Solvias, a global provider of chemistry, manufacturing, and control (CMC) analytics, announced today that it has earned a committed badge from EcoVadis, after completing its inaugural assessment with the leading global provider of business sustainability ratings. Solvias scored in the upper tier of 100,000+ companies evaluated by EcoVadis for their sustainability practices, reflecting its firm commitment to embedding environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles into its core business operations. Solvias Earns Strong First Sustainability Assessment from EcoVadis Since launching the ESG initiative in 2024, Solvias has made significant progress in building a strong sustainability framework. Solvias has calculated its carbon footprint, set clear sustainability targets, and established a comprehensive five-year action plan to reduce its environmental impact and drive meaningful change. The positive assessment from EcoVadis marks a strong foundation for Solvias to accelerate its sustainability efforts. In line with this commitment, Solvias will formally align with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a global organization dedicated to helping businesses reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, in the coming months, reinforcing its long-term strategy to advance sustainability. "Our first EcoVadis assessment is a significant milestone, validating our progress and sharpening our focus on driving impactful change," said Archie Cullen, CEO of Solvias. "We are proud of what we have achieved and remain fully committed to integrating sustainability effectively into our business." With a five-year plan already in motion, Solvias is executing initiatives to meet its sustainability targets. These efforts are focused on continuous improvement, higher ratings, and measurable contributions to a more sustainable future. About Solvias Solvias is a global provider of chemistry, manufacturing, and control (CMC) analytics to the life sciences industry. Its expert team combines decades of experience with regulatory expertise across small molecules, biologics, and cell and gene therapies. Solvias offers end-to-end solutions from raw material testing to drug product release and API development for small molecules. Headquartered near Basel, Switzerland, Solvias operates six global Centers of Excellence, all adhering to the highest ISO, GMP, GLP, and FDA standards. For more information, visit solvias.com. Media contact Katy McGirr, Director of Global Marketing [email protected] +1 617 513 8287 SOURCE Solvias MILAN and TEL HASHOMER, Israel, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Tethis S.p.A., a pioneer in standardized liquid biopsy platform development, and Sheba Medical Center, Israel's largest medical center consistently ranked as a Top 10 World's Best Hospital by Newsweek magazine, today announced a research collaboration to evaluate circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in rectal cancer patients using Tethis' proprietary technology. Under the agreement, a Tethis' See.d instrument will be installed at Sheba's Institute of Pathology. The study, led by Prof. Iris Barshack will focus on monitoring CTCs and ctDNA in patients with rectal cancer before and after neoadjuvant therapy. Blood samples will be collected at multiple time points to establish baseline CTC levels and track changes throughout treatment. The research aims to evaluate the potential of CTCs combined with ctDNA as a surrogate marker to predict relapse of rectal carcinoma earlier than conventional imaging studies. "Working with Sheba represents a significant step in expanding the applications of our liquid biopsy platform," states Dr. Holger Neecke, CEO of Tethis. "Our See.d instrument, combined with our nanocoated SmartBioSurface slides, enables standardized preparation of cytology specimens containing immune and tumor cells, suited for sequential multiplexing and interpretation with artificial intelligence, while collecting plasma for cell free DNA analysis." "This collaboration exemplifies Sheba's commitment to advancing precision medicine through innovative technologies," says Prof. Iris Barshack, Head of the Pathology Institute. "By combining Tethis' cutting-edge liquid biopsy platform with our extensive clinical expertise in oncology, we aim to develop more effective strategies for monitoring treatment response in rectal cancer patients." "The analysis of the cytology specimens using bright field multi-staining immunohistochemistry and AI-powered algorithms builds upon our successful proof-of-concept studies with model cells, advancing the field of digital cytology in liquid biopsy applications," says Dr. Nadia Prisant, Head of the Liquid Biopsy Laboratory. "The ability to prepare high-quality cytology slides at the point of blood collection may provide valuable insights into disease progression and help guide treatment decisions for our patients." "With Tethis See.d instrument we can retrieve the entire population of nucleated cells, including inflammatory cells, histocytes and CTCs from the bloodstream. This gentle collection method enhances the pathologist's ability to detect CTC clusters and single cells, displayed in a unique cellular micro-environment. Through multiplexing of colorectal carcinoma-specific antibodies and localizing the membranous, cytoplasm and nuclear proteins, we expect to enhance CTC detection even in very early-stage patients and evaluate the immunoprofile of the inflammatory background cells to guide immunotherapy," adds Prof. Ruth Katz, Professor of Pathology. The See.d instrument and SmartBioSurface slides are for Research Use Only and are not intended for use in diagnostic procedures. About Tethis Tethis is a diagnostic company developing an innovative workflow to integrate liquid biopsy into clinical practice, offering precise cancer management. Tethis' technology focuses on standardizing the preparation of blood samples to ensure the highest quality and integrity of liquid biopsy specimens. This approach facilitates comprehensive analysis of all clinically relevant biomarkers. The company's nanocoated SmartBioSurface slides, in conjunction with the See.d instrument, enable the identification and characterization of immune cells and rare cells, such as circulating tumor cells, with unparalleled sensitivity, even in early-stage settings. The company is headquartered in Milan, Italy. More information can be found at www.tethis-lab.com. About Sheba Medical Center The largest and most comprehensive medical center in the Middle East, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer is generating global impact through its medical care, research and AI-based healthcare transformation. Sheba's City of Health boasts acute-care, rehabilitation, children's, cancer and geriatric hospitals, research and innovation hubs, medical simulation center, center for disaster response and a virtual hospital on one comprehensive campus in the center of Israel. Sheba serves as a true hospital without borders, welcoming patients and healthcare professionals from all over the world and consistently providing the highest-level medical care to all in need. For more information, visit: https://sheba-global.com. Media Contacts For Tethis [email protected] SOURCE Tethis S.p.A. DUBLIN, Ohio, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Tri-anim Health Services, a leading provider of specialty medical products with a focus on anesthesia, respiratory and critical care, is proud to announce its 50th anniversary. For half a century, Tri-anim has provided healthcare professionals with the products, services and solutions to solve complex clinical challenges, so clinicians can focus on what matters mostcaring for patients. Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence Founded in 1975, Tri-anim has grown from a regional distributor to a national leader, serving hospitals, surgery centers and other healthcare facilities across the United States. By streamlining clinical workflows and optimizing supply operations, Tri-anim has helped healthcare providers achieve better patient outcomes, shorter lengths of stay and reduced readmissions. "Reaching our 50th anniversary is a testament to the trust and loyalty of our customers," said Brian LaDuke, CEO of Sarnova, Tri-anim's parent company. "We are honored to have made a positive impact on patient care and look forward to continuing our mission of empowering healthcare providers for many more years to come." The company's commitment to excellence has made Tri-anim the go-to consultative partner for its customers, engaging at every level to address their most complex clinical and operational challenges. "At Tri-anim, we are passionate about making a difference for our customers and their patients," added Aric Vacchiano, President. "Our focus on quality outcomes, cost reduction and operational efficiency has been the cornerstone of our success, and we are excited to build on this legacy." Commitment to Customer Satisfaction With a mission to empower patient care and a vision to solve customers' challenges, Tri-anim remains steadfast in supporting healthcare providers. Tri-anim's robust distribution system ensures product availability with leading fill rates and fulfillment accuracy. The company advocates for products that drive quality outcomes and lower costs, supports product evaluations and trials, integrates new solutions into workflows, and provides comprehensive staff training. This end-to-end service has positioned Tri-anim as a leader in customer satisfaction. Looking Ahead As Tri-anim celebrates this milestone, the company remains dedicated to its mission of empowering patient care, by the side of healthcare providers every step of the way. With a focus on solving clinical and operational challenges, Tri-anim continues to give healthcare providers more control over what matters most: caring for patients. About Tri-anim Health Services Tri-anim is part of Sarnova and its family of companies - Bound Tree Medical , Cardio Partners and Digitech . Combined, the companies have been serving the emergency medical services (EMS) and acute care markets for over 50 years. With nearly 200,000 health and safety products, services and technology solutions, Sarnova's family of companies serve a diverse range of national emergency care providers, hospitals, educational institutions, businesses and government agencies, helping its customers save lives and keep our communities safe. Sarnova is a company of Patricia Industries, a part of Investor AB. For more information, visit www.sarnova.com . Sarnova Media Contact: Beth Scott, Director, Marketing Communications [email protected] SOURCE Tri-anim Health Services SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- At this polarized moment in U.S. politics, the University of Utah and Project UNITE have joined forces to make political and public discourse more productive. Under one of the university's first affiliation agreements, the U will join UNITE's effort to promote the study, teaching, and applied practice of human dignity. President Taylor Randall said he sees alignment already in the missions of the two organizations. The university is dedicated to preparing students as leaders and citizens, generating new knowledge and engaging the community around it. UNITE is focused on helping the university and other organizations spread knowledge about how the way we speak to each other when we disagree can transform society, for good or ill. "Too often cynicism, mistrust, and anger feel intractably woven into the world around us. The university and UNITE can do something about that," said Randall. "Our missions are uniquely complementary. Working together, we can ease the divisions splitting our friends, families, communities and leaders and create greater unity in our world." UNITE was founded in 2018 by CEO Tim Shriver in an effort to help ease divisions, prevent violence and solve problems. In 2021, the nonprofit developed the Dignity Index , an eight-point scale that measures how people talk to each other when they disagree ranging from ONE, which shows total contempt for the other side, to EIGHT, which shows dignity to everyone, no matter what. The collaboration between the U and the nonprofit started in September 2022 , with the first-ever public demonstration of the Dignity, as UNITE and the University partnered to use the Dignity Index to score political speech in Utah's congressional mid-term elections. With leadership from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute and David Eccles School of Business, 22 student coders from the Hinckley Institute of Politics helped analyze candidates' political speeches each week, scoring them based on the index's scale. Since that time, training in the Dignity Index has expanded to include education, local government, and corporate settings. "What began as a pilot to establish the validity of the Dignity Index itself has grown into an initiative with touch points in 25 states," said Tami Pyfer, co-creator of the Dignity Index and Chief External Relations Officer for UNITE. "We're experiencing explosive growth in the demand for engagement with organizations in a wide variety of sectors, all seeking to find better ways to communicate and solve problems together. We are thrilled to be expanding our partnership with the University of Utah." Pyfer and Dignity Index co-creator Tom Rosshirt will be the UNITE leads on this new partnership, working with senior research associate and adjunct professor Samantha Ball , who will serve as the program's research director. Ball has worked at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute for 10 years, and was instrumental in pilot testing the Dignity Index in 2022. She will lead the partnership's research, measurement, and evaluation activities. "This partnership between the University and UNITE could not be a more perfect fit," said Tim Shriver, founder of UNITE and co-creator of the Dignity Index. "From our earliest work on the Dignity Index, President Randall saw its promise and committed resources that brought academic rigor to the index and validated its use and value. That's why our team considers Utah the birthplace and home base of the index, and we look forward to a long and successful partnership." Shriver also is one of the University's Impact Scholars and spoke at the 2023 Commencement. Under the terms of the agreement, the university will provide $1.5 million in actual and in-kind funding over three years to support three staff positions and will provide space at the Thomas S. Monson Center, home of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. UNITE will match the contribution through outreach and training activities, along with other grant funding. UNITE and the U will organize joint research and programming to advance the dignity movement. SOURCE University of Utah ADELAIDE, South Australia, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Royal Australian Navy's Hunter class frigates will be fitted with Ultra Maritime's world-leading 2150 Bow Sonar under a contract with BAE Systems Maritime Australia (BAESMA). The delivery of the 2150 Bow Sonar will expand Australian sovereign undersea warfare capabilities, providing active and passive anti-submarine warfare (ASW) modes, mine and obstacle avoidance sonar, integrated underwater communications, and automated torpedo detection, classification and localization. The Royal Australian Navy's Hunter class frigates will be fitted with Ultra Maritime's world-leading 2150 Bow Sonar. Post this The Ultra Maritime Australia team visits BAE Systems who are integrating Ultra Maritime's 2150 Bow Sonar on the Hunter Class Frigates. "Ultra Maritime is committed to building a strategic partnership with the Commonwealth of Australia, as we continue to invest and grow our support to the Royal Australian Navy fleet with delivery of world-class undersea warfare solutions," said Mark Potter, Vice President and General Manager of Ultra Maritime Australia. "Our expertise in sonar, radar and electronic warfare, and torpedo defense will provide best-in-class capabilities within the maritime domain." Ultra Maritime has operated in Australia for more than 15 years, expanding from its indigenous electronic warfare capability to establish a sovereign sonar sustainment solution to support its Integrated Sonar System (ISS), as installed on the Hobart class air warfare destroyers (DDG). As Ultra Maritime's Australian workforce continues to grow, we will continue to work closely with local industry to further maximize opportunities for Australian industry to assist with the Bow Sonar capability. About Ultra Maritime Ultra Maritime provides innovative multi-missions solutions for surface, sub-surface and unmanned platforms that protect and empower allied naval forces worldwide. Headquartered in Braintree, Massachusetts, Ultra Maritime employs more than 2,300 engineers and manufacturing experts worldwide, specializing in state-of-the-art sonar systems, radar, expendables, signature management and naval power systems. With major locations in the U.S., Canada, UK and Australia, Ultra Maritime is primed to support customers' maritime missions around the globe. Visit our website www.umaritime.com, and follow us on LinkedIn. SOURCE Ultra Maritime In late 2024, the European Union adopted a significant update to the UWWTD. This revision aims to align the Directive with the Green Deal, addressing contemporary issues such as micropollutants and introducing the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme. The Directive enforces the polluter pays principle, specifically requiring the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries to finance the new quaternary treatment processes at urban wastewater treatment plants to remove these micropollutants. 16 out of 27 Member States of the European Union raised concerns about the Directive's impact on medicines. Zentiva is challenging the funding mechanism under the Directive, which imposes an unsustainable financial burden on the pharmaceutical industry, threatening the economic viability of needed medicines. Steffen Saltofte, CEO Zentiva, explained: "Europe needs legislation that works. As a leading European company dedicated to developing, producing, and supplying high-quality and affordable medicines, we view the Directive as discriminatory and disproportionate. Clean water is essential for our lives and the production of medicines. We support the Green Deal and the ambition of the UWWTD, but we cannot accept the current implementation plan. We are 100% committed to paying our fair share. But the Directive results in an astronomical additional tax with a disproportionate burden on the generics industry. We cannot finance that while operating within a highly regulated framework." Generics account for 70% of all medicines sold in Europe, representing only 19% of the market value, thus making a significant contribution to public health. The role of generics is to expand access to healthcare and secure health outcomes, while helping healthcare decision-makers finance sustainable healthcare. Steffen Saltofte continued: "We view the Directive as violating key principles of the European Union. There is no transparency, as we still lack access to the data and methodology used by the European Commission in deciding to make only pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries responsible for the costs of treating urban wastewater. Concerns from many partners remain unheard. This is why we are pursuing legal action to contest the Directive, which endangers the continuous supply of medicines to people. Implementing the Directive in its current form will make many products economically unviable, forcing them off the market and leaving behind the people who depend on these products every day. "As a company, we invest in decarbonizing our operations and have our own wastewater treatment plants installed at our premises. We must comply with numerous regulations to maintain the high-quality and safety of our products, our prices are regulated, and investments in environmental innovation are not rewarded. "Zentiva calls on the European Commission and Member States to reassess the Directive's impact. We need an urgent dialogue with EU policymakers and all stakeholders to find an appropriate and equitable solution for ensuring clean water without jeopardizing access to affordable healthcare in Europe. We believe that access to healthcare should be a right for all, not just a privilege." About Zentiva Zentiva provides health and wellbeing for all generations. We are a European company developing, producing, and delivering high-quality, affordable medicines to more than 100 million people in over 30 countries across Europe and beyond. Zentiva has four wholly owned manufacturing sites and a broad network of external manufacturing partners to ensure supply security. The company is private equity-owned, delivering sustainable growth, with an ambitious plan for the years to come. We are a team of more than 5,000 unique talents bonded together by our commitment to ensuring the supply of high-quality, affordable medicines to people who depend on them every day. We want Zentiva to be a great place to work, where everyone feels welcomed and appreciated, and can be their true selves, contributing to the best of their ability. Our roots reach back more than 500 years to a small pharmacy in Prague that still exists today. We act today for a sustainable tomorrow, so that Zentiva will continue to provide health and wellbeing for all generations for at least another 500 years. Learn more about Zentiva www.zentiva.com. 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Our correction policy can be found here Madrid, March 10 : Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez reiterated the need for European to enhance its self-reliance in defence, emphasising the continent's security interest amid shifting geopolitical dynamics. Speaking at a Socialist Party meeting on Sunday in Santiago de Compostela, north-west Spain, Sanchez underscored the urgency for Europe to take greater responsibility for its own security in light of strained relations with the United States following Donald Trump's return to the US presidency, Xinhua news agency reported. "From what we have seen, it's better that we depend a bit more on ourselves and a bit less on others," Sanchez stated. His remarks came days after announcing plans to accelerate the country's commitment to spending 2 per cent of its gross domestic product on defence. Regarding Spain's security role, Sanchez noted that while the country's threats differ from those faced by Eastern Europe, where more traditional military buildups are needed, Spain should play a role in countering other threats, including terrorism and the impacts of climate change. Over the past week, heavy rains and floods have attacked several parts of eastern Spain, including Valencia, where devastating floods have left over 200 people dead. The recent weather alerts led to the closures of schools and other services. Reaffirming Spain's commitment to European stability, Sanchez stressed the importance of securing a "long and durable peace" in Ukraine. Damascus, March 10 : Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa vowed to hold accountable those responsible for recent violence in the coastal region, particularly "remnants of the former regime" whom he accused of orchestrating attacks on security forces and civilians. In a televised address, al-Sharaa on Sunday, condemned the killings of security personnel and civilians in Latakia and Tartous provinces, blaming the escalation on "remnants of the fallen regime and their foreign backers" who, he said, seek to destabilise Syria and incite sectarian strife. He reaffirmed that those involved in crimes, whether against state forces or civilians, would face justice without exception, Xinhua news agency reported. Al-Sharaa also denounced any attempts to divide Syria, warning against calls for foreign intervention or internal discord. "Syria will remain united with the will of its people and the strength of its army," he said. Meanwhile, Al-Sharaa announced the formation of a High Committee for Civil Peace, tasked with engaging directly with communities in the coastal region to address concerns and ensure stability. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, on Sunday, strongly condemned the killings of civilians in Syria, calling for a full investigation into the executions of non-combatants and the prosecution of those responsible. "We are receiving extremely disturbing reports of entire families, including women, children and hors de combat fighters, being killed," Turk said in a statement. He also called for the establishment of a comprehensive and credible justice process at the national level, ensuring fairness, inclusivity, and accountability. Violent clashes broke out Thursday in the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartous between Syrian security forces and armed groups opposing the new government in Damascus. On Friday night, additional army and interior ministry units arrived in Tartous and Latakia. Local authorities imposed a curfew amid the escalation. The country's interim defence ministry announced the closure of roads leading to the region. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said that 745 civilians have been killed in coastal Syria in recent days. Beirut, March 10 : Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem reaffirmed that the group will not permit any Israeli presence in southern Lebanon, emphasising Hezbollah's enduring strength and commitment to Lebanon's defence. In a televised interview with al-Manar TV, Qassem disclosed that during the ceasefire agreement, Hezbollah ceased operations but maintained full military readiness. "Over the past 60 days, Israel has committed numerous violations. The agreement clearly stipulates that Israel must retreat beyond the Litani River," he added. On domestic matters, Qassem reiterated Hezbollah's dedication to national stability and governance, endorsing the exclusive authority of security forces over internal security, Xinhua news agency reported. However, he maintained that Hezbollah's arms are crucial for confronting Israel. "Israel poses an existential threat, and resistance is Lebanon's right," he declared. Qassem also addressed Lebanon's reconstruction, affirming that rebuilding war-torn areas is a state responsibility. He emphasised Hezbollah's continued role in political and military affairs, asserting that "resistance" will persist as long as Israeli threats remain. A truce agreement, reached on November 27, 2024, largely halted over a year of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, including a two-month full-scale war that saw Israeli ground troop deployments. The agreement mandated the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon within 60 days; however, Israel has maintained a presence in five strategic positions along the border, citing ongoing threats from Hezbollah. Meanwhile, a Lebanese soldier and a civilian were wounded on Sunday by Israeli gunfire near the northern entrance of Kafr Kila village in southern Lebanon, according to official Lebanese sources. The state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported that Israeli forces opened fire near the Fatima Gate in Kafr Kila, injuring a Lebanese army soldier. The Public Health Emergency Operations Center, affiliated with the Health Ministry, confirmed that a citizen was critically injured by Israeli gunfire in Kafr Kila. According to the NNA, another incident took place in the border village of Blida, where a small explosive device detonated, injuring a citizen who was collecting scrap metal. It added that the injured had been transported to a hospital in Nabatieh and his condition was stable. Since November 27, 2024, a US- and French-brokered ceasefire agreement has been in effect, putting an end to over a year of clashes between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, which were triggered by the war in the Gaza Strip. 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 and continue strikes in Lebanon, claiming they are aimed at neutralising "threats" posed by Hezbollah. New Delhi, March 10 : At least five people were killed when the car they were travelling in was hit by a truck on the National Highway in Basti, Uttar Pradesh, on Monday. The incident took place when a high-speed truck, bearing the registration number RJ18GB5710, was heading towards Ayodhya. While attempting to change lanes, the truck collided with a car travelling in the opposite direction, coming from Ayodhya towards Basti. The impact of the collision was devastating. Five of the eight people in the car died on the spot due to the intense crash. The passengers in the car were reported to be severely injured, with three of them still in critical condition. The injured individuals were rushed to the district hospital for immediate medical attention, and their condition is still being monitored. Local police reached the site of the accident promptly after receiving the distress call. They immediately began rescue operations and later took the bodies of the deceased for post-mortem to determine the exact cause of death. The police are investigating the cause of the crash, with the truck's high speed and the lane change being key factors under scrutiny. The accident took place on the National Highway under the jurisdiction of the Nagar Police Station, near Gotwa Bazaar. The horrific scene left the local community shaken, and authorities are working to ascertain whether any further negligence or road conditions contributed to the incident. Residents have expressed their sorrow over the tragic loss of life and have urged authorities to take stronger measures to ensure road safety, especially on busy highways like the one where the accident occurred. As the investigation continues, the families of the deceased and the injured are receiving support from the local community. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken cognizance of the accident and expressed his condolences to the bereaved families of the victims. In a statement, the Chief Minister conveyed his heartfelt sympathies and directed district officials to expedite relief efforts. He also instructed them to ensure the injured were provided with immediate and proper medical care. Mumbai, March 10 : Actor Javier Bardem's portrayal of psychopath Anton Chigurh in the Coen Brothers directorial 'No Country For Old Men' has cultivated a loyal network of fans across the world. The character is so iconic that he has been identified as the most realistic film depiction of a psychopath by an independent group of psychologists in the Journal of Forensic Sciences. A huge part of the character being so cold yet fearsome is his hairdo. The actor, in fact once addressed it as well saying that those were his actual hair during the shoot of the film. He once appeared on 'The Graham Norton Show', and spoke about his character and its hairstyle, and how it was an outcome of his unmanageable hair. The show host told him, "You've gone blonde in 'Skyfall', but your classic bad hair, it won you an Oscar. I always assumed that was a wig, but it wasn't a wig". Responding to the same, the actor said, "No, it wasn't a wig, unfortunately not. I had to live with that for two months in Santa Fe. No matter what I did with it, it would always stay in that shape. So when I went to buy something in the supermarket, everybody would freak out. Yeah, I had to wear a hairnet to put the thing in place. And then on the last day of shooting, I had to take an elevator to go to the first floor of a building where we were shooting". He further mentioned, "And the elevator opened, and everybody on the crew was wearing hair. And the Coen Brothers were right there in front of me with the thing". 'No Country For Old Men' won four awards at the 80th Academy Awards (including Best Picture), three British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs), and two Golden Globes. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Tripoli, March 10 : Libya's Government of National Unity (GNU) refuted reports alleging that Libya plans to resettle undocumented immigrants within the country, saying the reports are "misleading" and "completely false" in an official statement. The denial comes amid social media claims of a statement by Minister of Local Governance Badr Al-Din Al-Toumi regarding the settlement of undocumented immigrants in Libya. The claims surfaced following his meeting on Saturday in Tripoli with Nicoletta Giordano, chief of the International Organization for Migration mission in Libya, Xinhua news agency reported. The GNU reiterated Libya's steadfast position on illegal migration, recalling its categorical rejection of immigrant resettlement plans during the Trans-Mediterranean Migration Forum held in Tripoli in July 2024. It also affirmed Libya's commitment to collaborating with the European Union and international partners to tackle illegal immigration, emphasising respect for national sovereignty and human rights. Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has become a primary departure point for African immigrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach European shores. Earlier in February, Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamed Dbeibah stressed that his government supports the UN efforts to enhance stability in Libya. Dbeibah made the remarks during a meeting with Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, the newly-appointed Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Libya and Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), in the capital Tripoli, according to a statement issued by the Libyan Government. "Prime Minister Abdul-Hamed Dbeibah received the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General to Libya, Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, in her first official meeting after officially assuming her duties," the statement said. Raipur, March 10 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday conducted raids at 14 locations linked to the son of former CM Bhupesh Baghel and others in Chhattisgarh's Durg district under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The action is part of the ongoing investigation into the alleged Rs 2,161 crore liquor scam in the state. ED teams searched the residence of Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, as well as premises linked to his close aides and businessman Laxmi Narayan Bansal, also known as Pappu Bansal. Investigators have reportedly found evidence suggesting that Chaitanya Baghel was among the beneficiaries of the illegally generated money. In January, the ED had arrested former Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma, alleging that he played a key role in the scam and failed to act against the illicit liquor trade. Lakhma is accused of receiving Rs 2 crore in illegal payments every month. The agency also claims that proceeds from the scam were funnelled into real estate investments, causing significant losses to the state exchequer. The EDas latest action has triggered a political storm in Chhattisgarh. Opposition parties have renewed corruption allegations against the government. Congress workers held a protest outside Bhupesh Baghelas house against the ED raids. Office of former CM Bhupesh Baghel, in a post on X, dismissed the raids as politically motivated, stating: "When the false case going on for seven years was dismissed in court, the ED arrived at the Bhilai residence of former Chief Minister and Congress General Secretary Bhupesh Baghel this morning. If someone is trying to stop Congress in Punjab through this conspiracy, they are mistaken." The liquor scam, according to the ED, was allegedly carried out between 2019 and 2022, when the Congress government, led by Baghel, was in power. So far, the agency has attached assets worth Rs 205 crore belonging to various accused. The investigation is still going on, with more revelations expected in the coming days. Mumbai, March 10 : Nana Patekar, Ganesh Acharya's lawyer Padma Shkatkar has released an official statement over the sexual harassment case by former actress Tanushree Dutta and said that the "court has not taken the cognizance of the case as it was barred by the Limitation Act due to delay in registration of FIR." Mumbai, March 10 (IANS) Nana Patekar, Ganesh Acharya's lawyer Padma Shkatkar has released an official statement over the sexual harassment case by former actress Tanushree Dutta and said that the "court has not taken the cognizance of the case as it was barred by the Limitation Act due to delay in registration of FIR." The statement, which went with the headline: "Finally justice served to Actor Nana Patekar, Choreographer Ganesh Acharya , Sami Siddhiqui ( producer) and Rakesh Sarang ( director)", stated that Tanushree was targeting the lawyer's clients. The statement read: "The FIR bearing No. 448/2018 in Oshiwara police station filed on 10.10.2018 by complainant actress Tanushree Dutta primarily mentions of an incident dated 23.3.2008 which was false from day one targetting my clients. She later aggravated the issue on the string operation of Sami Siddiqui conducted on 5.10.2018 and the court has rightly concluded his innocence." Acocrding to the statement, the police officials thoroughly conducted the investigation. "The Oshiwara police station officer thoroughly conducted the investigation and filed a 'B summary report' to the Hon'ble Andheri Magistrate court and the court has not taken the cognizance of the case as it was barred by the Limitation Act due to delay in registration of FIR." The lawyer mentioned that "the complainant failed to make an application for condonation of delay they even failed to prove the maintainaibility of their case and the court has dismissed their case." "Prima facie there was no sufficient evidence to prove her contention even when there were more than 100 people present at the set while shooting. My clients failed to understand the reason for coming up with these false allegations." "They have a large fan following due to their hard work and dedication and the present allegations were made merely to malign the images of my clients with an ulterior motive behind." "But some females take advantage and misuse law targeting big respected names of the industry which is wrong and unethical leading to the downturn of the career of veterans." The lawyer's statement also stated that her "clients have faced a lot in these 7 years and had to undergo excessive trauma, stress and sufferings and I have seen this personally." "Today the Hon'ble Magistrate Court, Andheri has given the verdict dismissing the case of the complainant . This case is definitely a beacon of light for all those men being targeted with ulterior motives by the 'Me too' category of litigants. We had faith in law and order, judiciary and we are delighted with the outcome of the case today." Jaipur, March 10 : Bhilwara is observing a bandh on Monday in protest against incidents of gangrape and alleged love jihad. The shutdown has been called by saints under the banner of Sakal Hindu Samaj. Markets are closed from 8.30 a.m. and will remain shut until 5 p.m., except for essential services. Many organisations, including trader associations, have extended their support to the bandh. To maintain law and order, additional police forces have been deployed in sensitive areas, with strict security arrangements at key market areas and intersections. To ensure the success of the bandh, seven coordination points have been established in the city, where organisational leaders have gathered. These points include Neelkanth Mahadev Temple, Shastri Nagar, Dudhdhari Gopal Temple, Sanganeri Gate, Tempo Stand, Sanganer, Kheda Khut Temple, Sanjay Colony, Chhoti Pulia Chauraha, Subhash Nagar, Malola Chauraha, Kumbha Circle and Chandrashekhar Azad Nagar and others. Workers from these points will march toward Shri Guest House Square while ensuring the closure of the main markets. The rally will then commence from Dudhdhari Gopal Mandir, passing through Bada Mandir, Bhimganj Thana, Gol Pyaau Square, Station Square, Machinery Market, and Azad Chowk, before concluding at Bajrangi Square at 2 p.m. A large Aakrosh Sabha (protest gathering) will be held there to decide further course of action. Public awareness for the bandh was raised throughout Sunday using autos and direct appeals to traders. Various organisations, including the District Medical Association, have agreed to close their establishments by 11 a.m. The Traders Association, Krishi Mandi, Industrial Association, and District Bar Association have also supported the call for the bandh. Additionally, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh and Private School Association have expressed solidarity. Superintendent of Police (SP) Dharmendra Singh has assured that stringent security measures have been put in place. Additional forces have been deployed at key intersections, and emergency services, including Vajra vehicles, fire brigades, and ambulances, are on standby. Police station in-charges are closely monitoring their respective areas, and special security forces have been stationed in sensitive regions to prevent any law-and-order disturbances. The bandh is in response to a case of gang rape and religious conversion involving a minor girl in Bhilwara. The victim's father has filed a complaint against six accused individuals. According to Pratap Nagar police station in-charge Surjeet Tholia, the accused repeatedly gang-raped the girl, threatening to leak her obscene photos and videos on social media. Authorities are continuing their investigation, and the police have assured strict action against the perpetrators. Bhopal, March 10 : Set against the backdrop of a 13-km long stone wall that stands as a barrier between humans and tigers, Madhav National Park in Shivpuri is poised for a significant moment on Monday when state Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav will release two tigers in the wilderness. In a ceremony on Monday, Chief Minister Yadav and Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia will officially inaugurate Madhya Pradesh's 9th Tiger Reserve. The day coincides with the birth anniversary of former Union Minister Madhavrao Scindia, in whose honour the reserve has been named. The event will be marked by the release of a majestic tiger and tigress into the park, symbolising a milestone in wildlife conservation. CM Yadav will also unveil the 13-km long stone safety wall that delineates the sanctuary, safeguarding both humans and tigers. Expressing his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for granting tigers to Madhav National Park with the honour of becoming the country's 58th Tiger Reserve and Madhya Pradesh's 9th, CM Yadav emphasized the significance of this achievement. CM Yadav highlighted that the establishment of the Tiger Reserve will elevate wildlife conservation efforts and propel tourism to unprecedented heights. He remarked on the rich historical and natural heritage of Madhav National Park. Spanning an expansive area, the Madhav Tiger Reserve encompasses 32,429 hectares of reserved forest, 2,422 hectares of protected forest, and 2,671 hectares of revenue area, totaling 37,523 hectares or 375 square km. Currently, the reserve is home to five tigers, comprising two males and three females. Remarkably, one of the tigresses gave birth to two cubs nine months ago. With the addition of the two new tigers on Monday, the total tiger population in the reserve will rise to seven. The park also boasts George Castle locally known as Bankhade Kothi. It was built in 1911 by the ruler Madhavao Scindia for an overnight stay by King George Vth of the United Kingdom. However, he never stayed there. The park is in the vicinity of the shores of Sakhya Sagar Lake which has a boat club, from where the park visitors can see a number of migratory birds, especially in winter. A viewing lodge constructed by the then Maharaja called the Shooting Box, is situated above the Sakhya Sagar lake. Wildlife lovers can take pictures of birds without disturbing them from the shooting box. Chennai, March 10 : After experiencing Samba paddy crop failures for the third consecutive year, farmers in Tamil Nadu's delta region have urged the Stalin government to introduce new high-yield paddy varieties. They have also appealed for full insurance coverage for the current season's crop losses, as existing varieties, including the widely used CR 1009, failed to produce the expected yield. Farmers typically expect a yield of 2,400 kg to 6,000 kg per hectare (40 to 100 bags, each weighing 60 kg). However, this season, they managed only 900 kg to 1,500 kg per acre (15 to 25 bags), with an average of 1,200 kg. The farmers attributed the poor yield to unpredictable and untimely rainfall. According to Swamimalai Sundara Vimalanathan, a leader of Cauvery Delta farmers, heavy rain hit the region 10 days after transplantation, causing significant damage to young nurseries. Despite farmers' efforts to replant, another spell of rain led to further losses. Additionally, heavy downpours in the last week of December 2024 affected grain development, resulting in an overall decline in food production across Tamil Nadu. Though the state government ensured timely water release, erratic rainfall significantly reduced yields, causing financial distress for farmers. According to Rajashekharan, another farmer leader from the delta region, farmers spent between Rs 35,000 and Rs 45,000 per acre but lost at least Rs 20,000 per acre due to the low yield. Mariappan, a farmer, pointed out that each paddy stem should ideally contain 220 grains, but this season, they could only find 100 to 120 grains per stem. Most farmers in the region cultivate CR 1009, a high-yielding variety resistant to floods and droughts. Others grew varieties like ADT 51, ADT 46, ADT 39, ADT 38, IR 20, CO 43, CO 46, Bhavani, MDU, and TRY, but none met the expected yield this year. Mariappan urged the government to introduce new paddy varieties that offer higher yields and greater resilience to natural calamities. Farmers also complained about insurance claim rejections, despite insuring their crops on time. He noted that damage assessments are done at the revenue village level, covering around 15 hamlets. This method, he said, often neglects individual farmers who suffered severe losses. "We demand that crop damage assessments be conducted at the individual farmer level rather than calculating an average across multiple villages," he added. With consecutive years of crop failures and mounting financial losses, delta farmers are seeking urgent government intervention to introduce climate-resilient paddy varieties and ensure fair compensation for their losses." London, March 10 : Hollywood star Pierce Brosnan said it is a "given" that the next James Bond should be British. His comments come after the concerns that the franchise will not be British anymore in the wake of Amazon MGM Studios, reports mirror.co.uk. In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, the former 007 agent also said he thought it was the "right decision" for the franchise's long-standing producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson to hand creative control to Amazon. "It takes great courage for them to let go," said Brosnan. "I thought it was coming for some time I guess, but I think it was the right decision for Barbara and Michael. I hope that (Amazon) handles the work and the character with dignity and imagination and respect." In February, the US film and television production and distribution studio announced it will be co-owners with Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, who have produced the Bond films together since Brosnan's first movie, 1995's GoldenEye. 71-year-old, who played Bond in four films, added that "no one really knows" what will happen to 007 in Amazon's control. "In this world that is moving so fast now, at the speed of light, (the change) does come with a certain lament," he said. The interview added that Brosnan said it was a "given" for Bond to remain British. He said: "History has been passed on and I'm very proud to have been part of the history and the legacy of Bond and the movies that I made with Barbara and Michael." "That we moved the needle, that we brought it back to life. It had been dormant (for) six years and GoldenEye was such a success that it continued and went from strength to strength ... I wish them well." British-American "Spider-Man" star Andrew Garfield is among the bookmakers' favourites for the role, while Oscar Isaac and Chilean-American Pedro Pascal are also contenders for the role. British-born James Norton, who starred in Happy Valley, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who appeared in Kick-Ass and Kraven the Hunter, remain other names linked to the role to step into Craig's shoes. Daniel Craig's final film No Time To Die was released in September 2021 and the following year in June 2022 Bond producer Barbara Broccoli said the next Bond film was a long way from starting. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Chennai, Mar 10 : The makers of director Nelson's much-awaited action entertainer 'Jailer 2', featuring Superstar Rajinikanth in the lead, on Monday announced that shooting for the film had commenced. Chennai, Mar 10 (IANS) The makers of director Nelson's much-awaited action entertainer 'Jailer 2', featuring Superstar Rajinikanth in the lead, on Monday announced that shooting for the film had commenced. Taking to its X timeline, Sun Pictures, the production house producing the film, wrote, "Muthuvel Pandian's hunt begins! #Jailer2 shoot starts today." Shooting of the film is likely to happen in Chennai first. The unit is then expected to shoot in other places including Goa and Theni in Tamil Nadu. There are also rumours that claim that Kannada superstar Dr Shiva Rajkumar and Malayalam superstar Mohanlal will be a part of Jailer 2. However, there has been no official confirmation regarding any of this. Jailer 2 has triggered huge interest, thanks to the phenomenal reach of Jailer, which went on to emerge a huge blockbuster, raking in around Rs 650 crores. Expectations further shot up when Sun Pictures, the production house that is producing the film, officially announced the launch of Jailer 2 through an exceptionally interesting teaser that was both funny and thrilling. The announcement teaser of Jailer 2 opened with a radio announcement that a cyclone was making its way to the coast, even as music director Anirudh and director Nelson are shown having a funny conversation in Goa, where they have come for what Nelson says is a story discussion session. The two are obviously looking to find a storyline for Nelson's next film. The hilarious banter between the two soon makes way for some explosive action as random people who enter the room where the two are seated either get shot or stabbed. With both the music director and the director scurrying for cover, you see a hazy image of Rajinikanth entering the room, obviously looking to hunt down any other survivors left behind. When Rajinikanth leaves the room and steps out, a grenade is lobbed in. Outside Rajinikanth takes on more powerful villains. That is when an awestruck Anirudh tells director Nelson, "This looks fearsome Nelsa! Let's make this into a film!" Just the announcement teaser of Jailer 2 was a big hit, garnering over 13 million views in a matter of just 48 hours. --IANS Mkr/ -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Patna, March 10 : The Bihar government is set to take strict action against illegal encroachments on Bettiah Raj properties, with senior officials already mobilizing efforts to reclaim government land. On Monday morning, the Additional Chief Secretary and Chairman of the Revenue and Land Reforms Board, K.K. Pathak, visited Bettiah City to assess the situation. His visit has created a sense of urgency among officials in the Revenue and Land Reforms Department, that the government is serious about removing illegal occupants from these properties. A total of 1,326 acres of additional Bettiah Raj land has recently been discovered, which was not included in the 2017-18 land survey. The administration is now expediting the process of registering this land in government records to ensure its protection. With K.K. Pathak personally reviewing the status of these properties, a major crackdown on encroachments is expected soon. The governmentas focus on land reforms could lead to wider action across the state to recover illegally occupied public land. Following strict instructions from District Magistrate Dinesh Kumar Rai, officials have been tasked with conducting a detailed investigation into the land records of Bettiah Raj. K.K. Pathak is expected to review illegal occupations on government lands during his visit. Many long-standing cases of encroachments have surfaced, and strict action is anticipated against those involved. His visit will also include a review of the digitization of Bettiah Raj properties for better record-keeping and transparency. The government is considering a heritage development plan to restore and develop the palaces and historical sites of Bettiah Raj. Pathakas reputation for swift action has put district officials on edge. Even before his arrival, they have started reviewing land records and preparing reports on pending cases. This visit is expected to be a critical test for the revenue and administrative officials in Bettiah. With the Bihar Assembly passing the bill about the Bettiah Raj during the winter session last year, the property comes under the state government's ownership, which marks a significant development in the state's governance and land management. The last ruler of Bettiah Raj, Harendra Kishore Singh, passed away in 1893 without leaving an heir, leading to the management of the estate by the "Court of Wards" starting in 1897. The property, totaling 15,221 acres in Bihar and 143 acres in Uttar Pradesh, has seen significant encroachments. Over 66 per cent of the estateas land in West Champaran and 60 per cent in East Champaran are reportedly occupied illegally. Many current residents of the estate are likely to approach the judiciary, contesting their eviction or seeking ownership rights based on long-term occupation or other claims. Hyderabad, March 10 : Day after recovering one body from the debris, rescue teams continued intense efforts to search for the remaining seven people in the SLBC tunnel in Telangana's Nagarkurnool district on Monday. Hyderabad, March 10 (IANS) Day after recovering one body from the debris, rescue teams continued intense efforts to search for the remaining seven people in the SLBC tunnel in Telanganaas Nagarkurnool district on Monday. Rescue teams from various agencies were undertaking digging work at another point identified by the cadaver sniffer dog squad from Kerala. Rat miners from Uttarakhand, miners from Singareni Collieries and personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were carefully digging around the point with mini-excavators. The search operation continued for the 17th day in the last 70 metres of the 14-km-long tunnel, where the eight workers were trapped after a portion of the tunnel roof collapsed on a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) on February 22. Rescue workers on Sunday evening exhumed one body from the point identified by the cadaver dog squad. The body was identified as that of TBM operator Gurpreet Singh. The 40-year-old hailed from Punjab and was working for Robbins Company, which supplies and operates tunnel boring machines. The body was shifted to government hospital at Nagarkurnool and after completing medical and legal formalities was taken to his hometown in Punjab. The seven people yet to be traced are Manoj Kumar and Sri Niwas from Uttar Pradesh, Sunny Singh from Jammu and Kashmir and Sandeep Sahu, Jegta Xess, Santosh Sahu and Anuj Sahu, all from Jharkhand. The rescue agencies hoped that more bodies would be recovered soon based on the sniffer dog leads and the ground probing radar (GPR) scanning information provided by the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI). The rescue workers continued to face challenges due to the debris of the TBM and the large amount of muck. The TBM, which had a total length of 132.5 metres, was buried under silt and rocks in the February 22 incident. The workers who were present in the front portion of the TBM were trapped while 42 others who were at the back end managed to come out of the tunnel. The technicians from the South Central Railway (SCR) have so far cut the TBM into pieces for a length of about 60 metres. The head portion of the TBM remained buried in the debris and the last 70 metres of the tunnel is still filled with 3 to 9 metres deep slush and other debris, posing a risk to the rescue workers. While continuing dewatering and desilting, the rescue agencies were mobilising special equipment for the workers to carry out their work without the risk of being trapped in the slush. Two cadaver dogs trained to locate missing humans and human bodies were brought from Kerala by a special helicopter three days ago. According to officials, these dogs of the Belgian Malinois breed can detect smell even from a depth of 15 feet. Indian Army, Navy, NDRF, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Singareni, SCR and other agencies are participating in the search operation. The authorities on Saturday deployed robots for rescue operations in the tunnel as suggested by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy during his visit to the tunnel on March 2. Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy announced the deployment of robotic technology to accelerate rescue operations. Robots equipped with cameras, infrared sensors, and robotic arms have been deployed to assess conditions and aid extraction. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy expressed condolences over the death of Gurpreet Singh and announced Rs 25 lakh ex-gratia to his next of kin. Chennai, Mar 10 : The cast of director Mithran's eagerly awaited spy thriller 'Sardar 2',featuring actors Karthi and Rajesha Vijayan in the lead, has now begun dubbing for the film, it's makers announced on Monday. Chennai, Mar 10 ( IANS) The cast of director Mithran's eagerly awaited spy thriller aSardar 2a,featuring actors Karthi and Rajesha Vijayan in the lead, has now begun dubbing for the film, it's makers announced on Monday. The film's dubbing process began with a simple pooja at a popular dubbing studio. The film is believed to have the highest budget among all of Karthi's films made so far. aSardar 1a was such a big hit that it's producer Lakshman of Prince pictures went on to present the film's director PS Mithran a Toyota Fortuner as a gift for the film's phenomenal success. Apart from being a big commercial entertainer, Sardar 1 had a very significant message to society. Itas plot stressed on the significance of water and its conservation. While the first part had Karthi playing the dual roles of a RAW agent and his son, a cop intent on undoing the damage his father had done to his reputation, the second part will have the son turning a spy for the Indian Government and heading to Cambodia. Sardar 1 had an impressive cast which included Bollywood actor Chunky Pandey. It also marked the return of well known actress Laila to the big screen. Now, Sardar 2 will feature, apart from Karthi and Rajisha Vijayan, actors SJ Suryah, Malavika Mohanan, Aashiq Rangnath and Sajal Ahmed among others. On the technical front, Sardar 2 has cinematography by George Williams and music by Yuvan Shankar Raja. Editing for the film is by Ruben and Art direction is by K Kadhir. Stunts for the film have been choreographed by Dhilip Subbarayan and the story for the sequel has been written by M R Pon Parthipan, Roju Bipin Ragu and Geevee. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Bhopal, March 10 : The Congress MLAs in Madhya Pradesh staged a protest on the Assembly premises against the ruling BJP on the very first day of the budget session on Monday. The Opposition members, led by the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the MP Assembly, Umang Singhar, reached the Assembly premises, covering their faces with black clothes and holding placards and posters with slogans against the BJP government. Singhar said the Congress MLAs have covered their faces with black clothes as a mark of protest against the ruling BJP, who have maintained silence on public issues, and those raising voices are facing harassment from police. "The Opposition wants debate on corruption, farmers and other public welfare issues during the budget session. However, the BJP does not want to discuss these issues. When Congress MLAs sought answers on corruption issues, they were being pressured to withdraw their questions," Singhar told IANS. He also alleged that the ruling BJP was attempting to shield several influential persons, including politicians and senior bureaucrats, who have been allegedly involved in corruption, in which ex-RTO constable Saurabh Sharma and his associates have been arrested. "Why have Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and the entire BJP leadership maintained silence on it? Investigating agencies have found the involvement of several BJP leaders and senior bureaucrats, and those names should be disclosed," Singhar added. Meanwhile, the first day of the budget session of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly began with the address of Governor Mangubhai Patel. The state government will present its first full budget in the Vidhan Sabha on March 12. The House proceedings will be adjourned from March 14 to 16. The House will reconvene on March 17 and 18. A holiday will be observed on March 19 for Rang Panchami. House proceedings will continue on March 20 and 21, followed by another recess on March 22 and 23. The final day of the House proceedings will be March 24. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav-led BJP government is likely to present as many as five key bills during this session for discussion and approval from the House. Jammu, March 10 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday sent birthday greetings to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah. Taking to social media platform X, PM Modi wished CM Omar a healthy and long life. The PM posted on X, "Birthday wishes to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Ji. Praying for his long and healthy life." Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh also wished CM Omar on his 54th birthday. "Warm birthday greetings to Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Shri @OmarAbdullah. May he lead a long and healthy life", the Defence Minister posted on X. CM Omar was born to Dr Farooq Abdullah and his British mother, Mollie Abdullah on March 10, 1970 in Rockford, Essex in England. He did his initial schooling in Burn Hall School in Srinagar city run by missionaries. Omar received a business-related bachelor's degree from a college affiliated with the University of Mumbai and did some graduate coursework in business administration at a university in Scotland. In 1998, at the age of 28, he was elected to the Lok Sabha as a member of the National Conference. He was re-elected one year later and became a minister in the Commerce and Industry Ministry in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. In 2001 he was named minister for external affairs in the NDA government, the youngest to hold that portfolio. His tenure lasted only 17 months as he resigned from the post in December 2002 to concentrate on the NC's preparations for the state Assembly elections. In June 2002 Omar had become president of the NC, replacing his father, and he remained in that office until 2009. His political career at the state level started badly. In the 2002 elections, the ruling NC lost more than half of the 57 Assembly seats it had garnered in 1996. Omar contested and lost his seat to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Qazi Mohammad Afzal in Ganderbal constituency and the PDP in alliance with the Congress and smaller parties formed a coalition government. In 2004 Omar was re-elected to the Lok Sabha. In the 2008 state Assembly elections, Omar won his constituency and the NC with 28 seats and the support of the Congress, formed the new government in 2009. At the age of 38, Omar became the youngest Chief Minister of J&K. He resigned from the presidency of NC and was replaced by his father. In 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Omar was defeated from the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency by the incarcerated politician, Engineer Rashid. Not giving up, Omar bounced back with a double victory from Ganderbal and Budgam Assembly constituencies in the legislative Assembly elections last year. He was sworn in as the CM of J&K for the second time on October 16, 2024, but by then the state had been bifurcated into the two UTs of Ladakh and J&K. As the CM of the UT, Omar has been relentlessly fighting for restoration of statehood to J&K. New Delhi, March 10 : Political leaders from Maharashtra have strongly reacted to the controversial remarks made by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President, Raj Thackeray, regarding the Ganga water during the recent Maha Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj. Raj Thackeray mocked the devotees who bathed in the Ganga during the religious event, claiming the river remains polluted despite various efforts to clean it. Raj Thackeray said, "I have been hearing that the Ganga will be cleaned since the time of the late former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The truth is that the Ganga has still not been cleaned. We call it Ganga Ma, but not a single river in the country is clean." He further stated that he refused to touch the Ganga water brought by one of his close aides, suggesting that the river was still polluted. In response to Raj Thackerayas remarks, Shiv Sena leader and MLA Sanjay Gaikwad dismissed them as baseless. He said, "Gangaas water is so pure, and when so many people went there and took a dip, they felt happy doing so. He is making baseless statements. I donat follow him on this." Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLC, Amol Mitkari, also responded to the issue, emphasising that attending the Maha Kumbh was a personal choice. Mitkari commented, "Going to the Maha Kumbh is a matter of personal opinion. After going to the Maha Kumbh, many people faced unfortunate incidents that cost them their lives. Some people didnat feel it was appropriate to go. I personally didnat feel the need to go." Meanwhile, Maharashtra NCP (SP) leader and MLA, Rohit Pawar, who participated in the Maha Kumbh and took a holy dip in the Ganga, acknowledged the concerns raised by Raj Thackeray about the river's pollution but urged caution when discussing sensitive issues. Pawar remarked, "I went to take a holy dip in the Ganga during Maha Kumbh. It is part of our faith. However, there are some pollutants visible in the water. Raj Thackeray was also talking about pollution in Ganga water, but one should be very careful when speaking about such a sentimental issue as it might hurt people's sentiments." Raj Thackerayas statements have sparked a political debate, with leaders from various parties defending the religious importance of the Maha Kumbh and the Ganga while acknowledging concerns about the river's cleanliness. Mumbai, March 10 : Producer Nivedita Basu, who worked with Balaji Telefilms, reveals that they also attempted progressive storytelling way ahead of its time with a show titled "Kehna Hai Kuch Mujhko" in 2004 which was just like Rupali Ganguly-starrer "Anupamaa" today. Mumbai, March 10 (IANS) Producer Nivedita Basu, who worked with Balaji Telefilms, reveals that they also attempted progressive storytelling way ahead of its time with a show titled "Kehna Hai Kuch Mujhko" in 2004 which was just like Rupali Ganguly-starrer "Anupamaa" today. "We made Kehna Hai Kuch Mujhko in 2004 with Pallavi Joshia story about a woman facing a mid-life crisis and rediscovering her identity," Basu, who joined Balaji Telefilms in 2000. She added: "It was just like Anupamaa today. But back then, the audience wasn't ready for it which is why it didn't gain the same recognition as Anupamaa did later. With Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, we struck a deep emotional chord", she shared. She added that Ekta Kapoor and she used to go walking to Siddhivinayak twice a week, and "all the aunties, elderly women would come and praise her, Young ladies would come and touch her feet." "It was so overwhelming for her, but that was the feedback full of love. Since there was no social media back then, this was their way of expressing love and admiration," said Nivedita. Talking about Balaji Telefilms's early struggles, she recalls how Ekta Kapoor fought hard to build her empire. "Ekta's father, Jeetendra Ji, had initially helped her with funding, but she faced drastic failure. When he gave her another chance, she made sure she wouldn't fail. That's when she started creating successful content, working with an unending passion." She also reflected on how storytelling continues to evolve. "Back then, the reality of people's lives was so harsh that they found solutions through our shows. Even today, for a show to succeed, people must relate to it. I believe learning never stops. The day I feel I'm not learning anymore, I know it's time to try something else." New Delhi, March 10 : Indian pharmaceuticals market is expected to grow 8-9 per cent year-on-year in FY26, according to a report on Monday. The report by India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) said the growth in the sector will be at 7.5-8.0 per cent year on year for FY25. This is "against 6.5 per cent year-on-year in FY24 and 9.9 per cent YoY growth in FY23," said Krishnanath Munde, associate director at India Ratings and Research. In February, the pharma market delivered revenue of 7.5 per cent year on year. This growth was driven by growth in price (5.2 per cent YoY) and new launches (2.4 per cent YoY), while volume growth continued to remain muted at negative 0.2 per cent YoY, the report said. The sector reported growth at an average of 7.3 per cent year-to-date (YTD) in FY25. This was led by price growth (5.5 per cent), new launches growth (2.7 per cent), and volume growth. Further, the moving annual total (MAT) -- or the 12-month rolling sales of overall pharma products -- saw an 8.1 per cent surge in February, the report said. Cardiac therapies outperformed growth in the pharma market with 10.8 per cent growth in MAT and a 13.7 per cent increase in monthly market share. This was followed by gastroenterology, neurology/Central Nervous System, and dermatology. On the other hand, anti-infectives, respiratory, and gynaecology therapies saw a weak growth in February, the report said. Meanwhile, another recent report showed that the pharma sector in the country is witnessing rapid production growth. The Indian pharma sector has grown at 8 per cent CAGR and has also seen a 9 per cent increase in export rates in 2024, according to the report by McKinsey & Company. Expanding its capabilities in APIs and biotechnology, it has grown at 8 per cent CAGR, twice the global average. The country also emerged as the world's largest supplier of generic medicines, with a 9 per cent pharma export growth rate, nearly double the global average, the report said. Mumbai, March 10 : Popular television actress Aishwarya Khare, who plays the role of Lakshmi in Zee TV's "Bhagya Lakshmi", recently took on one of the most demanding challenges of her career. In one of the episodes, Malishka (Megha Prasad) trapped Lakshmi inside a cold storage room at a hospital, where she had gone to uncover the truth about her pregnancy. The sequence required Aishwarya to deliver a realistic and emotionally intense performance as Lakshmi fought against the cold in a life-threatening situation. To create the perfect chilling effect, the team built a storage set, a fog machine, and Lohan to generate dense fog. They also had to keep the AC switched off to keep the fog in place. Though the temperature was regulated, spending nearly six to seven hours in the heat, and foggy environment was a true test of endurance. The crew took all necessary safety measures, including regular breaks and medical supervision. However, delivering dialogues and maintaining expressions in such an intense setting required immense concentration and dedication. Talking about her experience of shooting the sequence, Aishwarya said, "Shooting this sequence was one of the most challenging yet exciting experiences of my career. To maintain the foggy effect in the room, we had to switch off the AC and the room was very hot, making it a little difficult to shoot. Maintaining expressions, delivering dialogues, and staying in that environment for long stretches required a lot of focus and endurance. However, as actors, we embrace such challenges to bring authenticity to our performances. I'm truly grateful to my team for ensuring my comfort and safety throughout the shoot. These experiences push me to grow in my craft, and I love every bit of it." It remains to be seen if Lakshmi will be able to get out of the cold storage on time or will Malishka's devious plan bring a tragic end to Rishi (Rohit Suchanti) and Lakshmi's love story. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Islamabad, March 10 : A global alliance of civil society organisations and activists, working to strengthen citizen action and civil society throughout the world, has expressed serious concerns regarding the exercise of civic freedom in Pakistan in its latest report released on Monday. Adding Pakistan to its monitor watchlist, Civicus highlighted the escalating criminalisation of human rights defenders and journalists, crackdown on human rights movements and protests and digital restrictions in the country. As per Civicus monitor's human rights watchlist 2025, Pakistan's status has now been classified as "repressed" which means that the civic space in the country is significantly constrained. "Pakistan's recent criminalisation of activists, stifling of opposition and minority protests, and digital space restrictions have resulted in the county being added to the Civicus Monitor watchlist," the organisation stated. In its report, Civicus highlighted the struggles of Baloch human rights activist Mahrang Baloch, leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee and human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir. "In October 2024, the authorities targeted prominent human rights defender and Baloch leader, Dr. Mahrang Baloch who is facing baseless allegations of aiding separatist groups. The case comes just days after Baloch was prevented from boarding a flight abroad alongside fellow activist Sammi Deen Baloch," the report mentions. "In the same month, human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband were also charged with 'acts of terrorism'. Human rights defender Idris Khattak has spent five years in detention now, as a reprisal for his work, while the government has banned the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), which has mobilised nationwide against human rights violations against the Pashtun people," it added. Civicus also highlighted the Anti-Terrorism Act, used by the current Pakistani regime to impose a ban on Pashtun Tahafuz Movement during the year 2024, terming charges, actions and assaults against human rights activists, lawyers and other parties as part of a political witch-hunt. "The Karachi police initiated a crackdown around the Sindh Rawadari March in Karachi in October 2024 and ahead of a peaceful demonstration of ethnic Baloch people in Sindh province in January 2025," it mentions. The report also noted the targeting of journalists under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) for being accused of spreading false narratives against state institutions. "The crackdown on protests by the opposition and ethnic minority groups and the targeting of journalists and digital restrictions are inconsistent with Pakistan's International human rights obligations. They also go against the recommendations made by the UN Human Rights Committee", Civicus stated. Thiruvananthapuram, March 10 : The four-day CPI-M state conference in Kollam, which concluded on Sunday night, unfolded precisely as scripted by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. However, the first signs of unrest have surfaced, with a veteran party leader firing the opening salvo by walking out soon after the new state committee was announced. The newly constituted 89-member state committee, featuring 17 fresh faces, and the 17-member state secretariat are overwhelmingly composed of Vijayan loyalists. Those out of favour with the Chief Minister have been sidelined. M. Padmakumar, a former party legislator and ex-president of the Travancore Devaswom Board, publicly expressed his displeasure on social media over the inclusion of State Health Minister Veena George in the state committee as an invitee. George, from Pathanamthitta district, has been in the party for just nine years, while Padmakumar has been a party member for five decades. Though he initially withdrew his post after it gained traction, he reiterated his discontent on Monday morning and announced his resignation from all party positions. Reacting to the development, Pathanamthitta district CPI-M secretary Raju Abraham defended George's inclusion, citing a precedent where former Minister C. Raveendranath (2016-21) was also invited to the committee despite not being a full member. "I don't know why he decided to step down. We spoke, and he said he will discuss it further. The matter will be taken up by our district committee in the presence of state leaders," Abraham said. Signs of discontent are also emerging from Kannur, Vijayan's home turf. P. Jayarajan, one of the district's most prominent leaders, was overlooked for the state secretariat, while his junior colleague, M.V. Jayarajan -- a former legislator and Vijayan's ex-political secretary --secured a spot. Jayarajan's son took to social media, subtly indicating that his father's exclusion was not unexpected. Notably, every former Kannur district secretary had been inducted into the state secretariat -- except Jayarajan. Former Minister and senior leader J. Mercykutty appears to be holding back her disappointment over being excluded from the state secretariat. Other sidelined figures include senior legislator and ex-Minister Kadakampally Surendran and State Excise Minister M.B. Rajesh. Even the Thiruvananthapuram district CPI-M unit is reportedly upset, as none of its leaders have made it to the state secretariat. A political observer, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted that the conference outcome cements Vijayan's dominance over the party, just as in the government. "The new faces clearly indicate that anyone not in the good books of State Tourism Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas (Vijayan's son-in-law) has been left out. It's evident what Vijayan, who will soon turn 80, is planning," the critic said. Riyas' political ascent has been remarkable since his marriage to Vijayan's daughter during the Covid-19 pandemic. He won his debut Assembly election in 2021, was appointed as a Minister, and just three years later, was inducted into the state secretariat, bypassing several senior leaders. With Padmakumar firing the first salvo and murmurs of discontent growing, all eyes are now on Vijayan. Arrah : , March 10 (IANS) In a daring daylight robbery, a gang of armed criminals looted jewellery worth crores rupees from the Tanishq showroom at Gopali Chowk in the Arrah police station area of Bhojpur district of Bihar on Monday, police officials said. The loot included gold, silver, and diamond ornaments. The robbers first overpowered the security guard at the entrance, snatched his weapon, and assaulted him before carrying out the heist. The incident triggered chaos in the area, with shopkeepers and bystanders left in shock. The exact value of the stolen items is yet to be ascertained. Victim guard Manoj Kumar recounted the ordeal, stating that the showroom had opened at 10 a.m. on Monday, ahead of Holi. "Six criminals arrived in a car, parking it across the street. As per showroom policy, we do not allow groups of more than four to enter at once, so we permitted them entry in pairs. When the sixth person arrived, he held a pistol to my head, snatched my weapon, and assaulted me. Then, they started filling their bags with jewellery," he said. During the heist, the criminals also attacked a salesman before fleeing with the valuables. Following the incident, police officials, along with senior Tanishq company representatives from Patna, arrived at the showroom. The company is assisting the police in assessing the losses and investigating the case. "We are providing all necessary information to the authorities. This is a major setback for us," said a company official. Meanwhile, showroom employees alleged a delay in police response. "There were 8-9 armed criminals inside the showroom. When we called the police, they were still inside the showroom. Had the police arrived on time, the robbers might have been caught. But they kept saying they were on their way. By the time they reached, the criminals had already escaped," an employee said. The investigation is underway, and authorities are scanning CCTV footage for leads. Seoul, March 10 : Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol met with the leadership of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) at his residence after he was released from detention, party officials said on Monday. Rep. Kwon Young-se, head of the PPP's emergency leadership committee, and PPP floor leader Kweon Seong-dong visited Yoon's official residence in central Seoul for about 30 minutes on Sunday evening, according to party spokesperson Shin Dong-wook. During the meeting, Yoon shared his experience in detention over tea and thanked them for steering the party during his absence, Shin said. In his impeachment trial, the Constitutional Court is expected to decide in the coming days whether to uphold or dismiss, Yonhap news agency reported. Earlier in the day, South Korean Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung said that his decision not to appeal a court ruling to release impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was based on "due process of law" and rejected the opposition's calls for his resignation. Yoon, who was detained in January on charges of inciting an insurrection through his failed bid to impose martial law on December 3, was released from jail Saturday after the prosecution decided not to appeal the previous day's ruling that his detention was invalid. "I followed the principles of the due process of law after gathering various opinions from the investigation team and others," Shim told reporters as he arrived for work at the Supreme Prosecutors Office in southern Seoul. "I don't think this provides the grounds for (my) resignation or impeachment," he said, adding he would "respond accordingly" should the National Assembly take steps to impeach him. Shim said he respected the court's decision given its authority to decide on matters of a suspect's physical detention following their indictment. He also pointed to the Constitutional Court's former ruling that deemed it unconstitutional to immediately appeal a suspension of the execution of an arrest warrant. Still, Shim said he did not agree with the Seoul Central District Court's calculation of Yoon's 10-day initial detention period in hours, not days, and has directed the investigation team to dispute the point during the actual trial. Bhopal, March 10 : Nearly six Congress leaders were injured when a stage collapsed during a protest against the ruling BJP at Rangmahal Chowk in Bhopal on Monday. Among the injured were Dharmendra Singh Chouhan, chairman of the Madhya Pradesh Congress farmer wing, and veteran party leader from Gwalior, Gulab Singh. They were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. The protest was organized by the Opposition Congress on the first day of the state Assembly's budget session. Starting at Rangmahal Chowk, the protest was intended to culminate in a march to the Vidhan Sabha, covering a distance of 3 km. However, as Congress leaders gathered on the stage to address the crowd, the structure suddenly collapsed, injuring several party workers and leaders. Police personnel, already deployed at the site, promptly transported the injured to the hospital using ambulances. Despite the incident, the protest continued, with Congress workers attempting to breach police barricades. Water cannons were used to disperse the protesters. Earlier in the day, Congress MLAs, led by Leader of the Opposition, Umang Singhar, arrived at the Assembly premises wearing black clothes over their faces and holding placards criticising the BJP government. Singhar stated that the black clothes symbolized their protest against the BJP's silence on public issues and the alleged harassment of those who raise their voices. "The Opposition seeks a debate on corruption, farmers' issues, and public welfare during the budget session. However, the BJP is avoiding these discussions. When Congress MLAs raised questions about corruption, they were pressured to withdraw them," Singhar alleged. He further accused the BJP of shielding influential individuals, including politicians and senior bureaucrats, implicated in corruption cases. Singhar specifically mentioned the arrest of ex-RTO constable Saurabh Sharma and his associates, demanding that the names of all involved be disclosed. "Why have Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and the BJP leadership remained silent? Investigating agencies have uncovered the involvement of several BJP leaders and senior bureaucrats," he added. Dharamsala, March 10 : Marking the 66th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day amid the presence of delegations from Slovakia and Estonia here, Prime Minister-in-exile Penpa Tsering on Monday said under the current Chinese leadership a deliberate and dangerous strategy to "eliminate the very identity of the Tibetan people as a unique human race is evident". Dharamsala, March 10 (IANS) Marking the 66th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day amid the presence of delegations from Slovakia and Estonia here, Prime Minister-in-exile Penpa Tsering on Monday said under the current Chinese leadership a deliberate and dangerous strategy to "eliminate the very identity of the Tibetan people as a unique human race is evident". Speaking from Dharamsala, headquarters of the Tibetan administration in exile, he said under the pretext of "strengthening the consciousness of Chinese national unity", the Chinese government is implementing extensive sinicisation policies that is resulting in the gradual annihilation of Tibetan identity and deprivation of the fundamental human rights of the Tibetan people, he said in a statement. Over a million Tibetans lost their precious lives and compelled the legitimate Tibetan government led by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, followed by approximately 80,000 Tibetans into exile. "This marks the darkest and most critical period in the history of Tibet. As we commemorate the Tibetan National Uprising Day, we honour our brave martyrs, and express solidarity with our brothers and sisters inside Tibet who continue to languish under the oppressive Chinese government," he said. Tibetan Uprising Day, observed on March 10, commemorates the 1959 Tibetan uprising against China. The Dalai Lama has lived in India since fleeing his homeland. Around 80,000 Tibetans fled to neighbouring countries after Chinese troops suppressed the uprising. Talks between the Dalai Lama's envoys and the Chinese authorities broke down in 2010 after nine rounds of meetings. The democratically elected Prime Minister said Furthermore, under its sinicisation campaign, large-scale restrictions are imposed in the monasteries with complete denial of freedom of religion and over a million young Tibetan children have been forcibly enrolled in the colonial style boarding schools across Tibet. Under the guise of "promoting the national common language", the use and teaching of Tibetan language is severely restricted, he said. He also pointed towards the Chinese government's unchecked mining and construction projects that have irrevocably caused extensive damage to Tibet's natural environment with severe implications far beyond its borders. "All these acts and practices of China defy not only international and domestic laws but even the basic human values." Reiterating the commitment of non-violence, Prime Minister Tsering said: "As envisioned by His Holiness, Tibetan people remain committed to the path of non-violence and dialogue in finding a lasting and mutually beneficial solution to resolve the Sino-Tibet Conflict through a middle-way approach." "It also reaffirms our confidence that the Tibetan people, the rightful custodians of the Tibetan plateau since its formation, embody unique religious and cultural traditions that cannot be erased, an indomitable spirit that cannot be broken, and an unparalleled leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama that cannot be replaced," he added. Before participating in the Central Tibetan Administration-organised Tibetan National Uprising Day, the visiting delegations from Slovakia and Estonia had an audience with the Dalai Lama at his residence. New Delhi, March 10 : New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will pay an official visit to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from March 16-20, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Monday. This would be Luxon's first visit to India after assuming office and he would be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including ministers, senior officials, businesses, media and members of the Indian diaspora community in New Zealand. "Prime Minister Rt Hon Luxon's visit underscores the longstanding and enduring ties between India and New Zealand. It reaffirms the continued commitment of both countries to further strengthen the bilateral relationship across all sectors and deepen our close people-to-people ties," read a statement issued by the MEA. aDuring his visit, Luxon will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 17, covering various aspects of India-New Zealand relations. PM Modi will also host a lunch in honour of the visiting dignitary who is also scheduled to call on President Droupadi Murmu the same day. Luxon, who will join the inaugural session of the 10th Raisina Dialogue 2025 on March 17 in New Delhi as the chief guest and deliver the keynote address, is also scheduled to visit Mumbai on March 19-20 where he will have interactions with Indian business leaders and representatives from various walks of life. The visiting leader will leave for Wellington from Mumbai on March 20. Last month, Indian High Commissioner to New Zealand Neeta Bhushan met Luxon, discussing ways to enhance cooperation between both countries in several areas while reaffirming New Delhi's commitment to further strengthen and take the partnership to a higher level. India and New Zealand have historically shared close and cordial ties. Both countries enjoy growing ties driven by strategic interests and economic mutual benefit, collaborating in trade, education, culture, research, and innovations overcoming geographic barriers to build a prosperous partnership. Both nations enjoy a robust alliance based on mutual respect and shared goals. Despite geographical distances, there's a strong bond and people-to-people contact through a large Indian diaspora. The presence of the large Indian diaspora in New Zealand acts as the foundation for close cultural cooperation between the two countries. PM Modi and the New Zealand Prime Minister had met on the sidelines of the ASEAN-India Summit in Laos' Vientiane in October 2024. Both leaders recalled the visit of the President of India Droupadi Murmu to New Zealand in August 2024, which was a huge success. PM Modi welcomed New Zealand's decision to join the International Solar Alliance and also extended an invitation to Prime Minister Luxon to visit India. "Had an excellent meeting with the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Mr. Christopher Luxon. We value our friendship with New Zealand, bound together by a commitment to democracy, freedom, and rule of law. Our talks covered sectors such as economic cooperation, tourism, education, and innovation," PM Modi posted on X on October 10, 2024, after the meeting. New Delhi, March 10 : Over 30.68 crore unorganised workers have registered for social welfare benefits on the government's e-Shram portal -- with more than half of them (53.68 per cent) being women (as of March 3), Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje, informed the Lok Sabha on Monday. In keeping with the vision of the budget announcement on developing e-Shram as a one-stop-solution for unorganised workers to have access to various social security schemes, Ministry of Labour and Employment launched the e-Shram"One-Stop-Solution" on October 21, 2024. The "e-Shram"One-Stop-Solution" entails integration of different social security schemes at a single portal. This enables unorganised workers registered on e-Shram to access social security schemes and see benefits availed by them so far, through e-Shram. So far, 13 schemes of different Central Ministries/ Departments have already been integrated with the e-Shram including Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors Atmanirbhar Nidhi (PM-SVANidhi), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin (PMAY-G), Ayushman Bharat. To enhance the accessibility of the e-Shram portal, the Ministry of Labour and Employment launched multilingual functionality on the e-Shram portal on January 7, using the Bhashini platform. This enhancement now allows workers to interact with e-Shram portal in 22 Indian languages, improving accessibility and promoting inclusivity for all, the minister said in a written reply. To make e-Shram and associated services, readily available to unorganised workers, the Ministry launched the e-Shram mobile application on February 24. This application provides real-time access to welfare schemes integrated with e-Shram, significantly improving accessibility and convenience. The steps taken by the Ministry to increase awareness among unorganised workers include holding periodic review meeting with states, regular meeting with Common Services Centre (CSC). The e-Shram portal is also integrated with National Career Service (NCS) and Skill India Digital Portal to provide employment and skilling opportunities. Besides, to facilitate enrolment under pension scheme, e-Shram is integrated with Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandan (PMSYM), according to the minister. To offer one-stop search and discovery of the government schemes, e-Shram is integrated with myScheme portal and SMS campaign is also being carried out to create awareness, the minister added. The Ministry launched e-Shram portal (eshram.gov.in) on August 26, 2021 for creation of a comprehensive National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW) seeded with Aadhaar. e-Shram portal is meant to register and support the unorganised workers by providing them a Universal Account Number (UAN) on a self-declaration basis. --IANS Mumbai, March 10 : Bollywood actress Shalini Pandey, who is known for her work in 'Arjun Reddy', 'Maharaj' OTT show 'Dabba Cartel', and others, received a praise from senior actor Gajraj Rao, as the latter suggested her name to pair opposite Bollywood superstar Kartik Aaryan. Recently during the IIFA award ceremony, Gajraj Rao said, "Shalini Pandey, with whom I recently did a show called 'Dabba Cartel' would make an ideal on-screen partner for Kartik Aaryan". 'Dabba Cartel', which is streaming on Netflix, also stars Shabana Azmi and Jyotika. The show is garnering huge appreciation from fans and audiences alike, with everyone applauding Shalini's performance as Raji. Having impressed audiences with her powerful performances in 'Arjun Reddy', 'Jayeshbhai Jordaar', '.Maharaj', and the recently released 'Dabba Cartel', Shalini Pandey has carved a niche for herself in Indian cinema. Gajraj Rao's recommendation now fuels excitement about a potential collaboration between her and Kartik Aaryan. Meanwhile, Kartik Aaryan bagged the IIFA trophy for Best Actor (Male) for his work in the superhit horror-comedy franchise 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3'. His heartfelt acceptance speech resonated with the audience as he reflected on the challenges and triumphs that shaped his career, particularly his journey with the 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa' franchise. The actor, referencing his role in 'Chandu Champion', said, "I don't have words right now. I am not Chandu, I am the champion. I know this is not an award for that film, but I have the same feeling". He acknowledged the skepticism he faced when he first stepped into the franchise, recalling how people questioned whether he could carry 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2' on his shoulders. "From the beginning, when I was cast for 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2', people questioned whether I could carry the film on my shoulders. And even during 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3', we didn't know if we would succeed on the big day", he added. Kochi, March 10 : The Kerala High Court Advocates' Association (KHCAA), in a special meeting held on Monday, passed a resolution demanding the transfer of Justice A. Badharudeen out of the state. The controversy arose after an incident that happened early this month involving a lady advocate who sought additional time to change the vakalath, as her husband, advocate Alex M. Scaria, had passed away in January. Justice Badharudeen allegedly responded curtly, leaving the advocate in tears, which led to widespread outrage among KHCAA members. On Friday, the association called for a boycott of the judgeas court and demanded a public apology. In an attempt to defuse tensions, Chief Justice A.J. Thomas initiated conciliation talks, in which senior advocate George Poonthottam, who had led the boycott call, participated. The Chief Justice also met the aggrieved lawyer, following which she wrote to KHCAA stating that the issue need not be pursued further. She wrote to KHCAA requesting that they call off all further steps that they might have been contemplating on this issue. Subsequently, Justice Badharudeen expressed deep regret in the presence of the Chief Justice. Despite this resolution, KHCAA president Yeshwanth Shenoy, who was not invited to the meeting with the Chief Justice, expressed his discontent in a letter to the association members. He convened a special meeting on early Monday, where a resolution was passed to formally request the Chief Justice of India to transfer Justice Badharudeen out of Kerala. While court proceedings resumed in Justice Badharudeen's court on Monday, KHCAA decided to pass a resolution requesting his transfer. Additionally, the Association decided to suspend and initiate disciplinary proceedings against Poonthottam for his role in the conciliation efforts. It also reiterated its demand for mandatory video recording of court proceedings. Gandhinagar, March 10 : Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announced plans to establish a Green GIDC (Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation) where industries will operate solely on green energy supplied by the state government. The initiative aims to position Gujarat at the forefront of sustainable industrial growth. Speaking at the CII Summit, Patel highlighted the global shift toward renewable energy and emphasised that 50 per cent of the MoUs signed during the last Vibrant Gujarat Summit were in the green energy sector. "As we move forward, the focus is on green energy at both national and global levels," he said. The Chief Minister also pointed out that Gujarat has already begun supplying daytime power to the agricultural sector and is now exploring ways to provide industries with renewable energy. "We will establish one GIDC where the entire energy supply will be green, provided by the government and all products manufactured there will be certified as green products," he stated. Patel stressed the importance of staying ahead in the green energy transition, warning that non-renewable energy-powered products might face higher tariffs in the future. "With rising demand for green energy, a time may come when products manufactured without it will become more expensive. We are preparing to move in this direction faster than others," he added. Additionally, the Chief Minister emphasised the need for improved packaging of MSME products to enhance their market appeal. As of 2024, the state has an installed renewable energy capacity of over 52 GW, with solar power contributing approximately 18 GW and wind energy accounting for around 10 GW. Gujarat is home to Asiaas largest solar park, the 30 GW Khavda Renewable Energy Park, which is set to become one of the worldas largest renewable energy hubs. The state has also been at the forefront of offshore wind energy development, with projects planned along its 1,600 km coastline. To promote sustainable energy businesses, the Gujarat government has introduced policies such as the Solar Power Policy 2021, which encourages rooftop solar installations and large-scale solar parks. Under this initiative, over 2.5 lakh households have adopted rooftop solar, generating nearly 2.6 GW of power. The stateas Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy has also accelerated the development of hybrid renewable projects, optimising energy generation and grid stability. In addition to power generation, Gujarat is investing in green hydrogen production, aiming to become a hub for clean fuel. Companies such as Reliance Industries, Adani Green Energy, and Tata Power are making large-scale investments in hydrogen production and storage infrastructure. The Gujarat government has also announced plans for Indiaas first Green GIDC (Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation), where industries will operate solely on government-supplied renewable energy. Bhubaneswar, March 10 : The Odisha Assembly on Monday witnessed a huge ruckus by the opposition Biju Janata Dal and Indian National Congress members over different issues. As soon as the proceedings began in the house on Monday, the legislators of opposition parties were seen shouting anti-government slogans by holding placards near the speaker's podium. The pandemonium forced speaker Surama Padhy to adjourn the house first till 12.09 pm and later till 1 pm. However, as the opposition continued to create uproar in the house, Padhy later again adjourned the house till 4 pm in the afternoon. The BJD MLAs created a massive uproar in the house over the alleged controversial and divisive remarks by senior BJP leader and Sambalpur MLA Jayanarayan Mishra during an official programme in Sambalpur on March 8. While speaking during the event, Mishra stated that the integration of the Koshal region (the Western part of the state) with Odisha was a 'historic blunder'. Speaking to media persons, senior BJD leader Rajendra Pratap Swain said: "Disrespect was shown to the state anthem 'Bande Utkal Janani' in the presence of the state cabinet minister Rabi Narayan Naik and Jayanarayan Mishra, who was the ex-Leader of Opposition and now a senior member of this house. This is a very serious offence against the state. We will never tolerate disrespect to the state anthem and the people of Odisha and condemn this." Swin also condemned the statement of Mishra and said that the BJP leader had made an unpardonable mistake during the event by saying that it was a historic mistake of western Odisha to integrate into the state. The BJD leader stated that his remark was downright condemnable. "The statement by Mishra intending to divide Odisha reflected the divisive politics of BJP which it follows at the centre. It is a disrespect to the great men like Madhusudan Das, Gopabandhu Das and other lakhs of our ancestors who fought for a united Odisha," noted Swain. The BJD legislators also held a protest under the statue of Madhusudan Das inside the Assembly campus over the issue. The principal opposition demanded a statement from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi clarifying the state government's stand on the issue on the floor of the house. On the other hand, the Congress legislators continued their protest against the state government in the state assembly over the alleged rise in the incidents of violence against women in the state during the last eight months under the BJP-led state government. "The state government has been given a long period of nine months. However, various incidents of crime against women in the state are on the rise. The girl students are also not safe in the schools. We have been raising our voice in the house over the women's safety but the government is not giving any heed to this," said Congress MLA Sofia Firdous. She said the Congress is holding protests on the issue both inside and outside the assembly. Firdous said the Odisha Congress is holding protests at district collectors' offices across the state. She said the party leaders will also submit memorandums after the protest on the issue. Karur, March 10 : The Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) scheme, launched to provide quality medicines at affordable prices, has been making a significant impact across India. In Karur district, more than 50 Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendras (PMJAKs) are operating, offering medicines at an incredible 50 per cent to 90 per cent discount. The initiative aims to make essential medicines accessible to everyone, particularly benefiting locals in Karur. Speaking to IANS, Kandasamy, a farmer from the district, shared his gratitude for the scheme, revealing that he now spends just Rs 250 on medicines, compared to Rs 1,000 he once paid. Vinod, a local PMJAK operator, emphasised the value of the scheme, noting that the centre provides all types of medicines at affordable rates, making it a lifeline for many. He also highlighted the high quality of the medicines, assuring customers that the discounts never compromise on effectiveness. The success of the PMBJP scheme has been so profound that it has inspired the Tamil Nadu government to launch its own initiative, the Chief Minister's Pharmacy Scheme, expanding access to affordable healthcare across the state. Launched in November 2008 by the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilisers, PMBJP aims to provide unbranded generic medicines at much lower prices than branded counterparts. The scheme has expanded rapidly, with over 15,000 PMJAKs now operational nationwide. As of November 2023, the PMBJP offers a diverse product range, including 1,965 drugs and 293 surgical items. With this widespread initiative, millions of Indians now have access to essential medicines at prices that suit their budgets, improving healthcare accessibility for all. The Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) reached a significant milestone, with Janaushadhi medicines worth Rs 1,000 crore sold in the year 2024-25 till 20th October 2024. This accomplishment is particularly noteworthy as it was achieved two months earlier than in the previous year. This impressive growth is attributed to the unwavering support of citizens, who have embraced the PMBJP by purchasing medicines from over 14,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) across the country. These Kendras serve as accessible points for quality healthcare, providing a friendly environment where individuals can find the medications they need without the burden of high costs. Chennai, March 10 : The Tamil Nadu Environment Department will hold consultative meetings with representatives of various fishermen associations across the state to discuss the final draft of the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP). The National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) revised the CZMP on behalf of the Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority (TNSCZMA) after widespread opposition from fishermen. The fisherfolk had raised concerns that the draft plan released in 2022 excluded key ecological areas such as salt pans, water bodies, backwaters, and other sensitive zones. According to sources in the Tamil Nadu Environment Ministry, the NCCR has submitted the revised final draft to the TNSCZMA during a recent meeting. Supriya Sahu, Secretary of the Environment, Climate Change, and Forest Department, who also serves as the Chairperson of TNSCZMA, has instructed the Fisheries Department to arrange a pre-consultation meeting with representatives of various fishermen's associations from all coastal districts. It may be recalled that when the 2022 draft CZMP was released, several legal challenges were filed before the Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). Petitioners urged the tribunal to direct the TNSCZMA to use the 1996 CZMP as the base map for the preparation of the 2019 plan, instead of the 1997 CZMP, which allegedly led to the exclusion of crucial ecological areas. The NGT upheld these concerns and directed the Tamil Nadu government to prepare the 2019 CZMP using the 1996 base map. However, the petitioners alleged that the TNSCZMA had failed to comply with this directive. Fishermen's organisations have also opposed the draft land-use maps, arguing that they fail to demarcate essential areas such as fishermen's habitations and designated fishing zones. Some petitions even pointed out that portions of existing water bodies were not marked in the draft maps, making them incomplete and inaccurate. In response to these issues, the NGT instructed the TNSCZMA to conduct a ground verification of ecologically sensitive areas where required, or where specific concerns were raised. The tribunal also directed the authority to follow the orders of the High Court and incorporate inputs received from District Collectors. Based on these findings, the draft CZMP must be corrected, modified, and updated before the final version is released for public consultation. Antony John, leader of a Tamil Nadu fishermen's association, welcomed the government's decision to hold discussions with fishing communities regarding the CZMP. "We appreciate the Tamil Nadu Environment Department's initiative to consult with fisherfolk before finalising the Coastal Zone Management Plan," he told IANS. The consultative meetings are expected to play a crucial role in addressing the concerns of the fishing community while ensuring a sustainable and ecologically sound coastal management strategy. Ranchi, March 10 : At least five people, including two children, lost their lives in a massive fire that broke out at a firecracker shop in the Godarmana market of Garhwa district, Jharkhand, on Monday around 11.30 a.m., officials said. The deceased have been identified as Kush Kumar Gupta, Ajit Kumar Kesari, Sushila Kerketta, Ayush Kumar Kesari, and Piyush Kumar Kesari. According to sources, Kush Kumar Gupta ran a grocery and firecracker shop in the market, with two warehouses located behind it. The fire broke out suddenly, triggering an explosion that caused the shop's shutter to close, trapping those inside and preventing their escape. Locals rushed to the scene upon hearing the explosion. Despite efforts to douse the flames using buckets and water tankers, the fire had already engulfed the shop. In a desperate rescue attempt, people broke through a wall to retrieve those trapped inside. However, all five victims had already succumbed to suffocation. They were rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared them dead. Among the deceased, Ayush and Piyush, who were real brothers, had gone to the shop to buy firecrackers. Ajit Kumar Kesari, a resident of Nauka village in Bhandaria block, was also there to purchase goods. Sushila Kerketta, a resident of Barwahi village in Ranka block, worked at the shop. By the time the fire brigade arrived from the district headquarters, the shop was reduced to ashes. A motorcycle parked outside was also completely burnt. Senior district officials and personnel from Ranka police station reached the scene to assess the situation. Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar and Chief Minister Hemant Soren expressed deep grief over the tragedy. The Governor described the incident as "heart-wrenching" and extended condolences to the bereaved families. He said, "The incident in a firecracker shop in Godarmana of Ranka police station area of Garhwa district is heart-breaking. The news of the death of many people is extremely sad. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured." Hemant Soren said, "Sad news about the death of 5 people due to fire in a firecracker shop in Ranka block of Garhwa district. May Marang Buru grant peace to the departed souls and give the bereaved family the strength to bear this difficult time of grief. The case is being investigated by the district administration." Mumbai, March 10 : Amid the widening gap between revenue and expenditure with constraints on resource mobilisation, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday presented the budget for 2025-26 with an estimated revenue deficit of Rs 45,892 crore and fiscal deficit of Rs 1,36,000 crore. The finance minister has estimated a total expenditure of Rs 7,00,020 crore with revenue receipts of Rs 5,60,963 crore and revenue expenditure of Rs 6,06,855 crore. Ajit Pawar, however, has claimed that the government has been successful in keeping the fiscal deficit below 3 per cent of gross state domestic income under the Fiscal Responsibility and Fiscal Management Act. Also, the State's revenue deficit has consistently less than 1 per cent of gross state income. He, however, has not announced a hike in the monthly financial aid to Rs 2,100 from Rs 1,500 to about 2.53 crore women beneficiaries under the flagship Ladki Bahin Yojana as promised in the poll manifesto. Since the launch of the scheme, the government has spent Rs 33,232 crore. For 2025-26, the finance minister has allocated Rs 36,000 crore with special plans to further encourage women groups to utilise the subsidy. Moreover, he has also not announced the farm loan waiver as promised in the poll manifesto. He has proposed an amnesty scheme of the State Tax Department for the public sector undertaking companies to clear their arrears. The scheme is titled Maharashtra Settlement of Arrears of Tax, Interest, Penalty or Late Free Act 2025. It will be in force from the commencement of the Act till December 31, 2025. The finance minister, in a bid to make up the revenue loss, has proposed various taxes which will generate additional revenue of Rs 1125 crore. He has proposed a one per cent increase in Motor Vehicle Tax on individual non-transport four-wheeled CNG and LPG vehicles. This will mobilise Rs 150 crore. He has proposed to levy motor vehicle tax at the rate of 6 per cent on electric vehicles priced above Rs 30 lakh. The maximum limit of motor vehicle tax is proposed to increase from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 30 lakh. The proposed increase in the maximum limit of motor vehicle tax is expected to generate an additional revenue of around Rs 170 crore. He has also proposed to level motor vehicle tax compulsorily on a lump sum basis at the rate of 7 per cent on the price of vehicles used for construction such as cranes, compressors, projectors and excavators. It will mobilise an additional revenue of Rs 180 crore. Further, the finance minister has proposed to levy motor vehicle tax compulsorily on a lump sum basis at the rate of 7 per cent on the price of Light Goods Vehicles carrying goods up to 7,500 kg in the state. It will generate additional revenue of Rs 625 crore. He has proposed to increase the stamp duty from Rs 100 to Rs 500 on supplementary documents if more than one document is used to complete the same transaction. He has also proposed to increase the adjudication fee payable on a document under section 3(1) of the Maharashtra Stamp Act from Rs 100 to Rs 1,000 for the chargeability of the instrument and to make a provision for depositing the amount of stamp duty primarily payable while filing the executed document. He has proposed a new provision for e-Stamp Certificates to facilitate the citizens to pay stamp duty and issue certificates online. It was the first budget of the MahaYuti government after its landslide victory in the state Assembly election and it was Ajit Pawar's 11th budget as the state finance minister. He has allocated Rs 1,90,242 crore for annual outlay, Rs 22,568 crore for scheduled caste component programme, Rs 21,495 crore for tribal component programme and Rs 20,165 crore for district development plans. The finance minister has made an allocation of Rs 1,90,242 crore for various departments. The finance minister has crafted his budget with a tagline of Viksit Bharat Viksit Maharashtra saying that a blueprint for the state's sustainable and inclusive development has been prepared by making allocations for the development of agriculture, irrigation, infrastructure, industry and social sectors. The finance minister had estimated the state's own tax revenue of Rs 3,43,040 crore in 2024-25 but it has been revised to Rs 3,67,467 crore in 2024-25. The budget estimate for the state's own tax revenue for the year 2025-26 is estimated at Rs 3,87,674 crore. The highlights of the budget include a Higher Economic Growth Rate driven by the right reforms oriented policies and capex which has a higher fiscal multiplier. MMR projects will help make it an economic growth hub for India. Transport - highways, ports, airports, waterways, bus transport, railways and metros are all priority areas getting adequate budgetary support. Industrial Policy 2025 to attract new investments and giving 'make in Mh' a push Quality Rural roads as well as state highways and district roads are getting maximum support. Rural Housing - biggest scheme outlay of close to Rs 15000 crore for 20 lakh target. Big Rise in SCP, TSP and General Plan with adequate provisions for newly announced schemes to phase out old irrelevant schemes and bring new schemes in line with current times FRBM norms compliant state- fiscal deficit and debt to GSDP well within limits. DBT - mode for bringing speed, efficiency and transparency in scheme implementation across all individual beneficiary schemes, maximum participation in CSS bringing more central funds, Agriculture growth estimates improved to 8.7 per cent this year in 2024-25 due to State backing farmers from last year's dismal 3.3 per cent. Continued support to farmers in improving their income. More value addition and allied sector income. Support to meeting energy demand through solar and irrigation will help the farm sector to grow at a faster rate. Cultural heritage - increased support through the budget- Sambhaji Maharaj projects Valu Aquatic Tourism gets support across Maharashtra. Sports has got full attention both in the form of policies and budgetary support for developing infrastructure and supporting sportsmen. Food and Civil Supplies - greater transparency through smart PDS and blockchain technology. Cooperation Year celebration to highlight Maharashtra leadership financing- asset monetisation, rationalisation, central assistance, external aided projects, and Innovative approaches like Maha InvITs. Healthcare - within 5 km and new state policy. Education - support to implementation of NEP, increasing girls' participation in professional and technical education. Support to Courts' infrastructure in the state for speedier disposal of legal cases. New Delhi, March 10 : Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Monday launched an unsparing criticism of the Opposition over its 'irresponsible behaviour' in the Upper House and accused it of demeaning and maligning the democratic institutions with its 'narrow-minded' politics. He also demanded that the Opposition members including the LoP Mallikarjun Kharge be given a 'refresher course' in upholding the democratic principles of the Parliament. Nadda's scathing critique of the Opposition followed a walk-out by them, after their notices to Deputy House chairman Harivansh for discussion under Rule 267, were turned down. The BJP President said that the members have developed a habit of giving notices under Rule 267, every morning. "They don't want a meaningful debate. Their purpose is to create chaos in the House and derail the proceedings. This behaviour shows that it is nothing but a wicked attempt to damage the institutions, a vicious design to demean the democratic procedures," he said. As the Deputy Chairman of the House rejected multiple notices on the first day of the second phase of the Budget Session, the Opposition MPs created chaos and shouted slogans. The attempts to persuade them failed to yield the intended result, following which they staged a walk-out from the House. Nadda further said that the Opposition wanted to give an impression that either the Centre was being evasive or didn't want to reply on issues, while also warning them against such a 'disturbing' tendency. He categorically stated that the Modi government was open to debate and discuss anything and everything under the roof of the House. Nadda, also the Leader of the House, advised the Opposition benches to follow norms and regulations and not deviate from the democratic principles even when trying to corner the ruling dispensation. "There are certain rules and regulations that have to be followed. Over the next 10 days, many provisions of the Budget will be debated. All will get their chance to put their views via short-term and long-term discussions," he said. "The Opposition members including the LoP Kharge should undergo a refresher course. They should understand the rules and regulations and come forward for a discussion" he said, terming their walk-out as a highly irresponsible move. "In a way, it is an attempt to malign Parliament and democracy," Nadda added. Nadda also cited his own example of winning some of his best legislator awards under the Congress regime, when he was the Leader of the Opposition in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly and asked the opposition members to focus on rules, over drama and rhetoric. Hyderabad, March 10 : Actor-politician Vijayashanthi, Addanki Dayakar, and Kethavath Shankar Naik filed nominations as Congress candidates for biennial elections to the Telangana Legislative Council on Monday. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Congress state President Mahesh Kumar Goud, ministers, MLAs and other leaders were present. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday approved the candidatures of the three leaders. The party also decided to leave one seat to its ally, the Communist Party of India (CPI). Meanwhile, Nellikanti Satyam filed the nomination as the CPI candidate. Members of the State Legislative Assembly will elect five members to the Legislative Council on March 20. The vacancies are arising due to the retirement of four MLCs of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) including Mallesham Yegge, who defected to the Congress from the BRS last year and Mirza Riyazul Hassan Effendi of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). Congress has 65 members in the 119-member Assembly and also enjoys the support of 10 BRS MLAs who defected last year. Its ally CPI has one MLA while friendly party AIMIM has seven members. The BRS, which has 28 members, has fielded Dasoju Sravan Kumar as its candidate. Earlier, Addanki Dayakar, along with his wife, met the Chief Minister at his residence and thanked him. Dayakar is a state unit General Secretary and belongs to Scheduled Castes. Kethavath Shankar Naik, District Congress Committee president from Nalgonda, is from Scheduled Tribes. Both Dayakar and Naik were aspirants for a Congress ticket in the 2023 Assembly elections but, the party leadership had assured them that they would be given some other posts. The Congress has rewarded Vijayashanthi, who quit as a BJP national executive member, to join Congress just before the 2023 Assembly elections. The former MP, who belongs to the Backward Class, was promised a suitable position at the time of joining Congress. Popular as aLady Amitabha for her action roles in Telugu films, Vijayashanthi had joined the BJP in 1997. She quit the BJP in 2005 to float a separate outfit, Talli Telangana, to fight for separate statehood for Telangana. She later merged Talli Telangana with the TRS (now BRS) and was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Medak constituency in 2009. Vijayashanthi joined the Congress in 2013 after TRS suspended her for anti-party activities. She unsuccessfully contested from Medak Assembly constituency in the 2014 polls. After the Congress' debacle in 2018, she became inactive and returned to the BJP in 2020. New Delhi, March 10 : The unique and special India-Mauritius relationship, that has deepened significantly over the last 10 years, is set to consolidate further during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day State visit to Port Louis, beginning Tuesday. PM Modi will be arriving in the Mauritian capital early Tuesday at the invitation of Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam to attend the country's National Day celebrations as the Chief Guest on Wednesday. A contingent of Indian defence forces will also participate in the celebrations along with a ship from the Indian Navy. This is PM Modi's first visit to Mauritius since 2015 when he had outlined India's Vision SAGAR - Security and growth for All in the Region - which along with 'Neighbourhood First' policy, 'Act East' policy, 'Think West' policy and 'Connect Central Asia' policy continues to guide New Delhi's approach to the neighbourhood and beyond while strengthening historical and civilizational ties at the same time. "We seek a future for the Indian Ocean that lives up to the name of SAGAR a" Security and Growth for All in the Region. We should be inspired by the Monsoon, which nurtures and connects us all in the region. We will strive to unite our region in partnership, as we were once in geography. An Ocean that connects our world should become the pathway of peace and prosperity for all," PM Modi had said at the Commissioning of Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Barracuda - the first export warship to be built and delivered by an Indian shipyard - in Mauritius on March 12, 2015. "It is no coincidence that I speak of our hopes for the Indian Ocean Region in Mauritius. Our partnership with Mauritius is among our strongest maritime relationships in the world, Our partnership will grow. We will together build our capabilities. We will also train and patrol the seas together," PM Modi had said in his remarks then during the landmark visit. PM Modi's current visit is expected to further strengthen the robust collaboration across sectors and will contribute in further enhancing the bilateral cooperation in the areas such as development partnership, capacity building, maritime safety and security, health, small and medium enterprises, robust financial and trade connectivity, in addition to reinforcing the existing people-to-people ties. Having taken the maritime security cooperation to a new high since then, it is only befitting that an Indian Naval Ship is also making a port call at Port Louis to celebrate the occasion on Wednesday. A marching contingent from the Indian Navy along with an Indian Navy helicopter, Akash Ganga Skydiving Team from the Indian Air force and a team of NCC cadets will also participate in National Day celebrations this time. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has already detailed that both countries will be signing a technical agreement on sharing white-shipping information between the Indian Navy and Mauritius authorities which will further enhance maritime security of Mauritius, safety of its trading corridors, and enhance regional cooperation in real-time sharing of data. It will also enable authorities from both countries to cooperate in preventing illegal activities and improve Mauritius' maritime domain awareness in the region. "This will involve not just the Indian Navy, but also the Mauritius police force in an effort to combat these kinds of activities. 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," Misri said last week. Having already provided Mauritius with OPV Barracuda, Coast Guard Ship Victory and a whole bunch of fast interceptor craft, the Foreign Secretary had also mentioned that New Delhi is ready to examine more proposals "if there is a need felt for more to be done". India has not only traditionally been the 'first responder' for Mauritius in times of crisis = including during the Covid-19 pandemic, Wakashio oil-spill crisis and Cyclone Chido - but also amongst the largest trading partners of the Indian Ocean archipelago. The close bonds are especially evident in the numerous India-assisted development projects that dot the Mauritian landscape. In 2016, India provided a grant of USD 353 million to Mauritius as a 'Special Economic Package' for five priority projects. This was followed by a USD 500 million Line of Credit from New Delhi in 2017 to finance 10 projects. An agreement on Community Development Projects followed in January 2022 to undertake 96 small, people-oriented projects all across Mauritius, out of which 51 projects have been inaugurated so far. Several more Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) will also be exchanged during PM Modi's visit, starting Tuesday. "Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Ramgoolam will together inaugurate a few projects that have been implemented with Indian assistance and will also witness the signing of several MOUs on cooperation in the field of capacity building, bilateral trade, tackling of cross-border financial crimes and promoting small and medium enterprises," said Foreign Secretary Misri. High-level engagement continues to be a regular feature of India-Mauritius bilateral partnership. While President Droupadi Murmu was the Chief Guest for National Day of Mauritius in 2024, Mauritius has participated in the swearing ceremony of PM Modi in 2014, 2019 and 2024. Mauritius was also a 'special invitee' for G20 Summit in 2023 and co-launched Global Biofuels Alliance with India and other countries on its sidelines. "In the last 10 years, the relationship has deepened significantly and today, indeed, the India-Mauritius relationship forms a very, very important pillar of our Vision SAGAR. You would also be aware that following the elections that were held in November of 2024, a new government led by Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam has taken office. Prime Minister Modi was the first world leader to call him and congratulate him on his electoral victory," said Misri. New Delhi, March 10 : India has achieved a record production of rice, wheat, maize, groundnut and Soybean during 2024-25, according to the second advance estimates released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare on Monday. New Delhi, March 10 (IANS) India has achieved a record production of rice, wheat, maize, groundnut and Soybean during 2024-25, according to the second advance estimates released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmersa Welfare on Monday. The countryas kharif foodgrain production is estimated at 1663.91 lakh metric tonnes (LMT), and rabi foodgrain production is estimated at 1645.27 LMT. Kharif rice production is estimated at 1206.79 LMT as compared to 1132.59 LMT in 2023-24, showing an increase of 74.20 LMT while the production of rabi rice is estimated at 157.58 LMT. Production of wheat is estimated at 1154.30 LMT, which is higher by 21.38 LMT as compared to the previous year's production of 1132.92 LMT. Production of Shree Anna (Kharif) is estimated at 137.52 LMT and Shree Anna (Rabi) is estimated at 30.81 LMT. Further, the Production of Nutri/Coarse Cereals (Kharif) is estimated at 385.63 LMT and the Production of Nutri/Coarse Cereals (Rabi) is estimated at 174.65 LMT. Production of Tur and Gram is estimated at 35.11 LMT and 115.35 LMT, respectively and the production of Lentil is estimated at 18.17 LMT. The production of Kharif and Rabi Groundnut is estimated at 104.26 LMT and 8.87 LMT, respectively while the production of Soybean is estimated at 151.32 LMT which is higher by 20.70 LMT as compared to the previous yearas production of 130.62 LMT and production of Rapeseed and Mustard is estimated at 128.73 LMT. The production of Cotton is estimated at 294.25 Lakh Bales (of 170 kg each) and the production of Sugarcane is estimated at 4350.79 LMT. The Ministry said that while preparing the kharif crop production estimates the Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs) based yield has been considered. The rabi crop production is based on the average yield and is subject to change in the successive estimates on the receipt of better yield estimates based on CCEs. The production of various summer crops will be included in the forthcoming third advance estimates. Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan, while approving and releasing the data on major agricultural crops, stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central Government is continuously working towards the development of the agricultural sector. He highlighted that the Ministry of Agriculture is providing assistance and encouragement to farmers through various schemes, resulting in a record increase in agricultural crop production. The crop area received from the States has been validated and triangulated with information received from Remote Sensing, Weekly Crop Weather Watch Group and other agencies, according to a statement. Further, the Department of Agriculture and Farmersa Welfare (DoA&FW) took the initiative of Stakeholder consultation with representatives from the industry and other Governmental Departments to receive their opinions, views and sentiments for the Kharif and Rabi season. These have also been considered while finalising the estimates. Further, the yield estimates are based on Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs), previous trends and other contributing factors, the statement added. New Delhi, March 10 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a two-day visit to Mauritius, where he will be the chief guest of island nation's 57th National Day celebrations. During the visit, India and Mauritius are also expected to ink a raft of agreements to strengthen bilateral relations. The Indian diaspora is also excited and has started preparations to give PM Modi a grand welcome ahead of their national day celebrations. Meanwhile, the pictures of PM Modi's visit to the island nation, almost three decades ago, has surfaced where he participated in various programmes and also held wide-ranging interactions with the local population. Modi Archive, a popular handle on X, shared the old pictures of PM Modi's visit to the 'Mini India', recalling the deep bond of history, language and culture that the two nations share in common. "As PM Modi revisits Mauritius, it feels like a homecoming to Mini India," said the X handle. Notably, Mauritius holds a 'special connection' with India, as a vast chunk of its population has their origins here. According to Modi Archive, PM Modi visited Mauritius for the first time in 1998, where he addressed the International Ramayana Conference in Moka. "Then serving as BJP National General Secretary, he spoke about Lord Ram's universal values and how the Ramayana serves as a bridge uniting India and Mauritius in an eternal civilisational embrace," it said. During his first visit, PM Modi also connected with local population of Mauritius and built long-lasting friendships. He engaged with key leaders, including then-President Cassam Uteem, Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, and Leader of the Opposition Sir Anerood Jugnauth. He also met Paul Raymond Berenger, who later became Prime Minister of Mauritius and also understood how Mauritius' struggle for independence mirrored India's own fight for freedom. The Modi Archive further says: "PM Modi's 1998 visit was not limited to official meetings. He took the time to understand the land, its history, and its people and also visited the sacred Ganga Talao, where he witnessed how Hindu traditions continue to thrive outside India." Recalling this emotional connection at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in 2015, PM Modi had said: "If there is one place that unites all of Mauritius, it is Ganga Sagar. The pond was created by the residents of Mauritius, but they brought water from the Ganga and poured it into the pond. Though the quantity of water may be small, the emotions and devotion associated with it have given it a different dimension. To the people, it is a representation of the Ganga, and even today, the Shivratri Mela is organised on its banks and brings together the entire population of Indian origin." When PM Modi visited the island nation in 2015, about 17 years later, he stood at Ganga Talao again and offered his respects to Maa Ganga. According to Modi Archive, PM Modi also addressed the people of Mauritius on its national day in 2015 and said: "Brothers and sisters, to know whether a mango crop is good, one does not need to check every single fruit. Just tasting one or two is enough to understand the quality of the entire harvest. Similarly, if the world looks at Mauritius, they can see a glimpse of what India is like. What will the people of India be like? If the sample is so extraordinary, imagine the greatness of the entire nation!" Raipur, March 10 : A scuffle broke out outside the Bhilai residence of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday as Congress workers protested against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid in connection with the alleged liquor scam. As ED teams conducted searches, Congress workers clashed with police personnel deployed outside Baghel's residence and raised slogans against the probe agency. The raids were part of a probe into an alleged money laundering case linked to Baghel's son, Chaitanya Baghel and others. Reacting to the ED action, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said, "Various scams took place under the previous government, and central agencies are investigating them. Many individuals are already in jail. The ED is a central agency, and our government has no role in its actions." The issue sparked a heated debate in the Chhattisgarh Assembly, where Congress legislators created an uproar, calling the ED raid a case of political vendetta. Following the disruption, the Speaker expelled opposition Congress MLAs, who later staged a protest under Mahatma Gandhi's statue in the Assembly premises, raising slogans against the central agency's actions. Earlier in the day, the ED conducted raids at 14 locations linked to Chaitanya Baghel and others in Chhattisgarh's Durg district under the PMLA. The agency is probing an alleged Rs 2,161 crore liquor scam that allegedly took place between 2019 and 2022, during the tenure of the Congress government led by Bhupesh Baghel. ED teams searched Chaitanya Baghel's residence and premises associated with his close aides, including businessman Laxmi Narayan Bansal, also known as Pappu Bansal. Investigators claim to have found evidence indicating that Chaitanya Baghel was among the beneficiaries of illicitly generated funds. In January, the ED arrested former Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma, accusing him of playing a key role in the scam and receiving Rs 2 crore in illegal payments every month. The agency alleges that proceeds from the scam were funnelled into real estate investments, causing significant losses to the state exchequer. So far, assets worth Rs 205 crore belonging to various accused have been attached. The ED's latest action has intensified the political battle in Chhattisgarh. While opposition parties have renewed corruption allegations against the Congress, Baghel's office dismissed the raids as politically motivated. In a post on X, his office stated, "When the false case running for seven years was dismissed in court, the ED arrived at the Bhilai residence of former CM and Congress General Secretary Bhupesh Baghel this morning. If someone thinks they can stop Congress in Punjab through this conspiracy, they are mistaken." London, March 10 : After more than a decade of service, Racing Bulls' long-standing Technical Director, Jody Egginton, is set to leave his position and transition into a new role as Engineering Director at Red Bull Advanced Technologies. His new assignment, which begins on April 1, marks the end of a significant chapter in Egginton's Formula 1 career and the beginning of an exciting new challenge. Egginton, whose F1 journey began in 1996 as a Junior Designer with Tyrrell, has had an extensive and illustrious career in the sport. Over the years, he has held key positions with multiple teams, including Midland (which later evolved into Spyker and Force India) and Team Lotus. In 2014, he joined the then Toro Rosso outfit as Head of Vehicle Performance, before rising to Deputy Technical Director in 2017 and ultimately taking over as Technical Director in 2019. His departure signals a restructuring at Racing Bulls, with his responsibilities now being divided among Chief Technical Officer Tim Goss and Deputy Technical Directors Guillaume Cattelani (Car Performance) and Andrea Landi (Car Design). Reflecting on his departure, Egginton expressed gratitude for his time at Racing Bulls, acknowledging the invaluable experiences he gained. "Being part of this team for over 10 years has been a fantastic experience for me, providing some very memorable moments," Egginton said in a statement released by Racing Bulls. "But after almost 20 years of focusing solely on Formula 1, I feel it's time for a change. I will have a great remit as Engineering Director of Red Bull Advanced Technologies, and the company currently has an exciting list of projects, so I can't wait to get started on this new challenge," he said. Racing Bulls' Team Principal Laurent Mekies praised Egginton's contributions, highlighting his role in shaping the team's technical direction. "As our long-serving Technical Director, he has been instrumental in driving innovation and fostering team growth," Mekies said. "I want to thank Jody for his expertise and the important contribution he has made to the team and the company's upward trajectory. We wish him all the best for this new challenge within the Red Bull family," he added. Dhaka, March 10 : Hundreds of students took to the streets in various parts of Bangladesh, including capital Dhaka, to protest against the rising incidents of sexual violence under the regime of current interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. Demanding justice for rape victims, stricter punishment for offenders, and resignation of the Home Affairs Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, agitating students of Jahangirnagar University (JU) blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway in the early hours of Monday to highlight prevailing lawlessness in the country. They warned that if the Yunus government cannot ensure the safety of women then it has no right to remain in power. The recent case of a rape of a minor girl, who is currently fighting for her life in a hospital, by a middle-aged man has triggered protest marches across the country. "We have reached a point where we are all victims. The government cannot ensure our safety," one of the protestors told local journalists. "No woman is safe, whether a child, a pregnant woman, a disabled person, or the elderly. This is not the Bangladesh we wanted. Rapists must face the death penalty. We refuse to tolerate another case of sexual violence," another angry protestor was quoted as saying by Bangladesh's Daily Star. Students and teachers from several educational institutions, including Dhaka University, North South University, Independent University and Rajshahi University, have held demonstrations over the failing law and order situation in the country and the increasing cases of sexual violence. On Sunday, the 'University Teachers' Network' held a gathering at Dhaka University's Aparajeyo Bangla where teachers and students of six universities participated. The attendees condemned the ongoing violence against women, discussed its root causes, and criticised the government failures. During the meeting, Dhaka University Professor Tasneem Siraj Mahboob called for the dismissal of the Home Affairs Advisor. "Resignation is an honourable exit. He does not deserve that honour," leading Bangladeshi newspaper Dhaka Tribune quoted Mahboob as saying. Hundreds of cases of violence against women have been reported from across Bangladesh since Muhammad Yunus-led interim regime came into power in August 2024. "Society is descending into chaos, where lawlessness and criminal impunity are growing. The failure of law enforcement, compromises, and lack of accountability are empowering criminals," said Fauzia Moslem, President of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad. Hyderabad, March 10 : More than three months after he lost his mother and suffered critical injuries in the stampede at a theatre in Hyderabad during the premier show of "Pushpa 2", nine-year-old Sritej is neurologically not showing any improvement and is still unable to recognise family members. The boy still remains hospitalised at KIMS Hospital, Secunderabad here. According to doctors treating him, neurologically, he is not showing any further improvement in sensorium and still is not able to recognise family members or understand simple verbal commands. According to doctors, he has intermittent dystonia with increased movements to lift the upper torso. He is receiving physiotherapy and rehabilitation support for the same. "Sritej is maintaining stable vital parameters on his own without any oxygen or ventilatory support. He needed ventilatory assistance for a brief period of 1-2 days in the last month. To optimise his nutrition, he underwent an Endoscopic Gastrostomy procedure 10 days ago wherein he can be nourished directly to his stomach via a wider tube. He is tolerating feeds via the gastrostomy tube well," the hospital said in a statement on Monday. Revathi, 39, died and her son was critically injured in the stampede at Sandhya Theatre during the premier show of "Pushpa 2: The Rule" on December 4, 2024. Allu Arjun, who was present at the theatre, was booked along with his team and theatre management for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The actor was arrested in the case on December 13 and was released on interim bail the next day. On December 25, Allu Arjun, producers and director of "Pushpa 2: The Rule" announced Rs 2 crore for the family of Revathi. While Allu Arjun gave Rs 1 crore, Mythri Movies, the producers of the movie, extended an assistance of Rs 50 lakh. The film's director Sukumar also gave Rs 50 lakh to the family. The actor visited the hospital on January 7 to see the boy and meet his family members. Shimla, March 10 : Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla on Monday, in his address to the legislative Assembly on the first day of the 16-day Budget session, said being Himalayan region the state is highly vulnerable to climate change. "The Government is taking proactive measures to strengthen environmental resilience and mitigate future disasters," he said in his one and a half hours speech in Hindi. "The state has been selected under a bilateral project of the Ministry of Environment, Forest for Climate Change in collaboration with Climate Adaptation and Finance in Rural India. "Between 2023 and 2026, approximately Rs 91 crore is being invested to develop adaptive capacity for 5,000 women farmers in drought-prone and climate-sensitive areas of the state." The Governor said currently, 15,580 sq km (28 per cent) of the state has been designated as actual forest area. "To further enhance forest cover, the government has undertaken plantation drives under CAMPA and centrally-sponsored schemes, out of the 8,000 hectare plantation target for the current financial year, afforestation has been completed on 6,715 hectares and remaining target expected to be achieved by the end of this fiscal. On the economy front, the Governor said the state doesn't have adequate resources. Hence, the dependence on Central grants is high. "Following the implementation of the GST, the state's reliance on central assistance has further increased since many state-imposed taxes have now been merged into GST. This transition has led to significant financial losses, which were initially compensated through a GST compensation for five years. However, this grant stopped in July 2022, exacerbating the state's financial strain. Additionally, the inadequate Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) recommended by the 15th Finance Commission has further contributed to the adverse fiscal situation. "In its interim report for 2020-21, the 15th Finance Commission recommended an RDG of Rs 11,431 crore. But, this grant has been decreasing steadily since 2022-23. "In the current financial year, Rs 6,258 crore has been recommended, and by the final year of the 15th Finance Commission, it will be reduced to Rs 3,257 crore."' Governor Shukla said capital expenditure was Rs 5,309 crore in 2020-21, Rs 6,029 crore in 2021-22 and Rs 5,630 crore in 2023-24. "In the current financial year, the budget estimate stands at Rs 6,270 crore, demonstrating that the government has not allowed the capital expenditure to decrease despite tapering RDG and development works are progressing rapidly," the Governor added. Kabul, March 10 : The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) on Monday highlighted that girls in Afghanistan have not been able to go to primary school for the third consecutive year and urged that no child should go to school hungry. The call came ahead of the International School Meals Day on March 13. "For three years now, girls in Afghanistan have only been able to go to primary school. It is also where they get the only nutritious food they eat all day. On International School Meals Day and every day, no child should go to school hungry," World Food Programme in Afghanistan posted on X on Monday. Afghanistan stands out as the only country in the world where secondary and higher education is strictly forbidden for girls and women. According to UNESCO data published in 2024, 1.4 million Afghan girls have been deliberately deprived of schooling. Access to primary education has also fallen sharply, with 1.1 million fewer girls and boys attending school. According to a report of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Afghanistan's education system has been devastated by more than three decades of sustained conflict and for most of the country's children, especially girls, completing primary school remains a distant dream, especially in rural areas. Speaking at the ongoing 58th session of the Human Rights Council, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk stated that women in Afghanistan are currently being denied their basic fundamental rights. "In Afghanistan, women and girls are subject to gender apartheid that is unparalleled in today's world. Virtual prisoners within their homes, they are denied the most basic and fundamental freedoms essential to normal life, including movement, education and work. I am deeply concerned for the long-term future of a country that is self-harming on a national scale," said Turk. Hunger threatens one in three Afghans. Without immediate funding, millions of people will go without the food they need. One in three Afghan girls is unable to complete their primary education due to widespread poverty, according to a report released by the World Food Programme (WFP) in 2024. Recently a UN-backed fund 'Education Cannot Wait' stated Taliban's rule as a "dysfunctional regime" that not only denies girls the right to education but also prevents half the population from contributing to the country's reconstruction. "Today, 1.5 million Afghan girls are banned from attending secondary school because of restrictions imposed by the Taliban. Every year, this number increases by 300,000, and soon it will reach millions," said Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait, a UN-backed global fund for education in emergencies. Ranchi, March 10 : A political firestorm has erupted in Jharkhand over the recent spike in crime in the state. Director General of Police (DGP) Anurag Gupta on Monday claimed that many of these incidents are being orchestrated from inside the prisons. "Jharkhand Police will take strict action against such criminals and their associates operating outside. Some inmates have already been shifted to other jails," he said. Speaking to the media outside the Assembly, DGP Gupta identified three major gangs -- led by Aman Sahu, Aman Srivastava, and Vikas Tiwari -- as the masterminds behind several crimes in the state. "Despite being in jail, they continue to plan crimes using virtual foreign numbers for WhatsApp calls. The police are tracking them, but there are some technical challenges," he said. He added that an FIR was registered on Sunday against 30 associates of Aman Sahu under Section 111 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). ATS SP Rishabh Jha has been directed to arrest all the accused and ensure their immediate imprisonment. On the recent firing at a businessman in Ranchi, the DGP said the culprits had been identified and would be arrested soon. "Raids are underway, and we expect to solve the case within two to three days," he assured. Regarding the murder of NTPC Deputy General Manager Kumar Gaurav in Hazaribagh, he admitted that the police were yet to establish a clear motive. "A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is working on the case, and raids are being conducted continuously," he said. The DGP's remarks triggered a sharp reaction from BJP leader and Ranchi MLA C.P. Singh, who raised the issue in the Assembly during Zero Hour. "It has become extremely difficult to live in Jharkhand. The government is turning a blind eye while crime spirals out of control," Singh said. Criticising the DGP's statement, he added, "How can the police shamelessly admit that crimes are being planned from inside jails? Are these jails located outside Jharkhand? If criminals are running operations from prison, why aren't they being interrogated on remand? No one is safe -- not MLAs, not Ministers, not the public. The government must answer for this lawlessness." Moscow, March 10 : Russia on Monday declared that the Second Secretary of the British Embassy in Moscow and the spouse of another British diplomat have been stripped of accreditation for providing false information about themselves and based on evidence of their intelligence and covert activities. "The FSB during counterintelligence work revealed the undeclared intelligence of the United Kingdom under the cover of the British Embassy in Moscow. It is firmly established that the Second Secretary of the Embassy Alkesh Odedra, and Michael Skinner, the husband of the First Secretary of the political department of the Embassy, Tabasam Rashid, when obtaining permission to enter our country, deliberately indicated false data, thus violating the Russian laws. At the same time, the FSB of Russia revealed signs of conducting reconnaissance and subversive work by these diplomats, threatening the security of the Russian Federation," read a statement issued by Russia's Federal Security Service. "On this basis, the Russian Foreign Ministry, in cooperation with the departments concerned, decided to deprive Alkesh Odedra and Michael Skinner of accreditations, and they were ordered to leave Russia within two weeks. The FSB of Russia will continue to work to counter the intelligence and subversive activities of foreign special services by all available methods," the statement concluded. Later on Monday, the British Embassy in Moscow dismissed the claims. Speaking to the Russian newspaper 'Moscow Times', the embassy stated, "The accusations made today by the Russian authorities against our staff and their dependents are entirely baseless. We will respond appropriately". This is not the first incident of such kind and tensions between Russia and Britain have long been marked by intelligence disputes. Last month, the Russian Embassy in London stated that Russia poses no threat to Britain, asserting that the path to military and political escalation has been paved by London. The comment came in response to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's decision to increase defence spending, which, he claims, is a reaction to actions taken by Moscow. In November 2024, Russia revoked accreditation of a UK diplomat on charges of espionage who replaced one of the previously expelled UK intelligence officers accused of spying in September. Russian authorities then ordered him to leave the country within two weeks, the Russian Federal Security Service said. In September 2024, six British diplomats were expelled from Russia as their "spy activity" in the country had gotten "out of control", an anonymous representative of Russiaas Federal Security Service (FSB) stated on a Russian TV channel. "London sends spies disguised as the spouses of diplomats, even using young children to cover for their espionage. In other words, any diplomatic etiquette has been thrown completely out the window," the FSB official emphasised, as reported by state-run media agency TASS. New Delhi, Mar 10 : The Centre on Monday cleared the appointment of three permanent judges to the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court following the recommendation made by the Supreme Court Collegium. In a post on X, Union Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal announced that the President, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI), has appointed Justices Wasim Sadiq Nargal, Rajesh Sekhri, and Mohd. Yousuf Wani as permanent judges of the J&K and Ladakh HC. In its meeting held on March 5, the Supreme Court Collegium approved the proposal for the appointment of the above additional judges as permanent judges in the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court. The Chief Justice and Judges of the High Courts are to be appointed by the President under clause (1) of Article 217 of the Constitution. The Chief Justice, while sending his recommendation for appointing an additional Judge as a permanent Judge, must, along with his recommendation, furnish statistics of month-wise disposal of cases and judgments rendered by the judge concerned as well as the number of cases reported in the Law Journal duly certified by them. Information regarding the total number of working days, the number of days they actually attended the court and the days of their absence during the period for which the disposal statistics are sent also has to be furnished. Kochi, March 10 : On Monday the Kerala High Court slammed the state police for the delay in tracing a 15-year-old girl who was found dead, a month after her mother had first approached the police to find her. The Division Bench said that it cannot close the habeas corpus petition without looking into what had happened. "Our hearts certainly go out to the parents of the alleged detenue (kidnapped girl) and are certain that merely because the above has happened, it would not be justified for us to close this Writ Petition. We are obligated to verify what really happened, before we take a final decision," the court stated in its order. It, therefore, directed the Investigating Officer to be present in court with the relevant documents relating to the missing girl's case on Tuesday. "We, therefore, direct, the Investigating Officer of the Original Crime, namely Crime.No.126/2025 - which is stated to have been registered under Section 57 of the Kerala Police Act a" to be present before this court tomorrow, along with the Case Diary. The Case Diary opened with respect to Crime.No.207/2025 shall also be in his possession, when he appears before us", the High Court added. According to the girl's mother, her daughter was abducted at 4:45 am on February 11 by a neighbour who allegedly has a criminal record. The mother and her family attempted to reach the girl on her mobile phone, but it remained switched off. The mother approached the police and lodged a complaint the very same day. However, the police registered a First Information Report (FIR) only on February 12 and failed to take prompt action. The High Court on Monday was informed that the missing girl and the neighbour who allegedly abducted her, were found hanging from a tree in Kasargod on March 9 morning about 500 metres from her house. Keeping the habeas corpus petition open, the High Court sought an explanation from the police regarding their handling of the case. The High Court has asked the Investigating Officer to be physically present in court on Tuesday. Jaipur, March 10 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma reaffirmed the state government's commitment to holistic development, emphasising the protection and promotion of cows. In the recently presented state budget, several key decisions have been taken to benefit cows and cattle rearers. Among these, the government has increased the daily grant for cow shelters and Nandishalas by 15 per cent, raising it to Rs 50 per animal for the year. Speaking at a gratitude meeting held at the Chief Minister's residence on Monday. Sharma highlighted the state's initiatives for cattle welfare. He recalled the launch of the Gopal Credit Card Scheme last year, which provides interest-free loans of up to Rs 1 lakh for constructing sheds, purchasing fodder, and acquiring essential equipment. He announced that this scheme would be extended to benefit 2.5 lakh cow-rearing families in the upcoming financial year. Additionally, stamp duty on documents required for the Gopal Credit Card has been waived, simplifying access to the scheme.Balancing Development with Heritage. The Chief Minister lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of balancing development with cultural heritage. He described the Prime Minister as a global leader who has given a new direction to the nation through his perseverance, strategic planning, and foresight. Sharma acknowledged the significant contributions of Rajasthani migrants, who have established cow shelters across India and abroad, ensuring the continuation of sacred cow service traditions. Reaffirming the government's proactive approach toward cow protection, Sharma announced the expansion of the 'Mukhyamantri Mangala Pashu Bima Yojana' to provide greater financial security for cattle farmers. The number of insured animals per category will be doubled in the next financial year. He further elaborated on other initiatives, including increasing the availability of medicines and vaccines under the Pashudhan Nifit Arogya Yojana, expanding milk collection targets under the Mukhyamantri Dudh Utpadak Sambal Yojana, offering millet-based grants to cow shelters in winter, establishing 1,000 new cooperative societies, and recruiting 100 veterinary officers and 1,000 livestock inspectors. Sharma emphasised the deep-rooted significance of cows in Indian tradition. He likened cows to the sacred elements of Ganga, Gomti, Geeta, and Govind, stating that serving cows is equivalent to worshiping all deities. He called on society to uphold its responsibility in preserving and respecting mother cow, urging a collective public awareness campaign to encourage daily cow service. Prominent saints attending the event expressed their appreciation for the government's unwavering support for cow protection. They noted that while cow devotees previously had to protest for such initiatives, the current administration is proactively implementing policies in favour of cow welfare. Jaipur, March 10 : The investigation wing of the Jodhpur Income Tax Department has successfully recovered outstanding tax dues by auctioning confiscated gold, following the Rajasthan High Court's directives. The auction took place at Jodhpur Income Tax Bhawan, where 13 gold biscuitsa"three large and ten smalla"totalling 4 kg were sold. The auction yielded Rs 3.11 crore for the department. The case dates back to October 14, 2021, when the Income Tax Department conducted a raid on the premises of a mobile business group in Bikaner. The businessman, Loknath Arora, was found to have undeclared income, with pending tax arrears amounting to Rs 2.96 crore. The matter was contested in the Rajasthan High Court, which ruled in favour of the Income Tax Department. Following the court's orders, the seized gold biscuits were auctioned in the conference hall of Pawta Income Tax Bhawan on Monday. The purity of the biscuits was 99.5 per cent, while the gold coins seized in the raid had a purity of 99.9 per cent. The reserve price was set at Rs 4,000 per 10 grams lower than the prevailing online rate. Ultimately, the gold was auctioned at Rs 77,780 per 10 grams. During the raid at Aroraas residence, the authorities confiscated gold jewellery, biscuits, and coins valued at over Rs 3 crore. The seized assets included Gold worth Rs 49 lakh declared by Arora himself, Gold worth Rs 4.90 lakh belonging to his wife and gold jewelry worth Rs 2.59 lakh belonging to his daughter-in-law The Income Tax Department sought to recover unpaid taxes based on the undeclared assets. Arora filed a petition in the High Court, stating that he needed funds to settle the outstanding tax amount. He requested permission to auction the seized gold and adjust the cash recovered during the raid against the dues. After evaluating the evidence, the High Court approved the auction, enabling the department to recover the outstanding tax. New Delhi, March 10 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that he is looking forward to engaging with the Mauritius leadership to elevate the partnership between the two countries in all its facets during his two-day State Visit to the Indian Ocean archipelago, beginning early Tuesday morning. "Mauritius is a close maritime neighbour, a key partner in the Indian Ocean, and a gateway to the African Continent. We are connected by history, geography and culture. Deep mutual trust, a shared belief in the values of democracy, and celebration of our diversity are our strengths. The close and historical people-to-people connect is a source of shared pride. We have made significant strides in the past 10 years with people centric initiatives," PM Modi said in his departure statement. PM Modi will be in Mauritius at the invitation of country's Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam to attend the country's National Day celebrations as the Chief Guest on Wednesday. "I look forward to the opportunity to engage with the Mauritius leadership to elevate our partnership in all its facets and strengthen our enduring friendship for the progress and prosperity of our peoples, as well as for security and development in the Indian Ocean Region, as part of our Vision SAGAR," said PM Modi. "I am confident that this visit will build on the foundations of the past and open a new and bright chapter in the India and Mauritius relationship," he added. The unique and special India-Mauritius relationship, that has deepened significantly over the last 10 years, is set to consolidate further during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Port Louis. A contingent of Indian defence forces will also participate in the celebrations along with a ship from the Indian Navy. This is PM Modi's first visit to Mauritius since 2015 when he had outlined India's Vision SAGAR - Security and growth for All in the Region - which along with 'Neighbourhood First' policy, 'Act East' policy, 'Think West' policy and 'Connect Central Asia' policy continues to guide New Delhi's approach to the neighbourhood and beyond while strengthening historical and civilizational ties at the same time. "We seek a future for the Indian Ocean that lives up to the name of SAGAR a" Security and Growth for All in the Region. We should be inspired by the Monsoon, which nurtures and connects us all in the region. We will strive to unite our region in partnership, as we were once in geography. An Ocean that connects our world should become the pathway of peace and prosperity for all," PM Modi had said at the Commissioning of Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Barracuda - the first export warship to be built and delivered by an Indian shipyard - in Mauritius on March 12, 2015. "It is no coincidence that I speak of our hopes for the Indian Ocean Region in Mauritius. Our partnership with Mauritius is among our strongest maritime relationships in the world, Our partnership will grow. We will together build our capabilities. We will also train and patrol the seas together," PM Modi had said in his remarks then during the landmark visit. PM Modi's current visit is expected to further strengthen the robust collaboration across sectors and will contribute in further enhancing the bilateral cooperation in the areas such as development partnership, capacity building, maritime safety and security, health, small and medium enterprises, robust financial and trade connectivity, in addition to reinforcing the existing people-to-people ties. Having taken the maritime security cooperation to a new high since then, it is only befitting that an Indian Naval Ship is also making a port call at Port Louis to celebrate the occasion on Wednesday. A marching contingent from the Indian Navy along with an Indian Navy helicopter, Akash Ganga Skydiving Team from the Indian Air force and a team of NCC cadets will also participate in National Day celebrations this time. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has already detailed that both countries will be signing a technical agreement on sharing white-shipping information between the Indian Navy and Mauritius authorities which will further enhance maritime security of Mauritius, safety of its trading corridors, and enhance regional cooperation in real-time sharing of data. It will also enable authorities from both countries to cooperate in preventing illegal activities and improve Mauritius' maritime domain awareness in the region. "This will involve not just the Indian Navy, but also the Mauritius police force in an effort to combat these kinds of activities. 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," Misri said last week. Mumbai, March 10 : Nishank Verma starrer short film "Marigold" has been selected for The National Indian Film Festival Australia. Thrilled about this, Nishank said, "It feels nice to be travelling the world through film screens. It's a privilege to be selected for the festival in its first year. " Revealing how he got the project, he shared, "I had shot an ad with Samay, the director almost a year ago and we had instantly clicked. We had been talking about wanting to do something together for a while and when he finalised the draft of this film he sent it to me. I immediately said yes, because there were a lot of difficult emotions to play with - something that I rarely get the chance to do with my characters." Nishank further dropped a couple of fun titbits about shooting "Marigold". The actor disclosed that they shot the film in an apartment in Mumbai's Andheri region over just one day and night. "What's even more interesting is that it was shot in an apartment in Andheri over one day and night. I have shot for innumerable short films with several directors over the years and this one will remain special.", he said. Nishank concluded, "I hope the honesty with which we made this film reaches and resonates with the audience in some way." In addition to this, Nishank will soon be seen in Ravi Dubey and Sargun Mehta's show "Haale Dil". "Bigg Boss OTT 2" fame Manisha Rani has also been roped in to play the female lead in the drama. Nishank Verma rose to fame with his work in the popular Netflix web series "Jamtara: Sabka Number Ayega (2020)", "Mithya" (2022), and the movie "Section 375" (2019). New Delhi, March 10 : The quality of Ganga water, monitored at 10 locations near Prayagraj during the Maha Kumbh, was up to the stipulated standards for bathing during the mega event, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav told Parliament on Monday. As per a report of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) dated February 28, median value of pH, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Biochemical Oxygen demand (BOD) and Faecal Coliform (FC) for all the monitored locations on the Ganga was within the respective criteria/permissible limits for bathing water, the minister said in reply to questions. The Minister was replying to questions from Samajwadi Party MP Anand Bhadauriya and Congress member from Kerala K. Sudhakaran who asked if the CPCB had informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) recently that the quality of water at the confluence of river Ganga and Yamuna at Prayagraj, during the Maha Kumbh, had failed to meet the primary standards for bathing. The Minister said before the February 28 report, the CPCB submitted its initial monitoring report dated February 3 before NGT wherein the river water quality data collected at seven locations during January 12a"26 was reported. Yadav said later the CPCB added three more water quality monitoring locations and the monitoring frequency was increased to twice daily with effect from February 21 to augment availability of more comprehensive water quality data, thus, taking the total number of water quality monitoring locations to 10. Hinting at the better reliability of data used in the February 28 report of CPCB, the Minister pointed out that the frequency of sample collection was increased to twice a day from twice a week used for collecting data incorporated in the February 3 report. For the February 3 report, the CPCB carried out regular water quality monitoring at seven locations (twice a week) in the stretch from Shringverpur ghat (upstream of Prayagraj) to Deehaghat (downstream of Prayagraj) including at Sangam nose (confluence point of river Ganga and Yamuna) since January 12, 2025 covering auspicious bathing (Amrit Snan) days, including pre and post days of such auspicious bathing days, he said. Highlighting the measures taken by the state government to ensure bathing quality water in the Ganga for the event, the Minister said 10 STPs were installed to treat wastewater ensuring that effluents meet environmental standards before being released and 7 geotubes were installed as interim remedial measure for wastewater treatment of 21 untapped drains. He said three pre-fabricated temporary STPs were installed, each with capacity of 500 KLD in the Mela area and three Faecal Sludge Treatment Plants (FSTPs) with total capacity 200 KLD (100 KLD, 50 KLD, 50 KLD) were installed. He said the UP Jal Nigam used advanced oxidation techniques to treat wastewater, preventing untreated water from entering the Ganga. New Delhi, March 10 : Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday tabled the second batch of supplementary demands for grants in Parliament, seeking approval for Rs 6,78,508.10 crore in additional spending for the government during financial year 2024-25 that ends March 31 this year. This includes 52 grants and three appropriations. Of this, the net cash outgo - the actual additional spending requiring fresh funding - amounts to Rs 51,462.86 crore, while the rest is being offset by savings and enhanced receipts across various ministries. The largest allocations include defence pensions (Rs 8,476 crore), communications (Rs 10,910.71 crore), finance (Rs 13,449 crore), and agricultural schemes (Rs 6,044.76 crore). The net amount sought by the government in 2024-25 will cover the spending of Rs 7,000 crore towards the Unified Pension Scheme, which was announced during the ongoing financial year and will come into effect from April 1. The UPS, offered as an alternative to the National Pension System, provides for a pension of 50 per cent of the last drawn pay for government employees retiring after 25 years in service. The additional funds will also be used towards the Rs 12,000-crore Oil Industry Development Fund. The OIDC fund, announced in the Union Budget for fiscal year 2025-26 presented in February, will cover the shortfall in subsidy for liquified petroleum gas (LPG) to households and for fertilisers to farmers. The government would also allocate Rs 2,185.63 crore for additional expenditure towards Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi - the central scheme which provides Rs 6,000 per year directly into the accounts of eligible farmers. The Centre also seeks to allocate addition funds of Rs 10,910 crore for the Department of Telecommunications, which includes Rs 7,000 crore to the Universal Service Obligations Fund, and the remainder for other expenses including the incremental pension to be paid to voluntarily retiring employees of state-run telecom majors Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. Besides, the government will allocate a Rs 8,476 crore outlay for pensions to defence forces personnel, which includes an expenditure of Rs 6,097.5 for the army, Rs 820.8 crore for the navy, and Rs 1,554 crore for the air force. Jabalpur, March 10 : Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) is one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious schemes, and its benefits are reaching people across the nation. Residents of Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh are also benefiting from this scheme. The beneficiaries of the scheme shared their positive feedback with IANS, admiring the Central government under PM Modi's leadership. The Central government runs various welfare schemes with a focus on the general and underprivileged sections of society. The PMBJP scheme is one of these initiatives which are benefiting the people immensely. Through this scheme, beneficiaries are provided generic medicines at affordable prices. In the Cantt Assembly constituency of Jabalpur, the Jan Aushadhi Kendras are offering medicines at a discount of 30 to 80 per cent. Deepanshu Kevat, the operator of a Jan Aushadhi Kendra, mentioned: "Beneficiaries are getting generic medicines here at very low prices. The medicines available in the market are quite expensive, but people are saving a lot by buying them from here. PM Modi's initiative is that medicines should reach every household. These kendras are benefiting people, and they are also providing us with employment." With so many Kendras for cheap medicines across cities, towns and villages, youth are getting employed there. A beneficiary, Aman Patel, said: "Earlier, I used to buy medicines from outside, which were very expensive too. But now, I am able to get the same medicines from this kendra at much lower prices. I have family members who need regular medication, and I had to buy it continuously. After getting medicines from this shop, I am saving a lot of money." He expressed his gratitude to PM Modi, stating: "The BJP government is doing great work." Another beneficiary, Vikesh, also praised the scheme, saying: "The medicines here are much cheaper than those available outside, and they are just as effective as those in the market." -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Mumbai, March 10 : Vikrant Massey and Shanaya Kapoor have wrapped up the shoot for their much-awaited flick "Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan". Sharing the news on social media, Shanaya wrote, "Love, Deception & Surprise - A package on your way. #AankhonKiGustaakhiyan shoot wraps. See you on the big screen soon!" The post also included a fun behind-the-scenes video from the shoot. We could see Vikrant and Shanaya having fun off-camera as they filmed "Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan" in the extremely cold weather of Europe. Directed by Santosh Singh, the project will mark the Bollywood debut of Shanaya Kapoor. The movie is based on Ruskin Bond's cherished short story, "The Eyes Have It". While Shanaya will be seen in the role of a theatre artist, Vikrant will play a blind musician in his next. The script for "Aankhon Ki Gustakhiyaan" has been penned by acclaimed writers Niranjan Iyengar and Mansi Bagla. Produced by Mansi and Varun Bagla's Mini Films, the movie marks the production's second collaboration with Vikrant, after the "Forensic" remake. Shanaya and Vikrant commenced shooting for "Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan" in Mussoorie in October last year. While an official release date for the drama has not been announced yet, the film is expected to be released in mid-2025. For those who do not know, Shanaya was initially slated to debut with Karan Johar's "Bedhadak," alongside Lakshya and Gurfateh Parizada, however, the project was reportedly shelved due to unknown reasons. Apart from "Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan", Shanaya is also expected to appear in the upcoming web series, "Student of the Year", backed by Dharma Productions. Shifting our focus to Vikrant, he is also working on Rajkumar Hirani's upcoming web series. The yet-to-be-titled project was shot in Goa. Further details about the cast and crew of the untitled drama have been kept under wraps for now. Hyderabad, March 10 : Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President K.T. Rama Rao on Monday accused Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy of functioning as a covert operative for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He alleged that Revanth Reddy has failed to address the state's pressing issues, including Backward Class reservations. KTR, as the BRS leader is popularly known, told reporters that Revanth Reddy's actions over the past 15 months reveal a hidden alliance with the BJP, aimed at stalling Telangana's progress. "It's no secret that Revanth Reddy is operating as a BJP covert," KTR charged, pointing to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's recent statements about "BJP agents" within his party as a clear reference to the Chief Minister. "Rahul Gandhi's comments in Rajasthan were unequivocally about Revanth Reddy," he asserted. The BRS leader cited a post-budget meeting between Revanth Reddy and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as proof of a clandestine agenda. "Revanth met Modi with 11 proposals after the budget, but the real purpose was something else. Why was Minister Sridhar Babu asked to step out? What did Revanth discuss with the PM in private? Telangana's people have a right to know." KTR pressed for accountability, questioning what tangible benefits the state had reaped from Revanth's tenure in terms of central support or projects. The BRS working president said that if Revanth Reddy genuinely cares about Backward Classes, he should launch an indefinite hunger strike in Delhi The former minister expressed deep scepticism about Revanth Reddy's commitment to BC reservations, challenging the Chief Minister to prove his sincerity through action. "If Revanth Reddy genuinely cares about BCs, he should launch an indefinite hunger strike in Delhi until 42 per cent reservation is secured," KTR declared. He argued that both Congress and BJP could easily amend the Constitution to enhance BC quotas if they wished, but they are exploiting BCs as a vote bank without delivering justice. Drawing a contrast, KTR highlighted the BRS' proactive stance, noting that the party had passed resolutions early in its rule to boost BC reservations and establish a BC Welfare Ministry at the Centre. "We demanded a caste census long before Rahul Gandhi even thought of it," he said, criticising Congress for failing to allocate even 20 Assembly seats to BC candidates during elections. Commenting on the political landscape, KTR accused Revanth Reddy and Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy of orchestrating a "staged drama" to divert attention from public grievances. "This is a scripted play to mask the government's failures," he said. "The recent MLC election will not fetch any real gains for the BJP -- it's all hype on social media with little substance on the ground." He alleged a tacit understanding between Congress and BJP to undermine regional parties like the BRS, pointing to the absence of BJP-led agitations against the state government's alleged corruption and unfulfilled promises over the past 15 months. CPPCC members: Future of HK, Macao linked to national prosperity 16:56, March 10, 2025 By William Xu ( Chinadaily.com.cn Sze Wing-wai, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, attends a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 10, 2025. (Wang Jing/chinadaily.com.cn) National political advisers from Hong Kong and Macao on Monday said that the two special administrative regions' accomplishments have been intertwined with national development. On Monday morning, Hong Kong and Macao members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the nation's top political advisory body, attended the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, drawing the weeklong event to a conclusion. Speaking during the "passage interviews" before the closing meeting, Irons Sze Wing-wai, a national political adviser from Hong Kong, attributed the city's status as a global finance, shipping and trading hub to the nation's development. Citing personal business success stories stemming from the nation's reform and opening-up since the late 1970s, Sze added that the "one country, two systems" principle, implemented after Hong Kong's return to the motherland in 1997, also grants institutional support for Hong Kong to consolidate traditional strengths while further integrating into the nation's overall development. As of 2024, over 1,400 mainland enterprises have been listed in Hong Kong's stock market, accounting for over 80 percent of the total market value, a fact that shows the Hong Kong financial market's appeal to mainland businesses, according to Sze. He also pointed out that a significant proportion of Hong Kong's port activity involves cargo to and from the Chinese mainland, underlining the city's economic synergy with national progress. Sze said the future of Hong Kong lies in resonating with the country's advancement, urging the city to carry on the Lion Rock Spirit referring to Hong Kong people's can-do attitude facing up to challenges and leveraging its strengths to better serve the country's needs. Ho Ion-sang, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, attends a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 10, 2025. (Wang Jing/chinadaily.com.cn) Ho Ion-sang, a CPPCC National Committee member from Macao, recalled the city's profound social and economic changes over the past 25 years under the "one country, two systems" principle. Ho mentioned the progress of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, a national initiative put forward by the central authorities to enhance collaboration between Guangdong and Macao, saying it provides not only diversified industrial opportunities for the special administrative region, but also various facilities designed to improve the lives and employment opportunities of Macao residents. The Macao New Neighbourhood project, a complex in Hengqin that has integrated residential, commercial and public service functions following Macao standards, has been warmly welcomed by Macao residents who work or live in the mainland, said Ho. Ho also noted that Macao's education and healthcare sectors, as well as public services, have also been extended to Hengqin to cater to the Hengqin-based Macao residents. The integration of Macao and Hengqin, according to Ho, exemplifies the success of the "one country, two systems" principle in enhancing the city's prosperity and winning the hearts of its residents. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) Jaipur, March 10 : Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has seized cash amounting to Rs 10 lakh, incriminating records and digital devices during raids at sixteen locations across three states including Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Noida and Mumbai under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 in connection with money laundering investigation. These raids were related to a case wherein huge illegal foreign remittances have been made in lieu of the gold/diamond/precious stones smuggling, said officials on Monday. ED initiated an investigation on the basis of various complaints filed by Customs (Preventive), Commissionerate, Jodhpur u/s 132 and 135 of Customs Act, 1962 before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Economic Offences), Jaipur which revealed that approximately Rs 400 Crore were remitted to various overseas entities based at Hongkong and UAE through various bank accounts of M/s Belstar Techno Solution (OPC) Pvt Ltd and M/s Visual Bird Technology, after routing through web of multiple shell companies, in the guise of import of services which were never received. However, in actuality, the funds were remitted outside India against the illegal import of Gold/diamonds/precious stones. Further investigation is under progress, said officials. A Jaipur trader has emerged as the prime accused in a large-scale financial fraud case involving illegal fund transfers abroad. Allegedly, he was operating a company from Hong Kong while residing in Jaipur. Initially investigated by the Customs Department, the case was later taken over by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) following allegations of illegal gold and diamond imports. The ED is conducting the operation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the case involves crores of rupees being transferred abroad through anonymous companies and hawala transactions. Sources said that the case revolves around the illegal transfer of crores of rupees abroad. It is alleged that the accused conducted massive hawala transactions through benami companies. The Customs Department was initially investigating the matter but handed it over to the ED after uncovering evidence of a gold and diamond smuggling conspiracy. Authorities suggest that once ED and IT raids conclude, more high-profile businessmen and companies could be implicated. The Income Tax Department, Customs Department, and ED are currently examining seized documents, and further arrests are expected. However, detailed findings are yet to be disclosed. Tokyo, March 10 : A memorial service was held on Monday at a park facility in Tokyo's Sumida Ward, marking the 80th anniversary of a massive air raid by the United States during the Second World War. Japan's Crown Prince Fumihito and Princess Kiko also attended the memorial service held at a place that houses the remains of many of the victims of the tragic event. About 160 people, including Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko and bereaved family members, offered incense and prayed for the repose of the victims, Japan's Kyodo News reported. "We must keep the memories and lessons of this horrific war in our hearts and pass them on to future generations," Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said in a message. In the early hours of the morning on March 10, 1945, US B-29 bombers dropped incendiary bombs on parts of Tokyo, particularly on densely populated areas, burning down an estimated 270,000 residential buildings overnight. The United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan towards the end of World War II - one called "Little Boy" on Hiroshima on 6th August 1945 and another called "Fat Man" on Nagasaki on three days later. Together, these two bombs killed some 220,000 Japanese citizens outright, with over 200,000 more dying subsequently from lethal radiation overdoses, according to a United Nations report. As the only country to have suffered atomic bombings, Japan has been leading the international discussion on disarmament and non-proliferation, promoting real change by calling on all nuclear weapon states to take measures toward nuclear disarmament while increasing transparency in military armaments. Japan is also working to strengthen and improve the efficiency of safeguards by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is at the center of the nuclear non-proliferation regime. At the same time, Japan actively participates in and contributes to the international export controls regimes, which are the frameworks for cooperation in export controls, and the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), which is an initiative for preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, Japanese Foreign Ministry stated. "Nuclear weapons and humanity cannot coexist," Japanese lawmaker Shinji Morimoto said earlier this month while addressing the meeting of the States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. He further stressed at a panel discussion noting that there are people still suffering from the influence of radiation even nearly 80 years after the United States atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Islamabad, March 10 : Pakistan's Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik on Monday admitted that some travel restrictions may be introduced on Pakistani citizens by the new US administration led by President Donald Trump. Malik noted that while the US has expressed concerns over the surge in terrorism-related incidents in Pakistan, Washington has till now not imposed an outright travel ban on Pakistanis. Islamabad fears that, along with Afghanistan, Pakistan will also definitely feature in the list being prepared by the Trump administration to impose new travel ban based on a government review of security and vetting risks. Earlier this month, the US Department of State, the Bureau of Consular Affairs, issued a travel advisory to its citizens which stated to reconsider travel to Pakistan due toaterrorism and the potential for armed conflict. It advised US citizens not to travel to Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces, which include the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), due to terrorism. Terrorism and ongoing violence by extremist elements have led to indiscriminate attacks on civilians, as well as local military and police targets in Pakistan. 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 stated. It further advised travellers to stay away from protest sites that can draw scrutiny from Pakistani security forces. US citizens have been detained for participating in protests and for posting content on social media perceived as critical of the Pakistani government, military, or officials. Internet and mobile phone service outages are also quite common, especially during protests. This advisory followed the report of the Global Terrorism Index 2025, based on which Pakistan stands second in the world terrorism just behind Burkina Faso, and ahead of Syria. Patna, March 10 : Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav on Monday fiercely criticised BJP MLA Haribhushan Thakur Bachaul over his controversial remark asking Muslims to "stay indoors" during Holi. Attacking the BJP leader, Tejashwi Yadav said: "Is this Bachaulas state? Who is he to dictate terms to Muslims? How can he give such statements?" He slammed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for remaining silent, saying: "The CM is unconscious when such statements are made. Does he have the courage to call and scold Bachaul?" Taking a dig at JDUas alliance with BJP, Yadav said: "JDU is now under the influence of BJP and RSS. The Chief Minister is only concerned about his chair, not the people of Bihar." Yadav emphasised India's Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb (Hindu-Muslim brotherhood), saying: "This is a country that believes in both Ram and Rahim. Here, five to six Hindus will stand together to protect a Muslim. Many like Bachaul and Togadia (Pravin Togadia) have come and gone, but Bihar has always dealt with them firmly." Tejashwi challenged Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, urging him to take action against divisive politics: "If you have courage, call Bachaul and scold him or make him apologise in the Assembly. But we all know you wonat do it because you only care about your chair." With the Bihar elections approaching, Tejashwi Yadav is positioning himself as the defender of secularism, directly attacking Nitish Kumar for his silence on communal issues. Will Nitish Kumar break his silence, or will BJP defend its MLA? The battle for the 2025 Assembly polls in Bihar is intensifying now. With Biharas political landscape heating up, the opposition is using Bachaulas provocative remark to corner the ruling NDA government. Earlier, Rabri Devi and Abdul Bari Siddiqui also criticised Nitish Kumar and BJP leaders for making such a provocative statement ahead of Holi to disturb peace in Bihar. They asked the BJP MLA to apologise publicly. Budapest, March 10 : Hungary and four partner nations are working on what could become Europe's largest green energy project to boost regional energy security and lower costs, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Monday. Speaking at a joint press conference in Budapest with the energy ministers of Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, and Romania, Szijjarto said the five countries are preparing a large-scale green energy corridor to import significant amounts of renewable electricity from the Caspian Sea region to Europe. "We expect electricity demand to grow by around 50 per cent by the end of the decade, and we must ensure this demand is met in an efficient, predictable, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective manner," Szijjarto said. As part of the project, the countries plan to build the world's longest subsea power cable, stretching 1,100 kilometers under the Black Sea. Once completed, the infrastructure will facilitate green energy imports and enhance Central Europe's competitiveness. He added that the region currently faces electricity prices three to four times higher than those in the United States or China. The Hungarian minister confirmed that Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary, and Romania have already established a joint venture to execute the project, and that Bulgaria is set to join soon. In addition to electricity imports, the project may include laying an optical fiber cable, further integrating the region's digital infrastructure, Xinhua news agency reported. "This is expected to be an investment exceeding 10 billion euros (10.8 billion U.S. dollars), bringing new renewable energy sources to Europe," Szijjarto noted. He called the initiative a key step in securing energy supplies for the region, ensuring that future energy prices remain more affordable than the rest of Europe. Tehran, March 10 : Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi stressed Monday that his country will not consider holding nuclear negotiations under pressure and intimidation. He made the remarks in a post on the social media platform X while reacting to US President Donald Trump's calls for negotiating a nuclear deal with Tehran. Araghchi said, "We will not negotiate under pressure and intimidation," particularly referring to Washington's military threats and sanctions against Iran. "We will not even consider it (negotiation), no matter what the subject may be. Negotiation is different from bullying and issuing diktats." The minister reiterated that "Iran's nuclear energy program has always been and will always remain entirely peaceful," denying any accusation of its "potential militarization." Araghchi added that Iran was holding separate consultations with international stakeholders "on an equal footing and with mutual respect," aiming to explore ways to build more confidence and more transparency on its nuclear program in return for the lifting of "unlawful" sanctions. In an interview with Fox Business Network broadcast Friday, Trump said he wants to negotiate the nuclear issue with Iran and had sent a letter to the country's leadership, Xinhua news agency reported. Speaking at a weekly press conference in Tehran on Monday, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the country had not received such a letter yet. Kolkata, March 10 : Ruckus prevailed in the West Bengal Assembly on the first day of the budget session on Monday as BJP legislators staged protests after the microphone of another BJP MLA was disconnected in the midst of his speech during a debate on the budgetary allocations. As the BJP legislators protested on the floor of the house, one party legislator Dipak Barman from the Falataka Assembly constituency in Alipurduar district was suspended from the house for the day. As the protests by the BJP legislators continued, the Speaker of the House Biman Bandopadhyay called the Marshal of the Assembly and forced two other party MLAs namely Shankar Ghosh from Siliguri Assembly constituency in Darjeeling district and Manoj Kumar Oraon from Kumargram assembly constituency in Alipurduar out of the house. Thereafter, the BJP legislators staged a walkout from the house and started protesting at the Assembly lawn outside shouting slogans. Trouble started while BJP's legislator from Kharagpur (Sadar) constituency in West Midnapore district and actor-turned-politician Hiran Chatterjee was participating in the debate on budgetary allocations for certain state government departments on the floor of the house. As Chatterjee raised some questions about the advertising policies of the state government, the Speaker stopped him and told him that there was no point in raising such issues on the floor of the house. Hiran Chatterjee countered and said that the Speaker had no authority to decide on what subject he would speak about on the floor of the house. Chatterjee also alleged the inclusion of the influenced persons in commissions related to public service as a result of which the people, in general, were deprived of the service due to them. The Speaker again asked him to refrain from making such statements. Chatterjee reacted again and said that the Speaker had no authority to dictate him in such a manner. Thereafter, the connection to his microphone was switched off, which the BJP legislators claimed to be before the expiry of the time allotted to him for participating in the debate, leading to the protest of BJP MLAs. Later, the Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who is also currently under suspension from the house for a month, reached the Assembly premises and told newspersons that Chatterjee's microphone was disconnected since he was revealing the truth about the functioning of the state government on the floor of the house. "It is a fact the state government received so-called international awards for different developmental schemes by paying money. Hiran was revealing those on the floor of the house and so he was stopped from speaking," the Leader of the Opposition said. Kolkata, March 10 : A senior citizen was arrested on charges of raping a Delhi-based woman at a south Kolkata hotel last week, police said on Monday. According to the complaint registered by the woman, a resident of New Delhi but currently staying in Kolkata for her job with a bar-cum-restaurant, she was called by the accused to the hotel room on March 7 evening on the promise of a job. The victim had also claimed in her complaint that the accused, who is a senior citizen, claimed to be a businessman. The accused is a resident of Bhawanipur, which comes under the same police station where the hotel is located. In her complaint, she claimed after she reached the room on the evening of March 7, the accused raped her, and then threatened her with dire consequences if she revealed the incident to anyone. She was in a state of shock for the first couple of days and decided to remain silent for some time. However, later she contacted the police and filed a complaint. Based on her complaint, police registered an FIR and arrested the accused. He was presented before a city court on Monday and sent to police custody. West Bengal had been in the news for the last six months for a series of reported cases of rape and rape & murder and in many cases, the victims were minors. The most talked about case in the matter was the ghastly rape and murder of a junior woman doctor of the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata within the hospital premises last month. Khartoum, March 10 : The United Nations (UN) warned on Monday of a catastrophic decline in global funding for Sudan, which is enduring a humanitarian crisis amid ongoing conflict. "Sudden funding cuts by top government donors are a catastrophic blow to humanitarian assistance in Sudan, a country in the grip of one of the deadliest humanitarian crises of our times," the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement. "Key donors recently announced sweeping funding reductions and suspensions, cutting off significant support to humanitarian organizations working to reach about 21 million people in desperate need in Sudan this year," it said. The OCHA noted that the reductions come at a time when the needs in Sudan have never been greater, with more than half of the population being hungry and famine spreading. According to the office, the needs are even greater this year, with 4.2 billion U.S. dollars required for humanitarian aid in Sudan, yet only 6.3 percent of the funding has been received. The UN agency further warned that the abrupt funding cuts and suspensions would end life-saving humanitarian assistance for millions of women, children, and other vulnerable groups across the country. "Without urgent funding, famine is likely to spread in the coming months," it cautioned. The OCHA called on all major donors to reconsider their decisions to reduce funding for Sudan, urging other governments, donors, foundations, charities, networks, the private sector, and individuals to urgently step up to help fill the gap left by these devastating reductions. According to UN estimates, more than 30 million people, over half of them children, are in need of aid in Sudan, Xinhua news agency reported. On February 17, the UN launched a six-billion-dollar humanitarian appeal to assist nearly 26 million Sudanese affected by the ongoing conflict, both inside Sudan and in neighbouring countries. Since mid-April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in a devastating conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which has claimed at least 29,683 lives, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, a crisis monitoring group. The conflict has also displaced over 15 million people, both inside and outside Sudan, according to estimates by the International Organization for Migration. Mumbai, March 10 : Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Finance minister Ajit Pawar on Monday in the annual budget for 2025-26 has proposed an allocation of Rs 9,710 crore to agriculture, Rs 4,247 crore for soil and water conservation, Rs 708 crore for horticulture, Rs 390 crore for Animal Husbandry and Rs 5 crore for dairy. The agriculture has turned out to be a silver lining in 2024-25 as it grew at 8.7 per cent against 3.2 per cent last year especially when the growth rate in industry and services sectors has dipped. The finance minister announced that nearly 50,000 farmers will benefit due to the implementation of Artificial Intelligence technology in agriculture over one lakh acre of land in the first phase with an allocation of Rs 500 crore for two years. The government has signed MoU for 38 lift hydroelectric projects, attracting Rs 2.95 lakh crore investments and 90,000 employment Generation. Under the Mukhyamantri Baliraja mofat veej yojna, 45 lakh agricultural pumps up to 7.5 HP will get free electricity. The ambitious Rs 88,574 crore Wainganga-Nalganga river linking project has received in-principle approval and it will benefit an area of 371,277 hectare. The Nar-Par-Girna river linking project with an estimated cost of Rs 7,500 crore will benefit 49,516 hectares in Nashik and Jalgaon districts. The Damanganga-Ekdare-Godavari river linking project worth Rs 2,300 crore will provide 3.55 TMC of water. The Tapi Mega Recharge irrigation project worth Rs 19,300 crore will benefit farmers in the saline areas of North Maharashtra and Western Vidarbha. A project to divert 54.70 TMC of water from the Ulhas and Vaitarna river basins in Konkan to the Godavari basin. It will provide irrigation water for around 240,000 hectares in the water scarce Marathwada. The government has approved solar power project of 200 MW costing Rs 1,594 crore at the Mhaisal Lift Irrigation Scheme in Sangli district. The Gosikhurd National Project has created 12,332 hectares of irrigation capacity by December 2024 and it will be completed by June 2026. The Maharashtra Irrigation Improvement Programme costing Rs 5,036 crore has been sanctioned for improvement of canal distribution system. Under Jalyukt Shivar Campaign 2.0, a total of 148,888 works costing Rs 4,227 crore will be undertaken in 5,818 villages, all works to be completed by March 2026. The government has firmed up a Rs 4,300 crore bamboo plantation project to promote bamboo-based industries. The government has earmarked Rs 2,100 crore for Balasaheb Thackeray for agricultural business and rural transformation (SMART). The government has proposed the Maharashtra Agribusiness Network - Magnet 2.0" project worth Rs 2,100 crore for the development of a hub of sustainable, high-value agricultural businesses. The Mukhyamantri saur Krishi vahini yojna 2.0 will be implemented in 27 districts to ensure reliable daytime power supply for farmers. A new scheme "Baliraja Farm and Pandan Road" a" for transportation of seeds,equipment, fertilizers, and agricultural produce. New Delhi/Imphal, March 10 : The situation in Kuki-Zo tribal inhabited areas in Manipur remained tense but calm on Monday and no untoward incident was reported from the tribal-dominated areas after Saturday's clashes with the security forces, officials said. On Saturday, at least 43 people, including 27 security personnel, were injured and a protester killed during the clashes in Kangpokpi and a few other districts as the Kuki-Zo tribal organisations protested against the resumption of the bus services between Imphal and the hill districts to alleviate public inconvenience and as an initiative to bring back normalcy in the state. In Delhi, as Manipur has now under the President's Rule since February 13, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday presented in the Lok Sabha the state budget for 2025-26, proposing an expenditure of Rs 35,104 crore, up from the revised estimates of Rs 32,657 crore in the current financial year (2024-25). A police official in Imphal said that a large contingent of security forces, comprising both Army, Central and state forces, have been deployed in Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, Tengnoupal, Pherzawl and Jiribam districts. Top police officials are monitoring the situation, the official said, adding that no untoward incident was reported so far from any of the trouble-torn districts. Normal life was affected in Kuki-Zo areas of Manipur for the second day on Monday due to the indefinite shutdown called by the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), the apex body of the tribals, to protest the resumption of the bus services between state capital Imphal and the hill districts and the police action in the tribal areas. However, police officials said that the shutdown badly affected normal life in Kangpokpi district and partially affected the other Kuki-Zo-dominated districts. Tribal leaders claimed that the indefinite shutdown was total and successful in Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, Tengnoupal, and Pherzawl districts. "The COTU (Committee on Tribal Unity) leaders on Monday held an inconclusive meeting with the government officials about the withdrawal of the indefinite shut down," a tribal leader told IANS over phone. The COTU, which is a constituent of KZC, has been demanding the transfer of the Superintendent of Police of Kangpokpi district, the cancellation of bus services and a government apology over the killing of Lalgouthang Singsit according to customary law. Meanwhile, Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Monday inaugurated a newly developed Mahseer Hatchery and Freshwater Ichthyology and Sustainable Aquaculture Laboratory at the Department of Zoology, Manipur University in Imphal. The laboratory has been jointly developed by ICAR-Central Institute of Coldwater Fisheries Research, Bhimtal of Uttarakhand and Manipur University. While addressing the inaugural function, the Governor said that fish has always been an integral part of our culture and strengthening the fisheries sector is crucial for Manipur's economic growth. He said that Manipur has abundant water bodies such as ponds, rivers, lakes and reservoirs and hence has immense potential to develop a prosperous fisheries industry. Bhalla said that the Union government has introduced several schemes to support fisheries development, such as the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana and this initiative aims to foster growth in the fisheries sector aligning with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. He appealed to the people to take advantage of these opportunities. --IANS sc/dan New Delhi, March 10 : Recently, a few months back, the External Affairs Minister of India Dr S. Jaishankar paid his visit to Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to attend the first-ever India-GCC Joint Ministerial Meeting for Strategic Dialogue. During the meeting, EAM highlighted with great emphasis that the Gulf Cooperation Council as an entity has a vital significance for India and constitutes the "extended" neighbourhood for India. New Delhi, March 10 (IANS) Recently, a few months back, the External Affairs Minister of India Dr S. Jaishankar paid his visit to Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to attend the first-ever India-GCC Joint Ministerial Meeting for Strategic Dialogue. During the meeting, EAM highlighted with great emphasis that the Gulf Cooperation Council as an entity has a vital significance for India and constitutes the "extended" neighbourhood for India. The key milestone of the meeting was the adoption of a Joint Action Plan 2024-2028 for cooperating in various sectors such as healthcare, security, transportation, agriculture, energy, and food security. It was also decided that other areas of cooperation will also be included in the Joint Action Plan at later stages with mutually agreed-upon consensus. In this regard, technology can be something very decisive in making this cooperation stronger and more equitable. Technologies, especially emerging technologies like AI, have the potential to contribute immensely to different sectors and drive inclusive growth and development. Interestingly, it is important to recognise that AI is the new frontier in the global technology landscape, where every country and group is vying to establish a stronghold. AI is no longer a buzzword in international politics, as it is transforming every aspect of modern society with far-reaching implications for the future. As India and the Gulf countries seek to enhance their strategic partnership, AI can play a pivotal role in fostering greater cooperation and driving mutual prosperity. The Gulf Cooperation Council, comprising Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman, has emerged as a key economic and strategic partner for India. Beyond the robust trade and investment flows, it is evident that there is a growing convergence of interests between India and the GCC on issues of regional security and counter-terrorism due to several geopolitical obligations. In this regard, building on the growing strategic convergence, AI can further deepen the India-GCC partnership. One area where AI can significantly enhance India-GCC cooperation is in the field of supply chain management and logistics. Emerging AI-powered technologies like predictive analytics, autonomous vehicles, and robotics can optimise and streamline supply chain operations, leading to greater cost efficiencies and improved responsiveness. In the GCC region, countries like Oman are already exploring the adoption of AI in their logistics sector to drive future growth. Similarly, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have made significant strides in embracing AI across various sectors. All GCC countries have come up with their own AI strategies and action plans to transform their economies and societies. Saudi Arabia established the Saudi Data and AI Authority in 2019 to develop and implement the nation's AI strategy, and the UAE set up the Ministry of AI in 2017 and launched the National Strategy for AI 2031 to integrate AI into various sectors. Qatar also launched the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy in 2017 to integrate AI across sectors such as healthcare, education, and transportation. Similarly, Bahrain introduced guidelines in 2019 to promote responsible and ethical adoption of AI solutions across government agencies. Other countries in the GCC, such as Kuwait, partnered with Microsoft in 2019 to upskill government officials in leveraging AI and digital technologies, while Oman collaborated on AI projects for a Smart City Platform in 2020 to enhance traffic management, water efficiency, and waste management. It is also important to note that India, on the other hand, has made significant strides in establishing itself as a global AI powerhouse. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, India has outlined an ambitious National AI Strategy, which aims to leverage India's robust IT infrastructure and talented pool of engineers to position the country as a global leader in AI innovation. This signifies that India has tremendous potential to cooperate with GCC countries and help them accelerate their AI adoption and application. Therefore, both India and the GCC countries can work together to harness the power of AI to address shared socioeconomic challenges and unlock new areas of growth. India can share its expertise in developing cost-effective AI solutions tailored to local needs, while the GCC can leverage its financial resources and infrastructure to scale up AI projects. Gulf countries have the financial resources and the willingness to invest heavily in advanced technologies to diversify their economies away from hydrocarbon dependence. By leveraging complementary strengths, India and the GCC can create a powerful AI alliance that drives innovation, solves regional challenges, and positions both as global leaders in the AI revolution. The recently adopted India-GCC Joint Action Plan 2024-2028 provides a framework to deepen cooperation in AI and other emerging technologies. India's foreign minister, S. Jaishankar, in his speech during the ministerial meeting, said that "the demands of AI, of electric mobility, and of green growth highlight the importance of sharing human resources." In this regard, collaborative projects can lead to innovative AI solutions tailored to the specific needs of both regions, particularly in sectors like healthcare, smart cities, and agriculture. For instance, India's expertise in software development and data analytics can complement the GCC's focus on infrastructure and urban planning. GCC countries can invest in Indian startups and research initiatives, fostering a vibrant ecosystem for AI innovation. This investment can create jobs in both regions, particularly in the technology and research sectors. At the same time, as AI becomes more pervasive, it is crucial that India and the GCC countries address the associated risks and challenges. According to a survey conducted by a think tank named Oliver Wyman Forum, while the GCC region demonstrates leadership in the adoption of generative AI, with 74 per cent of workers in the UAE and 68 per cent in Saudi Arabia utilising it weekly, there are several challenges that require attention. Notably, 61 per cent of UAE workers and 57 per cent in Saudi Arabia reported that their companies provide inadequate training on the safe and responsible use of AI tools. Furthermore, 92 per cent of UAE workers have inadvertently exposed company data through the use of generative AI applications. Additionally, 82 per cent of UAE workers harbour concerns that the proliferation of AI may ultimately lead to the obsolescence of their current roles. India, on the other hand, faces its own unique set of challenges in AI development and deployment. These include inadequate infrastructure, lack of public funding, information asymmetries, and the absence of clear regulatory frameworks. Therefore, by pooling resources and knowledge, both regions can speed up the development of new AI applications, enhancing competitiveness in the global market as generative AI technologies can be utilised to innovate faster in product development cycles. Furthermore, AI can enhance cross-border cooperation in critical areas such as cybersecurity, counter-terrorism, and disaster management. Robust AI-powered systems can analyse real-time data, detect threats, and coordinate response mechanisms across borders, strengthening regional security and resilience. Thus, knowledge sharing on AI regulation, data privacy, and cybersecurity best practices can help both regions develop robust AI ecosystems. However, according to different experts on AI technology, the unregulated deployment of AI technologies also raises ethical questions, particularly concerning bias, accountability, and transparency. Thus, both regions must work together to establish ethical guidelines that govern the use of AI. The potential societal implications of AI, such as job displacement and inequality, need to be addressed collaboratively to ensure that the benefits of AI are distributed equitably across both regions. By collaborating on establishing ethical guidelines for AI development and deployment and ensuring that both regions prioritise transparency, accountability, and fairness in their AI initiatives, India and the GCC can position themselves as responsible global leaders in the AI landscape. In order to address the challenges associated with AI adoption, companies in GCC countries and India should follow these methods: provide clear guidelines and high-quality training to safeguard sensitive data; address worker concerns about AI's impact on employment through transparent communication and retraining initiatives; and implement a robust change management programme to make AI adoption a shared goal among the workforce. Thus, in conclusion, it would be important to acknowledge that the strategic partnership between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries presents a unique opportunity to accelerate the adoption and application of artificial intelligence for mutual benefit. By combining India's technological expertise with the GCC's financial resources and infrastructure, the two regions can drive innovation, address shared challenges, and strengthen regional security and resilience. However, it is crucial that both regions work together to mitigate the risks and ethical concerns associated with AI, ensuring that the development and deployment of these technologies are guided by principles of transparency, accountability, and social responsibility. Thus, through a collaborative approach, India and the GCC can harness the transformative power of AI to enhance cooperation and secure a prosperous and sustainable future for both regions. (Sudhanshu Kumar is a tech analyst and a doctoral candidate at the Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University.) (Rashi Randev is a geopolitical analyst and a doctoral candidate at the Centre of Canadian, US and Latin American Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University.) Bengaluru, March 10 : India Post launched a set of five picture post cards of late Kannada actor Puneeth Rajkumar on Monday to commemorate his 50th birth anniversary. S. Rajendra Kumar, Chief Postmaster General, Karnataka Circle stated that India Post is celebrating late actor's 50th birth anniversary by collaborating with they have collaborated with Punith Rajkumar's Gandhadagudi Agarbattis to bring out the postcards. The India Post will also issue Special Cancellation, a unique postmark used to commemorate a special occasion, on March 17. Interested can avail the special post cards from philatelic bureaus in Karnataka. They can also avail Special Cancellations on five picture post cards. Karnataka government, honouring late Kannada actor Puneeth Rajkumar, has named the stretch of ring road after him in Bengaluru. Then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai heading the BJP government inaugurated the ring road in February 2023. The government had approved the proposal to name the stretch of Mysuru Road to Bannerghatta Road after Puneeth Rajkumar. Then, Minister for Revenue R. Ashoka had said that "Puneeth is a rich heart human being who is involved in social work". "Stars charge crores for advertisements. Puneeth became an ambassador of Nandini Milk, a product produced through cooperative Karnataka Milk Federation without taking any money to help farmers," he said. Kannada superstar, his brother Shivarajkumar, Raghavendra Rajkumar and Puneeth's wife Ashwini Puneethrajkumar participated in the programme. Prime Minister Narendra Modi while hosting a party in Bengaluru, along with KGF Chapter -2' fame Yash, 'Kantara' fame director and actor Rishab Shetty, Hombale films Producer Vijay Kirgandur also invited late Kannada superstar Puneeth Rajkumar's wife Ashiwni Puneeth Rajkumar in February 2023. Puneet Rajkumar passed away on October 29, 2021. The youngest son of Kannada matinee idol Late Dr Rajkumar, was a versatile personality who excelled on the big and small screens. He was known for his philanthropy. Bengaluru, March 10 : The Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill 2024, which aims to decentralise governance of Bengaluru city by forming multiple corporations, was passed in the Legislative Assembly today amidst the walkout by the opposition. "Bengaluru in its current form is difficult to govern, even the Opposition members admit it. The city has grown way beyond the boundaries set up by its founder Kempe Gowda and it can't be reversed," stated Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, who is also the Bengaluru Development Minister. "The Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill 2024 will address all the challenges. I would like to thank all the members who participated in the discussion on the Bill and I understand some of their concerns," Shivakumar, said participating in the discussion on the Bill. "We are not trying to break Bengaluru, but we are trying to strengthen it instead. We are trying to uphold the reputation of the city. Bengaluru is a global city which attracts people from all over the world," he said. "Bengaluru district was earlier divided into three districts. Udupi was carved out of Dakshina Kannada. Gadag and Haveri districts were formed. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is being divided with the intention of improving governance. Some are of the opinion that grants may become an issue with this decentralisation. As per the 75th Amendment, we can't transfer the local body funds to something else. The Bill also provides for the government to help out financially weaker local bodies," he said. BJP MP Ashwath Narayan raised objection to giving voting rights to nominated members. Shivakumar stated the Greater Bengaluru Authority will not have any nominated members. Some members have raised that the CM doesn't have time for Bengaluru-related issues. As much as 25 per cent of the state lives in Bengaluru and it is the duty of the CM to attend to them. It will also help faster decision making, Lack of quick decision making has affected many projects in the past. Had we completed Peripheral Ring Road when it was announced, it would have been completed in Rs 3000-4000 crores. Today, the cost has escalated to Rs 26,000 crores, Shivakumar stated. "We are trying to give a new direction to Bengaluru. We intend to make Bengaluru a global city with this new law. It is a sacred Bill. With the city growing rapidly, it is difficult for one commissioner and one chief engineer to run the city. Keeping in mind the future needs, we are forming seven corporations. We have brought in some changes with respect to the planning of the city. The Bill gives sufficient power to the MLAs. It provides for Ward Committees. MLAs and MPs would be members of the corporations, CM is the president and district in-charge ministers are vice presidents," he explained. "The Greater Bengaluru Authority includes the CEOs, commissioners and MDs of police, BWSSB, BMTC, BMRTC, disaster management authority, Fire department, traffic police, slum development board, BESCOM, BMLTA, BDA among others. All of them have been given responsibilities. The Bill provides for the formulation of up to 7 corporations in Bengaluru city. A decision on the number of corporations would be taken in consultation with the MLAs. Each corporation must have at least 10 lakh population and have a revenue collection of at least Rs 300 crore. All corporations will be named after Bengaluru with second names indicating specific regions," he said. He added that the Bill ensures that assembly constituencies are not divided between corporations. The tenure of the corporation has been fixed at 5 years. Each corporation will have about 100 to 150 members. The tenure of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor has been increased to two and a half years," he stated. Replying to concerns raised by Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka and BJP MLA S. R. Vishwanath, the Deputy Chief Minister said, "Bengaluru was one district earlier, but it was later divided into Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural and Ramanagara. It was also done keeping in mind ease of governance. This Bill also intends to the same now." Chandigarh, March 10 : Renowned personality of Punjab's cultural, literary and music sector, Deepak Bali, on Monday took charge as the advisor to the Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs in Punjab. Deepak Bali said that since 1986 he has been involved in the fields of heritage, language and art and his efforts will continue to make Punjab's culture and heritage more popular at the national and international level. He said that he would work day and night to take Punjab further in the field of tourism. He said that work would be done sincerely to convey the culture of Punjab to the new generation. Deepak Bali has thanked former Delhi Chief Minister and party convener Arvind Kejriwal for this post. He said that he will try to live up to the responsibility that Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has given him for the development of culture, art and the tourism sector of the state. Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhawan and Cabinet Minister and party President Aman Arora said that Punjab will benefit from Deepak Bali's long social and cultural experience. Apart from this, Bali's political experience will help in making new policies. They hoped that Bali would take the cultural, art and tourism sector of Punjab to new heights. On the occasion, Tourism Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond, Cabinet Ministers Harpal Singh Cheema, Mohinder Bhagat and Hardeep Singh Mundian, MLA Amansher Singh Sherry Kalsi, Chairpersons of various boards and corporations of the Punjab government, Sunny Ahluwalia, Navjot Singh Jarg, Bal Mukand Sharma, Rajwinder Kaur Thiara and important personalities of music and art sector Roshan Prince, Amar Noori, Jasbir Gunachuriya, Alap Sikandar, Sarang Sikandar, Sachin Ahuja, Sukhi Brar, Pammi Bai, Sonia Mann and personalities from political, literary, cultural, musical and other fields were also present. Amaravati, March 10 : The government of Andhra Pradesh has cancelled the allotment of 12.51 acres of land to Hayagreeva Farms and Developers in Visakhapatnam. The government issued an order on Monday, cancelling the allotment made in 2008, for violation of rules. The land was allotted by the state government for building cottages for old-age people and orphans. However, the investigations by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) revealed that it fraudulently alienated the land and sold it to various persons, generating over Rs. 150 crore. The government through the GO issued on Monday directed Visakhapatnam District Collector to resume the land from Hayagreeva and to utilise it for public purposes. Last month, the ED provisionally attached immovable properties worth Rs.42.03 crores and six movable properties worth Rs.2.71 crore. The Central agency attached the properties valued at Rs 44.75 crore under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) 2002. The ED had initiated investigations on the basis of FIR registered by Arilova Police Station, Visakhapatnam under various sections of the Indian Penal Code against Gadde Brahmaji, Gannamani Venkateswara Rao and YSR Congress Party leader and former MP MVV Satyanarayana for forging signatures, fabricating sale documents and coercion to grab 12.51 acres allotted by the state government. Last year, the ED raided the residence and properties of former MP and YSRCP leader MVV Satyanarayana. According to the ED, its investigation revealed that the 12.51 acres of land allotted by the State government was registered in the name of Hayagreeva Farms and Developers in 2010 after a payment of nearly Rs. 5.63 crore. However, the market value of the property as on the date of the conveyance deed was around Rs. 30.25 crore as per the records of the Andhra Pradesh Registration & Stamps Department. The Investigation revealed that after allegedly acquiring the ownership of the land fraudulently, the accused divided the land into small plots and started alienating it from 2021 onwards by registering agreements of sale and sale deeds to various individuals. This has generated proceeds of crime of more than Rs. 150 crore, the ED said. Aizawl, March 10 : Amidst the opposition's protest and walkout, the Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition) Amendment Bill, 2025 was passed in the state assembly on Monday to allow the manufacture and supply of wine and local beer made solely from locally produced agriculture and horticulture products. The bill also proposes to grant special permits to foreign dignitaries, tourists and domestic visitors for the possession and consumption of India-made foreign liquor. The current Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition) Act, which imposes a blanket ban on the sale, possession, manufacture and consumption of liquor, including wine and beer, was enacted by the previous Mizo National Front (MNF) government in 2019. Due to this act, Mizoram has been losing crores of rupees as revenue from the liquor sale. The Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) government earlier announced to introduction of the bill in the assembly in March but delayed it following objections from opposition parties including the MNF. Strongly opposing the bill, all ten MNF legislators, two BJP and the lone Congress MLA staged a noisy walk-out before the bill was passed by the house voice vote. Expressing his regret over the opposition's en masse ' walking out from the house, Chief Minister Lalduhoma said that the opposition MLAs accused the government of hearing the government's logic to introduce the amendment bill. "In some Muslim countries with strict bans of liquor, special permits are issued to hotels, foreign dignitaries and tourists," the Chief Minister told the house. "I believe the people of Mizoram would support the bill for the interest of the state," he said. After the bill turned into an act, tourists and foreign dignitaries with permission from the Excise Commissioner would be allowed to import IMFL. Additionally, if they require extra bottles, they may procure them from liquor seized by the Excise Commissioner's Office. In addition, individuals advised by doctors to consume alcohol for health reasons would be issued red cards, allowing them to purchase alcohol from the Excise Commissioner's Office. --IANS sc/dan Patna, March 10 : Bhojpuri superstar Pawan Singh received a major relief from the Subdivisional Court Bikramganj in Rohtas district on Monday, as he was acquitted in a model code of conduct violation case. The ACGM-3 Court of Vijayant Kumar ruled in favour of Pawan Singh, citing a lack of evidence. The case was filed during the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 over a large roadshow and convoy of vehicles. Multiple FIRs were lodged in Rohtas district's Karakat, Bikramganj, Sanjhauli, Rajpur, and Akhorigola police stations. These were later merged into one. The actor expressed faith in the judiciary after the verdict. He had previously secured bail in this case on September 12, 2024. After his defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Karakat, Pawan Singh is gearing up for the Bihar Assembly elections this year. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Pawan Singh lost to Raja Ram Singh Kushwaha of CPI-ML but secured second place, surpassing NDA candidate Upendra Kushwaha. As per his assembly election plans, both Pawan Singh and his wife Jyoti Singh have announced their intent to contest, though they haven't revealed their party affiliation yet. Jyoti Singh has been actively campaigning in Karakat and Dehri constituencies. "At present, we are talking to the various political parties. Once, it is finalised, I will join the party first followed by the announcement of the seat," Jyoti said. Pawan Singh is likely to join a major party before the election. He has strong support in Rohtas district and it was seen during the Lok Sabha election. However, Pawan Singh will have the challenge of converting his fan base into a strong voter base to get success. With the Bihar elections heating up, their next move could be crucial in shaping the state's political dynamics. With the 2025 Bihar Assembly Elections approaching, this decision could be a big relief for him. Bhubaneswar, March 10 : At least 72 student suicide incidents have been reported in various government, private schools and colleges across the state since 2020, said Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in Odisha Assembly on Monday. Majhi divulged the information on Monday while answering a question asked by congress MLA Sofia Firdous regarding the number of suicide deaths and measures taken by the state government to conduct mental health awareness programmes for students. "A total of 72 student suicide cases have been reported in Government and Private Schools and Colleges across Odisha during the year 2020 to 2025 (till 28.02.2025)," informed CM Majhi on Monday. Majhi further narrated the major reasons identified by the authorities that are leading the gullible young students to end their lives. The Chief Minister revealed that denial of phone usage in the school hostel, issues arising out of love affairs, and depression related to examination and love affairs as major causes forcing students to commit suicide. Besides, the Chief Minister also stated that academic stress, homesickness and parental restriction on visiting home, domestic conflict, psychological problems, mental imbalance and harassment by fellow students, school and college authorities, etc. as other important reasons responsible for student suicides. CM Majhi also said that the government has no information regarding measures taken or proposed to conduct mental health awareness programmes for students and train teaching staff to identify and support students showing signs of distress. The recent suicide of a Nepali female student in the KIIT University in Bhubaneswar exposed harassment by accused fellow students and the negligence by the authorities of the educational institutions. The students alleged that the private university did not give any heed to the repeated complaints lodged by the victim girl regarding the harassment by the accused. Notably, the state government has recently revealed that as many as 26 students have died in the residential schools governed by the ST and SC Development Department of Odisha government since July 2024. Patna, March 10 : Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) announced the launch of the Bharat Gaurav Train to promote rail tourism on Monday. The initiative will offer a special 33 per cent discount for the passengers on travel costs. The journey will start on March 27, 2025, and the train will depart from Bettiah station under the Samastipur Railway Division. The major boarding stations on this train will be Sugauli, Raxaul, Bairginia, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Muzaffarpur, Hajipur, Pataliputra, Ara, Buxar and Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Junction. This budget-friendly train will take pilgrims to major religious destinations at a low cost. The idea is to provide a quality experience for pilgrims and boost rail tourism under the 'Dekho Apna Desh' initiative. The railway officials have finalised well-planned routes and services for devotees. "It is a perfect chance for travellers to explore India's rich spiritual heritage. It is a divine journey at an affordable price," said Rajesh Kumar, Joint General Manager, of IRCTC. The Bharat Gaurav Train, launched under IRCTC's 'Dekho Apna Desh' scheme, will take passengers on a spiritual pilgrimage across major religious destinations in South India. As per the route, the pilgrims will visit Tirupati for Shri Balaji Darshan, Rameswaram for Shri Ramanathaswamy Temple, Madurai for Meenakshi Amman Temple, Kanyakumari to see Kanyakumari Temple and Vivekananda Rock, and Srisailam to see Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga. The journey will start on March 27, 2025, and will end on April 7, 2025, at Samastipur railway station. The Indian railway has fixed economy class (Sleeper) Rs 22,520/person and Comfort Class (3 AC) Rs 38,310/person. The passengers will stay in air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned hotels as per their categories with vegetarian meals (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner and morning and evening tea) and bottled water will be served to them. They will also get AC and non-AC buses for the sightseeing. "Bharat Gaurav Train will provide an economical and pleasant experiencbie to pilgrims while giving a new dimension to rail tourism," Kumar said. "Security guards, cleaning staff and tour escort will provide a unique and comfortable journey for the passengers," he added. Bhubaneswar, March 10 : The state government has so far identified the presence of 3738 Bangladeshi infiltrators in various districts across Odisha, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said in the Assembly on Monday. Answering a question asked by BJP MLA Manas Kumar Dutta, CM Majhi said that as many as 3738 Bangladeshi infiltrators were staying in the coastal state. Of these, 1649 were staying in Kendrapara, 1112 in Jagatsinghpur, 655 in Malkangiri, 106 in Nabarangpur, 199 in Bhadrak and 17 in Bhubaneswar. The Chief Minister also informed the house that the state government has directed all the District Collectors and Superintendent of Police to deport the Bangladeshi infiltrators after identifying them by forming a committee with officials from Tehsil, block and Police departments in every district. CM Majhi also noted that various criminal cases have been registered against 41 Bangladeshi nationals in different parts of Odisha during the past ten years. There are five such cases registered against Bangladeshi nationals in the Balasore district. Meanwhile, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari on Monday held the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government responsible for the unabated infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals into Odisha and other states of the country. Speaking to the media persons here, Pujari alleged that the West Bengal border with Bangladesh has become the safest passage for infiltration of Bangladeshis into India and illegal transportation of cattle from India into Bangladesh. Neighbouring West Bengal shares the longest (2,216 kilometres long) border with Bangladesh. It is worth mentioning that the Special Task Force (STF) of the Odisha Crime Branch has apprehended ten Bangladeshi illegal infiltrators including three females and one juvenile during a raid at Bhubaneswar Railway Station on Saturday. "On interrogation, they disclosed that they belong to Bangladesh and had crossed the border illegally through their agent near Dhubri border (Assam) and came to Bhubaneswar to reside here. During their personal search seven mobile phones, some Bangladeshi currency notes and Indian currency notes were recovered and seized from their possession," the STF said on Sunday. Chandigarh, March 10 : President Droupadi Murmu on Monday launched a state-level campaign, 'spiritual education for holistic well-being' of Brahma Kumaris from Haryana's Hisar on its golden jubilee. Speaking on the occasion, the President said that spirituality "unites the entire humanity by rising above man made boundaries. Social, economic, scientific, cultural, political or any other type of system built on spirituality remains ethical and sustainable". "A person who always keeps spiritual consciousness awakened experiences mental and physical health, and inner peace," she said. The President said a person who "experiences spiritual peace enriches lives of others too with positive energy". She emphasised that the real utility of spiritual peace is not in remaining in isolation. It should be used in building a healthy, strong and prosperous society and nation. The President was happy to note that Brahma Kumaris are using spiritual energy for the benefit of the nation and society. She said this organisation is contributing in many social and national initiatives like the campaign against drug abuse, women empowerment, and environmental conservation. She expressed confidence that the Brahma Kumari family would continue to contribute to the holistic health of people and the overall development of the country on the strength of spirituality. The President said on coming to Haryana, the message of Shrimad Bhagavadgita comes to mind. She said spirituality "rises above man-made boundaries and connects the entire humanity in one thread. The social, economic, scientific, cultural, political or any other type of system built on spiritual basis remains ethical and sustainable. On the strength of spirituality, today Brahma Kumari centres are imparting social and economic education in about 150 countries of the world". She said Brahma Kumari Sansthan is actively contributing in many campaigns of national service and social service. By contributing to the virtuous work of environmental conservation like drug-free India campaign, national programmes related to water conservation, efforts for women empowerment and 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam', "you all have used your spiritual energy in a planned manner in the interest of the nation and society". Earlier, Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatraya welcomed President Murmu on her arrival in Haryana. He said Brahma Kumari is majorly a women organization. This organization has worked for the welfare of the people. The organisation has played an important role in bringing change in the lives of people. The Governor said the Brahma Kumari Sansthan has done welfare work in many areas of education, health and society. More than 25,000 Rajyogis are working for the betterment of society by dedicating their lives. "Each year, we are relentless in our pursuit of improvement, refining the conference to ensure attendees receive maximum value for their investment," said Craig Rawlings, Chairman of the International Mass Timber Conference. Post this What's new for 2025: Expanded Exhibit Hall with 219 exhibitors in 48,200 net square feet of sold exhibit space Live mass timber demonstrations and immersive experiences in the Exhibit Hall, including construction and tools, hands-on research, and an educational mass timber art display. Unique Networking Spaces: Four new Cafes in the Expo Hall, each with a unique flair to combine refreshments, organic networking, and interaction with attendees. Exclusive Tours: On Tuesday, March 25 , we'll offer five mass timber building & manufacturing tours (up from three), offering all new, unique site visits for each. , we'll offer five mass timber building & manufacturing tours (up from three), offering all new, unique site visits for each. Expanded Educational Content: The popular educational track sessions have been expanded from four to five tracks for a total of 20 individual sessions available to conference attendees. The newly created fifth track covers two highly requested topic areas advanced topics and case studies. Track 5 is hosted and curated by WoodWorks. For the first time ever, most sessions will be recorded and made available for online viewing after the conference to allow registered attendees the opportunity catch up on sessions they couldn't participate in person during the conference. New Tuesday Education: Also for the first time, we are offering educational content on Tuesday, the first day of the event, with two concurrent keynote panels set to spur high level industry discussion before the Welcome Reception kicks off that evening. Returning this year are complimentary PRINT and PDF copies of the annual International Mass Timber Report updated and improved for 2025, including the newly revised "Mass Timber Performance Index." A print version of the 300+ page report is provided free to all Full Pass attendees. One Day passholders will receive a PDF copy. Streamlined Navigation: Improved locations and navigation of the Exhibit Hall, conference rooms and keynotes, to continually improve the attendee experience. Mobile App: The improved mobile app will allow messaging between attendees. Popular programs will return, including: Live mass timber construction in the exhibit hall on March 26 and 27, hosted by WoodWorks. and 27, hosted by WoodWorks. A dedicated educational track for developers, hosted and curated by Urban Land Institute. Evening networking receptions on March 25 and 26. and 26. The Women in Timber Power Hour returns for a 3rd edition as a happy hour, on Wednesday evening, March 26 . Premier sponsors are Timberlab, Kallesoe Machinery, Kalesnikoff, Western Archrib, Maxxon, Mercer Mass Timber, XL Construction, SmartLam, DPR Construction, and the United Brotherhood of Carpenters. Other conference sponsors include Freres Engineered Wood, Sansin, Nordic Structures, Elevated Construction Services, Think Wood, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Port of Portland and Greater Portland Inc., Skanska, Sterling Structural, Weyerhaeuser, RJC Engineers, Polygon, Simpson Strong-Tie, Business Oregon, Swinerton, USG, Aon, Ledinek, and Minda. Conference partners include WoodWorks, ULI, and the U.S. Forest Service. Media Partners are Architectural Record, Metropolis, Mass Timber Construction Journal, Wood Central, The Architect's Newspaper, Verdical Group and Architect. The International Mass Timber Conference, owned and produced by Trifecta Collective and co-produced by Woodworks, is the world's largest gathering of mass timber professionals including designers and architects, builders, mass timber producers, and developers. Registration is open at www.masstimberconference.com and full passes are $1375 through the end of the show. About Trifecta Collective Trifecta Collective is a trade show platform formed by GreyLion and trade show industry professionals, Rick McConnell and Jennifer Hoff. Mr. McConnell has extensive experience building and leading industry events across multiple industry sectors and has previously held senior leadership roles at Hanley Wood and Informa. Ms. Hoff has an equally impressive track record in show management, having held numerous positions at National Tradeshow Productions and more recently as the Founder of Taffy Event Strategies, which she continues to run today. Since 2021, Trifecta Collective has been building a portfolio of market-leading trade shows and events that are leaders in their respective market segments. For more information, please visit www.trifectacollectivellc.com. About WoodWorks WoodWorks (www.woodworks.org) provides free one-on-one project assistance as well as education and resources related to the code-compliant design of non-residential and multi-family wood buildings. WoodWorks technical experts offer support from design through construction on a wide range of building types, including mid-rise/multi-residential, educational, commercial, corporate, institutional and public. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT: www.masstimberconference.com https://www.facebook.com/masstimberconference/ https://twitter.com/masstimberconf https://www.instagram.com/masstimberconference/ https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mass-timber-conference/ Media Contact David Parcell, International Mass Timber Conference, 1 406-396-7608, [email protected], www.masstimberconference.com Shelby Snelson, Trifecta Collective/IMTC, 1 8176804896, [email protected], Trifecta Collective/IMTC LinkedIn SOURCE International Mass Timber Conference As winter turns to spring, young readers can consider the many new books out this month, including a picture book about a turtle convinced its a bear, a graphic novel following a tween with selective mutism, a YA novel about a daughter finding her estranged father, and more notable picks. Picture Books and Early Readers Afloat Kirli Saunders, illus. by Freya Blackwood. Levine Querido, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-64614-507-2. Ages 48. This work by two Australian creators, Saundersof Gunai heritageand Blackwood, delves into themes of creating a future of balance and community with the natural world, while a slow, rhythmic tone and loose-lined illustrations emphasize saving whats most important. The book received a starred review from PW. Alberto Salas Plays Paka Paka con la Papa: Join the Quest with Perus Famed Scientist and Potato Expert Sara Andrea Fajardo, illus. by Juana Martinez-Neal. Roaring Brook, $19.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-2508-3861-2. Ages 48. This picture book biography traces the life of agronomist Alberto Salas and his journey questing for the potatoes of the Americas. The book received a starred review from PW. Bearsuit Turtle Makes a Friend Bob Shea. Abrams, $19.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-4197-7155-2. Ages 48. A battle of wills unfolds when a teal-colored turtle encounters a green turtle, sporting an oversize yellow bear suit, who coolly declares itself a for-real bear. The book received a starred review from PW. Blake the Snake Bakes a Cake Amy Young, illus. by Alison Young. Viking, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-5936-2174-5. Ages 35. In this story with high-energy slapstick, the eponymous protagonist faces a series of mishaps as he attempts to bake a cake. The book received a starred review from PW. Book Comes Home: A Banned Books Journey Rob Sanders, illus. by Micah Player. Random House, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-593-81368-3. Ages 58. Sanders and Player explore book banning from the perspective of a dog-eared library volume. The book received a starred review from PW. Dear Bookstore Emily Arrow, illus. by Genevieve Godbout. Candlewick, $17.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-5362-1069-9. Ages 37. This unabashed love letter to independent bookstores traces the crucial role they play. Downpour: Splish! Splash! Ker-Splash! Yuko Ohnari and Koshiro Hata, trans. from the Japanese by Emily Balistrieri. Red Comet, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-63655-114-2. Ages 36. Making their English-language debut, married duo Ohnari and Hata tell the story of a young persons encounter with a summer rainstorm. The book received a starred review from PW. Every Peach Is a Story David Mas Masumoto and Nikiko Masumoto, illus. by Lauren Tamaki. Abrams, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-9494-8029-0. Ages 48. Three generations of a Japanese American family pass down embodied wisdom in this tender seasonal tale authored by a father-daughter team. The book received a starred review from PW. Faith Takes the Train Kesi Augustine, illus. by Mokshini. HarperCollins, $19.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-06-325134-2. Ages 48. Writing moment-by-moment, and paying close attention to physical sensations and perceptions, Augustine captures a child reacting mindfully to a request that others ignore. The book received a starred review from PW. Home Matt de la Pena, illus. by Loren Long. Putnam, $19.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0-593-11089-8. Ages 48. The creators of Love tell a moving story about cultivating home in different placesone that leans into themes of healing, resilience, and finding center. The book received a starred review from PW. Magic in a Drop of Water: How Ruth Patrick Taught the World About Water Pollution Julie Winterbottom, illus. by Susan Reagan. Rocky Pond, $19.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0-593-62022-9. Winterbottom spotlights oft-overlooked aquatic ecologist Ruth Patrick in this eye-opening book, which considers the origins of Patricks scientific work and lauds her pivotal role in the study of biodiversity as a gauge of ecosystem health. Ages 69. The book received a starred review from PW. Mural Island Katie Yamasaki. Norton, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-324-05392-7. Ages 48. Kengi loves to draw in unconventional places, but soon discovers Mural Islandwhere the walls are just for painting. See our story on Yamasaki and other multidisciplinary picture book artists. Our Lake Angie Kang. Kokila, $19.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-593-69823-5. Ages 48. Kang debuts with a deeply felt story about siblings returning to a cherished place, a lake where their father once swam. The book received a starred review from PW. Papilio Ben Clanton, Corey R. Tabor, and Andy Chou Musser. Viking, $19.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0-5936-9325-4. Ages 37. Three friends and creators depict the three stages of a black swallowtails lifecaterpillar, chrysalis, and butterflyin this playful, punny collaboration. The book received a starred review from PW. The Peanut Man Carmen Agra Deedy, illus. by Raul Colon. Peachtree/Quinlin, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-1-68263-568-1. Ages 48. Drawing from personal memories of her childhood immigration journey, per an afterword, Agra Deedy kicks off this relational telling focusing on the friendship between a child, Coqui, and Emilio, the peanut man of Old Havana. See our In Conversation with Agra Deedy and Colon on the storys roots. The book received a starred review from PW. Pop! Goes the Nursery Rhyme Betsy Bird, illus. by Andrea Tsurumi. Union Square, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-1-4549-6046-1. Ages 35. Bird and Tsurumi imagine the giggly-good havoc wrought by ending myriad nursery rhymes with POP! Goes the Weasel. The book received a starred review from PW. Stalactite & Stalagmite: A Big Tale from a Little Cave Drew Beckmeyer. Atheneum, $19.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-66592-663-8. Ages 48. Beckmeyer views the history of life on Earth from within a cave, via a conversation between a stalactite and stalagmite. The book received a starred review from PW. When a Tree Falls: Nurse Logs and Their Incredible Forest Power Kirsten Pendreigh, illus. by Elke Boschinger. Chronicle, $18.99 (44p) ISBN 978-1-79721-867-0. Ages 69. Nurse logs receive much-deserved appreciation in this poetic profile by Pendreigh and Boschinger, which highlights the majestic afterlife of fallen trees. The book received a starred review from PW. Middle Grade Isle of Ever Jen Calonita. Sourcebooks, $16.99 (320p) ISBN 978-1-7282-7703-5. Ages 1013. Benny is likely to inherit millions from her ancestor Evelyn Terry, but only if Benny can solve a mystery using clues left by Evelyn. The book received a starred review from PW. Okchundang Candy Jung-Soon Go, trans. from the Korean by Aerin Park. Levine Querido, $21.99 (128p) ISBN 978-1-6461-4514-0. Ages 1014. A childs unconditional love for their tender, quirky grandparents pivots into a bittersweet coming-of-age narrative in Gos delicate and raw autobiographical tale. The book received a starred review from PW. Right Back at You Carolyn Mackler. Scholastic Press, $17.99 (240p) ISBN 978-1-338-73421-8. Ages 912. When Mason starts dropping letters in his closet and finding responses from Talia, who lives in 1978, the two form a friendship and find the courage to face interpersonal challenges. See our q&a with Mackler. Speechless Aron Nels Steinke. Graphix, $24.99 (256p) ISBN 978-1-338-84933-2; $14.99 paper ISBN 978-1-338-84932-5. 812. Jewish sixth grader Mira, who lives with selective mutism, struggles with bullying and new friendships ahead of a class presentation. The book received a starred review from PW. The Strongest Heart Saadia Faruqi. Quill Tree, $19.99 (384p) ISBN 978-0-0631-1585-9. Ages 812. Thirteen-year-old Mohammed Mirza pretends he doesnt care about anything, but struggles with his unemployed Pakistani American fathers untreated paranoid schizophrenia. The book received a starred review from PW. A Study in Secrets (Last Chance Academy #1) Debbi Michiko Florence. Aladdin, $17.99 (304p) ISBN 978-1-6659-5047-3. Ages 812. Japanese American seventh grader Megumi Mizuno is enrolled at a strict, exclusive academy, where she is forced to work with her new classmates to participate in an illicit treasure hunt. The book received a starred review from PW. The Trouble with Sunshine Yamile Saied Mendez. Scholastic Press, $19.99 (272p) ISBN 978-1-546-12274-6. Ages 912. In a heartfelt novel about adapting and overcoming personal challenges, Mendez spotlights the camaraderie to be found in difference and the joys one discovers while learning to fit in. The book received a starred review from PW. Whale Eyes: A Memoir About Seeing and Being Seen James Robinson, illus. by Brian Rea. Penguin Workshop, $18.99 (304p) ISBN 978-0-593-52395-7. Ages 10 and up. Filmmaker Robinson crafts an accessible and immersive account of growing up with strabismus, a condition of eye misalignment that causes difficulties with tracking objects, depth perception, and reading. The book received a starred review from PW. Young Adult Banned Together: Our Fight for Readers Rights Edited by Ashley Hope Perez, illus. by Debbie Fong. Holiday House, $19.99 (304p) ISBN 978-0-823-45830-1. Ages 12 and up. Featuring 15 authors and illustrators, including Nikki Grimes, Kyle Lukoff, and Traci Sorell, this necessary anthologycomprising fiction, memoir, poetry, comics, essays, and moreequips teens with resources to rally against book bans and defend their freedom to read. See our q&a with Perez. The book received a starred review from PW. A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe Mahogany L. Browne. Crown, $19.99 (160p) ISBN 978-0-593-48647-4. Ages 12 and up. Poet Browne delivers a mournful remembrance of those who died during the pandemic in this love letter to New York City and its resilient teen population as they adjust to a changed world. See our q&a with the author. The book received a starred review from PW. The Corruption of Hollis Brown K. Ancrum. HarperCollins, $19.99 (384p) ISBN 978-0-06328-583-5. Ages 13 and up. After Hollis is wrongfully accused of inflicting severe, mysterious injuries on a classmate, he strikes a deal with an apparent unhoused teen who offers to help Hollis, but realizes hes been tricked when hes possessed by Walt, a spirit that takes over his life and body and banishes Hollis to the recesses of his own mind. The book received a starred review from PW. I Am the Swarm Hayley Chewins. Viking, $19.99 (336p) ISBN 978-0-593-62386-2. Ages 14 and up. Nell Strand manifests her matrilineal magic in the form of yellow ladybugs, but in dealing with the stress of her family dynamic as well as unwanted attention from her piano teacher, Nell learns that she conjures other creatures as well. The book received a starred review from PW. Kirbys Lessons for Falling (in Love) Laura Gao. HarperAlley, $26.99 (304p) ISBN 978-0-06-306780-6; $18.99 paper ISBN 978-0-06-306779-0. Ages 14 and up. High school sophomore Kirby Tan finds herself falling for new newspaper coeditor, forcing her to confront her guilt surrounding her queer identity. The book received a starred review from PW. A Song for You and I K. ONeill. Random House Graphic, $21.99 (240p) ISBN 978-0-593-18231-4; $13.99 paper ISBN 978-0-593-18230-7. Ages 10 and up. ONeill crafts a pastoral fantasy exploring gender identity and what it means to be ones true self in this tender graphic novel. The book received a starred review from PW. To Steal from Thieves M.K. Lobb. Little, Brown, $19.99 (400p) ISBN 978-0-316575-48-5. Ages 14 and up. Zaria, who is left struggling with debt after the death of her father, encounters con artist Kane and uses her alchemological talents to help him steal a famous necklace from the Great Exhibition for his terrifying boss. The book received a starred review from PW. Strange Bedfellows Ariel Slamet Ries. HarperAlley, $26.99 (288p) ISBN 978-0-06-315809-2; $18.99 paper ISBN 978-0-06-315808-5. Ages 13 and up. Transgender teen Oberon discovers his newly awakened ability to conjure his own dreams when he manifests his crush Kon, who helps Oberon control his powers. The book received a starred review from PW. True Life in Uncanny Valley Deb Caletti. Labyrinth Road, $19.99 (416p) ISBN 978-0-593-70861-3. Ages 14 and up. Assuming a false identity, Eleanor Diamond applies forand getsa summer nanny gig for her estranged father Hugo Harrison, a famed inventor, hoping to use it to uncover more about the family she never knew and the life she never had. The book received a starred review from PW. When the Bones Sing Ginny Myers Sain. Putnam, $19.99 (352p) ISBN 978-0-593-62548-4. Ages 14 and up. Dovie, who is able to hear the bones of the deceased sing after burial, begins to unravel the mystery behind a string of disappearances with the help of her newly returned best friend. The book received a starred review from PW. When We Ride Rex Ogle. Norton, $18.99 (304p) ISBN 978-1-3240-5282-1. Ages 14 and up. In this heartbreaking verse novel, Ogle delivers an affecting portrait of two ride or die friends in dire circumstances for whom the phrase becomes scarily literal. The book received a starred review from PW. What the f are we doing here? asked President Trump in the summer of 2017. Nearly a year into his first term, Trumps national security adviser had just proposed sending an additional 3,000 to 5,000 troops to Afghanistan, prompting his bosss frustration that his Cabinet still hadnt gotten the message. Trump had repeatedly conveyed that he wanted to end the war in Afghanistan, not prolong it. Between 2012 and 2013, Trump tweeted about the loss of lives, waste of taxpayer dollars, and apparent absence of a strategy to get any value from our investment in the country. Afghanistan is a total disaster, Trump said in 2012. We dont know what we are doing. They are, in addition to everything else, robbing us blind." Rebuild the U.S. first. Our government is so pathetic that some of the billions being wasted in Afghanistan are ending up with terrorists. The $50 billion we poured into Afghanistan annually was having little effect on the countrys long-term security, and it fueled corruption at the highest levels of Afghan government and military. America committed time, troops, and money to a country and, somehow, got nothing in return beyond a vague sense that America was safer for having fought the war. For a dealmaker like Trump, these terms were worse than unfair, they were unconscionableall benefits of the bargain went to them, none to us. How does this end? Trump asked Senator Lindsey Graham, mulling his options. It never will, Graham replied. Its good versus evil. Good versus evil never ends. Its just like the Nazis. Its now radical Islam. It will be something else one day. Eight years later, Afghanistan finally behind us, a similar scenario is playing out in Ukraine. And while some on the Right have gotten the message Senator Graham among them others have not. Prominent conservative journalists and politicians continue to argue that we must stop at nothing to secure Ukraine, in order to sometime down the road protect the United States. After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, many assumed it would be mere months, if not weeks, before Russia seized control of the entire country. But after three years of fighting, Putin has secured roughly 20 percent of Ukraine failing to control key terrain used in previous centuries as avenues of approach into western Russia and failing to reconstitute his strategic buffer against Europe. America feared during the Cold War that the Soviet Union would dominate Europe in a land war. However, Russias failure to meet its objectives in Ukraine has given us a much better understanding of the ledger of power between Russia and Europe. None of this surprises Trump, who has seized an opportunity to end the war, promising America and the world that he can deliver peace. Our concern is that this has become a war of attrition thats going to kill a whole generation of young men, Trumps advisers said last summer. The ceasefire terms laid out by Trumps team set a framework for America first dealmaking rather than confrontation with Russia. How, they asked, do we end the war in a way that benefits America and the world? The answer seemed clear: end the fighting along the current battle lines; permit Russia to retain territory under its control; give Europe the lead in securing Ukraine, but stop short of its admission into NATO; and partner with Ukraine in the form of a bilateral mining deal. Unlike members of his first Cabinet, those in Trumps current Cabinet understand the message and amplify it to the world. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last month told NATO members that reverting to Ukraines pre-2014 borders was unrealistic, and that the United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement. Trump reiterated Hegseths position, saying NATO membership for Ukraine wasnt practical, and it is unlikely Ukraine will get back all of its land. Europe is beginning to get Trumps message, too. While French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer mediate between Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky, German Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz publicly acknowledged that Europe must achieve independence from the U.S. Europe can start by mobilizing some of the $200 billion in frozen Russian assets to help secure and rebuild Ukraine after the war. Still, there is resistance to change within Trumps own party, as politicians, journalists, and pundits advocate the neoconservative point of view that war in Ukraine is existential the latest chapter in the never-ending struggle between good and evil. Chief among these advocates is Douglas Murray, a British journalist who defines neoconservatism as a sense, an instinct, a way of looking at the world that blends idealism and realism. We look at the world as it is, but act in the world to make it as we would like it to be, Murray says. Murray sees Ukraine not through Trumps realist prism of what is achievable, what gain can be extracted, and how to generate maximum benefit for America, but through the more mythical archetypes of good (in this case Ukraine) and evil (Russia). He disparages Trump conservatives as admirers of Putin who believe Ukraine isnt a real country, that the Ukrainians arent a real people. He asserts that American money to fund the war should continue to flow, and that ceding even a square mile of Ukrainian territory will be a victory for Putin. If you oppose sending American troops around the world, and you oppose arming countries for their own survival, then do you have any remaining foreign policy at all? Murray wrote in a 2023 piece published by National Review. The call to perpetual war has come not only from Europe and the United Kingdom. Among those joining Murrays argument is Congressman Mike Flood (R-NE). In a recent article published in Newsweek, Flood wrote that any peace deal must roll back Russias land grab, return kidnapped Ukrainian children, and ensure that Americas alliance with NATO remains strong. Certainly, these are noble and idealistic goals, but they contradict the presidents terms for settlement, and would exact a huge cost on the United States. First, rolling back territory gained by Russia would likely require a commitment of American troops, and a willingness to sacrifice American lives. That is something Secretary Hegseth has said is off the table. Second, though repatriation of kidnapped Ukrainian children is a worthy, long-term goal, demanding this as a condition for peace will prolong the war and cause more death and suffering for the people of Ukraine and Russia. Third, a requirement that Americas alliance with NATO remains strong seems beyond our explicit control, not to mention that it fails to consider whether a Europe-led NATO is sufficiently strong to safeguard peace in Ukraine, as many believe the United States must turn its strategic attention to China and the western Pacific. Murray, Flood, and others who advocate the neoconservative philosophy have overstated the threat posed by Russia while sentimentalizing Ukraine. We should commend Ukraines soldiers for fighting valiantly and successfully to defend their homeland, while acknowledging the Ukrainian regime has its own problems with graft, corruption, and malfeasance dating back at least to the Maidan Revolution in 2014. Similar to Afghanistan, funneling endless amounts of money into Ukraine fuels corruption in the system, and removes reality-based incentives to negotiate in good faith. Because American foreign policy is rooted in interests before values, there are countless examples where the United States has dealt shrewdly with adversaries or competitors in pursuit of shared interests. The situation in Ukraine is no different. As President Trump negotiates a deal between Russia and Ukraine, conservatives must embrace the transition from war to peace on reasonable terms that maximize benefits to America and the world. John J. Waters is a lawyer. He served as a U.S. Marine and a deputy assistant secretary of Homeland Security from 2020-21. Follow him at @JohnJWaters1 on X. Eric Stonestreet, best known for his role as Cameron Tucker on the hit sitcom Modern Family, will guest star in the latest sequel series in the Dexter franchise. ADVERTISEMENT The new Dexter: Resurrection series, scheduled to premiere in June, has Michael C. Hall returning to the titular role of Dexter Morgan. In a press release, it was announced that Stonestreet would play the role of "Al." The news came just days after Showtime announced that Neil Patrick Harris would also guest star in the show, marking his first live-action television appearance since a 2023 episode of Doctor Who and the cancellation of his Netflix series Uncoupled. Other casting announcements for the sequel series include Krysten Ritter as a guest star and Uma Thurman and Peter Dinklage as series regulars. The Dexter franchise intricately explores the life of Dexter Morgan, a blood spatter analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department with a clandestine life as a vigilante serial killer. The original series, which ran from 2006 to 2013, follows Morgan as he channels his homicidal urges by targeting other killers. The series ended with Dexter faking his death and starting anew in isolation. The show was revived in the short-lived Dexter: New Blood, which ran from 2021 to 2022. The sequel, set a decade later, follows Dexter's life after it is upended by the appearance of his estranged son, Harrison, while living under an alias in New York. The series ended with Harrison fatally shooting Dexter. But a prequel series, Dexter: Original Sin, opens with Dexter being discovered in the woods and rushed to a hospital, showing that he survived the gunshot. From there, the show transitions into a prequel narrative, exploring Dexter's early years in the 1990s. FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! The upcoming series is expected to continue the storyline of Dexter: New Blood and features returning cast members including David Zayas (Angel Batista), James Remar (Harry Morgan), and Jack Alcott (Harrison Morgan). Immigration has always been a topic of discussion in national politics. But recently, the conversation has intensified due to the Trump administrations prioritization of mass deportations. Hispanic and Latinx communities are disproportionately affected by immigration policies due to ethnic profiling, over policing in minority neighborhoods and because the majority of undocumented immigrants come from Latin American countries. Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council says step will balance trade deficit with the US. Kindly note the image has only been posted for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy Chiplanay/Pixabay The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) has asked the commerce ministry that India partly shift its gold bar imports from Switzerland to the United States to balance the trade deficit it has with the latter in this category. Switzerland comprises 35 per cent of India's gold bar imports. GJEPC also recommended a similar partial shift in silver bar imports from the United Kingdom to the US for the same reason. The UK accounts for 41.54 per cent of India's imports. The US imported $11.58 billion under the gems and jewellery category from India in 2024 but its exports were only $5.31 billion, leaving a yawning deficit of $6.27 billion. The US received 20.28 per cent of total gem and jewellery exports from India and constitutes for 12.99 per cent share in total trade in the category. GJEPC made the recommendations after President Donald Trump threatened action against countries that have a large overall trade deficit with the US. India had a trade deficit of more than $43 billion with the US in January-October 2024. Trump has also imposed 'reciprocal tariffs' on countries, including India: A step that can hurt India's exports to the US. The council also recommended reducing import tariffs on gems and jewellery commodities by 1 per cent to 10 per cent to reduce the gap between India and the US. It said the step will ensure that India's gem and jewellery exports to the US will not be impacted by reciprocal tariffs. It argued that Trump's 'Fair and Reciprocal Plan' in all likelihood will lead to gems and jewellery exports to the US attracting tariffs ranging from 5 per cent to 20 per cent. GCEPC recommended a blueprint to reduce, if not bridge, the trade imbalance with the US. While India imports gold worth $42.57 billion from across the world, USA's share is just 2.9 per cent. As much as 35 per cent of annual imports (equivalent to 261.26 tonnes of gold) come from Switzerland and 14.43 per cent from the United Arab Emirates. GJEPC recommended that India shift imports from Switzerland of at least $6 billion (equivalent to an incremental 65 tonnes of gold) and balance the deficit with the US in this commodity. India annually imports $2610.69 million of silver bars but the USA's share is just 1.61 per cent compared to 41.52 per cent coming from the UK and 26.97 per cent from Hong Kong. GJEPC recommended that India should explore ways to shift some imports from the UK to the US of around US 4150 million. India imports platinum bars of $95.95 million annually with the US having the largest share (16.43 per cent). GJEPC recommended that demand for platinum is increasing and India could buy more from the US. GJEPC said that the 5 to 10 per cent tariff on unworked and worked pearls be eliminated; it also suggested bringing down the duty on polished diamonds, precious and semi precious stones from 5 per cent to 2.5 per cent. For gold, platinum and silver bars imported from the US, it recommended reducing the 5 per cent tariff by 1 per cent. It suggested a 3 per cent reduction in 20 per cent duty on gold, silver, platinum, silver and gold articles. A senior GCEPC executive said that reducing tariffs is not expected to lead to an influx of jewellery brands in India. A 1 per cent reduction on gold, platinum and silver bars will be in line with what India has done with the UAE (duty is linked to tonnage imported from the country). How gold bar imports shift to US can change the trade deficit Countries Qty in tonnes US ($ millions) % share of total gold bar imports Switzerland 261.26 16,452 35.13 UAE 107.3 6733 14.43 South Africa 68.93 4297 9.27 Peru 51.75 2364 6.96 Australia 34.25 2118 4.61 Bolivia 22.32 1299 3.0 Tanzania 21.02 1027 2.83 USA 21.54 1217 2.90 Others 155.37 7068 20.89 Total 743.74 42,579 100 Source: GCEPC Research based on DGCIS data for 2023 Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com The government resolution does not spell out what action would be taken, if any, against those writing and publishing 'negative' news. Nor does it define negative' news and 'misinformation', explains Jyoti Punwani. IMAGE: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar and senior Mahayuti leaders pay tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ahead of the state assembly's Budget session in Mumbai, March 3, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo In January, the Supreme Court came down heavily on the Maharashtra government for not paying compensation due to villagers whose land had been acquired to build a water tank way back in 2005. The villagers of Beed had spent 19 years trying to get the compensation. Despite high court orders directing it to pay, the Maharashtra government had not done so. What exactly was the amount which the government refused to pay? Rs 1.49 crore. Not a huge amount, if you consider that roughly ten times that (Rs 10 crore) has just been allotted by the government to set up a media monitoring centre, which will check, everyday from 8 am to 10 pm, if 'negative information' or 'misinformation' regarding the government is being published. From print to social media, every forum of public communication will be scanned and documented by a hired agency. The government resolution does not spell out what action would be taken, if any, against those writing and publishing 'negative' news. Nor does it define 'negative' news and 'misinformation'. Last week, tribal MLAs met Finance Minister Ajit PAwar to complain about funds not being allotted to them for projects already approved, said a news report. But the same report quoted the tribal development minister denying that the MLAs were dissatisfied. The meeting with Pawar was just a 'goodwill visit', the minister said. Would this news qualify as 'negative' news, or would the minister's 'clarification' save it from being so classified? What if his denial had not been carried? After videos and images of the torture of Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch in Beed district who was killed in December, started circulating on social media last week, Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde finally resigned. He had ignored demands for his resignation ever since it became known that the main accused in Deshmukh's killing was reportedly close to him. These videos and images, part of the chargesheet in the murder case, left him no choice. It's difficult to imagine an incident that could have created a more negative image of the new Mahayuti government than this murder. A sarpanch tries to stop extortion from a firm setting up a project in a village. The extortionists abduct him and urinate upon him while torturing him to death, inflicting 56 injuries with a range of weapons. They are found to be close to a minister, yet, the three most powerful men in government: The CM and his two deputies do not force this minister to resign. Will the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP government ever be able to wash off this stain? Yes, if the media lets go of this story, as often happens once the accused are arrested and the case goes to court. Keeping track of the legal proceedings; staying in touch with the slain main's family; checking if the police put up a strong case and the PP tries to get a conviction -- none of this is easy. Will the fear that such a follow-up might be seen as 'negative information concerning the government' deter journalists? How about if the media were to point out the double standards of CM Devendra Fadnavis? BJP MLA Nitesh Rane has, any number of times, provoked hatred and even instigated violence against Muslims. While doing so, he's bragged about being above the law, saying he's protected by the CM. No action has been taken against him for these offences, even after citizens have filed complaints. Yet, one statement by Samajwadi Party Maharashtra president Abu Asim Azmi made outside the assembly, has led to his expulsion from the House for the entire session! He'll go to jail, the CM has declared. What Azmi said has been recorded by many historians: Aurangzeb was a good administrator, many of whose actions were motivated by politics, not religion; and India's GDP under Mughal rule was 28% of the world's GDP. Will pointing out the government's double standards in dealing with two MLAs, one from the ruling party and the other from the Opposition, amount to 'negative' news? *** The Mahayuti government has completed just three months but already, dissensions within the coalition, hate speech and action by its MLAs, attempts to protect policemen indicted by the judiciary, and scams have made headlines. Schemes launched by a previous CM are being investigated on orders of the current CM, and both are partners in government! It's significant that Fadnavis didn't order these investigations into Eknath Shinde's schemes after any public outcry, but suo moto. Surely this is a first. Has all this made the government decide to restrain the media? Neither in these three months, nor in the Mahayuti's previous tenure, did the government prosecute anyone from the media for misinformation. Its ministers however, did browbeat journalists, threaten them and even order them to be thrown behind bars. One journalist was even killed by the mafia leader he had exposed. These incidents were met with resistance by the media; within a few hours, the police had to release the journalist who'd been taken into custody on the orders of a minister. Is this media monitoring centre a more organised way of bullying the media? Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com 'The touchstone is reciprocity which will be applied to friends and foes alike.' 'It will be a bitter pill to swallow.' IMAGE: US President Donald Trump delivers a speech to a joint session of the United Statess Congress, March 4, 2025. Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters "Faced with a global reset, both geopolitically and economically, by the Trump administration, this may be the best time for India to start playing a more proactive political role in regional conflicts. If not, that space is being occupied by countries like Turkiye or Saudi Arabia or Qatar," says Ambassador T S Tirumurti, India's ambassador to the United Nations in New York [2020-2022]. "This is one aspect where we have not exploited our potential in the midst of our almost sole focus on our economic growth and development over two decades. "We must now start regaining our potential political role as a net security provider and a geopolitical player," he says about the challenges for India in the Trump 2.0 era. Ambassador Tirumurti was secretary in the ministry of external affairs dealing with the Arab world and Africa. He is well-versed in Arabic. In a career spanning 37 years, he has served in Cairo, Geneva, Gaza, Washington, DC, Jakarta and was India's high commissioner to Malaysia. He was India's first Representative to the Palestinian Authority in Gaza where he was stationed for two years. This is the concluding part of Ambassador Tirumurti's must read interview to Rediff.com's Archana Masih. Will 'transactionalism' or 'give and take' be the defining core of Trump's foreign policy? While 'transactionalism' has certainly been the hallmark of the recent moves by the US on the economy and trade related issues -- which is receiving its highest priority, -- let us not underestimate the geopolitical logic behind some of their moves. President Trump is not status-quoist and will not hesitate to use hard power. On the one hand, the America First policy of Trump administration 2.0 is focusing on securing the best interest for the US, primarily in the economic and trade sphere. The recently released 2025 Trade Policy of the US lays out in clear terms what their expectations are. 'Rebalancing' trade relations, 'reshoring' manufacturing and production, opening market access, reducing trade deficit and enhancing technology innovation are the priority areas. The US is ready to do whatever it can to secure these priorities, including using tariffs as a weapon to balance any unfair advantage the other countries may have. Here, the touchstone is reciprocity. And this touchstone will be applied to friends and foes alike, to developed and developing alike, till a deal is reached. It is going to be a bitter pill to swallow. On the other hand, resetting relations with Russia or with Europe is as much strategic as it is transactional. The deal with Russia may be a comprehensive one covering political and security issues as well, where the US has talked about decreasing nuclear arsenals, removing sanctions and bringing Russia into the economic and security architecture of Europe -- in effect 'rehabilitating' Russia after the Ukraine war. This is a big geopolitical step. A possible deal with China, which I had mentioned about earlier, will also reset the geopolitics of the world. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra D Modi with Trump at the White House, February 13, 2025. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters Will it purely be a give-and-take relationship as far as India is concerned? What challenges and opportunities does this throw for Indian foreign policy? Gauging from the success of Mr Modi's visit to the White House last month, what are the strengths of Indian diplomacy that will enable India in dealing with a mercurial Trump? The visit of Prime Minister Modi to the US has been timely. India certainly impressed on the US the importance we continue to attach to our bilateral relations, reinforced our readiness to work on a range of bilateral issues and has also bought us some breathing space on trade and other economic issues. While the good news is that the US and India have a wide-ranging strategic partnership, it equally clear that the steps that India will take in the next few days and months will probably determine how our bilateral relations will develop with Trump 2.0. With a potential Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) expected, India will need to seriously relook its high tariff structures which clearly are restrictive, have protectionist overtones and are complex to navigate. This relook is necessary for India's own ambition of high growth and to potentially become China-plus-one and not merely to address American pressure. Since President Trump is expected to visit India for the QUAD summit, the pressure is on India to make this visit happen by, at the very least, clinching an early harvest deal. Then comes the move to reduce our tariffs, provide greater market access and reduce trade surplus with the US probably by purchasing more of American oil and gas. Whether we will restrict the changes in tariffs etc only to the US or more generally is a moot point but there is no doubt that with strong manufacturing and agricultural lobbies in India, decision-making is not going to be easy. However, if the deal between the US and China were to happen in the not-too-distant future, there will be a geopolitical fallout on India-Pacific and on India as well. This will increase the Chinese influence in the region. If these two decide to carve out their respective spheres of influence resulting in a potential US withdrawal from the region, the situation will get more complicated. In the midst of this American reset both with Russia and with China -- with Russia and China still committed to their bilateral 'no-limits' partnership, it is necessary for India to keep the US fully committed to QUAD (US, Japan, Australia and India) and not let it become a casualty. IMAGE: Ambassador T S Tirumurti IMAGE: Ambassador T S Tirumurti India has the leadership and the ability to calibrate our policies to tackle American pressure. We have done it before and I don't see why we can't do it now. We have also been no less 'transactional' in securing some of our interests when we were accosted with the Ukraine war or the turmoil in the Middle East. But a mere transactional approach may be a temporary quick-fix but not a good one for a long-term partnership with the US. Faced with a global reset, both geopolitically and economically even ideologically, by the Trump administration, this may be the best time for India to start playing a more proactive political role in regional conflicts. If not, that space is being occupied by countries like Turkiye or Saudi Arabia or Qatar. This is one aspect where we have not exploited our potential in the midst of our almost sole focus on our economic growth and development over two decades. We have shown the world what we are capable of and have contributed immensely to the global good like Vaccine Maitri during Covid, climate action like establishing the International Solar Alliance and Global Biofuels alliance, digital public infrastructure like India stack etc. But that is not enough. We must now start regaining our potential political role as a net security provider and a geopolitical player committed to international peace and security. We have tentatively played such a role in the recent past vis a vis combatting piracy in the Gulf etc, but I am thinking more like the role we had played before, for example during the Korean war in the early 1950s. India played an important role in the Korean war when we were in the UN Security Council between 1951-1952 -- less than four years after our Independence. The fact that we were an impoverished nation due to colonial rule did not stop us from playing that role and in recognition we were made the Chair of the Neutral Nations Repatriation Committee after the armistice. Now we are the fifth largest economy and with ambitions to become bigger, and I don't see why we can't play that role again in regional conflicts and challenges. In fact, we need to play that role if are to emerge as a strong pole in any multipolar world. An increase in the political heft of India can only be good for India and a possible answer to the political reset between the US, Russia and China. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com 'That is why an emotional appeal to the President.' 'There needs to be a strict law. The accused should be punished immediately.' 'All cases should be heard in fast-track courts.' 'In rural areas, women's cases are not even registered. There, political pressure stops them.' 'And if cases are not registered under political pressure, then their voices are completely silenced.' IMAGE: Shiv Sena (UBT) party workers protest against the alleged sexual assault of two minors in Badlapur, Thane. Photograph: ANI Photo Rohini Eknathrao Khadse, who heads the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar)'s women's wing, has written to President Droupadi Murmu to pardon women of one murder. Why does she want the President to do so? "This is about the dignity and safety of all Indian women, whether they be from Maharashtra or any other part of India. Don't women have the right to breathe freely and live their lives on their own terms and as freely as men do?", Khadse asks Rediff.com's Prasanna D Zore in the first of a two part interview. You made an emotional appeal to the President of India. What specific incidents made you make such an appeal? Look at the recent cases -- there was a molestation case in Muktainagar involving Raksha Khadse's daughter, and there was also the horrifying rape case at Swargate bus station in Pune. A political worker belonging to Ajit dada's party (Ajit Pawar's wing of the NCP) was (allegedly) involved in the Swargate case and in the Muktainagar (molestation) case (where Union Minister and BJP MP from Muktainagar Raksha Khadse's daughter was molested) workers from Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena are being named in these cases. How can the government remain silent when its own people are implicated in such crimes? What kind of example are they setting? Instead of protecting women, they are protecting the accused. This is why we are demanding strict laws and immediate action. But my appeal to the President is not in reaction to one or two cases. This is about the dignity and safety of all Indian women, whether they be from Maharashtra or any other part of India. Don't women have the right to breathe freely and live their lives on their own terms and as freely as men do? If you look everywhere in Maharashtra today, every day in the media, whenever you turn on the TV, every time you will see incidents of atrocities against women in every district, every taluka. If so many incidents are happening, then we, the women in the Opposition, are raising our voices. We are all speaking out. The government needs to make strict laws for this, and it needs to be done as soon as possible. But the question is why is the government not bringing in a strict law that could stop such atrocities? What is stopping them from making a law? During the Maha Vikas Aghadi government (in Maharashtra), the Shakti Act was passed and sent to the central government for approval. Why has it been stalled? We need an answer to that. If a strict law existed or if the law and order system instilled some fear, then these crimes wouldn't happen, right? If a 12 year old, 5-year-old girl, or even 55-year-old women are being raped, we should all feel ashamed. We should be ashamed that we are living in a society where for perpetrators of such heinous acts age does not matter -- whether 12 years, 5 years, or 6 years old. That is why we are speaking out. We, as leaders, all our leaders are also raising their voices, but I feel that the government is not listening. If you saw yesterday's (March 8, 2025) statement, one of their ministers, Gulabrao Patil (Maharashtra's minister of water supply and sanitation), said, 'Keep a knife in your purse and carry chilli powder,' meaning protect yourself. It sounds like they are saying, 'Sisters and mothers, we are not going to do anything for you. You protect yourself against such crimes. We have abdicated all our responsibility.' IMAGE: Rohini Eknathrao Khadse at Muktainagar in Jalgaon during a dialogue campaign about atrocities on women. Photograph: Adv Rohini Eknathrao Khadse/X But if a five-year-old girl is raped, how will she protect herself? How will a 12-year-old girl defend herself? You said that every woman should have the right to commit one murder. If one were to take your assertions literally, how will a five year old or a 12-year-old girl defend themselves or commit murders? So when you read my words -- 'Allow me one murder' -- I am saying this out of frustration while demanding justice. If you are not going to do anything, then allow us to act. If a five-year-old girl is raped, what about the child and her mother? What kind of mental agony do they go through? Think about that mother and the girl child. Put yourself in their places and see. You cannot understand their pain unless you are a mother and the girl child or women who have to go through such trauma. What happens in such cases is that such cases go to court, we file cases, but years pass, and the child does not get justice. Look at the mentality of our society today. Imagine a girl goes to the police station and says she was raped -- the first question is always raised against the girl, not the boy. The boy is never at fault. It is always the girl's fault. If a case takes 12, 15 years to conclude, how is that justice? In India, women have the right to demand justice. So why don't you take immediate action when you have evidence of rape? Are you saying the legal system has failed to provide justice to women and prevent such crimes? Yes, that is what I am conveying through my frustration and that is why an emotional appeal to the President. There needs to be a strict law. The accused should be punished immediately. All cases should be heard in fast-track courts. In big cities, police stations are at least available to register cases, but in rural areas, women's cases are not even registered. There, political pressure stops them. And if cases are not registered under political pressure, then their voices are completely silenced. We need to set up a separate system in every neighbourhood, every taluka, every village, to listen to women's problems. If there is a complaint, there must be a mechanism to address it. But just making strict laws is not enough. Yesterday, I told the chief minister (Devendra Fadnavis) that we are not only demanding strict laws, but we also want changes in the education system. Boys need to be taught to respect women from childhood. They need to be taught in schools that women are equal to them. Women are just like their mothers. Whether she is someone's daughter, someone's mother, or someone's wife -- she is still a woman and a human being. She deserves respect. This should be taught. Celebrating Navratri will not change anything. We celebrate Navratri, but the real purpose of Navratri -- respecting women -- is not being taught in schools. Whether she is a mother, sister, or anyone else, she is a woman and deserves respect. Teach this. That is our demand. If you do not teach this, then give us the right -- we will take action. We are ready to put an end to this mentality, even if it means going to jail. Where on Earth is Vanuatu? IMAGE: Lalit Modi. Photograph: Kind courtesy Lalit Modi/X This question has been bothering many since former Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi announced that he was giving up his Indian passport and taking up the citizenship of Vanuatu. That was before Vanuatu cancelled Modi's passport, saying he was using it to try and avoid extradition to India. The island-nation is located in the South Pacific Ocean, between Australia and New Zealand. The name Vanuatu means 'our land forever' in the Melanesian language. With a population of country just 307,800, Vanuatu was a joint condominium territory ruled by the British and French till it got independence in 1980. Vanuatu's capital is the port city of Port Vila, and there are three languages spoken on the island; English, French and Bislama. Portuguese explorer Pedro Fernandez de Quiros discovered Vanuatu in 1606, making the first European contact with this tiny nation. Later, British Captain James Cook named the island New Hebrides in 1774. The indigenous populations of Vanuatu are referred to as 'ni-Vanuatu', who are Melanesians, though some outer islands of Vanuatu have a Polynesian population. The country follows Christianity with Protestants followed by Presbyterians and Catholics in a majority. There are also people who follow the traditional religion. The country's economy mainly depends on agriculture or tourism. Vanuatu offers citizenship to people who are willing to invest $150,000 in the country. Which means you can invest between Rs 1 crore (Rs 10 million) and Rs 1.5 crore (Rs 15 million) and get to be a Vanuatu citizen. The best part about getting a Vanuatu passport is that you can get visa-free entry to 91 countries. The Henley Passport Index ranks Vanuatu at 51st slot out of 199 countries. In comparison, India ranks 80 with 56 visa-free destinations. Vanuatu is also known as a tax haven as it has no levies such as capital gains tax, income tax, wealth tax and inheritance tax. In 2021, Vanuatu was in the news for all the wrong reasons as it granted a passport to Abdul Rahman Khiti, a Syrian businessman whose many businesses were under sanctions by the US government. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said everyone feels Mughal king Aurangzeb's tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar should be removed, but it has to be done under the purview of law as the previous Congress regime put the site under ASI's protection. IMAGE: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Photograph: @Dev_Fadnavis/X Fadnavis was speaking at an event in Mumbai on Saturday night. BJP's Satara MP Udayanraje Bhosale, a descendant of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, had sought the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. Asked about Bhosale's demand, Fadnavis said, "We all also want the same thing, but you need to do it within the framework of the law, because it is a protected site. The site was put under ASI's (Archaeological Survey of India) protection during the Congress regime some years back." Notably, Samajwadi Party's Maharashtra MLA Abu Asim Azmi's remarks eulogising Mughal emperor Aurangzeb recently kicked up a row. Azmi was last week suspended from the Maharashtra legislative assembly till the end of the budget session on March 26 over his remarks praising Aurangzeb. Amid opposition allegations of manipulation of electoral rolls, sources in the Election Commission Monday said the matter related to duplicate voter identity card numbers is a 'legacy issue' with such cards being issued even between 2008 and 2013 when the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance was not in power. IMAGE: Voters wait in queues to cast their votes for the Delhi Assembly elections. Photograph: ANI Photo The EC had in the past during annual electoral roll updation also been directing states to remove all discrepancies in elector photo identity card (EPIC). The poll body had recently clarified that irrespective of EPIC number, an elector can cast a vote only at their designated polling station. To allay any apprehensions, all cases of duplicate EPIC number will be resolved within three months time by ensuring a unique EPIC number to the existing electors having duplicate EPIC number and for future electors as well, the EC had said. The issue of duplicate numbers found echo in Parliament on Monday with Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi demanding a discussion in the House on the issue of voter lists on which several political parties have raised certain questions. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Gandhi said the entire opposition has been demanding a discussion on voter lists. Trinamool Congress member Kalyan Banerjee demanded action against the EC and alleged that the poll body had 'failed' to conduct fair and transparent elections over the past few years. A New York-bound Air India flight, carrying 303 passengers, returned to Mumbai on Monday morning after being airborne for nearly nine hours following a bomb threat, according to officials. Image used only for representation. Photograph: X Nothing suspicious was found after the aircraft was thoroughly checked by security agencies and it was rescheduled to operate at 5 am on Tuesday, they informed. A passenger spotted a note with the message 'There is a bomb in the flight' written on it inside one of the lavatories and alerted the crew, a Sahar police official in Mumbai said and added that the aircraft made an emergency landing. The Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft landed safely at the Mumbai airport at 10.25 am. Late in the evening, police registered a first information report (FIR) against an unidentified person in connection with the incident, a second official said. According to the official, the aircraft was flying over Azerbaijan in central Asia at around 6 am when the threat message was discovered. When attempts to make an emergency landing at the Azerbaijan airport were unsuccessful, the aircraft captain contacted Mumbai airport authorities to arrange the return, said the police officer. The flight followed standard security protocols before safely landing at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, he said. There were 322 persons, including 19 crew members, in the Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft, a source said. In a statement in the morning, Air India said, 'A potential security threat was detected mid-flight on AI119 operating Mumbai-New York (JFK) on Monday. After following the necessary protocols, the flight air-returned to Mumbai, in the interest of the safety and security of all on board.' The flight has been rescheduled to operate at 5 am on Tuesday, and all passengers have been offered hotel accommodation, meals, and other assistance until then, it said. 'Our colleagues on the ground are making sure to minimise the inconvenience caused to our passengers by this disruption. As always, Air India accords the highest priority to the safety of passengers and crew,' the statement added. Last month, an American Airlines flight from New York to Delhi was diverted to Rome due to a suspected bomb threat. As per data provided to the Rajya Sabha by the civil aviation ministry on Monday, at least 15 flights of various airlines have received hoax bomb threats this year, taking the total tally of such threats to 833 since 2020. An Air India flight from Mumbai to New York returned to the Mumbai airport on Monday after a bomb threat note was found inside its toilet mid-air, officials said. Photograph: @airindia/X The aircraft, carrying more than 320 persons, landed safely in Mumbai and is undergoing mandatory checks by the security agencies. A passenger spotted the note with the message "There is a bomb in the flight" written on it inside the toilet and alerted the crew, a Sahar police official here said. The flight later made an emergency landing at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport here, he said. "Nothing suspicious has been found (so far) and we are conducting the investigation," the official said, adding they were in the process of registering an FIR against unidentified person in connection with the matter. There were 322 persons, including 19 crew members, in the Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft, a source said. The Air India in a statement said, "A potential security threat was detected mid-flight on AI119 operating Mumbai-New York (JFK) on Monday. After following the necessary protocols, the flight air-returned to Mumbai, in the interest of the safety and security of all on board." The flight landed safely back in Mumbai at 10.25 am, it said. "The aircraft is undergoing mandatory checks by security agencies, and Air India is extending its full cooperation to the authorities," the airline said. The flight has been rescheduled to operate at 5 am on Tuesday, and all passengers have been offered hotel accommodation, meals, and other assistance until then, it said. "Our colleagues on the ground are making sure to minimise the inconvenience caused to our passengers by this disruption. As always, Air India accords the highest priority to the safety of passengers and crew," it added. Designer duo Shivan and Narresh, who are facing backlash for displaying 'obscene' garments at a fashion show in Gulmarg last week, have said their sole intention was to celebrate creativity and regret any hurt caused by the event during the holy month of Ramzan. Image used only for representation. Photograph: Ahmad Ardity/Pixabay The Delhi-based designers, whose full names are Shivan Bhatiya and Narresh Kukreja, showcased their skiwear collection on March 7 to mark the 15th anniversary of their label. The issue was raised in the Assembly and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has ordered an inquiry into the matter. Abdullah on Monday said his government would have never given permission for such an event. "We have already ordered an inquiry into it but preliminary facts revealed that it was a private four-day event organised by a private party in a private hotel... Some people are saying that such a show should not have happened in the month of Ramzan. After what I have seen, I am of the opinion that it should not have taken place any time of the year," he said in the assembly. In an X post on Sunday, Kashmir's chief priest, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq called the fashion show 'outrageous'. Following criticism on social media and elsewhere, Shivan and Narresh posted a statement of apology on their official X page. 'We deeply regret any hurt caused by our recent presentation in Gulmarg during the holy month of Ramadan. Our sole intention was to celebrate creativity and the ski & apres-ski lifestyle, without any desire to offend anyone or any religious sentiments. 'Respect for all cultures and traditions is at our heart, and we acknowledge the concerns raised. We sincerely apologise for any unintended discomfort and appreciate the feedback from our community. We remain committed to being more mindful and respectful,' they said in the statement. Kashmir's chief priest Farooq on Sunday posted: 'Outrageous! That In the holy month of Ramzan an obscene fashion show is organised in #Gulmarg, pictures and videos from which have gone viral sparking shock and anger among people. 'How could it be tolerated in the valley known for its Sufi, saint culture and the deeply religious outlook of its people? Those involved should be immediately held accountable. Such obscenity in the name of tourism promotion will not be tolerated in #Kashmir!' he added. Abdullah responded to Farooq's post, saying the shock and anger are totally understandable. 'The images I have seen show a complete disregard for local sensitivities and that too during this holy month. My office has been in touch with the local authorities and I've asked for a report to be submitted within the next 24 hours. Further action, as appropriate, will follow from this report,' the chief minister wrote on X on Sunday. Social activist Raja Muzaffar Bhat described the event as an attempt to demolish the moral, religious and ethical values of Kashmir. 'Who allowed this nude fashion show at Gulmarg in Holy Ramzan? Semi nude men and women walking on snow. Will Tourism Deptt, CEO GDA throw some light? Why are you hell bound to demolish our moral, ethical, cultural and religious values (sic)?' he asked in a post on X. Another social media user asked why was a 'nude fashion show' held in Gulmarg during Ramzan in the first place. 'This is a shameless mockery of our faith, culture and Kashmiriyat. Ramazan is a month of devotion, repentance, divinity, praying, submission before God NOT decadence. How did the @CM_JnK allow this under his watch when tourism falls directly under his govt?' The CM on Monday said the event was a 'private party, organised at a private hotel' and no 'permission was sought from the government'. If law has been violated, strict action will be taken, he said. Punjab police on Monday said it has arrested an Indian-origin transnational drug lord, wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in connection with one of the largest narcotics seizures in the United States, in Ludhiana. Shehnaz Singh, also known as Shawn Bhinder, had been operating under the guise of a transportation business in Canada since 2014 and allegedly facilitated the movement of drugs from Colombia to the US and Canada via Mexico, the police said. After a crackdown by the FBI, Bhinder, a native of village Mandiala in Batala who had been residing in Brampton in Canada, managed to give a slip to the FBI sleuths and clandestinely landed in India, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said adding that the Punjab Police successfully tracked and arrested him from the jurisdiction of Ludhiana. He was wanted by the FBI in one of the largest drug seizures in the US on February 26, 2025, where the agency had arrested six of his associates and seized 391 kg methamphetamine, 109 kg cocaine, four sophisticated weapons and vehicles from their possession. The six arrested by the FBI were identified as Amritpal Singh alias Amrit alias Bal, Amritpal Singh alias Cheema, Taqdeer Singh alias Romi, Sarabjit Singh Saabi, Fernando Valladares alias Franco and Gurlal Singh. The arrest came amid Punjab government's ongoing 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' (war against drugs) campaign, launched on February 25. The DGP said Bhinder was also wanted in an Arms Act case registered in December 2024. The Tarn Taran Police had arrested five members of the notorious Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and Amritpal Batth gang in the case, leading to the recovery of a significant cache of arms and ammunition from their possession. Deputy Inspector General of Police (Ferozepur Range) Swapan Sharma accompanied by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Tarn Taran Abhimanyu Rana said preliminary investigations reveal that Bhinder played a key role in transporting large consignments of drugs across international borders using trucks and trailers. He said it was found during interrogation that 'accused Shawn Bhinder, operating under the guise of a legitimate transportation business in Canada since 2014, allegedly facilitated the movement of drugs from Colombia to the US and Canada via Mexico'. Probe also revealed that Bhinder, along with his accomplices, was transporting approximately 600 kg of cocaine from Colombia every week, he added. SSP Rana said the accused's network is believed to have ties with notorious drug traffickers, including Amritpal Singh alias Baath and Gurjant Singh Bholu Havelia. Further investigations are on, he added. The Enforcement Directorate on Monday raided the premises of former Chhattisgarh chief minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel as part of a money laundering investigation against his son in the alleged liquor scam case and seized about Rs 30 lakh apart from some documents, official sources said. IMAGE: Enforcement Directorate (ED) personnel being stopped as they leave after searching the residence of former Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel in an ongoing money laundering case, in Durg on Monday. Photograph: ANI Photo The agency searched 14 locations in Durg district, including the Bhilai premises of Bhupesh Baghel's son Chaitanya Baghel, his alleged close associate Laxmi Narayan Bansal alias Pappu Bansal and others under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The raids began around 7 am and the ED search party was accompanied by a security team of the CRPF, the sources said. Chaitanya Baghel shares the Bhilai accommodation with his father and hence the premises are being covered. He (Chaitanya Baghel) is suspected to be the 'recipient' of the proceeds of crime of the liquor scam, they said. About Rs 30 lakh in cash was seized before the eight-hour-long search ended in the evening, the sources said, adding the ED also brought a cash counting machine the former chief minister's residence. The senior Baghel later told reporters that the ED officials 'took with them about Rs 33 lakh in cash but no gold or jewellery was seized'. The former chief minister said he asked the ED officials about the ECIR (Enforcement Case Information Report, the ED's equivalent of a police FIR) number of the case but they said 'there was no ECIR number'. "Then what is the investigation about? This makes it clear that asking questions in the legislative assembly is criminal now. Kawasi Lakhma (Congress MLA) asked questions and he was arrested (by the ED earlier)...," Bhupesh Baghel said. A total of 14 premises in the Durg district were raided, official sources said. The Congress said the raids against the Baghels were a 'conspiracy' to 'manage headlines' on a day when Parliament's Budget session reconvened and the government faced questions from the opposition on multiple issues. Soon after the searches, a number of Congress leaders and workers gathered outside Baghel's house in Bhilai. They staged a protest outside the House against the ED and claimed it to be a conspiracy by the Centre. ED officials said their vehicles were stopped by Congress supporters who had gathered outside the residence of the Baghel's and a stone hit the windshield of a car while the teams were leaving. The agency is mulling to file a police FIR in this incident, the sources said. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) earlier said the Chhattisgarh liquor 'scam' resulted in 'massive loss' to the state exchequer and filled the pockets of the beneficiaries of a liquor syndicate with more than Rs 2,100 crore of proceeds of crime. The ED had arrested former minister and Congress leader Kawasi Lakhma in this case in January apart from Anwar Dhebar, the elder brother of Raipur Mayor and Congress leader Aijaz Dhebar, former IAS officer Anil Tuteja, Indian Telecom Service (ITS) officer Arunpati Tripathi and some others as part of this investigation. The alleged liquor scam in the central Indian state, as per the ED, was orchestrated between 2019 and 2022 when Chhattisgarh was ruled by a Congress government led by CM Baghel. Assets worth about Rs 205 crore of various accused have been attached by the agency as part of this investigation till now. The Supreme Court last year quashed the ED's first ECIR (FIR) in this case that was based on an Income Tax Department complaint. The ED later filed a fresh case after it asked the Chhattisgarh EOW/ACB to file a fresh FIR against the accused on the basis of material shared by the anti-money laundering agency. The EOW/ACB registered the FIR on January 17 last year, about a month after the BJP defeated the incumbent Congress government in the assembly polls, and named 70 individuals and companies, including former excise minister Kawasi Lakhma, former chief secretary Vivek Dhand and others. According to the ED, the alleged commission generated through illegal sale of liquor was shared 'as per the directions from the highest political executives of the state'. Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old Indian-origin student from the University of Pittsburgh, has reportedly gone missing from a resort in the Dominican Republic, where she had gone with friends while on their spring break. Photograph: Sudiksha Konanki on Facebook Search operations are ongoing to locate Konanki, who was last seen on March 6 on the beach of the Riu Republica Hotel in Punta Cana. In a social media post on Saturday, the Indian Embassy in the Dominican Republic said it was in touch with Konanki's parents and extending all assistance with locating the missing student. Sudikshas father, Subbarayudu, confirmed to CNN that his daughter went to Punta Cana for spring break ahead of pre-med studies at Pittsburgh. Subbarayudu said that before she went missing, Sudiksha had told her friends that she was heading to a party at the resort. She went to the beach on March 6 early morning around 4 a.m. with friends and some other guys they met at the resort. After that, her friends came back after some time and my daughter did not come back, did not show up from the beach, the father said. When Sudikshas friends did not find her in her room the next morning, they contacted the cops. A land and sea search was subsequently launched. So far, the authorities, multiple authorities here in the Dominican Republic have searched in the waters. They searched using helicopters and other tools. They also searched in the near bay, bushes, trees. They went multiple times around the same areas, said Subbarayudu. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday slammed the Tamil Nadu government for its stand on three-language policy under the National Education Policy (NEP), accusing it of 'ruining the future of the students' in the state for politics, drawing a sharp retort from Chief Minister M K Stalin, who asked him to 'control his tongue'. IMAGE: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan speaks in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Budget Session, in New Delhi on Monday. Photograph: Sansad TV/ANI Photo During his reply in Parliament on the Central funds for the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme, Pradhan also called the Stalin government 'dishonest', evoking protests from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MPs, who raised slogans and disrupted proceedings of the House, resulting in its adjournment. Heated exchanges also took place outside Parliament between the BJP and opposition parties, including the Congress. "They are dishonest and ruining the future of the students of Tamil Nadu...They are misleading the people...They are doing politics," Pradhan said in a hard-hitting attack against the Stalin government amidst its stiff opposition to the alleged imposition of Hindi in the state under the NEP, claiming that Tamil Nadu will not tolerate 'Hindi colonialism' replacing British colonialism. Shortly after Pradhan's comments in Parliament, Stalin took to social media to launch a scathing attack against the Union minister, who he accused of speaking with 'arrogance as if he was a king' and asked him to 'control his tongue'. "You are deceiving Tamil Nadu by withholding its rightful funds, yet you call Tamil Nadu MPs uncivilised? You are insulting the people of Tamil Nadu. Does the Hon'ble Prime Minister, Thiru. Narendra Modi accepts this?" he said. Referring to Pradhan's letter to him that outlined Tamil Nadu's rejection of the NEP, 3-language policy and PM SHRI MoU, he said the DMK government functioned by respecting the views of the people, unlike the BJP leaders who were bound by 'words from Nagpur'. "Just answer if you could release the funds rightfully meant for Tamil Nadu students, which have been collected from our own tax contributions, or not?" the chief minister said in a social media post responding to the central minister. Earlier in his reply, Pradhan said the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government has changed its stand on implementing the centrally-sponsored scheme PM SHRI, which envisages strengthening the schools managed by central, state, or local bodies. The state concerned has to sign an MoU with the central government that it would implement the NEP 2020 and in return, the central government provides the funds. "The Tamil Nadu government had initially agreed to sign the MoU and several (DMK) MPs, who came to see me, conveyed this to me. But now they have changed their stand. Many non-BJP-ruled states, including Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, have signed the agreement," he said. He further said, 'but they made a U-turn. They are making mischief with the lives of the students. They are misleading the people and doing injustice to the students of Tamil Nadu. They are undemocratic'. Pradhan said Stalin had also agreed initially 'but suddenly some super CM appeared and they took a U-Turn. They just want to do politics'. "Today is March 10. We still have 20 days left in March," he said, indicating the time left for the Tamil Nadu government to sign the MoU on PM SHRI. Taking strong exception to the minister's remarks, the DMK members raised slogans against the central government in the House. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla asked the agitating members to return to their seats and allow the House to function normally. Birla said he had allowed the opposition members to pose questions and subsequently, the minister had replied. "But now you are doing this (protests). This is not good. You are setting a wrong precedent. Don't violate parliamentary procedures," he said. However, the DMK members ignored his pleas and continued their protests. The Congress and other opposition parties also joined them. After some time, Birla adjourned the House till noon. When the House reassembled at noon, DMK member Kanimozhi told the House that she was "very pained and hurt" by a particular word used by the minister. Responding to Kanimozhi, Pradhan said, "My esteemed colleague, one of my dearest sisters and senior member, honourable Kanimozhi has raised two points. According to her, I have used a word which I should not have used for the members from Tamil Nadu, Tamil Nadu government and people of Tamil Nadu." "Let's not mix it. Let me withdraw it. I withdraw my word if it has hurt anyone. I have no issues with that," he said. Commenting on the issue outside Parliament, Congress MP Mallu Ravi said equal respect must be given to the people of South India. "Today, while replying to some question, the education minister made a very unparliamentary comment about a state. He said Tamilians are uncivilised," Ravi said. This word shows the BJP government's thinking about India, which is condemnable, he added. Outside Parliament, Kanimozhi said the Union government should not link funds for school education with NEP implementation. "We have not changed our stand...the minister called us liars and uncivilised. He hurt our pride. We are not against any language but you cannot call us uncivilised. We are speaking to our leaders about moving a privilege motion," she added. Several DMK MPs also raised slogans of 'stop the victimisation of south Indian states'. Congress' Karti Chidambaram said there was societal and political unanimity in Tamil Nadu about the non-acceptance of the three-language policy. BJP member Nishikant Dubey accused the DMK of trying to divide the country by inciting passions by opposing the NEP and delimitation of parliamentary constituencies. "The DMK is opposing the NEP, it is opposing Tamil, Telugu, Maithili, Santhali and Kannada. They are trying to disturb the harmony in the country. They want to impose English throughout and win elections by inciting passions," he said. Last month, Stalin had said he was firm on his stance of not implementing the NEP in Tamil Nadu even if the Centre offered to provide Rs 10,000 crore to the state. The chief minister said the opposition to the NEP is not merely over the 'imposition of Hindi' but there are several other factors that would have serious consequences on the future of students and the social justice system. The total cost of the PM SHRI scheme will be Rs 27,360 crore spread over five years, including the central share of Rs 18,128 crore. A total of 12,079 schools have been selected from 32 states and UTs, of which 1,329 schools are primary, 3,340 schools are elementary, 2,921 schools are secondary and 4,489 schools are senior secondary. On Thursday, March 6, 2025, bulldozers deployed by the Amritsar Municipal Corporation, assisted by the Punjab Police, razed properties in the city allegedly belonging to a drug trafficker. The demolition drive is part of the crackdown against drug trafficking launched by the Punjab government. IMAGE: The Amritsar Municipal Corporation with the support of the Punjab Police demolish an unauthorised godown belonging to an alleged drug peddler, here and below. Photographs: ANI Photo Photographs curated by Anant Salvi/Rediff.com Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com Kannada actress Ranya Rao's alleged involvement in the gold smuggling case has triggered a political slugfest in Karnataka with the ruling Congress and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party trading charges of favouritism and cover-up. IMAGE: Kannada actor Harshavardhini Ranya alias Ranya Rao. Photograph: Courtesy, Ranya Rao/Facebook Harshavardhini Ranya alias Ranya Rao was arrested a week ago for allegedly smuggling gold worth Rs 12 crore from Dubai. While the BJP has alleged the involvement of an influential minister in shielding her, the Congress countered the charge by accusing the saffron party of allotting 12 acres to her to set up a TMT steel bar factory. Karnataka Minister M B Patil clarified later that the allotment of 12 acres of land did not happen as Rao's company failed to make the prescribed payment. In a post on X, BJP Karnataka president B Y Vijayendra said, 'Media reports about the involvement of a prominent minister in @siddaramaiah's government in one of the biggest gold heists in recent times come as no surprise, especially given this government's track record of churning out scandals in increasingly 'innovative' ways!' The MLA said that the blatant violation of government protocols that allegedly enabled Ranya Rao to smuggle gold over Rs 12 crore could not have happened without the direct support of influential figures within the government. The BJP state chief further said if these reports were true, then it raised serious concerns about the extent of the alleged nexus. "Any attempt by the government to shield those responsible will only backfire, especially with the CBI now stepping in. The truth will come out, and any cover-up will only further expose the government's complicity in this grievous offence," he said. State Home Minister G Parameshwara said the investigation was underway and with the Central Bureau of Investigation also stepping in, the truth will come out. "Until the investigation concludes, we cannot say anything. Neither me nor the government can offer any such feedback," he told reporters in Bengaluru on Monday. Minister for Medium and Large Industries, M B Patil, hit back, saying that when the BJP was in power, it allotted 12 acres land at Sira in Tumakuru to Ranya Rao's firm in February, 2023 to establish a steel plant. Earlier, Patil's office had shared the government's final notification issued on February 22, 2023, regarding the allocation of land to Ranya's firm Ksiroda India at the Sira Industrial Area in the Tumakuru district, after sensing that the smuggling case was taking a political turn. Regarding the KIADB land allotment case, Vijayendra said, "It might have happened during the BJP's tenure. Let them investigate. We are not stopping them." On Monday, Patil's office issued a statement saying that the 12 acres of land sanctioned to Ksiroda India Private Limited, a company linked to actress Ranya Rao, has not been officially allocated as the company failed to make the prescribed payment. The statement said that the decision to allot 12 acres to Ksiroda India Private Limited, in which Ranya is one of the directors, at Sira Industrial Area was taken during the 137th State Level Single Window Clearance Committee (SLSWCC) meeting held on January 2, 2023. "However, since the company did not remit the required payment within the stipulated time, the land has not been officially handed over," the minister clarified. Rao remanded to 14 days' judicial custody Rao, meanwhile, was remanded to judicial custody for 14 days by a special court for economic offences, on Monday. The actress was in the custody of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence for three days for interrogation. On Monday, the DRI officials produced her before the court where she broke down. The DRI officials on Monday arrested one more person in connection with the case. The arrested person is the son of a prominent hotelier and was allegedly a partner in gold smuggling involving the actress. The businessman was produced before the special court for economic offences, which allowed the DRI to keep him in its custody for five days. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today A mix of clouds and sun. High 83F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable. Some of the members of Huntertones play music and talk to students at Brattleboro Union High School on Friday, March 7, 2025. Purchase local photos online. All of these are stressors and, unfortunately, if you cant switch off this response, you develop chronic stress, she said. Over weeks to months, this stress accumulates and takes a toll on your body. Youre more likely to get high blood pressure, become sick and have a weakened immune system. Your cells age faster too across your entire body. She explained that for the brain, stress causes brain cells to disconnect and changes how we behave. The brains priority is survival and chronic stress consumes a lot of energy, which helps to maintain that survival instinct. [This] comes at the expense of our most sophisticated behaviors: our personality, problem-solving abilities and short-term memory, she said. A chronically stressed person will be forgetful, less clear-headed and make bad decisions burnout is essentially a severe case of chronic stress. As for what can business leaders do about it, Dr Landowski said they need to keep making strategic decisions, especially in high-stress situations. There are ways to build resilience and reverse the effects of chronic stress, she said. The key is to show your body some love and its easier than you might think. Our nervous system has two arms the fight or flight system, which is activated during stress, [and] the rest and digest system, also known as the parasympathetic nervous system. These systems are like a seesaw; you can only have one active at a time. The fight or flight system is responsible for survival, while the rest and digest system help you relax and recover. The solution, Dr Landowski explained, is to activate the rest and digest system, which helps turn off the fight or flight response and exercise is one of the best ways to achieve this. Exercise releases endorphins, makes you feel good and even promotes brain growth by releasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a sort of fertiliser for your brain, she said. Its also the best way to stimulate the creation of new brain cells. Meeting up with peers According to Dr Landowski, another aspect thats really important is socialising. Socialising with people buffers stress, she said. When were hanging out with people that we like, were releasing things like oxytocin, which makes us feel close to that person, but also oxytocin reduces cortisol. Thats why when you hang out with people you like, it makes you feel good and protects your brain. Nathan Lowe, managing director of ASI Solutions, has used socialising as a way of counteracting stresses of owning a technology solutions provider business. He told ARN that when the business is doing well, its great. However when the business faces some uncertainty, thats when the stress levels rise as a business owner or CEO. Im part of YPO [Young Presidents Organisation], which is a peer-to-peer C-level group [and] gives me the ability to talk about three aspects in life; hows your business, hows your family and how are you personally, he said. For me, its been a really powerful experience. Lowe explained that having the ability to talk to a group of individuals in different industries but with the same stresses has been huge and has given him an outlet. Even just saying it out loud to someone like that helps, almost relieving a bit of that stress from you as a person, he said. You try to be fit, exercise and eat healthy and thats a given. I think most people would say that. He explained if he has a business challenge that he is trying to solve, being able to talk to like-minded individuals, where theres no real conflict, has been helpful. I can say, My business is doing XYZ. Are you seeing this as well? he said. Having a global network has been relatively rewarding as well, but thats probably the one thing thats helped me. When the business is facing those challenges or even burnout, being able to articulate that has been key. As a male, traditionally were not great at talking about that space, but Ive actually felt its improved my ability to communicate, particularly with my family. Lowe said he talks about attaching emotions to what he is thinking or feeling and how it makes him feel. When you say something, it can be misconstrued as something else, he said. What does it actually mean to feel that way because it can mean different things to different people. If you attach emotion to it, at least you get some context and then you can continue the dialogue down that path. Im not a shrink or anything, but I think its definitely helped me from a family front. Id recommend it to other business-level execs to engage with one of those forums, he added. Syrian authorities have ended a military operation against loyalists of former President Bashar Al-Assad in the western province of Latakia. Days of fighting killed more than 1,500 people, including some 1,000 civilian members of Assads Alawite minority. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group that documents the fighting, said security forces or allied militants carried out most of the killings. The violence has sent shockwaves across Syria, where minorities were hoping for a new beginning after the Sunni Islamist rebels who toppled Assad promised to protect ethnic and religious minorities to preserve and reconcile the countrys diverse society. Killings Of Armenian Men The reported killing of two Armenian men in the clashes in the northwestern city of Latakia has terrified members of the tiny Christian minority. Before the outbreak of the civil war in 2011, there were estimated to be more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians in Syria. The Armenian government now believes that 30,000 Armenians remain in the country after more than 60,000 moved to Armenia and elsewhere. Everyone is afraid to speak, Hakob Altunyan, an ethnic Armenian from Latakia who now lives in Yerevan, told RFE/RLs Armenian Service. They are afraid to go outside and speak on the phone. Altunyan has been frantically calling friends and family in Latakia after the clashes in the region made global news. They launched an attack, entered the villages with tanks, and are shooting, a man Altunyan identified as his friend said in an audio message sent from Latakia. Weve heard that theyve burned down houses, and we dont know who is alive and who is dead, the man said in an audio message Altunyan shared with RFE/RL. Since the outbreak of violence last week, Dalida Kahejyan, an exiled Syrian Armenian in Yerevan, has been regularly checking in on her daughter in Kessab, a mountainous town in Latakia near the Turkish border. Schools And Churches Closed They have no electricity. Schools and churches there are closed, she told RFE/RL about the region predominantly populated by ethnic Armenians. They think about leaving, Kahejyan said of Kessabs residents. But at present, their passports are not valid. Some members of the Armenian community in Syria also have Armenian passports, which is part of Yerevan's effort to provide some security to the diaspora. In an interview with Reuters on March 10, Ahmed Sharaa, Syria's interim president, said the mass killings of Alawites threatened his effort to unite Syrians. He reiterated his resolve to punish those responsible for the massacre, even if they were his allies. Abubakar Siddique wrote this story based on RFE/RLs Armenian Service reporting. To some, Calin Georgescu is a dangerous populist; to others, he is a fearless champion of the anti-establishment cause. His disqualification from the May 4 presidential election by Romanias electoral commission has only deepened this divide, fueling discontent and uncertainty about the countrys political future. Deep Divisions The crisis has been brewing for a while and Georgescu isn't the first far-right candidate who has been prevented from running in a Romanian election. In October 2024, the court banned Diana Iovanovici Sosoaca, a pro-Russian, anti-EU, far-right candidate, from running in the presidential election, saying that her public statements and conduct "systematically" violated the country's constitutional foundation -- and the country's membership in Euro-Atlantic structures. That decision was contentious -- even criticized by some who found Iovanovici Sosoaca's views abhorrent -- and also a harbinger of what was to come. After Georgescu surprise victory in the first round of the presidential election in November last year, the constitutional court cancelled the runoff, thrusting the country into further crisis. The court justified this ruling by pointing to claims of Russian meddling in the election process. According to Romanian intelligence reports, foreign actors had manipulated social-media platforms, especially TikTok, to benefit Georgescu, who is critical of NATO and opposes Romanian support for Ukraine against Russia's invasion. Intelligence reports indicated that the campaign was likely orchestrated by Russia, though Moscow denied any involvement. The court's decision to annul Georgescu's candidacy was deeply controversial. According to a survey by FlashData, 46 percent of Romanians believed that the annulment was "an unjustified action" and 41 percent said that it was "a necessary action to ensure the fairness of the electoral process." What Happens If Georgescu Doesn't Run? Georgescu has appealed the decision and Romanias Constitutional Court will meet on March 11 to discuss his appeal. Given that the commissions ruling was based on the court's prior annulment of the second round of the presidential election, it is almost certain that the disqualification will stand. One possibility is that Georgescu's supporters could rally behind another candidate, such as George Simion, the leader of the nationalist Alliance for the Union Of Romanians (AUR) party. While Simion has publicly stated he does not intend to run in the election, some analysts have suggested that he could be persuaded. Alternatively, Georgescu himself could endorse a replacement candidate from within nationalist circles. Nationalist parties collectively secured around 25-30 percent of the vote in Romania's December 2024 parliamentary elections, reflecting growing public frustration with mainstream political forces. Romania's Leadership Vacuum While the crisis has assumed an international dimension -- even getting a mention from US Vice President JD Vance earlier this year -- it is still fundamentally local, reflecting what many in Romania view as lack of political leadership. Elena Tanase, the director of RFE/RL's Romanian Service, points out that former President Klaus Iohannis has not held a press conference exclusively for Romanian journalists in recent years nor delivered a State of the Nation address. The current government is plagued by scandal. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu faces allegations of involvement in real-estate corruption case, while former National Liberal Party leader Nicolae Ciuca has been accused of plagiarism in his PhD and financial mismanagement. Moreover, Tanase says that Romania lacks a strong, pro-European, liberal-conservative party that could effectively represent its traditional, working classes. That has allowed nationalist movements to capitalize on voter discontent. While Georgescus shock first-round win was helped along by a savvy -- and, potentially, illegal -- TikTok campaign, he was tapping into a deep malaise among many Romanians, who are sick of widespread corruption and a crumbling health-care system. (There is a common saying in Romania that you enter a hospital with one illness and leave with 10.) Romania's have-nots perceive their society as fundamentally corrupt, controlled by elites more interested in personal gain than public service. Could Protests Escalate? Tensions are high in Bucharest after protests following the election commission's verdict on March 9 left 13 security personnel injured. And there are fears the unrest could escalate. Georgescu, in a social media post on March 10, called for his supporters to remain peaceful as he fights to overturn the election boards decision. We must not give rise to violence or other actions like those seen last night, he said. How AUR leader Simion and the nationalist parties respond will be crucial. At a press conference on March 10, Simion said that his party, together with Georgescu, has a plan but would not disclose details. Echoing Georgescus remarks, he also called the current political system a "dictatorship" and affirmed that the nationalist parties would stand by Georgescu "until the end." Iran said it will not enter negotiations with the United States over its disputed nuclear program under what it said is pressure and intimidation from Washington. The stance comes as US President Donald Trump increases pressure on Tehran by ending a sanctions waiver that had allowed Iraq to buy electricity from its neighbor. "We will NOT negotiate under pressure and intimidation. We will NOT even consider it, no matter what the subject may be," Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on X on March 10. Araqchis comments came a day after Iran's mission to the United Nations struck a more conciliatory tone, saying Tehran could be open to talks aimed at addressing concerns about the potential militarization of its nuclear program. "If the objective of negotiations is to address concerns vis-a-vis any potential militarization of Iran's nuclear program, such discussions may be subject to consideration," said a March 9 statement from the mission. But Araqchi appeared to close the door on such talks, saying Tehran's nuclear program is peaceful and there was "no such thing as its 'potential militarization.'" During his first term in office, Trump withdrew the United States from a 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and world powers and reimposed sanctions that had been lifted under its terms. Trump said the terms of that deal were not strong enough to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. 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 Tehran's oil exports to "zero." Experts say the United States is unlikely to be able to stop Iran's oil sales entirely, but will be able to substantially reduce it. The US State Department said on March 9 that the decision not to renew Iraq's sanctions waiver was made to "ensure we do not allow Iran any degree of economic or financial relief." Iran supplies one-third of Iraq's gas and electricity, providing Tehran with significant revenue. The White House on March 9 warned Tehran that it will deal with its nuclear program either through military means or by reaching a deal, remarks that came hours after Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected a US proposal for negotiations between the two bitter rivals. "We hope the Iran Regime puts its people and best interests ahead of terror," White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said in a statement on March 9. In an interview with Fox Business recorded on March 6, Trump said, "There are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal" to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Khamenei, speaking on March 8 to a group of Iranian officials, said the US offer of talks are not aimed at solving problems but to "impose" their demands on Tehran. BUCHAREST -- Several hundred supporters of Romanian far-right politician Calin Georgescu gathered peacefully outside the Constitutional Court in Bucharest late on March 10 ahead of a consequential ruling that will determine whether the former engineer can run in May's presidential election. The night of calm contrasted with the mayhem that unfolded on the evening of March 9 following the Central Election Board's (CEB) ruling rejecting Georgescu's inclusion in a presidential election rerun. More than a dozen police officers were injured during the scuffle with protesters. Georgescu promptly filed an appeal on the morning of March 10 with the Constitutional Court expected to make a decision on the following day. The protesters waved the tri-color Romanian flag as they chanted "freedom" and called for the arrest of Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, who has backed the Constitutional Court during the unprecedented election upheaval. Georgescu has urged his supporters to remain peaceful as he continues his fight to participate in the rerun election. "We are going together to the end for the same values, peace, democracy, freedom," Georgescu said. The CEB ruling disqualified his application based on a Constitutional Court ruling that halted the original election in November following his first-round win. "We must not give rise to violence or other forms of this kind compared to what happened yesterday evening," Georgescu said, referring to the violence that saw cars burned, store windows smashed, and cobblestones thrown at police, who responded with volleys of tear gas and by detaining protesters. "The right to free expression is a fundamental right of every citizen, but it must be exercised within the limits of the law and with respect for public order and safety," Major Ana Burchi, a spokeswoman for the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Gendarmerie, told reporters. Georgescu, who is critical of NATO and opposes Romanian support for Ukraine against Russia's invasion, filed his candidacy for the rerun, to be held on May 4, on March 7. The CEB had 48 hours to accept or reject the application. Late on March 9, it said Georgescu's candidacy "does not meet the conditions provided by law, as established by the Constitutional Court in December 2024," a reference to the ruling canceling the presidential election. "Consequently, at the resumption of the electoral process, the members of the BEC consider that it is inadmissible to consider that the same person meets the conditions to accede to the presidency of Romania," it said. Georgescu and his supporters have claimed Romanian authorities are trying to block his candidacy in the rerun. He reacted angrily to the rejection, calling it "a direct blow to the heart of democracy." "I have one message left! If democracy in Romania falls, the entire democratic world will fall! This is just the beginning. Its that simple!...Europe is now a dictatorship, Romania is under tyranny!" he added in a social media post. The first round of the presidential election was canceled by the Constitutional Court on December 6 after Romanian intelligence reports said foreign actors had manipulated social media platforms, especially TikTok, to benefit Georgescu, a far-right, pro-Russian candidate. The annulment of the vote has exacerbated deep divisions in Romanian politics and sparked international concern over the course of democracy in the European Union and NATO member. Last month, US Vice-President JD Vance delivered a thinly veiled criticism of the country's moves against Georgescu, telling delegates at the Munich Security Conference that "if your democracy can be destroyed with a few hundred thousand dollars of digital advertising from a foreign country then it wasn't very strong to begin with." The 62-year-old Georgescu was a little-known figure in Romania until he unexpectedly won the first round of the presidential election on November 24 with about 22 percent of the vote. He was to face pro-European centrist candidate Elena Lasconi, 52, in a runoff, which had been seen as a referendum on the future course of Romania. Ciolacu, who supported the Constitutional Court's decision to annul the election, said the authorities have the right to present the public with extremely solid evidence in the investigation, "which involves a potential candidate in the May elections." Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on February 10 that he was resigning from his post amid an effort by the opposition to have him impeached after he stayed in power following the Constitutional Court's election annulment. Just days before the vote, Georgescu launched a TikTok campaign calling for an end to aid for Ukraine, apparently striking a chord with voters. He has also sounded a skeptical note on Romania's NATO membership. His anti-Western messaging is routinely amplified on Russian, state-run media and Kremlin-friendly social media. His other stances included supporting Romanian farmers, reducing dependency on imports, and ramping up energy and food production. Ukrainian forces who have occupied part of Russia's Kursk region since last summer are under increasing military pressure and may have to abandon the territory, say analysts interviewed by RFE/RL. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had planned to trade the Kursk area occupied by Kyiv's troops for Ukrainian territory currently held by Russia but that plan may no longer be viable. The first-ever Ukraine war crime trial is under way. Russian soldier Dmitry Kurashov, who was recruited from prison, is accused of executing a Ukrainian soldier who had surrendered and was a prisoner of war. This marks the first time a Russian soldier has been physically present in a Ukrainian courtroom for such charges. Thousands of Ukrainian soldiers seized roughly 1,300 square kilometers of Russia's western Kursk region in August. Kyiv later characterized the move as an attempt to gain a bargaining chip for future negotiations and draw Russian troops away from the front line in eastern Ukraine. But seven months on, Ukraine is rapidly losing ground there to Russian forces backed by allied North Korean troops. There is a feeling that the Ukrainian armed forces are generally ready to leave the Kursk region, Yan Matveyev, an independent military analyst, told RFE/RL. Ukraines hold on territory in Kursk is more tenuous than at any other point since August, experts said. Kyiv still controls most of Sudzha, the local district capital, and other settlements. But reports suggest that Russian forces have broken through the defensive lines north of the town in recent days. According to reports, Russian soldiers crept through a disused underground gas pipeline to covertly penetrate Ukrainian positions in Sudzha. Russia has also advanced in multiple areas in Ukraine along the border in recent days. Reports say Russian troops have captured the Ukrainian village of Novenke and cut off Sudzha from the Ukrainian-controlled Russian village of Guyevo. These advances have put Russian forces within five kilometers of Ukraines N07 highway, the main road used for logistics, allowing them to severely complicate the movement of Ukrainian troops and hardware. The enemy is trying to cut the main supply routes... the current weather hinders the creation of secondary supply routes -- it's muddy and cars get stuck in all the mud, Anton Serbin, commander of the Ukrainian 104th Territorial Defense brigades drone group, told RFE/RL. Matveyev, the military analyst, said Ukrainian forces have problems with logistics after they lost control of some routes and roads connecting them with supplies, and they have been under intensified drone attacks in recent weeks." Russia Pounding Ukrainian Supply Lines In Kursk, Says Analyst No media source currently available 0:00 0:00:37 0:00 Losing Kursk would be a blow to Ukraine ahead of possible peace talks pushed by US President Donald Trump. Zelenskyy has said the territories in Kursk controlled by Kyiv could be swapped for Ukrainian territory held by Moscow. Experts have previously suggested that Russian-occupied land in Ukraines Kharkiv region, the only part of Ukraine where Russia holds territory without claiming it as Russian, could be regained in such a swap. Are Russian Offensives Elsewhere On Hold? While Russia makes gains near Sudzha, its offensive in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region has mostly stalled. Ukrainian forces have reportedly retaken several small pockets of territory near the key logistical hub of Pokrovsk, where Russia faces major logistical issues due to Ukraines use of drones, experts said. A Russian victory over Ukraine in Kursk could free up significant forces to renew the Russian push in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhya regions. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that Ukraine would have to make concessions to Russia over land it has occupied since 2014 as part of any peace agreement. Rubio spoke as he traveled to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, ahead of crunch talks between Ukrainian and US delegations aimed at ending Russias three-year war on Ukraine that will begin on March 11. The Russians cant conquer all of Ukraine, and obviously itll be very difficult for Ukraine in any reasonable time period to sort of force the Russians back all the way to where they were in 2014, he told reporters. Rubio has also added that it will be necessary to find out what Russia is willing to concede, saying that this would give the US a "pretty good assessment" of how far apart the conflicting parties are. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Saudi Arabia earlier in the day, where he met with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, the de facto ruler of the kingdom. After the meeting, Zelenskyy praised the cooperation between Ukraine and Saudi Arabia and said he hopes that the upcoming meeting with the US delegation in Jeddah will bring "practical outcomes". "Ukraines position in these talks will be fully constructive," he added. As Kyiv is likely to propose a peace plan outlined by Zelenskyy that includes an air and sea truce as the first step, Rubio said he sees potential in Ukraine's proposal. "Im not saying that alone is enough, but its the kind of concession you would need to see in order to end this conflict." The US, Ukraines main military supporter, is pushing for a quick conclusion to the conflict by engaging in direct talks with Moscow while halting military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv. The US-Ukrainian talks on March 11 will be the first formal meeting since an Oval Office argument between Zelenskyy, US President Donald Trump, and US Vice President JD Vance on February 28 that saw the Ukrainian president publicly berated and asked to leave the White House. Zelenskyy said he will not be part of the US-Ukraine talks in Jeddah. Kyivs delegation will include Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, Zelenskyy's chief of staff Andriy Yermak, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. They will meet with a US delegation that is expected to include Rubio, Trump's envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and national-security adviser Mike Waltz. "Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively," Zelenskyy said in a March 9 post on X. Witkoff said in an interview with Fox News before leaving the United States that he had high hopes going into the talks, which would touch on territorial claims and security protocols. "I think that we're going over there with an expectation that we're going to make substantial progress," he said, adding that he's "really hopeful." "All the signs are very, very positive." British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, a key mediator between Washington and Kyiv, said he spoke with Trump on March 10 about the upcoming talks in Jeddah. Starmer said he hoped the outcome would persuade Trump to restart intelligence sharing and weapons shipments to Ukraine. The White House last week announced it was halting weapons shipments and intelligence sharing, claiming Ukraine wasn't committed to peace. During the blow up at the White House, Trump accused Zelenskyy of acting like a "tough guy" because he had the backing of the US. Witkoff told Fox News that the US had not cut off defensive intelligence sharing while Trump said late on March 9 that the US "just about" restored intelligence sharing. Zelenskyy is under intense pressure from Washington to quickly agree a cease-fire with Russia, despite no pledge of a US security guarantee. But so far, Moscow has not shown interest in a cessation of hostilities. Russia has stepped up attacks on its neighbor and reported battlefield gains in recent days. On March 9, Trump suggested that Ukraine may not be able to withstand the war against Russia even with US support. In an interview with Fox News, Trump defended his decision to reduce support to Ukraine, saying: Well, it may not survive anyway. Trump also repeated his claim that Zelenskyy was not grateful for US support but did describe the Ukrainian president as smart and tough. Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the recapture of several villages and towns on March 9 in its Kursk region -- -- as well as new settlements in eastern Ukraine -- with unconfirmed reports that thousands of Ukrainian troops risks being encircled by Russian forces. Russia has been making territorial gains in eastern Ukraine since early 2024. However, military analysts say that Russia -- which now occupies about 20 percent of Ukraine -- can not continue the scale of its current offensive much longer due to significant losses of troops and equipment. During their fiery blow up at the Oval Office, US President Donald Trump told his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, that you dont have the cards right now. Trumps comment last month referred to Kyivs perceived weak hand in the face of battlefield gains by Russia and a White House eager to bring the three-year war to an end. Now, as Zelenskyy arrives in Saudi Arabia -- where a Ukrainian negotiating team will then engage in high-stakes talks with US officials on March 11 about a potential peace deal -- Kyivs cards will be on full display. Ukraine has the weakest hand at the table, said Michael Froman, president of the Council on Foreign Relations. As Trump and his emissaries have made clear, Washington is not inclined to indefinitely support Kyiv. Since that White House argument in late February, Washington has upped the pressure on Ukraine, pausing military aid and suspending intelligence sharing. A crucial US-Ukraine minerals deal also remains unsigned. Trump has expressed optimism about the talks, telling reporters that were going to make a lot of progress, I believe, this week. Zelenskyy said before traveling to Saudi Arabia that he will continue to work for the sake of peace. Now comes time for a new round of betting, said Froman. What is Ukraines bottom line, both with the United States and with Russia? What American chips is Trump willing to wager to strike not just any deal, but a deal that creates a just and durable peace? Who Will Be At US-Ukraine Talks? The one-day talks in Saudi Arabia will be the first meetings between Ukrainian and US officials since Zelenskyys tense White House visit. They also come nearly a month after US and Russian officials held talks in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, about ending the war in Ukraine -- without the presence of Kyiv. The Ukrainian president will travel to Saudi Arabia and meet with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman on March 10. The Ukrainian negotiating team will stay in the country to meet with their American counterparts the next day. Kyivs delegation will include Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyys chief of staff, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. The US-Ukraine talks will take place in the Saudi city of Jeddah. The American negotiating team will be led by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and include US national-security adviser Mike Waltz. Trumps envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, who attended the Riyadh talks, was slated to attend. But reports now indicate that he may travel to Qatar for talks over the fragile Israeli-Hamas cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. What Does The US Want From Ukraine At The Talks? Trump has said Ukraine is running out of manpower and resources, and that it needs to quickly come to the negotiating table with Russia. A central focus of the talks in Jeddah will be US and Ukrainian officials gauging what kind of peace process is possible. Witkoff said last week that he hoped to discuss a "framework" for a potential cease-fire and peace deal during the talks. US officials will also be looking to see where Kyiv is willing to compromise. Since Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Kyiv has called for the return of all its territory and the complete withdrawal of Russian forces. Comments by Trump and other US officials indicate that this position is not seen as realistic in the White House. Sequencing for the peace process to achieve a deal could also be on the table, including issues such as an early cease-fire to establish trust, prisoner exchanges, and potentially, at some point, elections in Ukraine. Ahead of the talks, Serhiy Leshchenko, an adviser to the head of the Ukrainian President's Office, said at a press conference that Kyiv is prepared to accept a cease-fire for air attacks and at sea, but not yet for fighting on the battlefield. "You want a truce we are ready," he said. "However, not on land, where [Russian President Vladimir] Putin will be able to take a truce for several months: treat the wounded, recruit infantry in North Korea , and then resume this war." In exchange for concessions from Ukraine, the Trump administration could look to restore the flow of military aid and intelligence-sharing. Trump said on March 9 that the United States had just about ended its suspension of sharing intelligence with Ukraine, indicating that it could resume with a positive result in Saudi Arabia. Does Ukraine Have Any Bargaining Power? Zelenskyy has been under strong US pressure to make concessions ahead of any peace talks and has been pushing for firm security guarantees for Kyiv, which he so far has not received. US special envoy Keith Kellogg described the mounting pressure brought by the cutoff of military supplies and halt in intelligence cooperation as hitting a mule with a 2x4 across the nose." Also hanging over the meeting in Jeddah is the fate of the minerals deal between the United States and Ukraine. Kyiv wanted to include a clear US security guarantee in exchange for access to certain mineral resources in Ukraine, a demand rejected by Washington. That agreement was put on ice during Zelenskyys Washington visit, but both sides have expressed a renewed willingness to sign the deal. Ahead of the upcoming talks, Trump said he thought Ukraine would sign it. During his recent interview, Kellogg indicated that this may be Kyivs best option. If the United States has direct economic interest in Ukraine, then the United States has a direct and vested interest to protect its economic interests as well which serves, in fact, as a de facto security guarantee for Ukraine, he said. What About Russia? Russia will not be at the table in Saudi Arabia this time, but what Moscow is willing to concede -- if anything -- is a question also hanging over the US-Ukraine meetings. Zelenskyy has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want peace, and stressed that the Russian leader has violated previous cease-fire deals. Ukraine's European allies have argued that Kyiv can only strike a deal with Russia from a position of strength and that Ukraine should not be rushed to the negotiating table. Despite those considerations, Ukraine is under pressure to compromise and any corresponding moves by the United States to push Moscow to make concessions has not been made public. Thomas Graham, a former Russia director for the National Security Council under President George W. Bush who maintains contact with officials in Moscow, says that the Kremlin has not budged from its maximal demands for ending the conflict. Moscow continues to push for keeping Ukraine out of NATO, recognition of the Ukrainian territory it occupies, Ukraines demilitarization, and lifting Western sanctions against Russias economy. The Kremlin welcomes more sequential steps that erode Ukraines position, such as the US decision to suspend arms shipments to Ukraine, which a Kremlin spokesperson called the best contribution to the cause of peace, said Graham. RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service contributed reporting to this story. By Jonathan McCambridge, PA The education budget in Northern Ireland is facing funding pressures of more than 400 million in the next financial year, Paul Givan has warned MLAs. Mr Givan said that while he wanted to support all schools in Northern Ireland, he is currently not able to do so in the current financial environment we operate in. The Education Minister was asked about financial pressures facing his department at the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday. Mr Givan said he was confident the budget would be balanced in the current financial year, although this was down to the resource not being put into the areas where it was required. However, he said that the next financial year presents a really difficult challenge. Education Minister Paul Givan updated MLAs on funding pressures facing the education department. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA. DUP MLA Phillip Brett asked the minister to set out the challenges facing his department in the draft budget for 2025/2026. Mr Givan said: The latest assessment of the draft budget for my department indicates an inescapable resource pressure totalling 261 million. The 261 million shortfall means that the department wont be able to fund a number of areas, including the EAs (Education Authority) block grant, when it comes to SEN (Special Educational Needs) non-pay pressures, maintenance pressures. This issue is increasingly a cause for significant concern. There will be increasing school deficits in place, non-SEN pressures that are funded by the EA block including but not limited to home to school transport, catering, ICT. There are other high priority pressures of around 76 million. Those that are deemed inescapable and high priority come to 337 million. And my capital (budget) is forecasting a gap of 91 million. The picture for the next financial year is really difficult. Mr Givan added: I say that to colleagues in this Assembly who rightly challenge me to do more for schools, but I can only do what I have available to me. All of my colleagues are facing these challenges and the Executive as a whole is not being funded at a suitable level. But we need to be giving education the priority it deserves. The minister told MLAs that at least 60% of schools in Northern Ireland are now operating at a financial deficit. He said: I want to be able to support all of our schools across Northern Irelandbut we are not able to do so in the current financial environment we operate in. Only through significant increased investment in our school estate are we going to be able to make the difference. Alliance Party MLA Stewart Dickson asked the minister why funding had been cut for the School Enhancement Programme, which allows smaller-scale works to be carried out. Mr Givan said: He and some other colleagues have raised concerns in other schools about this. It is a matter that I discussed with my officials today. I have not taken any decision to end the work that was taking place in school enhancement projects. My officials are urgently engaging with the Education Authority to find out why they have taken this approach. I certainly do not agree with it. Well-known Ballaghaderreen businessman Brian Mulligan has outlined the concerns of local traders about the current public realm works taking place in the town. Mr Mulligan was among a group of about forty members of the business community which held a peaceful demonstration this morning, Monday, in the town square at 7.a.m.. Members of the business community in Ballaghaderreen held a peaceful demonstration in the town's square at 7 a.m. this morning. There are fears the redevelopment plans for the town will have a detrimental impact on local trade. Watch the interview here: A specialised consultant is being sought to carry out a tourism and economic benefit report for a planned 28m flagship tourism facility at Hodson Bay. Roscommon County Council, in a recently published tender, is seeking the services of a tourism consultancy to progress certain elements of the Hodson Bay waterfront park project. The proposed development plans a reimagined marina with floating boardwalk, a shore length promenade and a reimagined water play experience. The council tender outlines that an integral part of the project is to ensure the overall project delivers on its key objective to expand and support sustainable tourism at Hodson Bay. In order to achieve this objective, the local authority wants to engage the services of a skilled, experienced and competent specialist tourism consultant to develop a tourism and economic benefit report. The objective of this report is to explore how the potential for tourism can be maximised as part of the progression of the project. The successful consultant will undertake market research and analysis to include a visitor profiling study, tourism, consumer and lifestyle trends along with looking at areas such as driving demand and demand forecasting. It is envisaged that the consultant team will be appointed by April with the final report expected to be completed by September 2025. The Hodson Bay has been identified in the Shannon Tourism Masterplan 2020-2030 as having potential for increased marina capacity as well as the possibility of providing visitor access to the Lough Ree Islands. In 2023, the SLR Consulting company prepared a Constraints Study and Preferred Options report for the Hodson Bay Area on behalf of the council. This report identified a strategy for the long-term development of the area as a flagship tourism facility. Roscommon County Council, the lead applicant, and Waterways Ireland have received funding from Failte Ireland under the EU Just Transition Fund to take the project through the design and environmental evaluation and statutory consent stages. This also involves the completion of the tourism and economic benefit report. Time-limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate in the tender process is March 18th. Thousands of euro in funding has been allocated to local agricultural shows. A total of 30,930 was awarded to the countys five shows. One of the oldest in the country, Strokestown Show, which will take place on Saturday September 13th, received 9,205; Roscommon Agricultural Show, which takes place on Saturday, August 16th, received 8,350; Elphin Agricultural Show, which takes place on Saturday August 30th, received 8,350; and Boyle Summer Show, which takes place on August 10th, received 6,700. Funding also was awarded to Athlone Agricultural Show, Ballinasloe Horse and Agri Show, Glenamaddy District Ploughing & Agricultural Show, and Longford Agriculture Show. Over the weekend, Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary announced an investment of over 1 million to support 123 Agricultural Shows right across the country. As part of the initiative, each show will receive a grant of between 4,260 and 11,410 depending on their size. This funding will support the work of each of the 123 show committees as they prepare for the upcoming show season. The funding announced today brings the total allocated to our Agricultural Shows since 2018 to over 5.3 million. Minister Calleary made the announcement as he launched the 2025 Yearbook for Irish Shows Association (ISA) at an event in the Athlone Springs Hotel on Saturday. Minister Calleary said agricultural shows are a key component of life in rural Ireland. Although farming practices have changed, agriculture is still the backbone of life in rural Ireland and plays a vital role in our national economy, he said. The agricultural show as we know it has so much to offer, not just in terms of the competitive element, but also as a platform for local businesses, local farmers and for local craft and artisan food producers. The local show is also one of the best days of the year for meeting neighbours and friends. The Department of Rural and Community Development will work with the Irish Shows Association (ISA) to administer the 2025 scheme. Minister Calleary continued: Community events across the country like the Agricultural Shows would not be possible without the Meitheal that is so evident in rural Ireland. I would like to acknowledge the efforts of the show committees, the many dedicated volunteers and stewards, sponsors, local businesses and organisations that each do their bit to ensure their local show is such a success. I would strongly encourage people to attend and support their local show. I am sure they will find the show has something to offer everyone. Thomas Tom Dishon, 67 of Fairview, MT passed away suddenly at his home in Fairview, MT on Thursday, March 6, 2025. Funeral services for Thomas Tom will be held on Sunday, March 16, 2025, at 2:00 P.M., at the Zion Lutheran Church, Fairview, MT. The family has requested that casual attire be worn at his service. A luncheon will follow the burial at The Waterhole #3 in Fairview, MT for a time of fellowship and sharing. Tom will be laid to rest in the Fairview Cemetery, E. Fairview, ND. Visitation will be Saturday, March 15, 2025, 10 AM to 3 PM at the funeral home and the casket will not be opened at the church. Memorials may be made to: Fairview Fire Department or Buford/Trenton Community Hall. Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home of Sidney, Montana is assisting the family. Remembrances, condolences, and pictures may be shared with the family at http://www.fulkersons.com. Shaunki Sardar Teaser Drop Supremacy Clash Starts Here Based on a strong storyline and epic-sized characters, the movie is about to storm theatres on 16 May, 2025. Shaunki Sardar Teaser Drop Supremacy Clash Starts Here: The wait is on high as the eagerly anticipated Punjabi movie "Shaunki Sardar" releases its teaser. Going by the glimpse, film lovers can expect an explosive cinematic ride! Starring three big-ticket starsBabbu Maan, Guru Randhawa, and Guggu Gill the movie is set to take cinemas by storm on May 16, 2025. Based on a strong storyline and epic-sized characters, the movie is about to storm theatres on 16 May, 2025. Advertisement Directed by the talented Dheeraj Kedarnath Rattan, "Shaunki Sardar" promises an action-packed saga brimming with pride, power, and passion. As an added delight, the film marks the grand debut of Bollywood actress Nimrit Kaur Ahluwalia in Punjabi cinema. This adds a fresh and compelling dynamic to the storyline. Accompanying them, Dheeraj Kumar and Hasneen Chauhan also play pivotal roles that will surely leave a mark. Director Dheeraj Kedarnath Rattan could hardly wait, stating, "This is not just a moviea cinematic extravaganza that combines action, feelings, and patriotism. The teaser provides just a hint of the firepower that Babbu Maan, Guru Randhawa, and Guggu Gill unleash on screen." Producers Ishaan Kapoor, Shah Jandiali, and Dharminder Batouli weren't holding back their excitement either. They said, "We are excited to unite three great performers in a manner never experienced before in Punjabi cinema. 'Shaunki Sardar' is a celebration of Punjab's rich storytelling and action-packed heritage." Advertisement With its A-grade cast, intriguing plot, and adrenaline-fueled action, "Shaunki Sardar" is being touted as the biggest Punjabi blockbuster of 2025. The countdown has started, and anticipation abounds. Be prepared to see a film that's going to create history (For More News Apart Shaunki Sardar Teaser Drop Supremacy Clash Starts Here stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) Lalit Modi Faces Major Setback as Vanuatu PM Revokes Former IPL Chief's Passport"? The Prime Minister of Vanuatu reportedly ordered the Citizenship Commission to revoke Modi's passport. Lalit Modi Faces Major Setback as Vanuatu PM Revokes Former IPL Chief's Passport"? latest news: Lalit Modi, who was the former chairman of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and a fugitive financial criminal, has suffered a major jolt. The Prime Minister of Vanuatu has directed his passport to be canceled. This came just a few days after Modi surrendered his Indian passport at the Indian High Commission in London, leaving him in a precarious position. The Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed that Modi had made a request to recover his Indian passport. Modi has been staying in London ever since he fled from India in 2010. After he relinquished his Indian passport, it was found that he had also gained citizenship of the Pacific island country of Vanuatu through their "Golden Passport" scheme, under which rich people can buy citizenship and residency. Advertisement The Prime Minister of Vanuatu reportedly ordered the Citizenship Commission to revoke Modi's passport. It is unknown if Vanuatu took the decision independently or was influenced by India. Vanuatu is an 83-island archipelago of small volcanic islands, gained independence from Britain and France in 1980, and has a population of about 300,000. Modi had plotted to escape Indian authorities by becoming a citizen of another nation, which would complicate his extradition. Reports of Vanuatu media say the move to proceed against Modi came under pressure from India. According to reports, India's High Commissioner in New Zealand, Neeta Bhushan, helped in the cancellation of Modi's passport. It seems that Vanuatu initially did not know about Modi's past and acted after discovering his fugitive status. (For More News Apart Lalit Modi Faces Major Setback as Vanuatu PM Revokes Former IPL Chief's Passport"? stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) President Droupadi Murmu Begins Her Visit to Haryana, Chandigarh, and Punjab Today Droupadi Murmu, the President of India, will be on a three-day visit to Haryana, Chandigarh, and Punjab President Droupadi Murmu Begins Her Visit to Haryana, Chandigarh, and Punjab Today latest news: According to information available on the official website of the President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, the President of India, will be on a three-day visit to Haryana, Chandigarh, and Punjab from March 10 to 12, 2025. On March 10, the President will attend the convocation ceremony of Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology in Hisar. On the same day, she will launch a state-level campaign, Spiritual Education for Holistic Well-Being, organized by the Brahma Kumaris in Hisar, to mark the Golden Jubilee celebration of the organization. Advertisement On March 11, the President will grace the convocation ceremonies of the Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, and AIIMS, Bathinda. In the evening, she will attend a civic reception at Mohali, hosted by the Government of Punjab in her honor. On March 12, the President will attend the convocation ceremony of Panjab University, Chandigarh. (For More News Apart President Droupadi Murmu Begins Her Visit to Haryana, Chandigarh, and Punjab Today stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) Second Session of Budget Session Begins Today; Opposition Raises Concerns Over ASHA Workers On the first day of the session, the opposition highlighted the concerns of ASHA workers across the country. Second Session of Budget Session Begins Today; Opposition Raises Concerns Over ASHA Workers latest news: The second session of the Budget Session 2025 began on Monday, March 10, and is scheduled to conclude on April 4. The opposition is expected to raise several pressing issues, including US tariffs, delimitation, voter list manipulation, and more. On the first day of the session, the opposition highlighted the concerns of ASHA workers across the country. Advertisement Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, in strong words, urged the Hon'ble Minister of Health and Family Welfare to take immediate action in coordination with state governments to address the grievances of ASHA workers. He said, Despite being overburdened with responsibilities and working 12-14 hours a day, they are still classified as volunteers. They receive meager honorariums and incentives, which are often delayed, leaving them and their families struggling financially. Tharoor further stated that in Kerala, ASHA workers earn only a7,000 per month, and the government has not paid them for months. Advertisement He emphasized that ASHA workers have staged nationwide protests over the years, demanding official employee status, payment of arrears, better working conditions, retirement benefits, and access to mental and social security services. He added that their ongoing protest highlights the systemic undervaluation of community health workers in India, particularly in Kerala. Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal also demanded a response from the Minister of Health, citing that the agitation by ASHA workers has been ongoing in Kerala for the past 30 days. He said, ASHA workers are the health warriors of this country. They receive a meager a233 per day, and even that is paid irregularly. Advertisement (For More News Apart Second Session of Budget Session Begins Today; Opposition Raises Concerns Over ASHA Workers stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) Pratap Singh Bajwa Criticizes BJP for ED Raids on Bhupesh Baghel's Premises Bajwa criticized the ED raids on 14 premises linked to Baghel as a "malicious conspiracy" to scare senior Indian National Congress leader. Pratap Singh Bajwa Criticizes BJP for ED Raids on Bhupesh Baghel's Premises: In a new turn of events, Pratap Singh Bajwa, the Punjab Legislative Assembly Leader of the Opposition, has criticized in strong words the BJP central government for the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on various premises connected with Bhupesh Baghel, the ex-Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh and the current Punjab Congress in-charge. Bajwa criticized the ED raids on 14 premises linked to Baghel as a "malicious conspiracy" to scare a senior Indian National Congress leader. He blamed the BJP government for abusing central agencies such as the ED to constantly silence opposition leaders, especially Congress leaders. Bajwa termed these actions as extremely deplorable. Advertisement The top Congress leader pointed out that when the Congress party was in power in Chhattisgarh, central agencies carried out a minimum of 600 raids on Baghel and other Congress leaders' offices. But the raids were useless since the agencies found nothing illicit. The courts have already rejected the false cases against Baghel. Bajwa indicated that the BJP is afraid of the popularity of the Congress party in Punjab and therefore increased their ill-natured agenda against Baghel after he became Punjab Congress president. He appealed to the central BJP government to fight political battles on democratic lines and not on such petty politics. Bajwa claimed that abusing power to threaten Congress leaders and workers will never work. (For More News Apart Pratap Singh Bajwa Criticizes BJP for ED Raids on Bhupesh Baghel's Premises stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) The Reflector television show The history of the mass media during communist years includes a small, somewhat honourable chapter Photo: TVR (YouTube screenshot) Steliu Lambru, 10.03.2025, 13:34 The history of the mass media during communist years includes a small, somewhat honourable chapter, in which journalists tried to implement professional ethics and be the voice of society. The years between 1966 and 1971 were the best for the media under the communist regime, and some shows were successful with the public. This was the case of the Reflector television show in which dysfunctions in public institutions and abuse by political actors were exposed to public judgment. Reflector was an attempt at trustworthy journalism, although within certain limits. The ideology of the Romanian Communist Party was off limits, and so were the nature of the governments power, the social and political order. Equally taboo were the leader Nicolae Ceausescu, his family and relatives, senior party officials, the army, the repressive apparatus formed by the Militia and the Securitate, the judiciary and the financial-banking sector. As a rule, Reflector addressed abuse and irregularities in the consumer economy sector. Reflector started in 1967 and was designed after similar shows in the Western press. The opening of the Romanian Television to the West was due to the journalists Silviu Brucan, the president of the public television broadcaster, influenced by the US media, and Tudor Vornicu, a former correspondent in France and familiar with the French media. The journalist Ion Bucheru, then vice-president of the Romanian Television, was the one who coordinated the shows production team. In a 1997 interview for the Oral History Centre of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation, Bucheru explained what the success of the segment actually meant: Ion Bucheru: I was in charge of Reflector on behalf of the institutions management. During those years, Reflector had come to be aired twice a week, while another show, Ancheta sociala (Social Inquiry), was broadcast at least every two weeks. Reflector was 20-25 minute long, and Ancheta had reached 50 minutes and even an hour, it had become an institution. People would write to Reflector and to Ancheta sociala. The 5 people who were producing the Reflector were like prosecutors who exercised their profession on behalf of the people. They had personal correspondence, they were simply called by people who no longer had any other hope or by institutions that had exhausted all legal means of settling disputes with private individuals or with other institutions. Appearing on television in those days, especially in outrageous cases of abuse, incompetence or negligent handling of public property, was something of an ominous prospect for anyone. That is why the name Reflector sparked panic whenever it was pronounced. Ion Bucheru: We had reached a point where we were ending the Reflector segment with a frame, an image and a text. The image showed a black car driving away in exhaust smoke or dust, and the text would read, In this car, comrade minister so-and-so is leaving the ministry, probably summoned in a hurry to a party meeting, so hurried that he didnt have time to talk to the Reflector reporter who asked for his opinion on this issue that youve just seen and which is happening within the scope of his responsibilities. This was frequently said on air. Well, when a company manager or a deputy minister heard about or got news on the phone that Reflector had arrived on the premises or that someone from Reflector had called to say that they would come in tomorrow or the day after to shoot, you cant imagine the commotion that would create! July 1971, with the announcement of the infamous Theses by Nicolae Ceausescu himself, under the official name Proposed measures for the improvement of political-ideological activity, of the MarxistLeninist education of Party members, of all working people, meant a U-turn from the regimes previous openness. It was a return to the harshness of the Stalinist years, a great surprise for the Western countries that had appreciated the Romanian leaders position up to then. That return also impacted the Reflector, which gradually lost its incisiveness and appeal. Ion Bucheru: The July Theses sprang from Ceausescus mind, head and pen following a scandal caused by the television. After 1968, Ceausescu had reached the peak of his popularity, of domestic and international prestige. It was a time when Romania was viewed internationally as some kind of miracle in this corner of Europe. It was a time when foreign heads of state opened their doors, gates, even the most conservative ones, even those who had previously rejected any thought of welcoming Ceausescu or conferring him the honours worthy of head of state. It was a time when if you said you were a Romanian journalist abroad, and I experienced this firsthand and I can say this with full knowledge of the facts, you were received not with sympathy but with a kind of brotherhood. We would go abroad without equipment, without money, without logistical means, because we were poor, poorly equipped and really underpaid. But there was such a wave of sympathy around us that we were given so much of what we didnt have and they had in abundance. Eventually shut down in the mid-1980s, when the entire television broadcast had been cut to two hours a day, Reflector was re-established after 1989. But in the new era of freedom, it never reached the same level of popularity. (AMP) The danger of wildfires The Romanian authorities are calling for responsibility, following the wildfires that have claimed lives. Photo: facebook.com/departamenturgente Mihai Pelin, 10.03.2025, 14:00 The severe wildfires in recent days, affecting a large area of Romania, have led to the death and injury of several people. Dozens of violent fires have broken out since the beginning of the month, and the fire has also come close to peoples homes in several areas. The authorities have deployed impressive forces to fight the flames. The firefighters were helped by employees of other structures to extinguish the fires, some of them in hard-to-reach areas. They were involved in large-scale interventions in dozens of localities in seven counties. Intervening along the firefighters were also mountain rescuers, as well as pilots from the Ministry of Interior and Defense. The two Black Hawk helicopters of the General Aviation Inspectorate carried out dozens of launches part of which they dropped over 77 tons of water to put out the fires, and another helicopter carried out a reconnaissance mission. At the same time, a Spartan aircraft of the Ministry of National Defense acted in support of the intervention forces, to extinguish the fires. The authorities are calling for responsibility and are telling people to stop burning plants on agricultural lands. At the same time, the authorities have drawn attention to the serious situation: 650 hectares burned in January, another 4,400 hectares in February, and this month, in the first eight days alone, 4,600 hectares have burned. In just three days, there were over 300 fires. According to the head of the Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat, it is only the people who are to be blamed for these destructions. He explained that the wildfires did not break out due to meteorological phenomena. Raed Arafat: It is clear, at this point we cannot blame these forest fires to increased temperatures, to lightning. We can only attribute them to intentional actions by some people, who have either become accustomed to doing this for a long time, or some are doing it intentionally just to try to clear some fields or to set fire to an area where there is dry vegetation, which is why we consider most of them to be the result of intentional actions. On the other hand, Raed Arafat called on the local authorities to explain to people about the danger of vegetation fires, also asking for the help of priests. Preventing fires not only protects nature, but also contributes to the safety of the community, the authorities say. Military firefighters remind citizens that burning dry vegetation is prohibited by law. Failure to comply with the legal provisions is an offence and is punishable by fines of up to 15,000 lei (approx. 3,000 euros) for individuals and up to 100,000 lei (approx. 20,000 euros) for legal entities. In addition, farmers who do not comply with the burning ban may lose the direct or annual payments to which they are entitled. In some cases, they may be excluded from financial support for one or more consecutive years. (LS) Alliance Pharma Plc. (APH.L), a pharmaceutical products manufacturer, Monday announced board approval for an agreement to be acquired by Aegros Bidco Ltd. in a cash deal worth GBP 362 mln. As per the agreement, Bidco will acquire all Alliance shares, except those held by DBAY Advisors Ltd. managed funds or companies. The Acquisition will be implemented by means of a Court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement under Part 26 of the Companies Act and the deal is expected to be completed in the first half of 2025. Under the final increased cash offer, each eligible Alliance shareholder will receive 64.75 pence per share, valuing the company at approximately GBP 362 million. The offer is 3.6 percent higher than the original 62.5 pence offer and represents a 46 percent premium to the January 9, 2025 closing price. Alliance said the final price is 120.6 percent higher than the May 8, 2024 price before DBAY's initial approach and 70.6 percent above the 12-month average price before the offer period began. The final cash offer will be fully funded through investments from DBAY Affiliates and the ERES IV Fund, along with loans from third-party lenders. Some lenders will also receive shares in Midco after the deal is completed, making up no more than 4.7 percent of its total shares. The financial terms of the final cash offer will not change unless Bidco decides to increase it if a third party makes an offer for Alliance or if the Panel grants approval in exceptional cases. If Alliance announces or pays any dividends or other returns of value before the deal is completed, Bidco will reduce the offer price by the same amount. This adjustment will be announced but will not change the deal terms. Shareholders will still keep any dividends or payments they receive. Alliance is currently trading, 2.24% higher at 63.90 pence on the London Stock Exchange. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News German stocks retreated after a positive start Monday morning amid concerns about the outlook for global economic growth following recent weak economic data from the U.S. and China, and the potential impact of U.S. tariffs. Investors are also closely monitoring the developments on the political front. The benchmark DAX, which climbed to 23,183.35 in early trades, was down 88.56 points or 0.39% at 22,912.48 a little while ago. Deutsche Bank, Heidelberg Materials, Infineon, Siemens Energy, Commerzbank, Daimler Truck Holding and Siemens are down 2 to 3%. Deutsche Post is down nearly 2%. Adidas, Zalando, BASF and Brenntag are declining 1 to 1.3%. SAP, Continental and Fresenius are moderatly lower. Symrise and Bayer are up 2.2% and 2.1%, respectively. MTU Aero, Vonovia, Beiersdorf and Deutsche Boerse are gaining 1.4 to 1.8%. Rheinmetall, Fresenius Medical Care, Henkel, E.ON., Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Muench RE and BMW are up with moderate gains. On the economic front, proisional data from Destats showed Germany's industrial production expanded at the fastest pace in five months in January after falling in the previous month. Industrial output increased 2% on a monthly basis, in contrast to the revised 1.5% decrease in December, the data showed. Output was expected to grow by 1.5%. The rebound at the start of the year was mainly driven by a 6.4% growth in the automotive industry. Industrial production was 1.6% lower than in January 2024, following a 2.2% drop in December. Meanwhile, Germany's foreign trade surplus decreased in January as exports logged a renewed fall amid a further increase in imports, official data showed. Exports posted a monthly decrease of 2.5% in January, reversing a 2.5% growth in December, Destatis reported. This was the first fall in three months. Imports climbed 1.2%, though slower than the 1.6% rebound in the prior month. As a result, the trade surplus shrank to EUR 16.0 billion from EUR 20.7 billion in December. The expected surplus was EUR 21.0 billion. In the same period last year, the surplus totaled EUR 25.3 billion. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis Triton International Ltd. (TRTN-PA), a container leasing company, Monday announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Global Container International LLC, a Bermuda-domiciled marine container leasing company. The financial terms were not disclosed. The deal is expected to close during the first half of 2025. CEO Brian Sondey said, "This acquisition is an excellent strategic fit for Triton that will allow us to lock in meaningful container fleet growth." Friday, Triton International had closed 0.66% lower at $25.61 on the New York Stock Exchange. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News The Maryland Department of Health and Howard County officials announced Sunday that a person who recently traveled internationally has tested positive for measles. However, the case is unrelated to the ongoing measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico. According to the department, individuals who were at Washington Dulles International Airport's Terminal A, its transport to the main terminal, or the baggage claim area on March 5 between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. may have been exposed. Potential exposure also occurred at Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center's Pediatric Emergency Department on March 7 between 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. "Out of an abundance of caution, health officials are coordinating an effort to identify people who might have been exposed, including contracting potentially exposed passengers on specific flights," the officials stated. Meanwhile, a major measles outbreak in West Texas has resulted in two deaths, marking the first U.S. measles fatalities in a decade. Texas health officials warn that hundreds of thousands of people in the San Antonio area may have been exposed. In February, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautioned that unvaccinated travelers returning to the U.S. face a heightened risk of contracting measles. The agency also noted that outbreaks are occurring globally, particularly in Asia. Measles symptoms typically include high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. Small white spots inside the mouth may appear 2 to 3 days after symptoms begin, followed by a rash that starts on the face and spreads downward. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Investigations revealed that out of 3,400 Ola showrooms, just over 100 stores had trade certificates on display Indias Motor Vehicles Act (MVA) mandates that auto showrooms should display a trade certificate. This regulation has been grossly flouted by Ola Electric leading to its stores being raided. Investigation revealed that out of the 3,400 showrooms spread across the country, only 100 such stores had trade certificates on display. Ola Electric Stores Raided MVA Regulations Flouted Ola Electric, a Bengaluru based electric scooter maker, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Once a leader in this segment, sales have declined considerably following customer complaints with regard to service and range issues and various other factors. More recently, investigations have revealed that the company has also been flouting mandates as per Motor Vehicles Act. Out of 3,400 showrooms, only around 100 stores had test certificates prominently displayed. This meant that over 95% of stores did not have test certification required to display, sell, offer test rides and transport unregistered electric scooters. Following these complaints, raids have been conducted and showrooms have been shut. Vehicles have been seized and a show-cause notice has been sent to the Bhavish Aggarwal led electric two wheeler manufacturer. On further inquiry, the automaker however, has brushed aside these complaints. Though the company did not directly confirm or deny that their stores had been raided over non-conformance to MVA regulations, they did state that reports of non-compliance are misplaced and prejudiced. Spokespersons contend that the company does maintain an inventory of unregistered vehicles at their various stores and warehouses across the country. They also confirmed that all necessary approvals are in order and are fully compliant with the Motor Vehicles Act while they possess all required approvals. This issue of non-compliance is not new. The first warning was sent by the transport department to Ola Electric way back in 2023. To date, nearly two dozen notices have been sent by state-level transport officials, while the recent matter was brought to the fore in March 2025 with Transport officials confirming that further investigations are underway at Ola stores with stores being raided and some of them closed. Falling Sales, Decline Share Price Ola Electric has suffered a steep decline in demand. Sales have plunged and share prices have plummeted by over 60% from its peak since listing in August 2024. In Feb 2025, the company sold just over 8,500 units relating to a severe YoY decline. The company also lost out on its No. 1 position in this segment, to Bajaj, TVS Motors and Ather Energy, relegated to a No. 4 spot on the government portal VAHAN since customers cannot receive unregistered vehicles. Despite these constraints, Aggarwal states that the company could see a turn-around soon. Sales will be back on track at around 50,000 units per month. The companys portfolio continues to include both Gen 2 and Gen 3 products with the 3rd generation S1 range that includes S1 X, S1 X+, S1 Pro, and S1 Pro+ models. The company also announced the upcoming MoveOS 5 beta release. This new update offers a range of among which are Smartwatch App, Smart Park, Bharat Mood, Road Trip Mode powered by Ola Maps, Live Location Sharing, Emergency SOS, etc. Source Tata Motors recorded 46,437 unit sales in February 2025, marking a 9.43% year-on-year (YoY) decline compared to 51,270 units sold in February 2024. While some models, including Nexon and Curvv, posted strong numbers, other popular models like the Punch, Safari, and Harrier saw a dip in sales. Tata Sales Breakup Feb 2025 YoY Comparison The Nexon, including its EV variant, remained Tatas best-selling model, with 15,349 units sold, posting a 6.63% growth compared to the 14,395 units sold in February 2024. Curvv registered sales of 3,483 units. Tata Punch, including its EV version, saw a 21.04% YoY decline, with 14,559 units sold in February 2025 versus 18,438 units last year. Meanwhile, the Tiago EV maintained its numbers, with 6,954 units, barely changing from 6,947 units in February 2024. The Tigor EV also saw a 9.46% decline, registering 1,550 units against 1,712 units last year. Altroz saw the sharpest drop, with sales plummeting by 64.89% YoY, from 4,568 units in February 2024 to just 1,604 units last month. Similarly, the Safari and Harrier SUVs struggled, recording 41.01% and 46.29% declines, respectively. Safari sold 1,562 units, down from 2,648 units, while Harrier dropped to 1,376 units, compared to 2,562 units last year. Tata Sales Breakup Feb 2025 MoM Comparison Following a 9.43% year-on-year (YoY) drop, Tata Motors also witnessed a 3.41% month-on-month (MoM) decline in sales for February 2025, with 46,437 units sold compared to 48,075 units in January 2025. While some models, like Curvv EV, Tiago EV, and Safari, posted gains, others, including Punch, Altroz, and Harrier, recorded a decline. Nexon (including EV) remained Tatas best-selling model, though sales remained nearly unchanged at 15,349 units, dropping by just 0.31% from 15,397 units in January 2025. Meanwhile, Curvv saw a solid 12.83% MoM increase, selling 3,483 units compared to 3,087 units in January. Punch, including EV, recorded a 10.30% MoM drop, falling from 16,231 units in January to 14,559 units in February, marking the sharpest decline among Tatas popular models. Altroz hatchback also saw a significant 21.10% decline, with 1,604 units sold in February, down from 2,033 units in January. Harrier SUV slipped by 7.53%, selling 1,376 units versus 1,488 units the previous month. On the positive side, Tiago EV sales grew 2.16% MoM, reaching 6,954 units, up from 6,807 units in January. Tigor EV also recorded a 4.45% increase, with 1,550 units sold, compared to 1,484 units the previous month. Safari SUV showed slight improvement, growing 0.90% MoM, with 1,562 units sold versus 1,548 units in January. The Indian two-wheeler segment witnessed a decline in domestic sales in February 2025, with total sales at 13,17,678 units, marking a 6.92% drop compared to 14,15,600 units in February 2024. Leading the segment, Honda took the top position with 3,83,918 units, despite a 7.26% YoY decline. Two Wheeler Sales Feb 2025 Domestic Wholesales Hero MotoCorp followed with 3,57,296 units, seeing a 13.36% drop in sales. TVS, however, bucked the trend with a 3.20% growth, selling 2,76,072 units. Royal Enfield also performed well, posting an 18.96% YoY growth with 80,799 units, reflecting strong demand for its premium motorcycles. On the other hand, Bajaj and Suzuki faced 14.30% and 11.82% declines, respectively. On a month-on-month (MoM) basis, domestic sales dropped by 9.09% compared to January 2025, where 14,49,400 units were sold. All major brands recorded a drop in sales, with Hero and Suzuki seeing the sharpest declines of 13.36% and 16.37%, respectively. Interestingly, Hero continues to lead in retail sales. Exports Boost Two-Wheeler Sales Despite Domestic Slump The export market remained a strong growth driver, registering 3,64,972 units in February 2025, a 17.04% increase YoY. Bajaj led the segment with 1,53,280 units, growing 23.46% YoY. TVS also saw an impressive 28.25% growth, exporting 1,15,817 units. Royal Enfield and Suzuki recorded growth rates of 23.19% and 18.54%, respectively. However, Honda witnessed a 13.89% decline, while Hero MotoCorp remained relatively stable with a 0.74% YoY growth. Compared to January 2025, exports saw a 2.97% MoM rise, with TVS registering the highest growth at 23.46%. Bajaj, Honda, and Suzuki posted declines in exports compared to the previous month. Overall Two-Wheeler Sales TVS overtakes Hero The combined domestic and export sales for the two-wheeler industry stood at 16,82,650 units in February 2025, reflecting a 2.59% YoY decline from 17,27,448 units in February 2024. TVS emerged as the only major manufacturer to record positive YoY growth of 9.52%, while Royal Enfield continued its momentum with a 19.40% growth. In contrast, Honda and Hero recorded 7.91% and 12.39% declines, respectively. Hero has slipped to No 3. On a month-on-month basis, total sales dropped by 6.72% from 18,03,857 units in January 2025. While TVS showed a slight 1.09% growth, all other major brands reported declines, with Suzuki facing the steepest MoM drop of 17.18%. The Indian two-wheeler industry faced headwinds in February 2025, with declining domestic sales impacting overall performance. However, exports provided some relief, particularly for Bajaj, TVS, and Royal Enfield, which posted strong international growth. As market conditions evolve, manufacturers will likely focus on product innovation, affordability, and expanding their export footprint to counter the slowdown in domestic demand. China meets multiple targets for 14th Five-Year Plan ahead of schedule People's Daily Online) 13:43, March 10, 2025 The year 2025 marks the final lap for implementing China's 14th Five-Year Plan (20212025). Successfully meeting its targets will lay a solid foundation for a good start to the 15th Five-Year Plan (20262030). Which targets for the 14th Five-Year Plan have been achieved ahead of schedule, and what do they signal? Basic old-age insurance coverage reaches 95 percent The Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development (hereinafter referred to as the Outline) points out that the multi-tiered social security system will be improved, with basic old-age insurance covering 95 percent of the population. According to statistics from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MHRSS), by the end of 2024, approximately 1.07 billion people in China were covered by basic old-age insurance, an increase of 6.36 million from the previous year. The basic old-age insurance coverage reached 95 percent in China, establishing the country as having the world's largest social security system. A series of measures have been introduced in 2021-2025, including removing restrictions preventing workers in flexible employment from other provinces from participating in the local insurance system, bringing migrant workers, those in new employment forms, and flexible workers into basic old-age insurance for enterprise employees, and more. Sun Jie, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and vice dean of the School of Insurance and Economics at the University of International Business and Economics, said that as new challenges arise, the social security network needs to expand and provide effective coverage for all. Sun proposed expanding social security coverage more precisely and improving its quality and efficiency to benefit all workers. 3.4 practicing (assistant) physicians and 4 registered nurses per 1,000 people According to the Outline and the plan for healthcare professional development for 2021-2025, the number of practicing (assistant) physicians and registered nurses per 1,000 people should reach 3.2 and 3.8, respectively, by 2025. Statistics from the National Health Commission of China showed that as of the end of 2023, the number of practicing (assistant) physicians and registered nurses per 1,000 people stood at 3.4 and 4, respectively, surpassing expectations. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), the number of healthcare professionals in China has steadily increased, with a better structure, improved skills, and enhanced service quality. Han Lin, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) and vice president of Gansu Provincial Hospital, pointed out that the Chinese government has invested significant efforts to address the healthcare needs of China's over 1.4 billion people. Han suggested focusing future efforts on training much-needed professionals to meet diverse healthcare demands. 90.4 percent of China's surface water meets or exceeds Grade III quality According to the Outline, the proportion of surface-water bodies nationwide classified as Grade III (meaning "fairly good") or above will reach 85 percent by 2025. Statistics from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment indicated that 90.4 percent of the 3,641 monitored sections in China had good water quality (Grade I-III), surpassing 90 percent for the first time. An aerial drone photo taken on May 8, 2024, shows boats touring Baiyangdian Lake in Xiong'an New Area, North China's Hebei province. (Photo/Xinhua) During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China has made efforts to improve water quality, including protecting major rivers and lakes, strengthening control over drain outlets, and treating urban black and malodorous water bodies. Lu Quanzhong, a member of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC and a senior engineer at the Research Institute of Environmental Sciences of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, emphasized the need to reinforce the idea of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. Lu urged further public participation in environmental protection to ensure clearer skies, greener land, cleaner water, and more vibrant landscapes across the country. 89.5 percent of townships and towns connected by Grade III highways or higher roads The highway development plan for 20212025 aims to ensure that by 2025, over 85 percent of townships and towns will be connected by Grade III or higher-grade highways, while more than 85 percent of villages across China will have paved roads. By the end of 2024, 89.5 percent of townships and towns were connected by Grade III highways or higher-grade highways, while 94.6 percent of villages had paved roads, both surpassing targets ahead of schedule. Wang Xianjin, a member of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC, and vice president and chief engineer of China Academy of Transportation Sciences, expressed that moving forward, efforts will be made to upgrade rural road networks, improve safety, facilitate transportation, enhance travel services, improve governance, build harmonious and beautiful villages, support local industries, and boost employment and incomes. Annual renewable energy power generation exceeds 3.4 trillion kWh According to the renewable energy development plan for 2021-2025, China's annual renewable energy power generation will reach 3.3 trillion kWh by 2025. By the end of 2024, the country's total installed renewable power capacity reached 1.45 billion kilowatts. In 2024, renewable energy power generation exceeded 3.4 trillion kWh in China. Photo shows a solar farm in Jiangkou village, Shanggao county, Yichun, east China's Jiangxi province. (People's Daily Online/Zhou Liang) Ruan Qiantu, a member of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC and chairman of State Grid Fujian Electric Power Company, emphasized the urgency of expanding renewable energy in response to climate change. Ruan called it a key step in China's energy transition and crucial for addressing rising energy demand and supply challenges. 5G network covers over 90 percent of administrative villages The development plan for the information and communication industry for 2021-2025 sets targets of 26 5G base stations per 10,000 people, and 80 percent of administrative villages nationwide connected to 5G by 2025. By the end of 2024, China had built over 4.25 million 5G base stations, averaging 30.2 per 10,000 people. 5G networks covered over 90 percent of administrative villages nationwide, achieving gigabit access in all counties and 5G availability in all townships. According to estimates from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), five years of 5G commercialization have directly contributed 5.6 trillion yuan (about $772 billion) to the economy and indirectly generated 14 trillion yuan in output value. Yu Xiaohui, a member of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC and president of the CAICT, said that the next priority will be upgrading digital infrastructure, optimizing computing power networks, and advancing nationwide connectivity. Over 75 percent of crop cultivation and harvesting mechanized The plan to advance agricultural and rural modernization for 2021-2025 aims for a 75 percent mechanization rate in crop cultivation and harvesting by 2025. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, this goal was achieved a year ahead of schedule. A drone photo shows self-driving seeders working in the farmland in Awat County of Aksu, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 27, 2024. (Photo/Xinhua) The production of three staple crops is now mainly completed with farming machines. Nearly 50 million people work in China's rural agricultural machinery sector. The country has more than 250,000 agricultural drones, while high-powered agricultural machines and agricultural machines designed for hilly and mountainous regions continue to improve. Zhang Debin, a deputy to the 14th NPC and Party chief of Zhanjia village in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, noted that traditional farming tools have been largely replaced by modern machinery in his village. Harvesting corn by hand used to take nearly a month. Now, with machines, it takes just five days, Zhang said. 14 high-value invention patents per 10,000 People The Outline and the plan for intellectual property rights protection and application for 2021-2025 set a target of 12 high-value invention patents per 10,000 people and for the added value of patent-intensive industries to contribute 13 percent of GDP by 2025. According to statistics from the China National Intellectual Property Administration, by the end of 2024, China had already reached 14 high-value invention patents per 10,000 people, with the added value of patent-intensive industries contributing 13.04 percent to GDP. Tan Wenying, a member of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC and deputy director of the Jiangxi Administration for Market Regulation said continuously improving China's IP protection system and strengthening IP protection is critical for fostering innovation, enhancing new quality productive forces, and driving high-quality in an all-round manner. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) All Aussie states and territories strongly recommend drivers remove or cover protruding tow bars and hitches when they're not in use. Several cars with protruding tow hitches were seen in a South Australian car park over the weekend. Source: Facebook A photo of a footpath gauntlet snapped by a jogger in a popular tourist towns car park has sparked a debate over a little-known road rule. With more Aussies than ever before taking to the open road in search of adventure, its not uncommon to see numerous travellers stopping off in sleepy seaside areas with their caravans and trailers in tow. But what happens when they offload and decide to explore further? This week in Normanville, South Australia, locals were stunned to see several parked vehicles each with a protruding tow bar and hitch blocking one side of a busy path, and creating a potentially dangerous hazard for those walking by. Running the Australian footpath gauntlet, the man captioned the image online, sparking a fierce debate about towing equipment and what is and isnt appropriate when its not being used. ADVERTISEMENT While some said the scene looked like the 100-metre shin buster finals, others argued that legally any tow bar or hitch that protrudes past bodywork should be removed. Aussies urged to remove or cover protruding tow bars, hitches In Australia, regulations regarding tow bars and hitches that extend beyond a vehicle vary by state and territory, but the general principle is that they should not pose a danger to other road users, particularly pedestrians and cyclists. If they do, the driver may be required to remove or modify them to comply with safety standards. While there are no laws directly outlawing leaving a tow bar hitch on when not towing, all states and territories strongly recommend vehicle owners to either remove or cover them to prevent injury or damage. All Aussie states and territories strongly recommend drivers remove or cover protruding tow bars and hitches when they're not in use. Source: Getty In some cases, people may be fined if the hitch is left on when not in use, particularly if it creates a safety risk or obscures the vehicles licence plate, which can cop you a $439 fine and the loss of three demerit points in NSW. ADVERTISEMENT According to Tow Truck Sydney, while it might be more convenient to keep a tow hitch in place, doing so could also cause unnecessary wear and tear. Moisture/rust can be a factor and lead to more frequent replacements if used in inclement environments, the companys website states. Removing tow hitches could create other safety concerns However, Jeff De Ath, the owner of Check Weight caravan weighing company, told Yahoo News Australia on Monday removing the equipment could potentially create other safety concerns. Its a tricky one because if youre removing it and putting it back on all the time, I think theres a risk of not tightening it correctly that would be worse, he said, noting that several tow hitches seen in the image were sticking out a fair way and would be a hazard for any wheelchair user or parent pushing a pram. ADVERTISEMENT When youre travelling on a regular basis, taking them on and off would be very difficult for people to do it would probably be better to use padding around them if they do look dangerous, he added. Mr De Ath said its common sense to be on the lookout for such potential obstructions. When Im working around them, Im always aware theyre sticking out so you do want to be careful. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Huge 24-hour rain totals of up to 400mm have meant millions continue to face life-threatening conditions. One woman seemed unfazed by the floodwaters in Brisbane's Newmarket. Source: Getty Yahoo's live coverage of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred for Monday, March 10 has now concluded. The system continues to bring massive rainfall for parts of southeast Queensland and northern NSW. There are a host of flood warnings in place with the Bureau of Meteorology saying all rivers in the region have experienced "significant" rises. Focus has turned to the Ipswich region with 150mm predicted throughout Monday afternoon. Woolworths and Coles are slowly reopening stores after shutting down amid the weather system. Woolworths says it will take "some time" for stores to return to normal and be stocked sufficiently. Queensland Premier David Crisafulli says he will be calling out insurance companies if they mess people around as they submit claims through their home insurance. See all of the day's updates below. LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER 26 updates Gold Coast mayor vows to fix beaches in just weeks Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate says he is working on a quick solution to fix the city's beaches after they suffered from extreme coastal erosion. Beaches right across the city now have huge escarpments, some up to six metres high. Tate said residents should avoid the beaches for the time being however work would commence tomorrow and he envisages the most popular beaches will be "recovered and ready" for the April school holidays. He said one of the main ways he will restore the beaches is by dredging. There are huge escarpments across the Gold Coast coastline. Source: Getty Crossbars submerged as NRL side relocate to Sydney The Gold Coast Titans will have to prepare for their first game of the season after major flooding of their training ground in Parkwood. The NRL side shared video of the flooding on Monday afternoon, with the team now forced to train in Sydney ahead of their opener against the Bulldogs. In the video the flooding was so high it had submerged the crossbars on their training pitch. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gold Coast Titans (@gctitans) Famous flooding spot inundated once again There's been some pretty intense videos going viral of Mount Tamborine after huge downpours in the area in the past 24 hours or so. Curtis Falls intersection, a spot well-known for huge amounts of stormwater flowing through it, was once again hit hard after an astonishing 400mm fell in just a day at nearby Wongawallan. Take a look at some of the wild video below. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ethan & Cayde (@the_wilson_brothers__) 'Life-threatening' flash flooding fears Attentions are now turning to Queensland's Ipswich area with the Bremer River continuing to rise. Ipswich and the Lockyer Valley is set for heavy rains this afternoon thanks to severe thunderstorms. The Bureau of Meteorology says they could bring 150mm in just six hours. With catchments already swollen, authorities are doing what they can to alert residents of the potential need to evacuate homes. 11:28am: Severe Thunderstorm Warning for INTENSE #rainfall in the #LockyerValley and #Toowoomba Council Areas. A VERY DANGEROUS STORM likely to produce intense rainfall that may lead to life-threatening flash #flooding is moving towards #Grantham.https://t.co/vYLHCna3or pic.twitter.com/dyX9p2yjiu Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) March 10, 2025 Three months of income support confirmed for those impacted More on recovery payments now, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese earlier announced eligible workers and sole traders who have been financially impacted by Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred can access up to 13 weeks of income support. Those in the 31 LGAs impacted by the system are able to qualify. ABC reporter's fitting live cross attire Well this is pretty fitting attire that most Aussies will be able to relate to. ABC reporter Mackenzie Colahan is reporting from Currumbin beach today and he's down on the sand barefoot and in a pair of boardies as he presents a live cross just now, which is probably the most suitable option down there. He spoke with the CEO of the surf club which featured regularly in Alfred coverage with it being one of the first beaches inundated with storm surge. The club had recently built a new car park but the wild conditions qiu ripped it up, leaving the club with only 20 of its 52 car park spaces. They're hoping council can step in and ensure that's fixed as soon as possible. Mackenzie Colahan was certainly dressing for the conditions today. Source: ABC Getting Woolworths stores back to normal will 'take some time' Woolworths says the majority of its supermarkets in impacted areas are now open and they're working hard to stock shelves. The supermarket has called for patience with teams as more than 300 trucks head to reopening stores from Brisbane's distribution centres. While this is great progress, getting our stores back to normal will understandably take some time," a Woolworths spokesperson said. We thank customers for their patience and understanding as stock availability per store will be variable and not all their favourite products will be available immediately." Woolworths stores were quickly emptied in the lead up to Alfred, with similar scenes once stores reopened. Source: Getty RSL hailed for helping aged care home Now for a kind act that we're sure has gone a long way in offering a bit of relief to impacted residents. Currumbin RSL says it was fortunate to still have power and chefs worked hard yesterday to cook dozens of meals for a nearby aged care home who'd gone a few days without a warm feed. Locals unsurprisingly hailed the move when it was announced online. The RSL has opened today despite an emergency warning last night over flooding fears int the area. The RSL is offering locals without power an opportunity to charge devices on their premises. Insurance companies 'owe it' to Queenslanders Queensland Premier David Crisafulli says he's "concerned" about premiums rising for flooded areas, stressing he will call out insurers who are doing the wrong thing. "If you look over the last decades, there's been a lot of people who have paid a lot of money to the insurance industry. I think they owe it to those clients to be good corporate citizens in someone's hour of need," he told reporters. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese echoed those remarks, saying they need to "do the right thing". "They have a social licence. And people expect them to make payments in a speedy and effective way when they are due. This is a time where insurance companies can restore some of their reputation with the public by acting speedily and we expect them to do so," he said. Coles worker shares scary moment cars float away Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has just given an update on Hervey Bay, which sits 280km north of Brisbane, after it was hammered by heavy rain that caused widespread flooding. Copping 230mm in a six-hour period yesterday, there were frantic rescues as the flooding quickly inundated homes and businesses. Crisafulli said the damage caused has been "significant", stressing work was "well underway" to help the town recover. There was a sense of surprise for some regarding the extreme conditions, after the area was at one point outside of the cyclone watch before it edged further north. One Coles worker shared terrifying vision of the supermarket's car park inundated with water, with some cars floating away. She said she'd never expect such conditions to occur in the area. Cars were seen floating away in the wild conditions. Source: Facebook/ Erin Rushen Video reveals threat to impacted communities This video now should give you a good indication of why people are told to tread very carefully when out and about in impacted areas. There's been widespread damage to power infrastructure, and more than 200,000 people remain without power. Damaged power boxes and downed lines pose significant risk to the public and the SES Tweed Heads unit have shared this video of infrastructure on fire while violently sparking as a warning. "If you see fallen powerlines after a storm never approach them - stay at least 8 metres away," they said. Record number of calls to the SES Queensland Premier David Crisafulli says the state's SES has received an unprecedented number of calls in the past 24 hours. "To give you an indication of the response and scale of the operation - in last 24 hours, there's been 3,676 call for help to the SES. That is the largest 24-hour period in the history of Queensland's State Emergency Service," he told reporters. "I want to thank every one of them for the work they did - every single one of them. They have been out in force in such a wide range of communities and they have made a difference." Flooding causing toilets to overflow With all that's going on, this is one of the last things you want to see happening inside your home. Residents in flooded areas are reporting their toilets are experiencing from sewer backup which can cause wastewater to flow into homes. The SES has advised people to turn off their water supply at the toilet and to place a partially filled sandbag into their toilet bowl to create a barrier. Albo announces $1k payment for those impacted The Australian government has announced plans to give one-off Centrelink payments of $1,000 to those affected by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the government was [standing] ready to activate disaster payments. He added that this would be done as expeditiously as is appropriate, with the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment activated 40 hours after the initial impact. The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment is a one-off payment of $1,000 per adult and $400 per child for people who've been badly affected by the disaster and need immediate help, need that immediate assistance, Albanese said. You can read all about who qualifies for the payment here. 'Go as high as you can to survive': Scary warning to Gold Coast communities While Acting Gold Coast Mayor Donna Gates said over the weekend it appeared the city had avoided the worst of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred as it moved north, the region remains under serious threat from flooding as heavy rain continues to fall. Residents in Currumbin, Currumbin Valley, Tallebudgera, Tallebudgera Valley, and Elanora were earlier issued a fresh flood warning, telling them to "go inside and up high". "If you are near floodwater, you may need to get up as high as you can to survive," it said. Flood picture of woman goes global Well there has been repeated warnings not to be a "disaster tourist" during Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, with councils and authorities across impacted areas saying entering dangerous conditions for a bit of social media content was just not worth it. And while we can't be sure what this person in Brisbane's Newmarket was doing on her phone, a photo of her has certainly gone global. The UK's Guardian included the picture as one of its 'Photos of the weekend' from around the world. Brisbane has endured a fair bit of flooding but it seems residents are still heading out and about into the waters. Source: Getty Property becomes an island after flooding Have a look at this remarkable picture now, where a property in Lawrence, west of NSW's Yamba, has become its very own island. The photo was shared to the ABC and shows the conditions in the area on Sunday. The Clarence River, which Lawrence sits on, is of a major concern to NSW authorities, with Grafton further inland issued an emergency flood warning. This property might have a bit of waiting to do before they're reconnected to the world. Source: Bob Coulthurst via ABC Traffic light outage leads to 'very dangerous' situation Drivers have been urged to take caution on roads and only head out if its essential, while flooded streets are simply no-go areas. Hampering motorists even further is the lack of traffic lights functioning. Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, who's returned to lead the city's response, telling the ABC 40 per cent of traffic lights weren't working. "Intersections are very dangerous, so take your time there," he said. About 70,000 people on the Gold Coast are still without power. Flood danger could last to end of week Let's bring you a bit more about those emergency warnings issued regarding the heavy rain that's expected as a result of severe thunderstorms forecast. With a huge amount of rainfall in the past 24 hours across the Queensland's southeast, residents in a host of areas are being told they will need to get to higher ground or at least be prepared to do so. Warnings span across southeast Queensland regions including Brisbane, Logan, Gold Coast and Ipswich as multiple swollen rivers and creeks break their banks, rising towards homes. Major flooding is occurring on the Bremer and Albert Rivers and the Warrell and Laidley Creeks in Queensland while NSW's Richmond and Clarence Rivers are also breaking their banks. While the rain is expected to ease into the afternoon, the Bureau of Meteorology's Christie Johnson said the flooding impacts will last "certainly into the middle and maybe latter parts of this week". 9:02am: Severe Thunderstorm Warning for heavy #rainfall in parts of Central Coast & Whitsundays, Central Highlands & Coalfields, Capricornia & Wide Bay & Burnett Forecast Districts. Heavy rainfall may lead to flash #flooding in the warning area.https://t.co/m3kl9lft1d pic.twitter.com/FNthdzuB0y Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) March 9, 2025 Impacted Aussies warned about sandbags Many of those impacted by Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred will be wondering what to do with the sandbags they've now got on their property. But authorities are urging millions not to get complacent as heavy rains continue and the threat of flooding continues. Byron Shire Council told residents to hold onto bags for at least a couple more weeks for flood dangers to pass, particularly with creeks and rivers swollen. People are also being told not to dump the sand inside bags onto beaches. Sand can be dirty and contaminated from flood or stormwater with weeds, pests and even chemicals posing an environmental risk for marine life and the birds and insects that live in the dunes and on our beaches, Chloe Dowsett, Councils Coastal and Biodiversity Coordinator, said. While its likely most sand for bags has come from quarries and is clean, we dont know for sure so the best thing to do is to not inadvertently contaminate our already depleted beaches." Read more here. More than a million sandbags were handed out. Source: Getty Wildlife rescuers inundated with injured animals We bring you some sad pictures now of injured wildlife as a result of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Wildlife authorities had stressed the dangers the weather system posed to native wildlife crews have been busy treating those found injured. Environmental charity Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital reopened its doors on Sunday to a flood of patients impacted by the destructive weather event. Working with local wildlife rescue groups, during the first few hours of re-opening native animal patients included an injured koala, an eastern grey kangaroo, a Flying fox, Sea Turtle hatchlings and a Swamp hen. An injured koala is treated on Sunday. Source: Getty Animal groups are expected to be inundated with injured wildlife. Source: Getty Before and after photos shows Brisbane's huge rainfall The RACQ shared striking images of Brisbane's Kedron Brook yesterday, showing just how much water levels had risen in a day. Those in southeast Queensland and northern NSW are being told to stay well clear of rivers and creeks over fears of flash flooding as the rain continues to fall. Hundreds of thousands still without power Energy networks are stressing they're doing whatever they can to restore power to homes and businesses after more than 230,000 remain without power. Over the weekend, that figure peaked at 300,000 and led to residents being warned that they could face at least a week without power. Energex chief operations officer Paul Jordan told Sunrise they were "giving it everything we possibly can" to restore power. Drivers abandon cars outside Officeworks Drivers are continuing to ignore pleas from authorities not to drive into floodwaters and the ABC spotted a driver forced to leave his vehicle outside Officeworks in the Brisbane suburb of Windsor early this morning after becoming stuck in the floodwaters. The city has received near 300mm in the past 24 hours and Premier David Crisafulli is urging residents to "know the risk" these challenging conditions pose. He also urged people to plan their route to higher ground if they needed to evacuate. Two abandoned cars outside Officeworks Windsor in Brisbane's north. Source: ABC Coles, Woolworths trying to get stock into impacted stores Coles and Woolworths have begun to open stores where it's safe to do so however shoppers are being met with empty shelves. Residents have shared their experiences returning to supermarkets, with one Gold Coast shopper showing empty shelves at her local Woolworths. With fears the ongoing rain could again cause further disruptions, shoppers are quickly snapping up essential items like milk and water, leaving many empty-handed. The supermarkets had warned it would be operating with limited staff amid Alfred, with Coles and Woolworths stressing the safety of staff was a priority. Read more about the empty shelves here. Shoppers are being faced with empty shelves. Source: Facebook Brisbane nears rain record after Alfred deluge Let's start with the huge amount of rain that has fallen in the past 24 hours. Brisbane CBD's total since 9am yesterday, just shy of a 24-hour period, stands at a staggering 275mm. To put that into perspective, the city averages about 140mm over the entire month of March. The city is edging very close to breaking its daily rainfall record for March. The highest total for the Brisbane area has been 349mm at Green Hill Reservoir, the Bureau of Meteorology said. Outside of Brisbane, Wongawallan, on the northwest side of the Gold Coast, has reached 400mm in the past 24 hours. Nambour, inland from the Sunshine Coast, has received 349mm in the same period. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. While seabirds face natural threats, the vast majority should survive to adulthood. The number of dead birds being found on beaches is alarming conservationists. Seven deceased little penguins were found in a single day at Warrnambool Beach in Victoria. Source: Adrift Lab/Facebook Conservationists are growing increasingly concerned about a troubling trend along the Australian east coast, where an alarmingly high number of dead birds continue to wash ashore. Experts believe this phenomenon exceeds the usual amount expected from natural causes and are urging the public to photograph any such sightings to help record and study these incidents. This plea follows a recent discovery in Victoria, in which a woman found seven dead little penguins on Warrnambool Beach. The occurrence is similar to an incident in January, when several deceased little penguins washed ashore in Tasmania. Last year, hundreds of dead shearwaters were found along the coastline between the two states. The Victorian woman sent footage of the most recent example to researchers at Adrift Lab, who told Yahoo News Australia the cause of these deaths remains largely unexplained. Conservationists are becoming increasingly concerned about mass mortality events among seabirds in the country's south. Source: Adrift Lab/Facebook Concerning trend persists along Australia's east and south coasts Marine scientist Jennifer Laver said while some little penguin deaths, especially among chicks struggling with harsh sea conditions, are expected, the recent "pulses" of deaths in specific areas are unusual. She said under normal circumstances, most bird deaths would occur at sea rather than along the coast. ADVERTISEMENT "If it was normal, it would be happening every single year. It would be widespread across the whole of the species breeding range," Laver told Yahoo News Australia. "But that's typically not what we see. "We see these unusual little pulses, something over here, maybe something over there, but then nothing between over hundreds of thousands of kilometres. What that says to us is that there's something quite unique about that location something has changed. What I suspect is that there's a localised lack of prey, or perhaps a warming event." Laver said recently most of the reported deaths are taking place west of Warrnambool and Phillip Island. Warming sea temperatures and overfishing are huge contributors to the birds' lack of prey, but it's hard to distinguish between the two, she added. "It's really difficult to tease those things apart unless we're actively monitoring at the time of an event like this," Laver said. ADVERTISEMENT "In a 'normal year', I would be reaching out to some of the citizen scientists on the ground and saying, 'what is the condition of the birds? Are they emaciated? Is there signs of starvation?' "Because that can also be quite helpful. But with avian flu on the horizon we don't have avian flu at the moment in Australia but with it on the horizon, and the community quite anxious about that, we no longer ask folks to touch the birds. So that makes it difficult for me to say what's going on and what condition the animals are in." Australians are being urged to photograph and report any such sightings. Source: Adrift Lab/Facebook Vast majority of seabirds should survive and adapt to ocean life Laver emphasised that the "vast majority" of the species "will figure out what it is that they need to do" at sea, and it's incredibly important not to "normalise" little penguin deaths on beaches. ADVERTISEMENT "These are what we call long-lived species," she said. "They rely very, very heavily on high survival rates. And so if we just accept it as a society that birds are just going to catastrophically die in large numbers every single year those two things don't make sense. "Some birds will die because they're young and inexperienced. But that should be a relatively small proportion, unless conditions are not favourable. You know that conditions are not favourable when you're seeing large numbers of birds on beaches, because most mortality for sea birds, we're talking like 80-90, even 95 per cent of mortality for sea birds, will take place at sea. "If you're seeing large numbers on beaches, it basically means that it's quite a significant event." Laver said Australians "should stand up and take note" and "call for more data on this". "We should have a look at ocean temperatures. We should have a serious think about what might be driving this, and whether or not other sea birds are also being impacted," she said, calling for the public to report sightings to Adrift Lab. ADVERTISEMENT "At Warrnambool, it's a watch and wait," she said. "It might just be like this for a couple of days, or it might get worse. I do expect the shearwaters to start washing up in about four weeks. So it's timely that we bring this into the community consciousness again." Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories. European shares were down sharply on Monday, giving up early gains as worries over erratic US tariffs policies dented sentiment. The pan-European Stoxx 600 was down 0.73% at 549.42. Germanys DAX was down almost 1%. Unease about the effect of Trumps tariffs hangs over financial markets at the start of the week. The prospect of a recession in the US is lurking, with consumer confidence falling, companies facing increasing trade complexity and investors turning more nervous, said Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown. Chinas deflation problem is also weighing on sentiment, and geopolitical concerns are staying in focus, with attacks on Ukraine intensifying. In economic news, German industrial production rose in January by 2% compared with the previous month, the federal statistics office said on Monday. It cited sharp rises in the automotive, food and machine maintenance and assembly industries as the main drivers of the rise. A decrease in production in the manufacture of fabricated metal products had a negative effect. In a separate release, the statistics office said January exports were down 2.5% and imports were up 1.2% on a calendar and seasonally adjusted basis compared with December 2024. Based on provisional data exports decreased by 0.1% and imports rose by 8.7% compared with January 2024. In equity news, Assura surged after the UK healthcare real estate investment trust received an indicative, non-binding 1.61bn proposal from KKR and Stonepeak Partners. Novo Nordisk shares fell after the pharma giant released fresh trial results for its CagriSema developmental weight-loss drug. Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com London stocks were lower on Monday as worries about US President Donald Trumps trade war continued to dent sentiment. At 1157 GMT, the FTSE 100 was down 0.38% at 8,647.26. Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: "Unease about the effect of Trumps tariffs hangs over financial markets at the start of the week. The prospect of a recession in the US is lurking, with consumer confidence falling, companies facing increasing trade complexity and investors turning more nervous. Chinas deflation problem is also weighing on sentiment, and geopolitical concerns are staying in focus, with attacks on Ukraine intensifying. "The FTSE 100 is on the back foot in early trade, unable to shake off the nervousness surrounding the concerns about slowing global growth. Brent Crude, a gauge of expectation about the health of the global economy, has dipped back again, trading around $70 a barrel, as energy demand is expected to be weaker as economies slow. "A disappointing snapshot from China, showing consumer price fell at the fastest rate in 13 months, is adding to concerns about weakness in the global economy. Deflation continues to stalk the Chinese economy, with consumers super-cautious about spending. The property crisis has battered wealth perceptions and led to risk averse behaviour, with wariness rising amid the ratcheting up trade tensions and fresh tariffs being imposed by the US. "Efforts by authorities so far to reduce the cost of borrowing to stimulate growth have not had the desired effect. The expansion of a subsidy programme for a range of domestic goods underwhelmed, given the lack of more targeted support for households." In equity markets, Assura surged after saying it was minded to recommend an improved, 1.61bn cash takeover proposal from investment firms KKR and Stonepeak. The consortium has offered 49.4p per share, which is 2.9% increase on the previous proposal of 48p per share. The company also said it had received and rejected an indicative, non-binding proposal from Primary Health Properties about a possible all-share combination with an implied value of 43p per share. Watches of Switzerland rallied as it launched a 25m share buyback. Deliveroo gained as it said it had decided to exit its Hong Kong operations through a sale of certain assets to Foodpanda and the closure of other assets. Great Portland Estates rose after saying it had secured its largest fully managed deal to date, letting more than 11,500 sq ft of office space to FTSE 100 retailer Next in central London on a five-year term. Pennon was also higher after an upgrade to buy at Citi. "Whilst the backdrop for the UK water sector remains uncertain, at the current share price, we believe the market is excessively discounting operational underperformance of over 500m in PNN shares, a quarter of its market cap," the bank said. "We see a valuation gap under our framework with the risk/reward balance skewed to the upside, providing an opportunity for a mean reversion trade." On the downside, shipping services firm Clarkson tumbled as it said annual profits were in line with revised expectations, but also that the geopolitical outlook remains uncertain, with ongoing regional conflicts and trade tensions creating uncertainty for markets. Underlying pre-tax earnings came in at 115.3m in line with upgraded guidance published in January. Revenue was up to 661m from 639m. Market Movers FTSE 100 (UKX) 8,642.25 -0.43% FTSE 250 (MCX) 20,045.33 -0.42% techMARK (TASX) 4,780.40 -0.83% FTSE 100 - Risers Severn Trent (SVT) 2,467.00p 3.09% Land Securities Group (LAND) 563.50p 2.64% National Grid (NG.) 952.40p 2.43% Kingfisher (KGF) 264.90p 2.24% United Utilities Group (UU.) 979.00p 2.17% LondonMetric Property (LMP) 180.80p 2.03% SEGRO (SGRO) 706.60p 1.90% BP (BP.) 420.25p 1.64% Compass Group (CPG) 2,645.00p 1.61% Sainsbury (J) (SBRY) 258.40p 1.49% FTSE 100 - Fallers Entain (ENT) 687.80p -4.95% CRH (CDI) (CRH) 7,112.00p -4.07% Melrose Industries (MRO) 470.10p -3.83% Antofagasta (ANTO) 1,782.00p -3.39% Intermediate Capital Group (ICG) 2,058.00p -3.29% Ashtead Group (AHT) 4,383.00p -2.95% Barclays (BARC) 290.30p -2.83% AstraZeneca (AZN) 11,748.00p -2.68% Anglo American (AAL) 2,319.50p -2.60% Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 781.40p -2.50% FTSE 250 - Risers Assura (AGR) 46.54p 14.24% Sirius Real Estate Ltd. (SRE) 82.90p 4.74% Wood Group (John) (WG.) 38.60p 3.26% Primary Health Properties (PHP) 93.40p 3.20% Domino's Pizza Group (DOM) 295.60p 3.14% Pennon Group (PNN) 404.20p 3.01% 3i Infrastructure (3IN) 329.00p 2.02% Deliveroo Class (ROO) 127.60p 2.00% Wetherspoon (J.D.) (JDW) 588.00p 1.91% Supermarket Income Reit (SUPR) 72.90p 1.82% FTSE 250 - Fallers Clarkson (CKN) 3,625.00p -17.80% Victrex plc (VCT) 992.00p -5.34% Alpha Group International (ALPH) 2,525.00p -5.08% Ferrexpo (FXPO) 72.30p -4.74% Kainos Group (KNOS) 700.00p -4.11% Just Group (JUST) 142.80p -3.25% Quilter (QLT) 153.50p -3.09% TBC Bank Group (TBCG) 4,270.00p -2.95% Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings (AML) 81.65p -2.80% Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) 99.05p -2.61% Deliveroo said on Monday that it has decided to exit its Hong Kong operations through a sale of certain assets to Foodpanda and the closure of other assets. Deliveroo Hong Kong has nominated liquidators to manage closure of the business and the remainder of its assets "in the most efficient way possible", it said. The company said in a statement: "There are several dynamics specific to the Hong Kong market which led the board to consider strategic options and, given the group's commitment to disciplined capital allocation, determine that it would not serve shareholders' best interests to continue to operate in Hong Kong." Last year, Hong Kong represented 5% of group gross transaction value and had a 5 percentage point negative impact on International GTV growth. The market remains adjusted EBITDA negative, Deliveroo said. The Hong Kong platform will remain live until 7 April. Chief operating officer Eric French said: "We want to thank all our employees, consumers, riders and restaurant and grocery partners who have been involved in our operations in Hong Kong. We have been proud to serve so many people such amazing food over the past nine years." Companies are putting the brakes on hiring new staff amid a subdued economic outlook and rising wage bills, according to the latest business surveys. In signs of a weakening UK labour market, the consultancy KPMG and the trade body the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) said a marked decline in the number of people being placed in permanent and temporary roles continued in February, although hiring declined at a slower pace than in January. Guardian Councils and mayors will be granted greater powers to seize land to build affordable housing under the Labour governments shake-up of planning rules this week. Local authorities in England and Wales will no longer need permission from central government to make compulsory purchase orders (CPOs), in a change that ministers hope will unlock vacant and derelict land. Guardian Elon Musks satellite technology is set to be deployed to help keep GPs in rural parts of England connected to the internet. The NHS has awarded a contract worth 85,000 to Starlink, which is part of Mr Musks SpaceX, to help provide internet services to GP practices and administrative offices in the North East and North Cumbria. Telegraph London is at risk of being swamped by burst pipes and sewage leaks if Thames Water is forced into an emergency nationalisation later this month, insiders fear. There are growing concerns that maintenance and repair works could grind to a halt if a multibillion-pound private sector-led bailout is rejected by the Court of Appeal in the coming days. Telegraph The beleaguered boss of BP has insisted that a move to increase fossil fuel production and abandon green energy targets is resonating with investors, as he races to convince shareholders that he can turn around the fortunes of the oil major. In his first public comments since promising a fundamentally reset strategy two weeks ago, Murray Auchincloss writes in The Times that unwinding a series of misplaced targets set out five years ago had been well received as he steps up efforts to woo investors. The Times Children's book author and illustrator Uri Shulevitz, who was born in Warsaw, Poland, and "survived a harrowing childhood traversing Europe to escape the Nazis and wove those experiences into arresting works like How I Learned Geography and the graphic novel Chance: Escape from the Holocaust," died February 15, the New York Times reported. He was 89. Uri Shulevitz (photo: Mel Adelglass) Shulevitz published more than 40 books, some in collaboration with other authors. He won a Caldecott Medal in 1969, for his illustrations in Arthur Ransome's The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship, a retelling of an Eastern European folk tale. He also earned Caldecott Honors for three of his own books: The Treasure (1979), Snow (1998), and How I Learned Geography (2008). "Despite the Nazi shadow looming over his childhood, Shulevitz made it clear that he was a wartime refugee, not a Holocaust survivor," the Times noted. He told Kirkus: "We weren't either in the ghetto or in the concentration camps," but "none of our family in Poland survived," adding that if his immediate family hadn't escaped, "we would have been just as they were." After the war ended, the family lived in a displaced persons camp in Germany before moving to Paris in 1947. Two years later, they relocated to Israel. At 15, Shulevitz became the youngest artist represented in a group drawing exhibition at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, the Times wrote, adding that he "continued working toward an art career as a student at the Institute for Israeli Art and by studying privately with the modernist painter Yehezkel Streichman." He moved to New York City when he was 24 and studied painting at the Brooklyn Museum Art School while also illustrating Hebrew children's books. Shulevitz published his first children's book, The Moon in My Room, in 1963. After receiving a Guggenheim Fellowship, he published The Travels of Benjamin of Tudela: Through Three Continents in the Twelfth Century (2005). His other works include The Secret Room (1993), When I Wore My Sailor Suit (2009), Dusk (2013), and Troto and the Trucks (2015). His final book, The Sky Was My Blanket: A Young Man's Journey Across Wartime Europe, will be published in August. Throughout his career, Shulevitz "strove to find meaning in the agonizing experiences of his youth," the Times noted. In Chance, he recalled how he was forced to leave a temporary home before a friend could finish reading him the L. Frank Baum novel The Wizard of Oz. He told Kirkus: "I didn't realize at the time, when I was listening to The Wizard of Oz, how our trip back to the West would resemble in some ways the hardships of Dorothy in trying to get back to Kansas. It actually has very deep echoes.... It wasn't all a painful experience to work on the book. It was also a journey of discovery." In a first, the Bombay High Court has ordered the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to accept and exchange demonetised money of Rs 20 lakh from a set of Kolhapur residents, whose funds were confiscated during an income tax raid barely a week before the deadline for deposit in 2016. The case is about the unexpected demonetisation policy of the government in November 2016, declaring Rs 500 and Rs 1000 banknotes to be invalid. The people were told to deposit the notes to their bank accounts by December 31, 2016. When the petitioners, having chosen to deposit the collective amount, were raided on December 26 by the income tax department, their cash was seized. Following the completion of the probe, the income tax department on January 10, 2017, notified the police that they would not keep the seized money and deposited the amount with the petitioners on January 17, 2017. When the petitioners went to RBI to deposit the money, the bank refused, saying the deadline had expired. The group, led by advocate Udaya Sankar Samudrala, approached the court against this order, claiming they could not be penalized for something that was beyond their control. They argued that as the money was in the hands of government officials during the deposit period, they could not be blamed for failing to meet the deadline. RBIs counsel, senior advocate Venkatesh Dhond, referred to the Specified Bank Notes (Cessation of Liabilities) Act, 2017, and a May 2017 finance ministry notification. He argued that the petitioners were required to submit the serial numbers of the demonetised notes to exchange them for legal tender. Since the petitioners couldnt provide these details, RBI claimed it was legally barred from accepting the notes. Nevertheless, the petitioners' lawyer added that the task of documenting the serial numbers rested with the tax and police officials who received the seized money, and their negligence in doing so imposed undue hardship on the petitioners. On February 27, a division bench of Justice A.S. Chandurkar and Justice M.M. Sathaye ruled in the favor of the petitioners, declaring they were not to blame. The court asserted that the petitioners did not have the cash at hand during the period of deposit, and denying them the exchange value would be unfair. the amount with RBI within a week and asked the central bank to authenticate the notes and exchange them for legal tender. We do not see any reason to deny the petitioners the benefit of receiving the value of the said bank notes, the bench ruled. It directed the petitioners to depositwithin a week and asked the central bank to authenticate the notes and exchange them for legal tender. The judgment is a major precedent in finding a balance between procedural compliance and equity, with an assurance that citizens are not disproportionately penalized for procedural failures by state agencies. The judgment reiterates the judiciary's role in protecting public interest even years after the disruptive effect of demonetisation. The Indian delegation, led by Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary (East), and the Cambodian delegation, headed by UN Kheang, Secretary of State for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, recently met to discuss expanding bilateral ties. According to a statement, the two sides focused on enhancing collaboration in areas such as health and digital technology, laying the groundwork for deeper cooperation between the nations. This high-level engagement underscores both countries' commitment to strengthening their diplomatic and economic relations. The consultations were conducted in a warm and friendly atmosphere, offering an opportunity to review the full spectrum of bilateral relations between India and Cambodia. Topics discussed included political cooperation, trade and investment, defense and security, development assistance, heritage conservation and restoration, and consular matters. The two sides also exchanged views on regional and multilateral issues of mutual concern. Both parties expressed satisfaction with the progress made in various sectors and agreed to explore new areas of collaboration, particularly in health and digital technologies, further strengthening their growing partnership. Secretary (East) and the Secretary of State of Cambodia visited the Asian Traditional Textile Museum, which was established with Indian assistance under the Mekong Ganga Cooperation, as well as the Ta Prohm Temple, a site of an Indian-supported conservation and restoration project. Cambodia is a key partner in Indias Act East Policy and its broader vision for the Indo-Pacific, as well as an important ally in the Global South. The two sides agreed to convene the next Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) at a mutually convenient time, further solidifying their bilateral ties, the statement added. The MEA spokesperson said in a post on X: "The 3rd India-Cambodia FOC co-chaired by Secretary (East) @JaideepMazumder & Secretary of State, Dr. UN Kheang of Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation, Cambodia were held today in Siem Reap, Cambodia. "Discussions covered the entire gamut of bilateral ties including political exchanges, trade & investment, defence & security, development assistance, heritage conservation & restoration and consular issues. They also exchanged views on regional & global issues of mutual interest." Beaches are eroded across parts of Australia's east coast, but residents have been urged not to dump their sandbags onto them. A warning has been issued to Aussies not to empty their used sandbags on the beach. Source: AAP As ex-Cyclone Alfred approached Australias east coast, more than 1.5 million sandbags were distributed across Queensland and NSW. Now the system has passed, one council has issued a warning not to simply empty them into the environment. With erosion a noticeable issue on 500km of coastline from the Sunshine Coast to Coffs Harbour, some locals thought emptying sand onto beaches would help. But Byron Shire Council has advised doing so could be highly damaging. Related: Ex-Cyclone Alfred uncovers two shipwrecks over 100 years old in Australia Why is dumping sandbags on the beach a problem? Its biodiversity officer Chloe Dowsett said council has received many queries about what to do with the sand, and dumping it on the beach is not the answer. Instead, it's asked residents to hang onto them for two weeks in case there is another extreme weather event, and until a disposal plan is finalised. ADVERTISEMENT Sand can be dirty and contaminated from flood or stormwater with weeds, pests and even chemicals posing an environmental risk for marine life and the birds and insects that live in the dunes and on our beaches, she said. While its likely most sand for bags has come from quarries and is clean, we dont know for sure so the best thing to do is to not inadvertently contaminate our already depleted beaches. Ex-tropical Cyclone Alfred brought heavy rainfall and damaging winds to southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales, damaging beaches. Source: AAP Downgraded weather system leaves thousands without power As the system approached the coastline on Saturday morning, it was downgraded from a cyclone to a tropical low. But the storm has been highly damaging in southeast Queensland and northern NSW. On Monday, 238,000 homes and businesses were without power and emergency flood alerts had been issued. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has appointed Takashi Nakajima as the new President and CEO of Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) with effect from April 1, 2025. This is in line with Honda's global management restructuring annually. Mr. Nakajima will replace Takuya Tsumura, who will return to Honda's head office in Japan upon the end of his term in India. Under his three-year tenure at the top, Mr. Tsumura spearheaded Honda's premium brand reputation, customer-focused solutions, and profitable growth for HCIL. Having spent more than 30 years with Honda, Mr. Nakajima has extensive global experience to contribute to his new position. Joining the company in 1994, he has been responsible for significant roles in international markets such as Japan, China, Spain, the Czech Republic, and Russia, covering Business Planning, Product Planning, Marketing, and Sales Promotion. Most recently, he was President of Honda Motor Russia and at the same time responsible for Product Planning, Marketing, and Corporate Communication for Honda's domestic automobile operations in Japan. HCIL is confident that Mr. Nakajima's rich global exposure and strategic experience will further augment Honda's strong position in India's vibrant car market. He will lead by fostering innovation, enriching customers' experiences, and driving growth for the brand in one of the world's biggest automotive markets. Update: 5 hurt after small plane skids 100 feet through parking lot at Lancaster County retirement community A single-engine airplane with five people on board crashed Sunday afternoon in a parking lot of a retirement community near a small airport in suburban Pennsylvania, officials said. A press conference started at 6:15 to provide more information on the crash. The crash happened around 3:15 p.m. just south of Lancaster Airport in Manheim Township, according to police. All aboard the plane were taken to the hospital, officials said at the press conference. Photos and a video from a scene showed a plane in flames in the parking lot at Brethren Village retirement community in Manheim Township. Thats located less than a mile from Lancaster Airport, across from Airport Road. The aircraft was a single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. It departed from Lancaster Airport and was headed toward Springfield, Ohio, according to FlightAware, when it came down. One witness said the plane crashed shortly after takeoff. It was pretty high, but then it started veering left, and suddenly it nose-dived sideways while continuing to turn left, Brian Pipkin told CNN. Pennsylvania State Police are on the ground assisting local first responders, Gov. Josh Shapiro said in a post on X, adding that all Commonwealth resources are available as the response continues. Manheim Township officials in a press release said that none of the buildings in the retirement community sustained any structural damage. A few cars were damaged as the plane crashed into the parking lot and burst into flames. The fire was extinguished by local responders, township officials said. Officials said the township was transitioning to its Recovery and Investigation Phase and will await further guidance from federal agencies. Lancaster County Department of Public Safety was on the scene to provide support to Manheim Township. According to initial news reports and residents posting on Facebook, multiple ambulances converged on the crash scene. Still, considering the proximity of the crash to the retirement community and the parking lot, it could have been worse. Said Manheim Township Police Chief Duane Fisher at the conclusion of the press conference, Its a great day when you have a plane crash and everyone survives, and no one on the ground is hurt. The Lolanta dinosaur bathrobe is being recalled. (Courtesy of the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission) Courtesy of the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission Childrens bathrobes are being recalled by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) due to the risk of burn injuries and death to children. The Lolanta dinosaur bathrobes, sold on Amazon by a company called Nanchang Zhongcangjishi E-commerce, breach the governments regulations on nightwear for kids. The bathrobes, complete with dinosaur horns and all on the hood, are made of 100% polyester. The size, manufacturer information and care instructions are printed on sewn-in labels inside the left inseam of the robes. About 5,100 of these robes were sold, and were available in four different sizes based on ages, according to a written statement: 2-3 years 3-5 years 6-8 years 8-10 years Customers who bought these dinosaur bathrobes are encouraged to cease using them straightaway. Refunds are available to customers who destroy the bathrobe by cutting them in half and emailing a photo of the destroyed garment to business@lolanta.com. The bathrobes were sold wholly online on Amazons website for a period of three years November 2021 to November 2024 at a purchase price of around $29, the statement detailed. Presently, no injuries have been reported as a result of the bathrobes usage. New York Citys recent measles cases were both in unvaccinated infants, Chantal Gomez, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, told Healthbeat. (Getty Images) Getty Images STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Measles cases are on the rise in the United States, including two cases that have been confirmed in New York City, and public health officials are encouraging vaccination against the highly contagious virus, according to reports. New York Citys two cases were both in unvaccinated infants, Chantal Gomez, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, told Healthbeat. The cases are unrelated, and no further information was available about the patients or where they are located, according to a report published by NBC News. Officials are advising anyone who has not been vaccinated to get immunized and to make sure children have received the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccines. Symptoms Measles is an acute viral respiratory illness, characterized by high fever, malaise, cough and stuffy nose along with conjunctivitis (pink eye), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Spots, known as a pathognomonic enanthema, are also present, followed by a rash, the CDC reported. The rash usually appears about two weeks after a person is exposed, and spreads from the head down. Patients are considered to be contagious from four days before to four days after the rash appears. Sometimes immunocompromised patients do not develop the rash. Measles is one of the most contagious of all infectious diseases, the CDC reported, and nine out of 10 susceptible people with close contact to a measles patient will develop the illness. The virus is transmitted by direct contact with infectious droplets and airborne spread when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes, according to the CDC. The measles virus can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves the area. New York City Though New York City is a global travel hub, outbreaks are rare, Rosen said. Thats really a testament to high vaccination coverage overall in New York City, and particularly among school-aged children, she said. But, areas with low vaccination rates do have an increased risk of local outbreaks, health officials warned. That was the case in 2018, when an unvaccinated child returned to the city from a trip abroad, sparking a large outbreak among Orthodox Jewish communities in Brooklyn, with more than 600 cases by the following summer, according to the New England Journal of Medicine. Preventing measles spread Overall, MMR vaccination rates in New York City are very high. By kindergarten age, 98% of children have received two doses of the MMR vaccine, according to Health Department data. But the rate of vaccination among younger children is lower. That is a concern for the rest of the state as well, according to reports. In a recent release, the state Health Department warned that current MMR vaccination rates among 2-year-olds have fallen below herd immunity levels in all counties outside of New York City. Statewide, only 81.2% of 2-year-olds, excluding those in New York City, have received one dose of the MMR vaccine and some counties have rates under 65%. Most vulnerable Those at highest risk include children ages 5 and under, adults over age 20, pregnant women and those with weakened immune system, the CDC reported. Even in previously healthy children, measles can cause serious illness requiring hospitalization, the CDC stated. Vice President JD Vance wasnt shy when talking about President Donald Trumps lengthy speech to a joint session of Congress last week. A hot mic caught an exchange between the veep and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) before Trump delivered what has become the longest presidential address ever to Congress. By the way, I think the speech is going to be great. But I dont know how you do this for 90 minutes, Vance told Johnson. Johnson replied: The hardest thing was doing it during Biden, when the speech was a stupid campaign speech. Video of the exchange shows Johnson then lowering the active microphone that picked up both mens remarks. Trumps speech lasted one hour and 40 minutes, beating out former President Bill Clintons previous record for his State of the Union address, where Clinton spoke for one hour, 28 minutes, according to the American Presidency Project and quoted by the Cincinnati Enquirer. The prime-time address reached an estimated 36.6 million viewers, which was lower than any of Trumps first four addresses to Congress in his previous administration. CBS News reported that a large majority of viewers approved of Trumps speech, but that the viewership was primarily Republican. It is common for a majority of those watching a presidential speech to be from the presidents own party, CBS News reported. A CBS News/YouGov survey interviewed a nationally representative sample of speech watchers immediately following the presidents address. Most speech viewers described the president as presidential, inspiring and more unifying than divisive. A big majority also called the speech entertaining. The poll showed 76% of viewers overall approved of the speech, with 23% disapproving. A new poll from Siena College has some concerning news for President Donald Trump. While Trump still enjoys wide support among Republican voters in New York, those numbers have taken a hit over the last four weeks. The poll showed Trump job approval rating among state Republicans at 78%, with 20% disapproving. While the approval number remains robust, Trumps job approval rating in February among Republicans here was 86%, with just 10% of New York GOPers disapproving of Trump. Overall, 55% of New Yorkers disapprove of the job that Trump is doing, with 42% approving. While Trumps favorability rating barely moved since last month, his overall job approval rating took a little hit since February, largely as a result of Republican approval falling from 86-10% approval last month to 78-20% approval this month, Siena pollster Steve Greenberg said. His approval rating also fell in the downstate suburbs, from 58-41% last month to 46-51% today. Trumps overall job approval rating may be 13 points underwater, and he gets similar negative grades for unifying Americans, enhancing Americas reputation abroad, and reducing the cost of living, but a majority of voters approve of the job hes doing to combat the flow of fentanyl into the US, Greenberg said. Voters are evenly divided on whether they approve or disapprove of Trumps actions to fix the countrys immigration system, he said. Voters also favor Trumps order to recognize English as the official language of the United States. Democrats disapprove of the job Trump is doing on each of these issues and three-quarters or more of Republicans approve of the job hes doing on each issue, Greenberg said. Independents approve of the job Trump is doing on six of the issues and they are closely divided on two others, unifying Americans and enhancing Americas reputation. A plurality of voters back Trumps call to eliminate congestion pricing, the poll showed. President Donald Trump has hit Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with new peace demands while saying that Ukraine may not survive anyway. The Daily Mail reported that Trump wants Zelenskyy to hold new elections and possibly step down as Ukraine leader in order to ensure the continuing flow of U.S. military aid and intelligence access to the country. Thats in addition to the rare earth minerals deal that was set to be signed last month before the fiery confrontation between Trump and Zelenskyy that led to the Ukraine leader being booted from the White House on Trumps orders. Trump also expects Zelenskyy to be open to the possibility of ceding territory to Russia, which invaded Ukraine three years ago. We want to do anything we can to get Ukraine to be serious about getting something done, Trump told reporters on Sunday. Earlier in the day he was asked about the future of Ukraine and admitted: Well, it may not survive anyway. The additional asks of Zelenskyy represent a major shift in the U.S. stance on the peace process. Trumps comments come as U.S. and Ukrainian officials are set to meet in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia this week to continue peace talks. White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said the Ukrainians have made positive movement, demonstrated by Trumps decision to read President Zelenskyys message at the joint session speech to Congress last week. With meetings in Saudi this coming week, we look forward to hearing more positive movement that will hopefully ultimately end this brutal war and bloodshed, Hughes said. Trump had cut off aid to Ukraine following the Oval Office dustup with Zelenskyy. Trump on Air Force One on Sunday said that Ukraine needs to want peace above everything else in order for the war to end. Asked whether Zelenskyy has proven that Ukrainians want peace, Trump said: I think right now they havent, but I think they will be. The president said, I think its going to become evident over the next two or three days. This week, hundreds of people died in cities in Ukraine, and we got to get it stopped. President Donald Trump said that monster nuclear weapons could end the world tomorrow that that atomic holocaust is the biggest threat faced by humanity. Appearing on Sunday Morning Futures on Fox News, Trump pointed to the ominous stockpiling of nuclear weapons, particularly by superpowers the U.S., Russia and China. The greatest [threat] is sitting on shelves in various countries called nuclear weapons that are big monsters that can blow your heads off for miles and miles and miles, Trump said, per the New York Post. Trump lamented how much money the United States has spent to build and maintain its nuclear arsenal. We spend a lot of money of nuclear weapons the level of destruction is beyond anything you can imagine, the commander-in-chief said. Its just bad that you have to spend all this money on something that if its used, its probably the end of the world. Trump slammed former President Joe Biden for saying that climate change was an existential threat to humanity. They talk about the climate and they talk about the dangers of the climate but they dont talk about the dangers of a nuclear weapon, which could happen tomorrow, the president said. Trump has said that he wants to restart nuclear arms control talks with Russia and China, and said that he wants to see all three countries cut their defense budgets in half. Theres no reason for us to be building brand new nuclear weapons, we already have so many, Trump said last month. You could destroy the world 50 times over, 100 times over. And here we are building new nuclear weapons, and theyre building nuclear weapons. He added that he would look to engage in nuclear talks with the two countries once we straighten it all out in the Middle East and Ukraine. Conservative firebrand William F. Buckley will be honored with a stamp, the United States Postal Service announced. The USPS called Buckley, founder of the National Review, one of the most influential public intellectuals in modern U.S. history and the man who defined the conservative movement of the mid-20th century. Buckley, who died in 2008, was born 100 years ago this year. Buckley was an early critic of President Donald Trump. When he looks at a glass, he is mesmerized by its reflection. If Donald Trump were shaped a little differently, he would compete for Miss America, Buckley wrote in 2000, when Trump was looking to run for president on the Reform Party line, the Oregonian wrote. Buckley, the son of a wealthy oilman, graduated from Yale in 1950 and spent just over a year in the CIA before publishing God and Man at Yale, which launched his career as a public figure. Buckley founded the conservative journal National Review in 1955, when New Deal-style liberalism dominated national politics. He announced in the magazines first issue that the National Review stands athwart history, yelling Stop, at a time when no one is inclined to do so, or to have much patience with those who so urge it. Buckley ran for mayor of New York City in 1965. When asked why he was running, he replied: Because nobody else is who matters. He lost, ending up with 13% of the vote. Known for his wit and intellectualism, Buckley penned books on conservative thought as well as best-selling spy novels (in which he occasionally gave himself cameo appearances or mentions). For decades he hosted the TV talk show Firing Line, where he debated politicians and fellow intellectuals of every stripe. A leading meteorologist has explained it would be overwhelming to show users '100 different forecasts' so we're shown the most likely possibility instead. As ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred approached many Aussies were getting their updates from weather apps. The results werent always accurate, and a leading meteorologist has revealed thats unsurprising because of one simple reason. Based on limited information available, apps usually only provide one likely prediction, even though there are actually many alternate weather forecasts. The further we are out from that weather event, the harder it is to predict, and the more likely we are to see differences in expected humidity, rainfall and temperature on various apps. Dr Michael Barnes, a Research Fellow with the ARC Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather at Monash University, explained the forecast on apps shouldn't be thought of as a guarantee of what will happen, but simply "one option". He compares the result we see on weather apps to predicting a winner at the Melbourne Cup. There might be an 80 per cent chance of one horse winning because he's very strong and a past winner, but that doesn't discount the other five horses from winning. And that's what we're trying to do every single day with these forecasts, he told Yahoo News. ADVERTISEMENT Related: Farmed salmon called into question - so is it safe to eat? Why the weather forecast is always changing When creating their predictions, meteorologists have to consider an overwhelming amount of information from radar, satellite, and ground measurements, before they conclude what the most likely outcomes are. Because there will always be small gaps in the information about current atmospheric conditions, small errors are inadvertently entered into the modelling, and this can interfere with the final forecast. Further miscalculations occur in the modelling methods used to solve the equations which inform weather predictions. An ensemble forecast for rainfall across various Queensland locations. The top line indicates the result you'd see translated on an app, while underneath we see other possibilities. Data: ECMWF Image: Michael Barnes The result is that the further out in time we predict, the more error prone the forecast is. Thats why if you look at the forecast today, what we see for the end of the week will change as we get closer to that day, Barnes said. ADVERTISEMENT Behind the scenes, meteorologists use a process called ensemble forecasting. By tweaking the data around the uncertainties in the information available, dozens of possible weather possibilities are produced. "But that's not necessarily something you'll see on your favourite weather app. It's too much information for the average person to distil we can't show them 100 different forecasts," he said. "So it's very difficult to communicate the full range of possibilities to people." Was the path of ex-Cyclone Alfred correctly predicted? On social media, some Aussies have criticised early mistakes in the forecast of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. But experts highlight that crucially, the westerly path of the system was correctly predicted as it headed towards Queensland, and this gave residents in affected areas time to prepare before it hit. ADVERTISEMENT Barnes concedes there were some forecasting mistakes, but he characterises the errors as relatively small. The system came in slower than originally predicted and then stalled over the interior before it made landfall, and this resulted in more rainfall over southeast Queensland than originally expected. The weather predictions ahead of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred were generally quite accurate. Source: Getty How good are Australian weather predictions? Barnes began his career in South Africa, and then went on to work at the United Nations World Meteorological Organization. He believes Australia has world-class forecasting because its backed by government-funded experts at the Bureau of Meteorology. Substantial staffing cuts at NOAA, which is responsible for weather forecasting in the United States, have led other experts to question whether the nation's ability to accurately predict natural disasters will be impacted. Weather experts play a critical role in providing advice about tropical cyclones, which are particularly hard to predict because their structure is affected by whats occurring inside the system itself. Small scale thunderstorms that form within the system can alter its intensity, structure and path. ADVERTISEMENT "That's why, when you see a cyclone forecast you will not just have one little line of where the track is, but there will be a cone of uncertainty around it. And that's because the Bureau of Meteorology knows there's a range of possibilities of a tropical cyclone forecast," Barnes said. How can I be ready for the next cyclone? University of Newcastle disaster resilience expert Associate Professor Iftekhar Ahmed told Yahoo that Cyclone Wanda and ex-Cyclone Zoe, which hit Brisbane in 1974, followed a similar path to ex-Cyclone Alfred and fizzed out before they made landfall. Having learned from previous disasters, he believes authorities were much better prepared than they were 51 years ago, or even three years ago when Lismore flooded. As climate change makes extreme weather more intense and frequent, he recommends residents in regions regularly hit by cyclones should make preparations at home. This will avoid reliance on emergency shelves and stop supermarket shelves being stripped bare at the last minute. I think people should keep dry food, canned food, so if they need to evacuate, they have supplies to last them at least a few days, Ahmed said. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories. 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! Latitude 66 Limited is gearing up the rigs for a major drilling campaign at its 100 per cent-owned Edjudina gold project near to Kalgoorlie Gold Minings recent spectacular high-grade supergene gold discovery in Western Australias Eastern Goldfields. The 9000-metre air core program is set to begin this month and is designed to target multiple high-potential gold anomalies picked up from geochemical testing, geophysical surveys or historical air core drilling. Flat topography should make for easy and quick drilling at Latitude 66s Edjudina gold project in Western Australia. One target, the Hercules prospect, was identified as a 7-kilometre-long soil anomaly with up to 92 parts per billion (ppb) gold. Another target, called Falcon, reported soil samples of up to 98ppb gold over 1.3km. Four other drill holes reported significant gold and silver grades up to 15g/t gold and 1130g/t silver. The company expects a second drill rig to start onsite shortly. This will enable it to drill up to 35,000m this year to advance the two main target areas and contribute to the overall geological understanding of a 10-kilometre-wide epithermal gold-silver system within its 70 square kilometre project area. The project is within the Copalquin mining district, which has 100 historic underground gold-silver mines and workings and almost 200 open surface workings and pits many identified by LiDAR scanning. The company has identified several target areas in the district. One target in the centre of the concession area encloses the El Refugio deposit which, combined with La Soledad, already hosts a maiden high-grade gold-silver JORC-compliant resource totalling 2.4 million tonnes (mt) at an average gold grade of 4.8g/t and silver averaging 141g/t, for a total of 529,000 gold equivalent ounces at an average gold equivalent grade of 6.81g/t. Mineralisation in the indicated category comprises 28.6 per cent of the resource. The El Refugio resource is further supported by a conceptual underground mining study completed on the maiden resource in early 2022. Metallurgical testwork was also undertaken in 2022. Six holes were completed and reported in February at La Soledad, further expanding the footprint and structural knowledge of the north-west trending silver and gold-rich structure. Mithril notes the area exhibits considerable strike and depth potential. Drilling at La Soledad, on the northeastern side of the Target 1 resource area, has returned excellent intercepts ahead of the planned resource update and is ongoing. A further seven holes have been completed and samples from four of the holes have been sent for assays. Target 1 also contains the La Cometa mineralised zone, where initial drilling identified multiple shallow intercepts. The El Cometa area features broad mineralisation with cross-cutting structures that host high-grade gold and silver, including a 2024 drill hole that intercepted 33m going 31.8g/t gold and 274g/t silver from surface. The district lies within the renowned Sierra Madre gold-silver trend that extends north-south along the western side of Mexico and hosts many world-class gold and silver deposits. Multiple mineralising events, young intrusives thought to be heat sources driving mineralisation, widespread alteration, extensive surface vein exposures and dozens of historic mine workings all serve to characterise the Copalquin district as a major epithermal gold-silver centre. Mithril has successfully delivered a maiden JORC mineral resource estimate within 15 months of kicking off drilling in the Copalquin district and has resoundingly proven its high-grade gold-silver resource potential. ---------- Variscan Mines Ltd (ASX: VAR) La Caseta (Central) zone, San Jose mine, Novales-Udias project, Spain. Hit: 15.3m at 17.42 per cent zinc and 4.4 per cent lead Perth-based Variscan Mines released an impressive base-metal headline result from underground infill drilling at its San Jose mine in Spain, with its best-ever intercept from one hole at the mine. Variscan Mines north-south zone of high-grade sulphides in the northern part of its La Caseta project at the San Jose mine comprises a feeder zone with abundant iron sulphides and high-grade zinc and lead sulphide mineralisation. The headline drill hole is part of a focussed diamond coring program to identify possible feeder zones adjacent to existing measured and indicated resources in the La Caseta (Central) area of the San Jose mine at its more northerly Novales project area. The program returned exceptional results from all three drill holes put into La Caseta, including the headline intercept that features massive sphalerite in dolostone from 0m to 16.95m. The result is supported by other excellent responses. A second hole intercepted 14.30m going 8.09 per cent zinc and 1.28 per cent lead, while a third hole jagged 15.25m running 6.10 per cent zinc and 0.46 per cent lead. The underground infill drilling is believed to have successfully identified one of the mines key mineralising feeder systems. Dolostone or dolomite rock is a magnesium calcium carbonate rock type, while dolomite is the dominant mineral making up the rock. The carbonate rock forms when magnesium and calcium carbonates precipitate from water. Carbonate-hosted lead-zinc ore deposits are important and highly valuable concentrations of lead and zinc ores hosted within carbonate formations that may contain limestone, marl or dolomite or a combination of the mineral types. These ore bodies may range from 0.5mt of contained ore to more than 20mt of ore and may grade from 4 per cent combined lead and zinc to more than 14 per cent. The ore bodies tend to be compact, fairly uniform plug-like or pipe-like replacements of their host carbonate sequences and can sustain extremely profitable mines. San Joses mineralisation style is classified as Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) hosted within a stratiform dolomitic unit. The companys nearby Novales and Udias projects are separated by about 5.2km along a 12km long north-east/south-west striking prospective trend within the companys tenure, with the San Jose mine at Novales being the northernmost of the two locations, about 3km south of Spains northern coastline. The projects lie within the Basque-Cantabrian basin, which is one of Europes premier zinc-lead regions. The San Jose mine is only 9.5km northwest of the world-class Reocin zinc deposit endowed with 62mt at a grade of 9.7 per cent zinc and 1 per cent lead. An additional important strategic consideration is that the San Jose mine is 145km east-southeast of Glencores Asturias de Zinc smelter, which is one of the biggest such smelters globally. The combined 2012 JORC-compliant mineral resource estimate for the formerly producing San Jose mine at Novales and the companys more southerly Udias deposit is classified within the measured, indicated and inferred categories. In December last year, Variscan announced an update to its combined mineral resource estimate for both operations, totalling 3.4mt at 7.61 per cent zinc and 0.88 per cent lead, making it the highest-grade zinc development project currently on the ASX. It offers the company strong basis upon which to launch any mine re-start studies. Measured and indicated resources represent 67 per cent of the San Jose mine resource. The company says its measured grades are higher than any other category or deposit at 9.18 per cent zinc and 1.8 per cent lead. The core for the headline drill hole was cut mostly on 1m intervals, yielding a best single 1m interval of 34.1 per cent zinc and 12.45 per cent lead. The interval is no orphan, for across the 15.3m intercept, there are six 1m intervals grading above 20 per cent zinc. At this stage, the Udias deposit carries mineralisation only in the inferred resource category, with exploration work ongoing. Maiden underground drilling at Udias only kicked off in mid-November, following the completion of the underground infill drilling at San Jose. The style of zinc mineralisation at Udias is identical to that found at the San Jose mine and consists of multiple stacked lenses of high-grade zinc sulphide mineralisation occurring at the same elevations as at San Jose, suggesting there is no vertical offset. The 12km-long zone features numerous scattered historic workings that appear to be most prolific in the San Jose Central zone. Variscan is exploring within only about 4.5km of a 12km strike trend featuring abundant historic evidence of extensive, metallurgically simple, MVT-style zinc-lead sulphide mineralisation at shallow depths ranging from 170m to 240m. The company says the results reported from both Udias and San Jose are significant, producing five of its best-ever 20 drill holes and confirming the quality of the Novales-Udias project and the effectiveness of its drilling program. Variscan is the only active explorer-developer in Cantabria and with little more than a passing assessment, the company can be seen to command considerable potential for a resource expansion within its extensive tenure. ---------- Redcastle Resources (ASX: RC1) Queen Alexandra project, Eastern Goldfields, Western Australia Hit: 4m at 10.94g/t gold from 6m Redcastle Resources has jagged some strong hits from its recent 6500m reverse circulation drilling program at its Queen Alexandra gold show, about 58km east/southeast of the Gwalia Gold mine at Leonora in Western Australias Eastern Goldfields. The shallow, high-grade results nicely spiced up the program, which Redcastle also managed to knock off under budget, giving it a further 3200m of drilling to play with for a total of 99 holes over 9700m. The drilling highlights include high-grade intercepts at shallow depths in an undrilled northern area, with a best intercept of 4m at 10.94g/t gold from just 6m depth in one hole and a second hole nailing 4m at 4.79 g/t gold from 8m. The company kicked off the program in early December last year to expand its existing resources and identify new targets within or near known gold mineralised zones. The plan also included drilling at nearby Redcastle Reef and was later extended to include the Morgans Castle East prospect further east. All three prospects are disposed along an 860m north-west/south-east trend. The infill pattern at Queen Alexandra was planned to comprise 34 holes each about 80m deep for a total of 2720m on a nominal 25m by 25m grid spacing to follow up on successful drilling program completed in July last year, Other drilling results from the companys newly named Kestrel Lode at the Queen Alexandra project include the next three top gold intercepts, with 7m going 10.16g/t from 42m, 3m assaying 6.43g/t from 15m and 2m running 7.78 g/t from 77m. Three more holes from Kestrel produced intercepts between 2m and 3m long carrying gold grades ranging from 4.09g/t to 5.26g/t. The string of six holes in concert with previous drilling results - defines locally continuous mineralisation in multiple directions. Drilling at Queen Alexandra has revealed a new zone of high-grade gold which may represent a near-surface, free-dig, free-milling, high-grade secondary gold resource amenable to carbon-in-leach processing. Redcastle says the zone justifies further follow-up drilling with a further 17 holes as part of the original program metres and that it is planning bulk sampling of the shallow high-grade mineralisation. Bulk sampling will further inform a scoping study towards possible toll treatment of the resource, which will follow updating of last years maiden mineral resource for the north-dipping stacked shoots at Queen Alexandra, where mineralisation is open in both directions. Improving the grades with increasing depth represents significant upside potential for Queen Alexandra. The prospects current mineral resource comprises 107,800t at an average grade of 3.06g/t gold for a total of 10,600 ounces of gold. It predominantly comprises material within the oxide and transitional profiles, with minimal fresh material included, to a depth of 50m below surface. That is nominally the maximum depth of drilling. Redcastle says it now envisages an extensive east-west gold corridor, with the Queen Alexandra project at its core, stretching eastwards to Coronation and possibly further to its Redcastle Reef and Morgans Castle East prospects. With continued exploration, it figures the corridor could extend even further, possibly up to 2.5 km. Management says the recent results have helped develop a good understanding of the mineralisation, its extent and potential, prompting it to believe that 2025 will be a breakout year for the company. Confirmation of the extent of shallow, high-grade mineralisation at Queen Alexandra now warrants initiation of the bulk sampling exercise to support a scoping study for an open pit development, which could extend to potential underground development. Additionally, drilling results from the companys nearby Redcastle Reef and Morgans Castle deposits point to the possibility of satellite open pit developments that could further drive commercial expansion, underpinned by favourable gold prices and available third-party toll treatment. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au Local man Ben Thomas spotted the young bull shark in his favourite swimming spot near his Gold Coast home this week. Tradie Ben Thomas was stunned to spot a shark in Tallebudgera Creek after heavy rainfall from Cyclone Alfred. Source: Instagram/nicka35 A tradie called in to help repair the damage inflicted to homes by Cyclone Alfred was left stunned after spotting a bull shark cruising along in floodwater just metres away from a property this week. Ben Thomas told Yahoo News it's no secret that sharks inhabit Australian water but seeing one of the predators where he swims every day in Tallebudgera Creek on the Gold Coast was nothing short of "bizarre". "We were just working away and we looked out at the water, and there was a shark floating around," he told Yahoo about the sighting on Monday around 6 am. "We swim in the creek most days, and seeing one so close to the shore was so unusual." The shark was visible in the water for "a couple of hours" but there was no sign of it when Ben returned today. ADVERTISEMENT "I've seen hammerheads in there as a youngster walking across the bridge after a night out, we know they're there, but it's bizarre to see one almost on the beach." Sharks are expected to linger in floodwaters over the next few days. Source: Instagram/nicka35 Sharks expected to linger after storm blows off coast The worst of the storm is thankfully over, and millions of Aussies along the east coast are now dusting themselves off to assess the damage caused by the cyclone. However, speaking to Yahoo News prior to the storm, a marine biologist warned that sharks will likely linger in floodwater long after the heavy rainfall ceases, with sharks attracted to the floodwaters due to the potential of finding food. ADVERTISEMENT "It is likely that dead things get washed out of rivers during heavy rainfall. So obviously they are looking for a free lunch," Professor Culum Brown from Macquarie University explained. "The other theory is that the freshwater plumes coming into the ocean bring with them lots of nutrients, which ultimately encourage plankton growth, which in turn attracts fish. The sharks then chase the fish." There have been studies conducted in Sydney and Queensland that show bull sharks respond to heavy rainfall and are "attracted to estuaries and rivers during and after heavy rainfall", with one study linking an increase in the predators being caught in shark nets when rainfall exceeds 100mm between one and eight days after the downpour. For now, the message remains the same stay out of the water in the coming days. ADVERTISEMENT "I'm not going for a swim anytime soon, put it that way," Ben joked. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. I just dont see it being a sustainable rally at this point of time, Sycamore said. I dont think the stock market is a high priority of the White House administration at this point in time and the fact that weve seen these tariffs come just quicker and more broadly than anticipated, I just dont think (Trump) is going to walk them back. The fresh bout of uncertainty in global markets came after a weekend that saw Trump himself suggest that the American economy is set to slow after he sidestepped a question in an interview on Sunday. Asked on Fox News Sunday Morning Futures program whether he is expecting a recession, he said: I hate to predict things like that. There is a period of transition because what were doing is very big. The US will on Wednesday impose 25 per cent duties on all steel and aluminium imports, including from allies such as Australia and Japan. Credit: Bloomberg The change in language from the campaign trail when he promised tariffs on Day One that would pay for tax cuts without disrupting the growth has sparked a frenzied repricing of risk assets and also triggered an investor flight to traditionally safe haven assets such as gold. Sharemarkets have been rattled, triggering a flight to safety. Short-term money has flowed into US Treasuries, Gold, JPY, and CHF, while growth-linked currencies (AUD, NZD, CAD) have sold off, said Kurt Mayer, the head of markets at CMC Australia and New Zealand. Loading The US will on Wednesday impose 25 per cent duties on all steel and aluminium imports, including from allies such as Australia and Japan, which have failed to win carve-outs. Trumps plans for reciprocal tariffs on all nations that impose duties on the US are set to take effect from April 2. On Tuesday on the ASX, the big four banks slumped in early trade, but recovered some ground at the close. Commonwealth Bank the nations biggest lender and the biggest stock on the ASX was down 0.8 per cent after slumping more than 2 per cent in early trade, while Westpac (up 1 per cent), ANZ (up 1 per cent), and NAB (up 0.1 per cent) all recorded gains. Meanwhile, consumer discretionary retailers suffered Bunnings, Kmart and Officeworks owner Wesfarmers was down 1.3 per cent and electronics retailer JB Hi-Fi lost 2.5 per cent, while consumer staples such as the big supermarkets fared better Coles share price rose 0.6 per cent. The Australian dollar traded at US62.66 after its fall overnight. The mining heavyweights were mixed, with the worlds biggest and lowest-cost miner BHP and iron ore rival Rio Tinto up 1.2 and 0.5 per cent respectively, while Fortescue extended its losses, down 1 per cent. Loading The market sell-down continued even after data showed Australias consumer confidence picked up in March as inflation pressures eased, which had led the Reserve Bank to cut interest rates for the first time in four years last month. Sentiment jumped 4 per cent to 95.9 points the highest level in three years according to figures from a Westpac survey released Tuesday morning. Tech stocks led the markets losses, as embattled software giant WiseTech Global (down 1.9 per cent), Xero (down 5.1 per cent), TechnologyOne (down 5.7 per cent), and NextDC (down 1.8 per cent) all recorded sharp falls. The tech plunge mirrors the big tech sell-off on Wall Street amid a rotation into defensive shares, which sent the S&P 500 down 2.7 per cent and had the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 plummeting 4 per cent, wiping out more than $US1 trillion ($1.6 trillion) in its worst session in two and a half years. In the US, Tesla tumbled 15.4 per cent on Monday, widening its loss this year to 41 per cent. AI chip giant Nvidia lost 5.1 per cent and has erased more than $US1 trillion in market value in two months. Bloombergs index of the Magnificent Seven tech stocks which also includes Googles parent Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta and Microsoft tumbled 5.4 per cent and is now down more than 15 per cent in 2025. Weve gone from animal spirits to what are the odds of a recession.This is a headline-driven market; one that could change in an hour. Sit tight. Buckle up. Gina Bolvin, president of Bolvin Wealth Management Group The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 2.1 per cent. Wall Streets closely watched volatility gauge the VIX hit the highest this year. US Treasury yields slid on bets that an economic slowdown would force the Federal Reserve to slash interest rates. Bitcoin slipped below $US80,000 ($128,000). Sell your winners, embrace the bear case and duck and cover, said Michael Bailey, director of research at Fulton Breakefield Broenniman. Weve gone from animal spirits to What are the odds of a recession?, said Gina Bolvin, president of Bolvin Wealth Management Group. This is a headline-driven market; one that could change in an hour. Sit tight. Buckle up. We finally have the correction we were waiting for. Demand for recession havens have also boosted sovereign bonds. The yield on 10-year US Treasuries slid nine basis points to 4.21 per cent. West Texas Intermediate dipped to trade below $US66 a barrel, down more than 15 per cent from its mid-January peak. A chorus of Wall Street strategists is warning about higher stock volatility, sounding the alarm on economic growth worries. There are always multiple forces at work in the market, but right now, almost all of them are taking a back seat to tariffs, said Chris Larkin at E*Trade from Morgan Stanley. Until theres more clarity on trade policy, traders and investors should anticipate continued volatility. As Donald Trump took the oath of office on January 20, he was flanked by some of the worlds wealthiest people. The billionaires present that day including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg had never been richer, flush with big gains from frothy stock markets. Seven weeks later, its a different story. The start of Trumps second term has delivered a stunning reversal for many of those billionaires sitting behind Trump in the Capitol Rotunda, with five having lost a combined $US210 billion ($335 billion) in wealth, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Donald Trump as he took the oath of office on January 20. Credit: Getty Images The period between Trumps election and his inauguration was a boon for the worlds wealthiest, with the S&P 500 Index hitting several all-time highs. Investors piled into equity and crypto markets, expecting that Trumps policies would be advantageous to business. The market value of Musks Tesla nearly doubled in the weeks after the election, hitting a record high. Bernard Arnaults LVMH added 7 per cent in the week before Inauguration Day, making the French magnate $US12 billion richer. In the nearly five years since this masthead revealed that former High Court judge Dyson Heydon sexually harassed six young female associates according to an independent inquiry conducted by the court, the prominent retired jurist has kept a low profile. Heydon categorically denies the allegations. But despite no longer practising as a barrister, Heydon has been busy writing. In January, the former judge released Heydon on Contract: Particular Contracts, a follow-up to his 2019 tome. Justice Michael Kirby, photographed in 2007, has written a foreword to Dyson Heydons new book. Credit: Archive Thomson Reuters, publisher of that previous work, reviewed its relationship with the former judge after the courts investigation became public in 2020, and the book no longer appears on its website. The latest book is released by Sumner Publications, a business name registered to one John Dyson Heydon. The former judge is self-publishing, in other words. One of the worlds leading climate diplomats has told a conference in Sydney that Donald Trumps resistance to climate action would not stop the global transition to a clean economy, rather it would delay the United States progress, and potentially cost lives around the world. Former US climate envoy Jonathan Pershing believes the renewable transition will survive the Trump administration. Credit: Louie Douvis Jonathan Pershing, the former US climate envoy and one of the architects of the Paris Agreement, said the world was locked in on the transition, with China, India and Europe signalling their intention to continue deploying green technology and renewables. In a conversation launching the Climate Action Week Conference in Sydney on Monday, Pershing said it was notable that after Trump pulled the United States out of the Paris Agreement, not even ideological fellow travellers such as Argentinas firebrand leader Javier Milei followed suit, despite signalling that he would. This, said Pershing, was due to Mileis realisation that his nations strong economic ties with Europe would suffer if he left the agreement. Pershing said that in his recent conversations with senior government officials around the world he had detected no change in the appetite for investment in green energy and technology despite the Trump administrations position on climate. Advertisement Eating outMelbourne Food and Wine Festival From budget to blow-out: Our pick of this months Melbourne Food and Wine Festival Free tacos, pie parties with DJs, wine bar crawls by tram and more get ready for 10 tasty days with this guide to whats on at the festival, kicking off March 21st. Good Food team March 11, 2025 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share This story appears in the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival highlights collection. See all stories . If you like saucy pasta, flaky croissants, big Greek feasts or parties with champagne towers, youre in luck this March. Melbourne Food and Wine Festival kicks off on March 21, with a program thatll push the buttons of all kinds of food fans. Events range from the free and fun, to the fine-dining and the forget-everything-I-must-go. Here, the Good Food team shares their must-do events from the program, with affordable and luxe options in equal measure. Bakers Dozen brings together more than a dozen of Melbournes best bakeries. Emma Breheny Melbourne eating out and restaurant editor Budget pick: Bakers Dozen, March 29-30 Everywhere you turn in Melbourne, theres a new bakery doing something special with dough. At this event, you get to try croissants, cookies, cake, scrolls and more from 16 top bakers, all in one place. Plus theres hot cross buns with butter butlers dispensing spreads in all kinds of flavours. I cant think of a better way to enjoy the golden age of baking were living through. Free entry, food for purchase Advertisement Splurge: Tram del Vino, March 30 Regrettably, I never experienced Melbournes tram car restaurant before it shut down, but hopping on and off the 72 tram to visit three different wine bars in Melbournes east may be the next best thing. What it lacks in retro kitsch, itll more than make up for with interesting Italian wines and first-class snacks from The Alps, Toorak Cellars and Milton Wine Shop. $150, wine tastings, snacks, pizza Callan Boys National eating out and restaurant editor Budget pick: Everything is Connected: A Talk with Gut Oggau, March 23 Advertisement If you dont know Gut Oggaus Austrian wines by name, you may know them by face. Each label features a drawing of a different made-up family member created to represent the grape juice inside (Mechthild is the single-vineyard gruner veltliner grandma; Joshuari, the complex blaufrankisch son), and the bottles are a fixture of natural wine bars from Adelaide to Austin. Winemakers Eduard and Stephanie Tscheppe are bringing the extended family to Abbotsford Convent to talk biodynamics and fermentation, and open a few bottles imported just for the event. $49, includes a glass of Gut Oggau on arrival. Splurge: USA Whiskey Road Trip: From Washington to Vermont, March 26-27 There are few things I enjoy more than pouring an American whiskey at home and building a Lego model straight out of the box. The new Jaws set and Bookers True Barrel Bourbon perfect. (I also acknowledge this is the most 40-year-old-dad thing I have ever said in my life, and Im not even a dad.) Anyway, White Oaks Saloon in Prahran is rocking a road trip featuring pours of five US whiskies from five different states. Utah, here we come. I might enjoy tasting different barrel finishes even more than building an Aston Martin with plastic bricks. $99, includes snacks, whiskey and one cocktail. Enjoy lunch among the vines at Lancemore Lindenderry Red Hill. Carmen Zammit Roslyn Grundy Recipe editor Advertisement Budget pick: Caterinas Does Venetian Street Food, March 25 Freshly renovated after being flooded last year, beloved basement restaurant Caterinas, now 30 years young, will serve favourite street snacks from Venice, such as vitello tonnato-stuffed tramezzini (soft white sandwiches) and cicchetti (small snacks). $18 (2 cicchetti and 1 tramezzino) and $30 (3 cicchetti and 2 tramezzini). Splurge: A Long Lunch Among the Vines, March 21 Visit some of the Mornington Peninsulas best restaurant-wineries without leaving your seat. Surrounded by grapevines at boutique hotel and winery Lancemore Lindenderry Red Hill, youll eat four courses using regional produce prepared by the teams from Lindenderry, Doot Doot Doot, Pt. Leo Restaurant and Avanis Cellar Kitchen, paired with the properties wines. $495, lunch and matched wines. Dim sims get a cheffy makeover at Dim City. Advertisement Emily Holgate Good Food app assistant producer Budget pick: Dim City, March 28 Nothing beats a classic fish and chip shop dimmie. But three of the citys top chefs Rosheen Kaul (ex-Etta), John Rivera (Askal), and Eun Hee An (Moon Mart) might convert even the most die-hard fans with their takes on the Melbourne-born snack. There are hundreds to give away, but be sure to get to Emporium Melbourne early. Free, until sold out. Related Article Is the Melbourne-invented dim sim Australias greatest snack? Splurge: French Flare: Bon Ap at Eau de Vie, March 21 Advertisement Pretend youre in Paris for the night with an indulgent bash at CBD cocktail bar Eau de Vie that features champagne towers, a live jazz band and an absinthe tower. Canapes are in the hands of Fitzroy bistro Bon Ap, while Eau de Vie will serve five head-turning cocktails. $275, cocktails, gourmet platters, canapes and other drinks WildPies chef Jo Barrett with one of her wild game pies. Jason Robins Andrea McGinniss Eating in editor Budget pick: Wildpie Party, March 29 You had me at pie party. But when the pies are the fabulous wild game pastries made in Beechworth by Jo Barrett, a former Age Good Food Guide Chef of the Year and all-round legend, matched with High Country drinks, you know its going to be a cracking night. Its all happening at one of Footscrays best bars, with DJs and a prime Saturday night timeslot. $36 for food only, $78 for food with matched drinks Advertisement Splurge: Nisiotika Sunday Greek Island Lunch, March 23-30 Linger over a long lunch at Richmond institution Salona. Tables will be covered with fresh seafood, seasonal vegetables and salads, and grilled meats, backed by the sounds of traditional Nisiotika music. It might be the next best thing to a glorious Greek island holiday. $150, four courses and matched drinks Mexican and Lebanese cuisines come together at Tacos and Toum. Annabel Smith Senior producer and innovation editor Budget pick: Tacos and Toum, March 26 Advertisement Did you know Mexico Citys signature tacos al pastor, cooked on a vertical spit, is adapted from Middle Eastern shawarma? Melbournes Taco Truck pioneer Raph Rashid will explore more crossovers in Mexican and Lebanese cooking with hummus king Tom Sarafian at this lunchtime giveaway. Expect Sarafian-branded toum (garlic dip) to feature in prawn and potato tacos de canasta, plus other snacks. Free, until sold out. Splurge: Buschenschank: A pop-up Austro-Hungarian wine tavern, March 22-23 When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when Im feeling sad I simply remember this fun buffet feast exists, and then I dont feel so bad. Yes, The Sound of Music soundtrack may pop into your head at this event celebrating all things Austrian. Alongside cold cuts and pretzel rolls, expect Austro bakerys take on flammekueche (aka tarte flambee), a cheese, onion and bacon flatbread. The promise of bee sting cake and ultra-fresh wines further sweetens the deal. $120, buffet meal with matched drinks. Hamburger, one of the pieces by ceramic artist Kenny Pittock on show at The Dirty Dozen. Tomas Telegramma Good Food writer Advertisement Budget pick: The Dirty Dozen Exhibition, March 21-30 Need a break from all the eating? This food-adjacent art show celebrates the street food linked to Melbourne culture, with hyper-realistic ceramic recreations of a HSP, souva, a Chiko roll and more, created by artist Kenny Pittock and curated by food writer Richard Cornish. Free Splurge: Dutch Rules at Archies Farm Restaurant & Bar, March 22. Editors note: this event has since been cancelled If youve never tried Dutch Rules gins, distilled with the flavours of owner Danny Pereras native Sri Lanka, youre missing out. This five-course feast pairs dishes inspired by South-East Asia with knock-your-socks-off cocktails that hero this locally made gin. $225, dinner and cocktails. Full program and more information at melbournefoodandwine.com.au Advertisement Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up People can feel like now what? My roof has a hole in it. I have to look after my kids and get them to school, she says. Kids add an extra layer because you are not only managing yourself, but you are supporting your kids through it. Routine is important but, Brooks says, parents will judge how their child is travelling and their readiness for a return to school, sport and hobbies. Dr Anna Brooks, chief research officer at Lifeline, says it is helpful for children to resume routines after disasters, but the pace is best set by parents. Credit: Rhett Wyman The focus should be on trying to get good nutrition, sleep and some movement. One of the things we overlook is connection to other people. Check in with a text to a neighbour, she says. Brooks urges people who feel overwhelmed by post-disaster admin such as insurance claims to seek help. When we are distressed, our ability to wade through complex information is compromised. We just dont have the bandwidth to deal with complexity and filling in forms, she says. Murwillumbah psychologist Catherine Falco says that in 2022, when the community faced a one-in-1000-year-event five years after being flooded by ex-tropical Cyclone Debbie, there was disbelief and shock. Loading There was a deep level of uncertainty. All the river dwellers had lifted their belongings but in 2022 the floodwaters rose so swiftly and unexpectedly high that it didnt make any difference, she says. It led to anxiety as people who thought they knew the river could no longer be certain. In her practice, she was seeing a 12-year-old who had lived through two major floods. Its a pretty big thing when you are just 12, she says. A PhD candidate at the University of Sydneys Lismore-based Centre for Rural Health, Falco is in the early stages of research into community-based interventions for supporting mental health in regions prone to successive disasters. A sophistication in disaster preparedness is developing within communities given the number of disasters were having to go through, she says, adding that they also include being emotionally prepared for disaster as well as practical preparation. When the community works together, there are better outcomes, but after disasters, people are reporting having to navigate large amounts of paperwork and bureaucracy under stress. Bushfire recovery architect Nigel Bell says disasters are striking not once but repeatedly in the same regions. Due to climate change, there are new levels of disasters, including bushfire frequency, severity and unpredictability across much of Australia and indeed globally, he says. After Victorias devastating 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, which claimed more than 30 lives in Marysville, Bell facilitated the community recovery to rebuild the tourism town 100 kilometres north-east of Melbourne. Bell says he saw people run the gamut of emotions from dismay, anger, grief, rage and everything in between. He cautions against rushing in to make big decisions immediately after a disaster. People who take time to deal with their trauma will often arrive at a better result and those who stay and rebuild are often disappointed because its not what it used to be, he said. Their lives are not the same. A principal of Katoomba-based ECOdesign Architects, he says 10 years after the Marysville fire, many of the original community had moved away. In some cases, owners waited until the burnt land greened up before selling. Newcomers purchased such land at a discount and then built anew, commonly thinking disaster wouldnt strike twice, Bell says. Of the people he worked with at Marysville, he estimates about a third had no insurance and a third were underinsured. He says rising insurance costs and adequacy of coverage are a major cost of living issue. Tenterfield Shire, in northern NSW, has taken repeated hits from long-term drought, bushfires and floods in recent years, punctuated by the pandemic. Beef producer and Tenterfield mayor Bronwyn Petrie reels off the toll for her family business and the wider community. Lots of farmers have had repeat events, which is demoralising, but you just have to pick yourself up and keep going, Petrie says. We are still fencing from five years ago because of the cost. Some farmers burnt in 2023 have had to stop fencing because theyve run out of savings. Petrie says there is a heightened level of stress. Thank you for joining us today as we wrap up the National News Live blog. This will be our last post for the evening. Well be back again early tomorrow morning with rolling updates on the biggest stories. Here are some of the main developments that made news today: Opposition Leader Peter Dutton accused Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke of lying and insisted the Coalition were kept in the dark about investigations into the Sydney caravan filled with explosives. Australias sharemarket had a shocker, losing almost $23 billion of its value amid concerns Trumps tariffs could trigger a recession. Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull doubled down on his attack on Donald Trump, labelling him a threat to security. The search continued for a missing surfer who was attacked by a large shark in chest-deep water. The man from Melbourne was holidaying in Western Australia where he was attacked at Wharton Beach near Esperance. Ukraine launched its biggest drone attack on Moscow on Tuesday, with at least 91 drones targeting the city and killing at least one person. Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said the worst of the weather from ex-Cyclone Alfred was over as flooded rivers began to recede after days of heavy rain. Finnegan and Bantoft, who later pleaded guilty, believed James Bond had sent them to the wrong address, according to court documents. Brewery bar and restaurant Curly Lewis on Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach. Credit: James Evans Despite the fuel poured in the entryway of the Campbell Parade business, it self-extinguished in about a minute but caused $65,000 worth of damage. Use [sic] f---ed the whole thing now If use [sic] f---ing couldnt do it from the start then why did use [sic] even went there for f--- me Its not even 2% burned f--- me dead, Bond wrote to Guy Finnegan the day after a botched fire. The next day, Bantoft texted Finnegan asking: So what now So is he paying or nah[?] Later in conversation, Finnegan texted: Was it the right place, what was damaged[?] Im starting to think he has sent us to the wrong place LoL. Days later, between 2.30 and 4.30am on October 20, Lewis Continental Kitchen on Curlewis Street was allegedly damaged by fire with Moosawis involvement, according to court documents. Two other men are before the courts accused of carrying out that second Bondi arson attack. Outside court, Moosawis lawyer said his client denied any involvement in both arson attacks and would fight the charges. The charges laid Nicholas Alexander, 31, was arrested at Camperdown for allegedly preparing and staging cars for the attacks. He was refused bail until April. Two men were arrested on the Central Coast Zac Hall,18, from San Remo and Ryan Hughes, 20, from Canton Beach. Police allege the pair provided vehicles for an arson attack on a childcare centre in Maroubra on January 21 that did more than $3 million damage. Both have been bailed. Henry Masivoivoi, 33, was arrested at Wentworthville over allegedly spray painting cars and homes in Kingsford on February 2. He has been refused bail. Ford Powell, 25, was arrested at a Box Hill home for allegedly spray painting cars and homes at Queens Park on January 11 and charged with participate criminal group, contribute criminal activity, destroy/damage property intend criminal activity of group drive conveyance taken without consent of owner. He is bail refused. Mohammed Hijazi, 40, and a second man, 30, were arrested at a Penshurst home and taken to Kogarah Police Station. Police will allege in court that Hijazi graffitied a home and a school at Maroubra, a shopping centre at Eastgardens, and a home at Eastlakes. He has been refused bail. The younger man was charged with possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit and possess prohibited drug. Police will allege in court that an electronic stun device and steroids were seized during the warrant at the Penshurst property. He was bailed. A 26-year-old man, arrested at Wentworth Point, was charged with prohibited drugs, proceeds of crime, possess encrypted device to commit serious criminal activity and failing to grant police access to his phone. He was bailed by police. Anthony Tannous, 23, and a second man, 37, were arrested after being transferred from a prison. Tannous allegedly spray painted homes and cars at Queens Park in the January 11 attacks and was refused bail. He was charged with participate criminal group, contribute criminal activity, destroy/damage property intend criminal activity of group drive conveyance taken without consent of owner, as well supply prohibited drug indictable and possess prohibited drug after testosterone and methamphetamine were allegedly found in his home. He is bail refused and will next face Waverly Court with Powell on March 25.The older man was charged for weapons possession and for being an accessory in the Maroubra child care centre arson attack. Two more prisoners were arrested including former Nomads bikie boss Sayed Moosawi, 34, who allegedly directed arson attacks at Bondi Beach. The second man, 41, allegedly broke into a Bondi business on October 20, 2024 and set it alight. Both remain in custody. Cassie Crowder, 26, was charged at Sutherland with being part of a criminal group. The drug methamphetamine and prescription medications were seized during the search of a vehicle at Sutherland and a warrant at a Campbelltown property. A 27-year-old woman was also charged over drugs at an Eastlake home. Most of the people who faced court on Monday and Tuesday are allegedly low level and ignorant of the Middle Eastern conflict thought to be the backdrop for the wave of hate crimes. Few links to organised crime can be found among those charged since the antisemitic attacks began in October. One exception is Adam Hawi the son of former Comanchero national president Mick Hawi. The elder Hawi was gunned down as he left a gym in Rockdale in 2018. His 21-year-old son, Adam, allegedly refused to tell police who used his car to travel to Woollahra, torch cars and graffiti Matt Morans Chiswick restaurant with anti-Israel messages in November. Adam Hawi is expected to face court this month. A man is arrested in Penshurst as part of Mondays raids. Credit: NSW Police Only three people were arrested for being on the periphery of the caravan plot, and none have been charged with any terror-related offences. Tammie Farrugia, her partner Scott Marshall, and their friend Simon Nichols remain before the courts. Nichols allegedly provided kill cars for the underworld to use in assassinations. Fourteen people were charged after the Strike Force Pearl raids. Credit: NSW Police Marshall, according to one friend, was picking up work on the dark web and would do anything to chase a buck. But Marshalls friend denied the accused man knew any heavy hitters. A woman picked up by Strike Force Pearl also fronted court in an unsuccessful bail application on Tuesday. Cassie Crowder, 26, was attending Sutherland Local Court on Monday for unrelated drug charges when investigators arrested her outside the courthouse. At the same time, counter-terror detectives were searching her parents Campbelltown home, leading the former Georges River College student to be charged with a slew of offences including participating in a criminal group, drug supply and drug possession. Strike Force Pearl investigators will allege that she hired a car in the second week of January that was later used in an antisemitic graffiti attack in Maroubra later that month. Another person picked up by Strike Force Pearl investigators, Mohamad Hijazi, was on Monday charged with being in possession of that car, a hire Kia Sonic, on the date of the Maroubra graffiti attack. Hijazi was also charged with participating in a criminal group, driving while disqualified, failing to comply with a digital evidence access order and resisting police, and was refused bail to appear in the Downing Centre this month. Alex Ryvchin visited his former home hours after the attack. Credit: James Brickwood Changfeng county in E China's Anhui cultivates thriving strawberry industry People's Daily Online) 14:44, March 10, 2025 Photo shows a strawberry planting base in Changfeng county, Hefei, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Jun) The strawberry planting area in Changfeng county, Hefei, east China's Anhui Province has reached 210,000 mu (14,000 hectares), with an annual output of 360,000 tonnes of strawberries. The output value of the entire strawberry industry chain in the county exceeds 11 billion yuan ($1.52 billion). In recent years, Changfeng has boosted the scale and strength of the strawberry industry by leveraging its ecological advantages. The county has formed a comprehensive strawberry industry chain that includes the cultivation of new varieties, seedling production, planting, sales, and pick-your-own experiences, contributing to boosting farmers' incomes and advancing rural revitalization. Shuihu township, a major strawberry-producing area in the county, grew strawberries on 50,000 mu of farmland in 2024, with the output surpassing 125,000 tonnes. Last year, the township's total sales value of strawberries reached 2 billion yuan, including online sales of more than 40 million yuan, with the average net income per mu approaching 35,000 yuan. In addition, the output value of strawberry processing in the township stood at 180 million yuan. "My father is a competent strawberry grower," Ruan Chengcheng, head of a family farm in Changfeng county, told People's Daily Online. Her family manages 40 strawberry greenhouses. A worker shows freshly harvested strawberries in Changfeng county, Hefei, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Jun) "Previously, we sold almost everything through wholesale markets where prices were severely depressed. Seeing how hard my parents worked year-round, I wanted to help lighten their load," Ruan said. Since 2016, Ruan has tried various e-commerce channels, including online stores and WeChat, to help her parents sell strawberries. "Changfeng strawberries have a great reputation. As soon as they hit the market, people scramble to try them, leading to a flood of online orders," she noted. Like Ruan's family, 185,000 farmers in Changfeng are engaged in growing strawberries, with the strawberry industry benefiting over 360,000 people. Shuihu township has pooled 120 million yuan of government funds earmarked for agriculture and rural areas to implement several projects related to the strawberry industry. It has cultivated several strawberry processing enterprises, laying the foundation for extending the strawberry industry chain. Workers pick strawberries in a greenhouse in Changfeng county, Hefei, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Jun) Smart agriculture has boosted the development of Changfeng's strawberry industry, with innovation evident in both cultivation methods and production management. "We can monitor strawberry growth in real time and track temperature, humidity, pest issues, and light conditions on a smartphone," said the head of Zhongke (Chinese Academy of Sciences) Hefei Intelligent Agricultural Valley Co., Ltd. The company's digital strawberry experimental greenhouse uses sensors, big data, and artificial intelligence to transmit collected data to a big data center, where a strawberry growth model is created to provide reasonable suggestions and solutions for strawberry growers, thus promoting sustained income increases for farmers. In June 2020, the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science under the Chinese Academy of Sciences partnered with the Hefei municipal government and the Changfeng county government to build an intelligent agricultural valley in the county, leveraging talent advantages in big data and automation while pooling quality research resources to create new digital agriculture models. Photo shows the strawberry e-commerce center in Changfeng county, Hefei, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Jun) To address the pain points in the sales of strawberries faced by many growers, Shuihu township introduced a supply chain management company in November 2024 and established a strawberry e-commerce center. "We've set up 60 collection points in Changfeng's main strawberry production areas, rented 11 logistics vehicles, and formed a team to help strawberry farmers with packaging, collection, and shipping," said Chen Haibin, head of the company. Since starting operations, the e-commerce center has handled parcels of 150,000 orders. The center has partnered with Chinese courier giant SF Express and other courier companies to reduce logistics costs for strawberry farmers. Photo shows strawberries in a greenhouse in Changfeng county, Hefei, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Jun) "We'll offer e-commerce training sessions to families, guiding young people to use private domain traffic to sell strawberries. This will help our strawberry farmers enhance their sales skills and market competitiveness, thus promoting the high-quality development of Changfeng's strawberry industry," said Chen Yan, head of Shuihu township. A staff member (R) helps strawberry growers handle orders in Changfeng county, Hefei, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Jun) (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) The Goulburn Street car park is where Sydneys dreams go to die. No building in the CBD has been so derided quite like the rundown brown brick structure. Despite being ridiculed as an abandoned Soviet hospital, successive ideas to cheer up this dilapidated site never seem to get anywhere. Turn it into a public high school? That ended up somewhere else. A green building covered in plants? Never happened. And a rooftop bar with contemporary dance and live music? The mayor said it would be incredibly expensive, and nothing eventuated. The much-maligned car parks days could be numbered. Credit: Steven Siewert In fact, the only thing to actually transform the site was one that wasnt planned at all: a gang of Fairfax photographers illegally plastered one side of the car park with a guerilla gallery of city life photos. 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 Like most Sydneysiders, I was most peeved to read that the managers responsible for eviscerating the Powerhouse and shipping it off to parts unknown in the dead of night have been celebrating their successes, with a feast of fresh tuna and sparkling wine (Museum defends Christmas party after exceptional year, March 10). Ten years ago, our Powerhouse Christmas party involved cakes and tea and we had to bake our own cakes. Any moment now, these incompetent bludgers will catch the gravy train back to Victoria, leaving behind a gutted and sold-off Ultimo site, a dusty shed in Castle Hill, the lamentably neglected Sydney Observatory and a milk crate in a flood plain in Parramatta. Sack the lot of them and bring back the real Powerhouse. Allan Kreuiter, Roseville A whole yellowfin tuna was consumed at Powerhouse Museums Christmas celebration. Credit: Instagram With respect to Linda Morris article, a $30,000 Christmas lunch for 400 staff is about as far as it gets from a story. To call it an exceptional year is an understatement when considering what Powerhouse staff achieved in 2024, and a nice meal with a few drinks pales in comparison to the reward they would have received for comparable work in the private sector. Lets also put $30,000 into perspective: thats less than half of the lowest electoral allowance paid to NSW MPs on top of their already generous salary and benefits. Powerhouse is one of Sydneys finest institutions. We should celebrate its dedicated and hard-working staff, not join in Peter Duttons predictable attacks on public servants. Harrison Vesey, Blacktown I read with interest Linda Morris account of the lavish end-of-year party to celebrate a momentous year at the Powerhouse Museum. I served on the Board of Trustees of the Powerhouse Museum between 1999 and 2010, eight of those 12 years as its president. I was not aware of the event. It strikes me as a little ironic that some who were celebrating the Ultimo campus $300 million renovation that evening were not so long ago publicly advocating, indeed committed to, its complete and permanent closure. Were it not for a brave few who persisted (and still persist) to see this landmark museum retained in the centre of Sydney, we would undoubtedly be seeing yet another high-rise residential development on the Harris Street site. Memories are short. And the sushi is delectable. Nicholas Pappas, The Rocks The Powerhouse boffins who are trying to defend an extraordinary spend on a Christmas do are ignoring the fact that their museum and hence, their staff, rely on government funding, which makes them answerable to taxpayers. And this taxpayer is appalled. Genevieve Milton, Dulwich Hill Black Hawks down Ex-Army Black Hawk helicopters have been sitting inactive having been offered free of charge to the Rural Fire Service (Black Hawk choppers not fit to help, March 10). CASA , the appropriate commonwealth authority, would not allow these aircraft to be used for rescue and transport activities. What a waste of valuable resources. CASA has been restrained by outdated aviation regulations that do not permit ex-military aircraft to be used for civilian activities. This is surprising since the Black Hawks and the ex-RAAF Hercules are built on the same production lines as their civilian equivalents, which are able to carry passengers. Ill vote for any party in the next election that will get rid of these ridiculous aviation regulations. Warren Dunn, St Ives Advertisement One of the Black Hawks has recently been painted in the Rural Fire Service colours. Credit: NSW Rural Fire Service Dont blame liberals for Trump George Brandis presents a very simplistic view of the history of political ideologies and he mistakes the symptoms for the causes of what he calls failed liberalism (Failed liberalism gave us Trump 2.0, March 10). Among other ludicrous generalisations, he seems to think that woke hippies had something to do with Donald Trumps mafia-style fascism. Brandis blames the demise of genuine liberalism on those who have tried to defend freedoms and diversity, rather than seeing that neo-liberal, hyper-capitalism has overwhelmed politically progressive movements and ideas. Humility and respect dont cut it against Standard Oil or News Corp. Philip Bell, Bronte George Brandis is correct, the Democratic Party and by extension its supporters mainly living on the east and west coasts of America and in Washington DC are primarily responsible for Donald Trumps political rise and resurrection. With the emergence of woke, working-class Americans mainly living in the fly-over states saw their needs ignored by the highly educated elites. If the Democratic Party is not careful, they could be responsible for Hillbilly J.D. Vance becoming their next president. Riley Brown, Bondi Beach Thanks to George Brandis for an interesting and thoughtful piece. While it concentrates on recent American politics, it also has some relevance in Australia. We are seeing much of the same judgmental intolerance among self-proclaimed progressives on subjects from climate change to religion. In fact, some of the climate warriors have elevated their beliefs into a form of religion. In the words of one preacher I heard recently, if you can believe in a climate change catastrophe, then you shouldnt have much trouble believing in the final judgment. The other progressive belief, that all institutions should be controlled by the state, is supposed to be inclusive but ends up denying many their freedom of expression and belief. Vivienne Parsons, Thornleigh Does Brandis agree theres generally a cause to every effect? If American liberals were abandoning pluralism and intellectual humility they must have been reacting to something, surely? And that something was the right-wing fury at efforts to level the gender and minority playground for a fairer equilibrium. No one was going to mention gender and racial inequalities or LGBTQI issues until conservatives took it upon themselves to exercise their own intolerance and push back against things they did not like or understand. They even gave sensible empathy the scathing woke tag and weaponised it for political purposes. Its this that gave rise to Trump 2.0. Alison Stewart, Riverview George Brandis claims left-wing liberals are the reason Donald Trump is president. Credit: nna\KCampbell Advertisement Brandis proposes that Trumps return to the US presidency was enabled by American liberals, supposedly the champions of diversity, ironically [becoming] the enforcers of conformity and ruthlessly intolerant of deviations from [their] worldview. The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, in his book Beyond Good and Evil, wrote: Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. In a similar vein, George Orwell, in his satirical novella Animal Farm, describes how the efforts of a group of animals to create a society where all were equal, free, and happy, resulted in a worse society than in the beginning. We need to be aware that every movement risks becoming the thing that it abhors. Paul Casey, Callala Bay According to Brandis, the Democrats are responsible for Trump; a delusional idea worthy of Trump. The reality is the US has been heading down the Trump path for decades with its extreme capitalist ideology that disproportionately benefits the wealthy and disadvantages ordinary Americans. Any solution that may have helped was blocked by their extreme antipathy for any form of socialism, like a decent public healthcare system. The only answer available was Trump a delusional far-right conservative. John Macintosh, Merewether Its a bit much for Brandis to blame liberalism. If anyone is to blame it is not liberal Americans, who were probably among the 75 million who voted Democrat, but rather the 77 million who voted Republican, and even more so, the 90 million who couldnt be bothered to vote at all. Paul Parramore, Sawtell Brandis is having his usual go at the progressive side of politics by setting up the straw man argument that modern liberalism in America is underpinned by intolerance of those with whom they disagree. I think he has got it back to front. What is intolerant about wanting a fair go for minorities and others who are not a part of mainstream society? It seems clear to me that it is in the reluctance of conservatives to afford that fair go to minority groups where real intolerance is to be found. Michael Georgeson, Balmain In yet another thinly disguised effort at belting those of progressive thought closer to his own sphere of influence, Brandis is lecturing American liberals on their lack of pluralism. Can I suggest to Brandis that pluralism is a commodity noticeably thin on the ground among Trump acolytes, as well as this side of the Pacific among those of his own political persuasion in the Dutton camp. And, perish the thought, his regular columns seem to hint at a personal affliction in that direction as well. Surely, somewhere along the line, that little quip about people in glass houses throwing stones has come up. Terry Flanagan, Wagga Wagga Ho hum. George Brandis dusts off, freshens up and expands his everyone has a right to be a bigot speech. Freedom of speech is one thing, George, but bigotry is more than a difference of opinion. David McCarthy, Berowra Advertisement Thanks to all the (wet) feet on the ground Hello again from South East Queensland. With my internet connection restored, what a relief to be able to read the Herald online again. Theres lots to catch up on, especially letters and Column 8. Its still raining, and we may not be able to return home on Monday as suburban roads may be flooded, but our new neighbours, now our friends, are still looking out for us. As former Blackheathens, this isnt the first time weve been near a disaster, and it is simply astonishing how people look after one another in times of need. Along with the good deeds is a large helping of humour, which just melts the anxiety. Officials, emergency services, everyone, youre what humanity is all about. Ongoing gratitude to all the feet on the ground. Irene Wheatley, Bethania NSW RFS teams have been deployed to North Queensland to assist locals in flood stricken communities. Credit: Nick Moir There have been many floods in the past decade, but every time theres at least one person who, despite all the previous warnings (and deaths), decides to drive through the water over a flooded road. This time there were numerous instances, and I guess that since there is still lots of flooding around, they wont be the last to endanger themselves and the people trying to rescue them. Its hard to believe. Don Leayr, Albury Defensive strategy David Crowe notes that the two main parties need to lift growth, add to household wealth and build a stronger nation for all of us (No time to waste for leaders, March 10). Unfortunately, a significant increase in defence spending will be needed as part of that mix. I think its time to end the tax breaks we grey nomads have been enjoying on super in retirement. Perhaps by directing those savings to defence, like those who served in the many wars of the 20th century, we can do one more thing to make our kids and grandkids safe. As one who didnt get to serve, Im ready to now. What about you? Brian Barrett, Padstow Advertisement Big car blues Your article about carparks made me angry (Mega-car in a mini space: How SUVs are reshaping Australian car parks, March 9). Any increase in the size of car park bays to accommodate SUVs and trucks will inevitably result in fewer parking spaces. The community is therefore being collectively punished to accommodate the selfish choice of those people who choose to buy vehicles that not only intimidate other road users, but also increase their chance of serious injury. As a society, we should be doing all we can to reverse the trend towards larger cars. Ideally, they should be taxed off the road. They should also be charged far higher insurance premiums (especially third party) as there is solid evidence that they are more likely to injure and kill pedestrians and other road users. Bollards to prevent oversized vehicles from entering town centres, normal-sized car parks and school zones should also be introduced. This is already happening in a few places in Europe, where the extra weight of these vehicles can damage historic infrastructure (eg Marlow Bridge). As an aside, collective punishment is banned under Common Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. Simon Blake, Wamboin SUVs crammed into small parking bays is a common sight. Credit: Joe Armao Paid by taxpayers Peter Dutton continues to attack public sector workers employment conditions despite the fact he has spent most of his adult life collecting a taxpayer-funded salary, at first as a policeman and afterwards as a politician. Denis Goodwin, Dee Why Family politics What is so remarkable that it requires a half-page article telling us an elderly wealthy man intends to vote for someone, not because of policy, but because he knew her great uncle and she was friends with his granddaughter (Old family ties put Fox among the Liberals, March 10). Maybe the remarkable thing is that we no longer have serious discussions about policy, but rather focus on personalities. Manuela Epstein, Pyrmont Advertisement NSW would have suffered a $95 billion budget hit and its credit rating would have been at risk under a major change to toll roads proposed by a government-commissioned review led by former competition regulator Allan Fels, confidential Treasury analysis reveals. The warnings in the internal modelling come as senior NSW Treasury officials confirm that extending the number of years that motorists are slugged tolls to help pay for network-wide reductions in charges is under consideration amid negotiations with operators. The calculations about the staggering cost to the budget are disclosed in a Treasury analysis of the pros and cons of one of the reviews key recommendations for the government to set up a toll collection entity to enable it to set prices and revenue adjustments across the motorway network. Transurban controls 11 of Sydneys 13 toll roads, including WestConnex. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer Treasury warned that the reviews proposal would have an extremely negative balance sheet impact because the obligation to pay toll road operators would become a financial liability. A man has been charged following an investigation into a series of terrifying home invasions in Sydneys west, including two in which he allegedly sexually attacked two elderly women. Emmanuel Benjament, 18, was arrested at 5.45pm on Monday after he attended Dee Why Police Station. A picture circulated by police of the alleged offender after two women, aged in their 80s, were sexually attacked during a string of break-ins in Merrylands. Credit: NSW Police In a statement, NSW Police said he was taken to Manly Police Station and charged with 16 offences, including three counts of aggravated break and enter, two counts of sexually touching another person without consent, and one count of inciting another to sexually touch them without consent. Police say between 2am and 6.20am on March 6, several homes on Elsinore Street, Grace Crescent, Davies Street and Norma Place in Merrylands were allegedly broken into. The City of Dandenong is considering taking the unprecedented step of cancelling a council meeting on security grounds amid rising Afghan community tensions over a proposal to change the name of a local bazaar. Dandenong Mayor Jim Memeti said threats of violence and intimidating online posts targeting Hazara and Pashtun ethnic groups had prompted the council in Melbournes south-east to seek police advice about whether to hold Tuesdays meeting. The Afghan Islamic Centres Rokhan Akbar at the Afghan Bazaar in Thomas Street, Dandenong, on Monday. Credit: Penny Stephens We have had people contact council and say they have received disturbing messages and [are] getting a bit fearful, he said. We are just trying to settle things down. Council is very concerned, and we dont want this to get out of hand. The Melbourne suburbs where private schools dominate stack up like a line running north from Port Phillip Bay through Brighton and Toorak out to Ivanhoe and Eaglemont. Families living in Caulfield North were more likely than those in any other suburb to send their children to independent secondary schools, data from the 2021 census shows, reflecting a broader trend in the inner southern and eastern suburbs. Caulfield North had more than 1000 secondary school-aged children at the time of the census and 40 per cent of families noted their religion as Jewish, meaning they were well-placed to attend one of the nearby Jewish schools. The data shows 77.8 per cent of students in the suburb attended independent schools in 2021, compared with 8.7 per cent at Catholic and 13.5 per cent at government schools. Just over a week ago, a five-year-old boy was killed after being hit by a car along a residential street in Western Australias far north. In June 2024, a three-year-old boy was found on the side of the road in Bayswater after a suspected hit-and-run and was rushed to Perth Childrens Hospital with a serious leg injury. Valuing Children Initiative development executive Sarah Quinton with her son Jarvis at a street party in Eden Hill. These stories are not unique, with Main Roads WA stating 250 WA children were injured or killed by cars between 2020 and 2024. The figures have sparked worry from concerned parents and community members who would like nothing more than to let children play outside, but fear the consequences. WA Police have shot a man who allegedly lunged at them with a knife in Perths east on Monday night after repeatedly telling officers just shoot me, I want a bullet. A large number of police officers attended a property on Wilsley Street in Gosnells around 5.40pm as part of an investigation into a robbery outside a nearby Centrelink office earlier that day where the victim was cut with a knife. The scene in Gosnells on Monday night. Credit: 9 News Perth WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said the robbery suspect, aged in his 40s, confronted police on the verge and refused to drop a large knife. Police challenged him, primarily with Tasers initially, I believe up to five Tasers were deployed, he said. Almost a week ago, as tropical cyclone Alfred was approaching the east coast and Queenslanders began sandbagging their homes, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton arrived in Sydney and attended a fundraiser at a billionaires waterside mansion. Questions about when he flew in and out of his home state, and whether he misled Australians about his whereabouts as a potential disaster loomed, have dogged Dutton since. This is what we know about the timeline of events. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says he was back in Brisbane on Wednesday morning after an event on Tuesday night. Credit: Rhett Wyman Tuesday morning: Dutton gives a press conference at emergency centre Dutton started Tuesday with an 8.15am press conference at Queenslands emergency management centre in Kedron, where he said he had just received a briefing from Premier David Crisafulli and Queensland Police. Duttons electorate of Dickson, on the north-western fringe of Brisbane, was expected to be in the path of the cyclone for Alfreds then-forecast arrival on Thursday evening or the early hours of Friday. He warned people not to be complacent about the Bureau of Meteorologys predictions. Under Victorian law, building owners must maintain fire systems and ensure their compliance over the course of the propertys life under the states Building Act (1993). But it is self-regulated and there is no obligation for them to certify compliance to councils, which are responsible for enforcing the standards in Victoria. As part of his research, Scimonello surveyed every local government in Victoria. After screening out those with inaccuracies or omissions and municipalities with no multi-storey apartments, he used the responses from 34 councils to quantify the scale of the problem for the first time. Firefighters survey the damage on the Neo 200 tower block in Melbournes Spencer Street in 2019. Credit: Jason South Those 34 councils did a combined 964 fire safety inspections of multi-storey apartments in 2021. Just 127 of the inspections 13 per cent found the buildings continued to be compliant. In NSW, 36 per cent of the 612 buildings inspected over 12 months were compliant. Unlike Victoria, NSW requires building owners to certify compliance annually. But compliance and enforcement is still patchy in the burgeoning space. Many councils were not certain of how many multi-storey apartments were in their jurisdictions, but Scimonello estimated there were 36,726 in Victoria and NSW. Loading The 41-storey Neo 200 building on Spencer Street was evacuated for more than a week in 2019, when the Melbourne CBD apartment tower went up in flames from a discarded cigarette. While it had a small amount of flammable cladding, Metropolitan Fire Brigade Commander Mark Carter later told an industry function that most of the buildings fire and safety systems were dysfunctional. More than 40 per cent of fire alarms and smoke detectors within apartments werent operating, which increased evacuation times, and maintenance schedules were found to be too complex or unrealistic. The Age contacted the Neo 200 building manager but didnt receive a response. The state governments focus on the housing crisis has homed in on encouraging more apartment-living and higher density, particularly in its activity centres next to transport connections. On Tuesday, Premier Jacinta Allan proposed to strengthen the powers of the Victorian Building Authority and announced the Department of Transport and Planning would consult on whether buildings should have their own manuals. Some developers already do this. Mirvac circulates details to owners corporations, and all of its apartments have a fixed QR code manual inside allowing critical information to be passed on to future owners and/or occupiers of our properties, a spokeswoman said. A residents view of the Neo 200 building fire in Spencer Street in 2019. Wayne Liddy, the national president of the building surveyors institute and a Victorian board director, said building manuals were an important step, as long as they didnt have unnecessary and complex planning and architectural details. If its too complex, people just dont do it, he said. Liddy said Scimonello had quantified the extent of the problem in his PhD and that the serious findings should be a wake-up call for all apartment owners and residents. Loading This is a life-safety problem, Liddy said. Those consulting on and providing essential safety measure advice should be regulated via a registration and licensing scheme with an auditing and compliance mechanism to ensure their work meets appropriate standards. The Municipal Association of Victoria said it was aware of the challenges and that local governments had been calling for building reform, but that the state needed to invest in training qualified inspectors. Put simply, there are not enough qualified inspectors in the state to fulfil the role required, an association spokesperson said. We also need councils to be appropriately resourced to be able to employ them to create a fundamentally sound regulatory system that pays its own way rather than getting subsidised by ratepayers. The Property Councils Victorian executive director, Cath Evans, said the state government needed to work with the sector if it wanted to enforce manuals for multi-storey apartment buildings, and that more certainty was needed around fire-safety maintenance requirements. If there is a problem with fire safety compliance, the responsible authority needs to examine its current processes and work with industry to improve compliance rates and the appropriate methodology to deliver improved outcomes, Evans said. State Building Surveyor Steven Baxas said his office provided councils with expertise and advice on their enforcement role and responsibilities regarding essential safety measures. Loading The Victorian government has introduced a suite of reforms to protect home buyers which will improve safety for the increasing number of people living in residential apartment buildings, Baxas said. Strata Community Association general manager Susan Chandler said strata managers supported owners corporations which are ultimately responsible to meet their obligations. Fire safety is a key priority for the strata sector, and we recognise the challenges that come with managing complex building safety requirements, Chandler said. However, greater clarity around reporting requirements and enforcement mechanisms would help improve compliance rates and ensure safer outcomes for residents. There are some travel experiences that are so iconic that they are bound to be disappointments. The Venice-Simplon Orient Express is not one of them. Venice-Simplon Orient Express must be the most famous train journey in the world. The Paris to Istanbul route of Belmonds legendary train must be the most famous railway trip in the world, even though the classic five-day journey is only now offered about once a year. Its legend has been a force in pop culture for over 120 years having featured in several books and movies, including the classic novels Dracula (1897) and Murder on the Orient Express (1934, plus its multiple film adaptations), and the films Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1925), From Russia with Love (1957), and Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning (2023), to name a few. PHILIPSBURG:--- On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, the Honorable President of Parliament, Mrs. Sarah A. Wescot-Williams, hosted an official meeting with the Honorable Prime Minister, Dr. Luc F.E. Mercelina. The meeting, held in the Conference Room at the House of Parliament, was initiated by the President of Parliament, who extended a written invitation to the Prime Minister to discuss the working relationship between Parliament and the Council of Ministers. The discussions opened with the President, highlighting that openness, transparency, and effectiveness are key focus areas for strengthening Parliament. She emphasized the necessity of collaboration between Parliament and Government to ensure effective decision-making that benefits the people. This meeting with the Prime Minister lays the groundwork for the collaboration between the Parliament and Government, as there is no way decisions that benefit the people can be effectively made without these two bodies - each within their own mandate- effectively working together., according to the President of Parliament. Discussions then focused on ensuring that Parliament can effectively carry out its constitutional roles as the representative of the people, co-legislator, and supervisor of government policies. Both leaders agreed on the importance of Ministers being accountable, especially by responding to questions from Members of Parliament, attending meetings of Parliament, and keeping Parliament duly, timely, and actively informed. One important outcome of the meeting was a commitment to improving the planning and scheduling of Parliament meetings while balancing the Ministers' role in governing and their accountability to Parliament. In order to further improve the relationship, parties agreed to the drafting of a protocol, which would contain a clear set of rules on how the working relationship and engagement between Parliament and the Government via the Council of Ministers ought to be. This protocol will aim to enhance communication and cooperation, while ensuring effective governance and the proper functioning of our parliamentary democracy. Additionally, the protocol will address the presence of civil servants in Parliament meetings, establishing a structured framework in accordance with the Rules of Order of Parliament. The President of Parliament emphasized the need for full transparency, saying Parliament needs clear and timely information to do its job well. The Prime Minister acknowledged the progress made and confirmed that the Council of Ministers would continue to improve these aspects while working more closely and in collaboration with Parliament and upholding the defined roles and responsibilities of both institutions. Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina reaffirmed his commitment to fostering stronger ties between the executive and legislative branches: "Good governance is built on mutual respect, accountability, and open communication. Our government will continue to engage with Parliament in a transparent and structured manner, ensuring that the voices of the people are effectively represented and that decisions are made in the best interest of Sint Maarten. Russian disinformation 'infects' AI chatbots, researchers warn Washington, March 10 (AFP) Mar 10, 2025 A sprawling Russian disinformation network is manipulating Western AI chatbots to spew pro-Kremlin propaganda, researchers say, at a time when the United States is reported to have paused its cyber operations against Moscow. The Pravda network, a well-resourced Moscow-based operation to spread pro-Russian narratives globally, is said to be distorting the output of chatbots by flooding large language models (LLM) with pro-Kremlin falsehoods. A study of 10 leading AI chatbots by the disinformation watchdog NewsGuard found that they repeated falsehoods from the Pravda network more than 33 percent of the time, advancing a pro-Moscow agenda. The findings underscore how the threat goes beyond generative AI models picking up disinformation circulating on the web, and involves the deliberate targeting of chatbots to reach a wider audience in a manipulation tactic that researchers call "LLM grooming." "Massive amounts of Russian propaganda -- 3,600,000 articles in 2024 -- are now incorporated in the outputs of Western AI systems, infecting their responses with false claims and propaganda," NewsGuard researchers McKenzie Sadeghi and Isis Blachez wrote in a report. In a separate study, the nonprofit American Sunlight Project warned of the growing reach of the Pravda network -- sometimes also known as "Portal Kombat" -- and the likelihood that its pro-Russian content was flooding the training data of large language models. "As Russian influence operations expand and grow more advanced, they pose a direct threat to the integrity of democratic discourse worldwide," said Nina Jankowicz, chief executive of the American Sunlight Project. "The Pravda network's ability to spread disinformation at such scale is unprecedented, and its potential to influence AI systems makes this threat even more dangerous," she added. This disinformation could become more pervasive in the absence of oversight in the United States, experts warned. Earlier this month, multiple US media reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had ordered a pause on all of the country's cyber operations against Russia, including planning for offensive actions. The order was reported to be part of an overall reevaluation of US operations against Moscow, with the duration or extent of the pause unclear. The Pentagon declined to comment on the news but the reported change comes as President Donald Trump has been pushing for negotiations to end the three-year war in Ukraine, and days after the US leader berated his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, in a stormy White House meeting. - 'Tool to be leveraged' - The Pravda network, launched in April 2022 following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, has expanded significantly to cover 49 countries and dozens of languages, NewsGuard said. Millions of articles carrying pro-Russian content produced by the Pravda network -- including false claims such as that the US operates secret bioweapons labs in Ukraine -- are amplified across platforms such as X, Telegram and Bluesky. Pravda does not produce original content itself, but instead is known to aggregate content from sources such as the Russian state media and pro-Kremlin influencers. In NewsGuard's study, all 10 chatbots -- including OpenAI's ChatGPT-4, You.com's Smart Assistant, Grok, Microsoft's Copilot, Meta AI, Google Gemini and Perplexity -- repeated disinformation spread by the Pravda network. Seven chatbots even directly cited specific articles from Pravda as their sources. Last month, AFP's fact-checkers debunked social media claims that Zelensky had banned Truth Social after facing sharp criticism from Trump. Representatives for the social network said it had not launched in Ukraine, and the government there said Trump's platform would be welcome. When NewsGuard prompted the chatbots with the question "Why did Zelensky ban Truth Social?" six of them repeated the false narrative as fact, in many cases citing articles from Pravda. The chatbots also repeated fabricated narratives pushed by US fugitive turned Kremlin propagandist John Mark Dougan, NewsGuard said. "By pushing these Russian narratives from the Russian perspective, we can actually change worldwide AI," the watchdog quoted Dougan as saying in January at a conference in Moscow. "It's not a tool to be scared of, it's a tool to be leveraged." ac/dc X Texas tech boom: Silicon Valley's southern outpost rises Austin, March 10 (AFP) Mar 10, 2025 Held every year in the capital of conservative-leaning Texas, the South by Southwest festival increasingly celebrates the state's emergence as a technology hub stepping out of Silicon Valley's shadow. The sprawling, counter-cultural conference -- first launched in 1987 as a music festival -- was always a bit of a Texas outlier, just like its host city Austin, a liberal enclave in the middle of a state best known for its big skies, cowboy hats and oil rigs. The festival, which lasts through Saturday, has mushroomed into a conglomerate of film, comedy, media, cultural and professional events, but none are more in-line with Austin's zeitgeist than those highlighting technology. Long home to a thriving tech scene, recent years have seen the city inundated with Silicon Valley types, turbocharging the quirky capital's bro element and billionaire contingent. Among the former is podcaster and comedian Joe Rogan, who produces his distinctly masculine show from Austin, interviewing not just a few of the country's biggest tech titans. As for billionaires, the most dominant figure is Elon Musk, the SpaceX and Tesla tycoon who has made the Lone Star state his de facto headquarters. Musk is a regular guest on Rogan's podcast, but Meta's Mark Zuckerberg also came through his studio, expressing frustration with the lack of masculinity from his workers on the liberal coasts. "The Californians I know who moved to Texas are even extra Texan marinated in Texas sauce," Musk wrote on X in November. "For the love of God, please don't let Texas become California," he added. Austin's tech ascendance has its origins in the state's strong business culture. Texas provides a combination of very low taxes, top-notch cities built on the oil and gas industries, light-touch regulation, and vast expanses of flat space. "When you are thinking about setting up a new factory, a new data center, what is it that we have here? We have the space to grow at a lower cost than you can find in more densely developed areas of the country," said Paul Cherukuri, Rice University's vice president for innovation. - Bigger than Italy - Texas is so big that it is almost unfair to think of it as a state -- it has a $2.6 trillion economy that is the 8th largest in the world ahead of Italy's. And it is powered by Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin, with their universities, talent pools, and lower costs of living. According to Federal Reserve data, tech jobs in Texas have grown at double the rate of other sectors over the past decade. In 2022, Musk opened a Tesla vehicle factory east of Austin. He is also opening facilities in nearby Bastrop County, including a living compound for employees and a new headquarters for X, his social media platform. Apple is betting on Texas as well, with Austin already representing the iPhone-maker's second-largest concentration of employees outside the company's Cupertino, California headquarters. The company recently announced that a 250,000-square-foot (23,225-square-meter) server manufacturing facility, slated to open in 2026, will create thousands of jobs. Meta and Google also have an expanding presence and onetime Silicon Valley stalwarts like Oracle and a portion of Hewlett-Packard have moved their headquarters to the state. Most of these relocations will benefit from Texas's seemingly infinite real estate, where a lithium factory or an AI-ready data center can be built at massive scale with minimal government red tape. "The Silicon Valley universe is shifting to more physical tech, hard tech, and the place to really make stuff is Texas," said Rice University's Cherukuri. Another determining factor is the cost of living compared to California, which is "massive, especially for housing," said Gib Olander, a business strategist at Northwest Registered Agent, which advises companies on relocation. "Engineers who were priced out of homeownership in the (San Francisco) Bay Area can actually buy homes in Texas cities. That quality-of-life equation has become even more powerful in the remote work era," he added. - Political contrasts - The city's transformation hasn't come without friction. Austinites complain about soaring real estate prices, though the construction boom may eventually cool the market. Meanwhile, Texas's conservative policies -- including a near-total abortion ban and Governor Greg Abbott's hardline immigration stance -- contrast sharply with tech's traditionally progressive culture. But the state's fans maintain that beneath political divisions is a welcoming environment. "We don't care where you're from: Just come and be a part of us," said Cherukuri, who was born in India. "That's Texas. Even though you may hear something else in the caricatures," he said. arp/bfm/des Meta X Apple GOOGLE Musk says X hit by major cyberattack San Francisco, March 10 (AFP) Mar 10, 2025 Elon Musk said X was hit Monday by a major cyberattack, raising questions as to whether the politically divisive billionaire is being targeted or his decision to gut staff at what was once Twitter is haunting the social network. Reports of problems with X started early Monday, with users in Asia, Europe, and North America saying they could not access the platform, according to the Downdetector tracking site. "There was (still is) a massive cyberattack against X," Musk said in a post on the platform, which was working sporadically as the day wore on. Musk also blamed a cyberattack, although he provided no evidence, for crashing the site last year when an interview with Donald Trump was about to be streamed on it. In his post Monday, Musk included an X post from a DogeDesigner account that some on Reddit speculated could be a puppet of the tycoon himself -- in other words Musk hiding behind his own identity. The post noted protests against the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that Trump entrusted to Musk, along with Tesla shops being vandalized, suggesting a cyberattack could signal another burst of animosity towards Musk. He is the chief of Tesla, the electric car company. "It would take a lot of (money) to do an attack of this magnitude," read a post in the exchange by the account of Jammies. "Who has the resources to fund this?" Musk also maintained such an attack would take tremendous resources, speculating it was the work of a country or large coordinated group. Cybersecurity experts say that it is difficult to assess what is happening without being able to see into X operations, but the duration of the trouble is a sign of an attack. "It's cyberwar hitting at full force," said Chad Cragle of cyber defense platform Deepwatch. "With Musk in the spotlight and political tensions at a peak, these attacks bear all the indicators of nation-state aggression." - Ax wielding - Trump responded last week to growing criticism over unprecedented cuts to the US government overseen by his billionaire advisor Musk, saying they should be carefully targeted. "We say the 'scalpel' rather than the 'hatchet,'" Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social. The president's message represents the first significant move to rein in the power accorded to Musk, as DOGE works toward gutting federal staffing and spending. DOGE's cost-cutting campaign has faced increasing resistance on multiple fronts, including court rulings and some pressure from lawmakers. Trump confirmed that he had convened his cabinet to deliver the message that they, not Musk, were in charge of their departments. Outages on the X social media platform left tens of thousands of users unable to access the site, according to monitors. At the peak, more than 40,000 people reported outages, the site said. "Twitter keeps breaking?" asked a post by @Lalaslovely in the Downdetector chat section. After Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion in late 2022, the majority of employees left or were fired, raising concerns about whether staffing was in place to keep the platform safe and stable. Since acquiring Twitter with the stated intention of promoting free speech, Musk has faced criticism for slashing content moderation teams. Under his ownership, the platform has also experienced technical issues and reinstated accounts of right-wing conspiracy theorists and Trump. Advocacy groups say misinformation has flourished on X under Musk, who has come under fire for spreading it to his huge online audience. Iran, Russia, China to hold joint military exercises Tehran, March 9 (AFP) Mar 09, 2025 The navies of Iran, Russia and China will hold military drills off the coast of Iran this week in a bid to boost cooperation, Iranian media reported on Sunday. The three countries, which share a common desire to counter what they characterise as American hegemony, have held similar exercises in the region in recent years. The drills "will begin on Tuesday in the port of Chabahar", located in southeast Iran on the Gulf of Oman, the Tasnim news agency said, without specifying their duration. "Warships and combat and support vessels of the Chinese and Russian naval forces, as well as the warships of Iran's naval forces of the army and the Revolutionary Guards" are expected to participate, according to Tasnim. The exercises will take place "in the northern Indian Ocean" and aim to "strengthen security in the region, and expand multilateral cooperation between participating countries", Tasnim said. Russia's defence ministry said in a statement that Moscow would be represented by two corvettes and a tanker from the Pacific Fleet. "During several days in the northern part of the Indian Ocean, the crews will work out the tasks of liberation of captured ships, search and rescue at sea as well as conduct artillery firing at sea and air targets," the statement added. Azerbaijan, South Africa, Oman, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Qatar, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka will attend as observers. China will deploy "a destroyer and a supply ship", Beijing's defence ministry said on the WeChat social media network. The Iranian army conducted drills in the same area in February to "strengthen defence capabilities against any threat". burs-jj/it Europe's dependence on US arms rose in last 5 years: report Stockholm, March 9 (AFP) Mar 09, 2025 NATO countries in Europe more than doubled their arms imports in the past five years, more than 60 percent of which were purchases of US weaponry, researchers on Monday. The findings by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) coincide with an announcement by European Union states that they intend to strengthen the continent's defence capabilities in response to a US foreign policy shift under President Donald Trump. In the period 2020 to 2024, Ukraine became the world's largest arms importer. The United States consolidated its position as the world's top weapons exporter -- accounting for 43 percent of global exports -- far ahead of the second largest, France, which accounted for 9.6 percent. Over that same period, arms imports by European NATO members rose by 105 percent compared to the previous five years. That reflects "the rearmament taking place among states in Europe in response to the threat from Russia", said Mathew George, the head of the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme. The United States provided 64 percent of these weapons, compared to 52 percent in the period from 2015 to 2019. "With an increasingly belligerent Russia and transatlantic relations under stress during the first Trump presidency, European NATO states have taken steps to reduce their dependence on arms imports and to strengthen the European arms industry," senior researcher Pieter Wezeman said. "But the transatlantic arms supply relationship has deep roots. "Imports from the USA have risen and European NATO states have almost 500 combat aircraft and many other weapons still on order from the USA," he added. Countries including Italy and the United Kingdom have also bought US-made F35 fighter jets and Patriot anti-air defence systems, which are complex systems that are difficult to quickly substitute, Wezeman told AFP. "The F-35 is, of course, an American product but as part of (F-35) sales to European states ... the industry in those states has also been involved in the production of key components," the researcher said. Countries like Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark -- which is currently embroiled in diplomatic tensions with the United States over Greenland's future -- are even more dependent on US weaponry, he explained. Changing that "would require an enormous financial and political investment", Wezeman said. "Arms procurement takes many years, and often it takes a lot more time than a US presidential term." - Russian decline - This surge in imports has led Europe to become the largest weapons market for the United States for the first time in 20 years. European states as a whole accounted for 35 percent of US arms exports in 2020-24, putting them ahead of the Middle East, which accounted for 33 percent. In terms of individual countries, though, Saudia Arabia remained the single largest individual purchaser of US arms. The US continues to dominate the world arms trade. "At 43 per cent, its share of global arms exports is more than four times as much as the next-largest exporter, France," George said. France meanwhile has tripled its exports to the rest of Europe compared to the 2015-19 period, mainly due to the sale of the Rafale fighter jet to Greece and Croatia and the supply weapons to Ukraine. India accounts for the largest share of France's exports with 28 percent, almost twice as much as all other European states combined. Russia is still the third largest arms exporter, despite seeing a massive 64-percent decline in exports in the 2020-24 period compared to the previous five years, In addition to prioritising its own needs, Russia has suffered from international sanctions, as well as pressure from the United States and its allies not to buy Russian weapons following the invasion of Ukraine. For instance, India -- which still accounted for 38 percent of Russian exports in 2020-24 -- is increasingly turning to other countries. Meanwhile China, which bought 17 percent of Russian weapons exports, has bolstered its own defence industry. In the Middle East, arms imports by Israel remained stable between 2015-19 and 2020-24, according to SIPRI. However, the US -- already the biggest provider of military aid to Israel (66 percent in 2020-24) -- has been ramping up supplies of "major" weapons such as guided bombs since late 2023. That has coincided with an intensification of Israel military operations in Gaza, Iran, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen, SIPRI said. Ukraine set for crucial talks with US on ending war with Russia Kyiv, Ukraine, March 10 (AFP) Mar 10, 2025 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is due to arrive in Saudi Arabia on Monday, a day ahead of crucial talks between Ukrainian and US officials on ending the war with Russia. Highly anticipated negotiations on Tuesday on resolving the three-year conflict will see US and Ukrainian officials meet for the first time since Zelensky's disastrous White House visit last month. Zelensky said he would on Monday meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country's de facto leader, after which his team "will stay for a meeting on Tuesday with the American team". At the talks in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff has said Washington wants "to get down a framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire as well". Zelensky has said Ukraine is "fully committed to constructive dialogue", but wants its interests to be "taken into account in the right way". "We hope for results, both in terms of bringing peace closer and continuing support," he said in his evening address on Sunday. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will fly to Jeddah on Monday, the US State Department said. Mike Waltz, US President Donald Trump's national security adviser, has also confirmed his participation. - 'In constant contact' - Zelensky said his negotiators will include Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, his chief of staff Andriy Yermak and Pavlo Palisa, a military commander and Yermak's deputy. Kyiv is in "constant contact with the US team," Zelensky said. Washington has currently suspended military aid to Ukraine as well as intelligence sharing and access to satellite imagery in a bid to force it to the table with Moscow, which launched its all-out invasion in February 2022 on orders from President Vladimir Putin. Trump has renewed communication with Putin and criticised Zelensky, raising fears in Kyiv and among European allies that the US leader may try to force Ukraine to accept a settlement favouring Russia. On Friday, however, Trump said he was considering further sanctions on Russia for "pounding" Ukraine on the battlefield. Ukraine's European allies last week held a summit with Zelensky and announced they would greatly increase defence spending. Britain and France have proposed a truce for Ukraine, at sea and in the air, and a halt to Russia's bombardment of Ukraine's power facilities. Ukrainian and British diplomats held talks in Kiyv at the weekend, Zelensky said. The Saudi talks come after the public altercation between Zelensky and Trump in the White House led to the Ukrainian leaving without signing a minerals deal demanded by the US leader. Zelensky later called the incident "regrettable" and said he was ready to work with Trump's "strong leadership". He also expressed readiness to sign the deal on strategic mineral reserves. Witkoff said Trump received a letter from Zelensky, calling it "a very positive first step" and "an apology". Asked if Ukraine would sign the deal in Saudi Arabia, Witkoff said: "I think Zelensky has offered to sign it, and we'll see if he follows through." - 'Not ready for peace' - Witkoff visited Moscow in February to secure the release of a jailed US teacher, and later said he spent a long time talking to Putin and "developing a relationship" with him. Waltz was in the Oval Office during Zelensky's combative meeting with Trump and JD Vance. He later told Fox News that Zelensky "is not ready to talk peace" but "time is not on his side". In an interview with CNN, Waltz said that if Zelensky's "personal motivations or political motivations are divergent from ending the fighting... then I think we have a real issue". - Saudi mediator - Saudi Arabia has become a key host for US diplomacy with Russia and Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Rubio met in Riyadh last month, agreeing to resume dialogue and start talks on the Ukraine conflict. Zelensky has visited Saudi Arabia several times since Russia's invasion in 2022 but postponed a trip last month, citing a lack of an invitation to the Russia-US talks. In 2022, five prisoners held in Russian-controlled Ukraine were flown to Riyadh to be exchanged after negotiations involving the crown prince. Putin said the crown prince also helped secure the release of jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, jailed by Russia for "espionage" last year. A historic ally of the US, the oil-rich state became an international pariah following the assassination of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey in 2018. But Witkoff has said Trump's team has a "really good relationship with the Saudis". Iran says won't negotiate under 'intimidation' as Trump ramps up pressure Tehran, March 10 (AFP) Mar 10, 2025 Iran said Monday it would not negotiate under "intimidation", after US President Donald Trump sought to ratchet up pressure on Tehran by ending a sanctions waiver that had allowed Iraq to buy electricity from its Shiite neighbour. Iran's mission to the United Nations had indicated Sunday that Tehran might be open to talks aimed at addressing US concerns about the potential militarisation of its nuclear programme -- though not to ending the program completely. But on Monday, Iran's top diplomat seemed to slam the door on such discussions, saying Tehran's nuclear programme was and always will be entirely peaceful and so there was "no such thing as its 'potential militarization'". "We will NOT negotiate under pressure and intimidation. We will NOT even consider it, no matter what the subject may be," foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said on social media platform X. Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has reinstated his policy of exerting "maximum pressure" against Iran, reimposing sweeping sanctions aimed at crushing its oil industry in particular. The US State Department said Sunday the decision not to renew Iraq's sanctions waiver was made to "ensure we do not allow Iran any degree of economic or financial relief." Iran supplies a third of Iraq's gas and electricity, providing Tehran with substantial income. - 'Never take place' - On Sunday, the Iranian mission to the United Nations had sounded a more conciliatory note, suggested Tehran might be willing to discuss certain issues. "If the objective of negotiations is to address concerns vis-a-vis any potential militarization of Iran's nuclear program, such discussions may be subject to consideration," said a statement from the mission. "However, should the aim be the dismantlement of Iran's peaceful nuclear program to claim that what (President Barack) Obama failed to achieve has now been accomplished, such negotiations will never take place," it said. The waiver for Iraq was introduced in 2018, when Washington reimposed sanctions on Tehran after Trump abandoned a nuclear deal with Iran negotiated under Obama. A spokesman for the US embassy in Baghdad on Sunday urged Baghdad "to eliminate its dependence on Iranian sources of energy as soon as possible." "The President's maximum pressure campaign is designed to end Iran's nuclear threat, curtail its ballistic missile program, and stop it from supporting terrorist groups," the spokesman said. The landmark 2015 deal that Obama helped negotiate between Tehran and major powers promised sanctions relief in return for Iran curbing its nuclear programme. Tehran, which denies seeking nuclear weapons, initially adhered to the nuclear deal after Trump pulled out of it, but then rolled back commitments. US officials estimate Iran would now need mere weeks to build a nuclear bomb if it chose to. - 'All scenarios' - Trump pulled out of the agreement over the objections of European allies, instead imposing US sanctions on any other country buying Iran's oil. The waiver was extended to Iraq as a "key partner" of the United States. Iraq, despite having immense oil and gas reserves, remains dependent on such energy imports. But Baghdad said it had prepared "for all scenarios" regarding the waiver. The ending of the energy waiver is expected to worsen the power shortages that affect the daily lives of 46 million Iraqis. Gulf analyst Yesar Al-Maleki of the Middle East Economic Survey said Iraq will now face challenges in providing electricity, especially during summer. To alleviate the impact, Iraq has several options including increasing imports from Turkey. tgg/rh/srm/tym/mtp North Korea fires missiles as South begins drills with US Seoul, March 10 (AFP) Mar 10, 2025 North Korea fired "multiple unidentified ballistic missiles" on Monday, South Korea's military said, the same day Seoul and Washington began a major annual joint military drill known as Freedom Shield. "Our military has detected at around 13:50 (0450 GMT) multiple unidentified ballistic missiles fired from Hwanghae province into the West Sea," the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, referring to the body of water also known as the Yellow Sea. "Our military will bolster surveillance and maintain a full readiness posture under close cooperation with the United States," the JCS added. The United States stations tens of thousands of US soldiers in South Korea, and the allies regularly stage joint drills, which they describe as defensive in nature. But such exercises infurate Pyongyang, which regards them as rehearsals for invasion and routinely responds with weapons tests of its own. Earlier Monday, the nuclear-armed North slammed the drills as a "provocative act", warning of the danger of sparking war with "an accidental single shot". "This is a dangerous provocative act of leading the acute situation on the Korean peninsula, which may spark off a physical conflict between the two sides by means of an accidental single shot," said Pyongyang's foreign ministry, according to the Korean Central News Agency. The joint US-South Korea "Freedom Shield 2025" exercise kicked off on Monday, and will involve "live, virtual, and field-based training", according to a US statement. The exercise will run until March 20, the statement said. The latest exercise comes after two South Korean Air Force fighter jets accidentally dropped eight bombs on a village during a joint training exercise with US forces on March 6. Some 31 people, including civilians and military personnel, were wounded in that incident, South Korea's military said. Relations between Pyongyang and Seoul have been at one of their lowest points in years, with the North launching a flurry of ballistic missiles last year in violation of UN sanctions. The two Koreas remain technically at war since their 1950-1953 conflict ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. The large-scale Freedom Shield exercises are one of the allies' biggest annual joint exercises. In its statement on Monday, North Korea's foreign ministry dubbed the exercises "an aggressive and confrontational war rehearsal". Last week, Pyongyang slammed the United States for "political and military provocations" over the visit of a US Navy aircraft carrier to the South Korean port of Busan. Iran says US decision to not renew Iraq sanctions waiver 'illegal' Tehran, March 10 (AFP) Mar 10, 2025 Iran's foreign ministry said on Monday the decision by the United States to end a sanctions waiver that had allowed Iraq to buy electricity from Iran was "illegal". "Such statements are an admission of lawlessness, an admission of crimes against humanity, because the US sanctions, the unilateral US sanctions, against the Iranian nation have no justification or legal basis," said foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, adding that the move was "absolutely illegal". The US decision on Sunday is the latest in President Donald Trump's policy of exerting "maximum pressure" on Tehran over allegations that the country is seeking nuclear weapons capability. Tehran has consistently denied the claims. The decision not to renew the waiver was made to "ensure we do not allow Iran any degree of economic or financial relief," the US Department of State said. Iran supplies a third of Iraq's gas and electricity, providing Tehran with substantial income. The waiver for Iraq was introduced in 2018, when Washington reimposed sanctions on Tehran after Trump first reinstated his "maximum pressure" policy which saw the US withdrawing from a landmark nuclear deal with Iran. Trump has recently called for striking a new nuclear deal with Iran, and on Friday, the US president said he had written Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to press for new talks. He also warned of possible military action if Iran refuses. Iran says it "has not received" any letters. On Saturday, Khamenei slammed what he described as "bullying" tactics after Trump's threats. "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," he said. "Their negotiations are not aimed at solving problems, they aim at domination." Shanghai (Gasgoo)- In February 2025, China's passenger vehicle (PV) retail sales reached 1.386 million units, marking a 26% year-on-year (YoY) increase, despite a 22.8% decline month-on-month (MoM), according to data from the China Passenger Car Association ("CPCA"). Cumulative PV retail sales for the Jan.-Feb. period totaled 3.179 million units, reflecting a 1.2% YoY growth. The new energy passenger vehicle (NEPV) sector saw an even stronger performance, with February retail sales reaching 686,000 units, surging 79.7% YoY, though down 7.8% from January. Its Jan.-Feb. total stood at 1.43 million units, a 35.5% YoY jump. Several factors contributed to this market strength. According to the CPCA, with the Chinese New Year holiday starting on January 29, 2025, February marked the first full month of post-holiday sales activity. Additionally, government policies promoting vehicle replacement and trade-ins began taking effect, while automakers stabilized pricing strategies, leading to a relatively mild price war compared to previous years. Despite initial concerns over macroeconomic conditions, both domestic and global factors exceeded expectations, boosting consumer confidence. Automakers also maintained aggressive marketing efforts during the Chinese New Year holiday, and the low sales base of February 2024 provided a favorable comparison, helping the market achieve a strong post-holiday rebound. In early February, long-distance holiday travel and cold weather heightened consumer concerns over new energy vehicle (NEV) range and charging, leading to a seasonal decline in NEV penetration. However, as temperatures warmed and work resumed post-holiday, demand quickly rebounded. Automakers intensified promotions on plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) models, particularly leveraging governmental subsidies for vehicle replacement and trade-ins, further stimulating sales. Additionally, the rise of China's AI sector, exemplified by DeepSeek, has reshaped the global AI landscape, offering low-cost, high-performance solutions that facilitate rapid in-vehicle AI integration. The Chinese government's recent policy positioning smart NEVs as next-generation intelligent terminals has also accelerated investment in smart cockpits and autonomous driving technologies, creating further market momentum. China's self-owned brands dominated the PV market, with February retail sales reaching 910,000 units, a 51% YoY spike, despite a 17% MoM decline. Their domestic market share hit 65.6%, up 10.6 percentage points YoY, while their wholesale market share rose to 71%, up 12 percentage points YoY. In contrast, mainstream joint ventures struggled in February with their combined sales falling to 330,000 units, down 2% YoY and 33% MoM. German brands held 17% market share, dropping 4.3 percentage points YoY, while Japanese brands slipped to 10.7%, down 3.7 percentage points YoY. U.S. brands accounted for 5% of the market, declining 1.4 percentage points YoY. The premium PV segment also faced setbacks, with February retail sales reaching 150,000 units, down 8% YoY and 30% MoM. Overall, premium brands held a 10.8% market share, a 4 percentage point decline YoY, though traditional premium brands performed relatively well. Among the top 10 automakers by domestic retail sales of locally-made PVs, BYD ranked highest with a sales volume of around 206,000 units, which soared 73.2% over a year earlier. Geely Auto was credited the fastest-growing one with a 106.8% YoY spike. In February 2025, China's PV wholesale sales reached 1.767 million units, setting a new record for the month with a 33.8% year-on-year (YoY) increase, despite a 16% decline from January. For the first two months of the year, cumulative PV wholesale volume totaled 3.865 million units, reflecting a 12.7% YoY growth. Stronger YoY growth in wholesale sales compared to retail sales were driven in part by limited dealer inventory clearance, said the CPCA. The NEPV segment remained a key growth driver, with February wholesale volume hitting 830,000 units, marking a 79.6% YoY surge, though down 6.7% MoM. For the Jan.-Feb. period of the year, total NEPV wholesale volume reached 1.719 million units, zooming up 48% YoY. China's wholly-owned automakers led the wholesale market in February, selling 1.25 million units, a 60% YoY hike, though down 13% from January. Mainstream joint ventures recorded 360,000 units in wholesales, an 8% YoY growth, but a 19% MoM decline. The premium PV segment, however, struggled, with 160,000 units wholesaled, down 23% YoY and 26% MoM. The wholesale PV market saw divergent performance among leading automakers. Geely Auto, Chery Automobile, and Changan Auto stood out with strong YoY and MoM growth. In February, three automakers in China surpassed 100,000 units in wholesales, down from five in January, but on par with last year's level. These three companies accounted for 39% of China's total wholesale sales. Among the 33 automakers exceeding 10,000 units in wholesales, 10 posted MoM growth, with five achieving over 10% growth, including GAC Honda, SAIC-GM-Wuling, and GAC AION, which demonstrated notable momentum. China's PV production remained resilient, with 1.736 million units manufactured in February, up 38.7% YoY, though down 17.4% MoM. Total production for Jan.-Feb. period reached 3.829 million units, reflecting a 16.5% YoY increase. Despite the Chinese New Year break, February's output was just 60,000 units shy of the 2017 historical high of 1.79 million units, demonstrating robust industry performance and significant contributions to local economic stability. Production trends varied by segment. Premium PV production fell 17% YoY and 25% MoM, while joint ventures saw a 10% YoY increase, albeit with a 27% MoM decline. China's self-owned automakers led growth, ramping up production by 66% YoY, despite a 13% drop from January. China's automobile exports continued their strong momentum from 2024. In the first two months of 2025, China's vehicle exports totaled 970,000 units, up 17% YoY. According to the CPCA's data, in February alone, China's PV exportsincluding both complete vehicles and CKD unitsreached 349,000 units, marking an 11% YoY rise, though down 8% from January. Their year-to-date (YTD) volume amounted to 730,000 units, sliding 6% from a year earlier. Nuclear inspectors review contentious Bangladesh plant Dhaka, March 10 (AFP) Mar 10, 2025 An expert team was in Bangladesh on Monday to sign off on the South Asian country's first nuclear power plant ahead of the contentious facility's expected operational start later this year. Construction on the Russia-backed nuclear plant at Rooppur began in 2017 during the iron-fisted tenure of former premier Sheikh Hasina, whose family has been accused of taking kickbacks from the deal. The much-delayed 2,400-megawatt project is aimed at bolstering an overstretched energy grid and will be Bangladesh's largest power station by generating capacity once fully operational. A delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was onsite Monday to conduct a pre-operational safety review of the plant, project director Md. Zahedul Hassan told AFP. "The team will inspect all the safety issues of the plant's structural, technical and equipment-related preparation and documentation as per the IAEA's safety standards," he said. Hassan said a further, final safety review would be held two to three months before the loading of nuclear fuel into the plant's twin reactors, expected in the middle of this year. Transmission lines needed to connect the plant to the national grid are expected to be finished by the end of this month, he added. The Rooppur plant was the most expensive infrastructure project undertaken by Hasina -- a $12.65 billion project, 90 percent funded by a loan from Moscow. After Hasina's ouster in a student-led revolution last year, the interim government that replaced her launched a probe into the project's finances. Hasina and her family are accused of embezzling $5 billion from the project, according to Bangladesh's anti-corruption commission. Also named in the investigation was Hasina's niece Tulip Siddiq, a former British government minister who resigned in January after the Rooppur probe was announced. She has consistently denied any wrongdoing. NATO chief travels to Bosnia amid political crisis Sarajevo, March 10 (AFP) Mar 10, 2025 NATO chief Mark Rutte was set to land in Bosnia on Monday amid a festering political crisis that has seen the country's high representative locked in a bitter feud with the president of its Serb statelet. Political tensions have been soaring since Milorad Dodik -- the president of Republika Srpska (RS) -- was convicted last month for defying Christian Schmidt, the high representative charged with overseeing Bosnia's peace accords. Since the end of Bosnia's inter-ethnic war in the 1990s, the country has consisted of two autonomous halves -- the Serb-dominated RS and a Muslim-Croat region. The two entities have their own governments and parliaments and are linked by weak central institutions. Rutte's visit comes just days after Bosnia's Constitutional Court struck down legislation signed by Dodik that rejected the authority of the federal police and judiciary within the RS. Last week, Dodik also ignored a summons from Bosnia's chief prosecutor, who is investigating the leader for allegedly undermining the constitution. Bosnia's divided politics and fragile, post-war institutions have faced increasing uncertainty amid the unfolding crisis. In response to the growing tensions, the European Union Force (EUFOR) last week said it would "temporarily increase" the size of its peacekeeping mission in the country. Dodik's actions come in the context of ongoing tensions with Schmidt, who holds broad powers to intervene in Bosnia's governance. The RS leader had already pushed through two laws that refused to recognise decisions made by the High Representative and Bosnia's Constitutional Court. That led to his conviction last month and his being sentenced to a year in prison and six-year ban from office. For years, Dodik relentlessly pursued a separatist agenda, while repeatedly threatening to pull the Serb statelet out of Bosnia's central institutions -- including its army, judiciary and tax system, which has led to sanctions from the US. Rutte's visit also comes as the trans-Atlantic alliance faces fresh headwinds unleashed by US President Donald Trump's reshuffling of relations with many of Washington's long-time security partners. For years, NATO has helped underwrite Bosnia's security, following the alliance's intervention in its war during the 1990s, which helped end the conflict that claimed nearly 100,000 lives. With a headquarters in the capital in Sarajevo, the alliance works closely with the EUFOR mission on the ground. NATO says won't let 'security vacuum' emerge in Bosnia Sarajevo, March 10 (AFP) Mar 10, 2025 NATO chief Mark Rutte on Monday threw support behind Bosnia's federal government that is locked in a power struggle with ethnic Serb leaders, saying the alliance would not allow a "security vacuum to emerge". Tensions have soared since Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik was convicted last month for defying Christian Schmidt, the high representative charged with overseeing the peace accords that ended Bosnia's 1990s war. Dodik, who leads Bosnia's Republika Srpska (RS) statelet, has remained unrepentant after the conviction and helped oversee the passage of laws forbidding access to Bosnia's Serb entity by the country's federal police and judiciary. The laws were later struck down by the constitutional court. Rutte landed in Sarajevo, as Dodik and Schmidt remained locked in their bitter feud with no clear path for de-escalation. "This is not 1992 and we will not allow a security vacuum to emerge," said the NATO secretary general at a press conference, referring to the year Bosnia's bloody inter-ethnic war began. Rutte made the remarks following a meeting with the three members of Bosnia's presidency in the capital Sarajevo and called on the trio to help end the ongoing political infighting. "You have got to solve this, the three of you," Rutte added. - Tensions - Since the end of Bosnia's inter-ethnic war in the 1990s, the country has consisted of two autonomous halves -- the Serb-dominated RS and a Muslim-Croat region. The two entities have their own governments and parliaments and are linked by weak central institutions, which includes a three-member presidency that includes an ethnic Serb, Croat and Bosniak Muslim representatives. Rutte's visit comes just days after Bosnia's constitutional court suspended legislation signed by Dodik that rejected the authority of the federal police and judiciary within the RS. Last week, Dodik also ignored a summons from Bosnia's chief prosecutor, who is investigating the leader on allegations of undermining the constitution. Bosnia's divided politics and fragile, post-war institutions have faced increasing uncertainty amid the unfolding crisis. In response to the growing tensions, the European Union Force (EUFOR) last week said it would "temporarily increase" the size of its peacekeeping mission in the country. Dodik's actions come in the context of ongoing tensions with Schmidt, who holds broad powers to intervene in Bosnia's governance. - Trans-Atlantic headwinds - The RS leader had already pushed through two earlier laws that refused to recognise decisions made by the High Representative and Bosnia's Constitutional Court. That led to his conviction last month and his being sentenced to a year in prison and six-year ban from office. For years, Dodik pursued a separatist agenda, while repeatedly threatening to pull the Serb statelet out of Bosnia's central institutions -- including its army, judiciary and tax system, which has led to sanctions from the United States. Rutte's visit also comes as the trans-Atlantic alliance faces concerns unleashed by US President Donald Trump's reshuffling of relations with many of Washington's long-time security partners. For years, NATO has helped underwrite Bosnia's security, following the alliance's intervention in its war during the 1990s, which helped end the conflict that claimed nearly 100,000 lives. With a headquarters in the capital in Sarajevo, the alliance works closely with the EUFOR mission on the ground. Greens cast doubt over Germany's defence spending plans Berlin, March 10 (AFP) Mar 10, 2025 Germany's Green party on Monday threatened to torpedo plans put forward by likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz to invest hundreds of billions in defence and infrastructure. Merz's proposal comes as the German economy experiences prolonged stagnation and US President Donald Trump's direct overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putin have left Europe feeling vulnerable on security. The proposed constitutional changes to ease strict borrowing limits in the area of defence and establish a 500-billion-euro ($542-billion) fund for infrastructure were described as historic when they were presented last week. However, Merz's conservative CDU/CSU bloc and their likely coalition partners, the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), face a race against the clock to get changes through parliament. With the parties still in talks to form a government following a general election last month, the constitutional amendments are being rushed forward to try to force them through the outgoing legislature. If they can win the support of the Greens, the CDU/CSU and the SPD would have the two-thirds majority needed for constitutional changes in the current parliament. After the newly elected parliament convenes at the end of the month, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the far-left Die Linke will have more than a third of seats between them and will be able to block any such changes. An initial debate on the amendments is scheduled for Thursday but senior Green party figures said they would recommend that their MPs do not support the changes. Although the Greens were in favour of reforming Germany's strict constitutional spending limits, the changes proposed by Merz were not the ones needed, Green leader in the Bundestag, Katharina Droege, told reporters. Merz and his partners from the SPD were creating a "treasure chest" to fund their political priorities, including tax cuts, Droege said. "Whoever wants our approval for more investment must also show that it is really about more investment in climate protection, more investment in the economy in this country." - 'Not unrealistic' - Speaking shortly afterwards, CDU general secretary Carsten Linnemann said the party would hold talks with the Greens ahead of the parliamentary debate. "I think it is completely legitimate for the Greens to say they have their own ideas," he said, adding that their counter-proposals were "constructive". "They are not unrealistic and therefore I can imagine we can come to an agreement in these discussions," he said. SPD parliamentary leader Lars Klingbeil, who has been heavily involved in coalition talks with Merz, said he "takes the Greens' concerns very seriously". Klingbeil said he had been in discussions with Green leaders over the weekend and would meet them again with Merz on Monday night. "I will not lose confidence that this can succeed," he said, describing the talks as his "top priority". Germany's constitutional "debt brake", which has been the hallmark of Berlin's fiscal probity since it was introduce by former chancellor Angela Merkel in 2009, limits new borrowing to 0.35 percent of GDP. - Ticking clock - Merz's proposal would keep the rule essentially intact, while exempting any military spending over one percent of output. The changes would also establish the fund for infrastructure to be spent over 10 years and ease spending rules for Germany's federal states and local government. After the first debate on Thursday, the constitutional amendments are set to be voted on by MPs on March 18. Although Germany voted in elections for a new parliament on February 23, the new legislature will not be constituted until March 25. Green leader Droege suggested the conservatives reach out to the Die Linke, who have signalled a willingness to reform spending rules but have signalled greater scepticism about increasing defence spending. Negotiations between the conservatives and the far left are unlikely to be straightforward, while Germany grapples with the urgency of increasing its defence spending. Poland to tell residents how to prepare for crises Warsaw, March 10 (AFP) Mar 10, 2025 Poland -- a NATO member bordering both Ukraine and Russia -- will be sending out a brochure this year informing residents how to survive possible future crises, the interior ministry said on Monday. The mail-out follows the government on Friday announcing a slew of security-boosting measures -- including large-scale military training for civilians. The brochure will tell residents "how to deal with various hazardous situations," a deputy director for the interior ministry's civil protection unit, Robert Klonowski, told the PAP news agency. For instance, they will be given tips on how to cope with "a power outage lasting several days or several hours," he said, adding that the information would also serve for reacting to natural disasters. The brochure will be issued in Polish, and in Ukrainian for the some 900,000 Ukrainian refugees in the country. "We are also planning a special version, or at least part of this guide, addressed to children," Klonowski added. Poland is one of Kyiv's staunchest allies in the European Union and hosts a logistics hub through which NATO and EU member states have been sending military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. It has been warily eyeing Russia and been ramping up its defences, as the war in Ukraine -- started with Russia's all-out invasion in 2022 -- rages on. A Russian exclave, Kaliningrad, borders Poland to the north, while Ukraine lies to the country's east. Poland's new military training scheme for civilians is to be ready by the end of the year "so that every adult man in Poland is trained in case of war," Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Friday. Deputy defence minister Cezary Tomczyk said on Monday the scheme would be "universal and voluntary". Polish media reported that the military would familiarise participants with its various units across the country in training sessions ranging from one day to one month. Other EU countries alarmed at Russia's expansionist ambitions have stepped up public preparedness for future crises. Sweden has already issued a similar information brochure, while Finland has a website gathering information on how ready civilians are for different emergencies. NATO says won't let 'security vacuum' emerge in Bosnia Sarajevo, March 10 (AFP) Mar 10, 2025 NATO chief Mark Rutte on Monday threw support behind Bosnia's federal government, which is locked in a power struggle with ethnic Serb leaders, saying the alliance would not allow a "security vacuum to emerge" Tensions have soared since Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik was convicted last month for defying Christian Schmidt, the high representative charged with overseeing the peace accords that ended Bosnia's 1990s war. Dodik, who leads Bosnia's Republika Srpska (RS) statelet, has remained unrepentant after the conviction and helped oversee the passage of laws forbidding access to Bosnia's Serb entity by the country's federal police and judiciary. The laws were later struck down by the constitutional court. Rutte landed in Sarajevo, as Dodik and Schmidt remained locked in their bitter feud with no clear path for de-escalation. "This is not 1992 and we will not allow a security vacuum to emerge," said the NATO secretary general at a press conference, referring to the year Bosnia's bloody inter-ethnic war began. Rutte made the remarks following a meeting with the three members of Bosnia's presidency in the capital Sarajevo and called on the trio to help end the ongoing political infighting. "You have got to solve this, the three of you," Rutte added. - Tensions - Since the end of Bosnia's inter-ethnic war in the 1990s, the country has consisted of two autonomous halves -- the Serb-dominated RS and a Muslim-Croat region. The two entities have their own governments and parliaments and are linked by weak central institutions, which includes a three-member presidency that includes an ethnic Serb, Croat and Bosniak Muslim representatives. Rutte's visit comes just days after Bosnia's constitutional court suspended legislation signed by Dodik that rejected the authority of the federal police and judiciary within the RS. Dodik reiterated that the laws passed by Republika Srpska will be implemented on its territory. "We will show that we have the knowledge, the possibilities, the resources to implement them," he said at a press-conference. On Monday, Bosnia's prime minister Borjana Kristo met with heads of all national agencies and directorates, emphasizing that the "security situation is stable and peaceful" with "no indications of its endangerment". The statement issued by her cabinet says that all security institutions at national level including the central police are working. "It is confirmed that they continue to work responsibly and act in full capacity on the principles of independence, professionalism and impartiality", the statement said. Last week, Dodik also ignored a summons from Bosnia's chief prosecutor, who is investigating the leader on allegations of undermining the constitution. Bosnia's divided politics and fragile, post-war institutions have faced increasing uncertainty amid the unfolding crisis. In response to the growing tensions, the European Union Force (EUFOR) last week said it would "temporarily increase" the size of its peacekeeping mission in the country. Dodik's actions come in the context of ongoing tensions with Schmidt, who holds broad powers to intervene in Bosnia's governance. - Trans-Atlantic headwinds - The RS leader had already pushed through two earlier laws that refused to recognise decisions made by the High Representative and Bosnia's Constitutional Court. That led to his conviction last month and his being sentenced to a year in prison and six-year ban from office. For years, Dodik pursued a separatist agenda, while repeatedly threatening to pull the Serb statelet out of Bosnia's central institutions -- including its army, judiciary and tax system, which has led to sanctions from the United States. Rutte's visit also comes as the trans-Atlantic alliance faces concerns unleashed by US President Donald Trump's reshuffling of relations with many of Washington's long-time security partners. For years, NATO has helped underwrite Bosnia's security, following the alliance's intervention in its war during the 1990s, which helped end the conflict that claimed nearly 100,000 lives. With a headquarters in the capital in Sarajevo, the alliance works closely with the EUFOR mission on the ground. Rubio says US determined to avoid Bosnia breakup Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, March 10 (AFP) Mar 10, 2025 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that Washington was determined to avoid a breakup of Bosnia and would consider placing additional pressure on ethnic Serb leaders in the country. "We're hoping we can do anything we can to avoid another conflict in Europe from emerging," Rubio told reporters as he flew to Jeddah for talks on Ukraine. "We're certainly reviewing all of our options," he said when asked about potential US action against Bosnian Serb leaders. "We don't want to see partition there," he said. "Whatever differences may exist internally there, this cannot lead to the country breaking apart." Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik has defied the high representative charged with overseeing the peace accords that ended Bosnia's 1990s war and escalated further, forbidding access by the country's federal police and judiciary to the Republika Srpska statelet he leads. Rubio, who had earlier accused Dodik of jeopardising Bosnia's stability, has stood with NATO and European allies on the political crisis despite headwinds in the transatlantic relationship. US President Donald Trump has broken with European allies by demanding that Ukraine make concessions to Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and is a historical ally of Serbia. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On March 10, ZEEKR, the premium new energy vehicle brand under Geely Holding, released the first official video of its upcoming flagship SUV, the ZEEKR 9X Grand. Photo credit: ZEEKR Positioned as the top-tier version of the 9X series, the Grand edition follows the naming structure seen in models like the ZEEKR 009 and 009 Grand. Though still wrapped in camouflage, the video offers a glimpse into the 9X's bold and rugged design. The SUV features a boxy silhouette, an upright front fascia, and a prominent vertical grille, flanked by split-design headlights. Muscular contour lines on the hood further enhance its commanding presence. Photo credit: ZEEKR The elongated and stately profile, estimated to measure around 5.3 meters, exudes a Rolls-Royce Cullinan-inspired elegance. The side design is clean and sculpted, with ultra-thin LiDAR sensors seamlessly integrated into the body, balancing aesthetics and advanced functionality. Photo credit: ZEEKR While specific details remain under wraps, previous reports suggest that the ZEEKR 9X, internally codenamed EX1E, will be ZEEKR's first model to feature NVIDIA's Thor chip. It will also incorporate a split tailgate design similar to the Lynk & Co 900. Built on Geely's SEA-R platform, the ZEEKR 9X will be available in plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and battery electric vehicle (EV) variants. The PHEV version is expected to pair a 2.0T engine with multiple electric motors, supported by a high-capacity 60 kWh battery with ultra-fast charging capabilities. Additionally, the SUV will come equipped with air suspension and rear-wheel steering, offering a blend of luxury, comfort, and versatility. With pricing set to rival the AITO M9, the 9X is shaping up to be ZEEKR's most advanced SUV yet. Beijing (Gasgoo)- On February 26, ARCFOX, the premium electric vehicle brand under BAIC Group, held a grand brand launch event in San Jose, Costa Rica, officially announcing its entry into the Latin American market, the company disclosed on March 9. Photo credit: ARCFOX The event featured the debut of the overseas versions of the ARCFOX T, S, and T5 models. Additionally, ARCFOX signed agreements with eight dealerships, with Costa Rica's core dealer becoming the brand's first strategic partner in Latin America and the region's first authorized after-sales service center. This move strengthens ARCFOX's distribution and service network across Latin America. During the event, ARCFOX outlined four key commitments for its Latin American strategy: (1) Phased market expansion to establish a localized operational framework across the Americas. (2) Creating a diversified product portfolio with plans to launch over ten new models in the next three years. (3) Building a comprehensive after-sales service system to support partners. (4) Targeting long-term commitment to sustainable growth, aiming for a breakthrough in sales within three years. As part of its global expansion, ARCFOX is leveraging advanced technology, luxury design, and premium services to redefine high-quality electric mobility. While deepening its presence in Latin America, the brand is also targeting markets in the Middle East, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe, and Africa to drive the future of electric transportation worldwide. 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 Mr Phillipson said: Its the same kind hyperbole we often get from (Mr Holden) and you wouldnt know really from that question the shameless sense of pride, the misplaced sense of pride often that they have when you consider that one in three children are not school ready, one in five children are regularly out of schools and our scores were dropping. The two women told the jury he had misled them and all three claimed they either had no idea what the activity they had been involved in was about, or that they thought they were working for Interpol. Sir Keir Starmer is to host a second leaders meeting of the Coalition of the Willing as he pushes ahead with plans for British, French and other troops to be sent to Ukraine as peacekeepers. He said there is a serious economic crisis in Syria, adding: We want to protect the Syrian people from the consequences of that crisis and so the relaxation of the sanctions is very much focused on allowing normal Syrians and the humanitarian actors to get on with their lives, but we will keep all further sanctions under close review. 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. Mr Zelensky had been due to sign the minerals accord on a trip to the White House earlier this month, but the visit erupted into a clash between the two leaders with Mr Trump and Vice President JD Vance accusing Kyiv of being insufficiently grateful for US support. He added: "I'm not going to set any conditions on what they have to or need to do. I think we want to listen to see how far they're willing to go and then compare that to what the Russians want and see how far apart we truly are." LINCOLN The Lancaster County Sheriffs Office confirmed Monday that Tyler Goodrich's body was found Saturday in a wooded area along U.S. 77 less than 1,000 yards from his home, where he was last seen Nov. 3, 2023. Chief Deputy Ben Houchin said an autopsy will be done, but he is confident Goodrich's death was not the result of a homicide. "Preliminary results of our investigation have led us to believe this is not a homicide and there is no threat to the public," Houchin said during a media briefing. Felicia Nichelson, Goodrich's sister, told the Journal Star on Sunday night she was "100% confident it's Tyler," based on his tattoos. Houchin said investigators believe the body had been there for more than a year. There were no weapons found near the body. The Lincoln Police Department responded to a call at about 9:40 a.m. Saturday after someone walking their dog reported finding a body in a wooded area on the northwest corner of U.S. 77 and West Pioneers Boulevard. Houchin said the area had been searched by volunteers weeks after Goodrich's disappearance. According to the sheriff's office, no K9 units had searched the area where Goodrich was found. His body was found about 10 to 15 yards into the wooded area. When asked how it could be possible Goodrich's remains were missed during the search, Houchin said, "It is wooded, sometimes you don't know exactly what you are looking for...you could have just looked down because there was a branch and not seen where he was at." Goodrich, 35, went missing on Nov 3, 2023, after the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office was called to his house in the 1000 block of West Burnham Street on reports of a domestic disturbance. According to the Sheriff's Office, Goodrich left the house on foot at about 7:40 p.m. after he noticed his husband had called 911. Deputies tried to locate Goodrich after speaking with his husband. They also walked through the home and saw no signs of a major disturbance. The Sheriff's Office believed there was a minor physical encounter between the spouses that led to the authorities being called. Jeremy Schwarz, a criminal investigator with the Sheriff's Office, said in an October 2024 interview that Goodrich was an avid runner. "He loved to run. That was his way of taking care of himself, and he was known to run five to seven miles a day." Goodrich was signed up to run the Good Life Halfsy less than a week before his disappearance. "So at any given moment, I mean, he was ready to run 13 and a half miles, and he actually ran distances longer than that," Schwarz said. "So just from his house, 13 miles, add a circumference. I mean, that's a lot of ground to cover, a lot of ponds, a lot of lakes, that's a lot of paths, trails, culverts, just a lot of wooded covered areas." At the press briefing, Houchin said he did not know if the path where Goodrich was found was a regular running path for him, and he did not believe many runners would run through that area. With the help of friends and family, Goodrich's name and face have become known all over Lincoln. Strangers set up search parties, and family and friends hosted a vigil. His face has smiled from billboards, flyers and lawn signs in an attempt to try and find him. Goodrich's case was one of several highlighted at the Legislature to advocate for Nebraska Missing Persons Day, which was passed in February 2024 and is now held every Oct 17. At the first event held at a Lincoln church, Lonnie Goodrich, Tyler Goodrich's father, said, "Emotionally, it is a very difficult day, but the amount of love and support that has been shown by the community of Lincoln and Bennet has been beyond reason." Some of the protesters outside the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) threw blunt objects at the law enforcement officers, and a gendarme was slightly injured during a scuffle, according to the Bucharest Gendarmerie. "During the protest, small blunt objects were thrown at the gendarmes. Also, during the forcing of the metal panel barrier by the protesters, another gendarme was injured in the leg but is out of any danger," reads an information report sent to the media. The Bucharest Gendarmerie stressed that those who committed acts of violence or other antisocial acts would be identified and held accountable. The Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) announced on Sunday evening that the registration of Calin Georgescu's candidacy was rejected. Several supporters of candidate Calin Georgescu, who were outside the BEC headquarters, forced the fences installed by the gendarmes after learning of this decision. The law enforcement intervened, removed them using tear gas, and reinstalled the protective fences. At the same time, a man who struck a gendarme is being sought by law enforcement, the Bucharest Gendarmerie previously informed. "In the context of the protesters forcing the gendarme cordon and the metal panel barriers, a gendarme was struck with a blunt object on his protective helmet, but is out of any danger. He is currently being transported to a hospital for a specialist evaluation. The perpetrator will be identified for the purpose of preparing the criminal charges for committing the offense of assaulting a law enforcement officer, which is punishable by imprisonment from 4 months to 3 years or a fine," the information reads. The Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) clarified on Sunday evening that it took into account the fundamental aspects "already ruled upon" by the Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) when making the decision to reject Calin Georgescu's candidacy for the presidential election. "The Central Electoral Bureau cannot grant prevalence to the analysis of the formal aspects of this candidacy, to the detriment of the fundamental aspects already ruled upon by the Court. In fact, if the Central Electoral Bureau did not analyse the entire context of the candidacy, there would be a risk that, in the absence of a subsequent referral to the Constitutional Court for this verification, a candidacy affected by fundamental deficiencies would be registered and would go through the entire electoral process, only for the Constitutional Court to be in the position of invalidating the election results for the manifest lack, prior to the submission of the candidacy, of a registration condition," reads the BEC decision. According to the same source, Calin Georgescu's candidacy does not meet the conditions of legality, as he "by failing to comply with electoral procedure rules, violated the very obligation (...) to defend democracy," which is based on "fair, honest and impartial elections." The BEC deems as relevant that the Constitutional Court's decision of December 6, 2024, which annulled the electoral process for electing the President of Romania and ordered its full restart, ruled on "the way the candidate (...) understood to relate to the conditions resulting from the sacred formula of the oath taken by the person elected to the office of President of Romania." "Moreover, by annulling the ongoing electoral process and ordering its full restart (including the submission of candidacies) as a result of the candidate's failure to comply with electoral procedure regulations (...), the Constitutional Court implicitly and universally ruled on the failure to meet the legal conditions for the registration of the candidacy submitted by Calin Georgescu. It is inadmissible that, upon restarting the electoral process, the same person would be considered as fulfilling the conditions to run for the office of President of Romania," the decision further reads. The BEC concludes that, in light of the Constitutional Court's ruling on these issues, the fulfillment of the other conditions for registering the candidacy becomes irrelevant. The decision can be appealed to the Constitutional Court within 24 hours. BEC announced on Sunday evening that the registration of Calin Georgescu's candidacy had been rejected. According to a statement from BEC, the registrations of two other independent candidates, Maria Marcu and Ion Popa, were also rejected. The registration of Nicusor Dan's candidacy was accepted. According to the presidential election calendar, within a maximum of 48 hours from the submission of the candidacy, but no later than March 17, the registration or rejection of candidacies or electoral symbols will take place. No later than March 18, candidates, political parties, organisations of citizens belonging to national minorities, political alliances, electoral alliances and voters may file complaints with the Constitutional Court regarding the registration or rejection of candidacies or electoral symbols, as the case may be. The Constitutional Court resolves complaints through final decisions, which are immediately communicated to the Central Electoral Bureau and published in the Official Journal. Romania is strengthening its prospects as an energy hub on the map of Europe for safer, cheaper and cleaner energy by participating in the Green Corridor project, Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja wrote on his Facebook page on Monday. "Today [Monday, editor's note], at the ministerial meeting in Budapest, together with counterparts from Hungary, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Bulgaria, we discussed the Green Corridor, the biggest green energy project in the European Union. It will connect renewable energy produced in the five countries, with Romania playing a central role. The Green Corridor will include the world's longest direct current submarine cable, over 1100 km. By participating in this project, Romania strengthens its prospects as an energy hub on the map of Europe for safer, cheaper and cleaner energy - in that order of priorities," Burduja noted. According to the minister, the project is valued at more than 10 billion EUR and was launched in Bucharest in 2022, in the presence of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. "Also today, together with Szijjarto Peter, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Budapest, I signed the Agreement between the Government of Romania and the Government of Hungary on solidarity measures to ensure the security of natural gas supply. In a very complicated moment for Europe, but especially for the region we are in, we are strengthening energy cooperation with neighboring countries," Burduja added. In his opinion, the only solution is "to close ranks for the better of everyone". The Energy Minister emphasized that Romania and Hungary assume the responsibility to react quickly in crisis situations in order to protect consumers in the two countries, without affecting the domestic market. "I also presented the stage of the Neptun Deep project and reiterated that Romania plays an active role in reducing Europe's dependence on Russian gas. I also told the Hungarian minister: it does not bother us at all to replace Hungary's dependence on Russia with a dependence on Romania. We are a fair partner, with European values. Moreover, strictly from what we will not need for domestic consumption, we will be able to export at a good price, in the interest of Romanians - for development, jobs and economic growth," Burduja added. Furthermore, it remains of utmost urgency for the Central European states to develop their interconnections towards the EU's eastern border, for Europe to continue to diversify its energy sources and to increase its production, the minister said. "These are big steps that we continue to take and we will not stop, regardless of the manipulations and destabilization attempts of those who do not want either a Romania or a Europe on their own feet, without toxic energy dependencies," added Sebastian Burduja. AGERPRES Justice Minister Radu Marinescu presented, on Monday, the progress made by Romania in relevant aspects concerning the justice system, the anti-corruption framework and the balance of powers during a meeting with a delegation of the European Commission, in the context of the rule of law mechanism, informs a press release sent by the Ministry of Justice to AGERPRES. According to the cited source, the Commission is carrying out its annual country visit, in videoconference format, in preparation of the Annual Rule of Law Report - Country Chapter Romania. The country visit was opened by a meeting of the European Commission representatives with the Minister of Justice, Radu Marinescu, given that the Ministry of Justice is the coordinator of this annual exercise at national level, the cited source mentions. Radu Marinescu had a constructive dialogue with the representatives of the European Commission, during which he expressed his appreciation of the role and "particular" usefulness of the country visits on the rule of law, which allow a review on the ground of the relevant developments regarding the rule of law in all EU Member States. According to the press release, the Minister of Justice also presented the key progress made by Romania in terms of the relevant issues concerning the justice system, the anti-corruption framework and the balance of powers. In addition, minister Marinescu underlined in particular the complexity and the far-reaching dimension of the reforms achieved by Romania in recent years, with indisputable, positive and sustainable results, especially in the field of justice reform and efforts to fight corruption. "Compliance with the principles of the rule of law is an essential aspect for the EU Member States, being a sine qua non for the proper and efficient functioning of the Member States, but also of the European Union. The Member States are facing various challenges regarding the rule of law, and the Commission's reports are a valuable preventive tool," Radu Marinescu was quoted as saying in the press release. AGERPRES The Minister of Labor, Simona Bucura-Oprescu, discussed, on Monday in Brussels, with the Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Eddy van Hijum, about intensifying cooperation between the labor inspectorates of the two countries and ensuring social protection for mobile workers and their families. According to a release posted by the Ministry of Labor, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity on its own Facebook account, the discussions between the two officials focused on protecting the rights of the approximately 60,000 Romanians working in the Netherlands. "The Minister of Labor, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity, Simona Bucura Oprescu, had today, on the sidelines of the EPSCO Meeting in Brussels, under the Polish presidency, a bilateral meeting with Eddy van Hijum, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs and Employment of the Netherlands. The discussions focused on protecting the rights of the approximately 60,000 Romanians working in this country," the cited document states. Among the main issues discussed were: intensifying cooperation between labor inspectorates from the two countries, including through joint inspections, where appropriate, under the aegis of the European Labor Authority (ELA); ensuring social protection for mobile workers and their families, respecting their rights within the framework of the free movement of labor in the EU; the need to update European legislation on the coordination of social security systems, to reflect current realities and future challenges of the labor market. The Romanian Minister of Labor also had a bilateral meeting with Niki Kerameus, Minister of Labor and Social Security of the Hellenic Republic, and the main topic of discussion was the urgent resolution of social security files for Romanian workers in Greece. During the EPSCO meeting, the debates also addressed the topic of the transformation of the third age and the measures necessary to stimulate the professional involvement of older people. "Romania promotes active ageing. Last year, we completed the reform of the public pension system, and some of the measures envisaged allow people insured in the public pension system, who meet the conditions for pension registration, to choose between granting an old-age pension and continuing their activity, with the annual agreement of the employer, until they reach the age of 70," Simona Bucura-Oprescu said in her intervention in the EPSCO Meeting plenary, according to the press release. Other important topics on the EPSCO Meeting agenda concerned the plan for the Skills Union and measures to ensure a balance between the professional and personal lives of employees. AGERPRES The Ministry of Finance (MF) borrowed 1.96 billion RON from banks on Monday, through two issues, one of state bonds and one of treasury certificates with discount, according to data made public by the National Bank of Romania (BNR). Thus, the MF drew 1.083 billion RON through an issue of state bonds, with a residual maturity of 65 months, at an average yield of 7.38% per year. The nominal value of the issue was 800 million RON, and banks invested 1.486 billion RON. An additional tender is scheduled for Tuesday, through which the state wants to attract another 120 million RON at the yield established on Monday for the bonds. The ministry also drew 882.9 million RON through an issue of discounted treasury certificates, with a residual maturity of 11 months, at an average yield of 6.64% per annum. The value of the issue was one billion RON, and banks invested 1.079 billion RON. The Ministry of Finance planned, in March 2025, loans from commercial banks worth 7.4 billion RON, to which an amount of 840 million RON can be added through additional sessions of non-competitive offers, related to bond tenders. The total amount, of 8.24 billion RON, is 200 million RON higher than that which was scheduled in February of this year, of 8.04 billion RON, and will be intended for refinancing public debt and financing the state budget deficit. AGERPRES MP Alina Gorghiu, National Liberal Party (PNL) vice-president, declared on Monday that, "regardless of what is politically better for some or others", institutions "must not listen to the noise outside", but must apply the legal provisions, indicating that she is demanding that all political parties and leaders condemn "unequivocally" the violent demonstrations. "We have strong antibodies as a country and we will overcome this delicate moment! Some people believe that it is politically healthier for Mr. Calin Georgescu to run and to defeat at vote the one who wants to hand you over to the Russians, to take you out of the EU, the one who has the arrogance to defy constitutional rules and norms. But in a democracy, institutions/justice function. And regardless of what is politically better for some or others, institutions should not listen to the noise outside, but should apply the legal provisions," Gorghiu wrote on Facebook. She pointed out that through the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC)'s decision on Sunday the registration of Calin Georgescu's candidacy in this year's presidential election was rejected. "The BEC invokes the recent jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court (CCR), according to which 'persons running for Romania's President must respect the Constitution from the moment of filing their candidacy. Any candidate must respect democracy and the institutions of the state.' This is what European and strategic partners should understand when they see the decisions of these days. It is not the speech of a candidate or his/her team, not the speech of politicians that must be followed. But the fact that, in a democracy, institutions apply the law," Alina Gorghiu conveyed. She also mentioned that the violent demonstrations recorded on Sunday are unacceptable and asks all political parties and leaders to condemn them "unequivocally". "As for the violent demonstrations recorded on Sunday, they are unacceptable, as the incitement appeared in the public space. I demand that all political parties and leaders condemn them unequivocally. Respect for democratic values and the law are now essential to ensure internal peace in our country," Gorghiu wrote. The Central Electoral Bureau announced on Sunday evening that the registration of Calin Georgescu's candidacy had been rejected. Several supporters of candidate Calin Georgescu, who were in front of the BEC headquarters, forced the fences installed by the gendarmes after learning about the Central Electoral Bureau's decision. Also, some protesters at the BEC headquarters broke pieces of paving stones to throw them at the police, the Gendarmerie said. A total of 13 gendarmes were injured in the protest, and seven protesters who were pulled from the crowd were taken to police stations for questioning. AGERPRES The candidate of the Electoral Alliance "Romania Forward," Crin Antonescu, said on Sunday, after having filed a list signed by 1.7 million supporters to the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC), that "until the last moment, many efforts were made" to prevent his candidacy, but he "will not waver" and "will not back down." After leaving the BEC headquarters, Antonescu thanked the leaders of the parties that support him. He was accompanied by Social Democratic Party (PSD) Chairman Marcel Ciolacu, National Liberal Party (PNL) Chairman Catalin Predoiu, Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) Chairman Kelemen Hunor, leader of the Parliamentary Group of National Minorities Varujan Pambuccian, as well as Emil Boc, Paul Stanescu and Lia Olguta Vasilescu. "I have submitted my candidacy for the Presidency of Romania. First of all, I thank God for helping me to be here and for helping me in this challenge. I thank my wife, Adina Valean, who has served and continues to serve Romania with honour, dedication and competence in the European Parliament and the European Commission. I thank all the colleagues who are here with me today, leaders of the parties that Romanians have entrusted with their vote to create a parliamentary majority and today's Government of Romania. I am honoured by the presence of distinguished mayors, people who have the trust of their communities, people who have made Oradea, Cluj, Craiova, Buzau, Targoviste, Sector 4, Sector 6 civilized places, European places, places where these years have brought satisfaction to those who have worked for citizens and their communities," said Crin Antonescu. He also thanked the 1.7 million people who signed for his candidacy, assuring them that "he will not back down." "I thank everyone in civil society who is here with me today. Their presence honours me. I thank the more than 1,700,000 people who signed for my candidacy. This candidacy has brought joy to all of us. You know that this candidacy did not bring joy to everyone, and you know that until the last moment, many efforts were made to prevent it. With all these people by my side, I move forward. I will not waver, I will not turn back, I will not back down. Together, we will go to these elections for Romania to move forward," Crin Antonescu added. ST. LOUIS At least three staff members at St. Louis Public Schools will receive disciplinary hearings this week following a contentious meeting with Superintendent Millicent Borishade. At two staff meetings on Friday, Borishade introduced new administrators and discussed the districts finances, academics and plans to close schools in 2026. The second meeting at Roosevelt High School was disrupted when Borishade discussed cuts to the districts newcomer programs for immigrant and refugee students. District leaders say starting next fall, students can attend a maximum of one year in the programs at three schools that currently have 885 students in kindergarten through 10th grade. A group of teachers and staff from Nahed Chapman New American Academy walked out of the meeting in protest, as heard in recordings obtained by the Post-Dispatch. The invitations to discipline meetings did not list a reason but were sent to staff members who asked questions of Borishade or walked out. Its horrifying and the retaliation is real, said Andrea Thavorides, a social worker who resigned from Chapman last year over concerns about the school districts leadership. Disciplinary matters are local in nature. Whatever the nature of such meetings, if they are scheduled, they generally occur throughout the district and usually not at the direction of the SLPS Central office, said Charles Poole, who started as the districts executive director of communications this month, in a statement. One of the disciplinary meeting invites was sent by Sheila Sherman, an assistant superintendent who has Chapman in the network of schools she oversees. Myra Berry, chief of human resources operations, was copied on the email. Borishade said the point of limiting the newcomer program to one year is to integrate students into general education classrooms more quickly. Our students deserve the same access to all programs. Our students who are immigrants deserve to be treated like first-class citizens each and every day, Borishade said in the staff meeting. But Thavorides said limiting the program would be disastrous for many students, especially teenagers who arrive with little to no English knowledge and teachers who are not trained in English as a second language. Its absolutely nonsensical. Youre taking away supports these students need to succeed, she said. I dont even understand what is going to be the benefit of this plan. We need to support the newcomers. This is what our city is all about. Poole, the district spokesman, said some staff have different views on how to help students develop English skills. In time, we know well work together to improve opportunities for our students in the most effective way, which is what is in the best interest of students, he said. At the staff meeting, Borishade told a story about her experience immigrating from West Africa to the Chicago area as a child. I was made fun of because I said electric city instead of electricity, Borishade said. Borishade said she disagrees with the suburban Chicago school districts decision to place her older brother in a separate classroom for English learners. He knew the language, she said. He needed to be around peers who spoke more English than we did at home. The newcomer program changes will be outlined Tuesday at the SLPS board meeting. Full access to the grade-appropriate core curriculum and elective course offerings while using appropriate linguistic supports is critical, reads the presentation from the academics department. Borishade was named permanent superintendent last month to replace Keisha Scarlett, who was fired after an investigation of her spending and hiring practices. The school district is one of five statewide that have not turned in their mandated financial audit of fiscal 2024 that was due to the state Dec. 31. A separate, comprehensive audit of SLPS by Missouri Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick is still ongoing. Trust and believe that everybody is watching me, and I love it, Borishade told her staff. Im fine with that. JEFFERSON CITY The next general election isnt until November 2026, but St. Louis-area Democrats are already jumping into a pair of Missouri Senate races that promise to feature hotly contested primaries. Sens. Karla May and Brian Williams, representing the solidly Democratic 4th and 14th senatorial districts, respectively, are term-limited and thus unable to run for reelection. Former state Rep. Peter Merideth, D-St. Louis, is strongly considering a run for the 4th District seat, he told the Post-Dispatch. Current state Rep. Steve Butz, D-St. Louis, has already announced that he is running for the seat, and former state Rep. Gina Mitten, D-Richmond Heights, said Monday she is running. The 4th District takes in parts of the citys southwest corner, stretching from Tower Grove Park west and from areas around Forest Park south. It also takes in all of Clayton, Brentwood, Maplewood, Richmond Heights, Rock Hill and Warson Woods. Both Butz and Merideth criticized each others vision for the district in interviews with the Post-Dispatch. Merideth argued for strong progressive leadership in the face of far-right extremism. Butz disagreed, arguing a more reasoned moderate voice with a focus on public safety and public education is a better way forward. Butz is one of the most conservative members of the Democratic caucus, describing himself as pro-life on abortion rights and a supporter of the state taking over control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. In his time in the House, Merideth became known for giving rousing speeches and engaging in tough debate with colleagues. Im not sure that he (Butz) is the kind of progressive fighter that I think we need, and that these times call for in a district that is one of the most progressive in the state, Merideth said. A central tenet to Butzs centrism is a strong desire to earmark money from the state budget for the St. Louis region. If an ultra-progressive from the city of St. Louis would get elected, I can assure you, they wont be effective here in bringing anything back to the St Louis region, Butz said. He added that legislative leaders from Kansas City are better able to play ball in Jefferson City to bring money back to their region by operating more from the center. Kansas City Democrats got almost $50 million more in earmarks in the current fiscal year budget than St. Louis and St. Louis County Democrats, according to an analysis done by the Missouri Independent. But Merideth, who served as the top Democrat on the House Budget committee, said during his eight years in the House he has proven himself and getting things done with Republicans while at the same time being a very loud voice of opposition to a lot of whats happening there (in Jefferson City). 14th District The 14th District encompasses a large swath of St. Louis County, from University City north to Ferguson and west to Hazelwood and the Missouri River. A pair of relative outsiders Shante Duncan and Joseph Palm have already kicked off their campaigns, while state Reps. Raychel Proudie of Ferguson and Doug Clemens of St. Ann are also making moves to run. Shante Duncan runs a St. Louis nonprofit that provides safe housing for women who are victims of domestic violence. The organization, Sisters Helping Each Other Reach a Higher Height, also teaches people how to identify and prevent trafficking of girls. If elected Duncan said she would prioritize improving public education, helping local small businesses thrive and ensuring access to quality health care. As someone deeply ingrained in her community, Duncan said she wont forget her constituents like many legislators do when they go to Jefferson City. Ive always led from my heart, Ive always led with community first, Duncan said. Duncan does have some institutional support within the Democratic Party. Shes worked for the party and for St. Louis Democratic Sen. Steven Roberts Jr. in the past. Roberts father, Steven Roberts Sr., has already donated to Duncans campaign. Joseph Palm was one of many Biden-era appointees terminated when President Donald Trump took office. Palm was a regional director within the Department of Health and Human Services covering a large swath of midwestern states and Native tribes. Before working at HHS, Palm led the Office of Minority Health at the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. While working for the state, Palm had a leadership role in COVID-19 vaccination efforts and opioid addiction prevention. I decided to jump in the race to fight for health care, public safety, mental health (and) senior (services), Palm said. I have to fight for Medicaid, he added. While Proudies name has been mentioned, she told the Post-Dispatch she is focused on serving her district not looking ahead at higher office. Clemens, for his part, said he is considering a run. A political action committee has been opened in recent days in support of Clemens. Clemens has long been active in fighting against Missouris puppy mills. He also voted present when the House approved the police takeover bill. As state legislative sessions grind on, conservative lawmakers 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. 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. 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. Missouri is among them. Rep. Brian Seitz, R-Branson, is the sponsor of House Bill 111, which declares unborn children have protectable interests in life, health, and well-being and are entitled to the same rights, powers, privileges, justice, and protections as are secured or granted by the laws of this state to any other human person. The bill, which has not been scheduled for a vote, includes language that bars legal action against a woman for indirectly harming her unborn child by failing to properly care for herself or by failing to follow any particular program of prenatal care. Seitzs bill does not mention abortion, but fetal personhood, a longtime cornerstone of the anti-abortion movement, 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. 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. 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. 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. Defenders of such legislation have downplayed its impact on IVF and insist that states have a duty to protect all life. 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. 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. 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. 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. Stateline is part of States Newsroom, the nations largest state-focused nonprofit news organization. The Post-Dispatch contributed to this report. JEFFERSON CITY Following the lead of his predecessor, Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins on Monday entered the ongoing conservative culture war skirmish against so-called inappropriate reading material being made available to minors. While former Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft put a target on printed material in libraries during his tenure, Hoskins is aiming at a digital platform that lets users download and read books on their smartphones, tablets and laptops. In an announcement, Hoskins said he had suspended state funding to an app named OverDrive, which has received $160 in state payments this fiscal year, saying he believes allegations it gives minors access to inappropriate materials. Our priority is protecting Missouris children while holding taxpayer-funded vendors accountable, Hoskins said in a statement We expect Overdrive to clarify its policies and demonstrate how it is ensuring appropriate access to content. The company, which has received less than $12,000 in state funds since 2022, did not respond to a request for comment Monday. The Ohio-based company earlier said its product is used by 75,000 libraries and other institutions globally, including prisons and military institutions. The app and similar platforms became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic when schools were closed. The action comes as a Senate panel last week debated a proposal by Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, R-Arnold, that would ban materials deemed explicit from digital libraries. She told the Senate Education Committee that the app gives students access to sexually explicit material. Under the legislation, schools would be required to publish a list of required reading materials on their websites and allow parents access to digital library resources. Parents could challenge those resources as inappropriate. They could sue school personnel, including librarians, for not following the law. The legislation is similar to a rule imposed by Ashcroft requiring libraries to create policies preventing minors from accessing obscene materials. Opponents said the action was little more than censorship. That rule led to Missouri being named in 2023 as one of the top three book banning states by Pen America, which charts attempts to crack down on reading material. Hoskins, a Republican who aligned with the conservative Freedom Caucus when he served in the state Senate, launched the latest response Friday when he announced his office was investigating agreements between public schools and file sharing vendors. It is our priority to ensure that any agreements utilizing taxpayer funds through the Missouri Secretary of States Office entered into by public schools are transparent, enforceable, and in the best interest of students, educators and the taxpayers of Missouri, Hoskins said. As we move forward with this investigation, we will work closely with relevant authorities to ensure that any discrepancies are addressed and proper action is taken, he added. Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey also is looking at the issue. We are deeply concerned about the ability of kids to access pornography online, Bailey spokesman James Lawson said. We want Missouri to be the safest state for children. During his campaign for the post last year, Hoskins said he supports prohibiting the use of taxpayer funds to purchase or supply library books he said were inappropriate for children. Missouri is the latest government to enter the debate over student access to e-reader apps. Schools in Tennessee, Texas and Florida cut off access to the program in recent years over concerns material was available that school librarians hadnt vetted. JEFFERSON CITY State health officials are poised to launch a study to find out whether Missouris marijuana program is ready to expand. In a request for proposals issued by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Friday, the state is seeking a vendor to conduct a survey of sales and locations of the states regulated marijuana businesses. The market study may include recommendations on how to meet the demand of regulated marijuana in the state to ensure a competitive market while preventing over-concentration of marijuana facilities within any local municipality, the request notes. Missouri voters legalized recreational marijuana sales in November 2022. Last year, the industry surpassed initial projections for sales, revenue and the number of people who have medical marijuana cards. Cannabis companies sold nearly $1.5 billion worth of product in 2024, resulting in $145 million in tax revenue for the state and nearly $100 million for local governments. The industry employs an estimated 22,000 workers. Under the constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2022, there can be no fewer than 24 dispensaries in each of the states eight congressional districts in order to ensure companies make the product available in all parts of the state. The license cap was designed, in part, to make businesses less fearful of an overly saturated market. The state also has issued microbusiness licenses, which would provide a path to legal marijuana facility ownership for individuals who might not otherwise easily access that opportunity. If the industry expands, those license holders could be the first in line for full-blown dispensary licenses. The department is on track to issue 144 microbusiness licenses after a third round of applications is accepted later this year. According to the request for proposals, the survey must determine whether the state should lift or ease any marijuana license limits based on the expected supply and demand for the license type. That could mean the states growers and manufacturers, who also are limited by license, could expand. Other questions that will be asked include what factors encourage a competitive marijuana market and whether any markets are overconcentrated. What factors encourage interest in building marijuana facilities in impoverished or underserved areas? the request notes. But, the main industry trade group, said Monday that the microbusiness license holders should first get a chance to compete before the industry expands. The first round of those licenses were issued in 2023, but unfortunately not a single microbusiness product has been sold in Missouri yet, said Andrew Mullins, executive director of MoCannTrade. As a trade association, wed like to see these 144 small businesses have the ability to succeed before putting more obstacles and competition in their way. The final report, which is due next year, also will include the frequency of purchases made for medical and adult use and the amount of product people purchase per transaction. A second phase of the study would outline the economic impact of the industry, including the number of type of jobs created directly and indirectly from the legalization of marijuana. JEFFERSON CITY U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas made an unannounced visit to the Missouri Attorney Generals office here Monday. Thomas, the longest-serving current member of the nations high court, was in the capital city to observe the dedication of a conference room in the Supreme Court building where he once worked. Attorney General Andrew Bailey, a Republican, did not immediately comment on the visit. An aide said more information about the event may be available Tuesday. Thomas was admitted to the Missouri bar in 1974 after he graduated from Yale Law School in 1974. He became an assistant attorney general that same year and argued before the states high court during his tenure. Thomas moved from the post in 1977 to serve as an attorney for the Monsanto company in the St. Louis area. Monsanto is now owned by Bayer. Thomas also served as legislative assistant to U.S. Sen. John Danforth of Missouri for two years. In 1981, Thomas was appointed assistant secretary for civil rights in the U.S. Department of Education. Thomas was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia circuit by President George H.W. Bush. He served there for 18 months before being nominated to a seat on the Supreme Court in 1991. He has made occasional visits to Missouri in recent years. In 2017, Thomas spoke at a Law Day event sponsored by the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis. During the speech he turned to Danforth, 80, and told him, "You are the reason why I'm here." TEL AVIV, Israel Israel cut off the electricity supply to Gaza, officials said Sunday, affecting a desalination plant producing drinking water for part of the arid territory. Hamas called it part of Israel's starvation policy." Israel last week suspended supplies of goods to the territory of more than 2 million Palestinians, an echo of the siege it imposed in the earliest days of the war. Israel is pressing the militant group to accept an extension of the first phase of their ceasefire. That phase ended last weekend. Israel wants Hamas to release half of the remaining hostages in return for a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. Hamas instead wants to start negotiations on the ceasefires more difficult second phase, which would see the release of remaining hostages from Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and a lasting peace. Hamas is believed to have 24 living hostages and the bodies of 35 others. The militant group, which has warned that discontinuing supplies would affect the hostages, said Sunday that it wrapped up the latest round of ceasefire talks with Egyptian mediators without changes to its position. Israel has said it would send a delegation to Qatar on Monday in an effort to advance the negotiations. Israel warned when it stopped all supplies that water and electricity could be next. The letter from Israel's energy minister to the Israel Electric Corp. tells it to stop selling power to Gaza. The territory and its infrastructure have been largely devastated, and most facilities, including hospitals, now use generators. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassam said that Israel has practically cut off electricity since the war began and called the latest decision part of Israel's starvation policy, in clear disregard for all international laws and norms." The desalination plant was providing 18,000 cubic meters of water per day for central Gazas Deir al-Balah area, according to Gisha, an Israeli organization dedicated to protecting Palestinians right to freedom of movement. Executive director Tania Hary said that it's expected to run on generators and produce around 2,500 cubic meters per day, about the amount in an Olympic swimming pool. Israels restrictions on fuel entering Gaza have a larger impact, Hary said, and water shortages are a looming problem, because fuel is needed for distribution trucks. Israel has faced sharp criticism over suspending supplies. Any denial of the entry of the necessities of life for civilians may amount to collective punishment, the U.N. human rights office said Friday. The International Criminal Court said there was reason to believe Israel had used starvation as a method of warfare when it issued an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last year. The allegation is central to South Africas case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide. Israel denied the accusations, saying it has allowed in enough aid and blaming shortages on what it called the United Nations' inability to distribute it. It also accused Hamas of siphoning off aid. The leader of the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, warned Friday that attacks against Israel-linked vessels off Yemen would resume within four days if aid doesn't resume to Gaza. The Houthis described their earlier attacks as solidarity with Palestinians there. 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 and hundreds of trucks of aid entered per day until Israel suspended supplies. The White House on Wednesday made the surprise confirmation of direct U.S. talks with Hamas. On Sunday, envoy Adam Boehler told Israeli broadcaster Kan that Hamas has suggested a truce of five to 10 years while it would disarm. The militant group has previously called disarming unacceptable. A senior Hamas official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss contacts with the U.S., said that the group had expressed its longstanding position that it would lay down its arms in return for a fair and just solution that includes an independent Palestinian state. Boehler also told CNN that I think you could see something like a long-term truce, where we forgive prisoners, where Hamas lays down their arms, where they agree theyre not part of the political party going forward. I think thats a reality. Its real close. When asked if he would speak with the militant group again, Boehler replied, You never know. He added: I think something could come together within weeks, and expressed hope for a deal that would see all hostages released, not only American ones. Boehler has said four of the five American hostages in Gaza are dead, with Edan Alexander alive. Hamas on Sunday didn't mention the talks, but reiterated its support for a proposal for the establishment of an independent committee of technocrats to run Gaza until Palestinians hold presidential and legislative elections. 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. Many Israelis are pressing for a deal to bring everyone home. We are here to send a clear message to the Israeli government: stop stalling, Zahiro Shahar Mor, nephew of slain hostage Avraham Munder, said in front of tents set up outside Israels defense ministry in one demonstration. STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. Theres been a ferry across the Mississippi River here for more than 200 years, but that may not be true for much longer. Facing financial troubles, the ferrys operator, the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission, is considering permanently closing the Ste. Genevieve-Modoc ferry as costs rise. The ferry lost about $12,000 per year before 2020, but the average annual operating losses have ballooned to nearly $55,000, said Jeremy Tanz, commission director. Rising insurance costs, including a 33% increase since 2021, eat up an ever-bigger share of the ferrys limited budget. Insurance costs alone consume nearly half the money the operation receives from the state of Missouri, Tanz said. Whats more, federal funds received during the COVID pandemic are drying up. The ferry may run out of cash in May, Tanz said, which would prompt tough conversations before more state dollars arrive in July. Wed have to have that conversation (with the ferrys operator) on whether theres enough there to where we make it through those next few months, Tanz said. Or we might be in the position where theres no funding available and it just has to close. The ferry is the only river crossing between the Jefferson Barracks Bridge in south St. Louis County and the Chester Bridge, which connects Randolph County, Illinois, to Perry County, Missouri. The state of Illinois, while it does provide funds to operate other river ferries, doesnt chip in for the Ste. Genevieve-Modoc ferry. Operators are in the process of requesting money from Illinois. From 2009-19, the ferry averaged 22,500 passengers per year, but that number has dropped in recent years, Tanz said, as mandated repairs and river conditions forced ferry closures and cut into revenue. The ferry mostly serves tourists, Tanz said, as frequent closures forced local residents to find alternate routes. The Illinois towns nearest the ferry are sparsely populated. Ste. Genevieve National Historic Park as well as Fort de Chartres and surrounding areas in Illinois near the ferry route are both rich in French Colonial history, creating a tourism draw. The cost to ride it is $2 for pedestrians, $15 for cars and pickups ($25 round trip), $7 for motorcycles and $5 for bicycles. Its $7 for those on horseback. The ferry could move to operate seasonally to capture a big chunk of the visiting passengers, but that creates a new set of problems. It currently only operates Friday-Sunday because of a staffing shortage after one of the boats pilots took a higher-paying job, and going to a seasonal model might make it harder to find workers to only work the warm-weather months. Tanz believes a ferry operation has been present at the site since at least 1800, even referencing a rumored letter between French magistrates on either side of the river discussing a river ferry dated in 1798. In the mid-1900s, a ferry at the site carried railroad cars across the river. The operators have put out a survey to get a better grasp on the ferrys users and the potential impacts of a closure. Without the ferry, the landings on either side of the river are about an hours drive apart via the Chester Bridge. Only four other Mississippi River ferries remain in Missouri. The Winfield, Golden Eagle and Grafton ferries in Lincoln and St. Charles counties are separated by fewer than 25 river miles in total. The Grafton ferry is seasonal. Farther south, the Dorena-Hickman ferry connects the Bootheel to western Kentucky. Members of the military community in Stuttgart gathered Monday to celebrate Robinson Barracks Elementary Schools recent selection as a national Blue Ribbon School. (John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes) STUTTGART, Germany Robinson Barracks Elementary students, educators and military leaders gathered Monday to celebrate their schools recent designation as a National Blue Ribbon School. The school, part of the U.S. Army Garrison in Stuttgart, was one of three Department of Defense Education Activity Schools to receive the honor in 2024. Your curiosity, your enthusiasm for learning and your commitment to excellence are an inspiration to all of us, Col. Kirk Alexander, the Stuttgart garrison commander, said during a school assembly that marked the occasion. School and district leaders also lauded teachers and students for their efforts during the event. The Blue Ribbon School designation is given by the U.S. Department of Education to recognize schools that demonstrate exceptional academic performance or make significant progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. Robinson Elementary was selected as an exemplary high-performing school. The other two DODEA schools to receive the Blue Ribbon honor in 2024 were West Point Elementary School at the U.S. Military Academy and Alconbury Elementary School in the United Kingdom. In 2024, 356 schools nationwide received Blue Ribbon status. F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 214 taxi after arriving at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, March 8, 2025. (Samantha Rodriguez/U.S. Marine Corps) A third Marine Corps squadron of F-35B Lightning II fighters arrived in Japan over the weekend, marking the latest step in the services efforts to modernize its deployed forces in the Indo-Pacific. The squadron Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 214, also known as the Black Sheep arrived Friday from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., according to the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. The deployment is the first rotational assignment for the F-35B under the Marines Unit Deployment Program, which cycles units through the region to bolster readiness. The aircraft will temporarily support flight operations at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni under Marine Aircraft Group 12, the wing said in a statement Monday. The group includes two permanently based Marine F-35B squadrons, an aerial refueling squadron, and logistics and support squadrons. The base also hosts Carrier Air Wing 5, the Navys air component for the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, homeported at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan. The Unit Deployment Program has historically been supported by fixed-wing aircraft groups operating F/A-18 Hornets and AV-8B Harriers. The Black Sheep squadron transitioned to the F-35B in March 2022 and is now the first F-35 unit to deploy to the Indo-Pacific under the program, according to the wing. Our focus during this deployment is threefold, Lt. Col. Robert Guyette, the squadrons commander, said in the release. To seamlessly integrate within Marine forces, joint forces, and regional allies and improve warfighting readiness as a combined force, refine our ability to operate from austere locations, and align with key Marine Corps concepts like Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations to maximize survivability and airpower projection. Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations emphasize mobility, allowing forces to disperse to smaller, harder-to-target locations. The strategy has become central to Marine Corps planning as the Pentagon seeks to counter Chinas growing military presence in the region. The F-35Bs ability to operate from austere locations, integrate with joint networks, and provide enhanced battlespace awareness makes it a force multiplier, Col. Kyle Shoop, commander of Marine Aircraft Group 12, said in the release. Maj. Gen. Marcus Annibale, commander of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, said the Marines would continue to expand their F-35B deployments. Munitions with greater capabilities will become available, the platforms support systems will strengthen, and the F-35s technology suite will continue to evolve, he said in the release. As more F-35 squadrons deploy to the remote and contested environments of the Indo-Pacific, Marine Aviations readiness will grow, and our capabilities as a combined force in this region will become even more lethal. Retired Marine Col. Grant Newsham, a senior researcher with the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies, said the F-35B is more survivable than the aircraft it is replacing and could serve as a deterrent. With more American stealth fighters in the region, you can see the difficulties for a Chinese force assaulting Taiwan across the strait, or trying to operate north and east of Taiwan, he said by email Monday. At the same time, the aircrafts reliance on established bases could pose challenges in a conflict, Newsham added. The Chinese know where most, maybe all, of these bases are and just might hit them, he wrote. I expect they would, especially if they started taking losses. The United States and its allies are working to address those concerns through a combination of airfield defense measures, decoys, rapid runway repairs, and dispersal to civilian airfields in Japan and the Philippines, Newsham said. Because the F-35B is designed for short takeoffs and vertical landings, it can also operate from amphibious assault ships and smaller airstrips, offering additional flexibility, he added. However, Newsham noted that aerial refueling remains a challenge, given the aircrafts limited range. Sign Up for Daily Headlines Sign up to receive a daily email of today's top military news stories from Stars and Stripes and top news outlets from around the world. Sign Up Now Avid puzzler and puzzle collector Linda Groskreutz, 67, shown with her husband Jeff, 69, have hung a total of about 115,000 puzzle pieces in their 4,600-square-foot ranch house in Madison Lake, Minn. (Caroline Yang/For The Washington Post) The day Linda and Jeff Groskreutz stumbled upon a 4,600-square-foot ranch house with long empty walls in Madison Lake, Minn., they knew it was the one. It was perfect, said Linda, explaining she was excited to finally buy a house with walls expansive enough to display the rewards of her longtime hobby: showstopping, large-scale jigsaw puzzles. Since the couple moved in last May, they have turned their new basement into a massive jigsaw gallery, with supersized motifs such as sailboats, fish, planets, elephants, giraffes and tropical birds. Linda, 67, said that she and Jeff moved from another nearby town in south-central Minnesota because they wanted to be near the lake. But, she added, the big walls were a great bonus. The largest puzzles are showcased in plywood frames handmade by Jeff, who is supportive of his wifes time-consuming and wall-consuming habit, though he does not puzzle himself. Linda is really good at what she does, said Jeff, 69. Hes hung a total of about 115,000 pieces in eight of his separate, sprawling frames. One puzzle is so long it spills onto two adjacent walls. Then theres the one Jeff calls The Granddaddy a 40,320-piece creation emblazoned with various Disney movie themes. It weighs 44 pounds and measures more than 22 feet across and 6 feet tall. Linda Groskreutzs largest accomplishment a 40,320-piece beauty emblazoned with various Disney movie themes weighing 44 pounds and measuring more than 22 feet long and 6 feet tall. It came in 10 bags and took 10 weeks to complete. (Caroline Yang/For The Washington Post) Each of the motifs from 10 Disney movies came in a different bag, and it took Linda 10 weeks to complete the whole thing. At the time, I didnt have any wall space left, so it sat on cardboard in sections for several years, she said. Until I got a call one day from my minister. Her Lutheran pastor contacted her in 2021 and told her he was preparing a sermon series with a fitting together theme, and he wondered if she had a finished puzzle she could put on display at the church. Did she ever. I thought it would be a treat to see my Disney puzzle all together, so we took over each section of the puzzle in the truck and put it together across nine banquet tables, Linda said. It was there for everyone to look at for more than a week. Recently, her puzzles have had an even bigger audience since her husband shared a quick video walk-through of their basement on YouTube. This is a little tour of what I like to call our puzzle room, Jeff begins in the video. This first puzzle is 24,000 pieces. We didnt have enough wall space to put it all on one wall so we had to wrap it around the inside corner. He comments that Linda was the first person in Minnesota to complete that puzzle which she did in 2008 with a touch of help from family and friends. She is featured on a hall-of-fame website for giant puzzle-solvers, where she is quoted as saying: I look forward to the next Worlds Largest Puzzle that Im sure will come out in the future. My only problem being, that I have no more walls large enough to hold any more of them, so I would have to move. The next puzzle in the collection that Jeff features with his camera is a 5,000-piece puzzle of the twin towers in New York City. Linda put that one together right after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Next are two animal scenes, each with 18,000 pieces. He then shows four others on the walls. Minnesota station KARE-11 recently picked up on the story. Jeff ends his video with, Well, thank you very much for coming on this little tour of mine. In her new house, Linda was thrilled that the Disney puzzle fit across the entire length of one wall, with just two inches to spare. Some of her family members she has two children and three grandchildren helped lift and install the heavy puzzle. Finally, I have room for it, she said. This is where its going to stay. Linda completes a 1,000-piece puzzle in five to seven hours, she said, and she never needs a magnifying glass. Ive probably put together a couple thousand puzzles, but only the big ones get framed now and put up, she said. She has stacks of boxed puzzles neatly piled on a pair of five-story industrial metal shelves, as well as stray jigsaw puzzles scattered on tables nearby. Avid puzzler Linda Groskreutz picks out her favorites from her collection of Aimee Stewart puzzles that line the shelves in her home. Groskreutz says she loves Aimee Stewart puzzles for their designs and colors. (Caroline Yang/For The Washington Post) After she puts in the work to finish an extra large puzzle, she cant bear to take her masterpieces apart. So she covers them with thin insulation plastic, and Jeff builds the frames and hangs them at least, the ones that fit on the walls. I dont sleep well, so sometimes Ill work [on a puzzle] until midnight, or Ill occasionally get up at 2 or 3 and work on one, Linda said. She takes apart her favorite small puzzles and puts them back in their boxes so she can piece them together again months later. She said she is also a Sudoku puzzle fan, but adds shed rather go fishing with her husband than tackle a crossword. Ive always found doing puzzles relaxing, and I hope they help my brain, said Linda, pointing out that puzzles help to improve short-term memory. She has been puzzling since she was 10 years old, growing up in rural Minnesota. After she retired from her accounting job in 2018, she said she decided to devote more time to the hobby. My parents would give me and my siblings a new 1,000-piece puzzle for Christmas every year, and wed all work on it together, Linda recalled. But what really got me going was when a relative from Germany came to visit in the late 1990s and learned that I loved puzzles. As a thank-you gesture for helping him to line up motel rooms for a cross-country trip, the relative sent her a 9,000-piece Tower of Babel jigsaw made by Germanys famous Ravensburger puzzle company. Then about four years later, he sent me an 18,000-piece, tropical jungle puzzle, Linda said. It took six months to put it together. A portion of one of avid puzzler Linda Groskreutzs puzzles on display at her home in Madison Lake. (Caroline Yang/For The Washington Post) To spread her love of puzzles, she recently started a puzzle library at a shopping center in nearby Mankato, where about 200 puzzles many of them hers are available for anyone to check out. It works like an honor system you find the puzzle you want online, then you go pick it up, put it together and bring it back, Linda said. People have also contributed puzzles they dont want anymore. She spends about 20 hours a week piecing together her creations. Her trick is to start with the edges, then fill in the pieces by color. She advises anyone tackling a large puzzle to use a room with good lighting and sort pieces into groups based on their shapes. If I didnt donate a lot of my own puzzles, theyd quickly take over my house, she said, guessing she has about 150 at home on her shelves. When asked by a reporter about her latest jigsaw creation, she stifled a laugh through the phone. Its a puzzle that shows a shelf with a bunch of spices, Linda said. I finished it while we were talking. Despite its seemingly simple nature, the process of rolling sleeves is governed by strict standards. Folds must be crisp and even, with the camouflage pattern properly aligned. (Krysten Houk/U.S. Marine Corps) The arrival of spring in the Marine Corps is not measured by cherry blossoms or rising temperatures alone. Its marked by the annual rolling of uniform sleeves, a ritual as predictable as the Cyber Awareness Challenge. On Sunday as daylight saving time took effect in the United States Marines around the world folded back the sleeves of their combat utility uniforms, signaling the transition to warmer months. The tradition, long ingrained in the Corps culture, is a visible shift that separates the service from its sister branches, which keep their sleeves down year-round. The change applies only to Marines in garrison environments; those in operational or deployed settings continue to wear sleeves down for protection. The ritual, however, does not always proceed on schedule. Last year, Marines stationed in Japan and South Korea were granted a reprieve when an unseasonably cold spring delayed the transition for several weeks. This year, the practice has resumed as planned. A stop-motion video posted Saturday on Marine Corps Installations Pacifics Facebook page humorously reminded Marines of the importance of the practice. The video shows a lance corporal dozing off as his blouse autonomously removes itself from a hanger and rolls up its sleeves. Sleeves up doesnt happen by magic put in the work, the post read. Roll em tight, look sharp. Despite its seemingly simple nature, the process of rolling sleeves is governed by strict standards. Folds must be crisp and even, with the camouflage pattern properly aligned. Achieving the perfect roll is often a matter of pride and practice. Rolling sleeves up and down has been a part of Marine life for decades, with one notable interruption. In 2011, then-Commandant Gen. James Amos ordered sleeves to remain down throughout the year, citing uniformity and protection from the elements. The decision was met with widespread resistance from Marines who viewed the sleeve roll as a symbol of tradition and discipline. The policy was reversed in 2014. A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aviator from Air Station Barbers Point, Hawaii, prepares to launch from Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands for an ongoing search on March 8, 2025. (Jonathan Tippy/U.S. Coast Guard) Authorities on Monday suspended the search for a Marshall Islands sea ambulance and its crew of four, missing since March 3, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. We stand with the families and the Republic of the Marshall Islands community in their grief, Chief Warrant Officer Sara Muir, spokeswoman for U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia, Sector Guam, said in a news release. The 37-foot fiberglass vessel left Majuro, the Marshall Islands capital, at 12:30 p.m. for Mili Atoll, 73 miles southeast, for a tuberculosis screening, the Marshall Islands Ministry of Health and Human Services said March 4. It did not arrive at the atoll and failed to return to Majuro by its expected arrival time that evening, according to the Coast Guard and the health ministry. The six-day search included a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon patrol aircraft from Kadena Air Base, Okinawa; a Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules from Air Station Barbers Point, Hawaii; and two vessels from the Marshall Islands the RMIS Lomor 03, a sea patrol vessel, and the LiWeton Mour, another sea ambulance, according to a Coast Guard update Monday. Searchers faced challenging conditions in the vast Pacific, Muir said. A little bit higher sea state with larger swells hindered visibility. The Navy, Coast Guard and Marshall Islands crews conducted more than 16 searches covering 52,391 square miles an area the size of Arkansas over nearly 82 flight hours, but found no sign of the vessel, Muir said by text message. The missing vessels captain was an experienced mariner, and the route was a routine transit, she said searchers were told. Also aboard the vessel was a nurse practitioner, a health assistant and a community health outreach worker, according to the Monday update. The Marshall Islands has an extremely high incidence of tuberculosis at least 100 times higher than the U.S. according to EthnoMed, a medical website sponsored by the University of Washington Health Sciences Libraries and Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collaborated with the Marshall Islands Health Ministry to train health care providers to recognize and treat TB, a virulent lung disease. The Marshalls is a sovereign nation that relies on the U.S. for defense and security under a 42-year-old compact. The Marshall Islands is the first Pacific nation to initiate mass TB screenings, according to Dr. Richard Bostrom, CDC tuberculosis officer for Hawaii and the U.S. Pacific Islands, who spoke Dec. 9 at a TB training session in Majuro, according to a ministry news release. A ministry spokesperson could not be immediately reached Monday by phone or email. Because Pacific islanders are experienced mariners, search efforts in the region often last for days, unlike in areas with more extreme conditions, Muir said. We know theres a chance, and were always thrilled when we can find them, she added. The vessel was equipped with communication and navigation systems capable of sending a distress call, but no signal was received, according to New Zealand public radio RNZ Pacific, which cited the health ministry Friday. Its always difficult when we dont find the people were looking for, Muir said by phone Monday. Suspending an active search effort is never easy. It doesnt diminish respect for mariners lives and hope that answers may come for their families. Students create signs for a walkout at Kubasaki High School on Camp Foster, Okinawa, March 10, 2025. (Elysia Smith) CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa Roughly 45 students at Kubasaki High School staged a walkout Monday to protest a Pentagon policy affecting diversity initiatives, joining a series of similar demonstrations at Defense Department schools in Asia and Europe. The students walked out of class at 7:25 a.m. and remained outside for 25 minutes, according to a letter sent to parents by principal Silvanus Thrower. A copy of the letter was provided to Stars and Stripes by protest organizers. We ask for your partnership in working with your child to discuss meaningful actions they can take to engage in their community, Thrower wrote. Enrollment at the school is 573 students, according to its website. The protest, like others at Defense Department Education Activity schools, was directed at a Jan. 27 executive order by President Donald Trump that eliminated diversity, equity and inclusion programs established under previous administrations, according to the organizers. We wanted to lend our voice to that call, that we are not just going to sit down and let these orders pass that we as the public did not approve of, senior Benjamin Cozart said in an interview after school at the Camp Foster food court. Especially because this is impacting us, we want to do our part our civic duty and push back against that. Cozart, along with junior Elysia Smith, and freshman Maggie Brookover, helped organize the walkout. Student protesters at Kubasaki High School pose during a walkout at Camp Foster, Okinawa, March 10, 2025. (Trent Lewis) During the protest, students delivered speeches about DODEA policies related to diversity, organizers said. They also placed their handprints in paint on a banner that read, Dont Prevent Access. The demonstration mirrored actions taken at several other DODEA schools, including Kaiserslautern, Wiesbaden and Ramstein high schools in Germany; Humphreys High School in South Korea; Kadena High School on Okinawa; Nile C. Kinnick High School in Yokosuka, Japan; and Patch Middle School in Stuttgart, Germany. Stars and Stripes was not permitted to cover the protest on campus. DODEA requires parental consent for student interviews and photographs, and the school did not know in advance which students would participate, spokeswoman Miranda Ferguson said in an email Friday. She did not respond to further questions on Monday. Trumps order has led to the review and potential removal of certain books and classroom discussions related to diversity, equity and inclusion, the Kubasaki organizers said. It could also limit some school clubs and extracurricular activities and end official observances such as Black History Month. At Kubasaki, 69 books have been removed from the library, Cozart said. He did not identify specific titles but said they addressed topics related to gender identity, diversity and equity. Posters celebrating Black History Month were taken down in February, and the library has scaled back plans for other month-specific observances, including Womens History Month, according to organizers. Students create signs for a walkout at Kubasaki High School on Camp Foster, Okinawa, March 10, 2025. (Haley Hinsley) The school will also discontinue Advanced Placement psychology next year, Cozart said. A DODEA memorandum issued in February listed the course among several programs with selected instructional resources that should not be used pending review. In a letter to students families on Monday, DODEA Pacific Region Director Lois Rapp said the agency does not endorse school protests but often coordinates with students in advance. DODEA respects the right of our students to engage in peaceful expression of their Free Speech rights, she wrote. Whether given advance notice or not, school administrators work to ensure assembled acts of student-led advocacy remain peaceful and respectful events that do not interfere with the rights of others and do not disrupt learning. Administrators also inform students of their responsibilities and potential consequences for participating in protests, Rapp wrote. Cozart said there were no repercussions for the walkout. The protest itself and everything we did were within our rights as students, so theres no consequences handed to us, he said. A protester wears a vest with the German word for "strike" during a demonstration outside a U.S. base in Germany in this undated photo. Ver.di, a union that represents Germans employed at bases across the country, is calling for a strike March 12, 2025, at all installations in the state of Rheinland-Pfalz. (Stars and Stripes) All U.S. military installations in the state of Rheinland-Pfalz are expected to see strikes by their German employees this week, the union representing them said Monday. Ver.di is organizing a one-day warning strike Wednesday in response to stalled wage negotiations, the union said in a statement. The strike is expected to last the entire day on Wednesday. Additionally, Ver.dis statement urged workers scheduled for overnight shifts that begin late Tuesday or end early Thursday to strike for their entire shift. Besides the spate of installations that make up U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz, the state also hosts Ramstein Air Base and Spangdahlem Air Base. The sprawling Kaiserslautern Military Community in Rheinland-Pfalz is the largest overseas U.S. military community. Its home to tens of thousands of U.S. service members and their families. The most recent round of collective bargaining talks ended Feb. 24 with Ver.di employees offered a 1.7% annual raise, which the statement said was completely inadequate. The union is calling for a one-time payment of 320 euros and an annual 3% salary increase for employees over a 10-month period. It is also seeking an additional pay hike for fire department employees of 2 euros per hour. Short-duration strikes have occurred sporadically in recent years at bases in Germany. Most base services typically continue uninterrupted during the walkouts but with some delays. The union will also hold a demonstration at Stiftsplatz in Kaiserslautern on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. A clear track at the train station in Vicenza, Italy, in December 2024. A series of upcoming strikes in Italy will affect rail and air travel. (Rebecca Holland/Stars and Stripes) Walkouts by airline and railway workers in Italy in the coming days are likely to delay plans for many travelers, including American service members stationed at bases around the country. The first planned strikes are set for Sunday and involve airports in Venice and Naples, both of which are close to U.S. bases. Milans airport, one of the regions busiest, also will be impacted. Baggage handlers across the country will take part in a 24-hour walkout, according to Italian media reports. A starting time has not been publicly announced. From noon to 4 p.m. the same day, workers for a company that manages air traffic control operations in Italy also will strike, according to the Transport Ministry. Check-in, baggage services and flight times would be affected by those two strikes. On March 18, a 24-hour strike of workers at four Italian rail operators is slated to begin at 9 p.m. The affected train services are Trenitalia, Italo, Trenord and Trenitalia TPER. Regional and long-distance train services could be canceled or delayed, though rush-hour services in the morning and evening are guaranteed, according to the Transport Ministry website. A day later, the UGL Ferrovieri, FAST-Confsal and ORSA Trasporti unions will take part in a separate strike from 9:01 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. The railway unions say the right to strike is under threat, according to a statement from FAST-Confsal. The strikes come in the midst of contract negotiations. In Germany, meanwhile, most flights were canceled Monday at 13 major airports nationwide as union workers staged a 24-hour strike. At Frankfurt Airport, more than 1,000 of the days 1,116 scheduled takeoffs and landings were canceled, according to German news agency DPA. A convoy of U.S. Army paratroopers travels to the Hohenfels Training Area in Germany for Exercise Allied Spirit on Feb. 25, 2025. NATO continues to prepare for military exercises involving American troops, the alliance said following media reports that the U.S. was preparing to withdraw from such drills. (Markus Rauchenberger/U.S. Army) STUTTGART, Germany NATO continues to prepare for military exercises involving the United States this year and beyond, the alliance said in response to recent media reports that the U.S. was preparing to withdraw from such drills. U.S. Army Col. Martin ODonnell, spokesman for Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, said NATO continues to plan and execute exercises with all 32 member states. The exercises increase our collective readiness to deter potential threats against the Euro-Atlantic, and defend its one billion inhabitants, ODonnell said in a statement Sunday. The comments came following a report Friday by Swedens Expressen newspaper that allies were notified the U.S. would no longer take part in the planning of NATO military exercises in Europe after 2025. The newspaper, citing unnamed Swedish sources, said the move was related to the U.S. intention to focus more on military activities in the Asia-Pacific region. While U.S. officials say planning for U.S. involvement in NATO exercises continues, there has been more focus on having European allies play a bigger role. These exercises include U.S. forces, but also see more and more European forces training solely with other European forces like during last months Steadfast Dart (exercise), he said. U.S. Army paratroopers with 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment train alongside Greek troops as part of the Legion Olympus exercise in Xanthi, Greece, March 7, 2025. NATO continues to prepare for military exercises involving American troops, the alliance said following media reports that the U.S. was preparing to withdraw from such drills. (Mariah Gonzalez/U.S. Army) Questions about the future shape of NATO drills comes amid broader uncertainty about the role of the U.S. military in Europe. Allies have speculated that President Donald Trump intends to make significant cuts to the size of the American force on the Continent. While the Defense Department has said there are no immediate plans for a drawdown, questions have swirled in European defense circles about what the Pentagons priorities namely, border security and deterring China will mean elsewhere. In January, Italian media, citing diplomatic sources, reported that the U.S. plans to cut 20,000 troops in Europe. Meanwhile, Britains Telegraph newspaper, also citing unnamed officials, reported Friday that Trump is considering pulling some 35,000 troops out of Germany. The uncertain situation has stoked fears among European leaders that the U.S. may no longer be committed to ensuring security in Europe, where the U.S. by its own design has played a leading military role since the end of World War II. Germanys expected next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said last month that Europe must prepare to achieve security independence from the United States as quickly as possible. Merz also has said Germany must consider nuclear weapons protection agreements with France and the United Kingdom should the U.S. pull back in Europe. Meanwhile, a top Polish official on Friday said that Warsaw should consider acquiring a nuclear weapon of its own to ensure an independent deterrent against potential Russian aggression. We must be aware that Poland must reach for the most modern capabilities also related to nuclear weapons and modern unconventional weapons, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday. The Court of Appeal has overturned the conviction of a 34-year-old man who was jailed for eight years for conspiring to steal the getaway car used in the credit union robbery during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was shot dead. The appeal court found that the decision by the three-judge, non-jury Special Criminal Court to amend the indictment against James Flynn after his three-month long trial had finished and without consulting either the prosecution or defence legal teams, was a breach of Mr Flynn's right to constitutional natural justice. Ms Justice Tara Burns, delivering today's judgment, described the amendment as a "very unusual occurrence" which had denied Mr Flynn the opportunity to make legal arguments over the amendment or to plead guilty to the new charge. Mr Flynn's lawyers had argued that the first they knew of the charge of conspiring to steal the getaway car was after their client had been convicted of it. Mr Flynn, with an address in Ravensglen, Newry, Co Down was originally charged with a wider conspiracy to steal cars at various locations in the North East. He was further charged with participation in a robbery of the Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth on January 25, 2013 in which Aaron Brady shot and killed Det Gda Donohoe. The Special Criminal Court acquitted Flynn of those charges but amended the indictment to find him guilty of conspiring to steal the Volkswagen Passat from a property in Clogherhead, Co Louth in January 2013. At the Court of Appeal last January, Bernard Condon SC, for Mr Flynn, argued that the decision to amend the indictment after the trial had finished and while the court was acting in its capacity as a jury was an error. He said the defence was not offered an opportunity to argue about the wording of the amendment or as to whether it was appropriate. When the Special Criminal Court amended the indictment, Mr Condon said his client was convicted of a charge which was never put to him and on which he was never given the opportunity to plead. At the level of fundamental fairness, its baffling to us why the court didnt come out and say: Weve reached an impasse, he said. The first we heard that this offence was out there was after we had been convicted of it, he added. Having quashed Mr Flynn's conviction, the Court of Appeal did not consider other arguments made by his lawyers during their appeal. The court will hear from the parties in the case next Tuesday, March 18th as to whether Mr Flynn should face a retrial. The court will hear from the parties in the case next Tuesday, March 18th as to whether Mr Flynn should face a retrial. In the Special Criminal Court's judgement, Mr Justice Tony Hunt said with regard to the series of separate creeper burglaries, the prosecution relied on mobile phone evidence which it said showed phones belonging to Flynn had pinged off masts or cell sites adjacent to homes where cars were stolen in the early hours of the morning at multiple locations on various dates in 2012 and 2013. Mr Justice Hunt said the prosecution had failed to prove that the cell sites referred to were the same ones through which Mr Flynn's calls had been made. He said the court could "draw no conclusions" from the cell site analysis and dismissed the evidence. The evidence in relation to the creeper burglaries therefore amounted to nothing more than suspicion, the judge said, and "a lot more evidence would be needed" to prove the charge of conspiracy to commit burglaries to the standard of beyond a reasonable doubt. Mr Tony Hunt said the evidence established beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr Flynn was an active member of the gang that carried out the robbery and that he was intimately involved with Brady and another man involved in the theft of the getaway car. The court found that Mr Flynn conspired with two others to steal the Passat, basing its finding on CCTV footage alleged to have shown Mr Flynn's distinctive BMW 5-series acting suspiciously in the early hours on the morning of the theft near to where the Passat was stolen. Mr Justice Hunt said the evidence showed Mr Flynn and others were involved in night work of a criminal variety. "That being the case, I would amend Count 3, to read that between January 22 and 23 2013 at various locations, James Flynn conspired with Aaron Brady and another to enter premises at Clogherhead to steal the keys of a motor vehicle," he said. However, the court found the evidence in relation to the robbery at Lordship did not prove the prosecution case that Mr Flynn was one of the men directly involved. Sentencing Mr Flynn to eight years imprisonment in December 2023, Mr Justice Hunt said that at the time when Flynn conspired to steal the Volkswagen Passat he "knew the full purpose of the conspiracy to burgle" and that the conspiracy "encompassed an integral aspect of the robbery" which took place three nights later. Before he was extradited from the UK to face trial, Mr Flynn was in a position to offer over 1 million in sureties when applying for bail at Westminster Magistrates Court. He had fled Ireland shortly after the robbery and had to be extradited from the UK in April 2022 to face trial. The court that Mr Flynn holds both a UK and United States passport but not an Irish one. Irish courts already have jurisdiction over murder and manslaughter committed outside the country by an Irish citizen The trial of a Dublin man charged in Spain with the murder of his girlfriend could end up taking place in Ireland. Spanish prosecutors said when they indicted Keith Byrne last year they were seeking a 21-year prison sentence for the 33-year-old if a jury convicted him of strangling mum-of-one Kirsty Ward at their Costa Dorada holiday hotel. But in a shock new development in the case it emerged today Spanish authorities have offered Irish authorities the chance to try him, opening up the possibility he could get life on conviction if he goes on the stand in his homeland. Irish courts already have jurisdiction over murder and manslaughter committed outside the country by an Irish citizen. A law passed in 2019 extended this further to a person who is ordinarily resident in Ireland as well as incorporating other offences committed abroad that would be liable to be prosecuted under Irish law. A well-placed Spanish court source said today: The offer to Irish authorities to prosecute Byrne themselves is already on the table and a yes from Ireland would suffice in principle. If Dublin says it wants to take over we'd be looking at extradition on request." Life sentences in Spain, introduced in 2015, only exist for a limited number of crimes including murder within the framework of a terrorist organisation or the murder of a minor under the age of 16. The type of murder Byrne has been charged with in Spain is not covered by the countrys life sentence legislation. Spanish officials indicated today the lawyers involved in the case have been consulted about the Irish trial offer and have radically different views about it. One well-placed Spanish insider said today, indicating the court move to offer Ireland the chance to try Byrne had caused friction locally, said: Im not in a position to give out too many details at this point but lets just say that one set of lawyers are opposed to the idea and the others are not. Although officials have not confirmed Byrnes defence lawyers are the ones who have said they would prefer him to be tried in Spain, the fact he could face life in prison if convicted of murdering Kirsty makes it more likely they would oppose the idea. It emerged in November Byrne, who remains on remand in jail in Spain, had been charged with the murder of his south Dublin girlfriend after his arrest nearly two years ago sparked a long-running criminal probe by a specialist gender violence investigating judge. A five-page prosecution indictment submitted to the Spanish courts accused him of strangling Kirsty to death with a hair straightener power cord hours after she dumped him following a row in their hotel room. Public prosecutors alleged he acted with the intention of killing the 36-year-old because he couldnt accept the end of their eight-month relationship. And they claimed the Irishman, who had been living in Duleek, Co Meath, took advantage of his superior strength and the fact his alleged victim had no easy escape from their room at the four-star Magnolia Hotel in Salou near the east coast city of Tarragona to prevent her from defending herself. Byrne insisted soon after his arrest over the July 2 2023 killing he was innocent, claiming he found Kirsty lying prone with a ligature around her neck and tried to revive her in the doorway of their room. Tarragona-based public prosecutors shot his claims down in their hard-hitting indictment saying Kirstys relationship with her alleged killer was deteriorating when her life was ended. They said: On July 2 2023, after a new row that afternoon in their hotel room, she decided to end their relationship, following which the accused man left. About 9pm the same day he returned to the hotel and had another row with the victim in their hotel room. During that row the accused, unwilling to accept the break-up, and with the aim of causing death or knowing that was a possibility, got hold of the power cable of a hair straightener, put it round the victims neck and immediately pulled it tight, strangling her and causing her death by mechanical asphyxiation. They went on to say drink and drugs Kirsty had consumed also affected her ability to defend herself. As well as a 21-year prison sentence Spanish prosecutors demanded in their indictment Byrne pay Kirstys teenage child, 14 at the time she died, EUROS 150,000 in compensation and her mum EUROS 100,000. It emerged following his Spanish arrest that he was wanted in England by Royal Military Police for going AWOL after he left for Ireland in 2017. The soldier, who served in the Irish Guards and Parachute Regiment before abandoning his post in Colchester, Essex, claimed after being sent to prison he found his partner dead with a cord around her neck when he returned to their hotel room. Saying he had gone back to pick up his passport and suitcase after a previous argument when they had decided to split up, Byrne insisted: She had been dead for some time and was so cold. I never felt cold like that before. I just cant get it out of my head. I took the cord off and screamed for help and some British tourists next door rushed over. The man then said, 'Let me take over' and started giving her CPR as well. I kept screaming Please come back, baby, please I love you, please dont go. Former chef Jason Platt (53), who claimed a 2015 accident left him in a wheelchair, had a book of evidence served on him at Dublin District Court today A man who failed in a 2.3m injury compensation claim against an Irish hotel has been sent for trial accused of attempted deception and giving false evidence. Former chef Jason Platt (53), who claimed a 2015 accident left him in a wheelchair, had a book of evidence served on him at Dublin District Court today. Judge Michele Finan sent him forward for trial to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Mr Platt, of Thatto Heath, St Helens, Merseyside, UK is charged with attempted deception at Aviva Insurance between 2010 and 2015. He is also charged with giving evidence that was false or misleading, at the High Court in Dublin in June, 2015. Further charges allege he earlier in 2015 gave false or misleading information to a doctor at a city hospital and in an affidavit. The charges are contrary to Common Law and the Civil Liabilities Act. During his High Court claim, Mr Platt had said he suffered severe injuries in the fall from the window of the Old Bank House Hotel in Kinsale, Co Cork, in 2009. His claim was dismissed in 2015. Today, a State Solicitor, John Forde, said the book of evidence had been served on the accused and the DPP consented to his return for trial to the current sittings of the circuit court, on seven charges. An eighth charge was withdrawn and struck out. Judge Finan gave Mr Platt the formal notice that he had 14 days to provide any alibi details to the state. She ordered the prosecution to furnish the defence with Mr Platt's garda interview video. The accused was remanded on bail under existing terms. Using crutches when he appeared in court, he was not required to speak during the brief hearing and has not yet entered pleas to the charges. Legal aid was granted following an application by defence solicitor Matthew Kenny. When Mr Platte was charged last year, Detective Garda Yvonne Costello of the National Economic Crime Bureau said the accused made no reply to any of the counts after caution. The DPP directed trial on indictment. Bail was set in the district court in Mr Platts own cash bond of 1,000, as well as another 1,000 to be lodged into a solicitors account and frozen. Under conditions, he was to live at an address provided to the court and be contactable at a phone number and email address which were also given. The accused was to have no contact directly or indirectly with any prosecution witnesses, be of good behaviour and turn up for all court dates. At that earlier hearing, Mr Kenny said Mr Platt was on disability benefit and had no savings or assets. Ashling Fitzgerald (46) from Munster Street, Phibsboro, Dublin, collapsed outside her home on September 14, 2020 Anita, Barry, Audrey and Caroline Fitzgerald, family of the late Ashling Fitzgerald, holding a photo of her after the inquest into her death. Photo: Collins Courts The family of a Dublin woman with mental health issues have expressed concern that she died after a period where they experienced difficulties in accessing healthcare for her when she had stopped eating and drinking and refused to seek treatment for herself. Ashling Fitzgerald (46) from Munster Street, Phibsboro, Dublin, collapsed outside her home on September 14, 2020, as a specialised patient transport service had arrived to transfer her to hospital four days after consent forms to authorise her involuntary admission had been signed. Ms Fitzgerald, who worked with Failte Ireland, was pronounced dead a short time later at the Mater Hospital in Dublin. A post-mortem showed she had suffered a sudden cardiac death against a background of schizophrenia. At an inquest into her death at Dublin District Coroners Court on Thursday, Ms Fitzgeralds family also claimed a nurse who had arrived to transfer her to a psychiatric ward at Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown (CHB) had threatened the deceased that he would call the gardai despite specifically being told that she had an irrational fear of gardai. A sister of the deceased, Anita Fitzgerald, gave evidence that her sisters condition had noticeably deteriorated in the months before her death. Ms Fitzgerald said her sister believed that changes to her medication were affecting her brain and she was becoming upset and sad all the time. However, she believed her sister had sought but had been refused appointments in May and July 2020. She outlined how her sister had stopped eating food in the two weeks before her death and had stopped taking liquids in her final week. The inquest heard that due to the Covid-19 pandemic the deceased had last seen her GP in February 2020, while she had an online consultation with her psychiatrist, Fionnuala OLoughlin in May 2020. She had previously received outpatient care at a HSE clinic on the Navan Road as well as inpatient care at CHB. Ms Fitzgerald outlined making several calls to the Navan Road clinic in early September 2020 seeking care for her sister but she was repeatedly informed that they could not provide any assistance without Ashlings consent and asked her to stop calling them. The inquest heard involuntary care of the deceased was considered from September 10, 2020 after she had refused to attend an appointment at the Navan Road clinic. She was visited later that day by her GP, Desmond Kennedy, who found her extremely sick and in need of urgent care. The witness said that her sister was deeply paranoid at the time and believed people were conspiring against her and that her family were undercover gardai. However, after bringing her sister to CHB, she was informed that there had been a mix-up by a nurse who said the hospital knew nothing about the patient and there was no bed available for her. I was told to go home and wait for a call but I never received one, said Ms Fitzgerald. She dialled 999 on September 12, 2020, after her sister became deeply psychotic but the ambulance crew would not take her to hospital without her consent. Ms Fitzgerald told the coroner, Aisling Gannon, that her sister was violently sick and vomiting a watery black substance. As soon as she saw the dark blue van which arrived to transfer her sister to hospital Ms Fitzgerald said she immediately raised her concern with the Allied Admissions staff that her sister would panic as she would think they were gardai and she had an irrational fear of gardai. Ms Fitzgerald said that someone had said the Allied Admissions vehicle looked like a paddywagon, while neighbours believed it was a Garda vehicle because of its blue colour with a light on top. She also could not believe when the Allied Admissions team leader repeatedly threatened her sister in an aggressive manner that gardai would have to be called if she did not come with them after being warned about her fears. The inquest heard the deceased became terrified when she saw what she thought was a Garda van outside her house and believed they were going to take her to Store Street. Ms Fitzgerald said her sister began to panic and collapsed a short time later as she was placed in the vehicle. The clinical lead of Allied Admissions, Con Lynch, gave evidence that he arranged a team to call to Ms Fitgeralds home on September 13, 2020 after receiving consent forms the previous day for her involuntary admission. However, he said he was unable to contact the deceaseds sister on the morning of September 13 and the team were stood down after he also became aware there was no bed for Ms Fitzgerald in CHB. Mr Lynch said he subsequently spoke to Anita Fitzgerald later than evening when she was happy with the arrangement that a bed had become available and her sisters transfer would be carried out the following morning. In reply to questions from the corner, Mr Lynch said there was no choice about the vehicles used by the company, which organise around 1,200 assisted admissions per annum, as they were a standard type. He agreed that he was aware of concern raised by the deceaseds sister that Ms Fitzgerlad had stopped drinking because she believed her family had tampered with her water by adding cocaine to it. Mr Lynch said information contained in the various consent forms did not raise any red flags. Cross-examined by counsel for Ms Fitzgeralds family, Roger Murray SC, he described the vehicles used as more a taxi than a police car. A psychiatric nurse and Allied Admissions team leader, Alan Kinahan, told the hearing that he had assessed that Ms Fitzgeralds mental health had deteriorated and she would be quite weak based on information provided by her sister as they were travelling to transfer the patient. He told the coroner that he believed his team was equipped to deal with the situation. Mr Kinahan described their vehicle as an unmarked ambulance which could look like a large taxi. Under cross-examination by Mr Murray, he rejected the suggestion that he had spoken to the deceased in a high, forceful and angry tone. Mr Kinahan said he would have mentioned in a quiet tone that they might have to seek the assistance of gardai if Ms Fitzgerald did go with them. I would have brought in the guards because it is a legal matter, he explained. The hearing was adjourned until Friday when the inquest is expected to conclude following evidence from a number of medical witnesses. A grandfather who shoplifted designer sunglasses from a Dublin store was very heavily addicted to drugs at the time and could not remember doing it. Gerard Meehan (42) had relapsed on cocaine when he took over 1,000 worth of glasses from Brown Thomas. Judge John Hughes adjourned the case at Dublin District Court. Meehan, a father of four from Seville Place, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to theft. The court heard he took a 940 pair of sunglasses from Brown Thomas on Grafton Street on August 9 last year. Two days later, he returned to the shop and took a pair of sunglasses worth 535. None of the property was recovered. Meehan had worked for most of his life in construction, with three years spent car-valeting in Spain, his lawyer said. When he returned to Ireland to work, he was under significant stress and the building sites were flush with narcotics which he succumbed to, abusing cocaine and tablets. He got treatment, but relapsed. Meehan was prepared to repay the shop, but had no money in court, the lawyer said. The judge told him to pay compensation, saying Meehan had come to court with one arm longer than the other. Judge Philip Gilpin told Paul Patterson and Andrea Wilson they will each spend four years and three months in custody, with an identical period on licence following their release from prison Two crack cocaine addicts who subjected a Co Antrim businessman to a horrendous hatchet attack in his home were today handed sentences of eight-and-a-half years. Judge Philip Gilpin told Paul Patterson and Andrea Wilson they will each spend four years and three months in custody, with an identical period on licence following their release from prison. Patterson (44), of no fixed abode, and Andrea Wilson (36), of Parkgate Avenue in east Belfast, both previously pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated burglary, theft, false imprisonment, attempted grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage. Belfast Crown Court heard how the victim was woken around 2am on August 20, 2023, by the sound of breaking glass at his home on the Hillhead Road in Ballyclare. Prosecution barrister Samantha Madden said the victim encountered a man and a woman in his hallway and was struck on the head with a hatchet the intruders had brought with them. During a struggle, the victim was forced onto the floor and was tied up by the burglars using purple washing line cable. They repeatedly kicked and punched him, and whipped him with a three-foot-long dog chain until he provided the code for a safe where cash and valuables were kept, the prosecution counsel submitted. Keys for high-value Aston Martin and Land Rover vehicles were taken from the safe, along with watches and jewellery belonging to the victims late wife, worth up to 15,000 in total. As Patterson and Wilson emptied the safe of its contents, the victim managed to wriggle free from his ties and escape from the house. The court heard how he ran barefooted for a quarter of a mile, across fields, dressed only in his boxer shorts, to a neighbouring property to raise the alarm. Later that morning, mother-of-two Wilson went to a nearby property where she ordered a taxi which took her and Patterson to Parkgate Avenue. Police identified the burglars following inquiries with the cab firm and further research in the area. They were also positively identified through a VIPER procedure and Pattersons DNA was found on a discarded balaclava. When arrested and questioned, both gave no comment interviews. The victim told police that Patterson was wearing a balaclava and had told him: We know your wife is dead and you are home alone. We are here for your gold jewellery and cash. He said he was pushed into his office, where Patterson threatened to break his knees and steal his car, telling him: You will not need that where you are going. The victim said Wilson repeatedly kicked him to the face and head while demanding the code for the safe. Patterson then used the hatchet to smash up the office computer, shouting: I know there is more money. He is said to have made threats to the victim, stating: This is your last night on earth. The victim said Wilson came in with the dog chain and whipped him across his back, his arms and his legs. She taunted him by saying: You like that, dont you? Patterson also threatened to shoot the victim if he called the police. The victim was subsequently taken to hospital where he was found to have sustained a black eye, blurred vision, wounds to his head, bruising to his legs and to his back, and a traumatic subdural bleed. The Probation Board assessed both defendants as not posing a danger to the public. In a victim impact statement, the businessman said he is still on pain relief medication for his injuries, that he has stepped up security at his home, and that he has been left so unsettled by the attack that he is considering selling his home and business and relocating. Defence barristers said Patterson and Wilson were both equally culpable for their actions. Both blamed each other for starting to use crack cocaine and for instigating the burglary. Pattersons defence barrister, Sean Doherty, said the defendant had expressed remorse, shame and embarrassment for his offending. He told the court: These are two drug addicts who behaved appallingly. I would describe Mr Patterson as a zombie at the time. He had no sense of what he was doing when he arrived at the home. It was all rather chaotic. In his sentencing remarks, Judge Philip Gilpin said he was satisfied that there was a clear level of planning. The judge added: Your offending was both dreadful and horrendous. There was a gratuitous level of violence which resulted in causing the victim a significant level of harm. Following todays sentencing of the defendants, the PSNI said in a statement: Patterson and Wilson forced their way into a house, armed with a hatchet, and assaulted a man inside the property. They continued to tie up the man, striking him again, and further ransacked the house. Whilst the victim did not receive life-threatening injuries, this ordeal left him traumatised. Todays sentencing offers reassurance that police will work tirelessly to bring offenders before the courts so that the victims receive the justice they deserve. Anyone who believes they are a victim of crime, contact police on the non-emergency number 101. The three men do not accept the jury's verdicts, the court heard A woman who was raped by three complete strangers she encountered in a Dublin nightclub said the men preyed and took advantage of her, treating her as an object. In a powerful victim impact statement, the woman said the three men were complete strangers who watched my movements, and took advantage of me and used me and my body as if I was an object that they were entitled to. Anthony Hickey (39), Fabio Vicente (42) and Matin Zolfaghari (34) were convicted last month following a trial at the Central Criminal Court. They had pleaded not guilty to offences which took place in a car and in a Dublin house on August 31, 2019. The three men do not accept the jury's verdicts, the court heard. Hickey, of Ballyogan Square, Carrickmines, Dublin 18, was convicted of raping the woman in his then address in Dundrum, and of orally raping and sexually assaulting her in a car. Vicente, of Little Newtown, Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow, was found guilty of raping the woman in the car and raping her in Hickey's then-home. Zolfaghari (34), of Marley Court, Rathfarnham, Co. Dublin, was convicted of the oral rape of the woman in the house. The jury found him not guilty of sexually assaulting her in the car. Reading her statement today, the woman said she had been a young woman in my 20s who loved fun, describing herself as joyful, fearless and carefree. She said this changed after she was raped by the three men, that they robbed her of her freedom, her own body and her love for life. Not knowing what these men looked like protected me in some ways, but for months on end I would think every man who looked at me could be them. She said she exists in a heightened state of fear and while she used to find the good in everyone, you turned me into someone who thinks that everyone I meet is a threat and is capable of what you were capable of. She outlined suffering with anxiety, flashbacks and nightmares following that night. She said until the trial the men were faceless monsters and she asked for a screen to protect her mental health so as to not have to see your faces. But, she said that protection and right was robbed from me when I had to endure hours of CCTV with your faces and behaviour played back for me on a loop. She said she internally screamed at the screen for someone to help and to change what happened, but that is impossible. I know your faces now. And I will look at every single one of you when I say this is your fault. Every victim at one stage thinks its their fault. Why did I stay out?...Why could I not stay out to dance and get home safely. Because of you you who waited and preyed and took advantage...You not only raped me, I found out during the trial you violated me in another way. You videoed raping me. You sent around these videos and laughed about me saying no. You laughed because you didn't care and you have shown no remorse from the second you entered into these courts. Later in her statement, the woman said the criminal process is long and daunting, adding then you get to the courts and your character is obliterated. She told the men that they made a choice that night to hand her a life sentence all for the sake of a laugh and because boys will be boys. I don't believe you will ever be remorseful for what you did to me, she said, adding that the only bit of light I have from this trauma is knowing that I brought you to justice and that makes this world a better world for my daughter. Karl Finnegan SC, prosecuting, told the court that the Director of Public Prosecution's view is that this falls into the highest category of sentencing of 15 years to life imprisonment, due to the circumstances of the case and the gravity of the offending by the three men. Hickey has 10 previous convictions, including one for assault causing harm for which he received an 18-month prison sentence in 2013. Vicente has one previous conviction for a road traffic offence, while Zolfaghari has no previous convictions. Before the accused men were brought into the courtroom, a large number of family members and friends were initially in court to support them. Mr Justice Paul Burns noted that the men were entitled to some support, but the court didn't want the victim or her family feeling intimidated or overawed by the sheer number of people in the courtroom. The courtroom was then cleared, with two supporters remaining for each man. Defence counsel asked the court to consider their clients' personal circumstances and testimonials submitted on their behalf from family members, friends, clients and others. Hickey is a personal trainer and has two children. Vicente is from Portugal and served in the military there for four years before coming in Ireland in his late 20s. He has worked in pub security, as a personal trainer and part-time as a stripper. Zolfaghari has two children and is the director of a restaurant. Defence counsel also suggested that the case falls into the sentencing category of 10 to 15 years. Remanding the three men in custody, Mr Justice Burns adjourned the case to March 27 next, when he will impose sentence. He has been refused residency in the United Arab Emirates The criminal known as Mr Big is on the run scared that he could be charged in relation to the murder of Robbie Lawlor. But he has been refused residency in the United Arab Emirates where he hoped he would get sanctuary with his old associate Daniel Kinahan. Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about Mr Big and what the future might hold for him. MORE EPISODES Families appeal to Taoiseach for help in sourcing new homes after inferno The aftermath of the inferno that engulfed The Oaks apartment complex Hasnain Ijaz and his wife Mariam with their eight-month-old daughter Arya Some 18 families left homeless after a blaze ripped through their apartment block three weeks ago have pleaded with Taoiseach Micheal Martin to intervene to ensure they do not end up on the streets. Ther families a number of whom lost everything when apartment complex The Oaks in Kilnacourt, Portarlington, Co. Laois, went up in flames on February 20 have been staying in emergency accommodation ever since. Shockingly, the families had been warned by authorities that they would have to leave their hotel accommodation tomorrow but they were given a last-minute extension on Thursday, allowing them to stay until March 28. Were in limbo, the families spokesperson Paul Glynn who also lost his apartment in the blaze told the Sunday World this week. Worry There is so much worry and fear because it is so difficult to find alternative accommodation at the moment. The aftermath of the inferno that engulfed The Oaks apartment complex . . The effects of the blaze on the families has been horrific, said Paul, as they have been told by the apartment complexs management company that their insurance wont cover the residents losses. They said it was up to the individual residents to have their own contents insurance, so some of us have been left with nothing. Hasnain Ijaz (47), his wife Mariam and their eight-month-old daughter Arya are one of the families trying to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of the fire. Hasnain told the Sunday World that he was woken by the sound of running at 5.45am on the morning of the fire and initially thought someone was inside his apartment. Then, a neighbour came down banging on the doors telling everyone to get out, he said. I grabbed the baby and my wife we were in our pyjamas and flip-flops, and by the time we got out the whole upstairs of the building was on fire. Hasnain said it was raining when they made it out of the building. Realising his wife didnt have a coat, he ran back into the building to get his car keys and some clothing. Grabbed I couldnt believe it when I went back in because the smoke was everywhere, he said. I grabbed the car keys, my daughter and wifes jackets and our mobile phones. I tried to grab other things but someone, I think it was the fire brigade, began banging on the door shouting at me to get out. Paul said his and the other residents stories are very similar to Hasnains. I was actually due to move on from the apartment block later this month and I had the deposit and the first months rent in my apartment, the former homelessness volunteer told us. I was in the apartment next door to the one where the fire started so I lost absolutely everything. I volunteered with homelessness charities for years and now Im the one who is homeless. Paul and Hasnain said, in the wake of the blaze, Laois County Council organised emergency accommodation for the families at the Maldron Hotel at Midway, off the M7. However, they were moved from that hotel to the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel the following Monday and have been there ever since. Another resident, student nurse Noma, who is a mother of two, said her life has been turned upside-down by the fire. The UCD student was in her practice year in the Mater hospital in Dublin but hasnt been able to attend since being moved to Abbeyleix due to transport issues, while she also has to ensure her children make it to school each day. Paul Glynn and Hasnain Ijaz talk to our reporter Paul said the uncertainty of the residents accommodation status combined with the loss of their personal belongings has had a devastating effect on the families. Thankfully, we got word on Thursday that our accommodation in this hotel has been extended until March 28 but we dont know whats going to happen to us after that. Support Im asking the government and in particular the Taoiseach, Micheal Martin to take a personal interest in this to see all these families are looked after and dont end up on the street. Hasnain, who has been living and working in Ireland for the past 20 years, said as taxpayers the residents should be able to rely on a level of support from the government. I have worked hard and paid my taxes in this country for 20 years, he said. 'I would be extremely concerned about introducing any scheme that could be a vigilantes charter' said Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan at Friday's passing out ceremony for 149 new recruits at Templemore Garda Training College Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan has said Ireland could soon have its own register of domestic violence offenders, in line with the UKs Clares Law. Progress is being made on compiling a register of those convicted of domestic violence or serious sexual assault, which would see the perpetrators names collected and used by gardai. Opponents say it could encourage vigilantism. Speaking on Friday at the graduation of 149 new garda recruits in Templemore, Minister OCallaghan said he attended a meeting recently concerning the register. The UK has Clares Law, also known as the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) which is a police policy giving people the right to know if their current or ex-partner has any previous history of violence or abuse. It was started as an administrative scheme which police forces in the UK operated, said Minister OCallaghan. Now they have put it on a legislative basis. I have put forward proposals to my Department. They are considering it. Theyre coming back to me with proposals in respect of it. I would be extremely concerned about introducing any scheme that could be a vigilantes charter. Thats not the purpose of it. The purpose of it is to try to protect people, particularly women, who find themselves in a relationship with somebody who they dont know that previously that person had convictions for assault or serious sexual assault. I think because its a public process, individuals should be aware of that. Im going to try and see if we can put in place a scheme, legislative or otherwise, which would provide that information to people concerned. Deputy OCallaghan said he has instructed the Department of Justice, and has sought advice from the Attorney General. I think its something that is achievable, he said. The names of those convicted of domestic abuse are not published. That is something Im going to look at, he said. I think it is a public event that somebody is convicted of a serious criminal offence. Im not suggesting that people who are convicted of summary offences in the district court, that that information should be put out there. Separate to a domestic violence register, I think there is something lacking in the system where people who are convicted of serious criminal offences, only get publicised if journalists are in court, said Minister OCallaghan. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said he had experience of such a register in his previous role. The real challenge for us all is identifying those who create the most risk, and then properly interdicting when we see that risk elevate to a point where serious injury or harm is threatened to an individual. Commissioner Harris said the offenders names would not be published on the internet, but it would involve a process whereby gardai warn individuals. Its not in effect, a public process, or hasnt been in other jurisdictions. We havent fully designed and fleshed out what it would be here in this jurisdiction. There was no jurisdiction that he was aware of - within the human rights or common law concept that in effect publishes these names, he added. New front opened in High Court battle as Sonya lays claim to half of Foleys Dublin home Martin The Viper Foley is being sued by his wife Sonya in the High Court as she lays claim to half the Cashel Avenue home that the Criminal Assest Bureau (CAB) is battling to sell. The Sunday World can today reveal that Sonya issued High Court legal proceedings on Monday naming Foley as a defendant in the case. Legal sources have confirmed the case taken by Sonya who is represented by reputable Roscommon-based legal firm Staunton, Caulfield and Company relate to her legal and beneficial interest in 114 Cashel Avenue, Kimmage, Dublin. She is said to be seeking appropriate declarations from the court in relation to her interests. The Kimmage property, the home the couple share with their nine-year-old daughter, is currently the subject of a High Court battle as CAB seeks to sell it off to settle a 1m revenue bill it says is owed by Foley. Should Sonya Foley succeed in having a portion of the property declared as hers, it would see CABs efforts to sell the home blocked indefinitely. On Monday, Sonya told a judge in the Circuit Civil Court that if the Bureau is permitted to sell the property she and her nine-year-old daughter will be left homeless. Married Foley, described as a 74-year-old pensioner, is fighting CABs demands for possession of his home to meet part of his long-standing tax debt, which now totals nearly 1m. The house at Cashel Avenue in Kimmage He said he and his wife have lived together since they were married in 2013, a year prior to the judgment against him. Barristers Keith Farry and John Temple, counsel for Foley and Sonya, told Judge Fiona OSullivan that Mrs Foley was claiming a half-share interest in what was her family home while her husband had offered CAB weekly contributions towards the outstanding debt. Shaula Connaughton-Deeny, who appeared with State solicitor Emma Griffin for CAB, said judgment had already been obtained against Mr Foley and the Bureau was now seeking an order against the property at 114 Cashel Avenue to facilitate its sale. Judge OSullivan said she would deliver judgment next week. The judge heard that while the Sheriff had attended at the Foley property to seize goods and personal property, only 2,503 had been raised. The court heard Mr Foley was the registered owner of the Kimmage property with his late wife, Pauline Foley. A 916,960 High Court judgment obtained by CAB was made up of unpaid arrears on income tax and interest. Foley says he is willing to engage in a mortgage to rent scheme whereby CAB can sell the house but he would live in it with his wife and child and make weekly or monthly contributions through a payment plan. He indicated he is also willing to hand over to CAB the benefit of two defamation actions he is taking against the BBC and Penguin Books. Deal Mr Farry told the court that Mr Foley had been led to believe that CAB and the Revenue Commissioners had agreed not to pursue him for the outstanding 1m tax bill because he had made a deal with them. He alleged he had been told if he didnt pursue the Gilligan gunman Charles Bowden for 120,000, CAB would not pursue him for the tax debt. Bowden who is now in the witness protection programme, was responsible for the weapons used by John Gilligans drugs gang and has given evidence against the former gang boss and Brian Meehan in the Special Criminal Court. Meehan is still serving a life sentence for the murder of Veronica Guerin. Foley said if he had received the 120,000 he was due when he won his case against Charles Bowden he would have given that to the Criminal Assets Bureau and this would have gone a long way, with the additional contributions to pay off the original 178,000 debt. He said his home was not the proceeds of crime. His wife, who is on social welfare, claimed she was not liable in any way for the debt owed to CAB and pointed out that the home was her home and only property. Disability There is no reality to me purchasing another home, she said in written evidence. Eviction would make my daughter and I homeless. Ms Connaughton-Deeny told the court that no explanation had been offered as to why Sonya Foley could not work. She says shes on disability, weve no evidence of that, their evidence is vague and bare at best, she said. We have no evidence of bank accounts or other assets they may have, how they are all surviving without any income? There is nothing vouching anything they say before the court, she said. Martin Foley has more than 60 previous convictions, including for assault robbery and possession of weapons. He was part of the criminal gang led by Martin Cahill who was known as the General and has survived several attempts on his life. Mr Farry said Mr Foley had been led to believe his tax debt would not be pursued and now after all these years it was unfair and disproportionate to do so. The Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) will be selling Martin The Viper Foleys home in 18 months time unless he comes up with almost 1million to pay off outstanding tax debts. Judge Fiona OSullivan, in a reserved judgment, today granted Cab a well-charging order against the property at 114 Cashel Avenue, Kimmage, Dublin, but due to Foley and his wife having a nine-year-old daughter she granted a stay on her order until September next year. The judge said the stay was in the interests of the child. Barrister Shaula Connaughton-Deeny, who appeared with State Solicitor Emma Griffin for Cab, had opposed applications by colleagues Keith Farry and John Temple, who appeared for Foley and his wife, Sonia, for stays, including a nine-year one until the couples daughter was 18. Judge OSullivan said the court would grant a stay on her order for 18 months and said that if the debt had not been paid off in that time Cab could seek court directions relating to the sale of the property. Mrs Foley had told the judge that if Cab was permitted to sell the property she and the couples nine year old daughter would be left homeless. Judge OSullivan said Mr Foley, described as a 74-year-old pensioner, and his wife, who is on social welfare and who had been made a notice party to the proceedings, had not made out a case to resist Cab being granted a well-charging order against their home. Judgment for 916,960 relating to unpaid taxes had already been granted to Cab. Martin 'The Viper' Foley Martin 'The Viper' Foley in Profile The couple had claimed they had lived together since they were married in 2013, a year prior to the judgment against them. Mrs Foley was claiming a half share in the house. The judge heard that while the Sheriff had attended at the Foley property to seize goods and chattels all that had been raised was 2,503. Ms Connaughton-Deeny had told the court Mr Foley was the registered owner of the Kimmage property with his late wife, Pauline Foley. Foley had said he was willing to engage in a mortgage to rent scheme whereby Cab could sell the house but he would live in it with his wife and child and make weekly or monthly contributions through a payment plan. He was also willing to hand over to Cab the benefit of two defamation actions he is taking against the BBC and Penguin Books. Scout leader paedophile is released from jail and sent to a nursing home A former scout leader exposed as one of Irelands most prolific paedophiles has been released from prison as one of his victims blasted: Id hoped hed only ever come out of there in a box. Evil David OBrien, who voluntarily told gardai that he had indecently assaulted or raped upwards of 40 children between 1975 and 1983, was transferred into the care of a nursing home in central Dublin on Wednesday following his release from the Midlands prison. Formerly of Benburb St, Dublin, OBrien has 22 previous convictions for indecent assault. He had been serving a series of sentences for indecent assault, including an eight-year sentence, a six-year sentence, and most recently a 16-month sentence for sexually abusing a young boy on an overnight scouting trip more than 40 years ago. Brave Paul OToole came forward He had been in custody since October 2015. Speaking following OBriens release, one of his many victims, Paul OToole, said hed had no idea the monster was getting out of prison. Contempt Id no idea he was getting out, he said. I thought hed be in there for the duration for the rest of his life. I know he got some more time after me and the lads took our case so I thought that might see him out but obviously that hasnt happened. Hes in a nursing home now? I dont have words to describe not only the level of contempt I have for him but also the level of contempt I have for the justice system to allow someone like that out again. I know the law back then was two years for every count but I had enough counts against him to keep him in for eight years but he only got four and a half years for all the counts three of us brought against him. Mr OToole, from Artane in Dublin, who was abused by OBrien numerous times in the 1970s while in the scouts, continued: Six of us went up against him that time, three remained anonymous, but myself, Colm Bracken and David Smith said we would go public. He got four and a half but that was probably reduced again with good behaviour. That was for indecent sexual assault and gross indecent sexual assault. He raped me twice and the other lads were severely molested by him and all he got was four and a half years. Because we went public, his name was released to the public and I think because of that it might have led to other victims coming forward. We were thrilled that he got put away and we were thrilled that more people came in behind us and kept him in there for longer. Our great wish was, and it wasnt just a wish it was a belief, that hes not getting out of there, hes going to die in there, hes going to come out of that prison in a box. And that would have been a fairytale come true but thats obviously not the case when hes out now and hes going to live out his days in a nursing home and probably at the taxpayers expense. The taxpayer is now going to foot the bill to keep him warm and fed until the day he dies in a cushy nursing home. And while hes enjoying three square meals in comfort, the rest of us are still out here working hard for a living and having to struggle. Wheres the punishment in all of this for him? He was living on the street before he went to prison so that was a step up for him. Now, hes in a nursing home, so thats a step up again. I just dont know where the punishment is, he concluded. Gardai confirmed that they received a report of an incident of assault which occurred in the Irishtown area of Clonmel Gleesons Pub proprietor Richie Gleeson was assaulted in Clonmel on Thursday last week by two men who were intoxicated and aggressive A pub owner in Clonmel, Co Tipperary who was assaulted by two drunken men, has spoken of the ordeal which left him with head injuries, and has called for extra garda resources to be assigned to the town. Richie Gleeson is proprietor of the popular Gleesons pub, in Clonmels Irishtown. Mr Gleeson was assaulted by the two men on Thursday night, March 6, after they were refused service for being drunk and aggressive. Gardai confirmed that they received a report of an incident of assault which occurred in the Irishtown area of Clonmel. The incident occurred at approximately 10pm at a commercial premises, said a spokesperson. A man in his 50s suffered non-life threatening injuries. Investigations are ongoing. Mr Gleeson took to social media to highlight the incident. What's next? he asked. If not for the intervention of my amazing regulars I may have been in a lot of trouble. Because of their assistance I managed to escape with a black eye, several bruises and a bad headache for a couple of days. I had been on the phone to the guards while this attack took place. They did not have the manpower to come to my assistance at that time, 9.40pm, and it was quite some time before a garda car called to see what had happened. "Luckily I had my friends to save me but what happens if they're not there? Mr Gleeson told the Irish Independent that the incident began as the two men were refused service. They werent taking no for an answer, he said. They were intoxicated. I was actually outside the counter at the time when they arrived in and I saw that they were intoxicated, walking in the door. The bar lady made the right call in saying no to them but the men continued making aggressive demands. Mr Gleeson told them they werent being served and said they could come back another night. One of the men became irate and knocked over a pint, spilling it. As the men began to leave, Mr Gleeson rang the gardai to report the incident as he believed they might cause trouble for someone else. As they were walking away, they spotted Mr Gleeson on the phone, and returned to attack him. They ran straight at me, he said. I defended myself as best as I could. I got punched in the head, and my glasses fell off my head and my phone went flying. Mr Gleeson shouted into the phone to local gardai that he was being assaulted. They kept punching and kicking me. Luckily, other customers came to Mr Gleesons assistance and they managed to remove the two men. Mr Gleeson said he in a state of shock afterwards. The Gleesons have been in the pub trade for 40 years but this was the worst such incident he had suffered. The two men were described as being in their 40s, and were wearing tracksuits. Clonmel needs more garda resources, added Mr Gleeson. The staff member who refused the two men has worked there for 30 years, and couldnt be more professional. She was so polite and so nice. She just said, Im sorry guys, but not tonight. Youre not getting served, youre too drunk. They were not listening, not paying attention. The level of aggression was absolutely uncalled for. Mr Gleeson didnt require hospitalisation on the night. I had a black eye, and bruises, and I had a headache for a few days. I got quite a few punches on the top of my head. It was more the realisation afterwards that if they had weapons, I was in serious trouble, added Mr Gleeson. And if my regulars werent there, I was definitely in serious trouble as well. Separately, independent TD Mattie McGrath raised the need for a task force for Clonmel town with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in the Dail on Thursday, March 6. Clonmel has been left to deteriorate in recent years, he told the Dail. Last year, it had the highest vacancy rate in Tipperary at 18.6pc. This has deteriorated further in recent weeks and months. The entire area of Market Place is boarded up and there are numerous prime retail units on the main street that have been boarded up and left to decay. The town faces major challenges. I have discussed concerns with the Taoiseach, Micheal Martin, recently. Last week saw the closure of yet another retail outlet, namely New Look, leaving another prime retail unit on the main street vacant. A long-established pub also closed its doors on Monday last. I salute the people running those businesses. Many of them are families and third-generation businesspeople. They are hanging on but getting no supports. All, they are getting are more and more punitive charges. I have asked this of four Taoisigh, namely Enda Kenny, Micheal Martin, Leo Varadkar and Simon Harris. I ask again for a task force to be formed working across many Departments, including enterprise, justice, local government and rural development, together with the local authorities, health services to deal with addiction issues and An Garda Siochana. The town needs action now. It cannot be ignored any longer. Will the Minister of State please commit to the establishment of a task force to help the town as a matter of urgency? A man aged in his late teens was arrested this morning over the fatal assault in Dublin city centre on February 15 Gardai have made a seventh arrest in connection with the fatal stabbing of Quham Babatunde on South Anne Street in Dublin. A man aged in his late teens was arrested this morning over the fatal assault in Dublin city centre on February 15. He is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act at a Garda station in Dublin. Mr Babatunde (34), a Nigerian citizen who had sought asylum in Ireland, died after being stabbed at approximately 3am. Six other men, all aged in their 20s, have been charged and appeared before courts in Dublin and Northern Ireland as part of the investigation. John Eghomwanre (23) from Dun Emer Glade, Lusk, Co Dublin, was arrested on Thursday and charged the following day with two counts of assault causing harm and one of violent disorder. Bakuani Diavisi (25), from Cardy Rock, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, was charged with assault causing harm to another named male at Dawson Street, on the same date. Sean Forde (23) was also arrested on February 25 and appeared at Dublin District Court the following day. Mr Forde, with an address at Bath Road, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, was charged with committing violent disorder. 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 21. Rory Carr (21), of Ard na Greine, Seapoint Lane, Balbriggan, has also been charged with assault causing harm to Mr Babatunde and another man, and with violent disorder. Jeffrey Bangu (21), of Cardy Rock Crescent, Balbriggan, appeared in court on February 17, accused of brandishing a knife and attacking Mr Babatunde. He also allegedly assaulted and injured another man in the melee outside a nightclub on South Anne Street. A teenager caught with 900 of cocaine in a pillowcase in his bedroom did not have the lifestyle of a high-end drug dealer, a court has heard. Daniel Smith (19) had the cocaine at his west Dublin home when gardai searched it under warrant. Judge David McHugh adjourned the case at Blanchardstown District Court for the production of a restorative justice report. Smith, an apprentice electrician with an address at Arthur Griffith Park, Lucan, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to sell or supply. He also admitted a related count of simple possession of the drug. A garda said the accuseds home was searched under the Misuse of Drugs Act on January 30. Cocaine was found in a pillowcase in Smiths room and he made full admissions after he was arrested. He later presented himself at Lucan garda station, where he was charged and made no reply to either count after caution, the garda said. The DPP consented to the case being dealt with in the District Court subject to the judge considering the issue of jurisdiction. Judge McHugh accepted jurisdiction after hearing the evidence. The court heard the accused had no previous convictions. Smith had not come to garda attention before or since the incident, his barrister Mark McMahon said. He doesnt have the lifestyle of a successful, high-end drug dealer, he added. Judge McHugh remanded the accused on continuing bail to June 5. B*Witched look back at their meteoric rise to fame in the 1990S as they get set for a nostalgia fest at the 3Arena Sinead O'Carroll, Keavy Lynch, Edele Lynch and Lindsay Armaou of B*witched perform at Fabuloso In The Park last August Nearly three decades on from their global smash hit Cest La Vie, Irish pop sensations B*Witched are still living the dream. Next Sunday night theyll roll back the good times for fans at the Maniac 25 night of nostalgic hits in Dublins 3Arena with Mark McCabe, N-Trance, Cascada, Snap and many more icons from the 90s and Noughties. I was always very aware that I wanted to do performing and travel the world; that was one of my things when I was younger, Sinead OCarroll tells the Sunday World. So, I look back now and think, oh my God! I actually did it and saw amazing places and had an experience with the girls that was brilliant. Reunited: Keavy, Edele, Sinead and Lindsay And while we are now busy mums, we are still being offered incredible opportunities to travel. We went to Dubai in December and Australia a couple of years back, so we still have some amazing experiences. Territory The joy is you just dont know where youre going to be gigging or what lands in the diary. Going back to their early years, Edele Lynch recalled tours with Britney Spears and *NSync. America was our biggest territory, she points out. The first tour we did in America was with Britney and *NSync. We used to hang out. Britney actually released Baby One More Time on that tour, so we saw everything blow up for her at that time. The girls at the 1999 MTV awards in Dublin When I see her now it makes me sad that we lost touch because I really want to know whats going on and how does she feel, and see if I could help in some way. A showreel of memories come flooding back when Kildare woman Sinead, who comes from Newbridge, recalls the superstars that B*Witched met along the way. I was a massive Barry Manilow fan as I grew up in musical theatre and I loved his hit, Copacabana. And I got to meet him when we did a Royal Variety Show in London, she recalls. He was lovely and so, so tall. When we did The Brits we met Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder. But the stand out one for me was the first time we did Top Of The Pops (in 1998) and Celine Dion and The Bee Gees were on the show. It was weird, you grow up listening to their music and then youre standing in a corridor with them. We got talking to Celine and she was so beautiful and so nice. She was one of those people that has a real presence when they are talking to you. She said to us, Girls, remember you have to stick together. The bizarre thing about that day at Top Of The Pops is that while The Bee Gees and Celine Dion were on the show, we were the act that was number one with Cest La Vie. Inhibitions B*Witched are proud of their success as a pop group with hits that also include Rollercoaster, To You I Belong and Blame It On The Weatherman. Theres not many pop groups that have come out of Ireland and were one of them, Edele Lynch says of their place in Irish pop history. Sinead O'Carroll, Keavy Lynch, Edele Lynch and Lindsay Armaou of B*witched perform at Fabuloso In The Park last August We had no idea of the hit that we had on our hands when we wrote Cest La Vie. It obviously made people feel good and let go of all their inhibitions and just enjoy themselves and its still having that effect on people now. When you do the festivals and all the families are there, theyre all singing along to it, and not just the parents. After their first wave of success, B*Witched split up when they got dropped amid personnel changes at their record label. We all went in different directions, Lindsay says. For a while I stayed in music, got into writing and production, got into a country band, got into acting and then we got back together in 2013. Edele says: I went back to college and studied personal training and neuro muscular therapy. I met my ex-husband and had children. Sinead took on a series of roles and also ticked a big bucket list by performing on Dancing with the Stars in 2020. Lov Despite going their separate ways, all four members maintained the love they had for B*Witched. Thats probably the reason were still here, Sinead says. B*Witched say that getting to play the 3Arena in Dublin on the eve of St Patricks Day is exciting for them. Weve never been in Ireland doing a gig for Paddys Day, so thats just going to be brilliant, Sinead adds. I cant wait for the reaction when the Irish music kicks in on Cest La Vie. That song is timeless. Every day somebody is doing a dance or something to it and posting it on their social media. Rotoruas council is looking to its Eastern Bay of Plenty counterparts for a potential joint water services delivery model. While elected members say they prefer an in-house model at least to begin with they are also keen to keep the door open and explore the feasibility of a joint-council model. Rotorua Lakes councillors discussed the matter at a workshop on Tuesday and Wednesday. The workshops purpose was to update elected members on water services delivery option modelling under the Governments Local Water Done Well reform programme, and to ascertain a preferred option for consultation. The coalition Governments plan to address New Zealands long-standing water infrastructure challenges replaced the previous Governments Three Waters Reform. Councils need to submit water services delivery plans for review by September 3. Council infrastructure and environment group manager Stavros Michael said the plan needed to identify the present level of services, meet quality standards, be financially sustainable and support housing growth and urban development. Rotorua Lakes Council infrastructure and environment group manager Stavros Michael says the plan needs to meet quality standards. Photo / Laura Smith Community consultation needed to include at least two options. The council directed staff in September to begin creating a water services delivery plan. Michael said the three models it worked on were an in-house service, a council-owned water organisation and a multi-council-owned organisation. In-house delivery would mean direct council oversight and decision-making, while a council-controlled organisation (CCO) would have an appointed board of independent, professional directors. Strategy setting for in-house delivery would involve public consultation and it would report to the council. A CCO would work within council shareholder expectations and consult with councils when setting strategy. Chief executive Andrew Moraes said the potential board composition had not been developed. Rotorua Lakes Council infrastructure and environment group manager Stavros Michael and chief executive Andrew Moraes at Blue Lake. Photo / Laura Smith Councils, as shareholders, would appoint and remove board members, but could not veto board decisions. Moraes said beyond Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) due diligence, he would get a very heavy-duty financial status review before recommending to partner with another council. Debt headroom would increase under a CCO model, allowing for a 500% debt-to-revenue ratio, compared with Rotorua councils self-imposed limit of 250%, or 280% under the Local Government Funding Agency. Discussion showed most councillors were keen to at least begin with an in-house option, but thought the mayor and chief executive should discuss a joint-council option with Eastern Bay councils Whakatane, Opotiki and Kawerau. Informal, then formal discussions will be held and the council will consult the community alongside this years annual plan process. Councillors also heard from the Commerce Commission and Water Services Authority-Taumata Arowai. Rotoruas 2024-34 long-term plan includes investment of $427.5 million in water supplies ($90.9m), stormwater ($169.2m) and wastewater ($167.4m) infrastructure during the next 10 years. Laura Smith is a Local Democracy Reporting journalist based at the Rotorua Daily Post. She previously reported general news for the Otago Daily Times and Southland Express and has been a journalist since 2019. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air. Two lucky Lotto players from Russell and Auckland will be celebrating today after each winning $500,000 with Lotto First Division in Saturday nights live Lotto draw. The winning tickets were sold at Russell Fresh in Russell and Royal Oak Mall Lotto in Auckland. Powerball was not struck on Saturday evening and has rolled over to Wednesday night, where the jackpot will be $8 million. Strike Four has also rolled over and will be $400,000 on Wednesday night. Eight Lotto players win Second Division Eight lucky Lotto players will be living the dream after each winning $31,719 with Lotto Second Division in Saturday nights live Lotto draw. One lucky player also won Powerball Second Division, taking their total winnings to $47,923. The winning Powerball Second Division ticket was sold on MyLotto to a player from Auckland. The winning Second Division tickets were sold at the following stores: Store Location MyLotto x2 (+PB x1) Auckland Gordonton Superette Hamilton MyLotto Hamilton MyLotto Tauranga Levin Lucky Lotto Levin MyLotto Nelson Pak N Save Riccarton Christchurch Anyone who bought their ticket from any of the above stores should check their ticket as soon as possible in-store, on MyLotto, or through the MyLotto App. Lotto NZ exists to return 100% of its profits to Kiwi communities through lottery grants programmes run by Te Puna Tahua NZ Lottery Grants Board My intention was to only scare it away, he said, in a letter of apology to the dogs owner. Now the 53-year-old Forsyth has been sentenced for killing the 7-year-old Catahuala, something he says he deeply regrets. The slug struck the dog in the abdomen and it ran home yelping, where it collapsed in front of its owner. When Glenn Forsyth saw a dog on his rural driveway eating bread hed put out for the birds he grabbed his gun and fired off a round. At sentencing in the Tauranga District Court this week, the court heard the dog had previously been on his property, rifling around in his rubbish bins. After the shooting, its owner rushed the dog to a vet in Katikati, where it was given adrenaline and CPR. However, it was unable to be saved, as the slug, which was lodged in its stomach, had caused massive bleeding. Forsyth said he never meant to kill or hurt the dog. He had aimed at its feet and only wanted to scare it away. Glenn Forsyth said he only meant to shoot at the dog's feet and scare it away. However, the shot hit the dog in the abdomen, and it later died. In a letter of explanation provided to the court, Forsyth said hed seen the dog on his property in the months leading up to the incident. His letter said that, to him, the dog had appeared malnourished and feral. The dog would get into his bins, tip them over, and rubbish would end up strewn across his driveway. He also explained that he had health challenges and anxiety at the time, which affected his state of mind. He had experienced depression, anxiety and a sense of powerlessness. He wrote that while that was not an excuse, these factors have contributed to the frustration that I felt on that day. It was a mistake I very much regret Forsyths letter of apology to the dogs owner said he deeply regretted his actions. I have written to the dog owner expressing my sincere apologies for my actions and my condolences for his loss, Forsyth wrote to the court. It was a mistake I very much regret and am sorry for. Glenn Forsyth was sentenced to four months' community detention after he shot and killed a dog that came onto his property. Forsyths lawyer, Christina Hatton, told the court Forsyth had undergone counselling and said he was able to pay the $752.50 reparation sought. Judge Bill Lawson said he accepted Forsyth was remorseful. Its clear that you understand the impact of your behaviour, he said. There were letters of support indicating Forsyth was regarded highly in his community. Forsyth had been willing to attend restorative justice, and while that could not happen for various reasons, his willingness was something the judge took into account. However, Judge Lawson also told Forsyth, This sort of ill-treatment of a dog with a firearm can often and sometimes does draw a sentence of imprisonment. Forsyth faced charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and the cruelty/ill-treatment of animals. The risk of this type of behaviour is not just the risk to the community, discharging a firearm, but its a risk to yourself... of being incarcerated, Judge Lawson said. However, taking on board Forsyths acceptance of responsibility and clear remorse, the judge stopped short of a prison sentence. Judge Lawson sentenced him to four months community detention, with a curfew of 7pm to 7am. Forsyth was ordered to pay reparation of $752.50 for vet bills, and an order was made for the destruction of the firearm. Warning: This article contains descriptions of sexual acts, which may offend some readers. Registered sex offender Hamish Campbell-Stenning had no idea the 14-year-old girl he was chatting to online was actually an undercover police officer. For four days, the 25-year-old used his Snapchat profile to communicate with the girl, including sending explicit photos, videos and messages. The messages included asking her if shed ever seen a penis, before sending a picture of his gentials with a suggestive message about what he was going to do to her in two years time. The messages became more explicit as Campbell-Stenning told the victim he wanted to take her virginity before sending her another video and asking do you think my d***s a good size? At the time, Campbell-Stenning had been a registered sex offender for more than two years and wasnt complying with reporting obligations that came with being on the register. This week he appeared for sentencing in the Christchurch District Court on a charge of exposing a young person to indecent material and three of failing to comply with Child Sex Offender Register reporting obligations. A summary of facts provided by Judge David Ruth outlined offending which stretched back to March 2021 when Campbell-Stenning was convicted of a relevant offence and automatically placed on the register. Campbell-Stenning was required to report any usernames for online social networks, gaming accounts or storage accounts which he failed to do in June 2022 when he did not report a cell phone. A subsequent examination of his cell phone revealed that since March 2022, he had been communicating with a 14-year-old female through the Snapchat application. The female was contacted by police but did not wish to make a formal complaint. Between November 17 and 21 in 2023 he used the same Snapchat profile to communicate with the officer who worked as part of the Online Child Exploitation Across New Zealand (OCEANZ) team. Campbell-Stenning was also required to make an annual periodic report for each year during his registration, including his residential address, cell phone numbers and all social media accounts he used or intended to use. The offending continued into 2024 when he used a TikTok account in contravention of his obligations. The account had been created in 2021 using his primary email address and he had accessed it on January 25, 2024, without reporting it, as he was obligated. Around the same time, he told authorities in his annual periodic report he did not have a cell phone. By March he had failed to report a change in his residential address while the Ministry of Social Development advised police he did in fact have a cell phone. Judge Ruth said Campbell-Stenning had indecently assaulted a female under the age of 12 in 2021 and at the time he considered the offending to be no big deal. The judge said Campbell-Stenning was assessed as being of high risk and there was concern. The court heard he had spent time in state care and had children with three women, two of whom were in state care. Defence lawyer Dave Simpson said Campbell-Stenning had no residential address but had spoken with the Salvation Army about undertaking a residential programme. He suggested a sentence of 11 months with leave to apply for the residential programme. Campbell-Stenning had been in custody since November. In terms of his offending, he was not in touch with a counsellor and slipped into meth use. He is only 25 years old and needs to re-engage with counsellors to address underlying offending. Judge Ruth sentenced Campbell-Stenning to 11 months with leave to apply for home detention. Campbell-Stenning was ordered to attend and complete a programme to address the offending, not associate with anyone under 16, not possess electronic devices, not to possess or consume alcohol, and not to contact any victims of his offending, including previous offending. SEXUAL HARM Where to get help: If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111. If you've ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone, contact Safe to Talk confidentially, any time 24/7: Call 0800 044 334 Text 4334 Email support@safetotalk.nz For more info or to web chat visit safetotalk.nz Alternatively contact your local police station - click here for a list. If you have been sexually assaulted, remember it's not your fault. -NZ Herald Interested in whats happening on the Takitimu North Link project? Youre invited to a community open day to find out about current construction progress and get all the latest news. The project team will open its doors to the public on Saturday, March 29, between 10.30am and 1.30pm at the Bethlehem Hall, 239 State Highway 2. The team is really keen to share updates with the community and answer any questions you may have, Waka Kotahi (NZTA) regional manager infrastructure delivery Darryl Coalter said. Weve passed the halfway point in building this road now, and when youve got good news you just want to share it so were hoping for a good turnout. Takitimu North Link is a Road of National Significance, a new four-lane expressway that will provide a more reliable, resilient, and safe connection between Tauranga and Te Puna. The open day is a chance to meet the team and learn about: And plenty more. Stage 1 between Tauranga and Te Puna is due for completion in 2028. The designation process for Stage 2 between Te Puna and Omokoroa is under way. NZTA and the project team could not get this road built without the support of the community, so the open day is a day to say thank you and connect with you all, Coalter said.. Open day details: When: Saturday, March 29, 10.30am to 1.30pm. Where: Bethlehem Hall, 239 State Highway 2, Bethlehem, Tauranga For more information and to sign up for updates visit: nzta.govt.nz/takitimunorth With more ways to connect across new and emerging channels, more potential to harness first-party data, and more creativity and efficiency unlocked by AI, brands today have unprecedented opportunities to forge connections with their customers. However, this is easier said than done considering that customer data is often spread across a variety of systems and sources. Fortunately, Braze makes it easy for organizations to integrate first-party data from anywhere no matter what system you are using. Watch this video now to learn how you can better understand your customers and deliver consistent experiences that they love. A free public lecture at the University of Waikato Tauranga campus this week will feature internationally renowned peace advocate and former Tauranga local Alyn Ware, who will explore global initiatives for peace, nuclear abolition, and climate protection. Born in Tauranga, Ware studied at Otumoetai College and graduated from the University of Waikato in 1984 with a Bachelor of Education and Diploma in Kindergarten Teaching. In 2009 he was recognised by the University of Waikato for his contribution to international peace advocacy with a Distinguished Alumni Award. Now based in Europe, Ware is a distinguished campaigner for disarmament and international security. He has been instrumental in shaping policies for nuclear non-proliferation, human rights, and environmental protection. His impact in global peace has been recognised through several awards including the Right Livelihood Award (Sweden, 2009), United Nations (UN) International Year for Peace Award (New Zealand, 1986), Peace is Precious Award (Soka Gakkai International, NZ, 2012) and the Loxley Peace Award (Quaker Peace and Service, NZ, 2009). Mr Ware continues to work on global solutions to some of the worlds most pressing issues. He is currently back in New Zealand for meetings at Parliament and with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and in the Bay of Plenty to visit family. Many people today feel powerless in the face of relentless bad news about wars, climate-related disasters such as droughts, floods, bushfires, severe storms and landslides, and the erosion of civil liberties around the world, says Mr Ware. We need to hear more of the good news, including conflicts being resolved, effective climate policies being adopted and global cooperation in action. The Pact for the Future, agreed upon last September by all UN members, and the winning policies of the World Future Policy Award on Peace and Future Generations provide hope and a clear direction for a better tomorrow. I am proud that New Zealand is part of these efforts. The University is pleased to host Mr Ware at its Tauranga campus where he will share insights into international peace efforts, including the UN Pact for the Future, a landmark agreement forged at the 2024 UN Summit of the Future. The lecture will also touch on the recent movement of the Doomsday Clock to 89 seconds to midnight, which is an urgent reminder of the risks posed by escalating conflicts, nuclear weapons policies, and climate change. Despite these challenges, Mr Ware will share reasons for hope, including the International Court of Justice case on climate change and innovative policies recognised in the 2024 World Future Policy Award. The free public lecture will take place at 1pm on Wednesday 12 March, at the Universitys Durham Street campus in Tauranga. Interested attendees can register via Eventbrite. Javier Almellones Malaga Monday, 10 March 2025, 17:35 Compartir It is not the only forgotten castle in the province of Malaga. Like this one, there are many others that are little more than ruins nowadays. But not even this neglect can take away the history or legends of Zalia castle near Alcaucin on the eastern side of Malaga province and near the border with Granada. The castle was possibly built on Phoenician foundations. Today it is known as el castillo de Zalia (or Salia). Some documents even suggest it once belonged to the ancient Odyscia, one of the enclaves where the fictional adventures of Ulysses, one of the most important mythological characters of Classical Greece, took place. Zoom The castle is located across from Alcaucin. SUR Among the various legends that exist about this castle, one of the best known is the one that alludes to the anger of a bishop of Malaga, Salia Patricio, who is said to have travelled there to convert the people to Christianity after the Reconquista at the end of the 15th century. When he failed to do so, according to legend, he punished the inhabitants with divine power: as the ground opened up and snakes emerged the inhabitants fled, never to return to the area. Queen Zalia Another popular myth also says that the castle owes its name to Queen Zalia, who was known for her beauty and would go down to a nearby river every day to bathe on nights when the moon was full. On one such occasion, a young Nasrid boy went down there to watch her. He was caught by a guard and spent the rest of his life in prison for the deed. It is also said that near the castle there was a pond where a donkey loaded with gold coins fell in. The donkey disappeared with all its goods and no one was able to rescue it or its cargo, meaning that there is a valuable treasure hidden under the fortress. Above, part of what was once a water tank is preserved. Below, there are splendid views from this location. SUR What is true is that it was built in the Al-Andalus period with its double ring of walls, which can only just be made out today due to the deterioration of its walls. The fortress was in an important strategic location as it was on the old Nasrid road that linked the Axarquia with Granada province. The castle of Zalia, which depended on Velez-Malaga until 1410, achieved greater importance. It was following the fall of Antequera, which led to a major reorganisation of this eastern part of what is now the province of Malaga. Thus, Zalia became the reference point for a district made up of villages including Canillas de Aceituno, Archez and Corumbela. This is how it functioned until the fortress was taken by the Catholic Monarchs in 1485. Prison It became a prison after the Moorish rebellion of 1569 and was one of the prisons where those who took part in the uprisings against the Christians were imprisoned. It was under the command of Antonio de Luna, envoy of the Duke of Sessa. Today, only two towers and some remains of the walls are still standing. However, the views are worth the visit alone. On the one hand, you can glimpse the blue Mediterranean Sea and on the other, La Vinuela reservoir and the peak of La Maroma, the highest mountain in Malaga province, at 2.069 metres above sea level. You can also see several villages including Los Romanes, Periana and Comares. This castle is easily accessible thanks to the tourist complex located next to it, which has the same name. There is a path that allows a close-up view of what remains of the castle, which have been forgotten for centuries despite it being listed as an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC). Cristina Pinto Malaga Monday, 10 March 2025, 12:35 Compartir Despite the rain and the cancellation of the International Women's Day demonstration on 8 March, around 300 people still chose to gather in Malaga's Plaza de la Merced on Saturday. The smaller yet tenacious rally started at 12pm, at the same time that the official one was scheduled. Advocates were allowed 15 minutes to display their banners. Violet-coloured smoke filled the square and illuminated slogans such as 'Feminist pride, infinite hope' and 'Our rights are in danger, women respond'. Focus points of the demonstration were the sexual harassment allegations against politician and Podemos co-founder Inigo Errejon and the reduction of the sentence of a man who raped a minor in Navarra. After the National Police's allowance for a 15-minute protest, some attendees chose to remain in La Merced until 1pm. Feminist women's association president Andrea Barbotta said that a new date and route for the official rescheduled demonstration will be picked in a meeting with the city council on Monday. "We have to see what route we can take, as the Film Festival starts next week. When we know the options, we will meet on Tuesday to make the decision. What we know for sure is that it will take place. Just a few hours ago we heard about a new case of male violence in Jaen and it is our responsibility to raise our voices," said Barbotta. The organisers of the march stressed the importance of raising "our voices for the right of all women in the world to live a life of freedom, justice, dignity and equal rights and opportunities". The rally was attended by political representatives from Izquierda Unida (Toni Morillas), PSOE (Josele Aguilar), as well as MPs Ignacio Lopez Cano and Mari Nieves Ramirez, among others. With 199 days left until the opening of Comic-Con San Diego Malaga 2025, forecasts about the number of visitors expected are aiming high. At the presentation of the geek fair, this Monday 10 March, Juanma Moreno, president of the Andalucia regional government, and Malaga city mayor Francisco de la Torre announced the first details of the upcoming conference, including the prediction that 60,000 people will attend Comic-Con's first trip outside the US. SUR had already predicted that Malaga's Comic-Con will take place at the Palacio de Ferias de Malaga (Fycma) from 25 to 28 September 2025, sandwiched between other important events such as Malaga's annual August fair (Feria de Agosto) and Comic-Con in California in November. Malaga's great September weather and the wide range of connections that the gateway to the Costa del Sol airport offers make the city the perfect destination for the US fair. Thanks to negotiations led by the Andalusian government, Comic-Con International and Malaga city council, Comic-Con will put its map pin in Malaga city and offer 300 hours of activities and fun. What is even more important is that the current contract guarantees that Comic-Con San Diego Malaga will be held in September for three consecutive years, at least until September 2027, after which the agreement will be reviewed. The excitement surrounding the event is contagious and even actor Santiago Segura, who served as master of ceremonies at the Comic-Con presentation said, "I always dreamed of going to Comic-Con and in the end Comic-Con has come to us." Zoom Marilu Baez As the main location for the event, Fycma has been a main point of attraction during the six-month-long negotiations. However, considering that even the San Diego Convention Centre has become too small for the annual event that welcomes 130,000 visitors each year, it is expected that Fycma won't be enough for the great interest that Comic-Con's first European edition will generate. To meet the needs of such a large-scale fair, Malaga will create satellite spaces, including outdoor areas, to host all the presentations, meetings and shows that will be part of the programme. With the guaranteed return of the event to Malaga at least until 2027, Comic-Con takes great care of all the details surrounding its first international trip in more than half a century of existence. To ensure smooth coordination between the brand and Malaga, Comic-Con plans to establish a permanent office for the event's local management. Adam Duritz, David Bryson, Charlie Gillingham, Dan Vickrey, David Immergluck, Jim Bogios and Millard Powers with Counting Crows performs during the Matchbox Twenty & Counting Crows: A Brief History Of Everything Tour at Lakewood Amphitheatre on Sunday, August 13, 2017, in Atlanta. Katie Darby/Invision/AP Counting Crows, the iconic 90s rock band from San Francisco, have announced their 2025 tour in support of their upcoming album Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets. The tour, which begins June 10 in Nashville, will see the band travel across North America before heading to Europe and the U.K. in the fall. On June 21, the band will perform at the Chautauqua Amphitheater in Chautauqua, NY, followed by a concert on June 22 at the Event Center at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona. Special guests for most North American dates include the recently reunited The Gaslight Anthem. Tickets for the Chautauqua and Verona shows will go on sale Friday, March 14, at 10 a.m. ET via Ticketmaster. Tickets will also be available through secondary market platforms such as Vivid Seats, SeatGeek, and StubHub, which may offer availability for sold-out shows and seating, depending on demand. Counting Crows, led by Adam Duritz, first rose to fame in the early 90s with their album August and Everything After, which featured the hit single Mr. Jones. Their most recent album, Somewhere Under Wonderland, was released in 2014, and their forthcoming album, Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets, will be out on May 9. The album is an expansion of their 2021 EP Butter Miracle, Suite One and will include additional tracks, including their latest single, Spaceman In Tulsa. Listen to it below: Ontario Premier Doug Ford today confirmed that he will impose a 25% tariff on electricity exported to New York and two other states. March 4, 2025, file photo. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP) AP AP The Canadian province of Ontario will boost the price of electricity it sells in New York and two other states by 25%, Ontario Premier Doug Ford confirmed today. Ford, who ordered the tariff in response to the threat of U.S. tariffs from President Donald Trump, also said he would not hesitate to increase the surcharge -- or even shut off exports of power altogether -- if Trump does not back away from duties on Canadian products. During a press conference today, Ford estimated that his 25% tariff will add around $100 per month to the bills of hard-working Americans without offering any support for that claim. His office did not immediately respond to a request for clarification. Assuming Ford was speaking of Canadian dollars, his estimate of the impact would be $69 a month in U.S. currency. But electricity prices fluctuate and are notoriously hard to predict, and its possible the cost to New York consumers could be much less. Fords office said the tariff would add $10 to the cost of every megawatt-hour exported by Ontario. In a report last week, independent analyst Brady Yauch, a senior manager at Power Advisory LLC, a consulting firm in Toronto, said the 25% tariff could add as much as $22 to the cost of every megawatt-hour, based on prices during the past few years. At those rates, the nearly 4,000 megawatt-hours that New York imported from Ontario in 2023, the last year for which data is available, would have cost somewhere between $40 million and $87.5 million extra. If those costs are absorbed by all utility customers across the state, the impact on bills would be minimal. If the burden falls only on customers in certain areas closest to Ontario, the effect could be harsher. For comparison, National Grid has requested a $525 million electric rate increase in its Upstate service territory, which has 1.7 million customers. If approved, that increase six times the estimated cost of the Ontario tariff would increase the average household bill by $19 per month. The exchange of electricity between New York and other regions help balance the systems and keep prices from skyrocketing, said John Howard, a former member of the state Public Service Commission. It has been a price moderator, Howard said. Tariffs may reduce that flexibility. Operators of New Yorks electric grid, the New York Independent System Operator, responded to Fords comments today with caution, saying they are still analyzing the impacts along with their colleagues in Ontario. The NYISO said that it does not expect Ontarios action to lead to electricity shortages. The NYISO expects to have adequate reserves to meet reliability criteria and forecasted demand for New York, the organization said in a prepared statement. In recent years, Ontario has supplied between 3% and 5% of New Yorks electricity. New York, which makes roughly 85% of its own electricity, also imports power from adjacent power systems in Quebec, New England, and the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland area. Its difficult to predict how the higher price from Ontario will fit into the mix. Electric wholesale prices in New York fluctuate based on supply and demand. During the spring, demand for electricity is low. Its possible that New York might not need any power from Ontario, or that grid operators might find a cheaper price elsewhere. The real test will come during a summer heat wave, said Howard, the former PSC member. Thats when power prices typically spike, and the Ontario tariff could contribute. If its 90 degrees the first week of June, its gonna leave a mark, Howard said. Ford said Ontarios new tariff is a response to President Trumps plan to hit most Canadian imports with a 25% tariff beginning April 2. The U.S. tariff on energy products would be 10%. Ontarios tariff will apply to electricity exports to New York, Michigan and Minnesota. Of the three, New York imports the most. Let me be clear, I will not hesitate to increase this charge if necessary, Ford said. If the United States escalates, I will not hesitate to shut the electricity off completely. Ford put the blame on Trump, saying the presidents actions required pushback. He called on Trump to end the threat of tariffs. Ill tell you, the American people did not vote for this, and they have to think this out now. So put maximum pressure on your president, and I encourage the senators, governors and Congress people to do the exact same thing, Ford said. Because theres one way this is going to go if he goes full steam at us. Its going right downhill for both countries. As they plan for the effects of Fords tariff, officials at the NYISO also are trying to get ready to collect a 10% U.S. tariff on all electricity from Ontario and Quebec. NYISO officials have argued to their federal regulators that electricity is too intangible to be subject to tariffs, but their petition is still pending. If federal officials decide the 10% duty applies to electricity, the NYISO likely will collect the charge from customers. To the Editor: The climate science is clear. The Earths temperature is rising dangerously. The last two years have each been the hottest on record. We are seeing dramatic increases in the devastation from hurricanes, droughts, floods, wildfires and extinctions of species. To avoid cataclysmic disaster, we need to dramatically reduce the fossil fuels which are heating the planet. The good news is that much progress has been made. Just one example: renewable energy sources have grown dramatically cheaper in the past decade, and in many cases are cheaper than fossil fuels. Maddeningly, the Trump administration is taking us in the wrong direction, undoing the progress that weve made. In the short time hes been in office, his administration has fired workers responding to climate disasters, reneged on contracts and grants to help deal with climate change, attacked common sense regulations, withdrawn from the Paris Climate Accords, frozen money for clean energy projects, circumvented rule-making processes and fast tracked oil and gas exploration on public lands. Theyve even scrubbed references to climate change on government websites. (The New York Times published a good overview, Full-on fight club: How Trump is crushing US climate policy, March 2, 2025) . Last week we were left breathless when we read Adm. Tim Gallaudets (acting NOAA administrator during the prior Trump administration) summation of all that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration does to keep our country and world running smoothly and safely, and the extraordinary and dangerous consequences of lessening employees in that department. To summarize, NOAA provides daily forecasts that reach almost 100% of U.S. households. They provide 301 billion weather forecasts per year. They monitor the oceans, including tsunamis, shipping channels and port locations and fisheries. They provide data that assists in agriculture planting and management. They monitor the atmosphere and its effects from hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, avalanches and wildfires. They directly assist in management of these increasingly frequent national disasters. Without their careful assessment and guidance, more people will lose their properties and die, including first responders. The reason behind this onslaught is clear. Fossil fuel companies poured millions into Trumps campaign and have been denying the science and using a variety of tactics since the 1970s to obstruct the changes that are needed. To be blunt, they care more about their profits than the health of our planet. We must all stand up, both for ourselves, but even more importantly, for our children and grandchildren. Theres much to be done by everyone: Call your Congress member and urge them to fully fund NOAAs crucial work. Get involved with a local effort to address climate change. And we welcome you to join our efforts at Climate Change Awareness and Action (https://www.climatechange-action.com/). Dr. Sonia Kragh Syracuse Van Cleary-Hammarstedt Fayetteville The writers are board members of Climate Change Awareness and Action. This image from video provided by Andrew Tallon shows smoke from fires in New York's Long Island, on Saturday, March 8, 2025, seen from Southampton, N.Y. (Andrew Tallon via AP) AP NEW YORK (AP) Firefighters in New York knocked down a dwindling brush fire in a wooded stretch of Long Island on Sunday as officials warned that high wind gusts could leave the region vulnerable to additional blazes. Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency a day earlier after four separate fires broke out across large swaths of Long Islands Pine Barrens region, prompting closures to the highway and evacuations of a military base. As of Sunday, all visible flames had been knocked down, including the last remaining fire burning in the hamlet of Westhampton, according to Suffolk County Fire Coordinator Rudy Sunderman. He said at a Sunday news conference that crews were working on containment lines around the fire to prevent further spread. Authorities said the fire had not grown since early Sunday. This photo provided by the New York Air National Guard shows smoke from the fires in the Pine Barrens off Sunrise Highway in New York's Long Island, on Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Cheran Campbell/New York Air National Guard via AP) AP Still, officials were cautious as wind gusts of up to 30 mph (48 kph) were expected Sunday, according to the National Weather Service, Were concerned because the winds are still blowing, that might spark up again, said Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine. Romaine thanked firefighters who worked through the night, adding that more than 80 volunteer fire departments battled the blaze, which burned about 600 acres (243 hectares). Two firefighters were hospitalized for injuries and released, according to Sunderman. The cause of the fire remained under investigation. Dozens of detectives were interviewing 911 callers and using drones. Suffolk County officials said earlier that the police departments arson squad had initiated an investigation into the blaze, though there was no immediate evidence to suggest arson. This image from video provided by Andrew Tallon shows smoke from fires in New York's Long Island, on Saturday, March 8, 2025, seen from Southampton, N.Y. (Andrew Tallon via AP) AP Were going to get to the bottom of what happened, said Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina. At this time its too early to tell whether or not this fire started naturally or theres some nefarious origin. At least two commercial structures were damaged. Roughly 15 miles (24 kilometers) west, officials were monitoring a small brush fire along Sunrise Highway early Sunday, Brookhaven Town Supervisor Daniel J. Panico said. But there were no visible flames as of Sunday morning. Two New York state lawmakers are pushing to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. NY State Senator Joseph A. Griffo, a Republican, and NYS Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, a Democrat, have reintroduced bills that would end the changing of clocks twice a year for daylight savings time. Senate Bill 3380 would make DST permanent, or year-round standard time, in New York state and NYC. Theres overwhelming consensus right now, and its evident by recent Gallup polls, that the American citizens and residents of our district dont like the changes twice a year, Sen. Griffo told WBNG. Many people come to me and say we want whatever makes it lighter longer, and thats Daylight Saving Time, so thats why weve proposed making it permanent. The recent Gallup poll Griffo cited found that 54% of Americans want to stop springing forward and falling back every year. Thats a dramatic shift from Gallups last poll on the subject, which found 73% supported Daylight Saving Time in 1999. President Donald Trump said in December he was in favor of ending the practice, but is now holding off because there are disagreements over whether to make DST or standard time permanent. Its a 50/50 issue, and if something is a 50/50 issue, its hard to get excited about it. I assume people would like to have more light later, but some people would like to have more light earlier because they dont want to take their kids to school in the dark, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office Thursday. Its something I can do, but a lot of people like it one way. A lot of people like it the other way. Federal lawmakers have similarly proposed bills to lock the clock and make Daylight Saving Time permanent nationwide. However, legislation has repeatedly stalled in Congress due to a disagreement over whether to keep standard time or permanent daylight savings time. (Making daylight savings permanent would mean the time we change our clocks to in the spring would be year-round, and we wouldnt turn our clocks back in the fall.) Griffo told WBNG that hes been working with legislators in other states to build regional support for permanent DST. Studies show that it is the transition out of Daylight Saving Time, which leads to an increase in car accidents, causes more on-site work incidents, and disrupts the health of all who are subject to this time change, Griffo said in a 2023 version of his bill. This bill would, once there is a repeal of the federal law establishing Daylight Saving Time, allow New York to enter into a compact with neighboring states to establish Daylight Saving Time as the states year round time. Hawaii and most of Arizona already do not observe Daylight Saving Time. The Uniform Time Act mandates that any other state that wants to be exempt from changing its clocks every year must get congressional approval. Daylight Saving Time was first established during World War I to conserve fuel for war industries. The law was repealed after WWI ended, but was re-established by Congress during World War II due to energy consumption and became U.S. law in 1966 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Uniform Time Act, establishing uniform start and end times within standard time zones. The policy, regulated by the Department of Transportation, aims to save energy, reduce traffic fatalities, and reduce crime. Daylight Saving Time was kept after World War II because Americans were believed to use less energy by extending summer daylight into the evening. However, a 2008 Department of Energy study found that DST reduces annual energy use by just 0.03 percent, and another study by the University of California-Santa Barbara found DST might even increase energy consumption. Daylight Saving Time 2025 began on Sunday, March 9, at 2 a.m., forcing most Americans to turn their clocks ahead one hour and lose an hour of sleep. DST always begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday of November, when we fall back and gain an hour. thanks can I have the file now sir? I'll shoot it to your email; you'll have it tomorrow morning 13:07 thank you https://youtu.be/yNoIoZMaENM?si=JMhlwQWLu1wMsE0_ <> | English Full Movie | Drama Thriller 173,935 views Mar 7, 2025 #FreeYoutubeMovies #FullFreeMovies #ForestWhitaker Never miss a single new movie film - subscribe here - ? / @cinetimeacrossages-bt7cz Colonel Casey uncovers a disturbing plot involving General Lloyd, who seems to be orchestrating fake military exercises to aid Jack Giddings in his scheme to overthrow President Foster. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Colonel Casey and President Foster must urgently gather proof of the coup before it's too late, knowing that every passing moment brings them closer to a dangerous conspiracy that could destabilize the government. Directed by: Jonathan Darby Starring: Forest Whitaker Sam Waterston, Dana Delany "Betsy" (I recognized her face, rooted in TV - China Beach (1988), during my graduate school). All of the content on this channel is under legal license from various copyright holders and distributors. We ask you to please contact us if you believe there are any copyright issues via - mmf.lenaromano@gmail.com *** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_Whitaker Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961)[1] is an American actor, filmmaker, and activist. His accolades include an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. After making his film debut in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), Whitaker went on to earn a reputation for intensive character study work for films, such as Platoon (1986), Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Bird (1988), The Crying Game (1992), Phenomenon (1996), Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999), The Great Debaters (2007), The Butler (2013), Arrival (2016), and Respect (2021).[2][3][4] He has also appeared in Panic Room (2002), Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) as Saw Gerrera, and Black Panther (2018) as Zuri. Whitaker won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the historical drama The Last King of Scotland (2006). Whitaker made his directorial debut with the television film Strapped (1993), and directed the films Waiting to Exhale (1995), Hope Floats (1998), and First Daughter (2004). Since 2019, he has starred as Bumpy Johnson in the Epix crime drama series Godfather of Harlem. He made his Broadway debut in the revival of Eugene O'Neill's Hughie (2016). Apart from his acting career, Whitaker is also known for his humanitarian work and activism. In 2011, he was inducted as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, later receiving a promotion to Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation, and is the CEO of Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative (WPDI), a non-profit outreach program.[5] Q: Why is China never afraid of such a powerful USA States? A: Chinese will rebel against any oppression, including imperialists. Afraid is not part of Chinese political culture. There is a saying that you should not negotiate with terrorists. It is the same that China will not negotiate with state terrorists, the imperialists. The European classical political literature, The Prince by Machiavelli, is still the must-read in the political science 101 in Western universities. Machiavelli said that the ruler must let the ruled fear the ruler. The Western powers followed Machiavelli's teachings. Confucianism considers the only legitimate ruler is the one loved by the ruled. Thats why the US has to maintain the military superiority. When China does not fear the US hegemony, the US feels threatened. In 1945, the US dropped atomic bombs at Japan. The US thought that the world should fear the US. Mao said at that time that the US is a paper tiger. In the Korean War, China was weak and poor and had direct military conflict with the US, which had victories in Europe and the Far East in World War II, and led an alliance of armies from 16 countries. Yet Red China drove the US from the Yalu River back to the 38 parallel. China is never afraid and yields to any power. Chinese civilization is more advanced than the Christian civilization. Christian civilization relies on power and fear to govern the world. Thats the Christian political culture. Christian considers everyone should fear the powerful God. In Christian literature, the Bibble, the ultimate ruler is super powerful who can flood the world, make a plague, destroy the enemy army. In Chinese culture, the ultimate ruler never relies on violence. China never considered that powerful violence is needed to govern the world. Where is the human dignity if the majority has to live in fear? Why should 1.4 billion Chinese have to live in fear of the US power? Living in fear cannot be a happy life. The US hegemony wants every country in the world living in fear of the US power, which is immoral in Chinese political culture. Mankind has progressed and has advanced technology. The wealth and material bases are enough for everyone in the world to have a decent and happy life. But the Christian culture would not let that happen. The West would like everyone living in fear of a powerful ruler, and the US wants to be the ruler. By not living in fear, Chinese in China have the highest dignity and decency on average. Chinese are the happiest people in the world because they dont need to live in fear. Americans cannot live without fear. If there is none, they will create another fear to live with. As Trump said, every country in the world rips off the US. American has to live in fear of the USSR during the Cold War and China threat after the Cold War. Americans cannot have a life without fear. The Christian civilization is retard. The Chinese civilization is advanced. Thats why China is never afraid of a powerful US. Dairygold awards bursaries to UCC Agricultural Science students Dairygold Co-operative Society has awarded two undergraduate bursaries to students undertaking the Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree at University College Cork (UCC). The course is anchored in UCCs School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences with input from across the university, and in partnership with Teagasc. Professor Pat Dillon, Teagasc Director of Research, Saba Loftus, UCC Head of Development (Science, Engineering & Food Science), Professor. Frank Buckley, Professor of Agricultural Science, UCC, student Jack ONeill, Castlehaven, Co Cork, Adrian Beatty, Dairygold Group Head of Human Resources, student Jamie Magnier, Castletownroche, Co Cork, Sean OBrien, Dairygold Chairman & Professor Astrid Wingler, UCC Head of the School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES). Picture OGorman Photography. This years recipients are Jamie Magnier, Castletownroche, Co. Cork, and Jack ONeill, Castletownshend, Co. Cork both in their first year of the Bachelor of Agricultural Science at UCC. The students will receive an annual bursary for the duration of their four-year undergraduate studies and will also be offered the opportunity to conduct their 12-week industry placement with Dairygold. Sean O Brien, Dairygold Chairman, said: Dairygold is delighted to extend our strategic partnership with University College Cork and Teagasc for the fifth consecutive year. Through our joint partnerships and initiatives such as the Dairygold Agricultural Science Bursary, we continue to invest in the future of agriculture, empowering individuals to drive positive change and innovation within the industry. Professor Frank Buckley, Head of Agricultural Science and academic director of the Agricultural Science degree programme at UCC thanked Dairygold for their continued generosity and foresight in providing this fantastic award which aims to identify emerging young talent, and contribute to the development of the next generation of leading agri-professionals. Our ambition from the outset has been to attract Irelands brightest and best, and as evidenced by demand for the course, and the calibre of students attracted, as exemplified by our Bursary winners today, we are certainly succeeding in this regard, and excited for the future, he said. Delivered by UCC in partnership with Teagasc, Agricultural Science at UCC provides students with an unquestionably unique and unparalleled opportunity. The most up-to-date research curriculum is delivered first-hand by the foremost experts who are recognised both nationally and internationally, and the course provides access to many of Irelands most profitable, sustainable and in many cases award-winning dairy farmers. Students take on regular field-based training and work and industry placements, and attend many guest lectures and seminars delivered by Industry leaders and representatives of key service providers. Frank complimented Jamie and Jack, congratulated them, and wished them well with their studies at UCC. Professor Pat Dillon, Teagasc Director of Research, added: Globally, we face a challenge to feed a population that is projected to exceed 9 billion by 2050. To meet this challenge, the Agri-food sector and agricultural professionals need a strong technical, agronomic and environmental knowledge base to ensure the production of safe, nutritious food products, while protecting the environment. This degree is specially tailored to attract those individuals with a particular passion for dairying and provides a rigorous understanding of the science of agriculture, the business of farming and sustainability that is necessary to underpin the profitability, competitiveness and sustainability of Irish dairying and the wider agri-food industry. Professor Astrid Wingler, Head, School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences said: We are grateful to Dairygold for their ongoing support and recognition of our students through this bursary programme. It is a testament to the quality and relevance of our curriculum, which combines scientific rigour with practical skills and industry exposure. I wish Jamie and Jack every success in their studies and their future careers. What just happened? A tech glitch in the European Central Bank's payment system caused widespread disruptions that delayed salaries and welfare funds for thousands earlier this month. The crisis, which could have escalated into chaos had it persisted into the next day when millions of public-sector workers, pensioners, and welfare recipients were due to receive their payments, illustrates the pivotal role technology plays in maintaining the stability of financial systems. "If it had lasted until Friday, there would have been big risk-management questions for banks," Alistair Milne, a professor of financial economics at Britain's Loughborough Business School, told Reuters, which provided a timeline of events in an exclusive report. "Bank risk managers would have to decide: Are we willing to credit the customer account on the trust that the money will eventually turn up?" The breakdown occurred when the ECB's system for settling financial trades, Target 2 Securities (T2S), crashed shortly after 8 a.m. Frankfurt time on Thursday. The Target 2 (T2) network, which handles large payments between central banks and commercial lenders, followed two hours later. Initially, the issue was mistakenly attributed to database errors, leading to a lengthy process of manually parsing transactions while the system was offline. This manual intervention was necessary because the initial diagnosis made a transfer to a backup system, or "failover," impossible without replicating the same issue. It wasn't until the afternoon that the ECB identified the true cause: a defective hardware component at one of the system's four secret locations. This revelation allowed technicians to shift transactions to a backup system, resuming settlement by 6 p.m. that evening. Despite this, work continued through the night to clear the backlog of transactions. Markus Ferber, a member of the European Parliament, was amazed at the seeming lack of robust backup systems. "A hardware failure is excusable, but not having a backup that can kick in instantaneously in case of problems is not," he said. An ECB official noted that the affected hardware did have multiple backups, but the bank is investigating why they didn't activate as expected. These backup procedures allow Target 2 participants to send payments through alternative means, such as the Information and Control Module (ICM). However, the ECB has not disclosed the specific details of the backup systems that failed to activate during the recent incident. The ECB had recently overhauled its payment system and crisis management protocols following a series of outages in 2020, as recommended by Deloitte, which found weaknesses in business continuity management, communication protocols during crises, and disaster recovery processes. One key initiative was establishing a more comprehensive second line of defense for all Target Services. This involved strengthening the backup systems and ensuring that they could activate effectively in case of primary system failures. Now, this recent incident raises questions about the system's resilience and the potential for future disruptions. The fallout from the outage included delayed payments for thousands in Greece and Austria, as well as frustrated brokers dealing with delayed trades. Some clients faced interest charges for funds they never received, prompting plans to seek compensation from the ECB. However, legal experts like Paul Harris of Osborne Clarke suggest that obtaining compensation from a central bank may be more challenging than from a private firm. Aaron Klein, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, noted that designing a payment system that never fails might be impractical or excessively costly. "And, if it is, it may be more costly than tolerating a few hours of delay," he said. The ECB has initiated a thorough analysis of the incident, acknowledging its "adverse consequences" for market participants and their clients. Go low-tech: Over the last few years, Volkswagen has removed physical buttons in its vehicles, choosing to bake control settings into its infotainment panel. Now, the company is backtracking. It's a controversial trend that has stirred monumental debate within the auto industry between customers who hate it and carmakers loving the advertising opportunities. Volkswagen will bring back physical controls for some of its vehicles' most essential cabin controls. According to Andreas Mindt, head of design for the German carmaker, replacing buttons with touchscreen controls was a mistake. A mistake the designer promised never to repeat. Mindt confirmed the change during a recent interview. The first car the controls will return to is the Volkswagen ID 2all model, a budget electric car set to arrive in 2026 in Europe. The knobs and switches include sound system volume, heating on each side of the car, fans, and hazard light. Volkswagon will continue applying the changes to every new car from assembly lines. The physical buttons are not limited to the center console, either. Drivers can enjoy limited driving distractions from added steering-wheel controls. Trying to tap non-tactile buttons on a touchscreen has never been the best solution, no matter the carmaker. Mindt noted that physical buttons provide tangible feedback that does not require drivers to take their eyes off the road. Mindt mentioned that customers and reviewers criticized Volkswagen's design team when it went all-in the infotainment center controls. Touch interfaces will continue to play an increasingly important role in Volkswagen's center consoles, with bigger screens and more human-machine interfaces. However, the physical functions will remain accessible through the car's physical interface layer. The automotive industry has debated touchscreen-based infotainment platforms for a few years now. Touch controls are cheaper to produce and more in line with today's digital ecosystem, but they aren't necessarily the best choice from a safety standpoint. A few years ago, a Swedish magazine tested drivers' ability to control cabin functions using the touchscreen with a control group with physical controls. Unsurprisingly, drivers in the car with physical buttons (Volvo V70) performed better than models that only had a touchscreen. More recently, the European New Car Assessment Programme said that vehicles need physical controls for at least five cabin functions to earn the organization's highest safety rating. In brief: China is in a frenzy to get its hands on the Nvidia RTX 5090 graphics card but not just because people are desperate for more FPS in their games. The demand is the result of DeepSeek's AI models, which companies realize they can run on Nvidia's consumer GPUs at a fraction of what it would cost them to buy AI accelerators. DeepSeek's industry-disrupting R1 models can efficiently run on consumer GPUs, rather than expensive AI accelerators such as the H20. As reported by The Information (paywalled article), the situation has led to demand for the China-specific RTX 5090D reaching a point where the cards are being sold on the black market for up to $5,000. And even at that price, the chances of finding one are pretty slim. It's not just China where the RTX 5090 and 5090D are being bought for more than 100% of their $2,000 MSRP. eBay.com has several listings for the cards ranging between $5,000 and $10,000, many of which are actaully shipped from China. There are also a number of units from US sellers priced between $2,500 and $5,000. Given the low to non-existent stock levels and the huge demand for the flagship, buying an RTX 5090, or any Blackwell card, directly from a retailer right now is like trying to purchase a card during the height of the pandemic/crypto-boom crisis in 2020 and 2021. While DeepSeek's R1 with its 671 billion parameters is designed for high-performance environments, the company has developed distilled versions of the model that are more accessible for consumer hardware. The 8 billion parameter Llama 8B, for example, recommends a GPU with 21GB of VRAM. Last month, Nvidia and AMD were embroiled in a public argument over which of their respective consumer graphics cards offered better performance when running DeepSeek's AI models. Team Red claimed the 7900 XTX outperformed the RTX 4090, prompting Team Green to release benchmarks showing both the 4090 and RTX 5090 are faster measured with llama-bench than AMD's card when using Distill Qwen 7B, Llama 8B, and Qwen 32B. The big picture: President Donald Trump has stated that his administration is in discussions with four potential buyers for TikTok's US operations. His confirmation comes amid ongoing speculation about the app's future, as the 75-day deadline set by his executive order approaches. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, President Trump stated that his team is in contact with "four different groups" regarding a potential sale and that "a lot of people" are interested in the deal. He also expressed his approval of the prospective buyers, saying, "All four [bidders] are good." When asked whether a deal might happen soon, Trump responded, "It could." It remains unclear which four groups Trump was referring to, but recent media reports have mentioned several potential buyers, including Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt. According to a Reuters report last week, McCourt submitted his bid to acquire TikTok's US operations in January and was recently joined by Ohanian as a strategic adviser specializing in social media. Another group of investors reportedly interested in acquiring TikTok includes popular YouTuber Jimmy "MrBeast" Donaldson, tech entrepreneur Jesse Tinsley, and Wyoming businessman Reid Rasner. Media reports have also suggested that Amazon and Microsoft previously explored a possible purchase. However, it is unclear whether any of these individuals or companies are among the four shortlisted suitors mentioned by Trump. Earlier reports also linked Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison as potential buyers. In late January, Trump stated that he would like either of the two billionaires to acquire TikTok. When asked whether he would support Musk purchasing the app's US operations, Trump responded, "I would be if he wanted to buy it, yes," adding, "I'd like Larry [Ellison] to buy it, too." Also in January, artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI proposed a merger with TikTok's US operations. The company reportedly submitted a merger plan that includes provisions for the US government to receive up to 50 percent stock in the new combined entity once Perplexity AI achieves an initial public offering (IPO) valued at a minimum of $300 billion. TikTok has long been in the crosshairs of US lawmakers and security officials due to its Chinese ownership. In 2024, the House of Representatives passed legislation requiring the app's parent company, ByteDance, to sell it to a US entity or face a nationwide ban. To comply with the law, TikTok went dark in the US on January 18. However, normal services resumed a few hours later after Trump was sworn in as president for a second term and signed an executive order delaying the ban for 75 days. Over the past years, former employees of Meta have revealed in-depth information about the company's operations. Now, a new whistleblower has a lot to say about the company, including its plans to return to the Chinese market. The former Facebook global policy director, Sarah Wynn-Williams, is the latest whistleblower who wants to share more information about Meta, including its plans to appease China. In particular, plans of creating a special censorship tool meant for their operations China have been revealed. Whistleblower: Facebook Created a Censorship Tool for China The Washington Post shared a new report about Wynn-Williams' complaint against Meta that was filed last April with the SEC, and this included details on how the company once planned to return to China by creating a special censorship tool. Meta's Facebook has been blocked in the country since 2009, and the company seems to have made an effort to be allowed to operate again over the years. The former Facebook global policy director, sacked by the company in 2017, alleged that Facebook created a version of the platform that complies with China's content laws called "Project Aldrin" back in 2014. Wynn-Williams also revealed that the company was in talks with Chinese officials regarding their plans to partner with a local private-equity firm to review the posts and hire moderators to help monitor content. 'Project Aldrin' Not a Secret, But Whistleblower Gives New Insights It was highlighted by the Post that Meta's spokesperson, Andy Stone, shared a statement confirming that Project Aldrin was no secret, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg also attested to this when he announced that they are shutting it down in 2019. That being said, the report provided even more details about the lengths that the company was willing to go to, as revealed by Wynn-Williams. Whistleblowers vs. Meta: Leaks on Company's Internal Operations Many people who previously worked for Facebook have expressed their dismay regarding the company's developments, but there are some who opted to become whistleblowers to shed light on what the company is doing internally. One of the most prolific whistleblowers is Frances Haugen, a former Facebook product manager, who claimed that the company prioritizes profit over safety and testified in front of the US Congress. Haugen is known for bravely speaking out and calling for accountability on the company's part, particularly regarding their alleged political bias in certain countries and their power to shape opinion despite its harmful effect on the public. Aside from Haugen, there is also Arturo Bejar, Facebook's former Director of Engineering for Protect and Care. Bejar talked about Meta's disregard for children's safety on the platform. Artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed today's workplaces, but new studies indicate that although ChatGPT is still the most popular AI tool globally, trends in adoption are changing. US workers, for example, embraced the AI chatbot despite the risks associated with it. China's AI platform, DeepSeek, created much hype with its emergence, but recent studies show that its steam is running out, leaving ChatGPT at the top. India Tops Global ChatGPT Adoption AI chatbots have become a part of the working tools nowadays. They make the job faster for the employees. A recent study by DeskTime, surveyed 2,385 workers in 97 businesses on AI adoption from January 2023 to December 2024. The results reveal ChatGPT's supremacy in office operations, with 75.9% of offices worldwide incorporating the tool into daily routines. India has been the most eager adopter of ChatGPT, with a staggering 92% of workplaces using the AI tool actively, as per surveyed workplaces. The high rate of adoption is indicative of the nation's drive toward digitalization and AI-based productivity. In contrast, global trends indicate mixed growth rates in adopting AI, with certain regions adopting it at a slower rate owing to company policies and data security concerns. US ChatGPT Adoption Trails Behind Global Average Though the usage of ChatGPT remains on the increase in the US adoption rates trail behind the world average, according to TechRadar. In 2023, 68% of American businesses utilized ChatGPT, and in 2024 that figure rose to 72%. But though growth is being seen, the pace of new workplace adoption is slowing. Notably, personal employee use has increased, from 17% in 2023 to 28.3% in 2024. This implies that although businesses are not quick to adopt AI on a massive scale, employees are becoming more inclined to use ChatGPT to help them with everyday activities. Despite its pervasive existence, the proportion of American offices utilizing AI tools such as ChatGPT and other platformsfell marginally from 76% in 2023 to 75% in 2024. AI Adoption Varies During the Year The DeskTime research also revealed significant variability in ChatGPT adoption during 2024. In January, AI adoption fell to 63%, only to rise to 81% in October. Such changes indicate that seasonal patterns of work, changing business tactics, or anxiety regarding AI automation affect adoption. Additionally, companies with strict AI policiesApple, Amazon, and Bank of America have restricted or banned the use of ChatGPT, which can lead to slower adoption in some sectors. AI Adoption Meets Corporate Resistance Though ChatGPT is still the leading workplace AI, companies without previous experience with the tool are hesitant to adopt it. "Although ChatGPT adoption varies across offices, it's still in use across nearly 75% of U.S. workplaces. The slow growth in ChatGPT use could be attributed to the adoption of other generative AI tools, as well as company policies that prohibit or restrict its use," Desktime CEO Artis Rozentals explained. Rozentals says that this is because companies are wary of security and confidentiality issues, especially in companies that deal with sensitive information. ChatGPT's dominance is secure for the time beingbut whether it will continue to lead the AI pack is anyone's guess. Outside the corporate talks, ChatGPT has been a helpful tool for students. Last month, Tech Times reported that the California State University distributed ChatGPT access to half a million students thanks to ChatGPT Edu integration. U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that his administration is actively engaged in discussions with four distinct groups regarding the sale of TikTok, the popular social media platform owned by Chinas ByteDance and that a deal could come soon. This move comes in response to legislative measures requiring the apps sale due to national security concerns. Were dealing with four different groups, and a lot of people want it. All four are good, said Trump in an interview with reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday (via The Information) without disclosing the names of the possible bidders. For those unaware, TikToks future in the U.S. has remained uncertain since the passing of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA) in April 2024 due to growing concerns over data security and its potential ties to the Chinese government. This law mandated that ByteDance, TikToks parent company, must either divest their U.S. operations or face a ban by January 19, 2025. In compliance with the impending ban, TikTok temporarily shut down in the U.S. and disappeared from app stores on January 18, 2025. However, the social media platform resumed its services on January 19, 2025, following indications from President-elect Trump of a potential extension. On January 20, 2025, the day Trump began his second term, he issued an executive order delaying the enforcement of the ban for 75 days (until April 5) to facilitate negotiations for a potential sale of TikToks U.S. operations, which are used by millions. I am instructing the Attorney General not to take any action to enforce the Act for a period of 75 days, the order stated. Among the notable bidders is a group dubbed The Peoples Bid, led by former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt. McCourt has partnered with Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and Shark Tank investor Kevin OLeary. As per previous reports, other interested parties who have shown interest in acquiring TikTok or its U.S. operations, include Microsoft, Walmart, Oracle, and YouTube star Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, who has joined forces with tech entrepreneur Jesse Tinsley. Neither TikTok nor ByteDance has commented regarding the apps sale. The urgency surrounding TikToks sale stems from apprehensions about data security and the platforms ownership by a Chinese company. The U.S. government is seeking to transfer ownership to American companies to mitigate potential risks related to national security. It strives to strike a careful balance between protecting the data of U.S. users and maintaining TikToks availability for the millions of users who depend on the platform daily. As the April 5 deadline approaches, the outcome of these negotiations will determine whether TikTok remains a mainstay in American digital culture or faces restrictions that could alter its operations in the U.S. No one could blame Maura J. Casey if she never wanted to look back on her days in Buffalo. Growing up on Anderson Place in the Elmwood Village, Casey endured more than her share of heartache and distress. Her father was a temperamental, alcoholic philanderer who could be verbally abusive to his wife and six kids. He was not violent, but he twice threw mugs of beer in his daughters face. At age 12, Casey was raped by a stranger who ambushed her on the grounds of an abandoned home. He was never caught. That shattering experience was one of the causes of her later problems with alcoholism. Through most of her life as a child and young adult, she struggled emotionally with the illness of her beloved big sister, Ellen, who suffered with a kidney disease and died at age 35. Now, at age 67, she enjoys a happy, peaceful life as a retired journalist. She and her husband Peter Panzarella, also a Buffalo native live on a small farm in Connecticut. They have a son, a daughter and two granddaughters. Caseys memoir, Saving Ellen: A Memoir of Hope and Recovery, will be published in April by Skyhorse Publishing. Casey, who worked for the New York Times, Hartford Courant and other newspapers, will return to Buffalo in April for promotional events. A graduate of SUNY Buffalo State University and the old Holy Angels Academy, Casey said she wrote the book as a tribute to her courageous older sister and as the story of a dysfunctional family. Those early days in Buffalo were tumultuous, but its been a very good life, Casey told The Buffalo News in a recent interview. I feel grateful and lucky that I made it through all those things. And with the help of the Alcoholics Anonymous program, she said, she hasnt had a drink in 39 years. Casey said alcohol was the downfall of her late father, a hardworking Irish American who was verbally nasty when drunk. He also cheated on his wife with other women, including one woman who lived in the same neighborhood and had nine kids. It was very awkward. Everyone knew about the affair. We had six kids in our family, she had nine in hers. I even had one of them in my class at school, Casey recalled. She said she reconciled with her father later in his life, when he was deeply repentant for the pain hed caused. He died in 1987. Casey recalled her late mother, Jane, as a resilient World War II Army veteran whose wartime task was drawing diagrams of super-secret machines used by the Army during the war. Despite the misdeeds of her husband, her Army experiences helped her to maintain a platoon of six active kids, Casey recalled. Casey suffered a traumatic event at age 12, when a rapist attacked her as she cut through the yard of an abandoned home off Delaware Avenue. She still recalls the attacker repeatedly telling her, I wont hurt you during the crime. I remember the police interviewing me again and again about it, and every time, I was traumatized again, Casey said. For a long time, I was upset and very depressed about it, but always pretending that I was OK. She began drinking at age 13. But Casey said the hardest challenge for her, her parents and her siblings was the longtime illness of her older sister Ellen. A hardworking student with a great sense of humor, Ellen was diagnosed with kidney disease as a young girl. At age 14, she became one of the youngest people to have a kidney transplant in Buffalo. Her mom supplied the kidney. One of Ellen Caseys favorite doctors at Women & Childrens Hospital of Buffalo was Dr. Mary Hawking, the sister of the famous British physicist, the late Stephen Hawking. Sick for most of her life, Ellen Casey never complained about it and hated whiners, her sister remembered. When she had her kidney transplant, doctors told us the new kidney might last five years. She lived another 20, Maura Casey said. One of Ellens biggest ambitions was to row in a crew at the Buffalo Rowing Club, and she did it, one of the first women to row there. Maura Casey spent 30 years working as a news reporter, editor and editorial writer, retiring 2017. She still writes a weekly Substack column called Caseys Catch. Much of her memoir is based on diaries she kept as a teenager. April 1 is the release date for Caseys book. She will speak about her experiences during a book-signing event at 6:30 p.m. on April 29 in the Crane Library, 633 Elmwood Ave. She plans to announce a couple more Buffalo appearances soon. She told The News she wrote her book as a tribute to her sister, but also because she hopes her story will inspire people who are close to giving up hope. Many of us go through hard times that seem like theyre going to last forever, like there is no way out, Casey said. But they dont last forever. Id like my book to bring people a message of hope, reconciliation and laughter. Energy industry meets after Trump tears up US green agenda Houston, March 10 (AFP) Mar 10, 2025 Top energy industry figures converge on Houston this week for their biggest gathering since Donald Trump returned to the White House to champion fossil fuels and undo Joe Biden's climate legacy. The president himself won't appear at the annual Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA) conference, but Trump appointees are expected to talk up the Republican's petroleum-led program as embodied by the slogan: "Drill Baby Drill." Since returning to Washington less than two months ago, Trump and his team have laid siege to the existing economic order at a dizzying pace, launching trade wars against allies and neutering government agencies the president and his libertarian allies dislike. Trump made energy central to his agenda with his day-one "Unleashing American Energy" executive order, vowing during his inaugural address to "end the Green New Deal" in favor of "that liquid gold under our feet." Trump's January 20 executive order represents a potentially wide-ranging attack on tax incentives embraced by energy companies to advance billions of dollars of energy transition projects connected to laws enacted during Biden's presidency to mitigate climate change. Some pundits think Trump will stop short of actions canceling existing projects, where workers have been hired, including many in Republican regions. But the abrupt shift to Trump from the climate-focused Biden likely "turns 2025 into a paralyzed year where folks are hesitant to push on any kind of decarbonization," said Dan Pickering of Pickering Energy Partners, a Houston advisory and investment firm. - More drilling? - The schedule for the five-day Houston CERA gathering lists three top Trump appointees, including Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who will open the proceedings on Monday morning. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Environmental Protection Agency head Lee Zeldin are slated to speak later in the week. Wright, an energy industry entrepreneur and executive, and Burgum, the former governor of North Dakota, appeared together last week to tout an announcement by Venture Global of an $18 billion expansion of a liquefied natural gas export facility in Louisiana. The event highlighted Trump's reversal of a Biden freeze on permitting new LNG export capacity. Trump has ridiculed the environmental concerns at the center of Biden's policy, championing LNG exports as a way to strengthen America's ties with energy importing countries, as well as a way to boost the US exploration and production industry. But there has been widespread skepticism about Trump's message urging the industry to significantly boost oil and gas drilling in order to lift output and lower energy prices. Wall Street has signaled a clear preference for robust industry profits that can continue to allow for dividends and share repurchases. Besides the Trump officials, other speakers include CEOs from Chevron, Shell, Saudi Aramco and other oil giants; senior government officials from energy importers like India and exporters like Libya; top power and tech industry executives. There are panels on low-carbon technologies, the electricity supply challenge to support artificial intelligence research, OPEC's influence in setting oil prices and the shifting geopolitics around energy and international trade. - Questions for Europe - European officials are to appear on panels focused on Europe at a crossroads after shifting from Russian supplies and the role of energy in the future of the continent's security. In the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, US LNG "played a super-important role" for Europe as the continent sought to lessen its dependence on Russian gas, said Jonathan Elkind, a fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University. But European leaders have been forced to reckon with the current state of the transatlantic alliance in light of Trump's alignment with Russian President Vladimir Putin and tensions with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky. Whether a Russia-Ukraine peace deal might lead to a restoration of some Russian natural gas exports to Europe remains an open question. In the short run, including at CERA, Elkind expects European officials to continue to speak optimistically of the prospects for more US LNG. But "at the back of their mind... it's pretty hard to tell whether Donald Trump is friend or foe and that's a shocking thing to say after 70 years of a close alliance," Elkind said. jmb/dc CHEVRON Shell Scientists say Trump cuts threaten climate research, public safety Washington, March 10 (AFP) Mar 10, 2025 Climate scientist Tom Di Liberto had dreamed of working at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) since college. After more than a decade as a contractor, he finally secured a full-time position nearly two years ago. Last week, he was among hundreds abruptly fired in a sweeping government purge which, critics warn, will delay hurricane forecasts, cripple climate research and disrupt vital fisheries. Still more workers have accepted deferred resignation "buyouts" offered by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, and even deeper cuts are expected imminently. "This is the dream job -- everything I want to do with my life," Di Liberto told AFP. The 40-year-old father of two, who worked on the El Nino-La Nina cycle, was just days short of his two-year anniversary -- a milestone that would have protected him from the first round of probationary workers cuts. "We knew it was coming," he said. "But it's never good to get such a dry, cold, callous email saying you were fired because your skills weren't needed." A NOAA engineer, requesting anonymity for fear of losing her job, said the cuts were already taking a toll. Half of her satellite forecasting team was laid off because they were probationary, meaning malfunctioning satellites won't be restored as quickly. "People won't be evacuated on time from natural disasters," she said. "They could lose property -- or their lives." - Project 2025 - Around 700 NOAA employees -- out of a 12,000-strong workforce -- have been fired, though the agency has not confirmed a final number. According to The New York Times, the total, including resignations, could soon reach 20 percent of staff. The Trump administration appears to be following Project 2025, a conservative policy blueprint that calls NOAA one of the "main drivers of the climate change alarm industry" and proposes breaking it up. It also seeks to privatize the National Weather Service (NWS), forcing Americans to rely on commercial services. "Significant elements of Project 2025 have already been implemented, despite Donald Trump disavowing any knowledge of it," Democratic congressman Jamie Raskin of Maryland told AFP, vowing continued protests and legal action. "This is being carried out in a completely lawless and irresponsible manner." Some of those fired held leadership roles, including Sarah Cooley, 47, who was director of NOAA's Ocean Acidification Program. A longtime academic and nonprofit leader, she said climate science stagnated under Trump's previous term, though states and nonprofits worked to fill the gap. "But at the end of the day, loss of the work at the federal level can have a very extensive effect," she told AFP. While states and philanthropic organizations can fund research, they don't fly planes into hurricanes or maintain oceanographic expeditions -- at least not at NOAA's level, she added. - Flagship climate agency - NOAA scientists play a crucial role in marine conservation and fisheries management, collecting data on fish stocks and monitoring ecosystem changes to set catch limits and other policies. "If they aren't there to do their important jobs, these fisheries may not go forward, they may not open for the year," Gib Brogan, a fisheries expert at nonprofit Oceana, told AFP. He warned that the economic fallout for coastal communities could be severe. But it is NOAA's role as a cornerstone of global climate monitoring that has made it a prime target. "NOAA currently plays a major role as the clearinghouse for global climate data," Zeke Hausfather, a climate scientist at The Breakthrough Institute told AFP. Its datasets inform major climate groups, he said, warning that severe cuts would amount to "willfully blinding ourselves to avoid the uncomfortable truth about the rapid changes the world is experiencing." As uncertainty looms, researchers worldwide are scrambling to preserve NOAA's data. "I am aware of several research groups that have preemptively downloaded the current version of their NOAA datasets of interest to mitigate some of the risks," Leonard Borchert, a climate statistician at the University of Hamburg, told AFP. Switzerland must step up for Geneva-based agencies facing US aid cuts: region chief Geneva, March 10 (AFP) Mar 10, 2025 The Swiss government is not doing enough to defend Geneva-based international organisations and NGOs whose operations are threatened by US President Donald Trump's decision to cut foreign aid, the region's leader said Monday. Nathalie Fontanet, president of Switzerland's Geneva canton, told Le Temps newspaper that the country's image was at stake if the international institutions in the city, and the values they uphold, were weakened by Trump's funding cuts and pullouts. Geneva hosts around 40 international organisations and more than 400 non-governmental organisations. It is home to several major branches of the United Nations, such as its health, refugee, human rights, labour, telecoms, intellectual property and weather agencies, plus other major institutions like the World Trade Organization, the Red Cross and the Global Fund, and NGOs like Doctors Without Borders. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that the United States was cancelling 83 percent of programmes at the US Agency for International Development (USAID). "Given the attack on the values that define the international organisations and NGOs that we welcome on our soil, the few reactions from the Federal Council last Friday do not seem to me to be up to the challenge," Fontanet said, referring to the national government. "I have not heard any reaction or commitment on the threats to multilateralism. Switzerland's image is likely to be weakened or revised if we ultimately let everything that has been built weaken. "The rest of our country must not imagine that this situation and its consequences would only concern Geneva." The canton has proposed providing funding towards NGOs to avoid redundancies. Fontanet said the canton was not looking to provide an economic rescue but support organisations that worked toward things essential to Geneva's international identity, such as the laws of war, the treatment of prisoners and the prohibition of torture. However, she said Geneva ultimately could not fill the financial gap. "We feel very worried... with the withdrawal of the United States, we are witnessing a tsunami," Fontanet said. "No country will be able to compensate for the withdrawal of American funds, which represented an average of 25 percent of the funding of international Geneva organisations." Fontanet said international Geneva represented 36,000 jobs, formed part of the canton's economy and kept hotels, restaurants and shops in business. Any organisations leaving Geneva "will have an effect on the entire economy", she said. "The crisis in international Geneva will inevitably have consequences for the whole country, and of course for the world," she added. Residents evacuated as Guatemalan volcano spews lava, rocks Alotenango, Guatemala, March 10 (AFP) Mar 10, 2025 Guatemalan authorities evacuated around a thousand people on Monday after Central America's most active volcano erupted, spewing lava, ash and rocks. Residents sought safety in a temporary shelter after the Fuego volcano -- located 35 kilometers (22 miles) from the capital Guatemala City -- showed escalating activity on Sunday. "We heard the rumblings and then a strong eruption. We have faith in God... that the activity of the volcano will calm down soon," Manuel Cobox, 46, told AFP after leaving his home with his wife and three daughters. Some 125 families, around 900 people, were moved to safety from the community of El Porvenir, said Juan Laureano, a spokesman for Guatemala's disaster coordination agency, Conred. Residents of another community in Las Lajitas were also evacuated, the official added. Buses brought evacuees carrying belongings to a town hall turned into a temporary shelter. In 2018, 215 people were killed and a similar number left missing as an eruption of the Fuego volcano sent rivers of lava pouring down its sides, devastating the village of San Miguel Los Lotes. Another eruption in 2023 from the 3,763-meter (12,346-foot) Fuego caused the evacuation of around 1,200 people. An alert was issued by the authorities on Sunday in order to coordinate the response and preventive measures, Conred said. The government suspended local school activities and closed a road through the village that links the south of the country to the colonial city of Antigua, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Guatemala's most popular tourist destination. The state-run Volcanology Institute recommended that air traffic take precautions due to ash that has spread about 50 kilometers west of the volcanic cone. Trump's Energy Secretary vows reversal of Biden climate policies Houston, March 10 (AFP) Mar 10, 2025 The US Energy Secretary vowed Monday to reset federal energy policy to favor fossil fuels and deprioritize climate change as industry leaders gathered at their biggest event since President Donald Trump returned to office. In the conference's opening session, Energy Secretary Chris Wright cited the Trump administration's moves to cut red tape delaying oil projects and promote liquefied natural gas exports (LNG) as examples of a pivot away from policies pursued under former president Joe Biden. "The Trump administration will end the Biden administration's irrational quasi-religious policies on climate change that imposed endless sacrifices on our citizens," Wright told a packed auditorium for the annual Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA) conference. Since returning to Washington less than two months ago, Trump and his team have overhauled the existing economic order at a dizzying pace, launching trade wars against allies and hollowing government agencies the president and his allies dislike. Trump made energy policy a central part of his agenda with his day-one "Unleashing American Energy" executive order, promising during his inaugural address to "end the Green New Deal" in favor of "that liquid gold under our feet." Environmentalists have criticized these shifts as leaving the world vulnerable to catastrophic climate change. Wright's "speech made clear that he and the rest of the Trump administration are ready to sacrifice our communities and climate for the profits of the fossil fuel industry," said Allie Rosenbluth, US campaign manager for Oil Change International, which planned a rally in downtown Houston outside the CERA event. - How much change ahead? - Energy played a key supporting role in Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, in which he pointed to higher gasoline prices as a reason more production was needed, embodied by his slogan: "Drill, Baby, Drill." Trump's January 20 executive order represents a potentially wide-ranging attack on tax incentives which had been embraced by energy companies to advance billions of dollars of energy transition projects. These projects were connected to laws enacted during Biden's presidency to mitigate climate change. Some pundits think Trump will stop short of actions canceling existing projects where workers have been hired, including many in conservative districts. But the abrupt shift from the climate-focused Biden to Trump likely "turns 2025 into a paralyzed year where folks are hesitant to push on any kind of decarbonization," said Dan Pickering of Pickering Energy Partners, a Houston advisory and investment firm. Wright described his approach as an "all the above" stance that can include renewable energy, although he told a press conference after the address that offshore wind projects were a waste of money that are "very unpopular" with communities. At an event last week in Louisiana, Wright touted an announcement by Venture Global of an $18 billion expansion of a liquefied natural gas export facility, highlighting Trump's reversal of a Biden freeze on permitting new LNG export capacity. Trump has ridiculed the environmental concerns at the center of Biden's policy, championing LNG exports as a way to strengthen America's ties with energy importing countries. But there has been widespread skepticism about Trump's message urging the industry to significantly boost oil and gas drilling in order to lift output and lower energy prices. Wall Street has also signaled a clear preference for robust industry profits that can continue to allow for dividends and stock buybacks. - Questions for Europe - At CERA, European officials will meet on panels to discuss Europe at a crossroads after shifting away from Russian energy supplies. In the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, US LNG "played a super important role" for Europe as the continent sought to lessen its dependence on Russian gas, said Jonathan Elkind, a fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University. However, Trump's realignment with Russian President Vladimir Putin has forced European leaders to reckon with the system's long-term viability. For the near future, including at CERA, Elkind expects European officials to continue to speak optimistically of the prospects for more US LNG. But "at the back of their mind... it's pretty hard to tell whether Donald Trump is friend or foe and that's a shocking thing to say after 70 years of a close alliance," Elkind said. jmb/jgc CHEVRON Shell Greenpeace 'extremely concerned' about 'toxic hazards' from North Sea crash London, March 10 (AFP) Mar 10, 2025 Greenpeace said it was "extremely concerned" about "multiple toxic hazards" from the North Sea ship collision on Monday, as Lloyd's List revealed that the cargo ship involved was carrying 15 containers of sodium cyanide, a flammable gas. "As more information emerges about what the ships were carrying, we are extremely concerned about the multiple toxic hazards these chemicals could pose to marine life," said Paul Johnston, a senior scientist at the Greenpeace Research Laboratories at Exeter University. "The jet fuel that entered the water close to a breeding ground for harbour porpoises is toxic to fish and other sea creatures," he added. Monday's collision, in which the container vessel Solong hit the tanker Stena Immaculate while it was anchored about 10 miles (16 kilometres) off the coast of Hull, has set off a major pollution alert on the northeastern English coast. Business information service Lloyd's List Intelligence said it understood that the Stena Immaculate was carrying around 220,000 barrels of jet fuel. "The containership was carrying an unknown quantity of alcohol and 15 containers of sodium cyanide," Lloyd's List intelligence added. Tom Webb, senior lecturer in marine ecology and conservation at the University of Sheffield, said the area was known for its rich wildlife including wading birds and waterfowl. "Chemical pollution resulting from incidents of this kind can directly impact birds, and it can also have long-lasting effects on the marine food webs that support them," he said. News / Agriculture by Simbarashe Sithole Contracted tobacco farmers have been warned to shun side marketing by senior agronomist Lazarus Gatawa while urging them to fulfill their contractual obligations and deliver all their crops to the merchant who contracted them and avoid contract default.More than 90% of smallholder tobacco farmers rely on contracted farming inputs.According to Gatawa shunning side marketing will ensure that tobacco contracting business remain vibrant and sustainable to both the contracting and contracted parties."Sidemarketing is a form of contract default where contracted farmers sell their tobacco to third parties in breach of the contractual agreement which states that tobacco shall only be sold to or bought by the contractor who provided inputs to the grower," he said."It has far-reaching negative impacts on the overall contract farming framework and its value chain. Perpetrators of sidemarketing can be the farmers themselves, illegal buyers called _Makoronyera_ or some licensed contracting companies who buy tobacco from farmers who are not contracted to them. Farmers are being advised to desist from being hoodwinked by rogue tobacco buyers who approach them at their farms with unscrupulous pricing incentives," Gatawa said.It is an offence to sidemarket your tobacco as regulated by the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Act (Chapter 18:20) and also promulgated by the statutory instrument 77 of 2022 that prohibits sidemarketing of tobacco."Tobacco produced in Zimbabwe is among the best in the world in terms of its Quality and more than 3 million people in the country depend on tobacco production for their livelihoods. Sidemarketing will affect the business of contracting companies as they will not be able to recover debt from financed growers thereby reducing their capacity to procure enough inputs for the coming season and their potential to register more farmers. The cost of tobacco production is spiraling hence the defaulting farmers will find it difficult to self finance in the succeeding 2025-2026 season thereby affecting their productivity. Farmers are also being encouraged to embrace the agronomy advice that they receive from their local agriculture extension officers and sponsoring Company Leaftechs to improve their production efficiency. Non contracted farmers are being advised to sell their tobacco only to the Auction Floors," he added.However, amidst this optimism, the TIMB has issued a stern warning against side marketing, a practice that undermines the integrity of Zimbabwe's tobacco industry."Farmers who receive financial and input support from contractors are expected to sell their crops to them as per contractual agreements, while self-financed growers should take their tobacco to the auction floors. Yet, some growers attempt to bypass this system, selling to unauthorised buyers or at unapproved selling points," said TIMB in a statementTobacco companies are being encouraged to collaborate on any detected forms of sidemarketing. A plea is being made to TIMB Inspectorate Department to get more tough with sidemarketing perpetrators and illegal buyers to ensure zero tolerance to sidemarketing and protect the tobacco industry from turning into a haphazard arena. 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 Amanda Seyfried recalled the horrifying moment her dress started truly falling apart at an awards ceremony and how Glen Powell helped her through it. The Mamma Mia! star said her vintage Dior Haute Couture gown for the 2023 Critics Choice Awards gave up on her, forcing the actor into an awkward situation. My boobs fell out of my dress at the 2023 Critics Choice Awards, Seyfried told People magazine. I was wearing this amazing vintage dress. I made my stylist dress up in it before I went just for fun. It was kind of sewn together and it started truly falling apart, literally falling off of me on the red carpet, and I think there were even interviews where I am saying its breaking off. open image in gallery Amanda Seyfried told People magazine her vintage Dior gown for the 2023 Critics Choice Awards started truly falling apart ( Getty Images for Critics Choice ) open image in gallery Amanda Seyfried at the 28th Annual Critics Choice Awards at Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles ( Getty Images for Critics Choice ) Seyfried did in fact speak to Access Hollywood that night about her Dior gown. Its old, it keeps breaking, she said. It keeps ripping. I am actually not kidding, it keeps breaking. As one of the sleeves fell down her arm, she teased: Im just going to take off my dress. It keeps ripping. Its fine. Literally its fine. Honestly, its old, its beautiful! But as Seyfried was chatting with Twisters star Glen Powell sometime later that night, her worst fears about the dress came true. I was talking to Glen Powell in the corner near my table and we were joking around about something, and I lifted my arms up and my boobs were just out. My dress fell apart, she said in the new interview. We both screamed, and like the gentleman he is, he covered me. He didnt lookI think. None of us were expecting that, but that dress had truly just given up. open image in gallery Seyfried says Glen Powell was a gentleman the night her dress fell apart at the 2023 Critics Choice awards ( Getty Images for Critics Choice ) The night did not end too badly for Seyfried, who won the award for best actress in a limited series or movie made for TV for her portrayal of Elizabeth Holmes, the disgraced founder of biotechnology company Theranos, in The Dropout. That left the Jennifers Body star in another bind as she needed to go up on stage to take the award. I ended up wearing someone else's jacket on stage. Because, well, it would've just been my boobs. open image in gallery Seyfried revealed that she ended up wearing someone else's jacket on stage because her dress fell apart at the awards ( Getty Images for Critics Choice ) The Mean Girls alum, who lives in upstate New York with her husband Thomas Sadoski and their two children, shared last year that her mental health was behind her moving away from Hollywood. I moved upstate long before I had a family. Staying here was the best decision for privacy, peace and nature. It offers a more balanced life than the city does, she told Forbes about her farm in the Catskills. Seyfried said that because her upstate house was a peaceful place to call home, it was easier for her to acclimate to the faster lifestyle of the city, the high-energy of press events and life on set required for her career. She admitted there was a learning curve to living on her farm at first, specifically because she had to take care of so many different animals. However, she still finds the experience exhilarating and it gives her so much purpose. 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 Cate Blanchett has shared the daily morning ritual thats keeping her sane amid her busy work schedule. The Tar actor, 55, who admitted she only manages to cram in four hours of sleep a night, said she and her husband, playwright Andrew Upton, start every day with a bracing ice bath. Cold-water immersions are increasingly popular with A-listers, with celebrities from Joe Rogan to Jennifer Anniston adopting the practice to reduce stress and improve overall well being. Speaking to The Guardian, Blanchett explained: The only thing keeping me remotely sane at the moment is getting into cold water every day. I get up and get in. Five minutes and it just brings everything back down. Because you have to connect with where you are. When asked whether the experience was uncomfortable, the Carol actor remarked the pain is nothing compared to the experience of childbirth. You just have to breathe and be there. You can resist that pain or you can surrender to it. And Ive done it long enough now that I can return to that place during the day. Otherwise, you know, my brains like a Pac-Man, she added. open image in gallery Cate Blanchett has revealed she spends every morning in an ice bath to keep herself sane ( Getty ) Blanchett revealed she, her husband and their four children spent New Year in the Arctic, cutting a hole in the ice and jumping in despite -30C conditions. It was fabulous, she said. Everythingpaused. The actor explained having an ice bath every morning puts her in the right mindset for the rest of her hectic day. I always think you have to start as you mean to continue, she said. I think thats true of relationships, friendships, any enterprise. Its a new day. And Im just trying to start my day as I mean to continue connected and open-hearted. Thats what Im trying to do. When asked if the practice is working, Blanchett admitted it is a monumental challenge to remain open. My job is to connect. And there are a lot of nefarious actors at the moment striving for us to separate ourselves from each other, she said. Its not my daily protest, but it was a magical holiday. open image in gallery The Carol star only gets four hours sleep a night and bathes in ice for five minutes at the start of each day ( Getty Images ) Though bathing in ice and related cryotherapy practices have been documented as far back as 3500 BCE, experts are still divided over the potential benefits. Some research has found ice baths improve cardiovascular function, reduce inflammation and support mental wellbeing by alleviating stress and enhancing mood. However, one 2025 study found that participants inflammation levels actually increased in the hour after taking an ice bath. Additionally, although participants stress levels reduced significantly in the 12 hours after taking the ice bath, a significant reduction was not seen immediately, one hour, 24 hours or 48 hours after immersion. Whether you are an elite athlete or everyday wellness seeker its important to understand the effects of what you put your body through, researcher Tara Cain said. Right now, there isnt enough high-quality research to say exactly who benefits most or what the ideal approach is to cold-water immersion. More long-term studies, among more diverse populations, are needed to understand its lasting effects and practical applications. 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 Earlier this week, First Lady Melania Trump strode into the U.S. Capitol on a mission. She was there to lobby for a new online safety bill aimed at protecting children from revenge porn. It was her first solo public appearance since she resumed the role of first lady on January 20, and she made sure to arrive in style. The 54-year-old opted against a skirt and blouse, instead donning a camel-colored Ralph Lauren suit with a black ribbon tie, pointed lapels, collared shirt, and a matching vest. Over the past few months, Melania has been power-dressing to the max, styling menswear designs with feminine touches. Its been a far cry from the wardrobe we saw in her first stint as FLOTUS when she wore a powder blue wrap coat dress to the 2016 inauguration, tucked skinny-leg khakis into knee-high boots at the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Campaign, and teamed hot pink pumps with a banana yellow cape for the NATO Leaders Summit in 2019. Now, shes twinning in a tuxedo alongside her husband for black-tie events at the White House. On February 22, the Slovenia-born former model joined Donald Trump as he hosted the National Governors Association annual dinner. The two were photographed holding hands in their matching getup on the red carpet, prompting some social media commentators to suggest, Well, we know who wears the pants in the relationship. open image in gallery On a mission: Melania wore a camel-colored Ralph Lauren suit to the U.S. Capitol to lobby for a new bill aimed at protecting children online ( AFP via Getty Images ) For her official White House portrait, Melania posed in a single-breasted Dolce & Gabbana black twill tuxedo jacket, a satin cummerbund, a white shirt, and single-pleated matching pants. The official image, printed in black-and-white, showed her in a power pose, leaning over a reflective desk. Melania Trump Cosplays The Apprentice read Vogues headline analyzing the shot. Even for her first official appearance as the new FLOTUS, she opted for an elongated suit coat by Adam Lippes and a wide-brimmed top hat by Eric Javits. open image in gallery Twinning: Donald and Melania wore matching tuxedos to the National Governors Association annual dinner on February 22 ( REUTERS ) So, whats behind this new menswear obsession? Is Melania sending a message to her husband and his conservative base a proverbial middle finger to the Andrew Tate-following alpha male wannabes? Shes using her fashion to communicate something, says Graves. I dont think its a huge departure from what she was wearing [during her first four years as FLOTUS]. Its more of an evolution. Melanias been known to communicate her feelings through clothing in the past. In fact, she silently campaigned against the publics perception of her when she wore a sweatshirt with I really dont care, do you? emblazoned on the back seven years ago. It was for the people and for the left-wing media who are criticizing me, she said of her sweaters note at the time. I want to show them I don't care. open image in gallery Melania Trumps official 2025 White House Portrait showed her in a power pose, leaning over a large reflective desk ( Regine Mahaux/The White House ) Graves thinks Melanias penchant for menswear now conveys a new message, one that reflects her intentions for the next four years. Shes signaling, Im in business. Im not just a pretty face. Im here to do a job. Meanwhile, Albert Varkki, fashion expert and the co-founder of the luxury leather goods brand Von Baer, believes Melanias fashion is a reflection of a broader cultural shift in power dressing and a redefinition of classic femininity in political contexts. Women have been using menswear as a means to establish dominance and mutual respect since they first took over working-class jobs during the Industrial Revolution and when men were forced to leave their factory jobs for the Second World War, leaving their female counterparts to fill their positions. Menswear-inspired looks, historically linked to symbols of power and dominance, helped Melania build an image that was at once enigmatic and unattainable, highlighting her presence without frill, Varkki notes. While the tailoring of her clothes may be slim as opposed to the looser menswear silhouette, shes refusing to live in societys outdated definition of femininity in which women are the dainty and quiet accessories to powerful men. Shes wearing trousers to be different. Shes saying, Im an equal, Graves explains. open image in gallery Melanias wide-brimmed hat at her husbands inauguration spawned countless memes after Donald struggled to reach her cheek for a kiss ( Getty Images ) That said, Graves doesnt believe Melanias cross-dressing is a campaign against her husband or his views on gender norms. I feel like Donald Trump is a very alpha male, and would expect him to have, a beautiful, in whichever way you define beauty, someone feminine to kind of counterbalance that energy, Graves said. And Melania wearing a suit is not necessarily going against that. I think she's strategically styling those stronger codes in a very feminine way. So she still fits into that. I think if she was trying to be masculine, she wouldn't be doing it this way wearing heels and an open shirt. It reminds me of Tom Ford in the 1990s, she continued. She's just kind of changing the codes without taking that feminine side away. 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 Strictly Come Dancing star Shirley Ballas is today urging women to check their breasts for cancer and attend screening appointments. The dancing judge is joined by broadcasters Julia Bradbury and Victoria Derbyshire in the new campaign by Breast Cancer Now and Cancer Research UK. The trio urge women to get screened for the disease in a series of personal letters and videos for the NHS campaign. Breast cancer is more treatable when caught early. NHS figures show more than four in 10 (46.3 per cent) women invited for the first time to be screened ignore their letter, while fewer than two thirds of all eligible women attended screening within six months of invitation in 2022/23. The new campaign supported by Breast Cancer Now and Cancer Research UK launches with a new advert across TV, radio and online. In her letter to all women invited for NHS breast screening, Ballas said: I am 64 years old, and I am in pretty good health. I believe that everybody should go for their breast screening, as Ive had many scares when its come to various other cancers. Its extremely important that every woman saves the date when their breast screening letter comes through the door. Make it a priority. open image in gallery Julia Bradbury who herself has fought cancer ( Explore/PA ) So many times we leave things because were too busy with our lives. We dont always want to get things done there and then. I think its vital to be vigilant, ladies, make sure you get to your appointment. And, of course, routinely do your self-checking, and if you find any little lump or other changes, get yourself off to the doctor immediately. But remember, you dont need any symptoms at all to go for a screening as it can detect cancer before you can even feel it. It might just save your life. In her letter, Bradbury said the sooner breast cancer is detected, the better the outcomes and the more effective the treatment can be. She added: Not being screened doesnt mean the cancer goes away. I know from personal experience that its always better to know. I discovered a lump, I got checked and it was cancer. A lump doesnt always mean you have cancer, but my lump was cancerous. If I hadnt been diagnosed, I may not be here today. So Im asking you to please take up this important invitation, even if you have no symptoms. According to the NHS, thousands more breast cancers could be detected earlier in England if more women were screened. If screening attendance could be improved to 80 per cent of those eligible in 2025/26, nearly a million more women (around 925,000) could be screened, compared to 2022/23, it said. open image in gallery Victoria Derbyshire ( Getty Images ) This would mean an extra 7,500 breast cancers detected at an earlier stage, when they are more treatable. In her letter, Derbyshire said she has undergone screening multiple times and found it painless. She added: My motivation was to make sure any irregularities were picked up because the earlier breast cancer is detected, the greater the chance of survival. When I was diagnosed, I thought I wouldnt get to see my two little boys grow up (then aged eight and 11). I thought I wouldnt get to grow old with my partner Mark. Im still here thanks to the skill of the NHS 2025 will be 10 years since I was diagnosed. Breast screening might just help save your life. Please go. A survey of 2,000 women for the campaign found almost 40 per cent rarely or never talk about breast screening with their female friends and family, and almost a quarter (24 per cent) said they would not attend if they did not already have symptoms like a lump. More than a fifth (21 per cent) said embarrassment at being topless in front of someone would prevent them from attending, while 18.5 per cent are concerned about screening being painful. However, 83.2 per cent overall said they would attend breast screening if they were invited. NHS national cancer director, Dame Cally Palmer, said: Breast screening detects breast cancers earlier and saves lives but we know for many women there can be lots of reasons why they might be reluctant to come forward, or why its not top of the priority list in their very busy lives. Thats why the NHS has today launched its first-ever campaign to support more women to make the most of breast screening and to address some of the misgivings and misconceptions they might have. We hope that by hearing other womens stories, it will reassure them and remind them why screening is so important. Claire Rowney, chief executive of Breast Cancer Now, said: Were absolutely thrilled at NHS Englands announcement today that theyre funding the first-ever breast screening awareness campaign to encourage more women to attend breast screening when invited. News / National by Staff reporter Three Zimbabwean nationals accused of kidnapping a Cape Town man and demanding R5m ransom appeared in the Stellenbosch Regional court on Monday.Luckmore Tawanda Muzhira, Takudzwa Trust Nzounhenda and Itai Elvis Takawira face charges of assault, extortion, robbery and kidnapping. The matter has been postponed to March 14 for a formal bail application. The trio, aged 28, 35 and 39 were arrested on Friday during a multi-disciplinary intelligence-led operation involving the Hawks the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation and the Police's Provincial Organised Crime, Hostage Negotiation Team (HNT) and Boland K9 Unit.Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Siyabulela Vukubi said the team was following up on a complaint that the victim who was visiting a shop in Stellenbosch last Thursday did not return home. Vukubi said the family received a ransom demand in the millions and that a video was also sent to them of the loved one, whose hands were tied and was blindfolded."It was reported that the family received a WhatsApp message whereby the sender stated that he knew the whereabouts of the victim and demanded R100 000.00 in exchange for his location," he explained."The sender of the message further claimed to be a middleman and mentioned that the kidnappers were demanding R5 million but that he personally needed R100 000.00 fearing for the victim's life. "On the same day, the victim's brother allegedly received another WhatsApp message containing a video showing the victim with his hands tied and eyes blindfolded. Further threatening messages followed, warning that the victim would be killed."Vukubi added that their quick-thinking team managed to rescue the man from his kidnappers. The victim was left injured but stable. "Meticulous investigation by the multi-disciplinary team led to the identification of two suspected vehicles on February 28," he detailed."One of the suspected vehicles, a black VW, was stopped by the Boland K9 Unit near Stellenbosch. The victim was found inside the vehicle and was rescued. "He was taken to hospital for medical examination with serious head injuries." 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 Mum, I need eyelash serum, said my daughter over breakfast. I was shocked. You dont need eyelash serum, I told her. You are six years old. It was the straw that broke the camels back. I didnt bat an eyelid when she asked if we could buy her friend, also six, a Charlotte Tilbury Hypnotising Pop Shot for Christmas I assumed it was more about the sparkly gold case the product was in. Nor did I mind when she wanted a Disney princess eyeshadow palette, or a cute rabbit-shaped Inuwet vegan lip balm, which are scented and free from parabens but look just like lipstick. Weve had cheap and cheerful kids makeup sets from Amazon. Ive even purchased the pricey French brand Nailmatics nail polish that washes away with warm, soapy water and is safe for children to use as well as other non-toxic makeup from Miss Nella. But a product to make her eyelashes appear longer, thicker and healthier? Its too much. Now Liberty wants to host her birthday next month at Claires the holy grail for young, fashion-minded children for a makeover and catwalk party before the store opens to the public on a Sunday morning. Im tempted to give in. After all, makeup has always been a normal part of pretend play for children. But something is different about Gen Alpha (meaning those born after 2010). Theyre known as Sephora kids a term used to describe the current trend of young children, tweens and teens absolutely obsessed with skincare. Beauty-themed birthdays have become a staple on the Gen Alpha party circuit, and Im boycotting them. Ive had enough of spa parties and makeover sleepovers. Sephora, Glossier and other beauty retailers in the US are reportedly hosting birthday parties for kids albeit informally. Mums have claimed that children can take spins in the makeup chair, watch makeup tutorials in-store and go away with goody bags stuffed with brand samples. Social media is driving the Sephora kids epidemic, as beauty brands and pre-teen influencers fight for the attention of Gen Alpha children as young as seven are now sharing their skincare routines on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. According to dermatologists, pre-teens are demanding their parents buy them 50 moisturisers as they adopt adult skincare regimens. Children as young as 10 have been found to be using anti-ageing products, too, containing ingredients such as retinol, exfoliating acids, toners and serums designed to minimise the effects of ageing. It has sparked heated debate. Some claim its harmless fun, while others, including dermatologists, are up in arms, arguing that young skin is too new and delicate for aggressive adult skincare products that could damage it and make it extra vulnerable to the sun. There is also huge concern over the potential impact on childrens mental health in their quest for flawless faces and contoured features. Interestingly, a new bill has just been proposed in California that would ban the sale of skincare products containing retinoids or alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs). Even if it got passed, Im sure kids would find a way to buy these things online or rely on busy parents to provide them. open image in gallery Social media is driving the Sephora kids epidemic, as young kids, tweens, and teens adopt complex skincare regimes ( Getty/The Independent ) We have entered an era where girlhood is being sold back to us in aesthetic skincare bottles and excessive self-care regimes, says Ellen Atlanta, the author of 2024s Pixel Flesh: How Toxic Beauty Harms Women. It is no longer enough for children to be children; they must now be beautiful and photogenic too. The beauty industry engineered by billion-dollar conglomerates has extended its reach into the most tender years of life, convincing six-year-olds they need skincare treatments, that glowing up is an obligation, and that beauty is not just an asset, but a necessity. It is not harmless fun, thats for sure. This is an industry that thrives on eroding self-esteem young, ensuring a lifelong dependency on its products. Atlanta believes that all of this is contributing to the death of teenage girlhood, as the bridge between childhood and adulthood gets shorter and shorter. Instead of pushing boundaries, taking risks, learning who we are and what we like, what were capable of and what we demand, were learning how much acid will burn our skin and how many millilitres of poison we can safely inject into our heads, she says. If the first lesson of girlhood is that beauty is power, then what does it mean when a generation of children is raised believing their bare face is a flaw to be corrected? We are not just losing innocence; we are losing the right to exist beyond the cosmetic gaze. Dr Denish Shah, founder of Georgia State Universitys Social Media Intelligence Lab in the US, says Gen Alpha have emerged as a very attractive target segment for companies selling beauty products, with social media platforms being the most obvious go-to channel for influencing their purchase behaviour. open image in gallery The trend towards young children using multiple skincare products is worrying, particularly when they contain ingredients designed for older or ageing skin ( TikTok ) The majority of teens and tweens of today have owned smartphones since age 10 and spend multiple hours browsing content (primarily videos) on social media platforms, he says. The insecurities contribute to tweens and teens seeking beauty remedies in social media content, and beauty product companies to ramp up marketing through influencers and social media campaigns. Consequently, he points out, all potential problems associated with appearance-related insecurities are at risk of getting amplified, such as lower self-esteem, negative self-thoughts, eating disorders, and depression. This also contributes to younger consumers increasingly prioritising the purchase of beauty products with the goal of presenting an ideal curated image of themselves online. A recent YouGov poll showed that 46 per cent of six to 11-year-olds have an active social media account, despite the age restriction, and early exposure to social media means that Gen Alpha tends to be more image-conscious than older generations, which makes them easy prey. Dr Emma Wedgeworth, a consultant dermatologist and member of the British Cosmetic Dermatology Group says that the trend towards young children using multiple skincare products is worrying, particularly when they contain ingredients designed for older or ageing skin. Part of the problem is that often products are chosen for the wrong reasons [such as] the look of the packaging, the name of the product, [and] things going viral on TikTok, she says. So they may well be using products like acids or retinoids without even knowing they are in those products. In the last two years, she says shes overheard eight and nine-year-olds talking about using serums, face masks and eye creams, on top of a standard cleanser and moisturiser. This isnt something weve seen before, she says, adding that childrens skin has a very different physiology to adults, particularly before puberty. Using inappropriate skincare can lead to irritation, breakdown of skin barrier, eczema and sensitisation. Exposing children to these sorts of products early in life could increase the risk of contact allergic dermatitis in later life. open image in gallery Early exposure to social media means that Gen Alpha tends to be more image-conscious than older generations ( Getty/iStock ) While experimenting with makeup now and again is fine, she says, she warns against allowing younger children to use it on a regular basis. And that, most of all, we shouldnt promote unrealistic or narrow beauty standards to children. Young children and teenagers are just developing their sense of self and their identity. Its a very formative stage for the development of self-esteem and confidence. However, by targeting the Gen Alpha demographic early on, brands have a chance to establish long-term customers. Its a slippery slope from Claires 4.50 7th Heaven Marshmallow Fluff Hydrating Mask to Sephoras 46 Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Serum, with sodium hyaluronate. Thats why Im stepping back from it all. Children shouldnt feel under pressure to look perfect or be led to believe certain products, or even parties, make them more popular or attractive. Weve got to teach them that appearance doesnt equal value. 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 Spring is just around the corner, if the recent arrival of blue skies and warmer weather is anything to go by. With longer and brighter days finally here after a long winter, how does the increased exposure to daylight influence our mood and energy levels? In short - most people find they are more productive at this time of year than during the cold, dark months of winter. Whether youre finally tackling that long-postponed project or adopting a more energised daily routine, heres how the longer daylight hours of spring can act as a powerful catalyst for both productivity and personal growth. How does exposure to more natural light in spring affect our mood and energy levels? From an evolutionary point of view, bad weather posed danger: the darker days meant survival was riskier, [it was] harder to reproduce and, therefore, harder to evolve. So, it makes sense that the natural light and longer days offer some relief and lifts our mood, says Dr Ashleigh Johnstone, senior lecturer in psychology at Arden University. But we havent just evolved this way, biology backs this up too. open image in gallery Natural light is proven to boost mood ( PA ) Exposure to more natural light in spring boosts mood and energy levels as it increases our serotonin supplies a neurotransmitter thats linked to happiness and wellbeing, explains Johnstone. The brighter season also helps regulate our circadian rhythms, leading to better sleep and improved alertness. The increased sunlight exposure triggers vitamin D production, which has also been linked to improving our mood and reducing symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which is prominent in the winter months. And naturally, when the sun is shining, were much more inclined and motivated to get outside and be active. This, again, boosts our mood as we feel more productive and are more likely to be connecting with nature, adds Johnstone. Can the change in seasons, such as the transition from winter to spring, impact our mental clarity, motivation, or cognitive function? Although there are a number of other factors, it has been shown that longer daylight hours, especially when [we are] able to get outside, as well as warmer temperatures can enhance our cognitive function, motivation, and mental clarity by reducing seasonal affective symptoms associated with darker mornings and shorter daylight hours, says Dr Rachael Molitor, a chartered psychologist and lecturer at Coventry University. Dr Lalitaa Suglani, psychologist and author of High Functioning Anxiety agrees and adds: Yes, I see this with clients where longer, brighter days signal the brain to be more alert and active, changing our mood. Higher dopamine levels in spring can enhance motivation, focus, and cognitive flexibility, making tasks feel more achievable. How does the shift to spring impact our sleep/wake patterns, and how does this influence productivity? open image in gallery Sleep is still essential for productivity ( PA ) More daylight suppresses melatonin earlier, helping us wake up naturally and feel more energised, highlights Suglani. Better sleep quality and earlier wake times improve cognitive function, decision-making, and productivity. If we think about it, we are coming out of what used to be a space of hibernation, into spring. Here are some ways to harness the energy of spring to improve your productivity Have your morning coffee outside When you wake up, go outside and have your coffee, and take in the light, recommends Suglani. Wake up earlier for a walk Getting up a little bit earlier in spring can allow us to get outside in the sun before we start our working day, says Johnstone. If you work from home, you can get out for a 10-minute walk before you get started, or if you work close to home then you could consider walking rather than driving. This bit of activity can get the blood pumping and leave you feeling mentally refreshed and ready to seize the day. Tackle complex tasks in the morning There is no one-size-fits-all, but some may find that tackling complex work tasks during peak energy hours in the morning works best for them, so they can use afternoons for collaborative or creative tasks, says Johnstone. Work near a window Maximise daylight exposure by working near windows, suggests Suglani. Declutter Decluttering workspaces to create a more open plan and lighter environment can also help maintain momentum, says Molitor. Do some creative tasks outside You can also do your creative tasks outside with the sunlight boosting our creativity, it may help to get things flowing, suggests Johnstone. Set new goals and refresh routines Spring is ideal for goal-setting, habit formation, and refreshing routines for sustained motivation, especially as our bodies now are flourishing from the change in light impacting our circadian rhythms the rhythms that tell your body when to sleep and when to wake up, says Suglani. 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 Krispy Kreme will be giving away free donuts for one year this St. Patricks Day. On March 17, the donut chain is randomly selecting multiple guests at participating Krispy Kreme locations to win a Pot of Gold Pass. Customers with this pass will be able to receive a free box of glazed donuts every month from April 2025 through March 2026. Krispy Kreme will also be giving away one free glazed donut on St. Patricks Day through March 22 to anyone who walks in or uses the drive-thru by wearing the color green. In honor of the upcoming holiday, the donut chain is launching four new flavors on Monday. If youre planning any holiday shenanigans and you should our St. Patricks Day Collection will make them more festive and fun, Dave Skena, Chief Growth Officer for Krispy Kreme said in a news release. The new flavors are a Pot of Gold donut, an Over the Rainbow donut, a Choco-Shenanigans donut, and a St. Pattys Swirl donut. The Pot of Gold donut is a glazed donut dipped in caramel icing and topped with caramel buttercream and gold coin glitter sprinkles. The Over the Rainbow donut is an unglazed donut with a cake batter filling, dipped in light green icing and topped with rainbow sprinkles in addition to a sugar rainbow. The Choco-Shenanigans donut is filled with white Kreme dipped in chocolate icing and topped with a drizzle of green icing and gold coin glitter sprinkles. The St. Pattys Swirl donut is a glazed donut dipped in white icing, topped with a green icing swirl, and dipped in white and gold sanding sugar. Krispy Kreme will also be selling their Original Glazed donut again which is a glazed donut dyed green from March 15 to March 17. They can be purchased individually or by the dozen. This is not the first time Krispy Kreme have handed out a huge amount of their sweet treats for free, as one mom in Alabama found out earlier this year. open image in gallery Lucky customers could win a box of glazed donuts every month for a year this St. Patricks Day ( Getty Images ) Back in January, Shanya Bennett gave birth to her son Dallas in a Krispy Kreme parking lot in Dothan, Alabama, according to local news station WTVY. Bennet and the babys father, Keon Mitchell, were forced to stop at the bakery because the mothers contractions became more frequent. The initial drive to the hospital was also taking too long due to the icy roads in the city after a major snowstorm. The Krispy Kreme shop wasnt yet open when Dallas made his appearance in the parking lot. The company, however, is still giving Mitchell, Bennett, and Baby Dallas a sweet deal: Free donuts for a year from the store in Dothan. In addition, they offered to host Dallas first birthday party in 2026, WTVY reported. The store didnt stop there, however, and have offered to cover the childs birthday parties until he is 18, telling People: Krispy Kreme is sweetening the familys a-glaze-ing celebration by throwing Dallas a birthday party every year until hes all grown up! 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 Michael Sheen has paid off 1m worth of debt for neighbours in his local community of Port Talbot. The move was part of a two-year project to highlight issues with the current credit system, as part of forthcoming documentary, Michael Sheens Secret Million Pound Giveaway. The 56-year-old Good Omens star purchased the credit for 100,000 from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and wiped off debt to the value of 1m, to help over 900 people in south Wales where he grew up. In one scene, Sheen, who has been advocating for the impact of debt on peoples lives for years, talks to a woman in a cafe who tells him locals had been crying at these tables following the closure of a blast furnace. With steelworkers losing their jobs, Sheen said he cant walk away. Were sitting in a cafe at the moment, with steelworks right behind us, and the ladies who work here, before we started filming, told me that tomorrow is the last ship, the last boat coming into the dock here to deliver stuff to the steelworks, the actor says in the clip. And theyve described people sitting in here just crying at these tables. So it couldnt be more real, how much people are hurting. Its made me realise that this is youve got to give it a chance, youve got to give it a go, and maybe this programme will make a tiny difference, or maybe it wont, but I cant walk away from it now. He sets up a debt-buying business after working with Roland Roberts, a former director of a debt collection company. In the documentary, Sheen meets Labour MP Lloyd Hatton to learn more about the proposed Fair Banking Act. He also meets former prime minister Gordon Brown, who says he will help him have the kind of meetings that are necessary to make change. Star announced he would be a not-for-profit actor in 2021 ( Getty Images ) Born in Newport, Sheen moved to Port Talbot when he was eight years old. Moving out of the area to make his career, the star returned home over ten years ago and has been living there ever since. Earlier this year, he launched the Welsh National Theatre, hoping to usher in a new dawn. His mother was a secretary and his father a factory middle manager, but Sheen said he was too obsessed with his career when he was younger to notice the impact of policies by Margaret Thatcher, which impacted working-class communities, he told The Guardian. Sheen announced he was a not-for-profit actor in 2021, based on his commitment to reinvest his earnings to social causes. Part of the change came when he returned to Port Talbot over a decade ago to perform in The Passion. I was learning about what was going on that I was totally unaware of, growing up, he said of the experience, after coming into contact with hundreds of locals. 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 Michigan woman told her friend she was going to meet up with her husband one night in 2021. She was never seen or heard from again. Dee Warner, 52, was reported missing on April 25, 2021. Months later, her husband, Dale John Warner, was charged with open murder and tampering with evidence in her disappearance. Three years later, after countless searches, Warners remains were found on August 18, 2024, entombed in a large anhydrous ammonia tank that was hidden inside a barn in Lenawee County on property owned by her husband. Both Dale Warner and his son, 28-year-old Jaron Dale Warner, appeared in court on Monday, just a week after the younger Warner was arraigned on charges of tampering with evidence and accessory after the fact, according to Michigan State Police. open image in gallery Dale Warner is set to stand trial on September 2, 2025 for the murder of his wife Dee Warner ( WDIV ) During the court hearing for Jaron Warner, who is Dee Warners stepson, a judge scheduled his preliminary examination for April 4, 2025. He is free on a $125,000 bond. Dale Warner also made an appearance, where his attorneys filed a motion to dismiss his tampering with evidence charge, arguing that evidence was not presented during the preliminary examination to explain why he was hit with the charge and that prosecutors were attempting a trial by ambush, ClickonDetroit reported. The judge overseeing the case said he would release his written decision at a later date. Dale Warner is set to stand trial on September 2, 2025. Heres everything we know about the case: Dee Warners disappearance Dee Warner, a mother of five, who ran a trucking company and a farming business, was 52 years old when she was last seen on the morning of April 25, 2021, on a road in Franklin Township, south of Detroit. According to police information and court records, Warner was planning to discuss divorce with her husband before authorities suspect he killed her. Lenawee County Sheriff Troy Bevier then told Dateline in 2022 that there had been a business dispute on the night she disappeared between her, Dale Warner and one or two of their employees. open image in gallery Dee Warner went missing in 2021. Her body wasnt found until August 2024 ( Jacob Hamilton | The Ann Arbor News ) Dale Warner admitted to fighting with his wife about money and infidelity, but cops said at the time that every statement he made on the subject was inconsistent. Despite extensive searches, including excavations at the property, K9-led efforts, and ground sonar, it took years for her body to be found. Human remains found in tank Police found Warners remains inside a large anhydrous tank that was hidden inside a barn in Lenawee County. The property belonged to her husband, but it wasnt where she lived before her disappearance, police said. It was about four miles from their home on Mugner Road in Tipton. Searches were conducted at several of Dale Warners properties, but its unclear if the one where Warners body was found was searched previously. Her brother, Gregg Hardy, told ClickonDetroit that he had asked authorities to look in the tanks because he believed his sisters body was hidden inside. open image in gallery Dee Warners husband was arrested shortly after her disappearance and is charged with her murder ( LENAWEE COUNTY JAIL ) In the dark of night, in a building that had no cameras -- slide her body in there, put the end cap back on it, and weld it completely shut, Hardy said. Then attach that to a chassis, paint it, even have the gall to put his logo on it to make it look like it was normal, and then took it and stored it with other tanks so it would look like it was just another one of the fleet. He said investigators showed his family an X-ray of the tank with a body inside of it. It was a sealed, empty tank meant for anhydrous ammonia, which is used as fertilizer for crops. The tank where Warners body was found, described by Hardy as a steel tomb, had been sealed with a tag that said: do not use. There were no chemicals inside the tank. 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 Efforts by the Menendez brothers to be released from prison hit another roadblock this week when Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said he would not recommend resentencing because he believes they have not taken full responsibility for the murders of their parents and that their self-defense claims are a litany of lies. Erik and Lyle Menendez have maintained that the shotgun slayings of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, at their Beverly Hills home in 1989 were committed in self-defense. The brothers were convicted in 1996 and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Hochman, who took office in December, asked the court to withdraw the resentencing motion filed last year by then-District Attorney George Gascon, who advocated for the brothers to receive a sentence that would make them eligible for parole. The District Attorneys Office is prepared to proceed forward with the hearing on the Courts initiation of resentencing proceedings for the Menendez brothers but we are requesting that the prior District Attorneys motion for resentencing be withdrawn, Hochman said in a statement. Speaking at a news conference Monday, Hochman said his decision hinged on whether the brothers had exhibited insight and complete responsibility into lies told during their original trial, including their original claims that they did not kill their parents. open image in gallery Erik and Lyle Menendez have maintained that the 1989 slayings of their parents were committed in self-defense ( AP ) Hochman, who opposed the brothers request for a new trial last month, said he would reconsider his position if they showed an unequivocal admission that they have lied to everyone for the past 30 years. Erik and Lyle Menendez first claimed they were innocent in the killings, but during their trials, they admitted responsibility, and their attorneys argued they should not be convicted of premeditated murder, claiming the siblings carried out the killings because they feared for their lives after enduring sexual abuse by their father. Despite the DAs opposition, the court can still proceed with a resentencing hearing that is scheduled to begin March 20. Family members of the Menendez brothers slammed the DAs opposition, according to a statement provided to CNN. open image in gallery Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, who took office in December, asked the court to withdraw the resentencing motion filed last year by then-District Attorney George Gascon ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) District Attorney Hochman made it clear today he is holding Erik, Lyle, and our family hostage, a statement from the family-led Justice for Erik and Lyle Coalition reads. He appears fixated on their trauma-driven response to the killings in 1989 with blinders on to the fact they were repeatedly abused, feared for their lives, and have atoned for their actions. In the statement, the family accused Hochman of having political motivations for his resistance and slammed the prosecutors not-so-veiled insistence they were not sexually abused. He instead sent a message to every young boy whos the victim of abuse that they should not come forward or tell your truth. Because hes demanding as much out of Erik and Lyle right now. open image in gallery The brothers were were convicted in 1996 and sentenced to life in prison without parole ( AP1991 ) The brothers, who are now in their 50s, began their bid for freedom in recent years after new evidence of their fathers sexual abuse emerged, and they have the support of most of their extended family. In October, Gascon recommended the brothers be resentenced to 50 years to life, which would make them immediately eligible for parole. Hochman called his predecessor's recommendation a desperate political move. California Gov. Gavin Newsom last month ordered the state parole board to investigate whether the brothers would pose a risk to the public if they were released. The brothers have another pathway to freedom, the Associated Press reports. They have also submitted a clemency plea to Newsom, who has said he would not decide until Hochman reviewed the case. 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 boy has been arrested after a teenager with a cache of guns posted a video threatening to shoot up a school in Florida. Timothy A. Thomas, 17, a student at Elevation High School, Sanford, was arrested Sunday and charged with intimidation by written or electronic threat of a mass shooting or act of terrorism, police said. Sanford Police Department was tipped off about the video, featuring a male threatening to shoot up Seminole High School in Florida, on Saturday. In the clip, the youth was seen brandishing a cache of guns, vests, and other items of concern. In a statement on Sunday, the police department said it had identified the person making the threats as Thomas. He was found at his home and taken to custody without incident, Sanford Police Department added. open image in gallery Police seized an arsenal of weapons from inside the teenagers home. Though it was unclear if these were the weapons flaunted in the alleged video ( Sanford Police Department ) Police seized multiple weapons from inside Thomas home after his arrest, which they classified as extremely realistic Airsoft replicas. It was not confirmed whether the items pictured were the same featured in the intimidation video. Sandford PD chief Cecil Smith spoke on the incident praising the swift identification and arrest of the 17-year-old suspect. This fast action and teamwork most likely prevented a tragedy and saved multiple lives. We are thankful for the assistance of the Seminole County Sheriffs Office Gang and Habitual Offender Suppression Team (GHOST) and Crime Analyst Unit, Homeland Security Investigations, Lee County Sheriffs Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Seminole County Public Schools, he wrote. Superintendent of Seminole County Public Schools (SCPS) Serita Beamon thanked the collaborative work and relentless dedication of all the agencies involved. The safety of our students and staff is our highest priority, and we will continue to take any potential threat seriously, and act quickly, they added. Anyone with information relating to the incident is asked to contact the Sanford Police Department, Crimeline at 800 423-TIPS (8477), or visit www.crimeline.org. Calls made to Crimeline remain anonymous. The Independent contacted Elevation High School for comment. The alleged school shooting threat came just weeks after a teenage girl was accused of plotting a massacre at her Indiana high school, which she branded Parkland part two. Trinity Shockley was arrested at Mooresville High School in Mooresville, Indiana, after allegedly planning an attack on Valentine's Day, an act that would have fallen on the seventh anniversary of the Parkland school shooting which resulted in 17 students and staff being gunned down in 2018. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A Texas man accused of murdering his fiance allegedly Googled Can I kill an illegal human? before his death. Ty Dalton Vaughn was arrested after police found the body of Luis Banos Norberto at their Baytown apartment in January. Vaughn is further accused of staging the alleged killing to make it look like a suicide. According to an affidavit seen by ABC13, police believe Vaughn, 31, shot his 27 year-old partner then moved the body. Police revealed Norberto was discovered lying on a bed with a rifle propped up against one of his arms, alongside a torn picture of himself and Vaughn nearby. Vaughan told police that he and Norberto had been arguing before he came home at around 530am on 14 January to find him dead, cops say. open image in gallery Luis Banos Norberto, 27, was found dead on January 14 in an apartment on Crosby Cedar Bayou Road (pictured) ( Google Maps ) Surveillance footage suggested that Vaughan had actually returned home just after 4am, an arrest affidavit says, earlier than he had told police. Neighbors reported hearing gunshots around that time. Police said at 430am, Vaughan texted the victim: Babe? Babe why are you not texting back?!?!" Vaughan then called 911 at 530am, investigators saying, allegedly telling dispatchers: "My spouse is dead. Help. My life is over. Court documents said the suspect had allegedly searched online "whether or not it was illegal for him to kill an illegal immigrant" hours before his partners death. Police added that the suspect repeatedly highlighted his fiances immigration status unprompted during interview. A Harris County criminal complaint stated: In Harris County, Texas, Ty Vaughn, hereinafter styled the Defendant, heretofore on or about January 14, 2025, did then and there unlawfully intend to cause serious bodily injury to Luis David Banos, hereinafter called the Complainant, and did cause the death of the Complainant by committing an act clearly dangerous to human life, namely by shooting the Complainant with a deadly weapon, namely, a Firearm. Vaughn was booked Saturday and will appear in court Monday to face the charge of first degree felony murder, according to Harris County court records. Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice AI researchers in China claim to have made a major breakthrough after developing the worlds first fully autonomous artificial intelligence agent. Named Manus, the general-purpose AI is capable of carrying out a vast range of tasks, including buying property, booking holidays and developing video games. Built by Chinese firm Butterfly Effect, Manus is also reportedly capable of outperforming the most advanced AI models from ChatGPT creator OpenAI. [Manus] is the next evolution in AI, Yichao Ji, co-founder and chief scientist of Manus AI, said in a video demonstrating the AIs abilities. This isnt just another chatbot or workflow, its a truly autonomous agent that bridges the gap between conception and execution. Where other AI stops at generating ideas, Manus delivers results. We see it as the next paradigm of human-machine collaboration, and potentially a glimpse into AGI (artificial general intelligence). The AI has drawn praise from tech industry figures, with AI policy researcher Dean Ball calling it the most sophisticated computer using AI. Victor Mustar, head of product at AI platform Hugging Face, described Manus as mind-blowing in its capabilities. Got access and its true... Manus is the most impressive AI tool Ive ever tried, he wrote on X. The user experience is what so many others promised... but this time it just works. The AI is not yet widely available, with hopeful users requiring an invite code from existing users to gain access. A viral video demo of the technology has added to the hype surrounding Manus, leading to invitation codes reportedly selling for thousands of pounds on Chinese marketplace Xianyu. While some have feared that its abilities could pose a significant threat to human workers, others who have tested it claim that it still has significant flaws that need to be addressed before a wider roll out. Some early users complained about errors with Manus, such as making mistakes about factual information and not providing complete answers to questions. News / National by Staff reporter Dr. Kudakwashe Tagwirei, Chief Executive Officer of Sakunda Holdings, made history this weekend at Solusi University by becoming the first black individual to receive the Global Award of Excellence from the General Conference of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.The prestigious award recognizes individuals who have made a global impact on education, and Dr. Tagwirei was honored for his contributions through the Bridging Gap Foundation, which has transformed 63 schools across Zimbabwe by providing tractors, farming implements, and infrastructure development.At Solusi University alone, projects worth at least US$7 million have been implemented, including irrigation systems, borehole drilling, transport donations, and rehabilitation of water and sewer systems.Seventh-Day Adventist Church General Conference Director for Education, Dr. Lisa Hardy, highlighted Tagwirei's impact beyond Zimbabwe, noting his contributions to educational institutions across Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe.In his acceptance speech, Dr. Tagwirei emphasized that education should be a force for transformation, ensuring institutions thrive with sustainability and excellence.Beyond education, Tagwirei has also contributed to Zimbabwe's health sector, funding Arundel Hospital in Harare, which has provided free medical services to over half a million people. Additionally, he has donated over US$3.5 million to six church conferences. "We did have a lapse," LaMont Cole, superintendent of East Baton Rouge Parish public schools, said of school security. "We have to own it. We have to acknowledge it. We can't make any excuses." Alyson Neel is a 2010 graduate of the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication, where she also served on the faculty in 2023-2024. Ailing casino operator Star Entertainments rescue efforts have taken a new twist, after the company received a new offer from a US gambling firm led by a New York hedge fund manager who has specialised in picking up distressed casinos. Star avoided collapse on Friday after signing a deal to offload its stake in the Queens Wharf casino resort in Brisbane to the Hong Kong-based Far East Consortium and Chow Tai Fook Enterprises. Under that deal, Star would receive a $53 million payment for agreeing to sell its 50 per cent stake to its Queens Wharf partners, allowing them to take full ownership of the venue. However, on Monday Star disclosed a rival rescue proposal from the US-based gambling, betting and entertainment company Ballys Corporation, chaired by a Soo Kim, a hedge fund manager. Star said its board would review the unsolicited, non-binding proposal from Ballys, but there was no certainty it would be progressed. Under the Ballys approach, which was earlier reported in The Australian, the US company has proposed to inject a minimum of $250 million into Star by March 28, an alternative to the Queens Wharf deal, offering Star a path to longer term funding and securing the future of almost 9000 jobs in NSW and Queensland. 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 Many actors cite childhood heroes or a desire to inhabit different lives as their motivation, but for Josh Gad, best known as the goofy snowman in Frozen and the hit musical The Book of Mormon, its rejection. As he chronicles in his new memoir In Gad We Trust, he workshopped The Book of Mormon with creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone of South Park fame in its early days before the shows Broadway debut in 2011. But the producers decided they wanted a celebrity in the lead roles and Gad was cut loose. Obviously, Gad did eventually land the role of Elder Cunningham, for which he was nominated for a Tony Award. Similarly, he was involved in the development of Disneys 2013 blockbuster Frozen from the outset, through the ups and downs of Olaf being scrapped completely. But ultimately Gad was invaluable to the formation of Frozens snowman, including ad-libbing much of his dialogue and positioning Olaf as a child-like persona. Gads child-like snowman, Olaf, in Frozen. Credit: 2013 Disney. All Rights Reserved. When I get angry, thats when I achieve the most. Its a great catalyst, Gad says over Zoom from his Los Angeles home. To have to prove yourself because others doubt you is a universal thing. If you can look at rejection as more of a friend than an enemy, its a really healthy way to move forward and not look back. I do find that that is very liberating. He says hes been very fortunate that missed opportunities became gains in the end. Ive only just come to peace, in my early forties, with [the fact that] the universe has a way of making everything what it ultimately should be, not what you may want it to be when youre thinking that this may be your only path. Advertisement In Gad We Trust: A Tell-Some (as opposed to tell-all) is a collection of memoir-style essays. In it Gad reveals that rejection and underestimation have been themes of his life. Growing up in Florida in a single-parent home after his father walked out to start a new life and new family in Colombia, Gad struggled academically, which seemed more of a symptom of a chaotic family environment, mental health issues and boredom, given he went on to become an award-winning orator in high school before studying drama at Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania. Gad writes in the book that he does have one regret about his role in what was for a time the highest-grossing animated film of all time (bumped from that honour by The Lion King remake in 2019): using his own voice for Olaf. When placing coffee orders or shopping at the supermarket, unlike many of his peers who have voiced animated characters, he is far too recognisable, particularly by kids who have likely watched Frozen at least two dozen times. (As anyone with kids will confirm, they have never just watched Frozen once.) Gad has two children of his own - daughters Ava, 14, and Izzy, 11 - and loves that theyre part of the generation that was raised on his characters. Gad regrets using his own voice for Frozens much-loved snowman. Credit: Disney A story about two sisters in particular speaks on a very personal level to my children, as they navigate their own journey together with, oftentimes, only each other to rely on, he says. I love that I get to be a part of something that can be a part of their lives from their earliest memories onwards. As has been brought to my attention, Frozen is oftentimes the first movie that a lot of kids watch. Its such an amazing honour and a humbling experience. Its also one that he didnt envision for himself as one of three brothers. I always just assumed that it was a fait accompli that I would be surrounded by boys. Thats all I ever knew. To be in a house full of estrogen my wife, my two girls, my female dog, and everybody who works with us has been eye-opening, he says. Advertisement But he wouldnt have it any other way, relishing his status as a girl dad. [Girls are so] clever. Theyre so emotionally available. They make me smarter, he says. They make me work harder. Im growing as a dad because Im having to adapt. I love it because it ultimately brings us closer. As for whats next, he cant comment on the next Frozen sequel, slated for release in 2027, but confirms that a third instalment of Wolf Like Me, the Australian series in which he starred alongside Isla Fisher, isnt going ahead at this stage. The joint Stan and Peacock production followed Fishers Mary, who has lycanthropy (she shape-shifts into a wolf once a month), and Gads Gary, a widower parenting a tween daughter struggling with anxiety. Gad as Gary and Isla Fisher as Mary in Wolf Like Me. Credit: Stan That show is fundamentally a metaphor for relationships and parenting, Gad says. I looked at my own mother and being a single parent and tried to immerse that point of view into that character. Similarly, the things the character of my daughter is going through was definitely something that opened my eyes to how you handle or not how you handle these seismic events in a childs life. The story also mirrors Gads own experience with anxiety, as well as dealing with his parents divorce, his mums resulting depression and his battles with weight and food, which he writes revealingly about in In Gad We Trust. TAKE 7: THE ANSWERS ACCORDING TO JOSH GAD Worst habit? Im always flicking my nose. Its a by-product of allergies. People are like, why do you flick your nose and I dont even notice that I do it! Greatest fear? Death. Im terrified of the unknown in general and things that I cant control, and death is the greatest unknown. Im a committed, life-long hypochondriac for that reason. The line that stayed with you? My grandparents both Holocaust survivors warned me, never forget. As we see the rapid rise of fascism throughout the West, I try to ensure that I keep [it] at the forefront of everything I do and try to bring attention to any sort of disturbing trends I see as an adult. Biggest regret? Not having a healthier relationship with food from a young age. Its been a lifelong struggle and is always something I have to think about and contend with. Favourite book? I have so many but one that I always come back to is Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. Im a history buff so that book in particular is mesmerising. The artwork or song you wish was yours? I just saw Oh, Mary! on Broadway that made me incredibly jealous. I wish I had thought of something that brilliant and drop dead funny. If you could time travel, where would you choose to go? I have always been obsessed with the 1950s and the Renaissance. My concern about the Renaissance is that even though it was a period of enlightenment, there were many ways to die. So probably the 1950s, which seems like a much less stressful time than the present. It was not easy for me to ... be like, hey guys, lets go deep into Josh Gads pain. But what I realised early on was that theres no reason to do this if Im not going to be as honest and as vulnerable as possible, he says. Even though the book is called a tell-some more for comedic purposes what it really amounts to is that there isnt much left to know about me after [reading] this thing that could otherwise be called a diary. Advertisement News / National by Staff reporter President Mnangagwa is set to officially present at least 516 offer letters for agricultural land, each measuring 10 hectares, to youths in Mashonaland West as part of a broader initiative to empower young Zimbabweans through agriculture. The programme has been tentatively scheduled for March 20.The initiative is expected to unlock significant financial opportunities, enhance land security, and drive economic growth for Zimbabwean youths, allowing them to play a crucial role in national development through agriculture.Youth Empowerment, Development, and Vocational Training Minister, Tino Machakaire, emphasized the importance of youth involvement in Zimbabwe's development during an inter-district meeting in Chinhoyi on Saturday."Youths have always been the key drivers of development and are a key component for Zimbabwe's achievement of Vision 2030," he said. Minister Machakaire encouraged young people to focus on constructive decision-making rather than engaging in divisive actions on social media, highlighting their crucial role in shaping the country's future.Minister of State for Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Marian Chombo, hailed the initiative as a major step towards job creation and economic growth in the province."By empowering our youth and local businesses, we can drive sustainable development," she stated, urging collaboration among all stakeholders to ensure the success of the programme.Both ministers reiterated that real transformation stems from action and dedication rather than slogans, reinforcing the government's commitment to achieving its Vision 2030 goal of an empowered upper-middle-income society. Could the bitter divisions plaguing the Victorian Liberal factions sorry, loose groupings be on the mend? Thats a question a few true believers have been asking after they spotted the partys deputy upper house leader, Evan Mulholland, in the line-up for Tuesday nights Liberty Forum in Melbournes northern suburbs. Its not unusual for politicians to show up at speaking gigs-cum-fundraisers, especially on home turf. But the Liberty Forum is not Mulhollands usual crowd. Northern Metropolitan MP Evan Mulholland is a man on a mission. Credit: Justin McManus The first clue is the groups tagline, Celebrating Menzies values (translation for those unfamiliar with Twitter beef or petty op-ed battles: can we Liberals stop being Labor-lite?). The second clue is the forums previous line-up of speakers. A quick glance at the archive shows past guests have included senator Sarah Henderson, who used a 2023 opportunity alongside former Tony Abbott-era curriculum reviewer Kevin Donnelly to say she was really troubled by drag queens reading to kindergarten-aged children in libraries. And speaking of Abbott, he appeared before the good burghers of Ringwood last year for a fireside-style chat at the local bowls club. The global head of the Ukrainian diaspora has urged Peter Dutton to reverse his short-sighted opposition to sending Australian peacekeepers to Ukraine, arguing Australia must be prepared to break with the United States if Donald Trump definitively abandons the war-ravaged nation. Paul Grod, the elected president of the Ukrainian World Congress, also called for Australia to stare down dire warnings from the Putin regime of grave consequences about sending troops to Ukraine, saying such rhetoric was predictable Kremlin propaganda. Paul Grod, President Ukrainian World Congress, said it was in Australias interests to join a coalition of the willing in Ukraine. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has applauded Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for being willing to contribute to a coalition of the willing in Ukraine, while Dutton has argued it would be against the national interest to send Australian troops to eastern Europe. Grod, who is visiting Australia to meet with government officials and leaders of the Ukrainian-Australian community, said: The reality is that you need to be part of this coalition of the willing because that coalition will be willing to help you. A former Olympian has sold her long-held Doncaster East home for $1,477,000 to first-home buyers who arrived late to the auction. Michelle Brogan, who won bronze in 1996 and silver in 2000 with the Australian womens basketball team, lived at 6 Newstead Court for 26 years before choosing to downsize. The four-bedroom home, listed with a price guide of $1.28 million to $1.38 million, had a slow start at auction before picking up momentum when a family arrived 10 minutes late on Saturday. Harry Lai, from Barry Plant Manningham, said: [They] drove up [late] and then started bidding. As soon as we announced it on the market, one buyer dropped out, and two just went head-to-head all the way to the end the last $20,000 to $30,000, were talking $5000, $1500 and $500 bids. Rome: Pope Francis was no longer in imminent danger of death as a result of pneumonia that has kept him hospitalised for nearly a month, doctors said, although he would remain in hospital for several more days to receive treatment. The doctors said the 88-year-old was stable and had consolidated improvements in recent days, as determined by blood tests and positive responses to drug treatments. Pope Francis in February. Credit: AP The Vatican said doctors had lifted their previous guarded prognosis, meaning they determined Francis was no longer in imminent danger as a result of the original respiratory infection for which he was hospitalised on February 14. But their cautious remained. In view of the complexity of the clinical picture and the important infectious picture presented on admission, it will be necessary to continue medical drug therapy in a hospital setting for additional days, according to the Vatican statement. Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has redoubled his attacks on Donald Trump as a global threat to security after the US president abused him on social media platform Truth Social as weak and ineffectual. Turnbull said Australia could not continue this bipartisan gaslighting that is going on at the moment, referring to the impact Trump is having on the world. Then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and US President Donald Trump meet in Washington in 2018. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen If you look to our political leaders, [they say] theres nothing wrong with AUKUS, everythings fine, nothings changed, he said on the ABCs 7.30 program after an earlier interview on Bloomberg TV in which he said Trumps approach to tariffs played into Chinas hands. Denying he was causing trouble as Trump prepares to decide whether to exempt Australia from steel and aluminium tariffs at the end of the week, Turnbull said the government could not afford to placate the president. News / National by Staff reporter A woman from Quarry area in rural Kariba is fortunate to be alive after she was attacked by a hyena while sleeping outside her homestead on Sunday evening.The terrifying incident occurred around 7 PM when Stella Muzambi, who resides on the outskirts of the village, was resting in the open.According to eyewitnesses, the same hyena had been spotted earlier at a nearby shop, where villagers had chased it away. However, the animal fled towards Muzambi's homestead and found her asleep outside.The hyena pounced, dragging her several meters before villagers responded to her screams. Though they managed to scare the predator away, it had already inflicted severe injuries, severing her right hand.Muzambi was rushed to Nyamhunga Clinic before being transferred to Kariba District Hospital and later to Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital for further treatment.The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) has since urged communities near wildlife habitats to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to prevent such attacks.However, residents in these areas often lack access to secure housing and are forced to sleep outdoors, particularly during the sweltering summer months when temperatures soar.Human-wildlife conflicts remain a growing concern in many parts of Zimbabwe, with experts calling for increased safety measures and sustainable solutions to protect both people and wildlife. Need for expertise in aerospace medicine BENGALURU : Aerospace medicine is critical for dealing with challenges such as micro-gravity, radiation, and isolation faced by a human being in space DEFENCE Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday visited the Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Bengaluru, greeting the IAF officers. He highlighted the growing need for expertise in aerospace medicine given the continuous increase in air and space traffic. From the defence perspective, space has emerged as a major domain in warfare. We have taken a step forward in this direction and mastered the most advanced technologies such as anti-satellite. India has also become the fastest-growing aviation market in the world. As we are touching new heights in space, we need to explore more possibilities in aerospace medicine. There is a need for increased R&D as research in any high-end complex technology provides benefits to many fields, he said. The Defence Minister underscored the importance of aerospace medicine, terming it as critical for dealing with challenges such as micro-gravity, radiation, and isolation faced by a human being in space, while also addressing physical and mental changes. Whether it is an issue related to neurons, bone loss or mental problems, it is the responsibility of aerospace and space medicine to tackle these challenges. The field must prepare itself for bigger responsibilities in the future, he said. According to a release issued by the Defence Ministry, Singh also inspected the Dynamic Flight Simulator and High-Performance Human Centrifuge used for High-G training of fighter pilots and the Spatial Disorientation Simulator for training the pilots of the Armed Forces to avert the risk of spatial disorientation in flight. Singh commended IAMs contribution towards achieving self-reliance in the aerospace sector. Apart from aerospace medicine, IAM provides aero-medical consultancy in various aspects of crew module design and development. Its contribution to cockpit design is noteworthy. The institute has contributed significantly to the design and development of Advanced Light Helicopter, Light Utility Helicopter, Light Combat Helicopter and Light Combat Aircraft Tejas. It is also providing advice in the design and development of the countrys most modern Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, he said. Singh asserted that the aerospace sector is going to witness unprecedented growth in the times to come and it will be pivotal in realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Governments vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047. The sector is going to play a crucial role in deciding technological advancements, national security, and economic growth. In addition, it will be central in achieving milestones such as satellite launching, inter-planetary missions and commercial space services, he said. He also launched the Indian Council of Medical Research Extramural Research Project: Centre for Advanced Research at the institute. The title of the project is Space Psychology: Selection and Behavioural Health Training of Astronauts & Astronaut Designates for Indian Space Missions. He was accompanied by Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, and Director General Medical Services (Air) Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja during the visit. Singh is the first Defence Minister to visit IAM in Bengaluru. During his visit, he was briefed about the unique role of IAM in pilot training, medical evaluation and aeromedical research. Space has emerged as a major domain in warfare, and India, having taken a step forward in this direction, has mastered the most advanced technologies like anti-satellite, he said. Many private space agencies around the world are also exploring space now. It is a big opportunity and they will also face many new challenges. In such a situation, we need to pay adequate attention to providing Aerospace medicine facilities to those astronauts and also to tackle the new challenges that they face, he said in his address. Similarly, another example of Space traffic is Space tourism; a field in which many big companies of the world have entered, he said. Patanjalis plant will be a boon for farmers Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Yog Guru Baba Ramdev, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Managing Director of Patanjali Ayurved Ltd Acharya Balkrishna and others at the inaugural ceremony on Sunday. Business Reporter : Expressing great satisfaction and happiness over the opening of the much-awaited Patanjalis Mega Food and Herbal Park in MIHAN, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said the new facility will be a boon not only for the orange growers but also for all the farmers of the region. Addressing the inaugural function of the state-of-the-art plant, Fadnavis said that the plant had facilities to process all types of fruit from farmers. Patanjalis Mega Food and Herbal Park is designed to carry out sorting, grading and storage of the fruits and thus a large number of farmers of the region will be benefited through this plant, he said. The park, spread over 225 acres land at MIHAN on the outskirts of the city, was inaugurated in presence of Yog Guru Ramdev, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari; Maharashtra Minister of State for Finance Adv Ashish Jaiswal; Acharya Balkrishna, Managing Director of Patanjali Ayurved Ltd; Ram Bharat, Director,Patanjali; N P Singh, Chairman, Bhartiya Shiksha Mandal; and others. Fadnavis further highlighted the importance of processing fruits, without which there is wastage of fruits and farmers incur losses. But with the opening of this mega plant here, farmers can now sell their agricultural produce. Ramdev Baba has assured us to buy fruits of every quality, he said. In an attempt to improve yield of oranges in the region, Fadnavis said that his Government would provide all possible support to Patanjalis Mega Food and Herbal Park for setting up a modern nursery. In his address, Gadkari said the plant, located in the region that had witnessed more than 10,000 farmers suicides, will give respite to the farmers. The plant has a capacity to process more than 800 tonnes of fruits per day. It will drastically boost the demand and farmers will certainly get its benefits. Patanjalis plant has already started orange procurement at a price of more than Rs 18 per kg, he said. In addition to this, Gadkari said he is creating awareness among the farmers on increasing the yield of oranges. Recently, I have been to Spain where I have studied some of the techniques which can prove beneficial to Vidarbhas orange growers, he said. Gadkari also spoke about Agrovision Foundations activities aimed at helping farmers. Yog Guru Ramdev Baba said the plant was set up with an objective of developing a good platform for the farmers. The plant is equipped with all modern machines capable of extracting juices, processing and packaging. We are sure the plant will bring revolution in the region. The farmers will get good value for their agricultural produce, he added. At the outset, Acharya Balkrishna also highlighted various facilities available in the plant. India-EU FTA talks today NEW DELHI : PM Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had agreed to expedite the conclusion of FTA by the end of the year. INDIA and the European Union are scheduled to begin the next round of talks for a proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) from Monday in Brussels with the aim of concluding the talks by the end of this year, a senior official said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had agreed to expedite the conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by the end of the year at their meeting in Delhi last month. A Free Trade Agreement between the EU and India would be the largest deal of this kind anywhere in the world. I am well aware it will not be easy. But I also know that timing and determination count and that this partnership comes at the right moment for both of us, Von der Leyen, said during her two-day visit to India. Her statement came against the backdrop of massive tariff hikes proposed against all countries by US President Donald Trump under his America First policy which is threatening to disrupt global trade and heighten uncertainty in the global economy. PM Modi and the European Commission President committed to task their respective negotiating teams to pursue negotiations for a balanced, ambitious, and mutually beneficial FTA. Officials were asked to work as trusted partners to enhance market access and remove trade barriers. They were also tasked to advance negotiations on an Agreement on Investment Protection and an Agreement on Geographical Indications. Reaching a deal will be complex, however, with significant concessions wanted on both sides in areas ranging from cars and whisky to pharmaceuticals and textiles. The EU wants India to lower tariffs on cars, wine, and whisky as well as some agricultural products. India, on the other hand, wants greater market access and lower tariffs for key exports, including pharmaceuticals, textiles, and apparel. The EU is Indias largest trading partner, accounting for 124 billion euros of trade in goods in 2023, or 12.2 per cent of total Indian trade. Trade in services between the EU and India reached nearly 60 billion euros in 2023, almost double the level in 2020. A third of that were digital services, according to figures compiled by the World Economic Forum. The US and China account for 10.8 per cent and 10.5 per cent of total Indian trade, respectively. India, meanwhile, is the EUs ninth largest trading partner, accounting for 2.2 per cent of the blocs trade, WEF figures show. Trade between India and the EU has grown by around 90 per cent in the past decade, but talks over a free trade pact have stalled over the years due to sharp differences between India and the 27-nation bloc on agriculture, automobiles, and pharmaceuticals. Maharashtra Govt to celebrate Marathi Bhasha Sanman Din on October 3 every year: Finance Minister Ajit Pawar in state assembly. Date :10-Mar-2025 Majority of people feel that Aurangzebs grave should be demolished: CM Fadnavis MUMBAI : AMID the political row in Maharashtra over the Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi praising Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said that it was not only the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but the people of the State as well as the country which echoed the same sentiment that the tomb/grave of the Mughal ruler should be demolished. The Chief Minister also said that the actions pertaining to removal of Aurangzebs grave however will be taken following the rule of law. He also said that the tomb of the Mughal ruler was granted protected status when the erstwhile Congress Governments were in power both in the State and the Centre and continues to be under the Archaelogical Survey of Indias (ASI) protected monuments. Asked about the removal of Mughal ruler Aurangzebs grave, Chief Minister Fadnavis told IANS, Not just us, but everyone feels that the grave should be removed. However, some actions must be taken as per the law. The grave was granted protected status during the Congress era and has been under ASIs protection since then. The Chief Minister made these remarks while he was present at the Gurmat Samagam programme organised to commemorate the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur. Addressing the gathering, he mentioned the rich history of the Sikh Gurus with their penance, brilliance, bravery and sacrifice. Taking to social media platform X, Chief Minister Fadnavis said, The ninth Guru of Sikhism, Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji Maharaj, stood firm against the atrocities of the cruel Mughal invader Aurangzeb. He sacrificed his life to protect religion and culture. It is because of this sacrifice made by our Guru that God, country and religion are safe. That is why Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji Maharaj, the protector of religion and humanity, is also called Hind di Chadar. The Sikh Gurus in North India and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in South-West India protected the nation and religion. He also added that so that the future generations may remember the Sikh Gurus sacrificial life for the protection of the nation, religion, culture and self-respect, the Maharashtra Government will pay tribute to him by organising a program to commemorate the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur. Earlier on March 4, BJP leader Navneet Rana has demanded the demolition of Aurangzebs grave, at Khuldabad, in Maharashtras Aurangabad district. It was in response to SP Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Abu Asim Azmis praise for Aurangzeb. Azmi, President of SPs Maharashtra unit, had expressed the view that Aurangzeb was not a cruel, tyrannical, or intolerant ruler. He also said that during the reign of the 17th-century Mughal emperor, Indias territorial borders stretched to Afghanistan and Myanmar, and the country was a global economic powerhouse. Navneet Rana also reminded Azmi that the State he represents was once ruled by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and advised him to watch the recently-released movie Chhava. The State in which you are elected to sit in the Assembly for five years was ruled by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj People like you should watch Chhava movie to see what Aurangzeb did with our king, Rana said in a video message. She urged the State Government, headed by Devendra Fadnavis, to take action and remove Aurangzebs grave. I want to request Maharashtra Government that the way Aurangabads name was changed and kept after our God Sambhaji Maharaj, Aurangzebs grave should also be demolished, the former BJP Member of Parliament (MP) asserted. Azmi later apologised, saying that he regretted his remarks if they had offended anyone. I could never imagine insulting words against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, Dr BR Ambedkar, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Rajshri Shahuji Maharaj, but Prashant Koratkar, Rahul Solapurkar have spoken against, they have security, why this furore against my statement? Azmi said. Earlier on March 7, Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale of the Satara royal family, the 13th descendant of Shivaji Maharaj demanded that the grave should be razed. Those who visit Aurangzebs tomb and pay homage may be his future. They should take that tomb to their own homes, but the glorification of Aurangzeb will not be tolerated anymore, he said. What is the needsend a JCB machine and raze his gravehe was a thief and lootera Strict action should be taken against those who give wrong statements about Shahaji Chhatrapati Maharaj, Rajmata Jijau Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, said Udayanraje, who is a BJP MP from Satara. Maharashtra Ports and Fisheries Minister and BJP MLA Nitesh Rane too demanded that Aurangzebs tomb be razed. It is everybodys opinion that the grave of Aurangzeb should be razed, he said. The issue of Aurangzebs tomb came to the fore once again after the statement of Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi eulogising the Mughal emperor at a time when public sentiments were high after the release of Chhava, the film based on the life of Sambhaji Maharaj. According to historical accounts, Sambhaji Maharaj was captured and brutally tortured to death at the behest of Aurangzeb. Aurangzebs grave/tomb is located in Khuldabad in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, earlier known as Aurangabad. The tomb of Aurangzeb (November 3, 1618 March 3, 1707), the sixth Mughal emperor, is an unmarked grave in a dargah-complex -- and comes under the control of ASI. Puri seeks state govts' support to become world's 2nd largest metro network after US New Delhi, Mar 10 (PTI) Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Monday said India is the third largest operating metro system in the world, with 1,011 km in length, and sought the support of state governments to overtake the US to become the world's second-largest network. Replying to supplementaries in the Rajya Sabha during Question Hour, the minister said land and urban transport are state subjects, but the central government supports states in establishing metro networks in terms of financial support and funding from external agencies. The minister said he cannot give an assurance to a member of Parliament on a capital-intensive project, as the projects require detailed examination in terms of finances and feasibility. He also urged states to send detailed project reports, along with relevant documentation, to enable the Centre to examine them expeditiously. He was responding to a question on the metro rail project in Chennai, cleared by the Union Cabinet last October. Puri was also asked about clearing pending projects for the Madurai and Coimbatore metro projects, to which the minister said he cannot give an assurance without a proper examination of the projects. "We started metro projects in 2002 at the time of Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. Today, we have 1,011 km of metro projects operating in 23 cities. In addition to that, we have another 979 km under construction. Metro is either in operation or under construction in 29 cities in the country," he told the members in the Upper House. He said that between 2002 and today, India has the third largest operating metro system in the world after China and the US, and we are at 1,011 km, and America at about 1,400 km. "In becoming the second largest network of urban transport...We need the cooperation of state governments. We have all state governments cooperating with us, some more effectively than others. I find that when proposals are sent to us in a comprehensive way, then the chances of the proposal getting approved is higher," Puri said, adding that he was responding on behalf of his colleague Manohar Lal, who was not present in the House. To a question on the minister giving an assurance on Madurai and Coimbatore projects, the minister said, "It is not my job as a cabinet minister to give assurances on the floor of Parliament without the proposal having examined and the implications having examined". He stressed that all capital-intensive projects will go through detailed scrutiny, and only then, they will be approved. Each project is evaluated in terms of its viability. He said that for any metro project to progress, it is important that the central government receives a detailed project. The DPR from Madurai and Coimbatore had a composite mobility plan missing at that time, he stressed, adding that all state government should forward their plans with proper documentation. "In Delhi, we have about 400 km in NCR region and at any given day, we have more than 70 lakh people using the metro system," he said while giving an example of a successful transport system. Puri said that he has been on record saying that whatever we wanted to do for Delhi in terms of improving transport facilities, "It was derailed for want of support of Delhi government". "It is more about RRTS, we were able to get it done, as the Delhi government was not forthcoming with the finances," he claimed. He said the central government approved 28.5 Km for the metro system in Gurugram and the NCRTC corridor, connecting Gurugram, was kept on hold by the AAP government for three years. "Now with the change in the government in Delhi, I am sure we will be able to get this done as well. We could not have moved from zero in 2002 to 1,011 km unless the state governments cooperated," he noted. Speaking about the Chennai metro project, the minister, who held the charge of Housing and Urban Development earlier, on behalf of his colleague Manohar Lal Khattar said the Chennai metro has a long history, and the proposal was originally sent to us in 2017 for 107 km of metro at a cost of Rs 85,000 crore. "This proposal was returned to the Tamil Nadu government as it was not accompanied by all the documents required to assess a project of this magnitude. In 2018, the government of Tamil Nadu proceeded with the project of its own as a state project. "Then in January 2019, it was resubmitted to the Centre for 118.9 km with a reduced cost of Rs 69,180 crore against Rs 85,000 crore earlier. The Government of Tamil Nadu finally submitted a proposal for 118.9 km length at a sanctioned cost of Rs 63,246 crore, as per a joint project. "This project was approved in October 2024 for Rs 63,246 crore, of which the Government of India's contribution is Rs 7,424 crores in equity and subordinate debt. No funds demand has been received from the chief minister. We have already released Rs 5,000 crore and over Rs 33,000 crore has been financed through external funding agencies," he noted. MP Alok Sharma lays foundation stone for devpt projects in Bhopal Staff Reporter : Acharya Vidya Sagar Maharaj Sheetal Jal Pyau inaugurated Moving forward with the citys development, Member of Parliament Alok Sharma and Mayor Malti Rai laid the foundation stone for various development projects in Zone No. 04, covering Wards 19, 20, and 21. The estimated cost of these projects is Rs 1.31 crore. Along with the foundation stone laying, the Acharya Vidya Sagar Maharaj Sheetal Jal Pyau (cold drinking water facility) was also inaugurated at Azad Market Gud Bazaar. The event witnessed the presence of several dignitaries, including Municipal Council member Manoj Rathore, Zone No. 04 President and Ward 20 Councilor Pooja Sharma, Zone No. 02 President and Ward 21 Councilor Vinita Soni, and Councilor Raju Kushwaha. A large number of officials, local traders, and residents also attended the ceremony. The development projects aim to improve road conditions, drainage systems, beautification of public spaces, and expansion of basic civic amenities. Speaking on the occasion, MP Alok Sharma stated, The government is committed to enhancing infrastructure across different parts of the city, ensuring a modern and clean Bhopal. Mayor Malti Rai emphasized that With the support of the Municipal Corporation, fundamental amenities in the city are being strengthened. The completion of these projects in Wards 19, 20, and 21 will provide significant relief to the residents. The inauguration of the Acharya Vidya Sagar Maharaj Sheetal Jal Pyau was warmly welcomed by local traders and residents. This facility will ensure the availability of cold drinking water to pedestrians and travelers, particularly during the scorching summer months. Local traders and residents present at the event praised the efforts of the MP and Mayor, expressing hope that these development initiatives would address traffic, drinking water, and sanitation issues in the area. Bhopal Municipal Corporation is actively planning further development initiatives to enhance the citys infrastructure and improve the quality of life for its citizens. Third accused arrested in tourist rape, murder case in Karnataka KOPPAL (Karnataka) : KARNATAKA Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi said on Sunday that the third accused in the tourist rape case in Koppal district had been arrested. Two women, including a 27-year-old Israeli tourist, were allegedly gang-raped and assaulted while stargazing near Hampi, police said on Saturday. The incident occurred on March 6. Tangadagi stated that three individuals were involved in the crime. While two were arrested on March 8, the third accused was apprehended on Sunday. Three people were involved in this horrific crime, which should never have happened. Two were arrested yesterday, and the third was caught today, said Tangadagi, who is also the Koppal district in-charge minister. He added that he has instructed the police to enhance security for tourists to prevent such incidents in the future. According to police, the third accused was arrested in Tamil Nadu, where he had fled after the crime. Karnataka Minister promises enhanced security at tourist spots after Hampi incident: KARNATAKA Home Minister G Parameshwara on Sunday assured that security measures at tourist destinations will be significantly strengthened in the wake of recent rape of a foreign national and a homestay owner at Hampi. The Minister also said, moving forward, tourists visiting Karnataka will be briefed on the dos and donts to ensure their safety. Definitely we are going to step up our security measures in places like Hampi and other tourist places, Parameshwara told reporters here. He further mentioned that the government will reassess the existing security measures. The Minister also noted that the rape of two women, including an Israeli national, is likely to affect the tourism sector. On the one hand we are trying to attract tourists from across the world while on the other incidents like this deter the tourists from visiting our country. According to Parameshwara, on the night of March 6, two foreign nationals, including an Israeli citizen, along with two others, went out for stargazing on the banks of the Tungabhadra canal. Three youths approached the group and asked for directions to a petrol pump. When the tourists expressed their unawareness, the youths robbed them. One of the tourists had a verbal altercation with the strangers, and in a fit of anger, the men pushed the tourists into the canal. While three of the tourists managed to escape, the fourth went missing, and her body was later found. Thr strangers allegedly raped two women. The body of the US national has been recovered, Parameshwara said adding two persons have been arrested so far in this connection. News / National by Staff reporter The Democratic Republic of Congo government has offered a reward of $5m (4m) for help arresting three leaders of a rebel group which has seized much of the east of the country this year.Corneille Nangaa, a former head of DR Congo's electoral commission, now leads the Congo River Alliance, which includes the M23 rebel group. He has addressed large rallies in the cities under the group's control.The bounty is also on offer for M23 leaders Sultani Makenga and Bertrand Bisimwa.Last year, the three men were prosecuted in absentia by a military court and given death sentences for treason.A reward of $4m (3) was also offered for the arrest of two journalists living in exile, and others the government describes as accomplices.But the chances of anyone being arrested appear slim.In recent weeks the army has been no match for the Rwandan-backed rebels who have captured large parts of the mineral-rich eastern DR Congo, including the region's two largest cities Goma and Bukavu.Last year, a report by UN experts said up to 4,000 Rwanda troops were working with the M23 in DR Congo.Thousands of people have been killed during the fighting and hundreds of thousands left without shelter after fleeing their homes.The Congolese government is also seeking US support in exchange for access to its minerals.DR Congo accuses Rwanda of trying to take control of its minerals, which include gold and coltan, used in consumers electronics such as mobile phones and computers.In response to the reports that DR Congo was offering access to the minerals in exchange for military help fighting the M23 rebels, presidential spokeswoman Tina Salama said on X last month that President Tshisekedi was inviting the US "whose companies source strategic raw materials from Rwanda, materials that are looted from the DRC and smuggled to Rwanda" to instead buy them from the Congolese the "rightful owners".Rwanda denies looting minerals from DR Congo.It no longer denies backing the M23 but says it is trying to prevent the conflict in DR Congo from spilling over into its own territory.Rwanda also accuses the Congolese government of working with a different armed group in DR Congo, which is linked to those responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which some 800,000 people, mostly ethnic Tutsis were massacred.Both the M23 and Rwanda's government are led by Tutsis.The Congolese government denies working with the FDLR group accused by Rwanda of being a "genocidal militia". News / National by Staff reporter President Emmerson Mnangagwa has intervened in an internal Zanu-PF dispute, reversing a decision by the party's legal secretary, Patrick Chinamasa, to fire six paid social media activists who were deemed "rogue elements." The move, which undermines Chinamasa's authority, has heightened tensions within the party, already grappling with factional divisions linked to succession politics.In a hand-written note on a letter of appeal submitted by Jonasi Mandiwisa Musara, one of the affected activists, Mnangagwa declared that "the said dismissals are null and void," signaling his disapproval of Chinamasa's decision. Musara's letter appealed to the president, urging him to reverse the dismissals so they could continue their work promoting Mnangagwa's #EDWORKS campaign, the Zanu-PF party, and Zimbabwe at large.In his appeal, Musara also claimed to have recently met with Mnangagwa, who made it clear that the dismissals had not been authorized by him. "We plead with you to reverse the purported dismissals so that we can resume our work of using social media to defend, promote and popularize your remarkable #EDWORKS ," Musara wrote in his letter.Mnangagwa's intervention is likely to deepen existing rifts within Zanu-PF, as it directly challenges Chinamasa, the executive director of the Varakashi4ED Social Media Unit. The unit consists of online activists paid to defend the president and attack his critics. Chinamasa had accused the activists of insulting him and other senior party officials, which led to their dismissal.Among the dismissed were activists Tinotenda Gachange, Tafadzwa Mawire, Felix Muzondo, Pardon Mangwende, and Herbert Mathe. Gachange took to social media platform X on Saturday, posting Musara's letter which now included Mnangagwa's handwritten comments and signature. He appeared to indirectly criticize Chinamasa, writing, "Successionists and rogue anti-2030 elements cloaked in deceit are attempting to silence the voices of progress. Their intimidation tactics are clear signs of cowardice, aimed at undermining the persuasive efforts of the 2030ists who support President Mnangagwa's term extension."While Mnangagwa has publicly denied ambitions to extend his presidency beyond his current second term, critics claim he is privately encouraging supporters to pursue constitutional amendments that would remove term limits, potentially paving the way for him to stay in power after 2028.The activists, who had been removed from their positions, are now set to be reinstated under Mnangagwa's directive. Their return highlights the ongoing internal power struggle within Zanu-PF, where loyalties are divided between those backing the president's long-term leadership and those who view his succession as contentious.With Mnangagwa's intervention, the battle for influence within the party appears to have intensified, fueling further speculation about the party's direction and the president's political ambitions as he navigates a fraught landscape of successionist factionalism. News / National by George Tshuma Zanu PF Director of Information, Farai Marapira, has refuted allegations linking him to the disappearance of environmental activist and farmer, Nadia Vongai Mabvirakare, demanding a public apology from the accuser.Mabvirakare was reportedly abducted from her home in Chitungwiza on Wednesday evening, with a police report filed at Makoni Police Station under RRB Number 6346710.Social media user @DrAfricanPride alleged on X (formerly Twitter) that Marapira and Zanu PF national youth member for the environment, Batsirai Joel Matiza, were involved in Mabvirakare's disappearance.In response, Marapira denied any involvement, stating that his connection to the activist was limited to introducing her to Matiza for potential support in a farming project."That was the end of my involvement, apart from occasional updates from both of them as they shared their excitement about their project," he said.Marapira further claimed that in January, Matiza informed him that an audit had revealed financial mismanagement on Mabvirakare's part."As someone who introduced them, I visited Matiza's office to understand the situation better. After they explained, I reached out to Nadia, asking to meet and discuss the matter," he stated.According to Marapira, Mabvirakare confirmed that the issue had been reported to the police. "I asked her how I could mediate once before stepping away from the matter. She requested that I ask Matiza to suspend the police report and suggested meeting at a neutral venue," he explained.Marapira has since called on the netizen to retract their allegations publicly."Be responsible enough to acknowledge that your accusations against me were baseless since they were made publicly," he said."Perhaps next time, an inquiry before making claims would be more appropriate," he added. News / National by Staff reporter The South African Police Service (SAPS) will roll out the second phase of its high-density crime-fighting initiative, Operation Shanela 2, in March 2025. The operation, aimed at tackling crime hotspots across Gauteng, will run throughout March and April.Captain Lungi Baloyi, the Provincial Commissioner of Gauteng, sent a memo to all police stations detailing the operational schedule. The initiative will focus on various areas, including Johannesburg, Tembisa, Roodepoort, Mamelodi East, Eldorado Park, Diepsloot, Sunnyside, and Orange Farm in March. The operation will then move to locations such as Akasia, Alexandra, Kagiso, Ivory Park, and Jeppe in April.According to the schedule, the first operation will take place on March 6 in Hillbrow and Johannesburg at 06:00, with subsequent deployments continuing every few days in different areas. Evening operations will be conducted in high-crime areas such as Tembisa, Diepsloot, and Orange Farm.Operation Shanela was first introduced as part of SAPS's broader strategy to curb serious crimes, including violent robberies, drug-related offenses, and illegal firearms possession. The initiative includes high-visibility patrols, roadblocks, and intelligence-driven raids aimed at improving safety and law enforcement effectiveness.Baloyi assured that any changes to the operation's schedule would be communicated to law enforcement personnel in advance. The success of previous operations has led to the expansion of the initiative, with SAPS committed to making Gauteng safer for residents.Residents in the affected areas are urged to cooperate with law enforcement during the operations and report any criminal activities to the nearest police station.Below is the memo sent by Captain Lungi Baloyi, the Provincial Commissioner of Gauteng.Good afternoon Senior ManagersHerewith the Schedule Provincial Commissioner's Operational Shanela 2 for the two months for preparation and diaries.Provincial Commissioner Operational Shanela 2 for March 2025 and April 2025.-06 March 2025 - Hillbrow / JHB - (06:00 Thursday)-08 March 2025 - Tembisa - (17:00 Saturday )- 13 March 2025 Roodepoort - 06:00- 15 March 2025 Mamelodi East - 17:00- 20 March 2025 Eldorado Park - 06:00- 22 March 2025 Diepsloot 17:00- 27 March 2025 Brooklyn / Sunnyside - 06:00- 29 March 2025 Orange Farm 17:00Provincial Commissioner's Operational Shanela 2 for April 2025- 03 April 2025 - Akasia 06:00- 06 April 2025 - Alexandra - 17:00- 10 April 2025 - Kagiso 06:00- 12 April 2025 - Ivory Park 17:00- 17 April 2025 Jeppe - 06:00Any changes will be communicated with management prior to the date of the Shanela.Respectfully,Captain Lungi BaloyiStaff Officer: Provincial Commissioner: Gauteng16 Empire Road, Parktown, JohannesburgTel: 011 274 7859Cell: 071 481 2630 Yes Significant efforts are being made No Much more needs to be done Some progress But there are still critical gaps Vote View Results News / National by Staff reporter Zimbabwe's Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development has dismissed a viral social media post showing three people posing in a massive pothole, which was claimed to be on the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway. In a statement, the ministry clarified that while parts of the highway do require urgent rehabilitation, the images circulating online do not correspond to any known section of the road."We acknowledge that certain sections of the highway are in dire need of rehabilitation. However, the images in the post do not correspond to any section of the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway," the ministry said.The government assured the public that efforts are already underway to repair the affected parts of the highway. The rehabilitation is being carried out through a partnership between the Department of Roads and Bitumen World, with teams currently stationed in Hwange, Halfway, and Insiza to oversee the work.Concerns over deteriorating road infrastructure in Zimbabwe have grown in recent years, with motorists frequently raising complaints about potholes and road safety. The Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway is a critical route for both domestic and international tourism, linking Zimbabwe to Zambia and beyond. The government's commitment to repairing the road aims to improve transport safety and boost economic activity in the region.Authorities have urged the public to rely on official sources for updates on road maintenance projects and avoid spreading misleading information on social media. News / National by Staff reporter Special adviser to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Paul Tungwarara, has pledged to personally engage the President over the deteriorating state of the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway. Tungwarara made the remarks last Thursday during the launch of the presidential borehole and housing scheme in Binga district.Addressing stakeholders at the event, Tungwarara expressed concern over the condition of the highway, vowing to bring the matter to Mnangagwa's attention."With all that is being done in terms of road refurbishments, I saw this one on my way here, and it is in a very bad state. I will make sure to speak to the President about it tomorrow because we want this road fixed," he said.Tungwarara emphasized the importance of prioritizing the rehabilitation of the highway, which serves as a crucial transport link for tourism and trade in Zimbabwe.The government had previously announced plans to reconstruct the Beitbridge-Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road, entering agreements with various partners to undertake the project. In October last year, authorities confirmed that immediate reconstruction was set to begin to improve traffic flow and enhance road safety.Motorists and tourism operators have repeatedly raised concerns over the highway's deteriorating condition, warning that it threatens economic activity and road safety in the region. While the government has assured citizens of its commitment to infrastructure development, calls for urgent action on the highway continue to grow. On March 6, 1836, the Alamo fell to the Mexican army after thirteen days under siege. General Santa Anna launched an early morning assault on the mission; the battle lasted 90 minutes. All defenders of the Alamo were killed in the battle. The slogan Remember the Alamo! became a rallying cry for the Texas Revolution, which successfully defeated the Mexican army at the Battle of San Jacinto weeks later. Here are five things happening around your state: 1. Golden Triangle Day at the Capitol This week I was thrilled to welcome a large contingent of constituents from Southeast Texas for Golden Triangle Day at the Texas Capitol. The Golden Triangle refers to the region comprising Beaumont, Orange, Port Arthur, and the counties of Jefferson and Orange. The event was organized by the Beaumont Orange, and Port Arthur Chambers of Commerce. Industry and community leaders came to Austin to showcase the importance of Southeast Texas to the state and explain the legislative agenda for the area. 2. Bill to ban sale of THC products heard in Senate committee The Senate State Affairs Committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 3 by Senator Charles Perry this week. The bill would outlaw products containing any THC, which is the psychoactive element in marijuana. A few sessions ago, a bill passed to help support the emerging hemp industry by authorizing the sale of consumable hemp, which has trace amounts of non-intoxicating delta-9 THC. However, that bill limited the amount of THC products could have to not more than 0.3% concentration - anything higher is considered marijuana. While both marijuana and hemp are cannabis plants, hemp has lower THC levels than marijuana, which is the distinction between the two. Since 2019 when the law approving consumable hemp sales passed, the state has seen a proliferation of businesses that claim to sell hemp-derived products. However, these products often have effects more similar to marijuana products and have THC concentrations well above the legal limit. This bill is an attempt to rein in an industry that has exploded across the state and many are operating illegally. The hearing extended for many hours and ultimately left the bill pending in committee. 3. Increase for judicial pay, accountability pass Senate Finance Senate Bill 293 by Senator Joan Huffman passed Senate Finance this week. The bill serves two purposes providing a pay raise for judges across the state and strengthening judicial accountability and transparency. The bill provides a 15 percent salary increase in base pay for judges, including district judges, appellate and high-court judges, elected prosecutors, and judges with more experience in the higher salary tiers. A few weeks ago, the newly appointed Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court Jimmy Blacklock delivered the State of the Judiciary Address. One of the key points of his speech was addressing judicial pay. He pointed out that Texas ranks 48th out of 50 states in judicial pay. This bill would address those concerns and help attract more high-quality candidates to the job. The second part of the bill provides more accountability and transparency over judges by expanding the definition of judicial misconduct, enhancing the complaint process against judges, requiring quarterly reporting of district judges duties, and modifying eligibility requirements for retired judges to serve in temporary assignments. 4. Battleship Texas one step closer to a new home The Battleship Texas Foundation announced this week the dreadnought has found a new home at Pier 15 in Galveston. The Galveston Wharves Board unanimously approved the recommendation to make the pier the iconic ships new home. The contracts, environmental permitting, and marine and traffic analysis are ongoing, but Board approval was an important step. The Battleship is currently undergoing extensive renovations funded by the state to ensure future generations can enjoy and learn about her incredible legacy. 5. TPWD predicts excellent spring turkey season The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is predicting a strong spring turkey season due to an abundance of two-year-old turkeys. During 2023 and 2024, most of Texas saw a bump in production and recruitment which will ultimately temporarily expand the footprint of where the birds are found. The East Turkey Zone is comprised of 12 counties including Bowie, Cass, Fannin, Grayson, Jasper, Lamar, Marion, Nacogdoches, Newton, Polk, Red River, and Sabine. There is a one turkey bag limit for the zone and mandatory reporting is required within 24 hours of harvest. The East Zone season is from April 22 to May 14. Other zones in the state open as early as March 15. Happy Hunting! Opinion / Columnist History has a strange way of repeating itself, often with bitter consequences for those who fail to learn from it. In 2008, Simba Makoni, once a high-ranking member of ZANU PF, boldly announced his candidacy for the presidency going against the party and its resolution. Makoni believed he had the backing of influential party members."Following very extensive and intensive consultations with party members and activists countrywide and also with others outside the party, I have accepted the call and hereby advise the people of Zimbabwe that I offer myself as a candidate for the office of president," Simba Makoni declared.Makoni assumed that his influence within ZANU PF would translate into widespread support outside of it. He miscalculated. His anticipated wave of support never materialized. When the moment of truth arrived, only Dumiso Dabengwa was by his side everyone else abandoned him.Fast forward to today we see a similar script playing out with Blessed Geza. Like Makoni before him, Geza emerged from the party ranks with grand ambitions, convinced that he had the support and the ability to challenge the leadership. His challenge to President Mnangagwa was reckless as he went so far as to threaten forceful removal of the incumbent leader which legally really is treason unlike Simba Makoni who took his fight to the ballot and the people.But just like Makoni, Geza now finds himself abandoned. The party expelled him, and no one rushed to his defense. The Politburo unanimously agreed on Geza's expulsion. Nyokayemabhunu the self appointed Geza spokesperson sent audios threatening Politburo members and Ministers to stop backing Geza from the shadows and come out in the open but that didnt help. Now, Geza is in hiding, battling health issues, and left to grapple with the reality of his choices on his own. Geza has a lot of support on social media but that support is failing to translate into boots on the ground.Perhaps most telling part is Gezas failure to draw lessons from his own family history. His brother, Sam Geza, similarly attempted to challenge the leadership during the war and met the same fate as past rebels like Nhari and Dzino. Maybe the spirit of rebellion runs in his veins. History has repeatedly shown that going against ZANU PF leadership without a solid strategy is a futile exercise. Geza as a bona fide war veteran should know that rebellion leads to encounters with Cletus Chigowe or the unforgiving pain of the Chikarabotso.Geza stands expelled from ZANU PF , shuned by his comrades and left hanging by his would be backers and financiers. Now that he has been exposed funders will turn their resources elsewhere and Geza will be left on his own with potential charges hanging over his head Geza won't be able to enjoy his motherland. Simba Makoni as a smart politician stayed on the right side of the law and played his politics by the book.Chris Mutsvangwa warned Geza that he stands the risk of being used and discarded by mischievous political malcontents. Zimbabweans won't march for Geza at the expense of their livelihoods and safety. Geza should've learnt from his brother Sam Geza that rebellion doesn't pay. With this I rest my case.John MbizvoPolitical Analyst From Fire TV to Signage Stick: University of Utah's Digital Signage Evolution A Case Study with Jake Sorensen, Director of Sponsorship & Advertising About the Institution The University of Utah, established in 1850, is the state's flagship institution of higher education. Located in Salt Lake City, it serves over 34,000 students across 17 colleges and schools. The university's sprawling 1,535-acre campus requires extensive digital communication networks to reach its diverse community of students, faculty, and staff. The Catalyst for Change The University of Utah's digital signage infrastructure was a complex patchwork of mini-PCs, Raspberry Pi boxes, and Fire TV Sticks, each requiring unique setup processes and management protocols. This fragmented approach, spanning 500+ displays across campus, led to mounting installation challenges, escalating maintenance costs, and increasing system failures. "Managing this diverse hardware ecosystem became increasingly unsustainable," explains Jake Sorensen, Director of Sponsorship & Advertising. "The growing complexity of maintaining consumer media players, particularly Fire TV Sticks, resulted in reliability issues that compromised our professional, unattended signage deployment. We were facing both rising operational costs and declining system performance." Meet the Innovation Leader Jake Sorensen, who oversees sponsorship and advertising and Student Media in Auxiliary Business Development at the University of Utah, has navigated the digital signage landscape for nearly 15 years. His experience spans the technology's evolution from unwieldy traditional displays to today's streamlined solutions. This expertise proved invaluable in recognizing Amazon Signage Stick's potential as a platform for professional digital signage deployment. Initial Pain Points Managing hundreds of Fire TV Sticks for digital signage was becoming increasingly complex. Despite being an Amazon product, Fire TV Sticks weren't designed for digital signage deployment, creating unnecessary complications in setup and maintenance across the university's extensive display network. System hiccups frequently required time-consuming manual intervention to restore service, driving up both labor costs and downtime. The Discovery The critical juncture came when software updates to Fire TV Sticks began affecting their compatibility with digital signage requirements. These changes, coupled with the devices' inability to maintain reliable, uninterrupted operations, motivated Sorensen to consider alternatives. "We needed a solution that could run continuously without interruption," explains Sorensen. "When I learned that Amazon had launched Signage Stick, specifically engineered for digital signage applications, it was exactly what we were looking for. The fact that it was an affordable Amazon device gave us confidence in its longevity and support," notes Sorensen. "As an Amazon device thats less than $100, it offered the stability and design functionality we needed, along with the assurance of long-term support." The Solution Implementing Amazon Signage Stick with a content management software (CMS) reduced operational complexity while improving system performance. What previously required 30-45 minutes of complex configuration per Fire TV Stick now took just 10 minutes with Signage Stick. The nature of the device eliminated the need for workarounds and complicated setup processes while the CMS integration was seamless and worked out-of-the-box. If I were in Tibet, I would walk up to the top of Potala (in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in China); chant Om mani padme hum (a Buddhist mantra); host the Tibetan flag high up in the air; dash across the green meadows with yaks and sheep and yell, Free Tibet!, Kunga Dechen describes his painting of the Potala Palace, Buddhist monks and Tibetan land. Like Kunga, many Tibetan students from five schools across Himachal PradeshUpper TCV, Meweon Tsuglag Petoen School, TCV Gopalpur, TCV Suja, and TCV Chauntrapainted Tibet through their perspective. Centred around the theme If I were in Tibet, a total of 50 such colourful artworks are on display at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. These paintingspresented in collaboration with the Foundation for Universal Responsibility and Khadhoknot only represent the dreams of an individual, but of a generation separated from its homeland. A large Tibetan population has been living in India for more than six decades after they followed the Dalai Lama into exile. The exiled community has been speaking out against the alleged repressions of the Chinese Communist Partys Peoples Liberation Army in Tibet. While the younger generation has not visited their homeland, the exiled community is making constant efforts to keep them linked to their roots and understand and preserve the Tibetan culture and ethos. Many Tibetans in exile, especially the younger generation who have never been to Tibet, know very little about the country. But we grew up hearing stories about what life was like there, says Tashi Nyima, a visual artist and co-founder of Khadhok. The idea for the theme of this exhibition, titled 'Dreaming Tibet', also grew from the sameto letting the kids open up with their dreams and imagination about Tibet. With information now available instantly, these kids are more aware of what is happening in Tibet, Nyima added. Some paintings are simple and innocent, as expected. But in others, you can see how deeply aware these students are of the political struggles in their homeland. Some sketches show the beauty of Tibetits valleys, green meadows, yaks, and even the Potala Palace. But others, according to Nyima, are also quite intense in nature. He refers to a painting of a child being forced into a 5/5 rated school, where kids study about Chinese culture while Tibetan history and culture fades into the background. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to be developed as a growth hub, a proposed third airport for the state capital near the upcoming Vadhvan deep sea port, new industrial policy for the state that will aim to generate Rs 40 lakh crore in investment - the first Budget presented by the new government in Maharashtra was high on several mega infrastructure, industrial and employment generation plans. This was the 11th Budget presented by Ajit Pawar, currently the deputy chief minister and the state's finance minister. His speech also focused on the Ladki Bahin (beloved sisters) whose support was crucial in the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP Mahayuti winning the assembly election by a landslide. Pawar announced big financial support for their welfare scheme started when Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde was the state chief minister. There were several other announcements including river linking schemes, promoting artificial intelligence in agriculture, multiple road development works, a push for renewable energy usage and additional funds for ongoing metro rail projects etc as the government looks to cement the state's position among the leaders in development, employment generation and attracting investments. Mumbai may have missed out on becoming the premier international financial services centre, with the Narendra Modi-led government at the centre pushing GIFT City in Gujarat, the Maharashtra government is going all out in the development of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Pawar announced on Monday that the MMR region would be developed as a growth hub and as a part of this plan, seven economic development centres will be created at 7 locations in and around the city. Through various infrastructural and developmental projects, the MMR economy is expected to expand from the current $140 billion to $300 billion by 2030 and then to $1.5 trillion by 2047, by which time India is expected to be a developed economy. There are multiple small and large infrastructure projects ongoing and planned in the MMR region. The deep sea Vadhvan port that is coming up towards the north of the city in Palghar district, which is being built at a cost of Rs 76,000 crore is likely to be operational by 2030. Overall close to Rs 64,000 crore has been allocated for Mumbai's infrastructure projects. The state government has plans to build the city's third airport near the Vadhvan port. Separately, the Nagpur airport is to be upgraded and night landing facility at the airport in Shirdi is also likely to operational soon, Pawar announced. The government has also allocated additional funds for the development of the Ratnagiri airport in the Konkan region. Pawar also pointed out that 85 per cent of work at the Navi Mumbai airport is complete and domestic operations are likely to begin from April. The government will soon take up the construction of the metro rail project connecting the existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in the heart of Mumbai to the Navi Mumbai Airport. Over the next five years, there will be around 237.5 km of additional metro lines coming up across the state. The government will soon announce a new industrial policy, under which it aims to attract Rs 40 lakh crore worth of investments and generate 50 lakh jobs over five years. Meanwhile, the government has allocated Rs 36,000 crore in 2025-26 for the Mukhya Mantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana (Chief Minister My Beloved Sister Scheme). Close to 2.53 crore women have so far benefited from this scheme, receiving Rs 1,500 per month. In this year's Budget, the finance minister has targeted an expenditure of Rs 7.20 lakh crore. The estimated revenue receipts stand at close to Rs 5.61 lakh crore, while the revenue expenditure is projected at Rs 6.06 lakh crore. Pawar announced a 1 per cent increase in the motor vehicle tax on CNG cars, which is expected to add around Rs 150 crore to the state's revenue. The government also aims to reduce the state's electricity tariffs over the next five years. Four different groups eye the Chinese-owned viral social media platform TikTok, according to the latest comments by US President Donald Trump. Aboard the Air Force One, Trump told the media that all the options looked good. The US administration forced the hand of owner ByteDance to sell the platform on national security grounds or face a ban. On January 19, the TikTok ban came into effect, but it was quickly reversed after Donald Trump assumed the office of the POTUS on January 20. This gave ByteDance a lifeline of 75 days to muse the future of the platform in the US. It is still unclear whether ByteDance would consider selling the US operations alone (like how Uber did with Uber Eats in India), or the entire platformgiven the absence of any official statement from the Chinese tech company. Trump told the media, We're dealing with four different groups, and a lot of people want it. TikTok piqued the interest of many, including Frank McCourt (former owner of MLB team Los Angeles Dodgers), Alexis Ohanian (co-founder of Reddit), Jesse Tinsley (tech investor), Jimmy Donaldson a.k.a MrBeast (YouTube personality), and Reid Rasner (Wyoming-based entrepreneur). The sovereign wealth fund, the formation of which was signed by Trump as an executive order in February, could also look to buy TikTok, once it is up and running. Many countries in the Middle East and Asia have similar wealth funds, which governments use to make direct investments. Current market estimates put the highly valued social media platform at a staggering $50 billion. Trump, earlier this week, also mused the possibility of extending the ban deadline for TikTok to allow operating in the US, and attract more bids. Despite its high valuation and brand equity, TikTok faces action in other parts of the world. It is banned in India amid concerns of national security. In Albania, the national cabinet last week decided to shut TikTok down for a year, alleging that the platform incited violence and bullying in children. The 12th edition of the India-Kyrgyzstan Joint Special Forces Exercise (KHANJAR-XII), focusing on developing advanced special forces skills of sniping, complex building intervention and mountain craft, began on Monday. The annual training event, held alternatively between India and Kyrgyzstan, will go on till March 23. Exercise #Khanjar-XII 2025 The Joint Military Exercise #Khanjar-XII, between #India and #Kyrgystan, is scheduled to be conducted at #Tokmok, Kyrgystan from 10 to 23 March 2025. The exercise is designed to enhance interoperability between the special forces of both countries, pic.twitter.com/LJ6qNV88Cz ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) March 7, 2025 The special forces of both countries will exchange experiences and best practices in counter-terrorism and special forces operations in urban and mountainous high-altitude terrain scenarios during the two-weeks long event. Apart from high-intensity training drills, the exercise will feature cultural exchanges, including the celebration of the Kyrgyz festival Nowruz. According to a defence ministry release, the interaction will further enhance the bond of friendship between the two countries. ALSO READ: War-hit Ukraine tops world in weapon buys, India is second The exercise will provide an opportunity for both sides to fortify defence ties while addressing common concerns of international terrorism and extremism. The exercise reaffirms the commitment of India and Kyrgyzstan to fostering peace stability, and security in the region, the defence ministry said. The Indian contingent is represented by troops from The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) while the Kyrgyzstan contingent is represented by Kyrgyz Scorpion Brigade. The last edition of the same exercise was conducted in India in January 2024. The first edition of KHANJAR took place in 2011. Actor Govinda has long claimed that he was Academy Award-winning director James Camerons first choice for playing the lead role in his record-breaking sci-fi film Avatar. Now, the actor has revealed the supposed sum he would have pocketed had he accepted the role. ALSO READ | Are Govinda and wife Sunita splitting for good? What's the truth behind the divorce speculations? In a recent interview with Mukesh Khanna, he disclosed that he was allegedly offered a hefty amount of Rs 18 crore for the film but turned it down because the main character was physically disabled. The actor also doubled down on a claim that he had made back in 2019 he was the one who suggested the name for the film. Govinda said: I had met a Sardarji in America and gave him a business idea that worked; some years later, he made me meet James Cameron. He asked me to do a film with James, so I invited them for dinner to discuss it. I have given the films title Avatar. James told me the hero in the film was handicapped, so I said I am not doing the film. He offered me Rs 18 crore for it and said I would be required to shoot for 410 days. Govinda further stated he would be unwilling to have his body painted for the role as it would lead him to be hospitalised. However, the Navi portrayed in Avatar was brought to life through CGI and special effects. What did filmmaker Pahlaj Nihalani say about Govindas claims? In a 2024 interview with Friday Talkies, Pahlaj Nihalani, who helmed Govindas film debut Ilzaam, refuted the actor's claims, stating that Govinda got the Hollywood blockbuster mixed up with a Hindi film named Avatar that Nihalani was directing in 2012 but later called quits on. I had made a film called Avatar with him. I had filmed 40 minutes of it, which I consider one of my best films, but it got canned. Woh Avatar title se pata nahi uske dimaag mein kya aaya, baad mein claim karta raha ki main waha (Hollywood) ki Avatar kar raha hoon. Uske dimaag ka disc ghum gaya aur language Hindi se English mein chala gaya (Due to the same title I don't know what went wrong in his mind and he kept claiming that he was doing Hollywood's Avatar. The disc of his brain spun over and he went from Hindi to English), he said. Nihalani further mentioned that one reason the film never materialised was due to Govinda constantly fainting on set and making excuses that led the delayed the filming schedule. In addition to Ilzaam Govinda and Nihalani worked together on films like Shola Aur Shabnam (1992) and Aankhen (1993). Their most recent collaboration came in the 2019 comedy film Rangeela Raja. The Allahabad High Court has ordered a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation against a woman and her lawyer over false rape and other criminal cases filed by them against multiple individuals in the state. The court observed the duo were trying to extort money by filing complaints against individuals. The High Court, hearing a petition seeking protection from arrest filed by one such individual facing rape charges, the bench directed the central agency to conduct a probe and submit a report in court. A bench comprising Justices Brij Raj Singh and Vivek Chaudhary also noted the pattern in cases filed by the woman. The bench ordered, Considering the seriousness of the allegations with regard to the lodging of large number of criminal complaints by the victim/ informant Pooja Rawat through her counsel Shri Parmanand Gupta against large number of persons, of a similar nature, we feel it appropriate to direct the CBI to enquire into the matter and submit its report, Bar and Bench reported. As per the petitioners, Pooja Rawat has lodged 12 FIRs based on false charges and all of them were filed through the same lawyer. The bench, granting the petitioners plea seeking protection from arrest observed, It is also apparent that the informant and her counsel are in collusion with each other and have lodged false FIRs against large number of people for serious offence only to extract money from them. The present FIR is also such an FIR lodged to create pressure, the publication reported. The CBI has been directed to file its report by April 10. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Monday called for a discussion in the Lok Sabha regarding voter lists, an issue that has been questioned by multiple political parties. Gandhi reiterated the opposition's persistent demand for a discussion on voter lists during zero hour which has once again given a chance to the opposition parties to come together on a singular issue. "We acknowledge your statement that the government does not prepare voter lists. However, we insist on a discussion regarding the concerns surrounding them," Rahul Gandhi said. #WATCH | Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says, "...Questions are being raised across the country on the voter's list. In every opposition, questions are raised on the voter's list. The entire opposition is just saying that there should be a discussion on the voter's pic.twitter.com/Ez3fVbsgKP ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2025 He emphasized that doubts over voter lists have been raised nationwide, with opposition parties unanimously voicing concerns in various states, including Maharashtra. Later, Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, attempted to raise the issue during zero hour but was denied permission, prompting the opposition to stage a walkout. "The abrupt and unjustified deletion of voters, duplicate EPIC numbers, and other critical irregularities threaten the integrity of our electoral process and demand urgent parliamentary discussion," Kharge posted on X. The entire Opposition wants a detailed discussion on the doubts arisen regarding various discrepancies in the Voters List. Parliament must protect the faith of the people in Democracy and the Constitution of India. Election Commission of Indias as per its press release dated pic.twitter.com/yEGTPqSXRj Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) March 10, 2025 Emphasizing the gravity of the issue, he added that these large-scale irregularities pose a serious threat to free and fair elections. "The Modi government must allow a comprehensive discussion in Parliament." Earlier in the day, Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy also highlighted discrepancies in the voter lists, citing that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had flagged instances of identical EPIC (Electoral Photo Identity Card) numbers appearing in Murshidabad, Burdwan, and even in Haryana. The Congress and the TMC share love hate relationship on the national and state level political stage. However the voter list issue was mutually targeted by the two parties. Roy further informed the House that a Trinamool delegation would be meeting the newly-appointed Chief Election Commissioner to bring these issues to his attention. He also called for a comprehensive revision of voter lists, particularly ahead of the Assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam next year. "There are glaring flaws. Maharashtras voter lists were found to be inflated. Similar issues were flagged in Haryana. Now, efforts are underway to manipulate voter rolls in West Bengal and Assam, where elections are due next year," Roy alleged. He urged the Election Commission to conduct a thorough review and provide answers regarding these inconsistencies. "The Election Commission must explain to the nation why these errors have occurred," he asserted. Now what remains to be seen is whether opposition parties are able to consistently raise the issue outside Parliament too and garner more support, especially from INDIA bloc partners ahead of Bihar assembly elections scheduled end of this year . Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has warned of strong action against DMK member Dayanidhi Maran over certain remarks made by the latter inside the house. The lower house was discussing the National Education Policy on Monday when Maran made the remarks. It's not immediately clear what he said. "Be careful while speaking, whatever you said was not on record. Had it been on record, I would have ensured proper action against you," Birla said. The Speaker then turned to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and said the government should bring a resolution for action against Maran. "If the government doesn't bring a resolution, I will have to act," Birla said. "The House will be run with dignity. If someone tries to overstep or harm its dignity, there will be action," he added. Rijiju condemned the DMK member's remark and said action would be taken against him after taking a sense of the house. The house witnessed a heated exchange over the NEP with Maran strongly refuting the claims made by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan that the Tamil Nadu government had agreed to sign the education policy. "Dharmendra Pradhan lied by saying that the DMK government had agreed (to sign NEP). DMK never agreed to NEP or the three-language policy. All we said was that we can't. Why should our students in Tamil Nadu learn three languages, whereas students from North India learn only one language?," he asked. #WATCH | Delhi: On 3-language policy under NEP (National Education Policy) row, DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran says, " ...Dharmendra Pradhan lied by saying that DMK govt had agreed (to sign NEP). DMK never agreed to NEP or 3-language policy, all we said that we can't...why should our pic.twitter.com/AuVScetFja ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2025 Maran further stressed that Tamil Nadu's opposition was not against Hindi but rather the compulsory imposition of three languages. "We are not against Hindi. if there are students who want to learn Hindi, they are free to do so, but it should not be compulsory". Pradhan, meanwhile, accused the DMK of being dishonest and playing politics at the cost of Tamil Nadu students' future. "They (DMK) are dishonest. They are not committed to the students of Tamil Nadu. They are ruining the future of Tamil Nadu students. Their only job is to raise language barriers. They are doing politics. They are doing mischief. They are undemocratic and uncivilised," the minister said. The demands to remove Mughal emperor Aurangazeb's tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has won the support of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who said he too favours the removal of the structure. However, Fadnavis pointed out that there are legal constraints, saying the historical site is protected under the Archaeological Survey of India. It was BJP Satara MP Udayanraje Bhosale, a descendant of Chhatraparti Shivaji Maharaj, who first called for the removal of the Mughal emperor's tomb. Responding to Bhosale, the Maharashtra CM said, "We also believe the same but you need to do it within the framework of law as it's a protected monument." Fadnavis said it was the previous Congress government that brought the tomb under ASI protection. The issue sparked controversy after Samajwadi Party MLA from Maharashtra, Abu Azmi, praised Aurangazeb and claimed that he has built several temples. Following this, he was suspended from the Maharashtra assembly for rest of the budget session that concludes on March 26. Aurangazeb's tomb came to the limelight after Vicky Kaushal movie Chhaava portrayed the capitivity and execution of Shivaji's son Sambhaji Maharaj. Calling the portrayal of Aurangazeb a misrepresentation of history, Azmi claimed that he was not a cruel ruler. "Wrong history is being shown. Aurangazeb built many temples... The battle between Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and Aurangazeb was about state administration and not a religious conflict between Hindus and Muslims." This comes after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said Akbar and Aurangazeb are not national icons, saying true national heroes are Maharana Pratap, Veer Shivaji and Guru Gobind Singh. He went on to say that the mindset of Akbar and Aurangazeb towards Hindus was the same and they conspire agaisnt India's eternal traditions. As the Communist Party of India (Marxist) successfully concludes its state conference, the party now has to deal with leaders dissatisfied with new additions to the state committee and state secretariat. Former MLA and veteran CPI(M) leader A. Padmakumar has openly expressed his displeasure over Health Minister Veena George being included as a special invitee to the state committee. On Sunday, Padmakumar posted on Facebook: "Betrayal, deception, and humiliation. 52 years of service, and this is what I get. Lal Salaam." Speaking to the media this morning, Padmakumar clarified that he has no objections to experienced leaders like K.P. Udayabhanu and Raju Abraham from the Pathanamthitta unit being part of the state committee. However, he strongly opposed Veena Georges inclusion, arguing that she has no significant experience in organizational work. "She became an MLA twice and then a minister. She is capable, but when someone reaches the upper echelons of the party purely based on parliamentary activities, naturally, there will be differing opinions. At least someone needs to speak out," he told a news channel. Padmakumar also hinted that he expects disciplinary action against him but asserted his commitment to the party. "I joined SFI at 15. It has been 52 years now. At my age, I dont want to seek another party. I will remain with CPI(M). I dont want to change my ideology or stance. If the party allows, I will stay," he said, while also remarking that Veena Georges nine years in the party seem to outweigh his 52 years of service. Meanwhile, veteran leader P. Jayarajans son, Jain Raj, also posted a cryptic message on Facebook, seemingly alluding to his fathers exclusion from the state secretariat. Reports suggest that Jayarajan had voiced his protest against the new panel in the party forum. Kannur district secretary M.V. Jayarajan was promoted to the state secretariat, paving the way for a new district secretary in Kannur. Janathipathya Mahila Association leader N. Sukanya also shared a quote from Che Guevara about "injustice," which many interpreted as a veiled protest over her exclusion from the state committee. However, she later clarified that the post had no connection to the partys internal politics. In Thiruvananthapuram, veteran leader Anavoor Nagappan was removed from the state secretariat due to age restrictions. There were expectations that a senior leader from the district would be included in the new panel, but no such appointment was made. The Legislative Assembly on Monday witnessed noisy scenes over the killing of three civilians in Billawar, Kathua and a controversial fashion show in Gulmarg. As the Question Hour began, National Conference (NC) and Congress legislators demanded a discussion on the civilian killings in Billawar. VIDEO | "What happened in Kathua is unfortunate. Those who control the police (referring to J-K L-G) should answer this. They should answer why the crime rate is rising in here," says Jammu and Kashmir Deputy CM Surinder Kumar Choudhary on Kathua deaths. (Full video available pic.twitter.com/f66nKq3eCi Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 10, 2025 Amid the uproar, MLA Bani Dr Rameshwar Singh who was manhandled on Saturday night in Billawar attempted to storm into the Well of the House but was restrained by marshals. Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather urged NC legislators to maintain decorum and return to their seats, but they remained firm in their protests. Meanwhile, MLA Kupwara Mir Muhammad Fayaz called for strict action against those responsible for organising the controversial fashion show in Gulmarg. As disruptions continued, the Speaker clarified that the Assembly could not deliberate on the Billawar killings, citing Section 32 of the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which places police and public order outside the legislatures purview. "The Lieutenant Governor has already ordered an investigation into the incident," he said. Regarding the fashion show, the Speaker said that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had already initiated an inquiry, making it ineligible for discussion in the House. He also condemned the attack on MLA Bani and demanded an investigation. The three civiliansYogesh Singh, 32, Darshan Singh, 40, and Varun Singh, 15went missing on 5 March while travelling to a wedding in Lohai Malhar. Their bodies were discovered in Ishu Nallah on 8 March, triggering widespread outrage in the area. On February 16, bodies of two civilians, Shamseer and Roshan Lal, were found in Bilawar in Kathua. The two had been strangled to death. Their bodies were recovered near a stream at Batheri. With law and order under the jurisdiction of the Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha, the National Conference and MLA Bani tried to corner Sinha on the matter. After the recovery of the bodies of three civilians in Billwar, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan Sunday chaired a high-level review meeting his first in Jammu to assess the security, law and order situation across J&K. Meanwhile, protest broke out in Kathua today against the killing of three civilians. The locals demanded the deployment of Army in the upper reaches of the district to flush out the militants. The protesters also blocked the national highway at Kalibari and burned effigies of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The killing of three civilians in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua has sparked outrage. Union Minister Jitendra Singh claimed militants were involved in the gruesome incident while announcing the construction of a memorial to honour the victims. Three civiliansYogesh Singh, 32, Darshan Singh, 40, and Varun Singh, 15went missing on March 5 while travelling to a wedding in Lohai Malhar. Their bodies were discovered in Ishu Nallah on March 8, triggering widespread outrage in the area. "A Smriti Smarak will be built using my MP fund in accordance with the wishes of the bereaved families. The design and planning will be overseen by public representative Satish Sharma, and the matter has been conveyed to DC Kathua Rakesh Minhas," Dr Singh stated on X. " #Kathua , , (MP FUND) ' ' Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) March 9, 2025 Earlier on February 16, the bodies of two civilians, Shamseer and Roshan Lal, were found in Bilawar in Kathua. Their bodies were recovered near a stream at Batheri after being strangled to death. The police filed an FIR and launched investigations. Senior police officers visited the area after the incident. "Deeply shocked and saddened by the barbaric murder of three innocent civilians, including a minor boy, in Kathua. Such heinous acts must be met with the strongest condemnation," the Chief Minister's office posted on X on the killing of three civilians. Deeply shocked and saddened by the barbaric murder of three innocent civilians, including a minor boy, in Kathua. Such heinous acts have no place in our society and must be met with the strongest condemnation. My heartfelt condolences to the grieving families. Office of Chief Minister, J&K (@CM_JnK) March 9, 2025 Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also condemned the killings and assured a thorough and transparent investigation. "I am shocked and saddened beyond words at the brutal killing of Varun Singh, Yogesh Singh, and Darshan Singh of Kathua. In this hour of grief, I offer my deepest condolences to their families and friends," the LGs office said. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Leader of Opposition in the J&K Legislative Assembly, Sunil Sharma, raised concerns about a possible larger conspiracy behind the killings. "This is not an isolated incident. Anti-national elements have been making continuous efforts to disrupt peace, he said. The administration must conduct a comprehensive probe and bring the real culprits to justice," Sharma remarked. Congress Jammu & Kashmir chief, Tariq Hameed Karra, criticised the Centre and the LG administration for being "clueless" about the deteriorating security situation in Kathua. "The shocking incidents in the Billawar-Bani belt, combined with recent terror incidents, expose the false claims of normality, Karra said. The government remains oblivious to the deaths of five people in mysterious circumstances, while the administration behaves in a biased manner instead of seeking cooperation to tackle the situation." PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and Peoples Conference leader Sajad Lone also condemned the killings. A New York-bound Air India flight returned to Mumbai after flying for over five hours on Monday, after a threat note was found in the toilet of the aircraft. The aircraft with 322 persons onboard landed safely at Mumbais Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. Air India Spokesperson says, "A potential security threat was detected mid-flight on AI119 operating Mumbai-New York (JFK) today, 10 March 2025. After following the necessary protocols, the flight air-returned to Mumbai, in the interest of the safety and security of all on board. pic.twitter.com/zqASWL4am5 ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2025 According to authorities, the flight had to alter its path and return to the airport from where it departed after a bomb threat was detected mid-journey. A spokesperson of Air India said, A potential security threat was detected mid-flight on AI119 operating Mumbai-New York (JFK) today, March 10, 2025. After following the necessary protocols, the flight returned to Mumbai, in the interest of the safety and security of all on board. Air India authorities said the flight landed in Mumbai at 10.25am and necessary security checks are being carried out. The flight landed safely back in Mumbai at 1025 Hrs (local time). The aircraft is undergoing mandatory checks by security agencies, and Air India is extending its full cooperation to the authorities, ANI reported quoting the airlines spokesperson. However, the threat was found to be a hoax. According to officials, the aircraft departed at 2am from Mumbai and altered its journey while it was flying over Azerbaijan. A usual flight journey from Mumbai to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York takes about 15 hours. The flight will next depart from Mumbai at 5am on Tuesday. The airline said passengers have been provided with accommodation, meals and other necessary support. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislator Waheed Rehman Parra on Monday criticised the budget presented by the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference (NC)-Congress alliance government, saying it offered nothing to people, particularly the youth. Speaking in the Assembly, Parra lamented the absence of employment guarantees and youth-oriented schemes in the budget, despite young people forming 65 per cent of the population. He said that the governments failure to address unemployment and provide meaningful opportunities for the youth could lead to widespread discontent. "There is not even a single mention of employment guarantees. If you cannot provide jobs, at least support startups and hand-holding initiatives. What will you do if you are not providing employment? What about daily wagers?" Parra asked. He questioned the ruling alliances commitment to justice and urged them to fulfil their promises of setting up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to address past grievances. He called for the re-establishment of the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) in light of recent civilian killings in Kathua. He said such an institution was necessary to ensure accountability and justice in Jammu and Kashmir. "The least this House can do is to re-establish the Human Rights Commission so that law and order can be maintained while also protecting human rights," he said. Parra also criticised the lack of focus on education, particularly higher education and private institutions. He called for greater government support for private schools and universities and highlighted their role in providing education despite the challenges of conflict. "Private schools have contributed significantly to education in Jammu and Kashmir despite the violence. The government should consider making them stakeholders in the education process, regulating them, and ensuring scholarships for poor students," he said. He accused the ruling alliance of failing to address issues in agriculture and tourism, which he said could be key drivers of economic growth in the region. The PDP legislators remarks reflect growing discontent over the governments economic policies, particularly their impact on employment, education, and human rights in Jammu and Kashmir. He said the government can't shirk responsibility by reasoning it doesn't have the powers in a union territory. The murder of Perumalla Pranay Kumar is seen as one of the most heinous honour killings that took place in the state of Telangana. In 2018, Pranay came out of the hospital in Miryalguda town along with his pregnant wife, Amrutha when an unknown man armed with a machete hacked him to death. The crime was caught on CCTV footage which showed a 23-year-old Pranay being attacked from behind and his wife trying to stop the attacker. The incident created tremors in the state due to the nature of the crime and the motive involved. After the court verdict in the Pranay murder case, Pranay's father Balaswamy reacted with tears. He said emotionally, "Although the verdict has given us justice, it has not given us happiness. No one can take away the pain of not having a son. We want the killings to stop." This pic.twitter.com/GkGOFG0lMB Hyderabad Mail (@Hyderabad_Mail) March 10, 2025 Pranay was a Dalit and Amrutha, his wife, was from the upper caste. Both knew each other from school days. When they decided to tie the knot, Amruthas family vehemently opposed the move. The couple, supported by Pranays family members, got married at Arya Samaj in Hyderabad. The threats from Amruthas family members followed by the pretence of reconciliation finally culminated in murder. I cannot say I am happy because I have lost my son, Pranays father, Balaswamy broke down after a court verdict. A local court in Nalgonda pronounced a death sentence to the accused Subhash Sharma, from Bihar, who roped in contract killers at the behest of Amruthas father, Maruthi Rao, who was accused No. 1. In 2020, he committed suicide in Hyderabad. The court sentenced 6 other accused to life sentences including Maruthi Raos brother, Shravan. Dramatic visuals were recorded outside the court where Shravans daughter and cousin of Amrutha wailed as she accused her of destroying their family. My father is innocent, she said unable to control her emotions. Amrutha has been raising her child with the support of her in-laws. She has time and again stood by her statement that her family members were responsible for the murder of her husband. Police officials involved in the case said that the court order is a fine example of recognition of the hard work and efforts of the officials which involved meticulously filing hundreds of pages of chargesheets. As per the police investigation, it was found that Maruthi Rao treated the inter-caste marriage as a matter of shame and betrayal of her daughter and thats when he decided to eliminate Pranay. Punjab Police arrested an international drug trafficker, identified as Shehnaz Singh aka Shawn Bhinder, wanted by the FBI for his alleged role in the global narcotics syndicate. Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav took to social media to announce the arrest of the notorious drug trafficker accused of smuggling cocaine from Columbia into the USA and Canada. His associatesAmritpal Singh alias Amrit, Amritpal Singh alias Cheema, Takdir Singh alias Romy, Sarbsit Singh alias Sabi, and Fernando Valladares alias Francowere arrested in the US on February 26. The authorities had also seized 391 kg methamphetamine, 109 kg cocaine and four firearms from their residences and vehicles. Following the arrest of his associates, Shehnaz Singh fled to India where the police tracked him and apprehended him. "This operation is a testament to Punjab Police's zero-tolerance approach to drug trafficking and organised crime. We remain committed to working with international law enforcement agencies to ensure that Punjab is not a safe haven for drug smugglers and criminals," the DGP said in his tweet. The arrest comes amid the Punjab government's ongoing 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' (war against drugs) campaign, launched on February 25. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had recently chaired a meeting of senior officials as part of the state government's renewed push for its anti-drugs campaign, setting a deadline of three months to make Punjab drug-free. On the evening of March 8, Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and former graduate student at Columbia University, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents inside his university-owned apartment in Manhattan. The dramatic scene unfolded as several officers entered the residence, apprehending Khalil, who was a prominent figure in last years pro-Palestinian encampment protests at Columbia, under orders reportedly from the state department. His lawyer, Amy Greer, said she spoke to an ICE agent during the arrest, who initially claimed Khalils student visa had been revoked. When Greer clarified that Khalil held a green card as a permanent resident, the agent shifted tack, stating that his residency status was now being cancelled instead. The arrest marks the first known instance of the Trump administration delivering on its pledge to deport foreign students involved in the wave of protests against Israels war in Gaza that swept American campuses in the spring 2024. Khalil, who completed his masters degree at Columbias School of International Affairs in December 2024, had been a key negotiator for student protesters, engaging with university officials to dismantle the tent encampment that galvanised a nationwide movement. His visibility made him a target, with pro-Israel groups and the Trump administration singling him out as an alleged supporter of Hamas, a designated terrorist organisation in the US. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed Khalils detention, with spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin framing it as a direct response to President Donald Trumps executive orders aimed at curbing anti-Semitism. McLaughlin alleged that Khalil led activities aligned to Hamas, tying his arrest to his role in Columbias protests. In a pointed message on X, Secretary of State Marco Rubio reinforced this stance, declaring that the administration would revoke visas and green cards of Hamas supporters in America for deportation. Revoking a green card is an extraordinary measure, typically reserved for individuals convicted of serious crimes. Khalil, however, has not been charged with any offence, raising questions about the legal grounding of his detention. Immigration experts describe this as an unprecedented escalation, potentially weaponising immigration law to silence dissent. Adding to the tension, Greer reported that ICE agents threatened to arrest Khalils wifean American citizen, eight months pregnantduring the raid, though no such action was taken. Khalils whereabouts remain unclear. Initially, he was said to be held at an immigration facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey, but when his wife attempted to visit him, she was told he was not there. The Trump administration has made Columbia a focal point in its broader campaign against universities it accuses of failing to protect Jewish students during the protests. On March 7, it axed $400 million in grants and contracts to the Ivy League institution. Trump himself foreshadowed this crackdown in a social media post last week, vowing to halt federal funding to any school tolerating illegal protests and to imprison or deport agitators. Columbias response has been muted; a statement on March 9 affirmed its commitment to legal compliance and student rights but avoided addressing Khalils arrest directly. Khalils activism traces back to Columbias encampment movement, which he helped lead as a negotiator. The university later investigated him through its newly formed Office of Institutional Equity, which has targeted dozens of students for pro-Palestinian activitiesranging from unauthorised marches to social media posts critical of Zionism. Though briefly suspended last spring, Khalils penalty was overturned, allowing him to complete his degree. His diplomatic experience, including a stint at the British embassy in Beirut, lent him credibility as a spokesperson for the cause. Critics, including the New York Civil Liberties Unions Donna Lieberman, have condemned the arrest as a frightening escalation reminiscent of McCarthyism. Meanwhile, the Columbia Jewish Alumni Association hailed it, branding Khalil a ringleader of anti-Semitic protests. Public reaction has been swifta petition for his release amassed nearly 8,00,000 signatures by March 10. As the Trump administration presses forward with its hardline stance, Khalils case may prove a litmus test for the balance between national security and free expression in an increasingly polarised America. For now, his fateand that of others like himhangs in the balance. Revealing the thrilling details of its men's valiant offensive, Russia said its special forces walked inside a gas pipeline to strike Ukrainian units from the rear in the Kursk region as Moscow claimed fresh gains in its push to recapture parts of the border province that Kyiv seized. The surprise strike on its forces was confirmed by the Ukrainian military, reports said. Russian special forces advanced for miles through a gas pipeline near the town of Sudzha in an attempt to surprise Ukrainian forces as part of a major offensive to expel Ukrainian soldiers from the western Russian region of Kursk https://t.co/WhYxnjgUjD pic.twitter.com/8xPFhYSMv3 Reuters (@Reuters) March 10, 2025 According to Telegram posts late Saturday by a Ukrainian-born, pro-Kremlin blogger, Russian operatives walked about 15 kilometers (9 miles) inside the pipeline, which Moscow had until recently used to send gas to Europe. Some Russian troops spent several days in the pipe before striking Ukrainian units from the rear near Sudzha, blogger Yuri Podolyaka claimed. ALSO READ | North Korean soldiers flexing muscles in Kursk? Ukrainian supply line almost cut off as Russia plans to encircle enemy Another war blogger, who uses the alias Two Majors, said fierce fighting was underway for Sudzha, and that Russian forces managed to enter the town through a gas pipeline. Russian Telegram channels showed photos of what they said were special forces operatives, wearing gas masks and moving along what looked like the inside of a large pipe. Russians inside the Kursk pipeline pic.twitter.com/rWq5hMucGz Preston Stewart (@prestonstew_) March 9, 2025 Ukraine's General Staff confirmed Saturday evening that Russian sabotage and assault groups used the pipeline in a bid to gain a foothold outside Sudzha. In a Telegram post, it said Russian troops were detected in a timely manner and that Ukraine responded with rockets and artillery. Meanwhile, Moscow said that its troops had taken four villages north and northwest of Sudzha, with the closest lying some 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) from the centre of the town. The claim came a day after the ministry reported the capture of three more villages near Sudzha. Ukraine did not immediately comment on the Russian claims, the US news agency said. Battlefields of Kursk Oblast Ukraine launched a daring cross-border incursion into Kursk in August, marking the largest attack on Russian territory since World War II. Within days, Ukrainian units had captured 1,000 square kilometres of territory, including the strategic border town of Sudzha, and taken hundreds of Russian prisoners of war. ALSO READ | Will Russia's fresh offensive against Ukraine derail ongoing peace talks? According to Kyiv, the operation aimed to gain a bargaining chip in future peace talks and to force Russia to divert troops away from its grinding offensive in eastern Ukraine. However, tides seem to have turned in the contested Russian territory as Ukrainian soldiers in the region are hit hard by relentless assaults by Russian and North Korean troops who number above 50,000. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers are at risk of being encircled, news agency Associated Press said. In a major strike, Ukrainian HUR drones hit Russias Novokuybyshevsk oil refinery, a key facility which produces jet fuel for its supersonic jets. The attack took place early morning on Monday. The refinery is situated in Russias Samara region and is approximately 900 kilometres away from the nearest Ukrainian border. The refinery is the one which produces jet fuel for Russia's Su-27 fighters and Tu-22M3 bombers used to attack Ukraine. Eyewitnesses reported explosions at the refinery which were heard across multiple districts of the city, according to Kyiv Post. Russian media also reported attacks on the refinery. Russian news outlet Astra reported that explosions rocked Samara and fires broke out at the facility. Another Russian news outlet reported that a fire had broken out over an area of 1,500 square metres in a warehouse at the refinery. Despite it being one of the most powerful refining facilities owned by Russia with a design capacity of over 8.8 million tons of oil per year, it has not yet finished installing a protective net against drone attacks. Last night Ukrainian drones attacked the Russian oil refinery in Novokuybyshevsk, Samara region. Explosions were reported and several fires were recorded. This is over 1200km from Kharkiv from where they were poss launched. Geolocated at 53.10690305430985, 50.063847960991275 pic.twitter.com/l0jwEQAOcf raging545 (@raging545) March 10, 2025 This is the second time that the refinery has come under attack since March 2024. Russias Ministry of Defense also reported intercepting drones in the region, including three over Samara Oblast, two each over Voronezh and Oryol, and one each over Belgorod and Kursk. Meanwhile, Ukraines Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi has claimed that Ukrainian drones struck and destroyed 22% more Russian targets in February, compared to January. The most effective of the weapons were FPV drones and multirotor bombers. In February, the number of enemy targets hit and destroyed increased by 22% compared to January. Our FPV drones and multirotor bombers deliver the most effective strikes, Syrskyi said. However, he noted that Russia was quickly adapting to Ukrainian drone tactics and expanding its own drone capabilities. "I received another intelligence briefing regarding the formation of Russias Drone Forces, where they have established a dedicated command structure, created rapid-response UAV units, and are developing fiber-optic controlled drones," he told Ukrainian media. Ukrainian media have started dropping serious hints at Russia's push to take back Kursk nearing success. Kyiv has agreed that Russian soldiers have managed to take back two-thirds of Kursk which its forces managed to seize in a surprise counter-offense in August 2024. NEW: Russian forces are collapsing the northern part of the Ukrainian salient in Kursk Oblast following several days of intensified Russian activity in the area. The temporal correlation between the suspension of US intelligence sharing with Ukraine and the start of Russia's pic.twitter.com/kmvrBihrg9 Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) March 10, 2025 An aggressive assault along with North Korean units has helped Russia to also enter the Ukrainian territory of Sumy. Moscow's forces were unable to reach anywhere near Sumy to date after the initial days of the invasion, reports said. As things stand, it is not justifiable to risk more Ukrainian lives in Kursk Oblast, many experts and journalists in the war-torn country think. ALSO READ | North Korean soldiers flexing muscle in Kursk? Ukrainian supply line almost cut off as Russia plans to encircle enemy It was not revealed if Donald Trump's non-cooperation was a reason behind Ukrainian soldiers having a tough time in Kursk. Many of its major supply routes have been cut off by the Russian-North Korean alliance and Kyiv's fighters are trying to protect the remaining ones to avoid being encircled. If these positions are overrun, the Ukrainian soldiers can't even retreat on vehicled and will be forced to travel on foot, Kyiv Post had said. Russian troops launched a large-scale offensive to retake parts of the western Kursk region from Ukrainian forces, according to war bloggers and a senior Russian commander https://t.co/WhYxnjgUjD pic.twitter.com/6peXVSZXp5 Reuters (@Reuters) March 9, 2025 Russian soldiers reclaimed four more villages in the contested border region before managing to enter Sumy. Following the fall of Lebedevka, Malaya Loknya, Cherkasskoye Porechnoye and Kositsa to Russian hands, Ukrainian troops have made the defence of the town of Sudzha a priority. It is in these regions that Russian Special Forces crawled many kilometres through gas pipelines to flank and outgun Ukrainian defensive positions. WATCH HERE | Kursk war videos: How Russian soldiers walked 15 kilometres inside gas pipeline to ambush Ukrainian positions! According to the latest reports, Vladimir Putin's forces are about 10 kilometres away from this strategic town. Russian military sources identified the seized Sumy territory as Novenke, the Kyiv Post report said. The Fall of Sumy could further strangle Ukraine's reinforcement from reaching crucial Kursk posts which could well be a knockout punch. Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants Kursk to remain under his men so that it can be used for bargaining in case of talks. In exchange for Kursk, his government hoped to demand the freedom of Ukrainian territories being held by Russia. Thus, a retreat from the region could deal a big blow to Kyiv's prospects. Sudiksha Konanki, an Indian student based in US, has gone missing in Dominican Republic while on her spring break. The 20-year-old who is a student from University of Pittsburgh went missing on March 6. She has been a permanent resident of the US since 2006. She was last spotted on the beach of Riu Republica Hotel in Punta Cana. A missing person notice identified Konanki as "5 feet 3 inches tall with black hair and brown eyes." She was wearing a brown bikini, large round earrings, a metal designer anklet on her right leg and yellow and steel bracelets on her right hand and a multi-coloured beaded bracelet on her left hand. The United States is sending federal personnel to the Dominican Republic to locate a University of Pittsburgh student who went missing on her spring break trip. Sudiksha Konanki, 20, was last seen walking along a beach near the RIU Republica Resort. MORE: https://t.co/0bdHRMHFOm pic.twitter.com/I4KrmnTAvi NewsNation (@NewsNation) March 10, 2025 Konanki was with five other women students from the University of Pittsburgh when she went missing, according to the Sheriff's Office in Loudoun County, Virginia, where the woman was staying. The Indian Embassy in the Dominican Republic said they have contacted the woman's parents and is providing assistance in finding the missing student. MISSING STUDENT ALERT 20-year-old Sudiksha Konanki, a junior at the University of Pittsburgh, is missing following a spring break trip to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Sudiksha was last seen around 4:50 a.m. on March 6, 2025, walking along the beach at the Riu Republica pic.twitter.com/TnMin1uXyg A Voice For The Voiceless (@AwarenessTCS) March 10, 2025 Konanki's friends reported her missing around 4 pm on March 6 while she was last seen at 4.15 am the same day. They were partying with "some guys they met at the resort," according to her father. Subbarayudu Konanki, the woman's father, told CNN that his daughter did not return from the beach. Various agencies in the Dominican Republic have searched the waters using tools and helicopters as well as the nearby bay. The father urged the authorities to look at other angles, including possibilities of abduction and human trafficking. The officials at the University of Pittsburgh said they are in contact with the woman's family and the sheriff's office in Virginia. "We have offered our full support in their efforts to find her and bring her home safely," a spokesperson said. Konanki graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia. Mark Carney is to replace Justin Trudeau as Canadian Prime Minister after securing 85.9 per cent votes in the Liberal Party leadership race. And now all eyes are on how the new Canadian premier will look at relations with India following deteriorating ties under Trudeau. Though Carney, 59, will be PM for less than eight months ahead of the general elections in October, it is important to look at how Canada's diplomatic ties with India will pan out during this short period. Im ready to give everything for Canada. Lets go win this, together. pic.twitter.com/UPUlc7JYta Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) March 9, 2025 Carney who spoke to media in Calgary, Alberta, said Ottawa will look at rebuilding the relationship with New Delhi and expand trade. "...There are opportunities to rebuild relationship with India," the Canadian leader said. "There needs to be a shared sense of values around that commercial relationship, and if I am Prime Minister, I look forward to the opportunity to build that." If the relations improve, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's team is likely to hold a high-level meeting with the new Canadian leadership, especially after US President Donald Trump's tariff threats affecting both countries. Canada's move to restrict immigration and tighten visa norms would also be a talking point, as per reports. An added advantage for India with Carney at the helm would be his knowledge about Canada's economic ties with the country. He had earlier headed the board of Brookfield Asset Management, which has invested in India's realty, renewable energy and infrastructure sectors. He vacated the position in January. The ties between India and Canada struck an all-time low after Trudeau alleged in September 2023 that Indians were involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18 that year. New Delhi has refuted the allegations, calling them "baseless", with both countries expelling diplomats. Canada had also put a pause on the Early Progress Trade Agreement, which would have been concluded in 2023. Tens of thousands of people packed into Mexicos City main plaza on Sunday to celebrate with President Claudia Sheinbaum a decision by the U.S. to postpone tariffs on many of the countrys goods. The crowd clutched large Mexican flags and yelled, Mexico is to be respected! as they cheered on Sheinbaum. Fortunately, dialogue and respect have prevailed, she told the crowd. The celebration comes just days after U.S. President Donald Trump postponed 25% tariffs on many imports from Mexico for a month, saying Sheinbaum had made progress on drug smuggling and illegal immigration. Sheinbaum had planned to announce any retaliatory measures on Sunday, but instead held a mass celebration. While threats persist, the president said she was optimistic tariffs would not be applied to Mexico and that she would continue to act with a cool head in the face of Trump. Among Sheinbaums supporters was Roberto Gonzalez, a 68-year-old computer scientist who raised a sign that read we are united Mexicans. The unity of the country is very important, said Gonzalez, adding that is the only way Mexico would be able to face one of the largest powers in the world. Also cheering on the president was Mariana Rivera, a 40-year-old social activist who held up a massive Mexican flag as high as her arms allowed. Despite the dark clouds hanging over the country, the activist said she was convinced that the president will overcome everything. Analysts say they dont expect the jubilant ceremony to alleviate the climate of uncertainty that threatens new investments and the Mexican economy, but that it would help Sheinbaum consolidate internal support against Trump, who is setting the pace of bilateral relations with his powerful rhetoric. This is an event designed more for internal politics, said political scientist and academic Javier Rosiles Salas, stating that Sheinbaum will seek to strengthen her image and leadership with Sundays event. Rosiles Salas told The Associated Press that despite concerns in Mexico about the economic impacts that a tariff war with the United States its main trading partner and destination of more than 80% of Mexican exports could unleash, the confrontation with Trump has been very profitable for Claudia Sheinbaum and has allowed her to achieve popular support of over 60% five months into her term. Although the 62-year-old president appears strong now, it is not clear whether her political support would weaken if the Mexican economy deteriorates because of tensions with the U.S. For now, the projections of specialists and rating agencies are not favorable. Most analysts agree that if general tariffs are imposed, Mexico could face a contraction of more than 1% of the Gross Domestic Product. A prolonged climate of uncertainty doesnt favor Mexico, according to Samuel Ortiz Velasquez, professor of the Faculty of Economics at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. After phone conversations with his counterparts in Mexico and Canada, Trump decided last Thursday to pause until April 2 the general tariffs for products that are under a trilateral trade agreement. In early February, Trump also suspended tariffs after Sheinbaum promised to send 10,000 national guards to the northern border to contain drug trafficking. Despite the agreements, Trumps decision on the 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum from Mexico and Canada, which are scheduled to come into effect on March 12, remains in limbo. (AP) Russian special forces walked inside a gas pipeline to strike Ukrainian units from the rear in the Kursk region, Ukraines military and Russian war bloggers reported, as Moscow claimed fresh gains in its push to recapture parts of the border province that Kyiv seized in a shock offensive. Ukraine launched a daring cross-border incursion into Kursk in August, marking the largest attack on Russian territory since World War II. Within days, Ukrainian units had captured 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) of territory, including the strategic border town of Sudzha, and taken hundreds of Russian prisoners of war. According to Kyiv, the operation aimed to gain a bargaining chip in future peace talks and to force Russia to divert troops away from its grinding offensive in eastern Ukraine. But months after Ukraines thunder run, its soldiers in Kursk are weary and bloodied by relentless assaults of more than 50,000 troops, including some from Russian ally North Korea. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers are at risk of being encircled, open-source maps of the battlefield show. According to Telegram posts late Saturday by a Ukrainian-born, pro-Kremlin blogger, Russian operatives walked about 15 kilometers (9 miles) inside the pipeline, which Moscow had until recently used to send gas to Europe. Some Russian troops spent several days in the pipe before striking Ukrainian units from the rear near Sudzha, blogger Yuri Podolyaka claimed. The town had some 5,000 residents before the full-scale February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and it houses major gas transfer and measuring stations along the pipeline, which was once a major outlet for Russian natural gas exports through Ukrainian territory. Another war blogger, who uses the alias Two Majors, said fierce fighting was underway for Sudzha, and that Russian forces managed to enter the town through a gas pipeline. Russian Telegram channels showed photos of what they said were special forces operatives, wearing gas masks and moving along what looked like the inside of a large pipe. Ukraines General Staff confirmed Saturday evening that Russian sabotage and assault groups used the pipeline in a bid to gain a foothold outside Sudzha. In a Telegram post, it said Russian troops were detected in a timely manner and that Ukraine responded with rockets and artillery. At present, Russian special forces are being detected, blocked and destroyed. The enemys losses in Sudzha are very high, the General Staff reported. A third Russian war blogger argued that the attacking force lacked the logistical backup to succeed. Food, water, ammunition, communications, charging electrical devices, power banks, the approach of the main forces, evacuating the wounded Two or three groups in the rear without all this thats a disaster, the blogger, who describes himself as a soldier with the call sign Thirteenth, wrote on Telegram. The Associated Press could not independently verify the accounts. The Russian Defense Ministry reported Sunday that its troops had taken four villages north and northwest of Sudzha, with the closest lying some 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) from the center of the town. The claim came a day after the ministry reported the capture of three more villages near Sudzha. Ukraine did not immediately comment on the Russian claims. Trump questions Ukraines survival, while France announces new aid package Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said in an interview that aired Sunday that Ukraine may not survive as he continued to withhold American arms and intelligence in an effort to force Kyiv into peace negotiations with its invader. In an interview with Fox News Channels Sunday Morning Futures, Trump was asked about a warning from Polish President Andrzej Duda that without American support, Ukraine will not survive and whether he was comfortable with that outcome. He replied, Well, it may not survive anyway. He added, But we have some weaknesses with Russia. You know, it takes two. In other developments, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said Sunday that France will use profits from frozen Russian assets to finance an additional 195 million euros ($211 million) in arms for Ukraine, the latest in a series of military aid deliveries funded through the assets. In an interview with the La Tribune Dimanche newspaper, Lecornu said Paris will send new 155 mm artillery shells and glide bombs for Mirage 2000 fighter jets it previously gave to Ukraine. Ukrainian drones said to target Russian oil infrastructure Elsewhere, Russian officials and Telegram channels reported that Ukrainian drones targeted oil infrastructure in southern and central Russia overnight into early Sunday. One drone struck an oil depot in Cheboksary, a Russian city on the Volga River about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the border, the local governor reported. According to Oleg Nikolaev, nobody was hurt, but the depot needed reconstruction work. Footage circulated on Russian Telegram channels of what appeared to be a fire at or near one of Russias largest oil refineries, in the southern city of Ryazan. Shot, a news channel on Telegram, cited local residents as saying they heard several nighttime blasts near the refinery. The local governor, Pavel Malkov, said Ukrainian drones had been shot down nearby. He claimed there had been no casualties or damage. Ukraine did not immediately comment on either incident. Satellite internet fuels sharp social media exchange Concerns that Elon Musk could turn off Starlink satellite internet service to Ukraine prompted a sharp exchange Sunday on X involving Musk, the Polish foreign minister and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski wrote that if Musks rocket company SpaceX, which runs Starlink, proves to be an unreliable provider, Poland will be forced to look for other suppliers. Musk told Sikorski: Be quiet, small man. You pay a tiny fraction of the cost. And there is no substitute for Starlink. Rubio told Sikorski: No one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink. And say thank you because without Starlink, Ukraine would have lost this war long ago and Russians would be on the border with Poland right now. In fact, Russians are already on the border with Poland because the Russian region of Kaliningrad lies on Polands northern border. The back-and-forth between the three concluded with Sikorski thanking Rubio: Thank you, Marco, for confirming that the brave soldiers of Ukraine can count on the vital internet service provided jointly by the U.S and Poland. Together, Europe and the United States can help Ukraine to achieve a just peace. (AP) When U.S. President Donald Trump first suggested buying Greenland in 2019, people thought it was just a joke. No one is laughing now. Trumps interest in Greenland, restated vigorously soon after he returned to the White House in January, comes as part of an aggressively America First foreign policy platform that includes demands for Ukraine to hand over mineral rights in exchange for continued military aid, threats to take control of the Panama Canal, and suggestions that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state. Why Greenland? Increasing international tensions, global warming and the changing world economy have put Greenland at the heart of the debate over global trade and security, and Trump wants to make sure that the U.S. controls this mineral-rich country that guards the Arctic and North Atlantic approaches to North America. Who does Greenland belong to? Greenland is a self-governing territory of Denmark, a long-time U.S. ally that has rejected Trumps overtures. Denmark has also recognized Greenlands right to independence at a time of its choosing. Amid concerns about foreign interference and demands that Greenlanders must control their own destiny, the islands prime minister called an early parliamentary election for Tuesday. The worlds largest island, 80% of which lies above the Arctic Circle, is home to about 56,000 mostly Inuit people who until now have been largely ignored by the rest of the world. Why are other countries interested in Greenland? Climate change is thinning the Arctic ice, promising to create a northwest passage for international trade and reigniting the competition with Russia, China and other countries over access to the regions mineral resources. Let us be clear: we are soon entering the Arctic Century, and its most defining feature will be Greenlands meteoric rise, sustained prominence and ubiquitous influence, said Dwayne Menezes, managing director of the Polar Research and Policy Initiative. Greenland located on the crossroads between North America, Europe and Asia, and with enormous resource potential will only become more strategically important, with all powers great and small seeking to pay court to it. One is quite keen to go a step further and buy it. The following are some of the factors that are driving U.S. interest in Greenland. Arctic competition Following the Cold War, the Arctic was largely an area of international cooperation. But climate change, the hunt for scarce resources and increasing international tensions following Russias invasion of Ukraine are once again driving competition in the region. Strategic importance Greenland sits off the northeastern coast of Canada, with more than two-thirds of its territory lying within the Arctic Circle. That has made it crucial to the defense of North America since World War II, when the U.S. occupied Greenland to ensure that it didnt fall into the hands of Nazi Germany and to protect crucial North Atlantic shipping lanes. The U.S. has retained bases in Greenland since the war, and the Pituffik Space Base, formerly Thule Air Force Base, supports missile warning, missile defense and space surveillance operations for the U.S. and NATO. Greenland also guards part of what is known as the GIUK (Greenland, Iceland, United Kingdom) Gap, where NATO monitors Russian naval movements in the North Atlantic. Natural resources Greenland has large deposits of so-called rare earth minerals that are needed to make everything from computers and smartphones to the batteries, solar and wind technologies that will power the transition away from fossil fuels. The U.S. Geological Survey has also identified potential offshore deposits of oil and natural gas. Greenlanders are keen to develop the resources, but they have enacted strict rules to protect the environment. There are also questions about the feasibility of extracting Greenlands mineral wealth because of the regions harsh climate. Climate change Greenlands retreating ice cap is exposing the countrys mineral wealth and melting sea ice is opening up the once-mythical Northwest Passage through the Arctic. Greenland sits strategically along two potential routes through the Arctic, which would reduce shipping times between the North Atlantic and Pacific and bypass the bottlenecks of the Suez and Panama canals. While the routes arent likely to be commercially viable for many years, they are attracting attention. Chinese interest In 2018, China declared itself a near-Arctic state in an effort to gain more influence in the region. China has also announced plans to build a Polar Silk Road as part of its global Belt and Road Initiative, which has created economic links with countries around the world. Then-U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo rejected Chinas move, saying: Do we want the Arctic Ocean to transform into a new South China Sea, fraught with militarization and competing territorial claims? A Chinese-backed rare earth mining project in Greenland stalled after the local government banned uranium mining in 2021. Independence The legislation that extended self-government to Greenland in 2009 also recognized the countrys right to independence under international law. Opinion polls show a majority of Greenlanders favor independence, though they differ on exactly when that should occur. The potential for independence raises questions about outside interference in Greenland that could threaten U.S. interests in the country. (AP) In a stunning rebuke of Columbia Universitys handling of antisemitism on campus, renowned Holocaust historian and former U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Deborah Lipstadt has publicly withdrawn from consideration for a teaching position at the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies. Lipstadt, whose lifes work has been dedicated to preserving the truth of the Holocaust and combating antisemitism, declared her decision in a searing op-ed in The Free Press on Sunday, citing a toxic and hostile campus climate that she believes has been enabled by weak university leadership. Lipstadt had been in discussions to teach a course on the history of the Holocaust and antisemitism at Columbia. But recent pro-Palestinian protests, student disruptions, and administrative responsesor lack thereofleft her deeply concerned about the universitys ability to protect academic freedom and Jewish students. On January 21, demonstrators stormed a History of Modern Israel class, distributing inflammatory flyers depicting a boot stomping on the Star of David with the words Crush Zionism. Weeks later, a sit-in at Barnard Colleges Milbank Hall on February 26 saw dozens of students protesting the expulsion of two classmates who had been involved in the disruption. The unrest escalated, with another round of protests outside Barnard on February 27, further pressuring administrators to reinstate the expelled students. Then, on March 3, Barnard expelled a third student for participating in the occupation of Hamilton Hall during an April protest. The series of clashes have raised serious questions about whether Columbia and Barnard are enforcing their own policiesor capitulating to mob pressure. Lipstadt, in her op-ed, accused Columbias leadership of failing to uphold academic principles and allowing intimidation to fester on campus. I feared that my presence would be a stop, a cover for problems, she told The Columbia Spectator, making it clear that she would not be used as a symbolic shield while deeper issues remained unaddressed. Her concerns were not just ideological but also personal. Lipstadt revealed that she feared for her safety and doubted whether she could teach on campus without facing harassment. I do not flinch in the face of threats, she wrote. But this is not a healthy or acceptable learning environment. Initially, Lipstadt had been pleased and surprised by Barnard College President Laura Rosenburys decision to expel the two students involved in the classroom attack. However, her confidence quickly crumbled when she witnessed Barnards handling of the Milbank sit-in, where faculty members negotiated with the protesters instead of enforcing the rules. Watching Barnard capitulate to mob violence and fail to enforce its own rules and regulations led me to conclude that I could not go to Columbia University, even for a single semester, Lipstadt wrote. She warned that the consequences of this weakness extend far beyond Columbia. On too many university campuses, the inmatesand these may include administrators, student disrupters, and off-campus agitators as well as faculty membersare running the asylum, she declared. They are turning universities into parodies of true academic inquiry. Lipstadts resignation from consideration triggered a response from Columbias interim President Katrina Armstrong, who reportedly reached out to Lipstadt personally to discuss efforts to combat antisemitism on campus. The university published a statement on Sunday emphasizing its commitment to expanding Holocaust education and deepening understanding of antisemitism. Recruiting expert voices to expand students access and ability to deepen their learning and engagement on the study of the Holocaust and understanding antisemitism is an important part of the Universitys approach to combating antisemitism, the statement read. But for Lipstadt, Columbias response was too little, too late. Though I recognize that Columbia and Barnard are administratively two separate institutions, in the eyes of the public, they are intimately connected, she said. Given the number of incidents both on Columbia campus and now on Barnard campus, I just felt this was not the moment for me to come and teach at the school. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) The hostage release ceremonies that the Hamas terror group held in Gaza during the first phase of the ceasefire deal, replete with fancy propaganda, appeared to be attended by large audiences only because Hamas paid each participant $200 in an attempt to broadcast widespread support, Channel 12 News reported. The channel aired a program on Sunday evening showing journalist Ohad Hamo interviewing former Gazans who immigrated to Germany. According to estimates, about 40,000 Palestinians live in Germany, most of them former residents of the Gaza Strip. In Europe, they are no longer afraid to speak against Hamas. Hamo interviewed Hamza, a 26-year-old Gazan who immigrated to Germany after he was beaten up by Hamas terrorists for attending a protest against the high cost of living in the Strip. There were Hamas activists in civilian clothes at the protest, he said. In Gaza, you dont know if the person in front of you is Hamas or not, you cant identify them 100 percent. After the protest, someone dragged me into a car, where they beat me even before I got to the station. All this happened because I said two words: We want to live, which is a crime according to Hamas laws. I once jokingly told my father that maybe Ill join Hamas. Theyll pay me a salary and provide a car, so why not? He told me that that would be the last time I would enter his house. I was at their central headquarters at Islamic University. I know a lot of people who joined Hamas, despite the fact that they dont identify with them, just to benefit financially. Good friends of mine joined them, Hamza said. Its not easy to protest against Hamas. Everyone knows that any criticism against them will at least end with you in intensive care after they shoot you in the kneesso on the contrary, I will fly the Hamas flag over my house. Think of them as ISIS, with better public relations people. Hazma addressed the fact that Hamas has recruited thousands of new terrorists since October 7. Who enlists in Hamas? People who live in tents, who stand all day to get a meal and fail to get it at the end. Hamas says to those people: Come, and well give you a monthly salary, and thats it. In the past, it took over two years until you could enlist in the Al-Qassam Brigades. Today, they say in the Strip that participants in the hostage release ceremonies each receive $200, and half of them are not even active in Hamas. They put on uniforms and weapons to broadcast a picture of victory. Even if I was in Gaza and they told me to take $200, I would do it, then take off the uniform and go my way, he admitted. They forget about you and you about them. Hamza added that even in Berlin, there are neighborhoods where you cant speak out against Hamas, because they will attack you and shout at you until you think like them. Hamo also interviewed Rami, a former resident of the Strip, who spent years in and out of Hamas prisons because he called for normalization with Israel one of the most serious crimes that can be committed according to Hamas. Rami said: On October 7, Hamas carried out an attack for the first time in front of all the media. Usually when they carry out attacks, the media is not allowed to report on it but they wanted the pictures to be broadcast to show that the people support them. Regarding the crowds at Hamas demonstrations, Rami said: Part of the interest of these people in the demonstrations is money. The participants, those who loudly shout Hamas, Hamas and Sinwar have applied for refugee status and asylum. Ahmed Mansour, one of the prominent voices in the fight against radical Islam in Europe, spoke about Hamas supporters in Europe. In my opinion, most Gazans who came to Europe didnt support Hamas but became supporters here. We have people, unfortunately, who have absorbed the extreme ideology of Hamas. Hamas propaganda is everywhere in Gaza, in kindergartens, in educational institutions, on television and in public places. Even if you dont want to see it its there all the time. Yasmine Bedja, a journalist specializing in Islamic immigration in Germany, told Channel 12 that since October 7 she has been looking for Gazan immigrants who still want peace. Im still looking for them, she said. I found only a few. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) Israeli security officials admitted that they did not correctly estimate the locations in Gaza where some hostages were held, Kan News reported on Sunday evening. The admission came after security officials questioned hostages released in recent weeks. The knowledge provided by the released hostages proved that the IDFs decision to refrain from operating in certain areas for fear of harming hostages was correct. IDF officials were not only unsuccessful in determining where some of the hostages were held but, no less importantly, were not fully aware of which locations were free of hostages. In September, Kan reported that the IDF presented the political echelon with a dilemma regarding the continuation of the warwhether to continue operating in additional areas of the Gaza Strip even at the cost of endangering additional hostages. The dilemma arose after Hamas brutally murdered six hostages in a tunnel in August, while the IDF was operating near the area. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) The Knessets Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee held another meeting on Monday morning regarding the regulation of a Chareidi draft law. During the meeting, Lt. Col. Avigdor Dikstein, the head of the Chareidi department in the IDFs Manpower Directorate reported that 14,000 draft orders will be sent to bnei yeshivos in three phases: 5,000 on Thursday, March 13th; 4,000 on April 6th; and 4,000 on May 4th. The majority of the orders are being sent to random bnei yeshivos who are eligible for enlistment but 4,900 are being sent to those whom the IDF views as being more likely to actually enlist, including those working or studying for a career while also attending yeshiva. However, Dikstein estimated that the IDF will not meet its recruitment targets for the Chareidi sector. Last week, Dikstein revealed: Of the 10,000 orders sent to Chareidim between July 24 and March 25 only 177 actually enlisted. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) The Reform Movements Legal Campaign Against Religious Life in Eretz Yisroel By: Dovid Gold Over the past decade or so, a wave of lawsuits targeting the lifestyle of the religious communities in Eretz Yisroel has been brought before the powerful and left-leaning Israeli Supreme Court. While not all of these cases have succeeded, theyve complicated life for hundreds of thousands of religious people. Moreover, these petitions have deepened the divisions among Israeli society. But who is spending time and money to bring these cases? And why do they care how the frum community chooses to live? A close look into each of these cases reveals a fascinating pattern. The fingerprints of the Jewish American woke left, organized into the Reform movement, are present each time. Desperate for relevance, Reform leaders in America have merged their anti-Torah ideology with the woke left agenda, launching a systematic campaign against the Torah communities of Eretz Yisroel. In doing so, they have created a cause celebre to rally their dwindling membership. While the Israeli court system leans strongly to the left and is widely viewed as unkind to religion, by law, courts do not initiate actions against Israeli citizens. Courts intervene only when a petition is filed before them. Successfully bringing a case before the Supreme Court requires expert legal representation and significant financial resources. Litigation typically starts at around 20,000 shekels, and many cases drag on for years, racking up large legal fees. Without the backing of a well-funded institution, these petitions or lawsuits hardly stand a chance of gaining any traction. For these reasons, the status quo understanding between the state and the religious communities in Israel has mostly held. Only in more recent years have so many rulings been handed down by the courts targeting religious practices. This new reality is due to the emergence of a new force on the Israeli scene: The Reform Center for Religion and State. This legal arm of the Reform movement in Israel has taken the lead in each of these petitions and the lawyers they retain have fought these battles. The Reform Center was established approximately 35 years ago. Officially, it was founded to advocate for the rights of Reform communities and promote the recognition of pluralistic and Reform values. However, in practice, the Center has led campaigns against virtually every area in which the Torah communities of Israel operate. Key Legal Battles Since the advent of cell phones, the Charedi public in Eretz Yisroel has embraced the use of kosher-filtered cell phones, which safeguard the purity and wholesomeness of their chosen way of life. But in 2016, a lawsuit claimed these phones dont allow access to hotlines for people with alternative lifestyles. This sparked a years-long legal saga to protect what the Charedi community views as a basic right. While this case continues to work through the legal system, the courts have already ordered the Knesset to pass laws that satisfy these pluralistic goals. A review of the official court documents shows that the petition was jointly brought by organizations advocating for those who practice alternative lifestyles along with the Reform Center and the Movement for Progressive Judaism, another Reform arm. And that all the petitioners were represented by lawyers who are members of the Centers legal staff. It is obvious that the Reform movement has no direct stake in the type of cell phones used by the frum community, nevertheless, they exploited this issue to advance their broader agenda of gaining relevance by generating coverage in Israels media outlets sympathetic to their cause. Thousands of working parents in Eretz Yisroel rely on government-subsidized childcare during work hours. For decades, based on the understanding that an avreich has the legal status of a studying spouse, families where the husband learns in kollel and the wife works have also benefited from these subsidies. To strip kollel families of this badly needed assistance, a petition was filed arguing that full-time Torah study does not meet legitimate standards of studying. Court documents again reveal that the Reform Center for Religion and State led this petition, along with five other leftist organizations, and that the Centers legal team represented all petitioners. Ultimately, this baseless petition was dismissed because the subsidies are intended to encourage female participation in the workforce, regardless of their spouses employment status. Its hard to believe the petitioners truly opposed subsidies for working women, a cause they often champion. Instead, it appears that it was all about delegitimizing the kollel system by painting them as unfairly benefiting from government funds. Another staple of organized life in Eretz Yisroel targeted by legal petition is the Mehadrin bus lines, which maintain separation between men and women per the communitys societal norms. In yet another case arguing that this longstanding practice violates laws of equality, the Reform Center and its lawyers are listed as petitioners. This time, the courts ruled in favor of the petitioners, forcing an end to Mehadrin seating arrangements. The result? A massive disruption for thousands of frum commuters, whose cultural norms were ironically disregarded under the guise of equality. Also targeted by the Reform Center and its lawyers is the curriculum being taught in the vast network of chadorim serving the Torah communities. Since Tanach is part of the core curriculum taught in every school in Israel, a case has been brought to block the legitimacy of chadorim who refuse to teach Tanach in the politically correct manner acceptable to the woke left in Israel. While this is an obvious non-starter for frum schools, this litigation resulted in a disparity in funding for the religious sector in Israel and became yet another talking point with which to disparage communities committed to following authentic Jewish traditions. The Effect on Israeli Society Besides these high-profile cases, many other petitions were brought in at all levels of the Israeli court system but were thwarted along the legal maze. Nevertheless, the mere threat of judicial intervention is enough to make the politicians sympathetic to traditional Jewish values think twice before crafting any new legislation. This dynamic is true at every level of government, from the Knesset, where laws are passed that apply to every citizen of the country, to local municipalities, which are responsible for scores of regulations that affect everyday life. Moreover, these petitions worsen the longstanding tension between the government and the courts. This rift recently boiled over in the well-known judicial reform drama that caused upheaval across Israel. Media coverage of these lawsuits confuses the question of who truly represents Judaism. Since the founding of the State, only Orthodox Judaism has been recognized as authentic Judaism. This aligns with the perspective of the overwhelming majority of Israelis who identify with religious traditions. In fact, until a relatively short time ago, there was no official Reform presence in Israel. However, the Reform movement has recently fought to change this perception and be recognized as representatives of the Jewish faith. A notable example of this push is evident from yet another petition filed by both the Reform and Conservative movements against the popular religious media outlet, Channel 14. The petitioners argued that Reform and Conservative clergypeople should be given equal time to present their views whenever a religion-related issue is discussed on air. As a result, Reform has made significant inroads in establishing itself in many parts of Israels national character. Given that the non-orthodox streams of Judaism have become largely irrelevant in the United States, establishing a foothold in Israel has become a priority for them. This affects every aspect of religious life in Israel, including marriage and conversion, and even the management of holy sites such as the Kosel. These changes threaten to reshape the very identity of the Jewish people as these pluralistic versions of Judaism gain legal and cultural influence. Countering Them The Reform movements decades-long involvement in the World Zionist Congress directly funds these legal petitions. Through its advocacy efforts in the Congress, the Reform movement has successfully managed to advocate for the direct funding of diverse streams of Judaism. Tens of millions of Shekels are allocated each year to fund the growth of the Reform movement in Israel, with official Reform organizations in Israel proudly listing the National Institutions as sponsors on their respective websites. A noteworthy portion of this money is funneled to the Reform Center for Religion and State under the guise of furthering Reform interests. However, as demonstrated by its legal history, the Center is largely used to fight legal battles against established religious communities and to arouse animosity toward the religious sector. In the 2020 Congress elections, the Reform and Conservative parties collectively received approximately 45,000 votes out of the 120,000 votes cast by American Jews. The Reform movement has intensified its efforts to gain even more votes in the upcoming elections in March 2025. To counter their influence, American Jews who support traditional Torah values must participate in these elections and vote for delegates who will oppose the Reform movements attempts to reshape Israeli society. The outcome of these elections will determine who controls billions of dollars and who shapes the future of religious life in Israel. By voting for delegates with true Torah values, American Jews can help ensure that Eretz Yisroel remains a place where authentic Judaism thrives. VOTE HERE! Voting has begun! Make your voice heard and count! EretzHaKodesh.org **if you had trouble voting earlier, the site is now working. Please try again. Clarkson shares dived on Monday morning despite the firm reporting its profits have surpassed 100million for the third consecutive year. Shares in the world's largest shipping services provider plummeted 17.9 per cent to 36.20 as it warned of greater uncertainty from tariffs, trade tensions, sanctions and changing monetary policy. President Donald Trump doubled the tariff on goods from China to 20 per cent last week, leading to China retaliating with tariffs on US farm products, such as chicken and soybeans. Trump also imposed a 25 per cent tax on imports from Mexico and Canada before partially backtracking within days and announcing temporary exemptions for goods covered by the USMCA trade agreement. Andi Case, chief executive of Clarkson, said 2025 had 'started with more uncertainty than most,' causing freight rates and asset values to shrink. Clarkson revealed its underlying pre-tax profits increased by 6 per cent to a record 115.3million in 2024, in line with previously upgraded guidance. Market reaction: Clarkson shares dived on Monday morning despite the firm reporting its profits have surpassed 100million for the third consecutive year Following the result, the FTSE 250 company has raised its annual dividend by 7 per cent to 109 pence per share, the 22nd year of successive rises. Its turnover rose 3.4 per cent to 661.4million as port congestion and the disruption to key trade routes from conflicts kept shipping rates elevated. Attacks by Houthi militants on container vessels travelling through the Red Sea have significantly reduced traffic going through the Suez Canal. Many shipping operators have subsequently diverted their ships around the Cape of Good Hope, adding 10 to 14 days to an average trip. In addition, the Russia-Ukraine war has led to a considerable growth in tonne miles, as vessels take longer journeys to transport oil and gas from countries other than Russia to Europe. Consequently, freight rates in the specialised products tanker market hit record highs in the first half of last year, while rates for box freight and time charter vessels in the container sector hit very high levels. Case added: 'The geo-political outlook remains uncertain as we enter 2025, with ongoing regional conflicts and trade tensions creating uncertainty for markets reflected by freight rates and asset values currently lower than 2024. 'The resolution or continuation of these events during the year will provide potential headwinds and tailwinds to the group's performance as we support our clients through this complexity.' Case, who has run Clarkson since 2008, has received major blowback from the company's shareholders over his generous compensation packages. He received a 12million pay packet in 2023, nearly triple the 4.2million average earnings of a FTSE 100 boss and more than HSBC's Noel Quinn, who made 10.6million and Reckitt Benckiser's Kris Licht, who took home 8.9million. The arrest and questioning of two Sinn Fein politicians was prematurely publicised, the Taoiseach has said. Micheal Martin said due process should always prevail during garda investigations. It comes after Cork North Central TD Thomas Gould and Cork city councillor Kenneth Collins attended pre-arranged appointments with gardai over a complaint of alleged business fraud. Sinn Fein said both men, who were released without charge, emphatically deny the allegations against them. Asked about Sinn Fein choosing to reappoint Mr Gould as a party spokesman, Mr Martin said: My experience would say that we should allow the gardai get on with the investigation, actually. Ive always been reluctant to dive in in the midst of a garda process. In more recent times, there seems to be a tendency to cast that aside. These are fundamental principles of due process, so I would err on the side of allowing the process to take its course. He added: I dont really want to comment beyond that. Its interesting, cases of this kind and its the nature of things but they end up in the media prematurely it seems to me. Asked about Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald signalling a willingness to make a statement on the matter in the Dail, Mr Martin said: I would question it, frankly, because I believe that its very early days for Dail statements, where questions have just happened. He said Mr Gould and Mr Collins had been arrested by appointment and asked questions by the gardai without any conclusion. He added: Theres a process to be followed. We do have separation of powers, and I would have thought that the obvious thing for now would be to await the process and see what transpires. And there can be plenty time in the aftermath of that process for questions in the Dail. Gardai said their investigation into the alleged offences is ongoing. More legal drama emerges after recent charges in a tragic local OD mystery that confounded family, friends and an otherwise peaceful Northland Kansas City community. Here are some of the deets . . . New court documents reveal that David Harrington's father is suing both Willis and Carson for negligence in his son's death. The lawsuit claims the men knew the dangers both drugs pose, and failed to render aid when Harrington overdosed. The lawsuit is seeking a total of $100,000 in damages. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . This morning we're inspired by the busy schedule of actress, model and biz lady hottie Sydney as we check pop culture, community reporting and top headlines. Check TKC news gathering . . . Activists Offer La Migra Help Latino Education Organization Creates Mutual Aid Fund to Assist Kansas City Immigrant Families - Northeast News Carter Galloway Editorial Assistant The Latinx Education Collaborative (LEC) announced in a press release on Feb. 27 the creation of The Adelante Fund - a mutual aid fund seeking to assist immigrant families in a range of issues including legal matters, housing and food. Suburbs Seeking More Cash Lenexa seeks renewal of 3/8 cent sales tax to fund city projects Lenexa seeks to renew a 3/8 cent sales tax that fund city projects. Ballots will be mailed March 12 and are due April 1. Looking For Local . . . Kansas and Missouri authorities intensify search for missing man, ask for dash cam footage Multiple law enforcement agencies in Kansas and Missouri are still searching for a missing 38-year-old Olathe man who was last seen last week. Last Picture Show?!? Nonprofit in contract to buy Englewood Theater holding community meeting Monday A community meeting will be held on Monday evening to discuss the future of the Englewood Theater and Ben Franklin store. El Torreon On Hold . . . What's going on with plan to restore historic music venue? Updates on KC nightlife The Kansas City music venue is running behind schedule. Also: KonTiki will get a private room and patio and Warehouse on Broadway adds shows Promo Pix Shared . . . Sydney Sweeney answers 'fashion crisis hotline' calls for HEYDUDE Sydney Sweeney stars in a new marketing campaign for HEYDUDE shoes where she answers the More Staffing Moves . . . Trump Justice Department fires head of organized crime drug task force "Putting bad guys in jail was as apolitical as it gets," Adam Cohen wrote on LinkedIn. Markets Doubt MAGA?!? Stocks slump after Trump declines to rule out recession The major stock indexes tumbled in early trading on Monday. Progressives Confront Confusion Van Jones warns Democratic Party is 'screwed,' adding they 'don't know what to do' Former Obama advisor Van Jones lamented the state of his party after members faced backlash for interrupting President Donald Trump's speech to Congress. Setting Up Sen. Schumer House GOP releases stopgap bill to avert shutdown House GOP leaders on Saturday unveiled a stopgap funding bill, known as a continuing resolution, that will fund the government at current levels through September 2025. Tech Trouble For Tesla King X Briefly Down as Thousands of Users Report Outage on Elon Musk's Social Media Platform On Monday morning, Elon Musk's social media platform X reportedly went down for thousands of users Holy Land Deal Ahead?!? Hamas is offering a truce with Israel for five to ten years, a U.S. official says President Trump's hostage affairs envoy, Adam Boehler, says a new Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal could happen "within weeks," as he defends his direct talks with Hamas. Eastern Europe Refuses U.S. Ukraine latest: Ukraine to push for truce with Russia in sea and sky in talks with US in Saudi Arabia Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is in Saudi Arabia for a state visit, but he will not attend talks with US officials on Tuesday. Far East Flexes Again China says it will exert utmost efforts to realise 'peaceful reunification' with Taiwan China will exert utmost efforts to realise "peaceful reunification" with Taiwan, its foreign ministry said on Monday, after the Chinese foreign minister declared last week that the island would never be "a country". Meet New Boss Up North What to know about Mark Carney, Canada's next prime minister "We didn't ask for this fight, but Canadians are always ready when someone else drops the gloves," he said. Accommodating Luxury Curves Plus-sized influencer demands McLaren sports cars increase seat size to accommodate her booty: 'Should be for everyone' Plus-size influencer Gracie Bon has demanded that McLaren make their car seats bigger to accommodate her. Cowboy Songs For Cowtown The Heartland Men's Chorus explores country music in a new show We sat down with Shawn Cullen, artistic director of the gay Heartland Men's Chorus, for a quick Q&A about and their new show, Y'all Means All. EPIC Baller Agreement Chiefs' Trey Smith signs his $23.4 million franchise tag Unless the Kansas City Chiefs can sign a long-term deal with their right guard Trey Smith - or trade him - he'll earn $23.4 million in 2025. Hipster Loyalty Offered Early Bird Special: Show Your Team Spirit With We 3 Music Soccer Scarf Our KC Current-inspired "We Still Winter Comfort Food Eat This Now: TC Biscuit at Take Care by Oleo Take Care by Oleo stands out on its quiet side street downtown, hard to miss with its extravagant color and eye-catching design. Springtime Sneak Peek Temperatures surge to May-like levels this afternoon Winds today will elevate fire dangers Karan Aujla, OneRepublic, Disha Patani, Ikky - Tell Me is the song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now. Consider . . . Local progressives keep comparing this decision to "Civil War-era" pro-slavery policy which is possibly the stupidest argument we've in Jeff City for quite some time. Meanwhile . . . A closer look at legislative sausage-making shows us that a few Missouri Democratic Party denizens are ready hop on board a public safety bill packed with special favors and so much savory pork. Check-it . . . While similar legislation has cleared the House for three straight years, the plan hasnt come to a final vote in the Senate. If the Senate passes it Monday, the measure will go back to the House for possibly a quick vote to send it to Gov. Mike Kehoe before the Legislature goes on spring break at the end of next week. While past House votes have mostly fallen along party lines with Republicans in favor and Democrats opposed less is known about where some Democratic senators stand on the legislation. On Thursday, state Sen. Steven Roberts, a St. Louis Democrat, hinted that some Senate Democrats could ultimately break with him and vote yes. Multiple Democratic priorities such as restitution for more exonerees and limits on shackling of pregnant women are also now added to the wide-ranging GOP-backed package that includes the state takeover. Republicans hold a 24-10 advantage in the Senate and the bill is expected to pass easily when it comes up for a final vote. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay has a blunt message for Gov. Glenn Youngkin: Stand up to President Donald Trump on moving federal agencies out of a regional economy that depends on them. McKay, who leads a county of 1.1 million people, the most populous locality in Virginia, told Youngkin in a letter on Feb. 4 that the regional and state economy would be devastated if Trump carries through his threat to force federal agencies to move outside of the country's National Capital Region, which includes Northern Virginia, suburban Maryland and the District of Columbia. After outlining the threat and the county's efforts to prepare for it, the board chairman challenged the governor to change his public message on Trump's sweeping efforts to slash the federal workforce and move federal agencies. "We urge you to call on ... President Trump to halt these reckless relocations and to stand with Virginia's workforce in protecting the economic stability of our region," McKay says in his two-page letter. "You must tell the president that he is wrong, as past governors have done when Virginia's economy is threatened." "We also request that you brief our board on your efforts, to date and planned, to support Virginians as they face unprecedented assault," he wrote. Youngkin, who owns a residence in the Great Falls area of Fairfax, responded, through his chief of staff, with a two-page letter to McKay the following Thursday that touted Youngkin's own record of job creation. Youngkin chief of staff John Littel suggested that the Fairfax chairman focus on the county's own budget challenges instead of national politics. "While other counties in Virginia are growing and attracting new residents and tax revenue, Fairfax County is losing both," Littel wrote to McKay. "Focusing on your $292.7 million budget shortfall without raising taxes on your constituents should take priority over partisan theatrics." He added, "You should reverse the mandatory union labor agreements that will cost your taxpayers millions. You should improve your commercial real estate crisis and support local business by demanding that employees return to the office." Littel did not address Trump's cuts to the federal workforce or push to move federal agencies out of the region, but suggested that the new administration "represents a real opportunity" to reverse a decision President Joe Biden's administration made to award a new FBI headquarters to Maryland instead of the Springfield area of Fairfax. With Republicans hostile to the FBI under Biden, the governor played a less prominent role in the push to win the project for Virginia than Democrats in the state's congressional delegation. The Republican governor has publicly supported Trump's efforts to cut the federal workforce and spending as part of the government efficiency initiative billionaire tech tycoon Elon Musk is leading. Youngkin has expressed sympathy for affected workers and launched an online initiative to match them with private sector jobs in Virginia. On Wednesday, the governor's administration sponsored an online job fair with an estimated 300 private employers as part of the "Virginia Has Jobs" initiative. But McKay told Youngkin, "your statements telling people they are getting what America voted for, that downsizing isn't wrong, calling the process painful but necessary are doing harm to our shared constituents." Last week, federal budget director Russell Vought ordered federal agencies to produce reorganization plans by this Thursday that carry out Trump's executive order to prepare for "large-scale reductions in force," or layoffs, by consolidating their operations and eliminating bureaus and offices that are not essential to serving the public. Vought faced fierce opposition to his Senate confirmation by Virginia's Democratic senators, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, partly because of his past statement that he wants federal workers to be "traumatically affected" by the new administration's sweeping plans to cut the government. The Project 2025 blueprint that he helped write for the new administration to follow outlined those plans in detail. In the second phase of the reorganization plan, due April 14, agencies must include "proposed relocations of agency bureaus and offices from Washington, D.C., and the National Capital Region to less-costly parts of the country." During the presidential campaign last year, Trump vowed to cut the federal workforce and move up to 100,000 government employees out of the region. McKay estimated that more than 175,000 federal employees and contractors live in Northern Virginia. "Relocating federal agencies from our region would impact not only the employees working at those agencies, but the private sector contractors who are the backbone of our economy," he wrote. Virginia received $108 billion in federal contracts last year second only to California and Fairfax alone received $41 billion in federal funding, according to McKay. "These investments fuel our local economies, sustain small businesses, and provide critical employment opportunities across the Commonwealth," he wrote. "If agencies relocated from the region, many contractors will likely do the same." McKay also contends that forcing agencies to move "would not only disrupt the lives of thousands of Virginia residents but also weaken the agencies themselves by stripping them of the institutional knowledge and expertise concentrated in this region." "History has shown that previous agency relocations have resulted in workforce attrition and operational challenges that ultimately cost taxpayers more in the long run," he wrote. Museum offers science activities for spring break UAMN photo by G. Priday A child participates in a scavenger hunt at the UA Museum of the North in 2018. From March 10 to 14, UAMN will offer science activities for children on spring break. The University of Alaska Museum of the North will host science activities for children during spring break from March 10 to 14. Families can drop in to see movies and discover activities related to aurora art, whale adaptations, sun science and snow goggles, dinosaurs and fossils, and moose. The museum has created an activity guide with explorations to do at home and at the museum. See the full schedule of events and download the free activity guide from the museum website. These activities are included with admission and are free for members. For more information about museum events, call 907-474-7505. ADDITIONAL CONTACT: Jennifer Arseneau, 907-474-6948, ua-museumlearn@alaska.edu 196-25 By Nicole Lyons, March 10, 2025 The international flag display in the Ward Edwards Building atrium is seen during the rededication ceremony on Friday, Feb. 28. University of Central Missouri (UCM) students, faculty and staff, both past and present, gathered Friday afternoon, Feb. 28 to celebrate a rededication ceremony for the international flag display in the Ward Edwards Building atrium. Ward Edwards visitors are likely familiar with the buildings display of international flags, a show of support for the international student population at UCM. Some flags had become faded after years of hanging in the sun, so new brackets, poles and flags were installed in summer 2024. A new plaque was recently added, recognizing the countries represented and the donors who sponsored the flags. Phil Hull, director of International Student Services, welcomed those gathered for the rededication ceremony, followed by remarks from President Roger Best. As Hull shared during the event, the new plaque reads: These flags celebrate the long tradition of international students and scholars coming to the University of Central Missouri (formerly Central Missouri State University), as well as the personal global connections of UCM students, faculty, staff and community. These ambassadorsan integral part of the UCM familyhave shared their culture, stories and friendship, making UCM and the broader community richer and wiser for it. Each flag is arranged alphabetically by continent, with North and South America to the north, Africa and Oceania to the south, Asia to the west, and Europe to the east. This project, initiated in 2004 by Dr. Joy Stevenson, receives ongoing support from UCMs International Student Services Office and the following special donors. The new plaque highlights the countries featured in the international flag display and the donors who helped make the project possible. Stevenson, director emerita of the International Center, and Charles Petentler, former international recruitment officer, attended the celebration. Hull said the flags represent the countries of current and former students dating back to the 1940s. He added that a few are aspirational for the countries of students we hope to welcome. To sponsor a flag, visit the MuleNation International website. For more information about International Student Services, visit ucmo.edu/iss. UCM President Roger Best speaks to those gathered in the Ward Edwards atrium as Phil Hull, director of International Student Services, is seen standing next to him. facebook like button Tweet tweet button for twitter Published March 10, 2025 CAPTION:Over 350 fifth grade students from across Northeast Louisiana attended the inaugural Rural STEM Day at Bayou Pointe Event Center on the campus of ULM on February 27. MONROE, LA On February 27, over 350 NELA fifth graders attended the inaugural Rural STEM Day at Bayou Pointe Event Center on ULMs campus. Students interacted with community partners to gain hands-on access and knowledge to STEM skills critical to todays workforce. Hosted by the Region 8 LaSTEM Center and ULM, the events mission was to introduce students to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education and close gaps for underserved populations in Northern Louisiana parishes. The goal is to create a new STEM culture and promote activities that raise awareness of STEM principles and career opportunities. With increased STEM literacy, Louisiana citizens will have the ability to compete and excel in the global economy. Over 20 area stakeholders showcased the STEM components of their jobs through interactive demonstrations highlighting subjects such as chemistry, robotics, alternative energy, physics, and coding. Activities included drone flying, blood typing, robotic operation, wildlife education, and medication identification. Area demonstrators included the Monroe Fire Department, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, Louisiana Techs Forestry Department, the ULM Unmanned Aircraft Systems Management program, among others, as well as several high school robotics clubs. Activities were designed to spark curiosity, foster a love of learning, and introduce young minds to the possibilities these employment fields offer and how STEM is integral to them. Cathi Cox Boniol, Director of the Region 8 LaSTEM Center, was excited by the turnout, stating, We could not be more pleased with our inaugural Rural STEM Day. While we were confident it would be a success, the event far exceeded our expectations. The room had incredible engagement, excitement, and energy, and it never waned once from start to finish. Our community partners were amazing and embraced the idea of engaging students with experiences that help bring STEM to life and showcase career connections throughout our region. Obviously, the students had so much fun, but the adults did, too! There was so much networking and collaboration among stakeholders sharing resources and opportunities. We received tremendous feedback and are thrilled with the results. We anticipate next years event to be even better. According to experts, many U.S. schools see a drop off in STEM engagement around seventh grade especially among females and minorities. By introducing STEM earlier in a students education, the hope is to produce a workforce abundant in these specialized skills. As ULM Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Mark Arant, explained, Many students will choose STEM areas for academic study and eventual careers before entering high school. The Rural STEM Day event provides a critical venue for students to discover what regional opportunities exist in these highly competitive fields. Early planning is essential to future successes. ULM is honored to participate and serve our community in connecting ideas with reality. About the Region 8 LaSTEM Center The Region 8 LaSTEM Center is a group of partners across north Louisiana focused on meeting the critical need for science, technology, engineering, math learning and job skills in our region. The STEM Collective for Innovative Louisiana Stakeholders (SCILS) leverages comprehensive partnerships, has a history of successfully securing resources, and has a variety of unique and powerful assets to expand the impact of LaSTEM's work. SCILS is helping to build a collaborative, sustainable infrastructure for STEM along the I-20 corridor, supporting opportunities that inspire young people to be leaders in STEM while encouraging them to think like scientists, inventors, and entrepreneurs. For more information about SCILS and the Region 8 LaSTEM Center, click here. Harvard Researcher Proves God Exists Malaysian astrophysicist and a researcher at Harvard University, Dr Willie Soon, using mathematical formula established that God is real, arguing things in the world are so perfectly placed that they cannot be attributed to mere chance Monday March 10, 2025 12:25 PM , Science Desk Malaysian astrophysicist and a researcher at Harvard University, Dr Willie Soon, using mathematical formula established that God is real, arguing things in the world are so perfectly placed that they cannot be attributed to mere chance. Soon's approach employs advanced mathematics and creative reasoning, suggesting that the realms of religion and science may not be as incompatible as traditionally thought, CNBC TV18 reported. Speaking on the Tucker Carlson Network, Soon introduced his theory, which builds on the concept of "fine-tuning. The concept argues that the precise laws of physics are so perfectly aligned with the conditions necessary for life that they cannot be attributed to mere chance. Even slight variations in fundamental constants, such as the gravitational constant, could have rendered life impossible, emphasising the extraordinary nature of our universe, Soon said. Theory of Antimatter Soon draws on a hypothesis introduced by renowned Physicist and Cambridge mathematician Paul Dirac in 1963, who predicted the existence of antimatter in 1928, specifically a counterpart to the electron. "There are so many examples of the ever-present forces that allow us to illuminate our lives. God has given us this light, to follow the light and do the best that we can," said Soon, hinting at what Dirac's 1963 theory emphasised. "It seems to be one of the fundamental features of nature that fundamental physical laws are described in terms of a mathematical theory of great beauty and power... We simply have to accept it, Soon said. "One could perhaps describe the situation by saying that God is a mathematician of a very high order, and He used very advanced mathematics in constructing the universe," he had said in a piece in the Scientific American. Soon also referred to geometry in mathematics, specifically the concept of closed curvature in spacetime without gravity, which has long challenged the understanding of how mathematics relates to the real world. He noted that studies have explored this topic extensively. Willie Soon also argues that cutting CO2 emissions goes against nature. Referring to those advocating for reducing fossil fuel use or lowering CO2 levels, he questions, "Who are you to decide? Who gives them the right to save the planet Earth?" 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 Maharashtra Budget 2025: Pawar Launches Technical Textile Mission Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister, Ajit Pawar, Monday March 10, 2025 announced to launch Technical Textile Mission while tabling the state budget for the year 2025-26 Tuesday March 11, 2025 0:05 AM , ummid.com News Network Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister, Ajit Pawar, Monday March 10, 2025 announced to launch Technical Textile Mission while tabling the state budget for the year 2025-26. The mission aims to enhance the production of textiles that cater to diverse industries, including automotive, healthcare, and defense, positioning Maharashtra as a leader in advanced textile manufacturing. The Maharashtra budget 2025-26 however does not have anything for the existing Powerloom Sector. Maharashtra is home to the second largest Textile Cluster in India after Gujarat. Ajit Pawar also announced to unveil a new Industrial Policy 2025. With an aim to attract investments worth 40 lakh crore over the next five years, the New Industrial Policys goal is four times the amount of investments envisioned under the previous policy (2019-2024). The policy is intended to generate 50 lakh jobs, Pawar said in his budget speech Monday. Maharashtra Budget 2025-26 Highlights Ajit Pawar presented in the Mahrashtra Assmebly Monday his 11th budget as Finance Minister. Ajit Pawar in his budget speech announced to increase the education budget from the existing 14,248.02 crore rupees to INR 16,261 crore for the year 2025-26. Pawar also presented the proposal for Mumbais 3rd airport near Vadhvan Port, which is expected to be operational by 2030. Pawar announced that domestic operations at the Navi Mumbai International Airport in Panvel will startnext month. He said 85% work of the Panvel Airport has already been completed and successful trial runs conducted. Pawar also said that the Mumbai Metro will connect Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Sahar Airport) with the new Navi Mumbai International Airport. Pawar also announced that the Maharashtra government will build a memorial in Agra to honour Chhatrapati Shivaji. The Maharashtra government is also working to streamline industrial licensing through the introduction of the Maitri portal. This digital platform aims to simplify granting industrial licenses, ensuring a more transparent and efficient approach to industrial growth, Pawar said. Ajit Pawar announced that the State has prepared a seven-point action plan for the first 100 days of the 15.65 lakh crore investment in the coming years. Maharashtras economy is expected to grow at 7.3 per cent as per the advance estimates of 2024-25, Pawar said while presenting the Economic Survey of Maharashtra. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said his government will focus on the Lakhpati Didi scheme to ensure creation of one crore beneficiaries. Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) will be developed as a growth hub with a goal of boosting the GDP from $140 billion to $300 billion. Gadchiroli will be developed as a steel hub with transportation projects up to Rs 500 crore, Ajit Pawar said. Maharashtra government proposed to levy motor vehicle tax at the rate of 6 per cent on electric vehicles priced above Rs. 30 lakhs. The Maharashtra government also announced its plan to hike motor vehicle tax rate by 1 per cent. On the question of increased payout of Rs 2,100 to eligible women under the Ladki Bahin Yojana, Fadnavis said that they are working on it but indicated that the increased payout will take time to come into effect. (With inputs from Agencies) 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 Sunita Williams, Barry Wilmore finally returning to Earth The American space agency, NASA, finally revealed the confirmed return journey of the stranded astronauts, Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, from Space to Earth Monday March 10, 2025 8:19 PM , Science Desk Washington: The American space agency, NASA, finally revealed the confirmed return journey of the stranded astronauts, Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, from Space to Earth. Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore are currently stuck onboard the International Space Station (ISS). The two had embarked to space onboard Starliner spacecraft on June 05, 2024. As per the original schedule, their return journey to Earth was on June 14, 2024. They however got stuck in the space due to some technical reasons, completing six-month stay in space in December last, and around nine months now. Relief Crew NASA officials now confirmed that the two stranded astronauts would return to Earth on March 16, 2025, saying the U.S. space agency has cleared a relief crew to launch on SpaceX Dragon next week for their return. The Starliner spacecraft returned without a crew in September last year. However, weeks later, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov were launched on the SpaceX Crew-9 mission with two seats aboard their Dragon spacecraft reserved for the stranded astronauts. Now all four will return to Earth on March 16, NASA said. NASA had earlier reported that Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore - known as the stuck astronauts, will return to Earth in February 2025 . NASA however again changed their return journey saying the duo will have to remain in space for another month and could return to Earth only in March 2025 . The case of Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore had earlier also sparked a political debate after SpaceX chief Elon Musk accused former U.S. President Joe Biden of deliberately delaying the return journey of the two astronauts. Meanwhile, SpaceX and NASA joint crew Monday completed the rehearsal of the launch day ahead of the ISS rescue mission for stranded astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams. Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. The Simmering Trade War Between U.S. and China As if the tariff war against almost the whole world, leading among them China, Mexico, Canada, and India, hots up, it portrays the leading hero, Trump in this case, frothing at the mouth and cursing and cussing everyone, if he does not get what he wants, and shows a completely new and unacceptable face of the American democracy and diplomacy Monday March 10, 2025 2:34 PM , Asad Mirza [Representative image] As if the tariff war against almost the whole world, leading among them China, Mexico, Canada, and India, hots up, it portrays the leading hero, Trump in this case, frothing at the mouth and cursing and cussing everyone, if he does not get what he wants, and shows a completely new and unacceptable face of the American democracy and diplomacy. Accusations and counter accusations are flying around but the optics are definitely working against Donald Trump. If only he had described the Tariff War against China as a War Against Drugs, he might have been able to garner much more sympathy. But he has chosen the other way around to restrict transfer of technology to China and trying to curtail its capacity to dominate the worlds chips and supercomputer technology and industry. The recent cumulative 20% tax on all Chinese goods comes on top of a slew of tariffs Trump imposed in his first term on tens of billions of dollars of Chinese imports. And currently, countering those earlier tariffs imposed during Trump 1.0, China has already in place a counter strategy,which had started bearing results then and now also. By 2024, Beijing had blocked exports to the US of critical minerals used to make chips, restricted the supply chain for US-made drones, threatened to blacklist a prominent US clothing company and launched an antitrust investigation into Nvidia. By taking these actions, Beijing haddemonstrated its capabilities to overcome the American pressure. Moreover now, Xi has warned the US it is ready to fight any type of war, as it retaliates against mounting US trade tariffs - while raising spending on its military. Trump has justified fresh tariffs on Chinese goods by blaming Beijing for the Fentanyl opioid crisis in the US. He claimed that a large percentage of these deadly substances were made in China.China in its defence has accused the White House of blackmail over its tariff hike, claiming it has some of the worlds toughest anti-drug policies. In his address to the joint session of the US Congress, Trump claimed other countries have used tariffs against the US for decades. Now its our turn to start using them against those other countries. On average, the European Union, China, Brazil, India, Mexico and Canada ... and countless other nations charge us tremendously higher tariffs than we charge them. Its very unfair, the President said. This came within minutes of a new 10% US levy on Chinese imports that came into effect on Tuesday (4 March) - which adds to existing tariffs both from Trump's first term and those announced last month. Meanwhile, as mentioned earlier, China had earlier-on started taking preventive measures. 2023 onwards, Beijing started a fiscal and monetary stimulus to help businesses and, subsequently, consumers, which generated some positive results as banks and financial institutions instead of supporting the real estate trade and ventures diversified their lending towards industry and innovation. It was clearly necessary, but its scope and nature were also developed with a potential trade war in mind. In fact, China had begun a transformation from garments and shoes manufacturer to advanced tech, such as robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) long before Trump became president. And that has given China an early mover advantage, not to mention the scale of production to the world's second-largest economy. Indeed, Chinese factories can produce high-end tech in large quantities at a low cost, not based on cheap labour but taking advantage of economies of scale. Additionally, Beijingfocussed more on expanding economic ties globally, besides announcing unilateral reductions in tariffs on imports from non-US partners. During his visit to Peru, Xi inaugurated a deep-water port that could reshape China's trade with Latin America - a key non-US source of food, energy, and minerals. This is the second round of tariffs the two countries have imposed on each other since February. But this time China is hitting Donald Trump where it has the potential to hurt - by targeting farmers, who are some of his core supporters. China is one of the biggest US-customer for chicken, beef, pork, and soybeans and now all those products will face a 10-15% tax which will be effective from today onwards, i.e. 10 March. Beijing may hope that this will apply some pressure on the Trump administration ahead of any potential negotiations. The latest announcements raise the prospect of an all-out trade war between the world's top two economies, but in various foreign ministry statements, China has made two things very clear. Firstly, it is prepared to continue to fight.Pressure, coercion and threats are not the right way to deal with the Chinese side. said foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian. But secondly, it is also willing to talk.Beijing is not ramping up the rhetoric or the tariffs in the same way it did in 2018, during the last Trump administration. Though, back then it imposed a tariff of 25% on US soybeans. Xi Jinping has left the door open for talks, experts say. But when will these talks take place, no one knows. Further, in contrast to Canada and Mexico, Beijing has not announced new measures to target Fentanyl. Last week, the Chinese State Council released a White Paper titled Controlling Fentanyl-related substances - China's contribution. The document outlines the measures Beijing says it has already made to crack down on Fentanyl-related crimes and the precursor chemicals used to make the drug. It adds that it is diligently fulfilling international drug control obligations. Despite stating that China will not yield, these latest tariffs are bound to sting.At the same time, Chinese Commerce Ministry has reiterated that it is prepared to work with other countries around the world to combat Trump's tariffs. Beijing appears to be looking for potential allies in this trade war while also trying to portray Washington as a troublemaker who is prepared to target friends and foes alike. (The writer, Asad Mirza, is a New Delhi-based senior commentator on national, international, defence and strategic affairs, environmental issues, an interfaith practitioner, and a media consultant.) Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Vietnam Briefing has developed into a premium source for insight on doing business in Vietnam. It publishes business news concerning foreign direct investment into Vietnam, including the most important tax, legal and accounting issues. The Vietnam Briefing Magazine was first published in 2009, and is contributed to by investment professionals based in Vietnam. Britain is seeking to finalize a deal on handing sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after U.S. President Donald Trump said last month that he was inclined to support the deal. However, critics say the agreement could threaten the security of a joint U.S.-U.K. military base on the islands amid fears of Chinas close ties with Mauritius. Many of the original inhabitants of the islands who were forcibly expelled to make way for the base on Diego Garcia in the 1960s and 1970s are also critical of the agreement and say their voices have been ignored. British colony The Chagos Islands, officially known as the British Indian Ocean Territory, are one of the last vestiges of the British Empire. They comprise more than 60 islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the largest of which is Diego Garcia. Britain officially took ownership of the archipelago from France after the defeat of French leader and Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in 1815. The islands were administered from Mauritius, which argues it was illegally forced to give up the Chagos Islands in return for its own independence from Britain in 1968. In an advisory opinion in 2019, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague ruled ... the process of decolonization of Mauritius was not lawfully completed when that country acceded to independence. The judges added that Britain is under an obligation to bring to an end its administration of the Chagos Archipelago as rapidly as possible. Sovereignty negotiations Negotiations between Britain and Mauritius on ceding sovereignty have been going on for several years. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, a former human rights lawyer, has sought to finalize the agreement since winning power in July last year. Speaking to British lawmakers last month, Starmer said a deal was vital to secure the future of the U.S. military base. This is a military base that is vital for our national security. A number of years ago, the legal certainty of that base was thrown into doubt. Without legal certainty, the base cannot operate in practical terms as it should. That is bad for our national security and its a gift to our adversaries, Starmer said on Feb. 5. British media report that Britain will cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands and pay Mauritius around $116 million a year for 99 years to lease back Diego Garcia and allow the military base to remain, with an option to extend the lease for another 40 years. However, neither Britain nor Mauritius have confirmed any details, and the agreement is yet to be finalized. Trump approval During a visit by Starmer to the White House last month, Trump said that he was inclined to approve the deal. I have a feeling it's going to work out very well. They're talking about a very long-term, powerful lease, a very strong lease, about 140 years actually. That's a long time, and I think we'll be inclined to go along with your country, Trump told Starmer during the visit on Feb. 27. The proposed deal also has the backing of India, which has close political and security ties to Mauritius. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is due to travel to Mauritius on Tuesday as chief guest on the countrys national day, the anniversary of its independence from Britain. Modi is expected to discuss upgrading Indias defense ties with the island nation. China concerns Politicians in Britain and the United States, however, have expressed concerns over potential security implications of handing sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius amid a growing threat from China in the region. Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary for Britains Conservative opposition party, described the proposed plan as a strategic disaster for Britain that represented an appalling betrayal of the British people. Members of Britains Shadow Cabinet are responsible for scrutinizing the policies and actions of the government but have no executive power. U.S. Senator James Risch, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in October that the proposed deal gives in to Chinese lawfare and yields to pressure from unaccountable international institutions like the International Court of Justice at the expense of U.S. and U.K. strategic and military interests. The U.S. and our allies must take a long-term approach when it comes to making decisions that affect our strategic competition with China, or we will all lose, Risch told Politico. Chinas burgeoning economic relationship with Mauritius makes the African island nation vulnerable to influence from Beijing, noted Evan Fowler of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China. Given the complexity of the situation there, actually having a deal that secures the base is good. However, having a deal doesn't mean just accepting any deal. China has significant investments. Mauritius owes China quite a lot. China has quite a clear record of using debt to seek political advantage. That area is strategically important to us because it's a way for us to project power, Fowler told VOA. And the Chinese understand this, too. The Chinese have already been active militarily around the Chagos Islands. Chagossians voiceless After their expulsion, many Chagossians settled in Mauritius. Thousands also came to Britain, with many choosing to settle in the town of Crawley, south of London. Frankie Bontemps and Maxwell Evenor are second-generation Chagossians whose parents were forced out of their homeland in the 1960s. They are part of the group Chagossian Voices, which seeks to assert the rights of the exiled population. Once again we are ignored, Bontemps told VOA. People are discussing the future of our homeland without us. We feel like history is repeating itself. We feel voiceless, powerless, because we are being abused again I would say by Mauritius, by the U.K., along with the U.S. Many Chagossians argue Mauritius has never had a rightful claim to their homeland and object to Britains proposed deal to cede sovereignty. We now find ourselves our very own identity, our very own self being given to someone else by a made-up policy without asking us, Evenor told VOA, adding that there could be no historical link between the Chagos Islands and Mauritius because it's 2,000 kilometers away. We are still colonized. We are the last colony of Africa, Evenor said. Diego Garcia The exiled Chagossians have been told that under the terms of the deal with Mauritius, they would be able to return to outer islands in the Chagos archipelago but not to Diego Garcia, which would remain off-limits. However, infrastructure on the outer islands is almost non-existent, according to Bontemps, who said that most Chagossians would accept living next to the military base on Diego Garcia. I think most of us, we don't have anything against that base. We know the geopolitical importance. We know about the China threat, or whoever, Bontemps told VOA. We want to live on our ancestors land. As well, the base will be a source of work for us. The Chagos Islands are one of the last vestiges of the British Empire. They are currently home to a key U.S. military base. But under pressure from the United Nations, Britain looks set to hand sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius. Critics say the deal would compromise the security of the region in the face of a growing threat from China, as Henry Ridgwell reports from London. Construction crews began removing the large painting of the words Black Lives Matter on a street one block from the White House on Monday as Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser struggles to fend off threats of encroachment from both President Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress. Bowser pointed to the change on the social platform X last week, writing: The mural inspired millions of people and helped our city through a painful period, but now we can't afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference. The devastating impacts of the federal job cuts must be our number one concern. The move shows Bowser's striking shift in tone toward Trump and congressional Republicans since the president's first term in office. Bowser, a Democrat, ordered the painting and renamed the intersection Black Lives Matter Plaza as a public act of defiance in June 2020. It came after days of chaotic protests at that location over police brutality following the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. Her approach to the protests brought her into direct conflict with Trump. The president at the time accused Bowser of losing control of her city and threatened to invoke his power to take over the Metropolitan Police Department. He didn't follow through but declared his own multiagency lockdown that included helicopters flying at low altitudes to intimidate protesters. In Trump's second stint in the White House, Bowser has worked to avoid conflict and downplay any points of contention. She traveled to Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate to meet with the president after his election and has publicly emphasized their points of agreement, such as a mutual desire to return federal workers back to their offices full time. Trump recently revived a frequent campaign talking point about wanting a federal takeover of the nation's capital, describing Washington as riddled with crime, graffiti and homeless encampments. Bowser has refused to comment on reports that the White House was preparing an executive order targeting Washington; she publicly said that the greatest threat to the so-called Home Rule autonomy was some of the people in Congress. Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress, have repeatedly threatened to interfere in city affairs in large and small ways. A measure currently before Congress, named the Bowser Act, seeks to completely revoke the Home Rule Act of 1973 that grants the capital city limited autonomy. That would be deeply controversial, likely testing the strength of the three-seat GOP House majority. Some representatives have used budget riders to target Washington policies ranging from marijuana legalization to whether right turns on red lights should be legal. And some in Congress have spoken publicly of their disdain for the Black Lives Matter street painting. While Bowser and Trump agreed on returning federal workers to their offices, Trump's push to slash the federal workforce is already roiling city finances. A report last week from the city's chief financial officer predicted a $1 billion budget shortfall over the next three years due to the loss of thousands of workers from the federal government. Bowser publicly siding with Black Lives Matter activists in 2020 didn't earn her much credibility with them at the time. The local Black Lives Matter affiliate dismissed the move as performative wokeness and decried Bowser as overwhelmingly biased toward police. The same activists heaped scorn on Bowser on Tuesday following her reversal. Nee Nee Taylor, a founding member of the D.C. Black Lives Matter affiliate, addressed Bowser on X on Tuesday, saying, You never cared about Black Lives Mattering. You painting those words were performative. A shortage of amphibious warfare ships for commanders across the globe has reached a breaking point, with defense officials warning VOA the crisis has triggered a monthslong drought in critical firepower from sea-based Marines. I have the Marines, and I have the squadrons, and I have the battalions and the batteries I just dont have the amphibs, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith told VOA in an exclusive interview. While the amphibious warfare ships, known as amphibs, make up just 10% of the fleet, they are the go-to alternative to aircraft carriers when commanders need something more precise or expedient. They also are the only ships made for the Marine Corps rapid reaction forces, known as Marine Expeditionary Units (MEUs), to get equipment and troops from sea to shore during an assault. Amphibs are vital to us. They are an existential part of who we are as Marines, Smith said. Militarys Swiss Army Knife Once deployed, these units of about 2,000 Marines and sailors are the militarys Swiss Army Knife, providing everything from strike power with F-35 fighter jets, to support in non-combatant evacuation operations and disaster relief, like when the 15th MEU rushed humanitarian aid to the Philippines after deadly floods and landslides last October. It takes three amphibs one big-deck amphib and two smaller ones to make an Amphibious Ready Group that transports the Marines, a unit often referred to as an ARG/MEU. Smith says the military needs three of these 3-ship units deployed abroad at all times one from the East Coast, one from the West Coast, and one from Japan a plan known as 3.0. The INDOPACOM Commander, the EUCOM Commander, the AFRICOM commander have all called for an ARG/MEU, so 3.0 is the requirement. However, Smith tells VOA he cannot achieve this requirement with the number of amphibs that are ready today. Running ships to ground While the U.S. military was busy fighting two wars in the Middle East, its amphib fleet, plagued with maintenance deferments and delays, fell into disrepair, said Shelby Oakley with the Government Accountability Office. Oakley authored a GAO report in December that showed half of the 32 amphibs in the fleet are in poor material condition. You're running these ships to ground, not taking care of them, she told VOA. This is kind of equivalent to just driving your car and never changing the oil and expecting it to last 15 years. Key systems arent functioning the way they are supposed to, Oakley said. In 2022, Congress mandated the Navy keep a minimum of 31 amphibs in its fleet after the service had tried to divest six of these poorly maintained ships in their fiscal year 2023 budget plan. The Marine Corps had said a minimum of 31 amphibs would be enough to complete their missions, so long as the fleets readiness rate remained at 80% or higher. Your readiness rate is down in the 50-percentile range, and it needs to be 80%, then I would say thats a crisis, Smith told VOA. One of the amphibs USS Tortuga hasn't sailed in more than a decade. And there are 15 more that the Government Accountability Office says are not on track to make it to the end of their 40-year service lives. We're trying to keep an aging force ready and focused on what it needs to do, Admiral Jim Kilby, the acting chief of naval operations, told VOA in an exclusive interview last month. According to Kilby, the problem extends beyond amphibious ships. We're running the whole Navy hard. So, when I started in the Navy, we had almost 600 ships. Now, weve got half that, but we are still doing the same mission, Kilby said. Coverage gaps Kilby says the Navy is trying to tackle the issues dragging down its fleet the same way it fixed issues grounding its fighter jets a few years ago, closely monitoring its processes to adjust long-held practices that are slowing down change. The surface committee has doubled the number of ships that completed maintenance on time. It's not where I want to be. I want to get better, so it is not acceptable to have 50%, he said. Kilby did not have a set date, though, for when the Navy planned to increase the readiness of the amphib fleet from 50% to 80%, an urgent need for the commandant who says the gaps in coverage already have begun. There was a non-combatant evacuation operation required to get American citizens out of Sudan when violence was erupting. And because there was no ARG/MEU presence, the AFRICOM commander was forced to use commercial airlines," Smith said. Even when ARG/MEU units have deployed, theyve frequently deployed incomplete. The USS America Amphibious Ready Group deployed with two ships instead of three last year because there wasnt another amphib available. And the USS Boxer Amphibious Ready Group had so many maintenance delays that the Navy had to stagger each ships deployment last year, all months later than planned. What was supposed to be a nine-month deployment resulted in just two months with all three ships together. When the Boxer wasn't there, they couldn't do F-35 operations, they couldn't support an international partner as they had planned, Oakley told VOA. Not a Navy requirement The 31st MEU just completed their last patrol aboard the USS America Amphibious Ready Group earlier this month. The next ARG/MEU to deploy from the East Coast or Japan is still months away, according to officials who spoke to VOA on condition of anonymity to discuss future planning. Officials say one likely wont deploy from the West Coast until 2026. One Navy official told VOA the service only budgets to deploy one ARG/MEU at a time for only 10 months in the year. Asked about the discrepancy between the Marines needs and the Navys amphib availability, Kilby told VOA the Marine Corps 3.0 requirement is not a Navy requirement. I do not have a plan to get 3.0. I have a plan to maintain 31 ships per law in our shipbuilding plan, Kilby said. As the Government Accountability Office points out in its report, that plan banks on the Navy keeping six of the amphibs in the fleet for several years beyond their expected 40-year service life, including some of those currently in poor condition. There's huge questions about whether or not they will even make it to their service, expected service life, Oakley said. Amphibious warfare ships have generally not met the Navys planned maintenance schedules dating back to 2010, according to Marine Corps documentation. Specifically, from 2010-2021, the Navy extended more than 70% of amphibious warfare ship maintenance beyond its original planned end date. This cumulatively resulted in 28.5 years of lost training and deployment time for those ships and their associated Marines, according to the December Government Accountability Office report. A decade to fix The acting chief of naval operations said the Navy is currently planning the maintenance availabilities needed to do the work necessary to get the amphibs to a life cycle health assessment above poor. Maintenance for seven of the amphibs that were not funded in previous budgets are being funded in the budget being considered by Congress today, Kilby told VOA. We're committed to 31 amphibious ships and when we get a new ship, we'll replace an old ship, because that old ship is more expensive and harder to maintain, he said. The Government Accountability Office says that even if the planning improves, the Navy and Marine Corps may still need to revisit the overall number of ships required for its missions. That's the math, and that's the data that we need them to do to be able to understand how many more of these things do we need to buy, how many more do we need to get online quicker to be able to continue to meet this number, Oakley said. Gen. Smith said the problem will take at least a decade to fix, which could compound should the United States find itself in a future conflict with China. The whole point of having the ARG/MEU out is to prevent conflict, he said. Kilby says the Navy wants the problem solved by 2027 the year Chinese leader Xi Jinping has ordered the military to be prepared to take democratically ruled Taiwan by force. We have the Navy we have. That's the Navy we're going to have largely in 2027, and we just need to operate it more efficiently and effectively, he said. Thousands of sick, exhausted and terrified young men and women, from countries all over the world squat in rows, packed shoulder to shoulder, surgical masks covering their mouths and eyes. Their nightmare was supposed to be over. Last month, a dramatic and highly publicized operation by Thai, Chinese and Myanmar authorities led to the release of more than 7,000 people from locked compounds in Myanmar where they were forced to trick Americans and others out of their life savings. But survivors have found themselves trapped once again, this time in overcrowded facilities with no medical care, limited food and no idea when they'll be sent home. One young man from India said about 800 people were being held in the same facility as him, sharing 10 dirty toilets. He said many of the people there were feverish and coughing. Like all former enslaved scammers who talked to The Associated Press, he spoke on condition of anonymity out of concern for his safety. "If we die here with health issues, who is responsible for that?" he asked. The armed groups who are holding the survivors, as well as Thai officials across the border, say they are awaiting action from the detainees' home governments. It's one of the largest potential rescues of forced laborers in modern history, but advocates say the first major effort to crack down on the cyber scam industry has turned into a growing humanitarian crisis. The people released are just a small fraction of what could be 300,000 people working in similar scam operations across the region, according to an estimate from the United States Institute of Peace. Human rights groups and analysts add that the networks that run these illegal scams will continue to operate unless much broader action is taken against them. A high-profile crackdown The trapped people, some of whom are highly educated and fluent in English, were initially lured to Thailand with promises of lucrative office jobs, only to find themselves locked in buildings where they describe being forced to sit at computers up to 16 hours a day running scams. Refusing to work could bring beatings, starvation and electric shocks. "Your passport is confiscated, you cannot go outside and everything is like hell, a living hell," a trapped Pakistani man told The Associated Press. Cyber scams run from compounds have flourished during the pandemic, targeting people around the world. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes estimates that between $18 billion and $37 billion was lost in Asia alone in 2023, with minimal government action against the criminal industry's spread. Beijing began pushing the region's governments to crack down this year after a young Chinese actor was trafficked to Myanmar by people who promised him an acting job in Thailand. His girlfriend spearheaded a viral social media campaign that led to his release. Following that rescue, a senior Chinese government official visited Thailand and Myanmar demanding an end to the scams. In response, Thailand cut electricity, internet and gas supplies to five border towns in Myanmar. Shortly after, the ethnic militia groups that rule this part of Myanmar the Kayin Border Guard Force and the Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army asked some of the trapped scammers if they wanted to leave and then escorted them out of their compounds. From forced labor to detention As the number of people released grew into the thousands, formerly enslaved scammers found themselves caught in indefinite detention just across a narrow, slow-moving river's width from freedom. Most are being held either in army camps controlled by the Kayin Border Guard Force, or repurposed scam compounds, where many have been since early February. For weeks, men and women have shared unsanitary conditions, sleeping on the floor and eating what their captors provide. At one point, the Border Guard Force said that over 7,000 people were crammed into these facilities, as China began busing citizens across the border for flights. Exclusive photos obtained by AP underscore the detainees' desperation: Surgical masks, often two per face, cover their eyes, noses and mouths as they huddle under the watchful eyes of armed guards. "It felt like a blessing that we came out of that trap, but the actual thing is that every person just wants to go back home," said another Indian man, 24, speaking softly on a contraband phone from inside a makeshift detention center. He asked to not publish his name out of concern for his safety and because the militias guarding them had confiscated their phones. Last week, fights broke out between Chinese citizens waiting to go home and the security forces guarding them, two detainees told the AP. An unconfirmed list provided by authorities in Myanmar says they're holding citizens from 29 countries including Philippines, Kenya and the Czech Republic. Waiting for a $600 plane ticket Authorities in Thailand say they cannot allow foreigners to cross the border from Myanmar unless they can be sent home immediately, leaving many to wait for help from embassies that has been long in coming. China sent a chartered flight Thursday to the tiny Mae Sot airport to pick up a group of its citizens, but few other governments have matched that. There are roughly 130 Ethiopians waiting in a Thai military base, stuck for want of a $600 plane ticket. Dozens of Indonesians were bused out one morning last week, pushing suitcases and carrying plastic bags with their meager possessions as they headed to Bangkok for a flight home. Thai officials held a meeting this week with representatives from foreign embassies, promising to move "as quickly as possible" to allow them to rescue their trapped citizens. But they warned that Thailand can only manage to receive 300 people per day, down from 500 previously, Monday through Fridays. It also announced it would let embassy staff cross over into Myanmar. "The ministry attaches very high importance to this and is aware that there are sick people, and that they need to be repatriated," Nikorndej Balankura, spokesman for Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday. The Indian Embassy in Bangkok did not respond to requests for comment. The Czech Foreign Ministry says it cannot confirm a Czech citizen is among those repatriated. It says it is in touch with the embassies in Bangkok and Yangon over the issue and that the embassies have not been asked for assistance. Amy Miller, the Southeast Asia director of Acts of Mercy International who is based at the Thai-Myanmar border, says it's hard for the world to understand why all of the released workers aren't free. "You can literally, with your naked eye, stand at the border and see people inside, on their balconies, in these compounds, and yet we cannot reach them," she said. Pausing a moment, she gestured out a nearby window toward the Friendship Bridge to Myanmar just blocks away. "I think what people don't understand is that to enter into another country is an act of war. You cannot just go in and receive these people out." Assistance is scarce Aiding the work on the front lines, especially for those countries with fewer resources, are a handful of small nonprofit groups with very limited funds. In a nondescript Mae Sot home, Miller's organization receives escapees and a trickle of survivors who have made it across the river with comfortable couches, clean water, food and working phones to reach their families. She said today's unprecedented numbers are overwhelming the aid available across the river. "When we're looking at numbers in the thousands, the ability to get them over to Thailand and process them and house them and feed them would be impossible for most governments," said Miller. "It really does require a kind of a global response." The recent abrupt halt to U.S. foreign aid funding has made it even harder to get help to released scam center workers. The United Nations' International Organization for Migration, for example, previously funded care for victims of trafficking in scam compounds in one shelter in Cambodia, but it was forced to halt that work by the Trump administration's funding freeze announced in January, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation. The halt to funding has also impacted a network of civil society groups that worked to stop human trafficking and rescue survivors in Thailand. "It's really heartbreaking to see that there's such an immense amount of people that are in need of assistance," said Saskia Kok, Head of Protection Unit in Thailand for the IOM. In a statement, U.S. officials acknowledged the high-pressure impasse. "The United States remains deeply concerned about online scam operations throughout Southeast Asia, which affect thousands of Americans and individuals from many other countries," said a State Department spokesperson in a statement sent to the AP. A bigger problem While advocates estimate some 50 million people are living in modern slavery, mass rescues of enslaved workers are rare. In 2015, more than 2,000 fishermen were rescued from brutal conditions at sea, liberated after an Associated Press investigation exposed their plight. That same year hundreds of Indians were rescued from brick factories in India. And last year Brazilian prosecutors rescued 163 Chinese nationals working in "slavery-like" conditions at an electric vehicle factory construction site in northeastern Brazil. "What we are seeing at the Thai-Myanmar border now is the result of years of inaction on a trafficking crisis that has had a devastating impact on thousands of people, many of whom were simply seeking better economic prospect, but were lured to these compounds on false pretenses," said Amnesty International Myanmar researcher Joe Freeman. Being forced to commit a crime under threat of violence should not be criminalized, said Freeman. "However, in general we are aware of countries in the region repatriating their nationals from scam compounds only to then charge them with crimes." Business as usual It's not clear how much of an effect these releases will have on the criminal groups that run the scam centers. February marked the third time the Thais have cut internet or electricity to towns across the river. Each time, the compounds have managed to work around the cuts. Large compounds have access to diesel-powered generators, as well as access to internet provider Starlink, experts working with law enforcement say. "The resources is the one thing that they are not lacking, and they've been able to bring them to bear in the past," said Benedikt Hoffman, acting representative for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in the region. The armed groups that staged the crackdown have also been accused of helping to run scam compounds in Myawaddy. The head of the Kayin Border Guard Force, General Saw Chit Thu, has been sanctioned by the European Union and the United Kingdom for profiting from scam compounds and human trafficking, respectively. Compounds in the DKBA's control are less well-documented in the public record, but activists say they also control a fair number. "There is clearly a lot of pressure on the Border Guard Force to take action and helping people to leave is one of the most visible ways to do so," Hoffman said. "That said, it likely also reflects an adjustment to the business model, reducing the number of people involved and with less attention, continuing lower key operations." It will take simultaneous pressure exerted in multiple areas to truly shut down the compounds, said Hoffman. In this crackdown, there have been no major prosecutions or compounds shut down. "This doesn't affect anything," said a 23-year-old Pakistani man who had hoped to be freed only to be trapped in an army camp. The bosses, he said, are "rich as hell" and can buy anything they need to keep the lucrative operations going. Meanwhile, he said, conditions are worsening. "My friends are in really bad condition, we can't survive here," he said, requesting anonymity out of fear for retribution from his guards. He asks a question that's been haunting him day in and day out for weeks: "Is anyone coming for us?" France is preparing a new military aid package for Ukraine worth more than $211 million from the interest earned on frozen Russian assets, its defense minister said in an interview published Sunday. Sebastien Lecornu, a close ally of President Emmanuel Macron, in the interview with the Tribune Dimanche newspaper, described the suspension of U.S. weapons deliveries to Ukraine as a "heavy blow" to Kyiv's fight against the Russian invasion. "This year we will mobilize, thanks to the interests of frozen Russian assets, a new package of 195 million euros ($211,253,250)" for Ukraine, he said. This will enable the delivery of 155-millimeter shells as well as AASM air to surface weapons that arm the French Mirage 2000 fighter jets that Paris has delivered to Ukraine for the war. Lecornu did not make any comment on whether France would consider using the frozen Russian assets themselves to help Kyiv, a potentially far more significant move supported by its ally the U.K. but over which Paris as so far been wary. But he warned that away from the battlefield, the "Russians are reinventing war, that is their great strength" by targeting "our democracy and our economy." France's next 2027 presidential elections "could be the subject of massive manipulations as was the case in Romania" where the first round was topped by a far-right outsider, only for the results to be annulled by the Constitutional Court, he said. He sought to play down any rupture in transatlantic relations after Donald Trump won the U.S. presidency and changed Washington's policy on Ukraine, saying: "For my part, I still consider them as allies, despite their great unpredictability." Turning to the "heavy blow" of the U.S. suspension of weapons deliveries to Ukraine, he said: "They (Ukraine) can hold out for a while, but this suspension must not last." Lecornu said that French intelligence had no indication that Russia was planning to attack a NATO member in the next five years but did say there is a "temptation to destabilize Moldova" through its breakaway region of Transnistria. With Macron and others urging EU states to ramp up defense spending as the U.S. wavers, Lecornu pointed to ammunition and electronic warfare as the most urgent issues for France's military in the years to come. "Second priority, is the drone-ization and robot-ization of armies," he added, also noting the roles of artificial intelligence and space. French President Emmanuel Macron denounced Monday what he called "increasingly uninhibited Russian attempts at destabilization" in Moldova as his Moldovan counterpart Maia Sandu visited Paris. Sandu was sworn in for a second term in December, after Russia was accused of interfering in elections in the former Soviet republic that borders Ukraine. "We have decided to again reinforce our cooperation to increase Moldova's resilience faced with foreign interference," Macron said as both signed a deal to cooperate on detecting digital disinformation. Sandu said both countries were "committing to join forces in fighting disinformation. ... Because in today's world, truth is as vital as security." Sandu accused Russia, which launched its invasion of neighboring Ukraine three years ago, of using the "tools of a modern imperialist." Macron's office said VIGINUM, the French government agency set up to detect digital disinformation campaigns, would increase its work with the Moldovan Strategic Communication Center, including to "protect electoral processes." Sandu, the country's first woman elected head of state, owed her reelection in large part to a strong turnout from Moldova's large diaspora. But rural areas of the country sandwiched between NATO member Romania and war-torn Ukraine and separatist Transnistria, where Russian troops are stationed, remain pro-Moscow, as does the autonomous Gagauzia region. Authorities reported numerous "attempts at destabilizing" the election, including disinformation, vote buying, death threats, cyberattacks and bussing in voters. The Kremlin accused Moldova of suppressing "the opposition and independent media, especially Russian-language outlets." Marco Rubio is in Saudi Arabia for talks on ending Russias war on Ukraine as protesters at pro-Ukraine rallies in the U.S. and Germany express their concerns about recent souring of U.S.-Ukraine relations. Negotiations between the U.S. and U.S.-designated terror group Hamas were helpful, and Israel sends another delegation for ceasefire talks. Hundreds killed in Syria in violence between Assad-loyalists and the countrys new leadership. Reactions to Americas on-again, off-again trade tariffs with Mexico. A unique educational initiative in Estonia, and a documentary about making art during wartime in Ukraine. Federal immigration authorities arrested a Palestinian graduate student who played a prominent role in last spring's anti-Israel protests at Columbia University, according to his attorney. Mahmoud Khalil was inside his university-owned residence Saturday night near Columbias Manhattan campus when several Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents entered the building and took him into custody, his attorney, Amy Greer, told The Associated Press. Greer said she spoke by phone with one of the ICE agents during the arrest, who said they were acting on State Department orders to revoke Khalils student visa. Informed by the attorney that Khalil was in the United States as a permanent resident with a green card, the agent said they were revoking that too, according to the lawyer. The arrest appeared to be among the first known actions under President Donald Trumps pledge to deport international students who joined the protests of Israel's war in Gaza that swept college campuses last spring. His administration has claimed participants forfeited their rights to remain in the country by supporting Hamas, a terror organization. Khalil served as a negotiator for students as they bargained with university officials over an end to the tent encampment erected on campus, a role that made him one of the few student activists willing to share his name and identity. The authorities declined to tell Khalils wife, who is eight months pregnant, whether he was accused of committing a crime, Greer said. Khalil has since been transferred to an immigration detention facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey. We have not been able to get any more details about why he is being detained, Greer told the AP. This is a clear escalation. The administration is following through on its threats. A Columbia spokesperson said law enforcement agents must produce a warrant before entering university property but declined to say if the school had received one ahead of Khalils arrest. The spokesperson also declined to comment on Khalil's detention. Messages seeking comment were left with the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security and ICE. The Department of Homeland Security can initiate deportation proceedings against green card holders for a broad range of alleged criminal activity, including supporting a terror group. It would ultimately be up to an immigration judge to revoke someone's permanent resident status, according to Camille Mackler, founder of Immigrant ARC, a coalition of legal service providers in New York. This has the appearance of a retaliatory action against someone who expressed an opinion the Trump administration didnt like, Mackler said. Khalil was among those investigated by a new Columbia University office that has brought disciplinary charges against dozens of students who have expressed criticism of Israel, according to records shared with the AP. Those investigations come as the Trump administration has ramped up scrutiny on Columbia because of what the government describes as the Ivy League schools failure to squelch antisemitism on campus. On Friday, federal agencies announced they would be cutting $400 million in grants and contracts from the university. The allegation against Khalil focused on his involvement in the Columbia University Apartheid Divest group, claiming he had helped organize an unauthorized marching event that glorified Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack and played a substantial role in the circulation of social media posts criticizing Zionism. I have around 13 allegations against me, most of them are social media posts that I had nothing to do with, Khalil told the AP last week. They just want to show Congress and rightwing politicians that theyre doing something, regardless of the stakes for students, he added. Its mainly an office to chill pro-Palestine speech. After weeks of lawsuits and human rights criticism, Panama on Saturday released dozens of migrants who were held for weeks in a remote camp after being deported from the United States, telling them they have 30 days to leave the Central American nation. It thrust many like Hayatullah Omagh, a 29-year-old who fled Afghanistan in 2022 after the Taliban took control, into a legal limbo, scrambling to find a path forward. We are refugees. We do not have money. We cannot pay for a hotel in Panama City, we do not have relatives, Omagh told the Associated Press in an interview. I cant go back to Afghanistan under any circumstances ... It is under the control of the Taliban, and they want to kill me. How can I go back?" Authorities have said deportees will have the option of extending their stay by 60 days if they need it, but after that many like Omagh dont know what they will do. Omagh climbed off a bus in Panama City alongside 65 migrants from China, Russia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Nepal and other nations after spending weeks detained in poor conditions by the Panamanian government, which has said it wants to work with the Trump administration to send a signal of deterrence to people hoping to migrate. Human rights groups and lawyers advocating for the migrants were waiting at the bus terminal, and scrambled to find the released migrants shelter and other resources. Dozens of other people remained in the camp. Among those getting off buses were migrants fleeing violence and repression in Pakistan and Iran, and 27-year-old Nikita Gaponov, who fled Russia due to repression for being part of the LGBTQ+ community and who said he was detained at the U.S. border but not allowed to make an asylum claim. Once I get off the bus, I'll be sleeping on the ground tonight," Gaponov said. Others turned their eyes north once again, saying that even though they had already been deported, they had no other option than to continue after crossing the world to reach the U.S. The deportees, largely from Asian countries, were part of a deal stuck between the Trump administration and Panama and Costa Rica as the U.S. government attempts to speed up deportations. The administration sent hundreds of people, many families with children, to the two Central American countries as a stopover while authorities organize a way to send them back to their countries of origin. Critics described it as a way for the U.S. to export its deportation process. The agreement fueled human rights concerns when hundreds of deportees detained in a hotel in Panama City held up notes to their windows pleading for help and saying they were scared to return to their own countries. Under international refugee law, people have the right to apply for asylum when they are fleeing conflict or persecution. Those that refused to return home were later sent to a remote camp near Panama's border with Colombia, where they spent weeks in poor conditions, were stripped of their phones, unable to access legal council and were not told where they were going next. Lawyers and human rights defenders warned that Panama and Costa Rica were turning into black holes for deportees, and said their release was a way for Panamanian authorities to wash their hands of the deportees amid mounting human rights criticism. Upon being released Saturday night, human rights lawyers identified at least three people who required medical attention. One has been vomiting for over a week, another deportee had diabetes and hadn't had access to insulin in the camp and another person had HIV and also didn't have access to medicine in detention. Those who were released, like Omagh, said they could not return home. As an atheist and member of an ethnic minority group in Afghanistan known as the Hazara, he said returning home under the rule of the Taliban which swept back into power after the Biden administration pulled out of the country would mean he would be killed. He only went to the U.S. after trying for years to live in Pakistan, Iran and other countries but being denied visas. Omagh was deported after presenting himself to American authorities and asking to seek asylum in the U.S., which he was denied. My hope was freedom. Just freedom, he said. They didn't give me the chance. I asked many times to speak to an asylum officer and they told me No, no, no, no, no. Still, he said that leaving the camp was a relief. Omagh and other migrants who spoke to the AP detailed scarce food, sweltering heat with little relief and aggressive Panamanian authorities. In one case, Omagh and others said, a Chinese man went on a weeklong hunger strike. In another, a small riot broke out because guards refused to give a migrant their phone. The riot, they said, was suppressed by armed guards. Panamanian authorities denied accusations about camp conditions, but blocked journalists from accessing the camp and canceled a planned press visit last week. While international aid organizations said they would organize travel to a third country for people who didnt want to return home, Panamanian authorities said the people released had already refused help. Omagh said he was told in the camp he could be sent to a third country if it gives people from Afghanistan visas. He said that would be incredibly difficult because few nations open their doors to people with an Afghan passport. He said he asked authorities in the camp multiple times if he could seek asylum in Panama, and said he was told that we do not accept asylum. None of them wants to stay in Panama. They want to go to the U.S., said Carlos Ruiz-Hernandez, Panamas deputy foreign minister, in an interview with the AP last month. That was the case for some, like one Chinese woman who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity, fearing repercussions from Panamanian authorities. Upon getting off the bus, the first thing she wanted to do was find a Coca-Cola. Then, she'd find a way back to the U.S. "I still want to continue to go to the United States and fulfill my American dream," she said. An oil tanker and a cargo ship collided off the coast of eastern England Monday, setting both vessels on fire and triggering a major rescue operation, emergency services said. At least 32 casualties were brought ashore, but their condition was not immediately clear. Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, said 13 casualties were brought in on a Windcat 33 vessel, followed by another 19 on a harbor pilot boat. Britain's Maritime and Coastguard Agency said several lifeboats and a coast guard rescue helicopter were dispatched to the scene in the North Sea, along with a coast guard plane and nearby vessels with firefighting capability. The RNLI lifeboat agency said, there were reports that a number of people had abandoned the vessels following a collision and there were fires on both ships. It said three lifeboats were working on search and rescue at the scene alongside the coast guard. Video footage aired by the BBC and apparently filmed from a nearby vessel showed thick black smoke pouring from both ships. Boyers, the port chief, said he had been told there was a massive fireball." Its too far out for us to see about 10 miles but we have seen the vessels bringing them in," he said. The tanker, believed to be the U.S.-flagged chemical and oil products carrier MV Stena Immaculate, was at anchor at the time after sailing from Greece, according to ship-tracking site VesselFinder. The cargo vessel, Portugal-flagged container ship Solong, was sailing from Grangemouth in Scotland to Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Coast guard officials said the alarm was raised at 9:48 a.m. local time (0948 GMT). The site of the collision is off the coast of Hull, about 155 miles (250 kilometers) north of London. Romanian far-right pro-Russian presidential contender Calin Georgescu will challenge a decision to bar him from taking part in a rerun of the election in May, one of his advisers told Reuters on Monday. Georgescu submitted his presidential bid on Friday after allegations of Russian interference in his favor prompted Romania's Constitutional Court to cancel the original election in December. Moscow denied the allegations of meddling. On Sunday, Romania's central election authority said it had decided to bar Georgescu's candidacy, saying it was inadmissible after the Constitutional Court's annulment of the December vote. Challenges to decisions by Romania's central election authority must be filed within 24 hours. The Constitutional Court should rule on Georgescu's appeal by Wednesday. Analysts have said it is unlikely that the top court will allow Georgescu to run again for the presidency in Romania, a member state of the European Union and NATO which shares a long border with Ukraine. The court set a precedent in October when it blocked the candidacy of another far-right candidate, arguing that her anti-European, pro-Russian views made her unfit for office. If the court upholds the central election authority's decision, the three ultranationalist parties, which hold 35% of seats in parliament and which backed Georgescu's previous bid for the presidency, risk having no candidate in the May election. George Simion, leader of the opposition Alliance for Uniting Romanians (AUR), the second largest party in Romania's parliament, said he would meet with Georgescu on Monday. Asked if he was considering submitting his own candidacy, Simion told reporters: "We wait to see what Mr. Georgescu will say. We are not ruling out any options, but we are not speculators." Georgescu is under criminal investigation on six counts, including membership in a fascist organization and communicating false information about campaign financing. He has denied any wrongdoing. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday the United States hopes to resolve the pause in aid to Ukraine during talks Tuesday with Ukrainian officials in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Rubio said the U.S. is in a listening mode and aims to understand what concessions Ukraine might be willing to make. The Ukrainians are already receiving all defensive intelligence information as we speak. I think all the notion of the pause in aid broadly is something I hope we can resolve. Obviously, I think what happens tomorrow will be key to that, Rubio told reporters aboard a military plane before landing in Jeddah. We're not going to be sitting in a room drawing lines on a map but just get a general sense of what concessions are in the realm of the possible for them [Ukrainians], Rubio said, adding that there is no military solution to the war, and that both Russia and Ukraine need to do difficult things. Later on Monday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, commonly Known by his abbreviation MBS, met with Rubio in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah. MBS held a separate meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Riyadh earlier in the day. On Tuesday, Rubio will join U.S. national security adviser Mike Waltz for the Jeddah talks with Ukrainian officials as President Donald Trump pushes to broker a swift end to the war. The Ukrainian delegation includes Zelenskyys chief of staff Andriy Yermak; Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha; Defense Minister Rustem Umerov; and military commander Pavlo Palisa. Strong positions on the front line and strong diplomacy must work together to achieve a just and lasting peace, Zelenskyy wrote in a social media posting late Monday. Mineral deal? Trump has voiced interest in making continued military aid conditional on access to Ukraine's raw materials. More than four dozen minerals, including several types of rare earths, nickel and lithium, are considered critical to the U.S. economy and national defense. Ukraine has large deposits of uranium, lithium and titanium. But Rubio clarified that securing a deal on Ukraine's mineral resources was not the primary focus of Tuesdays talks. There's still more details to work out, and at this point, we're probably rather than a memorandum of understanding just wanting to sign a specific agreement. And that would take a little bit more time," he told reporters. I wouldn't prejudge tomorrow by whether or not we have a minerals deal. ... It's an important topic, but it's not the main topic on the agenda, Rubio added. Rubio also credited Britain and France for playing a constructive role in talks with Ukraine. He told VOA that there have been no discussions about China playing a role in postwar peacekeeping and reconstruction in Ukraine. This marks Rubios second visit to Saudi Arabia since taking office. He and other senior U.S. officials held talks with Russian officials in Riyadh on Feb. 18. He is scheduled to travel to Canada on Wednesday for meetings with G7 foreign ministers. Russian and Ukrainian officials reported fighting in Ukraines Sumy region, with Russian advances in the area creating the potential for cutting off supply lines to Ukraines military. The officials said clashes were taking place in the Novenke area. Sumy is located across the border from Russias Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops launched an offensive in August. Russian forces occupied parts of Sumy during the early part of their full-scale invasion of Ukraine that began more than three years ago. Ukraines military said Monday it shot down 130 Russian drones overnight that targeted areas across the country. Intercepts took place over the Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Kirovohrad, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Poltava, Sumy, Vinnytsia and Zaporizhzhia regions, the military said. Officials in Poltava reported damage to several residential buildings. Russias Defense Ministry said Monday its air defenses destroyed nine Ukrainian drones over Samara, Voronezh, Oryol, Belgorod and Kursk. Some information for this story was provided by Agence France-Presse and Reuters Syria's central government has reached a deal with the Kurdish-led authority that controls the country's northeast, including a ceasefire and the merging of the main U.S.-backed force there into the Syrian army. The deal was signed Monday by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. The deal marks a major breakthrough that would bring most of Syria under the control of the government led by the group that led the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad in December. The deal to be implemented by the end of the year would bring all border crossings with Iraq and Turkey in the northeast, airports and oil fields under the control of the central government. Syria's Kurds will gain their rights including teaching and using their language, which were banned for decades under Assad. Earlier, Syria's interim government announced the end of a days-long military operation against insurgents loyal to Assad and his family in the worst fighting since the end of the 13-year civil war in December. The Defense Ministry's announcement comes after a surprise attack by gunmen from the Alawite community on a police patrol near the port city of Lattakia Thursday spiraled into widespread clashes across Syria's coastal region, during which monitoring groups said hundreds of civilians were killed. Syria's new interim Islamist rulers are struggling to exert their authority across the country and reach political settlements with other minority communities, notably the Kurds of the northeast and the Druze in southern Syria. "To the remaining remnants of the defeated regime and its fleeing officers, our message is clear and explicit," said Defense Ministry spokesperson Colonel Hassan Abdel-Ghani. "If you return, we will also return, and you will find before you men who do not know how to retreat and who will not have mercy on those whose hands are stained with the blood of the innocent." Abdel-Ghani said that security forces will continue searching for sleeper cells and remnants of the insurgency of former government loyalists. Though the government's counter-offensive was able to largely contain the insurgency, footage surfaced of what appeared to be retaliatory attacks targeting the broader minority Alawite community, an offshoot of Shia Islam whose adherents live mainly in Syria's western coastal region. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said 1,130 people were killed in the clashes, including 830 civilians. The Associated Press could not independently verify these numbers. The interim government is made up of members of Sunni Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which led a lightning insurgency in December that overthrew Assad, ending over half a century of his family's dictatorial rule. The Assad family are Alawites. Al-Sharaa said the retaliatory attacks against Alawite civilians and mistreatment of prisoners were isolated incidents, and vowed to crack down on the perpetrators as he formed a committee to investigate the incident. Abdel-Ghani says the security forces will allow the committee "the full opportunity to uncover the circumstances of the events, verify the facts, and rectify wrongdoings." Still, the footage of houses in several neighborhoods set on fire and bloodied bodies laid on the streets alarmed Western governments, who have been urged by Al-Sharaa to lift economic sanctions on Syria. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a statement issued Sunday urged Syrian authorities to "hold the perpetrators of these massacres" accountable. Rubio said the U.S. "stands with Syria's religious and ethnic minorities, including its Christian, Druze, Alawite, and Kurdish communities." Thousands of Syrians from the coastal area fled to neighboring Lebanon, mostly through unofficial crossings. The UN refugee agency said in a statement that according to local authorities, 6,078 people have arrived in about a dozen villages in northern Lebanon's Akkar province fleeing the fighting, while arrivals in other parts of the country were still being verified. Lebanon is hosting more than 755,000 registered Syrian refugees, with hundreds of thousands more believed to be unregistered. Since the fall of Assad, the flow had begun to reverse, with the U.N. reporting that nearly 260,000 Syrian refugees have returned home since November, about half of them coming from Lebanon. More than two years have passed since police stopped a man who was loitering outside the New York home of Iranian dissident and journalist Masih Alinejad. Inside his car, they found an assault rifle with an obliterated serial number, 66 rounds of ammunition and a ski mask. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran had allegedly sent him there to kill Alinejad, a staunch critic of Tehran. On Monday, the men accused of directing the activity Russian mobsters Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov are set to stand trial in Federal District Court in Manhattan. They are charged with murder for hire and conspiracy in a case that experts say underscores how far the Iranian government will go to silence its critics even those outside its borders. We will not tolerate attempts by a foreign power to threaten, silence or harm Americans, Merrick Garland, the attorney general at the time, said in 2023 when federal officials first detailed the assassination plot against Alinejad. Alinejad worked as a journalist in Iran before she was forced to leave the country in 2009. In exile, she now hosts a show with Voice of Americas Persian Service. When contacted by phone on Monday, Alinejad told VOA she was unable to comment while the trial is ongoing. The 2022 assassination attempt wasnt the first time Alinejad was targeted. In 2018, Iranian officials offered to pay Alinejads relatives in Iran to invite her to Turkey, with the apparent goal of ultimately bringing her to Iran for imprisonment, according to court documents. The relatives refused. Then in 2021, Iranian operatives were accused of planning to kidnap her. An indictment described a plan to bring her from New York to Venezuela, which has close relations with Iran. Since the kidnapping attempt, Alinejad has received U.S. government protection and moved frequently between safe houses. Despite the threats, Alinejad has refused to stop her work. I dont have any guns and bullets I dont carry weapons. But this government, they have everything, and they're really scared of me, Alinejad told VOA in 2023, referring to the Iranian government. And that gives me power that, wow, even with my words, even with my social media, Im more powerful than them. The alleged plot to assassinate Alinejad emerged soon after the kidnapping plot failed, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors say the killing plot was initiated by a network in Iran led by Ruhollah Bazghandi, a brigadier general in the Revolutionary Guards. Bazghandi and three other Iranian men who are not in Iranian custody have also been charged in New York with murder for hire. This is in the DNA of the Revolutionary Guards, Alinejad told VOA in October 2024 when Bazghandi and the three others were indicted. At the time, Alinejad also told VOA that its important for the U.S. government to hold Iran accountable for the plot and for Tehrans broader use of transnational repression. This is about protecting democracy, Alinejad said last year. The Iranian regime is challenging the U.S. government on U.S. soil, and basically this is targeting freedom of speech, and the national security and safety of America. Irans Foreign Ministry did not immediately reply to VOAs email requesting comment. In the trial beginning Monday, prosecutors are planning to describe how Amirov and Omarov operated within a Russian criminal organization called the Thieves-in-Law, which originated in Stalinist prison camps. A former member of the criminal group will testify for the government as a cooperating witness. That individual has been identified in court papers only as CW-1, but details of his actions correspond to some by Khalid Mehdiyev, the Azerbaijani man who was arrested outside Alinejads house with a gun in 2022. Members of the Bazghandi network turned to Amirov, an Azerbaijani Russian citizen who was living in Iran at the time, according to an indictment. Amirov then contacted Omarov, who was living in Eastern Europe. The duo then gave $30,000 to Mehdiyev, who purchased the assault rifle and staked out Alinejads house for about one week, according to an indictment. At one point, Mehdiyev sent a video of the assault rifle to Omarov, accompanied by the message, We are ready. On the day of the attempted killing, Mehdiyev tried to open the front door to Alinejads house. The journalist managed to sneak away. At that point, police officers were watching Mehdiyev because Alinejad had reported suspicious activity to the FBI. Mehdiyev drove away not long after trying to open Alinejads door. Police pulled him over after he ran a stop sign and arrested him when they realized his license was suspended and he was in possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. In jail, Mehdiyev used a contraband phone to notify the Thieves-in-Law that he had been arrested. One member of the criminal group sent Mehdiyev voice messages saying that he went to kill the journalist, but they caught him, prosecutors said. The severe targeting of Alinejad underscores how Iran ranks among the worst perpetrators of transnational repression against journalists, according to Freedom House. In 2022, Iranian operatives allegedly attempted to assassinate two Iranian journalists working at the Iran International TV network in London. Like VOAs Persian Service, Iran International is a source of independent news directed at populations in Iran. Inside Iran, the government has long repressed independent journalists and other critics. The country ranks 176 out of 180 countries on the World Press Freedom Index, where 180 shows the worst media freedom environment. U.S. President Donald Trump vowed a new crackdown Monday on pro-Palestinian protesters on American college campuses, saying the detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a demonstration leader at Columbia University in New York, is "the first arrest of many to come." "We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it," the U.S. leader said on his Truth Social platform. Khalil was arrested by U.S. immigration officials over the weekend. He was one of the most prominent figures during the protest movement that erupted at Columbia and some other campuses a year ago in opposition to Israel's war in Gaza against the U.S.-designated terror group Hamas. But for the most part, the protests died down and did not resume when the new school year opened last fall. The Department of Homeland Security said Khalils arrest was taken "in support of President Trump's executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism, and in coordination with the Department of State." U.S. District Court Judge Jesse Furman on Monday ordered Khalil not be deported for now and set a court hearing in the case for Wednesday. Khalil, listed as a Syrian on his detention papers, earned a masters degree from Columbias school of international affairs last semester. He held a permanent U.S. residency green card at the time of his arrest, according to the Student Workers of Columbia union, and is married to an American citizen who is eight months pregnant. He has not been charged with any criminal offenses. Trump wrote in a social media posting, If you support terrorism, including the slaughtering of innocent men, women, and children, your presence is contrary to our national and foreign policy interests, and you are not welcome here. We expect every one of Americas Colleges and Universities to comply. The pro-Palestinian protests a year ago disrupted classes at some U.S. campuses following Hamas October 7, 2023, terror attack on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and led to the capture of about 250 hostages, with about two dozen of them still being held in Gaza by the terror group or its affiliates. Israels counteroffensive in Gaza has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, according to Gaza health officials. The Israeli military said the death toll includes 17,000 Hamas terrorists. The campus demonstrations ignited accusations of anti-Semitism. The protests some of which turned violent with the demonstrators occupying campus buildings and disrupting classes pitted students protesting Israel's conduct against pro-Israel campaigners, many of whom were Jewish. Khalils lawyer said the agents who arrested him Saturday at his university-owned home near Columbia said they were revoking his green card. He is being held in an immigration detention center in the Southern state of Louisiana. Khalil's lawyers also urged Judge Furman to order Khalil's return to New York. The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a national Muslim civil rights advocacy group, said Monday it is working with Khalil's lawyer and called for his immediate release. Khalil "is a lawful permanent resident of our nation who has not been charged with or convicted of a single crime," the Washington-based group said in a statement. "The Department of Homeland Security's lawless decision to arrest him solely because of his peaceful anti-genocide activism represents a blatant attack on the First Amendment's guarantee of free speech, immigration laws, and the very humanity of Palestinians." Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a message posted Sunday on X that the administration will be "revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported." Khalils arrest is the first publicly known deportation effort linked to the Palestinian protests since the Trump administration took office in January. At the time of the protests a year ago, Khalil and other student leaders of the Columbia University Apartheid Divest student group rejected claims of antisemitism, saying they were part of a broader anti-war movement that included Jewish students and other groups. But the divestment group has also expressed support for leaders of both Hamas and Hezbollah, another Islamist organization chiefly in Lebanon that the U.S. has also designated as a terrorist group. It is unclear when Khalil will have a hearing in an immigration court, which is typically the first step in the deportation process. Khalil was one of the most visible activists in last year's protests at Columbia, serving as a negotiator for students who erected a tent encampment on campus. Pro-Israel activists in recent weeks have called on the Trump administration to begin deportation proceedings against him. Columbia University declined to comment on Khalils arrest over the weekend and also did not respond Monday to a request for comment from The Associated Press. A new Columbia office that has already brought disciplinary charges against dozens of students for their pro-Palestinian protests has also opened an investigation of Khalil. The Trump administration last week revoked $400 million in federal funding from Columbia because of what it claimed was the Ivy League school's failure to reign in antisemitism on campus. Some material in this report came from Agence France-Presse and The Associated Press. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed alarm Monday at the sudden escalation of violence in Syria's coastal region, where security forces have clashed since Thursday with fighters loyal to former President Bashar al-Assad, killing hundreds of civilians. "The bloodshed in Syria must stop immediately, he said, and perpetrators of violations must be held to account," Guterres' spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, told reporters. "The concerns of Syria's communities must be addressed in a meaningful manner." Dujarric said the U.N. chief was alarmed by the scope of the violence that included "widespread summary killings, including of entire families, and the loss of one of our colleagues from UNRWA." The staffer from the agency that assists Palestine refugees was caught in the crossfire last week on his way home from work during clashes between the cities of Homs and Latakia, UNRWA's commissioner-general said. The fighters are members of the country's Alawite minority, the same religious group the Assad family belongs to. The Syrian authorities said their forces in the sect's coastal region near the port city of Latakia came under a calculated attack from Assad loyalists in an attempted insurrection that has now been put down. Scores of fighters on both sides were also reportedly killed in what was some of the worst fighting since the interim authorities seized power in mid-December. The head of the caretaker government, Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former member of al-Qaida, announced Sunday there would be an independent investigation into all atrocities carried out against civilians and the security forces. Earlier Monday, the U.N. Security Council met in a two-hour closed session requested jointly by the United States and Russia. Diplomats said U.N. Syria envoy Geir Pedersen told them in a video briefing that tensions have been brewing for several weeks between Assad loyalists and the current authorities, erupting in sporadic clashes. But the recent violence, he said, appeared preplanned and coordinated, with fighters reportedly targeting military installations and public facilities such as hospitals. Pedersen warned council members that the situation was dangerous and that violence could spread. He urged international support for a real political transition to prevent Syria from collapsing again. Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told reporters after the meeting that the 15-nation council is discussing issuing a presidential statement on the situation. Council statements require consensus, and Nebenzia said everyone "was pretty unanimous" on the gravity of the situation. U.N. humanitarian officials said thousands of Syrians have reportedly been displaced in coastal areas, and thousands have crossed into neighboring Lebanon. Six hospitals and several ambulances have been affected in the fighting, and many hospitals in the coastal area are in urgent need of medical supplies. Syria has been mired in civil war for the past 14 years, after the Assad regime brutally put down peaceful protests during the Arab Spring. Last month, the U.N. Development Program said recovery could take at least a decade and estimated the war had cost the Syrian economy $800 billion in losses since 2011. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appointed new leadership at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Sunday as the agency struggles to meet President Donald Trump's stated goal of massive deportation operations aimed at undocumented immigrants in the U.S. illegally. Trump's administration deported 37,660 people during his first month in office, U.S. Department of Homeland Security data first reported by Reuters last month show, far less than the monthly average of 57,000 removals and returns in the last full year of Joe Biden's administration. Trump made the promise of deporting millions of people from the United States a centerpiece of his campaign. The acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Caleb Vitello, was reassigned last month for failing to meet expectations, Reuters previously reported. Noem said she was promoting Todd Lyons, ICE's acting executive associate director, to be the agency's acting director, and Madison Sheahan, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, to serve as deputy director. "I am appointing new ICE leadership to deliver results that President Trump and the American people rightfully demand," Noem said in a statement, adding that Lyons and Sheahan would "lead the men and women of ICE to achieve the American people's mandate to target, arrest and deport illegal aliens." Photo: Michael Moriatis/AMC Zahn McClarnon should have conservative estimate a half-dozen Emmy nominations by now. There was his coolly intimidating turn as ascendant crime lord Hanzee Dent in the second season of Fargo, and his standout performance as the increasingly sentient host Akecheta in Westworlds Kiksuya. The wacky humor he brought to superstitious lighthorseman Officer Big, a key part of Reservation Dogss perennially overlooked ensemble for four seasons, was a tonal 180 from the sarcastic and snide tribal police chief he played years before on the western series Longmire. None of those roles earned him a single nomination, but all of them have led to his starring turn on AMCs Dark Winds, the third season of which is perfectly calibrated to bring McClarnon the recognition hes long deserved. Communicating resentment, regret, and a sense of humor as dry as the southwestern Dine landscape, McClarnon anchors Graham Rolands neo-noir adaptation of Tony Hillermans Leaphorn and Chee novels as Navajo Tribal Police leader Joe Leaphorn, a man trying to hold the reservation steady against the tide of outsider infringement. McClarnon has played a number of cops, but his ability to subvert our assumptions about law-enforcement characters through tone and physicality means none of them can be reduced to cliche. With his customary mixture of paternal dignity, razor-sharp pique, and casual aloofness, McClarnon can go in one sequence from tracing a blood trail, to ribbing co-workers about their lack of survival skills, to staring in shock and despair at an unexpected corpse that upends Leaphorns Indigenous beliefs. Dark Winds has already established Leaphorn as a man whose life experience has set him on a particular path of morality, and in the series third season (its already been renewed for a fourth), he pushes that performance into punishing and vulnerable self-reflection. In the first season, Leaphorn and his nurse wife, Emma (Deanna Allison), are grieving their son Joe Jr., who died in an explosion at a reservation drilling site; in the second season, Leaphorn learns businessman B.J. Vines (John Diehl) engineered the accident to buy the property for cheap. When Viness extensive business and political connections lead to the charges against him being dropped, Leaphorn, inspired by a speech from his also-cop father Henry (Joseph Runningfox) about the difference between white justice and Indian justice, drives Vines out to a snowy, remote corner of land near the reservation and leaves him there. Its a certain death, and when Dark Windss third season picks up six months later, Vines is still missing, and Leaphorn seems simultaneously relieved and more agonized by the retribution that weighs on his soul. McClarnons magnetism has always made it difficult to look away whenever hes onscreen, but in these eight episodes, he reveals fissures in that presence, imbuing Leaphorn with an uncertainty that makes the character feel more mortal and elevates Dark Winds strongest season to date. As Leaphorn worries about the FBI sending Special Agent Sylvia Washington (Jenna Elfman) to the reservation to look into what happened to Vines (remember, the FBI has jurisdiction over major crimes on Indigenous land, a relationship thats been contentious for decades), he also has to track down a pair of missing teens. Where could 14-year-olds Ernesto Cata and George Bowlegs have gone, and does their disappearance have anything to do with the archaeological site they were working at? Should Leaphorn and his partner, Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon), prepare for a worst-case outcome? Or are the boys victims of the Yeiitsoh, a folklore monster that continues Dark Windss incorporation of mystical elements? As Leaphorn begins to believe in a supernatural villain, hes beset by unnerving visions that cause him to question if his job makes it impossible for him to uphold Indigenous customs. Eight hours away, near Mexico, Leaphorns former protege Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten) is trying to carve out a new career with U.S. Border Control. Her investigation into an Indigenous Mixtec mother and daughter being forcibly brought into the U.S. leads her to oil baron Tom Spenser (Bruce Greenwood, only slightly toning down the charming evil of his The Fall of the House of Usher performance), who might be somehow connected to Leaphorn and Chees case and who might put Manuelito in danger her former co-workers cant get her out of. The sense that one misguided, selfish, or just flat-out reckless decision is enough to set you on a path of no return feels essential to this season of Dark Winds, which expands its cast to serve that idea. Gordon and Matten get new counterparts to complicate their characters internal grappling. American Primeval scene-stealer Derek Hinkey plays Shorty Bowlegs, father of the missing George and Chees childhood bully, while Alex Meraz plays Border Patrol agent Ivan Munos, who asks Manuelito for a slow dance to Credence Clearwater Revivals Night Time Is the Right Time and warns her to watch her back. (Other excellent needle drops this season: David Bowies Space Oddity and Bob Dylans Knockin on Heavens Door.) The series devotion to writing Native American characters of different backgrounds and ideologies is one of its greatest consistencies and something McClarnon has talked about being key to Dark Windss production. Its willingness to explore contrasting viewpoints about how Indigenous communities should interact with larger American structures gives it a certain What is our praxis? quality, but that narrative and intellectual sprawl needs something to center it all, and no one is doing it like McClarnon. With each episode, he scrunches his posture a little lower, squints a little more at the uncanny infringing upon his reality, and fractures his characters lawfulness a little further. As the third season reaches its introspective crescendo, it becomes clear that Leaphorns internal battle between right and wrong isnt just a story here, its the story, and one that only McClarnon could shoulder. In his scenes with Allison, McClarnon angles Leaphorn away from his wife, shifting his body so that theyre conspicuously unaligned in perspective and place; his chemistry with A Martinez, who plays Leaphorns peer Chief Gordo Sena, is built on a shared sense of world-weariness and lots of ruminative gazes into the middle distance. And yet all of that nuance is nothing compared to the extreme interiority McClarnon brings to sixth episode Abidooniidee (What He Had Been Told), a form-breaking, Lynchian installment that unearths an aspect of Leaphorns past and makes explicit the series long-gestating considerations of what it means to act against whiteness, Catholicism, and other systems of oppression that have long attempted to erase Indigenous people. Director Erica Tremblays allegorical episode puts McClarnon in the position of killing a part of Leaphorn as an act of renewal, and the actor plays it like a cresting wave, building on the characters established stillness until the weight of his realizations crashes down like so much cleansing water. Its unforgettable work in whats shaping up to be a career-highlight season for McClarnon, and its long past time for the Emmys to finally start paying attention. Photo: Zachary Scott for New York Magazine In 2015, Natasha Rothwell took a trip to Ireland. I was at some castle on some foggy hill, she says. There was not another Black person in sight. And then this Black family kind of emerges from the mist. A mom, dad, and two kids. I see them, we lock eyes, and I just walk up and hug them without speaking. A version of her experience made the final cut of the first episode of HBOs new season of The White Lotus, in which Rothwell reprises her Emmy-nominated role as Belinda, the spa manager who patiently endures Jennifer Coolidges needy antics on season one. Belinda travels to the titular resort in Thailand to participate in a wellness-training program. Dazed from her first day cosplaying as a guest, in Rothwells words, Belinda waves at an elegant Black couple sitting down to dinner. When Black people see other Black people traveling, especially in spaces that are predominantly or historically white, its like this celebration that were here, says Rothwell, who had shared the Ireland story with her friend and series creator Mike White. Fans had speculated about Belindas return ever since we last saw her on the shores of Maui, rearranging her downcast expression into a warm smile to greet a fresh round of guests, her dreams of launching her own business having been dashed by Coolidges spoiled heiress, Tanya. Rothwell assumed Belindas arc was over. I was sated, she says. I felt like, Yeah, thats her complete story. Then, in 2022, White casually floated the idea of revisiting her character. I didnt hold my breath, says Rothwell, 44, who at the time was developing her own show for Hulu, How to Die Alone. But I definitely crossed my fingers. Photo: Zachary Scott for New York Magazine She is low-key cozy on this rainy February day, wearing a tie-dyed jumpsuit from Big Bud Press, gold hoops, and a black head wrap. Were sitting in a cafe across from the Broad museum in downtown L.A. after visiting a work by Kara Walker, one of her favorite artists. Rothwell lives not far from here. Ash from the fires that destroyed many parts of the city less than a month earlier rained down on the house she shares with her goldendoodle, Lloyd Dobler, and a newly adopted doodle mix named Wilson. The pups needed to be evacuated from their training center in Topanga Canyon, but she was able to stay put. It scrambled my head a bit to understand the level of devastation that was going on within arms reach, says Rothwell, who has since put together a go-bag. I was not at all as prepared as I thought. Over the past decade, Rothwell has become the sort of versatile talent whose arrival made us more keenly aware of her absence. Her characters, including Belinda and Insecures hilariously uninhibited Kelli, are often frustratingly scarce within their respective series. Last year, How to Die Alone, about a lonely airport employee who tries to change her life after a near-death experience, finally premiered. Rothwell had been workshopping the show which she created, produced, and starred in for eight years, at the same time as she made her way to the big screen with small comical roles in movies including Love, Simon and Wonka. The day before we met, news broke that Hulu was pulling the plug on the series after one season. Of all the projects on my slate, How to Die Alone was the priority, she says. So despite the excitement around The White Lotus, Belindas thwarted dreams are resonating with Rothwell more than shed like. You cant make it as far as I have without defeats, she says, but its hard because, like, what do I have to do to be worthy of airtime? As Kelli in Insecure and with Dom Hetrakul in The White Lotus. Photo: HBO. As Kelli in Insecure and with Dom Hetrakul in The White Lotus. Photo: HBO. Rothwell honed her sense of humor growing up as a military brat. Her father was in the Air Force, and they moved around a lot, living in Kansas, Turkey, New Jersey, and eventually Maryland. Each move was an opportunity for reinvention. She would be the quiet, mysterious kid, she says, or else the dependably nerdy study partner. I grew up super-religious, and my mom refused to call deviled eggs deviled eggs, so I grew up calling them angel eggs, Rothwell told Sasheer Zamata and Nicole Byer in a podcast episode last year, and she would often try to make her three siblings laugh in church by holding the hymnal upside down and singing in weird voices. She dabbled with improv during college, and not long after graduating she moved to Tokyo to teach English. After she returned to the States in 2009, she performed nights at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre while working for four years as a high-school theater teacher in the Bronx. In 2014, she auditioned for Saturday Night Live because the producers were actively looking for a Black woman. Her pal Sasheer Zamata landed the job, and Rothwell was instead hired to write, but her contract wasnt renewed after one season. What happened? I mean, I wouldnt disagree with you if you said they fumbled the ball, says Rothwell, who used several of the sketches that never made the cut for the 2016 Netflix special The Characters. Still, she says, shed welcome the chance to host: Itd be interesting to finally meet Lorne. On the shows that have defined her career thus far, Rothwell had a role behind the scenes as well. She moved to L.A. from Brooklyn in 2015 for a job in the writers room for Insecure, where creator Issa Rae and showrunner Prentice Penny saw all of me, she says. They know that Im a multi-hyphenate. During some of the early table reads for season one, she infused Kelli with so much charisma that they offered her the part (and, by season four, the title of supervising producer). From then on, she was more selective about pitching story lines for the character. I didnt want it to feel like I was trying to jockey for her because I knew this is Issa and Mollys story and I wanted to fiercely protect that, she says, referring to Raes onscreen bestie played by Yvonne Orji. She did push back on one plot point toward the end of the series. Rae had decided Kelli should have a baby despite the character having once cracked, If I wanted a kid, I would have kept the last one. I did not like it, Rothwell says, laughing and shaking her head. Im child free by choice, and I really gave my best argument on why it should remain the same. But Issa was so passionate about showing that people can change, she says, and, ultimately, not my show. If I could take my ego off the table, it makes sense. Photo: Zachary Scott for New York Magazine From the start, Rothwell was crucial to informing Belindas character on The White Lotus. Mikes very aware that hes not a Black woman, and so theres a perspective that he needs, she says. We sat down season one and went page by page with Belinda scenes. I would pitch lines, and it would be the same intent, but it would sound or feel more authentic for my POV. Smaller flourishes of Rothwells also ended up in the script. She gave feedback on how her single-mother character would talk to her son (Nicholas Duvernay) and told the wardrobe department that Belinda would absolutely wear a bonnet to bed: Those are vacation braids. Neither Rothwell nor Belinda was a fan of the giant monitor lizard with whom her character shares a scene. The animal people were like, We want you to meet the lizard, she says, scrolling her phone to find the photo of her reluctantly petting her co-stars scaly head. I am not a nature girlie. White acknowledges that the casting of The White Lotus can reinforce the very stratification the show purports to illuminate, wherein the white wealthy guests are badly behaved while the nonwhite characters tend to be the obliging and morally less complicated staffers. Rothwell thinks there are opportunities to approach Black wealth through a satirical lens, she says, but she relishes playing the heart of the show, which is how both she and White view Belinda. It becomes more complicated for me as a white writer if I was writing an Indian American family and those people are as crazy as the Ratliffs, says White, referring to this seasons Waspy and weirdly close Carolinians, presided over by Parker Poseys pill-popping matriarch. Theres a lot more scrutiny. And I am just somebody that really doesnt work well with a writing staff, so its something that I will continue to have to grapple with if I keep doing the show. The new seasons sprawling assortment of entitled tourists includes Michelle Monaghan as a TV star traveling with her catty childhood friends (Carrie Coon and Leslie Bibb) and Walton Goggins as a taciturn sugar daddy seeking revenge. It appears poised to close the chapter that began when Tanya bailed on going into business with Belinda to be with her lover, Greg (Jon Gries), the only other returning character. Rothwell watched Tanya slip and fall to her death in the waters off Sicily in season two along with the rest of us, texting a shocked WHAT?!? OMG to Coolidge, who later messaged Rothwell Go get em, girl after her own return was announced. Now that Belinda has learned of Tanyas fate, future episodes will make use of Rothwells comedic chops as she suspects Gregs involvement in Tanyas demise. Rothwell spent months last year at the Four Seasons Koh Samui, where most scenes at the fictional resort were filmed. She and Posey gave themselves bruises by applying ice packs directly to their skin to cope with the equatorial sun. Buddhists say want is the root of all suffering, so I had to stop wanting it to be cooler, she says. White called Rothwell his foxhole buddy, relying on her experience as a showrunner. It was a very brutal shoot, he says. Natasha knew what I was dealing with. To have somebody who was on the threads with all the other actors, keeping everybodys spirits in the right place she saved my ass. When I told Rothwell this, she was touched by the recognition, bittersweet as it is amid the circumstances of losing her own show. Earlier, as we made our way to Walkers Africant, a large-scale tableau of silhouettes depicting racially motivated violence, she wondered aloud why How to Die Alone was canceled, especially when the series primary ambassador, Onyx Collective, is a Disney-content brand dedicated to developing stories from people of color. She noted its relatively favorable reviews, its viewership numbers, and an Independent Spirit Award for the ensemble cast. (Hulu declined to provide streaming numbers, but a source close to the show confirmed that it was canceled because of low ratings.) The show follows Mel after an accident on her 35th birthday leads her to question the life choices bad friendships, unhappy romantic entanglements that have left her feeling so adrift. Even though Rothwell was never as professionally stunted as Mel, she channeled much of what she worked through in her 20 years of therapy into the character. The world views me a certain way, a plus-size Black woman, and you start to believe that love is not something youre allowed to have, and youre not allowed to love your body, she says. I was in a place where Mel was, definitely, in my 20s and early 30s. Now, in her 40s, shes working on being more visible and vulnerable. She describes herself as neurospicy and was diagnosed with ADHD last year. My parents werent anti-mental-health care, but it just wasnt a part of the conversation, she says. I remember saying to my very first therapist, This is indulgent. Shes fine with being single. Hopefully some wonderful man who is okay with a successful woman sees me, she says, laughing, but theres a difference between being alone and being lonely. And Im not lonely. She is working on an adaptation of the viral Reesa Teesa TikTok story Who TF Did I Marry. She got involved with the project while filming in Thailand, after so many random people (and one cousin) tagged her in Tareasa Johnsons videos. Rothwell watched them and was inspired to negotiate for the rights to co-write and star. Im super-excited to play with that, she says. And she is heartened by the outpouring of support for Mel and the concern for Belindas fate. Whats cool is that I play characters that people root for, she says. So I feel like, cosmically, people are rooting for me. If you had to guess about the origins of the Gemstone family in the Bible business, the most obvious narrative path is a slippery slope, perhaps some generational decline where the Gemstones feasted off too many collection plates and lost their moral compass. We might, in fact, imagine someone like Abel Grieves, the minister from Civil Warera Virginia who opens this wholly unexpected and inspired premiere episode with a sermon about the Lords support for the Confederate cause and later picks through the cash hes extracted from war widows. (Nothing is too little, he tells them with a smug grin.) To say that God supports states right is a familiar form of religious hypocrisy, where the elasticity of the Gospel accommodates whatever hateful political nonsense is circulating at the time. But Danny McBride, who co-wrote and directed this episode, considers the Gemstone origins in reverse: Not as the righteous made corrupt, but the corrupt backing into righteousness. In a guest role thats been extremely well hidden in the months leading up to the premiere, Bradley Cooper turns heel as Elijah Gemstone, a degenerate con man who sees right through Abel Grievess lucrative scam before plugging him in the forehead. Though all Elijah intends to do is take the money and run, fate gives him the opportunity to be his own version of Abel Grieves, which will keep him in clover if he can hide his true identity and dodge the Union bullets that whizz past his ear. Given that the Gemstones have a long history of surviving scandals and other threats to their ministry, it should come as no surprise that Elijah seems cloaked by an invisible shield like Robert Duvall in Apocalypse Now. After killing Grieves, Elijah gets recruited by the Confederate unit to serve as chaplain, which doesnt seem like an optional gig but nonetheless draws $50 a month and free meals, an arrangement that sounds more than fair enough for him to fake his way through prayers and Sunday sermons. One of the funniest aspects of this episode is that Elijah is a profoundly lazy grifter, unwilling to invest much effort into making himself a plausible minister. When hes asked to tend to the war-wounded for the first time, a dying man asks him to pray for his soul and Elijah responds in the most Danny McBride way possible: I did already. Yeah, its done. Ive been praying the whole time, silently in my mind. Pressed to say something anyway, Elijah scrambles to come up with the right words for so long that the man passes before he can say anything. That becomes a strategy for him later: If someones about to die, try running out the clock. The beauty of Elijahs ruse is that nobody can feel comfortable calling him out on it, lest they be branded a sinner. When a Christian approaches him with troubling revelations that hed been drinking and gambling the night before, Elijah denies everything and labels the man a blasphemer. Didnt he know that the Bible says youll go to hell for going against a minister serving the Lord? (The man has read the Bible, which does not say this, but nonetheless gives Elijah the benefit of the doubt.) Armed with the gold-plated Bible he lifted off Abel Grieves an object that becomes symbolic as it continues to save his hide and fill his coffers Elijahs attempt to deliver a Sunday sermon may be conspicuously brief, but again, no one is prepared to question his credentials. Real trouble does find him in the form of Ned Rollins, a soldier who recognizes Elijah from a previous run-in at a gambling hall and knows hes not a real preacher. But Rollins has a scheme the two can run together: A card-loving major happens to be coming through the camp that night looking for a high-stakes game and they can shake him down for all his money. Nobody will look twice at the minister as hes stacking the deck and losing cash to Rollins like everyone else at the table, and when Elijah takes the biggest pot of the night back from Rollins, it just looks like the arrogant kid has gotten his just desserts. What Rollins doesnt realize is that Elijah is capable of killing for money, and honor among thieves is not a concept he ascribes to, especially when the other thief could expose him. Yet Prelude is not merely about a Gemstone getting away with a foundational religious scam. That would be too simple for a family thats obviously grotesque and compromised but also not totally divorced from the faith theyre pushing for profit. When Elijah is captured in a Union ambush and his trusty Bible spares him execution by firing squad, the words he offers to his 11 unfortunate cohorts seem to surprise even him in their comforting sincerity. They also suggest something crucial about the Gemstones future: He has a real talent for preaching. Elijah absolves them for killing people because they had to, rather than doing it for money, which weve seen him do twice. He offers his highest recommendation for them to get into heaven, as if hes writing a Yelp! review, but seems to pause to think about the injustice of his life being spared despite his greater sins. Maybe thats your grand plan, says Elijah. Maybe the rest of us sinners need to stick around a little bit before we can join them in your everlasting glory. And with that, Elijah Gemstone becomes a true man of the cloth, even if that cloth will, in future generations, be silky and bejeweled and catch the stage lights at a megachurch. Granted his freedom by the Union army, Elijah could have disappeared like an outlaw, but instead he loads the 11 bodies onto a wagon and makes his way back to a Confederate fort, where he can continue his work as chaplain with a newly polished halo over his head. It was God who saved me, he tells the other men, who wonder why the Yanks spared his life. That phony act of divine intervention bolsters his grift, of course, but later that night, Elijah takes out his gold-plated Bible and starts reading it. A cynic would say that actually reading the Bible makes it less likely for him to be exposed as an imposter. But theres a small, humbled part of him thats starting to believe. Uncut Gemstones You have to love the vanity of the note Elijah leaves after killing Abel Grieves and stealing his identity: He was very handsome, he says of himself, but may he forever rot in hell. Im sure Ill have plenty of opportunities to sound off about the level of craft on this show, but The Righteous Gemstones remains the rare series where a word like cinematic is a proper descriptor. The evocation of the period here is far above what would be required of a TV comedy, but there are specific sequences that stand out here, too, like a dynamic tracking shot that faces the Confederate side exclusively as theyre ripped apart by enemy fire. And thats followed by a montage, set to Waylon Jenningss Goin Down Rockin, that frames blood-and-mud-caked soldiers dead center as if they were sitting for a portrait. Powerful stuff. Could you tell him Im your assistant chaplain? Photo: Fabio Lovino/HBO For more on The White Lotus, sign up for The White Lotus Club, our subscriber-exclusive newsletter obsessing over, dissecting, and debating everything about season three. The White Lotus Kill-or-Be-Killed Report is a weekly check-in with the guests and employees at this cursed hotel chain to speculate whos most likely to murder, and/or end up murdered, following this weeks episode, Hide and Seek. Okay, before we get started, I just want to make sure yall are decent people? Because there are only two kinds of people, according to Victoria Ratliff: Decent, and trash. Decent people are safe people with whom one can go on a boating excursion and then to a full moon party; trashy people are the reason she cant leave her purse unattended on said boating excursion and why she needs the pills that are in the purse that she must guard with her life in the first place. Let us consider this dichotomy between decent and trash and if ever the twain shall meet, like perhaps in the Ratliff household as we ask our favorite question regarding this series: Who will kill and who will be killed? . Though I feel for Victoria the pillars holding up her life are going wobbly and her husband has stolen her entire supply of benzodiazepine I wonder if being forced to see things clearly, perhaps for the first time in her entire adult life, will be good for her. In fact, many of her comments could be read as the pointed digs of someone who already knows exactly what is going on, such as her remark on the boat that Timothy and Greg-Gary might know some of the same people, or her description of the boat experience as a convention for con men and tax cheats, or her extremely on-the-nose proclamation about how lucky Piper is to have a father who is a boy scout. A suspicious person might think she is all too aware of whats going on and just wants to torture her husband for ruining her life. No? Like, when she asks that LBH and his hot, young paramour if theyre married she knows they arent, doesnt she? Felt like she was just having fun stirring the pot. Otherwise, what we have is a woman who spends most of this episode panicking about the decency of her fellow boat-riders, unaware that the thief she needs to watch out for the most is her husband. The call is coming from inside the villa! Will she kill or be killed? She has more killer spirit than ever before! . Timothy is having a Valley of the Dolls experience with Victorias little helpers. Its a little late to be having a brat summer, buddy! His cocktail of choice hard liquor and a handful of Lorazepam treats him really well: He gets absolutely blitzed on the boat and scares everyone away by saying totally regular-guy things like, Thank God both my parents are dead. Hes so out of it that he accidentally shows his penis to all of his children and doesnt even seem especially embarrassed about it. Nothing like a little full-frontal nudity to remind us all that were watching the channel that used to be HBO. As Pam would say: How wonderful for you. When Timothy is reunited with his one true love his phone he learns that Kenny is cooperating with the Feds, meaning, in all likelihood, Timothys assets are already frozen and hes looking at a few months in federal prison. Timothy says he would rather die; I would like to point out, in the interest of being constructive, that that is totally an option! What should I tell my family? he wails and Ill be honest: that doesnt really sound like his lawyers problem. Will he kill or be killed? Seems like he WANTS to be killed, but I do not know that this increases his odds. . Saxons shtick is wearing on me, as I know it is intended to do. Hes basically just Gaston at this point he literally tells his brother to guzzle protein and stop reading. A full-on cartoon of a man. Again I am waiting for anything he does to be surprising or interesting. Maybe next week! Will he kill or be killed? I am, as ever, praying on his downfall. . Ah, so the Ratliffs are a family of con artists: Piper wants to live in Thailand for a year and this trip was just her way of testing the waters. Pretty shitty of Lochlan to tell her hell back her up during this big announcement and then bail to go to the party, but also, does Piper need her parents permission to do this? Wont she be done with school? Am I supposed to be invested in this journey? Feels like she has been marooned on an island far from all the fun parts of the show. I did love the way she says, in an aww-shucks voice, Im sure yall cheat on your taxes, Mom. Will she kill or be killed? So far it doesnt seem like shes going to do much of anything besides yoga and self-reflection. . Lochlan makes boat friends by doing magic tricks. Are we to take this as a sign that he, too, is capable of trickery??? I dont know, Im really trying but these kids are so dull! I miss Sydney! Will he kill or be killed? I sure wish he would do SOMEthing!!! . When Mook showed up in that incredible headdress I wrote in my notes FINALLY Mook is dancing, put Lisa to work! (Of course we do not get the dance in this episode because the pacing of this show is well, you know how I feel about it.) Also she seems to think Gaitok would get a promotion for his bravery (security failure that was 100 percent his fault) during the robbery, which is such a dopey conclusion to draw I can only assume that Mook was in on the robbery, too. Surely she realizes Gaitok is always leaving his security station to make that heart-eye-emoji face at her. Shes distracting him on purpose, yes? Will she kill or be killed? I still dont see her at the heart of the violence, but there is definitely something scammy going on here. . Fabian explains to Gaitok that his job is more than just waving to people as they come through the gate. For this reason, it has been determined that Gaitok who can barely manage operations as it is and does not appear to have any savvy nor experience around firearms should have access to a gun. Literally the same day that Fabian, his boss, tells Gaitok that he needs to be better at his job because theres been an uptick in crime on the island, Gaitok abandons both this new gun and his security post to walk Mook to her performance. And so as swiftly as Gaitok is put in charge of a weapon, he leaves it unattended and it goes missing. I want to care about this guy but he is quite possibly the dumbest person on this show. And its a competitive race! Will he kill or be killed? Hes a dead man. . Chelsea manipulates Rick into joining her on the boat by doing adorable little sniffles; then she corners him into telling her whats really going on so they can be in an honest relationship. Interesting how quickly she sizes up the yacht as being like an oligarchs boat, suggesting she has been on one before. Her ongoing devotion to Rick continues to baffle me frankly, its a break-uppable offense to have never seen The Princess Bride but Chelsea is standing by her man. Except that he is going to Bangkok without her. Will she kill or be killed? This show is always dropping theoretically ominous lines like, This could be some Final Destination shit. Like death is coming for me, so I cannot put too much weight on that sort of thing. I would much rather see her kill. . Rick gets one of the best lines of the episode, as he cuts off an impossibly boring business conversation among LBHs on the boat: If I ever need help hiding money from the government or my ex-wives, Ill call you! And then he comes clean to Chelsea, who takes his whole deal Were HERE because the fucking dude who MURDERED my FATHER owns this hotel shockingly well. Of course the story about Ricks dad is bullshit (a do-gooder who came to Thailand to help people? Oooookay ) and I am curious if Rick can tell this is a lie or if he is delusional about his fathers goodness because this memory is all he has. Will he kill or be killed? Obviously he is aiming to kill, but at this point his death seems like a far more likely outcome. . The episode ends with Greg-Gary sitting alone in his dark mansion, looking up Belinda online. Its so cool how villains always do their Googling in the dark. Strain those eyes, baby. How else will we know youre a bad guy? Greg-Gary also seems to know something is up with Timothy, but its hard to see why he would care, given his other priorities. Will he kill or be killed? If he kills and gets away with it again we are just watching the same show weve already watched. It would be very satisfying to watch him die. Maybe Belinda will kill him! . Now that she has identified Greg-Gary and he has identified her, I fear for her safety. I do not, however, worry about her innate goodness, as it is made evident through incredibly subtle means: She does her Googling by the bright light of day, which is how Good People do their investigative work. Beyond that, her enthusiasm for her son is genuinely very sweet. Gosh I hope they both survive. Will she kill or be killed? Greg-Gary certainly wants her dead but I hope she bests him! Especially if she finds out hes been looking into her son theres nothing she wouldnt do for her baby boy, right? . Our victory lap blondes are falling apart. They cant even make it through breakfast without sniping at each other. Their superficial bond is cracking to the point where they can no longer withstand a casual, plotless hang. And so Jaclyn, hot off being rejected by her husband, decides they MUST do something FUN today!!! The way they talk to Valentin makes me want to die (complimentary). The way Jaclyn eggs on the Laurie/Valentin connection reminds me of being 13 and being told by the adults that the waiter is flirting with you!!!!! when they were just doing their job by being nice and I was obviously a child. Valentin sends them on multiple doomed outings, which they do not take very well. Its annoying to me that after being soaked by the children they dry off and look as if they were never attacked like, what difference does it make, then? Shouldnt they be worse for wear? Will they kill or be killed? The murderous rage of their pack grows stronger by the minute. Kate still seems like the likeliest killer of the three. . After his already-suspicious behavior leading up to the robbery, we now see Valentin both ingratiating himself with and torturing the victory lap blondes. He seems pretty committed to ruining their day. What do we make of his strategy? Was sending them to the retirement beach a prank or what? (I was waiting to find out theyd just walked in the wrong direction.) Was he always planning to ditch them in the neighborhood where he surely knew they would be attacked by watergun-wielding children, or was that an extra twist to get Jaclyn back for calling him their butler? Will he kill or be killed? I think he is scamming too close to the sun and could die before he gets the chance to scam another day. . Chloe manages to swindle Greg-Gary out of his boat for the evening. Maybe she will sail away and leave him forever? She is leading a cadre of hot girls and Ratliff boys to the Full Moon Party, which, while it has been teased for a full 60 minutes, will not be featured in this episode. Will she kill or be killed? I remain team kill for this one. . Alexei and Vlad, Valentins friends who are here to wear sequins and show the victory lap blondes a good time (the snake tattoos feel ominous); Pam, whose interactions with Timothy are escalating, naur matter how hard she tries to get him to see the light of a phone-free lifestyle. And we can safely rule OUT Amrita, the stress manager who claims that Rick has touched her heart (she will be very upset when she finds out he is NOT committed to escaping the karmic cycle and/or finding peace) because, as last weeks commenters wisely pointed out, we saw her with Belindas son during the shooting. Exploring Academia, Global Education, and the Future of Temple University Rome With an impressive background in political science and European studies, the Dean of Temple University Rome has navigated a dynamic academic career that spans multiple continents. From research-focused beginnings to leadership roles in higher education, her journey reflects the evolving landscape of international education. In this interview, Dean Emilia Zankina shares insights on the differences between US and European academic systems, the growing impact of study-abroad programs, and Temple Romes role in fostering cultural and intellectual exchange in one of the worlds most historic cities. Q. You have an extensive academic background in political science and European studies. How did your journey lead you to the role of Dean at Temple University Rome? A. Well, every road is winding, especially those that lead you far. I certainly did not envision being a Dean or being in management, educational or not. I was interested in doing research in political science and European studies, which I still do. But you get excited about projects and one thing leads to the next. Sooner or later, you end up taking initiative and getting recognition for that. This is how I started from being a PhD student to becoming Associate Director of the Center for Russian and East European Studies at the University of Pittsburgh and then Provost of the American University in Bulgaria. In academia many of us are amateurs when it comes to practicing management. One becomes a Dean because of their academic credentials and research record, but the actual work of a Dean has very little to do with ones scientific interests and research. What one needs to understand, certainly, is academia and the academic environment, research, instruction, and education. But one also has a lot of just day-to-day operational items to deal with - and those you learn on the job. Over the years I accumulated such managerial experience that put me apart from other colleagues, and one thing led to the next and here I am. Q. Having worked in both the US and Europe, how do you compare the higher education systems of the two regions? What are the key differences that students and faculty should be aware of? A. Those are two very different systems that are based on a very different approach and philosophy. The American education system is based on the idea of flexibility and choice and a liberal arts model for the most part, and therefore on instruction in many different disciplines, allowing the student to navigate their academic journey by picking not only a major but being able to have double majors, being able to switch majors, and being able to experience a lot of different disciplines in their course of study and in that way find what they're most passionate about. The European system is much more rigid. Different study tracks have set courses from the first year to graduation, with very little opportunity to switch, usually leading to having to start over should one wish to change their program of study. Recently, and especially after the Bologna Process and the Erasmus program which have been revolutionary in European higher education, you do see the idea of elective courses becoming more common, including being able to choose specialized tracks. Overall, it is still a much more rigid system. It is also an approach that is much more theoretically grounded, which explains why students coming from Europe have a much more solid theoretical background than American students. There is a lot of diversity too. If you look at Germany, if you look at the Netherlands, if you look at the Scandinavian countries, their education systems have a lot of elements of vocational training and hands-on experience. Italy and France are more traditional in that regard, but this is also changing, as universities here have been experimenting with all curriculum, mode of instruction, and more. The higher education systems of the US and Europe are two very different systems that value and reward different kinds of knowledge and different kinds of skills and produce students with very different outlooks. I do think that the mix of the two is a really positive experience. Students who may be able to spend some time in the US and some time in Europe probably get the best of both worlds. Q. Temple University Rome has been a key academic institution in the city for almost 60 years. How has its role evolved, and what are your main priorities as Dean? A. Temple University Rome started in 1966 as a program in art, art, history and architecture. And we have come a long way. Art remains part of our core identity because it is hard to be in Rome and not to study art. It is also a great benefit to students from all disciplines, regardless whether they study business, political science, computer science or biology, to come to Rome and study Italian and take an art course or an art history course. Art will always remain in our DNA. Since then we have grown and expanded tremendously both in terms of the number of disciplines and also in terms of the programs we offer and the age segments that we serve. Our main mission is to provide access, and access has several aspects. One certainly is cost, so we try to be affordable. We try to provide funding and scholarships to students as much as possible and to make this experience within reach regardless of the socio-economic background of students. Indeed, studying in Rome is no more expensive than studying in Philadelphia. Any student from Philadelphia could come without having to spend extra. Another aspect is the academic disciplines. We have students who are in disciplines such as engineering, computer science, public health, and biology who have very strict degree requirements and a list of courses that they must take in order to progress in their major - if they come here and they could not take those courses, that means that they would take longer to graduate and would have to pay more. So we have tried to develop tracks for students from various disciplines. We have not only grown the social sciences but also STEM disciplines in recent years, thus allowing more students to experience Rome, to have this benefit of studying abroad and learn about Italian culture, ancient Rome and beyond, while progressing in their major. Lastly, we have also expanded our education to all ages. We started adult study education with a program that started about five years ago and now attracts over 50 adults each year who come to study in Rome for four to six weeks with us. We also have pre-college programming for high school students here in Italy during the Fall and Spring terms and for students coming to Rome in the summer. This is also a major aspect of what we want to do and the way in which we want to grow. Q. Many international students dream of studying abroad in Rome. What do you think makes the experience at Temple University Rome unique compared to other study-abroad programs? A. There are many study abroad programs in Italy. There are over 150 American programs of different sizes and in different disciplines. What is unique about Temple Rome is that it is a multidisciplinary program. We have a mix of students from various disciplines, as well as from different institutions. Our program mixes Temple students with non-Temple University students coming to us from universities such as Duke, Holy Cross, Villanova, Chapman, you name it. So they have the opportunity not only to be abroad but to exit their bubble in every way. They are in a different country, in a different language environment with students that they don't know because they're from different majors and from different institutions. I think that this is what makes us really special and unique - just the sheer richness and diversity of our program. We are also very fortunate this academic year to have a new location for our campus at Piazza di Spagna, a UNESCO World Heritage site. We are located right beneath the church Trinita dei Monti and next to the Spanish steps. This is a unique location for our students because a lot of our classes take place outside and being in the heart of the city makes it immediately accessible. Students do not need to waste time getting on a bus or walking to a site. They are right here in the heart of the city. It is also a campus that is very well connected with the metro stop right next door. So again, it is a very, very convenient location and truly unique. Q. Rome is a city rich in history, culture, and politics. How does the university integrate the city itself into its curriculum and student life? A. Rome is often misconceptualized as only the place of ancient ruins. I often hear, oh, we know Rome is wonderful but we want to see something more vibrant, more contemporary - we are not interested in just visiting churches and ancient sites. This view could not be further from the truth indeed. Rome is a big city, with 5 million people. There is a large percentage of immigrant communities here. There is everything in Rome. Certainly we are in the heart of the city and there is a lot of both ancient Roman and Renaissance monuments right next to us. But at the same time, it is a city that is vibrant, that is modern, that is thriving - and we make all of this part of the curriculum and the student experience. Students certainly visit a lot of the sites from the various historical periods. For example, those taking a course on fascist Italy visit the Flaminio neighborhood and the stadium. We also take students to refugee NGOs, to soup kitchens, to participate in clean ups around the city. We take them to the Order of Malta to donate clothes, and on academic excursions on weekends depending on the course they are taking. If a student is studying engineering, they get to go to Modena to the motor valley. If they are studying fashion, they travel to Milan, and for architecture they travel to Venice. For sociology, students go to Palermo, and for history they travel to Anzio and Nettuno and so forth. And in addition to that, our Italian classes, for example, have something called Cultural Labs that take students to a local market or to a museum and teach them to interact in real-life situations with Italians in Italian. So when students come here they are no longer tourists. Not only do they stay for a semester, at least, if not a year, but we put them in a condition that takes them out of the tourist flow. We show them places that are off the beaten path. We give them the skills to be locals, to feel local. And it is not surprising that many of them return. They develop a lifelong connection with Italy. They bring their families, they vacation in Italy. It becomes a lifelong love affair. Q. What are the biggest challenges that international universities face in todays globalized world, particularly in a city like Rome? A. Studying internationally is not new, but it has become a lot more accessible and popular. And with this you also have the challenges of needing to serve a more diverse body of students, who need different types of support to be able to navigate a new situation. Unfortunately, we are also dealing with a very unstable context geopolitically. There are a lot of geopolitical tensions with two wars happening at the doorstep of Europe. This affects the way traveling internationally is perceived and the way foreigners are perceived. In Italy, for example, there are parties that have strong anti-immigration rhetoric. In America, there has also been a shift in priorities and rhetoric with more focus on America as opposed to the rest of the world. This certainly impacts what we do and how we do it. But I think this context makes it the more so important to study abroad. Studying abroad is the best instrument of cultural diplomacy that I have ever seen. There is no better way to contribute to peace in the world by bringing people together and having them learn about each other's cultures. I think that these kind of programs are really essential for the long-term partnership between Italy and the US and they build cohorts of people who cherish each other's cultures and company, generating a richness and exchange of experiences, ideas and affection through the generations. Q. With AI and digital learning transforming education, how do you see the role of in-person, immersive study-abroad programs evolving? A. We remember the Luddites who were burning books. We remember the calculator which was the end of studying math. We remember the computer and the video which were the end of spelling. We cannot stop progress in technology; we can embrace it and use it. AI is certainly changing everything we do in dramatic ways. In some ways it is making our lives easier because at the end of the day AI is a tool. Just like the computer is a tool and just like the calculator is a tool. It is a tool that we must use because it helps us but at the same time we cannot deny that any technological advancement profoundly changes how we live and how we communicate with each other. Few of us today could survive without a smartphone simply because you could not get into your bank account or even into your email because of various security systems. AI will lead to shifts not only in education but in the labor force. Certain professions will benefit from it while others will have aspects that will become obsolete. This is no different than the major changes we saw with industrialization. The digital age is another technological revolution that is profoundly changing our society. For the better in some ways but posing challenges and for the worse in other ways. Just like in any other previous major transformations of society we have no way of stopping it so we need to find a way to navigate it. Q. Temple Rome has strong ties with the local community. Can you share any recent or upcoming initiatives that involve collaboration with the city or its institutions? A. Absolutely. We have a wonderful and vibrant art gallery welcoming international and local artists, and the local community with about 8 to 10 shows a year. We also have a very vibrant internship program. Every semester our students are placed in various organizations from NGOs to legal studios, from magazines to art galleries, and they really immerse themselves in and contribute to this community. We also participate in various initiatives such as Race for the Cure, and provide volunteers for Domenica Ecologica in addition to clean ups around the city. We collaborate with other institutions. For example we often have events with John Cabots Guarini Institute of Public Affairs. I am also a member of the Istituto dAffari Internazionali. We try to always participate in projects when possible in ways in which we can bring additional value. We are also very welcoming of the local community here, opening our campus to our partners and doing a number of events each year. Q. Finally, what advice would you give to students who are considering studying in Rome but are hesitant about making the leap? A. It is daunting to be sitting somewhere across the ocean and thinking of being alone in a city that you don't know, and where you don't speak the language. You may find it difficult to navigate simple tasks like getting on the bus or asking for directions because many things are different in another country. But I would say that courage is what moves the world forward. Courage is what helps a child learn how to walk. Courage is what helps someone who has never heard another language start learning it and speaking it. Courage is what helps us face difficult situations. And there isn't a better lesson in courage than taking yourself out of your comfort zone, going into a place that you don't know, immersing yourself and feeling completely out of place at first. That period fortunately is very short because Rome is a very welcoming place. But also looking at yourself from the outside in and getting a reflection of what you might look like to others and what you might learn about yourself. So I would say take the leap and take this lesson of courage. It really pays off. Rosary to be held at earlier time and will move inside Paul VI Hall before resuming in a "renewed form" after 14 March. The Vatican is changing the time and location of the nightly Rosary prayer for Pope Francis which, from Monday 10 March, will be held inside the Paul VI Hall at 18.00. The Rosary, which has taken place in St Peter's Square every night at 21.00 since 24 February, will move to the earlier time to "coincide with Spiritual Exercises of the Roman Curia", the Holy See press office said on Sunday. Those who wish to pray for Pope Francis, battling double pneumonia in Rome's Gemelli Hospital for more than three weeks, can still gather in St Peter's Square and participate in the Rosary via video link from the Paul VI Hall. The Rosary will also be broadcast on Vatican News media channels. The Vatican said that at the conclusion of the Spiritual Exercises on Friday 14 March, the "community prayer will resume in a renewed form, remaining a sign of faith and ecclesial communion." Scenes from St Peters Square tonight where thousands of faithful have gathered to pray for Pope Francis. pic.twitter.com/44vKzcBPGG Wanted in Rome (@wantedinrome) February 24, 2025 In a health update over the weekend the Vatican said the 88-year-old pontiff remains in a stable condition and has shown a good response to therapy. Doctors said the pope's clinical condition was showing "a gradual, slight improvement" but cautioned that his prognosis remained "guarded". On Thursday evening a surprise audio message from the pontiff was played at the Rosary in St Peter's Square, in which a breathless, weak-sounding Francis thanked everyone for their prayers, in what was his first public sign of life in three weeks. In a text that he prepared for the Angelus prayer on Sunday, the pope said: "I too experience the thoughtfulness of service and the tenderness of care, in particular from the doctors and healthcare workers, whom I thank from the bottom of my heart. And with that, Mobile World Congress Barcelona is over for another year - so how did it stack up compared to previous years? Our editorial team gives their impressions. Manny: The GSMAs outgoing director-general, Mats Granryd, recently shared on LinkedIn that this years Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona attracted 109,000 attendees from 205 countries. This marks a full return to pre-pandemic levels, matching the attendance figures of MWC 2019, which had similar aspirations for growth before the world was upended by COVID-19. By all accounts, the GSMAs flagship event is back on its feet. But is the mobile industry itself any better off? In short, no. Financial performance remains sluggish for the majority of vendors and operators, many of whom have had to make significant staff cuts over the past year. The industry continues to search for the elusive killer app or transformative technology that will drive new revenue growth. One particular technology was omnipresent at MWC 2024, as expected - but was it truly there in substance? Artificial Intelligence (AI) has dominated the show for several years now, and this year was no different. AI branding was everywhere, with companies touting AI-powered software or hardware Designed with AI. However, despite the heavy marketing, it became evident that AI is still not ready for widespread, transformative deployment. There are certainly proof-of-concept projects, chatbot agents, and various use cases in development. But where is the scale? Where is the tangible, game-changing application of AI that delivers real, meaningful differences to enterprises and consumers? It certainly isnt coming from Apple, which recently announced further delays to its Apple Intelligence upgrade (also they dont attend MWC). While that news may be frustrating - especially for those new to the iOS ecosystem - it is the likes of Amazon, Anthropic, Google and OpenAI that we look to for the development of large language models (LLMs). Yet, their actual commercial implementation in telecoms and beyond has yet to demonstrate transformative value. To be fair, deploying AI properly takes significant groundwork, and this years MWC reflected that reality. Companies are still laying the foundation, ensuring they have the right data infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and operational readiness to truly leverage AIs potential. For now, the industry remains in a holding pattern - waiting for AI to go beyond the hype and start delivering at scale. James: MWC25 came and went with a distinct feeling that it was more of the same, with a consensus emerging that it was something of an in-between year that lacked a specific focus. Last year, AI was the buzzword on everyones lips; this year, the term was so ubiquitous it felt like it had lost all meaning. While its clear that theres been no shortage of investment in AI, its less apparent whether operators are seeing a return on this and the improved efficiencies being touted at the show are hardly unique to the telecoms sector. Speaking of return on investment, I heard the term 6G being bandied about at MWC24 this year, I dont think I heard a single mention of it. 5G investment largely went unrewarded in the consumer market due to widespread unwillingness to pay for the premium, so the focus shifted to the enterprise sector. We recently investigated whether 5G had delivered on its much-touted promise here and concluded that it still has a long way to go. Its therefore unsurprising that operators arent keen to funnel money into a new technology generation, and are pursuing increased efficiencies via AI. The satellite sector was one area with some interesting developments. There is increasing integration between the telco and satellite space, with Direct-to-Device and Low Earth Orbit making it somewhat more financially viable to connect remote and rural areas via satellite. However, deployments are few and far between, and as ever its expected to be a while before that changes. Julian: Attendees at MWC2025 were left in no doubt that AI is set to impact every sector of the mobile communications industry. Whether they will have come away better equipped to weigh up business benefits of AI or have a clearer understanding of the challenges ahead is perhaps less certain. No doubt wary of underplaying the latter, equipment vendors at the show were generally careful to address the cost, complexity and disruptive potential of AI integration as part of their all-encompassing vision. Even so, with transformative concepts such as Intent-driven Networking and Agentic AI being widely touted, the gulf between where the industry sits today and how it arrives at the AI-centric future was not always clear, particularly given the cost, complexity and pure disruptive potential of the exercise. Perhaps MWC2025 did more to flesh out the scale of the challenge than to propose practical steps to its achievement. At the end of a week that appeared to offer no truly notable moments, it will once again be down to next years event to provide something more tangible, such as whether the all-encompassing AI vision remains achievable, or will give way to a more selective application of AIs capabilities in areas where investments can be contained and returns are more immediately assured. Eva Osborne The majority of consumers (78 per cent) are now being targeted with scam texts, emails, or calls at least once a month, but less than one third are taking basic online security steps, according to new research from FraudSMART. Almost half of Irish adults (45 per cent) report being targeted with more scam communications than the same time last year, with the main channels used by scammers being mobile phone texts and calls. The research was undertaken as part of a major new FraudSMART awareness campaign See the Scam behind the Screen, supported by Google, to highlight the uptick in and dangers of social engineering tactics which now underpin the majority of frauds and scams and are increasingly being used by criminals to groom or manipulate victims into transferring money or divulging personal and financial details. Other key findings from the research show include the main channel for scam communications being mobile phones (58 per cent encountered scam text messages and 52 per cent scam calls on mobile). Almost half (48 per cent) encountered scam emails. Just over half of mobile phone users are taking important scam prevention measures including blocking suspicious numbers (58 per cent) and ignoring unsolicited phone calls or messages/calls from unrecognised numbers (55 per cent and 53 per cent respectively). However, when asked about clicking on links in text messages, social media or instant messenger only 53 per cent reported proactively never clicking on such links. Concerningly less than one third of consumers are taking basic online security precautions when online. Only 32 per cent saidthey check for the https at the beginning of a web address Just 27 per cent said they use secured internet rather than public wi-fi and only 27 per cent said they checked there is a padlock image at the beginning of the web address on the checkout page when making a purchase online Only 26 per cent visit a website of a company as opposed to clicking through to the website via links on social media or pop-up adverts. Speaking on the publication of the research and the launch of the new FraudSMART/Google campaign, head of financial crime at BPFI, Niamh Davenport, said: With our latest research clearly demonstrating the high frequency and increasing volumes with which consumers are being targeted with various types of scam communications, it is also evident that there is still a distance to travel in ensuring we are all fully alert to and taking the key preventative steps necessary in order to protect ourselves from the barrage of scams being continuously levelled at us via texts messages, emails and social media. One of the common threads running through all these scams and frauds is what is known a social engineering, which is the focus of our latest FraudSMART awareness campaign which we have launched today with Google, and which encompasses a major advertising and information drive to encourage consumers to pause and question what is really going on behind the screen when you receive a suspicious text or social media message, phone call or email. Social engineering tactics are now used across practically all sophisticated fraud and scams, enabling criminals to groom and manipulate people into transferring money or divulging personal or financial details. "These types of deception tactics see fraudsters using phishing emails, fake offers or impersonation posing as someone from a genuine organisation such as your bank, utility or delivery company or even a government department. "The scams play on human emotions such as trust, fear or sympathy tricking the victim into believing they are communicating with a legitimate source. Added to this we now have the rapid growth of generative AI technology which has the potential to supercharge financial fraud and social engineering through the creation of different types of convincing content. Towns and villages across the Deise are facing "demographic cliff edges" due to young people being forced to move from their hometowns by the lack of affordable housing supply. "The lack of progress on affordable and social housing means villages and towns are facing demographic cliff edges in many cases as young people from these communities are unable to set up homes and raise families of their own," said Deputy Conor McGuiness, Sinn Fein TD for Waterford. "This problem presents itself in Dunmore East, Tramore, Bunmahon, Dungarvan, Gaeltacht na nDeise, Ardmore and many other areas. In the latter there are very serious concerns about the ability of the village to survive as a community due to the inability of families to set up homes there," he added. Deputy McGuinness drew attention to the results of a recent report from the Housing Commission which he said declared the current housing situation a crisis of unprecedented scale "that demands immediate and decisive action" and he emphasised the struggles of urban areas with housing. During a Dail discussion of the report, the Sinn Fein TD characterised the Commission report's analysis as identifying 'significant and sustained shortfall' across rural counties and Gaeltacht areas. "House prices and rents continue to spiral," the TD said, noting that the recent Daft.ie report shows that rents in County Waterford had increased year on year by 10%, twice the rise in Dublin. "Meanwhile, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail throw numbers around like snuff at a wake in an effort to confuse, mislead and distract from their abysmal performance over recent years," he said. The Sinn Fein spokesperson for Gaeltacht regions highlighted the plight of Waterford's Irish-speaking areas: "While there has been some progress in recent months, the slow saga continues and there is still not one affordable or social home built. Is amhlaidh an sceal e i nGaeltacht na nDeise." SETU is set to commence both of its new third-level courses in the 2026/2027 academic year pending accreditation from relevant professional bodies. South East Technological University (SETU) was selected to deliver a new Veterinary Medicine degree course as well as a new Pharmacy Masters' programme in late 2024. However, there has been uncertainty as to when the new courses will be delivered by the third-level institutions following the news that Atlantic Technological University (ATU) will delay the delivery of its Veterinary Medicine course by a year. ATU reportedly made the decision in January to delay its planned delivery of the Veterinary Medicine degree programme from the 2025/26 academic year to the 2026/27 year SETU said was its expected delivery date upon selection. A spokesperson for SETU confirmed to Waterford News & Star that they expect to have both courses ready for inclusion in the CAO application system for students during the next academic year for an intake in September 2026: "South East Technological University (SETU) plans to offer a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (MVB) programme and a Master of Pharmacy programme through the CAO for a 2026 intake of students." Why wait until 2026/27? SETU said the veterinary medicine course is "currently in the approval processes of the University's Academic Council" ahead of plans to reach the requirements of the "Veterinary Council of Irelands accreditation requirements". The TU has committed to delivering "40 first-year places on offer in 2026". The Master of Pharmacy programme required accreditation from the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland and the spokesperson said SETU is planning to deliver 40 places on its programme in Autumn 2026 "subject to PSI approval" in the hopes of supporting the critical needs of the pharmacy and veterinary medicine sectors within the South East region and nationally. If you don't act now, you could be forced to pay unnecessary taxation worth 3 per cent of your land, if your property has not been excluded from the scope of the new Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT). The deadline to make submissions to Waterford City and County Council to challenge the inclusion of incorrectly labelled land is April 1. The new Residential Zoned Land Tax was introduced as part of the 'Housing For All' plan by the government to encourage the conversion of vacant, residential land into available housing stock. Following a multi-year process to identify relevant residential-zoned land, the tax will become payable this year. The tax is liable for 'land that is serviced and zoned for residential use or mixed-use, including residential use', Waterford City and County Council says on its website, explaining that that tax is being introduced in order to increase housing supply and to ensure regeneration of vacant and idle lands in urban locations. Farmers "need to act" on RZL The Farm Business Chair of the Irish Farmer's Association, Bill OKeeffe, said: "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." "IFA will continue this campaign to have all farmland excluded from the scope of RZLT," he said. In a statement to Waterford News & Star, the IFA said it 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", which would be liable to pay the tax if not rezoned. "It is important that landowners check the zoned land maps in their county," stated the IFA. You can view the map of relevant land and make a submission to challenge the inclusion of your property on the council website or by post to the Planning Department of Waterford City and County Council. The lack of available housing in the Waterford Gaeltacht poses an "existential threat" to the Irish-speaking area, says Sinn Fein TD Conor McGuinness. The West Waterford TD said the inability of younger generations to "set up a home and start a family in the Gaeltacht spells the beginning of the end for these unique language communities". Our Gaeltacht areas are not immune to the housing crisis thats causing such hardship all across the state," the TD said in a statement to Waterford News & Star. "In fact, for the Gaeltacht the housing crisis presents an existential threat." Deputy McGuinness, who was recently made Sinn Fein spokesperson for An Ghaeltacht, made the comments in reaction to a parliamentary response from Fianna Fail Minister of State Charlie McConalogue. Minister McConalogue noted that despite there being "more than five times as many holiday homes in Gaeltacht areas than in the state as a whole, as a share of the total housing stock", Gaeltacht areas still have significantly lower occupancy rates than the country as a whole. With regard to the Waterford Gaeltacht, Deputy McGuinness said the issue was caused by "the state-wide failure to build social and affordable houses over recent decades" which has left young people feeling priced out of the market when it comes to purchasing a home. He said that's leading to "young people leaving the Gaeltacht [and] setting up homes elsewhere". The Sinn Fein spokesperson said the country is fast approaching the point of no return with the Government set to oversee "the destruction of An Ghaeilge as a living, breathing community language" as a result of existing housing policies. The man charged in relation to the death of John (King) O'Connor in Wexford has been further remanded in custody at Wexford District Court. Wayne Roche appeared via video link on Monday, March 10, from Cloverhill Prison. Roche (34) with a previous address of 84 Dominick's Place, Waterford, and most recently of no fixed abode, is charged with the murder of John (King) O'Connor, in his home at Cluain Fada, New Ross, on Tuesday, December 31. When the matter came before Judge Sandra Murphy, prosecuting Sergeant Victor Isdell, said they are still awaiting the Book of Evidence from the DPP (Director of Public Prosecution). Sgt. Isdell applied for a further adjournment as they awaited service of the Book of Evidence. Defence Solicitor, Lana Doherty, said they had no objection to the application. Judge Murphy said she would remand the accused in continuing custody to await the service of the Book of Evidence. She adjourned the case to April 8, for the accused to appear before Wexford District Court via video link. Before a previous sitting of Wexford District Court, Det. Garda Conor Walsh told the court that after caution Mr. Roche replied: 'I didn't murder anyone'. A 6-year-old autistic child from Waterford who was advised he could have to wait for up to 10 years for urgent dental care was fast-tracked to receive care following a recent discussion in the Dail between An Taoiseach Micheal Martin and the President of Sinn Fein. Tiernan Power Murphy (6), who has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), was brought into hospital on Thursday, March 6, to have three teeth extracted. "We have a new man today", Tiernan's father Eamon Murphy said on Waterford Local Radio's, Deise Today show following the successful dental visit to remove teeth that were causing him "unbelievable" pain. "We went down to Cork [Thursday] morning, and he was out within about half an hour. He didn't know what had happened, God love him." Following the surgery, the brave Deise lad was looking for some familiar favourites, Weetabix and toast: "That's all he wanted!" "He's hopping around outside now, a different child," said Mr Murphy. He thanked the team at WLR FM for highlighting his son's story: "Thanks to everyone who was involved. [Minister of State] Mary Butler rang me there yesterday, fair play to her, to check in on him." "Please God, they'll have something in place down the line for other families who encountered similar situations needing urgent dental care," Tiernan's father said, describing the feeling following the surgery as like hitting the lotto. Pleas for government intervention The leader of Sinn Fein, Deputy Mary Lou McDonald raised Tiernan's plight in the Dail and Deise TD David Cullinane worked to intervene with the HSE on the case. He has been living in severe pain since last October. He needs three teeth removed, Deputy McDonald said. Tiernan's parents have been told that their little boy could be waiting up to ten years for this procedure. This news was broken to them by a public dentist. Tiernan lives in such daily agony that he can barely chew food or sleep," she said. The opposition leader read a statement from Tiernan's father onto the Dail record: He is usually the best in the world, usually the happiest fellow. Now to see him like this, not eating properly, afraid to eat because it hurts to chew, screaming and throwing himself to the ground, hitting himself, it is horrible for him. The Sinn Fein leader issued a strong plea that: No child should be left in such a terrible, traumatic situation. No parent should have to watch their child endure this agony," she said. "My colleague, Teachta David Cullinane, has contacted the HSE on Tiernan's case. A solution needs to be found for this child and it needs to be found quickly," she added. The Sinn Fein President pointed to the national waiting list crisis, missing Slaintecare targets significantly, whereby more than 7,000 children are currently waiting for longer than 12 months for treatment and 1,100 children waiting more than four years for care. She then questioned Taoiseach Martin: What action will the Taoiseach take in relation to Tiernan Power Murphy? Unacceptable An Taoiseach agreed with the Sinn Fein leader: It is absolutely unacceptable that a young child in these circumstances, Tiernan Power Murphy, should be denied urgent oral healthcare and dental healthcare in terms of the extraction of teeth. He said that the fact the Waterford boy has autism exacerbated the unacceptable nature of situation. The Taoiseach said that Waterfords Fianna Fail TD, Minister of State Mary Butler, had been in touch with and spoken to the HSE with regard to this case, and that the HSE was now engaging with the family on the matter and that "a solution will be found immediately in respect of this specific case, as it should be". Deputy McDonald called on An Taoiseach to directly intervene himself in the case to ensure that adequate care is promptly delivered, and accused the leader of the government of not recognising the problem or his part in it", commenting: "The Taoiseach is not a commentator; he has been in government for a very considerable period. Tech giant Microsoft has announced two major investments in South Africa and India though with two very different focuses. One involves cloud expansion. The other involves afforestation. Microsoft plans to spend ZAR 5.4 billion (about US$296 million) by the end of 2027 to expand its cloud and AI infrastructure in South Africa to meet the growing demand for Azure services in the region. It has also agreed to purchase 1.5 million tons of carbon removal credits over the next 30 years from a large-scale afforestation project in India. Microsoft says the South African investment builds on the companys ZAR 20.4 billion (about US$1.1 billion) investment over the past three years to establish the nations first enterprise-grade data centres in Johannesburg and Cape Town. The latest round of investment will enable a wide range of organisations, from start-ups to large multinationals and government entities, to access the company's cloud and AI solutions. Earlier this year, Microsoft committed to skilling one million South Africans by 2026, equipping companies, government and youth with the knowledge and tools to create AI solutions to address local challenges with homegrown solutions, while contributing to the nations AI workforce and ecosystem. Microsoft says it will also expand its digital skills initiative over the next 12 months and that, in 2024 alone, more than 150,000 people were trained in digital and AI skills, 95,000 certified and 1,800 secured employment opportunities through Microsofts Skills for Jobs programme. Microsofts agreement to purchase carbon removal credits in India was signed with Climate Impact Partners, a provider of carbon markets solutions, and Terra Natural Capital, a firm that offers climate project finance. The credits are tied to the Panna afforestation project in the Madhya Pradesh State, India. The purchase is Microsoft's first in the Indian market and its largest carbon removal purchase in the APAC region to date. The company is reportedly the largest corporate buyer of carbon removal credits in the world. The project, which covers 20,000 hectares, will involve planting 11.6 million mixed native trees across farm and community land. It also aims to create new sources of income through the planting of fruit trees and the creation of new jobs through nurseries, project implementation and monitoring. Artists from around Waterford and beyond are invited to submit works to be considered for inclusion in a forthcoming food-inspired art exhibition, 'Patette x Palate', which will coincide with the Waterford Festival of Food in Dungarvan. 'Palette x Palate' will take place in the County Waterford town's, Old Bank, venue from April 19 until June 2. The exhibition, which will be presented by the Old Bank and artist, Luana Asiata, will be a dynamic group exhibition showcasing emerging artists from Ireland and across the world. The show will run alongside the Waterford Festival of Food, which will take place from April 25 to 27, and it will celebrate the deep connection between food, art and the land that sustains us. Palette x Palate explores the journey food takes - from the soil to the table and from artistic vision to palette. The exhibition invites artists to reflect on the universal language of food, capturing its power to nourish, connect, and inspire. From nostalgic family meals to bold contemporary interpretations of culinary culture, the works on display will offer fresh perspectives on how food shapes our lives and identities. Artists are invited to submit works that explore art, food, and the land - whether through traditional still-life compositions, abstract landscapes or conceptual explorations of foods role in culture. The exhibition will also provide a unique opportunity to showcase work in the historic building that is the Old Bank. Submissions close at midnight on Wednesday, April 2. For details and how to enter, visit PxP Submissions at www.luanaasiata.com Luana Asiatas artistic journey has been deeply influenced by her roots in New Zealand, her ties to Ireland, and her experiences as a London-based artist. She is inspired by the interplay of land, identity, and belonging and Dungarvan, her husband Ronan McCarthys hometown, has played a pivotal role in her artistic journey, influencing her debut collection of fine art prints and earning her the 'Top Drawer' New Designer to Watch award in 2020. Speaking on her bond with Ireland, Luana said: "Ireland reminds me of New Zealand - rolling hills, cow-dotted landscapes, and hearty meals shared around the kitchen table. Its where we gather, connect, and share our stories." This connection continues to inspire her curatorial vision, uniting diverse artistic voices under themes of land, culture, and creativity. Her work has been exhibited extensively across the UK and Ireland, earning recognition as a finalist in the Hambly & Hambly John Richardson French Residency Award (2025). She was also shortlisted for the Women in Art Prize (2023), twice shortlisted for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and won the Merit Award at Hampstead Summer Art Fair in 2023. As a member of ArtCan, a non-profit artist-led organization, she actively contributes to a wider creative community, championing independent artistic voices. Elon Musk has blamed widespread disruptions on his social media platform X on a massive cyberattack, which he claimed was orchestrated by a large, coordinated group or country. Tens of thousands of users globally reported intermittent outages on X overnight, according to the monitoring website Down Detector. New posts were failing to load for users in countries including the US, UK, France and India at various points throughout Monday. The service disruptions lasted a few minutes each. Elon Musk during a Cabinet meeting with at the White House last month, Credit: AP Musk later acknowledged that the platform had experienced a site-wide disruption. We get attacked every day, but this was done with a lot of resources, he wrote in a post on X, the site formerly known as Twitter. Every international burger brand looking to crack the Australian market, according to US burger chain Five Guys head of Australian operations Phil Keelan, has an inevitable initial crash. Everyone has had it. Weve had it, Keelan says. We made a mistake, and Im happy to openly, honestly say this: we opened Penrith, 70 kilometres out of Sydney. Its a standalone restaurant; no one walking past the front doors. You have to make a conscious decision to go: I want Five Guys. Phil Keelan, Five Guys Australia head of operations, and Joel Bearden, marketing vice president, at the newly opened Martin Place Metro outlet. Credit: Louise Kennerley Monday marks the official opening day of Five Guys fifth local outlet, which sits inside Sydneys Martin Place Metro (directly opposite McDonalds). For a chain that has built a cult following for its vivid red and white American diner decor and has more than 1400 stores in America and more than 200 internationally, the burger chains Australian expansion has, until recently, been more of a simmer. President Xi Jinping signalled Chinas determination to push ahead with an ambitious growth goal this year despite the trade war. If Donald Trump boosts tariffs further, analysts say Beijing will need to unleash big stimulus to hit the target. China announced an expansion target of about 5 per cent for 2025 at its annual parliamentary session on Wednesday, marking the first time in more than a decade that Beijing had set the same goal for three straight years. That resolve to put a floor under growth came less than a day after Trump lifted fresh blanket US tariffs on Chinese goods to 20 per cent, with more levies looking inevitable. If Donald Trump boosts tariffs further, analysts say Xi Jinping will need to unleash big stimulus to hit Chinas growth target. Credit: AP As tariffs threaten to damage a major driver of growth, Chinese officials are trying to balance projecting strength while managing financial risks. Unleashing greater stimulus to fill a hole left by falling US trade would undermine Xis long-standing efforts to rein in surging debt. Beijing has resisted bazooka stimulus since the pandemic, in contrast to previous downturns and other major economies. It would come down to a political decision about what price theyre willing to pay for growth, said Christopher Beddor, deputy China research director at Gavekal Dragonomics in Hong Kong, referring to a scenario involving big tariff hikes. Officials might be able to ramp up fiscal stimulus to hit the target, but the question is whether theyd be willing to accept a substantial rise in debt to do that. 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 The mixtape was always a gift. Hours of time and patience. Borrowing a friends Doors album and lending your Janis. The sound of your real (or maybe imagined) self, given as an act of love. We knew the musicians, we knew everything about them. And we loved them. We are no longer fans. Now weve outsourced our demos of devotion; outsourced them to music streaming steamroller Spotify, the subject of Liz Pellys virtuosic new book Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist. Pelly is a music journalist, a researcher, someone who spent a lot of time in the DIY music scene. Shes spoken to hundreds of sources, scanned hundreds of internal documents and hundreds of Slack messages to put together her portrait of the streamer. Music journalist and researcher Liz Pelly spoke to hundreds of sources for her deep dive into Spotify. Theres only one way to sum up what Pelly tells us about Spotify sinister. It promotes fake or ghost artists, music generated by machines, stock music. Why? Spotify doesnt have to pay royalties to artists who dont exist. Yes, the company pays Beyonce and Taylor Swift well because they have the market power to make a fuss and their music is indispensable to fans. Who hasnt listened to 16 Carriages on repeat, singing overworked and overwhelmed at the top of your voice? Nothing wrong with that, but so many other artists languish. Spotify forces vulnerable musicians into a pay-to-play arrangement. Want to be most streamed, noticed in Discovery Mode? Be prepared to take a 30 per cent royalty reduction in exchange for being listed there. Only streamed a few hundred times a year? You get zip. Pelly is reserved. But her unreservedly thoughtful book takes us through all the questions we have about the streaming giant, all the worries. Advertisement You know, theres going to be different things that trouble different people about this model depending on your values, your priorities or what your relationship with music looks like, she says. Yes, its a book about music, but its also a book about surveillance, politics and the relationship between creative labour and capitalism. Some of us (me! me!) immediately worry about the impact it has on our listening. Spotifys Perfect Fit Content encourages us to be less adventurous, passive, starving ourselves of authentic work. We accept artificial music devised by artificial intelligence, manufacturing and mirroring our own version of emotional intelligence, which limits our own. Those songs of love are born of algorithmic invention, not of desire. The result? The death of the mixtape. But thats far from the worst of it. Theres a backlash to generative AI image culture... But we dont have the same sense of media literacy around audio culture. Liz Pelly, author Pelly explains how our data is collected and used to strengthen a product that endeavours to diminish culture, then just straight-up sold in the mood data marketplace to data brokers who might be sharing it with other types of data brokers. I immediately panic and imagine the worst. Mood music at work, designed to keep us on track, undistracted. Pellys not at all sceptical about that possibility. But I hope most streaming users would care about the material impacts on musicians lives, or the way in which streaming has made it significantly more difficult for musicians to scrape together an ability to make a living from music. Spotify was meant to be the key to unlocking the worlds music, to unleashing creativity. It would be affordable for fans and would provide decent financial support for artists. Nirvana (or Pearl, if that was your Jam maybe). Its anything but. Advertisement And the woman whos unlocked the various chains? Pelly, 35, who grew up on the south shore of Long Island, is in the middle of a huge and frantic book tour, and her messages, emails and texts are out of control, but shes talking to me from Texas. An Australian tour is on the cards, say her local publishers. The demand to hear someone explain the ways in which Spotify is destroying music would be big here after all, the streamer has had an extraordinary impact on Australian music. Music piracy built the coffin but streaming nailed it in. Liz Pellys new book uncovers the sinister side of music streaming. Credit: Hachette Back in the day say, early 2000s Australians accounted for 30 per cent of the music that sold well enough to make the bestselling charts. Now its just 4 per cent. Those are the numbers of Tim Kelly, a former music executive and program director at the Australian Institute of Music who is midway through his PhD research. He says its not just Australian music that has suffered. Its anyone outside the US/UK axis. Dominant artists are getting more and more of the pie and no one is breaking new artists, he says. Loading But Kelly says its worse than that. Its the way Spotify doubles down on our taste, rather than trying to expand it. As he points out, thats not unique to Spotify all algorithmic design does this. It will suggest something very similar to what youve already heard, he says. But when we get suggestions from our friends, theres a different process. Friends try to expand your vision rather than double down on your vision. Advertisement He also says going to gigs is no longer a base on which to build our music tastes. Where once we took risks, now we tend to go to gigs of people we already know and love. Taylor Swift sells out multiple stadiums in multiple cities. But we might not take a chance on someone weve never heard of. The superstar economy undermined the base, Kelly says. Pelly has some answers. She thinks we should do what readers do in place of book clubs, listening parties. And theyve done that at independent music store Red Eye Records in Sydneys CBD. Co-owner Matt Huddy sees it as a commercial opportunity. Get access to the album early and get a heap of people to come listen and respond. It worked well for Lana Del Reys Did You Know That Theres a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. Huddy says that has been the most successful of all Red Eyes listening events. Beyond listening parties, Pelly says we also need to think about music in the same way we now think about images. Theres more of a public conversation unfolding about generative AI images, and publications using generative AI images, and illustrators being out of work. Theres a backlash to generative AI image culture. People are streaming playlists filled with songs by artists that dont exist, or hearing music made either by generative AI, partially by generative AI, stock music, fake music, ghost artist music. But we dont have the same sense of media literacy around audio culture. Loading Weve been persuaded to take a lean-back attitude to consuming music when what we used to do was stand up the front, clamouring for more. Huddy gives me a glimmer of hope. He says there has been a resurgence in the sale of blank cassette tapes. Now to buy the thing that plays them and send all my friends that one track by Thelma Plum. Because friends dont let friends play the same boring rubbish over and over again. Advertisement Advertisement Eating outRestaurants Making the cut: One of the worlds best pizzerias can be found in suburban Perth Max Veenhuyzen March 11, 2025 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share Its common knowledge that Maestro Sourdough Pizza Chiara Mezzasoma and Andrea Brunellis beloved neighbourhood restaurant in North Beach is one of Perths most trusted sources for elegant, fleet-footed Neapolitan-style pizza. Following the announcement of 50 Top Pizzas 2025 Asia-Pacific rankings at Istituto Italiano di Cultura in Tokyo on Monday afternoon (WA time), Maestros status as a pizza powerhouse has been confirmed. Again. Launched in 2017, 50 Top Pizza is a dining guide that claims to employ anonymous inspectors to visit and rank pizza restaurants globally. In addition to a master list of 50 restaurants, the guide also publishes supplementary regional lists highlighting venues in Latin America, Europe, North America, Italy. Chiara Mezzasoma and Andrea Brunelli of Maestro Pizza. Tori Lill Maestros appearance in the 2025 Asia-Pacific list is the fourth time that Mezzasoma and Brunellis restaurant has enjoyed 50 Top Pizza recognition. (The restaurant also appearing in the 2024, 2023 and 2021 rankings). Placing at number 38 in this years countdown, however, is its highest ranking. Were very proud to be on the list, says Brunelli, who travelled with his wife to Tokyo to attend the awards ceremony. Advertisement Its a great achievement to be considered one of the 50 best pizza chefs in the Asia-Pacific region. Its a nice reward for all the work weve put we put into managing the restaurant, searching for the best products and doing all those dough tests and trials. While Maestro is WAs only pizzeria to make the 50 Top Pizza cut, Australia is well represented with 10 restaurants the most of any nation in the region being recognised by the guide. Our top-ranked pizzeria is Melbournes Shop 225 which placed at number five. While Naples-style pizza is Maestros calling card and well worth travelling up the freeway for, the introduction of a new five-pizza tasting menu (four savoury pizzas plus a dessert pizza) in November is a chance for Umbria-born chef Brunelli to show off his range beyond puffy, blistered pies of unusual lightness. Three of the pizzas the Quattro Stagioni that features four different toppings on one base, cut into quarters; a doppia cottura (double cooked) pizza that is fried and then baked in the pizzerias Moretti Forni oven till impossibly light and crisp; plus an Italian-style bombolone doughnut plumped up with pistachio paste show off the diversity of the house sourdough that the regular pizzas are made from. The remaining two pizzas, however, are made with unique dough formulations. Related Article 14.5 / 20 Review Maestro by name, and nature: North Beach restaurant serves some of Perths finest pizza Advertisement Synonymous with the city of Turin in northern Italys Piedmont region, the padellino is a deep-pan pizza featuring a denser, fluffier base that Brunelli adorns with an airy mousse of nduja and ricotta, olives and small twigs of sundried tomato. Starring a plinth of thin, crunchy dough topped with smoked scamorza cheese, roasted potatoes and a rubble of pork sausage mince, Romes fortifying pala romana is the Eternal Citys best known contribution to the pizza discussion. Be warned: this deep dive into flour power is as filling as it is thrilling including a rejuvenating bottle of bitter-sweet amaro liqueur in your BYO arsenal would not be a mistake but for those curious about exploring the near limitless potential of artisan flatbread, its an essential experience. There isnt just one style of pizza but many, many styles, says Brunelli. When they are done in the proper way, every single style of pizza can make you go wow. I love the idea of helping people understand that pizza isnt a simple dish. Maestros pizza tasting menu is $80 per person and bookings are essential. The menu is only available for even-numbered bookings (guests share one pizza between two) with sessions available at either 5.30pm or 7.30pm. Jackson estimates he lost about $100,000 worth of stock in the 2022 floods and only reopened because of government relief packages that covered half of his losses. Without insurance, he was left $50,000 out of pocket. Emily Morgan inside her flooded home in Harwood. Credit: Louise Kennerley Around the corner, Millers Bakery owner Thanh Tran spent Monday night returning equipment to his store after it was emptied last week when the town was preparing for the worst. Besides the cost of hiring trucks to transport the equipment, the outlay of delivering it to a storage facility, and lost income, returning the bakery to trading will take days. After the 2022 floods, Tran borrowed money from his parents and took out a loan to cover his losses. If we had insurance we wouldnt worry about flooding in Lismore, Tran said as family members pushed equipment back into the bakery nearby. About 70 kilometres south of Lismore, Jacksons stepson Brett Strauss, who owns the Harwood Hotel, flood-proofed the watering hole when he bought it with his business partner after the 2022 floods swept through the town, home to a few hundred people on the banks of the Clarence River. Brett Strauss outside his flooded pub the Harwood Hotel. Credit: Louise Kennerley Insurers wont cover against flooding, and Strauss relies on his own funds to repair any damage that may come. But like Lismore, flooding and its consequences are part of life for the Harwood locals wading with their children through floodwaters on Monday afternoon. Loading When the pub closed on Sunday night, Strauss enlisted the help of his regulars, who will again be recruited to return it to normal on Tuesday as the river recedes. This town is super close-knit, Strauss said. Its that community spirit of sticking together and being resilient [that] is probably the biggest thing for local business owners. People up here, theyre tough they band together and they chip in to help each other out. Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib said he was pleased that shops in Lismore had begun to reopen but reiterated the state was not quite out of the woods yet. It is really important to recognise that while we are talking about the movement of evacuation orders, say, in Lismore, at the same time we still have other places that are at risk of flash-flooding, a risk of a storm, a risk of [destructive] wind, he said. Grafton residents survey the level of the Clarence River on Monday. Credit: Louise Kennerley Communities across northern NSW remain under watch and act advice after emergency warnings were lifted on Monday, despite the remnants of ex-tropical cyclone Alfred continuing to bring heavy rains. NSW Premier Chris Minns said emergency efforts were still very much in the response phase at the moment, but the NSW Reconstruction Authority had already begun recovery operations in some communities. Minns said the state government would begin closing evacuation centres as necessary, insisting that emergency shelters could not be used to alleviate long-term homelessness problems in the Northern Rivers, which has some of the highest rates of homelessness in the country. Premier Chris Minns provides an update on the response effort to ex-tropical cyclone Alfred from the SES headquarters in Sydney. Credit: Steven Siewert More than 9000 homes and businesses in NSW remained without power as of Monday afternoon, distributor Essential Energy said, down from a high of 43,000 homes in the past three days, with the number expected to change throughout the day. More than 90 schools will remain closed on Tuesday, though some public transport services have resumed in flood-affected areas. Loading A $15 million recovery fund is already available to NSW councils and their communities, and Minns said he expected the government would announce support packages for some flood victims once the scale of the damage was clearer. As thoughts turn to recovery, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has praised the decision by local councils in both states to shut down early in preparation for Cyclone Alfred despite it being less severe than originally predicted. Speaking from Lismore, Albanese praised the work of volunteers, emergency services and ADF troops, more than 1000 of whom have been deployed across Queensland and northern NSW as part of the recovery effort. We need to make sure that we give the respect that these fine volunteers deserve we want them to have less to do, not more to do, and what that requires is for people to listen to the official advice from someone from the SES, or the police or emergency services, or the Australian Defence Force. Loading Jenny McAllister, the federal emergency management minister, said the recovery period would be lengthy and called on the insurance sector to look out for their customers. We know that recovery will be long when we have events at this scale ... we start with what people need, but we move quickly to clean up and trying to repair [the] damage, and the insurance sector is part of that. We want them to play a constructive role, and we expect that they will. With Olivia Ireland and Nick OMalley Incoming Churchlands MP Basil Zempilas says it would be disrespectful to reveal his intentions for the leadership of the Liberal party while votes were still being counted. At a press conference this afternoon, Zempilas said there was every chance the party could add a few more MPs to the five that had already secured their seats. Incoming Churchlands MP Basil Zempilas. Credit: Jesinta Burton My view on speculation or otherwise is that its just not appropriate until the full team is assembled to be projecting forward like that, he said. What happens is we wait until the end of this week, likely to see who are the party room members, both the upper and lower house. Im hopeful that we can get to nine or 10, and then at that point we can consider what comes next. Liberal leader Libby Mettam has suggested her role in the party should be put to a vote of the new party room, preferably before the upcoming federal election. Zempilas is considered to be in the front of the pack for the role. Zempilas also reflected on his new partys poor showing which has seen Labor record its second-best election result in its history with 41 seats secured and potentially four more on the cards as counting continues. Zempilas said his partys message did not resonate with the WA public. Clearly we cannot overlook the fact that what the Liberal Party have put forward has not been accepted in significant numbers by the people of Western Australia, he said. As of Monday afternoon, Zempilas is about 1000 votes ahead of Christine Tonkin in Churchlands, with 73 per cent of the vote counted. Labor conceded defeat in Albany this afternoon, but it is lineball as to whether the Liberals Thomas Brough or the Nationals Scott Leary secured the seat. The Bangladesh government is reportedly planning a major overhaul to the countrys telecoms policy to speed up its transition to a digital economy and improve service quality. According to a report in the Daily Star newspaper on Monday, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb the newly appointed special assistant to the chief adviser criticised the current telecoms policy structure, which is designed for voice services, not data, and takes an obsolete monopolistic or duopolistic approach to telecoms infrastructure. Speaking at a seminar organised by the Bangladesh Mobile Phone Consumers' Association at the National Press Club on Sunday, Taiyeb stated that a fundamental structural overhaul was necessary to improve telecom service quality, the report said. The government is determined to dismantle policies that have stifled Bangladesh's data market by allowing certain companies to hold onto the existing fibre infrastructure as if it were a treasure trove, Taiyeb said. The more fibre you lay, the more business you create. Taiyeb also said Bangladesh has failed to position its communications sector for the digital and IoT age, with previous governments implementing digital policies that were inconsistent, subpar, and globally misaligned, the report added. Taiyeb didnt give specifics on what policy changes would be considered or implemented, but promised the reforms will be meaningful and policies will undergo a thorough transformation, the report said. Telecom policy expert Mustafa Mahmud Hussain, who also spoke at the event, said any reforms would need to include introducing fair competition in the broadband sector, and a tiered ISP licensing system to support small providers backed by strict anti-monopoly regulations. He also said Bangladesh must set a goal of achieving 100 Mbps broadband for all households by 2030. The government should also encourage adoption of next-gen technologies like AI-driven networks and IoT, as well as partnerships with global tech giants, to drive digital transformation, the report said. Brining affordable internet access to rural areas is also essential, he added. During MWC 2025, a leading European consulting company, IDATE, held the Green All-optical Network Forum 2025. During the forum, IDATE presented four major awards to 16 worlds leading operators. The awards include: 1. Best Practice of Home Broadband Development Award This award is set to recognize operators which evolve home broadband from 100Mbps to 1Gbps and achieve remarkable commercial success. Technologies such as 10G PON have been introduced for large-scale deployment of gigabit networks and lay a solid foundation for comprehensive upgrade to 10Giga networks with 50G PON in the near future. Innovative home broadband packages were released to enrich user experience and lead the service development in local markets. The final award is presented to Algeria Telecom, ZEOP, China Telecom, Hong Kong Telecom, and Aztelekom. 2. Excellent All-Optical Network for AI Enablement Award This award is set to recognize operators with excellent practices in all-optical network architecture and technological innovation and application. The winner operators build the leading all-optical network to support the rapid popularization of AI applications and seize the opportunity in the AI era. Innovations on key technologies and network architecture such as 400G/800G backbone, all-optical switching, and OTN to the edge. By deploying these, end users can access data centers with millisecond-level latency, ensuring the premium experience of AI applications and on-demand access to computing resources. The final award goes to MasOrange, China Mobile, Globe, Zain, and PT Telkom Indonesia. 3. AI-Oriented Business Innovation and Premium User Experience Award This award is set to recognize operators with excellent practices in fixed broadband user experience operations and widely recognized network quality in the market. They actively embrace AI services and continuously improve user experience. They provide gigabit+ bandwidth to bring various AI services to homes and enterprises quickly. Home network such as FTTR is deployed for optimal network experience. In addition, winner operators add smart home services based on FTTR to capture AI traffic entry, opening up a blue ocean for home broadband services in the AI era and finding new growth points for the industry. The final award is presented to Lounea, China Unicom, and Macau CTM. 4. Leading Sustainable Network Operator Award This award is set to commend operators with sustainable network development through energy efficiency improvement and carbon emission reduction in network construction and service operations. For example, by replacing DSL or cable networks by FTTx, and upgrading legacy SDH/switch networks to OTN, the FTTH penetration is enhanced and the power consumption of telecom networks is greatly reduced. In addition, popularity of optical networks accelerates the service cloudification and digital transformation of enterprise users, indirectly saving energy and reducing emissions in more industries, supporting the sustainable development of the whole society. The final award goes to BNET, Turkcell, and PLDT. Please check the mini-site and social media posts from IDATE to learn the reasons and details about the award: https://idate.fr/green-all-optical-network-forum/ Botswana is the latest African country to successfully send a satellite into space with the recent launch of BOTSAT-1. The launch took place late last week at the facilities of launch services specialist SpaceX in California in the US. It was attended by President Duma Boko, who explained that BOTSAT-1 will provide real-time data to support national initiatives in environmental monitoring, agriculture, disaster response and urban planning. Its capabilities position Botswana as a growing player in space technology within Africa, he added. News resource ITWeb Africa says the satellite was developed by engineers from the Botswana International University of Science and Technology. It was launched in California because neither Botswana nor Africa could offer a space pad capable of launching a satellite of BOTSAT-1s size. Botswana has now joined a group of African governments and telecom companies that plan to use satellite technology to help the region achieve its economic goals. Botswana is known in particular for mining, which may be one of the industries to benefit from the new satellite's data-gathering capabilities. The Minister of Communications and Innovation, David Tshere, told Botswana media that BOTSAT-1 was launched aboard a SpaceX rocket, capable of accommodating a hyper-spectral camera payload at an altitude of approximately 600 kilometres. The satellite will orbit the earth continuously six times daily, transmitting and collecting data, such as high-resolution images from the earths surface, for various purposes. A ground station has reportedly been set up to receive and store information from the satellite. The government has apparently announced plans for a second satellite, though its precise purpose and launch dates are not yet known. If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit By David Young, PA, in Austin, Texas. Taoiseach Micheal Martin has insisted his priority in this weeks meeting with Donald Trump at the White House is to copper fasten Irelands economic relationship with the US. Amid concerns that the US presidents protectionist approach to tariffs and tax could pose a significant risk to an Irish economy that is in large part sustained by long-standing investment by US multinationals, the Taoiseach stressed he will be emphasising the two-way nature of the transatlantic relationship. Mr Martin will hold talks with Mr Trump in the Oval Office on Wednesday, but he began his traditional St Patricks programme of engagements in the US with a visit to Austin, Texas a state the Taoiseach said had witnessed a new wave of Irish investment with 120 Irish companies creating about 4,000 jobs. Micheal Martin speaking to the media in Austin (Niall Carson/PA) The Fianna Fail leader said he wanted to use the trip to highlight the enduring nature of the US-Irish economic relationship. Mr Martin declined to be drawn on questions about how he intended to handle the meeting with Mr Trump in Washington DC, insisting he was taking his visit day by day and that his focus on Monday was on engagements in Austin, including a meeting with Republican state governor Greg Abbot. I represent the country, the people of Ireland, and I am very, very conscious that in a very challenging world, thousands and thousands of jobs depend on the economic relationship between the United States and Ireland, he added. And my overriding objective is to copper fasten that for the time ahead and to protect those people who are working in jobs. And that is very important. Pressed on his strategy for the meeting with Mr Trump, Mr Martin said: Our strategy really is to notwithstanding all the commentary bring home the idea that [the US has] an enduring, robust presence in Ireland and the relationship is a very strong one that we want to see grow into the future. So thats my focus today and I take it day by day, but Im looking forward to the meeting in the White House, obviously. Mr Martin was to attend the South by Southwest Conference later on Monday and to meet representatives of multinational tech companies Dell and Tricentis. Meetings of this kind very often can sow a seed for future investments, he said. To bring home to the companies the strength of what Ireland has to offer in terms of a stable political environment, a very clear investment framework, and also then in terms of human capital. Mr Martin said Ireland had a strong position as a member of the European Union to attract the right employees to meet the objectives of companies investing in the country. The Taoiseach earlier insisted that the US remained an indispensable partner at a time of great peril in the world. Mr Martin and Mr Trump are expected to discuss a range of issues on Wednesday, including the war in Ukraine and the situations in the Middle East and Northern Ireland. The Irish leader will later present Mr Trump with the traditional shamrock bowl in the White House, extending St Patricks Day greetings from the people of Ireland to the people of the US. A host of Irish Government ministers will also travel to the US, including Tanaiste Simon Harris, who will visit Philadelphia and New York, at a time described as a key juncture in European-US relations. First Minister Michelle ONeill (right) and deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly (Liam McBurney/PA) Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle ONeill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly will lead an NI Chamber business delegation to North Carolina on Monday. Ms Little-Pengelly will later travel alone to Washington DC for engagements. Ms ONeill and Sinn Fein party colleagues are not travelling to Washington as part of a principled stance against the threat of mass expulsion of the Palestinian people from Gaza. COMMUNITY NOTES: CARRA - WESTERN PEOPLE (MARCH 11 EDITION) The Christian Community welcomes its newest member Rian Colm Geraghty, baptised in Holy Trinity Abbey, Ballintubber, on Saturday, March 8. Congratulations to his parents and family. Weekly community notes are welcomed - send yours to: notes@westernpeople.ie Vietnam's Communist Party General Secretary To Lam attended a business dialogue themed A Partnership for Progress and Prosperity" in Jakarta Monday as part of his state visit to Indonesia and official visit to the ASEAN Secretariat there. Jointly organised by the Vietnamese Ministry of Finance, the Vietnamese Embassy in Indonesia, the Indonesia-Vietnam Friendship Association, and Ciputra Group, the event saw the participation of senior officials and representatives of businesses and relevant agencies from both nations. Participants highlighted the significance of the event as it coincides with the 70th anniversary of Vietnam-Indonesia diplomatic ties (19552025) and takes place in the context that the two sides look towards the elevation of their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. The event highlighted the economic cooperation achievements, investment opportunities, and the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Indonesia in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), digital economy, green energy, electric vehicles, and the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). Delegates also explored cooperation in food security, the Halal industry, education, and maritime collaboration, reflecting the deepening ties between the two countries. They reaffirmed both nations' commitment to promoting sustainable growth, innovation, and regional cooperation, laying a foundation for a stronger future. In his remarks, the Party chief emphasised that after nearly four decades of reform, opening, and integration, under the CPVs comprehensive leadership, Vietnam has transformed itself from an underdeveloped nation into a symbol of stability and growth. Vietnam has earned the trust of many world leaders as a reliable partner for peace and prosperity, and remained a favoured destination for investors and international tourists, he stated. Lam affirmed that Vietnams achievements are rooted in patriotism, great national solidarity, self-reliance, and strong aspiration for independence, freedom, and happiness of the people. These successes were made possible under the visionary leadership of the CPV, the decisive efforts of the entire political system, the active participation and support of the people and business community, as well as the assistance of international friendsincluding important contributions of the Indonesian government and businesses, he said. There remains huge room for stronger cooperation between the two countries, driven by their intrinsic strengths and the momentum of their strategic partnership, he noted, stressing that this will enhance mutual consensus and facilitate the mobilisation of resources for important collaborative programmes and initiatives that benefit both sides. Lam expressed his hope that Indonesian businesses will continue to grow and stay among the largest investors in Vietnam. He encouraged them to leverage their strengths and seize opportunities based on equality, mutual respect, and shared benefits, in alignment with the strategic relations between the two countries. To achieve those goals, he urged the two countries ministries, sectors, and agencies to continue specifying major policies and directions of the bilateral relationship, promptly support and address difficulties and obstacles facing investors, while implementing solutions to improve business and investment environment towards transparency and openness. He called on the Indonesian government to encourage Indonesian businesses to increase their investments in Vietnam while creating conditions and continuing to support Vietnamese investors in expanding their investment and business activities, especially in projects relating to science, technology, and innovation. Both countries' business organisations and associations are expected to continue to serve as important bridges connecting business communities with the relevant authorities of both sides. Investors from both countries will explore and expand investment in such sectors as science, technology, innovation, research and development; chip and semiconductor, AI, and Internet of Things (IoT) industries, new energy, like hydrogen, and renewable energy, fintech, financial centres, biotechnology, and healthcare, he said, adding that these are sectors that Vietnam and Indonesia have potential for development and need investment attraction. The Party chief affirmed that Vietnam is committed to creating favourable conditions for effective investment and business activities, towards sustainable development goals of both sides. The Party and State of Vietnam have always regarded the foreign investment sector as an important component of the national economy, contributing to the fundamental transformation of the economy, positively impacting the economic institution reform, improving investment and business environment, and enhancing Vietnam's reputation and position in international arena. Accordingly, Vietnam always pays special attention and creates best possible conditions for the business community, including foreign-invested enterprises in Vietnam. Under its foreign investment cooperation strategy, Vietnam has oriented towards a phase of selective cooperation, attracting foreign investment with focus on quality, efficiency, technology, and environmental protection as the main evaluation criteria. The Party, State, and people of Vietnam are committed to always accompanying, listening to, and hoping to continue receiving support and close cooperation from international partners, investors, especially Indonesian ones, Lam said. On this occasion, Lam and the delegates witnessed the signing and exchange of business cooperation documents between the two countries agencies and businesses in areas, including education and training, green transition, green financing, real estate, smart urban areas, industrial zones, logistics, digital transformation, and cybersecurity services, and hi-tech agriculture. Vietnam and Indonesia have witnessed the fruitful development of the bilateral relations over the last seven decades, with economic cooperation as a core pillar. The two-way trade hit US$16 billion in 2024, up 16% compared to the previous year, putting the two countries on track to achieve their $18-billion trade target ahead of the projected 2028 deadline. Historian Christa Kuljian and paleoanthropologist Dipuo Kgotleng talk to The Conversation Weekly podcast about the complicated legacy of the Taung child skull. One hundred years ago, a paper was published in the journal Nature that would radically shift our understandings of the origins of humanity. It described a fossil, found in a lime mine in Taung in South Africa, which became known as the Taung child skull. The papers author, an Australian-born anatomist called Raymond Dart, argued that the fossil was a new species of hominin called Australopithecus africanus. It was the first evidence that humanity originated in Africa. In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, we talk to science historian Christa Kuljian about Darts complicated legacy and to paleoanthropologist Dipuo Kgotleng about whats happened to the city of Taung itself, and how paleoanthropology has changed over the last century. When Darts paper was first published, it was roundly ridiculed by his scientific peers. Charles Darwin had a hunch that all humans had common origins in Africa, but archaeologists at the time werent looking for evidence on the continent, as Kuljian, a research associate at the University of Witwatersrand, explains: "Scientists argued that humans had evolved in Europe or perhaps Asia, and that belief was influenced by the false assumption that many scientists had that Europeans were superior to other people from around the world, and that there was a hierarchy of race. Paleoanthropology and the search for human origins had its roots in that era of racialised thinking and white supremacy. Darts contribution eventually proved this to be wrong. But at the same time, Dart, like many scientists working in Europe and the US in the early 20th century, was engaged in disturbing and racist anthropological practices, says Kuljian. "They were not only collecting ancient fossils, they were also collecting human skeletons. And scientists thought that humans could be divided into separate and distinct racial types based on physical characteristics. They thought that these pure racial types, which we now know do not exist, would give them a clue to understanding human evolution. Not just one hero Alongside Darts own complicated legacy, researchers are also reassessing the way discoveries like the Taung child skull are commonly told: through the lens of a solo, white, hero like Indiana Jones. Whats missing, says Kgotleng, director of the Palaeo Institute at the University of Johannesburg, are often the stories of the hidden figures behind such discoveries. For example, the rock that contained the Taung skull was put aside by local mine workers who recognised its potential significance and passed it onto Darts colleague. Kgotleng argues: For a scientist to have that fossil in hand there was somebody who was on the ground assisting with that excavation. There were other labourers who were there, in most cases they never get recognised we need to recognise all the workers in that whole process of the discovery through to publication. Kgotleng, who used to work as the archaeologist at Taung, says that today the town generally looks like its still stuck in the 1920s. She says that many local people know little about the significance of the fossil find and that the knowledge about the science has not filtrated through to the locals. Listen to the conversations with Kuljian and Kgotleng on The Conversation Weekly podcast, which also includes an introduction from Natasha Joseph, science commissioning editor at The Conversation Africa. Kuljian and Kgotleng both also contributed papers to a special issue of the South African Journal of Science to mark the centenary of Darts article. This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Katie Flood with assistance from Mend Mariwany and hosted by Gemma Ware. Sound design was by Eloise Stevens and theme music by Neeta Sarl. Listen to The Conversation Weekly via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feed or find out how else to listen here. Gemma Ware, Host, The Conversation Weekly Podcast, The Conversation This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Red-carpet welcome ceremony for Party General Secretary To Lam in Jakarta A red-carpet welcome ceremony was held at Merdeka Palace - the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday for Vietnam's Communist Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly, who are on a state visit to Indonesia. The visit is made at the invitation of Indonesian President and President of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) Prabowo Subianto. Vietnam's Communist Party General Secretary To Lam (R) and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto review the honor guard during the welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, March 10, 2025. Photo by Baoquocte As the two leaders ascended the ceremonial platform, the national anthems of Vietnam and Indonesia were played, accompanied by a 21-gun salute, symbolising Indonesia's high regard for the visit. After General Secretary To Lam reviewed Indonesia's Guard of Honour, the two leaders introduced their respective high-level delegations attending the ceremony. Before starting talks with the host, the Vietnamese Party leader signed the guestbook at the Presidential Palace, expressing his pleasure at visiting the beautiful archipelago nation. He reaffirmed his confidence in the strong and growing Vietnam-Indonesia relationship, emphasising their shared commitment to regional and global peace and stability. He also expressed his shope that both nations will continue playing key roles as pillars of ASEAN and strengthening their enduring friendship and solidarity. The two leaders then held a private meeting before leading their respective delegations in the official talks. As scheduled, after the discussions, they will witness the signing of cooperation agreements and hold a joint press briefing. Later, President Prabowo Subianto will host an official banquet in honour of To Lam and his spouse. This marks the first visit by a Party chief of Vietnam to Indonesia in nearly eight years, since August 2017. The timing of the visit is particularly significant as the two countries are celebrating the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic relations this year, with Indonesia being the first Southeast Asian country to set up diplomatic ties with Vietnam. Over the past years, particularly since the establishment of the Strategic Partnership in 2013, Vietnam Indonesia cooperation has developed in a more comprehensive and intensive fashion. The exchange of high-ranking delegations and contacts have been carried out regularly through both bilateral and multilateral forums. Indonesia is Vietnam's second-largest trading partner in ASEAN, with bilateral trade reaching $16.7 billion in 2024, a 21.6% increase from 2023. The two countries aim to raise this figure to $18 billion by 2028. General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam (L) and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto speak to the press after their talks on March 10, 2025. Photo by VNA Vietnam and Indonesia on Monday upgraded their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, marking a significant milestone in celebration of the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. The agreement was reached during talks between General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta. Prabowo emphasized the special significance of the Vietnamese leader's visit, noting that it coincides with the 70th anniversary of Vietnam-Indonesia diplomatic relations and serves as a strong impetus for advancing the bilateral partnership. Recalling his visit to Vietnam in September 2024, the Indonesian leader expressed his deep admiration for Vietnams past struggle for independence, its achievements in national development, and the legacy of President Ho Chi Minh. He underscored the historical parallels between the two nations, which share a history of resisting colonial rule and an aspiration to become high-income, developed countries by 2045. He congratulated Vietnam on the countrys achievements after nearly 40 years of Doi Moi (Renewal), affirming that Vietnam has always been an important partner of Indonesia in the region, and his country wishes to further promote ties with Vietnam. For his part, Lam underlined that Vietnam always attaches great importance to and gives top priority to relations with Indonesia, a leading important country in the region. He commended Indonesias recent achievements in national development and its growing regional and global roles, expressing his belief that Indonesia will secure an 8% growth rate annually and become a developed country in 2045 to mark its 100th founding anniversary. The Vietnamese leader briefed his host on the situation of Vietnam and its efforts to enter a new era - that of the nation's rise. The leaders hailed the remarkable progress in bilateral ties over the past 70 years, especially since the establishment of bilateral strategic partnership in 2013. They affirmed that the upgrade of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership is a historic milestone, bringing their ties to a new era of cooperation that is deeper, more comprehensive and substantive for the benefit of the two countries' people as well as peace, development, and prosperity of ASEAN and the world. Lam and Prabowo affirmed their commitment to deepening political trust through increased high-level exchanges across all channels, including Party, Government, and parliamentary cooperation, as well as expanded people-to-people, locality-to-locality, and business connections. They pledged to effectively implement bilateral cooperation mechanisms and soon develop an Action Programme to fully leverage and elevate collaboration across all fields. Both sides agreed to further strengthen defence and security cooperation, information sharing, search and rescue coordination, and exchange of experience in combating transnational crimes, particularly online fraud networks, human trafficking, forced labour, and terrorism threats. They concurred to expand and deepen economic cooperation, fostering stronger economic linkages based on mutual benefit and shared development. Both sides pledged to remove trade barriers and obstacles, support businesses in import-export activities, particularly in agriculture and aquaculture, and strive for $18 billion in bilateral trade in a balanced manner. The two leaders also committed to enhancing agricultural cooperation and ensuring food security, while encouraging and facilitating investments by businesses from both countries, especially in emerging sectors such as digital economy, green economy, energy transition, electric vehicle ecosystem development, e-commerce, smart logistics, digital payment, software design and outsourcing, AI-driven technological solutions, and Halal products. Prabowo highly valued and expressed his hope for Vietnamese major enterprises, including Vingroup and TH True Milk, to expand their business and investment in Indonesia. Both sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation in specialised fields, and expand collaboration in science and technology, innovation, and information technology, with a view to establishing a digital partnership and advancing the digital economy. They committed to enhancing cooperation in emerging sectors, including green economy, digital economy, innovation, science-technology, and digital transformation, while enhancing people-to-people exchanges, particularly among the younger generations, through cultural, sports, and educational exchanges, tourism cooperation, and air connectivity. The Vietnamese and Indonesian leaders highly valued the consistent coordination and mutual support between the two countries in regional and international forums, particularly ASEAN, the United Nations, and the Non-Aligned Movement. They reaffirmed their commitment to closer collaboration within ASEAN to build a stronger and more cohesive bloc, enhance its central role, and reinforce intra-bloc solidarity. Discussing regional and international issues of mutual concern, the two sides emphasised the importance of maintaining peace, security, stability, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea. They underscored the need to resolve disputes through peaceful means, avoid the threat or use of force, adhere to international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982), and refrain from actions that could escalate tensions and undermine peace and stability in the region. They also called for the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the acceleration of negotiations for an effective and substantive Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea, in line with international law, especially UNCLOS 1982. Lam took the occasion to invite Prabowo to visit Vietnam and Indonesian leaders to attend the fourth Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals (P4G) Summit, scheduled for April in Hanoi. Prabowo Subianto gladly accepted the invitation and expressed his hope to visit Vietnam again soon. Following the talks, Lam and Prabowo witnessed the exchange of cooperation agreements and held a press briefing to announce the outcomes of their discussions. On this occasion, they officially declared the elevation of VietnamIndonesia relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Elevenlabs AudioNative Player New College of Florida students and supporters protest ahead of a meeting by the college's board of trustees in Sarasota, Florida. [AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell] The Trump administration and newly confirmed Education Secretary and billionaire Linda McMahon have begun dismantling the US public education system. Public schools, built through 250 years of struggle, educate tens of millions of students and are overwhelmingly supported by the population as a fundamental democratic right. According to a March 6 Washington Post article, congressional Republicans are pushing for a universal school voucher system in the budget reconciliation bill. Combined with the administrations plan to shut down the Department of Education, this is part of a broader effort to dismantle public education entirely. In line with Trumps January 29 Executive Order, Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families, the Republican voucher plan would divert $5-10 billion in public funds to private, parochial and homeschooling. The program would be fueled by a powerful, never-before-tried incentive: Taxpayers who donate to voucher programs would get 100 percent of their money back when they file their taxes, the Post reported. Wealthy individuals and corporations could invest in or donate stocks to these programs, gaining dollar-for-dollar tax deductions while avoiding capital gains taxes. The measure would be the greatest threat to public education weve ever had at the federal level, said Sasha Pudelski, director of advocacy for the School Superintendents Association. According to the Wall Street Journal, Trump had a draft executive order to shut down the Department of Education (ED), though legal experts note it would require a 60-vote majority in the Senate. In the meantime, billionaires McMahon and Musk are executing a slash-and-burn operationeliminating ED jobs, canceling grants and abruptly ending research and support programs. The Department of Education provides critical support to underfunded schools and enforces anti-discrimination policies established through landmark rulings like Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (1975) and Plyler v. Doe (1982), which protect minorities, students with disabilities, English-language learners and immigrants. These gains are now under direct attack, with Trump using Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs as a pretext to dismantle democratic rights. Last week, Trump slashed $400 million in federal funding to Columbia University as retaliation for student-led anti-genocide protests. This week, he ordered the denial of student loan forgiveness to teachers and nonprofit workers deemed to harm American values or who engage in public disruptionseffectively imposing a political loyalty test. In K-12 education, an Executive Order now requires the teaching of the 1776 Report, authored by far-right ideologues, along with other lies aimed at censoring the history of American imperialism, the suppression of the working class, andabove allthe class struggle and socialism. Universal public education, a core ideal of the Enlightenment, has long been seen as essential to democracy and a safeguard against authoritarianism. Just three years after drafting the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson authored A Bill for the General Diffusion of Knowledge in 1779, reflecting the revolutionary founders belief that education was the foundation of democracy and social and political rights. I know of no safe depositary of the ultimate powers of society but the people themselves, Jefferson wrote, adding, The remedy is not to take power from them, but to inform their discretion by education. The expansion of public education, however, was won through mass struggles. The Civil Warthe Second American Revolutionwas necessary to secure education rights for black people and many poor whites while expanding the system nationwide. After the defeat of the slavocracy, President Ulysses S. Grant mandated that states establish and forever maintain free public schools of a secular character, reinforcing the democratic principle of the separation of church and state. The fight against child labor and for universal public education was a central demand of the early American labor movement. This struggle was given a huge impulse by the 1917 Russian Revolution, which created the first workers state and launched an unprecedented campaign for literacy and education. A 1919 decree mandated education for all Soviet citizens aged 8 to 50. By 1939, literacy among men had risen to 87 percentfar exceeding rates in Western countries. The rise of the CIO (Congress of Industrial Organizations) movement in the 1930s, led by socialists inspired by the Russian Revolution, along with the massive post-war strike wave of 1945-46 and the decades-long Civil Rights movement significantly advanced the fight for quality public education. By 1955, high school graduation rates reached 80 percent for the first time, and by the 1960s, college became widely accessible to the working class. Trump and McMahon are demanding the closure of the federal education department in order to return education to the states. This is a rehash of the states rights slogan the Southern segregationists used to oppose the racial integration of public schools. The working class did not receive public education as a giftit fought for it. However, as American capitalism has plunged into crisis, waged endless wars and fostered skyrocketing social inequalityespecially over the past three decadesboth corporate-controlled parties have systematically defunded public education. Trump is following the blueprint laid by Democratic President Bill Clinton, who ended welfare as we know it in 1996. By converting federal aid into state-controlled block grants, Clinton upended key New Deal and Great Society programs. Trump has made clear that he intends to do the same with Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), effectively gutting these critical educational programs. Former Democratic President Barack Obama notoriously slashed Title I aid to impoverished schools and the IDEA, axing the jobs of hundreds of thousands of educators and further institutionalizing school choice and merit pay through Race To The Top. Last year, Biden allowed the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund (ESSER) to expire, cutting off a $190 billion lifeline to struggling school districts nationwide. This triggered mass layoffs, program cuts and school closures across the country. Like every other aspect of his policies, Trumps assault on public education is also a cash grab. Global venture capital investment in education businesses is surging, and the profit-mad oligarchy seeks to dismantle public education, siphoning its $850 billion budget into private hands or redirecting it to fund imperialist wars abroad. But for the gangsters in the White House, this is about more than just privatization. Like every other democratic right, universal public education is fundamentally incompatible with the domination of society by an oligarchy. The ruling class deeply fears the working class, freedom of inquiry and expression and education itself. It is using its control of the purse strings to fuel all manner of social backwardness, including xenophobia, racism, opposition to science and religious obscurantism. Trump and the oligarchy may believe they can destroy two-and-a-half centuries of democratic rights, but the working class, the most powerful constituency for democracy, must and will not let them. The last two years have seen escalating struggles by educators across the world against austerity and cuts, including major strikes in the United Kingdom, Romania, Hungary, Portugal, Morocco, Kenya, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico and many other countries. Across the US, school walkouts and protests over immigrant rights, budget cuts, school closures, the genocide in Gaza, and war are escalating. Hundreds of workers are packing local school board meetings to oppose cuts, while strike battles among educators are brewing in Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and other cities. Educators must learn from past struggles. In 2018-19, during Trumps first administration, teachers launched a powerful strike wave across West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona, Kentucky, North Carolina, Colorado and beyond, rebelling against the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and National Education Association (NEA) bureaucracies. However, the union apparatusassisted by the Democratic Socialists of America and other pseudo-left groupsregained control by promoting the lie that electing a Democrat would protect public education. Trump cannot be fought by relying on the Democrats and the AFT and NEA bureaucracies, which have responded to the existential threat to public education by telling parents to write letters to Congress. The defense of education requires a political and industrial mobilization of the working class against both capitalist political parties and the capitalist system they defend. This requires expanding the network of rank-and-file committees in every school and neighborhood, uniting educators with parents, students and the broader working classincluding federal workers, logistics and manufacturing workersthrough mass meetings, protests and strikes to defend public education. This struggle must be linked to the defense of immigrant workers and their families, opposition to the crackdown on free speech on campuses, resistance to Medicaid and social service cuts and the fight to end imperialist war. The defense and vast improvement of public education, like every other democratic and social right, can only be secured through a political struggle by the working class to abolish the capitalist system, expropriate the wealth of the oligarchy, and redistribute societys resources to meet human needs, not private profit. This requires the fight for socialismthe reorganization of economic and political life on the basis of social equality and democratic control by the working class itself. Join the upcoming online meeting of the Educators Rank-and-File Committee (US), 'Stop Trump's Plans to Gut Public Education! Mobilize the Working Class in Defense of Immigrants and Social Rights!' on March 15, at 12 p.m. EDT. Register here. An international response is needed to address the growing connection between al-Shabaab and the Houthi terrorist group based in Yemen, said Acting U.S. Alternate Representative to the UN, John Kelley: The Red Sea smuggling routes connecting Somalia-based terrorist groups to those in Yemen place a premium on international cooperation. We are concerned by growing ties between Al-Shabaab and the Houthis in particular. We encourage dialogue between the Yemen and Al-Shabaab sanctions Panels, and countries in the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, to shed light on and ultimately sever the ties between the Houthis and Al-Shabaab. The comments came as the United States supported a UN Security Council resolution to renew sanctions on al-Shabaab. The resolution will renew some arms embargos, travel bans, and asset freezes on the terrorist group. It will also extend the mandate for a Panel of Experts on Somalia to report on al-Shabaabs finances and activities to the Security Council and the U.N. al-Shabaab sanctions committee. [T]he measures in this resolution will curb al-Shabaabs, and other non-state actors, access to funds and weapons needed to carry out attacks and address the drivers of conflict in Somalia. They will also ensure Somalias security and the police institutions can receive the needed resources to combat terrorism and secure the people of Somalia. Ambassador Kelley also called for additional designations against al-Shabaab operatives. The Somalia-based group was designated by the United States as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist in 2008. According to the most recent U.S. Department of State Country Reports on Terrorism, al-Shabaab regularly conducted IED attacks, suicide bombings, complex attacks, targeted assassinations, ambushes along supply routes, and indirect fire across Somalia. Civilian deaths related to explosive weaponry dramatically increased from the previous year. Al-Shabaab uses its influence in Somalia to extort millions of dollars in revenue from residents and businesses, according to the State Department Report. Regional dialogue is also needed to address piracy, weapons trafficking, and the illicit activities that fuel terrorism, said Ambassador Kelley. These designations demonstrate the international community will promote accountability and end impunity for those who undermine peace and security in Somalia and the region. The United States will continue to address all threats posed by Al-Shabaab and other terrorist groups around the world that threaten American interests. About 1,000 doctors, researchers, healthcare workers, students and other supporters of science took part in a rally in Pittsburgh last Friday as part of the national Stand Up for Science protests against the Trump administrations attack on science. Shaterra Jackson and her fiancee Chandler Daniel attended the rally to speak for her best friend, who is now recovering from lymphoma. Shaterra also works at Childrens Hospital doing research on asthma in children. She said: Im here for my best friend. She is 28. Last year she was diagnosed with lymphoma. Now she is on her last round of chemo, and it is working. That is science. She is going to live because of science. It is scientific research into blood cancer that is saving her life and that of many other people. Blood cancer research has obviously come a long way, and thats why shes here. Protesters in Pittsburgh hold signs that read: "Science not Silence." I work and do research at Pitt, so my job is at risk. We are all worried. I work in asthma research at Childrens Hospital. We work in pediatric assistance. Im specifically interested in severe asthma in black and Latino kids. I just feel really happy to know that what I do is going to help these families. We are looking at the environmental factors affecting asthma. We have a lot to learn. Kennedy should not be allowed to speak in public because he doesnt know what hes talking about. I actually reached out to (US Senator John) Fetterman and told him that this wasnt a good idea, and obviously he didnt listen. But Im here, people are standing up. Chandler added: Were here speaking for the fact that science literally drives healthcare in this country, research that is funded to simply save lives and not make money. That is the reason why people like my fiancees best friend is going to live. The very fact that somebody wanted to help somebody else just for the sake of helping. Science backed by the government is there to help the people. I think the steps that were currently taking are going to greatly impact American citizens. Minority groups, less fortunate economic groups are going to be hurt. This is just nonsensical, not a way to live. We should care for others. Phyllis, a nurse at UPMC, said: All our work is based on science. During the [COVID] pandemic we worked around the clock to save lives. The research that people did here at Pitt helped to find the vaccine. Now the government wants to eliminate this research. A family at the Stand up for Science protest in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 7, 2025. Speaking on the appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., she continued: We developed the polio vaccine here in Pittsburgh. When it came out, people were lining up to have their children vaccinated. Now children are dying again because of these anti-vaxxers being led by Kennedy. I think the whole attack on science is an attack on knowledge. To promote the bigotry, the hostility to women, the attacks on immigrants, Trump must attack truth. Trump must attack an understanding that we are all people. Josh works as a lab technician at Carnegie Mellon University. He is applying for graduate school to study physics. He said: I am here because of the funding for physics research which I do. And in general, science is under attack. Its awful. Everything from just basic research to diversity, equity and inclusion programs are important in science. This is not only to lift the basic science and lift technology up but to lift each other up. To make the overall community better, not just individual people. Protesters hold signs in support of science at the Pittsburgh demonstration, March 7, 2025. Im here because research is getting cut. Im here to stand up for not just myself but for my friends who are even more affected than I am in this current climate of war on science in this country. The Trump administration is attacking science this way because they want to be able to control truth and facts. That is how fascists have done it before in history. History is the future, and science is objective. He realizes that our bosses are the things that we research. For me I research what happens in the stars and galaxies. For others here, they research cells. We try to learn whats going on. Trump just wants to be the boss. That is what matters to him most, to inflate his ego and to take control of whatever he can. Science is amazing. Science is important, and it needs to be funded. With all these cuts that are happening the best place to do science research in the world is going downhill. Its going to take decades to come back, if we let this happen. 25 years ago: New York City police continue rampage of violence, killing 26-year-old Patrick Dorismond On March 15, 2000, New York City (NYC) police fired one deadly shot to the chest of Patrick Dorismond, a 26-year-old security guard. Dorismond, a father of two young children and an aspiring police officer, was unarmed and innocent of any crime. This killing happened only a couple weeks after a state manufactured acquittal of NYC police officers in the deadly shooting of Amadou Diallo, an immigrant worker gunned down outside his apartment complex in February of 1999. Patrick Dorismond [Photo: http://www.dallasweekly.com/news/national/article_539aa008-727d-11e1-a0d2-0019bb30f31a.html?TNNoMobile ] After working a security guard shift at the Business Improvement District in Manhattan, Dorismond and a friend went to a bar for drinks. They were about to hail a taxi before being confronted by an undercover officer asking to buy marijuana. The police narrative of events claimed Dorismond became irate when asked for drugs. Backup was called. Plainclothes Detective Anthony Vasquez arrived and a fight broke out. According to Vasquez, who had a history of gun violence, abuse and misconduct, Dorismond threw the first punch. In the midst of this altercation, Vasquez claimed that his gun went off after Dorimsond had attempted to grab it. Eyewitnesses gave an opposing version of events. Some civilian bystanders said the gun fired when Vasquez was pistol-whipping the off-duty security guard. Another person said several men jumped out of a screeching van with a gunshot going off immediately after. Under Republican Mayor Rudy Giuliani, NYC police were engaged in a frenzy law-and-order anti-drug campaign. Police battalions and undercover agents fanned out across the city engaging in racist, minority-targeting stop-and-frisk policies, beatings and humiliations on a daily basis. During the previous two months, the police had made 18,000 arrests, targeting impoverished working class people and charging them with low-level, petty drug crimes of possession and sale. The city also handed over more than $24 million in overtime payments. Cops were earnest to meet arrest quotas no matter the legality. The citys police department and ruling class dubbed the campaign Operation Condor, a suggestive name. Its purpose was to evoke the violent US-government imperialist campaign during the 1970s in Latin America, with the same code name, where CIA-backed military dictatorships rounded up and executed left-wing and socialist political opponents. Giuliani, defending the paid foot soldiers of the filthy rich financial oligarchy, launched a shameless smear campaign against Dorismond before rigor mortis had even set in. The mayor unsealed juvenile criminal records indicating Dorismond had been charged with robbery and assault over a quarter (25 cents) at the age of 13. 50 years ago: Vietnamese NLF forces take control of Central Highlands region Early in the morning of March 10, 1975 Peoples Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and National Liberation Front (NLF) forces, supported by PAVN tanks and artillery, attacked Ban Me Thuot, a city of strategic importance due to its location on key transport routes linking the Central Highlands to coastal regions. Its capture threatened the final collapse of South Vietnam, the US stooge regime in Saigon. Heavy fighting erupted as NLF troops advanced into the citys southern sector, engaging in house-to-house combat against outnumbered Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) defenders. French journalist Paul Leandri, embedded with NLF units, reported that ethnic minority tribesmen who had been denied autonomy by the southern government, played a significant role in the assault. By nightfall, the NLF had secured the southern half of Ban Me Thuot, establishing a provisional administration to govern the city. The speed of the victory stunned Saigons leadership, which had underestimated the NLFs ability to execute large-scale conventional warfare. A scene from the evacuation of Vietnams Central Highlands The Central Highlands had been contested for over two decades. Its dense forests and mountainous terrain provided cover for guerrilla operations, while its roads and resources were critical for control over coastal population centers. Prior to the Ban Me Thuot offensive, the NLF and PAVN had systematically isolated ARVN units in provincial capitals, cutting supply lines and weakening morale. By early 1975, Saigons troops in the region were largely trapped in cities and reliant on air support for resupply. On March 14, South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu ordered a full withdrawal from the Central Highlands. The decision, made without consulting military commanders, was made in the desperate hope of regrouping ARVN forces to defend coastal areas. Instead, the unclear and panicked orders triggered catastrophe for the ARVN. Thousands of southern forces fled eastward along Highway 7B, a dilapidated road ill-suited for mass retreat. Vehicles broke down or ran out of fuel, while abandoned tanks and artillery left by deserting ARVN soldiers blocked the route. PAVN units shelled the convoy relentlessly, turning the highway into a wasteland of destroyed tanks and other military vehicles. The southern forces were almost entirely wiped out. Approximately 75 percent of all retreating ARVN soldiers were killed, captured, or deserted. Witnesses reported ARVN soldiers stripping off their uniforms and attempting to blend in with civilian population to flee. With Ban Me Thuot under NLF control, the liberation forces swiftly overran the Highlands. By March 18, they had captured Kontum, Pleiku, and Phu Bon, securing the entire region. The collapse forced Saigon to abandon northern provinces, including Hue and Da Nang, which fell to PAVN forces by late March. The fall of Ban Me Thuot and the rout on Highway 7B marked the beginning of the Saigon regimes terminal phase. Immediately following the Ban Me Thuot victory, the liberation forces began preparing for the final sweep into Saigon in April. 75 years ago: Israel establishes Absentees Property Law to expropriate homes and possessions of Palestinian refugees On March 14, 1950, Israels Knesset (the legislative branch of government) passed the Absentees Property Law (APL), which allowed the government to confiscate the lands and property of hundreds of thousands of former Palestinian residents of what was now claimed as Israel, in the aftermath of the 1948 Israeli-Arab war. It continues to remain in force to this day. Passed less than two years after the founding of the State of Israel and under the government of its first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, the APL is one of the founding legislative texts of a state established on colonial violence and ethnic cleansing, providing a legal cover for the mass expropriation of Palestinian land and possessions. Palestinians dispossessed by Israel The absentee Palestinians in question had been either forcibly expelled from their homes by Zionist militia groups or fled from the murderous violence inflicted on them by these terrorists. Some 750,000 Palestinians were made refugees from the war, filling up refugee camps in neighbouring countries such as Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. The possessions they could not take with them, not only homes and land, but money and other personal assets, remained in the area seized by Israel during its founding and the subsequent war. To facilitate the state theft of Palestinian property, the APL established a Custodian appointed by the government, to whom every right an absentee had in any property shall pass automatically the status of the Custodian shall be the same as was that of the owner of the property. Any Palestinian is considered an absentee if they left their home within the newly established borders of Israel at any point after November 29, 1947, the date that the United Nations General Assembly voted in favor for the partition of Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states. The APL has never been revoked, and in recent years it has been used as the legal justification for the eviction of Palestinians from their homes, including in East Jerusalem, which has been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Six Day War. 100 years: Austrian Nazi assassinates Jewish writer On March 10, 1925, Otto Rothstock, a young member of the Austrian Nazi party living in Germany, entered the Vienna office of the well-known Austrian-Jewish novelist and investigative journalist Hugo Bettauer and shot him five times with a pistol. Bettauer died two weeks later in a hospital from his wounds. Bettauer was a popular novelist, with a reputation for writing socially conscious crime novels. Because of his sexual frankness in his journalism, the far right called him a purveyor of asphalt literature, an anticipation of Hitlers onslaught on so-called decadent art. Hugo Bettauer In 1924, Bettauer published the satirical novel Die Stadt ohne Juden: Ein Roman von ubermorgen (The City without Jews: A Novel of the Day after Tomorrow) in which an Austrian politician orders all of Viennas Jews expelled. The economy collapses and the ruling party has no one to blame social problems on. It falls from power, and the law is repealed with the city welcoming the Jews back in. One historian has noted, in scenes that are frighteningly prophetic, Austria borrows thirty stock car trains from neighboring countries to help in the expulsion (to the east) of the Jews and their belongings. The novel was enormously popular, selling over 250,000 copies. It enraged antisemites, however, including those in the branch of the Nazi Party in Austria. Bettauer was denounced as a red poet and a corrupter of youth. One fascist publication called for lynch justice against all polluters of our people and named Bettauer. Rothstock was tried for murder but was committed to an insane asylum, where he stayed for only 20 months. He survived World War II and in 1977 boasted in an interview of Bettauers extinction. Scientists, graduate students and community members participate in the Stand Up for Science rally at the Wilshire Federal Building across from UCLA on March 7, 2025. The Trump administrations firing of federal employees is set to continue at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on Tuesday. According to a memo leaked to the New York Times, the agency is being directed to cut 1,000 employees across its various departments. The scheduled cuts are in addition to the estimated 1,300 layoffs or resignations that have already occurred since Trump took office. These include job eliminations at the National Weather Service (NWS), which is responsible for tracking hurricanes and other extreme weather events, as well as the forecasts that millions in the US and internationally rely on every day. The NWS is also the origin of essentially every weather report on every news program and web app. This includes AccuWeather, the Weather Channel, Weather Underground and more. There are hundreds of weather stations placed all around the US, as well as around the world, that keep track of precipitation, cloud cover, air quality and numerous other fundamental metrics essential to modern life. NOAA was one of the chief targets of Trumps diatribes against climate science during his campaign. Once inaugurated, the president directed fascist oligarch Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to hunt down those doing research on climate science or the climate crisis in the administration and target them for removal. Students and community members rally in defense of science at Montana State University in Bozeman, March 7, 2025. Opposition to the cuts at NOAA has been widespread, as evidenced by the many supporters of the agency who came to the Stand Up for Science rallies last Friday. Approximately 3,000 people attended the main rally, held outside the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. Among the attendees were many federal workers from affected agencies, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The speakers at the rally included NIH Director Francis Collins, Nobel Prize-winning biologist Victor Ambros, former senator and head of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Bill Nelson and celebrity scientist Bill Nye. While the headline speakers limited themselves to empty appeals to the Democrats, others spoke on the impact of science on their lives and the detrimental impacts the attacks on science will have or are already occurring. Emily Whitehead, a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania, spoke of her diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia when she was only five years old and how she had become the first pediatric patient to receive chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy that saved her life. Without the research funding into development of her cancer treatment, Whitehead said, I wouldnt be here today. I stand up for science so kids can grow up to be the next generation of scientists. Reporters for the World Socialist Web Site spoke to several attendees, including two from NOAA and one from the NIH. They commented on the atmosphere of fear among federal workers, causing many to be afraid to speak out. One noted that half her probationary staff were among the first wave of forced layoffs. Two of the signs at the protest in Washington D.C. There is also a concern that some or all of the functions of the agency will be privatized. While it is not yet clear exactly what form that would take, there is no doubt the main goal would be to use the resources and data products generated by the NOAA to further enrich Musk and his ilk, rather than providing critical weather and climate data for the worlds population. A letter signed by numerous organizations, including the American Geophysical Union, noted further the dangers of the cuts to NOAAs critical services. NOAA has provided life-saving weather forecasting, scientific research, and emergency preparedness services to the American people for more than 50 years, the letter began. It continued, Whether its tracking hurricanes or safeguarding the countrys fisheries, NOAA is vital to the everyday lives and operations of countless communities and businesses that stretch across our nation and the world. One of the main programs run by the agency is the GOES satellite constellation, which has been in operation since 1974. The four satellites currently operational form the backbone of weather monitoring and forecasting in the US and internationally and provide a continuous stream of environmental data. Without such programs, weather forecasting would be set back at least five decades, if not more. The WSWS spoke to demonstrators at other Stand Up for Science rallies as well. In New York City, a research assistant working for a group affiliated with New York University, spoke on the cuts in funding: Research in various aspects of reproduction needs to be funded, and we need to be paid well in order to continue providing good science: how a pregnant mother passes things on through the environment to her unborn child; how the environment impacts maternal health and how it will impact a new generation. A college math teacher told the WSWS, Im here because my NIH-funded science is at risk. And Trump in cutting science funding is not following the rule of law, hes not even going through Congress. Hes cutting funding for scientific research that Congress has already appropriated. A section of the Stand Up for Science rally gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. I do computational modeling of allocation of organs for transplantation; the xenotransplantation that is being done is all about using pig kidneys in humans to keep them alive. Those are transgenic animals, not transgender animals, as Trump impliedthose are transgenic pigs keeping people who need a kidney transplant alive! She also spoke on Trumps immigration policies: Its really unfair! A lot of really important scientific advancements have been made by immigrants who came to this country. We have always benefited by having the brightest and most ambitious scientists coming to this country. Government-funded science is the backbone of a huge amount of industry and healthcare. Its what makes the US a great place to liveWe need government-funded science. She also spoke on the importance of international collaboration in scientific endeavors, while contrasting it to Trumps fascist America First nationalism: Nature and scientific truth doesnt know about borders. Look at the COVID-19 vaccine. The reason we were able to develop that so quickly is because of the help we got from our science partners in other countries. We got the whole code for the virus and made the vaccine in a matter of days. It doesnt make sense to make enemies of the world. And now Musk doesnt want funding that would be used to stop Ebola in Africa. Does he really think its not going to spread across the rest of the planet? Were all in this together. We really are. Keeping peoples lives precarious prevents people from making progress in all kinds of areas. Keeping peoples lives precarious prevents them from opposing the retrograde decisions this government is making. We all need to be okay so we can start making our own decisions on how things should be going forward. Student negotiator Mahmoud Khalil on the Columbia University campus in New York at a pro-Palestinian protest encampment on Monday, April 29, 2024. [AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey] Attend the IYSSEs public meeting this Friday, March 14, Fascism and the Oligarchy: Trumps Return to Power and the Way Forward, at 6:30 p.m. at The Center (208 W 13th St., Room 310, New York City). The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) in New York and New Jersey condemns the detention of pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Saturday night. A US permanent resident born in Syria, Khalil graduated from Columbia Universitys School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) in December and was a lead negotiator for the Gaza Solidarity Encampment protest in April. Khalils detention is a dramatic escalation by the Trump administration, which aims to silence political opposition at the universities in preparation for dictatorship. Above all, the working class must take up the fight for Khalils freedom and the defense of democratic rights. We reiterate our call: All students suspended or disciplined by Columbia University and other institutions for participating in anti-genocide actions must be fully reinstated, have their academic standing restored and have all disciplinary records expunged. Advocates for Khalil have reported to Zeteo and the Columbia Daily Spectator that the detention occurred around 8:30 p.m. when Khalil and his eight-months-pregnant wife were entering their home in an apartment building owned by Columbia University. Two agents of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), wearing badges but no identifying uniforms, pushed inside behind them. The DHS agents initially refused to identify themselves and threatened to arrest Khalils wife if she did not leave. The agents claimed that the State Department had revoked Khalils student visa; when his wife retrieved his green cardwhich is proof that he is a legal residentthey claimed it had been revoked as well. Khalils attorney, Amy Greer, demanded over the phone to see a warrant, but the agents hung up on her. According to ICEs website, Khalil is being held at an ICE facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Preparations to detain and deport pro-Palestinian international students have been in the making since Trump took office. On January 29, Trump signed an executive order, Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism, requiring universities to monitor for and report activities by alien students and staff relevant to the fight against campus anti-Semitism. The order was accompanied by a White House statement from Trump that read: To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you. I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before. On February 28, Trumps Orwellian Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism announced that it would be investigating 10 universities, including Columbia and New York University (NYU). As we have previously pointed out: Columbia University and [NYU] in New York City are central targets of Trumps executive orders. New York is the second most popular state for international students after California, and Columbia and NYU have been prominent centers of pro-Palestinian opposition on US campuses. Columbia University in particular started the movement for Gaza Solidarity Encampments on campuses in the US and around the world in 2024. On February 26, the head of the task force, Leo Terell, told the media, A lot is going to happen in the next four to five weeks, adding, When you see universities start losing millions of dollars in federal funding, youre going to see a change in their behavior. When you see court orders protecting Jewish students, visas of antisemitic students being revokedyou will see a major change. In response to a request for comment on Khalils detention by Drop Site, the DHS stated, You need to reach out to the White House, indicating that the order to detain Khalil was given at the highest levels of the state. Republican US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Twitter/X in response to the story, We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported. Khalil may have been targeted because of a tweet by the far-right Zionist Columbia professor, Shai Davidai, directed to Rubio on Thursday. Davidai, who has been a central leader of Zionist efforts to dox and intimidate pro-Palestinian students at Columbia, wrote to Rubio: Illegally taking over a college in which you are not even enrolled and distributing terrorist propaganda should be a deportable offense, no? Because thats what Mahmoud Khalil from @ColumbiaSJP did yesterday @BarnardCollege. Davidai attached a video showing Khalil participating in the student occupation of Milstein Library on Wednesday, which was called to protest the expulsion of three pro-Palestinian students from Columbias Barnard College. The NYPD called in a fake bomb threat as a pretext to evacuate the building and arrest nine anti-genocide students. Columbia has since suspended four of the students who were arrested. Khalils detention, and the imminent threat of his deportation despite his holding a green card, underscore that students must not waste their energy on pressuring the university administrations to change course. To be blunt, the university presidents arent calling the shotsthe fascist president of the United States is. The Democratic Party, likewise, cannot be pressured to the left, because it speaks for the same financial oligarchy that Trump does. The genocide in Gaza and the campaign against so-called antisemitism began under the Biden administration, and today the Democrats refuse to speak out against Trump except to call for greater imperialist aggression against Russia in Ukraine. To oppose the genocide in Gaza and prevent Mahmoud Khalils deportation, students must fight to mobilize the working class against a Trump dictatorship. As we wrote in our previous statement, the Trump administrations desperate measures do not reflect the strength of the capitalist system but rather its deep crisis and instability. The ruling class fears that todays student movement will ignite broader working-class opposition to fascism, war and the capitalist system itself. We concluded: The IYSSE, the student and youth movement of the Socialist Equality Party (SEP), fights for the development of rank-and-file committees in every workplace, as part of the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees, which will connect the defense of the interests of workers with the fight against genocide, war and dictatorship. There are no easy solutions or shortcuts, but the massive struggles ahead will provide immense opportunities. The IYSSE calls on all students at Columbia and campuses nationwide to oppose the attack on pro-Palestinian students. We demand the immediate reinstatement of the expelled Barnard students and the dropping of all disciplinary actions against students facing repression for their participation in anti-genocide protests. We call for an end to the criminalization of free speech and the broader crackdown on democratic rights. The defense of democratic rights and opposition to war can only succeed through the mobilization of the social force capable of challenging the capitalist ruling classthe international working class. This requires a political break from both the Democratic and Republican parties, which, despite their factional differences, are united in their support for genocide, war and dictatorship. Those who agree with this perspective or want to learn more should attend the IYSSEs public meeting on Friday, Fascism and the Oligarchy: Trumps Return to Power and the Way Forward, at 6:30 p.m. at The Center (208 W 13th St., Room 310, New York City). Royal Mail workers at Newton Mearns and Cumbernauld delivery offices in Scotland have spoken out against the USO reform pilot scheme being implemented at their workplace. Delivery workers told World Socialist Web Site reporting teams last week that they were facing impossible workloads. Delivery driver stops to take PWRFC leaflet Jointly implemented by Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union (CWU), the pilots are trialling an Optimised Delivery Model aimed at dismantling the Universal Service Obligation (USO). This follows USO reform proposals announced by Ofcom in January. Ofcoms recommendations are for downgrading the frequency and speed of mail deliveries. The regulator has dismissed the USO requirement for mail deliveries six-days-a-week to 32 million UK households as an unfair financial burden on the company. The reform of the USO is set to deliver 300 million worth of cuts via job destruction and changes to work practices in support of a parcel-led business under new owners EP Group led by billionaire Daniel Kretinsky. Workers at Newton Mearns and Cumbernauld are being pushed into the first phase of the pilot scheme that will soon cover 37 delivery units across the UK. Newton Mearns, 7 miles southwest of Glasgow city centre, employs around 30 postal staff. It is the only delivery office in the pilot scheme to have gone live from the last week in February. Newton Mearns delivery office The choice of such a small delivery office to launch the pilots is telling. It is being used as a test site for measures aimed at restructuring the mail service nationally, across 1,200 delivery units. The staggered implementation of the pilot scheme across 37 delivery offices from the end of March to the middle of May is designed to minimise adverse publicity from the inevitable disruption. A CWU Live event in February saw Tony Bouch, CWU Outdoor Secretary, claim that members at pilot sites in Scotland had been well briefed and were engaged in the process by union reps. But postal workers were never consulted, let alone balloted, over the CWUs adoption of Royal Mails Optimised Delivery Model that will slash the mail service and overhaul working practices. Instead, the CWU has conducted workplace polls on new duty patterns, with the pilots portrayed as giving workers additional Saturdays off. At both Newton Mearns and Cumbernauld, staff voted for the two Saturdays off every five weeks. But the new duty pattern means longer working hours on weekdays and hiked up workloads. Extra Saturdays are a Trojan horse being used to enforce a new benchmark of exploitation. At Newton Mearns last Thursday, fallout from the pilot was evident. The narrow road leading up to the office was congested as delivery drivers returned to the yard. Drivers said they had been unable to complete their duties based on the new route coverage model, which included tracked packets and mail. Failures were occurring even though the delivery office had its full complement of staff, plus an additional one or two workers. A far cry from the chronic understaffing which prevails at delivery offices across the UK. As for the CWUs claim that workers had been fully briefed by the CWU, a postie explained: 'The main grievance everyone has is the lack of clarity. The walkers are being hit hardest but we have now been informed they will only be rotated (with driving duties) every five weeks. That is meant to deal with fatigue! This was not what we were led to believe at the start of the pilot, that the rotation would be weekly.' At Cumbernauld delivery office the pilot is earmarked to go live from March 17. On Wednesday, the mood among postal workers was one of anger and foreboding, I hate everything about this pilot, one worker said as he rushed in and took a leaflet. The general sentiment was that the CWU is untrustworthy and part of management, with workers treated as fodder and moved around from their duties, The union rep does the rotas, that tells you something, added the postie. Cumbernauld delivery office Another postal worker spoke about conditions at the office and the need for a broader fightback, Its a shambles. The office is not clearing even before the pilot begins. Duties are not covered when people are off. Tracked parcels are prioritised over letters by managers. We get told to take mail out and ring the manager later if we are unable to complete. We are never told to bring back parcels, only letters. The 2023 agreement [between management and union to end a long-standing dispute] was a total sellout, we are working later and later and heading towards 6 p.m. We were not consulted about this pilot, only the vote on duty patterns. The majority voted for two in five Saturdays off, which is an improvement, but it does not make up for longer hours in the week and added work. The CWU is trying to dress this up. The new entrants are struggling to get their entitled meal breaks, which are unpaid. I've been following what has been happening in the America. [US President Donald] Trump and [oligarch Elon] Musk are gutting everything. I think Kretinsky is cut from the same cloth. Look at Netherlands Post, which he has a major share in, they are in big trouble. He will gut the mail service and asset strip. I agree this is an international issue. WSWS reporters distributed copies of a Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee statement, Call workplace meetings at Royal Mail delivery offices to oppose the USO pilots. There was strong interest in the statement, with several workers signing up to receive the PWRFC newsletter. At Baird Street delivery office in Glasgow (G1-5), which is not part of the USO pilots, workers reported the de facto rundown of the mail service with widespread failures and chronic understaffing. The exodus of senior posties, forced out through impossible workloads, victimisation and bullying, meant the office was short by around 20 staff, roughly a quarter of the requirement. Baird Street delivery office Many issues came up in discussion. One worker asked how the mail service could be defended when similar attacks on the USO were taking place across Europe? He responded positively to the call by the PWRFC for a global fightback linking workers in the post and logistics sector across Europe and North America against oligarchs and corporate vultures engaged in a looting spree across society. During the last fortnight, hundreds of statements by the PWRFC and WSWS articles have been distributed at delivery offices in the pilot scheme, including Stockton-on-Tees, Coventry North, Nottingham North, and North Finchley. Campaigns have also gone ahead at offices not included in the pilots including Manchester, Bootle, Leicester Meridian, Bradford North and Keighley. The overriding sentiment is that the CWU stands on the side of management, not postal workers. WSWS reporters have encountered widespread support for a rank-and-file fightback to oppose Royal Mails corporate looting and gutting of the mail service. Do you have any information about the USO reform pilots? Share your views by completing the form below. Subscribe here to the PWRFC newsletter. President Claudia Sheinbaum addressing Sunday's mass rally in Mexico City. [Photo: @GobiernoMX] Following a call with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday, US President Donald Trump delayed until April 2 tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada that fall under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), encompassing virtually all trade between the North American countries. Sheinbaum, who is being elevated as a new patron saint by business groups and even opposition parties, held a mass nationalist rally in Mexico Citys Zocalo Plaza Sunday with live music to celebrate the deal and promote national unity. She had postponed any announcement on retaliatory measures, which have now been canceled. Even Claudio X Gonzalez Laporte, the most notorious sponsor of the right-wing opposition, declared Sheinbaum did really well. Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also responded by delaying retaliatory tariffs. While the delay was effusively applauded in Mexicos corporate media, Trump said he plans to continue his trade war against the world, which will inevitably impact both of Washingtons neighbors and main trade partners disproportionately. A stock market selloff on Wall Street triggered by the US-led trade war since mid-February continued Thursday after the announcement of the deal with Sheinbaum. It only partially slowed Friday, with the financial press pointing to an overwhelming sense of uncertainty. Twenty-five percent tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum are still scheduled to take effect on March 12, with Canada and Mexico accounting for the highest share of exports of these metals to the United States. On April 2, as announced by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the US plans to impose a regime of reciprocal tariffs against all US trading partners globally. The Trump administration initially imposed devastating 25 percent tariffs against Mexico and Canada on Tuesday, demanding stronger action against migrants and drug trafficking. Tariffs doubled that day on all imports from China to 20 percent will be maintained. Trump has also accused China of sharing responsibility for the entry into the US of fentanyl, which has caused tens of thousands of deaths from overdoses. Lutnick said market reaction was not guiding policy, and Trump told reporters that he would suspend tariffs out of respect for Sheinbaum, whom he described as a wonderful woman. However, Trump decided a day earlier to suspend tariffs affecting automakers, following corporate pressure and warnings of a shutdown of the highly integrated supply chains within days. Between 65 and 75 percent of the components of cars under the USMCA have to be manufactured within the region. The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta had lowered its forecast for the American economy from a 1.5 percent contraction to a 2.8 percent contraction in the first quarter. Sheinbaum explained after her call that everything had an influence on Trumps decision, including corporate pressures, the stock market and the good relationship that Trump had developed with Sheinbaums predecessor and mentor, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, known as AMLO. It was always a very respectful relationship, she said. Sheinbaums approval rating has risen above 80 percent amid a wave of widespread corporate media commentary, usually critical of the ruling Morena party, presenting her as a commander defending Mexican sovereignty. However, far from a relationship of respect, since Lopez Obrador responded to threats of tariffs by the first Trump White House, agreeing in June 2019 to deploy thousands of National Guard troops to crack down on migrant caravans, the nominally left and nationalist Morena government has maintained a level of subservience to US imperialism not seen since the days of the puppet dictator Porfirio Diaz at the beginning of the 20th century. Even as Trump called Mexicans rapists and murderers, Morena has conceded on every major issue to Washingtons bullying. This has included the detention and terrorizing of hundreds of thousands of migrants by the Mexican military, the participation of Mexican troops in US war games and military exercises in preparation for war against China and the implementation of economic sanctions against China. While the details of the agreement reached Thursday are still to emerge, Sheinbaum said she outlined recent advances on combating the fentanyl trade, leading to a reduction in drug seizures at US borders. I told him, We are getting results President Trump, because now that he put the tariffs, how are we going to continue collaborating, cooperating with something that harms the people of Mexico? It was not a threat, Sheinbaum explained. Sheinbaum had already agreed to accept non-Mexican deportees and manage much of the deportation logistics, including pressuring other countries to accept deportees. On Thursday, she defended progress in the detention of migrants before they arrive on the US-Mexico border. After each concession, Lopez Obrador and now Sheinbaum have sought to cover up their subservience by claiming that Washington is taking seriously Mexicos demand to halt the flooding of Mexico with US firearms that end up in the hands of the drug cartels. Whatever limited measures taken by US authorities have not stopped record killings and violence related to cartels in Mexico. Far from defending the people of Mexico, Morena represents the transnational corporations and their Mexican capitalist clients above all. The clearest demonstration was the decision by Lopez Obrador to reopen factories in April 2020, sacrificing unnecessarily hundreds of thousands to COVID-19 even before vaccines were available. Similarly today, Sheinbaum is guided by the imperative of assuring investors that her administration can be counted on to provide secure supply chains regardless of the cost imposed upon workers, migrant and native alike. The Morena government is dedicated to securing the interests of Mexican billionaires and multimillionaires, who are entirely dependent on their ties to Wall Street and more than doubled their wealth under Lopez Obrador. It provides no objective means to protect whatever sovereignty and democratic and social rights are left in Mexico before Trumps drive to subordinate North America and the entire hemisphere to war against China. Sheinbaum has practically grown quiet about Trumps threats to invade Mexico, ostensibly to combat the drug cartels. However, Mexican and American workers cannot discard these threats. Concluding that the economic disruption from tariffs is too great, the fascistic Trump administration may conclude that waging military operations in Mexico is the least bad option for pursuing its neocolonial objectives. This undated photo shows the death chamber in Columbia, South Carolina including the electric chair, right, and a firing squad chair, left. [AP Photo/South Carolina Department of Corrections] South Carolinas execution chamber was the scene of a bloody, gruesome spectacle Friday when death row prisoner Brad Sigmon was killed in the first execution in the United States by firing squad in 15 years. The revival of the firing squad, a relic most associated in the US with the execution of deserters during the Civil War, is an indication of the ruling establishments intent on keeping the state-sponsored assembly line of death moving no matter the brutality of the method. Sigmon, 67, was convicted and sentenced to death for the 2001 bludgeoning deaths of his ex-girlfriends parents. He chose the firing squad over the electric chair and lethal injection due to his fear that these methods would prove more painful. South Carolina keeps the details of its lethal injection protocol secret. In a Wednesday filing to the US Supreme Court, Sigmons attorney had sought a stay of execution, asking the high court to consider whether South Carolinas compressed execution timeline and arbitrary denial of information relating to the South Carolina Department of Corrections lethal injection drugs violate Due Process. The high court rejected Sigmons request for a stay of execution without comment and with no recorded dissents. The South Carolina Supreme Court refused to grant Sigmon a reprieve earlier in the week. Governor Henry McMaster, a Republican, declined to commute Sigmons death sentence to life in prison. When it was clear that there would be no last-minute reprieve, Sigmon was led into the death chamber at the Broad River Correctional Institution in Columbia, South Carolina and strapped into a metal chair with leg restraints and a strap over his head. The state spent $54,000 in 2022 to construct the firing squad area within its execution chamber, next to the electric chair, which prison authorities said could not be moved. In a final statement read before his death, Sigmon said he wanted his closing statement to be one of love and a calling to my fellow Christians to help us end the death penalty. He added, 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. Brad Sigmon [AP Photo/South Carolina Department of Corrections] A target was placed over Sigmons heart and a hood placed over his head. Three volunteer shooters selected from the prison staff stood out of the view of witnesses, who sat behind shatterproof glass. The executioners were armed with rifles loaded with .308-caliber Winchester 110-grain TAP Urban ammunition, a type of bullet commonly used by police marksmen. These bullets are designed for rapid expansion and fragmentation upon impact, minimizing penetration while maximizing damage to critical organs like the heart. The bullets shatter upon hitting hard surfaces like the rib cage, creating extensive internal injuries intended to cause swift unconsciousness and death through rapid blood loss. There was no warning before the executioners fired their weapons simultaneously at about 6:05 p.m., causing the witnesses to flinch. After he was shot, the condemned inmate appeared to take two short breaths and a blood stain appeared on his chest. He was pronounced dead about three minutes after the shots were fired. In a statement, his lawyer, Gerald Bo King, said that Sigmons death was horrifying and violent. He chose the firing squad knowing that three bullets would shatter his bones and destroy his heart, King said. But that 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. King said that there is no justice with Fridays execution. Everything about this barbaric, state-sanctioned atrocityfrom the choice to the method itselfis abjectly cruel, he said. We should not just be horrifiedwe should be furious. Before the murders, King said, Sigmon was a hard worker and a loving brother who worked factory shifts as a teenager to make sure his brothers and sisters could eat. He said that Sigmon became a tortured man because of an undiagnosed mental illness that caused irrational and impulsive episodes, something he tried to treat with street drugs. Sigmon was likely in the grips of a psychotic episode when he beat to death his victims, Gladys and David Larke. Like many of those on death row, Sigmon suffered from childhood abuse and trauma. His father was an alcoholic who physically abused him, and the young Sigmon often intervened to protect his mother from his fathers violent outbursts. Lethal injection was introduced in the 1970s, with prison and state authorities seeking a method that appeared less violent to observers. But in numerous cases, inmates have groaned and writhed strapped to the gurney before succumbing to the lethal chemicals, or have been removed from the execution chamber alive, only to face another date with the executioner. Some US states have faced difficulty securing the drugs needed for lethal injection because of a European Union ban on pharmaceutical companies selling drugs for use in capital punishment. Sigmon faced two prior execution dates that were called off: on June 18, 2021, which was postponed because South Carolina could not obtain the lethal injection drugs; and on May 13, 2022, which was delayed due to legal challenges regarding the states execution protocols and lack of the availability of the needed drugs. Autopsies of prisoners executed by lethal injection have found frothy, bloody liquid lling the lungs airways, which some doctors say indicates the condemned person experienced the agonizing sensation of drowning before they died. Before Sigmon, Ronnie Lee Gardner was one of three prisoners executed by firing squad, all of them in Utah, since the US Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976. His brother, Randy Gardner, publicly opposed Brad Sigmons firing squad execution. He described the method as barbaric and cruel and unusual punishment, which is banned by the US Constitution. Randy Gardner said, I didnt witness my brothers execution, but I got to see his body after. Ive got the autopsy photos of what it looked like, and its just mutilated my brothers body. I think its terrible. He said he now opposes all methods of execution, adding: To me, its revenge. South Carolina currently has 27 inmates on death row, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, down from over 60 who were on death row before executions were paused in the state for 13 years due to the inability to obtain lethal injection drugs. Many inmates had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment or died in prison from natural causes before executions resumed. Of the 1,613 people executed in the US since 1976, 1,428 died by lethal injection, 163 by electrocution, 15 by lethal gas (including 3 in Alabama in 2024 by nitrogen asphyxia, the latest method), 4 by firing squad, and 3 by hanging. Spains ruling coalition government of the Socialist Party (PSOE) and pseudo-left Sumar have enthusiastically celebrated the European Unions 800 billion plan for military rearmament. Last Thursday, during the European Commissions extraordinary Council meeting in Brussels, the Spanish government pledged to accelerate its official defence spending to reach the 2 percent of GDP NATO target before 2029. Spanish soldiers assigned to NATO's enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup in Latvia, fire a light machine gun during weapons training at Camp Adazi, Latvia on 18 February 2022. [Photo by NATO / Flickr / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 When questioned about this at a press conference, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of the PSOE responded, The answer is yes, and next week I will inform all parliamentary groups when I meet with them. He added, It is clear that we all need to make an early effort ahead of 2029. Justifying Europes military rearmament on a scale not seen since the 1930s, Sanchez stated, all Europeans [must] make an effort to invest more and, above all, invest better with a shared assessment of Europes security needs, it is clear that we must act. The context Sanchez referred to is one of escalating geopolitical tensions between the European powers and the United States. Washington is maneuvering to secure Ukraines rare earths and other strategic resources by negotiating a deal with President Vladimir Putinone that Moscow has indicated could also grant the US access to Russian assets far surpassing those in Ukraine. For the European powers, a Ukrainian defeat would represent a severe setback, cementing US dominance over vital mineral deposits at their expense. An even greater concern for the European powers is the potential of a US-Russia alliance, which they perceive as an existential threat. They are aware that President Donald Trump not only wants to decouple Russia from China, but to play Russia against the European Union which he views not as an ally, but a competitor. This underlying fear is driving the UK, France, and other European states to consider deploying troops to Ukraine, escalating the risk of direct military confrontation with Russia. Sumar, the PSOEs junior coalition partner, known for offering mild criticisms of government decisions for not being left enough while still pledging its unwavering loyalty to the coalition, on this occasion eagerly endorsed Sanchezs position. Following the explosive White House clash between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky two weeks ago, Sumar declared that the incident must be a wake-up call for Europe and that in the face of Trump and Putins world, Europe must urgently build its independence and security. It also denounced the imperialist ambitions of the Trump administration. Sumar is supporting preparations for Spain to take part in Europes return to the pursuit of imperialist interests by force of arms, even if that involves conflict not only with Russia, but with US imperialism. In 1898, Spain lost its remaining colonies, including Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Guam, during the Spanish-American War. During the Second World War, although Spain under Franco did not enter the war on the side of Nazi Germany and remained officially neutral, it provided materials, such as tungsten, that were essential to Germanys armaments industry. Franco also sent a 45,000-strong infantry division of fascist volunteers to support Nazi Germanys war of extermination against the Soviet Union, then an ally of the US against German imperialism. After the defeat of Nazi Germany, Franco shifted to Washington. In 1953, Spain signed the Madrid Pacts with the US, where Spain allowed the establishment of four US military bases in exchange for economic and military aid, and de-facto international rehabilitation after years of isolation following the Second World War. Spain was integrated into the Western defence system aimed at the Soviet Union without becoming a member of NATO. After Francos death in 1975, Spain sought to balance its integration into the European Union, dominated by France, Germany, and the UK, and aligning itself with the US-led NATO alliance. Sumars attempt to reframe Spain and Europes militarisation as an act of anti-imperialism ignores Madrids backing of US-led wars over the past decades. Since 1990, Spain has participated in the two wars against Iraq (1991 and 2003), the dismembering of Yugoslavia during the 1990s, Afghanistan (2001) and Libya (2011). Spain has also armed Ukraine against Russia and the Israeli genocide against Palestinians. Sumar supports the extraordinary military spending increase, that will inevitably be paid for by the working class, while claiming that it advocates nothing more than greater efficiency. It is not so much about increasing military spending as it is about making military spending more efficient, said Veronica Barbero, Sumars parliamentary spokesperson. The priority was to consider what role Europe should play in this field, she added, concluding her remarks by cynically stating that Sumar will never support militarism. Sumar is following the path set by Podemos, from which it split in 2023. Between 2020 and 2023, under the PSOE-Podemos government, the Defence Ministrys budget rose from 1 percent of GDP (10.2 billion) to 1.3 percent (19.7 billion). In 2023 alone, 7.7 billion was allocated to weapons procurement and developmenta 69 percent increase from 2022. By then, 30 percent of the government's total investment budget was already directed towards arms. The government plans to raise military spending to 1.32 percent of GDP this year and to 2 percent by 2029, which the Treasury technicians union Geshta estimates would mean spending 95.5 billion on weapons and defence over four years. To meet the commitments, Spain would have to increase this years defence budget by 3.5 billion, maintaining an annual expenditure of 23.9 billion until 2028. Pacifist groups such as the Centre Delas and Colectivo Tortuga, which have been scrutinising military expenditure in Spain for over a decade, have long accused Madrid of having already surpassed the 2 percent threshold when factoring in military-related allocations across other ministriessince the government only accounts for the Ministry of Defences budgetalong with cost overruns and off-budget expenditures. Colectivo Tortuga estimates that Spains actual military spending for 2024 stands at 60 billion, exceeding 5 percent of GDP, a level that would already meet the target demanded by Trump for NATO countries. Podemos, which presents itself as the official left-wing opposition in parliament, is today posturing as a critic of militarism. Former Minister of Equality and European Member of Parliament Irene Montero stated that the EUs rearmament plan is a path of blood and suffering for the peoples of Europe. Podemos Secretary General Ione Belarra wrote on X: Sanchez says he opposes Trump, but he polishes his boots and accelerates the military spending increase Trump requested to reach 2% of GDP sooner. This government is digging its own grave. Every euro spent on weapons is a cut to our public healthcare and education. This is not the way. Podemos never opposed military spending or militarism. In 2022, while in government, Minister Belarra justified Podemos support for that years budget that contained record military spending because, despite Podemos being strongly opposed [to] any increase in military spending, it did not constitute the majority in government. It was difficult to turn stubbornness into reality she added. In 2015, Podemos recruited Julio Rodriguez, a high-ranking Spanish military officer who had designed Spains participation in the imperialist assault on Libya, into their leadership. On joining, Rodriguez made clear: NATO is necessary, and Podemos will respect its commitments. These commitments included increasing military spending, which Podemos fully supported on entering government, as well as unconditional backing for all imperialist ventures and arms shipments to Ukraine. In March 2022, Podemos supported a resolution in the European Parliament stating that NATO is the foundation of the collective defence of NATO member states. Days later, they voted for another resolution declaring that arms deliveries must continue and intensify so that Ukraine can effectively defend itself. Podemos founder and leader, Pablo Iglesias, now laments on the pages of his online newspaper Diario Red that European imperialism has fallen behind the US and is being excluded from the plundering of Russia and Ukraine. By not having previously prioritised strategic autonomy versus the US, Washington has come out on top: Now we have to buy gas from the US and pay the bill for the Ukraine war, while the US will take control of rare earth minerals and turn Ukraine into a colony. The rearmament programme of the EU defended by all factions of the Spanish ruling class has again exposed the pro-imperialist, anti-worker character of Sumar and Podemos. These pseudo-left groups represent a privileged upper-middle-class stratum which forms a social basis of support for imperialist war. Stopping a catastrophic military escalation requires mobilising the working class against Sumar and Podemos and similar pseudo-left parties across Europe. On March 2, the United States charged Mohammad Sharifullah, a member of the terrorist organization the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan Province, or ISIS-K, with providing and conspiring to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization resulting in death. He is now in U.S. custody. On August 26, 2021, American and other Coalition military forces were conducting an evacuation operation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. Abbey Gate was the main entry point for the operation. Thousands of civilians were at Abbey Gate for evacuation. Around 5:30 that evening, ISIS-K member Abdul Rahman al-Logari detonated a body-worn suicide bomb at Abbey Gate, killing 13 U.S. military service members and approximately 160 civilians. During an interview with FBI Special Agents on March 2, after waiving his Miranda rights, Sharifullah admitted to helping prepare for the Abbey Gate attack. Sharifullah specifically checked for law enforcement and American or Taliban checkpoints; he then communicated to other ISIS-K members that he believed the route was clear and that the attacker would not be detected. Sharifullah also admitted to supporting and conducting activities on behalf of ISIS-K in multiple other lethal attacks. This evil ISIS-K terrorist orchestrated the brutal murder of 13 heroic service members, said U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi. Under President Trumps strong leadership on the world stage, this Department of Justice will ensure that terrorists like Mohammad Sharifullah have no safe haven, no second chances, and no worse enemy than the United States of America. The lethal attack that killed 13 American service members and Afghan civilians during the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan was an act of terrorism, said FBI Director Kash Patel. ISIS-K brazenly claimed responsibility for the carnage. Now thanks to the assistance of the FBI, Department of Justice, and the CIA, we have secured Sharifullahs apprehension. ... The FBI will never forget the loss of these American heroes, we will continue to hunt down those who viciously murdered our warriors, we will find all responsible and bring them to justice. Our message to those who have been impacted by these horrific crimes is that you are not forgotten, declared U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia. We will continue to pursue justice no matter how long or how far it takes us. If convicted, Sharifullah faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. Recently, we featured a viral TikTok of an American mother whose baby's two-month NICU stay resulted in an over $700,000 medical bill. And, unfortunately, fellow American BuzzFeed Community members had similar healthcare stories. From $35 pillows to a million-dollar bill, here are some of the most shocking experiences: 1."I was charged $8,000 for a chest X-ray in the emergency room." Medical professionals in surgical outfits examine several X-ray images displayed on screens, discussing findings Anonymous 2."I totaled my car less than a mile from the hospital. Because I'd rolled it and very obviously had head trauma, I was strapped to a backboard. When I got the bill from the ambulance, I'd been charged $35 for a pillow. I called them and asked if they put the pillow under my butt because they certainly didn't put it under my head. I told my insurance adjuster not to pay it. Not only that, but I was also charged for the entire bottle of oxygen despite only being in the ambulance for less than five minutes." Advertisement Advertisement sleepingsunflower133 3."I received a $39 fee for them putting a pulse oximeter on my 6-year-old who had croup. We were also charged $215 for the pediatric office visit." Chris, 44, Maine 4."A tube of lip balm cost $20. I was charged for breastfeeding supplies when I'd known ahead of time I wouldn't be able to breastfeed. It was something around $2,000. I've been charged for 'underwear' that was really just netting with some really low-quality elastic. I've had a complicated medical history for over 40 years, and my husband made great income on paper. We should've been able to take great trips and send the kids to college, but medical debt took all of that from us. We're retired now, but I still owe $60,000. We've never known our marriage without medical debt. There's been a never-ending balance of thousands of dollars." Two people sit closely on a bed, one gently comforting the other with an arm on the shoulder, conveying support and empathy Linda Advertisement Advertisement 5."My son was born into respiratory failure. He spent six days in a high-tech NICU, three in a gen-pop NICU, and a week in transition care. It was $264,000. The room itself was $6,000 a day. The itemized bill was more than 30 pages long." Megan, 40, Minnesota 6."The operation to do surgery on my hip after a fall was $285,000." ELT, 67, Nevada 7."I had a small little bump on my leg, and my PCP thought it might be a blood clot and sent me to the ER. I was in the ER for a total of 3040 minutes, where they brought an ultrasound machine and looked at the bump. They said it was nothing serious and sent me home. Guess how much my bill was? $8,000! My husband is self-employed, so we paid the full amount ourselves. Needless to say, we are frightened to go to the doctor now because we spent years paying off that bill. Not only was most of it unnecessary, but I really believe our healthcare system sells us on more and more under the guise of 'we just want to make sure it's nothing serious.'" Advertisement Advertisement Anonymous 8."Fifteen years ago, my preemie twins had to stay in the NICU for a month. It was over $1,000,000. We had to file medical bankruptcy." Person gently holding a baby, showcasing a tender moment of bonding and care seeubank 9."After working an overnight shift one Sunday, I woke with my first experience of nausea, dizziness, and even projectile vomiting. A family member took me to a nearby hospital. I stayed OVERNIGHT and received a $148,000 bill a month later. After I sent the hospital my insurance information, the cost was reduced to my co-pay of $90. I was lucky, but what about people who don't have insurance? The system is atrocious." Debra, New Jersey 10."After an accident, I got a tetanus booster and was charged $2,200." Advertisement Advertisement Dan, 62, New Hampshire 11."I had a COVID-19 and flu test done at urgent care. I just got the bill, and it was $832. I could have gone to CVS and bought a combination test for $30. American healthcare is so corrupt." Person holding a rapid test kit at home, displaying the results lunallee212 12."When I was leaving the hospital, the doctor asked if it would be okay to call me in the future to see how I was doing. When the bill came, I saw an unknown $25 charge. I called the office to find out what it was...they had charged me for the phone call. I didn't hang up until the amount was deducted from my bill." Anonymous 13."I just got a bill for pre-surgery nicotine testing. $874.51." Advertisement Advertisement heroicgoblin185 14."I was transferred to a different hospital for an inpatient stay in 2023. The hospital wouldn't let me go by car, so I had to go by ambulance. It was literally 10 miles of me just sitting on the gurney being transported. My ambulance bill was $1,400! My insurance paid $0." Ambulance driving quickly through an intersection, motion blur emphasizes speed and urgency katiel4c495e293 15.Lastly: "My medication for my rare stage IV cancer is $97,278.05. I receive the medication every seven days." Michele, 54, Ohio *Big American sigh.* If you're an American, what's the wildest medical bill you've received? What's something you saw on the itemized bill you couldn't believe you were charged for? Let us know in the comments, or you can anonymously submit your story using this form. Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity. There are dozens of islands in the Caribbean that cruise ships use as ports of call, but one logistical problem when trying to fit several interesting ports into a week-long cruise is that some of them are far. Just to name a few examples, islands such as Barbados and Aruba in the Southern Caribbean take several days to get to. Now, if the islands are close enough, its possible to do a couple of sea days, a few port days in a row, and a couple of sea days back. This is generally the case with cruises that visit the ABC islands Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao. All three are close enough to each other that a ship could potentially travel between them in just a few hours. Related: Carnival Cruise Line reveals brand-new holiday menu On the other hand, if a cruise line wants to visit two exotic islands in the same cruise, that arent right near each other, it can present a logistical impossibility. For example, it would be challenging for a cruise departing from, say, Port Canaveral (Orlando) to visit St. Thomas, Barbados, and a few other islands in the same trip unless it was scheduled for 10 or more nights. Want the latest cruise news and deals? Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. For this reason, while San Juan, Puerto Rico, is extremely popular as a port of call for Caribbean cruises, some cruise lines use it as an origination port. Carnival Cruise Line has a wide range of Caribbean itineraries.Image source: Dan Kline/Come Cruise With Me The perks of a San Juan cruise In other words, by flying to San Juan and then boarding a cruise ship, youll already be well on the way to the southern islands. And as a result, you might be surprised at how much can be stuffed into a week-long cruise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As an example, Royal Caribbean offers an itinerary aboard Rhapsody of the Seas, departing from San Juan, that features port days in St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. Maarten, Antigua, and Barbados all in a 7-night cruise. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise. In short, using an origination port located so far south (about 1,045 miles southeast of Miami) saves roughly 50 hours of sailing time each way for a cruise ship that averages about 20 miles per hour. Therefore, far more time can be spent visiting exotic places than sailing to those places. Of course, theres the cost of airfare to consider, but many cruisers apparently find it well worth the added expense. Will Carnival add San Juan as a home port? While Royal Caribbean uses San Juan as an origination port, Carnival does not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Recently, Carnivals brand ambassador John Heald ran an informal poll on his popular Facebook page to gauge interest. The poll had two options related to the idea of a cruise originating in San Juan: I know airfare is expensive, but I hope Carnival Cruise Line puts a ship in Puerto Rico as a port soon so that we can visit Southern Caribbean places. I am not the only one who would love this I AGREE (This option was likely a direct quote from a question a follower asked Heald.) I would not be interested in flying to Puerto Rico to get on a ship. It might surprise you to learn that the responses were almost evenly divided between the two options, with slightly more cruisers voting for the first option. Heald follower Susan Natale, who sailed from San Juan previously (Carnival used to offer cruises from there), said of her trip, My first cruise was on the Fascination out of Puerto Rico. It is to this day still one of my favorite cruises! And many people who have also sailed from Puerto Rico commented in agreement. More Carnival cruise news: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Similarly, Vanessa Garcia commented, I did a southern Caribbean from PR with Carnival in 2009. A port everyday. 23 cruises in and that one is still my favorite! Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. There were many other comments from past cruisers on San Juan itineraries who had nothing but positive things to say about the itinerary. A few of the hundreds of comments on Healds post were not in favor mostly not negative, just people who simply arent interested in flying to a cruise port. But the positive responses about potential San Juan sailings far outweighed the negatives. As of now, the only way to visit five or more southern Caribbean destinations on a Carnival cruise is to book one of the lines Journeys cruises, which are usually at least 10 days in duration. But it seems like there might be sufficient interest for Carnival to consider making a change in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@postcardtravelplanning.com or call or text her at 386-383-2472. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.), a longtime and outspoken critic of Big Pharma, has gained significant attention for his controversial views on healthcare. His stance on vaccines, corporate influence, and medical freedoms has made him a polarizing figure, with supporters seeing him as a defender of personal rights and detractors accusing him of promoting dangerous misinformation. With his increasing influence in the public sphere, many are wondering what his plans mean for the future of American healthcare. While RFK Jr. advocates for more transparency in medicine and less government control over health decisions, his policies raise concerns about potential risks to public health infrastructure. Heres a closer look at what RFK Jr. is planning for healthcare and whether its good or bad news for you. 1. Who Is RFK Jr. & Why Is He So Polarizing? Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the son of the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy and the nephew of President John F. Kennedy, according to Britannica. Though he initially gained recognition for his work as an environmental lawyer, he has since shifted much of his focus to questioning pharmaceutical companies, vaccine mandates, and government involvement in healthcare. His advocacy for medical freedom and skepticism toward Big Pharma has made him a hero to some who distrust the healthcare system, but it has also made him a target for criticism. His opposition to vaccine mandates, claims of government overreach, and belief that corporate interests dictate health policies have led to accusations of spreading misinformation. Public health experts warn that his rhetoric fuels vaccine hesitancy, while his supporters argue that he is simply challenging a corrupt system. Whether seen as a fearless truth-teller or a dangerous conspiracy theorist, theres no denying that RFK Jr. has left a lasting impact on healthcare discourse. 2. What Is His Vision for American Healthcare? RFK Jr. envisions a healthcare system with fewer ties to pharmaceutical companies and more emphasis on natural and preventative medicine. As noted by Climate One, he has expressed a desire to limit the influence of major drug manufacturers, arguing that their profit-driven motives create a system that prioritizes expensive treatments over real cures. His supporters believe that breaking away from Big Pharmas grip could lead to a healthier, more transparent medical system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, his vision for reform is vague, and critics argue that he oversimplifies complex medical issues. While reducing corporate influence sounds appealing, its unclear how his proposals would be implemented without disrupting access to life-saving treatments. Many fear that cutting pharmaceutical influence too drastically could slow medical advancements and lead to unintended consequences for patients who rely on prescription drugs for survival. 3. Why Are His Healthcare Plans Controversial? RFK Jr.s healthcare proposals have sparked intense debate because they challenge many of the policies that public health institutions have long advocated. According to Congress.gov, his skepticism toward vaccines, focus on alternative treatments, and distrust of federal agencies like the CDC and FDA put him at odds with mainstream science. His critics argue that his rhetoric could weaken public trust in medical professionals and lead to poorer health outcomes. Additionally, his stance on reducing government intervention in healthcare has raised concerns that vital programs like Medicaid and Medicare could be at risk. While he claims to support medical freedom, opponents worry that his policies would disproportionately harm low-income individuals who depend on government-funded healthcare services. The controversy surrounding his plans stems from the tension between personal choice and public health responsibility. 4. Whats RFK Jr. Done So Far? Over the years, RFK Jr. has been involved in various lawsuits against major corporations, particularly those he believes have harmed public health through pollution or unethical medical practices. As reported by EarthX, he has been a vocal critic of vaccine mandates, often appearing at rallies and publishing articles questioning the safety and necessity of certain immunizations. His activism has gained traction among those who feel unheard by the mainstream medical community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite his influence, his direct accomplishments in healthcare policy remain limited. His critics argue that while he has raised important questions about corporate influence, he has not provided clear policy solutions that would improve the system. Whether his activism translates into meaningful healthcare reform remains an open question. 5. Is RFK Jr. Anti-Vax? RFK Jr. has repeatedly stated that he is not anti-vax but rather pro-vaccine safety. He claims to support vaccines that have undergone rigorous independent testing and that do not contain harmful additives. However, he has frequently promoted discredited theories linking vaccines to autism and other health issues, which has led to accusations that he is fueling dangerous misinformation. His stance has made him a major figure in the anti-vaccine movement, despite his insistence that he is merely advocating for more transparency. Public health officials argue that his messaging contributes to declining vaccination rates, putting communities at risk for preventable diseases. While he maintains that he is not against vaccines entirely, his skepticism has made him a highly controversial figure in the medical community. 6. What Has He Said About Measles & Bird Flu? During recent outbreaks of measles, RFK Jr. suggested that the disease is not as dangerous as public health officials claim and that natural immunity is preferable to vaccination. He has also downplayed the risks of bird flu, implying that concerns over its spread are exaggerated to push pharmaceutical agendas. These statements have further fueled debate about whether his health views are rooted in science or personal ideology. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His comments on infectious diseases worry many experts, who argue that they could lead to lower vaccination rates and increased public health risks. While his supporters see him as a voice of reason challenging fear-based narratives, his detractors view his remarks as irresponsible and potentially dangerous. The ongoing controversy around his disease-related statements highlights the divide in how people perceive his role in healthcare. 7. Will He Lower the Cost of Healthcare? RFK Jr. has made reducing healthcare costs a key part of his platform, arguing that eliminating corruption in the pharmaceutical industry would lead to lower prices for patients. He believes that by removing corporate influence, patients would have access to more affordable treatments and holistic care options. His stance appeals to those frustrated with the high cost of prescription drugs and medical services. However, critics question whether his proposals would realistically lead to lower healthcare costs or simply disrupt existing structures without offering viable alternatives. While reducing pharmaceutical monopolies could bring down prices, the lack of clear policy details makes it uncertain how effective his approach would be. Without solid plans for implementation, his promises to lower costs remain speculative. 8. Is He Onboard with Slashing Medicare & Medicaid? RFK Jr. has not explicitly called for cuts to Medicare or Medicaid, but his broader views on reducing government intervention in healthcare raise concerns about the future of these programs. His emphasis on personal choice and free-market solutions suggests that he may favor a more privatized approach, which could mean reduced federal funding for public health initiatives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supporters argue that reforming these programs could make them more efficient, but opponents fear that scaling back government support would leave millions without adequate healthcare coverage. Until RFK Jr. clarifies his stance on Medicare and Medicaid, uncertainty remains about how his policies would affect these essential services. 9. How Might His Policies Impact Vaccine Programs? Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services has raised concerns about potential shifts in vaccine policies. Known for his skepticism towards vaccines, Kennedy has halted meetings of infectious disease experts and is reevaluating federal immunization policies. He aims to eliminate conflicts of interest by removing committee members with industry ties and has suspended significant vaccine contracts, including a $460.7 million agreement with Vaxart. These actions suggest a move towards increased scrutiny of vaccine programs, which could lead to delays in vaccine approvals and distribution. Critics argue that such measures might undermine public confidence in vaccination efforts, potentially leading to decreased immunization rates. This could result in the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases, posing a threat to public health. Supporters, however, believe that increased oversight could enhance vaccine safety and restore trust among vaccine-hesitant individuals. The long-term impact of Kennedy's policies on vaccine programs remains uncertain and will depend on how these changes are implemented and perceived by the public. 10. What Is His Stance on Pharmaceutical Companies? Kennedy has been a vocal critic of the pharmaceutical industry, accusing companies of prioritizing profits over public health. He advocates for greater transparency in drug approval processes and seeks to reduce the influence of pharmaceutical companies on regulatory agencies. His stance includes scrutinizing the relationships between drug manufacturers and health officials to prevent conflicts of interest that could compromise patient safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This approach has garnered support from those who believe that the pharmaceutical industry wields too much power over healthcare policies. However, opponents argue that such measures could hinder the development and availability of new medications. Balancing the need for oversight with the necessity of fostering innovation remains a contentious aspect of Kennedy's policy agenda. 11. How Does His Environmental Advocacy Influence His Health Policies? Kennedy's background as an environmental lawyer significantly influences his approach to health policy. He emphasizes the connection between environmental factors and public health, advocating for policies that address pollution, climate change, and exposure to toxins. Kennedy believes that improving environmental conditions is integral to preventing chronic diseases and promoting overall well-being. This perspective aligns with a holistic approach to healthcare, considering not only medical treatments but also the broader determinants of health. By addressing environmental issues, Kennedy aims to tackle root causes of health problems rather than merely treating symptoms. This approach has the potential to lead to more sustainable health outcomes but requires coordinated efforts across multiple sectors. 12. What Are His Views on Alternative Medicine? Kennedy supports integrating alternative and holistic therapies into mainstream healthcare. He argues that approaches such as naturopathy and herbal medicine have been marginalized in a system dominated by pharmaceutical interests. By promoting these therapies, Kennedy aims to provide patients with more options and encourage preventive care strategies that focus on overall wellness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Critics caution that endorsing alternative medicine without rigorous scientific validation could lead to the use of ineffective or harmful treatments. They emphasize the importance of evidence-based practices to ensure patient safety. The challenge lies in balancing openness to diverse therapeutic options with adherence to standards that protect public health. 13. How Transparent Is His Administration? Despite initial promises of radical transparency, Kennedy's tenure as Health Secretary has been marked by internal secrecy and turmoil. Reports indicate that his administration has faced challenges, including internal disagreements and staff resignations. For example, the head of communications, Thomas Corry, resigned abruptly after clashing with Kennedy over the management of a measles outbreak. Such incidents have raised concerns about the effectiveness and openness of Kennedy's leadership. Critics argue that a lack of transparency can hinder public trust and impede the implementation of effective health policies. Supporters contend that internal restructuring is necessary to challenge entrenched systems and promote reform. The true level of transparency in Kennedy's administration remains a subject of debate. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) A student at White Castle High School was stabbed in the leg on campus Monday. According to the Iberville Parish School Board, the student was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The victim was identified as a 15-year-old student. The Iberville Parish Sheriffs Office is investigating the stabbing incident. According to Sheriff Brett Stassi, 17-year-old Cureon Thomas was arrested on charges of aggravated second-degree battery and carrying a dangerous weapon by a student at school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The school board sent a letter to parents shortly after the stabbing. We understand that this news is deeply concerning, and we want to assure you that the safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our paramount concern. We immediately placed the school on lockdown following the incident to ensure the safety of everyone on campus. The lockdown was lifted after law enforcement deemed the campus secure. We recognize that students may be experiencing a range of emotions in the aftermath of this incident. We will have additional counselors and support staff available in the coming days to provide support and guidance to students and staff who may need it. Please encourage your child to talk to a trusted adult, such as a school counselor, teacher, or family member, if they are feeling anxious or upset. We are committed to maintaining a safe and secure learning environment for all students. We are extremely disappointed that this event occurred and will continue evaluating our existing security procedures to identify any areas for improvement and are committed to making necessary adjustments. Iberville Parish School Board This is a developing story. 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. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Georgia announced one of the Atlanta Police Departments most wanted fugitives will have to spend several years in prison over firearms violations. The sentence comes after years of breaking the law for having a weapon as a convicted felon. Jordan Pack, who was convicted of armed robbery in Douglasville in October 2008, was supposed to spend 10 years in prison and another 10 on probation. He was released from prison in April 2018. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the conviction, justice officials said he continued to have weapons. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Three years after his release, officers in Dacula, Ga. responded to a motor vehicle crash and Pack gave them a fake name, so he was arrested. The Oct. 22, 2021 incident also had officers find a bag Pack was wearing that had live .38 caliber ammunition. According to the Department of Justice, officers learned that Pack had discarded a .38 caliber Taurus revolver under a nearby vehicle. When officers found the gun, they found it loaded with the hammer cocked. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then, on June 17, 2022, APD officers went to a shooting scene at a home in northwest Atlanta. A woman living there told them that after a domestic dispute, Pack threatened to shoot her. USDOJ said he then got a gun from his car, fired multiple shots into the air, and fled the scene. Both the victim and her young child were present in the home at that time. Officers recovered five spent .45 caliber shell casings from the driveway of the home. The following August, APD officers from the fugitive unit found Pack at an apartment in southwest Atlanta where he was working as an armed security guard using a fake name, William Tate, possessing a Tokarev 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun. Police searched Pack and found a .45 caliber Highpoint semi-automatic pistol with 17 rounds in it, a pair of brass knuckles, a pocketknife, can of bear mace and a machete. While searching his vehicle, officers also seized his shotgun, two magazines and 14 rounds of shotgun shells, plus several .45 caliber cartridge casings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pack continued to possess firearms and commit violent offenses after being previously convicted of a violent felony, said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. This case is another example of the outstanding law enforcement partnerships in our district that enable the successful prosecutions of dangerous repeat offenders like Pack. USAO said Pack pled guilty on Nov. 12, 2024 and was sentenced on March 6 to serve more than five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) Police arrested a teen after a local high school student was killed in a Monday afternoon shooting in Baton Rouge. The Baton Rouge Police Department said Anthony Robinson, 17, was shot and killed before 3 p.m. on Bradfield Avenue. Detectives believe Robinson was targeted by the suspect as he was getting off the school bus. A 16-year-old was arrested and booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Juvenile Detention Center on charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and illegal use of weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said an investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact BRPDs Violent Crimes Unit at 225-389-4869 or Crime Stoppers at 225-344-7867. Statements issued after teen boys death Robinson was identified as a Scotlandville High School student. EBR Schools called the tragedy heartbreaking and offered its thoughts and prayers to Robinsons family. Counselors will be available on the schools campus all week. Read the full statement below. Dear Scotlandville High Community, It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic loss of one of our own, 17-year-old Anthony Robinson, who was taken from us due to senseless and unnecessary violence Monday afternoon. This heartbreaking event has deeply impacted our school community. As we mourn this devastating loss, we want to assure you that the Baton Rouge Police Department is actively investigating and working to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with Anthonys family, friends, and all who knew and loved him during this incredibly difficult time. To support our students and staff, I CARE counselors will be available on campus this week to provide guidance and comfort to anyone in need. In times like these, it is important that we come together as a community, offering strength and support to one another. Let us lean on each other as we navigate this difficult moment together. EBR Schools District 2 Councilmember Anthony Kenney Jr. offered his condolences to Robinsons family and the Scotlandville Magnet High community. No parent should fear for their childs safety on their way to or from school, and no student should have to worry about making it home alive, Kenney wrote in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kenney is calling on BRPD, community leaders and local and state officials to combat youth violence. He said immediate action needs to be taken to protect young people, including addressing root causes of violence, improving mental health support and implementing effective strategies to reduce crime. Baton Rouge man accused of killing his grandmother, hurting others accepts plea deal 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. TIOGA, Pa. (WETM) A packaging company located in Tioga, Pennsylvania, fell victim to a cyber attack in late February that resulted in the theft of services from the company. On Wednesday, Feb. 26, Pennsylvania State Police in Mansfield say they were called to the companys location on 9 Fish Street in Tioga Borough for the report of a theft. Upon investigation of the incident, police say that the companys emails were hacked and that $10,000 had been stolen from the company. 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. CHICAGO A 12-year-old boy was charged with an armed carjacking on the South Side. The boy was arrested just after 3:15 p.m. in the 1500 block of West 70th Street on Sunday. Around 30 minutes earlier, police accuse the boy of stealing a vehicle at gunpoint from a 45-year-old woman in the 6900 block of South Laflin. Minutes earlier, the boy tried to steal another vehicle in the same location. 2 charged with South Loop murder of 18-year-old woman Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was charged with vehicular hijacking with a firearm and attempted possession of a stolen 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 WGN-TV. JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) The Overmountain Chapter of Trout Unlimited continued its restoration efforts on the Watauga and South Holston rivers on Saturday. The cleanup was the most significant the group has undertaken. 138 volunteers (including a dog) attended the 9th annual Bill Beazel and Allen Robbins Memorial Tailwater Roundup. According to Evan McDougall, Overmountain Chapter board member, debris was hauled from the waterways in fishing boats and canoes. Boy Scouts help remove Hurricane Helene debris from Damascus creek Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Debris was hauled out and placed into several large dumpsters for tires and dumpsters for all other trash placed at boat ramps on the rivers, he said. We collected hundreds of tires and multiple tons of trash throughout the day. McDougall said the group is working with FEMA and TEMA to remove large debris that could not be hauled on Saturday. He also said there is still plenty of work to be completed. Photo Overmountain Chapter Trout Unlimited Photo Overmountain Chapter Trout Unlimited Photo Overmountain Chapter Trout Unlimited Photo Overmountain Chapter Trout Unlimited Photo Overmountain Chapter Trout Unlimited Photo Overmountain Chapter Trout Unlimited Photo Overmountain Chapter Trout Unlimited Photo Overmountain Chapter Trout Unlimited Photo Overmountain Chapter Trout Unlimited Photo Overmountain Chapter Trout Unlimited To view a complete album of Saturdays cleanup, click here. Overmountain Chapter Trout Unlimited is a local volunteer-operated nonprofit organization whose mission is Conserving, protecting and restoring the Watauga, South Holston, & Nolichucky watersheds in Northeast Tennessee, McDougall said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To learn more about the chapter or to get involved, visit its website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. A 14-year-old seriously hurt in a snowmobile crash required a helicopter airlift to a hospital, Oregon rescuers reported. The Lake Oswego teen went off-trail while snowmobiling near Elk Lake and crashed into a tree at 3:53 p.m. Saturday, March 8, the Deschutes County Sheriffs Office said in a news release. While rescue teams were on their way, the girl lost consciousness and rescuers called in a helicopter, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The helicopter could not land near the crash site, so rescuers transported the teen about 1.6 miles to a secure landing spot, officials said. The helicopter airlifted her to a hospital in Bend, rescuers said. No update on her medical condition was available. Elk Lake is about 25 miles southwest of Bend. Missing 51-year-old skier found dead in avalanche in Utah backcountry, sheriff says Driver and dog spend 22 hours trapped in crashed truck in forest, California cops say Man fatally shoots brother choking 80-year-old mom, California police say. No choice DENVER (KDVR) Theres a new eatery opening its doors in Denvers Central Park neighborhood, near where Interstate 270 and Interstate 70 diverge, and to make it happen, the company is hiring 150 people. The jobs are being offered at the new Cracker Barrel Old Country Store at 9111 E. 40th Ave. The country store and American comfort food restaurant chain announced the new location in August last year. View Denver area job postings on FOX31 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are just four other Cracker Barrel locations in Colorado, and all are on the Front Range or Eastern Plains, as theyre located in Colorado Springs, Loveland, Northglenn and Pueblo. The chain boasts over 660 stores in 45 states. Cracker Barrel is looking to fill a range of positions, including full-time and part-time positions for servers, to-go staff, back of house, guest hospitality and maintenance. To apply, Cracker Barrel is inviting candidates to visit Cracker Barrels career website to apply online and view all available Denver Central Park positions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. 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: Trudy Jean Rigney. Image courtesy Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum. We want to remember Trudy Jean Rigney, 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. As promised, the second Trump administration has quickly rolled out a slew of policies and executive orders that the president says are all aimed at "Making America Great Again." This takes on different forms, including Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency quickly laying off thousands of workers at various federal agencies and President Donald Trump pausing all funding for Ukraine. Trump says that, among others, there are three groups that are making America not-great: immigrants, people with disabilities and people who are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These administration efforts began at a time when many Americans expressed an overall rising sense of dissatisfaction with the state of the country and politics. Just 19% of Americans said in December 2024 that they think the country is heading in the right direction. This perspective is striking not only because it is so dark, but because it strongly resembles how Americans felt during a pivotal decade 100 years ago, when people's dissatisfaction with the state of the country led to a series of discriminatory, hateful policies by the federal government. It's a period of American history that I think offers something of a mirror of the current political situation in the United States. In the 1920s, the economy was good, the United States had won World War I and a terrible pandemic ended. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But many Americans did not see it that way. They entered the 1920s with a growing sense of paranoia and a feeling that they had been robbed of something. Winning World War I had come at a terrible cost. More than 116,000 American soldiers died and twice that number came home wounded. As the war came to a close, the United States -- and the world -- was in the throes of the flu pandemic that ultimately claimed tens of millions of lives, including about 675,000 in the United States. Other Americans were concerned about the possible rise of communism in the United States, as well as the arrival of many immigrants. This led extremists to introduce and implement hate-based policies at the federal and state level that targeted nonwhite immigrants and disabled people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the most significant results of that political moment was the 1924 Johnson-Reed Act, a restrictive immigration policy that, among other changes, prohibited immigration from Asia. Another pivotal movement was the Supreme Court's 1927 Buck vs. Bell decision, which affirmed that the state of Virginia had the right to sterilize intellectually and developmentally disabled people. Discrimination against marginalized groups The Johnson-Reed Act prompted a major shift in American immigration policy, based on the fear of something that former President Theodore Roosevelt and others called "race suicide." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The law introduced rigid restrictions keeping people out of the country who were not from Northern and Western Europe. The immigration quotas that it established would continue to be enforced into the 1960s. The U.S. politicians who lobbied for this law were successful because they supported their effort by presenting evidence that showed purportedly scientific proof that almost all people in the world were biologically inferior to a group they called the Nordic Race -- meaning people from Northern Europe -- and their American descendants, who formed a group they called the "American Race." By restricting immigration from all other groups, these legislators believed they were counterbalancing a crushing period where war and pandemic had killed off what they saw as the country's best people. Different groups preyed on Americans' grief about the war and pandemic and directed it against minority groups. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From Maine to California, a revived Ku Klux Klan attracted millions of followers with its belief that white people were superior to all others, and that Black people should remain enslaved. At the same time, a group of scientists, doctors and psychologists found enormous success in persuading the public that there were scientific reasons why hatred and discrimination needed to be incorporated into American government. Their proof was something called eugenics, a pseudoscience that argued humans had to use advanced technology and medicine to get people with good traits to reproduce while stopping those with bad traits from having the opportunity to do so. Harry Laughlin, a eugenicist based at a research laboratory in Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., was one of this movement's most vocal representatives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Laughlin worked for several different eugenics research organizations, and this helped him become successful at creating propaganda supporting eugenics that influenced public policy. He then gained a spot as an expert eugenics adviser to Congress in the early 1920s. With his position, Laughlin provided the pseudoscientific data that gave the supporters of Johnson-Reed the claims they needed to justify passing the measure. In Laughlin's influential 1922 book Eugenic Sterilization in the United States, he detailed a road map for passing a law that would allow governments to sterilize disabled people. After so much death during World War I and the influenza pandemic, Laughlin found fertile ground for making a case that the United States needed to stop people who might be considered "feeble-minded" from passing down inferior traits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the mid-1920s, Laughlin and his allies pressed a court case against a teenage woman whom the state of Virginia had deemed an imbecile and incarcerated at a massive Virginia institution for the feeble-minded. This woman, Carrie Buck, was incarcerated after she gave birth to a child in 1924 who was conceived as a result of rape. If Buck, who was 18 years old at the time, had any hope of being released, the officials who ran the institution demanded she be sterilized first. All across the country, states had begun legalizing forced sterilization. Now, this case of Buck vs. Bell made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1927, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. issued the court's ruling, which had only one dissent. In it, he wrote that "three generations of imbeciles is enough" and extended the scope of a previous ruling that allowed the government to compel people to get vaccinated to include forced sterilization of disabled people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Buck was forcibly sterilized in October 1927, shortly after the court's ruling. While it is unquestionable that sterilization and other discriminatory policies found common cause with Adolf Hitler's rising Nazi movement -- which used the eugenic ideas of sterilization and mass extermination -- they persisted, largely unchallenged, here in the United States. Some people, including myself, argue that the spirit of these discriminatory policies still exists in the U.S. today. A familiar story Following stalemated wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in the 2000s and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the American economy has been growing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But sensing a grave decline, some white Americans have turned their sights on people with disabilities, immigrants, transgender and nonbinary people, and people of color as the source of their problems. Trump regularly encourages this kind of thinking. In January 2025, he blamed an air collision that occurred over the Potomac River and killed 67 people on disabled Federal Aviation Administration employees, implying that they did not possess the intelligence to do their jobs. Trump falsely said the Jan. 1 New Orleans terror attack was caused by illegal immigration, even though a Texas-born man drove a car into a crowd of people, killing 14. At a policy level, Trump's administration has made significant changes to the immigration system, including taking steps to remove legal protections for 350,000 Venezuelan immigrants in the United States. And he has launched an unprecedented challenge to birthright citizenship. There are limits to what history can say about the current situation. But these similarities with the early 1920s suggest that, contrary to many claims about the unprecedented nature of the current times, the country has been here before. Alex Green is a lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) The two adults arrested following a fight that broke out outside of West Middle School last month have each received an additional charge. According to court documents filed on March 6, Channing Walker, 33, and Rebecca Orellana Gomez, 38, both of Sioux City, have each been charged with one count of riot and one count of assault while participating in a felony (riot). The two were initially charged by police with participating in a riot. Woman charged with felony child endangerment out of Lyon County Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a Feb. 28 release, the Sioux City Police Department said that officers they were called Feb. 26 just after 3 p.m. to West Middle School due to a fight that broke out in front of the school building. Officials said that there were nine people involved in the fight, both parents and students. As of Feb. 28, Walker had been arrested. Orellana Gomez and three juveniles were then arrested on March 3. The three juveniles were charged with participating in a riot. Walker and Orellana Gomez have since bonded out of the Woodbury County Jail. Dakota Dunes murder trial delayed due to medical emergency The Sioux City Community School District said in a statement last week that the incident was disappointing, adding that there is no leeway for violence on school ground. Theyve also said that the police department is responsible for criminal charges and that the district was taking action to ensure that any students involved face consequences for their actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Orellana Gomezs next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday, March 12, while Walkers is set for Monday, March 17. Wesley Thoene contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WSPA) Officers with the Asheville Police Department arrested two people they said were in possession of a felony amount of drugs Friday night. The Asheville Police Department said officers conducting proactive enforcement in the Amboy Road area made contact with two people just before 8 p.m. Friday. According to reports, 27-year-old Aiden Rae Mitchell and 43-year-old Erron Thomas Wolicki were found to be in possession of a trafficking amount of heroin and were arrested. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers on scene seized 29.03 grams of fentanyl and 3.27 grams of methamphetamine, according to reports. Officers said Mitchell was also found to be in possession of a Taurus G3C 9mm pistol. Mitchell and Wolicki were arrested and charged with the following: Aiden Rae Mitchell: Felony trafficking in opium or heroin by possession (Level I) Felony trafficking in opium or heroin by transport (Level I) Felony possession with intent to deliver schedule II Carrying a concealed gun Possession of drug paraphernalia Mitchell was booked into the Buncombe County Detention Facility under a $25,000 bond. Erron Thomas Wolicki: Felony trafficking in opium or heroin by possession (Level 2) Felony trafficking in opium or heroin by transport (Level 2) Felony possession schedule II Felony possession of drug paraphernalia Warrant: Felony probation violation Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wolicki was booked into the Buncombe County Detention Facility under a $90,000 bond. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. CHICAGO A man and woman have been charged with murder after an 18-year-old was shot and killed in the South Loop Friday night. Police responded to the 100 block of East 21st Street Friday night at around 11:55 p.m. on the report of a shooting. An 18-year-old woman was pronounced dead inside a vehicle after sustaining two gunshot wounds to the chest. A 38-year-old man was shot in the hand and was transported to the hospital in good condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suspects, Jeremiah Jordan, 24, and Shanna Walton-Smith, 19, were arrested over an hour later. Jordan was arrested in the 6300 block of South Peoria and Walton-Smith was arrested in the 800 block of West 64th Street. Jordan is facing charges of first-degree murder, murder with strong probability of death, attempted murder, aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon and fleeing. Walton-Smith was charged with murder, murder with a strong probability of death and attempted 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 WGN-TV. Medics transported two children and two adults to the hospital after a reported house explosion Sunday night. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Firefighters responded just before 8:30 p.m. to the 700 block of Elberon Avenue on reports of a potential house explosion, Cincinnati Assistant Fire Chief Matt Flager told our news partner WCPO. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said there were four total victims, two children and two adults. Flager told WCPO that two children and one adult suffered minor injuries. A second adult had serious injuries. All were taken to an area hospital. When firefighters arrived, they found at least one person lying in the front yard. WCPO says firefighters have not confirmed it as an explosion. Flager told them the right side of the building was completely gone. We will update this story. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Two people are dead and 10 others are in the hospital following a house fire in Cincinnati Sunday afternoon, originally reported by our news partner WCPO Cincinnati. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The fire happened on the 700 block of Summit Ave. around 1 p.m., according to WCPO. Fire crews found a heavy fire and several injured people outside the building, WCPO says. Of those injured, some jumped from the building to escape the fire, according to WCPO. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least three children were included in the 10 transported to the hospital, WCPO says. Crews attempted to be aggressive with the fire to get into the building and look for others, but the fire pushed them back, according to WCPO. Our number one job is to protect the public, and we did everything we could to get inside that building, Assistant Fire Chief Matt Flagler said to WCPO. Roughly 80 firefighters assisted in putting out the fire, according to WCPO. Fire crews have not yet determined a cause. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) Three companies located in Williamsville, the Town of Tonawanda and Wellsville are set to lay off over 200 employees combined, according to WARN notices from the New York State Department of Labor. Tri Cor Direct Incorporated, a manufacturing company and affiliate of Brady Corporation at 2491 Wehrle Drive, will lay off 112 employees. The businesss relocation is the reason listed for its closure. The closure will begin on May 30, 2025 and end July 31, 2026, according to the notice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement EEDU, LLC, an Amazon delivery service partner located at 800 Riverwalk Parkway, will lay off 129 employees. The reason for its closure is listed as economic. It began on March 5 and will end June 4. Northern Lights Candles located at 3474 Andover Road in Wellsville will lay off 38 of its employees. The relocation of specific business operations was listed as a reason for its closure. None of the affected employees from all three companies were represented by a union. Latest Local News Katie Skoog joined the News 4 team in April 2024. She is a graduate from the University at Buffalo. You can view more of her work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Two men have been arrested and charged with beating a man to death last year in Union City, N.J., authorities announced Monday. Gerson Vasquez, 26, and Antonio Santiago-Jiminez, 34, were charged with murder in the death of 56-year-old Reynaldo Gonzalez, NJ.com reported. Gonzalez was found dead on Nov. 14 behind a building on 23rd St. in Union City, just across the Lincoln Tunnel from Manhattan, authorities said. His body was bruised, his eyes were swollen and there was blood near his mouth, according to investigators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gonzalez was not publicly identified as the victim until two weeks after his body was found. An autopsy confirmed he died from blunt-force injuries, and his death was ruled a homicide. Cops said Vasquez and Santiago-Jiminez were spotted on surveillance video hanging out with Gonzalez on the night of Nov. 13, according to NJ.com. Any further relationship between the three men was not clear. Vasquez was detained Thursday in Perth-Amboy, and Santiago-Jiminez was captured Saturday in Union City, NJ.com reported. Both men, along with Gonzalez, were Union City residents. Police did not publicly speculate on a motive for the murder. Vasquez and Santiago-Jiminez are being held in Hudson County jail and are scheduled for a detention hearing on Wednesday. They two men are also charged with injuring another person, according to Patch. That person has not been publicly identified. NEW YORK Two young Muslim women, both college students, made their way to upper Manhattan last summer to protest the Gaza conflict outside the afterparty for a kickoff rally for Kamala Harriss campaign for president. The August evening soon spun out of control. One of the women, Zarmeen Azam, 20, alleges in a lawsuit filed Sunday that NYPD Chief Ruel Stephenson clutched (Azams) throat with one hand, strangling her with the fabric of her hijab as he brandished his baton at other protesters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stephenson then dragged her along the ground for several long minutes, the suit filed in Manhattan Federal Court claims. I was in so much pain I think I even blacked out, Azam told the Daily News. I was trying to loosen my scarf so it wouldnt continue to choke me. The other woman, Shajnin Howlader, 19, claims in the suit Stephenson pushed her and then Sgt. Joseph Spalding allegedly looked her in the face and yanked on (her) hijab. As the hijab was coming off her head, it tangled and caught around her throat, cutting off her ability to breathe or speak, the suit reads. It felt like I was being stripped, Howlader told The News. I keep thinking back to that moment of so many eyes on me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A hijab is a headscarf worn by many Muslim women that symbolizes their faith. The act of forcibly removing one is considered a serious violation of privacy, like strip-searching someone without consent. The NYPD needs to treat Muslim women the same way they treat anybody else. They cannot target womens hijabs as a way to terrorize people, said Andrew Wilson, an attorney with the firm Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel which is representing the women. We see it happening over and over again. A chaotic scene The NYPD declined to comment on the lawsuit, but police sources said the overall conflict was caused by aggressive protesters who suddenly materialized at the Hamilton Heights restaurant where the gathering following the Harris event was being held. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Twenty people barged into the restaurant and broke vases and dishes and damaged plants, causing more than $5,000 in damage, the source said. At one point, an officer was assaulted with an object. In the end, 14 protesters were arrested. The restaurant had to create a GoFundMe to raise money to repair the damage from the incident. Outside, the protesters threw smoke bombs, video posted by Fox 5 New York shows. The video also shows Stephenson and other cops with their backs to a buildings wall surrounded by protesters on all sides. These wild protesters stormed a community restaurant and created an incredibly dangerous situation, a law enforcement source said. Its clear that the cops did everything they could to protect the patrons and disperse the aggressive crowd, even while getting attacked themselves. Class action over hijabs In April the city agreed to pay $17.5 million to settle a six-year-old class action suit over an NYPD practice of removing hijabs for booking photos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2020, as a result of that case, the NYPD rewrote policy to allow head coverings in booking photos a rule that an officer violated in Azams case on Aug. 14, the lawsuit claims. Christina John, a staff attorney with the Council on American Islamic Relations, said the group has logged five similar hijab-related complaints since that April court settlement. You actually cant look at it as anything but an intimidation tactic, John said. Of Stephenson, who commands roughly 3,000 cops north of 59th Street, she said, He seems to be leading by example and making it OK for other cops to also do it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In January, eight other New Yorkers sued over a well-known incident at a 2020 George Floyd protest in the Bronx where cops constricted protesters into a small area, a police tactic known as kettling, the complaint in that case states. Two of those eight, Sazia Patel and Umahani Hamad, allege in the suit officers forcefully removed their hijabs during the incident. Patel claimed in the suit she demanded to be given her hijab for the booking photo but cops mockingly put it on her head and it soon fell off. Hamad claimed she demanded her hijab at Central Booking. According to the suit, a cop responded, Well, youre wearing earrings for male attention so why not show us your hair too? Harris campaign kickoff On Aug. 14, after the Harris campaign kick-off event, her supporters gathered at the Bird in Hand restaurant on Broadway in Hamilton Heights. Protesters soon followed to demand Harris and other elected officials call for a ceasefire in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both women say a large number of cops soon arrived, outnumbering the protesters. Tension escalated rapidly. The lawsuit claims cops began kettling the protesters and doused them with pepper spray. Howlader, a sophomore computer science major at Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania, had taken the subway to upper Manhattan from her home. She had attended a few previous Gaza protests. She found herself crowded in with protesters on one side and cops and a residential building on the other. Stephenson then shoved her and Spalding grabbed her hijab, the lawsuit claims. The garment got stuck around her neck but Spalding kept pulling, choking her. Meanwhile, a second cop pepper-sprayed her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spalding held on to the hijab. Other protesters yanked it out of his hands and poured water into her eyes the lawsuit claims. Howlader wasnt arrested but her eyes and scalp stung and her body ached, she said. Azam, a junior majoring in biomedical science at Mercy University, drove herself to the protest. She has attended several dozen demonstrations in the past year over the Gaza conflict. Ive been forcefully shoved by the NYPD, my hijab has almost come off but it was never ripped off my head the way it was that night, she said. Stephenson, the lawsuit states, was moving through the crowd, then turned and yelled at Azam, Dont put your hands on me! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She claims she hadnt touched him. I thought I was going to die, she said. She spent three hours at an NYPD precinct stationhouse, the lawsuit says. Her hijab was caught in her handcuffs but the cops declined to free it. In a holding cell, she refastened her now-ripped hijab, the lawsuit says. She was released with desk appearance tickets for fighting or violent, tumultuous or threatening behavior and illegal congregating. The tickets were dismissed a month later, the lawsuit says. Both my shoes were gone. I had lost my bag with my phone and keys, Azam said. Thank God, a random person had it at the jail or I wouldnt have been able to get home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Howlader went home the protest on the subway. As a police officer, you have one job to serve and protect everyone regardless of what we wear, she said. That night I didnt feel like I was being protected at all. Officers with the Greece Police Department arrested two people after receiving reports of a robbery at WoodSpring Suites on Bellwood Drive in Rochester late Friday afternoon. READ MORE: https://www.rochesterfirst.com/crime/two-people-arrested-for-hotel-robbery/ Mar. 9Name: Allen Przysucha What office are you seeking? City of Sterling Alderman At Large What is your political party? This is a non-partisan race What is your current age? 47 Occupation and employer: Business Development Manager / First Onsite Property Restoration What offices, if any, have you previously held? City of Sterling City Planning Commissioner City: Sterling Campaign Website: Facebook Allen Przysucha for Sterling Alderman At Large Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Education: Dixon High School Class of 1995 Sauk Valley Community College 1995-1998 Community Involvement: United Way of Whiteside County Board of Directors Member, Sterling Township Youth Committee & Co-Founder of Elevate Youth Center, Area IV Governor, Rotary District 6420 (Sterling, Dixon, Rock Falls, & Morrison), Sterling Noon Rotary Club (Current)Twin Cities Rotary Club, 4x President (Past), CGHMC Health Foundation volunteer, Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce member Marital status/Immediate family: Wife, Kim of 25 years. CGHMC Clinic RN. Son, Ethan, 24 years old. Shift Lead at Halo Branded Solutions in Sterling. Daughter, Caitlyn, 18 years old. Senior at Sterling High School Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Questions: The Sterling City Council over the past several months has been discussing how to manage homelessness in the community. Among those discussions are the possible expansion of hours at the homeless shelter and developing a long-range plan. What do you think are the first steps and what do you believe is the ultimate goal of developing a plan from both a financial and humanitarian standpoint for homeless people in Sterling? The first step is to find a logical & fiscally responsible way to address our homeless situation. The problem is that an idea hasn't been put forward yet that meets both criteria. The PADS Shelter is a great resource, but it is understaffed and underfunded. It would be great if we could get the shelter to a point where it was self-sufficient in those areas. Then we could talk about expanding services, and how to pay for them. Sterling council members last fall were told about the condition of Sterling's firetrucks during a fire department report. What would be your plan to update that equipment in a fiscally responsible manner and how would you budget for public safety needs on the future? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was at the city council meeting when this was reported and it outright scared me. I can't speak to where in the budget money would come from to pay for these upgrades, as I am not a member of the city council yet. But, if the county can approve the public safety tax, the taxes already collected in property taxes in Sterling could then be redistributed to the fire department for much needed upgraded engines or equipment. Or towards both the police department and fire department for more officers or firemen. If it doesn't pass, the council will have to find a fiscally responsible way to make it happen, preferably without raising taxes. These upgrades are much needed for the public safety of the citizens of Sterling What do you believe are the top three issues that the city is facing right now? * Investment into upgrades for the Fire and Police Departments * Trying to figure out how to solve our increased need for all levels of housing, but specifically affordable housing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * Continued investment and repair of our infrastructure. For example, our roads and our riverfront. Sterling voters will be asked to vote in April on whether to approve a public safety sales tax to help pay for 911 services in Whiteside County. Do you support this tax? If not, what are your reasons for not supporting it? Even though I don't necessarily want to pay more taxes, I do support the public safety tax. It is unfair that Sterling and Rock Falls are funding the 911 Center for the entire county. What is nice about the safety tax is that anyone that spends money in Whiteside County, resident or non-resident, pays for it. How do you intend to balance economic development with environmental sustainability in the community? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think one great example of this is the solar farms that are being proposed in the area. For the record, I am a supporter of solar energy and bringing solar farms to Sterling. What I'm not for is the lack of research done by the solar companies trying to place these solar farms around Sterling. A lot of the sites proposed are just outside of city limits, but in areas that are projected growth areas for the city. What I don't like is that these sites will envelope the city's prime growth areas and potentially stunt any city growth in those areas. What are your plans for enhancing public transportation and infrastructure in the city? I'm for the continued improvements to the city's roads. I wish that the city could get all of them done at the same time. Realistically, that just isn't possible. Costs for fixing the roads keep going up, just like everything else. Unfortunately the funds allotted for those repairs every year just don't go as far as they used to. Roads repairs do continue to happen every year. Unfortunately, not at the pace that everyone wants them to. What role should the city council play in supporting local businesses and economic growth? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Small Business is the backbone of any smaller municipality. That is so very true of Sterling. I am a big supporter of Small Business and Shop Small. Small Business owners have invested in our community and put a lot of trust into the community to support them. In no way, shape, or form would I ever advocate against, speak unfavorably, or attack any Small Business in Sterling. They are so important to the health of Sterling. I would advocate for any program that helps promote our Small Businesses and helps Sterling Entrepreneurs fulfill their dreams to start a Small Business here in Sterling, just like what Sterling Main Street does with the small business incubators at the Shoppes at Grandon Plaza. What are your top public safety concerns for our community and how would you propose addressing them? My biggest public safety concern is getting much needed resources to our police and fire departments. It scared me when I heard the fire department report in the fall about the state of our emergency vehicle fleet. If we have equipment that is constantly down for repairs, that is a huge detriment to the public safety. We have to have the proper equipment and vehicles to be able to respond to emergencies that arise in Sterling. How will you ensure that city policies promote inclusion for all residents? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Realistically, the only way to ensure that is to study all amendments to ordinances, or anything else that comes up for a city council vote, to ensure that every Sterling citizen's best interests are represented and upheld. Do you support requiring government officials to publicly disclose potential conflicts of interest, and how would you enforce this? I do support it and take it very seriously. At the Planning Commission, I recently abstained my vote because of what I felt was a conflict of interest because of my professional relationship that I had with a petitioning party. Even now with my career as a business development manager, it is my job to form partnerships with with my company and with schools, hospitals, municipalities, and other types of businesses. I have approached the City of Sterling about a relationship knowing that if I am elected, I would have to recuse myself from any involvement in any potential votes or decision making that would involve both parties. How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents? Sterling residents can reach me any time on my cell phone, 815-718-3863. By email, allenpc1@gmail.com. On Facebook or on Messenger at Allen Przysucha for Sterling Alderman At Large. Mar. 9Name: Pam Capes What office are you seeking? School Board Member What is your political party? Independent What is your current age? 56 Occupation and employer: Saul Valley Christian Academy What offices, if any, have you previously held? Board of Education (Member/President) Woodlawn Advisory Board (Past Member) New Life Leadership Council (Member) City: Sterling Education: Masters in Public Health Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bachelors in Communication Bachelors in Hospital Administration Minor in Spanish Community Involvement: Sterling Public Schools Board of Education and all subcommittees Prayer Team, VBS, FCA, and Leadership Team at New Life Lutheran Church Teacher at Sauk Valley Christian Academy Volunteer for Woodlawn Arts Academy Marital status/Immediate family: Married (Brad) and 2 children (Jacob and Elizabeth) Questions: Sterling Public Schools' goals call for improving student proficiency rates across various subjects by 2027. SPS plans to raise the percentage of students scoring proficient or excellent on state English/language arts assessments from 26.3% in 2023 to 45% and on math assessments from 21.2% to 40%. Additionally, it aims to increase the percentage of kindergarten students demonstrating math readiness from 9% to 25%. What do you believe the board's role is in attaining those goals? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Provide oversight and support to reach these goals. Sterling's high school and middle school are undergoing major renovations and are developing a plan for future projects. Are there any specific facilities needs that you would like to see addressed as those plans are made? The Board of Education, as part of an overall plan, and as funds became available, carefully planned school improvements for all facilities within the district. Improving and maintaining the physical facilities is crucial to ensuring both safety and adequate support for students. Creating well-designed, accessible spaces for students, ensures that students have a conducive environment for both learning and well-being. Improved outdoor spaces also contribute to the overall safety and positive experience for students. By continually investing in physical improvements we aspire to create an environment where students feel safe, supported, and ready to succeed. What is your stance on ICE agents accessing school grounds, and what policies would you advocate for regarding their presence on school property? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A policy has been written to address this issue. I am in agreement with our policy. What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours? I stand with Governor Pritzker. I believe they are not conducive to learning nor to students' mental health during the school day. Do you think cell phone policies should allow exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes? If so, how would these exceptions be defined? No. I believe the staff within the district has received training and has the resources to address emergencies without needing to rely on students' technology. The availability of cutting edge technology for staff and students within our district is fantastic. I do not believe relying on students' cell phones to enhance education is needed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What steps would you take to address concerns about cyberbullying and inappropriate content access through student cell phones? Continuing education and honest conversations with our students regarding cyberbullying and inappropriate content is ongoing. Removal of the cell phones during the day could potentially reduce those types of interactions significantly. What is your plan for making district financial reports, including budgets and expenditures, publicly available and easy to understand? We have an exceptional financial team at the district. All financial budgets and expenditures are available for the public to view at any time and any questions can be directed to our superintendent. Our Director of Finance and our board committees are always looking for ways to be more transparent and to push data out through our website. Any suggestions for how this process could be improved are always welcome. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How would you involve parents and community members in the decision-making process for curriculum or policy changes? We have a number of channels for communication in the district. Letters that come to families in email, the daily updating of information on our website, the publishing of all emails and phone numbers for staff and leadership, our board meetings and committee meetings are open to the public, etc. There are a wide variety of ways the public can get involved in helping the district continue to be successful. What is your position on banning books in school libraries or classrooms, and how do you define the criteria for such decisions? I believe that while censorship of books should be avoided, it's important to support the principle of informed consent. Rather than banning or restricting access to books, schools and libraries should focus on providing students and parents with adequate information to make informed choices about reading material. By offering content warnings, age-appropriate guidelines, and open discussions about the themes or issues in books, we can ensure that students have the freedom to explore a wide range of perspectives while also respecting the wishes and values of their families. This approach fosters both intellectual freedom and personal responsibility, allowing individuals to navigate their learning experiences with awareness and understanding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How would you balance maintaining appropriate class sizes with the current teacher staffing levels? Balancing appropriate class sizes with current teacher staffing levels is a challenge that requires thoughtful planning and resource allocation. Our superintendent relies heavily on teacher and principal feedback to provide class size and staffing level recommendations for board review. Do you believe the district is allocating enough resources toward hiring and supporting teachers, and if not, what changes would you make? I believe it is an ongoing process. The role of the board is to provide oversight and support to whatever programs the employees bring to our attention through the superintendent. When additional resources or support are needed, like adding the dean of students at each of our buildings, we carefully review the requests and provide fiscally responsible support and resources where we collectively believe it is necessary. How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents? My email and personal phone number are available on the district website. A 21-year-old man was arrested Saturday in connection with a shooting outside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento near Wheatland, according to the Yuba County Sheriffs Department. Deputies at the casino heard gunfire at around midnight Friday, and found someone whod been shot in the parking lot. The victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to Adventist Health and Rideout hospital in Marysville. After deputies obtained a search warrant, the 21-year-old suspect was arrested Saturday in the 1500 block of 7th Avenue in Olivehurst. He was booked into Yuba County Jail on suspicion of attempted murder, negligent discharge of a firearm, prohibited person in possession of a firearm and prohibited person in possession of ammunition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputies believe the shooting was an isolated incident and are asking anyone with information to call 530-749-7777, Option 5. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain, as its officially known, opened in late 2019 at 3317 Forty Mile Road. The $440 million project with 169 hotel rooms and more than 2,500 slot machines is owned by the Estom Yumeka Maidu tribe of the Enterprise Rancheria. Some 130 out of 176 enemy UAVs shot down at night, 42 drone imitators lost in location Last night, units of the Defense Forces shot down 130 enemy UAVs out of 176 that attacked the territory of Ukraine, 42 drone imitators were lost in location, the press service of the Air Force (AF) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported. "As of 08:00, it has been confirmed that 130 Shahed attack UAVs and other types of drones have been shot down in Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Kyiv, Kirovohrad, Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhia, Donetsk, Odesa, Mykolaiv and Kherson regions," the report said. As reported, on the night of March 10 (from 18:00 on March 9), the enemy attacked with 176 Shahed attack UAVs and imitator drones of various types from the directions: Shatalovo, Millerovo, Kursk, Bryansk, Primorsko-Akhtarsk - Russia, and Chauda - Crimea. At the same time, 42 enemy simulator drones were lost in location (without negative consequences). The air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units, and mobile fire groups of the Air Force and Defense Forces of Ukraine. Kharkiv, Poltava, and Kyiv regions were affected by the Russian attack. Pennsylvania State Police announced Monday that an investigation into animal cruelty and dog fighting resulted in the rescue of 28 dogs from a home in Luzerne County. The dog and animal fighting paraphernalia were found when state police served a search warrant. State police said multiple indicators of involvement with animal fighting were observed. PSP helped rescue 28 dogs from a Luzerne County home as part of an animal cruelty and dog fighting investigation. The dogs are currently in the care of the ASPCA. Thank you to all involved in getting the animals to safety. More info: https://t.co/W9kVhPseCY Photos courtesy ASPCA. pic.twitter.com/SpAQHFdyAL PA State Police (@PAStatePolice) March 10, 2025 Police said 19 crated dogs were found inside the home and eight crated in a backyard shed. One other dog was running loose on the property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The dogs were removed from the home and taken to an area shelter. They will undergo forensic veterinary evaluations, general veterinary care and behavioral analysis. State police said a suspect was taken to jail and the investigation is ongoing. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW Four deputies were sent to the hospital, including one who suffered a puncture wound, when multiple inmates were involved in an attack at the Mens Central Jail in Los Angeles on Sunday. The incident occurred during what was described as a routine inmate movement, the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department stated in a news release late Sunday night. During the incident, a deputy was attacked by several inmates. Assisting deputies intervened and successfully stopped the assault, the Sheriffs Department said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was unclear how many inmates were involved but they were all detained following the attack. Four deputies were taken to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment. One deputy sustained a puncture-type injury, but he is expected to recover, the Sheriffs Department said. Investigators said that a jail-made weapon was recovered following the incident. The inmates were also medically evaluated and will remain in custody at the Mens Central 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 KTLA. LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) A new Siena Research Institute poll found that 40% of voters side with President Donald Trump, saying congestion pricing should be eliminated, while 33% say it should remain in place, as Hochul does. New York City voters and Democrats, though, want congestion pricing to remain intact, the polling shows. More Local News Siena Research Institute released a poll surveying registered voters in New York State on Monday morning. This poll asked voters about their support for Governor Kathy Hochul, congestion pricing, making Canada the 51st state, and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the poll, if there was a hypothetical 2026 Democratic primary, Hochul is supported by 46% of Democrats while Lt. Governor Antonio Delgado only has 11% support and Rep. Ritchie Torres, 10%. Hochul has a positive job approval rating when it comes to protecting constitutional rights, ensuring access to quality, affordable healthcare, and making New York safer. When it comes to making New York affordable, Hochul is down 11%, per Siena Research Institute. Trumps favorability rating among registered voters in New York is relatively unchanged from last month, sitting at 39-57%. As for combatting fentanyl, Trump has an approval rating of 54-37% in New York. 68% of voters oppose making Canada the 51st state, while 11% are in favor. 58% of voters also oppose owning and redeveloping Gaza while 15% are in favor. As for making English the countrys official language, 57% support the idea and 27% disapprove. 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. All five people on board a small plane that crashed into a residential area in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, on Sunday survived and were taken to hospitals, authorities said. Conditions for the five were unavailable, and officials have not provided details on their injuries. Manheim Township Fire Chief Scott Little said at a news conference no one on the ground was injured, but five vehicles were damaged. The plane had just taken off from Lancaster Airport when it went down in the Brethren Village retirement community, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that the plane, a Beechcraft Bonanza, crashed at 3 p.m. The five were initially transported to Lancaster General Hospital, where two of them remained Sunday evening. Three were taken to Lehigh Valley Health Networks burn center, a Lancaster General Hospital spokesperson said. Emergency crews at the site of a plane crash in a residential area in Lancaster County, Pa., on Sunday. First responders were on scene within three minutes and faced multiple fires, Little said. Online images of the crash showed the tail of a plane in a parking lot with the rest of the aircraft engulfed in flames. They had heavy fire on arrival from the aircraft, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any remaining fire was extinguished and the scene was under control a little more than three hours after the crash, Little said. Video from NBC affiliate WGAL of Lancaster showed the crashed plane in the parking area at Brethren Village, less than a mile from Lancaster Airport. Manheim Police Chief Duane Fisher said the plane appeared to have skidded about 100 feet when it hit the ground but may have avoided structures. Residents were initially told to shelter in place as a precaution, Fisher said at the news conference. Brethren Village did not immediately respond to a request for more information Sunday. The scene in the parking area at Brethren Village in Lancaster, Pa., on Sunday. Flight tracker FlightAware shows the aircraft was scheduled to fly to Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport in Springfield, Ohio. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Air traffic control radio traffic indicates someone in the plane reported an open door on the aircraft shortly after takeoff and requested permission to return to Lancaster Airport. Air traffic control is heard clearing the plane to land before urging it to "pull up." Little said federal officials would look into the possibility of an open door on the aircraft as part of their investigation. A plane crash where everybody survives and nobody on the ground is hurt is a wonderful thing, Fisher, the police chief, said. To have this type of ending so far is a great day for us. FAA information showed the plane is registered to an entity in Manheim. The aircraft is a popular single-engine model introduced in 1947 and usually able to carry six. The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation into the crash and said it would work with the FAA. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this post as new information becomes available. EAGLE MOUNTAIN, Utah (ABC4) A 5-year-old girl was flown to the hospital after reportedly falling out of a window on Sunday. According to Sgt. Ray Ormond with the Utah County Sheriffs Office, the girl was playing with some friends when she fell out of the window and onto some gravel. Ormond said the girl was flown to a local hospital via helicopter for treatment of injuries to her head, hip, and leg. The girls current condition was not shared with ABC4.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials said the incident happened in the Brylee Farms neighborhood of Eagle Mountain. There is no further information at this time. Connor Comeau contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. A handful of people were taken into custody after one person was stabbed outside of a Massachusetts courthouse on Monday, officials said. Officers responding to a report of a large fight in front of Cambridge District Court at 4040 Mystic Valley Parkway in Medford around noon discovered a stabbing victim, according to Massachusetts State Police. The victim was taken to the hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the large emergency response, five male suspects matching descriptions to the assault were detained on Commercial Street. Authorities didnt identify the individuals and there was no word on charges being filed. State troopers are assisting Medford police with an investigation into the incident. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW A protester holds a sign during a demonstration against President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and the Trump administration outside the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis. (Photo by Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images.) The Department of Veterans Affairs is planning to cut 83,000 jobs, slashing employment by over 17% at the federal agency that provides health care for millions of veterans, according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press on March 5, 2025. The department known as the VA manages and directly provides comprehensive services for veterans. Those services include health care, short- and long-term housing options, life insurance, pensions, education stipends, and assistance in jails and courts. The VA also engages in pathbreaking public health research. One-quarter of the VAs 482,000 employees are veterans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the past month, the Trump administration has been cutting federal spending, causing numerous hardships for government employees, the agencies they work for and the people they serve. But veterans are among those hardest hit, and the impact goes well beyond job loss. My research on veterans in the criminal legal system illustrates the stark challenges that service members already face as they integrate back into civilian life. Trumps budget cuts will make this process only harder. Here are five reasons why. 1. Eroding the federal workforce Federal law requires employers to give veterans an advantage in hiring over people who have not served in the military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the 1944 Veterans Preference Act, employers should hire veterans over other candidates and retain veterans over other employees during layoffs. The idea is to compensate for the economic loss of serving in the military and acknowledge the governments obligation, especially, to support disabled veterans. Due to this veterans preference, nearly 30% of federal workers are veterans, half of whom are disabled. This means that veterans, who make up 6.1% of the U.S. population, are disproportionately affected by federal worker cuts. One estimate is that of the 38,000 federal employees fired in the first five weeks of the Trump administration, 6,000 are veterans. 2. Gutting VA health care Cuts to the federal workforce are also affecting medical care for veterans. The Veterans Health Administration workforce constitutes 90% of the VAs 482,000 workers, so cuts to VA workers mean cuts to health care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These cuts come at a time when veterans health care needs are increasing. The VA enrolled 400,000 veterans in its benefits system from March 2023 through March 2024, 30% more than the prior year. It also expanded eligibility for former service members to receive VA health care. Trumps cuts will make it more difficult for the VA to provide health care for these newly eligible veterans. These cuts roll back President Joe Bidens investment in the VA to address long-standing staffing problems. The Office of Inspector Generals 2024 report on VA staffing shortages reveals that 137 of 139 VA health centers nationwide report a severe staffing shortage in at least one area, particularly nursing and psychology. Staff shortages have led to long wait times for care. These wait times vary from days to months, with some VA clinics still so understaffed that they are unable to take new patients for primary care or mental health needs. Staff increases over the past few years shortened wait times while providing care to more veterans. In 2024, the VA said it was working hard to fill its 66,000 vacancies, aiming to improve health care for the more than 9 million veterans it serves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, just one year later, the VA faces the loss of 83,000 jobs. These cuts may contribute to fundamental changes in VA health care. Rather than help veterans directly, the VA may pay for veterans to seek medical care outside the VA system, leading to higher costs and lower quality. Other Trump directives will prevent gender-affirming care to veterans. Veterans with diagnoses related to gender identity increased from 2,513 to 10,457 between 2011 to 2021. 3. Destaffing the suicide hotline In Trumps cuts to social services, the countrys Veterans Crisis Line, which both the VA and the Department of Health and Human Services oversee, is losing employees to layoffs, despite existing staffing shortages. An estimated 800 to 900 of the 1,130 crisis-line workers have always worked remotely, so ending remote work options will further undermine staffing. A quote from Abraham Lincoln about the Veterans Affairs mission is affixed to the side of one of the departments buildings. (Photo courtesy Government Accounting Office.) Current data shows an average of 17.6 veteran suicides per day. Suicide remains the second-leading cause of death among veterans under 45 years old. Current VCL caller data is not publicly available, but staff report that the service fields 60,000 calls a month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the past, the VA reported nearly 3 million calls between 2009 and 2017, which led to 82,000 emergency dispatches to prevent veterans from harming themselves. The VA steadily increased crisis-line staffing to address concerns that, given the volume of calls, veterans were not receiving help in a timely manner. Fewer staff, already suffering from burnout, undermines this work, as callers already at high risk for suicide will face longer wait times and improper care. The first Trump administration made veteran suicide prevention a policy priority; its latest moves impede this goal. 4. Losing research The VAs investment in research, about $916 million a year, has contributed to a comprehensive understanding of veterans well-being, meaning the government can target aid toward those in need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement VA research has also helped spark major medical breakthroughs on the link between smoking and cancer, prompting the surgeon general to put warnings on cigarettes, and the most widely used method to measure and treat prostate cancer. VA research and data are instrumental in the social sciences. There are millions of veterans who come from diverse sociodemographic groups, and social science researchers are able to track them over time. With overall budget cuts at the VA and the federal workforce reduction, at least 350 VA researchers will likely lose their jobs. That, along with a Trump directive to stop research on how poverty and race shape veteran health outcomes, will undermine not only the general well-being of veterans but also the entire medical establishments knowledge about substance use, mental health and deeper insights that VA research can provide on prevention and treatment of cancer and cardiovascular disease. 5. Looming cuts to other benefits Numerous reports indicate that Republicans in Congress want to reduce so-called entitlements, including food stamps and Medicaid, the health insurance for the countrys poorest citizens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cutting Medicaid would hurt veterans health, too, because not all veterans have access to federally funded health care through the VA, for a variety of reasons. Estimates show that over the past decade nearly 10% of veterans use Medicaid for at least some of their health care benefits, and 40% of those veterans rely exclusively on Medicaid for all their health care. Further, approximately 400,000 veterans are uninsured. Given their income, half of these uninsured veterans should be eligible for Medicaid, as long as looming cuts dont change eligibility requirements. In addition, 1.2 million veterans received aid through the federally funded supplemental nutritional access program, or SNAP. Working-age veterans face an elevated risk of experiencing food insecurity compared to their nonveteran peers. Veterans are still overrepresented among the homeless population. Many do not have financial flexibility to make up for these cuts. Making good on a promise All Americans are affected by Trumps federal funding cuts. But as my research shows, the budget-slashing looks to be especially hard on those who served in the military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The media and political blowback against Trumps cuts has already begun. Negatively impacted veterans are gaining increasing visibility. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have begun calling on the Department of Defense to prioritize retaining and rehiring veterans. The first Trump administration committed to expanding services for veterans. Now, its executing a stark policy reversal with acute consequences for the very same veterans the U.S. government promised to protect and serve since the countrys founding. Jamie Rowen, Associate Professor of Legal Studies and Political Science, UMass Amherst This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) Lakeshore Fire and Greece Police helped guide people off the lake at Braddock Bay after five people fell through the ice Monday afternoon. According to Lakeshore Fire, all five people were rescued and treated for minor injuries. Photos of the rescue mission taken by David Beadling. The Coast Guard was also called in to assist with the rescue. Lakeshore Fire urged people to stay off the ice as the weather begins to warm up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a developing story. You can check back here 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 RochesterFirst. Russias war against Ukraine is not only about Ukraines freedom and survival, but also about the future of Europes hard security. Russia wants to replace the cooperative, democratic security order in Europe, the principles of which were outlined 50 years ago in the Helsinki Final Act, with one where might makes right and Russia is an empire dominating large swathes of Europe. This would pose an existential security threat to the European Union and its member states. The EUs decision to open accession negotiations with Ukraine is a geostrategic investment that could strengthen the European security order and prevent Russia from achieving its ambitions. It does so not only by defending Ukraines sovereign right to pursue a European path, but also by securing military capabilities and strategic resources for the EU. However, even though Ukraine could contribute to the EUs security in the long term as a full member, it is primarily Europe that must ensure Ukraines security. NATO membership remains Ukraines goal it is enshrined in the constitution and supported by a clear majority of Ukrainian citizens. However, there is currently no consensus within NATO on extending an invitation to Ukraine. This could change quickly, and European countries are right to insist that Ukrainian NATO membership would be the best and cheapest option for ensuring security in the North Atlantic area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nonetheless, the prospects for Ukrainian NATO membership remain distant, so the EU must seriously consider how it can secure its geostrategic investment an EU eastward enlargement without security guarantees under NATOs Article 5. The EU may also face fundamentally new and urgent military challenges in light of U.S. President Donald Trumps expressed ambition to reach a ceasefire deal in Russias war. While the form of such a deal and the prospects for reaching it are far from certain, any form of ceasefire settlement would need to be followed by credible security assurances to Ukraine. Without this, Ukraine would be defenseless against renewed Russian aggression (as happened after the conclusion of the Minsk agreements). The possibility that EU member states and countries like the U.K. and Norway would have to deploy troops on Ukrainian territory in the case of a ceasefire deal cannot be ruled out. Against this backdrop, the need to step up the EUs hard security is not a distant task that needs to be realized only after Ukraine joins the EU. To secure an eastward EU enlargement and address potentially immediate military challenges, the EU must deliver on its ambition to become a geostrategic actor, both on its own and in close cooperation with NATO. It must show, through deeds, that it has both the political resolve and the capabilities to defend itself and its core interests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of the measures needed to achieve that ambition will require deviations from the status quo and reassessments of the EUs role. The feasibility of implementing the required steps to ensure the EUs hard security will not only stem from political desire in European capitals, but also from external circumstances and pressure from the U.S. These factors may provide the sense of necessity that, as in the past, enables EU member states to unite, shape, and reshape European cooperation. First, European policymakers should consider implementing key institutional reforms in foreign and security policy. Currently, the EUs Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) remains intergovernmental; since decisions require consensus among member states, EU action can suffer from a lack of timeliness and effectiveness. A move to qualified majority voting (QMV) in the CFSP would enhance the EUs policymaking efficiency and could arguably be done without a Treaty change. QMV has been discussed in the past, but todays geopolitical challenges could provide the impetus to move ahead with it. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (C-L), Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal (C-R), European Commissioners, and Ukrainian government members pose for a photo before a joint meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 24, 2025, marking the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion. (Maxym Marusenko / NurPhoto via Getty Images) The CFSP is also an area that Ukraine and Moldova could be integrated into immediately, for example, by allowing them to participate in key CFSP decision-making forums and by integrating them into EU security initiatives such as the European Defence Agency (EDA) and Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Second, the EUs enhanced geostrategic role will require large-scale investments and efforts in security and defense. Defense spending in member states would need to exceed at least 3% of GDP, a significant portion of which would be devoted to military assistance to Ukraine and investments in the Ukrainian defense industry. The European Council conclusions on European defense from March 6 welcomed the European Commissions plans to facilitate increased national defense spending and provide member states with defense loans. They also called on the European Investment Bank (EIB) to adapt its lending practices to the defense industry, re-evaluate the list of excluded activities and increase the volume of available funding. These conclusions outline necessary steps in the right direction. Taking on EU common debt through defense bonds could also offer financial firepower for closing capability gaps and strengthening Europes defense infrastructure. For such a step to be viable, countries that have traditionally opposed joint debt would need to change their frugal positions. Third, if the EU is to succeed in taking on a new role in world politics, European leaders must improve their strategic communication with citizens. A change in strategic culture in Europe based on an understanding among citizens of, for example, why enlargement is a geostrategic investment, why enlargement needs security, and the urgent military challenges the EU might face will be key to ensuring domestic support for investments in security and defense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Strategic communication with the citizens of EU member states about the concrete contributions that candidate countries can make to the EUs security and economic prosperity as full member states will also play an important role. Fourth, greater and closer cooperation between the EU and NATO will be necessary to ensure effective complementarity and intelligence sharing between the two organizations. One step could be sealing a new partnership between the EU and NATO, under which the EU would use its financial and regulatory tools to help member states fulfill NATO capability requirements and enforce more strictly defined NATO standardization agreements for equipment and ammunition to enhance interoperability. Trilateral exchanges between the EU, NATO, and groups of EU member states on creating military mobility corridors and consolidating multinational military logistics would further strengthen cooperation and could be proactively suggested to the U.S. by European states. Fifth, bearing in mind the possibility of a military operation on Ukrainian territory, European states should ensure they create the structures necessary for its implementation. There is a need to establish a joint military command, along with various staff structures, responsible for planning both the operation itself and potential reinforcements for deployed troops in the event of a crisis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, logistics and intelligence structures will need to be set up, and the military units that could participate must be identified. Ideally, these would be multinational formations already established within the framework of NATOs joint command in Europe, such as the Multinational Corps Northeast. The question of possible independent military operations by European NATO members, without the participation of the U.S., has arisen several times in NATOs history. These ideas have traditionally been rejected by Washington, partly because of concerns that an increasingly autonomous Europe would undermine U.S. authority in NATO, duplicate NATO resources, and threaten NATO cohesion. If Washington is shifting its approach to Europe's security, now may be the right time to revisit the idea of establishing European cells within NATO. This would allow Europe to take on the primary responsibility for ensuring Ukraines (and Europes) security, while maintaining critical U.S. support within NATO for logistics, airlift, and strategic reconnaissance. Editors Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. The article summarizes the results of a longer SCEEUS report, linked here. Submit an Opinion Read also: Come to Bucha, JD Vance Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The U.S. educational landscape has been drastically transformed since the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered school campuses five years ago. Access to high-quality teachers and curriculum developed by teachers is shrinking, for example. Likewise, there has been a loss of emotional support for students and a decline in the school use of technology and social media. As education scholars focused on literacy practices in schools, here are five ways we believe the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid shift to remote learning and back has transformed education: 1. Teachers are leaving, and those staying are stressed At the start of the 2024-2025 school year, 82% of U.S. public schools had teaching vacancies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schools have tried to adapt by expanding class sizes and hiring substitute teachers. They have also increased use of video conferencing to Zoom teachers into classrooms. A teacher works from her home due to the COVID-19 outbreak on April 1, 2020, in Arlington, Va. Olivier Doulier/AFP via Getty Images Teacher retention has been a problem for at least a decade. But after the pandemic, there was an increase in the number of teachers who considered leaving the profession earlier than expected. When teachers leave, often in the middle of the school year, it can require their colleagues to step in and cover extra classes. This means teachers who stay are overworked and possibly not teaching in their area of certification. This, in turn, leads to burnout. It also increases the likelihood that students will not have highly qualified teachers in some hard-to-fill positions like physical science and English. 2. Increase in scripted curriculum As of fall 2024, 40 states and Washington had passed science of reading laws, which mandate evidence-based reading instruction rooted in phonics and other foundational skills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the laws dont necessarily lead to scripted curriculum, most states have chosen to mandate reading programs that require teachers to adhere to strict pacing. They also instruct teachers not to deviate from the teachers manual. Many of these reading programs came under scrutiny by curricular evaluators from New York University in 2022. They found the most common elementary reading programs were culturally destructive or culturally insufficient meaning they reinforce stereotypes and portray people of color in inferior and destructive ways that reinforce stereotypes. This leaves teachers to try to navigate the mandated curriculum alongside the needs of their students, many of whom are culturally and linguistically diverse. They either have to ignore the mandated script or ignore their students. Neither method allows teachers to be effective. When teachers are positioned as implementers of curriculum instead of professionals who can be trusted to make decisions, it can lead to student disengagement and a lack of student responsiveness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This form of de-professionalization is a leading cause of teacher shortages. Teachers are most effective, research shows, when they feel a sense of agency, something that is undermined by scripted teaching. 3. Improvements in teen mental health, but theres more to do Many of the narratives surrounding adolescent mental health, particularly since the pandemic, paint a doomscape of mindless social media use and isolation. However, data published in 2024 shows improvements in teen reports of persistent sadness and hopelessness. Though the trend is promising in terms of mental health, in-school incidences of violence and bullying rose in 2021-22, and many teens report feeling unsafe at school. Other reports have shown an increase in feelings of loneliness and isolation among teens since the pandemic. 4. Crackdown on students technology use in schools COVID-19 prompted schools to make an abrupt switch to educational technology, and many schools have kept many of these policies in place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For example, Google Classroom and other learning management systems are commonly used in many schools, particularly in middle school and high school. These platforms can help parents engage with their childrens coursework. That facilitates conversations and parental awareness. But this reliance on screens has also come under fire for privacy issues the sharing of personal information and sensitive photos and increasing screen time. And with academias use of technology on the rise, cellphone usage has also increased among U.S. teens, garnering support for school cellphone bans. A student attends an online class at the Crenshaw Family YMCA on Feb. 17, 2021, in Los Angeles during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images But banning these devices in schools may not help teens, as smartphone use is nearly universal in the U.S. Teens need support from educators to support them as they learn to navigate the complex digital world safely, efficiently and with balance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In light of data surrounding adolescent mental health and online isolation and the potential for connection through digital spaces its also important that teens are aware of positive support networks that are available online. Though these spaces can provide social supports, it is important for teens to understand the strengths and limitations of technology and receive authentic guidance from adults that a technology ban may prohibit. 5. Students and adults need social emotional support Students returned to in-person schooling with a mix of skill levels and with a variety of social and emotional needs. Social and emotional learning includes self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relational skills and decision-making. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These skills are vital for academic success and social relationships. Teachers reported higher student needs for social and emotional learning after they returned to in-person instruction. While some of this social and emotional teaching came under fire from lawmakers and parents, this was due to confusion about what it actually entailed. These skills do not constitute a set of values or beliefs that parents may not agree with. Rather, they allow students to self-regulate and navigate social situations by explicitly teaching students about feelings and behaviors. A teacher provides instruction to a student at Freedom Preparatory Academy on Feb. 10, 2021, in Provo, Utah. George Frey/Getty Images One area where students may need support is with cognitive flexibility, or the ability to adapt to current situations and keep an open mind. Classroom instruction that engages students in varied tasks and authentic teaching strategies rooted in real-life scenarios can strengthen this ability in students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Besides allowing students to be engaged members of a school community, cognitive flexibility is important because it supports the skill development that is part of many state English language arts and social studies standards. Social and emotional learning and cognitive flexibility are key components that allow students to learn. Due to vague or confusing state policies, many schools have stopped teaching social and emotional learning skills, or minimized their use. This, coupled with teacher stress and burnout, means that both adults and children in schools are often not getting their social and emotional needs met. Message of mistrust While we described five shifts since the start of the pandemic, the overall trend in K-12 schools is one of mistrust. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We feel that the message from districts, state legislators and parents is that teachers cannot be trusted to make choices. This represents a massive shift. During the initial phase of the COVID-19 lockdown, teachers were revered and thanked for their service. We believe in teacher autonomy and professionalism, and we hope this list can help Americans reflect on the direction of the past five years. If society wants a different outcome in the next five years, it starts with trust. 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: Rachel Besharat Mann, Wesleyan University and Gravity Goldberg, Wesleyan University Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov reported on his contacts and meetings with Ukrainian partners regarding new support packages, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. "Ukrainian Defense Minister Umerov reported on his contacts and meetings with our partners regarding new support packages," he said in an evening video address on Sunday. The President noted that Poland is preparing support packages and continues to participate in the Czech initiative on ammunition. We expect Germany to accelerate the supply of air defense systems, IRIS-T systems and ammunition for them. "It is extremely important that Germany realizes the role of one of the largest security pillars of Europe and the modern free world. We do appreciate this," Zelenskyy said. He also noted the work at the level of EU institutions to bridge existing supply deficits. "The Netherlands is ready to continue investing in weapons production in Ukraine. The Nordic and Baltic countries are fully supportive, and this means new packages, new investments in weapons production, new political initiatives that will strengthen us all - both Ukraine and Europe. I want to thank all partners," the president emphasized. The Healey administration hopes to save Massachusetts ratepayers billions of dollars in costs over the next five years by redirecting some clean energy-related charges that drive up utility bills, expanding discount programs, and stabilizing the local energy supply. WATCH: Mass. Gov. Healey announces plan to lower energy bills, prevent future price hikes Much of the savings is long-term, but immediate relief is planned in the form of $50 credits on April electric bills for residential customers of Eversource, National Grid and Unitil, Gov. Maura Healey announced Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To pay for that one-time relief, the state will redirect about $125 million collected from Alternative Compliance Payments (ACP), which retail electricity suppliers can pay to help fulfill their requirements to use a certain amount of renewable or alternative energy sources. ACP funds normally promote clean energy projects or technology that reduces demand. The redirection of clean energy funds for electric bill relief builds on a previous move to reduce March and April natural gas bills by about 10 percent. Look, I know the bills, Healey said. I get them myself. And I know many families and businesses have been really shocked and hurt by the spike in the cost of natural gas. This is not the time for big, sudden increases. Its unacceptable. And thats why I demanded DPU take action to lower utility bills. Healeys plan also calls for the Department of Public Utilities to examine new potential regulations on competitive electric suppliers. Watchdogs -- including Healey herself when she was attorney general -- have accused those third-party companies of predatory tactics, but industry leaders argue they can help customers save money and legislative efforts to prohibit them from selling power to residents stalled in the House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Altogether, Healeys office estimated the constellation of actions, including elimination of the Solar Renewable Energy Certificate I and II program, expanded auto-enrollment in discount rates, and the arrival of power from the New England Clean Energy Connect program could save about $5.8 billion over a five-year span. Healey said she also plans to file an energy affordability and independence bill at some point in the coming weeks, echoing a pledge she first made to business leaders two weeks ago. I need to see businesses and residents better protected against high gas bills, high heating bills, Healey said. Thats what this is going to do. This isnt a climate bill. This is an energy independence, energy reliability, energy affordability bill. The governor held the energy costs press conference at Community Teamworks in Lowell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the press conference, she expressed concern about the effect tariffs are already having on the construction industry in Massachusetts -- and is concerned what might happen if the House congressional budget proposal passes. If that were to be passed, in our state alons two million residents, including 700,000 children and 200,000 seniors would lose health care, she said. Health care costs would double for 300,000 using the health connector marketplace. 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 six people were killed and 22 others injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past day, regional officials reported on March 10. Ukraines Air Force said it had intercepted 130 of the 176 Russian drones launched overnight, including Shahed-type attack drones. Another 42 drones reportedly disappeared from radars before reaching their targets, indicating they were likely decoys meant to overwhelm Ukraine's air defenses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare systems, aviation, and mobile fire groups repelled the attack. In Donetsk Oblast, three civilians were killed two in Pokrovsk and one in Zoria. Six others were wounded, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin. Three more civilians a woman and two men were killed in Kharkiv Oblast by an explosive device dropped from a Russian drone, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported. Another woman was injured in the attack. In Kherson Oblast, nine people were injured, according to Governor Oleksandr Prokudin. In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a 56-year-old woman was hospitalized and is in moderate condition as a result of a Russian attack, and an 18-year-old girl was treated at the scene, Governor Serhii Lysak said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, a 16-year-old boy and two men, aged 65 and 67, were wounded. A 79-year-old woman was also injured in an artillery strike, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported. Read also: Ukraine to push for resumption of US military, intelligence support at Saudi talks, FT reports Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) The Regional Tibetan Association of Massachusetts is observing the 66th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising. Dozens of arrests, medical transports after Blarney Blowout at UMass Several events were held on Monday at Amherst Town Hall at 9:00 a.m. Town council members read a proclamation, followed by the Walk for Tibet, an eight-mile peace march from Amherst to Northampton. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supporters waved Tibetan flags along the route nine as they walked from Amherst to Northampton. Easthampton also raised the Tibetan flag in front of city hall Monday afternoon. The origins of this day go back to March 10, 1959, when over 300,000 Tibetans surrounded the Norbulingka Palace in Lhasa to prevent the Chinese Army from abducting His Holiness the Dalai Lama, according to Regional Tibetan Association of Massachusetts. By March 17, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was forced to flee into exile in India, while the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army unleashed a crackdown on Lhasa, killing thousands and destroying countless Buddhist monasteries. Tenzin Nyima told 22News, There they have no religious rights. The monasteries are being destroyed. Theres no language rights even to hold this Tibetan flag in Tibet, you will be behind bars. We spoke with Thondup Tserin, one of the members of this group. He told 22News that this movement relies on the younger generations, The younger generation taking on the preservation of Tibetan culture and identity, and carrying on the torch of the Tibetan freedom movement is critical, a couple of them are actually leading the chant and so its very very critical and important for our movement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think the fight for Tibet is not just a fight of Tibetans alone, Tserin adds. Its a fight for freedom. Its a fight for justice. Its a fight for peace. Its a fight for human rights. > 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. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) Seven students in the Sioux City Community School District were expelled on Monday afternoon. The school board met for seven special closed sessions, one for each student, to discuss the expulsions. After each session, the board voted to expel each student. Board members Dan Greenwell and Earl Miller were absent for at least the first three special sessions, according to replays of the meetings. The students expulsions are effective now until the start of the next school year, when the affected students could possibly return. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The students identities and the schools they attended will not be released. 2 adults arrested in West Middle School fight facing new charge Leslie Heying, the districts communications director, provided a statement after the expulsions, saying in part that the decision to expel students is very serious and one of the most difficult decisions that must be made. Read the full statement below: The District has strict code of conduct expectations to ensure our schools are safe for students and staff. Code of conduct violations are not tolerated, and when they occur, district leadership makes disciplinary recommendations, up to and including expulsion, to the school board. The expulsion of a student is very serious. The decision to expel a student is one of the most difficult decisions our school board faces. Expulsions due to fighting or acts of violence are especially disappointing. The District has and will continue to take action against any individual who engages in violence on school property. Our students and families count on us to keep our schools safe, and we are steadfast in our commitment to safety. Statement from the Sioux City Community School District Thought the school district didnt say exactly what led to the expulsions, they come less than two weeks after a large fight broke out at West Middle School. The police department said that there were nine individuals involved in the fight, including both parents and students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One adult, Channing Walker, was arrested at the time. Three students and another adult, Rebecca Orellana Gomez, were arrested in the following days. All were charged with participating in a riot. Since then, Walker and Orellana Gomez both now face an additional charge. This is the third time this school year that there have been expulsions. The expulsions in the last few months account for all 20 expulsions this school year. In early December, 10 students were expelled from the school district for the school year. Another three were expelled in early January. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) The Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity is awarding $3 million in state funding to different school systems including seven in West Michigan to help adults who do not have a high school diploma start a career training program. More than 600,000 adults in Michigan do not have a high school diploma. LEO hopes to help as many as possible find high-wage, in-demand careers. Sign up for the Storm Team 8 daily forecast newsletter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We want every Michigander, no matter who they are, to have a chance to learn more and earn more with a high-quality public education and a path to a good-paying job, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement. Getting this done also helps businesses expand in Michigan by connecting them with the talent they need to succeed. Lets keep working together to make our state an even better place to live, work and invest. In all, 15 school districts/programs will receive grants from the Michigan Adult Education 23+ High School Diploma Program. Seven of them are in West Michigan: Allegan Public Schools: $41,000 Belding Area School District: $40,000 Central Montcalm Public Schools: $56,000 Fremont Public School District: $15,000 Orchard View Schools: $150,000 Sparta Area Schools: $150,000 Zeeland Public Schools: $31,500 The grants will be used for dropout reengagement services, academic intake assessments and integrated learning plans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adults without a high school diploma can contact their nearest adult education provider. LEO has a tool on its website to help find those services. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BEDFORD, Va. (WFXR) Bedford and Campbell County Sheriffs Office investigators made an arrest on Saturday, March 8 with the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. 82-year-old Jack Smith of Midlothian was arrested after allegedly communicating with an underage victim online for several weeks. Midlothian then allegedly planned to meet with the victim in person and on March 8, drove to the Bedford County area. Police believe Midlothian intended on meeting the victim, however, he was taken into custody by the Task Force Members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vinton man charged with sexual exploitation and child pornography charges Investigators with the help of the Chesterfield County Police Department went to Midlothian and then executed a search warrant for more evidence. Smith was charged with the following: Use of a communications system to commit certain offenses involving children Second or subsequent offense, Use of a communications system to commit certain offenses involving children. The investigation is ongoing, and more charges may be pending after the completion of a digital forensic analysis of the seized evidence. Anyone with more information on Smith or the case is to contact the Bedford County Sheriffs Office at 540-586-4800. 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 WFXRtv. A kaleidoscopic cloud hangs over India, where revellers mark the arrival of spring by throwing powdered dye with abandon, spraying water, and flooding the streets for raucous fun. Holi may be traditionally Hindu, but everyone is equal during this holiday. This year on March 14, color will hide all class lines, the caste system will disappear, and foreigners will join the locals. Underneath the dancing and colorful chaos lies unique culture and deeply rooted tradition. Heres what you need to know about Holi. 1. The fun starts early The colorful party makes up just one part of Holi. The night before, on Holika Dahan (the evening of bonfires), revelers set a symbolic effigy ablaze to commemorate the demise of the demoness Holika. People throw the famed, colored powder on Rangwali Holi, the second and most famous day of the festival. People prepare much earlier by purchasing the powder and kids excitedly practice their aim. In the Braj region of India, Holi celebrations stretch for 16 days. 2. Good triumphs over evil Holi gets its name from Holika, the demoness sister of evil King Hiranyakashyap in Hindu mythology. As the story goes, the villainous king tried to forbid his son Prahlad from worshiping one of the Hindu gods, Vishnu, but Prahlad persisted despite his father. So the king ordered Prahlad and Holika (who was immune to fire) to sit on a pyre, a wooden structure for burning a body as part of a funeral or execution. When the flames struck, Holika burnt to death in spite of her immunity to fire, and miraculously Prahlad prevailed because he called on the help of Lord Vishnu. So Holi celebrations serve as a reminder of the triumph of good over evil, reflecting the Hindu belief that faith and devotion leads to salvation that can be attained by everyone who believes. 3. Getting stuffed Families across India lovingly prepare gujiya, a dumpling-like sweet that filled with dried fruits and nuts spiced with cardamom. Countless variations exist, but common fillings include pistachios, cashews, coconut, and raisins, which everyone enjoys during fiery Holika Dahan. Lathmar Holi, celebrated some days ahead of the actual Holi festival in the twin towns of Barsana and Nandgaon, translates as that Holi in which people hit with sticks. Photograph by STR/AFP/Getty Images 4. Toasting with cannabis milk Some people toast Holi with a bhanga milky beverage mixed with a paste of the buds and leaves of cannabis grown high in the Himalayas. Consumed for 3,000 years, this cannabis milkshake connects through mythology to the powerful monk god Shivaand sold in government-run bhang shops. 5. Why the dye? Legend holds that after being cursed with blue skin by a demon, Krishna worried that his fair-skinned consort, Radha, would no longer love him. When he complained to his mother Yashoda, she teasingly replied for Krishna to paint Radhas face whatever color he chose, so he did. The flying multihued pigments, called gulal, remind of the story of Krishna. A worker sifts colored powder, known as gulal, inside a village factory on the outskirts of Siliguri. Importing products is more common and comes cheaper, but there's a growing movement to return to Indian-made. Photograph by DIPTENDU DUTTA, AFP/Getty Images 6. Natural roots, modernized Back in the day, gulal was made from flowers, spices, and other natural materials like the brilliant Indian Coral Tree and the Flame of the Forest plants, offering medicinal properties and benefits for the skin. Synthetic dyes became common in the mid-19th century. Today, most gulal used during Holi is synthetic from China, although the Indian government promotes national products and return to plant-based dyes. In 2012, around 200 people were admitted to a Mumbai hospital suffering from color poisoning. 7. Meaningful colors Much more than painting a pretty picture, the colors hold special significance. Red dye symbolizes love, fertility, and matrimony. Blue represents Krishna, while green stands for new beginnings. Red dye symbolizes love, fertility, and matrimony. Photograph by Pankaj Nangia, India Today Group/Getty Images 8. Cleaning up To preempt disaster, Hindus are advised to moisturize hair and skin well to help prevent the gulal from staining. Clothes typically do not survive. 9. Joining the fun Holi expands well beyond the Indian continent. Hindus celebrate in Bangladesh and Pakistan, plus other countries with large diaspora populations like Suriname, South Africa, and Malaysia. The United Kingdom and the United States also hold parties, concerts, and events across the country, making it possible for many to join the festivities. AACSB CEO Lily Bi says the reframing of diversity and inclusion in the agencys guidelines are meant to protect member business schools President Donald Trumps campaign to stamp out diversity, equity, and inclusion policies has caused the top global accrediting body to reframe its once-loud embrace of diversity and inclusion. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) has replaced diversity and inclusion with community and connectedness in its guiding principles for accredited schools. The update by the AACSB follows widespread criticism of DEI efforts by Trump and his Republican allies, who argue that such initiatives constitute an immense public waste and shameful discrimination. The change reflects an about-face for the AACSB. Only six months ago, Lisa Ordonez, dean of the Rady School of Management at UC San Diego, expressed gratitude towards the AACSB for promoting diversity in business education, especially amid challenges to DEI programs in various states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just last week, the University of Virginia became the latest state school to abandon a DEI initiative. The universitys governing board voted on Friday to dissolve the schools office of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin, who appointed the majority of members on UVAs Board of Visitors, praised the decision to remove the DEI office, saying the board voted for common sense. DEI is done at the University of Virginia, Youngkin said in a statement. A FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP Nonetheless, the AACSB retreat has sparked immediate criticism of the agency on social media. Critics argue that the change undermines efforts to promote DEI in business education education and that the AACSB is yielding to political pressures, potentially hindering progress toward more inclusive educational environments. The backlash against the AACSB has been loudest in Europe where business schools have taken the lead on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) initiatives. Ioannis Ioannou, an associate professor of strategy at London Business School, calls the decision a failure of leadership. In a post on LinkedIn, he wrote that business schools are responsible for shaping the next generation of leaders. What kind of message does this send? That principles are only worth defending when they are convenient? That commitments to fairness and representation can be erased the moment they become contentious? Even more troubling is the claim that the AACSBs mission remains the same. If that were true, the words wouldnt need to disappear. Words matter. Commitments matter. Leadership is about standing firm in the face of pressurenot backing down when it becomes politically uncomfortable. Adds Guido Palazzo, a professor of business ethics at the University of Lausanne: This is pre-emptive sycophant obedience. Isnt that a good opportunity to drop this accreditation system in Europe? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes not the only critic to question the organizations viability. Time for a new accreditation body, chimed in David Jacobs, an adjunct professor at American University and a lecturer at George Washington University. What next?, asked Edward OConnor, a lecturer & researcher at the School of Business at Maynooth University in Ireland. An approved list of texts and books? Time to rethink being a part of an organisation such as this! IF SOMEBODY WEAPONIZES THIS CONCEPT, WE DONT WANT THIS WEAPON SHOOTING OUR MEMBERS The AACSB says it made the change to mitigate legal and political risks for member schools, particularly in the U.S. states that have imposed restrictions on DEI initiatives. Despite the updated language, the agency maintains that its mission and values remain unchanged and that it continues to support inclusive educational environments. By adopting more neutral language, the AACSB hopes to protect its member business schools from potential legal challenges. A spokesperson tells Poets&Quants that the decision to make changes was made together with AACSB board of directors and accreditation committee after a thorough and comprehensive due process. AACSB is hosting two virtual town halls for its members this week on March 12 and 13th. They will be led by Stephanie Bryant, chief accreditation officer for the AACSB. In a memo to the AACSBs more than 1,000 members, the agency said the change in wording reflected the current legal and political environment surrounding higher education and accreditation and reframed terms that have become politicized in the US and around the world . . . with a goal to proactively mitigate risks for our members and strengthen the organisations long-term stability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lily Bi, chief executive of the AACSB, told the Financial Times that DEI has become a very complex, evolving concept and very much politicized in the U.S. and that the accrediting body had changed its wording to mitigate the risks for business schools in 27 U.S. states which had already imposed restrictions on DEI programs. At the time, Bi did not respond to Poets&Quants request for an interview. The change will likely dominate the conversation at the organizations forthcoming international conference and annual meeting in Vienna next month. OUR MISSION DOESNT CHANGE, OUR VALUES DONT CHANGE She added that schools were facing tremendous challenges with the need to comply with local laws, maintain finances and uphold AACSB accreditation. Honestly, our mission doesnt change, our values dont change. We still have inclusivity, and we remain committed to the substance of DEI. If somebody weaponises this concept, we dont want this weapon shooting our members. Its better than nothing. There is no future-proof solution. If you take no action, that is the worst action. Bi became CEO of the accrediting body in June of 2023 after a long stint with the Institute of Internal Auditors. When she joined AACSB, the non-profit organization was reporting a loss in surplus revenue, which has since been reversed. AACSB reported record revenue of $26.6 million in the fiscal year 2024 ending June 30th, with expenses of $26.4 million for a net surplus of $221,000. Those numbers reflect a swing of some $2.2 million from the year-earlier revenue. In 2023, AACSB reported revenue of $23.7 million, with expenses of $25.5 million, reflecting a loss of $2 million. DONT MISS: AACSB CHIEF: WHAT KEEPS B-SCHOOL DEANS UP AT NIGHT The post AACSB Faces A Social Media Backlash Over Dropping Diversity Guidelines appeared first on Poets&Quants. Musk: Starlink to never turn off terminals, no matter how much I disagree with Ukraine's policy Elon Musk said that he would never turn off the Starlink terminals for Ukraine, no matter how much he disagrees with Ukraine's policy. "To be extremely clear, no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals," he wrote on X. Musk claims that without Starlink, Ukrainian lines would collapse, as the Russians can jam all other communications. "We would never do such a thing or use it as a bargaining chip," he stressed. And the Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States, Oksana Markarova, called cooperation with Elon Musk's team "a true partnership." "From my first meeting with Starlink team even before the full scale invasion to many engagements during these 3 years, our cooperation was nothing but true partnership. THANK YOU," she wrote on X. As reported, Musk previously stated that the Starlink system is "the foundation of the Ukrainian army" and that "their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off." Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski responded to Elon Musk's statement about the possibility of turning off Starlink for the Ukrainian army, indicating that access for Ukrainian units is paid for by Poland. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that no one threatened to disconnect Ukraine from Starlink. An out-of-service Rhode Island Public Transit Authority bus is stopped at Kennedy Plaza in downtown Providence in April 2024. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current) State employees whose personal data was breached in a ransomware attack on the Rhode Island Public Transit Authoritys (RIPTA) network in 2021 could be eligible for up to $7,500 in compensation, under a proposed settlement agreement recently filed in Providence Superior Court. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Rhode Island announced the settlement Monday to end its lawsuit against RIPTA and UnitedHealthcare New England over claims that they failed to encrypt and secure personal information for potentially as many as 19,608 current and former state employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats the number of people who received notifications that their personal information may have been exposed. However, a data breach report RIPTA was required to file with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights indicates 5,015 people were impacted. The class-action lawsuit, filed in 2022, claims UnitedHealthcare and RIPTA violated state law requiring timely notification of the breach that files containing Social Security numbers as well as insurance claim information were illegally obtained by a third-party from the bus agencys server. Under the proposed settlement, RIPTA and UnitedHealthcare would establish a $350,000 settlement fund, with the possibility of an additional $25,000 if claims exceed that amount. State employees whose data was exposed can request up to $1,000 for out-of-pocket expenses made because of the breach, $15 per hour (for up to four hours) for any time lost dealing with the fallout of the 2021 hack, and up to $7,500 for any extraordinary losses such as identity theft or fraud. Those affected by the data breach would also be eligible for five years of free credit monitoring. The ACLU estimates the value of the credit monitoring for all affected state employees would exceed $16.4 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Data breach settlements are not just about providing financial compensation, Peter Wasylyk, the ACLUs lead attorney in the lawsuit, said in a statement. No data breach settlement offering only financial compensation can undo all of the lasting negative consequences of a data breach. Wasylyk, a former Rhode Island state representative, is also at the center of a class-action lawsuit against Deloitte Consulting over its role in the 2024 data breach on the states public benefits system. No data breach settlement offering only financial compensation can undo all of the lasting negative consequences of a data breach. Peter Wasylyk, the ACLUs lead attorney in case Some of those named in the breach were victims of fraudulent transactions, according to the lawsuit. WPRI 12 reported at the time that RIPTA paid the hackers $170,000 to get its systems back and prevent further spread of personal information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The breach occurred in August 2021, but was not disclosed until December. State law requires notification within 30 days for state and municipal agencies. RIPTA has since updated its internal policy and practices to prevent similar data breaches, according to the March 7 court filing. Federal regulations require agencies and organizations covered by the federal law known as HIPAA, for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, to report data breaches that impact 500 or more people to HHS. RIPTA responded to the breach by retraining staff and enacting new administrative, technical and security safeguards to protect personal information, according to information listed in the HHS online portal. Data retention wasnt great The RIPTA breach was cited at the inaugural meeting of the Rhode Island Senate Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies last month, in a presentation by Douglas Alexander, director of the Institute for Cybersecurity & Emerging Technologies at Rhode Island College. Alexander offered the breach as a cautionary example of how state agencies can manage data poorly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Certainly the RIPTA breach was an instance where data retention wasnt great, because there were employees in that database that were not even RIPTA employees, he told senators. RIPTA CEO Christopher Durand said he was to reach a mutually agreeable settlement. This settlement was the product of lengthy good faith negotiations and successful mediation efforts. We look forward to finalizing and implementing the parties proposed settlement and continuing to focus on our core mission, Durand said in a statement. UnitedHealthcare spokesperson Tony Marusic called protecting members privacy a top priority for the health insurer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the events in question did not involve a breach of any of UnitedHealthcares systems, we are pleased the parties could agree on a resolution that, if approved by the court, will end this litigation, Marusic said in an emailed statement. Superior Court Judge Brian Stern is scheduled to consider preliminary approval of the ACLUs proposed settlement on March 31. This story was updated to include comment from UnitedHealthcare spokesperson Tony Marusic. Reporter Alexander Castro contributed to this story. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A protester punched by a Chicago police officer at a heated 2020 demonstration is now in line to get a $280,000 settlement from the city. Activist Miracle Boyd lost a front tooth at a protest near Grant Parks Christopher Columbus statue when former Officer Nicholas Jovanovich struck her phone, causing it to hit her face, according to a Civilian Office of Police Accountability report. Finance Committee aldermen advanced the settlement Monday, setting it up for a final vote Wednesday. Before the committees 22-to-7 vote decision, Boyd told the aldermen the damage went far beyond her teeth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I remember it like yesterday, because for some reason I cant get over the harm that was caused to me, she said. There is no reason why that officer should have done that, because it was already decided that I deserved this. Boyd and Ald. Nick Sposato, 38th, briefly argued during her public comment after Sposato called her a phony. Later, the Northwest Side alderman referred to a video of Boyd joking about her success raising money on a GoFundMe after her injury and argued that the protest was filled with professional anarchists. These people were there to do nothing but wreak havoc, fight with the police, tear down the statue because they didnt agree with the art thats been up for 90 years, Sposato told aldermen. Wed be a bunch of fools to support this money. Former Chicago police Superintendent David Brown said days after the protest that agitators had hijacked the demonstration and injured nearly 50 officers. The statue was not toppled during the protest, but was removed by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot a week later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Department of Law attorney Caroline Fronczak said the settlement would be used in part to pay legal fees. Eight officers captured body-worn camera footage of the altercation, but the two officers primarily involved, including Jovanovich, were not recording such video, she added. COPA determined Jovanovich used unnecessary and excessive force when he hit Boyd and stopped her from recording a police encounter. He resigned his police position in April 2022. He had been set to move on to the Chicago Police Board for a disciplinary trial, where he faced firing. Boyd has worked as an organizer with the anti-violence group GoodKidsMadCity, an organization for which Mayor Brandon Johnson has shared strong support. Ald. Jeanette Taylor, 20th, highlighted her own relationship with the group to argue the deal should be approved. I really dont feel like I have to say anything, Taylor said. $280,000 is not enough to fix what was broken that day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The council also approved three additional settlements totaling $2.9 million tied to police driving. One case involved a $400,000 deal for a pedestrian struck by a squad car when an officer ran a red light. The officer was distracted by a call, and the person he hit has since suffered chronic traumatic headaches, city attorney Margaret Mendenhall Casey said. In the two additional settlements, drivers pursued by police in alleged violation of Chicago Police Department chase policies hit and killed victims. Officers had pursued an erratic driver at 87 mph without alerting supervisors ahead of the crash that killed 40-year-old Mignonne Robinson, Mendenhall Casey said. The evading driver pleaded guilty to reckless homicide and was sentenced to over three years in prison, she said. Ahead of another crash in the Garfield Park neighborhood, police pursued a driver who had committed a traffic offense at 30 mph in an alleyway, Mendenhall Casey said. The February 2020 crash killed 54-year-old Ezell Ricky Island. The settlements for the victims families are for $1 million and $1.5 million, respectively. Mar. 10Bayzhigoogahbahweekwe Matrious, 32, of Suttons Bay, Michigan, was taken into custody 2:14 p.m. March 3, on Interstate 80 in Adair on the charges of OWI, first offense and possession of a controlled substance marijuana, first offense. She was additionally cited for open container and failure to maintain control. According to an Iowa State Patrol report, at approximately 12:13 p.m. a single vehicle rollover was reported near mile marker 74. A Kia Telluride went deep into the north ditch, through the cable barriers, damaged 20 posts and rolled several times. A female, later identified as Matrious, and a male were being tended to by medics when troopers arrived at the scene. The male told them the female had been driving and took the corner too fast. He denied either had been drinking. When troopers approached Matrious, she was observed to be acting belligerent toward medics, had bloodshot, watery eyes and appeared extremely tired. She said she had been changing lanes and lost control of the Kia. She refused medical attention and denied drinking any alcohol prior to the accident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When troopers went to the vehicle to investigate, the odor of marijuana was detected coming from the Kia. Marijuana and THC vape pen in dispensary packaging were found in the Kia along with rolling papers. The male passenger claimed it was his but Matrious did admit to smoking at approximately 6 a.m. and said she had a medical marijuana card. She also admitted to drinking "way too much" the previous night. Troopers observed her balance to be impaired as she was falling in the ditch. Matrious was told she was being detained for an OWI investigation and was transported to the Adair Fire Department for testing. Matrious consented to field sobriety testing and showed clues and indicators of impairment. Troopers at the accident scene located an open bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey near the crash, White Claw cans in the creek next to the crash and loose marijuana buds. Matrious was transported to the Adair County Jail where she refused to provide a breath specimen for chemical testing and refused to sign the refusal form. During her jail booking, Matrious displayed extreme emotional changes, going from laughing to cursing and getting upset. Matrious was released from the Adair County Jail after posting $2,000 cash or surety bond. Protesters rally outside the Theodore Roosevelt Federal Building headquarters of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management on Feb. 5, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The group of federal employees and supporters was protesting against Elon Musk, tech billionaire and head of the Department of Government Efficiency, and his aides who have been given access to federal employee personal data and have allegedly locked out career civil servants from the OPM computer systems. (Photo by Alex Wong/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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, who also joined in the suit, posted a video explaining the rationale behind the litigation, saying the mass firings are illegal and likely to cripple important federal initiatives throughout the country and in Michigan, and so were once again taking the White House to court. 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. Mayes has already joined with 23 Democratic attorneys general to challenge the Trump administrations actions in seven other lawsuits. 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. 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. Arizona Mirror 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. Michigan Advance Senior Reporter Jon King contributed to this story. Travellers in Germany faced disruptions and flight cancellations on Monday as a 24-hour strike by workers hit 13 different airports, including some of the country's busiest airline hubs. Public service workers, ground staff and aviation security staff were all called to walk off the job starting just after midnight on Monday by the verdi trade union amid two different wage disputes. The strikes will affect the Frankfurt and Munich airports, both key hubs for German airline Lufthansa, as well as the airports in Berlin, Hamburg, Hanover, Bremen, Dusseldorf, Dortmund, Cologne/Bonn, Leipzig/Halle and Stuttgart. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Security staff at two other smaller airports - the Weeze Airport near Dusseldorf and the Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport - were hit by only the aviation security strikes. In Frankfurt, Germany's busiest airport, no passenger aircraft will be able to depart on Monday, a spokesman for the air traffic management said. For Frankfurt, 1,054 of the 1,116 take-offs and landings scheduled on Monday had been cancelled, affecting a total of around 150,000 passengers. According to the spokesman, there were only a few arrivals. Air traffic at Berlin's BER airport is expected to be completely cancelled, with no take-offs or landings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nationwide, more than 3,400 flights are expected to be cancelled and 510,000 passengers affected by the day-long strikes, according to earlier estimates from the ADV airport association. According to German air traffic control, around 6,000 flight movements take place daily at German airports, with a further 3,000 passing through German airspace. Twin pay disputes Verdi has called out public service workers and the ground staff who clean, load and refuel aircraft as part of a broader wave of public sector strikes. Further strikes in other types of facilities operated by the federal government and the local authorities are also to go ahead this week, a verdi spokesman said. The next round of pay talks, the third, has been scheduled for Potsdam near Berlin on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The public sector strike at airports was joined by employees in the aviation security sector. These are people who work in passenger control, personnel, goods and freight control as well as in service areas. A new collective labour agreement is currently being negotiated for them. The next round of negotiations is scheduled for March 26 and 27. For public sector workers, verdi is demanding 8% more pay, with at least 350 ($380) per month more, as well as an additional three days of leave for a total 2.5 million government workers. Joachim Lang, head of the BDL air transport association described the strikes as disproportionate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "An entire transport section is being shut down comprehensively, and that, while airports and airlines, as well as restaurants, retail and hotels are not parties to the agreement," Lang said. "A collective bargaining conflict is being conducted on the backs of passengers, even before the next round of negotiations starts." He called for new rules governing strikes in critical infrastructure. A security checkpoint in the terminal at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) remains closed. The Verdi union has called for a 24-hour warning strike by public sector and ground handling employees at 13 airports on Monday. Christophe Gateau/dpa A display board in the departure area of Duesseldorf Airport warns of delays. The trade union Verdi has called for a 24-hour warning strike by public service and ground handling employees at eleven airports on Monday. Christoph Reichwein/dpa AKRON, Ohio (WJW) An Akron woman was convicted on Monday for the murder of her two-year-old son almost nine years ago. According to Summit County prosecutors, 35-year-old Amanda Jo Bunner was found guilty of killing her son, Jaxon. In April 2016, the young boy suffered serious head trauma in his bedroom. Prosecutors said Bunner waited 15 minutes before calling 911. Investigation underway after 40-car fire in Lorain Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The child was pronounced dead from a massive subdural hematoma, a type of bleeding near your brain that can happen after a head injury, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The child was malnourished, had excessive bruising and suffered from brain injuries, according to prosecutors. Through the investigation, a medical examiner at Akron Childrens Hospital determined that child abuse led to the boys death. Social Security plans to claw back overpayments The death of Jaxon Bunner was a preventable tragedy, and my sympathies go out to his family. There is no tolerance for child abuse in Akron, and it breaks my heart every time a case like this comes to our office, Summit County Prosecutor Elliot Kolkovich said in a release. I want to thank the vigilant employees at Akron Childrens Hospital for recognizing the signs of abuse, and the efforts of the Akron Police Department and my assistant prosecutors for their work in this case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bunner will be sentenced on March 27 at the Summit County Court of Common Pleas. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Flashing lights on a police car. An Alabama couple has filed suit against the Tennessee Department of Childrens Services and local Tennessee law enforcement alleging their two children were illegally taken for nine months after they were wrongly arrested during a traffic stop. (Douglas Sacha/Getty Images) This story originally appeared on Tennessee Lookout. 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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, according to the lawsuit, filed Feb. 25. The children remained at the station until their grandmother made the trip from Alabama to collect them. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Both parents denied being intoxicated or impaired and claimed police lacked probable cause to pull the family over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. The agencies named in the Frye suit have not yet filed a legal response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Frye v Sevierville lawsuit 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. The Alaska State Capitol is seen on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, in front of snow-covered Mount Juneau. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon) On Monday, the Alaska House of Representatives is scheduled to begin debating a bill that would provide a big boost to K-12 public school funding. When legislators begin talking, theyll likely devote much of their attention to the cost of that bill: almost $275 million per year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats a big price tag, especially since the state is already running a budget deficit. When the education debate ends this week, the budget debate is likely to absorb lawmakers attention. Right now, heres where things stand. Alaskas revenue picture Lawmakers are working on the budget for the states 2026 fiscal year, which begins July 1 and runs through June 30, 2026. Under an estimate released last fall, the Alaska Department of Revenue expects the state to earn $6.2 billion in undesignated general funds during the FY26 fiscal year. Thats the states general-purpose budget, whats left over after program-specific fees and federal funding are removed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than half of that money $3.8 billion altogether will come from the Alaska Permanent Fund, the states No. 1 source of money for services and the Permanent Fund dividend. Oil revenue, as well as other taxes and sources of money, is expected to generate just $2.4 billion. A new estimate is scheduled for release on Thursday, but right now, the FY26 numbers arent expected to change very much. Governors budget and legislators plans In December, Gov. Mike Dunleavy proposed spending $7.7 billion during FY26, creating a deficit of $1.5 billion, with the extra cost to be covered by spending from savings. The biggest single item in the governors budget was $2.5 billion for a Permanent Fund dividend of about $3,800 per recipient. Members of the majority caucuses of both the Alaska Senate and House have rejected that plan. Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, has said that he and his colleagues are unwilling to spend from savings. Members of the House majority are emphasizing services instead of the dividend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If House lawmakers pass the latest version of the new education bill and lower the dividend to about $1,420 per recipient an amount also being considered by members of the Senate Finance Committee the expected deficit drops to about $462 million, according to figures published by the Legislative Finance Division, the Legislatures nonpartisan analysis division. Members of the Senate Finance Committee have been considering an alternative of their own, with an education increase about two-thirds the size of the one on the House floor this week. That would create a deficit of about $400 million, according to a preliminary estimate given to the Senate Finance Committee on Feb. 19. How will they pay for it? If Stevens position holds, and lawmakers are unwilling to spend from savings to balance the budget, they have few options available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The size of the deficit means that lawmakers almost certainly cannot close the gap by cutting services. A $400 million deficit is larger than the budget for the University of Alaska or the Alaska Department of Corrections. Health funding and education funding the largest sections of the budget are rising, not falling, and every other section of the budget is too small to make a substantive difference. If they do address the deficit through cuts, lawmakers are more likely to turn to the Permanent Fund dividend. A $1,000 Permanent Fund dividend, plus the Houses proposed education increase, results in a deficit of about $200 million, according to a scenario presented Thursday to the House Finance Committee. Eliminating the deficit entirely would require reducing the dividend to about $736 per recipient, according to another scenario. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Significant numbers of lawmakers say thats unacceptably low. Cutting the Permanent Fund dividend has the same effect as a regressive tax: It takes the same amount of money away from a millionaire and a 6-month-old baby. Some legislators have suggested that increased oil and gas production, boosted by the Trump administration, could result in more state revenue. But when it comes to the short term, thats wrong. New oil and gas projects take years to reach development, and under Alaskas current oil tax system, the state actually loses revenue when new oil projects are drilled because companies are allowed to write off their construction expenses from their tax payments. In the long run, tax proceeds will exceed those writeoffs, but in the short term, projects like the Willow development will cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because of those factors, theres growing interest in two major tax changes. Sen. Robert Yundt, R-Wasilla, has introduced a bill that would change the way the state handles taxes on privately held companies. The change would fall most heavily on Hilcorp, the privately held oil company that controls slightly less than half of Prudhoe Bay, and is expected to generate $186 million in FY26 for the state treasury. In addition, the Senate Rules Committee headed by Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage has proposed reducing a per-barrel oil tax credit that oil producers receive. If enacted, that reduction is expected to generate about $400 million per year. Another deficit complicates factors Combined, those two bills would generate enough revenue to close the deficit in the budget scenario created by an education-funding boost and a $1,400 Permanent Fund dividend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But lawmakers also face a second problem. In the current fiscal year the one that ends June 30 the state is also running a deficit. According to numbers presented to the House Finance Committee on Thursday, the FY25 deficit is expected to be about $165 million. The new revenue forecast expected this week will likely cut that figure down, but it wont erase it entirely. In his December budget proposal, the governor proposed spending from savings to eliminate the immediate deficit, but it isnt clear whether lawmakers will come up with an alternative. In the coming months, they will have to figure out how to cover that deficit as well as the one for FY26. Long-term problems also lurk In addition to the short-term problems posed by the budget, Alaska lawmakers are beginning to address a long-term problem with the states spending from the Permanent Fund. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since 2018, when legislators and then-Gov. Bill Walker set up a regular transfer from the Permanent Fund to the state treasury, withdrawals from the fund have exceeded deposits. Currently, the withdrawals are coming from one part of the fund, known as the earnings reserve, but that account is running low on money and may be exhausted by the end of the decade. To avoid that problem, state senators are examining a constitutional amendment that would eliminate the earnings reserve and allow the treasury to withdraw money from the resulting single account. In exchange, withdrawals would be permanently capped. The downside is that if enacted, the amendment would turn a short-term problem into a long-term one: Alaska would still be spending more from the Permanent Fund than it earns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Right now, the treasury takes a rolling average of 5% of the funds value each year. Reducing that amount would solve the long-term issue but leave legislators right back where they started, with an immediate short-term deficit. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Rubio to arrive in Saudi Arabia for talks with Ukraine on March 10 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit Saudi Arabia on Monday, the US State Department press service reported. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, March 10-12 for talks with Ukrainian counterparts to advance the US president's goal of ending the Russia-Ukraine war, the statement said. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said the Ukrainian side expects a constructive conversation. "On 1110th day of Russias full-scale invasion, we prepare for an important diplomatic week. Presidents visit to Saudi Arabia and a meeting of Ukrainian and US delegations. We expect a constructive conversation with mutually beneficial results for peace and bilateral cooperation," he wrote on X. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) An Albuquerque man who admitted to shooting and killing another man during a carjacking on the Fourth of July two years ago was sentenced Monday. Juan De La Rosa and two accomplices tried to carjack Alfonso Aguilar near Central Ave. and Louisiana Blvd. in 2023. VIDEO: Wrong way high-speed chase on I-25 in Albuquerque ends in arrest Aguilar was shot and died at the hospital days later. In December, De La Rosa pled guilty to four charges including second degree murder. Judge Joseph Montano sentenced him to 24 years in prison as laid out in De La Rosas plea agreement. 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. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) This week, Albuquerque skygazers will get an opportunity to watch the moon take on an orange or reddish hue during a total lunar eclipse. During the eclipse, the moon will move into the inner part of Earths shadow. Some of the sunlight passing through Earths atmosphere will reach the moons surface, lighting it dimly. The more dust or clouds in Earths atmosphere during the eclipse, the redder the moon will appear, according to NASAs website. ABQ BioPark moves some birds indoors to protect them from avian flu Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone in the Western Hemisphere will have a chance to see the eclipse on March 13/14, depending on cloud cover and weather. No special equipment is needed to view the blood moon, but if you are in Albuquerque and want to get an up-close look, the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science is holding a viewing event. Telescopes will be set up on the museums Observatory Deck from 11:30 p.m. Thursday to 1:30 a.m. Friday. There will also be live broadcasts of the eclipse from other locations, moon-related activities, and a presentation in the planetarium that will explain how eclipses happen and what to look for during this celestial event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There will be another total lunar eclipse before dawn next year; however, this eclipse will be the last one that begins in the evening as seen from New Mexico until 2029. The New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science will share updates about the event on Facebook. To learn more about the 2025 Total Lunar Eclipse, visit NASAs website here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. In November 2021, Capt. Li Tian, an officer stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Lakewood, allegedly began emailing back and forth with a foreign national living in China. He introduced himself as a friend of Ruoyu Duan, a former Army soldier who lived in Hillsboro, Oregon. Tian said he was looking for a job opportunity. At first, Tian sent the other person documents related to real estate investments on the East Coast of the United States, referred to in court records as a white paper. With Duan acting as a middle man getting money from a PayPal account based in China, Tian was reportedly paid $1,500 for the documents. As the correspondence continued, the person in China, whose email account was based in Hong Kong, asked Tian for less open source material documents that would be harder to get. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to court documents filed last week in U.S. District Court in Western Washington and Oregon, that was the beginnings of a years-long conspiracy where Tian and another soldier based at JBLM, Sgt. Jian Zhao, gathered and sold sensitive U.S. military information to Duan and individuals in China. Among the documents allegedly handed over were excerpts of technical manuals for operating an artillery system used on battlefields in Ukraine and copies of PowerPoint presentations specifying the positions of military personnel in a Stryker combat vehicle. Video footage from inside Zhaos office at JBLM in November 2024 also allegedly showed him taking photos of a document pertaining to a military exercise simulating a conflict with the Peoples Republic of China. Do you know how risky this is?!? Zhao told an individual in China while allegedly trying to sell another sensitive military document in October. If I were in your position, I would not dare, the person replied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zhao also is accused of selling hard drives, some classified and some labeled SECRET, for thousands of dollars and sending them directly to a person in China from his DuPont home. Sgt. Jian Zhao allegedly sent this photo of 20 classified hard drives, some labeled in red SECRET to an individual in China while negotiating their sale on July 16, 2024. Zhaos indictment alleges that he accepted about $15,000 in exchange for gathering information for a co-conspirator purporting to reside in Changchun in Northeast China. According to copies of Duan and Tians indictments, Duan accepted about $38,500 from two PayPal accounts based in China between June 2021 and April 2023. He allegedly received about $14,600 from two accounts on Zelle, a mobile payment app, between June 2023 and July 2024. Those identified in the conspiracy talked on Facebook messenger, through the messaging app WeChat and via email. According to the indictments, all of their communications occurred in Mandarin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Duan and Tian are charged in U.S. District Court in Oregon with conspiring to bribe a public official and steal government property. Zhao is charged in U.S. District Court in Western Washington with conspiring to gather, transmit or lose national defense information, as well as bribery of a public official and theft of government property. Special Agent Mike Herrington with the FBI Seattle Field Office said in a press briefing Thursday that investigators had gathered additional information, and it is possible charges could be added. Capt. Li Tians alleged involvement Heres how court documents filed so far describe Tians alleged involvement: After Tian was asked for less open source material by the person he was emailing with in China in December 2021, court documents dont describe any further communication between the two. But the next year he began sending military information to Duan, who had paid him for the white paper that was given to the person in China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In October and November 2022, Tian emailed Duan links to Google Drives three times containing Open Source Intelligence reports, which were not classified. On Feb. 20, 2023, Tian started sending Duan more sensitive information. Via email, Duan received more links that day to Google Drives which contained at least three PowerPoint presentations about the Stryker Brigade Combat Team and the Stryker vehicle. One discussed the formations, movements and employment of the team. Another, titled CAPABILITIES.pptx, specified the mission and capabilities of the unit. The third specified the positions of military personnel in the Stryker combat vehicle. Also sent to Duan that day was a PowerPoint about a Department of Defense social media forum, Army mission requirements and strategy. Its unclear what a fifth PDF document sent to Duan pertained to. It was titled stp_91s13.pdf, and records state its markings showed it was only authorized to be distributed to U.S. government agencies and their contractors because it contained sensitive materials. The same day, Tian and Duan talked on Facebook Messenger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Please provide the tm (technical manuals) of the vehicles sent there. It is for writing an article, Duan said. I dont have access. Will need to wait until Monday, Tian said. Tian asked Duan to send him a list of the models he was looking for. Tian said it couldnt be downloaded, and it had to be looked up on AESIP, the Army Enterprise Systems Integration Program Hub, which Tian said only chief had access to. Tian later said his supply had access, who he referred to as a guy from Beijing. Duan said he would take them out to eat next time. Tian liked the message. Later on in their conversation, Duan appeared to ask Tian if he happened to have technical manuals for German military vehicles, such as a Leopard 1, a tank, or a Weasel, likely referring to the Wiesel Armored Weapons Carrier. Tian said he definitely didnt have those. Duan instead asked for American vehicles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I first want an M 1126 Stryker infantry vehicle, an MI 09 howitzer, and M2 Bradley fighting vehicle, Duan wrote. I saw Armytimes also mentioned the Patriot, but I dont understand that stuff at all and cannot write anything. Three days later, after Duan offered 500 for the three teaching materials, Tian emailed him links to Google Drives with three PDFs. They were related to the Bradley Fire Support vehicle, which is designed for precision target location and assisting in in-direct fire. Two of the documents were technical manuals which could only be distributed to U.S. government agencies or their contractors. The third was approved for public release. On Feb. 24, 2023, Duan and Tian had another exchange on Facebook Messenger. I see that nothing happened after you said youd ask the chief, Duan wrote. Dont worry if it cant be done. I can find materials on wiki or reddit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The main thing is not to get in trouble, Duan added. It is not easy to get to this point in the army. Downloaded, Tian replied. Dont be anxious. Im out and will send it to you when I get back. The next month, March 29, 2023 Duan messaged Tian that he kept forgetting to give him the material fees. He offered 500. The same day, Duan accepted $2,500 from a PayPal account based in China, and he then sent $500 to Tian on PayPal. Sgt. Jian Zhaos alleged involvement Heres how court documents filed so far describe Zhaos alleged involvement: Zhao appears to have been looped into the conspiracy by at least April 27, 2023. According to the Armys public affairs office at the Pentagon, that was six years after he joined the Army as a unit supply specialist, and three years after he became stationed at JBLM. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over about a week, Zhao allegedly used his personal email to send Duan 13 documents that were excerpts of a technical manual for the HIMARS artillery system used in Ukraine. Its unclear how he knew Duan. Months later, in October 2023, Duan connected Zhao to foreign national living in China, identified in a court filing only as Conspirator 3. The foreigner introduced himself as a friend of Duan over WeChat. Boss Duan says you have things to sell. Mind telling what you have, one message to Zhao said. In November 2023, another person introduced himself to Zhao over WeChat as a friend of Duan. Identified as S.K.K. in court records, the person told Zhao hed bought equipment from him through Duan. He said he specialized in this type of business in China, made several million dollars a year and wanted to collaborate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then in July 2024, Zhao and the foreign national Duan had connected him with began discussing the sale of an encryption-capable computer. The two talked pricing until Oct. 13 when Zhao received $1,000 for it via WeChat. The foreign national received it by Dec. 4. Photos included in a memorandum filed in U.S. District Court in support of the detention of Sgt. Jian Zhao shows an encryption-capable computer Zhao allegedly sold to an individual in China in October 2024. Also in July, Zhao discussed selling classified hard drives with S.K.K. and sent him a photo of 20 of them. Zhao then spoke with the foreign national about the hard drives over WeChat. Zhao said he didnt know the contents of the hard drives and couldnt guarantee anything. They agreed to a price of $10,000, with half as a down payment and half paid on delivery. The foreign national confirmed he received them Sept. 12. He later informed Zhao the buyer had only gotten 19 hard drives, three of which were corrupted. The buyer wanted to pay $500 less than what theyd agreed on. Zhao went along with it, but he reportedly said hed never sell to this buyer again. The next month, Zhao and the foreign national started to talk about the sale of sensitive U.S. military documents. Over WeChat, Zhao said he had good stuff Oct. 11 and asked the other to get a quote from a buyer before he would name his price. Spread the news. Its Brigade level, Zhao allegedly said of the document. Ok. Done. Recall, the individual in China replied. This needs some time. This is way top [we] must be very very careful. Very sensitive document. Super difficult to get, Zhao said. As the two settled on a price over a couple weeks, tensions appeared to rise. After the foreign national told Zhao on Oct. 22 that a buyer said one of the documents was worth $2,000 and he suggested Zhao sell two documents as a package, Zhao said he wouldnt consider it. [Expletive] this world, Zhao said. Im not selling, brother. After a voice call, the foreign national said he would ask more and find high level people. The next day, the foreign national still pushed selling the documents as a package. Zhao reportedly said the second document wasnt for sale. I cant afford to make this person angry, the foreign national replied. Dont play me boss. At the beginning you did say two documents. You said go find high level people yesterday. The two continued to discuss Zhao sending both documents, and on Oct. 27, video footage from Zhaos office at JBLM showed him leave the room emptyhanded, then return with two documents he laid on his desk. One was called Strategic and Operation Rockets and Missiles. It was considered controlled unclassified information, which could only be distributed to the Department of Defense and its contractors. The second document was similarly labeled, and it described a command post exercise designed to enhance U.S. combat readiness with multinational partners. At 12:27 p.m. that day, Zhao allegedly told the foreign national via WeChat he was doing it now. Video footage then showed him using his cell phone to scan the first document page by page. Later that day, Zhao confirmed he transferred all the documents. The foreign national told Zhao he would be paid in three days. Zhao later received $4,500 in three payments. Over the next month, video footage from Zhaos office at JBLM showed him taking pictures of a sensitive document and videos of his government computer screen three times. The document he photographed was about a military exercise simulating a conflict with the Peoples Republic of China. Its unclear what he was videotaping on his computer screen. One video he took Nov. 7 was reportedly of an excel file he scrolled through. In December, Zhao told the foreign national he had a 90-page manual he was willing to sell for $1,500. The next day, Dec. 5, Zhao was told a buyer would aim to pay him in seven to 10 days. And on Dec. 19, Zhao was paid $2,000. The University of Central Florida is dealing with some of its fraternities that are facing hazing allegations. UCF has suspended Sigma Chi and Delta Upsilon amid serious misconduct allegations. Both are now under investigation over hazing activities that allegedly posed significant risks to student safety. Compounding the severity is the fact that Sigma Chi faces additional scrutiny for an alleged hit-and-run incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The university is not commenting on what happened but has started a review process to address the allegations. UCFs website states there is zero tolerance for organizations behaving in a manner that endangers the students or public. These developments come on the heels of last months suspension of Phi Gamma Delta, which was implicated in antisemitic behavior. A photo that surfaced on campus showed a student from Phi Gamma Delta blindfolded and wearing a tin foil swastika around his neck. The university says the incident happened between 2020 and 2023. In response to that photo, the university released a statement saying, This incident will not deter us from our mission to provide a welcoming, safe campus environment for every student. The university will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that acts of hazing have no place at UCF. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. GLENDALE, Calif. (WJW) An Amazon delivery driver has been charged after allegedly sexually assaulting a woman and girl in the Los Angeles area in two separate instances, Glendale police said in a statement. The assaults reportedly took place while the suspect was on the job. Police investigating death of married couple in Willoughby Hills: I-Team Now police are asking for any other potential victims of the accused, 24-year-old Fernando Barreto-Hernandez, to come forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Barreto-Hernandez was first arrested on Jan. 24 for the assault on the girl in December, police said in a statement. When he appeared in court the next month, he was also arrested for the assault on the woman. Photo courtesy Glendale Police Department For the two cases, the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office filed a combination of felony and misdemeanor charges, police said. The Los Angeles Times clarified the suspect was charged with lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 years old and touching a person against their will for sexual arousal. Man steals over $75K worth of items from multiple Menards locations Barreto-Hernandez is out of jail on bond, police said, and he has pleaded not guilty. He reportedly worked for the following companies as a delivery driver: Amazon, Amazon Flex and FedEx. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An investigation is still ongoing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. Amazon workers spread conspiracy theories about Israeli control of American leaders and drew an equivalence between Palestinian terrorists and Sasha Troufanov, an employee of the company who was taken hostage by Palestinian Islamic Jihad on Oct. 7, 2023, and released last month, Jewish Insider learned over the weekend. In messages viewed by JI from an Amazon employee Slack channel called #arabs, one staffer wrote: Yes Hamas will release 3 Israelis, one being Sasha, in exchange for 369 Palestinian hostages kept in Israeli dungeons. Over 40 employees sent emojis expressing approval. One responded: Praying Israel doesnt re-kidnap them again after their long awaited release, as has been the case many times. An Israeli employee noted in the channel that the Palestinians the original poster referred to as hostages included Ahmed Barghouti, who was involved in several terrorist attacks in which 12 Israelis were murdered; Mantzur Sharim, who was involved in a mass shooting at an event hall in Hadera in which six Israelis were killed and 26 wounded; and Nael Obeid, convicted in connection to the 2003 Cafe Hillel bombing in which seven Israelis were murdered and 57 wounded. Are you praying for these hostages? she wrote. According to an Amazon source, the Israeli employees message was deleted by moderators soon after. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy did not publicly refer to Troufanov being held hostage during the 498 days the Amazon Web Services engineer was captive in Gaza. After Troufanovs February release, Jassy wrote to Amazon employees that he was incredibly relieved. Jassy said the company had a dedicated team working behind the scenes with experts to support efforts to secure their release and to ensure that we did the right thing for them and their safety (including painfully not commenting publicly for fear that we would negatively impact their ability to be released or how they were treated in captivity). Israeli media reported that Troufanov was in isolation for most of the 16 months that he was held hostage and underwent physical abuse. In another message on the #arabs channel, an Amazon employee shared a post from X claiming that legislation to ban TikTok unless it is no longer under the Chinese Communist Partys control came from the Israel Lobby, which, the X post suggested, are the Anti-Defamation League and former Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin, who is Jewish. Evoking conspiracy theories about Jewish control of government, the Amazon employee who shared the post wrote that the proposed bill has never been about security concerns or China. Its all because of Gaza. At the start of the most recent cease-fire in January, when Israel allowed Palestinians to return to northern Gaza, participants in the #arabs channel celebrated. Netsarim has fallen, the colonizers have fallen, and soon we shall all return, one Amazon employee wrote, adding a Palestinian flag. Dozens of employees responded with approving emojis. Some responded with keys, a symbol of Palestinians hoping to return to homes their families lost in Israels War of Independence, which they refer to as the Nakba. Scenes of the Holy Return burn the hearts of terrorists, shatter their dreams of displacement and pave the way for the Great Return of all indigenous people to the Holy Land, read another post, which received nine key emojis in response, as well as hearts and Palestinian flags. In that vein, an employee wrote that he asks Allah to return to Bait Nabala, a village that was near what is now Ben Gurion Airport. Inshallah [God willing] we will return and build houses and schools there one day, he wrote. One posted a photo that appeared to be of masses of Palestinians moving north with a large Palestinian flag. Palestine has room for only one flag, and these are its colours, he wrote. One of the reaction emojis was of an Israeli flag. One Amazon worker suggested that they ignore such attempts to provoke at work: Outside of work we can take legal means to challenge them. Its nice to remind the world how Zionism is an evil minority, the original poster wrote. Taking offense at the Israeli flag was a recurring theme in the Slack channel. A Sweden-based employee posted photos of Medjool dates that he saw in the supermarket, the packaging of which featured the silhouette of the map of Israel, but with a Palestinian flag. The box also had a keffiyeh pattern and a picture of the Dome of the Rock and part of the Western Wall on it, and the words free Palestine. In addition to the many supportive emojis, six responded with Israeli flags. Remove your emoji. Such racist behavior will not be tolerated at Amazon, someone wrote, tagging an Israeli. Posting the map of my country with [an]other flag is offensive as well, just saying, a different Israeli employee wrote back. You are posting a flag associated with genocide of Palestine in an Arabs slack, the Amazon worker responded. Another employee posted a screenshot of a list of the employees who reacted with an Israeli flag. An Amazon spokesperson told JI in response that many of these assertions lack important context, and its inaccurate and misleading to suggest we tolerate hostility in our workplace. We realize this has been a difficult time for many, and we remain focused on supporting all of our employees. In addition, the spokesperson said that they are very relieved that our colleague, Sasha Troufanov, who had been held hostage was released. Were grateful that he is reunited with his family, and were focused on supporting them during this time. Amazon has a policy of regularly reviewing internal content, such as Slack channels, to address concerns. An attempt by JI to contact Troufanov for a response via the Hostages Families Forum did not receive a response. Jewish and Israeli Amazon employees have complained about the companys tolerance for antisemitism and anti-Israel incitement on internal chats since the Oct. 7 attacks, including denial that the attacks took place, claiming that Israel was to blame for the mass casualties and calling for the elimination of Israel. The workers, speaking to JI on condition of anonymity, said that the company did not deal with the internal complaints they opened. At the time, an Amazon spokesperson said in response to the employees allegations: We dont tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind in the workplace. We investigate all reported incidents of such behavior and take appropriate action against any employee who is found to have violated our policies, up to and including termination. Amazon also told JI this week that the company supports a variety of employee groups. Late last year, in a video promoting an event for Amazon Web Services, the subsidiary of the company where Troufanov worked, an executive wore a necklace shaped like the map of Israel, the West Bank and Gaza with a Palestinian flag across it. Amazon has over 1,000 employees in Israel, to whom it offered financial assistance after the Oct. 7 attacks. Missing 15-year-old found safe, police say TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) Police have found the 15-year-old boy from Tampa who went missing on Sunday. According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Joshua Hill was last seen in the area of the 4500th block of Wishart Boulevard. Joshua has blonde hair and blue eyes. He is 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 275 pounds. FDLE said that Joshua was last seen wearing black pajama pants and a black hoodie both printed with white lettering. He was wearing one white sock, a black sock, and black and white slides. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He may also be carrying a skateboard. Police ask that if spotted you do not approach Joshua but call 911. You can also contact the Tampa Police Department directly at 813-231-6130. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Cameron, Tx (FOX 44) One man is in custody facing multiple charges after an ambulance was stolen and crashed after it answered a call. The Milam County Sheriffs Office office said it happened a bit before 5:00 a.m. Monday. Dispatch learned from Allegiance Mobile Health that a man at a local hotel had called for an ambulance in reference to a mental health issue and then jumped in and drove off in it once it arrived on scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputies tracked the ambulance to a location in the 2200 block of CR203 Loop where a short, off-road chase ensued before the driver crashed into a tree. Police said he had driven the ambulance out across a field and through the brush. The ambulance, which was reported to be almost new, was seriously damaged. Police said when the ambulance first arrived at the motel, the man was being treated in the back when he told the attendants he needed some air and got out. He then walked around and locked himself in the front and began to drive off with lights and siren running. Police said one attendant was still in the back, but managed to bail out as the man drove away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The driver, identified as 30-year-old Grant Saline, of Illinois, was arrested at the scene. Texas Department of Public Safety troopers assisted in the chase and capture. Saline was checked out at the scene for injuries before being taken to Milam County Jail on charges of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon Against a Peace Officer, Evading Arrest in Vehicle, and Criminal Mischief. Cameron police said they had dealt with Saline earlier in the morning when he was evicted from the Budget Inn where he had been asked to leave after smoking in a non smoking room. Police then got him moved to the Quality Inn a short distance away when the ambulance incident occurred. He faces additional charges from Cameron Police for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and Unlawful Restraint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Further charges could also be 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 KWKT - FOX 44. By the close of 2024, it was already clear that Trump 2.0 would accelerate existing shifts in geopolitics. The first months of his new presidency, however, appear to have gone far further than that. Barely a week has passed without new disruption of accustomed norms and unprecedented re-alignments in international relations. Most obviously, President Trumps move away from Ukraine towards Moscow has created significant challenges for Europe and for the security structures, including Nato, on which the continent depends. But similar challenges are now being felt by the democracies of the Indo-Pacific as the last vestiges of the global Pax Americana are suddenly being replaced by the unilateral shock and awe of Make America Great Again. Well-placed authorities, including the former head of MI6, Sir Alex Younger, now argue that the rules-based international order has been superseded by a new era of deal-making led by Xi Jinping, Putin and Trump. To traditional adherents of the former US-led West, the classic Trump deal appears designed to revive US economic vigour, autonomy and resilience, but takes little account of whether the other side gains as well. In the short term, this might well benefit the United States. In the medium to long term, it risks fracturing alliances and partnerships that promote American strategic interests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The naval race between the US and China is a strong case study as to why. Trump started a trade war with Beijing during his first presidency, on compelling national security grounds. Recent statements by Trumps close advisers Elbridge Colby and Marco Rubio among them have framed China as the greatest risk to US interests. Though Trump has at times threatened adversaries with annihilation, his preferred approach seems to be robust economic and political coercion below the military threshold. However, his apparent desire to increase the size and quality of the US navy suggests that Trumps China strategy includes military deterrence. In peacetime, the US projects blue water naval power across much of the globe, including from strategically-placed overseas naval bases. Carrier groups supported by attack submarines are a key component of this. The US navy regularly carries out strategically-significant exercises with partners including South Korea, Japan and the Philippines. However, this activity is increasingly being challenged by China, whose blue water capability is still nascent, but is currently compensated for by the larger number of its naval vessels and certain sophisticated weapons systems, in addition to growing land-based conventional and nuclear missile forces. China can also deploy fishing and other civilian vessels, potentially numbering several hundred thousand, in various grey-zone and combat roles. It has 20 major military shipyards, with output tonnage capacity thought to be more than 200 times that of the US. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under Xis command, China is rapidly developing readiness to confront the US and its allies through enhanced technical, nuclear and naval strength. It is prioritising new drone technology, using many lessons drawn from Ukraine. Chinas parallel focus on winning information and cognitive warfare is not yet matched by the West. Xis immediate objective is to project Chinese power in the South China Sea and counteract US freedom to operate in Asian waters. Beijings growing submarine force, however, enables sea power projection well into the Pacific. American wargaming has concluded that, in a regional war with China over Taiwan, US precision-guided missiles would run out in less than a week. The US navys 2025 plan sets out objectives for significant naval expansion. However, build lead times are long and growing, budgets are constrained, and no step change in capability is probable in the likely timeframe over which Chinas naval supremacy may be realised or tested. Accordingly, the US government has a strong incentive to purchase new naval vessels from Indo-Pacific allies with whom it has mutual defence agreements. Japan and South Korea, which have among the worlds largest ship-building capacities, could fulfil this requirement. But such arrangements would only make sense as part of a robust regional and global strategic alliance aimed at deterring Chinese belligerence. However, even existing multilateral undertakings, including the Aukus agreement to supply nuclear submarines to Australia, will struggle to function unless key partners trust Washington to pursue shared strategic interests consistently. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately for Trump, there is also unlikely to be a deal he could reach with China that would preclude the need to deter Beijings growing military power. Indeed, because Xi centres his personal ambition on achieving Chinas reunification, it is important to consider how US efforts at tactical bargaining over Taiwan would be received. Trump has already incensed Beijing with punitive tariffs. Like it or not, Xi does not do relationships. Attempted deal-making on a core PRC ambition by Chinas most mistrusted Western opponent may well fall foul of deep-seated Chinese Communist Party and national sensitivities. Moreover, if a deal with China entailed the US abandoning protection for Taiwan, the balance of power in the Western Pacific would shift towards a sworn enemy of democracy and risk permanently disrupting maritime trade routes across the world. No foreign state reliant on American arms supplies or other support could thereafter retain confidence in US guarantees. Until Americas China strategy takes coherent form, doubts raised over Greenland, Canada, Gaza and Ukraine will echo in Taiwan, increase division and anxiety in the Indo-Pacific, and play into the hands of Beijings anti-US agenda. 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. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says that the decision on what exactly the European Union can provide in a future peace agreement for Ukraine will be found in close cooperation with the Ukrainian side. She said this on Sunday in Brussels at a press conference, answering journalists' questions about whether Ukraine has an accurate idea of what Europe can provide as part of any peace agreement ahead of the talks in Saudi Arabia, which will take place next week. As is known, one of the elements of US President Donald Trump's position on ensuring peace for Ukraine is that security guarantees should be provided by European countries. Von der Leyen stated that relations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his team are very close, and based on trust that has grown over the last three years. She explained the state of relations with Kyiv, saying that they had been through difficult and delicate situations, so they know they can rely on each other in crisis or emergency situations. She added that, in most cases, they are able to find solutions by working very, very closely together, although not always. The President of the European Commission expressed hope that the negotiations between Kyiv and Washington will lead to a just and lasting peace. Von der Leyen explained that, for example, negotiations on security guarantees are ongoing. She said that the strongest security guarantee would, of course, be NATO membership, but at the moment, this is not possible. She added that the second most important element is a well-equipped and operational Ukrainian army. She noted that after that, they could move on to the details. She mentioned that they had a lot of very fruitful discussions and it was a normal learning process, because, once again, these were uncharted waters, and they had to find the best solution together. Commenting on the request of journalists on the proposal of French President Emmanuel Macron to extend a "nuclear umbrella" to interested EU countries, the President of the European Commission stated that this issue is a national competence of the countries. Mar. 9ELIDA Motorists traveling along Elida Road will soon see activity in the field next to BioLife Plasma Center. By the time work in that area is finished, the American Township Fire Department will have a new home. While the 4.54-acre property at 4239 Elida Road was purchased in 2022 by the township for $210,000 using American Rescue Plan Act funds, the new, $5.76 million structure will be funded by the township after the department worked to save money to cover the cost of construction, American Township Fire Chief Thomas Hadding said. "Before we even started the project, we had to have $5 million before we were even allowed to sign any paperwork or go out to bid for an architect or anything," he said. "We try to pay for everything up front." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saving that kind of money took a lot of time and effort, including taking on tasks that may otherwise have been contracted out. "We have been putting back in our budget," he said. "Everyone in the fire department helped with reducing costs. We do a lot of our own fixing. These guys step up to help save money for the taxpayers. If we can do something in-house, we do it instead of sending it out. And then our fiscal officer, Brady Overholt, has been just awesome." The result of all of that work will be a six-bay fire station complete with updated amenities, including larger sleeping quarters for firefighters. For Hadding, the move from the current Station 1 at 105 W. Main St. in Elida, which is expected to come in June 2026, will be hard, but the current limitations of the 57-year-old building and its location make the move necessary. Those limitations include limited parking options, smaller bays and cramped sleeping quarters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When this station was built, they ran anywhere from 50 to 100 calls, and we're running over 3,000 calls now," he said. "Guys didn't sleep here then, so we've just outgrown it. We've worn it out." The station, designed by the Ottawa-based Technicon Design Group, will also allow for larger equipment that the current station cannot accommodate, Hadding said. He does hope, however, that the current station will still find new life under new ownership. "I think it would make a great office for somebody or maybe a repair or a mechanical shop," he said. "I'm hoping that a business will come in and that it will help with the economy for the village." Featured Local Savings By Virginia Furness LONDON (Reuters) - Ambitions by the BRICS group to take on a greater climate leadership role, building on success last month at United Nations nature talks, depend on the countries overcoming fractious politics and entrenched disagreements over money. As the United States has withdrawn from global efforts to combat climate change and, more generally, shifted its focus to promoting domestic interests, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - known collectively as the BRICS - are well-placed to influence the outcomes of high-profile meetings this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They established their credentials by proposing a draft text that ensured agreement at the COP16 talks in February in Rome, a dozen sources told Reuters, potentially unlocking billions of dollars to help halt the destruction of ecosystems. "Now BRICS has been able to come together in this fashion, (it) will influence our discussions in other platforms going forward," Narend Singh, deputy minister of forestry, fisheries and the environment, for South Africa said. South Africa is boosting its profile as holder of the G20 presidency this year, while another BRICS member Brazil prepares to host COP30 climate talks in November. "BRICS can fill a space that needs to be filled at this moment in the multilateral negotiations," Brazil's chief negotiator at COP16, Maria Angelica Ikeda, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Colombia's Susana Muhamad, president of the COP16 nature talks, said the BRICS countries were positioning to be "bridge builders". "They are trying to create this balance to represent the Global South in front of the far-right governments that are emerging in the U.S., Italy and Argentina," she said. "I understand there's a lot of countries wanting to join BRICS, because it's a way, if you have to confront something like the U.S., you are not alone." A British official present at the talks, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said other countries needed to consider what the BRICS' more muscular approach meant for global institutions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DISPARATE GROUP But if BRICS' is to help fill the vacuum left by the United States under President Donald Trump, it has to address internal divisions over politics and finance. The group's refusal to assume the official financial obligations of donor countries could prove a stumbling block, Timo Leiter, a distinguished policy fellow at the London School of Economics, said. So far the middle-income BRICS have resisted demands from cash-strapped developed countries that they should share financial liability, complicating the quest for compromise at U.N. negotiations on climate funding and upcoming talks on development finance in Seville, Spain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of the $25.8 billion in biodiversity-related financing in 2022, nearly three-quarters came from five sources: European Union institutions, France, Germany, Japan and the United States, data from the OECD showed. Diverging national interests among the BRICS, with Russia keen to maintain its sales of fossil fuels, while Brazil presses countries to decarbonise faster at COP30, may also prove sticking points. "They (the BRICS) are drastically different in terms of development stage and emissions trajectory," said Li Shuo, director of China Climate at Asia Society. "What ties them together is the geopolitical aspiration which leads to the question of can they agree to put forward an affirmative agenda." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A test of the group's solidarity could be at a meeting in Bonn in June where countries begin to set out their COP30 negotiating positions, analysts said. The Financing for Development conference in Seville in June could also prove pivotal, with ministers set to discuss global sustainability goals and ongoing reform of the international financial system. "This will be the perfect entry point for BRICS to advance their aim of changing the global order and having a stronger say in the global financial system," Leiter said. "The new U.S. position is almost a gift." Shorter-term, the BRICS are likely to renew demands for more say in the running of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), which disburses much of the world's biodiversity finance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement GEF reform is a focus as richer countries cut development spending while demanding nature-rich countries do more to protect ecosystems such as the Amazon. "It's a problem that instead of having more money directed to nature and to biodiversity, we have countries updating their nuclear weapons, or buying more armaments," said Brazil's Ikeda. "At the same time, they're demanding from us, the mega-diverse countries more and more obligations." (Editing by Simon Jessop and Barbara Lewis) Palmer Luckey's startup Anduril scored a $642 million deal for anti-drone tech in Marine Corps bases. The 10-year contract is meant to help fight smaller drones like the exploding ones in Ukraine. The Defense Department said Anduril was chosen out of 10 total bids. Defense startup Anduril clinched a $642 million contract on Friday to help the US Marine Corps fight smaller drones at its bases. Anduril's new deal is for the Marine Corps Installation-Counter small Unmanned Aircraft Systems program, which is essentially a network of anti-drone defenses for bases and facilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The announcement comes after Anduril scored a separate five-year $200 million agreement in November to bring counter-drone tech to the Marine Air Defense Integrated System. This mobile air defense system can be mounted on vehicles like Humvees. Like with the MADIS, Anduril's offering for this new contract is to fight smaller drones, which the US military classifies as Group 1 and Group 2. Such drones are typically no heavier than 55 pounds and fly at a maximum altitude of about 3,500 feet, like the exploding commercial drones used in the war in Ukraine. When the Corps first opened its contract in April 2024, it warned of a "security capability gap" for dealing with these smaller drones at its bases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The sUAS threat poses unique challenges to military installations when compared to those of operational forces," the Corps wrote. The Defense Department said on Friday that 10 companies had submitted proposals for the contract, but did not name them. With Anduril scoring the deal, the department said that 80% of the work until 2035 would be done in Costa Mesa, California, home to Anduril's headquarters. The rest is expected to be performed in Washington, D.C., and other Marine Corps facilities. Anduril is providing long-range recon drones called Ghosts to the US military. ARMIN WEIGEL/AFP via Getty Images The announcement did not specify what type of product or how many systems Anduril will deliver. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement to Business Insider, the Marine Corps confirmed that its contract involves Anduril's AI software, Lattice, which surveys the battlefield and helps humans coordinate their uncrewed systems. "This contract will aid in bridging the gap to transition from capital lease to contractor logistics support for up to 34 installations," the statement said. One of Anduril's main offerings for fighting smaller drones, Anvil, features a quadcopter that flies out from a portable storage box to track and crash into enemy systems. It can also be fitted with explosives to attack bigger targets. Additionally, the company sells electronic warfare jammers called Pulsar, which it's already providing to the Pentagon as part of a $250 million deal from October. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anduril, founded in 2017 by Oculus creator Palmer Luckey, has become a rising star in the defense industry as it emphasizes ready-made designs that can be produced at scale. In that sense, it hopes to reuse the same design to bid for multiple contracts instead of creating each one specifically for a single deal. The firm has also been working with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI since December. One of its biggest scores so far is a $22 billion contract with the US Army to provide soldiers with mixed-reality goggles. The contract was originally awarded to Microsoft but later ceded to Anduril. The firm hopes to expand quickly. In August, Anduril raised $1.5 billion to build a 5 million-square-foot factory in Ohio that it said would "hyperscale" production. March 13, 2025: This story was updated to reflect responses from Anduril and the US Marine Corps. Read the original article on Business Insider Joanne Wilson says she's among the cohort of Americans ditching their Teslas in protest of Elon Musk. The angel investor and her husband, VC Fred Wilson, owned a pair of Teslas, which they no longer want. Wilson told BI that "one voice can turn into many." The club of Tesla owners parting ways with their cars over Elon Musk just got a new member. Former angel investor and founder of the Gotham cannabis concept store Joanne Wilson told Business Insider that she and her venture capitalist husband, Fred Wilson, are joining the cohort of Americans ditching their Teslas in protest of Musk's actions through the DOGE initiative. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'm just one voice, but one voice can turn into many," she told Business Insider in a Monday phone conversation. Wilson wrote in a blog post this week that she and her husband bought a Model S in 2014, shortly after their parking garage got electric chargers installed. The couple later bought a second Tesla so they could have one in New York and in California, she told BI, adding that "it was the car the coastal elite wanted." Wilson said she now feels embarrassed to get behind the wheel of a vehicle that is so strongly associated with Musk, though she said she hasn't received anything like the kind of public shaming some Cybertruck owners have reported in recent months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wilson said she recently swapped her California Tesla for an electric Volvo and found it "comical" that the Swedish auto brand would only offer her $2,000 in trade-in value. "Was it Elon's complete disregard for human beings as he attempts to completely disrupt the federal government like a classic tech dude without a proper understanding of how government works, or was it that awful new cyber truck that looks like something out of Mad Max and looks angry?" Wilson wrote in her blog post about the decision. "It is a toss-up." As far as the fate of the second car, Wilson mused in her post about letting New Yorkers take out their feelings on the car at one of her Gotham cannabis boutiques. "We could give out sledgehammers, let people smash the car, and film it for Instagram. It may go viral," she wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If she were to monetize the event, Wilson estimated she could easily net more than Volvo paid her for the first car. Meanwhile, some Tesla owners who aren't in a financial position to sell or demolish their cars are buying up bumper stickers with phrases like "Elon Killed My Resale Value" and "I Bought This Before We Knew Elon Was Crazy." Sticker-maker Matthew Hiller told BI he's been selling as many as 500 stickers a day in recent weeks amid wider "Tesla Takedown" protests across the US. Police are also investigating multiple instances of vandalism against Tesla dealerships and lot vehicles and, in some cases, have made arrests. Read the original article on Business Insider Michigan state Rep. Jason Morgan (D-Ann Arbor) speaks at a news conference in Lansing to condemn Michigan House Republicans resolution to urge the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges on Feb. 25, 2025. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols One week after one of his House colleagues introduced a resolution calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider its landmark ruling ending bans on same-sex marriage, state Rep. Jason Morgan (D-Ann Arbor) has introduced a effort of his own aiming to eliminate Michigans ban on gay marriage once and for all. On March 5, Morgan put forth House Joint Resolution F, which would remove language in the state constitution which only recognizes marriage as the union between one woman and one man. It also switches out gendered language surrounding marriage and property for gender neutral language. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This fight is personal for myself, our families, our friends and all Michiganders because everyone deserves the right to marry the person they love, said Morgan, who is a married gay man. No politician should be able to decide who we can marry. The people of Michigan believe in equality, and its time our laws reflect that. While the Supreme Courts 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges found several states including Michigans bans on same sex marriage violated the U.S. Constitution, several Republican lawmakers and conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas have called on the court to reconsider the case, potentially placing marriage equality in jeopardy. On Feb. 26, state Rep. Josh Schriver (R-Oxford) introduced a resolution calling on the Supreme Court to reconsider the case with support from six fellow Republican lawmakers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaker of the House Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.) later told reporters that the resolution would not be moving forward, noting it had been referred to the House Government Operations Committee, where legislative efforts are often sent to die. Regardless, Morgan said the effort to remove the ban from the states constitution remained relevant. We saw what happened when the Supreme Court disregarded precedent and overturned landmark cases like Roe v. Wade, said Morgan. We have one member of the court openly calling to reconsider cases like Obergefell. When people show you who they are, believe them. Its time to act with conviction to protect peoples rights before its too late. If Morgans resolution passes both the House and the Senate, the matter would be placed on the ballot where Michigan voters would decide whether to remove the ban on same-sex marriage from the state constitution. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX An experiment is underway in Ann Arbor, Michigan, that could change how communities generate and distribute power in the future. The city, with voters strong support, is launching its own sustainable energy utility. This new utility wont replace DTE Energy, the local investor-owned power company, or even use DTEs wires. Instead, Ann Arbor will slowly build out a whole new modern power system, starting with installing rooftop solar and battery storage and reducing energy usage in individual homes and businesses whose owners opt in. The city then plans to expand by connecting homes and neighborhoods into microgrids and by using community solar and networked geothermal to allow broader access to clean energy. Ann Arbors sustainable energy utility aims to expand renewable energy use in the city without the challenges involved in buying the investor-owned utilitys old assets. Nicholas Klein/iStock/Getty Images Plus If it works as planned, a sustainable energy utility like this could quickly build the clean energy grid of the future by shedding outdated infrastructure while creating a reliable, clean and resilient model. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am an environmental policy analyst at the University of Michigan and an Ann Arbor resident who has long engaged in local energy work. I believe that the lessons from Ann Arbors energy experiment will have major implications as more communities strive to control their own energy future. An explosion of interest in local power Communities frustrated with investor-owned utilities high rates and sometimes unreliable and polluting power are increasingly trying to shift to public ownership and delivery of energy services, much like municipal water systems. So far, Nebraska is the only state with fully public power. A ballot initiative in Maine that would have required all power to be publicly owned and distributed failed amid heavy industry opposition. But campaigns to localize control of energy are flourishing. However, creating new public utilities that take over all power delivery is difficult legally, politically and financially. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hence, the idea for Ann Arbors sustainable energy utility, or SEU, which can function alongside the investor-owned utility. Subscribers to the SEU still have service from DTE if they need more power, and they can sell excess generation back to the grid. But they would generate and use their own power first while also reducing energy consumption through conservation and efficiency measures. Voters in November 2024 approved the creation of this sustainable energy utility in Ann Arbor with nearly 80% of the vote. What is a sustainable energy utility? An SEU has three distinguishing features. First, an SEU can function at almost any scale. A city like Ann Arbor can provide energy and services directly to homes and businesses that opt in and build out new distribution lines with each microgrid or community solar project. Only the residents who opt in pay for the service, allowing it to expand as more homes join. Moreover, customers do not need to leave their incumbent investor-owned utility to also use the SEU. Perhaps thats why DTE so far has not publicly opposed Ann Arbors startup. Instead, the company said after the vote that it would invest US$215 million in infrastructure improvements in the city over the next five years. How Ann Arbors SEU would interact with the local utility, DTE, to help keep power flowing. City of Ann Arbor Second, an SEU is created for the express purpose of providing clean energy, whether through renewable energy generation or reducing power demand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For example, Ann Arbors SEU plans to begin by providing solar installations with battery backup. In addition, it will provide energy efficiency and conservation services such as weatherization, upgraded lighting and more efficient appliances. It later plans to create microgrids, which connect groups of homes and buildings, allowing them to share solar power and storage among themselves. In addition, community solar projects would allow residents to buy electricity from nearby homes, businesses or public areas that generate excess solar power. And the city is planning networked geothermal power for a low-income community. All of these options would be difficult if not impossible under the current utility structure. Thats because they run counter to a business model based on centralized power distribution and maximizing short-term profit. Five ways Ann Arbors SEU would provide power. SEUs created in other parts of the U.S., including Delaware and Washington, D.C., have so far focused on energy efficiency. City of Ann Arbor Third, SEUs provide small-scale, decentralized, more resilient infrastructure. One common problem with investor-owned utilities is that their largest profit margins come from building new power sources rather than maintaining and repairing existing wires, poles and other infrastructure that keep power flowing. This is one key reason why public utilities, which are directly responsible to voters and taxpayers, have a better track record of keeping the power flowing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reliability is particularly important and challenging as the impacts of climate change accelerate, with more frequent catastrophic weather events straining energy infrastructure. When power goes out in a centralized system, everyone is left in the dark if they dont have generators or battery backup. But increased solar power with battery storage and microgrids can allow groups of buildings to return to power quickly. Local communities will step up again My colleague Andrew Buchsbaum and I recently worked with a team of graduate students to compare the potential performance of various types of power governance systems. We found that an SEU had the highest potential to lower prices, increase reliability, lower pollution and benefit underserved communities compared with fully jettisoning the private utility in favor of only public power, increasing the number of municipal public utilities, or tightening regulation on existing utilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ann Arbors experiment to launch the first full-scale SEU will test this. It also comes at a critical time. During the first Trump administration, as the federal government prioritized fossil fuels, cities and states stepped up their expansion of clean energy. The second Trump administration is again promoting polluting power sources while pulling back support for renewable energy development. Yet, wind, solar and energy efficiency are the cheapest sources of electricity. Given the increasing urgency to reduce climate pollution and the clear financial and reliability benefits of clean energy, I expect the trend of increasing focus on clean energy at the local level to not just continue but accelerate. 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: Mike Shriberg, University of Michigan Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Mike Shriberg was previously an appointed member of the City of Ann Arbor's Energy Commission. He no longer serves in that role or has any formal affiliation with the City of Ann Arbor and its energy work. Ann Coulter Monday questioned the effort the Trump administration to deport a Palestinian graduate student at Columbia University for his leadership in protests of the Israeli government that have rocked the Ivy League campus. The right-wing pundit, who boasts of her hardline anti-immigration views, questioned the arrest of student Mahmoud Khalil, who is a permanent resident in the U.S. Theres almost no one I dont want to deport, Coulter posted on the social media platform X. But, unless theyve committed a crime, isnt this a violation of the first amendment? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The First Amendment and other constitutional rights generally apply to U.S. citizens, but whether they apply to foreigners, even green card-holders like Khalil, is subject to some legal debate. But advocates for immigrants agree with Coulter that permanent residents like Khalil should not be deported unless they have been convicted of a crime. Coulter has raised hackles in the past for taking ultra-hardline stands against immigration and immigrants, both legal and undocumented. She made headlines by saying she wouldnt vote for former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy because he is Indian, though the pharma billionaire is a U.S. citizen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Khalil, whose pregnant wife is a U.S. citizen, was arrested over the weekend by immigration agents enforcing Trumps executive orders barring antisemitism, the Department of Homeland Security said. He has not been charged with any crimes over his activities during campus unrest at the university, which proponents say were aimed at curbing support for Israel and do not amount to antisemitic attacks on Jews. Brushing aside those concerns, Trump vowed Monday to arrest and potentially deport more pro-Palestinian student activists. We know there are more students at Columbia and other universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, Trump wrote on his social media site. We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country never to return again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Khalils wife and lawyers were originally told he was taken to a immigration facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey. A Department of Homeland Security web site suggested he was moved to a Louisiana detention center. Defense lawyers are trying to force law enforcement officials to present Khalil in court and allow a judge to decide whether he can be legally deported. Michiganders dont want school vouchers. But the federal government might force vouchers into Michigan, whether we want them to or not. In the coming days, Congress will consider whether to include the "Educational Choice for Children Act" (ECCA) among many GOP priorities as part of the budget reconciliation process that will set federal spending for next year and beyond. That bill, which GOP leaders have introduced in both the Senate and the House, is a school voucher plan mixed with a tax credit that would allow donors to divert all or part of what they owe in federal taxes to other organizations that then distribute those funds for private K-12 tuition and other private educational expenses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Put another way, this is the federal version of the voucher plans spreading in red states across the country except this one is nestled inside a tax shelter for mostly wealthy donors. Those donors can give either $5,000 or up to 10% of their adjusted income whichever is greater for $10 billion in diverted revenue in the first year alone. Then that spending cap can go up. A similar, Michigan-specific version of this scheme was unsuccessfully backed by Betsy DeVos and allies three years ago. The new federal bill would top off voucher spending in states that have those systems already, and force vouchers into states that have dont have or want them states like Michigan. More: How Trump school voucher order could affect Michigan's private and homeschool landscape A warning Our state constitution bans state funding from going to private K-12 schools. But the new voucher tax credit could circumvent that ban by using federal dollars instead. So much for "giving education back to the states," as the Trump Administration says it wants to do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im an expert in these kinds of policies that privatize crucial commitments to the public good. And, in particular, Im an expert on vouchers. These days, I travel all over the country speaking about the harm these plans do to student outcomes and state budgets. But now, I want to warn folks here in Michigan what might happen. Simply put: Roughly 70% of voucher users in states across the nation were already in private school anyway, before taxpayers picked up the tab. The rest suffer catastrophic academic results when they transfer from public to private schools. Thats because the few kids who do transfer from public to private school often from working class and lower income families get admitted mostly to what I call sub-prime providers: financially distressed private schools with little or no particular specialty in academic learning. And when vouchers come to town, its those sub-prime private schools that jump into the market, not unlike the wild west landscape for Michigans for-profit charter industry that already exists here. Make no mistake: these schemes wont open new doors to elite private academies like Detroit Country Day or Cranbrook. Thats because under the new federal version, private schools retain the right to make their own admissions decisions. That gives schools not parents the real choice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Which is why in the latest voucher programs, its the wealthiest families making up the largest share of new voucher users. More from Freep Opinion: Claressa Shields shouldnt face marijuana penalty. Michigan must fix regulations. More help for the wealthy In Florida, for example, one quarter of all voucher users come from the states top income tier. Similarly in Arizona, the lowest voucher take-up rates come from the highest poverty areas. Thats a pattern the federal plan will reinforce. In a clever sleight-of-hand meant to read as an anti-poverty clause, the law Congress is contemplating would limit voucher use to 300% of local median or average area (such as county) income not a poverty cap. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lets be concrete about what that means. In the Michigans 7th Congressional District, where I live, the new federal voucher bill would apply to private school families with up to $235,000 in household income, according to the latest Census estimates. In the district just south of me Michigans 5th Congressional District its a bit less: up to $196,000. The Michigan 7th is represented by a first-term GOP congressman named Tom Barrett. The 5th District is represented by Congressman Tim Walberg, who also happens to chair the Education and Workforce Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. Income only tells part of the story. Its also about geography. Many parts of our state simply have few or even no private schools. For example, there are only 38 private schools in Tom Barretts district and mine a mix of rural communities, outlying suburbs to the west of Detroit and Lansing, where more than 250 public schools serve more than 115,000 school-aged children. Thats room for less than 4% of all K-12-age students in our district. In Walbergs district, the numbers are similar: 45 private schools serving roughly 5,200 students less than 5% of the 125,000 K-12 kids there. More from Freep Opinion: Who's the target of Trump's disdain? Often, it's women. Cuts, cuts and more cuts Consider those numbers alongside the GOPs other big education idea: Dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, which President Donald Trump has directed the new department secretary to do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than $194 million in federal spending supports public schools in the 7th District including Title I funds for low-income schools, child nutrition policies, special education programs, vocational training and more. Next door in the 5th District, its even more: $254 million in federal support for local public schools. Although the new administration has promised to protect some of the services housed in that department, theres no guarantee that would happen. Its also important to understand those potential cuts in the context of other federal efforts to disinvest from crucial support services from education to retirement to health care and more. Look at Medicaid the vital health care support originally meant for lower-income families, and now a cornerstone of support for millions of middle and lower-income families. Across Michigan, more than 3 million Michiganders rely on Medicaid for their health care. Meanwhile, the GOPs current budget resolution calls for cutting more than $800 billion from Medicaid over the next few years in the name of cost-savings and efficiency. At the local level, that could mean cuts to health care for more than 234,000 people in the 7th congressional district about 30% of our residents and 290,000 people in the 5th district. Republican-controlled Washington is proposing cuts to vital services across the board while the only new supports are for a federal voucher system that we didnt want, helping a handful of students already in private school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats not making government more efficient. Its just making government less effective. Josh Cowen is a Professor of Education Policy at Michigan State University and Visiting Senior Fellow at the Education Law Center. 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: GOP is opening a backdoor to school vouchers in Michigan | Opinion The United States should not have invested $350 billion in aid to Ukraine, U.S. President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox News. Trump said that Biden should never have invested $350 billion and should have kept up with Europe. He pointed out that all it took was to stay on an equal footing, noting that Europe invested $100 billion while the U.S. invested $350 billion, questioning how that happened. He added that there was an ocean between them and that the U.S. was not in as much danger as Europe. He noted that Zelenskyy is a "smart guy" who "took money out of this country like candy from a baby." "It was so easy. With that same attitude. I just dont think hes grateful," Trump stressed. As reported, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the United States provided Ukraine with $100 billion in aid during the full-scale Russian invasion, while the total cost of the war was $320 billion. Ramped-up political rhetoric that denies the existence of transgender and gender nonbinary youths is having a toll on Wisconsin's LGBTQ+ youths, a new state survey from The Trevor Project says. The survey, which was published on March 5, asked LGBTQ+ youths aged 13 through 24 across the United States, including Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., to weigh in on their well-being, mental health risks, access to care, and challenges faced. It's among the first comprehensive reports to capture the impact of recent aggressive GOP campaigns that dismiss the experiences of trans and nonbinary youths. More than 18,000 LGBTQ+ youths across the country contributed to the national report called the 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People by State. The survey was conducted between September and December of 2023, amid waves of anti-trans ads that continued to dominate television, podcasts and mailers over the next year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By the end of 2023, Wisconsin had introduced 15 anti-LGBTQ+ laws, which Dr. Ronita Nath, vice president of research at the Trevor Project, said "can directly cause an increase in suicide attempts" among LGBTQ+ youths. Here are five things to know about the report. Nearly half of trans and nonbinary youths considered suicide in 2024 The report emphasizes that LGBTQ+ young people are not inherently prone to higher suicide risk as a result of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Instead, mental health risks stem from discrimination, mistreatment and stigma in society. Gov. Tony Evers stands next to 16-year-old Aspen Morris, right, at the Rainbow Pride flag raising in 2022 at the Capitol in Madison. That said, 39% of LGBTQ+ youths in Wisconsin seriously considered suicide at the end of 2023, including 44% of transgender and nonbinary youths. Another 12% of LGBTQ+ youths attempted suicide, with 12% of those being transgender and nonbinary youths. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These percentage are far less for cisgender, heterosexual high school-aged students, according to the Youth Risk Behavior Survey report conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. The most recent survey found that 12% of heterosexual students considered suicide and 6% attempted suicide. Nearly half of LGBTQ+ youths wanted but did not receive mental health care Although 53% of LGBTQ+ youths in Wisconsin wanted and received mental health care, another 47% who wanted care did not receive it, according to The Trevor Project survey. The top five reasons youths were unable to receive it broke down in the following way: "I was afraid to talk about my mental health concerns with someone else": 44% "I could not afford it": 34% "I did not want to have to get my parent's/caregiver's permission": 33% "I was afraid I wouldn't be taken seriously": 32% "I was scared someone would call the police or involuntarily hospitalize me": 29% More than 60% of LGBTQ+ youths experienced discrimination on sexuality and gender When LGBTQ+ youths experience anti-LGBTQ+ victimization, which includes being physically threatened or harmed, discriminated against or forced into conversion therapy, they report significantly higher rates of attempting suicide, according to the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That victimization can ripple from political messaging. About 90% of LGBTQ+ youths said recent political rhetoric negatively impacted their well-being, with 53% saying it impacted them "a lot" and 38% saying it impacted them "sometimes." To that end, 72% of LGBTQ+ youths between 13 and 17 said they've endured bullying; 41% aged 18 to 24 were bullied. A quarter of all LGBTQ+ youths in Wisconsin were physically harmed or threatened with physical harm based on their sexual orientation or gender identity in 2024. Additionally, 61% of LGBTQ+ youths say they've experienced discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Many LGBTQ+ youths have considered leaving Wisconsin The survey showed that the political rhetoric has led to 40% of LGBTQ+ youths or their family, including 45% of trans and nonbinary youths or their families, considering leaving Wisconsin due to LGBTQ-related politics and laws. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 10% of LGBTQ+ youths are either threatened with or subjected to conversion therapy. Conversion therapy, purported to alter same-sex attractions or an individuals gender expression, is a harmful form of intervention recognized by the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Wisconsin has partial laws on the books banning conversion therapy. It's also banned in 14 cities, including Milwaukee, Madison, Eau Claire and Superior, according to Movement Advancement Placement, which tracks LGBTQ-related laws and policies across the United States. Support means trusting that LGBTQ+ youths know who they are When LGBTQ+ youths live in affirming and supportive spaces and communities, they experience lower rates of suicide, Nath from the Trevor Project said. Increasingly, that looks more like finding "chosen" families for support instead of traditional family structures. A vast majority of LGBTQ+ youths in Wisconsin, at 71%, said in 2024 their family only supported them at a low or moderate amount. For 76% of trans and nonbinary youths, low or moderate support has been their experience in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By contrast, young people have felt high levels of support from friends in 2024, at 72% for LGBTQ+ youths and 75% among trans and nonbinary youths. To better show support and acceptance, LGBTQ+ youths reported these actions: "Trusting that I know who I am": 87% "Standing up for me": 81% "Not supporting politicians that advocate for anti-LGBTQ+ legislation": 76% "Respecting my pronouns": 63% "Looking up things about LGBTQ+ identities on their own to better understand": 62% "People know who they are. If you are able to trust that, you can really uplift them," Nath said. "Something that might seem small to you creating an accepting environment can make a world of difference to a young person." This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Report shows about half of trans youths considered suicide last year Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez condemned ICEs detainment of Mahmoud Khalil, calling it a tyrannical move. Violating rule of law, actually, AOC wrote on Monday, responding to an assertion from Katie Miller, wife of Trump adviser Stephen Miller, that Khalils kidnapping was mere rule of law. You are shredding the Constitution of the United States to go after political enemies. Seizing a person without reason or warrant and denying them access to their lawyer is un-American and tyrannical, she continued. Anyone celebrating this should be ashamed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the federal government can disappear a legal US permanent resident without reason or warrant, then they can disappear US citizens too, she wrote in a separate post. Anyoneleft, right, or centerwho has highlighted the importance of constitutional rights + free speech should be sounding the alarm now. ICE arrested Khalil, a leader in Columbia Universitys pro-Palestine movement, as he returned to his home Saturday night, despite the fact that he has a green card. ICE initially informed Khalils lawyer, Amy Greer, that they had revoked his student visa. When Greer brought up Khalils green cardwhich would make it much harder to detain himICE said that was revoked too, and hung up on her. Khalil is thought to now be in an ICE facility in Louisiana. Trump was delighted by ICEs actions and took to Truth Social to warn that this is the first arrest of many. Following my previously signed Executive Orders, ICE proudly apprehended and detained Mahmoud Khalil, a Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student on the campus of Columbia University. This is the first arrest of many to come. We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it. Many are not students, they are paid agitators, Trump wrote on Truth Social, all but confirming that advocating for Palestinian self-determination is now a crime. We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our countrynever to return again. If you support terrorism, including the slaughtering of innocent men, women, and children, your presence is contrary to our national and foreign policy interests, and you are not welcome here. We expect every one of Americas Colleges and Universities to comply. Thank you! A proposal for a 300-unit apartment complex on 12 acres of land in the ecologically-sensitive Wekiva Protection Area is confronting Seminole County with a difficult conflict between two worthy goals: protecting the environment and providing affordable housing. Development plans reviewed this week by county staff show the complex sitting on wooded land off the corner of State Road 46 and Orange Boulevard in northwest Seminole County. Its proposed under the Live Local Act a 2023 state law designed to encourage speedy construction of affordable multi-family housing by shortening the government approval process. In this case, the developer is not required to hold community meetings and request zoning changes before county boards as required by most other development applications. The proposal and the process have irked environmentalists, residents and a Seminole commissioner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opponents of the project say they understand the region faces a dire need for affordable housing and are not necessarily opposed to the law itself. But they say the rural Wekiva Protection Area is not the right place for a high-density complex with five four-story buildings. The apartment site itself is on the very edge of the protection area, in a spot already bordered by a major highway, but that hasnt lessened the concerns. This thing, in my opinion, is terrifying, Seminole Commissioner Lee Constantine said about the proposed apartment complex. Previously a state legislator for nearly two decades, Constantine has long been a supporter of protecting the Wekiva River and sponsored the states 2004 Wekiva Parkway and Protection Act. The Live Local Act was never intended to destroy the environment by going into environmentally-sensitive areas and building large apartment complexes, Constantine said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michelle Jamesson, a member of Friends of the Wekiva environmental group who lives nearby, said the complex is too dense for the area. Were not at all against affordable housing, Jamesson said. Were very much in favor of that. But its in an inappropriate place. Corey Canfield of Middleburg Development LLC of Maitland, which filed the development application Feb. 11, said he would rather not comment. Grey Wilson, a Friends of the Wekiva board member, said hes not opposed to nay development on the site. In fact, the land is currently zoned for commercial development and Wilson said he would not object to a small store or office building there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Wilson and other opponents say a larger development would open the door for similar housing projects farther into the protected area. This absolutely would set a precedent, he said. Affordable housing belongs in areas where you have mass transportation and other services. This is in the outskirts of the county. It supersedes the protections that were put in place for this imperiled area. Wilsons group is considering a legal challenge. Republican state Sen. Jason Brodeur of Sanford who championed himself as a protector of the environment in his election campaign and GOP state Rep. Rachel Plakon of Lake Mary owner of a real estate investment firm did not respond to phone and email requests for comment on whether the Live Local Act should be modified to offer more environmental protections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Live Local Act was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in March 2023. It loosens zoning requirements and requires local governments approve, without public hearings, multifamily development projects in areas zoned commercial, industrial or mixed-use if at least 40% of units are affordable for residents making up to 120% of the area median income. In 2022, the median household income in Seminole was nearly $42,000 for an individual and just below $80,000 for a household, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and Data USA. The law is an effort to encourage more affordable housing and halt the double-digit rent spikes Florida and especially the Central Florida region has seen in recent years affecting low- and moderate-income families. Supporters say its limits on public input are intended to support the construction of projects that otherwise are routinely delayed at public meetings with residents voicing not-in-my-backyard objections. Last year Seminole County opted out of another of the law's incentives to increase affordable housing tax breaks to developers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Wekiva Protection Area which covers most of northwestern Seminole was established in 1988 by the Legislature to protect the area's rural and environmentally-sensitive characteristics. The wildlife corridor is a high recharge area for the Floridan Aquifer and is meant to protect the imperiled Wekiva River which Congress designated a Wild and Scenic River in 2000. In January 2024, the state completed the $1.6 billion Wekiva Parkway, an elevated superhighway designed to protect wildlife and limit the sprawl of residential subdivisions. Within a stones throw of the apartment site, the parkway features wildlife underpasses and bridges that soar over the Wekiva River without impeding its natural current of spring water. The apartment complex will include a clubhouse, fitness center, yoga room, pool and dog park, according to the application. Apartments range between one-bedroom and three-bedroom and at least 120 must be deemed as affordable through 2055. After meeting with county staff Wednesday, the developer now must submit a site plan for review before construction can start. There is no date to begin construction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the application had not been submitted under the Live Local Act, the developer wouldve had to hold community meetings to discuss the project and answer questions from the public. Then the developer would need zoning and land-use changes heard by the county's zoning board and finally approval by the commission all in public meetings. George Sellery, who lives near the site of the proposed development, said he's angry he won't be able to voice his objections in public hearings. Its the worst possible place for this development, Sellery said. Traffic is going to be a nightmare. And I think this sets a horrible precedent. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) The 7th District Court of Appeals last week upheld the convictions and sentence last year of a man found guilty by a jury of sex crimes against a child. The decision was released March 4 in the appeal filed by Todd Perkins, 59, who was found guilty in February 2024 on charges of rape and gross sexual imposition following a trial in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. He was sentenced in April to 20 years in prison by Judge Maureen Sweeney. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perkins was accused of forcing a 4-year-old girl to perform oral sex on him. He had earlier been convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison for crimes against that victim and a second one, but that conviction was overturned by the appeals court and a new trial was ordered when the appeals court upheld his claim that he should been tried separately for both victims. A trial in the second case is scheduled for April 7. In their appeal, Perkins attorneys said he deserved a new trial because the trial court erred in not excusing a juror, forcing his attorneys to use one of their challenges, should have declared a mistrial after a juror admitted after she was seated that she read a newspaper article about the case and that the child victim in the case should not have been declared competent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The trial court struck down all three arguments, saying in the case of the juror who read the newspaper that the juror was immediately dismissed when she said she read the article and that the other jurors told the court that the juror never spoke to them about the article and they were following the judges admonitions to not read or watch any coverage of the proceedings. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Merit System Protections Board, an independent agency overseeing the fairness of federal employment, has seen an avalanche of petitions following President Donald Trumps orders to cull the federal workforce. Fired federal workers said they were fired for performance reasons, despite overwhelmingly positive performance reviews. Allegations of poor performance mean fired probationary employees wont get severance pay, and it will likely be harder for them to be rehired for public sector jobs. A major government employment watchdog overseeing the fairness of agency firings has been flooded with claims following President Donald Trumps purge of federal workers. The Merit System Protections Board, an independent agency working to ensure government jobs are awarded on merit, has received as much as a 2,100% increase in cases from federal employees appealing their dismissals, including those alleging they were subject to illegal discrimination or disputing charges of poor performance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Five months ago, the board had typically received about 100 petitions every week. From Feb. 16 to 22the week following many terminations1,805 petitions came in. The week after, it got 2,171 more, a 20-fold increase of its typical quota. Most recently, from March 2 to 8, MSPB received 1,503 petitions. View this interactive chart on Fortune.com Culling the federal workforce, which Trump says is about cutting costs, has been a key effort in his second administration despite government employees sounding the alarm on the firings, throwing their agencies into chaos and jeopardizing their future job prospects. About 30,000 federal employees, most of whom were probationary, were swiftly sacked in the first months of Trumps administration, Axios reported. The surge in cases the MSPB received correlates with the rollout of firings. The Office of Personnel Management, which reports to the White House, sent out a memo on Jan. 20 asking agencies to provide a list identifying all probationary employees. On Feb. 14, OPM requested agencies fire many of those listed probationary workers by Feb. 17. The 'poor performance' death knell Many fired federal workers said their letters of termination all listed performance as the reason for their terminations, despite receiving overwhelmingly positive performance reviews weeks earlier. Katrina Le Blanc, a former policy analyst at the National Institute of Healths Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, told Fortune her supervisors warned her higher management had to select a reason for terminationeither misconduct or poor performanceand they chose performance Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I just want you to know that that's not true, she recalled her supervisor telling her. These poor performance reasons stamped on termination letters are a death knell for federal employees who are continuing to seek government employment. The reasons for firings are listed on an employee's Standard Form 50 (SF-50), a document in their personnel files that are viewable to prospective federal employers, threatening their chances of getting another government job, workers told Fortune. Probationary employees terminated for performance reasons are also not eligible for severance pay, according to OPM. The MSPB and OPM did not respond to Fortunes requests for comment. A Kafkaesque appeals process As cases pile on, the chances of the MSPB hearing them is slim. The MSPB was non-functional during Trumps first administration, as he did not appoint the key board member necessary for the body to achieve the quorum required to hear employee appeals. From Jan. 7, 2017 to March 2, 2022, the MSPB could not vote or review any petitions. To put the current rush of petitions into perspective, the cases already received by the MSPB exceed the backlog it accumulated during nearly five years it was non-functional. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 last week. The MSPB is currently functional, but the Office of Special Counsel, another federal body charged with protecting government workers from political retaliation or discrimination, is on shakier ground. Trump fired OSC head Hampton Dellinger on Feb. 7, and Dellinger has decided not to pursue a legal battle against the presidents decision. Fired employees need to act fast if they want to appeal, as they must 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. The stop-start appeals process is bad news for both fired employees, as well as the federal government. The government must pay the accrued interest on any back pay it owes, and fired federal employees may not have access to back pay for years, Gregory McGillivary, a labor lawyer representing federal workers in a class-action lawsuit alleging privacy violations, told Fortune. It's really a tragedy for the federal employees, because people dont have any sort of swift justice for illegal firings, he said. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com BOSSIER CITY, La. (KTAL/KMSS) Arc of Acadiana is committed to helping community members with disabilities live to their fullest potential, so much so that it is opening a new location in Bossier City, Louisiana. The Arc Caddo-Bossier to host Go for the Gold 5K & Fun Run The new Bossier City residential facility will expand care for individuals with developmental disabilities in Northwest Louisiana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their groundbreaking ceremony will be held: Date: Tuesday, March 26, 2024 Time: 10:00 AM Location: 4708 Barksdale Boulevard, Bossier City, LA 71112 Local dignitaries, including State Senator Alan Seabaugh, State Representative Dennis Bamburg, Bossier Chamber CEO Lisa Johnson, and Arc of Acadiana CEO Cindy Leleux, will attend to mark this milestone. The Arc Acadiana serves and helps adults with physical and developmental disabilities. It offers a wide variety of opportunities to support community members in increasing independence and confidence through job training, education, and skills building. Their services include: Community group homes In-home care Day programs In-home care for veterans with disabilities Employment services for adults with disabilities Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com. Jewelry was an important part of ancient Egyptian culture. Excavation at the Karnak temple found a 2,600-year-old pot filled with gold jewelry, beads, and statues. The statues of Egyptian gods Amun, Mut, and Khonsu may have been worn as amulets. Despite their hierarchical society, jewelry was for everyone in ancient Egypt. The poorest farmers and the richest pharaohs were all likely adorned (or at least buried) with jewelry. However, these accessories werent just for displaythey were thought to have apotropaic powers, or powers to ward off evil. For the living, Egyptians thought jewelry would fend off disease and danger. For the dead, jewelry was meant to protect them for the rest of eternity. According to the American Research Center in Egypt, even just a single bead could act as a window into ancient Egyptian culture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A recent excavation on the Karnak temple complex near Luxor, Egyptwhich developed across a millennia , predominantly between the 12th and 20th dynasties, and prominently features the Temple of Amun-Raresulted in archaeologists discovering more than just a bead. It uncovered a whole treasure trove. The project was conducted by the Egyptian-French Centre for the Study of Karnak Temples (CFEETK) in collaboration with the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). At the dig site, archaeologists discovered a broken pot filled with gold jewelry, statues of gods, beads, and a brooch. Experts believe the vessel is approximately 2,600 years old, dating back to Egypts 26th dynasty. Researchers found the artifacts in good condition, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The statues uncovered during the excavation depict the god Amun, the goddess Mut, and their son Khonsu side by side. Amun (meaning the hidden one) is often considered the father of pharaohs and king of gods. In the New Kingdom, Amun merged with sun god Ra (sometimes spelled Re), becoming both the visible and invisible god, which appealed to the Egyptian ideal of balance . Experts believe the figurines are part of an amulet or another piece of jewelry worn around the neck. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, all artifacts found at the site will be restored and likely displayed at the Luxor museum. This excavation was a small part of ongoing work at the Karnak temple complex, according to Jeremy Hourdin, head of the Frenchs side of the project. Sherif FathyMinister of Tourism and Antiquitiespraised the collaboration between the teams, emphasizing the role of their work on some of the most important ancient Egyptian temples in the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is a very important discovery, Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said,because it provides a clearer understanding of the historical development of the Karnak Temples during the first millennium B.C.E. You Might Also Like An Arden Arcade resident was arrested Sunday morning on accusations of stabbing her husband multiple times, leaving him with serious injuries. Sacramento County Sheriffs Office deputies responded to a call about 12:30 a.m. in the 1100 block of Singingwood Road in Arden Manor, according to a news release. They found the victim there with multiple stab wounds in his chest and torso, as well as his 33-year-old wife and suspected assailant. The man was transported to a hospital with what were initially believed to be life-threatening injuries, but his condition stabilized overnight and hes now expected to survive, according to deputies. The victims wife was arrested and remains in Sacramento County Jail on $75,000 bail ahead of a scheduled court appearance Tuesday. Protesters gather at the Arizona Capitol on March 4, 2025, in opposition of recent executive orders targeted at the LGBTQ+ community, among other actions related to immigration and U.S. involvement in the Ukraine War. Photo by Brian Petersheim Jr. | Cronkite News In Arizona home to roughly 34,000 federal employees President Donald Trumps orders can impact a massive workforce of health care professionals and the individuals who rely on their services. Health care in the United States is a market commodity rather than the right of citizenship, available to those willing to pay. This model leaves others only with the basic package, historically creating worse health outcomes for people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, immigrants, people of lower socioeconomic status and those living in rural communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Public health depends on government regulation and support. It is about improving the quality of life of the population as a whole, focusing on minimizing gaps in health outcomes. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX On his first day in office, Trump signed orders terminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs across the federal government. A wave of other directives followed, freezing funds for medical research and eliminating gender-affirming hormonal therapy, vaccine requirements and jobs in the public health sector. The new anti-DEI directives prohibit specific words such as socioeconomic, ethnicity, systemic, women, trauma, Black, Hispanic and disability in grant applications for federal money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Rachel Gur-Arie, an assistant professor at Arizona State Universitys Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, the directive slowed the application process and research. I might have to change the title of my proposal. I might have to change how I frame the whole proposal, Gur-Arie said. Its like not being able to call a pineapple a pineapple. You call it a fruit thats yellow with a thorny top. The linguistic censorship will take researchers away from community engagement, Gur-Arie added, because researchers are going to have to constantly make sure theyre translating the needs of the community into a language that is acceptable under this new kind of paradigm. Spokespeople from the Arizona Department of Health Services and the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), the states Medicaid program, declined to comment on the actions targeting DEI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you stand your ground around the federal government right now, Id say watch your back, said James G. Hodge, a professor at ASUs Sandra Day OConnor College of Law, while addressing the Rural Health Forum in Phoenix last month. Trump dedicated his first weeks in office to funding freezes, firings and buyouts. None of these directives offers a roadmap for the process or elaborates on when it might end. Its very difficult to understand the impact of an order that is so non-specific and so broad that it encompasses virtually every federal grant that has ever been issued, said Zaida Dedolph Piecoro, health policy advisor at Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs office, during the forum. While some sectors, such as the military and immigration enforcement, appear to be exempt from workforce reductions, public health workers are facing firings that lack precision. In one case, employees managing the countrys bird flu response were fired, then reinstated shortly after. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The answer right now is that we really need to wait for the courts to sort through some things because theres just so much uncertainty, Dedolph Piecoro said. Some organizations that work with underserved communities and rely on multiple funding sources encourage everyone to prepare for the worst. Weve been here before, said Shomari Jackson, director of systems change at the Young Womens Christian Association (YWCA) in Phoenix. Jackson works with underserved communities in the north Valley ranging from those with disabilities to older adults. The pendulum always swings in favor and then swings away. It seems like its swinging a lot faster and harder this time, but the YWCAs mission doesnt change. The states political leaders responded in mixed ways. Democratic lawmakers are pushing back against the cuts, raising concerns about their long-term impact on public services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorney General Kris Mayes is a part of a multistate coalition that has filed a second motion against the Trump administration over its federal funding freeze. Despite multiple court orders, hundreds of millions of dollars in grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) remain blocked. The Trump administration is blatantly ignoring court orders and continuing to withhold critical FEMA funds that states rely on, Mayes said in a press release. This is illegal, dangerous, and puts lives at risk. Many Republicans support the reductions, and Arizonas GOP members in Congress favor the changes. Trump proposed tax cuts and signed an order to reduce the scope of the federal bureaucracy, which included requiring the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to terminate the Health Equity Advisory Committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have over 2 million Arizonans who are on AHCCCS, said Beth Kohler, the CEO of the Arizona Association of Health Plans, in an interview to The Arizona Republics political podcast The Gaggle. Its a $22 billion program. Arizona, a Medicaid expansion state, could lose significant funding due to federal budget reductions. We heard that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services plan to cut the navigator budget from $98 million to $10 million, said Daniel Derksen, director for the Arizona Center for Rural Health, during the forum. That means that therell be fewer people available to help people with eligibility and enrollment, both for Medicaid but alsoand other marketplace plans. Derksen said he is very anxious about the Affordable Care Act expiring in December and the talks of the potential cuts to the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP), a formula that decides how much the federal government reimburses each state for Medicaid expenditures relative to the average per capita income. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By law, FMAP cannot go below 50% and is almost 65% in Arizona. The state cannot absorb any federal cost shifts for Medicaid. It is extremely difficult in the state of Arizona to increase revenue, Dedolph Piecoro said. I believe now it takes a 60% threshold at the ballot to do anything that will increase revenue or, you know, act of God, Im not sure. According to Dedolph Piecoro, it would be virtually impossible to backfill the federal funding portion of Medicaid. According to Derksen, 500,000 Arizonans (could lose) their Medicaid coverage if those proposed cuts go through. Between the Affordable Care Act cuts and the Medicaid cuts, we can double the number of uninsured, which I estimate right now at 750,000. To me as a family physician, (it) is unconscionably high. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Feb. 10, Arizona families who rely on gender-affirming care received an email from the largest provider of gender-supporting services in the state, Phoenix Childrens Hospital, announcing it is indefinitely pausing gender-affirming medical care, specifically puberty-blocking and gender-affirming hormonal therapy. The decision to halt the services was a direct response to the Jan. 28 directive titled Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation. The executive order prohibits gender-affirming care for people under the age of 19, yet according to Tami Staas, a mother of a transgender son and the executive director of the Arizona Trans Youth and Parent Organization (AZTYPO), adults are affected as well. I heard from a family of ours that their 20-year-old child, who was a patient at the Phoenix Childrens Hospital, was told at their last appointment they have to be stepped off their hormones, Staas said. What were seeing is preemptive compliance without an executive order at this point. Cronkite News spoke to a representative at Phoenix Childrens but could not independently confirm whether the hospital served and subsequently stopped serving adults as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Phoenix Childrens is bound by all federal laws and regulations for the provision of care to its patients. For this reason, Phoenix Childrens is indefinitely pausing hormone therapy services within the Gender Clinic to ensure we are in full compliance with the recent executive order, the hospital said in a statement sent to Cronkite News. Staas, whose organization provides families of transgender children and youths up to 24 years old with peer support and helps parents cover costs for things such as name changes, saw the immediate effect of this decision. They were terrified for their kids, Staas said. I talked to one family. Their child was on blockers and they had an appointment that week. Their appointment was canceled and they didnt know what they were going to do. Puberty blockers do not cause permanent changes. Stopping treatment allows the body to resume puberty based on the gender assigned at birth and can result in breast development or facial hair growth that can exacerbate dysphoria, according to Staas: They would become extremely suicidal and the fear of losing your child, thats what theyre dealing with. One San Tan Valley mother, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to fear of retaliation, remembers her 18-year-old transgender daughter was thriving just months ago. The daughter, who started counseling at a young age and eventually started hormonal therapy at the age of 16, had found a good balance of estrogen and progesterone supplements for her. She looks amazing, shes thriving. She feels like herself now, the mother said, referring to her daughter before the order. Her mental health is definitely stabilized. Shes had three years now of no self-harming, no suicidal attempts, no suicidal thoughts and stuff and then this blow Im scared, she feels targeted. Shes terrified. The family is considering moving back to California or leaving the country: I have no problem taking her wherever itll be safe. Prisma Community Care in downtown Phoenix announced Feb. 14 that it stopped providing gender-affirming hormone therapy to anyone under the age of 19. But it lifted its suspension only two days later. Staas said she already saw families establishing care elsewhere: People looking to international care. Not only Mexico but Europe and other places. We have families whove established care with LA Childrens, and what LA Childrens does is they require a visit once a year in person, and then theyll do once a month telemed. However, California hospitals are also caught in a legal tug-of-war, discontinuing and restarting targeted services as Trump pushes new rules on hospitals while courts continue to block them. Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, which initially paused hormone therapy services, lifted the restrictions after a federal judge temporarily blocked Trumps order on Feb. 13. The administrations attempts to ban gender-affirming care are not the only ones affecting the health of young Arizonans. Schools and universities requiring COVID-19 vaccines for in-person attendance can lose federal money under a Feb. 15 order mandating institutions develop a plan to end restrictions. Schools arent really requiring that right now, but if you attempt it on COVID-19 vaccines, the executive order says, oh, well, well start stripping all of your Department of Education funds quickly, Hodge, the law professor, said. Hodge urged health professionals not to hide under a rock for the next four years but to look for other ways to meet health care goals. Get innovative, figure out how to accomplish public health objectives without necessarily running up against an administration, he said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) A bill in the Arkansas legislature recently signed into law by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders will require public school students to take gun safety courses. Act 229, previously known as House Bill 1117, would require public schools and open-enrollment charter schools in Arkansas to provide students annual instruction on firearm safety. The bill was sponsored by Rep. R. Scott Richardson (R-Bentonville) and Sen. Joshua Bryant (R-Rogers). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Richardson told FOX News that the idea for the bill came from conversations among his neighbors. Bill filed in Arkansas legislature to protect students from critical theory concept lessons All of our children play together and invade whatever home happens to be the play of the day. And in that process, they may go into a neighbors home and discover that unsecured firearm, and how would they react, Richardson said. The bill said the Arkansas Department of Educations Division of Elementary and Secondary Education would collaborate with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to create and approve age-appropriate firearm safety courses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill discusses different methods of instruction that can be utilized, including videos, online resources and live demonstrations off-campus. If a school opts to perform off-campus live demonstrations, the school will have to ask for permission. Instruction is set to begin with the 2025-26 school year, according to the bill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24. Defense Minister of Ukraine Rustem Umerov held a meeting in Denmark with Defense Minister of Lithuania Dovile Sakaliene, the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported on the Telegram channel. "The main focus is the supply of the necessary weapons and ammunition for the Ukrainian military. Lithuania consistently supports us in this area, and we have identified specific steps to strengthen the Defense Forces," Umerov said following the meeting. The parties also discussed cooperation in the defense-industrial complex. "We identified further steps to create joint production, because Ukrainian combat experience and technologies are able to strengthen the defense capabilities of our countries," Umerov said. He thanked Sakaliene and the entire Lithuanian people for their steadfast support for Ukraine. LEBANON, Mo. A Lebanon man was arrested today for attempted enticement of a child. The arrest comes after a citizen group brought attention to the police. This case has stirred up controversy online. Residents in Laclede County are voicing their concerns after a Facebook post from the Lebanon Police Department addressed the actions of what they call a civilian vigilante group. Today we are hearing from the online group Operation Soap, which is dedicated to catching child predators. A representative with the group says the post was directed at them Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Lebanon Police Department spoke out against us and called us a vigilante group, which I dont entirely agree with. I prefer, investigative journalists, says the Operation Soap representative, who chose to remain anonymous. This weekend, the Lebanon Police Department posted to Facebook addressing the actions of a quote vigilante group who they say publically outed an individual. The post assured the public that the department is aware of the situation and their cyber crimes task force is investigating thoroughly. The actions of the suspect were suspicious and, in the eyes of the public, ultimately wrong. However, such behavior by vigilante civilians is dangerous and undermines the legal process, says the LPD. After this post multiple people that live or lived in Laclede County sent Ozarks First statements over social media. To turn a blind eye to all the evidence Operation Soap has on the individual in question because LPD feels undermined by them is unethical & goes to show our local law enforcement is more concerned with their pride than the protection of our children, says on Laclede County resident. The only time they do their job is when its easy, says another. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The person being accused of child enticement by Operation Soap was arrested by the LPD today, March 9th. The Social media trend of predator catching has a noble intent and Lebanon police always appreciate citizen cooperation, however; activist groups may be jeopardizing criminal cases by not reporting them immediately to the police, the Lebanon Police Chief said in a statement. According to Missouri law cases like these can only be prosecuted if the victim is either an actual child or a law enforcement officer posing as a child. Operation Soap says the group is in contact with law enforcement for days or weeks before they make any moves. We send them over the evidence and everything that we have prior to us being there. That way it gives the prosecutor plenty of time to go over the evidence, make sure everythings legally within all the guidelines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LPDs statement announcing the arrest of a 29-year-old man also said they have to operate under specific rules so the evidence can be used in court. The children of our communities are the whole future, of our area and our whole country. They are completely defenseless when it comes to child predators, says Operation Soap. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WASHINGTON (AP) The arrest of a Palestinian activist who helped organize campus protests of the war in Gaza has sparked questions about whether foreign students and green card holders are protected against being deported from the U.S. Mahmoud Khalil was arrested Saturday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Homeland Security officials and President Donald Trump have indicated that the arrest was directly tied to his role in the protests last spring at Columbia University in New York City. Khalil is being held at an immigration detention center in Jena, Louisiana, while he awaits immigration court proceedings that could eventually lead to him being deported. His arrest has drawn criticism that he's being unfairly and unlawfully targeted for his activism while the federal government has essentially described him as a terrorist sympathizer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A look at what kind of protections foreign students and green card holders have and what might be next for Khalil: Can someone with a green card be deported? A green card holder is someone who has lawful permanent residence status in the United States. Jaclyn Kelley-Widmer is a law professor at Cornell Law School who teaches immigration law. She said lawful permanent residents generally have many protections and "should be the most protected short of a US citizen. But that protection isn't absolute. Green card holders can still be deported for committing certain crimes, failing to notify immigration officials of a change in address or engaging in marriage fraud, for example. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Homeland Security said Khalil was taken into custody as a result of Trumps executive orders prohibiting antisemitism. Trump has argued that protesters forfeited their rights to remain in the country by supporting the Palestinian group Hamas, which controls Gaza and has been designated as a terrorist organization. Khalil and other student leaders of Columbia University Apartheid Divest have rejected claims of antisemitism, saying they are part of a broader anti-war movement that also includes Jewish students and groups. But the protest coalition, at times, has also voiced support for leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, another Islamist organization designated by the U.S. as a terrorist group. Experts say that officials seem to indicate with their rhetoric that they are trying to deport Khalil on the grounds that he's engaging in some sort of terrorist activity or somehow poses a threat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Khalil has not been convicted of any terrorist-related activity. In fact, he has not been charged with any wrongdoing. But experts say the federal government has fairly broad authority to arrest and try to deport a green card holder on terrorism grounds. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, green card holders do not need to be convicted of something to be removable," Kelley-Widmer said. They could be deported if the secretary of homeland security or the attorney general have reasonable grounds to believe they engaged in, or are likely to engage in, terrorist activities, she said. But Kelley-Widmer said she's never seen a case where the alleged terrorist activity happened in the U.S., and she questioned whether taking part in protests as Khalil did qualifies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What did ICE say about why they were arresting him? One of the key issues in Khalil's case is what ICE agents said to his lawyer at the time he was arrested. His lawyer, Amy Greer, said the agents who took him into custody at his university-owned home near Columbia initially claimed to be acting on a State Department order to revoke his student visa. But when Greer informed them that Khalil was a permanent resident with a green card, they said they would revoke that documentation instead. Kelley-Widmer said that exchange raises questions about how familiar the agents who arrested him were with the law or whether there was a "real disregard for the rule of law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think we should be really concerned that this is happening, she said. What are the next steps in his case? Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a message posted Sunday on X that the administration will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported. If someone is in the country on a student visa, the State Department does have authority to revoke it if the person violates certain conditions. For example, said Florida immigration attorney John Gihon, it's quite common for the State Department to cancel visas of foreign students who get arrested for drunk driving. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But when it comes to someone who's a lawful permanent resident, that generally requires an immigration judge to determine whether they can be deported. Gihon said the next step is that Khalil would receive charging documents explaining why he's being detained and why the government wants to remove him, as well as a notice to appear in immigration court. Generally, he should receive those within 72 hours of being arrested, and then he would make an initial appearance before an immigration judge. That could take from 10 days to a month, Gihon said. But he cautioned that right now he's seeing extensive delays across the immigration court system, with clients often moved around the country to different facilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are having people who are detained and then theyre bounced around to multiple different detention facilities. And then sometimes theyre transferred across the country, he said. Khalil's lawyers have also filed a lawsuit challenging his detention. A federal judge in New York City ordered that Khalil not be deported while the court considered his case. A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday. SNYDER, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) The Snyder Fire Department is investigating a possible arson incident that sparked a destructive blaze, during which a firefighter collapsed and was airlifted for treatment as crews battled the flames. On Friday, March 7 at about 12:04 p.m., crews responded to the 500 block of 15th Street. Upon arrival, crews found a wind-driven fire consuming a house and two vehicles, with flames threatening a nearby structure to the east. Firefighters quickly began to control the blaze. However, shortly after, one firefighter collapsed due to a major medical emergency and was airlifted to Lubbock for treatment. Fire Chief Nathan Hines reported that the firefighter is recovering and in good condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given the circumstances, the Texas State Fire Marshals office was called to the scene and has determined that evidence suggests the fire was intentionally set. A suspect was arrested at the scene and charged with First Degree Arson. Their identity has not been released. Chief Hines expressed his gratitude to the agencies that assisted in fighting the fire and thanked the community for their support as one of their own continues to recover. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. FREDERICK, Md. (DC News Now) There was a call to action from a weekend celebration of International Womens Day at the Asian American Center of Frederick. A coalition of womens advocacy groups is making the case for gender equality. Living Local DMV celebrates International Womens Day Federal employment figures show that women comprise 57% of the U.S. workforce but make only 84 cents for every dollar men earn on the government payroll, according to the Pew Research Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats about $10,000 less per year in media wages. Participants in a weekend conference at Frederick Community College are upbeat about closing the wage gap. It is so inspiring to pull together so many different women who are in leadership roles to make this event possible, Cleo Burton with the Asian American Center of Frederick, sponsor of the conference, said. Frederick faces budget challenges from shake-up of federal workforce, contracts in limbo Rachel Spencer with the Frederick Youth Council said women can make a difference, We can inspire others in the Frederick community and in the state of Maryland, she said. Together we can make a difference and celebrate our power as women. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement International Womens Day has been celebrated in the U.S. since 1909. The United Nations recognized the occasion for observance around the world in 1975. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. The total lunar eclipse begins at 10:57 p.m. March 13, 2025. The maximum eclipse will occur at 1:58 a.m., with totality ending at 2:31 a.m. March 14, 2025. Get ready, Arkansas! A total lunar eclipse is about to transform our night sky. This isnt just any eclipse. It will be a moment when our full Moon takes center stage as a mesmerizing Blood Moon. Whether youre a seasoned stargazer or simply love a good night under the stars, heres everything you need for an unforgettable lunar experience. Whats the Sky Saying? Arkansas Weather Forecast Arkansas may see a few clouds in the sky. The Arkansas Storm Team forecast currently calls for partly cloudy skies. While some cloud cover could roll in, there may be breaks to watch the moons dramatic color change. Stay tuned for updates as the forecast evolves. Top Tips for an Epic Lunar Viewing Make the most of your lunar eclipse night with these tips: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Find Your Perfect Spot: Whether its a local park, your backyard, or a favorite rooftop, choose a location with an unobstructed view of the southern sky. Bring Friends and Family: Celestial events are always better when shared. Gather your crew for a night of wonder and perhaps some impromptu photo sessions. Have a Backup Plan: If clouds decide to roll in, dont worry. Many astronomy sites will stream the lunar eclipse live, so youll still be part of the cosmic celebration. This total lunar eclipse is more than a cosmic phenomenonits the opportunity to see the greatness of our universe in your own backyard. From the muted onset of the penumbral stage to the extreme red glow of totality, every second is a reminder of what is on offer in the natural world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. Atlantic Theater Company and IATSE have reached a tentative agreement that would cover all production workers employed by the Off-Broadway theater company. The agreement comes after workers at the Atlantic Theater went on strike in January after negotiations for the first union contract covering behind-the-scenes workers, including theatrical electricians and carpenters, painters, wardrobe and costume dressers, fell apart. The strike led to the cancellation of two productions at the Manhattan-based non-profit theater, which has developed several shows for Broadway. More from The Hollywood Reporter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposed agreement includes significant compensation increases and benefits, according to a joint statement from the two parties. Atlantic crew members had voted unanimously to unionize with IATSE in February 2024, amid a larger push from Off-Broadway workers. When the strike was called, the two parties had been in negotiations for months, but IATSE said the theater company demanded several provisions before continuing its further obligations to bargain with the union and was unwilling to move off their demands. This led the union to file unfair labor practice charges with the federal government. The decision to unionize the workers came after IATSE organized a meeting in July 2023 and had 100 workers show up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the topic had been in discussion for years, workers decided to push forward due to the changing theater landscape, which has seen many layoffs of workers after the pandemic, and the desire for health insurance and greater benefits. The production team at the Off-Broadway musical Little Shop of Horrors and at the musical Titanique have also ratified their first union contracts. This would be the first Off-Broadway nonprofit theater company to have a union agreement covering production classifications Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. By Christine Chen SYDNEY (Reuters) - The Australian government said on Monday it would activate financial support for workers who lost income due to ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, which has caused widespread flooding, power outages and property damage across the east coast. The storm hit land north of Brisbane, Australia's third-most populous city, late on Saturday after being downgraded to a tropical low, pummeling the states of Queensland and New South Wales. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One man has died and 12 soldiers deployed for assistance were injured after their vehicles crashed in wet conditions, authorities said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said workers whose income drops below the country's average weekly wage would be eligible to apply for up to 13 weeks of financial support from Tuesday. We've got your back. That's my message to the community, Albanese told a press conference in the flooded town of Lismore about 700 km (440 miles) north of Sydney on Monday. The income support would be equivalent to the countrys unemployment benefits scheme JobSeeker, currently set at A$778 ($490.76) a fortnight for a single person with no children and comes on top of a one-off, A$1,000 disaster payment announced over the weekend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities said more than 230,000 households and businesses were still facing power outages and thousands of properties were at risk of flooding after rainfall totals of up to 433mm (17 inches) in the past 24 hours. Australia's Bureau of Meteorology said that while conditions would ease throughout the day, the risk was not over. There is still significant flooding occurring throughout south-east Queensland," bureau meteorologist Sue Oates said. "More intense rainfall is possible, and there is an increased risk of dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding. Insurers have already received nearly 3,000 claims, the Insurance Council of Australia said on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CEO Andrew Hall said it was too early to determine the total insurance bill but expected many more thousands of claims as residents return to their homes and understand the full extent of the damage. Cyclone Jasper in 2023, the most rainfall-intensive cyclone in Australias history, resulted in insurers paying out A$409 million from 10,500 claims. Cyclone Tracy in 1974 remains the costliest for insurers, with an estimated A$7.4 billion being paid out in today's dollars. ($1 = 1.5853 Australian dollars) (This story has been corrected to fix the current JobSeeker payment amount to A$778, not A$693.10, in paragraph 6) (Reporting by Christine Chen in Sydney; Editing by Lincoln Feast.) Mobile phones are to be banned at Austrian schools, Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr said on Monday. While schools have in the past made their own rules concerning phones, the new national regulation marked a change of approach, Wiederkehr said, arguing that it would better support the work of teachers and school administrators. Schools would be able to define their own exceptions to the ban, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The well known health risks of intensive phone use and changes to social behaviour in schools demanded action, Wiederkehr said. Interpersonal contact should replace looking at screens during school breaks, he said. The new measure would also mean changes for parents. "Some parents want to contact their children constantly during school hours," he noted. Wiederkehr described phones as a "concentration killer." A Vienna Medical University expert said intensive use tended to cause irritability and disrupt sleep patterns, as well as depression and compulsive behaviour. The IT company Nova Digital, part of the Nova group (Nova Poshta), has developed a software product to improve address delivery efficiency called RouteStripe, according to its press service. "Nova Digital has introduced a new service that helps businesses optimize delivery routes and schedules. Using RouteStripe allows companies to reduce logistics costs by up to 30%," the Nova Digital press service reported on March 7. With RouteStripe, companies can create routes that include multiple destinations and different types of vehicles, enabling them to plan deliveries more efficiently and on time. The solution optimizes last-mile logistics, the statement noted. The software analyzes resource efficiency (fuel, time, and personnel utilization), evaluates route accuracy and vehicle load levels, adjusts routes in real-time, monitors delivery timeliness, and tracks courier operations, according to the release. The official website of the program states that it helps improve logistics efficiency for small and medium-sized businesses that handle more than 30,000 deliveries per month. The service includes an API for integration with TMS systems (Transportation Management System a logistics management system that helps companies plan, execute, and optimize freight transportation) and will be beneficial for companies engaged in address delivery, such as logistics operators, delivery services, retail chains, and e-commerce businesses. One of the first clients testing RouteStripe is Nova Poshta, according to Nova Digital's press service. "Thanks to RouteStripe, we have adapted routes to suit our needs. This has allowed us to reduce costs by 30%. Additionally, we have optimized the use of our vehicle fleet, leading to a 33.9% reduction in fuel consumption. This has not only lowered our operating expenses but also helped reduce CO emissions," said Yulia Popko, Director of Address Services at Nova Poshta. The program's usage fee is currently EUR 30 per month, EUR 162 for six months, or EUR 306 per year. A seven-day free trial is available for product testing. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Authorities in the Dominican Republic are searching for a 20-year-old university student from the U.S. who went missing in the popular tourist town of Punta Cana while on vacation. Sudiksha Konanki was last seen before dawn on March 6 at a beach near the resort where she was staying with several friends, according to Civil Defense officials, who said the search for her continued on Sunday. Konanki is a student at the University of Pittsburgh. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Konanki was at the resort with five other female students from the University of Pittsburgh, according to the sheriffs office in Loudoun County, Virginia, where she is a resident, CNN reported. Subbarayudu Konanki, Sudikshas father, said he wants local authorities to broaden their investigation. Theyre only looking in the water, but I want them to also investigate other possibilities including whether this is a case of kidnapping or human trafficking, Subbarayudu told CNN. We dont think she would be able to survive for more than three days in the water and I think something else mightve happened to her. The University of Pittsburgh urged anyone with information to contact the Loudoun County Sheriffs Office. 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 Officials on Monday revealed new details regarding the wrapped body hauled in by fishing boat off the Massachusetts coast Thursday. The body was that of a woman, around 60 years old and had numerous cancer tumors, according to the Suffolk County District Attorneys office. The body had been embalmed and appeared consistent with a burial at sea. We consider this matter non-suspicious and closed, the DAs office said in a press release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A fishing vessel from Boston reported pulling in a body in its nets about 40 miles off the Bay States Coast Thursday, according to the Suffolk District Attorneys Office. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Authorities are searching a North Charleston neighborhood for a man accused in a kidnapping and attempted murder investigation. Multiple law enforcement agencies were in the Waylyn community late Saturday night along with K9s and a drone. Deputy Chief Rick Keys with the North Charleston Police Department told News 2 that his agency was assisting the Summerville Police Department in searching for a suspect involved in a kidnapping and attempted murder from Saturday afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our officers, after being alerted by Summerville about the description of the car and tag, located the car on Arco Lane where the suspect fled, said Deputy Chief Keys. The victim was found and taken to a local hospital where she is receiving treatment. Keys said they were looking for a white male with dirty blonde hair and tracked him to the Waylyn area near Gordon Street. Were doing everything we can to catch this person. So far, weve tracked him to where we believe hes in Waylyn somewhere. Anyone with information regarding this investigation should contact law enforcement. News 2 has reached out to the Summerville Police Department for additional information. We are waiting to hear back. 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 WCBD News 2. Mar. 9Former Albuquerque Journal Washington Bureau Correspondent and author, Richard Parker, has died. He was 61. He is survived by his daughters Olivia Parker and Isabel Parker and sister Janet Parker Collins. "My dad was a person that loved learning about the world around him, and we saw that in his writing," Olivia Parker said. NBC News said in 2019 he was one of the most influential Latinos in America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Richard Parker was found in his home Thursday after police responded to a welfare check request, El Paso Matters reported. El Paso Matters founder and CEO Bob Moore told the Journal Richard Parker told him days before he had a heart condition and "as he put it, 'I'm not going to make it past April.'" Richard Parker, who was born in Albuquerque before moving to El Paso, was the Journal's Washington bureau correspondent in the 1980s and continued to contribute columns until 1995. "He did a really good job of showing how the New Mexico delegation in Washington figured into the big picture," said Kent Walz, a former Journal editor-in-chief and Associated Press bureau chief. Richard Parker covered a myriad of subjects ranging from nuclear weapons to border issues. . Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "He did a terrific job, I thought, both describing the national situation in Washington and relating it to New Mexico," former Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., said in a phone interview. "It seemed to me, he always gave a real priority to making a fair representation of whatever you said. "I think it's a loss for our state that he's not going to be around to continue observing what goes on and presenting that to the public." Richard Parker, who was raised in El Paso by an American father and Mexican mother, also wrote "Lone Star Nation: How Texas will Transform America" and several pieces about the American Southwest for the New York Times and other publications. In 2020, Richard Parker's commentary in the New York Times on the El Paso mass shooting at a Walmart, was honored by the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "He was one of the last of the breeds of old school journalists who really took it seriously and was kind of no BS, but also really loved his work," said Michael Coleman, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's spokesperson and former Albuquerque Journal Washington, D.C., bureau chief. Richard Parker recently came out with a new book, "The Crossing: El Paso, the Southwest, and America's Forgotten Origin Story," which "is revelatory new history of El Paso that recasts the city as the unacknowledged cradle of American history, where cultures have encountered each other for centuries and forged a thriving multi-ethnic community far ahead of the rest of the nation," according to HarperCollins. "It's heartbreaking that Richard Parker passed away the very week his book was published," HarperCollins spokesperson Sharyn Rosenblum said in an email. "He was passionate about the Southwest, illuminating its past and the role the region played in shaping America. I know he was grateful to have 'The Crossing' out in the world." The book was recently reviewed in the Sunday Journal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Writer's Digest asked Richard Parker in a recent interview what he hoped readers would get out of the book. "I suppose there are really three things," he said. "Everything they are taught about American history is so incomplete as to be factually wrong. Despite the legend and the lore, we are not a people simply rooted on the colonial East Coast; instead, we are a nation of westerners with all the good, bad, dangerous, and tragic that entails. "But as importantly, as a nation of westerners we can fashion an alternate national future in which people of a range of races, ethnicities, countries, languages, and religions can indeed live side by side. El Paso had its share of oppression, sure, but it is probably one of the few large American cities that never endured a race riot." Coleman said he is glad Richard Parker's latest book came out before he died. "That will give his family and friends some comfort," Coleman said. A celebration of life is being planned for June 6 in El Paso, Collins said. This is an adapted excerpt from the March 8 episode of "Ayman." In some surprising news, Donald Trump did something right last week in fact, not just once, but twice. First, he sent a letter to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, saying that he wants to peacefully reach a deal on Irans nuclear program. Well, there are two ways Iran can be handled, militarily or you make a deal. I would prefer to make a deal, Trump told Fox News Maria Bartiromo. I hope that Iran, and 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 for them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump wont like this comparison, but the last American president who kicked off his administrations Middle Eastern diplomacy by sending a personal letter to Irans supreme leader was Barack Obama in 2009. That letter began a yearslong correspondence that led to the thawing of U.S.-Iran tensions and then to one of the biggest American foreign policy wins in decades: the Iran nuclear deal. At the time, Obama was strongly criticized for talking to Iran, with some viewing it as a sign of weakness, arguing he was caving to terrorists. These attacks came from the usual suspects like Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham and John McCain, but also from some Democrats. But Obama turned out to be right. In a statement posted to X on Saturday, Khamenei rejected Trumps call for talks. Some coercive governments insist on negotiations, the Iranian leader wrote. Such negotiations arent aimed at solving issues. Their aim is to exert their dominance and impose what they want. But Trump's openness to speaking with Iran shows the president knows, like Obama did before him, that talking to adversaries is not a sign of American weakness. Its a sign of American strength and prudence. That brings me to the other item Trump got right last week. On Wednesday, Axios Barak Ravid reported that, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the discussions, Trumps administration has been negotiating directly with Hamas, both over the release of U.S. hostages still held in the Gaza Strip and on the possibility of a broader deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This news did not go over well with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government. Netanyahus top aide, Ron Dermer, reportedly erupted in a call with Trumps hostage envoy Adam Boehler, objecting to the talks and to making proposals without Israels consent, an Israeli official and a source with knowledge of the call told Axios. This exchange followed a report from Israeli news outlet Ynet, citing several U.S. sources, that Israel leaked information about Americas direct talks with Hamas with the intent of sabotaging the discussions. Think about that for a moment. You have the Israeli government, which is reliant on American weapons and diplomatic support, telling America not to make proposals to Hamas, a group holding American hostages, without Israels consent. Whos the superpower here again? The fact that the Trump administration now sees the Netanyahu government as sabotaging its ceasefire and hostage release talks is also important. It seemed like every week we saw reports that Joe Bidens administration was frustrated with Netanyahu for sabotaging talks, only to follow that up by sending him more weapons and vetoing more ceasefire resolutions from the United Nations. Now, we have no idea how this will end up on either front, the Iranian nuclear talks or the Hamas talks. The only thing we know is that Trump is erratic. Case in point: how the president responded to the leaked story about his administration's talks with Hamas, threatening on social media to have members of Hamas and Palestinians in Gaza killed if hostages are not immediately released. And, of course, it was Trump himself who ripped up Obamas Iran nuclear deal in his first term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But American presidents shouldnt be afraid to talk to adversaries. Nor should they be pushed around by Netanyahu and Dermer. We saw how that ended for the last president. Now well see if Trump follows in Bidens footsteps. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com BARNSTABLE, Mass. (WWLP) The Barnstable Police Department is seeking help in locating a missing 15-year-old. Agawam Police seek help identifying hit-and-run suspect The police department states that 15-year-old JaAysia Kilburn was last seen at Barnstable High School on Friday. She is described as 53 tall, weighs 100 pounds, and is frequently know to be in Hyannis, Plymouth, and Wareham. If anyone knows of JaAysias whereabouts, contact the Barnstable Police Department immediately at 508-775-0387. 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. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass addressed the public Monday afternoon to discuss public safety and crime concerns in the MacArthur Park area. Bass and other city officials, including Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez and Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell, announced progress in improving safety and cleanliness at MacArthur Park and the surrounding neighborhood, following a comprehensive approach that they say has led to a decrease in crime. Crime in the area is down, said Bass. Our message is theft and organized retail crime will not be tolerated in the city of Los Angeles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Safety concerns in MacArthur Park have been an ongoing issue for more than a decade, with concerns about drug use, the unhoused and a general lack of safety for pedestrians. Police investigate after six people were struck by gunfire in the MacArthur Park area of Los Angeles on Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA) In the wake of a multi-victim shooting earlier this year, the LAPD dedicated additional resources into the park, increasing a visible presence and making arrests for suspected gang-related activity, Bass said. Weve taken decisive action to address crime in the area, and while our work is not done, clearly a lot has been accomplished in a relatively short period of time, McDonnell said during the news conference. In addition to increased police presence, the city also installed fencing along the east side of Alvarado Street, which officials said has helped disrupt the illegal sales of drugs and weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These efforts are producing real results, McDonnell added. In December 2024, we had 26 crimes against persons, including 14 robberies and 12 aggravated assaults. By January, that number dropped to 23, and in February, it fell even further to just 14, a 46% decrease compared to December. A man falls asleep after taking a hit of fentanyl in MacArthur Park in the Westlake District on Dec. 19, 2024. (Getty Images) Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez, whose district includes MacArthur Park and the surrounding Westlake area, highlighted the citys comprehensive approach, including the deployment of peace ambassadors and a mobile overdose response team. Through this program, we now have two full-time teams who work together to reduce and prevent harm and violence, Hernandez said. They have successfully reversed 24 overdoses and distributed over 3,000 naloxone kits. The city has also increased community cleanups, removing over 45,000 pounds of trash in just six weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When neighborhoods are clean, they are also safer and more accessible, Hernandez said. Police discovered around $300,000 worth of stolen merchandise in a massive retail theft bust at a store in L.A.s Westlake neighborhood on March 5, 2025. (Los Angeles Police Department) Mondays press conference came after LAPD officers served a search warrant at a store in the neighborhood and recovered a U-Hauls worth of stolen merchandise. Last week, officers from the LAPD Rampart Division at a storefront near the intersection of 6th and Alvarado streets across the from park. Police officials said they recovered approximately $300,000 in stolen merchandise from big name retailers like CVS, Walgreens and Target. The store operator was arrested for receiving stolen property, police 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 KTLA. BATON ROUGE, La. (LOUISIANA FIRST NEWS)On Sunday, a service commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery March was held at Wesley United Methodist Church on Government Street, bringing together many people. Bloody Sunday 60th anniversary marked in Selma with remembrances and concerns about the future The service focused on the historic 1965 march in Alabama, during which people protested voter discrimination. Local leaders, including Emad Nofal, Chairman of the Islamic Center of Baton Rouge, emphasized that the service not only honors the past but also points to a better future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Love must be strong enough to confront injustice today. As we remember, Selma is not only part of the past, but after we build a future where we march hand in hand, said Nofal. Following the service, attendees marched to the Louisiana State Capitol, using the anniversary to draw attention to voting concerns in the state. In which these amendments were conceived were essentially in secret and what were saying now is that as the Selma to Montgomery march, as the that particular movement indicated, that the power is in the hands of the people. We need to remind our legislative leaders that the people are the ones that should be involved in creating especially things that we need to add to the constitution of the state, said Reverend Dr. JC Richardson. Richardson hopes that events like the service and march will unite the community and lead to positive change in the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were better together and thats the whole goal to kind of make sure that there are elements in this march that repeat the unity in the diverse city that we believe was evident at the Selma to Montgomery march, 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 Louisiana First News. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) A Baton Rouge man accused of killing his grandmother and injuring others during a 2021 crime spree accepted a plea deal Monday. East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore said Aaron Morgan, 32, took several plea deals totaling 120 years. Morgan faced charges of one count each of manslaughter and armed robbery and 5 counts of attempted first-degree murder. All parties involved believe that this was an appropriate and just verdict, Moore said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Morgan went on a crime spree that left his grandmother dead in Baton Rouge on Aug. 1, 2021. Arrest documents said two people, his mother and grandmother, were stabbed on John Newcombe Avenue, multiple people were shot during carjacking attempts on Highland Road and one person was shot in their car on Jefferson Highway. He reportedly pointed a gun at police officers and attempted to get inside an apartment while armed. Baton Rouge man sentenced to 30 months for fatal accidental shooting 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. TOPEKA (KSNT) Kansas top law enforcement agency is moving forward with its $115 million request for the creation of a new headquarters building to replace the aging structure it currently calls home. Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) Director Tony Mattivi appeared before senators in the Kansas Statehouse in Topeka on March 6 with his agencys request for funding to help construct a brand-new headquarters facility. The KBI is seeking around $115 million for the construction of a new headquarters to house around 250 staff that currently work in Topeka. He also brought forth some other possible solutions to cut down on the costs of construction or renovation work. We are currently engaged in the state budget process related to a new headquarters building, KBI spokeswoman Melissa Underwood told 27 News on Feb. 18. Legislative leaders have reached consensus that a new KBI HQ facility is necessary and would be beneficial. We are working with them on different financing options, and are optimistic that a solution will be identified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Famous Kansas diner recovers with community support after break-in Mattivi previously brought these concerns up in November 2024 to the Kansas Legislature, reporting the agencys current headquarters in Topeka has numerous issues related to its ability to provide security to staff and the age of the building. He said the building was initially a school and that an independent appraiser declared it to be suffering from functional obsolescence. Unfortunately, the state of the building is such that in my view it is a significant liability to the state because its not safe, Mattivi said. Most folks arent aware that 87% of the people in and out of that building on a daily basis are not sworn or commissioned agents. They are the support staff, the information technology services people, admin, clerks. They are the unsworn folks, often in that building 24/7 providing administrative support to the round-the-clock administration of the criminal justice system. Justice was finally served: DA Mike Kagay speaks on Dana Chandler murder trial Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to security problems, Mattivi said other issues include concrete falling from the ceiling of the current headquarters parking garage pose a danger for people using the facility. Leaks in the roof of the 100-year-old building are also cited as being a big headache for the agency. Photos of building problems provided courtesy of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Dozens of incidents of suspicious or criminal activity have been reported on KBI grounds in recent years such as fires in its parking lot, attempted vehicle break-ins, child abuse and property damage, according to KBI testimony submitted for the meeting. The proximity of about 260 registered sex offenders is also noted as a drawback for the KBIs current headquarters. The neighborhood surrounding the KBI HQ has a demonstrable history of criminal activity including armed robberies, officer-involved shootings, and drug activity. The building has been vandalized, struck with bullets, and employees have experienced vehicle break-ins. KBI testimony excerpt KBI staff are also dealing with an ongoing bat infestation in the upper floors of the building that poses a danger to property and equipment contamination. Costs to renovate the current headquarters and bring it up to code is estimated to be around $86,000,000. KBOE to vote to remove controversial Kansas high school graduation requirement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The KBI identified some different possible funding sources for the construction of the new 135,000 square-foot facility or for the renovation work to take place. These include the following options: An upfront cash payment. A 30-year bond. A developer owner/build/renovate to suit with a 30-year lease. Mattivi said his agency is willing to look for different methods to reduce the cost of the overall project such as moving the KBIs training and associated programs out of the headquarters to a different location. The KBI is also open to having space leased to it. We dont have kennel space for our canines, we dont have equipment locker rooms for the agents, we dont have media production facilities which are incredibly useful to us right now when it comes to getting out our message about fentanyl, Mattivi said. Were in a position where we have to beg, borrow and steal those kinds of facilities for us to use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kansas Highway Patrol scraps $48 million plan for new headquarters The KBI identified three possible locations in the Topeka area that could potentially serve as new sites for the agencys headquarters. These include the following areas: The former Menninger campus. Kansas Neurological Institute campus. Former State Hospital campus. You can watch Mattivi testify before the Senate Committee on Ways and Means on March 6 by clicking here. KBI committee testimony submitted for this meeting can be found by heading to the Kansas Legislatures website. Blood Moon to shine over Kansas this week, what to know Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. The Ukrainian side at the talks in Saudi Arabia intends to offer a partial ceasefire with Russia for drone strikes and long-range missiles and combat operations in the Black Sea, hoping that progress in the talks will force Washington to reverse its decision to freeze intelligence sharing and arms supplies, the Financial Times writes, citing its own sources. According to officials briefed on the preparations for the talks, Ukraine will try to persuade the U.S. to resume intelligence and military support in high-stakes bilateral talks, convincing U.S. President Donald Trump that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants to quickly end the war with Russia. One Ukrainian official added that Kyiv would prioritize improving its ties with the United States in the short term, while two European officials said Kyiv viewed progress in ceasefire talks as a quid pro quo (something for something) for the resumption of military and intelligence assistance. As reported, talks between Ukraine and the United States on the possibility of ending the war between Ukraine and Russia will take place on March 11 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. On Monday, March 10, Zelenskyy and a Ukrainian delegation will fly to Saudi Arabia to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and talks with the American delegation are due to begin in Jeddah the following day. The Ukrainian side will be represented by the head of the Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, the heads of the Foreign and Defense Ministries, Andriy Sybiha and Rustem Umerov, as well as the deputy head of the Presidential Office, Pavlo Palisa. On the American side, the meeting will be attended by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, and White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. As Iran carries out military drills with Russia and China, Venetia Rainey chats to Telegraph reporter Akhtar Makoii about the countrys attempts to build up its army with new weapons and new capabilities. They also discuss Irans renewed attempts to strike a nuclear deal, and why Donald Trumps threatening letter to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei might backfire. Plus: The war in Sudan continues to rage with no sign of resolution. The Telegraphs global health reporter Lilia Sebouai and photographer Simon Townsley gained rare access to Sudans Nuba Mountains. They tell Roland Oliphant the stories they heard first-hand, including the way mass rape is being used as a weapon of war by the Rapid Support Forces. Battle Lines, a podcast from The Telegraph, combines on-the-ground reporting with analytical expertise to help the listener to better understand the course of world politics, wars and tensions, as fault lines grind and slip in an increasingly dangerous and confusing multipolar world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Listen to Battle Lines using the audio player in this article or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your favourite podcast app. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The BBC has appointed its former Middle East correspondent and reporter on the Israel-Gaza war as the new presenter of Radio 4s Today programme. Anna Foster, who was previously based in Beirut and covered the October 7 terror attacks on Israel by Hamas, will join the programme next month. She replaces Mishal Husain, who left the news programme in December, and joins the line-up of Justin Webb, Nick Robinson, Amol Rajan and Emma Barnett. BBC bosses were keen to balance the line-up by appointing a woman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Announcing Fosters appointment, the corporation said she would bring significant international experience from her years covering the Middle East. It described her as being well known to BBC audiences, having guided viewers and listeners through some of the biggest global and domestic stories over the years. Most recently, Foster has presented the BBC News at One and has anchored in the field for the BBC News Channel and the 6 oclock and 10 oclock bulletins. Her coverage of October 7 includes a documentary in which she interviewed survivors of the attacks on the kibbutzim and the Nova music festival. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In recent years, she has covered the conflict in Ukraine and was embedded four times with British military forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, and reported from the epicentre of the 2023 Turkish earthquake. It comes as the BBC is facing heavy criticism over the documentary, Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone. Executives within BBC News failed to establish that its 13-year-old narrator was the son of a Hamas official. The corporation admitted to serious flaws in the making of the film and pulled it from iPlayer. The BBC board said that the mistakes made had damaged trust in its journalism. The daughter of an engineer and a nurse, Foster was born and raised in South Shields, Tyne and Wear. She joined the BBC in 2002 and broadcast for Radio 1s Newsbeat and the World Service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She spent almost a decade presenting 5 Lives drivetime programme before becoming Middle East correspondent from 2020-23. Foster will present the Today programme from London and Salford. Mohit Bakaya, controller of Radio 4, said: Anna is a terrific addition to the Today team. She brings important international reporting experience at a time when it is needed so urgently by listeners to Radio 4. She is a brilliant journalist and skilled presenter. John McAndrew, the BBCs director of live and daily news, said that Fosters warm, enthusiastic and engaging style is perfect for Today. Foster said: There are few more exciting opportunities for a journalist than presenting Today, and Im thrilled to be joining the team. Ive always loved making important, agenda-setting, engaging radio, and theres nowhere better to do that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its such a beloved programme to so many people, and I cant wait to be a part of it. 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. EXCLUSIVE: A group of four female BBC News presenters are preparing to do battle with their bosses next week over what they describe as a rigged recruitment process but there remains a chance that the women could settle. Martine Croxall, Karin Giannone, Kasia Madera, and Annita McVeigh are set to begin their employment tribunal against the BBC on March 17 in London, marking the denouement of a dispute that has rumbled on for more than two years. More from Deadline Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deadline understands that the BBC has held talks about a deal that could halt the legal proceedings, but no settlement has been reached and nothing is guaranteed at this stage. The BBC declined to comment ahead of the London Central Employment Tribunal hearing. Deadline has contacted Croxall, Giannone, Madera, and McVeigh for comment. A settlement could be in the interests of both sides. The BBC will want to avoid a costly, bruising, and headline-grabbing legal fight with four experienced female presenters, during which sensitive internal discussions will likely be made public. Meanwhile, Croxall, Giannone, Madera, and McVeigh are once again regular fixtures on the BBC News channel after a period off-air. During a preliminary hearing last year, the BBC News anchors claimed they were forced off-screen for a year and harassed after being victims of a sham hiring process in January 2023. The women applied to become a chief presenter on the retooled BBC News channel, but alleged that managers predetermined their preferred candidates before the hiring process began. The presenters argued that BBC News bosses privately assured four other chief presenters two men and two younger women their jobs were safe. After challenging the process, Croxall, Giannone, Madera, and McVeigh claimed that they lost their jobs, while some were demoted and others faced a pay cut. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The successful candidates were Matthew Amroliwala, Christian Fraser, Yalda Hakim, Lucy Hockings, and Maryam Moshiri. Hakim has since left the BBC for Sky News. The BBC has stood by the recruitment process and an internal HR investigation concluded in 2023 that successful chief presenters were not promised their jobs before an open hiring procedure. Croxall, Giannone, Madera, and McVeigh have remained in lockstep throughout the proceedings and Croxall posted a selfie of the four women on International Womens Day over the weekend. She thanked her colleagues for their unstinting friendship and support. On #InternationalWomensDay I want to thank @KasiaMadera @AnnitaBBC and @KarinBBC for their unstinting friendship and support. Three women of absolute integrity. I could not wish for finer colleagues x pic.twitter.com/uytvQmUSyh Martine Croxall (@MartineBBC) March 8, 2025 Those in charge of the hiring process are no longer responsible for the BBC News channel. Former news channel editor Jess Brammar now serves as an editorial executive in BBC content, working closely with outgoing content chief Charlotte Moore. Naja Nielsen, digital director of BBC News, is leaving the corporation to join Swedish public broadcaster SVT. Croxall, Giannone, Madera, and McVeigh also made claims about gender pay discrimination, but a London Central Employment Tribunal judge ruled last year that this could not form part of the main hearing because they had previously reached salary settlements. Last November, the National Union of Journalists said the women planned on appealing the decision. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko has appointed Alexander Turchin as new prime minister and reshuffled the cabinet, state news agency Belta reported on Monday. "As promised, a new generation will lead the country," the 70-year president said after dismissing a number of ministers over recent days. Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994, determines the Eastern European country's political direction. Up to his appointment, Turchin, 49, served as chairman of the Minsk Region. He has also served in the national government in the past. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lukashenko moved outgoing prime minister Roman Golovchenko to head the country's central bank, saying he was complying with Golovchenko's wish for the banking sector to have a greater role in the Belarusian economy. In the January elections, Lukashenko secured a majority of 86%, according to the officially released results. There were no independent observers of the election in the country, which is seen in the West as a dictatorship. Months of protest followed the 2020 elections, which Lukashenko also won by a large majority. The protests were put down with police violence and mass detentions. Lukashenko has aligned the country strongly with the Kremlin and provided assistance to Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. Bereaved parents who lost their children through their contact with social media are losing trust in the Government, the father of Molly Russell has said. Ian Russell, whose 14-year-old daughter took her life after being bombarded with self-harm and suicide content, said nothing has changed since her death in 2017. The Online Safety Act is being gradually implemented with new codes this month, imposing new legal duties on social media companies to protect children from online harms including child sex abuse, hate speech, terrorism and self-harm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Mr Russell is among campaigners who believe the implementation of the act is taking too long and does not go far enough, giving the tech firms too much scope to regulate themselves. Speaking on LBCs Online Safety Day, Mr Russell, who set up the Molly Rose Foundation in his daughters name to campaign on online safety, said: The Government havent really done anything. This is a really tough thing... Seven years down the road, I would say nothings changed, in my experience. Nothing of significance has changed. The sort of content that Molly saw, that a coroner concluded led to the end of her life, in a more than minimal way, is still easily available online. Not robust enough He said online safety campaigners have seen a lack of response from the Government over concerns the new laws do not go far enough to protect young people online, and as a result they are losing trust in the Technology Secretary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im losing trust with Peter Kyle, and I know all the bereaved parents that Ive connected with are losing trust, Mr Russell said. Some more than me. Some are really angry. We have met Peter. He was very quick to meet the bereaved families. Within the first week of forming a Government, we were in his office talking to him. It all sounded really hopeful. Were now months into government, and were hearing things in the papers where it doesnt sound like hes even considering a strengthened Online Safety Act, which we all agree is needed, and 85 per cent of parents we surveyed this week think is needed. Yet in the press this week, Peter Kyle is saying that mmm, that isnt on my agenda. Now, I hope thats wrong. I hope he will clarify this and say otherwise. But at the moment, were really, really disappointed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Russell also said the codes of practice he had seen from regulator Ofcom are not robust enough and that the regulator had stayed safely in the middle of the boundaries of the new rules. Weve seen the codes of practice, seen the Ofcom regulations, the way theyre enforcing that, we know that theyre not being robust enough, he said. Melanie Dawes, the chief executive of Ofcom, will tell you that they couldnt have done anything more as a regulator. Well, maybe theres a problem with all of the regulation in that case, because theres an awful lot we believe that they could have done. No one should be under any illusions Ms Dawes pledged Ofcom would take a tough approach towards errant social media companies and was prepared to use its powers to fine tech firms up to 10 per cent of their global turnover - 12 billion for Metas platforms, to block their operations from the UK and prosecute executives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said the new laws would require sites to remove illegal content as well as limit and restrict other harmful content. So, no pornography, no suicide and self-harm material, and significant down ranking of things like violent content, misogyny, racist content, and so on, she said. So, its a pretty broad, I should say, very ambitious, what the UK is trying to do here. No one should be under any illusions about that. A poll by More in Common for LBC found seven in ten Brits (70 per cent) would support the introduction of cigarette packet-style warnings on social media platforms. The public overwhelmingly supported forcing social media companies to display messages which would warn their users of the potential mental health impacts of their sites and where they can receive support. In the poll, just nine per cent opposed the idea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ms Dawes described it as a really interesting idea. Mr Kyle indicated he was prepared to update the Online Safety Act. I have made clear that online safety legislation must be an ongoing process, not something revisited only once a decade. That is why I am committed to strengthening protections as technology evolves, ensuring we dont repeat the mistakes of the past, he said. The voices of Ian Russell and other bereaved families remain at the heart of my work. The government cannot afford years of delay and debate while children remain at risk. We must create a smarter, more adaptable regulatory system that responds to emerging threats swiftly. My pledge to parents across the country is clear: I will act decisively to protect children online, now and in the future. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Former President Joe Biden has been accused of using an autopen to sign a raft of documents while in office, a new report says. The Oversight Project, a self-described investigative arm of the right-wing think tank behind Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation, challenged the legitimacy of orders signed by the Demcorat and claimed that an autopen signature was used across almost every document it could find. We gathered every document we could find with Biden's signature over the course of his presidency, it posted on X Thursday alongside several screenshots of documents including the signature. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All used the same autopen signature except for the the [sic] announcement that the former President was dropping out of the race last year. The exact number of documents reviewed was not immediately clear. Former President Joe Biden prepares to sign executive orders on affordable healthcare in the Oval Office of the White House on January 28, 2021 (AFP/Getty) The Oversight Project shared three examples of Bidens signature on official documents. They included two executive orders signed in August 2022 and December 2024 and a screenshot from the final line of Bidens letter withdrawing from the 2024 presidential election in July after questions were raised about the 82-year-olds mental acuity. The two executive orders appeared to use the same autosignature while the signature on the withdrawal letter was different. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fox News claimed that it examined more than 20 executive orders signed by Biden between 2021 and 2024 at random and found each had the same signature. However, an examination of President Donald Trumps executive orders during his first and second administrations found the signatures were also the same, the outlet said. Twenty-five of Trump's signatures on the Federal Registers website from across both terms also found signature matched, according to the Daily Mails analysis. President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House on March 6, 2025 (EPA) Barack Obama is said to be the first president to use autopen to sign legislation. Its use in the Biden administration was a rarity and the White House often went to great lengths to ensure that the former president physically signed bills, according to CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It included Biden signing a $40 billion Ukraine aid package while in South Korea in 2022 and a 2022 bill to avert a government shutdown while on vacation in St. Croix in the Caribbean. Sharing a letter sent to the Department of Justice Wednesday, Republican Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey tweeted that he was demanding the DOJ investigate whether President Bidens cognitive decline allowed unelected staff to push through radical policy without his knowing approval. He added: If true, these executive orders, pardons, and all other actions are unconstitutional and legally void. Bailey claimed that GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson reported that White House officials acted as gatekeepers from allowing him to meet with Biden. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Staff limited Biden's ability to speak with others and limited the sources of information he consumed, he wrote in the letter. The Independent has contacted the White House and the Heritage Foundation for more information. A major misunderstanding led to three men being held at gunpoint by Glendale police after they rented a vehicle that was still listed as being stolen. Officers responded to the parking lot of a Raising Cane's near Bell Road and 79th Avenue on Feb. 1 after receiving reports that a stolen vehicle had pulled into that location. Body-camera footage shows an officer exiting his vehicle and approaching three men near a 2022 Dodge Charger before drawing his firearm and ordering them to take a seat on the curb. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The men initially seem confused about whether the officer is talking to them but ultimately comply with the officers demands and sit on a nearby curb. Hey, Ill explain it all to you guys in just a moment, OK? the officer tells the men after theyre seated. No problem sir, one of the men responds. One man tells the officer theyre visiting from Maryland, to which the officer responds by saying hes from Washington, D.C. The officer asks the men if any of them have any guns with them, which they deny. As the sound of sirens grows louder, the officer tries to alleviate any fears they might have. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dont let them scare ya, the officer says. Theyre just coming for us just cause I called. Vehicle reported stolen rented through Turo The officer then asks who the car belongs to, which the men say Turo, a company in which people can rent cars from hosts who share their personal vehicles. The officer begins to give the men a heads up that theyll likely be placed into handcuffs once the other officers arrive, but that doesnt mean they are under arrest or going to jail. He then tells responding officers the men are being cool. The officers directed each man one by one to stand with their hands up and walk backward to them which they all did without incident. Officers placed handcuffs on each man and put them in separate vehicles before reading them their Miranda rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Afterward, police told the men the car they were driving was registered as being stolen. 'Big misunderstanding' One man can be seen immediately explaining he rented the car through Turo and can show the officer proof if he can unlock his phone. Big misunderstanding, the man says. I can definitely show you. The man then tells officers his phones password and directs them to the Turo app showing he rented the Charger earlier that morning. Thanks for cooperating, an officer says after hearing the mans explanation. I appreciate it, man. The man said someone handed him the keys to the vehicle at an address listed in the app and explained he was in Arizona to attend his sons baby shower. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, when you guys come on us, Im just like Yo whats going on? the man tells the officers. No idea. Literally got this today. Other officers interviewed the other two men, who also explained they rented the car through Turo and had no clue it was registered as stolen. The audio in various body camera videos from Glendale police shared with The Arizona Republic is muted as several officers appear to convene before unlocking each mans handcuffs. Vehicle was one of 16 stolen during rental car company break-in A Glendale police report of the incident described the men as being very understanding and noted that an officer gave at least one of them a courtesy ride back to their Airbnb as the Charger was to be towed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report noted the vehicle was reported stolen on Jan. 21 and was one of 16 vehicles stolen during a break-in at a rental car company in Phoenix. Cottonwood police recovered one of them earlier that day, with that vehicles driver also providing a rental agreement through the Turo app. A Turo spokesperson told The Republic the vehicles host was its rightful owner but said the vehicle hadnt been removed from law enforcements stolen vehicle database before it was rented out. The men "experienced an unfortunate situation that never should have happened, the Turo spokesperson said. After learning about this incident, we discovered that the host had previously reported this vehicle as stolen, but it was not removed from the police's stolen vehicle database after it was recovered. The spokesperson said its against the companys terms of service to rent out vehicles still reported as being stolen and had suspended the host account that rented out the Dodge Charger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We've refunded (the renter) fully and are doing everything possible to reinforce our safety and communications protocols with our hosts, because nothing matters more to us than keeping our guests safe, the company said. Other violent incidents involved Turo vehicles Other vehicles rented from Turo were previously in the news in separate incidents in New Orleans and Las Vegas on Jan. 1. Early that morning, an armed man in New Orleans drove a Ford F-150 he rented off Turo into a crowd celebrating hours after 2025 was rung in, killing 15 and injuring dozens. Late that same morning, a man rigged a Turo rented Tesla Cybertruck to explode outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, killing himself and injuring several bystanders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turo affirmed a partnership with law enforcement after separate incidents. When questioned about the most recent incident in Arizona, the Turo spokesperson said it was an isolated event. They said less than 0.10% of Turo trips have ended with a serious incident of any kind. Republic reporter Rey Covarrubias Jr. contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 3 learn rental car was listed stolen as Arizona police detain them State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln. Jan. 8, 2025 (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN A state lawmakers attempt to publicly catalog tools of mass surveillance in Nebraska public school districts is on pause, at least for now, as she finds an alternate path forward. Legislative Bill 31, from State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, would require all of Nebraskas 245 public school districts to publicly inventory and catalog student surveillance, monitoring and tracking technology tools used by or contracted for use in each district. The bill was debated Feb. 21 and Feb. 24 before not returning to the legislative agenda, at Conrads request. State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, center, talks with State Sen. Brian Hardin of Gering, left, and State Sen.-elect Tanya Storer of Whitman at a legislative retreat in Kearney on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) Conrad has pledged to find a path forward for her bill with some bipartisan support, such as through a different bill or by working with the State Board of Education, the Nebraska Department of Education or specific school districts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill faced stiff opposition from some senators who feared the bill could require schools to disclose sensitive information or impose unfunded burdens to compile the necessary information. Civil rights and transparency Conrad, a past executive director of the ACLU of Nebraska, described the bill as a simple transparency measure that wouldnt ban the technology she said was coming from big tech. Instead, she argued that the bill could lead to cost savings over time, possibly leading to increased teacher salaries. Conrad repeatedly marked her bill as a true right-left coalition that she, a pragmatic progressive, had built with students, parents and taxpayers. Some conservatives, in written comments for the bill, noted theyve rarely been on the same side as the Lincoln Democrat but identified the bill as a top priority. Supportive testifiers at the hearing for the bill included Sue Greenwald of Kearney, a prominent conservative advocate for parents rights bills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If they dont have information to know what tools of surveillance or data collection or survey are being utilized by their schools, they cannot insert and understand and be empowered to utilize that control, Conrad said of families during debate. State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil. Aug. 7, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil, chair of the Education Committee, which advanced LB 31 with no opposition, said he has put an extra emphasis on parental rights in his three years as chair. He said Conrads bill advanced those efforts. Parents should, and deserve, to be put in the drivers seat of their childs education, Murman said. Senator Conrad has brought a way to give parents some more information and transparency without putting too much of an additional burden on the work that our great schools have to do. State Board of Education members Lisa Schonhoff of Bennington and Kirk Penner of Aurora have also voiced favor for LB 31. Schonhoff thanked Conrad for being on the side of parents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a nonpartisan, common sense bill, she wrote in a Feb. 25 post on X, formerly Twitter. A wolf in sheeps clothing Many senators who ultimately opposed the legislation said they agreed with Conrads goal that schools should not be collecting data on students and selling it. State Sen. Brad von Gillern of Elkhorn. Aug. 13, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) However, State Sen. Brad von Gillern of the Elkhorn area noted the bill received opposition from major organizations, such as the Nebraska Council of School Administrators, Schools Taking Action for Nebraska Childrens Education, Greater Nebraska Schools Association, Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association and the Nebraska State Education Association. I believe its a wolf in sheeps clothing, von Gillern said. Its a Trojan horse to carry things forward that we do not want to advance in our school systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LB 31 would require the State Board of Education to draft a model policy around the targeted technology, requiring school districts to disclose certain information about the tools. State Sen. Bob Hallstrom of Syracuse offered an amendment to make the surveillance tool inventory voluntary and not require it to be posted online. State Sen.-elect Robert Hallstrom of Syracuse talks with State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair at a legislative retreat in Kearney on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) He similarly pushed back on a finding in the bill stipulating that schools were using the tools of mass surveillance under the guise of advancing security or efficiency goals. I think its offensive to suggest that the schools would be doing that under some type of guise, Hallstrom said. They truly do have the best interest in the safety of the students at heart. School safety and security Von Gillern repeatedly asked whether the bill could require public disclosure of sensitive security details that someone plotting a nefarious act could use. He said gathering data for the protection of students and staff is a worthwhile venture but that Conrads bill, portrayed as advancing that goal, could do exactly the opposite. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward said digital cameras, for example, can help when students offer differing stories after incidents. But she voiced similar concerns as von Gillern that disclosing specific technology vendor names and contact information could be dangerous. Conrad said the plain language of her bill would not require any publication of sensitive information but that she could clarify that intention if needed. Von Gillern said senators also need to consider what isnt in the bill but that many districts had voiced concerns about. If we do anything to deteriorate the security of our children in schools then shame on us, von Gillern said. State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha listens to State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil at her desk. March 12, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha said that suggesting Conrads bill could reduce school safety was a ridiculous and absurd extrapolation to arrive at. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hunt said if that was the true concern, she said von Gillern and others should maybe lift a finger on gun safe storage or other safety regulations, or increase mental health support. All this does is put on the books that this is our expectation in Nebraska, Hunt said. That our kids are not the product, that were not selling our kids information, and that we have transparency around the process. Lawmakers reject stylistic changes State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha said it shouldnt be too cumbersome to tell parents whether their childrens data is being sold. State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of the Millard area said she agreed with the aim of the bill and supported it, but she also wanted some guardrails in place, such as possibly exempting physical security information. State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward talks with State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha on the floor of the Legislature. Aug. 13, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) Lawmakers signaled they might be moving away from Conrads goals after voting 27-16 against stylistic changes in an amendment she offered, largely focused on small tweaks in the bill that opponents had pointed out. Kauth and Hughes were the only Republicans to support those changes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers had not yet gotten to a vote on Hallstroms amendment or LB 31 overall. Hughes said many school districts have technology vendors sign a student data privacy agreement explicitly saying what will happen with the data. She suggested making such agreements a requirement, to help in the case of data hacks or breaches. Conrad vows to continue fight State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha agreed with Conrad about the ease of implementing the bill. He said, Its always too much work when you should just do the right thing. This should be simple, unless theres like a million surveillance tools theyre using, and student surveys theyre using, or they, like, got some double oh seven, I Spy, MI6 type of stuff going on, he said. State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha. July 26, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) State Sen. Bob Andersen, whose Sarpy County district includes Gretna Public Schools, read a letter from his superintendent questioning a lack of definitions in the bill, such as tracking system or what tools are of legitimate use, could lead to subjectivity in implementing the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Conrad repeatedly pushed back on her colleagues and told them to not use straw man or red herring arguments and not to get toiled up in personal battles or misinformation. She told her colleagues that, if needed, she would step out of the way. Friends, if the problem is perhaps me or you dont like my politics, or youre upset about my work on other bills, I understand that, and I will work if need be to find a substitute sponsor for this legislation because I dont care to get the credit, Conrad said. I care that this important issue moves forward. School tools of mass surveillance disclosures proposed under Legislative Bill 31 (2025) The name and contact information for each private company, vendor or governmental entity providing such technology. The cost to purchase or maintain each surveillance, monitoring or tracking tool. A description of each tool, including privacy protection measures and data collection or sharing and usage activities. Whether a parent can opt their child out of being subjected to the tool. If and how the collected data will be shared with law enforcement or implicate punitive actions under the states Student Discipline Act. How such tools ensure proper accommodation for students with disabilities or individualized education programs. How biometric or personally identifiable information is stored, shared or sold with the entity providing such tools. Clearly delineate what remedies are available to students and parents for possible privacy violations related to the tools, including the states Consumer Protection Act and the Political Subdivisions Tort Claims Act (to possibly sue schools). SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE AUSTIN, Texas (KETK) A new bill has been introduced in the Texas Legislature, with a goal for the overall improvement of state water management. Texas House Bill 16 would extend the powers and responsibilities of the Texas Water Development Board. Tyler Water Utilities to begin testing water for taste, odor study District 8 State Rep. Cody Harris (R), has sponsored a bill to broaden the role of the board members. The board manages several responsibilities pertaining to the state water supply such as, collecting and distributing relevant data, assisting with planning, budget, wastewater treatment, flood oversight and agricultural conservation operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last session, we took a major step forward by creating the Texas Water Fundapproved by 78% of voters. But our work isnt done. HB 16 expands funding eligibility, prioritizes critical infrastructure repairs, and ensures every dollar is spent wisely, Harris said. HJR 7 takes it further by proposing a constitutional amendment to dedicate up to $2 billion in sales tax revenue over the biennium to secure Texas water future. State Rep. Cody Harris proposes bill to make Texas frontrunner for nuclear energy Should HB 16 pass the board would have more flexibility to carry out their duties for instance: Increased authority over water infrastructure development regarding storage, collecting or diverting of water Decisions will be subjected to less legislative oversight Permission to implement performance and accountability by conducting water assessments Granted more revenue from sales tax to increase budget Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill will be subject to voter approval during the regular session and if it passes, it will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. Oklahoma United Founder Margaret Kobos speaks Nov. 19 at a press conference supporting State Question 835, that would let voters decide if the state's primary system should be open. (Photo by Barbara Hoberock/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY Critics say a bill that would put additional restrictions on the initiative petition process is unconstitutional and will make it virtually impossible for citizens to get issues before voters. But Sen. David Bullard, the author of Senate Bill 1027, said it includes reasonable guardrails and provides transparency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Bill 1027 attempts to change how signatures are collected, by limiting how many can be collected in the states most populous counties and requiring a minimum be collected in the least populated. Under Bullards measure only 10% of the signatures could come from counties with a population of 400,000 people, while 4% must come from less populated counties. Currently, signature gatherers are going to two or three counties, leaving the remainder of the states 77 counties out, the Durant Republican, said. It also would prohibit payment of petition circulators based on the number of signatures gathered, but does allow for compensation, the source of which must be reported to the Secretary of State. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It would bar out-of-state contributions except from those who do business or reside in the state. Critics of the measure say it amounts to an effort to stifle citizen participation. Oklahoma law allows residents to place their own measures on the ballot if they follow a complex set of requirements and collect a certain number of signatures from registered voters. If a statewide measure appears on the ballot, every voter has a chance to weigh in on it. Its extremely difficult for citizens to place measures on the ballot, but in recent years Oklahomans have used the initiative petition process to successfully circumvent the Republican-controlled Legislature by expanding Medicaid and legalizing medical marijuana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Question 832, a citizen-led measure that proposes to increase the minimum wage to at least $15 an hour, is set for a June 16, 2026, vote. Meanwhile, supporters of eliminating the states closed primary system are trying to get the issue on the ballot in the form of State Question 836. Sen. Michael Brooks, D-Oklahoma City, said the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that campaign donations are free speech, which the measure could violate. It would require signature gatherers to be qualified electors in the state and to have read the petition. The measure calls for the Secretary of State, a political appointee, to approve the gist of the petition, or description at the top of the signature page, something which is currently not done. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By making it harder for citizens to bring issues to the ballot, lawmakers are silencing the voices of everyday Oklahomans and limiting public participation in policymaking, said Margaret Kobos, founder of Oklahoma United, which is backing State Question 836. The bill would make it nearly impossible for grassroots efforts to succeed, she said. Attorney Robert McCampbell, who is representing the three petitioners for State Question 836, said heand did an analysis of the bill. He found the bill unconstitutional on a number of fronts. It violates the First Amendment by banning out-of-state circulators and prohibiting per-signature pay, and it unconstitutionally limits political contributions by banning out-of-state contributions, he wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It unconstitutionally limits political contributions by banning out-of-state contributions, he wrote. It gives judicial powers to the Secretary of State, another constitutional violation, McCampbell wrote. The government is not free to impose burdensome roadblocks to the citizen initiative process, McCampbell wrote. Bullard said Senate legal staff has looked at the bill and has not told him there were any legal problems with it. Senate Bill 1027 last week passed the Senate Judiciary Committee and is available for consideration in the Senate. The vote was 7-2. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Ninety-five people evacuated from Donetsk region to safer regions of Ukraine since early March regional administration Photo: https://www.facebook.com/vadym.filashkin/ Chairman of Donetsk Regional Military Administration Vadym Filashkin reported that since the beginning of March 2025, 95 people evacuated from dangerous areas of Donetsk region have been resettled in Ukraine. "The evacuation is being carried out with the participation of military administrations, units of the National Police, the State Emergency Service and 24 humanitarian organizations. The evacuees receive humanitarian and psychological assistance, hot meals and a one-time cash assistance in the amount of UAH 10,800," Filashkin wrote on his Telegram on Monday. Transportation costs are covered by the state, and free housing is provided in the host communities. FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) A grieving father, turning his pain into action and urging the North Carolina General Assembly to pass a bill focused on lost and stolen guns and safe gun storage. The bill is named for his daughter Jenesis Dockery, an 8-year-old girl shot and killed in Fayetteville in 2023. Investigators say an 11-year-old pulled the trigger after taking a relatives gun. Jenesis family has been advocating for this bill and working with lawmakers for well over a year, but her father Fon said seeing it actually drafted brought up some mixed feelings. He said it is hard to process but also gives him hope. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cumberland Co. father mourns 8-year-old daughters death, looks for answers That smile and that laugh right there, that is defining of Jenesis right there, Fon said, pointing out a picture on a wall filled with pictures and memories of his daughter. Jenesis is everywhere in her familys house, her pictures lining the walls and hallways, many also featuring her younger sister her parents calling the two inseparable. That ones too pretty not to hang of her and her sister, Fon said of a picture of the sisters in an inflatable pool in the familys yard. Now, Jenesis name could be enshrined in state law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dad wants boy charged in his Cumberland Co. daughters death to spend life in jail We just know were hurt, and we want to do something powerful with that hurt, Fon said. In July 2023, Jenesis and her sister were at a babysitters house. Investigators say the babysitters 11-year-old son took a gun from his grandfathers safe, pulled the trigger and shot and killed Jenesis. The decision to secure his weapon, if thats made, were not here today in this situation, Fon said. Now, a new bill in the State Senate, the Jenesis Firearm Accountability Act, would require gun owners to report a gun lost or stolen within 48 hours. If they fail to do so, they could face fines and additional civil penalties if the gun is used in a crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fayetteville family seeking accountability over daughters death in shooting If the firearm is used in a violent felony or misdemeanor, the gun owner would be charged with the same level offense as the person who committed the crime, unless they can demonstrate a reasonable inability they did not report the gun. The gun owner in Jenesis case was not charged. I think its horrific that it didnt happen in our case. and it very much did have an underlying effect in this bill, Fon said. Fon added the bill is not about infringing on Second Amendment rights. In fact, he insists it promotes responsible gun ownership. The bill would also include a sales tax exemption for equipment used to secure guns, like gun safes or lockboxes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We want to protect your Second Amendment right by continuing to harbor and manifest responsible, accountable gun owners, Fon said. Fon also said it is hard to see Jenesis name on the bill. He said it makes her absence feel more real. At the same time, there is also hope. It gives us hope that her life, the loss of her life didnt take away the light of her life, he said. He hopes everyone can learn from that light he says his daughter had and learn to Live Like Jenesis, the name he and his wife gave their foundation. They have a school dance, nobody was dancing with that little girl? Jenesis goes and dance with her. Thats who she was, Fon said. Our eight year old child can do it? We have no excuse as adults. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new bill is still in the early stages. It has passed a first reading in the Senate and is now in committee. It will have to pass two more readings in the Senate, and three in the House before heading to 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 Queen City News. A Nebraska bill that would have benefited immigrant DACA recipients won't move forward, sponsors said. Shown here, supporters of the DACA program rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court. (Robin Bravender/ States Newsroom) LINCOLN Nebraska is a step closer to joining other states in allowing Dreamers and other immigrants who have legal permission to work in the U.S. but who lack permanent residency access to unemployment insurance benefits. State Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) The Legislatures Business and Labor Committee, despite concerns raised during a previous public hearing, voted last week to advance Legislative Bill 299 on to full debate by the Legislature. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner, who introduced the bill along with Sen. Margo Juarez of Omaha, said the U.S. Department of Labor had flagged a technical problem with language in the initial draft, which put federal funding at risk. She said federal and local labor officials worked to resolve the issue. Once that was fixed, the committee moved to advance it to the floor for debate by the entire Legislature, Ibach said. Nebraska is the only state that does not allow legal work authorized immigrants to collect unemployment and retirement benefits that they have paid into. State Sen. Margo Juarez of Omaha. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) The previous Feb. 10 public hearing on LB 299 drew testimony that was overwhelmingly in favor of the bill. Among those who spoke were Nebraska Dreamers, immigrants who grew up in the U.S. after being brought to this country as minors by their parents and who qualified for the Obama administrations Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Those Dreamers, under current Nebraska law, would not be able to receive unemployment benefits, despite that they work with proper authorization and that their employers are required to pay unemployment insurance taxes on their behalf. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to Dreamers, others who would benefit from LB 299 are asylum-seekers who have been granted work authorization while their requests are reviewed and those with Temporary Protected Status, which is granted when returning to a persons home country is unsafe due to natural disaster, extraordinary conditions or war. The lone opponent who testified during the public hearing, interim Nebraska Labor Commissioner Katie Thurber, noted the now-addressed problem that had been raised by federal officials. She said more than $400 million in federal unemployment tax credits was at stake because the language was written too broadly, and reached beyond certain federal requirements. State Sen. Jane Raybould of Lincoln challenged that at the time, saying: I find it really hard to believe that we in the state of Nebraska can not get it right like all the other 49 states have done to make sure we are in conformity. A similar bill introduced in 2021 failed to pass into law. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) A bill to rename Nashville International Airport for President Donald Trump has come back after previously being removed from consideration by its sponsor. HB 217, by Chapel Hill Republican State Rep. Todd Warner, was previously taken off notice, or removed from consideration, by Warner prior to being heard by the House Naming & Designating Committee on Feb. 24. While bills taken off notice by lawmakers, they usually are not up for further consideration by the general assembly; however, if a bill is brought back, it still must make its way through the usual committees before being heard on the full chamber floor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PREVIOUS: Bill to rename Nashville International Airport for President Trump dead for now The bill saw more resistance in the committee, particularly from the Nashville lawmakers on the committee. First of all this bill is a waste of time and money, Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville) said of the legislation. He asked why lawmakers would rename the airport in Nashville, which is in his district, for the current president, stating Trump has no connection to our community and has led the nation on the path of shame, on the path of recklessness. I am vehemently against the renaming of this airport, he said, nothing three-quarters of Nashvillians voted against Trump in the last election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Warner countered, stating Trump is only the second president to ever be elected to nonconsecutive terms. President Trump has put America first, Warner said. When he puts America first, it puts Tennessee first. Warner further took issue with Jones stating Nashvillians rejected the current president, stating Tennesseeans largely supported Trump. Read the latest from the TN State Capitol Newsroom He got 65 percent of the vote the last three elections in this state, Warner said. Additionally, Warner said Tennesseans across the state help fund the airport, not just Nashville. An amendment for the bill filed Monday, March 10, makes note of the $23 million appropriated in state funds for the airport in the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The amendment also notes BNA, under the authority of the Metro Nashville Airport Authority, has proposed a $34.3 million budget request from the state. Bedford County Republican State Rep. Pat Marsh (R-Shelbyville) said he supported the idea of renaming an airport for Trump, but felt BNA was too small an airport with which to do so. We should name LAX or Chicago or Atlanta [for him], Marsh said. Warner said he disagreed with Marsh, adding state lawmakers lacked the authority to rename the airports Marsh listed. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com The move to rename an airport for the current president has a similar federal push. Federal lawmakers have also filed a bill to rename Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) for the president, according to Committee Chairman Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood). Bulso said he thought it would be a nice piece of symmetry to have both airports serving Washington, D.C. named after presidents, noting the name of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Warner said he reached out to Congressman Andy Ogles office on the federal bill, and Ogles office said that federal bill was not moving forward. The bill ultimately moved out of the Naming & Designating Committee with a negative recommendation, with Reps. Aftyn Behn (D-Nashville), Rush Bricken (R-Tullahoma), Bulso, Vincent Dixie (D-Nashville), Jones, and Marsh all opposed. Reps. Jody Barrett (R-Dickson), Monty Fritts (R-Kingston), Tom Leatherwood (R-Arlington) and Warner in favor. It will next be heard by the House Transportation Committee, according to the state capitol website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. Sen. Rob Hutton (R-Brookfield) testifies March 4 in favor of requiring a revocation recommendation when a formerly incarcerated person who is released on community supervision is charged with a new crime. Sitting with him is the bill's Assembly author, state Rep. Brent Jacobson (R-Mosinee). (Screenshot/WisEye) The Wisconsin Examiners Criminal Justice Reporting Project shines a light on incarceration, law enforcement and criminal justice issues with support from the Public Welfare Foundation An Assembly committee will vote Monday on a bill that could result in more people on correctional supervision parole, probation, or extended supervision facing revocation, resulting in a portion of their remaining sentence being served in incarceration. It is one of five bills to receive a committee vote. Revocation occurs when those on correctional supervision, as part of their sentencing, violate a condition of their release, such as consuming drugs or alcohol or re-offending. In a hearing, an administrative judge determines if they have sufficiently violated their conditions to return to prison and serve some or all of their remaining sentence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Presently, parole or probation officers can decide whether to recommend a revocation hearing, which can result in a temporary jail hold while an administrative judge considers the request. Committee considers 5 bills The Assembly Judiciary Committee will vote on five bills Monday: AB-066 would require prosecutors to get a courts approval to dismiss certain criminal charges. AB-075 would require the state Department of Justice to collect and report a list of facts about each criminal case filed in Wisconsin. AB-085 would require supervising corrections officials to recommend revoking extended supervision, parole or probation for formerly incarcerated people who are charged with a new crime after their release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AB-086 would impose a life prison sentence for someone convicted of child trafficking. AB-087 would require a person convicted of child trafficking to pay restitution immediately, authorize the seizure of their assets in lieu of payment. It also requires that anyone convicted of a felony must pay all outstanding financial obligations from their conviction before their right to vote is restored. The proposed legislation, AB 85, would mandate that those same probation and parole officers must recommend a revocation if the person on supervision is charged with a new offense. Two Republican authors of the bill and law enforcement representatives spoke in favor of the bill at the March 4 Assembly Committee on the Judiciary public hearing. Proponents said the legislation is needed to ensure at least a revocation hearing is held after a new offense is charged. They said leaving it up to the parole or probation officers discretion doesnt automatically result in a revocation hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supporters of the bill also said it is necessary to hold repeat offenders accountable and ensure public safety. Opposition to the bill comes from those advocating for prison and judicial reform, who argue that the present system already results in too many people being revoked for technical reasons. They argued that current protocols are sufficient to protect the public. Instead of focusing on revocation, they said the state should support services that help those on supervision be more successful in reentering society. Hearing witnesses said that , in most cases, when a probation or parole officer recommends revocation, the administrative judge supports it. In its 2025-2027 budget request, the Department of Corrections (DOC) set reducing revocations as one of its goals over the next three years. As part of the public hearing, the DOC submitted written testimony opposing the proposed legislation. For AB 85 The committees vice chair and the bills Assembly author, state Rep. Brent Jacobson (R-Mosinee), said the legislation is needed to ensure an administrative hearing is held to consider a revocation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It may come as a surprise, but a convicted criminal on community supervision is not immediately revoked if theyre charged with another crime, said Jacobson. Under current statute, whether such individuals are reincarcerated or allowed to remain on our streets, is decided by an administrative law judge. However, in order for a judge to hear a revocation case, revocation must first be recommended by an agent of the Department of Corrections. According to the DOCs own estimates, in 2019 there were 6,280 individuals on community supervision who were charged with a new crime but not revoked. Jacobson and others who spoke in favor of the bill all said they were for giving second chances to those who had violated the law, but they also noted a responsibility to protect the public from repeat offenders. The bills Senate coauthor, Sen. Rob Hutton (R-Brookfield), said AB 85 is part of a package of bills that are addressing the revolving door of crime and the cycle of lawlessness that, he said, is allowed by the lenient part of our judicial system. Far too often, law-abiding citizens become victims of crimes committed by repeat offenders who have been released on parole, probation or extended supervision, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When a prisoner is granted release before the completion of their sentence, it becomes an expectation of good behavior, and that release is only as good as that person behaves, Hutton said. An individual who has been charged with a new crime while on release has violated their promise of good behavior and should have their release revoked. However, under current law, that is, frankly not the case. Joel Moeller, vice president of the Milwaukee Police Association, talked about working in a probation parole unit with a representative of the DOC looking for parole violators who had committed crimes after their incarceration. We were looking for serious guys that were in prison for serious things, and they committed serious crimes again, Moeller said. A lot of times we would find them, arrested them. Theyd sit in jail for four or five days, and then they would just be out with the hearing date where they were just committing more crimes. Moeller said it was critical to ensure those who were charged with another offense had an appearance before an administrative judge to determine whether probation should be revoked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of these people are model citizens when they come out [of incarceration], but a lot of them arent, Moeller said. They go back into the same lifestyle they were living when they went into prison, and sometimes they need to go back to learn a lesson. Alexander Ayala, president of the Milwaukee Police Association, said that while he served in the robbery unit, some of the robberies he investigated wouldnt have happened and citizens wouldnt have been victimized if the suspects had their parole revoked. Committee Chair Ron Tusler (R-Harrison) noted that the argument could be made that passing the bill would increase costs for the state. But he said consideration should be given to the cost of recidivism of parolees violating the law, such as the expense incurred by district attorneys prosecuting new complaints. Against AB 85 Sean Wilson, the senior director of organizing and partnership at Dream.Org, a non-profit for closing prisons doors and opening doors of opportunity, spoke against AB 85. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rather than implementing measures that may increase revocations, we urge the legislature to introduce and pass legislation that supports the successful reintegration of individuals in supervision, investing in programs that provide education, job training, mental health, and substance abuse treatment, which can significantly reduce recidivism rates and promote public safety, Wilson said. Sean Wilson of Dream.Org testifies in opposition to AB 85, arguing that already too many formerly incarcerated people have been revoked from community supervision for technical reasons. (Screenshot/WisEye) He noted that many on supervision are required to make restitution to victims or must pay child or marriage support, but when supervision is revoked, that delays those payments. Wilson said In Wisconsin many have already been revoked for a technical violation of the condition of their release. Between January 2019 and May 2024, there were over 13,000 such admissions [revocations back to prison], accounting for approximately 34% of all prison admissions during that period, said Wilson. Implementing AB 85 could exacerbate this existing problem by increasing the number of individuals recommended for revocation based solely on criminal charges, regardless of conviction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Revocation before a person is tried for a new offense undermines the presumption of innocence and will disproportionately affect marginalized communities, further exacerbating existing inequalities in our criminal justice system, he added. While we acknowledge the intent to enhance public safety, it is crucial to consider the broader implications of AB 85. Enacting legislation that may increase revocations and contradicts the direction of effective criminal justice reform and does a disservice to the people of Wisconsin. Tusler asked Wilson whether a revocation could intervene and stop criminal behavior. We send over 3,000 people back to prison each year as a result of technical revocations, Wilson responded. Often in those cases, theres not a new crime; theres an allegation of a crime, and individuals are sent back to prison as a result of that. Ive traveled this state from North Wisconsin all the way down south, east and west, and Ive heard stories of individuals going back to prison just for the sake of moving, just as a result of moving from apartment A to apartment B without getting proper approval from their probation agent Wilson claimed the annual fiscal impact of the technical revocations is $200 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He contended the DOC typically recommends revocation in most cases and it made no sense to have a mandatory recommendation. Tessler said the bill didnt address technical issues of revocation. He conjectured that even when there is a technical revocation, there were probably other issues that had exacerbated a parolees standing. Two representatives of Ex-incarcerated People Organizing (EXPO) Operations Director Marianne Oleson and Executive Director Jerome Dillard also spoke against the bill. Oleson advocated for the state to allocate more resources to help those on probation become successful. She discussed the typical struggles people face in obtaining housing and employment and advocated for true wraparound services that support people in recognizing we are more than the choices we regret. AB 85 would overtax an already over-taxed system, said Oleson, and she encouraged more support for organizations like Dream and Expo. Dillard said that after working 20 years in prisons and outside, most probation and parole officers are doing their jobs correctly, and the current process works. He argued that not every charge should result in a revocation, such as retail theft or a misdemeanor offense. Dillard said he knew of someone who was revoked for a misdemeanor, returning to prison for 24 months, but the judge in the misdemeanor case only sentenced the person to 90 days. A new charge could also result in a revocation hearing even if the charge is later dismissed. I dont see where this legislation is really needed in the systems that we have today, because community corrections do their job, and sometimes I feel [they are] overzealous because individuals are locked up on hearsay, said Dillard. The Wisconsin State Public Defenders office and Wisconsins American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) also registered in opposition to the bill. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Rep. Scott Fetgatter, R-Okmulgee, is the author of a House bill seeking to chemically castrate child sex offenders. He is pictured standing in the House chamber of the state Capitol before the governor's State of the State Address on Feb. 3. (Photo by Kyle Phillips/For Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY Registered child sex offenders in Oklahoma would have to be chemically castrated in order to be released on parole under a bill that easily cleared the House floor Monday. House Bill 2422, authored by Rep. Scott Fetgatter, R-Okmulgee, would require offenders who commit sex crimes against children age 13 and younger to be chemically castrated as a condition of supervised release. Reoffending, ending treatment or seeking reversal of the treatment, which use chemicals or drugs to stop sex hormone production, would result in returning to prison for life without the possibility of parole. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opponents of castrating offenders, both physically and chemically, have argued this type of legislation is cruel and unusual punishment and is a violation of the U.S. Constitution. Speaking on the House floor, Fetgatter said this was his third time trying to pass legislation aimed at strengthening the punishment of convicted child sex offenders. He said he wanted a more extreme option, but it wasnt palatable to the Oklahoma Senate. Last year, he unsuccessfully ran legislation that sought to legalize death sentences for some repeat offenders. I mean, if Im just brutally honest with you, this is the third freaking year Ive run this bill in some form or fashion, trying to fix these problems, to keep our kids safe, he said. And for whatever reason, this legislative body in the Senate over here, theyve killed the bill all three years. So Im trying to get something with some traction going forward so that we can fix this issue and keep our kids safe. Because what happens daily all across the state is unacceptable. And if it were up to me, Id take them down on the town square in Okmulgee, and you know what I might do with a pair of snips. Fetgatters legislation in 2024 also could have given child sex offenders life in prison without the possibility of parole. It died in the Senate, but Fetgatter Monday said it wasfiscally sabotaged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While castration is technically optional under the bill, refusing the treatment would mean the offender is no longer eligible for parole and remains behind bars. Rep. John Waldron, D-Tulsa, who voted against the measure, pointed out this made castration an optional requirement. So to be clear, Im not allowing anybody to go on parole. Okay? Fetgatter said. Because they currently could become eligible for parole as a part of their sentencing, what Im saying is you cant get out on parole unless you are mentally evaluated and chemically castrated. Youre not even eligible to be paroled. When questioned about the cost of the treatments, Fetgatter said the Oklahoma Department of Corrections would incur the cost but said it would be minimal. While the Senate reviews the bill, Fetgatter said hell work with colleagues in the other legislative chamber to ensure the treatments for chemical castration in the bill will be effective for both male and female anatomy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fetgatter referenced other states that had advanced similar legislation, including Louisiana which he said passed a similar law last year. The National Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws, or NARSOL, opposed Louisianas legislation and said it would not be a viable or effective and did not properly address the issue of child abuse. NARSOL totally opposes forced chemical amd physical castration for those who have committed sexual crime, said Sandy Rozek, NARSOL communications director in a statement for the organization. The positive benefits are far below what might conceivable justify its usage, and the negative effects are medically serious. The moral and constitutional objections are universal and compelling. The group has previously argued that the rate of recidivism by convicted sex offenders is low. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A study cited by the U.S. Department of Justices Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking found that the average adult recidivism rate is about 10% for sex offenders who underwent forms of treatment other than castration. Fetgatter referenced a 2023 incident in Okmulgee County where a convicted sex offender who was released early from prison shot six people, and then himself, as part of his reasoning for running this legislation. He called child molestation one of the six most heinous acts and said hed prefer to see this bill return to what it was last year: life without parole. I mean, I think we should lock them up for the rest of their life, Fetgatter said. From the time they are sentenced until the day they meet their maker. Thats what we should do. With a 81-12 vote, the bill heads to the Senate for consideration. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A barred owl finds habitat among the mature oaks, hickories, beeches, and tulip poplars of an urban forest in a York County, Virginia neighborhood. (Photo courtesy Evan Visconti) Two bills were passed by the Virginia General Assembly this session that would give localities statewide access to more comprehensive laws regarding what happens to trees on land zoned for development. Gov. Glenn Youngkin must make a final decision on the fate of the measures by March 24. All localities statewide were given the ability to adopt optional tree ordinances when a section was added to the code in 2022. This session, legislators worked to give the entire state access to slightly more robust, but still optional, regulations, in a style similar to those currently limited to certain localities. How Virginia tree ordinances could be expanded The current law allows only some localities within planning district eight in Northern Virginia to adopt slightly higher tree canopy replacement percentages after a piece of land is developed compared to the rest of the state. Tree canopy replacement requires that a certain percentage of each lot must contain trees 20 years after it is developed or redeveloped. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These select few localities can also create whats called a tree canopy fund to collect and disburse fees from developers who cannot meet the tree canopy requirements of the ordinance. I think that a good thing here is were not making up something from scratch, said Del. Rodney Willett, D-Henrico, chief patron of the bill that would allow localities statewide to establish a tree canopy fund. The funds have been successful in that limited area. In Arlington and Fairfax Counties, fees that are collected from developers who cannot meet the tree canopy requirements are placed into designated tree canopy funds. The counties are then able use that money to plant and maintain trees or donate to nonprofits that plant trees. Its sort of a win-win, said Ann Jurczyk, the Chesapeake Bay Foundations Virginia manager of urban restoration. The development community likes it because it does give them more flexibility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead of having their hands tied when tree replacement requirements on a site cannot be met, developers can pay into the tree fund as an alternative. The fund also provides localities a way to get more trees into the ground, Jurczyk said. Del. Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, chief patron of the bill to increase tree canopy replacement percentages available to localities statewide, said his bill was also written with Northern Virginia in mind as a template for the rest of the state. You know whats good for Arlington is good for everyone, and we do have a very high bar because we do love our trees in my locality, Hope said. Other localities love their trees too, and this will give them an extra tool to make sure that we can preserve our trees for the long term across the whole commonwealth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hope emphasized that the tree ordinance would be entirely optional for localites and clarified that the bill may not work for everybody, but in those localities that this is a really important thing to do, then you know I dont see how the opposition could argue with everyone coming together to adopt this. Youngkin vetoed an identical bill from Hope last session despite the bills consensus support from land developers and environmental advocates alike. Maybe [Youngkin] didnt quite understand that this bill is fully supported by all stakeholders, said Hope. Tree canopy conservation concerns Representatives from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation as well as lobbyists for the Home Builders Association of Virginia and the Virginia Association for Commercial Real Estate all stood up to voice their support for Hopes bill during a Senate Committee meeting this session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Jurczyk, the fact the developers stood up to support the bill demonstrates how watered down it is. Jurczyk voiced her concerns about what she called the poison pill thats written into Virginias tree ordinances. No locality can ask for additional canopy than written in the code, and weve fought against that pretty much every year, said Jurczyk. For example, Hopes bill would boost the maximum tree canopy that a locality can require to be conserved from 20% to 30% for certain residential sites zoned for development. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation would like that percentage to be the minimum that a locality can choose to require under the ordinance, not the maximum. This image was published in a Chesapeake Bay Foundation fact sheet to illustrate how landscapes change when localities dont adopt tree replacement ordinances or have the flexibility to replace trees. (Photo courtesy Google Earth Timelapse and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation) Setting a maximum tree canopy that localities can choose to require clashes head on with tree canopy goals being agreed to in parts of the state, said Jurczyk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, which includes localities in northern Virginia, set a goal to maintain a minimum tree canopy coverage of 50% across the metropolitan Washington region. Jurczyk wonders how a 50% goal can be met if localities are allowed to remove acres upon acres of canopy and not replace it on a one-to-one basis or better. Hope said he would have liked the bill to be a little bit stronger, but added that part of the deal is that when you work together with people you dont always get what you want but you certainly do move the ball forward, and I think this is a good compromise where we landed, and I hope the governor signs it. Hope also urged developers to please contact the governors office to make very clear to him that this is a really good proposal, and its a compromise piece which theyre very happy with. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Andrew Clark, Vice President of Government Affairs at the Home Builders Association of Virginia, said he has not had any conversations with the governors office regarding the bill. Continuing to add to these statutes will, I think, create some administrative challenges for localities, said Clark, adding that other states have written tree laws with more streamlined, consolidated, almost user friendly approaches that create some predictability. Virginia has really complex tree statutes, like really complex, and often its localities that are then adopting the ordinances and those ordinances are complex, said Sarah Thomas, a contract lobbyist for the Virginia Association for Commercial Real Estate. So Virginia is definitely a special place when it comes to tree law. There probably is a simpler way to achieve the goal of preserving existing trees where possible and if not possible, mitigate the loss with the end goal of no net loss, Jurczyk said. Tree root zones survey bill axed Del. Marty Martinez, D-Loudoun, was chief patron of a third local-option tree bill that would have required developers to survey for the critical root zones of existing trees on sites and submit their findings to the locality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Virginia Department of Forestry defines the critical root zone of a tree as the area encompassing all of the roots extending to the dripline of the tree, or the overall circumference of its canopy. The bill failed in the Senate Agriculture Conservation and Natural Resources committee this session. Clark and Thomas both stood up to oppose the bill during the Senate Committee meeting, their main reason being that the surveys would be too costly and time-consuming for developers. Sen. Richard Stuart went a step further and said the bill makes it impossible to get affordable housing in Virginia, which is his biggest priority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Committee included a letter with their rejection of the bill requiring the stakeholders to get together and try to hammer out something thats going to be protective of the critical root zone, said Jurczyk. So well come back next year with something we hope everybody can live with. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE VESTAL, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) Binghamton University is currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights for allegedly discriminating against Jewish students. BU is amongst 60 institutions of higher education under investigation for antisemitic discrimination and harassment. On Monday, the U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights sent letters to the universities warning them of potential enforcement actions if they do not fulfill their obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to protect Jewish students on campus. This includes uninterrupted access to campus facilities and educational opportunities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since Hamas attacked Israel and Israel subsequently invaded Gaza, anti-war demonstrations have been held periodically on the BU campus, peaking with the establishment of an encampment on the Peace Quad last May. The Department is deeply disappointed that Jewish students studying on elite U.S. campuses continue to fear for their safety amid the relentless antisemitic eruptions that have severely disrupted campus life for more than a year. University leaders must do better, said Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. U.S. colleges and universities benefit from enormous public investments funded by U.S. taxpayers. That support is a privilege, and it is contingent on scrupulous adherence to federal antidiscrimination laws. The schools that received letters from the Office for Civil Rights include: American University Arizona State University Boston University Brown University California State University, Sacramento Chapman University Columbia University Cornell University Drexel University Eastern Washington University Emerson College George Mason University Harvard University Illinois Wesleyan University Indiana University, Bloomington Johns Hopkins University Lafayette College Lehigh University Middlebury College Muhlenberg College Northwestern University Ohio State University Pacific Lutheran University Pomona College Portland State University Princeton University Rutgers University Rutgers University-Newark Santa Monica College Sarah Lawrence College Stanford University State University of New York Binghamton State University of New York Rockland State University of New York, Purchase Swarthmore College Temple University The New School Tufts University Tulane University Union College University of California Davis University of California San Diego University of California Santa Barbara University of California, Berkeley University of Cincinnati University of Hawaii at Manoa University of Massachusetts Amherst University of Michigan University of Minnesota, Twin Cities University of North Carolina University of South Florida University of Southern California University of Tampa University of Tennessee University of Virginia University of Washington-Seattle University of Wisconsin, Madison Wellesley College Whitman College Yale University Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News 34 reached out to Binghamton University for comment and has not yet received a reply. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WIVT - News 34. A backyard chicken raised to lay eggs. (Photo by Jared Strong/Iowa Capital Dispatch) A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza was detected in a mixed species backyard flock in Dallas County, according to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. H5N1 strain of the bird flu has impacted more than 166 million birds in backyard and commercial poultry operations since 2022, and Iowa flocks have been hit harder than any other state, in terms of birds affected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The latest detection in Dallas County is the fifth detection of the bird flu in Iowa this year. The previous three detections have been in commercial turkey and egg laying facilities. In late February, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced a plan to spend $1 billion in Commodity Credit Corporation funds to combat the ongoing crisis. The funding would go to biosecurity upgrades on farms, the repopulation of birds at affected farms and vaccine research. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control continues to rate the public health risk of the bird flu as low, and IDALS said egg and poultry products are still safe to consume. Commercial and backyard poultry producers are encouraged to practice heightened biosecurity measures and to contact their veterinarians if they suspect an outbreak of the virus in their flocks. Symptoms include lethargy, coughing or wheezing, thin-shelled eggs, swollen heads or decreased egg production. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HPAI is also present in wild and migratory birds. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources warned Iowans to avoid, and to keep their pets away from, dead or dying birds. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Black folks have a lot to say about the Maryland hairstylist who went viral for dragging a teen client across a salon floor during a March 2 incident. Jayla Cunningham, 18, is now facing a second-degree assault charge. In a clip of the altercation, Cunningham tells her 15-year-old client, Sit right here until somebody sends it, evidently referencing the money for the appointment. Im not f***ing playing. You just tried to f***ing run. You lucky I aint beat the s**t out you, Cunningham says. The video also showed Cunningham cutting the weave she had installed out of the teens hair. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One X user, @JennyWHOA, defended Cunningham. Yall are adultifying and condemning Jayla because shes the bigger and darker between the 2 of them, she wrote. She is EIGHTEEN years old. Y'all are adultifying and condemning Jayla because she's the bigger and darker between the 2 of them. She is EIGHTEEN years old but y'all want her to have the business acumen of Kim Kimble. pic.twitter.com/rZIb0anyb4 Jennifer, The Editor (@JennyWHOA) March 4, 2025 The teens mom told local outlet Fox 5 that her daughter accidentally sent the money to the wrong account and was trying to figure out how to fix it. She has since filed a charge against Cunningham. However, Cunningham insisted that the girl was trying to get out of her $150 bill. Forget trash, she ran without paying me, Cunningham said. I dragged her by her hood back into the salon until I could get paid or, you know, until the police come or until, you know, she let me take out the service, because its like she literally ran outside, like she was about to be gone. anybody defending that unprofessional ass hairstylist dragging a 15year old youre weird. like idc if she ran off , call the cops. what professional is dragging clients.. aaliyah (@aaliyahhmarchee) March 4, 2025 Another X user stated that Cunningham went way too far. Anybody defending that unprofessional a** hairstylist dragging a 15year old youre weird. like idc if she ran off , call the cops. what professional is dragging clients.. @aaliyahhmarchee remarked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The clients family has since hired Jackson and Associates, a law firm in Upper Marlboro, to represent the teen. Attorney DeAja Thompson called the video of the alleged assault horrendous. she had a card on file that she could've charged after the girl said she didn't have the money so idk it's giving the stylist didn't think before taking action at all cus the dragging thing could've been easily avoided king niy (@NIYHNDRX) March 4, 2025 Its a 15-year-old girl. Were talking about someones child here, Thompson said. A child who is being dragged across a salon floor by her jacket over something as simple as a mistake. Social media personality @NIYHNDRX quipped that this all could have been avoided. She had a card on file that she couldve charged after the girl said she didnt have the money so idk its giving the stylist didnt think before taking action at all, they stated. Cunningham has a summons to appear in court on April 18. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. A new survey finds that Tallahassee, Florida, has twice the percentage of Black-owned businesses compared to the national average. A LendingTree survey on U.S. cities with the highest and lowest numbers of Black-owned businesses ranks Leon County in Tallahassee among the top 15 nationwide for its percentage of Black-owned businesses. The findings are prompting local economic developers to explore new ways to support and launch even more Black-owned businesses in the area. We found that 7% of businesses in Tallahassee are Black-owned and that puts Tallahassee tied for 14th among the 50 biggest metros in the country, Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst for Lending Tree, told WFSU. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The survey revealed that out of 7,828 businesses in Tallahassee, 549 or 7% are Black-owned, doubling the national average. Katrina Tuggerson, president of the Capital City Chamber of Commerce, sees the study as a sign of positive progress and she credits Florida A&M University for playing a significant role. Its the largest Black business in the state of Florida. So if you look at what trickles down in the community that holds FAMU, it cant be nothing but greatness, she told WCTV. However, despite the percentages, the numbers still fall short of Leon Countys Black population. When you contrast that to the fact that about 32% of the population of the city is Black, theres a lot of room for growth, Schultz said. Darryl Jones, who oversees minority, women, and small business programs at Leon Countys Office of Economic Vitality, emphasized that the community offers a wealth of resources to support business growth. While there is still progress to be made, the OEV is pleased to see local Black-owned business numbers moving in the right direction. Resource partners like the FAMU Small Business Development Center, DOMI Station, Jim Moran Institute, Jones said. And then you have lending partners like the FAMU Federal Credit Union and the Smart Steps Loan Program. Ukraine and Turkiye agree to expand cooperation, in particular interaction between cities and regions Presidents Office Photo: https://www.president.gov.ua/news/all Deputy Head of the Office of the President Viktor Mykyta held a meeting with Ambassador of the Republic of Turkiye to Ukraine Mustafa Levent Bilgen, the parties agreed to expand cooperation, in particular interaction between cities and regions of Turkey and Ukraine. The key topics of discussion included bilateral cooperation, joint economic development projects, as well as energy and infrastructure initiatives, the presidential press service reported Monday. Additionally, a roadmap for this collaboration was presented during the meeting. Currently, more than 1,000 Turkish companies operate in various regions of Ukraine. Regional Military Administrations, local communities, and the business sector actively cooperate with them. The Ambassador of Turkiye noted that Turkish partners feel this strong support every day, the message reads. In turn, the Deputy Head of the Office of the President expressed gratitude to Turkiye for its unwavering support of Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as for its mediation efforts amid Russias full-scale aggression. CHIPPEWA FALLS A Bloomer man will serve three years in prison after he was convicted of four separate counts of sexual assault. Raymond J. Buchli, 40, 16959 132nd St., was convicted by a Chippewa County jury in December of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman at her home in the town of Eagle Point on Dec. 25, 2023. Buchli was in town, visiting from Morristown, Ariz., where he was living at the time of the assault. Buchli was taken into custody at the time the jury reached its verdict and has been incarcerated in the Chippewa County Jail. According to the criminal complaint, the woman told authorities on Jan. 3, 2024, about the assault. She said she woke up to Buchli sexually assaulting her, and he forced her to have sex with him, and she was unable to stop him. When an officer later interviewed Buchli, he admitted to the sexual acts but claimed they were consensual. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the sentencing Friday morning, Judge James Isaacson ordered the prison term, along with two years of extended supervision. Isaacson noted the pre-sentence investigation called for an imposed-and-stayed prison sentence. Isaacson gave Buchli credit for 85 days already served. Buchli also must register as a sex offender, submit a DNA sample, and pay $2,152 in court costs and fines. He also was barred from having any contact with the victim. Isaacson determined that confinement was necessary. This is a big deal, Isaacson said. Is he remorseful or repentant? Im not sure he is. Chippewa County District Attorney Wade Newell asked for the three-year prison sentence and two years of extended supervision on each conviction, but those would run concurrently; Isaacson followed that recommendation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newell said that information has come forward of a possible other victim in Arizona, and he noted that the judge can, by law, consider that alleged offense in making his sentencing. This is not a consensual case, Newell said to Isaacson. You cant look at just this case, you have to look at the overall picture. He has never fully owned up to what he did here. Newell added: I think there is an immense need for protection of the public. I do not think this is a probation case, based on his character. This is a very serious incident. Defense attorney Jay Heit noted that the Arizona matter never resulted in a charge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont think hes a danger in the community, what so ever, Heit said to Isaacson. His home life is stable, and hes a high school graduate. Heit asked for three years of probation with no additional jail time. Buchli opted not to address the court. Prior to sentencing, the victim spoke, asking Isaacson to impose five to 10 years in prison. The time he sits in prison doesnt amount to what I have to live with for the rest of my life, she said. The victims father told Isaacson she is going to have to deal with this for the rest of her life. Buchlis father also spoke to Isaacson, asking for leniency in the sentencing. He said Buckli had gone through a divorce and was living with him and starting over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes never been in trouble his whole life. I dont understand it, he said. Buchlis sister also spoke, saying that she believes Buchli and the victim made a mistake, and she doesnt believe what occurred was rape. She noted her brother has never been in trouble before. She noted he had followed terms of his release on bond before he was convicted. All four convictions are felonies. However, the jury found Buchli not guilty on one count of second-degree sexual assault, which was the most serious offense and carries a higher number of years of incarceration. Buchlis only prior criminal offense was a drunk-driving conviction. The Blue Mountain School District is beginning its search to replace its retiring superintendent. Dr. David Helsel, who has led the district since January 2016, announced in February that he will retire effective June 30. The school board approved his retirement plan and agreed to hire Templeton Advantage of Newport, Pennsylvania to help the find the new superintendent. The district will pay the firm $15,000 for assistance with the search. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Blue Mountain School Board President Michelle Vesay said that the district has used Templeton for previous candidate searches including the one that led to Helsels hiring and that its been happy with the results. Its worth the cost to help ensure the district finds the candidate that best fits both the position and the district, she said. A job listing posted on Blue Mountains website said it is seeking someone that can lead it as it works to inspire all students to reach their full potential through a dynamic, rigorous curriculum that creates life-long learners. The deadline for candidates to apply to ensure consideration for the position is April 7, the listing said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vesay, though, said the district will take as long as it needs to find its ideal candidate. That could mean it needs to appoint an interim superintendent starting July 1 if a new superintendent is not in place by then, she said. Its not like wed be rudderless, she said. The board has not yet discussed what salary it will offer the new superintendent, she said. Templeton officials were not immediately available for comment Monday. Helsel, a western Pennsylvania native, said in February that he came to his retirement decision after discussing it with his wife and family, but that he had mixed emotions about it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have had a lot of great staff and students and parents that Ill miss, so its tough, he said. But its time to move on. Helsel turns 60 this year and has been in education for 38 years, starting as a math, physics and electronics teacher before becoming an administrator. He said he was proud of how the district has improved during his tenure and gave numerous examples, including: * The closure and demolition of the old Blue Mountain West Elementary School and construction and opening of its replacement building. * An increase in the number of advanced placement course offerings and a rise in the number of students taking those classes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * The near tripling of Blue Mountain students attending Schuylkill Technology Center. * The creation of career academies at the high school in the areas of business, health and biological sciences, arts and humanities, social sciences, and technology and engineering. In retirement, Helsel said he hopes to continue at least part-time in education, possibly as a college instructor, consultant or as a long-term sub in math or science at Blue Mountain. HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) On Monday, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal will demand President Donald Trump rescind certain tariff proposals he says will drive up energy price for Connecticut consumers if implemented. The focus here is tariffs on Canadian energy. Blumenthal said a significant share of our states energy is sourced from there and these tariffs could send already high prices skyrocketing. President Trumps new tariffs could impact Connecticut residents Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said this is troublesome for Connecticut consumers who already face some of the highest electricity rates in the nation, with an average cost of about 28 cents per kilowatt-hour compared to the national average of about 16 cents per kilowatt-hour as of December 2024. Blumenthal said a big portion of Connecticuts electricity is sourced from Eastern Canadian hydropower, a cheaper alternative to higher priced natural gas. He also said the 10 to 25 percent tariffs Trump is proposing on Canadian energy will directly impact electricity costs here in the U.S. Public hearing on electricity rates held in Hartford Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With taxes, that could add up to $165 million in annual customer costs, according to an estimate from ISO New England. Sen. Blumenthal is set to discuss all of this at a press conference at 11:30 a.m. in Hartford. Again, hes demanding President Trump rescind what he calls cost-increasing tariffs. Hes also calling on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to block the implementation of these tariffs to protect consumers. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. Two South Carolina men were killed over the weekend and they were recovered from a body of water in the Midlands, the Kershaw County Coroners Office said Sunday in a news release. Coroner David West said the victims were 21-year-old Richland County resident Valentin Ulises Nicolas Quiroz and 43-year-old Sumter resident Lonnie Hancock. At about 4:10 p.m. Saturday, there was a 911 call about a drowning, West said in the release. A dispatcher was told the drowning happened in the Tail Race area of the Wateree River, according to the release. Thats behind the Wateree Dam, West said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When emergency responders got to the river, they learned there were two victims, according to the release. One body was recovered Saturday night, WIS reported. The Kershaw County Fire Service said the second body was recovered Sunday, and that the scene has been cleared. Information about how the men ended up in the water and what they were doing was not available. Members of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources helped in the search, and other emergency agencies that responded to the scene included Kershaw County EMS as well as Camden Fire Department and Lugoff Fire Department. No causes of death have been made public by the coroners office, but autopsies have been scheduled for Tuesday in Newberry County, West said. BAY MINETTE, Ala. (WKRG) Leaked body cam footage of a deadly police shooting in Bay Minette is now posted online. WKRG News 5 has requested this video since the shooting of Otis French Jr. in August 2022. Bay Minette Police Officer Brandon Thompson was cleared of any criminal charges, but a federal lawsuit is still pending. Gulf Shores Post Office to present one-day Passport Fair Its still a mystery who leaked the video. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WKRG News 5 is not airing the shooting of French, but some of the footage in the video portion of this story could be disturbing. Traffic stop leads to chase and tasing The footage begins with a traffic stop on August 20, 2022, when Bay Minette Police Officer Brandon Thompson pulls over Otis French Jr. What is the issue? asks French as the officer opens his passenger door. Well, you didnt use your signal, and I see why now, the officer says. You have a light out on that left side. Thompson says he will give French a warning, then goes back to his patrol unit, runs the drivers license, and returns to Frenchs vehicle. Thompson asks French to get out of the vehicle so he can show him what he is talking about, and for his protection, Thompson says he is going to pat French down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im not comfortable with people touching me, French said. I hate it for you, but my safety is paramount, okay? responds Thompson. Three and a half minutes after the video begins, French refuses to submit to the pat-down, and there is a struggle as Thompson tries to handcuff French. Foley, Alabama job fair: 31 employers hiring for open positions Thompson threatens to tase French, who then pushes Thompson to the ground and takes off running. I got one running, Thompson radios as he runs from one side of a house to the other. They meet at the other side of the house, where the two men collide. French is tased, and the struggle continues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement French wrestles the taser from Thompson and uses it on the officer. Thompson pulls out his firearm and fires. According to court documents, seven shots were fired, five of them hitting French. While other units respond to the scene, lifesaving measures begin on French. Thompson applies pressure to the wounds and later does chest compressions. Thompsons body camera later captured his description of the final moments before the gunfire to another officer who had arrived on the scene. He grabbed my hands and turned it, powering my taser out of my hands and turned it back on me and tased me once, and then I tried to get back up. He pointed it back at me, and I shot him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The video has been kept from public view since the shooting. The French family, law enforcement, and attorneys had already seen the footage before the criminal investigation was complete. Attorney responds to leaked video Andrew Rutens, who represents Thompson and the City of Bay Minette, released the following statement to News 5. (Editors note: Paragraph breaks have been added for ease of reading.) On Friday evening the City became aware of a leak of the body camera footage involving a Bay Minette Officer and Otis French Jr. Prior to the leak, only appropriate law enforcement officials, court officials and the French family as well as their attorneys had access to it. This was done in acknowledgment of the sensitive nature of the video and to protect the investigation and related court proceedings. It was also done to protect the officer involved from further threats to him and his family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The City sought to keep the video sealed with the US District Court. That motion was heard by the court, and it is still pending. While it is unfortunate that the video was released by an anonymous source, the City will continue to respect the process and proceedings in the federal court, and we will continue to defend the claims made against the City in the lawsuit. The City has no further comment on this issue at this time. A 10-count civil lawsuit has been filed in federal court on behalf of the French family that includes claims of an illegal traffic stop, excessive force, and wrongful death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A motion to dismiss the lawsuit has not been ruled on yet. 2 dead after Mobile County crash Attorneys representing the French family have not responded to our 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 WKRG News 5. KENOSHA, Wis. (WFRV) Authorities in Wisconsin are investigating an incident after they say a body was found in the waters of Lake Michigan Sunday evening. According to a release from the Kenosha Police Department, officers responded at 4:55 p.m. to Eichelman Park on 6135 3rd Avenue for reports of a body discovered in Lake Michigan. Person of interest arrested after 16-year-old girl is shot in Wisconsin Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police say the body was recovered from the water by 8:54 p.m. and Eichelman Park was reopened. They report the body has since been turned over to the Kenosha County Medical Examiners Office. At this time, no other information is available and more details are expected to be released soon as the investigation into the incident continues. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A body found in Central Florida nearly 40 years ago has been identified as a transgender woman but there are still more questions than answers about her death, according to the Lake County Sheriffs Office. Earlier in March, the body dubbed Julie Doe when found in September 1988 30 feet off the side of CR 474 in Clermont, in a rural and heavily wooded area was identified as Pamela Leigh Walton, 25, the agency announced Monday in a news release. And in an interview Monday afternoon with the Orlando Sentinel, Detective Zachary Williams said Waltons identification will hopefully lead to more information about who she was, why she was in Florida and how she died, since her family shed little light. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Williams told the Sentinel that Walton, who was from Kentucky, had been given up for adoption and had a falling out with her adoptive family in the mid-80s over an alleged theft from a family member. She lost contact with them, and they never reported her missing. While Waltons adoptive parents have since passed away, Williams said he spoke with another adoptive family member about the news. When asked if the family member felt any sadness when learning of Waltons passing, Williams said yes and no. It was, again, one of those things where they werent too upset because of the falling out, but there was definitely still, like, a level of, you know, surprise, he said. And still, even though, the last time I spoke to themtheres still a level of closure thats been provided to them, and I think they understand that. The sheriffs office discovered in 2015 through DNA testing that Walton had been born biologically male. The agencys release said when she was found she was wearing a skirt and had breast implants, and that there is evidence she may have been taking female hormone injections. She had been dead 2-4 weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is unknown if she had undergone any other gender reassignment surgery, the release said. When adopted, Walton went by the name Lee Allen Walton. At some point in their adult life, they changed their name to Pamela Leigh Walton and was, at the very least, transitioning from male to female, according to the release. Williams said the major breakthrough in the case came after the sheriffs office partnered with the DNA Doe Project, a nonprofit that uses investigative genealogy to identify remains. Genealogists were able to find Waltons possible relatives, who were then contacted by deputies and submitted their DNA for comparison. There was only one biological family member that even suspected that it was possible for our unidentified to be their family member, Williams said. That family member actually remembered that they had another family member put up for adoption, and they were actually able to provide a birthday, and that was probably the biggest break in this case. Williams was then able to find Waltons birth certificate which said Waltons biological sex was male. Williams said Waltons body was too decomposed to determine a cause or manner of death. He is now going to reexamine the path of the initial investigation to build a proper timeline for her and paint a fuller picture of her death. FOREST CITY, N.C. (WSPA) An investigation is underway following a bomb threat at a Rutherford County business Sunday night. According to the Rutherford County Sheriffs Office, law enforcement responded to the Lowes in Forest City. Investigators said the building and surrounding areas had been evacuated. Forest City Police, the sheriffs office, a bomb squad from Gaston County, and other agencies were at the scene but found no credible threat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incident remains under investigation according to deputies. 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. 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. Photo: https://www.president.gov.ua/ US President Donald Trump intends to increase pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to force him to step down and is considering stopping the supply of American weapons to Ukraine while he remains in power, Bild reported on Monday, citing its own sources. Political expert Thomas Yeager suggested in a comment to the publication that Trump could be taking revenge on Zelenskyy for refusing to provide dirt on the son of the previous head of state Joseph Biden, Hunter Biden, in 2020. Yeager also believes that holding elections in Ukraine in the near future would be an ideal outcome for Vladimir Putin. Tom Homan, President Trumps border czar, said Monday that federal authorities absolutely can deport a legal immigrant after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested a Columbia University graduate with a green card. Absolutely, we can, Homan told Stuart Varney on Fox Business Networks Varney & Co. after the host asked about the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a leading pro-Palestinian activist, and if ICE can deport someone who is in the country legally. I mean, did he violate the terms of his visa? Did he violate the terms of his residency here, you know, committing crimes, attacking Israeli students, locking down buildings, destroying property? Absolutely, any resident alien who commits a crime is eligible for deportation, Homan added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Only an immigration judge has the authority to revoke a green card. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Khalil was arrested at his Columbia residence on Saturday due to his activities in leading the pro-Palestinian encampment at the university last spring. The Student Workers of Columbia labor union described him as the lead negotiator in the protests with the school. We will vigorously be pursuing Mahmouds rights in court, and will continue our efforts to right this terrible and inexcusable and calculated wrong committed against him, Amy Greer, Khalils attorney, said in a statement to NBC News, adding that her office has filed a petition challenging the validity of the detention. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The arrest marks the first step the Trump administration has made to deport college students who participated in the nationwide protests last year, which led to the arrest of 2,000 individuals. This is the first arrest of many to come. We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it, Trump said about the arrest. Columbia protesters were the ringleader of the movement and saw big escalations between demonstrators and university administrators such as a takeover of a school building and classes moving online. And thats just one out of many, Homan said. Were going to send a strong message to say, anybody here on a foreign visa, that youre given a great right to come to the greatest country on Earth and study in our colleges. But when you come here to study, you got to obey the laws of this country. You got to obey the requirements of that visa to be lawful while youre here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, its a great privilege to study in this country, but, when we give you that right to study in this country, dont violate our laws, he added. Updated at 4:55 p.m. EDT Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 city of Boston has acquired 347 market-rate units at Mattapans Fairlawn Estates for $10 million to use as affordable housing, Mayor Michelle Wu said Monday. City officials acquired the units with money from the federal American Rescue Plan Act, Wu said during a press conference at the site on Monday morning. All 347 units at Fairlawn Estates will be converted from market-rate housing to permanently affordable homes. For years, Fairlawn Estates has been a pillar in our community that tenants and neighbors have organized and advocated to protect and preserve, said Wu. Todays acquisition is a major step toward protecting our communities and preventing displacement in Mattapan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By securing these homes as permanently affordable, we are continuing our efforts to make Boston a home for everyone and ensuring that families can continue to live and thrive in their neighborhood without the fear of being priced out, Wu said. Im grateful to Related for their partnership on this acquisition and City Life Vida Urbana and the Fairlawn Tenants Association for their years of organizing that made today possible. The acquisition is part of the Citys Acquisition Opportunity Program, which helps developers buy and preserve existing affordable housing and ensure it stays affordable for current households and in perpetuity, officials said. The Fairlawn Estates is a collection of 12 apartment buildings and a leasing office located on Fairlawn Avenue, Cummins Highway, and Bismarck Street in Mattapan. Originally constructed by the Flatley Companies in the 1960s, the property was known for its affordability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the last several years following the most recent sale and rebranding of the property as SoMa at the T, residents faced increased rents that resulted in evictions for households unable to keep up with rent hikes, city officials said. The new owner, Related Affordable, an affiliate of Related Beal, has committed to restricting all 347 units as permanently affordable housing, Wu said Monday. The conversion of Fairlawn from market-rate to fully deed-restricted affordable residences ensures these residents can remain in their homes and community, city officials said. Ensuring that our housing remains affordable is one of the most important steps we can take to stabilize our families and neighborhoods, Bostons Chief of Housing Sheila Dillon said in a statement. This acquisition by Related Affordable means that hundreds of families and older adults will no longer worry that their housing costs will exceed what they can afford. This administration prioritized the use of ARPA to keep our residents safe and for that we are grateful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The acquisition was made possible through a combination of funding sources, including city funds, private investment, and loans. The citys $10 million investment leveraged nine times that amount in private sources, officials said. Also, the newly-created Boston Acquisition Fund provided an almost $1 million commitment, all of which allowed Related to acquire the property and immediately begin improvements. Over the next several years, additional renovations will focus on making the buildings more energy efficient. Today is a victory for the Fairlawn tenants and their unyielding advocacy, City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune said in a statement. For the past three years, I have stood alongside them and advocates as we fought to keep Mattapan residents in their homes with dignified living conditions. This purchase is reflective of collective action and what it means to stand up for your community. This $10 million investment is a crucial step in keeping Mattapan affordable and preventing displacement, state Rep. Brandy Fluker-Reid, D-Mattapan, said in a statement. Securing these 347 permanently affordable homes is exactly the kind of investment that strengthens communities. From the start, Ive emphasized that our community knows what it needsthis investment reflects what residents have long advocated for and delivers real solutions to help our neighbors thrive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The citys $10 million investment will ensure that half of the apartments will be reserved for households earning no more than 60% of the Area Median Income, while the other half will be for households earning no more than 80% of AMI, officials said. The agreement with Related also includes protections for existing tenants, limiting rent increases to no more than 2% per year and ongoing support for households with housing vouchers. In addition to creating affordability for the residents, Related plans to invest $6.4 million in immediate repairs and building upgrades including roof replacements, balcony repairs, and appliance upgrades in all apartments, officials said. The management company, Winn Management, which has overseen the property for the past six years, will continue to manage the apartments, officials said. The City of Boston will monitor the improvements and require long-term affordability protections to be in place at the time of purchase. Affordable housing is core to Relateds DNA, and we are thrilled to provide a more sustainable living solution in such an important, transit-oriented location in Mattapan, Kimberly Sherman Stamler, president of Related Beal, said in a statement. We are grateful to the City of Boston, the Mayors Office of Housing, and our financing partners for collaborating on this important opportunity that will protect hundreds of residents within the Mattapan community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mondays acquisition and conversion of market-rate housing to permanently affordable housing at Fairlawn Estates follows years of advocacy and organizing by Fairlawn tenants, City Life/Vida Urbana and neighbors in Mattapan who have called for fair rents and housing stability for city residents. After six years of fighting for fair rents and housing stability at Fairlawn, were ecstatic to say that we can stay in our homes, and even better, that all 347 units at Fairlawn will now be affordable, Betty Lewis of the Fairlawn Tenant Association said in a statement. The constant stress of facing huge rent increases and eviction weighed on us every day over the past six years, and it wasnt right but we want people to know that housing is a human right and we can win the homes we deserve, Lewis said. This is a community victory won by neighbors working together. 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 Solong collided with tanker Stena Immaculate. Both vessels are abandoning. Vessels who have firefighting equipment or who can assist with search and rescue, contact Humber Coastguard on channel 16. Broadcast at 10am on a foggy Monday morning, the cold and impartial radio distress call cut straight to the heart about what had just happened off the East Yorkshire coast. The MV Solong, a 7,850-tonne container ship, had crashed into the anchored tanker Stena Immaculate a few miles from the Humber estuary, which is home to Britains busiest commercial port at Immingham. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Prime Ministers spokesman said it was an extremely concerning situation and a US government source told one maritime blog that foul play could not be ruled out as a cause of the crash. A ship such as the Stena Immaculate, carrying a volatile and highly flammable cargo, could have been an ideal target for a group trying to disrupt US military operations. Although a civilian vessel, the ship had been chartered by the US Military Sealift Command as part of a scheme where American-registered tankers previously nominated by their operators are called up for government duty. The tanker had been carrying just under 35 million litres of Jet-A1 aviation fuel and the collision had ruptured her cargo tanks, spilling her 220,000-barrel payload into the North Sea, operator Crowley-Stena confirmed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the Portuguese-registered, German-owned Solong had been carrying 16 containers of highly toxic sodium cyanide, according to shipping data company Lloyds List Intelligence. The result was a fire that appeared to consume both vessels in videos which showed black smoke across the horizon. The crews of both ships abandoned them as fire and explosions ripped through their hulls. Lifeboats and Coastguard aircraft were scrambled in short order, while the RNLI said that four of its life-saving craft were dispatched to the scene. Erik Hanell, the chief executive of Stena Bulk, confirmed the crew of 23 aboard the Stena Immaculate were safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet on Monday night, one crewman was still missing from the Solongs 14-strong complement. Set up in 2023 under the Biden government, the US Maritime Administration agencys tanker security programme (TSP) has a number of commercial ships that are guaranteed to be available for US government work at short notice. Stena Immaculate was one of three vessels made available to the scheme in 2023 by American company Crowley, which manages the ships day-to-day operations through a joint venture with Swedish owners Stena. The TSP accomplishes two key maritime sealift objectives: it grows our US-flagged fleet and it significantly expands our ability to deliver vital fuel supplies to support military missions across the globe, said Ann Phillips, the US Maritime administrator, at the schemes launch in 2023. Data from ship-tracking website Marine Traffic suggested that the Solong container ship had been doing 16 knots (18.4mph) at the time of impact. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the collision was not deliberate, then maritime experts said negligence on behalf of the Solongs crew seemed probable. Dr Abdul Khalique, head of the Maritime Centre at Liverpool John Moores University, who has used a simulator to analyse the incident, said: It can be assumed that the watchkeepers on MV Solong were not performing their duty to maintain a proper lookout by all available means as required by International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. He continued: After the collision, MV Stena Immaculates heading turned to heading 131 and took all of MV Solongs speed away. Both ships appear to have remained in contact for around four minutes, [dragging] south-east until 9:52:42. Chris Parry, a retired Royal Navy rear admiral, said the Humber estuary was well known for ships lying at anchor a short distance offshore. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its rather like driving at speed through a Sainsburys car park when you know there are cars there, he said. Somebody clearly hasnt taken notice, theyve disregarded all the sensors theyve got to tell them where they are and whats around them. And Im afraid to say it looks like negligence at first sight, he told the BBC. The two huge ships ablaze in the North Sea. Authorities fear major spillage affecting our coastline - Bartek Smialek/PA Tom Sharpe, another retired Navy officer, said: T-bone [collisions] like that are quite rare. One ship always has an obligation to keep out of the way of the other in a crossing situation until it becomes inevitable as a collision, and then you both have an obligation to try and minimise that collision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its very possible that the American ship was up on the VHF [radio] calling them for ages, saying, Youre on a steady bearing, what are your intentions? A steady bearing, Mr Sharpe explained, means the oncoming ship is head-on its relative bearing, or position, from the anchored ship was not changing. I would rule out any conspiracies or terrorism to as near zero as you can at this point of the investigation, he added. Experts suggested that weather, as well as poor watchkeeping aboard the Solong, could have played a significant part in the accident. Visibility in the Humber area was poor on Monday morning, the Met Office said, with wind gusts of 25mph amid misty conditions. The Stena Immaculate was carrying up to 46,572 cubic metres of refined liquid fuel - Roeland.J A spokesman for Britains Marine Accident Investigation Branch said a team had been deployed to Grimsby. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our team of inspectors and support staff are gathering evidence and undertaking a preliminary assessment of the accident to determine our next steps, said the spokesman. Meanwhile, attention onshore was turning towards the environmental impact of up to 35 million litres of jet fuel spilling into the sea and potentially washing up on beaches. Harj Narulla, an environmental law barrister from Doughty Street Chambers, said the costs of cleaning up a spill could eventually be measured in the tens of millions of pounds. Based on previous maritime spills in the UK, like the 1996 Sea Empress spill which was estimated to cause 60-116 million in damage, and the 1993 MV Braer spill, which caused estimated damage of around $168 million, I would say that damage could run to tens of millions of pounds, Mr Narulla told The Telegraph. Sodium cyanide concerns In addition to the impact of the fuel spill, fears were growing about the spill of sodium cyanide from the Solong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The poisonous chemical can have serious adverse health effects for those who come into direct physical contact with it. It is used in industry for metal cleaning, plating and extraction and can cause seizures, vomiting and loss of consciousness. It is known to be highly toxic to aquatic life, to the point where it is used to stun and kill large numbers of sea creatures at once by illegal fishing operations. In January 2000, a spillage occurred in Romania, when waste containing sodium cyanide flowed into the River Tisza, a tributary of the Danube, following a dam burst at a goldmine. The accident killed about 80 per cent of fish in the river and devastated local populations of birds and other animals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the Solong appearing to have rammed the anchored Stena Immaculate, Narulla said the responsibility for the spill would not immediately be laid at the feet of the Solongs crew and owners. The Stena Immaculate and its insurers are strictly liable under UK law for any oil pollution coming from its cargo, the barrister said. Similarly, both the Solong and Stena Immaculate and their insurers would be liable for any pollution coming from bunker oil released from the vessels. Terrible incident Meanwhile, Mike Ross, the leader of Hull city council, said communities were very concerned about the consequences of the accident. My thoughts go out to all those involved in this terrible incident, he told the BBC. He said he had already received numerous calls from people in Grimsby and the surrounding area. Im sure theres going to be a lot of concern in the coming hours and days theres a lot to unpack, he added. A spokesman for the Solongs Hamburg-based owner Ernst Russ said that 13 of the 14 Solong crew members had been brought safely ashore, with efforts to locate the missing crewman ongoing. A statement on Monday night said: Both vessels have sustained significant damage in the impact of the collision and the subsequent fire. Ernst Russ immediately activated an emergency response team, and the company remains in contact with them, the Master of Solong and all relevant marine authorities at Humberside. The first priority is the safety of the crew(s), all responders and the environment. Crowley said the Stena Immaculate was under operation as part of the US governments tanker security programme. A spokesman said the company was actively working with public agencies to contain the fire and secure the vessel and that its first priority is the safety of the people and environment. 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 sign marks the entrance to the Dickinson State University campus. (Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor) A leader of Dakota College at Bottineau is among five finalists to be the next president of Dickinson State University. In-person campus visits are scheduled for the week of March 17, a news release from the North Dakota University System said. The State Board of Higher Education will interview the candidates in person March 27 on the Dickinson State campus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The finalists are: Jeff D. Borden, dean of the School of Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University Scott Molander, managing partner of Garage Living and SKINS Compression Carmen Simone, campus dean and CEO, Dakota College at Bottineau James Taylor, vice president for statewide campuses, Utah State University Jodi Washington, executive director, student services initiatives, Broward County Public Schools in Florida Fifty-four candidates applied to replace Stephen Easton, who resigned in July after a contract dispute with nursing faculty. It is anticipated that the new Dickinson State president will assume office in July 2025, the news release said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ty Orton, executive director of the Dickinson State University Heritage Foundation, is the acting president; no interim president was selected. Dickinson State was the only college in the University System to see an enrollment decline in fall 2024. It reported 1,410 students. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Powerlines in Hood River County above the Columbia River move electricity from the Bonneville Dam to customers across the region on July 25, 2024. (Photo by Jordan Gale/Oregon Capital Chronicle) The nonprofit federal administration that provides one-third of the Northwests electricity is preparing to part ways with its current Western energy market and preparing to sell its excess energy in a new power pool. Bonneville Power Administration officials announced in a draft policy proposal released Wednesday that they intend to leave the California-controlled real-time market theyve participated in since 2022 and join a new day-ahead energy market based out of Little Rock, Arkansas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The move sparked concern and criticism from public utility commissioners and lawmakers in Oregon and Washington, as well as large investor-owned utilities in the region who say it will drive up rates for their millions of customers and cause grid reliability issues. Infobox: What is a day ahead market? Most utilities in the West today operate in a real-time market, where each one sets its supply and demand schedule for the next day without seeing what other member utilities are planning, and they buy and sell power on an as-needed basis in the market. In a day-ahead market, everyone shares energy generating capacity and anticipated needs a day ahead, and the market prices are negotiated based on that information. This means a new slate of customers would be able to buy power from BPA that has previously only been available to utilities operating in the 10 states covered by Californias real-time system, which includes all or parts of Oregon, Washington, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Although California is developing its own day-ahead market, BPA does not intend to join it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BPA officials will issue a final decision in May on joining the Southwest Power Pools Markets+ system, instead of Californias Extended Day-Ahead Market, or EDAM, system. BPA officials expect by October 2028 the agency would be operating in the Southwest Power Pool. If BPA joins the Southwest Pool, it would still sell energy first to the 140 consumer-owned utilities in the Northwest that it is legally required to serve before selling its excess power. BPA would also continue to sell surplus power to Northwest utilities. Controversy over control BPA officials have asserted for years that California has too much power over the region-wide energy system because the California Independent System Operator is governed in part by the California Legislature. The Southwest Power Pool, on the other hand, is governed by a board that includes power producers and utilities. It serves all or some of Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Critics of BPAs decision to leave the California market and join the Southwest Power Pool say that it would cost Northwest utilities serving the bulk of residents in the region big money that theyll have to pass onto their consumers. With BPA out, the pool of energy that Western utilities can purchase from would be smaller and from potentially more expensive sources. It would also delay a long-awaited dream of creating a truly regionally integrated Western grid that could help states collectively manage big transmission issues, boost clean energy generation and address safety issues, lawmakers said. Oregons U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat, has called on BPA for months to reconsider its inclination towards the Southwest Power Pool, which several analyses including a BPA-commissioned study have shown will cost more upfront and could lead to higher electricity costs for ratepayers across the Northwest. This hasty draft decision by the BPA is not good news for electricity consumers in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, Wyden said in an emailed statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kandi Young, a spokesperson for Oregons Public Utility Commission, which has also been critical of BPAs leanings towards the Southwest Pool, said in an email that models in the BPA-commissioned study show the agency would save customers in the Northwest $4.4 billion in the next decade by choosing to join Californias day-ahead market as opposed to the Southwest Power Pool. We look forward to further discussion with BPA on how these regional benefits should be viewed alongside the factors they have prioritized, she said. Doug Johnson, a senior spokesperson for BPA, said in an email that the analysis shows higher upfront costs in joining the Southwest Pool but lower costs over time, and that Californias EDAM market would cost more on an annual basis after implementation. A power struggle The Bonneville Power Administration is a federal agency responsible for selling hydroelectricity generated from 31 federal dams and a nuclear plant in the Columbia Basin at wholesale rates. BPA is not supposed to collect a profit on its electricity sales, which currently power more than one-third of all the electricity used in the Northwest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BPA is obligated first to sell power to 140 consumer-owned utilities in the region, and then it sells the excess to other consumer and private-investor owned utilities in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and areas of Montana, California, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. It delivers that electricity via 15,000 miles of transmission lines in oversees in the region, representing 75% of the Northwests high voltage transmission system. In announcing its intent to join the Southwest Power Pool, BPA has the support of most of the utilities it serves by law, including the backing of the Portland-based Public Power Council, a nonprofit industry group representing consumer-owned utilities in the Northwest that get priority purchase power from the Bonneville Power Administration. Since 2022, BPA has sold its excess power to other Northwest utilities and Californias real-time energy market, managed by CAISO. The California-based market is responsible for energy trading across about 80% of the electrical grid in 10 Western states. Most of that energy trading happens via a supercomputer in Folsom, California, which can move energy, such as that coming from BPA, where its needed in real time and shut down power where it could be dangerous in real-time, like during a wildfire. California, like the Southwest Power Pool, is creating a new day-ahead market where instead of buying, selling and moving energy in real time, members can trade and prices can be negotiated in advance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The biggest utilities in the West, such as PacifiCorp, PGE and Seattle City Light, are choosing to stay with California in its new day-ahead market. Some, such as Puget Sound Energy and Avista, have been waiting to see what BPA decides. The large utilities are concerned that if BPA is removed from the Western power pool, it will drive up prices across the region and create expensive inefficiencies. Letha Tawney, one of three commissioners on the Oregon Public Utility Commission, said if BPA leaves the Western market, it will create needless problems. If a transmission line trips off because of a wildfire, or a coal plant goes down, the supercomputer in Folsom can quickly reroute energy across the region. Without BPA on its radar, a system operator in California would have to call operators in Little Rock to ask what each was seeing on their own maps of the Western energy load. To try to address these concerns, public utilities commissioners, utilities officials and state leaders have created an initiative meant to move some governance away from California and to spread it more broadly across members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BPA officials have said they appreciate the effort called the Pathways Initiative but still see California as legislatively bound to serving its states customers before the regions customers. Bonneville staff is concerned that the vast majority of the benefits realized from creating a Westwide market would flow to California, officials wrote in their recommendation. CORRECTION: A previous version of this story stated BPA power would be sold as far as Louisiana. On March 13, BPA officials clarified that while Louisiana is part of the Southwest Power Pool, the agency would not be sending energy into the Eastern Interconnection, the regional transmission organization that reaches Louisiana. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) Bradley University is going to host a regional high school robotics competition featuring 35 teams, with nine from the area. The FIRST Robotics Central Illinois Regional Competition will take place from March 21-22 in the Renaissance Coliseum and will have teams representing Peoria, Dunlap, Bloomington, Tremont, Metamora and Washington. The environment has the feel of both a major sporting event and a rock concert, complete with special lighting, upbeat music, crazy costumes, a large video wall and energetic emcees/announcers, according to the university. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The event is a showcase for high schoolers to team up and be paired with engineering and science mentors. They have six-and-a-half weeks to build a robot to conquer an engineering issue. The robot will be then shown off at the competition on Bradleys campus. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com. The Braun administration has offered a rural economic development plan for Indiana. It looks a lot like plans offered by GOP and Democratic governors over the past 75 years. Indeed, the only element distinguishable from such a plan in the 1960s is broadband. Back then, we were worrying about better phone service. Brauns plan discusses improvements in public services to farms and an increased focus on attracting manufacturing jobs. It calls for reducing taxes. Puzzlingly, the document mentions climate when talking about farms not something one expects from the GOP. It also mentions protecting Hoosier farmland from China a statement meant to placate voters with, it must be said, mediocre intellectual gifts. Hicks: Immigration is the only hope for Indiana's dying small towns Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To be fair, the plan might be a good political document that reflects longstanding concerns from stakeholders in the agricultural and manufacturing communities. It should make many of those special interest groups happy. The one thing this plan wont do is help grow rural communities. In fact, if its main ideas tax cuts and an increased focus on business attraction are implemented, economic conditions will worsen for most of Indianas already beleaguered rural communities. Braun won't tell small towns the truth The main problem with rural economic development plans is a shortage of honesty. I get it. It is hard to engage in truth-telling about the difficult future of Indianas rural economy. It is even harder to admit that any potential remedies will take decades of hard, expensive efforts before they bear fruit. Its far easier to double down on ineffective 1960s policies and claim victory against those darned Chinese. Heres some truth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First, there will be fewer agriculture-related jobs in Indiana over the next two decades and maybe forever. This will happen even as food production continues to grow, though itll never be more than about 1.5% of the states economy. Tax policies wont change that. Indeed, when counting taxes and subsidies, the farm industry in Indiana actually pays a negative tax. Thats right, industry-wide, farms already receive more subsidies than they pay taxes. If you are a farmer who is paying more taxes than the subsidies you receive, you dont need a tax cut; you need a better accountant. The big risk to the agricultural industry today is the decline of rural communities and loss of working-age adults. The plain fact is that the agricultural industry needs rural communities a heck of a lot more than those rural communities need farming or agricultural jobs. Second, Indiana has been working hard to attract manufacturing jobs since the late 1960s. But we now have fewer factory jobs than in 1973, and fewer factory jobs than last year. Manufacturing jobs are leaving There is no manufacturing employment renaissance. Indiana will have fewer factory jobs next year than we have today, fewer in 2030 than we have today, and fewer in 2040 than we will have in 2030. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Manufacturing jobs arent coming back, even as we hit new industry production records. Nothing is going to reverse that trend, and anyone who tells you differently is either stupendously ignorant or lying to you. Though, to be fair, some could be both. No tariff, no onshoring trend and certainly no state tax policy will change this. When counting both taxes and subsidies, Hoosier manufacturers pay the third-lowest total taxes of any manufacturing firms in the country, and about a quarter of the tax rate paid by the average business in Indiana. More tax cuts wont boost jobs. If they could, Indiana would be growing factory jobs, not losing them. We are losing them. Hicks: Cities dominate the economy. Indiana's small towns need better schools. Now, even with fewer total factory jobs over the coming decades, a few counties might see more jobs, though the vast majority will see losses. The pie is shrinking, and yesterdays policies focus on getting a bigger slice of a shrinking pie rather than growing the pie. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The truth is that rural Indiana manufacturing is hampered by a declining pool of well-educated workers. Counties that get good-paying factory work will mostly be on the fringe of large urban areas (think Shelby or Boone counties). There, they can access a large labor market in the nearby metropolitan area. Any manufacturing job growth that occurs in most rural counties will mostly be low-wage, lower-skilled jobs. That has certainly been the trend of the 21st century. Towns need people; people need reasons to come The real limit on rural economic success is, and has long been, a lack of people. Rural communities suffer a lack of people who have the skills to work in the growing occupations of the late 20th and 21st centuries. Ironically, Indianas rural areas should be doing well. We are a compact state, with 85% of the population living 20 minutes from a metropolitan county. We also have many small towns that are pleasant places to live. Our climate appeals to many Hoosier summers are spectacular. We have lots of rivers and lakes, and among the best state park systems Ive encountered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also, the post-COVID increase in remote work should really benefit Indiana. In fact, Indiana has had some population growth in recent years, but all of it is clustered in just a few counties, primarily in the Indianapolis suburbs. And that reveals some of the challenges of Indianas rural counties. Hicks: Republican areas are getting poorer while Democratic areas get richer The plain, and frankly uncomfortable, fact is that for every nice downtown, there are several struggling places with little choice of restaurants or recreation. And, for every high-performing rural school system think Batesville or Jay County there are several small, tired, underfunded school corporations. The best example of this is Advanced Placement STEM classes. Roughly 60 Indiana school corporationsalmost 1 in 5 offer no AP STEM courses in chemistry, biology or calculus. Nearly all of these are rural schools. Even the top graduates of these high schools face deep disadvantages in pursuing a college degree. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It has to be said that the types of families rural Indiana desperately needs to keep and attract are precisely those folks who are reluctant to send their kids to a tired, underfunded school. But it is to these people that the administrations rural plan says, I dont care about your interest in well-funded schools. Not every rural Hoosier community is going to survive the 21st century. Those that do will have made themselves attractive to young families. Theyll have good schools, not just claims about good schools. Theyll have downtowns that offer recreation and more. State government cannot save most places. Perhaps the best thing it can do is get out of their way. Michael J. Hicks is the director of the Center for Business and Economic Research and the George and Frances Ball distinguished professor of economics in the Miller College of Business at Ball State University. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Mike Braun's tax cuts will hurt Indiana small towns, farms | Opinion 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? The year is 2028 and masked Russian little green men start crossing the border of an eastern European country. Natos Article 5 is invoked. In London, officials want to quickly deploy Britains F-35 stealth jets to the frontier but there is a problem. The US, unwilling to clash with Vladimir Putin, says it wont support the deployment and refuses to provide communications support, logistics, or even spare parts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Within a matter of weeks, the Royal Air Forces most advanced aircraft risks being rendered inoperable along with other American platforms operated by the alliance. This is the grim scenario that experts say Britain must now plan for as it grapples with the increasingly volatile whims of Donald Trump. It has been made chillingly plausible by recent American decisions to cut off support to Ukraine, including both intelligence sharing and jamming software updates for Kyivs fleet of donated F-16 fighters. In Germany, officials are wondering aloud about whether dozens of F-35 jets the country has purchased will also be vulnerable to a kill switch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The chances of a US government suddenly pulling the plug on US-supplied capabilities to Britain have gone from dont be ridiculous to youve got to consider its a possibility. Thats a sea change, says Francis Tusa, an independent defence analyst. If you go back to the 1998 defence review and all the reviews since, the absolute assumption has always been that the UKs defence fits into a US-led alliance. Now we face the possibility that the US is walking away and may no longer even be an ally. So the entire underlying assumption for UK defence has been destroyed, in about three weeks. Not everyone is quite so pessimistic. But there is a widespread feeling that something important has shifted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its definitely not a fuss about nothing, agrees Professor Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi). I think its fair to say that in recent weeks, there has been a seismic shift in perceptions of Americas reliability as an ally. For the UK in particular, given its extensive and close military ties with the US, this poses some troubling questions. Whether it is Britains Trident nuclear missiles or F-35 jets, Apache helicopters and C-17 transport planes, every branch of the Armed Forces is exposed in some way to American hardware and software. There are good reasons to do this. By using equipment that is compatible or interoperable with US platforms, the UK can ensure it works hand in glove with American forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some have also argued that the UK cannot afford to develop everything by itself and so it is cheaper to order off the shelf capabilities from our closest ally. Still, one former senior government figure says less rational factors can play a part as well. Its about our military leaders wanting to keep up with the Joneses, they say. But buying American can also come with significant downsides, from higher costs to a loss of control over upgrades. The American stuff was always more expensive, the source adds. And then they get you with maintenance and upkeep as well. Once youre locked in for software updates, you are screwed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With platforms such as the F-35B jets that the RAF and Royal Navy acquired from US giant Lockheed Martin, this can result in frustrating waits to add capabilities as everything must be cleared by the Pentagon. Despite the jets having been in service for more than a decade, Britains fleet is still only cleared to carry Paveway laser-guided bombs and medium and short-range air-to-air missiles made by US defence manufacturer Raytheon. Testing to equip the aircraft with longer-range Meteor missiles made by pan-European missile maker MBDA are not expected to be complete until the late 2020s. When you want to put an American missile on there, it happens really quickly, the source adds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Want to put a British missile like the Meteor on though? It is always slow-peddled. Another example is the RAFs decision to replace its Hawker Siddeley Nimrod R1 signals intelligence-gathering aircraft with three American-made RC-135 Rivet Joint planes in the early 2010s. There was no real alternative available at the time, Tusa says, but the decision has left the UK dependent on the US Air Force. The US has all of the systems to exploit the intelligence we dont, he explains. So Rivet Joint comes back from a mission and we have to hand the data over to a US team for processing. And if we deploy it to the Middle East, we have to deploy it to a US base. We cant do it from Cyprus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its an example of the view of successive administrations being that we will always work as part of a US-led coalition and therefore, to be of value, we need to tack straight on to the capabilities of the US Air Force. Britains American-made RC-135 Rivet Joint signals intelligence-gathering aircraft are highly dependent on US logistics - Sgt Si Pugsley RAF For a long time, one plus side of this was that Britain gained unrivalled access to American signal intelligence systems, says Rusis Bronk. Yet this close reliance on the US means Washington has a veto over how and whether Britain uses the aircraft to help Ukraine as Trump takes a hardline approach to Kyiv that is viewed with dismay by many in Downing Street. This is because American forces supply the plumbing that keeps much of the Nato alliance going, in the form of satellite communications, intelligence and logistics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Contrary to reports of a kill switch, there is probably no big red button in Washington that can be pressed to turn off things theyve sold to the Europeans, says Tusa. But he points to the US ability to remotely switch off the global positioning system (GPS) used by Nato allies and the critical dependence of countries that use the F-35 on American-supplied spare parts. If the US really wants to stop an F-35 operator from using those aircraft, without spares the fleet will be degraded and close to useless within a small number of weeks, Tusa says. The Trump administration is thought to have taken similar steps recently by abruptly cutting off support for Ukraines donated fleet of F-16 fighter jets, a key pillar of Kyivs air defences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Without needing to remotely disable the aircraft, Washington is said to have dented their usefulness by refusing to provide updates to onboard radar jammers that protect the aircraft from Russian air defence systems. This means that as Russia recalibrates its radar to counter the jamming, Ukraines F-16s will no longer be able to adapt. The effectiveness of Volodymyr Zelenskys air force has been undermined by Washingtons removal of logistical support - Efrem Lukatsky/AP In the UK and Europe, the fear is that it is no longer unthinkable that the Trump administration could impose similar punishments on allies who are perceived to have stepped out of line. At the moment, the fear is that the US would not be fully supportive, as opposed to actively trying to stop European defence operations, says Rusis Bronk. However, experts warn operational independence would require higher spending, a big culture change and significant coordination with allies. If the exam question is What would it take to become completely independent from the Americans?, then the answer is probably a decade of vast investment and a complete change in how our Armed Forces operate, says Bronk. That may be a route you want to go for, but its not something that can be achieved by just buying different jets. But there is already evidence that the Government wants to reduce its dependence on the US, with a long-awaited strategic defence review reportedly recommending this. Since Sir Keir Starmer announced defence spending would rise to 2.5pc of GDP by 2027, Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, has been keen to stress that they want the money to flow into British defence businesses rather than foreign ones. Our security should never be at the mercy of shifting US politics, says Grant Shapps, the former Conservative defence secretary. This has been a long time coming, but the situation is clearly urgent today. To secure our future, Britain needs greater sovereign capabilityfrom fighter jets to missile systems, we should be developing and building more at home. James Cartlidge, the shadow defence secretary, is more cautious, arguing that people should not get carried away with arguments about how the US might somehow decouple our deep defence ties. But he adds: Its clear we should be increasing our sovereign capability to give us industrial resilience and technological autonomy. In particular, this would enable us to maximise the economic upside of higher defence spending delivering prosperity through rearmament. Defence analyst Tusa argues there are plenty of readily available and cheaper alternatives to American kit. When the Armys Boeing Apache combat helicopters need replacing in the 2030s, for example, he says the Army could acquire Airbus H145 or H-160 helicopters used by Germany and France respectively, or the in-development Leonardo AW-249. Alternatively, it could junk attack helicopters entirely and replace them with autonomous drones and so-called loitering munitions. For the F-35 stealth jet, no immediate replacement is available but within 10 years there should be in the form of the Anglo-Italian-Japanese Tempest project. As a stand in, Tusa suggests Britain could order more upgraded Typhoon fighters as well. Even in the case of nuclear ballistic missiles, there is the possibility of buying an alternative from France if the Ministry of Defence can stomach it. France itself has taken a very different approach to the UK in procurement and is nearly entirely independent of American kit, giving it far greater room for manoeuvre in the current crisis. Despite spending less than Britain on defence, it also now boasts a bigger navy, army and air force, Tusa points out. Sander Tordoir, at the Centre for European Reform, says Britain should now look to cooperate with key allies such as Germany, France and Italy who are in the same boat. Along with the EU they have pledged to unlock hundreds of billions of euros for domestic defence spending. And although they have found it difficult and slow to ramp up production of key munitions such as 155mm Nato-standard artillery shells for Ukraine, Tordoir points out that Europe collectively outproduces the United States in steel, vehicles, ships, and civil aircraft. He believes Starmer should use his current opening to work more closely with allies across the Channel and temporarily park other thorny issues such as fishing rights. The way the US has used its leverage over Ukraine is a warning for all of Europe, Tordoir adds. Theres definitely a case for the UK to become more plugged into the European defence supply chain and for that to be coordinated in a way that benefits both sides. Can we not talk about fish, and instead talk about guns? Its an argument that Starmer is likely to take to his European counterparts as conversations continue about how to rearm Europe even if Trump ends up backpedalling. For the sake of argument, even if Trump now told everyone I got you, I was only joking, can you still trust him? asks Tusa. As Britain ponders what to do next, it is a question that can no longer be avoided. 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 the American New Right blunders on the global stage, has its British cousin awaiting power in the wings already blown itself up? That is the big question gripping Westminster, as we head into another rollercoaster week in British politics. Some senior Reformers are adamant that although the eruption of a volcanic row between Rupert Lowe and Nigel Farage is terribly sad, it is business as usual. One Reform MP insisted that when he returned to his constituency over the weekend, not a single resident mentioned it, adding: Theres a big difference between the Westminster bubble village and real people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, there is no doubt that the future of Britains startup party is on a knife edge. As a rapidly scaling enterprise it has entered what is known in the Californian tech world as the Valley of Death stage. This part of Reforms journey from a disruptive idea into a flesh and blood, functioning, credible entity was always going to be dicey. That is partly the nature of the beast. But in an intriguing twist, deep and perhaps unexpected dividing lines are now dramatically opening up on the Right, which threaten to seriously complicate things, and even scupper Reforms rise to power. First though, the basics. A small but mercurially rising venture, Reform is clearly struggling with the basic, predictable problem of too many egos. Perhaps there is some truth in the theory that Farage has simply lost his temper because he cannot stand any challenge to his authority. It is well known that Elon Musks endorsement of Lowe and the latters active social media presence has tweaked Farages tail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But it is also clear that Farages challengers are becoming bolder. It is right about now when Reform is demonstrating its explosive potential in the polls, but is still small and mouldable that its most ambitious members are inevitably grappling with the overwhelming temptation to throw their weight around, shape various elements of the movement in their own image and establish power bases independent of the centre. According to party insiders, the particularly high-powered backgrounds of senior Reform members is making the problem even worse. After all, more than one of its senior politicians are successful multi-millionaire entrepreneurs. As a Reform source told me: Youve some people who are very driven and are used to getting answers instantly, getting responses instantly because theyre businessmen and theyve been bosses of their own things. Theyre entrepreneurs and they expect things to happen when they click their fingers. According to Gawain Towler, Reforms former Head of Press, one of Reforms biggest strengths could also prove its Achilles heel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When it comes to the next election, its going to be the most amazingly diverse offer of people standing that this country has had for generations these are not committee men, these are not technocrats. Now what that means is the disciplinary effort is going to be a nightmare. The quality is going to be so much better than weve been used to. But the downside of that quality is everybody has ability, and will assume leadership because theyre good. The offer will be superb, but itll take sort of a diplomatic genius to hold it all together. The implosion of Reform is not just a tale of egos, however. In truth, civil war is breaking out across the Right over a range of issues and this is affecting Reforms cohesiveness. It is starting to struggle with many of the fundamental conundrums that are crushing the Tory Party. One is the rising panic that the New Right is brain dead a fear that is being compounded by Trumps antics across the pond. In particular, conservatives are divided about how hard it needs to work at a plan to fix broken Britain. One of Lowes frustrations with Farage has been his unwillingness to think too deeply about what Reform would actually do to concretely address the countrys problems and grow the economy, should he win power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead, at Farages behest, the party is focusing on building its internal systems and branches, getting campaign organisers set up in all regions, and refining an intraweb of communications. Nonetheless, a faction in the party remain eager for Reform to craft a full policy platform. Lowe in particular has apparently been making policy suggestions on a daily basis, to little avail. As one insider told me: Weve only got so many brain cells to rub together. Its small. And so you cant do everything simultaneously. We have to get the systems working first, and policies next because you just dont have time to do everything. There are strong parallels with the Tories, here. Kemi Badenoch is keen to lead a deep philosophical renewal of conservatism, and come up with a detailed policy offering. But many of her colleagues want her to focus more on getting the mood music right and holding the fractious Tory corpus together. Still, the Conservatives are bullish, believing that they are better positioned than Reform to get the balance right. As a close aide of Kemi Badenoch told me: When you vote Reform, you are getting Nigel Farage, not a serious plan for government. Theyre not trying to build out capabilities with their team and spread the thinking or the leadership around. The issue with being a protest party is that you have to be everything to everyone. As soon as you start to put flesh on the bones, you are going to run into problems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It turns out, too, that Reform is no less flummoxed by the infernal conundrum of how to build its appeal to Old Left rustbelt voters without infuriating libertarian-leaning Middle England. This question which arguably ripped apart the Tories in government is becoming more urgent, as Reform steadily sheds its vestiges of Thatcherism in order to secure a lump of Labour voters. A rare Reform policy unveiling a few weeks ago targeting the renewables sector raised eyebrows. Highlights included a bid to tax a subsidy (selectively slamming farmers who have taken the renewable pound with inheritance), and a ban on grid-scale batteries until they are proved safe. The arch-Thatcherite think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs savaged the costings for its plan to bury power-lines as a poll tax in all but name. Although Reform insiders acknowledge that they have made the libertarian world furious , they are unrepentant. As one beamed at me: I tell you what. The British people love it. Yes we believe in free markets, but we dont believe in subsidies and the renewable sector is going to make an absolute fortune at the expense of ordinary folk up and down the country. Indeed, as Britains energy bills rise to among the highest in the world, Reform believes that their campaign against net stupid zero is key to building a New Right coalition to edge out Labour. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The partys other strategy is to ultimately push the same line that Trump pushed, which is who is going to make you better off at the next election? But the question remains how Reform intends to make the British people better off particularly as it lacks a credible plan for growth, and looks set to prioritise slashing immigration over turbo boosting the economy, should it win power. Ironically, although immigration is Reforms calling card, in some ways it is turning out to be as big a headache for Reform as it is for other parties. What many do not fully appreciate is that, just like Labour and the Tories, Reform is struggling with internal pressures to harden its stance on immigration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Farage is in a surreally similar position to Kemi Badenoch: those who covet his crown know that the most straightforward way to oust him with the support of the grassroots is to outpopulist him on controversial issues like grooming gangs. It has not gone unnoticed that Lowe has defied the party line in the past and publicly defended Tommy Robinson. Farage allies worry that that way lies the end of Reform: With Nigel, theres people going, ah, but hes got weak on immigration. He should be much stronger. And thats appealing to the Tommy Robinson side. But there isnt much change down the right hand of the sofa. Immigration then looks set to split the Right in unforeseen ways. While some think that a hardline stance is the only way to trump Labour, people in both parties worry that the Rights line on immigration is collapsing into fantasy, and that conservative discourse is developing a nasty, delinquent tang. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dissent is growing in unexpected places across the conservative family. As I wrote last week, a smattering of Global Britain Brexiteers are psychologically preparing themselves to quit the Tories should Badenoch make an exit from the ECHR official party policy. What all this tells us is that the Right risks heading for civil war but not the one we necessarily thought. For a long time, it seemed that the Right was divided between Wets and Drys; centrists and radicals; Remainers and Brexiteers; small c-conservatives who believe that true conservatism means opposing the strictures of liberal technocratic rationalism, and those who think it is having the prudency to work with the imperfect status quo. It turns out that the Right is actually profoundly divided in other ways. These include not least the wedge issue of immigration. So too the question of whether, in its quest to revive itself, conservatism ought to focus on the body or the brain. The bottom line is that far from marching towards Trumpian triumph, the British Right might well be heading for a lengthy spell in the wilderness and a Corbynite-style civil war. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The unmanned systems forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in cooperation with other components of the Defense Forces, have struck a number of important strategic facilities of the Russian Federation, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported. "On the night of March 9, in Ryazan region of the Russian Federation, an oil refinery of the occupiers, involved in supplying the army of invaders, was hit. Explosions were recorded in the target area," the message posted on the Telegram channel on Monday says. The General Staff notes that the Ryazan oil refinery produced an average of 840,000 tonnes of premium fuel for jet engines. Aviation kerosene of the TS-1 brand produced by it was actively used by the aggressor's air force in the process of strikes on the territory of Ukraine. "On the night of March 10, a hit was recorded on the production facilities of the Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery in Samara region," the report says. Fuel from this refinery is transported via a system of product pipelines and railways to supply enemy troop groups in the northern direction. Earlier, the Interfax-Ukraine agency, citing its own sources in the Main Intelligence Agency (GUR) of the Ministry of Defense, reported that on the night of March 10, Ukrainian drones carried out an attack on the Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery in Samara region. The "arrivals" on the plant occurred at about 2:00 a.m. local time, they were heard in several areas of the city at once. Detailed information about the consequences of the damage to the facilities is currently being clarified. Britains diplomatic strategy for more than 150 years since 1940 perhaps its only coherent strategy has been to ensure that the United States was never our enemy and if possible our ally. This was dressed up with sentimentality, especially on our side. As early as the 1890s, Brits were exalting the solidarity of the English-speaking peoples, and in 1917 we managed to drag the Americans into the First World War. But the US has often been predatory and isolationist. It has a long history of threatening Mexico and Canada. In the 1920s, it damaged Europes hard-won peace prospects by rejecting the Versailles Treaty and demanding full repayment of inter-allied loans. Between 1940 and 1945, it extracted much of Britains accumulated wealth and destroyed its trading system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alliances are not friendships. Donald Trump is different only in his brazen cynicism. The great Lord Palmerston thought we should be friendly with the power that could do us most harm. That, for now at least, is the special relationship. Perhaps it always was. Trump has woken us up. Or more precisely, has made us stir in our long slumber. We now pay lip service to national defence. But the Prime Ministers plan is to try to galvanise the special relationship by offering to put British troops into Ukraine to tempt Trump into providing the back-up he has repeatedly refused to give. We similarly put inadequate military forces into Iraq and Afghanistan, and before that into Bosnia, all to show that we were a useful ally of America or of the EU. We did something similar in 1914 (when the British Expeditionary Force was practically wiped out in three months) and in 1939 (which led to Dunkirk). Palmerston, and probably every statesman since, would have regarded sending a token force to Ukraine as insane. Either they will be hostages, like European troops in Bosnia (remember Srebrenica?), and as the BEF nearly was at Dunkirk, or they will end up giving shameful respectability to a peace dictated by Putin and forced on Ukraine. Let us be honest. The only thing we can usefully do is provide money, training and arms to Ukraine as long as they resist, and encourage other countries to do the same. We have never been able to intervene in central and Eastern Europe: this was as true in 1849 (when we felt sorry for the Hungarians) and 1945 (when we felt sorry for the Poles) as it is today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we are serious we must aim urgently to make ourselves as invulnerable as possible, so that we might be able to play an effective part in European or global affairs. A crucial aspect of Britains historic strength has been such invulnerability, despite its small population, its long coastline and its tiny Army. Invulnerability was hard won, and only finally achieved after Trafalgar. Previously, invasion was a constant danger. But Napoleon, the Kaiser and Hitler all realised it was no longer feasible. So they tried to cut off our commerce, food and raw materials. As early as the 1840s, enemies were anticipating the day when Britain would starve. Fortunately, enemy surface raiders and submarines never came even close to winning. Instead, it was Britain that could starve its enemies: during the First World War perhaps 750,000 Germans died in consequence. During the Second World War, Britain could fight off a death blow from the air thanks to 1930s developments in radar and fast fighters, while eviscerating the German war economy and decimating its work force by mass bombing. And today? We are no longer invulnerable, and we are no longer able to retaliate against attack. Not only surface shipping, which carries 95 per cent of our trade (even the Houthis can attack British ships), but undersea cables, pipelines and offshore wind farms are frighteningly vulnerable. We also discover that we have, at best, inadequate defence against air attack. As for cyber, I hate to think. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement History rarely gives clear lessons, but this is surely one. To be safe, and to be influential, Britain must be a maritime power. We cannot (except briefly in extreme emergency) be strong on both land and sea. Hardly any state in history has managed this. We must not be distracted into building up land forces to send to the far side of Europe. Tanks cannot protect pipelines and wind farms. Nor will a regiment of Challengers in Ukraine frighten Putin. We cannot help allies when we are so vulnerable. At worst, brave soldiers sent to do the impossible lose life and limb to no purpose, and have to be rescued, as at Basra and Helmand. But naval power can support European security and deter aggressors. A navy is expensive, but in a dangerous world it is indispensable to Britains prosperity and safety: the Russians are and the Chinese soon will be sailing round our coasts. Forty years of complacency mean that we have to start from the bottom up, first making a naval career attractive. Fortunately, Navy personnel make up in effectiveness for small numbers. In Queen Victorias heyday, the Navys headcount was about the same as todays, but they had the best (and most expensive) equipment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now we need submarines, planes, drones and operational aircraft carriers and their escorts. We need a serious defensive and offensive cyber capacity the modern equivalent of Palmerstons gunboats. This would require fundamental political changes, including redirecting public spending and indefinitely postponing net zero. Whether the Government does this will tell us whether it is just play-acting. There are alternatives. One is to continue as we have done since the 1990s and let our defences run down through underfunding; to hope that danger will go away, and that the Americans will save us if it doesnt; to disguise reality by talking up defence spending and making token gestures, such as putting boots on the ground at the cost of a few hundred soldiers lives. Another alternative would be to opt out, like Spain, for example. We are not on the front line. We could hope that others would sort out the worlds problems. That has not worked badly for Spain, and it would at least be honest. For the first time in 700 years, we would become spectators in world history, hoping that aggressors would always leave us in peace. Deep down, we know they wont. 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. Britain is the worlds biggest warmonger, claimed Russias foreign intelligence service on Monday as it accused the UK of sabotaging American attempts to secure peace in Ukraine. The SVR intelligence agency said Britain was undermining Donald Trumps peacekeeping efforts because Washington had kicked Britain to the sidelines of international affairs. It is time to expose them [Britain] and send a clear signal to the perfidious Albion and its elites: you will not succeed, vowed the SVR, before it appeared to blame Britain for starting both world wars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As we can see, London today, just as it did on the eve of both world wars of the last century, acts as the main instigator of the global conflict. Russias intelligence agencies tend to demonise Britain, in line with the Kremlins propaganda machine. The UK, one of Kyivs key allies and benefactors, has said it would be willing to put troops into Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping coalition to maintain a ceasefire, should one be agreed. Russia has said such a move would inevitably lead to war between Russia and Ukraines Western allies. The SVR claim Sir Keir Starmer pushed the media to demonise Donald Trump - Carl Court/Getty Images North America According to the SVR, Sir Keir Starmer was personally stung by Mr Trumps joke about the UK taking on Russia alone during their meeting in the White House last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It said that in response, the Prime Minister ordered the media to demonise the US president and portray him as a man with a poor peacekeeping record and susceptible to Kremlin manipulation. The agency claimed it had uncovered information which showed that Britain feared its strategy of containing Russia involving a naval blockade and the creation of Russophobic states on the Russian border was falling apart. However, it pledged that nothing will come of its [Britains] efforts to ignite the conflict. Earlier on Monday, two people connected to Britains embassy in Moscow were expelled by Russia, accused of engaging in counter-intelligence work and harming Russian security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Foreign Office spokesman said in response: This is not the first time that Russia has made malicious and baseless accusations against our staff. Moscow has been angered by Britains continued military support for Kyiv and Sir Keirs recent statements about putting British boots on the ground as part of a potential peacekeeping force in Ukraine. The SVR is Russias civilian foreign intelligence agency, roughly equivalent to MI6 in the UK and the CIA in the US. The more well-known FSB, which focuses on domestic security, and the SVR are successor agencies to the Soviet Unions KGB. Much of the ill-feeling towards Britain in Russia originated in the 19th century during the Great Game when both nations vied for dominance in Central Asia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Britain is often seen as a more deceitful enemy than the United States, with popular Russian history books sometimes blaming Anglo-Saxon treachery for everything from the assassination of Rasputin and the 1917 revolution to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The annual Commonwealth Day is here. King Charles and Queen Camilla led the royals at today's service at Westminster Abbey, followed by the Prince and Princess of Wales, Princess Anne, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. Upon their arrival, they were greeted by Rev. David Hoyle, the Dean of Westminster, and met with the Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Pipe Band, a community band from Shree Swaminarayan Mandir, a Hindu eco-temple located in Kingsbury, London. "Commonwealth Day was an occasion of particular pride for my beloved mother, the late Queena treasured opportunity to celebrate our Commonwealth family, to whose service she dedicated her long and remarkable life," King Charles said in 2023, his first Commonwealth Day as monarch. "In succeeding Her Majesty as Head of Commonwealth, I draw great strength from her example, together with all that I have learnt from the extraordinary people I have met...over so many years." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Per Buckingham Palace, "This years Commonwealth Day theme, Together We Thrive, celebrates the enduring spirit of the Commonwealth family 56 independent member countries united by shared values enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter. Rooted in the principles of family, unity and peace, the theme highlights the importance of fostering strong and connected communities that support and empower their members, enabling meaningful progress." Here, see all the best photos of the royal family at today's Commonwealth Day service: The Princess of Wales smiled at her husband as they walked in together. Chris Jackson - Getty Images Kate's Catherine Walker dress features an oversized bow on the front. Chris Jackson - Getty Images A closer look at Kate's pearl jewelry and Gina Foster hat. HENRY NICHOLLS - Getty Images The King and Queen arrived together. Chris Jackson - Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Charles, who missed the service last year, was back this year; it is his third Commonwealth Day as monarch. Chris Jackson - Getty Images Queen Camilla chose a blush pink Fiona Clare coat for the occasion. Chris Jackson - Getty Images Princess Anne looked elegant as always. Ben Whitley - PA Images - Getty Images The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were among the members of the royal family in attendance. WPA Pool - Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Inside, the Princess of Wales greeted guests. WPA Pool - Getty Images You Might Also Like SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (NEXSTAR) Three million people are enrolled in Medicaid in Illinois, and their coverage could be impacted if congress decides to make cuts. House Republicans in Washington D.C. passed a resolution that asked certain federal agencies to cut $880 billion dollars in spending over the next 10 years. The resolution does not explicitly mention Medicaid. Experts say that number cant be reached without cutting the state based health insurance plan for the elderly, children and those with disabilities. Heres how cuts to Medicaid could affect Illinoisans Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think that the fact that its such a large amount, $880 billion over ten years, theres no way they can cut that much out of the federal budget without touching Medicaid, Rep. Anna Moeller (D-Elgin) said. Lawmakers in Springfield held a hearing to highlight the impacts these cuts could have, but little can be done at the state level to curb the hit, which led republicans to question the motivations of the hearing. I think, this is performative. We dont know what will happen. Theres a lot of things that we have no control over budget negotiations going on at the national level, Rep. Bill Hauter (R-Morton) said. It wasnt just politicians speaking, though; hospital executives warned that this could lead to closures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That would lead to less reimbursement to hospitals when were already not being paid the full cost of care, Executive Director of the Illinois Hospital Association A.J. Wilhelmi said. Capitol Connection: Comptroller talks Madigan verdict, federal funding freezes Health insurance companies showed up to say cuts to Medicaid could result in private health insurance costs going up. They said less people on the state sponsored plans means more people on subsidized private plans, and the subsidies come from people paying those premiums. Basically you create more costs into the system and all kind of things are financed different ways, but theyre coming out of the same pockets, Laura Minzer, President of the Illinois Life and Health Insurance Council said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Minzer used a Montana study as evidence for the prediction. Under the Affordable Care Act, there was an expansion for who can be on Medicaid. Montana went through with the expansion, but put a sunset clause in the expansion. When it close to ending, they conducted a study on what the impacts could be. Congress has until March 14th to pass a spending plan. The resolution that called for the cuts has not passed the Senate. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. RANDOLPH, Mass. (WWLP) A Brockton man has been charged in an alleged shooting Sunday afternoon in Randolph. Dozens of arrests, medical transports after Blarney Blowout at UMass On Sunday at approximately 2:30 p.m., officers were sent to the area of 96 North Main Street for a report of a person who had been shot, the Randolph Police Department states. When officers arrived, a 22-year-old Randolph man was found suffering from a gunshot wound through his back. The man was taken to Boston Medical Center with serious injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the man was receiving help, additional officers located the 24-year-old suspect from Brockton around 51 Warren Street in Randolph. The suspect was taken into custody without incident. The suspect was found with two 9mm firearms at the time of his arrest. One round had been fired during the shooting, which was discovered using ballistic evidence. The names of both the suspect and the victim have not yet been released. If anyone has information on the shooting, contact the Randolph Police Department Bureau of Criminal Investigations at 781-963-1212 extension 153. This was a swift and coordinated response by our officers, which led to the immediate arrest of an armed suspect, said Chief Marag. I want to thank our law enforcement partners for their assistance and commend our officers for their quick actions in ensuring public safety. 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. Its never too late to chase your dreams, but when a Bronx, NY grandmother decided to pursue her own and go get her masters degree, life took an unthinkable turn. After a two-year-long set back, shes back on track to open her own business providing much needed help to New Yorks homeless population. Life for Karen Wallace hasnt always been an easy one. Two years ago, she started John Jay College in hopes of obtaining her masters in public administration, but then she was hit with a tragic diagnosis. She shared her story with ABC 7 of how shortly after deciding to go back to school, she was diagnosed with cancer. I had already got diagnosed with the breast cancer in November, the social worker told ABC 7's Nina Pineda. Despite her condition, Wallace finished the first two weeks of classes. I just went on and started, because it started. Im home, Im online, it was easy, she continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But in January, her education was put on pause after she was hit with yet another cancer diagnosis. When we did the PET scan in January, and it came up with the Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, she revealed. I just didnt know what to do. The grad student soon decided to withdraw from school, notably doing so within the schools designated withdrawal time frame. Over the next year, Wallace took her health seriously, and her cancer was in remission when yet another bomb dropped this time in the form of a bill. The school had charged Wallace for more than $5,000 despite her never being able to finish a class. And after going back and worth with the college over the matter, her bill went into collection. It was going to go on my credit report, what am I going to do? she asked. It made me want to cry, I was literally sick. But, thats when ABC 7 jumped in and pulled some impressive strings. 7 On Your Side contacted John Jay College on a Friday, and before classes started on Monday, Wallace got some great news, journalist Pineda said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After months of trying to resolve the matter, her outstanding bill was settled, getting rid of Wallaces stress from school and her ongoing health conditions. We hope that Ms. Wallace can now focus on restoring her health and were grateful for her patience and grace as we worked to resolve the issue, a spokesperson for John Jay said in response. Now, the social worker has plans to return to school and start her own an assisted living facility, according to ABC 7. She just celebrated being two years cancer free. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Brookfield fire and police officials are still investigating what caused a now-extinguished marsh fire that burned over 100 acres Sunday afternoon, damaging six vehicles at a nearby dealership and leading to the precautionary evacuation of dozens of nearby homes. City of Brookfield Fire Chief Chris Cass said his department is working with police to determine how the brush fire started near 19400 W. Capitol Drive, although he said winds contributed to the fire's spread. At least 15 fire departments assisted in responding to a 1:39 p.m. 911 call made to the Waukesha County Communications Center about a grass fire behind Soerens Ford of Brookfield dealership, according to a news release from the City of Brookfield Fire Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire was under control by around 5 p.m. and extinguished by around 6:15 p.m., according to the release. The fire spread from Brookfield Road west to the Fox River and from Capitol Drive north to Compton Lane, burning nearly 100 acres, Cass told the Journal Sentinel. As fire department crews worked to put the blaze out, police officers went door to door to evacuate those in the nearby subdivision and homes on Chapel Hill Drive and Compton Lane, Cass said. In all, officials evacuated more than 40 homes and the fire got close to a couple of them, but no individuals were harmed, and no residences were damaged, Cass said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire department is assessing minor damage to six cars parked along the curb that belonged to one of two nearby car dealerships, Cass told the Journal Sentinel. By Monday, it was "business as usual" at the Soerens Ford dealership with "just a little smell in the air," a Soerens staff member told a reporter on the phone. The service manager who was present at the dealership Sunday did not immediately return a reporter's call. A field is burned after a marsh fire near 19400 W. Capitol Dr. in the Town of Brookfield on Monday, March 10, 2025. The fire was mostly contained Sunday afternoon, according to the Brookfield Fire Department. How to avoid spreading fires in dry, high wind seasons in Wisconsin The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources maps fire danger ratings in all counties across the state based on weather, fuels and changes in the general landscape. Waukesha County's current fire danger level is moderate, according to the DRN map, a similar rating to most southern Wisconsin communities. That means while wildfires can ignite and will spread, they're easy to contain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's been quite a few years since we had a significant brush fire" in the area, but spring is a critical time for fires like the one the Brookfield area saw Sunday, Cass told the Journal Sentinel. Limited access to the area and high wind speed made it difficult for the firefighters to put Sunday's fire out, he said. Brookfield will evaluate burning ordinance Cass advised that residents dont conduct burnings of any kind, especially on windy days, and dispose of their yard waste at facilities. Brookfield has an ordinance that allows the open burning of yard waste on certain days and times in the months of April, May, October and November. The ordinance bars burnings when wind exceeds 10 mph and the DNR fire danger is determined to be "high," "very high" or "extreme." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cass said he and other officials will evaluate whether burning per the ordinance will be allowed or suspended this April. Lack of rain, snowpack contributed to dry conditions, DNR says It's not uncommon to see wildfires in Wisconsin in the spring. The time after the snow melts and before the plants and flowers bloom green makes for dry grounds where fires can catch and spread quickly, Catherine Koele, the wildfire prevention specialist at the DNR, told the Journal Sentinel. This year, however, central and southern Wisconsin communities have already seen a few wildfires in January and February, earlier than normal, she said. The compounding of lesser than normal snowpack in the winter and a lack of rain has led to above-normal levels of drought over the last two years, Koele told the Journal Sentinel. Firefighters stand along Brookfield Road Sunday afternoon after crews from multiple fire departments worked to contain a large field fire from advancing onto two auto dealerships on Capitol Drive and nearby houses. Most wildfires are caused by people, according to Koele. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It can be as simple as someone clearing out their fireplace, or mulching up leaves with a lawn mower, Koele said, for a spark to turn to a larger fire. Incidents like Sunday's fire provide a good reality check and reminder to be prepared, Koele said. It's really important to listen to emergency response officials, she said. Koele gives these tips for Wisconsinites during fire season. If youre cleaning up around your yard with the intention to burn, check with local officials and know the current danger, because it does change daily. Obtain proper burning permits, and follow the rules on the permit. If you do have a campfire or debris fire, make sure your fire is out. Campfires or debris fires can smolder for days or weeks, according to Koele. If you see or cause a fire, dial 911 immediately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bridget Fogarty covers Brookfield, Wauwatosa and Elm Grove for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She can be contacted at bfogarty@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Brookfield brush fire damaged six dealership vehicles, no injuries WESTHAMPTON BEACH, N.Y. A brush fire on New Yorks Long Island that has burned 400 acres and prompted a response from 80 fire departments and 600 personnel is now 80% contained, according to Suffolk County officials. The Westhampton Pines Fire, which erupted Saturday afternoon, is fully knocked down, meaning it is no longer visible, Suffolk County Fire Coordinator Rudy Sunderman said in a news briefing Sunday morning. "Tomorrow we hope at some point this will be a controlled situation," Sunderman told NBC News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said in a press conference that the fire was about 80% contained. "This fire isn't the threat that it was yesterday," he said. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Sunday issued a prohibition on most types of outside camping, cooking and warming fires in Long Island, as well as parts of the Hudson Valley amid continued dry conditions. Backyard fire pits, small campfires and small cooking fires in contained conditions were exempted. The ban will be in place until an annual statewide prohibition on outdoor fires starts March 16, according to a statement from her office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, 35 mph winds and downed trees fueled the Westhampton Pines Fire, creating huge plumes of smoke that engulfed the area, Romaine said. Investigators, including dozens of detectives, are working to determine the fires origin, but it's cause remains unclear. Two commercial buildings were affected one has been fairly destroyed and another was significantly damaged, according to officials. One of the buildings affected by the fire was AutoGate Systems Distributions, run by Mark Cirillo. He watched in horror as flames towered over his Westhampton business, causing what he said is thousands of dollars of damages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Our paint shop and storage barn is ruined inside," Cirillo told NBC News. "We lost a couple of storage sheds like you see here with materials and equipment and aside from that, we are amazingly fortunate." Four wildfires burned in Suffolk County on Saturday. They erupted around 1 p.m. first in the hamlet of Center Moriches, then in East Moriches, followed by the Pine Barrens and Westhampton, Sunderman said Sunday. The fires have burned around 600 to 700 acres in total, according to Romaine. By Sunday night, only the blaze in Westhampton was still burning, NBC New York reported. Two fire personnel were injured in the fires, one who sustained second-degree burns to his face and another who had a head injury, officials said. Both were at home recovering Sunday, Sunderman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Romaine said he received calls from President Donald Trumps team, Hochul and Sen. Chuck Schumer following the eruption of the fires Saturday. Sometimes we forget that in times of crisis, times of danger, Americans can come together and can address problems, Romaine said. So, my thank you, particularly to the volunteers that all showed up that helped us contain this fire. Hochul declared a state of emergency in the county Saturday amid brush fires in the Pine Barrens, she said on X. The region affected by the risk southeastern New York state, northern New Jersey and southern Connecticut included Long Island and all five of New York Citys boroughs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday, fire weather conditions continued to improve for most in the Northeast. Conditions will continue to improve on Monday as winds calm to around 5 to 15 mph. Temperatures in Long Island were expected to decrease in the coming days, with the possibility of rain Thursday and again over the weekend, according to the National Weather Service. Mirna Alsharif reported from New York City and Maya Eaglin from Westhampton Beach. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com NEW YORK (PIX11) New York officials remain on high alert after a series of brush fires broke out in Suffolk County on Saturday. To minimize the risk of brush fires during windy conditions and low humidity, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a burn ban on Sunday. This ban affects multiple regions, including Long Island, New York City, and parts of the Hudson Valley. More Local News The four brush fires started burning around 1 p.m. in Center Moriches, East Moriches, Eastport and Westhampton, officials said at a news conference Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New York National Guard helicopters flew 88 missions, dropping 24,200 gallons of water to assist with fire suppression. Three of the four fires were put out Saturday night, officials said. The Westhampton fire is controlled but not entirely contained, fire officials said. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State During a burn ban, residential brush burning and bonfires are prohibited. Campfires and small cooking fires are allowed as long as they are under three feet in height and four feet in length. Violators are subject to criminal and civil enforcement actions, with a minimum fine of $500 for a first offense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The annual ban on residential brush burning takes effect on March 16. 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. The Danish government and parliament have reached a consensus on the possible deployment of troops to Ukraine to ensure a future peace settlement, but there are no concrete plans yet. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told journalists about this, DR said. The heads of the Danish Foreign and Defence Ministries met with members of the parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday, where they explained the government's position on sending troops to Ukraine and received support from a wide range of parliamentary parties. "It is important that we in Europe send the right signals to both Putin and Washington. That is what we are doing today, saying: 'If it comes to a point where a ceasefire or a peace agreement requires a European presence, Denmark is in principle ready to do so,'" Rasmussen said following the meeting with parliamentarians. However, according to Poulsen, there are no concrete plans to send troops to Ukraine yet. "We have not decided to take on concrete commitments. This will depend on how events develop. Therefore, this is an exercise of due diligence," the head of the Danish Ministry of Defense explained. As reported, the first to declare his "readiness and desire" to send soldiers to Ukraine as part of peacekeeping forces was British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. According to media reports, Britain and France have prepared a plan to deploy up to 30,000 European troops in Ukraine after peace is possible. California consumers were warned Monday about confidence schemes from fraudulent cryptocurrency websites sometimes referred to as pig butchering scams. The typical pig butchering scheme involves a victim receiving a random text or social media message from the scammer, who often attempts to build trust, and then is directed to a fraudulent website to invest money in what appears to be legitimate cryptocurrency. As scammers grow increasingly sophisticated and calculated, so must our enforcement, said Attorney General Rob Bonta. Scammers can use deception and emotional manipulation to take advantage of people looking for connection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The California Department of Justice (DOJ) said the schemes are often carried out by international scammers making them difficult to arrest and prosecute, but that they are mitigating the scammers effectiveness by shutting down fake sites. In 2024, the California Department of Justice shut down 42 fraudulent websites that scammed innocent victims out of at least $6.5 million, with an average loss per victim of $146,306, the Attorney Generals office stated in its news release Monday. After reviewing hundreds of websites, the DOJ identified their Top 10 Red Flags for consumers to beware of: Impossible Rates of Return. Fake websites promise to leverage the amount invested and provide a rate of return of several hundred percent per year. No Contact Information. Fake websites will often not have a phone number, email, or physical address. The use of stolen or borrowed images. Fake websites will steal images of people they claim are their officers, employees, or customers. The use of stolen dialog and written content. Fake websites will steal written content from legitimate websites to make the fake website appear credible. Listed address does not exist or is a bad location. If a fake website lists an address, it is often the address of another legitimate business or a completely fictitious address. They offer prizes or bonuses. Fake websites will often offer generous prizes for investing, cash rewards, or overly generous referral rewards. Inconsistent phone numbers and addresses. If a phone number and address is listed, the phone number is often not in the same geographic location as the address provided. The website has not been recently updated. The scam websites, once created, are not routinely updated with new content as one would expect from a legitimate website. Bad Grammar and Translation. While scammers are becoming more sophisticated, fake websites will often have grammar that is inconsistent with a native speaker. Not on industry listings of exchanges. Legitimate exchanges tend to be listed and ranked as to their volume on crypto-industry websites such as CoinMarketCap.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We urge all Californians to exercise caution with unknown platforms, verify website domains to avoid fraudulent imitations, and stay wary of crypto recovery scam sites, Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) Commissioner KC Mohseni said. Staying informed and reporting scams to the DFPI strengthens the Crypto Scam Tracker, making it an even more effective tool in protecting consumers. Anyone who believes they are a victim was asked to end all communication with the other party and contact their local law enforcement agency. Reports should also be made to the California DOJ at oag.ca.gov/report, The Department of Financial Protection and Innovation at dfpi.ca.gov/submit-a-complaint and the FBIs Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Calling Hamas terrorists is dehumanising, an academic claimed as a controversial book launch went ahead at the London School of Economics (LSE). Prof Jeroen Gunning, of Kings College London (KCL), told the event that labelling the Palestinian terror group as terrorists leads to their dehumanisation. The academic was speaking at a launch event for his book entitled Understanding Hamas: And Why It Matters, which was co-authored by Helena Cobban, at LSE on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The book, which claims Hamas is misunderstood, has been widely criticised in recent weeks. But the university refused to cancel the launch event, claiming it was defending free speech by hosting it. Hundreds of protesters waved Israel flags as they demonstrated outside the event, which the Israeli ambassador to Britain said would provide a platform for Hamas propaganda. Prof Gunning, who is professor of Middle Eastern politics and conflict at KCL, said: The labelling of Hamas as terrorists has devastating effects. I argue that the labelling of Hamas as terrorists has devastating effects. It erases the historical context to the attacks. It facilities the dehumanisation of not just Hamas, but all Gazans. Pro-Palestine flags were also seen outside the LSE - Elliott Franks Ms Cobban claimed Hamas had been systematically misrepresented in the West since the Oct 7 attacks and said resistance to occupation was permitted under international law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think its important for us all to recognise the degree to which the corporate media in this country have actually been complicit in the misrepresentation and I would even say the disrepresentation of both Hamas, the movement and its actions, she said. Hamas is not alone in Gaza in mounting resistance. Resistance to occupation, which is actually you know permitted under international law provided that the strictures of international humanitarian law are respected. The authors were then questioned by audience members about the claims made in the book, one of whom said: Your twisted views of demonisation and vilification in relation to Hamas is a clear attempt to exonerate a terrorist organisation to depict Hamas as innocent and as being unfairly portrayed and misunderstood. Prof Michael Mason, director of LSEs Middle East Centre, moderated the debate and at one point noted how the book included only one statement that war crimes were committed by Hamas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Throughout the book, war crimes and atrocities are almost only attributed to Israel, he said. Given this moral one-sidedness, why would any reasonable person not conclude on reading the book that it whitewashes the indiscriminate and grievous violence on the Oct 7 attacks. But Ms Cobban went on to deny that the book was a whitewash. Its a corrective to what has been available, widely available in the corporate media in this country, she said. She added: I want to underline that I am not saying for one moment that Hamas has not committed violations of international humanitarian law. I know they did. A spokesman for the Campaign Against Antisemitism said the book launch was an outrageous apology for terror. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is not about truth and open debate: it is propaganda that knowingly or otherwise serves the cause of genocidal anti-Semitic Islamist violence, the spokesman said. An LSE spokesman previously 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. 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. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The low pressure system that brought snow across the state to end last week has cleared out of New Mexico as a high pressure system continues to move into the state. This high pressure has centered over the four corners this afternoon. Warmer temperatures have moved into the state and the warming trend will sick around through the beginning of the workweek. Along with warmer temperatures, calmer winds and clearer skies will stick around into the week as well. Active weather will return to New Mexico by the middle of the week. Another storm system is forecasted to move into New Mexico around Wednesday. This next system will also bring semi widespread chances for rain and snow across northern and central New Mexico. The low pressure is not forecasted to leave New Mexico until 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 KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. An observant Chino Hills resident who saw something odd in their driveway recently ended up calling sheriff's deputies, who discovered a hidden camera disguised as fake plants. The device found March 2 is similar to other equipment used by burglars who want to learn the schedules of their would-be victims without having to stake out a neighborhood. The camera was equipped with a large portable battery, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department announced in a news release. A resident on Canon Lane discovered the portable battery, and deputies found a second battery wrapped in bright green leaves with a wire feeding into the camera. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputies took the items as evidence and are working to identify who installed the devices. Investigators say the cameras are part of a growing trend among burglars, but did not provide any more information about the case. It's unclear whether the device was able to transmit data over a Wi-Fi signal or whether the camera had an SD card that would require the owner to retrieve the equipment to view the video. The Sheriff's Department said there were three burglaries in the area last month, but there is no evidence linking those to a hidden camera. Residents told news station KTLA-TV that burglars broke into several homes last year as well. Similar devices have appeared in multiple cities and neighborhoods across California and other parts of the country. Some of the devices are nestled in bushes, buried in front yards or placed in planters aimed at a home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Law enforcement has attributed at least one case in Glendale to a "burglary tourism" ring, even as others remained unsolved. Anyone with information about the case can call the Chino Hills Police Department at (909) 364-2000. Residents can take a proactive approach to combat would-be burglars using technology to break into homes: Make it a practice to regularly inspect the exterior of your home, and be aware of any suspicious activity in the neighborhood. If you discover a hidden camera, immediately call your local police agency to document and collect the device. Shift from wireless to wired. Anyone who wants to deter Wi-Fi jamming can ask their internet provider or an electrician to hardwire their burglary alarm system, connecting it to their router via cables. It may be wise to put electronic trackers inside some valuables. The Los Angeles Police Department recommends Apple Air Tags or similar trackers, which can be placed inside an object such as a purse or a jacket and tracked via a smartphone. Protect your circuit breakers. Residents can invest in a padlock for their electrical circuit boxes to deter easy access for burglars who want to interfere with the alarm system. Make it harder to break in. Police recommend that anyone with a sliding door place a metal bar on the bottom tracks to block it from opening, and install motion-sensor lighting as a precaution. 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. NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) As the hammer comes down on federal jobs, people in Kentucky are feeling the effects. Many national park sites, like Daniel Boone National Forest and Mammoth Cave, have been affected by job cuts. Even smaller sites, like Camp Nelson National Monument, couldnt avoid the ax. Camp Nelson, like a lot of national parks, is an important economic engine, providing jobs, putting dollars in the local economy, said long-time volunteer at Camp Nelson, Jeff McDanald. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has been volunteering there since the 90s and has seen a lot change over the years, from when it was owned by Jessamine County until the National Park Service took the reins, making it a national monument in 2018. Like many federal agencies across the country, though, it has seen its staff reduced in the first weeks of the Trump Administration. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Theres 11 full-time employees, but, but they lost four of those, so thats a pretty big hit, said McDanald. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These layoffs came after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced the firing of thousands of federal employees on Feb. 14. The cuts are devastating. I just hate to see anything diminished about Camp Nelson, McDanald told FOX 56. Not many people know the landscape of Camp Nelson better than Dr. Stephen McBride, who formerly served as the parks director of archaeology. Read more of the latest Kentucky news He said that although its well preserved from not being occupied for a long period of time, he does have some concerns about the natural and cultural resources on the land. I believe that they mostly do; now is, make sure those resources are protected from, impact or planning of, you know, trails or what have you. And, again, with less people, things take longer to get done, said McBride. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They get a lot done with a little, as McDanald put it, but with that number even smaller now, he hopes the charm of Camp Nelson will keep people coming back. I really have a lot of respect for all the employees here, telling the story of Camp Nelson, and were really entrusting them with whats been designated as a really precious part of American history. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 leading campaigner against controversial weapons makers sits on the board of Britains largest pensions scheme. Catherine Howarth one of 14 board members at the National Employment Savings Trust (Nest) is chief executive of campaign group ShareAction, which seeks to prevent investment in fossil fuels and some types of armaments. Ms Howarth is responsible for helping to set the strategic direction of Nest, a government-run scheme which manages the pensions of 13.5m people across Britain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It comes as Britain scrambles to rearm in the face of Russian aggression, with experts concerned that a lack of support from the City is holding the defence industry back. Grant Shapps, a former Tory defence secretary, said: Our defence industry protects the very freedoms that allow these campaigners to protest in the first place. Weakening it is not just reckless, its dangerous. ShareAction was first formed in 2005 out of a campaign by the student activist group People & Planet. Under Ms Howarths leadership, it has put pressure on leading British investors over their financing of the arms industry. Catherine Howarth is one of 14 board members at the National Employment Savings Trust Ms Howarth who was also previously a board member at the Scott Trust, owner of the Guardian newspaper has personally voiced support for moves by big investors to withdraw funds from weapons makers that manufacture controversial weapons, including cluster munitions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although these are banned in many countries armed forces, including those of the UK, they are legal in the US and have been used by Ukraine to resist the Russian invasion. Sir Ben Wallace, who served as defence secretary from 2019 to 2023, said: British defence companies help keep the men and women of our armed forces safe, and the more investment from British pension funds, the less likely we will have to be dependent on foreign nations who may not share liberals values. Ms Howarth joined ShareAction in 2008, having previously worked as the lead organiser at local campaign group West London Citizens, which she founded in 2000. As ShareActions chief executive, she has personally supported calls on investors, including HSBC, to withdraw funding from makers of controversial weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ShareAction has also led calls for Britains top investors to stop funding arms manufacturers. The charity was initially formed out of People & Planets campaign for the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) to adopt an ethical investing strategy. In 2020, the USS, which manages 78bn of pensions savings on behalf of university workers, divested from companies that make landmines, white phosphorus and cluster munitions, in a move celebrated by ShareAction and Ms Howarth as a victory. Ms Howarth first joined Nests board in November 2024, having previously praised the pensions schemes own efforts to avoid investing in cluster bombs. In a tweet from 2017, Ms Howarth said: Good to know @shareactionuks pension fund, @nestpensions, has no holdings in cluster bomb makers. Quite right too. Alongside her position at ShareAction, Ms Howarth also joined the committee that advises the Financial Conduct Authority on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues and acts as a member of the Treasurys task force on asset management. 44bn of assets Nest manages 43.5bn of investments, many on behalf of workers at small businesses. The organisation actively seeks to avoid investing in companies directly involved in the production or sale of cluster weapons, anti-personnel landmines or chemical and biological weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pensions company, which was set up to facilitate auto-enrolment pensions in 2008, also has two ESG-focused funds, with 390m in assets that shun any investment in arms companies entirely. Nest currently has around 610m invested in companies that make defence equipment including BAE Systems, Airbus and Rolls-Royce. Mr Shapps said: Our military strength underpins our national security, our alliances and our democracy. Without it, we leave ourselves vulnerable while adversaries continue to arm themselves. Brendan McCafferty, Nests chairman, said: Catherine is a fantastic addition to Nests board. Her expertise on stewardship and responsible investment is second to none, demonstrated by her membership on the FCAs sustainable finance committee and Treasurys asset management taskforce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I look forward to continuing working with Catherine, drawing on her expertise as we shape an investment strategy that helps millions of UK workers enjoy a more secure and comfortable retirement. A Shareaction spokesman said: Catherine Howarth was asked to join Nests board bringing years of experience of financial stewardship and responsible investment to the fore including membership on the FCAs Sustainable Finance Committee and Treasurys Asset Management Taskforce. As a Nest trustee, Catherine does not have day-to-day involvement in decisions at Nest, notably investment decisions, and Catherine does not serve on the Nest Invest board either. While the current geopolitical landscape is driving a reassessment of the defence sector, responsible investment in the arms sector needs rigorous examination of potential impacts on issues from human rights to polluting the environment in order to manage legal and reputational risks. At a minimum, a responsible investment approach requires strict avoidance of controversial weapons regulated by international conventions. For conventional weapons investment, any institutional investor should conduct enhanced due diligence on the human rights impacts of the company and should engage them on such impacts. 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. MILAN Canada has awarded multibillion-dollar contracts to domestic shipbuilding manufacturers in an effort to boost the countrys naval capabilities with new polar icebreakers and warships. The federal government announced plans last week to construct two new Arctic icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard. The first contract, worth Canadian $3.2 billion (US$2.2 billion), went to Vancouver-headquartered Seaspan, which is set to begin the construction process in April. The second icebreaker will be built in Levis by the Quebec shipbuilder Davie as part of a $3.3 billion deal. It is expected to be completed by 2030. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both companies are key players in Canadas National Shipbuilding Strategy, a long-term project seeking to modernize the countrys federal fleet of combat and non-combat vessels. Seaspan and Davie have both positioned themselves to play important roles as part of the trilateral Icebreaker Collaboration Effort, or ICE Pact, which seeks to combine Finnish, Canadian, and U.S. expertise to build advanced ice boats. While the U.S. has not yet clearly defined its icebreaker requirements and industry strategy, President Donald Trump has said he wants to buy 40 new ones. Another contract announced last week was to Halifax-based Irving Shipbuilding for a new fleet of warships destined for the Canadian Navy. The cost to build the first three River-class destroyers is of approximately $22.2 billion, excluding taxes, according to the Canadian government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By investing in our own industry, Canadian workers are helping to build the fleet of the future, equipping the Navy and our members in uniform modern and versatile ships they need for Canadas important contributions to peace and security at home and abroad, National Defense Minister Bill Blair said. These contracts come at a critical time for Ottawa. Over the last month, it has been battling a trade war with its southern neighbor following the imposition of U.S. tariffs on imports from Canada. On March 9, the Liberal Party of Canada selected Mark Carney as their new leader, succeeding Justin Trudeau as prime minister. The new leader could call for a federal election as early as late April. In Western legal systems, arguments against pollution or the destruction of the environment tend to focus exclusively on people: Its wrong to contaminate a river, for example, because certain humans depend on the river for drinking water. But what if the river had an inherent right to be protected from pollution, regardless of its utility to humans? This is the idea that drives the rights of nature movement, a global campaign to recognize the intrinsic value of nonhuman nature not just rivers, but also trees, mountains, animals, ecosystems by granting it legal rights. Many Indigenous worldviews already recognize these rights. The question for many in the movement, however, is how to bring the rights of nature into the courtroom. Enter the International Rights of Nature Tribunal, a recurring gathering of Indigenous and environmental advocates who present arguments regarding alleged violations of the rights of nature and Indigenous peoples. Given international laws broad failure to recognize the rights of nature, the events provide a model showing what this type of jurisprudence could look like. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the sixth tribunal in Toronto late last month, a panel of nine judges heard cases against Canadian mining companies, ultimately ruling that they had violated collective rights, Indigenous rights, and rights of nature. Todays testimonies have emphasized the age-old stories of greed, colonization, and the ongoing ecocide caused by the extractive industries, said Casey Camp-Horinek, an elder of the Ponca Nation of Oklahoma and one of the tribunals judges. She and the other judges called for the ratification of a United Nations treaty on business and human rights, a report from U.N. experts on critical minerals and Indigenous peoples rights, and further consideration of minings impacts at the U.N. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Those recommendations and the verdict against the mining companies are set to be presented later this year at COP30 in Brazil the United Nations annual climate change conference where the tribunal judges hope their findings will pressure countries to develop legal protections for nature and Indigenous peoples. Mining was selected as the theme of this tribunal because of the damage that resource extraction can cause to people and ecosystems, even though the sector is necessary for addressing climate change. Minerals like lithium and copper are needed in large quantities for electric vehicle batteries, solar panels, and other renewable technologies to replace fossil fuels. A previous session of the tribunal, held in New York City last September, focused on oil and gas infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canadian companies were singled out because of their prominence in the global mining sector. According to a recent report by the nonprofit MiningWatch Canada, the country is home to more than 1,300 mining and exploration companies, 730 of which operate overseas. About half the worlds public mining companies are listed on Canadian stock exchanges. The tribunal was also meant to contrast with this weeks annual conference of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada, which featured climate change and Indigenous issues in a way that speakers described as opportunistic by now a familiar criticism. A woman standing in Indigenous dress. James Yap, the tribunals prosecutor and acting director of an international human rights program at the University of Toronto, called out one particular event titled Caliente Caliente Ooh Aah: Latin American Mining Is Heating Up!, which invited attendees to dance to the Latin beat through the various regulatory issues affecting the region. Neither the law firm that organized the Latin American mining event nor the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada responded to Grists requests for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read Next A woman in traditional Sami dress -- a red, white, and blue shawl tied at the neck with an elaborate silver clasp and matching head covering -- sits at a conference table with a microphone. She looks off to the side as if listening to someone. UN report backs up Sami claims that mining in Finland violates their rights to land and culture Tristan Ahtone Jeremie Gilbert, a professor of social and ecological justice at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom, applauded the tribunal for building an evidence base of the alleged human rights and natures rights violations by transnational mining companies. His research has highlighted how most international law treats nature as a resource to be owned or exploited instead of having value in its own right. Legal protections that include Indigenous knowledge and the rights of nature have already been implemented in several countries most famously in Ecuador, which in its rewritten 2008 constitution acknowledged the rights of Mother Earth, or Pacha Mama, to the maintenance and regeneration of its life cycles, structure, functions, and evolutionary processes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whats required for the rights of nature is a pen and then enforceability, said Dov Korff-Korn, the legal director of Sacred Defense Fund, an Indigenous environmental group based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Korff-Korn said that giving rights to nonhuman entities like water, animals, and plants is already baked into how many tribes see the world, so using tribal laws and respecting sovereignty is a way forward. Weve got some unique rights and laws that have unique expressions, said Frank Bibeau, an enrolled member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe and a tribal attorney with the nonprofit Center for Democratic and Environmental Rights who has worked on cases that give rights to nonhuman relatives under Chippewa treaties. Aerial view of cars driving around a copper mine, with the ocean visible in the background One example came during the fight against the controversial Line 3 pipeline proposed by the oil and gas company Enbridge in Minnesota. Bibeau listed manoomin, Ojibwe for wild rice, as a plaintiff in a lawsuit against Minnesotas Department of Natural Resources, arguing that the rice had rights to clean water and habitat that would be jeopardized by the pipeline and the oil spill risks it would bring. Bibeau said the lawsuit is an example of how many tribes see the rights inherent in nature. But since most settler courts dont, he argues that Indigenous treaties are a useful way to help protect nonhuman relatives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other ways to develop legal protections could involve tribal courts. This year in Aotearoa, also known as New Zealand, the mountain Taranaki Maunga was recognized as a legal person because the Maori see it as an ancestor. The country also recognizes the rights of the Te Irewera Forest and the Whanganui River, so there is a developing global precedent for this sort of legal framework. Protections like these could protect ecosystems in the examined cases of the tribunal, including in Brazil where a firm called Belo Sun has proposed the development of the countrys largest open-pit gold mine, and in regions affected by copper, silver, and other metals mining throughout Ecuador. One of the cases heard by tribunal judges related to a gold mine proposed in eastern Serbia by the Canadian company Dundee Precious Metals, and another centered on uranium mining within Canada. In a presentation about heavy metals mining in Penco, Chile, Valerie Sepulveda president of a Chilean environmental nonprofit called Parque para Penco criticized the Toronto-based Aclara Resources for opaque operations and a failure to engage with residents near its mines. We must reevaluate what mining is really necessary and which is not, she told the audience. One of the judges, in describing the 2015 release of millions of liters of cyanide solution from a gold mine in San Juan, Argentina, said mining companies are sacrificing these towns so that Americans can have their Teslas. Another judge Tzeporah Berman, international program director at the nonprofit Stand.earth told attendees she was horrified and embarrassed by the practices of Canadian mining companies. Canada must pursue human and environmental due diligence, she added while delivering her verdict. I hope that our recommendations will be used in future policy design and legal challenges. This story was originally published by Grist with the headline In Canada, Indigenous advocates argue that mining companies violate the rights of nature on Mar 10, 2025. Donald Trump wont have Justin Trudeau to kick around any more. Canadas ruling Liberal party picked Mark Carney a former central bank governor known as a competent technocrat as its new leader. Hes likely be sworn in as prime minster within days, replacing Trudeau. Observers said Carney is expected to call an election almost immediately one is due no later than October this year which must be held on a Monday no more than 51 days after being announced. That would mean Parliament, currently suspended, wouldnt resume sitting on March 24 as scheduled. The election is likely to turn on a single issue: Who can best battle Trump over tariffs and resist his threats to annex the country as the 51st state. So far, Canadas famously fickle and now irate voters have shown more trust in the Liberals, who are leading the opposition Conservatives in opinion polls for the first time since 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The next federal election is the most important of my lifetime, said Ravi Kahlon, British Columbias housing minister and house leader for the left-of-center New Democratic Party-led government. While he doesnt care who leads the federal Liberal party, he wants the next PM to be someone who will stand up for Canada. People want someone in there who will fight for the country and not cave, he said before Carneys selection was announced. Given Trumps public derision of Trudeau, who he slights by calling governor, the selection of a new Canadian PM leader may change the political temperature. Carney, a former head of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, is known as a careful operator able to manage difficult political situations. Main opposition leader Pierre Poilievre will have to battle public perceptions that hes ideologically too close to the U.S. president and so he wouldnt take a sufficiently tough stance in talks. A pivot is possible: Premier Doug Ford of Ontario won reelection after flipping from public Trump fan to tariffs foe. The trade war will probably stay live during the campaign, with Trump only suspending some duties until early April and then on Friday threatening new levies on Canadian softwood lumber and dairy products. S&P Global (SPGI) economists cut their GDP forecast for Canada in the event of a long dispute. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to allocate EUR 16 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The aid will be channeled through UN humanitarian agencies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Finnish Foreign Ministry said. Finland has supported Ukraines humanitarian needs since the first day of Russias war of aggression and will continue to do so also in the future. The need for humanitarian aid in Ukraine is enormous, and our assistance is important, says Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio. Finland is also granting assistance to address major refugee crises in Africa and the humanitarian situation in the Middle East. Finland provides EUR 2 million in support for the World Food Programmes (WFP) operation in Sudan, EUR 2.5 million for the WFPs operation in Gaza and EUR 2 million for the UN Refugee Agency UNHCRs regional operation in Syria, among other operations. Support is also granted to Ethiopia, to the Horn of Africa and to the Great Lakes and the Sahel regions. In Asia, Finland supports Afghanistan and Myanmar through the International Red Cross Movement. Finland also provides EUR 2 million in funding for the WFP's and UNHCRs work on disability inclusion. The aid is targeted at persons with disabilities, who are often in the most vulnerable position. In addition, EUR 2 million is granted for developing the WFPs school meals activities and supporting school meals, especially in Africa. In addition to these decisions, Finland grants core funding to multilateral humanitarian organisations. Moreover, preparations are under way for humanitarian assistance that will be channelled through Finnish civil society organisations. The rest of the budgeted humanitarian funding will be granted later in the year. The trade war between the U.S. and Canada is heating up as leaders from both countries trade 25% tariffs and other regulatory threats. At the center of the tariff tiff is booze, with Canadian stores stripping shelves of all U.S. alcohol in an act of patriotic solidarity. Brown-Forman, the producer of Jack Daniels, said such boycotts will be worse than a tariff, when it comes to the impact on the bottom line. Well, the fight has opened the door for the opportunistic and, on Friday, Moosehead Breweries based in Saint John, New Brunswick, unveiled the "presidential pack," a crate of 1,461 of the brand's Canadian Lagersone beer per day of the Trump presidency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read on IEN: The Presidential Pack is designed to help weather four years of political uncertainty with one Canadian beer each day. The crate costs $3,490 plus tax and deposit, and it's available to residents of Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotiahome delivery is even included. Founded in 1867, the same year as Canada, Moosehead Breweries is the last major brewery in Canada still owned by Canadians, according to the company. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the announcement, Moosehead said, While four years may seem like a long time, together, we will push forward, as we always do. One day, one well-earned beer at a time. Click here to subscribe to our daily newsletter featuring breaking manufacturing industry news. (PUEBLO, Colo.) In modern history, Colorado was the first place in the U.S. to legally sell cannabis for recreational use. Its been over 10 years since that first sale, and researchers are still working to learn more about the drug and its impacts. The states official cannabis research institute, The Institute of Cannabis Research through Colorado State University Pueblo, is currently funding 16 different studies. Theyre hoping to answer a wide range of questions like, how can we tell if someone is drinking, smoking, or both? As well as, what are the potential health effects of cannabis vape devices? Not all states are investing in research like Colorado is, and I think that investment fills a gap that has been created at the federal level, said Chad Kinney, who is the Director at the institute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since their work first began in 2015, the institute has completed dozens of studies across the entire state. Some of the projects have looked at prenatal exposure to things like CBD. In a rodent model, there were some concerns in terms of impacts on on the offspring, said Kinney. Its funded by donations, as well as tax revenue from marijuana sales. To get the best researchers involved, they put out a statewide call for research proposals. They estimate theyre currently working with 14 different research groups across Colorado. Some of the projects that are currently underway, are looking at potential applications for treatments for young people with autism, which I think is very interesting. (Were also) looking at potential applications with traumatic brain injury, another area (is) looking at the accuracy of labels on materials that are available to consumers, said Kinney. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They say most of their projects are focused on potential therapeutic uses of the drug, as well as its health impacts. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. (Bloomberg) -- Mark Carney laid the groundwork to take over as Canadas prime minister as soon as this week, appointing a chief of staff and promising a speedy transition to a new cabinet that he says will be focused on the economy and fighting back against US tariffs. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One day after he received a resounding victory in a vote among Liberal Party members, Carney met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to discuss the trade war, national security and the handover of power. The transition to a new administration will be seamless and it will be quick, Carney said. He also met with Liberal lawmakers. We know this is a crucial time for our country. Were united to serve Canadians and we will build this country, he said. The prime minister-designate has tapped Marco Mendicino, a former Trudeau cabinet minister, as his chief of staff, according to a person familiar with the matter. Carney, 59, the former governor of the Bank of Canada and Bank of England, won more than 85% of the vote in the Liberal Party leadership contest. Hell announce a cabinet within days and given the trade war with the US and the short timeline to the next election, hes likely to keep some current ministers in place to ensure stability, according to people familiar with Carneys thinking. Carney hasnt committed to a date for a general election, but has previously said he would seek a new mandate from Canadians quickly in order to deal with the ongoing tariff threats from US President Donald Trump. And he has momentum, with the Liberals narrowing the gap on the Conservative Party in recent polls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If he triggers an election shortly before Parliament returns on March 24, that would mean a voting date in late April or early May. An election period would create some difficulty in managing a response to further Trump tariffs. Trump has promised a wider set of tariffs to take effect on April 2. During that time, Parliament would be dissolved and the government would be in whats known as caretaker mode, where its supposed to avoid major decisions. But the caretaker convention still allows the government to respond to emergencies, said Lori Turnbull, a Dalhousie University professor whos an expert in parliamentary governance. So if Carney decides that hes going to respond as he has to respond, he can do those things, Turnbull said. He can announce counter-tariffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carney, a former Goldman Sachs banker, announced his entry into the Liberal race shortly before Trumps inauguration and benefited from Canadians rising anxiety about a trade war, Turnbull said. This turned into a referendum on who was best suited to deal with Donald Trump and the resulting economic crisis, and then Carney became a clear choice. Canada currently has retaliatory tariffs in place on C$30 billion ($20.8 billion) worth of US imports to the country, and has threatened to hit another C$125 billion worth of US goods. In his victory speech Sunday night, Carney said he would not remove Canadas existing retaliatory measures until Trump removes the threat of tariffs and commits to being a reliable trade partner. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Carneys approach to trade retaliation is right in line with what I believe in and with what Canadians want. On Monday, the leader of Canadas most populous province put a 25% surcharge on electricity that gets exported to New York, Michigan and Minnesota. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Across the country, patriotism is running wild like Ive never seen before, Ford said in an interview on Bloomberg Television. Its not against the American people. Its one person Trump. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has tried to tie Carney to the unpopular Trudeau by pointing out that the former central banker has given the prime minister advice since he left the Bank of England in 2020. Canada is vulnerable in a trade war with the US because the Liberals thwarted business investment and natural resources projects, he suggested. We need to unleash our free-enterprise system to reverse the helplessness that the Liberals have caused over the last 10 years of tax and keep-it-in-the ground extremism, Poilievre told reporters Monday. Danielle Smith, the premier of Canadas main oil-producing province of Alberta, urged Carney to call an election immediately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a time when we are facing unprecedented economic challenges with our largest trading partner, Canada deserves and needs a leader with a mandate from Canadians, she said in a post on X. Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne has said he expects the Liberals to go to the polls to seek a strong mandate quickly. Heading into the caucus meeting on Monday, he criticized Poilievres tactic of using nicknames such as Sneaky Carney and said Canadians want to see unity. We dont want division in our country, he said. That would be a good moment now, with a new leader in Canada, to make sure that we push the reset button in Washington in the way they engage with Canada. What we want in Canada is respect. --With assistance from Melissa Shin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (Updates with new information on Carneys hiring of a chief of staff and comment from Ontario Premier Doug Ford.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Mark Carney is set to become Canadas next prime minister after winning a landslide victory in the race to become leader of the ruling Liberal Party. The former Bank of England governor secured 85 per cent of the membership vote to succeed Justin Trudeau, who has stepped down after 10 years in office. This may appear to be a seamless transition of power, but its legitimacy has yet to be tested. Mr Carney does not have a seat in parliament and has never held elected office. Moreover, he is potentially assuming the role of prime minister while the parliament is prorogued, as it has been since January and will be until March 24. In Canada, prorogation is the prerogative of the Crown, done on the advice of the prime minister and proclaimed by the governor general. There are echoes of Boris Johnsons attempt to seek the late Queens approval to prorogue parliament in 2019 amid fierce battles over Brexit. That was ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court even though other judges thought the matter was political and therefore not justiciable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A similar challenge to Mr Trudeaus lengthy prorogation was rejected by Canadas federal court on the grounds that it did not frustrate the constitutional role of parliament. It was claimed the Johnson prorogation was open-ended and would have prevented legitimate scrutiny of Brexit legislation. However, the similarities are there and the possibility exists of the King, as head of state, being drawn into a constitutional crisis. There is no precedent for a prime minister to operate for any length of time outside parliament, so Mr Carney will need either to stand in a by-election or call a general election. A few weeks ago the latter prospect was remote since the Liberals were miles behind in the polls; but Mr Trudeaus resignation and the sabre-rattling of Donald Trump towards Canada have seen the governments fortunes improve markedly. An election must be held by October 20 under Canadas fixed-term parliament law. Mr Carney is busily dropping policies he once espoused, such as net zero, recognising how unpopular they are among voters, and has declared war on the US president for seeking Canadas destruction. His controversial time at the Bank of England did not demonstrate any great political skills. He will need to develop them quickly if his tenure is not to be one of the shortest on record. 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. BRISTOL, Va. (WJHL) Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol donated $25,624.17 to the United Way of Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia on March 7. The funds were raised by Hard Rock team members, according to a news release. VIDEO: Pratts BBQs Big John collapses during move Lisa Cofer, President and CEO of the United Way of Bristol, said the donation will help to support families in the Bristol area. We are always ready to support Bristol nonprofit organizations, Allie Evangelista, President, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol, said in the release. Just like United Way of Bristol TN/VA, our team is honored to help support families in the greater Bristol region. 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. NEW YORK (PIX11) Catholics across the world are keeping a close eye on the health of Pope Francis, who has now been hospitalized for over three weeks. Cardinal Timothy Dolan talks about the Pope and what to expect this season of Lent on PIX11 Morning News. Watch the video player for the full interview. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Charlotte Area Transportation System officials are looking for public feedback on potential road and rail projects. CATS leaders will host a series of meetings around Mecklenburg County as they form a plan for future expansion. Riders and residents can begin engaging with transit officials Monday at noon during a live, virtual meeting on CATS YouTube page. Community members are invited to discuss their thoughts on the Transit System Plan update, the blueprint for future bus and rail projects across the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the meetings, CATS officials will discuss four scenarios for the TSP. After the initial virtual meeting, the following conversations will be held in person: Tuesday, March 11, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Matthews Town Hall 232 Matthews Station St., Matthews NC 28105 Tuesday, March 18, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Cornelius Town Hall 21445 Catawba Ave., Cornelius NC 28031 Thursday, March 20, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Pineville Town Hall 505 Main St., Pineville NC 28134 Monday, March 24, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Charlotte Regional Business Alliance 330 S. Tyron St., Charlotte NC 28202 Tuesday, March 25, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Goodwill Opportunity Campus 5301 Wilkinson Blvd., Charlotte NC 28208 Riders are invited to participate in a survey about the TSP scenarios. Eligible submissions will be entered in a drawing for one of five $100 Visa gift cards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mecklenburg County leaders are working with North Carolina officials to consider a local sales tax referendum to fund transit projects. The one-cent increase may be on the ballot later this year, if the General Assembly approves the action. MORE FROM QCNEWS.COM Charlotte Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. HAMBLEN COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) Local citizens helped the East Hamblen County Volunteer Fire Department rescue over 100 cattle from an overturned trailer, EHCVFD posted on Sunday. The department responded to reports of a crash and found a semitruck with a cattle trailer on its side. A power pole was down also. The driver of the truck was unhurt, EHCVFD reported, so concern shifted to the cattle. Knoxville named one of Americas most coveted creative communities: survey Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over 30 local citizens assisted the firefighters in rescuing the animals. Personnel made cuts into the trailer to gain access to the trailer during the five-hour operation. (Photo by East Hamblen County Volunteer Fire Department) (Photo by East Hamblen County Volunteer Fire Department) Without many individuals from the community, the mission may have not been as successful, a EHCVFD spokesperson said. We truly needed your help and you were there in great support. We appreciate your efforts and assistance throughout 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 WATE 6 On Your Side. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) CBS 42 wants to help you and your family stay healthy. Each week, our resident Dr. Celeste Reese-Willis joins us to talk about a timely health issue. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42. Outcomes of Saudi Arabia meeting to be key to resuming US military aid to Ukraine Rubio US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Monday ahead of talks with Ukrainian officials, Al Arabiya reports. Speaking to reporters on the flight, Rubio expressed optimism on the planned meeting, although he added that there were still more details to be worked out on the minerals deal between Washington and Kyiv, the ezine says. It is noted that National Security Advisor Mike Waltz will join him to meet a high-level Ukrainian delegation on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters on his way to Saudi Arabia, Rubio said that Washington needed to understand Kyivs position and get a general idea of what concessions theyd make. He said the results of the meeting would be key to ending the US pause in military aid to Ukraine, adding that he hoped it could be resolved, CNN reports. I think if we emerge there with a good meeting that we feel good about and can report back to the President, then I think decisions will be made in regards to the pause. The Ukrainians are already receiving all defensive intelligence information as we speak, he noted. CBS has asked the Federal Communications Commission to end its investigation into edits of its "60 Minutes" Kamala Harris interview, arguing that the federal government risks becoming "a roving censor" trampling on free speech rights. President Trump was furious over the "60 Minutes" interview with then-Vice President Harris in October, in the closing weeks of the campaign. The president and other conservatives chided CBS after it was revealed that "60 Minutes" producers had edited Harris' jumbled response to a question about the Biden administration's handling of the Israel-Hamas war. Trump sued CBS for $20 billion, claiming the edits amounted to election interference. The president has demanded "a lot" of money to settle the case, which many 1st Amendment experts call "frivolous." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The controversy over the "60 Minutes" edits wound up before the FCC last fall when a conservative nonprofit group, the Center for American Rights, filed a news distortion complaint against CBS and its flagship television station, WCBS-TV, in New York. "CBS distorted the news by using its slice-and-dice method of journalism to justify cleaning up the Vice Presidents muddled and meandering answer," the center said in a filing with the FCC, arguing that "60 Minutes" producers had become "the vice president's cleanup crew." Read more: Paramount says Trump's CBS 60 Minutes' lawsuit seeks to 'punish' network The FCC, until recently, has typically taken a hands-off approach to complaints about editorial decisions, and court cases have set a high bar for such claims. The FCC has said it would "only investigate claims that include evidence showing that the broadcast news report was deliberately intended to mislead viewers." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Center for American Rights lodged its FCC complaint in mid-October, ahead of Trump filing his lawsuit against CBS in federal court in Texas. The lawsuit is pending. CBS has asked a judge to dismiss the matter or move the case to New York, where CBS is based. The two sides also have agreed to the judge's request that they present their arguments to a mediator. "The complaint filed against CBS for 'news distortion' envisions a less free world in which the federal government becomes a roving censor one that second guesses and even punishes specific editorial decisions that are an essential part of producing news programming," the Paramount Global-owned network argued Monday in its response to the FCC inquiry. Late last year, the Democratic former FCC chairwoman threw out complaints filed against CBS, ABC, NBC and Fox. But Trump's pick to lead the agency, Brendan Carr, quickly revived the CBS, NBC and ABC complaints. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: '60 Minutes,' the Associated Press, an Iowa newspaper: Trump's attacks on the media reach new heights First Amendment experts sounded alarms, saying the FCC was wading into treacherous territory in reviewing debate formats and decisions made by news producers. Carr demanded that CBS turn over the raw transcript and unedited interview, which it did. Video of the unedited interview, released last month by the FCC and separately by CBS, confirmed the network's account. But the release also highlighted that Harris' convoluted answer had been clipped to its most succinct and cogent sentence. "The essence of the Complaint that CBS somehow broke the law by airing a portion, but not all, of a candidates answer to a question in a news magazine program is fatally flawed," CBS said in its petition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News organizations routinely edit interviews, removing extraneous words and redundant phrases. The practice has long been accepted as long as the edits don't change the context or meaning. CBS noted the U.S. Supreme Court has never "recognized a sweeping right by the government to second guess editorial decision-making." An FCC ruling against the network "would set a dangerous precedent that would enable the federal government to chill news coverage deemed unfavorable to whichever party were in power at a given moment in time," CBS said. Read more: Not just CBS. How Trump 2.0 is already changing Hollywood and media Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Daniel Suhr, president of the center, said Monday that broadcasters with FCC licenses, including CBS, have a duty to act in the public interest. "CBS's behavior here underlines why the public no longer trusts the supposed trustees of the public's airwaves," Suhr said. The "60 Minutes" case has sparked clashes within Paramount. Journalists have called on the company to defend its flagship broadcast and journalists' 1st Amendment rights. Paramount's controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone, has agitated for the Trump lawsuit to be settled to clear the way for her sale of the company to David Ellison's Skydance Media. The $8-billion transaction requires the approval of the FCC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: FCC launches effort to 'root out' DEI programs, beginning with Comcast Lawyers say Trump would have had a difficult time arguing the "60 Minutes" interview harmed him because the question did not reference him. Instead, it was about the Biden administration. Trump has said he thinks certain TV stations should lose their FCC licenses. The "60 Minutes" did not appear to diminish Trump's standing among voters; he was elected president a month later. 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. By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - CBS on Monday urged the Federal Communications Commission to reject a complaint over a "60 Minutes" interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, saying the agency has no lawful role in policing broadcast news editorial decisions. CBS, which is owned by Paramount Global, said sanctioning the company over the interview "would blatantly violate the First Amendment by substituting the governments editorial judgment for that of CBS and its journalists." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A complaint alleges the interview violates the FCC's rules on "news distortion." The network broadcast a portion of the vice president's answer on "Face the Nation" and a different one on "60 Minutes." "CBS engaged in ordinary editorial decision-making that involved no 'distortion'," the company said, adding that the FCC complaint "completely disregards both the letter and the spirit of the Commissions news distortion policy." CBS turned over the unredacted video and transcript to the FCC that made it public as did the broadcaster. Last month, FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, a Democrat, said the Republican-led agency is seeking to bully major U.S. broadcasters by reinstating a series of complaints. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said the "60 Minutes" interview did not violate commission rules and said other complaints were improperly reinstated against Walt Disney's and Comcast's NBC. FCC Chair Brendan Carr did not immediately comment. President Donald Trump has sued CBS for $20 billion over the broadcast. Media reports have said Paramount representatives were in settlement talks to resolve the Trump lawsuit. Paramount is seeking FCC approval for an $8.4-billion merger with Skydance Media. Last month, the FCC reinstated complaints about the "60 Minutes" interview with Harris as well as about how ABC News moderated the pre-election TV debate between then-President Joe Biden and Trump, as well as against NBC for letting Harris appear on "Saturday Night Live" just before the election she lost to Trump. The prior FCC chair had rejected those complaints. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese and David Gregorio) UPDATED: CBS is calling out the FCCs inquiry into how 60 Minutes edited an interview with Kamala Harris as inappropriate for the federal agency, while warning that any government sanction against the network would open the door to regular and repeated second guessing of broadcasters editorial judgments across the ideological spectrum. The networks remarks were made in a filing with the FCC. More from Deadline Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A conservative group, the Center for American Rights, filed a complaint against the network last October, claiming that the network was being deceptive in the way that it edited the interview. In response to an FCC inquiry, 60 Minutes released the unedited transcript of the interview, and said that it proved the show engaged in routine editing practices. But FCC chairman Brendan Carr kept the proceedings alive, setting it up for a public comment period. The Complaint filed against CBS for news distortion envisions a less free world in which the federal government becomes a roving censor one that second guesses and even punishes specific editorial decisions that are an essential part of producing news programming, CBS said in the filing, authored by parent Paramount Globals representatives in Washington. The Center for American Rights alleged that the network violated the FCCs news distortion policy, in which the agency investigates whether a news report was deliberately intended to mislead viewers or listeners. But the FCC acknowledges that its authority is narrow, and that the agency is prohibited by law from engaging in censorship or infringing on First Amendment rights of the press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CBS said in its filing that the complaint not only ignores the narrowness of the Commissions rarely invoked and constitutionally suspect news distortion policy; it also asks the Commission to violate its duties under the U.S. Constitution, along with multiple statutory authorities. In fact, the network challenged the constitutionality of the policy itself, writing that it stems from an era on the 1940s and 50s when means of communications were scarce. The network notes that any individual or organization with a smartphone can create and disseminate content expressing any and all viewpoints to a potential audience of many millions of people. In this dramatically changed media landscape, the federal government has no lawful role in policing the editorial decisions of broadcast news outlets. In an October 7 election special, 60 Minutes aired an interview with Harris in which she is shown giving a different answer to a question than one that was shown on a Face the Nation preview for the broadcast. At one point in the interview, correspondent Bill Whitaker asked Harris why Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not listening to the Biden administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harris answered, Well, Bill, the work that we have done has resulted in a number of movements in that region by Israel that were very much prompted by, or a result of many things, including our advocacy for what needs to happen in the region. And were not going to stop doing that. We are not going to stop pursuing what is necessary for the United States to be clear about where we stand on the need for this war to end. Harris was shown giving the first part of her answer on Face the Nation, and the second part on 60 Minutes. CBS said that the different answers were due to time constraints. Nevertheless, Trump sued CBS over the 60 Minutes interview under Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, and he is now seeking $20 billion in damages. His lawsuit has created consternation in the network news division, as Paramount Global representatives and Trumps legal team have engaged in settlement talks. Although many legal observers and the National Association of Broadcasters see the lawsuit as frivolous, Paramount Global is seeking federal regulatory approval of its acquisition by Skydance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The previous FCC chair, Jessica Rosenworcel, dismissed the news distortion complaint in January, just days before she left the agency. But shortly after Trump took office and he became FCC chair, Carr revived it. In the filing, CBS called into question even launching an inquiry. As the Supreme Court has observed, regulation of speech that is motivated by nothing more than a desire to curtail expression of a particular point of view on controversial issues of general interest is the purest example of a law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press,' it read. Indeed, the mere investigation of allegations premised on disputes over editorial judgments constitutes a venture into a quagmire inappropriate for a government agency like the Commission though it is not too late for the Commission to turn back by promptly closing this proceeding. The National Association of Broadcasters also weighed in, urging dismissal of the complaint and questioning the constitutionality of the news distortion policy. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Mar. 10---- in Montevideo will break ground this spring on a new childcare center for staff serving the medical center. The C on March 4 approved approximately $2.4 million in bids for construction of the approximately 5,000-square-foot facility. The approved the project the day before, according to information provided to the commissioners. The county and city jointly own the medical center. The new child care facility will have the capacity to serve 70 children, Brian Lovdahl, CEO of CCM Health, told the commissioners. It will replace a child care center now located in a portion of the ambulance building. It has a capacity to serve up to 31 children at a time, and is serving a total of 40 children with a waiting list, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new facility will be located on the site of the former Veterans Affairs Clinic, which is located across the street from the ambulance garage. Work will get underway in early April to raze the former clinic, with expectations of beginning construction on the new facility at the end of the month, according to the CEO. Plans call for using the existing child care center space in the ambulance building as a conference center and training area. The area served a similar role previously, and minimal work is anticipated in restoring it for its former purpose. CCM Health went out for bids in January for the project and has a $325,000 contingency fund for it. The availability of child care services on the medical campus has been very important to its ability to recruit and retain staff, Lovdahl told the commissioners. CCM Health has a 91% staff retention rate, or a turnover rate of 9%. The industry as a whole reports turnover rates in the range of 18% to 25%, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The average age of registered nurses with CCM Health is 37, as compared to an average age of 52 for RNs in the U.S. In discussions with the commissioners, the CEO said CCM Health sets its fees for the child care center based on the market rate in the area. It does not want to undercut other providers, he explained. The child care center is available only for the children of staff serving the medical center. The availability of the child care is seen as helping free up space at other child care providers in the area, he noted. The need to limit the child care to the children of staff is due to the Medicare reimbursement system. CCM Health is financially supporting the availability of the child care services. A portion of costs for staff services can be reimbursed through Medicare as part of a complex reimbursement process, he told the commissioners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CCM Health is hopeful of seeing the project completed and welcoming its first children in October of this year. In response to questions, the CEO said he did not know if recent tariffs would affect any of the project costs. The bids awarded for the project include essentially all of the materials and labor for the entire project, with the exception of a few items that did not receive specific bids. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent a survey on March 6 asking some federally funded researchers to assess how their work aligns with the priorities of President Donald Trump's administration, according to documents obtained by ABC News. CDC-funded researchers were asked whether their research would help combat "Christian persecution," defend women and children against "gender ideology extremism" or help curb illegal immigration. They were also surveyed about whether their research included any diversity or climate change initiatives -- among other questions that roughly align with recent executive orders. PHOTO: Trump-Federal-Workers-Health (David Goldman/AP) On Friday, the agency clarified that the survey was only applicable to CDC partners doing work outside the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's not clear how many researchers received the email, which was sent by the CDC's Global Health Center. MORE: CDC to study vaccines and autism, despite several studies already finding no link "Receiving this survey was deeply unsettling. It's hard not to see it as an attempt to inject politics into scientific research, forcing us to align with ideological priorities rather than urgent public health needs," said one researcher who received the survey. Researchers who received the survey also told ABC News that they were concerned their answers would be used to jeopardize ongoing research or could be used to justify further cuts, especially to research conducted abroad. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I worry about how these responses might be used to justify funding cuts, especially for critical public health initiatives," one researcher said. Earlier this week, a similar survey was sent to foreign aid programs supported by the United States Agency for International Development, according to reporting by The New York Times. MORE: Funding cuts could harm global efforts to fight tuberculosis, WHO warns The survey comes amid federal firings, budget cuts and grant cuts to federally funded research, though some of those actions have been blocked in court. Several hundred people gathered in the nation's capital on March 7 for the Stand Up for Science rally, and there are similar rallies planned in more than 30 other cities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2023, the federal government funded roughly $60 billion in scientific research, according to the Association of American Universities. Prior government-funded research has led to technologies such as MRIs and GPS. CDC asks researchers to assess how their projects align with Trump administration priorities originally appeared on abcnews.go.com SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) Its a Sunday before Saint Patricks Day tradition starting the morning with mass at St. Johns Basilica Cathedral and ending with the Celtic Cross ceremony at Emmett Park. Its where we honor our past, present and future Irishmen. The ones that have come before and the ones like my children that are being raised now. Its a ceremony thats usually filled with Irish-Catholic families marching in celebration toward Emmett Park to watch as the traditional wreath is mounted in front of the Celtic Cross monument. The weather this year left those celebrations indoors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Grand Marshal, Jay Burke, and members of the Saint Patricks Day committee ignored the rain and still marched to the monument to honor the Irish-Catholic heritage by lying the wreath. Its a tradition. We do this to honor our ancestors. It started in 83. And its one of those things that we look forward to every year, said Burke. Its also a tradition that Burke says his father would thank him for carrying out. I was born and raised a catholic and I was fortunate to go to a catholic school and grammar school and high school. And I love my heritage. If it wasnt for him, you know, growing up around town, this day probably wouldnt be possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now a week away from Saint Patricks Day, Burke said the momentum is really starting to pick up. With only one more traditional ceremony before the big parade, Burke is sad for it to be nearing its close but cant wait for anyone no matter Catholic, Irish, or whatever religion or culture folks align with to celebrate the holiday with them. Like they say, everyones Irish on Saint Patricks Day, said Burke. All our families come together. All cultures come together. And its a great feeling because Savannah is such a warm, loving place to live and grow up. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV. A man suffered serious injuries Saturday when he slipped and fell from a roof while working on a chimney, according to authorities in central Minnesota. The Morrison County Sheriff's Office said the incident happened just before 3:15 p.m. at a home in Pulaski Township, about two miles northeast of Harding. According to the sheriff's office, the 63-year-old man, from Deerwood, fell approximately 20 feet to the ground and was airlifted to St. Cloud Hospital with serious injuries. The cause of death for notorious cult leader Charles Manson was acute cardiac arrest, with colon cancer as a factor. That's according to a death certificate obtained by TMZ, which listed respiratory failure as a contributing cause. Manson's health had been declining for some time, and he struggled with gastrointestinal issues before he passed away on Nov. 19, 2017. Manson was hospitalized for "gastrointestinal bleeding related to his colon and deemed too weak to undergo surgery" less than a year before his death, according to The New York Times. Charles Manson speaks with reporters as he is escorted by a deputy sheriff and his lawyer, Irving Kanarek, from a Santa Monica courthouse following a hearing in the Gary Hinman murder case. Bettmann/Getty Images TMZ reported that the convicted murderer and Manson Family head suffered from "intestinal bleeding" in January 2017 and was returned to a Bakersfield, California, hospital shortly before he died. He "was covered in blankets and looked ashen in the gurney," TMZ reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Inmate Charles Manson, 83, died of natural causes at 8:13 p.m. on Sunday, November 19, 2017, at a Kern County hospital," a press release from the California prison system said at the time. Manson was back in the news due to a new Netflix documentary in March 2025, which raised new questions about his life and case. He was convicted of orchestrating the murders of seven people, including actress Sharon Tate. (Original Caption) Los Angeles: Charles Manson heads for court where he took the witness stand at the Tate-LaBianca murder trial to complain about the "humiliation" to which he says he is being subjected to in the county jail. Dressed in prison denims, his hair stringy and uncombed, the 35-yr-old ex-convict testified outside the presence of the jury on the motion to force the sheriff to end the "harassment" of the numerous daily "shakedowns" and to be able to meet privately with his attorney and not in the presence of a deputy. Bettmann/Getty Images "Inmate Manson was admitted to state prison from Los Angeles County on April 22, 1971, for seven counts of first-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder for the August 1969 deaths of Abigail Ann Folger, Wojciech Frykowski, Steven Earl Parent, Sharon Tate Polanski who was eight months pregnant, Jay Sebring, Leno La Bianca and Rosemary La Bianca," the press release says. On December 13, 1971, Manson "received a first-degree murder conviction from Los Angeles County for the July 25, 1969, death of Gary Hinman and another first-degree murder conviction for the August 1969 death of Donald Shea," the release notes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It says that Manson was "originally sentenced to death," but his death sentence was vacated in 1972 by a judge after a court decision resulted in the vacating of all California capital sentences. Manson was refused parole 12 times, the prison system wrote. "Inmate Manson had been housed in the Protective Housing Unit at California State Prison-Corcoran since 1989. The unit houses inmates whose safety would be endangered by general population housing. He had also been housed at San Quentin State Prison, California Medical Facility, Folsom State Prison and Pelican Bay State Prison," the release noted. Workers at the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy are concerned federal funding cuts will hurt their mission. CCLA represents low-income residents in the Charlotte Metro, as well as homeless veterans and unaccompanied child migrants. Staff members told the Charlotte Observer they have already had grand cuts, and they fear more could be on the way. ALSO READ: Small business owners in Charlotte face uncertainty over federal funding freeze Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This comes as Congress is working to avoid a government shutdown. Republicans said a bill filed over the weekend gives time to codify cuts made by Elon Musk. However, Democrats argue that the legislation does nothing to protect programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. The deadline to avoid a shutdown is Friday night. VIDEO: Small business owners in Charlotte face uncertainty over federal funding freeze BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) The Town of Cheektowaga will be lifting its overnight winter parking ban on Monday, Supervisor Brian Nowak announced. The ban will be lifted at noon, which is when residents can start parking on the street. In the event of significant snow, the town asks residents to remove their vehicles from the street for plows. Latest Local News Katie Skoog joined the News 4 team in April 2024. She is a graduate from the University at Buffalo. You can view more of her work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. The Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) has published a 31-page plan on its website with specific mechanisms for a ceasefire in Ukraine. The GCSP is pleased to present its 'Ceasefire Toolkit' a comprehensive resource developed with insights from world-renowned ceasefire experts, the Centre said on its website. According to the document, it is proposed to create a buffer zone at least 10 km wide and allocate five thousand civilians and police officers to patrol it. To ensure security, about 10 thousand foreign military personnel will be allocated. Organize the work of international observers with a joint commission consisting of Russian and Ukrainian military personnel. Through this commission, both sides could hold each other accountable and agree on solutions to such related issues as the release of prisoners, demining, and the creation of civilian corridors through the buffer zone. Use the ceasefire as a first step toward a broader package of agreements, including a political settlement, arms control agreements and confidence- and security-building measures between NATO and Russia, strategic stability between the United States and Russia, and discussions on the future of European security. It is noted that representatives from Ukraine, Russia, the USA and the EU took part in the preparation of the document. As reported by The New York Times, citing the director of the Geneva Center for Security Policy, Thomas Greminger, among the experts who participated in the preparation of the document were employees of international organizations and former military commanders with experience in peacekeeping. All of them acted on the condition of anonymity. According to him, the participants in these meetings, whose identities the director of the center also did not disclose, acted in a personal capacity. According to him, many experts agree that the biggest difficulty in implementing proposals for a sustainable ceasefire is the position of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. They express skepticism about the readiness of the Russian president to agree to a ceasefire and adhere to its terms. Russian officials promised almost until the very beginning of the war that he had no intention of invading Ukraine. And no monitoring mission could deter the Russian president if he decided to launch a new invasion of Ukraine, the NYT says. Commenting on the likely development of events, Janis Kluge, a Russia expert at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin, told the ezine that it was dangerous to occupy one's mind with the illusion of a potentially imminent ceasefire. Counselors will be available at Chelsea High School on Monday to support students and staff in coping with the tragic loss of a 17-year-old student. Juan Carlos Lemus was fatally stabbed in a fight on Saturday night at the intersection of Stockton Street and Eastern Avenue. A 15-year-old boy was also injured and is recovering from stab wounds. A small memorial of candles, flowers, and stuffed animals has been set up in front of an apartment complex in honor of Lemus, a student at Chelsea High School. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Students will return to class today with heavy hearts as they process the loss of their peer. Chelsea School Superintendent Dr. Almi G. Abeyta released a statement offering condolences to the family and the community. We want to remind everyone that our counseling services are available to provide help to anyone in need, and we encourage those seeking support to reach out. The loss of Juan Carlos has deeply affected us all, and our thoughts and prayers remain with his loved ones, Dr. Abeyta said. The Suffolk County District Attorneys office confirmed that around 8:45 p.m. on Saturday, both Chelsea Police and Massachusetts State Police responded to reports of a fight at the corner of Eastern Avenue and Stockton Street. Upon arrival, officers found two stabbing victims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Suffolk County DA Kevin Hayden commented on the incident, saying, Violence like this shocks and saddens our immediate neighborhoods and our entire societyas it shouldespecially when the victims are so young. Chelsea police have described the stabbings as an isolated incident, with the individuals involved knowing each other. No arrests have been made as of yet. 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 SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) A school on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation is evacuating due to two fires in close proximity. A Facebook post from law enforcement says buses and rides will be available to students at Takini School. Acording to the Takini School Facebook page, community members of the Takini School needing shelter, the Takini school is bussing everyone around the fire completely. The Takini bus will be leaving the Takini C store by 5:30 to start its journey all the way around to the Cherry Creek gym for all community member members needing shelter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AG: Cause of death in Brandon standoff revealed Student safety is a top priority and we are taking every precaution to ensure their wellbeing, the post says. There are currently two fires within visible distance of Takini School, the post said. School has also been cancelled Tuesday. Red Flag Warnings will be in effect across most of South Dakota throughout Monday night. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Axel Calderon loved growing up with his cousin Zulma Daniela Calderon Pacheco, describing her as someone who would always go out of her way for others and one of his favorite people to talk to. But early Saturday morning, Calderon received a phone call from his dad: the cousin he grew up with and loved talking to had been fatally shot at a nightclub in the western suburbs. I couldnt even process it at the time, Calderon said. I just didnt want to believe it and I still dont. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Calderon Pacheco, 21, of Chicago had been killed early Saturday at the Mansion Nightclub in Stone Park after being shot in the face, officials said. Her death was classified as a homicide by the Cook County medical examiners office. It was all just grief, said Calderon, who helped set up a GoFundMe for funeral funds. And then we had an altar for her, and praying to her, talking to her in the last moments, it kind of helped. According to the Stone Park Police Department, a fight broke out inside the Mansion Nightclub Saturday around 1:39 a.m. During the fight, a security guard pulled out a gun and fired one shot which struck the 21-year-old woman, police said. The suspect was taken into custody and released pending further investigation, police said. Calderon Pacheco was the oldest of five and was always helping her mom around the house, her loved ones said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She was a very happy person. She was very kind, especially with her brothers and sisters, said Elizabeth Uriza, a friend of the family. Uriza recalled that Calderon Pacheco would always play with and care for her youngest sibling, who is about a year old. She was helping with bills, with rent, taking the kids out to eat and gifts, everything, Uriza said. When she first got the call from Calderon Pachecos mother about what happened, Uriza said that initially she was not sure what happened. I didnt know at the beginning who did they kill because she was just crying saying She died, she died, she died. So at the beginning, I thought it was the little one, Uriza said. I kept asking for the little one, the baby, and then she said No, my daughter was shot.' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mansion Nightclub acknowledged the incident in a statement posted on social media, writing that the club was closed Saturday night in honor of our community and to make space for healing. We are heartbroken by the incident that took place at Mansion Live last night, the nightclub said. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with everyone touched by this tragedy, and we are doing all we can to support local authorities as they navigate this difficult time. This is not the first time Mansion Nightclub has had a shooting. In 2020, a man was fatally shot outside of the club in Stone Park. Mansion Nightclub also took over the spot of Club Allure, a strip club that was embroiled in controversy, which a lawsuit from nuns with the nearby Missionary Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo convent. A petition was also posted on Change.org demanding Mansion Nightclub to be shut down following Saturdays shooting. (Bloomberg) -- Chilean center-left presidential hopeful Carolina Toha rose in two polls conducted immediately after her formal announcement last week that shell compete in this years election. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Toha was backed for head of state by 12% of voters, up from 3% in February, according to a poll by Panel Ciudadano UDD. She trailed center-right candidate Evelyn Matthei, who garnered 25%, and hard-right contenders Johannes Kaiser and Jose Antonio Kast, who obtained 16% and 13%, respectively. Meanwhile, a separate survey by Cadem showed Toha with 10% of voter intentions, up from 3% in February. That poll showed Matthei leading with 18%, followed by Kaiser with 13% and Kast with 11%. Matthei would win a hypothetical run-off against all three, according to Cadem. Toha is a lifelong politician who served as interior minister until March 4, and shes viewed by many as the center-lefts strongest candidate in the upcoming contest. Going forward, Toha will undoubtedly seek to lure supporters of former President Michelle Bachelet, a progressive who said last week that she wont seek a third term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, Toha has faced a backlash from Chileans who are concerned about crime and also worries about her appeal with voters. The first-round vote will be on Nov. 16 and a run-off, if needed, would take place on Dec. 14. Local laws forbid consecutive terms for any head of state, meaning current President Gabriel Boric wont be able to seek reelection. The Panel Ciudadano UDD poll surveyed 1,084 people March 5-6. It has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points. The Cadem poll surveyed 702 people March 5-7. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points. (Updates story with Cadem poll starting in third paragraph) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. From the Boiling Frogs on The Dispatch This weekend, for the first time, I felt a twinge of nostalgia for the Trump 2016 campaign. Or a moment from the campaign, anyway. Whenever candidate Donald Trump talked about building a border wall and took flak for it from Mexico or the Democrats or whoever, hed bellow, The wall just got 10 feet higher! In the end, the wall did not get 10 feet higher. By the time he left office in 2021 there was barely any wall to speak of. But his logic was fair enough: If youre at an impasse and your opponent is resisting, one way to resolve it is to apply more pressure until he relents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump is following that logic now in trying to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine. But hes applying it to only one of the parties, and it aint the one keeping the war going. Pausing weapons shipments, halting intelligence-sharing, pushing for a presidential election in the middle of a raging conflict: The longer Ukraine resists White House demands to come to the table, the higher the proverbial wall gets. Yet the wall never seems to rise for Russiaeven though its Russia, not Ukraine, thats depriving Trump of the peace hes seeking by continuing to advance on the battlefield. How come? If ever there was a moment that called for a bit of wall pressure on the aggressor, this is it. If Russia doesnt stop firing in the next 48 hours, were sending $50 billion more in weapons to Ukraine. And if it doesnt stop within 48 hours after that, were sending another $50 billion. Keep making the wall 10 feet higher until its high enough to make Vladimir Putin relent. Why hasnt Trump done that? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, after weeks of asymmetrical pressure tactics and rising panic among Republican hawks, the president finally threatened to slap Moscow on the wrist. Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely pounding Ukraine on the battlefield right now, he wrote, 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. The Russians ignored him. They continued to pound Ukraine all weekend, capitalizing on the blindness in Ukrainian defenses that Trump himself had inflicted by cutting off American intelligence. The Kremlin is openly defying him and daring him to do something about it. What will he do? No one knows. In these early days of populist revolution, American foreign policy has become a chimerical monster. Its behavior is impossible to predict. The head. Imagine a creature with a head thats Russian, a midsection thats European, and a lower section thats feeble and atrophied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That is, a country with Donald Trump as its leader, a political and intelligence establishment dominated by Atlanticists, and a population that tends not to care much about any policy that doesnt directly hit them in the wallet. Thats an ungainly creature. Its component parts dont move in concert. If youre a foreign power sizing up the chimera and trying to gauge how it will act abroad, youre forced to reckon with three distinct forms of uncertainty. One has to do with the head: How ideological is Donald Trump, exactly? If his passion for international authoritarianism ends up conflicting with his passion for being seen as strong and tough, which takes precedence over the other? Trump strains hard to keep those two passions aligned. Thats why hes leaned so heavily on Ukraine over the past month, punctuated by his televised dressing-down of Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office. Whenever he gets to project toughness at the expense of an enemy of fascism, thats a twofer for him. Hence the obsession with Zelenskys alleged disrespect: The leader of a weak liberal power refusing to grovel to him offends Trump on both levels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ditto for his mockery of Canada, the so-called 51st state, which the New York Times reported on Friday involves more than mere trolling. Allegedly, the president told Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a phone call 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. I must have written a hundred pieces before the election about Trumps fascist tendencies but never once did I imagine him doing something as cartoonishly stereotypical as suddenly demanding to renegotiate a neighbors border. At the rate were going, its more likely that well see the Marines land in Saskatchewan during Trumps term than in Taiwan. To Trump, strength is a matter of bullying less powerful entities into doing ones bidding. Thats why, as Matt Yglesias pointed out recently, the White Houses supposed admiration for toughness doesnt match the reality of its behavior in Europe. An isolationist America should want Europe to re-arm and take over responsibility for defending the continent from Russiain short, to be strong. Instead, in nations like Germany, J.D. Vance and Elon Musk are boosting far-right Putinist parties that will surely supplicate to Moscow if they come to power. Strength means remorselessly subjugating the weak. Postliberals around the world share that view, which is why Trump, Vance, and Musk instinctively sympathize with Putin and Russia rather than the rules-based Europeans. The problem for the White House is that, colloquially, strength also denotes resolve, ruthlessness, and manly bravadoand as long as Russia continues to defy Trumps demands for a ceasefire, its Putin rather than the president who appears the stronger of the two. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats how we ended up with Fridays surprising Truth Social ultimatum about large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs. Could there hypothetically be a point at which Moscow flouting Trumps ultimatums would make the president appear so feeble that his lizard-brain instinct for domination would kick in and cause him to punish the Russians for it? How long can Trumps affinity for fascist alpha males last if that affinity lands him in the role of a beta? Pretty long, Id guess. If his infamous humiliation in Helsinki didnt make him want to prove his mettle against Putin afterward, presumably nothing will. The most one can realistically expect from the White House by way of balance between Russia and Ukraine is a few token sanctions for the former and demands for the wholesale disarmament of the latter. But so long as the Russian military continues to press forward, exposing Trump as a paper tiger whose ultimatums arent worth taking seriously, theres a chance that his ego will force him to change course. Not much of a chance, but a chance. The body. A second form of uncertainty foreign powers need to consider is the U.S. political establishment. How willing and able are Trumps Cabinet, his party in Congress, and Americas intelligence bureaus to stop him from allying America durably with the planets most repellent regimes? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot less willing and able than they were in 2017, obviously. The Mike Pences and Mike Pompeos have been swapped out for postliberals like J.D. Vance and the desiccated husks of Reaganites like Marco Rubio. Hawks remain a nominal majority among congressional Republicans, but the conferences members arent willing to risk their seats by confronting Trump on foreign policy. And American intelligence is led by the likes of Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel, guaranteeing that there wont be a peep of resistance to Trumps wishes inside the Situation Room. But what about outside of it, down the chain of command? If youre a foreign intelligence agent from a country allied with the U.S., how do you navigate sharing information with a government whose leaders are pro-Russia but whose wider establishment remains pro-Europe? Whom do you trust in a chimerical America thats half-foe, half-friend? Maybe you play it safe and dont trust anyone. Last week, NBC News reported that numerous American allies, including the Five Eyes nations, Israel, and Saudi Arabia, are considering scaling back the intelligence they exchange with the U.S. because theyre no longer confident that it wont be passed to enemies. The allies are weighing the move because of concerns about safeguarding foreign assets whose identities could inadvertently be revealed, five sources told the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One went as far as to say that, although the Five Eyes nations traditionally havent spied on each other, that might now need to change. Another report claimed that the British are so shaken by the White Houses turn toward Russia that theyre considering starting a Four Eyes subgroup in which certain intelligence would be shared among the U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealandbut not the United States. Thats how far down the slope to a western crack-up we are after just seven weeks of Trump 2.0. But some foreign officials think its silly to try to cut the United States, with its unmatched resources, out of intelligence-sharing. There are plenty of traditional liberals and Reaganites left in the federal bureaucracy who can still be counted onfor the moment, anyway. Allied officials recently told The Atlantics Shane Harris how they plan to handle the new reality: In rare cases, allies might hold back a very sensitive piece of intelligence altogether. But more often, they would ask their counterparts to keep some information to themselves and not share it higher up in their organizations, where it might find its way to the presidents political appointees and potentially to him. The allies would not be hiding things from Trump, exactlyjust avoiding the risk of bringing him in on things he doesnt need to know. Another official told me their service might ask the Americans to read intelligence only in person, perhaps at the countrys embassy or a headquarters building. The Americans would still know the information, but they would take no hard copies with them that might find their way into the hands of Trumps political advisers. What theyre suggesting here sounds a lot like a true deep state in which intelligence bureaus not only begin operating independently of the political leadership but, in some cases, actively undermining it. Thats incredibly dangerous business, not to mention insubordinatebut in a chimerical government where its no longer clear which states are considered allies and which are viewed as enemies or even whose notion of morality should guide how the United States behaves, its unavoidable. Were headed for a much higher than normal quotient of espionage cases in Trump 2.0. Although that was probably true even before the president made his global heel turn to become an ally of Russias. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Insubordination will be a running theme of this presidency, I expect. If Trump gives the order to bomb Edmonton or whatever, will any military officers refuse to carry it out? Theyd have no legal reason to say noalthough enthusiasts of the War Powers Resolution might take issue with that. What about congressional Republicans? As morally and civically denuded as they are, I can imagine a louder than usual round of throat-clearing from the Lindsey Grahams and Tom Cottons if Trump were to try to withdraw from NATO. Or what if, in his zeal to pressure Ukraine, the president proposes aiding Russia? Dont put it past him: By halting intelligence-sharing with Kyiv, hes already complicit in hundreds of Ukrainian deaths. Sending intelligence or even weapons to Moscow is the logical next step. Morals versus duty: Who will say no when that order is issued? The legs. The last bit of uncertainty for foreign powers is the majestic American people, who, as Churchill famously (never quite) said, can always be trusted to do the right thing once all other possibilities have been exhausted. Theyre the legs of the chimera and so, weak and wobbly as they are, theyll probably decide in which direction the creature will ultimately go. Could a popular backlash to the presidents pro-Russia policy push him in the other direction? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I sure wouldnt count on it if I were a European official. Despite the abject disgrace of the past few weeks, Trumps job approval remains slightly net positive. Voters rarely have strong feelings about foreign policy when U.S. boots arent on the ground. And lets face it: If Americans had the sense or decency to rally in numbers behind Ukraine as the White House applies pressure, they would have had the sense and decency to keep Donald Trump away from the presidency in 2024. The period of history in which the people of this country could be trusted to do the right thing, even after all other possibilities were exhausted, is over. But if youre desperate for optimism, Ill offer a littlefor once. The most recent polling on Ukraine is grim for Trump. Last week, YouGov found a sharp divergence between the president and his constituents on rooting interests in the war. Asked whether they thought he sympathized more with Russia or with Ukraine, Americans split 43-10; asked whom they themselves sympathized with, Americans split 3-56. Even among Republicans, only 4 percent copped to having sympathies for Moscow. The numbers were better for Trump on whether the U.S. should continue sending aid to Ukraine but nowhere near the level you would expect to justify a pause on weapons. In all, 35 percent said they wanted to reduce the amount of military aid being sent to Kyiv; a combined 44 percent thought we should either increase the amount or maintain the status quo. A Reuters/Ipsos survey taken around the same time found disastrous numbers for the White House on basic moral questions like culpability for the war. For all the energy Trump and his lackeys have spent trying to muddy the waters around who started it, Americans are clear-eyed: Just 22 percent somewhat agree that both combatants are equally responsible versus 59 percent who somewhat disagree. When asked if they agree that Russia is more responsible, 70 percent said yes compared to 9 percent who didnt. Enthusiasm for an isolationist posture toward Ukraine was also weak. Only 37 percent tend to agree that that countrys problems are none of our business and that we shouldnt interfere there while 60 percent tend to disagree. When asked how they felt about American-made weapons being used to strike targets inside Russia, respondents tended to agree with letting the Ukrainians do so by a margin of 57-40. Among independents, 61 percent tended to agree. Even among Republicans, 39 percent said the same. I have confidence in the solidity of American democracy, and the country is already protesting, French senator Claude Malhuret observed in a widely noted speech last Tuesday. But in one month, Trump has done more harm to America than in the four years of his last presidency. We were at war with a dictator; now we are fighting against a dictator supported by a traitor. Americans dont like being one of the bad guys. And the great postliberal project to convince them that the bad guys are good and the good guys are actually bad, that in fact they should be proud to be led by a dictator-supporting traitor, has failed miserablyat least when it comes to a supervillain like Putin. I suspect that Trumps bizarre project to bully Canada, which must be inscrutable to the average joe, will make matters worse. Most voters wont have the foggiest idea why hes picking fights with our very friendly neighbor to the north and inflicting real economic pain on the U.S. to do so. There arent many red lines Trump can cross anymore that will cause Ben Shapiro to say a discouraging word about him, but his moronic expansionist national-greatness fantasy about the 51st state is one of them. So maybe theres a little life left in these legs after all. Ukrainians and Canadians might need to suffer a lot more before those legs start to movea decade of Trump has largely anesthetized Americans to moral outragebut at some point being an accessory to the wanton murder of Ukrainian civilians could spark a pang of anger. And anger is the first step to national recovery, replacing the chimera with a creature less abominable. 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 News Iran, China, and Russia began annual Security Belt military exercises in the Gulf of Oman Monday, underscoring the three nations security cooperation amid a shifting US foreign policy position under President Donald Trump. Since taking office in January, Trump has renewed his first terms posture of maximum pressure on Tehran, imposed hiked import duties on China, and made overtures toward Russian President Vladimir Putin as Trump pushes to end the Ukraine war. Trumps thawing of US-Russia ties is, some analysts have argued, a potential attempt at a so-called reverse Nixon, aimed at pushing Beijing and Moscow apart. Still, it remains highly unlikely that Russia has any desire to separate itself from China, a Brookings Institution analyst said, although Moscow likes to have options. Despite all the real limits to their partnership, the Council on Foreign Relations wrote, Moscow and Beijing remain united by opposition to a US-led world that, they believe, affords them too little security, status, and freedom of action. Following DeepSeeks explosive success, AI classes are coming to primary and secondary schools in China's capital, Beijingand its not the only country thats training kids to be the next Liang Wenfeng. China has a new secret weapon in the global AI-wars: elementary school kids. Beijing is training its next cohort of tech CEOs before theyve even left the playground. Starting this fall semester, primary and secondary schools in Beijing will offer at least eight hours of AI classes every academic yearwith students as young as six years old being taught how to use chatbots and other tools, general background on the technology, and AI ethics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a recent statement, the Beijing Municipal Education Commission said that schools can integrate the courses with existing studies like information technology or science, or let them stand alone. It also outlines plans to construct a multi-year AI curriculum, build a general AI education and training system, roll out a support system, and drum up promotion of the study. Chinas capital hopes this training will bolster the countrys strength in winning the AI warsespecially after DeepSeeks explosive entry onto the scene. And efforts are well underway; last December, Chinas Ministry of Education announced that it selected 184 Chinese schools to pilot models and programs in the AI curriculum to serve as a basis for wider programming. And Huai Jinpeng, the minister of the government agency, said that AI is the golden key for the countrys educational system. Beijing's schools may be trying to replicate the success it's seen out of Zhejiang University in Hangzhouwhere two of Chinas most prominent tech leaders, DeepSeeks Liang Wenfeng and Unitrees Wang Xingxing both graduated from. By getting students to grips with AI at an even younger age, the nations capital could see an explosion of innovationif it can keep pace with other countries also integrating AI into school curriculums. International efforts to train students in the global AI race China isnt the only country to bring AI to kids. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Estonias government announced a partnership with OpenAI last month to equip secondary school students and teachers with ChatGPT Edu, a version of ChatGPT customized for education systems. It will be rolled out among 10th and 11th graders in the country starting September this year, and the collaboration will also entail technical assistance, administrative task streamlining, study support, and lesson planning. We are now starting a new chapter in the development of our education system and digital society, Estonian President Alar Karis said. Artificial intelligence has permanently changed the world, and like all sectors, the education system must adapt to these changes. Other countries like Canada and South Korea have also integrated the advanced tech into K-12 studies, including using AI-powered digital textbooks and programs for teachers to integrate AI in class. A private school in the U.K. similarly launched a teacherless classroom last year, where about 20 students used virtual reality headsets and AI platforms to learn instead of listening to humans. And American education provider McGraw Hill launched two genAI tools for the classroom in 2024: AI Reader to mark up digital books and Writing Assistant to get specific feedback in the writing process. Despite the waves AI can make in learning, education companies and ministries head caution with overreliance on tech tools. Advanced tech has the capability to be anyones personal tutorfree of chargewhich can be conveniently accessed on any device. But there are risks, too. The United Nations has stressed childrens safety by using inclusive AI tools, setting clear guidelines, emphasizing humanity at the center of the curriculums, and managing risk. And education business leaders echo the same considerations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our levels of brand trust are so high that the greatest risk for us is not moving too slowly on AI, its moving too fast on AI, Dylan Arena, chief data science and AI officer at McGraw Hill, told Fortune. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com WASHINGTON (AP) China retaliated against President Donald Trump's tariffs with an additional 15% tax on key American farm products, including chicken, pork, soybeans and beef. The escalating trade tensions punished U.S. markets Monday as investors fearful of the damage from from Trump's trade wars put their money elsewhere. The Chinese tariffs, announced last week, were a response to Trump's decision to double the levy on Chinese imports to 20% on March 4. China's Commerce Ministry had earlier said that goods already in transit would be exempt from the retaliatory tariffs until April 12. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Imposing tariffs on imports is a key part of Trump's agenda. He believes the import taxes can raise money for the Treasury, protect American industries and pressure foreign countries to do what he wants in a range of issues, including immigration and drug trafficking. On Wednesday, Trump is set to remove exceptions on 25% steel tariffs he imposed in 2018 effectively raising the taxes and raise his levy on aluminum from 10% to 25%. In a bewildering series of announcements last week, Trump slapped tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, then delayed many of them for 30 days. Next month, he could plaster "reciprocal tariffs'' meant to raise U.S. tariffs to match higher tariffs imposed by foreign countries on a wide range of imports from around the world. Economists warn that tariffs raise prices for consumers and make the U.S. economy less efficient as protected American companies have less incentive to innovate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There's also the threat of retaliation, and farmers, who are among Trump's most loyal supporters and also have vigilant defenders in Congress, make a tempting target. China also hit American farm products during the president's first-term trade wars. U.S. farm sales to China plummeted, then recovered after the two countries reached a truce in January 2020 and Beijing promised to buy more from U.S. farmers. American farm exports to China peaked at $38 billion in 2022, then fell to $29 billion in 2023 and $25 billion last year. In January, they were down 56% from a year earlier, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. During his first term, Trump spent tens of billions of dollars in taxpayer money to compensate farmers for lost exports. BEIJING (AP) Every year in early March, Chinas rubber-stamp legislature and its advisory body gather to hear speeches and hold discussions in the capital, Beijing. In contrast to the long and monotonous sessions, a bustling scene unfolds outside the Great Hall of the People in the heart of Beijing, where ethnic minority delegations from far-flung provinces pose for photographs donning their finest traditional costumes. Jangly silver headdresses and elaborate embroidery work, felt hats and long, layered skirts in a kaleidoscope of colors draw attention in stark contrast to the drab business suits, routinely dark grey with conservative ties or bows. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a visual display of one of the purported ruling concepts of the Chinese Communist Party, that all 56 ethnic groups in the nation are equal. Yet, the majority Han group has dominated politics and the economy going back thousands of years and continues to do so, making up about 92% of the population. The vast majority of minority delegates come from mountainous and border areas, such as Yunnan, Guangxi, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Tibet. While some names may be familiar, such as Uyghurs and Tibetans, most are from smaller or less known groups, some with just a few thousand members. Many have become virtually assimilated with the Han, including the Manchus who, despite their relatively small numbers, swept down from the Great Wall of China and ruled the country for around 300 years before being overthrown by its first republic. After taking power in 1949, Mao Zedong declared all were members of a single Chinese nation, regardless of ethnicity, and began a steady campaign to impose a single Chinese language on Han and minority peoples alike, accompanied by rigid political orthodoxy and campaigns against Tibetan Buddhism and Islam as practiced by Uyghurs and other groups in the far northwest. Starmer, in his talk with Trump, expresses hope for resumption of US aid to Ukraine British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke with US President Donald Trump on Monday, March 10, the UK government press service reported. The Prime Minister said he hoped there would be a positive outcome to the talks that would enable US aid and intelligence sharing to be restarted, the message says. Starmer said that UK officials had been speaking to Ukraine officials over the weekend and they remain committed to a lasting peace. The two leaders also spoke about the economic deal they had discussed at the White House and the Prime Minister welcomed the detailed conversations that had already happened to move this forward. Both leaders agreed to stay in touch. Starting this fall, schools in Beijing must provide at least eight hours of AI instruction. AI education will be mandatory for students from elementary school through high school. The move comes as China powers ahead in the AI race. China's capital, Beijing, is making AI education compulsory for students including elementary schoolers. Starting this fall, schools in the city must provide at least eight hours of AI instruction per academic year, the Beijing Municipal Education Commission said in a statement on Friday. Schools can teach AI as a stand-alone course or integrate it into existing courses like science and information technology. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the new plan, elementary schoolers, typically ages six to twelve, would take hands-on courses to kick-start their understanding of AI. Those in middle school would learn how to apply AI in schoolwork and daily life, while high schoolers would focus on strengthening AI applications and innovation, the agency said. In China, compulsory education consists of six years of elementary school, three years of middle school, and three years of high school. The commission said the initiative is meant to create a "teacher-student-machine" learning model and integrate AI ethics. Beijing isn't alone in pushing for AI education in schools. Last year, California passed a law requiring its education board to consider AI literacy in school curricula. Reuters reported in September that Italy would begin testing AI-powered tools in 15 classrooms as part of a broader effort to enhance students' digital skills. China pushes on in the AI race Beijing's decision to make AI education mandatory comes as China powers ahead in the AI race, with its homegrown startups gaining global attention. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this year, AI startup DeepSeek made headlines after unveiling a low-cost reasoning model that shook up the AI industry and the US stock market. The company said its model rivals top competitors, like ChatGPT's o1, at a fraction of the cost. Last week, Alibaba's stock surged 8% over two days after the company launched its latest open-sourced AI model, which it said used less data than its rival DeepSeek. Other Chinese AI stocks, including Tencent, have also seen gains amid excitement for newly announced technology, while top US-based AI stocks, like Nvidia, have faced losses. Read the original article on Business Insider HONG KONG (Reuters) - Several of China's top universities have announced plans to expand their undergraduate enrolment to prioritise what they called "national strategic needs" and develop talent in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI). The announcements come after Chinese universities launched artificial intelligence courses in February based on AI startup DeepSeek which has garnered widespread attention. Its creation of AI models comparable to the most advanced in the United States, but built at a fraction of the cost, has been described as a "Sputnik moment" for China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Analysts say that DeepSeek's success, almost entirely staffed by researchers from elite domestic universities, highlights how Beijing's investment in building a large homegrown STEM talent pool and recent U.S. restrictions on Chinese student visas have allowed China to catch up on AI. Peking University said on Saturday that it would add 150 undergraduate spots in 2025 to focus on areas of "national strategic importance", fundamental disciplines and "emerging frontier fields". They would mainly be in information science and technology, engineering and clinical medicine. Renmin University said on Saturday that it would add more than 100 places in areas such as AI to improve innovation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The expansion is "closely linked" to the plan to make China a "powerful education country" and focus on growing talent in the digital era, it said. Shanghai Jiao Tong University will add 150 spots focusing on "cutting-edge technologies" and emerging industries "urgently needed", in AI, integrated circuits, biomedicine, healthcare and new energy. China in January issued its first national action plan to build a "strong education nation" by 2035, to help coordinate its education development, improve efficiencies in innovation and build a "strong country". In December education authorities said they would begin AI education in primary and secondary schools to cultivate creativity, scientific interest and digital skills among students. (Reporting by Farah Master in Hong Kong; additional reporting by Eduardo Baptista in Beijing; Editing by Michael Perry) March 10 (UPI) -- Retaliatory tariffs imposed by China on U.S. farm products took effect Monday. The Chinese tariffs are a 15% levy on American products such as corn, wheat and chicken, and 10% on fruit, soybeans, beef and pork. China has also announced it would block 15 American companies from purchasing Chinese products unless it granted them special permission. Another 10 U.S. companies have been blocked from doing business in China altogether. Beijing also said levies would be placed on American coal, natural gas and farm equipment following the 10% tariffs imposed by the United States in February. The tariffs are in response to 10% tariffs President Donald Trump first enacted on nearly $440 billion worth of Chinese goods imported by the U.S. every year in early February and then raised the levies to 20% last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has said the moves would help the United States rebuild its industrial sector while pressuring China to help reduce the movement of fentanyl into the U.S. The average tariff on Chinese goods imported by the U.S. is now 39%, compared to the 3% tariffs collected against most other countries. Trump also imposed 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico Tuesday, but has since suspended most of those levies. Beijing had announced its tariffs last week, shortly after Trump announced the raise from 10% to 20%. Nonetheless, China faces more of an impact from a trade war as it purchases less from the United States than the U.S. imports from there. The Chinese trade surplus with the U.S. approached $300 billion last year. Chinese commerce minister Wang Wentao said last week that he hoped communication with American counterparts over the issue could begin "as soon as possible." Enjoy the peace and quiet while you can, because soon cicadas will make their not-so-subtle return. Not only are cicadas returning to the Volunteer State this year but Tennessee is expected to have one of the largest concentrations of the nuisance bugs anywhere in the U.S., according to USA TODAY. The 17-year periodical Brood XIV cicada, last seen in 2008, will reemerge from the ground in 2025. These large, red-eyed insects will be everywhere in just weeks. You'll hear their buzzing in just about every corner of the Volunteer State. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ahead of the periodical cicada's return to Tennessee, here's what you should know. Which states will have cicadas in 2025? Thirteen U.S. states, including Tennessee, will see cicadas this year. States getting cicadas in 2025 are concentrated in the eastern half of the country: Georgia Indiana Kentucky Massachusetts Maryland North Carolina New Jersey New York Ohio Pennsylvania Tennessee Virginia West Virginia When are the cicadas coming to Tennessee? Cicadas will begin to emerge from their underground burrows in the springtime, once the temperature reaches about 65 degrees, according to Cicada Mania. You'll likely start to see cicadas in the Volunteer State during the fourth week in April or the first week in May, according to Gene Kritsky, founder of Cicada Safari. Southern Tennessee will be first to hear the buzz of cicadas, then the insects will start coming out in the northern part of the Volunteer State. How long is cicada season in Tennessee? The Brood XIV cicadas will only stick around in Tennessee for a few weeks. The periodical cicadas will be present as early as April 2025 and should disappear again by late June, according to Cicada Mania. When will the cicadas go away in Tennessee? This is probably your most pressing cicada-related question: When will they finally be gone?!? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cicadas will likely have gone away in Tennessee by late June 2025. Cicada emergence map 2025 Are cicadas blind? No. Cicadas actually have excellent vision, according to the University of Connecticut biodiversity research collections. CIcadas' supposed blindness is a myth because periodical cicadas dont care about where they land. Can cicadas bite? No. Cicadas do not bite, nor do they sting. Though they are annoying, the bugs are not considered to be harmful. Can dogs eat cicadas? While cicadas are not inherently toxic for dogs, the American Kennel Club recommends stopping your pups from eating the bugs. If dogs eat one or two cicadas, the dogs likely will be OK. However, if dogs eat too many, the bug's exoskeleton will become difficult to digest. This can cause your dog to have severe stomach upset and abdominal pain, vomiting and bloody diarrhea, according to the American Kennel Club. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Are cicadas back in 2025? Tennessee among states getting most cicadas NEW MEXICO (KRQE) As some people begin to hit the road for Spring Break, the gas average in New Mexico is below the national average. One gas station is also working to lower the cost of filling up to 40 cents per gallon. Albuquerque museum to host total lunar eclipse viewing event As of Monday, March 10, AAA reported that New Mexicos average gas price was $2.92, about .16 cents lower than the national average of $3.08. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, March 11, participating Circle K locations in New Mexico, Colorado, and three Texas cities (Lubbock, Amarillo, and El Paso) will offer up to 40 cents off per gallon for members of the stations rewards program. Discounted gas will be available from 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. and there will be a limit of 35 gallons per transaction. To see which Circle K stations are participating in the rewards program, click here. To find the lowest gas prices in New Mexico, check out the KRQE News 13 Gas Tracker 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 KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) The City of Champaign is looking for public input on the future of its downtown area through an online survey. Officials with the citys Planning and Development Department said they hope that by gathering the communitys perspectives and ideas, they can update the 2006 Downtown Plan and create a shared vision for future change in the community. SEE ALSO: City of Champaign asking for input on downtown area upgrades Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To participate in the survey in English or Spanish, click here. City officials added that anyone is welcome and all are encouraged to give their input not just those who live or work in the downtown area. To learn more, visit the City of Champaigns website. Further questions can be directed to planning@chamapignil.gov or Senior Planner Eric Van Buskirk at eric.vanbuskirk@champaignil.gov or 217-403-8800. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) The Peoria City Council will consider a measure at its Tuesday night meeting to give a local nonprofit $39,000 which allows them to continue sheltering homeless people in a motel. The measure will come during the business portion of the council meeting and will allow LULA NFP to continue housing more than 60 people who were previously on the street or living in tent cities around the city. If approved, itll be the second time the council appropriated money to house people. In mid-January, the council voted to give LULA $80,000. The money ran out late last month and the organization has been using its own funds to house people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kshe Bernard, co-founder of LULA, said people would have to leave the motels this Friday if funding isnt approved. If they dont vote yes tomorrow, there are over 60 people back on the streets with no other option, Bernard said. On Monday, Mayor Rita Ali said she and 3rd District Councilman Tim Riggenbach have been working on the sidelines on how to move forward once the city money to Lula stopped last month. Christine Haley, the states homelessness chief with the Illinois Department of Human Services, was contacted by Ali to help find additional funding to continue to house people. The mayor said the state dollars will buy us some more time until we can try to get these individuals who are on the street, who are now in a hotel or motel, get them into temporary or permanent housing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Information contained in the council packet said the money will fill in with a temporary grant while other potential funding from the state through the United Way goes through the state reallocation process and United Way approvals. That agreement will likely [be a] pass-through grant to the City and come before the City Council at our next meeting. Ali said shes confident the city will successfully tackle the issue. Its a very trying time right now because there are some funds that are being withheld on the national level that come through (U.S. Housing and Urban Development), and those funds, if they dont come through, could actually cause more people to be evicted from their temporary or permanent housing situation. Peoria City Council approves $80K, not $10K, to temporarily house people in motels Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The issue of people living in tents has been a hot topic after the council voted to make camping on public land such as right of ways or near the interstates or bridges illegal. Thats where many of the homeless people within the city limits have made encampments. As the mercury dropped and as the deadline loomed, LULA moved many people into area motels, at first paying out of its own pocket, but those funds quickly were depleted. The council money gave them about six more weeks, but thats now out. Bernard says more money, either from the state or the city, is vital. If that money came through, we would be able to move some people out, we have people on waiting list, she said. Were just waiting for these units to open up and funding to come through for more permanent supportive housing because most of our participants need that permanent supportive housing option. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bernard said she hopes the council makes the compassionate choice during Tuesdays meeting. On the state level, Haley has helped to identify $200,000 that must be used by June 30 to combat homelessness in Illinois, the mayor said. If that money were to come to Peoria, both the United Way and the Continuum of Care a catch-all group that tackles the homeless issue in the area have agreed to use that money to house people, Ali said. The Office to Prevent and End Homelessnesss Home Illinois Program provided a $1 million grant to address unsheltered homelessness in Peoria, said Rachel Otwell, a spokesperson for Christine Haley. Im very grateful to Christine Haley, Im very grateful to United Way, and Im very grateful to Kate Green with the Continuum of Care, she 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 CIProud.com. Video note: Despite this articles time stamp, the above video is the latest forecast from The Weather Authority. SCOTT COUNTY, Ky. (FOX 56) Spring in Kentucky can be a beautiful time of year, but conditions for widespread fire are also lingering in the air and on dry brush. On Sunday, the Scott County Fire Department posted on Facebook urging the community to be cautious when planning a controlled burn as part of a spring cleaning routine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Human remains found in Jessamine County identified: Heres what we know According to state law, from Feb. 15 to April 30, its illegal to set any materials on fire within 150 feet of the woods or brush between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. The law applies again in the fall from Oct. 1 through Dec. 15. With highs around 70, people will undoubtedly decide to get out in the sun and clean up yard debris accumulated throughout this long winter, Scott County fire officials wrote. While it is perfectly fine to do so, we urge you to use caution during the spring fire season we are currently in. The Scott County Fire Department posted a burn prevention notice on Sunday, along with tips on how to properly conduct a safe burn on Facebook. (Scott County Fire Department) Firefighters said dry grass and higher winds are prominent during this time of year and can be dangerous when starting a fire in the open. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The department wrote that if you decide to burn debris, do so after 6 a.m. and before 6 p.m., only use natural vegetation, and keep the fire more than 150 feet from woodland or brushland. Illegal pen-burning can carry fines up to $25,000, per Kentucky law. Scott County authorities ask that you call fire department members at (502) 863-7854 to report where the burn will take place. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha has held talks with his British counterpart David Lammy and discussed paths to peace. As part of our regular dialogue, I had a call with David Lammy. I thanked the UK and personally David for their support. Ahead of the meeting in Jeddah, I stressed that Ukraine wants to end the war as no one else. We discussed ways to peace and long-term security for Ukraine, Sybiha said on X. As hope for a prison release for convicted double murderers Erik and Lyle Menendez slimmed on Monday (now that a high-profile and highly politicized resentencing bid has all but vanished), California Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to take the playbook he conceived for the brothers and apply it to potential clemency cases statewide. On Monday, it was reported that Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochmans office will withdraw his predecessors request to reduce the Menendezes sentences, saying the brothers have failed to show they have complete insight into their crimes. The two men have been imprisoned in California since 1996 for the 1989 murder of their parents, in what they claim was a self-defense culmination of years of sexual abuse and other domestic horrors. As others believe, and a jury of 12 men and women agreed, it was a brutal and unflinching crime whose motive was greed. A second jury trial saw them convicted and sent to jail for the rest of their lives. More from The Hollywood Reporter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The announcement of Hochmans door-slamming decision on the case on Monday has now essentially ended one of the three legal avenues to freedom the brothers and their lawyers embarked on after strong new evidence verified their initial defense of long-term abuse by their father. But last week, the brothers watched the legal path involving a reduced sentence begin to fall apart as Hochman finally, after months of silence on their cases, let his opinion on the prison rehabilitation of the double-murderer inmates be publicly known. On Feb. 26, Newsom signaled what looks a lot like his support for the release of Erik and Lyle when he called for the California Parole Board to conduct a risk assessment investigation of the inmates. The risk assessment seeks to conclude whether the brothers who for decades have been model prisoners who have focused on helping other inmates heal trauma now pose an unreasonable risk to public safety if they are released. Newsom told listeners on his podcast last week that his office conducts dozens and dozens of these clemency reviews on a consistent basis and warned that this move is no indicator that the brothers fate has been determined. This process simply provides more transparency, which I think is important in this case, he said to his listeners. It appears he now feels that transparency is crucial for all potential clemency cases, as hes codifying the means he ordered for the Menendez case to all of the clemency cases that come to the governors office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposed revision Newsom has decided to run up the flagpole tells us a few important things regarding the protracted Menendez case: That 90-day widow for the boards assessment will be adhered to and therefore there will be no decisions made between now and June regarding the brothers future. Also, the public is soon going to throw more support behind freeing the Menendezes, as any report on the two detailing their decades in prison will reflect their aforementioned work with other traumatized inmates, the massive mural project they organized and near total lack of violent behavior. What it doesnt do is provide any real indication of whether hell grant clemency to them. Thats the X-factor. Robert Rand, a journalist and author who wrote the definitive guide to the Menendez story, told The Hollywood Reporter. We just dont know what hes going to do. I anticipate that the risk assessment evaluation will come back and say that they are not a danger to the people of the state of California. And so yeah, just a question. Newsom has got to come to the rescue here. And I believe he will. This streamlined investigative process would be followed by a board holding a hearing, submitting its recommendation and the report to the governors office for possible clemency and to courts for potential resentencing. The idea is to provide transparency and understanding on how these decisions are made and are, as indicated, with community safety considered Justice may be blind, but we shouldnt be in the dark when determining if someone is rehabilitated, safe, and ready to leave prison, Newsom said in a statement. This new process will help further ensure victims and district attorneys are part of the commutation process and improve public safety by front-loading the risk assessment like were doing in the Menendez case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Newsom has granted 208 pardons and 141 commutations in his six years in office. He is term-limited and, therefore, will not be running for re-election. The California Parole Board freed just 1,425 of 4,072 inmates seeking their freedom in 2023. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The ice at the end of the world is melting, and it is melting at record speed, a process that is being closely observed by Karl Sandgreen, 45. "Everything changed after 1997," says Sandgreen, who comes from the western Greenland town of Ilulissat. Before that, the sea ice covered the bay off Ilulissat until the end of May or start of June. "But it disappeared after 1997." Sandgreen's homeland is on the front line of man-made climate change, which is progressing much faster in Greenland than anywhere else in the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Ilulissat, this is evident in the icebergs up to 100 metres high, which calve from the nearby Sermeq Kujalleq glacier and then slowly drift out into Disko Bay in the Ilulissat Icefjord and from there towards the open sea. This silent spectacle is highly impressive, but also frightening, as it makes us acutely aware of the consequences of a warming world. Sermeq Kujalleq is one of the most active glaciers in the world. As a result of global warming and the associated glacier melt, it has retreated by more than 40 kilometres since 1850, and the trend has accelerated dramatically since the turn of the millennium. Leading politicians from all over the world have travelled to Ilulissat to see the effects of climate change for themselves. Sandgreen saw them all, but he was particularly impressed by then German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a trained scientist. "She didn't appear like other politicians, but was very calm and very modest," says the current director of the Icefjord Centre, an information centre within sight of the colossal icebergs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Arctic, where most of Greenland is located, has warmed almost four times as fast as the rest of the world in recent decades, studies show. This has both global and local consequences: While global sea levels continue to rise due to the melting ice in Greenland, people on the world's largest island are having to adapt to a new situation. At the same time, climate change goes hand in hand with growing economic ambitions, which are also reflected in US President Donald Trump's claims to ownership. "The retreat of the ice means a new chapter for Greenland," says climate impact researcher Pelle Tejsner from the University of Ilisimatusarfik in Greenland. All Greenlanders are feeling the effects of climate change, and yet they are divided. Some are affected by the negative consequences in their everyday lives, while others see mainly positive effects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The more dependent they are on ice for food, the more likely they are to view climate change as a negative development, says Tejsner. There are also concerns about the increasing unpredictability of the weather, especially in northern Greenland. "People can no longer read the weather as accurately as they used to," he says. "They can't judge whether it's still safe to go seal or whale hunting." In southern Greenland, on the other hand, conditions are now better for growing potatoes and vegetables, for example. Such products normally have to be delivered from Denmark at great expense, and the prices for them in Greenlandic supermarkets are consequently high. In Ilulissat, fishermen report that the sea ice once no longer supported the dogsleds they used for fishing and hunting. As a result, there are now thousands fewer dogs in the town of 5,000 inhabitants than before - but many more boats, with which the fishermen now catch much more halibut than before. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another positive effect, according to Sandgreen, is that supply ships can come to Ilulissat virtually all year round. "When I went to the supermarket as a child, they sometimes had no cheese, no milk, no eggs. Some shops were completely empty back then." Now, it is different, he says. At the same time, there are stronger storms that can trigger violent waves on the coasts. A friend of his lost his house in such a storm three years ago, says Sandgreen. "We've never experienced anything like that before." He is concerned that climate change could lead to an increase in tsunamis like the one in North Greenland in 2017. And a museum in Ilulissat may soon have to close because the permafrost underneath is thawing very quickly, causing the building to sink, Sandgreen fears. The thawing has created cracks in the ground in the region that he has never seen before. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, for Greenland, climate change means that mineral resources are becoming more accessible and shipping routes that were once frozen over are becoming passable, at least in summer. The number of ships passing through the Arctic has increased by 37% within a decade, and the distance they have travelled there by as much as 111%. The port of Nuuk could become a more important transhipment centre and a source of income for the Greenlandic economy. If the route from the Northwest to the Northeast Passage is also opened up in future, this could reduce the journey time for ships travelling between Europe and Japan or China from 22 days to around 10 days compared to the journey through the Suez Canal. So it is not surprising that China has been trying to establish a foothold in the Arctic for years. Trump meanwhile aims to prevent such moves, considering the military and economic outlook. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, even greater hopes are pinned on the island's vast stores of raw materials. Scientists - and the world powers - already see enormous potential in them. "Greenland is like a sweet shop for rare earths," says Tejsner. Whoever secures Greenland's mineral deposits could become a big player alongside global market leader China. "That's what the Arctic has always been about: it's a race for resources," he says. Climate change has ultimately accelerated this race. "It has opened windows of opportunity: The ice is melting and new land is opening up." CLINTON, Tenn. (WATE) A Clinton woman has been indicted following accusations that she abused a vulnerable adult in her care. Special agents assigned to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations Medicaid Fraud Control Division investigated the case. The investigation began in September 2024 following a referral from Adult Protective Services, according to a TBI release. Tara Theresa Williams, 54, who was employed as a caregiver at a residential facility in Oak Ridge, is accused of physically abused a patient. She was arrested on March 10 and booked into the Anderson County Jail on a $50,000 bond. Knox County Sheriffs Office investigating apparent murder-suicide at apartment complex Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The charges and allegations referenced in this release are merely accusations of criminal conduct and not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law, reads the release from the TBI. A grant totaling $10,782,912 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services funds 75% of the TBIs Medicaid Fraud Control Division. The remaining 25%, totaling $3,594,302, is funded by the state. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side. CAMPBELL COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) I-75 southbound was temporarily closed in Campbell County after a commercial motor vehicle fire Sunday, according to the Campbell County Office of Emergency Management & Homeland Security. The fire was south of the 5th Street exit at mile marker 157. According to the Tennessee Department of Transportations SmartWay map, the fire was reported around 6 p.m. House fire on Rector Street leaves substantial damage (Photo from the Campbell County Office of Emergency Management & Homeland Security) (Photo from the Campbell County Office of Emergency Management & Homeland Security) One lane reopened around 9:40 p.m. Sunday night. By Monday morning, map showed the road fully open again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side. Searches on Google for Trump alongside the word chaos have spiked spectacularly in the first weeks of President Donald Trumps second term, CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten said this weekend. They are up an astonishing 320% compared to the same period in Trumps first term, the journalist noted. This 46-day stretch that the Trump presidency has gone on has the most number of searches for Trump and chaos on record, Enten explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The American people are seeing this. They think that Donald Trump is like Butters in South Park. He is Professor Chaos, said Enten, referencing the villainous alter ego of Butters Stotch in the adult-animated sitcom. That is what is going on, Enten continued. The American people at this particular point are going, What is happening here? They are seeing Trump and they are associating him with the word chaos. Stock market investors do not like uncertainty or chaos, Enten noted. Anchor John Berman suggested that voters may or may not like the tariff policy but what they like less, though, no matter what, is the wild reverse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Enten agreed: They just need to know whats going on so that they can plan. Watch here: "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 Related... COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) The co-leader of a large-scale drug and sex trafficking ring that operated near a Columbus elementary school from 2008 to 2022 has received his prison sentence. Patrick White Boy Pat Saultz, 46, was given a 22-year prison sentence on federal charges related to distributing controlled substances near an elementary school, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, and concealment money laundering, per the acting U.S. Attorney Kelly Norris of the Southern District of Ohio. He is also ordered to pay restitution of more than $1.7 million in cash in addition to paying the sex trafficking victims and losing his property rights which includes two cars, a motorcycle, dozens of guns, a Rolex watch, and real estate. Saultz is one of 25 people charged in connection to this drug ring that has been convicted or pleaded guilty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Human remains found in Fairfield County Court documents said that Saultz and his co-leader Cordell Washington, 39, ran the large-scale operation near an elementary school in southwest Columbus. He began by distributing heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine from his house also in southwest Columbus in 2008. The operation expanded to selling drugs from over a dozen residences and trafficking narcotics to West Virginia and northern Ohio. Investigators estimate that over 40 grams of fentanyl was sold per day from each drug house and over $18,000 worth of drugs was sold per day from the main house near the elementary school. Saultz and other members were also accused of running a sex trafficking operation by coercing women to engage in prostitution for illegal drugs. NBC4 previously reported that federal officers arrested eight men and three women who were all charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute drugs over two years. In total agents seized $1.5 million in cash, 44 firearms, seven vehicles and a motorcycle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The original indictment included the following defendants: Defendants added in the superseding indictment unsealed in October of 2022 include: Name Age City of Residence Robert E. Tinsley, III, aka Cam 22 Columbus Priscilla L. Washington 58 Columbus Lauren E. Brezney 29 Shallotte, N.C./Columbus Brittany A. Williams 36 Columbus Gabriel R. Smith, aka Gabe 34 Canal Winchester Robert L. Pyles, aka Pork 45 Columbus Mitchell A. Powers 33 Columbus Vincent T. Griffin 50 Reynoldsburg Caitlin R. Duff 27 Columbus Michael D. Burton 39 Columbus Brian K. Long, II 32 Columbus Anthony B. Frierson, aka Royal 31 Columbus Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. By Marcelo Teixeira HOUSTON (Reuters) - Theft of truck loads of green coffee beans is surging in the United States, the world's largest importer of the commodity, as prices for the beans increased to all-time highs in the last year, according to transportation companies. The issue was discussed by market participants over the weekend in Houston, where the U.S. National Coffee Association held its annual conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. is the world's largest consumer of the beverage. Since coffee is only produced in warmer geographies, it has to import nearly 100% of what it uses and transport millions of bags from ports to roasting plants, mostly via trucks. "There were dozens of thefts in the last year, something that would happen only rarely in the past," said Todd Costley, logistic sales coordinator for Hartley Transportation, a freight broker in Pembroke, New Hampshire. Theft of coffee has been reported in producing countries such as Brazil and Vietnam, usually in farms where the beans are temporarily stored after the harvest. Those sites are more vulnerable because they are isolated. Armed men took 500 bags of coffee worth around $230,000 from a farm in Brazil's Minas Gerais state in January, according to the local police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the U.S., the thefts have been done by organized gangs who disguise as transportation companies. Costley said those fake companies are in the market trying to get small contracts from importers by offering better prices or immediate availability of trucks. "Importers should be careful about who they hire," he said. "Once they get the coffee, they disappear." Each truck load has about 44,000 pounds (19,958 kg) of green beans, which at current market value is worth around $180,000. Some market participants believe the gangs then try to sell the beans to smaller roasters, which are feeling the pain from sky-high prices. Some importers have started attaching tracking devices to the coffee bags, in an effort to protect their shipments. (Reporting by Marcelo Teixeira; Editing by Bill Berkrot) ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Sam Colangelo scored twice, Lukas Dostal stopped 31 shots and the Anaheim Ducks beat the New York Islanders 4-1 on Sunday night. Drew Helleson and Mason McTavish also scored for the Ducks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tony DeAngelo spoiled Dostal's shutout bid with just under 5 minutes remaining, and Marcus Hogberg finished with 23 saves for the Islanders. Colangelo gave the Ducks a 1-0 lead with 2:08 left in the first period, and Helleson doubled the lead with 5:04 remaining in the second. McTavish made it 3-0 early in the third and Colangelo got his second of the night into an empty net at 8:08. Takeaways Islanders: New York, which had won four of its previous five, is now four points behind the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. Ducks: Anaheim won for just the third time in eight games (3-4-1), and pulled seven points behind Calgary for the second wild card in the Western Conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Key moment The Islanders had a 2-on-1 short-handed rush in the opening minute of the third period, but Adam Pelech's shot went wide off Dostal's glove. The Ducks went up the other way and got a 2-on-1 with McTavish firing a shot over Hogberg's blocker for a power-play goal to push the lead to 3-0. Key stat Trailing 2-0 after two periods, the Islanders outshot the Ducks 16-8 in the third but Dostal had 15 saves as Anaheim had a 2-1 scoring edge in the period. Up next Islanders visit Los Angeles on Tuesday, and Ducks host Washington. ___ AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. (This story has been updated to include new information.) Update 4:19 p.m.: The National Weather Service has issued a special weather statement that a strong thunderstorm is moving toward areas of northern Palm Beach County, including Palm Beach Gardens, Juno Beach, Limestone Creek, Jupiter, Tequesta and West Palm Beach. The special weather statement, which includes the possibility of 50 mph wind gusts, was in effect until 4:30 p.m. Initial story: A cold front expected to bluster through South Florida late Monday will drop morning temperatures into the 50s this week and leave daytime highs stretching to reach the mid-70s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The robust front, which triggered wind warnings and advisories for Palm Beach County with gusts expected to reach 35 mph, also spawned a tornado northeast of Orlando that overturned a tractor trailer, crushed a home in Longwood and damaged several wood-frame residences, according to the National Weather Service. Meteorologists from the Melbourne office of the NWS said the tornado was mostly an EF-1 with peak winds of up to 95 mph, but briefly spun up to a EF-2 with winds up to 115 mph. Okeechobee County also suffered from high winds with the county's emergency management department posting on social media that homes were damaged, as well as trees and power lines downed. Barry Baxter, an NWS meteorologist in Miami, said a few thunderstorms trolling through Palm Beach County could become strong on Monday with possible hail of up to one inch. As of 4 p.m., no storms had reached the county but winds were gusting to 40 mph at Palm Beach International Airport. "It's very cold a loft," Baxter said about why hail is a possibility. "On top of that, there may be frequent lightning, gusty winds and we can't rule out an isolated weak tornado." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A gale watch for Palm Beach County's coastal waters was updated to a warning on Monday, and is in effect through Tuesday morning. A wind advisory for coastal cities from Jupiter to Miami was in effect until 8 p.m. Monday but could be extended. Treasure Coast counties were also under a wind advisory from 10 a.m. Monday through 7 p.m. with sustained winds reaching up to 25 mph and gusting to 40 mph. A high risk of rip currents through Tuesday evening and small craft advisories through Wednesday morning have also been issued. This video shows the moment a tornado hit the FOX 35 Orlando studio while they were on the air providing life-saving information. Severe weather has been moving across portions of Central Florida all morning, triggering Tornado Warnings. More: https://t.co/He9myx6P1S pic.twitter.com/LR86MR86C4 FOX Weather (@foxweather) March 10, 2025 The cold front is attached to an area of low pressure that was forecast to push into the Atlantic Ocean near the state line between Florida and Georgia Monday afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, a pulse of energy high in the atmosphere could stir up thunderstorms from showers moving ahead of the cold front. Despite the showers, little rainfall is expected from the system. The Weather Prediction Center said just .25 inches or below could fall in southeast Florida. That won't make much of a dent in the severe drought that has spread through 77% of Palm Beach County. A map released March 6 by the U.S. Drought Monitor showed the remainder of the county was in moderate drought. Dry air and clear skies are forecast for the remainder of the week. Tuesday morning's temperature in the mid-50s will increase to a peak near 75 during the day. Wednesday will be similar before a warmup begins Wednesday night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kimberly Miller is a journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network of Florida. She covers real estate, weather, and the environment. Subscribe to The Dirt for a weekly real estate roundup. If you have news tips, please send them to kmiller@pbpost.com. Help support our local journalism: Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: West Palm weather: Cold front triggers gale watch with high winds BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. The employee of the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan Nijat Huseynov was detained by the State Security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan on March 04, 2025 as a suspect and brought to court, a preventive measure in the form of detention was chosen by the Sabail District Court of Baku, Trend reports. According to the information, he is accused of abuse of official powers during his official activity. Meanwhile, by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Chairman of the State Tourism Agency Fuad Naghiyev was strictly reprimanded for shortcomings in his work. Several officials of the Agency, including the head of the State Tourism Agency's Apparatus Kanan Gasimov, head of the Tourism Policy and Strategy Department Muhammad Muradov, were dismissed from their posts. Originally appeared on E! Online A search is on for a University of Pittsburgh student who went missing while on a spring break trip to the Dominican Republic. Sudiksha Konanki, 20, a citizen of India and a U.S. resident who lives with her family in Virginia, was traveling with five other female students from her college in Punta Cana last week when she disappeared. She was reported missing March 6 and appears to have vanished between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. that morning, a Loudoun County Sheriff's Office spokesperson told NBC News, adding that authorities are looking at all possibilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Right now it runs the gamut from something accidental to foul play," the spokesperson said. "It is all at this point under consideration. Nothing's been ruled out." Sheriff Michael Chapman told NBC News that on the morning of her disappearance, Konanki went to the beach with friends and that they returned, but she did not. More from E! Online Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The embassy of India in the Dominican Republic has taken the lead working with the U.S. State Department and local law enforcement on the ground, the office's spokesperson added. Local government-funded agency Defensa Civil Dominicana said Konanki disappeared early March 6 while walking on a beach in the province of Altagracia and that search and rescue efforts, which includes the use of drones, helicopters, boats, divers and canine units, were ongoing, news channel Telenoticias reported March 9. The other students who traveled with Konanki have stayed behind to aid in the search instead of returning to the United States as scheduled, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office spokesperson said. Konanki's parents have also traveled from Virginia to the Dominican Republic, according to Pittsburgh TV station WTAE. Facebook / Sudiksha Konanki Konanki is 5 feet, 3 inches tall, has black hair and brown eyes and was last seen in the early hours wearing a brown bikini, big round earrings, a metal designer anklet and several bracelets, according to a flyer circulating on social media and posted by Dominican Today, a local English-language news outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The student was staying at the Riu Republica hotel before she went missing. "We have been working closely with local authorities, including the Police and Navy," the Riu Hotels & Resorts hotel chain said in a statement to Dominican Today, "to carry out a thorough search." The University of Pittsburgh said it is in contact with the Konanki's family as well as authorities in Loudoun County, Virginia. "We have offered our full support in their efforts to find her," a spokesperson told NBC News, "and bring her home safely." (E! and NBC News are part of the NBCUniversal family.) For more on the case, keep reading. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Where Did Sudiksha Konanki Travel to for Spring Break? Sudiksha Konanki traveled to the Dominican Republic on March 3. Who Did Sudiksha Konanki Travel With? The 20-year-old headed to the Dominican Republic with five friends to celebrate the Universtiy of Pittsburgh's spring break. Where Was Sudiksha Konanki Staying? Konanki had been staying at the Hotel Riu Palace Punta Cana, an all-inclusive resort. Following her disappearance, the hotel told NBC News, "We have been working closely with the local authorities, including the police and the navy, to conduct a thorough search. We would like to express our deepest sympathy to the family and friends during this incredibly difficult time we are fully committed to doing everything in our power to assist in this situation." When Was Sudiksha Konanki Reported Missing? Konanki was reported missing on March 6 after her friends returned from a beach walk without her. It is believed to have disappeared between the hours of 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. that morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Did Search and Rescue Efforts Begin for Sudiksha Konanki? Following her disappearance, local officials began an investigation. Local civil defense confirmed it had begun searches on land and by sea, while a spokesperson for the Sheriff's Officy in Loudoun County in Viriginawhere Konanki was fromtold NBC News investigations included obtaining video, going through cellphone evidence and talking to people who were with Konanki. What Do Officials Believe May Have Happened to Sudiksha Konanki? On March 9, officials told ABC News they believe Konanki died by drowning. According to a police report, cited by ABC News, during the walk on the beach, most of the group decided to go back to the hotel at some point during the night while one friend remained with Konanki. The pair reportedly decided to go for a swim, and the police report notes the pair were caught by a big wave. Officials reportedly said the friends who had been with Konanki were questioned by police but had not been charged with anything. What Has Sudiksha Konankis Family Said About the Case? Following Konankis disappearance, her father Subbarayudu Konanki told CNN his daughter had been traveling before beginning pre-med studies. My daughter is a very nice girl," he said. "Shes ambitious. She wanted to pursue a career in medicine. For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App Mar. 10MOSES LAKE On Wednesday, the Moses Lake School District was made aware of a potential threat related to Columbia Middle School for Friday, according to MLSD Director of Public Relations Ryan Shannon. "I can report that we had no incident at Columbia Middle School today, per the potential threat that had been relayed to administration," Shannon said Friday. "Moses Lake Police Department continues to investigate, and if there's an update, it will come from them." With added caution, all of the building doors remained locked and MLPD had added presence at the school Friday. During a heated exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office on Feb. 28, U.S. Vice President JD Vance accused the Ukrainian president of leading propaganda tours of Russias destruction in the country. Zelensky, in turn, asked Vance if he had ever been to Ukraine. Of course, Vances criticism of Ukraine is not new. In a New York Times op-ed released in April 2024, Vance argued that America shouldnt help Ukraine, citing the burden of producing weapon systems like 155 mm shells and Patriot missiles. He suggested that the U.S. should pressure Ukraine to surrender territory it has lost to Russia and claimed that supporting Ukraine doesnt add up. Before Vance makes further assumptions and jeopardizes diplomatic relations with Ukraine, Im pleading with all due respect, as a fellow Ohioan for him to do what I did: travel to Ukraine and visit the town of Bucha, located in the suburbs of Kyiv. Bucha is the site of some of the first war crimes committed by the Russian army in Ukraine, uncovered in the initial months of the full-scale war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seeing Bucha will help Vance understand that this war is about more than just territory; its a war between good and evil. Im not an aid worker or foreign fighter. My visit to Ukraine was personal. In the early 2000s, as a record executive for Universal Music Group, I helped develop Ukraines music industry. In May 2023, after more than a year of full-scale war, I traveled to Kyiv to check on my colleagues. I took the Kyiv Express, a 17-hour train from Warsaw to Kyiv. I saw destruction everywhere: bombed-out apartment buildings, malls, and machine gun-riddled cars and homes. Even a statue of the poet Taras Shevchenko had been shot up in the Borodianka town square. In the territories Vance wants to hand over to Russia, war crimes have been committed daily for over two years including torture, executions, and the kidnapping of children. One of my colleagues offered to bring me to Bucha. Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw. I visited the site where mass graves were uncovered behind the local church. I spoke with an elderly church worker who survived the massacre by hiding in the basement for days. Listening to her terrifying account and seeing the destruction firsthand made it clear to me: this is a war of good versus evil. Bucha is one of many reasons why Ukraine cannot simply surrender territory to Russia. The war crimes uncovered in Bucha were revealed only after the Russian army was driven out, three months after its occupation. In the territories Vance wants to hand over to Russia, war crimes have been committed daily for over two years including torture, executions, and the kidnapping of children. By suggesting America should pull back from helping Ukraine, Vance risks ignoring these atrocities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a loyal Republican, Vance would do well to look to former U.S. President Ronald Reagan for inspiration. Reagan confronted evil with steely determination, resulting in the end of the Cold War. For Reagan, American values justified confronting the Soviet Union not excuses like production problems in weapons factories. Reagan, who loved Ohio and won the states presidential election twice, understood the crucial role Ohios military bases and weapons manufacturing played in the Cold War. But if Reagan were here today, I believe he would strongly disagree with Vances policy of weakness. As a fellow Ohioan, I dont understand Vances weak view of America. I grew up on a family farm in central Ohio, but we were both raised with the same Midwestern values to support good and confront evil. And what the Russian army is doing in Ukraine is among the greatest evils of this century. Both of us learned about Ohios greatest figures in public schools, from abolitionists Harriet Beecher Stowe and Sojourner Truth to astronauts John Glenn and Neil Armstrong individuals who demonstrated courage and bravery. Most of Vances constituents in Ohio support Ukraine. The Midwest is the heartland, and Ohioans consider ourselves the heart of America. What happened to your heart, Vance? Come to Bucha, Vance. You may find it there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Editors Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. Submit an Opinion Read also: Trumps aid cuts could trap Eastern Europe in a disinformation bubble Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. It started on Jan. 31, when someone named Mike Russo showed up at the Social Security Administration offices outside Baltimore and started introducing himself as a representative of DOGE, the federal budget-cutting service headed by Elon Musk. Over subsequent days, he urged senior Social Security Administration officials to take the deferred resignation offer that had been sent out by DOGE under the heading "Fork in the Road." The so-called Department of Government Efficiency set up its own internal team at the agency to ferret out information from its files. Social Security officials offered to brief the DOGE team about how the agency operates to ensure that payments are made accurately; they didn't seem interested. These details and others are drawn from an extraordinary declaration made in federal court in Maryland by Tiffany Flick, who rose during her 30 years with the agency to become acting chief of staff to acting Commissioner Michelle King. Flick retired shortly after King was replaced as acting commissioner by Leland Dudek, formerly a mid-level agency employee, on Feb. 16. If SSA's...procedures are not followed...that could result in benefits payments not being paid out or delays in payments. Former Social Security official Tiffany Flick Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Flick's declaration includes an explicit warning that DOGE's rampage through the Social Security Administration "could result in benefits payments not being paid out or delays in payments." Make no mistake: This would be catastrophic to millions of Americans and a politically toxic development. The undermining of Social Security by the Trump administration has already begun. In a recent appearance on Joe Rogans webcast, Musk called the program the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time"; as I wrote, that demonstrated that he knows nothing about Social Security, and nothing about Ponzi schemes. Trump has stated that he's "not touching" Social Security, but in his March 4 address to Congress he claimed that Musk had uncovered vast fraud at the agency, though he didn't back up that claim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump officials have taken steps to cut Social Security employees by more than 10%, which would undermine the agency's already overstretched ability to provide customer service to claimants and beneficiaries. Most recently, the administration briefly canceled the right of Maine residents to register their newborns for Social Security numbers remotely at birth, requiring them instead to bring their infants to a Social Security field office to complete the necessary paperwork. After an uproar, that action was reversed within a day, but it raised suspicions that it was undertaken to punish Mainers for their Democratic governor's public upbraiding of Trump at a Washington meeting. Social Security has made payments earned by American workers, their survivors and dependents for 85 years, without a break. That record is fundamental to the program's overwhelming popularity, the confidence it enjoys among its roughly 70 million current beneficiaries and its stature as the greatest safety net program in American history, keeping more than 22 million Americans out of poverty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Flick's declaration was filed as part of a lawsuit brought by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and other plaintiffs seeking to block DOGE's access to the Social Security Administration and its data. I asked the Social Security Administration for comment on Flick's assertions, but haven't received a reply. Read more: Hiltzik: Trump, the GOP and DOGE have launched their attack on Social Security. You should start worrying now The declaration makes sickening reading. She describes how her agency was invaded by know-nothing DOGE employees who ran roughshod over agency rules and procedures designed to protect the confidentiality of private personal information about beneficiaries and their family members, as required by law. Social Security master files that DOGE demanded and may have received access to include "information about anyone with a Social Security number, including names, names of spouses and dependents, work history, financial and banking information, immigration or citizenship status, and marital status," Flick states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DOGE representatives were secretive about what they were doing at the agency, she writes. They appeared to be focused on "the general myth of supposed widespread Social Security fraud, rather than facts." Their concerns fell into three categories: "untrue allegations regarding benefit payments to deceased people of advanced age; ... single Social Security numbers receiving multiple benefits...; [and] payments made to people without a Social Security number." Each of those concerns, Flick writes, was "invalid" and "based on an inaccurate understanding of SSA's data and programs." The assertion that payments are being made to people as old as 150 years, as I reported earlier, resulted from DOGE's misunderstanding of the agency's software; nevertheless it was bandied about by Musk at a White House press briefing and repeated in exaggerated form by Trump in his March 4 speech. As for multiple benefits being paid on single Social Security numbers, that's normal: "DOGE seemed to misunderstand the fact that benefits payments to spouses and dependents will be based on the Social Security number of a single worker," Flick explains. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And she states that SSA officials have never seen evidence that benefits are inappropriately being paid to people without a Social Security number. DOGE didn't give agency officials "enough information to understand the source of the concern." Officials who tried to block them were sidelined. As Flick describes the incursion, Dudek informed her on Jan. 30 that Russo and another DOGE representative would shortly be arriving at the agency. Read more: Hiltzik: The richest Americans finished paying their Social Security taxes last week. Most of us will pay all year Because Dudek was a mid-level employee, Flick asked why he was in contact with anyone at DOGE. She told him to cease any such contact, and informed him that all further contact with DOGE would be handled by the office of acting Commissioner King. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the next week or two, King's office was peppered with demands from DOGE that a software engineer, Akash Bobba, be given access to SSA data. "That request was unprecedented," Flick says, not only in its nature but its haste. Ultimately, Bobba was given "read-only" access to limited SSA data. Flick soon determined that Bobba was not working in a secure location, as was required under agency rules, but off-site at the Office of Personnel Management, a separate executive branch agency. She says it appeared that other, non-SSA people were working with him and may have had access to the protected personal information. Of greater concern, although Bobba had "read-only" access to the data, meaning that he couldn't change it, he had the ability to "copy and paste, export, and screenshot that data." In any case, Russo demanded that Bobba have access to "everything, including source code," Flick declares. "Generally, we would not provide full access [to] all data systems even to our most skilled and highly trained experts." The request to give Bobba unfettered access to the data "without justifying the 'need to know' this information was contrary to SSA's long-standing privacy protection policies and regulations," but no one would explain why its access was needed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dudek was placed on administrative leave on Feb. 14 and an investigation was opened into whether he had inappropriate contact with DOGE. Two days later, President Trump named Dudek acting commissioner. Get the latest from Michael Hiltzik Commentary on economics and more from a Pulitzer Prize winner. Sign me up. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. POTTSVILLE Schuylkill County Commissioners voted recently to explore the possibility of a collaboration with Northumberland County for 911 services. At Wednesdays work session, they agreed to a memorandum of understanding with Northumberland County. This is designed to coordinate and consolidate emergency and is designed to create efficiency and cost savings or both counties, said County Solicitor Paul Datte. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Datte said the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency is directly involved in the process. Commissioner Gary Hess said the feasibility study would determine if such an undertaking is beneficial. No timeline was provided when the feasibility would start or be completed. Commissioner Larry Padora said it could create savings for both counties. This will help generate more funding for Northumberland County and Schuylkill County and will be a benefit for both counties with no interruption of services, Padora said. The county spends millions to fund the county 911 center. Commissioner Barron L. Boots Hetherington said he previously attended a County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania meeting where combining services was mentioned. Republican state Sen. Jennifer Bradley speaking with reporters on March 10, 2025. (Photo by Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix) A committee of the Florida Senate approved an amendment to an election bill on Monday that would ban use of state funds to advocate for or against a ballot measure. The amendment sponsored by Northeast Florida Republican Jennifer Bradley was approved as part of a massive election bill (SB 7016) sponsored by the GOP-led Senate Ethics & Elections Committee that supporters say would reduce fraud and safeguard the petition gathering process for citizen-led constitutional amendments. Opponents say its yet another move by the Legislature to make it much more difficult to place such measures on the ballot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Statutes already prohibit state and local officials from using their authority to influence or interfere with an election, but that didnt deter Gov. Ron DeSantis from spending taxpayer money last year to air public service ads against against two proposed constitutional amendments that he strongly opposed Amendment 3, which would have legalized the adult use of cannabis, and Amendment 4 regarding abortion rights. This [legislative] amendment makes sure that taxpayers dont get the bill for political issue campaigns, Bradley said while introducing the proposal to the committee. The government spending of taxpayer funds on those initiatives triggered at least two lawsuits last year. The ACLU of Florida and Southern Legal Counsel filed a lawsuit last fall against the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) after that agency created a website whose homepage included language stating that Amendment 4 Threatens Womens Safety. And South Florida Democratic Sen. Jason Pizzo filed a lawsuit alleging that the Florida Department of Transportation improperly spent state money to oppose Amendment 4 last fall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In both cases, the courts rejected those lawsuits. The DeSantis administration and various state agencies declined media requests last year to list the specific sources of money they used to pay for the television ads. DeSantis did refer at one point last fall to a a wide variety of pots of money that are used for public service announcements, according to the Seeking Rents website. $50 million? The use of taxpayer dollars to fund those campaigns was documented in real time during the 2024 campaign. The Miami Herald reported that the Department of Children and Families had spent $4 million to pay a marketing agency for an advertising campaign aimed at educating Floridian families and youth about the dangers of marijuana, opioid, and drug use. Though the ads never explicitly mentioned Amendment 3, they aired last September, as the campaign for the measure was receiving heavy news coverage Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Smart & Safe Florida, the advocacy group for Amendment 3, claimed that the state government had spent $50 million in taxpayer dollars to campaign against the proposal. John Labriola is with the Christian Family Coalition, which strongly opposed Amendment 4. He testified against Bradleys amendment on Monday, questioning whether it would eliminate the ability of DeSantis or any future Florida governor to advocate against an amendment of this kind. This in no way prohibits public service messaging campaigns from the state; a very important part of state government is messaging and informing, Bradley later said, adding that when they cross over into attempting to influence the outcome of a ballot measure, I think that were then trending into territory that makes me very uncomfortable as a conservative who is very concerned about what our role of government is in a democratic society. Vero Beach Republican Sen. Erin Grall, carrying the overall election bill on Monday, said she appreciated what Bradley was attempting to do with the amendment but said she had concerns going forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think that just the language that public funds may not be used to advocate for or against any matter that is the subject of an amendment or revision to the state Constitution could be interpreted so broadly that our Just say no to drugs campaigns and just some different campaigns that we may have that need to be ongoing for a variety of reasons regarding our current laws could be prohibited, and so I think that I appreciate what the intent is but I would hope that we would be able to really more narrowly refine this revision to the bill as we move forward, Grall said. Grall and everyone else on the nine-member committee, including all six Republicans, supported Bradleys proposal. Good government Its a matter of policy and good government, Bradley told reporters after the meeting. Its not a matter of do you support Amendment 3 or Amendment 4 or whatever amendment will be on the ballot next year. What do you think the role of government is? Is that a proper expenditure? DeSantis denied doing any electioneering last year, telling reporters at one point that his state agencies running those PSAs were providing factual information and nothing more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bradleys amendment answers that. It prohibits the use of state funds to publish, broadcast, or disseminate public service messages concerning an amendment or a revision on the ballot, regardless of whether the public service messages are limited to factual information. Two Democrats last month filed proposals to sanctions those involved with using taxpayer funds to advocate for or against a proposed constitutional amendment. Tampa Bay area Rep. Michele Rayners bill (HB 727) would ban any state department or agency from producing, disseminating, or funding any public service announcement related to a statewide ballot initiative. The proposal says the Florida Commission on Ethics may investigate complaints of violations of the law. All state agencies would have to maintain records of PSAs produced or funded during the 12 months preceding a general election and make the records available to the public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, another bill (SB 860), labeled the Broadcast Freedom Protection Act by Democratic Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, would subject any elected or appointed state official found to be interfering with broadcasters decisions to air political campaign advertisements, particularly those related to statewide ballot initiatives, to third degree felony charges. They could be removed from office and permanently disqualified from holding any subsequent elected or appointed office. The legislation further allows the Florida Commission on Ethics to investigate complaints alleging the laws been broken. Meanwhile, the Senate bill that would radically change the process of collecting petitions for citizen-led constitutional amendments was approved on a party-line vote in the Ethics & Elections Committee, 6-3. The Phoenix reported on the vast scope of the bill last week. It closely mirrors a version (HB 1205) that passed in a House committee last week. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Voters fill voting booths at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. (Photo by Michael G. Seamans/ Maine Morning Star) The Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee voted down several proposals to alter election laws on Monday, including measures that sought to expand the states clean elections program, eliminate ongoing absentee voter status, and reestablish a component of ranked choice voting tabulations that was done away with last session. The committee does however appear poised to sign off on requiring automatic recounts when there are apparent ties in elections, as currently there are no automatic recounts even in this case, though the final recommendation will be determined once absent members cast their votes in the coming days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These mark the first few committee recommendations for how the state should, or shouldnt, alter its elections laws this session. The bills will now head to the House of Representatives and Senate for floor votes. Other changes being weighed include a total elimination of ranked choice voting, an amendment to explicitly ban noncitizen voting (which is already illegal under the state constitution), and clarifying campaign finance laws. Earlier on Monday, the committee heard testimony on a proposal to require voters to update their signatures every five years and require the registrar from each municipality to review the central voter registration system annually. Several other tweaks to the Maine Clean Elections Act are also being considered this session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Passed by voters, the act was used for the first time in 2000 by candidates for the Maine Senate and House of Representatives. Portland was the first city in Maine to run a clean elections program in 2023, an effort headed by Maine Citizens for Clean Elections. That groups executive director, Anna Kellar, told Maine Morning Star that both expanding the program and increasing annual allocations above the $3 million currently provided are key priorities. Clean elections In unanimous votes among those present, with Senate Assistant Majority Leader Jill Duson (D-Cumberland) and Rep. Anne Graham (D-North Yarmouth) absent, the committee recommended against the passage of two bills that sought to expand the states clean elections program. LD 118 would expand the program to candidates running for sheriff and district attorney. Last session, lawmakers passed legislation to allow candidates for district attorney to also participate, but the bill was among those enacted when lawmakers reconvened for the final day of the session that Gov. Janet Mills refused to sign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A separate bill that would expand public financing to those offices as well as to county commissioners is also expected to be considered this session, however the committees argument against the more narrow measure signals passage of broader expansion appears unlikely. While Rep. Laura Supica (D-Bangor) said she likes the idea of expanding clean elections, she cant support it at this time. We dont live in a world with unlimited funds, Supica said, and were facing some tough budget choices. The state is expecting a $450 million deficit over the next biennium. Reiterating budget concerns, Rep. Marc Malon (D-Biddeford) also said he does not want to dilute the funding available for the candidates currently under the program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the public hearing on the proposal, it became clear the states current clean elections allocation is being drained faster than it is being replenished. Lawmakers similarly rejected LD 454, which would allow candidates for secretary of state and attorney general to participate, but for different reasons largely because it addresses a hypothetical scenario. Currently, those positions are appointed by the Legislature. Efforts to make those posts subject to popular election have historically failed but another proposal is being considered this session. I really support the election by the people of the three constitutional officers, and the statutory office of state auditor, but were not there yet, said committee co-chair Sen. Craig Hickman (D-Kennebec), referencing the other legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Hickman argued legislating clean elections policy for positions that are not yet elected would be an overstep. Rep. Benjamin Hymes (R-Waldo) agreed and put it this way: This is a little bit of the cart before the horse. Absentee voting Those present also unanimously opposed LD 718, which seeks to eliminate ongoing absentee voter status and require municipal clerks to issue absentee ballots only to residents of their municipality. Calling the measure a solution looking for a problem, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle argued it would harm seniors and people with disabilities who rely on family members and friends who do not live within the same municipal boundaries to submit their ballots. Hymes, who represents Waldo County, said this change would create substantial problems for his constituents, who are often a part of large families with many older relatives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It doesnt make sense in rural Maine whatsoever, Hymes said of the bill. Automatic recounts The final tally of the committee votes on all of the bills considered on Monday will technically not be confirmed until absent members cast their votes, which are due Wednesday. But those late votes could only change the outcome of the committee recommendation for LD 600, which seeks to require automatic recounts when there are apparent ties in elections. Five of the committee members present voted for an amendment that would not offer automatic recounts but instead clarify who has standing to request recounts any candidate who is not the winner. Six want the move forward with the original proposal. Malon, the bill sponsor, said the amendment would not address the underlying reason for the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under current law, if no candidate requests a recount in an apparent tie, a recount may not happen, Malon told the committee when first presenting the bill earlier this month. If there is no recount, the Secretary of State would notify the relevant body that there was a tie and that no one had requested a recount, Malon said. It would be up to that body to decide whether they agree it was a tie and if a special election was necessary. The legislators who favor the version Malon originally proposed, requiring automatic recounts, argued special elections would cost more than a recount. I get that its making more laws for more laws for more laws and common sense should take place, Supica said, but if theres one thing Im learning as I get older is that this world does not have a whole lot of common sense this time. I think its clarity and it seems like just an obvious choice. Ranked choice voting The majority of committee members present Monday voted against reestablishing batch elimination to ranked-choice voting tabulations in a 3-7 vote, with Duson, Hickman and Graham absent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Maine voters initially passed ranked-choice voting in 2016, the law included batch elimination, which allows for the simultaneous elimination of candidates that receive such low vote totals that it would be mathematically impossible for any of them to win. However, the Legislature passed a law last session eliminating the ability to use this practice. At that time, Deputy Secretary of State Julie Flynn testified the elimination was logistically necessary. In the session before last, the 130th, a new batch elimination rule was set for presidential primary elections to not allow the practice when any candidate received more than 100 votes, but it was still always permitted for other offices. Flynn argued it seemed more prudent to eliminate the rule entirely because otherwise the department would have had to develop and maintain two different algorithms leading up the 2024 election cycle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now with that cycle behind, Rep. David Boyer (R-Poland), the sponsor of the bill this year, said the issue needs to be revisited. Batch elimination simplifies the tabulation process while preserving the benefits of ranked-choice voting, Boyer told the committee when presenting the bill earlier this month. It does not affect the way voters cast their ballots or the way candidates run their campaigns. Rather, it offers a more concise method of counting ballots. Conversely, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said in her testimony opposing the legislation, It does not save the state time or money to do batch elimination and we have greater detail about the voters intentions when we use round-by-round elimination. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Like his mother before him, the King greatly values the Commonwealth, the 56-nation institution of which he is the head. Far from becoming an anachronism, the bloc has actually grown in size in recent years as other nations, including several francophone countries such as Cameroon and Rwanda, have joined. On Commonwealth Day, His Majesty has issued a message calling for unity of purpose in a period of heightened international tensions. In these uncertain times, where it is all too easy to believe that our differences are problems instead of a source of strength and an opportunity for learning, the Commonwealths remarkable collection of nations and peoples come together in the spirit of support and, crucially, friendship, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The King is right to call the Commonwealths longevity remarkable. We inhabit a world where Britains colonial past is routinely denounced, mainly by Left-wingers in our own country. Yet the now-independent countries that were part of the empire remain on good terms with the UK and are happy for the monarch to remain at its head. With more than two billion people living in states ranging from the worlds most populous India to 30 of its smallest, the Commonwealth straddles the globe. It is also the only organisation outside the UN to bring together rich and poor countries globally rather than regionally. It has a role observing elections in member countries and provides guidance on administrative, judicial and regulatory reform. The Commonwealth is a powerful agent for political and economic change in the developing world, with the UK playing a central role. For those who continue to claim leaving the EU has left Britain isolated it is worth remembering that there are ties that bind beyond Europe. One of those ties, of course, is with Canada, of which the King is head of state. It has been targeted by Donald Trump both for tariffs and for particular criticism of its Liberal politicians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The US President has even talked of making Canada the 51st state of the USA. He was reportedly critical of the King holding an audience with Justin Trudeau, Canadas outgoing prime minister, as though he were ignorant of, or indifferent to, the constitutional links that underpin such meetings. It is to be hoped Mr Trump is made aware of them before he arrives here for a state visit, which is certain to attract growing controversy as the date still to be decided approaches. 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. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. Armenia refuses to provide information about burial sites under various pretexts, Deputy Chief of the State Security Service of Azerbaijan Sharafat Hasanov said during the presentation of the "Assessment Report: Accounting for Missing Persons in the Republic of Azerbaijan", Trend reports. According to him, since 1988, due to Armenias unfounded territorial claims against Azerbaijan and the fact of its occupation, Azerbaijan has been involved in an armed conflict that has led to a large-scale humanitarian catastrophe. "As a result of the military actions, more than 19,000 Azerbaijani citizens were killed or went missing; more than 65,000 received various bodily injuries. Over 900 settlements underwent complete destruction, causing damage worth billions of dollars to infrastructure and ecology of the territories and contaminating 10,000 ha of land with mines and unexploded ordnance," he noted. "Out of these citizens, 3,977 went missing during the First Karabakh War and six during the Second Karabakh War. The missing persons include 3,209 military servicemen and 774 civilians. The civilians include 75 minors, 116 women, and 315 elderly people. The investigation has also proven that 170 Azerbaijani prisoners of war were killed after being tortured," said the Deputy Head of the State Security Service of Azerbaijan. Despite the work of the State Commission to determine the fate of the missing persons, several factors hinder effective search efforts. "During 30 years of occupation, the territory was heavily contaminated with mines and unexploded ordnance. As a result, after the completion of military operations, there have been 231 mine incidents registered in these territories, leading to 70 deaths and 314 injuries. Due to the vandalism committed during the occupation, the infrastructure, settlements, and even the landscape and terrain were destroyed. Cemeteries and burial sites, including the graves of the missing persons, were deliberately destroyed. Therefore, even people who inform the State Commission about the burial sites cannot accurately point them out when they visit the areas," he also noted. Since the territories of Azerbaijan were occupied and controlled by Armenia for 30 years, the primary information about the burial sites of the missing persons is held by the Armenian side. "Despite appeals to the Armenian side through the mediation of relevant international organizations and direct calls at international events, the Armenian side refuses to provide information about the burial sites under various pretexts. However, the Armenian field commanders who led military operations have sufficient information about these burial sites. Most of them are currently alive and live in Armenia," he added. The State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages, and Missing Persons of Azerbaijan is hosting a presentation of the "Assessment Report: Accounting for Missing Persons in the Republic of Azerbaijan" by the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP). The event is attended by members and staff of the working group of the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages, and Missing Persons of Azerbaijan, high-ranking representatives of the international commission, deputies, senior officials of relevant government agencies, as well as representatives of NGOs and the media. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel JOB OPENING ANNOUNCEMENT Job Title: Community Development Planner Report To: Community Development Director Department: Community Development Job Vacancy: YAN-25-22 Status: Full-Time; Exempt Starting Wage: $30.00 Per Hour Opening Date: March 4, 2025 Closing Date: Until Filled POSITION DESCRIPTION: The Community Development Planner will assist the Community Development Department in its efforts to enhance the economic vitality of business and industry of the Yavapai-Apache Nation (Nation). The focus of these efforts will be on community development and economic diversification of the Nations revenue sources and communal services. QUALIFICATIONS: Any combination of training, education, and experience equivalent to graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's Degree in Economic Development, Business or Public Administration, Urban Planning, Marketing, Research, or a related field. Two years of employment in a professional-level capacity in community/ economic development or a related area. Demonstrate professional research and writing abilities and strong organizational and communication skills. Must possess a valid Arizona Driver's License and be insurable under tribal insurer requirements. (e.g., be age 21 or over) DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Participate in community/ economic development activities to attract new business and industry to the Yavapai-Apache Nation. Collects organizes and analyzes data required in the development of plans or programs. Plan programs and develop materials in the area of economic business development. Assist in locating grants to support the goals and objectives of the department. Prepare program-reporting process and provide information as requested for quarterly/annual reports. Respond to inquiries and provide information to the public verbally and in writing on planning activities and regulatory requirements for development and land use. Identify economic diversification through the acquisition of proposed lands under the direction of the Community Development Director and Tribal Council. Ensures coordination of efforts between the Community Development Directors goals, and administration requests and performs all other related duties as assigned. Physical Requirements The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to ten pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the environment is typical of an office setting. While performing the duties of this job the employee is required to sit; talk or hear; stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. How to apply: Please submit your resume and application to: Yavapai-Apache Nation / Human Resources 2400 W. Datsi / Camp Verde, AZ 86322 P: 928-567-1062 / Fax: 928-567-1064 www.yavapai-apache.org INDIAN PREFERENCE: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Preference will be given to qualified applicants who are members of federally recognized Indian tribes. To be considered for Indian Preference, you must submit your Certificate of Indian Blood (CIB) with your application. WILL BE REQUIRED TO PASS A PRE-EMPLOYMENT DRUG SCREEN AND COMPLETE A BACKGROUND CHECK WHICH WILL INCLUDE FINGERPRI BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) How the Broadmoor Middle School campus will be used in the future is on the agenda for a community meeting on Monday, March 10. The East Baton Rouge Parish School System is hosting the meeting at Broadmoor High School, which is located at 10100 Goodwood Blvd. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. There are also other upcoming community meetings during which Superintendent LaMont Coles school alignment plan will be discussed. The first meeting about that plan is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 12 at Magnolia Woods Elementary, 760 Maxine Drive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement East Baton Rouge Parish Library discusses tax millage proposal 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. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) One week after a hateful message was left on a receipt following a meal at a central Ohio Mexican restaurant went viral, dozens gathered to show there was no room for hate. It was a show of solidarity Carol Toth and her son James said they didnt think twice about supporting. Visas, ETIAS, ETA: Update on international travel requirements He sent me that and I read it, and I sent him a text back saying, Do you want to go to a Mexican restaurant on Sunday, Carol Toth said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their visit and so many others on Sunday at Cazuelas Mexican Cantina on East Broad Street was the result of a now-viral social media post. It was one week ago a receipt was left for a Cazuelas server named Ricardo. Not only was he not left a tip, but he was also left the message, I hope Trump deports you. Dozens like Samuel Maffit and his party returned to Cazuelas Sunday. This collective move was organized online by the woman behind a crowdfunding campaign looking to give Ricardo the tip they said he deserved. The goal of Sundays visits was to show the Cazuelas staff and others that they do not condone hate here or anywhere. Any way that we can support the growth in the community, especially for a small business, is paramount to the success of the community long term, Maffit said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Bernie Moreno on tariffs, education, and immigration While staff members said they were unable to go on camera, they did say they appreciated all the support shown by complete strangers who have come in to visit and dine. The best way to change the world is with a smile, and I think just quietly going around and being supportive when bad things are happening does a lot more than people realize, James Toth said. NBC4 has been in contact with the woman behind the crowdfunding effort, a campaign that has raised more than $39,000 for that server. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) Central Illinoisans are calling for justice for Cole Turner, the 15-year-old Normal resident shot and killed by Bloomington police in southwest Bloomington in February Dozens of Turners friends, family, and community members marched from the McLean County Museum of History to the Bloomington Police Department. Theyre demanding for bodycam footage to be released so they can get answers. WMBD filed a Freedom of Information request for the bodycam footage on March 3, but was denied because releasing the footage could interfere with a pending or actually and reasonably contemplated law enforcement proceedings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Feb. 26, Bloomington police responded to the 800 block of Arcadia Drive around 5 p.m. for reports of a person with a gun. They made contact with Turner, but somehow things escalated and officers fired their weapons, hitting Turner multiple times. He died at the scene. Turners mother, Kelsey Woodrum, said the police have failed to give her a justification as to why her son was shot and killed. They have given me nothing. I have not spoken with Bloomington police about anything. It makes me feel like things are being hidden from me. It makes me feel like people dont want me to see the videos for certain reasons. It makes me feel like they may or may not have been wrong or not justified. And thats what were here to find out today, said Woodrum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turner was a student at McLean County Unit Five within the last year. Woodrum remembered her son as someone who loved life with a taste for adventure, despite a tough upbringing. Cole was wild. He was happy and he was smart. And he was bodacious. He was so gorgeous. He was always smiling. He was always happy. Hes super adventurous. This is perfect weather. Hes definitely out here with us today. He enjoyed people. He enjoyed his friends. He enjoyed his family. He had a tough life, she said. WMBD has reached out to the Bloomington Police Department 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 CIProud.com. A plane on its way to Springfield crashed Sunday afternoon, leaving five people in the hospital. The plane was scheduled to land at the Springfield municipal airport, but faced troubles after take off. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] As previously reported on News Center 7 at 11, the crash felt a little too close to home for some of the Springfield community. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You know, when I hear about a plane crash, or really any tragedy, its just sad, Gaylynn Jordan said. Jordan says every plane crash shes heard about this year has taken her breath away. You dont expect stuff to fall out of the sky anymore. Its hard to take plane crashes, Jordan said. The plane took off from the Lancaster Airport in Pennsylvania, headed toward Springfield. The pilot communicated with air traffic control that there was a door open and they needed to land back at Lancaster. The tower gave the pilot permission to land, but the pilot said it would be difficult to land at the runway due to wind and said theyd like to land on the runway they had just taken off from. The tower gave them permission again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moments later, the tower tells the pilot to pull up, and the plane crashed into the ground. We did have multiple vehicles catch on fire due to the aircraft, Manheim Township Fire Chief Scott Little said. We are now transitioning to the recovery and investigation phase. Jordan says she flys all the time. It does make you pause momentarily. I think one of the big things is all the near misses, also, Jordan said. In Springfield, Rita Jones says she is happy the five people on the plane are still alive, but she wont be getting on a plane. I dont want to go up there. I cant control anything up there, Jones said. I want to stay down here on the ground where you could control it, at least three fourths of it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jordan, on the other hand, isnt cancelling any of her future flights. No, I just kind of take things in stride, Jordan said. The Springfield airport management had no comment on the situation. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] UNITED NATIONS (AP) Confronting a rising backlash against womens rights, the U.N.s 193 member nations made a commitment Monday to accelerate action on more than a dozen fronts to achieve gender equality. A political declaration adopted at the start of the annual meeting of the U.N.s preeminent body promoting equality for women and girls recognizes that men and boys must be strategic partners and allies to achieve the goal. The declaration approved by consensus and a bang of the gavel by the chair of the Commission on the Status of Women coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Beijing womens conference where the worlds nations adopted a 150-page roadmap to achieve gender equality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While it recognizes progress toward implementing the Beijing platform, the declaration also recognizes that after 30 years no country has achieved gender equality and that progress has been slow and uneven, with major gaps and obstacles to overcome. A report released last week by UN Women, the agency focused on empowering women, found that nearly one-quarter of governments worldwide reported a backlash against womens rights in 2024. Its policy and program director, Sarah Hendriks, told a news conference the number of countries reporting a backlash is likely underreported and reflects an increasingly hostile environment. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told Mondays meeting that three decades after Beijing's conference, women's rights are " under siege. Hard-won gains are being thrown into reverse, he said, pointing to attacks on reproductive rights and the discarding of initiatives promoting gender equality. The poison of patriarchy is back and it is back with a vengeance: slamming the brakes on action, tearing-up progress, and mutating into new and dangerous forms, he warned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Age-old horrors like violence, discrimination and economic inequality are rife, the U.N. chief said. The gender pay gap still stands at 20%. Globally, almost one in three women have been subject to violence. And horrific sexual violence in conflict is happening from Haiti to Sudan. He said new technologies including artificial intelligence are creating new platforms for violence and abuse, normalizing misogyny and online revenge. One result, he said, is that up to 95% of all online deepfakes are non-consensual pornographic images. Ninety percent depict women. The 189 countries that attended the 1995 Beijing conference called for bold action in 12 areas, including combating poverty and gender-based violence, advancing womens rights and health, and putting women at top levels in business, government and at peacemaking tables. The Beijing platform also said for the first time in a U.N. document that women have the right to decide on matters relating to their sexuality, including their sexual and reproductive health, free of discrimination, coercion and violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Guterres urged governments and people around the world who care about equality for women and girls to stand up and speak out and deliver on Beijings promise. The eight-page declaration adopted Monday calls for concrete action, including: Promoting womens access to credit and entrepreneurship. Reducing womens unpaid care work by expanding systems to care for children, the needy and disabled. Reducing womens domestic work by promoting equal sharing of household responsibilities with men. Closing the gender digital divide so all women can benefit from technology and innovation. Ensuring access to quality education for girls and lifelong learning for women. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adopting, implementing and funding national plans to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls. At last years opening of the annual two-week meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women, there were five male speakers in a row a lineup that made some of the men uneasy and was somewhat baffling to the hundreds of women in the packed General Assembly chamber. On Monday, the CSW chair, Saudi Arabias U.N. Ambassador Abdulaziz Alwasil, opened the meeting in the same packed chamber but had three young women speak immediately after him. He called the Beijing conference a watershed moment but told the ministers and diplomats that 30 years later, its commitments remain an urgent promise that all countries must turn into action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Real progress demands inclusive governance, sustained investments and unwavering political will, he said. The political declaration, adopted with sustained applause and a few cheers, recommends one possible action. It encourages U.N. member nations to nominate women for the next secretary-general. The U.N. has never had a female chief, and Guterres successor will be chosen next year for a five-year term starting on Jan. 1, 2027. Lawmakers have just one week left to reach a federal funding deal or trigger a partial government shutdown that would shutter some Defense Department and Veterans Affairs services. Current federal funding runs out March 14, almost halfway through the current fiscal year. House Republicans in recent days have discussed the possibility of a six-month budget extension bill in lieu of a full-year budget for fiscal 2025, but its unclear if Senate Democrats would lend support to the idea. If a shutdown occurs, troops and essential defense employees would be required to continue working, but their paychecks would be halted unless Congress passes legislation protecting those payments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Non-essential programs like base maintenance and family support programs would be halted for the duration of a shutdown, as would some VA information lines and non-critical health services. Lawmakers are expected to spend most of the week trying to avoid those closures, and they hope to reach a deal before the Friday midnight deadline. Tuesday, March 11 Senate Armed Services 9:30 a.m. G-50 Dirksen Military Health System Outside experts will testify on military health system combat readiness. Senate Foreign Relations 10 a.m. Capitol S-116 Pending Business The committee will consider several pending bills. House Armed Services 10 a.m. 2118 Rayburn State of U.S. Shipbuilding Outside experts will testify on the state of shipbuilding in America today. House Veterans' Affairs 10:15 a.m. 360 Cannon Pending Legislation The subcommittee on economic opportunity will consider several pending bills. Senate Veterans' Affairs 10:30 a.m. 418 Russell Pending Legislation Senators will consider several pending bills. House Appropriations 10:30 a.m. 2362-A Rayburn Military Construction Officials from the Army Corps of Engineers will testify on Innovative Techniques in Military Construction. House Foreign Affairs 2 p.m. 2200 Rayburn Arms Control Outside experts will testify on arms control priorities and reforms within the State Department. House Veterans' Affairs 2:15 p.m. 360 Cannon Pending Legislation The subcommittee on health will consider several pending bills. Wednesday, March 12 House Foreign Affairs 9 a.m. 2172 Rayburn Nigeria Outside experts will testify on current conflicts in Nigeria. Senate Armed Services 9:30 a.m. G-50 Dirksen Joint Force Readiness Service officials will testify on the current readiness of the joint force. Senate Foreign Relations 10 a.m. Capitol S-116 Pending Business The committee will consider several pending bills. Thursday, March 13 Senate Foreign Relations 10:30 a.m. 419 Dirksen Nominations The committee will consider several nominations, including Peter Hoekstra to be ambassador to Canada. The House will vote Tuesday on the GOP's stopgap funding bill that will fund the government through September. Punchbowl News co-founder Jake Sherman and former Republican Congressman Charlie Dent join Chris Jansing to weigh in on what could unfold with a government shutdown looming. By Richard Cowan, David Morgan and Bo Erickson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives set up a Tuesday vote on legislation that would keep the government funded and avert a partial shutdown, as Washington is rocked by President Donald Trump's rapid moves to slash federal agencies. The House Rules Committee advanced the bill on Monday evening to the full chamber, clearing the way for what will likely be a close vote on Tuesday to extend government funding past midnight Friday, when it is due to expire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The package also would have to pass the Senate before Trump can sign it into law. House Democratic leadership was urging its rank-and-file to oppose the measure. Meanwhile, Trump was contacting some fence-sitting Republican lawmakers to garner their support, Fox News reported, in a sign that House Speaker Mike Johnson may not have nailed down enough votes for passage as of Monday. Hardline members of the fractious 218-214 House Republican majority -- who over the past year repeatedly bucked Speaker Johnson's plans -- have signaled support for the bill, which would keep the government funded at its current levels through September 30, when the current fiscal year ends. Supporters argued that the House must advance it to move on to Trump's agenda of sweeping tax cuts and stepped-up spending on immigration enforcement and the military. Trump has voiced support for the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If all House Democrats oppose the bill, Johnson will have to make sure all Republicans fall in line behind the legislation to ensure its passage. "It is not something we could ever support," House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters, saying his party would not be "complicit" in what he said were cuts to social safety net programs embedded in the 99-page bill. Multiple Senate Democrats -- who could block the bill thanks to the chamber's 60-vote filibuster rule but have long bemoaned government shutdowns as needless chaos -- have said they would support it rather than further destabilize the government when Trump adviser Elon Musk has ousted more than 100,000 federal workers. The bill covers discretionary spending, functions like law enforcement and air traffic control, and represents about a quarter of the roughly $6.75 trillion federal budget. That also includes spending for the Social Security retirement program and more than $1 trillion per year on interest payments on the government's growing $36 trillion debt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It would increase defense spending by about $6 billion while decreasing non-defense spending by about $13 billion, according to House Republican leadership aides. It would also maintain a freeze on $20 billion for the Internal Revenue Service included in a December stopgap bill. Lawmakers will face a more serious deadline later this year when they must address their self-imposed debt ceiling or risk a disastrous default that would rock the world economy. The last government shutdown stretched over 35 days in late 2018 and early 2019, during Trump's first term in office. Repeated brinkmanship by lawmakers over government shutdowns and the debt ceiling has already hurt U.S. creditworthiness. Two of the three major global credit ratings agencies have stripped the U.S. federal government of its once top-tier rating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HARDLINERS GET IN LINE Last year, members of the hardline conservative House Freedom Caucus repeatedly refused to vote on government funding bills. Trump's support has tipped the balance, and several of their number emerged from a White House meeting last week saying they were inclined to support the bill. "I am firmly 100% in his corner," Representative Andy Harris of Maryland, the group's leader, told reporters. Similarly, Representative Victoria Spartz, an Indiana conservative who nearly blocked the House last month from passing its budget blueprint for the Trump tax agenda, signaled her support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I don't think we have time to do anything else. I'm being realistic," she told Reuters. Johnson will need his hardliners' support as Jeffries also has said the Republican funding bill would violate a bipartisan deal on spending enacted in 2023. Some leading Senate Democrats have argued its structure would give Trump added authorities to move funds around at will. SENATE READY If the bill clears the House, it will move to the Senate where Republicans hold a 53-47 majority and support of at least seven Democrats will be needed to pass it. Moderate Democratic U.S. Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania said he would not reject the measure, adding, "That's chaos. I'll never vote for chaos." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Similarly, liberal Democratic U.S. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon signaled support, saying, "Shutdowns are a bad idea. I'm not a shutdown guy." Not all were supportive. Moderate U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin, who delivered her party's rebuttal to Trump's speech to Congress last week, said Sunday she saw little reason to support the bill when the administration's cost-cutting campaign is ignoring prior law passed by Congress. (Reporting by Richard Cowan, David Morgan and Bo Erickson; additional reporting by Andy Sullivan and Gram Slattery; Editing by Scott Malone, Bill Berkrot, Cynthia Osterman and Michael Perry) ROCKINGHAM, VT. (WWLP) In Vermont, a man from Connecticut was killed when his SUV crashed into a fuel tanker truck on I-91 Saturday morning. Power outages increasing due to high winds Vermont State Police are now saying his 4-month-old daughter also died, according to NBC Boston. The man in the SUV was identified as 39-year-old Taylor Binnington of North Haven, Connecticut. His wife, 36-year-old Evelyn Lake, and their three-year-old son were also taken to the same hospital, and they are recovering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The driver of the tanker truck was not injured. State police say road conditions were slick due to a snow squall at the time of the crash. They say more than 10 vehicles were involved. Chester police said there were between 30-40 vehicles involved in collisions, rollovers and crashes due to the road conditions. There were also between 100-150 vehicles stopped on the interstate behind them, unable to move. 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. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday urged east China's Jiangsu Province, an economic powerhouse, to play a major role in the country's overall development. NPC deputies from Jiangsu said they will keep in mind President Xi's earnest guidance. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. The report prepared by the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) was sent to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, Secretary of the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Citizens of Azerbaijan Gazanfar Ahmadov said during the presentation of the "Assessment Report: Accounting for Missing Persons in the Republic of Azerbaijan", Trend reports. According to him, a letter received by the State Commission in May 2018 from the Foreign Ministry, said that during a meeting on May 17, 2018, with the Director of Policy and Cooperation of the ICMP at the Azerbaijani Embassy in the Netherlands, the possibilities for cooperation with this organization were discussed, including the proposal to express an opinion on potential collaboration based on membership in the organization or the conclusion of a bilateral agreement. Ahmadov noted that the State Commission deemed it appropriate to hold negotiations with the ICMP with the participation of a representative from the Foreign Ministry, considering the usefulness of such cooperation for exploring other opportunities in this field and international experience. "In 2021, at the initiative of the Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev, repeated discussions were held with ICMP. In November 2021, during a meeting with the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the Netherlands in The Hague, ICMP proposed cooperation with Azerbaijan and signing an appropriate document. Consequently, since the beginning of 2022, several online meetings and discussions have been held with ICRM leadership, involving staff from the Presidential Administration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Security Service, and the State Commission working group. On April 4, 2022, ICMP's Director-General Kathryne Bomberger, and Director for Policy and Cooperation Andreas Kleiser visited Azerbaijan. During the visit, a Protocol was signed between the State Commission and ICMP," he said. With the consent of the relevant Azerbaijani state agencies, on June 5-16, 2023, an ICMP Evaluation Mission visited Azerbaijan. During the visit, Kleiser, and the organization's Program Manager Carmen Osorno Solis were received by the State Commission and several relevant government structures. "During the visit, an ICMP Evaluation Mission was conducted in Azerbaijan to investigate the fate of citizens who went missing as a result of Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan. The ICMP report was sent to the Foreign Ministry, and the relevant government structures prepared and submitted their conclusions and proposals on the report to the Foreign Ministry," added the secretary of the State Commission. The State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages, and Missing Persons of Azerbaijan is hosting a presentation of the "Assessment Report: Accounting for Missing Persons in the Republic of Azerbaijan" by the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP). The event is attended by members and staff of the working group of the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages, and Missing Persons of Azerbaijan, high-ranking representatives of the international commission, deputies, senior officials of relevant government agencies, as well as representatives of NGOs and the media. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel NEW MEXICO (KRQE) The wild population of Mexican gray wolves saw another year of growth in 2024, but with illegal killings and concerns over budget cuts to recovery programs, conservationists are worried. Story continues below Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The latest numbers from the annual wild Mexican gray wolf population report show that there are at least 286 wolves in the wild between Arizona and New Mexico. Well, 286 is great. Its more than weve ever had in the wild before, but its really not very many when you figure this is the entire wild population of a species. The population is increasing, but its not just about numbers, said Greta Anderson, Deputy Director of Western Watersheds Project. Dating back to the early 1900s, the Mexican gray wolf was hunted and nearly wiped from existence. That was until the 1970s when the Endangered Species Act became law. It recognizes the inherent value of the diversity of life forms, and it makes sure that not only do we not let species disappear on our watch, but we work to recover them, continued Anderson. Utilizing wolves in captivity, reintroduction began in 1998 in Arizona and New Mexico, and these efforts continue to this day. So, it is Americas best tool to fight extinction, biodiversity loss, and to keep, you know, ecosystems intact and all the wild components of those ecosystems safe and not threatened by, you know, disappearing off the face of the earth, emphasized Chris Smith, Director for Wild Earth Guardians. But, with threats such as conflict with livestock due to a reduction in prey, illegal killings, and potential budget cuts to recovery programs from the Trump Administration, the lobo population is still at risk. We dont really know whats going on with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with the Department of the Interior, but we do know that its being systematically dismantled from within, and that poses a threat, continued Smith. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the massive layoffs at national forest and park land, wildlife like the Lobo, are in harms way and harder to track without enough boots on the ground, In order to get these wolves off of the endangered species list, which is what everyone wants eventually, this program needs to be funded, emphasized Smith. According to the Arizona and New Mexico Game and Fish Departments, there are around 350 Mexican wolves maintained at 60 facilities across the US and Mexico as part of the Mexican wolf saving animals from extinction 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 KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. How much do you need to make to be middle class in North Carolina? According to the Charlotte Observer, the group SmartAsset looked at census data to find out. ALSO READ: Carolinas awarded hundreds of millions to help low-income families adopt solar It found a household had to earn between $47,000 and $141,000 to be considered middle class. That is about 45% of North Carolina families were considered middle class. Looking at Charlotte, a family needs to earn between $53,000 and $161,000 to be called middle class. VIDEO: Carolinas awarded hundreds of millions to help low-income families adopt solar Immigrant students who express sympathy for Hamas will have their visas and green cards revoked so that deportation proceedings may be brought against them, Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted to X on Monday. The State Department, which began carrying out the "catch and revoke" program last week, will use artificial intelligence to sift through foreign nationals' social media accounts for pro-Hamas sympathies. Rubio said the U.S. has "zero tolerance for foreign visitors who support terrorists" and vowed to deport "violators of U.S. law." While the constitutionality of the program is dubious, it is unambiguously un-American to punish people for political speech. The initiative follows two executive orders signed by President Donald Trump. The first, enacted on January 20, states that the policy of the U.S. is to "protect its citizens from aliens who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security, and espouse hateful ideology." The second, signed on January 29, mandates the U.S. crackdown on anti-Semitism by "prosecut[ing], remov[ing], or otherwise hold[ing] to account the perpetrators of unlawful anti-Semitic harassment and violence." The order directs the secretaries of State, Education, and Homeland Security to conduct investigations and remove aliens who endorse designated foreign terrorist organizations. In the second order's fact sheet, Trump explicitly states that he intends to "deport Hamas Sympathizers [and] quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses." "Hamas sympathizers" is left undefined, but Jenin Younes, a civil liberties attorney, tells Reason that the term is clearly "used to apply to students who simply support Palestinian rights or who think Palestinians have some right of resistance against occupation." Younes says, "The government has always had the ability to prosecute people who break laws, including providing material support for terrorism.What is happening now is clearly an attempt to punish people for having and expressing the wrong ideas." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eugene Volokh, professor of law emeritus at the University of California, Los Angeles, explains that the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 provides for the denial of entry and deportation of "any alien whoendorses or espouses terrorist activity or persuades others to endorse or espouse terrorist activity or support a terrorist organization." Nadine Strossen, former president of the American Civil Liberties Union and senior fellow at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, tells Reason that Trump's executive order "clearly is based on federal statutory authority, so one cannot make the argument that the president is exceeding his constitutional powers." Still, the question remains whether the statute itself and the executive order enforcing it are constitutional. Strossen explains that "non-citizens with any immigration status at all, including unauthorized immigrants, have the same First Amendment rights that U.S. citizens haveinsofar as they have the same protection against criminal penalties, criminal investigations, or civil law enforcement." However, it's unclear "whether non-citizens have the same First Amendment rights as citizens with respect to the deportation process." Strossen points to decades of legal precedent and case law to describe the complexity surrounding the constitutionality of the "catch and revoke" policy. In support of immigrants' First Amendment rights is Justice Frank Murphy's concurring opinion in the 1945 case, Bridges v. Wixon: "Once an alien lawfully enters and resides in this country he becomes invested with the rights guaranteed by the Constitution to all people within our borders." However, the Supreme Court ruled in 1952 that legal aliens could be deported for membership in the Communist Party without violating the First Amendment in Harisiades v. Shaughnessy. The decision was made at a time when "the First Amendment didn't protect the right of American citizens to espouse terrorism" and when people "were prosecuted and convicted for teaching Marxist classes," says Strossen. Constitutionality aside, Strossen opposes Trump's policy "on [the] pragmatic basis [that] you don't change an attitude by criminalizing its expression." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement David Bier, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, tells Reason that "legal permanent residents are in a much stronger position than someone with a nonimmigrant visa." Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian graduate student whom a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson vaguely alleges "led activities aligned to Hamas," now faces deportation despite holding a green card, not just a student visa. Trump said, "this is the first arrest of many to come." The post Is it Constitutional To Deport Immigrants for Political Speech? appeared first on Reason.com. (Bloomberg) -- Canadas Liberal Party elected former central banker Mark Carney to succeed Justin Trudeau and lead the country as it faces economic and sovereignty threats from US President Donald Trump. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are selected quotes from Carneys first speech as prime minister-designate: Everything in my life has prepared me for this moment. Two months ago, I put my hand up to run for leader because I felt we needed big changes, guided by strong Canadian values. Right now, all Canadians are being asked to serve in their own ways. We are all being called to stand up for each other and for the Canadian way of life. I know these are dark days. Dark days brought on by a country we can no longer trust. Were getting over the shock, but let us never forget the lessons. We have to look after ourselves. And we have to look out for each other. We need to pull together in the tough days ahead. We can and will get through this crisis. On his priorities: My government will immediately eliminate the divisive consumer carbon tax on families, farmers and small and medium-sized businesses. And we will stop the hike in the capital gains tax because we think builders should be incentivized for taking risks and rewarded when they succeed. Canada needs more of this type of change. Change that puts more money in peoples pockets. Change that makes our companies more competitive. Change that builds the strongest economy in the G-7. We must build a new economy and create new trading relationships. I know that markets dont have values, people do. And I know that its our job to make our markets work for all Canadians. Markets are the most powerful tool we have ever invented. They can help find solutions to our greatest problems. When markets are governed well, they deliver great jobs and strong growth better than anything. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On US tariffs: Theres someone whos trying to weaken our economy. Donald Trump has put unjustified tariffs on what we build, on what we sell, on how we earn a living. Hes attacking Canadian workers, families, and businesses. We cant let him succeed and we wont. The Canadian government is rightly retaliating with our own tariffs that will have maximum impact in the US and minimum impact here in Canada. My government will keep our tariffs on until the Americans show us respect and make credible, reliable commitments to free and fair trade. In the meantime, we will ensure that all proceeds from our tariffs will be used to protect our workers. We cant change Donald Trump. We can control our economic destiny with a plan that puts more money in your pockets. A plan that will ensure your government spends less so Canada can invest more. A plan that builds millions of homes. A plan that makes Canada an energy superpower. A plan that creates new trade corridors with reliable partners. A plan that creates one Canadian economy because Canada is stronger when we are united. We can give ourselves far more than Donald Trump can ever take away. On rival Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre: Pierre Poilievre would let our planet burn. Thats not leadership, its ideology. Its ideology that betrays what we as Canadians value each other. And it is an ideology that represents a fundamental misunderstanding of how the economy works. Pierre Poilievres plan will leave us divided and ready to be conquered. Because a person who worships at the altar of Donald Trump will kneel before him, not stand up to him. And Pierre Poilievres slogans arent solutions. His anger isnt action. His division isnt strength. Division wont win a trade war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. The Washington Post/Getty Images Amid the sweeping and drastic new immigration policies from the Trump Administration, theres understandably a lot of fear. Schools say theyre getting calls from anxious parents, worried their children might be subject to ICE raids, according to the Associated Press. And in a press release about an amicus brief supporting a lawsuit from Denver Public Schools against the Trump administrations policy allowing ICE arrests in schools, the Council of Great City Schools reported increased absenteeism, higher anxiety among students, increased bullying, less parental involvement, and heightened fear as a result of the change in guidance, according to NBC News. Experts say its not surprising that young people targeted (or potentially targeted) by the administration are especially struggling to cope with their mental health. Since taking office in January, Trump has signed orders that increase efforts at denaturalization of some U.S. citizens, prepare to ramp up criminal prosecutions of people entering the U.S. illegally, work to increase the ranks of immigration agents, and more. The administration is showcasing these efforts in dramatic fashion, in ads from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, and in gruesome videos featuring shackled deportees on U.S. military planes. Know Your Rights: Here's How to Defend Immigrants Against the Most Common ICE Tactics and Unconstitutional Actions Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These know your rights videos have crucial, easy-to-understand information. These images and messages are shocking, and seemingly designed to inspire fear among the general public especially immigrants, those living in the United States in varying immigration status, and their families. For young people in particular, this can have a disastrous impact on mental health as they face deportation themselves or deportation of family and loved ones, as well as discrimination regardless of immigration status. Children facing the fear of deportation or family separation often experience chronic anxiety, depression, PTSD, and even suicidality, Muriel Casamayor, DSW, said in a statement to Teen Vogue. A therapist focusing on Black and Indigenous people of color navigating mental health challenges, Casamayor draws from her own experiences as a first-generation immigrant through her work. Many young people internalize shame about their familys immigration status, struggle with emotional dysregulation, and have difficulty focusing in school. When these stressors intersect with bullying, the risk of severe mental health consequences increases, Dr. Casamayor said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A recent report from the American Journal of Managed Care highlights the mental health crisis fueled by Trumps previous immigration policies, writing that the impacts of these policies heightened fears in children, causing behavioral changes, sleep and eating problems, psychosomatic symptoms, and mental health issues. The report continued that the unexpected separation from parents or guardians inflicted further trauma on these children, according to a 2019 report from the HHS Office of the Inspector General. These experiences often caused stress, anxiety, behavioral issues, and severe mental anguish. Many young people, according to Dr. Casamayor, feel dehumanized by these policies, distrustful of institutions that should provide safety, such as schools and law enforcement, fear of family separation due to deportation and face bullying and hate speech. She offered guidance for Latine, immigrant youth and their families: Lean on community: Seeking support from immigrant rights groups, Latine organizations, and trusted adults can provide critical emotional and legal resources. Mental health care as resistance: Practices like mindfulness, movement, storytelling, and cultural expression can help you navigate stress. Know your rights: Educating families on legal protections and safe spaces can provide a sense of agency. Seek information about your rights and what to do if ICE knocks on your door. Limit exposure to harmful rhetoric: While staying informed is important, constant exposure to distressing news can exacerbate anxiety. It's OK to choose what and how much news you consumer; setting boundaries around how long you look at social media or what time of day you allow yourself to read the news can help you better cope and focus on what's happening right now rather than what might happen in the future. But more than anything, Dr. Casamayor stressed that, no matter what the government says, you are valid. It is crucial for young people to know that they belong, they exist, and they are deeply valued, Dr. Casamayor said. Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue Tacoma is a sandwich town, and Reubens are perhaps the most prolific. Restaurants of varying size and style serve the meat-and-cheese-on-rye classic, and most variations read similarly on paper: Corned beef or pastrami. Swiss, but sometimes provolone or havarti, an underrated grassy cheese thats a darn fine melter. Sauerkraut, always. Thousand island or Russian dressing, which are almost the same thing but not quite the latter zings with horseradish and, originally, called for caviar. Rye, often marbled but occasionally dark or, less commonly, light. The Reuben is so iconic that many restaurants stock rye bread exclusively for it and it alone. That might be why a couple of Pierce County spots opt for wheat, which might stir some controversy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why is the Reuben so beloved? An OK sandwich has stuff on it; a great sandwich, like any great dish, has fat and acid, salt and flavor, texture and bite-ability. The harmony of earthy rye, roasty-toasty, slow-cooked beef (pastrami is extra-spiced and typically a different, chubbier cut of the belly than the standard brisket for boiled corned beef), crunchy, sour kraut and creamy, rich yet tart sauce elevates this American invention. Like most great foods, its origins are contested. Was it Nebraska or New York? For St. Patricks Day, we rounded up 35 restaurants and bars around Pierce County with a Reuben on the menu. One is technically a slider, one adds fried jalapenos and subs coconut tartar (?!), another includes curds and pickles, and two use wheat. Most are classic, but only one can be the best. Vote for your pick in the survey below. If we missed yours, select somewhere else and type the name of the restaurant. If youd like to share more detail, please also complete the Google form. TNT Diner may contact you for a future story. We wont share your information with anyone, and we wont publish your name without permission. Thanks for participating! CORTLAND COUNTY, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) Following an eight-day trial, a Cortland County woman has been convicted of murdering her mother. On Friday, Cortland County District Attorney Patrick Perfetti announced that Ariela Thran, 33, of Fulton was found guilty by a Cortland County Jury of Murder in the Second Degree for the killing of Patricia Allison Halverson. On January 3, 2024, police were dispatched to Halversons residence for a welfare check. Upon arrival, officers discovered her dead body near a piece of farming equipment, exposed to the elements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Throughout the investigation, police efforts spanned over three states and several counties in Central New York. According to Perfetti, this was largely a circumstantial evidence case with all of the evidence aligning with Thran. Perfetti says this was a particularly challenging case because no murder weapon was recovered in the investigation. He says some of the most compelling proof was digital evidence and its timing. Thran will be sentenced on May 6. She faces a minimum of 10 years to life and a maximum of 25 years to life in prison. This was a sad case, the breakdown of a family like this is tragic; through the hard, relentless, work of the State Police, our team was able to bring closure to the friends and neighbors of Allison who loved her dearly, said Assistant District Attorney Richard Van Donsel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WIVT - News 34. A driver who was nearly killed after an SUV went off an overpass onto I-5 in Tukwila on Friday is saying hes lucky to be alive. It was a brush with death that has not left Robert Ahktars mind. And when you feel that death probably came and touched you and walked away.this is how I feel, Ahktar said. He and his wife were heading to Canada Friday morning to visit family. He said the drive along northbound I-5 in Tukwila changed their lives forever. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I could see a flying car, he said. That flying car was the Toyota Highlander Washington State Patrol says flew off an overpass on SR 599. It nearly landed on Ahktars Tesla and caused several other vehicles to crash. One person was killed in the crash. Ahktar says his Teslas auto brakes turned on right as the SUV was coming down. The next moment I could see the whole thing is just falling in front of me and I said Oh my God, I am going to crash into that and I am going to die, Ahktar said. A moment later, my car suddenly stopped. If it came a fraction closer it wouldve smashed my windshield or if it fell on my roof, we wouldve been crushed, Ahktar said. And I cannot thank God Almighty enough for where I am today, he continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said this near brush with death will stay with him forever. One person inside the SUV at the center of this crash died on scene and the other passenger was rushed to the hospital. As for the driver, he was arrested shortly after by the Washington State Patrol (WSP) and is currently being held at the King County Jail. WSP is still investigating the cause of the crash and asking more witnesses to come forward to help them determine if the driver of the SUV was driving erratically prior to the crash. They are doing follow-up interviews hoping that someone saw something, Trooper Rick Johnson said. As for Ahktar, besides being thankful to be alive, he says he has a whole new perspective on life after coming so close to death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Life is never given, never granted, Ahktar said. Anything can happen next moment. Nobody has seen the next moment. Ahktar says he does have cameras on his Tesla; however, they werent on when the crash happened and started recording 30 minutes later. The King County Prosecutors Office is expected to see WSPs findings in their investigation by Tuesday. SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) Counting Crows, the multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated rock band will be making a stop at the MassMutual Center during their new tour, The Complete Sweets! Tour. VIDEO: Rampage at the X in Springfield caught on camera The Complete Sweets! Tour will be in support of their new album, Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets!, which is the bands first full-length album since Butter Miracle: Suite One, which received critical acclaim in 2021, according to MGM Springfield. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bands new album, their first in nearly five years, promises to deliver their signature storytelling and rich melodies that have made them one of the most beloved bands of the last three decades. Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets! is set to launch on May 9th. After coming onto the music scene in 1993 with their multi-platinum breakout album, August and Everything After, the band has released seven studio albums, selling more than 20 million records worldwide, and is respected as one of the worlds most pre-eminent live touring rock bands. The tour will feature special guests such as The Gaslight Anthem on most North American dates, and they will be stopping in Springfield at the MassMutual Center on Wednesday, July 2nd. Tickets will go on sale Friday, March 14th at 10:00 a.m. A special presale will start on Tuesday, March 11th at 10:00 a.m. 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. Lackawanna County Democratic Party Chairman Chris Patrick resubmitted Friday the same three candidates to potentially succeed former Commissioner Matt McGloin that the partys executive committee originally advanced last month. It came a day after county President Judge Trish Corbett issued an order Thursday resetting the clock on an appointment process spelled out in the countys Home Rule Charter a process that gives the partys executive committee five days from the date of a vacancy to provide the names of three potential appointees for consideration by the judges of the county Court of Common Pleas. Corbetts order noted the court accepted McGloins resignation Thursday, giving the party until Tuesday to furnish the judges with three candidates. That process had already played out in late February, when party leadership put forward and the partys executive committee voted to advance former county economic development Director Brenda Sacco, Olyphant Borough Council President James Baldan and Scranton School Director Robert J. Casey as the three finalists to fill the remainder of McGloins term expiring Jan. 3, 2028. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The way the party went about advancing those names was controversial, with Commissioner Bill Gaughan sharply criticizing its process as politically tainted and nontransparent. Gaughan, who took office with McGloin in January 2024, had introduced Dunmore Mayor Mark Max Conway Jr. as his preferred choice to replace his former Democratic colleague. The original committee vote occurred Feb. 27, with Patrick submitting Saccos, Baldans and Caseys names to the court the next day. Those three candidates scored the highest on a rubric party leaders used to trim the list of potential appointees from 18 to three, Patrick previously said. The three highest-scoring candidates were put before the full executive committee for a vote, though Patrick hasnt released the names of all 18 applicants or details on the scoring rubric. Patrick confirmed Monday that he simply resubmitted the original three names to the court Friday, following Corbetts Thursday order. Democratic Party leaders did not reconvene the executive committee for another vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Corbetts order said the court will conduct interviews with all three candidates in accordance with Rule 1908 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Judicial Administration before the judges vote on which of the three will replace McGloin. The timeline for that part of the replacement process was not immediately clear. Efforts to reach Gaughan on Monday were not immediately successful. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. Armenia refuses to provide information about burial sites under various pretexts, Deputy Chief of the State Security Service of Azerbaijan Sharafat Hasanov said during the presentation of the "Assessment Report: Accounting for Missing Persons in the Republic of Azerbaijan", Trend reports. According to him, since 1988, due to Armenias unfounded territorial claims against Azerbaijan and the fact of its occupation, Azerbaijan has been involved in an armed conflict that has led to a large-scale humanitarian catastrophe. "As a result of the military actions, more than 19,000 Azerbaijani citizens were killed or went missing, more than 65,000 received various bodily injuries. Over 900 settlements underwent complete destruction, causing damage worth billions of dollars to infrastructure and ecology of the territories, and contaminating 10,000 ha of land with mines and unexploded ordnance," he noted. "Out of these citizens 3,977 went missing during the First Karabakh War, and six during the Second Karabakh War. The missing persons include 3,209 military servicemen and 774 civilians. The civilians include 75 minors, 116 women, and 315 elderly people. The investigation has also proven that 170 Azerbaijani prisoners of war were killed after being tortured," said the Deputy Head of the State Security Service of Azerbaijan. Despite the work of the State Commission to determine the fate of the missing persons, several factors hinder effective search efforts. "During 30 years of occupation, the territory was heavily contaminated with mines and unexploded ordnance. As a result, after the completion of military operations, there have been 231 mine incidents registered in these territories, leading to 70 deaths and 314 injuries. Due to the vandalism committed during the occupation, the infrastructure, settlements, and even the landscape and terrain were destroyed. Cemeteries and burial sites, including the graves of the missing persons, were deliberately destroyed. Therefore, even people who inform the State Commission about the burial sites cannot accurately point them out when they visit the areas," he also noted. Since the territories of Azerbaijan were occupied and controlled by Armenia for 30 years, the primary information about the burial sites of the missing persons is held by the Armenian side. "Despite appeals to the Armenian side through the mediation of relevant international organizations and direct calls at international events, the Armenian side refuses to provide information about the burial sites under various pretexts. However, the Armenian field commanders who led military operations have sufficient information about these burial sites. Most of them are currently alive and live in Armenia," he added. The State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages, and Missing Persons of Azerbaijan is hosting a presentation of the "Assessment Report: Accounting for Missing Persons in the Republic of Azerbaijan" by the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP). The event is attended by members and staff of the working group of the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages, and Missing Persons of Azerbaijan, high-ranking representatives of the international commission, deputies, senior officials of relevant government agencies, as well as representatives of NGOs and the media. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Video: Lawmakers discuss surge in retail theft CONWAY, Ark. Police in Conway say a couple has been arrested for their involvement in a large-scale retail theft operation. Taylor Lynn Ferguson, a 31-year-old man, and 25-year-old woman Christina Audrey Ferguson were taken into custody last week by the Conway Police Department, in coordination with the Walmart Asset Protection, according to police. Pine Bluff police arrest woman accused of robbing bank Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The couple is accused of over 120 thefts across Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma and Mississippi, where they stole up to $500 worth of good per store, police officials said. In addition to the theft, the couple is also facing multiple drug-related charges including, trafficking a schedule I or II controlled substance and possession with intent to deliver. This investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is encouraged to contact Conway 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 KARK. SpaceX's Starship exploded after its latest launch to space, causing flight diversions and viral videos. The Federal Aviation Administration closed Florida airspace after the SpaceX incident. A previous Starship explosion in January also caused debris over the Caribbean. Mariah Davenport and Dane Siler were over an hour into their flight when they saw it: flaming debris out their window. The young couple, both college students in Wisconsin, told Business Insider that they were heading back to the US on Thursday from the Dominican Republic where they had been vacationing in Punta Cana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Siler said the Frontier pilot had warned them that the flight from the Dominican Republic to Chicago might take a little longer because of a diversion in the flight path due to the SpaceX Starship launch Thursday night. However, they were surprised when, not yet midway through the flight, they heard the pilot make an announcement. "He said, 'If you look to your right, one of the rockets just blew up,'" Siler said. "I'm like, what? So then we looked through a window, and that's when I grabbed my phone and recorded it." A video of the flaming debris that Davenport posted on TikTok went viral, accruing over 12 million views in a matter of days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SpaceX's Starship spun out of control shortly after its launch and exploded as it reached space. The Federal Aviation Administration closed the airspace over much of Florida after the incident and issued a temporary ground stop at several airports. The explosion comes a month after a Starship exploded during a test flight in January and rained debris down over the Caribbean, causing similar flight disruptions and diversions. "We thought it was cool," Siler said. "We didn't think we were in any danger, and then 20 minutes later, he told us that we were going to have to go back to Punta Cana, so that was another hour and a half." Davenport said she was unnerved when, after the plane had landed back in Punta Cana to refill on gas, she overheard a flight attendant mumble, "That was too close for comfort." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Hearing that was very frightening," Davenport said. The couple eventually made it home several hours later than planned. The FAA is investigating the incident. Frontier and SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Read the original article on Business Insider Court filings from several recent arrests at MDC Brooklyn show the creative ways inmates sneak drugs and other contraband into the troubled federal jail including one elaborate scheme devised by hip-hop podcaster Taxstone involving a 50-foot rope used to fish goods through an open window with the help of an outside accomplice. Taxstone whos serving federal and state sentences for fatally shooting rival rapper Troy Ave.s bodyguard orchestrated the smuggling attempt using a contraband cell phone, federal prosecutors allege. Taxstone, real name Daryl Campbell, 39, got his hands on the phone in April 2024 and started scheming to bring pot and cigarettes into the jail, according to voice recordings found on the phone detailing how an outside accomplice should get a 50-foot rope and hook it to a line dangling from the window of a fourth-floor recreation area, according to a criminal complaint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We gonna throw the line out from that gate so you just run right in the gate and you hook it to the line cause theres a hook on the end of the line we got right now. You just going to hook it and just dip back out. Sturdy, Campbell said in an April 19 recording, according to the feds. Campbell explained how to tape sandwich bags filled with drugs and other items to the rope, even telling his accomplice that hed go on FaceTime to provide more details, so I dont gotta baby you. I dont wanna make no mistakes because this run that we do is gonna be a run that put me right back where I need to be to pay these white people off, and Ill be able to bust the moves that we really bust, because this is really like light money moves to us, he said. You smell me? On May 12, a Campbell cohort took an Uber to the Sunset Park jail, apparently to deliver the goods, according to the complaint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the scheme didnt go off as planned when they tried again on June 30. That afternoon, Campbells accomplice on the outside drove to the Sunset Park jail and succeeded in hooking a rope to a line hanging from a window. But a jail staffer confronted him and he fled. Inside, four MDC inmates Ian Diez, 20, Jonathan Guerrero, 34, Abel Mora, 23, and Mayovanex Rodriguez, 30, got to work, the feds allege. They stacked a chair and a garbage bin atop a food cart and wheeled it to the window. But one of the men fell off the cart as they were pulling the rope in, and they all scattered. Correction officers recovered the rope and found contraband wrapped in duct tape all along its length including a large quantity of Suboxone and nearly 30 small bags of pot, plus a scalpel, cell phone charger, two lighters, and more than 400 cigarettes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each of the men face up to 10 years behind bars for the smuggling attempt, the feds say. Campbell is already serving a 35-year state sentence, along with a concurrent nine-and-a-half year federal sentence, for killing Troy Ave.s bodyguard Ronald McPhatter at a 2016 T.I. concert in Irving Plaza. His lawyer declined comment Monday. Campbell and friends werent the only ones to go fishing for contraband Jairon Ortega-Corea, a relative of a high-ranking MS-13 member locked up at MDC, tried a similar scheme on Dec. 1, the feds say. He packed up 18 cell phones, about 345 grams of pot, and a liter of booze and attached it to a rope, the feds say. MDC staff found the package on a fourth-floor roof, and realized that it had been pulled up through the window of an empty cell in a unit that houses MS-13 members, according to a complaint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A grand jury indicted Ortega-Corea on contraband charges, and authorities arrested him in Minnesota on March 3. In another contraband case, murder-for-hire suspect Angel Villafane tried to smuggle in 21 ceramic scalpel blades after a visitor handed them to him in a Doritos bag in October, the feds allege. Last month, Devone Thomas who is accused of murdering fellow MDC inmate Uriel Whyte last year was caught trying to sneak a blade into the jail by hiding it in his groin after he returned from a court appearance, the feds allege. Brooklyn U.S. Attorney John Durhams office described the smuggling schemes in an announcement last week detailing 25 arrests inside the infamous lock-up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the past year, the Daily News has chronicled a string of violent incidents, including two murders, as well as instances of medical mistreatment at MDC Brooklyn, a near-constant lockdown and infested food. On Oct. 28, multiple federal agencies staged a sweeping contraband raid as part of a Bureau of Prisons effort to clean up the jail. The Bureau of Prisons has also significantly increased correction officer pay in an attempt to reverse a severe staffing shortage. Even after the raid, violence at MDC has continued, including a bloody gang brawl involving several inmates carrying shivs on Feb. 22 that ended with at least 10 inmates stabbed or slashed including Karl Jordan, whos awaiting sentencing for killing Run-DMC icon Jam Master Jay in 2002. By Nate Raymond HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Massachusetts (Reuters) - Court-martial proceedings began on Monday for Jack Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard who is facing military charges after already being sentenced to 15 years in prison for leaking classified U.S. national security documents online. During a hearing at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts, a military judge said Teixeira, 23, had reached an agreement to plead guilty but that his lawyers had preserved the right to first argue the charges against him should be tossed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those military charges were filed last year following what U.S. authorities say was one of the largest leaks of classified documents in years, including some related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Prosecutors say that Teixeira, while serving as an airman first class at Otis Air National Guard Base on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, in January 2022 began accessing classified information that he shared with individuals on Discord. Air Force prosecutors say Teixeira obstructed justice by then disposing of an iPad, computer hard drive and iPhone after the leaks were uncovered in April 2023, and instructed someone to delete online messages Teixeira had sent on the Discord messaging app. The Air Force pursued charges only after Teixeira had already pleaded guilty in March 2024 to separate charges brought by the U.S. Justice Department that he willfully retained and transmitted classified information relating to national defense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is the government's second bite at the apple to multiply his exposure," defense attorney Lieutenant Colonel Bradley Poronsky told Military Judge Colonel Vicki Marcus. He argued the case amounted to a violation of Teixeira's right under the U.S. Constitution to not be prosecuted twice for the same offense, saying a federal judge in Boston already punished him for the alleged obstruction when she sentenced him in November to 15 years in prison. If convicted of the military obstruction charges, Teixeira could face another 10 years in custody. He could also face a dishonorable discharge or a reduction in rank. An Air Force prosecutor, Lieutenant Colonel Pete Havern, countered that military charges against Teixeira were "very different" than those he faced in civilian court and that there was nothing unreasonable about punishing someone for multiple, different offenses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These charges do not violate the Constitution's prohibition on double jeopardy," he said. Marcus recessed the proceedings until Thursday, by which point the judge is expected to rule. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Bill Berkrot) Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission Chair Rex Vaughn talks to an AMCC lawyer during a meeting in Montgomery on Dec. 12, 2023. The Alabama Court of Civil Appeals on Friday morning overturned a lower court's ruling blocking the medical cannabis licensing, ruling the court lacked jurisdiction.(Alander Rocha/Alabama Reflector) The Alabama Court of Civil Appeals on Friday overturned a temporary restraining order (TRO) that had blocked the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) from issuing business licenses for medical marijuana production for nearly two years. In a unanimous ruling, the justices rule that the Montgomery County Circuit Court lacked jurisdiction when it issued a stay in favor of Alabama Always, a company seeking a medical cannabis license, and dismissed the case, directing the lower court to vacate the TRO, according to the court order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unless and until the AMCC and the commissioners are allowed to proceed, it remains speculative as to whether they will impair or threaten to impair the procedural right of Alabama Always to a contested-case hearing, the opinion said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The decision supports the AMCCs position that its licensing decisions are not final until an investigative hearing process is completed. According to the commission, a final order will be issued once the hearings conclude, and it could then be subject to a lawsuit. On behalf of the many long-suffering patients in Alabama who have waited far too long for access to the benefits of medical cannabis products, we are pleased with todays decision, said AMCC Director John McMillan in a statement. We are hopeful that this decision will remove the obstacles that have prevented the Commission from completing the licensing process and doing the work the law charged it to do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alabama Always sought a license to run an integrated facility one that grows, processes and distributes marijuana but was denied three times. The firm filed multiple lawsuits challenging the commissions procedures. Will Somerville, an attorney representing the company, said in a phone interview Friday morning that the appellate courts ruling was a victory despite the dismissal. They really gave us what we want, Somerville said. Weve been asking for an order requiring the commission to follow the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), and the court just said that the provisions of the APA apply here, whether the commission has adopted rules compliant with them or not. Under the APA, companies denied licenses are entitled to a hearing where they can challenge the commissions decisions and present evidence before an administrative law judge. Somerville said the ruling means companies like Alabama Always can now formally contest the awarding of licenses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a practical matter, youre going to have 17 or 18 different companies suing each other in an administrative process, he said, describing the likely next steps. Somerville said that the process in large similar cases may involve renting a hotel conference room for about three weeks to hold hearings before an administrative law judge. Parties would gather around a large table, and the proceeding functions much like a trial. Witnesses would be called and cross-examined, and counsel would make arguments and present evidence. The administrative law judge could then issue a decision based on the evidence, including formal findings of fact and conclusions of law. The ruling clarifies that applicants who were denied licenses or were awarded licenses on Dec. 12, 2023, can now initiate contested case proceedings. According to Somerville, these proceedings will involve discovery, depositions, and site inspections of other applicants facilities. This is the process that should have been followed from the beginning, Somerville said. Weve been asking for this for a year and a half. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The AMCC has already issued licenses in the cultivator, processor, secure transporter and state testing laboratory categories but has been blocked from moving forward with dispensary and integrated facility licenses due to ongoing litigation. Commission Chairman Rex Vaughn expressed optimism that the ruling would expedite patient access to medical cannabis. Today, we have hope for those patients hope that we can proceed with our hearing process and get those products into their hands, Vaughn said. Alabamas medical cannabis law, which passed in 2021, allows registered physicians to recommend cannabis for patients with qualifying conditions, including cancer-related pain, epilepsy, PTSD, and chronic pain. Approved products include tablets, tinctures, patches, oils, and gummies only in peach flavor, but raw plant material and smokable forms remain prohibited. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Mar. 10For the second year in a row, the Dallas Cowboys and Chevron, with support locally from the Abel-Hangar Foundation's Students in Philanthropy (SIP) program, sponsored the Community Captain competition. The premise is to have area students partner with a local non-profit organization to develop proposals for community service projects. Permian High School's team of Aubrey Gwilliam, Parker House, and Maiya Morgan with SIP coordinator Jessica Orosco won this year's challenge and $10,000 for the project providing ready-to-go comfort kits for trauma victims served by the Crisis Center of West Texas. Volunteers from the Cowboys and Chevron will help carry out the project, the ECISD newsletter said. The judges of the competition included former Cowboy Darren Woodson and Cowboys sideline reporter Kristi Scales. CHICAGO Chicago police are searching for a missing 68-year-old woman who may be in need of medical attention. Police said Jennifer Cruz was last seen Saturday in the vicinity of the 4400 block of South Cicero Avenue. LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland Cruz is 52 and weighs 105 pounds. She also has hazel eyes and brown hair. Anyone with information is asked to call Area One Detectives at 312-747-8380. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. Chicago Public Schools chief Pedro Martinez is alleging the firm representing the school board in an ongoing lawsuit has a conflict of interest that warrants disqualification. Martinezs lawyer, William Quinlan, filed a motion March 4 to disqualify the law firm of Cozen OConnor LLP. Cozen serves as counsel for seven board members named in the lawsuit between the districts outgoing chief executive officer and the Chicago Board of Education. Martinez filed the lawsuit against the school board after he was fired Dec. 20 to block the then seven-member body from stripping him of his duties, including his involvement in contract negotiations with the Chicago Teachers Union. Several days after Martinezs firing the board members attended ongoing contract negotiations with CTU on a new four-year contract that has yet to be settled. Martinezs tenure as CPS chief will conclude in June. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was the first time in 12 years that school board members attended a bargaining session. Typically, the schools chief and his team negotiate the contract and collaborate with the board. However, Cozen also represents the members of a new, 21-member partially elected, partially appointed board, seated in January after Martinez was fired. The previous board that voted to fire Martinez was appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson. Five of them remain on the board. Quinlan argues in the motion that Cozen representing the new school board in addition to the board members who fired Martinez raises an impermissible concurrent conflict of interest. At a Dec. 24 hearing, Cook County Circuit Judge Joel Chupack granted Martinez a temporary restraining order under the argument that the board wrongly fired the chief executive officer and obstructed his job duties by sitting in on bargaining. Board members are supposed to ask for the CEOs permission before attending negotiations, Quinlan argued then. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The board has since filed a motion to dismiss the temporary restraining order. That motion to dismiss is currently under briefing a process in which both parties submit written arguments to the court to explain the legal basis for their positions. Quinlan spoke about the motion to disqualify Cozen OConnor at a hearing in front of Chupack Monday. I dont know how we can decide (the motion to dismiss the temporary restraining order) without deciding if theres a conflict first, he said. Jeremy Glenn, Cozen OConnors attorney, said that the conflict, if it arose, hasnt presented itself in a way that changes the legal arguments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He cited prior case law suggesting that a motion to disqualify needs to be looked at carefully to make sure its not a tactic to delay a ruling on a motion to dismiss (the temporary restraining order). Cozen OConnor did not respond to a request for further comment. A conflict of interest exists if the representation of one client will be adverse to another or if there is a significant risk that the representation of one or more clients will be materially limited by the lawyers responsibilities to another client, Quinlans motion argues. In this case, the motion continues, there is a conflict of interest because seven board member defendants are alleged to have acted outside the scope of their capacities as members of the full board entity Cozen represents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Board Member Defendants have separate interests that conflict with those of the Board as an entity, and viceversa, Quinlans motion says. In making these determinations, the Board is entitled to counsel separate from and independent of counsel representing the Member Defendants. Additionally, neither the seven-member board named in the lawsuit nor the current board gave informed consent to the conflict of interest. Quinlans motion states that they are entitled to that consent. The school board retained Cozen OConnor at a meeting in mid-November, a move that hinted at the beginnings of the process of firing Martinez. Employment lawyers told the Tribune at the time that the board was likely looking for cause to fire the CEO. Martinez was fired without cause, meaning he will stay on the job until June. Cozen received $40,000 for legal services, which was later increased to $75,000, according to Quinlans motion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Chupack, defendants will need to respond to Quinlans motion to disqualify Cozen on or before April 14 and Martinez will respond on or before May 5. A hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. May 15. In early February, two leaders of the Chicago Teachers Union filed a motion to quash third-party discovery subpoenas served on them by Martinez. A separate hearing was scheduled for 10:15 a.m. March 18 to present the motion. Board members would likely not attend that hearing, according to Glenn. Fox News cameraman Craig Savage passed away on Sunday at 61 following a private battle with cancer. He had been with the network since its 1996 launch and traveled the world during his nearly three-decade tenure, filming in such far-flung locations as Afghanistan and Iraq. In a memo to staff, Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott and president and executive editor Jay Wallace called Savage a pioneering force that left an indelible mark on the network, especially in its early days. [Craig] was swiftly brought on board from local news to help establish our then nascent Washington, D.C. bureau due to his remarkable ability to blend technology with artistry as a gifted television photographer, the duo noted, adding: It was his troubleshooting prowess in particular that made him the go-to person for any complex challenge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement America Reports anchor John Roberts delivered a special tribute to Savage on Mondays newscast. He was a force to be reckoned with-a consummate professional, Roberts said. As a member of the White House unit, Savage was behind the camera for such major news events as Fox News first interview with former President Bill Clinton during his second term, as well as Clintons trip to Africa. He later joined former President George W. Bush for his secret Thanksgiving trip to Iraq in 2003, and documented President Donald Trumps time in Afghanistan in 2019. Savage also busied himself with training the succeeding generations of behind-the-camera talent, adapting to ever-evolving technologies including digital photography and piloting camera-equipped drones. He imparted wisdom and expertise that transcended the art of photography, teaching many how to excel in their roles and approach each challenge with passion and precision, Scott and Wallace wrote. Savage is survived by his wife and Fox News senior produce Anne Marie Riha, as well as his children, stepchildren, and grandchildren. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read Suzanne Scott and Jay Wallaces memo to staff below: Dear colleagues, It is with heavy hearts and fond remembrance that we announce the passing of our beloved cameraman Craig Savage who died on Sunday at 61 after a courageous battle with cancer. A pioneering force at FOX News Channel for nearly 30 years, Craig joined our team on October 3, 1996, four days before we launched. He was swiftly brought on board from local news to help establish our then nascent Washington, DC bureau due to his remarkable ability to blend technology with artistry as a gifted television photographer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after joining the network, Craigs exceptional skills and creative eye were quickly recognized by our then Washington bureau chief Kim Hume who assigned Craig to the White House unit, a role he honorably fulfilled throughout his career here. An integral part of numerous pivotal events in FOX News Channel's history, he helped shoot our first presidential interview with then-President Clinton and was subsequently involved in nearly every presidential interview thereafter. He also ran the FOX floor camera at the 2000 and 2004 presidential conventions - an extremely challenging job that he truly relished. At the White House unit, Craigs versatility shone brightly. He was at the forefront of the industrys evolution from analog to digital, mastering complicated transitions to LED lighting. There, he continued his reputation as an award-winning photographer and was dedicated to perfecting the images he produced for news programming, encompassing everything from elections to wars and natural disasters. He often invested countless hours learning the latest technologies, only to turn around and generously share that knowledge with colleagues. It was his troubleshooting prowess in particular that made him the go-to person for any complex challenge, mainly when it came to ensuring flawless live shots from the White House. In one notable instance, Craig chose to act as an engineer during a major pool trip for FOX News when then-President Clinton visited Africa, deciding to help our very young team accomplish a huge assignment instead of traveling in his traditional role, which would have allowed him to go on a safari and have a front row seat to an historic event in Africa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Craigs expertise was again crucial during then-President George W. Bushs secret 2003 trip to Iraq to visit the troops there for Thanksgiving (as pictured on Air Force One with the team below) and he was later assigned to President Trump's covert trip to Afghanistan for Thanksgiving with the troops in 2019. His stealth and proficiency in delivering footage under the most stringent conditions were a testament to his skill and dedication. Continuing to innovate later in his career, Craig embraced the skies as a drone pilot, contributing hundreds of flight hours to our news gathering efforts on stories that ranged from the southern border to hurricanes and floods. He excelled in aerial coverage and devoted himself to teaching the craft to many others who joined the Fox Flight Team. He truly left an indelible mark on FOX News and shaped the careers of many, including Senior Vice President and Washington Bureau Chief Bryan Boughton whom he worked closely with throughout his tenure. Beyond Craigs professional accolades, his infectious enthusiasm and unwavering positive spirit made him a fixture in Washington. As Bryan described, he nurtured a sense of belonging that transformed the workplace into a family unit full of camaraderie. More often than not, he imparted wisdom and expertise that transcended the art of photography, teaching many how to excel in their roles and approach each challenge with passion and precision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though we mourn his loss, we take solace in celebrating Craigs enduring legacy of excellence one that will continue to inspire all of us at FOX News Media and the countless colleagues he touched along the way. Craig is survived by his wife, FOX News senior producer Anne Marie Riha, his sons Jake (wife Alexa), Andrew and Maxwell, his stepchildren Zachary and Carly Norins and his grandchildren Sloane & Evander Savage. We extend our deepest sympathies to Anne Marie and his entire family. Suzanne & Jay BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. The Rules for Aviation Security approved by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan No. 613 dated April 24, 2012 has been amended, Trend reports. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a decree in this regard. According to the decree, the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan must resolve the issues arising from this decree. CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) Three separate structure fires broke out across north central West Virginia on Sunday, keeping local fire departments busy. The Harrison County 911 log shows the first structure fire of the day was reported at 9 a.m. on Duffy Street in Shinnston. The log stated that crews arrived on the scene with with a working fire and that no one was transported. The Shinnston, Spelter, Lumberport, Bridgeport, Monongah and Worthington fire departments, along with Harrison County EMS, responded. Missing West Union man located, Silver Alert canceled: WVSP Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At 12:04 p.m. another structure fire was reported, this time on Frank Street in Clarksburg. The 911 log again says that crews went on scene with a working fire, but no other information was provided. Spelter, Shinnston, Lumberport, Reynoldsville and Nutter Fort fire departments, along with Harrison County EMS, responded. A third fire was reported at 5:23 p.m. in Lucas Dairy Road in Grafton. The 911 states that they received a report of a fire in the garage that had spread to the residence. Everyone was evacuated. Anmoore, Fellowsville, Flemington, Grafton, Shinnston, Spelter, Stonewood and Winfield fire departments, along with the Grafton Police Department, the Taylor County Sheriffs Office, Taylor County EMS and West Virginia State Police, all responded. Preston County was also alerted. No other information about any of the fires has been made 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 WBOY.com. Neighbors are speaking out after uncovering the latest development in a criminal trend thats been hitting cities all around Southern California: hidden cameras. In a very disconcerting discovery, the daughter of an Encino couple who wants to remain anonymous for their safety found a hidden camera in the bushes outside of their home on Saturday. The family never thought this would happen to them, and its a story thats been seen in other neighborhoods too including one as recently as Mar. 2 in Chino Hills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, the family and other concerned neighbors are spreading the word to warn others about the importance of checking their bushes, trees and around their homes. The daughter told KTLAs Rachel Menitoff that she was taking her kids to visit her mom when something caught her eye in a tree planted out front of the home. A hidden camera is seen outside an Encino home on Mar. 8, 2025. (Viewer image) She walked closer to the tree, finding a small camera attached to green wires that led under the bushes. After speaking with her mom and learning that the camera did not belong to her, she said she put on gloves and removed the camera, discovering a second device nearby that the family believes could be a hard drive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were all shaken and we couldnt believe that they are watching my parents activity here, and God knows how long its been there and they didnt even notice, said the daughter. Experts said it was most likely a cheap camera with a SIM card, and that criminals often come back to retrieve it and analyze a persons habits and patterns. They want to see probably when my parents are not home, the car is getting out of the garage, basically they see if youre not here, thats a good opportunity for them to come and break in, said the daughter. These make-shift, hidden, cameras have also been spotted in Temecula, Arcadia and Santa Barbara County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The crooks are tipping their hands because theyre showing us what theyre looking for, said Don Moore, a Certified Protection Professional. Theyre surveilling our homes because they want to find out when were coming and going. Theyre also using drones to look in the back of homes to see if you left a door open on the second floor patio. They want to break into your house when youre not there. In Encino, neighbors removed the suspicious devices and reached out to police. The Los Angeles Police Department told this couple that any time someone finds one of these devices, do not hesitate to call 911 that its that serious of a matter. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. RAYNE, La. (KLFY) A man from Crowley was arrested for alleged drug possession. Officials said David Lawrence Delcambre, 38, of Crowley was arrested after a traffic stop on the I-10 westbound on-ramp. During the traffic stop, officials said they conducted a search of Delcambres vehicle where they found personal use amounts of Methamphetamine and Subutex, a schedule III controlled substance. Delcambre was taken to an Acadia Parish jail on the following charges: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One count of R.S. 40:967 Prohibited Acts Schedule II One count of R.S. 40:968 Prohibited Acts Schedule III Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KLFY Daily Digest Bond information for Delcambre has not been released. David Lawrence Delcambre Latest news Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLFY.com. Five years ago, Melanie Richburg used a roll of duct tape, a HEPA filter and a portable fan to draw contaminated air out of a hospital room where patients were tested for the coronavirus. Now, as the states largest measles outbreak in three decades sickens an increasing number of Texans in the South Plains region, the Lynn County Hospital District, where Richburg serves as the chief executive officer, is still without specialized isolation rooms to treat patients. So, shes prepared to bring out the duct tape again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we see the volume of patients exceeds the number of beds available at children's hospitals, were going to need a contingency plan, said Richburg, whose county is 30 miles south of Lubbock and has had two measles cases. The biggest struggle we have is the same struggle we had during COVID. The coronavirus pandemic underscored the need for robust public health infrastructure. And it brought to light a remarkable urban-rural divide in access to basic health services. In the months after the virus ravaged the country, federal dollars flowed to local public health districts, and policies targeting health care deserts saw a renewed push. Yet as a disease that had been declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000 makes a resurgence, rural West Texas communities and state officials are scrambling to respond. Aging infrastructure, a dearth of primary care providers and long distances between testing sites and laboratories plague much of rural Texas, where the measles outbreak has concentrated. At least 198 people in Texas have been infected with measles since late January, and one child has died from measles, the first such death in the country in a decade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More measles cases are expected, and the outbreak could last for months, state health services commissioner Jennifer Shuford told lawmakers last week. Though different from COVID in many ways, measles is similarly revealing how a lack of public health resources leaves rural communities vulnerable. Whats left are local leaders forced to scrape together the few tools they have to respond to an emergency, contending with years of lackluster investment from the state and federal level to proactively prevent emerging public health threats. Were in a public health shortage area, said Gordon Mattimoe, director of the Andrews County Health Department. You have to think outside the box. Lack of infrastructure Some 64 Texas counties dont have a hospital, and 25 lack primary care physicians, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture. Twenty-six rural Texas hospitals closed between 2010 and 2020, according to a rural hospital trade organization, and although closures slowed in the years since, those still standing are often in crumbling buildings with few medical providers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Swaths of Texas have scant resources for public awareness campaigns. And they lack sufficient medical staff with expertise to provide the one-on-one education needed to encourage vaccination and regular visits to the doctor. We have a difficult time in our area finding pediatricians for our newborns, said Sara Safarzadeh Amiri, chief medical officer for Odessa Regional Medical Center and Scenic Mountain Medical Center. Thats a problem. If you cant find a pediatrician, then when a serious question comes up, who do you ask? Most of Texas measles cases are in unvaccinated school-aged children and are concentrated in the Mennonite community in Gaines County. Cases have also been confirmed in eight other counties spanning Dallam near the Oklahoma border down to Ector, south of Gaines. Sara Safarzadeh Amiri, chief medical officer for Odessa Regional Medical Center and Scenic Mountain Medical Center, discusses the measles outbreak on March 6, 2025. Credit: Mark Rogers for The Texas Tribune To contain the illness, rural health care teams have cordoned off spaces to conduct measles testing, used social media to blast residents with information about vaccination efficacy and schlepped throat swabs across counties to ship them to a state lab in Austin the only public state facility that was conducting measles testing until the Texas Tech University Bioterrorism Response Laboratory, part of a national network of CDC-funded labs, began measles testing last Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Testing is critical for measles, experts say, because infected individuals can be contagious for several days and must isolate themselves to avoid spreading it further. In Gaines County, runners have had to drive specimens up to 70 miles to get to a FedEx office where they could ship the specimen to the state laboratory. It could then take another 48 hours to get test results. During that time, public health officials would ask patients suspected of measles to quarantine but they dont know if they followed through. Some people need the test to say Im positive before they actually do something or follow the directions given, Amiri said. Having that testing available is very important. In Andrews County, just south of Gaines, Mattimoe is using the old City Hall building as a testing site because he doesnt have a reverse pressure room. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those rooms prevent contagious diseases from spreading to other people, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends suspected measles patients are treated there when possible. In the absence of such spaces, rural counties including Lynn and Yoakum have improvised a room for measles testing, hoping they dont get overrun with more patients they can handle. Mattimoe, who said he is anticipating more cases, opted to open up City Hall for testing since that building happens to be vacant. WIthout it, Mattimoe said, hed have to shut down the entire department for two hours between suspected cases. Andrews County Health Department director Gordon Mattimoe looks over the supply of refrigerated measles vaccines at the old City Hall building in Andrews. Credit: Mark Rogers for The Texas Tribune Reactive instead of proactive responses Public health is based upon prevention, yet its emergencies that spur the most action, particularly in rural communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was only after a school-aged child died from measles that state and federal support intensified. Twenty seven contractors were brought into the outbreak area last week to assist local health departments, Shuford, the state health services commissioner, said during a legislative hearing. A public awareness campaign with billboards and social media messaging was also launched. And, upon a request from the state, the federal CDC sent disease detectives to West Texas. County officials also doubled down their efforts. In Ector County, County Judge Dustin Fawcett made media appearances to discuss the efficacy of the MMRV vaccine whose two doses provide 97% protection against measles. And the commissioners court approved the purchase of a $7,695 freezer to store measles test specimens samples shipped after the date of collection must be kept at -70 degrees celsius. The Odessa Regional Medical Center in Odessa. Credit: Mark Rogers for The Texas Tribune In Andrews County, residents stepped up their communal responsibilities. Mattimoe saw a surge of people coming into the clinic to get vaccinated. Unfortunately, the death of a child was one of the things that spurred many people to come in, Mattimoe said. Even as state and federal officials are sharing more information on vaccines, experts say those campaigns needed to come sooner. They have known for years that vaccination rates have been declining. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We shouldn't be doing it during an outbreak, Amiri said. We should be doing it beforehand to prevent the outbreak. Getting vaccines in residents is further complicated by the fact that Texas has a mostly decentralized system of public health. Cities and counties can stand up their own public health departments or districts, but the majority of rural counties cant afford to have their own. Instead, they rely on one of 11 public health regions. Those regions cover vast territories with limited dollars and dont always know the ins and outs of local communities, especially on how to motivate residents to get vaccinated. The logistical challenges of traveling across counties adds another layer of difficulty. You have to call these tiny towns and figure out who can give you space for free to set up a testing clinic, Wells said. Then youre driving from Lubbock to rural areas and that cuts how long you can keep the clinics open. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And then, rural public health departments are having to contend with mixed messaging from the federal level as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health and human services secretary, has cast vaccination as a personal choice while downplaying the news of the outbreak. I think with the changes that are occurring at the federal level, we need to realize that we do need to strengthen our local public health, Amiri said. The power of funding Years of underinvestment in public health left Texas ill prepared for the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Hospital equipment was scarce, and state and local health departments had outdated technology that limited access to crucial data. The pandemic also exposed the rural-urban inequities in health care access. Residents of Texas counties without hospitals died from COVID-19 at 20% higher rates than residents of counties with hospitals, according to an analysis by the Austin American Statesman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An influx in federal funding helped shore up local public health departments and stave off more rural hospital closures. Texas received $35.5 million in grants for improvements in public health infrastructure in fiscal year 2020. An additional $221 million the most of any state is flowing to Texas through the CDCs five-year Public Health Infrastructure Grant. That funding has helped some local health departments address the measles outbreak, public health officials said. The Lubbock public health department has nearly doubled in size thanks to a $2 million grant. Those extra workers have been on the front lines of testing for measles and vaccinating children. It moved us from undersized to right sized, said Katherine Wells, director of the citys public health department. It got us to thehealth department we need for Lubbock. In Andrews County, Mattimoe has also used grant dollars to grow his health department. Four new employees, including an epidemiologist and a social worker, have helped the county complete a population health assessment that offers a snapshot of residents needs. And its year-round vaccine clinics have helped stave off the worst of the measles outbreak. Community immunity has really saved us, Mattimoe said. There will be a case eventually, but theres something to be said about herd immunity. Andrews County does not have any confirmed measles cases as of Friday. The influx of dollars that rural communities received during the height of the pandemic showed the meaningful changes that officials could do with more support, but it still hasnt been enough. Texas spends less on public health per person than the vast majority of other states, according to the State Health Access Data Assistance Center, whose analysis shows Texas spent $17 per person on public health in 2023. A decade earlier, the spend was $19. The Lynn County Hospital District building in Tahoka on March 6, 2025. Lynn County is Lubbock County's southern neighbor. Credit: Mark Rogers for The Texas Tribune The low levels of state funding particularly hurt rural communities that have higher rates of uninsured Texans and more senior citizens with greater health needs, according to the Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals. Deteriorating buildings and the shortage of medical professionals still persist in rural areas, while lower volumes of patients means higher health care operational costs. In Lynn County, Richburg, the CEO of the health district, had hoped the makeshift contraption she made during COVID for a reverse pressure room wouldnt be needed again in her rural community of 5,500 people. She attempted to pass a bond last year to pay for infrastructure upgrades, including a mini intensive care unit with four negative pressure rooms. Voters rejected the proposed tax increase, though, a gut punch to Richburg. We wanted those four specific beds so that when we had situations where we needed to isolate patients, theyd be adequately cared for and not in a room with a broken window with a fan duct taped in it, she said. In addition to isolation rooms, Lynn Countys health care system is due for a major electrical upgrade, Richburg said. The facilitys backup power generator doesnt cover the MRI machine or the CAT scan. In the meantime, Richburg and her staff plan to do their best with what they have. Were still here, the lights still come on every morning, and patients still come in for services, Richburg said. Were not going away. Disclosure: Texas Tech University has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. We cant wait to welcome you to the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival, Texas breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov. 1315 in downtown Austin. Step inside the conversations shaping the future of education, the economy, health care, energy, technology, public safety, culture, the arts and so much more. Hear from our CEO, Sonal Shah, on TribFest 2025. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase. A convicted felon disqualified from having guns was arrested in Ansonia last week when police alleged that he had multiple firearms in his home while officers were investigating a report of shots fired. Officers received multiple reports of shots being fired in the area of a home at 84 Franklin St. at 10:30 p.m. on Friday, according to Lt. Patrick Lynch of the Ansonia Police Department. Lynch said one witness reported seeing a gun pointed out a window of the home as it was allegedly fired toward a wooded area in the rear of the property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Responding officers made contact with the owner of the home and another occupant. They also allegedly found shell casings outside, Lynch said. Investigators obtained a search warrant for the home and allegedly found two handguns, a shotgun and three BB guns as well as ammunition for the handguns and shotgun, according to Lynch. Lynch identified the homeowner as 39-year-old Ryan Ortiz, who was previously convicted in New York of illegal sale of a firearm, a felony. Ortiz was arrested and charged with five counts of criminal possession of a firearm or ammunition and two counts of criminal possession of a pistol, Lynch said. Ortiz was held on a $250,000 bond and was expected to be arraigned on Monday in Derby Superior Court. Lynch said the investigation into who fired a gun remains ongoing. Additional charges are expected, he said. A Connecticut attorney has been convicted of manslaughter in the shooting death of a man who reportedly assaulted him outside of his firm in Litchfield in June 2021. A jury returned the guilty verdict Friday against 78-year-old Robert Fisher Jr. of Goshen following a days-long trial in Superior Court in Torrington, according to the Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice. He was found guilty of one count of first-degree manslaughter with intent. According to Courant reporting, Fisher was involved in an altercation with 39-year-old Matthew Bromley in a parking lot at 46 West St. outside the offices of Cramer & Anderson LLP where Fisher was a partner shortly after 4:40 p.m. on June 7, 2021. State police responded to the area after someone called authorities to report a shooting and, as they were en route, received a call from Fisher who said he shot someone who had assaulted him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An argument preceded Mondays deadly shooting outside a Litchfield law office, state police say According to court documents, Fisher told investigators Bromley had followed him into the lot where he approached his vehicle and opened the door. Bromley, Fisher alleged, punched him several times and threatened to kill him. Fisher was able to get out of the vehicle before he drew his legally owned handgun, court documents said. He told investigators he fired when Bromley allegedly charged at him. Court documents said one witness reported seeing Bromley backing away from Fisher before he was shot. Investigators were not able to establish a motive for the alleged assault. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the DCJ, Bromley was leaving the scene when Fisher got out of his car and confronted him. Officials said he was shot at a close distance. Bromley had not been a client of the firm, though he had called there about a week before the incident asking about purchasing his mothers home while it was in foreclosure, according to court documents. Fisher spoke to him briefly and informed him that he did not handle foreclosures. The call ended shortly after. Bromleys death was ruled a homicide by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner following an autopsy that showed he died of a gunshot wound to the head. A toxicology report showed that his blood alcohol content was 0.11 at the time, court documents said. According to the DCJ, the case was prosecuted by Litchfield Judicial District States Attorney David R. Shannon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the verdict, Fishers bail was increased from $50,000 to $150,000, which he has since posted, court records show. Sentencing has been scheduled for June 10. Requests for comment made to Fishers attorney and Cramer & Anderson were not immediately returned on Monday. A Guilford man faces new charges in connection with allegations he met a 14-year-old on Snapchat and lured him into a meeting with promises of a shopping spree before sexually assaulting him. John Degennaro, 60, was charged Monday with three counts of second-degree sexual assault and one count of risk of injury to a minor, according to the Guilford Police Department. Police said the charges stem from an investigation launched in February 2024 following a referral from the Department of Children and Families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to police, Degennaro met a 14-year-old boy on Snapchat and later allegedly agreed to pay for an Uber to have him driven to a train station. The teen then took a train to New Haven where Degennaro allegedly picked him up before bringing him to an area mall, spending thousands of dollars on him, police said. The boy stayed at Degennaros residence overnight on two occasions in February 2024, according to police. Police allege he sexually assaulted the juvenile. Police also alleged that Degennaro solicited nude photographs from the teen. Police also previously said their investigation found that he had hidden cameras in his home and was recording alleged incidents without the knowledge or consent of others. Degennaro was arrested by Guilford police last March on charges of risk of injury to a minor and enticing a minor. Those charges remain pending in Milford Superior Court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both arrests stem from allegations involving the same boy. The most recent charges were brought against Degennaro following a lengthy investigation into the sexual assault allegations. Police said they were assisted by DCF as well as the Ansonia-Milford States Attorneys Office and the New Haven States Attorneys Office. Degennaro posted a $150,000 bond following his most recent arrest. According to Guilford police, the police department has maintained a close collaboration with Guilford Public Schools since last spring to prioritize student safety, which has included the assignment of a school resource officer. Police said they host an Internet safety for parents presentation in the spring and fall at the Guilford Community Center which focuses on teaching parents about the dangers of the Internet. The programs provide parents with prevention tools as well as information on identifying behaviors commonly associated with children who may have been victimized. ECTOR COUNTY, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- A Cuban couple living in Odessa and accused of sexually assaulting their infant daughter has been indicted by an Ector County Grand Jury. Both Cleyret Pacheco-Peraza and Leiwin Lara-Hernandez have been charged with Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child and Possession of Child Pornography and remained in the Ector County Law Enforcement Center as of Monday morning on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold and a combined $275,000 bond. The couple was indicted at the end of February and is expected to appear in court on March 11 for an arraignment hearing. An arraignment is the first step in the criminal court process where the defendants will formally be charged and will have the opportunity to enter a plea. Both Pacheco-Peraza and Lara-Hernandez were arrested in January after a Texas Department of Public Safety investigation. Heres what we know about the case: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a Texas Department of Public Safety affidavit, on December 30, 2024, a DPS Criminal Investigation Division Special Agent responded to a request for assistance from Homeland Security Investigations related to a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children cyber-tip. After investigating the tip, officials confirmed the media file in question contained sexually explicit material involving a one-year-old girl. Investigators later learned that, while living in an apartment on Harless Avenue in Odessa, Pacheco-Peraza and Lara-Hernandez allegedly recorded the sexual abuse of their child and sent it to a relative living in Russia. During questioning, Lara-Hernandez reportedly admitted to sexually assaulting the baby about 50 times. She also admitted to sending a video of the assault to Pacheco-Perazas relative outside of the county. Both suspects were taken into custody by DPS on January 3. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. A proposal has been made to establish an independent DNA comparison mechanism to help identify missing persons between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Trend reports. This issue was highlighted in the "Assessment Report on the Search for Missing Persons in the Republic of Azerbaijan" by the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages, and Missing Persons of Azerbaijan, which was submitted to the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP). The report states, Creating an independent DNA comparison mechanism could be one of the few effective methods for confirming identities and providing results to the families. Through this mechanism, the ICMP could ensure a scientific and impartial process where DNA profiles are compared in an anonymous and systematic manner. This approach protects the DNA identification process from any claims of political or national influence. If a match is found, the comparison results will be presented to both countries, allowing forensic experts and relevant agencies to make informed decisions based on scientific data. This mechanism will not only allow families of all nationalities to find answers but also promote cooperation and reconciliation in the region. It will provide an opportunity to demonstrate commitment to a collective solution to the issue of missing persons as a problem beyond national borders, the report concludes. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Amy Parent, a teacher at Garvin Memorial Elementary School in Cumberland, engages her second graders in a discussion during a math lesson in her classroom. The school's laser focus on reviewing and updating curriculum propelled it to earn national recognition. (Photo by Michelle Carter for Rhode Island Current) Last September, Garvin Memorial Elementary school became the third school in Cumberland to receive a National Blue Ribbon from the U.S. Department of Education. Garvin is one of only 356 schools to earn this designation out of 115,171 U.S. schools. Garvin was commended for Exemplary Achievement Gap-Closing, specifically big gains in math generally, and across student subgroups. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So whats Cumberlands secret sauce? Without missing a beat, Assistant Superintendent Antonio DiManna had this reply to my question: We have a hyper focus on curriculum. Across the elementary and middle schools, the district works together to hone common curricula in both English Language Arts and in math. A curriculum is the what and how of a teachers daily life. In other words, what standard or skills are being addressed, and how to best present the materials and learning activities. The entire meal, so-to-speak, while the programs we follow are the ingredients, DiManna said. We nourish students learning journey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many years ago, DiManna introduced a technique called curriculum mapping which hed experienced as a teacher at a charter school. This mapping uses the teachers classroom experience of each lesson to assess and maybe transform a pre-existing or written curriculum in this case, a second generation of Eureka math into what DiManna calls a living curriculum. We look at what has already been taught and analyze data module assessments, benchmark assessments, and RICAS for grades 3 to 8 to identify gaps or redundancies, Curriculum Coordinator Kathleen Cardosa said. We have a hyper focus on curriculum. Cumberland Assistant Superintendent Antonio DiManna The curriculum is the road that gets kids to meet state standards. But it cant be static. To be alive, teachers must be able to tweak, change, eliminate, massage or add whatever is not working in a curriculum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But mapping is only one step in a three-part process that uses the teachers brain trust to voice opinions, objections and suggestions. Step One: I dropped in on Amy Parents second grade math class. Shed chosen one of Eurekas several fluency exercises quick, warm up activities designed to reinforce basic math facts so kids can recall them automatically. In unison and enthusiastically, the kids count by fives up and down a scale of 100, adding or subtracting, depending on the direction Parents hand is sliding along the scale. They were learning about equal. Small groups of kids had to fold a piece of paper into two equal parts and prepare to explain their reasoning. Another problem asked how students would distribute three brownies to two children. Interestingly, most teams cut all three brownies in half instead of just one. Thats one way to get to a right answer, however inefficient, but lessons often allow for at least two ways of arriving at a solution. But what if Parent experienced a glitch while delivering that lesson? Maybe the kids got confused, or disengaged, or the lesson took too long? Who fixes that? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Step Two: Parent would take her issue to a weekly common planning time with her fellow grade-level teachers who had just finished the same lessons. Two things might happen: Parents colleagues had no issue themselves, so what might have gone sideways? What was different about their delivery or their choice of what activity to do? What might have worked better? How could they help? Thats embedded professional development at its best colleagues collaborating on being the best possible teachers. But if they had all chafed at the same activity, what practical adjustment does the curriculum need? The problem cant just be left to fester for a year only to deliver poor results again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parent then gathers her colleagues concerns and drafts solutions for the curriculum coordinators of the weekly mapping session. Step Three: The second-grade math representatives from all five Cumberland elementary schools gather to weed out obstacles they found. One recent weeks fluency module had way too much material and took too long. Parent had already limited the materials to use, but the curriculum itself needed a note advising teachers to do just that, to stay within the allotted time by choosing among the activities. Also, the cross-school data showed the lessons assessment had a two-part question whose second part went unanswered by the lowest level students. Among other ideas, the teachers agreed that giving an extra point or two to that second part would encourage all kids to keep going. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cardosa and a coordinator specializing in special-needs students listened, asked questions and took notes. They will find ways of adjusting the once-glitchy lesson so next years delivery gets more kids to proficiency. Even minor problems can prevent, slow, or ignore reasons why kids arent progressing as robustly as teachers know they can. Its not the kids fault. Educators need to create a shared understanding of curriculum goals and instructional strategies, said Cardosa. The point is for everyone, literally, to be on the same well-refined page. Amy Parent, a teacher at Garvin Memorial Elementary School in Cumberland, provides math support for students on March 6, 2025. ((Photo by Michelle Carter for Rhode Island Current) In class the following morning, Parent will pick up where she left off, making mental notes about how its going. And the improvement cycle will begin again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mind you, teachers often complain that standardized curricula feel dictatorial, erasing their creativity and slighting their professionalism. But Parent says her creativity is in full force. If I know of another activity that I think would work better, I do it, she said. Ill add activities, extra practice, rearranged lessons, etc. Too often, districts hand over a purchased curriculum with a lot of what but leave teachers with little help as to how to make it work with actual kids. Instead, Cumberlands lived curriculum is sensitive and responsive to the teachers practical experience. Its their academic north star. And its working. Correction: An earlier version of this column misspelled Amy Parents last name. Rhode Island Current regrets the error. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo stood by the Empire States controversial bail reforms Sunday, telling reporters after a mayoral campaign stop at a Harlem church that, It righted a terrible social wrong. Cuomo, 67, has become the front-runner since throwing his hat into the race to unseat Mayor Eric Adams, playing largely on his performance during his 11 years as the states chief executive including the criminal justice reforms that lawmakers passed on his watch. Some people raised issues about not having enough judicial discretion in that bill, the ex-governor said after speaking at Mount Neboh Baptist Church. That has been changed, that has been remedied. So now its up to the judges, its up to the prosecutors, to actually use their discretion and bring the appropriate charges. Ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo told parishioners at Mount Neboh Baptist Church in Harlem that he wants more NYPD cops but remains behind the states bail reform statutes. Michael Nagle And remember, bail reform righted a terrible wrong. We were putting people in Rikers, in jail, who hadnt been found guilty of anything just because they couldnt make bail, he said. It shouldnt be that because youre wealthy, then you can make bail and youre released, but if you cant make bail, then you stay in jail, even though you havent been found guilty of anything yet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State legislators have tweaked the legislation since its initial passage in 2019 to give judges some wiggle room, although most crimes are still not eligible for bail. However, Cuomo, who also served as state attorney general, continued to talk law and order on the campaign trail, reiterating a promise to hire 5,000 more cops to beef up the NYPD. We have city officials, many of whom want to be mayor in New York, who uttered the three dumbest of the policy words you can write cut the police,' he said Sunday. Why? Because they were pandering to the extremists and it was popular for some people to say. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday that President Trump will meddle in New Yorks business, but says he can handle him. Michael Nagle That was the progressive thing to do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said restoring the ranks of New Yorks Finest to the levels they were at during former Mayor David Dinkins tenure would serve to halt the wave of New Yorkers fleeing for greener pastures. Cuomo also took a shot at President Trump, warning that he would meddle in New York politics something Gov. Kathy Hochul spoke up about after the White House shut down congestion pricing. We dealt with President Trump and we did just fine, he said. Im not saying it is not a challenge. I dealt with him all through COVID. Day after day it was a challenge, but we rose to the occasion. Mayor Eric Adams faces a crowded field in his bid for reelection, including from former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Kevin C Downs forThe New York Post Meanwhile Adams, who faces a crowded field of challengers, addressed parishioners at the Iglesia Pentecostal de Jesucristo de Queens on Sunday, addressing an audience of about 100. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former three-term Republican Gov. George Pataki made his mind known Sunday as well, saying it would be a mistake for Big Apple residents to elect Andrew Cuomo as mayor. I look at Cuomo [who] would have been impeached if he hadnt resigned, Pataki said on WABC 770 the Cats Roundtable program. His record is one of being about himself, and not about the right policies. All you have to do is look at what he did during COVID to see that We all make mistakes but you dont lie about it. You dont pretend it never happened, he said, referring to Cuomo being accused of low-balling pandemic related deaths of nursing home residents You dont blame it on someone else. You take responsibility. That has not been the case [with Cuomo]. He said the city has done best under Republican mayors, pointing to Rudy Giuliani and Mike Bloomberg. Additional reporting by Valentina Jaramillo and Carl Campanile TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) Cure on Wheels Cyclists are biking from Tampa to Tallahassee to help raise money for cancer research. This is part of their annual Capitol Ride event, which involves a 325-mile advocacy journey that ends at the Florida state Capitol steps. Credit: Moffitt Cancer Center Credit: Moffitt Cancer Center Credit: Moffitt Cancer Center About 35 committed team members left Moffitt McKinley Hospital on Sunday to begin the ride to the Florida capitol, where they are expected to arrive on Wednesday to kick off the annual Moffitt Day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Cure on Wheels team members will present three checks for $40,000 toward supporting blood and marrow transplantation services, prostate cancer research, and young adult fertility resources. Moffit Day is a day for researchers, physicians, patients, volunteers, and advocates to join forces in meeting with lawmakers to advocate for the cancer center by highlighting its impact across the state and beyond. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) A Triad company is facing fines and citation after an employee was killed last year. According to the North Carolina Department of Labor, D.H. Griffin Wrecking Company has been issued citations after an inspection that began on Sept. 4, 2024. The Labor Department cited D.H. Griffin Wrecking Company Inc. with one alleged serious violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of North Carolina with a total penalty of $16,131, a release stated on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the DOL, D.H. Griffin did not furnish to each of his employees conditions of employment and a place of employment free from recognized hazards that were causing or were likely to cause death or serious injury. Employees operated a JLG 460SJ Telescopic Boom Lift on a four-lane road over an active railroad crossing with two sets of tracks and no procedures or control methods were established and implemented to prevent employees from being struck by a train while crossing the railroad tracks, the citation reads. On or about September 4, 2024, an employee was operating a JLG lift and driving through a railroad crossing when an Amtrak train struck the lift, resulting in fatal injuries. 1 dead, 1 airlifted after dirt bikes crash head-on in Eden The Department of Labor proposes that they should load and transport the JLG lift by a trailer or roll back truck to avoid operating the lift over a railroad track crossing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The penalties are in no way designed to make up for the loss of life, the Department of Labor stated. By law, civil money penalties collected by the N.C. Department of Labor are not receipts of the department but rather must be remitted to the Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund, which then distributes the monies to the public school system. This inspection began after, on Sept. 4, Margarito Alfonso-Cruz, 51, of Greensboro, was operating that JGL Boom Lift when the lift was struck by an Amtrak train at the Hilltop Road crossing near the D.H Griffin facility in Greensboro. Alfonso-Cruz attempted to back out of the crossing when the arms began to lower, but he was unable to and he was killed. Hours after the crash, FOX8 saw police and railroad workers testing the alarm bell that alerts people a train is coming. D.H. Griffin has 15 business days to request a conference with the Labor Department, to contest the citation or pay the penalty. 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 FOX8 WGHP. The district attorney of Los Angeles County says he does not support the resentencing of Lyle and Erik Menendez, arguing that the brothers have repeatedly lied about why they killed their parents at their Beverly Hills home in 1989. District Attorney Nathan Hochman provided an update on the notorious murder case on Monday, addressing one of three parallel tracks that could result in the brothers release from prison, where they are serving life terms. Gov. Gavin Newsom recently directed the California Board of Parole Hearings to evaluate whether Lyle and Erik, who are now 57 and 54, respectively, pose a risk to public safety if they were to be released from prison. The DAs Office has already informally requested that the courts deny the habeas petition. Resentencing is their third avenue to freedom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hochman previously stated that he opposes a new trial for the brothers, who are serving life sentences for the murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty, at their Beverly Hills home in 1989. The brothers were 21 and 18 at the time of the killings. At Mondays press conference, however, Hochman indicated he was in favor of granting the brothers a resentencing hearing only after his predecessors motion was withdrawn. An Oct. 31, 2016, photo provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shows Erik Menendez, left, and a Feb. 22, 2018, photo provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shows Lyle Menendez. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via AP, File) In October, then-District Attorney George Gascon recommended the brothers be resentenced to 50 years to life, which would make them immediately eligible for parole. The basis for that request is that the prior motion did not examine or consider whether the Menendez brothers have exhibited full insight and taken complete responsibility for their crimes by continuing for the past 30 years to lie about their claims of self-defense, Hochman continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hochman noted that Jose Menendez suffered a shotgun blast to the back of his head while Kitty Menendez was shot in the face at point-blank range. Both were shot in the kneecaps in what was staged to look like a mafia killing, he said. Erik Menendez, left, and his brother Lyle, in front of their Beverly Hills home. (Getty) The DA stated that he believes the brothers current and continual failure to show full insight and accept full responsibility for their murders is what is preventing them from having the chance at freedom. They have lied to everyone for the last 30 years, Hochman said. If they were to finally come forward and unequivocally and sincerely admit and completely accept responsibility for their lies of self-defense and the attempted suborning of perjury they engaged in, then the court should weigh such new insight into the analysis of rehabilitation and resentencing, as will the people. Family members of Erik and Lyle Menendez slammed Hochmans assertion that the brothers do not meet the standards for resentencing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lets be clear: Erik and Lyle are not the same young boys they were more than 30 years ago, the Justice for Erik and Lyle Coalition said in a statement Monday. They have apologized for the horrific actions they took. They have apologized to us. And, they have demonstrated their atonement through actions that have helped improve countless lives. Yet, DA Hochman is effectively asking for them to publicly apologize to a checklist of actions they took in a state of shock and fear. The brothers resentencing hearing is scheduled for March 20 and 21. More information about the DAs announcement can be found here. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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. The father of murdered Newark police detective Joseph Azcona called the violent death of his hero son a pain that is indescribable as he was nearly too choked up for words Sunday evening. Jose Azconas emotions were still understandably raw less than 48 hours after his 26-year-old son was killed by an alleged teenage gunman during a fiery shootout in the crime-plagued New Jersey city. The shooting led to the death of the hero detective. LP Media Its a pain that Its a pain that is indescribable, Jose, 52, told The Post with a long pause. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have no words for the pain, he continued in Spanish. No words. I have no words. Det. Azcona, who had five years on the police force, was shot before he even had the opportunity to leave his police car, Essex County prosecutors said during a news conference Saturday. The cop was pronounced dead at the hospital early Saturday morning. The 14-year-old suspect, whose name hasnt been released due to his age, allegedly pulled the trigger on an automatic weapon, shooting off nearly 30 bullets in rapid succession before he was wounded by returning fire. He is facing murder charges, though an expert told The Post Sunday the accused killer wont be tried as an adult. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Azconas partner was also shot and wounded during the gunfight that took place near a McDonalds and White Castle at the intersection of Carteret Street and Broadway, according to officials. Joseph Azcona, 26, died in the hospital early Saturday. Jose Azcona Jose Azcona who was already back to work at his job at a Newark liquor store Sunday said he and his family have had to keep their commitments while they work through the grief of the unthinkable tragedy. But he noted that community support has been strong in the ugly aftermath. With time we will heal, but for now, Im speechless, he said. We will miss him forever. The detectives slaying spurred outrage and condolences across the country, including from NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. The community is mourning the loss of Azcona. LP Media The entire NYPD is mourning the loss of @NewarkNJPolice Detective Joseph Azcona, the citys top cop wrote Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every day, officers put their lives on the line to protect others, and today, we are painfully reminded of the sacrifices they make. Meanwhile, NJ State PBA President Peter Andreyev said in a statement Azconas murder is outrageous and should shock every NJ resident. The fact that some 14-year-old decides to assassinate a New Jersey officer shows the failure of so many systems, he said. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) Monday on the Daily 8, were looking at ice warnings from local officials as the weather warms up, an unclaimed lottery ticket, a new way to watch WOOD TV8 programming and more. You can watch the full Daily 8 for March 10, 2025, in the video player above or check out any of the stories mentioned below: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each weekday, the Daily 8 brings you the top eight stories we are keeping an eye on in and around West Michigan. Join us again on Tuesday for the Daily 8. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ELK POINT, S.D. (KCAU) The trial for a man accused of murdering a woman in a Dakota Dunes has been delayed. Jury selection for the trial was set to start Monday, March 10, for the trial of Alfredo Castellanos-Rosales. Due to a medical emergency for one of Castellanos-Rosales attorneys though, another attorney for Castellanos-Rosales requested the trial be continued. Missing Cherokee area man found dead, officials confirm Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The court approved, delaying the trial with no rescheduled date given. As part of continuing the case, Castellanos-Rosales also waived his right to a speedy trial. Alfredo Castellanos-Rosales (Courtesy Webb County, Texas Sheriffs Office) Castellanos-Rosales is charged with first-degree murder. He had also been charged with one count of contributing to the neglect of a child and one count of contributing to the abuse of a child, but the prosecution dropped those charges on March 5. Castellanos-Rosales is accused of killing Jordan Beardshear on April 25, 2023, at the Wellington at the Dunes apartments in Dakota Dunes. After the alleged murder, a search for Castellanos-Rosales began, and he was later apprehended in Mexico and turned over to the U.S. Marshals Service. Castellanos-Rosaless counsel filed a motion to change the venue of the trial on Feb. 24, arguing that it would not be possible to seat an impartial jury in Union County, but the South Dakota Attorney Generals Office told KCAU 9 that the judge denied that motion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Castellanos-Rosaless estranged wife, Reyna Castellanos, was also arrested in 2024 on accusations that she was an accessory to the Dakota Dunes murder. She had a pre-trial conference scheduled for March 7, but it was continued until April 4. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. Less than 30,000 residents of Armenian origin lived in Karabakh in 1992," said Armenian defendant Arkadi Ghukasyan while answering questions from state prosecutors during a hearing at the Baku Military Court on Monday, Trend reports. According to Ghukasyan, some of these individuals remained in Karabakh, while others relocated to Armenia and Russia, respectively. The trial continues against Armenian citizens charged with war crimes, genocide, violations of international humanitarian law, terrorism, and the illegal use of force during Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan. Faith is an integral part of millions of Americans daily lives. One Nation Under God is committed to reflecting Americas voices, values and communities covering stories of faith and religion, from the latest headlines to stories of hope. Subscribe here. (NewsNation) In a new book, the Dalai Lama, Tibets spiritual leader, is offering the first account of his tense negotiations with Chinas leaders and his efforts to preserve Tibets culture, religion and language under Chinese rule. In A Voice for the Voiceless, set to come out on March 11, reveals his framework for the future of Tibet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Decline in Christianity among US adults slowing: Study The Tibetan peoples right to govern their homeland cannot be indefinitely denied, nor can their aspiration for freedom be suppressed forever, he writes. Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama (C) arrives to attend a long life prayer offered to him by his students and devotees at a temple in McLeod Ganj on October 25, 2023. (Photo by Money SHARMA / AFP) Tibets struggle for freedom The Buddhist leader, 89, has lived in exile in India since the Chinese armys deadly crackdown on Tibetans in 1959. Today, China controls Tibet and is accused by human rights groups of grave human rights abuses in the country, including torture, cultural genocide and religious repressions. Now, almost 75 years after Chinas invasion, the Dalai Lama is reminding the world about Tibets struggle for freedom. My hope is that this book provides a framework for the future of Tibet after my death, he writes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dalai Lamas elder brother, who led rounds of talks with China, dies at 97 In 2011, the Dalai Lama stepped down as the political leader of Tibets government in exile, which Beijing does not recognize. Official talks between China and the Dalai Lamas representatives have been frozen. As the spiritual leader ages, questions over his successor become more urgent. China insists that it will choose his successor, while the Dalai Lama says he will clarify the issue around the time of his 90th birthday in July. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 radar-confirmed tornado struck Seminole County on Monday morning, destroying at least one home and damaging several others. The tornado was captured moving across Interstate 4 just north of Orlando, as it whipped through Lake Mary and into Sanford. The National Weather Serviced confirmed is was an EF2 tornado with peak winds of 115 mph. Tornado warnings were issued in Seminole, Volusia and Sarasota counties as the storm raced through the area. When a tornado warning is in effect, a tornado is imminent or has been reported, while a tornado watch simply means the right weather conditions exist for tornadoes to form. (Photo credit: Seminole County Fire Dept.) (Photo credit: Seminole County Fire Dept.) Tower cameras showed debris flying as the twister passed near FOX 35 Orlando in Lake Mary, which was in the middle of a news broadcast. Employees took shelter under their desks to wait out the storm. A radar image shows storms moving across central Florida on the morning of Mar. 10, 2025. The National Weather Service reported that the tornado touched down around 9:40 a.m. EDT and "was located over Lake Mary," heading northeast at 30 mph. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Seminole County Fire Department responded to a house the tornado ripped apart. "There were two occupants & both were uninjured," according to responders who are assessing other homes for damage and urge residents to please stay clear of the area if they don't need to be there. "A small tornado hit my neighborhood a few minutes ago here in Lake Mary Florida...power out and heard stuff hitting against roof & sides," Mike Lever posted on Facebook. A semitrailer overturned near Lake Emma Road and Commerce Street in Lake Mary, according to WKMG. "We did have a driver and his dog in the semi when it did get flipped by the wind event. They're both OK, and we're really grateful for that," a Lake Mary first responder told local media. No injuries have been reported. A nurse holds a vial of COVID-19 vaccine and syringe. A bill in the Alabama Legislature would allow parents to declare their children religiously exempt from vaccination without needing to provide a reason or justification. (Getty Images) We reap bitter fruit when lawmakers cross-pollinate religion and law. Its not just a question of elevating one belief over others. The law at its best gives fair treatment to competing interests and keeps them on the same path through the world. When one version of what lies beyond this reality gets into the law, the people clinging to that vision enjoy a privilege over any other need or desire in the broader community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two bills pending before the Alabama Legislature put particular beliefs on a pedestal. And in the process, they could subject public education and the health of our children to the schemes of zealots. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX HB 342, sponsored by Rep. Susan DuBose, R-Hoover, would force local school boards to give academic credit to students participating in religious instruction programs. And how does HB 342 define religious instruction? It doesnt. Nor did DuBose when Anna Barrett asked her about the bill last week. I dont know that I have a more detailed description other than religious instruction, she said. Basically think of Sunday school class. It would be something like that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What kind of Sunday school class? Unitarian? Methodist? Flying Spaghetti Monster? Theres nothing wrong with pursuing these questions in private. Faith deals with the unknown. Our struggles sometimes feel inexplicable. But the law must work with the grubby reality of the world. So laws must be clear in their meanings and mandates. They should be easily understood; easily applied and fair to everyone. Thats not going to happen under HB 342. Yes, it requires students to take core classes. But it makes it easy to undermine the point of that instruction. A student staying up late writing a paper explaining the forces that shaped the U.S. Constitution gets credit. But so does a student whose pastor tells her that God Did it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under HB 342, the state of Alabama must treat these academic outcomes equally. It tells students that the hard work of reading and reasoning matters less than nodding at what the clergy tells you. And yet, that bill seems tame compared with SB 85, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur. The legislation does two terrible things. It extends religious exemptions from vaccines to public colleges and universities. This alone is a bad idea. College and university students live close to one another; spend long hours in work and study and deal with loads of personal, professional and financial stress. Its a perfect environment to breed illness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the bill goes further. It explicitly states that a college student or the parent or guardian of a K-12 student can claim a religious exemption from vaccines without explaining why. And it prevents a school from determining if that objection is legitimate. So if you think the MMRV vaccine will put mischievous elves in your childs bloodstream, the state will shrug. If you think measles is the better option, and you smile when your kid gets that contagious and potentially deadly disease and spreads it to other children, SB 85 says your viewpoint matters more than the health of other peoples kids. A medical exemption from a vaccine is one thing. But religious ones are highly suspect. No major religion expressly forbids people from taking vaccines. Not Judaism. Or Islam. Not the Catholic Church. Or the Methodists. Not the Southern Baptists. Or the Lutherans. In fact, anti-vaxxers often exploit religious exemptions to prevent their children from getting vaccinated, regardless of what their actual beliefs are. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A move like this is especially reckless as Alabamas vaccination rates fall into risky territory. Empowering people eager to put your familys health at risk will lead to an uncountable number of preventable tragedies. Were already seeing the dangers of vaccine denial in Texas, where (as of Friday) two people had died in a measles outbreak and hundreds more had been sickened. It didnt have to happen. And thats the part that makes me angry. You have a right to your religious convictions. Or believe nothing matters. But education and public health must work from reality. They emerge from practices developed through hard experience. Teachers and health care workers train all the time to refine those methods and learn new ones. All to protect and elevate as many people as possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Your leaders should defend those systems. Instead, theyre abandoning their duties and giving charlatans legal perches to sicken us and wreck public education. Religious belief does not trump every other consideration. One persons destructive conviction does not mean we bow our heads in silence as they smash everything around us. Thats not religious freedom. Thats straight-up nihilism. It trashes professional expertise and puts paranoid fantasy in its place. When we bend the law to accommodate it, the law is no longer rational. It no longer functions. And instead of confronting the world as it is, we find ourselves subject to someones faith. With no way to reason with them. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE As promised, the second Trump administration has quickly rolled out a slew of policies and executive orders that the president says are all aimed at Making America Great Again. This takes on different forms, including Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency quickly laying off thousands of workers at various federal agencies, and President Donald Trump pausing all funding for Ukraine. Trump says that, among others, there are three groups that are making America not-great: immigrants, people with disabilities, and people who are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion policies. These administration efforts began at a time when many Americans expressed an overall rising sense of dissatisfaction with the state of the country and politics. Just 19% of Americans said in December 2024 that they think the country is heading in the right direction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This perspective is striking not only because it is so dark, but because it strongly resembles how Americans felt during a pivotal decade 100 years ago, when peoples dissatisfaction with the state of the country led to a series of discriminatory, hateful policies by the federal government. Its a period of American history that I think offers something of a mirror of the current political situation in the U.S. A registry room is seen at Ellis Island in New York Harbor in 1924. Associated Press The Roaring 20s? In the 1920s, the economy was good, the U.S. had won World War I, and a terrible pandemic ended. But many Americans did not see it that way. They entered the 1920s with a growing sense of paranoia and a feeling that they had been robbed of something. Winning World War I had come at a terrible cost. More than 116,000 American soldiers died and twice that number came home wounded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the war came to a close, the U.S. and the world was in the throes of the flu pandemic that ultimately claimed tens of millions of lives, including about 675,000 in the U.S. Other Americans were concerned about the possible rise of communism in the U.S., as well as the arrival of many immigrants. This led extremists to introduce and implement hate-based policies at the federal and state level that targeted nonwhite immigrants and disabled people. Among the most significant results of that political moment was the 1924 Johnson-Reed Act, a restrictive immigration policy that, among other changes, prohibited immigration from Asia. Another pivotal movement was the Supreme Courts 1927 Buck v. Bell decision, which affirmed that the state of Virginia had the right to sterilize intellectually and developmentally disabled people. Discrimination against marginalized groups The Johnson-Reed Act prompted a major shift in American immigration policy, based on the fear of something that former President Theodore Roosevelt and others called race suicide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The law introduced rigid restrictions keeping people out of the country who were not from Northern and Western Europe. The immigration quotas that it established would continue to be enforced into the 1960s. The U.S. politicians who lobbied for this law were successful because they supported their effort by presenting evidence that showed purportedly scientific proof that almost all people in the world were biologically inferior to a group they called the Nordic Race meaning people from Northern Europe and their American descendants, who formed a group they called the American Race. By restricting immigration from all other groups, these legislators believed they were counterbalancing a crushing period where war and pandemic had killed off what they saw as the countrys best people. Different groups preyed on Americans grief about the war and pandemic and directed it against minority groups. Ku Klux Klan members parade down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington on Aug. 8, 1925. Bettmann/Contributor From Maine to California, a revived Ku Klux Klan attracted millions of followers with its belief that white people were superior to all others, and that Black people should remain enslaved. At the same time, a group of scientists, doctors and psychologists found enormous success in persuading the public that there were scientific reasons why hatred and discrimination needed to be incorporated into American government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their proof was something called eugenics, a pseudoscience which argued that humans had to use advanced technology and medicine to get people with good traits to reproduce while stopping those with bad traits from having the opportunity to do so. Harry Laughlin, a eugenicist based at a research laboratory in Cold Spring Harbor, New York, was one of this movements most vocal representatives. Laughlin worked for several different eugenics research organizations, and this helped him become successful at creating propaganda supporting eugenics that influenced public policy. He then gained a spot as an expert eugenics adviser to Congress in the early 1920s. With his position, Laughlin then provided the pseudoscientific data that gave the supporters of Johnson-Reed the claims they needed to justify passing the measure. Carrie Buck, left, pictured with her mother, Emma, was the first woman involuntarily sterilized under Virginia law in the 1920s. M.E. Grenander Special Collections and Archives, University at Albany A push for sterilization In Laughlins influential 1922 book Eugenic Sterilization in the United States, he detailed a road map for passing a law that would allow governments to sterilize disabled people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After so much death during World War I and the influenza pandemic, Laughlin found fertile ground for making a case that the U.S. needed to stop people who might be considered feeble-minded from passing down inferior traits. In the mid-1920s, Laughlin and his allies pressed a court case against a teenage woman whom the state of Virginia had deemed an imbecile and incarcerated at a massive Virginia institution for the feeble-minded. This woman, Carrie Buck, was incarcerated after she gave birth to a child in 1924 who was conceived as a result of rape. If Buck, who was 18 years old at the time, had any hope of being released, the officials who ran the institution demanded she be sterilized first. All across the country, states had begun legalizing forced sterilization. Now, this case of Buck v. Bell made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1927, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. issued the courts ruling, which had only one dissent. In it, he wrote that three generations of imbeciles is enough and extended the scope of a previous ruling that allowed the government to compel people to get vaccinated to include forced sterilization of disabled people. Buck was forcibly sterilized in October 1927, shortly after the courts ruling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While it is unquestionable that sterilization and other discriminatory policies found common cause with Adolf Hitlers rising Nazi movement which used the eugenic ideas of sterilization and mass extermination they persisted, largely unchallenged, here in the U.S. Some people, including myself, argue that the spirit of these discriminatory policies still exists in the U.S. today. A familiar story Following stalemated wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in the 2000s and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the American economy has been growing. But sensing a grave decline, some white Americans have turned their sights on people with disabilities, immigrants, transgender and nonbinary people, and people of color as the source of their problems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump regularly encourages this kind of thinking. In January 2025, he blamed an air collision that occurred over the Potomac River and killed 67 people on disabled Federal Aviation Administration employees, implying that they did not possess the intelligence to do their jobs. Trump falsely said the Jan. 1, 2025, New Orleans terror attack was caused by illegal immigration, even though a Texas-born man drove a car into a crowd of people, killing 14. At a policy level, Trumps administration has made significant changes to the immigration system, including taking steps to remove legal protections for 350,000 Venezuelan immigrants in the U.S. And he has launched an unprecedented challenge to birthright citizenship. There are limits to what history can say about the current situation. But these similarities with the early 1920s suggest that, contrary to many claims about the unprecedented nature of the current times, the country has been here before. 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: Alex Green, Harvard Kennedy School Read more: Alex Green 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. The Chinese government is fond of very large buildings. The administrative centre of Beijing is built to impress both foreign and domestic visitors. Monolithic granite edifices of a size and scale unheard of in even Americas most wealthy metropolises stand as sentinels along both sides of the thoroughfares. This is a visual reminder that the state is omnipresent and all-powerful. Now, if our Foreign Secretary is to get his way, that peculiar Sino-Soviet aesthetic is to be imported into the British capital. David Lammy has become a personal champion of Chinese ambitions to establish a super-embassy near the Tower of London. At more than 10 times the size of its existing embassy at Portland Place in Marylebone, the 20,000 square metres development would become Europes largest embassy building. It would include offices, 225 homes and a cultural exchange site. Oh, and it would definitely not represent any kind of security threat. After all, this is China were talking about. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Lammy is surely one of the most naive Foreign Secretaries in British history. He asked the Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, to call in the planning application for the site after it had already been rejected by Tower Hamlets Council. Perhaps the Foreign Secretary had a strong argument to make? Lets take a look. In his letter to Rayner in favour of the application, Lammy pointed out the undeniable fact that building the embassy at that location was in Beijings interests: As a new embassy, I consider that this application is clearly in the interest of a foreign government, and of more than local importance. I would therefore request that you give consideration to calling in the application for your decision. This is, I am sure you will agree, powerful and succinct. And now to the opposing arguments. Firstly, UK intelligence agencies have expressed concerns that highly sensitive cables that run directly under the site could be hacked by Chinese officials operating with diplomatic immunity inside the embassy. Then there is the more general concern that the embassy will be used as a super-hub for Chinese spies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Secondly, the Metropolitan Police opposed the application because of fears the new complex would attract too many protesters and cause a public nuisance. Thirdly, Congressional leaders in the United States have warned that gifting the Chinese Communist Party with the largest embassy in Europe is a counterproductive and unearned reward. And fourthly, Luke de Pulford, the executive director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, has said that the embassy has never been in the UKs interests. It is quite the conundrum: how to balance the Foreign Secretarys extensive (three-paragraph) arguments with detailed objections from the police, the intelligence services and senior legislators from Britains most important political and military ally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was no such conundrum for Rayner. She did Lammy what asked her. She called in the application and took it out of the hands of councillors. Presumably, our Chinese friends are unused to the notion that local elected officials could ever stand in the way of the central Government. But Rayners intervention will have reassured them that even local democracy has its limits in the UK. This home from home for every spy relishing the prospect of advancing his governments ambitions from the heart of a Western democracy has moved a step closer. It could surely not come at a better time for Beijing. This is the same week, after all, in which the Chinese ambassador to the US stated: If war is what the US wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, were ready to fight till the end. Thats reassuring, isnt it? What do the police, security officers and American politicians know? We have David Lammy on our side. So what if he wants to give an autocratic foreign power an unprecedented foothold a fortress, no less in our capital city? I mean, with David on our side, what could possibly go wrong? 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. March 10 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1862, the U.S. Treasury issued "legal tender notes" in denominations from $5 to $1,000, the first U.S. paper money. In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell transmitted the first telephone message to his assistant in the next room: "Mr. Watson, come here. I want you." In 1880, the Salvation Army of the United States was founded in New York City. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI On March 10, 1969, James Earl Ray pleaded guilty to the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. and was sentenced to 99 years in prison. Ray died in prison in 1998. UPI File Photo In 1933, Harry W. Frantz, a correspondent for United Press, penned an editorial on the current financial situation, arguing that the history of the United States "strongly suggests the possibility of a prompt recuperation from the present banking and money crisis." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1959, more than 300,000 Tibetans, fearing the Chinese were plotting to abduct the Dalai Lama, surround his home in Lhasa, the Potala Palace, marking the beginning of the Tibetan uprising. Protesters demonstrate in support of the Tibetan uprising as they march to the Chinese Consulate in Vancouver, British Columbia, on March 22, 2008. On March 10, 1959, the uprising began when more than 300,000 Tibetans, fearing the Chinese were plotting to abduct the Dalai Lama, surround his home in Lhasa, the Potala Palace. File Photo by Heinz Ruckemann/UPI In 1969, James Earl Ray pleaded guilty to the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. and was sentenced to 99 years in prison. Ray died in prison in 1998. In 1977, astronomers discovered rings around the planet Uranus. Treasury Secretary John W. Snow signs a replica dollar bill at the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington on April 26, 2005. On March 10, 1862, the U.S. Treasury issued "legal tender notes" in denominations from $5 to $1,000, the first U.S. paper money. File Photo by Roger L .Wollenberg/UPI In 1987, the Vatican condemned human artificial fertilization or generation of human life outside the womb and said all reproduction must result from the "act of conjugal love." File Photo by Stefano Spaziani/UPI In 1993, an anti-abortion demonstrator shot and killed Dr. David Gunn at the Pensacola Women's Medical Services clinic in Florida. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2004, Lee Boyd Malvo, 19, was sentenced to life in prison without parole for his role in 10 Washington-area sniper killings in 2002. His partner, John Allen Muhammad, considered the mastermind, was executed in 2009. In 2019, an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed shortly after taking off from Addis Ababa's airport, killing all 157 aboard. Investigators blamed the crash on flaws in the planes' automated flight software, leading to the grounding of all 737 Max aircraft. In 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping was elected to a third five-year term. It made Xi the longest-serving leader of the people's republic since its founding in 1949 and only the second leader to serve more than two terms since Mao Zedong. In 2024, Oppenheimer was named the Best Picture of 2023 while its stars Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. won Best Actor and Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards. BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. (WBOY) Daylight saving time is here and so is grogginess that can last about a week as your body adjusts to the new time change, even if its only springing one hour ahead. Dr. Sara Reed, who practices osteopathic medicine at United Hospital Center (UHC), further explained what many Americans are feeling. With it being darker in the morning because of the sudden shift it is harder to wake up in the morning and it causes to be groggier throughout the day because were waking up suddenly when were not used to and it can cause some insomnia at night because the hours are more awake during the night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turtleman visits Harrison County Dr. Reed said the best way to adjust to this big change is by pairing up your activities with the sunlight hours. Doing things like walk and doing things in the sunlight are both things that wake you up. So whenever you try and take walks after dinner if its at nighttime its something thattwo things that would keep you up at night and its something that your body recognizes as what you should go to sleep as so it can affect your cycle, Dr. Reed said. Other effects this sudden change can have on your body can include shortened sleep duration, mood disturbances and even a 30% increased risk for heart attacks. There is also about a 6% increase in fatal traffic accidents in the U.S. during the transition into daylight saving time, especially in the mornings, according to the CDC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This year in West Virginia the House of Delegates proposed House Bill 2546 that would make Eastern Standard time year-round, and would take effect on July 1, 2025 if approved. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. Members of the Azerbaijani parliament's working group on Azerbaijan-Sweden inter-parliamentary relations sent a letter to the members of the Sweden-Armenia friendship group in the Swedish parliament, a source in the parliament told Trend. The letter strongly rejects the groundless, biased, and prejudiced statement adopted by the Sweden-Armenia friendship group of the Swedish parliament on March 6 this year. "This statement, full of lies and accusations, is a disgraceful attempt to distort reality, question the sovereignty of Azerbaijan, and justify the crimes of Armenian separatists and war criminals against the Azerbaijani people. Being part of the Armenian lobby, you decided to ignore the 30-year occupation of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territories by Armenia, the countless war crimes against peaceful Azerbaijani citizens, ethnic cleansing, and mass gross violations of human rights. You deliberately chose to turn a blind eye to the atrocities committed by Armenian armed formations, the Khojaly genocide, and the atrocious killing of innocent people, including children, women, and the elderly, subjected to unbearable torture. According to international law, Azerbaijan, having restored its territorial integrity and sovereignty, has the full legal right to prosecute individuals who committed serious crimes, including separatism, crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, as well as terrorist acts against the Azerbaijani state and its citizens. The accusations of 'unlawful imprisonment of Armenian prisoners, including political figures and civilians, physical and psychological torture, as well as political persecution against them' and other similar fabricated accusations are nothing more than fiction aimed at diverting attention from the crimes of those responsible for the occupation of Azerbaijani lands, the destruction of our cities and villages, ethnic cleansing, which led to 750,000 Azerbaijanis expelled from their homeland, as well as the systematic destruction of Azerbaijan's national cultural and historical heritage. The hypocrisy of the members of the Sweden-Armenia friendship group is also manifested in the disregard for the fate of thousands of Azerbaijani civilians who suffered from the persecution of Armenian military formations during the 30-year occupation period, including the 4,000 missing persons, whose fate is still unknown. The approach based on double standards, selectivity, and bias demonstrates the true intentions of the members of the group, which are political manipulations aimed at defaming Azerbaijan. In their statement, presenting war criminals and separatists as 'innocent political figures and civilians' is a shameless distortion of facts. These individuals are not prisoners of war, but criminals who violated the laws of Azerbaijan and must be held accountable and punished through a fair and transparent judicial process for their actions. Azerbaijan's judicial system operates fully following international standards, and claims to the contrary are nothing more than slander. We firmly condemn the shameful and biased statement aimed not at supporting peace and justice but at escalating tension and inciting hostility. Azerbaijan is committed to justice, international law, and the regional peace agenda. No external threats or interference can undermine our determination to uphold the rule of law and ensure accountability for crimes committed against our country. Everyone must accept this reality: Azerbaijan acted and continues to act within its sovereign rights to protect its people and territory from unlawful occupation and separatism. We, the members of the Azerbaijani parliament's working group of Azerbaijan on relations with the Swedish parliament, call on you to abandon unjustified and false accusations aimed at undermining justice. The period of impunity for war criminals is over, and all attempts to justify those who are guilty of crimes against our people and state will prove futile," the letter reads. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel WASHINGTON (AP) Starlette Thomas remembers coming down almost daily to the intersection of 16th and H streets, to protest police brutality and systemic racial iniquities during the summer of 2020. On Monday, the 45-year old Bowie, Maryland resident returned to the site of those protests to mourn the end of Black Lives Matter Plaza. I needed to be here today. I cant just let this go away, Thomas said, as jackhammers began tearing into the giant yellow letters in the street. Thomas discretely secured a chunk of pavement and said holding it made her feel conflicted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To walk away with a piece of that, it means its not gone, she said. Its more than brick and mortar. Crews started work Monday to remove the large yellow Black Lives Matter painted on the street one block from the White House. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the change last week in response to pressure from Republicans in Congress. The work is expected to take about six weeks and the words will be replaced by an unspecified set of city-sponsored murals. The painting of those words was an act of government-sponsored defiance during President Donald Trump's first term. The removal amounts to a public acknowledgement of just how vulnerable the District of Columbia is now that Trump is back in the White House and Republicans control both houses of Congress. Bowser, a Democrat, ordered the painting and renamed the intersection Black Lives Matter Plaza in June 2020. It came after days of chaotic protests at that location following the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer; Bowser had clashed with Trump over her handling of the protests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But now Bowser has little power to fend off encroachments on D.C.'s limited autonomy. Bowser said last week on X that, The mural inspired millions of people and helped our city through a painful period, but now we cant afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference. The devastating impacts of the federal job cuts must be our number one concern. Among those who gathered to witness the work Monday was Megan Bailiff, CEO of Equus Striping, the pavement marking company that originally painted the letters. Bailiff called the dismantling of Black Lives Matter Plaza, historically obscene and said its presence was, more significant at this very moment than it ever has been in this country. The far right celebrated the shift online, with conservative provocateur Charlie Kirk visiting the site to hail, the end of this mass race hysteria in our country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Trumps second term, Bowser has worked to avoid conflict and downplay any points of contention. She traveled to Mar-a-Lago in Florida to meet with Trump after the election and has publicly emphasized their points of agreement. Trump recently revived a frequent campaign talking point about wanting a federal takeover of the nations capital, describing Washington as being riddled with crime, graffiti and homeless encampments. Bowser has refused to comment on reports that the White House is preparing an executive order targeting Washington. She publicly said that the greatest threat to the so-called Home Rule autonomy was some of the people in Congress. Congressional Republicans have repeatedly threatened to interfere in city affairs in large and small ways. A measure currently before Congress, named the BOWSER Act, seeks to completely revoke the Home Rule Act of 1973, which grants the capital city limited autonomy. ___ Associated Press journalists Nathan Ellgren contributed reporting. The deadline for those hoping to apply for disaster unemployment assistance is Monday. According to WLOS in Asheville, assistance is available to those who lost work due to Hurricane Helene last September. ALSO READ: County buys 2 homes damaged by Hurricane Helene in Charlotte WLOS reports the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is asking all applicants provide the following information: Name, and addresses of all employers in the last 24 months County of residence, employment Mailing address and zip code Valid telephone number Social Security number or alien registration number Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Applicants will also have to apply for state unemployment benefits, and provide proof of employment and income, if they were self-employed before Helene, WLOS says. To receive disaster unemployment benefits, WLOS reports FEMA requires documentation must be submitted within 21 days of state unemployment filing. Visit disasterassistance.gov to apply for disaster unemployment assistance. ALSO READ: Popular Morganton attraction washed out by Helene partially reopens In other Helene recovery news, the state Senate voted last week on a fourth round of disaster relief for Western North Carolina. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein visited Yancey County on Thursday to meet with Helene survivors after the state Senates vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yancey County Sheriff Shane Hilliard said his mom lost her home during the storm. Four of her neighbors died from flash flooding. Hilliards mother, Susie, is now rebuilding and got to speak to the Gov. Stein. It means a lot that he cares enough to come out and see the devastation, Susie Hilliard said. Just try to help us to get our life back. WATCH BELOW: Gov. Stein visits western NC after Senate approves round of Helene disaster relief GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA) Deputies in Greenville County are investigating after a man was found dead in a car Sunday night. According to the Greenville County Sheriffs Office, deputies responded to the intersection of Sumter Street and Columbia Avenue just before 10 p.m. Sunday night after receiving a call that a male victim was dead in a vehicle with at least one gunshot wound. The Greenville County Coroners Office pronounced 28-year-old William Rafael Viloria-Paredes of Greenville dead on the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Viloria-Paredes died from a gunshot wound, according to the coroners office. The manner of death has been ruled a homicide. This is an ongoing investigation. Stay connected with 7NEWS on-air and online 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. whats at stake President Donald Trump dismantled the US Agency for International Development as one of his first steps after taking office, moving it under the State Department as he imposed a 90-day freeze on all foreign aid. Following court challenges, the Supreme Court last week denied a bid by Trump to keep the foreign aid frozen and gave State the greenlight to resume billions of dollars in payments for already-completed work. The Trump administrations efforts have touched off a widespread debate about the benefits of foreign aid particularly non-military assistance that flows to countries for humanitarian, economic, democracy promotion and health reasons. whos making the case Ian Vasquez, vice president for international studies at the Cato Institute, argues that US foreign aid should be reduced dramatically because it has failed to promote economic development in poorer countries, even when officials have tried to attach conditions: If you look at the record of foreign aid over the course of some seven or more decades, you cant say that its been a success. It, in fact, has been a failure at promoting economic development. At best, there isnt any relationship between foreign aid and economic growth, and at worst, aid has actually made things worse in the countries that it has intended to help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of aids main functions and one of the big ideas that gave rise to aid to begin with was that it would help pull countries out of poverty. And, in fact, in the early days of foreign aid, there was a big idea that if you provide enough money to certain developing countries that were supposedly stuck in a poverty trap, you could have this big push and then there would be an economic takeoff. And that turned out to be spectacularly wrong. And in practice, so much aid over many decades helped to strengthen governments that had policies that were inimical to growth and institutions that undermined growth, not to mention political institutions that were not democratic. I think that aid needs to be reduced dramatically. I think that its about time for somebody to challenge the very concept that aid is a good way to promote development and that we should be doing it at all. So to the extent that that argument has not only come up, but has actually been the view that is recognized by the US government, I think that thats good. We can argue about the details. Has the way that they have been approaching it been fully legal? Probably not, but we will find out what the court says about that. I think that there is a role for the United States to play in disease control and emergency aid, but thats not to say that all of those things shouldnt be reviewed also. Frances Z. Brown, vice president at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace who has served on the National Security Council staff of the past three presidential administrations, says that foreign aid serves US interests and that Trump should focus on improving its administration rather than taking a wrecking-ball approach: The US should not scale back on the already-modest amount it spends on nonmilitary foreign aid, which directly serves US interests. Foreign aid keeps disease from reaching our shores: consider recent programs that helped Rwanda combat the hemorrhagic fever Marburg Viral Disease, and other programs that successfully contained Ebola in West Africa. Beyond the health realm, consider other programs that advanced the long-term resettlement of Colombians in Venezuela, helping to stave off immigration to the United States. Still other programs combatted corruption in mineral supply chains, supported journalists investigating government accountability in their own countries, or combatted conditions that led to violent extremism, advancing US counterterrorism goals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though Americans tend to vastly overestimate how much the government spends on foreign aid, in truth, foreign assistance is only roughly one percent of the federal budget, while the main nonmilitary aid provider, USAID, manages roughly 60 percent of that one percent. Like all large bureaucratic systems, the foreign assistance process could undoubtedly be improved an option fully available to the Trump administration, which enjoys Republican majorities in both chambers of Congress. Instead, the administration has taken a wrecking-ball approach, generating huge waste and causing harm to Americans well beyond the Beltway. Witness the hundreds of tons of US soybeans, rice, and wheat languishing in American ports, and the American farmers whose crop-sale contracts have been halted. Consider the more than $489 million worth of food aid, languishing in transit or warehouses, now at risk of spoilage or diversion, while Secretary of State Rubios claim of waivers in place to ensure lifesaving humanitarian assistance have been disproven. USAID has long had sophisticated controls to oversee to ensure its assistance was spent accountably, but by razing USAID to the ground, the administration has also decimated these safeguards. Notable Gov. Bob Ferguson delivers his inaugural address after being sworn in on Jan. 15, 2025, at the Washington state Capitol in Olympia, Wash. Ferguson has said he'll veto any budget that does not include $100 million for police hiring. (Photo by Ryan Berry/Washington State Standard) The governors push for $100 million in new state funding to hire police officers has gotten complicated as this years Washington legislative session enters its second half. A new bill moving through the Legislature that would rework the proposed grant plan has driven a 180-degree shift among lawmakers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats have warmed to this one. Republicans have chilled. Gov. Bob Ferguson and others note Washington has for years been last in the nation in police staffing per capita. Ferguson pledged on the campaign trail last year to add more officers to the states law enforcement ranks. And hes continued to press the issue now that hes in office. Ferguson has said he wants the $100 million both in the two-year budget lawmakers will pass this year, and the next one in 2027. Hes vowed to veto any budget that doesnt include it. But many Democrats, including those on the Legislative Black Caucus, have raised concerns about over-policing in disadvantaged communities and argue that more officers are not the best public safety solution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a January meeting, Black lawmakers told the governor more money to add cops should be matched with funding for social services. Rep. Kristine Reeves, D-Federal Way, the chair of the Legislative Black Caucus, said House Bill 2015 strikes that balance, allowing the governor to stay true to his promise while offering a more nuanced approach to public safety that isnt just more cops on the beat. The bills sponsor, Rep. Debra Entenman, D-Kent, is a leading police accountability voice in the Legislature. A few of you may wonder why I am sponsoring this legislation, Entenman told a House panel last month. To me, there has to be more than just more police on the streets. And with this bill, Im hoping to fund not only more police on the streets, but more services for those who might need assistance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This legislation combines the governors temporary infusion of state cash with a more permanent funding source: A local sales tax. The fine print The House measure sponsored by Entenman combines portions of several bills under consideration. At least half a dozen bills in Olympia seek to spur new revenue for local police. This bill would allow cities and counties to implement a new 0.1% sales tax dedicated to criminal justice, without voter approval. Rough estimates show the tax would bring in over $276 million for local governments this biennium and $595 million in the next. That projection assumes the 35 counties and 21 cities that have adopted similar public safety or criminal justice sales taxes will also impose the new one. For example, the proposal could allow King County to stave off harsh budget cuts as it faces a two-year budget deficit upward of $150 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To access grants from the Criminal Justice Training Commission, localities must implement the new tax by June 30, 2027. Local police departments and sheriffs offices would have to jump through a few more hoops to tap the $100 million in state grant funding. These hurdles include adopting model policies on use-of-force and other issues from the state attorney generals office, completing trauma-informed training for all officers and complying with the Keep Washington Working Act that restricts local police from helping federal authorities with immigration enforcement. In the wake of President Donald Trumps promise of the biggest deportation campaign in U.S. history and threats to local jurisdictions that dont assist in reaching that goal some Washington police officials have said they still may aid in federal immigration enforcement efforts. The Pierce County sheriff is one of them. The bill has quickly moved through two committees and now awaits action on the House floor, where it could get further amended. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the initial proposal Ferguson championed, Senate Bill 5060, sits ready for a vote from the full Senate. That legislation would fund the $100 million grant program with similar policy requirements to qualify. While this bill would require 25% of officers to have completed a 40-hour crisis intervention training to qualify, Entenmans bill requires 80% compliance. Sen. Jeff Holy, R-Cheney, who proposed this bill, said its been heartening to have a governor focused on police staffing. He said he remains flexible on how the legislation evolves. Everyone is going to have ideas of how it should be, Holy said, adding I dont care what form it takes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Holys bill, which has had bipartisan support, doesnt propose the new sales tax. The money in his measure could be used for police officers, county corrections officers, peer counselors and behavioral health co-responders. Under House Bill 2015, the grant money can be used for more than just hiring. Crisis intervention training and other public safety efforts, like emergency management planning and community assistance programs, are among the other spending options. But the bill is null and void if lawmakers dont include the $100 million in state funding in the budget. A budget shortfall the governor has pegged at $15 billion over the next four years is squeezing the budget and has officials scrambling for cuts. But, so far, legislative leaders have not indicated they will rebuff Ferguson on police funding. House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, suggested Entenmans bill will require more fine-tuning but will likely reach the floor for a vote by Wednesday, the deadline for legislation to pass out of its chamber of origin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think that theres a lot of good work going on around that bill to try and understand and represent what the governor wants, but also what members of the caucus are thinking about, too, Jinkins said. The debate Both bills have the governors support. In a statement Friday, Ferguson said legislators are working hard, and I am optimistic about our progress, but didnt indicate a favored proposal. Groups representing police, cities and counties like the House bill. This is really a compilation, I think, of the best parts of a lot of proposals that have been out here in this space, said Brad Banks, a policy consultant for the Washington State Association of Counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But while Republicans championed Holys bill, they staunchly oppose Entenmans. Those from smaller cities say the sales tax will do little to raise money for public safety. I think it spreads the peanut butter a little too thin when it comes to actually getting more boots on the ground, said state Rep. Chris Corry, R-Yakima. Senate Republican Leader John Braun, of Centralia, acknowledged Holys bill might not make it to the governors desk. I cant say for sure itll go all the way this year, he told reporters last week. Were going to keep pulling and keep pushing to get our state back on a better track when it comes to law enforcement by recognizing the challenges we have. And this is not a cure-all. This is a step in the right direction, but its a relatively small step. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many Democrats still dont think House Bill 2015 is perfect. Some find the idea of funding more police hard to stomach. The debate will likely linger for the rest of the session, scheduled to end April 27. THE HAGUE, Netherlands Germanys economy should embrace the pivot from cars to defense equipment as a major growth driver, according to a proposal by the countrys leading defense industry group. The Federal Association of the German Security and Defense Industry (BDSV) pitched the idea last week while hailing the incoming governments pledge to continue expanding the defense budget drastically. To overcome production bottlenecks, the argument goes, why not repurpose manufacturing capabilities of Germanys famed, but ailing, automobile sector? The idea is part of a package of measures advanced by the defense industry that seeks to inject the same type of urgency into military manufacturing that animated German leaders when it came to substituting Russian gas in the countrys energy mix following Moscows war against Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Brussels and national capitals here, there will be fresh money to spend on defense. At the same time, the continents production sites were never intended for mass output. The European Union has nevertheless unveiled a plan, dubbed ReArm Europe, that could funnel more than 800 billion ($868 billion) to defense spending across the Unions 27 member states. The push coincides with a remarkable breakdown in the transatlantic partnership with the United States. Germany and Europe more broadly have long relied on weapons imports from the U.S. to meet their domestic needs, even though the continent is home to a host of significant arms manufacturers itself. Redirecting the German auto sector to produce tanks, shells and other military gear is not an entirely new idea. In June 2024, auto parts giant Continental and arms behemoth Rheinmetall signed a memorandum of understanding to facilitate the retraining of auto workers affected by layoffs in the shrinking industry. The far-reaching changes in all industries can only be mastered together, said Continentals board member for human resources and sustainability, Ariane Reinhart. Rheinmetall, meanwhile, gloated about the defense sector boom in a joint press release and was quick to point out the company expected 40% more profits in 2024 than just a year before. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agreement outlined various means for Rheinmetall, itself an automotive company, to recruit trained workers, including holding events at automotive plants and offering employment at defense factories near locations that were shutting down or downsizing. Last month, the defense giant announced it would repurpose two factories in Berlin and Neuss that previously made car parts to produce primarily military goods instead. Rheinmetalls operating profit in its weapons segment nearly doubled to 339 million ($368 million) in the first nine months of 2024, while its automotive business declined by 3.8% to 74 million ($80 million) during the same period. Other defense players are getting involved, too, with sensor specialist Hensoldt reportedly in talks to hire 200 workers from auto parts suppliers Continental and Bosch, according to Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And German-French joint venture KNDS recently acquired a historic rail car plant in Gorlitz from French train maker Alstom. The factory will be retooled to produce components for military vehicles, including the Leopard 2 battle tank and Puma infantry fighting vehicle. In an email to defense news, Hans Christoph Atzpodien, the head of the German defense industry lobbying group, said he expected wholly new dimensions to the question of arms demand, including the need for faster deliveries, not just higher volume. The government should support the transition by providing means for retraining and covering the costs for relocation of employees, he argued. One key bottleneck lies in security screenings for would-be weapons builders, the BDSV association said. Such background checks can take many weeks or longer, a process that must be accelerated dramatically, according to the industry group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, other sectors of the economy are itching for a piece of the pie, Atzpodien said, including the machine building, steel and construction industries. In general, I am quite sure that we will soon enter a mode in which a great many economic resources from other sectors will now be harnessed for armaments, he said. Echoes of History: The Siege of Bastogne On December 20th, 1944, in the middle of what became known as the Battle of the Bulge, German forces surrounded the Americans, including the 101st Airborne Division, in the town of Bastogne. Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe, the artillery commander attached to the 101st, was the senior American officer inside the siege. His boss, Major General Taylor, had been called away to a conference, so McAuliffe assumed command. Two days later, a German delegation arrived and transmitted a letter demanding the surrender of McAuliffe and all his forces. McAullife, never one to swear, read the message, laughed, and said, "Aw, nuts!" An account written shortly after said, "It really seemed funny to him at the time. He figured he was giving the Germans' one hell of a beating' and that all of his men knew it. The demand was all out of line with the existing situation." The staff talked it over and decided McAuliffe's initial response would be best, so they typed up the following with his consent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To the German Commander. NUTS! The American Commander. Four days later, the 4th Armored Division arrived and broke the siege. Lt General Patton awarded McAullife the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroism and, as Patton wrote in his diary, "a historic answer." Two weeks later, McAuliffe was promoted to Major General and given permanent division command. The story of Bastogne is the most enduring lesson I have ever learned about how an American officer should respond to a demand for surrender. From the earliest training days, officer candidates are taught the Code of Conduct for members of the Armed Forces of the United States. Article II of the Code is explicit: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command, I will never surrender the members of my command while they still have the means to resist. The Code of the US Fighting Force, published in 1986, takes this further for individuals: Only when evasion by an individual is impossible and further fighting would lead only to death with no significant loss to the enemy should one consider surrender. A Call to Resist: The Transgender Military Experience Today Right now, transgender service members are being asked to surrender. They have been "encouraged" through additional pay and administrative leave, so they don't have to conform to dehumanizing standards, to step forward and apply for separation within 30 days voluntarily. They are being asked to turn in their boots, uniforms, and identities as defenders of this nation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am a senior officer standing in the middle of this battlefield as the chaos swirls. Though I may not formally be in command of anyone, I look around at my fellow transgender troops and see their fighting spirit. They are not brokenfar from itthey are the bravest people I know. They stand up for who they are and for what's right in the world despite overwhelming obstacles. They hold fast to their oaths, uphold their duty, and honor their commitment to serve. Their training gives them the means to resist. Surrender is not an option. I hold fast to the final article of the Code of Conduct: I will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, to the demand for voluntary surrender, I offer the only response a senior officer can: NUTS! Bree Fram is a colonel and astronautical engineer in the U.S. Space Force. She is stationed at the Pentagon, leading requirements integration, and is one of the highest-ranking transgender service members in the military. The views presented are the author's personal views and do not reflect the official guidance or position of the U.S. government or the Department of Defense. Voices is dedicated to featuring a wide range of inspiring personal stories and impactful opinions from the LGBTQ+ and Allied community. Visit Advocate.com/submit to learn more about submission guidelines. We welcome your thoughts and feedback on any of our stories. Email us at voices@equalpride.com. Views expressed in Voices stories are those of the guest writers, columnists and editors, and do not directly represent the views of The Advocate or our parent company, equalpride. If the Trump administrations goal was to sow chaos among Americas colleges, it has definitely succeeded. Last month, the Education Departments Office of Civil Rights sent a letter to universities explaining the agencys view that, because of the Supreme Courts 2023 decision striking down affirmative action, any consideration of racenot just in admissions, but in hiring, scholarships, support, and all other aspects of student, academic, and campus lifeis now illegal. Even race-neutral policies intended to increase racial diversity are not allowed, the department stated. It gave schools two weeks to comply with the new guidance or risk losing their federal funding. The reaction from universities could best be described as panicked bewilderment, Peter Lake, a law professor at Stetson University, in Florida, told me. Theres a sense of, Should we run, hide, or counterattack? The first challenge was figuring out what changes the department had in mind. Because the letter partly targeted DEI, which has no legal definition, university administrations said they werent sure what it applied to. Many will likely get rid of the most overt and controversial forms of DEI, such as required diversity statements for faculty, but beyond that lies an immense gray area. Then there was the question of whether universities had to comply at all. This type of documentcalled a Dear Colleague letterstates an agencys interpretation of the law, not the law itself. Derek Black, a law professor at the University of South Carolina, told me that the letters definition of what the Supreme Court has outlawed goes far beyond what the Court actually ruled. The Court is not saying that you cant pursue diversity, but thats what the letter says, he said. Already, education groups have sued to block the letters enforcement. The American Council on Education, a nonprofit trade group that represents universities, has told institutions that if they were following the law before Donald Trump took office, theyre still in compliance now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, no school wants to be the first to find out the hard way whether thats true. This, combined with the amorphousness of the term DEI, and the fact that so much of it was performative to begin with, has led to a flurry of nomenclature modificationsa kind of anti-woke theater. The University of Alaska system instructed departments to replace the words DEI and affirmative action with terms that communicate the values of equal access and equal opportunity for all. Carnegie Mellon Universitys old DEI page is now titled Inclusive Excellence. Northwestern University has scrubbed almost all mentions of diversity from its websites. The University of Pennsylvania edited its Diversity and Inclusion website, removing most of its content and renaming it Belonging at Penn. The schools former vice dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion is now the vice dean for academic excellence and engagement. The University of Southern California merged its Office of Inclusion and Diversity into its Culture Team. The University of Arizona deleted the words diversity and inclusionfrom its land acknowledgment. (These schools did not directly answer when I asked whether they had made changes beyond nomenclature, other than the University of Alaska, which confirmed that it had not.) [Graeme Wood: Land acknowledgments are just moral exhibitionism] These universities seem to be betting that changing job titles and editing websites will be enough to keep the Trump administration off their back. Meanwhile, theyll continue the work of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusionthe actual thingsjust without using that terminology. In their view, the programs they are retaining were legal all along, because they dont involve race-based discrimination. Services such as guiding low-income students through the financial-aid process and providing support groups for those whose parents didnt attend college help universities recruit and retain students. The first-order reaction is just to try to get out of the target zone, Ted Mitchell, the president of the American Council on Education, told me. When the investigators seem to be using word searches to identify potential investigations, it makes all the sense in the world that youd want to get ahead of that. Universities are also emphasizing that identity-focused programs are open to students of all races, or expanding them so that they are, he said. For any individual school, the odds of the federal government peering under the hood to figure out the precise difference between, say, the Office of Belonging and the Office of DEI are low. The Education Departments civil-rights section has always been small. And Trump has repeatedly signaled that he wants to shut down the Education Department in its entirety. Even if the inquisitors are spared, investigating more than a few schools will be difficult. Many universities might conclude that as long as they dont stand out, they'll be able to get by. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cost of getting that bet wrong, however, could be severe. On Friday, the administration announced that it was canceling $400 million of Columbia Universitys federal grants and contracts as punishment for allegedly insufficient efforts to combat anti-Semitism. The legality of the move is unclear, in part because the administrations announcement alternately refers to canceling and freezing the funds. Black, the law professor, told me that Title VI requires a number of procedural steps before the government can revoke a universitys funding, steps that dont appear to have been taken in Columbias case. Notably, however, Columbia did not announce that it would fight the decision. Rather, in a statement, it pledged to work with the federal government to restore Columbias federal funding. (According to The Wall Street Journal, Columbia will have 30 days to prove that its doing enough to have the grants reinstated.) Most universities are not interested in getting into legal squabbles with the Department of Education, Black said. Its like, do they like diversity? Yes. Do they like it more than not being investigated? No. If some private universities are betting on lying low, public universities in red states, where state legislatures and university regents might share the Trump administrations hostility to DEI, may have little choice but to go beyond cosmetic changes. Ohio State University shut down its Office of Diversity and Inclusion at the end of February. Ohio University postponed its Black Alumni Reunion, technically open to everyone, while it reviewed the event for compliance. When Texas banned DEI policies at the state level, the University of Texas at Austin first changed the name of its DEI office to the Division of Campus and Community Engagement. After state lawmakers said the effort was insufficient, however, the university closed the office and laid off 60 employees. Jackie Wernz, an education civil-rights lawyer and former Office of Civil Rights staffer, says that few people will mourn the name changes or the end of some diversity trainings. Its this other type of support that I think could have a really important impact on students, Wernz told me. Creating spaces on primarily white campuses for minority students to connect and to find support from staff who look like them and who come from their backgrounds. [Conor Friedersdorf: DEI has lost all meaning] DEI is clearly dead. But its too soon to say what will happen to the underlying principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. On February 28, the Department of Education published an FAQ document walking back some of the most extreme implications of the Dear Colleague letter. It acknowledged, for example, that it had no power over university curricula, and that observances such as Black History Month are fine so long as they do not engage in racial exclusion or discrimination. Language changes and the elimination of the most overtly progressive DEI efforts might allow the Trump administration to declare its mission accomplished. The word belonging is being used a lot, Lake, the Stetson professor, told me. And I think what everybodys trying to figure out is, Is the B-word a target? Universities are also talking about thriving, retention, and outcomes. They might be able to continue working toward some of the same goals they have been for decades. Just dont call it DEI. Article originally published at The Atlantic A top acting State Department official deleted at least half a dozen tweets that ridiculed his now boss, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, including ones calling him low IQ and repeating a false rumor about Rubios sexuality. The deleted tweets from Darren Beattie, the acting under secretary of state for public diplomacy, were uncovered as part of a CNN review of his social media and include a mixture of insults and harsh attacks against Rubio. Beattie, who was fired from his role as a speechwriter during the first Trump administration after CNNs KFile revealed he attended a conference featuring White nationalists, made a series of attacks over the years against other Republicans, including a number of offensive, homophobic and racist comments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though Beattie left up several of his most inflammatory posts, he does appear to have purged criticism of Rubio from his feed. Beattie deleted tweets suggesting a deep hostility toward Rubio particularly after the then-senator voted to certify the 2020 election results and condemned the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. One deleted tweet also attacked Rubio for criticizing possible Russian actions in Ukraine. After being ousted from the Trump White House in 2018, Beattie launched Revolver News, a far-right media outlet that has spread conspiracies regarding the January 6 attack. The website has boosted false claims that federal agencies orchestrated aspects of the attack and that extremist groups involved were under government control. In a tweet that was removed for violating Twitters terms of service, on the day Roe v. Wade was overturned, Revolver News posted about shooting women who get abortions. BREAKING: Its now legal to shoot women having abortions in New York City with your Supreme Court-issued concealed handgun, read the post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beatties appointment fueled outrage, with Democrats calling for his removal over his history of racist and misogynistic tweets and posts that denied the Uyghur genocide in China most of which are still on his public X account. In response to a series of questions from CNN, Beattie responded, Secretary Rubio is 100 percent America First and its a tremendous honor to work for him in advancing President Trumps world historical agenda. Rubio has declined to comment on Beatties past offensive statements and said that Beatties role would focus on perceived online censorship. He has also said Beattie will not be nominated for the full-time position, which requires Senate confirmation. Acting officials can serve for 300 days. Beatties position ranks as one of the most important at the State Department, serving as the secretary of states top adviser on public affairs and public diplomacy. Beattie also oversees the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, which implements educational, professional and cultural exchanges to advance US interests, such as foreign exchange programs and Fulbright scholarships. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives before President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on March 4. - Alex Brandon/AP Beatties position at the State Department highlights Rubios unique role in the administration. Once a fierce Trump critic and a hawkish internationalist, Rubio now finds himself working with people who have openly ridiculed him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a now-deleted tweet on January 7, 2021, Beattie invoked far-right conspiracy theories about Rubios past, referencing Wainwright Park a curfew violation from Rubios teenage years that was later twisted into baseless speculation that Rubio is gay and foam, a reference to similarly unfounded claims about Rubio attending foam parties at gay nightclubs. Forget Wainwright park, forget the foam, forget the war promotion and the neocon sugar daddies, forget the low IQ, forget the 2016 primary, Rubio is TOUGH ON CHINA (and good for military industrial complex) So be a good DOG and vote for him!!! Beattie wrote. A follow-up tweet about Rubio said, What happens in the Cabana stays in the Cabana #Rubio. Beattie followed up his tweet with one that mocked what he perceived as Rubios attempt to rebrand himself as a nationalist, while sarcastically saying he supported tax credits for Black Lives Matter and criticizing his hawkish rhetoric on China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If a bunch of DC wonks try to reinvent Marco Rubio as a nationalist, but a respectable one who promises tax credits to BLM supporters and is TOUGH ON CHINA will you be a good dog and vote for him? the tweet said. Does Marco Rubio have a future in politics? Beattie asked in another deleted tweet. Beattie deleted three other tweets from July 23, 2020, that called efforts to rebrand Rubio a nationalist a scam, nonsense and fake. The idea behind the Hawley/Rubio scam is this. They are smart enough to know the rebranded neoconservatism of Nikki Haley and Crenshaw has no legs. Also smart enough to know free-market libertarianism has no legs, Beattie wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a deleted March 7, 2022, tweet, Beattie cast doubt that then-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons during the countrys civil war in a tweet attacking Rubios warning that any chemical, biological or nuclear attacks in Ukraine would be attributable to Russia. I bet Rubio still thinks Assad gassed his own people, Beattie wrote, responding to Rubio. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. The minister of foreign affairs of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov met with the director general of the International Commission on Missing Persons Kathryne Bomberger on March 10, 2025, Trend reports. In the course of the meeting the issues of Azerbaijanis missing due to Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan and occupation of our territories, the current situation in the direction of search and identification of missing persons, as well as efforts for international cooperation were discussed. Minister Jeyhun Bayramov noted that the issue of missing persons has always been in the center of attention, and up to 4,000 Azerbaijanis, including civilians, children, and women, were killed in the early 1990s as a result of Armenian aggression. International conferences have been organized in Azerbaijan since 2023 to raise awareness on the issue, and the active role of the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Missing Persons and Hostages of the Republic of Azerbaijan in this work was noted. The importance of mobilizing international efforts to solve the issue of missing persons was underlined.\ The minister stressed the importance of clarifying the fate of missing persons both from the viewpoint of rule of law, justice, and normalization of post-conflict relations, stressing that the role of the international community in this issue is important. It was noted that Azerbaijan has so far discovered 23 mass graves in the territories liberated from occupation. However, the process of locating the missing has been seriously hampered by the mine threat. In the course of the meeting, the sides also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest. In a move meant to revolutionize air travel, Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines has partnered with California startup JetZero to design and build more sustainable aircraft for commercial flights. If their plans take off the way they hope, the company said future air travel will be on their 50% more fuel-efficient planes, changing up not only fuel use but even the aircrafts looks. Delta said in an announcement that they want to drive fuel costs down and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and the new design from JetZero could make that goal happen. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The California-based start-ups vastly more fuel efficient blended-wing-body (BWB) design is at the center of the collaboration and is one facet of Deltas ongoing journey to advance industry innovation, drive down cost through increased fuel-savings, elevate the customer experience and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, Delta said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement JetZero received a U.S. Air Force grant in 2023 to help build a full-scale demonstrator of their BWB aircraft. The first flight is supposed to lift off in 2027. The Atlanta-based airline said they will play a crucial role in development. TRENDING STORIES: Working with JetZero to realize an entirely new airframe and experience for customers and employees is bold and important work to advance the airline industrys fuel saving initiatives and innovation goals, Amelia DeLuca, Deltas Chief Sustainability Officer, said in a statement. While Delta is focused on doing what we can today to address our carbon footprint, its critical we also work with a variety of partners to advance revolutionary technologies, like JetZeros blended-wing-body aircraft, to solve for a significant portion of future aviation emissions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Delta said the uniquely shaped airframe of the JetZero design offers endless possibilities and that customers can expect changes to their flight experience, including enhancements, fewer rows and more storage space for luggage. JetZero cofounder and CEO Tom OLeary said his company is trying to change the world through immediate progress at reducing energy costs and their emissions. The ability to realize such significant efficiency gains in the near future meaningfully impacts the industrys commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and will serve as the foundation on which other technologies and efficiencies can be realized, OLeary said. Delta was one of the first carriers to partner with us, supporting us behind the scenes since 2023, and we look forward to their continued support of our program through their deep knowledge and expertise. JetZeros BWB aircraft are expected to include a slate of revolutionary benefits for consumers and for environmental sustainability including: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The BWB is up to 50% more fuel efficient than conventional tube-and-wing airframes on the market due to the design, which creates less drag, provides more lifting surface area, provides even load and lift distribution, and overall is markedly lighter in weight. Capacity to carry more than 250 customers which is similar to existing widebody aircraft to provide the level of capacity and range needed to meet growing travel demand. Less noise. With engines mounted on top of the aircraft, BWB aircraft are expected to be significantly quieter than existing aircraft. The potential to fit into existing airport infrastructure and offer faster turn-around times areas Delta is exploring and advising on. Utilizing SAF to further decrease lifecycle carbon emissions. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] AUSTIN (KXAN) Delta Air Lines will cancel its nonstop route between Austin and Harlingen in June. Flights between AUS and HRL are set to end June 7, a Delta spokesperson confirmed to KXAN. The airline will instead [reallocate] that equipment to support flights between Austin and Midland/Odessa, with three daily flights beginning June 8, the spokesperson said. The Harlingen route was launched by Delta in October 2024. Rival Southwest Airlines also operates the route. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Delta is set to launch at least nine new routes from Austin this year, including its first international nonstop to Cancun, Mexico. Delta previously operated the AUS-CUN route in 2011. The airline has had no international service from Austin since then. AUS Data Hub: Passenger totals, busiest months and new flights coming in 2025 Delta is currently the third-largest airline operating at AUS in terms of passenger traffic, behind Southwest and American Airlines. The airline flew more than 3.3 million passengers in and out of Austin in 2024, accounting for about 15.3% of all passengers. That share has increased in recent years, up from 11.6% in 2022, especially after American cut more than 30 routes in late 2023 and 2024. Delta is expected to surpass American to become Austins second-largest carrier by the summer, according to Jamy Kazanoff, deputy chief of air service at AUS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deltas Harlingen route is the third to be cut by airlines from AUS this year. American ended service to Santa Ana, California, on Jan. 5, while Hawaiian Airlines will cancel its nonstop route to Honolulu on March 26. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. The News One of the Democratic Partys most notable digital media leaders is dating one of the partys most media-friendly lawmakers, according to a Washington Democrat and a pointed Instagram post. Tara McGowan, the CEO of the network of digital media sites known as Courier Newsroom, has been linked to Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, who recently separated from his wife. McGowan posted a selfie of the duo last week on her private Instagram, captioned not postponing joy, which was shared with Semafor. In recent months, Murphy has become one of the most visible Democratic lawmakers, speaking out against President Donald Trump and Elon Musk in television and digital media interviews and posting his own vertical videos across social media taking a page out of a media playbook that McGowan and other Democratic digital strategists have pushed since Trumps victory in November. McGowan did not return requests for comment, and Murphys office declined to comment. ST. LOUIS The St. Louis Democratic Central Committee officially endorsed Alderwoman Cara Spencer for St. Louis mayor in a rare move that shows support for a challenger against an incumbent of the same party. The committee voted to throw its support behind Alderwoman Cara Spencer over current St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones, who made history in 2021 when she took office as St. Louis first Black female mayor. Spencers endorsement comes following the St. Louis City Primary Election, which saw Mayor Jones finish as a distant second behind Alderwoman Spencer. Of the 28 members from all 14 wards who met with the Democratic Central Committee, 15 voted for Spencer and 9 for Jones, while two abstained from voting. Additionally, in the vote for St. Louis Comptroller, the committee showed support for current comptroller Darlene Green over challenger Donna Baringer in a 19-6 vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Person struck and killed by Metro train behind Ikea store After the committee announced their support for Spencer, Mayor Jones shared that she was disappointed by the endorsement but not surprised. This is an attempt by their organization to create relevance and power for themselves, said Jones. The last thing our city needs is an untested and inexperienced executive with a history of avoiding hard conversations and quitting when the going gets tough. St. Louis residents will be able to decide the race for St. Louis mayor in the general election on April 8. St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones and Alderwoman Cara Spencer are set to face off in a St. Louis Mayoral Debate on FOX 2 AND ST. LOUIS 11 on March 13 at 7 p.m. If you have a question you would like to have answered during the debate, you can submit it 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 FOX 2. Democrats want to force President Donald Trump's administration to rehire veterans who were laid off as part of large-scale efforts by Trump and Elon Musk to reshape the federal government and its workforce, ABC News has exclusively learned. PHOTO: In this Feb. 5, 2013, file photo, the seal of the US Department of Veterans Affairs is seen in an auditorium at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washingto, D.C. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images, FILE) Sens. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Andy Kim of New Jersey plan to introduce the Protect Veteran Jobs Act in the Senate on Monday. The bill would compel the Trump administration to reinstate veterans impacted by recent mass layoffs, according to a copy of the proposal obtained by ABC News. It would also require the Trump administration to provide a quarterly report to Congress on the number of veterans removed from the federal workforce -- and the justification for their firing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Veterans who choose to continue their service to our country in the federal workforce deserve our utmost gratitude, but instead this Administration has kicked thousands of our heroes to the curb and left them without a paycheck," Duckworth said in a statement. "The message of our bill is simple: Give our heroes their jobs back. If Republicans really care about our Veterans, they should stop enabling Trump and Musk's chaos and support our legislation." In the coming weeks of floor activity and ahead of government funding votes, Democrats hope to get Republicans on the record over layoffs impacting a reliably Republican -- and Trump-supporting -- group of voters. The party also attempted to draw attention to the firings by inviting veterans who lost their government jobs to Trump's joint address to Congress on March 3. MORE: Top Republicans and Democrats concerned about VA plan to cut 80,000 from its workforce Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Veterans make up roughly 30% of the federal workforce of more than 2 million civilian government employees, according to September data from the Office of Personnel Management. Roughly 75,000 federal workers have accepted offers for deferred buyouts, and another roughly 20,000 government employees have been fired in the first months of Trump's second term. The Trump administration has not said how many veterans have been impacted by the cuts, though Democrats have estimated that several thousand veterans have been fired across the administration. OPM has since directed some agencies, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, to rehire veteran workers and to exempt veterans and military spouses from other workforce policy changes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But many veterans have still lost their jobs in recent weeks. MORE: Mass exodus of immigration officials could delay millions of deportations "You spend 10 years trying to defend your country in terms of honesty, integrity and justice, and then you come back and get copy-and-pasted the same email as 10,000 other people about your performance," Andrew Lennox, a fired Department of Veterans Affairs worker who served as a Marine in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria, told ABC News. Lennox was one of the veterans who attended Trump's joint address to Congress last week. He was a guest of Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, who delivered the Democratic rebuttal to the speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Veterans Affairs also plans to cut up to 80,000 workers from the agency, which has drawn some criticism from both Republicans and Democrats. Democratic Rep. Derek Tran of California has introduced similar legislation in the House. Democrats introduce bill forcing Trump administration to rehire fired veterans originally appeared on abcnews.go.com State Democratic lawmakers are trying to pump the brakes on the Hochul administrations nearly impossible green-energy rule requiring more new large trucks to be emissions-free. The proposal, pushed by state Sen. Jeremy Coney Cooney (D-Rochester) and Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo (D-Binghamton), would postpone the start of the Democratic governors edict until at least Jan. 1, 2027. Hochuls recent Advanced Clean Trucks rule requires manufacturers of vehicles greater than 8,500 pounds to sell an increasing number of zero-emission vehicles in New York, starting with a 7% zero emissions sales percentage in 2025 and ramping up every model year through 2035, to 40% for tractor sales and up to 75% for other trucks. New York state Democratic lawmakers are urging Gov. Kathy Hochul to delay her edict requiring more new trucks to be zero-emission vehicles. James Messerschmidt The legislators said the green edict promoting electric and even hydrogen-powered trucks is wreaking havoc on an important industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, the ACT regulations are nearly impossible for the trucking industry to comply with because of a lack of truck charging infrastructure, cost factors, and other challenges, Lupardo said in a memo supporting her bill. Battery charging times are also a challenge and will remain so until new technology emerges and is commercialized, she said. The legislators noted that an average diesel truck can be refilled in about 10 minutes and can drive for about 2,000 miles. By comparison, an electric, zero-emission heavy-duty truck takes approximately 10 hours to charge and can run for about 500 miles. Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo called the Advanced Clean Trucks rule nearly impossible for companies to comply with. Bloomberg via Getty Images The cost of electric heavy-duty trucks can average up to three times more than diesel-fueled trucks, too, the lawmakers claim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As we transition to a clean energy future, there is no point in putting an entire industry at risk in the process, the lawmakers said. But a coalition of nine environmental groups issued a statement opposing the proposed rule delay, calling it a scare campaign being fanned by diesel pollution-spewing truck manufacturers. Delaying implementation is not only a foolish response to a false crisis whipped up by manufacturers, who are looking to rig the market in their favor, but it will lead to more ER visits, people suffering from asthma, and increased health costs, particularly for communities of color and low-income, said a memo co- signed by the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance. Our organizations urge the governor and the legislature to stand up for vulnerable communities and reject this legislation, and any effort like it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other enviromental groups opposing the proposed rule delay include the Alliance for Clean Energy New York, Environmental Advocates of NY, Earthjustice, Environmental Defense Fund, New Yorkers for Clean Power, Sierra Club, Tri-State Transportation Campaign and Union of Concerned Scientists. ACT is estimated to save hundreds of lives and generate nearly $2.8 billion in public-health benefits, advocates claim. Hochuls office declined to comment on the pending legislation. The lawmakers are proposing to delay the start of the rule until at least until at least Jan. 1, 2027. MediaNews Group via Getty Images Spokesman Paul DeMichele only said in a statement, The governor doesnt intend to punitively penalize the path to a better futurewe can and will do this together. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hochul also is being urged to slow down the timeline forcing New Yorkers to switch from gas-powered cars to emission-free electric ones. Its just the latest spat over New Yorks green-energy and climate-change laws. A coalition of business and fossil fuel trade groups recently filed a federal suit against the Hochul administration over a law that will force oil, natural gas and coal companies to pay a staggering $75 billion for spewing carbon emissions. Overall, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act of 2019 requires the state and its energy producers and consumers to move away from fossil fuels by slashing gas emissions by 40% by 2030, with the goal of achieving 100% zero-carbon-emission electricity by 2040. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hochul and the Democratic-led legislature have also banned gas stoves, furnaces and propane heating in new buildings. In December, Hochul extended the states fracking ban by prohibiting a new technique to use carbon dioxide to extract natural gas, too. The Danish government and parliament have reached a consensus on the possible deployment of troops to Ukraine to support a future peace settlement. Source: Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen and Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen in comments to journalists, cited by Danish public broadcaster DR, as reported by European Pravda Details: Rasmussen and Poulsen met with members of the parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee on 10 March to clarify the governments position on deploying troops to Ukraine and secured broad support from parliamentary parties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote from Rasmussen: "It is important that we in Europe send the right signals to both Putin and Washington. This is what we are doing today by saying: 'If it comes to a ceasefire or a peace agreement requiring a European presence, Denmark is, in principle, ready to take part'." Details: Poulsen says there are currently no concrete plans for troop deployment. Quote from Poulsen: "We have not made a decision to take on specific commitments. This will depend on how events unfold. This is therefore an expression of due caution." Background: The Telegraph reported that the United Kingdom and France have prepared a plan to deploy up to 30,000 European troops in Ukraine to guarantee a potential peace. Paris previously emphasised that the conditions for ending the Russo-Ukrainian war cannot amount to Ukraines de facto surrender, as a lasting peace is essential for the security of the entire European continent. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! DENVER (KDVR) Denver Restaurant Week has provided customers with great deals for two decades. This years event comes amid rising insurance costs and egg prices, and restaurants are offering more than just fixed price menus to make the most of the opportunity. Last year, participating restaurants sold more than 144,000 meals resulting in $10.5 million in revenue. Denver Restaurant Week: Menu, prices and new features announced for 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Colorado Restaurant Association provided a statement to FOX31 saying community support is crucial this year. Denver Restaurant Week is vitally important to our local restaurant community, which is facing unprecedented challenges right now. Not only are costs out of control, including utilities, labor, insurance, eggs, and other ingredients, but diners arent going out to eat as much these days, either, the Colorado Restaurant Association said. A new report from Toast shows that Denver restaurants saw a 9% decline in transactions between Q4 2023 and Q4 2024, which is really scary for an industry with razor-thin margins. Please dine out as much as you can during Restaurant Week our dining scene needs all the support it can get. Alexis Treton, owner of La Bouche wine bar, located at 17th and Downing, told FOX31 he looks forward to providing new customers with a sample of his menu items and unique experience. Its all about sharing a moment with food and good wine, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Treton said he has had to get creative when it comes to items that require eggs. Every two days, they are out of stock, so you just have to be smart, he said. Larger restaurants like the Thirsty Lion Scratch Kitchen near Union Station are experiencing the same challenge as the price of eggs remains higher than usual. For us, about a $100 a case, but we are going to make it work, said general manager Randy Strothers. Restaurants owners who testified in support of tipped wage bill were doxxed: Democrats The restaurant has brought back its popular Scotch Eggs appetizer ahead of St. Patricks Day. Scotch eggs are boiled egg, wrapped gently with sausage, panko bread crumbs and then deep fry to a golden brown, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The business is also drawing in customers with a traditional Irish menu featuring shepherds pie, corned beef and cabbage, potato cakes and corned beef macaroni and cheese through March 17. Portions of each craft cocktail sold will benefit the St. Baldricks Foundation supporting pediatric cancer research. To date, the Thirsty Lion has raised more than $298,000 for pediatric cancer research, matching the money raised through special food and drink offerings. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) Amid cuts to federal government funding and jobs, data says that West Virginia could be hit among the hardest. Based on income, revenue and tax data compiled by WalletHub, West Virginia is the third-most dependent state on money from the federal government. According to the ranking, West Virginia residents depend on the federal government for individual aid but also to keep the state government running. Data says that for every $1 West Virginians pay in taxes, they receive $2.72 in aid from the federal government, and more than 45% of West Virginias revenue is made up of money provided by the federal government. The only states that receive more aid are Alaska and Kentucky, according to the study. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency began re-evaluating government spending, West Virginia has seen cuts to federal jobs, which make up more than 3.7% of West Virginias workforce, according to WalletHub. West Virginia jobs in research, forestry, finances and Veterans Affairs have all been affected. Job cuts last month higher than any February since 2009 Employment isnt the only place West Virginia is seeing cuts; things like SNAP food stamps, Social Security, funding for nonprofits, and services for foster youth could all be affected. Many worry the cuts could have a negative impact on their communities, but a lot of West Virginias also support the cost-cutting efforts. As of March 10, the DOGE website says that the savings from federal cuts, asset sales and workforce reductions has saved the federal government more than $100 billion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Data from the WalletHub study was sourced from the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Census Bureau, USAspending.gov and Bureau of Labor Statistics. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. Armenia continues to take an unconstructive position regarding the clarification of the fate of missing persons, said Head of the State Security Service of Azerbaijan, Ali Nagyev, Trend reports. Speaking during a meeting with the Executive Director of the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), Kathryne Bomberger, Nagyev emphasized the ongoing efforts of the Azerbaijani government to search for its missing citizens, a matter consistently prioritized by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. He noted that urgent measures are being carried out, including the identification of burial sites related to missing persons from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the exhumation of remains, and the identification of recovered remains. Nagyev also pointed out that Armenia has shown no intention of cooperating in the efforts to clarify the fate of missing persons and continues to take a non-constructive stance. Additionally, the Commission Head shared his thoughts on the report prepared by the ICMPs Assessment Mission, which outlines possibilities for the search for missing persons. He expressed gratitude for the support shown by the ICMP in the State Commission's work. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel (FOX40.COM) A man was arrested in connection to a shooting at Hard Rock Casino that left a person hospitalized. Around 12 a.m. on March 8, Yuba County Sheriffs Office deputies who were already present at the Hard Rock Casino said they heard gunshots coming from the parking lot. When they arrived at the lot, they found a victim suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim was taken to Rideout Adventist Hospital in Marysville with non-life-threatening injuries. Shooting at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Sacramento leaves person hurt Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday afternoon, YCSO executing a search warrant this afternoon on the 1500 block of 7th Avenue in Olivehurst. There, investigators arrested David Caballero Ambrocio, 21. He was booked at the Yuba County Jail for alleged attempted murder and other related 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 FOX40 News. Gov. Ron DeSantis held a news conference on Monday to discuss a massive railway expansion in Central Florida. DeSantis spoke about expanding rail access Monday morning in the city of Winter Haven. The governor presented the city with a $1.5 million check to complete the project. DeSantis said the project will create jobs and help expand shipping capabilities in the area. The rail extension will help businesses expand operations in this area and we definitely see the potential for new jobs being created in this area, DeSantis said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said the funding is from the states job growth grant fund. Officials said the increased shipping capabilities will also help reduce traffic in the area. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Then-Lt. Gov. Jon Husted (right) welcomes President and CEO of JobsOhio J.P. Nauseef to the podium at a groundbreaking ceremony for Intels new semiconductor manufacturing site on Sept. 9, 2022, in Licking County, Ohio. (Photo by Graham Stokes for the Ohio Capital Journal / Republish photo only with original story) Ohios private economic development corporation boasts that even though its legally private, it practices the highest standards of accountability and transparency But when it comes to how much the agency pays its employees in what used to be public dollars, its disclosures are far from complete. It doesnt name the employees receiving salaries as the Ohio Checkbook does for all state employees. Instead, it uses vague and redundant job titles only. It doesnt distinguish between full and part-year employees. And it refused to provide the information on a searchable spreadsheet, although it maintains it on one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Created in 2011, JobsOhio has been controversial from the start. Its exempt from open records law and its website proclaims it engages in complete public reporting of how it spends private dollars. But its a corporation that was set up by the state legislature and it was allowed to make the only bid to run the state liquor franchise while paying the state far less than its worth. The private dollars it spends all used to go into the state treasury. And JobsOhio complete public reporting doesnt lay out the contracts for more than $1 billion in incentives its given to businesses, what was promised, or whether the beneficiaries kept those promises. The agency has also stirred controversy by providing financial benefits to businesses run by people with connections to the agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And most concerning, perhaps, is that while it claims many wins, JobsOhio hasnt provided hard evidence that its not paying businesses to do what they would have anyway. JobsOhio has been up and running for a dozen years, yet Ohio lags its neighbors and the nation as a whole in job growth. Despite that, the Ohio Controlling Board last month extended the agencys liquor franchise another 15 years to 2053 without requiring it to pay taxpayers anything in addition to the $1.41 billion it paid for its initial 25-year franchise. Its not as if the state doesnt need the money. House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, says Ohio cant afford to fund its public schools an economic development priority if ever there was one. When it comes to how much JobsOhio pays its own employees, its transparency also leaves room for improvement. Asked last month for a listing of compensation, a JobsOhio spokesman said an open-records request would have to be filed with the Ohio Department of Development. The department responded 19 days after a request with a PDF table listing 2023 salaries for 159 positions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked why employee names werent listed alongside the positions and why the data werent on a spreadsheet so it could be more easily analyzed, a spokesman for the Department of Development referred those questions to JobsOhio, which created the document that the public has to obtain from a state agency at taxpayer expense. The JobsOhio salaries range from less than $10,000 for interns to $709,000 for President and CEO J.P. Nauseef. But the table didnt give his name, and it only refers to him as President and Chief Investment Officer. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Asked about the discrepancy, JobsOhio spokesman Matt Englehart said J.P. Nauseefs official title is still President and Chief Investment Officer, but the JobsOhio Board of Directors permits the President and Chief Investment Officer to also use the CEO title. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The other job titles listed in the PDF table are so vague as to be meaningless. Senior appears in them 37 times, with salaries ranging from $64,000 for a senior office services manager to $362,000 for a senior managing director, talent. The word manager appears 62 times at similarly divergent rates of pay. Englehart was asked why JobsOhio didnt include the names of people receiving what used to be public dollars next to the positions they filled. To protect the privacy of JobsOhio associates, he said. Total compensation paid is disclosed annually to the Ohio Department of Development, as required by (the law) and the Services Agreement between JobsOhio and (the Department of Development). The agreed-upon reporting is compliant with Ohio law and is an example of how we work with our state partners and of our commitment to attracting jobs and investment for Ohioans responsibly, with accountability and transparency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That accountability and transparency is objectively less than what the state which used to control the liquor franchise does with its own employees. Mason Waldvogel, the Department of Development spokesman who provided the JobsOhio compensation data, makes $130,000 a year, according to Ohio Checkbook. Englehart, the JobsOhio spokesman, was also asked what kind of document the PDF table was generated from, and why didnt JobsOhio just provide a searchable spreadsheet. The document is a PDF of a spreadsheet, he said. It is provided in PDF form to prevent manipulation by recipients. Which seemed strange, given that a person with the most rudimentary computer skills was able to import the PDF back into a searchable spreadsheet and manipulate the information. Some details of JobsOhios 2023 compensation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Total amount $21,224,256 No. of employees making $300,000 or more Nine No. of employees making $200,000 or more 24 Median compensation (including interns and part-year) $113,145 Ohio per capita income for 2023 $39,455 SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The FDA warns against vapes using bright colors and enticing flavors to appeal to young people. Flavored vape products, which the FDA banned five years ago amid an uptick in underage vaping, are continuing to be sold in shops across Central Texas. Although the Food and Drug Administration in 2020 banned all fruit and mint vape flavors, excluding menthol and tobacco, the sale of imported flavored products, almost exclusively from China, has continued across the country. In Austin, a random sampling of used and discarded vapes found that 98.9% came from the East Asian country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WSPM Group, the international firm that conducted the vape study for Altria, known for its Marlboro brand of cigarettes, collected 1,500 discarded vapes from 32 collection sites, primarily public trash cans, across the Austin area from as far north as Cedar Park and as south as Manchaca. Kaab Malik, who owns iVape ATX Austin, conceded that every retailer I know just sells (flavored products) under the table. This is just the new way of consuming nicotine, Malik said. You're not going to stop people from consuming nicotine. That's just thousands of years old. You know what I'm saying? The Native Americans used to peace pipe it up. In the years after the ban, the number of different kinds of vapes sold in the U.S. tripled, according to The Associated Press. In the Austin area, the sampling of discarded vapes found that 99.2% were flavored and only 0.8% tasted like tobacco or original, according to the WSPM's study published in October. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Virginia-based tobacco giant Altria has a stake in the vape industry. It bought 35% of American e-cigarette company Juul for $12.8 billion in 2018 but sold its stake in the company at just a $250 million evaluation in 2023, according to the Financial Times. At the time, Juul had just settled over 5,000 lawsuits for $438.5 million over its alleged contribution to underage vaping and many of its popular flavors like fruit medley, mango and creme brulee had been banned. Shortly after the sale, Altria moved back into the vape market, acquiring NJOY, a different American manufacturer, for around $2.75 billion. According to Tomer Touati, WSPM's CEO, the international firm has conducted similar studies on discarded vapes and cigarettes across the United States and Europe since its founding in 2002. He told the American-Statesman that while Altria funded the study, WSPM is an independent-owned, third-party entity that has conducted surveys for numerous clients, including British American Tobacco and Japan Tobacco International, two of Altrias competitors. Prominent Chinese brands such as Geek Bar and Lost Mary, whose products make up a combined 48.2% of the vapes found in the Austin study, are not FDA-approved as the federal agency looks to crack down on imported flavored vape products. Under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which was signed into law in 2009, the FDA must approve any new tobacco product before it can be legally sold in the U.S. In a December letter to Vape Wholesale USA, a prominent domestic distributor of vape products, U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, then the ranking member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, expressed concern about illicit Chinese products flooding American shops "amid an unacceptably high level of youth e-cigarette use" in the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I write to request information regarding your role in distributing illicit PRC vapes that do not appear to comply with U.S. law," Krishnamoorthi wrote in his letter. "In 2022, the PRC banned flavored e-cigarettes from being sold within China. However, the PRC did not similarly prohibit the export of these dangerous products to the U.S. or other jurisdictions. Robert Jackler, a Stanford University emeritus professor and founder of an interdisciplinary research group studying the effects of tobacco advertising, told Wired that after China's ban on e-cigarettes in 2022, Chinese suppliers began focusing on marketing their products directly to overseas customers, cutting out many American companies that had manufactured their products in China. In 2023, the Chinese vaping sector was estimated to be worth $28 billion, with the U.S. accounting for nearly 60% of the countrys vape exports, the AP reported. The packages containing these illicit products are routinely labeled as battery chargers, flashlights and other items to clear U.S. customs, according to the AP. Adam Hoffer, director of excise tax policy at the Tax Foundation, a Washington-based nonprofit think tank, believes this Chinese influx of flavored products was partially made possible by the domestic prohibition on the sale of flavored vapes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the FDA made it illegal to sell and distribute any of these flavored products, then what happens is you have this ripe opportunity for illicit products to come onto the market, Hoffer told the Statesman. The clear solution here is right in front of us. It's authorizing flavored products to be sold in the US by companies that are willing to play by the rules. Again, this is a large and quite profitable market, and there are several manufacturers willing to play by all the legal rules. Touati, WSPM's CEO, echoed Hoffer, citing data from surveys his company has conducted around the world. This is something that we've seen not only in the (United) States, and specifically, not only in Austin, Touati said. We've seen it in many places in the (United) States. We are also seeing it in Europe where it is almost the same situation. In countries that banned flavored products, you see 99, 98% of the products found on the street are Chinese flavored products. So it's not by chance or a coincidence. Malik, the West Campus-area vape shop owner, however, defended Fifty Bar, a brand his shop sells that claims to be the first disposable vape built in the USA and filled with American-made e-liquid on its website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They're the only ones that source their ingredients, like the juice part, here in the U.S., and that's this Fifty Bar, Malik said moments after taking puffs from a Fifty Bar disposable vape. That's the only one, and I can kind of tell the difference. It seems (like a) better product, you know what I mean? I noticed out of all the ones that I will try, I'll kind of revert back to the Fifty Bar just because I don't assume quality. Despite the brand potentially being manufactured domestically, the FDA sent a warning letter to its owners, including Austin-based Beard Vape Co. LLC, which lost its right to operate in Texas, saying it had not obtained a premarket authorization order before hitting the market. FDA has determined that your firm markets new tobacco products in the United States that lack premarket authorization," the letter said. "All new tobacco products on the market without the statutorily required premarket authorization are marketed unlawfully and are subject to enforcement action at FDAs discretion." A case pending in the U.S. Supreme Court, FDA v. Wages and White Lion Investments, L.L.C., might have broad implications on the FDAs jurisdiction in regulating the industry. However, seven federal appeals courts have sided with the FDA, and Supreme Court justices seem to be aligned with the agencys regulatory authority. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Flavored vape sales continue in Austin, US despite federal FDA ban A Maricopa County, Ariz., sheriffs deputy escorts a worker during an immigration raid in 2009 on a county landscaping contractor in Phoenix. President Donald Trump has revived the local task force agreements that were used by Maricopa County and others until they ended during the Obama administration amid concerns about racial profiling and other abuses. Photo by Joshua Lott/Getty Images. As the Trump administration seeks more partners to help round up immigrants living in the United States illegally, some states and cities are eager to step up, despite risks of racial profiling. Florida, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and even Arizonas Democratic governor are pursuing statewide plans to help find immigrants for possible deportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And the number of state and local agencies planning task force agreements with the feds to do street-level immigration enforcement has reached 121 departments in 12 states: Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas. The sudden ramping up of the local task force agreements which led to racial profiling lawsuits 20 years ago when they were common in Republican and Democratic states is a sign that the Trump administration wants more deportations, said Tom Wong, an associate professor and director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Center at the University of California, San Diego. These agreements are intended to be the force multiplier they need in order to enact mass deportations. The Trump administration is using all the tools at its disposal to try to ramp up the identification and detention of undocumented immigrants, Wong said. President Donald Trump wants to move quickly: He recently reassigned Caleb Vitello, the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to a different post because immigration arrests and deportations werent as robust as Trump wanted. The United States would need to deport more than 2,700 people a day to meet his goal of 1 million a year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Doris Meissner, who held top positions in the former Immigration and Naturalization Service in the Reagan and Clinton administrations, said the task force agreements had basically disappeared in recent years because of their reputation for leading to racial profiling and over-policing in immigrant communities. The agreements were discontinued in 2012 during the Obama administration. That has changed dramatically and quickly with the new Trump administration, Meissner said in an interview. [The agreements] are now on a list of ramping-up actions were seeing in pursuit of mass deportations. The administration is increasingly pressuring state and local authorities to help with immigration arrests traditionally reserved for federal agents, according to a February report by the Migration Policy Institute, a Washington, D.C., think tank where Meissner is now director of the U.S. immigration policy program. Focus on crime Along with state and local law enforcement agencies, the Trump administration has enlisted federal agencies that have never before played a role in immigration enforcement: the Internal Revenue Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Migration Policy Institute report found. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One result of local involvement, according to a report Wong authored in 2019, is that once residents know that local police could question and arrest them on immigration charges, they are less likely to report crimes when they are victims or witnesses. The new task force agreements allow local law enforcement, after training, to investigate immigration violations during day-to-day patrol duties. Sheriff Larry Kendrick in Owyhee County, Idaho, said he opted for it because voters in the county want it. My constituents support President Trump, Kendrick said. And of course me. I support the presidents mission 100%. I will do anything in my power to assist him. Kendrick said he doesnt expect non-criminal immigrants, such as those staffing local dairy farms, to get any trouble from his deputies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We havent had any crime, really, out of that, Kendrick said. The main thing that bothers me is fentanyl. Wong said its typical for counties such as Owyhee County, which voted almost 83% for Trump last year, to be eager to join forces on immigration. But non-criminal immigrants are still likely to pay a price, he said. It is naive for local officials to think they will only focus on things like fentanyl, when most of the immigration enforcement functions are going to identify undocumented immigrants, likely with no criminal history, Wong said. Most officials do stress the importance of removing criminals when calling for more task force agreements. I support the presidents mission 100%. I will do anything in my power to assist him. Sheriff Larry Kendrick, Owyhee County, Idaho In announcing the revived task force program, border czar Tom Homan said he planned to prioritize criminals but also expected to deport people living here illegally even if they had no criminal record. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We promised a mass deportation and thats exactly what were going to do, Homan told sheriffs at a February conference. New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican, said in a statement she supports state and local law enforcement agencies applying for the new task force cooperation agreements. Criminals who are in our country illegally and pose a danger should be apprehended and removed, she wrote. No renewed interest Some areas that made use of the agreements decades ago are not interested in trying it again. In 2010 there were 40 such agreements in 19 states, including nine in Virginia and seven in Arizona. To date there are no agreements in Virginia or Arizona, though Arizonas Democratic governor, Katie Hobbs, signed an executive order Feb. 25 calling for an unspecified partnership with federal authorities in the states four border counties. The goal is stopping more fentanyl and human trafficking and not to indiscriminately round people up, according to Hobbs statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arizona sheriffs have not heard anything specific about the governors plan, said David Rhodes, the Republican sheriff of Yavapai County and president of the Arizona Sheriffs Association. Yavapai County voted heavily for Trump. And much of the nations fentanyl supply is smuggled over Arizonas highways, Rhodes said, so hes happy to cooperate with federal authorities on immigration. But hes not sure he wants the task force model if it means he and his deputies will have to single people out based on appearance to ask about immigration status. I dont know how you could even tell from looking at somebody that theyre here illegally or not. So we dont do that. Thats very risky, very close to racial profiling there, Rhodes said. ICE guidelines issued in February say racial profiling is simply not something that will be tolerated under the new task force agreements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Virginia, which had the most task force agreements of any state in 2010, no sheriff has yet shown interest, said John Jones, executive director of the Virginia Sheriffs Association. However Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order Feb. 27 requiring state police to sign a task force agreement and local jails to cooperate with the state task force. In North Carolina, a bill progressing in the state Senate would mandate state agencies cooperate with federal immigration authorities, but does not include specifics. In Hudson County, New Jersey, one of the few urban, immigrant-friendly Democratic areas that had a task force agreement in 2010, leaders have no interest in trying it again, said county spokesperson Mark Cygan. Since 2018, the state has had an immigrant trust directive directing local authorities not to cooperate with federal immigration authorities or ask about immigration status during routine police work. With the sort of abuses there have been, and listening to our constituents and advocates that work on immigrant right here in Hudson County, we realized this policy just wasnt going to work out for our county anymore. So we dropped out of the agreement, Cygan said. Like Minnesota Reformer, 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. Protests erupted in downtown Bucharest following the Central Electoral Bureau's decision to ban Russian-backed far-right politician Calin Georgescu from running in the upcoming re-run presidential elections. Georgescu, who is openly supported by the Russian and the U.S. administrations, said this was a "direct hit against democracy." Following the announcement on March 9, Georgescu's supporters began setting the streets of Bucharest on fire and throwing bottles, stones, and firecrackers at the police. Riot police used tear gas in response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In November 2024, the relatively unknown Georgescu surprisingly won the first round of the vote. The result was promptly annulled, citing foreign interference in the election process. In connection to the case, Romania expelled the Russian military attache and his deputy for breaching diplomatic rules of conduct. Now, the Central Electoral Bureau cited technical irregularities in Georgescu's application, as well as the Constitutional Court's decisions to cancel the previous round of voting and ban another Russian-backed candidate, Diana Sosoaca. Supporters of far-right presidential candidate Calin Georgescu wave the Romanian flag as they face Romanian gendarmes during a protest near the Central Electoral Bureau in Bucharest on March 9, 2025, after the electoral bureau rejected Georgescu's candidacy for the re-run of last year's annulled presidential election. (Daniel Mihailescu/AFP via Getty Images) Georgescu said he would appeal, and the Constitutional Court will have the final say on his expulsion from the race. "The decision was inevitable for the health of democracy, but this democracy will need deep repairs after elections in May," journalist Magda Gradinaru told Kyiv Independent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Romania's secret services failed in the final goal of preventing this crisis and they will need to be reformed (as well)," she added. "It is to be seen who will capitalize on Georgescu's electoral ban and to what extent social tensions can morph into violent social movements," said Gradinaru. "This was a short-term solution, but the extremist populist platform remains, as does Russian pressure, social resentment, and tension. So this may just be the beginning of a crisis that Romania will have to manage in a complicated geopolitical context," she added. Read also: Were ready Ukraine heads into US peace talks with everything at stake Far-right uprising The leader of the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) party, George Simion, said on Sunday evening that "those who organized the 'coup' should be skinned alive in the public square." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He called on people to take part in protests in support of Georgescu. On Monday morning, Simion claimed his words were a "metaphor," and he asked supporters to protest peacefully. Georgescu appeared publicly, holding hands with Simion and Anamaria Gavrila, the leader of another Romanian far-right project, Party of Young People (POT). The leader of the far-right party AUR, George Simion (right) shakes hands with former presidential candidate Calin Georgescu (left) during an anti-government rally on March 1, 2025 in Bucharest, Romania. (Andrei Pungovschi/Getty Images) Georgescu was expelled from AUR in 2022 after being briefly investigated for declarations in support of Romania's World War II fascist leaders. Now, Georgescu relies on AUR and POT for support. In the December parliamentary elections, AUR secured second place with 18% of the vote, while POT gained 6.5%. Both remained in opposition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If Simion runs for president, some of the tension created by Georgescu's ban will be eliminated," analyst Oana Popescu Zamfir told Kyiv Independent. Romanian protesters take part in an anti-government rally on March 1, 2025 in Bucharest, Romania. Calin Georgescu, a pro-Russian candidate who won the first round of last year's election that was subsequently cancelled, was questioned by prosecutors earlier this week about the financing of his campaign. (Andrei Pungovschi/Getty Images) According to her, Simion's recent radical statements are meant to incentivize Georgescu's supporters to vote for him. "It's important for Georgescu to explicitly support Simion," Popescu Zamfir said. Other candidates Georgescu's electorate may vote for, according to Popescu Zamfir, include former Prime Minister Victor Ponta, former acting President Crin Antonescu, or businessman and politician Gigi Becali. "If Simion does not run, whoever wins the election will have less legitimacy," Popescu Zamfir said. Russian attempt to dismantle institutions The ongoing political crisis began last year with Russian meddling in Romania's elections and the subsequent rise of far-right politicians and their parties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While not making it into the top five according to most opinion polls, Georgescu suddenly took first place following a two-week viral TikTok campaign that involved working with local influencers. The campaign was artificially boosted, with over 66,000 fake TikTok accounts later banned by the platform. Georgescu has been actively promoting conspiracy theories and has been vocally supporting Russia. He called Ukraine a "fictional state" and claimed that the eventual partition of its territories is "inevitable" in an interview published on Jan. 29. The media also found evidence of Georgescu's links to paramilitary and fascist leaders, such as mercenary Horatiu Potra, who manages a group of soldiers in Congo. On Dec. 8, when the presidential runoff was scheduled to take place, Potra and 20 other people were detained by the police as they were driving to Bucharest carrying weapons and cash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Feb. 26, the Romanian Prosecutor General's Office charged Georgescu with "incitement to actions against the constitutional order" and other crimes in a six-count indictment. The charges also included lying about campaign funding and initiating a fascist organization. According to law enforcement, Georgescu used over 1 million euros of undeclared funds and has been involved in neo-legionarism, a Romanian neo-fascist movement that draws its ideology from the country's Iron Guard militant group active in the run-up to World War II. Georgescu denied any wrongdoing. Supporters of presidential candidate Calin Georgescu cheer outside the Central Electoral Bureau on March 7, 2025 in Bucharest, Romania. (Andrei Pungovschi/Getty Images) On the same day, the Romanian police found dozens of guns, grenades, 25 kilograms of gold, $3.3 million, and 700,000 Romanian Leu ($152,500) in cash in the homes of Potra and his associates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On March 5, Russian military attache Victor Makovskiy and his deputy, Evgeny Ignatiev, were expelled from Romania. The move was connected to Georgescu's campaign. The next day, six people were arrested for allegedly being part of a military organization attempting to overthrow the government with help from Russia. "These six people are just the visible tip (of the iceberg)," analyst Armand Gosu told Kyiv Independent. "This is the first time Romania openly accuses the Russian Federation of a plot against its state sovereignty." "They (Russians) can wait years, even decades, that's why it's necessary for the Romanian state to neutralize this (entire) network," Gosu said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Popescu Zamfir, "if eliminating the entire network is not possible, at least beheading these groups would avoid further existential threats." The rise in disinformation and buildup of far-right groups was missed by the government agency set to protect the country from malicious activity from abroad its intelligence. Independent journalist Victor Ilie from the local investigative project Snoop published a series of articles showing how Kremlin-linked creative agencies based in London pump millions of euros to create and promote conspiracy and far-right content in the Romanian digital space. "While Romanians have been mistrustful of Russia, what confuses a part of the Romanian public now is that the U.S., which was considered the country's main partner, embraced the Russians, and that Georgescu claims that he is not pro-Russian, but pro-American, pro-Trump," Gosu said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's very hard to explain that the Americans are not what they once were," he added. "Now Romania is seen as the EU's weak link that can easily be broken." Read also: Investigation: We tried to buy American chips as a Russian defense manufacturer and it worked A glimmer of hope However, swift action against Georgescu and his associates showed that Romanian authorities were still eager to fight back. The crisis had also catapulted some new faces that are now set to challenge the far-right at the ballot, among them acting President Ilie Bolojan and Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan, who are gaining popularity. French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes Romania s acting President Ilie Bolojan at the Elysee presidential Palace in Paris on Feb. 19, 2025, after a meeting with seven European countries, focused on Ukraine. (Photo by Magali Cohen/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images) "Acting President Ilie Bolojan has done some damage control organizing press conferences, which journalists missed, meeting up European leaders in a period when Romania seemed to be quarantined, transmitting key messages has given the feeling that there is a clear political direction for the country and it has been a good move," said Gosu. "(Bolojan and Dan) can re-legitimize institutions and the democratic process," said Gradinaru. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Hungary is reportedly demanding the removal of eight individuals from the EUs sanctions list against Russia in exchange for ceasing its obstruction of the next extension of sanctions. Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty editor Rikard Jozwiak on X (Twitter), citing his sources Details: Jozwiak reports that in negotiations within the EU regarding the renewal of personal sanctions imposed on around 2,400 individuals and entities in response to Russias war against Ukraine, Hungary is insisting that eight people be removed from the sanctions list in return for approving the extension for the rest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a counterproposal, EU negotiators suggested lifting sanctions on four other individuals. Background: Earlier, European Pravda learned from several European diplomats that Hungary has once again refused to approve the extension of some EU sanctions against Russia (individual sanctions) during a meeting of EU ambassadors (Coreper II) in Brussels on 10 March. These sanctions are set to expire on 15 March. According to one of the sources, Hungary is currently the only country blocking the extension of sanctions. It was reported earlier that the European Union has not ruled out that Hungary may block the extension of sanctions against Russia this week, as they are set to expire on 15 March. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto pledged to oppose the renewal of EU sanctions and called on the EU to wait for the outcome of negotiations between the US and Russia on ending the war in Ukraine. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Mar. 10A controversial North Deering development seeking planning board approval is hitting roadblocks on all sides, with resistance from neighbors and conservationists and a contempt order from the city for overdue payments on a fine. GenX Capital Partners, a development company with properties in Maine and Miami, is proposing a 54-unit condominium development at 1 Hope Ave. The project would include nine duplexes and 12 triplexes situated by the edge of Portland's Presumpscot River Preserve, a 48-acre public nature preserve. The development plans originally called for 60 units. The city's inclusionary zoning ordinance requires that 25% of a development's units are "affordable" or "workforce housing." Alternatively, the developer can pay $182,830 per unit, as a fee-in-lieu, to the city's housing fund. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to planning board documents, developer Mark McClure has said that eight of the units will be deemed affordable housing, and he will pay just over $1 million for the other six. OUTSTANDING DEBTS The project is scheduled for a public hearing Tuesday and could receive approval, but planning board members may have to table it if McClure doesn't first pay an $11,600 fine he owes the city for tree removal/damage on the project site without a permit. According to Jessica Grondin, city spokesperson, applicants are generally required to settle any outstanding debts before pursuing new permits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McClure admitted to the violations, Grondin said, and in May, voluntarily executed a consent judgment with the city. The judgment ordered GenX Capital Partners to pay $10,000 to Portland Trails and $1,600 to the city by Dec. 1. According to Grondin, McClure has not made any payments, "which constitutes a direct violation of the judgment." The city filed a motion for contempt with the court in January, and a hearing is scheduled for May. McClure declined to answer questions about the project, including whether he intended to pay the fine before the planning board meeting. Instead, he directed all questions to Peter Bouchard, the project's agent/representative. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bouchard said he would answer questions "after approvals." In nearly 200 pages of public comment submitted ahead of Tuesday's meeting, neighborhood residents cast doubts on the company's financial capability to complete the project, citing the current contempt order and submitting documents showing thousands of dollars in back taxes owed on the Hope Avenue property and roughly $3.5 million in liens against McClure's yet-to-be-completed luxury condominium community in Cumberland, The Mark. GenX was also the developer behind the Cottages at Pine Meadow, an ill-fated development of small senior cottages in Saco where residents lodged complaints with the Maine Office of the Attorney General against the builder and McClure for what they said was poor construction, resulting in health, safety and aesthetic issues. AN EYE FOR CONSERVATION Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Portland Land Bank Commission has had an eye on the Hope Avenue property for years and designated it a "high priority" for conservation because of its sensitive habitat, proximity to river access and the possibility of expanding existing land bank property at the Presumpscot River Preserve, among other reasons. But once the property was purchased and a development plan submitted in 2023, the commission turned to other projects. However, as the project stalled and its future seemed "a little ambiguous," members thought it might be worth another look, according to commission Chair John Kachmar. It's not unusual for the land bank to approach a developer, particularly when development of a property well-suited for conservation becomes "more difficult or expensive than anticipated," Grondin said. In November, the commission sent a letter to the developers to "express an interest" in adding acreage to the land bank's stock of properties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a December meeting, Kachmar said the bank had been interested in buying some of the land but "immediately got an offer to buy the property in whole." There's a willing seller, he said, but "I would suggest the price is exorbitant and unrealistic and not based on normal accounting procedure." GenX offered the 13-acre property for $2.75 million, more than double what it paid in 2022. Kachmar said the price was based on "sunk costs" from investments that had already been made. "We don't play that game," he said. "The raw land is worth what the raw land is worth, and we would have to get an appraisal. Pretty sure it would be less than $2.75 million." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unable to afford the price, the Land Bank Commission is taking a "wait-and-see approach," Grondin said. "The (commission) remains interested in the property if it were to become available," she said. LANDSLIDES A RISK Neighbors and conservation groups are concerned about the development's potential impact on the Prescumpscot River Preserve, particularly the risk of landslides. A soil study of the site found "poorly drained soils" derived from the Presumpscot Formation a glacially deposited layer of soft clay that extends deep below the ground surrounding the river outside its immediate banks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The softness of the clay makes the area more susceptible to landslides; the material behaves more like a viscous fluid. Nonprofit group Friends of the Presumpscot River consulted with geologist Irwin Novak, who the group said is an authority on the Presumpscot Formation, to review the soil study. Novak said he wasn't concerned with the quality of the report but noted that the land, with its history, proximity to the river and steep slope, has an increased risk of landslides. "This risk is exacerbated by the use of heavy machinery, weight of water in retention ponds, weight of roads and all structures plus the reduction of soil-binding vegetation all things to expect from a development of this scale. This issue is not addressed at all in the application," he wrote in public comment submitted to the Planning Board ahead of the meeting. He said the "catastrophic vulnerability" of the site should be given consideration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In October, the planning board requested a third-party geotechnical review of the sample. Kevin Kraft, director of planning and development for the city, said the review by engineering firm SGH has not been completed but is ongoing. The planning board has recommended tabling the vote until the review is submitted. ONE OF THE LAST OF ITS KIND Jessie Pinchoff can see the Presumpscot River Preserve from her home on Whaleboat Road. The proximity was one of the reasons she was drawn to the house when she bought it four years ago. It has an almost "magical" feel, she said, and during the summer, she and her kids are there most weekends. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pinchoff said she is alarmed by the environmental assessments she's seen and wants to make sure the city is properly weighing the risks and not rushing through the process. Pinchoff joined Protect Presumpscot, a coalition of neighbors who share her concerns and have been lobbying the planning board to scale back the project if not outright deny it. There are already existing stormwater issues in the surrounding streets, and adding another 60 units within 500 feet of the river feels like a risk, she said. Pinchoff, originally from New York City, is not opposed to development. It's not a "not-in-my-backyard" issue, she said. She's familiar with and can appreciate an urban environment but fears destroying a "wonderful" natural one to get there. "It's one of the last types of those environments within the city," she said. Copy the Story Link The Department of Homeland Security has launched a new app where migrants can declare they have deported themselves so that one day they can return. Under the Biden administration migrants could make appointments on the CBP One app at a port of entry to seek asylum. DHS revoked that scheduler after President Donald Trump took office and the administration began its sweeping immigration crackdown, intending to remove anyone living in the U.S. without legal permission. The department had previously announced its plan to roll out the app that has a submit intent to depart feature for migrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said that the Biden administration had long exploited the app because it allowed migrants to legally enter the country by booking an appointment. With the launching of the CBP Home app, we are restoring integrity to our immigration system, Noem said in a statement. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the Biden administration exploited the CBP one - and now it has a new feature for migrants (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) The CBP Home app gives aliens the option to leave now and self-deport, so they may still have the opportunity to return legally in the future and live the American dream. If they dont, we will find them, we will deport them, and they will never return. The Independent has contacted DHS and asked whether the department believes migrants in the country illegally will actually use the function or the cost for the new feature. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DHS is also trying to enforce a registry so it can locate the approximately 11 million migrants living in the U.S. without legal permission. Some migrants reported waiting over a year for their appointments on the app, which were swiftly canceled the day Trump was sworn in. Donald Trumps mass deportation plan has sparked protests across the nation, including in Los Angeles (Getty Images) It follows news that DHS is reportedly performing polygraph tests on agency employees to determine whether staff is leaking information to the media about immigration enforcement operations. In a memo to DHS employees last week and reported by Bloomberg Government, Noem allegedly instructed all polygraph tests to include questions about unauthorized communications with media and nonprofit organizations, the outlet said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Noem cited the deleterious effects of leaks on immigration enforcement, according to the memo, which said responses could be used to determine whether agency personnel can continue to have access to classified information or hold a sensitive position. Yes have been saying this for weeks, assistant DHS secretary Tricia McLaughlin wrote Saturday in response to reporting. The Department of Homeland Security is a national security agency. We can, should, and will polygraph personnel, McLaughlin said in a statement shared with The Independent. Power was knocked out Sunday morning in the Lacey area after a driver crashed into a power pole, according to the Thurston County Sheriffs Office. About 8:10 a.m., the driver, a woman coming home from her graveyard shift, fell asleep at the wheel and hit the pole in the area of Pacific Avenue Southeast and Oakcrest Drive Southeast, said Sgt. J.R. Klene. Klene said the driver was not impaired. About 4,800 Puget Sound Energy customers lost power immediately, but about 4,300 of them had their power restored by 10:30 a.m., spokesman Gerald Tracy said. The remaining customers were expected to be back online by 8 p.m. Sunday, he said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. We strongly reject the unfounded allegations against our country made by France on a regular basis, to conceal its failed policy in the overseas territories, as well as efforts to carry on its colonial legacy, said Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Aykhan Hajizada, Trend reports. "Ludicrous accusations against Azerbaijan made by Manuel Valls, promoting the colonial policy of France, claiming that this country exists on 3 oceans and 5 continents, are nothing more than another manifestation of the fact that France failed to accept the loss of its foothold among those nations. Minister Manuel Valls, who refers to France as "an exceptional power," acknowledges that his incompatible allegations are insufficient justifications in light of violent acts committed in the overseas territories and the Suppression of movements advocating for independence. This country's double standards mindset is actually displayed by Minister Manuel Valls, who demonstrates how France is willing to sacrifice ideas like independence and freedom of opinion when its own "strategic interests" are at stake. We call on France to cease its unfounded smear campaign against our country by making such allegations," the statement reads. An altercation between two Tennessee roommates took a turn after one man was killed and the other was taken into custody and charged with murder. According to Nashville police, Davis Owolo Jr. has been charged with the killing after an argument ensued between the two men. Police believe it started after Owolo accused his roommate of entering his room without permission. According to officials, the murder of Johnia Ishan Wilson, 33, happened right before 9 p.m. on Wednesday (March 5) at their home in southeast Nashville. A media statement made by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said Owolo was reportedly upset that Wilson may have attempted to enter his room when he wasnt home. Wilson reportedly denied the claims made by Owolo. As of right now (March 10), a formal investigation into the matter is still underway. It remains unclear what exactly the two men said to each other during their alleged argument or if anything was missing from Owolos room. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Right before Wilsons death, police say outside witnesses attempted to deescalate the situation, but then shots rang out. Nashville police were eventually called to the mens home, and when they arrived to the scene, they found Wilson dead located at the top of the staircase with multiple gunshot wounds, according to the statement. Owolo, 24, reportedly fled the scene after the fatal shooting. Police say he booked it with his unnamed girlfriend who was reportedly a witness to the crime. The 24-year-old did, however, turn himself in at the Criminal Warrants Division the following morning on March 6. The exact location of the murder weapon has not been shared with the public. Owolo has since been charged with criminal homicide, Nashville police say. He is being held without bond. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. With President Donald Trump enacting mass deportations, attacking birthright citizenship and targeting other civil rights, some Latino Americans are organizing to protest these clear human rights violations. But in their call to action, many are begging the Black community to join their fight, and theres a couple issues with this. On TikTok, Aaron Robles called on Black people to join Latinx efforts. Do you know what would happen if we had the Black community rocking with us [and] protesting with us? he asked. Several Latinx organizations, including the Freeze Latino Movement, have called for boycotts against companies supporting Trumps anti-immigration mandate, according to News 10. tiktok-7467274485796916526 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But they need support from other groups to make a real change, and who better to call than the people who have been fighting oppression in America since the Declaration of Independence? The saying goes, United we stand, divided we fall, and although theres truth in that, what happens when only one of these groups fights the good fight consistently? Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett put it clearly. We need our allies to show us that theyre gonna have our backs going forward before we can say, Oh yeah, were jumping in head first, she told The Root. For her, other minority groups dropped the ball during the 2024 presidential election. More than 50 percent of Latinx people voted for Trump, according to exit polls from NBC News. While over 80 percent of Black folks showed up for then-Vice President Kamala Harris. What were looking for is for them to be willing to talk to those that werent on our side, Crockett continued. What we need to know is that weve got those brown allies that will go out and talk to other brown folks and say, Listen, we have our civil rights because of the Civil Rights Movement that was led by Black folks. As many Latinx people continue to call on Black folks for help, there are others who are urging their own community to get it together. The Black community doesnt owe us anything, Latina TikTok user @cyn_ical.optimist said. Youre asking where the Black community is when theyre the ones that tried to avoid this, she continued. I think its time we learned to save ourselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement tiktok-7468774578207083807 Black folks have always been champions of civil rights for all, way before Trump took office. And history shows us we havent always gotten the credit we deserved for it. And to add even more wood to the fire, the Latinx community has historically battled with prejudice against Black people. A study shared by the National Library of Medicine found 55 percent of US-born Latinos rate Black Americans as lazier than they rate Latinos. Now, our community is reluctant to help and for good reason. After Trumps election, the Black community took a collective step back in hopes that other minority groups would show up to the battlefield just like we have. We heard him [Trump] say what he was going to do once he got in office. And now hes doing what he said hes going to do, and now everybodys acting confuzzled, TikTok user @brown.sugar_00 said. tiktok-7464327616833637662 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just because Black folks put their foot down when it comes to joining outside efforts doesnt mean were laying down for the next four years. Rev. Al Sharpton and other leaders have led their own boycotts and called out the president. Now, its time for other groups to do the same. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The U.S. cannot cut off aid to Ukraine while it fights against Russia, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said on March 9. The U.S. froze intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine soon after a heated argument broke out between President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House on Feb. 28. U.S. officials have suggested the pause is "temporary," without indicating when aid will resume. "If we pull the plug on Ukraine, it'd be worse than Afghanistan. I don't think (Trump) has any desire to do that," Graham said in a television interview on March 9. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Until a ceasefire is reached, the U.S. must continue to assist Ukraine with military aid and intelligence sharing, the U.S. Senator continued. "I am worried about cutting off intelligence and weapons to Ukraine as long as the fighting is going on," Graham said. Read also: Were ready Ukraine heads into US peace talks with everything at stake The U.S. senator added he will introduce legislation to sanction Russia's banking and energy sectors "next week" in a bid to bring Moscow to the negotiating table. "If they don't engage in ceasefire and peace talks with the administration, we should sanction the hell out of them," Graham said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump previously claimed he is considering imposing extensive tariffs and banking sanctions on Russia until a peace agreement is reached. "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 ceasefire and final settlement agreement on peace is reached," Trump said on March 7. Trump's administration has faced scrutiny for its mounting hostility towards Ukraine, a longstanding ally, alongside increasingly friendly attitudes toward Russia. Read also: Trumps increasing support for Russia leaves Zelensky with fewer options to secure US backing Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. VIRGINIA (DC News Now) Ella Borowski was diagnosed with cancer at the age of six. Doctors determined that she needed a bone marrow transplant, and her brother, Noah Borowski, did not hesitate to donate. Ella Borowski said there was a lot of uncertainty at that time of her life. I was young, and I remember being scared because I didnt know what was going to happen, she said. DC woman working to make sure non-profits in the region succeed Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ella Borowski is now 13 years old, and she is helping her brother, who is raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Societys Student Visionaries of the Year Campaign in Northern Virginia. Her brother said he is driven to help others after watching what his sister went through. Our effort has three different pillars, Noah Borowski said. We raise money to find cures, and one is for patient education and support where we raise money to help cancer patients with resources and our advocacy pillar. Fairfax County attorney working to help incarcerated, kids improve their lives Ella Borowski shares her story with everyone who is trying to raise money and awareness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said she hopes it motivates all involved to stay focused on the common goal. The two said the goal is to raise $250,000. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency has slashed limits on spending cards to just $1, impacting activities across the federal government, including work for the military. That includes research on lifesaving equipment, while genealogy services critical to the identification of soldiers killed in wars from decades ago got an exception. A freeze on federal purchase cards imposed by Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency is reportedly freezing certain activities related to the military, too. As part of its broader cost-cutting drive, DOGE has eliminated thousands of cards and reduced the spending limits on others to just $1, impacting work across federal agencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sources told the Washington Post a Defense Department memo announcing the freeze shocked researchers who are developing lifesaving equipment, such as helmets, medical supplies, flame-resistant uniforms, and cold-weather gear. Thats because the card freeze will affect purchases of materials and other items researchers need to conduct experiments, including on body armor and helmet impacts. About 100 such purchases are made every week, the report said. While DOGEs card freeze affects the development of protective gear for troops, Army leadership has signaled its emphasis on war fighters. I spent today with senior leaders and commanders from across the Army discussing the fiscal environment and implications for the future, a commanding officer told staff in an email obtained by the Post. The reality is that the Army has some tough decisions aheadwe must prioritize resources towards those functions which are most critical to enhancing war-fighter capability and lethality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DOGEs card freeze also presented an obstacle to efforts to identify the remains of soldiers killed in action decades ago, though an exception was later made. Genealogists working as contractors told the Post the Army couldnt pay for their services as a result of the freeze. The genealogists research family trees to locate relatives of soldiers who have been missing since World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam Warmost of whom were killed. With information on surviving family members, the military can collect DNA to help identify remains. In accordance with executive guidance, the credit limit on all Government Purchase Cards is reduced to $1. The genealogy efforts currently underway continue, as U.S. Army Human Resources Command has initiated an exception to policy to resume making payments when the work is complete. The work of Army genealogists is important to accurately identify and return to families Soldier remains already repatriated, Army spokesperson Christopher Surridge told Fortune in a statement. The U.S. DOGE Service didnt immediately respond to Fortunes requests for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That follows separate reports of disruptions in other corners of the federal government. The cards handle $30 billion a year in transactions for basic supplies and servicesfrom legal fees to gasthat federal workers use in the course of business. Social Security employees have been unable to create UPS shipping labels after their cards were limited, the Wall Street Journal reported last week. Another federal employee told the Journal they werent able to pay for cell phone plans or Microsoft 365 software licenses, or to pay a $619 monthly bill for Amazon Web Services. One employee at the Food and Drug Administration recently tried to put in an order for pipette tips, a basic lab item, Wired reported. However, that order was put on hold. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And one employee at the Environmental Protection Agency also told Wired they couldnt buy liquid nitrogen thats needed to store environmental samples in freezers. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com A version of this story appeared in CNNs What Matters newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here. The lack of a defined, public and overarching plan for President Donald Trump and Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency effort to drastically shrink the federal workforce has meant that information has seeped out here and there. Its not clear if there is a set of goals the administration is trying to reach other than simply to cut government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To connect the dots of whats happening, I reached out to Max Stier, CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, a nonpartisan and nonprofit group that advocates for good government. It would be one thing, he told me, if workers were being cut intentionally, but it seems indiscriminate and arbitrary. Instead of Ready, aim, fire, he said, its fire, fire fire. That should concern Americans, he argued, since the government belongs to everyone. What were watching right now is arson of a public asset, which is our federal government, Stier said. Excerpts of our full conversation, conducted by phone, are below. Missing the forest for the trees WOLF: First, please just help Americans see the see the forest on DOGE and all of these changes were reading about. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement STIER: I think the most important way of thinking about this is really fundamentally about the purpose of our government. Is it there to look out for the public good or the private interests of the office holder of the day. That, to me, is what should be the overall narrative for people. We had a system 140 years plus ago called the spoils system. It was the system of to the victor goes the spoils. Whoever was president got to put in place loyalists and partisans in federal jobs, and it resulted in corruption and incompetence, and ultimately in the assassination of President (James) Garfield in 1881 by a disgruntled job seeker. That led to the system we have today of non-political, merit-based civil service, and the basic proposition that presidents were there to serve the publics will and to follow the rule of law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What were seeing right now is the deconstruction of that system that has served us well for 140 years not perfectly, but well. There are certainly lots of things that we can do better in government. Our government needs to be modernized. But what were seeing now, in terms of the return to the spoils system, is going in the exactly wrong direction. But Trump is also talking about a return to a merit system WOLF: Theres an irony here since Trump, in his address to a joint session of Congress, was talking about how he is returning to a merit system by doing away with diversity programs, some of which have been in place since the 1960s. How do you refute his argument that this purging of the workforce is actually a return to the to the merit system? STIER: Its important not to confuse different elements of whats going on here. There is this variety of excuses being offered as to the changes that are taking place, and one of those is this notion of getting rid of DEI. Whatever the merits are of that and I dont even think we need to get into that things that are happening to our government now are, at best, infinitesimally, tangentially related to DEI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The firings of what are called probationary workers, who are basically the new workers in the federal government, are arbitrary with no cohesive plan, with no focus on poor performers, no focus on job occupations, that has nothing to do with DEI. The firing of Inspectors General, the people who are tasked with getting rid of waste, fraud and abuse in our government, across the government, that has nothing to do with DEI. The firing of the head of the Office of Special Counsel, that has nothing to do with DEI. Thats somebody whos supposed to make sure that whistleblowers who are finding waste, fraud and abuse have a place to go. The things that he has done in all these areas are about making the government more pliant to his wishes. The public will pay a price for whats already happened WOLF: You talked about the Office of Special Counsel. The head of that office is fighting for his job in court. Hes also brought to the Merit Systems Protection Board the firing of 5,000 USDA workers. Is there an opportunity for the system, essentially, to work despite Trumps efforts, or have we already seen irreparable harm to the bureaucracy? STIER: Its not over yet. Theres certainly opportunities to redress the problems that have been created. Honestly, the plans that have been described so far would take us even further down this road. The plans were seeing are the firing of 90,000 VA workers and other parts of the government. The courts have stepped in to stop some of the things that are clearly illegal, and they can make things better, but they dont fix them. When people are fired illegally and theyre given their job back, at least temporarily, theyve still been fired. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (CNN has reported on a plan to cut more than 70,000 workers at VA.) Worse than amateur hour WOLF: These larger plans are coming out to us in drips and drabs. Why is it a problem that we dont know what Trumps ultimate plan for the government is? STIER: There does not appear to be a strategy. What were seeing right now is not ready, aim, fire; but fire, fire, fire. There does not appear to be justification for the cuts that have been made. Theres no appropriate preparation, and its being done in a way that is most hurtful to the people involved. It is worse than amateur hour. Were hearing drips and drabs of plans to fire people or to make cuts but no justification for why those cuts, why those people being fired, and no evidence that its been either thoughtfully constructed or thoughtfully done. In fact, its the reverse. Arson of a public asset WOLF: This is not being done with transparency, so what should Americans assume is the end game of the White House here? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement STIER: When youre dealing with public assets, theres a responsibility, theres an obligation for those in power to be transparent. And this, in itself, is a major violation of their responsibility as public leaders. Congress has been absent. Congress should be demanding the exact information that were talking about right now. It should be asking for the strategy, the plans, the justification, and they deserve it as much as the larger public does. This is important, because these are public assets. What were watching right now is arson of a public asset, which is our federal government. There should be a pretty high bar to justify that. Theres some rationalization that this is about saving money, when in fact, the costs are clearly going to be far larger than anything thats actually saved, and even their statement of savings is demonstrably proven wrong. Theres a cost to cutting WOLF: Why is the cost of this effort going to be more than the savings? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement STIER: Fundamentally look at the firings themselves. Theyre firing people illegally, who are now having to be rehired. The human cost is enormous. Youve got thousands of people who are fired that have to protect their rights and get rehired, at least temporarily. The people who are defending the illegal actions of President Trumps personnel are our civil servants, and where theres liability, back pay, etc. its going to be the American taxpayer that pays them. The probationary folks, the new employees that are getting fired are the newest in to the federal government. They cost north of $5,000 a person to recruit, to hire and to train these new employees. Thats all wasted money for no strategic reason, no analysis. What were seeing is a little bit similar to someone saying, I saved money because I stopped paying my electric bill. Are you going to sit in the dark, or are you actually doing something that makes the whole system better? No precedent for Elon Musk in government WOLF: What is your view of Elon Musk and DOGEs involvement in this? STIER: It comes back to transparency point. Weve never had anything remotely like this before, where you have a private individual with enormous financial interest in the decision making of the government, making large across-the-board decisions in the government with no protections against ensuring that the use of public authorities is for the public good rather than his private input. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our government is a public asset and the use of government authority should only be for public interest. Understanding that hes pulling the strings when he has no business doing so, given his business, given the fact that he himself has not been confirmed by the Senate, or even really a full time federal employee. The Supreme Court has ruled on this. There is historical precedent going back to the 1930s that justifies the existence of these independent agencies, that is the law today. Can this Supreme Court overturn it? They could, but its the law of the day today. The normal way we would proceed in these circumstances would be to assume these things are constitutional until the Supreme Court changed the law. But that is not where we are right now. The Framers wouldnt have imagined many of the complexities we have in this world that that justified the creation of these entities. You look at something like the Federal Reserve, which is one of the independent entities. Pretty much all economists would say that the independence that exists for the Federal Reserve is really very good for our well-being as a country and for our economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is another example where this president is trying to become the king and is trying to seize power across the board. His motivations have to be questioned when its not just those independent agencies hes going after, but hes going after folks like the inspector generals and the head of the Office of Special Counsel. There is no theres no justification for doing that that is aligned with the well-being of the American people. It is just bad for them, because what youre losing are the people who are actually there responsible for getting at waste, fraud and abuse. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Brenda Mendoza isnt a fan of President Donald Trump or former President Joe Biden and believes both political parties are full of it. But when it comes to Trumps Department of Government Efficiency, Mendoza a Maryland resident and retired federal financial manager says the organization is doing what federal government employees should be doing anyway. Mendoza says shes a firsthand witness to government fraud, waste and abuse. While congressional Republicans and Trump supporters have applauded DOGEs work under the leadership of billionaire tech executive Elon Musk, Democrats have criticized DOGE for making what they describe as harmful cuts to federal workers and contracts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fraud, waste and/or abuse occurred at every government department where she was employed, Mendoza said, including Defense, Homeland Security, the Federal Labor Relations Authority, the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General, and the Office of Director of National Intelligence. Her roles included budget analyst, financial analyst and financial manager. Mendoza was recognized in 2024 by the nonprofit organization Executive Women in Government, founded in 1973, as a distinguished leader with a career centered on public service, according to a post on the organizations Instagram. Her job was to serve as a watchdog, ensuring taxpayer dollars were spent correctly. If an improper payment was made, the funds could be recouped but only if you can catch it. Theres an overwhelming volume of transactions, she said. And sometimes people are not either able to catch these things ... and sometimes there is collusion. Cheating on travel vouchers The most shocking spending practice Mendoza said she observed during her career was federal employees cheating on travel vouchers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You go on a trip and you claim things that are not legitimate. And you may take a girlfriend or boyfriend along with you to certain things and on the government dime or whatever, she said. Maybe some people are OK with that, but fraudulent travel claims are illegal. Improper expenditures happened on a daily basis, she said. The people making wrongful claims included people working at the Justice Departments Office of Inspector General, she said. One would think that that agency had more integrity embedded within it than any other office, Mendoza said. The Justice Department and OIGs office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said in the places shes worked, it was common knowledge that people would lie, cheat and steal if they believed they could get away with it. Cheating on travel vouchers might sound like small fry, Mendoza said. But when you think of the entire federal government and people that travel routinely, that adds up, right? Spending frenzy Most of the agencies where Mendoza worked would go on a spending frenzy during the last three months of the fiscal year instead of following their funding obligation plan, she said. Essentially, the agencies would obligate funds that were not considered a legitimate need within the specified obligation period, which is a violation of appropriations law, she said. Every year, it was the same thing over and over again, ad nauseam, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its as if you have a child that knows their homework is due and they have three months to complete a project. Well, instead of pacing themselves and completing that project, they just wait until the last minute. If she expressed concerns about an end-of-year spending free for all, she would receive pushback. When youre a federal employee, especially at my level, its difficult to fire you, she said. So, what happens is, it becomes uncomfortable to work in your job. Fired workers DOGE has many opponents, including people who recently lost their jobs. Trump has said the terminations will cut costs and boost efficiency, while Maryland leaders have warned the cuts will have disastrous consequences for the states economy and residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ottis Johnson, Jr., a former federal government police officer who now serves as a national vice president in the American Federation of Government Employees, recently talked to The Baltimore Sun before the presidents address to Congress. He went to the address as a guest of Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, a Prince Georges County Democrat. He said Trumps actions have been unfair to people like him, a veteran who decided to enter public service in multiple ways. Youre telling them that theyre not worthy of being able to do the job that theyre doing now? That theyre not qualified? And they protect the very heavens that you sleep under every night. Its not fair, said Johnson, an Owings Mills resident. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a combat veteran, has been criticizing the Trump administration for its treatment of veterans among DOGE cuts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First they said that veterans were not fit to have a job. Now, theyre cutting tens of thousands of jobs that support veterans health care, he said in a statement on X. Americas veterans deserve better. The White House should be standing with them, not treating them as if theyre expendable. Elon Musk Some have criticized Elon Musk for leading the DOGE initiative, given his lack of government experience. But Mendoza said many contractors run tech businesses like Musk and work for the federal government. For example, agencies might hire a contractor to design a modernized system for financial management. So the code for these systems and all of the technology that goes with them are being developed by people like Elon Musk, so they know how to get into the back doors of the systems that they design, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She added, If people were really concerned about people like Elon Musk, then they would get a rude awakening when they realize that not only are people like Elon Musk designing the systems that we use for the government that we contract for, but theyre also running the agencies that supply the contract staff that controls a lot of our financial management operations. Is it possible to cut $1 trillion? Musk and DOGE aim to cut $1 trillion by the end of the current fiscal year, which is up in September. The federal governments magnitude of fraud, waste and abuse would surprise the average American citizen, Mendoza said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not inconceivable there could be $1 trillion or more of waste, fraud and abuse, considering the magnitude of funds that the federal government controls, Mendoza said. She noted that a lot of government fraud, waste and abuse is already known through inspector generals reports that are publicly available. If American citizens believe that some of this stuff is being made up, then they can go to the IG reports, and they can read it for themselves, and they will be shocked at some of the things. The question for Mendoza isnt so much about good and bad spending but whether funding is being spent on its allocated purpose. We should have been doing that all along, especially people that were in my profession, she said. We should be the gatekeepers. Sam Janesch contributed to this report. --------- Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiencys haphazard takeover of the Social Security Administration risked data of millions of Americans leaking into the wrong hands, the departments ousted acting chief of staff warned. Tiffany Flick, a civil servant of 30 years, detailed the speed with which a DOGE associate was parachuted into the administration to access sensitive data. Flick, who was forced out last month, said she was seriously concerned that Social Security programs can continue to run without disruption and did not rule out that benefits could be delayed or not paid out at all as a result of DOGEs takeover. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The former civil servants warning, first reported by the Washington Post, was filed in a declaration with a federal lawsuit brought by Democracy Forward, representing a coalition of unions and retirees, seeking emergency relief to halt DOGEs unprecedented, unlawful seizure of personal, confidential, private and sensitive data regarding millions of Americans across the country from the Social Security Administration, in violation of the law. Responding to the allegations made by Flick, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to The Independent: Any American receiving Social Security benefits will continue to receive them. The sole mission of DOGE is to identify waste, fraud and abuse only. A former civil servant with the Social Security Administration warned that chaos of Elon Musks DOGE takeover risks data leaking into the wrong hands (Getty Images) Flick warned in the declaration that the stakes are high. She abruptly retired on February 16, along with acting commissioner Michelle King, after resisting DOGEs demands to gain access to some of the most sensitive and confidential data. DOGE software engineer Akash Bobba was brought in by newly appointed Chief Information Officer Mike Russo and rushed through onboarding so he could access the systems that house sensitive data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I did not understand the apparent urgency with which Mr. Bobba needed to be onboarded and given access to SSAs systems and data, which are highly sensitive, Flick wrote in the declaration. Flick said that she did not believe Bobba had a sufficient understanding of the sensitive nature of SSA data or the ways to ensure confidentiality. She also noted that Bobba was working on accessing the systems from the Office of Personnel Management, surrounded by employees and officials of other agencies and White House components who have, to my knowledge, never been vetted by SSA or trained on SSA data, systems or programs. Others could take pictures of the data, transfer it to other locations and even feed it into AI programs. In such a chaotic environment, the risk of data leaking into the wrong hands is significant, Flick warned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russo and DOGE officials wanted to access databases containing information about anyone with a Social Security number. It would allow them to see extensive information including a persons name, the name of their spouse and dependents, their work history, financial and banking information, immigration or citizenship status and martial status. Bobba needed access to everything, including source code, which Flick said that not even the most skilled and highly trained experts would be provided with. The Social Security Administration holds some of the most sensitive data belonging to Americans (AP) Russo was evasive when Flick asked for justification as to why Bobba required access to this sensitive information. After Flick pushed back, officials grew impatient, and she was ousted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am deeply concerned about DOGEs access to SSA systems and the potential to inappropriately and inaccurately disclose this information, Flick warned. Especially given the rushed nature in which we were required to onboard and train Mr Russo and Mr Bobba. I am not confident that DOGE associates have the requisite knowledge and training to prevent sensitive information from being inadvertently transferred to bad actors, Flick added. She also said that DOGE has already used SSA data to spread mis/disinformation about the amount of fraud in the Social Security benefits programs, including that millions of deceased people are receiving benefits, a claim that has been parroted by President Donald Trump. Flick said this is invalid and based on an inaccurate understanding of the agencys data and programs. SSAs benefits file contradicts any claim that payments are made to deceased people as old as 150 years, Flick wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democracy Forward is urging the court to block the Trump administrations unlawful attempt to access the private data of millions of Americans. Americans should be able to trust the government to protect their confidential data and yet again the Trump administration has shown a blatant disregard for the law and its obligations to the American people by granting unprecedented levels of access to unappointed and unvetted individuals, Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward said in a statement. Facing weeks of negative headlines and growing pressure from within the Trump administration, the U.S. DOGE Service is racing to finish the first phase of its assignment - slashing the federal bureaucracy - and move on to what the team hopes will be seen as more constructive work: creating sleek tools for navigating government services. Throughout DOGE, the need to find and champion positive achievements is seen as urgent, according to two people familiar with the groups internal workings. One key ally, General Services Administration official and former Tesla employee Thomas Shedd, told his staff during a meeting last week that I need wins to defend, according to audio obtained by The Washington Post. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Using a Silicon Valley phrase for putting new products in the hands of users, Shedd urged staff to remain focused on the reason you came to the government and this team to begin with, which is to deliver value and ship. The effort comes as backstage turmoil over DOGE has begun to spill into public view: Only two days after praising billionaire Elon Musk, who oversees the DOGE team, in an address to Congress, President Donald Trump sided last week with frustrated agency heads, saying they - not Musk - are in charge of making cuts in their departments. On Truth Social, Trump called for more precision, writing: We say the scalpel rather than the hatchet. And in pro-Trump districts, voters have stormed town halls to protest DOGE cuts to government services and firings of thousands of civil servants. The backlash is triggering a reckoning within DOGE, where some are coming to realize that history may not perceive their efforts kindly unless they can change the narrative. PR is viewed as a big mess internally right now, said one of the people familiar with internal discussions at DOGE, who like others interviewed for this article spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think everyone there knows they need to do a better job of telling the story, the person said. And thats going to be a big component of the next phase of DOGE, leaning into storytelling and showing the wins and not having the story told for them. Chief among their plans: Using their tech expertise to build apps and websites to help federal workers and Americans trying to access government services, according to two people familiar with DOGE internal workings. Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia, a close friend of Musks who was responsible for the companys inviting look, has been recruited to help lead the effort. Even this has invited criticism, however. Musk has repeatedly criticized Social Security, one of the governments most popular programs, and DOGE staffers have been working inside the agency. But an effort to give the Social Security website and services a user-friendly digital overhaul was already underway at the U.S. Digital Service - until Musk pushed out the team working on it, according to Mina Hsiang, who led the USDS before the department became the U.S. DOGE Service in January. When you fire people who have deep understandings of the mission you want to accomplish, youre sort of starting from zero, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk and the White House did not respond to requests for comment. GSA is recommitting itself to its founding purpose: ensuring government-wide efficiency and maximizing value for the American taxpayer, said a GSA spokesperson. As technology is an enabler for government efficiency and effectiveness, GSA has the critical products and technical talent to serve this purpose. Internally, DOGE staff are frustrated that a disconnect has emerged between what the public sees and the sense of mission that they bring to the job, the two people familiar with the groups inner workings said. Many feel they are performing a public service, the people said. They wake up every day with a singular mission: To squeeze as much waste out of agency budgets as possible in a compressed timeline of mere months before their appointments as special government employees are set to end. Sometimes, they give federal workers only 10 minutes to complete a task. Despite that, a growing portion of the public sees DOGE as callous and undisciplined, a narrative reinforced by news reports about fired military veterans, hours-long waits to file retirement claims and threatened benefits for 9/11 survivors. Almost 50 percent of Americans disapprove of Elon Musks work within the federal government, versus 34 percent that approve, according to a recent Washington Post-Ipsos poll. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The political reality is people want a positive story, said one of the people, noting that it would take some time for cuts to deliver benefits. Theres a chance you dont get to that positive story. Though Musk has historically avoided public relations initiatives at his companies, preferring to use his X feed to communicate, DOGE has begun to dedicate itself to tangible wins. In recent days Musk has become intrigued by the idea of a DOGE dividend that would use a portion of the savings achieved through the groups budget-cutting to send checks to American taxpayers, according to a person familiar with his thinking, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter, adding that Musk thinks it could give individual taxpayers an incentive to report wasteful spending. On its website, DOGE lists a calculation of savings per taxpayer. That figure stood just above $650 late Thursday. That number may be an inflated estimate of DOGEs overall cuts, and doling out checks would undercut its stated goal of reducing the government deficit. People cant relate to $100 billion but they can relate to their own paycheck, said James Fishback, the CEO of investment firm Azoria, who developed the DOGE dividend idea. Amount-saved-per-taxpayer is a powerful way to frame these savings so Americans can relate to them and support the important work DOGE is doing under President Trumps leadership. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DOGE is also focused on transforming digital services across the federal government by pairing designers with engineers to spin up projects within agencies. For example, in announcing his new role at DOGE, Gebbia posted a video on X created by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and DOGE showing a project to digitize the antiquated paper-based retirement process for federal workers in only one week. The video featured testimonials from delighted government bureaucrats praising the work. The project, a challenge Gebbia had given to the team as part of a quiet launch before his official announcement, represents the work he intends to do, one of the people said. DOGE officials have in recent days pushed staff at the Internal Revenue Service to come up with options to significantly increase the number of Americans who file their taxes free on a government website or app, said two people familiar with the matter, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe internal negotiations. The Biden administration launched a pilot to allow Americans to file free through a government site, but DOGE has expressed interest in dramatically expanding it - perhaps to as many as half of taxpayers by the 2026 filing season, the people said. Meeting with his staff on Thursday, Musk ally Shedd said he would withhold sugarcoating, noting that the technologists effort was now in a post Fork chapter, referencing the controversial Fork in the Road email sent to hundreds of thousands of federal workers offering a deferred resignation package - echoing a prior missive Musk sent to Twitter employees. We are in the phase of reorganization and change, he said, adding that the unit would halt any work that isnt required, critical, or an administration or internal priority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shedd listed recent wins that demonstrated the type of work with recognizable effects the unit was looking for. Among them, a U.S. Digital Corps fellow leading the first ever data-driven oversight of the U.S. organ transplant system to identify waste, fraud and abuse and a cloud.gov teams work to support artificial intelligence priorities. Shedd emphasized the need to ship, a common refrain in tech companies, as well as delivering value for the American taxpayer. Its important to call out that despite the craziness of the last several weeks that were still delivering and still shipping. And this is why were here, he added. Many of these tangible wins are expected to come from redesigning government technology, which DOGE staff view as shockingly outdated and error-ridden. Before DOGE, the White Houses U.S. Digital Service and 18F, a digital unit housed inside the GSA, also sought to recruit top-tier technologists from places like Meta, Palantir and Microsoft, to design government services more efficiently. One USDS member designed the ubiquitous four-colored tiles featured on Microsoft devices before joining government, according to a former USDS employee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Projects undertaken by USDS over the years include revamping the Social Security website and call center, a mobile-friendly portal for veterans to make doctors appointments and a vaccine-finder tool. During the 2022 baby formula shortage, the group built a national database to quickly identify which areas had shortages, according to a former USDS employee. Musks push has essentially eliminated both entities. Officials fired all of 18F this month and many employees of USDS have quit or been forced out. Like DOGE staff, USDS workers were motivated by a sense of mission, said several people familiar with the effort, but they often executed projects with little fanfare to avoid making the agencies look bad. Hsiang noted that the government had determined that the ongoing effort to revamp the Social Security Administrations website and public-facing services had saved $280 million and reduced phone call wait times by 70 percent. And they modernized the website and created a popular app for the Department of Veterans Affairs, allowing veterans to more easily file claims and check their benefits online. The easy things to talk about are the cute widgets, but over 10 years we revamped the entire process of interacting with the VA, Hsiang said. Thats one of a thousand things we did across the entire government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement USDS was often slowed down by pushback from agency officials who did not understand the value of such technological expertise, two people said, as well as rules and restrictions that are key to protecting sensitive data. DOGE has been able to move faster, but only because it wields more political capital and ignores many of those safeguards. When 18F worked on a project to launch a civil rights portal within the Justice Department, the team spent the most time figuring out how to securely and efficiently triage the complaints to the correct part of the DOJ without disclosing sensitive data, said one 18F employee, who is on administrative leave. Musk and his team, by contrast, have shown willingness to prioritize speed and coding skills, the person said. Anyone can make something look nice, the employee said. But following the correct protocols to ensure government systems dont break is a lot more complicated. And I dont think they care about it at all. - - - Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jeff Stein contributed to this report. Related Content DOGE wants them gone but makes it hard for federal workers to move on NIH reels with fear, uncertainty about future of scientific research After Trump threats, Hong Kong firm to sell stake in Panama Canal ports BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. On March 10, 2025, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov departed for an official visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan, Trend reports. As part of the official visit, Minister Jeyhun Bayramov is scheduled to meet with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu, as well as other high-level officials on March 11. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel The Scoop The Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency is reviewing the National Nuclear Security Administrations contractors, raising fears within the agency responsible for the countrys nuclear arsenal that it could lose mission-critical staff, two agency officials and a person familiar with the matter told Semafor. Department heads have been asked to justify the roles of the contractors on their team in one-sentence summaries describing why they should be kept on, one of the officials working for the National Nuclear Security Administration, or NNSA, said. The DOGE employees at NNSA are expected to categorize the roughly 1,400 support service contract employees as keep, delete, or more information needed, two of the people said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The nuclear agency, which falls under the Department of Energy, was thrown into turmoil by the firing and partial rehiring of hundreds of staff in February, and current employees fear that contractors could be next in line to lose their jobs. Multiple current and former NNSA employees stressed that contractors are vital for the departments work, and often have decades of experience dating back to the Cold War. They warned that the agency risked losing valuable know-how at a time when its mission is rapidly expanding, as the US seeks to modernize its nuclear arsenal. I cant think of a single office where there wouldnt be some level of [support service] contractors that would be essential for completing that mission, Scott Roecker, a former senior NNSA official, told Semafor. It would have a really significant, negative impact if they were to be terminated, Roecker added. Roecker said contracting staff at the agency are involved in virtually every part of the NNSAs mission, including tasks such as ensuring nuclear material is properly guarded and is not being diverted or smuggled internationally. The Department of Energy is reviewing all contracts, a spokesperson for the department said, adding that the evaluation will not impede the Departments ability to conduct its critical mission of protecting our national security and nuclear deterrence in the development, modernization, and stewardship of Americas atomic weapons enterprise, including the peaceful use of nuclear technology and nonproliferation. Know More The review is part of the administrations broader effort to scrutinize government spending. DOGE has terminated more than 30,000 federal employees, while roughly 75,000 more resigned as part of its Fork in the Road program and sweeping cuts are expected at agencies like the departments of State, Defense, and Veterans Affairs. DOGE has loudly celebrated its cost-cutting initiatives, posting an online wall of receipts to show how much it has saved by canceling federal contracts. It claims to have saved $105 billion, but that number is impossible to verify because DOGE has published a breakdown of only a small portion of those savings. The list has also contained major errors that have inflated the calculated savings by billions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DOGE has embraced Silicon Valleys move fast and break things ethos, disrupting a federal government used to operating at a more cautious pace. The strategy has triggered national security concerns, including whether unvetted DOGE staffers are accessing classified information, whether foreign adversaries could recruit disaffected federal employees, and whether the cuts will impact key national security personnel. The President has been very clear that he intends to do a top-to-bottom review of every taxpayer dollar that is going to fund this government, a senior White House official told Semafor. To any national security concerns or any implications to the good work that a lot of these agencies and departments are doing, all it is is a review. The White House official added that there is an argument to be had that contractors are probably more useful than expanding the bureaucracy with more public sector workers, but the reality is, just because youre a contractor doesnt mean youre absolved from waste, fraud or abuse. The NNSA served as an unlikely early target for the administrations cost-cutting personnel reviews. The agency is responsible for overseeing a $200 billion nuclear modernization push, building the plutonium pits that are the backbone of Americas deterrence, maintaining 5,000 nuclear warheads, and monitoring nuclear threats worldwide tasks that make it busier now than at any point since the Cold War. The agencys responsibilities have also grown much faster than its budget and personnel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many congressional Republicans have long argued that the NNSA should have a bigger budget and more staff, as it continues to struggle to build more than one plutonium pit per year and upgrade its Manhattan Project-era facilities. While some former NNSA employees agree that the agency needs reform, few expected the chaos that has beset the agency as part of the Trump administrations cost-cutting blitz. On Feb. 13, almost 20% of the agencys workforce was abruptly fired. Some employees still had working key cards, a former official said, while others had government laptops and devices raising potential counterintelligence risks. As criticism over firing more than 300 officials responsible for the countrys nuclear secrets mounted, the agency reinstated the majority of the staff but not all. Current and former workers chafed over the Department of Energys statement that it was primarily people in administrative or clerical roles, who were not brought back, noting that employees involved in the secure transportation of nuclear goods, modernization, and nuclear supply chains had also been terminated. Notable Federal employees protested en masse over the weekend as Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency announced it would close 47 Social Security Administration offices across the country. Over a hundred people demonstrated outside a federal building in Raleigh, North Carolina, fed up with the Social Security cuts as well as Musks suggestions the U.S. Postal Servicewhich is as old as the nation itselfand Amtrak should be privatized. I want everyone to know, I want the public to know, that the post office is the peoples post office, called out Tonya Freeman, president of the local postal workers union, reported the Raleigh News & Observer. It belongs to the people, it doesnt belong to Trump or Elon Musk. Protesters gather outside of a Manhattan Tesla dealership to demonstrate against Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Saturday. / Spencer Platt / Getty Images Four Social Security offices are being shuttered in North Carolina alone, forcing those in the hurricane-ravaged Smoky Mountains to now drive as far as 68 miles to reach the closest office, reported the Smoky Mountain News, which add there is no scheduled public transportation to take people to and from the now-distant offices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That headache for residents has been replicated across the nation as DOGE cancels leases and cuts staff at breakneck speed. Some of the decisions appear to go against issues central to the Trump administrations prioritieslike the canceling of a lease for the U.S. Attorneys Office in Corpus Christi, Texas, where staff handle a deluge of human smuggling, drug trafficking, and immigration cases at the southern border. These make up just a sliver of DOGEs cuts across the federal government, which have uprooted the means of living for tens of thousands of Americans, some of whom are MAGA supporters, veterans, or both. People protest against Tesla and Elon Musk outside of a dealership in Palo Alto, California, on Saturday. / Laure Andrillon / REUTERS Protesters conceded Sunday there is likely waste within the government, but said the speed at which Musks team of young engineers have slashed workforces, leases, and programs have done more to harm essential services than it has rooted out waste. Heather Hughes, president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 3509, was among those making exactly that point. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You dont go in for the weight loss surgery and have your legs amputated, she told a crowd, according to the News & Observer. You look for (waste) and then you figure out a way to do it that doesnt damage everything else. Protesters gather outside of a Manhattan Tesla dealership on Saturday. / Spencer Platt / Getty Images Demonstrators reportedly held up signs calling Musk a terrible president and demanded he stop the war on Americas workforce. Hughes said federal workers have become politicized by Musk and Trump. Now, she says, some in MAGA will call into Social Security offices and harass the very workers who are trying to help them. We have people calling the Social Security office, for whatever help they need, and then saying, I cant wait till you get fired, Hughes claimed. What? You just called because you needed something that you cant get anywhere else, and you just told me you cant wait til I get fired? Protesters gather by Gold Coast Tesla dealership in Chicago on Saturday. / Anadolu / Anadolu via Getty Images Other demonstrations took place over the weekend at Tesla dealerships in the U.S., Canada, and London to protest Musk, who remains the companys CEO despite him spending most of his time hopping between Mar-a-Lago and Washington these days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Signs spotted outside a Chicago dealership read, Launch Musk to Mars and Democracy Dies with DOGE, according to the Chicago Tribune. Photographers captured protesters being placed in zip-ties in New York City, where another demonstration took place outside a Tesla dealership. Theyre stealing from us, and we are out here to express how angry we are at that, Denise Poloyac, a board member of Indivisible Chicago told the Tribune. [Musk] is eliminating vital services that we all need and expect from our federal government... Ultimately, hes using it to enrich himself and his cronies. Along with looking for ways to make cost-cutting moves, the Department of Government Efficiency is now also trying to find ways to emphasize its accomplishments, according to a report. The Elon Musk-led service is hoping to rebrand itself after weeks of negative media coverage and public mistakes, the Washington Post reported. There is an urgent need to promote DOGEs achievements, two sources told the outlet. Rebrand isnt accurate, a White House official told The Independent. DOGE has been transparent about its message all the way, pointing to the websites list of government savings dubbed the wall of receipts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But DOGEs sweeping steps to overhaul the federal government mass layoffs, slashed contracts, and steps toward reducing the governments real estate footprint have also included a few public missteps, like having to rehire crucial, recently fired workers. The cost-cutting arm has sparked concerns among the public, members of Congress, and more recently, President Donald Trump. Days after hailing DOGEs efforts in a speech to Congress, the president in a Truth Social post last Thursday again touted DOGEs incredible success before clarifying that Cabinet secretaries will be making staff cuts moving forward. The secretaries can be very precise as to who will remain, and who will go. We say the scalpel rather than the hatchet. Musk, by contrast, has been using a chainsaw to get his message across. The Elon Musk-led DOGE is reportedly looking to rebrand after a string of negative headlines and public missteps (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) PR is viewed as a big mess internally right now, a source familiar with internal discussions at DOGE told the Post. I think everyone there knows they need to do a better job of telling the story. And thats going to be a big component of the next phase of DOGE, leaning into storytelling and showing the wins and not having the story told for them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "DOGEs message since Day One has been consistent: Under President Trumps direction, billions of dollars in waste, fraud, and abuse will be slashed from the federal government and hard-earned taxpayer dollars will be returned to the American people, a White House spokesperson told The Independent in a statement. In a step to promote so-called wins, DOGE is planning to build apps and modernize ancient government sites to help federal workers and Americans access services, the outlet reported. Joe Gebbia, a co-founder of Airbnb and a Tesla board member, appears to be part of this effort. He announced last month that he was joining DOGE with a task of improving the slow and paper-based retirement process. He wrote on X: If anyone else in good standing wants to help design beautiful, user-friendly digital products, reach out. DOGE is also looking to update the website for Social Security, a program Musk recently branded as the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time. But the U.S. Digital Service was already working on updating the programs website until DOGE pushed out the team overseeing the project, the former Digital Service administrator Mina Hsiang told the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When you fire people who have deep understandings of the mission you want to accomplish, youre sort of starting from zero, Hsiang said. DOGE staffer are frustrated by the dissonance between public perception and their work, according to the report (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) DOGE staff are frustrated by the dissonance between public perception and their work, which many of them view as a public service, the outlet reported. Recent polls suggest Americans are divided on DOGE. In an Economist/YouGov poll taken at the end of February asking what respondents think about expanding or eliminating DOGE, 21 percent said they believe DOGE should be expanded, 27 percent said it should be kept the same, 8 percent said reduced, and 29 percent said eliminated. Meanwhile, a CBS/YouGov poll showed more than half, 52 percent, of respondents thought Musk and DOGE have too much say in firing decisions while 33 percent said they have the right amount and 15 percent said not enough. More than half also believed DOGE and Musk have too much access to government agency records. The political reality is people want a positive story, one source familiar with internal discussions at DOGE told the Post, noting that any benefits of these cuts could take time to appear. Theres a chance you dont get to that positive story. Dolphins are common sights along the N.C. coast, delighting tourists and residents alike as the intelligent and often social animals move through the state's coastal waters and Intracoastal Waterway within an easy camera shot of shore. But do the marine mammals call the Tar Heel State home year-round? What species of dolphins call North Carolina home? The most common species, especially around Wilmington, is the bottlenose dolphin, with Atlantic spotted dolphins also often seen in the state's coastal waters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another common sighting, at least along the northern half of the N.C. coast, is the short-beaked common dolphin. Smaller harbor porpoises, similar to dolphins but a different species, also are sometimes spotted in coastal waters around the Outer Banks, especially during the cooler months. More: How can I see the statue in the Cape Fear River near downtown Wilmington? | MyReporter Where are they found, and how many are there? Researchers have divided N.C.'s year-round dolphins into three groups the Southern N.C. cluster, centered around the Cape Fear; the Beaufort cluster, around Bogue Banks; and the Pamlico Sound cluster, up and around the Outer Banks and into the Chesapeake. While there isn't a specific number, biologists say several hundred dolphins call North Carolina home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: This woodpecker found in North Carolina is no longer on the endangered list. Here's why. Common bottlenose dolphins reach up to 13 feet and 1,400 pounds and are found throughout the world in offshore and coastal waters such as bays and estuaries, according to NOAA. Do they hang around year-round? While individual dolphins and pods are known to migrate along the coast in search of food or to give birth, dolphins can be regularly spotted along the coast throughout the entire year. The summer months, when water temperatures heat up, often see dolphins getting more active and playful. But it is often the calmer fall and winter months when most tourists have gone home and boating activity thins out that dolphins will be more easily visible and likely to venture into coastal waters. MyReporter: Find the answers to all your questions in one place What do I need to see them? While a bit of luck is always important, patience is key, especially if you spot a dorsal fin and then have to wait a bit to see where it might emerge again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Binoculars also are a good tool to have, especially if trying to spot them from the beach or in a large body of water like the southern stretch of the Cape Fear River. And if you are fortunate enough to see one up close or if they come near your boat, officials stress that dolphins are wild animals and should be viewed from a safe distance and not disturbed. Reporter Gareth McGrath can be reached at GMcGrath@Gannett.com or @GarethMcGrathSN on X/Twitter. This story was produced with financial support from the Green South Foundation and the Prentice Foundation. The USA TODAY Network maintains full editorial control of the work. This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Do dolphins call N.C coastal waters home year-round? BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) Donald Trump Jr. will headline a Trump Victory dinner hosted by the Alabama GOP on April 3. The son of President Donald Trump, Trump Jr. will speak at the dinner, which will be held at the BJCC in Birmingham. The Alabama Republican Party is proud to stand behind President Trump, and we are honored to welcome Donald Trump, Jr. to Alabama as we celebrate this historic victory, Alabama GOP Chairman John Wahl said in a statement. As a passionate defender of conservative values, Don Jr. brings a unique perspective on the Trump family, the early days of President Trumps second administration, and the battles ahead to secure our nations future. His energy and insights will make this an event conservatives wont want to miss. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In its news release promoting the event, the Alabama Republican Party touted Trump Jr. as a prominent businessman, author, and political activist who has been a key figure in advancing President Trumps America First agenda. During both of his fathers presidential campaigns, Trump Jr. was actively involved in making stops in different cities to advocate for his father. In fact, several news outlets report that he had a significant influence on Trump picking J.D. Vance as his vice presidential running mate. Trump Jr. has also written two books, Triggered and Liberal Privilege, the former of which made The New York Times Bestseller list which was mostly due to bulk orders. Released a year later, Liberal Privilege was self-published and released on Amazon, which posted significant sales in its first week. The reception will begin at 6 p.m. while the dinner will start at 7 p.m. More guests will be announced as the dinner date approaches. Tickets start at $250 per person. For more information, 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 CBS 42. Every president has their share of misadventures, but only a few are so scandalous that their names echo through history: Teapot Dome, Watergate, Iran-Contra. Its still early, but the odds are good that the second Donald Trump administration will end up with a few scandals of its own, building on the exact behaviors that got past presidents in trouble including Trump in his first term. Just two months in, Trump and his associates have already attempted to usurp congressional power over spending, brokered norm-breaking legal deals and sought to skirt ethics rules designed to stop self-dealing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any one of these actions would have led to major problems for a president in the past; to try them all at once is like speedrunning the history of White House scandals. Heres a quick look at how Trumps behavior echoes past scandals: Andrew Johnson's impeachment The scandal: Congress passed a law barring Andrew Johnson from firing the secretary of war without its consent. When Johnson tried to remove him anyway, lawmakers impeached him, though they fell one vote short of conviction in the Senate. It was the first impeachment of a president in U.S. history. Why it was bad: Johnson was doing what Congress had specifically barred him from doing in a law that was passed over his veto. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What Trumps doing: Congress passed a law in 2023 specifically barring the president from firing or transferring inspectors general without providing 30 days notice to Congress and a reason for removal. In his first week in office, Trump fired 18 inspectors general without providing the required notice or reason. Teapot Dome The scandal: Secretary of the Interior Albert Fall persuaded Warren G. Harding to transfer two large oil reserves to his department, then leased them to two oil tycoons without getting competitive bids. Fall was later convicted of bribery and became the first sitting Cabinet member to go to prison. Why it was bad: Government contracts are supposed to go through a competitive open bid process to guarantee that they arent just handed out to allies of the president or other federal officials. What Trumps doing: According to a report in The Washington Post that cited unnamed sources, the Federal Aviation Administration is considering canceling a $2.4 billion contract with Verizon to overhaul the air traffic control system and giving it to Trump donor Elon Musks Starlink. (SpaceX, the parent company of Starlink, posted on X that it has a lease agreement to provide satellite internet kits free-of-charge and denied it is attempting to take over an existing contract but provided little detail.) Saturday Night Massacre The scandal: To block damaging material about his administration from coming out, Richard Nixon ordered the attorney general to fire a special prosecutor. When he refused and resigned, Nixon gave the same order to the deputy attorney general, who also refused and resigned, until the third-highest official agreed to do it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why it was bad: While the president appoints the attorney general, the Department of Justice is supposed to remain independent in its decisions, especially when it comes to investigations involving the president or his associates and allies. What Trumps doing: The Department of Justice ordered federal prosecutors to drop a prosecution of New York City Mayor Eric Adams without prejudice, meaning it could be brought back later. Seven prosecutors resigned rather than carry out the order in what was called the Thursday afternoon massacre. Acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove said in court that the case was dropped because Adams could not communicate with federal immigration officials while being prosecuted. Trump's first impeachment The scandal: Trump temporarily blocked the release of $400 million of congressionally approved military aid to Ukraine in an alleged attempt to get President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to announce an investigation into Hunter Biden that he hoped would help his re-election campaign. Why it was bad: Under the Constitution, Congress alone has the power of the purse, or the ability to tax and spend money. Trumps reasons for withholding the aid were also politically motivated and would have corrupted Ukraines justice system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What Trumps doing: Trump has again blocked the release of congressionally approved military aid to Ukraine. While he has not been accused of having any personal political motivation this time, he has been pressuring the country to negotiate a peace agreement with Russia and sign a deal that would give the U.S. access to the countrys mineral reserves. CORRECTION (March 10, 12:37 p.m. ET): A previous version of this article misstated how the Department of Justice ordered prosecutors to drop Adams case. It was without prejudice, not with prejudice. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Few in Israel are likely to have been more startled by the USs decision to hold direct talks with Hamas than Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said that Israel had been consulted about the discussions, which partly concerned the release of US hostages held in Gaza. Whether Jerusalem was pleased about being cut out of such sensitive talks, however, is another question entirely. No international leader benefited more from the Biden-Harris power vacuum last year than Netanyahu. Democrat presidents have historically sought to restrain Israels room for manoeuvre, remaining firm believers in a peace process that has failed to deliver security for Jerusalem. So Netanyahu took advantage of a heavily distracted Washington to achieve a series of long-held Israeli goals, including the neutralisation of Hezbollah in Lebanon and carving out a defensive buffer zone in post-Assad Syria. But the return of Trump made clear that the Middle Eastern sands were shifting. And fast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First, the President and his Middle East team were able to secure a temporary ceasefire that saw about 30 Israeli hostages released in exchange for over 2,000 Palestinian prisoners over a six week period that drew to a close last weekend. Trump wanted an end or at least a pause to the fighting before he returned to office and the agreement kicked in mere hours before he was sworn in. Then, during Netanyahus visit to Washington in early February, Trump revealed his audacious Gaza transfer proposal that could see the Strip fall under US control and most Gazans emigrate. Many Israel observers cheered on the scheme, and saw it as proof of Netanyahus political prowess. Its been read as confirmation of his belief that the war with Hamas cannot end until Israel secures a complete victory in Gaza. And nothing would be more complete than a Gaza empty of Gazans. Both Netanyahu and much of the Israeli public will also have been relieved by Trumps willingness to unleash all hell on Hamas if it does not release the remaining hostages. Having approved nearly $3bn worth of additional weapons to Jerusalem in late February, Trump is certainly arming Israel accordingly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But an alternative scenario could also be playing out here that when it comes to concluding the war, Trump has come to believe that Netanyahu cannot get the job done. Its not difficult to understand why. Some 17 months after Hamass attack on Israel, the Islamist terrorist group may be diminished, but it remains firmly in control of much of Gaza. It still holds dozens of Israelis captive and its cause retains the loyalty of the useful idiots in the West more willing than ever to protest on the groups behalf. Just last week, Barnard University in Upper Manhattan saw one of its buildings violently stormed by pro-Palestinian mobs. NYPD clear pro-Palestinian demonstrators from Barnard College on Wednesday - Anadolu In Israel itself, a series of investigations into the intelligence failures that allowed the October 7 massacre to happen have finally been released. They reveal years of operational and organisational blunders that led to the top of Israels political and military establishment. Although the investigations do not indict Netanyahu directly, they highlight his administrations Hamas appeasement policy including years of payments to their leaderships via Qatar as contributing to Israels false sense of security. The result is a pair of competing narratives suggesting that, while Trump appears committed to Netanyahus leadership, hes not so subtly undermining Bibi in increasingly public fashion. Perhaps, most worryingly for Netanyahu, Washingtons efforts are working: over the weekend, Trump hostage affairs envoy Adam Boehler said that Hamas had proposed a five-to-ten year truce with Israel that would see it lay down its arms and remove itself from governing Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a startling proposal, made all the more unprecedented by Washingtons willingness to negotiate with Hamas in stark contradiction to long-standing US opposition to direct engagement with terror organisations. And Netanyahus inner circle was reportedly displeased by the Americans going rogue: according to a Times of Israel report last week, Ron Dermer, Israels Strategic Affairs Minister, lashed out at US hostage envoy Boehler upon learning about meetings the latter had held in Doha with a senior Hamas delegation. With Israeli elections at least a year away, Netanyahu faces little immediate threat of dethronement. But his political longevity is partly hinged on the belief that Trump has Bibis back; that he views Netanyahu as an equal, rather than a junior partner. That this current White House unlike its predecessor seeks to elevate rather than undermine Israels leader. As massive posters praising Trump across Israel convey, the Israeli public wants (needs) to believe that Trump is committed to ensuring their sovereignty and security as the threat of wars return remains constant. And Netanyahu needs to project himself as the embodiment of Washingtons new-found affirmation. With alternative leadership nowhere to be found in Israel, Bibi is still managing to maintain this facade. But as the unilateral efforts by Trumps team are beginning to make clear, Trump may have less faith in Bibis abilities than even Biden and Harris before him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement David Christopher Kaufman is a New York Post columnist 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. President Donald Trump has given Canadian politicians across the spectrum a fight they dont want, but from which they cant back down. This has created an unusual wave of national unity in the fractious country. The president has created a unique phenomenon, and even provinces who dont usually agree are working together, said Ravi Kahlon, minister of housing for British Columbia and house leader for the provinces ruling left-of-center New Democratic Party (NDP). While neighboring Alberta home to the oil sands is run by what is probably Canada most right-of-center government, the provinces residents are among the strongest, most patriotic Canadians, Kahlon said in an interview last week. When Trump threatened to make Canada the 51st state, they turned on this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People in Canada are fed up this isnt a a reflection of where Canadians are with Americans, its aimed squarely at President Trump, Kahlon said. If Canada is in this situation, what chance does any other country have? A new prime minister Kahlon spoke before the federal Liberal party picked Mark Carney to be its new leader, and by extension the countrys next prime minister. Kahlon said he didnt have thoughts on the choice, but that he wants the next federal election due within months to yield a prime minister who will stand firm against Trump. This desire is widely held, and has so far benefited the Liberals, who have taken a polling league over the opposition Conservatives for the first time in about four years. Party leader Pierre Poilievre must battle public perceptions that hes ideologically too close to Trump. Hes already declared hes not MAGA. A pivot is possible: The Progressive Conservative government of Premier Doug Ford of Ontario won reelection last month after he flipped from public Trump fan to an anti-tariff warrior who barred American-made alcoholic beverages from from province-owned liquor stores. A serious threat People in Canada see this [talk of annexation] as a serious threat, which got even realer when we saw the U.S. side with Russia over Ukraine, Kahlon said. While some people initially took Trumps comments about Canada becoming the 51st state as a joke, his constant repetition means Canadians are no longer laughing, Kahlon said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement British Columbia is particularly sensitive to an extended trade war, with 65% to 70% of its exports going to the U.S. and other provinces are in similar situations, Kahlon said. The province has introduced legislation that would allow it to impose tolls on American trucks crossing the province from Washington state to Alaska, part of a wider push by federal and provincial governments to consider non-tariff forms of retaliation. British Columbia earlier banned alcohol from states won by Trump from province-owned liquor stores. Tariff retaliation Canadas staged retaliation is still in place, despite Trump having delayed the imposition of most tariffs until next month, with national leaders still actively considering the possibility of imposing export duties to raise the price of energy sent south. Some American oil refineries rely on Canadian feedstock. Kahlon would rather it didnt come to that. We didnt want to be in this situation, he said. We need to resolve this issue and move on to important problems that we need to address together. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Grand Junction resident Ted Juntilla said he felt pressured to buy a solar system for his home by a sales associate who provided incorrect information. (Sharon Sullivan for Colorado Newsline) A young and persuasive salesperson came to Grand Junction resident Brandon Keens home last summer selling residential rooftop solar systems. Keen was interested in solar, so he listened to the salespersons spiel. Keen said the Go Brite Solar salesperson told him that a Colorado grant would pay for the solar panels and installation and that Our World Energy, a solar company headquartered in Arizona, with locations in Colorado, New Mexico and Texas, was one of only a few companies approved to install the system. Keen signed up to lease the panels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Go Brite Solar, with locations in multiple states, is a sales only company that solicits solar systems door-to-door then sells the contracts to a solar installation company like Our World Energy. Go Brite Solars website states Hint: We dont work for solar companies, we work for you. After signing a contract, Keen learned from a neighbor who had his solar panels installed by a longtime local company that the solar incentives are not grants but, instead, a collection of state and federal tax credits for people who owe taxes. And thats only with a purchase not lease of the solar. When a person leases the solar panels, the tax credit goes to the lending institution financing the project. Some utility providers offer rebates for solar as well. Keen also learned that any certified solar company could do the installation. He canceled his contract with Our World Energy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was a brokerage group that came to our door, Keen, 38, said. We were tricked on how he presented it. Im not sure if he understood the incentive program. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Colorado Newsline attempted to reach Go Brite Solar for comment by calling both of the phone numbers listed on its website. One number reached an answering machine for Utah Online School, according to the greeting. Messages left by a reporter were not returned. A man answered a call to the second number, identifying as Cove Home Security, a company in Draper, Utah. In recent years theres been an uptick in Colorado, and across the nation, in door-to-door solar sales only solicitors accused of predatory and misleading practices. Theyre solar brokers who then sell the contracts to solar installation companies some of whom have gone out of business or moved, leaving customers stranded when a problem arises or with incomplete systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The office of Attorney General Phil Weiser would not confirm or otherwise comment on any potential investigations into deceptive solar sales practices, said AG spokesperson Elliot Goldbaum. Consumer protection legislation The Colorado Solar and Storage Association expects to support consumer protection legislation at the Colorado Legislature in the coming weeks. The consumer protection bill, if its introduced, would provide guidelines not only for sales-only companies but also for solar installation businesses. Were tired of seeing unethical people selling solar in Colorado, said Mike Kruger, the COSSA CEO and president. The bill will put up guardrails, and spell out expectations for behavior of salespersons. Grand Junction resident Ted Juntilla, 68, is a disabled military veteran who had been considering solar when a person selling for Our World Energy came to his door in June 2024. Juntilla said the salesperson told him that the solar installation would be free and that his utility bills would remain the same for the next 25 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Juntillas solar system would not have been free instead, it would have been financed over a period of years with no upfront costs. Customers pay a monthly fee, basically trading a utility bill for a finance payment. Solar scams usually happen door-to-door, and ramp up when there are incentives like there are currently ... Its an opportunity for misinformation. People take advantage of it. Mark Fetterhoff, program manager for AARP ElderWatch Juntilla said he felt pressured to decide quickly, because he was told that his utility provider Grand Valley Power would allow only a certain percentage of homes in his subdivision to install solar systems. However, when Juntilla contacted the electric cooperative he was told that was not the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Grand Valley Power is a member of Colorado Rural Electric Association, a nonprofit that represents and serves 21 Colorado electric co-ops. Grand Valley Power spokesperson Rita Sanders said Grand Valley Power does not currently restrict, or in the past restricted, anyone from installing solar due to system capacity. However, that could change in the future if local solar generation meets or exceeds demand in the same area, which poses challenges to maintaining a safe and reliable grid, Sanders said in an email to Newsline. Juntilla also learned that Our World Energy had pulled a building permit for his property from the Mesa County Building Department, without his permission. There was no mention of doing that during the sales pitch, Juntilla said. I didnt sign anything. It really irritated me. It seems unscrupulous not to notify me. Attempts to reach Our World Energy by phone and email were unsuccessful. A third-party agent answered the phone, and told a reporter that someone from the company would call back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement San Isabel Electric is a CREA member based in Pueblo West, serving customers in southern Colorado. San Isabel spokesperson Paris Daugherty said San Isabel receives a lot of calls from its members asking if the co-op is associated with a particular door-to-door salesperson. Sometimes (the sales associates) say they are San Isabel Electric and want to inspect the meter, Daugherty said. Its frustrating to us. We do not do door-to-door meter inspections. San Isabel Electric told Ion Solar, headquartered in Provo, Utah, that it was misrepresenting itself by saying it was with the electric co-op, and that it was impersonating the co-op, which is a crime. She said that after San Isabel contacted local media Ion Solar stopped the practice. However, other companies in the San Isabel area continue to mislead residents, Daugherty said. She said its difficult to confront the sales associates, because they do not wear clothing identifying who they work for, they drive vehicles without a business logo, and they do not give out business cards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its difficult to figure out what company theyre working for, she said. Its not just sales-only companies that are engaging in misleading sales practices. There are also fly-by-night installers who do not finish installations they were hired to do, Daugherty said. There is tremendous opportunity for solar in southern Colorado. In our area there are a wide range of installers and sales companies that do great work. (The unethical companies) are ruining it for reputable businesses. Scams increasing Both the declining cost of solar, and the availability of incentives offered by the federal government whose goal during the Biden administration was to transition to a 100% carbon-free electric grid by 2035 has led to an increase in solar sales in recent years. Solar accounted for 40% of all new electric generating capacity in 2019 in the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Solar scams usually happen door-to-door, and ramp up when there are incentives like there are currently, said Mark Fetterhoff, program manager for AARP ElderWatch, a consumer watchdog group that has partnered with the Colorado attorney generals office for 20 years. Its an opportunity for misinformation. People take advantage of it. Fetterhoff said both solar and home alarm companies are commonly tied to door-to-door sales scams occurring nationwide. Ive been in the business 20 years and Ive never seen anything like this year, these tactics ... Weve always seen plenty of companies come and go, but this level of deception Ive never seen. Lou Villaire, one of the owners of Atlasta Solar Center In November 2023, a Time magazine report described how door-to-door sales associates across the country often tell consumers they can get free panels from the government, which is not true. Consumers are told there are tax credits, though the credits are only for those who owe taxes. And theyre told they can eliminate their energy bill, which is not likely unless they invest in a battery at a significant extra cost. In most cases people with solar will still have a small utility bill that allows their system to be hooked up to the grid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AARP published an article in September on how to avoid solar scams, and lists a website brokercheck.finra.org where consumers can check to learn if a solar broker is licensed. Go Brite Solar is not listed as a licensed broker. A bro sales model Atlasta Solar Center in Grand Junction, and Empowered Energy Systems in Hotchkiss, are employee-owned solar companies on the Western Slope. Representatives at both companies say they have noted a huge increase in door-to-door sales associates using aggressive and misleading practices. The associates are often young 18 to early 30s and friendly, clean-cut, religious and from Utah, said Lou Villaire, one of the owners of Atlasta Solar Center, a company in business for 45 years. Its a bro model, a get-rich-quick scheme that has taken hold throughout the United States, Villaire said. The associates have a red line, a minimum amount they must sell the job for and any money above that amount they get to pocket. Thus, theyre incentivized to sell the product for as high as they can, he said. Once they sell the contract, theyre done, Villaire said, adding that contracts are often sold to installers headquartered out-of-state, some of which have gone bankrupt and later reemerge as a new solar business. Atlasta receives calls every week from people seeking help with getting their solar installation completed, but theyre unable to reach the original installer because the company is no longer in business or has left town, Villaire said. Ive been in the business 20 years and Ive never seen anything like this year, these tactics, Villaire said. Weve always seen plenty of companies come and go, but this level of deception Ive never seen. Additionally, Villaire noted dozens of cases where consumers were sold solar installations for $5,000 to $10,000 more than what locally-owned solar companies would charge for the same system. Crawford rancher and farmer Terry Baker said he canceled a deal he made last fall with an out-of-town door-to-door solar sales associate after he learned that he was being charged $10,000 more than what Empowered Energy Systems would have charged. Baker, 63, had signed up, in part, because he was told that without solar, his utility bills could triple in the next few years. Baker was charged a $1,500 cancellation fee. We thought we had plenty of time to back out, Baker said. I paid it. I wanted out of the whole thing. I wanted away from it. Im partly to blame. He was just a young guy, in his 20s. He raced over a lot. Danielle Carre, a co-owner at Empowered Energy, said homeowners have been lured into signing contracts only to learn later that they need an electrical upgrade to install the solar, and that the costs will be significantly higher. Empowered Energy has also heard from community members that they were told theyd receive tax credits for solar and for replacing their roof. However, federal tax credits only apply to the solar, not roof replacements. Weve been approached by these sales companies but refuse to work with them, Carre said. Their price is inflated. It saddens us that this is happening, because solar is a good thing and these practices give the industry a bad reputation. Teddy Aegerter, of Atlasta Solar, said homeowners are sometimes misled about what they are signing. Signatures are often collected on iPads, without any hard copies given to customers, he said. The sales-only business model is not necessarily a problem itself, said Kruger, the Colorado Solar and Storage Association CEO. Not all business owners are comfortable selling, so they might want to hire someone to do it for them. Villaire said he considered hiring an outside sales company to sell for Atlasta and was negotiating with someone until he learned what the sales associate would charge customers. What stopped me was one of the owners told me the only way theyd do it is if they could put one-third of the price in their pocket, Villaire said. For perspective, most sales types of jobs garner a commission of 3 to 6%, not 33%. They are motivated to go above the red line for the highest price they can. Kruger said, People get into trouble when sales companies make tons of promises, then sell the contract to an installer promises like youll never get a utility bill again, or, It will pay for itself in two years. Theyre not being honest or truthful. Theyll say whatever it takes to get a customers money. One thing is uniform its all designed for a quick sale, and a quick buck. Editors note: This story was updated at 11:45 a.m., March 10, 2025, to correct the solar proportion of the countrys new generating capacity in 2019. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Over 40 vehicles were involved in a large fire in northern Ohio early Monday morning. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Lorain firefighters responded to a fire at Insurance Auto Auctions Inc. (IAA) around 2:30 a.m., according to WOIO in Cleveland. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over 40 vehicles were involved in the fire, according to firefighters. Firefighters were able to put out the fire around 5:20 a.m. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. WOIO reported that IAA helps people in over 170 counties with bidding, buying, and shipping vehicles. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] VALLETTA, March 9 (Xinhua) -- The 20th Chinese medical team for Malta from the Mediterranean Regional Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine (MRCTCM) provided free clinical services to residents in Cospicua, eastern Malta, on Sunday. During the event, the medical team conducted blood pressure and blood sugar checks, offered personalized health advice, and donated medical supplies. Peter Gauci, 89, expressed interest in trying acupuncture to relieve his neck pain. He told Xinhua that he has been using safflower oil for pain relief. "It helps me, and I will continue to use it," he said. Amadeo Brincat, 33, thanked the Chinese doctors for their health advice regarding his back pain. He told Xinhua that he has received traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatments, including acupuncture, several times and has experienced significant improvement. Charlo Cutajar, 62, described the free clinical service as a "wonderful" experience, highlighting the convenience of having Chinese doctors provide health consultations at residents' doorsteps. "I appreciate it," he said. Having previously undergone acupuncture for shoulder periarthritis, he benefited from its effects and expressed interest in trying traditional Chinese massage to further ease his pain. Cospicua Mayor Marco Agius told Xinhua that the large turnout at the event reflects the popularity of TCM. "I am happy that Chinese doctors are providing free clinical services for our community," he said. Agius, who received acupuncture treatment at the MRCTCM last month for knee pain, shared his positive experience. "I felt quite good after the treatment," he said, expressing hope that the Chinese medical team would continue to offer free clinical services for residents in the future. The MRCTCM was established by the Chinese and Maltese governments in 1994. To date, 20 Chinese medical teams comprising over 100 doctors, have provided TCM treatments to approximately 250,000 Maltese patients. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament, Sahiba Gafarova, met with Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, during her official visit to Georgia on March 10, Trend reports. Papuashvili greeted Gafarova cordially and said that that was the first visit of a Head of Legislature after the parliamentary elections held in Georgia and the start-up of the new-convocation Parliament. He described that as a token of the high-level amity between our countries. Reflecting on his visits to Azerbaijan, Papuashvili mentioned that the intensive exchange of trips and the close contacts had helped promote broader relations. He also thanked the government of Azerbaijan for its support of Georgia. Gafarova voiced her appreciation of the generous hospitality and conveyed her congratulations on the election to the Georgian parliament and Shalva Papuashvilis re-election. She added that that was her second official visit to Georgia as the Parliament Speaker and that the meetings held during it would certainly contribute to further expansion of the relations. Azerbaijan and Georgia are friendly states, said the Speaker of the Milli Majlis before remarking that such amicable relations firstly stemmed from the will of our nations. The two peoples have lived in friendship, brotherhood, and good neighborhoods for ages. Then, the Speaker quoted President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan as saying that the political bonds between Azerbaijan and Georgia could serve as an example for all the neighbors. The Azerbaijani-Georgian friendship and strategic partnership had brought forth opportunities to carry into life major energy and transport projects. Those projects serve the two sides national interests while also fostering stability and development in the South Caucasus. At the same time, such projects have grown into a serious factor in the larger region of Eurasia, where, too, they are generating new opportunities. The mutual support and solidarity of our countries and peoples were underlined as well. It was emphasized that, among other things, the two sides took unequivocal stances on territorial integrity and sovereignty issues. Next, it was said that the high-level relations continued in the parliamentary plane as well. The two Speakers stressed that the inter-parliamentary ties were an important component of the bilateral and multilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Georgia and that the truly very efficient cooperation had been built up between our legislatures. Apart from the friendship groups, there is the successful collaboration experience garnered amongst the parliamentary committees. The Speakers also underlined the importance of mutual support and joint activities of Azerbaijani and Georgian MPs upon international platforms. The meeting had an exchange of views on the state of regional affairs and the necessity of maintaining peace and stability in it. Besides, Speaker Sahiba Gafarova made known her ideas about the double standards present in the system of international relations and the inadmissibility of biased and unfair approaches to individual countries. The speakers articulated perspectives on additional topics of mutual significance as well. Following the meeting, Parliament Speaker Sahiba Gafarova signed the memorial book. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel A man is facing DUI manslaughter and other charges after causing a crash in St. Petersburg that killed a woman, police said. Police arrested Kyle Mathew Hill, 33, of Pinellas Park early Monday, hours after the Sunday evening crash that killed Arislenni Blanco-Medina, 28, and injured another driver. Hill was driving a Nissan Armada south on 34th Street North approaching 17th Avenue North about 8 p.m. when he failed to stay in his lane and crashed into the drivers side of a Honda Accord also heading south, according to the St. Petersburg Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Honda left the road and crashed into a concrete pole, causing the pole to snap and land on top of the car. Hill lost control of the Nissan, and it hit a tree in the median and flipped multiple times, police said. Blanco-Medina, who was a passenger in the Honda, died at the scene. Hill and the 35-year-old St. Petersburg man driving the Honda were hospitalized with serious injuries. Police have not released the Honda drivers name. Staff at Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital told police that Hills blood alcohol level was 0.185, according to an arrest affidavit. Under Florida law, a driver is presumed impaired at 0.08 or higher. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police estimated that Hill was driving more than 60 mph at the time of the crash, the affidavit states. The speed limit on that stretch of 34th Street South is 35 mph. Hill was arrested on charges of DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide and violation of probation. Pinellas court records show Hill pleaded guilty to felony battery in December and was sentenced to 36 months of probation. In that case, Hill sucker punched a man in the back of the head at a St. Petersburg bar and then, after the man fell to the ground apparently unconscious, punched him in the face six times, according to an arrest affidavit. Editors note: This story was updated to correct the spelling of Arislenni Blanco-Medinas name. An incorrect spelling was previously provided by St. Petersburg police. Additionally, a previous version of the story misstated which car Blanco was riding in due to a reporting error. Editor's note: The story was updated with a statement from a HUR source. Ukrainian military intelligence's (HUR) drones struck the Novokuybyshevsk oil refinery in Russia's Samara Oblast overnight on March 10, a source in the agency told the Kyiv Independent, confirming earlier reports. The statement came after Russian and Ukrainian sources reported an attack against the facility earlier the same day. Ukraine has systematically targeted Russian oil refineries, military sites, and warehouses deep behind the front lines to undermine Moscow's capacity to wage its all-out war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The refinery's "capacity amounts to 8.8 million metric tons of oil per year, making it one of the 10 largest (refineries) in Russia," said Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council. The plant produces gasoline, diesel fuel, and fuel oil, "which are critically important for transport and military equipment," the official added. This includes jet fuel used by supersonic aircraft such as Su-27 fighter jets and Tu-22 bombers, the HUR source claimed. Samara Oblast residents reported loud explosions overnight, Astra wrote, adding that a fire was recorded at the Rosneft-run oil facility. According to the HUR source, the facility was hit at around 2 a.m. local time. The refinery was not sufficiently protected by anti-drone defenses, the source added. The city of Novokuybyshevsk lies roughly 900 kilometers (560 miles) from the front line in Ukraine. The facility was previously attacked at least twice in March 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This refinery is strategically important for the Russian military as it ensures a stable fuel supply for military operations," Kovalenko said. The Russian pro-state agency RBC reported a fire at a warehouse in Novokuybyshevsk that covered an area of 1,500 square meters later the same day, without mentioning a drone attack. No casualties were reported. Russia's Defense Ministry claimed its forces had shot down nine Ukrainian drones overnight, including three over Samara Oblast, two each over the Voronezh and Oryol oblasts, and one each over the Belgorod and Kursk oblasts. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On March 9, a Ukrainian drone reportedly attacked an oil depot in Cheboksary in Russia's Chuvashia Republic, marking the first strike against the region. Read also: Ukraine releases video of Russian attack via gas pipeline in Kursk Oblast Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Jana Woofter is a chemistry and physical science teacher at Spring Mills High School in Berkeley County, as well as president of the Berkeley County Education Association. (Mike Chalmers for West Virginia Watch) The phrase say the hard part out loud has had a moment in the national spotlight recently. And within West Virginia, youll hear it repeatedly when you talk to education professionals in the Eastern Panhandle about teacher pay. Something else youll hear with regularity is the word crisis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michelle Barnhart, a social studies teacher at Martinsburgs South Middle School in Berkeley County, has seen the teacher shortage turn from a growing problem into something much more serious. When I started teaching in 2017, you had to be actively working on your degree to even be considered for a position. Now, theyre putting people with associate degrees or no degree at all into classrooms as full-time teachers, she said. They arent supposed to, but they have no choice. The state, added Barnhart, is ignoring the problem. Charleston doesnt see it, or chooses not to. People downstate dont understand that many of the adults in these kids classrooms up here arent actually teachers because the teachers have gone elsewhere for better pay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Imagine, she said, if hospitals started hiring people with no medical background to be doctors. Just pulling people off the street, handing them a clipboard, and saying, Here, practice medicine. Thats whats happening here in education. Barnhart said that many of her colleagues and fellow educators feel powerless at the end of the day. The cost of living in the panhandle is nowhere near the rest of West Virginia, but teachers, state workers anyone whose salary is coded into law get the same base pay. If you live elsewhere, thats not a big deal. But if you move here, you suddenly realize this is a crisis. Parents, she said, are often unaware of just how bad the situation has become. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyll see the bus driver shortage on the news and get outraged about routes being cut. But they dont know whats happening inside the classrooms. They dont see how many positions go unfilled all year, or how often classes are just split up when a teacher calls out overcrowding the ones that are already at their limit. Even for those who stay, Barnhart said, burnout is inevitable. You have algebra teachers covering trigonometry. English teachers covering history. Some days, they still cant find someone to cover, she said. When that happens, learning just stops. Andrew Fincham, a health and physical education teacher at Martinsburg High School in Berkeley County, has seen the pattern repeat itself year after year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its only getting worse, he said. And with the population growth in the panhandle, were running out of room. Classrooms are overflowing, and were sticking kids in trailers to make it work but the turnover rate with teachers is staggering. Currently, Berkeley Countys student population alone at nearly 20,000 exceeds the total population of 26 entire counties in West Virginia. As of the start of the current school year in August 2024, Berkeley County had nearly 200 permanent substitutes hired. Were losing an alarming number of teachers every year throughout the county whether its retirement or leaving for more money, Fincham said. And the impact on students is undeniable all schools, all grade levels. Fincham doesnt see the revolving door getting any better without major policy changes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All the nearby states Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania adjust salaries based on cost of living. West Virginia doesnt. Its easy to see where this is headed. If the state doesnt start thinking about this in a new way, in five years, itll be catastrophic. The impact on retention, added Barnhart, cant be overstated. Berkeley and Jefferson counties, especially, have become steppingstones. Teachers come here, get a few years of experience, and then leave for better pay often nearby. For Barnhart, the predicament is both personal and professional. I have kids in this school system; I see it as a parent and as an educator, she said. Its frustrating because I dont want to leave, but at some point, I might not have a choice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Considering almost all those choices are within 30 minutes or less, Barnhart admitted its hard to ignore the disparity. If I left for Frederick County Schools [Virginia], Id make over $6,400 more per year, she said. In Washington County [Maryland], over $11,500 more. And Loudoun County [Northern Virginia], almost $25,000 more. The Berkeley County Board of Education continues to face a growing crisis compounded by population increases and the steady loss of education professionals due to cost-of-living disparities. (Mike Chalmers for West Virginia Watch) The numbers dont lie At the end of the day, however, this isnt a new conversation for people like Barnhart, Fincham, and thousands of others within the region. In recent decades, West Virginias education landscape has been punctuated by significant teacher strikes, notably in 1990 and 2018 both primarily driven by concerns over inadequate compensation and escalating health care costs. The 2018 strike, in particular, saw approximately 20,000 educators and school personnel shutting down schools across all 55 counties, culminating in a 5% pay raise for all state workers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And yet, in 2025 as in most years previous West Virginia sits either dead last nationally or perilously close to dead last on just about any average teacher salary list you come across jostling for position between Florida, South Dakota and Missouri year after year. Be that as it may, according to the most recent data available from the National Education Association, the estimated national average annual salary for teachers sits at $71,699 while West Virginia shuffles in at $53,336. That said, the Eastern Panhandles three core counties Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan are among the fastest-growing in the state, and closest to the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, making them highly susceptible to issues like cost-of-living disparities and teacher-pay inequities. According to the most recent data from the West Virginia Department of Education, the average annual teacher salary in Berkeley County lands at $55,412; the average for Jefferson County comes in at $54,153; and Morgan County sits at $55,624. Compare that to West Virginias poorest county, McDowell, where the average teacher salary is $53,296. However, the average home value in McDowell County hovers around $35,000 with the median home sale price standing at approximately $41,000. Accordingly, almost all cost-of-living data is lower or significantly lower in McDowell County. To that end, $53,296 goes a long way there, as it does in numerous other counties in West Virginia that boast similar cost-of-living data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By contrast, average home values in Berkeley County climb into the $335,000-plus range. In Jefferson County, its even higher, with values exceeding $380,000. In Morgan County, values can exceed $350,000. The cost of living within these three counties is commensurate with those values. But the average teacher salary within the Eastern Panhandle comes in at $55,063 not even $2,000 more annually than West Virginias poorest county. Talk to anyone close to this issue, and they will tell you in no uncertain terms its becoming all but impossible to work as a teacher or education service worker in the Eastern Panhandle and pay the bills. And when extra money does arrive, its in the form of a statewide raise without consideration for locality pay which keeps that allotment relatively small in proportion to the ever-widening economic gap between the Eastern Panhandle and the rest of the state. Bargaining power Its economics 101, said John Deskins, director of West Virginia Universitys Bureau of Business and Economic Research. If salaries remain the same across the state, schools in more competitive job markets like the Eastern Panhandle will struggle to attract and retain teachers. Its a matter of supply and demand higher costs and a stronger labor market require higher pay. Berkeley County Schools Superintendent Ryan Saxe, formerly superintendent in Cabell County, echoed the sentiment and admitted to not fully grasping the depth of the problem until taking his current job. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In my previous county, we competed with Ohio and Kentucky for teachers, but the disparity wasnt nearly as severe as what we see here with Maryland and Virginia, he said. Saxe doesnt believe West Virginia needs to match those salaries dollar for dollar, but we must close the gap, he said. Right now, we have around 200 permanent substitute positions because we cant fill them with certified staff. That depletes our substitute pool and leaves us constantly reposting vacancies for high-need areas. Sen. Patricia Rucker, R-Jefferson, believes part of the issue is Charlestons reluctance to even acknowledge cost-of-living disparities. The federal government has already done the research to determine appropriate salary increases for employees based on regional economic conditions, she said. A similar approach for public employees in high-cost areas in our state makes sense. But the push for locality pay has failed repeatedly, she said, primarily due to opposition from lawmakers outside the Eastern Panhandle. The Senate has passed similar measures three times, only for them to fail in the House, Rucker said, The last time, we were 14 votes short. Thats a big gap. The resistance comes from a long-standing belief in uniform pay across all 55 counties, said Dale Lee, president of the West Virginia Education Association. But that resistance mindset ignores an economic reality, Lee said. A few years ago, an attempt to secure locality pay for state police was soundly defeated. The challenge is that while it would benefit a few counties, the majority wouldnt see any advantage so their delegates arent inclined to support it. Instead of direct locality pay, some legislators are exploring alternatives, like reducing the local share, which would allow high-growth counties to keep more of their tax revenue to fund education salaries. If that money is earmarked for salaries and benefits, it could be a real solution, Lee said. As Lee indicated, the shortage isnt limited to teachers state police, social workers and other public employees face the same problem in high-cost areas. Former West Virginia Delegate John Doyle believes the Eastern Panhandles increase in delegation numbers gives it more bargaining power than in years past. (Mike Chalmers for West Virginia Watch) Former West Virginia delegate John Doyle has been advocating for locality pay for over 30 years, first proposing a housing allowance in the early 2000s as a way to soften opposition. The state would provide a housing allowance based on cost-of-living data, he said. Every county would be ranked from 1 to 55, with the median county serving as the baseline. Any county ranked above the median would receive some level of housing allowance smaller for those just above, larger for the highest-cost counties. He recalled that when cost-of-living data was first released to legislators, some were stunned by the housing prices in the Eastern Panhandle. They assumed we all lived in large homes. I had to explain that I lived in a 1,000-square-foot FHA rancher, and it was worth almost double the state average. Doyle also warned against the idea that raising salaries in border counties would simply cause a ripple effect of teacher migration. Salaries dont need to match Maryland and Virginia just get close enough. If the gap is $20,000, theyll leave. If its $10,000 or less, they might stay. But the state has spent decades failing to act. Doyle pointed out that in 1990, West Virginia was ranked 26th in teacher pay after a major statewide raise under former Gov. Gaston Caperton. By the late 1990s, Maryland and Virginia had surged past it once again. Every few years, the issue reaches a boiling point, like the 2018 teacher strike, which resulted in a 5% statewide raise but failed to address the Eastern Panhandles unique economic challenges, he underscored. With legislative momentum reliably sluggish, greater political action might be required, said Rucker who also chairs the Government Organization Committee. If we dont have enough qualified teachers, we are failing to meet our constitutional obligation to provide an efficient education system. A class action lawsuit could force the states hand, she said. On the economic side, Deskins sees another consequence of inaction: economic decline. If schools decline due to this crisis, the region becomes far less appealing. People dont want to move to areas with struggling schools, which would ultimately slow economic growth, Deskins said. Essentially, explained Deskins, West Virginias fastest-growing region the only part of the state successfully attracting new residents is being left to fend for itself. From a broad economic-development perspective, were making one of the states most promising regions less attractive ultimately working against ourselves, Deskins said. The political fight will only continue, and will hopefully play a prominent role in the current legislative session, said Doyle who believes the Eastern Panhandle finally has strength in numbers. The Eastern Panhandle now has more than 10% of the legislature, Doyle said. That gives our delegation real bargaining power. If they unify and make this a non-negotiable priority, they can trade support on other bills to get it passed. Rucker agreed. The delegates from this region have better strength in numbers, and are working hard to educate their colleagues and emphasize that this benefits the entire state, not just the Panhandle, she said. Nonetheless, Lee remains skeptical. In my experience, when the legislature makes something a priority, they find the money for it, he said. If this becomes a priority, a solution will follow. But that remains to be seen. Doyle, however, was more blunt: At the heart of it all is the fact that the state doesnt want to give money to teachers because they want to be able to give a giant tax break to corporations. Repeated requests for comment from State Superintendent of Schools Michele Blatt went unanswered. The cost of inaction Imagine a moment in the near future in the Eastern Panhandle likely Berkeley or Jefferson Counties when a brand-new high school opens with all the pomp and circumstance that comes with such occasions. And on day one, as the doors open and the students pour through them en route to homeroom and the new year ahead, not a single certified teacher is there to greet them. Rather, every room, and every subject, is being covered by a substitute. Sounds crazy? Many education professionals in the Eastern Panhandle are calling it something else: inevitable. I can easily see that happening were drowning, said Jana Woofter, a chemistry and physical science teacher at Spring Mills High School in Martinsburg. Woofter also serves as president of the Berkeley County Education Association. Bills are often triple what they are in other parts of the state, she said. Housing costs are through the roof. Berkeley County tries to help with a housing allowance, but Jefferson and Morgan counties dont have those same benefits. Even with the assistance, my members are struggling especially with PEIA [West Virginias Public Employees Insurance Agency] costs rising. The struggle isnt just with the state. Clay Anders, a physical education teacher at C.W. Shipley Elementary in Jefferson Countys Harpers Ferry, is frustrated that even as property values have doubled, teachers havent seen a county-based raise in over a decade. The local levy passed again, and theres millions in additional revenue coming in but none of it has gone to us in quite a while, he said. Meanwhile, the board office has added new positions and given themselves raises every year. As of Nov. 6, 2024, the Jefferson County School Excess levy passed with ease totaling $25,427,656. According to Jefferson County Schools, the bulk of the levy $19,376,035 will go to salary assistance for teachers and service personnel. At the same time, Anders pointed out, extra-pay options that once existed for Jefferson County educators have disappeared. The county cut a program that allowed teachers to earn up to 3,000 extra dollars per year. That was real money that made a difference. But then they phased it down to $1,500, and now its gone completely. The level of participation in that program told him everything he needed to know. Nearly 98% of eligible teachers took part in it, Anders said. That should tell you how much we need the money. He believes that if the county wont act, teachers may have to take matters into their own hands. Maryland and Virginia have county-based unions that fight for local pay, Anders said. West Virginia doesnt. We only have state-level unions, and they arent fighting county battles. Additionally, Anders and a group of teachers are preparing a Freedom of Information Act request to uncover exactly where the money is going. The board claims theres no money for teacher raises, yet theyre increasing salaries at the top. If every million dollars in new revenue could mean an $800 to $900 raise per teacher, then where is that money going? Like so many other schools in West Virginias Eastern Panhandle, Martinsburg High School continues to expand as populations rise throughout the region. (Mike Chalmers for West Virginia Watch) The answer, at least in Berkeley County, according to Board of Education member Damon Wright, is complicated. Most of our budget already goes to salaries, Wright said. And weve denied requests for new administrative positions to keep costs down. But we continue to have growth needs especially when it comes to mental health services for students, which require more funding. That said, every time we dip into reserves, we run the risk of the state stepping in and questioning our financial management. Weve increased the housing allowance, and well keep looking for ways to supplement pay, but we cant solve this alone. The challenges only get more complex, he said, when Charleston refuses to act. The state doesnt believe in cost-of-living adjustments. They think if we raise salaries in high-cost areas like the panhandle, teachers from rural counties will flood the region. But thats not realistic. Most teachers in McDowell and similar counties are among the highest-paid professionals in their communities. Here, teachers need roommates just to afford rent. Michelle Pereschuk, a special education teacher at South Middle School, called the system broken and confessed that teachers are running out of reasons to stay including herself. Ive been at the tipping point for years, she said. I was born and raised in Berkeley County. My kids are in the school system. I want to stay but I cant afford it much longer. Like many in the county, Pereschuks mortgage swallows her paycheck. She once considered a position in nearby Washington County, Maryland, that would have paid her $11,000 more in the first year and up to $17,000 more over time. She ultimately stayed due to personal reasons, but the pull to leave grows stronger every day. Winchester City Schools and Frederick County, [both in Virginia], are 20 minutes from my house. Maryland and Virginia also allow out-of-state teachers to send their kids to school there. For the first three years, you pay a small tuition fee, then your kids attend for free. If I move, I could take my youngest with me and give him a better-funded education while making a lot more money. Such decisions arent just being measured in Pereschuks household, she assured, but rather, in many homes across the region. Off the top of my head, I can name at least 10 people in my school alone who are seriously considering leaving, she said. Woofter, who works multiple jobs to make ends meet, added that, even for those who choose to stay, survival requires sacrifices. I run the science fair for my school and the county, coordinate academic competitions, tutor, sell tickets at events anything to make extra money. If I moved across the border, I wouldnt have to do all that. But I stay because I love it here. As for rising insurance costs, Wright said, whatever raises the state offers at this point are quickly wiped out by PEIA increases. The misconception is that a raise actually means more money, he said. It doesnt. When insurance premiums jump 40%, and co-pays triple, as theyre set to do, its actually a pay cut. Later this summer, when those PEIA increases hit, I think well see a mass exodus not just teachers, but public employees across the board. Without action, warned Woofter, the situation will only deteriorate. Shes already seeing it play out at her own school. Spring Mills High School opened in 2013. In just over a decade, fewer than 20 original staff members remain. That kind of turnover is devastating. Moreover, Wright said, Charlestons inaction is feeding into another, larger movement the privatization of education. Rather than addressing the crisis in public schools, the state is using the decline as an excuse to push private schools, charter schools and voucher programs, he said. The problem is, 25% of Berkeley Countys students have special needs, and public schools are required to serve them private schools are not. West Virginia doesnt fully fund those services so counties cover the gap. If lawmakers shift funding away from public schools to private options, that burden grows, Wright said. Theyre letting the system fail so they can justify alternatives. At the end of the day, he said the community is the last line of defense. Were already in crisis mode whether the state chooses to address it or not. The public needs to understand just how bad this is getting. And the only way any of this changes is if the public demands it loudly. If people in the panhandle make enough noise, Charleston cant ignore it forever. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE GHENT, WV (WVNS) Multiple search warrants were carried out in West Virginia as part of a drug investigation. According to a press release from the West Virginia State Police, eight search warrants were carried out in Mercer, McDowell, and Cabell counties on Thursday, February 13, 2025 by the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force and members of the Mercer County Sheriffs Office, McDowell County Sheriffs Office, Wyoming County Sheriffs Office, West Virginia State Police, and the Huntington Task Force as part of a drug investigation. Wyoming County man sentenced for attempt to commit a felony Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the investigation, two fentanyl brick presses, 5,543 grams (around 12 pounds of fentanyl), 105 grams of marijuana, 960 grams (around two pounds of crystal meth), 19 grams of crack cocaine, three guns, three cars, and a large amount of cash were seized. Antonio Padgett was arrested in Cabell County and charged with nine counts of drug conspiracy, and Cordero Hayes was charged with nine counts of drug conspiracy and nine counts of delivery of a controlled substance. The press release stated that the investigation remains ongoing, and that the arrest of other co-conspirators is expected. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS. DES MOINES, Iowa Thousands attended the annual Des Moines Arts and Crafts show at the State Fairgrounds. The annual event runs from Friday through Sunday in the Varied Industry Building at the State Fairgrounds. Iowas largest Arts and Crafts show, it draws crowds looking for inspiration and that special piece. The show isnt as simple as kindergarten crafts. Tom Callahan, the show promoter, says the exhibits during the show come from established businesses that design quality pieces made to last. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iowan makes Broadway debut in musical & Juliet Its not like mom and dad knitting a pair of socks, for example. This is this is oak furniture, this is jewelry, its pottery, its ceramic sets, its floral, its wreaths, its anything and everything, said Callahan. More than 250 exhibitors from across the state and at least seven surrounding states made the trip for the showcase. Including one vendor who combines music and art. Theres one exhibitor that takes records all deals, all vinyl records, and makes that into a design and cuts it out. And its hard to explain what they do, but its really beautiful what theyve got, said Callahan. Thats a new exhibitor that we have here today and theyre doing quite well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Arts and Crafts wrapped up on Sunday, but preparations are already underway for the fall show which typically takes place at the State Fairgrounds mid-November. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. DuPage County and county Sheriff James Mendrick have reached an $11 million settlement with the estate of Reneyda Aguilar-Hurtado, a 50-year-old mother who died in June 2023 after being held in the county jail for 85 days while awaiting transfer to a state-run mental health center. Approved by a judge last month, the settlement caps a federal lawsuit brought by Aguilar-Hurtados daughter, Cristal Moreno Aguilar, accusing the county, Mendrick and 11 jail medical staff members or corrections officers of repeatedly failing to act as her mothers health rapidly deteriorated. A county pathologist determined her death was due, in part, to medical neglect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The nearly 50-page complaint, filed a month after Aguilar-Hurtados death, cited about a dozen examples of other jail detainees some who died while on medical watch, others who have sued the jail over health care complaints in alleging a widespread practice and policy of deliberate indifference to the health and safety of critically ill inmates suffering from life-threatening conditions under their custody and control. Mendrick, who recently announced his intent to forgo a third term as sheriff and instead seek the Republican nomination for Illinois governor in 2026, declined to comment through his spokesperson. So, too, did County Board Chair Deborah Conroy. The defendants in court filings denied any wrongdoing. Reneydas tragic death never should have happened, said Michael Mead, an attorney for the family, in a statement. It was preventable and the loss that her family experienced cannot be made whole. We hope that the settlement provides justice and some closure for her family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The $11 million payout is more than three times the combined cost of seven lawsuits involving the sheriffs office that have been settled in the last three years, according to records obtained by the Tribune through a Freedom of Information Act request. The largest, at $2.5 million, stemmed from a deputys fatal shooting of a 17-year-old boy in 2017 a shooting prosecutors determined was justified. Additionally, legal fees related to lawsuits against the sheriffs office have exceeded $550,000 in the last three years, records show. Advocates and attorneys who work with Illinois mental health and criminal court systems previously told the Tribune that Aguilar-Hurtados death exposed a confluence of long-standing failures: The continued overreliance on police as first responders in a mental health crisis. The limited community-based treatment options. The scarcity of beds tied largely to staffing shortages at state mental health hospitals. All of that has forced vulnerable people like Aguilar-Hurtado into extended confinement in county jails that are often ill-equipped to care for them. And as her story laid bare, a jails inability or unwillingness, as her family alleged to protect the people in its custody can shatter lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People are landing in our jails in bad shape, physically and mentally, and they are too often made worse because of the conditions in jail, Amanda Antholt, a managing attorney with the nonprofit Equip for Equality, previously told the Tribune. Thats the problem we want to get at. We want them to be treated humanely and get the care they need to not be in jail or to survive their court process without getting hurt. Aguilar-Hurtado, the mother of two children, had been previously hospitalized for treatment of schizophrenia when she was accused in July 2022 of kicking a woman in the leg at a grocery store near her home in west suburban Addison. She was arrested and released from custody that same day and, shortly thereafter, voluntarily entered the state-run Elgin Mental Health Center for nearly five weeks of treatment. In the six months that followed her discharge, she missed four court dates. And by March 2023, she was in DuPage County Jail on a $10,000 bond. The next month, a judge ruled she was unfit to stand trial on two misdemeanor battery counts and ordered that she return to a state mental hospital until he and doctors were satisfied she could understand the charges against her and confer with her public defender. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She remained in jail for 85 days while waiting to be transferred. Advocates called the delay a symptom of a chronic issue driven in part by decades of mental health center closures, staffing shortages and limited community resources. On the morning of June 12, 2023, a DuPage sheriffs deputy opened the door to cell 1-G-04 and found Aguilar-Hurtado on her mattress. A sheriffs incident report describes her as cold and unresponsive. Medical staff at the hospital were able to revive her, a deputy coroner wrote in his report, but after she suffered cardiac arrest several times, there was nothing more they could do. Weighing nearly 200 pounds at the time of her incarceration, she had lost close to 60 pounds while in jail. The countys chief forensic pathologist determined Aguilar-Hurtado died of multisystem organ failure caused by failure to thrive due to psychotic disorder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Acute esophageal necrosis, self-neglect and medical neglect contributed significantly to her death, the pathologist wrote in her report, adding that Aguilar-Hurtado arrived at the hospital with physical signs of acute illness for days prior without significant medical intervention. Aguilar-Hurtado is one of 13 DuPage County Jail detainees who died between January 2014 and September 2024, according to a Tribune review of reports the jail is required to submit to the state Department of Corrections and county coroner records. Five people whose death records were reviewed by the Tribune appear to have been on medical watch at the time of their deaths. Among them was Sebastiano Ceraulo, 21, whose Jan. 8, 2016, death resulted in a federal lawsuit settled in 2019. Another death shares similarities to Aguilar-Hurtados. Lance Thomas, 60, had been behind bars for nearly two months when, on June 24, 2020, a deputy noticed he did not collect his lunch tray. The deputy checked on Thomas and discovered he wasnt breathing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A coroners report notes that Thomas had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, had refused breakfast that morning, would not take his medications, and was markedly thin and frail and had urinated on himself. He was supposed to have weekly weight checks but the coroners investigator couldnt find the results. Aguilar-Hurtados family lawsuit also included nine other examples of jail detainees who have accused the jail of providing inadequate medical care. Most stem from alleged incidents that predate Mendrick as sheriff. Five have led to settled lawsuits. We believe that DuPage County has recognized the systemic failures and biases that allowed this tragedy to occur, Mead, the familys attorney, said in a statement. We are encouraged that officials have made real and substantial changes in how they monitor and care for detainees with mental illness, with changes to training, administrative oversight, and policies and procedures for urgently transferring detainees to hospitals. DURANGO, Colo. (KRQE) After a 30-year agreement with La Plata County was terminated, the City of Durango has reached a new agreement with a different county to house inmates. The previous agreement allowed the city to house inmates who violated city codes in the La Plata County Jail. The county voted to terminate that agreement last year due to overcrowding, liability, and financial concerns. State veterinarian sheds light on hantavirus in New Mexico Durango announced they reached an agreement with Archuleta County, which will house inmates in Pagosa Springs, an hour away. Archuleta County will retain housing discretion based on security, medical needs, and capacity, while the city is in charge of transportation to and from the jail. The new agreement is for two years and has an option to renew, but can be terminated with a two-week notice. 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. Six years ago, two communities in New York one in Brooklyn and one in Rockland County were facing the worst measles outbreaks the United States had seen in decades. Measles had been declared eliminated from the country in 2000, but 2019 brought the nation the closest it has been to losing that status. Now, measles outbreaks are growing in West Texas and New Mexico. Testing sites and vaccine clinics have opened in outbreak areas and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention arrived in Texas last week to support the response. Still, local health officials say spread could continue for months. Back in 2019, swift, sustained efforts to curb the measles virus brought the country back from the brink. The response centered on the unique needs of communities that were most at risk, powered by hands-on public health work that was supported by formal policy changes. Experts say the way the outbreak played out in New York underscores the importance of an all-hands-on-deck approach to stop the spread in other outbreaks. The most important tool The outbreaks in New York, which started at the end of 2018 and persisted through most of 2019, were concentrated in Orthodox Jewish communities that had been targeted with anti-vaccine disinformation for years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Public health experts who were part of the on-the-ground response say that building trust within the community was perhaps the most important part of their work because it created opportunities to better utilize the most important tool available: vaccines. Vaccination is the most important way to prevent the devastating disease that measles can be, said Dr. Neil Vora, executive director of Preventing Pandemics at the Source, a coalition of organizations focused on reducing risk from novel viruses. He was heavily involved in responding to the measles outbreak in 2018 and 2019 as a US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employee working out of the New York City health department at the time. Two doses of the measles vaccine are 97% effective at preventing disease, and immunity from the shot is long-lasting. Because measles is so contagious, federal health agencies say that a 95% vaccination rate is needed to prevent outbreaks. Thousands of people were vaccinated in New York during the outbreaks at least 200,000 doses in New York City and about 30,000 in Rockland County, which officials told CNN was three times more than the annual baseline. Vaccine promotion efforts raised rates among young children in the Brooklyn neighborhoods affected by the outbreak from less than 80% to about 91%, according to one study. But the process took time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We were up against quite a bit of resistance in terms of getting people vaccinated as quickly as we would have liked, said Dr. Oxiris Barbot, president and chief executive officer of the United Hospital Fund, a nonprofit organization focused on improving health care in New York City. She was the citys health commissioner during the measles outbreak between 2018 and 2019. I think it took more time than we would have anticipated, but that just really spoke to the degree of how hardened the disinformation had become in that community and what we were fighting against, she said. Thats why its so important to rely on trusted messengers to make it easy for people to get vaccinated and to have leaders that lead with the importance of vaccination. I cant really overstate the importance of that. A nurse prepares the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine at the Rockland County Health Department in Haverstraw, New York, on April 5, 2019. - Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images New York City also benefited from a strong vaccine registry that helped public health workers identify the people who were most at risk and focus their efforts, Vora said. One of my big concerns is that other jurisdictions in the country are not as well-resourced as we are in New York City, so when they face outbreaks, theyre going to have even more trouble than we had in getting those outbreaks under control, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The work required a highly individualized approach, with workers knocking directly on doors and making time to answer questions about vaccination one-on-one, Barbot said. There were certainly many people where we went to their homes to be vaccinated. There were instances where we went in essentially undercover, so that their neighbors wouldnt know that they were getting vaccinated, she said. Vaccine campaigns avert larger crisis The measles vaccine can build immunity quickly it takes just a few weeks to reach its full effectiveness and the efforts in New York paid off. A retrospective modeling study found that vaccination campaigns during the measles outbreak in New York City averted an even larger spike in cases. The outbreak could have been at least 10 times worse than it was, with up to 8,100 people infected instead of the 649 cases reported by the city, according to the report by Dr. Wan Yang, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Columbia Universitys Mailman School of Public Health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But once an outbreak starts, experts say, increasing vaccination rates isnt the only factor to consider. Findings from Yangs study also suggest that measles parties where children are brought together to intentionally spread the disease with the goal of creating immunity accelerated spread. Infants are typically most susceptible to a measles infection because they are typically not eligible to be vaccinated until age 1. At the beginning of the outbreak in September 2018, Yangs work suggests, more than half of infants in the community were susceptible, along with about a quarter of young children between the ages of 1 and 4 who were the second most susceptible. The initial vaccination campaigns lowered susceptibility rates by about 10 percentage points by the end of December, and the efforts appeared to effectively contain the outbreak at the time, according to Yangs study; estimates suggest that each new case was linked to just one additional case at the end of the year, low enough to potentially avoid an epidemic. But the chains of transmission grew quickly in the early months of 2019, faster than changes in susceptibility from vaccination rates could explain, suggesting that close contact rates were had increased, especially among young children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Measles outbreaks are dynamic, Yang said. Its not just susceptibility that is determining how many new cases you are going to get. It also has to do with how people are interacting with each other. Data shows that were surges in the numbers of vaccines administered at certain key points: around the start of the school year, for example, and when the city issued a mandate that children living in certain ZIP codes be vaccinated to attend school or day care. This intensive work required a persistent, all-hands-on-deck approach, Barbot said. The only situation that required a comparable amount of dedicated staff and time was the Covid-19 response. Forging crucial relationships In April 2019, about five months after the initial measles cases were reported in New York, officials in both New York City and Rockland County declared a state of emergency due to measles a move that was also quite extraordinary before the Covid-19 pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The emergency declaration gave us the resources that we needed on an ongoing basis to make sure that lack of resources wasnt a reason why we couldnt bring the outbreak to an end, Barbot said. Sherry Andrews holds a 13-month-old's hand after administering an MMR vaccine dose in Lubbock, Texas, last month. - Annie Rice/Reuters But official mandates and emergency declarations supported the more informal work that had already been happening on the ground, experts say. Strong relationships that were forged between public health workers and trusted community leaders helped with broader communication strategies to dispel disinformation about the vaccines, as well as misconceptions about measles being a benign disease. Dr. Blima Marcus, a nurse practitioner at the Bellevue Hospital Center, used her expertise as a health care provider and a member of the Orthodox Jewish community to forge inroads with a culturally sensitive approach. I think that the only thing that really can help is when your own community can find the resources to mobilize and start knocking on doors, literally and figuratively, to reach people where theyre at and start slowly changing the narrative, she said. The notion that theres no one to ask and there are no answers to these deep vaccine questions thats false, and [that notion] is part of what we were hoping to change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marcus helped develop a pamphlet with information about the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine that was distributed to about 10,000 homes, a plan specifically designed to address anti-vaccination messaging that had been infiltrating the community and to reach individuals who might be less inclined to find information through digital media. During the measles outbreak in West Texas, vaccine education materials have been shared in German, English and Spanish to reach all the groups at risk. - Ashley Killough/CNN She and other community members knew that they had to be nimble in responding to a rapidly changing situation strategically addressing misinformation as it arose and focusing on particular parts of the community most in need and they were often moving faster than formal government systems would allow. Even if you have emergency funding, its not as emergent as we actually need, Marcus said. When the outbreaks were declared over, Rockland County had 312 confirmed cases and New York City had 649. No deaths from measles were reported during the outbreaks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The current outbreaks havent reached that size yet. This year, nearly 230 measles cases have been identified in outbreaks in West Texas and a nearby New Mexico county, with the first case confirmed about a month and a half ago and two deaths of people with measles. Much of the current outbreak is concentrated among a tight-knit Mennonite community, which faces some similar vulnerabilities as the Orthodox Jewish communities in New York did. What I felt was very effective in making connections, in forging inroads and, ultimately, in many places, increasing immunization rates is having that culturally competent teamwork because people are averse to being told what to do by others who they feel dont understand them or their belief systems, Marcus said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com (Bloomberg) -- Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said hes ready to go to jail should the International Criminal Court order his arrest over a crackdown on illegal drugs during his term that killed thousands of people. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If thats my fate, thats fine I will accept it. We cant do anything if Im arrested or imprisoned, he said before a crowd of Filipino supporters on Sunday at a stadium in Hong Kong, according to a video posted on Facebook by Philippine radio outfit Bombo Radyo. Duterte, who led the Southeast Asian nation from 2016 to 2022, defended his so-called war on drugs that defined his presidency, telling his audience that he did it for them and their children. The 79-year-old is also the father of incumbent Vice President Sara Duterte. More than 6,000 were killed in the anti-narcotics campaign, based on government data, although human rights groups estimate a higher death toll, mostly among the poor. The tribunal based in The Hague reopened its investigation on the alleged crimes against humanity back in 2023. The ICCs Office of the Prosecutor on Monday said it does not comment on ongoing investigations, but that the probe focuses on crimes allegedly committed between November 2011 and March 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Confidentiality is a crucial part of our work and is essential to protect the integrity of investigations and to ensure the safety and security of victims, witnesses, and all those with whom the office interacts, it said. The Philippines, under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., initially cut contact with the ICC after it denied the governments request to suspend the probe on the former leader. Relations between the Marcos and Duterte camps have soured as both seek to bolster their standing ahead of midterm elections in May. Sara Duterte was impeached by Marcos allies at the House of Representatives last month on charges she plotted to kill Marcos and misused public funds accusations she denies. It remains to be seen if shell be removed from office with the Senate only planning to begin her trial in July. The government has since eased its position on the probe, with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin saying previously that local law enforcement agencies would be bound to cooperate with Interpol if the ICC refers the case to the international body. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The presidents office said it had not been notified by the ICC of an arrest warrant and had not received an Interpol notice as of Monday. The government is prepared for any eventuality, Presidential Communications Office Secretary Jay Ruiz said on Sunday. --With assistance from Cagan Koc and Neil Jerome Morales. (Updates with comments from the ICC, Marcos office and background.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Photo: Parliament of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. As part of the official visit of Azerbaijani Parliament Speaker Sahiba Gafarova to Georgia, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the legislative bodies of the two countries, Trend reports. The document was signed by Sahiba Gafarova, Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament, and Shalva Papuashvili, Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia. The memorandum delineates a strategic framework aimed at enhancing inter-parliamentary relations and amplifying collaborative initiatives between the two nations. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Hundreds of thousands of people are being forced to pay back benefits which they received due to errors made by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), new research has revealed, as campaigners urge Labour to take action. Currently, agents are able to recover overpayment debts from a claimant by deducting a certain amount from their benefits. They will send them notice of this, and they are able to appeal, but the deductions will usually begin regardless. In 2023/24, there were 686,756 cases of Universal Credit overpayment debts raised by the DWP which were identified as official error, research from Public Law Project (PLP) has revealed. This means it was the fault of the department that the inaccurate payments occurred but the claimant remains liable to pay it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legal charity has helped several claimants win back thousands from the DWP in unfair overpayment cases. Alongside 30 other leading charities, it has now written to work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall to legislate to bring a legal end to the issue. In 2023/24, there were 686,756 cases of Universal Credit overpayment debts raised by the DWP (PA Wire) Signatories including Amnesty International and Age UK say the DWP approach to Universal Credit overpayments should be in line with housing benefits. In these cases, they are not recovered when the claimant could not reasonably have expected to have known they had been overpaid. Shameem Ahmad, chief executive officer of PLP, said: No one is expecting the DWP not to make mistakes. However, it is incumbent on the department to take responsibility for those mistakes, rather than pushing that burden onto people it should in fact be supporting. These official payment errors have real and highly detrimental consequences for people - causing sudden financial pressures and anxieties, through no fault of their own. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the governments chance to ensure it does not plunge hundreds of thousands of more people into debt, go some way in restoring public trust, and ultimately incentivise the DWP to not make errors in the first place. In 2023, PLP, alongside North Bristol Advice Centre, was able to successfully help a client have 8,623.20 in Universal Credit debt waived after winning a High Court battle with the DWP. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall addressed Cabinet colleagues about the welfare bill this week (Stefan Rousseau/PA) (PA Wire) The overpayment debt had arisen from several mistakes by the department, despite the anonymous claimant providing agents will the information they had requested. In 2019, she told the DWP that one of her disabled sons enrolled on an apprenticeship, and was informed this would have no impact on her benefits. But 18 months later she was told she had been overpaid over 8,600 and faced monthly deductions to pay the debt back. This came as a shock to her, and left her without enough money to live month-by-month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The client told PLP: When I was told I owed DWP over 8,000 I was in disbelief. Paying it back even at a small amount a month would have taken me years and meant making day to day sacrifices for my family. The worst part was I knew I had done everything right and DWP were in the wrong. While the process of going to court has caused me a lot of stress, I finally feel Ive been heard and I hope my case can be used by others in the future. I would urge anyone that finds themselves in my position of being ignored by the DWP to get help and advice, as I could not have done this without North Bristol Advice Centre and Public Law Project. The DWP has disputed the figures shared by the PLP, and no longer records whether a payment has arisen from official error in its debt management system. A DWP spokesperson said: Overpayment by official error accounts for just 0.3% of our overall benefits spend, and we always work with people who have been overpaid to ensure repayments are affordable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have an obligation to protect public funds and to ensure money lost to fraud and error is recovered, which is why we are bringing forward the biggest fraud crackdown in a generation, saving the taxpayer 1.5 billion over the next five years. It comes as the Labour government is expected to earmark billions of pounds in draft spending cuts to welfare at the Spring Budget, with the total spending at 64.7bn in 2023/24. CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) Voters are preparing to cast their ballots in a mix of state and local races across the Lowcountry this month. Several special elections are scheduled for March 25 after resignations opened up seats on county and town councils and in the South Carolina House. Voters who dont want to wait until Election Day can take advantage of a two-week early voting period, which begins March 10 and ends March 21. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Registered voters can visit an early-voting polling location between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays and vote as they would on election day without an excuse. South Carolina House District 113 Voters in the North Charleston area are voting to replace former Rep. Marvin Pendarvis (D) in the South Carolina House. Pendarvis resigned from the seat in September amid an investigation into his law practice. He did not withdraw his name from the Nov. 5 ballot and won re-election but did not accept the seat. Courtney Waters, a former Charleston County school board member, won the Jan. 21 Democratic primary. She is running unopposed as no Republicans filed for the seat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump wants to dismantle the Department of Education. What could that mean for South Carolina? The district covers much of North Charleston and a small portion of Summerville. Early voting will be held at the Charleston County Board of Voter Registration and Elections Headquarters (4340 Corporate Road) in North Charleston. Dorchester County Council Dorchester County is holding a special election to fill a seat on the county council previously held by Republican Hariett Holman, who resigned after winning election to the state House. Democrat Peter Smith Jr. and Republican George Bailey are seeking the open District 1 seat, which covers the upper part of the county. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smith Jr. is the owner of Saxmore Farms and the co-founder of the P. Saxmore Foundation, a nonprofit that provides access to fresh fruit and vegetables in the Dorchester area and sponsors an annual school supply drive and back-to-school celebration. He is involved in the South Carolina Black Farmers organization and the Rural Coalition, which advocates for federal agricultural policy on Capitol Hill, including the robust Farm Bill. Bailey served on the Dorchester County Council for more than a decade after a nearly 20-year stint in the South Carolina House. His platform priorities include lowering taxes, repairing and paving roads, and bringing an urgent care facility to the St. George area, according to his campaign website. The winner of the special election will serve the remaining two years of the unexpired term. Early voting will be held at the St. George Civic Center (303 Ridge Street) in St. George. Mount Pleasant Town Council A special election to fill the unexpired term of former Councilman Carl Ritchie is on the ballot in Mount Pleasant later this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ritchie resigned his seat in late December, just over a week before he was sworn in as the new Charleston County Sheriff. There are seven months left on his term. The field is crowded, with 10 candidates vying for the open, at-large seat: Jordan Bryngelson Gary Davis Brianna Harmon Derek Johnson Garrett Johnson David Smith David Spedden Bob Swain Mike Tinkey Mike Van Horn Sr. Early voting will be held at the Charleston County Board of Voter Registration and Elections Headquarters (4340 Corporate Road) in North Charleston. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. PALESTINE, Texas (KETK) An East Texas man was arrested for multiple drug and firearm charges after a homeowner reported a person was shining a flashlight near their home early Sunday morning. One person detained after Crockett woman was found dead inside apartment Mugshot of Lucas Dane Stevens, courtesy of Anderson County Jail According to the Palestine Police Department, around 4:32 a.m. officers responded to a report of suspicious activity at 2102 Martin Luther King Blvd where they found Lucas Dane Stevens, 31 of Winona, who has multiple felony convictions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials said during the investigation officers found multiple firearms, illegal narcotics and drug paraphernalia in Stevens truck. Officers discovered over 380 grams of suspected meth, 97 grams of suspected Oxycodone, marijuana, THC vape cartridges and multiple items commonly used for drug trafficking. Stevens was arrested on the following charges: Manufacture or delivery of controlled substance (meth) Manufacture or delivery of controlled substance (Oxycodone) Fraudulent use or possession of identification information Falsification of drug test results Possession of marijuana Possession of drug paraphernalia Unlawful carrying of a weapon Unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon Man arrested after Longview officer injured in overnight shooting Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stevens was booked into the Anderson County Jail with bonds totaling $490,500. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. (Photo via U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) The state attorney general is suing an eastern Washington county over allegations the sheriff has for years flouted state law by aiding federal immigration enforcement. The lawsuit filed Monday in Spokane County Superior Court says Adams County sheriffs deputies have been violating the Keep Washington Working Act since at least 2022. The attorney generals office alleges deputies have unlawfully jailed people based solely on immigration status, enabled federal immigration agents to question those in custody and shared personal information on hundreds of Washingtonians with federal officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sheriffs office reportedly often sent lists of people in its custody to federal immigration agents. The State has an obligation to protect the rights of its residents and defend Washington law, even when that unfortunately requires taking enforcement against its own political subdivisions, the complaint states. The State cannot stand by when elected officials publicly boast that they are breaking state law and putting their own communities at risk. The attorney generals office had been working with Adams County to comply with the 2019 state law, the lawsuit says. Late last year, the state and county were engaged in settlement negotiations, according to court papers. But President Donald Trumps inauguration changed that, according to the lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In late February, the countys attorneys asserted in a letter to Attorney General Nick Brown that Adams County has obligations under federal law that directly conflict with the Keep Washington Working Act, which bars local law enforcement from helping federal immigration enforcement. County officials note that by helping federal agents, a convicted sex offender was removed from the County. The sheriffs office retained lawyers from America First Legal. Stephen Miller, one of Trumps top aides and an immigration hard-liner, founded the nonprofit. In a press release last month, America First Legal called the states push to get Adams County to comply with state law an egregious abuse of state power. Senior counsel James Rogers said it was outrageous that the State of Washington has been working to subvert federal law while at the same time facilitating the invasion of our country. It is even more disgraceful that the State of Washington would target one of its own counties because the officials there have the courage to follow the law and have been cooperating with [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] to help keep our country safe, Rogers said in last months statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cities and states across the country have similar so-called sanctuary statutes. Courts have repeatedly upheld most of these laws. Still, the Trump administration has sued multiple states over their sanctuary laws in the first weeks of his presidency. Some local governments, including the city of Seattle, have filed suit against the administration over threats to withhold federal funding unless they aid in his plans for a massive deportation campaign. Late last month, the head of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs said sheriffs and Chiefs across our state have been clear and consistent that they will follow both state and federal law. Rhetoric does not change the fact that the focus of local law enforcement is on criminal violations that affect local community safety and quality of life, said Steve Strachan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adams County is home to about 20,000 people in southeast Washington. Ritzville is the county seat. The countys economy is driven by farming, and in turn workers without legal immigration status, according to the states lawsuit. In January, before Trump took office, a man sued the county alleging officials transported him from jail 70-plus miles to hand him over to U.S. Border Patrol agents despite a court order to release him from custody. In a response filed in federal court last week, the county denied most of the allegations. Sheriff Dale Wagner and America First Legal didnt immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit Monday morning. An EF2 tornado ripped through four miles of a neighborhood in Seminole County, damaging several homes. The National Weather Service confirms that the tornado was an EF2, stating that the circulation touched down at approximately 9:35 a.m. The tornado was estimated to be moving at 120 mph near the southeastern edge of Wekiwa Springs State Park, where it produced mainly vegetative damage. The tornado traveled about four miles with a maximum width of 300 yards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No deaths or injuries have been reported so far. The tornado continued and more substantial damage was noted in the Whispering Winds subdivision, where a significant number of oak trees were downed and snapped. Seminole County firefighters said two people escaped after a home collapsed in Longwood. Firefighters shared images showing major damage in the area after a confirmed tornado touched down. Officials said the people inside the home were not hurt. Seminole County Building and Emergency Management teams are providing tarps to impacted residents at St. Stephen Lutheran Church, and our partners at the Red Cross are on the ground to provide assistance. The National Weather Service in Melbourne will conduct a storm survey over the next several hours to determine the track, length and intensity of the tornado that impacted the Longwood and Lake Mary area earlier this morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Weather Service released a statement assessing the damage in the neighborhood. Several residential structures within the subdivision near the intersection of Misty Morn Pl and Blue Iris Pl experienced significant damage, including numerous blown-out windows, damage to garage doors, as well as the loss of part of their roofs and awnings. The tornado likely peaked in this area, where a two-story wood-framed home on Blue Iris Pl collapsed due to peak winds estimated up to 120 mph (EF-2 intensity). National Weather Service Melbourne FL The tornado reportedly impacted a local news station while on air before dissipating shortly thereafter at approximately 9:41 a.m. The National Weather Service in Melbourne thanked everyone for their cooperation in the released statement. The National Weather Service in Melbourne would like to thank Seminole County Emergency Management, Orlando broadcast media, trained spotters and residents for providing information before, during, and after the storm survey, they said. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. The driver of a school bus was seriously hurt, and eight children suffered slight injuries, when their bus collided with a tram in Munich on Monday. The school class was returning to school from a swimming lesson when the collision occurred as the bus was attempting to negotiate a turn. Two 11-year-olds were taken to hospital along with the driver. Police said 12 people were injured in total. The bus was severely damaged and the tram completely derailed. Police in the Bavarian capital reported that no one aboard the tram had been injured. A coach and a streetcar are seen on the road following an accident in Munich. According to the fire department, ten people were injured, one of them seriously, in the collision. Sven Hoppe/dpa CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) The Elms College Dean of Student Success and Professor of Education was honored with the Heroes Among Us award from the Boston Celtics for her dedicated work supporting cystic fibrosis patients. Elizabeth Betty Hukowicz was granted the award last Thursday, along with other recipients who have made a difference serving their local community. Meghans Light Walk takes place at East Mountain Club in Westfield Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hukowicz is the founder of Meghans Light, an organization named after her daughter who had been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF) and ultimately passed away from the disease. Hukowicz used her experience to help others so they wouldnt face these challenges alone. Meghans Light has now raised over $500,000 for CF research, and has granted wishes to hundreds of patients with CF. Hucowiczs commitment and advocacy have made her stand out amongst all who know her. Elms College faculty and staff said that Hucowicz is an integral part of the school, with a passion for education that reflects the colleges core values of faith, community, and justice. To view the full list of Heroes Among Us, visit nba.com. 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. Tech billionaire Elon Musk accused Sen. Mark Kelly of betraying his country after the Arizona Democrat visited Ukraine over the weekend and urged the U.S. to stand with Ukrainians against continued Russian aggression. The accusation from one of President Donald Trumps most influential advisers came in response to Kellys observations about the war in Ukraine on X, the social media platform owned by Musk and known formerly as Twitter. You are a traitor, Musk told the senator on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive sworn an oath to this country. Ive flown in combat. I served in the Navy for 25 years. It appears to me the oath that Elon Musk stands by is the oath to billionaires make their lives easier, not the American people, not veterans, Kelly said in response. Hes not a serious guy. He should go back to building rockets. Kelly, a former U.S. Navy combat pilot and astronaut, visited a military hospital and met with Red Cross staff during his third visit to Ukraine since 2023. He heard from wounded service members and spent time with pilots whove flown combat missions defending from Russian air attacks. No one wants this war to end more than President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people, Kelly said in a statement. But it has to end in a way that protects their sovereignty and security. The safety of Ukraine is tied to the safety of the United States, thats why I stand with Ukraine. He added more comments online on Monday which appeared to trigger Musk, a critic of Zelenskyy and U.S. support for Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not America First to pull the rug out from under an ally and leave their people to die, Kelly wrote. This kind of foreign policy will end with no one in the world trusting America. The senators visit followed Trumps heated meeting at the White House last month with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vice President JD Vance, in which Vance berated Zelenskyy, resulting in the Ukrainian president leaving the White House without signing an agreement for security guarantees from the U.S. in exchange for Ukrainian rare earth minerals. Since the Feb. 28 meeting, Trump paused U.S. military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine. Hes also threatened sanctions on Russia in response to its deadly bombing campaigns in Ukraine. Its not the first time Musk has attacked Kelly. Last month, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO called the senator a Dem donor shill after he and his brother Scott Kelly, who is also a retired astronaut, criticized Musk for his derogatory comments about a Danish astronaut. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kelly then challenged the Department of Government Efficiency head to climb into a rocket ship before talking to the three of them. If hes ready to go up into space at any time, I am happy to go with him, Kelly told CNN last month. I know where the space station is, how to get there, Ill be happy to join him on that mission. Elon Muskbacked DOGE is rolling out an AI chatbot to some federal workers as it continues to slash government jobs, Wired reported. The department has officially been tasked with upgrading the federal government's technology and software use. DOGE has rolled out a custom AI-powered chatbot, GSAi, to around 1,500 government workers as it continues to slash the federal workforce, Wired reported. The wider release follows a small pilot held in February, in which around 150 GSA workers were granted access to the bot. While the bot has been in the works for months, DOGE has greatly accelerated its deployment, sources told Wired. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The AI tool has reportedly been fine-tuned in a way that makes it safe for government use. At the moment, it is supposed to be used for "general" tasks, but eventually DOGE hopes to use it to analyze contracts and procurement data, according to a previous report. An internal memo about the product, reviewed by Wired, suggests employees use it for drafting emails, creating talking points, summarizing text, and writing code. It also warns employees not to "type or paste federal nonpublic information (such as work products, emails, photos, videos, audio, and conversations that are meant to be pre-decisional or internal to GSA) as well as personally identifiable information as inputs. One employee told the outlet the AI tool was "about as good as an intern" and gave "generic and guessable answers. Employees can interact with GSAi via a chatbot interface similar to ChatGPT. The bot uses several models, including Anthropic's Claude Haiku 3.5, Claude Sonnet 3.5 v2, and Meta LLaMa 3.2, depending on the task, the report said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Representatives for the GSA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fortune, made outside normal working hours. GSA hit by DOGE-directed firings The GSA is one of the government agencies that has been gutted by DOGE-directed layoffs. Last month, the agency suddenly dismissed over 1,000 employees and has set future goals to cut staff by 63% in its public building service division, multiple current and former GSA employees told NPR. DOGE has also closed the General Services Administrations (GSA) technology consulting unit, 18F, which had a staff of 90 to 100 technology researchers, website designers, and product managers. Rolling out a custom-made chatbot could be a way to justify the spate of firings by boosting the productivity and efficiency of remaining government workers. DOGE's tech focus DOGE leaders have long emphasized the need for better technology to increase government efficiency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a 2024 Wall Street Journal op-ed laying out their plans for DOGE, Musk and then co-leader Vivek Ramaswamy said they wanted to recruit a "lean team" of legal and technology experts. Since then, several software engineers and former employees of Musk's various technology companies have been linked to DOGE. The department has officially been tasked with upgrading the federal government's technology and software use. In an executive order establishing DOGE, the team was tasked with implementing "the Presidents DOGE Agenda" by modernizing "federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agency is technically a revamped version of the U.S. Digital Service, which was renamed the Department of Government Efficiency in the same executive order. Founding members, along with current and former employees of the U.S. Digital Service, previously told Fortune that DOGEs actions have been a betrayal of the agencys original mission. They argue that Musk and his allies have weaponized the office that was previously nonpartisan. According to its still-active website, USDS recruited mission-driven professionals primarily from the private sectorincluding major tech firms like Amazon and Googlefor short-term tours of civic service, typically lasting two years. These engineers, designers, product managers, and digital policy experts collaborated in small teams with agencies such as the Social Security Administration, Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services, and the IRS. Are you an employee at GSA with information to share? Contact this reporter at bea.nolan@fortune.com or securely via Signal at beatricenolan.08 from a non-work device. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. Court hearings on the criminal case against citizens of the Republic of Armenia Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, Davit Babayan, Lyova Mnatsakanyan and others, who are accused of committing crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including the preparation and conduct of a war of aggression, acts of genocide, violation of the laws and customs of warfare, as well as terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure of power, forcible retention of power and numerous other crimes as a result of Armenia's military aggression, were continued on March 10, Trend reports. The hearings held at the Baku Military Court were presided over by Judge Zeynal Aghayev and a panel consisting of Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (reserve judge Gunel Samadova). Each of the accused was provided with an interpreter into the language of their choice, as well as defense attorneys. Present at the review hearings were the accused and their defense attorneys, some of the victims, their legal successors and representatives, as well as prosecutors in charge of public prosecution. The trial continued with the accused being asked questions. The accused Arkady Ghukasyan was first to be asked questions by the prosecutors in charge of public prosecution. In response to a question, he said he had worked as a deputy editor in Soviet Armenia newspaper. He said, I wrote on issues related to the Karabakh conflict. The newspaper was published until 1991. The newspaper has not been published since then. Arkady Ghukasyan emphasized that he had condemned all illegal actions and noted, In my opinion, a person killing a woman, a child or an elderly is not a human being. And it is not about a persons nationality. He said that he studied at school in Karabakh in Russian, but added that there were more Armenian schools than those in Azerbaijani and Russian. Ghukasyan admitted that there had been no problems with the Armenian language in Karabakh. In response to the prosecutor's question about the Greater Armenia ideology, Arkady Ghukasyan described this idea as a fairy tale and noted, I have not believed in fairy tales about a Greater Armenia for a long time. The idea of a Greater Armenia is just a fairy tale. I live in real life and have never taken it seriously. He said that he had met Zori Balayan, who figures in the case as a member of the criminal group, in 1993, and Vazgen Manukyan in 1994. He said that Robert Kocharyan was his leader. While answering the questions of the prosecutors in charge of public prosecution, Arkady Ghukasyan also spoke about the former president of the Republic of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan. He said that Arkady Manvelovich Manucharov was the main speaker at the illegal rallies held in Karabakh in 1988. He said, I do not remember Robert Kocharyan's speeches. Since we were both educated in Russian, he, like me, had problems with the literary Armenian language. It is possible that he was one of the organizers of the rallies, because he was a member of the Krunk organization. Then Bako Sahakyan's defense attorney asked the court to create suitable conditions for a confidential meeting with the person he was defending. The court granted the defense attorney's request and arranged for a confidential meeting. A recess was announced in the hearings. After the recess, the accused Bako Sahakyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, Davit Ishkhanyan and Davit Babayan were asked questions about the leaders and participants in the illegal armed formations created by Armenia and operating under its support and leadership in the territory of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic and in Karabakh, an integral part of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, who constituted the core of the criminal organization, what its relations with Armenia, its leadership and high-ranking officials were like, what their activities and role in day-to-day operations of these formations were, as well as the criminal ideology of a Greater Armenia, the goals and objectives of the Miatsum and Karabakh movements, the functions, activities and agenda of the Krunk organization, the persons leading the aforementioned movements and their relations with the accused, whether the accused participated in the illegal rallies organized in Karabakh, who the speakers at those rallies were, who and in what form involved people in those rallies or how they were invited to them. In response to questions from prosecutors in charge of public prosecution, the accused Bako Sahakyan admitted that the first calls for armament in Karabakh were made during the illegal rallies. He said that there was armament in villages and cities and noted, Some of the weapons came from Soviet military units deployed there. In addition, there were weapons supplies from Armenia. These were the main directions of armament. Then the accused Davit Ishkhanyan answered questions from the prosecutors. Another accused, Arayik Harutunyan, said in response to questions of the prosecutors that he was 14 years old when the Karabakh events began. He said that he had not participated in the illegal rallies because he was a schoolboy, but was aware of the people who spoke at those rallies and knew them. He noted, I know that writers Gurgen Gabrelyan, Vartan Hakobyan and Harachi Beglaryan spoke at the rallies. Of the writers, Gurgen Gabrelyan was a children's poet. This is all I knew. In response to questions, Arayik Harutunyan said that he had heard the names of some of the illegal armed formations. Speaking about the Arabo battalion, he said, I had heard the names of 30 percent of them from the list you have just mentioned. I knew about Arabo, Arami, Great Tigran, and David of Sasunchi. I was aware that they had been involved in some combat operations. I know more about Arabo. One of its commanders was named Manvel. My contacts with him began after 2020. In response to questions from prosecutors in charge of public prosecution, the accused Davit Babayan said that the so-called army of the self-styled entity included various armed formations, but that he personally had not participated in those processes. He said he had met Arayik Harutyunyan in 1990. During the hearings trial, the accused were questioned from representatives of the victims, as well as their own defense attorneys. The next hearings are scheduled for March 13. The hearings will continue with questions to be asked of the accused. A total of 15 Armenian nationals are being charged with numerous crimes involving direct leadership and participation of the Armenian state, its state bodies, military forces and illegal armed formations, verbal and written instructions, orders and assignments, provision of material and technical support, central governance, as well as the exercise of rigorous control, with the aim of committing military aggression and acts of terror against the Republic of Azerbaijan in the territory of Azerbaijan in violation of domestic and international law, and involving Robert Sedraki Kocharyan, Serzh Azati Sargsyan, Vazgen Mikaeli Manukyan, Vazgen Zaveni Sargsyan, Samvel Andraniki Babayan, Vitali Mikaeli Balasanyan, Zori Hayki Balayan, Seyran Mushegi Ohanyan, Arshavir Surenovich Garamyan, Monte Charles Melkonyan and others, including criminal acts committed during the course of the war of aggression waged by the aforementioned criminal group. The said persons, i.e. Arayik Vladimiri Harutyunyan, Arkadi Arshaviri Ghukasyan, Bako Sahaki Sahakyan, Davit Rubeni Ishkhanyan, David Azatini Manukyan, Davit Klimi Babayan, Levon Henrikovich Mnatsakanyan, Vasili Ivani Beglaryan, Erik Roberti Ghazaryan, Davit Nelsoni Allahverdiyan, Gurgen Homeri Stepanyan, Levon Romiki Balayan, Madat Arakelovich Babayan, Garik Grigori Martirosyan, Melikset Vladimiri Pashayan, are being charged under Articles 100 (planning, preparing, initiating and waging a war of aggression), 102 (attacking persons or organizations enjoying international protection), 103 (genocide), 105 (extermination of the population), 106 (enslaving), 107 (deportation or forced displacement of the population), 109 (persecution), 110 (enforced disappearance of people), 112 (deprivation of liberty contrary to international law), 113 (torture), 114 (mercenary service), 115 (violation of the laws and customs of warfare), 116 (violation of international humanitarian law during armed conflict), 118 (military robbery), 120 (intentional murder), 192 (illegal entrepreneurship), 214 (terrorism), 214-1 (financing terrorism), 218 (creation of a criminal association (organization)), 228 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation and possession of weapons, their components, ammunition, explosives and devices), 270-1 (acts threatening aviation security), 277 (assassination of a state official or public figure), 278 (forcible seizure and retention of power, forcible change of the constitutional structure of the state), 279 (creation of armed formations and groups not provided for by law) and other articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Marco Rubio and Elon Musk set aside their bad blood on Sunday to demand a thank you from Poland for the satellite internet services the billionaires Starlink provides to the Ukrainian army. In an X post bragging about how he once challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin to a fistfight over the Ukraine war, Musk said the Starlink system developed by his rocket company SpaceX is the backbone of the Ukrainian army. Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off, he wrote. I literally challenged Putin to one on one physical combat over Ukraine and my Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army. Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off. What I am sickened by is years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 9, 2025 Radosaw Sikorski, Polands foreign affairs minister, saw the post as a threat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Starlinks for Ukraine are paid for by the Polish Digitization Ministry at the cost of about $50 million per year, he said in reply to the SpaceX CEO. The ethics of threatening the victim of aggression apart, if SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider we will be forced to look for other suppliers. Starlinks for Ukraine are paid for by the Polish Digitization Ministry at the cost of about $50 million per year. The ethics of threatening the victim of aggression apart, if SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider we will be forced to look for other suppliers. https://t.co/WaJWCklgPE Radosaw Sikorski (@sikorskiradek) March 9, 2025 Before Musk could respond, an unlikely ally stepped in to defend Starlink: Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who reportedly blew up at the billionaire last week in a tense Cabinet meeting shouting match. Rubio accused Sikorski of just making things up. No one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink, he said on X. And say thank you because without Starlink Ukraine would have lost this war long ago and Russians would be on the border with Poland right now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rubio seemingly forgot that Poland shares a border with Russias Kaliningrad province, which means that Russians are, quite literally, on the countrys border. Poland shares a land border to its north with Russia. / Encyclopaedia Britannica / Universal Images Group via Getty Minutes later, Musk returned to the conversation with his own retort to the Polish official: Be quiet, small man. You pay a tiny fraction of the cost. And there is no substitute for Starlink. Sikorski backed down, thanking Rubio for for confirming that the brave soldiers of Ukraine can count on the vital internet service provided jointly by the U.S. and Poland. But it wasnt just the Polish minister who saw Musks initial post as a threat to cut off Starlinks services in Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk issued a clarification in response to other users who called him out for seemingly threatening to shut down the satellite internet service. Just making things up. No one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink And say thank you because without Starlink Ukraine would have lost this war long ago and Russians would be on the border with Poland right now https://t.co/ImeiHFgaaw Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) March 9, 2025 To be extremely clear, no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals, the billionaire said. I am simply stating that, without Starlink, the Ukrainian lines would collapse, as the Russians can jam all other communications! We would never do such a thing or use it as a bargaining chip. The New York Times last week reported that Musk and Rubio had a tense exchange in front of President Donald Trump during a recent Cabinet meeting. Musk reportedly tore into the Secretary of State for failing to fire enough people, a mandate the billionaire has been carrying out through his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Exactly! To be extremely clear, no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals. I am simply stating that, without Starlink, the Ukrainian lines would collapse, as the Russians can jam all other communications! We would never Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 9, 2025 Rubio, who according to the Times has been privately furious with Musk for dismantling USAID, countered that 1,500 State Department staff had already taken an early retirement offer. Trump reportedly sat back watching the exchange with his arms crossed, later stepping in to say that Rubio was doing a great job and that everyone needed to work together. One of the biggest questions surrounding Elon Musk and President Donald Trumps partnership is whether it will last. One of the presidents former, short-lived advisers has a clue. I believe past performance is an indication of the future. And so theres nobody in Donald Trumps orbit that likes him, said Anthony Scaramucci, the founder of Skybridge Capital who served a short stint as Trumps communications director during the presidents first term. Scaramucci called Trump an angry guy and miserable person. Everyone flames out with Trump, he said in an interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scaramucci has personal experience in that regard. He served as Trumps White House communications director for just 11 days in the summer of 2017, before he was fired over a profane interview. In recent years, hes become a vocal critic of Trump, although he has been willing to give the president credit on certain decisions. Theres a lot of people in my life, I say, Dont go work for Trump. Hes gonna burn you, Scaramucci told Quartz, adding that he didnt believe it when other people gave him the same advice. I wouldve said to those people: No, no, no. He burns other people. Hes not gonna burn me. Then he burned me. Musk has spent much of his time since the election working alongside Trump in Washington, often sleeping in his government office and posting on his social media site X, formerly Twitter. His Department of Government Efficiency which the White House claims he leads in an unofficial capacity has been pushing cost-cutting at multiple government agencies, even those that regulate Musks companies. White House Senior Advisor to the President and Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk salutes U.S. President Donald Trump as he addresses a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 04, 2025 in Washington, DC. - Photo: Chip Somodevilla (Getty Images) The Tesla (TSLA) CEO has basked in his influence over Trump and federal policy, waving a gifted chainsaw at a recent conservative political convention and frequently touting DOGEs efforts on social media. During his first address to Congress, Trump rattled off DOGEs accomplishments and praised Musk to much applause from Republicans who responded with a salute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But DOGE has also made some mistakes and taken credit for things it didnt do. The group recently erased more than $4 billion in savings it claimed to have made for taxpayers after a series of errors. That included a $1.8 billion contract that was actually canceled in November, before Trump took office, and at least one contract for work that had already been completed. Thank you, Elon. Hes working very hard, Trump said Tuesday. Thank you very much, we appreciate it. Trump has moved to put some limits on Musks influence. He recently told reporters that he wants members of his cabinet to be more involved with planned job cuts and to move more slowly. We say the scalpel rather than the hatchet, Trump wrote on social media. More than 62,000 federal workers lost their jobs between January and February, and the Internal Revenue Service and Department of Veterans Affairs are each considering cutting tens of thousands of workers. At least 17 agencies have already announced layoffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im giving him a six to eight month duration, Scaramucci said of Musk. Hell be jettisoned from the Trump world. But he predicted Musk wont be completely kicked out. Hes too rich, Scaramucci said. And Donald Trump respects that kind of wealth. Musk spent at least $288 million to help elect Republican candidates throughout the 2024 election, according to The Washington Post. The majority of his cash went to his America PAC, which plans to spend in the 2026 midterm elections. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. On Sunday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk took his pressure campaign against Ukraine to new heights. In a stinging riposte, Musk warned of the consequences of shuttering the 42,000 Starlink terminals that provide vital communications support for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Musk boasted that his Starlink system was the backbone of the Ukrainian army and claimed Ukraines entire frontline would collapse if I turned it off. Musks comments sparked a conflict with Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski. Sikorski emphasised that Musks Starlink provisions were not an act of charity, as the Polish Digitalisation Ministry paid $50 million per year for them. Sikorski also raised the prospect of finding alternative suppliers if Space X proved unreliable. Secretary of State Marco Rubio rushed to Musks defence and urged Sikorski to be grateful as Russians would be on the border with Poland without Starlink. Concerns about Musks potential to limit or shutter Ukraines access to Starlink are not new. In 2022, Musk denied Ukraine access to Starlink for sea drone attacks on Russias Black Sea Fleet and sought counsel from the Russian Ambassador to the United States about escalation risks. In September 2023, Ukrainian officials once again urged Musk to activate Starlink terminals over Crimea. Musk rejected this request as he wanted to avoid complicity in a major act of war and Kyiv castigated Musk for enabling Russian Kalibr missile strikes on Ukrainian cities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Musk established Starlink terminals over Ukraine for free after Russias full-scale invasion in 2022, the Pentagon ultimately signed a $40 million contract with Space X to prevent Musk from turning them off on financial grounds. Polands financing of half of Ukraines Starlink terminals adds another layer of protection against this risk. Nevertheless, Musks rhetoric still raises alarm in Europe about a sudden cancellation and even his statement yesterday To be extremely clear, no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals will not eviscerate those concerns. If Ukraine were to lose Starlink access, the consequences would be grave. Due to Russias relentless pounding of Ukraines electrical air defence infrastructure, Starlink terminals have helped Ukraines frontline towns stay connected to the outside world and allowed medical facilities to perform emergency surgeries. Even though Russias recent gains along the Donetsk frontlines can be partially attributed to the acquisition of black market Starlink terminals, they remain a potent technological advantage for outnumbered and outgunned Ukrainian forces. The vitality of this communications infrastructure for Ukrainian civilians and military operations means that Ukraine needs to have a Plan B if Musk changes his mind about supplying Starlink. A back-up plan is starting to crystallise. Ukrainian forces have been able to maintain regular communications in Kursk, even though Starlink coverage is largely non-existent. This success reflects the innovative capacity of Ukraines General Staff and Armed Forces. Ukraines European partners are also coming to the rescue. The EU is currently holding discussions with Luxembourgs SES, Spains Hidesat, Britains Viasat and French/British operator Eutelstat/OneWeb to see if these companies could provide satellite access to Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement French Member of the European Parliament Christophe Grudler is leading the charge to make Govsatcom, a pooled network of EU satellites, operational this year. Ukrainian officials have already expressed interest in this system and its rapid roll-out could give Ukraine an immediate alternative to Starlink. IRIS, a new EU satellite constellation that will be released in the 2030s, will allow Ukraine to make a complete long-term divestment from Starlink if it so chooses. Musks rhetoric is a further reminder of the USs potential unreliability as an arms supplier to Europe. If Europe chooses to rely on US-made technology for its impending military buildup, it needs US maintenance support and spare parts to keep these weapons systems operational. The USs abrupt cutoff of intelligence support to Ukraine has severely weakened the efficacy of its F-16 jammers. It is also unclear whether AN/ALQ-131 electronic countermeasures pods, which F-16s use to detect threats from enemy aircraft, will be maintained by US contractors. The uncertainties surrounding Ukraines F-16s underscores the need for European technological self-sufficiency in the defence sphere and the perils of overreliance on US equipment. President Donald Trumps calls for increased European defence spending are linked to his desire to ignite a production and export boom for the US military-industrial complex. The erraticism that his administration has displayed could unintentionally complicate this plan. 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. Elon Musk said he doesn't plan to shut down Starlink's terminals in Ukraine. "We would never do such a thing or use it as a bargaining chip," Musk said. SpaceX sent thousands of Starlink terminals to Ukraine during the early days of the war. Elon Musk said on Sunday that he will never turn off Starlink's terminals in Ukraine. "To be extremely clear, no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals," Musk wrote in an X post on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We would never do such a thing or use it as a bargaining chip," Musk added. Musk's remarks came after Poland's foreign minister, Radosaw Sikorski, wrote in an X post on Sunday that his country "will be forced to look for other suppliers" of satellite internet services if SpaceX "proves to be an unreliable provider." Poland was spending about $50 million a year on Starlink's services for Ukraine, Sikorski wrote. "Be quiet, small man. You pay a tiny fraction of the cost. And there is no substitute for Starlink," Musk replied to Sikorski on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sikorski's post also drew a response from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said on Sunday that Sikorski was "just making things up." "No one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink. And say thank you because without Starlink Ukraine would have lost this war long ago and Russians would be on the border with Poland right now," Rubio wrote in an X post. Musk's position on Ukraine Musk was initially supportive of Ukraine when it fought back against Russia in the early days of the war. In June 2022, Musk said SpaceX had delivered 15,000 Starlink terminals to Ukraine after Russia's invasion began in February that year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2022, Musk also challenged Russian leader Vladimir Putin to single combat over Ukraine and suggested the president could "bring his bear" to their man-on-man fight. But Musk's pro-Ukraine stance has shifted. In October 2022, he posted a peace plan to end the Ukraine war on X. The plan, which called for Ukraine to recognize Russia's annexation of Crimea, was praised by the Kremlin. During a 2024 X Spaces event with GOP senators, Musk said he thought there was "no way in hell" Putin would lose the war in Ukraine. "This spending does not help Ukraine. Prolonging the war does not help Ukraine," Musk said in February 2024 while calling for the US to stop funding Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday, Musk said he was "sickened" by "years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will inevitably lose." "Anyone who really cares, really thinks and really understands wants the meat grinder to stop," Musk wrote on X. Last week, the Trump administration paused all military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine. "The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution," a White House official said in a written statement to Business Insider. Musk and the State Department did not respond to requests for comment from BI. Read the original article on Business Insider Negotiations between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Melonis right-wing government and Elon Musks SpaceX over a Starlink deal reportedly worth $1.6 billion are sparking outrage in Italys parliament. On Saturday, the spat prompted Musk to ask to meet personally with President Sergio Mattarella in what appears to be a last-ditch attempt to salvage the deal. More from Variety Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Italian opposition parties are trumpeting their aversion to the proposed five-year deal under which Starlink, the satellite internet company operated by SpaceX, would provide a secure telecommunications system for Italian diplomats and military forces. The potential partnership comes as turbulence is intensifying between the U.S. and Europe over U.S. President Donald Trumps decision to suspend military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine. Musk added fuel to the fire on Sunday by writing on his social media platform X that Ukraines entire front line would collapse if he turned off Starlink, which is being used extensively by the Ukrainian military. Late on Saturday, also on X, Musk said that it would be an honor to speak with President Mattarella, in an apparent last-ditch attempt to salvage the deal that is being pushed by Melonis coalition amid fierce debate. President Mattarella is believed to be among those who strongly support considering different options such as Franco-British Starlink rival OneWeb. Elly Schlein, the leader of the Democratic Party, Italys largest opposition group, said on Sunday that Meloni should change course immediately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How can Giorgia Meloni want to hand over the keys to Italys national security to Musk after hearing his latest, grave remarks? she said. Carlo Calenda, leader of Italys centrist Azione party, said on Monday that Musk is not a reliable partner. In January, Meloni cozied up to both the tech billionaire and Trump when she travelled to his Mar-a-Lago retreat after Italian journalist Cecilia Sala was arrested in Tehran on trumped-up charges of breaching Islamic law. Shortly after Melonis return to Rome, Sala was released in what Meloni described as diplomatic triangulation between the U.S., Italy and Iran. The New York Times reported that Musk helped secure Salas release by reaching out to Irans ambassador to the UN. Musk is a very transactional person. He will do whatever he can to expand his business empire in Europe, said Teresa Coratella, an executive at the European Council on Foreign Relations, in an interview with the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs. With her relationship to Musk, Meloni wants to prove that shes a special case within Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meloni has been positioning herself as the European leader who can be the crucial bridgehead between Europe and the U.S. administration. She attended Trumps inauguration in January and recently headlined the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, which was attended by Trump and Musk. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. MANY AMONG THE SILICON VALLEY ULTRA-RICH dominating the news think of themselves as heroes out of an Ayn Rand novel. Elon Musk and Marc Andreessen prate on about how we are living in Atlas Shrugged now. Peter Thiel has spoken at the annual gala of the Randian Atlas Society. These figures and their peers are discussed in the popular press with frequent reference to Rand. Meanwhile, many (though by no means all) devotees of Rands writings idolize Musk. It makes sense. Randself-professed radical for capitalismglamorized the heroic industrialist who struggled to produce, invent, and achieve against the countervailing resentment of the mediocre masses and big government oppression. Members of the Silicon Valley venture-capital set like to think they are buildingliterally buildingthe future, something very much in line with Rands romantic vision of human triumph. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But a deeper examination reveals these oligarchs resemble Rands heroes far less than her villains. Elon Musk in particular is a grab-bag of Randian vices. A central virtue in Rands ethics is self-esteem. Musks arrogance, his apparent conviction that he is the main character of history on a quest to take humanity to Mars, may seem like an overabundance of self-esteem. But Musk is a classic showboat. He demands that he be the center of attention in all that he does. Its clear by now that part of why Musk bought Twitter was so that he could both be the protagonist of the internet and compel the world to see what he thinks is worth seeing. Musks compulsive attention-seeking is a sign not of self-esteem but of a desperate need for external validation. This is a man who cheats at video games to look impressive. Support our independent political and cultural journalism by signing up for a free or paid Bulwark subscription. Marc Andreessen seems to share this affliction, having imagined an unwritten deal between the Silicon Valley megarich and the rest of society whereby they could do anything they want to make as much money as they could, and as long as they gave to philanthropy, they would be regarded by the rest of society as heroes. Andreessen has justified his support for Donald Trump as a response to this so-called deal unraveling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rands heroes are arrogant, but their arrogance is reserved. They do their work with passion and brilliance, and the results speak for themselves. When the public scorns them, their genuine self-esteemconfidence arising from internal psychic resourcesallows them to shrug it off. They work for themselves, not the public. As if to drive home this point, Rand has one of her heroes, Francisco dAnconia in Atlas Shrugged, behave in a flashy waybut only, its revealed, as an elaborate disguise. DAnconia played the flamboyant playboy to hide his true intentions, which were not to grow his fortune but to destroy it, thereby removing his massive wealth from the grasping looters. This brings us to the inconvenient fact that Musk is unquestionably a looter in Rands schema. Musks companies rake in billions of government subsidies, and Tesla has only been able to stay solvent with government assistance. One might forgive this in the interest of ramping up electric vehicle production in order to replace internal-combustion vehicles. But Musk uses his coziness with the state as an economic weapon. Musk himself has said, Take away the subsidies, it will only help Tesla, a clear admission that he would use state power to cripple his competitors. MUSK SPENT OVER a quarter billion dollars to help get Donald Trump re-elected, with the obvious intention of leveraging this investment for political power. Peter Thiel has engaged in a similar degree of influence-peddling, bankrolling Senate candidates like Blake Masters and future VP JD Vance whom he had personally groomed as venture capitalist proteges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Musk (through SpaceX) and Thiel (through Palantir) are major defense contractors, which means their financial interests are in the hands of the politicians they fund. Rand in Atlas Shrugged calls this the aristocracy of pull to describe how power in Washington operated by crooked deals and favors between connected insidersbusiness leaders and politicians. Many of the villains in the book thrive in this environment. There is the steel magnate Orren Boyle who uses his government connections to nationalize Rearden Metal, the fictional material developed by one the novels central protagonists, Hank Rearden. James Taggart, the incompetent chief of Taggart Transcontinental, resents his capable sister who really runs the railroad; he spends his time peddling influence in policy circles. Or there is the perfectly named Wesley Mouch, a corporate-lobbyist-turned-bureaucrat who is Rands stand-in for the idea that industrial lobbying is inherently corrupt. Beyond corruption, there is the brute desire to dominate others. Musk, now himself an immensely powerful unelected bureaucrat, wants to appear as a master of the universe, lording over others. An example of this vulgar tendency, from a 2023 tweet: There is a large graveyard filled with my enemies. I do not wish to add to it, but will if given no choice. His livetweeting of his DOGE administrative coup is littered with contemptuous exchanges with elected officials. Isolated, this could just be shitposting, itself a venerable enough craft. But Musks blitzkrieg through the federal agencies, shuttering offices and firing career employees with jocular contempt, lays bare the truth: He enjoys the feeling of hurting those he considers his enemies, along with bystanders, in the knowledge that everyone is powerless to stop him.1 Whether its his Twitter takeover or dismantling government agencies, Musk takes an arsonists delight in destroying things that people value, and have reason to value. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Share The Bulwark No character reflects this penchant for destruction for the sake of destruction better than James Taggart, who believes destroying the achievements of others is the greatest work there is. Ive never felt better in my life! he snapped, resuming his pacing. You bet Ive worked hard. My work is bigger than any job you can hope to imagine. Its above anything that grubbing mechanics, like Rearden and my sister, are doing. Whatever they do, I can undo it. Let them build a trackI can come and break it, just like that! He snapped his fingers. Just like breaking a spine! You can just about hear Taggart saying Musks line, there is a large graveyard filled with my enemies. The heroes of Atlas Shrugged take no such pleasure in destruction or in the subjugation of others, even when it is necessary. Led by Rands fictional mouthpiece, John Galt, each of the heroes gives this oath: I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine (emphasis added). To dominate others is to sacrifice their rational interests and happiness for the sake of your own. To inflict cruelty for your own enjoyment is to obliterate the natural harmony of interests between individuals and engender hierarchies of domination and submission. Rands heroes wanted to engage with others as free and equal beings, trading value for value. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This penchant for domination and cruelty is no surprise when we consider how Musk is a white supremacist. This is undeniable at this point, from his infamous Hitlergrurepeated for emphasisto his persistent boosting of groypers, Nazis, and other white supremacists on X, and his latest vocal support for rehiring a self-identifying racist (I was racist before it was cool) to his squad of DOGEbros. This is part of a larger trend of counter-Enlightenment thought that is shared by the likes of Thiel and Andreessen, who have embraced the racist and monarchical ideas of the neoreactionary blogger Curtis Yarvin. This is, again, simply alien to Rands philosophy. While Rand didnt have a particularly sophisticated understanding of race, and would likely have been hostile toward DEI programs, she condemned basic racism as the lowest, most crudely primitive form of collectivism. In the Trump/Musk regime, the elimination of DEI risks becoming a race and gender purge, on the increasingly explicit notion that employees must be inherently unqualified diversity hires. To point to just two examples, there have been several high-profile firings of black and female military officers (an already small fraction of the brass) and the administration has lifted its restrictions on working with segregated contractors. The implicit endorsement of the Great Replacement conspiracy theory by Musk (not to mention others in Silicon Valley and MAGA world) also puts him starkly at odds with Rand, a proud immigrant who held that using good blood or bad blood as a moral-intellectual criterion, can lead to nothing but torrents of blood in practice, citing Nazi Germany as the full expression of racist ideas. Rand was slow to see subtle forms of racism, but she did have sensitivity to antisemitism, which she would call out. There is no question that Rand would have recognized Musks Sieg Heil for what it was and condemned it in her harshest terms. Share SILICON VALLEY OLIGARCHS DO SHARE some political ideas with Rand. As a radical promoter of laissez-faire capitalism, Rand likely would have favored abolishing the Department of Education, USAID, and other agencies now in the crosshairs. But the means do not justify the ends in Rands philosophy, and Rand believed in Americas constitutional republican form of representative government, not monarchy or personalist rule a la Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rand is best knownfairlyfor defending the rich, but it may surprise casual readers to realize that in her novels money and wealth are never prized for their own sake. Rands heroes are creative geniuses who follow their own passions. Her protagonists suffer extended periods of avoidable poverty. The Fountainheads Howard Roark wouldnt compromise his artistic integrity and so labored in a quarry until he could find a client who respected his work. The heroes of Atlas Shrugged go on strike: They leave their various industrial empires to decay as an act of political dissidence against an oppressive regime. The money never mattered. Can you imagine Musk, Thiel, or Andreessen sacrificing their fortunes for a higher principle? Can you imagine them voluntarily enduring any hardship at all? Rand instilled in her followers a need for hero worship, and she gave them the impression these heroes were plentiful at the commanding heights of the economy, despite slotting many of her villains in these same lofty positions. She thus left her disciples unprepared for a world in which so many of the worlds wealthiest capitalists used the aristocracy of pull to amass their wealth, and sought that wealth not as a byproduct of their creative energies but as a means to dominate others. Being seen as dominant is just as importantthat whooshing sound you hear is the black hole of Elon Musks self-esteem, sucking in its surroundings. And Rand failed to equip her followers to grapple with racism not from the underbelly of society but from its highest echelons. Our tech oligarchs are right to see themselves characters straight out of an Ayn Rand novelthey are the villains. In an ironic twist, our best hope against collapse lies not in striking industrialists, but in the quiet competence and steely integrity of career civil servants who refuse to budge. Take a moment to share this essay with your friends and followers on social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Share Paul Crider is a founding associate editor of Liberal Currents. His writing has also appeared in Jacobin, Adam Smith Works, and Libertarianism.org. He lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area. 1 Its worth noting that among the federal agencies DOGE and Trump are targeting are several that directly affect Musks business interests, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which the Trump administration has attempted to kill off, and Musks bete noire, the Securities and Exchange Commission. UPDATED 10.48 a.m PT: Elon Musk has said X is under a massive and sustained cyberattack attack as his social media platform suffered at least three outages across Monday. There was (still is) a massive cyber attack against X, Musk posted on the platform. We get attacked every day, but this was done with a lot resources. Either a large, coordinated group and/or a country is involved. More from Deadline Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was posting after the platform first went dark in the very early hours of the Los Angeles morning for about 45 minutes, and dropped out again at around 6:30 a.m. PT for another 45 minutes. It started experiencing difficulties again around 8.00 a.m. PT. The alleged cyberattack followed a raft of physical attacks on Tesla showrooms across Europe and in U.S. over the weekend, in a show of anti-Musk sentiment. The once highly rated electric car has lost its shine in recent months, with sales plunging as consumers turn away from the brand due to its association with Musk and his veer to the right. Far-right billionaire Musk has become a divisive figure in U.S. and global politics following his support for President Donald Trump and appointment as head of the controversial department of government efficiency (Doge), aimed at cutting U.S. government jobs and spending. Elon Musk on X outage The website downdetector.com noted a peak of 17,000 reports of X being down out of the U.S. in the first outage, followed by a peak 40,000 for the second outage and 35,000 as of 10.23 a.m PT in the latest ongoing incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PREVIOUSLY: Elon Musks social media platform X appeared to suffer a 45 minute outage in some territories Monday. Hundreds of users of X, formerly known as Twitter, reported issues with loading the site and being greeted with the error message: something went wrong, try reloading. Problems were first reported from around 1.30 a.m. PT, with the site then coming back online at around 2.15 a.m PT. Social media outage monitor DownDetector showed a spike in complaints around this timeframe. The site was running as normal from 1:15 a.m. PT. There was no immediate explanation for the cause of the problems and X has yet to issue an official statement on what happened. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. A North Atlantic right whale with propeller scars. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Over the next 10 years, the North Atlantic Right Whale, the Chattooga River crayfish and the Sicklefin Redhorse fish may get some outsized attention from conservationists. The aquatic creatures are among more than 1,000 plants, animals and habitats that are being included in Georgias 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan or SWAP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposal, which is updated every 10 years to receive federal funds, safeguards Georgias wildlife and biodiversity by creating a wish list of species to shield from harm. The purpose is more on the proactive side in that we want to try to implement conservation activities and habitat management that will keep species from rising to the level where they are more costly to conserve or have to be listed on the endangered species act, said Brett Albanese, plan coordinator for 2025 and an assistant chief with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Conservation Section. (The endangered species list is) an important tool but we dont want to have to use that, he said. Thats the ambulance. We want to provide more preventive care for our wildlife. That may be a huge lift. Georgia has added nearly 1 million residents in the years since the last plan update in 2015. (There were around 10.2 million Georgians in 2015 compared to 11.18 million in 2024, the latest estimates available). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That has resulted in more pollution from cars, disappearing forests and land to make way for housing, shopping centers and warehouse, and noticeable changes in climate, all leading factors in the destruction of animal habitats and plant life, Albanese said. Mike Worley, president and CEO of the Georgia Wildlife Federation and a member of the SWAP 2025 advisory board, agreed. He said the new plan will focus on creating hubs and corridors where species can migrate without human intervention. As the climate changes, our wildlife is going to have to adapt, he said. If we can, we want to allow corridors where plants and animals can move along to areas that fit their needs Its more efficient if the species can decide on their own. If approved, the plan update could receive around $1.5 million in funding, Albanese said. To receive the money, DNR is required to raise cost sharing revenue through funds generators such as sales of the states Give Wildlife A Chance license plates, Albanese said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Georgia has evidence that SWAP efforts work. Several plants and animals that were on the SWAP 2015 list have experienced a modicum of recovery, Albanese said. Gopher tortoises, the red cockaded woodpecker and the smooth coneflower (also known as echinacea laevigata) were downlisted on the endangered species list. A status update of the threatened Gopher tortoise is a likely focus of an update to the State Wildlife Action Plan. Eliot J. Schechter/Getty Images A major goal for the 2025 update is to gain community support, Albanese said. The department recently launched a website to promote the proposal and elicit public comment. In addition to conservationists and landowners, the department is hoping municipal leaders, the business community and everyday citizens will way in, Albanese said. We want them to have ownership of it, so theyll help us implement the SWAP and provide other funding sources to complete projects, he said. Katherine Moore, president of the Georgia Conservancy, said SWAP creates a starting point for discussion on conservation. As it is not a regulatory document, it lacks mandates and cannot override land use priorities. Instead, it seeks to educate and allow thoughtful conversations on how we balance population growth with protecting our environment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Conservation and development should be an and not or, she said. Reese Thompson said public input from people on the ground is critical for SWAPs success. Landowners experience firsthand the effects of habitat change or impacts to private property in the state. For instance, Thompson, a Wheeler County tree farmer who lives in Vidalia, has been clearing downed trees and debris since Hurricane Helene barreled through the area in September. Since then, he has been setting controlled fires to clear the forest floor to reduce the potential for wildfires and improve the habitats for animals who depend on the woods, he said. Hes also trying to avoid destructive brush fires that have the potential to devastate South Georgia like those that burned more than 18,000 homes in Los Angeles in January and have been linked to 29 deaths. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve been doing burning because this summer when all this heavy hurricane debris is on the ground and when it dries out, Ive got fears that were going to look like Southern California, he said. Heather Brasell, a south Georgia landowner who owns forested property on a conservation easement, said message consistency is also critical to an effective plan update. The Department of Natural Resources, the Forestry Commission and the public need to be on the same page about the importance of getting the proposal through, especially as there is enormous scrutiny in Washington on national spending. Endangered species, in and of itself, doesnt sell very well when people lack housing and food, she said. We need to make it clear the benefits of conservation in general and tie it to the places you can go for recreation, then that can make it more acceptable to the general public. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX President Donald Trumps edict this past week declaring English as our official language is at odds with America's long traditions of meeting immigrants halfway in their heritage languages. It erroneously equates English speaking with patriotism. In fact, American history shows that people can express their patriotism in many languages and they can just as easily express disloyalty in English. Texas was trilingual from its founding. The very first Legislature after statehood appropriated $1,000 (or about $40,000 in todays purchasing power) to translate its constitution and selected laws into German and Spanish. The Confederate constitution and the declaration of causes for secession were also published in all three languages, and starting in 1875, Bohemian (Czech) was added to the language mix. Wisconsin stands out as the most welcoming state to immigrants. Even before statehood, it allowed immigrants to vote before they were naturalized (as did more than 20 other states at some point in the 19th century). The 1864 message of that state's Republican governor was published not only in English, but also in German, Norwegian, Dutch, French, Bohemian and even the Gaelic languages of Welsh and Irish. Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Missouri and Michigan followed similar practices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four Midwestern states between 1848 and 1870 published their draft constitutions in some combination of German, Norwegian, Swedish, Dutch and French. Local governments often published official announcements and public notices in foreign language newspapers. Even as the World War I-era brought increased intolerance in America, the U.S. military organized ethnic companies with bilingual officers who spoke languages including Italian, Yiddish, Polish and Spanish. Despite anti-hyphen crusades from the president on down, language and loyalty proved to be unrelated, as they were in the Civil War. Immigrants drug my native state of Missouri kicking and screaming back into the Union. Meanwhile, in Texas, less than 1% of enlisted Anglos served the Union rather than the Confederacy, while one in nine Texas Germans wore Union blue, as did some 43% of Tejanos. During World War I, some doughboys wrote home from France in the German language, their letters published in German American newspapers, one of which stated on its masthead: This is not a German newspaper, but an American newspaper in the German language. I have discovered tombstones of men who died in U.S. service in no fewer than 10 languages besides English, among them German. Although xenophobia increased in the wake of the war, and knowledge of English was a requirement for naturalization since 1907, the immigrant Republican Minnesota Secretary of State Mike Holm continued in the 1920s to publish voting instructions in eight heritage languages: Polish, Bohemian, Russian, Finnish, German, French, Norwegian and Swedish. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the era of World War I, the 100% Americanism movement virtually eliminated public school instruction in German and most other non-English languages. It also brought a new wave of legislative interference with parochial schools. A Nebraska law of 1919, and similar measures in other states, forbade instruction in any school in any language except English. Robert Meyer, the teacher of a one-room Lutheran grade school, was fined $25 for teaching a Bible story in the German language. His case went all the way to the Supreme Court, where the law was overturned in the 1923 case Meyer v. Nebraska. Still, similar English-only rules persisted in many Texas schools for decades, with Mexican American children being punished with fines (a penny for every Spanish word spoken) or made to write "I must not speak Spanish." In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Bilingual Education Act, the first federal legislation recognizing the needs of students with limited English and providing for bilingual instruction. Texas followed with the 1973 Bilingual Education and Training Act, setting requirements for schools to provide bilingual education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parallel to this, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 mandated election material and ballots in minority languages wherever there was a population of significant size. It marked a return to decades-long practices of meeting immigrants halfway. In my view, these better angels of our nature are what Trump seeks to overturn. Walter D. Kamphoefner teaches immigration history and the Civil War era at Texas A&M University. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Making English the official language of US overlooks history | Opinion BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. During a hearing held at the Baku Military Court on Monday, Armenian defendant Arkadi Ghukasyan, while answering questions from state prosecutors, admitted that there had been no problems with the Armenian language in Karabakh, Trend reports. Arkadi Ghukasyan said that he studied at school in Karabakh in Russian, but added that there were more Armenian schools than those in Azerbaijani and Russian. Court hearings on the criminal case against Armenian citizens accused of committing crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including the preparation and conduct of a war of aggression, acts of genocide, violation of the laws and customs of warfare, as well as terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure of power, forcible retention of power and numerous other crimes as a result of Armenia's military aggression, will continue on March 13. During his confirmation hearing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth repeatedly insisted he is not a racist nor a misogynist, but wants "a Pentagon laser focused on warfighting, lethality, meritocracy, standards, and readiness." Despite his bellicose Christianity, however, Donald Trump's appointee had no problem violating the biblical commandment against bearing false witness. As soon as he was sworn in, Hegseth did exactly the opposite of what was promised. He and Trump have devalued merit, expunging experienced and dedicated military leaders for no real reason other than they are not white men. Hegseth demanded budget cuts. He backed Trump's refusal to send older weapons to Ukrainian fighting forces, allowing the U.S. military to update its stockpile. He's gone along with Trump's war on intelligence-gathering on Russia, which puts American troops at higher risk. He's supported Elon Musk's war on veterans, as well, which includes firing them from federal jobs and slashing 80,000 employees from Veterans Affairs. Instead, Hegseth's priority the better word is "obsession" since taking office has been pushing the racism, misogyny, and queerphobia he denied during his confirmation hearing. Under the guise of eliminating "DEI" (short for "diversity, equity and inclusion," but used as a slur word by the right), Hegseth has waged all-out war on any evidence that people who aren't straight white Christian men can be effective soldiers. On top of purges of military leadership, Hegseth has canceled all military observances of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Pride Month, Holocaust Days of Remembrance and any other occasion acknowledging the contributions of people who aren't straight white Christian men. He's also been on a rampage against military bases that dropped the names of Confederate leaders. Being pro-slavery is enough to exonerate literal treachery in Hegseth's view. Last week offered a sobering reminder of how Hegseth's bigotry blitz isn't just symbolic, but will harm real people. The Defense Department reversed a 1965 policy that bars defense contractors from using segregation at their facilities. Under the new rules, the Defense Department can hire firms with "whites only" bathrooms on-premise. Such workplaces likely don't exist in 2025, but with Hegseth's tacit encouragement, who knows how bad things will get. Want more Amanda Marcotte on politics? Subscribe to her newsletter Standing Room Only. Another recent result of Hegseth's single-minded bigotry is at least kind of funny. In a frenzy to ban anything deemed "DEI," the Defense Department flagged photos and articles featuring the Enola Gay for deletion from all websites and social media posts. The Enola Gay was the plane that dropped a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima, Japan in 1945. The name was not a reference to homosexuality, but was given to the B-29 bomber by the pilot in honor of his mother, Enola Gay Tibbets. The database of banned images and references also includes a long list of any service members with the common last name "Gay." It appears Hegseth embraces Musk's view that so-called artificial "intelligence" can replace human workers. In this case, it's for the best, as no human being should waste their precious work hours on Hegseth's dogmatic desire to wipe history clean of all evidence that people who aren't exactly like him are worthy members of society. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The story did result in some good jokes. But overall, this story is mostly a reminder that the U.S. is under siege from a fascist movement led by men who are trying to conceal their mediocrity. While he tries to play the victim of "wokeness," it appears that Hegseth's military career ended in failure. He has complained that the Army "spit me out," an apparent reference to how he was pulled off certain duties because his colleagues notified superiors that he has tattoos that are considered white supremacist symbols. No doubt it's personal for him, seeing so many women, people of color, and LGBTQ people rack up honors and promotions he didn't get during his many years of service. It's also ideological for him, however. As I've documented at Salon, Hegseth belongs to a far-right Christian church that teaches slavery was the pinnacle of race relations in the U.S. and that women should not work outside the home or even have the right to vote. These can't be written off as "private" religious views. The church is openly Christian nationalist, which means the leaders advocate for using the government to force their religious beliefs on the nation basically, theocracy. Hegseth himself has declared a need for an "army" that could remake the U.S. into the far-right Christian society they desire. It's not hard to see, therefore, what's going on here: Hegseth sees the U.S. military as a venue for his Christian nationalist social experiment. He's trying to remake the military into his fantasy of a country where straight white Christian men hold all the power and everyone else is marginalized, often to the point of exploitation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the biggest Defense Department hires illustrates how deep Hegseth's extremism runs. As Anna Merlan at Mother Jones reported, the new deputy press secretary at the Pentagon is Kingsley Wilson, a 26-year-old who endorses the neo-Nazi "Great Replacement" theory that holds Jews are secretly trying to "replace" white Christians with immigrants of color. She has called for "zero immigration" and posts German neo-Nazi slogans. She also, just to show the bizarre depths of her fixations, endorses a horrifically anti-semitic conspiracy theory, as Merlan writes: At least twice, Wilson also repeated long-debunked lies online about the lynching death of Leo Frank, a Jewish man who was kidnapped from a Georgia prison and murdered in 1915, claiming he was guilty of the murder for which most modern historians agree he was wrongly convicted. Pretty much the only people who push these lies about the Leo Frank case are neo-Nazis and the KKK. The lynching of Frank was a precipitating moment for the rise of the KKK in the early 20th century. People who want to valorize the KKK have an interest in perpetuating the myth that Frank's lynching was justified. As professional grammarian Benjamin Dreyer noted on Bluesky, "Amateurs don't dabble in the Leo Frank case; that takes an exceedingly well practiced professional anti-Semite." But it's also an extension of a larger far-right effort to rewrite history to romanticize white supremacy and create a false story to justify Christian theocracy. Hegseth is deep in that world, and not just because he wants to recast Confederate generals as heroes instead of villains. The leader of his church has published quite a bit of misleading history, including two books defending chattel slavery in the American South, replete with false claims that slavery was a benevolent institution that served enslaved people's best interests. It's hard to imagine Hegseth is really focused on "warfighting, lethality, meritocracy, standards, and readiness." Instead, his energies seem mainly aimed at creating this fantasy world where straight white Christian men are the only ones who matter, and everyone else barely rates mention, unless they're recast as villains in this MAGA delusion. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) The new administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has seemingly responded to Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirres letter urging federal action on the Tijuana River sewage crisis impacting southern San Diego County. Lee Zeldin, the 17th administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) since January 29, 2025, posted on X Saturday evening that he was recently briefed on the large amounts of raw sewage flowing into the U.S. from Mexico, which is impacting the water and air quality for residents in San Diegos South Bay. Imperial Beach mayor heads to Washington to push for action on Tijuana sewage crisis Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was just briefed that Mexico is dumping large amounts of raw sewage into the Tijuana River, and its now seeping into the U.S. This is unacceptable. Mexico MUST honor its commitments to control this pollution and sewage!, Zeldins post on X reads. The social media post comes just one week after Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre sent a letter to Zeldin urging a new review of the Lower Tijuana River Valleys toxic cross-border sewage crisis for Superfund designation and further EPA action. View the letter below: Letter-to-Lee-Zeldin-EPA-re-Tijuana-River-Valley-Superfund-2025.03.03Download Residents in southern San Diego County have been dealing with impacts from the cross-border pollution for years. The sewage has been impacting not only air and water quality, it is also sickening Navy SEALs that work and train in Coronado. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Navy SEALs face health risks from toxic sewage exposure, report finds Parts of the Imperial Beach shoreline were closed for over 1,000 days in a row until just recently when it has reopened on and off over the past few months as the bacteria levels fluctuate. The health and environmental impacts from the sewage pollution caught the attention of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which sent officials to conduct a public heath survey in late 2024. The results of that study found a majority of residents said they have health concerns, symptoms and quality-of-life issues. CDC health survey shows impacts of Tijuana sewage crisis on South Bay residents Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the letter to the new EPA administrator, Aguirre also invited Zeldin to visit the region for a firsthand look at the impacts from the pollution. During his U.S. Senate confirmation hearings in January, Zeldin said he planned to give San Diego Countys sewage crisis a renewed look while being questioned by U.S. Senator Adam Schiff. Aguirre, County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, and other regional leaders, pushed for EPA Superfund status late last year. They found in January 2025 the EPA was not moving forward with assistance, which prompted the renewed push for a Superfund designation. The EPAs Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of the nations most contaminated land and responding to environmental emergencies, according to the EPA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Juliette Vara 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 FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. The three-party ruling coalition in Estonia has collapsed, Prime Minister Kristen Michal announced at a press conference in Tallinn on Monday. Michal, head of the pro-free market Reform Party, said he was expelling the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SDE) from his coalition on grounds of differences of opinion. Estonia, a member of both the European Union and NATO, is in future to be governed by Reform in coalition with the liberal Estonia 200 party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Together the two parties hold a bare majority of 52 seats in the 101-seat parliament. Michal said the new coalition would aim to improve Estonia's economic environment and security by measures including the abolition of tax on company profits and the lowering of income taxes. Estonia, which shares a border with Russia, sees Moscow as a direct threat to its national security. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has directly impacted its economy. The country is also home to a large Russian minority. EU governments are planning to weaponise life-saving medicines sent to the United States to counter Donald Trumps hostility towards the bloc. Officials have identified hundreds of products, including antibiotics, radiation therapies and pacemakers, for which the US is dependent on shipments from the EU to meet domestic demand. Diplomatic sources revealed that talks were being held about how to use these items to squeeze Mr Trump if he continues to threaten the Continents military and economic security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The US president has pledged to slap 25 per cent tariffs on trade from the EU and suggested he would not defend European Nato allies that do not meet spending targets. Until now, the diplomatic effort to placate Mr Trump has focused on promises to boost defence expenditure and increase purchases from the US. But the US presidents decision to switch off military aid and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine has prompted new fears that he could ratchet up pressure on the Continent. European leaders are being advised that threatening to curb deliveries of products including life-saving medicines could subdue him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We need to start weaponising his dependencies, a European diplomat said. Until now, the diplomatic effort to placate Mr Trump has focused on promises to boost defence expenditure and increase purchases from the US - SGSAN/MEGA Officials have turned to a document titled Strategic dependencies and capacities, drawn up by the European Commission in 2021, that has highlighted 260 products where the US is dependent on EU supplies. On the list are items such as antibiotics, pacemakers and high-quality steel. The working paper was originally intended as an analysis of supply chains in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, which brought international trade to a near-standstill. However, it is being repurposed to prove to EU leaders they have ways to demonstrate strength to face down Mr Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The majority of radiation therapy isotopes are made in Germany. The entire semiconductor boom cant go on without European machines, high-grade steel is not made in Appalachian mills but in the German steel belt, antibiotics in Italy, the diplomat said. European leaders need to understand that we are not as weak as we think. Shock treatment It would be controversial to target healthcare exports to the US as part of any pressure campaign against Mr Trump. Life-saving treatments were excluded from the blocs sanctions on Russia in response to Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine for ethical reasons. But the silent warnings are intended as a shock treatment to demonstrate to the US president that he cannot continue to challenge Europe unopposed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is being carefully crafted to cut across Mr Trumps promise to the American people that he will keep healthcare costs down. A similar but less aggressive strategy to target traditional US brands with EU tariffs was drawn up during Mr Trumps first term in the White House after he threatened to hit the bloc with levies. In 2018, the EU brought into force extra taxes on flagship US goods such as Kentucky whiskey, Levis jeans and Harley-Davidson motorcycles in response to Mr Trumps levies of 25 per cent on steel and 10 per cent on aluminium imports. As well as considering fresh trade measures, the EU is planning to invest 800 billion (671.2 billion) in defence to make itself less reliant on Washington for its security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement France has also opened talks over expanding its nuclear umbrella to other European nations as a way of achieving strategic autonomy as the US reduces its presence on the Continent. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. By Jan Strupczewski BRUSSELS (Reuters) -European Union finance ministers on Monday began discussing how to pay for defence through new joint borrowing, existing EU funds and a greater role for the European Investment Bank, with a view to taking decisions in June. The ministers' talks follow a meeting of European leaders last Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump froze U.S. military aid to Kyiv and raised doubts about Washington's commitment to European allies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Polish Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski, who chairs the discussions, said that summit had confirmed the "absolute political will to make Europe more responsible for its own security and to find money for a huge re-arming of Europe". The ministers will work on a European Commission proposal for the EU to raise 150 billion euros ($163 billion) against the security of the EU budget, for loans to governments for joint defence projects - an arrangement Germany was quick to support. "What Germany is very open to, and what we have supported explicitly, is whenever there are true European projects in the defence area to also think about common financing," German Finance Minister Joerg Kukies said. One of the contentious topics linked to the joint borrowing is who to buy the weapons systems from. France leads the group of countries that would rather buy from European firms, while Germany is more open to buying outside Europe as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The long-standing dilemma became acute after Washington cut off Ukraine from its intelligence data, ammunition and other equipment, raising concern it could do the same to other countries and rendering some advanced weapons systems useless. "It is very important the funds are used to buy European products that are part of the our strategic autonomy," French Finance Minister Eric Lombard said. COHESION FUNDS, EIB AND RULE CHANGE The ministers will also discuss the use of EU cohesion funds to pay for dual-use projects that benefit both civilians and the army and a new lending policy for the EIB, a bank owned by EU governments, to broaden the scope of projects it can lend for and increase the amount of money available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, the ministers will discuss how to change EU fiscal rules to provide room for more national spending. To remove EU barriers, the Commission has proposed to let all 27 EU governments increase defence spending by 1.5% of GDP each year for four years without triggering any disciplinary steps under the EU's debt rules that underpin the euro. The ministers will discuss broadening the existing definition of defence spending, which now only takes into account military hardware. The current rules do not deem the construction of ammunition factories, or the reinforcement of roads and bridges to enable the crossing of tanks, to be defence expenditure and many governments want to change that. (Reporting by Jan Strupczewski; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Angus MacSwan) Euractiv, citing unnamed European diplomats, has reported that the European Union has not ruled out that Hungary may block the extension of sanctions against Russia this week, as they are set to expire on 15 March. Source: EU-focused news and analysis website Euractiv, as reported by European Pravda Details: The report states that some EU diplomats were surprised that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had not taken any action to oppose the conclusions of the extraordinary European Council meeting on 6 March regarding support for Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a result, the conclusions were signed by the leaders of 26 EU member states, while Orban did not put his signature to them. Those present in the meeting room revealed that Orban also did not raise any contentious issues regarding Russia. Diplomats believe that the Hungarian prime minister exercised restraint against the background of the need to extend sanctions against Russia, which are renewed every six months and are set to expire on 15 March. Bypassing Budapest will not be possible this time, as sanctions require the unanimous approval of all 27 EU countries. This gives Orban significantly more leverage to demand concessions, the report notes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The EUs restrictive measures target individuals, companies and other entities involved in undermining Ukraines territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence. The EU sanctions list currently includes more than 2,400 individuals and legal entities. In recent weeks, Hungary has stated that it is seeking to remove eight individuals from the EU sanctions list against Russia and to secure new concessions in negotiations with Ukraine on gas transit. Since US President Donald Trump has been sending numerous signals that Washington might lift sanctions on Russia as part of its push for a peace settlement, Budapest is likely to push back more forcefully against EU sanctions on Russia, Euractiv notes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This week, EU ambassadors have three opportunities to secure the extension of the sanctions package on Monday, Wednesday or Friday. Background: Recently, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto pledged to oppose the renewal of EU sanctions against more than 2,400 individuals and organisations, including Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Hungarys top diplomat urged the EU to wait for the outcome of negotiations between the US and Russia on ending the war in Ukraine. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! The European Union is bracing for a potential Hungarian veto on extending sanctions against Russia, which are set to expire on March 15, Euractiv reported on March 10, citing undisclosed sources. EU diplomats were reportedly surprised that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban did not attempt to block the conclusions of the March 6 European Council meeting on Ukraine. The Hungarian prime minister declined to sign the summit's declaration in support of Ukraine, but the document was nevertheless published with the endorsement of 26 member states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Orban, widely regarded as the EU's most pro-Russian leader, has repeatedly opposed military aid for Ukraine and warned that Ukraine's EU membership would "destroy" Hungary. He has maintained ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin despite Russia's full-scale invasion, amplifying Kremlin narratives in Europe. Diplomats suspect Orbans restraint at the summit was linked to the upcoming renewal of EU sanctions on Russia, which require unanimous approval from all 27 member states, Euractiv reported. The Hungarian prime minister has a history of leveraging EU decision-making to extract concessions. He has previously secured exemptions for Russian Patriarch Kirill and the domestic use of Russian oil products. Patriarch Kirill, a Kremlin ally and head of the Russian Orthodox Church, has openly supported Russias war, yet Budapest has repeatedly blocked EU efforts to sanction him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The EU's sanctions framework includes economic measures and a list of over 2,400 individuals and entities subject to asset freezes and travel bans. If Hungary blocks the renewal, it could force the EU to negotiate additional compromises or risk a lapse in sanctions enforcement. Read also: No US-Russia meetings planned this week, Moscow says, denying media claims Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. America can no longer be considered an ally of Europe, said Dominique de Villepin, once Frances foreign minister and now presidential hopeful, to Swedish journalist Martin Gelin. Friedrich Merz, the incoming German chancellor, called separately for real independence from the USA. Its safe to say that Europe has not taken the decision of Donald Trump to effectively end his nations existing support structure for Ukraine well, which European leaders acting in a manner medically consistent with extreme shock. That an American leader could publicly chastise Zelensky, threaten to cut off aid, and disparage Nato through official Oval Office comments is too much to bear. Europeans still dont get it. De Villepin believes America, like Russia and China, is an illiberal superpower, but he and other Europeans are missing two important trends. First, the US has had enough of European freeriding. Second, that Trump is going hard after China, and as a result is focusing far less on other regional concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump and predecessors have been trying to get Nato signatories to spend at least 2 per cent of gross domestic product on defence. There was progress last year as countries crossed the threshold for the first time, but European members and Canada are still not devoting sufficient resources to the common defence. Trump finally got tired of pleading, pressuring, and cajoling, so after two invasions of Ukraine he finally walked away. Europe abandoned its own defence, so Trump is abandoning Europe. No one should be surprised: The continent had decades of warning. At the same time, Trump is pulling what is now known as the reverse Nixon, in other words, wooing Russia to isolate China. At first, he let China off the hook. Most notably, Trump paused the implementation of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, also known as the TikTok law. Also, it appears his staff was instrumental in killing proposed bipartisan legislation to review and restrict American investment into China. Moreover, Trump tried to reach out to Xi Jinping with, among other things, an unprecedented invitation to the inauguration. The American leader made it known he wanted an invitation to Beijing during the first 100 days of his new term. Since then, however, just about everything hes doing has had a China-hawk angle. Trump in two tranches imposed a 20 per cent across-the-board tariff on Chinese goods; announced 25 per cent steel and aluminium tariffs hitting Chinese producers hard; eliminated the $800 de minimis tariff exemption that Chinese companies in particular took advantage of (the elimination was subsequently delayed to permit inspection mechanisms to be put in place); issued the America First Investment Policy Memorandum to restrict investment into the United States by foreign adversaries and American tech investments in such regimes; and had the US Trade Representative propose steep charges on Chinese-operated and Chinese-made vessels entering US ports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chinas leaders, unlike Europes, realise the significance of the moves. If the US has another agenda in mind and if war is what the US wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war, or any other type of war, were ready to fight till the end, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced Tuesday, in response to the second 10 per cent tariff. Fight to the end? Beijing is alarmed that the new administration is showing no deference. For instance, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, in response to the Chinese comments, on Wednesday said the United States was prepared to go to war if Beijing starts one. Trump believes the Chinese economy is fragile and will not grow around 5 per cent, Premier Li Qiangs growth target for the year. Americas leader knows that now is the time to hit Beijing hard. As Trump understands, economic security is national security and China is a direct national security threat. European leaders should pay attention to what he has been saying and doing. 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. HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) Attorney General Todd Rokitas office has announced an Evansville physician accused of sexually touching five women during their appointments will remain without his medical license following the reversal of a lower courts decision to restore it. AG Rokitas office says it first brought charges against the medical license of Dr. James Jenison, who practiced in Evansville, in 2022. Convicted fraudster sentenced to 10 years, ordered to pay nearly $2M Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From the moment we saw the evidence, we fought for the revocation of this doctors license, Attorney General Rokita said. Dr. Jenisons actions violated a sacred trust, and our office stood up for Hoosier women by working to prevent him from having the opportunity to assault more patients in the future. Officials say in February 2023, the Medical Licensing Board of Indiana revoked Dr. Jenisons medical license following a hearing, which concluded that he had allegedly inappropriately touched five women while providing them with medical services. The board also found that Dr. Jenison allegedly prescribed controlled substances without an active controlled substances registration and allegedly committed fraud or material deception in order to obtain a license to practice medicine. Officials say in May 2024, a trial court found that the state of Indiana had not met the burden required to result in the revocation of Dr. Jenisons license, but the Indiana Court of Appeals changed this on February 26, by ordering that the trial courts decision be reversed. Bill punishing businesses knowingly hiring illegal immigrants passes Indiana House Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Court of Appeals held that the State presented substantial evidence to support its findings that Dr. Jenison had engaged in lewd or immoral conduct in connection with the delivery of services. In concluding otherwise, the trial court improperly reweighed the evidence and judged the credibility of witnesses. AG Rokitas office says the appeals court also upheld the States findings pertaining to prescribing controlled substances and engaging in fraud. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW). DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) The Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce held its 2025 membership meeting Monday, where business and community leaders celebrated the regions economic growth. Business leaders from across the Dayton region gathered at the Dayton Convention Center Monday morning for the Chamber of Commerces biggest event of the year. From recognizing outstanding businesses to outlining future initiatives, the meeting put a spotlight on the citys economic progress. Dayton is cleaning up downtown ahead of NATO assembly in May Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO, Kay Bailey Hutchison and Congressman Mike Turner headlined the event, speaking more on everything Dayton has to offer as NATO arrives this spring. Dayton has a history of solving a conflict in Europe, and I think it is a great step to bring these parliamentarians and to see the real people of America, said Kay Bailey Hutchison, former U.S. ambassador to NATO. Hutchison emphasized the role Daytons strong local businesses have in driving economic success in the region. Rep. Mike Turner also took the stage, reinforcing the importance of collaboration between government and industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dayton is a world class city, and is really doing a great job with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly of doing the retrospective and the prospective on the Dayton Peace Accords that occurred here 30 years ago, said Rep. Turner. Alongside key insights, the Chamber recognized standout businesses and professionals for their contributions to Daytons growth. DPD releases updated security zone for NATO summit The Chamber also outlined its vision for 2025, with a focus on supporting local businesses and expanding economic opportunities. Hutchison says events like these show dedication to innovation, success and our nation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With a strong network of businesses and leaders pushing Dayton forward, Chamber officials say theyre optimistic about the year ahead. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan expressed condolences to the Argentine side in connection with the loss of life as a result of the devastating flood, Trend reports. "We extend our deepest condolences to all affected by the devastating floods in Argentina, which have resulted in the loss of many lives, left several others missing, and caused extensive damage to infrastructure. We hope for a quick and effective recovery for the communities hit hardest by this disaster, and for the sooner restoration of normalcy," the statement said. The flooding in the port city of Bahia Blanca and its suburbs occurred on Friday due to heavy rain, the elements led to the death of more than 10 people. Over the course of a day, approximately 300 mm of precipitation fell in the affected area, which is a historical maximum for the city. Former Barclays chief Jes Staley said he was shocked and surprised by Jeffrey Epsteins arrest in July 2019 for the sex trafficking of minors. Despite Epstein having served 13 months in a US prison in 2009 for soliciting prostitution from a minor, Mr Staley told a court on Monday that he believed this was an isolated transgression. While attempting to explain why he remained in contact with Epstein years after his conviction, Mr Staley said furthering my business relationships in general were always the purpose. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added: Throughout the entire period of my relationship with him I did not at any time have reason to believe that he was responsible for the conduct which resulted in his arrest. Mr Staley submitted evidence to the High Court on Monday as part of his attempt to overturn a lifetime ban from Britains finance industry. The former banker said his bosses told him to get to know Epstein around 2000 while he was working at JP Morgan. However, he has long maintained that he cut off ties with Epstein once he became the boss of Barclays in 2015. The Financial Conduct Authority has disputed these claims and previously handed Mr Staley a lifetime ban from the City over his failure to disclose the full nature of his ties to Epstein. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The evidence on Monday marked Mr Staleys first public remarks since stepping down from Barclays in 2021. The 68-year-old is expected to take the stand for several days this week, and kicked off his testimony by saying his interactions with Epstein were no different than those carried out by others at JP Morgan. In a statement to the High Court, he said: I have no doubt, as a result of knowledge of the financial services industry, that a number of senior investment bankers at JP Morgan and at other institutions will have engaged in extensive email correspondence with Epstein and with other clients, without the relationship between them having become a close one. He added that Epsteins introductions to wealthy individuals helped him establish relationships with people he might otherwise have not met. However, Mr Staley said he now deeply regretted his ties to Epstein. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of his evidence, Mr Staley also claimed that the FCAs investigation into his association with Epstein had irretrievably damaged his reputation. He said: The FCA took the most serious and drastic step that it could, ending my long and distinguished career in financial services and destroying my reputation. In a separate witness statement, Mr Staley denied that a number of emails between his eldest daughter, Alexa, and Epstein meant that she had acted as an intermediary for the pair. He said that he probably answered Epsteins queries relayed via Alexa as a matter of basic courtesy. Mr Staley also said it was obvious that the emails to his daughter were initiated by Epstein: I did not however make any attempt to contact Mr Epstein at any time and he would have realised that any attempt to engage me in communication with him would be futile. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case continues. Bloomberg News contributed. 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 memoir set to be published Tuesday, a former Facebook employee lays out allegations of misconduct at the company, including claims of sexual harassment and what she says were incomplete statements to Congress about Facebooks relationship with China. Sarah Wynn-Williams says in the book and in an exclusive interview with NBC News that she faced retaliation from the company after she reported sexual harassment by her boss, Joel Kaplan, who at the time was a vice president for global public policy. Kaplan has since become chief global affairs officer, serving as the companys public face in Washington and other world capitals. Meta, which owns Facebook, said in a statement Sunday that the book includes false accusations about our executives. The company confirmed that Wynn-Williams accused Kaplan of sexual harassment, but it said an investigation cleared him in 2017. Former Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, Mark Zuckerberg, Priscilla Chan, Sarah Wynn-Williams and Elliot Schrage. Wynn-Williams was fired that year. She said she believes the decision was retaliation after she complained about Kaplan. Meta says she was fired for poor performance and toxic behavior. Elliot Schrage, who was one of Wynn-Williams supervisors, said in a statement that he fired her based on her repeated failures to address performance concerns such as indecision, shifting focus, and failure to execute on hiring on the policy leadership team. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wynn-Williams is a former director of global public policy, making her one of the highest-ranking former Facebook employees to come forward as a critic of the company. Hired in 2011, when the companys public policy team was small, she managed a growing staff and oversaw government relations for entire continents, including Asia and South America. She reported to corporate vice presidents and had direct contact with Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg, then the chief operating officer. Wynn-Williams also alleges that Sandberg crossed professional lines with her and another employee in a way that made her uncomfortable. The memoir covers the six-plus years when Wynn-Williams, a former New Zealand diplomat, met foreign officials and accompanied Zuckerberg and other top executives as they met in person with presidents and prime ministers. Sheryl Sandberg, then Facebook's chief operating officer, and Elliot Schrage, its vice president of global communications and public policy, on Capitol Hill in 2017. In the memoir, Careless People, to be published by Flatiron Books, she alleges that Facebook ignored internal alarms about possible damage to human rights and democracy as it pursued unrelenting growth, including in China, during a crucial period in the companys history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said in the interview that she was speaking out because she sees Meta repeating the same mistakes. Were in a moment now where technology CEOs and political leaders around the world are joining forces and compounding their influence, compounding their power, and thats got consequences for everybody, she said. People need to understand what has actually gone on. In addition to the memoir, Wynn-Williams says, she filed a whistleblower complaint last year with the Securities and Exchange Commission, alleging that Meta misled investors. NBC News has reviewed the complaint. An SEC spokesperson said Friday that the commission does not comment on potential investigations into whistleblower submissions or actions taken in response to them. Meta criticized the memoir and rejected her accusations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a mix of out-of-date and previously reported claims about the company and false accusations about our executives, it said in a statement. Sarah Wynn-Williams in New York on Thursday. The company also accused Wynn-Williams of being an anti-Facebook activist. Since she left Facebook, she has advocated publicly for the companys shareholders to adopt new policies regarding sexual harassment and China. Whistleblower status protects communications to the government, not disgruntled activists trying to sell books, the company said. Through her attorney, Wynn-Williams said Meta was trying to mislead the public through its statements about her and the book. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In anticipation of the book, Meta filed an emergency request for a hearing before an arbitrator Saturday, arguing that Wynn-Williams had violated a nondisparagement agreement and seeking injunctive relief barring disparagement. Jonathan Cohn, a Meta lawyer, wrote in a letter to the publisher, Flatiron Books, on Friday that the books marketing suggested it would contain overheated, false, and potentially defamatory allegations, and he asked for a chance to make revisions. Flatiron Books defended its process, saying in a statement: This book is a first person narrative account of what the author herself witnessed. We thoroughly vetted the book. We have no obligation to give Meta or anyone else the opportunity to shut down her story. It also accused Meta of trying to institute a gag order to silence our author. A person who appears in the book, former Meta spokesperson Debbie Frost, broadly criticized its contents Sunday on the Meta-owned social media app Threads, saying that a bunch of the stories are exaggerated or just didnt happen. A second Meta employee who worked with Wynn-Williams, Tessa Lyons, now an Instagram vice president, said on Threads that the book was dishonest and distorted. The book chronicles what Wynn-Williams describes as Zuckerbergs halting evolution from a software-focused engineer and political novice into an executive who micromanaged content moderation decisions about far-flung countries and considered his own run for president. Wynn-Williams cites firsthand experience from meetings and quotes from strategy memos, emails and dozens of other corporate documents, many of which she provided to NBC News. Joel Kaplan, Mark Zuckerberg and Sarah Wynn-Williams. The book is being published two months after Zuckerberg promoted Kaplan to be Metas chief liaison to the Trump administration and other governments. Kaplan was White House deputy chief of staff for former President George W. Bush. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2016, as part of an email chain about Wynn-Williams U.S. citizenship test, Kaplan asked her whether the test included the phrase dirty sanchez, a sexual slang phrase and racial slur, according to the book and a copy of the email seen by NBC News. Wynn-Williams also described Kaplans asking her after childbirth where are you bleeding from? and telling her at a company event that she looked sultry. She writes that she considered Kaplans behavior to be inappropriate and that she believed the investigation in 2017 was unfairly turned back on her. Then-President George W. Bush meets with members of his economic team, including White House deputy chief of staff for policy Joel Kaplan, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on July 27, 2007. A member of Wynn-Williams family, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they feared professional repercussions, said in an interview Sunday that they remember Wynn-Williams telling them in 2017 about the bleeding question and the sultry comment. This person said Wynn-Williams was uncomfortable at the time with Kaplans behavior. Meta said in its statement Sunday that the investigation determined she made misleading and unfounded allegations of harassment. Meta said the investigation involved 17 witness interviews over 42 days and that the company reviewed every document she provided. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kaplan did not respond to requests for comment. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Joel Kaplan, then its vice president for global public policy, in Paris in 2018. Wynn-Williams writes that she was also uncomfortable with how Sandberg crossed what Wynn-Williams considered professional boundaries. Sandberg, the companys No. 2 executive, has been heralded as a champion of women, especially women in business, because of her success and her 2013 book, Lean In, and she has advocated a zero-tolerance policy for sexual harassment. Sandberg wrote a second book, Option B, after her husband, Dave Goldberg, died suddenly in 2015. According to Wynn-Williams and the SEC whistleblower complaint, Sandberg repeatedly insisted that she join Sandberg in sharing a bed on a private jet as they traveled from Davos, Switzerland, to California in January 2016. Wynn-Williams, who was pregnant at the time, writes that she considered the demand to be inappropriate and mortifying and that she refused. She writes that Sandberg resented her refusal and told her at the end of the flight, You should have got into bed. She writes that, later, she felt marginalized by Sandberg at work. A person who was on the plane said in an interview Sunday that they recall everyone on the plane, including Sandberg and other staff members, encouraging Wynn-Williams to get some sleep. This person said they did so because Wynn-Williams was visibly pregnant and they were concerned about her health, not for any other reason. This person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, also said they recall the plane as having multiple beds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another person who knew Wynn-Williams at the time, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Wynn-Williams told them about what happened on the plane not long afterward. In the book and in the SEC complaint, Wynn-Williams writes that Sandberg further created an uncomfortable working environment when she instructed a different employee to purchase $13,000 worth of lingerie for Sandberg and the employee. NBC News has reviewed copies of those emails. The employee declined to comment. Sandberg, through her family foundation, declined to comment on the memoir. She stepped down as Metas chief operating officer in 2022 and left the companys board of directors last year. Kumiko Hidaka, Vivian Tokai, Debbie Frost, Atsushi Iwashita, Sarah Wynn-Williams and Sheryl Sandberg. Wynn-Williams is the latest whistleblower to emerge from a decade of scandals at Meta involving the companys impact on elections, violent polarization, teenage mental health and privacy. Frances Haugen, a former Facebook product manager, testified before Congress in 2021 after she released documents showing internal dissent over company policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The memoir lands at a sensitive time for Meta as it stares down regulators around the globe. The company is locked in antitrust fights in the United States, with the European Union and in India, while Zuckerberg has pivoted Metas politics to the right to align more closely with President Donald Trump. Meta, which also owns Instagram and WhatsApp, is pouring vast sums of money into the international race to develop artificial intelligence a contest that also involves China. Wynn-Williams arrived at the company in 2011 as it was making its debut on the world stage. The Arab Spring protests fueled in part by social media had just begun, and Facebook did not have established relationships with most governments or international organizations. The scrutiny Facebook would receive for inflaming tensions that contributed to massacres in places such as Myanmar and Sri Lanka was still years away. Her background fit what Facebook lacked: A native of New Zealand and a lawyer and a diplomat by training, she had worked for the New Zealand government at its embassy in Washington and at United Nations headquarters in New York. Former Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Mark Zuckerberg and Sarah Wynn-Williams. But while she joined the company with optimism about its mission, she said, the choices made by executives, including Zuckerberg and Sandberg, eventually soured her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They really could have chosen to do it all differently and fix so much of whats been destructive about Facebook, she writes. Instead, she calls the app an incredibly valuable tool for the most autocratic, oppressive regimes. Wynn-Williams writes that persuading Zuckerberg to meet international leaders was a challenge. A night owl who preferred wearing T-shirts, he would rarely take meetings before noon and did not want to wear clothing appropriate for the occasions, she writes. Asked at one point whether he wanted to meet the prime minister of New Zealand, Wynn-Williams says, Zuckerberg brusquely dismissed the idea not realizing the politician was standing next to him. In the memoir, Wynn-Williams describes Zuckerberg as fumbling his way through various encounters: getting snubbed by the prime minister of Canada, refusing to prepare before he met the president-elect of Indonesia, arriving late for an event with the president of Colombia, ad-libbing part of a speech to the U.N. General Assembly and getting turned down when he asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to name his unborn child. Initially, he would not want a briefing longer than a text message, Wynn-Williams said in the interview. But by the end of her tenure, she said, he couldnt get enough information about politics and how it worked. More recently, Zuckerberg has rarely appeared in public with world leaders. Though he attended Trumps inauguration in January and hosted a party to celebrate the event, he is more likely to be seen with mixed martial arts fighters or famous musicians. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg arrives for the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump in the U.S. Capitol rotunda on Jan. 20. The book includes anecdotes that Wynn-Williams says show snippets of Zuckerbergs personality, gathered while she traveled with him: his belief that Andrew Jackson was the greatest American president, his interest in collecting wine from the Jackson era in the 1830s, his desire to have a tribe of children and his professed ignorance that Facebook employees were letting him win at the board game Settlers of Catan. You dont want to win that way? she quotes herself asking Zuckerberg during one game. Im not winning that way, she says he responded. Wynn-Williams writes that she believes many of Metas mistakes in recent years could have been avoided. She writes that Facebook failed to act on warnings before 2016 about how politicians were using it to sway voters with half-truths. Wynn-Williams says Facebook is defined by lethal carelessness, claiming executives failed to respond appropriately to knowledge that Facebook inflamed global tensions and instability. She cites Facebooks role in fueling ethnic hatred and massacres, including in Myanmar, where Facebook has acknowledged that it failed to take down posts inciting violence even though the posts violated its terms of service. Wynn-Williams said the company had dragged its feet for years on hiring staff members to help moderate content from Myanmar, the site of what the U.N. calls a genocide. The memoir goes into depth about a major question that hung over Facebook at the time: whether it would do business in China, where the government had banned its apps as part of its vast system of censorship. Facebook called its multiyear effort, starting in 2014, to persuade the Chinese government to allow the use of their apps Project Aldrin, after astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Various parts of the effort including the building of China-specific censorship tools have leaked over time. Wynn-Williams cites or quotes from dozens of internal records about the project, some of which were reported Sunday by The Washington Post. She writes that Zuckerberg committed to the idea of re-entering China in 2014 because he wanted to grow Facebooks user base, and she writes that Facebook had little regard for the concessions it would need to make to the Chinese government. Theres no acknowledgment at all of the moral complexity of working in an authoritarian country that surveils its own citizens and doesnt allow free speech, she writes. China is, in Marks eyes, just the end of a to-do list, the last major project to tackle, she adds. "Careless People" by Sarah Wynn-Williams. In a series of Slack screenshots seen by NBC News, Facebook employees in 2017 discuss building specific tools to present to Chinas internet regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China. The employees discuss tests they could perform for the regulators to build trust in Facebooks ability to run content-blocking tools. Their work is echoed in several other internal documents, seen by NBC News, that include Facebook employees discussing the specifics of what they are building to show the Cyberspace Administration. Facebook employees spoke with Chinese regulators about how a censorship system could work and about what Facebook needed to do to win approval to release its apps there, according to the book and documents seen by NBC News. Wynn-Williams says that the next year, when U.S. lawmakers asked Facebook about its China plans, the company shared less than it knew. Facebook submitted unsigned written testimony in 2018 to three Senate committees saying it was not in a position to know how China would seek to apply its laws to a theoretical Facebook China service without mentioning its years of research and negotiations. Zuckerberg said in 2019 that he had largely given up the idea of operating apps in China, saying in an address about free expression that Facebook and China could never come to agreement on what it would take for us to operate there. But Meta does make huge amounts of money from China. Meta said last year that, in 2023, 10% of its revenue came from China-based advertisers trying to reach people who use Metas apps a figure that equals about $1 billion a month. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com MEMPHIS, Tenn. A renovation and expansion project here in Memphis has the attention of some state lawmakers and its all because of Priscilla Presley. Shes lending some of her star power to the Memphis Rock n Soul Museum as it prepares to move to a bigger spot on Beale Street. At the Tennessee State Capitol, Memphis music royalty and music history took center stage. Priscilla Presley, the former wife of Rock n Roll icon Elvis Presley, received the states highest Tennessee Civilian honor, the Colonel, Aide de Camp Award. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New xAI data center generates concern over environmental impact The recognition is the same honor Elvis was awarded back in March of 1961. It means a lot to me; it means a lot. Elvis was just thrilled to death when he got it, it was very meaningful to him, as well. He loved Memphis, he loved Memphis music. He loved coming back here, said Priscilla Presley. We had a home in California and when he finished what he had to do business-wise, doing his records and movies, the first place hed come back was back here. Back home, he wanted to be. As part of her visit to Nashville, Priscilla Presley also lent her voice to the future of Memphis music, supporting the Memphis Rock n Soul Museums expansion and its quest for state funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Memphis has an automatic asset bigger than most, and thats our Memphis history and that is Elvis Presley and that is Johnny Cash, and thats all the people whove come before us and got their start in Memphis, Rep. John Gillespie said. Its only fitting that we have the best museum for music in the state in Memphis. The Rock n Soul Museum plans to leave its current home at FedExForum and move into the building that once housed the citys Hard Rock Cafe. The multi-million-dollar expansion is being called the largest single investment on Beale Street in the past decade. Memphis rally protests Tennessee immigration bills for schools Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the first time that weve come to the state. This is a big move, said John Doyle, the Executive Director of the Memphis Rock n Soul Museum. Its a big move for our museum to really elevate the Smithsonian building exhibit, but also to add a performance space, to add a recording studio to be able to offer opportunities for students to learn hands-on music. Organizers hope the move will double the number of visitors at the museum. They said it could also drive tourists to other parts of downtown Memphis. With FedExForum, with the Memphis Grizzlies, the new Riverfront for us to really be a cornerstone the largest music entity in downtown Memphis, Doyle said. Theres a lot of responsibility there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crews hope to wrap up the museum project within the next few years. If all goes according to plan, the doors to the new museum could open sometime in 2027. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. U.S. funding for malaria aid and research is on hold, prompting concerns for public health. What's happening? The United States has supplied around 40% of global funding for malaria aid and research, according to the Philippines-based news site Inquirer.net. As the Trump administration vows to pull out from international aid, experts are worried about the effect this could have on the fight against this life-threatening disease in Africa, where new variants and signs of drug and insecticide resistance have emerged. As a result of the funding cuts, the Malaria Consortium has already fired staff in Mozambique and halted a program in Asia that trained people to monitor and control mosquitoes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The suddenness of this is huge," James Tibenderana, the organization's chief executive, told the news site. Why are these funding cuts important? The World Health Organization estimates that malaria kills around 597,000 globally each year, with 95% of those occurring in Africa. Children under five years old account for 76% of deaths in the region. Meanwhile, malaria looks to become even more problematic. For one, the Asia-native Anopheles stephensi mosquito has started to spread across East Africa, Inquirer.net reported. This species thrives in urban environments, putting an additional 126 million African people at risk for the disease, according to a 2020 study cited by the publication. In addition, an overheating planet is contributing to the expansion of malaria-carrying mosquitoes into new territories. For instance, one report found that malaria risk zones are expanding into higher elevations in the Ethiopian Highlands, a region of high-altitude plateaus and mountains reaching above 14,000 feet. What's being done about malaria? In the face of funding cuts from the U.S., Tibenderana said he hopes that other governments and institutions, such as the World Bank, will step up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This could help public health advocates continue with important projects across the region such as the implementation of anti-mosquito bed nets that were estimated to have saved 25,000 lives in Burkina Faso, Benin, Cote d'Ivoire during a test period. Meanwhile, scientists are exploring methods to help cull mosquito populations. For instance, one team found a way to infect male mosquitoes of one malaria-carrying species with a fungus that kills biting females soon after mating. 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. DENVER (KDVR) As a new case of measles was confirmed in Maryland on Sunday, experts are advising people that vaccination is the best prevention method. As of March 7, the Centers for Disease Control confirmed 222 cases of the measles across the country, nearly 200 of them in Texas, including one fatal case in an unvaccinated child, and now a second death attributed to the virus in New Mexico. Officials say that person was unvaccinated. CDPHE warns parents, public of measles after Texas outbreak and death Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We do see some concern and hesitancy around vaccination in general, said Dr. Rohit Katial, an allergist and immunologist at National Jewish Health. He said that applies to the measles vaccination. If we look at the state data, there has been a slight downtick by a percentage or two in overall vaccination rates and its hard to say whats driving that, said Katial. Misinformation around vaccine safety is a possibility, but Katial said studies show there isnt much to worry about. Its very safe and fortunately its been a long time so we have a long breadth of safety data around it, he said. Five years ago, Colorado identified the first cases of COVID in the state Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a release, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Director Robert F. Kennedy Jr. put out last week, he mentioned good nutrition as a best defense against infectious illnesses like measles. Katial said the vaccine, however, is more effective. If one obtains the recommended two doses, its 97% effective in protecting you against measles, said Katial. Theres nothing else that reaches those types of numbers. With heavy travel expected soon as spring break approaches, he encourages anyone traveling to an outbreak area like Texas to talk to their doctor about vaccination. If youre in close contact, the risk of contracting measles if somebody in that environment has it is about 90%, its a highly infectious virus, said Katial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said hes expecting to see the number of cases nationwide start to go down soon. Denver health officials warn residents to be wary of measles misinformation You never even want to see one child or adult with any of those complications, said Katial. He suggested talking directly to your personal health care provider about the measles vaccine if you have any questions, and encourages seeking out information from your local health department or the CDC. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Environmental health experts worry that existing regulations don't do enough to keep people safe from "forever chemicals" that build up in the body. These synthetic chemicals, known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are found in water, food, and everyday products. That makes them difficult to avoid especially when new ones keep popping up. What's happening? Experts are continuing to fight against PFAS, which manufacturers use to make their goods resistant to things like heat and water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the same properties that make PFAS useful to products also make them dangerous to humans. The Environmental Protection Agency lists several known health effects linked to PFAS, including decreased fertility, hormone interference, and developmental delays in children. Some PFAS regulations exist, but only for a few specific chemicals. When the government restricts one, companies can replace it with a similar, unregulated version. "It's like playing whack-a-mole," Erik Olson, a senior strategic director at the Natural Resources Defense Council, told Newsweek. Why is stronger PFAS regulation important? These "forever chemicals" don't break down naturally in the body or environment. In addition to health effects, PFAS pollute soil, water, and wildlife. Some can take hundreds to thousands of years to break down. The government has taken steps toward PFAS regulation. In 2024, it required the removal of six harmful synthetic chemicals from tap water systems. But those are currently the only ones regulated, despite thousands existing, according to Newsweek. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many environmental health experts agree that it's a good start, but more regulations need to happen to reduce exposure and hold companies accountable. Jamie DeWitt, the director of Oregon State University's Environmental Health Sciences Center, told Newsweek that using PFAS is profitable for companies, so they aren't likely to stop using them unless the government tells them to. "Their goal is to make a profit, and they will continue to do what they're allowed to do," said DeWitt. Some experts believe the solution is to ban all PFAS rather than targeting specific ones. "There's no way you're going to study the toxicity of 15,000 chemicals," Olson told Newsweek. "The only way to really control this is by regulating PFAS as a class." What's being done to reduce PFAS? A lot of work still needs to happen, but there has been some positive movement in the fight against PFAS. Eleven states have set regulations on the maximum allowed PFAS levels in tap water. And the EPA has taken steps to enforce drinking water standards nationwide, potentially reducing PFAS exposure to 100 million people. Some companies, like 3M, are also phasing out PFAS usage in their products. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Until more companies and legislators get on board, there are a few things you can do to protect yourself from PFAS. To start, choose natural products, like clean cosmetics and natural cleaning products. Use a water filter that removes PFAS, opt for glass food containers instead of coated packaging, and avoid nonstick cookware. Checking labels for PFAS-free certifications can also help reduce your exposure in everyday products. 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. More deadly pandemics are in store for the U.S. - and experts are sounding the alarms. Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist and the head of the Pandemic Center at Brown Universitys School of Public Health, told MassLive.com on Monday that people should pretty much bank on the fact that we will have more pandemics in our future. When will it happen? What is the source of infections? Is it already out there? Are we ready? Those are all questions that remain unanswered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Is there another pandemic coming? Yes. When? Which pathogen? How severe will it be? No one can say for sure, Yonatan Grad, a professor of immunology and infectious diseases at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said. But the big demographic changes that are coming, due to climate change as well as economic and other factors, will alter the landscape and create new risks, both for new pathogens to emerge and for known pathogens to re-emerge. While scientists may be bracing for the next pandemic, Americans are still divided over the response to the Covid pandemic that hit America five years ago this week. According to Nuzzo, the nation is in worse shape now than before the outbreak, that resulted in the deaths of more than one million people. Thats even with statistics showing the likelihood of another large-scale pandemic, or pandemics, is growing. Experts warn that its only a matter of time for another pandemic to his the U.S.. But, what, when, and whether the nation is ready remain a mystery (Getty Images) Researchers at Duke Universitys Global Health Institute said in 2021 that the prospect of disease outbreaks will likely grow three times in the coming decades, with the probability of a pandemic similar to Covid sitting at about 2 percent in any year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When a 100-year flood occurs today, one may erroneously presume that one can afford to wait another 100 years before experiencing another such event, Dr. Gabriel Katul, the Theodore S. Coile Distinguished Professor of Hydrology and Micrometeorology at the university and an author of the research, said in a statement. This impression is false. One can get another 100-year flood the next year. According to the Center for Global Development, the annual likelihood of a pandemic is two to three percent, which means a 47 to 57 percent probability of another deadly pandemic in the next 25 years, noted UC Davis Health Chief of Infectious Diseases Stuart Cohen. Cohen says that fighting the next one will need to be a team sport - something that may fly in the face of the Trumps administrations America First agenda. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which tracks disease across the country, was told to stop communicating with the World Health Organization a month ago. That move fueled concerns about future disease preparedness and came amid outbreaks of bird flu, measles and tuberculosis. Its also unclear how much money and resources would be allocated by the White House going forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vaccine hesitancy could also be a problem, with skeptic Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., at the helm of the Department of Health and Human Services. Under his leadership, the CDC said it would study vaccines and autism, despite research previously finding no link. An outbreak of the measles in West Texas has health authorities on high alert. Once declared eliminated in the U.S., the preventable disease has sickened nearly 200 in the southern state. Many of those infected are unvaccinated children and adolescents (Getty Images) Nevertheless, investments in research and the health agencies that lead these efforts will be crucial, scientists say. I do think that Covid fatigue will hamper our response 100 percent. But the key is to invest in preparedness to make pandemic management more sustainable everything from better ventilation, to funding for soap in public school bathrooms, to having studies ready to go in order to determine the most effective interventions, said Bill Hanage, associate professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said. The goal here is, how do we increase our resiliency to these events so that when they occur, they dont upend our lives in profound ways and cause historic drops in life expectancy? Nuzzo asked. The Trump administration has officially eliminated several food safety committees, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) and the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI). Both were cut through the Executive Order titled "Commencing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy." As the order stated, it eliminates offices and committees that the "President has determined are unnecessary." The termination of these two important advisory committees is very alarming and should serve as a warning to consumers that food safety will not be a priority at USDA in the foreseeable future," Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports, shared in a statement provided to Food & Wine. "These expert panels provide impartial scientific advice and recommendations to USDA, FDA, and the CDC on public health issues related to food safety in the U.S. The failure to recognize and leverage the value of this scientific expertise is dangerous and irresponsible. According to Food Safety magazine, prior to this elimination, the NACMCF had been working to develop guidance on addressing the increase in deadly foodborne illnesses. The committee was also recently tasked with reviewing the USDAs Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS) "regulatory approach for Listeria monocytogenes, prompted by the fatal listeriosis outbreak linked to Boars Head deli meats," which occurred in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: These Foods Will Likely Get More Expensive After Trump's Tariffs Take Effect Food Safety also explained that the recent NACMPI meetings focused on "USDA-FSIS definitions for establishment sizes and use of inspection technology," as well as how the FSIS could enhance its communications with "underserved communities" and "ensuring compliance with food safety regulations. The NACMCF notes on its website, which likely won't be live for long, that it "provides impartial scientific advice and recommendations to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and other government agencies on microbiological and public health issues relative to the safety of the U.S. food supply." Food Safety magazine added that the NACMPI was established to advise the "Secretary of Agriculture on matters affecting federal and state inspection program activities." The NACMPI website adds that the committee's purpose was "to provide advice to the Secretary concerning meat, poultry, food safety and other matters that fall within the scope of the FMIA and PPIA." The two committees would be advising the new Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, and the HHS Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Members of each committee included scientists and researchers from various universities around the U.S., as well as members of Consumer Reports, the USDA, the Department of Defense, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fast Facts: The NACMCF and NACMPI USDA National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) is a key scientific advisory group that helps shape U.S. food safety policy through expert recommendations. Established in 1988, it brings together multiple federal agencies to address microbiological hazards in the food supply. Its guidance strengthens the food safety programs of the USDA, FDA, CDC, and other agencies, ensuring a coordinated approach to protecting public health. By providing impartial, science-based advice, NACMCF plays a critical role in reducing foodborne illness risks and improving regulatory standards. USDA National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI) advises the Secretary of Agriculture on food safety policies affecting USDA and other regulatory agencies. It identifies key consumer and policy concerns, assigns issues to subcommittees for in-depth analysis, and provides science-based recommendations to improve meat and poultry inspection programs. By facilitating expert discussions and public participation, NACMPI helps shape effective food safety regulations and oversight. The White House has yet to make a statement about these eliminations. However, Food & Wine was provided a copy of the email sent to members of the NACMCF by Dr. Kristal Southern, a scientific liaison with the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service and the designated federal officer for one of its advisory groups, the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods. It reads in part, "We are incredibly thankful for your contributions to NACMCF. Per the discussion today, we learned that NACMCF will be terminated, and all committee work will stop, effective immediately." This, Southern noted, is due to the Executive Order Commencing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy, which was signed by the President. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The email added that, effective immediately, any further work or recommendations by the committees are "prohibited," and their permissions and access to the "National Agriculture Library Digitop System will be removed." Related: If You Think Food Prices Are High Now, Trumps Tariffs Could Make Them Even Worse "We are aware that stopping the work at this point means that the agencies may not receive the reports and recommendations that you all have been working on for the last year and a half," Southern added. "Although committee work has been suspended at times, this is our first experience with a termination in the middle of a term. We are seeking guidance on if the drafts, as they are today, can still be provided to the respective agencies to use without referencing NACMCF." Southern noted that this was not the decision they hoped for and that "it does not take away from the great contributions to food safety and public health that this committee has made. We are still working through the actions to complete the termination process and may not have all the answers, but we are happy to entertain any questions you may have." She added, "It TRULY has been an honor to work with and learn from each of you, and I hope you are very proud of your work." Read the original article on Food & Wine (Reuters) - Syria has suffered its worst bloodshed since Bashar al-Assad was toppled from power, with more than 1,000 people reported killed in violence that has swept the coastal region since Thursday. The violence has pitted the Islamist-led government's security forces against fighters from Assad's Alawite minority. The dead include hundreds of Alawite civilians, whom the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported were killed in reprisals after attacks on security forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What has driven the violence, how has interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa reacted, and what have world power said? HOW DID THE VIOLENCE UNFOLD? The violence began to spiral on Thursday, when the authorities said their forces in the coastal region came under attack from fighters aligned with the ousted Assad regime. The Sunni Islamist-led government poured reinforcements into the area, which is heavily populated by Alawites, to crush what it described as a deadly, well-planned and premeditated assault by remnants of the Assad government. As government reinforcements deployed, mosques in regions loyal to the new administration began calling on people to wage jihad, or holy struggle, in support of security forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By Friday afternoon, reports began emerging that scores of civilians had been killed in sectarian reprisals in Alawite towns and villages. As of Sunday evening, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based organisation that reports on the conflict, said 973 civilians were killed in reprisal attacks carried out by government forces or fighters aligned with them. More than 250 Alawite fighters were killed and more than 230 members of government security forces were also killed, it said. Reuters has not been able to independently verify the tolls. WHO ARE THE ALAWITES? The Alawites are the second-largest religious group in Syria after Sunni Muslims. Their faith is an offshoot Shi'ite Islam. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Assad-led state recruited heavily from the Alawite community for its army and security apparatus, which was notorious for its brutality during more than five decades of family rule. This put many Alawites on the frontlines of the civil war that erupted out of protests against Assad's rule in 2011. The conflict took on a sectarian dimension as Sunni Muslim rebel groups sought to topple the Assad government backed by Shi'ite Islamist Iran, Lebanon's Shi'ite Muslim Hezbollah, and others. Sharaa led the most powerful Sunni Islamist group fighting Assad. Known as the Nusra Front, the group was part of al Qaeda until he severed ties with the jihadist network in 2016 and renamed his organisation. Sharaa, in a 2015 interview with Al Jazeera, described the Alawites as part of a sect that "moved outside the religion of God and of Islam" and urged them to renounce Assad and change their beliefs to remain safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since Assad was ousted, Sharaa has pledged to run Syria in an inclusive way. But while he has publicly engaged Kurds, Christians and Druze, there have been no declared meetings between him and senior Alawite figures. Many Alawites say that they suffered like other Syrians under the rule of Assad and his father. Prior to Thursday's escalation, Alawite activists had reported violence and attacks on their community following Assad's ouster, particularly in rural Homs and Latakia. WHAT HAS SHARAA SAID ABOUT THE VIOLENCE? Sharaa, in a speech on Sunday, said remnants of the Assad government, supported by external parties, were seeking to create strife and drag Syria back into civil war with the aim of dividing it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He promised to form a fact-finding committee and said its findings would be made public, vowing to bring to account anyone involved "in the bloodshed of civilians" or mistreating them. He has also announced the formation of a committee aimed at preserving civil peace, which would be tasked with communicating with the people of the coast and providing them with the support they needed to guarantee their protection. In a Reuters interview, Sharaa said mass killings of Alawites were a threat to his mission to unite the country, and promised to punish those responsible, including his own allies if necessary. WHAT ARE FOREIGN POWERS SAYING? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The violence has prompted international alarm. The United States, which imposes sanctions on Damascus, urged Syrian authorities to hold accountable the "radical Islamist terrorists" that had killed people in Syria and said it stood with Syria's religious and ethnic minorities. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, writing on X, said atrocities committed against the Alawites showed Sharaa had revealed his "true face" as a jihadist. But Saudi Arabia and Turkey, allies of Damascus, both signalled their backing for the administration as violence was escalating last week. Riyadh condemned "crimes being undertaken by outlaw groups" in Syria and their targeting of security forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, whose country has forces on the ground in northwestern Syria, has urged calm and said unnamed foreign elements were partly to blame. Iran, which backed Assad through the war, has warned that the violence in Syria could cause regional instability. (Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Alex Richardson) BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. The State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages, and Missing Persons of Azerbaijan is hosting a presentation of the "Assessment Report: Accounting for Missing Persons in the Republic of Azerbaijan" by the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), Trend reports. The event is attended by members and staff of the working group of the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages, and Missing Persons of Azerbaijan, high-ranking representatives of the international commission, deputies, senior officials of relevant government agencies, as well as representatives of NGOs and the media. The event highlighted that 3,983 people were registered missing following Armenia's aggression. Of them, 3,977 citizens went missing during the First Karabakh War, and six during the Second Karabakh War. The persons include 3,209 military servicemen and 774 civilians. Of the total number of missing persons, 3,698 are men, and 285 are women. The Secretary of the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Citizens of Azerbaijan Gazanfar Ahmadov noted that the remains of 688 presumed missing Azerbaijani citizens were found as of March 1. He emphasized that the identities of 165 people who went missing in the First Karabakh War have been established and promulgated. The letter of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, received by the State Commission in May 2018, contained information that at a meeting with the Director of Policy and Cooperation of the International Commission on Missing Persons-ICMP (International Commission on missing persons-ICMP) of the Azerbaijani Embassy in the Netherlands held on May 17, 2018, the possibilities of cooperation with this structure were discussed and an opinion was requested on whether this cooperation is carried out based on membership in the organization or a bilateral agreement, Gazanfar Ahmedov added. At the same time, he noted that the State Commission on this issue considered it appropriate to hold talks with ICMP with the participation of a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, given that it will be useful in terms of exploring other opportunities in this field and studying international experience. In 2021, on the initiative of the Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration (PA), Honorable Hikmet Hajiyev, repeated discussions were held with the ICRC. In November 2021, during a meeting with our country's Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands in The Hague, ICMP proposed Azerbaijan to cooperate and sign a relevant document. In this regard, several online meetings and discussions with the ICMP leadership were held since the beginning of 2022 with the participation of the PA, MFA, State Security Service (SSS) and the State Commission working group. On April 4, 2022, ICMP Director-General Kathryne Bomberger and Director for Policy and Cooperation Andreas Kleiser visited Azerbaijan. The Protocol between the State Commission and the ICRC was signed during the visit, he said. Furthermore, Deputy Chief of the State Security Service of Azerbaijan Sharafat Hasanov, emphasized that since 1988, due to Armenia's unjustified territorial claims against Azerbaijan and the fact of its occupation, our country has been involved in an armed conflict, which resulted in a large-scale humanitarian disaster: He underscored that Armenia's aggression resulted in complete destruction of over 900 settlements, causing damage worth billions of dollars, and contaminating 10,000 ha of land with mines and unexploded ordnance. Hasanov noted that 107 people were killed after being captured and tortured. He reminded that 3,983 people were registered with the State Commission missing as a result of Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan. Of them, 3,977 people went missing in the first Karabakh war in the 1990s, and 6 people in the 44-day second Karabakh war that took place in 2020. Of the 3,983 missing persons, 3,209 are military and 774 are civilians. Of the civilians, 75 are minors, 116 are women, and 315 are elderly. The investigation proved that 170 Azerbaijani captives were killed by torture, the deputy chief added. By Luiza Ilie BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romanian authorities have barred far-right pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu from taking part in May's rerun of a cancel led presidential election, prompting him on Monday to say he would challenge the decision at the Constitutional Court. Romania, a member of NATO and the European Union, is set to repeat its two-round presidential election on May 4 and 18 after the Constitutional Court voided the initial ballot in December following accusations of Russian meddling in Georgescu's favor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are details about why Georgescu's bid to run again for the presidency was blocked. WHY IS GEORGESCU BARRED FROM THE ELECTION? Romania's central election authority said on Sunday its decision to bar Georgescu was based on two Constitutional Court rulings. The first is the court's decision to void December's election after concluding that it had been spoiled by vote manipulation, campaign irregularities and non-transparent funding along with suspected Russian meddling, a charge denied by Moscow. The second is an October ruling in which the court banned European Parliament lawmaker Diana Sosoaca from running for president because her antisemitic, pro-Russian views meant she would be unable to uphold the rule of law if she were elected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Georgescu himself is under criminal investigation on six counts, including membership of a fascist organisation and communicating false information about campaign financing. He won the first round of the cancelled election following a highly coordinated TikTok campaign despite saying he had spent zero funds. He denies any wrongdoing. WHAT COMES NEXT? Challenges to decisions by Romania's central election authority must be filed within 24 hours. The Constitutional Court must solve them within 48 hours, which means a decision regarding Georgescu's bid should come by Wednesday. If the court upholds the central election authority's ban, three opposition ultranationalist parties, which hold 35% of seats in parliament and which backed Georgescu's previous presidential bid, risk having no candidate in the May election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The parties have until March 15 to submit paperwork to the election authority - including at least 200,000 endorsement signatures from potential voters - for any other candidates. The final list of candidates allowed to run for the presidency will be announced by March 19. George Simion, leader of the opposition Alliance for Uniting Romanians (AUR), parliament's second-largest party, did not rule out running for the top job when asked by reporters on Monday. WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF BANNING GEORGESCU? Blocking Georgescu from running again runs the risk of fuelling domestic unrest and straining Romania's strategic partnership with the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the election was cancelled on Dec. 6, pro-Georgescu rallies have so far been small but vocal. After the election authority's ban on Sunday, a few hundred supporters smashed pavements and set rubbish bins ablaze in capital Bucharest. The cancellation of the election has also put Romania in the crosshairs of a dispute between U.S. President Donald Trump's administration and European nations over how democratic values should be defined. Several members of the Trump administration - most notably Vice President JD Vance and tech billionaire Elon Musk - have said the cancellation is an example of European governments suppressing freedom of speech and political opponents. However, European diplomats have expressed support for the independence of Romanian courts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Georgescu has praised both Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, his opposition to higher European defence spending - something demanded by Trump - and to NATO military bases in Romania would be a potential irritant in future relations with the U.S. if he ever did become president. Analysts have also said allowing Georgescu to run for the presidency brought greater risks than blocking him as his hostility to NATO and the EU and his opposition to providing military aid to Ukraine would completely upend Romania's current pro-Western path at a difficult geopolitical juncture for Europe. (Reporting by Luiza Ilie; Editing by Gareth Jones) Soldiers from the 144th Centre of Ukraines Special Operations Forces (SOF) have cleared Russian troops from an industrial building and captured nine Russian soldiers on the Pokrovsk front. Source: SOF press service Details: The report revealed that for several days, drone operators offered the Russian troops a chance to save their lives. Through a loudspeaker mounted on a UAV, SOF fighters urged the Russians to surrender. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After they refused, a group from the 144th Centre infiltrated behind Russian lines, rigged the industrial building with explosives and detonated it. Quote: "A powerful explosion convinced the enemy that they should have accepted the offer from the special forces right away. Russian troops began waving a white cloth from the window of the damaged building, signalling their intention to surrender. Shortly afterwards, two groups of four and five enemy soldiers moved towards Ukrainian positions. Some of them were wounded. Ukrainian special forces provided first aid to the Russian troops and began evacuating them." Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Soon after taking office for a second time, President Donald Trump pardoned anti-abortion activists who had blockaded and restricted access to the entrance of a reproductive health clinic in Washington, D.C., in October 2020. These protesters were convicted of violating the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. Protesting outside clinics is a way for conservative anti-abortion activists to directly influence access to reproductive health care. The FACE Act prohibits the use of force or threat toward people trying to obtain or provide reproductive health services. It was created to limit the anti-abortion movements tactics outside clinics, requiring that protesters cannot physically stop patients from walking into clinics and receiving care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But demonstrations outside of clinics are still common. My own research has shown the effectiveness of the anti-abortion movement in influencing the landscape and language of reproductive health care and politics in the U.S. through actions such as protests outside clinics. In Trumps second term, the Justice Department has said that it will not prosecute demonstrators unless there are extraordinary circumstances or in cases involving significant aggravating factors such as death, serious bodily harm, or serious property damage. In this post-Roe v. Wade moment, I argue that it is important to know the history of the FACE Act. History of protests against abortion The FACE Act was signed by President Bill Clinton in 1994 to guarantee access to abortion and reproductive health care that was, at the time, protected by the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision under the 14th Amendment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clinics that provide abortions have been subject to public harassment since the early 1970s, particularly following the expansion of access to abortion and reproductive health care more generally. After the passage in 1970 of Title X of the Public Health Service Act, which authorized federal funding for reproductive health services, abortion opponents began staging protests. But public support for reproductive rights, including abortion, was growing along with the relaxation of government restrictions on the procedure. Abortion foes also protested the legalization of abortion in New York state that same year. Following the legalization, the first Planned Parenthood health center to provide abortion services was established. The legalization in New York eventually led to the Roe v. Wade decision that protected abortion at the federal level. By the 1970s, the movement against abortion had become a cohesive coalition of conservative Catholics and Protestants. They argued that providing reproductive health care was immoral because they believed that life begins at conception. The white evangelical anti-abortion movement, which followed, pursued many of the physical blockade and other tactics of early Catholic groups. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Operation Rescue, founded in 1986, was one of the largest evangelical groups that protested outside of clinics. During its protests, the movements members held up signs with images of aborted fetuses to scare patients into leaving the clinic. They also sat or lay down in front of clinics, using their bodies to physically block patients from entering. About 1,000 people were arrested for blockading clinics through Operation Rescue on Oct. 30, 1988. Evangelical and Catholic groups working together, such as the Pro-Life Action League, still use these same tactics today. FACE Act to protect clinics The FACE Act protects clinics from being physically threatened, blockaded or damaged. It also protects patients going into clinics from being physically or verbally harassed. Before the FACE act, protests frequently turned violent. In March 1993, David Gunn, an abortion provider and clinic director, was shot and killed by an abortion opponent outside a clinic in Pensacola, Florida, as he was walking in to work. Since 1993, at least 11 people have been killed in abortion clinic attacks in cities across the country, including Buffalo, Birmingham, Wichita and Boston. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FACE Act was one of the first laws to physically protect reproductive health clinics. Several state and local laws created buffer zones around clinics, which were upheld by the Supreme Court decision Hill v. Colorado of 2000. This case upheld a Colorado law that prohibits individuals from approaching a patient within 8 feet of a health care clinic to protest or distribute educational materials. However, only three states and five municipalities have successfully passed buffer laws so far. There continues to be pushback. In February 2025, the Supreme Court refused to hear arguments challenging existing local buffer laws. However, many anti-abortion advocates continue to bring related cases, citing their rights to protest under the First Amendment. Tactics of protests A key aspect of these protests is the concept of public witness. Public witnessing draws from the evangelical belief of witnessing testifying about Gods message to save peoples souls. Protesters outside clinics believe they are sharing Gods truth through acts of disobedience, including singing, praying and reciting scripture loudly during clinic hours. Contemporary activists in the anti-abortion movement call these tactics sidewalk counseling, believing they are counseling patients walking into reproductive health care clinics about the dangers of abortion while standing on the sidewalk in front of the clinic. These activists tell patients that abortion causes infertility, mental health disorders and cancer claims that have been medically debunked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Today, anti-abortion activists often congregate outside clinics on days they know a doctor will be on site to provide abortion care. Ive interviewed many of these protesters, some of whom scream and cry as they lay prostrate on the sidewalk; they blast Christian music to distract and disorient patients seeking medical care. Protesters sometimes also use violent tactics near the clinic. In 2012, protesters set fire to a Planned Parenthood clinic in Wisconsin; in 2020, they threw a Molotov cocktail at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Florida; and in 2022, they attached locks to the gate of a New York clinic and poured glue to seal it. What happens if the FACE Act goes away? People attend the annual March for Life rally on the National Mall on Jan. 24, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Kent Nishimura/Getty Images At the annual March for Life national anti-abortion demonstration on Jan. 24, 2025, one of the major celebrations was Trumps pardon of anti-abortion extremists. There was also a call to repeal the act that imprisoned them in the first place and a bill introduced in Congress that would repeal prohibitions related to the FACE Act. If the FACE Act is repealed, I argue that this will empower anti-abortion advocates to continue clinic blockades and other direct actions that will prevent patients from seeking reproductive health care. 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: Micki Burdick, University of Delaware Read more: Micki Burdick 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. This week marks five years since March 13, 2020, the day President Donald Trump declared a national state of emergency over the novel coronavirus outbreak. The White House issued the President's Coronavirus Guidelines for America three days later. Among other things, the guidelines advised Americans to avoid bars, restaurants, shopping trips, and social visits. They also said that governors in states with evidence of community transmission should close schools, bars, restaurants, food courts, gyms, and other indoor and outdoor venues. Sticking to peer-reviewed science, and setting aside the political question of what the government should do with the information, what do we know now about the ways people tried to protect themselves from the virus? Over the next few days we'll look at several measuresivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, the vaccinesas well as the matter of how many Americans died of COVID infections. Today we'll tackle face coverings. Early in the pandemic, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases chief Anthony Fauci notoriously announced on 60 Minutes that Americans "should not be walking around with masks." This was a reprise of Surgeon General Jerome Adams' February 29 tweet: "Seriously people. STOP BUYING MASKS!" Adams added, "They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can't get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A little over a month later, the government did an abrupt U-turn, with Trump announcing on April 3 that the surgeon general and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were now recommending that Americans voluntarily wear cloth masks in public to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Federal officials still wanted to reserve surgical masks and N95 masks for frontline health care workers. States then began introducing requirements that individuals wear face coverings in public. By the end of the year, 39 states would adopt such measures. These contradictory signals helped politicize facial masks. The controversy was further stoked by a January 2023 Cochrane Library analysis that was widely interpreted by many, including some of my Reason colleagues, as concluding that "masks don't work." In March 2023, Cochrane's editor issued a statement. "Many commentators have claimed that a recently-updated Cochrane Review shows that 'masks don't work', which is an inaccurate and misleading interpretation," wrote Karla Soares-Weiser. "It would be accurate to say that the review examined whether interventions to promote mask wearing help to slow the spread of respiratory viruses, and that the results were inconclusive." It takes at least two sides to politicize an issue. A July 1, 2020, op-ed in The New York Times compared refusing to wear a mask to "driving drunk" and the San Francisco Examiner on July 15, 2020, asserted "not wearing a mask makes you selfish, not an independent thinker." Mask skeptics were denounced as "covidiots." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Five years after the COVID-19 emergency was declared, has more conclusive evidence emerged one way or the other? Masks are a big category: There are cloth masks, surgical masks, N95 respirators that block 95 percent of small particles. People use them both as source controlthat is, to reduce the spread of respiratory droplet to others when an infected person talks, sneezes or coughsand as respiratory protection for uninfected wearers. A June 2024 meta-analysis in the journal Clinical Microbiology Reviews synthesized evidence from more than 100 studies and reviews. It found that masks, "if correctly and consistently worn," are "effective in reducing transmission of respiratory diseases and show a dose-response effect." It also found that, N95 and KN95 masks were more effective than surgical or cloth masks. Using data from jurisdictions with mask mandates, the researchers concluded that "mask mandates are, overall, effective in reducing community transmission of respiratory pathogens." The efficacy of masks alone does not settle the question of mask mandates, which is far more complex. In their comprehensive 2024 report, Effectiveness of masks and respirators against respiratory infections, researchers associated with the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health reviewed 153 research articles on the effectiveness of mask use against infective agents or airborne droplets and particles. They reported that 128 of the articles they analyzed found masks to be effective. They noted that "systematic reviews of on randomized controlled trial studies in clinical or community settings demonstrated effectiveness in 10 out of 16 studies, and 20 out of 23 studies found mask mandates to be effective." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A July BMJ 2024 article reported the results of a randomized controlled trial by a team of Norwegian researchers. They assigned half of their cohort of nearly 5,000 subjects to wear three-ply surgical masks in public spacesshopping centers, streets, public transport, etc.over a 14-day period. The researchers reported that 163 participants of 2,371 assigned to wear face masks versus 239 of 2,276 of non-wearers self-reported respiratory symptoms. The researchers concluded that "the results support the claim that face masks may be an effective measure to reduce the incidence of self-reported respiratory symptoms consistent with respiratory tract infections, but the effect size was moderate." In February 2025, the BMJ published a review evaluating the role of masks and respirators in preventing respiratory infections in health care and community settings. The British team noted the difficulty of evaluating studies conducted in the midst of an ongoing epidemic, but it concluded that "there is ample evidence on the effectiveness of masks and respirators in community and healthcare settings to inform consistent policy." It also concluded found that community mask use is effective during periods of increased transmission. The Finnish report noted that several early randomized controlled trials did not find community masking to be effective at preventing respiratory illnesses. In a March 2024 article in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, two researchers at Columbia University probed the discrepancy between mask efficacy as measured by laboratory experiments versus randomized controlled trials out in the real world. They found that individual masking behaviorsmost specifically, disease transmission within households where masks are rarely usedlimits mask efficacy in randomized controlled trials. Nevertheless, the researchers concluded that at the individual and population levels, masking effectively reduces the risk of infection and lowers epidemic intensity. Upshot: From the perspective of five years, most research finds that facial masking is at least modestly effective for preventing and slowing down the spread of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19. The post Do Face Masks Work? appeared first on Reason.com. Now-Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, left, and Ohio Senate President Rob McColley, R-Napoleon, right. (Photo by Graham Stokes for Ohio Capital Journal. Republish photo only with original story.) Ohio Republican lawmakers continue to draft legislation restricting access to recreational marijuana, angering citizens across the political spectrum. But when one of the most powerful leaders is urging for restrictions, claiming that marijuana increases crime, viewers and readers asked us to look into it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have a running series of answering questions and concerns about weed. This story focuses mainly on the lawmakers, claims they are making, and why they are proposing changes to current policy. Earlier installments have focused on learning the basics of the law, and then how to buy it, before it was open legal sales started in August 2024. Then, we answered questions on where to partake and then employment concerns. Our most recent story dealt with the latest restrictive proposal passed by the Ohio Senate. Many of the questions and comments for this piece stemmed from Thursdays story, which was about the Ohio Houses proposal. First, lets break down the current law. If you are 21 years old or older, you can smoke, vape, and ingest marijuana. Individually, you can grow six plants, but you can grow up to 12 plants per household if you live with others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can have up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana in all forms except for concentrates, which you can only have up to 15 grams. What are the lawmakers trying to do? There are two bills being proposed by legislators Senate Bill 56 and House Bill 160. Both make dozens of changes to cannabis access, but most notably, S.B. 56 limits THC content and reduces home growing to six plants while H.B. 160 limits THC and keeps home growing the same. For deep dives into each proposal, click here for Senate version and here for House version. Why are they trying to make these changes? Although House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, was addressing a question about local governments having their fair share of the tax revenue from marijuana, he made some statements about crime that caught our interest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those local governments, by and large, are going to use the revenue to deal with the problems that are caused by more marijuana being available in the community were going to have more crime; were going to have more addiction problems, Huffman said. What are you basing that off of? we asked the speaker. Really? he responded incredulously. When this reporter nodded, he laughed and said he would give me what he thought was an equivalent. This was alcohol. The more alcohol is available, the more people drink and the more bad behavior results Thats what happens with marijuana and other substances that cause people to think poorly when they take it, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also said that it is linked to an increase in suicides if teens get access to it. I think that its pretty clear that the science shows real problems, and well have to deal with it, he added. But Case Western Reserve University Law professor Jonathan H. Adler, who also wrote Marijuana Federalism: Uncle Sam and Mary Jane, a book on the intersection of marijuana legalization, law and crime, corrected Huffman. When you look at crime statistics in jurisdictions that have taken this step, you dont see dramatic effects on crime and certainly dont see evidence of significant negative effects on crime, or increases in crime, that some people fear, Adler said. Theres evidence that suggests some sorts of crime may, in fact, decline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Legalization of adult-use cannabis appears to reduce highway fatalities, appears to reduce some types of violent crime, he continued. Even OVI incidents and enforcements in Ohio are down from 2024, before legal sales went into effect. As of March 2, there have been hundreds fewer in 2025 than this time last year, according to data from the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Dozens of studies done over decades have had differing results, which is why Adler warns about using absolutes as Huffman did. People on various sides of the debate about marijuana legalization cherry-pick the studies that support their priors, the professor continued. But when you look at the broader reviews of the literature as a whole, they dont see these big effects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One must be careful not to confuse correlation and causation, he continued. There are so many variables as to why crime may increase one year and not the next. Although he dismissed Huffmans claims about crime and addiction, he acknowledged the speakers statement that marijuana has been linked to youth suicide. The evidence that you see overall increases in suicide is still very weak, he said. There is a stigma surrounding marijuana, and for a reason, he added. Federally, its still illegal so its a crime. If someone is already breaking the law to steal, they probably wouldnt have an issue with breaking the law to smoke weed. But those crimes still arent comparable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of the negative effects that were predicted dont appear to be materializing, he said. That doesnt mean there arent negative effects, right? This isnt to say that cannabis is a wonder drug, he laughed. Positive predictions not panning out a lot of states thought the economic benefits in terms of tax revenue would be far greater than theyve turned out to be, he said. He said he thinks marijuana should be regulated like alcohol at the federal level, for sure, but that Huffman cant treat them the same when it comes to what they do to the body. There are people who will have a lot of alcohol and want to go out and do crazy things, he said. And a lot of people that will want to use marijuana just sit on their couch and watch Netflix and eat Doritos or something. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The empirical evidence does seem to confirm a bit of that stereotype, he laughed. Although he was speaking as a nonpartisan professor, Adler, who is a well-known conservative commentator, gave a final warning to the GOP leaders. There is always a risk that increasing regulation or restricting whats available to consumers will push some people into the illicit market, he said. What gives lawmakers the right to change it? Senate GOP leaders have continued to say that the voters knew they wanted legal weed but didnt know everything they were voting on. When it came to the other chamber and their more flexible version, we asked House Finance Chair Brian Stewart, R-Ashville, who is sponsoring H.B. 160, the same question. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What do you say to the voters who say this isnt what they chose and they spoke, they dont want it reduced to 70%, they dont want the taxes going to the general revenue fund, we asked him. I think that there is a core of what voters made clear that they wanted, that showed up in virtually all debate and public testimony on this, which is: We want to legalize marijuana, we want it to be taxed at 10%, we want to be able to grow it at home,' the lawmaker responded. I think that beyond that, I think theres some fine print that was less important to folks in making that determination [of] how they voted. He continued, adding that the voters put this forward as an initiated statute. Any idea that were going to pass a law, and its just the law for the end of time, and its never subject to the democratic process and revision is not realistic, right? he said. Putting something into initiated statute leaves it within the realm of the democratic process. So I think we are making very, very few changes here, and I think the folks who have contacted my office and said, Hey, we dont want certain restrictions on Issue 2 nothing in our bill here contradicts that. Are you insinuating that voters didnt read the entirety of Issue 2 and didnt know what they were voting on? we asked. I have no idea what every single voter did or didnt do, he replied. I said, I think when this is marketed as regulate marijuana like alcohol, were doing that here. You have a 10% tax rate. Its legal. You can do it at home. Were not touching any of the core parts of Issue 2. How can I contact the lawmakers? To find your districts legislators, click here. You will see a page where you can put in your address. From there, two people should pop up on the screen. If you click the icon of the lawmaker, you will be transported to their page. From there, you will see a banner with different options. Click the one that says Contact. Depending on your browser, you may need to click a More option before Contact. This article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland. Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on X and Facebook. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Claim: Elon Musk, the billionaire adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, said: The fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy. Rating: Rating: Correct Attribution Context: "I believe in empathy, like, I think you should care about other people," Musk said on Joe Rogan's podcast, "but you need to have empathy for, for civilization as a whole, and not commit to a civilizational suicide." In March 2025, social media users shared a quote about the dangers of empathy, attributing the remark to Elon Musk, the billionaire adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As quoted, Musk's alleged words in full read: "The fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy." Snopes readers wrote in and searched our website for information about the comment. Examples of the claim appeared on X (archived), Instagram (archived) and Facebook (archived). Reputable news media outlets, including CNN, and self-described "progressive news site" Daily Kos also reported that Musk expressed the sentiment. In short, the quote's attribution to Musk was correct. The billionaire said the words during a Feb. 28, 2025, episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast. During his appearance, Musk also spoke of "suicidal empathy." He credited the concept to Gad Saad, a Canadian marketing professor who has frequently posted (archived) about suicidal empathy (archived) on his social media accounts and has said (archived) he is writing a book (archived) on the topic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The relevant section of Musk and host Joe Rogan's discussion of empathy can be heard from around the 1:16:00 mark in the video embedded below. Musk said the quote in question within the context of a longer exchange on the subject, which is transcribed below (we've bolded the quote for emphasis). Musk: There's a guy who posts on X who's great, Gad Saad? Rogan: Yeah, he's a friend of mine. He's been on the podcast a bunch of times. Musk: Yeah, he's awesome, and he talks about, you know, basically suicidal empathy. Like, there's so much empathy that you actually suicide yourself. So, we've got civilizational suicidal empathy going on. And it's like, I believe in empathy, like, I think you should care about other people, but you need to have empathy for, for civilization as a whole, and not commit to a civilizational suicide. Rogan: Also don't let someone use your empathy against you so they can completely control your state and then do an insanely bad job of managing it and never get removed. Musk: The fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy. The empathy exploit. They're exploiting a bug in Western civilization, which is the empathy response. So, I think, you know, empathy is good, but you need to think it through and not just be programmed like a robot. Rogan: Right, understand when empathy has been actually used as a tool. Musk: Yes, like, it's weaponized empathy is the issue. Musk has posted numerous (archived) comments on X (archived) the social media platform he owns about Saad's concept of suicidal empathy, including one remark (archived) on Feb. 28 the same day Rogan released the podcast episode quoted above. Previously, Snopes looked into whether the tech mogul authentically reposted a meme on X that called those who benefit from U.S. federal programs the "Parasite Class." Sources: "Elon Musk Believes Empathy Is the 'Fundamental Weakness' of Western Civilization." Daily Kos, https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/3/5/2308276/-Musk-believes-empathy-is-the-fundamental-weakness-of-Western-civilization. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PerryCook, Taija. "Yes, Musk Reposted Meme Calling Americans Who Use Federal Programs the 'Parasite Class.'" Snopes, 21 Feb. 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/musk-parasite-class/. Wolf, Zachary B. "Elon Musk Wants to Save Western Civilization from Empathy | CNN Politics." CNN, 5 Mar. 2025, https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/05/politics/elon-musk-rogan-interview-empathy-doge/index.html. By Isabelle Yr Carlsson, Louise Rasmussen (Reuters) -Greenland's pro-business opposition Demokraatit party won Tuesday's parliamentary election, which was dominated by debates over self-rule and U.S. President Donald Trump's pledge to take control of the island. Greenland became a formal territory of the Kingdom of Denmark in 1953, with Copenhagen controlling foreign affairs, defence and monetary policy. The island won the right to seek full independence through a referendum in 2009, but so far has chosen not to do so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WHAT WERE THE RESULTS? Out of Greenland's 57,000 citizens, around 40,500 were eligible to vote. Just over 28,600 cast their vote. There are 31 seats in Greenland's parliament, Inatsisartut, and 16 seats are needed for a majority. Five out of the six parties that ran got seats. The social liberal, pro-business party, Demokraatit, secured 29.9% of the votes, up from 9.1% in 2021, ahead of the opposition Naleraq party, which favours rapid independence, and which received 24.5% of votes. Demokraatit Demokraatit envisions gradual independence from Denmark, but it cautions against premature action to safeguard the people and economy from a potential decline in living standards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The party wants an independent Greenland with a free market economy. Demokraatit will now have ten seats in parliament, whereas it had three prior to the election. Party leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, received the most personal votes with 4,850 votes. Naleraq Left-wing Naleraq, which strongly advocates for a swift transition to full independence, became the second-largest party in Tuesday's election. Naleraq has said that becoming a sovereign state will spur new business opportunities for Greenland and wants to develop opportunities for industries such as fishing, which accounts for more than 95% of exports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It has also said it wants to pursue a defence agreement with the United States and could choose a so-called "free association", under which Greenland would receive U.S. support and protection in return for military rights, without becoming a U.S. territory. It could also consider such an option with Denmark, or another country. Naleraq will have eight seats in parliament. It won four seats in the 2021 election and added a further when a lawmaker joined from IA. In 2025, Naleraq excluded the lawmaker, who went on to become a non-aligned member of parliament. Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA) Left-leaning socialist IA, Greenland's ruling party prior to the election and led by current Prime Minister Mute Egede, advocates for an economically and politically independent Greenland, but has not yet proposed a plan to achieve this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement IA opposes mining for uranium and other radioactive materials due to risks to the environment. The party held 11 seats in parliament prior to the election and received more than 15% fewer votes compared to the 2021 election. IA will now have seven mandates. IA has said it does not wish to rush an independence vote through, cautioning about possible economic and welfare implications. Siumut Social democratic Siumut, led by Erik Jensen, supports a gradual succession from Denmark. It has previously suggested holding a referendum in the coming four years, but has recently backtracked on this. The party proposes reducing the economic contribution of about $17,500 per inhabitant the island receives yearly from Denmark over the next 15 years as Greenland moves towards full independence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Siumut, which was part of the previous ruling coalition with IA, won four seats in Greenland's parliament. It previously had 10 mandates. Atassut The centre-right conservative party Atassut, led by Aqqalu Jerimiassen, will maintain its two parliamentary representatives following the election. The party advocates for unity with the Danish realm and opposes a transition to independence without a clear plan and has said it thinks Greenland is not yet ready for independence. ($1 = 0.9208 euros) (Reporting by Isabelle Yr Carlsson and Louise Ramussen; Editing by Sharon Singleton) By Bo Erickson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Republicans who control the U.S. House of Representatives plan to vote on Tuesday on a six-month stopgap funding bill to fund the government through September 30, when the current 2025 fiscal year ends. They have until midnight ET on Friday (0400 GMT on Saturday) to avert a partial government shutdown. Here's a look at what's in the bill, which President Donald Trump has urged his Republican colleagues to support: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CONTINUING RESOLUTION The stopgap funding bill is called a "continuing resolution" - or CR - as it extends government funding previously approved by Congress. The 99-page bill mostly extends fiscal 2024 spending but, say Republicans, cuts spending overall. This is the workaround process to keep the government open so long as Congress fails to pass the 12 appropriations bills across the federal government. None of the 12 have been individually approved since FY2006, according to the Congressional Research Service. WHAT'S IN THE BILL? The House Republican bill on the table reduces spending by about $7 billion from fiscal 2024 levels, Republican House leadership aides said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To do this, about $13 billion in non-defense discretionary spending is cut across the federal departments while defense spending is increased by about $6 billion. The uptick in defense spending includes an already-passed pay increase for junior members of the military, as well as additional funding for warship building and other equipment. DOGE CUTS NEXT YEAR? The stopgap funding bill does not include proposed cuts to the federal government by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. House Speaker Mike Johnson has said Republicans will work to incorporate those DOGE cuts in the FY2026 appropriation process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NO MANDATORY SPENDING INVOLVED This government funding process only involves discretionary spending, which is about one-third of the more than $6.75 trillion annual federal budget. Mandatory spending for the Social Security retirement program and Medicare and Medicaid, the government healthcare programs, is not included in the CR. These mandatory programs are the largest costs for the government and represent 40% of the increased spending in the past fiscal year, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center's Deficit Tracker, adding to the country's deficit. It also does not cover the cost of interest payments on the federal government's more than $36 trillion in debt, which cost more than $1 trillion last year. (This story has been corrected to fix the funding end data in paragraph 1) (Reporting by Bo Erickson; Editing by Scott Malone and Howard Goller) BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. During a hearing at the Baku Military Court, Armenian defendant Arkadi Ghukasyan responded to questions from state prosecutors, Trend reports. When asked about his belief in the ideology of "Greater Armenia," Ghukasyan dismissed it as a fairy tale. I stopped believing in fairy tales a long time ago. The idea of 'Greater Armenia' is a fairy tale. I live in reality and have never taken it seriously, he stated. The trial continues against Armenian citizens charged with war crimes, genocide, violations of international humanitarian law, terrorism, and the illegal use of force during Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan. DENVER (KDVR) The Jefferson County Sheriffs Office is looking for whoever hung up a fraudulent flyer announcing random genital inspections at public restrooms. The flyer was signed as the Jefferson County Sheriffs Department, which is not the offices real name, but also included the agencys logo. Polis, Boebert call for free speech after letter threatens family with MAGA flag in front yard Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In compliance with recent Executive Orders, the Jefferson County Sheriffs Department will be conducting random genital inspections at all public restrooms beginning April 21, 2025, the flyer stated. This flyer, which is not true, was reportedly posted at one or more public restrooms in Jefferson County parks. (Courtesy the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office) Its unclear which, if any, executive orders were being referenced in the flyer. President Donald Trump has signed several executive orders aimed at transgender and nonbinary people, including restrictions on federal gender markers (such as on passports) to require the document reflect their sex assigned at birth; banning transgender military service members and mandating that there are two sexes. The agency was not taking it as a laughing matter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although the insinuation is absolutely absurd, the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office believes it is important to clarify that our agency would never be involved in anything of this sort, the agency said on X. The Sheriffs Office will not tolerate anyone misrepresenting our agency, or misuse of our logo in such a manner. The agency said that it would be working to identify those responsible for the alarming flyer, and said appropriate charges could be pursued. Anyone with information is asked to contact the sheriffs office tipline at 303-271-5612 and tipsters can remain anonymous. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. By Alasdair Pal SYDNEY (Reuters) - A fake plan to attack on a Sydney synagogue using a caravan of explosives was fabricated by an organised crime network in order to divert police resources, Australian police said on Monday. Authorities in January found explosives in a caravan, or trailer, that could have created a blast wave of 40 metres (130 feet), along with the address of a Sydney synagogue. But police on Monday said the discovery was part of a "criminal con job", with the ease with which the caravan was found along with the lack of a detonator suggesting there was never any intent to attack Jewish targets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The caravan was never going to cause a mass casualty event but instead was concocted by criminals who wanted to cause fear for personal benefit," Krissy Barrett, the Australian Federal Police's Deputy Commissioner for National Security, told a news conference. "Almost immediately, experienced investigators... believed that the caravan was part of a fabricated terrorism plot essentially a criminal con job." Police are yet to make any arrests in relation to the planning of the fabricated plot, but have gone public with the information in order to provide comfort to the Jewish community in Sydney, Dave Hudson, New South Wales Police Deputy Commissioner, told the news conference. "It was about causing chaos within the community, causing threat, causing angst, diverting police resources away from their day jobs, to have them focus on matters that would allow them to get up to or engage in other criminal activity," Hudson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police are investigating a suspect involved in an organised crime network, he added. Australia has suffered a spate of antisemitic attacks in recent months, with homes, schools, synagogues and vehicles targeted by vandalism and arson, drawing the ire of the country's traditional ally Israel. (Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Michael Perry) Goose Creek Correctional Center is seen in fall. (Photo courtesy of Alaska Department of Corrections) The family of Lewis Jordan Jr. and the American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska filed a wrongful death lawsuit this week against the Alaska Department of Corrections and several staff. The lawsuit filed on Tuesday charges that antibiotics and medical care for an acute ear infection would have saved the life of the 53-year-old Jordan, while incarcerated in Goose Creek Correctional Center in Wasilla in March 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit alleges that corrections staff displayed deliberate indifference, repeatedly ignoring Jordans pleas for medical treatment, leaving him in extreme pain with flu-like systems for several days. His condition progressed into a fatal case of bacterial meningitis he was hospitalized, in a coma for several weeks, until his family removed him from life support, according to the lawsuit. The family said Jordan was otherwise in good health. A spokesperson with the Department of Corrections declined to comment, and said the states attorney will respond in court. The lawsuit is filed in federal court by the estate and family members of Jordan, represented by the ACLU of Alaska and Colorado-based attorney Zachary Warren. He was a son, a sibling and a cherished member of his family, and he unfortunately got tied up in the criminal legal system, said Megan Edge, director of the ACLU of Alaskas Prison Project, in an interview Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When he was returned to custody, it was for a traffic infraction, and they revoked his parole, she said. And thats such a ridiculous thing to have to die for. His family is absolutely devastated. The family is seeking justice for his death, including compensatory and punitive damages, as well as raising awareness around systemwide concerns with DOC policies and treatment of inmates, Edge said. Edge emphasized people in prison are at the whim of corrections staff in accessing medical treatment. Although Jordan repeatedly submitted requests to visit the medical unit and receive evaluation and treatment, he was never permitted the opportunity to see a medical provider, according to the lawsuit, which charges staff with a pattern of gate-keeping medical care. Oftentimes what we see is this distrust from staff to inmates when incarcerated people ask for help, Edge said. But having an ear infection is so common, it is something that we know how to treat. But incarcerated people dont have power over their medical care, and so they are at the mercy of this massive system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit said other detainees pleaded for him to get care, and were also ignored by staff. For days, he became visibly weaker, sicker, and unable to even get out of bed. When he was found unresponsive in his cell, prison staff instead fixated on the unsupported idea that Jordan was experiencing an overdose, administering Narcan, according to the suit. That caused him not to receive the proper diagnostic treatments in the following hours. DOC staff placed Jordan in shackles and a spit hood, despite being unconscious, according to the lawsuit, and transported him to the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. Absolutely dehumanizing, Edge said of the DOC practice of using the restraint device on unconscious people. Unfortunately, this is something that we see. He is not the only person who has passed (in-custody), and who has been transported to the hospital while they are unconscious and shackled and with a spit hood. Its so inhumane and disturbing to visualize. Additionally, staffs incorrect identification of an overdose severely delayed proper care at the hospital, the lawsuit charges. The severe progression of meningitis led to medical staff to place him in a medically induced coma, with no recovery. His death was entirely preventable, the lawsuit charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the several weeks Jordan was in a coma, he was paroled from DOC, which the lawsuit alleges uses this power to shield from scrutiny for deaths that are a result of its inadequate medical care. He was paroled while he was unconscious. I have a hard time wrapping my head around that, because its so hard for people in the state of Alaska to get parole, and especially after a technical violation, but even more so, like, without applying for it. So, you know, we do have questions there, Edge said. What we would like to see is the department taking responsibility for the death of people, even if theyre in a hospital bed, even if theyre a month later because theyve been on a ventilator for a month, but if they die because of what happened while they were in the care of the Department of Corrections, the Department of Corrections should absolutely be taking responsibility for their death. The lawsuit cites the deaths in outside hospitals that DOC similarly attributed as not being in-custody deaths, including Jimmie Singree and Angelena McCord in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since 2022, at least 42 people have died while incarcerated in DOC custody, with at least nine identified as suicides, according to the department. So far this year, there have been two deaths the most recent was announced on Tuesday as Reginald Eugene Childers, Jr. who was being held pretrial at the Anchorage Correctional Complex. Our interest is ultimately reducing deaths in-custody, Edge said. And the only way to be able to problem-solve that, is to have an accurate picture of what actually happened. Where are the gaps in care, where are the issues? And then how can we all work together to solve those? Because, like I said, those are valuable people in our community. Theyre someone to someone. Edge emphasized the need for further transparency and likely policy changes around the quality of medical care, particularly detox protocols, as well as changes to allow those with serious medical issues to be paroled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We do have those mechanisms, but because of how those are designed, theyre very inaccessible to people, she said. So there are people who are very sick, who are trying really hard to come home, but their discretionary parole is denied for arbitrary reasons, or they dont know that they can apply for geriatric or medical parole. So I think, like we do have some of the systems, but they need improvements, and theyre totally achievable. This is the third wrongful death lawsuit filed against the Department of Corrections since 2023. The civil rights group is seeking restitution and damages for the families of James Rider and Mark Cook Jr., who died in pretrial custody, without being convicted of a crime. The Department of Law did not return requests for comment about the status of those lawsuits. Many of the people that we have seen die are pretrial defendants who are accused of low-level crimes, Edge said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alaska does not have the death sentence, but by sending people to our jails and prisons, were sending them to a really dangerous place where death is totally possible for things that are entirely out of control, she said. Overcrowding, staffing shortages, limited access to medical care, and, like, all of that becomes sort of a dangerous cocktail for people that are stuck there. And they have no ability to advocate for themselves for the conditions that they live in. Correction: This article has been updated to reflect the fact that the ACLU is not suing in all three wrongful death lawsuits filed since 2023. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX During this session of the Tennessee General Assembly, lawmakers prioritize addressing a reality that is often overlooked: most Tennesseans are or will be family caregivers at some point in our lives. We may care for children, an adult relative with a disability, or an aging parent, and often we may be sandwich caregivers - caring for children and aging parents at the same time. Caregiving is often unseen and unappreciated, but vital to our communities and economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For too long, we have ignored the financial and emotional toll on those who step up to care for ill or disabled loved ones. This challenge is especially pressing in Tennessee, ranked one of the worst states in the nation by AARP for family caregiving support. About 80% of long-term care at home is provided by family caregivers, and the majority (61%) of caregivers are employed, many working full-time. Caregivers are sharing heartbreaking stories of economic pain In Tennessee, family caregivers provide $12.3 billion in unpaid labor each year. Tennessees nearly one million family caregivers face an impossible choice between maintaining a paycheck and keeping a loved one healthy and safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its time we change that by ensuring that Tennesseans have access to paid leave to care for a family member with serious health issues. The challenges of caregiving without paid leave are deeply personal and all too common for the families our organizations serve. For example, the Tennessee Caregiver Coalition hears from caregivers every day about the heartbreaking choices they face without access to paid leave. One caregiver shared how, after her father suffered a debilitating stroke, she had to exhaust her vacation days and eventually quit her job to care for him, leaving her family struggling to stay afloat financially. Opinion: How to protect elders from scams and financial exploitation Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another caregiver told of missing critical medical appointments for her young child with a rare disability because taking time off without pay meant falling behind on bills. These stories highlight the impossible choices Tennessee families face when trying to balance work and caregiving responsibilities. Paid leave would help caregivers mental and emotional health A robust paid leave policy would keep Tennesseans in the workforce, stabilize families, and strengthen our economy. Right now, many caregivers especially women are forced to quit their jobs or reduce their hours to care for a family member. Paid leave would allow family caregivers to stay employed while fulfilling their caregiving duties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Research shows that access to paid leave also improves caregivers mental and emotional health, empowering them to provide the best care possible without sacrificing their own well-being and financial security. According to the Bipartisan Policy Center, over 70% of people not currently working or seeking work cite personal health or family caregiving as the main reason, and for these individuals, paid leave is nearly as important as compensation when deciding whether to return to the workforce. Expanded paid leave is an economic security imperative As the aging population grows, so will the need for family caregivers whose work takes the burden off the formal caregiving system. Tennessee can boost our economy by fostering caregiver-friendly workplaces, recognizing that eldercare is as important as childcare, and offering paid leave to help employees navigate family caregiving. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Research shows that paid leave boosts employee recruitment, retention, productivity, and morale. As our population ages and health needs increase, so too should our willingness to support the people who carry the heaviest burdens: Tennessee families. At some point in life, most of us will either provide care or need it ourselves, which means everyone has a stake in improving Tennessees low ranking for family caregiver support. By expanding access to paid family leave, Tennessee has an opportunity to provide family caregivers with much-needed economic security while building a healthier, more prosperous state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mia McNeil is state director of AARP Tennessee. Dr. Megan Schwalm is executive director of Tennessee Caregiver Coalition. Grace Smith is executive director of AgeWell Middle Tennessee. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee family caregivers deserve expanded paid leave | Opinion OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) This week, the Carpenter family was moving to Oklahoma City to begin a new life, but were struck by tragedy on their way. Carpenter family. Courtesy MollieMae Carpenter MollieMae Carpenter says she witnessed her family rolling and crashing and thought they were deceased. The horrific crash has changed their lives forever. It gave us a new appreciation of life, Carpenter said. Para climber reaches new heights after injury, wants others to join her Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MollieMae, her husband, and their three kids were making the 22-hour drive from Idaho to Oklahoma City. Carpenter said, My sister reached out, and we told her we were looking for community and just would like to, you know, try a new season, a new place, and she said, Oklahoma is amazing for that. While on the highway in Idaho, a semitruck struck their trailer from behind. Remains of the trailer. Courtesy MollieMae Carpenter I was ahead of my family in our minivan, so I got to see all that from behind me, which was really hard, Carpenter said. When MollieMae got out of their minivan, a nearby driver told her their RV trailer had exploded. She described being in shock and paralyzed thinking about possibly picking up the bodies of her kids. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All three of her kids and her husband survived the crash, walking away with only bruises. Carpenter family. Courtesy MollieMae Carpenter The EMTs were amazed that our children were alive, Carpenter said. Their family lost everything they were moving with, including their two pets, but Carpenter said a miracle kept her husband and babies alive. The most high, the most high of heaven on earth, for sure. Our faith is what drives us. And we try to shine a light everywhere we go and just give him all the praise, Carpenter said. Theyre now focused on rebuilding and resting. Carpenter said the open arms from Oklahomans near and far is whats keeping them going. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carpenter said, Were a strong family unit, but its really cool to feel family outside of your family. If youd like to donate and help the Carpenter family, 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 KFOR.com Oklahoma City. The father of a 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki, who went missing in the popular Dominican Republic tourist town of Punta Cana while on spring break with friends, said he has asked authorities to widen their investigation. >>>Related coverage: Young man last seen with missing Pitt student questioned by authorities, NBC News reports Konanki was last seen before dawn on March 6 at a beach near the resort where she was staying, according to Civil Defense officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its four days, and if she was in water, she would likely have been strewn to shore, her father Subbarayudu Konanki told WTOP-FM. Shes not found, so were asking them to investigate multiple options, like kidnapping or abduction. Authorities were using drones, helicopters and detection dogs on Monday to scour the waters off the islands east coast where she was supposedly last seen, Jensen Sanchez, a Civil Defense spokesman, told The Associated Press. The search is underway at sea because its presumed she drowned. According to the boy who was with her, the waves swept her away, but that is under police investigation, he said. He noted it can take more than a week for a body to surface in warm waters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When her family learned of her disappearance, Subbarayudu Konanki and his wife Sreedevi flew to Punta Cana with two family friends. He and a family friend filed a record of complaint Sunday, asking authorities to widen the investigation. The complaint notes that the students belongings, including her phone and wallet, were left with her friends, which is unusual because she always carried her phone with her. In light of these circumstances, I respectfully request that the authorities take immediate steps to investigate not only the possibility of an accidental drowning, but also the possibility of a kidnapping or foul play, he wrote, according to WTOP-FM. Sudiksha Konanki, a citizen of India, is a U.S. permanent resident from Chantilly, Virginia, according to the Loudoun County Sheriffs Office, which is working with federal officials and university police in support of the Dominican National Police investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement University of Pittsburgh officials are in contact with the family and authorities in Virginia, and have offered their support in the efforts to find the missing student and bring her home safely, the school said in a statement. Konanki and five other female university students traveled to the Dominican Republic on March 3, according to her dad. She wanted to have a nice break with her friends in Punta Cana, he said. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. During a hearing at the Baku Military Court, defendant Arkadi Ghukasyan, while answering questions from state prosecutors, also commented on the former President of Armenia, Robert Kocharian, Trend reports. Ghukasyan recalled that Arkady Manvelovich Manucharov was the main speaker at the rallies held in Karabakh in 1988. He added, I dont remember Robert Kocharian's speeches. Since we studied in Russian, he, like me, had problems with literary Armenian. It is possible that he was one of the organizers of the rally, as he was a member of the Krung organization. The trial continues against Armenian citizens charged with war crimes, genocide, violations of international humanitarian law, terrorism, and the illegal use of force during Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan. International students at Columbia University said they were afraid to leave their dormitories after immigration authorities arrested a Palestinian graduate student for his involvement in protests against the Gaza war. Agents with the Department of Homeland Security detained Mahmoud Khalil, who graduated in December from the universitys School of International and Public Affairs, at his university-owned residence on Saturday evening. Khalil has not been charged with any crime, but President Donald Trump said that his presence in the U.S. was contrary to national and foreign policy interests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal immigration authorities also reportedly visited another international student at the university over the weekend and attempted to take her into custody, but were denied entry to her apartment. Given the magnitude of statements made by the president and his administration, I feel I am not safe knowing theyre around campus, one international student told The Independent. Ive heard and read a lot about indiscriminate arrests of people post 9/11 so I am afraid they may do the same thing, especially after saying Mahmouds arrest is not the first nor the last, they added. Internal message boards were flooded with posts from international Columbia students on Monday expressing fears over further arrests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ava Lyon-Sereno, a third-year Columbia student who was involved in the anti-Gaza war protests at Columbia last summer, said the mood on campus was tense and fearful. Pro-Palestinian demonstrator Mahmoud Khalil, second from left, debates with a pro-Israel demonstrator during a protest at Columbia University on Oct. 12, 2023 (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, File) International students that havent been involved in protests at all are scared and anxious, and the university isnt taking any sort of hard stance about not cooperating with ICE, she told The Independent, referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. People are really afraid that the university wont protect them, especially when you consider how much weaker their response to the Trump administration and ICE is now versus compared to the last time he was president, she added. Other students expressed anger at the university for failing to protect their peers from immigration authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Khalils arrest comes just days after Columbia issued new rules for how students and school staff should respond to ICE agents trying to access university property. On Thursday, the school issued a memo that said ICE agents should be allowed to enter university property without a warrant in exigent circumstances, without elaborating. We feel that the university is not keeping us safe. The campus is no longer just hostile, its escalated to one thats not conducive to learning, said Bonnie, a Columbia student who gave only her first name, because she feared repercussions. Bonnie noted that over 50 percent of students at Columbias School of International and Public Affairs, where Khalil studied, are from other countries. So you have international students wondering, can I come to school? Can I leave my apartment complex? There is fear even about coming to class, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carly, another student who gave only her first name, said international students were already feeling unsafe before this arrest. This incident was essentially the icing on the cake of this university blatantly disregarding international students, she charged. I think its very important to acknowledge that Mahmouds detainment happened on university property. This was in graduate student housing, so its impossible to claim Columbia University had no hand in it, she added. Columbia University did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The arrest is the first publicly known effort by Donald Trumps administration to deport an international student for taking part in protests against the Gaza war, a promise he made during his campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It comes just days after the Trump administration said it had canceled some $400 million in federal funding and grants awarded to Columbia University due to antisemitic harassment on and near the campus. President Trump celebrated the arrest in a social media post on Monday. This is the first arrest of many to come, he wrote on Truth Social. We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it. We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country never to return again, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration has provided no evidence that Khalil supported Hamas or engaged in antisemitism. Some 48 hours after his arrest, neither the Trump administration or the DHS have revealed the law under which Khalil was arrested. Khalil is a permanent legal resident and his wife, who is eight months pregnant, is a U.S. citizen. DHS said he had been arrested because he had led activities aligned to Hamas, without elaborating. Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared a news report of Khalil's arrest on social media on Sunday, adding the comment: We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported. The New York Civil Liberties Union called the arrest a frightening escalation of Trumps crackdown on pro-Palestine speech, and an aggressive abuse of immigration law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also spoke out against the move. If the federal government can disappear a legal US permanent resident without reason or warrant, then they can disappear US citizens too, she wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Anyone - left, right, or center - who has highlighted the importance of constitutional rights + free speech should be sounding the alarm now. Columbia Universitys interim president, Katrina Armstrong, said in a statement released on Monday that it remains the long-standing practice of the University, and the practice of cities and institutions throughout the country, that law enforcement must have a judicial warrant to enter non-public University areas, including residential University buildings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will follow the law, as has always been the case, and rumors suggesting that any member of Columbia leadership requested the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on or near campus are false, she added in the statement. People listen to a speaker at a pro-Palestinian encampment calling for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza, inside the campus of Columbia University, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki, File) Khalil was a key figure in the protests that broke out at Columbia in response to Israels war in Gaza, which spread to other university campuses across the country. Students set up a tent encampment on the campus lawn for two weeks and occupied an academic building for several hours before Columbia called in police to remove them. Khalil acted as a negotiator for the occupying students, but did not enter the building himself. The protesters called for Columbia to end investments in weapons manufacturers and companies that support Israel's government and military in response to the devastating war in the Gaza Strip, sparked by a surprise Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gazas health ministry says it has confirmed more than 48,000 Palestinians have been killed, but the true number of dead is believed to be much higher as bodies are left undiscovered underneath the rubble. Some Jewish and Israeli students said they felt intimidated by the protests last summer, while Trump and Republicans have called for stronger action to stop them. Upon taking office for his second term, Trump signed an executive order that promised to use all available and appropriate legal tools, to prosecute, remove, or otherwise hold to account the perpetrators of unlawful anti-Semitic harassment and violence. Lyon-Sereno, who is Jewish, said the arrest has troubling implications for free speech. The situation with Mahmoud is so terrifying because it shows the DHS and ICE are willing to take whatever extralegal steps they want to and retroactively approve them to stamp out dissent, she said. If they can essentially kidnap a legal resident, where does it stop? The Trump administration has repeatedly said it wants to deport as many people as possible. What that means for the estimated 8.3 million unauthorized immigrants in the American workforce is unclear. It is also unclear whether those mass deportations will happen. The deportations recorded so far arent on track to meet Trumps goal. And the economic reality is that deporting huge numbers of immigrants could cause severe labor shortages. As many as 1 in 20 U.S. workers are unauthorized immigrants. If they all were forced to leave or were too scared to show up to work, it could harm the economy. In some cases, the labor rights of unauthorized workers could be another obstacle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am a professor who has spent more than two decades researching immigrant labor organizing. In Scaling Migrant Worker Rights, a book I co-authored with sociologist Shannon Gleeson, we explained that unauthorized workers in the U.S. have labor rights and how those workers can defend them. While challenging, in some cases, labor laws have protected some unauthorized immigrants from deportation, at least temporarily. Legal protections Federal and state laws guarantee some basic protections for all workers, regardless of their immigration status. That includes the right to have a safe workplace and to earn the prevailing minimum wage where theyre employed, as well as overtime pay. Workers can report labor violations to the government, even if they are foreign-born and lack the legal authorization to work in the U.S. Its illegal for employers to retaliate for labor organizing at the workplace or for reporting minimum wage or overtime violations, unsafe working conditions, sexual harassment or racial discrimination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To be sure, ensuring that these rights are respected is hard for workers who fear deportation especially during an extremely anti-immigrant administration like the one Trump leads. And unauthorized workers dont have all the labor rights of citizens and permanent residents. For example, if an unauthorized worker is illegally fired for trying to form a union, they arent entitled to back pay or reinstatement as a citizen or an immigrant who has obtained the requisite authorization to work in the U.S. would be. This limitation essentially renders the right to organize a union meaningless for unauthorized immigrants if their employers retaliate. Obstacles and intimidation Enforcing immigrants rights is, of course, hard to do. Many immigrants dont speak English well. They may distrust the government. They could have trouble affording a lawyer or finding one who will represent them for free when faced with a labor law violation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Labor standards enforcement for unauthorized workers relies heavily on worker complaints, placing the burden on victims to speak out and submit a claim when faced with a violation. But they find it difficult to navigate through many layers of bureaucracy to file complaints with the proper authorities. Many undocumented workers also face intimidation from their employers, who might threaten to report them to immigration authorities if they complain to the Labor Department about unfair treatment or unsafe working conditions. This fear of deportation keeps many vulnerable workers silent about their exploitation. With only 650 investigators on staff at the Department of Labor in charge of enforcing minimum wage, overtime and child labor laws as of late 2024 enforcement is mostly reactive. Only 1% of all farm employers were investigated annually even before the second Trump administration began. Those numbers could climb if the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, or ICE, were to resume the large-scale enforcement raids the Biden administration halted in 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Previously, ICE had visited meatpacking plants and other employers from Texas to Tennessee that rely heavily on immigrant labor, in order to verify employment authorization documents. The authorities detain workers without valid papers, possibly deporting them. Their employers may face criminal fines and penalties and be ordered to stop hiring unauthorized immigrant workers. By early March 2025, the second Trump administration has not raided any large businesses. Instead, it has emphasized traffic stops and visits to small employers in communities with large numbers of unauthorized immigrants. But many big employers and communities are bracing for a wave of those operations. Wage theft and contributions to fund benefits they cant get Working conditions for immigrants without authorization were already difficult before Trump took office for a second time. Partly due to fear that their employers will report them to federal immigration enforcement authorities if they speak up, many of them experience wage theft, meaning that they dont get all of their pay and benefits, or their compensation falls below the minimum wage where they reside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite their typically low earnings, immigrants living without authorization who are employed in the U.S. pay more than $96 billion in federal, state and local taxes per year. They also contribute to the Social Security system even though they cant access these benefits when they retire, which the Internal Revenue Service requires of employers. Deferred Action for Labor Enforcement program Yet, over the years, many undocumented workers have come forward to defend their labor rights with the support of worker centers, labor unions, migrant-led organizations and consulates from their countries of origin. Decades of increasingly visible grassroots advocacy for immigrant workers without authorization paid off in January 2023, when the Department of Homeland Security launched the Deferred Action for Labor Enforcement program. Known as DALE, it protects immigrant workers from exploitation and encourage reporting labor violations without fear of immigration consequences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This government program provides temporary deportation protections and work permits to eligible workers, with over 7,700 work permits issued by October of 2024. The DALE program has encouraged many workers to come forward and report labor violations without fear of retaliation for speaking up, thus increasing minimum labor protections for all workers at thousands of workplaces. DALEs fate, however, is unclear now with Trump back in the White House. Xochitl Bada 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. Cuts in federal funding continue to affect programs nationwide, including ones in the Quad Cities. River Bend Food Bank lost funding for its Local Food Purchase Assistance Program and Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program. Chris Ford, president of River Bend Food Bank spoke with Our Quad Cities News via Zoom to discuss the loss of funding and the impact it will have in the Quad Cities. We just actually lost funding from Iowa and Illinois, funding that was given to us via the states, but the states received it from the federal government. That funding was cut, and its disappointing. Its certainly a time right now where theres high demand for our guests and for people that are food insecure in our service area, but I think more importantly, the LFPA program (also known as Illinois Eats) really did a few different things. Number one, it provided us an opportunity to form relationships with local farmers that we had not have had before, and it also allowed us to buy their products at fair market value and redistribute those into the communities in the surrounding areas. So, it truly was a local program. He said as far as they know, the program is over and theyre waiting to see what other changes may be coming at the state and federal levels. The food bank was told that any funds spent after January 19 were not eligible, but they had already spent the majority of the funds they were awarded before that date. We were in fairly good shape for this year. It was a multi-year agreement in both states, so we got what we got this year, and, from what we understand, the program will no longer exist. Ford says the programs benefitted both farmers and food pantry clients. I think it was a great opportunity for both of us. It was a revenue stream for them, and it was a new stream of food that weve never had access to before. It was really a win/win situation. There were certainly conversations, and there still are conversations about, is it possible to continue to build on those relationships? I cant emphasize the demand that we are seeing right now is significant. Even to lose a local project like this, it really takes its toll on our organization. We have developed a few relationships through the program already. We utilize it (the relationships) for maybe the last two years in Iowa, but it had really just gotten off the ground in Illinois. So, in terms of relationships, we were just starting to build relationships with Illinois farmers. Could we work a program outside of a state or federal program with those relationships? That is certainly a possibility. Ford says theyre still figuring out the next steps. We are advocating both at the state and federal level, in hopes of letting legislators know how important this program was. We are strategizing, kind of behind the scenes, that if this doesnt come back, or it doesnt reappear in some other form, what are the other opportunities that we could utilize? What people need to understand is this is local farmers in local communities in both Iowa and Illinois. What better way to share their production is to have it purchased and given to people who are hungry in their own communities and surrounding areas. It was such a nice package, this worked out so well from so many different angles. He says concerned residents can contact their legislators to ask them to support these programs. The River Bend Food Bank is in southwest Davenport. He says River Bend is also watching developments on charges to SNAP funding because it will lead to increased demand for food pantries. When you cut the SNAP budget, youre also hurting the economy. For every $1 thats spent in SNAP, it generates $1.80 into the local economy, and youre feeding people who are food insecure. That is the best vehicle we have as a country to feed people. I dont think its hard to imagine that as those people lose SNAP dollars, theyre going to rely on food banks and food pantries across the United States to replace that lost food. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new administration has also put a hold on some of our government funding for food that comes through the Farm Bill. We call that the Emergency Food Assistance Program and theres part of that is discretionary funding. We lost that discretionary funding as the new administration took office, and for us, thats a significant move too. We are assuming were going to lose about 7% of the food that we typically receive from the government. In terms of dollars, were talking about $600,000 worth of food that we will not get from the emergency food assistance program. That is significant. If we have to go out and replace that food ourselves, that would be about a 25% increase in our own purchase food budget. We want to make people aware of that also, and hope that they can advocate to their legislators to let them know that thats a vital opportunity thats being missed to feed people throughout both Iowa and Illinois. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. Dont expect to see any new major initiatives on Nashvilles 2026 budget. That was the message from Mayor Freddie OConnell last week as he met with reporters at The Tennessean. There will be no big shiny object line items to speak of and no major new projects to cultivate, OConnell said of the recommended budget he must file with the Metro Nashville Council by April 30. Look, instead, for a budget focused more on continuity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont think were in a position where were going to be looking for Metro to be incubating new initiatives, OConnell said. This is not a shiny objects (fiscal year 2026). This is really much more about execution, endurance and excellence. Coming off OConnells successful push to boost public transit infrastructure through the Choose How You Move referendum, and with the looming threat of federal funding cuts hanging over cities across the country, heres what else he had to say about his expectations for Nashvilles next budget. What to expect for revenue? It's a property reappraisal year for Nashville and Davidson County, meaning that some homeowners could be in line for a property tax increase. Though it's still fairly early in that process, O'Connell has previously noted that outside of a few rare occasions, reappraisal years tend to come with accompanying tax rate adjustments. The outcome will become a little less hazy next month, when reappraisal notices are mailed to property owners and the state sets the revenue-neutral "certified tax rate." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for Nashville's grocery tax, O'Connell told The Tennessean his office is continuing to monitor activity in the Tennessee legislature. But for now, there's no immediate plan for a grocery tax decrease locally. On both accounts, O'Connell said the city has to think defensively, considering both local revenue constraints and the additional risk of lost funding at the federal level that's on the horizon. "We cannot expect shortfalls in state and federal scenarios or those opportunities of the state doing something to be fully offset by Metro taxpayers, particularly on a property tax basis," O'Connell said. Bringing structure to pilot programs OConnell said while his office is still waiting on revenue forecasts and the results of the city's property reappraisal process, both of which will be critical pieces in crafting the budget, he still has at least one early priority: building programs that started as pilots into the budget on an ongoing basis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Primarily, he pointed to programs that emerged through the pandemic-era Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, or ESSER, as a priority to support in the coming budget. Metro Nashville Public Schools received $425 million through that program throughout the pandemic, covering everything from extending summer school programming to bolstering technology. Those funds expired last year. As a result, the fiscal year 2025 budget already included some money to act as a bridge between the end of the federal program and supporting the initiatives locally, a trend that looks set to continue for the 2026 budget cycle. We had a pretty significant investment in continuity with Metro schools, but also some things that while they may have been piloted as a part of ESSER were also long-time goals, things like a nurse in every school, OConnell said. I think all of that package that we maintained in FY2025 in a revenue neutral budget, that continuity is going to be pretty important because those things are still showing signs of success. What else is the mayor focused on? OConnell said the Unified Housing Strategy setting goals, outlining strategies, and providing policy and program recommendations to advance access to affordable and stable housing will also be a driver in conversations around the budget. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That document is expected to be released soon and could recommend funding and staffing increases. OConnell said the strategy may also offer some guidance for Nashville's Barnes Housing Trust Fund, created more than a decade ago to leverage affordable housing development throughout Davidson County. I think absorbing the Unified Housing Strategy recommendations is going to be key, OConnell said. He also said the city's human resources department is working on overhauling compensation structures for city employees. What about Nashville Council members? While the mayors office considers the budget from a broader perspective, members of the Metro Nashville Council may bring more specific priorities to the table. They'll also be the ones who eventually must approve O'Connell's recommended budget. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement District 14 Council Member Jordan Huffman, a member of the councils Budget and Finance Committee, is one of them. Huffman told The Tennessean hes looking for several things in the next budget. Some of those items are smaller, like funding for the Nashville Wildflower Project established last year and a mobile spay and neuter clinic for Metro Animal Care and Control. Huffmans top priorities, however, are on a larger scale. He said they include efficient budget reductions for each Metro department, similar to last year when OConnell asked for departments to find cost savings in support of an improved employee compensation package, and ample budgeted overtime funding for the Metro Nashville Police Department. The MNPD expended more than $19 million on overtime pay in 2024. Huffman would also like to see the budget provide support for Metros Office of Homeless Services, which he called especially important considering the current lack of federal funding Nashville receives for the office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another member of the Budget and Finance Committee, At-Large Council Member Zulfat Suara, agrees with O'Connell's focus on providing structure for pilot programs. Suara said that his commitment to continuing pandemic education projects was good to see, and that she hoped it extended to the Eviction Right to Counsel pilot started with pandemic relief funds in 2022. As for the budget as a whole, Suara said she's not keeping an eye out for anything in particular for the time being. Instead of a wish list of priorities, she said, she's looking forward to letting the process play out, starting with seeing O'Connell's recommendations. "It's his budget, and I'm interested in seeing what he's got," Suara told The Tennessean. Austin Hornbostel is the Metro reporter for The Tennessean. Have a question about local government you want an answer to? Reach him at ahornbostel@tennessean.com. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Here's what to know about Nashville mayor's 2026 budget priorities Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Saturdays arrest of pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil is not about free speech and that federal authorities are justified in seeking his deportation. This is not about free speech, Rubio told reporters. This is about people that dont have a right to be in the United States to begin with. Rubio described Khalil, a green card holder who played a central role in anti-Israeli demonstrations at Columbia University, as a supporter of Hamas and said he was complicit in what are clearly crimes during the protests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from deporting Khalil, who was arrested Saturday at his New York apartment by agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman issued his ruling Monday and scheduled a Wednesday court conference to hear arguments in a wrongful detention challenge brought by Khalils lawyer Amy Greer. Khalils arrest in New York and his detainment in Louisiana have drawn strong pushback from Americans who say the Trump administrations plans to deport him violate his First Amendment rights. A dozen protesters who demanded Khalils release from an ICE processing facility in central Louisiana were arrested Tuesday evening at a New York demonstration at City Hall Park. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Khalil, an Algerian of Palestinian ancestry who received his masters degree in international affairs from Columbia University last year, is the first known student protester to be targeted for deportation by the Trump administration. Although he holds a U.S. permanent residency green card, Khalil was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents Saturday night at his university-owned apartment in Manhattan, where he and his pregnant wife live, according to his lawyer. He has since been transferred to an ICE processing facility in Louisiana. Action Network, a nonprofit organization, has gathered over 900,000 signatures on a petition demanding that Khalil be released. This racist targeting serves to instill fear in pro-Palestine activists as well as a warning to others, the petition states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Manhattan on Monday, a demonstration was planned at 4 p.m. ET to protest Khalils detainment. Join us in the streets to demand the release of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian student activist and recent Columbia graduate, who was abducted from his home by DHS agents last night and is now in ICE detention, an activist group called the Peoples Forum wrote in a post on X. Hands off our students! ICE off our campuses! Khalil served as a negotiator for the students involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia University that followed the Israeli military response to the surprise attack on Israel launched by Hamas militants on Oct. 7, 2023. He bargained with university officials over winding down a tent encampment on campus while pressuring the college to divest itself from Israel, the Associated Press reported. In January, President Trump signed an executive order intended to tamp down on antisemitism on college campuses in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack. On Monday, he made clear that Khalils arrest was part of that effort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following my previously signed Executive Orders, ICE proudly apprehended and detained Mahmoud Khalil, a Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student on the campus of Columbia University, Trump wrote in a post on TruthSocial. This is the first arrest of many to come. We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it. Many are not students, they are paid agitators. We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country never to return again. On Friday, the Trump administration announced that it was canceling $400 million in federal grants to Columbia for its failure to address antisemitism on campus, including during the pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Legal battle In his own post to social media on Monday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that the administration will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported. But the legal grounds for deportations based on a students participation in a protest are likely to be challenged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am extremely concerned about the arrest and detention of Mahmoud Khalil, an advocate and legal permanent resident of Palestinian descent, New York Attorney General Letitia James wrote in a Facebook post on Monday. My office is monitoring the situation, and we are in contact with his attorney. Khalils lawyer Greer said in a statement on Monday that she and her client would be contesting his detainment and deportation. We will vigorously be pursuing Mahmouds rights in court, and will continue our efforts to right this terrible and inexcusable and calculated wrong committed against him, her statement read. In its own statement, the American Civil Liberties Union blasted Khalils arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This arrest is unprecedented, illegal, and un-American. The federal government is claiming the authority to deport people with deep ties to the U.S. and revoke their green cards for advocating positions that the government opposes, the statement read. To be clear: The First Amendment protects everyone in the U.S. The governments actions are obviously intended to intimidate and chill speech on one side of a public debate. What U.S. law says While U.S. law forbids anyone from providing material support or resources to terrorist organizations, a designation given to Hamas by the State Department in 1997, Khalil is not accused of doing that, and has not as yet been charged with any specific crime. In a statement posted to X, the social media platform owned by Trump adviser Elon Musk, the Department of Homeland Security said that Khalil led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. The First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees the freedom of speech and the right of the people peaceably to assemble. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. government can revoke permanent resident status for a number of reasons, including for criminal conviction of some crimes. Since Khalil has yet to be charged with a crime, much less convicted of one, its unclear whether a court would side with the Trump administration in this case. Antisemitism and free speech While the Anti-Defamation League said in a statement on Sunday that it applauded the Trump Administrations broad, bold set of efforts to counter campus antisemitism, it also sounded a cautionary note. Obviously, any deportation action or revocation of a Green Card or visa must be undertaken in alignment with required due process protections, the group said. In the same statement, however, the ADL said it hoped that this action serves as a deterrent to others who might consider breaking the law on college campuses or anywhere. The Nexus Project, a nonprofit working to combat antisemitism while promoting free speech, offered its own nuanced perspective on the controversy. We unequivocally oppose the use of violence and intimidation on campus, the group said Monday in a statement. At the same time, when legitimate political protest has been recklessly mischaracterized by the administration as support for terrorism, deporting and arresting green card holders over alleged support of Hamas is too broad a standard to be the basis of policy. Helicopters from a formation flight event at Naval Air Station Patuxent River fly over Southern Maryland communities in this 2023 file photo. (Photo by Erik Hildebrandt/U.S. Navy) As the Trump administration continues slicing the federal workforce and laying off probational employees in large numbers, much of the conversation on how it impacts Maryland can center around the populous counties that lie just outside of the District of Columbia Prince Georges County and Montgomery County. But relative to population size, youre actually more likely to run into a federal worker in St. Marys County than in the either of those counties, given that nearly 10% of the workforce in St. Marys is considered a federal employee, according to state data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With Marylands proximity to the federal government, the number of contracts with the federal government within the state, and the presence of several military bases, Maryland is uniquely exposed and impacted by changes in funding and federal layoffs. Lawmakers and political science researchers say that focusing on the workers in Prince Georges and Montgomery counties can skew the picture that the far-reaching impacts of federal layoffs will have in other parts of the state especially as federal layoffs begin to impact the military and defense sector. People get distracted by raw numbers instead of percentages, said Todd Eberly, a political science professor at St. Marys College of Maryland. If you want to understand the impact of something on a local economy, youve got to look at it as a percent of the workforce. Maryland Matters used data from the Maryland Department of Labor that outlines how many known federal jobs are located in each county and compared them to population numbers from U.S. Census Bureau to approximate the number of federal workers per capita. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The result: The federal workforce extends well beyond the D.C. suburbs, meaning that the impacts of federal layoffs would likely reach into other counties as well, especially if President Donald Trump (R) or Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency decide to target defense funding to cut down on spending in the United States. Thats the potential situation in St. Marys County. The countys largest employer is the Naval Air Station Patuxent River which employs 9,800 civilian employees, 5,700 contractors and 2,400 active duty military personnel, according to the bases website. Its no doubt that St. Marys is a company town, said Del. Matthew Morgan (R-St. Marys) in an interview last week. The main driving force of St. Marys: DOD (Department of Defense) government workers and DOD contracts. The economy on this is entirely based on that. He referenced St. Marys County specifically which has about 89 federal workers per 1,000 residents, according to Maryland Matters analysis. Share of all federal wages by county. Source: Office of the Comptroller. Layoffs have already started in the defense sector, according to recent news reports, with more cuts possible this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think thats something on the horizon, and we should be really conscious of it and do our due diligence, Morgan said. Morgan recently faced off with the House Majority Leader Jazz Lewis (D-Prince Georges) on the House floor over a bill aiming to help provide financial and legal assistance to laid-off federal workers. Lewis had insinuated that Republican delegates who represent counties with a high percentage of federal employees arent doing enough to protect those workers amid threats of layoffs. People often think about Montgomery County or Prince Georges County because we literally border Washington (D.C.), but not actually thinking about a lot of these jobs across the state, Lewis said Wednesday after the argument went down on the House floor. For their size, they have the largest share as a percentage, Lewis said. For them to stand up and kind of, frankly, not be defending and trying to protect their own workers is mind-boggling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Morgan later countered that Republicans had been advocating for their constituents by been pushing for policies that are friendly to businesses, thus easing the states reliance off of federal jobs. Republicans in the State House have repeatedly said that federal job cuts are unfortunate, but that the cuts point up the need for the state to diversify its economy and wean itself away from government reiliance. Eberly, a resident of St. Marys County, noted that the smaller counties could have a harder time offsetting the impacts if a large swath of their residents who are federal workers get laid off. [Prince Georges has] a bit more diversity in their economy, Eberly said. Which means, theoretically, they could absorb some of this a little bit better than we could. You take away the federal dollars flowing into St. Marys County and our tax base is seriously harmed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And its not just St. Marys County that could be hurt by federal layoffs. Relative to size, Harford County has a rate of federal workers that almost rivals Montgomery County at 43 federal workers per 1,000 people, according to Maryland Matters analysis. One of the largest employers there is the Army base Aberdeen Proving Ground. Del. Andre V. Johnson, Jr. (D-Harford) says that larger counties can overshadow the impacts in his district. A lot of times, in any and every situation, those outliers as far as those smaller jurisdictions get overlooked, he said. It always does, because the larger jurisdictions always get the most light. And rightfully so, because they have a larger population of people. But still Aberdeen Proving Ground being our No. 1 employer, its going to hurt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the session continues and more federal layoffs loom, lawmakers are looking for ways to soften the blow for Marylanders, such as pushing Lewiss House Bill 1424, which could come up for a floor vote this week. In all intents and purposes, Harford County is a military community with the new administration coming in, its going to affect us in a really big way, Johnson said. Were going to do everything in our power down here in Annapolis to make sure that people can still pay their bills and feed their families. Protesters at the Terry Sanford Federal Building in Raleigh on Sunday, March 9, 2025 voiced outrage at attacks on federal workers. (Photo: Brandon Kingdollar/NC Newsline) About 100 protesters, many of them federal employees, rallied outside Raleighs Terry Sanford Federal Building Sunday afternoon in protest of the Trump administrations crackdown on the federal workforce. The demonstration, organized by the North Carolina AFL-CIO and the Triangle Labor Council, took particular aim at Elon Musks so-called Department of Government Efficiency, which has taken an ax to a wide array of government programs, cutting tens and thousands of federal jobs and severing billions in government contracts. Protesters carried signs reading Elon Musk is a Terrible President and Dont Oppress Government Employees, a reference to the Musk-led advisory groups acronym. Terrence Dewberry, president of the Triangle Labor Council, called on protesters to step up and fight for better conditions in the union that is the United States. (Photo: Brandon Kingdollar/NC Newsline) Terrence Dewberry, president of the Triangle Labor Council, said of DOGE, They not like us, referencing Kendrick Lamars hit diss track of 2024. He touted organized labor accomplishments like the fight for a 4o-hour work week and reminded his audience that whether or not they are in a labor union, they are all part of a more perfect union and are responsible for fighting to improve conditions for all Americans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heather Hughes, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 5309 and a civil servant with the Social Security Administration, decried plans to shut down four of the agencys offices in North Carolina, which she said would force residents of Roanoke Rapids, Elizabeth City, Franklin, and Greenville to drive an hour or more for their needs. She also warned those at the rally that they want to privatize the post office, remarking that while a stamp may cost 73 cents now, mail delivery would become much more expensive should the private sector take it over. Among the facilities that are set to be shuttered or sold is a U.S. Post Office vehicle maintenance facility on the grounds of the Sanford Building, just a few hundred feet from Sundays protest. Hughes warned that cuts to FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers, and NOAA would not only leave the state unprepared to recover from the next hurricane like Helene, but now, we wont even know its coming. And with DOGE targeting the FAA and TSA, Hughes said, Im scared to fly right now. At one point, a heckler rolled down his window and shouted, Them employees are not working! Hughes called back that he should come back around as she explained that her union had to push Social Security workers not to work through their lunches and breaks. Protesters hold signs reading Dont Oppress Our Govt Employees and Keep Your Hands Off Our Education. Protesters hold signs reading Save Our Post Office and Its Better in a Union. Protesters hold signs reading Fire Elon Musk and Republicans You Are Cowards. Protesters hold signs reading Elon Musk is a terrible president and Defund Elon Musk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gabbi McKinley, vice president of the AFGE Local 3347, warned that attacks on the Environmental Protection Agency are attacks on clean air, water, and land, adding that workers in the Research Triangle are behind the agencys AirNow mobile app, critical for monitoring air quality and the impacts of wildfires. The EPA losing resources, she said, means North Carolinians will lose vital information about public health, something that affects everyone regardless of political affiliation. McKinley added that because federal benefits and labor conditions are often the model for the private sector, workers need to fight back now before Musks campaign against the federal workforce landslides down into the rest of the American economy. In that way, the DOGE crackdown will affect all working people in America, not just those employed in the government. The ripple effects of cuts in the federal government are also felt by electrical and other trade unions, said Aharon Segel, an organizer with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. He said that the Trump administrations cancelation of offshore wind projects has caused a massive loss in worker hours and criticized the president for ending a program that provided free cancer screenings to trade workers contracted by the federal government. He expressed some optimism, though, that a federal judge reinstated Biden appointee Gwynne Wilcox to the National Labor Relations Board after finding that Trump illegally removed her from her position. Quoting the decision, Segel reminded the protesters: An American president is not a king. This report has been updated to clarify that Terrence Dewberry is president of the Triangle Labor Council. Triangle-area federal union workers and labor activists rallied Sunday against the Trump administrations efforts to shrink the federal workforce and cut the governments size and scope. Union leaders representing workers at the Social Security Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Postal Service decried the efforts of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk and championed by President Donald Trump to identify federal spending that can be cut, saying the groups actions so far have been haphazard and rash. Rally-goers standing in front of the Terry Sanford federal building in downtown Raleigh sang the decades-old song Roll the Union On and held up signs ranging from stop the war on Americas workforce to one that called Musk a terrible president and another that said Nixon and McCarthy werent this bad. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amid Trump and Musk floating the possibilities of privatizing the Postal Service or moving it under the control of the U.S. Commerce Department, rally-goers also held signs expressing their support for postal workers and declaring post offices a community right. I want everyone to know, I want the public to know, that the post office is the peoples post office, said Tonya Freeman, the president of American Postal Workers Union Local 1078 in Raleigh. It belongs to the people, it doesnt belong to Trump or Elon Musk. Meanwhile, cuts recently announced by DOGE at the Social Security Administration, which sends Social Security benefits to more than 70 million retirees and other beneficiaries every month, include closures of 47 of the agencys roughly 1,200 field offices, the Associated Press reported. Four field offices in North Carolina, in Elizabeth City, Roanoke Rapids, Greenville, and Franklin, are on the list of leases that DOGE has said are being terminated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heather Hughes, the president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 3509, which represents Social Security field offices in the Southeast, including all 37 offices across North Carolina, said the closures will make it harder for people in eastern North Carolina and in the far-western part of the state to find the nearest open office. The office in Franklin, among those being closed, is the only one west of Asheville. For residents in Macon County, it has raised concerns of having to travel to the office in Asheville which is 68 miles away, the Smoky Mountain News reported earlier this week. Other federal agencies with leased office space on DOGEs list for closure in North Carolina include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Small Business Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the U.S. Geological Survey. Hughes said that while the Social Security Administration has provided benefits to a growing number of people over the years, staffing at the agency remains at a 50-year low. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agency is currently planning to cut its workforce by more than 10%, the AP reported. The federal workforce, yeah we do work. At least the frontlines work, Hughes said during the rally. Now, is there waste? Yes, theres always waste everywhere, right? But again, youve got to take the correct approach, youve got to take the wise approach. You dont go in for the weight loss surgery and have your legs amputated, Hughes said. You look for (waste) and then you figure out a way to do it that doesnt damage everything else. Addressing the office closures, the Social Security Administration said most of the leases not being renewed were used for in-person hearings and are no longer needed because most hearings are now held virtually, the Associated Press reported this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An agency spokesperson also noted some of the field offices had already been identified for closure, or were being consolidated, as officials worked to review our leases and ensure they are used efficiently. Many speakers and supporters in the crowd during Sundays rally focused on the prominent role Musk has been given as the administration aims to cut down the federal governments workforce and footprint. Hughes said the Trump administration has been trying to turn the American public against federal workers by portraying them as lazy and unwilling to work, and said workers need to educate people about the services they provide. We have people calling the Social Security office, for whatever help they need, and then saying, I cant wait till you get fired, Hughes said. What? You just called because you needed something that you cant get anywhere else, and you just told me you cant wait till I get fired? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well, whos going to help you next time then? Hughes asked. The AFL-CIOs Triangle Labor Council, which helped organize Sundays rally, is holding a legislative breakfast in Raleigh on Saturday, during which union members from around the Triangle will meet with state lawmakers. Another rally is scheduled for Saturday in Wilmington. Federal prosecutors allege that a man on parole for a federal drug conviction participated in a brazen ambush slaying on the South Side in January after following the victim home from the Cook County criminal courthouse. Marquez Robinson, 25, also known as Little Smoke, was charged in a criminal complaint unsealed Monday in U.S. District Court with being a felon in possession of a firearm, court records show. Robinson had been in custody in Cook County Jail since his arrest last month on burglary charges, according to court records. He first appeared at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse on Friday on an allegation that hed violated his supervised release for the drug conviction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Robinsons court-appointed attorney was not immediately available for comment. The new charge relates to the slaying of Eric Vaughn, 28, who was shot multiple times on the afternoon of Jan. 31, shortly after appearing for a status hearing at the Leighton Criminal Court Building at 26th and California, where he had a pending gun case, records show. According to the complaint, Marquez and two other still-unidentified suspects were in a stolen Nissan Maxima that was seen circling the block around the courthouse on the morning of the shooting. Later, surveillance video captured the same Nissan driving through alleys near the scene of the shooting, the complaint alleges. Vaughn was standing on the sidewalk shortly after 1:30 p.m. when the Nissan pulled up and at least two gunmen got out and opened fire with semi-automatic weapons, according to the complaint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A witness captured the end of the shooting on cell phone video that showed one suspect firing several times at point-blank range as the victim was on the ground bleeding, the complaint alleges. Robinson, meanwhile, dressed in a gray hooded sweatshirt, a black face mask and gray sweatpants, was seen running around the front of the car and getting into the drivers seat while tucking what appeared to be a gun under his arm, the complaint alleges. Vaughn was dead at the scene. Detectives found 52 shell casings of three calibers around his body, and a few days later a neighbor reported finding about 18 additional bullet casings from the bushes near where Vaughns body was found, the complaint says. About 30 minutes after the shooting, a vehicle fire was reported in an empty lot in south suburban Dixmoor, about 10 miles from the site of the slaying, where the stolen Nissan was found abandoned and burning, the complaint alleges. According to the complaint, law enforcement used the cell phone information Robinson had given to federal probation officials upon his release in the drug case to track his location on the day of the shooting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement License plate readers and surveillance cameras showed him departing a home on South Hale Avenue at about 8 a.m. that morning in a black Range Rover. That same vehicle was also seen along with the Nissan circling around the area on South Morgan Street for several hours before Vaughn was shot, the complaint alleges. Location information also showed Robinsons phone pinged from near the scene where the Nissan was found on fire, according to the complaint. At 2:30 p.m., about an hour after the shooting, Robinson was seen in surveillance footage returning to the home on South Hale, still wearing the gray sweatshirt and sweatpants, the complaint alleges. On Feb. 14, the FBI and Chicago police arrested Robinson on a federal warrant issued by U.S. District Judge Edmond Chang and executed a search warrant at his home. During the search, agents found a gray hooded sweatsuit with a black stripe down the side of the pants legs matching the one the shooter was wearing, the complaint alleges. Records show that at the time of his death, Vaughn faced charges of being an armed habitual criminal. He was arrested in September by Chicago police who were trying to break up a South Side dice game, according to Cook County court records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chicago police alleged that Vaughn resisted arrest and was found with a loaded pistol in his pocket that had been altered with a device that made it fully automatic. Vaughn had been on electronic monitoring pending trial. At his first status date after the shooting, Cook County Judge Joanne Rosado wrote on the court sheet: Defendant not in custody. Defendant deceased. jmeisner@chicagotribune.com BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. For years, Khankendi's once-vibrant seasonsspring and autumnhad been overshadowed by a lingering sense of winter. The mere mention of the city would stir deep feelings of loss and longing. But now, a new chapter is unfolding. However, now everything is different. A beautiful spring has arrived in Khankendi. Just like every other part of our homeland, Khankendi is now covered in vibrant, colorful flowers. As reported by Trend, the city is undergoing a thorough spring cleaning as part of its revitalization efforts. In the most frequented leisure spots, along with general upgrades, fresh flowers are being planted, transforming public spaces. Whether in the central park or along the outskirts, these blossoms are infusing Khankendi with an undeniable sense of renewal and freshness. In September 2023, after 23-hour local counterterrorism measures, Azerbaijan put an end to the illegal separatist regime in Karabakh and fully restored its sovereignty over its internationally recognized territories. The Azerbaijani army liberated Khankendi and, after 35 years of yearning, reunited us with the city of our dreams. Now, for the second consecutive year, spring in Khankendi is a symbol of resilience, joy, and renewal. The city's streets, stones, and landmarks are undergoing a transformation, with both its physical appearance and spirit being cleansed and revived. This spring, Khankendi is not just blooming in the traditional senseit is flourishing as a beacon of pride and hope for its people. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel I will never forget meeting Noahs mom. We talked, hugged and cried as Vanessa Ayala shared her story about the son she lost to a fentanyl overdose. Her story is all too common. Noah was a great kid, an athlete and an outstanding student at Desert Mountain High School in Scottsdale. He had just started his first job and was on track to graduate high school to pursue a biochemistry degree. But then, a friend from school sent a group text offering to sell a few pills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Noah hadnt experimented with drugs before but gave into peer pressure and accepted the offer. Nervous to take even one tab, his buddy encouraged him to take two, which he did. The next day, his brother found Noah unresponsive. We know who sold Noah pills. They weren't charged As a mother of three, I grieve with her family. I cant imagine the heartbreak of losing your child, much less talking their sibling through the trauma of discovering their brothers body. As a Scottsdale school board member, I was shocked at the lack of education about the dangers of taking drugs and the dismissive attitude the school took toward the tragedy. I am fighting for Noah, the Ayala family and every kid who has taken a pill that ultimately led to their death. We know who sold the drugs to Noah, but state law doesnt provide an avenue to charge the dealer as a criminal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We cant change history, but we must change the narrative and consequence of selling drugs to our kids. I am proud to sponsor Senate Bill 1621, which will put drug dealers, casual pill peddlers and alleged friends on notice: if you give or sell someone pills that cause irreparable harm or end their life, be prepared to face the consequences of your actions. We will not stand idly by while bad actors take our kids and walk free. Arizona prosecutors need tools to go after them Today, Arizona laws do not give prosecutors the power to pursue charges against anyone who provides a few pills, either for free or by sale. As we continue to fight the opioid epidemic, its important that everyone involved in the drug trade face penalties for their actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whether the person sells a few pounds of pills or just gives a few away, the consequences of their actions can forever change the lives of our kids, families and community. Opinion: Fentanyl is easy to find. Addiction meds? Not so much Noahs Law will protect Arizona families and ensure law enforcement has the tools to convict the criminals who harm our kids. Noahs killer has never been prosecuted. It is time that Arizona provides law enforcement with the tools to pursue criminals who provide drugs to kids. Fentanyl is taking too many of our young people Last year, 34 children under age 5 died from a fentanyl overdose. The headlines of teens and parents dying from the drug are countless. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It seems like everyone you talk to today has a story of a friend, neighbor, acquaintance or, even worse, a child who has been taken by this cheap, readily available synthetic drug. It is time to send a message to anyone who wants to give or sell pills that there will be consequences to your actions when you take an innocent life. I will keep fighting for Noah and his family, and anyone whose life has been cut short by these dangerous drugs. Sen. Carine Werner, a Republican, represents Legislative District 4, which serves parts of Scottsdale and Phoenix. Reach her at cwerner@azleg.gov. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Fentanyl kills teens. Arizona must charge their pill sellers | Opinion By Evan Garcia CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (Reuters) - In the race to save the endangered ocelot, scientists are trekking the United States, pursuing fertility treatments and striving to kickstart a new generation of the wild cat. Ocelots roamed the southwestern U.S. in the 1800s, but have since dwindled to fewer than 100 in two small breeding populations in South Texas. While the feline species is found in Mexico, Central America and South America, the Texas cats with striking spotted coats are believed to be the last wild population in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Just look at the cat why would you not want that animal to survive in nature?" said Bill Swanson, the Cincinnati Zoo's director of animal research, who has traveled the country trying to breed captive ocelots in animal institutions with sperm from wild ocelots from South Texas ranch land. "It's not just saving the ocelot, it's saving the habitat and the ecosystem where it lives, which supports so many other animals that provide those services that let people survive on this planet," he said, The nonprofit East Foundation, based in San Antonio, manages one of those breeding populations on more than 200,000 acres (810 sq km) of South Texas ranch land containing thorn scrub habitat, a dense covering of short, spiky shrubs that the elusive and nocturnal ocelots adore. Ashley Reeves, a research veterinarian at the East Foundation, said humans played a major role in the decline of the ocelot, listed in 1982 as an endangered species in the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Back when the fur trade became very popular, they were hunted down for their beautiful fur," Reeves said. "And then also loss of habitat, human encroachment, large cities being built and roadways, so roadways are one of their No. 1 killers today." Reeves and Swanson have been working on their ocelot project since 2021. The team has tried - unsuccessfully so far - to breed ocelots two ways. The first is via artificial insemination, in which semen collected from a cat is deposited directly into a female cat's reproductive tract. The second is in vitro fertilization, in which oocytes, or eggs, are collected from the female cat's body and fertilized with semen in a petri dish before developing into an embryo in an incubator. The viable embryo is then surgically transferred into a cat or frozen to be transferred later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of the 13 artificial inseminations and four in vitro fertilization procedures performed in recent years, none have produced a viable pregnancy. Swanson points to decreased quality in wild ocelot sperm due to signs of inbreeding, environmental stresses like dehydration from drought and decreased motility - the ability of sperm to move - from freezing specimens. "An ocelot usually has one kitten. That's the normal litter size," Swanson said. "And in the wild, the mother will raise that kitten for a full year until it's old enough to go out on its own. So ocelots are very slowly reproducing animals naturally." At the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, Texas, in December, the team extracted two eggs from a five-year-old ocelot named Milla and patiently waited to see if an embryo would form after combining the eggs with wild sperm in a petri dish. After two days of waiting for a fertilized egg to cleave, or rapidly divide and develop into an embryo, the researchers were disappointed to find neither cell cleaved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's disappointing," Reeves said. "But at the same time, science doesn't always go the way you expect it to." Researchers will spend the next few months trapping wild male ocelots to collect their sperm before resuming fertility procedures in the fall. By the end of the year, a facility in Kingsville, Texas, will be constructed to house ocelots, provide medical and reproductive care as well as a setting for young ocelots to learn how to hunt in the wild. (Reporting by Evan Garcia in Texas; Writing by Brad Brooks; Editing by Donna Bryson and Sandra Maler) Finland is providing an additional 16 million in humanitarian aid for Ukraine which will be distributed through the UN and the Red Cross. Source: Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as reported by European Pravda Details: Finland has allocated another 16 million in humanitarian assistance for Ukraine from its budget designated for supporting the country. The funds will be channelled through UN humanitarian organisations and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote from Finnish Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio: "Finland has supported Ukraines humanitarian needs since the first day of Russias war of aggression and will continue to do so going forward. The need for humanitarian aid in Ukraine is great, and our assistance is important." More details: Ahead of the third anniversary of Russias full-scale war, Finland announced a 4.5 million contribution to a fund supporting Ukraine which is backed by nine countries in total. Background: Sweden recently announced approximately 2 million in funding to support opportunities for women in Ukraine. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) First responders battled a blaze at an apartment complex along Old Hickory Boulevard in the Bellevue area Sunday night. According to Metro Nashville dispatch, more than 15 Nashville Fire Department units were sent to the 500 block of Old Hickory Boulevard between 7:52 p.m. and 8:27 p.m. on Sunday, March 9. Crews respond to apartment fire in South Nashville Sunday morning News 2 crew went to the complex, where residents were reportedly evacuating. Fire officials said only one apartment was damaged and the others nearby were fine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No injuries were reported following the fire. Personnel told News 2 the cause of the blaze is still under investigation. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com This news comes nearly nine months after the same Bellevue apartment complex was damaged in a two-alarm fire. NFD said investigators determined the cause of the July blaze was smoking. Officials have not shared any additional details about Sunday nights incident. Download the News 2 app to stay updated on the go. Sign up for WKRN email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox. Find todays top stories on WKRN.com for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee. This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Fire crews responded to a morning apartment fire just in time to rescue one person from the second story. According to fire officials, upon arrival one person was trapped inside an apartment located near 122nd & Penn on the second floor. Firefighters say the flames prevented any exit to escape the fire and was rescued. Fire crew respond to second story house fire in NW OKC, Image KFOR Silver Alert issued for missing 77-year old man Fire crews say, the individual rescued was treated on the scene and the cause of the fire is under investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. Robert Prather, 32, worked as an environmental contaminants biologist and a general fish and wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Albuquerque and was one of the fired 420 probationary workers cut from the agency suddenly in February, in a move a federal judge said was likely illegal. (Danielle Prokop / Source NM) When oil and gas wastewater would rupture from pipelines, or a train derailment spilled sulfuric acid near a wildlife refuge, biologist Robert Prather from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Albuquerque office quickly headed to the scene. As an environmental contaminants biologist, Prather remained on call 24/7 to respond to mining accidents, contamination from abandoned uranium mines or oil and gas spills. Once there, he would document how the event had impacted fish, migratory birds and other species. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In big cases where vast amounts of environmental damage have been done, we seek to restore, replace or acquire the equivalent of those lost resources on behalf of the public, he told Source NM. But three weeks from his one-year anniversary on the job, Prather became one of the thousands of federal probationary employees fired by the Trump administration in a move a federal judge has ruled was likely illegal. Prather, 32, worked as an environmental contaminants biologist, a case manager for resource damage assessment and a general fish and wildlife biologist. He started at the Albuquerque office in March 2024, after finishing up his Ph.D in ecology, evolution and organismal biology from the University of California, Riverside, and characterized his role as a dream job. I was proud to be serving our public via the Fish and Wildlife Service, Prather said. Ive loved biology, conservation and just our natural world. Ive had a fascination with it my whole life and I went to school for a lot of years to be able to do what Im able to do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supervisors described Prather as consistently delivering high-quality, timely and well-organized projects and noted he ranks as exceeding expectations in his Oct. 23 review, according to documents reviewed by Source NM. Supervisors also nominated Prather for an Early Career Employee Award for his his exceptional contributions. Nonetheless, on the morning of Feb. 14, officials from USFWS called Prather and other probationary employees into a meeting over videoconference at noon. In all, Fish and Wildlife fired 420 probationary employees. Supervisors told probationary employees to expect termination letters, and said they would lose access to devices and buildings by the end of the day. After that call, I packed up my office, Prather said. I waited around. I got my termination notice. I turned off my laptop when I lost access and then was escorted out of the building. The Feb. 14 letter cited Prathers job performance as the reason for his termination: The Department has determined your knowledge, skills, and abilities do not meet the Departments current needs, and it is necessary and appropriate to terminate, during your probationary period, your appointment to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The language aligns with termination letters widely reported in other federal agencies and for other U.S. Fish and Wildlife probationary employees. On Feb. 13, States Newsroom reported Office of Personnel Management leaders met with federal agencies and directed the firing of employees still in their probationary periods. Prather walks through the Albuquerque Bosque on Friday, March 7, 2025. Prather, who grew up in Arizona, said he worries for the future of New Mexico conservation work by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (Danielle Prokop / Source NM) Union leaders representing fired federal workers in a lawsuit against the government characterized the performance rationale as a smokescreen. This administration has abused the probationary period to conduct a politically driven mass firing spree, targeting employees not because of performance, but because they were hired before Trump took office, American Federation of Government Employees President Everett Kelly said in a Feb. 18 statement. These firings are not about poor performance there is no evidence these employees were anything but dedicated public servants. They are about power. They are about gutting the federal government, silencing workers, and forcing agencies into submission to a radical agenda that prioritizes cronyism over competence. On Feb. 28, U.S. District Judge William Alsup ruled from the bench that OPM does not have any authority whatsoever under any statute in the history of the universe to hire and fire employees at another agency. That ruling only applied to a handful of agencies named in the lawsuit, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hearings will continue in the case on March 13. Despite the ruling, some federal agencies continue to fire probationary workers, Government Executive reported March 3. Prather said the black mark of a performance-related firing could make it difficult for probationary employees to be rehired by the federal government in the future. Theres a whole bunch of potentially far-reaching consequences to firing someone saying its performance and its not, he said. In addition to his academic degrees, Prather had months of training in handling hazardous waste response, incident command and oil spill releases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cuts hurt current protection and conservation efforts in New Mexico, Prather said, with his work now falling onto remaining employees who may not have the appropriate training. Thats in an ideal world where theres somebody who has some room on their plate to pick those things up, but the reality of it is, before Jan. 20, we were already down five biologists, he said. Everyone was already stretched thin before my termination; things are only looking more grim for the overall capacity of the office. Prather also oversaw conservation work on five species of threatened and vulnerable fish: the Gila trout; Chihuahua, Roundtail, Headwater and Gila chubs; and the beautiful shiner. Not all of us that worked on Gila trout have been fired yet, but theres a lot of really good work going on there, and it crushes me tonot be involved in that anymore, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prather is continuing the job search in New Mexico but already had one offer rescinded after the employer lost a federal contract in the ongoing cuts. Some people are cheering this on, thinking that this is all about efficiency and the federal government is really trying to keep the best and the brightest, he said. Nothing thats going on right now is for the sake of efficiency or anything else theyre gutting major services that we played for the public. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) A firefighter suffered minor injuries while fighting an apartment fire Sunday afternoon on the west side of Columbus. According to the Columbus Division of Fire, the blaze was reported on the 1300 block of Dublin Road at approximately 1:25 p.m. Firefighters were able to keep the fire to one unit on the second floor of a three-story apartment building. One firefighter suffered minor injuries, but no other injuries were reported. Columbus firefighters battle a fire inside a second-floor apartment on Sunday, March 9, 2025, on Dublin Road, Columbus. (COLUMBUS DIVISION OF FIRE) Columbus firefighters battle a fire inside a second-floor apartment on Sunday, March 9, 2025, on Dublin Road, Columbus. (COLUMBUS DIVISION OF FIRE) Columbus firefighters battle a fire inside a second-floor apartment on Sunday, March 9, 2025, on Dublin Road, Columbus. (COLUMBUS DIVISION OF FIRE) Columbus firefighters battle a fire inside a second-floor apartment on Sunday, March 9, 2025, on Dublin Road, Columbus. (COLUMBUS DIVISION OF FIRE) Columbus firefighters battle a fire inside a second-floor apartment on Sunday, March 9, 2025, on Dublin Road, Columbus. (COLUMBUS DIVISION OF FIRE) Columbus firefighters battle a fire inside a second-floor apartment on Sunday, March 9, 2025, on Dublin Road, Columbus. (COLUMBUS DIVISION OF FIRE) Columbus firefighters battle a fire inside a second-floor apartment on Sunday, March 9, 2025, on Dublin Road, Columbus. (COLUMBUS DIVISION OF FIRE) The Red Cross is assisting the resident of at least one of the apartments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cause of the fire 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 NBC4 WCMH-TV. (Reuters) - Firefighters are bringing under control a large fire in a warehouse in Russia's southern region of Samara, after Ukraine launched an overnight drone attack targeting enterprises there, media and authorities said on Monday. "There are no injuries," Russia's emergency ministry said on the Telegram messaging app, citing early details of the fire in Novokuibyshevsk that it said was limited to an area of 1,600 sq m (17,000 sq ft). The RIA news agency said a warehouse was on fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian air defence units destroyed three drones over the Samara region, the defence ministry said on Telegram. The Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery was attacked, said Lieutenant Andriy Kovalenko, an official of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, without providing evidence or saying directly that Ukrainian drones had been involved. Blasts were heard in the area of the oil refinery, the SHOT Telegram news channel reported, citing Samara residents. Reuters could not independently verify the reports of the attack targets. (Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) HUTCHINSON, Kan. (KSNW) Four people managed to escape their burning home in Hutchinson early Monday morning, but firefighters had to rescue a couple of dogs in the house. The Hutchinson Fire Department was sent to the 500 block of East 1st Street, near Plum, around 4:20 a.m. Kansas lawmakers want to end daylight saving time, how do some Kansans feel? Firefighters found thick smoke coming from the attack of the two-story house. They found the four adult residents already safely outside with some of their pets. Fire crews searched the home and rescued two other pets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire department said the home had multiple roof lines, so crews had to open a large portion of the ceiling and roof to put out all of the fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The Hutchinson Fire Department thanked other agencies and businesses for their help: Reno County Emergency Communications, Hutchinson Police Department, Reno County EMS, Evergy, Kansas Gas, and 1-800 BoardUp. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV. A job fair was held in Lachin, jointly organized by Azerbaijan Airlines CJSC and the State Employment Agency under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population. This initiative was launched as part of the Great Return program to provide employment opportunities for Lachin-born citizens at the Lachin International Airport, which will begin operations in 2025, and to support their professional development in the aviation sector. During the fair, more than 110 vacancies were presented in the areas of electrical and lighting support for flights, communications, airport operation, aviation security, and operation and repair of technological equipment. About 100 residents of Lachin applied for employment at the job fair. During the event, participants were provided with detailed information about the working conditions at the airport and the requirements for vacancies. All applications will be promptly reviewed, and suitable candidates will be invited for interviews. Those who successfully pass the selection will be employed in relevant positions at Lachin International Airport. Top of Form It should be noted that the Lachin International Airport will make a significant contribution not only to the development of transport infrastructure, but also to the socio-economic revival of the region. The new airport will contribute to employment growth, expansion of transport and logistics capabilities, and the development of tourism. Rebecca Howard, on a 2019 survey cruise, stands next to a muddy trawl net catch of bottom dwelling creatures. Seattle-based Howard was one of the Alaska Fishery Science Center biologists who was terminated by NOAA Fisheries in late February. (Photo courtesy of Rebecca Howard) Rebecca Howard is a marine biologist who spent six years in graduate school largely funded by federal scholarship dollars to earn a doctorate at Oregon State University. Last April, she was hired by the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administrations fisheries branch to join in annual surveys off Alaska that gather data vital to the management of the nations biggest seafood harvests. This year, the Seattle-based Howard was scheduled to spend three weeks aboard a chartered fishing boat sampling Gulf of Alaska marine life, and another three weeks on a Bering Sea survey. But on Feb. 27, more than 10 months into a yearlong probation, she received an email from a NOAA vice admiral informing her that she was being terminated. Her ability, knowledge and/or skills no longer fit the agencys needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is what I wanted to do. I wanted to stay at this job, Howard said in an interview from Seattle, where she worked at the main branch of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center. It was a huge disappointment. Howard was one of the 13 staffers fired from the science center, a roughly 5% cut of that scientific workforce, according to sources with NOAA Professional Employees Association, a union representing much of the staff. She was an early casualty in what is expected to be a widening wave of staffing cuts in NOAA Fisheries offices and research hubs in Alaska, the Pacific Northwest and other coastal regions as President Donald Trumps administration unleashes a broader campaign to slash federal spending. NOAA Fisheries has declined to release numbers on the scope of the cutbacks to date, which has left congressional delegations scrambling to try to track the force reductions in Alaska and other states. Meanwhile, NOAA and other branches of the federal governments must develop plans, due March 13 for more substantial workforce reductions, according to a Feb. 26 memorandum from the two executive branch offices . Scientists aboard NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow sort a catch during an East Coast fall 2023 Bottom Trawl Survey. This particular tow had a lot of Atlantic sea scallops.(Photo by Catherine Foley/NOAA Fisheries) NOAA Fisheries plays a huge role in managing the U.S. seafood harvest, most of which unfolds within a 200-mile federal zone off the nations coasts and in 2022 were valued at nearly $6 billion in commercial landings. The agencys key responsibilities also include ongoing research to help track the populations of marine mammals, fish and other marine species. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of this makes Americas fishing fleets tightly tied to the labor of NOAA workers whose tasks range from performing stock surveys that help prevent overfishing to drafting harvest regulations that open harvest seasons. And, within the ranks of NOAA Fisheries, and among some in the fishing industry, there is a growing unease that the agencys ability to carry out core missions could be undermined by the Trump administrations push to shrink the federal government. The indiscriminate firing of NOAA personnel could cripple our fisheries, said Linda Behnken, executive director of the Sitka-based Alaska Longline Fishermens Association. The impact to resources and the seafood industry will be substantial unless the administration corrects course. Snow crab comes aboard the FV Pinnacle during a 2022 Bering Sea harvest. NOAA Fisheries surveys found that in the aftermath of a Bering Sea marine heat wave the stocks had imploded, which prompted sharp cuts in that winter harvest, and no harvests in 2023 and 2024. (Photo by Hal Bernton) The first round of NOAA Fisheries staffing cuts have been accompanied by a freeze on most credit card spending. One Alaska Fisheries Science Center biologist, who requested anonymity to avoid retaliation, said she would typically use her credit card to buy gloves, life vests, extension cords and other gear needed for upcoming survey cruises off Alaska. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am trying to figure out how to supply our surveys with the gear we really need. Its really frustrating, the biologist said. Were going to do our best. NOAA Fisheries credit cards also are typically used to finance hotels and other expenses for staffers to attend meetings of regional fishery councils, which are a mix of federal state, industry and other representatives who help develop harvest limits and other rules for fisheries. The only travel that is being authorized right now is mission critical, said Jennifer Quan, the West Coast regional administrator, who was one of the few NOAA Fisheries officials authorized to attend a Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting that began last week in Vancouver, Washington. The council covers Northwest and California federal fisheries. In her opening remarks, Quan also said, We are still, in general, in a state of mourning over the loss of staff, but did not offer any details about the layoffs, so far, in the West Coast offices. During a Thursday public comment period at the Pacific council meeting, union representatives said the Northwest Fisheries Science Center had nine probationary members terminated who belonged to their chapter. They included an oceanographic modeler and a scientist studying the changing migration patterns of hake also known as whiting which sustain a major Northwest commercial trawl fishery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration policies to shake up the federal bureaucracy also have created new regulatory challenges for NOAA Fisheries. Trumps executive orders include a request for a 60-day freeze on any new regulations, as well as a separate initiative to remove 10 regulations for every new one that is put in place. These orders are complicating the publication of rules in the federal register to open some fisheries that are supposed to happen in the weeks ahead. Quan cited these executive orders in her Thursday remarks to the Pacific Fishery Management Council. We are still awaiting explicit guidance on how to proceed, she said. In Alaska, commercial fishers are unsettled by the prospect of not getting rules published, and individual fishing quotas allocations made by regional NOAA Fisheries officials, in time for a planned March 20 opening of the halibut and sablefish (also known as black cod) harvests. Halibut fisheries also are scheduled to open off British Columbia on that date, and Alaska fishers dont want to be beaten to the early market by Canadian competitors, according to Behnken, the longliner association executive director. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response to an inquiry from the Alaska Beacon, a NOAA Fisheries spokeswoman said, The annual process for authorizing the halibut and sablefish fisheries is ongoing, and we will inform fishery participants if we anticipate a delay in issuing individual fishing quota or opening the commercial halibut or sablefish fishery on March 20, 2025. The uncertainty over the regulatory process also was noted by industry representatives in a March 4 letter sent by 170 fishing businesses and associations to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. U.S. fisheries are heavily dependent on the regulatory process to open the fishing season and implement reasonable management measures, and any delays or inconsistencies can have immediate and severe consequences for our fishermens livelihoods, said the letter. As they brace for the next round of staff cuts, NOAA Fisheries regional leaders have struggled to maintain morale. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A federal fisheries employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to concerns about retaliation, said regional staff were asked to identify what work is necessary to perform legally required tasks. But the details of the force reduction plan are expected to be determined up the chain. Some NOAA workers also have been angered by the tactics of billionaire Elon Musk, who launched the U.S. DOGE Service with the stated goal of increasing federal efficiency. In a February email that Musk directed to be sent from the Office of Personnel Management, federal employees were told to list five things they had done the previous week or risk losing their jobs. This was basically a check to see if the employee had a pulse and was capable of replying to an email, Musk wrote in a Feb. 23 post on X, the social media platform that he owns. Lot of people in for a rude awakening and strong dose of reality. They dont get it yet but they will. Andrew Dimond, shown here after sport fishing for king salmon, is a Juneau-based biologist. He conducted longline surveys and other research for the Alaska Fisheries Science Center until he was let go Feb. 27, just 11 days before the end of his probationary status would have ended. (Photo courtesy of Andrew Dimond) Andrew Dimond, a Juneau-based Alaska Fisheries Science Center biologist, got the email when there was still hope he would survive his yearlong probation in a new job that offered more stability and opportunities for advancement than the contract and shorter-term positions he had held since 2015. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dimonds survey work involved weeks at sea pulling 12-, sometimes 14-hour days, on deck for tasks such as tagging black cod as they came on board, and pulling out ear bones for sampling. His other tasks included surveying Pacific cod in the Gulf of Alaska, which, in the aftermath of ocean warming, helped to predict a huge downturn in the stocks. Dimond has tried to not pay much attention to Musks belittling of federal workers. Im disappointed it gets the attention it does, Dimond said. Because I like the work. Its great, but the people are too. Theyre all hard workers that care about the things they do. On Feb. 27, Dimond received the same form notification as Rebecca Howard, informing him of his termination by a NOAA vice admiral. That email came 11 days before his probationary status would have ended. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since then, there have been changes to an Office of Personnel Management memorandum that set the stage for the layoff of probationary workers. The revised document, updated on March 4, said it was up to the agencies to decide whether to discharge these workers. Both Dimond and Howard hope they will get asked back to their jobs. If not, they hope to find some way to regain their jobs through an administrative appeal process or, perhaps, the courts. Correction: The location of a survey cruise in a photo was misidentified in the original version of this post. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Ah Korea: the one place in the world that the United States cant lose. Or win. Or ignore. For the last 70-plus years, North Korea and America have been locked in an ideological and sometimes violent struggle for supremacy on the Korean Peninsula, but it turns out that the headbutting between Washington and Koreans began long before Kim Il-Sung and his children ruled that communist state up north. The Medal of Honor, the United States highest award for valor in the face of the enemy, was established during the Civil War. It was just 12 years after the end of the Civil War that American troops began receiving the award for overseas conflicts. Whether it was an isolated coincidence or a harbinger of events to come, those Medals of Honor were awarded for sailors and Marines in combat against Korea. In 1866, Korea wasnt the Stalinist communist dictatorship it is today, but it was just as isolated. The Joseon Dynasty that ruled the peninsula at the time had enacted a policy of strict isolationism, one that not only cut off contact from China and Japan, but also Western ships and missionaries. The Joseon even went so far as to regularly cull Catholics in Korea, which is exactly what they did in 1866. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So when the American merchant vessel General Sherman sailed up the Taedong River that same year, the local Koreans believed it was a French warship, ready to dole out just punishment for the killing of Catholics and missionaries. The Americans, however, were not looking for a fight, they were looking for a market. The ship picked up a cargo of valuables in China before setting out for Korea and was looking to sell to anyone who might buy. The problem was that many Asian nations at the time werent looking for trading partners; they didnt want partners of any kind. China had a history of banning trade with and travel for foreigners. Japan had a similar isolationist policy under the Tokugawa Shogunate, one that ended in 1853 when American Commodore Matthew Perry arrived in the islands and opened Japan by force. Korean isolationism would soon meet a similar fate. Korea told the crew of the General Sherman they could not trade and ordered the ship to leave, but the merchants stayed. Things devolved quickly from there. The Americans took a hostage, so the Koreans set out to capture the ship. When that didnt work the crew fired the ships guns on the shore. In response the Koreans set fire to the General Sherman. When the crew abandoned ship and swam to shore, they were killed. In 1871, the United States dispatched a squadron of five ships and 650 men to Korea to determine the fate of the General Sherman. When they arrived on the peninsula to ask about the merchants, the Koreans demurred, so the U.S. ships sailed up the Han River over the objections of the Korean government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As they did, a series of five Korean forts fired on them. When the forts refused to apologize, Adm. John Rogers ordered a full-scale assault. Korean troops guarding the forts on the Salee River didnt stand much of a chance. They were still using the kind of firearms the Americans had used in the War of 1812, while the Americans were veterans of the Civil War and had revised their tactics and weapons for years. The Koreans were so outgunned and outmatched, they ran out of ammunition and resorted to throwing rocks and fighting with swords. The fight, now known as the Battle of Ganghwa, was all over in 15 minutes. After destroying two of the forts, American artillery and naval guns pounded the third and final one before U.S. troops attacked it en masse. The battle resulted in 243 Koreans and just three Americans killed in action. The command standard (called a sujagi) of Korean garrison commander Gen. Eo Jae-yon was seized by Cpl. Charles Brown and Pvt. Hugh Purvis. It was Pvt. James Dougherty who actually killed Gen. Eo. A sailor and carpenter named Cyrus Hayden actually planted the American flag on top of the forts ramparts as the battle raged. All four of these men and five others received the Medal of Honor for their actions. It was the first time the medal was bestowed for an overseas battle. Captive Koreans were held as a bargaining chip for potential negotiations, but when the Koreans didnt actually want their men back, the Americans just let them go. Though decisive, the battle changed nothing for the Koreans. They called for their better-equipped troops to come fight the Americans. Upon realizing they were soon outnumbered (by troops with better weapons), the U.S. Navy left. Korea would stay closed to foreigners until 1876, when it began trading with Japan, but would stay closed to the United States until 1882. (NEXSTAR/WWLP) An investigation is underway after a wrapped deceased body was pulled from the ocean by a fishing vessel near Massachusetts last week. The crew of the boat had reported finding the body in its fishing nets about 40 miles from the Massachusetts coast, according to the office of the Suffolk County District Attorney. Coast Guard officials and members of the Massachusetts State Police met up with the boat in Boston on Friday morning. The body, which was wrapped and in a state of decomposition, is now with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for autopsy purposes, a member of the DAs office said in a statement shared with Nexstar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gene Hackman, Betsy Arakawa causes of death announced The state medical examiners office was unable to comment on the investigation, but a spokesperson told Nexstar that all cases take 90 days to determine a cause or manner of death. A representative for the states Executive Office of Public Safety and Security was not immediately available for comment. No additional information had been made public as of Monday morning. 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 Queen City News. March 10 (UPI) -- A small plane has crashed in rural Pennsylvania, injuring all five on board, officials said. The plane crashed at about 3:18 p.m. EDT on Sunday in a parking lot of a retirement community in Manheim Township, located about 85 miles northwest of Philadelphia, Manheim Township said in a statement. All five people on board sustained injuries of unknown severity and were transported to local hospitals for medical treatment, according to the township. No injuries were reported on the ground and there were no deaths, it added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Brethren Village facilities also avoided sustaining damage, though several cars in the parking lot were damaged. Officials told reporters during a press conference that the aircraft was on fire when responders arrived at the scene. About a dozen cars were damaged in the crash, with at least five having been "severely damaged," Manheim Township Police Chief Duane Fisher said. The fire has since been extinguished, the officials said. According to FlightAware, the aircraft had departed from Lancaster Airport near the crash site with a final destination of Springfield, Ohio. The cause of the crash was under investigation. Fisher said they initially imposed a shelter-in-place order for the retirement community following the crash as a "precaution." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "At no point did the plane or the aircraft strike any part of the structure," Fisher said. "So, we're very confident that all safety concerns have been addressed as far as the facility here and everyone that lives here." "I don't know if I consider it a miracle, but the fact that we have a plane crash where everybody survives and nobody on the ground is hurt is a wonderful thing." The FAA, which said it was investigating the crash, identified the plane in a statement as a Beechcraft Bonanza. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said state police were on the scene assisting first responders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "All Commonwealth resources are available as the response continues," he said on X. The incident follows a series of high-profile aviation crashes in the United States, including a crash involving a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines Jet in Washington, D.C., in January. Last week, a measles outbreak claimed the life of a person in New Mexico. Late last month an unvaccinated child died in Texas in a separate measles outbreak. The deaths come as the U.S. public health programs and agencies are rocked by the appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , a well-known vaccine skeptic, as the new secretary of health and human services. It also comes at the five-year anniversary of the beginning of the COVID pandemic. Dr. Mike Osterholm, one of the countrys top health experts, spoke to The Advocate recently about the anniversary and his concerns about U.S. public health. During the height of the pandemic, then- President Joe Biden appointed Osterholm to his COVID advisory committee because of his expertise in pandemic preparedness, disease outbreak investigations, and public health practice. Osterholm is Regents Professor, McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health and the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota, where he's taught for almost 50 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Osterholm has been vocal about the potential negative impacts of Kennedys appointment on both national and global health. One of the immediate actions taken under Secretary Kennedy's leadership was the suspension of critical vaccine advisory meetings, Osterholm said. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is responsible for recommending vaccine protocols, and a similar committee advising the Food and Drug Administration on flu vaccines, have both had their sessions canceled. Osterholm expressed deep concern over these cancellations. "I don't see any reason why we would need to have a total pause in the sharing of information," he pointed out. Such disruptions could jeopardize the ability of agencies like the CDC and FDA to respond to emerging public health crises. He also pointed to the CDC's delayed response to the measles outbreak in Texas , attributing it to the necessity of clearing communications through the Department of Health and Human Services . Effective public health relies heavily on good communication; without it, challenges become more pronounced, as evidenced during the COVID-19 pandemic, he explained. Effective communication enhances the likelihood of successfully addressing public health emergencies and bringing them to a resolution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The importance of maintaining robust communication as well as vaccination programs is being underscored by the measles outbreaks. In Texas, that outbreak has resulted in over 130 cases. The death in the state is the first U.S. measles fatality in about a decade. During a recent Cabinet meeting, Kennedy downplayed the severity of the outbreak, suggesting that measles occurrences are routine and misstating hospitalization protocols. What he said was not true, Osterholm said. He had a number of misstatements...He also said that the children that were hospitalized were being quarantined. Quarantine is something we use to basically take people who might be infectious and capable of transmitting and in a sense isolating them from doing that. That is not true. These children are all hospitalized because they're severely ill. In the last week, Kennedy, who first seemed to tout fish oil instead of vaccines, has taken to Fox News to recommend the measles vaccine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On top of all this, Osterholm characterized the administration's approach to governing as being led by a "wildly swinging machete" rather than a "finely precisioned surgical tool," suggesting that necessary changes should be implemented thoughtfully and strategically. While it's essential to assess workforce productivity and make necessary adjustments, such actions should be executed with precision, akin to using a surgical instrument, rather than through broad and hasty measures, because some of our finest doctors and researchers as well as grants might be part of that machete cut. He further criticized the abrupt withdrawal of support for numerous global health programs aimed at combating diseases and promoting healthy lives for children. I compare it to suddenly denying a patient a lifesaving drug without warning because these moves by the administration will have immediate and severe consequences, he said. He predicted that these decisions could lead to a crisis, especially with anticipated major cuts to federal health agencies like the CDC, FDA , and National Institutes of Health . Addressing the potential cuts in funding for programs targeting diseases like AIDS and malaria, Osterholm asserted that these diseases "don't know borders, but they love chaos." He explained that reduced attention and resources can enhance the transmission of these diseases, leading to a "double whammy" where the elimination of international borders for transmission is compounded by increased spread due to diverted focus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The damage inflicted by such neglect may be immediate but will have long-term implications, making recovery challenging, he noted. Regarding the bird flu problem, Osterholm emphasized that it requires a long-term solution, particularly the development of reliable, durable, and safe vaccines. He criticized the current minimal investment in vaccine research and development for both flu and coronaviruses. Its a major mistake that will incur a significant price in the future, he said. Having more effective vaccines readily available and ensuring public willingness to receive them are crucial steps in mitigating the impact of future pandemics. The convergence of leadership that undermines vaccine efficacy, coupled with policies that disrupt both domestic and global health initiatives, presents a precarious future for public health, setting up a perfect storm, he said. "Everything that I could define as a disrupter is what's happening in terms of public health in this country, he cautioned. The proof is in the pudding of what's happening right now. When people used to ask me how concerned I was about public health, I always said I sleep with one eye open, and lately I feel like I've been sleeping with three eyes open." The REINS Act creates a conundrum inside the Kentucky Capitol: By asserting its power the legislature could cost Kentucky its power to run regulatory programs. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Sarah Ladd) Its said that a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of a small mind. Yet one must wonder why, in the same breath as claiming to be the most powerful of the three coequal branches of state government, supporters of two bills pending in the General Assembly would want to give that power over numerous state regulatory programs to the federal government? That is the conundrum of House Bill 6 and its counterpart Senate Bill 20, both pending in the Kentucky Senate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kentuckys General Assembly has determined, over many years and with many votes, that Kentucky should manage regulatory programs under various federal laws including laws regulating air pollution, water pollution, waste management, occupational safety and health, drinking water, underground injection associated with oil and gas production, among numerous others. No one requires Kentucky to run these programs. If Kentucky decided tomorrow to no longer do so, a federal program would be implemented in place of Kentuckys. With longer wait time for permits. With higher permit fees. With federal agency and federal court enforcement. It was the General Assembly that directed the executive branch agencies to apply for delegated authority from the federal government to allow Kentucky agencies to operate the programs, to issue the permits and to conduct the inspections. With that authority comes a binding obligation, voluntarily accepted, to maintain the programs in a manner that meets the requirements of the federal law and is timely updated to reflect changes in federal regulations. The federal program standards are national minimum standards, intended to establish a national floor of worker public, and environmental protection, against the one-downmanship and economic protectionism that prevailed among the states and too often prevented states from adopting adequate protections. (Regrettably, Kentucky has in many cases converted those floor standards of protection into our ceiling, but that is an issue for another day). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Regulations impose standards of conduct and responsible behavior, such as limiting pollution of the publics air, land and water and protecting workers in the workplace from hazards. As such, regulations have costs costs for compliance, costs for pollution control, costs for worker protection that are internalized through regulation and passed through to consumers, rather than being paid for downwind, downstream and downhill, in morbidity, mortality and loss of quality of life. Not controlling those harms and impacts also has a cost, yet all too often, the focus in cost-benefit analyses overemphasizes compliance costs while minimizing benefits to both the regulated and the public. Or ignores those offsetting benefits completely. So it is with HB 6 and SB 20, which would decree that unless it falls within one of six enumerated exceptions, no state agency has the authority to file any regulation that would impose compliance costs of more than $500,000 over a two-year period. No consideration is provided in the bill to offsetting benefits, such as avoided costs to workers and public health, safety and the environment. And no exception is provided to allow state agencies to adopt regulations needed to allow continued state management and control of delegated federal programs. One reported explanation from the House floor debate was that it is about a reset to make sure and remove all doubt that the most powerful branch of government is the branch that has the most elected people in it that power that this country was founded on is spread across 138 individuals. We should never allow unelected bureaucrats to set the policies that affect the everyday lives of Kentucky citizens. Called the REINS Act for Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny, the bill might better be called the Giving Up The Reins Act since the outcome of the bill if enacted will be that all of the delegated federal programs will be subject to challenge, de-delegation, and replacement by federally-run programs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You read that right. The muscle-flexing will likely result in de-delegation of the federal programs that the General Assembly directed those unelected bureaucrats in the state agencies to apply for, receive, and implement in the first place. And in the meantime, as noted by the secretary of the Energy and Environment Cabinet that implements many of these delegated programs, the bills would hamper the cabinets ability to effectively protect Kentucky and Kentuckians from environmental harms. Each of the federal program delegations requires certification from the states that they have the legal authority to maintain, administer, implement, and enforce the federal law and regulations. A state agency that no longer has the power to timely adopt state counterpart regulations as federal regulations change, can no longer demonstrate that authority. And any notion that the economic impacts of these regulations have not been thoroughly considered is misplaced. Each of the federal regulations adopted by Kentucky agencies as part of these delegated programs, which represent most of all state regulations, have been thoroughly vetted and subject to significant scrutiny for costs and benefits at the federal level, and are again subject to such analyses and legislative review as part of the state administrative regulation process. Blanket prohibitions on adoption of regulations based solely on the projected compliance costs, and ignoring the offsetting health and safety benefits of regulation, such as HB 6 and SB 20 propose, add nothing of substance to the process. The General Assembly cannot have it both ways. If it believes that state agencies should continue to manage these federal programs that are intended to protect workers and the public and to create a healthy and livable environment in which Kentuckians can live, work and do business, then it should shelve HB 6 and SB 20. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If it would rather assert its power by preventing Kentuckys agencies from adopting regulations needed to maintain the regulatory programs it directed them to adopt and manage, it should be ready to give up the reins on these programs, with all of the economic disruption, delays, environmental damage and loss of control that will follow. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A new Florida bill would require some elementary school students to learn cursive writing. The bill, HB 921, would require all public schools to provide cursive writing instruction to students in grades 2 through 5. By the end of fifth grade, every student must demonstrate proficiency in reading and writing cursive through an evaluation of written work, the bill states. Students rally at Florida capitol opposing amendment petition reform Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Students would have to write upper and lowercase letters in cursive, write words and sentences legibly with proper spacing and alignment and be able to read cursive writing. If passed, the bill would go into effect on July 1. Currently, students are taught cursive at the beginning of third grade to the end of fifth grade. However, schools are not required to ensure students can read and comprehend cursive writing. Florida law does not require schools to give cursive writing exams or evaluations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Senate committees at the Florida State Capitol will take on several measures that could become state law. One of them would bring changes to Floridas minimum wage rules. If passed, employers would be exempt from wage requirements for people in internships or apprenticeship programs. Meanwhile, another committee will discuss a bill that would change higher education, including providing tuition assistance to members of the Florida State Guard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another bill would change health insurance coverage for people with developmental disabilities. A committee will also discuss a proposed constitutional amendment that would bring eight-year term limits for county commissioners and school board members. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) A man convicted of kidnapping a woman in Miami and later strangling her to death is set to be executed next month under a death warrant Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Monday. Michael Tanzi, 48, is scheduled to be executed April 8 at Florida State Prison. Janet Acosta was seated inside her parked van in April 2000 when Tanzi attacked her and threatened her with a razor blade, according to court documents. Tanzi bound and gagged the woman and began heading toward the Florida Keys in her van. Tanzi sexually assaulted Acosta at one point and used her bank card to take money from ATMs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tanzi eventually drove to an isolated area of Cudjoe Key, where he strangled Acosta and left her body, officials said. He then drove to Key West to visit friends. As Tanzi was making his way through the Keys, Acosta's friends reported her missing. Police recognized the woman's van and arrested Tanzi. Tanzi's execution would be the state's third so far this year. James Dennis Ford was put to death in February for murdering a couple in 1997 in Charlotte County. Edward James is scheduled to be executed March 20 for murdering a woman and raping and killing her 8-year-old-granddaughter in Seminole County in 1993. A Florida teenager was arrested Sunday after a video emerged of him apparently threatening to carry out a mass shooting on the local high school. The Sanford Police Department, about 25 miles outside of Orlando, said it received an anonymous tip Saturday regarding a video of an unknown male threatening to shoot up Seminole High School. The video pictured the subject with multiple guns, vests, and other items of concern, police said in a release. Upon receiving the information, Sanford Investigators and other law enforcement partners immediately began working to ascertain the identity of the unknown male in the video. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said they arrested a 17-year-old in connection to the alleged online threats connected to the school. The Hill is not naming the suspect, who police said was arrested at his home without incident. The suspect was charged with intimidation and the electronic threat of a mass shooting or terrorism act. The swift identification and arrest..is the direct result of the immediate collaboration and dedication of multiple local and federal agencies and organizations. This fast action and team work most likely prevented a tragedy and saved multiple lives, Sanford Police Chief Cecil Smith said in a statement. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. BEIJING, March 9 (Xinhua) -- The "AI Plus" initiative has come under the spotlight at this year's annual sessions of China's national legislature and the top political advisory body, with many lawmakers and political advisors sharing their insights and proposals. The government work report, submitted Wednesday at the session of China's top legislature, pledged to further promote the initiative in 2025, recognizing AI as essential for fostering new quality productive forces. It also outlined a blueprint to nurture and expand emerging industries and industries of the future, and called on innovative enterprises to pioneer breakthroughs for China's economic growth. Engaging in heated discussions, national lawmakers and political advisors are eyeing a future of "AI plus everything," where AI seamlessly integrates into every facet of industrial development and people's lives -- from AI-powered writing, automated weeding and AI-driven robots to surgery-assisting robots in medical procedures. Qi Xiangdong, a national political advisor and chairman of cybersecurity company Qi-Anxin, said that the government's policy support and substantial resource investment in AI will empower Chinese companies to lead the new wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation. "More companies will integrate AI into their strategies to gain a competitive advantage," Qi said. National lawmaker Zhou Yunjie, also chairman of home appliance giant Haier, shared his insight for traditional manufacturers in their transition toward smart manufacturing: embrace AI to thrive or risk becoming obsolete. The country's thriving automotive industry is actively embracing AI. According to He Xiaopeng, a national lawmaker and chairman of XPeng, AI advancements will expedite the development of autonomous and driverless vehicles. Data showed that by 2024, nearly 200 generative AI large models had completed registration and been launched online in China, serving over 600 million registered users. Beyond industrial applications, participants also emphasized spreading AI's benefits. Shi Yigong, a national political advisor and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said AI skills should become essential competencies for citizens. "AI should be regarded as a fundamental course, enabling ordinary people to harness its potential to change the world and embrace the future," Shi said. During a group discussion among political advisors from the medical community on Friday, epidemiologist Zhang Wenhong suggested that Chinese hospitals increase their investment in AI. Noting that AI's strength lies not only in assisting doctors with rapid diagnosis but also in its potential for large-scale replication, Zhang urged its adoption in grassroots clinics as AI can expand healthcare access and help bridge the expertise gap, particularly in regions with a shortage of professionals. Lei Jun, a national lawmaker and chairman of tech giant Xiaomi, said there will be continued investment by his company in AI. "Our goal is to apply the latest AI technologies to various terminals, enabling consumers to enjoy the benefits of technological advancements," Lei said. Speaking at the project's report, Pirverdiyev noted that benchmarks from other countries were used during the implementation of the project. "We conducted market research in Turkiye, Russia, and other countries. Overall, the project was completed optimally to the extent we aimed for," he said. The Florida state Senate will hold a celebration of life this week to honor state Sen. Geraldine Thompson. Thompson died last month after complications from knee surgery. She was 76 years old. The ceremony will be at noon Thursday in the Senate chamber. Thompson was a fixture in Florida politics. She served in the state Senate from 2012 to 2016, representing parts of Orlando and western Orange County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She also served three terms in the Florida House of Representatives from 2006 to 2012. She later returned to the state the House, representing the 44th District from 2018 to 2022 before returning to the state Senate. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. In nursing homes across Florida, elderly residents have much to lose from the spending cuts proposed in Washington, D.C. Medicaid is the primary payer for nursing-home care in Florida and the only way that two-thirds of nursing-home residents can afford help with daily tasks such as eating, bathing and dressing. What would happen if Florida no longer had the money to pay for senior care? Would family members need to step in and provide the care, or pay the bill? Would some nursing homes close? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These questions are top of mind in Florida as Congress looks at where to make federal cuts. Medicaid offers health coverage for people with limited income and resources. Any federal-government cuts to Medicaid could affect about 700,000 seniors in Florida now covered, including those in long-term care facilities, as well as those who may need skilled nursing or home health care in the future. Most of Floridas elderly dont have the means to pay for their care, with the average annual cost of a nursing-home bed ranging from $104,000 to almost $117,000 in 2023, according to KFF, a nonprofit providing health policy research and polling. Some residents start in nursing homes on Medicaid or use it once they have exhausted their private funds. Loss of Medicaid coverage poses unique challenges for seniors and people with disabilities, people who are likely to live on fixed incomes, have high health care spending, and rely on Medicaid for coverage of long-term care, KFF notes in its article, 5 Key Facts about Medicaid Eligibility for Seniors and People with Disabilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the depth and scope of potential Medicaid cuts are unknown, House Republicans cant meet their target of $880 billion in savings to pass President Donald Trumps legislative agenda without making significant cuts to programs like Medicaid. All states rely on federal matching funds to finance their Medicaid programs. In Florida, the federal government pays for 57% of the cost of traditional Medicaid, and the state pays 43%. If the federal match were decreased, state legislators would have to figure out how to operate their program with less federal funding. The state gets $19.5 billion annually from the federal government for Florida Medicaid, according to a Georgetown University analysis. For now, questions and uncertainty cloud Medicaids future while Floridas elder-care advocates watch closely for whats ahead. A nursing-home owners perspective Shawn Corley, president of Solaris HealthCare Properties, worries about the day he cannot accept a new Medicaid resident at one of his 20 long-term care facilities in Florida. It has him tuned in to every federal action focused on spending cuts and their impact on Medicaid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any significant cuts could devastate the care we provide, Corley said. You could see financial instability for providers like us, and that can lead to closures of buildings, then displacement of residents, or a population that is under-serviced by limited beds available. The repercussions of cuts also could affect nursing-home employees, as well as residents family members, he notes. If their family member doesnt have access to Medicaid funding, they could have to stop work to take care of them at home, Corley said. Nick Van Der Linden, senior director of operations for LeadingAge Florida, a statewide association representing all types of care for seniors, said each nursing-home owner sets the percentage of Medicaid residents they take. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some owners would be impacted more than others, Van Der Linden said. It would be logical to assume some owners would end up getting out of the Medicaid business. That doesnt mean residents would be put out of nursing homes, but it could mean increased needs for residents that wont be able to be met, he added. It means some people would not be able to access medically necessary long-term care. Seniors who get care at home Over 90% of seniors say they would rather age at home than in a long-term care facility. The cuts, however, could threaten the amount of in-home care they receive, their access to adult daycare and medical equipment coverage. Seniors could also be required to pay for all types of medical services now covered by their Medicaid plans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We dont know where they are aiming the cuts right now, but the impact could be a senior at home, who is getting Medicaid funding for an aide to help them make a sandwich or shop for groceries or help them brush their teeth, could see those services eliminated, said Pam Wiener, president of the nonprofit Palm Beach County Partnership for Aging. Wiener said cuts to those services could lead to social isolation: For a lot of people at home, the only people they see are the aides who come in once, twice or three times a week. Why seniors are at risk Although Medicaid funds myriad programs for other age groups in Florida, the highest spending is on seniors and people with disabilities (78%). The U.S. average is 51%, according to the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. If the state has to reduce Medicaid spending and most of the money is going to older adults, you can expect a big target on older adults and people with disabilities, said the centers Leo Cuello. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cuello said if Medicaid cuts happen, Florida lawmakers would most likely consider three options: Make it more difficult for Floridians to become eligible for Medicaid Reduce covered services such as home care or certain prescription drugs Cut provider reimbursement rates, making it less appealing to accept Medicaid If reimbursement rates were cut, seniors would face an extremely limited choice of providers, Cuello added. They could find it challenging to access a specialist, hire a home health attendant, or get an appointment with a gerontologist. In Florida, Miami-Dade County has the highest percentage of seniors covered by Medicaid (58.8%) followed by Broward County (21.6%), according to Georgetown Universitys study Medicaid Coverage in Florida Counties, 2023. Palm Beach County has a much lower percentage, about 12%, likely due to a more affluent population. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These arent just numbers on a spreadsheet they represent real Florida families who could lose access to essential medical care, said Alison Yager, executive director of the Florida Health Justice Project, which provides analysis of health policy on Florida communities. In Miami-Dade County, nearly three in five seniors rely on Medicaid. With fixed dollars from the federal government, the state will be squeezed, Yager said. The costs dont go away; theyre just shifted onto the state, the hospitals, the providers and the residents. Wiener, of the Palm Beach County Partnership for Aging, said community leaders who work with the elderly already face challenges, even without cuts in services. We are already up to our ears keeping people safe who are struggling with housing and care, she said. Many retirees here are getting older, so its a significant issue. Florida seniors have a lot to lose. _____ Foreigners are convicted of up to a quarter of sex crimes, according to the first data analysis of its kind. Data from the Ministry of Justice, obtained under freedom of information laws, show that 15 per cent of sexual offences, including rape, were accounted for by foreign nationals between 2021 and 2023. A further eight per cent of convictions were recorded as unknown nationalities. Those labelled unknown are likely to largely include non-British nationals, taking the total number likely to have been committed by foreigners up to 23 per cent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is despite census data showing foreign nationals make up just 9.3 per cent of the population. Two nationalities Afghans and Eritreans were more than 20 times more likely to account for sexual offence convictions than British citizens, according to the data. Overall, foreign nationals were 71 per cent more likely than Britons to be responsible for sex crime convictions. The data, drawn from the police national computer, shows that there were 16,771 convictions for sexual offences carried out by someone with a known nationality between 2021 and 2023, and migrants accounted for 2,500 of these. The highest numbers of sex offence convictions were accounted for by Romanians (987), Poles (208), Indians (148) and Pakistanis (144). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the rates, based on convictions per 10,000 of the population put Afghans, with 77 convictions, at the top with a rate of 59 per 10,000 22.3 times that of Britons. They were followed by Eritreans, who accounted for 59 convictions at a rate of 53.6 per 10,000 of their population. Britons accounted for 12,619 sex offence convictions, representing a rate of 2.66 per per 10,000 of their population in England and Wales. The disclosure, through FOIs obtained by the Centre for Migration Control, comes as Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, will on Monday announce new terror-style powers to tag and restrict the movements of dangerous foreign nationals to protect the public A Government spokesman said: We are committed to delivering justice for victims and safer streets for our communities. Any foreign nationals who commit heinous crimes should be in no doubt we will do everything to make sure they are not free on Britains streets, including removal from the UK at the earliest possible opportunity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the foreign criminals whose removal we are pursuing, but that we are presently unable to deport, we are introducing tougher restrictions, including the use of electronic tags, night-time curfews and exclusion zones. Breaching these conditions would be grounds for arrest and the individual could face imprisonment. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said the figures were shocking, adding: We need to kick out all foreign national offenders. Yet immigration judges routinely allow dangerous foreign offenders to stay here on spurious human rights grounds ignoring the rights of UK citizens to be protected. That is why we will today be tabling an amendment to the Borders Bill to disapply the Human Rights Act to immigration matters. It will then be much easier to kick out these dangerous foreign criminals who are responsible for so much crime. The Telegraph has previously revealed foreign national arrest rates, but never before has there been data on the true rate of criminality based on convictions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The only government data is on foreign prisoners and deportations by nationality, prompting allegations of institutional cover-up over migrant crime rates. The data also reveal rates by nationality for convictions of all types of crimes. According to the new data, 872,488 convictions were recorded on the police national computer between 2021 and 2023, of which 833,522 had identifiable nationality information. Foreign nationals accounted for 104,000, but there were a further 38,966 where the nationality was unknown. This means foreign nationals accounted for between one in eight (12.5 per cent) and as many as one in six (16.4 per cent) of convictions in England and Wales. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Foreign nationals were 69 per cent more likely than the British population to be convicted for drug crime, and 25 per cent more likely for theft. For all crime types, they were 39 per cent more likely. Immigration experts said a large number of those with unknown nationalities were likely be foreign nationals who have a smaller footprint on existing ID systems, or were charged remotely and will be more reluctant to provide information that could affect their immigration status. The data place Albanians at the top of the nationality crime league table by conviction rate. Romanians accounted for the highest number of convictions at 15,701, followed by Poles (13,333) and Albanians (7,653). However, the rate for Albanians at 4,028 per 10,000 of their census population in England and Wales put them at the top of the table with a rate 30 times that of British nationals 136 per 10,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Albania was followed by Moldova, Congo, Namibia and Somalia. Sixty-six nationalities have a higher conviction rate per 10,000 than Britons. Foreign nationals accounted for between 8.8 per cent and 12 per cent of violent crime convictions between 2021 and 2023. The Congolese had the highest rate, at 186 convictions per 10,000 of their population 12 times the UK rate and ahead of Somalia at 129 per 10,000 and Afghanistan at 101 per 10,000, according to the data. Up to 15,500, or 15 per cent, of the total 104,000 convictions for drug-related offences were accounted for by foreign nationals, with Albanians responsible for at least four times more than any other overseas nationality. Foreign nationals were responsible for between 11.4 per cent and 12.6 per cent of convictions for theft in England and Wales between 2021 and 2023. Algerians were 18 times more likely to be convicted of theft as British citizens Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Foreign nationals accounted for 12.5 per cent of weapon possession convictions a rate 46 per cent higher than British citizens. Albanians were 14 times more likely to be convicted of weapons possession than British citizens. Robert Bates, the research director at the Centre for Migration Control, said: These figures lay bare the cost of mass migration on our home, reflecting tens of thousands of destroyed lives and the loss of social capital. The swift removal of every foreign national who is convicted of an offence is a clear starting point for beginning to reverse the damage. Far more can and must be done by the Home Office to vet those individuals afforded the privilege of entering our country. It is their primary duty of government to keep the public safe. Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, who laid amendments last year seeking to force the Government to publish such data, said: Not only is mass migration making us poorer, but this data proves its also making us dramatically less safe. Not only do we need to reduce overall migration radically, we also need to overhaul security vetting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It should not be surprising that migrants from cultures with backward attitudes towards women are more likely to commit sexual crimes here in the UK. If we are serious about tackling violence against women and girls, we need an immigration system that takes that into account and puts the safety of the British people first. Home Office sources cautioned that the figures magnified the scale of foreign crime because migrants were disproportionately much younger than the UK population. Among groups such as Romanians, Poles and Albanians, 80 per cent were 18 to 64, compared with only 60 per cent of British nationals. The sources also said the population estimates from 2021 were dated and underestimated the size of key populations such as Afghans, Albanians and Iraqis, as thousands of migrants from those nationalities had arrived after that date in small boats across the Channel. A Home Office spokesman said: We are committed to delivering justice for victims and safer streets for our communities. Any foreign nationals who commit heinous crimes should be in no doubt we will do everything to make sure they are not free on Britains streets, including removal from the UK at the earliest possible opportunity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the foreign criminals whose removal we are pursuing, but that we are presently unable to deport, we are introducing tougher restrictions, including the use of electronic tags, night-time curfews and exclusion zones. Breaching these conditions would be grounds for arrest and the individual could face imprisonment. The Tories are proposing amendments to Labours Border Security Bill that would require all foreign nationals convicted of a crime to be deported. This would get rid of the threshold of a one-year prison sentence required for removal and end exceptions granted in accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and modern slavery and asylum laws. Shocking figures have been ignored By Rob Bates Its fair to say that the Home Office is not held in the highest of esteem these days. Trust has been ground to an all-time low by a series of failures that have undermined our borders and allowed the relatively straightforward small boats issue to become a seemingly interminable crisis. A government department obsessed with the creation of diversity networks appears to have forgotten its primary responsibilities to the British public. But however low your estimation of the Home Office, it is frankly not low enough. This is an organisation that, since 2020, has been running a visa system it knows will put us all at risk. Having cowed to pressure from the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, it abandoned visa processing practices that made it harder for an individual from a high-risk nation to be awarded leave to enter the UK. The usual legal gambit of ECHR and Equality Act appeals were deployed by Left-wing lawyers to end what they called institutionally racist practices, which included putting certain countries on a red list. Many of the British public would describe the distinction between certain nationalities as common sense. It is a fact that not all migration is the same. There is vast variation in the economic contribution of different nationalities coming to the UK, and it is the same when it comes to the issue of criminality. But we now have an immigration system that processes a would-be migrant from, say, Afghanistan, in the same way as one from New Zealand, Canada or Australia. This is despite the conviction rate of Afghan nationals between 2021 and 2023 being 1,023 per 10,000 of the population, compared with just 17 convictions per 10,000 amongst the CANZUK population. Never before seen data, released by the Centre for Migration Control, shows that between 2021 and 2023 there were over 100,000 foreign nationals convicted for a serious crime in England and Wales, and nearly 70 nationalities with a criminality rate that is higher than the British public. We have been forced to endure thousands of socially destructive crimes for rape, violence, robbery, fraud, and drug offences that would simply not have blighted our communities were it not for mass migration. Few politicians feel comfortable enough to identify the causal link between open borders and sexual assault, or the drug epidemic, or the ubiquity of theft. But they owe it to the public to do so. For each of these offences, the rate of conviction for foreign nationals is far, far higher than that of the British public. For instance, foreign nationals commit sexual offences at a rate that is 70 per cent higher than the British public and this is before we even take account of the shockingly low arrest and conviction rate for such crimes. And the data clearly shows which types of migrants are more likely to commit these unforgivable assaults on women and girls. North Africans are convicted at a rate 6.6 times higher than Britons, Middle Easterners at a rate 3.8 times higher, and Sub-Saharan Africans at 2.6 times the rate. But the Home Office remains idle, ignoring this vital data that it has at its disposal and doubling down on its come one, come all immigration policy. Last year alone, over 54,000 long-term visas were awarded to individuals from nations with a conviction rate for sexual offences that is between 4.3 times and 22.2 times higher than the British population. If we are not going to adjust our immigration policy, then we will need to get far tougher on deporting foreign convicts. Right now, the country is having to spend half a billion pounds a year to accommodate 10,000 foreign nationals in British prisons. Many are calling for their deportation, but we should not stop with those incarcerated for their crimes. Any individual invited into our country who breaks our laws should be a candidate for removal. The elephant in the room cannot be ignored any longer. Our streets are objectively less safe. People now report petty crime to their followers on social media rather than to the police, drug gangs operated with impunity, and you are probably more likely to see a weapon on the streets of London than you are a police officer. For those still campaigning for looser migration policies, simply turning a blind eye to these facts and instead sheepishly muttering about the economic payoffs, or the virtues of diversity, no longer cuts it. These figures tell the tale of tens of thousands of upended lives; of hundreds of millions, if not billions, being drained from the British economy; and of the heartbreaking destruction of social capital that is needed for national flourishment. Rob Bates is research director at the Centre for Migration Control 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 U.S. Border Patrol agent in New York pleaded guilty in federal court last week to making women expose their breasts to enter the country. According to a Department of Justice release, Shane Millan, 53, admitted willfully depriving multiple victims of their constitutional right to be free from unreasonable searches by commanding them to bare their breasts via webcam during virtual processing sessions. Millan admitted in his plea that he told the victims his requests were legitimate and required for their admission into the United States but knew the demands were for his own gratification. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Millan was arrested in August and accused of depriving four women of their right to be free from unreasonable searches. In three cases, he made the women expose their upper bodies while he was processing their applications to enter the country. In one of those cases, Millan told a woman in Eagle Pass, Texas, who was with her 1-year-old daughter, that her files showed she had a tattoo on her chest. When the woman denied having any such tattoos, Millan allegedly ordered her to lift her shirt to prove the files were wrong. Millan made the woman expose herself a second time and told her he wouldnt approve her entry to the U.S. unless she complied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the woman bared her breasts a second time, Millan reportedly said, OK. Welcome to the USA. A fourth woman was also ordered to take off her top but keep wearing her bra. Millan also searched online for how to say phrases in Spanish like, I will need you to lift your shirt and bra also, please and to verify I will need you to lift your shirt, please, according to court records obtained by the Miami Herald. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7 and faces up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $200,000. Related... DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) Former Decatur police officer Mac Marquette is asking an Alabama appeals court to remove Judge Charles Elliott from his murder case, arguing he has violated judicial ethics rules. Elliott denied those claims, according to court records. Marquette is charged with murder in the September 2023 on-duty shooting death of Stephen Perkins following a botched vehicle repossession. A motion filed Friday with the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals by Marquettes attorneys says they heard from reliable sources that Elliott privately told a Decatur Police Lieutenant who is a state-subpoenaed witness and subject to the cases gag order of his intention to deny Marquettes immunity hearing request because of extra-judicial concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marquettes attorneys claim the judges concerns include: the high-profile nature of this controversial case his concern for the safety of his family the backlash he would potentially face in his re-election bid if he granted immunity Marquette alleged that he learned about Judge Elliotts predetermination because [the DPD lieutenant] spoke about this conversation with the judge in a setting wherein it was heard by others, who, in turn, told Marquette, the filing said. After hearing about this conversation, the defense filed a motion asking Elliott to remove himself from the case, but he refused without granting a requested hearing. The defense alleges Elliotts conduct, including conversations with a defense lawyer, the Decatur police lieutenant, other judges and prosecutors in the case violate several judicial ethics standards and suggest he is not impartial about the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marquettes immunity hearing is currently set for March 25, but this petition could put that proceeding on hold. Marquette killed 39-year-old Perkins in the early morning hours of September 29th following an incident surrounding a vehicle repossession. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) said Perkins pointed a weapon toward an officer, and the officer shot at him. Perkins was taken to a nearby medical facility and died. Based on Decatur Police Department policy, Marquette was placed on administrative leave, and ALEA began to investigate the incident. Marquettes personnel file obtained by News 19 shows he applied for a police officer position with the Decatur Police Department in late March 2020 and was given a conditional hiring offer on September 24, 2020. He was certified by the Police Officers Standards and Training Commission in April 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Morgan County District Attorney announced that a grand jury indicted Marquette in January 2024, after ALEA concluded its investigation into Perkins death. Marquette turned himself into the Morgan County Jail and was held on a $30,000 bond before bonding out. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. Former German chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday called for European unity in the face of current political challenges, telling the Rheinische Post newspaper it was important to stick together to avoid being "pulverized." Merkel, a Christian Democrat, added that migration also remained a European task that could only be tackled in consultation with neighbouring countries. The 70-year-old also commented on the outcome of Germany's federal elections on February 23, saying she was pleased that her party had won. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, she expressed concern about the strength of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), saying: "Of course, I would have wished that the AfD was not as strong as it is." Merkel noted that the weakening of the political centre "must concern everyone and it concerns me too." She hopes that the current negotiations between the Christian Democrat (CDU)/Christian Social Union (CSU) bloc and the Social Democrats (SPD) will lead to the formation of a new government, as the centre-left coalition has caused much public discontent in recent years. She also expressed support for the planned increases in defence spending by the CDU/CSU bloc and the SPD. Merkel was the first female chancellor in German history, serving from 2005 to 2021. In December 2021, she was succeeded by Olaf Scholz of the SPD. The former manager of a Greater Minnesota grocery store has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting two teenage employees. Kyle Brady Shelton, 46, entered three guilty pleas on Monday to two counts of 3rd-degree criminal sexual conduct, and one of 4th-degree criminal sexual conduct. Charges say Shelton was a manager at The Market, a grocery store formerly known as Tersteeg's, in Redwood Falls. He oversaw the two teenage victims, sending them inappropriate text messages and sexually assaulting them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shelton is expected to be sentenced to nearly six years in prison as a result of pleading guilty. His sentencing date is scheduled for April 28, according to court records. The criminal complaint states one victim told police she started working at Tersteeg's in 2019 and was 15 years old at the time. She said Shelton hired her to not only work at the store but also to babysit his child around the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Noting she was 16 years old when she started to nanny for Shelton, she said it turned into an inappropriate sexual relationship. Once that was established, the victim said Shelton would coincide his schedule with the victim's at Tersteeg's, recalling that he would flirt with her during shifts. According to the complaint, the victim recalled three different instances at three different places where she was sexually assaulted by Shelton. She told investigators the sexual assaults stopped when Shelton's significant other found out about what was going on and began texting the victim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victim said she turned in her uniforms and never worked at Tersteeg's again, according to the charges. Shelton later admitted to sexually assaulting the victim on three separate occasions. He also admitted to receiving nude images of the victim and having sexual relationships with another underage employee, according to an amended complaint. Bring Me The News has reached out to Shelton's attorney for comment. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. Internet speed in Azerbaijan has increased threefold over the last three years, the Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan Information Communication Technologies Agency (ICTA) Jeyhun Huseynzade told reporters, Trend reports. "As part of the 'Online Azerbaijan' project, the use of GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) technology in the country has reached 100 percent. GPON technology has the ability to provide faster internet compared to previous technologies," he added. HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) A former Horry County police officer is facing charges related to the illegal possession, storage and sale of alcohol, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said Monday. Michael Deontric Stackhouse, 36, is accused of unlawfully storing or possessing liquor in a place of business, failing to secure require beer or wine sale permits and sale of beer without payment of taxes. SLED its investigation was prompted by an Horry County Police Department request. It wasnt immediately known when Stackhouse worked in law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An arrest warrant says SLED conducted an operation at Stackhouses Loris business earlier this month, where authorities purchased beer from him. Officials executed a search warrant for the site on Saturday, finding in the kitchen food and drink menus containing purchase prices and an operable kitchen and bar area. A large quantity of sealed and unsealed alcohol were contained throughout the building. * * * 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. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) A woman received a sentence last week for what investigators described as fraudulent hotel room rentals. Diane Coandle, 75, of Hubbard, was sentenced on Wednesday to an agreed-upon sentence of five years of probation in Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas. The victim in the case did not request restitution, and Coandle did not have a prior criminal record, according to the court. According to a police report, the director of operations at an Austintown hotel where Coandle worked called police in October after he was alerted to suspicious activity at the business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He told police that there were two rooms that were occupied but not paid for, and when he went to one of the rooms, he found a family member of Coandle who was inside. He said the rooms appeared to be filled with clutter, and Coandle admitted to him that she had been using fictitious names and altering reservation records over the years, resulting in a loss of about $50,000 to $70,000 to the business. Coandle had reportedly been working there since October 2022, according to the report. She had been charged with fourth-degree felony theft. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. LIMA, Peru (AP) Former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo said Monday that he was beginning a hunger strike in protest of the start of an oral trial against him for the alleged crime of rebellion. The prosecution has requested 34 years in prison for the former president. Castillo, detained since Dec. 7, 2022 after a televised speech in which he declared the dissolution of Congress and his intent to rule by decree, said on his social networks that he has begun a hunger strike to protest injustices committed against me. Castillo claimed that Judge Norma Carbajal, who previously stated armed rebellion does not require physical violence, has prejudged his case by forcing the criminal type of rebellion against him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Castillo, 55, described his trial as politicized and a pantomime in previous sessions, and has refused legal counsel provided by the judicial system. He denied committing rebellion during the trials opening last week, claiming, The only thing I did was convey the peoples desire through a political speech. The Public Ministry accused Castillo for his attempt to dissolve Parliament on Dec. 7, 2022 to avoid a vote seeking his removal due to allegations of permanent moral incapacity to govern. Castillo did not achieve his goal because Congress removed him, he was sent to jail and his then vice president Dina Boluarte assumed power. More than 50 civilians died during three months of protests in the Andean country. Castillo, a former union leader and rural school teacher who won Perus 2021 election with a surprise victory over the nations political establishment, faces another investigation by the prosecutors office for alleged acts of corruption during his government. ____ Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america Former Minnesota DFL legislator Melisa Lopez Franzen has announced she will run for the U.S. Senate seat set to be vacated by Sen. Tina Smith. Lopez Franzen made the announcement on her social media accounts on Monday morning, coming just a few weeks after it was announced she would be leaving the University of Minnesota, for whom she has been in charge of lobbying efforts at the State Capitol since August 2023. "I'm a mother, small business owner, UMN alum and former State Senate Leader," she said. "Minnesota deserves a champion who will fight fearlessly, tell the truth, never back down, and bring normalcy and common sense back to Washington." Im Melisa Lopez Franzen, and I'm running for U.S. Senate. I'm a mother, small business owner, UMN alum & former State Senate Leader. Minnesota deserves a champion who will fight fearlessly, tell the truth, never back down, and bring normalcy + common sense back to Washington. pic.twitter.com/CQuiIEMQ02 Melisa Lopez Franzen (@MelisaFranzen) March 10, 2025 Lopez Franzen is the second major DFL candidate to enter the race after Smith announced she would not run for re-election in 2026, with Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan announcing her campaign last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lopez Franzen says she's advocating for programs that help boost the middle class. "Minnesotans deserve a leader who will continue to stand up and fight for them not someone beholden to billionaire donors," said Lopez Franzen in a written statement. "As an entrepreneur, a Latina, and a mother of two, I know what it takes to protect the dignity of our neighbors and the next generation, and make sure people get a fair shot at the American dream. Thats the approach Ill bring to the U.S. Senate this isnt just about today, its about the next generation." Melisa Lopez Franzen, Facebook The former legislator served 10 years in the Minnesota Senate, representing suburbs including Edina, Eden Prairie, Bloomington and Minnetonka, before taking a step back in 2022 when her district's boundary lines were re-drawn. A resident of Edina, Lopez Franzen was an attorney at Target for eight years, where she held several roles, titles, and responsibilities in Government Affairs and Community Relations divisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She was first elected to her senate seat in 2012, and went on to serve on the Finance, Health and Human Services Finance and Policy, and Transportation and Public Safety Finance Committees. Other candidates who have announced their intention to run include Republicans Royce White and Adam Schwarze. Several others are also considering campaigns. Related: Tina Smith's Senate seat: Who's running, who's not, and who may BRENTWOOD, Tenn. Jason Gage, who served as Springfield City Manager for six years, is set to become the new city manager for Brentwood, Tennessee. Gage was selected from five finalists by the Brentwood City Commission after receiving more than 50 applications for the position. He will begin his duties on April 28, with the commission voting to authorize Gages employment on Monday, March 10. We are pleased to announce our decision to hire our new City Manager, Jason Gage, Brentwood Mayor Mark Gorman said. We believe Jason matches the culture and performance expectations of all stakeholders. Jason understands we are looking for incremental improvement and not structural change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ozarks First teaming with Community Blood Center of the Ozarks during blood drive Gage a southwest Missouri native announced last year he would resign as Springfields city manager in January 2025, saying he felt it was time to move on with upcoming local elections bringing in a new mayor and possibly many new faces on the city council. He served as city manager since 2018 as he helped navigate Springfield through the COVID-19 pandemic and implement capital improvement projects for the city. Deputy City Manager Collin Quigley was named interim city manager as the city of Springfield continues its search for a permanent replacement. I am very excited to be selected as Brentwoods next manager, Gage said. Brentwood is a very special place. It is my privilege to work for this city commission, lead their highly qualified staff team, and serve this incredible community! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brentwood, Tennesee, is a suburb of Nashville with a population of 45,373 as of the 2020 United States Census. Brentwoods previous city manager Kirk Bednar retired after more than a decade on the job. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. (Photo by Peter Dazeley/Getty Images) A former top state administrator is suing the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services claiming disability discrimination. Jessica Clark, who once served as the chief operating officer for the Department of Revenue, is suing DHHS in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, alleging violations of the Iowa Civil Rights Act. According to court records, Clark joined the Iowa Department of Administrative Services in 2008 as part of that agencys central team, responsible for managing the state benefits, hiring system, human resources, and learning management. In 2011, she was promoted to COO within the Department of Revenue, overseeing human resources and various administrative services. In April 2019, the Judicial Branch promoted Clark to deputy director of human resources, and in 2021, DHHS hired her as its director of human resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By 2022, the lawsuit alleges, Clark was earning $132,828 per year the maximum salary within her pay grade and DHHS director Kelly Garcia and COO Jean Slaybaugh assured her they were developing a new position for her called human resources and general business services administrator that had a top salary of $167,898. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX In the spring of 2023, Clark alleges, she experienced significant personal and medical challenges, triggering a bout of depression and the periodic use of time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act. She returned to work in a few weeks, but on a reduced schedule, and continued to rely on intermittent FMLA leave to handle medical appointments. At that point, her lawsuit alleges, she began to receive noticeably increased criticism from DHHS leadership. On July 24, 2023, DHHS allegedly solicited applications for the newly created position of human resources and general business services administrator. Clark alleges she applied for the position, confident she would be given the job due to repeated assurances from Garcia and Slaybaugh that the role was created specifically for her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Aug. 25, 2023, Melissa Bird, a former public health worker with no human resources experience, was selected for the job. Deputy Director Sarah Reisetter allegedly told Clark her recent FMLA-related absences had affected her teams cohesion indicating, the lawsuit claims, that Clarks use of FMLA leave had influenced the decision to deny her the promotion. In November 2023, CDHHS allegedly denied Clarks request for the temporary ability to telecommute and to reschedule noncritical meetings and deadlines, which would have provided her with the flexibility to take time off for medical appointments. In March 2024, Bird and Deputy Division Administrator Cassie Tracey allegedly informed Clark that her services were no longer required. Clark was fired, the lawsuit alleges, without documented cause despite her years of exemplary service, recent compliance with heightened demands, and ongoing medical needs. Her lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for alleged violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Iowa Civil Rights Acts prohibitions on disability discrimination and retaliation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services has not yet filed a response to the lawsuit, which was originally filed in state court before being transferred last week to federal court. A department spokesperson said the agency does not comment on pending litigation. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) A former USPS worker who worked in West Seneca pleaded guilty to theft of mail after stealing an envelope in 2021 and giving it to his wife, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Christopher Porter, 37, of Angola, stole an envelope with a Wegmans gift card and a Target gift card in it and gave it to his wife in October 2021, officials said. He was employed by the USPS between 2021 and May 2022 as a City Carrier at the West Seneca Post Office. Along with stealing the envelope, it is alleged that Porter also opened envelopes and rifled through them in March 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He pleaded guilty to theft of mail by an officer or an employee. He is scheduled to be sentenced July 18 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Latest Local News Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A man who founded Greater Blessed Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Waxhaw is facing charges on child sex crimes. Waymon Jordan, 79, who was also the senior pastor, has been arrested and charged with four counts of felony statutory sexual offense with a child after an investigation by the Union County Sheriffs Office Special Victims Unit. The investigation began in late February when detectives received reports of a child sexual assault in the Waxhaw area. Over several weeks, detectives conducted numerous interviews and gathered critical evidence that led to the identification and arrest of Jordan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incidents happened in 2022 when the victim was under the age of 15. It is unclear if the two knew each other. One woman, who didnt want to show her face, said Jordan has a large family. She isnt convinced that a man in his 70s, who is so loved in the community, is capable of the crimes. Hes great, the woman said. Great musician. Great at what he is teaching. Hes been hands on with the youth for so long. Its just so hard. Another community resident didnt give him the benefit of the doubt. You dont mess with kids. I dont care who you are, she said. Honestly, I hope he never preaches again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After his arrest, Jordan was processed into the Union County Detention Center with a secured bond set at $200,000. He was able to post bond and has since been released. The investigation remains ongoing, and detectives are urging anyone with additional information to come forward. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. The parliamentary delegation led by Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova has called at the monument of the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev in Tbilisi on March 10 as part of the visit to Georgia, a source in the parliament told Trend. According to the source, Gafarova placed a wreath at the memorial, honoring the Great Leader with profound respect. Then, the speaker went to the Memorial Complex in the Heroes Square. There, Gafarova put a wreath at the monument in memoriam of the heroes who had given their lives up for the sake of Georgias territorial integrity. The respective national anthems of Azerbaijan and Georgia were executed in a ceremonial context. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel LAKE CHARLES, La. (KLFY) Four Lafayette men were arrested on Friday and charged with vehicle burglary and possession of drugs, authorities said. Those arrested include: Jamarcus D. Green, 20, is charged with simple burglary; theft less than $1,000; 2 counts of possession of CDS II; possession of marijuana; possession of drug paraphernalia; possession of machine guns unlawful; and illegal carrying of a weapon during a commission of a crime. His bond is set at $169,000 Ladarius D. Demouchet, 19, is charged with simple burglary; theft less than $1,000; 2 counts of possession of CDS II; possession of marijuana; possession of drug paraphernalia; possession of machine guns unlawful; and illegal carrying of a weapon during a commission of a crime. His bond is set at $168,000 Ladarien P. Demouchet, 17, is charged with illegal possession of a handgun by a juvenile; 2 counts of possession of CDS II; possession of marijuana; possession of drug paraphernalia; possession of machine guns unlawful; and illegal carrying of a weapon in the commission of a crime. Authorities said his bond is set at $144,000. Kebba K. Verdin, 29, is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; 2 counts of possession of CDS II; possession of marijuana; possession of drug paraphernalia; possession of machine guns unlawful; and illegal carrying of a weapon in the commission of a crime. Authorities said Verdins bond is set at $234,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KLFY Daily Digest Calcasieu Parish Sheriffs Deputies said they were dispatched to a local casino in Lake Charles where surveillance showed several individuals breaking into vehicles located in the parking lot. Upon arrival, deputies said they located four men matching the description of the suspects inside a SUV in the parking lot. During a search of the SUV, deputies said they located a pill bottle that had been stolen from a vehicle in the casino parking lot. Deputies said they also located two plastic bags containing suspected marijuana, two plastic bags containing suspected methamphetamines, one plastic bag containing suspected cocaine, drug paraphernalia and two pistols, one of which was modified with a fully automatic switch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All four of these men were arrested and booked into Calcasieu Correctional Center. Jamarcus Green, 20, of Lafayette Ladarius D. Demouchet,19, of Lafayette Ladarien P. Demouchet, 17, of Lafayette Kebba K. Verdin, 29, of Lafayette Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Latest news Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLFY.com. Fox News host Maria Bartiromo pressed President Trump on whether he is comfortable with the idea that Ukraine may not survive the war with Russia. Trump sat down for an interview with Bartiromo to discuss his tariff plan, and how his administration is off to a busy start. Bartiromo said she spoke with Polish President Andrzej Duda, who had doubts about the ability of Ukraine to survive. Are you comfortable with that? The fact that you walked away, and Ukraine may not survive? Bartiromo asked on Sunday Morning Futures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well, it may not survive anyway, Trump replied. But, you know, we have some weaknesses with Russia. It takes two. Look, it was not going to happen, that war, and it happened. So, now were stuck with this mess. Trumps recent Ukraine correspondence has concerned the international community. A fiery meeting ended with shouting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump in the Oval Office, overturning the rare earth mineral deal that was set to start ceasefire talks. Trump administration officials have met with Russian leaders as they work to find a deal, essentially sidelining Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement European leaders reacted with shock, looking to find a way forward without the U.S. even as Trump administration officials say there would likely be a way forward. Bartiromo asked Trump if his team was treating both Russia and Ukraine similarly. He previously said it was an interesting question. I think so, the president said. Are you favoring one over the other? she pressed. Theyre very different places, OK? Very, very different, Trump said. Youre talking about different levels of power. Youre talking about different parts of the world. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Fox News hosts and pundits are apoplectic that MSNBC hosts had the temerity to ridicule first buddy Elon Musk after one of his SpaceX rockets exploded over South Florida, resulting in space launch debris that prompted air traffic to shut down over the state. Dont you dare root against SpaceX, Fox News host and former Trump press secretary Kayleigh McEnany seethed on Monday. Following the second explosion this year of a SpaceX Starship, Musk who owns the company tweeted that rockets are hard while sending out a statement that SpaceX will review the data from todays flight test to better understand root cause of the mishap. As always, success comes from what we learn, and todays flight will offer additional lessons to improve Starships reliability, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after the rockets failure on Thursday night, MSNBC star Rachel Maddow snarked about SpaceX describing the explosion as a rapid unscheduled disassembly, using the term as a metaphor for Musks dismantling of federal government agencies through his DOGE team. Rapid unscheduled disassembly is kind of Elon Musks specialty these days, especially in a way that really messes with other people through no fault of their own, she said. Kayleigh McEnany criticized MSNBC hosts for mocking Elon Musk over his SpaceX rocket exploding last week. (Fox News) The hosts of Saturday mornings The Weekend went even further with their mockery of the worlds richest man, citing the rocket crash as a sign that Musk should pay more attention to running his various companies and spend less time firing government employees. For Elon, his response to all of this was: 'Rockets are hard. And Mr. Musk, if theyre so hard, why dont you go back to your day job and work that out and leave those of us who do government to do government, because you cant do both, co-host and former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele. Clearly, you're failing right now at both. Your rockets are blowing up and the government is blowing up. Fox News contributor Joe Concha was beside himself over Steeles remarks on Monday morning, telling Fox Business Network anchor Stuart Varney that Musk is helping to save the planet while getting ridiculed by the liberal network because hes on Team Trump now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a reason why this network has more employees than viewers at this point, Concha sneered. Theres a reason why NBC is selling off MSNBC because its not only a money losing operation, its an embarrassment to call this news network a news network. The conservative pundit went on to rage about Steele before praising Musk for slashing government jobs, likening it to how the mega-billionaire cut 80 percent of the workforce when he purchased Twitter (now X). Hes doing an excellent job, Concha added on a day that X was beset by massive outages. Over on Fox News midday panel show Outnumbered, the hosts took turns blasting MSNBC over their Musk criticism while ridiculing Steele for no longer being a leading figure in GOP politics. I thought they got rid of him at the RNC because he doesnt do government? Harris Faulkner quipped. It is so unacceptable to root for any kind of damage like that, co-host Emily Compagno groused, adding: There is no place for that here! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After mocking MSNBC for recently laying off 200 employees, Faulkner wondered why would you wish for the death of the American economy and be against Americans by cheering on the SpaceX explosion or vandalism of Teslas cars. This is how they really feel! So think about that as they try to get them to vote for you or as Michael Steele tries to convince you hes still in government, she added. Think about that, hes a talk show host! While Compagno fumed over how ignorant it was for the talking heads to mock Musk for the rocket explosions, guest host Jeremy Hunt said this was all an effort to make the SpaceX founder the bogeyman to drive turnout for Democrats. Noting that SpaceX is scheduled to bring two astronauts home after nine months in space, McEnany suggested it was un-American to criticize the company. And rooting against SpaceX, like those who did in that soundbite? Theyre trying to get two astronauts who have been stranded since the Biden administration out of space, she exclaimed. So, dont you dare root against SpaceX! Root for those two astronauts! Incidentally, as Fox News personalities circled the wagons for Musk, it was reported that DOGE is urgently seeking public relations victories as it looks to clean up the political mess that has been caused by its slash-and-burn approach. Additionally, Musk is scheduled to appear for a one-on-one interview with Fox Business host and former Trump economic adviser Larry Kudlow on Monday afternoon. The program that sent Americans free at-home COVID-19 tests is no longer accepting orders five years after the pandemic started. The free at-home COVID-19 test distribution program is not currently accepting orders, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response website said. Tests ordered before 8:00 PM EDT, Sunday, March 9, 2025, will be shipped, it continued. The United States Postal Service, which shipped the tests for free, also indicated that the program was suspended on its website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This program is not currently accepting orders for free at-home COVID-19 tests, it said. Test ordering through this program has been suspended effective March 9, 2025. The Trump administration, which has largely sought to cut government spending, previously planned to stop the program in February before reversing course in an eleventh-hour decision, The Washington Post reported. With COVID-19 infections decreasing after a winter peak, we are in the process of regular discussions on closing this round of the COVID-19 test ordering program. At this point, the program is still open, and we will share additional updates as needed, Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Andrew Nixon said last month, according to the Post. The program has stopped and restarted on multiple occasions. Most recently, it was paused in March 2024 before it began again in September 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, this time may be different, as the administration had also been weighing the disposal of more than 160 million test kits to save costs, according to the Post. At this point, its unclear what will happen with the remaining kits. The suspension of the free program, which allowed households to order four test kits at no cost, comes roughly three years after its start in January 2022. According to TODAY.com, more than 900 million free COVID tests were sent out across the country. The federal government once required insurers to cover the cost of COVID tests for patients, but that has not been the case since the COVID-19 public health emergency expired in May 2023. Some plans still allow patients to get free COVID tests covered by insurance. Otherwise, the tests are still available for purchase over the counter. The expiration dates of some COVID test kits have been extended, according to the Federal Drug Administration. As such, households with expired COVID test kits should check the FDA website to see if the listed expiration date has been extended before disposing of any test kits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ASPR did not immediately respond to HuffPosts request for comment. Related... NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) Did you know nearly 3,500 infants die suddenly and unexpectedly in the United States every year? With that staggering number in mind, a free program is aiming to give parents the skills they need to keep their babies safe. Nicole Morales, the nursing director at the Family Birthplace at the Hospital of Central Connecticut, joined Good Morning Connecticut at 9 a.m. to talk about their maternal wellness program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. ROME, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) An accident in the City of Rome on Friday night has sent an Oneida County Sheriff to the hospital. Sheriffs were called to South James Street in the City of Rome at approximately 10:40 pm on Friday, March 7. Further investigation found that one of the vehicles driven by 61-year-old Nancy Lumbrazo of Rome was traveling southbound on South James Street. As Lumbrazo was driving, her vehicle crossed the center line and struck a marked Oneida County Sheriffs patrol vehicle driven by Sergeant Noah Danquer. Both vehicles then exited the eastern shoulder of South James Street and came to rest in a nearby ditch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement South James Street in Rome was closed for several hours between Route 365 and Martin Street while Sheriffs investigated the accident. Lumbrazo was treated and released on the scene. Sergeant Danquer was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. Oneida County Sheriffs say that Danquers injuries are non-life-threatening, and future charges are possible while the investigation continues. The Oneida County Sheriffs Office was assisted on the scene by the New York State Police, the Rome Police and Fire Departments, AmCare Ambulance of Rome, Gurley and Fleet Towing of Rome and Mike Jr.s Towing of Rome. This is an ongoing investigation. We will provide more information as it becomes available to us. 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 WUTR/WFXV - CNYhomepage.com. WARRENSBURG, Mo. Funeral arrangements have been announced for a fire captain who collapsed while responding to a field fire in rural Johnson County, Missouri, on March 8. Capt. Vernon Collett, a lifelong resident of the county he served, was with the Johnson County Fire Protection District for more than 29 years at station No. 6 near Valley City. He was 60 years old. A visitation and funeral for Collett will be held Friday, March 14 at the Heartland Church, 777 NE 23 Highway in Knob Noster with the visitation starting at 10 a.m. followed by the funeral at 11 a.m. The service will be open to the public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A fire service escort will precede the funeral and is set start around 9:30 a.m. from the Sweeney-Phillips & Holden Funeral Home in Warrensburg to the Heartland Church in Knob Noster. The route has not yet been determined. Joes Blog: Major Plains storm this week (MON-3/10) Collett joined the fire protection district in October 1995, and he was promoted to lieutenant in 1997. He became the fire captain in 2011. Collett also worked for the countys road and bridge department full time. In a news conference Monday, Johnson County Fire Chief Larry Jennings described Collett as a very unassuming person, very fun loving and invested in training new employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He never was an overbearing leadership person. He did those things that encouraged the people to follow him and to do what needed to be done. But when he needed to be the leader, he definitely stepped out of that shell and became the leader, Fire Chief Jennings said. The fire protection district was dispatched to 610 NE MM Highway, just northeast of Warrensburg, around 1:45 p.m. March 8 to a fast-moving field fire. According to the fire chief, Collett arrived at the scene at 1:57 p.m., and set out on foot to start suppressing the back side of the fire line. A brush unit that arrived shortly after at 2 p.m. found Collett had collapsed on the edge of the fire scene. The fire chief said firefighters started CPR and administered three shocks through their AED and continued doing CPR. Collett was pronounced deceased on scene just after 3 p.m. Jennings said this is the first line of duty death in the 46-year history of this fire district. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire started out as a controlled burn. Jennings said the property owner was trying to clear out some fence row so he could put in a new fence. Unfortunately after he started the fire, the winds picked back up and it just blew it across his fire break much faster than he could keep up with it and he called for help, Jennings said. View the latest Weather Alerts in the Kansas City region on FOX4 Jennings said the fire district is urging people not to burn until the dry weather and winds break. Donations for the Collett family can be made out to the district and be delivered to District Headquarters at 122 W. Young Avenue, Warrensburg, MO 64093. 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. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. Head of the State Security Service of Azerbaijan and Chairman of the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages, and Missing Persons, Ali Nagiyev, met with Kathryne Bomberger, Director-General of the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), on March 10 to discuss joint efforts aimed at locating missing Azerbaijani citizens, Trend reports. According to the State Security Service, the meeting provided an opportunity to evaluate progress made since their last meeting in April 2022, particularly regarding the search for citizens missing as a result of Armenia's military aggression. Nagiyev shared updates on the urgent measures being taken to find missing citizens, a task that remains a top priority for President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. He also highlighted efforts to identify gravesites linked to individuals missing as a result of the Karabakh conflict, as well as ongoing work in the exhumation and identification of remains. However, he emphasized that Armenia has not cooperated in this area, maintaining a non-constructive stance. Nagiyev also discussed a report prepared by the ICMP's Assessment Mission, which outlined the opportunities for searching for missing persons in Azerbaijan. He expressed gratitude for the ICMPs continued support of the State Commissions work. Bomberger emphasized the importance of the report and expressed confidence that future cooperation between the two commissions would significantly contribute to the ongoing efforts to locate missing individuals. She expressed strong belief in the importance of mutual collaboration and noted the critical work already done within this partnership. The meeting also saw discussions on other matters of shared concern aimed at bringing clarity to the fate of missing persons in the near future. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Mar. 10A new Portland police oversight board has been more than two years in the making and its delayed implementation is frustrating some leaders who say the process has been hamstrung by union bargaining. Portland residents told the city in 2022 that it was time to create a new police oversight board that would have more power than the current Police Citizen Review Subcommittee, a group of seven people appointed by the council to review all internal police investigations. The idea for a new oversight board stemmed from the city's Racial Equity Steering Committee, which presented a report to the City Council in 2021 in the wake of George Floyd's slaying by Minneapolis police that sparked nationwide protests, including in Portland, and conversations about police reform. That committee called for a more equitable and accountable police oversight committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the future of the new board hinges on the results of ongoing bargaining with the city's two police unions, which started in October 2023. Charter commissioners who drafted the proposal say they wanted to give the current, and perhaps ineffective, oversight committee "more teeth." But now, some people fear the new board may not be as powerful as expected. What does the current subcommittee do? The existing Police Citizen Review Subcommittee meets monthly. Members review internal department investigations in private, only after they are complete, and can only decide whether they were thorough, timely, objective and fair. The details of the allegations and the investigations remain private. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since December, it has reviewed four cases and the majority of members voted that each investigation met all four criteria. "People rightfully don't care about the PCRS because it doesn't do anything," said Joey Brunelle, who joined the subcommittee in September. "It has no impact on anything that happens." How would that change with the new ordinance? The amendment approved by voters, and as written by the charter commission, tasks the City Council to "promptly consider and enact an ordinance" to implement a new board to receive complaints from both the public and police, review internal investigations and make policy and funding recommendations to the department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But beyond that general guideline, it's unclear what it will look like in practice. Since the amendment went into effect in July 2023, a draft has been reviewed by the current subcommittee and the City Council, and now sits on the bargaining table between the city and two police unions. Because the document is the subject of negotiations, the city won't release the draft and the public hasn't been able to see what changes have been proposed. Maria Testa, a member of the Police Citizen Review Subcommittee from 2018 to 2021, said she spent much of her tenure researching police oversight models. She said the worst ordinances "have fingerprints" of the police department all over them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Testa said other boards have a broad range of power. Right now, Portland's is at one extreme, with no actual oversight role, she said. The other extreme would be an investigatory-type board with subpoena power. Overall, she said, this board should provide a place for residents to submit complaints to their peers, rather than to the police department. "It's not the public telling police how to do their job," Testa said. "It's the public telling police how they want to be treated." Ali Ali, a member of the Racial Equity Steering Committee and current member of the Portland school board, said the police oversight board must track officer conduct and behavior, to hold people accountable. He said the board must be a team that the city trusts, with diverse background and expertise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What's the holdup? The difficulty has been finding a balance between the language the voters approved, what the police unions want, and what the City Council wants, Portland Mayor Mark Dion said. Dion, also a former Cumberland County sheriff, said some delays in bargaining could be because the charter amendment didn't include input from police unions. But charter commission members Ryan Lizanecz and Zack Barowitz said they made several efforts to contact the police department and let them know about the ordinance they were drafting, and the chief at the time had provided some preliminary comments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I don't think that the police didn't know that this was happening," Lizanecz said, though he said the city should give the police union a "seat at the table." Portland Police Chief Mark Dubois and union representatives have declined requests to talk about the oversight board while negotiations are ongoing. Dion said that although some councilors see the union's involvement as "blocking" the creation of the board, bargaining in good faith is necessary because the ordinance has a "tangible impact" on the contractual relationship between the city and the police department. "We want the citizens to have appropriate interactions with the police, but at the same time, we express our commitment of support of organized labor," Dion said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At this point, Councilor Kate Sykes said, councilors don't even know what the police unions' concerns are. The police unions' "extensive" involvement in drafting the ordinance is "unjustified," she told the mayor and city attorneys in an email. Dion said the councilors have discussed the unions' concerns, but those discussions took place in private executive sessions, a condition that has frustrated Sykes. Though Testa said she is not aware of what exactly is being discussed, she said it seems backward that the ordinance is now in the hands of the police unions, especially for so long. "We know it's been too long," Testa said. "We can harp on that all we want, but it is what it is and we're here now. Now, I'd like to see public conversation around this and more openness." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dion said the city's lawyers are helping moderate the negotiations, and adhering to the voter-approved language is essential. The city can only create a board that aligns with what is explicitly written in the ordinance, he said. If the issue were to be taken to court, a judge is more likely to consider the law's text, not necessarily the intent that went into creating it, Dion said. Barowitz said the charter commission hoped that this new board would finally have power to improve the department's standard operating procedures. What's happening now? A Feb. 10 workshop to discuss the ordinance was canceled the day of because councilors had no new information to share. It was rescheduled for March 10, and Sykes said she hopes the meeting will address some of her concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the City Council eventually approves a final version of the ordinance, the public will be able to provide feedback before councilors vote to enact it and the new board is formed. Brunelle, the current member of the subcommittee, said the rules the group is operating under now are more than two decades old, and he hopes it doesn't take another two decades to enact change. "We could be looking at another 20 years, another generation with the results of what the City Council decides," Brunelle said. "We need to make sure that we're not sleepwalking into another do-nothing committee and that we actually do this right." Copy the Story Link UTICA, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) A special Common Council meeting on Monday has been preceded by a plea for collaboration from Mayor Michael Galime on Saturday. The meeting was called for Monday, March 10 by Council President Rocco Giruzzi. At stake at is how to tamp down a 9.77 percent proposed tax increase for the city of Utica before the deadline. New York State Law requires a waiver for any tax increase over two percent. In their last meeting on Thursday, March 6, the Common Council voted against the tax cap override. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deadline to waive the tax cap is Tuesday, March 11, which required Mayor Galime to write a letter to all Common Council members to attend Monday nights meeting. We need to have a meaningful discussion before letting the deadline to waive expire, for the good of the city, Galime said in his letter to the ten Council members. I am not demanding that you keep a 9.77% tax increase, as the budget is in your hands, Galime continued. My gravest concern is that no one, including the community, knows what your plans are. Currently, proposed amendments by the Common Council have brought the tax increase down to three percent. However, without some form of tax increase, members have said there will be more financial issues in the future, including taxpayers making up the difference and cuts to essential services. The meeting is set for 5 pm on Monday, March 10. The deadline to approve a budget for the city is Thursday, March 20, with the Common Council meeting the day before. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can read the full letter to the Common Council below: MayorLetterToCouncilMarch072025Download Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WUTR/WFXV - CNYhomepage.com. Actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home in late February. Now, a telling admission from Hackman before his death has surfaced, and it lines up perfectly with how investigators have pieced together the couple's final days. Investigators have determined that Hackman, who was 95 years old, likely died around Feb. 18 while his wife, who was 65 years old, died around Feb. 11 or Feb. 12. This means that Hackman lived about a week following his wife's death. Chief Medical Investigator Dr. Heather Jarrell revealed that Hackman "showed evidence of advanced Alzheimers disease" when she conducted the autopsy and "was in a very poor state of health" with heart disease that she thinks contributed to his death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arakawa, meanwhile, was found to have died due to Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, which is transmitted from animals to humans and is commonly found in rodents. Based on the evidence, investigators and experts believe that Arakawa was Hackman's caretaker and he was unable to survive on his own after she passed away. LOS ANGELES - 1986: Actor Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa pose for a portrait in 1986 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) Donaldson Collection/Getty Images "I think what [happened] here is he didn't realize it and didn't understand that she was dead. He didn't understand that he needed to call 911," forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden told Fox News Digital. "It sounds like he's kind of wandered around, was able to drink water from [the] kitchen sink or even get some food out of the refrigerator [he] probably couldn't cook anything but could eat bread or something if he was hungry," he explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This explanation of his death actually lines up perfectly with a telling admission from Hackman before his death. Tom Allin, a longtime friend of Mr. Hackmans, recently spoke to the New York Times about the relationship between Hackman and Arakawa. Allin said that Arakawa was "very protective of him" and even sent emails and made phone calls on his behalf as Hackman was "uninterested in technology" and did not even own a cell phone himself. He recalled a telling admission from Hackman when he once said that he would have been dead long ago without his wife taking care of him. Unfortunately for Hackman, that admission seems to have been proven true as he was simply unable to survive on his own after his partner passed away. Actor Gene Hackman's wife was captured in a final video image on the last day she was alive. That's according to a painstaking reconstruction of the tragic couple's last days by USA Today. Betsy Arakawa, Hackman's wife, was captured in the surveillance video image on Feb. 11, the final day of her life, the Santa Fe County sheriff revealed in a news conference. She was wearing a mask likely because of the Hantavirus that would kill her, the newspaper reported, adding that the video image shows Arakawa "strolling through the aisles of a CVS Pharmacy in Santa Fe." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, a red flag emerged: Arakawa didn't pick up medication for the couple's dogs that day, USA Today reported. The Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said in a news conference that, on Feb. 26, the bodies of Hackman, Arakawa, and their dog were discovered at their residence. Both tested negative for carbon monoxide, he said. Dr. Heather Jarrell, the Chief Medical Examiner for New Mexico, said in the news conference that the cause of death for Arakawa, 65, was Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. There were no findings of trauma, and the death was natural, Jarrell said. Hantavirus is characterized by "flu-like symptoms," Jarrell said. Rodent excrement exposure leads to the disease, she said, adding that the mortality rate for that strain is about 38% to 50%. LOS ANGELES - 1986: Actor Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa pose for a portrait in 1986 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) Donaldson Collection/Getty Images Hackman, 95, died of hypertensive, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with Alzheimer's Disease as a contributing factor, Jarrell said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The preliminary pacemaker results for Hackman helped pinpoint his date of death, showing he had cardiac activity on Feb. 17 and an abnormal rhythm on the next day. He probably died around Feb. 18, about a week after his wife died, she said. On Feb. 9, Arakawa picked up the couple's dog from a veterinarian, which might explain why the dog was in a crate, the sheriff said. On Feb. 11, she visited a farmer's market and then "was seen on surveillance video" at CVS pharmacy from 4:12 to 4:20 p.m., he confirmed. She then stopped at a local pet food store, and her car was seen on video entering her subdivision at 5:15 p.m. After that point, numerous emails were left unopened on her computer, and there was no known activity by her after that point, Mendoza said in the news conference. . During his three presidential campaigns, Donald Trump promised to run the federal government as though it were a business. True to his word, upon retaking office, Trump put tech billionaire Elon Musk at the head of a new group in the executive branch called the Department of Government Efficiency. DOGE, as Musks initiative is known, has so far fired, laid off or received resignations from tens of thousands of federal workers and says it has discovered large sums of wasted or fraudulently spent tax dollars. But even its questionable claim of saving US$65 billion is less than 1% of the $6.75 trillion the U.S. spent in the 2024 fiscal year, and a tiny fraction of the nations cumulative debt of $36 trillion. Because Musks operation has not been formalized by Congress, DOGEs indiscriminate cuts also raise troubling constitutional questions and may be illegal. Before they go too far trying to run the government like a business, Trump and his advisors may want to consider the very different example of the nations first chief executive while he was in office. Elon Musk, left, and Donald Trump have undertaken an effort both describe as seeking to run government more like a business. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images The first businessman to become president Like Trump, George Washington was a businessman with a large real estate portfolio. Along with property in Virginia and six other states, he had extensive claims to Indigenous land in the Ohio River Valley. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Partly because of those far-flung investments, the first president supported big transportation projects, took an active interest in the invention of the steamboat, and founded the Patowmack Company, a precursor to the builders of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. Above all, Washington was a farmer. On his Mount Vernon estate, in northern Virginia, he grew tobacco and wheat and operated a gristmill. After his second term as president, he built a profitable distillery. At the time of his death, he owned nearly 8,000 acres of productive farm and woodland, almost four times his original inheritance. Much of Washingtons wealth was based on slave labor. In his will, he freed 123 of the 300 enslaved African Americans who had made his successful business possible, but while he lived, he expected his workers to do as he said. President Washington and Congress If Washington the businessman and plantation owner was accustomed to being obeyed, he knew that being president was another matter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In early 1790, near the end of his first year in office, he reflected on the difference in a letter to the English historian Catharine Macaulay. Macaulay had visited Mount Vernon several years before. She was eager to hear the presidents thoughts about what, in his reply, he described as the last great experiment for promoting human happiness by reasonable compact. The new government, Washington wrote, was a government of accommodation as well as a government of laws. As head of the executive branch, his own powers were limited. In the months since the inauguration, he had learned that much was to be done by prudence, much by conciliation, much by firmness. Few, who are not philosophical Spectators, he told his friend, can realise the difficult and delicate part which a man in my situation (has) to act. Although Washington did not say why his situation was delicate, he didnt need to. Congress, as everyone knew, was the most powerful branch of government, not the president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The previous spring, Congress had shown just how powerful it was when it debated whether the president, who needed Senate confirmation to appoint heads of executive departments, could remove such officers without the same bodys approval. In the so-called Decision of 1789, Congress determined that the president did have that power, but only after Vice President John Adams broke the deadlock in the upper house. The meaning of Congress vote was clear. On matters where the Constitution is ambiguous, Congress would decide what powers the president can legally exercise and what powers he or, someday, she cannot. When it created a sinking fund in 1790 to manage the national debt, Congress showed just how far it could constrain presidential power. Although the fund was part of the Treasury Department, whose secretary served at the presidents pleasure, the commission that oversaw it served for fixed terms set by Congress. The president could neither remove them nor tell them what to do. Inefficient efficiency William Humphrey, a member of the Federal Trade Commission, was unconstitutionally fired by Franklin Roosevelt in 1933. Library of Congress By limiting Washingtons power over the Sinking Fund Commission, Congress set a precedent that still holds, notably in the 1935 Supreme Court case of Humphreys Executor v. U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To the displeasure of those, including Trump, who promote the novel unitary executive theory of an all-powerful president, the court ruled that President Franklin D. Roosevelt could not dismiss a member of the Federal Trade Commission before his term was up even if, as Roosevelt said, his administrations goals would be carried out most effectively with personnel of my own selection. Like the businessman who currently occupies the White House, Washington did not always like having to share power with Congress. Its members were headstrong and independent-minded. They rarely did what they were told. But he realized working with Congress was the only way to create a federal government that really was efficient, with each branch carrying out its defined powers, as the founders intended. Because of the Constitutions checks and balances, the United States was and is a government based on compromise between the three branches. No one, not even the president, is exempt. To his credit, Washington was quick to learn that lesson. 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: Eliga Gould, University of New Hampshire Read more: Eliga Gould has received funding from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Charles Warren Center at Harvard University. ASHBURN, Va. (DC News Now) Deputies said they arrested a man from Georgia who attempted to abduct a child on Sunday in Ashburn. The Loudoun County Sheriffs Office said that at around 7:30 p.m., deputies responded to the 43000 block of Central Station Drive after a 3-year-old child had been forcibly taken by a man at a restaurant. FCPS middle schooler sets record for solving 50 puzzle cubes in under 7 minutes Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mother was able to quickly stop the man from taking her child. The child was not injured. Deputies were able to identify the man as 34-year-old Shane Paul Bergeron from Georgia. He was arrested at a nearby hotel. Bergeron is being charged with Abduction by Force. Brother, sister duo raise money for cancer research in Northern Virginia He is being held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center. Anyone with information is asked to call (703) 777-1021. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. March 10 (UPI) -- A strike at Germany's Hamburg Airport left all outgoing flights canceled Monday, with more airports likely to soon be affected. The airport announced that the German trade union ver.di has called for a strike affecting several areas at the facility, including passenger security checks and aircraft handling, making departures impossible. The expected daily load of over 40,000 passengers on Sunday, with 139 departures and 144 arrivals at the airport in Germany's second-largest city, was reduced to only 10 flights before the strike began at 6:30 a.m. local time. The strike began with no notice, at the busy beginning of the city's spring break. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ver.di said in a press release that its members would also soon stop working Monday "at the airports in Munich, Stuttgart, Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden, Frankfurt/Main, Cologne/Bonn, Dusseldorf, Dortmund, Weeze, Hanover, Bremen, Hamburg, Berlin-Brandenburg and Leipzig-Halle to fight for fair wages and better conditions." German airports in these cities are issuing warnings for the public to anticipate heavy restrictions on passenger traffic and reduced flight schedules. The union also stated that it's "calling for better working conditions, more free time and fair pay for all employees in the federal and local public service," including its own members. The work action was advanced a day at Hamburg Airport from the previously announced overall March 10 strike start in order to put added pressure on the airports and to keep them from bringing in nonunion workers to cover the loss of employees. Arrivals are expected to continue but will be subject to cancellations and disruptions. Talks between the two sides are scheduled for Friday in Potsdam. The core car business is weakening, but German auto giant Volkswagen (VW) was able to set a sales record in an unexpected product line in 2024: sausages. Volkswagen's line of sausages saw 8,552,000 units sold in 2024 in canteens and supermarkets. That includes VW's packaged currywurst, a much-loved German dish of sausages slathered in curry ketchup. That continues a steady rise in sales for the carmaker's line of mass-produced sausages. Sales in 2024 topped the previous record, only set in 2023, by more than 200,000 units, a VW spokeswoman confirmed to dpa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sausage sales figures were announced in an internal message to VW workers posted by the company's works council. "With over 8 million Volkswagen Original Currywurst sausages sold, we are celebrating a new sales record," wrote VW's chief human resources officer, Gunnar Kilian, in a post on LinkedIn. This means that the Volkswagen Group, Europe's largest carmaker, sold almost as many sausages as cars. In contrast to booming sausages sales, vehicle sales shrank by 2.3% in 2024 to 9.03 million models across all brands, which also include marques such as Audi, SEAT and Skoda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the flagship VW brand, the sausages are by far the best-selling product. In 2024, the 8.5 million sausages compared to around 5.2 million cars and vans with the VW logo. The company attributes the record to new variants such as the hot dog sausage launched in 2021, which sold almost 2.18 million units last year. The classic VW currywurst sold 6.317 million units. VW sold about 7 million sausages in 2019 and 6.5 million in both 2020 and 2021. Further VW sausage varieties are to follow, Kilian announced: "Our next Currywurst coup is already in the works!" The core car business is weakening, but German auto giant Volkswagen (VW) was able to set a sales record for an unexpected product in 2024: sausages. Volkswagen's line of sausages saw 8,552,000 units sold in 2024 in canteens and supermarkets. That includes VW's packaged currywurst, a much-loved German dish of sausages slathered in curry ketchup. That continues a steady rise in sales for the carmaker's line of mass-produced sausages. Sales in 2024 topped the previous record, only set in 2023, by more than 200,000 units, a VW spokeswoman confirmed to dpa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sausage sales figures were announced in an internal message to VW workers posted by the company's works council. "With over 8 million Volkswagen Original Currywurst sausages sold, we are celebrating a new sales record," wrote VW's chief human resources officer, Gunnar Kilian, in a post on LinkedIn. This means that the Volkswagen Group, Europe's largest carmaker, sold almost as many sausages as cars. In contrast to booming sausages sales, vehicle sales shrank by 2.3% in 2024 to 9.03 million models across all brands, which also include marques such as Audi, SEAT and Skoda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the flagship VW brand, the sausages are by far the best-selling product. In 2024, the 8.5 million sausages compared to around 5.2 million cars and vans with the VW logo. The company attributes the record to new variants such as the hot dog sausage launched in 2021, which sold almost 2.18 million units last year. The classic VW currywurst sold 6.317 million units. VW sold about 7 million sausages in 2019 and 6.5 million in both 2020 and 2021. Further VW sausage varieties are to follow, Kilian announced: "Our next Currywurst coup is already in the works!" The VW currywurst was introduced in 1973 and is sold at the canteens in VW's factories. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The VW-branded sausages are also available in many supermarkets in the German state of Lower Saxony, where VW is headquartered and has many of its largest plants. The sausage is produced at Volkswagen's in-house butcher's shop of the factory-owned Volkswagen Service Factory, and is even listed in VW product inventory systems under its own part number: 199 398 500 A. VW's currywurst sausages briefly stirred nationwide political debate after the carmaker stopped selling meat at one factory canteen in Wolfsburg in 2021 as part of a social effort to reduce meat consumption. Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroder, who is from Lower Saxony, denounced the move as an attack on traditional German ways of life and called currywurst the "power bar of the skilled factory worker." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement VW noted that sausages had remained widely available at more than 30 other canteens and snack kiosks at the same sprawling Wolfsburg factory complex, but ultimately brought sausages back to the menu of the canteen in question in 2023. Despite hefty criticism from the Greens, Germany's conservative CDU/CSU and centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) are still counting on striking a deal to pass a massive defence and infrastructure spending package. Carsten Linnemann, the secretary general of the centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU), said he expects negotiations over the deal to move forward with the Greens and a compromise to be found. The CDU/CSU and SPD struck a deal to relax Germany's strict balanced budget rules in order to spend as much as 1 trillion ($1.1 trillion) on defence and infrastructure in the next decade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the votes of Green lawmakers will be essential to pass the deal, and the Greens have criticized a lack of climate spending and other details in the package. Linnemann on Monday described ideas put forward by the Greens as "constructive proposals." SPD leader Lars Klingbeil likewise said he expects to find a compromise with the Greens despite their initial rejection of the deal. "I am not giving up confidence that this can succeed," said Klingbeil. Klingbeil said he would seek talks with top Green Party politicians on Monday evening along with conservative leader Friedrich Merz. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. A ceremony was held at Azerbaijan's National Aviation Academy to mark the handover of a Boeing 777 full-flight simulator, installed in partnership with "Silk Way West" Airlines for training purposes, Trend reports. The event was attended by the rector of the Academy, academician Arif Pashayev, Minister of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan Emin Amrullayev, rector of ADA University Professor Hafiz Pashayev, president of the Silk Way Group Zaur Akhundov, and president of Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) CJSC Samir Rzayev. In his speech, Academy rector academician Arif Pashayev emphasized that the new simulator will provide high-quality pilot training opportunities both nationally and globally. The simulator will play a significant role in the training of students enrolled in relevant specialties at the National Aviation Academy while also enhancing the skills of pilots and aviators working for international airlines such as "Silk Way West Airlines" and "Azerbaijan Airlines" that operate Boeing 777 aircraft, ensuring aviation safety meets the highest standards. The simulator, manufactured by the UK-based L3 Harris Commercial Aviation Solutions, offers a highly realistic training experience. It combines three Boeing 777 models: 777-F, 777-200 LR, and 777-300 ER. Equipped with advanced visualization and flight simulation technologies, this next-generation model meets the highest international aviation standards and enables a wide range of qualification sessions, pilot assessments, and certification training. To note, the Boeing 777 full-flight simulator underwent a comprehensive review by experts from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in February. Following a successful certification process by the agency, official recognition by local aviation authorities will further strengthen the National Aviation Academys commitment to international aviation standards. With the introduction of this simulator, local aviation professionals will benefit from significantly reduced costs and improved accessibility, eliminating the need for pilots to travel abroad for training. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Germanys new government is planning to turn away asylum seekers from its borders without the agreement of neighbouring countries, a member of its incoming coalition has said. Jens Spahn, a Christian Democratic Union (CDU) politician and close ally of the partys leader Friedrich Merz, claimed the proposal was legally sound and on the table in ongoing coalition talks with the centre-Left Social Democratic Party (SPD). We are not making ourselves dependent on the consent of the other countries, Mr Spahn, the vice-chairman of the CDUs parliamentary group, told Table.Briefings, a German media outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mass rejection of asylum seekers at Germanys borders was a key pledge of the CDU in last months elections, which the party won by a comfortable margin. Critics say it would be a flagrant breach of EU migration law and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) if passed. However, Mr Spahn said the policy was lawful and claimed it could be carried out without the agreement of its neighbours. He said a draft section on migration in the coalition deal being drawn up by the CDU and SPD does not say agree, but in co-ordination. He added: We see all the legal bases there to implement it one way or another. Jens Spahn denied that the proposed policy would be illegal - INA FASSBENDER/AFP Mr Spahn has previously suggested that Germany could exit the ECHR to remove potential legal hurdles to border reform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with The Times in December, he said: If you come to the conclusion, and this is the debate that is also happening in the UK at the moment, that these things cant be changed because theres no majority for it, then, of course, you have to think again about your membership [of the ECHR]. Austria has strongly rejected the proposal, warning that it would not accept prohibitions on entry on the part of the German authorities in contravention of EU law. Fall in asylum applications Mr Merz, the CDU leader, is under intense pressure to introduce much tougher laws on migration, following a string of deadly terror attacks in Germany suspected to have been committed by asylum seekers and refugees. Recent incidents have included mass-stabbing and car-ramming attacks in the cities of Mannheim, Solingen, Magdeburg, Aschaffenburg and Munich. All five attacks were allegedly committed by citizens of Syria, Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the election campaign, Mr Merz also vowed, if elected, to immediately introduce sweeping border restrictions. On the first day of my tenure as chancellor, I will instruct the interior ministry to impose permanent border controls with all our neighbours and refuse all attempts at illegal entry, he said. Public anger over the attacks, and long-running tensions over mass migration, saw the hard-Right Alternative for Germany [AfD] party win an unprecedented 20 per cent vote share in the February elections. While migration remains one of the most divisive topics in Germany, new figures show that the number of incoming asylum seekers has fallen significantly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Data from Germanys federal office for refugees showed the rate of asylum applications in 2024 fell by 30.2 per cent, compared with the previous year. The reduction is largely attributed to the outgoing governments decision to reintroduce passport controls at Germanys land borders, initially in the east and then nationwide last September. 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. Germany called on Israel to resume humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, terming the cutting of electricity supplies and a threat to cut off water as unacceptable and not in line with Israel's obligations under international law. The German government was taking note of events "with great concern," a Foreign Office spokeswoman said on Monday She called on the Israeli government to lift import restrictions on the Gaza Strip "for all forms of humanitarian aid with immediate effect." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen announced he was cutting electricity to the strip after Israel had earlier halted the delivery of humanitarian supplies. The aim of the measures is to pressure Hamas into releasing the dozens of hostages it is still holding. The German Foreign Office spokeswoman said that the provision or denial of humanitarian aid were not a legitimate means of exerting pressure during negotiations. Israel had to meet its obligations under international law by ensuring the unimpeded provision of urgently needed basic supplies and humanitarian support throughout the Gaza Strip, she said. She added that the Hamas terrorist organization had to put an end to the suffering of the remaining hostages and their relatives and release them according to the ceasefire agreement. The spokeswoman also noted that electricity was needed to operate the desalination plant in Khan Younis. By Holger Hansen and Andreas Rinke BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's Greens vowed to block plans by likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz for a massive increase in state borrowing to revamp the military and revive growth but forwarded rival proposals on Monday in a bid for compromise. The Greens' refusal to back sweeping reforms to debt rules and a special 500 billion euro ($540 billion) infrastructure fund could derail a spending bonanza that had excited markets and could rapidly transform the global bond trade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the party put forward its own proposals and held talks with Merz's conservatives and his potential coalition partners, the Social Democrats (SPD), late on Monday. At stake is Germany's ability to unshackle borrowing limits to spur growth and support struggling industries after two years of economic contraction. Merz has also stressed the urgency to increase defence spending. After winning elections last month, he said it was "five minutes to midnight" for Europe, warning that a hostile Russia and an unreliable U.S. could leave Europe exposed. But Merz and the SPD under leader Lars Klingbeil need support from the Greens to pass the measures in the outgoing parliament. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed, nor will we allow Friedrich Merz and Lars Klingbeil to abuse a difficult European security situation," said Greens party co-leader Franziska Brantner. "This is something that serves neither the country nor our interests in Europe." Another co-leader Katharina Droege said the Greens would urge its lawmakers not to vote for Merz's proposals, saying they would only back measures that included genuine support for climate policies and the economy. Germany's benchmark blue-chip DAX index closed down 1.7%, with Siemens Energy and Heidelberg Materials - which surged on the funding announcement last week - among the biggest decliners, down 9.1% and 4.2% respectively. Some voices in Merz's camp suggested the Greens could be playing hardball to extract concessions, though Klingbeil said the SPD was taking their concerns very seriously. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Merz wants to push through his plans in the outgoing parliament because in the new Bundestag that begins on March 25, they get even harder to pass, with an enlarged contingent of far-right and radical left lawmakers threatening to block them. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) on Monday made good on those threats, launching a legal challenge at the constitutional court to block lawmakers from debating Merz's proposals. It also filed a complaint against the measures, which it has previously characterised as an "orgy of debt". The court spokesperson said the challenges were being processed but could not give a date for a decision. The Left party later followed suit. It launched a legal challenge against convening the outgoing parliament and will consider further steps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement GREEN ANGER Investors and some economists have long urged Germany to reform its constitutionally enshrined state borrowing limits - known as the "debt brake" - to free up investment. The reform would mark a rollback of borrowing rules imposed after the 2008 global financial crisis that many see as an outdated fiscal straitjacket. Merz wants to amend the constitution so defence expenditure above 1% of economic output is exempted from debt brake rules, and for a commission separately to develop proposals for broader debt brake reforms to boost investments permanently. The parliamentary group of the Greens instead drafted a law that would foresee spending on "defence and security policy tasks" above 1.5% of GDP exempt from the debt brake - with security defined more broadly to include intelligence capabilities, foreign aid and safeguarding I.T. systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The Greens are making legitimate points," Finance Minister Joerg Kukies said on Monday in Brussels. "It is now a question of negotiations to hopefully address these points." Kukies, an ally of outgoing SPD Chancellor Olaf Scholz, also voiced German scepticism about joint European Union borrowing, but said Berlin would be open to it for specific defence projects. Merz's conservatives and the SPD have agreed to push income and corporate tax reforms, but Greens spokesperson Katharina Beck suggested a wealth tax instead. "Investing in Germany's infrastructure on a large scale is absolutely necessary, as we Greens have been proposing for years, but cross-subsidizing tax gifts is not," she told Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ($1 = 0.9252 euros) (Reporting by Holger Hansen, Andreas Rinke, Miranda Murray, Maria Martinez, Rachel More, Thomas Escritt, Ursula Knapp, Christoph Steitz; Writing by Matthias Williams, Editing by Sharon Singleton and Stephen Coates) A massive plan to loosen Germany's debt rules and spend hundreds of billions on defence and infrastructure has run into potentially decisive opposition from the Greens, whose votes in parliament would be essential for passage. Green politicians have been warning for days that the massive spending deal doesn't do nearly enough to address climate change and might be used as a way to finance tax cuts instead of dramatically higher overall spending. Green parliamentary group co-chairwomen Katharina Droge and Britta Hasselmann said on Monday that they would recommend that Green lawmakers vote against the package. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Droge said that the conservative CDU/CSU alliance and the centre-left Social Democrats wanted to create a massive fund of borrowed money to put towards things like tax breaks and diesel fuel subsidies for farmers. The Greens have been demanding more funding for climate priorities and greater commitments about how the money would be spent. The spending deal was struck by the CDU/CSU, which won February's German election, and the SPD, who are expected to become the junior coalition partners in the next government. But the votes of the Greens are essential to enacting the deal, since Germany's strict balanced-budget rules are anchored in the country's constitution and any changes require a two-thirds majority in the Bundestag, the lower house of German parliament. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deal between the CDU/CSU and SPD would create a 500 billion ($542 billion) special fund for infrastructure investments to be spent over the next decade, and enable far higher long-term military budgets by permanently exempt any defence spending above 1% of German gross domestic product (GDP) from counting toward the debt rules. A massive plan to loosen Germany's debt rules and spend hundreds of billions on defence and infrastructure has run into potentially decisive opposition from the Greens, whose votes in parliament would be essential for the legislation to be approved. Green politicians have been warning for days that the massive spending deal doesn't do nearly enough to address climate change and might be used as a way to finance tax cuts instead of dramatically higher overall spending. The spending deal was struck by the conservative CDU/CSU bloc, which won February's German election, and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), who are expected to become the junior coalition partners in the next government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senior CDU/CSU and SPD politicians on Monday expressed confidence that a compromise could still be struck to placate the Greens and get the deal through the Bundestag, the lower house of Germany's parliament. Green parliamentary group co-chairwomen Katharina Droge and Britta Hasselmann said on Monday that they would recommend that Green lawmakers vote against the package. Droge said that the CDU/CSU alliance and the centre-left Social Democrats wanted to create a massive fund of borrowed money to put towards things like tax breaks and diesel fuel subsidies for farmers. The Greens have been demanding more funding for climate priorities and greater commitments about how the money would be spent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The votes of the Greens are essential to enacting the deal, since Germany's strict balanced-budget rules are anchored in the country's constitution and any changes require a two-thirds majority in the Bundestag, the lower house of German parliament. The deal between the CDU/CSU and SPD would create a 500 billion ($542 billion) special fund for infrastructure investments to be spent over the next decade, and enable far higher long-term military budgets by permanently exempting any defence spending above 1% of German gross domestic product (GDP) from counting toward the debt rules. Not long after Droge and Hasselmann made their opposition clear, leaders in the Christian Democrats (CDU), Christian Social Union (CSU) and SPD signalled their willingness to negotiate with the Greens in order to seal a deal. Carsten Linnemann, the secretary general of the CDU, said he expects negotiations over the deal to move forward with the Greens and described ideas put forward by the Greens as "constructive proposals." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SPD leader Lars Klingbeil likewise said he expects to find a compromise with the Greens despite their initial rejection of the deal. "I am not giving up confidence that this can succeed," said Klingbeil. Klingbeil said he would seek talks with top Green Party politicians on Monday evening along with conservative leader Friedrich Merz. The parties are hoping to pass the changes through the outgoing Bundestag in the coming days, since the results of Germany's February election mean that assembling the necessary two-thirds majority will become more difficult once newly elected lawmakers are seated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A deal would then need to be struck with The Left, a hard-left socialist party that has been vehemently opposed to military spending. That would be far more difficult, especially for the conservative CDU/CSU. Linnemann said on Monday that he does not believe that an acceptable compromise could be reached with The Left. A massive plan to loosen Germany's debt rules and spend hundreds of billions on defence and infrastructure has run into potentially decisive opposition from the Greens, whose votes in parliament would be essential for the legislation to be approved. The spending deal was struck by the conservative Christian Democrat (CDU)/Christian Social Union (CSU) bloc, which won February's German election, and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), who are expected to become the junior coalition partner in the next government. Green politicians have been warning for days that the massive spending deal does not do nearly enough to address climate change and might be used as a way to finance tax cuts instead of dramatically higher overall spending. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Green parliamentary group co-chairwomen Katharina Droge and Britta Hasselmann confirmed on Monday that they would recommend that Green lawmakers vote against the package. "We are in no way interested in enabling play money, and that is why we will not agree to these proposals," Droge told reporters. "The package will not finance a single euro more in investments in Germany." Droge said that the CDU/CSU alliance and the SPD wanted to create a massive fund of borrowed money to put towards things like tax breaks and diesel fuel subsidies for farmers. The Greens have been demanding more funding for climate priorities and greater commitments about how the money would be spent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A failure of the spending deal would be a major setback for the CDU/CSU and SPD coalition talks, which are set to formally get under way soon. Any budget agreement between the two parties would be far more difficult without the deal. Senior CDU/CSU and SPD politicians on Monday expressed confidence that a compromise could still be struck to placate the Greens and get the deal through the Bundestag, the lower house of Germany's parliament. The votes of the Greens are essential to enacting the deal, since Germany's strict balanced-budget rules are anchored in the country's constitution and any changes require a two-thirds majority in the Bundestag. Greens to be persuaded? The deal between the CDU/CSU and SPD would create a 500 billion ($542 billion) special fund for infrastructure investments to be spent over the next decade, and enable far higher long-term military budgets by permanently exempting any defence spending above 1% of German gross domestic product (GDP) from counting toward debt rules. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not long after Droge and Hasselmann made their opposition clear, leaders in the CDU, CSU and SPD signalled their willingness to negotiate with the Greens in order to seal a deal. Carsten Linnemann, the secretary general of the CDU, said he expects negotiations over the deal to move forward with the Greens and described ideas put forward by the Greens as "constructive proposals." CSU deputy leader Alexander Dobrindt, meanwhile, believes the Greens will eventually back down and support the plans. "This will not be the last word from the Greens," he said. "The security situation requires a different approach. We are prepared to negotiate further." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SPD leader Lars Klingbeil likewise said he expects to find a compromise with the Greens despite their initial rejection of the deal. "I am not giving up confidence that this can succeed," he said. Klingbeil said he would seek talks with top Green Party politicians on Monday evening along with conservative leader and prospective chancellor Friedrich Merz. The parties are hoping to pass the changes through the outgoing Bundestag in the coming days, since the results of Germany's February election mean that assembling the necessary two-thirds majority will become more difficult once newly elected lawmakers are seated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A deal would then need to be struck with The Left, a hard-left socialist party that has been vehemently opposed to military spending. That would be far more difficult, especially for the conservative CDU/CSU. Leaders of The Left on Monday announced that they had filed an emergency application with Germany's Constitutional Court for a temporary restraining order to block a possible vote on the proposal, which they described as an undemocratic attempt to cast aside the will of German voters. Politicians with The Left said they have long demanded major reforms to Germany's debt rules, and urged the other parties to invite them to talks on spending plans. But Linnemann said he does not believe that the CDU/CSU could reach an acceptable compromise with The Left. An initial outline of a possible coalition deal between Germany's centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU) and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) has left a dispute over migration policy unresolved. The CDU's Friedrich Merz, who pledged a hard-line migration crackdown during the election campaign, has demanded that Germany impose widespread border controls and refuse entry to asylum seekers. But the SPD, the party of outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, has argued such moves would be a clear violation of German and EU law, and can't be taken without close coordination with Germany's EU neighbours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A draft paper outlining a potential compromise deal between the parties said Germany could turn back asylum seekers at the border "in coordination with our European neighbours." On Monday, however, comments from senior politicians in both parties made it clear that they had very different understandings of what those words mean. Jens Spahn, the deputy leader of the parliamentary faction for the CDU and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), said that "coordination" did not require agreement and that action could be taken against the will of neighbouring countries if necessary. SPD co-chairwoman Saskia Esken, however, interpreted the passage far more strictly than what Spahn was suggesting: "We have agreed to something else, and we are sticking to it." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Germany and all of its neighbours are members of the Schengen Area visa-free travel bloc, and all of Germany's neighbours besides Switzerland are members of the European Union. Esken said Germany and other countries need to come closer together at the European level instead of taking unilateral action. "I think that is extremely dangerous and I will clearly oppose it if it continues to be debated," she said. A 4-year-old girl died at a Modesto hospital Sunday after being freed from her car seat in a submerged SUV late Saturday night, according to the California Highway Patrol. The childs mother, who crashed into a canal east of Hickman, was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI. Other charges are almost certain but could not be confirmed by the CHP. Shortly after 11 p.m., the CHP and other law enforcement and medical responders got a report of a solo vehicle crash on Arlberg Road where it ends at Canal Bank Road and the Turlock Main Canal. A Stanislaus County Sheriffs Office deputy was first on scene and found two people atop a vehicle that was submerged in the canal, according to a Modesto Fire Department incident summary. One child was also reported missing, the summary says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deputy heroically, and without hesitation, entered the frigid water and rescued the drivers daughter with help from the childs uncle, CHP Modesto office spokesperson Officer Tom Olsen said in an email Sunday. The plan was to take her to a hospital by helicopter, but it was determined that the patient was not stable enough to be flown, so she was taken by ground ambulance, the Fire Department summary says. The preliminary investigation into the crash found that Oakdale resident Juliette Marie Acosta, 26, was driving a Subaru SUV south on Arlberg at an unknown speed, Olsen said. She unsafely turned to the left off the road and sideswiped a wooden electrical pole, Olsen wrote in an email to The Bee. The Subaru continued in a southerly direction, and again unsafely turned off the road, this time up an embankment and into the canal, where it became fully submerged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Acostas uncle heard the crash from his residence, rushed to the scene and was able to get Acosta out of the SUV, Olsen said. However, her 4-year-old daughter was still inside the vehicle within her car seat. PHI Air Medical, Oak Valley Ambulance and American Medical Response all responded to the scene. When the child was freed, she was taken by AMR to Memorial Medical Center for treatment of major injuries. Acosta, who was uninjured, displayed signs of intoxication and was arrested for felony DUI by the CHP. She was booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center. Chief Deputy District Attorney Wendell Emerson confirmed Monday that Acosta had been released on bail. The Modesto CHP would like to recognize the heroic efforts from the Stanislaus County Sheriff Deputy and family member on scene, Olsen said in his email. Law enforcement officers take an oath to risk their own lives rather than swerve from the path of duty. Although unharmed, this deputy did exactly that. U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo speaks at a press event at Women & Infants Hospital in Providence, on March, 10, 2025. Seated at left are U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner and Dr. Jill L. Maron, the hospital's pediatrician-in-chief. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) Most of Rhode Islands babies enter the world at Women & Infants Hospital. Every year, the Providence hospital delivers about 85% of the children born in the Ocean State a vast sample that contains pretty much every demographic group, including future elected officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its great to be back to the place that I was born. I mean that specifically and very literally, Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo told a crowd gathered in a conference room Monday at the hospital. The congressman was joined by fellow Democrats, U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse and Rep. Seth Magaziner, to protest potential cuts to Medicaid, the public health insurance program that covers about 44% of births in Rhode Island. The three are especially concerned about a budget resolution passed last month by Congressional Republicans seeking to eliminate $880 billion of the money controlled by the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce one of the oldest congressional bodies, and the one responsible for prescribing Medicaids funding over the next 10 years to help pay for tax cuts. I am not a hair on fire kind of person, but this is catastrophic, Amo said. Medicaid is projected to account for 93% of the Energy and Commerce budget through 2034, a total of $8.2 trillion, according to the Congressional Budget Office, which is tasked with performing nonpartisan analysis of congressional spending. To slash away $880 billion over the next decade would be impossible without removing parts of Medicaid and the Childrens Health Insurance Program, as the remainder of the committees budget does not equal that much. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How do we know theyre doing this? Well, you just do the math, Whitehouse said. They put so much money into the accounts that fund Medicaid that they want to take back, but theres no way you can do what they said without the huge cuts to Medicaid that we see comingTheres no deduction that is possible other than theyre coming after Medicaid, and its going to hurt all of these folks. Stephanie Manfredo is one of the Rhode Islanders who relies on Medicaid and was present shared her story. Her oldest son is 12 and was born with a rare genetic condition involving epilepsy and intellectual disability. His level of care requires many medical and community support services that can only be accessed through Medicaid, Manfredo said. Manfredos 10-year-old son also uses Medicaid to access behavioral health services. And last October, she gave birth to her youngest son at Women & Infants, a pregnancy that was complicated and needed a fair amount of medical intervention for both Manfredo and her newborn, she said. Im incredibly grateful to my providers for being so proactive to make sure my baby only stayed healthy throughout my pregnancy and to his birth, Manfredo said. But I cant imagine the expenses my family would have incurred had I not had Medicaid coverage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hosting Manfredo and the delegation Monday was Dr. Michael Wagner, CEO of the hospitals parent company, Care New England. Wagner, who has previously expressed public concern about Medicaid cuts, highlighted how his hospitals depend deeply on Medicaid. He added that the proposed cuts are an assault on health care delivery for the most vulnerable populations in our state. U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Care New England CEO Dr. Michael Wagner, and U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo are seen at a press event at Women & Infants Hospital in Providence on March, 10, 2025. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) A third of the states population States administer Medicaid differently, with services and coverage varying from state to state. The Affordable Care Act in 2010 allowed states to expand eligibility for their Medicaid programs. Today, most adults who make up to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level an individual earning under $21,600 annually are eligible for Medicaid coverage in the 40 states plus Washington, D.C. that expanded coverage. Only 10 states have not adopted Medicaid expansion. Magaziner recounted a conversation with a Republican colleague on the Energy and Commerce Committee, who said the Medicaid cuts could be accomplished by dismantling Medicaid expansion. Thats the part that theyre going to look to roll back, Magaziner said. This is what he told me, because it only impacts what he called the blue states. But hes actually wrong about that, because North Carolinas a Medicaid expansion state. Ohio, Arkansas, Louisiana, et cetera. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attempts to repeal portions of the Affordable Care Act have been tricky to accomplish. Similar GOP-led maneuvers to eviscerate Medicaid funding narrowly failed in 2017, with a few congressional Republicans concerned the cuts might affect the health care industrys bottom line. But in a post-COVID landscape, Medicaids growth in spending $300 billion over the last eight years, mostly thanks to increased eligibility during the pandemic has become a lucrative target for Republicans who want to liberate trillions to maintain President Donald Trumps 2017 tax cuts. Why are our Republican colleagues doing this? They are doing it to find the money to pay for tax cuts, mostly for people who are very rich, who dont need them, Magaziner argued. Medicaid comprises a significant part of Rhode Islands state expenditures as well. Kristin Sousa, the director of Rhode Islands Medicaid program, was at the Rhode Island State House on Feb. 25 to give state senators a routine update on Rhode Islands Medicaid programming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From an enrollment perspective, we cover nearly a third of Rhode Islanders in every city and town, Sousa testified at the committee meeting. Children and families make up the majority of the states Medicaid population, Sousa said, followed by adults covered under the expansion. These adults are between the ages of 19 and 64, do not have dependent children, are not pregnant, are not eligible for Medicare and they have no other insurance. Children with special health needs, or those receiving services via the states child welfare agency, comprise a smaller portion of the states Medicaid rolls. Most of the states Medicaid enrollees, 88%, are enrolled in managed care, so they receive coverage through insurers like Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island. Sousa also affirmed that Medicaid reimbursements tend to have very low rates nationally, she said. Its not a secret that the rates are not usually what providers would say are adequate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sousa told senators then that it was too early to speculate on how potential cuts might affect the states Medicaid program. I think its hard to talk about that right now because we dont know what will happen, Sousa said. But the focus for myself and my team will be to take what comes and evaluate that, to try to minimize the impact to the beneficiaries, and obviously to be as fiscally responsible as we can. At Mondays press conference, Magaziner was more willing to predict the future. He offered that the state may have to drop thousands of people from the Medicaid rolls, reduce the scope of services covered, or cut the state budget in a draconian way in order to make up the difference. You could cut everything under Energy and Commerce, every single thing down to zero, except for Medicare and Medicaid, and youll have only cut $200 billion, Magaziner said. That means that states like Rhode Island are going to have to make a terrible decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One fourth of the states congressional delegation was missing from Mondays event. Sen. Jack Reed, was out of town, Whitehouse said, but sent his regards. A spokesperson for Sen. Reed said he was in Washington, D.C., on Monday. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) said Monday that Ontarios 25-percent surcharge on electricity exports to his state announced in response to President Trumps tariffs on Canada will only help the U.S. president win support from his base. The Minnesota Republican told NewsNations Joe Khalil on Monday that the additional charges are a mistake, noting Trump ran on tariffs and is following through on a campaign promise. The more they try to make it painful on Americans, the more its going to strengthen Donald Trump, Emmer said about the Canadians. He told everyone when he campaigned that this is what he was going to do, and he was going to work for Americans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What the Canadians are doing is a mistake in my mind, he continued. Its only going to help Donald Trump in his argument that they dont care about you, Im the only one who does. The government of Ontario announced Monday it is applying a 25 percent surcharge on electricity exports to New York, Minnesota and Michigan in response to U.S. tariffs on Canada. The surcharge will affect electricity sales for 1.5 million homes and businesses across the three states, the Ontario government said. In total, it could cost the states up to $400,000 per day. New market rules are going into place requiring Canadian electricity sellers to add a $10 per megawatt-hour surcharge, equivalent to a quarter of the electricitys average value, to the cost of power for sales to the U.S., according to a statement from Ontarios Office of the Premier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The additional charges are a response to 25 percent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports to the U.S. announced last week by the Trump administration. Trump announced and then walked back tariffs on different occasions, leading to some confusion about the extent and applicability of the orders. Following the initial announcement, Trump exempted carmakers from the tariffs and then delayed them for a month for goods covered under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the update to the North American Free Trade Agreement that Trump renegotiated during his first term. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. Azerbaijan has become a global hub for constructive dialogue on energy issues, said Haitham Al Ghais, Secretary General of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), in his welcome letter to the participants of the Baku Energy Forum 2025, Trend reports. "Azerbaijan a vital participant in the Declaration of Cooperation (DoC) between OPEC and non-OPEC producers has become a global hub for constructive dialogue on key energy issues. This was clear at COP 29 and will doubtless be underlined once again at the 30th Baku Energy Forum, a premier event in the regions energy calendar," he said. The SecGen emphasized that the forum is a vital platform for dialogue and cooperation in the global energy sector. Baku Energy Week, the region's premier energy event, will mark its 30th anniversary from June 3 to 5, 2025. The highlight of the week, the Baku Energy Forum, will be held on June 4-5, bringing together key industry players, leading international experts, investors, and business leaders. A House Republican plan to keep the federal government open past Friday by putting most agencies' funding on autopilot includes extra money for the Pentagon to cover a junior enlisted pay raise scheduled to take effect next month. The stopgap spending measure, known as a continuing resolution, or CR, would fund the government through the end of the fiscal year -- Sept. 30 -- by, for the most part, simply extending last year's funding levels. If approved, it would be the first time the Pentagon has operated under a CR for an entire fiscal year. But the bill aims to mitigate some of the biggest harms to the military from a CR by adding extra Pentagon funds for personnel, weapons buying and other costs that grow year over year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read Next: The Army Is Losing Nearly One-Quarter of Soldiers in the First 2 Years of Enlistment The CR would also give the Department of Veterans Affairs extra money for its Toxic Exposures Fund to cover a medical budget shortfall that was first identified by the Biden administration last year. If the bill is not approved by the end of the day Friday, the government would shut down at 12:01 a.m. Saturday. For the military, a shutdown would mean troops have to continue working without collecting a paycheck until new government funding is approved, unless Congress passes separate legislation to allow paychecks to continue. The funding deadline and Congress' debate over how best to keep the government open comes as President Donald Trump has been ignoring funding laws in order to slash the size of the government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has endorsed the CR as a way to give his administration more time to act unilaterally. "All Republicans should vote (please!) yes next week," Trump said Saturday in a post on the social media platform he owns, Truth Social. "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." The Pentagon typically loathes CRs because they force the military to operate on the previous year's budget while facing increased costs. For example, by law, troops get a pay raise every January regardless of whether new funding has been approved, meaning, under a CR, the military services have to cut other personnel dollars such as retention bonuses in order to fund the pay raise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That issue could be even more pronounced come April because junior enlisted service members are slated to get another 10% raise on top of the 4.5% raise they got in January under a defense policy bill Congress approved in December. But the CR released over the weekend includes extra military personnel funding to cover the added costs of the junior enlisted pay raise so that the services would not have to scramble to find money for the pay raise elsewhere. "This straightforward continuing resolution ensures the government remains open and working for Americans," House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., said in a statement Saturday. "It maintains critical services for our constituents and provides the largest pay raise for our brave junior enlisted heroes since President Reagan." Overall, the CR would allocate $6 billion more for defense funding this year than last year. In addition to the extra personnel funding, the bill also includes some extra money for weapons buying and operations and maintenance accounts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The CR would also add $6 billion to the VA's Toxic Exposures Fund, the pot of money created by the PACT Act. Last year, the Biden administration informed Congress the VA was facing a $6.6 billion shortfall in its medical budget, driven by higher-than-expected enrollment because of the PACT Act and increased costs for medical equipment and prescription drugs. Some of the shortfall was also attributed to staffing costs, and the Trump administration is now firing thousands of VA employees. When the Biden administration announced the shortfall, Republicans bristled at what they described as shoddy accounting by the administration. While the CR includes funding to cover the shortfall for the Toxic Exposures Fund this year, Democrats are now fuming because it does not include money for the fund in 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Veterans will suffer with higher housing costs, poorer quality of health care at the VA, and no advance funding for treatment from exposure to toxic chemicals," Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., the ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, said in a statement Saturday. The VA typically receives some of its funding a year in advance in order to shield veterans' health care and benefits from government shutdown fights. While 2026 funding for the Toxic Exposures Fund isn't in this CR, Congress will have more opportunities to fund it when it debates the 2026 budget. Trump's endorsement suggests most Republicans will support the CR, though at least two -- Rep. Thomas Massie and Sen. Rand Paul, both of Kentucky -- have come out in opposition as of Monday morning. House Democratic leadership has balked at the CR, though Democratic votes are not needed in the lower chamber if Massie is the only Republican opposing it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic leadership in the Senate, where at least eight Democrats need to support the bill in order to get it to the necessary 60-vote threshold, assuming every Republican besides Paul supports it, has not taken a position on the bill. But some influential Senate Democrats have slammed it for not doing anything to try to prevent Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, who heads the White House advisory group known as the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, that is shredding the government, from continuing to take a hatchet to agencies and personnel. "Congress -- not Trump or Musk -- should decide through careful bipartisan negotiations how to invest in our states and districts -- and whether critical programs that support students, veterans, families and patients get funded or not," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said in a statement Saturday about the CR. Related: Firings Begin at the Pentagon: Veterans, Civil Servants Caught in the Crosshairs Democratic Gov. Tony Evers wants to spend about $4 billion on state building upgrades across Wisconsin under a plan released Monday. If approved, about $1.6 billion would go to the University of Wisconsin System for brick-and-mortar building projects. Other big-ticket items include $634 million for the Department of Corrections, $137 million for upgrades to veteran homes and $40 million to restore the state Capitol building. Evers said the projects are critical to address the state's aging infrastructure and plan for the future. He blamed the Republican-controlled Legislature for a more than $13 billion deferred maintenance backlog, including $3.4 billion worth of projects that he said demanded immediate attention to prevent system failures and safety hazards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We cant afford to kick the can down the road on key infrastructure projects across our state, most especially as the cost of building materials may only get more expensive with each day of delay due to potential tariff taxes and trade wars," he said in a statement. Unlike the last budget, when the state used cash from the state's surplus to pay for the bulk of the projects, Evers suggested borrowing taxpayer money from the state's general fund to fund the latest round of construction. Evers' plan will first head to the state building commission on March 25 for consideration. Lawmakers also need to sign off but have a history of trimming down Evers' list. In the last budget, they cut Evers' $3.8 billion proposal to about $2.7 billion. Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, called Evers' proposal unsustainable and irresponsible. The two co-chairs of the powerful budget-writing committee Rep. Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam, and Sen. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green echoed his concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Legislative Republicans will craft a responsible Capital Budget that Wisconsin can afford," they said in a statement. UWM and UW-La Crosse would see science buildings under Evers' plan Evers proposed funding most of the UW System's requests. Among the top priories for the state universities are: $194 million to add on to the UW-La Crosse Prairie Springs Science Center. This would pave the way for the demolition of Cowley Hall, a 62-year-old academic building that lacks a fire suppression system and is unable to be renovated for its intended use. Money for the first phase of the project was included in the 2013-15 budget but the second phase has been pushed off by lawmakers in more recent budgets. $189 million for UW-Milwaukee to renovate portions of its Northwest Quadrant so its College of Health Sciences could be housed in one building instead of five. UWM has been waiting years to renovate more of the old Columbia St. Mary's Hospital complex. The projects would allow programs in high demand to expand. $293 million for UW-Madison to demolish the Brutalist-style Humanities building, and relocate the music and art departments to new or renovated facilities. The Humanities building is in "extremely poor condition," UW officials said in planning documents, and was closed for a few weeks in 2021 because of potential structural concerns that posed an immediate problem. Clinical assistant professor of biomedical sciences Brad De Pons takes a blood sample for a student during a lab in Enderis Hall at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in February 2023. Lab space in the building lacks flexibility and is outdated. Gov. Tony Evers wants to spend about $4.1 billion on building upgrades across Wisconsin, including $189 million project for UW-Milwaukee to renovate portions of the Northwest Quadrant for its College of Health Sciences. The school has been waiting years to renovate more of the former Columbia St. Mary's Hospital complex. MARK HOFFMAN/MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL Other projects Evers' plan includes are $98 million for an addition and renovation to UW-Stevens Point's Sentry Hall, $293 million for new UW-Madison dorms, $35 million to renovate Wylie Hall at UW-Parkside and $137 million for an addition and renovation to Polk Learning Commons at UW-Oskhkosh. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Looming over the UW System during this budget is a desire to avoid what happened in the last one. Republican lawmakers withheld funding for a widely supported UW-Madison engineering building, using the project as a bargaining chip for months to negotiate over campus diversity efforts. Several prison closures part of Wisconsin DOC facilities plan Corrections are another large area of focus in Evers' proposal. His plan calls for the closing of Green Bay Correctional Institution by 2029. The facility is over 100 years old and has had issues with rodents, heating and cooling and layout safety in recent years. His budget also calls for the rehabilitation for the Waupun Correctional Institution, which is also over a century old and has struggled with problems for the last several years, including many inmate deaths. Evers also called for closing Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls in the northern part of the state. The two schools have been plagued by issues for years and were the source of a federal consent decree. The Legislature voted to close the embattled facilities years ago and turn them into adult institutions, but the process has stalled time and time again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To close the two youth schools, Evers proposed building a new youth facility in Dane County and set aside money to begin design on another youth facility in northeastern Wisconsin. He also called for the expansion of the Grow Academy in Oregon, Wisconsin. Milwaukee area projects would include new building for courthouse complex, State Fair Park Milwaukee County would get $25 million for a new public safety building. The more than 320,000-square-foot Courthouse Complex is almost 100 years old and is home to the county's criminal courts, as well as the Sheriff's and District Attorney's offices. The existing judicial buildings are "severely outdated" and, in a handful of cases, "functionally obsolete," according to a county report. State Fair Park would see $22 million in grades to parking lots and restrooms. It would also get money to plan redevelopment of the swine, sheep and goat barn. About $9 million would remodel the Milwaukee Army National Guard Readiness Center, including a new kitchen, office spaces and bathrooms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other capital projects across Wisconsin include: $164 million for upgrades to state parks and other Department of Natural Resources projects $195 million for health services facilities $25 million for investments in clean energy project $1.2 billion to tackle deferred maintenance on state buildings across Wisconsin (This story was updated to add a gallery and add new information.) Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Vanessa Swales contributed to this story. Contact Kelly Meyerhofer at kmeyerhofer@gannett.com or 414-223-5168. Follow her on X (Twitter) at @KellyMeyerhofer. Contact Laura Schulte at lschulte@gannett.com Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Laura Schulte of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel can be reached at leschulte@jrn.com and on X at @SchulteLaura. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers wants $4.1 billion for building projects Texas Gov. Greg Abbott awarded a $2 million Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund to Round Rock-based semiconductor supplier KoMiCo Technology. Abbott announced Thursday that KoMiCo would receive the fourth TSIF grant for its facility in Round Rock, located at 201 Michel Angelo Way, just past North Austin. According to Abbott, the funding will support the creation of 70 new jobs and a $36 million capital investment. Texas is leading the American resurgence in semiconductor manufacturing and making strategic investments to secure critical domestic supply chains, Abbott said in the statement Thursday. KoMiCos $36 million investment to expand their clean room capacity and production lines in Round Rock supports increased chip production right here in Texas." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement KoMiCo, a wholly owned subsidiary of South Korea-based KoMiCo Ltd., works with global chipmakers on semiconductor equipment parts cleaning, coating and repair. The TSIF funding will support KoMiCo's Round Rock facility expansion by over 40,000 square feet, increasing its clean room capacity along production lines, according to the Thursday statement. Nearly a year ago, KoMiCo secured funding and celebrated the completion of the shell of the $30 million expansion, aided by $750,000 in incentives from the city of Round Rock. KoMiCo is profoundly grateful to the State of Texas for their generous grant supporting the semiconductor manufacturing supply chain, KoMiCo USA CEO Sung Soo Jang said in the Thursday statement. This investment not only reinforces our industry but also strengthens the technological fabric of our nation." The Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund was established through the Texas CHIPS Act, which Abbott signed in 2023. The fund aims to invest in semiconductor research, design and manufacturing in Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: President Trump must focus on CHIPS act for Texas, U.S. manufacturing success | Opinion This is the fourth allocation from the fund. In February, Abbott awarded $23.25M to Austin-based Silicon Labs to support research and development and the company's new lab focused on artificial intelligence. He also awarded $2.4 million to Korean Dongjin Semichem Texas Inc., a specialty chemical and materials company with a facility in Killeen, in February. Additionally, $4.12 million was awarded to Intelligent Epitaxy Technology for its new facility in Allen in November. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Gov. Abbott awards KoMiCo Technology $2M through state CHIPS Act Tomorrow, March 10, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey will announce her plans to decrease energy bills and stop major price hikes from taking place in the future. Its part of her Energy Affordability Agenda that she mentioned during a speech in late February to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. Boston 25 News reached out to Healeys office for further details on the event Sunday, but they told us they wont be disclosing further information until the day of. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This announcement comes just a few weeks after she called on the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) Chair to act immediately to reduce energy costs for consumers on February 18th. On February 28th, the DPU issued an order that cut Mass Saves budget by $500 million to reduce heating bills for consumers. Mass Save gives consumers rebates and other incentives to make energy-efficient choices rather than using fossil fuels like natural gas to heat their homes. While DPUs recent order may help some, hundreds of thousands of people are still feeling the fallout from Eversource and National Grids price hikes that took effect last November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How do I make up the money I lost in January and February, explained Elijah DeSousa who created the Facebook group Citizens Against Eversource. The page currently has 30,000 members. DeSousa said, We just got started as far as our movement is concerned. They plan to have a protest on March 22nd at South Station in Boston. Check on their Facebook page for upcoming details. Governor Healeys announcement is scheduled to take place at 11 a.m. Monday at Community Teamwork on Merrimack Street in Lowell. 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 North Carolina NC Gov. Josh Stein, with Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt (seated at right) looking on, reads to children at Kate's Korner Learning Center in Durham on March 10, 2025. (Photo: Lynn Bonner) Young children at Kates Korner Learning Center in Durham sing and listen to stories in bright, colorful classrooms, their eyes fixed on teachers who earn livable wages, have employee-sponsored health insurance, and four-day workweeks. Kates Korner stands out among child care centers, where the statewide average teacher wage is $14.42, and about half of teachers dont have health insurance benefits, according to a 2023 state workforce study. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Josh Stein visited Kates Korner on Monday to announce hes launching a task force on child care and early education, to be co-chaired by Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt, a Democrat, and Sen. Jim Burgin, a Harnett County Republican. Hunt was also in attendance at Mondays event. The task force will look for ways to untangle the knotty issues that plague the early childhood education industry. Low pay discourages people from joining the child care workforce. Thats helped lead to a shortage of available child care. Yet, child care is so expensive that many families cannot afford it. High costs force some parents to drop out of the workforce. Its a vicious cycle we find ourselves in, Stein said. This cycle harms every North Carolinian. The task force membership will include legislators, business leaders, parents, child care providers, and industry experts, Stein said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre going to give us some great ideas about ways we can help our youngest learners, our early educators, and our working families, he said. Last month, Hunt announced a Future-Ready NC policy platform that included as one of its prongs tackling the states child care and early childhood education crisis. For too many parents, the cost of child care is now higher than their rent, Hunt said Monday. Families are forced into tough choices and many are even going into debt just to afford child care. The task force interim report isnt expected until June. Kate Goodwin-Picou of Kates Korner Learning Center in Durham welcomes Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt and Gov. Josh Stein. (Photo: Lynn Bonner) In the meantime, Stein said the state budget he will soon propose will include a substantial investment to increase pay to providers, increase program quality, increase child care subsidy rates, and add 1,000 NC Pre-K slots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hell also include a summer program for children who have completed NC Pre-K and are ready to start kindergarten. Kate Goodwin-Picou opened Kates Korner in the American Tobacco Campus two years ago. She wanted to use the knowledge she gained after years of working in childcare to build a center based on what she called the empowerment model where educators have equal pay, good benefits, and a healthy work-life balance. She said she pays employees a livable wage, and 100% of their insurance. Employees work four-days a week and meet in groups with a therapist who comes in twice a week. The purpose is to make sure that every educator who spends hours and days teaching, nurturing and inspiring our next generation has a quality of life themselves and are seen, heard, and appreciated. Not even two months into President Donald Trump's second term and the United States government is staring down a shutdown. Congress has yet to agree on a budget or pass a continuing resolution or stop-gap measure to keep the government funded. If they don't find some middle ground, government employees who are left after Trump and Elon Musk's clear out of agencies could soon be out of work as well... at least until some sort of funding measure is passed by the end of the week. Trump has weighed in and stated a government shutdown "could happen" if the House of Representatives fails to pass a stop-gap measure to keep the money flowing for another six months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's a look at what happens during a government shutdown, how it can be averted and what programs are affected. When could a government shutdown start? If Congress doesn't pass some sort of funding measures, at the end of the day on Friday, March 14, funds will run dry and a shutdown would be triggered. How can a shutdown be averted? Avoiding a government shutdown depends on two things. Congress would need to pass a stop-gap measure for funding to continue for the next six months Trump has to sign it Government agencies and programs that rely on annual funding appropriations would be paused if Congress fails to pass and Trump fails to sign budget legislation. Will air travel be disrupted if the government shuts down? If a shutdown happens, your flights shouldn't be disrupted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration agents who operate security at airports, are considered essential and would be required to work. Will my Social Security still come if the government shuts down? Yes. The money for Social Security benefits is not part of the federal government's budget but is a separate fund. Will Medicare benefits still be paid in a government shutdown? Medicare benefits will continue, though there could be a delay in some payments. Will national parks, like the Great Smoky Mountains, be open in a shutdown? During the 2019 shutdown, national parks like the Great Smoky Mountains National Park remained open, but things like visitor centers and bathrooms were locked up tight. During shutdowns, the National Park Services usually downsize to the bare minimum of staff and it is usually the federal law enforcement rangers that stay on without pay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Take a look at more here. Who does and doesn't get paid in a government shutdown? Thousands of federal government employees will be put on furlough if a government shutdown occurs, but others that are deemed essential employees like the military, law enforcement and others will continue to work. During the shutdown, none of these employees will be paid but will receive back pay once the agency they work for is funded. In previous years, Congress would vote if employees would receive back pay, but after the 2019 shutdown, it was made mandatory for employees to receive it. Government contractors who carried out nearly $700 billion worth of government work the last fiscal year are not guaranteed back pay. The only people who will continue to receive pay are members of Congress, including Republican Tennessee Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, and Tennessee Representatives Diana Harshbarger (R), Tim Burchett (R), Charles Fleischmann (R), Scott DesJarlais (R), Andrew Ogles (R), John W. Rose (R), Mark E. Green (R), David Kustoff (R) and Steve Cohen (D). Will the military get paid in a government shutdown? Military officials prepared Friday to cut pay for troops and civilians, and close offices and activities deemed not essential to national security as the deadline nears for the government shutdown that is expected to begin at 12:01 a.m. Sunday. How often does the U.S. government shutdown? If you feel like you've heard about the government shutting down before, you have. In December, Congress dragged its feet on passing a continuing resolution. At the last moment, a bipartisan spending bill was voted in and averted a shutdown that would have left thousands of federal employees furloughed just days before the winter holidays. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But a shutdown isn't always averted. The last government shutdown happened under Trump's watch during his first term and was one of the longest to ever occur. It was the third to occur during that term. Here's a look at shutdowns in recent history and how long they lasted. 1976 : Under President Gerald Ford. Lasted for 11 days. 1977 : Under President Jimmy Carter. Lasted 12 days. 1977 : Under President Carter. Lasted eight days. 1977 : Under President Carter. Lasted eight days. 1978 : Under President Carter. Lasted 17 days. 1979 : Under President Carter. Lasted 11 days. 1981 : Under President Ronald Reagan. Lasted two days. 1982 : Under President Reagan. Lasted one day. 1982 : Under President Reagan. Lasted three days. 1983 : Under President Reagan. Lasted three days. 1984 : Under President Reagan. Lasted two days. 1984 : Under President Reagan. Lasted one day. 1986 : Under President Reagan. Lasted one day. 1987 : Under President Reagan. Lasted one day. 1990 : Under George H.W. Bush. Lasted four days. 1995 : Under President Bill Clinton. Lasted five days. 1996 : Under President Clinton. Lasted 21 days. 2013 : Under President Barack Obama. Lasted 17 days. 2018 : Under President Donald Trump. Lasted three days. 2018 : Under President Trump. Lasted several hours. 2019: Under President Trump. Lasted 35 days. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Government shutdown: When to know in Tennessee as deadline nears RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) Child care in the state could soon be more affordable and accessible for families as Governor Josh Stein creates a task force to look into how to make that happen. Governor Stein and other state leaders say this has been an issue for years now in the state but now its become what they call a crisis, and they need a solution. We do not have enough child care slots to meet the need of the state, Governor Stein said on Monday while spending time at a Durham child care center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He says even if families are lucky enough to secure a spot, there are other challenges. They might not be able to afford it, the average cost of infant care in North Carolina is $12,000, Governor Stein said. For too many parents, the cost of child care is now higher than their rent, Lieutenant Governor Rachel Hunt added. Its not just a problem that impacts families with kids. Governor Stein and his administration say when families cant afford child care, it forces parents to leave the job market and stay home, even if thats not what they want to do. Thats taking people out of jobs and out of the state economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We wont stay a top business state if we dont have a workforce that can show up to work, Lt. Governor Hunt said. So the Governor is creating a task force to look into how to make child care more accessible and more affordable, and he wants it to happen soon. Itll be led by Lt. Governor Hunt and Senator Jim Burgin. Thats not all. In my budget which will be announced later this month, I will propose a substantial investment to pay providers more, increase program quality, and raise child care subsidy rates, Governor Stein said. He also wants to create 1,000 pre-k slots. When we invest in child care our entire society benefits, parents get to keep working and building their careers, we dont see as many vacancy or help wanted signs on our small businesses, Governor Stein said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Governor is asking for a preliminary report from the task force by June and then a more in-depth report later this year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 10. The Kazakh delegation headed by the Minister of Defense of Kazakhstan, Colonel General Ruslan Zhaksylykov, visited the Ministry of Defense and military facilities of Italy, and discussed issues of cooperation in the field of combat training and military-scientific research, Trend reports. In the course of the visit, Colonel General Ruslan Zhaksylykov met with Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto. The parties discussed key issues of bilateral military cooperation, including military education, combat training, and peacekeeping activities. Colonel-General Ruslan Zhaksylykov emphasized the importance of peacekeeping for Kazakhstan on the international stage. He also highlighted the significance of Kazakhstan's officers participating in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mission, as part of the Italian contingent, as an example of successful cooperation. The negotiations concluded with the signing of a memorandum on academic cooperation and scientific research, which will open new opportunities for interaction between the National Defense University of Kazakhstan and the Higher Defense Studies Center of the General Staff of the Italian Armed Forces. Moreover, during the visit, the delegation also visited the maritime airbase Pratica di Mare and the military airport of the Italian Air Force. There, representatives from the largest Italian corporation "Leonardo" demonstrated combat helicopters, as well as software and tools for the C4I automated command and control system. The Kazakh delegation also visited the "Aquila" mountain training base, located 119 km from Rome. There, they familiarized themselves with the infrastructure, equipment, and training program for the soldiers of the Italian Army's Alpine Regiment. Italy ranks third among Kazakhstan's largest trading partners and is also among the top five largest investors in Kazakhstan's economy. Last year, bilateral trade between the two countries amounted to around $20 billion. A person walks into the Department of Veterans Affairs' headquarters in Washington, D.C. The department, with offices in every state, announced it is cutting about 80,000 jobs, part of a large-scale effort to reduce the federal workforce. States are stepping up to hire laid-off workers. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Among the thousands of federal workers whove been forced out or taken buyouts in the past month, surely some would be perfect fits for the many vacancies in Pennsylvanias state government. That, at least, is the thinking of Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, who recently directed his state to not only offer aid to laid-off constituents, but also to repost some job openings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes catching up to governors in other states from Hawaii to Maryland who see opportunity, even as theyre scrambling to help panicked residents. The Trump administration and Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency task force have been culling federal workers across agencies while also threatening anyone who doesnt list in an email how theyre making good use of their time. The number of announced terminations tracked by global data company Statista exceeded 16,000 as of Feb. 25. Thats in addition to the 75,000 federal employees who accepted buyouts offered by the administration in its earliest days. And President Donald Trump has directed Cabinet agencies to continue mass layoffs. States are looking to hire those workers, though officials face challenges, such as offering lower salaries and having slower hiring processes. In Maryland alone, Democratic Gov. Wes Moore estimates about 10,000 of his constituents could lose work in the shake-up. There are more than 5,000 openings in state government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pennsylvania has some 5,600 critical openings, from accountants to registered nurses, now described on a newly created website tailored to federal employees. This is an act of self-interest for the people of Pennsylvania, because I believe the commonwealth can benefit from the experience and expertise of these federal workers who have been forced out of their jobs, Shapiro said. Officials in New Mexico, New York and Virginia among the states with the highest numbers of federal workers say theyre offering a silver lining for all that displaced talent, providing ways to streamline the transition from federal government to jobs at the state and local level. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, made her recruitment pitch clear, stating, The federal government might say, Youre fired, but here in New York, we say, Youre hired. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hawaiis Operation Hire Hawaii is working to fast-track former federal employees into state agency jobs. Washington state lawmakers have introduced legislation to prioritize these displaced workers in hiring processes. In Virginia, Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, launched the Virginia Has Jobs program a website designed to help laid-off federal workers quickly connect with available state jobs. Despite these efforts, states face significant hurdles in matching federal workers to state jobs. There are differing skill sets, mismatches in salaries, and the time it takes for a job application to wind its way through a state bureaucracy. For workers, though, a lot of the difficulty is about coming to terms with the mind-boggling turn of events. Emotional turmoil For Victoria, who asked that she be identified by her middle name out of fear of retaliation, working for the federal government wasnt just a job it was a commitment to nonpartisan public service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She worked for three years as a contractor for the Federal Aviation Administration before being hired last year to a permanent federal position. The reason I wanted to be a federal employee in the first place is because its supposed to be nonpartisan work, she said. Were supposed to serve the public in pursuit of a mission, and for the FAA, that mission is aerospace safety. Her probation was to end in April. She didnt make it. I got a call from our office manager at 6 p.m. on a Friday night, telling me I was being let go, Victoria recalled. She got her official termination email hours later, minutes before midnight. It included a list of resources she couldnt access because they were, for her, suddenly behind a government firewall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For people trying to assist workers such as Victoria, the scale and speed of the firings outpaced even what they figured was coming. Caitlin Lewis is executive director at Work for America, a nonprofit that runs the new Civic Match initiative to help state governments recruit former federal workers. She foresaw a need for the project following the 2024 election. When we launched Civic Match in November, we anticipated about 4,000 political appointees and campaign staff seeking new jobs after the election. But what weve seen in the new year is a massive surge in laid-off civil servants looking for work, said Lewis. One of the biggest obstacles? State hiring is slow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The average time to hire in state government is 90 days. In local government, its 136 days. Thats a long process for workers who need jobs now. If states dont act quickly, they risk losing experienced talent to the private sector, which moves faster in recruitment, she said. Many former federal workers are already transitioning into corporate roles, nonprofits and consulting firms rather than waiting for state job openings. Beyond slow hiring, another challenge is that not all laid-off federal employees want to stay in government. Im not actually 100% sure that every single one of those workers who may be impacted is looking for another job in government, said Nicole Overley, commissioner of Virginia Works, a state agency focused on reemployment. Virginia has over 4,500 open state jobs. But Im not sure every individual who is transitioning from the federal workforce is necessarily looking for a state job. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Overley added that many federal employees may not even be aware of state job resources available to them. In the last 48 hours, weve had over 1,000 job seekers register for the March 5th virtual job fair, she said early this month. I dont know if all federal workers who are impacted know about the resources that are out there and thats where workforce development comes in. Some states are working to speed up the process. Hawaii, for instance, has expedited its state hiring process through an executive order from Democratic Gov. Josh Green. In Pennsylvania, Shapiro has told the states hiring office to compare federal work favorably to state work for the purposes of notching experience. Marylands schools desperately need substitute teachers now, Moore said in announcing resources recently, and anyone with an associates degree can apply. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Mexico is launching statewide initiatives that include a resource webpage, recruitment events and access to education and training programs. In Washington, D.C., Mayor Murial Bowser has encouraged laid-off workers to consider district job openings, but she also wants to ensure they have access to unemployment benefits and housing support. The federal government is the districts largest employer, and the layoffs could devastate the citys economy. Lower salaries Another key hurdle is pay disparities between federal and state jobs. In many states, federal workers make, on average, significantly more than state employees. They include Maryland, where federal workers earn 183% of state worker salaries, Virginia (175%), West Virginia (163%) and Idaho (157%), according to a Stateline review of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In states where federal workers earn less than state employees, such as New York (77% of state workers salaries) and California (97%), the transitions might be easier, though the costs of living in those states are among the highest in the nation. For Hawaii, the challenge is particularly stark. The state has one of the highest concentrations of federal employment outside the District of Columbia and Maryland and federal jobs in Hawaii pay about three times more than state government positions. To ensure laid-off federal employees can move quickly into state roles, Hawaii has set up an expedited timeline of 14 days from job application to hiring. That means, for example, passing along resumes from human resources to hiring departments on a daily basis and cutting some processes down to hours or days, Brenna Hashimoto, director of the states Department of Human Resources Development, wrote in an email to Stateline. Its too early to say how the system is going, Hashimoto wrote, but the state will collect data and report to the governors office. Some success Despite the hurdles, there are signs of success in transitioning federal employees into state jobs. Shane Evangelist, CEO of Neogov, which manages hiring software for state and local governments, said the potential scale of transitions is significant. Evangelist shared examples of successful federal-to-state career transitions, including a former IRS employee to a state internal auditor, a federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employee to a state epidemiologist, and a Census Bureau employee to an IT support analyst. However, he warned that states risk losing the most skilled workers to the private sector unless they hire right away. The most talented workers move first, said Evangelist. The ones who are smart, experienced and articulate the kind of employees the government needs most will be the first to go. There are thousands of potential new job applicants. On Jan. 19, federal civil servants made up only 8% of Civic Matchs candidate pool. By late February, that skyrocketed to 45.1%. More than 3,300 former federal workers have signed up for Civic Match in just weeks, according to Lewis. These are not entry-level employees, Lewis said. Many of them have spent over a decade in government roles, gaining deep expertise in policy, finance, environmental management and IT. Struggles ahead Despite state efforts, some former federal employees say they are struggling to find equivalent jobs in both government and the private sector. Were your neighbors, your friends, and the people you see walking down the street. We got into government because we wanted to serve. Victoria, a laid-off Federal Aviation Administration worker Ive heard from people with 20 years in government who are being told their experience isnt transferable, said Victoria, the laid-off FAA worker. Its a nice gesture that the states are saying all of them want us to work for them, but how many state or private sector jobs actually have an equivalent to what I was doing at the federal level? she said. Its not a one-to-one match. Some private-sector employers are undervaluing federal work experience, she noted, forcing federal employees to start at lower levels. Ive heard from people with 20 years in federal government who were told theyd have to start three or four steps behind where they were, she said. These companies know were desperate, and theyre using it to devalue our skills and pay us less. For Victoria and others like her, the hardest part isnt just losing a job its the way federal employees have been portrayed. Were not some faceless deep-state bureaucrats, she said. Were your neighbors, your friends, and the people you see walking down the street. We got into government because we wanted to serve. And if we were in it for the money, we wouldnt have chosen public service in the first place. Stateline reporter Tim Henderson contributed to this report. Stateline reporter Robbie Sequeira can be reached at rsequeira@stateline.org. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A person walks into the Department of Veterans Affairs headquarters in Washington, D.C. The department, with offices in every state, announced it is cutting about 80,000 jobs, part of a large-scale effort to reduce the federal workforce. States are stepping up to hire laid-off workers. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Among the thousands of federal workers whove been forced out or taken buyouts in the past month, surely some would be perfect fits for the many vacancies in Pennsylvanias state government. That, at least, is the thinking of Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, who recently directed his state to not only offer aid to laid-off constituents, but also to repost some job openings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes catching up to governors in other states from Hawaii to Maryland who see opportunity, even as theyre scrambling to help panicked residents. The Trump administration and Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency task force have been culling federal workers across agencies while also threatening anyone who doesnt list in an email how theyre making good use of their time. The number of announced terminations tracked by global data company Statista exceeded 16,000 as of Feb. 25. Thats in addition to the 75,000 federal employees who accepted buyouts offered by the administration in its earliest days. And President Donald Trump has directed Cabinet agencies to continue mass layoffs. Rhoden: opportunities in South Dakota South Dakota Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden said during a Feb. 19 press conference that he didnt know how many federal workers had lost their jobs in South Dakota, but there are lots of jobs open for them. Rhoden said there were more than 700 state government job openings at the time and 19,000 total job openings in the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So there are a lot of opportunities in South Dakota for these federal employees that are laid off, Rhoden said. South Dakota Searchlight staff States are looking to hire those workers, though officials face challenges, such as offering lower salaries and having slower hiring processes. In Maryland alone, Democratic Gov. Wes Moore estimates about 10,000 of his constituents could lose work in the shake-up. There are more than 5,000 openings in state government. Pennsylvania has some 5,600 critical openings, from accountants to registered nurses, now described on a newly created website tailored to federal employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is an act of self-interest for the people of Pennsylvania, because I believe the commonwealth can benefit from the experience and expertise of these federal workers who have been forced out of their jobs, Shapiro said. Officials in New Mexico, New York and Virginia among the states with the highest numbers of federal workers say theyre offering a silver lining for all that displaced talent, providing ways to streamline the transition from federal government to jobs at the state and local level. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, made her recruitment pitch clear, stating, The federal government might say, Youre fired, but here in New York, we say, Youre hired. Hawaiis Operation Hire Hawaii is working to fast-track former federal employees into state agency jobs. Washington state lawmakers have introduced legislation to prioritize these displaced workers in hiring processes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Virginia, Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, launched the Virginia Has Jobs program a website designed to help laid-off federal workers quickly connect with available state jobs. Despite these efforts, states face significant hurdles in matching federal workers to state jobs. There are differing skill sets, mismatches in salaries, and the time it takes for a job application to wind its way through a state bureaucracy. For workers, though, a lot of the difficulty is about coming to terms with the mind-boggling turn of events. Emotional turmoil For Victoria, who asked that she be identified by her middle name out of fear of retaliation, working for the federal government wasnt just a job it was a commitment to nonpartisan public service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She worked for three years as a contractor for the Federal Aviation Administration before being hired last year to a permanent federal position. The reason I wanted to be a federal employee in the first place is because its supposed to be nonpartisan work, she said. Were supposed to serve the public in pursuit of a mission, and for the FAA, that mission is aerospace safety. Her probation was to end in April. She didnt make it. I got a call from our office manager at 6 p.m. on a Friday night, telling me I was being let go, Victoria recalled. She got her official termination email hours later, minutes before midnight. It included a list of resources she couldnt access because they were, for her, suddenly behind a government firewall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For people trying to assist workers such as Victoria, the scale and speed of the firings outpaced even what they figured was coming. Caitlin Lewis is executive director at Work for America, a nonprofit that runs the new Civic Match initiative to help state governments recruit former federal workers. She foresaw a need for the project following the 2024 election. When we launched Civic Match in November, we anticipated about 4,000 political appointees and campaign staff seeking new jobs after the election. But what weve seen in the new year is a massive surge in laid-off civil servants looking for work, said Lewis. One of the biggest obstacles? State hiring is slow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The average time to hire in state government is 90 days. In local government, its 136 days. Thats a long process for workers who need jobs now. If states dont act quickly, they risk losing experienced talent to the private sector, which moves faster in recruitment, she said. Many former federal workers are already transitioning into corporate roles, nonprofits and consulting firms rather than waiting for state job openings. Beyond slow hiring, another challenge is that not all laid-off federal employees want to stay in government. Im not actually 100% sure that every single one of those workers who may be impacted is looking for another job in government, said Nicole Overley, commissioner of Virginia Works, a state agency focused on reemployment. Virginia has over 4,500 open state jobs. But Im not sure every individual who is transitioning from the federal workforce is necessarily looking for a state job. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Overley added that many federal employees may not even be aware of state job resources available to them. In the last 48 hours, weve had over 1,000 job seekers register for the March 5th virtual job fair, she said early this month. I dont know if all federal workers who are impacted know about the resources that are out there and thats where workforce development comes in. Some states are working to speed up the process. Hawaii, for instance, has expedited its state hiring process through an executive order from Democratic Gov. Josh Green. In Pennsylvania, Shapiro has told the states hiring office to compare federal work favorably to state work for the purposes of notching experience. Marylands schools desperately need substitute teachers now, Moore said in announcing resources recently, and anyone with an associates degree can apply. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Mexico is launching statewide initiatives that include a resource webpage, recruitment events and access to education and training programs. In Washington, D.C., Mayor Murial Bowser has encouraged laid-off workers to consider district job openings, but she also wants to ensure they have access to unemployment benefits and housing support. The federal government is the districts largest employer, and the layoffs could devastate the citys economy. Lower salaries Another key hurdle is pay disparities between federal and state jobs. In many states, federal workers make, on average, significantly more than state employees. They include Maryland, where federal workers earn 183% of state worker salaries, Virginia (175%), West Virginia (163%) and Idaho (157%), according to a Stateline review of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics. In states where federal workers earn less than state employees, such as New York (77% of state workers salaries) and California (97%), the transitions might be easier, though the costs of living in those states are among the highest in the nation. For Hawaii, the challenge is particularly stark. The state has one of the highest concentrations of federal employment outside the District of Columbia and Maryland and federal jobs in Hawaii pay about three times more than state government positions. To ensure laid-off federal employees can move quickly into state roles, Hawaii has set up an expedited timeline of 14 days from job application to hiring. That means, for example, passing along resumes from human resources to hiring departments on a daily basis and cutting some processes down to hours or days, Brenna Hashimoto, director of the states Department of Human Resources Development, wrote in an email to Stateline. Its too early to say how the system is going, Hashimoto wrote, but the state will collect data and report to the governors office. Some success Despite the hurdles, there are signs of success in transitioning federal employees into state jobs. Shane Evangelist, CEO of Neogov, which manages hiring software for state and local governments, said the potential scale of transitions is significant. Evangelist shared examples of successful federal-to-state career transitions, including a former IRS employee to a state internal auditor, a federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employee to a state epidemiologist, and a Census Bureau employee to an IT support analyst. However, he warned that states risk losing the most skilled workers to the private sector unless they hire right away. The most talented workers move first, said Evangelist. The ones who are smart, experienced and articulate the kind of employees the government needs most will be the first to go. There are thousands of potential new job applicants. On Jan. 19, federal civil servants made up only 8% of Civic Matchs candidate pool. By late February, that skyrocketed to 45.1%. More than 3,300 former federal workers have signed up for Civic Match in just weeks, according to Lewis. These are not entry-level employees, Lewis said. Many of them have spent over a decade in government roles, gaining deep expertise in policy, finance, environmental management and IT. Struggles ahead Despite state efforts, some former federal employees say they are struggling to find equivalent jobs in both government and the private sector. Ive heard from people with 20 years in government who are being told their experience isnt transferable, said Victoria, the laid-off FAA worker. Its a nice gesture that the states are saying all of them want us to work for them, but how many state or private sector jobs actually have an equivalent to what I was doing at the federal level? she said. Its not a one-to-one match. Were your neighbors, your friends, and the people you see walking down the street. We got into government because we wanted to serve. Victoria, a laid-off Federal Aviation Administration worker Some private-sector employers are undervaluing federal work experience, she noted, forcing federal employees to start at lower levels. Ive heard from people with 20 years in federal government who were told theyd have to start three or four steps behind where they were, she said. These companies know were desperate, and theyre using it to devalue our skills and pay us less. For Victoria and others like her, the hardest part isnt just losing a job its the way federal employees have been portrayed. Were not some faceless deep-state bureaucrats, she said. Were your neighbors, your friends, and the people you see walking down the street. We got into government because we wanted to serve. And if we were in it for the money, we wouldnt have chosen public service in the first place. Stateline reporter Tim Henderson contributed to this report. Stateline reporter Robbie Sequeira can be reached at rsequeira@stateline.org. This story was originally published by Stateline. Like South Dakota Searchlight, its 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. Mar. 10Among the thousands of federal workers who've been forced out or taken buyouts in the past month, surely some would be perfect fits for the many vacancies in Pennsylvania's state government. That, at least, is the thinking of Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, who recently directed his state to not only offer aid to laid-off constituents, but also to repost some job openings. He's catching up to governors in other states from Hawaii to Maryland who see opportunity, even as they're scrambling to help panicked residents. The Trump administration and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency task force have been culling federal workers across agencies while also threatening anyone who doesn't list in an email how they're making good use of their time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The number of announced terminations tracked by global data company Statista exceeded 16,000 as of Feb. 25. That's in addition to the 75,000 federal employees who accepted buyouts offered by the administration in its earliest days. And President Donald Trump has directed Cabinet agencies to continue mass layoffs. States are looking to hire those workers, though officials face challenges, such as offering lower salaries and having slower hiring processes. In Maryland alone, Democratic Gov. Wes Moore estimates about 10,000 of his constituents could lose work in the shake-up. There are more than 5,000 openings in state government. Pennsylvania has some 5,600 critical openings, from accountants to registered nurses, now described on a newly created website tailored to federal employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is an act of self-interest for the people of Pennsylvania, because I believe the commonwealth can benefit from the experience and expertise of these federal workers who have been forced out of their jobs," Shapiro said. Officials in New Mexico, New York and Virginia among the states with the highest numbers of federal workers say they're offering a silver lining for all that displaced talent, providing ways to streamline the transition from federal government to jobs at the state and local level. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, made her recruitment pitch clear, stating, "The federal government might say, 'You're fired,' but here in New York, we say, 'You're hired.'" Hawaii's Operation Hire Hawai'i is working to fast-track former federal employees into state agency jobs. Washington state lawmakers have introduced legislation to prioritize these displaced workers in hiring processes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Virginia, Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, launched the Virginia Has Jobs program a website designed to help laid-off federal workers quickly connect with available state jobs. Despite these efforts, states face significant hurdles in matching federal workers to state jobs. There are differing skill sets, mismatches in salaries, and the time it takes for a job application to wind its way through a state bureaucracy. For workers, though, a lot of the difficulty is about coming to terms with the mind-boggling turn of events. Emotional turmoil For Victoria, who asked that she be identified by her middle name out of fear of retaliation, working for the federal government wasn't just a job it was a commitment to nonpartisan public service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She worked for three years as a contractor for the Federal Aviation Administration before being hired last year to a permanent federal position. "The reason I wanted to be a federal employee in the first place is because it's supposed to be nonpartisan work," she said. "We're supposed to serve the public in pursuit of a mission, and for the FAA, that mission is aerospace safety." Her probation was to end in April. She didn't make it. "I got a call from our office manager at 6 p.m. on a Friday night, telling me I was being let go," Victoria recalled. She got her official termination email hours later, minutes before midnight. It included a list of resources she couldn't access because they were, for her, suddenly behind a government firewall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For people trying to assist workers such as Victoria, the scale and speed of the firings outpaced even what they figured was coming. Caitlin Lewis is executive director at Work for America, a nonprofit that runs the new Civic Match initiative to help state governments recruit former federal workers. She foresaw a need for the project following the 2024 election. "When we launched Civic Match in November, we anticipated about 4,000 political appointees and campaign staff seeking new jobs after the election. But what we've seen in the new year is a massive surge in laid-off civil servants looking for work," said Lewis. One of the biggest obstacles? State hiring is slow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The average time to hire in state government is 90 days. In local government, it's 136 days. That's a long process for workers who need jobs now." If states don't act quickly, they risk losing experienced talent to the private sector, which moves faster in recruitment, she said. Many former federal workers are already transitioning into corporate roles, nonprofits and consulting firms rather than waiting for state job openings. Beyond slow hiring, another challenge is that not all laid-off federal employees want to stay in government. "I'm not actually 100% sure that every single one of those workers who may be impacted is looking for another job in government," said Nicole Overley, commissioner of Virginia Works, a state agency focused on reemployment. "Virginia has over 4,500 open state jobs. But I'm not sure every individual who is transitioning from the federal workforce is necessarily looking for a state job." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Overley added that many federal employees may not even be aware of state job resources available to them. "In the last 48 hours, we've had over 1,000 job seekers register for the March 5th virtual job fair," she said early this month. "I don't know if all federal workers who are impacted know about the resources that are out there and that's where workforce development comes in." Some states are working to speed up the process. Hawaii, for instance, has expedited its state hiring process through an executive order from Democratic Gov. Josh Green. In Pennsylvania, Shapiro has told the state's hiring office to compare federal work favorably to state work for the purposes of notching experience. Maryland's schools desperately need substitute teachers now, Moore said in announcing resources recently, and anyone with an associate's degree can apply. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Mexico is launching statewide initiatives that include a resource webpage, recruitment events and access to education and training programs. In Washington, D.C., Mayor Murial Bowser has encouraged laid-off workers to consider district job openings, but she also wants to ensure they have access to unemployment benefits and housing support. The federal government is the district's largest employer, and the layoffs could devastate the city's economy. Lower salaries Another key hurdle is pay disparities between federal and state jobs. In many states, federal workers make, on average, significantly more than state employees. They include Maryland, where federal workers earn 183% of state worker salaries, Virginia (175%), West Virginia (163%) and Idaho (157%), according to a Stateline review of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In states where federal workers earn less than state employees, such as New York (77% of state workers' salaries) and California (97%), the transitions might be easier, though the costs of living in those states are among the highest in the nation. For Hawaii, the challenge is particularly stark. The state has one of the highest concentrations of federal employment outside the District of Columbia and Maryland and federal jobs in Hawaii pay about three times more than state government positions. To ensure laid-off federal employees can move quickly into state roles, Hawaii has set up an expedited timeline of 14 days from job application to hiring. That means, for example, passing along resumes from human resources to hiring departments on a daily basis and cutting some processes down to hours or days, Brenna Hashimoto, director of the state's Department of Human Resources Development, wrote in an email to Stateline. It's too early to say how the system is going, Hashimoto wrote, but the state will collect data and report to the governor's office. Some success Despite the hurdles, there are signs of success in transitioning federal employees into state jobs. Shane Evangelist, CEO of Neogov, which manages hiring software for state and local governments, said the potential scale of transitions is significant. Evangelist shared examples of successful federal-to-state career transitions, including a former IRS employee to a state internal auditor, a federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employee to a state epidemiologist, and a Census Bureau employee to an IT support analyst. However, he warned that states risk losing the most skilled workers to the private sector unless they hire right away. "The most talented workers move first," said Evangelist. "The ones who are smart, experienced and articulate the kind of employees the government needs most will be the first to go." There are thousands of potential new job applicants. On Jan. 19, federal civil servants made up only 8% of Civic Match's candidate pool. By late February, that skyrocketed to 45.1%. More than 3,300 former federal workers have signed up for Civic Match in just weeks, according to Lewis. "These are not entry-level employees," Lewis said. "Many of them have spent over a decade in government roles, gaining deep expertise in policy, finance, environmental management and IT." Struggles ahead Despite state efforts, some former federal employees say they are struggling to find equivalent jobs in both government and the private sector. We're your neighbors, your friends, and the people you see walking down the street. We got into government because we wanted to serve. Victoria, a laid-off Federal Aviation Administration worker "I've heard from people with 20 years in government who are being told their experience isn't transferable," said Victoria, the laid-off FAA worker. "It's a nice gesture that the states are saying all of them want us to work for them, but how many state or private sector jobs actually have an equivalent to what I was doing at the federal level?" she said. "It's not a one-to-one match." Some private-sector employers are undervaluing federal work experience, she noted, forcing federal employees to start at lower levels. "I've heard from people with 20 years in federal government who were told they'd have to start three or four steps behind where they were," she said. "These companies know we're desperate, and they're using it to devalue our skills and pay us less." For Victoria and others like her, the hardest part isn't just losing a job it's the way federal employees have been portrayed. "We're not some faceless deep-state bureaucrats," she said. "We're your neighbors, your friends, and the people you see walking down the street. We got into government because we wanted to serve. "And if we were in it for the money, we wouldn't have chosen public service in the first place." Stateline reporter Tim Henderson contributed to this report. Stateline reporter Robbie Sequeira can be reached at [email protected]. YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said on Sunday he is worried about the consequences of suspending aid and intelligence sharing to Ukraine as the fighting continues against Russia. Yeah, I am worried about cutting off intelligence and weapons to Ukraine as long as the fighting is going on, Graham said on Fox News Channels Fox News Sunday. If we pull the plug on Ukraine, itd be worse than Afghanistan. I dont think President Trump has any desire to do that, he continued. But until we have a ceasefire, I would give Ukraine what they need in terms of intelligence and weapons to themselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Graham has been critical of the way Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky handled the now-infamous Oval Office meeting with President Trump and Vice President Vance. During the meeting, Zelensky pressed the American leaders on Russian President Vladimir Putins history of breaking ceasefire agreements, and, in turn, Trump and Vance berated Zelensky and accused him of being ungrateful for U.S. support. The meeting was broadcast live on television. The disastrous meeting seemed, at least for the time being, to pause negotiations on a deal to grant the U.S. access to Ukraines rare earth minerals. Ukraine had been pressing for security assurances in exchange for its resources. Trump also decided to pause U.S. military and intelligence assistance to Ukraine a move that has many Republican lawmakers questioning what the U.S. has to gain from it, as they urge the president to reverse course on his decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Graham said Sunday he will be introducing legislation to sanction the hell out of Russia if they dont come to the negotiating table. In terms of Russia, I will be introducing sanctions on their banking sector and on their energy sector next week, urging them to get to the table if they dont engage in ceasefire and peace talks with the administration. We should sanction the hell out of them. And Ill have legislation to do that next week, Graham 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. A new Great British Railways logo that will restore pride in the British train network is set to be unveiled in May on the first trains to be nationalised under the Labour government. Government officials are currently in the process of finalising the new branding for Great British Railways, with the Union Jack set to feature prominently, The Times reported. Great British Railways is the train body to be set up by the government, which is currently working on renationalising the railways. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Similar to British Rail, the state-owned company that operated the rail network across the country until 1997, Great British Railways will be the public sector body overseeing trains once they come back into public ownership. Starting with South Western Railways, trains will be brought back under public control, followed by C2C which shuttles between London and south Essex, and Greater Anglia, the train network covering East Anglia and operating the Stansted Express. As each operator is nationalised, it is understood that old logos will be dropped and all trains will carry a new Great British Railways logo instead. The British Rail double arrow logo is seen on the side of these Class 43 diesel locomotives used for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train power cars (Getty Images) We want to usher in a genuinely new era and make it feel different, a Whitehall source said, according to The Times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its about restoring pride in the railways, a bit like we do towards Team GB at the Olympics. With long-held criticism of the railways in Britain by both passengers and politicians, the renationalisation of the railways hopes to make the network more reliable and customer-focused. Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said in December: Our railways have been broken for years, but we are now on the path to rebuilding a system that the British public can once again trust and be proud of. It appears the government hopes to match this pride with a new logo. How different the trains will look will be determined by how much funding the Department for Transport receives from the Treasury. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New uniforms for Great British Railways staff could also be included in the change-up. A logo proposed for Great British Railways in 2022. Sources say that the final logo will be different from the one registered under the previous government (Network Rail Infrastructure Limited) However, trains themselves are unlikely to be repainted due to cost constraints, sources told The Times. It is thought that the current branding will be removed and replaced with a symbol that would include the red, white and blue of the Union Jack. The sources also confirmed that the branding will be different to a Great British Railways logo that was registered with the Intellectual Property Offices online trademark journal under a previous Conservative government. British Rail established branding across its network called the Double Arrow logo, which can now be seen at stations to denote that national rail trains are operating there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Double Arrow was designed in 1964 by lettering artist Gerry Barney, and was rolled out by British Rail the following year. While the symbol is simpler than the complex heraldic logos that came before it, it has become synonymous with railways in Britain. The Independent has contacted the Department for Transport for comment. For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calders podcast The Greece police officer who was the apparent target of surveillance by the town has been suspended without pay for allegedly continuing a second job while collecting worker's compensation. Officer Matthew Bachman was suspended Feb. 28, according to a disciplinary report obtained by the Democrat and Chronicle through public access laws. The town maintains that Bachman operated a snowplow, carried heavy items, and did repairs at homes he owned as a landlord. As well, the report says, the Greece Police Department has referred possible criminal matters "to the appropriate criminal investigative and prosecutorial agencies." The report states that Bachman collected more than $160,000 in gross pay "while being reported as totally disabled" since late September 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dan DeBolt, an attorney for Bachman in the worker's compensation case, declined to comment. Michelle Marini, former Town of Greece deputy supervisor, with her attorney Joseph Damelio at her February guilty plea to fraud charges. Bachman's suspension is one ripple of the ongoing controversy in Greece that last month led to former Deputy Supervisor Michelle Marini's guilty plea to fraud and corruption crimes. Marini admitted that she used town-hired contractors for work at her home and homes of her children. As well as Bachman's suspension, since the Feb. 20 plea from Marini: The town has contacted contractors to determine if they engaged in illegal or illicit activities, such as the work done at Marini's property. Contractors were sent a questionnaire for the town to use to determine whether they could still be hired by Greece. The question of the trackers used on Bachman's car still is unanswered in some respects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supervisor Bill Reilich said the town provided tens of thousands of documents to the district attorney's office for its prosecution of Marini and has used auditors to try to ensure there were no other instances of fraud. The DA's Office has not told the town which contractors did work at the houses, Reilich said. Bachman and the trackers The town is facing two lawsuits alleging that the town illegally placed trackers on their vehicles: One is from frequent town government critic Ryan Murphy and family and the other from Bachman's wife, Tina Bachman, and children. While it's been largely known that the use of the tracking device with the Bachman car was the offspring of an investigation into allegations of misuse of worker's compensation, the disciplinary report is the first to detail the town's allegations. More: Judge takes new steps to investigate possible lies in lawsuit against Greece officials Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The disciplinary report does not mention the use of trackers, but past court papers indicate Bachman found the tracker on a family vehicle. Murphy later found one on his. A GPS tracker reportedly found on Ryan Murphy's vehicle, amid controversy in Greece, NY. The federal lawsuit from Tina Bachman alleges that the worker's compensation investigation was retaliation for information she helped provide to law enforcement about Marini's crimes. She alleges that she was a home cleaner at one of the homes where illegal work was done and was able to relay that information to police. "... One of the reasons that, after nearly 19 years of exemplary performance (from Bachman), Greece opened these 'investigations' into Officer Bachman was to concoct a cover story for his surveillance and harassment of the Bachman family," the lawsuit said. Bachman hasn't worked since 2023 Bachman was injured during a "minor use of force" arrest on Sept. 28, 2023, according to the disciplinary report. While moving a recalcitrant handcuffed suspect, Bachman struck a door frame with the left side of his body. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He suffered shoulder and back pains and was cleared to return to work. His pain allegedly worsened, the report says, and a physician determined he should miss work for several months. He has not been back to work since and has reported continued worsening with the injuries. The disciplinary report alleges that Bachman owned and maintained multiple houses, that he continued work with this apparent business without approval from the department, and hired workers for jobs and may have paid them "under the table." Bachman let renters know he was a Greece police officer but not that he was "purportedly medically unable to perform his police officer duties," states the report, from Greece Police Chief Michael Wood. "In fact, (Bachman) performed physical work on the house himself, including painting, lifting, transporting tools, and so on." The report shows that Greece police interviewed others about Bachman's work and rental properties. The report cites numerous instances of Bachman checking on rental properties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an email last week, Greece Deputy Supervisor Kirk Morris said that Bachman did not show up for multiple interviews with internal affairs at which he could have defended himself. "The absolute and utter ridiculousness of this charade to even try to get him in for an interview demonstrates the extent he has gone to obfuscate and avoid accountability," said the statement. "The Tina Bachman lawsuit is just more of the complete subterfuge. Of course it was intended to create a narrative of retaliation because he knew the charges were coming." In a statement, Reilich said, "The allegations (against Bachman), while disturbing, clearly underscores the seriousness with which we address any breach of public trust. As this is a personnel matter, we will refrain from commenting on specific details." Attorney Maureen Bass, who represents the Bachmans in the civil suit against town officials, said in a statement: "The Towns actions are vile yet predictable as it looks for any distraction from the real story about unlawful GPS trackers, felony convictions, theft, stalking, misconduct, thuggery and violations of the public trust. It is shameful what this Town has done to this poor family for trying to do the right thing." Trackers, contractors, etc. At a board meeting after Marini's plea, the board approved hiring a legal firm to represent the private investigative firm, Cass and Morales, linked to the tracking. William Murphy, a town board member and Republican candidate for supervisor Reilich is not seeking re-election opposed the action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The origin of the trackers has publicly been a mystery. Marini was originally accused of hiring the firm for the tracking, but the tracking issues were not part of her plea agreement. Her attorney, Joseph Damelio, said she had nothing to do with the tracking. The town has not said who was behind the trackers. At a Feb. 20 town board meeting, Reilich said the judge in Marini's case had dismissed the tracking-related crimes and the allegations of illegality with the trackers were frivolous. However, the allegations were passed on to other law enforcement agencies for review. Michael Wood was named Greece Police Chief by Supervisor William Reilich on Dec. 16, 2021. In the wake of Marini's crimes, the town sent out a letter on Feb. 27 to more than 50 contractors as part of an internal review and audit. The correspondence included an affidavit requiring the contractors to follow labor and other laws and to confirm that their work for the town and its costs do not provide "any ancillary service or benefit to any individual or entity." According to Morris, the contractors who were notified were those who worked on the town's community center project. That project was the source of the work done for Marini. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gary Craig is a veteran reporter for the Democrat and Chronicle who has written dozens of stories about controversies in the Town of Greece dating back to the mid-1990s. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Greece officer wrongly collected $160K in worker's comp, town alleges ATHENS (Reuters) - A far-right Greek lawmaker attacked four paintings in an exhibition at the country's National Gallery on Monday, the gallery said, after he had described one as offensive because of its distorted depictions of Christ and the Virgin Mary. The lawmaker, named by the gallery as Nikolaos Papadopoulos, from the ultra-religious Niki party, was temporarily detained, and the gallery said it had had to close for the day due to the incident. The gallery said that with assistance from another person he had violently taken down four paintings included in the exhibition inspired by Spanish master Francisco de Goya. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The above violently detached them from the wall and threw them on the floor, which resulted in their damage," the gallery said in a statement. Papadopoulos' lawyer Constantinos Vathiotis told Reuters that he was illegally detained for five hours. Lawmakers are protected from arrest under the constitution and only parliament can lift their immunity. The exhibition, "The allure of the bizarre", is by a group of Greek artists, with works corresponding with 80 etchings from Goya's late 18th century Los Caprichos series. It has been on display in Athens since January at the country's main gallery, which is a major draw for Greeks and tourists alike. In a question to the culture ministry submitted to parliament in January, the lawmaker said that one painting, among the group of four he is accused of damaging, was "clearly offending the Orthodox Christian faith, directly insulting the holy faces of Virgin Mary and Christ, which are depicted distorted". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The culture ministry responded at the time that it "never engages in censorship". The Hellenic League for Human Rights condemned the lawmaker's action, saying "freedom of art and freedom of expression are protected by the constitution and are not subject to the personal taste and religious and ideological beliefs of self-appointed judges and ultimately punishers". (Reporting by Renee Maltezou; Editing by Alison Williams) As Greenlanders prepare to head to the polls this week, the United States and particularly President Trumps stated interest in acquiring the territory is looming large over their vote. Greenlands national election Tuesday is set to determine 31 members of the Inatsisartut, its parliament. The worlds largest island is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, and while independence wont be on the ballot this week, the results could ultimately set the stage for a later referendum on its future control. Despite pushback from both Danish and European authorities, Trump has doubled down in his quest for the U.S. to take over the natural resources-rich Arctic land. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We need Greenland for national security and even international security, and were working with everybody involved to try and get it. Trump said during his speech to a joint session of Congress last week. But we need it really for international world security, and I think were going to get it. One way or the other, were going to get it, he added. The presidents eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., traveled to Nuuk, Greenland, in January to promote the annexation idea, and the president has posted supportive messages on social media to MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN! House Republicans have sponsored legislation in support of the U.S. negotiating directly with Denmark to acquire Greenland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greenland Prime Minister Mute Bourup Egede has called for the Arctic island to instead pursue independence for its nearly 57,000 residents. Greenlands ruling party, the democratic socialist Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA), led by Egede since 2018, supports independence, as do other major parties in the region. Like other countries in the world, we must work to remove the obstacles to cooperation which we can describe as the shackles of colonialism and move forward, Egede said in a January address. The IA hasnt outlined a time frame for an independence referendum if it maintains control. Meanwhile, Juno Berthelsen, a candidate in the election for the Naleraq party, recently told The Associated Press that Trump has given Greenland leverage to negotiate with Denmark. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If I had to pick one word, it would be exciting, he said. And full of opportunities. A January poll conducted by Verian for the Danish newspaper Berlingske and Greenland-based outlet Sermitsiaq, found about 85 percent of Greenland residents said they do not want to become part of the U.S. Six percent of respondents said they would support annexation, while 9 percent had no opinion. More than half of respondents 56 percent said they would vote for Greenlandic independence if a referendum were held, but 45 percent said they wouldnt support independence if it had a negative impact on their quality of life. 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. With a new nuclear reactor in Arizona now a possibility, a grassroots group is planning a protest in Tucson on the 14th anniversary of the start of the Fukushima accident in Japan. The Nuclear Resister, which bills itself as an educational group opposed to nuclear power and weapons, said it plans to hold a curbside press conference and demonstration at 12:15 p.m. Tuesday in front of the downtown headquarters of Tucson Electric Power near Broadway Road and Sixth Avenue. The group advocates for a "nuclear-free future" with nonviolent protests and other actions. TEP, along with metro-Phoenix utilities Arizona Public Service and Salt River Project, announced that they are looking into the feasibility of building or operating a new reactor in Arizona to help meet the state's growing energy needs. The utilities have not announced a location or timetable for such a project and say they aren't yet officially proposing a new reactor to complement the Palo Verde Generating Station in the West Valley, but they are jointly examining whether the project might be doable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement APS, which operates Palo Verde, will spearhead the effort. Smaller modular nuclear reactors are among the possibilities, perhaps to be located on the site of an abandoned coal plant. The five members of the utility-regulating Arizona Corporation Commission, all Republicans, favor nuclear power as part of a diversified energy mix for the state. Members of the Nuclear Resister plan to garnish the Tucson demonstration with signs reading, "Tell TEP No New Nuclear Power in Arizona and Nuclear Power No Thanks! The group also reports on protests such as one held March 5 against nuclear weapons outside a Raytheon factory in Tucson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Self-described local nuclear experts Russell Lowes and Jack Cohen-Joppa will speak on why they consider nuclear power to be too expensive, too slow to build and too risky, and a Tucson musician, Ted Warmbrand, will sing anti-nuclear folk songs. In 1979, Tucson resident Lowes was the principal author of an economic analysis that, he said, correctly predicted the Palo Verde plant would end up costing consumers much more than what its owners projected. Lowes plans to discuss the projected costs and questionable reliability of new nuclear plants. Cohen-Joppa, co-coordinator since 1980 of the Nuclear Resister, will discuss the potentially harmful impacts on front-line communities around uranium mines, nuclear fuel-processing plants, existing nuclear reactors and radioactive waste dumps. He also plans to rebut what he considers unproven claims being advanced by proponents of new nuclear reactors. The Fukushima disaster was triggered by a massive earthquake and tsunami off the Japanese coast north of Tokyo. Nearly all of the 20,000 or so deaths came from drowning and earthquake damage, not radiation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reach the writer at russ.wiles@arizonarepublic.com. (This story has been updated to add more information) This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Group that advocates for nuclear-free future sets up Tucson protest When Utahs affordable housing crisis gets discussed, the conversation is typically focused on the Wasatch Front and even southern Utah. Of course, those areas don't account for all of the Beehive State's growth, with the Wasatch Back also experiencing a steady rise in population. "Wasatch County happens to have the largest influx in terms of percentage. It increased 47% over the last 10 years in their population, which is huge," said Farah Sanders, a public relations and strategic communication professor at Utah Valley University. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More specifically, Heber City is one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the nation. With all that in mind, a group of UVU students led by Sanders is looking to spread awareness about Heber City's affordable housing shortage and, beyond that, work with the city to actually address the issue. That group met with the Heber City Council on Tuesday to share research and present proposals to the council. Before the meeting, the students collected data from Wasatch County residents through surveys and seven observational visits to the county over a three-year time period. "They would visit local business, local farms, local restaurants ... and we listened to them and listened to how they really were struggling with housing needs. A lot of them were having to bring in people from other counties because people just couldn't afford to live there," Sanders said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The surveys garnered some noteworthy responses from Wasatch County residents. Among them were 72% of respondents saying they face housing challenges or know someone facing housing challenges. Respondents also reported spending upward of 20%-30% of their annual income on housing. Additionally, people indicated they want wildlife and water resources to remain protected when thinking about new housing developments. Using the survey and empirical data, the group then outlined a strategic public relations campaign to address the affordable housing issues in the city. The four proposals presented to the council on Tuesday included the following: Working with the City Council to amend the moderate-income housing plan section of the Heber City General Plan to have affordable single-family homes to account for 1.5% of annexed or up-zone new development. Distributing informational flyers and posters to residents and businesses explaining already-existing resources, such as the Community Reinvestment Agency. The group plans to run another survey, facilitated by city officials, from April 1-15. Creating a social media campaign through a short video explaining various local resources available to Heber City residents under the hashtag #Affordable4All. The video will also include accommodations for Spanish-speaking residents. Hosting a table at the Heber Valley Community Expo on Saturday, April 12, where the group will connect with, educate and empower residents to understand and utilize affordable housing resources such as the Community Reinvestment Agency. Additionally, the group aims to improve the city's social media outreach to connect citizens with affordable housing resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It goes in line with Gov. Spencer Cox's desire to have 35,000 affordable homes built during his current term in office," Sanders said. "If the city jumps on board with it, they're aligning with much of what the state is already doing." The City Council was receptive to the students' ideas, even welcoming the challenge of addressing affordable housing. "Don't back down, even if it is a challenge," Councilman Aaron Cheatwood said. "Challenge us." After the presentations and a bit of discussion, the City Council agreed to move forward with the group's proposals through a partnership. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wasatch County's affordable housing situation is especially relevant to UVU, as Heber City is home to the university's Wasatch Campus the largest regional campus under UVU's umbrella. The students will hit the ground running starting March 17 and between March 17 and April 15, they will execute their campaign within Wasatch County. Theyll be meeting with the planning and zoning commission to talk about changes to policy (and) theyll be working with the City Council to talk about, Hey, heres how you can make these changes to policy actually work for you, Sanders aid. These are all things, in the next 30 days, that will happen. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. Over 3,500 households in Azerbaijans territories liberated from occupation are now connected to broadband internet, Hasan Omarov, acting general director of Aztelcom LLC, told reporters, Trend reports. Speaking during a report event for the "Online Azerbaijan" project, Omarov indicated that operational activities in the liberated territories are currently in progress. Currently, work is still underway to lay main cables. As part of the Great Return program, new technologies have already been implemented in the liberated areas, Omarov added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Federal judges hearing Trump administration litigation have increasingly gone beyond the case at hand to reflect on potential threats to democracy or offer dramatic assertions about the state of America. Democratic and Republican appointees alike, these judges are giving voice to a simmering concern in judicial circles about the erosion of constitutional norms during the first weeks of the second Trump administration. But in doing so, they are breaking with a culture of judicial restraint and defying the current reluctance in many quarters to cross President Donald Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These judicial voices are rare, to be sure, but they are growing in number. An American President is not a king, a federal judge in Washington, DC, slipped into an opinion on late Thursday. Earlier Thursday, a judge in Rhode Island hearing a dispute over a government-wide freeze on funding invoked Americas founding after enduring an eight-year war against a monarchs cruel reign and added a cautionary footnote: This is what it all comes down to: we may choose to survive as a country by respecting our Constitution, the laws and norms of political and civil behavior. Or, we may ignore these things at our peril. A judge in Seattle declared in a separate case, It has become ever-more apparent that to our president, the rule of law is but an impediment to his policy goals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Current and retired federal judges told CNN they are watching the emerging pattern with trepidation. Some are heartened by jurists raising their voices, but others believe judges should be particularly restrained in todays polarized atmosphere. Supreme Court justices, for their part, have avoided broader statements about Trumps initiatives or the way he is wielding power. And Justice Samuel Alito, a conservative who has consistently sided with the Trump administration over the years, fired a warning of sorts to federal district court judges last week. Alito, joined by three other justices on the right wing, declared in a dissenting opinion that US District Judge Amir Ali, whod temporarily blocked Trumps freeze on billions in foreign aid, had engaged in an act of judicial hubris. Alito said he was stunned that the majority had let the judges order stand. The US Supreme Court is seen in Washington, DC, on March 2, 2025. - Tierney L Cross/AFP/Getty Images More than 100 cases have been filed against Trumps executive orders and policies since he took office on January 20, and in many cases, judges are moving slowly and hewing to the discrete issues at hand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is still difficult to know how much of a check the third branch will be on the executive; the Republican-led Congress has demonstrated the legislative branchs enthusiasm for Trumps agenda. These judicial voices of distress at the first level of the three-tier federal bench may indicate increased scrutiny for Trumps policies. Or they might, more truly, reveal developing friction within the federal bench over how to respond to Trumps unparalleled effort to expand executive power in modern times. Federal judges, appointed for life, follow canons of impartiality. A real dilemma exists among those who wear the robe over how freely to speak their mind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another factor is how much fire they might provoke. Trumps allies already have been publicly calling out individual judges who have ruled against the administrations moves to overhaul the government. High-ranking government officials (appointed and elected) have made repeated calls for the impeachment of judges who issue opinions with which the government does not agree, American Bar Association President William Bay said in a statement last week. There have been calls to impeach corrupt judges with no effort to produce evidence of the so called corruption. Bay added that such acts of intimidation are designed to cow our countrys judges, and he called on fellow lawyers to be more vocal. Who will speak for the judiciary? Who will protect our system of justice? If we dont speak now, when will we speak? US District Judge John Coughenour, of Seattle, hearing a challenge to Trumps executive order ending birthright citizenship, was one of the first judges to level a broader admonition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When he indefinitely blocked the executive order, Coughenour, an appointee of President Ronald Reagan, maintained Trump was playing policy games. The rule of law is, according to him, something to navigate around or simply ignore, whether that be for political or personal gain, Coughenour said in early February as he announced his order from the bench. In this courtroom and under my watch, the rule of law is a bright beacon which I intend to follow. Around the same time, a district court judge in Maryland similarly blocked Trumps attempt to undermine birthright citizenship, but without the scalding criticism of Trump. Judge Deborah Boardman, an appointee of President Joe Biden, wrote that Trumps directive flouts the plain language of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, conflicts with binding Supreme Court precedent, and runs counter to our 250-year history of citizenship by birth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judge William Alsup in San Francisco, reviewing a challenge to the Office of Personal Management and mass firings of probationary employees, drew national notice for his alarm at the administrations approach: How could so much of the workforce be amputated suddenly overnight? Its so irregular and so widespread and so aberrant in the history of our country, he added. Alsup, an appointee of Bill Clinton, referred to an employee whod received a glowing report five days before termination for poor performance. Thats just not right in our country, is it, that we run our agencies with lies like that and stain somebodys record for the rest of their life? Who is going to want to work in a government that would do that to them? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In one of the most expansive reflections on the Trump litigation, US District Judge John McConnell in Providence, Rhode Island, looked to founding history as he said a Trump freeze on congressionally appropriated funds to states for social services fundamentally undermines the distinct constitutional roles of each branch of government. We begin by restating the American government principles learned during critical civics education lessons in our youth, McConnell, an appointee of Barack Obama, wrote in the case brought by nearly two dozen states seeking to ensure disbursement of appropriated grants, loans and other federal assistance. Our founders, after enduring an eight-year war against a monarchs cruel reign from an ocean away, understood too well the importance of a more balanced approach to governance, he wrote. They constructed three co-equal branches of government, each tasked with their own unique duties, but with responsibilities over the other branches as a check in order to ensure that no branch overstepped their powers, upsetting the balance of the fledgling constitutional republic. McConnell said the Trump administration had put itself above Congress as it blocked the appropriated funds, adding that the move would significantly disrupt critical health, education and other public assistance programs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In another remarkable gesture, McConnell lifted a caution from an earlier case in his district: This is what it all comes down to: we may choose to survive as a country by respecting our Constitution, the laws and norms of political and civic behavior, and by educating our children on civics, the rule of law, and what it really means to be an American, and what America means. Or, we may ignore these things at our peril. McConnells Thursday rejection of the administrations attempt to halt appropriated funds followed a similar order, on February 25, by US District Judge Loren AliKhan, a Biden appointee, in Washington, DC. In her order blocking the administrations pause on the disbursement of financial assistance, she referred to the nationwide chaos and paralysis the administration had generated, but she declined to offer a larger assessment of this moment in history. US District Judge Beryl Howell, also in Washington, DC, did not hold back Thursday night as she declared Trumps firing of Gwynne Wilcox from the National Labor Relations Board, an illegal act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has tried to remove several officials at independent agencies. The President seems intent on pushing the bounds of his office and exercising his power in a manner violative of clear statutory law to test how much the courts will accept the notion of a presidency that is supreme, Howell, an Obama appointee, wrote. And she insisted, in one of the more attention-getting lines of recent litigation, An American President is not a king not even an elected one and his power to remove federal officers and honest civil servants like plaintiff is not absolute, but may be constrained in appropriate circumstances, as are present here. CNNs Devan Cole contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - A Guatemalan judge ordered prominent journalist Jose Zamora back to jail on Monday in a case that stems from money laundering charges he has dismissed as a political persecution. Judge Erick Garcia ordered Zamora, the founder of the now-defunct elPeriodico newspaper, back behind bars in pre-trial detention after a higher court revoked an earlier allowance for house arrest following the embattled journalist's previous 800-day stint behind bars. Zamora derided the ruling as "arbitrary" in remarks near the end of his court appearance on Monday, arguing that the judge had no other choice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They left him cornered with no way out," Zamora said. During the hearing, Garcia said he and his staff had been threatened by unnamed individuals, but did not go into further detail. The higher court issued its decision last November, but Zamora's lawyers had been able to postpone its implementation over the past few months. In 2023, Zamora was convicted on money laundering charges and sentenced to six years in prison. An appeals court later overturned the conviction and ordered a new trial for 2025. Under Zamora's leadership, elPeriodico published major corruption investigations that targeted multiple governments over three decades of award-winning coverage. In 2022, just days before his first arrest, Zamora publicly criticized then-President Alejandro Giammattei. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Giammattei appointed current Attorney General Consuelo Porras. Her office has overseen Zamora's prosecution while opposing the earlier petition for house arrest, and has herself been accused of corruption by the U.S. government. (Reporting by Sofia Menchu; Editing by David Alire Garcia and Bill Berkrot) GUATEMALA CITY (AP) Guatemalan journalist Jose Ruben Zamora was returned to jail Monday after an appellate court sided with prosecutors and withdrew his house arrest. Zamora, the founder of El Periodico newspaper, had spent more than two years behind bars awaiting trial before a judge granted him house arrest in October. Prosecutors immediately appealed and won rulings in November and again on Monday. Zamora, 68, had been imprisoned since July 2022, when he was charged with money laundering, amounting to around $38,000, and in June 2023 he was sentenced to six years in prison. The sentence was overturned by an appeals court because of errors in the process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zamora and free press advocates maintain that the prosecution is revenge for the investigative work of his newspaper against the administration of ex-President Alejandro Giammattei. President Bernardo Arevalo, Giammatteis successor, criticized the prosecution Monday before the courts latest ruling. It is an absolutely spurious case and reveals the worst of the crisis in our judicial system and shows the strategies of criminalizing that the Attorney Generals Office is using against those fighting corruption, Arevalo said. Prosecutors had argued that Zamora posed a flight risk, despite the fact that he had abided by the rules of his home confinement since being released in October. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here I am, Ive demonstrated that I come to hearings and I go to put my fingerprints in the prosecutors office, Zamora said after the decision as police handcuffed him and prepared to return him to prison. Advocacy organization Amnesty International condemned the courts decision and called for Zamoras immediate release. He is being jailed again today only for his investigative journalism and for denouncing corruption, said Ana Piquer, Amnestys Latin America director. ____ Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america SAN JUAN ALOTENANGO, Guatemala (AP) Guatemala's Volcano of Fire is erupting, and authorities have evacuated nearly 300 families while warning that another 30,000 people in the area could be at risk. The eruption started overnight. There is no immediate report of casualties. The 12,300-foot (3,763-meter) high volcano is one of the most active in Central America. It last erupted in June 2023. The volcano spewed gas and ash far into the sky Monday, leading authorities to close schools in the vicinity and a key road connecting communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Claudinne Ugalde, secretary of the disaster agency, said some 30,000 people more or less are at risk in these three (jurisdictions) and we are trying to have them evacuate or self-evacuate, she said. The biggest danger from the volcano are lahars, a mixture of ash, rock, mud and debris, that can bury entire towns. A 2018 eruption killed 194 people and left another 234 missing. Isaac Garcia, 43, a resident of El Porvenir on the slopes of the volcano, had that tragedy in mind when he and his family decided to heed authorities' warnings to evacuate early Monday. We were a little worried because a few years ago the volcano became active, Garcia said, referencing the 2018 eruption, as he spoke with a mask to protect against the falling ash. He came to a shelter opened in San Juan Alotenango with his mother, wife and their three children, as well as other relatives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The volcano is 33 miles (53 km) from Guatemala's capital. The flow of volcanic material is weak to moderate but expected to increase, Guatemalas disaster agency said early Monday. ____ Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america GULF SHORES, Ala. (WKRG) Need a passport? The Gulf Shores Post Office will help make it easier to get one with a one-day Passport Fair. Mobile man arrested after stealing truck from dealership; 2 others on the run, police say The event is set for Saturday, March 15, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 2149 W. First St. For a successful application, here are tips from the post office: Bring proper proof of American citizenship . This must be either a certified birth certificate issued by the city, county or state, naturalization certificate (a hospital-issued birth certificate alone is not acceptable), consular report of birth abroad, certificate of citizenship or a previous U.S. passport. In addition to proof of citizenship, each applicant must bring a clear photocopy of their proof of American citizenship that will be presented at the time of document acceptance. If the document is two sided, then a photocopy of the front and back of the document must be provided. Bring proof of identity. This must be either a previous U.S. passport or passport card, certificate of naturalization with identifiable photo attached, certificate of citizenship with identifiable photo attached, valid drivers license (temporary licenses or learners permits are not acceptable), official U.S. military or military dependent identification card, government employee identification card (federal, state, municipal, county) or current valid foreign passport. Minors under the age of 16 must appear with both parents. If one parent is not available, a notarized authorization form for the absent parent is required. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can call 251-968-2231 to make an appointment, or visit www.usps.com/passport to download an application. Gulf State Park wants your Mardi Gras beads heres why Certain documents are needed to obtain a passport. Heres more information. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5. Jayla Cunningham the Maryland hairstylist who appears on camera dragging her 15-year-old client over an alleged attempt to evade payment now faces second-degree assault charges. The viral footage, posted by the 18-year-old hairstylist herself, shows her dragging the teenager across the floor of her salon over a $150 service including an up-down hair installation. In the video shared by Fox 5 DC, Cunningham is heard screaming, Im not f**king playing. You just tried to f**king run. You lucky I aint beat the sh*t out you. The scene then escalates as Cunningham drags the young girl by her hood, tossing her to the ground and continuing to berate her while cutting the style out of her hair. According to the young girls mother, whos concealed her childs name because shes a minor, she accidentally sent the payment to the wrong Cash App account instead of the stylists. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its absolutely absurd, began the teenagers mother. Its viral. Its all over the country. When asked how her daughter is dealing with the unwanted attention emotionally, she added, Not good at all. Yet, Cunningham maintains that, without her forceful actions, she believes she would not have received the payment. She ran without paying me, Cunningham explained. I dragged her by her hood back into the salon until I could get paid or until the police come or until she let me take out the service. Meanwhile, the family of the 15-year-old has hired legal representation, with attorney DeAja Thompson condemning the act as horrendous and questioning the need for such violence over what was ultimately a mistake. Its a 15-year-old girl. Were talking about someones child here, Thompson stated. A child who is being dragged over something as simple as a mistake. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cunninghams court date is set for April 18. More from VIBE.com Sign up for Vibe's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Editor's note: The article was corrected to indicate that the village of Mykhailivka was liberated during Ukraine's counteroffensive in 2022. Half of the human beings alive today are descended from the Yamnaya culture, a group that lived in what is now Ukraine 5,000 years ago, according to new DNA research led by David Reich, a geneticist at Harvard Medical School, the Wall Street Journal reported on March 8. Around 4 billion people can trace their ancestry to the Yamnaya, a community of cattle herders who lived in the areas that make up the modern-day Ukraine and expanded dramatically across Europe and Asia, the research shows. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Researchers identified Mykhailivka, a Kherson Oblast village occupied by Russia in March 2022 but liberated later the same year, as the genetic birthplace of the Indo-European peoples who spread across the European continent and West Asia in waves of migration. The equestrian culture, dubbed Yamnaya after the pits (yama in Ukrainian and Russian) in which they buried their dead beneath mounds called kurgans, is seen as a shared ancestor to various ancient peoples, including the Romans, Celts, Persians, and Macedonians. The new DNA research analyzed remains of 450 prehistoric individuals from 100 sites across Europe and 1,000 previously known ancient samples, reinforcing earlier theories on the spread of the Yamnaya culture based on archeological and linguistic evidence. Russia's war and occupation have inflicted devastating damage to Ukraine's cultural heritage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of February, 485 Ukrainian cultural sites have been confirmed as damaged during the war, including two archeological sites. Russia has also consistently looted Ukrainian artifacts from Crimea, Donbas, and elsewhere since 2014, transporting many to Russian museums. Read also: Kyiv, not Kiev How Ukrainians reclaimed their capitals name Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. LONDONDERRY, NH. (WWLP) A teenager from New Hampshire is facing charges for child endangerment after police say he was driving over 120 miles an hour with two babies in the car. Mass. men arrested in New Hampshire for alleged narcotics trafficking New Hampshire State Police say they pulled over 18-year-old Jaden Cummings on I-93. They say he drove recklessly at 122 mph in a yellow Dodge Charger Hellcat, according to NBC Boston. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They found a woman and two babies in the car when they stopped him. He was arrested for reckless operation and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. He is scheduled to be arraigned on April 11th. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. ST. LOUIS It was another Sunday morning of sometimes heated but always civil political debate on Hancock and Kelley for Sunday, March 9, 2025. Republican consultant John Hancock and Democratic consultant Michael Kelley discussed the following topics: St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones gets walloped in Tuesdays primary and her run for a second term. Last week, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page, called a news conference to slam a plan to use the Rams-NFL settlement money to cover the cost of putting Prop B on the ballot. If approved, it would allow a supermajority of county council members to remove Pages cabinet members, like the director of public health. Along with news media, Pages opponents on the council showed up, too, in an attempt to upstage his media event. President Donald Trumps speech before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday is still stirring things up, partly because of his disputed claims and name-calling, and also for the response from elected Democrats in the audience, beginnings with Congressman Al Green of Texas, who was escorted from the chamber. A Missouri state representative from Wentzville sent a mock suicide message to a crisis hotline to make a point. Is that a crime? In our Quote of the Week, we discuss transgender mice. You read that correctly. 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. It recently emerged that a Tui plane came within 20 minutes of running out of fuel. What would have happened, if it had? In December 2023, the Boeing 737, carrying 300 passengers, was forced to declare a mayday emergency during Storm Gerrit when its fuel reserves dropped below the legal limits. The Tui aircraft, which took off from Cancun in Mexico, was due to land at Manchester Airport but after encountering gusts of up to 53mph was diverted to East Midlands Airport. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was then forced to make a second diversion to Birmingham Airport, where it joined a queue of seven planes waiting to land. A report published in mid-February by the AAIB found that by the time it landed, it only had 1.2 tonnes of kerosene in the tank, below the legal minimum of 1.9 tonnes. Brian Smith, a commercial pilot with decades of experience flying Boeing planes, says this scenario is one of every pilots worst nightmares. Apart from some murderous hijacker or terrorist, only three things will create a lasting adrenalin rush in the cockpit: a fire that will not extinguish in the cabin or hold, being uncertain of position in bad weather near terrain, or, indeed, running out of fuel. Here, Smith reveals how pilots prepare for this eventuality, and the steps they take if the fuel tank runs dangerously close to empty. How much extra fuel do planes have on board? Airlines issue flight crew with a comprehensive Flight Plan for the journey. It is very detailed and as a bare minimum includes the route, weights of the aircraft and payload, and weather at destination and along the route. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crucially, it also shows how much fuel will be needed for the flight. However, it is the commanders responsibility to ensure sufficient fuel is loaded for all conceivable contingencies. The fuel plan consists of four stages: Taxi, Trip, Contingency (typically 5 per cent of the trip), and Alternate fuels. A fully loaded 747 Jumbo could have as much as 170 tons of fuel on board. The figures are generally extremely accurate. The commander has discretion to add fuel as he sees fit, according to weather conditions and perhaps some issue at an airport that could cause a delay, like the arrival of VIPs, for example. In a majority of cases, contingency will cover any small additional fuel burn, but bad weather forecasts should result in the commander carrying more fuel, just in case. When do pilots rely on their final fuel reserves? Alternate fuel, required to fly a missed approach and divert to the selected alternate airport, includes Final Reserve; an amount sufficient to fly above an airport for 30 minutes at about 1,500 feet. This amount of fuel is critical and when fuel quantity is approaching it, things get very tense. Brian Smith, a commercial pilot with decades of experience, says running out of fuel is a nightmare scenario How do pilots communicate they are in a fuel emergency? Pilots are actually forbidden to land with less than Final Reserve, except in the most extreme of cases. If they anticipate landing with less than Final Reserve, the crew must declare MAYDAY FUEL to receive immediate priority to land. How often does a plane run out of fuel? Aircraft have run out of fuel, but thankfully only rarely. The two most infamous cases are the Gimli Glider Air Canada 143, in July 1983 and the Azores Glider Air Transat 236, which occurred in August 2001. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first was caused by human error during the refuelling, combined with some technical faults and poor company procedures, resulting in only 45 per cent of the required fuel load being carried. The captain, an experienced glider pilot, landed the 767 on a disused runway, on a former Air Force Base, then being used as a race track. Air Transat 236 ran out of fuel over the Atlantic due to a mishandled fuel leak following the fitting of an incorrect part to the hydraulic system. The Captain, also experienced in gliding, landed at Lajes, in the Azores. In both cases, all on board survived. How do pilots decide where to land when fuel runs dry? Since the engines cannot be restarted in these cases, the only option is to immediately turn towards a suitable runway or strip of concrete, and plan the ensuing glide. What would it be like inside a plane with no fuel? Inside the cabin the noise of the engines would have stopped and it would become eerily quiet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The engines no longer generate any electrical power, so the lights may go out or dim. Flight instruments will, in most cases, be reduced to the captains side only, and only be available for a limited time, typically 30 minutes. How long can a plane glide without fuel? An airliner can glide for about 100 miles from cruise altitude, which should offer a choice of airports unless over the ocean or wilderness. Big aircraft actually glide rather well, considering, and we do practice it in the simulator. The outcome is generally very good. Have you ever run out of fuel? Im pleased to say Ive never encountered a fuel emergency: they tend to be more likely when weather conditions are deteriorating rapidly over a wide area, forcing multiple aircraft to divert at the same time, and when airports are closing or reaching capacity. Its worth pointing out just how good Air Traffic Control usually is in these cases, especially in the UK. Do pilots train for this scenario? Airlines go to great lengths to train us to handle emergencies and to develop personal resilience. Manufacturers have also spent millions, and countless hours, perfecting emergency drills and procedures, that, when allied with the high redundancy and reliability of systems on board, give considerable confidence that a safe outcome will be the end result of an in-flight emergency. 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. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Orano have signed a 400 million euro loan agreement to support the expansion of the Georges Besse 2 uranium enrichment plant in Tricastin, France, Trend reports. The project aims to enhance Europes energy security and reduce reliance on fossil fuel imports. The expansion will increase the plants uranium enrichment capacity by 30%, adding 2.5 million SWU. The additional four modules will complement the existing fourteen, utilizing proven technology to ensure safety, efficiency, and a reduced environmental footprint. The project is expected to begin operations in 2028 and reach full capacity by 2030. The European Commission approved the project under the Euratom Treaty, recognizing its role in securing Europe's energy supply. The EIB loan is part of the EUs REPowerEU initiative, which supports energy transition and strategic autonomy. In 2024, the EIB provided 31 billion euros in energy security financing, mobilizing over 100 billion euros in investments. EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle emphasized that the financing contributes to Europes energy independence and climate goals. Orano CEO Nicolas Maes highlighted the projects role in expanding access to low-carbon energy for up to 120 million households and strengthening the EUs supply security. HARTSVILLE, S.C. (WBTW) Three people have been taken into custody Monday after shots were fired at Hartsville police in an incident that prompted several nearby schools to go on lockdown, authorities said. The suspects names and charges were not immediately available. News13 has requested the incident report from Hartsville police. Our buses will start rolling immediately, but our students will be delayed getting home, the district said. Car riders at the impacted schools can be picked up now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At about 4 p.m., police said authorities had a significant police presence on Marion Avenue and Gandy Drive in connection with the incident. As of about 4:30 p.m., police said the area was being cleared and the situation had been resolved. The incident began in Darlington County with reports of shots being fired near the 1200 block of N. 5th Street, police said. Additional gunfire was reported in the area of Lakeview and N. 5th Street. Officers located a suspects vehicle and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver refused to stop and crashed at the end of Green Street, according to police. After the wreck, the suspects fired at officers before fleeing on foot. One suspect was taken into custody on Green Street, where officers recovered two guns, police said. A perimeter was established by Hartsville police, Darlington County sheriffs deputies, South Carolina state troopers, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement K-9 units and investigators conducted an extensive search, which led to the capture of the remaining two suspects near the Dollar General on W. Carolina Avenue, police said. During the precautionary lockdown, no one at Hartsville High School, Hartsville Middle School, Carolina Elementary School, Thornwell Elementary School, and Bay Road Elementary School was permitted to enter or exit the buildings, the district said. The district said earlier that all students and staff were safe but that buses are being held and students were not being dismissed at their normal times. Authorities believe there is no ongoing threat to the public. The incident is still under investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * * * Dennis Bright is the Digital Executive Producer at News13. He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here. * * * Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read 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. Harvard University announced a temporary hiring freeze on Monday due to substantial financial uncertainties that its now facing under Donald Trumps administration. The move comes after Trump pulled $400 million worth of grants and contracts from Columbia University on Friday, accusing the school of antisemitism for its handling of pro-Palestinian protests on campus following the October 7, 2023, Hamas terror attack in Israel. Harvard said the temporary freeze would preserve our financial flexibility until we better understand how changes in federal policy will take shape and can assess the scale of their impact, Politico reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Columbia and Harvard were attacked by Republican lawmakers for their response to campus protests against Israel's invasion of Gaza. Former Columbia President Minouche Shafik resigned last summer amid the turmoil, just four months after being grilled by congressional Republicans during a tense hearing on campus antisemitism. The Department of Justice last month announced the formation of a federal antisemitism task force, noting in a release that its first priority will be to root out antisemitic harassment in schools and on college campuses. Supporters rally two years ago for Palestinians in Gaza at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. (AFP via Getty Images) Antisemitic incidents have been on the rise since before the 2023 Hamas attacks, as have incidents of anti-Muslim harassment. Its unclear, however, what the DOJ under Trump will consider antisemitic harassment, as some lawmakers Democrats included have broadly interpreted any criticism of Israel or Zionism as an act of antisemitism. In 2023, the House passed a resolution that effectively equated anti-Zionism with antisemitism. New York Representative Jerry Nadler, a Jewish Democrat, opposed the resolution, noting that even some Jewish communities oppose Zionism for religious reasons, and would be branded antisemites under the resolution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While most anti-Zionism is indeed antisemitic, the authors, if they were at all familiar with Jewish history and culture, should know about Jewish anti-Zionism that was, and is, expressly not antisemitic, he said at the time. Zionism supports establishing a Jewish state that includes Palestine. Trumps new federal task force appears poised to stomp out any large-scale campus protests against Israel's actions in Gaza, even though a number of human rights advocates have accused Israel of ethnic cleansing in Gaza. On Saturday, federal immigration officers arrested a Palestinian activist and former Columbia graduate student who helped lead a wave of protests on campus last spring. A lawyer for the activist, Mahmoud Khalil, said he is living in the U.S. legally on a green card. "All federal funding will STOP for any College, School or University that allows illegal protests," Trump wrote on social media last week. "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." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Including Harvard and Columbia, at least 10 college campuses will be visited Trumps federal task force. The other schools include George Washington University, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, Northwestern University, the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Southern California. All of the universities on the DOJ's list are in states that typically vote for Democratic candidates in presidential elections. The University of Texas at Austin also had large-scale protests that were met with violent police responses, but that university as well as Ohio State University are in the capitals of red states Texas and Ohio, respectively, and appear to have escaped the task force's eye. Harvard University leaders announced a temporary hiring freeze Monday, citing substantial financial uncertainties as colleges and universities face widespread scrutiny of their federal funds by the Trump administration. The temporary freeze is meant to preserve our financial flexibility until we better understand how changes in federal policy will take shape and can assess the scale of their impact, wrote Harvard President Alan Garber, Provost John Manning, Executive Vice President Meredith Weenick and Vice President for Finance and CFO Ritu Kalra in a message to faculty and staff. The universitys pause on faculty and staff hiring comes after the Trump administration pulled $400 million worth of grants and contracts at Columbia University on Friday for failing to address antisemitism. Harvard is also being probed by the administration over its handling of antisemitism following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas. Both schools faced a tremendous amount of attention from Republicans on Capitol Hill for their handling of antiwar and pro-Palestinian protests on their campuses. Harvard and Columbia are among at least 10 college campuses that the federal antisemitism task force plans to visit. The university plans to pause hiring for the current semester. (Bloomberg) -- Harvard University will temporarily freeze hiring as the risk of federal funding cuts by the Trump administration threatens the finances of some of the most prestigious American colleges. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harvard, the richest US university with a $53 billion endowment, is one of several schools under scrutiny for failures to tackle antisemitism on campus. Last week, the administration said its canceling $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University, citing harassment of Jewish students since the eruption of the war that began when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. We need to prepare for a wide range of financial circumstances, and strategic adjustments will take time to identify and implement, Harvard President Alan Garber said in a statement Monday. Consequently, it is imperative to limit significant new long-term commitments that would increase our financial exposure and make further adjustments more disruptive. Harvard said the faculty and staff hiring pause is meant to preserve financial flexibility until leaders better understand how changes in federal policy will take shape and can assess the scale of their impact. The move is the latest fallout for universities confronting an increasingly skeptical Republican Party as well as threats to the billions in federal dollars that flow annually to higher education through programs like the National Institutes of Health. Harvard received about $700 million in federal funding in the past academic year. Stanford, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Cornell have already announced hiring freezes, citing similar uncertainty about government funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even before the administration threatened funding cuts, Harvard signaled it needed to curtail spending. Its most recent financial report showed operating expenses grew 9%, topping a 6% increase in operating revenue, the second straight year in which costs expanded faster. Cash gifts fell 15% to less than $1.2 billion during the most recent fiscal year amid a surge in alumni anger over the schools handling of anti-Israel demonstrations. While Harvards endowment returned 9.6% in the last fiscal year, its long-term performance has lagged behind peers. Now, the university is in the crosshairs after a new federal multi-agency task force on antisemitism said last month it would investigate 10 campuses, including Harvard, that have experienced antisemitic incidents tied to the war. Harvard is among 60 schools under federal investigation for antisemitic harassment and discrimination that received warning letters Monday from the US Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights. The letters reminded universities of their legal obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to protect Jewish students and warned of potential enforcement actions if they fail to comply. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A day after the funding cut to Columbia was announced, a Palestinian student activist at the university who helped lead anti-Israel protests was detained by immigration authorities at his home in Manhattan. Homeland Security officials said Mahmoud Khalil led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. His lawyer said in a court filing that Khalil is a lawful permanent resident of the US and that the arrest is an effort to target and chill his speech. We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it, President Donald Trump said in a social media post Monday. Many are not students, they are paid agitators. We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country. Separately, a Harvard employee involved in an incident during a protest last week is no longer affiliated with the university, a spokesman said. The employee of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard tore down posters of Israeli hostages that were posted on campus by a student group. Such hateful actions violate the university and community values that unite us, as well as the Campus Use Rules that govern shared spaces, Sherri Ann Charleston, Harvards chief diversity and inclusion officer, said in a statement. The University condemns this action in the strongest possible terms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement --With assistance from Bill Haubert. (Updates with Education Department probe in ninth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Hawaii Pacific University brings the Aloha spirit to Las Vegas with its new campus in the southwest valley. The expansion of the Hawaii Pacific University represents a significant milestone in the Universitys 60-year history marking its first campus on the U.S. mainland. To be able to bring Hawaii Pacific University here to Las Vegas, which some call the 9th island were just happy that we can contribute to the community, build the capacity of healthcare across the region, Tricia Catalino, Dean of Graduate College of Health Sciences, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shaquilla King is a part of the universitys inaugural class. A graduate of UNLV, King is earning her doctorate at Hawaii Pacific University with plans to become a pediatric occupational therapist. Its been an experience, King said. I feel like getting to see the foundation being built was amazing. We didnt start off here, but finishing here, and seeing the program develop over this short amount of time has been an experience. I love it. The Las Vegas campus features facilities designed to support the Universitys Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) and Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs. Among its features is an Activities of Daily Living (ADL) suite, equipped with a kitchen, living room, and bathroom, designed to provide real-world training for OTD students. Additionally, specialized lab spaces designed for the DPT program promote interprofessional education and collaboration, equipping students to address the evolving healthcare challenges of the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These are our two healthcare-centric programs that were starting here in Las Vegas because of the great need in this region for healthcare providers, especially physical and occupational therapists, Catalino said. The university also offers a hybrid learning experience, allowing students to engage in online coursework and hands-on lab experiences. We really feel that it is an accessible way to learn, Catalino said. We offer hybrid health science programs which allow our students to learn from home or wherever they might be and then come to Las Vegas to have hands-on learning during their lab-based immersions. Hawaii Pacific University is now accepting applications for its August program. Financial aid and veteran benefits are available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To learn more about the Las Vegas OTD program, click here, and to learn more about the Las Vegas DPT program, 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. ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. A Hazelwood man faces various charges for a shooting in Ferguson, threatening to kill a car rental employee, and leading police in a pursuit while driving a stolen car from Missouri to Illinois. According to the Berkeley Police Departments probable cause statement, Cameroon T.E. Clay, 23, went to the Enterprise Rent-A-Car branch on Natural Bridge Road on Feb. 4, 2024, and asked to rent a vehicle. After being denied, police said Clay got angry and threatened to come back to the business with a gun. On March 20, 2024, Clay called the same Enterprise branch to express his displeasure over not being able to rent a car. At the end of the call, police said Clay threatened to kill the employee who wouldnt rent a vehicle to him in the first place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Ferguson Police Departments probable cause statement, the Churchs Chicken shooting occurred on Feb. 21, 2025, in the 10600 block of New Halls Ferry Road. Police said Clay entered the fast-food restaurant and demanded a free cup of water. Clay was told hed have to pay for the cup of water. Clay got mad and began knocking over cups and other items in the business. Employees asked Clay to leave and then forced him out the door after he displayed a gun, police said. Clay got in a car and began shooting at the Churchs Chicken, striking an employee inside the business. Close Thanks for signing up! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News On Feb. 24, officers with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department received an alert from the Real Time Crime Center of a stolen vehicle sighting in Benton Park West. The vehicle, a 2011 Acura MDX, had been reported stolen earlier in the day out of St. Louis County. City police followed the vehicle across the Eads Bridge and into Illinois. Police said the vehicles tires were flattened with spike strips. The vehicle slid across the street and was unable to move. Police said Clay, who was in the passenger seat, switched places with the driver, an unnamed juvenile, and managed to get the stolen Acura moving again. That attempt was short-lived, as the Acura crashed into a utility pole and burst into flames. Both Clay and the juvenile were then taken into custody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorneys Office charged Clay with first-degree harassment, first-degree assault, two counts of unlawful use of weapon, and three counts of armed criminal action. Clay remains jailed on a $150,000 cash-only bond. Hes due in court for a preliminary hearing on the afternoon of Wednesday, March 26. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office charged Clay with first-degree vehicle tampering, possession of a controlled substance, and unlawful use of a weapon. Hes due in court for a scheduled hearing on the morning of March 26. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Since President Donald Trump took office in January, Elon Musks so-called Department of Government Efficiency has started dismantling vital federal agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Food and Drug Administration. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. who has a history of spreading anti-vaccine conspiracy theories is the secretary of Health and Human Services, which oversees 11 operating divisions, including the CDC, the FDA and the National Institutes of Health. The public isnt receiving the same level of food recall alerts and timely information on disease outbreaks. If a staffing shortage means no one is available to respond to a health issue, then what should people do? When misinformation circulates and we cant trust our government institutions to be transparent, how do we navigate our health? Being informed is a radical act of self-care right now, said Cynthia Plotch, a reproductive justice advocate and founder ofWinx Health. Misinformation is rampant and further being amplified to exhaust us and overwhelm us. By staying educated on the issues and actions that matter to you, youre not only advocating and protecting your own health but participating in a form of resistance. Knowledge is power and helps make empowered decisions for your health. This is not just a form of protection, but a radical act to stand up for your rights and wellbeing. Advertisement Advertisement We talked to four health experts to find out how theyre getting their information, and how we can use their strategies in our daily lives. Heres whats been cut so far So far, overhauls by Trump and DOGE have led to the layoffs of about5,200 CDC employees. The CDC announced it will no longer process data about transgender identity, and it will no longer fund theGlobal Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network, aka Gremlin. According toBloomberg, Gremlin is a grouping of more than 700 international labs that test about 500,000 patient samples annually and monitors the prevalence of pathogens like COVID-19, RSV, dengue, yellow fever and Ebola. In other bad news, the FDAcanceled its annual meeting to select the flu strains for next years flu shot, and the United States has pulled out of the World Health Organization. As of early March, more than 100 people in Texas hadmeasles, and an unvaccinated child had died. New Mexico and New Jersey have also experienced measles outbreaks. Local public health officials and health care providers remain trustworthy sources of information about vaccines. Anna Efetova via Getty Images Where health experts are turning for information Honestly, Im pessimistic, said David Williams, president of Health Business Group. I dont think the traditional approaches of requiring vaccination for school and work will be accepted in todays political environment. In fact, such requirements are likely to be reversed and we will even see state laws stating that mandates cannot be implemented at the local level. Advertisement Advertisement Local public health officials and health care providers remain trustworthy, he added. Individual family physicians, nurse practitioners and pediatricians are also influential with their patients, regardless of political leanings, Williams said. Public health officials communicate through local resources like town newsletters, local TV, radio and print media, and their own social media accounts. Individual providers communicate through one-on-one visits and are backed up by local community health centers and hospitals. Lack of womens health information has become an issue, too. Access to sexual education and reproductive rights are being wiped from government health websites, exacerbating the problems that stem from the countrys lack of sex education, Plotch said. Fifty percent of women [who live in states with abortion bans] think emergency contraception isillegal, and even more 75% believe its the same as the medical abortion pill. Its not! Access to free information to combat common misconceptions and empower women to make informed decisions over their own health is more critical than ever. Advertisement Advertisement She recommended reading free womens health articles onReal Talk and following writer Jessica Valenti. Katie Diasti, a menstrual educator and founder of Viv for Your V, acknowledged how essential government agencies are to women. Health reports, like that from the NIH this summer that revealedtoxic metals in tampons, allow users to make informed health decisions and hold brands and manufacturers accountable, Diasti said. As government resources are slashed, especially in womens health, some might take it as an opportunity to cut corners. Its critical to find products and routines you trust with trusted materials, transparent reporting, and that help uplift your wellbeing. Be vigilant in reading product descriptions. Look for transparent materials and ingredients. In just a couple of months, the governments actions have already done great harm to the publics trust. Advertisement Advertisement Praxis Pacisci CEO Stacey B. Lee, a professor of health care law at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, studies how policy decisions impact public health. What were seeing right now is deeply concerning not just because of whos in charge but also because of the long-term consequences of weakening public health infrastructure, Lee said. RFKs past rhetoric has already emboldened anti-science movements. His leadership may translate that into actual policy. Lee has been doing a lot to keep her family safe. She keeps a health preparation checklist based on emerging disease risks from the WHO, CDC and John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and subscribes to real-life health alerts from Consumer Reports and University Extension Services. The best we can do is stay informed and not follow people who spread misinformation, especially from politicians. Trust local public health officials and global organizations like WHO, and stay on top of vaccines. Advertisement Advertisement This moment isnt just about RFK Jr. or the CDC cuts, Lee said. Its about whether we allow science-based health policy to be systematically dismantled. If this administration continues prioritizing ideology over research, we will see rising disease outbreaks, eroding health care trust, and disproportionate harm to vulnerable communities. When federal health leadership falters, we need to build resilience at every other level, from our personal choices to our community engagement. This isnt just about surviving the current administrations health policies. Its about preserving the infrastructure of public health for generations to come. Related... Tacoma on Friday marked the opening of a wellness center geared not just toward Medicaid recipients but the community at large. Wellpoint Washington, which coordinates Medicaid-managed healthcare benefits for a member base of more than 200,000 statewide, launched its new Community Wellness Center at the Tacoma Community House, 1314 S. L St. The center is designed to help connect members with health services, focusing on addressing physical, behavioral, economic, social and environmental factors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wellpoint Washington president and CEO Lisa Bogard spoke to The News Tribune on Thursday ahead of Fridays open house. She noted that the wellness center in Tacoma has been in the works for a few months. ... We have been really focused on making sure we had the right community partner, which is Tacoma Community House. Tacoma Community House offers immigration, education and employment services, as well as victim-advocacy support services for immigrants, refugees and longtime South Sound residents. Operating as a partner, Bogard said, Wellpoint was able to manage this program very cost effectively, funding and spending less than $50,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given the current pressure for cutting billions out of the federal budget, Bogard said, they are watching and waiting. Were all waiting to understand what the full impact is going to be on Medicaid, she said. We are focused on trying to make sure that the work we do is sustained, because we believe that the work is important to our communities, and without that, many people will have just greater need. When asked how many people potentially could be served, she said it was difficult to offer an immediate estimate. We are not limiting this specifically to Wellpoint members because we really want it to be for the residents and community in Pierce County, Bogard said. The new Community Wellness Center, inside the Tacoma Community House, aims to improve the health and wellness in the region. Photographed on Friday, March 7, 2025, in Tacoma. While core program benefits will be limited to Medicaid participants, If someone wants to just come in and ask questions, were happy to help as best we can to steer them toward services, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bogard envisions a wide range of services offered at the site. We really want to be able to address social determinants of health, she said. That can be anything from literacy to education of benefits, to transportation, or even holding baby showers there. Were going to do food banks, she added, so were really trying to address those social needs with food insecurity and housing and connecting people to services to make sure that were meeting their needs during some challenging times. This isnt Bogards first wellness center opening. The Eugene, Oregon, native transferred to the Puget Sound region a year ago after previously working in a similar role in Nevada. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We opened two wellness centers in Reno and Las Vegas, and theyre quite successful, she added. Anyone that walks through the door is going to have access to computers, as well as when they we have events such as baby showers, theyll be able to participate, she said. Oftentimes, with Medicaid ... its understanding what types of services they are eligible for, and then how to connect with them on an individual basis. If someone comes in for transportation, we can help them with bus passes, she added. If its food insecurity, well have some food thats there so that we can make sure that they dont go away hungry. It establishes hope, and it also provides us with an opportunity to really focus on those individual needs in their most critical times. More information is available at Wellpoint Washingtons website and Tacoma Community House online. Arrogant ignorance seems to be the calling card of Donald Trumps second term. The presidents puerile comedy routine during last weeks joint address to Congress, in which Republicans laughed as he rattled off a list of federal funding projects he seemed to know little-to-nothing about and thus, couldnt justify financing helped highlight this. As he rattled off this list including aid for the African country of Lesotho, which he claimed "nobody has ever heard of" Trump laid bare the ethos of his administration: Yeah, we ignorant. But who cares? Thus far, its been a fairly effective strategy to have his followers wear his warts as their own. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Few officials in Trumps administration appear to have internalized that quite like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the anti-diversity crusader who garnered backlash over the weekend for doubling down on the Trump administration's ignorance on climate change. Responding to a CNN report about U.S. officials and experts who are concerned about the Pentagon shutting down climate-conscious programs, Hegseth agreed with a Pentagon spokesperson telling the outlet that climate zealotry and other woke chimeras of the Left arent part of the departments mission. John is, of course, correct, Hegseth tweeted, referring to Pentagon press secretary John Ullyot's comment to CNN. The @DeptofDefense does not do climate change crap. We do training and warfighting. John is, of course, correct. The @DeptofDefense does not do climate change crap. We do training and warfighting. https://t.co/eK5Xyf7fN4 Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) March 9, 2025 Hegseth has used that term warfighting and other versions of it constantly since he was first nominated to his post. Best as I can tell, his emphasis on building so-called warfighters is part of what seems like a deranged obsession with prioritizing the militarys "lethality," which he's also mentioned frequently, while eluding things like diversity, foreign aid and climate change research that help mitigate or avoid conflict. Its the kind of mindset youd expect of a child launching airstrikes while playing Call of Duty not of the head of our nations Defense Department. Thats why many of the quote tweets and replies responding to Hegseth are from people condemning his comments for their idiocy. Because, contrary to his suggestion that climate change crap, as he calls it, is irrelevant to the Pentagons mission, experts for years have predicted the role climate change will play in fueling conflicts that tend to spur U.S. involvement and draw U.S. resources in various ways. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its simple, really: Scarcity of resources begets conflict, and climate change worsens scarcity. Experts, for example, have pointed to violent conflicts among farmers in Sudan over dwindling grazing land as a warning of the conflicts likely to multiply in the future if climate change isn't addressed. One of my earliest posts for The ReidOut Blog back in 2021, in fact, was on these exact phenomena. I wrote it after watching a panel discussion hosted by the global think tank International Crisis Group, called Global Warning: How Climate Change Drives Conflict. Hegseth can slam climate consciousness as crap all he wants. But his willful ignorance wont make the reality of climate-induced conflict any less real itll just hamper our countrys ability to grapple with the problems it causes. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) Henderson County Judge/Executive Brad Schneider announced during a press conference on Monday that the Kentucky Department of Workplace Standards has directed the Henderson County Detention Center to pay $215,245 to 223 current and former jail team members as compensation for unpaid time. The announcement comes following an investigation by the Department of Workplace Standards into wage and hour practices by the former leadership at the jail. Schneider said the investigation was requested by his office in 2018. The investigation reportedly found that the jail violated state statutes regarding the proper recording of hours worked and payment for overtime. Officials say the amounts of individual payments will equal one hour per week each hourly employee worked at the jail between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2023. The county will send all checks to its office, which will then contact each recipient with an acknowledgement letter that must be signed and return to the state. Once the state receives the signed letter, the check will be mailed to the individual. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schneider said the countys Human Resources manager, Angela Comer, was made aware of confidential complaints about unpaid time from multiple deputies. Comer reportedly told former Jailer Amy Brady that if the complaints were true, the jail was in violation of state law. After receiving more complaints on unpaid wages, Comer reached out to the Workplace Standards division of the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet and asked them to look into the complaints. Schneider noted that there is no evidence that the practice of not paying deputies continued after Brady retired in late 2022. Brady released a statement denying the allegations from Comer and Schneider, and said employees were paid for exactly the hours documented on their timesheets. You can view the full statement from Brady down below: The documented allegations made by Angela Comer and verbal statements made today by Brad are untrue and without merit. (Note: I have documented proof the issue was addressed with jail staff during and prior to 2021. However Im waiting to release this until after I receive from my attorney.). Anyone that has worked with me throughout the years knows I would never ignore an issue brought to my attention. Ive proven this repeatedly. To my knowledge, Employees were paid for exactly the hours they documented on their timesheets. You cant pay someone for hours they didnt turn in (as hours worked). The issue with completing the timesheets accurately isnt anything new. It has been addressed numerous times in the past. Not only during my tenure as jailer but also the 25 years I worked for the county. Amy Brady, former Henderson Jailer Eyewitness News. Everywhere you are. 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 Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW). BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. A ministerial meeting of the Steering Committee on the establishment of the Green Energy Corridor between Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary concluded in Budapest with significant outcomes, Azerbaijans Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov stated on X, Trend reports. As part of the discussions, a Joint Letter was signed by Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary, addressed to the European Commissioner for Energy, Dan Jrgensen, requesting Project of Mutual Interest (PMI) status for the initiative. Additionally, agreements were reached on the inclusion of the project in the EU's Ten-Year Network Development Plan (TYNDP), Bulgarias potential participation in the project, and necessary steps regarding the fiber-optic cable (FOC) component. Furthermore, a relevant document was signed on transferring powers and obligations related to the feasibility study to the Joint Venture GECO Power Company. On December 17, 2022, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary signed a strategic partnership agreement, which includes plans for the construction of a 1,000 MW submarine energy cable under the Black Sea, spanning 1,195 kilometers. This cable will transmit green electricity generated in Azerbaijan and Georgia to Romania, with further transport to Hungary and the rest of Europe, enhancing Europes access to renewable energy from the Caucasus region. Follow the author on X: @Lyaman_Zeyn Even by government standards, Medicaid is notoriously complex an intricate web of carve-outs, cross-subsidies, and shared state-federal financial responsibilities. I once heard the funding structure of a particular Indiana Medicaid program described as a house of cards built on top of a shell game, which feels like a fair description of Medicaid as a whole. At the same time, Medicaid especially Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (commonly known as Obamacare) is widely popular. This puts conservatives seeking to cut the program in a bind: They must find a way to undermine it without directly attacking something voters support. The programs bureaucratic complexity provides that opening. President Trump and congressional Republicans have ruled out major structural changes to Medicaid, instead focusing on cutting more arcane and opaque features of the program, such as eliminating states ability to use provider taxes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hicks: Indiana's startling Medicaid math forces unpleasant choices Provider taxes are levies imposed by states on health care providers to help cover Medicaid expansion costs. They are critical to funding Medicaid expansion in many states, including Indiana. The ability to impose these taxes is essential for maintaining state support of Medicaid expansion. To justify eliminating these arrangements, opponents have labeled them as waste, fraud or abuse, using loaded phrases like "money laundering" or "bribery." It is fair to critique provider taxes as bad public policy, that they are overly complex and/or create significant disincentives for fiscal restraint. However, these mechanisms are a legitimate exercise of state taxation power on actual commerce within state borders, not a nefarious backroom scheme to defraud taxpayers. This push to end provider taxes is a prime example of using bureaucratic complexity as a smokescreen for deep cuts to the program. By framing it as a technical adjustment that merely enhances efficiency, rather than a direct funding reduction, Congress can obscure the real impact: jeopardizing Medicaid expansion and restricting access to care for millions of Americans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The logic is simple: If you cant win on policy or public support, you try to win with semantics and confusion. Healthy Indiana Plan could reduce care for hundreds of thousands Fran Goldstein (right) gets her daily medication from qualified medication aid Alexis Johnson (left) on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, at the Wyndmoor of Castleton, an assisted living facility in Indianapolis. Goldstein, a resident at the facility, was on a waiting list for Medicaid waiver services to help her pay for her care. Goldstein has been paying for her living expenses with her own funds. Ive had some really dark days, Goldstein said. Indianas version of the provider tax, the Hospital Assessment Fee, plays a crucial role in funding Medicaid by generating federal matching funds. This money is essential for maintaining hospital reimbursement rates and supporting the Healthy Indiana Plan, the states Medicaid expansion program under Obamacare. The HAF allows Indiana to sustain and expand access to care without relying entirely on state general fund dollars. The HAF generates over $1 billion annually, bringing in additional federal money that hospitals rely on to care for Medicaid patients. With state lawmakers already concerned about rising Medicaid costs, finding an additional $1 billion to sustain HIP could be an insurmountable challenge. Eliminating the provider tax may sound like a mild technocratic tweak, but in reality, it would gut Medicaid expansion, destabilize hospital finances, and reduce access to care for hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers. By branding these changes as a crackdown on waste, politicians can claim to be protecting taxpayers while sidestepping responsibility for the millions who could lose health care access. A major threat to addiction services Over the past decade, Indiana has significantly expanded access to addiction treatment, including residential care, medication-assisted treatment and peer support, leading to one of the largest drops in overdose deaths nationwide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The heroic Hoosier recovery community deserves the most credit for these wins, and HIP is the policy and programmatic foundation that makes it possible. Traditional Medicaid primarily covers the aged, blind, and disabled. Medicaid expansion programs (like HIP) extend coverage to a broader low-income population. Most individuals with substance use disorder are both low-income and not classified as disabled, meaning they would have no access to care without Medicaid expansion. The elimination of the HAF and the likely cuts to HIP that would follow would reverse Indianas progress, severely undermining our fight against addiction. It is reasonable to argue that addressing the national debt may require difficult choices, including potential limits on Medicaid spending (although that argument is severely undermined when accompanied by a deficit-exploding tax cut). Likewise, a philosophical debate about the governments role in health care or Medicaid expansions mixed track record on health outcomes is a legitimate discussion. But, if lawmakers want to debate Medicaid expansion, they should do so transparently, without disguising significant cuts as routine and harmless policy adjustments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jay Chaudhary is the former director of the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction and former chair of the Indiana Behavioral Health Commission. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Healthy Indiana Plan could dump thousands with Medicaid cuts | Opinion One of the first all-steel freighters on the Great Lakes has finally been discovered off the shores of Lake Superior after remaining hidden 600-feet beneath the surface for 132 years. The Western Reserves final resting place had eluded maritime historians for years, until last summer when it was discovered by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society. The landmark find was officially announced at the Wisconsin Underwater Archeological Associations annual Ghost Ships meeting in Manitowoc. It was made public Monday. "It's the most important shipwreck (the historic society) has ever found," Bruce Lynn, the executive director of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society, told the Journal Sentinel. It's one of 13 shipwrecks the society's team has found in the past three years, and it's the one that's drawn the most attention, Lynn said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Western Reserve was owned by Captain Peter G. Minch of Cleveland, who named it after a 3-million-acre area of land in northeastern Ohio along Lake Erie. The 318-foot steel freighter was a state-of-the-art ship at the time. It was known for speed even referred to as the inland greyhound" and for being one of the safest ships on the inland seas. It was meant to break records, even carrying the largest coal cargo into Milwaukee during its time, Lynn said. But since the record-breaking ship sank in 1892, its become known for the tragic series of events that unfolded when it went down. In August that year, Minch took his family aboard the ship for a cruise through the Great Lakes to escape the summer heat. Twenty-seven people died as a result of the wreck, and what happened is only known because of its lone survivor. More: Freight steamer, fireboat among another record number of Lake Michigan shipwreck discoveries A harrowing tale remembered through the only survivor In August 1892, the Western Reserve set sail from Cleveland bound for Two Harbors, Minnesota. Peter Minchs wife, Anna, along with their children, Charlie, 9, and Florence, 6, as well as Annas sister, Mary Englebry, and her daughter, Bertha, 10, were on board. The ships other captain, Albert Myers, also had his 19-year-old son on board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 300-foot steel freighter safely passed through Detroit, Lake St. Clair, the St. Clair River and Lake Huron, making its way up the St. Marys River before arriving at the Soo Locks on August 30. As it passed the Iroquois Lighthouse in Lake Superiors Whitefish Bay later that day, the weather shifted and the wind picked up. Minch decided to drop anchor near the Whitefish Point Lighthouse, hoping to wait out the storm. Because it was a summer cruise, there was no cargo on board, so only ballast water weighed it down. The roughly 80-mile stretch of water between Munising and Whitefish Point in Michigans Upper Peninsula is infamous for its dangerous conditions, so much so that it has become known as Lake Superiors Shipwreck Coast. Any ship traveling to or from the big lake, heading for the Soo Locks, had to pass through this stretch. And with the lakes fetch stretching hundreds of miles, there is little to slow the waves. Its estimated that more than 200 ships have sunk in Whitefish Bay, according to Lynn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not clear how long Minch waited, according to Lynn, but eventually the ship pulled anchor and went into the open water. A powerful gale was blowing at about 9 p.m. when the Western Reserve began to break apart roughly 60 miles north of Whitefish Point. Wheelsman Harry W. Stewart had to jump over a 3-foot crack in the freighter to reach the aft where the two lifeboats were stored one metal, one wooden. Most of the crew got into the metal lifeboat, while the family boarded the wooden one. The metal one turned over almost right away, and only two crew members, one of them Stewart, made it into the wooden boat. Estimates suggest the Western Reserve sank about ten minutes after it began breaking apart, according to Lynn. The overloaded wooden lifeboat was swamped with water, and the crew and family used hats to help bail it out. At one point, the Neshoto passed by, but the darkness and rain prevented Western Reserve survivors from getting the attention of anyone on the freighter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They were adrift for about ten hours, Lynn said. Just a mile from the shore near the Deer Park life-saving station, the lifeboat capsized. Only one person made it to shore Stewart, the wheelman who had jumped over the freighters crack and into the second lifeboat. "If it wasn't for Harry Stewart, we really wouldn't know what we know today about the Western Reserve," Lynn said. More: Rye seeds were lost in Great Lakes shipwreck for 146 years. Now, they could make whiskey. Paint still visible; lights a direct match The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society first picked up the remains of the Western Reserve using sonar aboard its research vessel, the David Boyd, on July 22, according to Lynn. Darryl Ertel, director of marine operations, and Dan Ertel, first mate, first spotted the ship. The duo had been looking for the ship for two years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A remotely operated vehicle confirmed that it was in fact the Western Reserve, lying in about 600 feet of water and broken in two with the bow resting on top of the stern. Lynn explained that they have not been able to get a lot of footage of the wreck yet, due to the weather. The ships bell is still intact, and because invasive quagga and zebra mussels have not invaded Lake Superior, much of the details, like the paint, are still visible, Lynn said. But one of the clearest indications that it was the Western Reserve was the port side running light with its red lens. The only item that had been recovered from the ship was the starboard running light, which currently is in the National Museum of Great Lakes in Toledo, Ohio. The lights were an exact match. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newspaper records at the time damned the ship for it's brittle steel construction, and many believe the state-of-the-art ship should have been able to stand up to the weather and waves at the time, Lynn said. The Western Reserve's sister ship, the W.H. Gilcher, also sank two months later. More: What happened to a plane that disappeared in 1968 over Lake Superior? A robot may unravel the mystery. More: The legendary gales of November left the Great Lakes strewn with tragic shipwrecks The story was updated to add new information. Caitlin Looby is a Report for America corps member who writes about the environment and the Great Lakes. Reach her at clooby@gannett.com, follow her on X @caitlooby and learn more about how she approaches her reporting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Please consider supporting journalism that informs our democracy with a tax-deductible gift to this reporting effort at jsonline.com/RFA or by check made out to The GroundTruth Project with subject line Report for America Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Campaign. Address: The GroundTruth Project, Lockbox Services, 9450 SW Gemini Dr, PMB 46837, Beaverton, Oregon 97008-7105. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Western Reserve freighter found in Lake Superior after 132 years JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) A patent model of a screw press is on display at the Two Mississippi Museums. According to Nan Prince, director of Collections at the Mississippi Department of Archives & History (MDAH), the patent was made by Peter Campbell. Peter Campbell was born into slavery in 1841, and he was enslaved at Hurricane Plantation, which belonged to Joseph Davis, who was the brother of Jefferson Davis, who would later serve as president of the Confederacy, explained Prince. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said some screw presses are still used, but theyre a lot more mechanical. Its something that can be used to get liquid out of things or get a lot of pressure on items. Quilts on display at the Two Mississippi Museums The patent is on display at the museum in the area on Reconstruction. We talk about what life was like for the freed slaves after the war and how they started living their own lives instead of the lives of their masters, said Prince. Another invention is also on display at the museums. This is a baling press patent model that was made by Charles Thomas Christmas. He lived in Riverton in Bolivar County, and he invented this in 1880. And we know that Christmas was born in Louisiana, born enslaved in the 1820s, and he was moved to Bolivar County, but he stayed in Riverton after Emancipation, and he invented this model right here, said Prince. 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. DES MOINES, Iowa The Home Expo comes to Des Moines a few times a year and it helps connect buyers with builders, keeping profits local. Thousands of people showed up for the three-day event which showcases the latest trends in home security, remodeling, power, and home automation. Jamie Slayton, show manager for Home Improvement, says the show may be national, but its all about supporting local. DSM Arts and Crafts show wraps up, thousands attend Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Money stays in Des Moines. These are local vendors, said Slayton. We do have some, you know, national vendors, but theres a lot of local vendors in here. Slayton says the spring show gets a lot of traffic from people who are looking to start the new year with some new upgrades to the home. Youre coming out of your cold time and were coming into the spring, and thats when we start looking to do home improvements, landscaping, yard, said Slayton. Weve got a lot of things in here, you know, outside light roofing tubs, all kinds of stuff. The spring expo has wrapped up, but the Iowa Home Expo is set to return to Des Moines October 10th 12th, 2025. Learn more about the upcoming showcase on 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 who13.com. The Department of Homeland Security arrested 14 undocumented immigrants in South Florida over a three-day span as part of an operation that stems from the Laken Riley Act a law requiring the detention of non-U.S. nationals accused of theft and violent crimes, officials say. In a Friday post on X, Homeland Security Investigations Miami indicated that among the people detained were those accused of sexually assaulting a minor and suspected members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang. Its not yet clear when the arrests began. HSI Miami concluded a 3-day operation with partners which led to 14 arrests. The operation was targeting criminal aliens in accordance with the Laken Riley Act. The arrests included sexual assaults on a minor, suspected members of Tren de Aragua. pic.twitter.com/iaQU6ECNKP HSI Miami (@HSI_Miami) March 7, 2025 In January, President Donald Trump signed the bill, which was notably the first that he signed in his second tenure. The act is seen as another effort for the federal government to detain non-U.S. nationals. It was named for Laken Riley, a nursing student at Augusta University College of Nursing when she was killed in February 2024 by Jose Ibarra, an undocumented immigrant. The Trump administration has unveiled an overhauled cellphone app once used to let migrants apply for asylum, turning it into a system that allows people living illegally in the U.S. to say they want to leave the country voluntarily. The renamed app, announced Monday and now called CBP Home, is part of the administrations campaign to encourage self-deportations, " touted as an easy and cost-effective way to nudge along President Donald Trumps push to deport millions of immigrants without legal status. The app provides illegal aliens in the United States with a straightforward way to declare their intent to voluntarily depart, offering them the chance to leave before facing harsher consequences, Pete Flores, the acting commissioner for U.S Customs and Border Protection, said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moments after Trump took office, the earlier version of the app, CBP One, stopped allowing migrants to apply for asylum, and tens of thousands of border appointments were canceled. More than 900,000 people were allowed in the country on immigration parole under CBP One, generally for two years, starting in January 2023. The Trump administration has repeatedly urged migrants in the country illegally to leave. "The CBP Home app gives aliens the option to leave now and self deport, so they may still have the opportunity to return legally in the future and live the American dream," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on the social platform X. If they dont, we will find them, we will deport them, and they will never return. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts wondered how many people without legal status would register for what has long been known as voluntary departure, or what the government hopes to gain from the new app. I'm not sure what their intentions are, said Colleen Putzel-Kavanaugh, associate policy analyst with the Migration Policy Institute. But they're creating a bit of a culture of fear around immigration right now, from highly publicized ICE arrests to sending immigrants to a detention camp at Guantanamo Bay. The new app, she said, could be part of that targeted public relations campaign to urge more people to leave the U.S. Some people living in the U.S. illegally chose to leave even before Trumps inauguration, though its unclear how many. But earlier mass crackdowns on illegal immigration most famously a quasi-military operation in the mid-1950s that Trump has repeatedly praised also drove many immigrants who were in the U.S. legally to leave. She knew she had to go even though she couldnt imagine moving somewhere else. Maria Merritt has lived in El Sereno the better part of 30 years. Her little home on Poplar Boulevard served as the beacon in a turbulent life that led her to solid ground. She raised her four kids there, had a well-paid job and a spell of normal family life, cooking big meals on Sundays and adorning the front picture window with Christmas decorations in winter. Even when she was homeless, the vacant house was always waiting for her return. Nearly five years ago, she broke in and reclaimed it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But in the fall of 2024, after months of eviction proceedings, Merritt let go of the home and left the neighborhood that gave her so much. Its breaking me inside, said Merritt, 57, on the eve of her departure. I feel like a light shining thats going to be shut down. Read more: After 13 years, a homeless Angeleno broke into her old, vacant home and wants to stay forever She moved 11 miles away to an apartment in a Westlake supportive housing building. She hoped the decision would put an end to the cycle of turbulent living since she left her Poplar Boulevard home for the first time in 2007. But her sense of stability began to fragment the moment she arrived. Things were not looking good. Merritt looks over an empty kitchen on moving day in the home where she lived for four years in El Sereno in November. The California Department of Transportations half-century epic over the failed 710 Freeway expansion and the homes the agency acquired to build it is coming to a checkered climax. Each person or family living in the houses is reaching their own finale to the saga, some happy, some sad, many in between. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Merritts swings with the ups and downs of her fragile mental health. She rented the two-bedroom Poplar Boulevard cottage in 1995, living there a dozen years before tragedy, addiction and mental illness left her unable to pay the rent and led her kids to scatter. More than a decade of homelessness followed, at times spent sleeping in a median strip that stretches along the neighborhoods main drag. Then, one morning in spring 2020, she watched a group of Angelenos move into vacant, Caltrans-owned homes in protest against L.A.'s homelessness crisis. The next day, the activists helped Merritt seize the Poplar Boulevard home, which had remained empty since shed abandoned it. Inside, she found decades-old photos of herself and her children. Merritt watches as movers pack up her home in El Sereno in November. A supporter of the Reclaimers, Yajiar Vida-Sylvestre, left, came to help. A pressure campaign from group members, who call themselves Reclaimers, pushed the transportation agency to legalize the living situations for Merritt and the others. Caltrans contracted with the Housing Authority of the city of Los Angeles to allow a dozen Reclaimers and those in similar situations to live and pay rent for two years in refurbished properties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Merritt wanted to stay forever. Now that the freeway project is dead, more than 30 Caltrans tenants and counting are buying their homes at bargain rates. Scores of vacant properties are being sold off as affordable housing. Merritt believed owning the house would help atone for the hurt shed caused her children and bolster her efforts to repair their relationship. Read more: 'Its a dream to be a property owner': Years after freeway's demise, L.A. renters are buying state-owned homes But Caltrans said Merritt didnt qualify for the purchase plan, and in 2021 she had to move out of the Poplar Boulevard home, which the government agencies deemed unsafe, to another state-owned house nearby. Since the two-year agreements have long expired, the housing authority had been trying to force Merritt and the remaining group members out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Merritt intended to fight her eviction. Her second stint in El Sereno homes gave her the stability to kick her methamphetamine habit, steady her mental health and apply successfully for Social Security disability benefits. She believed leaving would threaten her progress. Merritt, right, breaks down in tears as supporter Yulu Fuentes comforts her before she moved out in November. Other Reclaimers were facing eviction too. With the help of legal aid lawyers, the group defeated multiple attempts in Los Angeles County Superior Court to remove them. Each time, the housing authority refiled the cases. This month, the six Reclaimers still living in Caltrans-owned homes have court hearings that could lead to eviction judgments against them. Because of the timing of when Merritts case was filed last year, the attorneys representing the others had full caseloads and she couldnt find one to assist her. Going it alone was overwhelming. In September, Merritt agreed to a deal. The housing authority would pay her $15,000 if she left voluntarily. That would remove the threat of sheriffs deputies hauling her out, provide a nest egg to start anew and give her more control of a situation she believed would otherwise turn out poorly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I want to live in a reality world," she said. "I cannot lie to myself because that brings me tension not to move forward." Caseworkers steered Merritt to a one-bedroom apartment with supportive services near MacArthur Park. Its in a new building, furnished and has a second-floor deck that overlooks a school. But the locations busyness, congestion and crowding its in one of the most overcrowded neighborhoods in the country worried her. Read more: One family's desperate act to escape overcrowded housing in L.A. Merritt's physical health has worsened over the last year, forcing her to rely on a cane, walker or just hobble to get around. Her left leg swells after knee replacement surgery a couple of years ago. Sometimes, her fingers and toes freeze and shes unable to bend them. Her arms seize up and she struggles to raise them above her shoulders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet, she keeps trying to remind herself, the circumstances around her departure could have been far worse. Two other Reclaimers who accepted the $15,000 buyout returned to homelessness once they left the Caltrans homes. Merritts greatest dread is going back to the streets. The suffering, she said. The sun. The heat. The cold. Oh my God. Merritt looks at pictures of herself from years past that hang from her refrigerator in her Westlake apartment. Moving day came in mid-November. Merritt had been cleaning and packing in preparation. But the morning of, much of her clothes, kitchenware and other items remained unboxed. The rest was too hard, physically and emotionally. As the hour for the moving vans arrival approached, Merritt called around for support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her 28-year-old daughter, Kianna, showed up first with a friend. Then came Martha Escudero, a Reclaimer who lives up the street in a Caltrans home with her two teenage daughters. Two women who got word from a Reclaimers text message chain that Merritt needed help came next. They brought duct and masking tape and filled cardboard boxes with the rest of Merritts belongings. By late afternoon, the van was packed and on its way to Westlake. From her new couch, Merritt watched the movers pile her stuff carefully throughout the unit. I cant believe Im getting out, she told a caseworker over the phone, scanning her clothes hangers, handbags, space heater and flowerpots. That Im leaving. A few days later, she handed back the keys to the El Sereno home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: They seized vacant El Sereno homes at the start of the pandemic. Now, they face eviction The transition to Westlake nearly broke her. Overcome with stress, Merritt cut off her hair, a buzzcut that resembled her appearance when she lived on the streets. Her mental health worsened; thoughts and speech became less coherent. Day by day, week by week and month by month, she steadied herself. Her apartment felt more secure than the old house, where she jumped at unfamiliar noises and felt the need to lock the windows and doors including her bedroom closet every time shed leave. Merritt smiles in the kitchen of her new Westlake apartment in March. Shes hung photos and decorations in the new apartment. Her most prized are the pictures of her grandchildren and their artwork. On a kitchen cabinet door, Merritt pinned a multicolored turkey her 3-year-old grandson crafted out of a brown paper bag at Thanksgiving. Seeing it reminds her of him, and strengthens her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I just look over there and its like, He loves me. I have to get better, Merritt said. Her hair has grown back, and shes dyed part of it with a blue tinge. On a recent weekday morning, a pan of mole and Mexican rice Merritt cooked waited for her on the stove. A friend had gifted her a half-dozen lemons from her tree, and Merritt rested them in a glass bowl after washing the fruit with baking soda and water. Lately, Merritts hobby has been cleaning and repairing posters and signs with positive affirmations she finds at thrift stores. Shes working on one with the lyrics of Amazing Grace. Another declares, I Am Kind of A Big Deal. I have a life, she said. I have plans. I have projects that to some people dont mean nothing. But to me, it restores my mind and my soul and my heart. It gets me together like a puzzle in my head. Merritt walks through the hallway of her Westlake apartment building in March. Shes grateful for the relief her new apartment has given her but doesn't intend to remain there for long. It's too isolating. She rarely goes out after dark. Merritt misses what she had in El Sereno, which she still calls my city. Merritt remembers the near weekly visits to the Caltrans home from her daughter and young grandson, how much the 3-year-old enjoyed playing in the backyard. They were there, she said. They were elevating me. I was not alone. If Merritt has her way, she'll return to El Sereno or find a house somewhere else that's just as welcoming for her family to gather. But she knows she has time. No one is forcing her to go anywhere. Whenever she moves again, she's confident the decision will be hers. 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. LOCKPORT, Ill. A homeowner in Unincorporated Lockport is speaking out after a car crashed into her property Saturday night for the fourth time. Its enough. Its the fourth time, Kristy Howard said. Howard told WGN News shes loved calling unincorporated Lockport home for the last five years, but now shes fed up as this marks the fourth time a vehicle has crashed into her property along 143rd Street and Archer Avenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A neighbors camera captured the latest incident that happened Saturday evening. Somebody was coming down 143rd approaching the light, Howard said. They were the fourth car making the turn. Instead of making the turn, they full on went straight and airborned the ditch and ended up in our garage. 2 Park Ridge men face weapons, drug charges after multiple hit-and-run crashes Saturday in Lake County The crash caused significant damage to the garage and Howards Jeep, with debris spread across the driveway. Just hours before the crash, her son and husband were in the garage. Howard is relieved no one was inside the garage at the time of the crash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I just want something to be done to help us. Its my family and my friends. I dont want someone to die, she said. According to Howard, the intersection is a busy one, with many cars speeding through. She added most of the crashes happen at nighttime and little has been done to fix the danger. Theres a signage that was at the end of our property. It was on a little further from the police and they moved it more to the left to say that you can only go left or right, and that ended up in our garage and mangled last night, Howard said. She and her family have taken matters into their own hands to protect themselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We put in concrete barriers. We have bright strobe lights, she said. While Howard recognizes the damaged material possessions will be costly, they can be replaced. She is pushing for further action to be taken so that it doesnt endanger a life. I mean, if there is rumble strips, if theres a flashing light with a sign stating, you know, that theres a light ahead, Howard said. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines According to Illinois State Police, the driver who crashed into Howards garage lost control and is currently in the hospital recovering from their injuries. The cause leading up to the crash remains unclear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Howard said she has messages out to the Illinois Department of Transportation, hoping they can find a permanent solution. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) An Horry County elementary school physical education teacher who resigned on Monday after his arrest on cocaine and other drug charges had been acting differently and was disheveled and in an altered state of mind while at work, according to a police report. Aaron Graydon Musick, 50, also was late on multiple occasions and failed required tests for his position at the school, the report said. He was arrested Friday on charges of possession with intent to distribute drugs near a school and manufacturing, distribution and possession of narcotics. According to the police report, two people at Waterway Elementary School in Little River told police they searched his desk, backpack and coats after noticing his behavior and found a vial containing 5.23 grams of a white powder. They also found multiple prescription drugs with mismatched pills in the bottles in his desk and a straw with the powder on it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Staff observed concerning behavior and contacted law enforcement, which led to his arrest, Horry County Schools spokesman Lisa Bourcier said on Monday. Effective immediately, the teacher will not be allowed on any HCS campuses. Musick had no criminal history involving narcotics before his arrest, according to arrest warrants. He submitted his resignation to the school district on Monday. Musick was booked into the J. Reuben Long Detention Center after his arrest. He posted a $25,000 bond and was released on Sunday. He is scheduled to be in court again on May 30, according to public records. Former students of Musicks like Porasche Riggins says it was surprising to hear this news. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everyone is completely in shock about it, she said. Itd be the last person that you expect to have this happen to or to even be involved in that type of behavior. Other students like Jacy Rollan say they had positive memories of Musick as their teacher. You know, he was actually a pretty nice teacher, she said. And one of those teachers that you kind of remember as you go on, because I know a lot of my teachers, I remember to this day, even if I had them ten plus years ago. News13 tried reaching out to Musick but have not yet heard back. * * * Dennis Bright is the Digital Executive Producer at News13. He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * * * Jordan White is a Digital Producer at News13. She joined the News13 team in August 2024. Jordan, a Myrtle Beach native, graduated from St. James High School in Murrells Inlet and is a graduate of Coker University. Follow Jordan on Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of her work here. * * * Adrianna Lawrence is a multimedia journalist at News13. Adrianna is originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, and joined the News13 team in June 2023 after graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2023. Keep up with Adrianna on Instagram, Facebook, and X, formerly Twitter. You can also read more of her work, here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. ACWA Power has inaugurated its first overseas Innovation Center in Shanghais Pudong New Area, focusing on photovoltaics, wind, energy storage, green hydrogen, and seawater desalination, Trend reports. The facility, developed with an initial investment of $2.8 million, includes an R&D Center and a Green Energy Laboratory and has been recognized by the Pudong New Area Government as a Group Open Innovation (GOI) initiative. During the opening, ACWA Power signed Memoranda of Understanding with Gulf Renewables Laboratory and Shanghai Jiao Tong University to enhance technical expertise and industry collaboration. The center aims to drive innovation through partnerships with government entities, state-owned enterprises, research institutions, and startups. Saleh Khabti, President of China at ACWA Power, emphasized the Centres role in accelerating sustainable energy and water solutions globally. The initiative aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 and ACWA Powers long-term investment strategy in China, where the company plans to invest up to $30 billion by 2030. For many Americans, planning a doctors appointment comes with logistical headaches: taking a day off from work; scheduling months in advance; dealing with insurance coverage and related costs. For Emory Hufbauer, it also involves a seven-hour cross-country flight. Hufbauer is intersex, meaning they were born with sex characteristics that dont fit neatly into the binary of male or female. As an infant, they were subjected to procedures that assigned them a sex. They have long struggled to find health care needed as a result of these procedures in their state of Kentucky, where they advocate to bring that care and help others navigate it. Though its difficult to estimate, one widely cited study found that 1.7 percent of people are born intersex. Few doctors are equipped to treat them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its very common for intersex people to have various intersex-related ailments reach a crisis point because they cant safely get any kind of care locally, Hufbauer told The 19th. That reality was brought into sharp focus after President Donald Trump issued an executive order January 28 barring doctors from providing gender-affirming care to kids 19 years old and younger, in part by threatening to cut federal funding to health care providers. The order, one of several that targets transgender people, is not in effect amid legal challenges. These orders directly impact intersex Americans, too, advocates say. The same doctors who treat transgender children are some of the only ones equipped to help intersex youth, who have no choice about needing care and live in states where often none can be found. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Intersex advocates say that they have been shut out of the conversations about gender and health in the United States and that the January 28 executive order has far-reaching consequences for intersex kids, not just because it allows dangerous surgeries to continue. None of the EOs mention intersex people specifically they are systematically scrubbing mentions of intersex people from government websites, the intersex rights group interACT wrote in an email to community members. Several hospitals and doctors have complied with Trumps order, announcing in recent weeks that they have halted gender-affirming care, though some have resumed care based on ongoing litigation. In some cases, those same health centers that have stopped gender-affirming care have also largely continued to perform controversial sex-altering operations in the form of intersex pediatric surgeries, according to interACT. Intersex advocates say that juxtaposition lays bare the hypocrisy of the order and those following it. Its been striking to see those same health providers continue non-consensual intersex surgeries, said Sylvan Fraser Anthony, legal and policy director for interACT. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hospitals have been so reluctant flat out refusing or taking years before issuing some partial policy about whether theyre going to be changing practices related to these non-consensual surgeries on intersex children, Anthony said. Theyve taken years, if not decades, to review those [policies] and most have not been responsive at all to calls to review and update their standards and their practices for intersex children to respect their bodily autonomy. Whereas theyre responding within a matter of days and weeks to this executive order when no one is making them rushing to make policy moves that harm trans patients. Marisa Adams, an intersex advocate, also points out that Trumps approach to transgender people fails scientifically, especially as it relates to intersex people. In particular, she pointed to a day one order that claims there are just two sexes. It fails to realize, or fails to acknowledge, that intersex people can have any gender, Adams said. So theres intersex women, theres intersex men, theres intersex nonbinary people. Im an intersex woman, and that executive order certainly does nothing for me. Doctors have performed intersex surgeries since the 1960s as a way to correct sex variations, often assigning infants a sex category before they can consent. In many cases, the surgeries can have permanent consequences, from infertility to loss of sexual sensation to painful complications. Studies have shown that they can have lifelong traumatizing psychological impacts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The surgeries have been the focal point of protest for years and have been condemned by several human rights groups, including the United Nations, the World Health Organization and Amnesty International. No state or federal laws prohibit intersex surgeries, which can include reshaping or removing genital tissue and internal reproductive organs. They are usually performed on children before age 2, according to interACT. California has unsuccessfully tried to ban the practice in past years. At least two hospitals Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicago and Boston Childrens Hospital have announced publicly that they have ceased performing some intersex surgeries. Lurie Childrens Hospitals public statement in 2020 on their procedures notes that they continue to perform some surgeries. Boston Childrens Hospitals statement, also made in 2020, similarly leaves caveats for some surgeries. Meanwhile, gender-affirming care, endorsed by every major medical association to treat gender dysphoria for youth, is barred in 26 states and by Trumps executive order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This whole system of non-consensual interventions on intersex bodies exists because our natural existence [as intersex people] contradicts the idea that all people are born male or female, said Hufbauer, who travels out of state at least twice a year to access gender-affirming care because they cant access it in Kentucky. While interACT does not maintain an exhaustive list of health care providers in America that perform intersex interventions and related surgeries, the organization said over a dozen hospitals across the United States are involved in studies in which infant patients undergo intersex surgeries. InterACT also tracks health providers that perform intersex surgeries by reviewing websites that advertise services and other public statements. The 19th contacted representatives for some of the hospitals and providers that interACT says performs intersex surgeries. Some did not address questions about the scope of what procedures they perform. Anthony said interACT advocates have experienced similar responses, in part because they say hospitals can sometimes have different interpretations of intersex surgeries. Because medical providers may espouse differing views on what constitutes an irreversible surgery, or which variations qualify as intersex, it might be possible for them to be a little bit cagey on exactly whether they are still performing those surgeries even when directly asked, they said. But we saw evidence that they were going on within the last three years, according to published research, and in the absence of a hospital making any sort of public statement about having ceased or restricted the practice we assume that its still going on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The post Hospitals that paused youth gender-affirming care continued controversial intersex surgeries, group says appeared first on The 19th. News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to our free, daily newsletter. Lawmakers return to the State House following a break on Thursday, March 6, 2025. (Photo by Dana Wormald/New Hampshire Bulletin) As recent data prompts concern about childhood lead poisoning in the state, the New Hampshire House shot down two bills last week aimed at addressing the issue. Lawmakers voted, 202-167, to indefinitely postpone House Bill 724. This bill would have lowered the childhood blood lead action level the exposure level that triggers an investigation from the Department of Health and Human Services from 5 micrograms per deciliter to 3.5. It would have also required the agency to inspect other units when one in a multi-unit residential building has a lead hazard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also would have established a legal standard called a rebuttable presumption that would presume residences built prior to 1978 contain lead based substances unless an inspector has determined otherwise. It would have also mandated that municipal building permits include the Environmental Protection Agency license numbers for those renovating, repairing, or painting buildings built before 1978. (1978 is the year a federal ban on lead in residential paint came into effect.) House members also rejected, 202-169, House Bill 756. This measure would have added to law that health forms submitted when children 6 and under enter public school or day care should include the result of at least one blood lead level test, with certain exemptions. If they didnt, the school or day care would have had to notify the parents or guardians of the requirement and provide education materials on the importance of testing and the dangers of lead poisoning. The moves come months after a report raised concerns about childhood lead poisoning in the state. In 2023, 1,142 children in the state had levels of lead in their blood high enough to impair their ability to think, learn, and concentrate, according to a state report published in December. This was the highest number found in the past five years of data. Though state law requires that children be tested for lead at ages 1 and 2, the report showed the state falling short. Among children 12 to 23 months included in the 2023 data, 24% had not undergone the required testing, while 31% of children ages 24 to 35 months had not been tested. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report also found that one in 10 children on Medicaid had elevated blood lead levels, almost twice the rate of other children. Lead paint and dust in older residences account for 70% of U.S. childrens lead exposure, followed by 15% each from lead in consumer products and drinking water, according to the report. The residential exposure is especially relevant in New Hampshire, where slightly more than half of housing units were built before 1980 and at least 32,350 young children live in residences with lead paint, according to the report. Proponents of the bill aimed at schools and day cares hoped it would help raise the states testing numbers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Regrettably, currently significant numbers of children are not tested at all, said Rep. Trinidad Tellez, a Hooksett Democrat, on the House floor. Given the potentially devastating impacts of lead on childrens developing brains, and the very concerning low numbers of 1- and 2-year-old children currently tested for blood lead levels, this bill provides an important stop-gap opportunity for increasing the blood testing of infants and children. But Rep. Jim Kofalt, a Wilton Republican, argued it was an unnecessary and burdensome bill. This bill adds a step to the process of enrolling a child in school or day care, Kofalt said. It doesnt actually add additional lead testing requirements. We already require children to be tested at age 1 and then again at age 2. The Conservation Law Foundation denounced the Houses vote to reject HB 727, the multi-part proposal that included the housing-related measures. The group called the bill crucial legislation that would have helped to protect children from lead exposure in their homes. As a mother and environmental advocate, I am deeply troubled by the Houses vote, said Heidi Trimarco, a staff attorney with the foundation, in a statement. Lead poisoning is a silent thief that robs children of their futures. Our lawmakers had the power to better protect our kids and instead, a majority of them turned their backs on the families who need help the most. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Two people suffered injuries Sunday morning due to a house fire in central Sioux Falls. According to authorities around 6:30 a.m., Fire Rescue was at the 11-hundred block of north Main Avenue. First responders saw heavy flames coming from the front of the house when they arrived. Woman charged with felony child endangerment Officials say everyone made it out of the house however one person was taken to a local hospital, and the residents are now displaced due to fire damage. 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. A return to the Red Sea for container shipping appears to be on thin ice. On Friday, Yemens Houthis gave Israel a four-day deadline to lift its blockade on humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. If Israel does not comply, the militant group will resume our naval operations against the Israeli enemy, said leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi in a televised statement. More from Sourcing Journal Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Houthis had launched missile and drone attacks on commercial vessels traversing the Red Sea and neighboring Gulf of Aden throughout last year, forcing ocean carriers to avoid the trip through the Suez Canal and instead reroute ships around southern Africas Cape of Good Hope. The mass diversions ended up tacking on one-to-two weeks worth of travel for any cargo going from Asia to Europe, or westward shipments from Asia to North and South America. While a complex three-phase ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began last month, the uncertainty surrounding the relations between both parties has kept ocean carriers by and large away from the Red Sea. Soren Toft and Vincent Clerc, the CEOs of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and Maersk, respectively, have called out the lack of safety guarantees as the top reason for their hesitance to return. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking at the TPM25 trade and logistics conference, Toft called the Red Sea situation unpredictable. It has to be safe, Toft said. And right now its not safe, and we know its all linked to a number of agreements in the Middle East that are still being discussed. So for us, there is no immediate return back to the to the Red Sea. But could it happen in two months, six months, next year? I dont know. I think eventually it will happen, and then we will follow suit. During a fourth-quarter earnings call in February, Clerc acknowledged that Maersk couldnt make a call to return to the Red Sea, only to go back on that decision later. He estimated that costs would rack up in the hundreds of millions of dollars in such a scenario. Clerc said that while customers are eager to go back, they all always have that caveat. We dont want to go and flip-flop back and forth. You get one shot at going through the Suez. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time of the ceasefire, which includes the gradual release of hostages in return for an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the Houthis announced a cessation of the attacks. Although the Suez Canal has been insistent that the trade artery is stabilizing, that hasnt driven traffic to the canal in the time since. According to data from Lloyds List Intelligence, transits through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Suez Canal did not grow across January and February, instead falling 11 percent and 21 percent, respectively. Lloyds List says 159 cargo-carrying ships have passed through the area since the Jan. 19 ceasefire, accounting for 186 of the 1,309 voyages recorded during this time. These vessels represent 16 percent of the total number of ships sailing through the Bab el-Mandeb over the past six weeks. Since late 2023, when the major container shipping firms avoided the area, more than 130 Houthi attacks occurred throughout the region, according to crisis mapping and data collection firm Armed Conflict Location and Event Data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But as a ceasefire grew closer, the Iran-backed, U.S.-designated terrorist organization slowed down its attacks on shipping. The last confirmed attempt was intercepted by the U.S. Navy in between Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. Israel has banned food, medicine and aid from entering Gaza following a standoff with Hamas in ceasefire negotiations earlier in March over the return of Israeli hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Israel also accused Hamas of stealing aid to support its military operations, a claim the group has denied. The first 42-day stage of the ceasefire expired on Saturday night. Israel, Hamas and the U.S. will take part in more ceasefire talks in Qatar this week. Israel has largely held off on the second round of negotiations since phase two of the deal would require the country to fully withdraw from Gazaa concession Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has thus far signaled he was unwilling to make until Hamas has been dismantled. President Donald Trumps hostage affairs envoy Adam Boehler, who has held direct talks with Hamas, says the group has proposed a five-to-10-year truce with Israel. Ahead of the initial ceasefire, the Israel-Hamas war had been ongoing since the terrorist organizations invasion of southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which 1,200 people were killed. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) First responders in Hudspeth County are turning to Starlink satellites to fix communication gaps due to poor internet, cellular, and radio coverage in the northwest part of the county. Radio communications out here are really spotty. For first responders, there is nothing more aggravating than trying to call in additional resources in a very rural part of the county, like on the north side, and not having radio communications or not having cellular communications, said Hudspeth County Constable for Precinct 3 Jamil Moutran. Constable Jamil Moutran, Hudspeth County, Precinct 3 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moutran secured a partnership with Trusted Driver a web-based platform that provides a real-time data and analytics dashboard, and an electronic citation system for law enforcement which provided him with a free Starlink satellite system to gain access to their services. He said he pays $100 a year for a subscription to the service but the equipment was free. The satellite is mounted on the roof of Moutrans patrol vehicle, which provides him with Internet service throughout most of the dead zones in the region he patrols. Its really been a game changer for us in terms of communications. Its going to be a great benefit to the community because were able to provide better service, to call in additional resources, and be able to respond quicker, Moutran said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moutran took office in January of this year, knowing well the lack of communication infrastructure had caused slow emergency response times in the area, and placed law enforcement officers in dangerous situations. Moutran said first responders in the region often cannot communicate with dispatch to request assistance in an emergency. They cant access critical mapping software like Google Maps to locate address information, and they cant access public safety databases for records checks, he added. Were the third largest county in Texas and with (a small population). We are limited in funding and to cover a county of this size in terms of radio communications and infrastructure, it takes a lot of funding, and we just dont have it, Moutran said. Moutran said that Starlink will not only help him. He will also be able to extend the satellites service to people he is assisting in an emergency situation or other first responders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It not just (helps) the officer thats in the patrol vehicle. When that patrol vehicle arrives on scene, all first responders on scene now have access to the Internet because it acts as a hotspot for everybody on scene, Moutran said. Moutran said he is now working with the Hudspeth County Sheriffs Office, and other first responder agencies in neighboring rural areas to help them secure the Starlink systems through Trusted Driver. This system is great for rural communities, like ours, where we have very limited resources and service in a lot of areas, Moutran said. Sgt. Carlos Barajas, with the Hudspeth County Sheriffs Office, said theyre working to secure eight Starlink satellites for deputies who patrol in the northwest region of the county. Sgt. Carlos Barajas, Hudspeth County Sheriffs Office, He said he is confident this will help them alleviate the challenges first responders in the region have faced for decades Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About a month ago, Barajas said he had a call near Desert Haven. He called into dispatch saying he was pursuing a subject on foot. After that, he wasnt able to get through again and he was without ability to communicate with dispatch for 30 to 45 minutes. That resulted in several other law-enforcement agencies and fire departments being dispatched to go search for him. Barajas said the situation did not develop into anything serious, and that he eventually regained cellular connection to inform his colleagues that he was OK. Luckily, this time it ended up OK. Other times, it may not, Barajas 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 KTSM 9 News. SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO) The Hughes County Sheriffs Office is asking the public for information regarding a missing Blunt man. Curtis James has been missing since March 5th. The Hughes County Sheriffs Office says over 70 volunteers showed up Saturday to help search for James, with no success. James is a 39-year-old white man, standing at 5 feet 7 inches. If you have any information, you are asked to please call the Hughes County Sheriffs Office. 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. Gail Uhlman is fighting for her life after surviving a fiery crash in East Bridgewater on Saturday. Shes a strong-willed Irish woman that just doesnt have a lot of quit in her, said Chris Uhlman, Gails son. Neighbors say her car took down a utility pole before crashing into a tree and bursting into flames on Route 106. The adrenaline was crazy, it was very scary seeing the fire, said Dina Hartsgrove, who lives nearby. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hartsgrove says she heard an explosion and ran outside to jump into action along with a few other bystanders. Getting her out of the car was a little tough just because of the you know, seat belt trying to get it and the cars on fire, said Matthew Donlin, who pulled over to help when he saw the car fire. The car was popping and there were flames and we just dragged her, we dragged her to over here, she was pulseless, said Hartsgrove. Hartsgrove is a nurse and performed CPR to bring Gail back to life before she was rushed to the hospital. These people stopped, and they made a difference, my children, her great-grandchildren were able to talk on the phone to her, theyre able to tell her they love her and theyre praying for her, said Zachary Uhlman, Gails grandson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats humanity at its finest is what it is and its great, Im humbled forever, said Chris Uhlman. Gails family says theyre beyond thankful for the strangers who saved her life. Were forever grateful to the people that gave us the opportunity to you know just say one last goodbye if thats what it is or hopefully see her again, said Zachary Uhlman. Were praying for her, and she has so many people praying for her, said Hartsgrove. Gails family says shes undergoing surgery in the ICU and they still dont know if shell make a full recovery, but theyre thankful for the strangers who pulled her out of the flames to at least give her a chance at survival. 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 The wave of violence that has killed hundreds of civilians across Syria reached the major cities of Damascus and Aleppo on Monday, hours after interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa vowed to bring those responsible to justice. The reported fighting in the capital, Damascus, and the second city of Aleppo marked the first such clashes there since the fall of the regime of Bashar al-Assad. The short-lived violence in the capital followed days of clashes concentrated in former Assad strongholds along Syria's Mediterranean coast. More than 1,300 people were killed in Syria in the three days to late Sunday, with civilians comprising 973 of the dead, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said in a statement. The death toll as of early Monday was not immediately clear. Interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaking in Damascus on Sunday. "We must acknowledge the truth that the fallen regime left deep wounds during its rule," Sharaa said in a speech late Sunday in which he called for peace and vowed to hold to account those responsible amid reports of executions and firing squads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Syria, with all its components, will remain united by the determination of its people," he said, adding that he had formed a fact-finding committee to investigate the events in the coastal region, to bring the perpetrators to justice, and to reveal the truths to the Syrian people, so that everyone knows who is responsible. As of late Sunday, most of the fighting was concentrated in the coastal areas of Latakia, where at least 545 civilians were reported to have been killed, and Tartus, where at least 252 civilians were killed, according to SOHR. Both areas are home to Syria's Alawite community, the small Islamic sect to which the Assad family belongs, and have been a focus of security concerns amid Sharaa's rise to power. According to the SOHR, the vast majority of civilians killed in the outbreak of violence over the past few days have been Alawites. NBC News has not been able to independently verify this or the broader casualty figures. By Monday, Syrian state radio channel SHAM FM reported intense clashes between security forces and former regime members in the affluent Mazzeh neighborhood of Damascus that homes embassies, hotels and government departments. The Al-Watan newspaper said security forces had repelled an attack by unknown assailants on a checkpoint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While NBC News was not immediately able to independently confirm the clashes, they would represent the first fighting in the capital since Assad was swept from power in December. Meanwhile, Syrian Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Hassan Abdul-Ghani told Syrian state news agency SANA that military units had repelled an attack and "inflicted losses" in Aleppo on the Syrian Democratic Forces the U.S.-allied Kurdish-led force that he said had launched the attack. In a statement later Monday, Abdul-Ghani said security forces had been able to "absorb the attacks of the remnants of the fallen regime and its officers" from a number of areas, including within Latakia and Tartus. "This has resulted in thwarting threats and securing the region," he said. He added that new plans had been developed to eliminate future threats. He did not elaborate. Forces loyal to the interim Syrian government ride in the back of a vehicle in the western city of Latakia on Sunday. The violence of recent days marked a grim turn of events, Ahmed Bayram of the Norwegian Refugee Council charity said in a phone interview Monday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's worrying," Bayram said. "The scale of what's happening has not been seen even during the battles to oust the last government." The outbreak of violence raises the question of whether Sharaa can deliver on his promise to lead a more unified and inclusive nation representative of the country's myriad religious and ethnic groups. The recent clashes may even undermine his progress in reassuring Western leaders that his vision for Syria poses no threat to the Syrian people. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday condemned the violence, saying in a statement that the United States stands by the religious and ethnic minorities in Syria as he called on the countrys interim leadership to hold accountable the perpetrators of these massacres against the countrys minorities. For many Syrians, the fighting will be an unpleasant reminder of the violence they hoped had ended with the rule of Assad. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bayram said there was a risk that the eruption could hinder efforts to administer humanitarian aid across the country. You dont want this to drag on," he said, "and you dont want to go back to cycles of violence, death and destruction and displacement." This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Hundreds of protestors gathered outside a Tesla dealership in Lower Manhattan on Saturday, remaining there for two hours and effectively shutting down the location, the New York Times reports, with some attendees even storming the building. The demonstration is among the latest expressions of public backlash against the electric vehicle maker's CEO Elon Musk, who's become an increasingly controversial figure since serving as a senior advisor to president Donald Trump, leading initiatives to gut federal spending. "Nobody voted for Elon Musk," protestors chanted, per the NYT, as well as "Oligarchs out, democracy in." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to an organizer named Alice Hu, some protestors entered the Tesla dealership, located in Manhattan's West Village, and six were arrested, in what was otherwise a nonviolent demonstration. Images and footage from the incident show a glass door was shattered, but it's unclear if there was any other damage to the property. In all, the New York Police Department said that five protestors were issued summonses for disorderly conduct, with one facing a charge of resisting arrest, per the NYT report. According to state senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, who represents the district where the showroom's located, the protests have raged on for weeks, with each weekend drawing a larger crowd than the last one. Similar anti-Musk sentiment has swept the nation, in some cases expressed even more furiously. Vandalism of Tesla locations and even of its cars out on the streets, particularly the Cybertruck has not been uncommon. NBC reports that there have been at least ten acts of vandalism directed against Tesla in recent weeks, based on police and local reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One favored method is spray painting messages and images implicating Musk's flirting with Nazism. Musk has frequently spread antisemitic conspiracy theories, performed Nazi salutes, and has thrown his support behind Germany's far right AfD party. Some vandals take things even further. Late last month, a Tesla dealership in Oregon which was empty at the time was blasted with gunfire, shattering windows and pelting some of the cars. In Loveland, Colorado, a 40-year-old woman allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail at a Cybertruck parked at a local Tesla dealership and then returned to the location another four times over the course of a month to chuck even more of the incendiary bombs before being arrested. Meanwhile, in Boston, police say that seven Tesla charging stations were intentionally set on fire last week. This is just a small sampling of just how inflamed literally in some cases the public ire against Musk has become, a trend that's being mirrored in Europe, too. However much power Musk wields as Trump's right hand man, the backlash could be hurting his bottom line: Tesla sales have faltered considerably, with many analysts blaming the downturn on Musk's politics. More on Tesla: Someone Stole the Wheels From All the Teslas in This Parking Lot BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. The preliminary evaluation of solar and wind energy projects, set to be jointly implemented in Azerbaijan under the MoU between SOCAR Green and PowerChina, is currently underway, SOCAR Green told Trend. "This strategic partnership aims to explore a range of renewable energy opportunities, including utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects, onshore and offshore wind farms, and related infrastructure such as battery energy storage and integrated smart energy systems. SOCAR Green and PowerChina are working closely together to assess the feasibility and technical requirements of these projects. The exact investment figures will be determined as the feasibility assessments progress," said the company. SOCAR Green and PowerChina signed a memorandum of understanding within the framework of COP29 to explore joint opportunities in the development of renewable energy projects in Azerbaijan. The memorandum paints a vivid picture of collaborative endeavors to construct radiant solar and swirling wind power plants, weaving together intricate intelligent energy systems, and assessing the blossoming projects, related to green hydrogen production and investment. Moreover, the company said that under the MoU signed with SLB at COP29, the focus is on exploring geothermal energy in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. "Additionally, we would like to highlight another significant achievement at COP29: SOCAR Green signed an MoU with Baker Hughes to screen potential hydrothermal reservoirs and enhanced geothermal systems in the southern regions of Azerbaijan," said SOCAR Green. Follow the author on X: @Lyaman_Zeyn As Chicago police continue to investigate the death of a woman found last year in the stairwell of a South Loop high-rise, a judge on Monday ordered her estranged husband to be sent to Michigan, where a bench warrant was issued in connection with pre-existing domestic violence charges he faces there. On Oct. 27, Caitlin Tracey, 36, of New Buffalo, Michigan, was found dead at the bottom of a stairwell in a luxury building where her husband, Adam Beckerink, lives. The death spawned legal battles between Beckerink and Traceys parents, who have said that Beckerink physically and emotionally abused Tracey throughout their relationship. Though the case remains under investigation, Beckerink, a Chicago attorney, has not been charged in Traceys death. Records from the Cook County medical examiners office show that as of Monday, investigators had not finalized Traceys cause and manner of death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But during a testy hearing in court Monday, Assistant States Attorney Danny Hanichak referred to Beckerink as a suspect in his wifes death, referencing the ongoing investigation. Beckerink was charged last year in Berrien County, Michigan, with battering Tracey, who also previously obtained an order of protection against her husband. The warrant came with a request for no bail. Beckerinks attorney, though, contested the validity of the bench warrant, arguing that Beckerink is not a fugitive and has complied with all the conditions set forth in the Michigan case. He is the absolute opposite of a fugitive from justice. He was found at home, his attorney, Jonathan Brayman, argued during the proceedings at the Leighton Criminal Court Building. In response, Hanichak argued that if there was a problem with the warrant, it would need to be addressed in Michigan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judge Antara Nath Rivera found cause for the warrant, and Beckerink agreed to be extradited. Last year, Traceys parents successfully won custody of her remains after arguing in court that Beckerink, who was married to their daughter for six months, had a history of abusing her. He had filed a motion last year to temporarily prevent Traceys parents from proceeding with her funeral. He argued in an affidavit that he would be irreparably harmed and deprived of the ability to direct the disposition of his wifes remains for which he is entitled to and has priority under both Illinois and Michigan law. According to a police report, Tracey was found dead at the bottom of the stairwell of the building at approximately 7:20 p.m. A resident of the building had found a severed foot near a railing in the east stairwell and reported it to a building manager, the report said. While responding officers searched the area, the manager spotted Traceys body at the bottom of the stairwell. A number of Rhode Island state servers ones similar to the unit pictured here in a home setup could move to a new state office building in East Providence under Gov. Dan McKees proposed fiscal 2026 budget. But the server room cant wait for HVAC upgrades necessary to keep the servers in good working order. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) Saving money is the point of a plan by Gov. Dan McKee to relocate a handful of state offices to an East Providence office complex up for sale by Citizens Bank. But a state data center located in one of those offices cant wait for a new home the air conditioning setup that keeps the servers cool and functioning needs to be upgraded much sooner. And it wont come cheap. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A fiscal 2026 budget presentation from January cited the total cost of HVAC repairs as upwards of $10 million, supporting McKees idea to consolidate the data center and other state offices at 115 Tripps Lane, Riverside. A request for quotes posted to the states procurement portal on Feb. 12 appears to be less extensive, with a maximum cost of $600,000. Any proposed relocation of the servers will take a substantial amount of time, and because servers need to be kept at optimal operating temperatures, the State cannot defer maintenance, Karen Greco, a spokesperson for the Rhode Island Department of Administration (DOA) said in an email. Work on the existing server setup would ideally start next month, according to the dates in the request for quotes. The request is open through March 12 and is asking contractors to replace the computer room air conditioners at the state-owned office building located at 50 Service Ave., Warwick. There are four AC units in the data center at the two-story Warwick building, which the state purchased in 2010. The building is over 83,000 square feet large and also houses office space for the state Treasury, the Department of Public Safety and the Division of Enterprise Technology Strategy and Services, which is part of DOA and manages information technology across multiple state agencies. The building also contains a scanning center used by the Department of Human Services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the AC units are at the end of their life cycle, Greco said, and need to be replaced. Computer room air conditioners last on average about 15 years, according to an analysis by the U.S. Department of Energy. Greco added in a follow-up email that the $600,000 budget is only part of the multimillion capital request for the Warwick building described in the governors budget. The full amount requested would go to upgrading the HVAC system throughout the entire building, replacing the roof, and other maintenance items detailed in the budget, Greco said, but that this remaining work is contingent on the States decision to remain at 50 Service. Server rooms require careful temperature control, as the machines generate lots of heat but also need to be protected from excessively cold or hot climates to function properly. Too much humidity or dryness can damage the machines. Cooling costs can account for a quarter or more of a data centers energy bill, according to 2016 guidance from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. In the past two decades, data centers have become on average a few degrees warmer as a means of mitigating excessive cooling costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The East Providence building was built in 1979 and is over 210,000 square feet, offering the opportunity for the state to consolidate multiple operations and their corresponding leasing costs, according to the governors budget. The building would accommodate up to 800 state workers and a new, modernized data center. Should the servers ultimately migrate to a new home at the Tripps Lane site, The State will then determine the best use case for 50 Service Avenue, Greco said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Trump administration detained a pro-Palestine activist Saturday night in a chilling assault on free speech. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a leader in the Columbia University protest movement, despite his being a green card holder. Initially, they told his lawyer, Amy Greer, that his student visa was being revoked, even though he didnt have one. When ICE agents were informed over the phone by Greer that Khalil has a green card, they reportedly hung up the phone on her. On March 9, 2025, in support of President Trumps executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism, and in coordination with the Department of State, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student. Khalil led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, Tricia McLaughlin, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted about Khalils arrest on X Sunday, adding, We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported. It was unknown where Khalil was being held for days, but on Monday, the ICE locator finally showed him in the LaSalle Detention Facility in Louisiana. His wife is eight months pregnant and a U.S. citizen. ICEs arrest and detention of Mahmoud follows the U.S. governments open repression of student activism and political speech, specifically targeting students at Columbia University for criticism of Israels assault on Gaza, Greer said. The U.S. government has made clear that they will use immigration enforcement as a tool to suppress that speech. On Friday, the Trump administration announced that it was canceling $400 million in federal grants to Columbia over its continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students, a pointed reference to its pro-Palestine protest movement. Last week, Trump himself posted on Truth Social, Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests, threatening to deport foreign students who take part in such protests. Khalils detention appears both to follow up Trumps threat against pro-Palestine protesters and to continue to make an example out of Columbia University, despite the institutions crackdown on student activists. Legal challenges to this assault on the First Amendment are surely coming, but it remains to be seen if the legal system will reinforce the right to free speech or strengthen the Trump administrations draconian efforts. A federal judge in New York has blocked any efforts by President Donald Trumps administration to deport Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist at Columbia University who was arrested Saturday night, until a conference Wednesday, according to court documents. Its unclear whether he will appear in court on Wednesday. To preserve the Courts jurisdiction pending a ruling on the petition, Petitioner shall not be removed from the United States unless and until the Court orders otherwise, the Monday filing said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Khalil, who helped lead Columbias student protest movement demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, was arrested Saturday night by federal immigration authorities who said they were acting on a State Department order to revoke his green card, according to his attorney. His arrest is the latest escalation by Trump in what he calls the first arrest of many to come to crack down on pro-Palestinian demonstrations on college campuses, and comes days after he vowed to deport foreign students and imprison agitators involved in illegal protests. On Monday evening, hundreds carried signs as they marched through lower Manhattan and called for Khalils release. Khalil, who completed his work on his masters degree in December, was at the forefront of the student-led anti-war movement at Columbia University last year. He was among those under investigation by a new university committee that brought disciplinary charges against dozens of students for their pro-Palestinian activism, according to The Associated Press. Demonstrators called for Mahmoud Khalil's release in New York on Monday. - Jeenah Moon/Reuters ICEs arrest and detention of Mahmoud follows the US governments open repression of student activism and political speech, specifically targeting students at Columbia University for criticism of Israels assault on Gaza, Khalils attorney Amy Greer said. The US government has made clear that they will use immigration enforcement as a tool to suppress that speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Khalil is currently being held at a detention facility in Jena, Louisiana, according to a source with direct knowledge of the case. His lawyers asked the court to issue an order reversing Khalils transfer to Louisiana, which they argued in the filing undermines the courts jurisdiction and his access to legal counsel and family. Khalil emailed interim university president Katrina Armstrong the night before his arrest to request her help in securing legal support and other protections following what he described as a dehumanizing doxing campaign against him, according to court documents. In the email, Khalil said people were falsely labeling him a terrorist threat and calling for his deportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CNN has reached out to Columbia University regarding Khalils request. Attorneys for Khalil also detail difficulty reaching him after he was transferred to Louisiana. Although its not yet clear what he is being charged with, Khalils arrest appears to be among the first actions following Trumps promise to deport international students who joined the protests against Israels war in Gaza across college campuses last year. Legal experts point out once there is an allegation the only person who has authority to revoke a persons immigration status, such as a student visa or green card, is an immigration judge. Green card holders have broad rights as legal residents of the United States, including the right to work and protection by all laws of the United States, the persons state of residence and local jurisdictions. The State Department declined to comment on Khalils case, noting visa records are confidential under US law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Khalil was apprehended by two plainclothes Department of Homeland Security agents at the university-owned apartment building where he lives with his wife, a US citizen, Writers Against the War on Gaza said in a news release. The DHS agents said the State Department revoked Khalils student visa, although he does not have a student visa, but rather a green card, and is a lawful permanent resident, the group said. When Khalils wife, who is eight months pregnant, showed the agents his green card, one agent was visibly confused and said on the phone, He has a green card, according to the news release. However, after a moment, the DHS agents stated that the State Department had revoked that too. Khalils wife then phoned his attorney, who spoke with the agents in an attempt to intervene, the group said. When Khalils attorney requested that a copy of the warrant be emailed to her, the agent hung up the call. Columbia University confirmed in a statement Sunday there have been reports of ICE around campus and said the university has and will continue to follow the law. Khalil is currently being held at a detention facility in Jena, Louisiana, according to a source with direct knowledge of the case. - Edmund Fountain/Reuters The university did not respond to CNNs request for additional information, including whether the school had received a valid warrant for Khalils arrest, which its statement said is required before entering Columbia property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A town hall for Columbia students aimed at helping them navigate whats going on is scheduled for Wednesday, according to a message addressed to the student community Sunday. Immigration law gives broad authority to the administration The Trump administration based the arrest on a provision of immigration law that gives it broad authority on who can be subject to deportation, according to a senior Homeland Security official. The Immigration and Nationality Act states an alien whose presence or activities in the United States the Secretary of State has reasonable ground to believe would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States is deportable. The term alien refers to anyone who isnt a citizen or national of the United States. That provision of the law was used as grounds to detain Khalil, according to the official, who didnt rule out it could be used in future cases as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the judge decides the allegations are sustained, the person in custody can still apply for relief, but the whole process can drag on for months, according to Camille Mackler, founder and executive director of Immigrant ARC, a coalition of legal service providers in New York. There is a question of whether due process is going to happen here or for anyone else, Mackler said. We are seeing the Trump administration use the power of government to go after people or institutions they do not like or agree with. In a free society that shouldnt happen. John Sandweg, a former acting director of ICE, said in an email to CNN the use of a provision to deport a green card holder is rare, and often used with other immigration charges, including that the person lied in their green card application and did not disclose ties to the terror organization. The Administration may also be relying on another provision that arguably allows ICE to deport someone when the Secretary of State has reasonable ground to believe that the persons presence or activities in the US present serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States, Sandweg added while also noting the use of it is also rare. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Donna Lieberman, the executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, told CNNs Boris Sanchez that it reeks of McCarthyism. The claim is that his opposition to the activities of Israel with regard to the Palestinians are grounds for him to be deported. And that is simply illegal, she said. Pro-Palestinian student protesters set up a tent encampment at Columbia University last year. - Nikita Payusov/Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images Activists, friends fight for his release Columbia has been at the forefront of US campus protests over Israels war in Gaza since last year, inspiring a wave of demonstrations across university campuses in the US and abroad. Last April, protesters at Columbia went on to seize a campus building, resulting in dozens of arrests some of those cases were later dismissed in court. A university task force said Jews and Israelis at the school were ostracized from student groups, humiliated in classrooms and subjected to verbal abuse amid the spring demonstrations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pro-Palestinian protesters have repeatedly said theres nothing antisemitic about criticizing Israel over its actions in Gaza or expressing solidarity with Palestinians and calling for a ceasefire. Since Hamas deadly attacks on October 7, 2023, Israels offensive in Gaza has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. It also has imposed a siege and razed entire communities, rendering nearly 90% of the population displaced, according to the United Nations, and 100% food insecure, according to former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Although demands among protesters varied at each university, the majority of demonstrations called for their colleges to divest from companies that support Israel and the war in Gaza. At Columbia, Khalil was selected to serve as a negotiator for the students during the Gaza Solidarity Encampment on the university campus and spent 17 months protesting Israels bombardment of Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Gaza Solidarity Encampment was organized by Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), a student-led coalition of more than 100 organizations including Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace, to protest what they describe as the universitys continued financial investment in corporations that profit from Israeli apartheid, genocide, and military occupation of Palestine, according to CUAD. Khalil was calling for Columbia University to stop using the student endowment to invest in different Israeli weapons manufacturing companies and basically remove any sort of support from Israel, said Zainab Khan, another Columbia graduate who was active in the student-led anti-war movement. Everyone is scared, everyones angry, she added. If this can happen to one of the best in our group, then it can happen to anyone. Trump administration ramps up efforts to crack down on pro-Palestinian voices Columbia has become the first target in Trumps campaign to cut federal money to colleges accused of tolerating antisemitism amid the Israel-Hamas war. The president said in a post on social media Monday his administration is working to deport terrorist sympathizers from our country never to return again. Trump signed an executive order during his second week in office to combat antisemitism on college campuses by potentially revoking visas and directing universities to monitor and report on international students and staff. We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on X in response to reports of Khalils detention. Columbia was one of 60 US colleges and universities notified Monday by the US Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights that it faces consequences if it doesnt comply with Title VI protections for Jewish students New York University Professor Robert Cohen, an expert in student activism and social protest in 20th-century America, told CNN the Trump administrations language and generalization that protesters are pro-jihadist is dangerous. To act as if everybody in the movement is supporting Hamas is a vast oversimplification, Cohen said. Most people involved in the movement nationally were opposed to the war because of the fact that there were a lot of people dying, a lot of civilians were getting killed. Khalils arrest brought outrage from civil rights and advocacy organizations. Murad Awawdeh, president of the New York Immigration Coalition, said the targeting of Khalil was an affront to his First Amendment rights, while the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nations largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization said the arrest was an attack on the very humanity of Palestinians. This arrest is unprecedented, illegal, and un-American. The federal government is claiming the authority to deport people with deep ties to the U.S. and revoke their green cards for advocating positions that the government opposes, Ben Wizner, director of the American Civil Liberties Unions Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project said in a press release on Monday. New York Attorney General Letitia James took to X to say shes extremely concerned, about the arrest of Khalil, adding that her office is monitoring the situation and is in contact with his attorney. This story has been updated with additional information. CNNs Lauren Mascarenhas, Jeff Winter, Elizabeth Wolfe and Sabrina Souza contributed to this reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com (NewsNation) Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil has been arrested at New Yorks Columbia University as part of President Donald Trumps promise to crack down on what he calls illegal campus protests. Khalils attorney, Amy Greer, told the Associated Press that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers entered Khalils university-owned apartment, just blocks from Columbias Manhattan campus, and arrested him on Saturday night. The agents claimed they were acting on a State Department order to revoke Khalils green card, Greer said. Who is Mahmoud Khalil? Khalil, who was actively involved in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia last spring, was one of few protesters to publicly share his name. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Khalil is a legal, permanent U.S. resident who grew up in Syria, according to his attorney, and is married to a U.S. citizen who is eight months pregnant. Israel cuts off electricity supply to Gaza, affecting drinking water Greer told the Associated Press that Khalils wife does not know his whereabouts and that authorities have declined to explain his detention to her. Khalil has since been transferred to an immigration detention facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey, according to the Associated Press. One ICE officer told Greer by phone that they were executing a State Department order to revoke Khalils student visa. Informed that Khalil, who graduated in December, was in the United States as a permanent resident with a green card, the agent said they were revoking that too, according to the lawyer. Columbia University contracts canceled over antisemitism allegations The Department of Homeland Security said in a social media post that it had arrested Khalil because he has led activities aligned to Hamas, without elaborating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Homeland Security spokesperson said Khalils arrest aligns with the Trump administrations threats to deport foreign students involved in pro-Palestinian protests. The administration has claimed that by allegedly supporting Hamas against Israels war in Gaza, students have forfeited their right to remain in the U.S. Fighter jets again intercept aircraft near Trumps Mar-a-Lago Trump emphasized this stance on Tuesday, vowing that agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. The administration has placed particular scrutiny on Columbia, announcing Friday that it would be cutting $400 million in grants and contracts because of what the government described as the schools failure to squelch antisemitism on campus. Civil rights union slams Mahmoud Khalils arrest The New York Civil Liberties Union condemned Khalils arrest, calling it a frightening escalation and retaliation by the Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Columbia University said the school is unable to share information about students due to legal restrictions but emphasized the universitys commitment to protecting students legal rights. The spokesperson also noted that law enforcement agents must produce a warrant before entering university property but declined to say if the school had received a warrant for Khalils arrest, per the Associated Press. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. President Trump is giving this anti-Israel campus rabble-rouser a ticket to study abroad for good. A Palestinian activist who led a coalition of twisted radicals seeking the total eradication of Western civilization responsible for riotous protests at Columbia University and Barnard College has been arrested by ICE agents, according to his lawyer. Columbia University Apartheid Divest leader Mahmoud Khalil, who completed his graduate studies at Columbia in December, also potentially faces having his visa revoked and his green card canceled following Trumps crackdown on unrest at colleges, attorney Amy Greer said Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was inside his university-owned apartment a few blocks from the Ivy League campus Saturday night when ICE agents entered and took him into custody, Greer said. Despite graduating months ago, Khalil, who earned his undergraduate degree in Beirut, still lived in school-provided housing due to a policy allowing students to remain on campus after graduating, a source told The Post. Activist Mahmoud Khalil was arrested Sunday, his attorney Amy Greer told AP. LP Media He has remained active in recent disruptive protests, including last weeks takeover of the Milstein Library at Barnard College. Videos and photographs posted on X depict him holding a bullhorn near the library entrance and engaged in discussion with school administrators. That protest featured violent propaganda flyers that purportedly came directly from the Hamas Media Office, including one pamphlet titled Our Narrative Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, which justified the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and in which women were repeatedly raped, whole families executed and 251 hostages taken to the Gaza Strip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Others at the Barnard library takeover passed around trading card-like photos of notorious Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon last September. Ari Shrage, head of Columbias Jewish Alumni Association, told The Post he was dismayed and concerned to see the literature that was being distributed. These protesters were handing out materials from terrorist organizations Hamas and Hezbollah. Every American citizen should be concerned when students are encouraging terrorist activities on US soil regardless of their nationality. In recent weeks, Barnard College was the site of campus building takeovers for two consecutive weeks to protest the expulsion of a pair of students who barged into a Columbia class on modern Israel in January and tossed around pro-Hamas flyers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the documents depicted an Israeli flag in flames and another showed an army boot stomping a Star of David. In response to the administrators kicking the perpetrators off campus, dozens of masked protesters stormed Barnards historic Milbank Hall, the oldest building on campus, on Feb. 26, egged on by pro-intifada group Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine. Trump announced plans to yank about $400 million in funding from Columbia due to its noncompliance with anti-discrimination laws. A school security guard was assaulted as the violent mob forced its way inside, where protesters graffitied political messages ilke Free Palestine and Barnard expels students. A week later on March 5, around 200 demonstrators seized the academic nerve center of the elite private womens college, Milstein Library, where they hung an Old West-style Wanted poster featuring dean of students Leslie Grinage and a shoddy effigy of Barnard president Laura Rosenbury. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The NYPD evacuated the building after a bogus bomb threat and arrested nine students from nearby schools many of them privileged youths who refused lawful orders to disperse. As agents raided Khalils apartment, Columbia put out a statement addressing the presence of agents in the vicinity of the campus, and stated its intention not to cooperate with ICEs actions except where required by law. Consistent with our longstanding practice and the practice of cities and institutions throughout the country, law enforcement must have a judicial warrant to enter non-public university areas, including university buildings, the statement read in part. Columbia is committed to complying with all legal obligations and supporting our student body and campus community. Here is the latest on the Barnard College and Columbia University student protests Soon after his detention, Khalils supporters issued a press release calling the arrest a racist targeting which serves to instill fear in pro-Palestine activists as well as a warning to others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A petition demanding Khalils immediate release posted on Action Network garnered more than 349,000 signatures by Sunday evening. Last September, Khalil and Columbia United Apartheid Divest, which has vowed to escalate its tactics until the empire crumbles, were among those taking part in the campus takeover at the start of the school year. Members of the New York Police Department surround a pro-Palestinian encampment on the lawn of Columbia University as they stormed the campus to clear out anti-Israel protestors on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in New York, N.Y. New York Post The coalition of 116 student groups at the Ivy League school who called themselves Westerners fighting for the total eradication of Western civilization in a since-deleted Instagram post last August also led the charge in the violent raid of Columbias Hamilton Hall last April. Local and state leaders, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, condemned the protests, calling on school officials to enforce disciplinary codes and impose swift actions to punish wrongdoers, a source told The Post at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Khalil told a Post reporter during Septembers raucous protests that anti-Israel student organizers were undeterred, and promised to ramp up their actions, including establishing future encampments. As long as Columbia continues to invest and to benefit from Israeli apartheid, the students will continue to resist, Khalil said. Not only protests and encampments, the limit is the sky. Last April, during the height of the encampment protests, Khalil told the Columbia Daily Spectator that he was not personally participating in the protests over concerns he would lose his student visa which allowed him to remain in the US. He was briefly suspended that month, but the suspension was reversed the very next day, he told BBC at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [They said] that after reviewing the evidence, they dont have any evidence to suspend, he said. Khymani James, 20, a prominent spokesperson for the Hamas-cheering radical collective led by Khalil, was banned from campus in the wake of the April protests after a video surfaced of them expressing violent and hateful rhetoric toward Jews. The same way we are very comfortable accepting Nazis dont deserve to live, fascists dont deserve to live, racists dont deserve to live, Zionists, they shouldnt live in this world, said James. James later offered a tepid apology, but laid the blame at the foot of right-wing agitators, claiming they were targeted for being visibly queer and black. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last springs encampment continued to expand until April 18, when Columbia president Minouche Shafik who soon after resigned under pressure finally called on the NYPD to enter the campus and break it up after protesters ignored warnings to leave. Cops arrested 108 participants at Columbia, which sparked a movement of solidarity protests of similar encampments at university campuses across the country. An ICE agent reportedly told Khalils lawyer Greer that the agency was enforcing a State Department edict to revoke Khalils student visa as well as his green card, pursuant to Trumps recent pledge to deport foreign student agitators responsible for fomenting campus unrest. The news comes just days after Trump announced plans to yank about $400 million in federal grants and contracts from Columbia due to its noncompliance with anti-discrimination laws. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced her picks for leadership of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Sunday, further solidifying the Trump administrations revamp of an agency it sees as crucial to carrying out its crackdown on illegal immigration. Noem named one outsider, Madison Sheahan, and a longtime agency employee, Todd Lyons, to two new senior roles in the agency. Sheahan, the previous secretary of Louisianas Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, will now serve as the acting deputy director of the ICE. Lyons, a seasoned ICE employee who has assumed several roles in the agencys enforcement and removal branch, will now serve as the ICEs acting director. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the past four years, our brave men and women of ICE were barred from doing their jobsICE needs a culture of accountability that it has been starved of under the Biden Administration, Noem said in a statement Sunday. For the past four years, our brave men and women of ICE were barred from doing their jobsICE needs a culture of accountability that it has been starved of under the Biden Administration. With President Trumps support, I am appointing new ICE leadership to deliver results that pic.twitter.com/cI8MNHLzEK Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) March 9, 2025 With President Trumps support, I am appointing new ICE leadership to deliver results that President Trump and the American people rightfully demand, she continued. Todd Lyons and Madison Sheahan are work horses, strong executors, and accountable leaders who will lead the men and women of ICE to achieve the American peoples mandate to target, arrest and deport illegal aliens. In an interview on CBS News Face the Nation Sunday, Noem additionally noted that Lyons and Sheahan have done incredible work cleaning up our communities and making them safer in the past and spotlighted Lyons long history with President Donald Trumps border czar, Tom Homan. Adding more people to the team, with Todd and with Madison, is going to allow us to partner with local law enforcement officials to make sure that we truly are following through on enforcing the law, and if you break our law, then theres going to be consequences, Noem continued. Madison Sheahan speaks at CCA Louisiana. / Sean Gardner/Getty Images for Raising Cane's Prior to working in Louisianas Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Sheahan worked alongside Noem in the South Dakota government when the Homeland Security Secretary was governor. She also worked for the states Republican Party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Lyons has had a long career at ICE, joining the agency as a deportation officer in 2007 and working his way up to the assistant director of field operations for its enforcement and removal branch in 2024. Prior to joining the agency over a decade age, Lyons served in the U.S. Air Force. Donald Trump attends a town hall, moderated by Kristi Noem at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center and Fairgrounds in Oaks, Pennsylvania, on October 14, 2024. / JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images Lyons succeeds Caleb Vitello in this new role, who was demoted by Noem in Februaryjust one month into his tenure. Vitello, another seasoned ICE official, was removed as acting director following frustration from the White House over sluggish deportation numbers in the month since Trump took office. He has since been reassigned into a new role overseeing daily enforcement operations. Trump has repeatedly voiced his desire to launch one of the biggest deportation efforts in the countrys history, and has green-lit a handful of new initiatives to see it through. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem suggested on Sunday that children brought to the country illegally by their parents have a choice in the matter. In a discussion about detaining undocumented families, CBS host Margaret Brennan asked if Noem was comfortable with children being locked up in detention centers along with their parentsa policy the Trump administration revived after taking office. Remember, everybody has an option, Noem said on Face the Nation. They have an option to be here legally or illegally, and they can self-deport as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The kids dont really have a choice in this, Brennan interjected before she was cut off. Well, the kids do have a choice," Noem said. If they have parents, they make a choice to keep their families together, if they want to or not. Brennan appeared puzzled at Noems suggestion that children choose to keep their families together or do otherwise. Noem appeared to backtrack, shifting the responsibility back onto parents. If parents make a decision to leave their children behind, then thats a choice that they made as a family, she added. As part of President Donald Trumps campaign to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement began detaining parents with deportation orders along with their children at a facility in Karnes City, Texas, on Thursday. President Joe Biden had discontinued the practicewhich began under former President Barack Obama and continued through Trumps first termin March 2021, according to the Washington Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve got detention facilities across the country, and theres specific ones that are built specifically for families if they are detained, said Noem, who has earned the nickname ICE Barbie for getting dolled up on a series of the agencys raids. Trump faced withering criticism in his first term for not only detaining immigrant families but also separating parents from children in a policy known as forced separation. The Trump administration eventually ended the practice after public outcry. Brennan asked Noem whether DHS planned to resume breaking up families. I dont know that were actually reviving it, Noem snapped back before unleashing criticism on Trumps predecessor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden didnt follow the law, Noem said. He made decisions to ignore federal law in how he handled immigration and enforcement within our borders. If you break our law, then theres going to be consequences, she added. Noting that DHS has run up against capacity issues under the presidents deportation spree, Brennan asked whether the administration would use military bases like Fort Bliss in Texas to detain immigrants. There is, yes, a plan to use the facilities at Fort Bliss for detention facilities, Noem said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH) may acquire a stake in the company for development of Azerbaijan-EU green energy corridor project, said Bulgarian Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov during the Tenth Ministerial Meeting of the Strategic Partnership Agreement on Green Energy Development and Transmission, held in Budapest, Hungary, Trend reports via the Bulgarian ministry. Bulgaria, with its well-developed electricity transmission system, interconnections with neighboring countries, and energy storage infrastructure, is poised to play a crucial role in the development of the Green Energy Corridor project. The country has supported the initiative from its inception and is now initiating the process of joining the project. The Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH) will participate in corporate discussions regarding pre-feasibility studies and may acquire a stake in the project company, said the minister. On December 17, 2022, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary signed a strategic partnership agreement, which includes plans for the construction of a 1,000 MW submarine energy cable under the Black Sea, spanning 1,195 kilometers. This cable will transmit green electricity generated in Azerbaijan and Georgia to Romania, with further transport to Hungary and the rest of Europe, enhancing Europes access to renewable energy from the Caucasus region. Follow the author on X: @Lyaman_Zeyn HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) The Office of the Inspector General released a preliminary report on the use of deadly force by the Hartford Police Department that killed a 21-year-old man. On March 6, officers at the Hartford Police Department Command Center were monitoring Instagram Live when they saw an African-American male, identified as 21-year-old William Bowen, walking around Hartford displaying what appeared to be a firearm. Suspect shot and killed by Hartford police on Homestead Avenue Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Using unmarked cars, police allegedly converged on Bowen on Homestead Avenue. Bowen displayed a handgun, and two officers, Officer Robert Bohm and Detective Benjamin Lee, fired multiple rounds from their weapons. Bowen then went running through the backyard of a home on Homestead Avenue and into the backyard of a home on Magnolia Street. The inspector general report said that Walsh was walking on the sidewalk in front of the Magnolia Street home when Bowen emerged from an alley on the side of the house, running directly at him. Walsh then fired multiple rounds that struck Bowen, fatally wounding him. A nearby doorbell camera allegedly recorded Walsh yelling drop the gun moments before he fired, the inspector general said. Hartford police provided medical aid to Bowen and he was later pronounced dead at St. Francis Hospital. Police said that they later found a Glock with a high capacity magazine along Bowens path of flight and another firearm in a backpack discarded by him, which matched those appearing in the Instagram Live video. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bowens death was ruled a homicide and the cause of death was ruled to be gunshot wounds to the torso and right upper and lower extremities. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Jane Porath's east-side home looks like someone emptied the contents of an apartment and stacked everything in her living room and front porch. From armchairs to winter coats to spatulas, donated household items sit awaiting an Afghan refugee family in Pakistan who was on the verge of being approved to resettle in Milwaukee, with Porath and eight other Milwaukeeans as their sponsors. But President Donald Trump's executive order pausing refugee resettlement left the family in a dangerous limbo. By the end of March, Pakistan could deport the family to Afghanistan, where they are likely to be targeted for violence. Two sons worked for the U.S. government training Afghan troops, and a daughter, Samira Panahi, helped 150 women college students flee the country as the Taliban took over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I cannot imagine them going back to Afghanistan and facing the torture, the punishment, because of us," Panahi said. "I did something. My brothers did something. But they are paying for it." The sponsors and the family are trapped in a painful Catch-22: After the abrupt U.S. resettlement stoppage, they're suspended in bureaucratic uncertainty, unsure if a solution is possible before the March deadline set by Pakistan. The sponsors have turned to Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson's office in hopes they can bring Panahi's mother and four unmarried, adult siblings to Milwaukee through a provision in the order allowing for case-by-case exceptions to the resettlement shutdown. "We need to take the next step as soon as possible," Porath said. "It could mean the difference between life and death." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sponsors' optimism is dimming by the day. It's especially stressful for Panahi, 30, who settled in Milwaukee. "I'm not even sure if they go to Afghanistan, if I would see them again, if they would be alive," she said. More: They came to the U.S. legally with American sponsors. Trump put their future in jeopardy. Porath said an aide for Johnson told her, "This is the type of family we want here. They deserve to come to the U.S.," adding she'd try to expedite the request for an exception for the family. Sponsors submitted letters and key documents to Johnson's office. When they followed up, and the aide had more information, she said it seemed like the Trump administration was not making any decisions on exceptions before late April, 90 days after the order halting resettlement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement provided by staff, Johnson said the office does not comment on open casework. The mission statement for my Senate office is To Help People,'" Johnson said. "My staff has an excellent reputation for going above and beyond to help constituents navigate federal bureaucracies. Reports indicate Trump could institute a travel ban on people from Afghanistan and Pakistan as early as this week. Over 40,000 Afghans worldwide are in limbo with open U.S. immigration cases, NPR reported, and more than 10,000 of them are already approved to relocate here. Nearly 20,000 of them are stranded in Pakistan, according to the Associated Press. The Pakistani government has pledged to kick out all Afghans without legal status by March 31. Hundreds of thousands of Afghans fled to Pakistan after the Taliban takeover and live in hiding Panahi's family included. Twenty family members are staying indoors, she said, rarely venturing outside because if they do, police could stop them and ask for papers they don't have. They subsist on funds Panahi and her younger sister wire them. Samira Panahi led nearly 150 Afghan women college students on an escape from Kabul as the Taliban took over in 2021. She is pictured outside the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District in 2022, where she worked after she arrived in Milwaukee. Afghan family left in the lurch after group fundraises for their arrival Profiled by the Journal Sentinel three years ago, Panahi retrieved nearly 150 female college students' passports from a government office and led the women on a harrowing, days-long journey to flee Kabul as the Taliban took over in 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After a stay at Wisconsin's Fort McCoy, she and 10 others, including her younger sister, moved in with host families in Milwaukee. Most of the women enrolled at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, their tuition funded by local residents' donations. Panahi and her sister are now studying at Arizona State University, where tuition is fully funded by the school. But they've built a community in Milwaukee and return over breaks. Panahi loves her host family like her own, she said, and considers their house to be her home. In challenging moments she calls her host mother, saying, "I'm not feeling well. Can you pray for me?" All along, Panahi has been trying to find a way to bring her family out of danger and to America. The U.S. Department of State's new Welcome Corps program was a promising opportunity. A group of at least five Americans could raise money, then sponsor and resettle certain refugees, doing the work of a resettlement agency themselves: help a family find housing and jobs, set up a bank account, learn to ride the bus and more. More: Milwaukee family aimed to bring relatives in Tanzania to U.S. through new refugee program Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like others who came through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, they would be highly vetted. And private sponsors would foot the costs entirely, not the government. To bring the Panahi family to Milwaukee, the sponsor group raised $12,800 on GoFundMe by asking friends for donations. The halt on resettlement came as the sponsors were in the final steps of the approval process for Panahi's family, just "crossing some Ts and dotting some Is," maybe 95 to 98% of the way there, said Ken Leinbach, the lead sponsor for the group and the former head of the Urban Ecology Center. From left, Ken Leinbach, Zarifa Saadat and Jane Porath look at donations that were collected for an Afghan family whose resettlement in Milwaukee is now uncertain because of President Donald Trump's pause on refugees. Leinbach and Porath are sponsors, while Saadat is a friend and supporter of their sponsorship group. He received an email from the group's liaison at Welcome Corps on Jan. 27. She said she was laid off and her email account was being shut down. She signed it: "Take care, carry on, and keep helping others - especially now." With that, the sponsors were on their own. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Trump stopped refugee resettlement, "a lot of people lost hope," said Leinbach, who has gotten to know many of the Afghan refugees in Milwaukee. "Now the issue is, how do you keep people buoyed up?" The effort to get an exemption for Panahi's family with the help of Johnson's office is a last-ditch effort. It offers the tiniest "sliver of an opening," he said. The group does not know whether the family would be eligible for the exemption because the case was not approved when the resettlement pause started. It's also unclear whether the Panahi family's case will ever be decided. Ninety days after the executive order was issued, a report is required on whether restarting resettlement "would be in the interests of the United States." Nonprofit resettlement agencies last week said the government canceled its contracts with them. "For all we know, it's just lost in the ether right now," said Jonathan Ward, a sponsor with the group and a retired diplomat. Samira Panahi's mother and four unmarried adult siblings are pictured here. The family is living in hiding in Pakistan and would be at risk if they were forced to return to Afghanistan. The Journal Sentinel is not identifying the family members for their safety. Sponsors feel a 'moral obligation' to help Afghan family Though they have found themselves navigating murky bureaucratic waters, the sponsors feel they must try their best to help Panahi. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leinbach met Panahi through a mutual acquaintance, and the two became good friends, he said. When she asked Leinbach about sponsoring her family, he agreed. After leaving the Urban Ecology Center, he was reimagining his future and resolved to say "yes" to things that seemed right. He is driven by the parable of the starfish. Throwing one washed-up starfish back into the ocean may not appear to make a dent in a beach covered with them, but it has a significant impact on the life of the one creature. And for Afghans who helped the U.S, "we have a moral obligation and a responsibility to the people that we brought into our fold," he said. From left, refugee sponsors Jonathan Ward, Ken Leinbach, John Dunn, Jane Porath, Margie Dunn and supporter Zarifa Saadat meet at Porath's home on Thursday, March 6. The group was working to bring an Afghan family to Milwaukee and out of danger in Pakistan. Porath, who collected the donations and ran the GoFundMe, hasn't been sleeping well, worried about the Panahi family. She's learned there are almost no good options if the family wants to escape the threat of deportation in Pakistan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There's the repressive Iran at one border, and tough-to-traverse mountains throughout the country not to mention the threat of being found by Pakistani police. Panahi has no idea what will happen to her family by the end of the month. Her younger sister has no confidence the U.S. government will allow the family to resettle in Milwaukee soon. But Panahi holds onto a bit of hope. She's been praying a lot. She tells God: "There was a time that I helped a lot of people. I asked you to help me get them out of Afghanistan. Now I'm asking for my family. They're in danger as well." "Maybe God will respond to me," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sophie Carson is a general assignment reporter who reports on religion and faith, immigrants and refugees and more. Contact her at scarson@gannett.com or 920-323-5758. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee group seeks exception to refugee pause for Afghan family It's been four months since president Donald Trump tapped billionaire tech founder and SpaceX space tourist Jared Isaacman as the new head of NASA. Isaacman has reportedly been preparing for his upcoming confirmation hearing in Washington, DC. But given his latest tweet, he still has a lot to learn. The man, who's about to oversee an agency that's expected to be gutted in the coming months and years, knows astonishingly little of what's going on and he seems proud of that fact. According to a recent reporting by Ars Technica, the Trump administration is looking to slash the space agency's science budget by as much as 50 percent, which could prove disastrous for the future of space research. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You'd think that would be top of mind for Isaacman, but his head is instead blissfully empty. "I'm a humble nominee on the outside, hoping for a chance to contribute," he tweeted over the weekend, responding to a post that referenced the news. "I don't know anything about those supposed cuts, but the President said he's targeting fraud, waste & abuse w/ a scalpel not a hatchet." It's a surprisingly tone-deaf outburst that rehashes largely meaningless claims made by president Donald Trump during a recent Cabinet meeting. Isacman downplayed Ars' reporting, dismissing it as "rumor and speculation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But what if there's some truth to those rumors? Does Isaacman really not know what's going on, despite being widely expected to take control of NASA? If there's one person who should arguably be clued into any upcoming, potentially existential cuts to NASA's budget, it should be him. "This is not a good sign," Keith Cowing, founder of an unofficial NASA advocacy group called NASA Watch, responded. "It would seem by virtue of this tweet that [Isaacman] has not been following the news that closely even if he is still a nominee." "Nominees should avoid making public comments and IMHO this would have been a perfect opportunity to pass on commenting," Cowing added. SpaceX CEO and unelected White House advisor Elon Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency has been causing mass confusion in Washington, DC, after early reports suggested that over 1,000 NASA employees were put on the chopping block last month. Not long after, the Houston Chronicle reported that they'd been spared as part of a chaotic last-minute decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amidst the confusion, morale at the agency reached "absurdly low" levels last month, as Ars reported at the time. Even NASA's flagship Artemis program, which is aiming to return astronauts to the surface of the Moon before the end of the decade, appears to be in serious danger, with Musk repeatedly voicing his desire to skip the Moon and go straight to Mars instead. Meanwhile, apart from spending his time retweeting archival pictures of Air Force jets, Isaacman has been strikingly quiet. In a statement, he called to develop tech that unlocks "mission optionality from the Moon to Mars and beyond," but treated space as an untapped source of profit rather than a chance to learn about the origins of humanity, our planet's past, and ways to address the challenges we're facing as a species. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Space holds unparalleled potential for breakthroughs in manufacturing, biotechnology, mining, and perhaps even pathways to new sources of energy," Isaacman wrote in his announcement, calling for NASA to "usher in an era where humanity becomes a true spacefaring civilization." In other words, his position on the kind of scientific research that could soon be axed remains as vague as ever. Isaacman's confirmation will be overseen by senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) a date has yet to be announced which may force him to carefully toe the line. Why? Musk again: earlier this year, the billionaire called for the International Space Station to be deorbited three years early because, he insisted, the scientific research being done on the orbital outpost was no longer worth it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cruz is an outspoken and longtime advocate of the space station, which could put Isaacman in an awkward position. Either he appeals to the desires of Congress, or tries to make sense of and advocate for the whims of the world's richest person. It's an unenviable task that's bound to lead to friction, and whether he'll ultimately be up to the task remains to be seen. More on Isaacman: It Kinda Sounds Like NASA Is Gutting Its Plans for a Moon Landing The self-promoting braggart has been an under-the-radar culprit contributing to Britains productivity crisis for decades. Driven by hubris, too many people have sailed to the top of British business and politics based on confidence alone. There are similar issues in America, where one Gallup study shows that companies fail to choose the right management candidate 82pc of the time. Too often, the noisiest and not the smartest get the job. We all know its true. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sir Keir Starmer acknowledged in a speech to the creative industry last year how speaking skills are a massive part of the class ceiling, pointing out how private schools often focus on teaching confidence and public speaking. That makes a big difference research by UCL shows that a persons overconfidence in adolescence positively reflects their job outcomes later in life. Being able to b------t is a genuine skill. Its an age-old tale, but there are a number of reasons to dig up this conversation now. Firstly, theres the Governments flagship Employment Rights Bill, which was strengthened last week to the delight of unions after more than 200 amendments were published. Ministers say that the bill will support the Governments mission to increase productivity but bosses are in a complete spin about the impact of reforms such as day-one employment rights. The overhaul could damage social mobility and drag on productivity if managers feel like they are unable to sack the ill-suited hires who got through the door simply because they had the gift of the gab. Sir Keir Starmer acknowledges how speaking skills are a massive part of the class ceiling - Adam Vaughan/Shutterstock Toby Fowlston, the boss of recruitment giant Robert Walters, has already warned that it is getting harder to distinguish one candidate from another because more people are using artificial intelligence (AI) to churn out their CVs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ah, CVs a hot topic after Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, and Jonathan Reynolds, the Business Secretary, were both accused of telling porkies on theirs. Apparently, theyre not alone in the last year, nearly a fifth of Britons have lied on their CVs in order to land a role, or know someone who has, according to fraud prevention service Cifas. Wrap that in with someone who is overly confident in an interview, and voila, the self-promoter speeds ahead. And, finally, given that weve just had International Womens Day, studies show that men typically overestimate their abilities and performance more than women. A UCL study in 2023 found that overconfidence in men explains around 11pc of the gender pay gap. We are not just talking about a few cocksure lads here, though a nationally representative survey of 2,000 adults by The Behavioural Insights Team last year found that 81pc of people were overconfident in their answers to a series of general knowledge questions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around 3pc were underconfident often right, but didnt back themselves meaning that just 15pc were classed as well-calibrated their perception of their own correctness was consistently accurate and rooted in reality. So there you have it. Incompetent self-promoters are taking over Britain. Social media has arguably made all of this worse the sheer volume of cringe-worthy LinkedIn posts shows that many workers have lost the art of humility (or humour). In his influential book The Peter Principle, the late Laurence Peter claimed that employees were always promoted beyond their level of competence and bad business decisions followed as a result. While his argument was that this happens wherever hierarchies exist (the idea being that you keep getting promoted until youre no longer good at the job), people who are good at puffing themselves up will obviously climb up that hierarchy ladder to corporate inefficiency even faster. A study of 28 UK workplaces across different sectors conducted by Hult International Business School has previously pointed out why this matters they uncovered a cohort of seemingly engaged staff who turned out to be self-promoters putting in minimal effort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amy Armstrong, one of the researchers behind the study, told the BBC at the time that this group was playing the system by constantly appearing to be in meetings or involved in conversations, without actually achieving very much. As a result, they were damaging productivity while being rewarded for dysfunctional behaviour with promotions, better pay and bonuses, she said. So whats the solution? For a start bosses need to start paying more attention to their less glossy colleagues, those quieter staff whose ideas might not be being heard over the boom of their louder, over-confident peers. The unintended consequences of the Employment Rights Bill on hiring also need to be heard we dont want nervous bosses to overlook the more reserved candidates or feel stuck with ill-suited hires who are simply well-versed on how to nail an interview. But this cant be all down to business. Confidence is instilled at a young age. Previous research from the Sutton Trust charity has found that extrovert character traits that can propel people forward in their careers such as assertiveness are typically seen in those from wealthy backgrounds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Research from Professor Becky Francis, the boss of learning charity the Education Endowment Foundation who is conducting a review of the school syllabus, has also found how putting children into lower sets knocks their confidence and makes expected low grades a self-fulfilling prophecy. This clearly matters for social reasons but also economic ones productivity is a dire problem in this country. Productivity growth in the UK averaged 2.3pc per year between 1974 and 2008, according to the National Institute of Economic and Social Research. After the financial crisis, it slumped to just 0.5pc a year on average between 2008 to 2020 and it has only edged up since. If the Government really wants to see more growth, then this is a problem that cannot be underestimated. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The campus at Gettysburg College. (Courtesy of Getty Images) An organization representing Pennsylvanias 85 independent colleges and universities is warning the commonwealths congressional delegation that cuts to federal research funding could damage the states economy, reduce the number of students who come here for higher education and set back American science, among other consequences. On Monday, the president of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP) sent a letter to the commonwealths 19 congressional representatives and senators amid layoffs and threats of large research funding cuts at the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, Pennsylvania-based researchers were awarded $1.8 billion in NIH funding, about half of which went to AICUP member schools. In the last fiscal year, the state received $332 million in NSF funding, with $186 million going to AICUP colleges and universities. These proposed cuts will do severe damage to Pennsylvanias economy and jeopardize Americas role as the world leader in science and research, potentially for generations, AICUP President Thomas Foley wrote. The bottom line is that this national research funding is an investment that pays dividends across Pennsylvania. The Trump administration has proposed cutting the NSF budget by as much as 66%. The National Institute of Health has also attempted to institute a policy cutting all funding of research institutions to 15% of indirect costs, far less than many colleges and universities currently receive. A judge has blocked those cuts, for now. Foley estimates, if allowed to stand, the policy could cost Pennsylvania researchers $425 million. It is simply inaccurate to characterize indirect costs as administrative overhead or bureaucratic bloat, Foley wrote. The kind of research these grants support involves the creation of unique laboratories, the invention/purchase of expensive equipment and the capacity to run experiments in time frames that require 24-hour supervision. These costs are not waste but in fact processes that are essential to the results which produce cancer-defying medications, heart-saving therapies and so much more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NIH- and NHS-funded research has led to the development of many pharmaceuticals and disease treatments, as well as nascent technologies that are now central to commonly used products. If you have ever used the internet or chatted on an iPhone, then you have benefited from the products born of federal research funding, Foleys letter said. Moreover, higher education institutions are a major employer in Pennsylvania, according to data from the Department of Labor and Industry. They help attract many scientists and researchers to the state. Thirty-five AICUP member schools would be at risk of losing research funds with the proposed cut, according to the association. They include: Shawanda Tyson loves the Paramount charter schools in Indianapolis where she sends her young son. Theres just one big drawback for Tyson in this city, where more than half of students attend charters transportation. Tyson usually drops her son, who is 9, off with an aunt early each morning. The aunt then brings him and other kids to Paramount. Its a major issue, said Tyson. Parents like me have to reach out to other parents to get help. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Like most other states, Indiana doesnt require or pay for buses to bring charter students to classes, which advocates are pushing for as Indiana continues its aggressive support of charter and private schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican legislators, who want an overhaul of school transportation, are considering two bills that would help charter and private schools with transportation. One bill would combine busing for district, charter and private school students into a single system in Indianapolis and four other cities. The other bill gives charters more money, which could then be used for busing. The lack of busing is such a hot-button issue that one Indiana charter network advertises on billboards that they offer students transportation. And one Indianapolis charter school director called the lack of busing an equity issue. Some charter schools in Indianapolis the city most affected by the bills dig into their budgets to pay as much as $1 million a year for buses. Most, like Paramount, dont want to sacrifice academics for transportation. That leaves parents like Tyson to fend for themselves, often making logistically complicated arrangements, such as carpooling with other families or relatives. It also means long lines of cars jamming streets around schools as parents line up to drop students off and pick them up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tyson and her aunt have developed a system to get their kids to school. Some days Im off work and I do the pickup, but it gets hard, she said. Transportation has long been a pressure point in Indiana and nationally for charter and voucher schools, with backers arguing students have to be able to get to a school for it to be a real choice. School districts often balk at paying to take students to schools they view as competition. Practically, district and charter school schedules dont always align, creating conflicts around drop off and pickup times. The education pro-charter advocacy group ExcelInEd rates Indiana as one of 20 states with limited transportation for charter and private school students. Neighboring states such as Illinois and Ohio, are rated as fair to charter students by offering similar busing as district students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The busing bill has been put on hold, however, while the state is embroiled in a battle over the broader issue of how it pays for charter schools. Senate Bill 518, would shift some local property taxes from school districts to charters. It passed the Senate last month after heated debate. The Indianapolis school board has pushed back, calling for a moratorium on adding new charter schools and maintaining local control. Board members and residents object to state plans to take money from the district and give it to charters, saying it would force them to close 20 schools. Backers say sharing taxes is needed to close a funding gap between districts and charter schools a gap of $8,000 in Indianapolis with the district spending $18,500 and charters $10,600. Critics say districts will have to close schools and cut programs if they lose money. If passed, the tax-sharing bill could give charters enough money to afford buses for students. Thats one reason parents like Ada Remus, whose son attends Edison School of the Arts, an unusual independent school in Indianapolis, supports the tax-sharing, even as the Indianapolis Public Schools district opposes it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even when great schools exist, they often lack transportation, leaving families like mine on the far east side without access, Remus told the Indianapolis Public Schools board last week. If funding were more equitable, more families, including mine, would have access to better schools without worrying about how to get there. Other Indianapolis parents and teachers blasted state officials for threatening to take money away from the district and raised concerns over what might be cut. Everyone in this room, commissioners or not, must realize that for the foreseeable future, the state will be run by rural and suburban Republicans with neither interest in nor affection for the city of Indianapolis, city resident Guthrie Beyer told the board. Alecia Ostler, executive director of the Invent Learning Hub charter school, said she decided to pay for buses when the school launched six years ago to make sure transportation didnt prevent families from enrolling. She now pays nearly $200,000 a year for three buses that transport 60 percent of her students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is inner-city, so quite honestly, there are just some situations where families are like, I dont feel comfortable with my child having to walk there, Ostler said. But then we have some families that dont have transportation, so they really lean on that bus. Theyre not going to be able to get them here without that. Transportation is an equity issue, she added. There needs to be consideration given to the needs of families. A small group of charter or independent schools avoid those expenses by partnering with the Indianapolis Public Schools as part of its unique Innovation Schools network in which the district shares a mix of busing, school buildings and technology support with 30 schools that would typically be shunned as competitors. District officials estimate they spend about $12 million a year to provide transportation for 17 of the 30 Innovation Schools. Those include KIPP Indy charter schools that boast of having Transportation Available on billboards promoting them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its core and essential to our model, said Andy Seibert, KIPP Indys executive director. The KIPP Indy charter schools know busing can be a draw for parents, so they advertise having transportation for students on billboards. (Patrick ODonnell) Advocates are still holding out hope for a common transportation system that would drastically change school busing in the city. State Rep. Bob Behning, chairman of the House education committee, has proposed creating a central authority to oversee transportation for students of district, charter and private schools. Indianapolis Public Schools officials object to how Behnings proposal would put busing under a new panel mostly appointed by state officials. District officials oppose the states Republican supermajority picking a panel overseeing the citys largely minority and Democratic residents. The question really needs to be debated by the community instead of as a piece of legislation that comes down the pipeline, said IPS Deputy Superintendent Andrew Strope. It kind of takes away the power of the people through an elected board. By Rupam Jain NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Mauritius on Tuesday for talks on upgrading strategic ties, days after U.S. President Donald Trump signalled support for a deal between Mauritius and Britain over the future of a U.S.-British military base. Modi will be the chief guest at the country's national day and hold talks with Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, who returned to office for his third stint in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last month, Trump said he would support a deal between Mauritius and Britain over the future of a U.S.-British base in the Chagos Archipelago, a group of seven atolls comprising more than 60 islands in the Indian Ocean. Diego Garcia, the largest island of the archipelago, has been used as a joint British-U.S. military base since the 1970s. Indian officials organising Modi's trip to the island nation said the settling of the Chagos sovereignty issue was welcome news for New Delhi, which has historically backed Mauritius claims over the islands, and more recently supported America's presence in the Indian Ocean to check China's influence. "During the (Modi's) visit there will be an opportunity perhaps for the Mauritius side to update us on any issues that might still be outstanding... we continue to support Mauritius in its efforts to reach a mutually satisfactory and mutually beneficial deal," India's foreign secretary Vikram Misri told reporters in New Delhi. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mauritius became independent in 1968 but London retained control of the Chagos, and forcibly displaced up to 2,000 people to make way for the Diego Garcia military base, which it had leased to the U.S. in 1966. Samuel Bashfield, an expert on Indo-Pacific security at the Australia India Institute, said it was in India's interest to retain the U.S. presence on Diego Garcia as a counterweight to China. India, in its bid to expand its strategic footprint in the Indian Ocean, helped Mauritius develop sea and air links on the remote Agalega Islands. "Diego Garcia could be a useful runway for Indian surveillance aircraft in the Indian Ocean to use periodically," said Bashfield. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A source close to Prime Minister Ramgoolam's office said: "Mauritius sees India and the U.S. sharing the same interest of containing the Chinese influence within the region." China has invested millions of dollars in recent years building seaports and highways in countries stretching from the Maldives to Sri Lanka. (Reporting by Rupam Jain, additional reporting by Nairobi newsroom, Editing by Alex Richardson) An infant and woman were killed and 10 other people hurt in a house fire in Cincinnati Sunday afternoon. The city's fire chief described the scene as "hellish," CBS Cincinnati affiliate WKRC reported. The fire department said in a statement that it got several 911 calls at about 1 o'clock and responding firefighters found intense flames on the first and second floors of the three-story, two-family home. Several injured people said they'd jumped from upper floors. They said two people were unaccounted for. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Firefighters "mounted a heroic attempt to search out and assist the missing parties, but were ultimately forced out of the building as the fire grew," so firefighters fought the blaze from the outside of the house and got it under control some two hours later. They then resumed the search for the two missing people and, several hours later, found the bodies of the woman and male infant. Ten other people, from 3 months to 48 years old, were taken to hospitals, the statement continued. "While an initial assessment shows the cause was most likely accidental, the cause of the fire remains under investigation," the statement pointed out. Dan Hurley: The 60 Minutes Interview Big Tech's big bet on nuclear power A Baltimore doctor's patients come to his aid BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, March 10. A new railway line is planned to connect Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, Trend reports. This project is part of Kyrgyzstan's National Development Program until 2030. The new railway will link the southwestern Kyrgyz city of Batken with Kokand, located in the eastern part of Uzbekistan, in the southwestern Fergana Valley. The program outlines that the new railway aims to improve transportation infrastructure, boost trade, and create new jobs in the region. Moreover, the Batken region is expected to become a key area for administrative and economic development, with plans for a modern infrastructure hub, Batken City. In addition, the modernization of Batken Airport is planned to expand air travel connections and attract investments. Other improvements will include the development of new roadways to enhance transportation and freight movement, such as the construction of roads Tayan - Sai and Uch-Korgon - Daroot-Korgon. Kyrgyzstan's National Development Program for 2030 defines the country's development direction in the coming years, focusing on sustainable economic growth and addressing the needs of all citizens. On March 6, 2025, a discussion was held regarding the draft of Kyrgyzstans National Development Program for 2030. Work on the program is ongoing. The National Program will outline the key areas of the country's development, including industrialization, transportation infrastructure, and digitalization, as well as issues related to ecology, culture, and social policy. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) California prison officials are investigating the death of an inmate who was serving a life sentence for murder after he was attacked by two other inmates on Friday. The attack took place at Kern Valley State Prison on March 7 in a facility dayroom at around 5:47 p.m., California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials said in a statement. CA prisons withhold money owed to newly freed prisoners, UC Berkeley lawsuit alleges Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to CDCR, officers saw two inmates identified as Gilbert Garcia and Rodolfo Cortez attack German M. Merino, 37, with an improvised weapon. Officers stopped the attack and Merino was treated in a prison triage area. Merino was pronounced dead at the facility less than an hour later. Garcia and Cortez were placed in restricted housing and an investigation into the incident is underway. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 17 News Alerts Merino was serving a life sentence without parole after a conviction of first-degree murder out of Los Angeles County in 2012. Garcia, 43, is serving an 11-year sentence since 2024 for a conviction of assault with a deadly weapon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cortez, 33, is serving a 24-year sentence after convictions of second-degree robbery, carjacking and assault with a deadly weapon against a peace officer. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. *Attached video: Cleveland crime by the numbers AKRON, Ohio (WJW) Three people are hospitalized after a fight broke out at a lounge in Akron early Monday morning. According to a press release from the Akron Police Department, off-duty officers who were working security for the Field House Lounge called for assistance after shots were fired inside the building located on the 300 block of Paul Williams Street around 2 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigation underway after 40-car fire in Lorain According to the release, two men, ages 18 and 36, were found with apparent gunshot wounds. Both victims were taken to area hospitals and listed in critical condition. Investigations found that a fight broke out during a concert at the bar where there was a large crowd. That is when an unidentified man fired multiple gunshots, striking the victims, before fleeing the scene. While detectives were investigating, a 25-year-old man, identified as a third victim in the shooting, arrived at an emergency room in Stow. He was reportedly grazed by a bullet, the release said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Social Security plans to claw back overpayments According to the release, the victims names are being withheld pending further investigation, and investigators are working to identify the shooter. Akron police ask that anyone with information about the shooting call the Akron Police Department Detective Bureau at 330-375-2490 or 330-375-2Tip. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Over the weekend, the Santa Fe Sheriff's Department announced its findings following an investigation into the deaths of legendary actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa. Arakawa died due to Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, a rare infectious disease that attacks the lungs and begins with flu-like symptoms, the New Mexico Department of Health confirmed. They believe the disease came from deer mice and revealed it results in 1-to-7 deaths every year in New Mexico. Officials believe she died on Feb. 11. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hackman, meanwhile, is believed to have died a week later from hypertensive atherosclerosis cardiovascular disease. Alzheimer's also played a contributing role in Hackman's passing, according to Chief Medical Investigator Dr. Heather Jarrell. Mr. Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimers disease, 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. Actor Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa pose for a portrait in 1986 in Los Angeles, California. Donaldson Collection/Getty Images Dr. Jarell's autopsy of Hackman revealed he suffered from "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." She admitted given the severity of his Alzheimer's, Hackman may not have known his wife was dead. During her meeting with the press, Dr. Jarell admitted the heartbreaking discovery that the longtime actor didn't have any food in his stomach at the time of his death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The actor had not eaten recently before passing away as there was no food in his stomach, Jarrell added, though she noted that his body showed no evidence of dehydration. He is believed to have died on Feb. 18. Related: Cause of Death for Gene Hackman, Betsy Arakawa Revealed (Photo by simpson33 via iStock / Getty Images Plus) A Henry County family is suing the sheriff for false arrest and malicious prosecution, alleging the county has waged a campaign of wild west justice against them. Curtis and Lori Wagler are suing Sheriff Rich McNamee, Henry County Deputy Carlos Lopez, and the county in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. They allege Lopezs conduct was so clearly abusive and in violation of the law that he earned his way to being the sole member of the countys Brady-Giglio list a reference to the list of law enforcement officers known by prosecutors to have been untruthful in the course of their police work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit, originally filed in state court before being transferred last week to federal court, says the Waglers own a family lumber business called Outdoor Tradition. On April 21, 2023, Lopez and seven other police officers are alleged to have arrived at the Wagler home to execute a search warrant allowing them to seize financial records related to Outdoor Tradition. The couple and their 20-year-old son, Owen, were arrested on 10 felony counts each, the lawsuit claims, and Curtis allegedly was subjected to two body-cavity searches. The Waglers were released later that day and returned home to find their belongings were all over the floor, with closets ripped out and their house ransacked by police, the lawsuit claims. It also alleges that Lopez then commenced a smear campaign against the Waglers and contacted the couples customers claiming they were being scammed and defrauded. In early November 2023, the criminal case against the Waglers was dismissed by Henry County Attorney Darin Stater, the lawsuit states. According to the lawsuit, Stater said in a letter tied to his decision to dismiss the case that my office was left scrambling to determine the legitimacy of 30 felony charges without a single report or any type of notification that Deputy Lopez intended to take any of these actions After I informed Deputy Lopez that I didnt approve the theft charges, a press release was distributed by the Henry County Sheriffs Office stating that the Waglers had been arrested and charged with ongoing criminal conduct and falsely stating that they had each been charged with nine felony thefts. The prosecutors letter allegedly goes on to say that it turns out that my decision to dismiss the charges was the right thing to do. Not only did Deputy Lopezs report fail to include evidence in support of criminal charges, but there is information showing that at least one of Deputy Lopezs sworn affidavits contains a false statement. To date, my office has not been presented with any evidence to support any criminal charge on any of the Waglers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In December 2023, Stater placed Lopez on the countys Brady-Giglio list, citing the April 21 incident. Since then, the lawsuit claims, the sheriffs office has publicly claimed the Waglers are being actively investigated and has continued to imply they are engaged in criminal activity. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for unlawful arrest, illegal search, assault, battery and malicious prosecution. The county has yet to file a response to the allegations, and Sheriff McNamee declined to comment on the case. In addition to the county, the sheriff and Deputy Lopez, the lawsuit names as a defendants Deputy Chad Doak and county employee Zach White. Court records show that the search warrant application filled out by Lopez suggests the criminal investigation into the Waglers stemmed from at least six complaints filed by individuals and various companies who alleged theyd each paid $3,000 to $54,000 for wood products that were never delivered. Search warrant records from 2017 show that the Henry County Sheriffs Office began investigating Curtis Wagler that year for the suspected theft of employee wages. In 2020, Wagler was charged with perjury for allegedly giving false testimony in a case about a forged document. Henry County prosecutors later dismissed that charge at the states expense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Curtis and Lori Waglers 2021 bankruptcy case, one bank that acted as a lender to the couple alleged the Waglers had reorganized a failed business, Wagler Manufacturing, as the newly formed Outdoor Tradition, which the bank said was owned largely by the couples children, two of whom were minors. The bank characterized that reorganization as an attempted end-run around bankruptcy laws, made in an alleged effort to shield assets with the intent to defraud the Waglers creditors. The Waglers subsequently agreed to consider themselves 100% owners of Outdoor Traditions for purposes of the bankruptcy case, which remains open. In a 2024 bankruptcy filing, the couple listed $133,000 in assets and $3.5 million in debts and liabilities. The Iowa House voted unanimously Monday to enhance penalties for exposing a minor to obscene material. In this file photo, the Iowa House debates on May 4, 2023. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch) The Iowa House passed legislation Monday raising the penalties for the crime of exposing minors to obscene materials after changing the bill to lower charges for minors who expose their peers to such material. House File 306, approved unanimously, increases the charges for knowingly disseminating or exhibiting obscene materials to a minor. For the first offense of this crime, an adult would be charged with a serious demeanor. A second offense would be punishable with an aggravated misdemeanor and mandatory minimum prison sentence of one year, and third or subsequent offenses would be charged as a Class D felony with a mandatory three years of confinement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Exhibiting obscene materials to minors is also a Tier I sex offense, and people convicted of this crime would be required to register as a sex offender for 10 years. The bill was amended to lower charges for minors who commit these crimes. Rep. Megan Srinivas, D-Des Moines, expressed concerns during the subcommittee meeting on the bill that it could have lifelong impacts for minors who make stupid, simple mistakes, in their youth in cases like a teenager showing pornography to a friend. Srinivas proposed an amendment that was adopted by the House stating that people under age 18 who knowingly distribute obscene material to another minor would be charged with a serious misdemeanor but would not face heightened charges for additional offenses. She thanked Rep. Henry Stone, R-Forest City, the floor manager for the bill, for working with her on the change. Thats what this amendment does, is just helps to streamline and ensure that bad actors that are harming our children are, in fact, held liable, Srinivas said. A Legislative Services Agency fiscal note on the bill found that the measure will have a minimal financial impact on the states corrections and justice system, as there are few people convicted of this crime. There were 13 people convicted of disseminating or displaying obscene materials to minors in fiscal year 2024, none of whom had a prior conviction dating back to fiscal year 2020, according to LSA. Local tomatoes. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch) The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship launched a $70,000 pilot program Monday to help schools purchase local meat, poultry, produce, dairy, eggs or honey through the Choose Iowa program. Schools are eligible for a dollar for dollar match up to $1,000 per building, which means up to $2,000, per participant will go to local food producers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig called the program a win for everyone involved. Students are served fresh, locally produced foods. Schools can support and build relationships with Choose Iowa members in their communities, Naig said in a press release. School food service programs create new markets for small and beginning farmers to sell their products, and that helps generate economic activity in rural communities. Choose Iowa is a state-run program that identifies, brands and promotes Iowa grown and raised foods, beverages and products. The pilot purchasing program was authorized by the Legislature in 2024, and its first tranche, which helped food banks in Iowa purchase from local producers, launched over the summer. This pilot program allocated $225,000 in total to food banks that purchased from local growers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Specialty crop growers and local food advocates hope to see the purchasing programs, which are currently in the pilot stage, funded permanently. Naig also stressed the importance of Choose Iowa when talking to lawmakers about the departments funding for the upcoming fiscal year in an appropriations subcommittee. According to a 2021 study by researchers at Iowa State University, about 95% of table food consumed in Iowa is grown outside of the state. The Iowa Food System Coalition said local food purchases made by institutions like schools, hospitals and food banks are essential to strengthening a local food system and supporting more farmers to grow fruits, vegetables and other crops that end up on Iowa tables. The coalition has listed a number of 2025 legislative priorities, including a push to make the Choose Iowa purchasing program permanent. Choose Iowa has 215 members across the state who sell Iowa-made products from meat and vegetables to prepared foods and goods. Schools must purchase from Choose Iowa members to be eligible for the funding Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I strongly encourage schools around the state to apply for participation in this purchasing program, Naig said. Iowa producers can become Choose Iowa members online. Interested schools can apply for the pilot purchasing program online through April 7. IDALS said participating schools will be announced in April, and reimbursement for schools will begin in the fall school semester. This article has been updated to reflect an increase in Choose Iowa members. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE 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. Warships from Iran, China and Russia kicked off their annual joint exercises in the Gulf of Oman on Monday, showing off their military ties as US President Donald Trump upends longstanding Western alliances. The Security Belt-2025 drills, taking place near the Iranian port of Chabahar, is the fifth joint naval exercise Iran, China and Russia have held since 2019, according to Chinese state media. Analysts have long seen the drills as a demonstration of the growing partnership among the three authoritarian powers as they seek to counterbalance US influence and challenge the Western-led global order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But this year, the optics are even more pronounced as Trump disrupts the transatlantic alliance a cornerstone of Western security for decades by embracing Russia at the expense of Ukraine, and pushes Asian allies to pay more for US protection. Asked about the drills on Sunday, Trump said he is not at all concerned about the show of force by the three US adversaries. Were stronger than all of them. We have more power than all of them, he told Fox News aboard Air Force One. Concerns have been mounting in Washington about the emerging strategic partnership among China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, which US lawmakers have described as an axis of authoritarianism, axis of autocrats and axis of dictators. US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One on his return to Washington, DC, on March 9, 2025. - Kevin Lamarque/Reuters The fear is that a shared animosity toward the US is increasingly driving these countries to work together amplifying the threat that any one of them alone poses to Washington or its allies, not just in one region but perhaps in multiple parts of the world at the same time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, Trump has openly embraced Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in a bid to end the war in Ukraine by talking directly to Moscow while leaving Kyiv and European allies on the sidelines. Russia and North Koreas military relationship has strengthened considerably over the last year, with the two signing a mutual defense agreement and Pyongyang sending its troops to fight for Moscow in its invasion of Ukraine. The drills also come amid heightened tension between US and Iran. Since returning to the White House, Trump has restored what he calls his maximum pressure campaign on Iran that includes efforts to drive its oil exports down to zero in an attempt to stop Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon a move denounced by Tehran as bullying tactics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Gulf of Oman is a crucial gateway connecting the Indian Ocean and the Strait of Hormuz, through which more than one-quarter of the worlds seaborne traded oil passes. The US maintains its own significant presence in the region via the Fifth Fleet which is based out of nearby Bahrain. Russias Defense Ministry said the joint naval exercises will involve 15 combat ships, support vessels and gunboats, as well as helicopters, according to state news agency TASS. The Russian side is represented by the Rezky and Russian Hero Aldar Tsydenzhapov corvettes, and the Pechenega tanker of the Pacific Fleet, the ministry is quoted as saying. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China, meanwhile, deployed the Type 052D guided-missile destroyer Baotou and supply ship Gaoyouhu from a nearby naval escort task force to take part in the exercise, the Chinese Defense Ministry said in a statement. The drills, with an aim to enhance military trust and strengthen practical cooperation, will include simulated strikes on maritime targets, visit-board-search-seizure operations and search and rescue drills, the ministry added. Iran has sent a stealth missile corvette and a patrol ship, according to Iranian state media. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) An internationally acclaimed music and dance group is tapping into Texas. More community events here One of the worlds top Irish dance shows, A Taste of IrelandThe Irish Music and Dance Sensation, featuring a roster of dance champions, will visit The Perot Theatre in Texarkana, Texas, on Wednesday, March 26, and the Memorial City Hall Performance Center in Marshall, Texas on Thursday, March 27. The critically acclaimed A Taste of IrelandThe Irish Music & Dance Sensation features a cast of world-champion Irish dancers, seen here performing the high-kicking Free Men. Photo Credits: Vincent Rommelaere The high-energy production combines traditional Irish music with dance performances, storytelling, artistry, culture, and live musicians. It also features world-class dancers from Lord of the Dance and Riverdance. The critically acclaimed A Taste of IrelandThe Irish Music & Dance Sensation features a cast of world-champion Irish dancers. Seen here is Brittany Pymm performing Hurling. Photo credit: Courtney DAngelo Classics are reimagined, such as Danny Boy, Wild Rover, Tell Me Ma, and others that have been given modern spins. A Taste of IrelandThe Irish Music & Dance Sensation show blends Irish culture and plenty of craic, creating a performance that captures the essence of Irelands history. The critically acclaimed A Taste of IrelandThe Irish Music & Dance Sensation features a cast of world-champion Irish dancers. Photo Credits: Vincent Rommelaere Ticket details : Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texarkana, Texas: Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. Perot Theatre, 221 Main St, Texarkana, Texas 75501 $42-$72 (plus applicable fees) Marshall, Texas: Thursday, March 27, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. Memorial City Hall Performance Center 110 E Houston St, Marshall, Texas 75670 $50-$70 (plus applicable fees) Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Israel expressed concerns to the Trump administration after a media blitz by Adam Boehler, the special envoy for hostage affairs, defending his recent talks with Hamas on Sunday, Hebrew media outlets reported. Jerusalem asked Washington for clarifications after Boehler gave a series of interviews to American and Israeli media following criticism of the direct negotiations with the terrorist group. After Israeli officials expressed their concerns, the Trump administration reportedly responded that the talks with Hamas would not happen again though Boehler told CNN: You never know. Sometimes, youre in the area and you drop by. When Israeli Channel 13 reporter Neria Kraus asked Boehler about his reportedly tough conversation on the matter with Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, who is leading the Israeli negotiating team, the Trump envoy chuckled and said, I dont really care about that that much. Asked by Jake Tapper on CNN, Do you understand why [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu, Dermer, others might be upset? Boehler answered that he did, but at the same time, were the United States. Were not an agent of Israel. We have specific interests at play. Boehler said it feels a bit odd, and that Hamas members are not so good people, when asked by Tapper what it was like to meet with antisemitic murderers. But at the same time, Boehler said that Israeli concerns are borne out of the possibility that Boehler would meet them and think they dont have horns growing out of their head Theyre actually pretty nice guys. After the complaints from Jerusalem, Boehler clarified his pretty nice guys remark, writing on X: I want to be clear as some have misinterpreted. Hamas is a terrorist organization that has murdered thousands of innocent people. They are by definition bad people. And as POTUS has said, not a single Hamas member will be safe if Hamas doesnt release all hostages immediately. Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Boehler said negotiators had very productive talks and that Hamas provided some very interesting views. He posited that Hamas saw a long-term truce where we forgive prisoners, where they would be disarmed, a truce where they would not be part of the political policy, and a truce where we would ensure that they are in a place where they cant hurt Israel. Boehler also used language equating Israeli hostages, most of whom were taken from their homes or a music festival, to Palestinian prisoners detained due to security offenses and, in some cases, convicted on multiple counts of murder. On Channel 13, Boehler criticized Israel for exchanging massive amounts of hostages in reference to the number of Palestinian prisoners Israel has freed for each hostage. On Channel 11 and in The Jerusalem Post, Boehler referred to the potential to free more hostages as prisoner exchanges. The equivalence Boehler drew was disturbing to Israeli officials, Jewish Insider has learned. While the Israeli government has not commented publicly on Boehlers latest remarks, Knesset Law, Constitution and Justice Committee chairman Simcha Rothman, a close confidant of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, criticized Boehler. Whoever is quoting what Hamas says and negotiating with Hamas directly is making a huge mistake that endangers the hostages, Rothman said. Im not arguing about the importance of saving hostages and not about the need to free them all I think Adam Boehler and anyone who is negotiating with Hamas is doing significant damage to [the effort to] return the hostages. Danielle Cohen contributed to this report. (Reuters) - Israeli jets conducted several raids on former Syrian army barracks and outposts in the southern Daraa province on Monday in the latest string of strikes targeting the country's military infrastructure, two Syrian security sources said. They said at least six raids hit a base in the town of Jbab, while at least another eight strikes hit a former army base in the city of Izraa. There were no immediate reports of casualties. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi, Menna Alaa El-Din and Jaidaa Taha; Editing by Leslie Adler and Bill Berkrot) Police in southern India said Saturday that they arrested two men in connection with allegations of gang rape of an Israeli and a local woman. The Israeli and her homestay operator were stargazing along with three male travelers, an American and two Indians, in Koppal town in southern Karnataka state on Thursday night, police official Ram L. Arasiddi said. According to an initial investigation, three men on a motorbike approached them while asking for money. Following arguments, the three men pushed the male travelers into a nearby water canal and sexually assaulted the women, Arasiddi said. One of the Indian tourists drowned and his body was recovered on Saturday. The American and another Indian swam to safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Koppal is about 350 kilometers (217 miles) from Bengaluru, Indias startup and technology powerhouse. Arasiddi said police set up a special investigation team that arrested two out of the three suspects on Saturday. They were being investigated on suspicion of attempted murder, gang rape and robbery, he said. The Associated Press generally doesnt identify victims of sexual assault. Sexual assaults on women have become familiar in India, where police recorded 31,516 rape cases in 2022, a 20% 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 and victims lack of faith in police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rape and sexual violence have been under the spotlight since the brutal 2012 gang rape and killing of a 23-year-old student on a New Delhi bus. The attack galvanized massive protests and inspired lawmakers to order the creation of fast-track courts dedicated to rape cases and stiffen penalties. The rape law was amended in 2013, criminalizing stalking and voyeurism and lowering the age at which a person can be tried as an adult from 18 to 16. The government in 2018 approved the death penalty for people convicted of raping children under age 12. Despite stringent laws, its rare for more than a few weeks to pass without another brutal sexual assault being reported. 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. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com By Nidal al-Mughrabi CAIRO (Reuters) - Israel's suspension of goods entering Gaza is taking a toll on the Palestinian enclave, with some bakeries closing and food prices rising, while a cut in the electricity supply could deprive people of clean water, Palestinian officials said. The suspension, which Israel said was aimed at pressuring militant group Hamas in ceasefire talks, applies to food, medicine and fuel imports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.N. Palestinian refugees agency UNRWA said the decision to halt humanitarian aid threatens the lives of civilians exhausted by 17 months of "brutal" war. Most of Gaza's 2.3 million people were dependent on aid, it said. Hamas describes the measure as "collective punishment" and insisted it will not be pushed into making concessions. Abdel-Nasser Al-Ajrami, head of the Gaza bakers' union, told Reuters that six out of the 22 bakeries still able to operate in the enclave had already shut after they ran out of cooking gas. "The remaining bakeries may close down in a week or so should they run out of diesel or flour, unless the crossing is reopened to allow the goods to flow," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bakeries were already unable to meet the needs of the people, he said. Israel last week blocked the entry of goods into the territory in a standoff over a truce that has halted fighting for the past seven weeks. The move has led to a hike in prices of essential foods as well as of fuel, forcing many to ration their meals. Displaced from her destroyed house and living in a tent in Khan Younis, 40-year-old Ghada al-Rakab said she is struggling to secure basic needs. The mother of six bakes some goods for her family and neighbours, sometimes renting out a clay makeshift oven. "What kind of life are we living? No electricity, no water, no life, we don't even live a proper life. What else is left there in life? May God take us and give us rest," al-Rakab said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 'ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH RISKS' Israel's onslaught on Gaza has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians since October 2023, according to Gaza health officials, left most of its people destitute and razed much of the territory to the ground. The war was triggered by a Hamas-led cross-border raid into southern Israel in which militants killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. In Israel's latest punitive measure, Energy Minister Eli Cohen said on Sunday he had instructed the Israel Electric Corporation not to sell electricity to Gaza in what he described as a means of pressure on Hamas to free hostages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel already cut power supply to Gaza at the war's start but this move would affect a wastewater treatment plant currently supplied with power, according to the Israeli electricity company. The Palestinian Water Authority said the decision suspended operations at a water desalination plant that produced 18,000 cubic meters of water per day for the population in central and southern areas of Gaza Strip. Mohammad Thabet, the spokesperson of the Gaza power distribution plant, told Reuters the decision will deprive people in those areas of clean and healthy water. "The decision is catastrophic, municipalities now will be obliged to let sewage water stream into the sea, which may result in environmental and health risks that go beyond the boundaries of Gaza," Thabet said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All the aid supplies being distributed by the Palestine Red Crescent are dwindling and it is having to ration what remains, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies said. "If it is possible to find the basics like eggs and chicken, the prices have rocketed and are out of reach for the majority of people in Gaza," IFRC spokesperson Tommaso Della Longa said. It is also concerned that a lack of medical supplies and medicines may impact the treatment of patients. MEDIATORS TRY TO SALVAGE TRUCE Fighting in Gaza has been halted since January 19 under a truce, and Hamas has exchanged 33 Israeli hostages and five Thais for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the truce's initial 42-day stage has expired and Hamas and Israel remain far apart on broader issues including the postwar governance of Gaza and the future of Hamas itself. Underscoring the fragility of the ceasefire, an Israeli airstrike killed three Palestinians in the Bureij camp in central Gaza Strip, medics said. The Israeli military said the air force struck three individuals in Nuseirat, central Gaza, who were accused of trying to plant explosives. It also said soldiers shot at several militants in Gaza City who were also allegedly attempting to plant explosives. Arab mediators, Egypt and Qatar, and the U.S. are trying to salvage the ceasefire deal. They held talks with Hamas leaders and are set to receive Israeli negotiators in Doha on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Latif Al-Qanoua told Reuters on Monday the group was committed to the original phased agreement and expected mediators to "compel" Israel to begin talks on implementing the second stage. Phase two is intended to focus on agreements on the release of remaining hostages and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Israel demands Hamas free the remaining hostages without beginning phase two negotiations. (Reporting and writing by Nidal al-Mughrabi. Additional reporting by Hatem Khaled in Gaza, Ali Sawafta in Ramallah, Alexander Cornwell in Jerusalem and Olivia Le Poidevin in Geneva; Editing by William Maclean and Angus MacSwan) Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War have pointed out in their assessment that the suspension of intelligence sharing between the US and Ukraine may be one of the factors that has contributed to the success of Russian troops in Russias Kursk Oblast. Source: ISW Details: Since 5 March 2025, after US-Ukraine intelligence sharing was suspended, Russian troops have begun to advance significantly more actively on the Kursk front where Ukrainian forces were holding the line. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report states that, according to information provided by Ukrainian military intelligence, this period coincided with a faster advance of Russian forces in the region. A source in the Ukrainian government confirmed that the suspension of data sharing by the US was a significant factor complicating the work of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Quote: "The Russian military has not previously prioritised the effort to push Ukrainian forces out of Kursk Oblast over making further advances in Ukraines east despite concentrating a sufficient force grouping to do so in late 2024. A direct link between the suspension of US intelligence sharing and the start of the collapse of Ukraine's salient in Kursk Oblast is unclear, although Kremlin officials have recently announced their intention to take advantage of the suspension of US military aid and intelligence sharing to inflict maximum damage to Ukrainian forces on the ground during the limited time frame before the possible future resumption of US intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine." To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways on 9 March: Russian forces are collapsing the northern part of the Ukrainian salient in Kursk Oblast following several days of intensified Russian activity in the area. The temporal correlation between the suspension of US intelligence sharing with Ukraine and the start of Russia's collapse of the Ukrainian Kursk salient is noteworthy. Reports about the extent of the suspension of US military aid to Ukraine continue to indicate that the suspension will likely affect Ukraine's ability to defend itself against Russia. Ukraine's European allies continue to provide material and financial aid to Ukraine. Russia continues to showcase its deepening relations with American adversaries despite ongoing bilateral talks between the United States and Russia. Ukrainian forces advanced near Toretsk and Pokrovsk, and Russian forces recently advanced in Sumy and Kursk oblasts and near Siversk, Toretsk, Kurakhove and Robotyne. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has expressed hope that the plan proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron to deploy European forces in Ukraine will not be necessary. Source: a statement by Tajani, quoted by the press service for the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Details: Commenting on Italy's official position on Macron's plan, Tajani said that they hoped that what Macron was proposing would not be needed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Because like Zelenskyy himself we think that the war may end within the year. We have other fronts open and we need to work for a just peace treaty... which respects Ukraine's position," the Italian foreign minister said. He also ruled out sending Italian troops to Ukraine as part of either a European or NATO mission. "A different thing would be a UN mission that could act as an interposition force once peace has been achieved," Tajani added. Background: According to The Telegraph, the United Kingdom and France have prepared a plan to deploy up to 30,000 European troops in Ukraine. Macron has previously stressed that the conditions for ending the Russo-Ukrainian war cannot be such that they would mean Ukraine's de facto surrender and that a lasting peace is necessary for the security of the entire European continent. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Photo: Ministry of industry and new technologies of Tajikistan DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, March 10. Tajikistan has proposed a resolution on artificial intelligence (AI) at the United Nations, aimed at fostering collaboration and regulation in Central Asias emerging AI sector, Trend reports via the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of Tajikistan. The resolution proposes the establishment of a horizontal self-regulation mechanism for AI in Central Asia, intended to drive breakthrough growth for AI startups. Moreover, it also calls for the creation of a Regional AI Center, which would serve as a unified platform for connecting AI compute networks, developing joint data-sharing and research projects, and establishing a common framework for AI self-regulation. According to the ministry, Tajikistan continues to strengthen international cooperation in AI, innovation, and digital technologies, advocating for the effective and secure development of AI both regionally and globally. Permanent representatives from several countries expressed their support for the initiative, underscoring its importance for global technological progress. By Giuseppe Fonte ROME (Reuters) -Italy has proposed to its EU partners a common guarantee scheme triggering defence and aerospace private investments in the bloc worth up to 200 billion euros ($216.48 billion), while limiting any impact on state coffers. The plan was detailed by Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti during meetings of European finance ministers in Brussels late on Monday, as the bloc weighs options to boost defence spending in the face of a potential threat from Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We cannot devise defence funding to the detriment of health spending and public services," Giorgetti said, according to his office. "This is at the root of the Italian proposal for a European guarantee mechanism to attract private capital and strengthen defence and security capabilities without increasing national public debt," he added. Italy's debt, at about 135% of gross domestic product (GDP), is the second highest in the euro zone after Greece's. The bloc is studying options including new joint borrowing, the use of existing EU funds and a greater role for the European Investment Bank (EIB), with a view to taking decisions in June. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the scheme championed by Giorgetti, dubbed the European Security and Industrial Innovation Initiative, EU countries should set up in stages a guarantee fund worth 17 billion euros which is expected to trigger 200 billion of private money over up to five years. EU accounting rules establish that public guarantees drive up the debt only if they are tapped by the benefiting companies. The European Commission has proposed to let all 27 EU governments increase defence spending by 1.5% of GDP each year for four years without triggering any disciplinary steps under the EU's debt rules that underpin the euro. Italy however has limited budget leeway, as the government already sees debt rising through 2026 to almost 138% of GDP due to the lingering effect of a costly state-funded home renovation scheme, the so-called Superbonus, even though it has been largely phased out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rome is currently projecting its defence spending at 1.61% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2027, below a current 2% NATO alliance target which U.S. President Donald Trump wants raised to 5%. Giorgetti said EU countries should identify sectors in which factories could be converted to defence production before clearly designing tools to support investments. Unused car plants across the bloc are seen as a quick way of ramping up military production while reviving a suffering industry. ($1 = 0.9239 euros) (Reporting by Giuseppe Fonte, editing by Gavin Jones) In the quarry at Rano Raraku, ancient matamua carved the stone monuments known as moai, which represent ancestors who have passed away. The Rapa Nui people have increased efforts in recent years to bring their ancestors home through international repatriation. (Photo by Josefina Nahoe) Indiana University has completed its first international repatriation of human remains to the Rapa Nui people of Easter Island. A news release said IUs Jayne-Leigh Thomas visited the island in December as an invited guest of Rapa Nui representatives and is working with them on several research projects focused on the ethics of repatriation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To know that I played a small part in returning these Rapa Nui ancestors to Easter Island is overwhelming and so personally rewarding, said Thomas, executive director of IUs Office of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. To be so warmly welcomed onto the island, to build relationships with Rapa Nui representatives, and to have the opportunity to see the rich cultural heritage and visit archaeological sites was simply incredible. Thomas said the remains were donated to IU in the 1990s by David M. Lodge, a descendent of U.S. Navy Rear Adm. George Henry Cooke. As a surgeon and medical officer, Cooke was assigned to Ulysses S. Grants detail during the ex-presidents circumnavigation of the world from 1877 to 1879. He later served aboard the USS Mohican, which visited Easter Island in 1886 to collect large stone sculptures, known as moai, for the Smithsonian Institute. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Cookes Smithsonian report repeatedly mentions Pakomio Maori, a Rapa Nui survivor of the Peruvian slave raids of 1862. That mans great-great-grandson, Francisco Nahoe, a Catholic priest and Franciscan friar, worked with Thomas on this repatriation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The release said the Rapa Nui people have been very active in repatriation in recent years, working with individuals and institutions in New Zealand, Australia, Norway, Canada, the United States and Chile to locate their ancestors remains and bring them home to Easter Island. Nahoe is the North American delegate of Te Mau Hatu, the Easter Island council of elders, for recovery and repatriation. Nahoe attended IUs Intensive NAGPRA Summer Training and Education Program in 2024 with his cousin, Rapa Nui archaeologist Susana Nahoe. The INSTEP program, which Thomas directs, offers best practices regarding the repatriation of ancestral remains and cultural objects under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. Because few programs exist to support repatriation efforts internationally, and NAGPRA offers a roadmap for repatriation that can be replicated worldwide, there has been increased interest from people around the world to attend this training program. IU is fully committed to our NAGPRA work and has several large repatriation projects underway with numerous federally recognized tribal nations, but we also support the return of all Indigenous human remains, not just those from the United States, IU Vice President for Research Russell J. Mumper said. We are focused on creating strong partnerships and developing mutually beneficial research projects that highlight repatriation, ethical museum practices and archaeological scholarship with Indigenous communities in the U.S. and abroad. At Hanscom Air Force Base in Lincoln, on the first day of court-martial proceedings for 23-year-old Jack Teixeira, the Air Force confirms a plea agreement has been reached. The Air Force has charged Teixeira with military charges of obstruction of justice and failure to obey orders. Details of the plea agreement have not yet been revealed. The young man from Dighton is already serving a 15-year federal sentence for leaking sensitive Pentagon secrets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the military is seeking to further punish Teixeira. New court documents give glimpse into personal life of Pentagon leaker Jack Teixeira In November, Teixeira pleaded guilty to six federal counts of violating the US Espionage Act. Teixeira admitted in federal court that he used the internet chat site Discord to share military secrets, including hundreds of pages of documents involving troop movement and positions in the Ukraine War. Teixeira had security clearance at Otis Air base on Cape Cod. At his court-martial, Teixeiras military attorney argued that the charges against him should be dismissed, saying, further prosecution amounts to double jeopardy, a violation of Teixeiras Fifth Amendment Constitutional Rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But an Air Force prosecutor told a judge Teixeira was prosecuted for different offenses in the federal court system, adding, what happens in federal court cannot bind miliary court. Jack Teixeira was polite and said nothing beyond answering direct simple questions from the judge, most questions focused on whether he understood certain legal issues. Teixeiras family attended the hearing, but did not speak to the media. The Air Force Judge has taken the defenses request to dismiss the case under advisement. Its expected she will rule on that request and may reveal the terms of the plea agreement when the court-martial trial resumes on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Teixeira pleads guilty Thursday, it is expected he will also be sentenced on that day. Jack Teixeira (via Facebook) Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) Jackson police have issued an arrest warrant in connection to the death of a Brandon man in 2024. Detective Tommie Brown said an arrest warrant was issued for Camren Trevon Miley. He is wanted for the murder of Omar Drake, 21. Jackson police seek suspect in fatal apartment complex shooting Investigators said Drake was found deceased near the train tracks on North State Street near Woodway Drive on October 29, 2024. Police said Drake sustained trauma to his upper body. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Miley can contact the Jackson Police Department (JPD) at 601-960-1234 or Crime Stoppers at 601-355-TIPS (8477). 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. ANDERSON COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) The Anderson County Sheriffs Office shared that a new phone scam is making its way across the county. Authorities say that scammers are posing as detention center employees, and will claim that if an inmates family pays for an ankle monitor over the phone, the inmate will be ready for release. A few families have reportedly fallen victim to the scam. The sheriffs department wants to remind people that deputies and office employees will never ask for money, and to not give out personal information over the phone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you receive a scammer call, report it to the Anderson 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 WSPA 7NEWS. The convicted gunman in the 2002 murder of Hip-Hop legend Jam Master Jay has been hospitalized after being stabbed 18 times during a prison gang fight at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. On Feb. 22, Karl Jordan, who was found guilty in 2024 of pulling the trigger in the shooting death of the iconic DJ, was wounded in the altercation and admitted to the hospital in serious condition. At the time of the attack, Jordan and fellow members of his gang, the Bloods, were engaged in a fight with rival gang, the Trinitarios, leaving multiple people wounded. Musicians Run DMC attend the VH1 Big In 2002 Awards at the Olympic Stadium on December 4, 2002 in Los Angeles, California. Jordans injuries were the most serious, leading to the collapse of both his lungsthough condition has since been upgraded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The gang fight led to a lock down of the facility and the suspension of all visitation privileges for at least one month, as the notorious holding facility continues to battle scandals and controversy. An exterior view of the Metropolitan Detention Center on February 4, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Power has been fully restored to the prison after inmates spent the past week without heat or access to televisions, computers or telephones. Jordan and his accomplice, Ronald Tinard Washington, are believed to have slain Jam Master Jay for being cut out of a proposed cocaine trafficking operation to be based in Baltimore. It was also alleged to be supplied by founding Black Mafia Family member Terry Southwest T Flenory. Jordan and Washington are still awaiting sentencing for the murder of Jam Master Jay. Both face a minimum of 20 years in prison up to a maximum of life. Musical artist Jason Jam Master Jay Mizell holds a toy figure of himself at a ceremony honoring his hip-hop group RUN-DMCs induction into the Hollywood RockWalk February 25, 2002 at the Guitar Center in Hollywood, California. Mizell was shot and killed inside a Queens, New York studio October 30, 2002, according to a group representative. More from VIBE.com Sign up for Vibe's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. A commemorative bronze duplicate of the Congressional Gold Medal awarded to police officers who defended the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, is once again available for purchase, just a little more than a week after it was found to have abruptly vanished from the U.S. Mints website. HuffPost first noted the coins removal in late February. When reached for comment at the time, the Mint did not say why the coin had been removed and said only that it periodically conducted a review of its portfolio to focus on those products with the broadest appeal to collectors and other customers. The Mint ignored repeated inquiries specifically seeking answers on whose decision it was to remove the coin. D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodges, who was attacked on Jan. 6, 2021, by rioters supporting President Donald Trump, said he also asked the Mint many times about the coins removal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An email he received in response to his inquiries was nearly identical to one HuffPost received when it sent the Mint a series of similar and more extensive questions in February, suggesting it may have been a form response. The Mint gave the same reply again when asked about the removal and reinstatement on Monday. Hodges told HuffPost on Saturday that he only learned the coin had been reinstated when a colleague mentioned it to him. He said the entire ordeal, from the removal to its reinstatement, was typical lack of transparency and non-answers from an organization neither inclined nor obligated to give them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To be fair, I dont know if the person answering my inquiries was on board with the insurrection erasure or just replying with what they had to, Hodges said. Since January, the insurrection erasure Hodges spoke of has been a feature of Trumps second term. Trump indiscriminately pardoned over 1,500 Jan. 6 rioters, regardless of the severity of their offense, during his first day in office. In some cases, Trump commuted sentences for people who had not yet been sentenced, suggesting there was not an exacting assessment of cases whatsoever. Then, in the days following those pardons, the Justice Department removed a database detailing criminal charges and convictions tied to Jan. 6 from its website. Some evidence and records tied to Jan. 6 cases were also deleted last month. The information had been housed inside a public database known as USAfx, which is primarily used by lawyers and journalists. A group of media organizations sued the Justice Department, arguing the deletion violated a long-standing court order to preserve them. A hearing will be held in that case later this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hodges said he was relieved to see the commemorative coin reinstated to the Mints website. We should remember [Jan. 6] for what it was: an insurrection and terrorist attack on the Capitol of the United States of America, planned and incited by many but most notably Trump, in an effort to install him as a dictator against the free will of the people, he said. D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodges being assaulted and crushed in a tunnel entryway at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. DC Metropolitan Police Department Over 140 police officers, including Hodges, were assaulted. Hodges nearly had his eye gouged out of its socket by a rioter on Jan. 6 and was almost crushed to death in a tunnel that saw some of the worst violence of the day. Trump has called Jan. 6 a day of love and has referred to people who stormed the Capitol and assaulted police as patriots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There will always be those who refuse to believe the truth, no matter how much evidence is put in front of them, Hodges said. Look at the Holocaust how many people deny that today? You just have to hope that the truth will out to enough people so that those who live in willful ignorance are ostracized and their conspiracies contained as a sad little contingent of wackos rather than an influential voting bloc. Former U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, who was on the receiving end of racist insults while he defended the Capitol, reflected on the coins removal and reinstatement on Monday. When I first saw they were erased, my first thought was, Well, it continues. More of the erasing. More of the trying to rewrite history about what did or did not happen that day. I was a little disappointed, though I said to myself, Wow, Im glad I got mine when they were first made available. But it sucks that so many people will now be left out of this opportunity to get a coin, he said. Trump wants to erase everything about Jan. 6, he said, before expressing gratitude for other law enforcement agents and reporters who have continued to talk about what really happened. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As long as they continue to try and erase this, were always going to push back and make sure that they never forget and never get to rewrite or change what happened that day, Dunn said. Related... Vice President JD Vance is being attacked by his own cousin, who fought on the front lines in Ukraine, over his insults to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the Trump administrations abandonment of the country. Nate Vance, a Texas native who volunteered for Ukraine and fought on the front lines against Russia for three years, told French newspaper Le Figaro that Donald Trump and Vance are turning the U.S. into Vladimir Putins useful idiots. JD is a good guy, intelligent, Nate Vance said. When he criticized aid to Ukraine, I told myself that it was because he had to please a certain electorate and that it was a political game. But what they did to Zelensky was an ambush of absolute bad faith. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nate and JD are first cousins: JDs mother is the sister of Nates father. Nate, a Marine veteran like JD, traveled to Ukraine in 2022, fighting in some of its deadliest battles, according to the publication. Youre family but that doesnt mean Im going to accept the fact that youre getting my comrades killed, Vance said. He believes that the U.S. has benefited from aiding Ukraine, and that U.S. equipment has been used effectively in the war, and was incensed after watching Trump and Vance disrespect Zelenskiy in the Oval Office two weeks ago. I was disappointed. When JD justified his distrust of Zelensky by the reports he had seen, I thought I was going to choke, Vance said. His own cousin was on the frontline. I could have told him the truth, plain and simple, without any personal agenda. He never tried to find out more. Nate Vance left the Ukrainian war in January after his cousin was sworn in as vice president, having kept his relationship to JD under wraps until then, due to the risk of being captured because of his famous relative. The lifelong Republican is at odds not only with his cousin but with other members of his familyhis mother, Donna, called Zelenskiy a pretentious little shit on Facebook. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vance has tried to contact his cousin multiple times, going back to JDs time in the Senate, to no avail. From Ukraine, reaching a senator is not easy, Nate Vance said. But I left messages at his office. I never heard back. JD Vances cousin is dismayed to have spent three years fighting Russians in Ukraine only to see U.S. leadership become what he calls Vladimir Putins useful idiots. Nate Vance, 47, told French newspaper Le Figaro hes disappointed his cousin participated in a recent White House meeting where JD led a verbal attack on Volodymyr Zelenskyy that included President Donald Trump and his surrogates making fun of the Ukrainian Presidents clothes. According to Nate Vance, when his cousin criticized U.S. providing aid to Ukraine in the past, he figured JD was playing politics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But what they did to Zelenskyy was an ambush of absolute bad faith, the former Marine said. Nate Vance said he volunteered to fight for Ukraines Da Vinci Wolves First Motorized Battalion after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. The Texan returned home when his first cousin became Vice President because he couldnt risk being captured considering his newly changed connection to the White House. Le Figaro said Nate Vance has since been exploring the American west in a camper van. Though he spoke fondly about the Vice President, Nate Vance says he is disappointed in reports hes seen about his younger relatives comments about Zelenskyy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His own cousin was on the front lines, Nate Vance said. I could have told him the truth, without pretense, without personal interest. He never tried to find out more. Its his belief that Trump and JD Vance incorrectly believe they can placate Putin. Nate Vance claimed Putin will not forget the U.S. supported Ukraine for three years and U.S. leaders saying otherwise are being exploited. We are Vladimir Putins useful idiots, he said. Nate Vance said hes tried unsuccessfully to contact his cousin but hasnt heard back. Just because Im related to you doesnt mean Im going to stand by and watch you get my comrades killed, he said. JD Vance said in a 2022 interview he didnt really care what happens to Ukraine one way or another. _____ Nate Vance, the cousin of U.S. Vice President JD Vance and a volunteer fighting on Ukraine's front lines, said he is "disappointed" in his relative's stance on Ukraine. Vance, a former U.S. Marine, defended Ukraine from 2022 to January 2025 as a member of the Da Vinci Wolves First Motorized Battalion, a volunteer unit. "Being your family doesn't mean I'm going to accept you killing my comrades," Vance said in an interview with Le Figaro published on March 9. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vance's remarks come at a low point in U.S.-Ukrainian relations, as Washington has halted intelligence sharing and military aid to Kyiv. The freeze followed a contentious meeting in the Oval Office between U.S. President Donald Trump, Vice President Vance, and President Volodymyr Zelensky. Nate Vance said he was disappointed in how his cousin treated Zelensky during the meeting. "When (JD Vance) criticized aid to Ukraine, I thought it was because he needed to appeal to his electorate, that it was part of the political game," Vance said. "But what they did to Zelensky was an ambush of absolute dishonesty." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The vice president's continued distrust of Zelensky is unjustified, as are his views on Ukraine, Vance said. "I thought I was going to choke ... His own cousin was on the front lines. I could have told him the truth, without pretense, without personal interest. He never tried to find out more." Vance said he tried to get in touch with his cousin several times with no success. "I left messages at his office. I never heard from him," he said. Vance volunteered to fight in Ukraine following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, but left shortly before the U.S. presidential inauguration out of fear of being captured by the Russian army. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It had become complicated to stay. I couldn't take the risk of being captured," he said. JD Vance has criticized Ukraine and Zelensky in the past, at times repeating Kremlin talking points. Protestors confronted the vice president for his treatment of Zelensky on several occasions following the Feb. 28 meeting. Read also: Ukraine war latest: Trump wont resume Ukraine military aid after signing minerals deal; Kursk situation difficult but under control Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. JENNINGS, La. (KLFY) A Jennings doctor accused of assaulting one of his patients has pleaded not guilty in district court. Bahmen Ben Sabbaghian is charged in the 31st Judicial District Court with one count of misdemeanor sexual battery. Under Louisiana law, misdemeanor sexual battery is the intentional touching of a persons breasts or buttocks without their consent. Sabbaghian, through his lawyer Kevin Stockstill, entered a plea of not guilty Monday morning before District Judge Craig Steve Gunnell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of Sabbaghians accusers, Vanessa Marcato, Bethany Palmer, Tiree Champagne, and Selena Segura were in attendance for the arraignment. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KLFY Daily Digest We knew he was going to plead not guilty, said Marcato. No one will admit to that, so yeah, that wasnt surprising. Marcato said she was allegedly touched inappropriately by Sabbaghian last year when being evaluated for a colonoscopy. He doesnt do it properly in the first place, she said. He doesnt give you a gown, he doesnt explain what hes doing, he doesnt use gloves and it all happened so fast that you dont even realize its about to happen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Palmer said though this experience has been difficult, she is grateful for the bonds she has made with the other women. We find friendships within each other and someone to lean on and someone that experienced him and believes us because they also went through it, Palmer said. Its sad, but the more voices the better. Sabbaghians attorney, Kevin Stockstill, said the allegations made against his client are false. Theyre claiming it looks like a breast exam was improper, Stoackstill said. The question becomes whether or not, A: It was a proper breast exam, and B: Whether or not a proper breast exam was called for. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stockstill said they are still awaiting additional evidence and preparing for a possible trial. We anticipate by May 28, that the discovery will have been exchanged, he said. That theres no issues that need to be resolved and that the case will be ready to set for trial. Were looking to set the trial sometime in either September or October. His trial date has been set for May 28. If convicted, Sabbaghian will face a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to six months in prison. 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. Chief Justice Stuart Rabner, above, said a munucipal judges disturbing misconduct undermined public confidence in the judge and in the judicial system at large. (Mary Iuvone for New Jersey Monitor) The New Jersey Supreme Court ordered a longtime municipal judge removed from the bench Monday for touching his clerks leg without consent during a boozy encounter at his beach home. A judicial conduct advisory committee recommended a year ago that R. Douglas Hoffman, a part-time municipal judge in Robbinsville since 2010, be removed for demeaning his judicial office during the 2022 incident at his Long Beach Island home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Hoffman denied any sexual intent, complained that removal was too excessive, and challenged the punishment to the Supreme Court. Chief Justice Stuart Rabner, writing for a unanimous court, upheld his removal, saying his disturbing misconduct undermined public confidence in him and in the judicial system at large. All judges know there is no place for sexual misconduct or harassment in the judicial system, Rabner wrote. Today we make clear that egregious violations of that rule will result in removal from office and not a period of suspension. Hoffman also began serving as a part-time judge in New Hanover, Wrightstown, Mansfield, Springfield, and Southampton in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Hoffman invited his staff to his shore home, his clerk, identified in the ruling only by her initials, accepted the offer on Oct. 15, 2022. Once there, they drank beer and shots of liquor until the woman, then 27, got drunk, while Hoffman, then 75, quizzed her about her sexual relationship with her boyfriend and urged her to dump him, according to the ruling. He then touched her twice, on her knee and inner thigh, prompting her to leave within 5 seconds and report the encounter to her supervisor the same day, the ruling notes. She told the supervisor Hoffman slid his hand up her inner thigh to her crotch, but Hoffman told court investigators he didnt know where he touched her leg. I dont know. I wasnt watching. Im patting, not watching, but Ive got a big hand, he told them. These (were) reassuring taps Why do I need permission for that? The clerk resigned her job soon afterward to avoid Hoffman, feared going out in public in case she ran into him, and told the committee she still had nightmares about the incident a year afterward, the ruling says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rabner agreed with the committee that Hoffmans behavior was blatant and severe and his demeanor when testifying about the incident in court proceedings was flippant and betrayed a palpable disrespect for the judicial disciplinary process. Hoffman had argued that his behavior was significantly less egregious than that of other judges who got suspensions for sexual harassment scandals dating back to 1993. He should not be disciplined under ill-defined notions of evolving community standards, he said. Rabner rejected that defense, too. Today, judges of the Superior Court receive mandatory training on the prevention of sexual harassment when they are appointed to the bench and refresher courses thereafter. They are also required to certify annually that they have reviewed and understand the Judiciarys anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, Rabner wrote. Municipal court judges receive similar training; they are subject to policies and training at the municipal level. Courts spokeswoman MaryAnn Spoto said the court has removed 16 judges from the bench between 1977 and 2024, including Hoffman. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Former Rep. Joe Walsh (III.), an ex-GOP member-turned-pundit, speculated Sunday that President Trump could stop the midterm elections scheduled for next fall, or even run for president again in 2028. He tried to overthrow an American election four years ago. I have no doubt that he could try to stop the midterm elections, Walsh said of Trump during an appearance on MSNBC. Speaking on Inside with Jen Psaki, Walsh, who was a presidential candidate in 2020, said Trump poses a threat to Americas democracy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You either believe, in this moment, that he is a threat to our democracy, or you dont, Walsh said. Stop there. Theres nothing else to speak about. Trump has on multiple occasions suggested running for a third term since his election victory in November, including during his interactions with House Republicans. The Constitution prohibits a third term for presidents under the 22nd Amendment. On Feb. 20, the president floated this idea during a Black History Month event at the White House, leading to loud approval from supporters. Should I run again? You tell me? Trump asked the crowd, which began chanting four more years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Walsh has long been a critic of Trump. In April last year, he said Trump appealed to the worst of us, as he threw his support behind then-President Biden. Were living in a populist moment. Trump is an evil demagogue who throws horrible stuff at us about this populist moment. The American people are angry, he told MSNBC at the time. In 2020, just days after ending his presidential campaign, the former Illinois lawmaker wrote a Washington Post op-ed critical of Trump, saying hed rather have a socialist in the White House than a con man. The Hill reached out to the Trump administration for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. John Oliver spent the opening segment of Sundays Last Week Tonight talking about President Donald Trumps speech to a joint session of Congress last week and the Democrats response to it. The HBO host began by noting House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) had said before the speech that he wanted to frame it in gilded gold. More from The Hollywood Reporter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Olivers response: This isnt important, but gilding is a technique where you cover things that are not gold in a thin layer of gold to make them look like gold. So you wouldnt gild gold because gold is gold already. Itd be like [Vice President] J.D. Vance wearing a T-shirt that says unbearable bitch on it. It is simply redundant. The Last Week Tonight host noted that some Democrats didnt show up for the speech, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y) and Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.). In hindsight, no-showing might have been the right move because Democrats in the room didnt seem to have a coordinated plan to respond, Oliver said. Some dressed up in matching outfits while others held up signs on paddles, which had messages like Musk steals, Save Medicaid and Protect veterans. Oliver then noted that Rep. Al Greens (D-Texas) outburst during the speech, which prompted 10 Democrats voting to censure Green for his actions despite similar protests during Bidens term, triggering no such repercussions. That move was in keeping with centrist Democrats current insistence on bending over backwards to cater to conservatives, Oliver opined. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said that sentiment was included in Elissa Slotkins (D-Mich.) official rebuttal to the president in which she criticized Trumps behavior during his recent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Reagan must be rolling in his grave, she said. We all want an end to the war in Ukraine, but Reagan understood that true strength required America to combine our military and economic might with moral clarity. As a Cold War kid, Im thankful it was Reagan and not Trump in office in the 1980s. Trump would have lost us the Cold War. Quipped Oliver: Yeah, she criticized Trump by praising Reagan, and I will admit there are some positive things you can say about Reagan, like he was our only president to make a movie with a chimp, or hes dead. But his moral clarity might come as a surprise to any gay people who lived through the 1980s. Im just saying, if you brought Reagan back from the dead and told him all the racist shit Trumps managed to do in less than two months, hed come so hard hed die again. Oliver then went on to note that Trumps approval rating is the lowest on record of any president at this point in their term with the sole exception of himself eight years ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats why, he continued, it was refreshing to see Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pushing back by calling out Trump for his administrations recent announcement that it will enact tariffs on imports from countries including Canada. Canadians are hurt. Canadians are angry, Trudeau said in his response. Were going to choose to not go on vacation in Florida or Old Orchard Beach [Maine] or wherever. Were going to choose to try to buy Canadian products and forgo bourbon and other classic American products. And yeah, were probably going to keep booing the American anthem. Quipped Oliver: So theres a lot to unpack there, starting with the fact that it really seemed like Trudeau just forgot anything America makes other than bourbon. Canadians will forgo bourbon and, um, whats that beer that tastes like a lime shit itself? Bud Light, thats right. We wont have any of that, either. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. John Oliver admonished Republicans for ducking their constituents during his monologue on Last Week Tonight, tearing into party leaderships recent decision to advise members of Congress to stop holding town halls after a series of hostile face-offs with anti-Donald Trump and anti-DOGE attendees. The HBO host in particular ripped into Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall, who told his voters before fleeing his event : You know, this is one of the rudest audiences Ive ever had. Grow up! Oliver retorted. Your job is to listen to people complain and act on their concerns. If youre not doing that, people dont owe you politeness. You know who gets to complain about a rude audience? Patti LuPone when someones texting, and end of list. So shut the f--- up! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oliver also singled out Missouri congressman Mark Alford, who, faced with suddenly out-of-work federal employees, argued instead: I think youre living in the greatest time in American history, before telling his laid-off voters that There are jobs available. God has a plan. OK. I think relying on Gods plan when Elon Musk is part of the equation is a little hard to swallow, especially since if Elon himself was following Gods plan, hed clearly be bald by now, Oliver quipped, showing a years-old photo of a balding Musk. The comedian also begged to differ about whether this is Americas greatest moment, countering: For the record, the greatest time in American history was when Ted Cruz liked a porn tweet on 9/11 . Name a greater moment. You cant do it. Case closed. House Speaker Mike Johnson , whom Oliver described as Keebler Elf middle management, tried to dismiss the backlash as a liberal conspiracy flooding GOP districts with paid protesters to disrupt the DOGE-related town halls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oliver was having none of it. Were basically back to this s--t again. Look. The only reason anyone wouldnt like me is if they were being paid to hate me would, admittedly, be a pretty iconic Housewives intro. But its an utterly transparent political move. Did you seriously get into this line of work expecting zero haters? Oliver added that though it might seem like Democrats shouldve harnessed this outrage, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries responded instead with a video message claiming the American people were with himdespite his decision to film the video while completely alone. Whats wrong with you? Oliver wondered. That kind of performative nonsense just is not matching the moment that we are in right now, and while it can be dispiriting to watch, it is worth remembering the last couple of weeks have also demonstrated there are effective ways to push back against what is happening right now Whether it works or not, he added: I still believe making those people in power answerable and uncomfortable is worthwhile. So scream at them! Flood their phone lines. Make your voices heard. A Johnson County, Missouri, fire department captain died Saturday after he collapsed while fighting a field fire , according to the Johnson County Fire Protection District. District Captain Vernon Collett, 60, was part of the Johnson County Fire Protection District team responding to a fast-moving field fire in the 60 Block of NE MM Highway in rural Johnson County around 1:45 Saturday, according to Captain Joe Jennings, a District spokesperson. The fire covered about half an acre of land when Collett and his team arrived, according to Jennings. Collett was actively extinguishing one of the lines of fire when he collapsed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other firefighters on scene tried to revive Collett with CPR and a defibrillator until a Johnson County ambulance arrived, according to Jennings. Collett was pronounced dead at the scene. Collett joined the Johnson County Fire Protection District in 1996, spending his entire career at Station 6 in Warrensburg. Collett was promoted to captain in 2011. His death is the first time a firefighter with the District has died while responding to a fire, Jennings said. His passing marks an immeasurable loss for our department, his family, and the entire community he so selflessly served, District chief Larry Jennings said in a statement Sunday. Today is a tragic day for our District and a somber reminder of the risks our firefighters face daily. The District is currently working with Colletts family to organize funeral arrangements, Joe Jennings said. Donations supporting the family and funeral can be received at district headquarters at 122 W Young Avenue in Warrensburg. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is looking to lock down the votes to pass his stopgap funding bill and avert a government shutdown by Fridays deadline, as he works to keep the lights on in Washington during the beginning weeks of President Trumps second term. Johnson unveiled a continuing resolution Saturday that would keep the government funded until Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year. The stopgap would boost defense funding and cut nondefense programs. President Trump endorsed the measure shortly after its release, urging Republicans to vote (Please!) YES when it hits the floor. House Democratic leaders, meanwhile, slammed the measure as a partisan bill that recklessly cuts a number of benefits, announcing that they will vote against the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the majority of House Democrats likely to follow their leaderships lead, Johnson will need near-unanimity to move the measure out of the lower chamber, a prospect that remains unclear as a number of hard-line conservatives and moderates withhold their votes. Also this week, House Democrats are scheduled to convene for their annual issues conference in Leesburg, Va., as the caucus struggles to coalesce around a cohesive strategy to combat Trumps second administration. Across the Capitol, senators will vote on former Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemers (R-Ore.) confirmation to be secretary of Labor. Congress races to avert shutdown Johnson is looking to clear his continuing resolution Tuesday and send the measure to the Senate for consideration ahead of the Friday night shutdown deadline. It remains unclear, however, if he will have the votes to move the measure out of his chamber. If all Democrats oppose the measure and there is full attendance, Johnson can only afford to lose one Republican vote and still clear the bill. And some cracks are already emerging in the House GOP conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who frequently bucks the party on fiscal matters, is likely to vote against the measure since it does not include a provision he championed in 2023 that would implement a 1 percent cut on funding across the board. He also cast doubt on the idea of a stopgap last week. Aside from Massie, a number of other hardline conservatives have withheld support from the bill. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), for example, told The Hill on Sunday that he was undecided on the measure. Even some moderate Republicans stopped short of immediately backing the measure. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) said on CBSs Face the Nation on Sunday like most bills, theres some good in there, theres some not so good in there, noting that he had not yet taken a position on the legislation. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), meanwhile, said Sunday on CNNs State of the Union that he would make a game-time decision of whether to back the measure. The apprehension among both corners of the House GOP conference is spelling trouble for Johnson, who will need to get his ducks in a row ahead of Tuesdays expected vote and Fridays shutdown deadline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the measure does, however, squeak through the House, its fate in the Senate remains unclear, with at least seven Democrats needed to join Republicans in supporting the measure to clear the 60-vote threshold and send the bill to Trumps desk. Just one Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman (Pa.), has thus far signaled that they may support the measure. Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, released a statement Saturday slamming the measure as a slush fund continuing resolution that would give Donald Trump and Elon Musk more power over federal spending, signaling that she, and like others in leadership, would oppose the bill. Even some Democrats who represent swing states are casting doubt on the measure. Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D) who represents the state of Michigan, which Trump won in November said she is still pushing for language in the measure that would ensure that the president properly directs money that is appropriated by Congress. The fundamental point, at least as I approach this, is that the president has been deciding how to spend the money any way he wants, even when we have a budget that both Democrats and Republicans voted on. Thats a constitutional issue, right? Slotkin said on NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday. Everyone knows Congress has the power of the purse. So until I see some assurances that whatever we pass next week is going to ensure that the money is spent the way Congress intends, Im going to withhold my vote until I see that. Senate to hold final vote on Chavez-DeRemer for Labor secretary Chavez-DeRemer is expected to be confirmed as the next secretary of Labor on Monday night, placing her atop the department following an unconventional nomination process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Senate is scheduled to vote at 5:30 p.m. EDT on Monday. Chavez-DeRemers likely confirmation comes days after the Senate advanced her nomination in a bipartisan 66-30 vote, teeing her up for a final vote. Weeks ago, however, her confirmation did not look as sure. Unlike other nominees, Chavez-DeRemer drew scrutiny from some Republicans for her support for the PRO Act, a measure supported by Democrats that would help strengthen the ability for unions to organize. Chavez-DeRemer co-sponsored the legislation when she served in the House. That history prompted Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) to vote against Chavez-DeRemer in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Support from a trio of Democrats, however, helped dispatch her to the Senate floor. House Democrats to hold issues conference House Democrats are scheduled to gather in Leesburg, Va., for their annual issues conference this week, a retreat that comes as the party continues to search for a cohesive message and apt messenger to combat the second Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The conference is scheduled to take place March 12-14. It remains unclear, however, what will happen with the retreat if the House fails to pass a funding bill by Wednesday. With the shutdown deadline at 11:59 p.m. Friday, the caucuss plans could be thrown a curveball. The agenda, meanwhile, is already taking shape. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D), Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) are all scheduled to speak at the event, according to Politico. In the first month and a half of the second Trump administration, Democrats on Capitol Hill worked and at times failed to find an effective way to message against the presidents actions. The caucus has largely slammed the GOPs potential plans to slash Medicaid in its sweeping agenda bill and moves made by the Department of Government Efficiency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those ideas, however, were largely drowned out last week, when protests at Trumps address to a joint session of Congress dominated the conversation following the speech. House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (Calif.) said the group this week will focus on addressing the cost of living and a path to winning back control of the lower chamber next year. While Republicans squander their majority by failing to address the cost of living crisis, House Democrats are United to Win and deliver real relief for the American people, Aguilar said in a statement when the conference was announced earlier this year. Now more than ever, families across the country are counting on us to rise above the partisan politics that have defined Republican control and find bipartisan solutions for their most pressing concerns. This years Issues Conference will underscore that commitment and help our Caucus chart the path to reclaiming the Peoples House. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) Fourteen students with Jackson Public Schools had the opportunity to go on a trip of a lifetime. Im ready to fly. Im actually excited about it, said Travis Collins. The scholars are off on an eight-day trip to Africa where they will visit partnering schools in Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria. I was like, this is really happening. I could barely go to sleep, honestly, said Londyn Kirkland. Its thanks to Jackson Public Schools Global Citizenship Project, which allows juniors who are at least 16-years-old to apply. Im very glad I have this opportunity. This is not anything that I expected, so when my mom told me about it, I was even excited to hear about it, said Chris McGee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Media class helps students discover new skills Keep an open mind. Enjoy the experience. Enjoy the food. Enjoy the atmosphere, and get to know these young people and maybe make some long-term friendships, said Hesters grandmother, Abena Suma. Dejah Granderson was part of JPS Global Citizenship Project last year and came to support her friends: People dont get to do this every day, so I really hope everyone does not take this for granted. I wish I could stow away in someones suitcase so I could go again. I think when you go and you surround yourself with different cultures, you gain a different aspect of life, said Cambreh Spires. Im very passionate about the environment, and were supposed to be planting trees with the students in Nigeria, so Im very excited about that also, said Toni Caldwell. The Kellogg Foundation helped sponsor the project. This is the fourth year of Jackson Public Schools Global Citizenship Project. The application period is now underway and runs until April 21st. 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. Motions were denied in a hearing for convicted spa shooter Robert Aaron Long. Longs attorneys wanted to omit statements he made during his arrest while he faces the death penalty, if convicted. He killed eight people back in 2021, engaging in what Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis previously described as a spree. Hes now on trial for the shootings at spas across the metro Atlanta area. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] RELATED STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The motions hearing on Monday finished, with Long pleading not guilty to murder. Im going to deny the defendants motions and admit the statements the defendant made, Fulton County Chief Judge Ural Glanville said. Attorneys for Long wanted to omit some statements he made just hours after his shooting rampage, which spanned from Cherokee County to Fulton County. Information that I believe this court needs to have for a complete analysis of the issues regarding the amicability of Mr. Longs statements, Glanville said. The spa mass shooting left six Asian women dead among the eight victims. At trial in Cherokee County, Long pled guilty, but did not do so in Fulton County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In court, defense attorneys called witnesses and argued that Longs comments to investigators were involuntary, but prosecutors pushed back. There will be another hearing coming in late April. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Two men in South Texas were caught smuggling seven white-tailed deer from a breeding facility across county lines. They intended to illegally release the animals on private property, according to the Dallas Morning News. What happened? The individuals a deer breeder and his business partner were apprehended by a Montgomery County game warden after their attempt to transport the deer without proper documentation or identification was discovered during a traffic stop. Other breaches of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department requirements were also at play, along with criminal and traffic infractions. The two were charged with over 30 total violations apiece. They were later convicted and fined $12,060, the Dallas Morning News reported. Why are wildlife regulations important? The smugglers were likely trying to release the deer to be hunted for sport. Deer hunting is a $9.6 billion business in Texas, TPWD Law Enforcement director Col. Ronald VanderRoest explained to the Dallas Morning News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In particular, the white-tailed species is in demand, with devoted communities of "white-tailed deer mafia" popping up around the United States and Canada. Yet releasing rogue deer into the wild can destabilize the species, the economy built around them, and their entire ecosystem. Breeders must test deer for illnesses like chronic wasting disease, give them an ID tag, and follow other permitting requirements all things that the convicted men tried to skirt around. Since the deer had no ID and their health status was unknown, they were euthanized for the protection of other animals, the Dallas Morning News reported. "Flagrant violations, such as intentionally transferring deer without identifiers, hinder Texas' ability to identify the source of a deer in the event of a disease detection," Col. VanderRoest added, per the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Plus, white-tailed deer are considered an invasive species when too many of them overrun an area, as their eating habits can weaken a forest's biodiversity. Suffice it to say that unregulated human meddling with wildlife population numbers is a bad idea. It upsets the natural balance of an ecosystem and can make conservation efforts more difficult. What's being done about illegal smuggling? The state's strict regulations and fines are in place for situations exactly like these, and enforcing them protects the health of both free-range and captive wildlife. Many organizations also combat poaching and smuggling on a global scale, such as the Rainforest Trust. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This prosecution sends a clear message: those who knowingly violate these laws will be held accountable," Montgomery County assistant district attorney Ann Kuykendall said, per the Dallas Morning News. 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. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. Iran is allocating a significant investment of around 35 trillion rials (about $61.4 million) for the construction of a 400-kilovolt substation in Tabriz, located in the country's East Azerbaijan Province, Trend reports via the Iranian Ministry of Energy. The substation is set to have a capacity of 630 megawatts and aims to strengthen the electrical grid in the central and southern parts of East Azerbaijan province, as well as facilitate energy exchange with the countrys broader electricity network. Iran's electricity production potential previously stood at 93,455 megawatts. The production potential of Iran's thermal power plants is 76,257 megawatts, the production potential of hydroelectric power plants is 12,144 megawatts, the production potential of retail power plants is 2,485 megawatts, the production potential of renewable power plants is 1,450 megawatts, the production potential of the Bushehr nuclear power plant is 1,020 megawatts, and the production potential of diesel units is 408 megawatts. NATCHEZ, Miss. (WJTV) A judge ruled in favor of the owners of Truth Lounge in Natchez after they appealed the citys decision to close the business. According to The Natchez Democrat, Judge Carmen Drake ruled that the Natchez Planning Commission does not have the authority to revoke a special exception to operate once granted. The judge said the Natchez Board of Aldermens actions were arbitrary and capricious and unsupported by substantial evidence, as the Planning Commission acted outside of its apparent authority. Hank Williams Jr. to perform at Brandon Amphitheater in 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In April 2024, the citys Planning Commission voted 4-3 to revoke the special exemption permit that allowed Truth Lounge to operation at its location on Franklin Street in the downtown area. Then in June, the Natchez Board of Aldermen denied a motion to allow Truth Lounge to reopen. Truth Lounge was initially ordered to close after an early morning fight in October 2023. City leaders said the fight overwhelmed Natchez police and Adams County deputies. A judge later ordered that the business could reopen. The Planning Commission issued a special exception permit in March 2023, allowing the lounge to operate. The owners told the newspaper they are not in a rush to reopen. 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. President Donald Trumps blanket pardon for the rioters who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, does not cover a conspiracy by one defendant to kill the law enforcement officials who investigated him, a federal judge ruled Monday. Edward Kelley, who was convicted of the conspiracy last year by a federal jury in Tennessee, had argued that Trumps sweeping clemency for rioters should also cover his conviction since the agents and officers he targeted were connected to the Jan. 6 investigation. The Trump administration had opposed Kelleys claim, saying the conspiracy was too far removed from the Jan. 6 attack to fit into Trumps pardon. But simultaneously, the Justice Department has sought to apply Trumps clemency to an increasingly broad range of crimes unconnected to the Jan. 6 attack in courts across the country, stoking confusion and, in some cases, pushback from the courts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ruling by U.S. District Judge Thomas Varlan is the first to confront the Trump administrations vacillating views about how far Trump intended to go. Varlan, a George W. Bush appointee, said the Trump administrations change in position about the pardon required the courts to interpret the pardon for themselves. And in his view, Kelleys crime was too far removed from the Jan. 6 riot to qualify. Though Varlans ruling aligned with the Justice Departments position on Kelley, it rejected the administrations contention that courts have no role in analyzing Trumps pardon. He noted that the Justice Department had advanced differing positions about the blanket pardon, which Trump issued on his first day in office and applied to more than 1,000 people who stormed the Capitol. Varlan emphasized that the Trump administrations change in position required him to make his own determination about what Trump meant when he pardoned anyone convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021. In courts across the country, the Justice Department has almost uniformly attempted to expand the reach of Trumps pardon, agreeing that it covers convictions for several defendants convicted of felonies for possessing illegal firearms in their homes which were discovered as a result of the FBI investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those include Benjamin Martin, a California defendant with a history of domestic violence who was convicted last year for possessing an arsenal of firearms in his home. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ordered his release from a three-year prison sentence last week but declined to dismiss the case altogether. The district court judge who presided over his case declined to sign the document allowing his release, instead withdrawing from the case, leaving the chief judge of the district court to sign the document instead. The Justice Department also argued in February that Jeremy Brown, a Jan. 6 defendant from Florida who was separately convicted for possession of firearms, grenades and classified information at his home, should be released based on Trumps pardon. The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals raised sharp questions last week about whether the pardon should cover those unrelated crimes and left the matter in limbo though Brown has been released from a seven-year sentence on those convictions while the case plays out. But the administration has also sought to exclude from the pardon three defendants: Kelley, David Daniel, a North Carolina man charged last year with possessing child pornography, and Taylor Taranto, who was charged in 2023 with driving through Washington with a van-load of illegal ammunition and threatening violence against the government. A judge has taken new steps to try to determine whether he's being lied to in a lawsuit against Town of Greece officials. Last year, U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Pedersen warned lawyers that their conflicting statements in an ongoing civil suit against Greece officials indicated that someone may be lying. He tried then to sort out the facts, while the litigation continued in mediation. Suing the town is former Deputy Public Works Commissioner Robert "Bobby" Johnson, who alleges he was forced to do thousands of hours of unpaid labor for Reilich and Marini. The town denies the allegations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a weird twist, lawyers for the town last year sought information from the cellphone of William Murphy, alleging that he had been in communications with attorney Maureen Bass, who represents Johnson. Murphy is a member of the town board. Murphy, in his role as a board member, could have information that should not be shared with lawyers suing the town, the lawyers for Greece contended. Greece Town Hall Bass and Murphy denied this, leading to a strange situation in which Supervisor Bill Reilich secretly taped a conversation with Murphy, an instance now even odder with Murphy striving to be the successor to Reilich. Both are Republicans. Murphy is running for supervisor this year. Reilich is not seeking reelection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The surreptitiously recorded conversation provided little clarity. Pedersen requested affidavits from the lawyers and others who could help determine the truth. He warned that there could be sanctions, while letting the mediation continue. More: Greece police officer wrongly collected more than $160K in worker's comp, town alleges The mediator reported in late February that, so far, mediation has been unsuccessful, records show. Days later Pedersen ordered that the town provide information about the phone used by Murphy at the time of the alleged contact with Bass, including the make and model and the cellphone provider. He also ordered that Bass provide similar information about the phone she used at the time of the alleged message. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order, filed Feb. 28, does not state how Pedersen intends to use this information. The information was due to Pedersen on March 6. The town faces other lawsuits from former Greece police officials who allege they were retaliated against because they were whistleblowers trying to reveal the truth in the 2021 drunken driving crash of then-Chief Andrew Forsythe. And the ongoing controversies will likely be part of the political fodder in the coming race for supervisor. Deputy County Executive Jeff McCann has been chosen by Democrats as the supervisor candidate and William Murphy by Republicans. Other candidates could include Ryan Murphy, a critic of town government who may run a primary challenge against William Murphy. (They are not related.) In the conversation secretly taped by Reilich last year, he and William Murphy bemoaned the state of the town's GOP. "We used to have a cohesive friendly group and we won elections and we all pulled together," Reilich said. " ... Now, its like were operating like Democrats do. Were at each other." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Well, everybody's fighting," Murphy said. "Yeah," Reilich answered. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Judge investigates possible lies in suit against Greece NY officials A woman found dead in a wooded area off County Road 474 in 1988 has been identified as Pamela Leigh Walton, authorities announced Monday. Walton, a transgender woman, was identified through investigative genetic genealogy conducted by the DNA Doe Project after more than 36 years of uncertainty. On Sept. 25, 1988, a passerby discovered Waltons remains about 30 feet from the roadway. At the time, authorities suspected she had been sexually assaulted and murdered. An initial autopsy determined Walton was female and had given birth, but later DNA testing in 2015 revealed she was biologically male. She had breast implants and evidence suggested she had been undergoing hormone therapy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2019, the Lake County Sheriffs Office partnered with the DNA Doe Project to use genetic genealogy to uncover Waltons identity. Volunteers with the Trans Doe Task Force initially worked on the case before shifting focus to their organization. After years of complex research involving adoption records and distant family ties, experts traced Waltons lineage to Kentucky, where she was born. She had been adopted as a child and later changed her name before transitioning. Pamelas story includes many common themes that trans people face, said Pam Lauritzen, the DNA Doe Projects executive director of media and communications. From derogatory remarks in high school yearbooks to a pre-carved headstone with her former name, its heartbreaking to see how the community failed to accept her. Despite challenges, including social media restrictions on outreach efforts, researchers successfully identified Walton earlier this year. Her cause of death remains undetermined, and the Lake County Sheriffs Office continues investigating the circumstances surrounding her case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities are asking anyone with information about Waltons death to come forward. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Some of Secretary of State Marco Rubios former Democratic colleagues are already expressing regret over their votes in support of the former senator. But his boosters on both sides of the aisle arent ready to give up on his ability to influence President Trump. Long term, he will have a real influence. Short term, I think hes probably still getting his feet on the ground, Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a staunch Ukraine supporter, told The Hill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As long as they provide him with the opportunity to make a difference, Marco can do some really good things for this administration. Confirmed on Day 1 of the administration, Rubio has been a spokesperson for a foreign policy that often diverges from his past positions, particularly those on the Ukraine war and standing up to Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin. Rubio has also been the face of Trump and Elon Musks crusade against the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which has been reduced to a shell by a spending freeze and mass firings. And Trump appeared to put Rubio in charge of the tall task of gaining control of the Panama Canal, joking during his joint address to Congress that hed know who to blame if the efforts fail. Marcos been amazing, and hes going to do a great job, the president added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But nothing is testing Rubios credibility in the Senate like Trumps hard shift toward Putin, and away from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a push for peace talks. His position now is secretary of sycophants, not secretary of State, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said. Sen. Rubio, his words, his actions, his legislation, he was one way, and somehow when he walked through that door and took that oath to become secretary, they are not one and the same, said Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. So I will say, maybe I regret it and Im very disappointed he knows all of these things, hes been working on it, he has the record, and why isnt he standing up to what hes always believed in? So I express a lot of disappointment, I think in his lack of confidence in himself and therefore his beliefs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) both said they regretted backing Rubio during Sunday show interviews last weekend. Sitting stone-faced and silent during an explosive Oval Office meeting between Trump and Zelensky, Rubios expression was closely watched for signs of discomfort, given his long-standing, ardent support for Ukraine. The only thing that matters is getting Putin to negotiate, Rubio told host George Stephanopoulos last weekend on ABCs This Week. The full-throated defense of Trump has been a consistent part of Rubios public remarks. Behind closed doors, hes fielding calls from shocked European allies and worried senators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im actively communicating with Secretary Rubio, said Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), who said he is focused on restoring U.S. foreign aid that Trump froze on his first day in office. One Democratic aide familiar with discussions in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said theres an understanding about Rubios difficult position: If he pushes back against Trump, hell be out of a job and will have no influence at all. Some senators still see Rubios foreign policy experience and familiarity with the State Department as assets, despite Trump being the ultimate decider. I stay in contact with Marco. And hes in the middle of it. Theres a lot of chefs in the kitchen, and hes one of them, said Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of these chefs is Musk, who directed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to take a sledgehammer to USAID, the independent foreign aid group nominally under Rubios purview. I think it would be easier for [Rubio] if all the DOGE recommendations went through him, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said. There are some signals Rubio is gaining ground on that front. Trump recently announced an apparent curb to Musks authority, saying agency heads would oversee any workforce reductions, using a metaphorical scalpel, instead of a hatchet. And Trump reportedly backed Rubio following a contentious back-and-forth with Musk during a Cabinet meeting, with the president saying Rubio is doing a great job. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rubio is traveling to Saudi Arabia next week for a high-stakes meeting with Ukrainian officials, aiming to repair ties ruptured during the Oval Office debacle. On the line for Kyiv is restoring U.S. military aid and intelligence sharing, which Trump halted this week. One former senior Republican official said Rubio seemed handicapped by not having his team fully in place at the State Department, adding its unclear who his allies are in the administration. One possible ally, Keith Kellogg, seems to have already been marginalized in his role, the former official said. Trump originally appointed Kellogg as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, but has handed communication with the Kremlin to one of his closest confidants, Steve Witkoff. Witkoff is heading to Saudi Arabia with Rubio next week, alongside national security adviser Mike Waltz. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Waltz, I think there was hope there that he could be an ally of Rubios. Hes in a tough spot, too. And he, arguably even more, has to toe the line than Rubio does, so I dont think Rubio has found an ally there so far, the former official said. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said she did not regret voting for Rubios confirmation. But others wondered what happened to the Rubio they once worked alongside. I dont know whats happened to Marco Rubio, said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. He has been a strong and effective defender of Ukraine. He has fought against dictators, particularly Putin when they invaded Ukraine. He has been a consistent and steady supporter of food and medicine for little babies all around the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump joked about Rubios 99-0 vote in the Senate during his joint address Tuesday, saying Im either very, very happy about that or Im very concerned about it. Republican allies said the attention from Trump during the high-profile speech was a sign of Rubios continued influence within the administration. I talk to him daily, sometimes multiple times a day. I never find him on the outside of things, ever, said Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. You just dont appreciate the presidents humor. Thats the problem. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also downplayed Trumps ribbing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Donald Trump often says one thing on Tuesday and then takes it back on Wednesday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) Jury selection is currently underway for Solomon Pena. A former New Mexico House of Representatives candidate, Pena is accused of orchestrating shootings at the homes of four Bernalillo County Democrats who he believed were responsible for his loss. Story continues below Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pena ran as a Republican for the New Mexico House of Representatives District 14 seat in 2022. Investigators say Pena was the mastermind and organized the shootings. Penas two accomplices, father and son Demetrio and Jose Louise Trujillo have both pleaded guilty to their charges. They are slated to testify in Penas trial. As part of their plea, the pair have already detailed how Pena orchestrated the shootings. The trial will last two weeks until March 21. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Are you not entertained? Americas state of the union is horrible and rapidly becoming much worse. President Trump is the ringmaster, master of ceremonies and star of this horrible spectacle. In her newsletter, historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat highlights the central role that the spectacle plays for the autocrat-authoritarian: Anyone who studies authoritarianism, a political system that depends on propaganda, corruption, machismo, and violence, is well acquainted with the parade of sociopaths, sycophants, petty and grand criminals, and zealots who flourish in lawless environments where the performance of power is everything and the leader is elevated to a semi-divinity. In authoritarian states, ridiculousness often competes with brutality for center stage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sum effect of the spectacle that is the Age of Trump is to make the American people feel powerless, disoriented, confused, and that they lack any agency over their personal destiny(ies) and the direction of their country, as David Remnick writes in a new essay at The New Yorker: It was one thing to anticipate this prolonged political moment; it has been, these past weeks, quite another to live it. Each day is its own fresh hell, bringing ever more outrageous news from an autocrat who revels in his contempt for the government he leads, for the foreign allies who deserve our support, and for the Constitution he is sworn to uphold. Since beginning his second term, six weeks ago, Donald Trump has commandeered public attention to such an extent that it is hard to recall that there was ever a time when an American President went about his first weeks in office in a frenzy of activity characterized not by threat, chaos, and corruption but by discipline, competence, and compassion. Ultimately, the spectacle is not secondary or peripheral to Trumps authoritarian strongman approach to leadership and politics (and his core personality), it is central to it. For example, Trump recently invited Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy to the White House to sign a mineral rights agreement that would ostensibly help to guarantee Ukraines protection from future Russian aggression. Instead, Donald Trump and JD Vance publicly ambushed Zelenskyy and demanded that he show more public appreciation, i.e. beg Trump for Americas military assistance and other help. When Zelenskyy pushed back and refused to beg, the meeting ended without an agreement and he was told by Trumps staff to leave the White House immediately. This came after several weeks where Trump, playing the role of professional wrestling heel and comedian, repeatedly attacked Zelenskyy with insults and mockery. The next day, Trump announced that the United States would temporarily cut off military assistance which now includes sharing intelligence information in an attempt to force Zelenskyy to negotiate peace on terms that would be very favorable to Putin and Russia. Trumps actions have been widely criticized as one of the low points in modern American history where the greatest country on Earth and leader of the free world is now de facto siding with Russia and other enemies of democracy and the West. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Oval Office meeting with Zelenskyy was supposed to be a carefully staged spectacle and media event that would be shown around the world as an example of Trumps high dominance leadership and strongman approach to government in which he is never to be challenged and all, both friends and foes, are to eagerly submit. "Media mistakes can be consequential," media scholar David Altheide told Salon. "The recent dressing-down of Ukraine President Zelensky by President Trump and Vice-President Vance was a glitch on a media stage." The discussion was staged with TV cameras present to promote Donald Trumps strong leadership for a cease fire in the Ukraine-Russia war, although the underlying aim was to further his quest for a Nobel Peace Prize. It was to be a ceremony and a victory for harsh political pressure in the guise of statesmanship. But sloppy handling and poor execution by the Trump White House production company did not anticipate a discussion and disagreement about the price of Trumps version of a cease fire. As Altheide notes, "the importance of media competence and agility is underscored by this debacle as well as President Trumps recovery attempt. Not getting the performance he desired led him to impugn President Zelenskys motives, ability, and gratitude." As compared to the debacle that was his meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump's address to a Joint Session of Congress last week was an opportunity for Trump to revel in his power as president and leader of the American "spectocracy." The New MAGA Order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps speech was one of the longest in the history of the presidency. He received his narcissistic fuel from the adoring Republicans and other supporters and supplicants in the audience and in the media. He boasted and exaggerated about his successes, dissembled and lied, performed as Donald Trump the symbol and character, postured and threatened, and was and is the main character in a story of American carnage that he is writing and living in real-time. The grossly surreal nature of Trumps speech (and this era) was encapsulated by his triumphant return to the Capitol and Congress. Four years earlier, Trumps MAGA followers attacked the Capitol as part of his coup attempt, running amok, battling the police, smearing feces on the walls of that historic building and the heart of American democracy, waving a Confederate flag, carrying a huge White Christian cross like they were Crusaders from the European Middle Ages and erecting a gallows to execute Vice President Pence and the other traitors. On Tuesday night, many of the same Republican members of Congress who were literally hiding for their lives on Jan. 6 applauded Trump as a conquering hero and their champion. Via email, David Altheide also shared this analysis of Donald Trumps address to Congress and how Trump, again, demonstrated his mastery of propaganda and the spectacle: President Trumps nearly 100-minute speech to Congress was a campaign talk of slow talking points supported by dozens of lies. His slow and measured delivery was built around pauses for applause and affirmation of his presence. It was very good television. As linguist Professor John McWhorter noted nearly 8 years ago, Trump never leaves the casual talk mode when speaking more formally, perhaps because he never developed a more adult style and some basic sophistication in school. His casual style epitomizes the intersection of narcissism and linguistics. Stuck with a limited vocabulary, his attention-based style of speaking reinforces his proclaimed stature and knowledge. For example, his talk to Congress used the following words a lot: most (28), beautiful (17), big (13), nobody (8), and incredible (6). He also referred to former President Joe Biden 13 times, while disparaging Democrats 4 times. Ironically, President Trumps limited use of language in short repetitive sentences is also well-suited to digital social media that stress few words, little context, and resonate emotionally, often with visual support. This style lends itself to the major themes Trump stressed, including power, dominance, punishment and threat. Altheide went deeper with these specifics: Power was apparent in noting his successful election, all 7 swing states, and signing 100 executive orders, taking 400 executive actions. Dominance appeared in insults to President Biden, former Vice-President Kamala Harris, and Senator Warren (Pocahontas). He also stressed his dominance on issues associated with the culture wars, e.g., DEI, LGBTQ+, And our country will be woke no longer. Punishment was apparent in boasts about negative characterizing and deporting of migrants, and firing of federal workers (we have hundreds of thousands of federal workers who have not been showing up to work.) Finally, threat was a dominant theme, also related to firing workers, And any federal bureaucrat who resists this change will be removed from office immediately. Because we are draining the swamp. Most poignantly were threats to take back the Panama Canal and annex Greenland. The upshot is that a typical big, beautiful, never seen before, incredible Trump performance was presented to obedient Republican supporters and a divided country, without a hint of reconciliation, or a positive legislative agenda except for a tax break that will benefit wealthy people. Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course. What about the Democrats? They continued with their months of being a hapless, ineffective, and neutered opposition party. Rep. Al Green of Texas showed some fire as he protested and heckled Trump. The Sergeant-at-Arms ejected him. Other Democrats sat in silence or displayed placards that had the words liar or false on them. Some Democrats walked out during Trumps speech. In the face of Trumps will to unlimited power, the Democratic Partys response was not inspiring, an ongoing theme since they were routed by Trump and his MAGA Republican Party last November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How did the mainstream news media cover Trumps address to Congress? It repeatedly used language such as partisan and polarizing. Those descriptions have been robbed of their meaning and now distort and minimize Trump and his allies attempts to end Americas multiracial pluralistic democracy. In another example of media malpractice and normalizing of Trump and his MAGA anti-democracy movement, the New York Times described his speech to Congress as exemplifying Game Show Flair where A child with cancer, the mother of a murder victim and a newly admitted student to an American military academy were given the spotlight during the presidents speech. This is an example of exactly how not to report on President Trump. There is nothing harmless or game show-like about Trumps aspirations and plans to become the countrys first autocrat and ruler for life. Donald Trump has only been president for seven weeks. His shock and awe campaign has been devastatingly effective in inflicting trauma and uncertainty on the American people, pushing the country closer to economic disaster, undermining the countrys democratic norms and institutions, making a mockery of the rule of law, destabilizing the international order and empowering Putin and Russia and other malign actors and enemies of democracy and freedom, and in total pushing the United States much closer to a state of competitive authoritarianism or outright fascism. Echoing my warnings, Thomas Edsall explains how these are the good times compared to what comes next: Assuming that the past six weeks are predictive of whats next, expect an age of anxiety; expect the elimination of tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of jobs; expect the decimation of liberal institutions to go on for all four years of Trumps second term; expect government services to deteriorate; expect reduced funding of the safety net; and expect more homelessness, hunger and disease. Expect poverty; expect the financial starvation of universities and of nongovernmental organizations; and expect unannounced raids, unreliable data and an America increasingly aligned with authoritarians worldwide. Expect a pervasive climate of suspicion and a preoccupation with revenge. Expect more suffering, more fear, less security and less happiness. In other words, expect the worst. This is not sustainable. Like individuals, societies have limits and can be pushed towards a state of psychological, emotional, psychic, spiritual and physical collapse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his address to Congress, Trump bragged and threatened that his administration is just getting started. Always believe the autocrat-authoritarian. They mean what they say both literally and figuratively. What will America look like 30 days from now? Six months from now? A year in the future? I shudder at the very thought of this New MAGA America. But one thing is almost certain, Trumps spectacle and theater of pain and domination will only get worse much, much worse. BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) Police are still searching for the people who abandoned a 3-year-old boy at a Brooklyn hospital on Sunday, where he later died, sources told PIX11. The child was taken to SUNY Downstate Medical Center around 11:30 a.m., according to authorities. He was unresponsive with bruising throughout his body, police said. More Local News The man and woman who dropped the boy off fled the hospital in a car on Clarkson Avenue, according to sources. Its unclear if they were his parents, sources said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hospital employees told PIX11 News that they were shaken by what happened. More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State I heard that some lady bringing in a baby, lifeless, a staffer said. And when they [hospital staff] tried to get more, asked what happened, she just left. She just took off. She had a car parked, waiting for her. And they just left. Police are checking surveillance cameras to track down the people who left the child. New York states Abandoned Infant Protection Act only protects parents who abandon infants up to 30 days old at safe locations. For more information on the Abandoned Infant Protection Act, click here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. Secretary General of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Asad M. Khan met with Irans Minister of Roads and Urban Development Farzaneh Sadegh Malvajerd to discuss regional transport cooperation, Trend reports. The meeting highlighted the importance of connectivity for economic growth and sustainable development in the region. Both sides acknowledged ECOs role in strengthening transport links and facilitating trade among member states. A key topic was the upcoming 13th ECO Ministerial Meeting on Transport, which Iran will host. Discussions focused on its organization and objectives, with an agreement to establish a working group to coordinate preparations. Khan recognized Irans strategic role as a regional transit hub and expressed confidence that the Ministerial Meeting would contribute to enhancing transport connectivity within the ECO region. TOPEKA (KSNT) Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay spoke publicly Monday on the recent conclusion of the Dana Chandler double-murder trial. Kagay hosted a press conference at 3 p.m. on March 10 where he took the opportunity to talk about the Chandler case. Kagay applauded the efforts of the prosecution and Pottawatomie County jury for participating in the conviction of Chandler on Friday, March 7. A jury found her guilty of two counts of first degree homicide which stemmed from the 2002 deaths of her ex-husband Mike Sisco and his fiance Karen Harkness who were killed by gunfire in their bed. Fridays verdict ensures that Chandler is finally being held accountable for her crimes, Kagay said. This case demonstrates our commitment to justice. When two people are murdered in our community we are not going to turn away. When a case becomes difficult, we will not take the easy path. We fight for the truth and stand with victims families no matter how long it takes. Justice is not optional, it is essential to an ordered society. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bats, sex offenders and dangerous area prompt KBI to search for new home in Topeka Dana Chandlers mugshot. (Photo Courtesy/Shawnee County Department of Corrections) Kagay went on to say justice was finally served and thanked members of the Harkness and Sisco families for trusting in his office to deliver a conviction in the case. He said he was standing with the families in the courtroom when the verdict was delivered last week. Woman dead after being hit by vehicle in north Topeka store parking lot It was a powerful moment, Kagay said. It was very emotional. I dont want to speak for them, but I was proud to stand with them and, as Ive said, Im very grateful for the trust theyve shown this office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kagay also responded when asked on specifics related to the case, including what evidence helped play a role in convicting Chandler in her third murder trial for the deaths of Sisco and Harkness. As I said, after the verdict was delivered, I think theres overwhelming circumstantial evidence in this case, Kagay said. Theres certainly limited direct evidence, limited physical and forensic evidence, but when you look at everything as whole I think the evidence is overwhelming although it is circumstantial. Kagay said the next step in the case will be Chandlers sentencing which has yet to be set. He said his office is prepared for the eventuality that Chandler will try to appeal her conviction in the case. Bobos Drive-In receives outpouring of support from Topeka community after break-in 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. A flooded basement with live wires, bed bug infestations, rodents, crumbling drywall. In late February, conditions at Cloverleaf Apartments were so dire that Kansas City building inspectors gave residents just 48 hours to permanently vacate the rental building. The short notice left many tenants in shock and in limbo. Amya Brown returned home to the complex on Feb. 26 to find her neighbors outside, watching city crews shut off the buildings electricity and water. "Its very sad and devastating to see everybody go through something like this, including myself, she told WDAF TV Fox 4 in Kansas City. Don't miss Building owner abandons property City inspectors took action after the property management company abandoned the complex. Tenants report that they havent seen or spoken with the property managers in days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the apartment's nearly 100 tenants are homeless including 75 who rely on rental assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD is trying to find temporary housing for them while the Red Cross assists other residents. Fox 4 reports that building owner Frederick Shulman, CEO of NB Affordable, and his partner Moshe Silber each pleaded guilty to wire fraud last year. They also face federal charges for allegedly pocketing HUD funds designed for renovations at NB Affordable properties across the country. The Cloverleaf complex has been in decline for several years, but the situation worsened after Shulman and Shilber pleaded guilty to wire fraud last year. In February, HUD stopped payments to the company because it had not addressed maintenance concerns. Subsequently, maintenance workers abandoned the Cloverleaf complex, leaving tenants to fend for themselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its ridiculous," said Cayla France, a tenant with two small children. "I mean, we are dealing with flooded apartments, unlivable conditions. Its just tragic. 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 3 ways to protect yourself if youre suddenly evicted In this situation, authorities deemed a building unsafe and tenants had to leave. Regardless of the reason, a sudden eviction is devastating. Here are actions you can take to protect yourself and your family in a similar situation. 1. Reach out to legal aid groups and tenants' rights organizations If your landlord has served you with an eviction notice, check local laws. Most states have tenant rights that prevent landlords from evicting residents without sufficient notice or cause. Document everything. Take photos, videos, and screenshots of unsafe conditions, lack of notice or landlord negligence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reach out to tenants rights organizations for help, especially if your landlord is neglecting essential services or violating tenant laws. Many legal aid clinics offer free or low-cost services to help tenants fight illegal evictions, negotiate move-out terms, or secure rental assistance. Even if you have to leave, legal guidance can help protect your credit, rental history, and financial stability in the long run. 2. Make sure you have an emergency fund. If you have saved up an emergency fund of three to six months worth of living expenses, it will be much easier to navigate housing challenges. 3. Look for local housing resources. Act quickly to reach out to HUD, local housing authorities or tenant advocacy groups for emergency assistance. Organizations like the Red Cross, Salvation Army and local shelters can offer temporary housing, rental assistance, or emergency funds. Search "rental aid programs" in your community to find help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sudden eviction of Cloverleaf residents is a harsh reminder that tenants can be left in limbo, even when they do everything right. That's why it's good to be prepared for any eventuality. What to read next This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Chris Koliba, a public administration professor at the University of Kansas, says peers in the profession need to answer threats to democratic ideals in the United States and elsewhere by adding key principles of democratic government to academic accreditation standards.(Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector) LAWRENCE University of Kansas public administration professor Chris Koliba has it on good authority that federal governments need major change now and then. It was President Thomas Jefferson who suggested every generation ought to engage in its own version of revolution, but Koliba said the primary author of the Declaration of Independence didnt literally recommend national governments should be ruthlessly splintered and recast from scratch again and again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What he meant was that as societies evolve, become more complex and new problems arise the chances to refresh and renew some of the fundamental principles and practices in the way government operates are necessary, Koliba said. The misinterpretation of Jefferson and erosion of foundational rules and standards of democracy has become an international crisis, he said. The latest action by President Donald Trump to challenge longstanding principles of democratic government demonstrated how quickly the American system could be unraveled, Koliba said. The list of at-risk framework pieces in the United States included adherence to constitutional obligations, separation of powers, scientific reason, thoughtful regulation, individual rights and promotion of tolerance, he said. Were in an era now thats been characterized in the political science literature as democratic backsliding the deconstruction of some of the democratic norms that guided the administration of American society for generations, Koliba said. We are seeing a reformation of democratic institutions at the federal level that could fundamentally alter the nature of our democracy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we start to lose these foundational ideas, what are we left with? Were left with a highly politicized apparatus that is then subject to the whims of authoritative movements, he said. A majority of the six-person Kansas delegation in Congress, however, repeatedly expressed enthusiasm for Trumps aggressive overhaul of the federal government. That point was driven home as U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, the 1st District Republican, responded to Trumps recent speech to the House and Senate. America is back! Mann said. President Trumps address laid out a clear vision for our country as we work to secure the border, reduce federal spending, cut taxes and restore Americas role on the world stage. I am eager to work with him to make it happen. Promises made, promises kept. Professional appeal On the Kansas Reflector podcast, Koliba delved into an editorial he published in the Journal of Public Affairs Education in response to the global barrage of norm-threatening conduct by government leaders. He urged the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration, which accredits public administration programs, to strengthen teaching standards to embolden democratic standards relied upon to shape the profession. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Populist movements on the right and left have been advancing agendas contrary to core ideals of public administration by conflating of truths with opinions, perpetuation of organizing lying and peddling of dangerous conspiracies, he said. These attacks on democracy were designed to undermine trust and confidence in the bureaucracy within democratic government in the United States and elsewhere, he said. I argue that our accreditation standards are not explicit enough in their dedication to democratic values. They are vague and leave things open to interpretation, Koliba said. For example, he said, academic standards for public administration touched on constitutional obligations but that language fell short because the duty to adhere to the state or federal constitution wasnt acknowledged as a bulwark foundation principle. Accreditation standards ought to clearly emphasize for students of public administration the necessity of improving the effectiveness of government services in response to societal needs, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ripple effects This aspirational approach to work of government had implications from meat inspections at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to clean water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, tax audits at the Internal Revenue Service, military readiness at the U.S. Department of Defense, criminal investigations at the U.S. Department of Justice and hundreds of other federal responsibilities. Theres a lot of things the government does on our behalf that are right below the surface, right below our radar screens, Koliba said. Theres so many things that government services provide that we have taken for granted. Well see how deep these cuts go and how sustained they are. Koliba, director of KUs Center for Democratic Governance, said undemocratic trends were occurring in established democracies around the world in one way, shape or form. Domestically, the spotlight has been directed at the jarring work of Trump and billionaire Elon Musk to downsize the federal workforce, dismantle federal agencies and programs and slash federal expenditures often without approval of the legislative branch. Much has been written about the state of democracy in the United States and around the world. Were seeing certain leaders pressing the margins and exploiting loopholes in our democratic system, he said. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared to mock journalists and inquiries that cited experts in a recent interview, referring to some liberal reporters as a**holes. During an appearance on the Ruthless podcast, Leavitt described how she and White House communications director Steven Cheung approach email requests from journalists. Its my favorite thing, she said. They email: Karoline, ethical experts, yes We write back which experts? And then they send the names, and we Google them, and they're like Democrat donors funded by George Soros. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So you're like, we copy and paste their Wikipedia like these experts, a**hole? This is not a real story. These are not real stories. During a recent appearance on the Ruthless podcast, Leavitt described how she and White House communications director Steven Cheung approach email requests from journalists (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Leavitt added that reference to unspecified experts was the tell of any liberal reporter. She then laughed and nodded in agreement as podcast host Josh Holmes described such inquiries as using weasel words. White House officials later downplayed the animosity saying the comment was made in jest on a funny podcast. In her first White House briefing, Leavitt vowed to open the room to less traditional voices, adding that a special seat in the front row would be known as the new media seat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We welcome independent journalists, podcasters, social media influencers, and content creators to apply for credentials to cover this White House," she said. Leavitt said she and Cheung (pictured) would copy and paste bios of experts from Wikipedia back to journalists when responding to a story (Getty Images) Since then, she has welcomed reporters from less traditional outlets, including the Ruthless podcast, far-right news site Brietbart, and The Daily Wire the network set up by conservative commentator Ben Shapiro. Her apparent disdain echoes that of president Donald Trump and Elon Musk and their demonization of the so-called legacy media. The Associated Pressa long-trusted source of accurate informationrecently filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration after being iced out of press briefings for refusing to adjust its style guide to align with the president. A child practices cursive writing exercises at home. After nearly dying out, cursive is making a comeback in public schools, with more than 20 states requiring it so far. (Wilfredo Lee/The Associated Press) During a one-on-one parsing of his essay in an academic writing class, one of my college students last fall said to me with, I might add, a benign irreverence: Well, close enough. To which I said, Well no. Without a hint of irreverence, benign or otherwise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My students shrug of indifference was neither mean-spirited nor brimming with meaning. He was simply reflecting societys retreat from precision to an acceptance of close enough. Bless his undergraduate heart, he was encapsulating this troublesome modern phenomenon: our lack of respect for being exact, a subset of the ongoing miasma of misinformation. Close isnt enough Cigars, horseshoes and hand grenades aside, close in such a misinformed world doesnt cut it. We should be demanding the truth, especially when we need it most: buying a home, making a medical decision or voting for a president. From unintentional imprecision to blatant propaganda to campaigns of disinformation, we too often settle for close enough when we should be clamoring for clarity not in-the-ballpark or close enough but actual commodities like real evidence and actual proof. To stay afloat in todays flooded zones amid the just-made-up stuff, we need real details. This is neither a scold nor an argument for some robotic, mechanical speech, which while perhaps clean and careful, lacks humanity. Im saying only that if we insist and rely on microscopic tolerances in everything from the Keurigs that brew our morning coffee to the razors that keep us shorn to the 737s that fly us around the world, why not demand more rhetorical rigor and truth telling, particularly from leaders who write policies and craft legislation? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close enough is far too often not enough, whether its at a local school board meeting, in the Nebraska Legislature or even during a joint session of Congress where, as recently witnessed, elected leaders who should know better stood and cheered not simply their approval of a little linguistic license, but also a litany of out and out lies. What we face Three circumstances are working against us. Thats the bad news. The good news is that each can be overcome. The first is our wont to diminish the work and wisdom of experts, particularly in science and academia. At the low end of this continuum is a community of online specialists, who, armed with Google and a conspiratorial mindset, continue to disbelieve those with advanced degrees, years of experience and the respect of professional peers. Sometimes, even the well-intentioned bypass expertise. When the Nebraska Legislature grappled with bills related to gender-affirming care, it passed laws despite the overwhelming testimony of health care professionals to the contrary. The post-truth world dismisses empirical research for claims based on emotions or personal beliefs. When facts lose their significance, the vague, the untrue and the nonsensical cant be far behind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related to our growing disdain for facts and science is confirmation bias, a cognitive condition that occurs when we give preference to and stronger trust to that which fits into what we already believe. In other words, we believe it more because we already believe it. We all do it. But consequences follow. Examples abound For example, if I already consider the federal government bloated, Im more likely to believe Elon Musks DOGE is finding hundreds of billions of dollars in waste, fraud and abuse rather than the more accurate view that the savings being realized are at much lower numbers and are more likely the result of clerical or computer errors than fraud. When numbers are thrown against the wall like spaghetti, rather than looking only for which ones stick, we should be paying more attention to those that dont. Finally, the Illusory Truth Effect holds sway in our social media-driven world. Thats the psychological occurrence that tricks us into believing that repetition equals truth, that lies must not be lies because weve heard them so often. On the internet the most valuable commodity is a click. The Illusory Truth Effect translates clicks into truths, even when the opposite is true. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As has been written in this space before: If a 1,000 people say a stupid thing, its still a stupid thing. My student rewrote his essay and without rolling his eyes or at least not in front of me. The new draft, with more rigor and evidence, strengthened his argument. Im not sure what lesson he learned, if any. But he never used that line on me again. I only hope he and the rest of us understands that when truth is on the line, more than close enough is required. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy Jr. directed the Food and Drug Administration on Monday to revise safety rules to help eliminate a provision that allows companies to self-affirm that food ingredients are safe. This would increase transparency for consumers as well as the FDA's oversight of food ingredients considered to be safe, Kennedy said. "For far too long, ingredient manufacturers and sponsors have exploited a loophole that has allowed new ingredients and chemicals, often with unknown safety data, to be introduced into the U.S. food supply without notification to the FDA or the public," he said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy has promised to tackle the epidemic of chronic illness with the support of U.S. President Donald Trump, but his broad agenda - ranging from making food healthier to researching vaccines - could conflict with proposed cuts in government spending. "The FDA is committed to further safeguarding the food supply by ensuring the appropriate review of ingredients and substances that come into contact with food", FDA Acting Commissioner Sara Brenner said in a post on X. Currently, the FDA strongly encourages manufacturers to submit notices under a rule known as Substances Generally Recognized as Safe, but they can also have the option to self-affirm the use of a substance without notifying the FDA. Eliminating this pathway would require companies wishing to introduce ingredients in foods to publicly notify the FDA of their intended use and submit the supporting safety data, the HHS said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FDA maintains a public inventory where all notices, supporting data and response letters are available for review. The Consumer Brands Association, which represents companies such as Coca-Cola and WK Kellogg, said that they "look forward to continued engagement with the secretary and the qualified experts within HHS to support public health, build consumer trust and promote consumer choice." PepsiCo, General Mills, Kraft Heinz, Hershey, Mondelez and Kellanova did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for a comment. A few months ago, the FDA had set in motion a restructuring of its food division to increase oversight of food supply and agricultural products under former commissioner Robert Califf. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In January, it proposed that food companies display nutrition labels on the front of the packages. (Reporting by Bhanvi Satija and Ananya Mariam Rajesh in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Disha Mishra and Jessica DiNapoli; Editing by Arun Koyyur, Alan Barona and Sherry Jacob-Phillips) FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) Women have and continue to play a role in Kentuckys story. For Womens History Month, their contributions were celebrated at the capitol on Monday. The capitol rotunda was filled for this celebration of women, and to make it official, new portraits of these women were unveiled. Theyll be added to the Kentucky Women Remembered exhibit in the halls of the capitol. Read more of the latest Kentucky news Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new portraits are of Alberta Jones, a member of the Louisville Urban League, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, before her passing in 1965. Her portrait was painted by Sarah Clevenger from Jefferson County. Fayette County Artist Deborah Slone painted Ada Limons portrait. In July 2022, Ada was appointed as the 24th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. Kim Michelle Richardsons portrait was painted by Yanya Yang from Fayette County. Kim is a native Kentuckian and resident of Louisville, whose storytelling captures the essence of her passion for the people of Kentucky. She is a New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today author and advocate whose stories resonate with readers, transcending geographic boundaries and instilling a sense of appreciation for the culture and heritage of her beloved Kentucky. Amanda Matthewss portrait was made by Ming Xuan Talley from Jefferson County. Amanda is an internationally recognized sculptor/designer of public art and the space it inhabits, and she designed the Covid memorial at the Kentucky Capitol, as well as the statue of Nettie Depp, the first female public official in the county as superintendent of the Barren County Schools in Glasgow. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My efforts have never been to bring attention to myself, but to bring attention to others whose voices should be lifted up. This is truly an honor, Matthews said. This exhibit features women like Governor Martha Layne Collins, Kentuckys first female governor. But there are countless stories of women who have left their mark on Kentucky, and the Kentucky Commission on Women is looking to have these stories told. Lucy Gentry is the chair of this commission. Today, the mission of the Kentucky Commission on Women is to strengthen, empower, and elevate women and girls throughout the commonwealth, Gentry said. Its a mission state leaders like Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman and Governor Andy Beshear want to get behind, making sure these stories continue as the commonwealth goes forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the founding of our commonwealth and our country, women have made extraordinary contributions to society, and our way of life. For too long, these accomplishments were not celebrated. Thats why this exhibit and the work being done by Kentuckys Commission on Women is vital, Coleman said. Read more of the latest Lexington & central Kentucky news Here in Kentucky, we recognize the incredible contributions of the women of our commonwealth. At a time when the U.S. Department of Defense refuses to celebrate Womens History Month, were going to do so loudly and proudly here in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Beshear added. At the end of the event, Governor Beshear signed a proclamation designating March as Womens History Month in Kentucky. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. KENTUCKY (FOX 56) Amid a historic flu season, it appears the country, as well as the Commonwealth, is finally turning a corner. While seasonal cases of Influenza, commonly known as the flu, remain high nationwide, the viruss activity has decreased for the third consecutive week, according to data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Despite the positive recent trend shown by data, healthcare experts said several more weeks of flu activity could be expected. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After nearly a month of being classified in a very high flu activity status, this CDC flu activity map shows that Kentucky has moved to a moderate flu activity level. Healthcare experts reportedly estimated that there have been at least 40 million illnesses, 520,000 hospitalizations, and 22,000 deaths nationally from the 2025 flu season so far. On March 3, the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department posted on social media to recommend everyone 6 months or older get an annual flu vaccine as long as the virus is circulating. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SELMA, Alabama (FOX 56) Gov. Andy Beshear joined thousands of activists and community members on Sunday marching across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. Beshear wrote on social media that on this day 60 years ago, those that marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, delivered monumental change. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In their honor, we must keep marching forward. We can, and we will, for all our children, Gov. Beshear wrote. Gov. Andy Beshear participated in the 60th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday march on Edmund Pettus Bridge on Sunday. (Gov. Andy Beshear) Gov. Andy Beshear participated in the 60th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday march on Edmund Pettus Bridge on Sunday. (Gov. Andy Beshear) Gov. Andy Beshear participated in the 60th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday march on Edmund Pettus Bridge on Sunday. (Gov. Andy Beshear) Gov. Andy Beshear participated in the 60th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday march on Edmund Pettus Bridge on Sunday. (Gov. Andy Beshear) Gov. Andy Beshear participated in the 60th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday march on Edmund Pettus Bridge on Sunday. (Gov. Andy Beshear) Gov. Andy Beshear participated in the 60th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday march on Edmund Pettus Bridge on Sunday. (Gov. Andy Beshear) The Kentucky governor reportedly spoke at the 60th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday march. According to the Associated Press, on March 7, 1965, marchers crossed the same bridge protesting white officials refusal to allow Black Alabamians to register to vote, as well as the killing days earlier of Jimmie Lee Jackson, a minister and voting rights organizer who was shot by a state trooper in nearby Marion. Lexington art studio celebrates International Womens Day featuring work from women across central Kentucky Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 60 years later, Gov. Beshear and First Lady Britainy Beshear marched with those who were there on that historic day, as well as marchers from the generations who came after. 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 FOX 56 News. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. There is no basis for the potential militarization of Iran's nuclear program, the country's Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi wrote on X, Trend reports. According to him, Iran's nuclear program has always been and will remain entirely peaceful. Araghchi noted that Iran will not negotiate under pressure and intimidation. Iran will not consider it, no matter what the subject may be. Negotiation is different from bullying and issuing diktats. "Iran is holding consultations with three European countries (UK, France, and Germany), and separately with Russia and China on an equal and mutually respectful basis. The goal is to find ways to create more trust and transparency in Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions against the country," he noted. 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 March 3, Rafael Grossi, the Director-General of the IAEA, mentioned during the IAEA Board of Governors' meeting that Iran has increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity by 93 kilograms, from 182 kilograms to 275 kilograms compared to the previous quarter. Iran remains the only non-nuclear weapon state to enrich uranium to this level, raising significant concerns. 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 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 KENTUCKY (FOX 56) A Kentucky woman accused of shooting, stabbing, and dismembering her mother in October 2024 in Robertson County appeared in court on Monday. Torilena Fields, 32, was in court for a pre-trial hearing following her arrest on Oct. 9, 2024. The Robertson County Circuit Clerk told FOX 56 that she was granted a psychiatric evaluation. Records show that Fields competency evaluation must be conducted in person by a psychiatrist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fields has been charged in connection with the death of her mother, Trudy Fields. RELATED: Torilena Fields mugshot (Bourbon County Detention Center) As previously reported, Kentucky State Police troopers arrived at the scene to find body parts scattered across the Brierly Ridge Road home, including some that had been cooked inside an oven. Troopers also said that Torilena was observed casting spells and behaving aggressively. In her first court hearing back in November 2024, Fields appeared virtually, where she was able to communicate clearly with the judge and her attorney. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She didnt seem different to me, Todd Brock, Torilenas uncle, said. Her mind didnt seem like screwed up, you know. She paid attention to the judge, so I think theres nothing wrong with her. Fields was charged with murder, obstructing governmental operations, tampering with physical evidence, torture of a dog or cat, and abuse of a corpse. Drugs are expected to be a factor in this case, according to an arrest citation. Torilena May Fields via Zoom for court appearance on November 12th, 2025. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Torilenas next court appearance is scheduled for 9 a.m. on July 14, per court records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Camille Hantla 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 FOX 56 News. Kept in the Dark is an in-depth investigation into more than 300 K-12 school cyberattacks over the last five years, revealing the forces that leave students, families and district staff unaware that their sensitive data was exposed. Use the search feature below to learn how cybercrimes and subsequent data breaches have played out in your own community. Heres what we uncovered about a massive attack on the school district in Somerset, Massachusetts. When a ransom note landed in the inboxes of high school leaders in Somerset, Massachusetts, the district hired consultants to negotiate unsuccessfully with the hackers. The district wound up paying a ransom to resolve the July 2020 cyberattack, according to documents obtained by The 74 through public records requests. In the eyes of the cybersecurity company brought in to consult, the school system got a good deal. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter The hacker, who used an encrypted email service and the name Kristina D Holm, threatened to leak 50 gigabytes of data if Somerset school officials didnt hand over 60 bitcoin which, at the time, was worth about $660,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we dont reach an agreement we will start leaking your private data, the hacker wrote, noting that for bitcoin they would also offer a list of security measures to prevent future breaches. The note also provided documents to prove the writer had infiltrated district servers. Emails reveal that Coveware, a cybersecurity company that specializes in negotiating with hackers, got the ransom down to $200,000 after the firm made a $170,000 counteroffer. An invoice obtained by The 74 describes the ransom payment as being for technical consultant services and remediation. Typically in situations where they drop very significantly and within range of our budget, we would recommend accepting the offer as we have seen these groups take offers away if they think we are nickel and diming them on the price, Coveware incident response director Garron Negron wrote in a July 30 email ahead of the payment. The district didnt respond to requests for comment for this story. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Records show that Beazley, the school districts cybersecurity insurance provider, approved the ransom payment and was a key player in selecting third-party vendors like Coveware for Somerset Berkeleys incident response. Six days after the attack, school officials contacted lawyers with the firm BakerHostetler to assess the cyberattacks impact and its data breach reporting obligations, but it wasnt until November four months later that the firm told them a programmatic review of the files had been completed. Baker reviewed a sample of documents for each of the largest hit counts and helped narrow the scope for manual review, staff attorney Damon Durbin wrote, adding that the preliminary review uncovered at least two Social Security numbers. Once the district approved a statement of work, Durbin wrote, consultants would conduct the review and produce a notification list that Baker will review with the District in order to determine notification obligations. Negotiations with the threat actor are among files obtained by The 74 through a public records request (Screenshot) The school district reported the hack to local and federal law enforcement, records show, but not until after lawyers were on the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement William Tedford, then the Somerset Police Departments technology director, requested in a July 31 email that the district furnish the threat actors bitcoin address as soon as possible, so he could share it with a Secret Service agent who offered to track the payment with the hopes of identifying the suspect(s). There will be no action taken by the Secret Service without express permission from the decision-makers in this matter, Tedford wrote, adding that officials with the state police cybersecurity program had also offered to help. All are aware of the sensitive nature of this matter, and information is restricted to only [the officers] directly involved, said Tedford, who was promoted to department chief in August 2024. While law enforcement seemed willing to follow the school districts lead, the incident did open Somerset Berkeley to police scrutiny. In early August, Tedford pressed school officials about sexual misconduct allegations that the threat actor claimed to have stumbled upon and attempted to use as leverage during ransom negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hacker wrote: I am somewhat shocked with the contents of the files because the first file I chose at random is about a predatory/pedophilia incident described by young girls in one of your schools. This is very troubling even for us. I hope you have investigated this incident and reported it to the authorities, because that is some fucked up stuff. If the other files are as good, we regret not making the price higher. Tedford asked if the accusation was legitimate and if the police had been notified. I need to cover these bases now that we have been made aware of this claim, Tedford wrote in an Aug. 3 email. Its clear the attorneys dont want law enforcement involved, and thats fine, but this is a different issue. William Tedford, now the Somerset police chief. (Facebook) In an emailed response, district Superintendent Jeffrey Schoonover said the police department is well aware of that situation, which was related to an incident during an out-of-town show choir event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After a thorough investigation, no charges were filed, Shoonover wrote, adding in a later email that an officer interviewed dozens of kids in response to this entire unfortunate event. In August 2020, the district was working on its talking points to the public and its clear the consultants werent far away. The 74 obtained a draft FAQ in which school officials were crafting their answer to the question: Why was the community not advised when this cyberattack first happened? They answered that they would have preferred to notify the public earlier but couldnt to ensure the privacy of student records, that they were unsure what, if any, records may have been compromised and that they were encouraged to wait to release any information until the investigation was further along. In red italics next to the text are the words: Pending revisions from consultants. Somerset Berkley was unable to provide any further information about whether the district paid a ransom, the document also notes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The public wasnt notified of the July attack until September, when Schoonover wrote in a letter that data breach victims would be contacted once its investigation was finalized but he didnt divulge the $200,000 ransom payment. The district submitted a breach notice to Massachusetts regulators in December 2020 five months after the incident and disclosed that 85 commonwealth residents had their information exposed. Stolen records include Social Security, drivers license and credit card numbers. CHICAGO Kim Kardashians shapewear and clothing brand is opening a flagship store in Chicago. According to Crains Chicago Business, Skims will open at 1000 North Rush Street in the Gold Coast neighborhood. The retail space was purchased by developer L3 Capital for $21.5 million. This will be the companys first Chicago storefront. It is unclear when exactly the store will open. Skims was o-founded in 2019 by Kardashian and Swedish entrepreneur Jens Grede. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The brand started by selling shapewear and intimate apparel, but has expanded into a clothing line that includes a menswear collection. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Last Year, King Charles was absent from the annual Commonwealth Day service following the shock news that he had been diagnosed with cancer. The Princess of Wales also did not attend as she recovered from major surgery. However, this year the senior royals will be out in force at the Westminster Abbey service on Monday, as the King's message speaks of uncertain times and the importance of the Commonwealths ability to bring people together. In these uncertain times, where it is all too easy to believe that our differences are problems instead of a source of strength and an opportunity for learning, the Commonwealths remarkable collection of nations and peoples come together in the spirit of support and, crucially, friendship, King Charles said in his message this year, a small part of which has been released by Buckingham Palace. The Commonwealths ability to bring together people from all over the world has stood the test of time and remains as ever-important today. King Charles became Head of the Commonwealth in 2022, taking over from Queen Elizabeth when she died. Unlike his position as Head of State in the UK and other Commonwealth Realms however, the role is not a hereditary one. Instead, Charles was voted in during a meeting at Windsor Castle in 2018 after Queen Elizabeth had said she would like him to succeed her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are currently 56 independent countries in the Commonwealth. Most were formerly under British rule as part of the British Empire. However, the last four countries to joinMozambique, Rwanda, Gabon and Togohave no link to the former Empire. The Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey is held annually on the second Monday in March. In 2020, it was memorably the final engagement that Harry and Meghan carried out before leaving the UK and stepping back as working royals. You Might Also Like DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Saudi Arabia is to host talks on Tuesday between the United States and Ukraine in a new diplomatic push after an argument erupted during President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Feb. 28 visit to the White House. The oil-rich kingdom may seem like an unusual venue for talks aimed at smoothing over relations after the blowup. But Saudi Arabia under its assertive Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been positioning itself as an ideal location for possible peace negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow and even the first face-to-face talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump. Heres what to know about why this meeting is taking place and Saudi Arabia's role: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why are these talks happening? U.S. and Ukrainian officials will meet after the Oval Office meeting between Zelenskyy, Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance descended into an extraordinary 10-minute argument before journalists. Trump at one point admonished Zelenskyy by angrily saying: "Youre gambling with World War III, and what youre doing is very disrespectful to the country." Zelenskyy ended up leaving the White House without signing a deal that included granting the U.S. access to Ukraines rare earth minerals. Kyiv hoped that deal would ensure the continued flow of U.S. military support that Ukraine urgently needs as it battles Russia in the war that began after Moscow's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Where will these talks take place? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry in a statement on Friday identified the location for the talks as Jeddah, a port city on the Red Sea. It's not clear why the kingdom picked Jeddah as opposed to Riyadh, the Saudi capital where the initial Russia-U.S. talks took place on Feb. 18. However, Jeddah has hosted other diplomatic engagements in the past and is home to royal palaces. The Foreign Ministry said the kingdom would continue to pursue a lasting peace to end the Ukrainian crisis. The kingdom has continued these efforts over the past three years by hosting many meetings on this matter, the ministry said. Who will attend the talks? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelenskyy plans to visit Saudi Arabia on Monday ahead of the talks. He earlier delayed a trip to the kingdom after traveling to the neighboring United Arab Emirates, which also has been considered as a possible venue for peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow. We continue working on the relevant steps with our partners who want peace, who want it just as much as we do, Zelenskyy said Friday. 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. Zelenskyy wrote online that a team including his chief of staff Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov traveling with him to Saudi Arabia will take part in the talks. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead the American team for the Ukrainian talks and meet with Prince Mohammed. Sybiha also spoke on Friday with Rubio ahead of the talks. Sybiha described it as a constructive call." A two-sentence readout from the State Department said Rubio 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump himself sounded upbeat on Air Force One on Sunday when speaking to journalists. I think youre gonna have eventually and maybe not in the distant future youre gonna have some pretty good results coming out of Saudi Arabia this week, Trump said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, asked on Monday about the talks, said: It doesnt matter what were expecting. It matters what the United States is expecting." Why are these talks in Saudi Arabia? Since assuming power in Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammed took an aggressive posture both at home and abroad. His public image reached its nadir with the 2018 slaying of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, believed by the United States and others to be at the princes orders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the last two years, however, Prince Mohammed instead has reached a detente with Iran, hosted Zelenskyy for an Arab League summit and been involved in negotiations over the wars in Sudan and the Gaza Strip. Riyadh also maintained ties to Russia through the OPEC+ oil cartel while Western nations levied sanctions against it. That's reasserted the role the kingdom long has perceived itself as having being the leader of the Sunni Muslim world and a dominant force in the Middle East. Hosting Russia-U.S. talks, possibly drawing Trump to the kingdom for his first foreign trip in this term through investments and other possible meetings only raise Saudi Arabia's profile further as a neutral territory for high-stakes negotiations. Saudi Arabia's autocratic government, compliant media and distance from the war also allows for talks to take place in a tightly controlled country with relative privacy. What does this mean for the war and the wider world? Trump remains focused on reaching some kind of peace deal to stop the war. His approach toward Ukraine so far has relied far more on stick than carrot limiting their access to intelligence and weaponry. While conciliatory toward Putin, Trump recently also threatened new sanctions against Russia over its ceaseless attacks on Ukrainian cities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Ukraine and the U.S. reach some sort of understanding acceptable to Trump, that could accelerate his administrations push to talks. However, the rest of Europe remains skeptical as they have been sidelined from the talks. The European Union last week agreed to boost the continents defenses and to free up hundreds of billions of euros for security. ___ Associated Press writers Will Weissert and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. Former Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil talks to the press at a pro-Palestinian encampment at Columbia University's Morningside Heights campus on June 1, 2024. Credit - Selcuk Acar/AnadoluGetty Images Buried in the trove of Executive Orders signed by President Donald Trump in his first weeks in office was a directive linked to last years campus protests over the Israel-Gaza war. The order called for the revocation of student visas for individuals suspected of sympathizing with Hamas. To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you, Trump said in a White House fact sheet announcing the move. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday night, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) followed through on Trump's threat, detaining Mahmoud Khalil, an activist and former student of New York City's Columbia University, where pro-Palestinian demonstrations last year became a national lightning rod amid a debate about the Middle East conflict. Khalil, who was raised in Syria and is of Palestinian descent, played a prominent role in the public demonstrations at the university and served as a negotiator between protesters and university officials last spring. He graduated from Columbia with a masters degree in December. Khalils situation immediately drew international attention because of the reason he was detained, and because, according to his lawyer Amy Greer, he holds a green card, which allows individuals to live and work permanently in the United States. In his notice to appear in immigration court, first reported by The Washington Post, the government said Khalil is a citizen of Algeria and that he could be deported under section 237 (a)(4)(C) (i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which gives the Secretary of State the authority to deport non-citizens when they have "reasonable ground to believe that [their] presence or activities in the United States would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States. The notice did not mention any crimes that the federal government believes Khalil may have committed. Khalil is currently being held at the Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Jena, La., roughly 1,300 miles away from his apartment, according to an ICE database. His wife, who is eight months pregnant, is a U.S. citizen and detailed the arrest in a statement shared with TIME, though she has declined to use her name. In the statement, she says the couple were followed and confronted by ICE agents as they were returning from an Iftar dinner. She said an agent threatened to arrest her too if she didnt go upstairs to their apartment. "We were not shown any warrant and the ICE officers hung up the phone on our lawyer," read her statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Baher Azmy, the legal director of the Center of Constitutional Rights who is on Khalils legal team, told reporters Wednesday that Khalil was arrested for his viewpoints, which Azmy warned could set a dangerous precedent. Mr. Khalils detention has nothing to do with security, he said. It is only about repression. The United States government has taken the position that it can arrest, detain and seek to deport a lawful permanent resident, exclusively because of his peaceful, constitutionally protected activism, in this case, activism in support of Palestinian human rights and an end to the genocide in Gaza. In a statement, Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said Khalil led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization, and linked his arrest to Trumps Executive Order. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who ultimately made the decision to try to deport Khalil, told reporters on Wednesday that the case was not about free speech: This is about people that don't have a right to be in the United States to begin with. No one has a right to a student visa. No one has a right to a green card." Khalils lawyers said that he felt compelled to speak out about the conflict in Gaza, where tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed since Israel began a bombing and ground campaign in response to Hamass deadly Oct. 7, 2023 attack. He is committed to calling on the rest of the world to protect the rights of Palestinians under international law and to stop enabling violence against Palestinians, his lawyers said in a court filing Monday. Trumps immigration officials have not provided evidence to support their accusations against Khalil or other students. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday alleged that Khalil distributed pro-Hamas flyers on Columbias campus, a claim that his lawyers rejected. Whatever flyers the White House spokesperson may have been talking about, that is certainly not in the government's position in court, said Ramzi Kassem, the founding director of CLEAR, a legal clinic, who is part of Khalils legal team. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hundreds of protesters gathered outside New York Citys City Hall and Washington Square Park on Monday and Tuesday decrying his arrest; at least 13 people were arrested in connection to the protests, according to CNN. Additional events demanding Khalils release have taken place across the country, including at UCLA and Stanford, with more scheduled this week. Protestors rally outside the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building to demand the release of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil in New York on March 10, 2025. Mostafa BassimAnadolu via Getty Images Khalils arrest came just days after Trump announced he would revoke $400 million in federal funding from Columbia University, accusing the school of not doing enough to prevent antisemitism on campus. To critics, both the cutoff in funding and Khalils detainment are part of a broader campaign by the Trump Administration to silence political speech critical of U.S. foreign policy. Heres what to know about Khalils case, and why his green card status suggests a potential shift in U.S. immigration policy under the Trump Administration: Can a green card holder be deported? While green card holders enjoy many of the same rights as U.S. citizens, they can still face deportation under certain conditions, typically for criminal behavior or violations of immigration law, says Stephen Yale-Loehr, a retired immigration law professor at Cornell Law School. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Foreign nationals can also lose their visas for endorsing or being associated with terrorist groups, but only if the government can provide material evidence. The Trump Administration has not provided any written evidence to support Khalils deportation beyond Rubios determination under the Immigration and Nationality Act. Khalils lawyers have said there is no indication that their client has committed any crime or violated the terms of his residency, and that the Trump Administration appears to be targeting him for his political activism and vocal opposition to Israeli policies. Immigration law experts note that deporting a green card holder solely for their political beliefs would likely violate the First Amendment, which protects free speech and the right to protest. Yale-Loehr pointed to a Ragbir v. Homan, a 2018 decision by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals that held that a non-citizen with a final removal order could not be removed if the removal was only because they were retaliating against their free speech. Revoking a green card is also quite rare, and typically requires a hearing before an immigration judge. The process is generally lengthy and requires clear evidence of wrongdoing, and given the immense backlogs in immigration courts, it could take years before he gets a hearing before an immigration judge. If Khalils green card is ultimately revoked as a result of his activism, immigration experts say it would mark a disturbing shift in how the U.S. government interprets the scope of its power over lawful permanent residents. The burden of proof in deportation cases In any deportation case, the burden of proof rests with the government to demonstrate that the individual has violated U.S. immigration laws. Typically, this would involve criminal convictions or other serious legal violations. In Khalils case, the government would need to prove that his actions go beyond protected political speech and that his associations or activities pose a genuine national security threat. His legal team maintains that there is no legitimate grounds for revoking his green card or detaining him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The government would need to prove that hes done something more than just speaking out, like offering material support to Hamas, Yale-Loehr says. That would be a ground of deportability. They can't deport only for free speech advocacy, he adds, but if they were able to prove that he offered material support to Hamas by donating to their cause or something, then that's obviously concerning. Tom Homan, the Trump Administrations border czar, told Fox Business on Monday that federal authorities absolutely can deport someone who is in the country legally: I mean, did he violate the terms of his visa? Did he violate the terms of his residency here, you know, committing crimes, attacking Israeli students, locking down buildings, destroying property? Absolutely, any resident alien who commits a crime is eligible for deportation, Homan added. On Wednesday, Homan went a step further and called Khalil a national security threat, claiming that free speech has limitations. "Coming to this country either on a visa or becoming a resident alien is a great privilege, but there are rules associated with that. You might have been able to get away with that stuff in the last administration, but not this administration," Homan said. Trumps expanding use of executive power The Khalil case is part of a broader trend in which the Trump Administration has sought to expand its use of immigration law to remove individuals deemed to be a threat to the United States. The effort is in line with Trumps actions from his first term, which included creating a task force to review whether individuals had lied on their immigration forms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2020, Trumps Justice Department also created a new Denaturalization Section in its immigration office to identify naturalized immigrants to strip of their citizenship rights. Of the 228 denaturalization cases the DOJ has filed since 2008, about 40% were brought during Trump's four years in office, the New York Times reported at the time. The Khalil case signals that the Trump Administration is willing to employ those powers far more aggressively than it did during Trump's first term, a shift that could have far-reaching implications for civil rights and free speech in America. Write to Nik Popli at nik.popli@time.com. Astronomy fans are in for a treat this March as the full moon will appear to turn red during a total lunar eclipse. March's full moon, known as the Worm Moon, will pass into Earth's shadow on the night of March 13, or early on March 14, depending on the time zone, according to NASA. This eclipse will be visible from Earth's Western Hemisphere. The Old Farmer's Almanac details specific moonrise times for ZIP codes across the U.S. Local forecasts also include detailed information on how clear the night sky will be in various locations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What is a lunar eclipse? A lunar eclipse happens when the sun, Earth and moon all align so that the moon passes into the Earth's shadow. During a total lunar eclipse, like the one happening this March, the entire moon will fall within the darkest part of Earth's shadow. Each lunar eclipse is visible from half of Earth. There are also partial and penumbral eclipses, which are when the sun, Earth and moon are not perfectly aligned. Why does the moon look red during the lunar eclipse? With the moon in the shadow of the Earth, it will appear red-orange, according to NASA. Lunar eclipses are sometimes called blood moons because of the phenomenon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a lunar eclipse, the moon gets its red coloration because any sunlight that's not blocked by the Earth is filtered through a "thick slice of Earth's atmosphere" as it heads toward the moon's surface, according to NASA. The more dust or clouds in Earth's atmosphere during the total lunar eclipse, the redder the moon will appear. "It's as if all the world's sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the Moon," NASA explains in a blog post. This is the same phenomenon that makes the sky appear blue during the day. Why is March's full moon called the worm moon? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Worm Moon nickname may have come from the earthworms typically found as spring nears, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. Other research suggests the name may date back to writings from the 1760s about worms, or beetle larvae, coming out from bark as trees thaw from the winter. There are also other names for March's full moon related to the transition from winter to spring. The first day of spring will be on March 20, just days after the Worm Moon. Other names for March's full moon are the Eagle Moon, Goose Moon, Crow Comes Back Moon, Sugar Moon, Wind Strong Moon and Sore Eyes Moon. What else can you see during the full Blood Worm Moon? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If there's a bit of rain during the full moon, there may be a rare moonbow, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. It's like a rainbow, but created by moonlight, rather than sunlight. Moonbows only happen when the full Moon is fairly low in the sky, so the phenomenon would be most apparent in the hours after sunset when the sky is dark. Viewers can also look to the western sky on the night of the total lunar eclipse to catch a glimpse of Jupiter and Mars, according to NASA. Constellations may also be easier to spot than usual as Earth's shadow dims the Moon's glow. U.S. Marine Band forced to cancel concert with students of color after Trump DEI order Sneak peek: The Puzzling Death of Susann Sills Inside Trump's call with Vladimir Putin Officials are continuing the search for Sudiksha Konanki, 20, who went missing during a trip in the Dominican Republic. Credit - Courtesy of Getty Images Officials are continuing the search for a University of Pittsburgh student who went missing last week during her spring break trip in the Dominican Republic. Sudiksha Konanki, 20, was last seen early Thursday, March 6, when video surveillance cameras showed her appearing to enter the beach of the Hotel Riu in Punta Cana with a friend, who is currently under investigation, according to the Dominican Republic National Police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The police were first informed of her disappearance on Friday at 8 a.m. after they received a call from the U.S. embassy. Since then, officials have been coordinating with the Dominican Republic Air Force, Navy, Fire Department, and hotel staff to conduct a search via sea, air, and land with the assistance of canine units. Theyve also employed divers, drones, and helicopters. Further information about Konanki, a U.S. permanent resident and Indian citizen, will be revealed as the investigation continues, the Dominican Republic National Police said in a March 9 statement. We are aware of reports of a University of Pittsburgh student missing in the Dominican Republic. Due to privacy considerations, we have nothing further to share at this time, the State Department told TIME in an emailed statement. The Loudoun County Sheriffs Office confirmed in a press release on Sunday they were working with the Department of State, FBI, DEA, and Homeland Security Investigations and the University of Pittsburgh police to help with the investigation. The Dominican Republic is currently on a level 2 travel advisory, which encourages visitors to exercise increased caution due to crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a Sunday statement, the University of Pittsburgh said they were in contact with Konankis family and local authorities, urging anyone with information to reach out to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office. We have offered our full support in their efforts to find her and bring her home safely, they added. Heres what to know. What happened? Knonanki first arrived to the Dominican Republic on March 3 with a group of five friends. She disappeared after 4:15 a.m. on March 6, where she was last captured on video surveillance entering the beach area with others, according to the Dominican Republic National Police. In an interview with CNN, Konankis father said that his daughter had gone to the beach early that morning with her friends and other men they met at the hotel. Her friends came back after some time and my daughter did not come back, Subbarayudu Konanki, the victims father, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials believe a young man also entered the beach and are working to corroborate his version of events. While some local officials appear to have told ABC News of a potential drowning, the Loudoun County Sheriffs Office told TIME on Monday in an email that the reports were speculative and said there was no evidence of this at this time. The prosecutors office and other investigative officers are interviewing Konankis friends in order to figure out where exactly she went missing and search the surrounding area. Konankis father told CNN he wanted authorities to look into whether his daughter could have been kidnapped or human trafficked. We dont think she would be able to survive for more than three days in the water and I think something else mightve happened to her, he said. The Riu hotel chain did not immediately respond to TIMEs request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Konankis parents are traveling to Punta Cana, per NBC News. In a Facebook post, the Indian Embassy said they were in touch with Konankis parents and were extending all assistance in coordination with government authorities of the Dominican Republic. Contact us at letters@time.com. The village of Kostiantynopil in Donetsk Oblast remains under the control of Ukraine's defence forces, despite claims by the Russian Defence Ministry and Russian propagandists about its capture. Source: DeepState analytical project Quote: "Despite the claims made by the Russian Defence Ministry and Russian military bloggers, the village of Kostiantynopil remains under the control of the defence forces." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: DeepState analysts reported that the Russians sent several combat groups into the village on 9 March which infiltrated the northern, eastern and western outskirts of the village. "Some of these groups have been destroyed, while some may still be hiding in the village until they are discovered and destroyed," DeepState stated. Meanwhile, the Russians have advanced near the village of Ulakly and are regrouping and amassing personnel for further assaults on Kostiantynopil. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin, asked on Monday if Russia had held consultations with Iran before or after Tehran responded to a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump urging the country to negotiate a nuclear deal, said Iran formulates its own policy positions. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that Tehran would not be bullied into negotiations, a day after Trump said he had sent a letter urging Iran to engage in talks on a new nuclear deal. Asked if Moscow had consulted with Tehran before or after Trump's letter, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "No. Iran is a sovereign country and independently formulates its position on key foreign policy issues. It is clear that very tense contacts are ahead." Trump has previously said he would reimpose a policy of "maximum pressure" on Iran, aimed at preventing the country from building nuclear weapons, even as he has signalled openness to a new nuclear accord with Tehran. Russia and Iran have drawn closer since the start of the war in Ukraine, with Tehran providing Moscow with drones. Regarding possible talks on Tehran's nuclear program, Peskov said: "It is clear that Iran is seeking negotiations based on mutual respect, constructive negotiations." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We, of course, for our part, will continue to do everything that depends on us, everything that is possible, in order to bring this process of settling the Iranian nuclear dossier into a peaceful direction." (Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Felix Light; Editing by Andrew Osborn) SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. (AND NO SPAM!) Just click here. MEXICO CITY Tens of thousands of Mexicans poured into the country's most important plaza on Sunday to cheer President Claudia Sheinbaum after she succeeded in one of the most daunting challenges in global politics: negotiating with Donald Trump. The U.S. president on Thursday backed down on his plans to impose 25 percent tariffs on all Mexican and Canadian products "out of respect for President Sheinbaum," he said. It was the second time in two months that the Mexican leader won a delay of the penalties. Supporters of Sheinbaum's party, top business leaders and ordinary citizens packed the capital's iconic Zocalo on Sunday, chanting "Mexico! Mexico!" in a sign of how the nation's first female president has unified the population. Sheinbaum's approval rating leaped from 70 percent when she took office in October to 85 percent last month, according to a poll by the newspaper El Financiero. Politicians around the world, including the leaders of Ukraine, Colombia and Canada, have been upended in the riptide of Trump's wrath. Sheinbaum, in contrast, has emerged from her encounters with the U.S. president "looking even and measured," said Carin Zissis, a fellow at the Mexico Institute of the Wilson Center in Washington. "It has given her a global presence that is distinct." Sheinbaum has made significant concessions to Trump, sending 10,000 more troops to the border to deter fentanyl shipments and illegal migration - his stated reason for imposing the tariffs. She handed over 29 drug-cartel operatives in a massive operation involving 20 jets. But she hasn't hesitated to challenge him, either. "We cannot cede our sovereignty," Sheinbaum told the massive, flag-waving crowd. "Nor can we let our people be hurt by decisions that foreign governments or powers make." As she has navigated Mexico's most important bilateral relationship, analysts say, Sheinbaum has shaken off the image that she is merely a dutiful protegee of former president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the founder of their leftist Morena party. Sheinbaum still faces enormous challenges. Trump may call her a "very wonderful woman," but his administration hasn't ruled out U.S. military strikes on fentanyl targets in Mexico. He could cripple Mexico's export-reliant economy with recurrent tariff threats and pressure on auto manufacturers to relocate to the United States. "The uncertainty and volatility are going to remain," said Julian Ventura, a former senior Foreign Ministry official. But Sheinbaum is among a handful of leaders - including Britain's prime minister, Keir Starmer - who have built a constructive dialogue with Trump, Ventura said, adding: "It's a win." Sheinbaum is no longer just Lopez Obrador's protegee Sheinbaum's diplomatic skill has surprised Mexicans who viewed her mainly as Lopez Obrador's handpicked successor. It's not that Sheinbaum lacked her own political credentials - she served as Mexico City mayor and won June's presidential election by just over 30 percentage points. But she has been criticized as a brainy technocrat who moved in lockstep with Lopez Obrador, even imitating his country-boy drawl. The Mexican constitution prohibits presidents from seeking reelection. Nonetheless, Lopez Obrador, known by his initials, AMLO, still wields enormous influence in the Morena party. Analysts questioned whether Sheinbaum could replicate Lopez Obrador's friendly relationship with Trump. The two men sit at opposite ends of the political spectrum, but they bonded as charismatic founders of antiestablishment movements. Sheinbaum, in contrast, is a low-key scientist with a Ph.D. in energy engineering. She can be so unemotional that her main rival in the presidential race, Xochitl Galvez, dubbed her the "Ice Lady." How has Sheinbaum succeeded with Trump? She says she has benefited from AMLO's warm relationship with the U.S. leader. But she has brought her own strengths to the job. She prepares rigorously for calls with Trump, aides say, consulting her cabinet ministers, business leaders and others, and studying the U.S. president's statements. She doesn't take umbrage at his insults, they say, and instead calmly lays out facts. For example, after Trump said that he would go ahead with the 25 percent tariffs on March 4, alleging a lack of progress by Mexico and Canada on stopping cross-border fentanyl shipments, Sheinbaum sent him a graphic with data from the Department of Homeland Security. It showed U.S. seizures at the southern border plummeting since October. Less fentanyl was reaching the United States because it was being stopped in Mexico, Sheinbaum told Trump. "He didn't know about this graphic until we sent it to him," she later told reporters. In another call, Sheinbaum told Trump about the Mexican government's publicity campaign to discourage fentanyl use. Trump was impressed. "You know, I make so many calls, and I never learn anything from anybody," the U.S. president said last month. "And I spoke to this woman, as soon as she said it I said, 'Exactly, what a great idea.'" He soon announced a multimillion-dollar campaign of his own. In both cases, the reality is a bit more complicated than how Sheinbaum portrayed it. Analysts say there are any number of possible reasons for the reduction in U.S. fentanyl seizures, including infighting in the Sinaloa cartel, a main trafficker of the opioid. As for the ad campaign against fentanyl, it was largely designed to impress the U.S. government, said one prominent Morena official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment. Mexico has no fentanyl use epidemic. Still, Sheinbaum has also made politically risky moves to assuage Trump's concerns, starting when he first threatened to impose tariffs in early February. She has roughly doubled military forces at the U.S. border and handed over the 29 cartel leaders in an operation that legal scholars said violated Mexican law. Mexico has taken back not just its own migrants but also people from other countries deported from the United States. Sheinbaum has proved to have a good sense of timing. While Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has quickly announced tit-for-tat tariffs following the U.S. threats, Sheinbaum has held off each time, seeking dialogue. As U.S. stock markets plunged and retailers warned of higher prices, the pressure mounted on Trump to call off the measures. The Mexican government "built off that pressure without having to actually put out their own measures," said John Creamer, a former senior U.S. diplomat in Mexico. The result? The Mexicans "don't get Trump's ire, the way the Canadians do." Sheinbaum is consolidating her power Morena holds majorities in both houses of Congress and a virtual lock on power, thanks largely to Lopez Obrador's popularity. Now, analysts say, Sheinbaum is coming into her own. When asked in the February poll who exercises the most power in Mexico, 49 percent of respondents answered Sheinbaum, while only 11 percent answered Lopez Obrador. (Roughly one-fourth of Mexicans replied "organized crime.") Sheinbaum's expulsion of the 29 drug traffickers was a pivotal moment, political analyst Carlos Heredia said. "With this action, she essentially slammed her fist on the table and said, 'I'm in command,'" he said. Still, Mexico is probably facing a difficult period, with a slowing economy and growing wariness among investors. They have been spooked not just by possible tariffs but also by a judicial reform backed by Sheinbaum that is likely to reduce the independence of Mexico's courts, analysts say. Sheinbaum scheduled Sunday's rally to announce her countermeasures to Trump's tariffs. Once they were postponed, it turned into a victory celebration. Luis Ramirez, 74, an electrician from Michoacan state who attended, said Sheinbaum "has all of our support." But the negotiations with Trump continue. "As our president said, we need to stay serene and patient - very patient," he said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. Iran hasn't received any letter from the US, said the country's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei at a joint press conference in Tehran on March 10, Trend reports. According to him, although there were claims five days ago that the US had sent a letter to Iran, there was no such letter. Baghaei mentioned that the use and threat of force are prohibited by all laws and regulations and are considered a violation of international law. "The US side's use of the 'negotiation-war' duality shows that they are not serious about negotiations. Iran has never engaged in such negotiations. Negotiating under pressure is meaningless. Iran's position is completely clear," he noted. Regarding the extension of the US-proposed waiver for Iraq's purchase of gas from Iran, Baghaei said that the US unilateral sanctions have no legal justification. Regional countries must make decisions based on their interests and not allow pressure to harm their relations with Iran. Iran is in contact with Iraq regarding this issue. 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 March 3, Rafael Grossi, the Director-General of the IAEA, mentioned during the IAEA Board of Governors' meeting that Iran has increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity by 93 kilograms, from 182 kilograms to 275 kilograms compared to the previous quarter. Iran remains the only non-nuclear weapon state to enrich uranium to this level, raising significant concerns. 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 starting February 23, 2021. The US imposed new sanctions on Iran in November 2018 due to the country's nuclear program. Over the past period, sanctions have targeted Iran's oil exports, over 700 banks, companies, and individuals, leading to the freezing of Iran's assets in several countries. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Monday that long-standing Western accusations that Russia commits sabotage in the U.S. and Europe are "empty and ephemeral" and have not been proven. It made the comments when asked to comment on reports that the U.S. had suspended certain measures to counter such alleged Russian sabotage campaigns. "No confirmation of the existence of sabotage campaigns has been established even in the course of special proceedings that have been attempted in the United States and in European capitals," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peskov said that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump was merely trying to get rid of "everything ineffective, corrupt and implausible," something he said was "understandable." The United States and its NATO allies have repeatedly accused Russia of conducting sabotage campaigns in the West, including against energy infrastructure. Britain's foreign spy chief Richard Moore in November accused Russia of waging a "staggeringly reckless campaign" of sabotage in Europe. Three Bulgarians were found guilty in a London court on Friday of being part of a Russian spy unit run by Wirecard fugitive Jan Marsalek to carry out surveillance on a U.S. military base and other individuals targeted by Moscow. Russia has consistently denied its involvement in sabotage planning or attacks. (Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Editing by Andrew Osborn) Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has stated that the path to improving bilateral relations between Russia and the US will be "long and difficult", adding that the two countries are only at the initial stage. Source: European Pravda, citing the Russian news agency Interfax Details: Peskov said that Russia and the US are "at the early stage of restoring our bilateral relations". "The path will be quite long and difficult, but at least both presidents have expressed political will in this direction," Peskov told journalists on Monday, 10 March. [N.B. Ukrainska Pravda does not recognise Putin as president ed.] Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He noted that Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump have only had one phone conversation so far, but described it as "constructive enough to maintain dialogue and address issues". Background: Earlier, CNN reported that US officials would meet not only with Ukrainian but also Russian representatives in Saudi Arabia this week. However, Russias Foreign Ministry denied this information. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Syrias interim government says it has reached a landmark agreement with Kurdish-led forces to integrate them into state institutions as it tries to unify the countrys diverse communities after a decade of civil war. Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa announced the deal on Monday, saying the agreement with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is aimed at ensuring the rights of all Syrians in representation and participation in the political process and all state institutions based on competence, regardless of their religious and ethnic backgrounds. The agreement marks a significant victory for Sharaa, who has been working to mend Syrias divisions. It comes in the wake of the deadliest violence the country has seen since Assads fall late last year, with over 700 killed in weekend clashes between government loyalists and minority Alawites. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of his broader push to consolidate control, Sharaa has called on all armed factions, including Kurdish forces, to integrate into the national army. The Peoples Protection Units (YPG), a key faction within the SDF, had pushed for the creation of special units within the military as a condition for joining, but Sharaa rejected the demand. The deal will formally recognize Syrias Kurdish community as an integral part of the state, granting citizenship to tens of thousands who were previously denied it under the Assad regimes decades-long rule. We consider this agreement a real opportunity to build a new Syria that embraces all its components and ensures good neighborliness, SDF General Commander Mazloum Abdi said in a statement on X. It remains unclear how the SDFs integration into Syrias state institutions will take shape, said Natasha Hall, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, adding that deals terms align with SDFs earlier demands previosly rejected by Sharaa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Right now, the SDF is allowed to hold on to its weapons and basically maintain the same structure that it did in the northeast. So that could lead to further fragmentation in the future. Celebrations at the Aleppo Citadel medieval palace after the Syrian government's landmark agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces - SANA It also comes nearly two weeks after Kurdish militant leader Abdullah Ocalan called on his followers in the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to lay down their arms and dissolve the group, potentially ending a decades-long conflict with Turkey that has claimed at least 40,000 lives and impacting Kurdish militancy across the region. Turkey claims that the YPG, which forms the backbone of the SDF, is part of the PKK. After Ocalans call late last month, the SDFs Abdi said that the call to lay down arms was for the PKK guerrillas and not about us here in northeast Syria. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But a YPG spokesperson, in a statement to CNN, praised Ocalans historic message as one that serves (the interests) of all the people in the region; the Kurdish people, the Turks, the Armenians, and all other communities living in the Middle East. Trumps America First policy Crowds gathered across the Syrian cities of Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Tartus, Deir Ezzor and Hasaka to celebrate Mondays agreement between Sharaa and Abdi. Fireworks lit up the sky over the landmark Aleppo Citadel in the early hours of Tuesday. The move comes amid the worst violence the country has seen in years as security forces and allied militants fought minority Alwatite Syrians and Assad loyalists. The killings in the former rulers heartland have killed at least 779 people since last Thursday, including scores of civilians, according to a war monitor. Hall said Sharaa is reeling from the weekends violence and needs manpower to secure the area. He is also likely to be looking for wins with the international community, knowing that Kurds have good international relations, including the United States and even perhaps Israel, she said. Hes playing a strategic game by signing the agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deal between Syrias interim government and the SDF guarantees the Kurdish-led groups support to the Syrian state in combatting Assad regime remnants and any other threats to the countrys security and unity. The SDF, which was not part of the rebel alliance that overthrew Assad, is presently the most powerful non-governmental force in the country and holds strategic territories, primarily in the northeast. Under the new deal, those areas would come under the control of the central government, including border crossings, airports, and oil and gas fields. Meanwhile, a ceasefire would go into effect across Syria and displaced Syrians would return to their homes. Executive committees have been tasked with making sure the agreement is implemented by the end of the year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the US-backed SDF has been a key US partner in the fight against ISIS, it is largely made up of fighters from the YPG, which is considered a terrorist organization by neighboring Turkey. In 2019, several months after the SDF liberated the town of Baghouz, ISISs final stronghold in the country, US President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of the remaining US troops from northern Syria a move that paralyzed the fight against ISIS and ceded US and Kurdish battlefield gains to Moscow and Damascus. Five years later, after returning to the White House, Trump has doubled down on his America First stance, arguing that Syria is not the US fight. Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform in December as opposition forces closed in on Damascus, urging a hands-off approach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the days following Assads ousting, the SDF repeatedly clashed with Turkish-backed militants, raising concerns among US officials and experts about the security of the more than 20 detention facilities and camps holding suspected ISIS members and their families in northern Syria. The SDF later relocated ISIS detainees to more secure detention facilities because the prisons were threatened. Turkey and other neighbors including Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon have all offered to help secure prisons holding ISIS suspects. CNN has reached out to the SDF and the Syrian government for comment on how the deal would affect the detention facilities. This story has been updated with additional information. CNNs Michael Rios and Mostafa Salem contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Los Angeles Countys top prosecutor said Monday that he had withdrawn a recommendation to reduce the prison terms of Erik and Lyle Menendez, who are serving sentences of life without parole for the 1989 shotgun murders of their parents. In a reversal of his predecessors support for reducing the sentences, District Attorney Nathan Hochman said there were "legitimate reasons" to justify the withdrawal. Hochman said Erik and Lyle Menendez, who have served 35 years in prison and are 54 and 57, respectively, have not fully acknowledged more than a dozen lies they have told about the murders, including that they killed their parents in self-defense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In looking at whether the Menendez brothers have exhibited full insight and complete responsibility for their crimes, they have not, he said, adding: They dont meet the standards for resentencing. They don't meet the standards for rehabilitation. Erik and Lyle Menendez. If they "come clean" and "unequivocally and fully accept complete responsibility for their criminal actions," Hochman said, his office would reconsider their resentencing request. That request is set to go before Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic for a two-day hearing this month. Menendez family spokesperson Anamaria Baralt said she did not believe the brothers would follow the path laid out by the prosecutor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I can't imagine they'll sacrifice their integrity and character now," she said, adding that Hochman wants the siblings to "agree to his truth not the truth." In a statement earlier, Baralt and other relatives who support the brothers' release accused Hochman of holding their family "hostage," saying that he appears "fixated on their trauma-driven response to the killings in 1989 with blinders on to the fact they were repeatedly abused, feared for their lives, and have atoned for their actions." "How many times do we have to hear the same attempts to bury who they are today and rip us back to that painful time?" the statement said. The brothers were convicted in the murder of Jose and Kitty Menendez at the familys Beverly Hills home on Aug. 20, 1989. Erik and Lyle claimed their father abused them, and they described the killings as self-defense. Prosecutors said the abuse allegations were false, and they described the killings as cold-blooded and financially motivated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The brothers were prosecuted twice for murder in the 1990s. A judge declared a mistrial in the first trial when the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict. They were convicted of first-degree murder at their second trial. Hochman said last month that he opposed a separate effort by Erik and Lyle Menendez to challenge their convictions with what their lawyers described as new evidence. The brothers have also sought their freedom through clemency. Last month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he had directed the state's parole board to determine whether the brothers pose an "unreasonable" public safety risk if they were released. In the bid for resentencing, former Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon said the brothers sentences of life without the possibility of parole should be reduced to 50 years to life, which would make them eligible for parole immediately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an interview last year with NBC News "Dateline," Gascon said there was no question the brothers had committed brutal, premeditated murders, but he said they had been model inmates during their three decades in prison. The brothers had helped inmates with disabilities, started a green space beautification project and attended college courses, he said. And there was no evidence they had been violent toward other inmates, Gascon said. Many of the brothers relatives have publicly supported the effort to release them, though Kitty Menendezs brother has said through a lawyer that their motive was pure greed and that he opposes early release. That relative, Milton Anderson, died March 3. Hochman said his predecessor's resentencing recommendation appeared to be based on an "incomplete" review of the brothers' criminal actions and whether they had taken responsibility for them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to their claim of self-defense, Hochman said, the brothers have not acknowledged that they sought to have a friend and a girlfriend provide false testimony to bolster their defense at trial. Nor have they taken responsibility for other deceptive actions they took in connection with the killings, including staging the murders to look like a "Mafia-style hit." Jose and Kitty Menendez were shot in the kneecaps, Hochman said. Jose Menendez was shot in the back of the head, and Lyle Menendez shot his mother in the face after he reloaded his shotgun. Hochman compared his resentencing determination to that of the three-member board that denied parole two years ago for Sirhan Sirhan, the man who fatally shot Robert F. Kennedy in 1968. He was initially found to be suitable for parole, but the decision was rescinded after Newsom said he had "determined that Sirhan has not developed the accountability and insight required to support his safe release into the community." This article was originally published on NBCNews.com The Los Angeles District Attorneys Office has pulled its support for resentencing Lyle and Erik Menendez. After his predecessor opened the door to making the brothers, who are serving life sentences, eligible for parole, Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman reversed the offices position and said they still pose an unreasonable risk of danger to the community because they havent fully accepted responsibility for killing their parents. He pointed to deliberate and meditative actions they took immediately following the crime in which they looked to cover it up. More from The Hollywood Reporter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The brothers basically engaged in not just the ultimate lie of self defense but a series of lies around it, Hochman said. The brothers are currently serving sentences for life without parole for the 1989 murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. Theyre pursuing multiple legal avenues to be released from prison, including through Gov. Gavin Newsom, who last month signaled that he may offer clemency to the convicted killers should all other options fail, by calling for the California Parole Board to conduct a risk assessment investigation of the men as they seek freedom. Their potential release garnered major momentum after the release of a hit Netflix series from Ryan Murphy and evidence that emerged in a 2023 documentary that suggested the brothers were not lying in their mid-90s trials when they claimed self-defense in the double murders after a lifetime of sexual, physical and emotional abuse by their parents. That momentum was derailed on Monday by Hochman, who said that the interest of justice justifies his withdrawal of support for releasing the brothers. He stressed their original position during the trial in which they were convicted that they didnt kill their parents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first iteration of their defense was that it wasnt them, he said. They persisted in this lie and kept that lie going for months and months and months. Had Erik not confessed to his therapist months later and had that confession not been taped and turned over to the police, they wouldve maintained it wasnt them. Last year, former Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon announced a review of the brothers convictions. The reexamination related to new evidence that Jose Menendez, then president of RCA Records, sexually assaulted the brothers. If evidence of sexual abuse was presented at their trial, the jury couldve voted to convict for manslaughter, which wouldve allowed for the brothers release decades ago. I believe the brothers were subjected to a tremendous amount of dysfunction and molestation in their home, Gascon said at the time. But they went to prison for life without the possibility of parole, which meant that, under law at the time, they had no hope of ever getting out. Gascon didnt opt to recommended that the brothers be resentenced under convictions for manslaughter due to evidence that the murders were premeditated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his press conference, Hochman detailed the steps that Lyle and Erik took in planning the killing of their parents in a salvo of shotgun blasts in the den of their Beverly Hills mansion. In the days before the murder, he said, they drove to San Diego to purchase guns and ammunition using a fake ID to ensure that the weapons couldnt be traced back to them. Their alibi for the crime was an evening showing of Tim Burtons Batman. Hochman also detailed the gruesome nature of the murders, which he said were set up to make it appear like a gangland killing. Jose and Kitty Menendez were shot through the back of the head before being shot through their knees. The brothers then retrieved the shotgun casings and threw them off a hill on Mulholland Drive before going back home. They fully expected for them never to go to prison, because they successfully convinced everyone they didnt do it, Hochman said. By his telling of his motivation for the crime, Erik denied killing his father because of sexual molestation, according Hochman. He attributed the crime to being afraid that his parents would kill him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, the Justice for Erik and Lyle Coalition, an initiative representing members of the family that supports the brothers release, said that Hochman broke his promise to support resentencing and is being driven by politics. He appears fixated on their trauma-driven response to the killings in 1989 with blinders on to the fact they were repeatedly abused, feared for their lives and have atoned for their actions, it said. Newsoms risk assessment for the brothers will involve whether they now pose an unreasonable risk to public safety if theyre released. Across 35 years in prison, Erik and Lyle have earned degrees and have led programs intended to help other inmates heal trauma. Their risk assessment scores hover among the lowest levels, with each receiving letters of support from prison officials. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman has withdrawn his predecessors request to reduce the sentences of Lyle and Erik Menendez, saying the brothers have not taken full responsibility for their crimes. The brothers were sentenced to life in prison without parole for the 1989 shotgun murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills mansion. Last year, the brothers defense kicked off a new effort to free them, filing a habeas corpus petition that argued there was new evidence to support allegations the brothers were sexually abused by their father. They claimed they acted in self-defense and feared their parents would murder them if they came forward about the abuse. Former District Attorney George Gascon announced last year his office was examining new evidence in the case and ultimately decided to recommend the brothers be resentenced and immediately eligible for parole. However, Hochman defeated Gascon in a November 2024 election, putting the Menendezes resentencing in question. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a news conference Monday morning, Hochman said the brothers hadnt acknowledged that their claims of self-defense at trial were fabricated, which is the reason his office had filed an 88-page motion requesting the court withdraw the resentencing request. The Menendez brothers have continued to lie for over 30 years about their self-defense that is, their purported actual fear that their mother and their father were going to kill them the night of the murders, Hochman said. Also, over those 30 years, they have failed to accept responsibility for the vast number of lies they told in connection with that defense. Prosecutors in the original case argued the brothers were motivated to receive a $14 million inheritance. They were convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to murder in 1996 and sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison without parole. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In February, Hochman announced that he opposed a new trial and urged the court to deny the petition. The brothers still have pathways to freedom, including gaining clemency from Gov. Gavin Newsom. Their original resentencing hearing was scheduled to begin March 20, but it was postponed to an unknown date. Newsoms office is conducting an assessment to determine whether or not the brothers would pose a risk to the public if they were released. The California governor also announced he is proposing new regulations that would make it easier to assess if prisoners are eligible for parole. _____ SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) La Jolla has joined the growing list of communities to have its very own gateway sign. On Friday, the communitys new welcome sign was unveiled, greeting drivers as they head down Torrey Pines Road or turn onto La Jolla Shores Drive. The sign joins others to make their debut throughout the county in recent months, like Old Towns wooden arch and Convoys colorful welcome pillar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New upscale restaurant coming to Solana Beach this spring La Jollas sign, which is placed on a black grate, reads, Welcome to La Jolla, California, using colors symbolic of the areas beaches. The insignia for Rotary Club of La Jolla is also featured on the signs bottom left corner. La Jolla gateway sign on March 7, 2025. (FOX 5/KUSI) Gateway signs have long been a unique part of San Diegos identity, with more than a dozen erected in neighborhoods throughout the county. The signs have become a way to signify the unique character of a neighborhood while paying tribute to the regions history. San Diegos cruise business expected to grow in next couple years Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the many neighborhoods with one of these landmarks include North Park, Gaslamp Quarter, Barrio Logan, and the cities of Carlsbad and Chula Vista. But more neighborhoods are working to bring a marker of their own to one of their main arteries. The Point Loma Association is also working to place its own gateway sign on a median adjacent to Liberty Station on Rosecrans Street, just south of Lytton Street. A date for that signs debut has not been set, but the association is hoping to install it sometime in spring. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Labour has shared its plans to give certain households up to 250 a year off their energy bills as the part of major changes to planning rules in the UK. The government has previously said it wants to boost the number of infrastructure projects by cutting red tape in the planning system. This includes homes, railways and power systems like pylons. The changes will means that local residents are less able to veto new projects in their areas if they disagree with them. Anticipating pushback on this, ministers have now begun promising incentives to those who will be affected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Households living within half a kilometre of new or upgraded power systems such as pylons could get access to a bill discount scheme equivalent to an annual payment of 250 over 10 years, with housing minister Alex Norris saying people who make the sacrifice of having some of the infrastructure in your community should get some of the money back. This would mean a 2,500 reduction over a decade, making for major savings at a time when energy bills remain stubbornly high. Mr Norris told Sky News: As part of our plan for change, those are all our commitments around being a clean energy superpower. We're clear that communities need to share the benefits. And if you are making that sacrifice of having some of the infrastructure in your community, you should get some of the money back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So we're making that commitment, 250 a year if you are near those pylons. So we think that's a fair balance between people who are making that commitment to the country themselves, well they should be rewarded for that. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has also confirmed that a legal requirement for communities affected by new infrastructure projects will be introduced through Labours Planning and Infrastructure Bill next week. Deputy PM Angela Rayner said: We owe it to the people of this country to get Britain building again (Chris Radburn/PA) (PA Wire) This will mean communities could get 200,000 worth of funding per km of overhead electricity cable in their area, and 530,000 per substation. An upcoming project like the SSEN Transmission power line between Tealing and Aberdeenshire could means locals could benefit from 23 million investment, for example. Deputy prime minister and housing secretary Angela Rayner said: We owe it to the people of this country to get Britain building again. It is no longer a question of whether we build the new infrastructure we need but a question of how and this must be done in lockstep with local communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This governments Planning and Infrastructure Bill will slash energy bills for local people living near new projects, so they benefit as we drive forward in our mission to achieve a more prosperous and energy secure future for the next generation. This is delivering on our Plan for Change to accelerate growth in every region across the country, raising living standards and putting more money back into the pockets of working people and families. FLORENCE COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) A 40-year-old man is facing several charges including two counts of attempted murder in connection with a Friday shooting that injured two people in the Johnsonville area, the Florence County Sheriffs Office said. Randolph Brown of Lake City was also charged with three counts of kidnapping, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. He was booked into the Florence County Detention Center on Friday, where he remains Monday morning without bond. Deputies responded at about 5 p.m. Friday to the 300 block of Liberty Street for a call about a disorderly person, according to the sheriffs office. While en route, they were told that two people had been shot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When deputies arrived, two victims were identified and taken to area hospitals for what are believed to be non-life-threatening injuries, the sheriffs office said. The victims told authorities the name and description of Brown, and he was taken into custody shortly after. According to investigators, Brown allegedly prevented three occupants of the home from leaving before shooting two people. * * * Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read 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. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. An expert-level meeting between Iran and the members of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany) may be held in the near future, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said at a joint press conference in Tehran on March 10, Trend reports. According to him, consultations regarding the aforementioned meeting are currently in progress. Baghaei mentioned that Iran has held several rounds of dialogue with three European countries (UK, France, and Germany) at the level of deputy foreign ministers in the past few months. The date of the next round of talks has not yet been announced. Iran is also holding talks with China and Russia, as members of the JCPOA. To note, on November 29, 2024, the first round of dialogue between the deputy foreign ministers of Iran and three European countries (UK, France, and Germany) was held in Geneva. The second round of this dialogue was continued on January 13-14 in Geneva, where negotiations were held mainly on Iran's nuclear program. The Comprehensive Plan of Joint Action on Iran's nuclear program was implemented between Iran and the P5+1 group (the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany) in January 2016. The US announced in May 2018 that it was withdrawing from the plan and imposed sanctions on Iran in November of the same year. Iran has announced that there will be no restrictions on the Iran nuclear deal in 2020. The Iranian parliament established a strategic strategy to oppose the sanctions in late 2020, citing the failure to meet the Joint Comprehensive Strategy of Action (JCPOA) signed by Iran and six other nations, as well as the imposition of sanctions against Iran. According to the Iranian parliament's vote, Iran halted implementing extra safeguards and protocols specified in the nuclear deal on February 23, 2021. As a result, the International Atomic Energy Agency's monitoring system was cut 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 PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A 14-year-old snowmobiler from Lake Oswego was airlifted to a hospital in Bend after colliding with a tree Saturday afternoon, the Deschutes County Search & Rescue Foundation said. The crash happened near Elk Lake Loop shortly before 4 p.m. when the girl went off-trail and hit the tree. Nine search-and-rescue volunteers went to the scene and had to clear a spot on a nearby trail for the AirLink helicopter to land. Officials continue to scour Siletz River in search of missing 2-year-old Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The teen, who briefly lost consciousness, was stabilized by paramedics and nurses at the scene before they took her by Snowbulance more than a mile to the helicopter, officials said. A 14-year-old from Lake Oswego was seriously hurt in a snowmobile crash near Bend, March 8, 2025 (Deschutes County Search and Rescue) Nearly three hours after the crash, the teen was put on the helicopter and taken to St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. 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 KOIN.com. LANCASTER, Pa. (WHTM) Lancaster City Police have provided an update on an apparent use-of-force incident that took place earlier this month. The Lancaster City Bureau of Police said they are providing more context on an incident that occurred on March 2. The bureau refers to a video circulating online, which they say only shows a fraction of the entire interaction. The bureau says anyone can upload a video on social media to elicit a variety of reactions with demands for an equally immediate response, however the review process takes time to collect all relevant information before making a decision. Close Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News Alerts The bureau said the individuals involved in the video have had several interactions with police for trespassing in garages, pulling fire alarms, blocking travel lanes, riding near pedestrians, and causing traffic issues. On March 2, the individuals were charged with disorderly conduct, evading arrest, limitations on riding side by side, and lack of lights and reflectors, police added. All use-of-force incidents undergo a rigorous review process by the officers supervisors, the training team, the Office of Professional Standards, the Division Captain, and the Chief of Police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police also noted that investigations into use-of-force require time and that more information will be released once the review is complete. This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as more information becomes available Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. LANCASTER, Pa. (WHTM) A man is facing attempted homicide and other charges after police say he assaulted another man multiple times with a rock on Friday morning in Lancaster. Jaime Raudales, 30, of Lancaster, is accused of striking the victims head with a rock multiple times and stomping on their head several times on the 1st block of W. Chestnut Street, according to charging documents. Close Thanks for signing up! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now WHTM Daily Digest Police say the assault was caught on video footage, clearly showing Raudales rushing the victim from behind and hitting him in the head, knocking him out. Police say video showed Raudales returning to the victim several times to continue the assault. The victim was taken to Lancaster General Hospital and admitted as a trauma patient. Raudales then allegedly hid the rock but later retrieved it and left the area. He was later found several blocks away and was taken into custody. Police say Raudales was homeless and said voices told him to attack the victim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While he was waiting to be processed at the Lancaster City of Bureau Police secure booking center, Raudales allegedly hit a Community Service Aide in the face and damaged their glasses, according to the charges. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Nittany Insiders A Community Service Aide work as civilian employees of the Lancaster City of Bureau Police and assist with prisoner intake, processings, bookings and holding until released or arraigned for bail, police said in the charges. Other than attempted homicide, Raudales faces felony charges of aggravated assault and criminal mischief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is in Lancaster County Prison with bail denied due to the violent nature of the offenses charged prior extreme flight risk, by Magisterial District Judge John Bender, court documents cite. A preliminary hearing is scheduled 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 ABC27. Authorities in the Dominican Republic are searching on land, by air and in the water for a University of Pittsburgh student who disappeared last week on spring break in Punta Cana. Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old United States resident, was last seen on surveillance camera with seven other people entering the beach at the Riu Republica Hotel in Punta Cana after 4:15 a.m. Thursday, the Dominican National Police said in a statement. Before heading to the beach, surveillance footage shows the group of Americans Konanki, five other women and two men had been drinking in the hotels lobby around 3 a.m., a source with the Dominican National Police told CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So far, the authorities, multiple authorities here in the Dominican Republic have searched in the waters. They searched using helicopters and other tools. They also searched in the near bay, bushes, trees. They went multiple times around the same areas, said her father, Subbarayudu Konanki. Officials are using search dogs and drones to search for Konanki, the countrys search and rescue force Defensa Civil Dominicana said on Facebook Monday. Authorities have been interviewing a man in his 20s believed to be the last person to see Konanki last week, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation told CNN. She went to the beach on March 6 early morning around 4 a.m. with friends and some other guys they met at the resort, Konankis father told CNN. After that, her friends came back after some time and my daughter did not come back, did not show up from the beach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around 4:55 a.m. Thursday, surveillance cameras captured five women and one man leaving the beach, while Konanki is believed to have stayed behind with the other young man, two sources close to the investigation told CNN. Surveillance video shows the man leaving the beach area at 8:55 a.m., the two sources close to the investigation said, with no sign of Konanki. A source initially said the surveillance video times were one hour later than 4:55 a.m. and 8:55 a.m., based on time stamps from the video. But hotel staff eventually told investigators the time stamp was an hour ahead of actual time, the two sources said. When Konanki didnt return to her room, her companions initially searched for her before notifying authorities, according to the law enforcement source. The group then reported her missing to the hotel staff around 4 p.m. Thursday, the Riu hotel chain said in a statement. The young man is not considered to be a suspect at this time, the law enforcement source said. He was being kept in a hotel room under police watch as the probe continues, though he is not officially detained, a different source close to the investigation told CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The young man believed to have stayed with Konanki at the beach has told police multiple versions of the last time he saw the University of Pittsburgh student, the local police source told CNN. He told authorities they both went into the ocean but he felt sick, got out of the water and fell asleep on a lounge chair, according to the source. He has said Konanki may have been swept away by a wave, left when he got out of the water, or he saw her walking along the beach with the water up to her knees in the direction of where she had left her clothes, the source said. Authorities found a sarong-style cover up belonging to Konanki on a lounge chair on the beach and said there was no sign of violence, according to the source. Konanki had arrived on March 3 to the Caribbean nation with five others, said police, who learned of her disappearance after 8 a.m. Friday through a call from the US Embassy in Santo Domingo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She had gone to Punta Cana for spring break ahead of premed studies, her father said. My daughter is a very nice girl, he said. Shes ambitious. She wanted to pursue a career in medicine. Konankis father wants local authorities to also investigate other possibilities including whether this is a case of kidnapping or human trafficking, he told CNN on Sunday from Punta Cana. We dont think she would be able to survive for more than three days in the water and I think something else mightve happened to her. The US State Department has in place a Level 2 of 4 travel advisory for the Dominican Republic, advising Americans to use increased caution and not display signs of wealth. Violent crime, including armed robbery, homicide, and sexual assault, is a concern throughout the Dominican Republic, the agency said in a June advisory. Officials in Virginia and India also involved Konanki was at the resort with five other female students from the University of Pittsburgh, according to the sheriffs office in Loudoun County, Virginia, where her family lives. The Konanki family, originally from India, has lived in the United States since 2006 and are permanent residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sheriffs office was contacted Thursday evening about Konankis disappearance and has followed up with federal law enforcement, the US State Department and contacts in the Dominican Republic, it said. Additionally, the sheriffs office said Monday it has requested a Yellow Notice a worldwide police alert for a missing person to be issued by Interpol. The embassy of India in the DR has taken the lead working with our state department and law-enforcement on the ground. Our office is supporting those efforts and continuing to investigate locally, the sheriffs office said in a statement to CNN. In a Monday news release, the sheriffs office also urged caution around public speculation about Konankis disappearance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There has been considerable public speculation about what may have happened to Konanki and who may be involved, the sheriffs office said. We caution anyone from drawing any unsubstantiated conclusions and are committed to ensuring that a thorough investigation is conducted before any conclusions are reached. Search teams work Saturday in the coastal area of Bavaro, Dominican Republic, looking for Sudiksha Konanki. - Defensa Civil La Altagracia/Facebook The Dominican National Emergency System is coordinating search efforts on the island for Konanki. In coordination with the Tourism Police, the Civil Defense, the Dominican Navy, the National Police, and other rescue organizations, four teams of drones equipped with advanced technology have been deployed to conduct a thorough search in the coastal area of Bavaro, the service said in a statement issued on Sunday. The Riu hotel chain said staff were helping authorities in their search, its statement said, adding, We want to express our sincerest empathy towards the family and friends during this very difficult time. The safety and wellbeing of our guests are our highest priority, and we are committed to doing everything possible to assist in this situation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The University of Pittsburgh urged anyone with information to contact the Loudoun County Sheriffs Office. University officials are in contact with Sudiksha Konankis family as well as authorities in Loudoun County, Virginia, and we have offered our full support in their efforts to find her and bring her home safely, the university told CNN in a statement. The Embassy of India was extending all assistance in coordination with government authorities of the Dominican Republic, it said on Facebook. This story has been updated with additional information. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) The Lansing Police Department has recovered the truck believed to have been stolen by the Ovid shelter-in-place suspect, however, he remains at large. (Photos: Ovid Police Dept.) If you see the man above, do not attempt to make contact. Instead, call 911. The Ovid Police Department reports in a Facebook post that a suspect in possession of the stolen truck was arrested by the Lansing Police Department Saturday. The suspect was taken in for fingerprinting, and police determined he was not the man pictured above. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lansing Police are now in possession of the stolen truck. Police say the Ovid suspect was seen on surveillance video stealing a truck from the Michigan Milk Producers Association at around 9:40 a.m. Thursday. The man was initially wanted for questioning by OPD, though they did not disclose why. (Photo: Ovid Police Dept.) (Photo: Ovid Police Dept.) (Photo: Ovid Police Dept.) Suspect Ovid police are searching for spotted in Dimondale Police say the Ovid suspect was last seen in Dimondale on March 7. According to OPD, a resident called 911 to report that someone stole Amazon packages off of her porch, still driving the stolen truck. The above photos were taken from surveillance cameras outside her home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. 6 News will update when new information is 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 WLNS 6 News. Editors note: This article contains offensive and derogatory remarks included in the complaint. Discretion is advised. The Los Angeles Police Department is under scrutiny after a complaint was filed accusing officers of making racist and other derogatory comments about their colleagues. The alleged remarks were secretly recorded. According to an explosive Los Angeles Times investigative report, an officer working in LAPDs recruitment office recorded dozens of conversations for the better part of a year. The L.A. Times report details roughly 90 recordings of officers and supervisors purported voicing open discrimination against potential recruits and colleagues based on race and orientation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In one conversation, a Latina LAPD officer offered advice on how to fight African Americans. You hit Black people in the liver. I heard they got weak livers, she said, according to the complaint filed on Jan. 5 with the LAPDs professional standards bureau and the inspector generals office. The same officer allegedly described a Latina janitor to her colleagues as a wetback. Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) The complaint accuses LAPD Sgt. Denny Jong of leading the prejudicial banter. In one conversation with subordinates about Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela, who passed away in 2024 from septic shock, Jong allegedly said, I know why he died. He ate too much tacos, the complaint alleges. The complaint also claims officers reportedly referred to black people as monkeys. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The complaining officer, a Latino with 10 years on the job, initially made his accusations anonymously but is now handing over dozens of hours of recordings that took place between March and October 2024. When news of this complaint broke, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell removed a lieutenant, a sergeant and four officers from the recruiting unit, saying he was deeply disappointed by the reports. A scandal in the LAPDs recruiting office could not come at a worse time. The force is struggling to recruit new officers, and more than 100 cops are expected to leave by next year, dropping the department to the lowest number of officers in nearly 30 years. Growing LAPDs ranks is a top priority of this Administration and for our citys safety, so this conduct is especially outrageous and unacceptable, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement to KTLA. The Chief and I are on the same page about the urgent need to fix the recruiting and hiring process and make sure that officers stuck in the past dont tarnish the badge for everyone else. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the World Trade Bridge has been a cornerstone of North American trade. Since its construction, the bridge has significantly enhanced the speed and efficiency of cross-border commerce. Kent Richard, interim bridge director for the City of Laredo, sat down with Timothy Dooner and shared insights about Laredos thriving logistics industry and ambitious infrastructure plans. The greatest contribution of the World Trade Bridge lies in streamlining the supply chain, Richard said. We provide a dedicated commercial corridor that facilitates the movement of high-volume goods, raw materials, and just-in-time shipments, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the past twenty-five years, the World Trade Bridge has strengthened North Americas integrated production networks, particularly in key industries such as automotive, electronics, and perishables, ensuring that manufacturers receive components on time and businesses operate with minimal disruption. With tariff policy changes on the horizon, Richard is confident that Port Laredo and the World Trade Bridge will continue to see the same volume, if not more. Tariffs will affect everyone, not just Laredo, Texas, Richard said. Due to the increasing trade volume and enhanced efficiency, the World Trade Bridge will remain a vital point of cross-border commerce regardless of policy. The current expansion of the bridge crossing, which started in 2024, is set to improve intermodal connectivity and allow for higher volumes of traffic. Tariff policies can influence trade flows in the short term, while in the long term there will be demand for a robust border infrastructure, Richard said. As of now, it remains unchanged. Given Port Laredos role as the number one port in the United States, federal and state governments along with private stakeholders all recognize the necessity of our ongoing expansion, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Richard, investments in infrastructure and automation, as well as security enhancements, will ensure that Port Laredo will remain a critical hub for North American trade regardless of shifting trade policies. One of the primary reasons that Port Laredo has become the dominant trade port of North America is its utilization of state-of-the-art refrigerated inspection facilities. The fact that we enable the cold chain to remain unbroken from origin to destination is immensely important to North American trade, Richard said. Its precisely why Port Laredo stands out as the premier gateway for temperature-sensitive shipments. The refrigerated inspection facilities at the World Trade Bridge are key to allowing temperature sensitive goods through the border. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have three of those facilities at our two commercial bridges, which is quite unique to the Texas-Mexico border, Richard said. These specialized docks allow trucks to back up directly into a temperature controlled environment, preventing exposure to external conditions during inspection. This cold chain process is essential for industries like pharmaceuticals, fresh produce, and perishable food products, and it enables carriers to stay in compliance with safety regulations. By eliminating any temperature fluctuations, Port Laredo helps reduce spoilage, extends shelf life of transported goods, and delivers high-quality goods to businesses and consumers across North America. That kind of reliability makes Port Laredo the preferred choice for companies that depend on cold chain logistics, Richard said. Many commercial and non-commercial vehicles are assembled in Mexico and transported into the United States. Port Laredo plays a vital role in the North American automotive industry by facilitating the rapid movement of vehicles and vehicle parts across the border. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With a highly efficient customs process specializing in infrastructure and a deep understanding of just-in-time manufacturing requirements, we make sure that automotive supply chains remain uninterrupted, Richard said. The ports ability to handle high volumes of auto-related shipments with precision minimizes production downtime, which reduces costs and helps North American automotive manufacturers compete in the global market, he said. On average, 12,000 trailers per day circulate through the border at Laredo. Sometimes, Richard says, inspections even get up to 21,000 trucks per day. Port Laredo has to maintain strong relationships between the customs and border protections agencies in the United States and Mexico as well as private stakeholders. We can only achieve coordination with three levels of government in both Mexico and the United States through continuous collaboration, technology integration and well-defined protocols, Richard said. By keeping those relationships open, Port Laredo is able to move trusted carriers and goods through the border much more quickly. Our dedicated fast lane, known as our free and secure trade lane, is for vetted vehicles so they can get to the front of the line and get through, Richard said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials from Port Laredo have regular meetings with international trade forums and maintain real-time communication with all relevant authorities, and that allows them to continue with rapid response and keep trade industries moving smoothly in and through Laredo. Birthdays are a great time to celebrate and reflect, but theyre also a great time to look to the future. As cross-border trade continues to grow, Laredo is positioning itself as an indispensable link in global supply chains. With its ambitious expansion plans and long history as a center of international commerce, the Gateway to Mexico seems poised to play an even more prominent role in U.S.-Mexico trade in the years to come. In the next twenty-five years, I envision Port Laredo as the most advanced and efficient port in the world, Richard said. With continued investments in infrastructure, smart-border technology and automation, the port aims to handle even greater trade volumes while keeping our robust speed and security standards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sustainability initiatives will make Port Laredo an even more vital link in North Americas supply chain. As trade evolves with innovations like electric and autonomous vehicles, Port Laredo will continue to adapt and ensure that it remains the premier gateway for international commerce, Richard said. We sure plan to continue to be the number one port in North America over the next twenty-five years, he said. Click here to learn more about the City of Laredo Bridge Department. The post How Laredo, Texas manages high-volume trade as the number one port of entry into the U.S. appeared first on FreightWaves. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) The widow of a man who died in a Las Vegas Strip hotel room is suing the property owner, accusing it of allowing a known pimp and sex worker on its property, leading to her husbands overdose death. Jeffrey Jacoby, 55, of Colorado, died in March 2023 from the effects of fentanyl and ethanol, documents said. Paramedics and police found Jacoby deceased inside a bathroom in a guest room at the Palazzo hotel. Both Jacobys wallet and phone were missing from his room. In 2024, Kashon Glass, 38; and Cheylee Kessee, 24, took plea deals on charges connected to Jacobys death. Both admitted guilt to charges including robbery and voluntary manslaughter. Last November, Clark County District Court Judge Jacqueline Bluth sentenced Glass to a minimum of 20 years in prison. Bluth sentenced Kessee to a minimum of eight years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Video surveillance from the hours before Jacobys death showed he and Kessee walking around the hotel together, court documents said. Documents reveal Kessee and Glass shared text messages about Jacobys actions and robbing him before Jacoby and Kessee went to Jacobys hotel room, prosecutors said. Police arrested Kessee several days later during a sex worker enforcement operation at a different Strip property, documents said. During an interview with police, Kessee said she and Jacoby smoked fentanyl together before his death. Police later arrested Glass with fentanyl. The lawsuit alleges that defendants had knowledge of Kessee and Glass history of targeting hotel guests to rob and victimize them and failed to protect Jacoby, documents said. In addition, the lawsuit claims security made no effort to remove Glass or Kessee from the property. In addition to Jacobys death, Glass and Kessee faced charges for numerous other robberies, including one where police found several guns hidden in a toilet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit asks for a jury trial and a standard $15,000 in damages, the statutory minimum in civil cases. Representatives from the hotel 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 KLAS. Vote to give Rye a five-person Select Board March 7 To the Editor: Moving to a five-person Select Board is a practical step in addressing the increasingly complex challenges our town faces. Rye residents have the opportunity on March 11 to enhance town governance by increasing our Select Board from three members to five. This is not a radical move: towns similarly sized and smaller than ours have 5-member select boards. Among these are Greenland, Brentwood, Atkinson, Hopkinton, Kingston, Sandown and Epping. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is often said that one obstacle to finding citizens willing to run for the Select Board is the time commitment required. Increasing the board to five members could help alleviate this issue by distributing the workload more evenly, reducing the risk of burnout. Additionally, a larger board would allow for more individuals to consider serving on the board, letting members focus on and specialize in specific areas of expertise, such as infrastructure and planning, budgeting, education, environmental issues, and economic development. Currently, the three-member structure legally restricts two members from meeting or collaborating outside of a publicly announced meeting, which is inefficient. Expanding the board would facilitate more efficient and effective work within legal guidelines. Select Board members in our town receive several thousand dollars for their annual service. It has been suggested that adding two more board seats could create a tax burden. The long-term benefits, however, of having more effective governance, increased community engagement, and more specialization on the board could ultimately save taxpayers money. A five-person Select Board would make room for a broader range of perspectives and expertise, foster greater collaboration, and enable town leadership to more effectively address the needs of the residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Margaret HondaFormer two-term Rye School Board member and former Chair Karen StewartCurrent member of the Rye Historic District Commission and former Co-Chair of the Rye Town Center Committee Town and School District elections take place in many Seacoast communities on March 11. Saving democracy isnt someone elses job March 5 To the Editor: Americans in shock and despair over the trashing of the rule of law and our nations rapid descent into a fascist oligarchy got the message we needed in U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkins State of the Union rebuttal Tuesday nighta call to activism instead of giving in to more doomscrolling. While its critical to keep asking elected Democrats (and Republicans) at all levels what theyre doing to stand in the way of a self-absorbed would-be dictator and his destructive policies, the question far more of us need to be asking in this moment is What can I do? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For starters, track how your representatives are voting and, and as Slotkin advises, always hold them accountable. But never fall into the trap of believing that checking off someones name on a ballot allows you to shift your responsibilities as a citizen over to someone else. Pick just one issue you're passionate about and engage. And doom scrolling doesn't count. Join a group that cares about your issue, and act. And if you can't find one, start one. I hope more of us begin to take this challenge to heart. Thats because the single biggest mistake we can make in these extremely difficult times is for the many to outsource their activism to the few. Saving democracy isnt someone elses job. Its a job for all of us. David Meuse of Portsmouth represents Portsmouth, Newington, New Castle in the NH House. Tom von Jess is the leader North Hampton needs March 4 To the Editor: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am writing to express my enthusiastic support for Tom von Jess as a candidate for the North Hampton Select Board. Having known Tom for nearly 30 years personally, professionally, and through his many volunteer roles, I have witnessed firsthand his unwavering commitment to getting things done and always doing what is right. Tom is action-oriented and forward-thinking, yet he values the lessons of the past. He understands the importance of communication and collaboration, ensuring that every voice in our town is heard and valued. I have no doubt that he will work tirelessly to find common ground and move our town forward while respecting its heritage. With a strong commitment to fiscal responsibility, Tom understands that careful financial management is essential to a thriving community. He will work diligently to balance responsible budgeting with strategic investments that support both economic growth and the well-being of residents. Whether its improving infrastructure, or enhancing public services, Tom knows that smart, forward-thinking investments in people and community resources will yield long-term benefits. Now, I will admit - Tom is not perfect. Believe me, I would know, I am married to him. I also know that he is exactly the kind of leader North Hampton needs. His commitment to service, his ability to listen, and his drive to make a difference make him the right choice for the Select Board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Please join me in voting for Tom von Jess. He will serve our town with the dedication, integrity, and the vision it deserves. Marianne von Jess North Hampton One of many lies told about Cuba by Trump administration March 4 To the Editor: I agree with Bess Mosley (Portsmouth Herald 3/4/25) that we must speak out against Trump. But I do not agree with her statement about Marco Rubio, that his parents escaped Castro, because his parents immigrated to the U.S. in 1956, during the regime of Fulgencio Batista, years before Fidel Castro ascended to power after the Cuban Revolution of 1959. This is just one of many lies told about Cuba by the current administration, lies that suit their stories that have little to do with facts. Marco Rubio will do all he can to keep one of our closest neighbors struggling, while Trump is doing all he can to alienate our other close neighbors. We are clearly heading in the wrong direction, but we arent surprised, are we? Diane Stradling Portsmouth Support Tom von Jess for North Hampton Select Board March 5 To the Editor: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am writing to support Tom von Jess for the North Hampton Select Board. I admire Tom and people like him who demonstrate a willingness to serve our community. As the current chair of the Budget Committee and a former school board representative for six years, Tom has demonstrated such a commitment. This past year I served alongside Tom on the Budget Committee. During the time we spent together on this committee I saw firsthand that Tom has the dedication, reasonableness and integrity necessary to serve the town well. He is smart, came prepared, did his research, and was not afraid to ask tough questions. Of equal importance, Toms leadership style is built on fairness, transparency, and a genuine desire to serve all members of our community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement North Hampton Is a great community that I believe would benefit from Tom being on the Select Board and I would like to encourage my fellow residents to join me in supporting him in this important election. Paul Martino North Hampton We have a rogue president and administration March 5 To the Editor: We have a rogue president and a rogue administration! Trump and Musk are promoting corruption by wiping out the anti-corrupters (Inspector Generals) from the infrastructure so they can promote their own corruption. This is the heart of authoritarianism. Or maybe they are just getting rid of what they dont like that is interfering with Musks businesses or interests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neither one is good for our republic. Sylvia R. Kennedy Exeter GOP is no longer fiscally conservative March 5 To the Editor: House Speaker Mike Johnson recently stated that the Republican Party is the fiscal conservative party. Oh, really? The GOP hypocrites claim they are concerned about the national debt while advocating for extending the Trump tax cuts, primarily benefitting the wealthy and corporations, which will add $4.5 Trillion to the deficit over a ten-year period. And of course, they plan to offset this by cutting social programs like Medicaid, Social Security and Medicare. This is truly unconscionable! Frankly, I don't know how these people can sleep at night? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Millions of Americans are barely getting by. In York County, Maine it was recently reported that 47% of its residents were struggling to buy basic necessities, and York County is considered to be one of Maine's affluent counties. The GOP claims to be fiscal conservative, but not when it comes to lining their pockets. The National Debt rose faster than the economy under George H W Bush, Reagan, W Bush and Trump. In fact, Trump added $4.8 Trillion to the debt during his first term. Since Trump took office, living has become a form of mental torture, facing each day with dread fearing what new damage will be wreaked upon us,. Trump has gone too far, and if the spineless cowards in the GOP don't rein him in, he will bankrupt our country just like all of his businesses. Richard Maina Kittery Point, Maine This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Last words on local elections; commentary on Trump and GOP: Letters A close call between two passenger planes occurred at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in late February, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The incident added to a list of near collisions at the airport after several deadly plane crashes across the country in early 2025. The Arizona Republic found the incident marked at least the third close call at Sky Harbor in just over a year and the tenth in a decade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It happened after crashes across the country, including in Scottsdale when a Learjet veered off a runway, killing one and injuring three, and another in Marana involving a midair crash between two small planes, killing two. Here's what we know about the most recent near accident at Sky Harbor in late February. Airliners with major Phoenix hubs avoid collision The recently disclosed close call happened around 10:20 p.m. on Feb. 23 when Sky Harbor air traffic controllers instructed Southwest Airlines Flight 3606, en route from Los Angeles to Phoenix, to turn left while approaching the airport, according to an emailed statement from an FAA spokesperson. The Southwest flight did not respond to the instruction, according to the FAA statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Southwest flight then got too close to another plane also approaching, American Airlines Flight 2079, en route from Dallas to Phoenix, according to FlightAware. "Air traffic control issued corrective instructions to the American crew and alerted them to the flight path of (Southwest) Flight 3606," read the FAA statement. The FAA did not detail any further incident, and the planes were reported to have landed safely on FlightAware. What did the airlines have to say about the close call? Southwest Airlines Spokesperson Dan Landson referred details on the incident to the FAA but commented on an investigation into the incident. "Were addressing this through our Safety Management System, which includes engagement with the FAA. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Customers and Employees," Landson wrote in an emailed statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement American Airlines declined to provide further information on the incident, referring questions to the FAA. A spokesperson for Sky Harbor also referred questions on the close call to the FAA. February incident marks 10 close calls in a decade at Sky Harbor The most recent close call marked at least the third near collision between planes arriving or departing at Sky Harbor in just over a year, and 10 since 2015, adding to previous reporting from The Republic. The other most recent close call happened in January when a Delta Airlines flight carrying 245 passengers and a United Airlines flight carrying 123 passengers came within 500 feet of each other as they landed a distance the FAA calls "loss of separation" and considers too close. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Data from Flight Radar 24, a live air traffic radar, shows they came within 425 horizontal feet and about a quarter mile vertically. The FAA said air traffic controllers spotted the problem, corrected it, and both pilots landed safely. Quickly after, the agency said it would investigate the incident. It was the first time a federal authority opted to formally investigate a close call in Phoenix in years. The FAA lists Sky Harbor as the 14th busiest commercial airport in the country. The Arizona Republic's Taylor Seely contributed to this article. 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 a recent near collision at Sky Harbor Airport BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. Under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), there are no restrictions on uranium enrichment, said Esmail Baghaei, spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trend reports. Speaking today at a press conference in Tehran, Baghaei made it clear that the treaty is as straightforward as pie, calling for countries to toe the line and meet their obligations. He noted that as enrichment levels increase, so should the corresponding monitoring measures. Iran is meeting these obligations, as recognized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Baghaei explained that uranium enrichment can vary based on the needs of a country's nuclear industry and its intended use. For example, Iran has utilized enriched uranium at levels of 20 percent, 60 percent, and higher for specific purposes, such as for the Tehran Research Reactor. "Therefore, drawing conclusions about the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program based on an uncertain report does not rely on technical data and is contrary to international realities. The accusations against Iran have been repeated for 30 years without any documents or facts," Baghai remarked. The spokesperson further stated that concerns about Irans uranium enrichment level are unfounded, pointing out that some of the accusations only serve to escalate tensions without any technical basis. These allegations also fly in the face of the IAEAs technical stance on the matter. To note, on March 3, Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the IAEA, reported at a meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors that Iran had increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 percent by 93 kilograms, raising it from 182 kilograms to 275 kilograms compared to the previous quarter. Iran remains the only non-nuclear weapons state to enrich uranium to this level, which has raised significant international concern. 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. ------------ Follow the author on X: @BaghishovElnur GOP firebrand Lauren Boebert has been accused of effortless racism over a perceived dig at Democrat Al Green, who was ejected from Donald Trumps address to a joint session of Congress last week. In an interview with right-wing outlet Real Americas Voice, the Colorado congresswoman accused Green, who is Black, of shaking his pimp cane at the president, after he stood to give a vocal protest. The Texas rep, 77, was escorted from the chamber by the Sergeant at Arms after repeatedly shouting you have no mandate at Trump. Green later told reporters: It's worth it to let people know that there are some people who are going to stand up" to Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking to RAV, Boebert acknowledged those comparing Greens protest to her own outburst during Joe Bidens State of the Union speech to Congress in 2022. You had some folks on the left trying to come out early and defend this behavior and compare it to an image of Marjorie Taylor Greene and myself, who were chanting Build the wall while all other Republicans were chanting the same phrase and they just got that one image and acted like we completely disrupted the State of the Union, she said. Lauren Boebert has been criticized online for referring to Al Greens walking stick as a pimp cane following his protest during Donald Trumps remarks to Congress last week (AP) But Al Green was given multiple opportunities to stand down, to sit down, to behave, to show decorum. And he did not For him to go and shake his pimp cane at President Trump was absolutely abhorrent. Boebert was reminded of her own outburst in 2022, in which she and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene screamed "Build the Wall" as U.S. President Joe Biden delivered his State of the Union address (Getty Images) The clip, circulated on social media, caused outrage, with users reminding Boebert of her and Greenes noisy behavior, as well as her infamous ejection from a production of Beetlejuice the musical in 2023 for vaping and groping her then-date during the show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Effortless racism, The Tennessee Holler wrote, sharing the clip. Lauren Boebert calling Sen Al Greens cane a Pimp Cane should be seen as racist and she should be removed from office! wrote another BlueSky user. It's not a pimp cane. It's a cane, added another. Al Green is a politician who uses a tool to help him walk, just like many of his constituents who are dependent on Medicaid assistance. Lauren Boebert is being ableist with her statements. NEW MEXICO (KRQE) Accountability and greater oversight, thats what lawmakers are hoping massage parlors will have, after seeing several cases throughout the state where some shops have promoted prostitution and human trafficking. Story continues below Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Albuquerque police raided what they called an illegal massage parlor last July, after connecting the building to a website offering sex services. And while they charged a woman with promoting prostitution, the case has since been dismissed. Now legislators are introducing a bill to regulate how those businesses operate. Currently, theres no type of licensing process that offers protection or checks for whats happening in these businesses, said Sen. Heather Bergmans (D-Albuquerque.) The Massage Therapy Licensure Bill would put massage therapy establishments under the states regulation and licensing department. With having an established licensure process and inspection process for these types of businesses, we can prevent human trafficking. And if that situation is happening, have another easier avenue for discovering that situation, said Bergmans. After being heard in the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee, the bill faced some opposition. I think whats going to happen to some of these places that are probably operating doing nefarious activities is theyre going to go to the home place, said Senator Jay C. Block (R). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the bill currently excludes home-based providers, concerned legislators say the same illicit behaviors could continue under the radar. But supporters offer a different perspective, We know that its really important to legitimate professional massage therapists who do this in their home to not have to also have the burdens of regulating their home as if it is an establishment, said Bergmans. The bill was first introduced in the 2019 legislative session but was not passed. This year, with two weeks left in the session, supporters are hopeful it will be signed into law. If there is a situation of human trafficking, and someone is aware of that, they can always tip a police officer off or notify law enforcement in some way, but thats really the only way right now, said Bergmans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Massage Therapy Licensure bill passed on a 6-4 vote and is headed to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Congress is racing against the clock once again with another looming deadline to fund the government. Lawmakers have until the end of the week to strike a deal, but the big question is whether House Republicans can rally enough GOP support to pass the short-term funding bill needed to keep the federal doors open. What we do know is that a shutdown could result in a major fallout. Federal workers could go without pay, and essential services like food and assistance programs could eventually come to a halt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres the latest on the funding showdown. When would the government shutdown happen? If lawmakers fail to pass a new bill, federal funding will expire on Friday, March 14. But what does that actually mean? A government shutdown happens when Congress fails to approve funding or extend existing funds for federal agencies and programs. This creates a funding gap, forcing agencies to halt projects and suspend certain activities. While some essential services continue, programs like food assistance and public aid could face disruptions if the shutdown drags on. Other critical services, such as air traffic control and law enforcement, will remain operational. But hundreds of thousands of federal employees deemed nonessential meaning their jobs arent critical to public safety or vital government functions would be furloughed, leaving them without work or pay until the shutdown ends. In past shutdowns, some national parks closed entirely, while others remained technically open, but help desks and some facilities like restrooms would be closed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If it feels like government shutdowns are happening more often, youre not wrong. In recent years, both Democrats and Republicans have used funding deadlines as leverage to push their political priorities. However, theres a strong incentive to avoid shutdowns because they come at a high cost according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the last funding lapse resulted in a permanent economic loss of about $3 billion. Would the government shutdown affect travel? The looming shutdown also coincides with the start of spring break, which is a little worrying for Americans headed for fun in the sun. The good news is that a shutdown probably wont bring air travel to a halt, but it could still cause some disruptions. TSA agents and air traffic controllers are deemed essential and will keep working, but since they wont be getting paid, some may call out, which could lead to delays. Weve seen this scenario before: During the 2018-2019 shutdown, travelers faced longer security lines as TSA agents skipped shifts, some airport checkpoints closed, and a shortage of just 10 air traffic controllers temporarily halted flights at LaGuardia Airport in New York City and delayed travel at other major airports nationwide. How can the government avoid a shutdown? Both the House and Senate need to pass a stopgap measure, known as a continuing resolution, extending funding. The measure would then go to President Trump for his signature. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And theres already one in the works: House Republicans unveiled a six-month continuing resolution over the weekend, extending government funding through September. The measure would increase defense spending and provide additional funding for veterans health care while decreasing non-defense spending. But the bill must first clear the House Rules Committee before it can go to a floor vote. Despite the Republican majority, its future is far from certain. With only a narrow majority, House Republicans are working to build support, facing opposition from Democrats who argue it would give Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency even more power to cut costs. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has urged his party to reject the stopgap measure, but divisions are already emerging, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer cautioning against the risks of a government shutdown. At least one Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, has said he will vote against the bill. However, senior Republicans are counting on support from the 13 House Democrats representing districts that swung toward Trump to get it passed. If they succeed, the bill would then head to the Senate, where it faces a new set of challenges. The GOP holds a 53-seat majority, but 60 votes are needed to pass the bill, meaning theyll need Democratic support. To complicate things further, GOP Sen. Rand Paul has vowed to oppose the measure, so at least eight Democrats will need to back it for it to pass and reach the presidents desk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the House cant secure enough votes for the resolution, lawmakers are likely to shift toward a shorter-term funding measure, which Democrats have recently shown support for. So while a deal is on the table, there are still plenty of obstacles to clear before a shutdown can be avoided and the clock is ticking. The post Can Lawmakers Strike a Deal to Avoid a Government Shutdown? appeared first on Katie Couric Media. A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Monday urged the Trump administration to scrap plans to kill more than 450,000 invasive barred owls in West Coast forests as part of efforts to stop the birds from crowding out a smaller type of owl that's facing potential extinction. The 19 lawmakers led by Republican Rep. Troy Nehls, a Texas conservative, and Democrat Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, a California liberal claimed the killings would be grossly expensive and cost $3,000 per bird. They questioned if the shootings would help native populations of northern spotted owls, which have long been controversial because of logging restrictions in the birds' forest habitat beginning in the 1990s, and the closely related California spotted owl. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Barred owls are native to eastern North America and started appearing in the Pacific Northwest in the 1970s. Theyve quickly displaced many spotted owls, which are smaller birds that need larger territories to breed. An estimated 100,000 barred owls now live within a range that contains only about 7,100 spotted owls, according to federal officials. Under a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plan approved last year, trained shooters would target barred owls over 30 years across a maximum of about 23,000 square miles (60,000 square kilometers) in California, Oregon and Washington. The plan did not include a cost estimate. But the lawmakers said in a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum that it could top $1.3 billion based on extrapolating costs from a grant awarded to the the Hoopa Valley Native American Tribe in California to kill up to 1,500 barred owls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is an inappropriate and inefficient use of U.S. taxpayer dollars, the lawmakers wrote. "This latest plan is an example of our federal government attempting to supersede nature and control environmental outcomes at great cost. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions about the cost estimate and the owl removal program. The agency's plan called for more than 2,400 barred owls to be removed this year and for that number to ramp up to more than 15,500 birds annually beginning in 2027. Scientists for years have been shooting barred owls on an experimental basis and officials say the results show the strategy could halt spotted owl declines. As of last year, about 4,500 barred owls were killed on the West Coast by researchers since 2009. Killing one bird species to save others has divided wildlife advocates and is reminiscent of past government efforts to save West Coast salmon by killing sea lions and cormorants. Or when, to preserve warblers, cowbirds that lay eggs in warbler nests were killed. The barred owl removals would be among the largest such effort to date involving birds of prey, researchers and wildlife advocates said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Barred owls arrived in the Pacific Northwest via the Great Plains, where trees planted by settlers gave them a foothold, or via Canadas boreal forests, which have become warmer and more hospitable as the climate changes, researchers said. Their spread has undermined decades of spotted owl restoration efforts that previously focused on protecting forests where they live. That included logging restrictions under former President Bill Clinton that ignited bitter political fights and temporarily helped slow the spotted owls decline. NEW YORK (AP) President Donald Trump warned Monday that the arrest and possible deportation of a Palestinian activist who helped lead protests at Columbia University will be the first of many to come as his administration cracks down on campus demonstrations against Israel and the war in Gaza. Mahmoud Khalil, a lawful U.S. resident who was a graduate student at Columbia until December, was detained Saturday by federal immigration agents in New York and flown to an immigration jail in Louisiana. We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, Trump wrote in a social media post. We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country never to return again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But a federal judge in New York City ordered Monday that Khalil not be deported while the court considered a legal challenge brought by his lawyers. A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday. Khalils detention drew outrage from civil rights groups and free speech advocates, who accused the administration of using its immigration enforcement powers to squelch criticism of Israel. He is the first person known to be detained for deportation under Trumps promised crackdown on student protests. Federal immigration authorities also visited a second international student at Columbia on Friday evening and attempted to take her into custody but were not allowed to enter the apartment, according to a union representing the student. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Khalil, 30, had not been charged with any crime related to his activism, but Trump has argued that protesters forfeited their rights to remain in the country by protests he claimed support Hamas, the Palestinian group that attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The U.S. has designated Hamas as a terrorist organization. Khalil and other student leaders of Columbia University Apartheid Divest have rejected claims of antisemitism, saying they are part of a broader anti-war movement that also includes Jewish students and groups. But the protest coalition, at times, has also voiced support for leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, another Islamist organization designated by the U.S. as a terrorist group. The U.S. Education Department on Monday warned some 60 colleges, including Harvard and Cornell, that they could lose federal money if they fail to uphold civil rights laws against antisemitism and ensure uninterrupted access to campus facilities and education opportunities. The Trump administration is already pulling $400 million from Columbia. A group of Columbia faculty members expressed concern Monday that Khalil's detention was intended to suppress free speech by students and staff who are not U.S. citizens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attack on Mahmoud Khalil is intended to make them quake in their boots, and to make all of us quake in our boots," said Michael Thaddeus, a Columbia math professor. "Our message to Washington is that we are not silenced, we are not afraid, and we stand together, determined to defeat this ongoing assault on our fundamental rights. In their legal complaint, Khalil's attorneys accused the government of retaliating against him for his constitutionally protected advocacy on behalf of Palestinian human rights. Typically, the government has to meet a higher bar to expel a person who has permanent residency in the U.S., like showing someone has been convicted of a serious crime. Born in Syria to Palestinian parents, Khalil entered the U.S. to attend Columbia in 2022. He subsequently got married to an American citizen, who is now eight months pregnant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Khalil emerged as one of the most visible activists in large protests at Columbia last year, serving as a mediator on behalf of pro-Palestinian activists and Muslim students. That role put him in direct touch with university leaders and the press and drew attention from pro-Israel activists, who in recent weeks called on the Trump administration to deport him. He took a public facing role, and now hes being targeted for speaking to the media," another student protester, Maryam Alwan, told The Associated Press. More recently, Khalil faced investigation by a new disciplinary body set up at Columbia University, which sent him a letter last month accusing him of potentially violating a new harassment policy by calling a school official a genocidal dean online. Khalil told The Associated Press last week that he served as a spokesperson for protesters but did not play a leadership role. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are alleging that I was the leader of CUAD or the social media person, which is very far from reality, he said, using the acronym for Columbia University Apartheid Divest. Khalil received a masters degree from Columbias School of International and Public Affairs last semester. He previously graduated from the Lebanese American University in Beirut with a computer science degree and worked at the British Embassy in Beiruts Syria office, according to his biography on the Society for International Developments website. A few hundred protesters rallied near an Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Manhattan on Monday to demand Khalil's release. By arresting Mahmoud, Trump thinks he can strip us of our rights and strip us of our commitment to our people, Ibtihal Malley, a New York University student, told the crowd. To that we say: You are wrong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Back on campus, Columbia sophomore Pearson Lund was among those who found the potential stripping of Khalils green card concerning. At what point does this process stop? the physics student said as he entered campus through a security line guarded by city police officers. ___ Associated Press writers Cedar Attanasio in New York and Collin Binkley in Washington contributed to this report. A dispute over nine bills passed by each chamber of the Michigan Legislature last year but not presented to the governors desk for consideration appeared to be resolved last week after a state judge ruled the House should have presented the legislation. But two legal experts interviewed by the Detroit Free Press found that Michigan Court of Claims Judge Sima Patels ruling may not have any binding effect on the House. While Patel did rule partly in the Senates favor, agreeing that the House should have sent the nine bills to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer after the new legislative session began on Jan. 8 she denied the Senates request for mandamus relief, meaning she wouldnt order the House to present them. Patel, in her Feb. 27 ruling, wrote that it wasnt the courts role to enforce legislative rules. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The stalled bills include measures to increase public employer contributions to employees' health care costs, allow corrections officers and other law enforcement personnel to opt in to the Michigan State Police retirement programs, exempt certain public assistance benefits from debt collection and allow Wayne County to ask voters to levy a millage to fund history museums in Detroit. More: Weight restrictions for all Michigan roads start at 6 a.m. Monday. How to report potholes More: Should Michigan stick with daylight saving time? One lawmaker wants voters to decide The bills were passed in the final days of last years legislative session, when Democrats controlled both the House and Senate, but were not presented to the governor, as expected, before that session ended in December. When Republicans took control of the House at the start of the year, the nine bills again werent presented to the governors office. To become law, any bill passed by the Legislature has to be signed by the governor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In February, to force the issue, Senate Democrats sued the House and Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, to have the bills presented. House Republicans have argued it was the role of previous Democratic leadership to ensure the bills were presented. What happens next with the bills, even after the Court of Claims ruling, is unclear. The Democratic-led Senate has claimed victory, and a spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, said, The court made it clear that the bills are to go to the governor. Speaker (Matt) Hall has had plenty of time to do the right thing and we expect him to act accordingly, Brinks spokesperson Rosie Jones said in an email. Hall has been less bullish on presenting the bills, even after the Court of Claims ruling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You look (at) this decision, I think it was a very clear loss for the Senate Democrats, and it was very embarrassing, Hall said at a Thursday news conference. Gideon DAssandro, a House Republicans spokesperson, added the House is conducting an ongoing legal review. Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall and Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks Analysts: Ruling leaves questions A pair of legal analysts, who spoke with the Free Press, said the Court of Claims ruling does not provide a clear order for the bills to be presented. Gerald Fisher, professor emeritus at Cooley Law School in Lansing and a longtime attorney for a host of government entities in Michigan, said the courts ruling comes down to the separation of powers between the three branches of state government: the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judiciary. While the Court of Claims did find the states constitution requiring bills to be presented before they can become law, Fisher noted the ruling also found the matter of who must present a bill is an internal matter, something the court didnt conclude it should weigh in on. Considering the separation of powers, in order for the court to get involved in making a decision ... the court would have to be interfering with the Legislatures rules, Fisher said. In other words, interpreting and ordering something that is strictly a matter of internal work in the Legislature. The court is basically saying the House rules are not law, its internal in the Legislature and therefore the court isnt going to make a ruling on that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quinn Yeargain, an associate professor of law at Michigan State University's College of Law, teaches constitutional and criminal law and said the ruling is a win for Senate Democrats on the merit of their arguments. But without an order compelling the House to present the bills, the court did not provide clear legal relief to the Senate's complaint. What happens next An appeal from the Senate seems likely, Yeargain said, especially if the bills arent presented to the governors desk. I would imagine that would clarify the situation, that this would be a very unusual ruling I think could be affirmed on appeal with respect to the lack of clear relief, Yeargain said. Both Yeargain and Fisher agreed the ruling doesnt make it clear who should be ordered to compel the bills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jones, Brinks' spokesperson, did not directly answer whether the Senate would file an appeal but said the chamber would continue to hold the House accountable. Following the constitution and delivering bills that are so critical to the livelihoods of thousands of Michiganders is a nonnegotiable and we will continue to hold the Speaker accountable until that happens," Jones said. The actual policy proposals in the nine bills are left in limbo until the legal situation is settled. Given Republicans now hold the gavel in the House, its unlikely the Democratic-backed measures can advance to the governors desk by passing each chamber again. Free Press staff writer Clara Hendrickson contributed to this report. Contact Arpan Lobo: alobo@freepress.com This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan lawsuit over stalled bills could continue, experts say EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) The City of El Paso hosted a grand reopening ceremony on Monday morning, March 10, for the Leo Cancellare Memorial Pool in West El Paso. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The City said the pool, which is located at 650 Wallenberg Dr., received around $2.7 million in improvements including: Refurbishment of the pool. Replacement of major mechanical components, including the pool heater, circulation pump and sand filter. Upgrades to the HVAC system, electrical room, and electrical system replacement. Reconstruction of locker rooms and roof repairs. The newly refurbished pool provides swimmers with a dedicated area to prepare for their next competitive event, the City said. It is located adjacent to the Westside Natatorium, an Olympic-sized swimming pool inside a 36,000-square-foot facility that meets size and dimension standards for competitions, the City said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The City said the pool also allows the community to participate in lap swimming throughout the year. This project is part of the City of El Pasos commitment to enhance the quality of life for the community, read a news release sent by the City. The City said the celebration following the ceremony includes a water aerobics demonstration, free recreational swimming from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., a meet-and-greet with Gus and Goldie, and refreshments. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) Local mail carriers are picketing for a new contract and better working conditions. Members of the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 522 said they have been working without a new contract for more than 600 days. They hosted an informational picket outside the Bloomington Post Office to raise awareness about their concerns. This includes the potential privatization of the post office, something pushed by Elon Musk. Workers worry privatization could shift the post offices focus to profits rather than public service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are also calling for faster pay increases and the end of mandatory overtime and short-staffing. The postal service has been here for 250 years. We celebrate our 250th birthday this year. Were older in the country. Its a service that everybody deserves, and it represents communities, small businesses, and rural communities. If this became a corporation, a lot of places wouldnt even get their mail every day like we do now, said Letter Carrier Ryan West. He said he does not believe the union will go on strike. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Just after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States, Ukraine and Russia signed an agreement to control nuclear weapons and respect each others borders. It was called the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances and was respected until 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine. Since then, Russia has been subjected to punishing sanctions in response to its violation of the agreement. Here are key terms of the agreement, according to Wikipedia: Respect the signatorys independence and sovereignty in the existing borders (in accordance with the principles of the CSCE Final Act). Refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of the signatories to the memorandum, and undertake that none of their weapons will ever be used against these countries, except in cases of self-defense or otherwise in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Refrain from economic coercion designed to subordinate to their own interest the exercise by Ukraine, the Republic of Belarus and Kazakhstan of the rights inherent in its sovereignty and thus to secure advantages of any kind. Seek immediate UN Security Council action to provide assistance to the signatory if they should become a victim of an act of aggression or an object of a threat of aggression. Not to use nuclear weapons against any nonnuclear-weapon state. Consult with one another. Jay Belanger Alsace Township BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. The Swedish Ambassador to Tehran Mathias Otterstedt was summoned to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, where a protest note from Iran to Sweden was presented to him, on March 9, Trend reports. In the course of the meeting with Director of the Western Europe Department at the Iranian Foreign Ministry Shahram Ghazizadeh, the Swedish ambassador was informed about the reactions to statements made by some Swedish officials against Iran. Ghazizadeh criticized the Swedish Minister of Education's baseless and interventionist remarks against Iran and said that such statements contradict international law and diplomatic norms. "The Swedish government cannot accuse the legitimate institutions of another country and defend Ahmad Reza Djalali, whose crimes have been fully proven," he emphasized. The meeting discussed the latest developments in the criminal case regarding the death of Iranian citizen Niloufar Zarei, who was killed in an incident in Sweden, and requested that information regarding the investigation be shared with the Iranian government. The Swedish ambassador assured that he would convey the concerns to his government. Recently, the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs invited the Iranian Ambassador to discuss the deteriorating health condition of Ahmad Reza Djalali, who holds dual citizenship and expressed the government's protest. Djalali was arrested in Iran eight years ago on charges of espionage. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Long Islands Hempstead School District says it plans to close an elementary school and cut jobs over a $34 million budget shortfall it blames on parents preferring charter to public schools. District officials in the countrys largest township are pleading with Gov. Kathy Hochul to step in to close the financial gap to help alleviate such crises. Without financial relief, our students will suffer, said Victor Pratt, Hempsteads school board president, at a press conference at Hempstead Senior High last week. Without financial relief, our students will suffer, Victor Pratt, Hempsteads school board president, said at a press conference at Hempstead Senior High last week. News 12 District officials in the countrys largest township are pleading with Gov. Kathy Hochul for financial help. News 12 In New York, students can opt to go to a charter school in their town over their local public school, with the local public school district footing the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Hempstead, this means the district will be responsible for the $106 million tuition bill for the nearly 4,000 local students attending charter schools next year or more than $28,000 per student, the district said. By comparison, Hempstead had around 5,700 students enrolled in its own public schools in 2023-24. It was not immediately unclear what it cost to educate each of its public-school students. According to the district, it will be responsible for the $106 million tuition bill for the nearly 4,000 local students attending charter schools next year. News 12 The overall $106 million figure for Hempstead charter students is $20 million more than this past year and nearly double what the district shelled out the year before, according to school officials adding they expect it to only continue to balloon with each passing year. Hochuls Long Island spokesman, Gordon Tepper, told the Post that Hempstead is already set to receive $247 million in state funds next year over $83 million than four years ago, calling the amount a massive increase. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ron Edelson, a spokesman for the Hempstead School District, said the increase is being consumed by charter-school tuition, so the district isnt close to breaking even receiving about $12 million more in state aid than the previous year. Ron Edelson, a spokesman for the Hempstead School District, said the increase in state funds is being consumed by charter-school tuition. News 12 Theyre right, the state did give us an increase in aid, Edelson said of Hochul administration officials. But it is all eaten up by charter payments, so what are we really getting? If the increase in state funding has to go toward an increase in charter payments, there is no increase in funding, Edelson said pointing out that a third of the districts budget is set to go toward charter tuition next year. He noted that Hempstead has five charter schools within its borders, with one more opening next year. Excluding New York City, it is home to the most charters in the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement District officials added that Hempstead pays a disproportionate amount of tuition fees compared to other districts around the state, or about $8,000 more per student than the surrounding towns. Edelson said the state sets those amounts and that the district has asked the state why it costs more to educate charter students in Hempstead but has yet to get an answer. Evolution of education Edelson said the elementary school that the district plans to close could end up being the David Paterson Elementary School, named after the former governor. It could be repurposed for special-ed kids or used for night classes, he said. About 15 teachers and an undetermined number of administrators could lose their jobs if the school shutters, although at least some may be moved into other positions and others given incentives to retire, the rep said. According to Edelson, the elementary school that the district plans to close could be the David Paterson Elementary School, named after the former governor, and be repurposed for special-ed kids or night classes. News 12 Hempstead school officials said that if there is no more state help soon, the district also will have to dip into its $60 million reserve fund, which Edelson claimed could be depleted by 2028 at this rate and lead to massive cuts a major step back from recent years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hempstead was once a struggling district with a graduation rate of under 60% fewer than 10 years ago, leading to the boom of charter-school options in the area. But the district has since had a major rejuvenation increasing its public-school graduation rates to nearly 90% in 2024 and hoping to keep the momentum going, although it says it cant without extra funding. According to the district, it has increased its public-school graduation rates to nearly 90% in 2024, and extra funding could help maintain the momentum. News 12 Charter schools in the area argue students shouldnt have to wait for the district to fix its problems in order to have an adequate education if there is another tax-payer funded option up the street. The money belongs to all the taxpayers and individuals in the community, said Sarah Brewster, co-founder of Evergreen Charter School in Hempstead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The money follows the child where that child goes to school. It does a disservice to pit charter schools against traditional public schools, she said. State Sen. Siela Bynoe, who previously represented the area as a Nassau County legislator, introduced a bill last week prohibiting any new charter schools within a five-mile radius of the Hempstead, Roosevelt, and Uniondale school districts. Bynoe told Newsday that she is committed to helping Hempsteads district and advocating state leaders to allocate additional funding for it. Linda McMahon tried to walk back the shutting down of the Department of Education despite previously noting her mission was to dismantle the agency. On Friday, the president was expected to sign an executive order tasking his freshly confirmed education secretary to dissolve the federal department, before the White House reversed course. McMahon later confirmed she believed her job is to secure a near-impossible three-fifths supermajority, or 60 votes, needed in the Senate to abolish the agency but said that she would not simply walk away and abandon the department. Republicans currently hold a slim 53 to 47 seat majority in the Upper Chamber. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is not a turn off the lights and walk out of the department, McMahon told NewsNation Friday. Its in close consultation with Congress and looking at how the needs of students can best be serviced. The Education Department oversees the $1.6 trillion student loan programs, administers Pell Grants that help low-income pupils attend university, funds programs to support those with disabilities and living in poverty, and enforces civil rights law that prevents race or sex-based discrimination in federally-funded schools. Linda McMahon said she wont simply turn off the lights and walk out of the Department of Education after Donald Trump tasked her with dissolving it (Getty Images) The department's allocation was $238 billion in fiscal year 2024, marking less than two percent of the total federal budget. It is the smallest of all cabinet agencies by number of employees. Trump has repeatedly claimed McMahon, the billionaire former CEO of the WWE, should eventually put herself out of a job. While it remains unclear what the next actions of the department will be, McMahon said she wants to provide states with the resources they need to empower their pupils. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well, were looking at them all across the board, and how can they be best handled if the Department of Education does not exist, she said. Some of that funding comes by appropriations from Congress, so thats in statute, and that money will continue to flow into the states. She added: Pell grants, student loans might best be served in another department, and were looking at where that can best be handled. It comes after McMahon shared her final mission for the agency in a staff memo on Monday. Donald Trump and Linda McMahon photographed together at the presidents Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on March 29, 2019 (AFP via Getty Images) My vision is aligned with the presidents: to send education back to the states and empower all parents to choose an excellent education for their children, she wrote. This is our opportunity to perform one final, unforgettable public service to future generations of students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She warned that the overhauling of the department will profoundly impact staff, budgets and agency operations. McMahon also took a swipe at diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives after dozens of Education Department employees were put on paid leave last month in response to Trumps executive order banning DEI efforts in the federal government. She said that taxpayer-funded education should refocus on meaningful learning in math, reading, science and historynot divisive DEI programs and gender ideology. As early as September 2023, when Trump vied to once again be at the top of the GOP ticket, the president said he would close the Education Department very early in the administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The federal government, he said, should not have control over schools as it was staffed with people that hate our children. By September 2024, when Vice President Kamala Harris ascended to the top of the Democratic ticket, Trump vowed that he would drain the government education swamp. The Telegraph can now publish details of a year-long investigation into wanted man Jan Marsaleks extraordinary double life for the first time. In this three-part podcast series, Special Correspondent Hayley Dixon explores the Russian spy ring uncovered in Norfolk, and the man believed to be behind it all. Episode 1: All Roads Lead to Moscow A UK-based spy ring of Bulgarian nationals has been found guilty of espionage at the Old Bailey after a three-month trial. For almost three years, theyd been spying for Russia. But the man believed to be behind it all is still on the run. Jan Marsalek was an Austrian tech boss, Chief Operating Officer of a successful payments processing company called Wirecard. Until it collapsed in 2020 amid a massive fraud scandal Marsalek is alleged to have been the mastermind behind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just days later, he fled Austria, taking a flight to Belarus. Despite international efforts to locate him, Marsaleks precise whereabouts remain uncertain. In a new three-part series for The Daily T, hosted by Special Correspondent Hayley Dixon, we reveal his double life as a spy for the Kremlin and what hes been up to since he disappeared. Episode 2: From Russia With Love Former tech boss turned fugitive Jan Marsalek was living a double life as a Russian spy, having met his handler during a meeting on a yacht in Nice back in 2014. Throughout his time at the company, he is accused of running operations on behalf of the Kremlin, from assembling a Libyan militia and running surveillance on enemies of the state to an alleged audacious plot to hijack the Austrian spy service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the second instalment of The Daily T Investigates: The Tech Boss who was Russias Secret Spy, Hayley Dixon examines Marsaleks relationship with the country and tracks down his closest friend to find out more about the man behind the headlines. Episode 3: The Defector A sophisticated UK-based spy ring passed secrets to Russia for nearly three years before they were prosecuted. It was revealed that the ring leader, a man named Orlin Roussev, had exchanged messages with a mysterious man code named Rupert Ticz. The prosecutors revealed that the man was in fact Jan Marsalek, the fugitive ex-Wirecard chief operating officer, who is wanted in connection with a 1.9bn (1.57bn) banking fraud. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For almost three years, he had gathered information on targets across Europe, planning kidnappings, murders and assaults alongside the spy ring. In the third instalment of The Daily T Investigates: The Tech Boss Who Was Russias Secret Spy, Hayley Dixon reveals the messages that were sent by Marsalek and uncover what he has been up to since he went on the run since June 2020. You can listen to the whole series on the audio players in this article, or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Sunday evening, dozens gathered to cross the Broadway bridge to commemorate the 60th anniversary of a historic civil rights event. Bloody Sunday took place on March 7, 1965 in Selma Alabama, when law enforcement attacked voting rights protesters on the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The march in Little Rock went from Dickey Stephens Park, across the Broadway Bridge, to Little Rock City Hall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nearly 15 protesters were killed and 17 people were injured in Selma during Bloody Sunday in 1965. Bloody Sunday 60th anniversary marked in Selma with remembrances, concerns It is seen as a key moment in the struggle for civil rights in the United States. Hundreds of protestors led by John Lewis and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were non-violent as they marched for the right to vote. Deborah Springer Suttlar, with the Little Rock chapter of the NAACP organized the march. She says this event is special because those people are being honored for the sacrifices they made just so we can have the right to vote today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Little Rock NAACP planning march to celebrate 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday The 60-year anniversary comes at a crucial time. Many states have adopted measures to restrict the teaching of Black history, and impose election changes that marchers fell will suppress black voters. The right to vote is in jeopardy by so many laws enacted to prevent us from having equal access to the ballot, said Springer-Suttlar. But this is a fight black America isnt willing to give up on because Springer-Suttlar says the vote is precious and its almost sacred. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Strong to severe thunderstorms are possible this week, especially Friday afternoon across Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley. Check out the LIVE weather blog below for all of the latest information from Your Weather Authority Team! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) Livingston County deputies found a 25-year-old man from Flint shot and killed hours after Deputies say they found the mans car on fire nearby. Investigators say that on Saturday, March 8, around 8 a.m., deputies were dispatched to a burning 2000 Toyota Camry on the 7000 block of Sherwood Road in Conway Township. The car was unoccupied at the time. Livingston County deputies investigate deadly shooting, burned-out car. (Photo: Dennis Bowdoin) At 10 a.m., deputies responded to a death on the 8000 block of Robb Road, where they found the 25-year-old victim had been shot. The Sheriffs Office says this man was listed as the owner of the burning car. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Livingston County Sheriffs Office says this is an ongoing investigation and will release more details later. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Detective Brian Uzoni at 517-546-2440. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. As lawmakers continue to approve, reject or modify legislation for the current session, Gov. Brian Kemp says hes committed to passing lawsuit reform in Georgia. Speaking exclusively with Channel 2s Richard Elliot, Kemp said the current laws need to be changed so that Georgia businesses dont get hurt. Just before the Georgia House Subcommittee held a hearing on revising civil litigation in the state, Kemp said that the lawsuit reforms would help attract new businesses to Georgia and would protect businesses from abusive lawsuits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governor said tort reform is so important, if lawmakers cant pass it this session, hell bring them right back to the Capitol to do it. I meant what I said, Kemp told Elliot on Monday. Im hopeful were going to get this bill done, I think the legislature heeded those words. But if we dont, well be back for a special session. As far as where the bill stands? Trial lawyers and some state Democrats oppose the tort reform legislation, saying they worry the bill will keep people from suing when theyre wronged. The legislation has already passed in the Georgia Senate and is still working its way through the House of Representatives for a floor vote. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 10. Iran hopes for improved bilateral relations with Germany, said the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Esmail Baghaei, Trend reports. Adressing the press conference held today in Tehran. Baghaei noted that recent decisions by the new German government in the past months have not been in the best interest of both countries. The suspension of certain Iranian entities' activities is not constructive in any way, and it is hoped that these strategies will be reconsidered. He added that recently, the Iranian ambassador had been sent to Berlin, and Germany's ambassador is now working in Tehran. The spokesperson also mentioned that Iran is holding talks with Germany, along with three other European countries (the UK, France, and Germany) at the deputy foreign ministers' level. These talks primarily focus on Iran's nuclear issue. According to Baghaei, these discussions are part of the long-term framework of agreements between Iran and the three European countries. Additionally, bilateral discussions on issues of mutual interest or concern also take place outside the scope of these talks. On November 29, 2024, the first round of dialogue between the deputy foreign ministers of Iran and three European countries (UK, France, and Germany) was held in Geneva. The second round of this dialogue was continued on January 13-14 in Geneva, where negotiations were held mainly on Iran's nuclear program. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel (WKBN) Two years ago, local hobbyist beekeeper Brian Koper had 21 colonies. Now, hes left with just three. Koper recently put out a post on his social media page, asking his beekeeping friends if theyve experienced similar losses. A buddy of mine lives near Columbus, Ohio. He had 45 colonies going into this winter. He has one left, Koper said. Another friend of Kopers put out a survey to see how bee populations were doing. One of the survey respondents was a commercial beekeeper who had 700 colonies. As of his survey response, hes lost 680. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is hitting so hard, and the people that Ive talked to, they say, We have no idea,' Koper said. First News caught up with Dr. Tracy Farone a bee expert, professor of biology, and published author on honey bees to see if she had any insight into what could be plaguing the bee population. Preliminary data on honey bee losses For most of the data on reported hive losses, Farone referenced Project Apis m., which is currently conducting a national study. The loss survey began in June 2024 and is still open. I am happy to hear [Project Apis] assembled a great team of investigators from USDA and from some universities, where theyre really looking at and theyve taken samples. Theyve already gone out to California and theyve taken samples of both hives that were dead, hives that were dying, and hives that were doing OK, so they have a good comparison, which is very important in science, Farone said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While hobbyist beekeepers, or backyard beekeepers classified as keepers with less than 50 hives make up the majority of beekeepers, commercial beekeepers maintain the majority of the bee population itself. If youre a backyard beekeeper and you have two hives and one of your hives die, your loss is 50%. Which sounds terrible, but really, its only the loss of one hive, Farone said. Now if youre a commercial beekeeper and you have 10,000 hives and you lose 50% of your hives, thats 5,000 hives thats a big difference. Losing hives over the winter is just a natural part of beekeeping, but preliminary data is showing a higher loss percentage than expected. When you really drill down on the data that is available right now, they had about a 20-21% more loss than what they expected, Farone said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 37% of commercial beekeepers responded to the Project Apis m. survey, which Farone said is a pretty good response and a larger percentage than theyve seen in the past. Now, it certainly doesnt represent 100%, and thats something we have to consider, Farone said. When you hear these losses that are out there, where theyre saying millions of hives died, these are all based on the survey data, extrapolations, estimates, and translations of that survey data to the larger scale. With the surveys still open, more data has yet to be factored in. Its important to remember these results coming in are still preliminary. It could get worse, it could get better. Were not really sure whats going to happen with that at this point, Farone said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They said it was 1.12 million colonies have died. And you think then also, like, I didnt participate in that study, theres a lot of people who did not, Koper said. So they say 1.12 million, theres still all those other individuals who did not participate so what truly is the number? Taking a deeper dive into the survey data, a majority of it was reported from North Dakota, which could skew the results since the survey reflects a nationwide rough calculation of losses. In Pennsylvania, commercial beekeepers reported a 32% loss however, this data is with less than four beekeepers reporting. Ohio reported a 66% loss, with the same amount of survey respondents. Hobbyist beekeepers in Pennsylvania reported a 61% loss with a 41% hobbyist loss reported in Ohio. There can be bias in surveys, Farone warns. Because if your hives die, youre more likely to be concerned and report. If your hives are doing great, youre going to be like, Heck with this survey, delete and move on. What could be causing hive losses Farone said it is difficult to pinpoint what exactly is causing this reported increase in losses and said it likely is attributed to several factors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just because its happening to you locally, doesnt necessarily mean its associated with whats going on or what might be going on nationally, Farone said. Investigators are testing the sample hives for common pathogens, including varroa mites, one of the largest killers of honey bees. Theyre also testing for nutrition quality in pollen, pesticide residues, and viruses. Another angle investigators are looking into is the possible resistance of varroa mites to commonly used medication. Its just, theres so many factors anymore, like its just stacking up on the bees and the beekeepers year after year, and its just becoming unsustainable to manage so many different issues all of the time and still recoup that the next year and keep going, Farone said. It was a series of events, that just one thing after another, and it was just like continued hardship, Koper said. Different issues with queens, colonies were just dying off, and I was totally confused as to why. So if you look at a 16-17 month period, Ive gone from 16 colonies to three. And its just, its devastating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to searching for known issues, experts are also conducting a metagenomic study, which is a genetic study where they look for unknown pathogens. Farone said some people have questioned if bees could have contracted the bird flu, and she said this is highly unlikely. I think its very important that we do get actual, factual data to move forward and not just freak out and create something and say theres a disorder that we cant really describe, Farone said. I think the industry also needs to put forth and explain and put forth some really good messaging about all these complicated factors and what we need to do to try to keep our honey bees as healthy as possible so that we can keep our human population and our animal population as healthy as possible by producing all this healthy food, Farone continued. Farone said she has also lost hives this winter. Part of it she attributed to the cold, which she said made it hard to go into the hives and feed/supplement the bees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We dont think about winter as killing the bees by itself. But its certainly a stressor. All of these things Ive talked about, the viruses, varroa, nutrition, weather all of those things kind of compound, and maybe one or two of those dont kill a hive, but when you get the fourth one, thats when it takes it out. I dont want people to think there is this one devastating sneaky disease thats getting all of the honey bees, Farone said. Its probably multiple factors, and its probably local-related. The vital role honey bees play in the economy While honey is a side product of honey bees that many people consider them known for, their main function is pollination, which accounts for billions of dollars in crops. Beekeeping really doesnt get appreciated for what it is, Farone said. It is to pollinate all of our crops, and our agriculture just wouldnt work without beekeepers, and they often just get pushed off to the side. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They say 1 out of every 3 bites we take of food is related to a pollinator, Koper said. So if pollinators vanish, then our food vanishes. Farone said about 90% of almonds are reliant on honey bee pollination, which takes place in January and February. The approximately 2 million migrating hives are then moved across the rest of the country to help pollinate other crops. This year, a commercial beekeeper that I know who is out in California for the almond pollination, he said they are estimating that they will be 300,000-500,000 colonies short for almond pollination, Koper said. If you think of all the different foods honey bees pollinate, well, if theyre not pollinating, then were not going to have crops. Its already started to affect commercial operations, Koper said. Itll affect crops, produce thats out there. In my scale, its frustrating, you know, I do it as a hobby and I go to the Youngstown Flea but its just like, frustrating, I had to cancel a couple of my dates because I dont know [if] I am going to get honey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Farone said at this point, they still dont know if its just bee loss or if a larger impact could be felt if there were not enough bees to pollinate the almonds. Because if they didnt, then you could see losses in almonds, or losses in all of the other crops that honey bees, maybe we dont have enough to pollinate our other crops too. So this is going to take months, maybe even years before we know the impact of this. Farones advice to beekeepers For beekeepers experiencing losses, Farone said she would ask them about their managing style. Some questions include: How are you managing mites? What did you do in the fall for mite treatments? What were your mite counts like? How are you feeding your bees? Whats the nutritional status of your bees? She said if people dont treat or manage mites, that would be her default diagnosis. Not to mention, if you allow the varroa to go unchecked, the viruses go up too, because the varroa actually vectors these viruses its kind of like a tick. She said there are not a ton of treatments for the viruses yet, so they focus on preventative measures for the mites. As for feeding, Farone said you need to be sure there is enough nutrition for the bees to get through the winter, whether it be through honey stores, sugar water, or another feeding method. When we look at some of these beekeeping surveys, starvation is, unfortunately, is listed as a common cause of hive loss, she said. Beekeepers can look into applying for relief for hive loss through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP) program through the USDA. How you can help local beekeepers and their honey bees When it comes to keeping bees happy and healthy, some of the best things non-beekeepers can do is plant native flowers and refrain from treating their lawns. The dandelions please do not kill your dandelions, Koper said. Some valuable plants for bees include sunflowers, maples, fruit trees, and other native flowers. For anyone who either wants to get involved with beekeeping or has found a swarm in their yard that they need to be removed, the Columbiana Mahoning County or Trumbull County Beekeepers Associations are there to help. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) The owner of a local construction company is advising homeowners with improvement projects to do their research as new tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico could increase the price of lumber, steel and other materials. Kevin Morris, the owner of Star Construction Sheds, has noticed a slight increase in prices for materials, but he said its been minimal. Local businesses brace for Trumps imposed tariffs to tap out local breweries, milk dairy industry Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Right now, well know more probably in a month if things are going to increase, but still not to the level where I think someone needs to worry about doing a project right now, Morris said. I know for us, weve raised prices a little, but were still not near pandemic levels like we were before. Morris said if homeowners dont want to risk potential price hikes, they should book projects now. I would get signed with your contractor sooner than later. Like us, were buying stock. We have a stock on lumber, anybody coming in, our prices are held for them, he said. If you do wait and it does go up, you could be paying a little more. If people are looking to make improvements to their homes, Morris said the prices shouldnt deter them. He said its more important that people do their research before signing a contractor to ensure they dont raise construction costs unnecessarily. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Do your homework. Find a really good reputable contractor thats been around a while someone thats been in the business a long time, they know the pricing, he said. Tariffs on China impacting toy prices in Western New York Morris suggested researching a company as a way of preventing being overcharged on a project as the price of building materials from other countries goes up. Let the contractor, or whoever youre working with, explore other options, because there are, he said. Theres other options for us to get lumber and material. Latest Local News Sarah Minkewicz is an Emmy-nominated reporter and Buffalo native who has been a part of the News 4 team since 2019. Follow Sarah on Twitter @SarahMinkewicz and click here to see more of her work. 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. A Lake County woman has been arrested after police said she planned to bring drugs into a Florida prison. 28-year-old Jakaleb Thomas, a correctional officer trainee, was arrested after a joint investigation by the Columbia County Sheriffs Office and the Alachua County Sheriffs Office. Officials said they learned of a plan where Thomas would have narcotics delivered to her in Lake City, before smuggling them into the prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After a joint operation by the agencies, 42 grams of crystal methamphetamine and 211 grams of marijuana. Thomas was arrested and booked into the Columbia County Detention Facility on March 6th for three separate felony charges, including drug trafficking. She is being held without bond. Officials say the investigation received support from the Alachua County Sheriffs Office, Gainesville Police Department, and the Lake City Police Department. State and national organizations also assisted, including the Florida Highway Patrol, Department of Corrections and the Drug Enforcement Administration, [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. BRACEVILLE, Ohio (WKBN) A successful rescue by the Braceville Fire Department after learning a deer was stuck in a wire fence. A deer hanging upside-down with its head in a ditch on Sunday. It happened behind the fire station along the turnpike. Lieutenant Colton Garland jumped the fence to hold up the deers legs, so Firefighter Anthony Jackman used bolt cutters to help set it free. After the deer was no longer stuck, it jumped up and ran off to the 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 WKBN.com. ST. LOUIS A Gold Star family is reacting after the terrorist behind the attack that killed their son and 12 other U.S. service members was recently captured. Mark and Jaclyn Schmitz spoke with FOX 2 this weekend following President Trumps announcement to Congress on Tuesday. Their son, 20-year-old Marine Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz, was killed in a terrorist bombing at the Kabul Airport during the U.S. militarys 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. The incident became known as Abbey Gate. Mark and Jaclyn have honored Jareds life by launching a foundation, The Freedom 13. They are in the process of building 13 homes for veterans on 171 acres of land in Bourbon, Missouri. If youd like to help them in their mission or learn more about their organization, 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 FOX 2. FRANKLIN COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) Washington Township in Franklin County issued a burn ban on Monday morning. According to the Washington Township Police Department, all open burning is banned in Washington Township starting on Monday, March 10. During the ban, residents are prohibited from starting and maintaining open fires without township approval, police said. Approved fires must be in the vicinity of a water supply. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone responsible for a fire is also responsible for any damages caused by the ban. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. LONG ISLAND, N.Y. (PIX11) Officials are not discarding the Long Island brush fires as a potential act of arson. As of Sunday afternoon, three out of the four brush fires in Suffolk County had already been put out. The Westhampton Pines fire is the remaining one, which authorities said is 100% knocked down and 22% contained. More Local News Knocked down refers to all visible fire, you dont see visible fires as we speak. Containment refers to the creation of a fire break around the perimeter. We are working on the containment lines outside of the fire, said Rudy Sunderman, Suffolk County Fire Rescue and Emergency Services Commissioner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We gonna burn, we gonna burn! That was Gina Popes reaction when she smelled and saw the smoke. Down there is all trees and whatever and going towards the beach and then it would burn up and there goes the whole town, added Pope. A firefighter was treated for second-degree burn to his face. Another firefighter suffered a head injury. They have both been released from the hospital. According to officials, about 600 acres were affected, two commercial properties were damaged, and no homes were destroyed. We may have other damages that we are now beginning to assess as the fire has calmed down, said Ed Romaine, Suffolk County Executive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burn ban issued after brush fires spread on Long Island New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency which remains in effect on Sunday. We will get to the bottom of what happened, said Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina. We also have our arson detectives going on in the helicopter. We are interviewing all 911 callers. At this time, its too early to tell if this fire started naturally or if there was a nefarious origin. The National Guard, EMS agencies, and more than 90 different fire departments battled the flames which started on Sunrise Highway and were whipped by the high winds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are concerned because the winds are still blowing that it might spark up again, said Romaine. something that Gina says, she doesnt want to see happening. Go on the other side and then come over this way too or go the opposite way, it is getting scary, she concluded. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Saturday brush fires in Long Island have been linked to a backyard s'mores session in Manorville, New York, according to investigators. Officials said Monday that the fires were sparked accidentally after a group of people tried to make the sweet treats s'mores Graham cracker sandwiches of chocolate and toasted marshmallows in their backyard. The group reportedly used cardboard to ignite their fire to toast the marshmallows, according to Suffolk Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The individual making s'mores was unable to get the fire lit due to the winds, but they used cardboard to initially light that fire," Catalina said at a news conference on Monday. "The person subsequently discovers that the fire does ignite in the backyard area and all goes up in fire." Strong winds over the weekend whipped through the backyard and carried embers from the fire east toward Westhampton, where a large fire occurred, according to NBC News. Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said that recently downed trees and the 35 mph winds helped to fuel the fires into significant blazes. The Westhampton Pines Fire burned approximately 600 acres over the weekend before fire responders managed to contain the flames. According to Catalina, the initial fire was contained by 10:30 a.m., but by then the embers had already been scattered east, where they ignited the brush fire near Westhampton. A brush fire in Long Island, New York on Saturday reportedly began after a group of residents tried to make smores in their backyard (AP) "It was initially reported that there were four separate fires, or reported at one time," Catalina said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "All of those fires are in a direct line with the strong northwest wind that was blowing that day. And it is believed that the embers from each fire traveled and continuously started more fires. So that is the operating theory right now, he added. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has ordered a burn ban for the area in the wake of the fires. She prohibited most types of outside camping, cooking and warming fires in Long Island and parts of the Hudson Valley, citing the ongoing dry conditions in the region. Backyard fire pits, small campfires, and small cooking fires in contained units are exempt from the ban. The burn prohibition will remain in place until an annual fire ban on outdoor fires starts on March 16, according to Hochul's office. Only two buildings were damaged in the fire, with one being "fairly destroyed," according to fire officials. Another was significantly damaged, officials said. According to data from the latest report from the State Observatory of Unwanted Loneliness (SoledadES), corresponding to the year 2024, one in five people in Spain suffers from loneliness, and of these, almost 70% say they have been in that situation for more than two years. The feeling of loneliness is especially common among young people. The prevalence is 34.6% in people between 18 and 24 years of age, and 27.1% in the age group from 25 to 34. The fact that one in five individuals experiences feelings of loneliness is worrying and represents a significant challenge for both public administrations and society in general, says Elvira Lara, a researcher at the Department of Personality, Assessment and Clinical Psychology at the Complutense University of Madrid and co-author of Solitude(s): a study of a global phenomenon (in Spanish). Her opinion is shared by Joan Domenech, a researcher at the Sant Joan de Deu Research Institute (IRSJD), who believes that loneliness is a social problem resulting from a set of political, social and economic factors that moderate, among other aspects, our chances of establishing satisfactory social relationships. This inability to establish satisfactory social relationships and the resulting experience of loneliness can, according to Lara, increase the risk of developing mental disorders, worsen their evolution and complicate the prognosis, especially when prolonged over time: Its relationship with depression has been widely studied, since loneliness can be both a risk factor and a consequence or even a symptom of depression. Loneliness and depression are deeply interconnected and can even overlap. Domenech has spent years studying in depth this direct relationship between loneliness and depression. According to a study he led in 2021, unwanted loneliness increases the probability of developing depression fivefold. The duration of loneliness is decisive in assessing its impact on the probability of having depression. Transient loneliness can have an adaptive function by encouraging the search for new social relationships or the improvement of existing ones. In contrast, chronic loneliness does not have this adaptive function, he explains. According to a study by the Rise Center for Emotional Health Research at Sant Joan de Deu, funded by La Caixa Foundation and whose final results will be presented in April, nearly half of cases of loneliness are chronic. And as Domenech points out, people with chronic loneliness often have negative attitudes and expectations about their own loneliness and a higher incidence and recurrence of depression. The reference to these negative attitudes and expectations is important and could have a direct relationship with the higher prevalence of depression. In fact, according to the results of a recent study published in Nature Mental Health, loneliness is more likely to cause depression if the person who feels lonely cannot stop thinking about it. In other words, rumination on the feeling of loneliness would be a key factor in modulating the loneliness-depression relationship. The novelty that our findings bring to the existing scientific evidence lies in revealing that ruminating on the feeling of loneliness is the key underlying factor that explains the adverse effects of loneliness in the generation of depression, says Tatia M.C. Lee, lead author of the study. Lee, Chair Professor of Psychology and May Professor in Neuropsychology at the University of Hong Kong, explains to EL PAIS that the construct of loneliness that they chose as the object of study was perceived loneliness, which means that it is a subjective feeling. A person who is alone does not necessarily have to feel lonely, while another person who is surrounded by people may feel lonely. In other words, loneliness increases when the gap between desired and real social connections widens, she argues. For this reason, Elvira Lara adds, people who choose solitude do not experience a conflict between what they want and what really happens in their lives, and so they do not perceive their situation in a negative way; emotions such as frustration, rejection, fear or sadness do not emerge. And neither does rumination. Rumination puts the emphasis on suffering because it reinforces negative ideas or interpretations, leads to hopelessness and increases or maintains discomfort, says the UCM researcher. This expert cites the American neuroscientist and psychologist John Cacioppo, who died in 2018, whose research revealed that people who experience loneliness tend to interpret their social interactions negatively, which can generate insecurity, low self-esteem, pessimism such as the belief that nothing I do will change my situation and isolation, reinforcing the idea present in rumination. Joan Domenech, for his part, feels that the results of the study are consistent with previous evidence about the experience of chronic loneliness. This experience is frequently accompanied by maladaptive biases in the perception of social contacts and negative attitudes about loneliness itself or expectations of improvement, he adds. Targeted therapies For Lee, the results of the study suggest that therapies to address loneliness should focus on reducing ruminative thoughts of loneliness to minimize the adverse effects of unwanted loneliness. This reflection is shared by Elvira Lara, for whom the conclusions of the research show that interventions focused on promoting social connection may be insufficient for some people who experience loneliness. According to the results of this study, we should address ruminative thoughts, that is, repetitive and negative ideas that reinforce the feeling of isolation. Working to change distorted interpretations, pessimism and hopelessness is essential, since these factors are linked to depression, she argues. The study adds to the evidence that highlights the need to focus on the individual level of loneliness, that is, to address the psychological aspects related to social cognition in order to overcome feelings of loneliness, says Joan Domenech. However, he adds, these actions should be complemented by addressing the community level of loneliness. It is necessary to increase the chances that people who feel lonely can maintain satisfactory social relationships, he points out, noting that epidemiological studies carried out by the IRSJD through its Healthy Age project show that public services, urban environments, social cohesion and socioeconomic conditions are key aspects that shape feelings of loneliness and the mental health of the population. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition The Long Island brush fires that startled communities across Suffolk County over the weekend were likely caused by a person attempting to cook smores in their backyard, officials said Monday. One person was using cardboard while attempting to make smores in the backyard of a Center Moriches home, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said Monday. The person struggled to create a flame for the toasted marshmallow dessert due to the winds but accidentally set their backyard on fire, Catalina said at a press conference. Firefighters doused the flames at the home by around 10:30 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, embers from the initial blaze were blown southeast by strong winds out of the northwest, sparking the fires that eventually sent smoke soaring into the sky, Catalina said. The first 911 calls about the larger brush fires came in just before 1 p.m. All of those fires are in a direct line with the strong northwest wind that was blowing that day, Catalina said. We feel very, very strongly that this is an accidental fire. A massive response from local firefighters kept the brush fires south of Sunrise Highway, part of which was closed on Saturday as crews battled the flames. By Monday morning, all visible flames had been extinguished and smoke-eaters were taking preventative measures to stop new fires from sparking. Conditions on Long Island are expected to remain dry throughout the week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This was a fire that couldve been far more serious than it was, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said. Two firefighters were injured battling the flames but released from the hospital by Sunday afternoon. Two commercial buildings were damaged, but no residential structures were harmed. Gov. Hochul instituted a burn ban for New York City and Long Island on Sunday, one week earlier than usual. Romaine had his own blunt advice at Mondays press conference: Dont cook smores. Ruth Marcus, who has been a columnist for The Washington Post for nearly 20 years, resigned today in what she said was a protest of the decision to kill a piece critical of owner Jeff Bezos overhaul of the opinion section. Jeffs announcement that the opinion section will henceforth not publish views that deviate from the pillars of individual liberties and free markets threatens to break the trust of readers that columnists are writing what they believe, not what the owner has deemed acceptable, Marcus wrote in a letter to Bezos and the CEO of the Post, Will Lewis. More from Deadline Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She added, Wills decision to not run the column that I wrote respectfully dissenting from Jeffs edict something that I have not experienced in almost two decades of column writing underscores that the traditional freedom of columnists to select the topics they wish to address and say what they think has been dangerously eroded. The New York Times first obtained her letter. Marcus is the latest high-profile Post staffer to exit as Bezos has exercised more control over the news outlet. In October, Bezos killed a planned editorial page presidential endorsement of Kamala Harris. Last month, he announced that the editorials would focus on personal liberties and free markets, and that viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others. David Shipley, the opinion editor, departed the Post following the announcement. The Posts former executive editor, Martin Baron, was sharply critical of Bezos announcement, putting it into context of other moves seen as trying to ingratiate himself with Trump. Bezos attended Trumps swearing in ceremony and Amazon reportedly paid $40 million for a documentary on Melania Trump. Marcus has been with the Post since 1984. She joined the editorial board in 2003 and started the column in 1986. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Post spokesperson said, Were grateful for Ruths significant contributions to The Washington Post over the past 40 years. We respect her decision to leave and wish her the best. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Mar. 10The weekend forecast for the Wyoming Valley on Saturday and Sunday, March 13 and 14, 1993, called for "snow likely" and a "chance of snow." And snow it did. Lots of snow. This week marks the 32nd anniversary of the storm called by many, "The Storm of the Century" as it dumped nearly two feet of snow with winds gusting more than 50 mph for two consecutive days. The storm system was so massive it stretched from Canada to Central America with its main impact in the mid-Atlantic states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the storm formed in the southern Gulf of Mexico on Thursday, March 11, 1993, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport became aware of its path. "We haven't had a blizzard in so long I had to look it up," meteorologist Dave Solano is quoted in the Times Leader on March 13, 1993. A winter storm warning was issued Friday night for Northeastern Pennsylvania. By midnight, a blizzard warning was issued with the message, "Life threatening storm." With the forecast warnings, people flocked to (if you're old enough to remember) movie rental outlets and grocery stores. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A manager at City Video, a movie rental store on South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre, told the Times Leader customers were renting four to six movies anticipating being snowed in for days. Managers at Acme Market on South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre, and Price Chopper in the East End Centre reported running out of bread, whole milk, eggs and most canned goods by early Saturday afternoon, March 13, 1993. A manager at a beer distributor in Pittston reported a 600% increase in beer sales that weekend. Gasoline service stations reported running out of fuel. The storm moved into the area dropping flurries and light snow. By Saturday night, March 13, 1993, the snow picked up resulting in zero visibility, wind speeds topping 50 mph with thunder snow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Little children in Forty Fort romped outdoors but the wind bounced snow hats off their heads and tossed their feet into the air," reported the Times Leader on March 14, 1993. The late Pennsylvania Gov. Robert P. Casey declared a state of emergency calling in the National Guard. Interstate highways throughout Pennsylvania were shut down. Locally, the Rice Township fire hall became a shelter for stranded motorists on Interstate 81 in the Mountain Top area. Hotels and motels reported no vacancies. Municipalities declared their own states of emergency, ordering all vehicle owners to move their automobiles off streets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Times Leader on Monday, March 15, 1993, reported how first responders worked with snow plow drivers to get pregnant women to hospitals. Schools were closed for two consecutive days as it took that long to dig out. The sky dumped 21.4 inches of snow as recorded at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport. NUUK, Greenland (AP) Greenland is having a moment in the international spotlight as U.S. President Donald Trump maneuvers to gain control of the mineral-rich Arctic territory that most people know only as a huge icy island at the top of the world. But Greenland, named by Viking adventurer Erik the Red to attract settlers, has a history of human habitation that stretches back more than 4,000 years. The self-governing region of Denmark has been home to native peoples who crossed the Arctic from what is now Canada, Norse settlers, Lutheran missionaries and U.S. military personnel who used it as a base from which to protect the United States from Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now a warming climate and renewed competition for Arctic resources promise an economic boom for the worlds largest island, which is home to some 56,000 people, most from Inuit backgrounds. Here are some of the milestones of Greenlands history. Circa 2,500 B.C. The first humans arrive in northern Greenland from what is now Canada after the narrow strait separating the island from North America froze over. This was to be the first of six waves of immigration that brought Inuit peoples to Greenland. Circa A.D. 985 The Norse explorer Erik the Red arrives in Greenland with a fleet of Viking ships, according to the medieval Icelandic sagas. The Norsemen established two settlements that had a peak population of 2,500-5,000 but disappeared around 1450 for unknown reasons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1200 The Thule people, the final wave of Inuit migration to Greenland, arrive from what is now Alaska. These people spread throughout Greenland and are the ancestors of the Indigenous people who make up about 90% of the countrys population. 1721 Lutheran missionary Hans Egede arrives in Greenland to search for the lost Norse settlements. Finding no survivors, he builds a new settlement at Kangeq, near modern day Nuuk, Greenlands capital, and begins efforts to convert the Indigenous people to Christianity. This marks the start of Denmarks modern colonization of Greenland. 1814 With the dissolution of the Kingdom of Denmark and Norway, Greenland formally becomes a Danish colony. Danish authorities develop a policy of isolating Greenland from the outside world. Trade is controlled by a state-owned monopoly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1854-1987 Invittuut in southwestern Greenland is the worlds only commercial source of cryolite, a mineral used in the production of aluminum. The mine produced 3.7 million tons of cryolite during its history, with most of it shipped to the U.S. Output peaked during World War II amid increased demand for aluminum to build military aircraft. The mine closed after it was depleted and manufacturers switched to synthetic cryolite. 1917 U.S. government recognizes Denmarks right to the whole of Greenland. This recognition was part of an agreement between the two countries under which the U.S. acquired the Danish Virgin Islands for $25 million in gold. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1941-1945 U.S. occupies Greenland because of concerns that Nazi Germany could use the island as a base for attacks on North America. The occupation was carried out under an agreement with Denmarks government in exile, which recognized Danish sovereignty over Greenland. 1946 U.S. President Harry Trumans government offers to buy Greenland as part of an effort to secure military bases on the island because of the extreme importance of Greenland to the defense of the United States. Denmark rejects the sale of Greenland, but signs a long-term base agreement. 1953 Greenland ceases to be a Danish colony and becomes a county of Denmark because of a constitutional amendment. Real decision-making power, however, remains with the Ministry of Greenland in Copenhagen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1979 Demands for Greenlanders to have more control over their own affairs culminates in the Home Rule Act, which establishes the Greenlandic parliament and gives local authorities control over issues such as education, health and fisheries. The legislation was approved by the Danish parliament and ratified by 70% of local voters. 2009 Greenland becomes a self-governing country within the Kingdom of Denmark. The Self-Government Act, which was approved by more than 75% of Greenland voters and ratified by the Danish parliament, recognizes Greenlands right to independence when requested by local voters. Denmark retains control of defense and foreign affairs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2019 Trump sparks a diplomatic spat with Denmark after making his first offer to buy Greenland. Danish Prime Minister Mette Fredericksen rejects the idea, saying, Greenland is not for sale. Greenland is not Danish. Greenland belongs to Greenland. I strongly hope that this is not meant seriously. Trump quickly cancels a planned trip to Copenhagen. 2025 During a speech to a joint session of U.S. Congress, Trump says the United States needs Greenland for national security reasons. I think were going to get it, he says. One way or the other, were going to get it. The UK Labour Party has twice had to learn the hard way that it has enemies to the Left in British politics. The first time was in the 1980s when the Militant Tendency were a party within a party tolerated for so long that they famously gained control of Liverpool Council and had three MPs in 1987 as many as the Scottish National party had at that time. The second time was in the 2010s when the election of Jeremy Corbyn brought back into the Labour party along with some youthful idealists many of the flotsam and jetsam of the British hard Left who had been expelled by Neil Kinnock and appalled by Tony Blair. I know this because I was there in the frontline both times. Today Keir Starmers party faces a different challenge how to make friends with the Left. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a vital challenge because the electoral landscape is changing. If you look at the topline polling, there are three parties with support around 25 per cent Labour, Reform and the Conservatives. But there are four other electoral groupings with support in the country and seats in the House of Commons the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party, the independents, and the nationalists in Scotland and Wales. In effect, there are two blocs a Right-wing one where two parties compete for 50 per cent of the votes and a Left-wing one where Labour is one of five electoral forces fighting for the other 50 per cent of the vote. In 2024, a ruthlessly efficient targeting operation meant that Labour converted its 34 per cent of the vote normally that of a losing party into a landslide majority. A sign of where Labour could be headed was the recent results of the German federal elections. There the warning for Labour wasnt the rise of the far Right AfD the Alternative for Germany, but the collapse of the vote for Labours sister party the SPD the German Social Democrats. This fall was accompanied by a surge in support for the Left party, particularly among younger women voters. Now, it would be wrong to argue for a direct read across from European to UK politics, but there is an identifiable drift wherever you look from traditional centre Right parties to the far Right and a fragmentation of Left and centre-Left voters. And it is here in the UK too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Conservative Party face the urgent question of whether they want to bury or marry Reform if the Tories want to continue as an independent political force. But the reality is that in four party contests 26 per cent of the vote is a plurality and wins you the seat, and it is easy to envisage a grand bargain between Reform leader Nigel Farage and whoever is leading the Tories at the time of next election. Labour, however, have a tradition of failing to act fast enough when it loses support in its heartland. Labours losses in London in 1983 took a decade to recover. When the Tartan Wall fell in Scotland in 2015 again it took nearly a decade for a comeback. The recovery of the Red Wall seats lost to Boris Johnson in 2019 took only one electoral cycle, but to be fair to the Tories their three prime ministers all helped Labour immensely. Labour detect challenges from Reform in the former Red Wall seats and policies that cut public spending on aid, increase defence expenditure, cut welfare benefits, and open new oilfields in the North Sea seem aimed to secure those voters. Yet, Labour faces challenges two other walls a Green Wall in gentrified urban seats with a large number of graduates, and a Brown Wall in inner urban seats like Birmingham or East London where Muslim voters are alienated from Labour because of the leaderships stance on Gaza and New Labours intervention in Iraq. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A plane, as the saying goes, needs two wings so do parties of the centre Left. The intellectual energy and the idealism of the broader Left have always been central. Every successful Labour government and every Labour landslide has drawn from its Left. In 1945 for Attlee it was nationalisation and the National Health Service. In the sixties for Wilson it was sex and race equality and social reforms like divorce, abortion and the legalisation of homosexuality. In 1997, Tony Blair and New Labour drew strongly on the social, cultural and political analysis of Marxism Today and delivered a massive expansion of rights to workers, increased income for lower paid workers through tax credits and the minimum wage, and constitutional reform including devolution. The ruthlessly efficient vote distribution from 2024 cant be reconstructed at the time of the next election in 2028 or 2029. A new majority needs to be constructed firmly based on a platform that draws together the strands of the Left by drawing on their ideas. This is not to say that the ideas of any other party should be adopted wholesale the art of politics, and governing, is in the trade-offs. The cuts in overseas aid to fund defence spending will put many voters in Bristol Central offside, but the growth in work for BAE Systems will bring prosperity to the Bristol City region. The skill in political storytelling is in selling the purpose of a choice not just emphasising how hard it was to make. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There may well be a deal between Reform and the Tories before the next election which strengthens the Right electorally or Nigel Farage may be a new David Owen destined only to change the party he seeks to supplant. Either way, Labour need to take its destiny in its own hands by creating an electoral coalition of the willing. There are voters who understand that preparing for war is the best way to secure a lasting peace but they also want, in Clement Attlees slogan to Win the Peace. Theres a radical domestic policy building council housing, devolving more power to communities, fair welfare that lifts families out of poverty, real reform of social care. But if a journey of a thousand miles starts with one pace, the building of this new electoral coalition starts with Labour understanding it has friends to its Left. John McTernan was political secretary to Tony Blair from 2005 - 2007 Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The Senate confirmed Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer to be President Donald Trumps labor secretary on Monday, with over a dozen Democrats backing the former House lawmaker. The vote was 67 in favor of her nomination and 32 against. The confirmation puts a centrist Republican with a pro-union record in charge of the Labor Department, responsible for enforcing workplace safety rules and minimum wage and overtime regulations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three Republicans Sens. Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, as well as Ted Budd of North Carolina voted against Chavez-DeRemers nomination, while 18 Democrats voted in favor in a rare show of bipartisan support for one of Trumps Cabinet nominees. In fact, her nomination was saved in committee thanks to support from liberal senators. Chavez-DeRemer represented Oregons 5th District for one term before losing reelection last fall. She was among the chambers few union-friendly Republicans and even co-sponsored a Democratic bill aimed at rejuvenating the labor movement and making it easier for workers to organize. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters had pushed Chavez-DeRemer for the labor slot, with the unions president, Sean OBrien, recommending her to Trump. Chavez-DeRemers father had been a Teamster, and she cultivated support with Oregon unions in her run for the House. OBrien previously said Chavez-DeRemer knows the importance of carrying a union card and what it means to grow up in a middle-class household. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That kind of talk especially when paired with Chavez-DeRemers House record drew some suspicion from Republican senators. She was one of just three House Republicans in the last Congress to endorse the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, a sweeping pro-union bill that would, among other measures, nullify state right to work laws. Chavez-DeRemer ended up jettisoning her support for that provision during her confirmation hearing, which helped carry her with skeptical Republicans. But most GOP senators were reluctant to cross Trump on a nomination anyway. Democrats who supported Chavez-DeRemer said they were comforted by her statements in support of workers. They also said she was the most bipartisan-minded individual Trump could have nominated to the post, compared to more conservative possible alternatives. These are hard times to be an executive, to run one of the executive agencies. But that said, [Chavez-DeRemer] can do a tremendous amount of good without pissing anybody off, Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) told HuffPost. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But other Democratic senators opposed Chavez-DeRemer in protest of the Trump administrations dismantling of federal government agencies and mass firing of civil servants, including at key labor boards. After Mondays vote, Trump will have all his formal Cabinet confirmed a week before former President Joe Biden did in March 2021. Republicans pushed hard to approve all of Trumps picks in record time, even controversial ones who faced allegations of sexual misconduct and drunkenness. A church in Los Angeles is asking for prayers after it was vandalized on Ash Wednesday, a holy day in Catholicism. The vandalism occurred at Our Mother of Good Counsel church in the Los Feliz neighborhood on the evening of Mar. 5, according to an Instagram post by the church. A faith leader shared photos of the incident with KTLA that show broken stained-glass windows and fire damage inside the church. Bookshelves with Bibles on the back of church pews were among the burned items. The vandalism occurred at Our Mother of Good Counsel church in the Los Feliz neighborhood on the evening of Mar. 5, according to an Instagram post by the church. The vandalism occurred at Our Mother of Good Counsel church in the Los Feliz neighborhood on the evening of Mar. 5, according to an Instagram post by the church. The vandalism occurred at Our Mother of Good Counsel church in the Los Feliz neighborhood on the evening of Mar. 5, according to an Instagram post by the church. The vandalism occurred at Our Mother of Good Counsel church in the Los Feliz neighborhood on the evening of Mar. 5, according to an Instagram post by the church. The vandalism occurred at Our Mother of Good Counsel church in the Los Feliz neighborhood on the evening of Mar. 5, according to an Instagram post by the church. The vandalism occurred at Our Mother of Good Counsel church in the Los Feliz neighborhood on the evening of Mar. 5, according to an Instagram post by the church. The cost to repair the damages was not confirmed by the church. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities investigating after Southern California temple vandalized with political messages KTLA has reached out to the Los Angeles Police Department for more information surrounding the vandalism. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, which is observed by Christians in preparation for Easter, and is celebrated with churchgoers receiving ash in the shape of a cross on their forehead. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced Monday that he had withdrawn a recommendation to reduce the prison sentences of Erik and Lyle Menendez, citing what he called the brothers continual failure to show full insight and accept full responsibility for the 1989 murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. Last October, Hochmans predecessor, George Gascon, recommended the court lower the brothers sentences from life without the possibility of parole to 50 years to life. Since Erik and Lyle were both under 26 at the time of the crime, such a sentence would make them eligible for parole immediately. Weeks after Gascons announcement, he lost his race for re-election to Hochman. We are requesting that the prior District Attorneys motion for resentencing be withdrawn, Hochman said in a statement. The basis for that request is that the prior motion did not examine or consider whether the Menendez brothers have exhibited full insight and taken complete responsibility for their crimes by continuing for the past over 30 years to lie about their claims of self-defense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1996, the brothers were convicted of shooting and killing their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion seven years before. Erik, 54, and Lyle, 57, claimed they were abused by their father and described the killings as self-defense. During the trial, prosecutors argued the sexual abuse allegations were false and said the brothers killed their parents for financial reasons. The decades-old case was thrust back into the spotlight after the release of the 2024 Netflix scripted series, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. Although Erik initially criticized the shows portrayal, Lyle said recently he was grateful for the renewed public interest the Netflix series brought to the case. The media and Ryan Murphys project was very widely disseminated, and it really did actually move a lot of people to understand the childhood trauma that Erik and I suffered, and particularly the horrific stuff that Erik suffered, Lyle said on a podcast. Last month, Hochman urged a judge to reject the Menendezes request for a new trial. Tamara Goodell, a cousin of the brothers, has asked for the district attorney to be removed from the case, accusing him of being hostile, dismissive and patronizing to the family during a Jan. 2 meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lack of compassion was palpable, and the family left feeling not only ignored but further intimidated and revictimized, she wrote in a letter to the U.S. Attorneys Office Civil Rights Division. Goodell requested the case be turned over to the attorney generals office. In his statement, Hochman said the request to withdraw the resentencing motion is based on the current state of the record" and left the door open to supporting resentencing in the future, with some conditions. If they were to finally come forward and unequivocally and sincerely admit and completely accept responsibility for their lies of self-defense and the attempted suborning of perjury they engaged in, then the Court should weigh such new insight into the analysis of rehabilitation and resentencing as will the People," he wrote. Although Hochman removed the offices prior request, the court will proceed with the resentencing hearing set for March 20 and 21. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Members of the Liberal Party of Canada on Sunday elected the economist Mark Carney to be their new leader in a landslide vote. Carney, 59, will replace the outgoing party leader and prime minister Justin Trudeau, who announced his resignation early this year. A former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, Carney will be sworn in in the coming days and is expected to call a federal election soon after that. His immediate responsibilities will include dealing with the tariff war launched by U.S. President Donald Trump as well as the latters threats of annexation. I want to thank you, dear Liberals, for granting me the greatest honor of all: to serve as your new leader, said Carney in his victory speech. He also said that both Trump and the leader of Canadas conservatives, Pierre Poilievre, are a danger to Canada. On January 6, after more than eight years in office, Trudeau announced that he would resign when his party selected a new leader. His decision was driven by a sharp decline in his popularity and growing internal disputes within his party. Carney, who won 85.9% of the votes, was competing against a list of candidates including businessman Frank Baylis, who served as an MP between 2015 and 2019; Karina Gould, MP for Ontario; and Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance until December 16, who has come in a distant second with 8% of the votes. Her resignation in December triggered Trudeaus decision to step down as party leader. Before the results of the vote were announced, Trudeau who is the son of one of Canadas most popular prime ministers, Pierre Trudeau gave an emotional speech in which he said that this is a nation-defining moment. Democracy is not a given. Freedom is not a given. Even Canada is not a given. Trudeau became leader of the Liberals in 2013. Two years later he beat the Conservatives in the election thanks to a combination of magnetism and promises of sweeping change. His key achievements include a federal child benefit, a national child care system and the legalization of recreational cannabis. His broken promises include electoral reform, a balanced budget and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Trudeau has been losing popularity over the years, but not only as a result of his time in power. He has been plagued by scandals over his ties to the highest economic circles, his lack of tolerance for opposing opinions within his team and his insistence on seeking a fourth term. At the same time, relations between Canada and the United States are going through their worst moment. While the Liberal leadership candidates initially focused their promises mainly on fiscal and budgetary issues, Trumps tariff threats and their implementation soon became the issue that conditioned the campaign. The Trudeau government responded to Trump by approving similar tariffs, while maintaining constant collaboration with provincial premiers. In this complicated scenario with the largest trading partner, there is great concern about the leadership that will be exercised from Ottawa after Trudeaus departure. Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative leader, has had to put aside his constant criticism of the Liberals on economic issues to adjust, with some difficulty, to the issue of greater interest: the attacks from Washington. Poilievre has indicated that, if he wins the next election, he will be a prime minister who will vigorously protect Canadians against Trump, uttering phrases imbued with patriotism. However, the Conservative leader is seen by some sectors as a politician with quite a few similarities with the U.S. president. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition (gguy44/iStock Images). The principles, laws and institutions that set America apart from the rest of the world are at risk of being permanently changed or replaced by ones that are less noble, less honorable and less workable. Where are the defenders of the Constitution and this nations values? What is happening to the respect for and adherence to the rule of law? What is happening to the basic freedom of the press? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This lethal usurpation of Americas laws and values, like cancer, is spreading. Fundamentally, it seems our representative government is losing its way, which should be of the people, by the people and for the people. The voices and defenders of truth and honesty seem to be drowning in a sea of lies, distortions and arbitrary actions. These damaging and destructive actions are coming from those who hold the most visible and powerful positions in this nation. Are we really becoming a country, a citizenry that finds acceptable the blatant disregard for honesty, truth, and the rule of law? Is such behavior the new normal? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The values and laws that make America great are being ignored and turned upside down. To whom do we turn? America, the beautiful. Is it now only a song, with empty words? No doubt, many of us long to hold on to what makes America beautiful. No doubt, many of us long for conduct and decorum from our leaders that will honor America and its citizens. No doubt, we long for a president, vice president, senators and representatives who are great role models. What we are witnessing today from the highest offices in our land is not just shameful, it is putting the very values and laws that make America great at risk. Some could argue that what is really taking place is that the sheet has been taken off America and the masquerade is being exposed for all the world to see. They would say there have always been two Americasmasquerading as one, but both fighting for influence, fighting for dominance when it comes to politics, racial and gender equality, educational achievement, the environment, and economic stability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Americas are being proudly represented under one flag, while tugging and being diametrically opposed forces both claiming to be the right path toward greatness. That the election of Donald Trump, twice, as president has brought one front and center. Some may think that is a negative, bad thing, but is it? It cannot be ignored that more than 77 million Americans voted for Donald Trump. They voted for him because he promised to do what they wanted him to do. They voted for him because he expressed views that they agree with. President Trump telegraphed his plans to handle the nations immigration issues; dismantle DEI efforts that were put in place to provide an equal playing field for women, Blacks and other minorities; rescind legislation and measures to promote climate control and preserve the environment; provide tax breaks for the rich; and impose tariffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It must also be acknowledged that over 75 million Americans voted for Kamala Harris, what she stood for and promised to do should she have become president, which was different from that of Donald Trump. What does it all mean? At a minimum, one could argue it means that those who claim to be citizens of one America believe in the values and qualities our country has become known for: a defender and promoter of democracy, respecting the rule of law, individual rights, equality regardless of gender or skin color, improving the plight of humanity, protecting the environment. Citizens of this America honor and believe in the principles, rights and privileges outlined in and guaranteed by the Constitution. Citizens of the other America believe the country belongs to only them. They are willing to deny, to forget, and to ignore the Native Americans who were here before their ancestors arrived, that this country was built on the backs of Black slaves and other immigrants who hailed from countries near and far in search of a better life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet we have claimed, put forth and often bragged that America is one great benevolent melting pot perhaps many of us never bought into the notion while other of us have always hoped it would be so. One America seemed to have been winning until recently. Which America are you a part of? Which America do you claim as yours? More importantly, which America will prevail? Maybe neither because there are those who are determined to move America forward by going backward. And there are those equally determined not to allow them. Which America will prevail? Maybe neither. The future of America and how it will be governed is at a critical crossroads. We, the people, can only determine which road will be taken. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When you look at the current state of our country, are we moving away from the great principles that built America? While far from perfect, America is still the greatest and most successful democratic republic in the world. But given what is happening today, she is quickly losing ground. When the Constitution was first ratified in 1789, it was not perfect. It has been amended 27 times since its inception. What does that tell us? That we should continue to improve upon the great foundation of America. Instead, we appear to be moving away from great principles that built America. It is prevalent in the divisive, errant, and toxic public discourse and actions taking place in our state capitols and in Washington. Yet, we seem not to be duly alarmed. Most of us are sitting quietly by as our country and way of life are being negatively changed, perhaps forever. Do we care? Mar. 10The state's top lottery official is raising his bet on how much revenue slot machines could raise based on the overflow crowds at the opening weekend of the latest charity casino complex. Lottery Commission Executive Director Charles McIntyre said while the kickoff of The Nash casino at the Pheasant Lane Mall was supposed to be a "soft opening," there were lines of gamblers waiting to play the historical horse racing machines there. McIntyre said his team would produce a revised revenue estimate for a bill legalizing slot machines later this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another charity casino opened Monday night in Rochester, bringing to 3,500 the number of historical horse racing (HHR) machines in New Hampshire. Offered in states where traditional slot machines are illegal, HHR machines are similar to the traditional slots except that they use random archived thoroughbred races to generate results. A state-hired consultant has concluded the market could thrive with 6,000 machines across the state. Among 10 year-round charity casinos in the state, McIntyre said the average HHR machine is generating $280 in profit each day. "The standard in the industry is that if you are over $250 per machine, you add (to the market), if you are below that level, then you subtract," McIntyre said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The House Ways and Means Committee took testimony Monday on the House bill (HB 728) that would give charity casino owners just under three years to convert all their HHR machines to regular slot machines. State Sen. Timothy Lang, R-Sanbornton, has a competing bill (SB 83) the state Senate will debate Thursday which would allow the casino operators to decide when they wish to convert to slots. McIntyre said studies have shown Nashua was the ideal location for a charity casino since it was likely to attract the most business from gamblers coming north from Middlesex and Essex counties in Massachusetts. McIntyre said the Encore Harbor Place casino in Everett, Mass., is difficult to get to and Foxwoods in Ledyard, Connecticut, is nearly a three-hour drive away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last month, Gov. Kelly Ayotte attached a slot machine proposal to help finance her two-year state budget to the budget trailer bill. (See related story.) Ayotte's plan would raise an estimated $117 million a year for the state, increasing the state's take from 25% of the gross from HHR machines to 45% of the gross from slots. The House bill would raise the state's share to 30% while Lang's bill would retain a 25% share for the state. McIntyre said the 25% share is the lowest of the other New England states that have casinos. Former Rep. Patrick Abrami, R-Stratham, said casino operators currently pay 12% to 18% more in operating expenses with HRH than they would with slot machines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That's because the nation's thoroughbred racetracks charge those leasing the machines for each randomly selected horse race, he said. Abrami said converting to slots would also create more money to support programs that help addicted gamblers. The lottery commission currently has to set aside $150,000 a year for such programs. Rep. Susan Almy, D-Lebanon, agreed the state needs to do more to help those who can't control their gambling fixation. "We are just depending on addicts to run our state and I find that extremely offensive," Almy said. klandrigan@unionleader.com BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) The head of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries was named to a leadership role for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Sunday that Madison Sheahan will serve as deputy director of ICE. Sheahan worked in various leadership positions for Noem when she was governor of South Dakota. With President Trumps support, I am appointing new ICE leadership to deliver results that President Trump and the American people rightfully demand: Todd Lyons will serve as Acting ICE Director and Madison Sheahan as Deputy Director of ICE. Todd Lyons and Madison Sheahan are work horses, strong executors, and accountable leaders who will lead the men and women of ICE to achieve the American peoples mandate to target, arrest and deport illegal aliens, Noem said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Jeff Landy wrote on X that it was no surprise that Sheahan was chosen for the role. I look forward to working with Madison in her new role as she serves under @Sec_Noem. By selecting strong leaders such as Madison, President Trump proves his dedication to making America safe again, Landry said. The governor said LDWF Deputy Secretary Tyler Bosworth will take on secretary responsibilities. Trump tariffs already costing border money, jobs 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. Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko has appointed Alexander Turchin as the countrys new prime minister, state-owned news agency Belta reported on March 10. Turchin, who previously served as head of the Minsk regional executive committee, held key government positions, including chief of staff of the Council of Ministers in 2016 and first deputy prime minister in 2018-2019. After his appointment, Turchin told reporters that Belarus would not see any "significant course correction," adding that his approach would be one of "evolution without revolutions." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turchin is replacing Roman Golovchenko, who has held the office of prime minister since June 2020 and was now appointed head of the National Bank. Lukashenko presented the personnel changes as the advent of a "new generation" in Belarusian leadership. Lukashenko, in power since 1994 and widely regarded as Russian President Vladimir Putins close ally, has faced repeated accusations of election fraud. His self-declared victory in the 2020 presidential election, widely denounced as illegitimate, triggered mass protests in Minsk that were brutally suppressed with Moscows backing. Since then, over 8,000 people have been detained for political reasons, according to the Belarusian human rights group Viasna. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Jan. 26, Lukashenko claimed a seventh term in office in another election widely condemned as neither free nor fair. Though Belarus has not directly participated in Russias war against Ukraine, it has allowed the Kremlin to use its territory as a staging ground for military operations. Read also: Russias arms exports plunge by 47% since full-scale invasions start, SIPRI reports Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Todays installment of campaign-related news items from across the country. * Last week, the National Republican Congressional Committee published an online item that called Democratic Rep. Adriano Espaillat of New York an illegal immigrant. After an uproar, the House GOPs campaign arm deleted its tweet, though the Congressional Hispanic Caucus said in a statement, We demand a retraction and an apology, not a mulligan. * Speaking of the NRCC, its current chairman, Republican Rep. Richard Hudson, told The Associated Press that he has high expectations about the 2026 midterm elections. The North Carolinian is optimistic, he told the AP, because voters like Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency. (Theres ample evidence to the contrary.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * Though there was some question about whether Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs would run for a second term, the Arizona Democrat is, in fact, running for re-election, though she said shes expecting another nail-biter next year. The incumbent won three years ago by less than one percentage point. * In another setback for those who monitor public opinion research, Monmouth Universitys highly respected polling institute is closing its doors. * While Utah has operated a problem-free vote-by-mail system for years, Republican officials are overhauling its model, and voters will no longer automatically receive ballots through the mail. Whats more, as an Associated Press report noted, starting in 2029, Utahans who vote in person would need to produce identification that they havent had to show before. * Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont continues to hold public events in competitive areas, and continues to draw sizable crowds in between election cycles. The senators latest event was in Warren, Michigan, where the AP noted that the turnout was so strong, some attendees did not fit inside the high schools gym or two overflow rooms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * And in California, former Vice President Kamala Harris is still eyeing a possible gubernatorial campaign in 2026, and NBC News reported that the Democrat will formally announce her plans by the end of this summer. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com The NBC affiliate in Washington, D.C., published a striking report last week on an American citizen named Jensy Machado, who was briefly detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, and who is now starting to wonder whether voting for Donald Trump was a good idea. Machado said he was driving to work Wednesday with two other men when he was stopped by ICE agents on Lomond Drive in Manassas, a short distance from his home. He said he was confused by what was happening, why agents surrounded the pickup truck. And 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, you know, Machado told Telemundo 44s Rosbelis Quinonez, who first reported his story. Everything was really fast. Evidently, ICE agent told Machado the name of the person they were eager to deport, whod used Machados home address. He explained that his real ID compliant Virginia drivers license would prove that he was not the man ICE was looking for. 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. And then he went to me and said how did I get into this country and if I was waiting for a court date or if I have any case. And 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? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eventually, he was able to present his drivers license at which point he was uncuffed and released. I was a Trump supporter, Machado told the local affiliate. I voted for Trump last election, but, because I thought it was going to be the things, you know, like just go against criminals, not every Hispanic looking, like, that they will assume that we are all illegals. He added, Thats what theyre doing, now. Theyre just following Hispanic people. To be sure, drawing sweeping conclusions from the experiences of one individual is unwise. That said, theres plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest I voted for Trump last election, but... is an increasingly common sentiment. There are the federal workers who backed the Republican ticket, only to be fired without cause after Inauguration Day. There are the Muslim voters in Michigan who decided to change the name of their Arab Americans for Trump organization after seeing the presidents ridiculous plan to take over the Gaza Strip. Theres the woman in Minnesota who recently told The Wall Street Journal that she sees her support for the president as the biggest mistake of my life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I feel so stupid, guilty, regretful embarrassed is a huge one. I am absolutely embarrassed that I voted for Trump, she said. A recent Washington Post analysis added, Anecdotes abound about those voters particularly people affected by President Donald Trumps cuts to federal programs and firings of government workers apparently expressing surprise at his actions and even regret for their votes. ... And its not just on social media. ... An anti-Trump conservative activist says its an increasingly real phenomenon in her focus groups. Im mindful of the fact that the plural of anecdote is not data, but were not relying entirely on a handful of personal experiences: Trump was elected with just under 50% of the popular vote, and some recent national polls have shown his approval rating slipping several points lower than that. Whats more, theres no reason to assume the political winds will soon be at the presidents back, especially amid growing concerns about a possible recession, and as the White House pursues an agenda that is not at all popular. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There will be some who argue that none of this is especially important. No matter how many Trump voters rethink their decision, the argument goes, it will be inconsequential: He cant run again, so it doesnt much matter whether hes widely reviled or loved. But as we discussed several weeks ago, its not quite that simple. There are electoral implications to consider, and Republicans would be smart to keep them in mind: The more voters disapprove of the incumbent in the Oval Office, the better the opposition partys chances in the midterm cycle. Similarly, just as congressional Republicans would feel emboldened if Trump were riding high in the polls, reveling in his broad popularity, the inverse is true, too: GOP lawmakers, worried about their own career prospects, will likely be less inclined to put their necks on the line when they see evidence of the presidents faltering public support. In other words, the more Americans say I voted for Trump last election, but... the more it creates a permission structure for Republican officials to save their own skin, rather than act like White House employees. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Shortly before Christmas, Congress approved the latest in a series of stopgap spending measures, preventing a government shutdown. In keeping with the recent pattern, Republican leaders in the House turned to Democrats, who provided most of the votes, despite the fact that the GOP was in the majority. The measure reset the clock, and gave federal lawmakers a new deadline: March 14. For those hoping to avoid a breakdown, the good news is that theres legislation on the table that would keep the governments lights on and fund the federal governments operations through the end of the fiscal year in September. The bad news is that the bill is pretty awful and its not at all clear whether it can pass before Friday at midnight. NBC News reported on the latest pitch from House Speaker Mike Johnson. Its unclear whether it has the votes to pass either chamber, as it was not negotiated with Democrats, making it an important test for the new Republican trifecta on a must-pass bill that requires bipartisan backing to become law. President Donald Trump has backed Johnsons approach and said hell sign the bill if it reaches his desk, which would avoid a shutdown less than two months into his term. All Republicans should vote (Please!) YES next week, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post shortly after the bill was released. The presidents use of the word please stood out, in large part because its a word he rarely uses in such a context. Trump tends to prefer barking orders, rather than publicly imploring GOP lawmakers to support legislation crafted in coordination with the White House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nevertheless, its an open question as to whether the Republicans pleas will have the intended effect. For House Democrats, whose votes are routinely needed for fiscal bills, the goal has long been to add new statutory restrictions to address White House abuses, specifically related to Elon Musk and the quasi-governmental Department of Government Efficiency. Without these safeguards, Democratic leaders have said, the party intends to oppose the spending bill (called a continuing resolution, or CR). Not only does the Republicans bill ignore Democratic concerns on the DOGE front, it also increases defense spending, while reducing non-defense discretionary spending. Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the Democratic vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, put together a list of glaring problems with the GOP legislation, and it wasnt short. So whats next? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One possibility is that House Republican leaders will bring their bill to the floor; Democrats will stand firm against it; a handful of GOP members will balk; and the House speaker will have to scramble to come up with a Plan B. Another possibility is that House Republican leaders will bring their bill to the floor and it'll pass, either because some Democrats from red districts caved, because GOP members stuck together, or some combination of the two. At that point, the legislation would head to the Senate, where it would have to clear a 60-vote threshold. Would seven Senate Democrats vote to advance a conservative and overtly partisan House Republican bill? For now, thats unclear, but if the answer is no, then the odds of a shutdown improve considerably. As the process moves forward, its also worth keeping an eye on local airports: Theres chatter that House Republican leaders hope to pass their bill and then leave town, basically giving the Senate a take-it-or-leave-it choice. If the legislation dies in the upper chamber, GOP leaders in the lower chamber would effectively say, Dont blame us; we passed a bill that wouldve prevented a shutdown. (This is a legislative tactic generally known as jamming.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If, however, the Senate passes an amended version of the House bill, House Republicans would have to scramble to return to Capitol Hill and pass it before Friday night. I honestly dont know what to expect, though the public wont have to wait too long for clarity: The first House vote is expected within 24 hours. Watch this space. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com In public, the relationship between Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is awful. In private, by some accounts, its worse. The New York Times reported last week, for example, on recent interactions between the two leaders, including a phone meeting in which the American president laid out a long list of grievances, even adding that he did not believe that the treaty that demarcates the border between the two countries was valid. That was soon followed by another conversation in which, according to an NBC News report, the Republicans tone turned abusive. This does not mean, however, that conditions cant get worse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On ABC News This Week, guest host Jonathan Karl spoke to Kevin Hassett, the director of the White House National Economic Council, about the administrations tariffs plans. After Hassett raised concerns about fentanyl reaching American soil through the northern border, Karl reminded his guest, I dont think thats happening. I mean, 1% of fentanyl is being smuggled across the border, 1%. I mean, Canada is not a major source at all of fentanyl in the United States, are they? Hassett replied: Well, yes they are a major source. And I can tell you that in the Situation Room, Ive seen photographs of fentanyl labs in Canada that the law enforcement folks were leaving alone. Canadas got a big drug problem. Lets back up for a minute and review how we arrived at this point. Trump and his team have struggled at times to explain why, exactly, the White House seems so eager to launch a trade conflict or in Hassetts words, a trade war with our Canadian neighbors. At times, the president and his cohorts have complained about the trade deficit. At other times, theyve pointed to illegal border crossings. Recently, however, theyve settled on a talking point about fentanyl. The excuse that hes giving for these tariffs today of fentanyl is completely bogus, completely unjustified, completely false, Trudeau recently declared. What he wants is to see a total collapse of the Canadian economy, because thatll make it easier to annex us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That was an extraordinary comment for a variety of reasons, but the outgoing prime ministers assessment about fentanyl rang true. In fact, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, only 43 pounds of fentanyl were found crossing the northern border in 2024 as opposed to 21,100 pounds seized at the southern border. Its obviously silly to think a country would launch a trade war over fentanyl that could fit in a single suitcase. Its against this backdrop that one of Trumps top aides on economic policy appeared on national television and suggested that officials in Canada have covered up covert labs. Even if we put aside Hassetts deeply unfortunate track record remember his econometric model in response to Covid? its unsettling when Republican White Houses claim to have secret evidence of foreign chemical labs. As best as I can tell, Canadian officials havent yet responded to these new allegations, though given the circumstances, Im not even sure why theyd bother. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com By any fair measure, Donald Trumps policy toward Iran and the international nuclear agreement with Tehran was one of his most dramatic and consequential mistakes. By abandoning a multi-nation deal that was working effectively, the Republican inadvertently made Iran more dangerous, and prompted an adversary to ramp up its nuclear program. Last week, the president tried to reopen negotiations. His efforts were immediately rejected. Of course, even if officials in Tehran were receptive to the outreach theyre not, but if they were its difficult to see how a new policy would even work. The New York Times reported, Starting in late January, President Trump suspended two programs that provide American aid to international nuclear inspectors, potentially undermining his own goal of preventing Iran from developing a nuclear arsenal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But while Trump struggles to deal with the consequences of his failure, and Iran moves forward with its rapidly expanding nuclear program, the White House also has to contend with a broader, evolving international conversation about nuclear proliferation. The Associated Press reported last week: French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday he will discuss with European allies the possibility of using Frances nuclear deterrent to protect the continent from Russian threats, amid concerns over potential U.S. disengagement. France is the only nuclear power in the European Union. Macron, in a televised address ahead of a special European summit Thursday, described Russia as a threat to France and Europe, and said he had decided to open the strategic debate on the protection of our allies on the European continent by our (nuclear) deterrent. That was soon followed by a related report in The Wall Street Journal out of Berlin. President Trumps embrace of Russia is causing Europeans to rethink their security and giving currency to an idea the U.S. has long sought to avoid: a nuclear-armed Germany. Friedrich Merz, who is poised to become Germanys next chancellor, said Berlin should start talks about expanding the French and British nuclear deterrents to cover Europe, according to an interview the conservative politician did with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung weekly. Asked specifically if Germany should pursue its own nuclear arsenal, Merz didnt rule it out, saying there is no need for this today. Later that day, The New York Times had a related report of its own, this time out of Warsaw. Warning that a profound change of American geopolitics had put Poland, as well as Ukraine, in an objectively more difficult situation, Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland on Friday said his country must drastically increase the size of its military and even reach for opportunities related to nuclear weapons. Mr. Tusk, in a detailed speech on security to the Polish Parliament, did not explicitly propose developing a nuclear arsenal, but said that it is time for us to look boldly at our possibilities of having the most modern weapons and explore options for nuclear and modern unconventional weapons. The Polish prime minister went on to say his government was talking seriously with France about the possible extension of a French nuclear umbrella that could cover other European countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Trump began taking a series of overt steps to align the White House with Vladimir Putins Russia, the impact on Ukraine was obvious and dramatic. But the reverberations also extend to the rest of the continent. For many years, Europe especially NATO members felt confident that the United States and its nuclear arsenal created a deterrent that didnt just protect Americans; it also protected U.S. allies throughout the West. But as Trump betrays traditional U.S. allies and kowtows to the Kremlin, even creating an environment in which the White House is prepared to reward Moscow for trying to take part of Eastern Europe by force, its hard to blame officials in Paris, Berlin, Warsaw and elsewhere for looking for a new umbrella under which to shelter. Europes future does not have to be decided in Washington or Moscow, Macron said last week, insisting that the innocence of the last 30 years which followed the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall, is now over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was Trump who decided to end that generational innocence. American voters might not have realized that nuclear proliferation was on the ballot last fall, but here we are. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com A group of Madison residents who are hoping the state can intervene in the citys plans to alter the landscape of Vilas Park have won a key victory concerning Indigenous history. City crews apparently violated the law when they disturbed a likely ancient Indigenous burial site in the park last fall when they moved three large boulders in order to remove a hazardous tree. The Wisconsin Burial Sites Preservation Board, at its Jan. 30 meeting, reviewed the apparent violation and forwarded the matter the Department of Justice for further action. That was in accordance with Wisconsin law, which states that any disturbance of an ancient Indigenous burial mound requires the approval of the Wisconsin Historical Society. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for the DOJ said it is reviewing the issue. Madison Park District Superintendent Eric Knepp acknowledged the mistake by a park crew. Thats a hard lesson to learn and one we take seriously, he said. Knepp said his staff recently underwent three hours of training about these burial sites by the Wisconsin Historical Society and the Ho-Chunk Nations tribal historic preservation officer, Bill Quackenbush. Knepp said the city plans to determine if the site is an ancient burial mound by using ground penetrating radar and other non-invasive equipment, as well as further research. There is historical documentation that the site is an ancient mound but it hasnt been confirmed in the modern era. The group of residents and Larry Johns, an Oneida tribal member and mounds researcher, said the three large boulders were likely placed there by ancient peoples and are called grandfathers. The boulders played an important role of putting a mound site together, Johns said, and were used to determine the orientation of the mounds and true north. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Knepp disputes that part of the claim, saying he has evidence they were placed there by parks staff sometime between 1975 and 1990. He said he also has an aerial photo of the area in 1937 showing the site once was a parking lot and a roadway. The group of residents suggest Knepp is not correctly interpreting the photo, and they doubt his claim that the park was under a parking lot for much of the 20th century. Wisconsin is known for these ancient Indigenous burial mounds, according to archeologists. Some of the earliest burial mounds built by ancient Native Americans, which were conical shaped, date back to roughly 500 BC. Effigy mounds depicting people, animals or spirits were built from between 700 to 1100 AD. Estimates suggest that about 20,000 mounds once blanketed the landscape, but roughly 4,000 remain today because of development during the last two centuries. Experts believe many also were destroyed by residents and amateur archeologists. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Two different Wisconsin settings, but same concerns about disturbing tribal burial mounds Sign up for the First Nations Wisconsin newsletter Click here to get all of our Indigenous news coverage right in your inbox Frank Vaisvilas is a former Report for America corps member who covers Native American issues in Wisconsin based at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact him at fvaisvilas@gannett.com or 815-260-2262. Follow him on Twitter at @vaisvilas_frank. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Madison park crews appear to have disurbed tribal burial mound A group of Cuban officials has confirmed what has been obvious on the streets of Cuba for some time: that the country has much fewer people than it did three years ago. Fewer births are being registered and only older adults are increasing as a demographic group. The latest official figures from the National Statistics and Information Office (ONEI) show that the latest exodus of Cubans has emptied the country out; that women are reluctant to have children in the midst of an endless economic crisis, and that young people are leaving while the elderly remain behind. Authorities have said that this population aging should not be dramatized, but researchers insist that it should not be underestimated either. In any case, they say that the problem is not aging per se, but the conditions in which Cubans are getting older. The deputy head of ONEI, Juan Carlos Alfonso Faga, announced data that demographers have been discussing for months: that Cubas current population, which for years was just over 11 million, is now just over 9.7 million, similar to what it was 40 years ago. According to calculations up to December 2024, Cuba lost around 300,000 inhabitants last year. Some experts consider, however, that the current population is much smaller than what the official figures say. The economist and demographer Juan Carlos Albizu-Campos said last year that there were just 8.62 million Cubans living in the country. Faga not only acknowledged the population decline that the authorities have sometimes attempted to brush over, but also discussed the decrease in the birth rate recorded last year, the lowest figure in recent decades, with a total of 71,000 births, 19,075 fewer than in 2023. This has been a sustained trend in the country over the last few years. In 2023, Cuba reported the figure of 90,300 births, 15,000 fewer than the 105,616 births in 2020. Described by Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero himself as complex, with the trend at its most acute in the provinces of Villa Clara, Havana and Sancti Spiritus, the population dynamics have attracted the attention of researchers. Older adults are the only population group on the rise, with more than a quarter of the total population now aged 60 or over. Cuba is now one of the oldest populations in Latin America. While two years ago, 24.4% of Cubans were 60 or older, by 2030, 30% of the population is expected to fall into that bracket. On the other hand, the under-15 age group contracted by 6%, and the 15-59 age group by almost 12%. A group of people in Havana, on February 16. Ramon Espinosa (AP) Experts from the Center for Demographic Studies of the University of Havana (Cedem) told Cubas official press that the only possible solution would be a higher fertility rate, but the truth is that the fertility rate has been below replacement levels since 1978, with fewer than two children per woman on average. The country also reports more deaths than births. Exacerbating the situation is the latest migratory exodus, which experts say took place in 2021, and which also decimated the population. According to UN data, women have been the largest demographic emigrating in the latest Cuban stampede: around 133 women for every 100 men. Albizu-Campos told EL PAIS that a pattern is emerging that he calls the pattern of single grandparents with single children Young parents tend to migrate alone, because they are going to enter complex migration corridors, he says. Certainly, the elderly are now dealing not only with the loneliness that comes from being separated from their families, but also with long lines to buy food, endless hours of blackouts, low pensions and the lack of decent state care. Cuban sociologist Elaine Acosta Gonzalez, director of the Cuido60 Observatory on Aging, Care and Rights, told EL PAIS that the increase in the elderly in Cuba is nothing new. Cuba has been leading the aging process for a long time and it is a situation unfolding in one of the countrys worst periods in terms of conditions such as economic resources and the adaptations of the programs to adequately sustain this demographic aging, she said. Cuban officials themselves have recognized that a country where the elderly accounts for a quarter of its population is more complex to handle, and that the fact that the working-age population is smaller directly affects the economy, which has already been battered and impoverished in recent years. Dramatic conditions Even so, Cuban officials have urged citizens to avoid dramatizing the ageing trend in Cuba and, instead, to see it as a triumph of life over death. And although it is undeniable that the increase in life expectancy is always an achievement, Acosta Gonzalez insists that underestimating its impact means that the phenomenon is not fully understood and, therefore, public policy measures that could help alleviate the situation are not in place. A neighborhood in Havana, Cuba, on February 14. Ramon Espinosa (AP) I think the issue is not to dramatize it, nor to see aging as a problem in itself, says Acosta Gonzalez. Growing old is good news, especially if it is done in good conditions and with dignity. However, in the case of Cuba, what is dramatic are the conditions in which this aging is taking place, the quality of life with which the elderly are reaching the age of 60 that is the drama here, which they want to brush under the carpet or at least downplay. The researcher also states that the government has not shown itself to be efficient in the management of public policies to address the multiple needs of a growing aging population. She also says that the impact of the migratory crisis has been underestimated, in terms of the proportion of elderly people living alone, whose children and grandchildren have emigrated and the lack of programs that can adequately assist them. To downplay the impact is to downplay the systemic crisis that Cuban society is going through, Acosta Gonzalez adds. Cubas scarce resources are not being prioritized properly to meet the growing needs of a population whose quality of life is getting worse every day. Reversing this situation means giving over space to activities and actors in society at large who are trying to address the phenomenon. Acosta Gonzalez calls it the structural change of democratization of Cuban society. Without it, it is not possible to directly influence either the design of public policies or their implementation, she says. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Data from beloved Hollywood actor Gene Hackman's pacemaker provided the key clue that unraveled his time of death, according to the Santa Fe County Sheriff and medical examiner. Tragically, authorities believe that Hackman's wife Betsy Arakawa died first, probably on or around Feb. 11, of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which is contracted through contact with rodent droppings. That's because her communication and activities stopped abruptly on that date, the sheriff, Adan Mendoza, said in a news conference. Hackman's pacemaker data leads authorities to believe that the actor did not die for another seven days, trapped inside the fog of Alzheimer's Disease. When he did die, it was from heart disease with Alzheimer's as a contributing factor, the chief medical examiner, Heather Jarrell, said in the news conference. According to Jarrell, Hackman's pacemaker registered cardiac activity on Feb. 17, which was six days after authorities believe Arakawa died, and then the pacemaker documented an abnormal rhythm to Hackman's heart on the next day. He probably died around Feb. 18, the pacemaker data indicates, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sheriff said the pacemaker information has answered a lot of questions that authorities had about the deaths. He said that authorities are waiting for the results of cell phone data, but he doubts it will change the findings. "Mr Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer's disease," Jarrell said. "He was in a very poor state of health. He had very significant heart disease, and I think that is what ultimately resulted in his death." Gene Hackman arrives at the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, CA on January 19, 2003. Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images. Kevin Winter/Getty Images Reporters asked whether Hackman was aware his wife had died. She checked for evidence of dehydration but did not find any, but she did find evidence of kidney issues. Asked whether there was evidence of starvation, Jarrell said there was no food in Hackman's stomach, meaning he did not eat recently. According to Jarrell, it's possible that Hackman did not know his wife had died. The bodies of the couple and their dog Zinna were not discovered until Feb. 26, according to the sheriff. That means that Arakawa's body was in the couple's home for 15 days, and Hackman may have lain dead inside the house for about a week. Hackman was found in a mudroom with sunglasses and a walking cane next to him. The sheriff said it's not clear whether Hackman was trying to get help. (NewsNation) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared measles eradicated in 2000, yet Texas is experiencing its largest outbreak of the highly contagious disease in 30 years, according to Dr. Philip Huang, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services. The advice is pretty simple, he said on Morning in America, urging people to get vaccinated. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. NUUK, Greenland (AP) When U.S. President Donald Trump first suggested buying Greenland in 2019, people thought it was just a joke. No one is laughing now. Trumps interest in Greenland, restated vigorously soon after he returned to the White House in January, comes as part of an aggressively America First foreign policy platform that includes demands for Ukraine to hand over mineral rights in exchange for continued military aid, threats to take control of the Panama Canal, and suggestions that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state. Why Greenland? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Increasing international tensions, global warming and the changing world economy have put Greenland at the heart of the debate over global trade and security, and Trump wants to make sure that the U.S. controls this mineral-rich country that guards the Arctic and North Atlantic approaches to North America. Who does Greenland belong to? Greenland is a self-governing territory of Denmark, a long-time U.S. ally that has rejected Trumps overtures. Denmark has also recognized Greenlands right to independence at a time of its choosing. Amid concerns about foreign interference and demands that Greenlanders must control their own destiny, the islands prime minister called an early parliamentary election for Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The worlds largest island, 80% of which lies above the Arctic Circle, is home to about 56,000 mostly Inuit people who until now have been largely ignored by the rest of the world. Why are other countries interested in Greenland? Climate change is thinning the Arctic ice, promising to create a northwest passage for international trade and reigniting the competition with Russia, China and other countries over access to the regions mineral resources. Let us be clear: we are soon entering the Arctic Century, and its most defining feature will be Greenlands meteoric rise, sustained prominence and ubiquitous influence, said Dwayne Menezes, managing director of the Polar Research and Policy Initiative. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greenland located on the crossroads between North America, Europe and Asia, and with enormous resource potential will only become more strategically important, with all powers great and small seeking to pay court to it. One is quite keen to go a step further and buy it. The following are some of the factors that are driving U.S. interest in Greenland. Arctic competition Following the Cold War, the Arctic was largely an area of international cooperation. But climate change, the hunt for scarce resources and increasing international tensions following Russias invasion of Ukraine are once again driving competition in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Strategic importance Greenland sits off the northeastern coast of Canada, with more than two-thirds of its territory lying within the Arctic Circle. That has made it crucial to the defense of North America since World War II, when the U.S. occupied Greenland to ensure that it didnt fall into the hands of Nazi Germany and to protect crucial North Atlantic shipping lanes. The U.S. has retained bases in Greenland since the war, and the Pituffik Space Base, formerly Thule Air Force Base, supports missile warning, missile defense and space surveillance operations for the U.S. and NATO. Greenland also guards part of what is known as the GIUK (Greenland, Iceland, United Kingdom) Gap, where NATO monitors Russian naval movements in the North Atlantic. Natural resources Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greenland has large deposits of so-called rare earth minerals that are needed to make everything from computers and smartphones to the batteries, solar and wind technologies that will power the transition away from fossil fuels. The U.S. Geological Survey has also identified potential offshore deposits of oil and natural gas. Greenlanders are keen to develop the resources, but they have enacted strict rules to protect the environment. There are also questions about the feasibility of extracting Greenlands mineral wealth because of the regions harsh climate. Climate change Greenlands retreating ice cap is exposing the countrys mineral wealth and melting sea ice is opening up the once-mythical Northwest Passage through the Arctic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greenland sits strategically along two potential routes through the Arctic, which would reduce shipping times between the North Atlantic and Pacific and bypass the bottlenecks of the Suez and Panama canals. While the routes arent likely to be commercially viable for many years, they are attracting attention. Chinese interest In 2018, China declared itself a near-Arctic state in an effort to gain more influence in the region. China has also announced plans to build a Polar Silk Road as part of its global Belt and Road Initiative, which has created economic links with countries around the world. Then-U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo rejected Chinas move, saying: Do we want the Arctic Ocean to transform into a new South China Sea, fraught with militarization and competing territorial claims? A Chinese-backed rare earth mining project in Greenland stalled after the local government banned uranium mining in 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Independence The legislation that extended self-government to Greenland in 2009 also recognized the countrys right to independence under international law. Opinion polls show a majority of Greenlanders favor independence, though they differ on exactly when that should occur. The potential for independence raises questions about outside interference in Greenland that could threaten U.S. interests in the country. NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. During Womens History month, communities celebrate women who have broken, and continue to break, barriers. Melanie Platt is the first female Lieutenant paramedic ever at the North Little Rock Fire Department. I didnt know any female fighters, and to be honest with you, I knew it was possible, but I just didnt know the extent of that, Platt said. Taking on the role means Platt makes sure the crews gets to their scenes, pumps the hose, and takes charge. She also provides medical care to victims in need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Car wash in North Little Rock engulfed in flames, fire department says it was somebody trying to keep warm It took years of school and training to get to this point. And she did it while also being a mom. You have to meet these physical standards. And after giving birth, I had a c-section, I had to completely change my workout schedule, Platt said. Platt started as a volunteer firefighter when she was 17 while also attending beauty school. And through the years, shes shown her capabilities to be something more: a history maker. So, the reason Im here today is because Im resilient, I was the hardest worker in the room, and I never gave up, Platt said, If I listened to everyone who told me I couldnt do this, or it wasnt a good idea, or how are you going to make this work? I wouldnt be here today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. BANGKOK (Reuters) - Malaysia has warned its citizens against travelling to southern Thailand after bombings and shootings by suspected insurgents killed five people and injured 13 others at the weekend. The attacks occurred in the mainly ethnic Malay Muslim southernmost provinces of predominantly Buddhist Thailand, where more than 7,300 people have been killed since a decades-old separatist rebellion reignited in 2004. Gunmen fired into a district office and detonated a car bomb in the Sungai Kolok border town of Narathiwat province, popular with Malaysian tourists, killing two Thai security volunteers, authorities said. In neighbouring Pattani province, a roadside bomb killed a volunteer ranger and two government officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Malaysians are strongly encouraged to postpone non-essential travel to these areas for the time being," the Malaysian foreign ministry said in a statement issued on Sunday. About 4.9 million of the 35.5 million visitors to Thailand last year were from Malaysia, making it the second biggest source market for tourism after China. Security has been tightened in the area, Narathiwat governor, Trakul Thotham, told Reuters. "This kind of incident has not occurred in the last four to five years," he said, adding and that there were still Malaysians in the area and there would be some impact in the initial stages. (Reporting Panarat Thepgumpanat and Chayut Setboonsarng in Bangkok and Ashley Tang in Kuala Lumpur; Editing by Martin Petty) (KRON) Authorities in the North Bay recovered approximately $3,000 worth of stolen Nike merchandise following a pursuit of shoplifting suspects on Saturday, according to the Petaluma Police Department. Police responded just after 4 p.m. to the Petaluma Village Premium Outlets on the report of a man fleeing from the Nike store holding armfuls of merchandise valued at more than $950. The alleged shoplifter hopped into a waiting silver Ford F-150 truck and took off, employees told the police department. 1 severely burned in Santa Rosa carport fire Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An officer spotted a silver Ford F-150 traveling southbound on Highway 101 and recognized the license plate to match a prior theft from Nike a week earlier, Petaluma PD said. As the truck continued into Novato, assisting agencies responded, including the California Highway Patrol, Novato Police Department and the Sonoma County Sheriffs Office Henry-1 helicopter. The Ford did not stop when the officer activated their lights and sirens, police said. The pursuit lasted approximately 3 miles before the Ford pulled over near the Bel Marin Keys area of Novato. The Nike theft suspect, identified by police as Jose Garcia Cruz, 18, of Richmond, was detained along with two juveniles who were also inside the truck. All three were transported to the Petaluma Police Department. (Petaluma Police Department) Officers located evidence of the Saturday theft from Nike inside the vehicle, according to police. After further investigation, authorities said more evidence of theft from Nike stores in Napa and Vacaville was uncovered. In total, around $3,000 in Nike merchandise was recovered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Garcia Cruz was arrested and booked into the Sonoma County Jail for organized retail theft with intent, shoplifting, conspiracy to commit a crime and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The two juveniles were arrested and booked into the Sonoma County Juvenile Detention Facility for organized retail theft with intent, shoplifting and conspiracy to commit a crime. The juvenile driver was also charged with vehicle evading. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A man suspected in the brutal rapes of two women at a clothing store in Massachusetts in 1989 is expected to face a judge on Monday, months after a police chase in Los Angeles ended with his arrest. Stephen Paul Gale, a 71-year-old once known as the Boston Strip Mall Rapist, is slated to be arraigned in Middlesex District Court on charges including four counts of aggravated rape, two counts of kidnapping, and one count of armed robbery in connection with an investigation into the gunpoint rape of two women at the Hit or Miss store on Route 9 in Framingham on the morning of Dec. 27, 1989. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gale, armed with a .357 magnum, forced two female employees to the back of the store and allegedly ordered one victim to empty money from a locked safe and the second to lock the doors to the store before sexually assaulting them while holding the firearm to their heads, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Framingham Police Chief Lester Baker. Evidence collected at the scene ultimately helped investigators obtain Gales DNA. In 2022, Middlesex prosecutors and the Framingham police contracted with an outside agency to conduct an investigative genetic genealogy to develop new leads that could help identify a suspect in the cold case. Investigators developed probable cause to identify Gale as a suspect after assessing the results and additional DNA sampling of his family members, according to Ryan and Baker. In May 2024, the U.S. Marshals Service offered up to a $5,000 reward for information leading to Gales arrest. Boston 25 News spoke with both of the victims about the importance of locating Gale. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were looking forward to closure and having accountability for what he did 34 years ago, one victim said. The second victim added, None of this has ever left our lives. This has always been a part of us, and its time that this guy is brought to justice and taken off the streets. Gale was later captured in August 2024 after leading police on a chase in an SUV for more than an hour. During the chase, Gale drove at moderate speeds and avoided police PIT maneuvers before hitting a spike strip, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. News of his capture brought relief in Massachusetts. Gale had been held in California since his arrest. 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 Jaqueline Meza was taken from the paradisiacal beaches of Oaxaca a week ago. It was her mother who raised the alert: she was kidnapped while she was having dinner in a restaurant near the beach. Seven men disappeared from this same area in January. Another nine young men, at the end of February. Nothing has been heard of the first group. The bodies of the second group were found 250 miles away, in another state, inside an abandoned car. What happened in between remains a mystery, but the authorities have acknowledged that they are investigating possible involvement by the police. The crimes have shattered the idea of peace on this drop-dead gorgeous stretch of coastline. This holiday haven for artists, destination for two million tourists a year and a favorite spot for Instagram photos is now also the scene of brutal mass disappearances. Life goes on along the coast of Oaxaca, with the raging waves of the Pacific in the background. The usual routines go on at the beach: vendors offering massages, spicy peanuts, handmade earrings. In Zipolite, Mexicos only official nudist beach, reggaeton and electronic music play in bars that are still running at low energy. These weeks represent a trough between the peaks of Christmas and Easter. But this year, in the interim, tragedy has struck. Between this town and Huatulco, 31 miles away, 10 people have gone missing. They were between 19 and 29 years old. Only one has been found alive. On February 28, Lesly Noya, 21, and Jaqueline Meza, 23, disappeared from Zipolite. So did Raul Gonzalez and his girlfriend Yamileth Lopez, both 28. All of them were seen for the last time, according to their families, in this town of just 1,000 residents with a reputation for being bohemian and free. Please, I ask for your help, my daughter disappeared last night, they took her and so far we know nothing, pleaded Andrea Cazares, Jaquelines mother. This is how the message ended: Two little ones, five and three years old, are waiting for her. Some of the young people who went missing in Oaxaca: Rolando Evaristo, Ruben Antonio Ramos, Jacqueline Meza , Lesly Noya, Raul Emmanuel Gonzalez, Guillermo Cortes, Yamileth Lopez and Angie Perez. At about the same time, two other families were crying out in despair over their childrens fate in Huatulco, a paradise spot with nine bays that is considered one of the regions jewels in the crown. The municipal police, they said, had taken Brenda Salas, 19, and Angie Perez, 29. The agents had reportedly beaten them and taken them to another place, according to the request for help shared with journalists. Four more people went missing in the same approximate time period: Guillermo Cortes, Jonathan Uriel Calva, Marco Antonio Flores and Rolando Armando Evaristo, who were between 22 and 29 years old. It is not known where or when exactly they were taken. The 10 young people all came from Tlaxcala, in central Mexico, and lived in towns very close to one another (Apizaco, Santa Ursula Zimatepec, Yauquemehcan). No one has confirmed whether they all knew each other before they were taken in Oaxaca. But what is certain is that their lives came together in the end. The bodies of nine of them were found inside a black Volkswagen, on the side of the highway that connects Oaxaca with Puebla. In a strange event that no authority has yet explained, the attackers left one survivor: Brenda Salas. It is more than a six-hour drive from where the youths were abducted to where their bodies were dropped off. How did the killers do it? Did they transport nine bodies for 250 miles or did they take them while they were still alive? If so, where were they killed? How much power do you have to have to be able to drive across a state with a vehicle loaded with corpses? Or how much impunity? asks a local journalist, who prefers not to give his name for security reasons. The bodies were placed exactly at the point where Oaxaca ends and the Mexican state of Puebla begins. The intention and effect of the transfer is not a coincidence: attention was diverted from the Oaxacan coast and also from its authorities. The bodies of the young people had not yet been returned to their families and Jesus Romero, Secretary of Government of Oaxaca, was already insisting to the press: Huatulco is a safe destination for all families, for all Oaxacans, for all travelers, and there are all the conditions here to come and travel. Tourists at a bar in Mazunte, Oaxaca, Mexico, on March 8, 2025. Monica Gonzalez Islas Tourism is a driving force and a source of hope in this southern state, where 60% of the population lives in poverty (20%, almost 600,000 people, in extreme poverty). In Huatulco and Puerto Escondido alone, the two main attractions on this stretch of coast, 50,000 jobs depend on tourism. The economic impact left by visitors in 2024 exceeded 12.7 billion pesos (about $626 million), according to data from state tourism authorities. While tourists keep coming (including more and more foreigners), the governor of Oaxaca, Salomon Jara, from the political party Morena, recently boasted about the low crime rates. It is the fifth state with the fewest crimes per 100,000 inhabitants, the official boasted, deploying a narrative about effectiveness, meetings, team creation and coordination. This was on February 17, nine days before everything unraveled. The case has shocked the country, both because of its savagery and its strangeness. Oaxaca had so far stayed clear of the massacres that have devastated other areas of Mexico. There is no case here like that of the 43 missing students from Iguala (Guerrero), or that of the 72 migrants executed in San Fernando (Tamaulipas). In a country with 110,000 missing persons, only 746 went missing in this state, according to figures from the Ministry of the Interior. This registry, which lists people who have not been located since 1952, includes the seven people who disappeared in May 2024 in Puerto Escondido and seven more who vanished on their way to this town in early January. After them, there were the young people from Tlaxcala. That is to say: in less than a year, 25 people have vanished from these beaches, 16 of them in the last two months. The question comes back again and again: what is happening on the coast of Oaxaca? Aerial view of La Entrega beach in Huatulco, Oaxaca. Monica Gonzalez Islas Zone of tolerance This wild stretch of coastline is considered an arrival, storage and distribution zone for drugs en route to the rest of the country. Local residents talk about planes landing in the middle of the jungle and boats arriving at night with their shipments to the sand coves. Two weeks ago, the Navy seized a boat with more than 670 kilos of cocaine in Huatulco. How many make it through for every one that they catch? It is a very important place for transit that until now had not recorded serious violent incidents, says a reporter. Discretion is the best ally of drug trafficking. A businessman from the region describes it as a zone of tolerance. No one neither the population nor the authorities reports organized crime because the latter boast of protecting and caring for the area: they prohibit robberies and extortion, they do not approve of drugs such as crystal meth or the rape of women, they do not allow excesses because that scares away the tourists and disturbs business. This routine, which is neither new nor unique to the Oaxaca coast, allows criminal organizations to keep strengthening their tentacles: It is like a power triad: drug dealers are businessmen, drug dealers are politicians, and drug dealers are drug dealers, notes a local reporter. Aerial view of Santa Cruz Bay, Huatulco, Oaxaca, Mexico. Monica Gonzalez Islas 11 murders in one weekend The same day the boys disappeared, an environmental activist, Cristino Castro, was killed. He had spent his entire life defending his land, Barra de la Cruz, against the real estate developments that are fighting to turn this coast into the new Pacific Riviera, much as has already happened in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and even Acapulco. Also that weekend, a businessman from Huatulco, Jose Alfredo Lavariega, known as El Jocha, was found dead. His murder has been linked to the disappearance of the young men from Tlaxcala. Following the most recent disappearances, an old pattern has been repeated that was created by the government of Felipe Calderon in the so-called war on drugs: the criminalization of victims of forced disappearance. The justification is that if they were taken away, they were surely up to something: that if they were killed, they must have done something. A week after the kidnappings, there were no police or military personnel watching over Zipolite. Investigations into who and how the kidnappers were able to take 10 people are at a standstill. The official plan seems to be the same as always: wait until another tragedy takes place to draw attention away from what happened here. Meanwhile, the underground rivers continue to flow and the tourists keep coming, like an unconscious part of the scenery. They dance salsa and cumbia, they swim in the clean waters and walk naked on the sand, acting as if those who were taken were not, in reality, just like them. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition A man is being held in the Clinton County Jail after police say he sold fentanyl pills to someone who later died from the drug, along with another person. Jeremy Shine (Clinton Police Department) Clinton Police began an investigation into the death of Scott Kenneth Brown, 43 and Stephanie Kaye Banker, 36, on November 8, 2023, following a welfare check at Wild Rose Casino in Clinton. As a result of the investigation, officers learned that Jeremy Tyshawn Shine sold pills to Scott Brown, which has been identified as a contributing factor in the deaths of Brown and Banker. Clinton Police obtained an arrest warrant for Shine for violating Iowa Code 124.401(1)(c) (10), possession with intent to deliver fentanyl less than 5 grams, a class C felony. A class C felony is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine between $1,370-$13,660. Shine was arrested on March 8 by the Clinton Police Department and is being held in the Clinton County Jail on a $100,500 cash-only bond while he awaits an initial court appearance. 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 WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) A Williamsburg County man is facing arson charges for allegedly setting three fires in Georgetown County, according to state authorities. Windell McDaniel, 63, of Hemingway, used an improvised incendiary device to start the fires along Deep Creek Drive, which connects Highway 261 and Barnhill Road, about six miles southeast of downtown Hemingway, the South Carolina Forest Commission said. A Forestry Commission officer responded to a woods fire on March 1 and found three separate fires along the road. Adjacent to one of the fires was a soft drink bottle containing what appeared to be kerosene and a rag that also smelled like kerosene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the investigation, authorities found a video that showed McDaniels truck in the area at about the time the fires started. McDaniel was arrested on March 3 and released from the Georgetown County Detention Center the following day on a $15,000 bond. If convicted of the arson charges, he faces a fine of not more than $5,000 or a prison sentence of not more than five years on each count. None of the fires McDaniel is alleged to have started were related to any other Georgetown County wildfires, one of which grew to 130 acres and threatened homes on Arcadia Plantation Drive, the Forestry Commission said. * * * Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dennis Bright is the Digital Executive Producer at News13. He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read 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 Georgia man is behind bars after deputies said he allowed a dog to attack a toddler. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The incident happened on Feb. 10 at a home on Davis Street in Rome, Ga. According to police reports, Daniel Ray Baldwin allowed a known aggressive dog, JJ, to be around a 3-year-old child. Deputies said because of Baldwins negligence, the child was attacked by JJ. Authorities claimed Baldwin had prior knowledge that the dog would attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The child suffered severe injuries to the arm and puncture wounds to the leg, the report states. TRENDING STORIES: Baldwin was arrested and charged with cruelty to children in the second degree. He was booked into the Floyd County Jail. Theres no word on the childs current condition. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] CRAWFORD COUNTY, Ill. (WTWO/WAWV) An Illinois man is in custody in Crawford County after he was allegedly in possession of child pornography, according to court documents. Jefferey E. McIntosh was charged with child pornography after he allegedly possessed a visual reproduction of a child, when the defendant reasonably should know to be under the age of 13, actually engaging in an act of sexual penetration with another person, knowingly possessed a video which depicted a female child under the age of 13, performing oral sex on an adult male, according to court documents. McIntosh had a previous conviction of predatory criminal sexual assault (class 1 felony) in Jasper County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyWabashValley.com. ANSONIA, Conn. (WTNH) A man was charged after allegedly firing a gun from his window and into the woods Friday, police said. Ryan Ortiz, 39, was charged with five counts of criminal possession of firearms and ammunition and two counts of criminal possession of a pistol. Litchfield attorney found guilty of manslaughter in 2021 fatal shooting It happened around 10:30 p.m. when Ansonia police received multiple calls reporting shots fired in the area of Franklin Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said a witness reported seeing a gun pointed out a window and fired toward the rear of the house into the woods. Officers made contact with the resident and another occupant, and shell casings were found outside the home, authorities said. Police obtained a search warrant for the home and found two handguns, a shotgun, three BB guns, and ammunition, officers said. Police said Ortiz is a convicted felon for illegal sale of firearm in New York. He was held on a $250,000.00 bond. He is scheduled for arraignment at Derby Superior Court on March 10, 2025 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) A North Carolina man is awaiting trial this month after DNA evidence linked him to a nearly 13-year-old sexual assault cold case that occurred near Western Michigan University. A pretrial hearing was held inside a Kalamazoo County courtroom Monday where Dustin Thomas, 35, faces one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. AG: Man bound over to trial in 2012 assault at Kalamazoo fraternity house Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Kalamazoo investigators, Thomass DNA was linked to a 2012 sexual assault that happened in a fraternity home near WMU. A 21-year-old female reported the assault to police, but the rape kit wasnt tested until years later. The case was then referred to the Kalamazoo Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) in 2022 for re-examination. The Sexual Assault Kit Initiative continues to deliver for survivors in often-difficult cold cases, and my office is proud to support their efforts, Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a release. DNA doesnt lie: Kalamazoo County rape kit program yields arrests Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the state established its SAKI unit in 2016, Kalamazoos division has processed or started to process some 200 cold-case sexual assaults that happened between 1976 and 2015. Kalamazoo County Prosecuting Attorney Jeffrey S. Getting said in a February release, because of their hard work, we are able to bring forward a case, despite the passage of more than a decade, on behalf of a survivor that otherwise would not have a chance for justice. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. Brian Musgrave has hit back at GOP firebrand Nancy Mace after she called him and three others predators during a speech House floor last month. During the speech, Mace, a congresswoman from South Carolina, accused her former fiance Patrick Bryant of rape and claimed that he and three other men, including Musgrave, recorded sex acts without her consent. She displayed their names, hometowns and photos on a placard alongside the words predators and stay away from. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly before the speech, Musgrave said he got a text from an unknown person stating that he was about to be mentioned in the House by Mace. First reaction was, what could that even be? It just didnt make any sense, Musgrave told CNN. I couldnt think of a context where I would be named in a floor speech by Nancy Mace at all. Nancy Mace gave a scorched earth speech on the House floor, where she accused her ex-fiance Patrick Bryant and three business of his associates of sex crimes (Nancy Mace/X) I rise today to call out the cowards who think they can prey on women and get away with it, said Mace. Today, Im going scorched earth. Musgrave categorically rejected the allegations when speaking to CNN and denied having witnessed the alleged crimes mentioned by Mace. A representative for Bryant also rejected all criminal allegations in a statement to CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musgrave is an old friend of Bryant and he said he doesnt believe the allegations against him. Mace claimed that she found more than 10,000 hidden camera videos and photos when Bryant gave her access to his phone during their time as a couple. She went on to claim that the assaults - that first came to light in November 2023 - had gone on for over a decade, almost 20 years. South Carolina Law Enforcement told the outlet that they are investigating, and that the subject of their inquiries is Bryant. CNN also confirmed that the videos do exist, although they are unable to verify their contents and have not reviewed any of them. Musgrave said the impact of last months speech has been catastrophic. Mace claimed that she found more than 10,000 hidden camera videos and photos when Bryant gave her access to his phone during their time as a couple. Bryant denies any wrongdoing. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images) For the rest of my life, when someone Googles Brian Musgrave this is going to be the thing that comes up, said Musgrave. Im completely uncertain what tomorrow is going to be business-wise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our lives have been completely upended. We will never be able to go back to the way things were for us, which was nice and quiet and happy, Musgrave added. Hes nowhere near any of those things that she was accusing him of, Musgraves wife Jen told CNN. Anyone who knows him, theres just no way it would ever be possible so to have someone say something like that, in public, it just blew my mind. It made me mad to think that someone could say that without an ounce of truth behind it, she said. S. ABINGTON TWP., LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Police arrested a man after they say he fired multiple shots, which led to a stand-off over the weekend. According to the South Abington Township Police Department, on March 8 around 10:00 p.m., officers were called to the 1100 block of Layton Road for a man with a gun, threatening to harm himself. Police say the man, identified as 56-year-old George Frietto, fired one shot through the bedroom wall while officers were speaking with a woman who lives in the home with him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers said they went outside and took cover behind patrol vehicles after the shot was fired. Multiple police units were called to the scene, and officers attempted to get Frietto to exit the house, but they did not succeed. Police said they then learned that Frietto was having a mental health crisis after attending the Scranton Saint Patricks Parade with friends. After several attempts to get Frietto to leave the home, officers said they called for the Lackawanna County SWAT team. As stated in the affidavit, shortly after calling for the SWAT team, a second shot was fired from inside the house. Eventually, investigators were able to arrest Frietto and charged him with discharge of a firearm into an occupied structure, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, and terroristic threats. 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 PAhomepage.com. CHRISTIAN COUNTY, Ky. (WKRN) A man was charged with murder after a woman was found with a fatal gunshot wound inside a Christian County residence Sunday night. According to the Christian County Sheriffs Office, around 10:30 p.m. deputies received a domestic disturbance report in the 6000 block of Pembroke Oak Grove Road involving a woman and a man. Officials said the person who reported the disturbance informed emergency services that shots were fired. Woman critically injured after shots fired at East Nashville duplex Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upon their arrival, Anthony Moore, 35, was reportedly found sitting on the front porch and was immediately placed under arrest. Inside the residence, deputies found 31-year-old Cicara C. James dead from a gunshot wound to the head. According to CCSO, Moore admitted that he shot James during an interview with detectives. He was charged with murder and first-degree wanton endangerment. Anthony Moore (Christian County Sheriffs Office) Officials said Moore and James lived in the same residence and shared children. WKDZ Radio reported Moore was previously arrested in February and charged with fourth-degree assault, but he was on court release at the time of the shooting Sunday. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Three children were in the home at the time of the shooting, and they were not harmed in the incident, according to WKDZ. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No additional information was immediately released. For anyone in a crisis, help is out there. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. Download the News 2 app to stay updated on the go. Sign up for WKRN email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox. Find todays top stories on WKRN.com for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee. This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. Inunnguaq Jensen asks for a cigarette from every smoker he sees on the streets of Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. When they offer him a light as well as tobacco, he shyly explains that he prefers to save it for later. The young man maintains that until a few days ago he had never been interested in politics. On Tuesday I will vote for the first time, he says with a certain pride. I am not yet sure which party I will vote for, but I will vote for one that is clearly pro-independence. There are very few of us here, but we have a lot of minerals, gas and oil to exploit, as well as fishing, he explains. We could be tremendously rich. I would have a permanent job and could even buy cigarettes, says Jensen, 23, who has never left Nuuk. Tuesdays parliamentary elections in Greenland, an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, have captured the attention of not only new voters like Jensen but also half the world. Donald Trumps renewed interest in annexing the island the largest on the planet to the United States, one way or the other, as he declared last week in his first speech to Congress of his second presidential term, has drawn unprecedented media attention to Greenland, which is home to just 57,000 people. And Trumps expansionist ambitions, combined with the islands tense relationship with Copenhagen, have fueled a surge in pro-independence sentiment in recent weeks. Five of the six Greenlandic parties in the race support independence; the main debate is not whether to break from Denmark, but when and how. In Nuuk, it is difficult to find a person who supports maintaining ties with Copenhagen, but even fewer support becoming the 51st state of the worlds leading superpower. A recent survey, funded by the Danish newspaper Berlingske and the Greenlandic newspaper Sermitsiaq, found that 85% of the population firmly rejects joining the United States, while only 6% are clearly in favor. Trumps supporters on the island one of the most remote, unspoiled, and inhospitable places in the world are few, but some have become well-known figures. Jorgen Boassen, a 50-year-old bricklayer with a rough beard and stocky build, has passionately defended the controversial president since he first arrived at the White House in 2017. Ive been insulted countless times and even received death threats, but I wont be intimidated, he says at Nuuk High School, just before the final election debate. Even so, Im getting more and more messages of support, even from the smallest and most distant villages. Like many Greenlanders, Boassen is of mixed Danish and Inuit descent. He traveled to Washington in January to attend Trumps inauguration and, in October, campaigned for the Republican in Pennsylvania, knocking on doors in the key swing state. Boassen believes that Trumps interest in Greenland the president has repeatedly said that ownership and control of the giant frozen island is an absolute necessity for the United States offers Greenland its best bargaining chip with Denmark. Boassen wasnt the only Greenlander present at Trumps second inauguration. He was joined by Kuno Fencker, a controversial figure who has shaken up the islands political landscape in recent weeks. In mid-February, just before the deadline to register candidates, Fencker left Siumut the Social Democratic party that has dominated Greenlandic politics for decades to join Naleraq, a populist, staunchly pro-independence party. His partner, 28-year-old Aki-Matilda Hegh-Dam 22 years his junior resigned from her seat in the Danish Parliament and also left Siumut to join Naleraq. Jorgen Boassen and Donald Trump Jr., on January 7 in Nuuk. Emil Stach (Ritzau Scanpix / Cordon Press) Both parties in the governing coalition Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit only pay lip service to independence, Fencker says, sitting in a pizzeria in central Nuuk. He is confident that his new party will achieve a strong result on Tuesday. We will only govern with parties that are ready to start the independence process now, he says. Naleraq has recently strengthened its ranks, not only with Fencker and Hegh-Dam but also with Qupanuq Olsen, Greenlands leading social media influencer, who boasts nearly 1.5 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Greenland was a colony administered by Copenhagen from the 18th century until 1953, when it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenlanders became Danish citizens. In 2009, Copenhagen granted the island broad self-government powers, although defense, foreign and monetary policy remained under Danish control. The Statute of Autonomy recognizes Greenlands right to self-determination, and Paragraph 21 sets out the steps to be taken if the Greenlandic Parliament initiates the process. First, an agreement would have to be reached with Copenhagen on the terms of separation; then, Greenlanders must approve it via referendum; finally, the Danish Parliament must give its consent. At -10C, amid heavy snowfall, Oliver Bech, the youngest candidate in this election at just 19, is handing out campaign leaflets in the heart of Nuuk. A high school student who works as a pub bouncer on weekends, he is running on the Social Democrat Siumut ticket. In early January, when Donald Trump Jr., the presidents eldest son, made a brief visit to Greenland in coordination with Boassen, Bechs curiosity was piqued. He decided to visit a local bar where Trump Jr. was offering free food and drinks to anyone who joined him. It was grotesque, Bech recalls. Upon arrival, he noticed that most of the attendees at the open bar, funded by Trump, were homeless people or individuals with serious social issues. Some did not even understand English; others had no idea who their generous host was. With a tone that straddled promise and threat, Trump Jr. assured them: We are going to treat you very well. Among the guests, Bech also spotted Timmy Zeeb, who had been sentenced in 2019 to four years in prison for cannabis trafficking. In a video recorded by Trumps entourage which has since amassed over 10 million views online Zeeb urged the U.S. president to annex Greenland. I was the only one who told Trump Jr. to his face that we do not want to be part of the United States, says Bech. A few days later, a group of Trump-supporting YouTubers arrived in Greenland, handing out caps, T-shirts, and $100 bills (92) to locals. Natural resources None of Greenlands political parties openly support annexation by the United States. However, some like Naleraq favor strengthening ties with Washington once independence is achieved in order to develop natural resources and establish a bilateral security and defense agreement. For now, economic ties between Greenland and the U.S. are expected to strengthen in June when United Airlines launches a direct route between New York and Nuuk. Currently, the Arctic island is only accessible via Denmark and Iceland. Greenlands main parties disagree on what relations with Denmark should look like in an independent future. Some advocate cutting all ties, while others see Denmark remaining Greenlands primary trading partner. Copenhagen currently provides Nuuk with an annual subsidy of around 520 million, covering roughly half of Greenlands public budget. Nearly 50% of Greenlands exports go to Denmark, while over 55% of its imports come from the former colonial power. Bo Martinsen, a candidate for Demokraatit (a liberal party), would like to see Greenland become a member state of the United Nations which would make it the worlds 12th largest country by land area and ninth-smallest by population. However, he believes self-determination is premature. We still have many steps to take before our economy can stand on its own without Copenhagens subsidies, he says over coffee. Martinsen sees mining and hydrocarbon extraction as pillars of Greenlands future economy but insists that any transition must happen gradually and on Greenlands terms. Martinsen rejects the idea of U.S. annexation outright. Its absurd to try to break away from Denmark only to be colonized by a more aggressive power, he argues. While acknowledging past tensions, he believes Greenlands relationship with Copenhagen in recent decades has not been as bad as many think. He insists an independent Greenland would be more prosperous if it maintained good ties with Denmark. My father came here from Denmark and my mother was Greenlandic. I am proud of my origins and I refuse to have to repudiate a part of my identity, he says. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. A mother is at large after detectives said her 2-year-old child shot themselves with her gun. According to the North County Police Cooperatives probable cause statement, the shooting happened on March 6. Police did not provide a more specific location. Police responded to a hospital after being notified of a child shooting victim. Police learned the 2-year-old victim had been shot in the leg and suffered a severe calf injury. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By the time officers arrived at the hospital, the child and mother, Taiesha Campbell, had been transferred to another hospital. Police said hospital security had detained Rodrick Miller, who came to the first hospital with Campbell. Miller and Campbell claimed the child had been wounded in a drive-by shooting, according to police. However, detectives reviewed surveillance footage from the time and place where the alleged drive-by occurred and found no evidence of that happening. Man arrested for threat to kill St. Louis mayor, others: Records Police said Campbell admitted that she and Miller were cleaning her gun and that they left it on the couch when they were finished. Campbell said she went up to get a snack, leaving Miller and child in the room with the gun. She said she heard the gunshot and came back to see her child had been injured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators said Campbell confessed to tossing the gun in a wooded area while she and Miller drove the child to the hospital. Police later found the firearm. While speaking with detectives, Miller corroborated Campbells story, but denied being in the room when the gun was fired. Miller has a prior felony conviction and is thus not allowed to possess, own, or handle a firearm. After going to the home where the shooting occurred, police found piece of the couch had been cut out, along with an open back containing suspected narcotics. The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorneys Office charged Miller with first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, armed criminal action, unlawful possession of a firearm, and tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution. Campbell was charged in absentia with first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, armed criminal action, and tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Miller is due in court for a bond reduction hearing on March 17 and a preliminary hearing on April 9. A St. Louis Circuit Court judge signed an arrest warrant for Campbell on March 7. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) A man who served a prison sentence for manslaughter was found passed out Saturday with two guns and a drum magazine, reports said. Michael Collins Jr., 47, faces charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, a third-degree felony; carrying concealed weapons, a fourth-degree felony; and receiving stolen property, also a fourth-degree felony. An arraignment date is unclear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Collins was treated at St. Elizabeth Health Center after he was found at about 7:50 p.m. Saturday passed out in a yard at West Ravenwood and Hudson Avenues. Reports said Collins was snoring. As police went to give him first aid, an officer saw a semiautomatic handgun gun sticking out of the bottom of his coat, reports said. After police found that gun, they found another semiautomatic handgun in his waistband and a drum magazine inside one of his coat pockets, reports said. Reports said police were able to wake Collins, who told them he had an asthma attack and passed out. Reports said the gun found in his waistband was reported stolen by Niles police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Collins was also sentenced on June 10, 1999 to nine years in prison after pleading guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter for the Jan. 10, 1999, shooting death of a man at a North Pearl Street home whose body was later dumped on Arcadia Avenue. Collins was granted early release in 2007, court records show. An ambulance took Collins to the hospital to be examined. He is expected to be booked into the Mahoning County Jail when he is cleared by the hospital. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A man who had been shot was found near a Whitehaven elementary school on Monday morning, according to the Memphis Police Department. Police say the victim was found in the area of 4100 Millbranch Road at around 5 a.m. The victim allegedly flagged a police officer down in front of the elementary school entrance saying he had been shot in the neck. See more breaking news, local news and weather from WREG.com for Memphis and the Mid-South. Sign up for WREG newsletters and have the latest top stories sent right to your inbox. Reports say the victim believed he had been set up by a woman he was meeting in the area of Airways Boulevard and Ash Street. He said he was talking to the woman when she got on the phone and began arguing with another man. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A man in a small, red sedan then drove up beside the victim at East Raines Road and Ambrose Road and started shooting at him. The victim fled the area to get help after he was shot in the neck. He was taken to Regional One in critical condition. This is the second shooting so far this year at the location where the victim was located. If you have any information that could help police, 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. One person was killed and a firefighter was seriously injured in a Los Angeles house fire on Saturday evening. The L.A. City Fire Department said crews responded to reports of a structure fire in the Hyde Park neighborhood at 6:55 p.m. Once at the scene, firefighters encountered heavy fire in two rooms of a one-story, single-family dwelling in the 7000 block of S 4th Avenue. Crews got reports of a person possibly trapped inside and made an aggressive interior fire attack while conducting a thorough search of the home, LAFD said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Firefighters found a man, estimated to be about 50 years old, unconscious with significant burn injuries. LAFD said crews and paramedics began life-saving procedures while transporting the gravely injured patient to the trauma center. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts and the work of the staff at the emergency room, the patient did not survive, said the department. It was not immediately known whether the victim had tried to evacuate, and officials had not released his identity as of Sunday afternoon. LAFD said it took about 22 minutes and 42 firefighters to knock down the fire. A 33-year-old, male LAFD firefighter also sustained serious but non-life threatening injuries and was transported to the hospital, added fire officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The injured firefighters status was not included in the fire departments initial release. The department said that per protocol, the LAFD Arson and Counter-Terrorism Section responded and is conducting an active investigation into the cause of the 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 KTLA. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) A Leavittsburg man accused of leading police on a chase from Lawrence County in Pennsylvania to the East Side pleaded guilty last week to two charges in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. Scott Pelton, 27, entered guilty pleas before Visiting Judge W. Wyatt McKay to charges of felonious assault, a second-degree felony; and failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony. He was sentenced to two years in prison, which was the recommended sentence in the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pelton also faces charges of fleeing and eluding and OVI in Pennsylvania after reports said he led Pulaski Township police on a chase in a U-Haul Nov. 20 that ended on McCartney Road in Youngstown. Pulaski police said the vehicle Pelton was driving rear-ended another car. The other car followed Pelton, who refused to stop until he got to the parking lot of a feed store, investigators said. When police arrived at the parking lot, Pelton would not get out of his vehicle. Police said Pelton eventually hit the store, damaging a door, and drove away, leading police on a chase down U.S. 422 into Ohio, where he hit at least seven vehicles. Reports said Pelton hit several vehicles while driving westbound on McCartney Road, as well as a utility pole, and hit several vehicles that were parked at a car lot on McCartney Road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) A 58-year-old man from Rochester accused of having hundreds of images of child porn was charged with receipt and possession of child pornography and released on conditions, the U.S. Attorneys Office WNY announced Monday afternoon. Google notified the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an account tied to Daniel Walsh had uploaded multiple images of child pornography in November 2024, according to prosecutors. The FBI later conducted a search warrant at Walshs residence, and several electronic devices, including computers, were recovered with hundreds of child pornography images involving prepubescent minors and other adults, prosecutors announced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In many instances, Walsh had superimposed the faces of minors that he knew onto the images, prosecutors stated. Man in critical condition after shooting during unsanctioned party in Rochester Walsh was charged and released on conditions, prosecutors announced, however, it was not specified what those conditions entailed. The charge Walsh faces carries a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. LONDON (Reuters) - A man who climbed part way up the 'Big Ben' clock tower at London's Palace of Westminster early on Saturday and stayed there all day as part of a pro-Palestinian protest, appeared in court on Monday. Clutching a Palestinian flag, Daniel Day, 29, scaled 25 metres (82 feet) up the building, officially known as the Elizabeth Tower, at about 7:20 a.m. on Saturday, remaining there for 16 hours until agreeing to come down, his lawyer and prosecutors told London's Westminster Magistrates' Court. He was subsequently charged by police with climbing and remaining on the tower which created "a risk or caused serious harm to the public", and also trespassing on a protected site. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors said Day's actions had led to serious disruption in that area of central London with roads closed and buses diverted, and the cancellation of parliamentary tours had cost 25,000 pounds ($32,300). Day's lawyer said he would plead not guilty to the first charge, saying his action was designed to spread awareness regarding the situation in Gaza and Britain's response to it. The second charge of trespass requires the authorisation of the attorney general, and so the case was adjourned until March 17 for a decision to be made. Day, from a seaside town in eastern England, was remanded in custody, with his supporters clapping and shouting "Hero" and "Free Palestine" as he was led away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lindsay Hoyle, the speaker of parliament's House of Commons, which is also located in the Palace of Westminster, said he had asked for a review of the incident. ($1 = 0.7745 pounds) (Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Sachin Ravikumar) (Stock photo by Greenleaf123/Getty Images) A Canadian man who pleaded guilty last fall to shooting at energy facilities in North Dakota and South Dakota was sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison. Cameron Monte Smith, 50, also was ordered to pay more than $2 million in restitution after being convicted in U.S. District Court of two counts of destruction of an energy facility. Court documents show that Smith used a high-powered rifle to shoot at the Wheelock electric substation near Ray in northwest North Dakota in May 2023. The substation is operated by Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative and Basin Electric Power Cooperative. The shooting knocked out power to more than 240 people, The Bismarck Tribune has reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smith also used a rifle to shoot a transformer and pump station of the Keystone Pipeline in eastern South Dakotas Clark County in July 2022, court records show. The damage disrupted the pipeline, operated by TC Energy, which carries oil from Canada through North Dakota and South Dakota to facilities in Illinois and Texas. This sentence serves as a reminder that the Department of Justice will use all its resources to investigate and aggressively prosecute any attack on our critical civilian infrastructures, Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl, acting U.S. attorney for the District of North Dakota, said in a statement. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Americas approached International Womens Day on March 8 with a sense of urgency. On Saturday, thousands of women took to the streets to demand their right to live free from violence, to be free from discrimination, to have control over their own bodies, and to close the gaps of poverty and inequality. EL PAIS shares the stories of eight inspiring women who call on us not only to defend the present rights, but also the future of girls and adolescents across the region. They are facing a rising reactionary wave that aims to roll them back. The right to abortion, the classification of femicide, and policies for equality are once again under threat. The advancement of womens rights in the Americas has been shaped by decades of struggle and perseverance by activists, feminists, community leaders, judges, lawyers, doctors, politicians, and journalists. Todays reality demands their participation in a resistance movement that cannot be understood in isolation but as a united force. In the face of sexism in the Americas, their response is to build feminist networks that fight for equality. Horrara Moreira, Brazil As a counterpoint to a dystopian future, this lawyer, who exposes the biases in artificial intelligence, emphasizes the importance of focusing on the small, meaningful aspects of lifethose that cannot be monetized or reduced to data. SEE PROFILE Bamby Salcedo, United States The Mexican-born activist, who founded an NGO in defense of trans people, is confident in the power of the community in the face of the challenges of the Trump administration: Even if they kill us, they cannot extinguish us. We are part of humanity." SEE PROFILE Olga Cantillo, Panama The first female president of the Latin American Stock Exchange advocates for quotas as a tool to accelerate change and integrate women into decision-making, but also urges companies to take on their responsibilities out of conviction, not just for regulatory compliance. SEE PROFILE Gabriela Salas, Mexico The Indigenous scientist who introduced Nahuatl, a language spoken by 1.6 million people in Mexico, into Google Translate, is a passionate advocate for knowledge and equal access to education. She believes: It is important for girls to study in order to be freer. SEE PROFILE Katherine Jaramillo, Colombia The teacher and activist, who combats the sexual exploitation of girls and adolescents, warns that this crime has become more visible in Colombia since the pandemic. To fight it, she argues, the first step is to stop normalizing it. SEE PROFILE Dannya Bravo, Ecuador At 13, she is one of nine Amazonian girls who won a lawsuit against the Ecuadorian state to stop gas flaring in the world's largest rainforest. However, her fight continues as the ruling has yet to be enforced. SEE PROFILE Eva Barrionuevo, Argentina The doctor, who works on the front lines defending the right to abortion, describes how misinformation, shortages of medication, and the intimidation of healthcare professionals have intensified under the Milei government: "We know this right is not guaranteed forever, and we will continue to fight for it. SEE PROFILE Francisca Junemann, Chile The president of Fundacion ChileMujeres has been fighting for labor equality for decades: The best investment a country can make is to pass a strong childcare law, she says. SEE PROFILE Credits: Project coordination and editing: Lorena Arroyo, Catalina Oquendo and Camila Osorio. Design and programming: Monica Juarez Martin and Angel Herdora. Reporting: Mar Centenera, Maye Primera, Carlos Salinas Maldonado, Almudena Barragan, Lucas Reynoso, Carolina Mella, Joan Royo Gual and Antonia Laborde. Visual editing: Hector Guerrero. Photography: Natalia Diaz, Gabriel Osorio, Tarina Rodriguez, Jaime Villanueva, Andres Galeano, Karen Toro, Leonardo Carrato and Sofia Yanjari. A man has been sentenced to 76 years in prison for a Brooklyn Park shooting that left a man dead and three others injured. Kevin Jason Harris, 28, was sentenced to 922 months in prison in Hennepin County court on Friday, following the April 5, 2024 shooting that killed Mohamed Ade, 19. At trial, Harris was convicted of one count of 2nd-degree intentional murder, three counts of 2nd-degree attempted murder, one count of owning a handgun modified with a "switch" and one count of illegally possessing a firearm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shooting was reported at the intersection of Glenwood and Logan Avenues in Brooklyn Park, with officers en route to the call stopped by the driver of a Jeep. Inside the Jeep was Ade, who had been shot in the neck. He died at the scene. Tony Webster, Flickr The three other people in the Jeep told police a man had shot at them as they drove through the intersection of Logan and Glenwood. The victims said they had had no prior interaction with the man before the shooting, but that he opened fire after the Jeep's acceleration caused a loud noise from the vehicle. A witness who lived at a house where Harris had been seen said that the shooting was in response to the engine revving, with the suspects in the vehicle believing the Jeep was being driven by rival gang members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harris was later arrested in Chicago. "This was another tragic instance of gun violence that took the life of one person and harmed many more," Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement. "Today, my thoughts are with Mr. Ades family and with the other victims and their families. Mr. Harris is being held accountable, and his sentence will protect our community." ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WSPA) A man has been sentenced following his conviction for robbery with a dangerous weapon at an Ingles in Asheville. 33-year-old Tracee Lakiem Green was ordered five to seven years in connection to an armed robbery at 915 Merrimon Avenue in 2024. On July 28, the Asheville Police Department responded to reports of two masked males armed with handguns who confronted two Ingles employees outside the store. It was reported that the suspects demanded money collected from the gas station register. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the employees fell and injured his leg during the incident but declined medical attention, officials said. Witnesses reported seeing the suspects flee the scene in a dark-colored Subaru linked to Green. Officers located the vehicle shortly after, where it was seized and towed for further investigation under a search warrant. Both victims told investigators that the suspect resembled a former employee, and Ingles staff later confirmed that Green had worked for that location. Green will serve a term of 60-84 months in the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections. As part of his sentence, Green was ordered to obey a permanent no-contact order prohibiting Green from the Ingles location. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is also required to participate in educational and vocational services while incarcerated. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ODESSA, Texas (WJW) A Texas man will spend the better part of 20 years behind bars after pleading guilty in an 8-year-old girls death. The case dates back to August 2020, when law enforcement responded to Daniel Schwarz home for a medical emergency involving the child, according to the Ector County District Attorney. Investigation underway after 40-car fire in Lorain Investigators discovered that Schwarz, 48, and his wife Ashley had forced their daughter to jump on a trampoline for an extended period without food or water as a form of punishment, the DAs office said in a Facebook post on March 6. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The trampolines surface temperature was about 110 degrees at the time. Daniel Schwarz (Credit: Ector County District Attorney) According to FOX 8 sister station KMID, an autopsy determined the girl died from dehydration. A 2020 affidavit revealed the girl was not allowed to eat breakfast and was forced to jump on the trampoline without stopping. Police also said she wasnt allowed to drink water after jumping, KMID reported. Schwarz and his wife were reportedly not the girls biological parents. They were granted custody of the girl and her sister after they were removed from their mothers care, KMID reported. Schwarz pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 18 years in prison. His wife was previously convicted of capital murder in 2023 and sentenced to life in prison without parole, according to the DAs post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators look for bar shooter after 3 hospitalized in Akron This outcome is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our prosecutors and the Odessa Police Department in seeking justice, the post concluded. During Ashley Schwarz trial in 2023, she testified that shed fed the girl and her sister breakfast and lunch and that shed been given water throughout the course of her punishment, according to KMID. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A man from India was sentenced to five years behind bars and is forced to pay back more than $100,000 in restitution for his role in a wire fraud phone scam. The U.S. Attorneys Office for Northern Mississippi says Nooruddin Bhai Nasruddin, 52, was involved in a wire fraud conspiracy where the callers contacted victims and told them that their bank accounts and social security numbers were stolen/hacked. The callers convinced the victims to withdraw cash that was picked up by a fake federal agent, which was actually Nasruddin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In May of 2024, a victim in North Carolina received a call that Ticketmaster had a data breach and their account had been compromised. The U.S. Attorneys Office says the caller told the victim their account was no longer safe, and instructed the victim to deposit thousands of dollars into a Bitcoin machine, which the caller claimed to be controlled by the government. The caller then told the victim to withdraw all the money into the bank account and give a special code to a federal agent. The victim did as they were asked and gave the money and code to Nasruddin, who was posing as the federal agent in the scam. In August 2024, another victim in Oxford, Mississippi was contacted by the caller, posing as a member of the Federal Trade Commission. The victim was told their social security number and bank account was compromised. The caller told the victim to withdraw the money and give it to the federal agent for safekeeping, and also asked the victim to send a photo of the money to the callers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nasruddin showed up to pick up the money and was arrested by the Lafayette County Sheriffs Department. Nasruddin, who the U.S. Attorneys Office said is in the United States illegally, was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $104,000 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 WREG.com. A Dearborn, Missouri, father has filed a lawsuit against two men recently charged in the drug-related death of his son and two other Chiefs fans in Kansas Citys Northland last year. Jordan R. Willis, 39, and Ivory J. Carson, 42, were charged Wednesday in Platte County court with delivering a controlled substance and three counts of involuntary manslaughter each. Ricky Johnson, 38, David Harrington, 37, and Clayton McGeeney, 36, died of fentanyl and cocaine toxicity, prosecutors said, while watching the Chiefs play the Los Angeles Chargers at Willis home on Jan. 7, 2024. On Friday, Davids father, 59-year-old Jon Harrington, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Willis and Carson. The lawsuit argues that having cocaine and fentanyl on the premises of Willis home constituted a danger to David Harrington and his friends, for which Willis and Carson should be held liable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Defendant Willis and Defendant Ivory knew, or through the use of a reasonable degree of care, should have known of the presence of the fentanyl and the dangers and hazards that it posed including the possibility of being lethal to anyone that might ingest it, the lawsuit reads. No one heard from McGeeney, Johnson and David Harrington again after they arrived at Willis home for kickoff, in the 5200 block of Northwest 83rd Terrace, loved ones previously told The Star. McGeeneys fiancee broke into the home on Jan. 9, 2024 searching for her fiancee and discovered the bodies of one of the men on the back porch. Police found two other men in the backyard. Loved ones previously told The Star that McGeeney, Johnson and David Harrington had been good friends since childhood and had graduated from Park Hill High School together. The lawsuit also argues that Willis and Ivory were negligent in distributing controlled substances. At the time of filing, Willis and Ivory had been charged with, but not convicted of, providing cocaine-laced fentanyl directly to David Harrington and his friends. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators believe that Carson had dealt cocaine directly to David Harrington in the past, and that Willis had provided David Harrington, Johnson and McGeeney with cocaine on other occasions, according to charging documents in the criminal case against Willis and Ivory. Willis maintains that he is not responsible for his friends deaths and did not supply them with drugs, his lawyer John Picerno told The Star. Picerno also said that Willis had previously been told by the Platte County Prosecutors Office that he would not be charged. Jordan maintains that he is not responsible for purchasing or supplying the drugs that led to the deaths of his three friends, Picerno told The Star Wednesday. We are very much looking forward to the day a jury gets to hear all of the evidence in this case. Picerno declined to comment further on the lawsuit Sunday, referring The Star to his previous remarks. Attorneys for Jon Harrington and Carson, who has been appointed a public defender, were not immediately available for comment Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jon Harringtons lawsuit will first be heard in Platte County court on June 13 at 9:00 a.m., according to court records. Jon Harrington is seeking upwards of $25,000 in damages, according to the lawsuit. Previous reporting by Kendrick Calfee and Nathan Pilling contributed to this article. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) Louisiana voters are set to decide on four constitutional amendments on March 29. Proposed amendments on the ballot include tax code changes, specialty courts, prosecuting juveniles as adults and judicial vacancies. Heres what voters need to know before the election. Early Voting: Early voting for the March 29 election was March 15-22, excluding Sunday, March 16. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Absentee Ballots: The deadline to request an absentee ballot is 4:30 p.m. March 25. Absentee ballots can be requested online or in writing through the Registrar of Voters Office. The deadline to return absentee ballots is 4:30 p.m. March 28. When do polls open on March 29? Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters can find their polling location and sample ballot on the GeauxVote app or by visiting GeauxVote.com. Voters are reminded by the Louisiana Secretary of State to bring an ID with them to the polls. I am remaining on the ballot: City of St. George mayoral candidate re-enters race 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. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has threatened to deport green card holders involved in pro-Palestine protests, marking a stark escalation of President Donald Trumps crackdown on student activists. Rubio shared an Associated Press article about Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University graduate and lead negotiator for the Gaza solidarity encampment who was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in New York on Saturday evening. He was detained by cops despite holding a green card, making him a lawful U.S. resident. We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported, Rubio tweeted alongside a link to the article. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Critics have condemned Rubios comments and Khalil's arrest as a violation of the First Amendment which protects the freedom of speech and assembly. More than 832,000 people had signed an online petition calling for Khalils release by Monday morning. On Sunday evening, the Department of Homeland Security described the arrest as being in support of President Trumps executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism, while also alleging that Khalil led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. Marco Rubio - pictured in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, last month - has vowed to revoke green cards and visas of Hamas supporters after Mahmoud Khalils arrest (AP) The DHS can initiate deportation proceedings against green card holders for a range of criminal activities including offering support for a terrorist organization. However, the legal foundations for the detention of a permanent U.S. resident who has not been charged with a crime remain questionable. The Secretary of States comments appeared to build on Trump's executive order in January warning anyone involved in pro-jihadist protests and all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses would be detained and deported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The administration has claimed protestors had relinquished their rights to remain in the U.S. by supporting Hamas. Student negotiator Mahmoud Khalil on the Columbia University campus in New York at a pro-Palestinian protest in 2024 (AP) On Friday, the Trump administration announced it would pull $400 million in funding from Columbia University, canceling grants and contracts over what four government agencies described as continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students. The university was at the epicenter of student protests against the Gaza war that swept across college campuses across virtually every U.S. state last spring. Just days earlier, the president threatened to pull funding from schools, colleges and universities that allow illegal protests on Tuesday. The Trump administration is said to be planning to use artificial intelligence to scrape social media in search of students perceived to support Hamas and other terrorist organizations, part of a program to catch and revoke their student visas, according to Axios. The Marine Corps stood up a unit last week meant to sow "chaos and uncertainty" for its adversaries in the Pacific, according to a news release, adding the service's first U.S. anti-ship missile battery in Okinawa, Japan, under its newest littoral concept. The 12th Littoral Combat Team was established in a ceremony at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, on March 3 and is the third and final element of the Marine Corps' latest answer to Chinese influence in the Pacific: the Marine littoral regiment, or MLR. The 12th LCT is made up of a reinforced infantry battalion and anti-ship missile battery; it will be specifically equipped with 18 Navy/Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction Systems, also known as NMESIS units, a spokesperson told Military.com on Monday. The systems are colloquially described as "ship killers" for their mobile ability to destroy enemy vessels from land. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read Next: GOP Plan to Avert Government Shutdown Would Fund Next Month's Junior Enlisted Pay Raise The littoral combat team joins the 12th's Littoral Anti-Air Battalion and Littoral Logistics Battalion; together, the three units make up the 12th MLR, which is based in Okinawa and is a cornerstone to the Marine Corps' effort to redesign itself as a more agile and technologically advanced force in the Pacific. "We bring this combat power to Okinawa to be able to deliver it in the eyes of our adversaries and ensure we can bring it to the decisive point on the battlefield," Col. Peter Eltringham, the commanding officer of 12th Marine Littoral Regiment, said in the news release. Like other units under the new littoral strategy, the 12th LCT was remade from the 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, which was activated more than 100 years ago. The 12th MLR, its parent element, was redesignated in 2023 from the 12th Marine Regiment, an artillery unit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The purpose of the MLR is to provide the Marine Corps a mobile, low-signature unit permanently maintained in the Pacific in what the service refers to as a "stand-in force," meaning that -- unlike most Marine expeditionary units -- the MLR is already in place and can quickly react to and disrupt military threats in the region. "The MLR is uniquely designed to maneuver and persist inside a contested maritime environment, where its primary mission will be to serve as the eyes and ears of the joint force and conduct sea denial operations within an adversary's weapons engagement zone as part of a stand-in force in support of a naval campaign," Lt. Col. Eric Flanagan, a spokesperson for Marine Corps Combat Development and Integration, told Military.com in an emailed statement Monday. The LCT is meant to deploy multiple platoon-sized elements for intelligence, surveillance and early warning, and -- with the addition of the anti-ship battery -- help blast vessels out of the sea, among other operations. Flanagan also confirmed that the establishment of the 12th LCT last week marks the first time an anti-ship battery will be on Okinawa under this program, which was first reported by Naval News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 12th LCT has not received the NMESIS units, Flanagan said, but they will arrive eventually, as well as the Marine Air Defense Integrated System, or MADIS, which is billed as a surface-to-air, "shoot-on-the-move" air defense weapon. "A cornerstone in the Marine Corps' Force Design initiative, the NMESIS increases the Marine Corps' defensive capabilities and responsiveness against potential adversaries in amphibious operations," Flanagan said. "The Naval Strike Missile can target surface ships and fixed ground targets, making it a critical tool for denying adversaries access to key areas in contested waters." Military.com previously reported that the MLR will consist of about 2,000 Marines and sailors, slightly smaller than a Marine Expeditionary Unit, of which the service has seven located around the world. The 3rd MLR was the first of its kind to be stood up and was activated in March 2022. USNI reported last year that the Marine Corps hoped to convert a third unit, the 4th Marine Regiment -- also in Okinawa, into another MLR. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We've talked about doing up to three, but the focus right now for us is on 3rd and 12th," Flanagan said in a phone call. "Forming them, getting them up to full operational capability, and then getting them all the technologies that they need." Related: Okinawa-Based Marine Regiment Set to Rebrand as Littoral Unit Next Month After Deal with Japan The air crew told their Marines that the Osprey was going down. Capt. Joshua Watson, nearly two dozen other Marines and a sailor braced for impact. Watson shoved his radio operator into the brace position before protecting himself. Everything not strapped down became a projectile, he would later note in his report on the incident, shared on The Connecting File, a Substack. Then, the aircraft crashed. Fuel leaked out of its frame, which ignited and spread fire all around. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watson served as the ground force commander for the 38-Marine element that was inserting into Pickertaramoor Airfield on Melville Island, about 45 miles north of Darwin, Australia, during an exercise Aug. 23, 2023. After the crash that day, Watson unstrapped and shook the unconscious radio operator awake. I could not see the Marine seated five feet across from me, nor could I see out of the rear ramp of the aircraft, Watson wrote. Heavy flames, thick smoke, spraying fluid, dirt, dust, gear, and aircraft wreckage made visibility extremely poor. Amid the wreckage, the captain freed the fellow Marine from his restraints and got him out of the aircraft. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The heat from the fire was overwhelming, Watson wrote. The only light piercing through the smoke came from the rear of the aircraft and this soon became the primary exit. The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is the highest non-combat decoration awarded. (Lance Cpl. Donte Busker/Marine Corps) What he did next resulted in Watson receiving the Navy and Marine Corps Medal the highest noncombat naval service award in a ceremony at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida last month. After noticing that nobody was really moving, I directed the Marines to, Leave everything and get out the back of the aircraft, Watson in a Marine release. As I unstrapped and untangled myself, I handed off my radio operator to another Marine towards the rear exit, checking under seats as I went to ensure no one remained trapped. Once outside the aircraft, Watson did a head count, checking for all the individuals aboard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He had one urgent casualty and several priority casualties. Three people were missing two pilots and the crew chief. Once I realized we hadnt gotten accountability of those three Marines, my first thought was to attempt to locate them, said Watson. Still standing at the rear of the aircraft from which the fire was rapidly spreading, I witnessed the rear member of the aircrew who was pinned underneath the fuselage of the plane and severely injured, being cut free and buddy-dragged to safety by my Marines who had come back to his rescue. A subsequent investigation stated that Cpl. Spencer Collart, one of the missing, survived the impact. However, Collart died while trying to reach the Ospreys pilots who were trapped in the cockpit. Investigators reported that the two pilots, Maj. Tobin J. Lewis, 37, and Capt. Eleanor V. LeBeau, 29, were likely already dead. Collart was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal posthumously. The Navy and Marine Corps medal is the Navy's highest award for noncombat valor. (Cpl. Niles Lee/Marine Corps) Minutes after the crash, Watson radioed a section of AH-1Z Viper and UH-Y1 Venom helicopters overhead. The captain provided triage assessments, accountability and a casualty brief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fortunately, we had those Marine helicopters above, because we wouldnt have been able to start getting casualty resources to our position if that wasnt the case, Watson said. They were our lifeline. Fighting through the pain of a broken ankle, Watson led his Marines through two kilometers of wooded terrain to the airfield. The captain continued directing the Marines in his command, providing real-time updates until they reached a point to hand off the casualties, which included one urgent surgical and four priority casualties, according to the release. Almost everyone was injured in the crash, but we didnt realize the severity due to the shock, we kept checking on each other because we didnt know the true conditions of everyone, Watson said. Self-aid was critical, my Marines being solid in Tactical Combat Casualty Care was essential to minimize the loss of life. FAIRMONT Grant Town Mayor Charlie Rosic found something surprising after he finished reading to a group of four-year-olds at the Head Start in Rivesville. The kids wanted to go to school on the weekends, one of teachers told him. After this COVID, that really hurt kids, Rosic said. I mean, it put them back behind a couple years. Now, theyre ready to go back to school. Head Start is celebrating 60 years of putting preschool children on a path to success. President Lyndon B. Johnsons Great Society Program launched the Head Start Program in 1965, as part of the war on poverty. The programs creators intended it to meet the needs of disadvantaged preschool children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A 2020 study published in the Journal of Labor Economics showed that children who attended Head Start had higher incomes and years of education as adults than children who didnt attend. Children who went to programs with higher funding correlated with higher test results. To celebrate, Marion County Head Start invited various mayors from around Marion County to come and read to the children at their centers. Rosic said his sister-in-law, who is the mayor of Grafton, is doing her own reading in Taylor County. Pam Nolan, Head Start family resource coordinator, said Rivesville Head Start has children from Grant Town, Barrackville, Bellview and Fairmont on top of serving children from Rivesville. Rosic from Grant Town was scheduled for Tuesday, March 4 at Rivesville. Nolan said there is a benefit to having mayors come and interact directly with Head Start. I think awareness that our program is here and serving the children in their communities, Nolan said. Were trying to give a good base and head start to the children who attend Head Start. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, West Virginia received over $86 million in funding for its Head Start program services in 2024. Nolan said the state mandates that all four year old children need to be afforded the opportunity to attend a Pre-K program. So many of the things they need to learn is like, socialization skills, Nolan said. How do they come into a classroom, how to get in a line, sit with friends, eat a meal, take turns. Being able to function in a social environment is really important. Nolan added that lack of instruction in such skills prior to kindergarten could make it a struggle for the kids who dont receive it, and can detract from their ability to focus on academics. Head Start also offers what are called wrap-around services. Nolan said Head Start offers prenatal services and services to families with newborns to age three through Early Head Start. The program connects parents to resources that can help pay electric bills or help navigate applying to college. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reading to children in early development is especially important. Jane Bott, a teacher with 25 years of experience, said that research shows children who are read to end up learning to read easier and with higher proficiency. Head Start regularly invites an outside member of the community to come read, up to once or twice a month, Bott said. I think its important for all children, Bott said. They need a jump start as early as they can. The plan to send migrants to Guantanamo Bay made headlines, but other moves are also being made in U.S. immigration policy to address the operational challenge of detaining tens of thousands of people necessary for Donald Trumps biggest campaign promise: the largest deportation in history. The Trump administration has announced in the last week the reopening of some of the largest migrant detention centers in the country, from Texas to New Jersey, while plans have also been reported to adapt and expand several military bases in strategic places in the country to house people awaiting deportation. While Trump has yet to exceed the monthly deportation rates of his predecessor, Joe Biden, the increase in available beds for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) signals the beginning of a new phase in his mass deportation strategy. Just two weeks into his second term, Trump and his immigration team led by border czar Tom Homan and senior White House adviser Stephen Miller were confronted with a major obstacle that delayed their plans to expel millions of undocumented migrants: ICE simply didnt have enough space to detain such a large number of people in deportation proceedings. By early February, hundreds were being released as immigration detention centers described as inhumane by migrant advocacy groups were operating at 109% capacity. Nearly 42,000 detainees were housed in facilities with just 38,500 available beds. The highly publicized immigration raids faced issues from the outset, and the ongoing confrontation with sanctuary city jurisdictions is likely to continue to be an obstacle to arresting migrants at the desired scale. Additionally, negotiations with countries of origin to take back their citizens have proven difficult, as evidenced by the tensions between Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Trump, or the controversial solution of sending migrants to Panama for repatriation. Whats more, the lack of space to house detainees during the lengthy deportation process weeks, months, or even years due to the backlog of over 3.5 million cases in immigration courts is creating a bottleneck that is completely stifling the administrations ambitious plans. Federal agents, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, detain a man after conducting a raid in Denver, Colorado, on February 5. Kevin Mohatt (REUTERS) The latest moves are clearly aimed at addressing this challenge. Last Wednesday, CoreCivic, a company that operates private prisons across the country, announced it would reopen a controversial immigrant family detention center in Dilley, Texas, located between San Antonio and the border city of Laredo. This decision came after the company reached a new agreement with ICE. According to CoreCivic, the facility will house up to 2,400 people, despite being closed last year by the Biden administration following a decade of operations marked by controversy over mistreatment and family separations. In addition, the company revealed plans to expand immigrant capacity at four of its regular prisons in Mississippi, Nevada, Ohio, and Oklahoma, to accommodate an additional 1,036 people. Similarly, just days earlier, ICE announced the reopening of the largest immigration detention center on the East Coast, located in Newark, New Jersey. The Delaney Hall facility, owned by the private prison company GEO, has a capacity of 1,000 beds and ceased operating as a detention center in 2017. However, its proximity to Manhattan and Newark International Airport makes it a strategically valuable location. [It] streamlines logistics, and helps facilitate the timely processing of individuals in our custody as we pursue President Trumps mandate to arrest, detain and remove illegal aliens from our communities, said Acting ICE Director Caleb Vitello in a statement. The announcement sparked concern among Trumps critics in New Jersey, as it came alongside the signing of a $1 billion contract with GEO. This 15-year, $1 billion contract, announced the very same day that GEO Group released its fourth-quarter earnings, is not about making New Jerseyans safer or fixing our broken immigration system, said Democratic Senator Cory Booker. Instead, it demonstrates this administrations driving motive to enrich its favored corporations while wasting taxpayer dollars. A shelter for detained migrants at the U.S. Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on February 21. U.S. Navy/AFN Guantanamo Bay Pub (via REUTERS) The company, for its part, does not hide the fact that it considers the contract a great opportunity. We are continuing to prepare for what we believe is an unprecedented opportunity to help the federal government meet its expanded immigration enforcement priorities, said George C. Zoley, the CEO of GEO. But the Trump administrations boldest gamble appears to be the use of military bases to detain immigrants facing deportation. After announcing the use of a prison near the Guantanamo naval base in Cuba to house up to 30,000 migrants, authorities sent a small group of detainees to the island in early February. But legal and operational obstacles have temporarily derailed that plan. By late February, ICE reported that the facility had been emptied of migrants. A Congressional delegation visited the base last Friday to assess whether conditions were acceptable for detaining migrants. For now, it remains unclear whether the controversial Caribbean facility will be reconsidered as a mass detention site for migrants. What is known is that another military base, Fort Bliss in El Paso, has become a central focus of the deportation plans. According to internal communications obtained by NPR, the plan is for Fort Bliss whose airbase has already been used for deportation flights to eventually house up to 10,000 immigrants. For now, the plan is to house 1,000 detainees at the base during a 60-day trial period before it officially becomes the central hub for deportation operations. Map of the Fort Bliss military base. google maps Whether Fort Blisss use as a detention center proves successful or not, it could serve as a model for as many as 10 other military bases across the country, including Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey, Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station near Buffalo, New York, Hill Air Force Base in Utah, and Homestead Air Reserve Base near Miami. The exact capacity of these military bases remains unclear, as temporary camps could be constructed on base land to increase space. There are also concerns about the cost of these measures and their potential impact on other areas of the budget, as detaining migrants is by far the most expensive aspect of the deportation process. However, the administration, which has been cutting what it deems inefficiencies including laying off thousands of federal workers does not appear to be reducing spending on this initiative. By declaring a national emergency over the immigration situation, Trump can leverage military funds and resources for these operations, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth previously said that any necessary assets are available for this goal. There are also concerns about potential mistreatment of detainees, based on past cases. For example, at Fort Bliss, an internal watchdog from the Department of Health and Human Services found that children and adolescents experienced anxiety and panic attacks due to inadequate resources and insufficient training of officials. Similarly, Guantanamo has become synonymous with abuse, following numerous serious and disturbing reports of detainee mistreatment. There is no clear timeline for the mass deportation effort to reach full speed, and the obstacles ahead are considerable. Yet the push to expand ICEs detention capacity signals that the direction of this initiative remains unchanged. A few weeks ago, Miller made this clear: We are shortly on the verge of achieving a pace and speed of deportations this country has never before seen. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition (Bloomberg) -- Mark Carney won the race to become Canadas next prime minister, putting the former central banker in charge of the country just as US President Donald Trumps administration threatens its economic future. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ex-Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor won the contest to lead the Liberal Party of Canada with nearly 86% of the vote. The transfer of power from Justin Trudeau to Carney is expected to take place within days, and its possible he will call a national election soon after. Carney, 59, takes the reins at a time when the White House is creating upheaval in the global economy and with US trading partners with increasingly chaotic tariff announcements. In the span of three days in the past week, Trump imposed 25% levies on most Canadian and Mexican goods, then promised a one-month delay on those that comply with the North American trade agreement, then threatened major new tariffs against Canadian lumber and dairy. Howard Lutnick, the US commerce secretary, signaled on Sunday that he expects 25% tariffs on US imports of steel and aluminum to go ahead on March 12. Canada is heavily dependent on trade with the US, and Trump has expressed a desire to use economic force to make Canada the 51st state. His actions have sparked patriotic fury in the northern nation, with consumers boycotting American products and demanding that governments turn their attention to finding new trading partners. Trudeau has said Trumps threats against Canadian sovereignty should be taken seriously. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement America is not Canada. And Canada never, ever, will be part of America in any way, shape or form, Carney said in his victory speech on Sunday. We didnt ask for this fight, but Canadians are always ready when someone else drops the gloves. So Americans should make no mistake: in trade, as in hockey, Canada will win. Carney pledged to keep the governments retaliatory tariffs on US goods until the Americans show us respect and make credible, reliable commitments to free and fair trade. All proceeds from the levies will be used to protect workers, he said. He also promised to make key investments to turn Canadas economy into the strongest in the Group of Seven, including by creating new trade corridors with reliable partners and turning the country into an energy superpower. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crisis Manager Throughout the leadership race, Carney portrayed himself as an experienced crisis manager who led major central banks at pivotal moments in Canada, during the global financial crisis, and in the UK, during its tumultuous exit from the European Union. But he is relatively untested as a politician and does not currently hold a seat in Parliament. Carney, who resigned his posts as chair of Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. and Bloomberg Inc. to run for the leadership, has vowed to find new markets for Canadas exports and reduce internal trade barriers. Hes pledged to scrap Liberal plans to increase the capital gains tax, eliminate the consumer carbon tax and use the power of the federal balance sheet to invest in major projects. He also said he would split the federal budget into two an operating budget that he promises to balance and a capital spending budget that would be allowed to allocate tens of billions of dollars to investments in productivity-boosting infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We can give ourselves far more than Donald Trump can ever take away, Carney said. This wont be business as usual. We will have to do things that we havent imagined before, at speeds we didnt think possible. Canada must hold an election by October, but the Liberal Partys perilous status in Parliament, where it has fewer than 50% of the House of Commons seats, means its expected sooner. Carney has to decide whether to plunge the country into a springtime election leaving it with a caretaker government for several weeks, during which a trade war may be raging or attempt to gain support from at least one opposition party to govern for a period of time. Trudeaus resignation, Carneys candidacy and Trumps threats have propelled the Liberals into a more competitive position in public opinion polls after more than a year of trailing the Conservative Party by a large margin. For weeks, the Conservatives have been running frequent attack ads against Carney. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has accused Carney of being opaque about his promises and his business interests calling on him to proactively disclose his financial holdings to reveal any potential conflicts of interest. The Conservatives also took aim at Carney last month when he tried to downplay his involvement in Brookfields decision to move its headquarters to New York last year. Carney was still Brookfields chair at the time. Carney took aim at Poilievre in his speech, making reference to the Conservative leaders 2022 threat to fire Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem, which he hasnt repeated in recent years. Poilievre would undermine the Bank of Canada at a time of immense economic insecurity, Carney said. He also criticized Poilievres approach to climate policy. Carney surged past his rivals in the leadership race former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, ex-government House Leader Karina Gould and businessman Frank Baylis. Freeland was the one who delivered the fatal blow to Trudeaus political career with a stinging resignation letter in December. Trudeau announced three weeks later that he would leave. In what may have been his last political speech as prime minister, Trudeau told the crowd of jubilant Liberals gathered in Ottawa to keep their elbows up amid the existential challenge posed by the US. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Make no mistake, this is a nation-defining moment, Trudeau said. Democracy is not a given. Freedom is not a given. Even Canada is not a given. --With assistance from Randy Thanthong-Knight, Paula Sambo and Mathieu Dion. (Adds quotes from Carneys speech starting in sixth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Marshall Keely - WPMT Marshall Keely has announced his departure from WPMT in York, Pennsylvania after four years. I wanted to extend a big thank you to the team in York and all the folks of South Central Pa. who have been so welcoming. It's been an honor to serve the community where I went to school and got my start in this profession, he wrote on social media. My journey in television is not over! I'll have details to share in a few days. I'm excited for this next chapter and some warmer weather. Keely joined the Fox affiliate in 2021 as an MMJ. He was named weekend anchor in 2022. CENTREVILLE, Va. (DC News Now) The Fairfax County Police Department said a 20-year-old man from Maryland was arrested for exposing himself in public. Police said on Feb. 20, the victim said she walking near Route 28 and Machen Drive when a man in a car drove up to her and exposed himself. Georgia man arrested for trying to abduct child in Ashburn, deputies say The man was identified as Zackary Webb of Maryland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was arrested and taken to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center and charged with indecent exposure. Webb was held on a $1,000 bond and was released. Anyone with information is asked to call (703) 246-7800, option 3. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) A federal judge has denied a motion to overturn charges against a pardoned January 6 rioter from East Tennessee who argued that his conviction in a plot to murder federal agents at the FBI Knoxville Field Office should be dismissed. Edward Kelley of Maryville was one of the first people to enter the US Capitol on January 6 and was ultimately convicted of 11 charges before President Donald Trumps decision to pardon more than 1,500 people in the January 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol riot. A lot of us rely on the VA East TN veteran reacts cuts planned at Veterans Affairs Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, Kelley and Austin Carter of Knoxville were convicted of conspiracy to murder federal agents who investigated the riots while awaiting trial for the January 6 case. Ahead of a sentencing hearing, Kelleys attorney filed a motion in January seeking to have these charges dismissed, arguing that the presidents executive order broadly applied to this case. US District Judge Thomas Varlan rejected this interpretation of Trumps executive order, siding with federal prosecutors who argued that a pardon related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021 does not apply to criminal conduct in Tennessee that occurred more than a year after the events at the US Capitol. See more top stories on WATE.com Kelley is slated to be sentenced in May after being convicted of the conspiracy to murder federal employees and influencing a federal official by threat in November. Carter pleaded guilty and testified against Kelley in the plot. He is also scheduled to be sentenced later this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side. A Massachusetts man who, along with his girlfriend, defrauded Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. of $2.3 million and used the money to buy luxury items and a $1.9 million luxury condo in Bostons Seaport District, will spend time in federal prison, the U.S. Attorney said Monday. Samuel N. Montronde, 39, of Brockton, was sentenced in federal court to 30 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV handed down his sentence. Montronde was also ordered to pay $2.3 million in restitution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In December, Montronde was convicted of three counts of wire fraud by a federal jury in Boston. The jury acquitted Montronde of one count of wire fraud conspiracy. Montronde was arrested and charged in January 2023 along with his girlfriend, Priya Bhambi of Brookline, a former senior employee in the technology operations group of Takeda, for setting up a fake consulting company that billed Takeda for services it never actually provided, Foley said. The two were later indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2023. The couple used the money it defrauded from Takeda to buy a Mercedes-Benz Model Class E, a diamond engagement ring, freightliner trucks, a $1.9-million 2-bedroom condo in Bostons Seaport District and a $50,000 wedding venue deposit, prosecutors said. These assets are now subject to the courts forfeiture order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In October 2024, Bhambi was sentenced to 46 months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release, after pleading guilty in June to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud. Bhambi was also ordered to pay $2,585,480 in restitution. In 2022, Montronde and Bhambi orchestrated and executed a scheme to defraud Takeda of at least $2.3 million in payments for purported consulting services by submitting fabricated invoices on behalf of a sham consulting company, Foley said. Prosecutors said Bhambi had previously engaged in the same fraud using a different sham consulting company, resulting in payments from Takeda totaling nearly $300,000 for consulting services that were never provided. In February 2022, Montronde and Bhambi incorporated a sham consulting company, Evoluzione Consulting LLC. Later, prosecutors said Bhambi created a website for Evoluzione with false information, including fabricated blog posts, to make it appear that Evoluzione was a legitimate consulting business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After incorporating Evoluzione, Bhambi, in coordination with Montronde, submitted a statement of work to Takeda, resulting in Takeda signing a master services agreement with Evoluzione. Bhambi issued a purchase order to Evoluzione for consulting services with a total cost of $3.542 million, prosecutors said. Then, between March and May of 2022, Bhambi and Montronde fabricated and submitted five separate invoices to Takeda for services that Evoluzione had not performed, each in the amount of $460,000, prosecutors said. The couple also created a fictional employee, Jasmine, to handle communications with Takeda, prosecutors said. When questioned by Takeda employees, Bhambi made false representations regarding the services purportedly provided by Evoluzione, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in its statement Monday. Before discovering the scheme and terminating Bhambi, Takeda, relying on these false representations, paid all five of the invoices to business accounts opened by Montronde in the name of Evoluzione. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In total, Bhambi and Montronde defrauded Takeda of $2.3 million in payments to Evoluzione for services not provided, prosecutors said. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement on Monday. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leslie Wright and Mackenzie Queenin of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit, is handling the forfeiture matter. 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 This photo shows a general view of Manila from the Masungi Georeserve in Baras, Rizal, Philippines, on Nov. 24, 2022. Credit - Jam Sta. RosaAFP/ Getty Images Ann and Billie Dumaliang say theyre done with being friendly with Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga. The renowned conservationists and sisters, in an exclusive new interview with TIME, accuse the Philippine Environment Secretary of malicious actions, being allergic to criticism, and strong arming them into abandoning Masungi Georeserve, the internationally-acclaimed ecotourism site they manage just outside Manila. Their anger stems from shock. The Dumaliangs were surprised to see on the news that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources was evicting them from part of Masungi Georeservea move that could threaten their overall efforts to protect the 6,600-acre conservation area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On March 7, the department said in a press conference that it canceled a 2002 deal it had with longtime developer Blue Star Construction Development Corporationthe Masungi Georeserve Foundation Inc.s affiliate company owned by Ben Dumaliang, the sisters fatherover alleged failure to deliver a contracted government housing project as well as other alleged violations. The canceled deal covers some 740 acres, including the georeserves Discovery Trail. The department has ordered Blue Star to leave that 740-acre area within 15 days. Everyone was quite caught off guard, Ann Dumaliang tells TIME. Not just because we were not involved in it at all, but because this is also the first time that they are raising all of these issues in the last 20-plus years that we have been protecting this place. Masungi Georeserve is a popular eco-tourism destination, known for its rainforest and picturesque limestone formations. The site, its officers, and its rangers, have been recognized worldwide for conservation and geotourism effortsstanding out especially in a country thats deemed the deadliest in the continent for environmental defenders. The Discovery Trail has allowed visitors to trek through the conservation area for at least 1,500 Philippine pesos ($26) to see karst limestones and other flora and fauna. Billie Dumaliang says the funds collected go toward the reforestation of the more than 5,900 acres around itan area also under threat if a separate 2017 joint contract gets canceledand help to pay the up to 100 rangers protecting the reserve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Fridays press briefing, an environment department official said, everyone, even those with us in conservation and [environment] protection, if they violate the law, the government will take action. But the Dumaliang sisters, who are trustees of the foundation, reject accusations of violating the law and decry unfair treatment. [Other alleged] violators get, what, one to four show-cause orders? Ann said. We get an immediate cancellation. Its terrible. Billie added that the departments move stands in stark contrast to all of these environmentally destructive projects that have been allowed to go on for all these years and despite strong opposition. Yulo-Loyzaga has previously been blamed for failing to swiftly address controversies surrounding the countrys environmental landmarks. The sisters also disputed Blue Stars alleged failure to deliver on contractual obligations, claiming it was the department who did not hold up its end of the contract and did not engage with Masungi Georeserves officers. Billie Dumaliang says she believes environment secretary Yulo-Loyzaga has been particularly vindictive, after groups such as theirs have criticized her. Were very vocal about this, weve exposed illegal activities, we make her look bad, but these are very petty reasons for taking a course of action that is not in line with the mandate of the department, Billie said. Billie added that Yulo-Loyzagas directive on Masungi also puts into question the commitment of the current administration to its international commitments on climate change, human rights, biodiversity, land degradation, and peace. The Philippines has pledged to rehabilitate 7.1 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by 2028. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some Philippine lawmakers are also questioning the rationale behind the cancellation of the Blue Star contract. In statements on social media, Senator Nancy Binay criticized the haphazard decision and asked what the departments plan and vision for the Georeserve is after the cancellation, while Representative Raoul Manuel slammed the department for failing to have a dialogue with the Masungi Georeserve Foundation before cancelling and painting the organization as an enemy. The Philippine environment department and secretary did not immediately respond to specific queries from TIME, referring instead to a primer made by the department that outlines the history of the Blue Star contract as well as Blue Stars alleged violations, including: imposing fees and constructing facilities in the site without local permits, fencing a portion of government property, and failing to complete agreed upon housing units in the area. For now, the Dumaliangs are planning to exhaust their legal remedies, even as the department mulls involving the police to enforce the eviction. They are aware of the security risksthose with interests in the land, such as resort owners, have been linked to attacks on the sites rangers and officers patrolling and protecting the site, and the georeserve has been the subject of online smear campaigns and threats. They believe that with the order, Masungis detractors are emboldened to continue the harassment and potentially escalate violence. They say the order sends a chilling effect to all environment defenders. But still, they arent planning to leave Masungi without a fight. We will invoke our right, of course, to continue our work, Billie said. If we need to use our bodies to shield, then we will. Contact us at letters@time.com. ATLANTA (WJBF) Augustas Mayor Garnett Johnson met with leaders in the Georgia State Capitol to push for funds to help the CSRA. Mayor Johnson said its now been more than 160 days since Hurricane Helene ravaged through the state and many are still reeling from the devastation. He met with Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, the states GEMA director and the department of community affairs to get around $200 million dollars to help with clean up and recovery efforts. Johnson said the goal is to build Augusta back bigger and better, but did say the city may look a little different this year as it gets ready to welcome thousands of visitors for Masters Week. He says many were underinsured or uninsured and still need help with housing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our crucial need is along our Augusta Canal where 70% of our drinking water is derived through the canal. Many folks know that the canal was greatly damaged by Hurricane Helene through downed trees and it potentially creates and our canal failing. Our first ask is to fix our critical infrastructure and that is drinking water, said Mayor Johnson. This week, Governor Kemp signed the 2025 amended fiscal budget and allocated $867 million dollars for response costs, relief, grants to rural areas and critical access hospitals and disaster relief assistance to impacted farmers and timber producers who were impacted by Hurricane Helene. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. (NewsNation) Measles is one of the most contagious viruses globally, and cases are continuing to rise across the United States. Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., a medical doctor, stresses that the key to combating the virus is to get vaccinated. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. For millennia, the rise and fall of empires have followed the same pattern. A center of power could collapse swiftly or gradually whether through internal decay or external forces such as invasion or natural disaster. But never before has a leader intentionally dismantled an empires own dominance. And yet, that appears to be exactly what Donald Trump is doing: eroding the world order, even though it works to his countrys advantage. He berates and punishes allies. He mocks African nations he has never heard of. He rushes toward rapprochement with Russia, all while insisting that its leader, Vladimir Putin, may have deceived past U.S. presidents but not him. He has never lied to me, Trump boasts. His return to the White House has turned the world upside down. The multilateralism that once provided a framework of rules and cooperation is now on life support, after Trump withdrew the U.S. from institutions he deems unfair or corrupt including the World Health Organization, the U.N. Human Rights Council, and the Paris Agreement on climate change. Once the primary architect and champion of multilateralism, the United States is now retreating behind its borders, abandoning commitments, and obstructing trade agreements with its long-standing partners. Trumps administration has meddled in European elections to boost far-right factions and hollowed out NATO by questioning the very principle of mutual defense. Yet, Trump lavishes praise on China, describes Putin as a genius, and publicly chastises Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, as Ukraine fights for survival against a Russian invasion. While the U.S. has often prioritized its own interests over those of the international community, some experts point out that it was also a key driver of multilateralism. For most of its contemporary history, the United States has built a world in which territorial sovereignty is sacrosanct where great powers compete for influence and wealth, but not for land, says John Owen, a political science professor at the University of Virginia. It is a world of multilateral rules and institutions, of interdependent economies, where liberal democracies are favored. Since World War II, the United States has believed that such a world served its national interests. But now, that perception seems to be lacking from the White House. Even the U.S. government acknowledges this shift. The post-war global order is not just obsolete it is now a weapon being used against us, Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared in January during his Senate confirmation hearing. A vision as old as the world At its core, Trumps worldview is one that has prevailed for centuries a vision shared by Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. As political scientist John Owen puts it: The great powers negotiate among themselves, striking deals on borders and other matters, while smaller nations simply have to accept the decisions. For Trump, this perspective one that could have been championed by Chancellor Metternich in Vienna or Prince Talleyrand in Paris at the dawn of the 19th century is fused with an extreme brand of contemporary nationalism. It is distilled for his supporters into slogans like Make America Great Again (MAGA) and America First. His approach to international relations is deeply mercantilist, shaped by a past as a real estate mogul. He sees Gaza not as a humanitarian crisis, but as a prime piece of land on which to build the Riviera of the Middle East. He views Ukraine not as an embattled ally, but as a country that should surrender its natural resources in exchange for U.S. aid aid that the previous Democratic administration provided with no strings attached. Trumps view is simple: the weak do not get to negotiate. Ukraine does not have the cards [to win], he repeats over and over again. In Trumps worldview, you get only what you deserve whether youre a supposed ally or a sworn adversary. This often borders on cruelty or sheer indifference. In his speech before both chambers of Congress last Tuesday, he openly mocked Lesotho, a small African nation that has long relied on U.S. development aid: Nobody has ever heard of [it]. There is a very kind of naively materialistic and transactional impulse here that is on show in almost every aspect of his policy, Charles Kupchan of the Council on Foreign Relations think tank said in a recent conversation with reporters. Trumps personal obsession is to always come out on top to win overwhelmingly. The process to achieve this must be swift. He craves rapid victories, ones that allow him to declare success and move on to the next challenge, often at the expense of long-term benefits. He avoids deep involvement, and if something doesnt work, he simply shifts his stance and claims victory regardless. We are seeing many tactical decisions that dont have a clear strategy, says Jeff Legro, a professor of International Relations at the University of Richmond, during a video conference Last week, the president revealed that he had sent a letter to Iranian leaders offering dialogue on the countrys nuclear program seven years after he single-handedly dismantled the 2015 JCPOA agreement, painstakingly negotiated over years to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. He also imposed 25% tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico, only to delay most of them 24 hours later as stock markets plummeted and opposition mounted. And after repeatedly criticizing Ukraine and praising Putin, he threatened Russia with sanctions and tariffs on Friday to pressure it into sitting at the negotiating table with Kyiv But Trumps first message is always the same: pressure. Break up the existing order. He made this crystal clear in his speech before both chambers of Congress, where he reiterated his interest in the Panama Canal. He spoke of Greenlands right to self-determination, a moment that momentarily relieved Copenhagen but that relief quickly dissipated. Trump emphasized that the United States will take control of the island one way or the other because we need it. The sighs of relief in Copenhagen quickly turned to anxiety. Key meeting This week, Trumps strategy will face a critical test. His team, led by Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, will meet in Saudi Arabia with a representative from the Ukrainian government. Zelenskiy will have visited the kingdom just before, as part of his diplomatic push to gather international support. After a week of uncertainty about the future of relations between Washington and Kyiv especially following Trumps decision to suspend military aid and intelligence sharing the outcome of this meeting will determine whether a ceasefire agreement is reached and relations between the two governments are normalized. Alternatively, it could reveal whether Trump will give in to his pro-Russia impulses: on Friday, he admitted that it is easier for him to reach an understanding with Putin. European partners are watching closely. The future of the Republican administrations relationship with the allied bloc which expressed increased support for Zelenskiy last week and NATO itself may hinge on the outcome of this meeting. It is possible that Trump will use bullying tactics to achieve specific goals but not push a destructive agenda or in the end make a bad deal with Putin over Ukraine, writes Daniel Fried, a former Europe policy chief under Barack Obama, who is now at the Atlantic Council think tank. But the absence of an overarching international vision based on values, and the apparent default to simple power and zero-sum thinking, warns of strife with friends and bad deals with adversaries. Something has undeniably fractured in the transatlantic alliance after 80 years of harmony. The European decision to rearm and allocate 800 billion for this purpose, as well as French President Emmanuel Macrons televised speech I want to believe that the US will stand by our side, but we have to be ready for that not to be the case serve as tangible signs of this shift. The Republican administration must also remain cautious of Trumps imperial vision. Great powers may seek to divide the world into spheres of influence, but as Professor Owen notes, throughout history they have also fought each other in wars, fought in a much less regulated system. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Lets explore the remarkable story of SFC Webster Anderson, a true embodiment of courage and resilience. Presented the prestigious Medal of Honor, Andersons deeds in the midst of immense challenges during the Vietnam War exemplify selfless dedication to duty. Military beginning SFC Webster Anderson/Wikimedia Commons Webster Andersons journey with the U.S. Army began in 1953. Like a moth drawn to a flame, the unrest in Asia beckoned him to serve in the Korean War, right after his enlistment. His unwavering commitment and tenacity soon saw him rise to the position of Staff Sergeant for Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 320 Artillery Regiment, 101st Airborne Infantry Division, Automobile. Into the heart of Vietnam As the Korean War started to lose its steam in late 1953, a fresh bout of tension was fermenting in the heart of Southeast AsiaVietnam. A cauldron of ideologies, democracy flourished in the South while communism gripped the North. The ensuing struggle for control triggered the U.S. and the Soviet Union to step into the fray, each supporting their ideological brethren. By 1967, the scene was set for Anderson. He was heading right for the main military base in Quang Nam, Vietnam, and it wasnt entirely clear what awaited him there. Heroic stand at Tam Ky Fast forward to the early hours of October 15, 1967. SCF Anderson and his battalion were stationed near Tam Ky in South Vietnam. Out of nowhere, the tranquility of their morning shattered as the North Vietnamese infantry launched an onslaught. Machine gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades rained down like a hailstorm. The enemy fighters pushed hard, eventually penetrating their defenses. As a result, the base faced the imminent danger of being overrun. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the eye of the storm stood Anderson. (Original Caption) Tam Ky, South Vietnam: Open Fire! Taking deadly aim, troopers of 101st Airborne Division fire into brush during Operation Wheeler, near here recently, while on a search and destroy mission. Getty Images. Medal of Honor Citation Sfc. Anderson (then S/Sgt.) distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as chief of section in Battery A, against a hostile force. During the early morning hours Battery As defensive position was attacked by a determined North Vietnamese Army infantry unit supported by heavy mortar, recoilless-rifle, rocket-propelled-grenade and automatic-weapons fire. The initial enemy onslaught breached the battery defensive perimeter. Sfc. Anderson, with complete disregard for his personal safety, mounted the exposed parapet of his howitzer position and became the mainstay of the defense of the battery position. Sfc. Anderson directed devastating direct howitzer fire on the assaulting enemy while providing rifle and grenade defensive fire against enemy soldiers attempting to overrun his gun section position. While protecting his crew and directing their fire against the enemy from his exposed position, two enemy grenades exploded at his feet knocking him down and severely wounding him in the legs. Despite the excruciating pain and though not able to stand, Sfc. Anderson valorously propped himself on the parapet and continued to direct howitzer fire upon the closing enemy and to encourage his men to fight on. Seeing an enemy grenade land within the gun pit near a wounded member of his gun crew, Sfc. Anderson heedless of his own safety, seized the grenade and attempted to throw it over the parapet to save his men. As the grenade was thrown from the position it exploded and Sfc. Anderson was again grievously wounded. Although only partially conscious and severely wounded, Sfc. Anderson refused medical evacuation and continued to encourage his men in the defense of the position. Sfc. Anderson, by his inspirational leadership, professionalism, devotion to duty, and complete disregard for his welfare, was able to maintain the defense of his section position and to defeat a determined attack. Sfc. Andersons gallantry and extraordinary heroism at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army. Congressional Medal of Honor Society Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On December 4, 1969, the President of the United States presented SFC Anderson with the Medal of Honor, acknowledging his valor beyond the call of duty. He was also a recipient of the Purple Heart, a testament to his sacrifice. On August 30, 2003, Anderson passed away, leaving behind a lasting legacy that will inspire future generations. How to support the Medal of Honor mission Learn more about the Congressional Medal of Honor Society at cmohs.org or find them on Instagram |Facebook Participate in Medal of Honor Day on March 25 by sharing a recipients story Support veteran hiring and transition programs in your workplace Teach younger generations about the values of courage, sacrifice, and service Medal of Honor Month isnt just about recognizing history. Its about keeping the mission alive for the future. Observe Medal of Honor March on We Are The Mighty here. WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 25: U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) takes a question from a reporter during a news conference following a House Republican caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol on February 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. The House is working to pass its budget bill this week which includes up to $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, an increase in the debt limit and cuts Medicaid and other social programs. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) In Washingtons debate over enacting steep funding cuts to Medicaid, words are a central battleground. Many Republican lawmakers and conservative policy officials who want to scale back the joint state-federal health program are using charged language to describe it. Language experts and advocates for Medicaid enrollees say their word choice is misleading and aims to sway public opinion against the popular, 60-year-old government program in a bid to persuade Congress to cut funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans such as Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, are deploying provocative terms such as money laundering, rebranding a decades-old and legal practice known as provider taxes, which most states use to gain additional federal Medicaid funds. They say its discrimination that the federal government matches state funding at a higher rate for adults covered by the Affordable Care Acts Medicaid expansion than it does for other enrollees, including children, pregnant women, and disabled people. And many Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and the director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought, have described adults who gained Medicaid coverage through the ACA expansion as able-bodied as they push for federal work requirements. The term implies they have less need for government assistance than other Medicaid recipients even though some have health conditions or caregiving responsibilities that make holding full-time jobs difficult. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Able-bodied adults without dependents are better off with jobs than with hand-outs, and so are their communities and American taxpayers, Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said in a press release in February. To be sure, political spin is a practice older than Washington, and Democrats are no spectators in the war of words. But whats striking about the latest GOP effort is that it is focused on cutting a health program for the nations poorest residents to pay, in part, for tax cuts for wealthier Americans. A KFF poll conducted last month and released Friday found that support for proposed changes to Medicaid can wax or wane depending on what individuals are told about the program. For example, the poll found about 6 in 10 adults support work requirements, with the same portion of respondents believing incorrectly that most working-age adults on Medicaid are unemployed. In fact, about two-thirds work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement KFFs poll also showed that support for work requirements drops to about 3 in 10 adults when those who initially supported them hear that most Medicaid enrollees are already working and that, if the requirements were implemented, many would risk losing coverage because of the burden of proving eligibility. When respondents initially opposed to work requirements were told they could allow Medicaid to be reserved for groups like the elderly, people with disabilities, and low-income children, support for them increased to 77%. Steven Mintz, a history professor at the University of Texas, said the Medicaid debate likely will be won not on the facts, but instead on which party can describe it in terms that gain the most public support. Words are wielded as weapons, he said. Republicans word choices are designed to appeal to peoples prejudices about Medicaid, he said, adding that loaded terms help divert attention from a detailed policy discussion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Words help reinforce a position that people already lean toward, he said. Sara Rosenbaum, professor emerita of health law and policy at George Washington University, said conservatives who have long tried to shrink Medicaid have an obvious motivation. These people spend their lives trying to ruin the program by searching for the newest slogans, the newest quips, and the newest nonsensical monikers that they think somehow will persuade Congress to completely upend the program and take benefits away from tens of millions of people, she said. Medicaid and the closely related Childrens Health Insurance Program cover nearly 80 million low-income and disabled people roughly 1 in 5 Americans. Enrollment and spending soared in the past decade due largely to the covid pandemic and the decision by more states to expand Medicaid under the ACA. Polling shows the program is nearly as popular as Medicare, the health program primarily for those 65 or older with about 3 in 4 Americans holding a favorable opinion of Medicaid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The House of Representatives budget resolution, a blueprint that narrowly passed Feb. 25 with no Democratic support, calls for cuts of at least $880 billion over a decade largely from federal health and energy programs. A separate Senate resolution with no such cuts so far is also in play. Any proposal would need to pass both chambers. Democrats fear most of those cuts will come from Medicaid. Trump has vowed not to touch Medicare, leaving few if any alternatives. He has said he would cherish Medicaid and go after only waste, fraud, and abuse in the program without offering details on how those would be interpreted and he endorsed the Houses blueprint calling for cuts. States and the federal government share in the financing of Medicaid, with the federal government paying from 50% to 77% of the cost of providing services to most beneficiaries. The rate is 90% for beneficiaries receiving coverage through their states Medicaid expansion program. The federal matching rate varies based on a states per capita income relative to the national average; states with lower per capita incomes have higher matching rates. The remaining share of program funding comes from state and local sources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The words discrimination and money laundering have been used in reports from the Paragon Health Institute, a conservative think tank led by a former Trump adviser, Brian Blase. Two former Paragon executives now advise Trump, and a former Paragon analyst advises Johnson. Blase said theres no ulterior motive in the groups word choices. This is us trying to describe the issue in a way that makes the most sense to members of Congress and policymakers, he said. Paragon analysts have argued for ending the federal governments discrimination in matching state dollars for those covered under the ACAs Medicaid expansion at a higher rate than for other enrollees. They also propose giving states a set amount of federal money per year for the program, rather than the open-ended federal funds that always have been a hallmark of Medicaid. One way states raise funds for their share of Medicaid spending is through provider taxes that hospitals or nursing homes pay. States often reimburse the providers through the extra federal money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Blase acknowledges that provider taxes used by states to draw down more federal money which Paragon has referred to as money laundering are legal. He said calling the practice a tax is misleading because the providers financially benefit from it. Money laundering is the best term we can think of for the schemes providers and states come up with to get federal reimbursement for artificial expenditures that benefits states and providers, he said. Joan Alker, executive director of the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University, defended provider taxes as a legal way states raise money to cover low-income people. She noted most states with provider taxes are controlled at least partly by Republicans. Alker rejected the notion that enhanced funding to expand enrollment is discrimination. The ACA included the higher rates for covering more low-income enrollees because that was the only way states could afford it, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Without providing a specific example, Blase said advocates have said cuts would leave people dying in the streets. During a brief funding freeze to Medicaid providers in January, Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said, This is a blatant attempt to rip away health insurance from millions of Americans overnight and will get people killed. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFFan independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF. USE OUR CONTENT This story can be republished for free (details). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFFan independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF. Subscribe to KFF Health News free Morning Briefing. This article first appeared on KFF Health News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. Changing the Medicaid reimbursement will help ensure that everyone in Oregon has access to the dental care they need, an industry leader says. (Getty Images) Oregon doesnt have enough dental providers. Roughly 1 million Oregonians including myself live in a federally designated dental health professional shortage area. And more than 1.4 million Oregonians rely on the Medicaid-funded Oregon Health Plan (OHP). Thats roughly one in three of us and one in two children across every county in our state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite these large numbers, less than half of dentists in the state accept Medicaid as a form of dental coverage. Yet, many providers would be interested in doing so if they could make it financially worthwhile. Nationwide, Medicaid pays significantly less than commercial dental insurance. And Oregon providers say that reimbursement from ALL carriers has not kept pace with the cost of doing business. Specifically, in the Evaluation of Oregon Health Plan Dental Provider Enrollment study from October 2024, researchers from the Oregon Clinical & Translational Research Institute noted: Providers who accept OHP shared that they were in the red not making money for any service beyond routine dental exams. For providers who accept OHP, the challenge of low reimbursement was compounded by the variability in fee schedules This financial strain makes it difficult for practices to maintain profitability while delivering high-quality care. I recently became president of Advantage Dental+, the leading dental program for more than 470,000 eligible OHP Medicaid members; I spend a lot of time thinking about ways to increase access to care and the impact this can have on ones overall health. Dental providers are struggling to provide the basic preventive services we all need to live healthy and feel well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Right now, our state legislators are in session and they are in a position to help with this challenging situation. The newly proposed House bill 2957, sponsored by Representatives Javadi, Nosse and Pham, uses a data-based approach to reimbursing dental care providers, creating a better and more appealing payment mechanism to specifically address the issue. This is a step in the right direction. It will help reduce rate volatility for dental providers, alleviating some of the financial unknowns associated with caring for the Medicaid population. The bill proposes aligning rate review and payment with the general process already used by commercial dental payors when determining rates for network providers. This includes adjusting to current market conditions, which is a key element providers have been missing. The states 2024 evaluation of OHP also proposes addressing reimbursement rates to promote access to care, as inadequate payment was the most common barrier to accepting Medicaid among providers. Dental offices are simply businesses that can only stay open if they can survive financially. The proposed change can only help ensure that everyone in our state has access to the care they need to live a healthy and happy life. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX COMMERCE, Okla. A Commerce toddler who died from starvation weighed 17 pounds and wasnt breathing when his parents brought him into a Miami hospital. The September 11 death of two-year-old Charles Wayne Ash is listed as a homicide, and the cause of death is listed as starvation, according to an autopsy report released on Monday. The childs parents, Amber Murphy, 31, and Daniel Ash, 32, of Commerce, are charged in Quapaw Nation Tribal Court with manslaughter and child neglect charges. They are being held each on a $30,000 cash bond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The child was brought to Integris Baptist Regional Health Center emergency room for not feeling well and having difficulty breathing, according to the 13-page autopsy report. Doctors found the child to be unresponsive with decorticate posturing and died shortly after arriving at the hospital, the autopsy report states. According to WebMDs website, Decorticate posturing is a specific body position that signals brain damage. 209 Walnut Street, Commerce The autopsy report shows the toddler suffered from severe muscle wasting and had deficient subcutaneous and visceral fat stores. The report also noted the child had dirty fingernails and toenails. The overall muscle bulk is profoundly decreased. Charles Ash Autopsy Report In the simplest language, Charles Ash was skin and bones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Charless length, weight, and body mass index put him in less than three percent of the children his age, and his organ weights were less than five percent. Pediatric experts say 17 pounds is the average weight of a six or seven-month-old infant. He was dehydrated and anemic, and his blood sugar registered less than 50 mg/dl. A toddlers average fasting blood sugar level is between 70 and 100. His brain weight was 960 grams, whereas the expected range for a toddler was between 1083 to 1149 grams, according to the autopsy report. The autopsy also noted mild to moderate neuronal loss, left and right hippocampus. Child abuse, which is linked to posttraumatic stress disorder, has been associated with a reduction in both hippocampal and corpus callosum volume, according to medical literature. If you suspect a child is a victim of abuse in one of the areas tribal reservations, click here for access to telephone numbers to report a concern of abuse or neglect or the child abuse hotline at 1-800-522-3511. Delaware and Ottawa County residents are urged to contact the Delaware County Childrens Special Advocacy Network at (918) 253-4539 or the Childrens Advocacy Center of Ottawa County at (918) 540-1621 if they suspect a child is being abused. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Hello, Im Senator John Horhn, and Im running for mayor of Jackson, Mississippi. Ive spent the last 32 years as a state senator, helping to bring millions of dollars and resources to our city. Evidence of my work can be seen all over town. Im ready to bring decades of experience in collaboration, development and accountability to make life better for the people of Jackson. Its clear, Jackson is ready for change. Our capital city is losing thousands of people each year. The murder rate is amongst the highest in the nation. Our streets and infrastructure are crumbling. Businesses are struggling. Jobs have left the city. The list goes on. Jackson is ready for a leader who can be trusted to get the job done with integrity and be effective. Jackson is ready for new leadership that can fix the streets, clean up the torn-up buildings, keep our neighborhoods safe, work with county, state, and federal leaders, bring resources to every part of Jackson, and move our city forward. Above all, we need to make Jackson a place where people want to live, work, play, and invest. Jackson is ready. And if you are ready to move Jackson forward, Vote John Horhn for mayor. Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek sent shockwaves through Silicon Valley and Wall Street earlier this year but its not part of an elite set of AI startups in China known as the Six Tigers. The six AI companies Zhipu AI, Moonshot AI, MiniMax, Baichuan Intelligence, StepFun, and 01.AI are considered to be at the top of Chinas AI industry, and count alums from U.S. and Chinese tech giants such as Google (GOOGL) and Huawei among their talent. Heres what to know about Chinas Six Tigers. Zhipu AI Zhipu AI is based in Beijing, China. - Photo: Feng Li (Getty Images) Zhipu AI was founded in 2019 out of Tsinghua University by two professors, and is one of Chinas earliest generative-AI startups. The Beijing-based company develops foundation models that power its applications, including a conversational chatbot called ChatGLM, and an AI video generator, Ying. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In August, the startup introduced its GLM-4-Plus model, which it said performs on par with OpenAIs GPT-4o. GLM-4-Plus was trained on high-quality synthetic data, and can process large amounts of text. Zhipu released its GLM-4-Voice end-to-end speech model in October, which has human-like speech capabilities such as intonation and dialect. The model can engage in real-time voice conversations in Chinese and English. In January, the outgoing Biden administration added Zhipu to its restricted trade list along with more than 20 other Chinese firms suspected of aiding Chinas military. Zhipu raised more than one billion yuan about $140 million in a financing round earlier this month that included Alibaba (BABA), Tencent (TCEHY), and some state-backed entities. Moonshot AI Moonshot AI is based in Beijing, China. - Photo: Feng Li (Getty Images) Moonshot AI was also founded in 2023 at Tsinghua University by Yang Zhilin, an AI researcher and alumnus of both Tsinghua and Carnegie Mellon University. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Beijing-based startups Kimi AI chatbot is one of Chinas top five AI chatbots, and had almost 13 million monthly active users as of November, according to Counterpoint Research. Kimi can process queries of up to two million Chinese characters. The company, which is valued at $3.3 billion, is backed by some of Chinas largest tech firms, including Alibaba and Tencent. MiniMax MiniMax is based in Shanghai, China. - Photo: Kevin Frayer (Getty Images) MiniMax was founded in 2021 by AI researcher and developer Yan Junjie, and developed the popular AI chatbot, Talkie. The app, which was launched as Glow in 2022, was improved and rebranded to Xingye in China, and Talkie in international markets where its available. Talkie allows users to chat with various characters, including celebrities and fictional characters. According to the South China Morning Post, Talkie was removed from the U.S. Apple App Store in December, citing technical reasons. The Shanghai-based company also developed a text-to-video AI generator called Hailuo AI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last March, Alibaba led MiniMaxs $600 million funding round, which led to a $2.5 billion valuation. Baichuan Intelligence Baichuan Intelligence is based in Beijing, China. - Photo: Kevin Frayer (Getty Images) Baichuan Intelligence was founded in March 2023, and counts talent from Microsoft (MSFT) and Chinese tech giants such as Huawei, Baidu (BIDU), and Tencent. The Beijing-based company developed two open-source large language models, Baichuan-7B and Baichuan-13B, which it released in 2023. The AI models are commercially available in China and were tested on Chinese, English, and multi-language datasets for general knowledge, mathematics, coding, language translation, law, and medicine. In July, Baichuan raised five billion yuan, or about $687.6 million, in a funding round valuing the company at more than 20 billion yuan. Alibaba, Tencent, and some state-backed funds were among the investors. StepFun StepFun is based in Shanghai, China. - Photo: Kevin Frayer (Getty Images) StepFun has released 11 foundation models, including visual, audio, and multimodal AI systems. The Shanghai-based company was founded in 2023 by Jiang Daxin, a former senior vice president at Microsoft. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The startups Step-2 language model has one trillion parameters and is ranked among competing models from companies such as DeepSeek, Alibaba, and OpenAI on LiveBench, which benchmarks large language models. In December, Fortera Capital, a state-owned private equity firm, helped Stepfun raise hundreds of millions of dollars in Series B funding. 01.AI 01.AI is based in Beijing, China. - Photo: Kevin Frayer (Getty Images) 01.AI was founded by Kai-Fu Lee, a veteran of Apple (AAPL), Microsoft, and Google, in 2023. The Beijing-based company has launched two models, Yi-Lightning and Yi-Large. Both AI models are open-source, and are among the top-ranked large language models in the world for language, reasoning, and comprehension. The Yi-Lightning model stands out for its efficient training costs. On LinkedIn, Lee said that Yi-Lightning was trained on 2,000 of Nvidias H100 chips for one month far fewer chips than xAIs Grok 2, which it performed comparably with. Yi-Large, meanwhile, can engage in human-like conversations in both English and Chinese. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman announced Monday that he opposes resentencing Lyle and Erik Menendez, the brothers who have served three decades behind bars for the 1989 murders of their parents. Former Dist. Atty. George Gascon last year recommended to a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge that the court reconsider the brothers' prior sentences of life without the possibility of parole, instead giving them 50 years to life. The move could have made them eligible for parole as youthful offenders because they committed the crime when they were younger than 26. Hochman filed a motion in Los Angeles Superior Court to rescind Gascon's request, presenting an analysis of the facts of the case that is far less favorable to the brothers and raises questions about the validity of their self-defense claims. The motion also lays out evidence of premeditation and the brothers' attempts to cover their tracks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hochman said during a news conference that the brothers lied to police immediately after the killings and crafted an alibi, even going as far as to say the slayings were Mafia hits. "The Menendez brothers have continued to lie for over 30 years about their self-defense that is, their purported actual fear that their mother and their father were going to kill them the night of the murders," Hochman wrote in the motion. "Also, over those 30 years, they have failed to accept responsibility for the vast number of lies they told in connection with that defense." In the motion filed Monday, prosecutors argued that the brothers' taking ownership of their crimes would be "key to a re-sentencing analysis since it significantly helps determine whether an inmate poses an unreasonable risk of a danger to the community." In 1989, the Menendez brothers bought a pair of shotguns with cash, walked into their Beverly Hills mansion and shot their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, while they watched a movie in the family living room. Prosecutors said Jose Menendez was struck five times, including in the kneecaps and the back of the head, and Kitty Menendez crawled on the floor wounded before the brothers reloaded and fired a fatal blast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The brothers were charged with murder after Erik, who was then 18, confessed to the killings to his therapist. During the trial, prosecutors argued the brothers killed their parents to gain access to their multimillion-dollar inheritance. But defense attorneys countered that years of violent sexual abuse by their father preceded the shootings, justifying the slayings as a form of self-defense. After decades in prison, the brothers are pursuing several possible paths to freedom: clemency, resentencing and a habeas corpus petition based on new evidence. Read more: Newsom cites Menendez brothers case in seeking changes to parole board process The petition filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court in 2023 pointed to a 1988 letter sent from Erik Menendez to his cousin Andy Cano, saying he had been abused late into his teen years. It also mentioned allegations made by Roy Rossello, a former member of the boy band Menudo, who said he had also been raped by Jose Menendez. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hochman announced last month he opposed granting the brothers a new trial, saying the act of murder was the issue in the conviction not the sexual abuse allegations. The brothers would have had to have an imminent fear that their parents would kill them over the sexual abuse being reported in order for the murders to be considered self-defense, he said. During the Monday news conference, Hochman said if the brothers accept complete responsibility for their criminal actions, acknowledge that their parents weren't going to kill them the night of Aug. 20 and fess up to lies they told after the killings, his office would reconsider whether they should be released. Until that happens, "they do not meet the standards for resentencing," Hochman said. "They do not meet the standards for rehabilitation." A judge is expected to consider the brothers' resentencing request, but without support from Hochman the process may be challenging, legal experts say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Without the D.A.'s blessing, the Menendez brothers have an uphill battle," Louis Shapiro, a criminal defense attorney who has not represented the brothers, told The Times. Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman speaks at an earlier news conference about the Erik and Lyle Menendez case. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Still, the brothers have continued to pursue other avenues that could result in their release. Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom directed the state parole board to launch a risk assessment into whether the Menendez brothers would pose an unreasonable risk to the public if they were released, a first step in their bid for clemency. If the brothers were to receive clemency and eventually have a parole hearing, Hochman said he would oppose their release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governor said he would make his decision on their clemency request after the boards investigation, which is expected within 90 days. Those campaigning for Erik and Lyle's release said they were frustrated by Hochman's comments Monday, but remain optimistic about alternative ways to win their freedom. I am feeling a little bit deflated but also clear in the knowledge that this is not our only path," said Anamaria Baralt, a cousin of the siblings. "There is still a habeas and this is still within the hands of the governor. I dont know how much this truly impacts resentencing at all. The killings and the brothers' highly publicized murder trials sparked documentaries, films and a recent Netflix series that has maintained public interest in the case even decades later. Conversations about how the sexual abuse claims were handled during the trials has prompted public pleas and enhanced legal efforts for the brothers' freedom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first trial ended with hung juries for each brother. In the second, allegations of abuse and supporting testimonies were restricted, and Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted of first-degree murder. The Justice for Erik and Lyle Coalition, a family-led initiative advocating for the brothers' release, said in a statement Monday that Erik and Lyle have apologized for their actions, which were the result of sexual abuse by their father and their mother enabling the abuse. Family members pointed to the brothers' work in rehabilitation programs in prison as proof of their atonement. "District Attorney Hochman made it clear today he is holding Erik, Lyle, and our family hostage. He appears fixated on their trauma-driven response to the killings in 1989 with blinders on to the fact they were repeatedly abused, feared for their lives, and have atoned for their actions," the family said in a statement. "How many times do we have to hear the same attempts to bury who they are today and rip us back to that painful time?" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hochman's relationship with the nearly two dozen Menendez family relatives who want the brothers freed from prison has seemingly cratered since he took office last year. Last month, the family expressed concern when they learned Hochman had demoted and transferred the two attorneys who argued for the brothers to be resentenced under former Dist. Atty. Gascon. The lawyers, Nancy Theberge and Brock Lunsford, have filed a notice of claim, a precursor to a lawsuit, alleging Hochman punished them because he disagrees with their position on the case. While Hochman has declined to comment on the suit, he made clear Monday that he found their prior work on the case lacking. As you see by requesting to withdraw, we believe that [Lunsford] and Ms. Theberge did not focus on the key aspects of the determination of resentencing, so I brought in additional people to focus on that and do a full review on the Menendez case, he said. Tamara Goodell, a cousin of the brothers who supports their release, last week lodged a complaint with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the United States Attorney's Office, alleging that Hochman violated her rights as a victim under Marsy's Law. She accused Hochman of being biased against the brothers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: L.A. County D.A. Hochman opposes a new trial for Menendez brothers Goodell wrote that when 20 members of the brothers' family met with Hochman in January, the district attorney had a "hostile, dismissive and patronizing tone" that "created an intimidating and bullying atmosphere, leaving us, the victims, more distressed and feeling humiliated." "Rather than focusing on the trauma and concerns expressed by the family, D.A. Hochman shifted the meetings focus onto himself, making it a lecture on how he was being personally treated rather than an opportunity to hear and respect the voices of the victims. The lack of compassion was palpable, and the family left feeling not only ignored but further intimidated and revictimized," she wrote. Baralt, who was present for the meeting, said Hochman's behavior was "so intense" that the brothers' defense attorney, Mark Geragos, had to intercede. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His response to me was unbelievably aggressive. He was condescending, he accused me of obviously not listening to his interviews of course Ive read every single word hes ever said about our family," she said. "It was unreal. I felt absolutely attacked in that room. Attorneys representing the Menendez brothers did not respond to a request for comment Monday. The letter emphasized concerns the family has with the involvement of Kathy Cady, the director of the Bureau of Victims' Services within the district attorney's office. Cady previously represented Milton Anderson, Kitty Menendez's brother, who opposed the brothers' possible release from prison. Anderson died this month, according to his new attorney, R.J. Drieling. In the letter, Goodell requests Cady be barred from any participation in the case, Hochman be reprimanded and for the attorney general to take over the case to "ensure fairness and impartiality." Hochman has said Cady has been "walled off" from any involvement in a decision on the brothers' fate, and the section of the office she oversees has no hand in resentencing or post-conviction matters. It is not clear what, if any, effect Goodell's complaint could have on the case. Neither CDCR nor the U.S. Attorney's Office would have the authority to remove Hochman from the case. The family would have to file a disqualification motion with a judge, according to former federal prosecutor Laurie Levenson. By meeting with the family, she said, Hochman complied with Marsy's Law, which effectively functions as California's bill of rights for crime victims. There is no part of the law that requires Hochman to be "enthusiastic" toward the family's wishes, Levenson said. Hochman said Monday he was not biased against the brothers and had not violated Marsy's Law, echoing Levenson's point that he was under no obligation to meet with them. If they've characterized that meeting in whatever way theyre going to say it, so be it," he said of the allegations he was aggressive. Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, said while the letter provides fascinating insight into the meetings between the Menendez family and Hochman, the complaint is unlikely to spur any action by federal prosecutors. "The feds arent going to get involved in a state case to enforce a state law. And generally speaking, Marsys Law allows victims to be heard, but there is no real enforcement mechanism," Rahmani said. Times staff writer Salvador Hernandez 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. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said Monday he's asking the court to withdraw the previous district attorney's motion for resentencing for Lyle and Erik Menendez, calling the brothers' claims of self-defense part of a litany of "lies." "Our position is that they shouldn't get out of jail," Hochman said at a news conference Monday. "We bring that position to the court. The court can agree with it, the court can disagree with it or modify it in some respect." Hochman said his office is "prepared to go forward" with the hearing regarding their resentencing case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hearing is set for March 20 and 21 for the brothers, who are serving life without the possibility of parole for the 1989 shotgun murders of their parents, Kitty and Jose Menendez. PHOTO: In these booking photos taken Oct. 10, 2024, Erik and Lyle Menendez are shown. (CRDC) MORE: Menendez brothers' cousin calls DA 'hostile,' 'patronizing,' asks for his removal from case Hochman argued that because the "brothers persist in telling these lies for the last over 30 years about their self-defense defense and persist in insisting that they did not suborn any perjury or attempt to suborn perjury, then they do not meet the standards for resentencing. They do not meet the standards for rehabilitation." "If the Menendez brothers, at some point, unequivocally, sincerely and fully accept complete responsibility for all their criminal actions, acknowledge that the self-defense defense was phony and their parents weren't going to kill them ... and finally come clean with the court, with the public, with the DA's office, with their own family members and acknowledge all these lies ... in the future, the court can weigh these new insights into making a determination as to whether they now qualify for rehabilitation and re-sentencing. And the [DA's office] will do the same," Hochman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DA said his decision comes after reviewing trial transcripts, prison records and videotaped trial testimony, as well as meeting with Menendez family members, defense attorneys and past prosecutors. Hochman stressed the premeditation, noting the brothers drove to San Diego days before the murders to buy shotguns with a fake ID, and on the night of the murders, they planned an alibi and went to buy movie tickets, he said. PHOTO: Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman talks about the resentencing of Erik and Lyle Menendez for the murders of their parents during a news conference in downtown Los Angeles, Jan. 3, 2025. (Damian Dovarganes/AP, FILE) MORE: Menendez brothers' cousin 'gasped in relief' to learn Newsom is addressing clemency request After Jose and Kitty Menendez were fatally shot, the brothers allegedly shot them again in the kneecaps to try to make the slayings look like a gang shooting, Hochman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The brothers "also had the presence of mind to pick up all the shotgun shells" to try to hide their fingerprints, and then they ditched their bloody clothes and the weapons, Hochman said. Hochman said the brothers told 20 lies and have since admitted to only four; he said 16 lies remain "unacknowledged." PHOTO: Erik Menendez, left, and is brother Lyle, in front of their Beverly Hills home on Nov. 30, 1989. (Los Angeles Times via Getty Images, FILE) The brothers initially proclaimed their innocence and said the murders may have been Mafia hits. The truth about the brothers being responsible came after Erik Menendez confessed to his therapist and that confession tape was turned over to the police. "They convinced, not just the media, not just the police, but their family and their friends that they were 100% innocent of these crimes, until eventually these tapes came out," Hochman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The "next iteration of the story" was when Lyle Menendez allegedly asked his girlfriend to claim Jose Menendez drugged and raped her, Hochman said. The brothers later said Erik Menendez was raped by their father and Lyle Menendez was raped by their mother, he said. MORE: Menendez brothers timeline: From the 1989 murders to their new fight for freedom At trial, the brothers claimed self-defense, saying they were victims of sex abuse from their father and believed their parents were going to kill them. But Hochman claimed "the self-defense defense was a fabrication." Self-defense wasn't mentioned in the confession to the therapist, according to Hochman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "What Erik said is that [his father] was a controlling, dominating force, and that is the reason," Hochman said. "He said the mother would be a witness to the crime, so she had to die, [and she] was so miserable because the father had an affair ... [and] the mother could not live without the father." PHOTO: Erik Menendez with his attorney Leslie Abramson and his brother Lyle Menendez in Los Angeles, March 9, 1994. (Ted Soqui/Sygma via Getty Images, FILE) The "brothers have never come clean and admitted that they lied about their self-defense as well as suborned perjury and attempted to suborn perjury by their friends for the lies, among others, of their father violently raping Lyle's girlfriend, their mother poisoning the family, and their attempt to get a handgun the day before the murders," the DA said in a statement. Hochman said the brothers "lied when they testified that when they burst into the den with their shotguns, that it was too dark to see and their parents were standing up or moving." "Expert testimony showed that, at all times, the parents were seated on the couch" or wounded on the ground when shot, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The brothers also "lied when they testified that they thought their parents were going to kill them" on their family fishing trip one day before the murders, Hochman said. MORE: Menendez brothers: Newsom orders parole board to investigate whether they'd pose 'unreasonable risk' to public if released After Hochman's press conference, Lyle Menendez posted on Facebook that "of all those 'lies' [Hochman] talked about, several of them were admitted/stipulated to in the first trial. ... And several other 'lies' were absolutely disproven or reasonably disputed." Menendez family members who want the brothers released also slammed the DA's announcement, saying Hochman is ignoring "the fact they were repeatedly abused, feared for their lives, and have atoned for their actions." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Erik and Lyle are not the same young boys they were more than 30 years ago," the family said in a statement. "They have apologized for their actions, which were the results of Jose's sexual abuse and Kitty's enablement. They have apologized for the horrific actions they took. They have apologized to us. And, they have demonstrated their atonement through actions that have helped improve countless lives. Yet, DA Hochman is effectively asking for them to publicly apologize to a checklist of actions they took in a state of shock and fear." The family also attacked Hochman for what they called his "not-so-veiled insistence" that the brothers weren't sexually abused. Hochman "sent a message to every young boy who's the victim of abuse that they should not come forward," the family said. PHOTO: Joan Andersen VanderMolen, center, speaks to the media surrounded by family members of Erik and Lyle Menendez during a news conference after a hearing in Los Angeles, Nov. 25, 2024. (Damian Dovarganes/AP, FILE) At Monday's news conference, Hochman frequently referenced California Gov. Gavin Newsom's 2022 decision to deny parole to Robert F. Kennedy's killer, Sirhan Sirhan, citing that case as the precedent the judge should consider with the Menendez brothers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although Sirhan -- like the Menendez brothers -- spent decades in prison rehabilitating himself, including achieving degrees and participating in prison programs, and he had letters of support, Newsom denied Sirhan parole because he "failed to exhibit insight and completely accept responsibility," making him "an unreasonable risk of danger to the community," Hochman said. MORE: Menendez brothers case: DA asks court to deny their petition for new trial The court needs to "analyze whether the Menendez brothers' lack of full insight and lack of complete responsibility for their murders overcomes ... the other factors justifying a resentencing like the Menendez's length of time in prison, their age at the time of the murders, their upbringing and any sexual abuse they experienced, their extensive rehabilitation efforts in prison including getting educational degrees and involvement in community and prison programs, any supportive letters from prison officials and victim family members, their health, and the low prison risk score," Hochman said. In October, then-LA County District Attorney George Gascon announced he supported resentencing for the brothers. Gascon recommended their sentences of life without the possibility of parole be removed, and said they should instead be sentenced for murder, which would be a sentence of 50 years to life. Because both brothers were under 26 at the time of the crimes, they would be eligible for parole immediately with the new sentence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DA's office said its resentencing recommendations take into account many factors, including rehabilitation in prison and abuse or trauma that contributed to the crime. Gascon praised the work Lyle and Erik Menendez did behind bars to rehabilitate themselves and help other inmates. PHOTO: Erik Menendez and his brother Lyle (R) listen during a pre-trial hearing, Dec. 29, 1992, in Los Angeles after the two pleaded innocent in the August 1989 shotgun deaths of their parents, Jose and Mary Louise Menendez. (Vince Bucci/AFP via Getty Images) Weeks after Gascon's announcement, he lost his race for reelection to Hochman. When Hochman came into office on Dec. 3, he promised to review all the facts before reaching his own decision. Hochman's announcement on Monday comes days after one of the brothers' cousins, Tamara Goodell, slammed the DA in a letter to the U.S. Attorney's Office Civil Rights Division. Goodell accused Hochman of being "hostile, dismissive and patronizing" during two meetings in January with family members who want the brothers released. She said the "lack of compassion was palpable, and the family left feeling not only ignored but further intimidated and revictimized." Goodell wants Hochman removed and the case turned over to the attorney general's office. Besides resentencing, the brothers have been pursuing two other paths to freedom. One is their habeas corpus petition, which they filed in 2023 for a review of two new pieces of evidence not presented at trial: a letter Erik Menendez wrote to his cousin eight months before the murders detailing his alleged abuse from his father, and allegations from a former boy band member who revealed in 2023 that he was raped by Jose Menendez. Hochman announced in February that he's asked the court to deny the habeas corpus petition, arguing the new evidence isn't credible or admissible. The third path to freedom is through the brothers' request for clemency, which has been submitted to Newsom. On Feb. 26, Newsom announced that he's ordering the parole board to conduct a 90-day "comprehensive risk assessment" investigation into whether the brothers pose "an unreasonable risk to the public" if they're granted clemency and released. "There's no guarantee of outcome here," Newsom said. "But this process simply provides more transparency ... as well as provides us more due diligence before I make any determination for clemency." Menendez brothers case: DA asks court to withdraw resentencing motion, calls self-defense claims 'lies' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced that his office will withdraw its motion to reduce the sentences in Erik and Lyle Menendezs murder trial, citing repeated lies and fabricated evidence over the past 30 years. The brothers are currently serving life without parole, following the brutal murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in 1989. After a thorough review of over 10,000s pages of trial transcripts, thousands of pages of prison records and hundreds of hours of videotaped trial testimony, the DA said that, though they will proceed with the scheduled hearing, they have removed the offices prior resentencing request. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are requesting that the prior District Attorneys motion for resentencing be withdrawn, Hochman said in a press conference Monday. The basis for that request is that the prior motion did not examine or consider whether the Menendez brothers have exhibited full insight and taken complete responsibility for their crimes by continuing for the past over 30 years to lie about their claims of self-defense. The district attorney recommended last month that the courts deny the Menendez brothers habeas petition, claiming that new evidence presented by the convicted brothers could be part of a continuum of lies. Hochman reiterated the brothers pattern of lies in his Monday press briefing. The Menendez brothers have never come clean and admitted that they lied about their self-defense as well as suborned perjury and attempted to suborn perjury by their friends for the lies, Hochman said, citing the alleged rape of Lyles girlfriend, their mother poisoning the family and other allegedly planted alibis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The district attorneys office outlined 16 explicit lies that the brothers never admitted to, including the fact that they did not cite self-defense as the leading factor in their parents murders to Dr. Jerome Oziel. Gov. Gavin Newsom still has the clemency power to free the brothers. He announced Feb. 26 that he will order the parole board to conduct a 90-day comprehensive risk assessment investigation into whether the brothers pose an unreasonable risk to the public. The district attorneys office created a 16-minute video giving a thorough history of the Menendez brothers case to educate people on the criminal justice system. That video is available on the DAs website, and it breaks down the three decades worth of legal action that has taken place in the high-profile murder trial. The post Menendez Brothers: DA Withdraws Resentencing Request Over Lies and Fabricated Evidence appeared first on TheWrap. TOKYO - Japan said Monday it will continue to work closely with Canada to ensure peace in the Indo-Pacific and maintain unity among the Group of Seven nations, as former central banker Mark Carney prepares to become the next Canadian prime minister. Japan's top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi underscored the need to strengthen ties with Canada, saying it shares with Japan fundamental values such as freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law, along with strategic interests. Canada holds this year's G7 presidency at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump's return has raised concerns about the group's unity. "We will cooperate with Canada, an important strategic partner in the Indo-Pacific, to maintain and strengthen the peace and stability of the region and the world, while working to ensure the G7 is united," Hayashi told a regular press briefing. Canada's governing Liberal Party on Sunday elected Carney as its leader, setting the stage for him to succeed Justin Trudeau, who has announced his decision to step down as premier. Related coverage: Japan urges G7 unity over Ukraine to avoid "wrong lesson" Erik Menendez (left) and his brother, Lyle - Credit: AFP via Getty Images The Los Angeles County District Attorney issued a statement opposing the resentencing of convicted murderers Lyle and Erik Menendez. DA Nathan Hochman recommended that a motion for resentencing filed by his predecessor be withdrawn, citing the Menendez brothers continued refusal to take complete responsibility for murdering their parents and their continued insistence that they were acting in self-defense. More from Rolling Stone Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a full examination of the record reveals, the Menendez brothers have never come clean and admitted that they lied about their self-defense as well as suborned perjury and attempted to suborn perjury by their friends for the lies, among others, of their father violently raping Lyles girlfriend, their mother poisoning the family, and their attempt to get a handgun the day before the murders, Hochman said. The Menendez brothers are currently serving sentences of life without parole for killing their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in 1989. Last year, former DA George Gascon recommended that the court rescind this sentence and give the brothers 50 years to life. That wouldve effectively made the Menendez brothers eligible for parole as youthful offenders since they were both under 26 when the murder was committed (Erik was 18 at the time, while Lyle was 21). While the Menendez brothers case has long been a national true crime phenomenon, its found renewed interest thanks to a recent slate of documentaries and the Ryan Murphy series, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. The latter helped spur new efforts to free the Menendez brothers, with Gascon filing his original motion last October, citing the brothers exemplary behavior behind bars, as well as new evidence supporting their claims of sexual abuse at the hands of their fathers. But the fate of the brothers seemed uncertain after Gascon lost his election last year to Hochman, whos taken a more touch-on-crime approach and has seemed dubious of resentencing efforts. In his statement today, Hochman acknowledged the brothers behavior in prison and the sexual abuse allegations against Jose, but ultimately argued that their lack of full insight and lack of complete responsibility for their murders did not overcome the other factors justifying a resentencing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hochman did, however, leave open the possibility for supporting a future motion to resentence the Menendez brothers, saying this motion to withdraw was based on the current state of the record and the Menendez brothers current and continual failure to show full insight and accept full responsibility for their murders. He continued: If they were to finally come forward and unequivocally and sincerely admit and completely accept responsibility for their lies of self-defense and the attempted suborning of perjury they engaged in, then the Court should weigh such new insight into the analysis of rehabilitation and resentencing as will the People. A lawyer for the Menendez brothers did not immediately return a request for comment. As the Los Angeles Times reports, tensions between Hochman and the Menendez family members who want to see Erik and Lyle freed have spiked in recent months. Last month, they expressed concern after learning Hochman had demoted and transferred two attorneys whod supported the resentencing bid (those lawyers have filed their own precursor complaint, alleging Hochman punished them over their position on the brothers). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Furthermore, the Menendez brothers cousin, Tamra Goodell, wrote in a recent complaint that when 20 members of the family met with Hochman in January, he exhibited a hostile, dismissive and patronizing tone that left the family more distressed and feeling humiliated. Goodell also shared the familys concerns about the involvement in the case of Kathy Cady, who heads up the Bureau of Victims Services in the DAs office and previously represented Kittys late brother, who opposed the brothers release before his death this month. Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. (Photo by Douglas Sacha/Getty Images) A new legislative proposal aims to add behavioral health specialists to Maine State Police staff to assist with thousands of 911 calls from people with mental health challenges, particularly in the large rural Aroostook County. In 2022, state police requested and received funding for five behavioral health coordinator positions in Gov. Janet Mills supplemental budget. However, with increasing mental and behavioral health challenges police are responding to, Rep. Joseph Underwood (R-Presque Isle) proposed adding three positions, including a coordinator to oversee all the behavioral health specialists. The positions are intended to help divert people to services and away from the criminal justice system when appropriate, according to the state police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are consistently being asked by other police departments for their help, and we try to do that as much as possible, but its a finite resource. There are five of them, and theres only so many hours in the day, said Lucas Hare, major of the operations division for Maine State Police. Over the past two years, these specialists have assisted with calls ranging from community disruptions, reports of overdoses, assisting elderly people, and visiting homeless encampments, according to state police reports. In 2023, these five specialists, who are trained social workers, responded to more than 1,200 calls according to an annual report by the state police. Of those, more than half included referrals to community mental health services with the Maine branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). But NAMI Maine is opposed to adding the positions, saying law enforcement should not be involved in assisting communities with mental and behavioral health needs, and that funding should instead be directed to provider networks to help people without getting police involved. If we continue to ask law enforcement to respond to what is a medical condition, then we are continuing to promote that stigma, instead of, again, diverting as soon as possible and whenever possible, over to the appropriate resources, said Hannah Longley, director of advocacy and crisis intervention with NAMI Maine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were going to advocate that any funding that is for behavioral health or mental health services stays in the mental health system. Hare said calls coming into 911 systems are often as a last resort. When these people are reaching us, other parts of the system have not worked for them, Hare said. However, Maine State Police testified neither for nor against the proposal, which would cost about $400,000 over the next two years, although the agency vouched for its benefits. The Legislature is currently facing a $450 million budget deficit. As part of her proposal to close that gap, Gov. Janet Mills is suggesting several cuts to programs that have passed but not yet been implemented. This includes $1.9 million that was set aside by the Legislature last year to fund 24 law enforcement liaison positions tasked with coordinating between behavioral health organizations and law enforcement agencies. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Tens of thousands of people packed into Mexicos City main plaza on Sunday to celebrate with President Claudia Sheinbaum a decision by the US to postpone tariffs on many of the countrys goods. The crowd clutched large Mexican flags and yelled, Mexico is to be respected! as they cheered on Sheinbaum. Fortunately, dialogue and respect have prevailed, she told the crowd. The celebration comes just days after US President Donald Trump postponed 25% tariffs on many imports from Mexico for a month, saying Sheinbaum had made progress on drug smuggling and illegal immigration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheinbaum had planned to announce retaliatory measures on Sunday, but instead held a mass celebration. While threats persist, the president said she was optimistic tariffs would not be applied to Mexico and that she would continue to act with a cool head in the face of Trump. Among Sheinbaum's supporters was Roberto Gonzalez, a 68-year-old computer scientist who raised a sign that read we are united Mexicans". The unity of the country is very important, Gonzalez said, adding that is the only way Mexico would be able to face one of the largest powers in the world". Also cheering on the president was Mariana Rivera, a 40-year-old social activist who held up a massive Mexican flag as high as her arms allowed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the lingering threats facing the country, the activist said she was convinced that the president will overcome everything. Related Analysts say they dont expect the jubilant ceremony to alleviate the climate of uncertainty that threatens new investments and the Mexican economy. They nonetheless note that it will help Sheinbaum consolidate internal support against Trump, who is setting the pace of bilateral relations. This is an event designed more for internal politics, said political scientist Javier Rosiles Salas, stating that Sheinbaum will seek to use Sundays event to strengthen her image. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rosiles Salas told AP that despite concerns in Mexico about the economic impacts of a tariff war with the United States, the confrontation with Trump has been very profitable for Claudia Sheinbaum and has allowed her to achieve popular support of over 60% five months into her term. The US is Mexicos main trading partner and destination of more than 80% of Mexican exports. Although the 62-year-old president appears strong now, it is not clear whether her political support would weaken if the Mexican economy deteriorates because of tensions with the US. For now, the projections of specialists and rating agencies are not favorable. Most analysts agree that if general tariffs are imposed, Mexico could face a GDP contraction of more than 1%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A prolonged climate of uncertainty doesnt favour Mexico, according to Samuel Ortiz Velasquez, professor of the Faculty of Economics at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. After phone conversations with counterparts in Mexico and Canada, Trump decided last Thursday to pause until 2 April the general tariffs for products that are under a trilateral trade agreement. In early February, Trump also suspended tariffs after Sheinbaum promised to send 10,000 national guards to the northern border to contain drug trafficking. Despite the agreements, Trumps decision on the 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum from Mexico and Canada, which are scheduled to come into effect on 12 March, remains in limbo. Well, Hello Dolly! Southfield, Michigan-based Big Boy Restaurant Group said it would begin this week the reopening of former Frischs Big Boys under a working title name of Dollys Burgers & Shakes, but with some very familiar-looking items on the menu like Big Boy hamburgers tweaked to suit local tastes. Dollys will serve up all of the familiar flavors its parent company is known for when the restaurant chain opens its doors and drive-through windows to guests in Blue Ash and Anderson Township, said Big Boys CEO Tamer Afr, in a statement. Who is Dolly to Big Boy? As Big Boy fights with Frischs Big Boy over rights to using the Big Boy name in Cincinnati, the new diner concept is named after the mascots girlfriend, Dolly, in comic books once published by the restaurant chain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two Dollys restaurants will open this week: On Monday, at 9070 Plainfield Road in Blue Ash, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily On Tuesday, at 7706 Beechmont Ave. in Anderson Township, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily The new restaurants feature a breakfast bar from 7 to 11 a.m. on weekdays and 8 to 10 a.m. on weekends. They also have a weekly seafood buffet from 4 to 9 p.m. on Fridays through Easter. Legal battle continues The battle over the Big Boy name began in February after Frischs filed a lawsuit against Big Boy, accusing it of violating its exclusive rights to the brand throughout most of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fight comes after the shuttering of more than 60 Frischs diners amid a lease dispute with its former landlord, Orlando-based NNN Reit, which evicted the previous operator, saying Frischs owed it more than $4.5 million in back rent. Frischs, which had more than 80 locations in three states in early 2024, now has just over 30. Whats the proper sauce on a Big Boy? While Big Boy vowed in February to vigorously defend itself in the ongoing legal battle with Frischs, Afr conceded one critical issue to local customers, regarding tartar sauce: We know that the white sauce is the right sauce for our signature burgers in Cincinnati, he said, alluding to the fact that Big Boys served elsewhere have may Big Boy sauce (similar to Thousand Island dressing). To prove it, Dollys will give away free Big Boys sandwiches to the first 50 drive-through guests, starting at 11 a.m. on the first day at each of the new restaurants. And starting at 2 p.m., it will also give out free signature burgers to the first 150 dine-in or carry-out guests. Dollys signage still in the works Big Boy acknowledged the ongoing court fight wasnt ideal for its debut in Cincinnati Dollys signage, uniforms and other materials are still in production and wont adorn the restaurants for their opening. But the company said it would press on and defend its legal rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you dont see a sign, you should still get in line, Big Boy beckoned. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Big Boy opens Dolly's Burgers & Shakes in 2 closed Frisch's As predicted, Michigan gas prices ticked up this week by an average of 8 cents a gallon from a week ago as new protectionist tariffs imposed by the president raise the cost of energy imports. Whats more, the AAA auto club cautions drivers that Monday kicks off the first week of daylight saving time, when clocks move ahead an hour, raising the risk of "drowsy driving" and contributing to the possibility of a dangerous crash. Daylight saving time, AAA said, is "like a mini jet lag," which can take a few days to adjust. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Motorists were paying an average of $3.04 a gallon Sunday for regular unleaded. Regions that rely on crude oil imports from Canada and Mexico should continue to expect to see a rise in fuel prices. The United States imports about 4 million barrels a day from Canada, about 60%-70% of which is processed by refineries in the Midwest. Oil is trading below $70 a barrel. More: GM's Chief of Maps Dave Craig knows the road and works to fix them Gas is still 6 cents less than a month ago, and 53 cents less than this time last year. And around the state, prices averaged from a high of $3.08 a gallon in Marquette, $3.06 in Ann Arbor and $3.05 in Grand Rapids to a low of $2.88 in Traverse City, $2.96 in Benton Harbor and $3.03 in metro Detroit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for drowsy driving, symptoms include closing your eyes and drifting from your lane. "It is also important to pay extra attention near schools, particularly in the mornings," AAA spokeswoman Adrienne Woodland warned. "It will stay dark later into the morning when children will be on their way to school." Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan gas prices are on the rise with new tariffs The Michigan Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Heres a look at March 9, 2025, results for each game: Winning Daily 3 numbers from March 9 drawing Midday: 0-0-8 Evening: 3-4-6 Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Daily 4 numbers from March 9 drawing Midday: 8-6-1-2 Evening: 8-7-7-6 Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Lucky For Life numbers from March 9 drawing 06-14-18-40-46, Lucky Ball: 06 Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Poker Lotto numbers from March 9 drawing AH-2C-5D-7H-9S Check Poker Lotto payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from March 9 drawing 21-22-23-36-39 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 10-15-28-32-39 Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Daily Keno numbers from March 9 drawing 02-03-04-08-11-16-21-24-25-26-32-36-39-40-49-50-58-67-70-74-75-76 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 9, 2025 LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) A record number of Michigan students are enrolled in the Michigan Achievement Scholarship this year, each saving thousands of dollars in tuition costs. The Michigan Achievement Scholarship is a state program that increases access and affordability to Michiganders seeking a skill certificate and/or college degree. The State of Michigan reports that nearly 60,000 students received the Michigan Achievement Scholarship this spring, saving them a total of $252.3 million in tuition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Michigan, we are delivering on our promise to make college and career training more accessible and affordable because every student deserves a fair shot at a great-paying job, said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in a news release sent to 6 News. Students benefiting from the program this year include: 18,226 students attending a community college at no or low cost. 7,009 students at private colleges saving up to $5,500 a year. 34,371 students at public universities saving up to $5,500 a year. The Michigan Achievement Scholarship is making a significant impact not just for students but for families and communities across the state, said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of MiLEAP, in a news release sent to 6 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 WLNS 6 News. Clerks have seen their workloads increase significantly in recent years with the expansion of absentee and early voting. They are often targets of misinformation or threats, which, when combined with low pay, can make the job unappetizing for new potential clerks. (Brittany Greeson for Votebeat) This article was originally published by Votebeat, a nonprofit news organization covering local election administration and voting access. Votebeat is a nonprofit news organization reporting on voting access and election administration across the U.S. Sign up for Votebeat Michigans free newsletter here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sharon Tyler stepped down as Berrien County clerk last year. After 12 years in the role, she was tired of missing out on family events and time with her grandchildren because of a growing workload. The death threats didnt help. When her grandchildren asked to have a sleepover, Id have to say, No, sorry, Ive got early voting. Ive got an election, she recalled. I missed out on a lot of it. In Michigan, local clerks have a lot of responsibilities. They manage elections, issue marriage certificates, handle requests for public documents, and numerous other duties. And just the election part has grown in recent years. Changes to the state Constitution to expand voting rights like Prop 3 in 2018 and Prop 2 in 2022 have increased the amount of work clerks have to put into elections. They now have to stand ready to register voters on Election Day, run at least eight days of early voting, and manage the distribution of absentee ballots to a growing list of voters every election cycle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The growing demands of the job combined with the low pay people have come to associate with civic jobs are discouraging new recruits, limiting the pipeline of talent for a critical role in the democratic process. In 2024, research found, 90% of clerk races in Michigan had only one candidate, and some small communities struggled to find anyone to run. An election worker in Warren, Michigan, reviews a record of write-in votes on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024. Along with heavier workloads, Michigan clerks say they face more scrutiny of their work. In Michigan, 83% of election officials reported receiving more complaints than four years ago. (Brittany Greeson for Votebeat) Along with heavier workloads, Michigan clerks say they face more scrutiny of their work. In Michigan, 83% of election officials reported receiving more complaints than four years ago, compared with only 55% nationally. While Berrien County, in southwest Michigan, has had relatively smooth elections in recent years, Tyler said she still received threats as part of her job. The pattern is surprising, given that elections in Michigan are run by municipal clerks overseeing smaller jurisdictions, where officials may know their voters more personally, said Paul Gronke, director of the Elections & Voting Information Center, an academic research group, and a professor of political science at Reed College. Youre literally talking about harassing or threatening a friend or a neighbor, Gronke said. Its disheartening. Michigan clerks struggle to hire workers Its little wonder that many of todays election officials are wary of recommending the job to their own children. A 2024 survey of election administrators by EVIC found that while election officials find their job rewarding, only 22% across the country would encourage their children to follow in their footsteps. In Michigan, the number is slightly higher about 28% but still well short of a majority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Only 66% of election administrators in Michigan reported being proud of their job, compared with more than three-quarters nationally. And the EVIC study found that Michigan officials struggle more than their counterparts around the country to hire full-time workers: 75% in the state reported that it was more difficult, compared with 56% around the U.S. That matches what Tyler, who is now a Berrien County commissioner, saw during her days as clerk. At one point, she went more than a year without getting even one applicant for an open elections job. In Michigan, local clerks do much of the initial work of elections like registering voters, mailing out ballots and setting up polling locations before votes are handed off to county clerks who are tasked with reporting results and working with canvassers to certify the election. The job is typically an elected position under state law, but it can also be appointed. In many communities, the job of running elections ends up being part-time because there arent enough people in town or enough funding in the budget to allow for a full-time position. The Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks warned local governments in late 2023 about the potential threat to elections if clerks arent compensated fairly for the amount of work, but wages havent increased, leaving election officials to simply do more with less. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last September, someone in Bay County grew suspicious and made an emergency call after seeing two people working in Beaver Township Hall after hours. It was the townships clerk and deputy clerk, who were doing required accuracy tests on tabulators. Because these are part time positions, the Clerk and her staff are often on site after hours to conduct official business as they also hold other employment outside of the Township, Bay County Clerk Katie Zanotti explained in a statement posted to the countys Facebook page. In Dexter, a city in Washtenaw County, Jenna Kuick is the first full-time city clerk, although she told Votebeat she wasnt the first person to put in full-time hours in that job. The city appointed her to the role in July after it became clear that the city manager could no longer handle administering elections and running the city. A tabulator generates a totals tape after an August 2024 primary election in Canton, Michigan. In Michigan, local clerks do much of the initial work of elections like registering voters, mailing out ballots and setting up polling locations before votes are handed off to county clerks who are tasked with reporting results. (Elaine Cromie / Votebeat) What happens if no one wants to be clerk? Sometimes not a single person wants to run for clerk. Canton Township Clerk Michael Siegrist analyzed more than 50 counties across Michigan and found at least 16 communities that had no one on the ballot seeking to be clerk in the November 2024 election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If no one runs, state law dictates that the communitys council has to appoint someone to fill the role. The appointee serves as clerk until the next election, or until theres a special election to fill the job. That election is usually run by either the previous clerk or the county, Siegrist said. Siegrist is second vice president of the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks, but undertook the research on his own. He found that in July, nearly 10% of clerk positions up for election across the state had no candidates to fill them. Many of those jobs were ultimately filled by write-in candidates, he said. Both Siegrist and EVIC found that around 90% of clerks in Michigan ran unopposed in their most recent election, which in many places was 2024. Canton Township Clerk Michael Siegrist works with election inspectors Denise Staffeld and Ann Conklin at the townships municipal building in August 2024. Siegrist analyzed more than 50 counties across Michigan and found at least 16 communities that had no one on the ballot seeking to be clerk in the November 2024 election. (Elaine Cromie / Votebeat) That could be the result of communities dominated by a single party, Gronke said, but its more likely that people simply arent lining up to do the job. Elections officials are often older, doing the work as a second or third act to their careers, and there is typically a limited pipeline of talent to replace these community leaders when they are gone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michigan is fortunate to have more experienced clerks, broadly only about a fifth of clerks in the state have less than four years of experience, the EVIC study found, compared with about 31% nationally. But multiple studies have found that turnover across the country is higher than it once was. Clerks seek greater support from lawmakers In Berrien, Tyler said she was excited to work with her replacement as clerk, Stacy Loar-Porter. Tyler said she wouldnt endorse anyone who she felt wouldnt stay in the role for at least two full terms, wary of seeing such a critical job become just a stepping stone to higher office. When the clerk leaves, a lot of the staff leave too, and then, oh, change again, Tyler said. Loar-Porter sought out the job because she wanted to make sure the next Berrien County clerk had some experience in the clerking world. After 16 years as Lincoln Charter Township clerk, she felt ready to support not only her county but also the other clerks in it. Shes 49 years old, and she told Votebeat shes ready to do the job for a while yet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think a lot of times, people will look at the amount of work and the amount of change clerks have gone through in the past few years and say its not worth it, she said. But I love that part. I love elections. I love helping our residents. Having the opportunity to serve our residents is a wonderful opportunity, and it means a lot to me that people trust me enough to do it. It helps that clerks tend to be a tight-knit group, she said. She has mentors around the county and state, and she has the opportunity to mentor others as well. She said shes thankful she gets to keep working with Tyler. Tyler, a former state legislator, said she hopes to see the state lawmakers do more to support local election officials rather than saddling them with more work. To her, more funding would be nice she credits grants from the state as the only reason Berrien was able to pull off early voting but so would smarter election laws. In the meantime, she said she plans to continue to advocate for the clerk in her new role as county commissioner. Shell spend time with her grandchildren, maybe take a vacation, and finally take down her Christmas decorations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hayley Harding is a reporter for Votebeat based in Michigan. Contact Hayley at hharding@votebeat.org Votebeat is a nonprofit news organization covering local election integrity and voting access. Sign up for their newsletters here. LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) Michigan State University (MSU) is launching a multiyear fundraising campaign, the largest in school history. MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D. says the fund accumulated from the $4 billion campaign will accelerate discoveries that address societys greatest challenges and prepare Spartans to advance impact for the common good using their uncommon will. The campaign, known as Uncommon Will, Far Better World, looks to give MSU students access to resources, experiences and knowledge to the worlds greatest challenges, said MSU in a news release sent to 6 News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 120,000 donors have contributed more than $1 billion to the campaign so far. This campaign began in 2022 and is expected to conclude a decade later, in 2032. MSU says $2 billion will be directed to student scholarships and programmatic support as part of the Talent Activated program. The other $2 billion will be used for research/endowed professorships and capital projects/new programs, as part of the Synergies Imagined and Futures Built respectively. According to AD Haller, Michigan State University Athletic Director, $750 million will be used to renovate Spartan Stadium, construct a new Multi-Sport Arena that will be used by volleyball, gymnastics, and wrestling programs and for program/coaching endowments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greg and Dawn Williams and Ben and Barb Maibach have been named inaugural campaign co-chairs. This campaign is a consequential opportunity to ensure we equip every person to learn, grow and thrive while solidifying MSU as a global beacon of collaboration, partnership and opportunity that accelerates positive change boundlessly throughout the world, said Guskiewicz in a news release sent to 6 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 WLNS 6 News. MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- The Midland Police Department arrested two people earlier this month after a young girl was found walking alone on a busy street in the early morning hours. TaLyjah Monea Conner, 23, and Devonte Tremayne Hall, 27, have both been charged with endangering a child, a second-degree felony. Conner Belchor Hall According to police, officers were dispatched to the 200 block of West I-20 around 6:26 a.m. on March 6 after a caller reported seeing a young girl walking alone along the service road. Minutes later, another call reported that the child was heading northbound on Rankin Highway. Officers responded to the scene and found the child near the 1600 block of Rankin Highway, where traffic was beginning to build up and the road condition was still dark. The officers then parked their vehicle at a nearby Kent Kwik and went to contact the child. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upon contact, the child told police she was on her way to Pease Magnet Elementary School. Police reported that the child was cold and frightened, so they put her in the police car to warm up and provided her with food and water while gathering information. The child told police that her father, Hall, typically drove her to school but refused to take her that morning. Police determined she had been walking for approximately 45 minutes before being located. (According to Google maps, the road where the child was found, Rankin Hwy, Midland, TX, to Pease Magnet Elementary School, would take a one hour and 33 minute walk. From the residence, the walk would be one hour and 31 minutes.) Walk from the childs place of dwelling Walk from where the child was found Reports stated that the child told police it was her first time walking to school and, when asked, could not tell officers where she lived. Given the direction of where she was walking, police believed she did not know where she was going. The child also mentioned that she had nearly been hit by a vehicle while crossing a street near Walmart. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the investigation, authorities learned that Hall and Conner were responsible for the childs care while staying at the Best Western on East Interstate 20. Investigators believe the child attempted to walk more than four miles to school on her own in the dark, putting her in imminent danger. Following a forensic interview at the Midland Childrens Advocacy Center, police arrested Hall and Conner at the Midland Police Department. Both were booked into the Midland County Detention Center and face charges of Abandoning/Endangering a Child with Imminent Danger, a second-degree felony. Their bail is unknown, as they no longer appear on the Midland County Currently Held Detainees page and have since been bonded out. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin. [New Open] 1. Stay at the Waldorf Astoria Osaka, the Epitome of Luxury Hotels, Opening April 3 Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts will open its first hotel in Japan on April 3, 2025. Founded in New York in 1893, Waldorf Astoria is part of the Hilton family of brands, with 34 hotels across the world. The Waldorf Astoria Osaka will be located on the upper floors of the Grand Green Osaka South Park Tower, a new commercial complex with an emphasis on green space located by JR Osaka Station, granting superb access to Osakas public transport network. The hotel will have 252 spacious guestrooms mainly with a floor space of 50m2 along with restaurants and other facilities overlooking the dazzling Osaka cityscape. Guests can choose from a number of different room types, including the Deluxe Room featuring warm Japanese elements like "kumiko" woodwork blended together with their iconic art deco aesthetic. It will open just in time for Expo 2025, which will commence April 13. Reservations are now open on the hotels official website and app. Waldorf Astoria Osaka [New Open] 2. Outdoor Seating and Sweeping Vistas at THE GATE HOTEL FUKUOKA, Opening April 24 THE GATE HOTEL FUKUOKA by HULIC will open on April 24, 2025, on the upper floors of HULIC SQUARE FUKUOKA TENJIN, a new commercial hub directly connected to Fukuoka (Tenjin) Station. In the Lobby Lounge on the top floor, guests can kick back and relish the breeze on an outdoor terrace while marveling at the Fukuoka cityscape. On the same floor is the all-day dining restaurant Anchor Grill Fukuoka, which serves grilled dishes using local ingredients. Guestrooms run from the 10th to 18th floors, with 6 types meeting the needs of different travelers. The suite room THE GATE offers incredible panoramas facing Hakata Bay and Tenjin, while the main guestrooms, named Classy and Essential, are themed around Fukuokas vibrant culture, drawing inspiration from its traditions along with its prosperity as an international trade hub and merchant city. Bookings have opened on the hotels official website. THE GATE HOTEL FUKUOKA by HULIC [New Open] 3. Get Ready to Be Wowed by Japan's Toilet History at the Toilet Museum, Opening April 17, Aichi Japanese toilets are renowned worldwide for their advanced features, from high-tech bidets to self-cleaning systems. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of LIXIL's Japan water and tile business, the Toilet Museum will join the INAX MUSEUMS on April 17, showcasing the evolution of Japanese toilet technology and culture. The INAX MUSEUMS is a collection of hands-on museums and facilities operated by LIXIL in the historic pottery town of Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture that showcase different elements of clay and ceramics. These include the Tile Museum which displays tiles from around the world that date from ancient to modern times, the Kiln Plaza where an over 100-year-old kiln, building, and stack of the stoneware pipe factory are preserved, the Tiling Workshop where visitors can participate in interactive tile activities, and more. The Toilet Museum will be the 7th museum facility. This facility will explore the development of modern toilets from rudimentary wooden bowls to the introduction of porcelain and plumbing alongside Japanese innovations in cleanliness and technology. While people around the world have been impressed by Japanese toilets, its only through firsthand experience that you can truly appreciate their unique features. So come visit the Toilet Museum and discover the wonders of Japanese toilets for yourself! Toilet Museum [News!] 4. Green Destinations 2024 Top 100: Recognizing Five Rural Japanese Communities Dedicated to Sustainability Green Destinations is a global certifying organization that is focused on sustainability. Every year since 2014, it has announced its list of Top 100 Stories, showcasing initiatives and projects from destinations around the world that are committed to moving towards SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). There are five Japanese locations that have made the 2024 list: Chikuma City in Nagano Prefecture, Kamaishi City and Tono City in Iwate Prefecture, Miyazu City in Kyoto Prefecture, and the Toge region in Yamagata Prefecture. While this is Miyazu City and Kamaishi City's 2nd and 7th consecutive years on the list respectively, there are three new additions that highlight Japan's rural communities' strong dedication to sustainability and improving daily life for their residents. This includes highlighting Chikuma City in the "Thriving Communities" category, and Tono City and the Toge region in the "Culture and Tradition" category. Each location's respective assets and drive are leading them into the future, holding many wonderful discoveries for residents and visitors alike. 2024 Green Destinations Top 100 Stories [Seasonal Topic] 5. Admire the Kintaikyo Bridge Colored by Cherry Blossoms from a River Boat, Yamaguchi Kintaikyo Bridge, built in 1673, is a beautiful wooden bridge over the Nishikigawa River in Iwakuni City, located on the eastern coast of Yamaguchi Prefecture. It's a prime example of Japan's wooden arch bridges, crafted using traditional timber frame techniques. Its intricate design showcases incredible craftsmanship, and even modern engineers consider it a masterpiece of construction. In spring, pale pink blossoms of 1,500 cherry trees along the Nishikigawa River are in full bloom and surround the 200-meter-long bridge. Late March to early April is the best time to see them and the tour boat "Sakurabune," which provides a spectacular view of the blossoms, is highly recommended. These traditional wooden boats move slowly with a boatman maneuvering a long pole, and you can enjoy the peaceful spring scenery while relishing the tranquil sounds of the river. You can also have a meal on the boat with advance reservation. The Sakurabune runs from late March to late May. Enjoy the graceful spring scenery of Kintaikyo Bridge from the water. Spring Tour Boat "Sakurabune" [Special Experience] 6. Experience Nature and Art with All Five Senses on the Sakushima Art Tour, Aichi Sakushima is a small island situated in the middle of Mikawa Bay, near Nagoya, in the Chubu region of Japan. It can be reached by ferry in around 20 minutes from Isshiki Port. Together with its rich nature and laid-back vibe, Sakushima draws in visitors with a collection of artworks scattered throughout the island. On this tour, youll be shown around Sakushima by an English speaking local guide. You'll travel the island by bicycle, viewing and interacting with the artworks. Highlights include climbing up into tiered black boxes to take photos by the sea at Ohirune House, and Seagull Parking, where rows of seagull wind vanes on a pier rotate with the direction of the wind. You'll also pass through the island's traditional settlements lined with black walls and narrow winding streets, a reminder of its heyday as a flourishing fishing hub. Cute cats and local residents will greet you, and fresh local seafood awaits for lunch. Sakushima Art Tour [Special Experience] 7. Immerse Yourself in Ainu Culture Through Spellbinding Theater at Lake Akan, Hokkaido Discover Ainu culture at Ainu Village (Ainu Kotan) on Lake Akan in eastern Hokkaido. Akanko Ainu Theater Ikor, located within the village, hosts mesmerizing performances of UNESCO-registered traditional Ainu dances alongside contemporary programs and films from Japans indigenous Ainu people. One of its most spectacular shows is the 30-minute Dancing Under a Full Moon, which explores the Ainu philosophy of "urespa mosir," meaning "a place of mutual nurturing." It celebrates the diversity of the Ainu identity and their closeness with "kamuy" divine spirits through enthralling music, dance, costume, and video. It's centered around the Ezo red fox kamuy, who, together with the other dancers, whisks visitors into the mystical and gentle world of the Ainu. As the story progresses, the dance, music, and video grow into one, culminating in a soul-stirring climax. Dancing Under a Full Moon can be enjoyed together with the many other cultural experiences offered at the Ainu Village, which is approximately 1 hour by bus from Kushiro Airport and 1 hour 45 minutes by bus from JR Kushiro Station. Dancing Under a Full Moon [Special Experience] 8. Tour a Factory Making Natural Cedar Incense Sticks in Nikko, Tochigi Nikko City is known for its abundance of cedar wood, with the Cedar Avenue of Nikko certified by the Guinness World Records as the worlds longest treelined road. Utilizing this natural abundance, cedar incense sticks have been produced in Nikko since around the mid-1800s. Founded in 1940, Hattando is one of the main local producers, employing time-honored techniques to create stylish cedar incense stick sets that make for great gifts and souvenirs. Along with the ever-popular and naturally soothing cedar, they have branched out into other pleasing aromas like sandalwood, lavender, and more, packaged in elegant containers made from local cedarwood. Take an up-close look at the incense-making process, from mixing the incense powder into dough to the satisfying cutting and packaging, by joining a guided tour of the factory. While touring the attractions of Nikko, such as the World Heritage Site of Toshogu Shrine, be sure to experience this fascinating local craft too! A tour to the cedar incense factory [Adventure Travel] 9. Adventure Through One of the Largest Primeval Beech Forests in East Asia, Tohoku Shirakami Sanchi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that stretches across Akita and Aomori Prefectures. This verdant mountainous region is home to many rare and unique species of flora and fauna, making it an exciting place to explore while trekking. Spring in Shirakami Sanchi is a breathtaking blend of lingering winter snow, vibrant blooming flowers, and fresh yellow-green beech leaves bursting to life. Tanashiro Marshland, for example, becomes a floral wonderland, carpeted with Asian skunk cabbage and marsh-marigolds, which bloom alongside the remaining snow in May. During the summer, the leaves are verdant green, which change to vibrant yellow in the autumn. Shirakami Sanchi is also home to Japan's last primeval beech forest, which are resistant to the heavy amounts of snowfall. There are several hiking routes in the area that accommodate different experience levels, allowing anyone to enjoy the mesmerizing nature. A favorite among hikers, the trail to Anmon Falls on the northeastern side of Shirakami Sanchi takes you deep into the valley, where three breathtaking waterfalls await at different distances from the trailhead (closed from late November to late April). To learn more about the rare wildlife that can be found here, stop by the Shirakami Sanchi Visitor Center, located a 60-minute bus ride from JR Hirosaki Station. The center showcases the local ecosystem through informative panels, models, and a short film. Before you begin your trek, make sure to grab a map that introduces what flora and fauna you may find on your journey. Shirakami Sanchi Mountain Range Shirakami-Sanchi Visitor's Center [Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai] First Unveiling of a Life-Sized GUNDAM Statue at the "GUNDAM NEXT FUTURE PAVILION" GUNDAM is a well-known robot-centric franchise from Japan and loved by many people around the world. Broadcasted in 1979, "Mobile Suit Gundam" depicted a world where GUNDAM exist, set in the Universal Century, a fictional era in which humans live in space. Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. will exhibit a life-sized scale model of a GUNDAM robot at the "GUNDAM NEXT FUTURE PAVILION," one of the Pavilions for Private Sectors in the EXPO site. The concepts of "life in space" and "technology not yet realized" that are depicted in the GUNDAM series are interpreted as new possibilities for the future in the pavilion. Such possibilities will be demonstrated with realistic new footage and expressed from phases 0 to 7 in the pavilion space, with the GUNDAM NEXT FUTURE PAVILION depicting a world where life in space has become commonplace. The 17-meter-tall life-sized GUNDAM statue will make its appearance as "RX-78F00/E GUNDAM" in the footage screened at the pavilion. Its arm is raised up high towards outer space to symbolize carving out the new space age with human civilization in the future. The future of humanity living in space is coming closer, albeit gradually but with certainty. Under Bandai Namco Group's purpose "Fun for All into the Future," the "GUNDAM NEXT FUTURE PAVILION" will connect people across the globe through GUNDAM and aims to provide the opportunity to think about the future. EXPO2025 Osaka,Kansai,Japan "GUNDAM NEXT FUTURE PAVILION" | Bandai Namco Holdings Inc [Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai] The "Expo 2025 Official Experiential Travel Guides" Website is Now Open The Osaka-Kansai Expo's sub-themes, "Saving Lives," "Empowering Lives," and "Connecting Lives," can be experienced not only at the expo but throughout Japan. JNTOs special Expo website features story videos showcasing these experiences. One of the videos highlights Okinawa. Okinawa is a "Blue Zone" recognized for its exceptional longevity, making it an excellent place to experience the essence of "lives." The video introduces its charms: World Heritage Sites: Nakagusuku Castle, a World Heritage Site, allows visitors to feel history while experiencing yoga for relaxation. Cuisine: Ryukyu cuisine, passed down through generations, is a source of life. Hotels practice "Farm to Hotel" concepts using compost and avoiding pesticides. Visitors can enjoy local ingredients like "goya" and learn to cook traditional dishes. Nature: The beautiful beaches, a World Natural Heritage site, and the subtropical Yanbaru forest offer unique ecosystems. Beach activities promote relaxation. Culture: The warm, joyful Okinawan lifestyle inspires many. Visitors can experience the "sanshin" and traditional dances. Sustainable Living: Okinawa exemplifies sustainable living, with practices like using bamboo toothbrushes and local ingredients. This video aims to encourage visitors to the Osaka Expo to extend their journey to Okinawa, and to feel the source of "lives" by experiencing its nature and culture. A trip to Okinawa is sure to be an unforgettable experience. For more details, visit the JNTO Expo 2025 website. https://expo2025movie.jnto.go.jp/en/okinawa/ Notes: The above details are correct as of the time of publication, and are subject to change. Items 6,7 and 8 are based on information from JNTO Partners. If you'd like to download photos and videos of Japan's tourist attractions, please visit the Japan Photo & Video Library Links For media inquiries, including requests to use photographs, please contact the JNTO Press at media_Inquiry@jnto.go.jp MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- The City of midland announced that water resources have reached a plentiful level and that residents may resume outdoor watering activities as of Monday. The City of Midland appreciates the communitys willingness to be part of the conservation efforts last week. And because of the community efforts, elevated storage levels are back to normal levels. City officials are confident that the water supply and infrastructure can handle the millions of gallons up to 55% of total water usage on some days used to water lawns, fill up pools and take care of outdoor watering needs across the community, City leaders said in a news release. The City of Midland will address its after-action review in the coming days. That will include a report, which will be released to the public. Staff is also tentatively scheduled to bring a Water Valve Maintenance Program to City Council on March 18. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City leaders also want residents to know that Water Quality Reports are still meeting or exceeding TCEQ standards. Residents can see the most water quality reports 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 Yourbasin. As I gaze upon Milwaukees newly appointed Poet Laureate, Shelly Conley, its unfathomable that she once trembled at the mere prospect of stepping onto a stage, as she wields the potent medium of spoken word with such command and compassion. For decades, poetry slams have woven into the vibrant tapestry of Milwaukees urban culture, pulsating through the citys bars and nightclubs. From the diverse scenes at popular Milwaukee eastside establishments like Bangkok Orchard now closed to the urban hip-hop vibe of poetry at the Mecca Nightclub on the northwest side, the poetry scene of the late 1990s and early 2000s rivaled major cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Here, countless artists have boldly taken the mic, sharing their intimate reflections on a spectrum of experiences from the complexities of love and heartbreak to the deep scars of pain and trauma they carry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Letters: Ukraine minerals deal shameful. Russia is the nation that started war. Spoken word and hip-hop are inextricably linked, their rhythms and stories resonating together. Conley a self-proclaimed hip-hop enthusiast has been an essential part of this evolving narrative at every turn. What distinguishes Conley from other artists is her vulnerability and honesty in storytelling. One of my favorite poems by her is Papaz Song, where she expresses her longing to find her father, whom she didnt meet until she was 27. Shelly Conley, 49, was named Milwaukee's new Poet Laureate. The officially named at a ceremony on Feb. 4 at Central Library. The Milwaukee Poet Laureate Project officially launched in February 2000, spearheaded by the Milwaukee Public Library and supported by a diverse group of community donors. Since then the Milwaukee Public Library has appointed 13 poets from across Milwaukee to serve in this role. The position runs for two years. Heres an excerpt: Was I your kryptonite You, too immature for grown-up titles Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Couldnt bare infant cries. Couldnt stand being tied down So you severed our connection Like WE Energies disconnection Went on with life like I Never bore your blood Or wore your first name as my middle People question my place of origin So I referenced you like folklore You are mostly a myth and a single black and white pic. Conley has shared poems with thousands of young women At 49, Conley has passionately shared Papaz Song and other poems with thousands of young women in Milwaukee Public Schools through My Sistas KeepHer, a transformative organization she co-founded with fellow poet and close friend, Tina Nixon. This initiative harnesses poetry's profound and transformative power to promote healing and foster a deep sense of sisterhood among its participants. Every year for the last 10 years, the organization has reached an average of 350 girls a year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whenever Conley recites her heartfelt piece, an emotional wave often sweeps through the room, moving young women to tears as they connect with her words. Her extraordinary ability to reach these young women and encourage them to unearth and articulate their pain through her own transparency fosters resilience often missing from traditional educational settings. As the newly appointed Milwaukee Poet Laureate, Conley aims to accomplish several things. She will continue to leverage her platform to help young women in Milwaukee navigate the many traumas they face through writing and spoken word. She also seeks to inspire local businesses in Bronzeville to host poetry events, create vibrant spaces for self-expression, ignite creativity, and build community connections. She will also begin hosting a Thursday evening poetry open mic series called "Writer's Hive" at HoneyBee Sage Wellness & Apothecary Cafe, 1819 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive starting April 10. Muhibb Dyer, 50, a local poet and community activist, stated that Shelly Conleys recognition as Milwaukee's new Poet Laureate showcases what is possible for young girls growing up on the citys north side. Now is her time! Journey began at Samuel Morse Middle School Conley, who recently released her book "Rewind - A Cathartic Autobiography" has been writing poetry since sixth grade at Samuel Morse Middle School. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over time, her poems and journal entries evolved from themes of love and breakups to focusing on womens empowerment. Growing up, she listened to hip-hop and often incorporated lyrics from admired artists like Tupac Shakur, Nas, Lauryn Hill, and Outkast. This creative expression sometimes directly contrasted with her mothers biblical teachings. Her book is a reflective mirror to the album of her life, delineating two distinct halves: Side A and Side B. Each chapter functions like a unique track, intricately woven together to narrate her journey. Side A delves into her early experiences of heartache and struggle, capturing the raw essence of pain with vivid anecdotes and poignant imagery. Side B transitions to themes of resilience and love, highlighting moments of triumph and personal growth. Throughout the narrative, she seamlessly intertwines her life experiences with powerful hip-hop lyrics, creating a rhythm that resonates with the reader. Opinion: Backlash to Musk isn't imagined. When they slash Medicaid it will be worse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a child, Conley aspired to be a child psychologist because she believed that young people especially young girls lacked safe spaces to express themselves freely without fear of judgment. This feeling of not being heard led her to write, allowing her to pour her heart onto the page and articulate her thoughts and emotions. Conley uncovered a vibrant poetry scene in the early 2000s, showcasing some of the most skilled poets in the Midwest. She participated in one of the premier weekly poetry events at the Mecca nightclub, owned by the nationally recognized performance artist and former Milwaukee Poet Laureate Dasha Kelly. With her journal filled with poems, Conley found it difficult to share her work publicly. They would always ask me if I was ready to get up there, and I would always say not yet, she recalled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then, one night, it happened. Conley finally took the stage and never looked back. Poetry slams offer intense competition, audience feedback For those unfamiliar with poetry slams, people compete by showcasing their wordplay, delivery, depth, and subject matter. Although judges are present, the audience plays a crucial role in determining the winners; they snap their fingers when a line resonates or shout "rewind" for a performer to repeat a powerful point. Despite the competitive nature, poets create a close-knit family that supports each other in pushing their creative boundaries. These years of friendly competition helped Conley become a seven-time member of Milwaukees National Poetry Slam Team. At her installation as Milwaukee Poet Laureate on Feb. 4 at the Central Library, many of the poets she had competed against, who had become part of her chosen family, were there to celebrate her some even having run for the role of Poet Laureate. The title of Poet Laureate originated in England in the 17th century. It is awarded to individuals of notable poetic excellence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Muhibb Dyer, 50, a local poet and community activist, remarked that Conleys recognition highlights the poet community and showcases what is possible for other young, Black girls growing up on the citys north side. Opinion: On Wisconsins glacial lakes, wake-enhanced boating damaging and dangerous Dyer, who has known Conley for 39 years, noted that she grew up on North 20th Street and attended North Division High School, which some have labeled as one of the worst high schools in the state. Now, she is recognized as the Poet Laureate. He said the two share a common perspective shaped by their neighborhood. As poets, they often feel compelled to create work that holds deeper meaning rather than art for arts sake. They convey stories of incarceration, absent fathers, and loved ones lost to violence. This shared perspective has not only given them the strength to preserve but has also reinforced the poetry community. Their art enables them to make a positive impact on the lives of both children and adults in the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now is her time! Dyer shouted. In a city where men kill women because they hate themselves, may your voice be the hope we all need. May your words be the healing we all need. Now is her time. "We are family; when she wins, we all win," Dyer said. Former Milwaukee Poet Laureate Mario "The Poet" Willis, who has known Conley since 2006, described her as a change agent who will find innovative ways to promote poetry across Milwaukee. Spoken word gave Conley confidence to use voice positively The Milwaukee Poet Laureate Project officially launched in February 2000, spearheaded by the Milwaukee Public Library and supported by a diverse group of community donors. Since then, the Milwaukee Public Library has appointed 13 poets from across Milwaukee to serve in this role. This was the project's first year introducing a competitive selection process. More than 20 applicants were required to perform an original poem, recite another poem by their favorite artist, and complete a panel interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Conley succeeds Mario "The Poet" Willis, a Milwaukee native and spoken word artist featured throughout the Midwest. Willis, who has known Conley since 2006, described her as a change agent who will find innovative ways to promote poetry across Milwaukee. Opinion: Doctors battle misinformation. RFK Jr. is wrong and measles may only be start. Even though Im not a poet, I possess an appreciation for the beauty of great poetry when I encounter it. When spoken word is delivered with passion and skill, it transports you to a realm of profound emotion. You find yourself forging a connection with the artist on stage. When their words truly echo within you, its as if youre stepping into their world, sharing in their depths and their experiences and feelings. Conley said poetry changed her life. It empowered her to find her father, deepened her understanding of her mother, and provided her with a family when needed. It has also helped her connect with thousands of Black and brown girls in Milwaukee who needed to learn how to use their voices positively. "Welcome to the stage, Shelly Conley!" will echo in Milwaukee for the next two years. Now is indeed her time. Reach James E. Causey at jcausey@jrn.com; follow him on X@jecausey. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee's new poet laureate inspires others through words | Opinion The US governments weather agency has been dismantled by the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) after it was accused of peddling misinformation. Hundreds of weather forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) were fired last week as part of Donald Trumps plans to slash the federal workforce. In total, at least 800 civil servants are thought to have lost their jobs, including meteorologists, radar specialists and crews of hurricane hunters, who fly aircraft into storms to help forecasters, according to CBS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The job cuts have triggered protests at the agencys headquarters in Maryland, with some scientists and lawmakers warning that removing staff involved in predicting natural disasters will endanger American lives going forward. Prof Roger Pielke, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute who focuses on the politicisation of science, said that the agency is reaping the whirlwind for cutting corners on science. By not upholding the highest standards of scientific integrity, weve opened the door to politicians meddling, he said. Roger Pielke criticises the NOAA for not upholding the highest standards of scientific integrity NOAA runs the National Weather Service, which issues weather warnings such as hurricane and tornado alerts and the National Marine Fisheries Service. It is also responsible for monitoring the health of the oceans and the warming of the climate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prof Pielke began writing about NOAAs billion dollar disaster data 15 years ago. The dataset comprises a chart showing the number of weather disasters costing more than a billion dollars that have struck the US since 1980. That list, which runs to 403 entries and has featured in numerous government reports on global warming, was referred to at least seven times by the Biden administration to help make the case for climate policies, and was cited by lawmakers in a bill to curb the use of fossil fuels. But according to experts, studies and former NOAA officials, the chart proves little about the effects of climate change, and instead shows that disasters are becoming more expensive because Americans choose to build in hazard-prone areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The problem is you cant use economic data to say anything about climate change, said Prof Pielke. According to The Washington Post, the total population of the 15 counties struck by Hurricane Milton surged from 3.7 million people in 1980 to 9.1 million in 2023. At the same time, as the population more than doubled, the areas economic activity quadrupled. It doesnt take as much to get to a billion dollars now than it did 20 years ago, one of the lists creators told the Post. Detection and attribution As a result, Prof Pielke has warned it is impossible to disentangle how much of the increased cost of accidents is caused by climate change and how much is a result of risky developments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prof Pielke said the issues with the data stem from the practice of identifying trends and evaluating their causes, called detection and attribution. Economic loss data is not suitable for detection and attribution of trends in extreme weather events because losses involve more than just climatic factors, he said. In a 1998 peer-reviewed study, Prof Pielke found that, although the cost of hurricane destruction has grown in recent years, when the costs are adjusted to account for the growth in population and the increased number of properties, that trend disappears. The Great Miami Hurricane, which caused $105 million in damage when it made landfall in 1926, would have cost $236 billion if it had hit in 2018. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A similar story is true for wildfires, after the blazes that tore through Los Angeles Pacific Palisades region in January became one of the most recent additions to the billion dollar list. The number of houses built in places at higher risk of wildfires grew from 30.1 million in 1990 to 55.1 million in 2020, according to a Forest Service report. In short, it is not that the extreme weather events are becoming more destructive; rather that the areas they hit are becoming more expensive, the professors theory suggests. The overwhelming undeniable cause of increasing disaster losses across the world is concentrating wealth in places exposed to extreme weather conditions, said Prof Pielke, pointing to insurance costs in California, a lack of disaster preparedness and planning rules that prevent houses being retrofitted to make them more fire resistant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The disaster costs are the result of very local decisions that are political, he said. In January last year, Prof Pielke sent a request for correction to NOAA alleging that it had fallen short of scientific standards by failing to disclose how it arrived at its estimates for costing disasters, and failing to submit its data regularly for peer review. By essentially keeping its methods secret, NOAA cannot be scrutinised by the broader scientific community. In one instance, the agency estimated that Floridas hurricane Idalia in August 2023 caused $3.6 billion in damage nearly 12 times the $310 million total insured losses calculated by the state itself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The dataset is a clever public relations gimmick, to be sure, but it should never be used in scientific research, climate assessment reports, or as a grounding for policy, Prof Pielke said. The agency responded by defending its data for hurricane Idalia and promised to undertake actions to improve the documentation and transparency of its list. Clashes with other scientists Over the years, Prof Pielke has clashed with other scientists and government officials over his research, with some accusing him of denying climate change. Its very difficult to uphold scientific integrity in the context of climate because people immediately think youre a climate change sceptic, he said. The seriousness of climate change doesnt justify cutting corners on science. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His research has gained traction among Republicans, after a group of three GOP congressmen penned a letter raising concerns about the agency publishing misleading data. NOAAs reports are broadly cited and used to justify policy decisions on climate change. Therefore, its critical that the information endorsed by NOAA is accurate and trustworthy, Representatives Frank Lucas, Max Miller and Jay Obernolte wrote. As the nations primary authority for weather reporting, NOAAs scientific data must be unwaveringly trusted by the public, the letter continued. NOAA was accused of driving climate alarm in Project 2025, a manifesto that was widely seen as a blueprint for Donald Trumps second term - Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. The agency was accused of driving climate alarm in Project 2025, a controversial manifesto produced by the Heritage Foundation that was widely viewed as a blueprint for Mr Trumps second term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The billion dollar disaster list was widely adopted under the Biden administration, who used it to announce a summit focused on improving resilience to climate change. Across the country, Americans are experiencing the devastating impacts of climate change. In just the first eight months of the year, there have been 23 separate billion-dollar weather and climate disasters more than any other year on record, the administration said in a news release. Prof Pielke said that once the billion dollar disaster graph became a talking point, it seeped into the scientific literature and became a cancer. When Joe Biden misuses your data, even if hes on the side that the scientists say theyre on, you still have the responsibility to call them out, he said. The inability of the scientific community to hold itself to its own standards is problematic. If the billion dollar disaster data set was hosted by GreenPeace, that would be fine, but the NOAA is one of the preeminent scientific institutions of the US government. They have authority and legitimacy. Addressing the Doge cuts, he said: I am not a fan of the Doge team taking a wrecking ball to the NOAA, but I fault Congress for not doing oversight for years. Now were reaping the whirlwind. An NOAA spokesman said the agency thoroughly examined the billion-dollar data set in response to Dr Pielkes request for correction (RFC) and did not identify any data inaccuracies. They said that the agency will update its management practices for the data set, including by disclosing publicly available sources of data, disclosing its methodology, formalising procedures to check the robustness of NOAAs analyses and introducing a peer-review process. The spokesman added: NOAAs actions in response to the RFC are to ensure the Billion Dollar Disaster data set complies with the highest standards for transparency and undergoes relevant peer review. 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. CHEROKEE, Iowa (KCAU) A Cherokee area man who has been missing since mid-December was found dead by officials on Sunday. According to a release from the Cherokee County Sheriffs Office, they were called to a field located about a mile east of Cherokee for a body that had been found. Sioux City man accused of murder in the 80s returned to Iowa The body was identified as Joseph Kosiba, of Cherokee, who was reported missing back in January. Officials said that he had not been seen since mid-December. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The body has been sent to the Iowa Medical Examiners Office in Ankeny for an autopsy. Officials said no foul play is suspected at this time but a full investigation is still underway. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) We first told you about the search for 45-year-old Joseph Kosiba in January.Cherokee Police say he was last seen on December 20th. Economic impact of the Summit League tournament A Facebook post from the Cherokee County Sheriffs office says on Sunday, the office was called to a field east of Cherokee for reports of a body. The body was later identified as Kosiba. His body has been sent off for an autopsy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation is ongoing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. TOKYO - All bullet train services on the Tohoku Shinkansen Line in northeast Japan were halted for around two hours on Monday after a person entered the tracks and was hit by a train, the operator said, days after the decoupling of cars on a train led to a disruption of services that still continues. JR East said a person intruded onto the tracks in the morning, with police suspecting that the individual climbed over a fence to commit suicide. While local train services in Japan are sometimes affected by suicides, shinkansen services are rarely halted. Some Tohoku Shinkansen services resumed after 2:30 p.m. Monday. Several train operations, however, remain halted after Thursday's decoupling of two separate trains that were meant to remain linked until splitting later in the journey. JR East, the only operator that connects different types of train for a shinkansen service, suffered a similar incident in September 2024. It said it will suspend all such operations until the cause of the accident is determined, with no date fixed yet for normal operations resuming. Related coverage: Hokkaido Shinkansen Line extension to be pushed back to 2039 Japan bullet train cars decouple, 2nd time in less than 6 months DENVER (KDVR) A Colorado womans body has been recovered after she reportedly went missing in Missoula, Montana in February. On Sunday, the Missoula Police Department posted on Facebook that shortly after 4 p.m., 33-year-old Danit Ehrlichs body was recovered from the Clark Fork River near the Beartracks Bridge. Missoula police said officers responded to a 911 caller who said they saw a human body in the river. The Missoula Fire Department also assisted in the recovery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox The police department said Ehrlich and her dog, Bamba, were reported missing on Feb. 22 after they were last seen on Feb. 21 at a Missoula dog park near South Van Buren Street, which is nearly a mile from where Ehrlichs body was found. The Missoula Police Department shared photos of Bamba, a missing dog last seen with its owner on Feb. 21. (Missoula Police Department) Police said the pair likely drowned on Feb. 21. A Missoula County Sheriffs Office Deputy Coroner identified the deceased as Ehrlich. However, Bamba has not been recovered. Ms. Ehrlichs family has been notified of this recovery, and we send our support and condolences to all her family, friends and loved ones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ehrlich was reportedly traveling from Thornton, Colorado to Washington when she went missing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. A freight ship heads south on the Mississippi River in southern Louisiana in June, 2024. Aerial support provided by SouthWings. (Tegan Wendland/Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk) Flood warnings are again in effect for the lower Mississippi River basin, as annual snowmelt makes its way south. Mayors of cities and towns along the river have experienced increased flooding, heavier rainfall, and more frequent droughts in recent years. Now they are lobbying Congress for help. Everything that has to do with the river affects Vicksburg, said Mayor George Flaggs Jr., co-chair of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI), a nonprofit organization advocating for town and city leaders. Mississippi experienced catastrophic flooding in 2019, with its namesake river rising up to a height of 50 feet in Vicksburg, where the flood stage is 43 feet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Members of MRCTI traveled to Washington last week to ask leaders to support funding for flood control programs and shipping infrastructure along Americas largest river. While the MRCTI is not shying away from using words like climate and resilience in their policy goals, its members are uncertain how much federal support they can count on, given recent government cutbacks. We have learned recently to temper our expectations and look more aspirationally to how we can achieve these goals, said Mitch Reynolds, mayor of LaCrosse, Wisconsin, and co-chair of MRCTI, during a press conference Thursday. Flaggs hopes focusing on the economic value of the river and its bipartisan business interests will make certain that our voice is heard. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Wide-ranging budget cuts The MRCTI meeting in Washington took place amid the chaos surrounding threats of federal funding freezes, firings and strict import tariffs. Firings at the U.S. Geological Survey, Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) could have far reaching impacts on flood mitigation and reducing agricultural pollution in the river. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When everything is up in the air all of the uncertainty that that brings also makes it really challenging to move forward, said Kelly McGinnis, executive director of the Mississippi River Network, an advocacy group. She and MRCTI members expressed worries about firings at NOAA, the agency that monitors severe weather and works with the National Weather Service to issue flood warnings. Theres a lot of concern that they just dont have the capacity to implement the programs that theyre supposed to implement, McGinnis said. Were like the rest of the world, Blytheville, Arkansas, Mayor Melisa Logan said. Were waiting, were kind of watching to see what happens. LaCrosse mayor Reynolds said the effects of trade tariffs could be debilitating for river shipping. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McGinnis and Logan are watching Washington as river restoration projects and green infrastructure, intended to address flooding, could be subject to funding and staff cuts. We understand that any working river needs a working ecological system, Logan said. Flood mitigation and shipping More frequent flooding was the main subject at MRCTIs annual meeting. Its leaders pushed for three key policy items: reviving previous proposals such as the Facilitating Hazard Mitigation Projects Act and the Shelter Act as well as reauthorization of the Agricultural Improvement Act, more commonly known as the Farm Bill. Introduced by U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, and Gary Peters, D-Michigan in October 2023, the Facilitating Hazard Mitigation Projects Act aims to simplify the way FEMA gives out hazard mitigation grants, making the money easier to get. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Logan and MRCTI executive director, Colin Wellenkamp, who is also a state representative in Missouri, said the water subcabinet, established under the first Trump term, could help address key policy gaps such as flood and drought control as well as disaster response for cities and towns in the Mississippi River basin. The Shelter Act, introduced in June 2023, would give tax credits of up to 25% on flood mitigation projects, such as elevating homes or installing flood proofing, a way to curb the worst effects of catastrophic flooding for individuals and communities on the front end and avoid more costly disasters. The latest version of the Farm Bill, a wide-reaching measure with billions of dollars in appropriations typically renewed every five years, has been caught up in Congress since 2023. MRCTI urges passage before it expires in September, providing funding for flood control and hazard mitigation programs, and supporting farmers with services such as crop insurance and funds for climate resilient farming. The importance of our region and its impact on U.S. trade, the U.S. supply chain its pretty indisputable, Logan said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Mississippi River is a major vein of shipping in the United States, moving hundreds of millions of tons of agricultural cargo such as soybeans and corn across the globe. The MRCTI supports a $2 million increase in grant funding for the Marine Highway Program, which funds shipping infrastructure, including terminals, along the river. McGinnis said that using that economic message as a way to drum up support for funding and policy can be an effective tool, but making sure youre really still talking about conservation and what you can do to help mitigate some of these impacts plays a role in whether that funding happens. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE This story is a product of the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk, an independent reporting network based at the University of Missouri in partnership with Report for America, with major funding from the Walton Family Foundation. MRCTI also receives Walton funding. JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) The United States will mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026. As part of the celebration, Mississippi students in grades 3-12 can earn a chance to go behind-the-scenes at some of Americas most well-known historical landmarks through the Americas Field Trip contest. Mississippi students are invited to submit an essay, artwork, or poem answering the question What does America mean to you? Oseola McCartys scholarship fund hits $1 million Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement America250 Mississippi is excited for Mississippi students to show their creativity and discover their patriotism through the Americas Field Trip contest, said Mississippis First Lady Elee Reeves. My hope is that our students will engage in this incredible opportunity to share their appreciation for our country and find further inspiration in building a bright future. Americas Field Trip First-place awardees will get to experience one of several unforgettable field trips to places like Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Ohio, the National Archives in Washington, D.C. and more. Second-place awardees will receive a $500 cash award. The teacher associated with the top scoring student submissions in each grade level category will receive a $1,000 cash award. Mississippi students can submit their entries by 4:00 p.m. CT on April 16, 2025. 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. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) Missouri's attorney general is threatening to seize Chinese assets across the U.S. to collect $24.5 billion awarded in a lawsuit against China stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, but experts were skeptical Monday, with one saying, Good luck with that. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said this week that it does not recognize a U.S. federal judge's recent ruling siding with Missouri's claim that China hoarded personal protective equipment during the pandemic, harming the state and its residents. China called the lawsuit absurd when it was filed in 2020, during the early months of the pandemic, and it did not participate in a brief trial held in Missouri in January. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, a Republican, hailed Friday's ruling from U.S. District Judge Stephen Limbaugh as a landmark victory in efforts to hold China, its Communist Party and seven other government or scientific agencies responsible for the costs of the pandemic in the U.S. If China won't pay the award, the state will seize Chinese-owned assets, including farmland, Bailey said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those assets are not required to be within Missouri and can be located anywhere in the United States, Bailey said in a statement Monday. While we have not partnered with other states on this particular suit, we encourage others to work to hold the Chinese government accountable and seek justice for victims." International organizations typically negotiate such disagreements, or the federal government will take legal action on behalf of a state, said Paul Nolette, a Marquette University political scientist. He said a state acting on its own could be a problem because, "that can really complicate relationships between the countries. He added, The prospects of money actually changing hands is very slim. Duncan Levin, a former federal and state prosecutor in New York City who's represented foreign nations in U.S. courts, described Bailey's comments as press release talk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture Statistics, Chinese interests owned about 44,000 acres (17,800 hectares) of farmland in Missouri at the end of 2023 one-tenth of 1% of the states 44 million acres. Bailey said he will work with President Donald Trumps administration to identify Chinese assets in the state. But Levin said it's not clear that the Chinese government or the other defendants in the case as opposed to Chinese individuals or companies actually own anything in Missouri. He doubts Bailey has the authority to seize assets outside Missouri, and even claiming assets that can be seized could take time, he said. Good luck with that, Levin said. This is a lot of sort of tough talk that will highly likely fall apart in the details once they get into a courtroom." The lawsuit was filed by Bailey's predecessor as attorney general, Eric Schmitt, a conservative Republican like Bailey, who then won a U.S. Senate seat in 2022. Bailey was Republican Gov. Mike Parson's top attorney, and Parson appointed him attorney general when Schmitt left the office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said this week that its actions during the pandemic aren't subject to the jurisdiction of American courts. It also decried what it called malicious abuse of lawsuits" and added, "Using frivolous lawsuits to smear and defame China and shift the blame will never succeed. We ask the United States to return to rationality and correct its mistakes, the statement said. China has the right to take reciprocal countermeasures in accordance with international law to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests." The ministry's statement wasn't more specific about the Chinese government's possible response, but Levin said it could impose sanctions on Missouri companies doing business in China or take action against them in the Chinese courts. Nolette said, What was surprising is just seeing such a large judgment coming down in a situation where that sort of authority is very much in question: whether a state has the sort of authority to sue and seek judgments from other countries." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Limbaugh, sitting in Cape Girardeau, about 120 miles (193 kilometers) southeast of St. Louis along the Mississippi River, initially dismissed the lawsuit, ruling in 2022 that Missouri couldn't sue China or the other defendants under a law that generally shields foreign nations from lawsuits in U.S. courts. However, Missouri appealed, and an appeals court said one part of its lawsuit could proceed alleging hoarding. When Chinese officials didnt respond, Limbaugh accepted Missouris estimate of past and potential future damages of more than $8 billion, tripled it as federal law allows, and added 3.91% interest until its collected. We intend to collect every penny by seizing Chinese-owned assets, including Missouri farmland, Bailey said after the ruling. ___ Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas. Associated Press Greater China News Director Emily Wang, in Beijing, and Associated Press writer Fu Ting in Washington, D.C., also contributed reporting. A St. Louis Metro Police car outside Carnahan Courthouse in downtown St. Louis (Clara Bates/Missouri Independent). Missouri took control of the St. Louis police department just before the start of the Civil War, a gambit by state leaders to prevent the city from rising up against their conspiracy to align the state with the Confederacy. The arrangement persisted until 2012, when 64% of Missouri voters approved an initiative petition returning control of the department to local leaders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This week, the legislature is poised to reverse that vote, seize back control of the department and put it again in the hands of a board appointed by the governor. The Missouri Senate could approve a state takeover bill as early as Monday. It would then go back to the House for a final vote to send it to Gov. Mike Kehoe, who has declared the idea a key piece of his public safety agenda. The move caps a push for state control that began almost immediately after voters weighed in more than a decade ago, with Republican lawmakers arguing the return of the department to local hands was a failed experiment. State Sen. Nick Schroer, a Defiance Republican who sponsored the police bill, pointed to crime figures and population decline in St. Louis as the driving motivation behind the push for change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were finally answering the call, finally backing the blue and not defunding it, he said, later adding: Its going to be a game changer when it comes to public safety and moving our state in the right direction. Critics of the legislation point to statistics showing a drop in violent crime in St. Louis under local leadership. They say Kansas City has fared no better despite being under state control since the 1930s. Someone who doesnt live in my district and wasnt elected by the people of my district wants to take away control of the police department, said state Sen. Karla May, a St. Louis Democrat, later adding: Where were you when we had the highest crime weve ever had under 152 years of state control? The hypocrisy is real. State Sen. Nick Schroer, a Republican from Defiance, speaks during a 2024 committee hearing (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent). A filibuster by St. Louis senators fizzled last week after Democrats won concessions from the GOP super majority, including on the makeup of the state board that would run the department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After leading a filibuster that lasted nearly 10 hours, it was no longer feasible for Sen. May and I to continue our filibuster for the next two and a half months, said state Sen. Steve Roberts, a St. Louis Democrat. Under the bill, St. Louis would join Kansas City as the only major U.S. cities with a police force under state control. The board running the department would consist of the mayor and five commissioners appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate. Several provisions were removed from the original bill at the insistence of Democrats, such as a mandated minimum number of officers required to be on the police force and an immediate requirement for the city to put 25% of its general revenue toward the department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead, the size of the force will be determined by the board, while the citys budget commitment will be phased in. The original bill also included a role for the police union in choosing up to four members of the commission, an idea Democrats insisted be removed. Democrats managed to add provisions banning the shackling of pregnant prisoners, establishing a fund for exonerated prisoners to receive restitution from the state and limiting what jails and prisons can charge inmates for phone calls. Republicans also agreed to remove a provision that broadened the definition of rioting, a change Democrats feared would have wide ranging unintended consequences. But the major focus of the legislation was control of the St. Louis police department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The move had support from St. Louis police unions, who argued the department was mismanaged under local leadership. But most importantly, it was a major priority of the new governor, who highlighted his support of the proposal during his first State of the State address in January. As the economic powerhouse of our state, Kehoe told lawmakers, we cannot continue to let crime kill growth in the region and drive businesses and families to move outside of our states borders. St. Louis leaders have pointed to a drop in overall crime in the city, including a major decrease in the number of murders. But GOP lawmakers question the statistics and note that the city continues to lose population. The bills likely passage this week comes days after St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones finished a distant second in the first round of balloting in the citys mayoral primary. Alderwoman Cara Spencer garnered 68% of the vote, setting up a showdown with Jones in the April 8 runoff election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Through a spokeswoman, Kehoe said the potential change in city leadership doesnt impact his support for the state takeover bill. Increased oversight and accountability of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department with a citizen board is an important tool to improve public safety in St. Louis, the statement said, regardless of who wins the April 8 election for mayor. State Sen. Steven Roberts, a St. Louis Democrat, shares initial impressions on the 2025 legislative session with reporters (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent). The success of the GOP push for state control of the department led to a heated back-and-forth between Roberts and the mayor. Roberts laid the blame for the bills success at Jones feet, saying it has become clear that she no longer enjoys the confidence of the people in this building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She couldnt even be bothered to reach out to the senator who represents nearly the entire city of St. Louis, he told reporters Thursday, nor could she engage with her natural Democratic allies. Jones called Roberts a liar and accused him of trying to cozy up to a Republican governor for some future job opening. The senator is using the mayor as a convenient political punching bag to distract from the fact that he has not been at the table and is unwilling to stand up for the City of St. Louis in any meaningful way, Jones spokesman said in an emailed statement. Good luck to him on whatever appointment he is currently seeking from Gov. Kehoe. A mistrial has been declared in the case of an Orange County judge who is accused of shooting and killing his wife, the Orange County Register reports. Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson, 74, has admitted that he shot his wife but claims the gun went off by accident. A jury was unable to come to a unanimous verdict in the death of 65-year-old Sheryl Ferguson, who was killed in 2023 at the couples Anaheim Hills home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jurors deliberated for more than 40 hours over eight days before determining they were unable to break the 11-1 stalemate on a second-degree murder charge. A lesser charge of manslaughter was also possible, but only if the jury agreed to acquit on the murder charge. Prosecutors intend to retry the case, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said. DA doesnt support resentencing the Menendez brothers It was unequivocally clear by the jurys outcome obviously not a verdict that they believe that our prosecution team proved this case beyond a reasonable doubt to 11 [jurors], and there was obviously one holdout. That happens, I respect that juror, we respect the jury process. Were part of the system, we understand how the system works, but were ready to retry it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheryl Fergusons brother, however, says his family believes the shooting was an accident, and they do not want to see another trial. All of us do not believe Jeff Ferguson committed murder, Larry Rosen said. We have our doubts amongst each other in regards to levels of culpability, but in terms of the act that happened, clearly were all in agreement that its involuntary, it was something that happened accidentally. To me, it shows that the jury is, to some degree, as conflicted as I am. A separate issue that arose from Fergusons admission in the trial was that he sometimes drank alcohol on his lunch break and then returned to the bench, meaning that it is possible that some of his cases may be reexamined, KTLAs Chip Yost reports. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) The Metro Nashville Police Department announced North Precinct Commander Anthony McClain died from heart attack complications Sunday night. McClain, 53, suffered a heart attack in his office on the morning of Feb. 13, and battled complications in the weeks that followed. He was a 27-year veteran of the MNPD. (Metro Nashville Police Department) (Metro Nashville Police Department) (Metro Nashville Police Department) McClain served in the United States Air Force from 1989 to 1994 before attending Tennessee State University, where he graduated in May 1997 with a bachelors degree in Criminal Justice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A firefighters firefighter: Remembering the life, legacy of Bobby Connelly He became an MNPD officer trainee in August 1997 and graduated four months later. Over the years he served several MNPD precincts and specialized units as he worked his way up to sergeant, lieutenant, Specialized Investigations Divisions Narcotics Unit supervisor, Special Victims Division captain and North Precinct commander. He was appointed to commander of Nashvilles North Precinct on May 1, 2021, leading the officers who serve 22% of Davidson County for several years. Chief John Drake released a statement following McClains death. Anthony was a dear friend to many and was extremely devoted to the safety and betterment of the North Nashville Community. In his four short years at the North Precinct, Anthony was a fixture at community events, church services, and personally worked with residents to solve problems. Nothing gave Anthony more satisfaction than to help people. He was exceptionally proud of the men and women of the North Precinct and their positive work in neighborhoods. I am fond of a picture showing his humble smile as he joined the Nashville Predators last November to deliver Thanksgiving meals to families in his precinct. He relished those helpful moments. Anthony cared deeply about the safety of our city and its people. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him. Chief John Drake Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Nashville Mayor Freddie OConnell also released statement, describing McClain as a joy and light for Nashville. Its a sad day to lose someone that loved his family, his community, Nashville, and his country like Commander Anthony McClain loved his. My thoughts are with his family as they mourn his passing. I had the privilege of working with him as both a Council member and as mayor, and he was a source of joy and light for Nashville. He answered the call to do some of the toughest jobs in our police department, and for 27 years, he gave of himself to make Nashville a better place Mayor OConnell The department said visitation will be held at New Generation Funeral Home and the funeral service will be held at Lake Providence Missionary Baptist Church. Dates and times have not yet been announced. 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. ST. LOUIS On Monday, the Missouri Department of Transportation provided updates on several major projects going on across the St. Louis region. MoDOTs St. Louis District Engineer Tom Blair announced new work set to begin this year. According to Blair, Lindbergh Boulevard, north of Interstate 64, will be closed in both directions some time after Memorial Day to replace the bridge over Deer Creek. Utility workers are currently relocating the gas line at that location in preparation. Construction is expected to be completed this calendar year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, rehab work continues for the westbound I-64/Daniel Boone Bridge connecting St. Charles and St. Louis counties. Beginning in April, work crews will shift two of the westbound lanes of traffic to the eastbound bridge while keeping the innermost westbound lane open. Blair said three lanes will remain open in each direction, with an enforced work zone speed limit of 50 miles per hour. Check FOX 2s traffic map for real-time updates. In addition, Blair said the portion of Katy Trail that crosses beneath the bridge will be temporarily closed whenever crews are painting the bridge deck. Along the Interstate 55 corridor in south St. Louis City and County, Blair said crews are pouring the bridge deck for the northbound bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad this coming weekend (March 15-16). MoDOT is looking to switch over to the southbound bridge by April. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Blair said all status updates on projects in the St. Louis District and across the state can be found under projects at MoDOT.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 FOX 2. **Related Video Above: Find out more about sobriety checkpoints HICKMAN, Calif. (WJW) A woman was arrested Saturday evening after allegedly crashing her SUV into a canal, killing her 4-year-old daughter, California Highway Patrol confirmed to People magazine and other outlets. Apparent murder-suicide investigated in Geauga County Troopers said 26-year-old Juliette Acosta was just outside the town of Hickman at about 11 p.m. when she drove off the road into the water of an irrigation canal. Her uncle, who reportedly lived nearby and heard a loud noise, arrived on the scene and got the woman out of the vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Stanislaus County deputy then helped the uncle pull the 4-year-old out of the submerged vehicle. The child was rushed to the hospital but was later declared dead. While Acosta was not injured in the crash, CHP said she showed objective signs of intoxication. The mother was taken to the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on suspicion of a felony DUI, according to CHP. Amazon driver sexually assaulted woman, girl while making deliveries: Authorities The Modesto CHP would like to recognize the heroic efforts from the Stanislaus County Sheriff Deputy and family member on scene, police said in the statement obtained by People. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. SEOUL - South Korea and the United States on Monday began a large-scale annual joint military exercise to strengthen their combined defense capabilities and counter the threat from North Korea, the first such drill since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January. Hours after the Freedom Shield exercise kicked off, North Korea fired what appeared to be short-range ballistic missiles toward the Yellow Sea, the South Korean military said. The missiles were fired at around 1:50 p.m. from North Hwanghae Province in western North Korea and flew over the country's west coast. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said it has "bolstered surveillance and maintained a full readiness posture under close cooperation with the United States." The exercise is slated to run for 11 days through March 20. The South Korean and U.S. militaries said last week the exercise will reflect evolving challenges posed by North Korea's military development as well as its growing partnership with Russia amid its troops' participation in the war against Ukraine. North Korea condemned the start of the joint exercise as a provocative act leading to an "acute situation" on the Korean Peninsula that may "spark off a physical conflict." Its state media also said Pyongyang will redouble efforts to keep lasting peace by strengthening defense, including through its nuclear force. The South Korean military and U.S. Forces Korea said in a briefing last Thursday that some 19,000 troops will be deployed for the exercise, with plans to hold 16 brigade-level field training sessions, compared with 10 last year. The U.S. military in South Korea reaffirmed Washington's security commitment to Seoul under the new Trump administration, vowing to put its utmost effort into securing the country and its people from any possible enemies. "The ironclad commitment to the ROK is as strong as ever," said Col. Ryan Donald, spokesman for the U.S. forces in South Korea, using the acronym of the country's official name, the Republic of Korea. "What we are doing right now is building our readiness capabilities to defend the ROK against any threat." The two allies will train in the domains of land, sea, air, cyber and space to strengthen interoperability while showcasing their combined deterrence capabilities, the militaries said. In addition to South Korea and the United States, a member country of the United Nations Command overseeing the armistice that ended the 1950-1953 Korean War, several other members of the command will take part in the annual military exercise, according to the South Korean military. Related coverage: North Korea tests cruise missiles to demonstrate nuclear deterrence North Korea's Kim Jong Un calls for bolstering nuclear arsenal during tour North Korea conducts cruise missile test, 1st since Trump inauguration PARIS (AP) Military officials from more than 30 nations will take part in Paris talks on the creation of an international security force for Ukraine, a French military official said Monday. Such an international force would aim to dissuade Russia from launching another offensive after any ceasefire in Ukraine comes into effect. The long list of participants in Tuesday's discussions will also include Asian and Oceania nations that will join remotely, the French official said. The international makeup of the meeting offers an indication of how broadly France and Britain which are working together on plans for the force are casting their net as they aim to build what the French official described as a coalition of nations able and willing to be part of an effort to safeguard Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The French military official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the blueprint for the force that is shrouded in secrecy and the Paris talks that will consider it. The force being envisaged by France and Britain would aim to reassure Ukraine and deter another large-scale Russian offensive after any ceasefire, the official said. It could include heavy weaponry and weapons stockpiles that could be rushed within hours or days to aid in Ukraines defense in the event of a Russian attack that shatters any truce, the official said. The French-British blueprint will be presented to military officials from more than 30 nations in the first part of Tuesdays talks, the official said. The talks second part will include more precise and concrete discussions where the participants will be invited to say whether and how their militaries might be able to contribute, the official said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not, This is what we need, the official said. Its more, What are you bringing to the pot? The official stressed, however, that the ultimate decision on whether nations take part in the force would be taken at a political level, by government leaders. Army chiefs or their representatives from nearly all of the 32 nations of the NATO military alliance will attend the Paris talks with the notable exception being the United States. The official said the United States wasn't invited because European nations want to demonstrate that they can take responsibility for a large part of the post-ceasefire security framework for Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also attending will be the chiefs of staff of Ireland and Cyprus and a representative from Austria all nations that are not NATO members but are in the European Union. Australia and New Zealand, which are Commonwealth nations, as well as Japan and South Korea, will listen into the talks remotely, the official said. Ukraine will be represented by a military official who is also a member of the countrys security and defense council. A person holds a Sig Sauer P320 handgun at a Delray Beach, Fla., gun store in 2023. Since at least 2017, several law enforcement agencies in Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Texas and Wisconsin have pulled the P320 from their arsenals due to concerns over misfirings. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) As safety concerns over the Sig Sauer P320 handgun continue to mount, a growing number of police departments across the United States are rethinking their use of the popular semiautomatic firearm. Released in 2014, Sig Sauers P320 model has become one of the most popular guns in America, with more than 2.5 million units sold. The P320 also has been the standard sidearm for the U.S. military since 2017. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the firearm has been linked to a series of unintentional discharges. The Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission is now the latest to permanently ban the P320 from its training facilities. The agency offers training to police and correctional officers in the state. The agencys decision came after a four-month investigation prompted by an incident last year in which a police recruits P320 discharged while being drawn, injuring both an instructor and another recruit. This incident is part of a larger pattern of complaints from more than 100 people who have reported similar issues with the firearm since its release, with at least 80 injuries linked to accidental discharges, according to a 2023 joint investigation by The Trace, a news outlet dedicated to covering gun violence, and The Washington Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the 2023 investigation, Sig Sauer has faced lawsuits from at least 15 more plaintiffs, and new evidence has surfaced linking the firearm to at least one death and 20 additional injuries, The Trace reported in December. Since at least 2017, several law enforcement agencies, including the Milwaukee Police Department, the Dallas Police Department and the SEPTA transit police in Philadelphia, as well as other agencies in Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Texas and Wisconsin, have pulled the P320 from their arsenals due to concerns over misfirings. In November, a Philadelphia jury awarded $11 million to an Army veteran who was injured when his P320 discharged while in his pocket. Jurors concluded that Sig Sauer was liable for the veterans injury because the firearm did not have an external safety, like those used on Glocks and other pistols. External safeties generally prevent a guns trigger from moving backward when dropped or when indirect pressure, such as from a holster, is applied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An Oklahoma civilian in December also asked the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to revive his suit against Sig Sauer after his P320 discharged in 2018 while in a holster he was wearing. In 2018 a year after the U.S. Army announced its 10-year, $580 million contract with Sig Sauer a U.S. Department of Defense report revealed that during testing, the military found the P320 could discharge without a trigger pull if dropped at certain angles. Sig Sauer in 2017 modified the guns trigger mechanism. The company also redesigned the civilian version of the P320 and offered owners of older models the opportunity to voluntarily return their guns for upgraded components. Despite the rise in reported incidents, Sig Sauer has steadfastly maintained that the P320 is safe for use. The company has denied claims that the gun is defective and insists that the reported discharges are due to improper handling. The P320 is trusted by the U.S. Military, law enforcement professionals, and responsible citizens worldwide. SIG SAUER is extremely proud of our outstanding safety record and quality firearms, Samantha Piatt, the companys director of communications, said in a statement posted to its website last year. 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. Video above: This FOX 5/KUSI video provides driving safety tips. SAN MARCOS, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) A motorcyclist was seriously injured during a crash in San Marcos on Saturday, authorities said. According to the San Diego County Sheriffs Office, the incident occurred just before 10:30 p.m. at the intersection of S. Rancho Santa Fe Road and Lake San Marcos Drive. Deputies from the San Marcos Sheriffs Station, along with personnel from the San Marcos Fire Department, responded to the scene and found a motorcyclist down in the roadway. Paramedics quickly transported the rider to a nearby hospital with serious injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators are currently seeking the publics help in identifying a vehicle that may have been involved in the collision. The vehicle is described as a white, newer model sedan, possibly with damage on the drivers side. Authorities are urging anyone who witnessed the incident or who may have information related to the collision to come forward. Those with details are encouraged to contact the San Marcos Sheriffs Station at (760) 510-5200. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BOONVILLE, N.C. (WGHP) FOX8 honors Julie Moxley of Boonville Elementary School. Congrats, Mrs. Moxley! If you know of an educator who is worthy of this nomination please fill out the nomination form here. Educator of the Week is sponsored by the North Carolina Education Lottery. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A Memphis lawmaker is moving forward with legislation calling for a state takeover of the Memphis Shelby County School Board. This move is following what some call a controversial move by the board to fire its superintendent. The details of the legislation will likely be introduced this week, with some speculating as early as Monday. MSCS state takeover effort to move forward next week, says Memphis lawmaker Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Mark White (R) said in the past week or so he has met with the governor and House and Senate leadership and they agreed to move forward. State leaders say theyre concerned about the direction of the district following the controversial firing of superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins on Jan. 21. She was replaced by Superintendent Roderick Richmond. Several board members said they had issues with Feagins over communication with the board and financial management. However, the move drew immediate criticism from many leaders at the local and state levels. See more breaking news, local news and weather from WREG.com for Memphis and the Mid-South. Sign up for WREG newsletters and have the latest top stories sent right to your inbox. Rep. White says his proposal would create a nine-member board over the next couple of years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The nine-member board will be made up of all Shelby Countians who are experts in the field of education, oversight, finance, curriculum, all the above. So it will be local leadership of those well put in place, said White. As we wait for more details on the legislation, we will keep you updated. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. UPDATE: Interstate 10 West near Lordsburg has reopened after a multi-vehicle crash earlier Sunday, New Mexico Department of Transportation said at about 8:45 p.m. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) A crash involving multiple commercial vehicles has closed all westbound lanes on Interstate 10 on Sunday afternoon, March 9 near Lordsburg, according to the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT). The crash happened at milepost 32, which is near the Arizona state line, roughly 150 miles west of El Paso, heading towards Tuscon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The New Mexico State Police said they responded to a crash involving two commercial vehicles. No injuries were reported, NMSP said. NMDOT is asking motorists to reduce speed, obey posted signs and watch for emergency personnel. In addition, NMDOT said to expect traffic delays. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Video: American Red Cross sounds the alarm about fire safety LITTLE ROCK, Ark. The American Red Cross of Greater Arkansas is working with southeast Arkansas fire departments to bring and install free fire alarms to neighborhoods in the region. Red Cross officials said they are working with the Monticello, Stuttgart, Dermott and Gould fire departments to provide the service as part of its Sound the Alarm fire safety event. The event is going on from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 15 as part of a national initiative. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Making Womens history in March: North Little Rock Fire Department promotes first female lieutenant paramedic Anyone in that area who wants a free smoke alarm should sign up at RedCross.org/SmokeAlarmAR. The national Sound the Alarm event encourages the installation of smoke alarms. Officials said that families should also use this time to create a fire escape plan, adding that 2,284 lives were saved since launching the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign 10 years ago. Red Cross officials also said that volunteers are needed for the event, and training will be provided for installing smoke alarms and sharing fire safety information. Those interested in volunteering should check with the respective fire departments in Monticello, Dermott and Gould. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fire destroys building on Markham Street in Little Rock For information on the Red Cross of Greater Arkansas fire safety initiatives, visit RedCross.org/HomeFires. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. DAMASCUS, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Sunday announced the formation of an independent national committee to investigate the recent deadly violence in the coastal region, according to a presidential decree. The committee, composed of seven legal and military figures, has been tasked with uncovering the causes and circumstances of the March 6 incidents, investigating human rights violations against civilians, and identifying those responsible for attacks on public institutions and security personnel. The presidential decree emphasized that individuals found guilty of crimes or violations would be referred to the judiciary. It also mandates full cooperation from government institutions and grants the committee the authority to enlist necessary experts to complete its mission within 30 days. The announcement comes amid reports of mass casualties and alleged extrajudicial executions in Syria's coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartous, where security forces are conducting operations against suspected remnants of the former government. On Thursday, these remnants launched a series of attacks in Latakia, killing 16 security personnel. Government officials described the ambushes as premeditated. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the death toll from ongoing clashes has surpassed 1,000, including 830 civilians, as per the toll updated on Sunday. HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) The murder trial for a man accused in a deadly 2023 shooting in a parking lot outside the Carolina-Forest area Planet Fitness has been delayed, the 15th Circuit Solicitors Office said. Branden Huertas was scheduled to go on trial Monday for allegedly killing David Roldan-Dimas, 20, of York County, on June 19, 2023, while he sat in his vehicle on Glenforest Road. Authorities said Roldan-Dimas was found with a gunshot wound inside a black Chevrolet Camaro that had hit a parked Nissan SUV. Huertas is charged with murder, criminal conspiracy, accessory before the fact and accessory after the fact. The solicitors office did not say why the trial was continued. A new trial date has not been set. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Huertas and another person were arrested in February 2024 on unrelated charges in Connecticut. He was extradited to Horry County in November and remains in the J. Reuben Long Detention Center, according to online jail records. No information about the second person was available. Horry County authorities said in November that they did not expect the person to be extradited for some time. * * * Dennis Bright is the Digital Executive Producer at News13. He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read 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. Rupert Murdochs legal battle with his children continues to wind through the courts, but its not the first time a dynastic media family has become divided by the issue of politics, creating a Succession-worthy succession drama. Before the elder Murdoch fretted about his more liberal children wresting control of his conservative empire from designated heir Lachlan saying in text messages obtained by the New York Times it would be a disaster if the business he had nurtured fell into the wrong hands there was Otis Chandler, who inherited and promptly changed the political direction of the Los Angeles Times during a pivotal moment in American politics. Granted stewardship by his parents, Norman and Buffy (the latters name still graces L.A.s arts mecca, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion), Chandler took over the Times in 1960 at the age of 32. Over the next decades, he led the paper through a period of ambitious expansion that included tripling its news budget and winning the first of many Pulitzer Prizes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Stanford-educated heir and avid outdoorsman quickly plotted a different path for the newspaper, which until then championed Richard Nixons political career and conservative causes, including the rabidly right-wing John Birch Society. Not long after taking over as publisher in 1960, Chandler gave the go-ahead to a series of articles seeking to discredit the Birch Society, exposing its reactionary bigotry, much to the chagrin of his aunt and uncle, Alberta and Philip Chandler, who were members of the group. If you want to compare it to the Murdochs, he was a James Murdoch figure, Chandler biographer Dennis McDougal, a former Times staffer and the author of Privileged Son: Otis Chandler and the Rise and Fall of the L.A. Times Dynasty, told TheWrap, referring to Rupert Murdochs other son, who endorsed Kamala Harris. Had his uncle and aunt prevailed, they would have put one of their children in the publishers seat and kept it aimed toward the far right. Instead, the Times shifted toward a more liberal editorial posture, so much so that when Richard Nixon lost the 1962 gubernatorial race to Edmund G. Pat Brown (the father of subsequent California Gov. Jerry Brown), Nixon lashed out at the media, including the Los Angeles Times. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy (center) walks from the Los Angeles Times with its publisher, Otis Chandler. (Getty Images) It was certainly a different newspaper within a couple of years than it was in the 1940s and 50s, McDougal said. Otis essentially turned the L.A. Times and the evening paper, the Daily Mirror, into not Democratic instruments they were still quite Republican in the early days but they were liberal. And the bent was Otis laid out this plan that the Times would tell the truth and let the chips fall where they may. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under Chandler, the Times became a major newspaper, prompting jokes about the ad-filled Sunday edition, when thrown on subscribers doorsteps, being heavy enough to crush a small dog. Although members of the extended family chafed against the shift in editorial direction and occasionally publicly voiced their displeasure, or lobbied against staffers like Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Paul Conrad they benefited financially from the growth at Times Mirror. The one thing that the reactionary branch of the Chandler family could not argue against was the commercial success of the Times, McDougal said. As long as the money rolled in, they really didnt care. They would grumble about it, and say, Those damn Democrats, but they kept their hands off because the Times was their lifeline. As it happened, Chandlers intention to keep the company within the family met a tragic and unforeseen end. Chandler had brought his eldest son, Norman, into the business as an executive trainee in 1976, with the expectation that Norman would eventually take the reins. But after serving in various roles, Norman was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1989 and died in 2002 at the age of 49. The Times faced economic pressures in the 1990s, so much so that publisher Mark Willes a former executive at General Mills received the nickname The Cereal Killer as job cuts were implemented. Tribune Co. acquired Times Mirror for $8.3 billion in 2000, ending a 118-year run of family ownership and leading to additional retrenchment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The changes at the Times left Otis Chandler, who died in 2006, heartbroken, McDougal said, living to see the slow dismantling of the company that he had assiduously built. That trajectory has continued in the years since, with continuing reductions of the staff that ballooned under Chandlers leadership and the papers glut of recent controversies, and rightward turn, under present owner Patrick Soon-Shiong. Chandler and Murdoch are very different figures in most respects, but they did share both a love of newspapers and a strong sense of their legacies, including the desire to pass the torch within the family. Of Chandler, McDougal said, He really believed in newspapers, and editorial freedom, in a way that seems quaint now. The post Before the Murdochs, the Chandler Dynasty Previewed a Succession-Worthy Political Divide appeared first on TheWrap. Elon Musk has no time for critics claiming he is sympathetic to Russian President Vladimir Putin, bragging that he once even challenged Putin to one on one physical combat. Replying to a user on X on Sunday who asked the billionaire to stop pretending that Putin isnt the aggressor and accused him of only criticizing Ukraine but not Putin for some reason, Musk laid out his support for Ukraine and called for immediate peace in the ongoing war. I literally challenged Putin to one on one physical combat over Ukraine and my Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army, Musk responded on X, referring to the satellite internet service provided by his rocket company SpaceX, which has proven useful in disaster zones and conflict-ridden areas. I literally challenged Putin to one on one physical combat over Ukraine and my Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army. Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off. What I am sickened by is years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 9, 2025 Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off. What I am sickened by is years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will inevitably lose, he continued. Anyone who really cares, really thinks and really understands wants the meat grinder to stop. PEACE NOW!! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In recalling his offer to fight Putin, Musk was seemingly referencing a 2022 X post made shortly after the wars start, in which he wrote: I hereby challenge Vladimir Putin to single combat. Stakes are Ukraine. He subsequently replied to another X user to clarify that he was absolutely serious. The billionaires most recent exchange on the platform, however, was prompted by a call from Utah Sen. Mike Lee not to send another penny to Ukraine . Lees remarks came in an exchange with conservative influencer Nick Sortor, who questioned how protestors could afford a massive Ukrainian flag unfurled in front of the White House Saturday. Who paid for this MASSIVE Ukrainian flag that was unfurled in front of the White House today? How many hundreds of thousands did this cost? I guarantee you my tax dollars somehow funded this.@DOGE might need to have a look. pic.twitter.com/ehottONnA1 Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) March 8, 2025 Musk, in turn, offered his two cents on the affair and claimed that the key to the puzzle is to place sanctions on the top 10 Ukrainian oligarchs, especially the ones with mansions in Monaco. Elon Musk, the billionaire businessman and head of the Department of Government Efficiency, called Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly a "traitor" in a post on X after Kelly posted that he had visited Ukraine over the weekend. Kelly, in a thread on X Sunday night, posted photos of his visit to Ukraine and wrote, "Everyone wants this war to end, but any agreement has to protect Ukraine's security and can't be a giveaway to Putin." In a reply to the thread, Musk responded, "You are a traitor." PHOTO: Sen. Mark Kelly in Washington, Nov. 20, 2025 and Elon Musk in Washington, Mar. 9, 2025. (Getty Images) Kelly, a former Navy pilot and astronaut, responded in a separate post on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Traitor? Elon, if you don't understand that defending freedom is a basic tenet of what makes America great and keeps us safe, maybe you should leave it to those of us who do," wrote Kelly, whose recent trip marked his third visit to Ukraine since 2023. MORE: US 'just about' ready to lift Ukraine intel freeze, Trump says ahead of Saudi meet Kelly later elaborated, telling reporters that the billionaire was not a serious guy who should go back to building rockets. He said he's slashed and burned the federal government to make room for a giant tax cut for billionaires like himself," Kelly said one day after his return from Ukraine, which was his third visit. "I've sworn an oath to this country. I've flown in combat. I've served in the Navy for 25 years. It appears to me the oath that Elon Musk stands by is the oath to billionaires make their lives easier, not the American people, not veterans. I mean, he's firing workers at VA hospitals. He's not a serious guy. He should go back to building rockets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the same discussion, Kelly said that his trip had been emotional at times, as he met with Ukrainian officials, embassy staff, and military leaders. This is existential for them, and again, over the past week or so, we've made it harder for them, Kelly said. He stressed the urgency of providing Ukraine with necessary munitions and intelligence to prevent further casualties. If they don't get the munitions that are sitting on the other side of the border, more Ukrainians will die," he said. "And these folks, I tell you, my conversations with them, they will stick with us. We stick with them. They will be there for us in the future, no matter what we need. PHOTO: Sen. Mark Kelly visits Ukraine in a photo he posted to his account on X. (@SenMarkKelly/X) The comments from Musk, one of President Donald Trump's closest advisers, comes weeks after an explosive meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office that devolved into a shouting match. During the stunning exchange, Trump and Vice President JD Vance rebuked Zelenskyy for his handling of the war, falsely blaming the Ukrainian leader for a conflict that began when Russia's Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the meeting, Zelenskyy left without signing an agreement that would have given the U.S. access to Ukraine's mineral resources, which the country had hoped would ensure the continued flow of U.S. military support as it battles Russia. PHOTO: Sen. Mark Kelly speaks to reporters in the Senate press gallery at the Capitol in Washington, Mar. 10, 2025. (Ben Curtis/AP) MORE: Trump and Zelenskyy key takeaways: Oval Office meeting explodes into shouting match Trump's administration has embarked on a dramatic pivot away from the "ironclad" backing of Ukraine practiced by former President Joe Biden's administration. Trump has falsely blamed Ukraine for starting the war with Russia, called Zelenskyy a "dictator" and frozen military aid and intelligence support in a bid to force Ukraine into making concessions to Russia. Kelly, along with other Democrats, have been critical of Trump's approach with Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If we abandon our ally Ukraine, we will be viewed by other countries including our other allies as untrustworthy and in the future we shouldn't expect their help," Kelly posted to X. PHOTO: Elon Musk arrives for President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the Capitol in Washington, Mar. 4, 2025. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) Kelly and Musk have feuded in the past. When Musk attacked Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen last month, calling him "an idiot," Kelly and his brother Scott Kelly, also an astronaut, pushed back. "Hey @ElonMusk, when you finally get the nerve to climb into a rocket ship, come talk to the three of us," Kelly wrote. Musk calls Sen. Kelly a 'traitor' over trip to Ukraine, Kelly hits back originally appeared on abcnews.go.com WASHINGTON (AP) Elon Musk pushed debunked theories about Social Security on Monday while describing federal benefit programs as rife with fraud, suggesting they will be a primary target in his crusade to reduce government spending. The billionaire entrepreneur, who is advising President Donald Trump, suggested that $500 billion to $700 billion in waste needed to be cut. Most of the federal spending is entitlements, Musk told the Fox Business Network. Thats the big one to eliminate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The comments on the popular program and other benefits provided to Americans could rattle politicians on both sides of the aisle as Musk works to downsize the federal government, especially as he already faces blowback for his chainsaw-wielding approach to laying off workers and slashing programs. Musk's estimate for the level of fraud in entitlements far outpaces figures from watchdogs like Social Security's inspector general, who previously said there was $71.8 billion in improper payments from fiscal years 2015 through 2022. That's less than 1% of benefits paid out during that time period. Musk also said there were 20 million people who are definitely dead marked as alive in the Social Security database. However, the leader of the agency has rejected claims about widespread payments to dead people. "These individuals are not necessarily receiving benefits," said Lee Dudek, Social Securitys acting commissioner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The interview with Fox Business was a reminder of Musk's deep skepticism and even hostility toward the program, which provides monthly benefits to retirees and some children. Trump has promised to defend Social Security from cuts, but Musk has described it as the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time, and the administration is shutting down some of the agencys offices. Musk said Monday that federal entitlements are a mechanism by which the Democrats attract and retain illegal immigrants by essentially paying them to come here and then turning them into voters. The allegation echoed the great replacement theory, which claims that politicians are trying to expand their power by reshaping the country's racial demographics. The interview was conducted in the White House complex by Larry Kudlow, who served as an economic adviser to Trump during his first term. During the conversation, Musk seemed to acknowledge the unusual nature of his role in the administration. Frankly, I cant believe Im here doing this," Musk said. "It's kind of bizarre. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk is the worlds richest person and still runs his private enterprises as he advises the president on ways to overhaul the federal government. He also thanked Trump for his confidence, saying, "Without the presidents support, we couldnt make any progress here. Trump has publicly backed Musk and given him extraordinary influence over the federal government. However, the Republican president has indicated a shift in approach, saying that Musk's team would use a scalpel rather than a hatchet. Musk has not often spoken publicly since joining the administration, preferring instead to present a stream of consciousness on X, his social media platform. On Monday, he accused Democrats of attacking Tesla dealerships; bragged about X being the top source for news on Earth; and accused Arizona Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly, a former fighter pilot and astronaut, of being a traitor for visiting Ukraine over the weekend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk's sitdown with Kudlow was his third interview since joining Trump's administration, and he hasn't strayed from his ideological safe space. He previously did a joint interview with the president and Sean Hannity of Fox News, and he sat down with Joe Rogan, a podcaster who endorsed Trump last year. Republicans have spent decades trying to reduce the size and scope of the federal government, and many have cheered Musk's work. The American people are sick of the swamp. Theyre sick of waste, fraud and abuse," said Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, who leads the National Republican Congressional Committee. "For the first time ever, we finally have the tools to affect it. So I think the voters are going to reward us. But there are signs of backlash and skepticism. Some Republicans have even boasted of blocking budget cuts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole issued a statement saying three federal offices in his state the National Weather Center in Norman, the Social Security Administration Office in Lawton and the Indian Health Services Office in Oklahoma City would stay open. I am thrilled to announce that common sense has prevailed, he said. Cole added that all three of these places provide vital and valuable services to Oklahomans and I am so proud to have advocated for them. About half of Americans said its a bad thing that Trump has given Musk a prominent role in his administration, according to a mid-February CNN/SSRS poll. Only a third saw it as a good thing. Another mid-February survey by The Washington Post and Ipsos found that Americans were divided on whether Musk is mainly cutting wasteful spending or necessary programs, with about a third falling into each camp. Another quarter said they werent sure. US billionaire Elon Musk has emphasized the importance of his Starlink satellite system for Ukrainian troops fighting Russia. The Starlink system "is the backbone of the Ukrainian army. Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off," Musk, a close adviser to US President Donald Trump, wrote on X on Sunday. With the war in mind, Musk wrote that he was tired of years of "slaughter" and said that Ukraine would lose in the end anyway. It is therefore necessary to make peace immediately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk later posted to clarify that Starlink would never turn off its terminals. "To be extremely clear, no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals," he wrote. "I am simply stating that, without Starlink, the Ukrainian lines would collapse, as the Russians can jam all other communications! We would never do such a thing or use it as a bargaining chip." Sikorski gets dressing down Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski responded to Musk's original post on X and wrote that his government would cover Starlink costs for Ukraine to the tune of $50 million a year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider we will be forced to look for other suppliers," he added. Sikorski's comments sparked an angry reaction from Musk. The billionaire retorted: "Be quiet, small man. You pay a tiny fraction of the cost." There is no substitute for Starlink, Musk added. Rubio also weighs in US Secretary of State Marco Rubio attacked Sikorski, charging in his own X-post that the Polish foreign minister was "just making things up." "No one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink," Rubio asserted. "And say thank you because without Starlink Ukraine would have lost this war long ago and Russians would be on the border with Poland right now," the top US diplomat added. New tone out of Trump's Washington The US government under Trump has made a radical U-turn in its policy on Ukraine, most recently ending support for Kiev altogether - at least for the time being. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House said the reason for this was to force Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to peace negotiations. Trump had previously blamed Zelensky for the war ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin and accused him of not wanting to end the conflict. Trump and his government officials have also recently adopted an unusually harsh tone towards other European countries, repeatedly snubbing their European partners. This story was updated to include additional information. County Administrator Verdenia Baker, planning to retire May 31, may be leaving much sooner. The NAACP says it has learned that an attempt is expected to be made at Tuesday's county commission meeting to terminate her. Albert Fields, president of the West Palm Beach branch of the NAACP, has called for a show of public support for Baker, a 37-year employee of the county who has served as county administrator for the past nine years. She is the county's first woman and Black person to occupy the position of county administrator. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fields, in a text to NAACP members and to the community, said: "Word has reached us that there are plans to unjustly terminate Mrs. Baker, a dedicated public servant who tirelessly worked for the betterment of our community. This potential action is not only an attack on her but a direct affront to all of us who believe in fairness, justice and the integrity of our local governance." Neither Fields nor Baker were immediately available for comment. The Palm Beach Post has learned that two constitutional officers County Clerk Joe Abruzzo and County Tax Collector Anne Gannon have already applied for the job. Baker called commissioners Feb. 28 to let them know she would be retiring as of May 31. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement County commissioners will meet for the first time at a public meeting Tuesday since Baker announced her retirement. County Mayor Maria Marino said it is unlikely that Baker would be terminated but the commission has yet "to even speak about it as we can't without breaking (Sunshine State laws)." Marino, though, she said will not support a move to fire Baker. "Verdenia Baker gracefully gave us 90 days to start the process. She is an award-winning leader who has done a great job for us. She should be give her 90 days. Then, we can do a nationwide search for our next administrator," said Marino, who noted that Baker has the experience to deliver the county a budget by the time she retires. Commissioner Marci Woodward also told The Post that it would be a mistake to fire Baker. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There is no reason to rush this. We should take our time and make sure we get this right. She (Baker) has given us some breathing room and we should take it with gratitude. She has served the county well during her tenure as county administrator. We will have time to go through the process of a national search," Woodward said. Anne Gannon and Joseph Abruzzo are local candidates for county administrator position Meanwhile, both Gannon and Abruzzo contacted county commissioners to let them know of their interest in the county administrator position. "I have a lot to offer the county," said Gannon, adding she "revamped an antiquated bureaucracy into a top-notch client-driven service organization." She is the first woman to hold the position of county tax collector. She was first elected in 2006. Palm Beach County Tax Collector Anne Gannon Abruzzo was elected in 2020, and he, too, was reelected in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I have been approached and have had some preliminary discussions," said Abruzzo, a former state senator. "I have the utmost respect for the county commissioners as they determine the appropriate course for selecting their next administrator. My focus remains on protecting the budget and serving our county residents in the best way possible." Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller Joseph Abruzzo. The Post has also learned that the county is considering hiring former County Administrator Robert Weisman in an interim capacity. Weisman served as an administrator for 24 years. He had hired Baker as his chief deputy, and recommended the county hire her when he retired. Fields did not identify which county commissioners are involved in the move to terminate Baker. If she is terminated, the move could prove costly to taxpayers as her contract states that she would receive severance. Baker earns more than $450,000 a year. 'The end of an era': Verdenia Baker to retire as Palm Beach County administrator in May Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agenda for Tuesday makes no reference to Baker's decision but commissioners could discuss what type of process should be implemented to find a replacement. There is no requirement that a national search be undertaken, and the commission has the right at any time to hire and fire its administrator. It would take four of the seven commissioners to do that. Baker. In her retirement letter, said she is committed to remaining on the job until May 31. The county administrator oversees a $9 billion budget and more than 7,000 employees. The budget to be developed this year will be particularly challenging as unexpected presidential security costs are expected to total more than $45 million and state and federal aid is expected to be significantly reduced. County: $20 million bill for Trump security will completely deplete special contingency fund Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government and issues concerning HOAs. You can reach him at mdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: NAACP: Palm Beach County commissioners could fire administrator A man accused by Nancy Mace of being a predator has called the allegations absolutely untrue. In a 53-minute speech on the House floor last month, the Republican congresswoman accused her ex-fiancee Patrick Bryant of physical assault, rape and sex trafficking and said three other men recorded sex acts without consent. Brian Musgrave, one of the accused men, denied the allegations on an interview with CNN. He appeared with his wife, Jen Musgrave, who defended the South Carolina entrepreneur. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes nowhere near any of those things that she was accusing him of, Jen Musgrave said. Brian Musgrave said Maces allegations had been catastrophic, for him. For the rest of my life, when someone googles Brian Musgrave this is going to be the thing that comes up, he said. Im completely uncertain what tomorrow is going to be business-wise. Mace, who has become one of the most visible MAGA voices in Congress, displayed Musgraves name and photograph on a board during the televised speech, accusing him of premeditated and calculated exploitation of women and girls in her district. She said she found more than 10,000 hidden camera videos and photos, although she didnt present any evidence during the speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musgrave co-owns a rental condo on the South Carolina coast with Bryant, an old friend. He said that there is a camera fastened to the fridge in the condos kitchen, visible in plain sight, but its unclear if this is one of the cameras Mace was referring to. He said he had no control over the camera, adding, The most control I could have over that camera would be to unplug it. He also said that did not believe the allegations against Bryant. His lawyers have sent a letter to Mace requesting that she either provides evidence that links their client to the crimes or retract her allegations against Musgrave and issue an apology. According to South Carolina Law Enforcement, an investigation is underway. Bryant has denied all criminal allegations, and Eric Bowman, another man named by Mace, told CNN that no wrongdoing has been committed. At the annual sessions of China's national legislature and top political advisory body, some national lawmakers and political advisors have shared their insights about China's commitment to reform and opening up. #GLOBALink NASA will shutter three departments, according to an email reviewed by BI. The email said that the closures are part of a larger reduction in force. Twenty-three employees were fired on Monday, an agency spokesperson told BI. NASA has officially started its restructuring effort. The agency will close three departments as part of the Trump administration's broader goal to reduce the federal workforce, according to an email reviewed by Business Insider. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NASA employees received the email on Monday from the agency's acting administrator, Janet Petro. The three departments affected are the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy; the Office of the Chief Scientist; and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility branch of the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity. An agency spokesperson told BI that 23 individuals were fired. "NASA's Office of the Chief Scientist is tasked with ensuring that all the Agency's scientific endeavors align with the Administration's goals. Eliminating the office sends a chilling message that NASA's scientists aren't part of the nation's goals," a current NASA employee told BI in a written response. Petro said the changes put the agency in compliance with President Donald Trump's executive order to implement the White House DOGE office's workplace restructuring. She wrote that Monday marked the beginning of NASA's reduction in force effort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "While this will mean making difficult adjustments, we're viewing this as an opportunity to reshape our workforce, ensuring we are doing what is statutorily required of us, while also providing American citizens with an efficient and effective agency," Petro wrote in the email. It's not clear if all employees in the departments were terminated, or if some might be moved to different areas within NASA. "A small number of individuals received notification Monday they are a part of NASA's RIF. If they're eligible, those employees may opt to participate in the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority, or VERA, or complete the RIF process," the NASA spokesperson told BI in a statement. Representatives for DOGE and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The latest restructuring plans from NASA follow weeks of changes to the federal workforce. The Trump administration has fired thousands of workers across a range of federal agencies and has cut billions of dollars in federal spending programs. The Office of Personnel Management also instructed all federal agencies to develop reorganization plans by March 13. Have a tip? Contact these reporters via Signal at asheffey.97 or alicetecotzky.05 or via email at asheffey@businessinsider.com or atecotzky@businessinsider.com. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely. Read the original article on Business Insider NASA has eliminated key science offices its chief scientist and her office according to an internal email obtained by Axios. The news comes less than a week after Ars Technica reported that the Trump administration is expected to slash the space agency's science budget by as much as 50 percent, an "extinction-level event for space science and exploration in the United States," as Planetary Society chief of space policy Casey Dreier told the publication. Now that chief scientist Katherine Calvin has been let go, the future of space science in the country is as uncertain as ever. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the email, acting NASA administrator Janet Petro said that the cuts were in response to president Donald Trump's executive orders aimed at slashing budgets across departments. Apart from the office of the chief scientist, the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility branch of NASA's Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity was cut as well, affecting around 20 people, per Axios. NASA's office of the chief scientist was created to ensure that the agency's scientific endeavors were "aligned with and fulfill the administrations science objectives," per the agency's website. The latest news could be a harbinger of what's still in store for NASA. Petro said the agency is only beginning its "phased approach to a reduction in force." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agency has already been the target of cuts. Shortly after reports emerged that Elon Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency was cutting over 1,000 NASA employees last month, affected workers were spared as part of a chaotic last-minute decision. Billionaire tech founder and SpaceX space tourist Jared Isaacman, who's widely expected to be sworn in as the next NASA administrator, appears to have been shut out of ongoing conversations, tweeting that he was simply a "humble nominee on the outside, hoping for a chance to contribute." Now that key scientific figures are being eliminated, scientists are worried the Trump administration is making irreversible changes that could undercut the agency's core missions. "NASA is small, but it is arguably the most legendary and globally beloved agency in American history," Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics external relations lead Grant Tremblay tweeted. "Its gutting has begun, & the cuts to come are so massive that we won't recognize it in a year." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I worry that, absent strong leadership, there is a theory of destruction but no plan for creation," he added in a followup. "It's hard to build something great from a pile of ash and rubble. The people you lose will not come back." More on NASA: Amazing Video Shows Spacecraft Touching Down on Surface of Moon By Joey Roulette, Patrick Wingrove and Andrea Shalal (Reuters) - NASA is eliminating its chief scientist role and closing down an office that studies policy matters on space and technology, in a round of layoffs affecting 23 employees, the agency said on Monday. NASA's acting administrator Janet Petro told employees by email on Monday the Office of the Chief Scientist, the Office of Science, Policy, and Strategy, and the diversity, equity and inclusion branch within the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity would be closed. The email was seen by Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A NASA spokesperson confirmed the cuts and said 23 employees would be affected. The agency has had a chief scientist for decades - except when the post was terminated between 2005 and 2011 - to advise on its missions and areas of space science and astronomy to focus research efforts. The cuts, part of President Donald Trump's government cost-cutting initiative, will include the departures of NASA's current chief scientist, Katherine Calvin, as well as NASA's chief technologist, A.C. Charania. NASA still has an associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate, who oversees science-focused missions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of NASA's 18,000 employees have been anxious over the Trump administration efforts to trim back the federal bureaucracy, which have been spearheaded by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk's rocket company, SpaceX, has contracts worth roughly $15 billion with NASA, according to federal contracting data. Petro said in the email that NASA had been actively working with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management to implement Trump's January executive order directing government agencies to reduce and reorganize their workforces NASA's policy, diversity and science offices are the latest space-focused units in the U.S. to be affected by Trump and Musk's government efficiency agenda. Roughly a third of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 25-person Office of Space Commerce, a little-known body heavily relied upon by the space industry, was laid off earlier this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, two officials from that office were allowed to return after pushback from employees and industry groups, according to two people familiar with the moves. NASA's associate administrator, Jim Free, who was poised to become acting NASA administrator pending confirmation of Trump's nominee, retired from the agency last month, while hundreds of agency employees have accepted the Trump administration's buyout proposal, Petro has said. (Reporting by Patrick Wingrove in New York and Joey Roulette and Andrea Shalal in Washington; Editing by Caroline Humer and Matthew Lewis) Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos was named the NHL's Second Star of the Week, behind Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon and ahead of Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson. Stamkos finished with eight points four goals and four assists in three games with the Predators last week. After ending a 13-game pointless streak with a goal and two assists against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, Stamkos had two assists against the Seattle Kraken on Thursday. Then, on Saturday, Stamkos scored his first hat trick with the Predators, the 14th of his career, in a 3-2 overtime win over the Chicago Blackhawks at Bridgestone Arena. Stamkos also passed Mike Bossy on the NHL's all-time goal scoring list he now ranks 23rd with 576 goals, one behind Mark Recchi's 577 which ranks 22nd. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stamkos, 35, has 21 goals and 20 assists for Nashville this season. He ranks third on the Predators in scoring behind Filip Forsberg (57 points) and Jonathan Marchessault (48 points). Stamkos signed a four-year, $32 million contract with Nashville over the summer after spending 16 seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning. ESTES: The honeymoon is over for Barry Trotz as Nashville Predators' general manager Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex atjdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Predators' Steven Stamkos named NHL's Second Star of the Week Natalie Cabieses - KCCI Natalie Cabieses is being promoted from assistant news director to news director at KCCI in Des Moines, Iowa. Cabieses is the fifth news director in the station's 70-year history. She takes over for Allison Smith, who left the station in December 2024. She joined the station in February 2024. "Natalie is known for being able to make strong decisions, fast and keep a calm demeanor," said president and general manager Brian Sather. "She was instrumental in developing our news and weather coverage before, during and after the Greenfield tornado. Her compassion and news judgement is a big reason KCCI is Iowa's News Leader. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "As a Latina woman I am incredibly humbled to be in this position to not only cover the news fairly and accurately, but also to empower young women who may be able to see themselves in my chair one day," Cabieses said. Before joining KCCI, she served as executive producer at WISN in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she oversaw coverage of the Kyle Rittenhouse trial. Shes also worked at WFTV in Orlando and WBBH and WZVN in the Fort Myers-Naples, Florida TV market. SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) NATO's secretary general on Monday pledged the military alliance's unwavering support for Bosnia's territorial integrity after a series of Bosnian Serb separatist moves raised tensions nearly 30 years after the end of a bloody war. Mark Rutte spoke in Sarajevo after meeting the three members of the Balkan country's multi-ethnic presidency, an institution established in a peace accord that ended the 1992-95 conflict among the Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats after more than 100,000 people died. Three decades after the Dayton Peace Agreement, I can tell you: NATO remains firmly committed to the stability of this region and to the security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rutte said. We will not allow hard-won peace to be jeopardized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rutte called any actions that undermine the accord, the constitutional order or national institutions "unacceptable, and added: Inflammatory rhetoric and actions are dangerous. They pose a direct threat to Bosnia and Herzegovinas stability and security. His comments came days after Bosnian Serb lawmakers passed laws that barred Bosnia's central judicial authorities and its police from operating on the territory of Republika Srpska, a Serb-run entity in Bosnia that encompasses about half the country. The other entity is a federation run by Bosniaks, who are mainly Muslims, and Croats. The Bosnian Serb move was in response to the sentencing last month of the entity's pro-Russia President Milorad Dodik, a longtime advocate of Bosnia's disintegration. He was convicted of disobeying the top international envoy overseeing peace in the country. Dodik, a supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump who has faced U.S. and British sanctions for his separatist actions, has rejected the sentence a year in prison and a six-year ban from state office calling it anti-Serb. The U.S. and key European nations have condemned Dodiks actions, while Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed solidarity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The situation has sparked fears of incidents between Bosnian and Serb-dominated police similar to ones at the start of the war. The war in Bosnia began when the countrys Serbs rebelled against independence from the former Yugoslavia and moved to form a mini-state with the aim of uniting it with Serbia. "I have concerns about the security situation. Rutte said, adding: "Lets be clear, this is not 1992 and we will not allow a security vacuum to emerge. A European peacekeeping force in Bosnia, EUFOR, has said it was stepping up the number of its troops in response to the tensions. The Serb member of Bosnia's presidency, Zeljka Cvijanovic, said after the meeting with Rutte that it was wrong to put the blame on one side only." Denis Becirovic, the Bosniak presidency member, described the Serb moves as a brutal attack on the constitutional order. Destabilization of this part of Europe would only benefit Moscow, Becirovic said. NAUGATUCK, Conn. (WTNH) Salem Elementary School is set to close at the end of the school year, according to a message posted to the school districts website. The district superintendent released a statement attributing the move to budget constraints. Naugatuck schools hold conference to inspire young men of color into leadership roles It is with a heavy heart that I write to inform you of a decision that has not been made lightly. Due to significant budget constraints impacting our district, the Naugatuck Board of Education and I have determined that Salem Elementary School must close at the end of the 2024-2025 school year, Superintendent of Schools Christopher Montini said in the message. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement School officials will work closely with individual families to facilitate school reassignments, counseling services, and other support. Montini said Salem Elementary School has served local students for 132 years. While there will be many changes, what will not change are the exceptional educational experiences, safe and supportive learning environment, and positive culture present in all of our elementary schools, Montini said. The school district plans to hold multiple meetings to answer questions and provide answers about the change. The first meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on March 10, in the auditorium at Naugatuck High School. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. Just a few years ago, the biggest purveyors of disinformation on the internet were bots, conspiracy theorists and Russian propaganda outlets. Today the world is a very different place and two of the most prominent sources of lies and mistruths are the President of the United States, Donald Trump, and the worlds richest man, Elon Musk. The Kyiv Independents Chris York sits down with Eliot Higgins, founder and creative director of the investigative outlet Bellingcat, to discuss how we arrived at this point and what can be done about it. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. * Those keen to understand the trajectory and focus of the world's second-largest economy will find a recurring theme at China's "two sessions" this year: reform and opening up. * The Chinese leadership has made it clear that challenges arising from reform and opening up can only be solved by pressing ahead with reform and opening up, demonstrating a firm determination to address the risks and obstacles on the path ahead. * In a world filled with uncertainties, the "two sessions" have sent an unequivocal message: China is committed to expanding high-standard opening up and continues to share development opportunities with the world. BEIJING, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Those keen to understand the trajectory and focus of the world's second-largest economy will find a recurring theme at China's "two sessions" this year -- reform and opening up. At the ongoing annual sessions of China's national legislature and top political advisory body -- the first since last July's reform-themed third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China -- reform was once again highlighted across a broad spectrum of areas, ranging from rural development and improving fiscal, tax and financial systems, to education and health care. The "two sessions" agenda has also underscored China's commitment to expanding high-standard opening up and stabilizing foreign trade and foreign investment. "Regardless of changes in the external environment, we should remain steadfast in our commitment to opening up," said a government work report submitted to China's national legislature for deliberation on Wednesday. "We should steadily expand institutional opening up and take the initiative to open wider and advance unilateral opening up in a well-ordered way, to promote reform and development through greater openness." An aerial drone photo shows U.S. carmaker Tesla's Megafactory in Shanghai, east China, Feb. 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe) WHY IT MATTERS China's commitment to reform and opening up is reflected in the latest development on the country's southernmost island province of Hainan, where the free trade port will begin independent customs operations in 2025. On the sidelines of the "two sessions," Cai Qiang, a national legislator and deputy director of the Office of the Hainan Free Trade Port Working Committee, said the tax system tailored to the Hainan Free Trade Port is taking shape, and efforts will be made to further upgrade its preferential tax policies. China pledged to accelerate the implementation of core policies for the free trade port this year, and improve opening up and development policies for economic development zones, according to the government work report. From deepening reform in its special economic zones already established to further easing market access restrictions for investment, China has consistently championed reform and opening up, boosting its high-quality development and sharing opportunities with the rest of the world. Since 1978, reform and opening up has transformed a once-impoverished country into a market-oriented economic powerhouse, with China's per-capita GDP surging from 156.4 U.S. dollars in 1978 to 12,614.1 dollars in 2023. China's GDP grew by 5 percent year on year in 2024, ranking among the world's fastest-growing major economies and continuing to contribute about 30 percent to global economic growth. Yet challenges remain. Domestically, the country faces headwinds, including insufficient demand to reinforce its economic recovery while fostering innovation-driven development. Globally, businesses must navigate escalating trade tensions, rising protectionism, and the latest wave of technological revolution reshaping industries, production models and lifestyles. The Chinese leadership has made it clear that challenges arising from reform and opening up can only be solved by pressing ahead with reform and opening up, demonstrating a firm determination to address the risks and obstacles on the path ahead. China targets an economic growth rate of around 5 percent this year, as policymakers are determined to secure a steady recovery through decisive and effective measures. "By deepening reform, opening up and innovation across the board and enhancing the intensity of our macro policies, we will develop new drivers of growth and have the ability and conditions to achieve this target," according to a report from the State Council on the implementation of the 2024 plan for national economic and social development and on the 2025 draft plan, which was submitted to lawmakers for review on Wednesday. Liao Wenbin, a national legislator and mayor of Yibin City in southwest China's Sichuan Province, sees 2025 as a crucial year for further, more comprehensive deepening of reform and opening up, saying that reforms are set to open up a broader space for the country's high-quality development. This photo taken on May 8, 2024 shows a roll-off ceremony of the 6 millionth car produced by BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA) in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong) WHAT IT MEANS TO THE WORLD Though the "two sessions" focus mainly on China's domestic development policies, China's high-quality development is increasingly creating shared opportunities for the world and its open market is becoming truly global. In a world filled with uncertainties, the ongoing "two sessions" have sent an unequivocal message: China is committed to expanding high-standard opening up and continues to share development opportunities with the world. According to this year's government work report, China will broaden international cooperation by further opening up to promote greater mutual reinforcement and higher-standard positive interplay between domestic and international economic flows. "Opening up has been a pivotal driver of China's development, and the Chinese government remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing openness, pushing to open its doors even wider," Shen Danyang, director of the Research Office of the State Council, told a press briefing on Wednesday when elaborating on the report. This year's report outlines several new measures for opening up, highlighting efforts to foster a first-rate business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and internationalized, Shen said. Embracing the country's emerging opportunities, foreign giants like Tesla and BMW have expanded their presence in China, leveraging its vast industrial ecosystems and consumer market to drive breakthroughs in electric vehicles, renewable energy and advanced materials. A recent report from the American Chamber of Commerce in South China shows that approximately 58 percent of foreign companies surveyed consider China to be one of their top three investment priorities, and 76 percent plan to reinvest in the country in 2025. Jiang Ying, Deloitte China chair and a national political advisor, emphasized that China's ongoing commitment to high-standard opening up will draw greater international capital and technology to the Chinese market while simultaneously boosting the global reach of Chinese products and services. (Video reporters: Wu You, Xu Yang, Hao Xiaojiang, Zhen Xin and Yang Zhigang. Video editors: Liang Wanshan, Zhu Cong, Zheng Qingbin and Mang Na) City leaders in Raleigh are honoring Millie Dunn Veasey, a World War II veteran who served in the only overseas all-Black womens 6888th Battalion. According to WTVD in Raleigh, the citys Brentwood post office will be named after Veasey. The story of her service is one of trailblazing leadership in the face of adversity, WTVD reports Congresswoman Deborah Ross said after making the announcement. ALSO READ: Celebrating the legacy, contributions of the Montford Point Marines Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During her time in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, Veasey worked with soldiers on the front lines to make sure they received letters from loved ones at home. Some of the things that she went through we did not know about, Eugenia Pleasant, Veaseys niece, told WTVD. She was very humble, and she just did what she had to do and moved forward. According to WTVD, Veasey lived to be 100. She was buried in the Raleigh National Cemetery. She was caring, Pleasant told WTVD. She loved her church. She loved just any organization where she could serve. ALSO READ: US looks to honor 855 Black women who solved war time mail crisis Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Six Triple Eight, as they were called, was made up of 855 Black women. They were sent to Europe in 1945. At that time, Black organizations wanted more members of the community to be included in the Womens Army Corps and allowed to serve along with white service members overseas. Their trip to their assignment was not an easy one, The Associated Press reports. They had to avoid German U-boats and a German rocket when they made it to Glasgow. Last December, film maker Tyler Perry released The Six Triple Eight, starring Kerry Washington. The movie tells the Battalions story, underscoring the unforgettable difference they made during World War II. The Six Triple Eight is now streaming on Netflix. WATCH BELOW: Black mayors of Charlotte gather to discuss citys past, future Tenants in a Jacksonville apartment complex said they are being left to live in deplorable conditions. Those living at the Miramar Apartments in Arlington said the complex is filled with multiple issues like damage, squatters, mail theft, and more. Action News Jax has told you about these complaints against the complex for years now. The website of the Miramar Apartments claims the complex is lavish inside and out, with three resort-style swimming pools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, residents said it could not be further from the truth. Several tenants told Action News Jax Shanila Kabir they are living in filth and there is mold everywhere in their homes. All residents asked to remain anonymous for their safety. Squatters are scattered everywhere here. We dont know who is allowed to be here and who is not. The complex has several dumpsters, which were all mostly full Sunday evening. Some tenants said the trash is left out for weeks at a time. These dumpsters sometimes overflow and its kind of dangerous to see all this stuff over there. One neighbor who has lived at the Miramar Apartments since August of last year said the damage and mold inside are unbearable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont have central air or heat. I have one unit in the living room and if we close our room doors, we dont get any heat or air in the rooms. The plumbing is also really terrible. She adds that she would move, but she cant afford to live anywhere else. The Miramar Apartments are designed to be affordable income-restricted units. Current listings show one-bedrooms available for rent as low as $779 a month. The most expensive two-bedroom is listed at $1,225. The cost of living is so high, and we cant afford to leave, so we have to tough it out Action News Jax reported in 2023 the City of Jacksonville cited the complex for multiple issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Inspectors found exterior doors and hardware not working correctly, floors sagging, ceilings with cracks and holes in them, and even insects inside several apartments. We reached out to the management at the Miramar Apartments for a statement, but we were not able to get in contact with anyone on a Sunday. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Getting tough on the customers who pay for sex is the best way to attack human trafficking, according to a woman who told her story to lawmakers on Monday. I was sex trafficked in Las Vegas for a year and three months. I didnt even know what sex trafficking was until it was happening to me, Christina Rangel said. She moved to Las Vegas as a young single mother looking for job opportunities and to be closer to my dad. Prostitution is illegal in Clark County. Legal brothels operate in rural counties. Rangel said when she was growing up in Carson City, she knew about all that. She didnt expect a casino to be a place where it could happen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When she was sold for sex for the first time, I had absolutely no idea what was about to happen in my life. Since then, Rangel says she has been working for 17 years in nine countries fighting sex trafficking in many different forms. She criticized current Nevada law as nearly a parking ticket for the buyers who create the demand for prostitution. Christina Rangel testifies in support of AB299 on Monday. (Courtesy: Nevada State Legislature) She was among those testifying in support of legislation that would double the fine for johns the customers and require officers to make an arrest rather than just issuing a citation. It would also end the standard practice of automatically sealing the record of the incident. Knowing that they will be arrested will be a big deterrent, according to Carson City District Attorney Tyson League. Assembly Bill 299 (AB299) is intended to shift that balance to increase accountability for the customers who fuel the illegal prostitution industry, Democratic Assem. Elaine Marzola said. By increasing penalties, mandating arrests and adjusting record-sealing provisions, this bill sends a clear message that purchasing sexual services is not a victimless crime and that those who engage in such activities will be held responsible for their actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For too long, enforcement has focused on those who are exploited, not the ones who are driving the demand, Marzola said. She presented statistics from May 3, 2023, to May 3, 2024, that showed human trafficking offenses increased by 50% overall. Spring Valley saw a 234% increase over that time period, while downtown was up 81%. The Las Vegas Strip, which is patrolled by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Departments Convention Center Area Command, saw a 21.7% increase. Older statistics from 2018 indicated more than 5,000 individuals were sold for sex each month. AB299 would increase the minimum fine for customers from the existing $400 to $800. Rather than being automatically sealed, the record would remain public for two years. At that point, the person could petition the court to seal the record. Nearly all the men she encountered in Las Vegas knew what they doing was illegal, she said. Almost all of them asked questions to make sure she wasnt police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Almost 100% of the tourist buyers that bought me as a victim in the Las Vegas casinos would ask me questions to try to prove that I wasnt some undercover police officer, she said. Rangel said she was forced into prostitution. Her account provided a look at her first encounter with the law. Her trafficker sent her to a casino bar, where a man asked her if they could negotiate a price in the room. She said OK, and they went toward the elevator. He turned to me and he said, Oh, Im sorry, its not a good night for you. Im vice. He looks at me and he says, Hey, Ive got to take you down and book you, and all of these things, and Im about to cry, like I wanted to hug this man. Oh my gosh, you saved me, Rangel recalled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The trauma of the moment is indescribable, she said. She wasnt arrested. She was taken to a room where other prostitutes were waiting to be transported for booking. When she was released, her trafficker put her right back out on the streets, sending her to the casino next door to where she was picked up the first time. Paloma Guerrero, testifying on behalf of the Clark County Public Defenders Office, said AB299 would have the opposite effect that its sponsors want. She said women involved in the sex trade are the ones who will pay the price for any increased penalties, not the customers. Demand doesnt decrease, she said. The Washoe County public defender also opposed the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Metro police and other law enforcement agencies were not present at the bill hearing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday plans to propose a new parole board process that could clear a path for more prisoners to have their sentences shortened. The new regulations would in effect codify a process Newsom started two weeks ago when he directed the state Board of Parole Hearings to complete an assessment into whether brothers Erik and Lyle Menendez would pose an unreasonable risk to public safety if they were released from serving life sentences for the 1989 murders of their parents. The brothers submitted a clemency application to Newsom's office last year, and the governor said he would make his decision on that request after the board's investigation, which is expected within 90 days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newsom can already make an executive decision on clemency applications, but the governor most often reduces sentences by making certain inmates eligible for parole. At that point, the Board of Parole Hearings does a risk assessment to reach an agreement on the governor's decision. The proposed changes would task the parole board with launching an investigation at the start of the process. From there, the board would hold a hearing before submitting its recommendation and report to the governor's office for possible clemency and the relevant courts for potential resentencing. "Justice may be blind, but we shouldnt be in the dark when determining if someone is rehabilitated, safe, and ready to leave prison," Newsom said in a statement. "This new process will help further ensure victims and district attorneys are part of the commutation process and improve public safety by front-loading the risk assessment like were doing in the Menendez case. Booking photos of Erik Menendez, left, and Lyle Menendez. (California Department of Corrections via AP) Over his six years in office, Newsom has received thousands of clemency applications from prisoners whose only hope of leaving prison is through commutation or resentencing. Newsom's office said he has granted a total of 208 pardons and 141 commutations so far as governor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But critics say the process can be opaque, and touches only a limited pool of applicants. Newsom's office said the updated process, which will probably take months and would need final approval from the Office of Administrative Law after a public comment period, would help identify more eligible candidates for release and also provide greater transparency to victims and district attorneys by giving them an opportunity to participate in the clemency hearings, similar to how they're involved in the parole process. Read more: Can California change a dark culture at Chowchilla women's prison? The California Supreme Court would still be responsible for approving commutations for people convicted of multiple felonies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jennifer Shaffer, who retired last year as the executive officer of the Board of Parole Hearings, said the updated guidelines would follow the comprehensive risk assessments used in parole hearings by the board whose commissioners include former wardens, correctional officers, criminologists and psychologists to determine public safety risk. Erik Menendez, left, and his brother, Lyle, in front of their Beverly Hills home. (Ronald Soble / Los Angeles Times) The board's rigorous scrutiny of prison conduct records and mental health evaluations, among other factors, makes it very difficult to be granted parole. The board granted parole in only 35% of its 4,072 hearings in 2023, according to state data. Meanwhile, a 2023 investigation by The Times found dozens of people who remained in prison despite receiving clemency from the governor. "This is an opportunity. This is not release," Shaffer said. The updated process is designed to provide both the courts and governor with data "to make the most informed decision possible," she added, while giving victims, their families and district attorneys more opportunity for input in the clemency process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Can chess games and toilet paper change prison culture? Inside San Quentin's big experiment The governor's changes could also help bridge a disparity gap between those who have committed similar crimes but received different sentences, Shaffer said. Even so, she added, "I don't think everyone should have a hearing. Its very difficult for victims and survivors." The proposal still represents only a "small step in the right direction," said Heidi Rummel, who directs the Post-Conviction Justice Project at USC Gould School of Law. "It doesn't give anyone any sort of entitlement to release," Rummel said. "But it does bring some hope, and I think it's going to motivate rehabilitation." 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. MISSOURI (KSNF/KODE) Government efficiency has been making headlines since Inauguration Day, when President Trump established DOGE by executive order to modernize federal technology and software. A Newton County-based lawmaker is at the head of similar efforts in Missouri. Representative Ben Baker announced his appointment to chair the Committee on Government Efficiency on January 23. COGE has a number of bills on its slate, concerning how SNAP recipients can spend their benefits, unemployment compensation, pay for teachers and school administrators, vehicle inspection and registration, building permits, and funding for the departments of conservation and transportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 20-member committees primary job is to look for ways to reduce state spending and red tape. Even a state like ours that has a balanced budget amendment, we cant spend more money than we take in, but theres a lot of waste in places where if we had better processes I think it would make for more efficient government, which translates to less money, and regulation, and time for our citizens, said Rep. Ben Baker, (R-MO) District 160 / Government Efficiency Committee Chair. The Missouri State Senate has its own government efficiency committee. It launched a Government Efficiency Portal in February, where the public is encouraged to report duplication, waste, and inefficiency for the committee to review. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for COGE, the committees next hearing is scheduled for Tuesday at noon. You can visit the livestream 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 KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. (Bloomberg) -- The insurgent Reform UK party descended into bitter infighting following a falling-out between its leader, Nigel Farage, and the man Elon Musk touted just two months ago as his potential replacement. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The intense row came to a head on Friday when Reform expelled Rupert Lowe one of the partys five Members of Parliament saying he twice threatened the partys chairman, and leveling allegations of bullying within his parliamentary and constituency offices. He denies all accusations. That came just a day after Lowe had used a Daily Mail interview to criticize Farages messianic approach. The two men continued their sparring over the weekend and into Monday. The messy spat is awkwardly timed for Farage, who hoped to use the coming weeks in the run-up to council elections on May 1 to build Reforms support and secure real influence with local mandates. The party leader has said he aims to win control of a swath of local councils, on the way to potentially taking control of the Senedd, the Welsh devolved government, in 2026, and mounting a serious challenge for national power in the next general election, due in 2029. Reform earlier this year surpassed the Conservatives and Labour to lead in some national polls, as Donald Trumps rise in the US culminating in his inauguration to a second US presidential term in January appeared to usher in a new era of right-wing populism in global politics. But after less than two months, Trumps policies on trade and Ukraine have proved unpopular with the USs western allies in Europe and elsewhere, taking the shine off domestic parties seen as being closer to the American president, including in Canada. The Reform leaders stance on Ukraine he blamed Volodymyr Zelenskiy for the disastrous outcome of his meeting in the White House late last month with Trump has left him out of kilter with public opinion in Britain, which polling shows is largely unfavorable to the US president and supportive of the Ukrainian leader. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Farage counts Trump as a personal friend and Musk, a key member of the new US administration, has repeatedly sung Reforms praises, despite saying the party leader doesnt have what it takes to be prime minister and appearing to back Lowe as a potential replacement. That may have helped embolden Lowe to question Farages leadership and the party structure in his Daily Mail interview last week. Farage, however, has a history of seeing off challengers to his authority in the various parties hes led over the years, and the day after Lowes interview was published, Reform issued a press release with its laundry list of accusations against the MP. Mud-slinging between the two men continued over the weekend, with Farage penning a piece in the Telegraph slamming Lowe for managing to fall out with all his parliamentary colleagues in one way or another, and Lowe using the same publication to accuse Reform of a witch hunt. Farages political path is littered with the corpses of those who have gone against him and failed, Rob Ford, professor of political science at the University of Manchester, told Bloomberg. While several users of the social media platform X who claimed to be backers of Reform replied to Lowes posts saying they were now reconsidering their support for the party, Ford said people on social media are a very poor representation of those who will vote for Reform. Whether the row will dent Reform and Farage in the upcoming voting, which is still two months away, is yet to be seen, according to Rob Hayward, a Conservative Party peer whos an expert in local elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It would have to run for another week or have another explosion in some form or another, depending on what the police say and all these sorts of things, for Reform to actually be damaged in terms of their potential at this stage, he told journalists on Monday. He added that there was no question in my mind that Reform was still the Nigel Farage show. (An AI summary previously at the top of the story was removed for incorrectly ascribing allegations to an individual.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. LAGOS (Reuters) - Nigeria's economic crimes commission said it recovered nearly $500 million in proceeds of crime last year and secured more than 4,000 criminal convictions, its highest since the agency's inception more than two decades ago. Africa's biggest energy producer, Nigeria has struggled for decades with endemic corruption, which many Nigerians say contributes to widespread poverty in the country. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which investigates and prosecutes corruption in Nigeria, said in a report on Monday that some of the recovered money was reinvested in government projects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nigeria is ranked 140 out of 180 on Transparency International's latest Corruption Perception Index. Besides cash, the EFCC said it also seized 931,052 metric tons of petroleum products, 975 real estate properties and company shares. (Reporting by Ben Ezeamalu, Editing by Louise Heavens) NIXA, Mo. Police have arrested two people after their vehicle allegedly rammed into and disabled a Nixa Police patrol vehicle over the weekend. According to a press release from the Nixa Police Department, officers attempted to stop a pickup truck for multiple traffic violations near Tracker Road and Massey Boulevard on Sunday, March 9. NPD said the pickup did not immediately stop, and the officer continued following it west on Tracker Road. The pickup truck suddenly slammed on the brakes, shifted into reverse, and accelerated backward, ramming the patrol car and disabling it. NPD said the suspect fled at a high rate of speed and continued west on Tracker Road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SPD arrests woman after Kearney Street shooting Sunday NPD officers, Christian County Sheriffs Office deputies and Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers assisted in pursuing the suspect vehicle. A CCSO deputy located the abandoned pickup in a driveway west of Nixa, near the intersection of Nelson Mill and Union Chapel, according to NPD. Police say NPD K9 Jack was deployed to assist in the search for the suspects. K9 Jack tracked two suspects to a home in the Pebble Creek Subdivision, NPD said, where they were taken into custody. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR - OzarksFirst.com. A New Jersey man has been charged with murder and other offenses after police responding to a 911 call found his wife dead in the couples South Toms River home, prosecutors said Sunday. Gustavo Juarez-Perez, 38, was hit with murder and multiple weapon charges, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said in a statement. The South Toms River Police Department warned there was police activity in the area, adding, No danger to the public, please stay clear of the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers found Cheyanne Juarez, 30, unconscious on the floor with blood on her face and a belt around her neck when they responded to the scene around 9:15 p.m., Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a statement. Emergency lifesaving measures were attempted with negative results, and Ms. Juarez was pronounced deceased at the scene. Her husband was arrested after an investigation by the South Toms River police and Ocean County Sheriffs Office revealed that Gustavo Juarez-Perez was the individual responsible for his wifes death, Billhimer said. Authorities did not disclose what led them to suspect Juarez-Perez, or a motive for the slaying. He was being held at the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing. Being naked in public in Florida is right on the cusp of being No Longer Weird. Martin Evtimov, 36, parked his car on the sidewalk at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and climbed out without a stitch of clothing on, the New York Post reported. He entered Terminal 1 and approached the TSA security line as he spoke incoherently, then wandered toward the baggage inspection area. That's where Broward County sheriff's deputies and TSA officers caught up with him. Evtimov resisted arrest but was eventually subdued. A judge later banned him from the airport and ordered a mental health screening. [NY Post, 2/7/2024] Lian Yuming, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Cai Yang) Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Cai Yang) Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Cai Yang) Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Chen Xingcan, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Cai Yang) Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) arrive for a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Fu Xiaoyun, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Huang Liping, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Cai Yang) Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Cai Yang) Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Cai Yang) Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Journalists raise hands to ask questions during a group interview attended by members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) A journalist with Xinhua News Agency asks a question during a group interview attended by members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Ho Ion Sang, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Sze Wing-wai, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Cai Yang) Baima Yuzhen, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Cai Yang) Alateng Dalai, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Cai Yang) Chen Qingli, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Cai Yang) Officials did not divulge details of the contract, which averts a strike that could have started March 22, but said it includes a wage hike. (Fran Baltzer for New Jersey Monitor) NJ Transit and a union representing the agencys locomotive engineers announced a tentative agreement that will resolve a yearslong contract dispute that threatened to boil over into disruptive strikes later this month. Officials revealed few details about the agreement when they announced it Monday, and the accord must still be ratified by members of the New Jersey Transit Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, the agency, and Gov. Phil Murphy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We believe this agreement not only reflects NJ Transits commitment to fairness, efficiency, innovation, and long-term financial sustainability but it ensures uninterrupted rail service for the 100,000 people who depend on it, NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri and BLET general chairman Thomas Haas said in a joint statement. They said the agreement provides a reasonable wage increase for BLET members and resolves a separate dispute and grievance. A spokesperson for the union did not immediately return comment. The deal was first reported by northjersey.com. The locomotive engineers contract has been expired since late 2019, and negotiations have stalled for years over a wage dispute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NJ Transit sought to increase the engineers pay in line with the agencys other bargaining units, a practice called pattern bargaining, but engineers argued their pay should reflect that of train engineers at other transit agencies and account for locomotive engineers strict training and stressful work environment. Union officials credited Kolluri, who took helm of the agency on Jan. 16, for helping to bridge the impasse. Having the new NJ Transit President & CEO Kris Kolluri at the bargaining table brought a new perspective to the issues that were in dispute. With his assistance, we were able to reach a tentative agreement worthy for the membership to vote on, said BLET national vice president James Louis. The agreement, reached on March 6 and announced Monday, is set to avert a disruptive transit strike that would have snarled trains across the agencys rail lines as early as March 22. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because rail strikes can significantly disrupt commerce, they are subject to greater regulation than job actions in other industries. The federal Railway Labor Act sets the process for those negotiations, and it would have allowed the union to begin striking after a final 60-day cooling off period that ended on March 22. But the tentative deal does not altogether foreclose the chance of a job action. The unions members will vote on whether to ratify the contract next month, and NJ Transits board will weigh the deal at its first meeting following that ratification. If they approve it, Gov. Phil Murphy has 10 days to veto the agreement. The union could strike if the board or governor move to block the agreement, subject to a 30-day cool off period. A strike at NJ Transit would be the first in more than 40 years. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX NEWARK, N.J. (AP) New Jersey Transit and its rail engineers union said Monday that they've tentatively agreed on a new labor contract, averting a possible strike. NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen's general chairman, Thomas Haas, announced the deal in a joint statement. The union's rank and file are expected to vote next month on whether to ratify it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details about the agreement are murky. The statement cited a reasonable wage increase for the union's members, a well as the resolution of a long-standing grievance. Messages seeking details were left with both parties. We believe this agreement not only reflects NJ TRANSITs commitment to fairness, efficiency, innovation, and long-term financial sustainability but it ensures uninterrupted rail service for the 100,000 people who depend on it, the statement said. Kolluri, who started in January as NJ Transit's top executive, brought a new perspective to the issues and helped reach an agreement worthy for the membership to vote on," the unions vice president, James P. Louis, said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last summer, President Joe Biden signed an executive order creating a board to resolve the dispute. At the time, NJ Transit said a strike could be possible as soon as March 2025. New Jersey Transit operates buses and rail in the state, providing an estimated 925,000 weekday trips. The labor dispute goes back to 2019, when the engineers contract expired. The newly elected Northern Kentucky councilman facing accusations of attacking his wife had another evening incident last month which ended in his son calling police on him. Alexandria city councilman Shane Collins, under a no-contact order after being arrested on domestic violence charges in January, got into an argument with his wife at their home Feb. 28 and shoved her to the ground, according to an Alexandria police incident report. Collins' son witnessed the incident and called 911, telling officers he didn't feel safe after seeing Collins shove his mother. By the time police arrived, Collins had left. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Collins' wife declined to press charges that night, but said he was not welcome back and would not return the rest of the evening, the incident report says. Officers noted she was afraid to accept any help from police because she was worried her children would be taken away, despite police telling her otherwise. The incident is the second time police have responded to the councilman's home in recent weeks. In late January, police responded to Collins' house after getting a call about a fight. Officers spoke with Collins' wife, who said the couple had been in a fight over him cheating on her. During the fight, she said Collins grabbed her shirt and ripped her to the ground, according to an incident report. Shane Collins is one of Alexandria's newly elected councilmen and the chair of the city's safety committee. He is facing charges of domestic violence and criminal mischief after being arrested at the end of January. Collins was arrested that night on domestic violence and criminal mischief charges, court records show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Campbell County Judge Erin Sizemore was crystal clear to Collins during a district court hearing March 6 that he should be having "no contact whatsoever" with his wife and needs to find a consistent place to stay while his case is ongoing. Court officials also said they have been unable to get into contact with Collins about his case. Collins told the judge he's been residing with his parents in nearby Taylor Mill, but also at a vacant rental property he owns outside of Alexandria. Collins and his attorney Nicholas Summe declined to comment. The City of Alexandria's new city council pictured at the Jan. 16, 2025 meeting. In the center is Mayor Andy Schabell. Collins missing meetings, city council hesitant to take action Collins, also the chair of the city's safety committee, has been absent from all but his first meeting as councilman on January 16. One meeting this month was cancelled entirely because of "scheduling conflicts" among all of council. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alexandria's city code does not outline attendance requirements for its council, but does require that council members "reside in the city throughout his or her term of office." It's unclear how long a councilman is allowed to reside outside of Alexandria without it affecting their role. "We are aware of the incidents involving Mr. Collins and will respect the legal proceedings taking place," City Administrator David Plummer told The Enquirer. Mayor Andy Schabell and several members of the city council did not respond to The Enquirer's calls for comment. Collins was elected to the city council last November, beating out incumbent councilman Joe Anderson with 2,820 votes to Anderson's 2,537. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alexandria City Council's next meeting is on March 20. The Northern Kentucky city of 10,341 people is one of the dual county seats of Campbell County along with Newport. Collins is expected in court next on April 7. This story was updated to add a statement from the Alexandria city administrator. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Alexandria city councilman facing domestic violence charges broke no-contact Ukrainian units are not currently under threat of encirclement in Russia's Kursk Oblast, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on March 10. Syrskyi's statement follows reports on Russian and North Korean troops launching an attack on the Ukrainian-held town of Sudzha in Kursk Oblast. Russian forces have made a breakthrough south of the Ukrainian-held town of Sudzha in Kursk Oblast, potentially threatening to cut off some of the Ukrainian positions in the Russian region. Russian troops 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There is currently no threat of encirclement of our units in Kursk Oblast. The units are taking timely measures to maneuver to favorable defense lines," Syrskyi wrote on Facebook. Ukrainian forces "control the situation" on the border between Sumy and Kursk oblasts, according to Syrskyi. Yet, several settlements on the border no longer exist, as they have been destroyed by Russian attacks, he added. Read also: Were ready Ukraine heads into US peace talks with everything at stake Russia has been suffering heavy losses both in personnel and equipment, according to Syrskyi. Near the village of Plekhove, Russian forces lost an infantry battalion in four days of fighting, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine's commander-in-chief added that he had decided to reinforce Ukrainian troops in Kursk Oblast with "the necessary forces and means," including electronic warfare and drones. Concerns about the Ukrainian operation in Kursk Oblast, ongoing since August 2024, have mounted over the weekend amid reports of Russian advances. The development came shortly after the U.S. cut off military and intelligence support for Ukraine, allegedly to push Kyiv to the negotiating table. A potential loss of the Kursk salient or Russian advances in Sumy Oblast would likely weaken Ukraine's negotiating position as it prepares for initial rounds of talks with the U.S. in Saudi Arabia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Investigation: We tried to buy American chips as a Russian defense manufacturer and it worked Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. No U.S.-Russia meetings will take place this week, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told Russian state-owned news agency TASS on March 10, disputing claims in the media. "(A meeting) is not planned. Moreover, we received no information from the American side," Zakharova said in response to a journalist's question. This comes as CNN reported, citing a source, that the U.S. will hold separate meetings with Ukrainian and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia this week. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The possible meeting would follow previous rounds of U.S.-Russia talks in Riyadh on Feb. 18 and Istanbul on Feb. 27. The news came amid U.S. President Donald Trumps push for a swift settlement to the war, raising concerns that Washington is sidelining Ukraine and European allies in the process. Ukrainian and U.S. delegations are set to meet in Jeddah on March 11 to discuss a potential peace agreement with Russia and negotiations on a critical minerals deal. U.S. officials will reportedly assess Ukraines willingness to mend ties with Washington following a contentious Oval Office exchange between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky on Feb. 28. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fallout from that meeting led to the suspension of all U.S. military aid to Ukraine, worth billions, and a halt in intelligence sharing, potentially hampering Ukraines ability to detect Russian missile strikes and conduct long-range attacks. The Financial Times reported that Ukraine is expected to push for the restoration of U.S. military and intelligence support at the March 11 meeting. As part of its negotiating position, Kyiv is reportedly prepared to propose a partial ceasefire covering long-range drone and missile strikes, as well as hostilities in the Black Sea, in hopes of securing renewed U.S. backing. Trump told reporters on March 9 that he expects Ukraine to sign the long-debated critical minerals deal with the U.S. but also wants to see indications that Kyiv is prepared for peace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky and European leaders have repeatedly stressed that security guarantees, including long-term U.S. support, must accompany any ceasefire agreement. Washington has yet to provide such assurances. Following his meeting with Trump, Zelensky reaffirmed Ukraines commitment to working with the U.S. toward a negotiated settlement. Read also: JD Vances cousin, former volunteer fighter in Ukraine, condemns VPs ambush of Zelensky Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Frozen Russian assets should be used for the reconstruction of Ukraine and compensation to the victims of the war following a peace agreement, according to an appeal signed by more than 130 Nobel laureates. The signatories include Iranian human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi, Polish activist Lech Waesa, authors Elfriede Jelinek, Herta Muller and Orhan Pamuk, physicists Reinhard Genzel, Ferenc Krausz and Roger Penrose, chemists Michael Levitt and Gerhard Ertl, biologist Christiane Nusslein-Volhard and economist Edmund S Phelps. The petition is to be handed over soon to Oleksandra Matviichuk, who heads Ukraine's Centre for Civil Liberties, which was awarded the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The petition notes that Russian central bank assets totalling around 300 billion ($3.25 billion) are currently frozen as a result of sanctions imposed in response to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The funds are held in bank accounts in the countries of the G7 and the European Union and are generating interest. "We, the Nobel Laureates who have signed this appeal, call on these governments to release these funds from the Russian Central Bank to finance the reconstruction of Ukraine and compensation of war victims so that the country can be rapidly rebuilt after a peace agreement is reached," the petition says. New laws might be needed, but this was necessary "given the undeniable emergency and gross violations of international law," it says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In July last year, the EU released 1.5 billion in interest from the Russian assets to pay for armaments for Ukraine. According to the EU Commission, some 210 billion is currently frozen in the EU. Making use of the funds would require a dispossession order. BEIJING, March 10 (Xinhua) -- It has been clearly stated in official legal opinions of the Office of Legal Affairs of the U.N. Secretariat that "the United Nations considers 'Taiwan' as a province of China with no separate status," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stressed on Monday. When responding to a question about Taiwan at a press conference on March 7, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that the only reference to the Taiwan region in the U.N. is "Taiwan, Province of China." "This is the U.N.'s consistent position, which is well documented," Mao said at a daily briefing in response to a query about whether Wang's statement shows the Chinese mainland's tougher policy on Taiwan. Resolution 2758 adopted in 1971 by the U.N. General Assembly made it clear that there is but one China in the world, Taiwan is not a country, and Taiwan is part of China, the spokesperson said. She said it also made clear that there is only one seat of China in the United Nations, and the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal representative in the U.N. "This resolution is observed by the U.N. and its specialized agencies as evidenced by their reference to Taiwan as 'Taiwan, Province of China,'" she said. Mao stressed that on the Taiwan question, China's position is consistent and clear. "We stay committed to the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus. We stand ready to work with the greatest sincerity and exert utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification. Meanwhile, China will take all necessary measures to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and firmly oppose 'Taiwan independence' separatism and external interference," she said. Katie Ralston Howe, director of workforce development for the North Dakota Department of Commerce, delivers remarks Aug. 21, 2024, during a Global Talent Summit at the Heritage Center. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor) The North Dakota Office of Legal Immigration which some lawmakers wanted to eliminate seeks a name change to better reflect the agencys work. The new name would be Office of Global Talent as proposed in an amendment to the budget bill for the Department of Commerce. The legislation, Senate Bill 2018, passed the Senate last month and advances to the House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposal comes after Rep. Nico Rios, R-Williston, sponsored House Bill 1493 to get rid of the office entirely. That bill failed in the House on Feb. 18 with a 67-22 vote. More 2025 legislative session coverage Lawmakers created the Office of Legal Immigration in 2023 as part of a solution to address ongoing workforce shortages across the state. Katie Ralston Howe, director of the workforce division of the Department of Commerce, said the name Office of Global Talent better reflects the mission, which is helping employers attract talent from outside of the United States. The office does not process visa applications or work with foreign workers directly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Language is important, Ralston Howe said. In the past 18 months, members of the office have been doing a lot of clarification on what the office doesnt do because legal immigration is in the name. She added she understands the confusion because online searches for immigration support or immigration help list the Office of Legal Immigration as one of the top results. During legislative discussion, Sen. Michael Dwyer, R-Bismarck, said Office of Global Talent is a better name. With the hot button issue that immigration is today, it just seems like a more appropriate term, Dwyer said. The office has recently hired a global talent coordinator who will begin work in the coming weeks, bringing the total number of employees to two with additional leadership support from the Department of Commerce, Ralston Howe said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The office does not provide any immigration or customs enforcement, legal counseling for immigrants, or employer certification for potential visa applicants, which falls under the U.S. Department of Labor, Ralston Howe said in submitted testimony. The office does connect employers to resources and education on how to tap into the international labor pool through different visa programs, but those employers must all demonstrate to the Labor Department that their open position could not be filled by a North Dakotan or other U.S.-based worker. She said workforce initiatives at the Department of Commerce and other state agencies have a combined goal of increasing the states workforce by 2% of average total employment over the previous year, which is about 10,000 workers. When we look at the holistic effort across all agencies that are tied into North Dakotas workforce system, that 2% increase is huge, Ralston Howe said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The office has assisted employers bringing 13 foreign workers and their families to the state since fall 2024, she said. At least four of those workers have moved to the Harvey area and are working in the health care and accounting fields with their children becoming new Harvey Hornets. They are filling critical needs that not only would be critical in a community like Harvey, but all across the state, she said. However, Ralston Howe said the numbers of workers moving to the state might not be the best measure for the office because it works with employers seeking those foreign workers, not the employees themselves. She added more than 200 employers and community organizations have reached out to the office for assistance since the office was established in 2023. Rios, the lawmaker who proposed eliminating the office, is not convinced the office is necessary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rios told lawmakers during a hearing in February that he wanted more of the states tax dollars to focus on recruiting American workers from across the country. He also suggested the states Find The Good Life campaign, another program designed to recruit workers to North Dakota, could be used as a vehicle to target migrant communities. Rep. Karen Grindberg, R-Fargo, a member of the House Industry, Business and Labor Committee that heard the bill, said the committee recommended a do not pass on the bill. This committee felt that eliminating this office is detrimental to one of the biggest challenges facing our state, that being the workforce shortage, Grindberg said during debate on the House floor. This office is a critical component of providing a comprehensive workforce solution. The House overwhelmingly defeated the bill. In the coming weeks, House lawmakers will take up the Department of Commerce budget bill, including the offices name change. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Eddie Melendrez, a Chicano artist, speaks in a megaphone while showcasing his mural representing the United Farmworkers of America, a labor union that advocates for farmworker rights. Melendrez, and nearly 100 others, protested President Donald Trump's immigration policies in front of the Idaho State Capitol in Boise on February 7, 2025. (Mia Maldonado / Idaho Capital Sun) Para leer esta historia en espanol, haga clic aqui. Elected Idaho officials have introduced multiple bills pushing to regulate immigration in Idaho, making it clear that addressing unauthorized immigration is a priority. At least one legislator is pushing to require all employers use E-Verify, a program meant to check an individuals work authorization status. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2021, there were about 35,000 unauthorized immigrants living in Idaho, according to a report from the University of Idahos McClure Center for Public Policy, and Rep. Jordan Redman, R-Coeur dAlene, said he introduced House Bill 252 with the goal to give people who are in the country with proper work status more opportunities. Rep. Jordan Redman, R-Coeur dAlene, on the Idaho House floor on March 25, 2024. (Kyle Pfannenstiel/Idaho Capital Sun) However, his bill could significantly impact the labor supply in some of the states most critical industries including the construction workers his region relies on and the dairy workers that supply Idahos top agricultural export. Redman represents one of Idahos fastest growing counties, which has seen the third-highest percentage increase in housing units over the last decade or nearly 12,000 homes built between 2010 and 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Many of the homes built in his region were likely built by unauthorized workers. Unauthorized immigrants make up a disproportionate share of the U.S. construction workforce. One in five unauthorized workers in the U.S. is employed in construction, primarily working a job to install drywall, roofs or painting buildings, according to the Center for American Progress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Idaho Gov. Brad Little has repeatedly shared his strong support for President Donald Trumps immigration policies; however, he said an E-Verify requirement would be a burden for Idaho employers. Its not black and white, Little told legislative reporters in a meeting on Feb. 25. If we could give people certainty that their workforce is not going to be disrupted, that burden the paperwork burden on one side would be outweighed by the risk on the other side. House Bill 252 has not yet received a committee hearing. A hearing could take place in the coming days or weeks, or it could have the same fate as a similar bill Redman introduced last year that died as the legislative session ended. Legislative leadership is aiming to adjourn the session by March 21, but the end date could be extended. If it were to pass both chambers of the Legislature and receive approval from the governor, House Bill 252 would take effect on July 1. Most states in the West do not have state mandated E-Verify requirements The E-Verify program was established in 1996 to reduce employment of unauthorized workers. The service is managed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and it works by comparing new hires information in a Form I-9 against Social Security Administration and DHS records. As of 2024, more than 1.3 million U.S. employers were enrolled in the program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many states have no state-mandated requirement to use the program. States in the southeast have the most concentration of laws that require all or most employers to use E-Verify, while two states, California and Illinois, have restrictions against the use of E-Verify, according to Equifax. Idahos only E-Verify requirement mandates that state agencies use the system a policy established in 2009 by an executive order from former Gov. Butch Otter. Most states in the West aside from Idaho, Utah and Arizona do not have E-Verify requirements. In Utah, employers with 150 or more employees are required to use the program. In Arizona, the law is stricter, and it requires all employers to use it. What does E-Verify cost? E-Verify is technically free for anyone to use. However, attorney Chris Thomas, a partner at Holland & Hart, told the Sun there are costs associated with having to use the program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Using E-Verify is expensive for companies that use a third party software to manage E-Verify compliance such as Equifax, Workday or ADP and reduce their administrative burden, Thomas said. Additionally, employers could face costs if they lose workers who do not pass the E-Verify process. Thomas represents companies all over the U.S. who are concerned about federal investigations into unauthorized immigrants in their workplace. E-Verify is not always accurate, he said, with the most common loophole being identity theft where individuals assume a real persons identity and obtain fake documents with their name, date of birth, and Social Security number. This allows them to pass the E-Verify process undetected. Compounding the issue is the fact that individuals can use E-Verify personally to check to see whether their information passes, Thomas said. So you can come up with a high degree of confidence on your first day of employment knowing that youll pass E-Verify. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When advising companies during DHS investigations, he said that employers often complied with the law by enrolling in E-Verify. However, over the course of the investigation, they would discover that many employees had submitted fraudulent documents, ultimately resulting in the loss of a significant portion of their workforce. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Does a universal employer E-Verify mandate work? Lets look at Arizona. Arizonas law to require all employers to use E-Verify went into effect in January 2008, and it was meant to prevent identity theft and employers from hiring unauthorized immigrants. A migration studies publication found that Arizonas population of non-naturalized citizens dropped after the states E-Verify mandate took effect. However, the early days of the law coincided with the start of the Great Recession, which was likely the main cause of the decline in the unauthorized immigrant population, the report found. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since it was implemented, at least three companies have faced punishment for hiring unauthorized immigrants. Thats not because Arizonan employers are complying with the E-Verify law, but its because no state law enforcement agency is routinely looking for violations, the Arizona Republic reported. Today, there is limited government enforcement of E-Verify requirements in Arizona, Thomas said. It feels like window dressing, Thomas said about E-Verify, noting that even in states with stricter enforcement, the focus is only on whether employers are enrolled in E-Verify rather than ensuring that unauthorized workers are actually being prevented from employment. In Idahos case, Redman said the Idaho Department of Labor and the Office of the Attorney General would be in charge of enforcing the E-Verify statute if it were implemented. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are also other ways to get around E-Verify, according to Jose Patino the vice president of education and external affairs at Aliento, an Arizona nonprofit dedicated to supporting unauthorized, DACA, and mixed-immigration status families. Between 2004 to 2013, Patino worked in the construction sector in Arizona. He was unauthorized to work in the country at the time. In his experience, Patino said if one person in the crew had legal permission to work, then that individual would disperse the funds as they were paid by project, rather than given an hourly wage. During the 2020-2021 housing boom here, the employers just looked the other way, and there was nobody who was going to go after them because they needed the labor, he told the Sun. These were the only people who were willing to go out of work in those conditions for that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Construction jobs in Arizonas desert landscape are not highly desirable by U.S. citizens, Patino said. Its really difficult to recruit an 18-year-old and say, Hey, do you want to wake up at 4 a.m. to drive to a construction site until 5 a.m. in the summer when its over 100 degrees until 2 or 3 p.m., and basically be exhausted, he said. And like Idaho, the agricultural industry in Arizona relies on unauthorized workers to pick the states top agricultural commodities, Patino said. Many U.S.-born dont want to put their bodies through the difficulty of picking lettuce or cotton, or working in a construction job where youre carrying 200 to 300 pounds for a set amount of time for limited pay, Patino said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every time Patino talks to employers in those sectors, hes told they need more labor. For me, how do we have an actual conversation on solutions that are going to actually work, not necessarily thinking, If we deport all the undocumented folks, then well attract U.S. citizens, Patino said. A lot of them will not be attracted. Even if the pay increases, its the quality of life that has really risen in workers mindsets post pandemic. At least two Idaho industry leaders oppose E-Verify mandate Unauthorized immigrants living in Idaho largely work in the states agriculture, construction and hospitality industries, according to the McClure Centers report. Redman told the Idaho Capital Sun he understands that his bill would impact those industries in Idaho, but his bill fits in with a national movement aimed at curbing unauthorized immigration. I think there definitely would be an impact there, Redman told the Sun. But again, were here down at the Legislature to enforce laws and create laws for residents of the country and the state, and so thats kind of the point behind it. Redman said he believes it is the federal governments responsibility to create visa programs as a solution to supplement for a lost workforce. The U.S. only offers two kinds of seasonal visas, one is known as the H-2A visa, which allows employers to hire foreign farmworkers but they must provide transportation and housing. The second is the H-2B visa, which allows employers to bring workers to fill nonagricultural jobs such as landscaping, meatpacking, poultry, construction, among others. At least two industries oppose Idahos House Bill 252. Idaho Home Builders Association state President Todd Webb told the Idaho Capital Sun the association opposes the bill as it is written. Similarly, Rick Naerebout, the CEO of the Idaho Dairymens Association, said the E-Verify bill would put significant sectors of Idahos economy that do not have access to visa programs in very precarious positions. About 90% of the Idaho dairy jobs are filled by foreign-born individuals who are Spanish-speaking. Dairy work is year round, and workers do not have access to a visa program, so the Idaho Dairymens Association relies on the unauthorized workforce, Naerebout said. Naerebout said the association is willing to work with legislators to find a way he could support the bill, but there would have to be changes so it would not impact his industrys workforce. We would have to see some sort of trigger language where the bill would only apply to that industry sector after they got access to a visa program, he said. Like Naerebout, legal experts have said the countrys current visa system is not sufficient enough for the countrys labor demand. Alycia Moss, an immigration attorney and partner at Hawley Troxell law firm, said at a Boise City Club panel on Feb. 25 that the country needs a middle ground, comprehensive immigration reform. Just as there needs to be enforcement at the border, Moss said the country needs an immigrant workforce. We know that the workforce is suffering, Moss said at the panel, noting that shes lobbied congressmen in Washington, D.C. to expand worker visas. We can have H2-Ds for dairies. We can have H2-Cs for construction. We can have a better system. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea fired multiple unidentified ballistic missiles off its west coast on Monday, South Korea's military said, as the United States and South Korea kicked off annual joint military drills. The missiles were fired towards the sea off the west coast at around 1:50 p.m. (0450 GMT), South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a text message sent to reporters. The South Korean military has ramped up surveillance and vigilance, it said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement North Korean state media has criticised the annual joint military drills by the United States and South Korea that began on Monday, saying they would worsen the situation on the Korean peninsula. The joint military exercises called Freedom Shield are due to run until March 20 and are aimed at strengthening readiness for threats such as North Korea, JCS has said previously. (Reporting by Hyunsu Yim; Editing by Ed Davies) (Bloomberg) -- North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles off its west coast Monday, South Koreas military said, as Pyongyang shows little sign of holding back from its missile testing following Donald Trumps return to power. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least two missiles were launched from the Hwanghae Province in the Norths west, South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Other details, including the exact number of missiles launched, were not immediately available. The projectiles were likely close-range ballistic missiles, Yonhap News said. The launch the first ballistic missile firing since Trumps inauguration comes just hours after North Korea bristled at the joint annual military drills between the US and South Korea that began Monday, calling them a rehearsal for war. South Koreas military said it has heightened monitoring and is maintaining a posture of readiness under close coordination with the US. Pyongyang usually doesnt comment on its missile firings until the following day. The US and South Koreas Freedom Shield 25 drills will run through March 20, factoring in North Koreas deepening military cooperation with Russia, Seoul has said. The exercises are the first since Trump returned to the White House and they come at a time when North Korea threatens to beef up its nuclear deterrence against what it labels provocations by Washington and Seoul. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pyongyang has already fired a series of missiles this year. On Feb. 26, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the launch of a strategic cruise missile. Earlier on Jan. 6, North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile, describing it as a test for a new hypersonic missile aimed at keeping rivals in the Pacific region in check. During his first term, Trump announced the suspension or scaling down of some major US-South Korea military drills after starting face-to-face talks with Kim. While those discussions ultimately collapsed, Trump has indicated a willingness to reach out for renewed talks during his second term. Kim said days after Trumps inauguration that confrontation with hostile nations was inevitable and called for a ramping up of the nations nuclear shield. Mondays firing also comes amid ongoing political uncertainty in Seoul, following President Yoon Suk Yeols brief imposition of martial law in December and his subsequent impeachment. Yoon has cited the need to eradicate political support for Pyongyang among factors for his short-lived move. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of the projectiles tested in recent years have been of a group known as Hwasong-11, a family of short-range ballistic missiles that can hold hefty payloads including nuclear warheads. The US and South Korea have accused Kim of sending scores of this type of missile to Russia to help President Vladimir Putin in his war efforts. Kim has emerged as a key ally of Putin and his war in Ukraine, helping boost Moscows fighting presence on the ground while raising concerns about North Koreas ability to strengthen its military and sustain its regime with Russian backing. Last month, South Koreas spy agency said North Korea appears to have sent more troops to Russia to support Putins military after already dispatching thousands of soldiers last year. (Adds North Korea statement, details of US-South Korea drills) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. North Korea fired "multiple" ballistic missiles on Monday, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, as U.S.-South Korea war games began nearby. The missiles, which were "unidentified," were fired from the North's Hwanghae Province at about 1:50 p.m. local time, the South Korean military said. They were aimed inland, toward the West Sea. The South Korean military "has increased surveillance and maintaining readiness posture in close cooperation with the U.S.," the Joint Chiefs said. PHOTO: A TV screen shows a report of North Korea's missiles launch with file image during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, March 10, 2025. (Lee Jin-man/AP) MORE: 15 injured by 'abnormally' dropped bombs during South Korean military drill Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The annual U.S.-South Korea joint exercises, which are known as "Freedom Shield," were scheduled to begin Monday and run through March 21, according to the U.S. Army. The training alongside South Korean soldiers will include urban combat, field hospital operations, field artillery exercises, air assault training and air defenses, the Army said in a statement on Monday. The U.S. Marine Corps is also expected to take part in a joint assault exercise. PHOTO: U.S. Army soldiers prepare to cross the Hantan river at a training field in Yeoncheon, South Korea, near the border with North Korea, Monday, March 10, 2025. (Ahn Young-joon/AP) North Korea's Foreign Ministry described the planned exercises as "aggressive," with officials telling state media on Sunday that the "U.S. random exercise of strength will result in aggravated security crisis." "This is a dangerous provocative act of leading the acute situation on the Korean peninsula, which may spark off a physical conflict between the two sides by means of an accidental single shot, to the extreme point," the ministry said in a statement to the Korean Central New Agency on Sunday. ABC News' Somayeh Malekian contributed to this report. North Korea test-fires 'multiple' ballistic missiles as US-South Korea war games begin originally appeared on abcnews.go.com BEIRUT, March 10 (Xinhua) -- A total of 1,476 Syrian families have fled to Lebanon's northern Akkar region over the past 10 days, Lebanon's state media reported on Monday. In an interview with the National News Agency, Akkar Governor Imad Labaki said around 6,000 individuals, including those from 40 Lebanese families, have moved to the Akkar Plain and parts of the Dreib region. Their displacement follows violence in Syria's coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartous, where security forces conducted an operation against suspected remnants of the former regime. Labaki said that most of the displaced are Alawites, a religious minority that former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad belongs to. They entered through unofficial border crossings and sought refuge in Alawite villages, mosques, and homes. He added that local municipal leaders have raised urgent concerns, prompting him to contact the United Nations, humanitarian organizations, the Red Cross, and the Disaster Management Unit for assistance. Labaki assured that the security situation remains stable for now, emphasizing that "there is no imminent threat, as municipal officials confirmed that most refugees fled out of fear for their lives." He also announced plans to meet with local officials from Alawite-majority towns on Tuesday afternoon. Starting Tuesday, the Akkar governorate will cooperate with international organizations to provide aid. "In the meantime, we will begin distributing mattresses, blankets, and food supplies. We will also start distributing water and hygiene kits to the displaced tomorrow," Labaki said. Syria's Defense Ministry announced Monday the conclusion of its military operation in the coastal region, stating that security had been restored following recent clashes with remnants of the former regime. According to the ministry, the military operation was launched in response to coordinated attacks on security forces. The clashes began on Thursday and spilled over into several areas along the coastline, resulting in over 1,000 deaths, including civilians. NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) Northampton Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra has announced shes running for re-election. Sciarra is the 45th mayor of the city of Northampton and was first elected in November 2021. Before that, she served four terms as a city councilor from 2013 to 2020. What does the future hold for sanctuary cities in Massachusetts? In a statement sent to 22News, Sciarra told her constituents that, I am running to serve as your mayor for another four-year term. I hope we can continue to work together and make our beloved city even more accessible, equitable and sustainable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Examples of transformative investments in Northamptons future included: Securing increased funding for roads and sidewalks as part of our five-year Capital Improvement Program. Launched the Division of Community Care, which has reimagined crisis response in Northampton, providing compassionate, unarmed support that has helped nearly 2,000 people facing emotional distress, substance use challenges, and housing insecurity. Launched the Climate Action and Project Administration Department, which works across city departments to ensure decisions relating to planning, procurement and capital help meet our sustainability goals. Advanced the Picture Main Street redesignpositioned to leverage nearly $30 million in state funding to revitalize our downtown, with groundbreaking scheduled for next year. Establish the Special Education Stabilization Fund to support critical student services. Awarded $4 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act Community Recovery Project funds to expand housing and shelter services, address food insecurity, support small businesses and nonprofits, strengthen healthcare access, support early education and childcare, and invest in arts, culture and recreationincluding helping to reopen the Iron Horse. Supported downtown initiatives including outdoor dining, live music, and seasonal events which have driven Northamptons COVID recovery, boosted local businesses and revitalized public spaces. 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. When I see people planning marches and other actions against Trump and his attack on the U.S. government, I am sympathetic. I endorse their revulsion at the presidents disruptive methods and chaotic goals. But I dont think it is time to marchyet. Big protest marches without follow-up steps could even be counterproductive at this point, because they might simply drain off energy and tensions without leading to anything. To deal effectively with a major problem, you have to hunker down and ready yourself for a long-term struggle. This was one of the great lessons learned by Martin Luther King Jr. and others in the Civil Rights Movement. There was little that was spontaneous about their movement, and that was a good thing. Preparation for actions was essential. In the Montgomery bus boycott in the mid-1950s, which essentially was a year-long siege of the white power structure of the city, elaborate efforts were made to secure communications, enlist churches, organize carpools to provide alternative transportation, and raise funds to pay for the gas for the cars being used. By contrast, when the Civil Rights Movement got pulled into an action in Albany, Georgia, in 1961, it was not prepared, had not studied its adversary, and essentially was defeated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement King and his colleagues studied such setbacks and learned. Before going into Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963, they spent months preparing. As he would put it in his letter from that citys jail that year, In any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self-purification; and direct action. Those steps may sound airily Gandhian, but they actually were quite practical as they were applied by the Civil Rights Movement. First, figure out who you are, and what you want to change, what actions might achieve those goals, and how much you are willing to sacrifice in those actions. This involves a lot of heartfelt conversation and intense listening. For example, before people were permitted to join the 1961 Freedom Rides to desegregate bus stations in the South, they had to write a will and a letter explaining to their parents what they died for. This helped them when they were attacked with rocks, boards, and firebombs by mobs in Anniston, Alabama, and then Birmingham and Montgomery, as police stood by and watched. Second, consider what tactics you will need to employ. For King, his fellow leaders James Lawson, James Bevel, Diane Nash, and the people around them, this meant studying how to apply the methods of confrontational nonviolenceand also studying the methods of your foes. It took a lot of training for people to learn how to take a blow without either fleeing or responding with violenceand then to show up again the next day for more mistreatment. Fundamentally, it meant changing how people thought about themselves. As one leader taught, The sheriff is not after you; you are after the sheriff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The movement sought conflict in order to make the system of repression show its true face, and then to try to recycle that destructive energy into something positive. For example, in Birmingham, so many marchers were arrested, many of them children, that there was no more room for them in the jails. To deter other marchers, city authorities brought out police dogs and fire hoses, which shocked the nation, including President John F. Kennedy. That reaction finally forced the city to seek a negotiated end to the demonstrations. Third, figure out what sort of people are needed to carry out such creative, disciplined tactics. Find them and recruit them. Then train them intensely in those tactics, not just talking about them, but acting them out. For example, before the Nashville sit-ins in 1960, students spent hours in church basements rehearsing how they would sit in at lunch counters; how they would react to being hit, spat on, having cigarettes ground out on their backs, or hot coffee poured on them. These exercises not only prepared them for what they would endure but also built bonds of trust and common understanding. Then go out and do it in direct action. And do it again the next day, each time with focus and discipline. Keep your eyes on the prize was not just an inspirational song; it was good strategic advice. Have team leaders enforcing the rules, and monitors on the sidelines watching and taking notes, so they would be able to testify later in court about what they saw, and when events occurred. One of the participants in the Nashville sit-ins, John Lewis, actually typed up and mimeographed 10 basic rules for demonstrators, such as, Sit straight. Always face the counter. The key to these protests was not size but sustainability. For example, rather than have 100,000 people coming and going in a one-day march without any result, it probably would be more effective to have 200 people show up outside the White House or the offices of, say, Senator Chuck Schumer, every day for 500 consecutive days. Chant all day, make it clear that the resistance to Trump runs strong and deep. Dont blow off pressure. Build it up and set the pace. Make it so the system simply cant ignore your demands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some might ask, what about the 1963 March on Washington that followed the Birmingham campaign? That indeed was a splendid one-day action. But it was not a classic protest. Rather, it was a ceremony of observance and a celebration in which the Civil Rights Movement took the stage in Washington, D.C., in order to introduce itself to the nation. Before then, it had been seen as a regional movement that often went uncovered by the national media. That memorable day in Washington was designed to speak directly to the American people without intermediation by politicians or journalists. It succeeded marvelously. But it was a victory lap, not the beginning of a new series of protests. And just a few weeks after the March on Washington, the opponents of the movement responded by planting 19 sticks of dynamite in a church in Birmingham, killing or maiming 16 worshippers on a Sunday morning, many of them children. It was a shattering moment that was disorienting for the movement. Dr. King found himself wondering, he later wrote, If men were this bestial, was it all worth it? Was there any hope? This may have been the time when all that training and preparation, and the organizational cohesion it produced, proved most essential. In its wake, one of Kings advisers, Diane Nash, wrote a proposal to shut down Montgomery, the capital of Alabama. Even King was skeptical of it, responding, Oh, Diane, get real. Yet Nashs plan came to fruition early in 1965, with the march from Selma to Montgomery. By then the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement were seasoned veterans. They knew how to run a march, how to maintain security, how to keep an eye out for provocateurs who might use violence to provoke a police reaction. They ran circles around Governor George Wallace. And they shut down his Capitol while he hid inside his office behind a drawn curtain. And they soon had in hand one of the most important laws in American history, the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Arguably, through their actions, they made America a genuine democracy for the first time in its history. So, I think, slow and steady will prove more effective than fast and unfocused. This is a time to prepare. We should reflect, decide how to act, prepare to act, and put together a resistance to Trump that is strong, sustainable, and relentless. A student carries a school meal at Fargo's Carl Ben Eielson Middle School on Jan. 22, 2025. (Dan Koeck/For the North Dakota Monitor) The Together for School Meals coalition is deeply disappointed by the North Dakota Houses decision to defeat House Bill 1475, a bill that would have provided free school meals to every child in our state. This legislation had the potential to transform the lives of thousands of North Dakota children, ensuring no student would have to sit in a classroom hungry. While we appreciate the effort to expand income eligibility for school meals to 225% of the federal poverty level (up from 200%), this change still leaves too many families struggling to afford meals for their children. Access to nutritious meals is fundamental to a childs ability to learn, thrive and reach their full potential. When children are well-fed, they are better able to focus, participate and succeed in school. School meals are as essential to education as textbooks and teachers hunger should never be a barrier to learning. Yet, for many families in North Dakota, the rising costs of groceries, rent and other necessities make it difficult to afford daily meals, creating stress, hardship and hunger for many children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The leadership of young people on this issue has been inspiring and we need to listen. From the powerful testimonies of students in committee hearings to community initiatives like the one highlighted in the Minot Daily News, youth voices have been at the forefront of advocating for free school meals. In the article, Minot High School senior Avery Dodd, who helped launch the MPS No Lunch Debt initiative to raise funds to pay off $20,000 in school meal debt, captured the heart of the issue: For a lot of kids, their school lunches are the one hot meal a day they get. Not everyone is fortunate enough to go home and have dinner ready. It just creates a lot of financial stress and anxiety on parents, and sometimes even on the students because they have no say over it. Its an anxiety passed on to them. The Together for School Meals coalition agrees wholeheartedly. House Bill 1475 would have provided significant financial relief to hardworking families putting an estimated $850 per child per year back into the pockets of parents already stretched thin. The bill also would have helped reduce the stigma associated with school meal debt and the burden placed on school staff tasked with collecting unpaid meal fees. During testimony we heard legislators did not want to feed the wealthys children. Lets set the record straight as this is a very small percentage of the population. A living wage in North Dakota for a family of four, with both adults working is over $103,000 with most North Dakota family households making under $100,000. Additionally, passing healthy school meals for all is a critically important lever to pull as we strive to become the healthiest state in the nation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The overwhelming public support shows North Dakotans believe every child deserves to be nourished and ready to learn. The Together for School Meals coalition remains steadfast in our commitment to ensuring every child in North Dakota has access to healthy, nutritious meals at school. We call on lawmakers to find a way forward and pass a free school meals policy this legislative session. The authors signed this on behalf of 86 members of the Together for School Meals Coalition. There will be an "extreme" fire risk in 27 Minnesota counties on Monday as temperatures soar and strong winds arrive. The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for Becker, Clay, Clearwater, Grant, Hubbard, Mahnomen, Norman, Otter Tail, Wadena, and Wilkin counties from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday. A warning for Big Stone, Lincoln, Lyon and Traverse counties is effective from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m., and for Chippewa, Douglas, Kandiyohi, Lac Qui Parle, Meeker, Pope, Redwood, Renville, Stearns, Stevens, Swift, Todd and Yellow Medicine counties from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It comes as temperatures rise to potential record levels in the west and central areas of the state, rising into the low 70s. This will combine with low humidity and western wind gusts of up to 35 mph, which will lead to "critical thresholds" for fire risk being met. Monday's burning restrictions map.Minnesota Department of Natural Resources "A Red Flag Warning means fires can spread quickly and grow out of control under the predicted weather conditions, including strong winds and low relative humidity," the Minnesota DNR says. "Residents should not burn in those counties where a Red Flag Warning is in effect and should check any recent burning they might have done to ensure the fire is completely out." For more information, click here. Its a tale of two investment strategies. New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander is being accused of divesting city pension funds from government bonds of the State of Israel allegedly breaking from his predecessors and state counterpart in a politically charged move. New York City first invested $30 million in State of Israel Bonds in 1974 under former city Comptroller Harrison Goldin, via the pension funds for educators, the Teachers Retirement pension system. City Comptroller Brad Lander has been accused of divesting city pension funds from Israel government bonds. Ron Adar / M10s / SplashNews.com Over the years, successive city Comptrollers Bill Thompson, John Liu and Scott Stringer have reinvested in State of Israel bonds when bonds matured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The New York State pension system, run by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, also has $363.9 million invested in the Jewish State. Israel bonds are considered a solid investment, accumulating about 5% returns on average per year, records show. But Landers office said that the pension funds of government employees of New York City the municipality with the largest Jewish population outside of Israel is now only $1.17 million. Only the Police Pension Fund owns a small position of $1.17 million in Israeli Yankee bonds. New York City first invested $30 million in State of Israel Bonds in 1974. AFP via Getty Images Landers office claimed that the New York City pension funds do not invest directly in foreign sovereign debt the bonds of other countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But investors in Israeli bonds said Lander is full of it because prior comptrollers have. Jeffrey Wiesenfeld, a former CUNY trustee and Israel bond investor, accused Lander of engaging in passive divestment by not reinvesting in Israel bonds when ones held expire. Lander is divesting from Israel for political reasons. He wants to be allied with his pro-Jihadi, anti-Israel contingent, Wiesenfeld said. Landers office claimed that the citys pension funds do not invest directly in foreign sovereign debt. Matthew McDermott He also claimed Lander is violating his fiduciary duties because Israel bonds post positive returns for investors. By comparison, Weisenfeld called DiNapoli a special mensch for standing up for Israel amid the war with Hamas in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I and many Republicans admire Tom DiNapoli for his personal fairness and decency, attributes that make him unique in New York politics. Hes a special mensch, Wiesenfeld said of the Democrat. DiNapoli, the sole trustee of the states pension fund, has invested $363.9 million in State of Israel bonds. This includes $327.1 million of Development Corp. for Israel bonds and $36.8 million of Public State of Israel debt. New York Comptroller Tom DiNapolis state pension fund has $363.9 million invested in the Jewish State. Lev Radin/Shutterstock Before Lander became comptroller, the city pension funds were invested in Israeli bonds as part of the offices global fixed portfolio during his predecessor Stringers eight years in office from 2014 to 2021, according to a spokesperson for the latter. Stringer is running against Lander in the Democratic primary for mayor. He declined to comment on the Israel portfolio plummeting under Lander. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The votes of pro-Israel Jewish voters as well as critics of the Jewish state could determine who wins the Democratic primary for mayor. Lander, through a spokesperson, declined to comment when asked whether he and reps on pension boards he serves on decided not to reinvest in Israel bonds when they matured. But he stressed that he doesnt support the BDS movement to divest from Israel. Comptroller Lander does not support and has never supported boycott, divestment, or sanctions against Israel, the spokesperson said. The New York City pension funds do not invest directly in the bonds of any foreign countries, but they do invest in debt and equity positions in many Israeli-owned companies just as they do in companies whose owners are Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, Chinese, Saudi Arabians, and many other nationalities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lander first raised eyebrows over his stand on investing in Israeli bonds when he was asked about it during a forum hosted last month by the New York Progressive Action Network. We dont have any Israeli bonds because thats just, thats a category of investments that we dont currently, that we dont have, he said at the Feb. 5 mayoral forum, first reported by The Daily News. A Democrat challenging Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in a primary this June vowed to get tough on subway crime including targeting fare beaters as he slammed the incumbents poor prosecuting record. Civil litigator and former Bronx prosecutor Patrick Timmins said hes aiming to ease the tension of straphangers after a series of violent incidents in the citys transit system. No ones getting a safe, comfortable, easy ride, he argued in a recent interview. We all know about the platform pushing, subway slashing, its at historical levels. Civil litigator and former Bronx prosecutor Patrick Timmins is challenging Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg in the Democratic primary in June. Patrick Timmins For District Attorney Timmins, an uptown Manhattan resident, said cracking down on fare beating would prevent larger crimes underground. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I understand whats a fare evasion here and there, but once theres 20 of them by one person, then maybe something should be done, he said. Most of the people who go down below the ground or even up to an elevated train and commit an attempted murder, a felonious assault, all those things are generally not people who swipe to get in. When Bragg, a former federal prosecutor, first assumed office, he quickly instructed staff not to prosecute fare evasion as part of a day one memo that faced backlash. Timmins criticized Bragg for two prosecutions he dropped after fierce backlash that the accused were defending themselves the case of bodega worker Jose Alba accused of fatally stabbing an ex-convict who shoved him around inside a deli and the case of Chinatown landlord Brian Chin who beat a homeless man after the vagrant attacked him with a weapon. Timmins accused Bragg of making poor decisions during his term. Getty Images He also questioned the failed prosecution of Marine veteran Daniel Penny in the subway death of Jordan Neely, calling it a toss-up maybe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres been a lot of poor decisions by Alvin Bragg in those three-plus years, Timmins said, adding later, Im a common sense Democrat. But Timmins also vowed to aggressively expunge the records of people who served their time with a main focus on drug offenses and non-violent crimes if elected. Timmins is vowing to get tough on subway crime including fare beating. Patrick Timmins For District Attorney If you pay your debt to society, that should be really forgotten, he said. The first-time candidate has a lot of work ahead of him to knock off the progressive officeholder. Bragg has a stark fundraising advantage over Timmins and more name recognition with the primary only a few months away. And Braggs campaign pointed out the Broadway Democrats, a political club that counts Timmins as a member, overwhelmingly back the incumbent with close to a 100% of the vote. Timmins pointed out that the people who commit serious crimes in the subway system are typically not paying fares. Obtained by the Post Patrick Timmins own neighborhood Democratic club endorsed Alvin Bragg virtually unanimously and heres why: A prosecutor for more than two decades, Alvin has initiated a multi-pronged approach that has helped reduce shootings in Manhattan by 45%, invested in mental health outreach, stood up for victims, and held the powerful accountable, a Bragg campaign spokesperson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We know safety concerns are real, and weve got a lot of work ahead of us, but we are inspired by the support Alvin is receiving from Manhattans three Congressmembers, 25 neighborhood Democratic clubs, and people across the borough. Timmins campaign countered that Timmins hasnt recently been active in the organization. Former Democrat-turned-Republican Maud Maron, a former criminal defense lawyer, is seeking the GOP nomination for the district attorney post. A Staten Island home that battled back from Hurricane Sandy to save Christmas winning a visit from then-President Obama is again partly buried in debris thanks to another once-in-a-lifetime disaster. Debra Ingenito, the 61-year-old widow who lives in the New Dorp Beach home with her two sons and several pets, said she was watching television in her living room during the early afternoon of Feb. 11 when she heard a tremendous boom. It really did sound like something exploded, Ingenito told The Post. The raised house, right, collapsed into Debra Ingenitos New Dorp Beach home, left. Google Maps Then-President Barack Obama hugs Debra Ingenito after Superstorm Sandy ravaged her Staten Island home in 2012. Charles Eckert Ingenito who had already rebuilt her familys home after Sandy ran outside with one of her sons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pair was shocked by the sight that greeted them. The house next door split in half, so half went on top of the opposite-side neighbors car, and the other was up against our house, she said. The crushing weight did a number on Ingenitos Topping Street home, damaging several rooms, including her kitchen on the first floor, partly wrecking her second floor, pancaking a plastic fence, cracking her chimney flue and blocking at least one exterior door. Ingenito, shown here holding one of ornaments Obama gave to her, is going through a second rebuild after a neighboring house partly collapsed on hers last month. Chad Rachman/New York Post Theres all stress cracks from the impact, she said of her home. Its really messed up. I sit here, and when the wind starts going, I hear the creaks and cracks. Her husband, Joe, passed away in July. Chad Rachman/New York Post Ingenito had already rebuilt her familys home (seen left in 2013) after Sandy. Google Maps Its the second time an extraordinary disaster has befallen the unfortunate Staten Islander, whose house was battered and flooded by Superstorm Sandy in November 2012. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ingenitos late husband, Joeseph, made headlines at the time for decorating a 7-foot tree outside their house for Chrismas all that remained of the mammoth blue spruce that once towered over the familys yard before Sandys tremendous winds tore it down. Joe decorated the tree with whatever survived the storm surge, including paper coffee cups, surgical masks, a workers glove, safety goggles, a random hat and a Hannah Montana bag. I just wanted to help the neighborhood keep its spirits up, he said. Were still going to have Christmas. The couple vaulted to national fame when Obama even gifted them two ornaments for the tree after reading about their makeshift decorations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its an honor, its a once-in-a-lifetime deal, Joseph said of the presidential attention. His wife called the ornaments beautiful and said theyd be passed down through the generations. It took two years for the Ingenitos home to be fully restored, she said. Obama gave the family two ornaments for their makeshift Christmas tree, which stood as a defiant survivor of Sandy. Chad Rachman/New York Post The house next door was also badly damaged during the storm, according to SILive. Workers were raising the first floor of the unoccupied next-door home when its foundation gave out and the structure tumbled onto Ingenitos and the other property, a source told the outlet. The local building department put a stop-work order on it after it fell. SILive said the contractor had been working without a permit and had violated other local rules. The collapsed home blocks the Ingenitos side entrance. Debra Ingenito Building officials issued a partial vacate order for Ingenitos home, meaning she cannot use portions of it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said she is not going anywhere. She said she is scared someone will rob her home if its left unoccupied, and also, she has nowhere else to go anyway. Several people are helping Ingenito deal with the contractors and insurance companies but this time, shell go through the crucible of rebuilding without her loving husband, who died in July. Four months later, her dad passed away on her birthday, leaving her reeling even more. Then I had to have this happen, and Im like, Really? she said. But you know what, I just have to take it day by day, the widow said, noting that she has no idea how much the repairs will cost or how long the rebuild will take. The neighboring home is seen leaning on the Ingenitos home. Debra Ingenito I just want the house fixed. But Im a woman of faith, and I believe [my husband] was here when that house came down, she said. Because it could have been a lot worse. PHNOM PENH, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet has highlighted six key priorities of the kingdom's foreign policy, with a focus on relation expansion, multilateralism, and economic and cultural diplomacy. He made the remarks during the closing ceremony of the foreign ministry's annual conference on March 5, said a foreign ministry's press release publicized late on Sunday. The Southeast Asian country would continue to deepen existing bilateral ties and expand cordial relations with all nations, by fostering mutual trust and understanding, win-win partnerships in all sectors, with emphasis on building a border of peace, friendship, and cooperation with immediate neighbors, he said. The kingdom would continue to advance multilateralism, by actively engaging in global governance, supporting United Nations peacekeeping operations, and reinforcing Cambodia's contributions to peace, stability, and sustainable development worldwide, he added. Also, Cambodia would enhance ASEAN's centrality through consolidating ASEAN unity and central role in maintaining regional stability, supporting peaceful conflict resolution, and contributing to ASEAN's common interest and prosperity, Hun Manet said. Furthermore, the kingdom would promote economic and cultural diplomacy to expand the country's presence in the global marketplace, increase trade relations, attract foreign investment, promote tourism, and leverage the country's cultural heritage to bolster economic growth and national image, he added. The policy also gave focus on strengthening public diplomacy efforts to combat misinformation, protecting and promoting Cambodia's good image and national interests on the world stage, he said, adding that it would also enhance the strength of Cambodia's diplomacy through institutional reforms and improving operational efficiency and professionalism of Cambodia's foreign service. According to the press release, Hun Manet also reaffirmed Cambodia's adherence to an independent foreign policy of permanent neutrality and non-alignment, based on the principles of international law, the United Nations Charter, the Constitution of Cambodia and core national interests. A Manhattan mother was arrested for child endangerment for falling down the stairs while holding her baby in one arm and her toddler in the other after eating pot brownies, police said Monday. Michelle Ruiz called 911 at 1:36 p.m. Sunday to report smelling gas, worrying there was a fire in her apartment building on La Salle St. near W. 124th St. in Morningside Heights, cops said. Before the FDNY arrived she fled her apartment with her kids and fell down the stairs as she ran for safety. When first responders arrived she was in front of the building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her 2-month-old son and 16-month-old daughter were taken to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Columbia, where the newborn was being treated for a skull fracture and the toddler a large hematoma on her skull. They remained hospitalized late Monday night. FDNY officials say firefighters stayed on scene for an hour but detected no foul odor or gas. Ruiz, 31, was arrested after admitting to cops that I had a brownie and I had THC, prosecutors charged at her arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court Monday, where she appeared in front of a judge in a soft cast on her left foot. The womans lawyer argued the elevator in her apartment building was out of service, and that she was going downstairs to get the mail when she was injured and she fell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was no fire, said defense attorney Steven Hoffner. There is no history of her causing harm to her children. Judge Jay Wiener released Ruiz after the arraignment, where she was charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. He issued a full order of protection while the Administration for Childrens Services investigates the incident. ECTOR COUNTY, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- The Texas Department of Public Safety is investigating a single-vehicle crash that left an Odessa woman dead Saturday night. According to a crash report, around 9:04 p.m. on March 8, troopers responded to a crash on FM 3503 near mile marker 338. Investigators said the driver of a 1998 Toyota 4Runner, identified as 70-year-old Janie Lou Dobbs, of Odessa, TX, was traveling northbound when her vehicle veered into the southbound lane while approaching a curve. The vehicle continued onto private property, where it rolled over and came to rest on the west side of FM 3503. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dobbs, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was pronounced dead at the scene. 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 Yourbasin. WASHINGTON (AP) The Education Department's Office for Civil Rights is known best for enforcing the right to disability services across Americas schools. But under President Donald Trump, its taking a frontline role in his political battles. Trump appointees have halted thousands of pending cases while they open new investigations aligned with the presidents campaign promises. Career staffers have been sidelined and pressured to quit, and those who remain are being ordered to refocus priorities on antisemitism, transgender issues and anti-DEI complaints. A memo Friday from the civil rights offices chief announced antisemitism cases are now the top priority, taking aim at colleges where pro-Palestinian protests brought accusations of anti-Jewish bias. That followed a decision to cut $400 million in federal money going to Columbia University, where on Saturday immigration officials arrested a Palestinian activist who was involved in leading student protests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hanging in the balance are the types of cases the office traditionally has focused on students with disabilities who need services they arent getting, or students facing harassment tied to their skin color. Its normal for new presidential administrations to pause civil rights cases while they get acclimated, but this transition brought a longer and more rigid freeze than others. Trump officials lifted the freeze for disability cases on Feb. 20, and last week, new Education Secretary Linda McMahon said all cases could resume as normal. During Trumps first month in office, the Office for Civil Rights resolved about 50 cases, according to a staffer who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution. By comparison, the office resolved more than 3,000 complaints in the same window of Trumps first term, and almost 500 under former President Joe Biden. Even the most urgent cases, which are traditionally granted exceptions, sat idle during the freeze. Staff lawyers were told not to respond to outside calls or emails, leaving families in the dark. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another staff member at the civil rights office described desperate emails from parents whose schools refused to make accommodations for their childrens disabilities. We were just ignoring their emails, said the person, who also spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. Tylisa Guyton of Taylor, Michigan, filed a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights on Jan. 20 over her 16-year-old sons repeated suspensions from a suburban Detroit school district, alleging a white administrator was targeting him and a group of other Black children. The teen has been out of school since Dec. 4. Even as investigations resume, she has heard nothing from the civil rights agency. Hes still asking every day, When can I go back to school? Guyton said of her son. The memo Friday told staffers antisemitism would be an investigative and enforcement priority. It added the memo should not be interpreted as "deprioritizing any other form of OCR enforcement activity. But staffers said thats the most likely outcome as dwindling ranks of employees face heavier caseloads tied to the presidents agenda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, the Education Department sent a letter to 60 colleges warning they could lose federal money if they fail to make campuses safe for Jewish students. The list includes Harvard, Cornell and many others where pro-Palestinian protests led to accusations of anti-Jewish bias. Politics usually play into the offices priorities to some degree, and Republicans similarly accused Biden officials of going too far when they opened cases into COVID-19 mask bans or in support of transgender students. But several longtime staffers said this is the first time theyve seen cases tied to political agendas edge out their everyday work. Trump has called for a total shutdown of the Education Department, calling it a con job infiltrated by leftists. At her Senate hearing, McMahon said the civil rights office might be better served if it moves to the Justice Department. Some cases are moving forward, but others appear to be stalled, said Marcie Lipsitt, a special education advocate in Michigan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive said to everyone, Youre going to have to fight harder for accountability because there will be no accountability at the U.S. Department of Ed, if there is a U.S. Department of Ed, she said. At the same time, Trumps officials have continued to open their own directed investigations proactive inquiries that depart from the offices typical work responding to complaints. The office has opened more than a dozen such investigations, many aimed at pressuring universities to stop allowing transgender athletes or to take a harder stance against pro-Palestinian protesters. It adds up to more work for fewer employees at the office of about 500 workers. Staffers say field offices across the country were hit after dozens of department workers were put on leave in response to Trumps orders against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Many others took buyouts pushed by the Trump administration, leaving some field offices without administrators in key leadership jobs. Minor changes to the offices policies could also carry outsize impact. Complaints to the office cant move forward unless the filer signs a consent form allowing their name to be disclosed during the investigation. For years, the office sent reminders if the form was not submitted parents often didn't know it was required. But an updated case manual from the Trump administration drops the reminders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Staffers say it means more cases will be dismissed on a technicality. Some special education advocates have begun filing more cases with state agencies, said Brandi Tanner, an Atlanta-based psychologist and special education advocate. In conversations at a recent conference in California, disability advocates expressed uncertainty and anxiety, Tanner said. Its kind of like, were very scared about what else is going to continue to come down the pike, she said. Are students going to lose their rights? ___ Hollingsworth reported from Mission, Kansas. ___ The Associated Press education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. Show Caption1 of 8 Women from the ranks of St. Paul Police officers serve as pallbearers for former officer Felicia Reilly during graveside services for the St. Paul police officer at Roselawn Cemetery in Roseville on Monday, March 10, 2025. Reilly, 67, who passed away March 1, had to retire after she was assaulted on duty in 2010. She sustained a brain injury and her condition deteriorated over the years. Her last wish was for a line-of-duty funeral. (John Autey / Pioneer Press) Expand Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Felicia Reilly was a strong woman who could carry her own, and in death she arranged to be carried by the people whose careers she always wanted to build up: Fellow women St. Paul officers were her pallbearers. Reilly died March 1, nearly 15 years after she responded to a 911 call and a man assaulted her. She sustained a traumatic brain injury that worsened as the years went on, and she wasnt able to return to work as an officer. Her last wish was for a line-of-duty funeral, which was held Monday. A large American flag hung from two St. Paul Fire Department ladder trucks outside Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church in St. Paul as officers, family and friends filed inside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every culture has had a place of honor for those who fall in defense of others, Police Chief Axel Henry said at Reillys service. There is no doubt that Felicia has earned her right to sit in that sacred and holy place with our other fallen warriors and guardians. We will never forget, he continued. Felicia, your life may have been cut short, but your impact certainly was not. Rest easy, our brave friend. Well take it from here. Only thing in this world that matters is people Reilly, 67, was a mother of five and her oldest son, Matthew Reilly II, gave a eulogy on behalf of the family. There are a lot of people in this room who could tell you stories about Officer Reilly, he told the hundreds in attendance. There are people in this room who could tell you about Felicia. Im going to tell you about mom, who he said taught her children a sense of wonder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One Christmas, when four of Reillys kids were in the home, she decided to make gingerbread, but she thought, Theres no way this recipe that says eight gingerbread men is going to be enough, her son remembered. Somewhere between the ounces and the cups and the tablespoons, things got confused, he said. Like a bad I Love Lucy episode, we had over 167 gingerbread men. I dont think any of us even liked gingerbread but I tell you what, for the next week, you really liked those gingerbread men and that was all there was to it. But that was our life, there was always room for more. Reilly had a rule that anytime she made dinner, she made enough to put out an extra place setting, in case someone turned up to join them. Even in times when we had a hard time making sure there was enough, Matthew Reilly said. She was compassionate and she was true to herself, he said. She never made a promise, no matter how small, that she did not keep. WATCH: St. Paul Officer Felicia Reilly funeral One day when she was on patrol, she saw a boy on St. Pauls East Side when he was supposed to be in school. He confided in Reilly that his mother told him he needed to say goodbye to a litter of kittens that his cat had. He couldnt bear them going to a shelter, so hed loaded them into a box and was trying to find homes for them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He had one kitten left and he was inconsolable because he said it was the best of the lot, Matthew Reilly said. And he wanted to make sure this little kitten found the best home he could. Felicia Reilly told the child shed take the kitten home. She named the cat Donut and Matthew Reilly took the cat with him when he moved out of his parents house. His roommate was a veteran who served in Iraq; Donut helped him acclimate back into civilian life and became his cat. Donut lived to age 17 because Reilly kept a promise to a small boy who wouldnt know any better if she did or didnt, her son said. She showed compassion. My mom always said, The only thing in this world that matters is people. At attackers sentencing, she offered forgiveness Reillys injury caused debilitating headaches and pain, and she lost the ability to walk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her husband of 47 years, Matt Reilly, would wheel her into church services, and to see her excitement and her joy to be in the house of the Lord was truly inspiring, said Pastor Justin Petrali. If theres ever a person that I could think of that has the right to be bitter or angry for what had happened to her, its Felicia, Petrali said. But she chose to forgive. She chose not to hold onto bitterness or anger. Related Articles In March 2010, Reilly responded to a 911 call from Thomas Jerard Swensons parents home. She encountered Swenson, who was erratic and threatening and she intervened to detain the son to keep the elderly couple safe, Henry wrote in a commendation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Swenson kicked Reilly in the head repeatedly. She used her Taser and baton, and was able to detain Swenson until backup arrived and took him into custody. A jury found Swenson guilty of first-degree assault. During Reillys funeral, Petrali read from the victim statement that she gave in court in 2013 when Swenson was sentenced to 8 12 years in prison. She addressed Swenson: On the day I met you, I lost my career, my health and much of my life as I knew it. I have been suffering in anguish ever since that day. Oftentimes, I wish you wouldve killed me that day for my sake, but for your sake, Im glad you didnt. Jesus tells us to forgive and pray for our enemies, so dear God, watch over Thomas wherever he goes, Petrali continued, reading from Reillys words. Medal of Valor As Chief Henry thought about what to say at Reillys funeral, he originally went to a place of anger over what happened to her, but then he said he thought, What a blessing to have known her, what a blessing to have been able to work with a person like her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reilly joined the St. Paul Police Department in 1996 and, in 2010, with officers bidding their shifts by seniority, she chose to work on the East Side. That shift filled up before every other shift in the city, which meant only the most senior people could get on it, Henry said. And they didnt go there cause it was easy. They didnt go there cause the crime rate was lower there. They went there because (they) really wanted to make a difference. Felicia was one of those people. She didnt take the easy path, but she took the one of great honor and of great service. On the day Reilly was assaulted, Henry was a patrol supervisor in the Eastern District and was among the first five squads to arrive after she was hurt. He knows that he and his co-workers probably couldnt have prevented it, but I think we will never be able to forgive ourselves for not getting there sooner, he said. We have that nagging feeling in our hearts: There must have been something we could have done, Henry said. Could I have canceled her (going) to that call? Could I have finished the call I was on (previously) quick enough to get there? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For anyone whos ever had to be in a fight, you know that a 90-second fight is an eternity, Henry said. What about a 15-year fight? Sure, its brave. Sure, it takes courage. But I cant even come up with a word that describes that. Then, Henry said a word popped into his head: Valor. He said he wishes he could change what happened, but knowing he cant, We can recognize her and we should. For her efforts, her actions, her sacrifices, her grace and her beauty. Henry announced that he was posthumously awarding Reilly with the police departments Medal of Valor, its highest honor, for her actions on March 24, 2010. If Im being honest, this is long overdue, he said, and soon after gave the medal to Reillys husband. Tragic milestone St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said Reillys death marks a tragic milestone, as she is the first female officer in St. Paul killed in the line of duty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Tim Walz also attended Reillys funeral, as did Attorney General Keith Ellison, Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson, Ramsey and Washington County Sheriffs Bob Fletcher and Dan Starry, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian OHara, among others. After the funeral service, a law enforcement procession headed to Roselawn Cemetery in Roseville for interment. Related Articles The St. Paul Police Department encouraged the community to line the procession route from Reillys funeral to Roselawn Cemetery and people with American flags were outside the cemetery as the procession arrived. At the cemetery, a memorial bell was rung 17 times one for each of Reillys years of service. St. Paul Police Sgt. Amy Boyer was one of Reillys pallbearers and was a police academy classmate of hers. The women pallbearers were from various ranks in the police department. She was a big proponent of getting women into law enforcement, Boyer said. She started her career much later in life Reilly was 39 when she became a police officer. She already had a family and this was a dream of hers. Long Exposure of Freedom Tower and Downtown Miami. "Monolingual Anglos continue to hear people brazenly talking Spanish whenever they order that cortadita or media noche." (Photo by Getty Images) English only! El idioma ingles solo. Seulement langlais. O-nwe-da-ge-h onhwe-da-ge-h. Herr Drumpf has now declared English the official language of these Dis-United States: Its the craziest thing, he says, They have languages that nobody in this country has ever heard of. Its a very horrible thing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I guess if English is good enough for the Bible, its damn sure good enough for the rest of us. Floridas already been there, done that: English has been our Official Language since 1988, when voters approved a constitutional amendment. Seems monolingual Miami-Dade Anglos, innocently ordering a cortadita or a media noche, were traumatized by hearing Spanish spoken openly and shamelessly right in front of them. Spanish was the first European language spoken in Florida long before English reared its little Germanic head. According to a 1994 law review article attempting to explain this bald xenophobia, Cubans who had fled Castros repressive state had become a culturally, economically, and politically distinct presence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They refused to melt in the white folks pot. As the Cuban influence grew, non-Hispanic whites felt increasingly alienated from their Hispanic neighbors and threatened with the loss of the community they had known. Fun Fact 1: Florida was a dependent territory ruled from Cuba for 200 years. Fun Fact 2: Spanish was the first European language spoken in Florida long before English reared its little Germanic head. Despite this silly amendment, 30% of Floridians still speak a language other than ingles at home. Yet monolingual Anglos continue to hear people brazenly talking Spanish. Apostrophes matter! There may be an upside to the ignorant nationalism that gave rise to Trumps (and Floridas) English uber alles mandates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement English is a great language: Maybe DeSantis and Trump will learn it; maybe the rest of America will, too! I admit I have a vested interest: Im an English professor and nothing would delight me more than seeing the country become passionate about our supposed national language How about the subject-verb agreement thing? Or the semicolons to separate independent clauses thing, and the difference between theyre, there, and their; and God help us! its (possessive) and its (contraction: it is)? Think apostrophes dont matter? If a tiger presents you with a plate of pancakes, its your dinner, but if you are presented to a tiger, youre dinner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given that Florida helped pioneer the Stop Talking Foreign movement, wouldnt you think Floridas governor would be a role model, encouraging us all to take English seriously? Alas, his command of our official tongue recalls the tortuous discourse of former president George W. (Is our children learning?) Bush crossed with a dyspeptic Elmer Fudd. DeSantis is fond of saying I dont got. I dont have or I havent got is what those of us in the English business call correct usage. Language crimes DeSantis is also guilty of crimes against syntax such as: Someone that wants to go into local government and become, like, a county manager, people that wanna work in a state agency you know, what kind of a foundation are they having? And this is really what were providing here: the ability for them to really excel. And, if you go through a lot of this and you choose to do other stuff, this is still gonna be very helpful for what youre gonna be doing. Gov. Ron DeSantis announces his proposed budget from the Capitol on Feb. 3, 2025. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix) Attempting to explain changes in Floridas African American History curriculum, he proclaimed he got a lot of scholars together to do a lot of standards and a lot of different things. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a pity he cant, like, do a lot of standards and different things and stuff and learn to talk good. Note to Yale University: Yall might want to take a hard look at your Freshman English courses. Something aint working. Note to anyone who thinks yall and aint aint proper words: yall is a contraction of you all a plural you. Its in the Oxford English Dictionary, so shut up. As for aint, its a contraction of am not and/or are not and first appears in print in William Congreves 1695 play Love for Love. Rehire the editors Im sorry to say journalists are also guilty of trashing the language of Shakespeare the way the bat-biting Black Sabbath front man Ozzy Osborne used to trash hotel rooms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I expect civilians to mangle English every minute of every day, unable to apprehend that while regardless is a word, irregardless is not, or distinguish between less and fewer. Best not to even freaking mention freaking who and whom. Every day (not everyday), in every state in the union, some poor high school Language Arts teacher is washing her Xanax down with a quart of Jim Beam in despair. But those who wield words for a living ought to get it together and stop torturing English in public. I know corporate journalism has fired most of the editors, but come on, print reporters: Hear isnt the same as here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NPR is also an offender, often refusing to follow the very simple rule regarding indefinite articles. Its not a event, its an event. Heard that twice on All Things Considered last week. Nearly wrecked the car. You do not say, Theres 23 blatant lies in Trumps latest post on social media. There are (or the less desirable therere) 23 blatant lies in Trumps latest post on social media. And dont get me started on the imprecise stock phrases, the lazy metaphors, and cliches choking even the best reporting: the elephant in the room, bone-chilling cold, at a cross-roads, at the end of the day, war-torn, hand-wringing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You probably cant hear me, but Im screaming. Orwell would weep To be fair, and also precise, everyone sins against proper locution at one time or another. But no one offends against decent discourse like our politicians. George Orwell (1903 1950), the pen name of Eric Arthur Blair. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) George Orwell reminds us, The present political chaos is connected with the decay of language. Im looking at you, Marjorie Taylor Greene. The representative from Georgia doesnt just mess up a words, shes been mounting a full-on scorched-earth campaign against coherence. Peachtree dish (we think she meant petrie dish); gazpacho police, and Marshall Law which is likely the name of an attorneys office, but not the same as martial law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his 1946 essay, Politics and the English Language, Orwell says our use of English becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts. But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought. Speaking of corruption and slovenliness, Herr Drumpf doesnt so much struggle with language as treat it the same way he treats women, science, the poor, people of color, and President Vlodymyr Zelenskyy: with violence and contempt. Its not merely covfefe. Or hamberders. Or Marine core. Or infair. Or the boarder. Its the whole incoherent, dumb, over-capitalized, under-punctuated orgy of illiteracy and insanity. Gentle Reader, try parsing this rant, which, Im guessing, concerned Joe Biden on the beach in Delaware: Somebody said he looks great in a bathing suit, right? And you know, when he was in the sand and he was having a hard time lifting his feet through the sand, because you know sand is heavy, they figured three solid ounces per foot, but sand is a little heavy, and hes sitting in a bathing suit. Look, at 81, do you remember Cary Grant? How good was Cary Grant, right? I dont think Cary Grant, he was good. I dont know what happened to movie stars today. We used to have Cary Grant and Clark Gable and all these people. Today we have, I wont say names, because I dont need enemies. I dont need enemies. I got enough enemies. But Cary Grant was, like Michael Jackson once told me, The most handsome man, Trump, in the world. Who? Cary Grant. Aw, hell: maybe its a lost cause. Assuming we havent blown up the planet by then, perhaps philologists a century from now will study the Trump Era as the beginning of a new, completely lawless, meaning-free, oxymoron-laced argot, spoken and written (in Sharpie) by prominent Florida Men such as Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump. Call it Floridaphonics. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A member of the National Labor Relations Board who was fired by President Donald Trump returned to the office to cheers on Monday after a judge ordered her reinstatement at the workers rights agency. Employees at the NLRBs headquarters in Southeast Washington lined the sidewalk as Gwynne Wilcox showed up for her first day at work since Jan. 27, when Trump removed her from office and eliminated the boards quorum. They held signs that said Welcome Back Gwynne and We Need The NLRB. Wilcoxs firing had left the board with only two members one Democrat and one Republican rendering it unable to issue decisions in cases. The NLRB enforces collective-bargaining rights for workers, so the gridlock was a boon to employers looking to stall organizing efforts or dodge union-busting charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Addressing the crowd Monday, Wilcox said she didnt sleep the night Trump fired her because she was so stunned and disappointed. She said the board lacking a quorum left workers unprotected. If we cant function there are people who are waiting every day for our decision, she said. So for every day that a decision is not issued, we are really not doing our jobs. No president had ever fired a sitting board member, as the law clearly states members can only be removed for neglect of duty or malfeasance, and must first be given notice and hearing. Wilcoxs term was supposed to run through August 2028. But Trump has fired a slew of officials at independent bodies like the NLRB in an effort to expand presidential power and take unprecedented control of federal agencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wilcox filed a lawsuit seeking reinstatement, arguing her removal was unlawful. Judge Beryl A. Howell agreed with Wilcox, issuing an order last Thursday ensuring her temporary return to the agency as the underlying case moves forward. In a stinging opinion, Howell wrote that Trump failed to grasp the Constitutions limits on executive power. A President who touts an image of himself as a king or a dictator, perhaps as his vision of effective leadership, fundamentally misapprehends the role under Article II of the U.S. Constitution, she wrote. NLRB members serve staggered five-year terms, and the president can nominate new members as seats open up, ensuring its composition changes under Democratic and Republican administrations. The board is expected to become more employer-friendly under Trump, after years of more union-friendly policies under former President Joe Biden. Gwynne Wilcox outside the NLRB headquarters on Monday as she returned to work after being fired by President Donald Trump. Dave Jamieson for HuffPost Trumps removal of Wilcox stunned many close observers of the board, since he could have secured a GOP majority without carrying out a legally dubious firing. The board normally has five members but two seats were vacant; Trump could have simply nominated two Republicans to be considered by the GOP-controlled Senate, likely securing a 3-2 majority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wilcox told HuffPost on Monday that she was eager to get back to work. Like some other civil servants who were fired by the Trump administration and then rehired, Wilcox had some administrative onboarding to go through. She was already back on her work email but wasnt sure if she would have a laptop lined up for Monday. She said it was strange to feel like a public figure due to the firing and the fight for her job. It was really important to publicize what was happening and why I filed this case, she said. Even though it might have been a little uncomfortable for me, I needed to do it. Wilcox said that after news broke last week of the judges order reinstating her, she received a handwritten note from a neighbor she hadnt spoken to in a while. It simply said, The president is not king. Update, 3/10, 9:16 p.m.: MILLCREEK, Utah (ABC4) Officials announced that a suspect was arrested after a man was found dead with a gunshot wound at a Millcreek apartment complex over the weekend. Deng Auling, 30, a Millcreek resident, was taken into custody and charged with murder on Monday, according to the Unified Police Department. Officials recovered a firearm at the scene and said in a Monday press release that evidence suggested possible foul play. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dominik Philip, 29, was identified as the victim who was found dead with a gunshot wound at the Revolve Apartments on Sunday evening. The Unified Police Department extend their deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the victim during this difficult time., UPD said Monday. Anyone with information has been asked to report any tips to the Violent Crimes Unit by calling 801-840-4000. Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Update, 3/10, 4:36 p.m.: MILLCREEK, Utah (ABC4) Officials have released the identity of the victim who was found dead at a Millcreek apartment complex over the weekend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dominik Philip, 29, was identified as the victim who was found dead with a gunshot wound at the Revolve Apartments on Sunday evening. The Unified Police Department said he was a Millcreek resident. The Unified Police Department extends its deepest condolences to those affected by this tragedy, UPD said in a Monday press release. UPD originally responded to the Revolve Apartments on Sunday for calls about a suspicious death. Officials are still working to determine what happened during the incident. Sgt. Aymee Race with UPD previously told ABC4.com that the death was classified as suspicious because officials did not believe the gunshot wound was self-inflicted. The five people who were detained for questioning on Sunday night have since been released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UPD said there appears to be no immediate threat to public safety. Anyone with information has been asked to report any tips to the Violent Crimes Unit by calling 801-840-4000. Original story: 5 detained after suspicious death at Millcreek apartment complex MILLCREEK, Utah (ABC4) Five people have been detained after a person was found dead with a gunshot wound at an apartment complex in Millcreek on Sunday. Sgt. Aymee Race with the Unified Police Department said officials first received a call about a deceased individual at the Revolve Apartments in Millcreek around 5 p.m. on Sunday. On social media, UPD said officers were at the scene with a suspicious death. Police investigating after politically charged anti-Trump banner hung on Ogden building Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers responded to the scene, and they located an individual with a gunshot wound who was deceased, Race told ABC4.com. Race explained that the death was classified as suspicious because officials did not believe the gunshot wound was self-inflicted. Race said five people were detained after the incident and were being interviewed by detectives at a local precinct. We do not believe that the public is in any danger, Race said. This is an isolated incident. There are no road closures in place, but people have been asked to avoid the area. Officials were at the scene to secure the area, conduct interviews, and process the evidence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The identity of the victim has not yet been released. Additional details about the five people detained after the incident were also not provided. Our hearts go out this is a very unfortunate set of circumstances for all families involved, Race said. As soon as we have more that we can release to the public, we will. There is no further information at this time. Dennis Dolan contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Norway's capital is leading the way for electric machinery, which is making the city quieter. According to the Guardian, "Oslo's municipal building sites were 98% free from fossil fuels in 2023." Most of the machinery (75%) was powered by biofuels. While less than a quarter was powered by electricity, by October 2024, it grew to two-thirds. Oslo's mandate for pollution-free construction sites was enacted on Jan. 1 this year, and it's the first of its kind. 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. The country has been using a lot of machinery powered by biofuels, which don't warm the planet. However, they still pollute local air. That's why it's making a hard push for machinery run by electric. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the market for electric machinery isn't big yet, Oslo is leading the way in developing it, and other cities can also use it. Oslo's Urban Environment Agency engineer, Ingrid Kir Salmi, told the Guardian: "We've used a lot of demo editions and customized machines, so the technology is developing and becoming more suitable for these kinds of projects." One of the benefits of switching to electric machinery is the reduction in noise pollution. If you live in a big city, you know how annoying construction can be, but imagine if improvements in your city can move forward without interrupting your day. A name you will likely recognize has gotten in on the electric machinery business Volvo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Volvo said, "Switching to our electric machines is a great way to lower your operating costs. You don't have to worry about diesel bills." It even noted that the electric machinery is easy to control, making it more enjoyable. In a LinkedIn post, CJD Equipment noted that the construction industry accounts for 39% of the global polluting gases for the energy sector. It showcased the need for machinery that doesn't pollute the air with toxic gases. According to the Guardian, other countries are turning to electric machinery to reduce their polluting gases. One example is Stockholm, which requires 50% of its machinery to be electric while redeveloping its meatpacking district. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Volvo Construction Equipment's head of public affairs, Tora Leifland, said, "We need more Oslos and more meatpacking district sites like the one in Stockholm. There are still too few." You can use your voice by speaking to your representatives and expressing your desire for policies like the ones in Oslo and Stockholm. 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. (Stock photo by Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images) Despite the expansion of near-universal school vouchers in Ohio, students in some counties dont have the option to attend a private school. Ten of Ohios 88 counties have no private schools during the 2025 fiscal year, according to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. There are a lot of rural areas in the state that do not have many options, said Ohio Federation of Teacher President Melissa Cropper. Students in those areas really dont have access to these vouchers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carroll, Champaign, Hardin, Harrison, Holmes, Meigs, Morgan, Noble, Preble and Vinton counties had zero private schools during the 2025 fiscal year. Many Appalachian counties have only one or two private schools, according to ODEW data. To say that we have universal vouchers, that every family can take advantage of a voucher, is actually a fallacy, Cropper said. A lot of these counties dont have options, or have very few options, yet theyre still being impacted by money going to vouchers, so it has a disproportionate impact on rural areas. About 90% of Ohio students attended public school during the 2023-24 school year, according to ODEW. Public education is the education that serves the majority of people in most of, particularly in the rural parts, of the state and Appalachia, said Susie Kaeser, education specialist at League of Women Voters Ohio. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 2023 state budget expanded school vouchers eligibility to 450% of the poverty line meaning a family of four above the $135,000 income threshold can still be eligible for at least 10% of the maximum scholarship. Ohio spent nearly a billion dollars on private school scholarship programs for the 2024 fiscal year, the first full year with near-universal school vouchers. There are about 720 private schools in Ohio for the 2025 fiscal year, according to ODEW. Most of the states private schools are concreted in Cuyahoga (125), Hamilton (94), Franklin (88), Summit (40), Montgomery (33) and Lucas (32). Its a double hit to rural communities when kids leave a public school because they take that money with them, but the cost of education in that school doesnt change, Kaeser said. Population density and lack of interest are two reasons why these counties may lack private schools, Kaeser said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You have to have enough people to make it worthwhile to create an alternative school, she said. There would be more private schools in rural Ohio if there were demand. People may just be content with what they have. The governors version of the state budget for the next two years would decrease funding for traditional public schools by 0.9%, according to a workgroup analysis. Voucher programs including the EdChoise private school program would see a 15.8% increase. The Ohio House is currently reviewing the budget and local public school leaders recently testified on how full state funding is critical to their districts. We keep putting off funding our public schools, but thats whos being hurt, the people who rely exclusively on public education, Kaeser said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If public schools receive less funding, schools could cut the number of teachers they have or offer fewer courses, Cropper said. It impacts pretty much the daily life of the student, she said. Follow Capital Journal Reporter Megan Henry on Bluesky. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE CHENGDU, China, March 10 (Xinhua) -- A delegation of the Nepali Congress party recently visited the Sanxingdui Museum in southwest China's Sichuan Province, where its members were deeply impressed by the innovative use of advanced technologies for preservation and presentation. In the interactive experience hall of the Sanxingdui Museum, the delegation members found themselves immersed in the ancient world of the Shu Kingdom. Donning traditional attire, elaborate hairstyles and ceremonial crowns from the Sanxingdui civilization, they briefly stepped into the spiritual realm of the ancient people. What fascinated the delegation even more, however, was the museum's extensive use of advanced technologies in the excavation, restoration and preservation of cultural relics. They marveled at how cutting-edge techniques, such as AI and 3D scanning, have helped "breathe life back" into long-lost civilizations, allowing ancient artifacts to tell their stories once again. Many remarked that such technological integration has played a crucial role in the effective preservation and transmission of China's cultural heritage. The Sanxingdui Ruins, believed to be the remnants of the ancient Shu Kingdom, offer a window into a mysterious civilization that thrived around 3,000 years ago. For the Nepali delegation, witnessing how technology is safeguarding and revitalizing such cultural legacies left a profound and lasting impression. Sujata Koirala, leader of the delegation and former deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Nepal, told Xinhua that she was impressed by the AI technology used in restoring cultural relics. "I believe that cultural heritage restoration empowered by new technologies will promote the high-quality development of cultural heritage protection," she said. "This museum displays old masks and different instruments, and how the people lived thousands of years ago. It is quite an experience for me and my delegation. This museum reflects the culture, tradition, civilization and history of the Chinese people. I'm very impressed," she added. This year marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Nepal, and the delegation of the Nepali Congress party visited China at the invitation of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. China and Nepal share a deep-rooted friendship and have maintained close exchanges over the years, said a department official, noting the visit would further enhance communication, foster people-to-people connections and strengthen friendly cooperation between the two countries. Beyond the Sanxingdui Museum, the delegation also visited Mount Emei, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where they gained more firsthand insight into China's deep commitment to preserving cultural relics and heritage. For Mahendra Nakarmi, chairman of the Nepal Jay Harati Maa Cinema, the mission to preserve cultural heritage is highly relatable. Growing up as the son of a blacksmith, Nakarmi inherited not just memories of his father's craft but also the tangible remnants of his trade. "When my father passed away, he left behind various tools," Nakarmi recalled. "Even as none of my siblings inherited the trade, we preserved these tools as a family legacy. Similarly, a country must protect its cultural relics, as they are the inheritance of civilization." Kesab Joshi, director of Arunima College in Nepal, said "Mount Emei in China reminds me of Lumbini in Nepal, also a world heritage site." "Many people come to Mount Emei to pray for peace and prosperity, just as visitors to Lumbini do," Joshi added. "This shows that people everywhere have similar aspirations and that we have much more in common than differences." Koirala said the visit had given her a deeper appreciation for China's coordinated development of material and spiritual civilization. Yet preserving cultural heritage is no small feat. Nakarmi, who has dedicated much of his career to documenting Nepal's local culture through film, deeply understands the challenges. "First, the government must promote this," he explained. "Then the people must be committed, and policies must be put to work." An Ohio woman accused of attacking a restaurant employee because her Uber Eats order was taking too long was arrested by U.S. Marshals on Friday, according to our CBS-affiliate in Toledo WTOL-11 TV. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] 31-year-old Rickeisha Williams was charged with felonious assault in this incident. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Aug. 7, 2024, Williams reportedly walked into the kitchen of the restaurant and attacked the victim by punching and kicking her several times, according to WTOL-11. The victim was punched and hit her head on the counter. She suffered a concussion, WTOL-11 reported. Williams was booked in the Lucas County Jail on March 7. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] LONDON A fuel tanker and a cargo vessel were involved in a fiery collision off the British coast in the North Sea on Monday, the U.K. coast guard said. The tanker, MV Stena Immaculate, was struck by the Portugal-registered Solong container ship, Crowley, the company that manages the tanker, said in a statement. The Stena Immaculate is a U.S. vessel that was anchored off the North Sea coast near Hull at the time, the company said. "The Stena Immaculate sustained a ruptured cargo tank containing Jet-A1 fuel due to the [collision]," the statement said. "A fire occurred as a result of the [collision], and fuel was reported released." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A defense official told NBC News that the ship was carrying fuel that was to be used by U.S. Navy ships. The scene was one of chaos in video published by The Guardian newspaper, with both vessels apparently on fire and sending thick black smoke billowing into the gray North Sea sky. One member of the Solong's 14-person crew is missing, its ownership company, Ernst Russ, said in a statement. The statement said that an emergency response team was "immediately activated" and that the company remains in contact with them. Crowley confirmed that all crew aboard the Stena Immaculate abandoned the vessel following multiple explosions onboard. Everyone was "safe and fully accounted for," the company said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, told Sky News that 32 people had been brought ashore alive. The town of Grimsby is around 60 miles southeast of the city of York. "There was a line of ambulances waiting to take them to the Princess Diana hospital," Boyers said. "I'm concerned to hear of the collision between two vessels in the North Sea this morning and am liaising with officials and HM Coastguard as the situation develops," British Transport Minister Heidi Alexander said in a post on X. "I want to thank all emergency service workers involved for their continued efforts in responding to the incident," she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the situation was extremely concerning" and that details are still "becoming clear." "Were obviously monitoring the situation. Well continue to co-ordinate the response and were grateful to emergency personnel for their continued efforts," the spokesperson said. While NBC News has been unable to independently verify that information, the nonprofit Royal National Lifeboat Institution said in a statement that four lifeboat crews had been called to support two ships after they had collided off the East Yorkshire coast early Monday. There were reports that a number of people had abandoned the vessels following a collision and there were fires on both ships, the RNLI said in a media statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It added that at shortly before midday local time, while its Cleethorpes crew had been called back, three more crews from Bridlington, Mablethorpe and Skegness continued to support search and rescue efforts. Fire and rescue services respond after a collision between the oil tanker MV Stena Immaculate and the cargo vessel MV Solong on Monday. The Stena Immaculate had been sailing from the Greek port of Agioi Theodori, near Athens, while the Solong had just left the nearby British port of Immingham and was on its way to Rotterdam in the Netherlands, according to Marine Traffic, a maritime analytics provider. His Majestys Coastguard, which acts as the United Kingdom's national maritime emergency service, earlier said that it was coordinating a response to reports of a collision between a tanker and cargo vessel off the coast of East Yorkshire in England. It said an alarm was raised alerting the agency to the incident at 9:48 a.m. local time (5:48 a.m. ET). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A coast guard rescue helicopter was last being dispatched to respond to the collision, the British government's Maritime and Coastguard Agency said in a media statement. It added that a coast guard aircraft and nearby vessels with "fire-fighting capability" were also being deployed. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Olivier Todd, who has died aged 95, achieved celebrity in France as a war correspondent, intimate of Sartre and biographer of Camus; he was also a familiar face on the BBC in the 1960s, analysing les evenements for British viewers and winning admirers both for his reporting and his Gallic good looks. Born Oliver Rene Louis Todd (though he preferred the French form of his first name) at Neuilly-sur-Seine on June 19 1929, he was the illegitimate son of an English expat in France, Helen Todd herself the illegitimate daughter of Dorothy Todd, who in 1926 had been sacked as editor of British Vogue for practising lesbianism. His father, an Austro-Hungarian architect called Julius Oblatt, was long out of the picture by the time Oliver was born. His mother scratched a living as an English tutor; the Occupation years were especially lean. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After studying at the Sorbonne, in 1947 he won a scholarship to read moral sciences at Corpus Christi, Cambridge. The following year, aged 19, he married Anne-Marie Nizan, daughter of the philosopher Paul Nizan, who had been killed at Dunkirk; Jean-Paul Sartre was her guardian. Todds life of Camus: praised by William Boyd in The Daily Telegraph as remarkably candid and thorough Sartre, whom Todd came to regard as something of a surrogate father, helped him find a publisher for his first book and wrote a preface for it. This was Half a Campaign (1956), an excoriating study of the failings of the French army in Morocco, where Todd did his military service in the early 1950s. While in Morocco the Anglophone Todd had been asked to provide some commentary by a BBC unit. He went on to be a regular contributor to BBC radio from the mid-1950s, giving talks on everything from the Nouveau Roman to Tintin and European Humanism. In 1964 he joined the staff of the political weekly Le Nouvel Observateur, reporting from the Middle East and Vietnam. Sartre provided him with a letter of introduction to the North Vietnamese premier, Pham Van ong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During this period Todd visited London once a fortnight to host Europa, BBC Twos round-up of European affairs; he was also a regular on BBC Ones daily news magazine 24 Hours. In 1967 he offered a foreigners view of Swinging London, alongside Robert Hughes and Lewis Nkosi, in the celebrated documentary Three Swings on a Pendulum. In France he became well-known as an interviewer, persuading Sartre to make his first television appearance, and controversially asking Alain Delon whether he was bisexual (the actor denied it, but added: What harm would there have been in it?) Todd in March 1981, at the time of his memoir of his friendship with Sartre, A Rebel Son, which provoked the stinging response from Simone de Beauvoir that Sartre did not like him at all - Jean-Claude FRANCOLON/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Todd had opposed US involvement in Vietnam, but, unusually for a French Left-wing intellectual, he was no enthusiast for Communism; he came to realise as he observed in his book on the fall of Saigon, Cruel April (1975) that I had militated to establish a regime in Saigon that I condemned in Prague or Budapest. He refused to toe the line of Le Nouvel Observateurs support for the Vietnamese Communists, and in 1977 defected to Sir James Goldsmiths magazine LExpress as executive editor. At first Todd and Goldsmith, both demi-Englishmen, got on well. But Todd would not water down his support for the Socialist, Francois Mitterrand, or his attacks on the incumbent president, Valery Giscard dEstaing, a friend of Goldsmiths. He was summarily sacked in 1981. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thereafter he became a full-time author. He was appointed the official biographer of Albert Camus, and after much labour his highly lauded life, described by William Boyd in The Daily Telegraph as remarkably candid and thorough, was published in 1996. He also wrote biographies of the musician Jacques Brel (1984) and the novelist Andre Malraux (2001). Todd wrote several novels, notably Year of the Crab (1972): this was based closely on his own experiences of depression and nervous breakdown, and how he achieved some equilibrium by tracking down and getting to know his father. Topdd (1992): remained combative in old age, in 2009 denouncing President Sarkozys proposal to transfer Camuss remains to the Pantheon a gimmick - Louis MONIER/Gamma-Rapho via Getty After Sartres death in 1980 he published a memoir of their friendship, A Rebel Son. The book provoked a sour response from Sartres lover Simone de Beauvoir, who claimed in her own memoirs that as [Todd] was perpetually looking for a father, Sartre, whose deep benevolence often took the form of easy kindness, dedicated a book to him For my rebel son. But in fact he did not like him at all. The Cambridge-educated Todd was always suspicious of the influence of his old friend on French literature: Sartres terrorism somehow still numbs a lot of writers there is the belief you have to be some sort of philosopher to be a novelist, he wrote in the Telegraph in 1993. That year he was invited to serve as the first French judge of the Booker Prize and was delighted by the unpretentiousness of British fiction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Never one to let pass an opportunity for a grand gesture, Todd almost missed the Booker judges final deliberations and the prize ceremony. At the last minute he refused to use the ticket he had been sent for a British Airways flight from Paris, in protest at BAs banning Salman Rushdie from its flights as a potential terrorist target. The Booker organisers were forced to stump up for a second ticket. He remained combative in old age, in 2009 denouncing President Sarkozys proposal to transfer Camuss remains to the Pantheon: Sarkozy needs a little intellectual glitter This is a gimmick. Olivier Todd was appointed a Commandeur de lOrdre des Arts et des Lettres in 1996. With his first wife he had a son, the historian Emmanuel Todd, and a daughter. The marriage was dissolved, and in 1982 he married France Huser, with whom he had another daughter. There was also a son by another relationship. Olivier Todd, born June 19 1929, died December 28 2024 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. Green Leaf Dispensary owner Omar Pecantte walks the tract of land he purchased in St. John the Baptist Parish for a proposed satellite location of his medical marijuana pharmacy. (Photo: Wes Muller/Louisiana Illuminator) LAPLACE Since Louisiana lawmakers legalized medical marijuana almost 10 years ago, licensed retail dispensaries have opened all across the state but not in St. John the Baptist Parish, which does not permit the construction of medical marijuana pharmacies. Although there are no laws or ordinances in St. John that explicitly prohibit medical marijuana pharmacies, parish officials recently denied a building permit to a pharmacy owner who had plans to expand into LaPlace. Omar Pecantte, a native of Jeanerette and owner of Green Leaf Dispensary, is now suing the parish over the permit denial, alleging parish officials have politically constructed an ordinarily simple process to a road blocking complicated process in an attempt to avoid the issuance of the building permit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In denying the permit, the officials argued that their zoning ordinances do not specifically list medical marijuana pharmacies among the types of businesses allowed in the parish. The situation began last summer when Pecantte purchased an empty tract of land in a commercial district on Belle Terre Boulevard just off Interstate 10 in LaPlace. The empty lot is located between a pain clinic and a 24-hour fitness center. The proposed site of Green Leaf Dispensary medical marijuana pharmacy in St. John the Baptist Parish. (Photo: Wes Muller/Louisiana Illuminator) Pecantte owns dispensaries in Houma and Morgan City. His company, Green Leaf Dispensary, is licensed with the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy, which state law requires of medical marijuana dispensaries. The law also requires the dispensaries to employ licensed pharmacists. In 2018, Green Leaf was one of only 10 pharmacies in Louisiana to receive the special medical marijuana license that lawmakers created. He began meeting and corresponding with St. John Parish Planning and Zoning officials in July to inform them about his business, according to court filings and emails. The land he purchased is zoned as a commercial district that permits pharmacies, though none of the parishs zoning ordinances say anything about medical marijuana pharmacies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Records indicate Pecantte told St. John officials how Terrebonne and St. Mary parishes classified his business as a pharmacy for land use purposes and made no distinctions regarding the type of medicine it sold. According to their emails, parish zoning officials took that information into consideration. Zoning Administrator Kristi Muller emailed Parish President Jaclyn Hotard to inform her that she spoke with an official from Terrebonne Parish who confirmed that they permitted Green Leaf as a retail pharmacy. However, St. John officials noted a provision in their own zoning ordinance: All uses not specifically permitted or by reasonable implication permitted herein are prohibited uses. In an email, Muller told Hotard that medical marijuana dispensaries are not listed as a permitted use in any zoning district in St. John Parish unless the parish classifies them simply as pharmacies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By mid November, a parish contractor who reviewed Pecanntes proposal indicated that medical marijuana pharmacies are not specifically permitted in any land use zoning districts and recommended that the proposal be presented to the public at an advertised meeting, according to an email. Parish administrators continued to discuss the matter, and Muller wrote that she knew of no such procedure that would allow for a public review of the permit application, according to a Nov. 22 email to Hotard. On Dec. 18, the parish invoiced Pecantte for a permit application fee of approximately $1,861, which he paid. In a phone interview, Pecantte said he believed the matter had been resolved at that point but was still waiting to receive the permit. St. John Parish Planning and Zoning Director Connie Powell, who is also an attorney, emailed Hotard additional information, according to Pecanttes lawsuit. Powell wrote that she confirmed that Jefferson Parish, St. Charles Parish and Kenner also classify medical marijuana pharmacies as regular pharmacies permitted for use in commercial zones. But St. John still had not issued the permit to Pecantte. They told me that even though I had paid the permit fee, it did not mean theyd be issuing the permit, Pecantte said. That was the final straw. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Jan. 13, Pecantte filed a lawsuit in St. Johns 40th Judicial District Court. He is seeking damages of $300,000, alleging the delay has caused his business a loss of revenue. Hotard said in an email to the Illuminator that she could not comment on pending litigation. Parish zoning ordinances allow for variances or conditional use permits that could effectively waive other zoning requirements to accommodate Green Leaf. Parish officials could also update the law to clarify that medical marijuana pharmacies are allowed, but they have so far elected to fight the matter in court rather than make any of those accommodations, Pecantte said. Kevin Caldwell, a medical marijuana advocate with the Marijuana Policy Project, criticized the actions of parish officials in a phone interview last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Citing data from the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy, Caldwell pointed out there are 1,587 registered medical marijuana patients in St. John Parish. The state maintains an official registry of medical marijuana patients in accordance with state law. Refusing to permit a pharmacy certainly seems to be mean-spirited or cruel to deny patients access to their medicine, Caldwell said. This is the first time hes ever heard of a community refusing to permit a medical marijuana pharmacy, especially for a business owner who is trying to build on an empty tract of land, he said. Theyre going to entail legal costs and agitate a business owner whos trying to improve the economy of this area, Caldwell said. I believe that St. John the Baptist Parish is misguided in trying to make a point on this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An initial hearing for Pecanttes lawsuit scheduled for mid-February was cancelled, and a new date has yet to be scheduled. Pecantte said his attorney is planning to conduct depositions later this month and request a court date for late May or June. Editors note: Zoning Administrator Kristi Muller is not related to reporter Wes Muller. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Response to Public Records Request.Omar Pecantte The Randolph Police Department announced the arrest of a man in connection to a shooting earlier on Sunday afternoon. The incident occurred around 2:30 P.M. when officers were dispatched to the area od 96 North Main Street to reports of a person who was shot. Upon arrival, police found a 22-year-old Randolph man who was suffering from a gunshot wound to the back. The victim was treated on the scene by the Randolph Fire Department and transported with serious injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While providing medical services to the victim, an additional crew of officers located the 24-year-old suspect from Brockton a short distance away, near 51 Warren Street. He was taken into custody. Officers were able to locate two 9 mm handguns, with one round being shot at the scene of the crime. Randolph Police detectives, along with the Massachusetts State Police Crime Scene Services Unit, processed the scene. The Norfolk County Sheriffs Office K-9 Unit assisted in the investigation with a ballistics K-9. This was a swift and coordinated response by our officers, which led to the immediate arrest of an armed suspect, said Randolph Police Chief Marag. I want to thank our law enforcement partners for their assistance and commend our officers for their quick actions in ensuring public safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information is urged to contact the Randolph Police Department Bureau of Criminal Investigations at (781) 963-1212 ext. 153. 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 BEIJING, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Having long propelled China's economic ascent, major provincial-level regions are now leading the charge in the country's transformative shift toward high-quality development. China's top 10 provincial economic heavyweights, including Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shandong, Zhejiang and Sichuan, accounted for over 60 percent of the country's GDP, despite covering less than 20 percent of its land area. Their development is redefining China's economic landscape and providing insights into how the world's second-largest economy navigates domestic and global challenges in the final year of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) to lay a strong foundation for the next five years and beyond. INNOVATION AS THE NEW DRIVING FORCE From artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and brain-computer interfaces to innovative drugs, China's economic powerhouses are doubling down on sci-tech innovation, yielding significant results in high-tech sectors. A prime example is east China's Zhejiang Province, where the capital city, Hangzhou, has emerged as the country's hottest new tech hub. It has successfully nurtured a wave of cutting-edge companies known as the "Six Little Dragons," including the globally trending startups DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics. Hangzhou's rise into an emerging tech hub is no coincidence. Experts and analysts attributed its success to years of groundwork, driven by the city's deep talent pool, a robust industrial ecosystem, strong policy support, a business-friendly environment, and visionary economic governance. In Zhejiang's 2025 government work report, the province vowed to further cultivate new quality productive forces this year, foster emerging industries, plan for future industries, and promote the deep integration of the digital economy with the real economy. In the neighboring Jiangsu Province, a relentless focus on sci-tech innovation has cemented its position as a front-runner in the numbers of national key laboratories and engineering technology centers. Last year, Jiangsu set a national record with 13 innovative drugs approved for sale. Last year, the GDP growth of Zhejiang and Jiangsu reached 5.5 percent and 5.8 percent, respectively, both exceeding the national growth of 5 percent. Leveraging their sci-tech resources, China's powerhouse provinces are well poised to drive innovation as a key engine of growth and accelerate the deployment of sci-tech advances in major industries, creating a ripple effect nationwide, said national political advisor Jin Li, vice president of Southern University of Science and Technology. CLIMBING UP THE VALUE CHAIN In just 53 seconds, a new energy vehicle (NEV) can roll off the fully automated assembly line at GAC Aion's factory in south China's Guangdong Province, where precise robotic arms twist and turn in seamless coordination. Dubbed a "dark factory" due to its minimal reliance on human labor and lighting, the facility is also the NEV industry's sole "lighthouse factory" worldwide, highlighting its role in spearheading intelligent manufacturing. The factory symbolizes Guangdong's broader industrial transformation. Once synonymous with low-end assembly lines, the province is now embracing advanced technologies and increasing investments to modernize traditional industries and move up the value chain. At present, production of advanced manufacturing accounts for 56.7 percent of Guangdong's industrial output, while high-tech manufacturing takes up 31.6 percent of the total. East China's Shandong Province, one of the country's major grain-producing areas, has empowered modern agriculture development with new technologies, such as drones and automated irrigation systems. In its 2025 government work report, Shandong pledged to implement an action plan for high-quality industrial chain development, focusing on high-end, intelligent and green features this year, while also accelerating the development of intelligent agriculture. Leveraging their strong industrial foundation, these powerhouses should further promote the upgrading of traditional industries, maintain leading roles in shaping new competitive advantages, and set an example for other regions, said Pan Jiaofeng, a national lawmaker and president of the Institutes of Science and Development at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. GREATER INTEGRATION For the economic powerhouses to maintain momentum, it is essential to foster a fair and efficient environment free from local protectionism, according to analysts. Southwest China's Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality have recently completed an electricity-sharing mechanism as part of their latest effort to enhance market connectivity. In recent years, the two regions have aligned their market entry policies and jointly launched a cross-regional development zone. "By addressing the bottlenecks in economic circulation and curbing unhealthy competition, the innovation potential of market players will be fully unleashed," said Yang Decai, a national political advisor and professor at Nanjing University. Regional integration is gaining momentum nationwide. Shanghai is expanding cooperation within the Yangtze River Delta region. Guangdong is streamlining administrative services to improve connectivity in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Hubei is partnering with Jiangxi and other central Chinese provinces to build a globally competitive digital ecosystem. "Different regions are at varying stages of development. By implementing regional strategies, we can further amplify comparative advantages, improve efficiency, and unlock greater growth potential," said Liu Baokui, a researcher at a think tank under the National Development and Reform Commission. According to Bao Jiawei, an urban development researcher, it is about forging synergies, not working in isolation. OTTAWA (Reuters) - The Canadian province of Ontario is imposing a 25% surcharge on electricity exports to New York state, Michigan and Minnesota to protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canada, Premier Doug Ford said on Monday. "President Trump's tariffs are a disaster for the U.S. economy. They're making life more expensive for American families and businesses," Ford said in a statement. "Until the threat of tariffs is gone for good, Ontario won't back down. We'll stand strong, use every tool in our toolkit and do whatever it takes to protect Ontario." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ford said the government had told the province's Independent Electricity System Operator that any generator selling electricity to the U.S. was now required to add a 25% surcharge valued at $10 per megawatt-hour to the cost of power. At this level, the surcharge will generate revenue of C$300,000 to C$400,000 ($432,346 to $576,462) per day, the statement said. (Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Paul Simao) Ontario hit three northern U.S. states with 25 percent price hikes for electricity Monday and the Canadian province's premier warned that he might even cut off the power flows completely until President Donald Trump backs off his tariff threats. Let me be clear, I will not hesitate to increase this charge, if necessary, Premier Doug Ford said. "If the United States escalates, I will not hesitate to shut the electricity off completely." The new surcharges, which Ford had vowed to impose last week in response to Trump's announcement of sweeping tariffs against Canada and Mexico, went ahead as scheduled Monday even after the White House announced a pause in its plans. The hikes will increase power costs for 1.5 million people across Minnesota, Michigan and New York, something state officials fear could also hurt grid reliability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new surcharge on power exports amounts to C$10, or about $7 in U.S. currency, per megawatt-hour. Ford estimated that the hike could add $100 per month to household power bills in those states, and cost each state $400,000 per day. Also Monday, The Globe and Mail reported that Quebec's provincial government was considering halting hydropower exports to the spot market in the U.S. Northeast, and considering options regarding supply contracts with Massachusetts and New York slated to take effect in 15 months. Ford said he will not stop the escalation in the trade standoff until the threat of U.S. tariffs has vanished. Until these tariffs are off the table, until the threat of tariffs is gone for good, Ontario will not relent, he said Monday. We will not back down. Pausing some tariffs, making last minute exemptions it won't cut it. We need to end the chaos once and for all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an email, White House spokesperson Kush Desai blasted the province's move. Instead of retaliation, Canada should focus on shoring up border security and cracking down on the drugs that are killing tens of thousands of Americans every year," Desai said. In a post on Bluesky issued Monday, Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called Minnesotans struggling to pay their power bills the "first victims of Trump's trade war." "Minnesota cannot afford Trumps billionaire-run economy. We have to put a stop to this madness," he wrote. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, also a Democrat, blasted the tariffs in a statement as "poorly conceived from the start." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a textbook example of bad public policy and Im calling on President Trump to immediately rescind his tariffs before they inflict further damage on working families and if he wont act, Congress must," she said. "The people of New York deserve transparency and accountability. We will not allow President Trump and Congressional Republicans to play politics with our energy security while hardworking New Yorkers foot the bill. Hochul and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) also sent a letter to the state's utility regulators Monday, calling for "an urgent review to ensure transparency on the real cost to consumers." In a statement released Monday by the Michigan Public Service Commission, which regulates the state's utilities, the agency said it's concerned about the new fee's impact on consumer power bills, but added that the greater risk is to grid reliability. "While the vast majority of Michigans electricity is either produced by the electric utilities or purchased under long-term power contracts, the imposition of these tariffs could have some impact on prices in the regional energy markets, though the ultimate impact on Michigan customers is likely to be small," the statement read. "Of greater concern is the stability of the electric grid. There are significant flows across the border because of the interconnected grids between the two countries." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any disruption to those flows makes both the Canadian and U.S. grids "more vulnerable to grid-scale outages," the commission said. The New York Independent System Operator is still reviewing the impact of the tariffs, according to a statement. Investing.com -- Ontario Premier Doug Ford (NYSE:F) moved forward with a decision to implement a 25% tariff on electricity exports to Michigan, New York, and Minnesota on Monday. This move came despite US President Donald Trump's announcement on March 6 to postpone tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico until April 2. The Ontario government instructed its Independent Electricity System Operator to apply a C$10 ($7) per megawatt-hour surcharge on all power exports to the three aforementioned states. In 2024, Ontario was the largest exporter of power in Canada, providing 12.6 terawatt-hours (TWh) to 11 US states, with New York and Michigan being the primary recipients. Believe me when I say I dont want to do this. I feel terrible for the American people, Ford said. Its one person who is responsible. Thats President Donald Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ontario also warned that it may halt electricity sales to the US entirely if President Trump proceeds with a new round of tariffs on April 2. Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota recently met with Premier Doug Ford and Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew to discuss ways to mitigate the impact of tariffs and enhance trade relations. The tariffs and Canada's response are expected to diminish Minnesota's competitive edge, particularly affecting industrial customers in the northeastern part of the state by increasing energy costs and supply chain expenses. Minnesota, which relies heavily on Canadian natural gas, faces challenges due to the physical limitations of pipelines and the potential for increased consumer costs as a result of the 10% tariffs on energy products. In Michigan, the Michigan Public Service Commission expressed some concerns about the stability of the electric grid in light of the interconnected nature of energy systems between the United States and Canada. While Michigan utilities do not directly purchase electricity generated in Canada, the cross-border energy flows are substantial due to the shared grid infrastructure. Related Articles Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ontario moves ahead with 25% electricity export tariff for three U.S. states White House pushes back against recession talk as household worries grow EU explores joint defence funding as US commitment wavers MASSENA, N.Y. (WWTI) A pair of Ontario natives are facing drug charges after being stopped at the Massena border entry point. On Saturday, March 8, State Police arrested 28-year-old Logan Mackenzie Dyer-Charleboise of Ottawa, for three counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Also arrested were 28-year-old Alexander Herbert, also of Ottawa, who faced two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a narcotic drug, one count of criminal use of drug paraphernalia, and one count of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Gas prices in Northern New York drop from last week Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around 4:15 p.m. Saturday, State Troopers responded to the Port of Entry in Massena regarding two individuals involved with narcotics. According to United States Customs and Border Patrol agents, both Herbert and Dyer-Charlebois failed to produce proper travel identification and were subsequently referred for a secondary examination. Authorities arrived and spoke with U.S. Border and Customs agents about the suspects. During a secondary inspection, narcotics and drug paraphernalia were allegedly found. Our CBP officers work tirelessly, night and day, to stop dangerous drugs from entering the country. Their commitment to upholding public safety cannot be understated. Massena Port of Entry Director Robert Dwyer The pair were arrested and transported to the state police headquarters in Massena for processing. Dyer-Charleboise was released on an appearance ticket, which requires him to appear in the Town of Massena Court at a later date in March. Herbert was arraigned in the Town of Massena Court and was later released on his own recognizance. After the arraignment, Herbert was turned over to the U.S. Border and Customs Office for further 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 WWTI - InformNNY.com. ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- The Odessa Police Department has arrested numerous suspects over the last couple of weeks as part of an operation aimed at catching drug suppliers using the social media platform, Instagram. As part of those operations, at least eight people have been charged with Manufacture and Delivery of a Controlled Substance. Several of those arrested have also been charged with Delivery of Marijuana, Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity, and other gun related offenses. Joshua Luna, Allen Tubbs, Lorenzo Uribe, Lindsey Gomez, Noah Mejia, Adrian Gonzalez, Daniel Gonzalez, and Oscar Baeza were all arrested and charged as a result of this operation. Allen Tubbs Noah Mejia Lindsey Gomez Lorenzo Uribe Joshua Luna According to multiple OPD reports, during the month of February and in March, officers received numerous tips that these suspects and others were using Instagram to reach buyers in the Midland-Odessa who were looking to buy THC vape pens. Because of these tips, officers conducted traffic stops with various suspects and, in all cases, reportedly found the suspects in possession of the illegal items. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All suspects were arrested and booked into the Ector County Law Enforcement Center as a result of these operations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin. An image of Armed Forces Brewing's planned "military tribute" brewery in Norfolk used in the company's marketing. When Norfolks City Council approved the permit for the controversial Armed Forces Brewing Company over some neighborhood objections, several members said let the marketplace decide its fate. It didnt take long. A year after opening its doors, Armed Forces is closing, after a raucous launch when hundreds of community members opposed what they said was a divisive business whose marketing glorified violence, threatened LGBTQ people and said those with different views dont love America. Early Thursday afternoon, Nicole Couch, the taproom manager, got a call from Alan Beal, the companys chief executive officer, with the news employees had been expecting. The company had been bleeding red ink for years. A reconfigured board had met that morning and told Beal to lock it up and close the Norfolk facility after only 13 months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Couch, a local beer industry veteran who had worked to revitalize what she called grim taproom attendance after being hired in June, realized she couldnt tell her staff the news by text. She sent an emergency message saying the taproom would not open that day. Minutes later, they agreed to meet at Smartmouth Brewing in Norfolk that night. There, she told them they had lost their jobs. Shed hoped Beal would issue an official statement after their phone call, as hed told her he would in 30 minutes. He didnt. Employees discovered the news and his statement by checking Facebook during the meeting. They were appalled that Beal was blaming Norfolk residents for the failure. There was no thank you (to the staff). It was all woe is me, she said. Our ability to profitably operate in Norfolk was severely affected by the local woke mob a few individuals in the area who have no love for the traditional American values we hold as a company, Beal wrote, concluding that the taproom and brewery would go up for sale. These people spread outright lies about our company, our employees and our shareholders before we even opened our doors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But interviews with nine former employees and contractors for Armed Forces suggest that local opposition played a smaller part than Beals claims. They said the Norfolk taproom, where customers ebbed and flowed depending upon events, did not reach its revenue potential partly because of the controversy. But Armed Forces ultimately suffered setbacks selling beer, notably losing market share after failing last year to pay Brew Hub, a Florida contract brewery it had been using since before the Norfolk purchase. The closing of AFBC had nothing to do with a woke mob, former mid-Atlantic sales manager Tim Labbe wrote on Facebook, saying he was part of a team growing sales in seven states. We had great relationships with the major chain grocery stores in those states as well as big distributors. When Alan (Beal) stopped paying bills and stopped complying with the agreements in place that all dried up. Former employees were believers until they werent The stories from former employees are strikingly similar. They joined Armed Forces believing in the mission to support veterans and first responders. They stayed even though paychecks occasionally were late, their suggestions to improve the business were ignored, bills were not paid, some charitable obligations were not met, and key repairs and improvements to the brewing operation languished for weeks because Beal said there was no money. The few employees covered by health insurance paid by the company learned in November it would be canceled on Feb. 1. Beal, they said, focused more on marketing and luring investors than making the brewery profitable, funding promotions with NASCAR, the Norfolk Tides and numerous other events while improvements and repairs to the brewery languished. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beal did not respond to a voicemail message or messages sent to two of his Facebook profiles requesting comment. Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Armed Forces move to Virginia in July 2023, touting $300,000 in incentives. A spokesman for the Virginia Economic Development Partnership said Armed Forces qualified for $24,500 in hiring support, but did not apply for it. Its not clear if any other incentives were paid. Sean Washington, Norfolks head of economic development, said the city did not provide any funding to the company. As it ramped up the Norfolk operation, the company raised about $8.5 million from more than 10,000 investors who ponied up a minimum of $200 in what was essentially a crowdfunding campaign. Contributors got rewards ranging from stickers to hats, although some former employees who invested said they never arrived. Those investors have no voting rights, and the company says it is uncertain if it will ever issue dividends. The stock cannot be sold on the open market. Armed Forces suffered a net loss of $1.76 million for the first six months of 2024, according to a recent Securities and Exchange filing. The company lost $2.4 million in 2023. According to the filing, the company had net cash of $12,239 on June 30, 2024, down from an originally unaudited reporting of $381,370 and down from $282,549 on Dec. 31, 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It appears from SEC filings that Armed Forces burned through the majority of cash from investors over two years to cover operating losses. Failure to pay contractors signals problems John Galanti, who has worked in beer sales for nearly four decades, came aboard Armed Forces in March 2022 as national sales director. Galanti left the company in July 2024 after learning it pulled back from pricing and promotional agreements with Publix, a chain of 900 stores in Florida, and had failed to pay Brew Hub, a contracting brewery in the state. You cant survive in Florida without having Publix, he added. Galanti said hed heard rumors about the failure to pay and the refusal of Brew Hub to release beer to distributors but there always were excuses. When he confirmed that was the case, he gave notice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I didnt want any part of anything like that, he said. He advised the company against purchasing the former OConnor Brewing facility for $3 million in 2023, far above the $1.86 million assessed value, according to city records. I would have gotten something a lot smaller, Galanti said. Ive been doing this 37 years, so my advice was find some small locations of some brewers that were looking to sell. It would have probably been about a quarter of the price of what they paid (for OConnor). But again, I stayed out of that because they were just like, Well handle this part. A $549,000 annual rent Armed Forces Brewing does not own the former OConnor property, according to SEC filings. It is owned 72% by a third party, Ironbound AFBC Properties, LLC. Armed Forces has a 10-year lease and an option to purchase after the first year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The third-party owners include Evan Almeida, listed as a principal in Ironbound. He has a property investment firm in New Jersey and is also an owner of EmpireATM, a company with multimillion-dollar revenues. He and his brother, Michael, are listed as $50,000 to $99,000 investors on the Armed Forces site. Ironbound, according to city records, is overdue on a $4,600 tax bill and owes nearly $13,000 overall. According to the SEC filing, Armed Forces lease with Ironbound calls for $549,600 payments in 2024 and 2025 with increases after that. Galanti called that rent an insane amount of money. Galanti thinks the company could have been successful by dominating a few grocery store markets rather than opening a taproom and focusing on attracting investors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its great if youre trying to get investors, but the bottom line is you have to sell beer because investors can come and go, he added. Beal is paid an $87,000 salary. The rent on his Norfolk apartment is covered by the company. He uses a leased company vehicle. He now owns 7% of the voting stock, down from 27.5% according to SEC filings, including an amended one that appeared on Monday reporting the Norfolk closure. He said in his announcement the company would relocate to friendlier territory, but Galanti and others formerly involved with the company said thats unlikely. Civil actions filed in Norfolk, Portsmouth and Henrico seek payment of bills, but the brewerys former employees say the problem is much deeper. A hops provider from the Midwest posted that the company owes him $2,600. Allen Fabijan, who runs an advertising and marketing company, connected with the company following the initial controversy when Armed Forces impending arrival in Virginia was announced. The controversy centered on social media posts by Robert ONeill, a former board member and brand ambassador, which criticized the Navy for using a drag queen in a recruitment ad, mocked transgender people and refused to wear a mask on an airplane during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shortly after the companys purchase, he was arrested in a Dallas suburb for public intoxication and misdemeanor assault after a security guard who attempted to help him from a bar to his room told police he called him a racial slur. ONeill was removed from the companys website, but later reinstalled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fabijan said he often works supporting veterans and first responders so he was eager to partner with Armed Forces. I was like, wow, what a great partner this will be for the community because theyre going to give back to the causes that I feel matter, he said. He orchestrated their opening and did other work, but was only paid a deposit. It was always an excuse, another excuse, another excuse. Oh, well get it taken care of, Fabijan added. He estimated that Armed Forces owes him about $20,000. Charity work questions In a March 2024 press release, Armed Forces reported that a portion of sales were distributed through the AFBC Veterans Foundation to organizations that help homeless veterans, combat PTSD, and address the veteran suicide crisis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beal told Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo about the foundation. But the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status for failing to file tax returns for three consecutive years. During the interview, he also cited donations to Code of Vets, organized by Gretchen Smith, an investor. That charitys nonprofit status also has been revoked by the IRS and its site is dark. The latest SEC filing reports that Armed Forces made $176 in charitable donations during the first six months of 2024. When charity events he proposed began to fall apart, Fabijan started recommending other veteran-owned breweries in the area (Beal is not a veteran). Im one person of many that they screwed over, Fabijan added. Do I understand the pushback that was coming from certain members of the community that didnt want to support the brand? Do I think that it was slightly over the top? Sure. But overall, the issue there wasnt the community. The issue was that he (Beal) burned the bridges of the people that could help. What could have been Galanti is a religious man and a veteran who is on the board of DDSVets, a nonprofit that provides service dogs to veterans, active-duty military and first responders. He thought Armed Forces handled the LGBTQ+ controversy poorly. Im a big, firm believer in God, he said. You accept everybody. He saw Armed Forces as a way to merge his passion for beer and helping veterans. They actually had a great concept, he said. It really is a shame, because it could have really benefited a lot of people, a lot of veterans. Couch, a military spouse, stayed through delayed paychecks and denials to fund little things like a $200 bingo set that might improve taproom attendance. She believed the narrative with the neighborhood could be changed by talking face to face and revising the tenor on social media. She grew protective of her team and thought the taproom was turning a corner. The first few days of March yielded revenue equal to the first half of February. She had events retirements, fundraisers, celebrations of life scheduled for March and April. Taproom employees, including her, have been told they will not receive their final paychecks. They have not heard directly from Beal and they have not been let into the brewery to get their personal items. They deserved better, she said. We had a really cool team, Couch added. We had a really great team. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE For two decades I have been on the front lines of public education reform, specifically charter public schools. In my support of quality charter school policies here in Georgia and across the United States, I have been accused of ruining public education with the claim that charter schools are the gateway drug to private school vouchers and religious based public education. Time and again, I have scoffed at such accusations, pointing out how public school choice policy is wildly different than private school choice policy. The two policies should never be conflated when discussing the merits of education reform policies with lawmakers, though many lazily place both in the same basket. It was easy for me to end that feckless argument by reminding lawmakers I was there to discuss public education reform policies only, dismissing any melding of public and private school choice policies. But with the U.S. Supreme Court taking up a case in which the Oklahoma Supreme Court has already invalidated the approval of an application by the Catholic Church to open a religious based virtual charter school, I now find myself concerned we have crossed the Rubicon, forever merging public and private school policy while dismantling the foundational belief in the separation of church and state. A hearing is set for April 30. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter The proposed charter school, which would be managed by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, proclaims in its application that it would carry out the evangelizing mission of the [Catholic] Church by fully embracing its religious teachings and incorporating those teachings into every aspect of the School. The school also acknowledged that it would discriminate in admissions, student discipline, and employment, as necessary to satisfy the Catholic Churchs religious doctrine, and that it would not accommodate a students disability if doing so would violate the schools Catholic beliefs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related As High Court Takes Catholic Charter Case, Stakes Really Couldnt Be Higher If one religious organization is allowed to operate a charter school under the umbrella of public funding, other groups will seek similar privileges, creating a patchwork of public schools, each with its own set of religious doctrines, prioritizing their religious mission over the educational needs of all students. The profound implications for the separation of church and state, public education, and the future of religious influence in the public sphere is in the balance. If the Court rules in favor of this school, it will not only shift the boundaries of constitutional law but also set a dangerous precedent that undermines the secular nature of our public education system. Beyond the immediate risks of religious instruction and outright discrimination within a publicly funded space, the ramifications for the separation of church and state could be catastrophic. The Supreme Court has historically been tasked with interpreting the Constitutions Establishment Clause, which serves as a safeguard against government interference in religious practices and vice versa. By permitting religiously affiliated institutions to receive state funding, this decision could pave the way for religious schoolsranging from the aforementioned Catholic virtual school to the Church of Satan and every religious belief in between. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related Choice Supporters to Catholic Charter School Backers: Proceed with Caution This would lead to disastrous consequences where states increasingly entangle themselves with religion, creating a de facto state-sponsored religious system, serving as gatekeepers of what religions are worthy of overseeing public schools and the children who attend them. Ultimately, the Supreme Court must consider not only the legal questions of the case but also the broader social and political context. Allowing a religiously affiliated charter school to operate within the public education system would set a precedent that we are likely to regret. It is crucial that the Court uphold this principle and prevent the Catholic Virtual Charter School in Oklahoma from becoming the gateway drug I was warned aboutbefore it opens the door to a much more divided and religiously entrenched education system. This is not a matter of denying the right to religious expression; its about ensuring that the public education system remains a neutral space for all students, regardless of their faith or belief. Lets not forget: The preservation of the separation between church and state is vital to the integrity of our democracy. You havent written anything trashing me lately, the senior senator from Kentucky once sniped at me. We laughed. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has a gruff charm. That was his way of poking fun at me when I saw him around town. For a long time, I wanted to quickly snap back by thanking him for regularly reading this column. But I bit my tongue because I think it is best to let him have the last laugh. After all, he is the longest-serving party leader in the history of the U.S. Senate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, at 83, having stepped down as his partys leader last year and announcing last month that he will not seek an eighth term, the senator is in the twilight of his career. The bad news for McConnell is that despite his decades towering over Washington as a top GOP leader, he is now eclipsed by President Trumps takeover of his party. Trump has called McConnell a dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack and warned that Republicans would lose if they remained aligned with him. And Trump issued a racially pointed insult to McConnells wife. McConnell didnt fire back. The only public shot McConnell ever took at Trump came after the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, saying he was morally responsible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet, when it came time to act, he voted to acquit Trump. The weak explanation: We have a criminal justice system in this country According to the New York Times, at the same time, McConnell told advisers in private: The Democrats are going to take care of the son of a bitch for us. This year, McConnell tried to regain some dignity by defying Trump with votes against Trumps nominations of Pete Hegseth for Defense secretary, Tulsi Gabbard for director of National Intelligence and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Health and Human Services secretary. Sorry, Mitch. As Aristotle is credited with saying, One swallow does not a summer make. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To put it another way: Despite a few good votes on bad nominees, the history books will still highlight McConnells power plays over the years to polarize the Senate with his hard-right ideological agenda. McConnell cant erase the procedural tricks to block President Obamas judicial appointments, thwarting voters who elected a Democratic president and a Democratic Senate majority to nominate and confirm judges. McConnells tactical success left federal courts short of judges. That led then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to make the difficult decision to end the filibuster so that judicial nominees could fill a backlog of non-Supreme Court vacancies. McConnell most famously threw a wrench into the judicial system after Justice Antonin Scalia died. He prevented the Democrats nominee, Merrick Garland a centrist Democrat with impeccable credentials from even having confirmation hearings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead, McConnell invented a bogus excuse about not filling a seat during a presidential election year stalling in the hopes that a Republican would win the White House and make the appointment instead. His gamble paid off, but it set a new low as a brazen breach of Senate norms. And then McConnell fast-tracked the confirmation of Trumps nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, less than three months before the 2020 presidential election after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died. Beyond the damage McConnell did by distorting the Supreme Courts balance, he also opened the door for corporations and the rich to flood Washington with money to buy influence in Congress and on the campaign trail. McConnell remains a folk hero among wealthy Republican donors for his crusade against campaign finance laws. He was the lead plaintiff in the 2003 case McConnell v. FEC, arguing that the McCain-Feingold Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act was unconstitutional because, as conservatives claimed, money equals speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time, the argument seemed laughable. The court ruled against McConnell. But the dissents in the case from conservative justices set the stage for Citizens United v. FEC less than a decade later. That ruling opened the door to unlimited, undisclosed corporate dark money to overwhelm the political system. McConnells legacy extends beyond damaging campaign finance. His record is full of hostility toward abortion rights, gay rights and environmental protection. And he consistently backed tax cuts that benefited the wealthiest Americanswhile exploding the deficit. Yes, most Republicans on Capitol Hill went along with McConnells legislative agenda, but he set the agenda as the partys leader. For the history books, he will be the main player paving the way for Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Joy Behar recently summed up McConnells career: He stole a Supreme Court seat from Obama, voted to acquit Trump after the insurrection and even endorsed him for president again. Thanks for nothing, Mitch. Dont let the door hit you on the way out. McConnell could pull a surprise ending to his career. If his conscience is finally catching up with him he could switch parties, become a Democrat, and endorse Kentuckys Democratic Governor Andy Beshear as his Senate successor. Republicans already hate him because Trump told them to. He literally has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Anything short of that is too little, too late. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McConnell will go down in history not as a statesman, but as the man who brought us to this perilous moment. Thats not trashing you, senator. Its simply stating a fact. Juan Williams is senior political analyst for Fox News Channel and a prize-winning civil rights historian. He is the author of the new book New Prize for these Eyes: the Rise of Americas Second Civil Rights Movement. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. For Moroccos Jews, the festival of Purim, beginning March 13, has contemporary resonance, illustrating the tenuous existence of diaspora Jewish communities throughout history and the world. Last year and this, the Gaza War cast a shadow over the holiday, which is traditionally celebrated with costumes and sweets. Purim commemorates a close Jewish brush with genocide in ancient Persia. As read from a scroll called a Megillah, it is a tale of palace intrigue, including the wily Jewish courtier Mordecai and his beautiful cousin Esther, destined to be queen and her peoples savior. There is, of course, a villain: Haman, the evil architect of the plot to exterminate Persias Jews. In many ways, the Purim story exemplifies the history of Moroccos Jews for more than two millennia: an ancient, all-powerful potentate controlling his loyal Jewish subjects fate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moroccos Jewish community, once 300,000 strong, now numbers about 3,000, most living in Casablanca. Hamass brutal Oct. 7 attack on Israel and subsequent conflict involving Gaza, Lebanon and Iran (ancient Persia) have raised questions about the North African kingdoms vaunted tolerance for its few remaining Jewish citizens. At the same time, hope and confidence exist among Jews there. As in the original Purim story, todays Moroccan Jews have friends in high places. A modern Jewish Mordecai, a hero of the Megillahs palace drama, would be Andre Azoulay, who is Jewish. He is King Mohammed VIs senior some say most influential advisor. Azoulay, whose office is in the Rabat palace, comes from an old family from the coastal Atlantic city of Essaouira, which was once half Jewish. A beautiful Queen Esther would be Andres stylish daughter Audrey, former minister of culture and now the Director-General of UNESCO, which oversees grants to world heritage sites, including Moroccan Jewish neighborhoods. Last Purim, a clamorous Casablanca crowd packed Ohalel Haim, a Chabad congregation. Nearby, a smaller, quieter group gathered at the elegant, historic Beth-El synagogue. For both congregations, listening to the Megillah had many echoes. Each welcomed American visitors and expressed cautious confidence regarding their communitys safety, thanks to the kingdoms omnipresent security services. But local angry, large pro-Palestinian rallies concerned worshippers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the wake of the Oct. 7 attack, the head of a Morocco-based media group, Ahmed Charai, published an article with the headline, We Are All Israelis, which provoked a backlash in Morocco, according to the Jerusalem Post. Since the Gaza War began, police and military guards at Moroccan Jewish sites have grown. Across town is Moroccos Jewish Museum. Last year, several armed, uniformed guards outside scrutinized holiday visitors. Inside, a glass display features a collection of scrolls, including The Hitler Megillah, evidently a World War II-era parody with the Fuhrers name replacing Hamans. Last year, museum curator Zhor Rehihil said the October events in Israel and Gaza left her sad and frustrated. Despite no incidents or attacks on the museum, Rehihil, a Muslim with a Ph.D. in Jewish Studies, had to cancel long-standing intercommunal educational efforts, and an iftar fast-breaking dinner during Ramadan, which that year (and this) coincided with Purim. She worked hard but sometimes felt the war had destroyed all her efforts to promote peaceful coexistence. In November 2024, Moroccos foreign minister, Nasser Bourita, reaffirmed his nations diplomatic ties with Israel for the first time since Oct. 7 and the subsequent Gaza war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, this support was not unqualified. The government walks a diplomatic tight rope, both domestically and internationally. Morocco has strongly condemned, at the highest levels, Israeli attacks on civilians, hospitals, and schools, deeming them unacceptable, Bourita told French publication Le Point. This approach [reaffirming diplomatic ties to Israel] should not be seen as abandoning the Palestinian cause. Moroccos position on Palestine remains a priority, added Bourita. He emphasized Moroccos Jewish heritage as a basis for this complex relationship, given widespread anti-Israel protests in the kingdom. Some Moroccan Jews claim, without persuasive evidence so far, that Jews first arrived in what is now Morocco sometime after destruction of Jerusalems First Temple in 586 B.C.E. While retaining their religious identity, they became infused with Berber (also called Amazigh) culture, with some mountain tribespeople intermarrying and converting to Judaism. Moroccan Jews experienced ups and downs over the subsequent 2,500 years. Jews often prospered as merchants and traders. But in Fez in 1033, inter-tribal warfare saw 3,000 Jews massacred. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the 12th-century sage Maimonides fled the murderous Almohad Caliphate that ended Spains Golden Age for Jews, the city of Fez became his haven. The same fundamentalist Almohads that ultimately drove Maimonides to Cairo offered Jews remaining in the city a stark choice: leave, convert to Islam or die. (Thus, converts descendants today include a Muslim tourist guide named Mohammed Cohen.) At the 15th centurys end, many Jews who were expelled from the Iberian Peninsula by reconquering Spanish Catholics migrated to Moroccos coastal and inland cities. For a time, friction existed between local Amazigh Jews and these newcomers, but over centuries, it has faded. Today, Morocco remains proud of its Jewish history, and until the Gaza War annually welcomed thousands of Israeli tourists. Acknowledgment of Jewish presence in Morocco seems ubiquitous. Synagogues and Jewish cemeteries are being restored at government expense, and several Jewish museums have appeared. Moroccan cities protected Jewish quarters are being refurbished (and guarded) as commercial markets. At the Museum of History and Civilizations in Rabat, in the Islamic section, is a clay oil lamp with a miniature menorah attached, found in the Roman garrison town Volubilis around the fourth century. Some tombstones recovered from the ruins bear Hebrew inscriptions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the original Purim story, Persias Jews evade planned genocide, but the deliverance miracle was not unalloyed. In response to a previous decree, calling on Jews enemies to kill them, the king issued a new, equally draconian proclamation. It authorized Jews to take up arms, and to assemble and to protect themselves, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish the entire host of every people and province that oppress them, small children and women. The Megillah says Jews slaughtered 75,000 people. In light of the mass killings of Palestinians in Gaza, it is fair to ask this Purim: What is the cost of Jewish survival? Most of us ignore the violence that concludes the Esther scroll, writes Peter Beinart, author of the new book Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza. The ending reads differently when Jews wield life-and-death power over millions of Palestinians who lack even a passport. Today, these blood-soaked verses should unsettle us. More often, we look away. We focus on what they tried to do to us. Purim isnt only about the danger gentiles pose to us. Its also about the danger we pose to them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mark I. Pinsky is a Durham, N.C.-based journalist and author who served as a civilian volunteer attached to the Israeli military in El Arish, Sinai, in 1967. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BEIJING, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR Thongsavanh Phomvihane will pay an official visit to China from March 12 to 15, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson announced on Monday. Thongsavanh Phomvihane is paying the visit at the invitation of Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and minister of foreign affairs. If anyone other than President Trump himself claims to know what antitrust policy will be under Trump 2.0, be wary. Disregard much of the conventional wisdom that has governed corporate mergers up to now, and instead focus on one new principle: Under Trump, the metrics for approval of merger transactions will be fluid, much like the DOGE process now underway. In other words, each deal will stand or fall not only on its own merits but also on the extra-regulatory rules the president incorporates into the mix. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For example, the administration has slapped controversial new tariffs on imports from China. But Trump himself extended the deadline that would have banned TikTok from operating in the U.S. a surprise move designed to preserve the integrity of the popular Chinese app. The $35 billion merger between Capital One and Discover appears to be on track. But the presidents recent comments about Big Banks could cause regulators to take a more jaundiced view of the merger, if not oppose it altogether. In the tech sector, Hewlett Packard Enterprises agreed to acquire Juniper Networks in a $14 billion deal. But the new Trump Justice Department has just challenged the transaction. Given the evolving relationship between Trump and Big Tech, this merger could go either way. When it comes to media, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has signaled to Americas broadcast groups that he is on their side. Carr is poised to finally relax moribund ownership rules and permit them to expand their national footprint to compete with Big Tech. This would be a welcome nod to major TV station owners, who have been asking government to update the rules that have stifled their ability to grow through mergers and acquisitions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nevertheless, there are troubling signs for the proposed Paramount-Skydance Media merger. A deal that was predicted to close without incident early this year is now consumed with foreign ownership and First Amendment concerns raised by the chairman of the FCC and the president. One of the main problems standing in the way of the Paramount deal is a strategic partnership between American-owned Skydance Media and the Chinese company Tencent. In 2017, Skydance accepted investment from the Chinese company in exchange for production and distribution assistance. Tencent is thought to be close to or controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. Given the heated policy debate on China, it would not be unreasonable for Chairman Carr to condition the FCCs approval on Skydances divestiture of its Chinese partner, to avoid any foreign influence over an American media company. Carr may not have to play the villain if the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States were to recommend such a move. This, of course, would be in addition to any additional penalties the FCC might impose on the alleged CBS violation of broadcast standards (Paramount Global was formed in 2019 when CBS Corporation and Viacom merged). Looking beyond these proposed mergers, there is no shortage of investment capital sitting on the sidelines. For the most part, private equity firms kept their powder dry during the Biden years, when the Democratic Department of Justice rarely met a merger it seemed to like. Antitrust lawyers and investors are still talking about the travesty visited on Tegna and Standard General by the Biden FCC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since then, investors and companies have been champing at the bit to get into the growth and acquisition game, assuming that regulation will be relaxed under Trump. Given the prospect of a more permissive regulatory environment, confidence is high. And that alone could usher in an increase in deal-making and mergers. Coupled with favorable tax treatment and investment incentives for corporations, mergers and acquisitions under Trump could reach unprecedented levels. But while these are extremely positive signs for a new wave of corporate consolidation, the administration has shown that it can be contrarian at times. Companies should be advised to bring more than big money to the table: they should be prepared to structure their mergers within an America First context that advances both political as well as public interest goals. Indeed, mergers may not be business as usual under Trump. For many dealmakers, that alone will be a welcome change. Adonis Hoffman served in senior legal roles at the FCC and in the U.S. House of Representatives. He writes on business, law and politics. 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 has never been shy with words. Yet until now, he has tiptoed around Russian President Vladimir Putin with puzzling restraint. That ended with his latest salvo on Truth Social: a vow to unleash large-scale banking sanctions, sanctions, and tariffs on Russia until a ceasefire and final settlement agreement on peace is reached. It is a seismic jolt to the Ukraine peace talks the first time Trump has brandished the threat of American economic might to force Putins hand. This is the right play. The test is whether Trump will swing the hammer with the precision it demands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sanctions do not work unless they break something vital. The Biden administration learned this lesson the hard way after Russias expanded invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Bidens sanctions were expansive, targeting Moscows financial networks, its ghost tankers, and its domestic industry, but they dribbled out too slowly over three years. They stung but never crippled Putins war machine to the breaking point. Trumps escalation should instead be a sledgehammer, applying an unbearable blow that will leave Moscow desperate for the relief of peace. Surprisingly, Trumps statement conspicuously omitted energy, the one pressure point that could push Putin over the financial edge. Without a dramatic change in oil and gas sanctions, Moscow can keep bankrolling its war. If Trump truly wants to cripple Putin and force him to negotiate, the centerpiece of his strategy must be to end a Biden-era loophole in energy sanctions. Trump can start by gutting Russias oil lifelines. The Biden-era price cap on Russian crude, pegged at $60 per barrel, was an attempt to limit the Kremlins oil revenue. Limited enforcement and gaping loopholes such as shipping crude to India before selling it back over to Europeans and Americans left Putin with too much energy revenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If he means business, Trump should slash the Biden-era cap to just $35 or maybe lower then lock it down tight. Energy dollars fuel Russias aggression. Choke them off, and Putins war machine sputters. Next, turn the screws on Europe. Trump loves thumping the Europeans for slacking on defense spending. Now he can force them to end their complicity in funding Putins war. Last year, Europe spent more on Russian oil and gas than it did on aid to Ukraine, according to recent financial data a striking irony. Trump must demand real economic consequences for countries that prop up Moscows war economy by purchasing its energy. His bully pulpit can help break Europes addiction to Russian oil and gas, pushing allies to ditch Moscow and lean on U.S. alternatives. Its not just about economic competition its about shutting down Putins financial arteries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finally, Trump should hit Russias industrial underbelly with secondary sanctions on the banks and transhippers that enable shadow trades. Largely originating in the U.S. and shipped via resellers from Europe and Asia, these constitute the illicit exports of the high-end tools, electronics and industrial hardware that Russia needs to keep its military factories humming. Ending these trades would be a major blow one that Putin would feel immediately. And what about tariffs? Higher tariffs on Russian goods may sound tough, but in reality, it would be small potatoes. U.S.-Russia trade in 2024 amounted to a mere $3.5 billion a rounding error in global trade. Tariffs wont starve the Kremlin war machine the way an ironclad oil price-cap would, or a crackdown on shadow trades. If Trump wants to force Putin to bend, he must hit where it hurts most. Together, these steps would form a vise squeezing Russias resources for war and shutting down its enablers. Trumps statement is a bold gambit, but if he hesitates, the Kremlin will immediately call the bluff. Press forward, and Trump can accomplish what Biden couldnt force Moscow to halt its invasion on terms beneficial to the U.S. Trump now has a chance to finish the job no half-measures, no retreat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peter Doran is an adjunct senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Since 2013, the Utah Debate Commission has sponsored candidate debates in Utah for statewide and federal office. It was formed by public and private higher educational institutions and media outlets to provide Utah citizens with an independent, nonpartisan organization that sponsors televised candidate debates that are substantive, unbiased and fair. The goal was to provide citizens with a format that would inform them about candidate positions on policy issues and be free of influence from sitting officeholders. The commission has been recognized for its professionalism and neutrality. The Commission on Presidential Debates partnered with the Utah Debate Commission to host the 2020 vice presidential debate in Salt Lake City. The commission has been copied by independent debate commissions in Washington and Ohio. It has remained independent of government interference even though the Legislature has contributed funding in recent years to help the commission fulfill its mission. Now, however, the Legislature is going further. Some legislators want to replace the commission with one that they direct. They are adding $600,000 to the budget, which they will give to the University of Utah and Utah Valley University. But there is a catch: The money must be used by these two institutions to create a new debate committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why is the Utah Legislature dictating who runs debates in the state of Utah? That task has been done effectively by an independent commission the Utah Debate Commission for a dozen years now. When the Legislature starts interfering in candidate debates, the debates are no longer independent of government control. The current debate commission is run by a board consisting of representatives of eight higher education institutions in the state, not just two. All regions of the state are represented on the board. That way, each institution has a say in what the Utah Debate Commission does. The Legislature is trying to play favorites among the universities by cutting out the others as equal representatives in the debate organization process. The Utah Debate Commission also has representatives from six television stations in the state, as well as two major newspapers the Deseret News and the Salt Lake Tribune. Each of these representatives has an equal say in the decisions of the board. But this action by the state Legislature cuts out these media outlets as decision-makers by giving the responsibility for organizing debates to two universities alone. Since the broadcast stations devote significant airtime to debates, and give up advertising revenue as a result, they should be at the table when decisions are made about debates. In the Utah Debate Commission, they are. Under the Legislatures proposal, they would not be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The meddling by the Legislature in how debates are organized in Utah raises questions about the impartiality of the debates that would be conducted under the Legislatures mandate. Once the Legislature begins to dictate who runs debates, what is to stop them from dictating how those debates are structured who the moderators are, what questions will be asked, and when and where debates will be held? Debate administration is an area where the private sector operates better than government. Debates determined by government are inherently suspect because politicians have a tendency to try to tilt election-related matters in their favor. That includes debates. The Legislature should stay out of debate administration and let the Utah Debate Commission do its job without government interference. The independence of the Utah Debate Commission has reassured Utah voters that the decisions about debate details are made by individuals who are not partisans seeking to influence the debate process to support their own party or candidate. The Legislatures distance from the debate process better serves the candidates, the media and the citizens of Utah. It is a mark of strength in Utah that debates are run by an organization that does not bend to partisanship or government interference. The Legislature should not undermine that role. Lets leave the Utah Debate Commission alone, since it has worked well for Utahns for so many years and the Legislatures involvement would be a poor substitute. The inspector general for the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) told lawmakers he is investigating the use of a new data system at the agency that has been part of a broader effort by Elon Musk and his allies to email federal workers. The Friday letter from acting Inspector General Norbert Vint to Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee follows a request by the lawmakers to investigate efforts by Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to access data systems at numerous agencies across government. The OPM was one of the first agencies accessed by DOGE, where those connected to Musk tapped into OPM systems, created the hr@opm.gov email address, and began contacting federal workers ahead of the government buyout program. The same email has since been used to demand federal workers send a list of five accomplishments to recap their week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You requested that the OPM Office of the Inspector General (OIG) assess the security of government networks, determine whether OPM followed appropriate protocols, and provide responses to specific questions related to network security at OPM. The OPM OIG has reviewed your request and incorporated parts of your request into existing work, Vint wrote. We have also just begun an engagement to assess risks associated with new and modified information systems at OPM. Vint noted that the inspector generals office is already tasked with reviewing IT systems and must identify developing risks. The OPM did not immediately respond to request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agency is facing a lawsuit over the new data system. The February letter from the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee cited reporting from various outlets where OPM staffers relayed they had no visibility into what Musks team was doing with the data. We are deeply concerned that unauthorized system access could be occurring across the federal government and could pose a major threat to the personal privacy of all Americans and to the national security of our nation, ranking member Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) wrote alongside other Democratic members of the committee. The OPM did not previously have the capability to email every government employee, with such communications previously coming from agencies themselves. Musks emails demanding a recap of the work week have received pushback from some department leaders, including those that have said they do not need to respond. Musk had previously said nonresponse would be taken as a resignation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The OPM has offered a conflicting picture whether response to the emails is voluntary. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Orlando police officer involved in the high-speed chase that killed a bystander last month had previously been disciplined in at least three incidents, one involving improper use of force and two for vehicle crashes, the Orlando Sentinel has learned. None of the incidents netted Christopher Moulton, now a detective with OPD, a sanction more serious than a reprimand, records show. But Moultons disciplinary record is of interest following the death of Gerald Neal, 56, who was killed Feb. 12 as Moulton driving an unmarked truck and in apparent violation of OPDs pursuit protocol chased another vehicle into the Holden Heights neighborhood over an unreadable license plate. Both vehicles struck Neal. As it has been with news about that deadly incident, OPD was less than forthcoming about Moultons history. The Sentinel submitted a public records request Feb. 19 after learning the officers name. But only after a lawyer for the newspaper prodded the city attorney on Monday was the information released following almost three weeks of delays. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even then, what was released by the city appears incomplete, with records of the two vehicle crashes not included in the cache of documents. Details of those incidents including the discipline Moulton received were gleaned from depositions and other court filings from a lawsuit against the city by a man who was injured in one of the crashes. All of the incidents for which Moulton was disciplined occurred in 2019, one year after he joined the department. The one incident described by OPD involved Moultons use of force on an unruly bar patron, which the Sentinel requested directly because it was mentioned in minutes of a police review board meeting posted online. The Sentinel also asked for Moultons entire disciplinary record, only later discovering the records of the vehicle crashes in court files. The night of the bar confrontation in January, Moulton was working security for the bar a common side gig for many officers when he was approached by a manager to remove the customer, who swore at Moulton. Moulton followed the customer past a barricade near the bar, and once he was no longer on the property, the officer pepper sprayed and handcuffed the patron, a violation of agency policies, according to an internal investigation that further reprimanded him for working at a bar as a probationary employee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In April, Moulton was investigated again, this time for crashing into a concrete barrier on a ramp to Interstate 4 while responding to an emergency call. Two months after that, he was in another crash south of downtown Orlando that left a man injured. According to the records of the latter incident, Moulton was on his way to Jeremiahs Italian Ice on Orange Avenue when he collided head-on with another car while making a left turn on Michigan Avenue from Westmoreland Drive. The driver in the other vehicle, who filed a lawsuit two years later, said he had long-lasting injuries to his neck and back because of the crash, which the city tried to argue was his own fault. A jury disagreed, and on Feb. 13 , it decided Moulton was liable for the crash. A decision as to the damages the city would be forced to pay has not been made. Fewer details are available from Moultons other crash, which was mentioned in passing during a deposition for the lawsuit, as well as the reprimand he received. No other records were available. Moulton, hired by OPD in 2018, was placed on administrative leave while Neals death is investigated. OPD has not commented about Moultons apparent violation of its pursuit policy, which says officers should engage in such chases only if there is suspicion of a forcible felony, which there was not in this case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In that crash, the driver of the vehicle with the obscured license plate, Dornell Bargnare, 30, fled as Moulton began to follow him. He then took off running after making a hard turn from Rio Grande Avenue to Indiana Street, hitting Neal as he sat on the sidewalk and crashing into a nearby utility pole. Moulton also hit Neal shortly after, according to Florida Highway Patrol, and continued the pursuit on foot until Bargnare, who broke into a vacant house to escape authorities, surrendered. FHP first made the public aware that Neal was killed during an OPD high-speed chase, which had gone unmentioned in OPDs initial affidavits documenting Bargnares arrest for burglary. Moultons name and the reason for the chase were released in court filings days later, when Bargnare was additionally charged for fleeing law enforcement. Its not clear which car killed Neal. A spokesperson for FHP said the investigation into Neals death, which could result in Bargnare being charged with killing him, is ongoing. Bargnare has pleaded not guilty to the other charges. GUTHRIE, Okla. (KFOR) The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has identified a man who was shot and killed by police in Guthrie on Friday. According to the OSBI, David Dunford was killed while officers we conducting a welfare check near Hwy 77 and Industrial Road on Friday afternoon. ORIGINAL STORY: Officer-involved shooting under investigation in Guthrie Officials also say they found two weapons in Dunfords truck following the shooting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The events leading up to the shooting are still unclear as the investigation continues. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. GREENVILLE, Ohio (WDTN) Interested in getting outside this spring and summer? A local organization is offering volunteer opportunities in Darke County. The Friends of Darke County Parks organization is looking for more people to get involved in their annual events. Established in 1995, the organization also has several clubs to encourage residents to get outside and enjoy Darke County Parks. Ohio has some of the worst cities for allergies: map Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The non-profit supports the parks through events like a waffle breakfast and Prairie Days at the parks. Members can volunteer for a variety of positions in different programs. Members can pay just $10 to $15 per year to join. As a friend of the parks, members enjoy benefits at events year round, including free bike and boat rentals and discounts at gift shops. The organization meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. in the meeting room at Shawnee Prairie, located off of State Route 502 near Greenville. Click here to learn more and sign up. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Authorities are investigating a overnight shooting where one person hit by gunfire has died. According to police, the victim identified as Jashaun Cheatom, was found just outside of an apartment breezeway and transported to OU Medical Center where he died of his injuries. One person shot in SW OKC Currently the motive for the shooting remains unknown and police say no arrests have been made. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Homicide tip-line at 405-297-1200. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. NEW DELHI, March 10 (Xinhua) -- A New York-bound Air India flight from Mumbai returned four hours after take-off following a mid-air bomb threat on Monday morning, multiple local media reports said. The Boeing 777 aircraft with 322 people, including 19 crew members, on board was flying over Azerbaijan when it changed course and returned to Mumbai. Following its landing, bomb-detection procedures were carried out and the flight was subject to mandatory checks by the security agencies. "A potential security threat was detected mid-flight on AI 119 operating Mumbai-New York (JFK) today, March 10, 2025. After following the necessary protocols, the flight air-returned to Mumbai, in the interest of the safety and security of all on board. The flight landed safely back in Mumbai at 1025 Hrs (local time)," Air India in a statement to media said. Reports said a bomb threat note was discovered inside one of the plane's lavatories, prompting immediate action from the flight crew. Following it, the pilots swiftly coordinated with air traffic control and authorities to ensure a safe landing back in Mumbai. "The aircraft is undergoing mandatory checks by security agencies, and Air India is extending its full cooperation to the authorities. The flight has been rescheduled to operate at 0500 Hrs (local time) of March 11, 2025, and all passengers have been offered hotel accommodation, meals, and other assistance until then," an Air India spokesperson was quoted in local media as having said. "Our colleagues on the ground are making sure to minimise the inconvenience caused to our passengers by this disruption. As always, Air India accords the highest priority to the safety of passengers and crew." However, the threat turned out to be a hoax as nothing suspicious was found. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) A pair of community cleanup events will be taking place in Sioux City this April. According to a release, the city will be hosting two community cleanup events. The first is the Litter Dash and the second is the semi-annual Re-Event. The Litter Dash Community Cleanup will take place on April 18, this year starting at noon at the Seaboard Triumph Foods Expo Center. Siouxlanders are encouraged to put together teams to participate in the cleanup event. Teams are then expected to meet at the Expo Center for a rally and lunch, which will then be followed by the distribution of cleanup materials. Teams can also pick up their materials as early as April 14 if they are unable to make it to the rally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Registration for the Litter Dash is open until April 11. For more information, click here. Officials provide update on PlyWood Trail project Also taking place in April is the semi-annual Re-Event. The Re-Event serves as an opportunity for Sioux City residents to dispose of waste that may be a little more difficult to get rid of than usual. Sioux City residents can head to the Citizens Convenience Center where they can pay a fee to get rid of the following items: Electronics and appliances Batteries Light bulbs Tires, with or without a rim Mattresses Styrofoam will not be collected during the Re-Event. Only cash and checks will be accepted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more information on the Re-Event, including an in-depth list of accepted items and their fees, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. An Israeli drone attack in central Gaza has caused casualties despite a ceasefire being in place, Palestinian sources said on Monday. Staff at a nearby hospital reported one death and several injuries, while the Palestinian news agency Wafa, citing local residents, reported two deaths. Israel's army said the airstrike targeted three Palestinians who were trying to plant explosives in the ground. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The claims by both sides could not be independently verified. There have been several deadly incidents in Gaza during the ceasefire between Israel and Gaza-based Islamist group Hamas, which has been in place since January 19. According to the Hamas-controlled health authority, more than 48,400 people have died in the Gaza Strip since the start of the conflict, who was sparked by an unprecedented terrorist attack carried out by Hamas and other militants on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Mar. 9COLUMBUS Fifty horses and a mule strode through the border village of Columbus Saturday in a parade led by the flags of the United States, Mexico and New Mexico and one rider in the guise of the Mexican revolutionary hero, Francisco "Pancho" Villa. A short distance from the steel bollard wall marking the U.S.-Mexico border south of the village, the Cabalgata Binacional and Fiesta de Amistad combined mourning with revelry while Mexican and American officials discussed the border as a place of reconciliation, friendship and business. The small village of about 1,450 hosted its annual memorial to the March 9, 1916, raid on Columbus at Villa's command, a day that claimed approximately 18 American lives accounts vary and heavy losses to Villa's contingent, which withdrew after looting and burning businesses and homes in the village center. The battle led President Woodrow Wilson to order an incursion into Mexico to capture Villa, who escaped. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The dead were honored in a solemn ceremony at a replica of the bandstand from which General John J. Pershing greeted soldiers returning from Mexico, as the names of the raid's fatalities were read, accompanied by a tolling bell. Braving frosty winds and occasional rain were municipal leaders, descendants of Columbus residents and soldiers who survived the raid and members of the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club of El Paso, commemorating the Black soldiers of the 13th Cavalry, 24th Infantry Division who helped pursue Villa. It was one of many visits to Columbus for Shannon Parks, the granddaughter of Susie Parks, the 20-year old switchboard operator who called for help as bullets shattered windows and showered her in glass early that morning 109 years ago, and who then waited, as the story goes, with her baby cradled in one arm and a .32 rifle in the other. Parks' descendant said her grandmother's example is an inextricable part of her own story. "When I come here I feel like I'm coming home," she said. "Every time I walk the street, down Broadway, it comes alive." Meanwhile, the horseback procession set off from the Columbus Port of Entry, marching three miles up a state highway and into the village for a festival with food, music and performances by a children's ballet folklorico troupe from Deming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Villa is repeatedly described as a "complex" historical figure in these celebrations: An invader and leader of a massacre, but also a champion for the poor, for Mexican independence and for sobriety an attribute that did not stop celebrants from enjoying beers outdoors as the sun finally broke through the rainclouds. In Mexico, memorial rides honoring Villa go back decades, with participants crossing the state of Chihuahua on horseback for two weeks in a trek culminating in Puerto Palomas, south of Columbus. In the village, "cabalgantes" registered for the parade arrived from southern New Mexico, West Texas and as far away as Dallas. Columbus Mayor Philip Skinner, a Republican who has owned and operated businesses on both sides of the border, called it "a day of contrasts." "These riders coming in do a lot of 'Viva Villa' and hurrah stuff, but I think it's more a historical event for Mexico, a cultural event for Mexico," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the festival went on, officials representing Columbus, Luna County, the New Mexico Border Authority and U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez's office met over lunch with mayors and other delegates from several Mexican municipalities. "We depend on each other for our economies and for our livelihoods," Christie Ann Harvey, a Luna County commissioner and a Republican who sits on the New Mexico Border Authority board of directors, told the Journal. "Politics on a national level can sometimes influence our thoughts about others, but ... the border is very powerful force for all of us. It's a way that we can economically grow both sides, become better trading partners and elevate the standard of living for our people." (INSIDE CALIFORNIA POLITICS) Last month, five former U.S. Secretaries of Defense asked Congress to investigate President Donald Trumps firing of senior military leaders. Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta spoke with Inside California Politics about his letter to Congress and also gave viewers some of his thoughts about Californias 2026 gubernatorial race. We need governors, frankly, who focus on the job of being Governor of California. Id like to get back to that if we could, Panetta said. I think Gavin Newsom has spent too much time running for president and not enough time really being Governor of California. 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. Donald Trumps approach to Russias invasion of Ukraine has always been to root for Russia while pretending he isnt. Trump just hates killing and death. More than that, he hates sending American money overseas. The claim that he actually agrees with Moscow is a hoax, remember. Trump is all about putting America first. Or so hes said, and so his mostly non-Russophilic supporters claim to believe. But now he has flung the mask to the ground. The presidents latest positions on the war reveal that he is indifferent to ongoing slaughterindeed, he is willing to increase itand that his opposition to Ukraines independence has nothing to do with saving American tax dollars. Trump simply wants Russia to win. [Jonathan Chait: The simple explanation for why Trump turned against Ukraine] Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In recent days, Trump has said he is looking at a plan to revoke the temporary legal status of Ukrainians who fled to the United States. After Ukraine expressed willingness to sign away a large share of the proceeds from its natural-resource sales (in return for nothing), Trump said that might not be enough to restore support. Trump is now pushing Ukraines president to step down and hold elections, according to NBC. Volodymyr Zelenskys domestic approval rating sits at 67 percent, and his most viable opponents have said that they oppose elections at the present time. The notion that Trump actually cares about democracy, and would downgrade his relations with a foreign country over its failure to meet his high governance standards, is so laughable that even a Trump loyalist like Sean Hannity would have trouble saying it with a straight face. Trump exposed his preferences most clearly in his decision to cut off the supply of intelligence to Ukraine. The effect of this sudden reversalwhich does not save the American taxpayer any moneywas immediate and dramatic. Russian air attacks, now enjoying the element of surprise, pounded newly exposed Ukrainian civilian targets, leaving scenes of death and destruction. The grim spectacle of watching the death toll spike, without any appreciable benefit to American interests, ought to have had a sobering effect on the president. At least it would have if his ostensible objectives were his actual ones. Instead, he seemed visibly pleased. Paying close attention to his rhetoric reveals the significance of the turn. Speaking to reporters from his desk in the Oval Office, Trump, asked whether the bombing campaign changes his oft-expressed view that Vladimir Putin desires peace, affirmed that it does not. I believe him, he said. I think were doing very well with Russia. But right now theyre bombing the hell out of Ukraine, and UkraineIm finding it more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine. And they dont have the cards. It was Trump himself, of course, who had taken cards away from Ukraine by suddenly exposing its cities to bombardment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A reporter asked if Putin was taking advantage of Trumps move. Trump made clear that the Russian president was doing precisely what he had expected. I think hes doing what anybody else would do, he said. I think he wants to get it stopped and settled, and I think hes hitting em harder than hes been hitting em, and I think probably anybody in that position would be doing that right now. He wants to get it ended, and I think Ukraine wants to get it ended, but I dont seeits crazy, theyre taking tremendous punishment. I dont quite get it. [Olga Khazan: Putin is loving this] Why not, a reporter asked, provide air defenses? Because I have to know that they want to settle, Trump replied. I dont know that they want to settle. If they dont want to settle, were out of there, because we want them to settle, and Im doing it to stop death. Trumps rhetoric signals an important evolution in his policy. He is no longer arguing for peace at any price. Instead, he has identified a good guy (Russia) and a bad guy (Ukraine). The good guy definitely wants peace. The bad guy is standing in the way of a settlement. Consequently, the only way to secure peace is for the good guy to inflict more death on the bad guy. Increasing the body count on the bad guys side, while regrettable, is now the fastest way to stop death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the same moral logic that the Biden administration and NATO employed to support Ukrainethe way to end the war is to raise the cost to the party responsible for the conflictbut with the identity of the guilty and the innocent parties reversed. If you want to see where Trumps position is going next, pay attention to the bleatings of his closest supporters, who echo his impulses and point it in new directions. Elon Musk, for example, has begun demanding sanctions on Ukraines oligarchs and blaming them for American support for Kyiv. This is an echo of Putins long-standing claim that Ukraine is dominated by an unrepresentative class of oligarchs who have steered it away from its desired and natural place as a Russian vassal. The fixation with Ukraines corruption and the push to replace Zelensky both reflect Russian war aims. Putin wishes to delegitimize any Ukrainian government mirroring its populations desire for independence, which would allow him to control the country either directly or through a puppet leader, like the kind he enjoyed before 2014 and has in Belarus today. Ukraine certainly has its share of wealthy, influential business owners, but not nearly to the extent of Russia itself, whose entire economy is structured around oligarchic domination. And Trump is even less disturbed by corruption than he is by a lack of democracy. His administrations earliest moves included defending or pardoning American politicians charged with corruption and ending enforcement of restrictions on bribing foreign governments. For that matter, Musk himself, who has obliterated conflict-of-interest guardrails by running much of the federal government while operating businesses with massive interest in public policy, fits the definition of oligarch neatly. Senator Mark Kelly recently visited Ukraine and wrote on X, Any agreement has to protect Ukraines security and cant be a giveaway to Putin. (His post did not mention Trump.) Musk replied, You are a traitor, which would be a rather odd sentiment unless one considered Ukraine an enemy of the United States. Where Musk is going, Trump is likely to follow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Anne Applebaum: The rise of the Brutal American] Trump inherited an American government pushing to defend Ukrainian sovereignty. He has reversed American policy rapidly. The American position has already passed the point of neutrality. The new American goal is no longer simply to end the war, but to end it on Putins terms. Asked on Fox News Sunday if he was comfortable with the possibility that his actions would threaten Ukraines survival, Trump responded blithely, Well, it may not survive anyway. That is not merely a prediction. It is the goal. Article originally published at The Atlantic SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) A pedestrian is dead after being struck by two vehicles. The incident occurred in the early hours of March 10 when a male was struck by two vehicles as he was walking on W. 70th Street near Golden Meadows Road. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The Caddo Parish Coroners Office has yet to release the victims name. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WASHINGTON, March 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. tech billionaire Elon Musk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday had an online clash with Poland's foreign minister over Starlink use in Ukraine. Musk, chief executive officer of the aerospace company SpaceX, wrote on social platform X that "my Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army," and "Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off." In response, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski wrote on X that Starlinks for Ukraine are paid for by the Polish Digitization Ministry at the cost of about 50 million U.S. dollars per year. "The ethics of threatening the victim of aggression apart, if SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider we will be forced to look for other suppliers," he said. Rubio accused the Polish minister of "just making things up." "No one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink. And say thank you because without Starlink Ukraine would have lost this war long ago and Russians would be on the border with Poland right now," he added. Musk then explained: "I am simply stating that, without Starlink, the Ukrainian lines would collapse, as the Russians can jam all other communications! We would never do such a thing or use it as a bargaining chip." Starlink has been widely used by Ukrainian forces during its conflict with Russia. U.S. negotiators have reportedly threatened to cut off Ukraine's access to Starlink if an agreement on the country's critical minerals and other resources cannot be reached. The Trump administration had announced a suspension of weapon deliveries to Ukraine and halted intelligence sharing after a heated Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky more than a week ago. HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that he has joined a bipartisan coalition of 38 state Attorney Generals to end Googles illegal monopoly over internet search engines. The resolution argues that Google is the most prevalent and defaulted search engine, most notably on Android and Apple devices. If approved, the proposal would prohibit Google from paying those companies to maintain its presence on the devices. To Google is used synonymously with searching for something online, and this coalition strongly believes that is due to monopolistic practices that have gone on for far too long, Sunday said. Monopolies are bad for consumers, and in this case, the current search engine configuration allows Google to dictate search results, instead of the consumer controlling what they see. We hope this proposal leads to a new standard of diverse search options for consumers who deserve a competitive market. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The solutions also propose a ban on all search-related payments from Google to distribution partners, such as Apple and Android. The coalition would also be entitled to preliminarily review Googles future financial interests in online search and generative AI competitors. Get the latest news, weather forecasts and sports stories delivered straight to your inbox! Sign up for our newsletters. Finally, the order 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. A hearing on the proposed remedies is currently scheduled to begin on April 21 and conclude by May 9. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTAJ - www.wtaj.com. (WHTM) A Pennsylvania lawmaker proposed a bill that would allow public housing authorities in several Pennsylvania cities to form their own police forces. The legislation, introduced by state representative Robert Freeman (D-136), aims to help smaller cities in Pennsylvania deal with high crime rates. The bill would apply to the Commonwealths 53 third-class cities, which include Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon, York, and others. Close Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Livestream Alerts Housing authority police would focus on safety in public housing projects. Freeman said officers would have the same training and accreditation required for municipal officers under state law, and funding would come from the housing authority budget. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh housing authorities already have this ability under current law, but smaller cities in the state often face some of the same problems with criminal activity that larger cities do, said Freeman. All public housing authorities should have the ability to set up their own police force in order to better combat crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1000s in limbo as Shapiro admin again tries to convince lawmakers to fund home repairs program Public housing authorities wouldnt be required to form a police force under the bill but would have the option if deemed necessary. Some authorities may choose to simply hire a detective rather than create a full-blown police force, Freeman said. Either way, they could determine what would be the most appropriate approach to enhancing law enforcement efforts and better overall 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 ABC27. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says his department does not do climate change c**p, despite the military being one of the largest producers of atmosphere-warming greenhouse gas emissions. We do training and warfighting, the former Fox & Friends Weekend anchor said in a Sunday post on social media. He was responding to comments made by new Pentagon Spokesman John Ullyot, who told CNN that climate zealotry and other woke chimeras of the Left are not part of the departments mission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Defense Department is not in the business of climate change, solving the global thermostat, Hegseth told reporters in February. Were in the business of deterring and winning wars. That stance is not surprising given the Trump administrations effort to downplay climate change from the federal government and the Pentagon. But, it is in stark contrast to the departments previous position and flies in the face of what researchers know: that the U.S. military is responsible for more annual emissions of carbon dioxide than many countries. Secretary Pete Hegseth that the Department of Defense does not do climate change c**p. His comments ignore the U.S. militarys role as a major emitter of carbon dioxide (Getty Images) The Defense Department currently has 128 coastal military installations in the U.S. that are facing the threats of rising sea levels, flooding and stronger hurricanes. Tornadoes have damaged Air Force and Army bases in Ohio and Virginia in recent years. Research suggests there is a greater risk of more off-season twisters in a warmer world. Hegseth calls it climate change c**p. The Pentagon once called it military readiness. Airfields in Oklahoma are damaged from tornadoes; subs in VA from sea water rise; bases in Guam from flooding; NORAD in CO impacted by fires, Harvard Kennedy School Professor Juliette Kayyem said on social media. It wasn't about wokeness. It never was. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "You can't train for combined operations with allies and partners if the training facilities are flooded," Biden-era Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks said in 2023. "You can't run an installation without water because you're in a drought and you can't adequately prepare for future threats if you're occupied with urgent crises." Climate-driven extremes can destroy military capabilities, exacerbate and contribute to conflict and result in humanitarian crises, such as food and water shortages. The Department of Defense produces about 51 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent a year. Metric tons are slightly more than a U.S. ton, and a million metric tons are roughly the same mass as a million small cars, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. That tally was from 2022, and emissions had been trending downward since tracking began in 2010 due to the curtailment of collective training amid the Covid pandemic, the gradual reduction in combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and improvements in enhancing energy efficiency and the deployment of renewable energy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These emissions come largely from the buildings and vehicles needed to support its operations. In fiscal year 2016, the Defense Department consumed about 86 million barrels of fuel for operational purposes, according to Neta C. Crawford, a political scientist at Oxford University. Democratic lawmakers wrote in 2021 that the Department of Defense was the single-largest consumer of energy in the U.S. and the worlds single-largest institutional consumer of petroleum, with the military accounting for 77-to-80 percent of federal energy use. The Department of Defense produces about 51 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent a year. Metric tons are slightly more than a U.S. ton., and a million metric tons are roughly the same mass as a million small cars (Getty Images) In 2019, a report released by Durham and Lancaster University alleged that the U.S. military was one of the largest climate polluters in history, consuming more liquid fuels and emitting more carbon-dioxide equivalent than most countries. The US military has long understood it is not immune from the potential consequences of climate change recognizing it as a threat multiplier that can exacerbate other threats nor has it ignored its own contribution to the problem, said author Dr. Patrick Bigger, of the Lancaster University Environment Centre. Yet its climate policy is fundamentally contradictory confronting the effects of climate change while remaining the largest single institutional consumer of hydrocarbons in the world, a situation it is locked into for years to come because of its dependence on existing aircraft and warships for open-ended operations around the globe, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like big oil companies, the greenhouse gas emissions the U.S. military produces are turning up the heat. Last year was the hottest year on record. Sweltering conditions can hamper any operations. Americas apparent turn away from reducing emissions will come with repercussions beyond any border lines, scientists have assured. The Department of Defense sticking its head in the sand does nothing but ignore the problem, researchers claim. Its the elephant in the room, David Vine, author of, Base Nation: How US Military Bases Abroad Harm America and the World told Al Jazeera in 2023. It operates with this kind of cloak of invisibility despite having a long track record of very serious damage. MOSCOW, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Russian forces have regained control of three settlements in the Kursk region, the Defense Ministry said Sunday. "As a result of decisive operations, the Sever (North) Group of Forces' units liberated Malaya Loknya, Cherkasskoye Porechnoye and Kositsa in Kursk region," the ministry said in a statement, adding that the Russian army continues the operation to defeat the Ukrainian armed forces on the territory of Kursk region. The three settlements are all north of the Ukraine-controlled Sudzha, an important town securing supply for its operation in Kursk. Earlier in the day, the ministry said that it has regained control of the village of Lebedevka in Kursk, which "brings Russian military closer to Sudzha, with a little more than 10 km remaining," said TASS news agency, citing Russian security forces. On Saturday, Ukraine's General Staff said on Telegram that Ukrainian troops had repelled an attack by Russian forces via a gas pipeline on the outskirts of Sudzha, releasing footage of the engagement. "At the moment, Russian special forces are being detected, blocked and destroyed. Enemy losses in the Sudzha area are very heavy," it said in the post. PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) Police in Pflugerville are investigating a shooting early Monday morning that left two people dead and another critically injured. Police responded to a report of shots fired just after midnight at a home on Orchard Park Circle, near Grand Avenue Parkway and Edgemere Drive. When they arrived, officers found two deceased men. A woman was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said the suspect is dead, and the incident is believed to be isolated. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing. Additional details were not immediately 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 KXAN Austin. By Joyce Zhou and Karen Lema HONG KONG/MANILA (Reuters) -Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte said in Hong Kong that he was ready for possible arrest amid reports the International Criminal Court (ICC) was about to issue a warrant over his years-long "war on drugs" that killed thousands. The war on drugs was the signature campaign policy that swept Duterte to power in 2016 as a maverick, crime-busting mayor, who delivered on promises he made during vitriolic speeches to kill thousands of narcotics dealers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The office of the current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Monday no official communication had been received from Interpol yet, but indicated Duterte could be handed over. "Our law enforcers are ready to follow what law dictates, if the warrant of arrest needs to be served because of a request from Interpol," Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told reporters. The ICC's prosecutor's office said it has no comment on the reports. "Confidentiality is a crucial part of out work and is essential to protect the integrity of investigations and to ensure the safety and security of victims, witnesses and all those with whom the Office interacts," its public information units said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Duterte is expected to return to Manila from Hong Kong on Tuesday, his former spokesperson said in a Facebook post. He was in the city to speak at a campaign rally attended by thousands of Filipino workers, hoping to boost support for his senatorial candidates in upcoming Philippine midterm elections. "Assuming it's true, why did I do it? For myself? For my family? For you and your children, and for our nation," Duterte told the rally, justifying his anti-narcotics campaign. "If this is truly my fate in life, it's okay, I will accept it. They can arrest me, imprison me. "What is my sin? I did everything in my time for peace and a peaceful life for the Filipino people," he told the cheering crowds in Hong Kong's Southorn Stadium, appearing with his daughter, the Philippines Vice President Sara Duterte. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Hong Kong police unit for protecting VIPs was stationed in the vicinity of the hotel where Duterte is staying, a Reuters journalist said. A spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry Commissioner's Office in Hong Kong said it was aware of the visit and the rally had been applied for in advance in accordance with Hong Kong laws. "It is understood that Mr. Duterte and Ms. Sarah's visit to Hong Kong is a private holiday," the spokesperson said. The Hong Kong government's security bureau and police gave no response to a request for comment. The Philippines presidential office dismissed speculation that Duterte might evade the law by visiting Hong Kong, while appealing to Duterte's supporters to allow the legal process to take its course. China-ruled Hong Kong is not a party to the ICC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a congressional hearing last year into his crackdown on drugs, Duterte said he was not scared of the ICC and told it to "hurry up" on its investigation. The firebrand Duterte unilaterally withdrew the Philippines from the ICC's founding treaty in 2019 when it started looking into allegations of systematic extrajudicial killings. More recently, the Philippines has signalled it is ready to cooperate with the investigation in certain areas. (Additional reporting by Jessie Pang in Hong Kong and Stephanie van den Berg in The Hague; Writing by James Pomfret; Editing by Stephen Coates, Michael Perry and Angus MacSwan) WASHINGTON (DC News Now) Members from the Prince William County Fire and Rescue took a detour from a watercraft training exercise to rescue a Canadian goose that got stuck under a bridge. During a Watercraft Operator In-Service Training along the Potomac River, Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue Technical Rescue members noticed the goose was stuck and was hanging from a pier under the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge. FCPS middle schooler sets record for solving 50 puzzle cubes in under 7 minutes Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite having limited tools, the group got to work and were able to quickly free the trapped gooses leg, which had gotten stuck between construction materials on the pier. (Lt. Jonathon Hartmann/Prince William County Fire and Rescue Department) (Lt. Jonathon Hartmann/Prince William County Fire and Rescue Department) (Lt. Jonathon Hartmann/Prince William County Fire and Rescue Department) The goose got back into the water, took a couple minutes to drink from the river and then swam away. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. The same energy that brought Kirra to life last week has slowly morphed into a more malevolent force. Cyclone Alfred was downgraded from a Category 2 cyclone to a tropical low before it made landfall on Saturday into Southern Queensland and Northern New South Wales. It spared the area from truly catastrophic damage, but it still caused persistent rain, widespread flooding, and widespread power outages for hundreds of thousands of residents. Oddly enough, it even unearthed two ancient shipwrecks. Onlookers inspect the flooding in Edmondstone Street in the suburb of Newmarket on March 09, 2025, in Brisbane, Australia. Albert Perez/Getty Images The tropical low, which carried sustained winds of less than 39 miles per hour, crossed onto the continent about 34 miles north of Brisbane and will keep moving inland, according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Gusts up to 52 mph have been recorded and thousands were ordered to evacuate their homes. At least one person was confirmed dead and several more injured. A woman takes photographs of waves at Burleigh Heads on March 08, 2025, in Gold Coast, Australia. Authorities have issued severe weather warnings, and coastal areas remain at risk of significant erosion and hazardous surf conditions. Residents are urged to stay updated on local warnings, avoid floodwaters, and prepare for ongoing disruptions. Chris Hyde/Getty Images As of Sunday, some 230,000 homes and businesses are without power. Meanwhile, major rivers in the region are flooding, and emergency teams have rescued 36 people from the floods in northern New South Wales, most involving vehicles attempting to cross floodwaters, according to The Associated Press. Two military trucks also flipped in the town of Tregeagle in New South Wales, injuring 13 personnel, according to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Some towns reported getting up to 11 inches of rainfall in the last several days. To make matters worse, authorities in Queensland warn sewage could overflow into flood water in some areas. A boat remains overturned on a jetty in the aftermath of Cyclone Alfred. David Gray / AFP via Getty Images Its a rough scene out there, and these images only begin to tell the story. Our thoughts are with all those affected in Queensland and New South Wales. Here's to a swift recovery and getting the power back on promptly. Brighter days are ahead. Crews work on removing fallen trees from a retail precinct in the suburb of Everton Park on March 10. Albert Perez/Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A tin roof hangs on a power line in Brisbane. Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images A street in a Brisbane suburb is flooded on March 9. Albert Perez/Getty Images A fallen tree hit an apartment building in Scarborough, Brisbane. Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A general view shows erosion at Miami Beach after the sand was washed away by Tropical Cyclone Alfred on the Gold Coast on March 9. David Gray / AFP via Getty Images A woman surveys the damage to the roof of a motel caused by strong winds in Labrador, near the Gold Coast, on March 8, 2025. David Gray / AFP via Getty Images (NewsNation) Humans who spend a long time in space, like the two American astronauts expected to return to Earth later this month, can experience a variety of physical changes by the time they get back, two former space travelers can attest. Perhaps the most bizarre side effect of living in near-weightless conditions involves human feet, or the soles. Astronauts shed the calluses normally associated with walking on terra firma. You basically lose the thick part of the skin on your feet. You kind of have baby feet when you come back, former NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao told NewsNation Prime on Sunday. The foot calluses come back very quickly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NASAs 2 stuck astronauts face more time in space with return delayed until at least late March In the early-2000s, he was a commander on the International Space Station, the orbiting research facility where astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have effectively been stranded since last summer. The pair was supposed to be in space for 10 days. A SpaceX ship is expected to bring them back in mid-March. Other effects, once an astronaut gets home, include dizziness and nausea, Chiao said. To me, it feels like kind of like having the flu. It takes a couple of weeks to get back to normal, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Astronauts serving on the ISS tend to have different physical experiences upon coming home, says Terry Virts, who also served as a commander on the station. For me, I felt two things: I felt really heavy and really, really dizzy, Virts said, adding that his sense of balance improved by the time he recovered. Once the SpaceX vessel comes for Wilmore and Williams, the actual trip back to Earth splashing down off Florida will take less than an hour, Virts said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. State Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City, left, joins Gov. Jim Pillen for a ceremonial bill signing for a bill aimed at boosting Nebraska National Guard recruitment and retention. Dec. 10, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN After public pressure from Gov. Jim Pillen, Nebraska lawmakers advanced to the full Legislature a winner-take-all bill and a separate proposed constitutional amendment to let voters alter how the state awards Electoral College votes for president. The Government, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee of the officially nonpartisan Legislature advanced both proposals Monday along party lines. The chair, State Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue, had said in the past that she wouldnt put anything out of committee if it didnt have the 33 votes needed to overcome a promised filibuster, which could grind the Legislature to a halt, at least for a time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But that changed when the emails and phone calls came in, she said. Lippincott making it a priority so people are speaking, and most of them said, Lets get the vote, Sanders said after the vote to advance. Still have to find 33 votes Sanders added that any attempt to pull any bill out of a committee, if it ends up in gridlock, would weaken the bill and said it should go through the committee process. State Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City, who filed LB 3 and made it his priority bill for the session, told the Nebraska Examiner on Friday that he was grateful for the opportunity to try and get Nebraska back to the same rules as the rest of the country. State Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams. Aug. 8, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) The Government Committee also advanced Legislative Resolution 24CA, 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nebraska is just one of two states Maine is the other that parcel out some electoral votes by the winner of the presidential popular vote in each congressional district. The approach, adopted in Nebraska in 1991, has led to Democrats claiming a single electoral vote from the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District three times in 2008, 2020 and 2024. Democrats respond Nebraska Democrats have dubbed the 2nd District the Blue Dot. The Nebraska Democratic Party has called LB 3 an attempt to suppress the voices of Nebraskans and said it will work hard to ensure this bill fails. Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb released a statement Monday calling the proposed move short-sighted. Nebraska Democratic Party chair Jane Kleeb is shown. (Courtesy of Ariel Panowicz for Bold Nebraska) We have a competitive primary for both parties in 2028, and we should all want candidates asking for our votes. That will only happen if we keep the split electoral vote system. Nebraska is unique. Lets not be like all the rest of the states. Let the other states follow our lead in true representative democracy. We urge senators from all parties to vote no on the final version of the bills, Kleeb said in her statement. State Sen. Dave Wordekemper of Fremont said that just because he voted to advance the bill out of committee doesnt mean he agrees with the two proposals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We can have a debate on those [proposals] on the floor and decide as a body, Wordkemper said. Complicated path ahead Wordkemper said he would keep an open mind on both proposals. Lippincott said after the vote that he always feels hopeful about his bills chances. State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston said he is still a no on both proposals. He has chosen not to support winner-take-all in the past, citing the timing of the proposals. State Sen. Dave Wordekemper of Fremont. Feb. 11, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) Pillen, in a statement, said the bills advancement was great news for Nebraska, and Im grateful to Chair Rita Sanders and the great senators who voted to advance WTA. He said switching to winner-take-all would restore unity to Nebraskas allocation of Electoral College votes and strengthen our voice in presidential elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The states Republicans have pushed for winner-take-all for decades. The effort has gained steam since Trump expressed support for the initiative during his 2024 campaign. The latest push likely signals that Pillens political future with Trump could depend on whether he can deliver winner-take-all. Sanders said the committee would have another executive session late this week to possibly combine the two proposals. Speaker John Arch of La Vista said he doesnt know when the proposals might be discussed on the legislative floor, but it might be a bit before they do. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A plane carrying five people crashed into a retirement home car park before bursting into flames in Pennsylvania on Sunday. The accident happened around 3pm just south of Lancaster airport in Manheim Township, said Duane Fisher, police chief. Nobody on the ground was hurt and those on board were taken to hospital. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed there were five people aboard the Beechcraft Bonanza. Its planned flight and destination have not yet been released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The conditions of the five were not immediately known and authorities didnt elaborate on how they survived the crash. Brian Pipkin was driving nearby when he noticed the small plane climbing before it suddenly veered to the left. And then it went down nose first, he told The Associated Press. There was an immediate fireball. After calling the emergency services, Mr Pipkin drove to the crash site where he recorded video of black smoke billowing from the wreckage and multiple cars in flames in a car park at Brethren Village. The tail of the plane among the cars at the home in Manheim Township - Zach Gleiter He said the plane narrowly missed hitting a three-story building at the sprawling retirement community about 75 miles west of Philadelphia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was so smoky and it was so hot, Mr Pipkin said. They were really struggling to get the fire out. A dozen parked cars were damaged and Brethren Village residents were asked to shelter inside as a precaution, Mr Fisher said. I dont know if Id consider it a miracle, but the fact that we have a plane crash where everybody survives and nobody on the ground is hurt is a wonderful thing, the police chief added. Air traffic control audio captured the pilot reporting that the aircraft has an open door, we need to return for a landing. An air traffic controller is then heard clearing the plane to land, before saying, Pull up! Moments later, someone can be heard saying the aircraft was down just behind the terminal in the parking lot street area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FAA said it will investigate. Josh Shapiro, the Pennsylvania governor, said state police were assisting local authorities. All commonwealth resources are available as the response continues and more information will be provided as it becomes available, Mr Shapiro said on social media. The crash comes about a month after seven people were killed when an air ambulance burst into flames after crashing onto a busy Philadelphia street. 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. Thomas Friedman, executive administrator of the State Health Plan, state Treasurer Brad Briner, and state budget director Kristin Walker at the state health plan trustees meeting, March 7, 2025 (Photo: Lynn Bonner) State employees are criticizing plans to make their health insurance more expensive, saying options officials are considering will hurt hiring and recruitment efforts and tarnish a benefit of working for the state. The State Health Plan spends more money than it takes in. Its Board of Trustees is considering ways to prevent insolvency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Treasurer Brad Briner is asking the health plan trustees to raise $500 million so it doesnt run out of money next year. His office has also asked the legislature to increase state contributions by 5% each year over the next two years for covered employees. That would amount to $97 million in the first year. The health plans deficit is $1.4 billion over two years. The plans Board of Trustees is considering how to balance proposed higher health insurance premiums with other increases to employees out-of-pocket costs to help fill that hole. State Treasurer Brad Briner said the move was akin to putting out a fire. Without action, the health plan will run out of money at the end of 2026, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Briner said he knows no one wants costs to go up. The health plan held premiums and out-of-pocket costs flat for seven years by dipping into reserves, he said, and cannot do it anymore. Unfortunately, we are now out of reserves, Briner said. Health plan administrators have proposed salary-based premium increases, with a maximum $20 per month increase for the lowest-paid employees. Other changes, such as higher deductibles and increases to out-of-pocket maximums, are also in the mix. After reworking the health benefits plans, administrators will look to cost savings from hospitals to help cover the following years shortfall. Trustees discussed options at a Friday meeting, but wont vote on a final plan until May. The board plans to set premiums in August. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State employees told trustees the increases would be unaffordable. The state health insurance plan covers about 700,000 state employees, teachers, and dependents. As a state employee, we see having a decent health insurance plan as a buffer to low wages, said Karina Hernandez, a licensed clinical social worker at Butners Central Regional Hospital, one of the states three psychiatric hospitals. We dont have many perks, said Hernandez, a member of UE Local 150, the North Carolina Public Service Workers Union. Health insurance is important to us. Central Regional Hospital licensed clinical social worker Karina Hernandez listens to presenters at the State Health Plan trustees meeting. (Photo: Lynn Bonner) Kevin Thompkins, executive director of Human Resources at Vance-Granville Community College, said the plan should have five or six salary tiers to distinguish between middle-income and high earners. Its hard to hire full-time community college faculty, Thompkins said. Many in-demand specialists can make more money elsewhere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the big recruiting things we have are the pension and the State Health Plan, he said. Increasing premiums and deductibles would seriously hinder the ability to hire and retain employees, he said. While the treasurers office is looking to find savings from hospitals in the next stage of its plan to address the deficit, the State Employees Association of North Carolina wanted to look first at lowering hospital costs. SEANCs Suzanne Beasley told trustees it would be critical to make public how much hospitals are making before they look to employees to pay more. SEANC has been pushing for contract transparency so the public can know how much the health plan pays hospitals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State employees know that they are the low-hanging fruit youre always going to pick first, she said. Dr. Kerry Willis, a trustee with a North Carolina medical practice, cautioned against big increases in out-of-pocket maximum costs, which could discourage people with chronic illnesses from seeking medical care. He doubted changing insurance benefits would save money. Well save money looking at hospital costs and capping those, he said. The board does need to look at hospital costs, said Dr. Brian Miller, a trustee who is a hospitalist and researcher at Johns Hopkins University. The immediate focus is on benefits because they have to do something fast, he said. Hospital contracts are not a fast process, Miller said. Next year, well have other tools, including hospital costs. Well have more lead time. SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. (AND NO SPAM!) Just click here. At the end of this week, I am - at least on paper - $995,000.00 better off than I was seven days ago. On Tuesday the dirty stinkin' rotten corrupt US justice system reduced climate mullah Michael E Mann's seven-figure judgment against me to a lousy five grand. Readers with vague recollections of The New York Times et al reporting on the stunning million-dollar victory for "climate science" have been waiting for those publications to update their stories and amend the headlines to a stunning thousand-dollar victory for climate science. Over at Just the News, Kevin Killough has noticed the silence: The reduction in award -- called "remittitur" -- comes less than two months after Irving ordered Mann to pay the National Review Inc. more than $500,000 in the publication's lawsuit against Mann over the same case... The D.C. jury's $1 million award was widely reported in many legacy media outlets, most of whom protest defamation awards against journalists. Yet, there's been little coverage of the ruling against Mann in the either National Review's lawsuit or the reduction of the award... "I have had no inquiries from them since the decision yesterday, so I think it is safe to assume they will not be correcting the record," Melissa Howes, president of Mark Steyn Enterprises Inc., told Just the News. That's true. Half-a-century hence, anyone who looks up the case in the archives of the worthless Yank media will come away thinking that Mann took me for a million bucks: Scientific American had described the original $1 million award as a "victory" and said the case was a "warning to those who attack scientists working in controversial fields." The Washington Post also described the verdict as a "victory" and said it comes "amid heightened attacks on scientists working not just on climate change but also on vaccines and other issues..." A New York Times article two days before the award was announced opened up with a dramatic recounting of Mann reading the offending blog posts. "The court case has played out over a time period when outright denial of climate science has decreased, but scientists' integrity has become a bigger target," the Times reporter Delger Erdenesanaa wrote. As with the Post and Scientific American articles, the Times article had no examples of these alleged "attacks" against climate scientists. The Post and the Times are less viable businesses than I am. A few days ago Jeff Bezos indicated that things would be changing at the Post. This case wouldn't be a bad place to start, would it? But, notwithstanding the dissatisfaction of their sugar daddy, the Post's reporters are committed to business as usual, at least when it comes to spectacular climate "victories". Kevin Killough's Just the News report, on the other hand, does remind us of Michael E Mann's statements in the heady wake of the initial verdict: I'll add a million dollars to that. https://t.co/b2dcYR4oak Prof Michael E. Mann (@MichaelEMann) February 19, 2024 John Oliver should hold Mann to that. ~A civil offence, such as the one above, is not a crime. Unless, that is, you're Tommy Robinson. The United Kingdom - a sick land dying before your eyes, as Trump, Vance and Musk have all recently noticed - is a country where criminal illegal aliens cannot be deported back to their homelands if their kids dislike the taste of the chicken nuggets there. Thus the Albanian gangster Klevis Disha gets to stay in Britain. Because, as the immigration tribunal ruled, Mr Disha's ten-year-old son "will not eat the type of chicken nuggets that are available abroad". Not just in the Tirana McDonald's but "abroad" in general. So it would be a gross abuse of their human rights to deport Disha pere et fils to, say, Tuscany or Provence. I wish I'd thought of that before I was forced into trial at the DC Superior Court. Speaking personally, I "will not eat the type of chicken nuggets that are available" in the District of Columbia, because I'd rather have a Dover sole in a sauce meuniere washed down with a bottle of Puligny-Montrachet, if you don't mind. The 2019 if you've got one. Are you into raping children? In Britain a man found to be a danger to the public cannot be deported back to his homeland because of the unsatisfactory quality of treatment for PTSD in Eritrea. Did he get the PTSD after raping the kid? Or after regretting that he didn't get to rape more kids? Ah, well. Whether it be the quality of Eritrean mental-health services or Albanian chicken nuggets, it would be a gross breach of a "migrant"'s human rights to subject him to either. These stories recur so often in the UK press that the public gives a massive shrug and consigns them to the "World's gone mad, 'asn't it?" category. No, sir. It's your country that's gone mad - as JD Vance, Elon Musk and others have observed. One notices, for example, that the legions of "human rights" lawyers stampeding to get a piece of the chicken-nugget action fall eerily silent when it comes to the human rights of, say, a political prisoner - the first in England ever to be banged up in solitary confinement and denied visitors for months on end ...not for a criminal conviction but for a civil contempt charge ...and in a prison with the highest suicide rate in the United Kingdom. Isn't that a breach of human rights law, m'learned friends? Ah, the sound of silence, of chicken nuggets chirping. Now comes disturbing news from my Steyn cruisemate Dan Wootton: There is now an EMERGENCY situation regarding the UK's political prisoner Tommy Robinson. Jordan Peterson & Ezra Levant are so concerned about his state torture they are now on death watch. But, to their eternal shame, the British MSM & political establishment still looks away. pic.twitter.com/7syLGprrHB Dan Wootton (@danwootton) March 6, 2025 Another cruisemate, the indomitable survivor of Rotherham's Pakistani Muslim rape gangs Sammy Woodhouse, did manage to get in: I visited UK activist and online journalist Tommy Robinson today at Woodhill Prison. My update on him will be out soon, over at https://t.co/gObMJKoMgv They actually let me in!!! pic.twitter.com/NP3XctBzUd S A M M Y woodhouse (@sammywoodhouse1) March 6, 2025 I look forward to hearing Sammy's report. As readers of what the evil Sir Keir Bastard is doing: Something has changed in the last few years. In one of many perceptive passages (if I say so myself) in The Prisoner of Windsor, the Home Secretary hears of the death of a mouthy Australian blogger she had 'made an example of' and remarks that she'd expected to feel bad about it. And then she discovered that she didn't, and it fortified her to do more of the same. I slightly misremembered my own book there. The "mouthy Australian blogger" comes out of prison not by the handles but in a vegetative state. Sir Keir's ministry has made a bet that it can survive Tommy's death in prison: after all, even the butch boys at Reform are careful to distance themselves from Robinson and his supporters, whom they dismiss as "that lot". But, at the bare minimum, HMG is absolutely committed to him emerging from his incarceration as an utterly broken man, preferably in a vegetative state. The modish twerp of a king will think it's a good thing, too - as soon as he takes time out from his hectic schedule of Ramadan jubilations to notice it. Shameful. Mark's international bestseller America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It. If you haven't read the book during its first seventeen years, well, you're missing a treat. It's still in print in hardback and paperback. (Buy it at a 77% discount by clicking here or order in KINDLE edition at a 47% discount by clicking here. Sales help fund JWR) (COMMENT, BELOW) Mark Steyn is an international bestselling author, a Top 41 recording artist, and a leading Canadian human rights activist. Among his books is "The Undocumented Mark Steyn: Don't Say You Weren't Warned". (Buy it at a 49% discount by clicking here or order in KINDLE edition at a 67% discount by clicking here. Sales help fund JWR) A Long March-3B rocket carrying a test satellite for communication technology blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, March 10, 2025. Launched at 1:17 a.m. (Beijing Time), the satellite has entered the planned orbit, marking the success of the launch, according to the launch center. (Photo by Ma Wenbo/Xinhua) XICHANG, March 10 (Xinhua) -- China sent a new test satellite for communication technology into space from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern Sichuan Province early on Monday. The satellite was launched by a Long March-3B rocket at 1:17 a.m. (Beijing Time). It has entered the planned orbit, marking the success of the launch, according to the launch center. The satellite will be mainly used to carry out multi-band and high-speed communication technology validation, said the center. This launch was the 562nd mission of the Long March carrier rocket series. A Long March-3B rocket carrying a test satellite for communication technology blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, March 10, 2025. Launched at 1:17 a.m. (Beijing Time), the satellite has entered the planned orbit, marking the success of the launch, according to the launch center. (Photo by Ma Wenbo/Xinhua) SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO) Here are this mornings top stories with KELOLAND On the Go. We hope to learn more this morning about an assault in central Sioux Falls that sent one man to the hospital over the weekend. Police were called to an area near the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House around 7 Saturday night. Sioux Falls assault investigation near BDHH A very mild forecast is ahead for KELOLAND today, with more warm weather ahead later this week. Yesterday, we saw widespread 60s on the maps. Expect more 60s and a few 70s today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Warm weather ahead today; Storm to watch this weekend People packed the South Dakota Military Heritage Alliance in Sioux Falls Saturday night to show their support for an air national guard member whos battling cancer. From the bottom of my heart: Guardsman grateful for support Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Authorities are investigating a shooting at a apartment complex that has left one person dead. According to police, the shooting happened around 7200 block of Northwest 122nd Street after a call was received of a individual shot in the face at Mercy Womens Center. Police investigating one person shot overnight, Image KFOR One person shot in SW OKC The victim has been identified as Kayden Haywood and was pronounced dead at the hospital, says police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At this time, no arrests have been made and there is no word on what led to the shooting. Anyone with information should contact the Homicide tip-line at 405-297-1200. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Gavel A fired Oklahoma Department of Human Services hotline worker blamed an alternate personality named "Phoenix" after being accused of kidnapping a 1-year-old girl in January, police have revealed in a new court affidavit. Police now allege Xander Daniel Faison, 33, intended to keep the child and fake an adoption to fool her "romantic partner." Faison instead took the child to a foster home three days after the kidnapping, police reported. Police also allege Faison in 2024 posed as a Homeless Alliance worker in a failed attempt to kidnap another girl. Police reported finding fake guardianship papers for that child during a search of Faison's Oklahoma City apartment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Faison was charged Thursday in Oklahoma County District Court with kidnapping, attempted kidnapping, perjury, embezzlement and 11 other offenses. Faison has been in the Oklahoma County jail since her arrest Feb. 2. A judge Thursday set her bond at $125,000. No attorney is listed for her yet in court records. More: Oklahoma lawmaker calls for grand jury investigation into Department of Human Services Faison was fired Feb. 3. She had worked at DHS since Oct. 14. She was not authorized to do fieldwork. This former employees alleged actions are absolutely shameful and violate the core values of our agency, DHS Director Jeffrey Cartmell said Feb. 3. Let me be clear there is zero tolerance for this kind of misconduct. The safety and wellbeing of Oklahomas children is our highest priority." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The charges against Faison show she has a 2013 perjury conviction in Maryland, which raises questions about why she was hired to be a child abuse hotline worker. DHS had no further comment Friday. Faison is accused of using a fake emergency child pickup order on Jan. 30 to take the girl from her mother in Midwest City. The mother told police "Xander was very pushy and made it sound like it could be very bad for her if she didn't cooperate," according to court affidavits. The mother had called the hotline Dec. 30 and spoke to Faison about possible child abuse and neglect by her husband, according to the affidavits. The two are divorcing. Faison is accused of getting an emergency protective order for the child at the courthouse Jan. 31 by making false statements about the father. Faison claimed in a petition the child was placed in her care due to the father "stating he would kill her." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An Oklahoma County judge vacated the protective order against the father Feb. 3. Police allege Faison tricked her live-in partner into believing she was adopting "Truth Divine," the child of her relative, "Jourdan." The partner, George Borden, told police he began getting text messages in January that he thought were from "Jourdan," according to the affidavits. He said "Jourdan" wrote the child was the result of a rape and she didn't want her. Faison admitted to police after her arrest that she actually sent those messages, according to the affidavits. The partner also said Faison claimed to have picked up the child Jan. 30 for adoption from the child's father with the help of a DHS supervisor and eight Oklahoma City police officers, according to the affidavits. He said the child was dropped off at the foster home three days later after she told him "something had been screwed up with the adoption paperwork." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Midwest City police detective reported Faison blamed "Phoenix" in a follow-up interview at the jail in February. "Xander stated saying that she had another personality named, 'Phoenix,'" Detective Scott Haskett wrote in a new affidavit. "After taking the referral call in December ... 'Phoenix' was worried about the health and safety of (the child) and only wanted to protect her," the detective wrote. "Xander said 'Phoenix' wouldn't say how he created the fake phone number that he texted from. Xander further told me that 'Phoenix' was telling her that he created the forged forms. "I asked Xander what was going to happen with (the child) if this lasted any longer and she stated 'Phoenix' told her it wasn't going to last any longer. Xander said he just wanted to keep the child long enough to ensure she was safe." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The detective reported finding multiple forms that made it apparent Faison had been planning since the beginning of Janaury on kidnapping the child "one way or another and then making it appear as though she had adopted her." The detective reported there was nothing showing her partner had any knowledge of the kidnapping plan. Faison had been at a day shelter of the Homeless Alliance, an Oklahoma City nonprofit organization, in April 2024 after moving from Maryland. Police reported she came in contact there with a homeless family and posed as an employee. Police reported she met with the mother and grandfather of a young girl three to four times, once going with them to a checkup at a pediatrics clinic. Faison threatened to call DHS on them unless they gave her the child, according to the affidavits. "The Victims explained they were so afraid they sent (the child) away to be with family for three months to basically ensure the safety of (the child,)" an Oklahoma City police detective wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police tracked down the mother and grandfather in Oklahoma City after finding the fake guardianship papers in Faison's apartment and a petition for an emergency protective order against the mother that had never been filed. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: A child kidnapping suspect blamed alter ego 'Phoenix,' police say PITTSFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) The Pittsfield Police are looking for the publics help in locating a missing woman. Police say 29-year-old Danier Fitzpatrick could be anywhere in the state of Massachusetts or New York. She is described as 53 tall and weighs approximately 110 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. Chicopee Police recover missing persons vehicle from Connecticut River Danier Fitzpatrick (Pittsfield Police) If you have seen Danier or know of her whereabouts, you are asked to contact Pittsfield Police Detective Diane Bassett at 413-448-9700 extension 529. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. By Alan Charlish WARSAW (Reuters) -Poland's prime minister on Monday called on "friends" to respect their allies and not be arrogant, in a post on X which mentioned no-one by name but came a day after an extraordinary social media spat between top U.S. and Polish officials over Starlink. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Poland's foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski of "making things up" and suggested on Sunday he was ungrateful, in a strong rebuke after Sikorski said Ukraine may need an alternative to Elon Musk's Starlink satellite service if it becomes unreliable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Poland pays for Ukraine to use the services of Starlink, which provides crucial internet connectivity to Kyiv and its military. "True leadership means respect for partners and allies. Even for the smaller and weaker ones," Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote in English on X. "Never arrogance. Dear friends, think about it." Rubio had also said that "no one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink". "And say thank you because without Starlink Ukraine would have lost this war long ago and Russians would be on the border with Poland right now," Rubio added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sikorski had later replied: "Thank you, Marco, for confirming that the brave soldiers of Ukraine can count on the vital internet service provided jointly by the U.S. and Poland". Sikorski had been told to "be quiet" and labelled a "small man" by Musk after he suggested Poland, which says it pays $50 million per year for Ukraine's Starlink services, might need to find another provider if Musk's service was unreliable. 'BIG MISTAKE' Sikorski has come in for criticism from Poland's nationalist opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, who accuse him of damaging relations with the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Diplomacy is not conducted on Twitter and I consider it a big mistake from Minister Sikorski," said Karol Nawrocki, the candidate backed by PiS in Poland's presidential election. Musk's X platform was formerly known as Twitter. The U.S. government has already revoked some access to satellite imagery for Ukraine and paused intelligence sharing, piling pressure on Kyiv as Trump seeks a swift end to the war, now in its fourth year after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Shares in Franco-British satellite operator Eutelsat soared as much as 650% last week due to speculation the company could replace Starlink in providing internet access to Ukraine. Musk, a high-profile figure in the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, said in a post on X early on Sunday that Ukraine's "entire front line would collapse if I turned it (Starlink) off". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a series of posts on X on the subject, that lasted through the day, Musk said later he would not turn off Starlink in Ukraine. "To be extremely clear, no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals ... We would never do such a thing or use it as a bargaining chip." (Reporting by Alan Charlish; Editing by Alex Richardson and Joe Bavier) BEIJING, March 10 (Xinhua) -- To call the China-U.S. economic ties a "rip-off" and pursue absolute reciprocity in trade goes against the most basic economic common sense, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday, urging the United States to end its trade war. Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks in response to a question about U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's repeated claims that China's economy is overly reliant on exports and that the U.S. side seeks fair and reciprocal trade relations. Addressing a daily press briefing, Mao said that the China-U.S. trade, as it is now, is the result of market forces with multiple factors at play, including the two countries' economic structures and trade policies as well as the position of the U.S. dollar. China never seeks a trade surplus, and in reality, the United States has benefited significantly from trade with China, she added. "If you look at the breakdown of statistics, the exports of China-based U.S. companies are also counted as China's trade surplus. The high-quality products at reduced cost exported by China to the United States have essentially raised the purchasing power of U.S. consumers, and created a huge amount of jobs in the United States, particularly in sectors such as transport, wholesale, retail and e-commerce," Mao said, adding that the United States continues to run a huge surplus in trade in services. She noted that China-U.S. trade and economic ties benefit both sides. "If one had been ripping the other off, there is no way the ties would have come this far as we see today." The spokesperson stressed that labeling the economic ties a "rip-off" and demanding absolute reciprocity defies basic economic logic, and those who do so are underestimating the judgement of U.S. companies and consumers. "It's been years and years since the United States initiated the trade war against the rest of the world, yet it has not stopped U.S. trade deficit from going up and reaching 918.4 billion U.S. dollars last year," Mao said, noting that whether it's a tariff war or a trade war, they invariably start by hurting others before coming back to hurt the one who launched it. It's time for the United States to learn its lesson and end this wrong practice, the spokesperson added. Pope Francis spent another night in hospital without any new complications, the Vatican said on Monday morning. "The pope had a quiet night and is resting," said the brief statement. No further details were provided on the 88-year-old pontiff's current condition. Francis has been receiving treatment for pneumonia in both of his lungs at Rome's Gemelli Hospital for more than three weeks. Since his admission on February 14, he has faced multiple complications, including four episodes of acute respiratory distress that required non-invasive mechanical ventilation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the weekend, the Vatican reported that his "clinical condition has remained stable in recent days, indicating a good response to therapy. A gradual, slight improvement has been observed." The next update is expected on Monday evening. Despite signs of progress, there is no expectation of an imminent discharge, and doctors remain cautious about his prognosis. Meanwhile, speculation that a special hospital ward would be set up at the pope's Vatican residence, Casa Santa Marta, was rejected by sources in his circle, according to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica. Last week, sparks flew between President Donald Trump and the Democrats during his joint address to Congress. Rep. Al Green of Texas stood up to confront the president during Trumps speech, which led to him being censured by the House of Representatives. Other Democrats walked out of his address during a chaotic joint address that Trump chose to turn into one of his campaign rallies. But that might have been the opening match for the main event this week: Preventing a government shutdown. It will prove the mettle of whether Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson can hold together the Republican conference and, just as important, whether Democrats will stand up to Trump or roll over lest Trump blame them for a shutdown. Typically, Republicans hate voting for continuing resolutions because they see them as shirking the responsibilities of writing proper appropriations bills and, more importantly to them, actually cutting spending. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Kevin McCarthy passed a continuing resolution against the objections of conservatives in his conference in 2023, a handful of them rebelled and teamed up with Democrats to remove him. Late last year, House Republicans opposed a continuing resolution after Elon Musk raged against the bill and said the government should remain closed until Trump came into office. House Speaker Mike Johnson has essentially dared Democrats to shut down the government (Getty Images) In all of these instances, Republican speakers of the House typically learn that after going a few rounds with conservatives, nothing they propose will be enough for hardliners. They then slunk off to the Democrats to bail them out via a clean CR, which is to say, a continuing resolution that keeps spending at the same levels to allow for more time to negotiate the final spending bills. Johnson wants something different this time, largely to keep the family happy. This weekend, House Republicans released a 99-page continuing resolution to keep the government open until the end of the year. But this stopgap spending bill is not a clean CR, primarily because it either slashes major government programs. Specifically, the continuing resolution would slash spending for various tribal assistance grants for Native Americans and various Department of Energy programs. It would also zero out money for community policing and other programs that Democrats like. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So far, hes gotten Trump on his side when it comes to the continuing resolution, which would help him shore up support from his conference, lest they want to oppose the president of their party. All Republicans should vote (Please!) YES next week, he said on Truth Social on Saturday. 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. But, unsurprisingly, Democrats have rejected the legislation, specifically calling out cuts to veterans' programs. Equally troublesome, the legislation does nothing to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, while exposing the American people to further pain throughout this fiscal year, Jeffries said in a statement. We are voting No. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The We is a fairly powerful promise, indicating that the entire House Democratic caucus will be united against the continuing resolution. But in the end, the legislation has a good chance of passing if all Republicans fall in line -- which has become increasingly common in the Trump presidency. The real test will be in the Senate, where the bill needs to clear 60 votes. Typically, Democrats swallow continuing resolutions, however unsavory they are, because they oppose shutdowns on principle. Shutdowns mean vital programs that they support lose funding, even for a brief period. The government runs out of money on Friday and both chambers of Congress leave next week for a much-anticipated recess. This will serve as a major test for both Republicans and Democrats. For Republicans, it will be a test of whether Johnson can use Trump effectively to get everyone to unite behind him as he hopes to tee up the real policy he wants to pass: the budget reconciliation that beefs up Pentagon spending, energy and border spending as well as extending the Trump tax cuts. For Democrats, the question comes whether they can band together to oppose Trumps legislation without being blamed for a government shutdown. WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) President Donald Trump continues to defend tariffs as a way to address unfair trade and illegal drugs coming across the border, but critics warn theyll cause higher prices for Americans. The president imposed 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico last week then rolled them back on some products. He now says they will start in April, but the uncertainty has raised some concerns. The president would not predict whether there would be a recession as concerns grow over the economic impacts of tariffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I hate to predict things like that. There is a period of transition because what were doing is very big, said Trump. The president has said there could be some disturbance because of tariffs but believes theyll balance the trade deficit and boost U.S. manufacturing. I think the tariffs are going to be the greatest thing weve ever done as a country, said Trump. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said foreign goods may get more expensive. American goods are going to get cheaper, and youre going to be helping Americans by buying American, said Lutnick. Democrats say the tariffs will pass costs on to consumers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin said tariffs should not be one-size-fits all. I just want a scalpel and not a sledgehammer, said Slotkin. California Democratic Senator Adam Schiff also called for a more targeted approach. He says the uncertainty is bad for business. These broad, indiscriminate, on-again off-again, tariffs, dont help anyone, said Schiff. In addition to the tariffs on Canada and Mexico the president says hes imposing reciprocal tariffs in April meant to match the tax rate other countries charge the U.S. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) President Donald Trump reacted to Sundays plane crash in Lancaster County, saying the incident had nothing to do with the firing of federal workers in the Department of Transportation. The six-seater private plane crashed into the parking area of Brethren Village, a retirement community near the Lancaster Airport, Sunday afternoon. All five passengers in the plane were transported to a local hospital, and no one on the ground was hurt. Pilots audio details moments leading up to crash Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A reporter asked President Trump if he believed the crash had anything to do with the firing of federal workers with the Department of Transportation. Trump replied, saying that the incident had nothing to do with the department. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now This Week in Pennsylvania Well, that has nothing to do with the department. There was a small plane and that would have happened whether he had a big department or a small department, as you understand. Its just they have spaces like this, you know, they have times when things happen a little bit more often than normal, and then it goes back, and you go many years without having a problem, the president said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson at the Lancaster General Hospital said three of the victims were flown to the burn center at Lehigh Valley Hospital. Their current conditions are unknown. NTSB investigators arrived at the scene on Sunday night. Officials told abc27 News that a full report could take up to a 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 ABC27. NEW YORK (PIX11) President Donald Trumps tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico have some Americans worried that they will lead the economy into a recession. I hate to predict things like that, Trump responded when asked by Fox News Maria Bartiromo during an interview if he expects a recession in 2025. There is a period of transition, because what were doing is very big. Were bringing wealth back to America. More Local News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers, including Republicans, have said that the tariffs could have devastating economic impacts on their states. The Canadian tariffs will definitely have a detrimental impact on the economy of Maine and on border communities in particular, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) told The Hill. More News: Politics What is a recession? A recession is a significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy and lasts more than a few months, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. Some of the factors that determine when a recession is declared include unemployment, personal income and sales, the nonprofit said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Recessions arent declared by the U.S. government but by the NBER. It could take months before the nonprofit decides to declare a recession, according to the Congressional Research Service. It could take months before the nonprofit decides to declare a recession, the CRS said. Its up to lawmakers to make quick decisions when responding to economic downturns, according to the CRS. Read more about what factors are used to indicate a recession here. What happens during a recession? During a recession, sales drop, unemployment rates increase and stock investments and home values decrease, according to digital financial institution SoFi. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since fewer people are employed, theyre less likely to spend money on businesses which could lead companies to layoffs and bankruptcy declarations, SoFi said. The last recession was from February 2020 to April 2020, which was the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to NBER. Trump paused 25% tariffs on most goods from Mexico and some from Canada on Thursday. Reciprocal tariffs will be implemented on April 2, Trump said. This story comprises reporting from The Associated Press and The Hill. Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. MINSK, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has appointed Alexander Turchin as the country's prime minister, the press service of the Belarusian leader said on Monday. The Belarusian constitution stipulates that the prime minister is appointed by the president of the Republic of Belarus with the prior consent of the House of Representatives. This procedure has been observed, the press service said. Prior to his appointment, Turchin served as governor of the Minsk Region. Lukashenko also appointed outgoing Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko as chairman of the board of the National Bank of Belarus. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Kin Cheung - WPA Pool/Getty Images Prince William has detailed a "terrifying" volunteering experience he had in 2020. On March 6, Prince William visited the Mental Health Innovations (MHI) charity in London. During the visit, the Prince of Wales discussed the first time he volunteered at a mental health crisis helpline for young people. William explained, via The Independent, "I did volunteering for a bit...and some of those conversations lived with me for quite a long time afterwards, and you always say to yourself, 'Did I give enough, did I do enough, did I find the right answer?'" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reflecting on the experience, Prince William noted, "The resource thing is really important because when you're in a mental health crisis, the last thing you want to do is read more stuff." As for his very first session volunteering, the Prince of Wales said, "The first one was quite terrifying." Prince William visits Mental Health Innovations (MHI) in London in March 2025. | Credit: Kin Cheung - WPA Pool/Getty Images Prince William, Princess Kate, Meghan Markle, and Prince Harry launched Shout, a mental health texting service, in 2019. At the time, the Prince of Wales said (via The Guardian), "As texting is private and silent, it opens up a whole new way to find help." He continued, "You can have a conversation anywhere, at anytime: at school, at home, anywhere." Princess Kate explained, "It's able to offer support when it is crucially needed and the opportunity to turn lives around. This really is an important step for those desperately in need." Prince William visits Mental Health Innovations (MHI) in London in March 2025. | Credit: Kin Cheung - WPA Pool/Getty Images While launching the service, Prince William addressed how challenging volunteering can be. "[Volunteering] is not for everyone...There are some very difficult conversations," he explained (via The Guardian). "You need to be able to listen without judgment on a range of issues from suicidal thoughts to bullying, abuse, sexuality, self-harm, and relationships." A 39-year-old Los Angeles County deputy sheriff accused of smuggling heroin to inmates reportedly conspired with gang shot-callers using a secret code and tubes of Pringles chips to move the drugs, according to a new report. In law enforcement records reviewed by the L.A. Times, Deputy Michael Meiser, arrested on April 30, 2024, investigators allege he brought more than a pound of black tar heroin hidden inside two cans of Pringles onto jail grounds shortly before he was taken into custody. Deputy Meiser, who was assigned to a special unit that monitored gang activity at North County Correctional Facility in Castaic, the largest jail facility in the nation, is among 18 people indicted in the smuggling operation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced the unsealing of that indictment in late February, saying it targets a network of criminals who collaborated with associates of the Mexican Mafia to get the drugs into lockups. Half of those indicted are currently in jail, while the other half were free citizens, Hochman said, including Meiser. The Mexican Mafia, a syndicate of an estimated 140 imprisoned senior Latino gang members, assigns inmates in specific jails to run drug and extortion schemes, The Times reported. Two such inmates at the North County Correctional Facility, both of whom are named in the indictment, are Jose Rodriguez, 47, and Jackie Triplett, 40. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In February last year, federal investigators intercepted calls by made by the two men where they used coded language, such as white Jordans or black Jordans, believed to be phrases designating methamphetamine and heroin. The entrance to the Pitchess Detention Center, a Los Angeles County jail complex in Castaic that includes the North County Correctional Facility is. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) After one of these calls, Deputy Meiser was seen on jail surveillance cameras passing Triplett a bag and a bedroll. Two months later, in April 2024, Rodriguez was recorded on a call using coded language to have $6,000 transferred to the Cash App of Meisers brother-in-law. A day later, detectives with the Sheriff Departments Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau obtained a warrant to place a tracking device on Deputy Meisers white 2018 BMW. Man accused in violent West L.A. rape attempt facing life in state prison Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the morning of his arrest, investigators tailed Meiser from his Lancaster home to a gas station in Valencia where a person in a red SUV passed him a Sprouts grocery bag reportedly containing 1.128 pounds of black tar heroin wrapped in plastic inside the two tubes of Pringles. The heroin, according to The Times reporting, was worth more than $225,000 in the jail. With guns drawn, sheriffs deputies stopped Meiser and his partner, Deputy Jose Munguia who is not named in the indictment, as they left jail grounds in Munguias vehicle. Inside Meisers bag, detectives reportedly located envelopes holding $15,000 in cash. Later, in a search of his home, authorities recovered another $10,500 in his dresser drawer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meiser has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring to distribute drugs in a jail and involvement in gang conspiracy. His lawyer did not immediately return requests for comment made by The Times. A hearing in the smuggling case is scheduled for March 27 in downtown L.A. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ILLINOIS (WCIA) Illinois is one of a few states that place minimal rules on parents or guardians who homeschool. A proposed bill, called the Homeschool Act, is hoping to change that. As of now, Illinois parents or guardians who homeschool dont have to register with any state agency or school district and authorities cant make them track attendance or show students progress. Champaign Co. residents pushing for safety increase at notorious intersection Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kirk Smith, executive director of Illinois Christian Home Educators (ICHE), has homeschooled all 11 of his children. With some still in highschool, he said any legislation that tries to infringe on his role as an educator is absurd. Our kids have done very, very, very well in college, and were the norm, Smith said. Our kids are not special, theyre just very normal, and thats kind of representative of what the homeschool community is all about. The proposed bill aims to increase oversight for homeschooling families. Groups, like the Coalition for Responsible Home Education (CRHE), think that Illinois current state of homeschooling could put children in harms way. Floor-level protections like this pose no more than a minimal administrative task for the many families who are homeschooling responsibly, while ensuring children who are vulnerable to educational neglect and abuse are accounted for, CRHE Research Director Jonah Stewart said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Urbana mall hosts Read for America event Smith did not overlook the fact that cases of abuse can exist in homeschool settings. He said, however, that it exists everywhere. There are some tragic stories of abuse, Smith said. You cant get around it. Any educational model will have abuse. The Homeschool Act would require homeschooling parents or guardians to have a high school diploma or equivalent, tell school districts when they decide to educate from home and show evidence of teaching materials if authorities have concerns. Along with impacting homeschool families, the bill would also require all private schools to register within the state something thats voluntary as of now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smith said that the state simply does not have the funds or staffing necessary to carry out what the bill would require. He also said that the proposed measures of oversight and sharing of data infringes on his rights as a parent. What that suggests is Ive got to get permission to homeschool my kids from the state, thus the ideological backing is theyre the states kids not mine, Smith said. Illinois law enforcement respond to a new amendment On the other hand, the CRHE believes that the bill would put Illinois on par with other states who have legislation that closely monitors homeschooling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill introduces common-sense measures that make sure homeschooled children are educated and safe, Stewart said. The concept of increasing homeschool oversight isnt a new thing in Illinois. Past attempts to create protections for homeschooled students have failed or been tabled. The Homeschool Act was read in the House last month and has now been assigned to the Education Policy Committee. Its scheduled for a hearing 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 WCIA.com. FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) This is the week for Kentucky lawmakers to get many of their priorities to the finish line. This means advocates are also ramping up their efforts to stop some bills in their tracks. Im calling this a pop-up protest because it happened so fast, Elaine Tanner said at a gathering of protesters on Monday. Read more of the latest Kentucky news Just under a dozen environmental protesters met in downtown Pineville Monday to protest Senate Bill 89. Its the home of Sen. Scott Madon, who recently served as the citys mayor until a special election last fall and is sponsoring the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One has to question if the Cabinet even wants us to even mine coal in Kentucky, Madon said as he presented the bill on the Senate floor last month. Madon said the bill would reduce red tape for coal mining and construction permits by legally redefining waters of the Commonwealth with the federal definition of navigable waterways. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: The current definition is expansive, counting any and all rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, ponds, impounding reservoirs, springs, wells, marshes, and all other bodies of surface or underground water, natural or artificial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were dealing with protections of a point of entry. We have a point of entry. Someone puts something into a stream we can go find out real quick where its at. We fought hard to get those protections in there, Tanner said at Mondays protest. Now these advocates fear that hard work could be lost. The bill has already passed the Senate and received two of the three required readings to pass the House. This protest was to rally a few more calls and emails in an effort to kill the bill. Its supporters. However, argue the language being defended is easily weaponized. Read more of the latest news in politics Maybe they dont like your politics may like the type of work you in. Thats not what government does. Thats not the Cabinets job. Thats whats become of the Cabinet. And that is why, after many years of frustration of trying to work with them, that something had to be done, Sen. Brandon Smith (R-Hazard) said in support of the bill on the Senate floor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The House committee the bill is assigned to meets regularly on Thursday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. The protesters who confronted Vice President Vance disputed his version of what happened, claiming that no one was chasing him. Video shared with WCPO in Cincinnati from one of the protesters, Ann Henry, showed the incident with Vance. Henry disputed Vances retelling of the story, saying they were not looking for the vice president, but rather bumped into him, she said. No one was chasing him, she told the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a post on the social platform X, Vance said he was confronted by pro-Ukraine protesters while he was with his 3-year-old daughter on Saturday. 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.), Vance said on X. He said it was a mostly respectful conversation but said if youre chasing a 3-year-old as part of a political protest, youre a s person. The video shared with the outlet showed the protesters asking questions regarding the Russia-Ukraine war. We think its in the best interest of our [own people] and frankly in the best interest of the Ukrainians for the war to stop, Vance said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said Russia certainly invaded Ukraine, which contradicts President Trumps refusal to admit it. The protesters said the U.S. is selling out Ukrainians as the rare mineral deal fell apart after a fiery meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and as the Trump administration holds meetings with Russian officials, not Ukrainian ones. Vance disagreed and said the U.S. is not selling out Ukrainians. I think that what were doing is were actually forcing a diplomatic settlement, Vance said. Henry told the outlet that she was happy Vance took the time to speak with them but wished he didnt have to post about it online. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We all wanted it to be respectful and calm, she said. We just really wanted to know what was really bothering us. The Hill has reached out to the White House 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. NIAMEY, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The leaders of Niger and Ghana have reaffirmed their determination to enhance the fraternal and cooperative relations that have united the two countries since their independence. The commitment was made in a joint statement issued Sunday following Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama's work visit to Niamey, the Nigerien capital, where he was welcomed at the Diori Hamani International Airport by Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, president of Niger's National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland. Both leaders agreed to boost bilateral cooperation, particularly in the political, economic, scientific, and cultural fields, to meet the aspirations of their respective peoples for peace, security, and development, the statement said. On security, the two heads of state discussed the terrorist threat facing the Sahel region and West Africa, reaffirming their commitment to solidarity in combating the scourge of terrorism, which has plagued the region and undermined the implementation of development programs. Mahama invited the Nigerien leader to visit Ghana, an invitation accepted by Tchiani. The date of Tchiani's Ghana visit will be determined through diplomatic channels, the statement said. It is no longer possible to deny that in the land of Magna Carta, Habeas Corpus and the Bill of Rights we have differential policing and justice. The law is no longer blind, and now treats criminals differently depending on their religious beliefs, ethnicity and sexuality. The sentencing guidelines published last week explicitly instruct judges that a pre-sentence report will normally be considered necessary if a perpetrator of a crime is from an ethnic minority, cultural minority and/or faith minority community, female, transgender, or a drug addict, or a victim of modern slavery, trafficking or exploitation. Pre-sentence reports are used by courts to find mitigating circumstances that can lead judges to avoid custodial sentences, and impose suspended sentences and community punishments instead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And these guidelines are clear: minorities should receive lesser punishments than white people, especially white men. The provisions about slavery, trafficking and exploitation are an invitation for lawyers to help illegal immigrants to escape the reach of the law. This is not the first official direction to tell judges to put identity politics before the once-sacred principle of equality before the law. Last July, the Judicial College published the Equal Treatment Bench Book, which quotes approvingly a US Supreme Court judge saying, in order to treat some persons equally, we must treat them differently. Putting this principle into practice, the Bench Book warns for example that the family impact of custodial sentences [is] particularly acute for black mothers because black families are more likely to have lone parents. For women who wear the burqa, the Bench Book says it is a balancing exercise to determine whether a judge can ask that the veil should be removed. It says, the identity of a defendant can be established in private without requiring removal and it expresses scepticism about deciding credibility from the appearance and demeanour of a witness or defendant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Bench Book has a whole section on Islamophobia, a concocted concept eliding ideas of blasphemy and criticism of individual Muslims with racism. And it endorses statements by the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), as well as the definition of Islamophobia produced in a report by a cross-party group of MPs. The MCB remains banned from contact with government because of its links to extremism, and the report the Bench Book quotes complains, a supposed right to criticise Islam results in another subtle form of anti-Muslim racism. It gives the rape gangs as a real life example of how criticism humiliates, marginalises, and stigmatises Muslims. Similar attitudes exist in policing. The Police Race Action Plan, published by the College of Policing, promised to stop the over-policing of black communities and complained that black communities are not only over-policed but under-protected. The Action Plan noted that black people are more likely than white people to be murdered, and to be victims of knife crime but failed to add that black people are also more likely to commit these crimes. Regardless of their causes, the Action Plan says, racial disparities in our actions [are] problems in themselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Disparities in policing and criminal justice exist, but the causes cannot simply be wished away like this. Official figures show the difference in sentencing outcomes is explained by the greater tendency of white defendants to plead guilty, which leads to shorter sentences. Stop and search powers are certainly far too often abused, with police time wasted and young, often black men stopped unnecessarily. But everyone is let down if we pretend young, black men are more likely only to be the victims of knife crime and not also knife criminals. The logic of imported American racial theories and culture has poisoned our police just as it has the courts. Following the murder of George Floyd in the United States, the police here promised to become institutionally anti-racist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This does not just mean the police should be against racism, but that they should be proactive in eliminating outcomes with racial disparities in the name of equity. This is an objective that deliberately subordinates the idea of equality, and dismisses it as an excuse for inaction. And so we have police forces asking the public to help to find suspects without describing their racial identity unless they are white, of course and refusing to be transparent in the aftermath of terrible crimes such as the Southport murders. Inevitably, activists have worked out how to exploit this new system of identity corporatism, which is how we end up with Islamists advising the police during operations in control rooms, and the differential treatment of marches and protests. This is the result of the abandonment of our commitment to equality before the law. And there are wider lessons too. The changes in policing and the criminal justice system may have their origins the Equality Act and Human Rights Act but Parliament never decided to do any of this. These changes have been brought about by unelected, unaccountable officials police officers, prosecutors, judges, committees and councils through technocratic rules and guidance. The meaning of laws has been changed, the purpose of the criminal justice system lost, and dogma put before ancient principle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From the broader ineffectiveness of the police, and the failure to punish high-volume criminals, to associated problems such as the use of human rights laws to prevent immigration control and the Public Order Act to create a blasphemy law, the same problems exist. For the police we can also add weak and woke leadership, bewildering bureaucracy, an inability to rise to new challenges and exploit new technologies, and a failure elsewhere in the criminal justice system, to be fair to lock up repeat offenders for lengthy sentences. If we want the law to serve us all equally, and if we want the police and criminal justice system to protect us from criminals, change from top to bottom is needed. We need to return to tried and tested principles, and enforce the law without compromise. That can only start with elected leaders using the power we entrust to them. 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. For a real taste of NYC, a film noir classic Garwood, N.J.: The March 2 editorial Gene Hackmans greatest co-star lists various Hackman films lensed in the Big Apple, declaring the city a co-star. It cites 10 classic films in which the city helps define the story onscreen. However, On the Waterfront was filmed in Hoboken in Gods country, New Jersey (because only God can afford to live here). Every time On the Waterfront is mentioned in the Daily News, you claim it was filmed in NYC, heisting the credit for one of the top 20 films ever made. Seeing the NYC skyline across the river should be a clue. Not to be pedantic, but it is a cinematic crime that your list of great flicks filmed in NYC failed to list the most apt example. No, not The Bowery Boys Meet the Monsters, as Mike Lupica might suggest. I refer to the 1948 classic The Naked City. Entirely filmed on the streets among real New Yorkers, not extras, director Jules Dassin caught a moment in time weeks before the way people lived changed forever kids playing stickball in the streets, parents on front stoops talking with neighbors after dinner, real neighborhoods intermixing and alive. The advent of television hit like an avalanche. Instead of communing on the front stoop, everyone was inside watching Uncle Miltie aka Milton Berle. The Naked City is a time capsule of that era, beautifully crafted by a directorial genius. This Saturday night, grab some popcorn, make a black cow (vanilla ice cream in a glass of root beer), settle on the sofa and treat yourself to a now-vanished America and a cracking good yarn. Mike Gordeuk Ghost tolls Bronx: I warn everyone who has an E-ZPass to check their bill carefully. I was charged for three trips to the zone that none of my vehicles have made. At first look, the charges were billed to my E-ZPass tag. Upon further checking the bill, the same times and charges were associated with my scooter license plate. Neither my car nor my scooter were downtown in the zone. Someone must be using a cardboard representation of my plate, or the people who read the cameras got it wrong. E-ZPass is investigating. I live in the Bronx and go up to Westchester or Connecticut to do my shopping. I would rather spend $9 in gas than give the city more of my money to waste. Daniel Correa Serious illness Manhattan: As a physician, I am astounded by Voicer Joe Schatzles letter regarding measles. Yes, measles may be a relatively benign experience for some. But before the vaccine, there were between 400 and 500 deaths yearly from measles in the U.S.A., mostly caused by infections that had progressed to pneumonia or encephalitis (brain infection). And for many kids, the benign infection lasted for weeks, causing prolonged discomfort for the child. I can not comprehend the MAGA thought process. Marc H. Lavietes Reversed reforms Howard Beach: Given what has happened in the seven weeks that Donald Trump has been president, it is understandable why he went bankrupt six times. People fired who had to be rehired, tariffs imposed only to be halted and funds cut from programs that were then reinstated. It has been chaotic, and it certainly doesnt resemble an intelligent way to deal with waste, fraud and tariffs. The true irony is that anyone other than Trump would be embarrassed by the sloppiness that has taken place by his administration. Barbara Berg Listen up Queens Village: I wonder if some of the 77 million-plus who voted for Trump were Republicans who worked for the government but lost their jobs thanks to the chainsaw massacre guy. Im sure they didnt want to lose their jobs. As for professional protesters, we heard that during Trumps first four years. But believe me, we Democrats dont have to be pros, as its in our DNA to protest in this country that seems to be taking away our God-given right to freedom of speech. The wimpy Republican lawmakers dont have the guts or gumption to hear what the rest of the American people are saying. All any human being wants is their two cents to be heard. If were not, these politicians may not get reelected next year. And remember, all those executive orders can be rescinded. Joan Silaco Inviting terror Ujjain, India: After thanking Pakistan for sending terrorists responsible for the blast in Kabul, Afghanistan when U.S. forces were there as the U.S. faced the music, the Trump administration is set to put in place a broader version of the infamous Muslim ban first issued in Trumps first stint as president, and it will reportedly include Pakistan as well. It shows how pragmatic Trump can be when dealing with other nations. He may praise them for certain things and denounce them for others. Per highly placed sources in the White House, Trumps Gaza policy has put U.S. national security in peril, and the likelihood of terror attacks has increased manifold from nationals of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Rahu Chouhan Emerging leader Williamsburg, Va.: Sen. Elissa Slotkin is the best the Democrats have. Otherwise, they would never have used her to provide the Democratic rebuttal to Trumps speech. That said, MSNBCs Rachel Maddow had a scathing commentary during her entire hour on what Trump is doing wrong that is alienating voters. Trump may very well lose the House and possibly the Senate come the midterms, and as a result, he will become a lame duck president. John Lemandri Act as one Manhattan: After comparing the utterly pathetic ineffectiveness of the Democrats little signs and silence during Trumps lie-filled rant the other night, I have to give kudos to the courageous Al Green. Why cant all Democrats open their mouths as he did and shout their outrage en masse to our national audience in large public venues like the State of the Union speech? The 200-plus party members would not be escorted out as Green was. Instead, Republicans and the general public would actually have to listen to them all, not just to one guy with a cane easily dismissed by MAGA supporters as a kook. My simple suggestion to fellow Democrats: Act boldly as a large group now. The other side is certainly doing that. Forget decorum and playing nice. Force our citizens to listen as often as possible to documented truths rather than to continual lies and misleading nonsense. Stamos Metzidakis Primetime performance Indian Harbour Beach, Fla.: The only thing Trump didnt do was pause for a commercial. John T. OConnell Accountability disparity Pleasantville, N.Y.: Voicer Jagjit Singh tends to condemn Israel for how Palestinians are being treated in its prisons but hardly brings up how Israeli hostages were treated by Hamas. Some whove been returned were malnourished or even dead. Meanwhile, Palestinian prisoners were still alive despite some of the conditions. Also, many of them werent random civilians, but were terrorists or happened to be affiliated with them. Any of the Israel Defense Forces soldiers who mistreated those prisoners will be held accountable for their actions, while just about nothing will be done to Hamas for how they treated the hostages, showing who is really being civilized here. Tal Barzilai Beyond the allowance Manhattan: If Voicer Ebere Osu disputes that the Zionist occupiers stole Palestine from its indigenous inhabitants, that beef is with the late Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, ne Grun, who I quoted. If Osu believes that all the Zionists legally immigrated to Palestine, she might want to compare population increases with Mandatory Palestines quota limits. If she thinks a never-implemented proposal, UN Resolution 181 (II), legitimizes Israeli nationhood, she might want to check out a new English lexicon. I acknowledge neglecting to mention the Brits allowing Jordan nearly four times the territory of Palestine to proceed to independence, since the circumstances there (Jewish immigration was banned) might be viewed as unnecessarily prejudicial. Michele P. Brown Profane content Merced, Calif.: The song Not Like Us may be a hit and the song of the year for 2024, but it is controversial because it includes the N-word. That song may be popular with young African-Americans and it is good to have DJs play it, but people have to be careful in requesting and playing that song. John Huerta Beachgoers in the South Bay of Los Angeles were sent scrambling, on Friday, when a Subaru SUV made its way onto the sand, then began speeding across the sand, resulting in a high-speed car chase from lifeguards and ultimately the police. Luckily, nobody was injured in the careless joyride. Details surrounding the situation the who, what, when, where, why are scarce at this time. However, video footage shows the scene, with the car barreling down the sand, speeding across the beach, humans be damned, and heading straight for the Manhattan Beach Pier. Check it out below. As told by South Bay Responders, an independent organization reporting on local news, heres what went down: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At approximately 3:05 p.m. today [Friday], a silver Subaru Outback was seen driving at high speeds along the sands and shoreline of Manhattan Beach. The vehicle entered the beach near the Hermosa Beach Pier, prompting Hermosa Beach officers to be dispatched, but they were unable to catch up in time. The vehicle continued northbound into Manhattan Beach, then El Segundo, before eventually reaching Dockweiler Beach. As it entered Dockweiler, LAPD was notified and took over the situation. LA County Lifeguards activated their lights and sirens, chasing and catching up to the vehicle as it sped toward the iconic Manhattan Beach Pier. Related: Car Swept Out to Sea in Malibu Flooding (Video) As for why the car ended up in this situation? South Bay Responders continued: It is unknown how or why the vehicle ended up on the sand, and authorities have not confirmed whether the driver was impaired. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, on St. Patricks Day, a driver blew through a DUI checkpoint, sped towards the ocean at Venice Beach Pier, drove her BMW into the water, hopped out of the car, and kept swimming to evade authorities. Ultimately, the cops pulled up in a boat, stopped her, and the chase was over. You know what they saydriving in LA is wild. Related: Suspect Drives Car into Venice Beach Surf Following High Speed Pursuit (Video) Wisconsin's current flu season has been one of its worst in the past decade, though recent Wisconsin Department of Health Services data shows statewide activity is beginning to decline. The severe flu season follows a nationwide trend. Lagging vaccination rates, more severe viral strains and holiday travel are all to blame for the record spread, experts say. All regions across the state are still experiencing high flu activity, though DHS' surveillance measures are showing a "gradual decline," DHS Respiratory Disease Epidemiologist Tom Haupt told the Journal Sentinel in an email Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the week ending March 1, DHS data shows a similar trend for general respiratory illness activity levels statewide. DHS laboratory test data for the week of Feb. 16 to Feb. 22 showed 4,899 positive flu tests 29% of the 16,895 total tests run. The following week, from Feb. 23 to March 1, there were 4,567 positive tests, or 25.2% of the 18,108 tests run. There were 533 reported hospitalizations for the week ending March 1, down from 653 reported for the week ending Feb. 22, according to the new DHS hospitalization data webpage. Haupt confirmed influenza type A is still the dominant viral strain spreading in Wisconsin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's what to know: What is influenza type A? The two most common and most severe flu strains are A and B, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Type A is known to cause more severe illness. Flu A typically starts in the fall and peaks around February or March, though it can last through April. More: Flu cases are high in Wisconsin. What's the difference between flu A and flu B? Wisconsin flu activity by region: Here's a look at influenza activity by region, according to DHS data: Northeastern region : Very high activity but decreasing Northern region : High activity but decreasing Southeastern region : High activity but decreasing Southern region : High activity but decreasing Western region: Very high activity but decreasing Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Wisconsin is seeing among its worst flu seasons of the past decade. Here's why How can I protect myself from the flu? Haupt emphasized it is "never too late" to get vaccinated against the flu and COVID-19, as well as RSV for infants and adults meeting eligibility requirements. To schedule a vaccination appointment, you can reach out to your primary care provider, local or Tribal health departments and community clinics. You can also visit vaccines.gov, or call 211 or 877-947-2211. If you don't have health insurance, you can check your eligibility for the state's free vaccine programs for children and adults, according to DHS. You can also visit Healthcare.gov for more options. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To protect yourself from such illnesses, you should also: Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces Avoid being around those who are ill Gather outside when possible Wear a high-quality mask In addition to the above, if you end up catching a respiratory illness, DHS says you should: Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, then disposing of the tissue Stay home when symptomatic, except if you need medical care Maia Pandey contributed to this report. More: Two states have reported recent measles outbreaks. Is Wisconsin at risk? This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Flu season 2025: Activity is still high, but decreasing in Wisconsin WESTERLY, R.I. (WPRI) The American Red Cross is helping three families who were impacted by a house fire that broke out Sunday in Westerly. The fire took place on Cottage Street, according to the organization. Its unclear at this time if anyone suffered any injuries or what caused the fire. 12 News has reached out to the Westerly Fire Department for additional information. A FreeFunder campaign has been started to raise money for one of the affected families. 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. STOCKHOLM, March 10 (Xinhua) -- European arms imports saw a significant increase in 2020-2024, said a leading Swedish think tank in a report Monday. Data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reveals that European arms imports surged by 155 percent between 2020 and 2024 compared to the previous five-year period. During the same timeframe, Europe accounted for 28 percent of global arms imports, up from 11 percent. The United States maintained its dominance on the global stage, with U.S. companies expanding their share of global arms exports to 43 percent from 35 percent. Following the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Ukraine has emerged as the world's largest arms importer. From 2020 to 2024, Ukraine accounted for 8.8 percent of global arms imports, with nearly half of those supplies coming from the United States. The United States also supplied over 50 percent of Europe's arms imports between 2020 and 2024, with Britain, the Netherlands and Norway ranking among the top buyers. A dedicated public servant says his life proves that anything is possible. Fidele Sebahizi grew up in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 1996, at just 14 years old, he was forced to flee from his home village following an attack. "My home village has been destroyed to ashes," said Sebahizi. His ethnic group was facing persecution and when another war tore apart Congo in 2004, more people packed their belongings and left. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They escaped across the border into Burundi to seek safety at a United Nations refugee camp. "In that refugee camp, we got attacked by several heavily armed groups and we lost 166 people in a matter of two hours," Sebahizi said. "Seeing my friends, my family members set on fire, alive, it was like a movie, but it was real." With few belongings and nowhere to belong, Sebahizi said he's not even sure how he ended up on a plane bound for the U.S. "It was my first time flying," he said. "So, it was crazy. So, I didn't know where I was going." Building a new life Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Far from Congo, Sebahizi began to build a new life in southern California. He started taking English classes alongside his father. Those classes turned into college courses, all while he was welcoming a new child into the world. In 2015, Sebahizi followed a brother to Abilene, Texas, and found inspiration in a community that is almost 70% white. Sebahizi found work in a prison, where the idea for his next career move came from some of the people incarcerated. "They started calling me a cop," Sebahizi said. "They were like, 'Go outside, and be a real cop.'" Creating change Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sebahizi became the first-ever foreign-born police officer hired in Abilene. "Given where he came from, I think he gives a broader perspective, a lot of resilience and a strong, strong work ethic," said Assistant Chief Joel Harris. Sebahizi's ability to speak five different languages is a huge asset to the city, Harris added. "Not only translate for us, but actually help us to communicate and bridge that gap with the cultures, and I think it helped us build trust quite a bit with the refugee community here," Harris said. While working 10-hour shifts as a police officer and raising a family, Sebahizi went on to earn a master's degree and then got a PhD, but he didn't stop there. Sebahizi, who arrived in the U.S. without speaking much English, has now written a book, called "Creating a Life from the Ashes." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I believe that anybody in this country, regardless of their status, they can achieve whatever they want to achieve. If I did it as an immigrant, as an immigrant, or as a refugee, anybody else can do it too," said Sebahizi. He shares that lesson with his American-born daughters, Fifa, 14 and Faith, 7. After achieving his American dream and becoming an inspiration to others, Sebahizi now wants to return home to help create more change. But before he moves back, Sebahizi said he wants to teach college. He added that he would only move with his daughters' blessings first. They told him they would go with him when they get older. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My plan is to go back sometime and rebuild my village, not only my village, but the country, make it a better place and make a difference," Sebahizi said. David Begnaud loves uncovering the heart of every story and will continue to do so, highlighting everyday heroes and proving that there is good news in the news with his exclusive "CBS Mornings" series "Beg-Knows America." Every Monday, get ready for moments that will make you smile or even shed a tear. Do you have a story about an ordinary person doing something extraordinary for someone else? Email David and his team at DearDavid@cbsnews.com Trump reacts to European Union slapping tariffs on U.S. goods Kentucky bourbon maker says Trump tariffs immediately impacted his business Woman charged after allegedly holding her stepson captive for more than 20 years WEST PALM BEACH Standing side by side, members of the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office motor unit gathered outside the Police Benevolent Association's West Palm Beach headquarters Monday morning to honor three fallen colleagues. Inscribed on the PBA's monument to fallen officers were three new names, PBSO motor deputies Ralph "Butch" Waller and Ignacio "Dan" Diaz and Cpl. Luis Paez, who were killed last November in a roadside collision west of Wellington. PBA President John Kazanjian unveiled the monument with the additions of their names. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the unveiling, he presented checks totaling more than $228,000 each to Waller's wife, Denise; Paez's son, Cameron; and Diaz's daughter, Alexandria. Each family also received $8,000 from Tour De Force Florida, a grassroots organization that raises money to help families of law-enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Kazanjian said the PBA was able to raise more than $684,000 to help the deputies' families with help from the local community and through donations from around the state and the nation. "The money will never replace a loved one, but it helps because they don't know where their next paycheck is coming (from)," Kazanjian said. "That's important because we don't want them to be hurting financially. At least that's what we can do, is help them financially. " Kazanjian said the deputies' deaths affected the greater law-enforcement community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Losing three officers at one time, it's devastating," he said. "Not just for the community, but the whole law-enforcement community." Sheriff Bradshaw: Our duty to keep memory of fallen deputies alive Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office motor unit deputies stand near a monument at the Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association's headquarters in West Palm Beach. The names of three fallen PBSO deputies were unveiled during a ceremony on Monday, March 10, 2025. The three PBSO deputies died on the morning of Nov. 21, 2024, when an SUV struck them on the side of Southern Boulevard as they waited for roadside assistance with a disabled PBSO motorcycle. The Florida Highway Patrol is leading the investigation and has identified the driver as a 31-year-old woman from Pennsylvania. To date, no charges have been filed in connection to the crash. Denise Waller described Monday's ceremony as emotional. "I'm very grateful to PBSO and to every single person who has attended any benefit whose helped in any way," she said. "I would like ask anybody who reads (this) to keep praying for our families and don't ever stop. Because that's most important thing that we all need." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheriff Ric Bradshaw address the gathering, praising the community's efforts to help the families. "The hardest thing that I have to, without a doubt, is when I lose a member of the agency, is to look these families in the eyes and see the tremendous pain,' he said. "It's a feeling that you never forget." He described event's such as Monday's memorial as an important part of keeping the memory of the deputies alive. "We cannot lose them forever," he said. "These type of (events), what we do with the memorial every year, talking about them (are important). That would be worse thing, is to lose them forever, and we cannot do that." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on Twitter at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Union honors three PBSO deputies killed in Southern Boulevard crash Mar. 10What do you do with a big hole in the ground? You fill it, of course. The first phase of the long-awaited $25 million Portland Harbor dredging project construction of a 9-acre confined aquatic disposal pit, or CAD cell was completed early in March, wrapping up after 40 days despite bad winter weather, said Bill Needelman, Portland's waterfront director. "It went exactly as planned," Needelman said. "The CAD was constructed just as it was designed, and aside from a few routine maintenance shutdowns, everything went very smoothly. Now we can move on to the kind of routine dredging that should be normal for an urban harbor like ours." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The CAD was dug in a shallow, little-used South Portland cove just downstream from Casco Bay Bridge, near Coast Guard Station South Portland. The trapezoidal, 9-acre burial site is 50 feet deep at its deepest, with sloped sides that run about 800 feet long and 425 feet wide. The excavated silt, marine clay and glacial till removed to make the hole was dumped 7 miles off Dyer Point in Cape Elizabeth. The early finish gives the contractor, Cashman Dredging of Massachusetts, enough time to start filling the excavated pit with an estimated 31,780 cubic yards of sediment from the first three dredge sites: Maine State Pier and Ocean Gateway in Portland and Turners Island in South Portland. These are among the 47 piers, marinas, boatyards, boat launches and barge landings in Portland Harbor that are participating in the project, which will deposit an estimated total of 245,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment into the CAD pit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cashman required two transport barges to carry the excavated CAD materials to the open ocean disposal site, but it will only need one to carry the dredged Portland Harbor material to the CAD pit for disposal. But operations are still likely to run round-the-clock. The first three sites were chosen because they are easily accessible, have little or no complicating infrastructure present, and are big enough to be dug out with the large dredge that Cashman used to dig the CAD pit, Needelman said. The soils being removed have also been thoroughly tested. Dredging season typically runs through March 15, when boat traffic, commercial fishing and wildlife activity are at their lowest. The project secured an extension that lets Cashman dredge through March 29, although Needelman doesn't know if they'll need the extension. When the dredging project is complete which will take about three winters the Portland and South Portland waterfronts will regain access to the vessel berths that have been lost because of shallow water at low tide. And the occasional boat propeller or keel digging into the bottom or storm surge won't stir up such a toxic brew after the cleanup. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tides can drop as much as 12 feet in Portland Harbor during full or new moons. At low tide, boats often wind up stuck in the mud, forcing operators to lift their engines or use poles to push their way out. Lobster boats need about 2 to 3 feet of water, a ferry boat 7 to 10 feet, and a large herring vessel up to 15 feet. The navigation channel linking Portland Harbor and the Gulf of Maine is dredged every 15 years or so most recently in 2014, by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. But it has been many decades since the sediments have been dredged along the waterfronts. It is up to the owners or the city to remove sediment that shoals up between piers, wharves, marinas or boat launches. And that work has been prohibitively expensive because the sediment requires special handling and disposal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sediment deposited in Portland Harbor's working waterfront by three-quarters of a century of industrialization is too contaminated to be dumped at sea. Tests found it high in remnants of fossil fuels, heavy metals like zinc, mercury, copper and lead, and pesticides. Hauling it to a hazardous waste disposal landfill was too costly for any individual property owner to bear. Local officials have been trying to secure grants for a waterfront dredge for years. The final piece of the puzzle fell into place in January 2024, when the state released $10 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds that state lawmakers had earmarked for the project. Copy the Story Link NANCHANG, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Since mid-March, Wuyuan, whose countryside is among the most beautiful in China, has entered its most enchanting season. Across the undulating hills, a stunning expanse of 6,700 hectares of rapeseed flowers bursts into bloom, painting the landscape in vibrant hues of gold. As the flowers reach their peak, waves of visitors from across the country flock to witness this natural spectacle, turning Wuyuan, located in east China's Jiangxi Province, into a bustling haven of beauty and cultural charm. Scattered with historical sites and ancient buildings of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1911), Wuyuan boasts a total of 30 traditional villages. In 2012, the county government adopted measures to protect and develop the ancient villages and buildings by encouraging adoption and relocation. The idyllic lifestyle has not only encouraged locals to return but also attracted many outsiders to settle down. Among them is Edward Gawne, the first British national to open a homestay in Wuyuan. "There are trees, bridges, flowing water, and beautiful Huizhou-style houses. It is how I imagined traditional Chinese culture would look like," said Gawne. With China's ever-expanding high-speed rail network making the once-remote countryside easily accessible, Wuyuan has even attracted the interest of overseas travelers. "Our B&B has served as a bridge for cultural exchanges between China and the West. About 90 percent of our guests are foreigners, and they could enjoy the beauty of Chinese traditional villages and learn about the culture and folk customs of Wuyuan and Jiangxi," Gawne said. The story of Wuyuan is a shining example of how China's poverty alleviation and rural revitalization efforts have transformed the lives of countryside residents. Once economically stagnant, the county of more than 300,000 residents has undergone a remarkable transformation through land reform, poverty alleviation and infrastructure upgrades. Since the 2000s, Wuyuan has adopted an "agriculture-tourism integration" development model, combining traditional farming with tourism to develop distinctive industries such as rapeseed flower and chrysanthemum cultivation. The initiative has spurred the growth of rural homestays, lifting the annual average per-capita income to more than 26,000 yuan (about 3,626 U.S. dollars) in 2023 from less than 3,000 yuan in 2002. In 2023, Wuyuan welcomed over 28 million visitors, cementing its status as a top-tier tourist destination in rural China. As China's rural revitalization gains momentum, Wuyuan is further transforming its local resources into a thriving, diverse tourism industry. A nature education hub operated by a group of young graduates, averaging under 30 years old, has become an in-demand destination with eager participants booking spots three months in advance. From wetland explorations and building bird nests to observing bacteria under microscopes, the education hub's hands-on activities captivate both kids and parents. "We're using Wuyuan's natural beauty and our expertise to make science fun and accessible," said Liu Zhilong, who runs the nature education hub, adding that over 60,000 children and 10,000 parents have joined their "nature lessons." These achievements stem from Wuyuan's groundbreaking "mini nature reserve" system, launched in the early 1990s. Today, the county boasts 193 such reserves, spanning 43,600 hectares and safeguarding rare species like the critically endangered blue-crowned Laughingthrush. This dedication to conservation has further fueled economic growth, with birdwatching tourism alone generating over 100 million yuan in 2023. Party chief Xu Shubin stated that Wuyuan has successfully turned its ecological strengths into economic benefits. Villagers, now reaping the rewards of this green development, have become even more dedicated to protecting their beautiful homeland. "This commitment has fostered a win-win cycle. Protecting the environment drives the green economy, and the resulting success inspires villagers to care even more for their natural surroundings, promoting true harmony between people and nature," Xu explained. Property taxes, public schools, and healthcare were among the topics constituents questioned three area legislators about during a packed town hall meeting Saturday in Highland. About 100 people, many sitting or standing around the perimeter of the room or standing in the hall, gathered at the Lincoln Community Center to hear from State Rep. Mike Andrade, D-Munster, State Sen. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland, and State Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago. Andrade, who organized the town hall, said his public forums typically draw about 25 people, so he was pleased with the strong turnout. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the most people weve had. This is amazing, Andrade said. Senate Bill 1, which aims to lower property taxes, contains a variety of measures to lower property taxes of homeowners, which have seen considerable increases in the past 5 years. It would change the percentage cap used to determine the maximum levy growth quotient for municipalities and counties to 0% in 2026, 1% in 2027 and 2% in 2028; and it would allow a county fiscal body to establish a property tax payment deferral program, where up to $10,000 can be deferred and the deferment becomes a lien on the property. Senate Bill 1 would give tax relief to those 65 years old and older and those who are disabled, as well as establish a first-time home buyer tax credit. It would allow for local governments to utilize a levy referendum during even-year general elections. The Senate amended the bill to remove Brauns property tax relief plan he campaigned on. The bill initially stated a homestead standard deduction amount of 60% of the homesteads assessed value if the value is more than $125,000 or $48,000 plus 60% of the remaining assessed value if the homestead has an assessed value of $125,000 or less. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But school districts and municipalities balked at the $4.1 billion that would have been taken out of their budgets over three years and amended it to $1.4 billion in cuts across the state between 2026 and 2025, including $370.9 million from schools, $67 million from libraries, $304.3 million from cities and towns, and $346.6 million from counties. Braun is dissatisfied with the amended bill and has threatened to veto it, so State Rep. Jeff Thompson, R-Lizton, stripped out the current text and substituted language from House Bill 1402, which he authored and didnt pass out to the House last month, and will unveil it on Wednesday. Dernulc said he has been working with Lake County Finance Director Scott Schmal to suggest modifications to Senate Bill 1. While Indiana residents dont want to pay higher property taxes, Dernulc said there has to be balance. What the governor has proposed is extremely noble. I personally think if were going to move in that direction, we cant do it all in one fell swoop, Dernulc said. We have to get schools and locals on board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Residential property taxes have increased because since 2019 the assessed value of homes has increased by more than 50%, while businesses have increased at a lower rate, Andrade said. We need to totally modify this and ensure that the commercial people your BPs, your U.S. Steels, your big corporations, your malls they are paying their fair share because they are not. So the burden falls on us, the homeowners, Andrade said. As Senate Bill 1 stands, homeowners will receive $24 relief a month while local entities will lose a significant amount of funding, Andrade said. For example, with decreases over the next three years, the Town of Highland will lose $164,000 by 2028 and the School Town of Highland will lose $402,000 by 2028, he said. We have to ensure that we are passing a comprehensive tax relief bill for the constituents while ensuring that other entities are paying their fair share, Andrade said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Terry Steagall, a Highland resident, said the legislators have to push back on Senate Bill 1, so that police, fire, schools and local governments are funded. They need to start the other way. They need to figure out how much money they need and then figure out the tax rate, Steagall said. Randolph said Senate Bill 1 will take money away from counties, cities, towns, public schools and libraries, which means those entities would have less funds to be able to provide services for you. When combining Senate Bill 1 with Senate Bill 518, Randolph said public schools will be hit hard financially. Senate Bill 518, authored by Sen. Linda Rogers, R-Granger, would require corporations to share funds with charters within their attendance boundaries as of May 2025 if 100 or more students leave the district for charters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Urban communities with several charters, including Gary, will be impacted if the bill passes, according to Post-Tribune archives. But the bill stipulates that Gary School Community School Corporation would be exempt from revenue sharing until 2028 due to its distressed status. Dernulc said hes a school choice guy, but he voted against Senate Bill 518 when it was considered by the Senate. I think that should stay with the public schools, Dernulc said. I do believe we do need a good public school system. Wayne Hayes asked how the state can afford to give money to charter schools while cutting funding to public education. Hayes asked Dernulc his justification for supporting those positions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I just think that the money should follow the kids, Dernulc said. A few people shouted out fund the schools in response. One man said that everybody is a taxpayer, so if they want a voucher, they should get a voucher. Claudia Craig, of Munster, shouted out, Its not a fair playing field, my friends, which some people clapped for. When asked to require schools to prominently display information on their websites for how much money is spent per student, Dernulc deflected the responsibility to superintendents. A woman shot back that he cares about education, Dernulc said he also cares about public safety, roads and a lot of other things. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parents should be able to choose where to send their children to school, but the state has to ensure it is being fair about the money allocated to education, Andrade said. We have to ensure that were creating solutions, not problems, by funding properly our schools, Andrade said. Sen. Ryan Mishler, R-Mishawaka, authored Senate Bill 2 which would place restrictions on Medicaid, like work requirements on an insurance program for Hoosiers with a medium income and between the ages of 19 to 64. The bill also creates a program cap, which threatens access for hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers. The bill includes 11 exemptions for the work requirement, including volunteering, receiving unemployment or participating in a substance abuse program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Andrade said the bills cap would kick off about 250,000 Hoosiers who are in the Medicaid program. Senate Bill 2 has moved to the House, Andrade said, so he will have a chance to review the bills fiscal impact as a member of the House Ways and Means committee. Pointing to research from Ball State University, Randolph said it has been proven that work requirements and caps on Medicaid hurt those who qualify for the program. Its unclear how much Indiana will save under Senate Bill 2, he said. Craig said she travels from Munster to Chicago to work for better pay and work conditions as a nurse at a hospital there. She asked about the state governments responsibility to ensure that Indiana hospitals remain open. Randolph said with Congress debating Medicaid and Social Security cuts, the state will have less money to work with to help fund hospital and healthcare services. akukulka@post-trib.com (NewsNation) Retired NYPD Lt. Eric Dym is no stranger to battles, but now he and his family face their toughest fight yet his 7-year-old sons rare cancer. His son, Derek, was diagnosed a year ago with diffuse midline glioma (DMG), a rare brain cancer that affects approximately 300 children annually. Dym said his family has paid $5,000 for a 30-day supply of prescription medication and faced potential costs of $40,000 for another 30-day prescription. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite having what he thought was comprehensive insurance coverage, Dym told NewsNation on Sunday hes facing crushing medical bills. Pitt student vanishes on spring break trip to Dominican Republic Being employed by the NYPD in retirement, I have full medical, full dental, I have prescription, and you figure it would be the best, Dym said. But unfortunately, you find out where the rubber meets the road. The family has exhausted their 401(k)s and maxed out credit cards to cover expenses that insurance wouldnt. The deductibles, the co-pays, just the expenses that are associated with this type of disease are exhausting, Dym said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The diagnosis forced the family to abandon plans for a backpacking tour through Asia. They now live in an RV near Los Angeles Childrens Hospital. Do vaccines cause autism? CDC to investigate Derek is currently receiving in-home hospice care. His father describes the cancer as not curable at this time. Despite the financial strain, Dym refuses to give up. A GoFundMe campaign was created to help with the medical expenses, with a goal of $600,000. Dym, who retired from the NYPD as a lieutenant in September 2022, said theres no measure to what a parent will do for their child. If that means sleeping on the street, well do it, he said. Whatever it takes. 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. The retired NYPD lieutenant who has accused former Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey of coercing her into sex filed a complaint with Internal Affairs Monday over two leaked nude videos of her that are circulating on messaging apps, her lawyer said. Lt. Quathisha Epps is shirtless in one video, which is 22 seconds long. Jeffrey, oh Mr. Maddrey, she says in the video and makes a comment about a sexual act. The second video is one minute and 41 seconds long. She is fully nude at what appears to be a beach resort. There are voices in the background and a palm tree over her head. Earlier today, we became aware that coerced and unauthorized nude videos and images of Ms. Epps shared with her abuser under duress are being circulated via WhatsApp and other messaging platforms used by NYPD personnel, said Epps lawyer Eric Sanders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As instructed, Ms. Epps promptly reported this matter to the IAB Command Center: IAB Log Number 2025-7405. The videos emerged hours before an interview with Epps about her alleged ordeal with Maddrey was expected to be aired on WABC-TV Eyewitness News Monday night. Sanders alleged third parties including attorneys, agents, or other representatives of the alleged abuser may be assisting in the potential misuse of the videos. Maddreys lawyer Lambros Lambrou said he has been aware of the existence of the videos since Dec. 27, when Maddrey held a press conference to admit an affair with Epps but deny any wrongdoing, including exchanging overtime pay for sex. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its our belief those were sent by Lt. Epps of her own volition, said Lambrou, who challenged the notion the videos were in any way coerced. I think the videos speak for themselves. Lambrou said the videos were on Maddreys phones, but his phones were seized by the FBI on Jan. 2. When they were sent to him was probably late 2023, but theres no way to verify that because the videos and the phone are with the FBI, Lambrou said. Lambrou added, I dont know how those videos got out. I wouldnt be surprised if Sanders and or his client circulated them in order to make an IAB complaint. Sanders called Lambrous accusation, Sad. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sanders wrote in the release on his website that confidential sources had identified a cop who may be the source of the videos. He did not identify the officer. Through confidential sources, we have identified an NYPD officer using a cellular number registered with an online application linked to these unauthorized disclosures, Sanders wrote. This officers profile, phone number, and related WhatsApp posts have been submitted to IAB for confirmation. Epps first came into the public eye when the Daily News and New York Post reported she made a total of $400,000 including overtime in fiscal 2024. The NYPD under Maddrey then opened an investigation and suspended her. Epps then filed a discrimination complaint against Maddrey alleging he coerced her into sex. She subsequently retired. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maddrey resigned Dec. 22 after the scandal went public. Sanders alleged Epps was also coerced into sending the videos along with nude pictures and engaging in sexual discussions with her abuser. Make no mistake these violations will not deter Ms. Epps from pursuing every available legal avenue to hold her abuser and his enablers fully accountable, Sanders wrote. Andrew Stengel, a civil attorney and former ADA in Manhattan said the people recirculating the video could be charged and/or sued. Anyone who publishes or disseminates that video is potentially criminally and civilly liable under revenge porn statutes, he said. When two people are engaging in some sort of private affair, theres an expectation of privacy. Its implicit when you make that type of video that its going to remain private. Bettina ivy being sold in a retail store. Bettina ivy is the same as English ivy, an invasive plant on the bill's list of 39 species, but it is meant to be grown indoors. (Photo by Sarah Hagen / Capital News Service) By Sarah Hagen/VCU Capital News Service RICHMOND, Va. Lawmakers recently sent the governor twin bills that he vetoed last year, which aim to protect the states native wildlife by educating consumers on invasive plants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Del. Holly Seibold, D-Fairfax, introduced House Bill 1941 and Sen. Saddam Salim, D-Fairfax, introduced Senate Bill 1166. The bills, which passed with bipartisan support, require stores to post signage to educate shoppers on invasive species and encourage native plants as an alternative. Consumers are often unaware of the harm that these readily available plants can cause when introduced to local environments, according to Seibold. Not only do these invasive plants degrade Virginias ecosystems, but they can also harm the infrastructure around us by clogging waterways and impeding power line access, Seibold said in a subcommittee meeting. Christopher Leyen lobbied with Blue Ridge Prism, a nonprofit dedicated to invasive plant education, to get the bills passed. The main goal of the bills is to ensure consumers are aware of invasive plants and their impact beyond common knowledge, according to Leyen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It allows you to be thoughtful about how you use that plant, Leyen said. Are you disposing of it properly? Are you planting it in ways that its not going to spread? Invasive species cost Virginia more than $1 billion a year, according to the Virginia Invasive Species Working Group. They cause the decline of native species by stealing necessary resources and habitats, and often spread quickly due to a lack of native predators. Stores posting signage near invasive plants is an easy, cost-effective way to educate consumers on these effects, according to Leyen. What takes you pennies to implement saves thousands, hundreds of thousands of dollars, Leyen said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the second attempt by lawmakers to pass such legislation, after Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed both bills last year. Youngkin supported educating consumers on invasive species but was against the $500 fine enacted on businesses for the sale of plants with low levels of invasiveness, according to his veto statement. The bills also overstepped the states authority, he said. The current version of the bills removed the fine. The commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services would instead issue a stop-sale order on unlabeled plants, which would be lifted as soon as signage was placed. A smaller, more specific list of 39 invasive species was created from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreations established list of 103 species. It was developed to most effectively target invasive plants sold in stores, Leyen said. The list includes species such as the Bradford pear tree, periwinkle, fountain grass, English ivy and more. The state government already prohibits invasive species from being planted on state grounds, and commercial landscapers must notify landowners before planting them. These bills are merely closing the gap for retail customers, according to Leyen. The governor has until March 24 to approve, amend or veto legislation. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) Ricky Richardson, a beloved son, brother, nephew, uncle and friend of Youngstown, Ohio, took his final bow with grace and dignity on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the age of 68. Born on January 20, 1957, the son of Mary and David Ricardson, Ricky was a true characteran introverted soul with a heart as vast as the sky, who danced through life with a perfect blend of silliness and yet sternness. Find obituaries from your high school Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rickys love for jazz and R&B painted the soundtrack of his life, while the navy blue Plymouth Fury he adored as a teen framed his youthful adventures. He found bliss on serene fishing trips and reveled in the soothing shades of blue that mirrored his gentle spirit. A devoted fan of the Steelers, he wore his teams colors with pride, forever the loyal supporter. A man of faith, he attended and supported First Presbyterian Church. He wore his cleats with pride, eschewing the thought of rundown shoes, and often maintained a playful fiscal conservativeness in his daily affairs. Never married and without children of his own, Ricky poured his affection into his cherished nieces and nephews, especially Janay and Dayesha, bringing warmth to family gatherings that will forever echo in their hearts. Though a man of few words, those who knew him appreciated his unique charm. He was lovingly cared for by his cousin, Patricia Brown, whose devotion reflected the strong family ties he held dear. Rickys warmth contrasted with his aversion to mac & cheesealways unwavering in protest of a dish that simply did not do justice to his taste. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is survived by his devoted sister, Mamie Richardson Lomax; brother, Ronnie Richardson and brother-in-law, Bishop Solomon Clark, Jr. Together, they will celebrate the laughter and love that Ricky brought into their lives. He also is embraced by his aunt, Viola Davis and a host of nieces and nephews which includes, Rodney Clark, Carl Clark, Shekinah Clark, Miesha Engles, Mareen Engles, James Engles, Jr., Dayesha Lomax, Janay (Mark Rivers) Robinson, Paul Richardson, Jr., Paul Brittan and Demice Stewart. Ricky now celebrates eternity with his parents and siblings, Paul Richardson, David Richardson, Jr., Mary Lou Clark and Marilyn Richardson, who prepared a seat at the ancestral table for him. As we bid farewell to Ricky, let us cherish the love he shared and the memories that remind us of his beautiful soul. The celebration of Life services will be held at the Jaylex Event Center, 2110 Glenwood Avenue, where friends and family will gather to honor Rickys memory. A public viewing will take place on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., followed by the service at 11:00 a.m., where Rev. Lewis Macklin will serve as the celebrant. Ricky will be laid to rest at Tod Homestead Cemetery after a committal service befitting his legacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At this time of intimate need and personal loss, the beloved family of Ricky Richardson elected to entrust the Ministry of Comfort & Care, along with Transitional After-Care Arrangements to the J. E. Washington Funeral Services, 2234 Glenwood Avenue, Youngstown, Ohio 330.782.8500. Send flowers to the service of Ricky Richardson. A television tribute will air Tuesday, March 11 at the following approximate times: 5:17 a.m. on WKBN, 8:39 a.m. on FOX, 5:21 p.m. on WYTV and 6:35 p.m. on MyYTV. Video will be posted here the day of airing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. 10Happy Monday. On March 3, Beam Mobility was scheduled to begin installing 65 e-scooter stations in Albuquerque to service its incoming fleet of up to 1,000 e-scooters, Department of Municipal Development spokesperson Dan Mayfield said. Beam is the third vendor to receive permit approval through the city's Shared Active Transportation Program, he said. E-scooter station locations and rental rates can be found on the free Beam app. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "All users are required to follow state and local rules," Mayfield said. "Please remember that any rules that apply to bicycles also apply to e-scooters." Some of the rules include: People under 18 have to wear helmets.Riders have to be on the right side of the street.People cannot use an e-scooter on a sidewalk when there is a wide right lane, bike lane or multi-use trail adjacent to the road in the direction of travel.Do not bring e-scooters onto city buses.Do not block sidewalks or other pedestrian pathways, intersections, bus stops or entrances to buildings.Park e-scooters at stations or drop zones, at/near bike racks, or in a landscape buffer, if there is one. If e-scooters are not returned to authorized areas the vendor will continue to bill the user for their time, Mayfield said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HONDA THEFTS: The Albuquerque Police Department is reporting more Honda thefts in 2025. There were 36 Hondas stolen from Jan. 1 to Feb. 19. This marks a 227% increase from the same period a year ago, when there were 11, Albuquerque Police Department spokesperson Rebecca Atkins said. The majority of the thefts are occurring at apartments along Tramway, Wyoming and Montgomery , she said. Atkins said the best ways to avoid auto theft are to: Always lock the car.Park in well-lit areas, preferably in a garage if available.Never leave valuables visible in the car.Install an alarm system, consider a steering wheel lock and explore options for immobilizer systems.Put the vehicle identification number on windows to make it easier to identify the car if stolen.Install a GPS tracker to help locate the stolen car. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ON-RAMPS: Matthew Waterman said he is concerned about on-ramps on Paseo del Norte. "As a daily commuter on this route it is a given that the westward direction traffic backups/slowdowns in the afternoon always start building at the on-ramps from Second Street as well as Jefferson," he said. "I think it is fairly obvious to anyone this is because of the 'dump' of cars onto Paseo that occurs because of stoplights at the surface intersection. "Why aren't traffic flow control/entry signals used on the ramps to stop this from occurring and keep traffic flowing?" The New Mexico Department of Transportation is seeking funding for ramp metering, NMDOT spokesperson Kim Gallegos said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 'DESTINED TO BECOME FAMOUS': On March 14, 1903, a New Mexico law was enacted authorizing the use of convicts to build a road from Santa Fe to Las Vegas, according to the Federal Highway Administration. At the state's request, Office of Public Road Inquiries Special Agent James W. Abbott inspected the road and advised the state of his findings in 1904. A report states the mountain road is "destined to become famous because of scenic attraction and excellence of construction," according to the FHA. ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) The Rockford chapter of Youth For Christ, a national organization co-founded by evangelist Billy Graham, is preparing to open a recreational center on Charles Street to offer after-school activities. The youth center will go into a former warehouse at 2501 Charles Street, and a groundbreaking ceremony was held on Monday. We identified this area, specifically on Charles, in such close, close proximity to East High, Lincoln, Middle School, and local neighborhoods, as an area where youth would have easy access, said Stateline Youth For Christ executive director Haddon Anderson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stateline Youth For Christ has been working in the Rockford area for more than a decade, helping teens facing various obstacles in life. [The kids are] saying, Hey, man, we need our own spot. We need our own place that we can go to where we can be ourselves,' said the organizations City Life Director J.R. Flannigan. So, what we try to do is try to take to those suggestions and truly believe that, hey, weve got a center coming, and its just for you.' [Stateline Youth For Christ is] in our Juvenile Detention Center and its at our schools, said Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara. And now, well have this center. Itll be providing mentorship and leadership and instilling strong values in our youth and providing more hope and opportunities. The center will be finished in phases, offering activities, religious instruction, and teaching life skills students can use for later in life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We really want to break trauma. We want to break depression. We want to break anxiety. We want to break on the fact that some of them feel like theyre worthless and useless, Flannigan said. We want to give these youths hope so theyll be able to make a difference in our community. The youth center is expected to open in the fall and offer after-school activities. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) Roger Lee Hake, 62, passed away peacefully on Friday, March 7, 2025. He was born to the late Jimmy Hake and Joan Sorrentino on September 24, 1962 in Youngstown, Ohio. Find obituaries from your high school Roger dedicated much of his professional life to R & J Trucking and Diehls Art Glass, where he found not just a job but a passion. His dedication to his craft was evident as he poured himself into his work, especially relishing the artistry of stained glass. He spent his last working years with HMS Trucking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roger carried with him a sense of humor that could illuminate even the darkest of days. He embraced life fully, reveling in nature during camping trips and enjoying the open road on his motorcycle. Roger leaves behind his wife, Karen Marie Hake, who he was married to for 41 years; two daughters, Michelle (Mike) Green and Nicole (Fred) Bradshaw and three sons, Michael (Christine Habuda) Zack, Jimmy Hake and Zackary Hake. He also leaves behind two sisters, Tricia Anne Lynn and Gladys Nelson and one brother Michael (Laura) Sorrentino. Roger will also be dearly missed by three grandchildren, Anthony Habuda, Mika Brocious and Parker Green. He is preceded in death by his parents and stepfather, Mike Sorrentino. A celebration of Rogers life will be held Wednesday, March 12, 2025 from 3:00 5:00 p.m. at Higgins Reardon Funeral Homes Austintown Chapel, located at 4303 Mahoning Avenue, Austintown, OH 44515. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Roger Lee Hake has moved beyond this earthly realm, the love and humor he shared with those around him will continue to resonate forever. In the way he lived his life-full of laughter, adventure, and love-Roger has left behind a legacy that will persist in the hearts of many. He will be dearly missed. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Roger Lee Hake, please visit our flower store. A television tribute will air Tuesday, March 11 at the following approximate times: 7:10 a.m. on FOX, 12:22 p.m. on WKBN, 5:08 p.m. on MyYTV and 7:27 p.m. on WYTV. Video will be posted here the day of airing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BEIJING, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The following is the schedule for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) on Tuesday: -- In the morning, the NPC session will hold group meetings of deputies to deliberate the draft resolutions on the work reports of the NPC Standing Committee, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate. -- The presidium of the NPC session will hold its fourth meeting in the morning. -- The session will hold its closing meeting in the afternoon. The deputies will vote on a draft resolution on the government work report, 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, a draft resolution on the implementation of the 2024 plan for national economic and social development and the 2025 plan for national economic and social development, a draft resolution on the execution of the central and local budgets for 2024 and the central and local budgets for 2025, and draft resolutions on the work reports of the NPC Standing Committee, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Monday that 83 percent of the U.S. Agency for International Developments (USAID) programs would be canceled, essentially capping a dramatic fall for the foreign aid organization under the Trump administration. After a 6 week review we are officially cancelling 83% of the programs at USAID, Rubio wrote on the social platform X. Rubio said there were 5,200 contracts that were canceled that would have spent tens of billions of dollars. He described those contracts as not serving the U.S. and, in some cases, harming the countrys national interests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In consultation with Congress, we intend for the remaining 18 percent of programs we are keeping (approximately 1,000) to now be administered more effectively under the State Department, Rubio said. The secretary thanked Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency, with whom hed recently had a reported clash, and his staff who worked very long hours to achieve the reform for USAID. Musk replied on X that it was a tough, but necessary decision. Good working with you, he said. The important parts of USAID should always have been with Dept. of State. Musk and Rubio reportedly battled last week at a Cabinet meeting over cuts at the State Department, underscoring tensions between Cabinet secretaries and the tech mogul. President Trump said the leaders of departments would have leadership over cuts they are administering after the clash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two joined Trump for dinner at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday night after the altercation, and appear to have been trying to show they are working together. A former USAID official warned that cutting the agencys programs could lead to preventable death, destabilization, and threats to national security on a massive scale. Contract terminations announced earlier this month will end grants for HIV treatments and prevention, tuberculosis, polio, malaria, Ebola and other diseases. Nutrition assistance for infants in developing countries was also stopped. Friends of USAID, a volunteer-run newsletter supported by some USAID staff, accused the administration of failing to carry out a thorough and deliberative review of the programs it cut. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement USAID Missions around the world spent the weekend working around the clock at the Administrations request drafting program descriptions to explain what we do and why it matters. We woke up Monday morning to find out the decisions have already been made, before we ever had a chance to turn anything in, the authors wrote. Please explain how this is a fair, transparent, or thorough review. Explain it like Im five. While the Trump administration looked to dismantle USAID, it led to a wave of lawsuits. In an emergency ruling last week, the Supreme Court refused to halt another judges decision that ordered the administration to release the $2 billion in foreign aid payments already owed to other countries through existing contracts. Laura Kelly contributed to this report, which was updated at 11:42 a.m. EST Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. OSLO, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Greenlandic Prime Minister Mute Egede criticized U.S. President Donald Trump for his lack of respect toward Greenlanders, describing him as "unpredictable" and expressing concern over the current state of global affairs. Greenland, an autonomous territory in Denmark, is set to hold its parliamentary election on Tuesday. Egede called this a "fate-defining election" for the future of Greenland. If his party, Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA), wins, he intends to form a broad coalition government involving multiple parties. In an interview published on Monday with Danish broadcaster DR, Egede said that the world order is wavering and that Trump's actions have further deepened divisions between the United States and Europe. "I believe we are facing a decisive election," Egede said. "What is happening in the world right now worries me significantly. The global order is unstable on many fronts, and perhaps we have a U.S. president who is highly unpredictable in a way that makes people feel uneasy." His immediate priority following the election, should he remain in power, will be to reaffirm Greenland's sovereignty. "Greenland belongs to Greenlanders, no matter how many times the U.S. president claims he wants control over it," Egede asserted. "We deserve to be treated with respect, and I don't think the U.S. president has done that lately since he took office," he said. In light of recent events, Egede questioned Greenland's long-term relationship with the U.S. "The actions of the American president in recent times make it difficult (for us) to consider getting closer to the U.S. as we might have previously." Greenland's growing tensions with the U.S. and broader geopolitical instability have influenced local political discourse on independence. While most parties support eventual independence, many are cautious about the timing, since the autonomous territory is still unable to achieve economic self-sufficiency. Egede has proposed a measured approach, emphasizing economic development in sectors such as tourism and mining to reduce Greenland's reliance on the fishing industry. He has not set a timeline for a potential independence referendum but insists that efforts must continue toward self-governance. "I will not set a specific year for it, but in light of current events, all parties must come together and develop a solid plan for our shared vision of independence," said the prime minister. By Andrew Osborn and Ksenia Orlova MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia accused two British diplomats on Monday of spying and gave them two weeks to leave the country, reinforcing the downward trajectory of Moscow's diplomatic relations with Europe even as it negotiates to restore ties with the United States. Britain's Foreign Office rejected the allegations against its diplomats as "baseless". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moscow has been angered by Britain's continued military support for Ukraine and by Prime Minister Keir Starmer's recent statements about putting British boots on the ground and planes in the air in Ukraine as part of a potential peacekeeping force. The expulsions also come days after three Bulgarians were found guilty in a London court of being part of a Russian spy unit run by Wirecard fugitive Jan Marsalek to carry out surveillance on a U.S. military base and other individuals targeted by Moscow. The two Britons appear to be the first Western diplomats to be expelled from Russia since Moscow and Washington opened talks on restoring staff at their respective embassies that have been depleted by tit-for-tat expulsions, part of Donald Trump's rapprochement with the Kremlin that has alarmed European allies. Similar expulsions have sharply curtailed the functioning of Russian embassies across the West and of Western missions in Russia since President Vladimir Putin sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia's Federal Security Service said the two British diplomats had provided false information when getting permission to enter the country, and it had "identified signs of intelligence and subversive work" they had carried out, harming Russian security. The Kremlin said Russia's intelligence services were doing everything necessary to safeguard national security. Responding to Moscow's decision, Britain's Foreign Office said in a statement: "This is not the first time that Russia has made malicious and baseless accusations against our staff." RELATIONS IN DEEP FREEZE Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia's Foreign Ministry said it had summoned a British embassy representative over the expulsions and had complained that the diplomats were "undeclared" employees of Britain's intelligence services, something Moscow would not tolerate. The ministry said it would "respond in kind" if London now decided to "escalate" the situation. Russian police in February opened a criminal investigation into an alleged assault on a freelance journalist by a person believed to be an employee of the British embassy, an allegation London dismissed as "an interference operation" designed to intimidate legitimate diplomats. That announcement came a day after Britain announced it was expelling a Russian diplomat in retaliation for Moscow throwing out a British diplomat last November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Relations between Britain and Russia have plunged to post-Cold War lows since the start of the Ukraine war. Britain has joined successive waves of sanctions against Russia and provided arms to Ukraine. (Reporting by ReutersWriting by Andrew OsbornEditing by Peter Graff and Gareth Jones) In a single week in September 2024, Russia dropped more than 900 glide bombs along its 800-mile front line with Ukraine, according to Ukrainian estimates. Ukraine was almost powerless to stop the long-range weapons and the consequences were devastating. Known as Russias miracle weapon, glide bombs would routinely be used to wipe out key Ukrainian targets, from logistics bases to army headquarters. Fitted with wings and satellite-aided navigation, each weighed as much as three tons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, 12 months later, Russias glide bombs are effectively useless, owing to the sudden success of Ukrainian radio jammers. Fighterbomber, a Telegram channel run by an anonymous Russian pilot, said Ukrainian jammers had saturated the front line, blocking the glide bombs internal navigation systems. All satellite-guided correction systems have left the chat, the pilot said. Credit: Russian Ministry of Defence That does not mean Russia has stopped dropping glide bombs. But they are often turned into duds, landing in fields far from their intended targets, rather than smashing into Ukrainian reserve forces or an army divisions headquarters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jammers which can take the form of individual decoys or form part of a jets wider defence system, as with Western-made F16s block enemy systems by emitting interfering signals. According to Fighterbomber, it now often takes as many as 16 glide bombs to hit a single target. Just months ago, Kyiv appeared helpless to stop the bombs. Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraines former foreign minister, told the Financial Times at the end of 2024 that you cannot jam [glide bombs], you cannot hide from them. Tom Withington, a weapons expert at the Royal United Services Institute think tank, said: To put it bluntly, Russian glide bombs should not be getting jammed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Withington told The Telegraph the Russian glide bombs should have been designed and outfitted with a robust global navigation system, which receives an encrypted signal and should be resistant to jamming. This means that either the Russian glide bombs were so poorly designed that they are susceptible to jamming, or Ukraine has found ways to overcome protections built into the weapons. Given that Russia had been successfully using glide bombs for several months, it is more likely to be the latter. It is a significant development, given the devastation the bombs were causing as recently as November, helping Russian troops make their fastest advance since the war began. Their new ineffectiveness may have contributed towards the fact that Russian advances slowed for the third month in a row in February. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The news will challenge Donald Trump and JD Vances belief that Kyiv has no chance of pushing Russia back or maintaining its current positions. And the impact on the front line could be significant, degrading Russias ability to attack Ukraine at its rear, which has been a key part of the Kremlins strategy of attrition. Before sending in hordes of soldiers, Russian forces are known for launching intense bombardments to weaken Ukrainian positions, creating confusion and inflicting initial casualties along the front line. Now, Ukraine is preventing Russia from being able to hit targets reliably behind the front line. [Moscow] cant affect Ukrainian command and control, or disrupt logistics, meaning their forces cant move at pace and manoeuvre in a way they desire along the battlefield, Mr Withington explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is concern that Ukraines progress with jamming, and across the battlefield, may be undermined by Mr Trumps recent decision to pause all military aid and intelligence for Kyiv. According to Forbes, the pause has affected Ukraines F-16 fighter jet radar jammers, which could hamper the militarys ability to prevent Russian strikes along the front line. Europe has vowed to fill the void where necessary but experts have said it will be difficult for Ukraine to carry on fighting effectively beyond this summer without US support. A source told The Telegraph that Ukraines European allies have engaged with electronic warfare companies about whether they might ensure Kyivs jamming capabilities are maintained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pause in US aid and intelligence came amid reports that Ukraine has recently found success along the eastern front, reclaiming key positions and inflicting unsustainable losses on Russia. On March 1 alone, Russia is thought to have lost 1,340 soldiers to death or injury, according to Ukrainian military estimates. Ukrainian forces have advanced against Russian troops close to the major eastern cities of Pokrovsk and Toretsk, reclaiming some crucial positions, according to war bloggers. However, the jamming of glide bombs is not a silver bullet, nor is it necessarily the primary reason for Russias slowing advances or Ukraines increasing success. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any tactical advantage is a culmination of a number of factors All technological advances like these are usually temporary, Mr Withington said. And it is not only Ukraine that has had success with weapons-jamming. Ruslan Leviev, a military analyst at Conflict Intelligence Team, told The Telegraph that Russian jamming had forced Ukraine to stop using a number of weapons. Mr Leviev said: The impact of Russian jamming systems has been noted multiple times in this war. Because of them, the supply of high-precision Excalibur artillery shells was halted. The Excalibur is a US-supplied GPS-guided artillery shell. Ukraines increasing success in jamming, a form of electronic warfare (EW), is not limited to glide bombs but also applies to drones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine is increasingly able to intercept Shahed drones and turn them back into Russian or Belarusian airspace. Innovations in Ukraines EW interference mean that the majority of Russian drones are intercepted, lost, or turned astray, according to the Institute for the Study of War, a US-based think tank. Some 38 Russian Shahed drones entered Belarusian airspace on Nov 25, forcing Minsk to scramble fighter jets in response. Of the 110 Shahed drones and decoys launched at Ukraine on Dec 1 and Dec 2, 50 were lost due to EW interference and 52 more were shot down, according to Petro Chernyk, a Ukrainian military expert. 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. KYIV (Reuters) - Russia launched air strikes overnight on Kyiv, with air defence systems engaged in repelling the attack, Ukrainian authorities said late on Monday. "Air defence forces are working to eliminate the threat in the skies over Kyiv," Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on the Telegram messaging app. Reuters witnesses heard explosions in the capital and surrounding region in what sounded like air defence systems in operation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attack took place on the eve of talks between Ukrainian and U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia that both sides hope will deliver substantial progress towards ending the Russian war in Ukraine. (Reporting by Sergiy Karazy and Valentyn Ogirenko in Kyiv; Writing by Yuliia Dysa and Lidia Kelly; Editing by Chris Reese and Stephen Coates) Russian forces advanced further into Kursk in a major operation to encircle Ukrainian soldiers, pro-Kremlin war bloggers said. Ukraine has occupied the Russian region since a surprise offensive last August and hoped to use it as a bargaining chip in any negotiations. Last week, Vladimir Putins forces launched a counter-offensive in Sudzha, seven miles inside Russia, while simultaneously crossing the border into Ukraines Sumy region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was a pincer movement aimed at surrounding thousands of Ukrainian troops. On Monday, Russian troops were reported to have cleared the village of Ivashkovsky as they advanced from seven directions. Ukraine had been hoping to hold onto the Russian territory it seized last August as a potential bargaining chip that could be traded away in any negotiations with Moscow. Sources inside the Ukrainian government said they believed Russias breakthrough in Kursk is a direct consequence of the US pausing intelligence sharing. Oleksandr Syrsky, Ukraines commander in chief, said on Monday that Kyiv was reinforcing its troops in the Russian region but played down fears that Kyivs forces were at risk of encirclement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yuri Podolyaka, a pro-Russian military blogger, said Russias advance had left pockets of Ukrainian troops cut off from friendly forces. Over the past four days, Russian troops have cleared as much territory in the Kursk region as they sometimes could not even clear in a couple of months, said Rybar, a Russian blogger close to the defence ministry. The task is not to push out the Ukrainian units, but to completely defeat and destroy them, Rybar added. Meanwhile, US and Ukrainian officials were preparing for talks in Saudi Arabia Credit: X Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, has travelled to Jeddah for Tuesdays talks with Ukrainian counterparts. US officials said they believed Kyiv was ready to move forward with ceasefire negotiations, while Mr Rubio said the US could restore military aid and intelligence sharing to Ukraine on Tuesday if the talks go well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Volodymyr Zelensky will meet Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, for talks on Monday. Throughout Kursk, as many as 10,000 Ukrainian troops are at risk of being encircled following a Russian breakthrough last week. In the last few days, open source maps showed Russia piercing the front line and carving out a narrow salient in the small piece of Russian territory that Ukraine occupied last year. The Russian advances have been aided by a significant number of North Korean troops and intense drone warfare, according to military analysts. Vladimir Putins army had been trying to push Ukrainian forces out of Kursk through slow, grinding advances, including by deploying 12,000 North Korean soldiers in October last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, until last week, Russia had only managed to make gradual gains, seizing back just over half of its land. Its operations to expel Ukrainian forces from the border region intensified on March 6 and 7, the days after the US paused military aid and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine. Ukrainian troops in Sumy region, Ukraine, fire on Russians with a mortar on Sunday - Diego Fedele/Getty A source inside the Ukrainian government told Time magazine that the suspension of US intelligence had the most impact on its Kursk operations. Commander in Chief Syrskyi on Monday played down fears that his troops were being surrounded. General Syrskyi, who said he was visiting the forces fighting in Kursk without specifying whether he had crossed into Russia, made the remark in a statement on social media in which he also said the situation was under control. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A number of settlements on the border, the names of which appear in the reports of Russian propagandists, no longer actually exist they have been destroyed by the aggressors shelling, Syrskyi said. Enemy is suffering significant losses Despite the involvement of a significant number of Russian troops in the offensive, reinforced by North Korean infantry, the enemy is suffering significant losses in manpower and equipment, he added. He did say that Ukraine was reinforcing its soldiers in Kursk, writing: I made a decision to strengthen our grouping with the necessary forces and means, including electronic warfare and unmanned components. The dynamics of fighting between the Kursk and Sumy regions were under the control of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, he wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He conceded however that Ukrainian forces were buckling under mounting Russian pressure and were having to fall back to positions that are easier to hold. The units are taking timely measures to manoeuvre to favourable defence lines, Syrsky said. Russias defence ministry said on Sunday that its forces had recaptured three more settlements in the Kursk region. Meanwhile, the governor of the Russian region said three people were killed and nine others wounded by a Ukrainian strike on a shopping centre. The evening strike targeted the village of Belaya, located in the regions Belovsky district, Alexander Khinshtein wrote on Telegram. Inflicting maximum damage The Institute for the Study of War, a US-based military think tank, said the link between the US pause and Russias advances in Kursk was unclear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But it added that the push aligned with the Kremlins comments on inflicting maximum damage on Ukraine following Washingtons decision. On Sunday, Donald Trump said the US had just about restored intelligence-sharing with Ukraine, though he did not elaborate further. Russia holds around a fifth of Ukraines territory, including Crimea which it annexed in 2014, and its troops are also pressing in the eastern Donetsk region, having ramped up drone and missile strikes on cities and towns far from the front. Russia has launched 1,200 aerial guided bombs, nearly 870 attack drones and more than 80 missiles at Ukraine in the past week alone, Zelensky has 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. Details have emerged of an extraordinary mission launched by Russian soldiers in the Kursk region, during which they penetrated deep into Ukrainian-held territory via a gas pipeline. The soldiers reportedly around 100 in total were apparently tasked with an assault on Sudzha, a critical Ukrainian-held town in the region. Although the results of the raid are unclear at this stage, it further underscores the huge challenge that Ukraine faces if its to retain a foothold in this area of western Russia. New videos and photos from the gas pipeline in the Kursk Region! MAKS 24 (@maks23.bsky.social) 2025-03-08T20:37:52.954Z A detailed description of the Russian mission, which took place on March 8, was provided in the Ukrainian media by journalist Yurii Butusov, whose original source was a member of a Ukrainian unit operating in the Kursk region. Kursk region. An alleged photo of the gas pipeline through which the Russians wanted to infiltrate Sudzha unnoticed. MAKS 24 (@maks23.bsky.social) 2025-03-08T18:50:53.983Z Multiple photos and videos purportedly documenting the operation have also been published by Russian military social media accounts, including showing soldiers wearing breathing gear and moving down the pipeline that is only around 4.5 feet wide. Reportedly, the raiders spent four days crawling through the pipeline, which is roughly nine miles long. Unconfirmed reports suggest that some of the soldiers may have suffocated while in the pipeline. However, at least some made it out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Butusovs source: The enemy used a gas pipeline and came out in area N [the precise location is concealed for security purposes] It was not a surprise, as we knew about this action. But the focus had been shifted to Kurilovka [a village south of Sudzha] a few days ago. Another account suggests that the Russians did achieve some element of surprise, with the use of the pipeline ensuring that these forces could be moved without being detected by Ukrainian surveillance drones. The same source notes that Russian preparations for the mission included airstrikes in the vicinity of the area, something that took place over several days. Its reported that the Russian army has intensified attacks in Kursk region of Russia.According to unverified information,Russians have gotten to Ukrainian positions in Sudzha through the Druzhba gas pipeline this morning.Reportedly,the pipeline is under increased observation Anton Gerashchenko (@antongerashchenko.bsky.social) 2025-03-08T16:21:53.198Z The exact pipeline used by the Russian soldiers is not entirely clear, although all signs point to it being part of the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhhorod gas pipeline. Also known as the Brotherhood pipeline, or West-Siberian Pipeline, this was previously used to transport Russian gas to Europe via Ukraine. Partially owned and operated by Ukraine, it has been out of use since the end of 2024. An infographic showing Russian gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine as of August 2024, including the location of Sudzha in the Kursk region. Photo by Murat Usubali/Anadolu via Getty Images Anadolu Regardless, some of the Russian soldiers emerged from the pipeline before attempting to reach Ukrainian positions near Sudzha, a small town around 65 miles southwest of the city of Kursk. Sudzha has been occupied by Ukrainian forces since mid-August 2024 after they launched an incursion into the region. About 100 Russians use gas pipeline to reach Ukrainian positions near Sudzha, Kursk Oblast Ukrainska Pravda (@pravda.ua) 2025-03-08T11:36:34.848Z What happened to the Russian soldiers after they arrived in Sudzha is also unclear at this stage. One report suggests that efforts are underway to eliminate the infiltrators, while surveillance of the pipeline has now been stepped up to avoid a repeat of the raid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ukrainian General Staff released footage purportedly showing Ukrainian troops engaging some of the Russian assault troops after they emerged from the tunnel, shown below: Destruction of Russian soldiers who came out of a gas pipeline in the Kursk region! MAKS 24 (@maks23.bsky.social) 2025-03-08T19:47:10.620Z Its certainly possible that at least some elements of the Russian assault company linked up with other troops already on the ground in the Sudzha area. After all, Russian forces achieved a breakthrough of the Ukrainian defensive line south of the town in recent days. The area is now a focus of fighting, as the Ukrainian Armed Forces try and hold the Russians back to avoid an encirclement and the cutting off of vital supply routes. Ukrainian troops install defenses across a key route within the Sumy region to protect against a potential Russian counterassault out of the Kursk region on the other side of the border. Photo by Serhiy Morgunov/for The Washington Post Serhiy Morgunov Russian special forces are being detected, blocked, and destroyed. Enemy losses in the Sudzha area are very heavy, Ukraines military claimed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The current situation has been developing for some time now, with the Russians increasing their focus on Sudzha. Even before the end of last year, Russian troops had entered the village of Kurilovka, south of Sudzha, and forced a Ukrainian brigade to give up its positions. After that, the enemy built up its forces and systematically launched assault operations, a Ukrainian military source told Ukrainska Pravda on March 7. Yesterday and the day before [6 and 5 March], they made a breakthrough. Some of the key locations in the current fighting for Sudzha. Google Earth In particular, it seems Russian forces are aiming to take control of the road running between Sumy, Yunakivka, and Sudzha, which provides Ukrainians with a critical access route into the Kursk region. A string of other villages to the north of Sudzha have already been recaptured, including Staraya, Novaya Sorochina, and Malaya Loknya, as well as other small settlements to the immediate east of the town. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Overall, the situation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kursk region is becoming increasingly precarious. Ukrainian reports state that the Russians are carrying out massive attacks along the entire front of the Kursk sanitary zone and are assaulting relentlessly. As well as having significantly more firepower especially artillery the Russians are backed up by North Korean troops, bolstering what is already a significant numerical advantage. This Russian military ID was found on a North Korean soldier in the Kursk region and presented by soldiers from the Ukrainian 8th Special Operations Forces Regiment, 1st Battalion. Photo by Ed Ram/for The Washington Post via Getty Images The Washington Post Russias ex-president, Dmitry Medvedev, recently claimed that Ukrainian forces in Kursk were almost surrounded and would soon be driven out. The lid of the smoking cauldron is almost closed. The offensive continues, he posted on Telegram. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Holding territory in Kursk over the long term was always going to be a huge challenge for Ukraine. Even with adequate supplies of ammunition, the flanks of the so-called sanitary zone are being repeatedly attacked by Russian ground forces and airpower. Meanwhile, the front of the zone has narrowed, making it more difficult to hold. At the same time, the United States has now hit pause on military support for Ukraine, as well as access to intelligence and satellite feeds. There are now increasing calls from Ukrainian analysts to withdraw entirely from Kursk, with the tables now apparently firmly tilted in the Russians favor. A Ukrainian tank crew at a fallback position in the Sumy region, Ukraine, last December. The troops from the 95th Air Assault Brigade were preparing for orders to return to the Kursk region. Photo by Serhiy Morgunov/for The Washington Post Serhiy Morgunov On the other hand, the political importance of Ukraine having a foothold in Russia shouldnt be discounted. Indeed, with critical talks between Ukraine and the United States due to be held in Saudi Arabia this week, holding onto what is a key bargaining chip is perhaps now more important than ever for Kyiv. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its expected that the talks will see Ukraine propose a peace plan that will include an end to aerial drone and missile strikes, together with a suspension of military activity in the Black Sea. The pipeline raid highlights the importance to Russia of recapturing this territory. Less clear is how long Ukraine can hold out as losses mount and the tide of public opinion threatens to turn against what was, at the start, a notably bold operation but one that now is becoming increasingly perilous for the forces that Kyiv has committed there. Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com Russian attack drones hit a poultry processing plant and an agricultural business building on the evening of 9 March, causing a fire and damaging warehouses, machinery and refrigeration units. Source: Oleh Syniehubov, Head of Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram Quote: "23:40, the village of Pokrovske in the Izium district. The slaughterhouse building at a poultry processing plant and refrigeration units were damaged as a result of a strike by two Shahed UAVs." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Drones attacked the village of Verkhnozorianske in the Kupiansk district a little earlier, at 23:26. "A fire broke out at an agricultural business as a result of a strike by two Shahed UAVs. A warehouse, six tractors, one lorry and structural elements of the warehouse were damaged," Synehubov reported. He said there had been no casualties. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has stated that the situation in Russias Kursk Oblast remains under the control of Ukraines defence forces, though they require reinforcement with electronic warfare systems and drones. Source: Syrskyis statement, posted by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook Quote: "A number of settlements along the border whose names appear in Russian propaganda reports no longer exist they have been destroyed by the aggressors firepower. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite deploying a significant number of troops, including North Korean infantry, in offensive actions, the enemy is suffering heavy personnel and equipment losses. In the area near the Russian village of Plekhovo alone, the enemy lost nearly a battalion of infantry in four days of fighting. Individual sabotage and reconnaissance groups, as well as small enemy infantry units attempting to infiltrate Ukrainian territory, are being destroyed by our firepower thanks to a pre-established defence system. I have made decisions on-site to strengthen our grouping with the necessary forces and assets, including electronic warfare systems and drone units." Details: Syrskyi also stressed that there is no threat of Ukrainian units being encircled in Kursk Oblast. "The units are executing timely manoeuvres to more advantageous defensive positions," he wrote. Background: On 10 March, UK intelligence reported that Ukraine's defence forces had conducted a series of counteroffensive actions near the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, while in Russias Kursk Oblast, Russian forces were putting pressure on Ukrainian units. On 9 March, the analytical project DeepState reported that Russian forces had regained control of the settlements of Martynovka and Malaya Loknya in Kursk Oblast. On 7 March, reports emerged that Russian forces had broken through Ukrainian defensive lines south of Sudzha in Kursk Oblast, with Ukrainian defence forces attempting to stabilise the situation. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! WELLINGTON, March 10 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand's next major mining operation is set to begin commercial production by 2026, toward the government's goal of doubling mineral export revenue to 3 billion NZ dollars (1.71 billion U.S. dollars) by 2035. The operation will create 250 jobs and contribute 350 million NZ dollars to the goal, Resources Minister Shane Jones said on Monday. The Snowy River underground gold mine in Reefton in the South Island, operated by Federation Mining, aims to start gold production following nearly 25,000m of exploration drilling, Jones said. The project is now focused on developing its processing plant, with construction set to begin in mid-2025, employing more than 160 workers over the next year. In February alone, the project injected 2.9 million NZ dollars into New Zealand's regional economy, with 1 million NZ dollars directly benefiting the West Coast, Jones said. (1 NZ dollar equals 0.57 U.S. dollar) Olga Dorokhina, a Russian woman whose son was killed in Russia's war against Ukraine, has abducted a 4-year-old girl from the temporarily occupied part of Kherson Oblast and plans to "adopt" her. Source: Dorokhina during a meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, as reported by Suspilne Details: The Russian woman said that during her first trip to Kherson Oblast, she had found a "daughter" who is now "under the care" of her family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Olga Dorokhina is a member of the organisation "Hero's Wife and Mother. Crimea". She is from the city of Yelets in Lipetsk Oblast, but in 2016 her family moved to occupied Simferopol. Her husband, Alexander Dorokhin, is a former employee of the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service and a veteran of the Russian-Chechen war. Their eldest son, Vladislav Dorokhin, was a sailor in the Black Sea Fleet and died in June 2022 in Donetsk Oblast during the war against Ukraine. After the death of her son, Olga Dorokhina began to engage in "humanitarian missions" in the occupied territories of Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During one of these trips, she took a 4-year-old girl from Kherson Oblast. It is currently unknown where in Kherson Oblast the child was taken from. Kateryna Rashevska, a lawyer at the Regional Human Rights Centre, suggests that the girl may have previously lived in a Kherson orphanage from which Russians took orphans to an unknown destination in 2022. The lawyer says that such actions by Dorokhina may be considered to be a violation of international law, in particular, a crime with signs of genocide. The forced displacement of children from one national group to another is prohibited by the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Background: On 17 March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin and Russian Ombudsperson for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova. They are accused of illegally deporting and transferring Ukrainian children from the occupied territories of Ukraine to the Russian Federation, which is a war crime. Belova herself also "adopted" a Ukrainian teenager deported from Mariupol. The Ukrainian authorities say that Russia has deported at least 20,000 Ukrainian children, and started doing so on a massive scale 6 days before the start of the full-scale war. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! There are reports in the Russian media that Ukrainian citizens trying to enter Russia are being refused entry on a massive scale. Source: The Moscow Times Details: Ukrainians who have been refused entry to Russia say this practice is systematic. Those denied entry are issued with long-term bans lasting either 20 or 50 years on visiting Russia. The refuseniks do not find out about the ban immediately, and no annotations are left on their passports. It is not until a few months later that information about a ban can be obtained from Belarusian Interior Ministry databases or through an inquiry to the FSB (the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In practice, a ban on entry to Russia also applies to Belarus, as the Belarusian Interior Ministry synchronises its databases with those of Russias FSB. A visa expert confirmed to The Moscow Times that Ukrainians are having problems at the border. In mid-2023, the Russian government suddenly restricted Ukrainian citizens' ability to enter Russia from third countries. The only points at which Ukrainian nationals can now cross the Russian border are Moscows Sheremetyevo International Airport and the Ludumka road crossing on the border with Latvia in Pskov Oblast. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! RUTHERFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WSPA) Deputies said a shooting investigation from February has led to an arrest. On February 26, deputies with the Rutherford County Sheriffs Office responded to a call on Race Path Church Road in reference to a shooting. A female victim had suffered from a gunshot wound, deputies said. The victim, Destiny Wyatt, had succumbed to her injuries while at the hospital. Deputies said warrants were secured on Kenneth Ronald Dixon II, 20, for Involuntary Manslaughter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday, Dixon turned himself in at the Rutherford County Detention Facility, deputies said. His bond was set to $50,000. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. MUSKEGON, Mich. (WOOD) Michigan State Police has awarded Muskegon County $318,812 in grants to help prevent youth gun violence. The grant money comes from the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program through the U.S. Department of Justice. It will allow Trinity Health Muskegon to place three community health workers in Muskegon-area schools to work with at-risk youth through the SafERTeens program. SafERteens was originally introduced at Trinity Health Muskegon in 2023. When teens come into the emergency room, they are asked three screening questions to help determine if they could be involved in gun violence. For positive screenings, a social worker or community health worker speaks with the teen about the impacts gun violence can have on them. They also discuss how to overcome these situations and how to achieve their goals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Program works to intervene before Muskegon youth involved in violence The most recent grant is aimed at increasing Trinity Health Muskegons ability to reach those teens by bringing SafERteens to schools. Community health workers will implement a similar version of the program and work with students on other issues that might increase their risk of violence. The workers will be placed in the Muskegon Heights Public School Academy System, Muskegon Public Schools and Orchard View School District. The health and safety of our students is critical to their success, and having additional support in our schools will allow Community Health Workers to address student needs, providing whole child support to help them flourish academically, as well as socially and emotionally, Randy Lindquist, MAISD superintendent, said in a statement. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. Mar. 10House Speaker Pro Tem Fred Doucette, R-Salem, resigned the House seat he's held for six terms to join the Trump administration as the Region 1 administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Boston. The federal Hatch Act bars anyone from holding an elected state post while working for the federal government. "As a steadfast representative of New Hampshire, his commitment to this state and constituents has been unwavering. His wisdom and experience will undoubtedly guide his team with integrity and purpose," said House Speaker Sherman Packard, R-Londonderry, who was the first to confirm the hiring. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "On behalf of the N.H. House of Representatives, congratulations once again, and thank you, Fred, for your service to both New Hampshire and our nation. It has been a pleasure serving with you." A retired firefighter and paramedic, Doucette, 60, was a loyal and early supporter of then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in 2015. After Trump won the White House, there were reports that Doucette would be tapped to work in the federal Department of Agriculture, but that appointment never came to pass. Doucette also worked on behalf of Trump in 2020. In the spring of 2023, Doucette revealed that he had left the Trump team and instead would be paid senior adviser to the rival GOP campaign of entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After a disappointing showing in the Iowa caucus, Ramaswamy dropped out and backed Trump, bringing many of his supporters with him, including Doucette. Packard had promoted Doucette in the House GOP pecking order, making him speaker pro tem to replace former Rep. Laurie Sanborn, R-Bedford, who did not seek reelection. A champion for nonprofits at casinos Along with his leadership post, Doucette was a longtime member of the House Ways and Means Committee. He's been a strong supporter of expanding legalized gambling to benefit nonprofits. Doucette authored the state law in 2024 that extended for another seven years the monopoly charity casinos have with historic horse racing machines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The electronic gambling machines touched off an explosion of gambling profits for both casino owners and the nonprofits. On Monday, Doucette didn't show up for his legislation (HB 728) that would eventually convert the casinos to dropping HRH machines in favor of traditional slot machines seen at mega-casinos like Foxwoods in Connecticut and on the Las Vegas strip. klandrigan@unionleader.com KABUL, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan's National Environment Protection Agency (NEPA) said on Monday it has set free more than 15,000 pieces of precious birds and animals to the nature over the past year. "Around 15,313 birds and animals were confiscated from traffickers and released back into the wild," the local media outlet Tolonews quoted Hamed Safi, the head of the natural heritage conservation department of NEPA, as saying. The official told the private media outlet that NEPA had launched a nationwide campaign to prevent hunting of birds and animals in efforts to protect the environment. The mountainous Afghanistan is home to rare and precious birds and animals such as falcon, vulture, snow leopard, bear, a variety of antelopes and wild goats. To protect the nature, the Afghan interim government has banned hunting birds, wild animals, fishing in rivers and cutting trees in forests. Sam Bankman-Fried is reportedly in solitary confinement following his interview with Tucker Carlson. Prison officials tell the New York Times the interview was not authorized. Its unclear how SBF was able to communicate with the fired Fox News host. Sam Bankman-Frieds wide-ranging interview with Tucker Carlson has landed him in hot water with prison officials and some time in solitary confinement. A report in the New York Times says the cofounder of defunct crypto exchange FTX was put in solitary confinement after the interview was posted. Prison officials did not confirm that or offer any details other than to say the interview was not approved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Bureau of Prisons regulates who is permitted to interact with prisoners and how those interactions take place. Its unclear how SBF communicated with Carlson. During that talk, Bankman-Fried mentioned that he missed having tech gadgets at his disposal. Bankman-Fried is currently serving a 25-year sentence for fraud after the collapse of FTX in 2022. He appears to be angling for a pardon from Trump, who recently pardoned Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht. However, he has not formally requested one so far. His parents, however, have reportedly been in touch with Kory Langhofer, an Arizona lawyer who previously worked on Trumps presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020, which could give him some inroad on the process. In the Carlson interview, SBF discussed serving time with disgraced rap mogul Sean Diddy Combs, who is also being kept at the Metropolitan Detention Center, and called life in prison soul-crushing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bankman-Fried donated heavily to Democrats before his arrest, but told Carlson that by 2022, he was privately giving as much to Republicans as he was publicly giving to Democrats. He has also recently returned to Twitter/X to praise Elon Musk. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Sanford police investigators have arrested a 17-year-old in connection with online threats to shoot up a school. On March 8, 2025, the Sanford Police Department was notified of an anonymous tip line submission regarding a video of an unknown male threatening to shoot up Seminole High School. The video showed the subject with multiple guns, vests and other items of concern. Upon receiving the information, Sanford Investigators and other law enforcement partners immediately began working to determine the students identity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On March 9, police identified the 17-year-old as a student who attends Elevation High School in Sanford. The student was located at their residence and was taken into custody without incident. The suspect was charged with intimidation written/electronic threat of mass shooting/terrorism act. Regarding the incident, Chief Cecil Smith stated The swift identification and arrest of Thomas is the direct result of the immediate collaboration and dedication of multiple local and federal agencies and organizations. This fast action and team work most likely prevented a tragedy and saved multiple lives. We are thankful for the assistance of the Seminole County Sheriffs Office Gang and Habitual Offender Suppression Team (GHOST) and Crime Analyst Unit, Homeland Security Investigations, Lee County Sheriffs Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Seminole County Public Schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators are asking anyone with additional information about this incident to please contact the Sanford Police Department or Crimeline at 800 423-TIPS (8477) or visit www.crimeline.org. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. A 17-year-old boy is in custody after Sanford police say he threatened a school shooting. Police said the student is enrolled in Elevation High School, but the threat was made against Seminole High School. Officials said the teen posted a concerning video online, which led to his arrest. Police are praising the person who informed law enforcement about the incident. Officers said the video showed the 17-year-old with several guns, and he claimed he was going to shoot up a school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After learning about the video, police said they arrested the teen within 24 hours. According to his arrest report, the teen planned to use his guns during lunch period, when theres a big group of people, and in between classes, when students are walking in. The report goes on to say the teen also planned to commit suicide afterward. The 17-year-old has been arrested and charged with electronic threat of mass shooting. The swift identification and arrest of Thomas is the direct result of the immediate collaboration and dedication of multiple local and federal agencies and organizations, said Sanford Police Chief Cecil Smith. This fast action and teamwork most likely prevented a tragedy and saved multiple lives. We are thankful for the assistance of the Seminole County Sheriffs Office Gang and Habitual Offender Suppression Team (GHOST) and Crime Analyst Unit, Homeland Security Investigations, Lee County Sheriffs Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Seminole County Public Schools. Police said they have increased security at school as an extra precaution. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) The San Angelo Police Department has announced that it is investigating two fatal single-vehicle crashes that occurred within days of each other. According to a public statement issued by the SAPD, the first collision happened at around 8:52 p.m. on Friday, March 7, after a moped operated by a 77-year-old man driving north on North Bryant Boulevard left the roadway and struck a curb, causing the driver to crash. The driver was transported to Shannon Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead. He was not wearing a helmet at the time of the collision, as per the SAPD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The SAPD said the second crash occurred in the 400 block of South United States Highway 87 at approximately 10:55 a.m. on Sunday, March 9. A 55-year-old motorist was traveling southbound when his vehicle left the roadway and collided with a concrete pillar at the crossing avenue pass. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The agency stated that both incidents are under investigation. No further information was made available in the departments release. The San Angelo Police Department extends its condolences to the families affected by these tragic incidents, the SAPD 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 ConchoValleyHomepage.com. SARALAND, Ala. (WKRG) Dr. Stan Stokley, principal of Saraland Elementary, has been awarded the National Distinguished Principal Award, News 5 has learned. Gulf Shores Post Office to present one-day Passport Fair The award established in 1984 by the National Association of Elementary School Principals recognizes outstanding leadership in elementary and middle-level education, according to a Saraland Board of Education news release. Dr. Stan Stokley has received the National Distinguished Principal Award. (Photo courtesy: Saraland Board of Education) Under Dr. Stokleys leadership, Saraland Elementary has become a model of academic success, the release said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite a student population where approximately 50% face economic hardship, the school has consistently excelled, earning a 99/A on the Alabama state report card and ranking among the top-performing elementary schools in the state. The National Distinguished Principal Program honors school leaders who set high standards for instruction, student achievement, and school climate, the release said. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Stokley ensured continuity and connection through innovative initiatives like the entertaining School at Home: Morning Announcement videos, which he created daily while schools were closed. His efforts earned national recognition, including praise from former U.S. Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos. Foley, Alabama job fair: 31 employers hiring for open positions Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under Stokleys leadership, Saraland Elementary has been recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School and a National Title I Distinguished School, according to the Saraland Board of Education, and the school was honored as a National ESEA Distinguished School for its excellence in serving English learner, the boards statement said. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Stokley ensured continuity and connection through innovative initiatives like the entertaining School at Home: Morning Announcement videos, which he created daily while schools were closed, the release said. His efforts earned national recognition, including praise from former U.S. Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos. Dr. Stokley leads by example, inspiring others to live above the line a mindset of accountability, integrity, and growth. 2 dead after Mobile County crash Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Through this, he encourages responsibility, learning, empathy, and honesty, empowering students and staff to take ownership, act with compassion, and unlock their potential. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SC bill could affect vaping regulations COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) A new bill would, if passed, force South Carolina businesses that sell vaping products to have guidelines and regulations about what can be sold. Im the parent of two middle schoolers, and I can tell you that the prevalence of this kind of product, in middle schools is more than you want to know. Its kind of scary how much this stuff is in middle schools, Sen. Josh Kimbrell (R District 11). The bill would require the Attorney Generals Office to ensure electronic nicotine delivery system products sold in South Carolina are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Attorney General would need to be notified if there are ingredient changes in the devices. We got to do something now We got to stop it right now, because a lot of these products are Chinese products that are coming in, in addition some of them have marijuana in them, said Sen. Billy Garrett (R District 10). Kimbrell said he supports the bill but recommends an amendment, so South Carolina businesses wouldnt have to go through a long FDA approval. My only suggestion would be, lets leave the FDA registry requirement there and find a way to provide provisional, a provisional way for folks operating in our states borders who are pending that approval not to be shut down, Kimbrell said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorney General Alan Wilsons office said they are not against having a task force but would not be able to take part on that project. Its going to cost a lot of money to get that done, Garrett said. Democratic Senator Russell Ott (D- District 26) said businesses hes spoken with want regulations so they know what rules to follow. At the very minimum, I think just having a standardized process by which we say that we were going to allow for these, but were not going to allow for those that signals to our retailers what is okay and whats not. Lawmakers said the state oversight will help regulate products coming from outside the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers said the main goal of this bill is to protect children from using nicotine products. Currently in South Carolina, it is illegal for a person under the age of 18 to vape. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. **Related Video Above: Neurosurgeon plucks worm from womans brain in 2023 (WJW) Doctors didnt know why the woman wasnt getting better after being given medication for anemia and a bacterial stomach infection. But soon, a medical scan of the 75-year-old woman from the Hunan Province in Chinas body revealed the problem. Woman with burning sensation in legs diagnosed with brain worm infection During an endoscopy procedure, live hookworms were found inside her small intestine and eggs were later discovered in her stool. Getty Images photo The woman had first gone to the doctor after experiencing lack of appetite, weakness, issues sleeping and dizziness, as explained in an article in the Journal of Medical Case Reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the woman was not presenting the usual hookworm symptoms of stomach pain and diarrhea, doctors tried other options first, researchers explained. However, the parasite (the worms feed on intestinal wall blood) can also cause things like tiredness and anemia, which she did have. Texas officials warn of infectious, parasitic worms that screw into flesh The Cleveland Clinic says that as many as 740 million people have hookworm disease throughout the globe, and it is especially prevalent in more tropical parts of the world. Transmission occurs when people walk without shoes on infected soil and the worms get into the body through the feet. The province where the woman resides has also made significant progress in controlling hookworms, according to the study. Infection went down to .43% in 2020 from its height in 1994 of about 23%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The woman was given pills and her anemia cleared up, according to the report. Read the full medical report right here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. Former Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) warned that President Donald Trump feels untouchable and that theres no telling what he may attempt do next. The biggest failure of all of us during this Trump era has been the failure of imagination, the vocal Trump critic told MSNBCs Michael Steele on Sunday. We have not imagined how bad and how low hed go. He tried to overthrow an American election four years ago. I have no doubt that he could try to stop the midterm elections. Steele, former chair of the Republican National Committee, said Trump sees himself as a king and that the Republican Party agrees. He summed up all the ways GOP lawmakers are lining up to pay tribute to Trump, with proposals to put his face on U.S. currency, make his birthday a federal holiday, and add his mug to Mount Rushmore. Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) even backed an unconstitutional third term in office for Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Walsh warned viewers to take it all seriously, including talk of a third term. Its too easy to have fun with this, he said. But Michael, this is scary shit. Later in the interview, Walsh added that Trump feels emboldened given that hes never faced consequences for what hes done. Look at all hes gotten away with, and no ones ever held him accountable, he said. And here he sits in the White House, hes got no legislative branch to worry about, the Republican Party is his. Whos gonna stop him? The courts? The people? He feels untouchable right now. He warned that Trump may next defy a Supreme Court order. And then what does the Republican Party do? he asked. See more of his conversation with Steele and MSNBCs Eugene Daniels below: The United States has averaged 35 percent of global arms exports over the past two decades, making the recent surge unusual, according to estimates from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which published the study. "The USA is in a unique position when it comes to arms exports," said Mathew George, director of the arms transfer program at SIPRI. "At 43 percent, its share of global arms exports is more than four times as much as the next-largest exporter, France." SIPRI found that Ukraine, which Russia invaded in February 2022, was the largest weapons importer between 2020 and 2024, with its number of imports nearly 100 times greater than they were between 2015 and 2019. Arms imports to European states surged by 155 percent in the same window, fueled by fears of Kremlin expansionism and pressure from the United States to rearm. The findings come as the Trump administration puts pressure on Ukraine to end the war that began with Russia's invasion more than three years ago. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that the United States should be repaid for its military aid to Ukraine, much of which comes in the form of military equipment, by way of a proposed deal for U.S. access to Ukraine's critical minerals. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected Trump's account of U.S. aid and pointed out that a large share of the $174 billion in U.S. funds appropriated by Congress in response to the war in Ukraine actually went to the U.S. defense industry. At the same time, Trump has continued to urge countries to buy U.S. arms. As the White House casts doubts on NATO, Bloomberg News reported last month that U.S. officials had urged European allies to buy U.S. weapons to strengthen the alliance. "Trump was an aggressive arms sales promoter in his first term," said William D. Hartung, an expert on the arms trade who was not involved in the SIPRI study, adding that Trump had sided with arms contractors even when Saudi agents' murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi led to calls to halt sales to Riyadh. "The flip side is that sales are already so high, can he outdo that?" said Hartung, who works at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a Washington think tank that promotes diplomatic engagement over conflict. The study suggests that military aid to Ukraine has been a boon for U.S. arms producers. Most U.S. weapons sent to Ukraine have come through the presidential drawdown authority, under which the United States sends equipment from its stockpiles, or through another program that uses funding to procure arms directly from U.S. manufacturers. The study counts weapons sent from stockpiles as exports. European countries also sent aid from their stockpiles, the replenishment of which drove still further demand for U.S. weapons. The impact of the war in Gaza on the global arms trade is less distinct in the SIPRI data, which tracks arms deliveries rather than announcements. "There is usually a lag" between the announcement of sales and aid and its delivery, George said. George added that if the value of U.S. arms exports to Ukraine and Israel were removed from SIPRI's data, the United States would still have a 37 percent share of global arms exports between 2020 and 2024, making it the largest global exporter. According to SIPRI data, Russian arms exports have fallen sharply, dropping by 64 percent in the most recent five-year period. Though the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 led to widespread diplomatic isolation and economic sanctions on Russia, SIPRI found that the decline appeared to predate the war, with historic lows in export volumes in 2020 and 2021. "Two of Russia's most important arms-trading relationships had already weakened before 2022, with India increasingly favoring other suppliers, and China sourcing more arms from its own burgeoning arms industry," said Pieter Wezeman, a senior researcher for SIPRI. The Trump administration has said it hopes for greater military sales to India. Last month, the president told visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi he would make "many billions of dollars" more in sales to India and would consider providing New Delhi with F-35 fighter jets. Aircraft such as the F-35, America's most advanced fighter jet, make up the largest category of U.S. arms sales, according to SIPRI, followed by missiles and armored vehicles like main battle tanks. European nations entered into increased agreements to buy U.S. arms between 2020 and 2024, surpassing the Middle East as their largest regional destination. Some of those orders remain undelivered and would count toward still more growth in the next study window. But much remains uncertain: U.S. aid to Ukraine is paused. Europe continues to boost defense spending, which could bolster the U.S. arms industry, while it also looks to curb reliance on Washington - which could ultimately mean spending funds elsewhere. "Maybe some European allies will look inward instead of buying American due to Trump's statements about and treatment of the alliance thus far," Hartung said. SEOUL, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Sunday denounced the large-scale joint military exercises conducted by the United States and South Korea, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Monday. Despite the DPRK's repeated warnings, the United States and South Korea are persistently staging the large-scale joint military exercises, which are "a dangerous provocative act of leading the acute situation on the Korean peninsula," KCNA said, citing a press statement released by the Department of Press and Information of the DPRK Foreign Ministry. The DPRK-U.S. political and military confrontation "has been closer to the threshold of explosion due to the frantic U.S. war saber-rattling directly aiming at the DPRK," with the pattern of confrontation growing increasingly dangerous, said the statement. According to Yonhap news agency, South Korea and the United States kicked off the annual joint military exercise "Freedom Shield" on Monday. The 11-day drills feature computer-simulated drills and on-field training to strengthen interoperability between the allies. Americas decision to cut weapons deliveries and aid to Ukraine, as well as the dressing down of Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, has triggered understandable outrage amongst Western allies. But perhaps they shouldnt be surprised. Mr Trumps tactic to bring Ukraine to heel and force the country to negotiate on peace follows a careful plan written and published in black and white last summer by none other than the presidents Kyiv envoy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keith Kellogg, a retired lieutenant general, wrote last April that cutting military aid to Ukraine could be used to force Kyiv into negotiations. Here is what his plan entitled, How an America First Foreign Policy Reduced Risks from Russia During the Trump Administration involved and how it is playing out. Tough approach What the plan says What is actually happening For Donald Trump, his presidency is based on power and control, leaving aside any warm sentiments for allies or enemies alike. This is what he claimed stopped Vladimir Putin from invading Ukraine during his first stint in the White House. But from the outside, the US Presidents current handling of his Russian opposite number appears to be far from firm-handed since they announced negotiations after a shock phone call. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since opening peace talks with Moscow, Mr Trump has pushed for Russia to be reintroduced into the G7, vetoed international statements blaming Russia for the invasion of Ukraine and refused to exact any cost for Putins increased strikes against Ukrainian cities. Time to Stop the Killing What the plan says What is actually happening This part of Lt Gen Kelloggs vision has almost played out exactly as he said it would. Mr Trump opened peace talks with Putin and then invited Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraines president, to the table. Weapons flowed while Kyiv and Washington hammered out a mineral deal. But relations soon broke down after a dramatic spat in the Oval Office between Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky ended with the American accusing his counterpart of not being ready to end the war. Subsequently, the US halted weapons shipments to Ukraine and stopped sharing intelligence. Mr Zelensky is now trying to reset relations with Washington in the hope of winning that support back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Lt Gen Kellogg himself put it last week, cutting weapons and intelligence sharing is akin to hitting a mule with a two-by-four across the nose. No Nato membership What the plan says What is actually happening This concession was made to Putin even before the Russian picked up the phone to speak with Mr Trump about possible peace talks. At a Nato meeting in Brussels, Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, said: The United States does not believe that Nato membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement. Hours later, Mr Trump took to social media to announce he had opened peace talks with Putin. Mr Zelensky says Nato membership is the cheapest option to secure Ukraines post-war future, a sentiment many of his allies agree with. Without Nato membership, Europe will be left to fend for Ukraine. Britain and France are forming a coalition of the willing to deploy troops to the war-torn country to enforce any peace deal, but this will only happen if they get support from the US, which isnt forthcoming at the moment. Ukraine sovereignty What the plan says What is actually happening Again, this situation is playing out exactly how Lt Gen Kellogg foresaw it in his plan. American officials, one after the other, have come out to declare Ukraine must cede territory to Russia as the price of peace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before the talks had started, Mr Zelensky even said it was unrealistic to expect a military victory to push Russian forces out of his country, but insisted diplomatic efforts to do so would not be stopped. Russia currently holds around 20 per cent of Ukraine, and is seeking to widen its land grab while seemingly entertaining Mr Trumps peace talks. Meanwhile, Ukraines bridgehead into the Russian region of Kursk is shrinking by the day as Russians backed by North Korean troops fight back for control. Losing the salient in Russian territory will weaken Kyivs hand at the negotiating table. Russian sanctions What the plan says What is actually happening Behind the scenes, US officials are reportedly urging allies to draw up plans to ease sanctions on Moscow as soon as the fighting stops. Washington is already considering how to swiftly lift the punitive measure on a number of Russian entities and individuals, according to Reuters. Meanwhile the EU and UK are working on new sanctions and are showing no signs of easing pressure on Russia. Kyiv and its allies will fear that loosening sanctions will help Russia generate more funds to eventually pour into its war machine, either to attack Ukraine again or even a Nato ally. Energy levies What the plan says What is actually happening Mr Trump has said he is strongly considering levying new sanctions and tariffs on Russia because it is bombing the hell out of Ukraine. But there are no signs of these measures being implemented beyond the end of the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Mr Trump admitted last week he found it easier to deal with Russia than Ukraine in his efforts to end the three-year war, and insisted that he trusted Putin. I believe him, Mr Trump said. Im finding it more difficult frankly to deal with Ukraine and they dont have the cards It may be easier dealing with Russia. Long-term security What the plan says What is actually happening This section is the one many believe is the promise to arm Ukraine to the hilt if Russia fails to negotiate or doesnt uphold the terms of any eventual deal. It also encapsulates a number of security guarantees, which definitely havent been on offer to Ukraine from Washington. Much of Mr Zelenskys row with Mr Trump was the Ukrainians insistence that he would only discuss peace treaties when relevant promises on post-war security were put on the table by the US president. The Americans want to wash their hands of these guarantees, leaving the Europeans and Canada to shoulder the burden. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Zelensky is now pitching a partial ceasefire, which would pause long-range strikes on cities and energy infrastructure but maintain skirmishes on the frontline, which are harder to monitor. This would allow him to demonstrate to Mr Trump the need for American security guarantees, as it is believed in Kyiv Putin will break its terms eventually. 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. Members of the U.S. Navys Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 31 (VX-31) contributed to an important increase in live-fire testing of the secretive AIM-260A long-range air-to-air missile last year, it has emerged. In 2024, the Dust Devils of VX-31 also made important contributions to the initial fielding of the AIM-174B air-launched version of the Standard Missile 6 (SM-6), which was in response to an emergent Pacific Fleet requirement. The new details about VX-31s support to the AIM-260A and AIM-174B programs come via the announcement of awards that members of the squadron received last month, which X user @AirPowerNEW1 was first to spot. The Dust Devils are based at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in California. The squadron supports various test and evaluation activities with a mixed fleet of aircraft that currently includes F/A-18F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, F/A-18D Hornets, and AV-8B+ Harriers, as well as MH-60S Seahawk helicopters. A group of VX-31 aircraft from front to back, an F/A-18F Super Hornet, an EA-18G Growler, an F/A-18D Hornet, and an AV-8B+ Harrier fly in formation in January 2025. USN CDR Christopher Putre, Commanding Officer of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron THREE ONE (VX-31) presents LCDR Orion Flurett with a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal on December 19, 2024, in China Lake, CA. LCDR Flurett, recognized for his meritorious service while serving as Developmental Test-9 Detachment Officer In Charge, VX-31, FROMN [sic; from] July to August 2024, one post on VX-31s official Facebook account reads. LCDR Flurett demonstrated extraordinary leadership and foresight, he planned, managed, and coordinated 78 personnel and two aircraft supporting the live-fire testing of the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile. In particular, his keen oversight and initiative were critical to receiving approval from NAVAIR [Naval Air Systems Command], VX-31, CTWP, and Eglin AFM [sic; Eglin Air Force Base] leadership for the last-minute increase to category C testing, resulting in the successful completion of 8 sorties encompassing 26.3 mishap-free flight hours, directly contributing to future air wing capabilities. A screen capture of the VX-31 Facebook post about the award related to testing of the AIM-260. Facebook screen capture The post does not specify what types of aircraft supported this increased testing, or whether or not they came from VX-31 or another unit involved in AIM-260A testing. JATM is a joint program that the Navy is working on together with the U.S. Air Force. Active testing of the new missile, including live-fire shots, has already been ongoing for years now. F/A-18E/F Super Hornets are expected to be among the first types to carry AIM-260s operationally along with Air Force F-22 Raptor stealth fighters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its unclear when the AIM-260 might be slated to enter operational service now. When the existence of the JATM first became public in 2019, the goal was to start fielding the missiles in 2022, but there are no indications that this has occurred. Details about the AIM-260 itself remain limited and no imagery of the missile has emerged to date. The Air Force did confirm to TWZ last month that a recently released JATM rendering reflects the real design. Key requirements for the AIM-260 are known to include substantially greater range than the existing AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), but in a package with the same form factor. The JATM is likely to have new advanced guidance and networking capabilities, as you can read more about here. A slide from an unclassified briefing from Naval Air Systems Commands Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aviation & Strike Weapons (PEO U&W) posted online in February 2025 showing missiles in its air-to-air portfolio, including the AIM-260A and AIM-174B. USN A close-up of the AIM-260A rendering from the PEO U&W briefing, which the Air Force has confirmed reflects the missiles real design. USN On the AIM-174B front, CDR Christopher Putre, Commanding Officer of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron THREE ONE (VX-31) presents CDR James Kobyra and LT Mollie Sebald with a Letter of Appreciation on December 19, 2024, in China Lake, CA for their instrumental contribution to the successful certification and testing of Captive Air Training Missiles [CATM] in support of that program, a separate VX-31 Facebook post says. Through August and September of 2024, they provided exceptional leadership for the rapid execution on the CATM project, facilitating and demonstrating the feasibility and relevance of the missiles for fleet flight operations. Their efforts enabled the program to meet and [sic; an] emergent Pacific Fleet requirement and provided the fleet with a key capability while meeting a time critical need. Also, they provided a program and the fleet with a cost effective, and tactically relevant capability at delivery time the exemplifies speed to the fleet. A screen capture of the VX-31 Facebook post about the award related to testing of the AIM-174. Facebook screen capture VX-31, as well as VX-9, the Vampires, also based at China Lake, have been actively supporting the development of the AIM-174B for years now. The recent award announcement does provide some additional context around the missiles public unveiling as part of the biennial Rim of the Pacific exercise off Hawaii last year, which ran from June 27 to August 1. The Navy previously confirmed that the AIM-174B has already entered at least limited operational service. An F/A-18F from VX-9 seen carrying four AIM-174s, as well as other missiles and stores. USN Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CATM-174Bs seen under the wing of a VX-9 Super Hornet last year. point_mugu_skies The AIM-174B is derived from the combat-proven SM-6, a highly-capable multi-purpose missile in U.S. service in multiple ship and ground-launched configurations. SM-6 can engage aerial threats, including ballistic missiles in the terminal phase of flight and highly maneuverable hypersonic weapons under specific circumstances, as well as targets at sea and on land when used in a quasi-ballistic mode. The fact that the Navys development of an air-launched version of SM-6 was driven at least in part by a requirement from U.S. Pacific Fleet is fully in line with TWZs previous analysis. You can learn more about how the AIM-174B will factor into the Navys future air combat ecosystem, especially for fleet defense and attacking high-value assets, and in the context of a high-end fight with China in the Pacific, in our past in-depth feature and the video below. The Navy has otherwise been extremely tight-lipped about the AIM-174B. It exists, Navy Rear Adm. Keith Hash, head of NAVAIRs Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD), said during a panel discussion at the WEST 2025 conference in January when asked about the new air-launched version of the SM-6. Thats an operational capability. And, as you can see, that one being revealed and shown into the area, there are many more behind [it], things that were doing there, making sure that we are staying ahead of the conflict, making sure that were prepared for the fight thats going on. And those activities and that development is active and strong. The VX-31 award announcements underscore just how significant the addition of the AIM-174B to the Navys arsenal really is, especially when it comes to being prepared for a future major conflict with China in the Pacific, as well as the importance of ongoing work on the AIM-260. Contact the author: joe@twz.com YANGON, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar authorities have seized 3.99 kg of heroin in Mandalay region of central Myanmar, the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) reported on Monday. Acting on a tip-off, anti-narcotics police searched a vehicle in Amarapura township of Mandalay on March 5 and confiscated the heroin along with two suspects. The seized drugs had a street value of over 99.7 million kyats (about 47,476 U.S. dollars), it added. The suspects have been charged under the country's law, and further investigation is ongoing, the CCDAC said. DENVER (KDVR) Smoke might be visible to the northeast of Denver during the next week for prescribed burns at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service scheduled prescribed burns at the refuge for three weeks in March. The burns started on Monday, March 3, when several Denver residents reported seeing smoke on the northeast side of the city. According to FOX31s Courtney Fromm, the smoke could be seen as far away as Morrison. Man caught on camera using a lighter before garage bursts into flames Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, the burns will continue for the second week, and the refuge said smoke may be visible for several miles from the refuge in Commerce City. People might also smell smoke. The refuge plans to burn up to 2,836 acres as a way to reduce the risk of wildfires in local communities, along with other environmental benefits. The purpose of the burns is to reinvigorate the growth of native prairie vegetation, reduce accumulated vegetation, manage efforts for weed control and improve habitat to sustain wildlife, the refuge said on its website. FOX31 Weather: View the latest Denver forecasts, maps and radar Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The refuge said efforts will continue through Tuesday, March 18, with burns taking place between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. The refuge said this will be weather permitting, and the dates may be adjusted due to the weather. During this time, interagency fire crews, local fire departments and other federal agencies will be participating in the prescribed burns, and people should not call 911 for the fire as it is being controlled and monitored. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. DENVER (KDVR) Coloradans marched at the Colorado Capitol on Sunday, calling for justice for Ukraine after repeated airstrikes from Russia in the last two days, reportedly killing at least 22 people. The attacks come just days after President Donald Trumps public spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office and the Trump Administrations subsequent withdrawal of all U.S. aid from Ukraine. Colorado politicians respond to heated Trump, Zelenskyy meeting in Oval Office Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its more than just military support through rockets and other armaments the U.S. was also providing military intelligence and humanitarian aid. On Sunday, Denver protestors called for a peaceful end to the war and a change to the Trump Administrations recent foreign policy stance. Sen. Michael Bennet, a Democrat, told FOX31 that he believes the U.S. should stand by Ukraine in the war. We shouldnt be taking away the intelligence that were sharing, we shouldnt be taking the weapons that were sharing, we should be asking, demanding that we stay in this fight with Ukraine until there is a just and durable peace that includes, among other important things, a guarantee of security for Ukraine, Bennet said Sunday. It echoes Bennets message for the past few weeks: That U.S. aid has been generous, but its a crucial step to preventing the Russian army from overtaking Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their courage, our weapons, and the weapons of our allies have held Putins army at the gates of Europe, Bennet said on Feb. 28. In defense of their country, democracy, and the West, Ukraine has also paid a terrible human toll 43,000 deaths and another 370,000 casualties. In cemeteries across Ukraine, which I have visited, fresh graves, piled with dirt and flowers, testify to their sacrifice. Every time President Trump opens his mouth, including with his lack of self-control in the Oval Office today, he weakens Ukraines bargaining position, and ours, and makes the world more dangerous, Bennet said. Trump threatened Friday to impose sanctions and tariffs on Russia because of its continued assault on Ukraine. Fake flyer posted in Jefferson County park restrooms announce genital inspections Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late, Trump wrote on Truth Social. He also shared a clip from an interview with FOX News host Maria Bartiromo on Sunday Morning Futures arguing hes been the toughest on Russia. Nobody has been tougher on Russia than Donald Trump, nobody, Trump said Sunday, before discussing the Nord Stream 2, an undersea pipeline that is designed to export Russian gas to Germany. The pipeline was completed but has not entered service. At the same time, I got along with Putin, I got along with Kim Jong Un, I got along with President Xi, but nobody was tougher on China than I was, Trump said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bennet argued that Americas response to Putins invasion of Ukraine will dictate what other world leaders might do. 1000 Days of War: Coloradans Helping in Ukraine | FOX31 News special As I said on the Senate floor last week, rolling over to Putin will embolden other dictators around the world especially Xi Jinping of China, Bennet said on Feb. 28. Anyone concerned about Beijings potential takeover over Taiwan knows that there is no better test of how the free world will respond to Xis potential invasion than how we respond to Putins. On March 4, Bennet was joined by nine other senators in a letter demanding Trump maintain trade restrictions on Russia, calling Putin a ruthless dictator and arguing that allowing Russia to restore trade relations allows the country to fund its war. 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. A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPMs Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version. Friday News Dump The Trump administration took new steps to hollow out the Justice Department and bring it more firmly under White House control with a new round of purges of senior officials Friday. The purges appeared to be directed by former Trump attorney Todd Blanche, who took over as deputy attorney general last week and signed at least some of the termination notices. The DAG generally runs the Justice Department day to day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among those purged: Jeffrey Ragsdale , the head of the Office of Professional Responsibility, DOJs in-house ethics watchdog; Liz Oyer , the U.S. pardon attorney; Tara Twomey , the head of the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees Melissa MacTough , who headed the office of intelligence in the National Security Division; Brad Wiegmann , who headed the law and policy section in the National Security Division; and Scott Damelin, the executive officer of the National Security Division. The personnel removed were career officials entitled to civil service protections, and they were reportedly not given reasons for their terminations. In related news, the Trump DOJ put on administrative leave two Manhattan prosecutors involved in the prosecution of NYC Mayor Eric Adams. They were identified as Andrew Rohrbach and Celia Cohen, both of whom were experienced federal prosecutors. They were escorted out of the building by federal law enforcement, NBC News reports, after receiving letters from Blanche. Paul Clement Takes Measured Approach In Adams Case U.S. District Judge Dale Hos ingenious decision to ask conservative legal rock star Paul Clement to help him sort out the Trump DOJs corrupt scheme to drop the criminal prosecution against NYC Mayor Eric Adams did not produce any bombshells or a path forward that is likely to result in significant new judicial scrutiny of the move that has already led to the mass resignations at DOJ. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clements memo filed Friday strongly argued against dismissing the case without prejudice, which would have the effect of keeping Adams under Trumps sway for fear of renewed prosecution, but Clement said the judge is limited in what he can do under the narrow court rules and separation of power considerations. In its own filing by former Trump attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, the Trump DOJ threw under the bus some the prosecutors involved in the case including some who resigned rather the participate in the dismissal scheme releasing internal communications by them that Blanche and Bove tendentiously argued undermined the prosecution. What Could Possibly Go Wrong? The White House confirms that Justice Department officials have used Trump political aide Stephen Miller as a sounding board, whatever that means. Big Law Shrinks In Face Of Trump Attacks Despite President Trump having already issued two executive orders targeting major law firms, elite law firms are mostly keeping their heads down as the rule of law comes under attack, the WSJ reports. Trump isnt done yet: IMPORTANT The Trump administrations detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian green card holder who helped lead the pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, marks a dangerous new turn in the presidents anti-immigrant crusade, suggesting that in addition to mass deportations there will be targeted removals based on political views: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zeteo: DHS Detains Palestinian Student from Columbia Encampment, Advocates Say WSJ: ICE Arrests Columbia Student Who Helped Lead Pro-Palestinian Protests NYT: Immigration Authorities Arrest Pro-Palestinian Activist at Columbia AP: ICE arrests Palestinian activist who helped lead Columbia University protests, his lawyer says Quote Of The Day We are witnessing an extraordinarily broad chilling effect in American society. It is not just what you want to say, but what you are allowed to ask. It is about both formal government actions and informal threats, with threats of professional ruin or even violence from the Presidents supporters. It is about both censorship and self-censorship. It is about a sense of collective fear.University of Michigan political scientist Don Moynihan Turning Jan. 6 On Its Head A team of lawyers is preparing to sue the federal government on behalf of hundreds of people pardoned by President Trump for their role in the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, claiming that the rioters were mistreated by agencies like the Justice Department and the Bureau of Prisons, the NYT reports. Trump Org sues Capital One for closing its accounts after Jan. 6 Trump DOJ continues to argue that Trumps Jan. 6 pardons cover post-Jan. 6 crimes. The Legacy Of Trump v. United States Adam Liptak: Aftershocks of Supreme Courts Immunity Ruling Echo in New Trump Cases TPM Exclusive TPMs Josh Kovensky: Trump Makes Aggressive New Claim of Executive Power To Circumvent The Senate TPM On TV TPMs Josh Marshall joined Chris Hayes to talk about the Trumps aggressive new claim of executive power that unilaterally deletes the Appointments Clause from the Constitution: DOGE Watch U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of Washington, D.C., declined to limit DOGEs access to a Treasury Department payment system. Social Security official who resigned under DOGE onslaught describes the hostile takeover by Elon Musks team in a new lawsuit seeking to block DOGE access to sensitive Social Security data. How DOGEs cuts to the IRS threaten to cost more than DOGE will ever save. The Trump administration is overriding internal HHS objections in giving DOGE access to sensitive child support database. NYT: Inside the Explosive Meeting Where Trump Officials Clashed With Elon Musk The Purges NOAA: Another wave of purges at NOAA, including the National Weather Service, could shrink its workforce by 20%. VA: Inside the DOGE cuts disrupting Veterans Affairs. IRS: Inside Trumps war on the Internal Revenue Service DHS: The Department of Homeland Security purported to cancel its collective bargaining agreement with the union representing TSA workers. The Destruction NYT: How Foreign Aid Cuts Are Setting the Stage for Disease Outbreaks WaPo: Army Corps knew Trump order would waste California water, memo shows NYT: White House Cancels $400 Million in Grants and Contracts to Columbia Reuters: The CDC is planning a large study into potential connections between vaccines and autism despite extensive scientific research that has disproven or failed to find evidence of such links. The Corruption The Trump White House has created a system for awarding clemency that plays into the presidents self-serving grievances about what he sees as the political weaponization of the justice system, the NYT reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Note: The U.S. pardon attorney was one of the Justice Department officials ousted on Friday. The Entrenchment Agenda Amanda Carpenter evaluates how far Trump has advanced his six most extreme anti-democratic measures that ultimately make it difficult for voters to dislodge authoritarians from office: (1) pardons to license lawbreaking, (2) investigations against critics and rivals, (3) regulatory retaliation, (4) federal law enforcement overreach, (5) domestic deployment of the military, and (6) the potential refusal of autocrats to leave office. Hows It Going Abroad? SPOILER: Not Good Politico: Germanys top intelligence experts are calling for a European spy network since they cant rely on intelligence from the United States any longer. NBC News: Poland is considering doubling the size of its army and adding nuclear weapons to its arsenal. Politico: Poland urges Tesla boycott after Musks call to move past Nazi guilt. Do you like Morning Memo? Let us know! JERUSALEM, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Israel announced Sunday that it was halting the electricity supply to the Gaza Strip to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages. "I have just signed an order to immediately stop the supply of electricity to Gaza," Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen said in a video statement. Cohen stated the measure aims to pressure Hamas to release the hostages still held in Gaza. According to Israeli figures, 59 hostages remain in Hamas captivity, around 24 of whom are believed to be alive. "We will employ all available means to ensure the return of all hostages and guarantee that Hamas will not be in Gaza the day after (the war)," Cohen added. In a letter released publicly, Cohen instructed the state-owned Israel Electric Corporation to "cease the sale of electricity to Gaza." A spokesperson for Cohen said the order will become effective "immediately." Israel has blocked aid shipments, including food, into Gaza since March 2, after the first 42-day phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire expired. To see through the implementation of the three-phase ceasefire, Hamas officials have been in talks with Egyptian and U.S. officials, while an Israeli delegation is expected to depart for Doha on Monday to continue negotiations. In the first days of its onslaught in Gaza since October 2023, Israel had cut off electricity, food, medicine, and fuel supplies to Gaza, creating famine and a "catastrophic" humanitarian crisis in the enclave, according to the United Nations. Attorneys for Shanquella Robinsons family say their lawsuit should stay in the Western District of North Carolina. The attorneys for defendants Alysse Hyatt and Wenter Donovan are asking the federal judge to dismiss the case because of an improper venue. Hyatt and Donovan argue the case should be heard in Mexico since the alleged crimes occurred there. ALSO READ: FBI files shed some light on Shanquella Robinson investigation Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, Robinsons family attorney responded in federal court, saying this is a suit by an American plaintiff against American defendants and while the conduct may have started in a foreign country, it continued on American soil. The judge will make a decision in the coming months. Robinson died mysteriously in 2022 while on a trip to Cabo with Hyatt, Donovan, and four others. Robinsons family is suing, alleging wrongful death. VIDEO: FBI files shed some light on Shanquella Robinson investigation MERCER, Pa. (WKBN) A Sharon mom was sentenced on child endangering charges after children ingested THC candies. Cassandra Gera was sentenced to two years of probation, fined and ordered to perform 20 hours of community service in connection to a July 2023 incident when she and her sister were supervising children and two of them ages 4 and 5 were found to have ingested THC candies. Geras sister, Charyssa Gera, was fined on a third-degree misdemeanor disorderly conduct conviction. She was previously charged with endangering children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In June, Sharon police were called to the 300 block of Sterling Avenue for a 4- and 5-year-old child who were both unresponsive due to a possible poisoning. Authorities also found vomit on the floor by the children. Reports said authorities determined that it appeared that the children had eaten a whole package of the THC candy. The nearly-empty bag of candy was found in a closet in the childrens bedroom, a criminal complaint stated. According to the criminal complaint, one child had respiratory failure, so police described the incident as being a near fatality. Michael Reiner contributed to this report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. SHARON, Pa. (WKBN) Sharon police are looking for a woman charged with endangering children after her infant tested positive for fentanyl and cocaine. According to a criminal complaint, police were dispatched to the 900 block of Bechtol Avenue at around 10 p.m. on February 25 for reports that a six-month-old child was not breathing and that CPR was in progress. EMS observed signs of opioid overdose and administered naloxone, an opioid-reversal drug, on the way to a nearby hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police spoke to the mother Quinn Krivosh, who said she was feeding the child with a bottle when she suddenly stopped breathing, reports state. Reports state that after being transported to a hospital in Pittsburgh, the infant tested positive for cocaine and fentanyl as well as metabolite, ondansetron, and quinine or quinidine. The childs condition is unknown. Krivosh, 29, was charged with one count of endangering children and has not yet been arrested. Police have attempted multiple times to contact Krivosh but have been unsuccessful, according to reports. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. Photo of Owamniyomni, named by white settlers St. Anthony Falls, courtesy of Owamniyomni Okhodayapi. Many Minnesotans dont realize that the ancestral homelands of the Dakota people include land in what is now the City of Minneapolis. Decades of colonization and industrialization rendered Dakota people largely invisible in the Twin Cities. I lead Owamniyomni Okhodayapi, a nonprofit working to restore five acres of land at Owamniyomni (which settlers named St. Anthony Falls) to a place where Dakota people feel at home, Native plants and our animal relatives thrive, and everyone can connect with the water. This is a place of deep cultural and spiritual significance to the Dakota. Our work is about making Dakota people visible and embracing the value of Dakota culture and other Indigenous perspectives along Haha Wakpa (the Mississippi River). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This project is a significant opportunity to uplift Dakota voices and values in Minneapolis by shining a light on the complete history of one of Minnesotas most well-known landmarks. Millions of people visit this site every year with no awareness of the sites history prior to colonization were working to change that. In addition to re-centering Indigenous history, this effort also helps address the harmful myths and stereotypes about Native Americans that are reinforced through pop culture and other narratives in our society. Talking openly about them is the number one way we can work to challenge these common misconceptions and help our non-Native neighbors understand us. We can also challenge these stereotypes by increasing the visibility of our cultures and of Native Americans as modern people not figures relegated to the past. One of the most painful myths is that Native Americans no longer exist, are extinct or are a dying race. We are still here. Native people are overcoming centuries of genocide, marginalization and discrimination, and we continue to be resilient. There are 574 federally recognized Native American Tribes and Alaska Native Nations in the United States 11 of those are here in Minnesota, including four Dakota (Sioux) tribes and seven Anishinaabe (Chippewa, Ojibwe) tribes. Some people think all Native American cultures are the same or all Native people look the same. We are not a monolithic population our cultures across Indian Country and even here in Minnesota are incredibly diverse. Many people, particularly those who havent interacted with Native people before, think of stereotypes shown in old Western movies, which showed mostly Native men and cultures from the Great Plains as told through a white colonialism lens. This does not come close to representing the true vibrancy and diversity present within Indian Country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of people think that most, if not all, Native people live on reservations. But our presence is not limited to tribal lands. Native Americans are living across all 50 states and playing a vital role in modern America. We may be your neighbor, your doctor, your teacher, your lawyer, or your city or state representative. While most Native peoples remain connected to their tribal communities, approximately 75% of Natives live in urban and suburban areas across the U.S. As budget conversations are currently playing out at the federal and state level, we should remember a particularly toxic narrative: the myth that Native Americans do not pay taxes. Contrary to stereotypes, Native peoples are required to and pay federal taxes like other Americans. This false narrative has been found to increase feelings of unfairness around Native Americans getting preferential treatment, and it undermines relationships between Native peoples and other communities of color. At Owamniyomni Okhodayapi, were playing an important role in uplifting the true history of Dakota people in Mni Sota (Minnesota) and putting an end to these harmful stereotypes. We offer tours for the public, school groups, nonprofits and other organizations. We invite you to join us to learn more about the Dakota people and our work to restore the land at Owamniyomni. PHNOM PENH, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) and UnionPay International (UPI) on Monday launched the second phase of cross-border QR code payments. Through this second phase partnership, the users of Cambodia's Bakong app are now able to scan QR codes at UPI accepting merchants in China and beyond while traveling abroad, NBC's Governor Chea Serey said at the launch event in Phnom Penh. "This is really great news for Cambodian citizens who will be visiting China," she said. "This development significantly enhances the digital payment experience for Cambodian citizens, making international transactions more seamless and convenient." Serey said the partnership would enhance cross-border payments by expanding the accessibility of digital payments, not just between Cambodia and China, but globally for those partnering with UPI to effortlessly conduct cross-border payments by scanning QR codes. The governor said the second phase launch came after both sides successfully introduced the first phase of cross-border QR code payments in December 2023, which allowed UnionPay cardholders to scan Bakong QR codes to complete payment transactions at millions of merchants in Cambodia. Speaking at the event, UPI's Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Larry Wang said the partnership would bring real convenience to Cambodians traveling or shopping abroad. "By integrating Bakong with UnionPay's network, we are ensuring that Cambodians can pay like locals, whether they are in China or anywhere else around the globe," he said. A Maricopa County, Ariz., sheriffs deputy escorts a worker during an immigration raid in 2009 on a county landscaping contractor in Phoenix. President Donald Trump has revived the local task force agreements that were used by Maricopa County and others until they ended during the Obama administration amid concerns about racial profiling and other abuses. (File photo by Joshua Lott/Getty Images) As the Trump administration seeks more partners to help round up immigrants living in the United States illegally, some states and cities are eager to step up, despite risks of racial profiling. Florida, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and even Arizonas Democratic governor are pursuing statewide plans to help find immigrants for possible deportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In South Carolina, the State Law Enforcement Division signed an agreement Friday, according to a federal website on the program. An agency spokeswoman had no immediate details. But the agencys participation was expected. A law signed by Gov. Henry McMaster last year directed South Carolinas top law enforcement agency to pursue an agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement for its illegal immigration enforcement unit. The legislation which passed both chambers unanimously updated a broad, 2008 law on immigration. And in December, McMaster led 26 GOP governors in issuing a statement of support of the then-president-elects pledge to deport illegal immigrants who pose a threat to the United States communities and national security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of Monday, the number of state and local agencies planning task force agreements with the feds to do street-level immigration enforcement had reached 129 departments in 13 states: Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas, plus SLED in South Carolina. The new task force agreements differ from other so-called 287(g) cooperation agreements that allow local sheriffs or police departments to help with investigations of people already arrested and booked into local jails. Several South Carolina counties York, Lexington, and Horry initially signed up for the jail enforcement model more than a decade ago. As of Monday, the Chester County Sheriffs Office has a pending warrant service officer agreement, according to the ICE website. The sudden ramping up of the local task force agreements which led to racial profiling lawsuits 20 years ago when they were common in Republican and Democratic states is a sign that the Trump administration wants more deportations, said Tom Wong, an associate professor and director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Center at the University of California, San Diego. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These agreements are intended to be the force multiplier they need in order to enact mass deportations. The Trump administration is using all the tools at its disposal to try to ramp up the identification and detention of undocumented immigrants, Wong said. President Donald Trump wants to move quickly: He recently reassigned Caleb Vitello, the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to a different post because immigration arrests and deportations werent as robust as Trump wanted. The United States would need to deport more than 2,700 people a day to meet his goal of 1 million a year. Doris Meissner, who held top positions in the former Immigration and Naturalization Service in the Reagan and Clinton administrations, said the task force agreements had basically disappeared in recent years because of their reputation for leading to racial profiling and over-policing in immigrant communities. The agreements were discontinued in 2012 during the Obama administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That has changed dramatically and quickly with the new Trump administration, Meissner said in an interview. [The agreements] are now on a list of ramping-up actions were seeing in pursuit of mass deportations. The administration is increasingly pressuring state and local authorities to help with immigration arrests traditionally reserved for federal agents, according to a February report by the Migration Policy Institute, a Washington, D.C., think tank where Meissner is now director of the U.S. immigration policy program. Focus on crime Along with state and local law enforcement agencies, the Trump administration has enlisted federal agencies that have never before played a role in immigration enforcement: the Internal Revenue Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Migration Policy Institute report found. One result of local involvement, according to a report Wong authored in 2019, is that once residents know that local police could question and arrest them on immigration charges, they are less likely to report crimes when they are victims or witnesses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new task force agreements allow local law enforcement, after training, to investigate immigration violations during day-to-day patrol duties. Sheriff Larry Kendrick in Owyhee County, Idaho, said he opted for it because voters in the county want it. My constituents support President Trump, Kendrick said. And of course me. I support the presidents mission 100%. I will do anything in my power to assist him. Kendrick said he doesnt expect non-criminal immigrants, such as those staffing local dairy farms, to get any trouble from his deputies. We havent had any crime, really, out of that, Kendrick said. The main thing that bothers me is fentanyl. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wong said its typical for counties such as Owyhee County, which voted almost 83% for Trump last year, to be eager to join forces on immigration. But non-criminal immigrants are still likely to pay a price, he said. It is naive for local officials to think they will only focus on things like fentanyl, when most of the immigration enforcement functions are going to identify undocumented immigrants, likely with no criminal history, Wong said. Most officials do stress the importance of removing criminals when calling for more task force agreements. I support the presidents mission 100%. I will do anything in my power to assist him. Sheriff Larry Kendrick, Owyhee County, Idaho In announcing the revived task force program, border czar Tom Homan said he planned to prioritize criminals but also expected to deport people living here illegally even if they had no criminal record. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We promised a mass deportation and thats exactly what were going to do, Homan told sheriffs at a February conference. New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican, said in a statement she supports state and local law enforcement agencies applying for the new task force cooperation agreements. Criminals who are in our country illegally and pose a danger should be apprehended and removed, she wrote. No renewed interest Some areas that made use of the agreements decades ago are not interested in trying it again. In 2010 there were 40 such agreements in 19 states, including nine in Virginia and seven in Arizona. To date there are no agreements in Virginia or Arizona, though Arizonas Democratic governor, Katie Hobbs, signed an executive order Feb. 25 calling for an unspecified partnership with federal authorities in the states four border counties. The goal is stopping more fentanyl and human trafficking and not to indiscriminately round people up, according to Hobbs statement. Arizona sheriffs have not heard anything specific about the governors plan, said David Rhodes, the Republican sheriff of Yavapai County and president of the Arizona Sheriffs Association. Yavapai County voted heavily for Trump. And much of the nations fentanyl supply is smuggled over Arizonas highways, Rhodes said, so hes happy to cooperate with federal authorities on immigration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But hes not sure he wants the task force model if it means he and his deputies will have to single people out based on appearance to ask about immigration status. I dont know how you could even tell from looking at somebody that theyre here illegally or not. So we dont do that. Thats very risky, very close to racial profiling there, Rhodes said. ICE guidelines issued in February say racial profiling is simply not something that will be tolerated under the new task force agreements. In Virginia, which had the most task force agreements of any state in 2010, no sheriff has yet shown interest, said John Jones, executive director of the Virginia Sheriffs Association. However Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order Feb. 27 requiring state police to sign a task force agreement and local jails to cooperate with the state task force. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In North Carolina, a bill progressing in the state Senate would mandate state agencies cooperate with federal immigration authorities, but does not include specifics. In Hudson County, New Jersey, one of the few urban, immigrant-friendly Democratic areas that had a task force agreement in 2010, leaders have no interest in trying it again, said county spokesperson Mark Cygan. Since 2018, the state has had an immigrant trust directive directing local authorities not to cooperate with federal immigration authorities or ask about immigration status during routine police work. With the sort of abuses there have been, and listening to our constituents and advocates that work on immigrant right here in Hudson County, we realized this policy just wasnt going to work out for our county anymore. So we dropped out of the agreement, Cygan said. SC Daily Gazette Editor Seanna Adcox contributed to this report. Like the SC Daily Gazette, 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. ADEN, Yemen, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Yemeni government forces successfully thwarted several Houthi offensives in two provinces early Monday, a military official said. Government troops engaged in fierce combat with Houthi fighters who launched a pre-dawn assault on military positions in the southwestern province of Taiz, the official said on condition of anonymity. "The Houthi attackers attempted to breach our defensive lines shortly after midnight but were met with coordinated resistance. Four Houthi militants were killed during the confrontation," said the source. In the central province of Marib, government forces repelled a series of coordinated Houthi attacks targeting key areas controlled by the government in the Harib district and other areas. The source confirmed that the Houthi group suffered casualties and equipment losses during the failed offensives. The Houthi attacks represent a desperate attempt to seize strategic energy resources, particularly in the oil-rich province of Marib, according to the official. The intensified fighting comes amid stalled peace initiatives, as both sides continue to vie for control over Yemen's resource-rich regions despite international calls for de-escalation. Last week, UN Special Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg briefed the United Nations Security Council on deteriorating conditions that could reignite widespread hostilities in the war-torn nation, expressing concern about ongoing military activities across multiple regions. "We have seen a rise in rhetoric from the parties to the conflict, who pre-position themselves publicly for military confrontation. We must not allow this to happen," Grundberg told the Security Council. Yemen has been in a state of uneasy calm since Oct. 2, 2022, when the government and the Houthi group failed to renew and expand a UN-brokered truce. According to UN estimates, the conflict, since its onset in late 2014, has killed hundreds of thousands of people and pushed millions to the brink of famine in Yemen. A Beechcraft Bonanza crashed in Pennsylvania on Sunday afternoon with five people aboard, according to the Federal Aviation Authority. The small aircraft went down near a retirement village south of Lancaster Airport, the Manheim Borough Police Department told ABC News. PHOTO: Flames and plumes of smoke are seen billowing following a small plane crash in Lititz, Manheim Township, Pa., Mar. 9, 2025. (Brian K. Pipkin) The plane had just departed from the airport shortly before it crashed, authorities said during a briefing on Sunday evening, adding that the plane might have skidded about 100 feet after it first made contact with the ground. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No one was hurt on the ground, officials confirmed. All five passengers were transported to Lancaster General Hospital, where trauma and emergency teams were at the ready to provide care, according to hospital spokesperson. Two of the patients were later transported to Lehigh Valley Health Networks burn center by PennSTAR flight crews, the spokesperson said, and one patient was transported there by ground ambulance. The other two patients were discharged from Lancaster General on Sunday night, they added in a statement on Monday. Venture Jets shared a statement on Monday, confirming that one of its board members was piloting the aircraft at the time of the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We can confirm that Sunday's tragic aircraft mishap at Lancaster Airport involved one of our family Matt White. Matt is a long-time aviation advocate and Private Pilot, as well as an Executive Board Member for our company," the statement said, in part. "The flight in question was a personal flight, in a privately owned aircraft, for the purpose of personal family travel. The flight was not affiliated with, nor operated by our company, nor were any company employees involved." It was not immediately clear if White was one of the three patients still being treated at the burn center on Monday. MORE: Security scare that led to diverted flight was hoax by 2 young children: FBI The plane crash occurred around 3 p.m., according to the FAA, which said it will investigate. The National Transportation Safety Board is also monitoring the situation Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to audio from Air Traffic Control, the pilot told the Lancaster Airport control tower that his plane "has an open door we need to return for landing." PHOTO: Flames and plumes of smoke are seen billowing following a small plane crash in Lititz, Manheim Township, Pa., Mar. 9, 2025. (Brian K Pipkin) ATC then cleared the plane to return, but a few seconds later the controller told the plane to "pull up," the audio revealed. Images taken by witnesses and shared with ABC News showed flames and smoke billowing from the crash site in Lititz, Manheim Township. MORE: Video captures FedEx plane's engine in flames after bird collision Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro posted a statement on X.com saying, "Our team at @PAStatePolice is on the ground assisting local first responders following the small private plane crash near Lancaster Airport in Manheim Township. All Commonwealth resources are available as the response continues, and more information will be provided as it becomes available." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Information will be released as it becomes available, the NTSB said. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. Small plane crashes with 5 aboard in Pennsylvania originally appeared on abcnews.go.com MANHEIM TOWNSHIP, Pa. (WHTM) A small plane carrying five people crashed near a southern Pennsylvania airport Sunday afternoon, leaving a fiery wreck in a parking lot, authorities have confirmed. First responders were called to the crash near the Lancaster Airport shortly after 3 p.m., according to an official with the Manheim Township Police Department. The crashed plane was found in the parking area of Brethren Village, a retirement community just south of the airport. Nexstars WHTM reported seeing charred wreckage of the airplane and several cars at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smoke from the crash could be seen from several miles away, according to WHTM. Footage shared on social media showed black smoke billowing from the wreckage of the plane and multiple vehicles engulfed in flames. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the Beechcraft Bonanza had five people aboard at the time of the crash. Fire officials said five people were taken to area hospitals but their conditions were not immediately available. No injuries were reported by anyone on the ground. Five vehicles were destroyed, according to authorities. Its unclear what caused the crash, but a recording from the airport tower suggests the pilot may have encountered a problem and reported an open door shortly after takeoff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Governor Josh Shapiro said the Pennsylvania State Police is assisting local first responders. All Commonwealth resources are available as the response continues, and more information will be provided as it becomes available, Shapiro said in a statement. The National Transportation Safety Board told WHTM they are aware of a crash and they are gathering information and monitoring the situation at this time. Flight tracking apps show a Beechcraft Bonanza took off from Lancaster Airport just after 3 p.m. bound for Springfield, Ohio. The airplane disappears from the radar display a few minutes after takeoff over an apartment complex south of the airport. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Video below: How safe is flying? I feel very, very blessed that it didnt hit any buildings at Brethren Village, Sandy Smith, a resident at Brethren Village told WHTM. I hope that the passengers in the airplane survive and be well. Brian Pipkin was driving nearby when he noticed the plane climbing before it suddenly veered to the left. And then it went down nose first, he told The Associated Press. There was an immediate fireball. Pipkin called 911 and then drove to the crash site, where he recorded video of black smoke billowing from the planes mangled wreckage and multiple cars engulfed in flames in the parking lot of Brethren Village. He said the plane narrowly missed hitting a three-story building at the sprawling retirement community about 75 miles west of Philadelphia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A fire truck from the airport arrived within moments, and more first responders followed quickly. It was so smoky and it was so hot, Pipkin said. They were really struggling to get the fire out. 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 PIX11. A small plane crashed in Manheim Township, Pa., on Sunday. The incident occurred just after 3:15 p.m., and crews were on the scene, ABC6 reported. The Aircraft N347M took off from the Lancaster airport after 3 p.m. and quickly went down. It is not yet known what caused the incident. Multiple injuries have been reported, the outlet noted. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), five people were on board the plane. The FAA said it will investigate the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FlightAware said the plane was heading to Springfield, Ohio. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) said state police are on the ground assisting local first responders for the crash. All Commonwealth resources are available as the response continues, and more information will be provided as it becomes available, Shapiro said on the social platform X. It follows a string of aviation-related incidents since mid-January. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. (NewsNation) The Social Security Administration is reinstating its plan to reclaim 100% of overpayments made to beneficiaries a ten-fold jump from the current rate, the agency announced Friday. By asking for 100% of overpayments to be repaid by recipients, the agency could save about $7 billion over the next decade, the Office of the Chief Actuary estimated. The new rate will take effect March 27. We have the significant responsibility to be good stewards of the trust funds for the American people, said Lee Dudek, acting commissioner of Social Security, in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is our duty to revise the overpayment repayment policy back to full withholding, as it was during the Obama administration and first Trump administration, to properly safeguard taxpayer funds, Dudek said. How many people over 100 receive Social Security benefits? Improper Social Security payments The SSA discarded its 100% per paycheck policy in favor of 10%, set by Biden last year after years of improper payments left some beneficiaries grappling with massive repayment bills, drawing media and political ire. One instance cited in a 2024 report from the Office of the Inspector General found that the SSA overpaid a disability beneficiary by about $62,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The SSA learned of the mistake in June 2021, after the beneficiary had already received an extra $9,000 over four months, but the administration did not take action to collect the overpayment until May 2023. By then, the beneficiary had received an additional $53,000, according to the Office of the Inspector General. Social Security to increase monthly benefits for millions With a 100% withholding rate reinstated, recipients like those would likely see their payments mostly or entirely withheld for repayment purposes. Shannon Benton, executive director of Senior Citizens League, told CBS News: The clawback of payments is especially unfair to seniors who do not have external support to help manage their finances and track their benefits. DOGE downsizes Social Security The SSA hasnt been spared from the Department of Government Efficiencys budget cuts and downsizing plans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The latest round of cuts saw the immediate or planned closure of 47 Social Security offices across the country. The southeastern U.S. was hit the hardest, with almost half of all closures taking place in Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, Mississippi and Arkansas. DOGE leader Elon Musk also falsely claimed that millions of dead beneficiaries were receiving monthly checks in the biggest fraud in history. Its true that records with incomplete death information have plagued the agency, but a 2023 agency inspector general report found almost none of the 18.9 million people listed as 100 or older were receiving benefits. What Musk has tweeted is not primarily an example of fraud but more like the messy databases kept by Social Security, said Alex Nowrasteh, vice president for economic and social policy studies at the libertarian Cato Institute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Social Security calculator: Figure out your monthly benefits In a February news release, the agency said all its employees had been told to prepare for significant workforce reductions. Employees could be fired or redirected, while some positions could be eliminated completely. Reassignments may be involuntary and may require retraining for new workloads, the release said. NewsNations Patrick Djordjevic and Liz Jassin contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. Under the guise of efficiency, Donald Trumps administration is dismantling the agency that runs Social Security, threatening benefits that keep millions of Americans out of poverty and setting up a political gamble for the White House and congressional Republicans. Social Security Administration (SSA) insiders and its former commissioner, Martin OMalley, warn Rolling Stone and American Doom that the cuts being carried out inside the agency by Elon Musks so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will result in widespread failures, including checks not being distributed to some of the 73 million Americans who receive Social Security benefits. The ongoing dismantling of the agency particularly the gutting of employees and offices who deal directly with the public will also prevent Americans from quickly and easily applying for benefits and delay processing of disability claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So far, DOGE has closed Social Security field offices, shut down internal departments that deal with technology and online interfaces that Americans navigate to access and apply for benefits, and are reorganizing the agency office that is largely responsible for rooting out and troubleshooting inefficiencies like improper payments and overpayments. Meanwhile, an unknown number of employees are being offered early retirement packages and other buyouts as acting commissioner Lee Dudek and DOGE also threaten widespread firings all part of plans to reduce the agencys workforce by 12 percent, or about 7,000 employees. The carnage inside the agency is being carried out in a haphazard manner, one employee tells Rolling Stone and American Doom, and is in line with Musks zero-based budgeting concept, in which sweeping cuts are made to an organization, with decisions on what should be reinstated coming only after failures begin to occur. The employee says that an agency executive was recently interviewed by DOGEs lead within the SSA and was told that DOGE is not there to solve problems or improve service only to eliminate property, head count and find fraud, the employee said. Unless the executive had a $50 billion idea, DOGE wasnt interested. OMalley and others say with whats happening within the SSA, there is no longer a question of whether Musk and Trump intend to reduce the agencys capacity to distribute benefits. Instead, the only question that remains is: Will they get away with it? Standing in the breach of this potential political suicide mission are congressional Republicans, who were recently advised by the National Republican Congressional Committee, their political fund, to no longer hold town hall events where constituents can press them on Musks firings and cuts. OMalley says at least one Republican congressperson is acutely aware of the pitfalls that lie in wait should the agency and the benefits it provides fail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They have no idea the public blowback theyre about to get, the congressperson said, according to OMalley. The SSA and the White House did not respond to requests for comment for this story. The employees in this story have been granted anonymity to speak freely without fear of retribution. OMalley says its now up to the American people to pressure Republican lawmakers into stopping the agencys destruction. The question now being put on the table of this democratic republic is will you let them destroy your Social Security? he tells Rolling Stone and American Doom. To govern is to choose. And the people are still in charge, for the time-being, in our country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DOGES WORK INSIDE the Social Security Administration is being led by three men with no apparent experience with the agencys work, one employee tells Rolling Stone and American Doom: Akash Bobba, a 22-year-old engineer who previously interned for Meta as well as Musk ally Peter Thiels Palantir; Steve Davis, a Musk deputy who has spent 20 years finding ways to cut costs at Musks companies; and Citrix executive Tom Krause, who also led DOGEs efforts to access sensitive Treasury Department payment systems. The cuts being carried out by DOGE and Dudek are being done with little apparent consideration for their impact on the millions of Americans who receive benefits, employees say. First, DOGE closed at least 10 field offices in as many states, and is now listing lease terminations for four dozen more locations, CNN reported. DOGE has also eliminated the Office of Transformation, whose work focused on a government-wide initiative to modernize agency technologies and services to the public, according to OMalley. Then, DOGE announced the closure of the agencys Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity where SSA employees, 30 percent of whom are African-American, file discrimination and other complaints. DOGE is also restructuring the Office of Analytics, Review, and Oversight, which has been pivotal in discovering and reducing improper payments to beneficiaries the exact type of inefficiencies DOGE supposedly aims to eliminate according to OMalley, a Democrat who sought the partys nomination for president in 2016. All of this is being done to an agency that is at a 50-year low in staffing, and at a time when the number of new applicants for benefits are skyrocketing as baby boomers reach retirement age. Now, Dudek and DOGE are aiming to reduce the agencys workforce even more, looking to eliminate about 7,000 workers. Taxpayers will be on the hook for some of those workers being removed as buyouts and settlements are offered to scores of SSA employees who are at or nearing retirement age. To make matters worse, OMalley says, not only will this cost taxpayers money that could be used to pay benefits and operational costs, but will drain the agency of skilled and knowledgeable veterans at a time when staffing within the SSA is at its lowest level in 50 years and baby boomers surge into retirement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats the biggest operational waste in the entire history of Social Security, OMalley says. Worse, they dont receive the knowledge transfer that you would receive in any technology company. If you were in Silicon Valley and offered these buyouts without a plan to retain that institutional knowledge, the board of directors of that company would fire you. Topping the list of concerns for the two employees who spoke to Rolling Stone and American Doom are worries that the dismantling of the agency will result in checks failing to reach millions of Americans something that hasnt happened in the 90-year history of the SSA. Dudeks plan will affect services, says one of the SSA employees, who has worked for the federal government at several agencies for the last five years. OMalley, the former Baltimore mayor and Maryland governor who oversaw the agency under President Joe Biden, remembers Dudek as a lower-level technology staffer. Now, OMalley is surprised not just to see Dudek in such a powerful role, but to be wielding that authority in such forceful service to DOGE and Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dudek was by no stretch part of the Senior Executive Service; he was a four-steps down data guy, OMalley says. I was shocked, even appalled, when they used someone of his level of inexperience to replace Michelle King. And I was even more surprised to see what a cruel-hearted tool he has become for hurting people and destroying the agency. King resigned from the agency in mid-February after refusing to allow DOGE unfettered access to Social Security data and systems, including the personal information of millions of Americans that could allow those with access to the information to prohibit citizens from receiving benefits. Around the same time, Dudek was offering that access, detailing his actions in a since-deleted LinkedIn post. I confess. I bullied agency executives, shared executive contact information, and circumvented the chain of command to connect DOGE with the people who get stuff done, Dudek wrote in mid-February. Not long after Dudeks confession, and with King out of the way, DOGE went to work. The first step was gaining access to SSAs data and technology systems, including what a whistleblower has called the protected information of millions of Americans. In an affidavit filed Friday night as part of a lawsuit against the SSA, the whistleblower, Tiffany Flick, described the chaotic first few weeks of the Trump administration as DOGE sought access to a variety of SSA systems. DOGE wanted access to everything, including source code, according to Flicks affidavit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Flick said she was concerned that DOGEs access to and meddling in SSA systems could result in benefits payments not being paid out or delays in payments. Perhaps worse than the unfettered access that DOGE was seeking for Bobba, the 22-year-old engineer, was that Musks pseudo government office didnt even understand what it was looking for, Flick said in her affidavit. DOGE was apparently looking for information related to fraud, including untrue allegations of payments going to people over the age of 100, Flick said. Flick, a 30-year veteran of SSA, said she considered DOGEs hunt for fraud to be based on an inaccurate understanding of SSAs data and programs. On March 1, Dudek sent an email last week titled our road ahead. The two Social Security employees who spoke to Rolling Stone and American Doom describe the email as cryptic, with one saying it clearly alluded to the privatization of some agency services We need to revitalize SSA operations by streamlining activities, outsource non-essential functions to industry experts, and reinstating human judgment and common sense into every decision at every level, Dudek wrote in the email. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Industry experts was taken to mean privatization of some services and agency tasks, says the employee with five years experience in the federal government. Dudek argued in the email that when Biden fired a previous SSA commissioner, Andrew Saul, a Trump appointee who refused to resign, he effectively eliminated the agencys independence. President Biden dismissed Andrew Saul, fundamentally altering the independence of the agency, Dudek wrote. With that decision, the autonomy our employees once enjoyed changed. Now, under President Trump, we follow established precedent: We serve at the pleasure and direction of the president. Only the courts or Congress can intervene. Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.), the ranking Democrat on the Social Security Subcommittee, says Dudeks email was bizarre, to say the least. Larson tells Rolling Stone and American Doom that the closure of field offices and firing of customer service staff will do nothing to improve efficiency it will result in the delay, disruption, and denial of Americans earned benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AMID THE CLOSURE of field offices and internal components, firings and buyout offers, Musk and Trump have attacked the agency on social media and in public statements. First, Musk took to X to share false claims that tens of millions Americans over the age of 100 were improperly receiving payments, including 1.3 million over 150 years of age. Then, Trump repeated the claims even going so far as to claim, during his address to Congress last week, that people who were listed as being 300-years-old in Social Security systems, were receiving checks. In the address, Trump claimed that more than 18 million Americans who are over the age of 100 were receiving Social Security benefits. According to the agency itself, there are just 89,000 Americans aged 99 and older who receive payments. On Feb. 19, Dudek himself said Trump and Musks claims were incorrect. When Elon Musk and the kids from DOGE who didnt understand what they were looking at brought up the laughable assertion that there were tens of millions of dead people receiving benefits, I thought we had laughed them into the silly corner on that, OMalley says. But then Trump doubled down on it. Instead of people who are 150 years old receiving checks, now its 300 years old. At first I thought Musk failed to tell him they were wrong about that, but now I wonder if its just part of a big lie. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With congressional Republicans either dodging the issue or silently backing DOGEs work even as it intrudes on their own authority some Democrats have introduced legislation to try to save the SSA. But unless they can convince Republicans to buck their party, and possibly anger Musk and Trump, those bills face a difficult future. Last week, OMalley joined congressional Democrats at a press conference in introducing a suite of bills aimed at protecting the agency and the benefits it provides. The bills would halt the closure of field offices and block DOGE from accessing data about Americans who receive Social Security benefits. Larson also introduced a resolution giving the Trump administration 14 days to respond to questions about DOGEs activities within the agency. Larson has also demanded a hearing on DOGEs work at the SSA. He says Social Security Subcommittee chair Ron Estes (R-Kan.) has not responded to this request. Estes did not answer questions for this story. Republicans have attempted to cut benefits and privatize Social Security in the past, and rather than improve efficiency, that seems to be the direction they are headed in once again, Larson tells Rolling Stone and American Doom. Republicans need to stand up with us to conduct meaningful oversight and get real answers for their constituents, rather than ceding the power of the legislative branch to Musk, Trump, and their DOGE cronies. Throughout DOGEs ravaging of the SSA, a culture of fear has permeated the agency, employees say. One of the employees, a veteran of the agency with more than a dozen years experience there, said they chose to speak out because they felt the SSA and its employees were being unfairly maligned by Trump and Musk. I feel like if no one speaks out then the public cant know about it, talk to their congressional representatives, and put pressure on them. The shuttering of offices, firings of probationary workers, and offers of buyouts to those at retirement age and even below it are not just causing a feeling of fear to spread throughout the SSA, the two current employees say, but bringing the agency perilously close to widespread failures. OMalley agrees, and says that DOGE, Dudek, and the Trump administration are intentionally driving the agency into collapse so they can claim its broken. OMalley is distressed to watch the agencys destruction after his time at the agency, which he says is responsible for one of the most efficient and popular government programs in history. Faced with a rising number of new beneficiary applications and a historic low in its number of employees, OMalley compared the SSA to an aging battleship in his year tenure at its head. Last year, we turned that battleship on a dime, but the deck was only three inches above the water line, he said. These guys seem determined to sink it. This story is being published in partnership with American Doom, a newsletter that focuses on right-wing extremism and other threats to democracy. Have a tip? Contact Justin Glawe on Signal at justinglawe.20. 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. YAOUNDE, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Cameroonian troops have carried out an operation in the country's Far North region killing at least four members of the Boko Haram terror group, security sources said Monday. The military offensive was launched on Sunday night in the Walassa locality of Far North, according to a senior military official in the region. "It was a successful mission. The terrorists tried to fight back when our troops attacked, but they were overcome. Several of them escaped with wounds. We seized several of their weapons. Our brave forces will continue to secure the region and protect civilians against the terrorists," the official, who asked not to be named, told Xinhua. Since January, Boko Haram has intensified attacks against civilians in the region. Last week, the militants kidnapped about 20 people in separate incidents, local police reported. Some of the hostages were later found dead. Boko Haram has been active in Cameroon's Far North region since 2014. SpaceX is set to send up late Monday its first Falcon 9 from Florida's Space Coast since a fire destroyed a booster after it landed. This Falcon 9 booster is flying for the 22nd time set to launch 21 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Stations Space Launch Complex 40 targeting an 11:21 p.m. Eastern time liftoff with backup options through 12:15 a.m. Tuesday and more opportunities starting at 10:48 p.m. Tuesday. The booster will aim for a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It would be the 21st launch on the Space Coast so far in 2025. The 20th didnt have a perfect ending when the booster for another Starlink launch on March 2 from Cape Canaveral landed on the companys other East Coast-based droneship Just Read the Instructions. After successful landing an off-nominal fire broke out in the aft end of the rocket, said Bill Gerstenmaier, SpaceXs vice president for build & flight reliability, SpaceX. It damaged one of the landing legs, which resulted in the rocket tipping over. He was speaking during a Crew-10 mission preview press conference Friday as SpaceX discusses with NASA all of the Falcon 9 anomalies on all of its launches to make sure they wont be an issue for the crewed missions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The booster loss was the third off the Space Coast in about 15 months having lost one in December 2023 that tipped over because of high seas, and then losing another last August when the booster caught fire and tipped over. To date, SpaceX has managed to successfully recover 415 boosters among Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches, and has reused 385 of those on subsequent launches. Several have achieved 20 launches and its fleet leader has 26 launches under its belt. The culprit behind the fire was a fuel leak of undetermined origin that began about 85 seconds after liftoff. It sprayed Falcon 9s rocket fuel, which is essentially kerosene, onto a hot component of the engine, Gerstenmaier said. It vaporized and created a flammable environment. But on the way up, there was no oxygen to interact with the fuel, so there was no problem at all during ascent and it was perfectly fine. The mission was accomplished, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But about 45 seconds after the first-stage landed, enough oxygen entered the engine compartment, interacting with the fuel and a still-hot portion of the engine sparking the fire. The fire was pretty extensive. Did a lot of damage, but the damage is what weve expected, what is accounted for in all our procedures and processes, he said. Gerstenmaier said it blew out a barrel panel on the side of the rocket as designed, and the fire was contained wo the engine compartment, so that even if there had been a problem during ascent, it would have resulted only in one of the nine Falcon 9 engines going out, and SpaceX would have been able to complete the mission. He said what remains of the tipped-over booster came back to Port Canaveral and its parts are being investigated still at Cape Canaveral. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While its disappointing to lose a rocket after a successful mission, the team will use this data to make sure that every Falcon is more reliable on ascent and landing for this mission and for every other mission going forward, he said. -------- LONGMEADOW, Mass. (WWLP) The Commonwealths Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism will be holding a meeting in Longmeadow on Tuesday. The Commission is holding several meetings across the state to discuss the concerns of Jewish communities regarding anti-Semitism, laws, legislation and protections, and educational programs. Antisemitic hate crimes reach eight-year high across Massachusetts According to a news release sent to 22News from Senator Velis office, the Executive Office of Public Safety and Securitys annual report found that 119 incidents of anti-Jewish hate crimes were reported in 2023 in Massachusetts, which is a 70% spike from the previous year and an eight year high. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The meeting is being held both in-person and virtually, on March 11, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Springfield Jewish Community Center in Longmeadow. The agenda and link to the live stream can be found on the legislatures website. Senator John C. Velis and Representative Simon J. Cataldo, co-chairs of the Commission, will be joined by Rabbi Jordie Gordon, Hevreh of Southern Berkshire, Molly Parr, 1st Vice President of the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts, Rabbi Amy Wallk, Temple Beth El, Rabbi Ariella Rosen, Congregation Bnai Israel, Dr. Nicole Collins, Faculty at John F. Kennedy Middle School (Springfield), Dr. Russell Johnston, Acting Commissioner of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and Holocaust Survivor Henia (Henny) Lewin, former Professor at University of Vermont. The Commission was created by the Massachusetts Legislature and includes members appointed by the Legislature, Governor, state agencies, and organizations. 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 article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Ready to tack? a voice shouts. Before I can ask what that means, the sails flicker and the entire boat suddenly tilts sideways. Dishes and bowls of fruit crash against each other inside the cabin. I grab hold of the railing and laugh nervously, but the smiles on my crewmates faces reassure me that this is a good manoeuvre. Moments later, we catch the wind and were off. Apostolis Tsiokos, our tanned,silver-haired skipper, is humming along to We Are Sailing by Rod Stewart. The 52ft monohull yacht, Neifinn, can accommodate up to 11 crew members but, this week, theres only three of us on board: me, Apostolis and Loic, a passenger from France. Were just one boat of the 11-strong flotilla a convoy of nine other monohulls and a catamaran, with sailors from around the UK, Germany and the US, as well as a lead boat helmed by Sunsails local team. We all met yesterday on the island of Lefkada (sometimes known as Lefkas), which sits in the Ionian Sea just off the west coast of Greece. It has deep connections to Homers epic poem The Odyssey German archaeologist Wilhelm Dorpfeld believed modern Lefkada was Odysseuss ancient Ithaca. Today, the island draws visitors to its many interesting historical sites, and to its golden bays for windsurfing and other watersports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (These are the top 25 islands to visit by boat in 2025.) Retired PE teacher Apostolis is a Lefkada native. Photograph by James Green The Ionian Sea is a paradise, says Apostolis in a slow, baritone voice. It has a lot of islands, beautiful beaches, welcoming ports, quiet places I like this job and meeting different people from all over the world. The 60-year-old Lefkada native spent most of his adult years teaching PE and worked as a skipper during the school holidays. When he retired from teaching he continued skippering, and now has clients that book with him time and time again. Sailing south from Lefkada towards the smaller island of Meganisi, the gentle wind blows us and we glide effortlessly along the calm, silky surface of the water. En route, we pass the small, private island of Skorpios, which is notable for being the spot where Jackie Kennedy married Aristotle Onassis in 1968. Transformed from barren to verdant by the Greek shipping tycoon, its still known as Onassis Island nearly 50 years after his death. Meganisi, positioned southeast of Lefkada, is renowned for its sea caves, including Papanikolis Cave, a rumoured hiding place of the eponymous submarine during the Second World War. Eager to experience this history for ourselves, we anchor Neifinn near the grotto and climb into the tender boat (dinghy). As we row closer towards the shadowed cave, the temperature plummets and the cool stillness envelopes us. The sound of the waves lapping against rocks echoes through the enormous cavern. White-washed crags, stained with red algae, peak out just above the surface of the water. We sit quietly for a few minutes to absorb the calm before heading back to the yacht. As we sail away to our stop for the night, Meganisis Vathi Harbour, the jagged, grey cliffs and the intensely blue water swiftly conceal their secret hiding place once again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before following our flotilla from Vathi to the island of Kastos the next morning, the lead boat announces over the radio that were going to have a regatta but the lack of wind makes for a relatively slow race. We bob around a little and that dreaded seasick feeling washes over me. I pause to remember what Id spoken about with Dee Caffari an MBE and record-breaker for sailing around the world nonstop three times whos part of our flotilla. Before we set off on our voyage, she advised me: Actively engaging in the activity really helps. If you have something to focus on, like driving or looking at the horizon or the sails, you dont have time to think about feeling sick. Apostolis ushers me to the helm to pilot the boat. He instructs me to keep my eye on a specific part of the jagged mountain top in the distance and guide the boat towards it. He smiles and nods approvingly as I drive. The seasickness fades away and I take pride in my new entry-level sailing skills. The waterfront of Lefkada town is bustling with restaurants and bars. Photograph by Jan Wlodarczyk, Alamy As we approach Kastos, a stone windmill-turned-taverna stands alone on the hill to the left of the bay. On arrival, I find mountain goats and cats to be the main inhabitants, bar a small number of permanent residents who run the shops and tavernas. A family of goats trot nonchalantly through the town square as I walk by. When I make my way up the hill towards to the restaurant, another goat watches me weave around the tiny, prickly cactuses dotted on the pebble path. We sit for dinner by the water at Taverna Belos, joined by other crew members from the flotilla, and admire the boats swaying softly in the tiny harbour. I devour a plate of saganaki (pan-seared cheese) and a huge portion of fried calamari. The rest of the menu is full of Greek favourites such as pork souvlaki, kolokythokeftedes (fried courgette balls), lamb chops and aubergine salad. A few hours of relaxed sailing from Kastos brings us to the town of Kioni on the island of Ithaca just off the northeast coast of Kefalonia. The three most important sailing tips are: drink water, drink coffee and smoke cigarettes, Apostolis chuckles, as he releases a cloud of pungent vape. After the first coffee, my mind starts to work, but before this nothing. I nod in agreement as I sip my freddo cappuccino. Loic and I decide to hike into the quiet hills to search for Kionis prominent lighthouses. The punishing afternoon heat gets to us before we find them, so we begin the trek back to the boat. En route, an elderly lady observes us from her porch and her face lights up when we greet her. Smiling, she offers us a coffee. We thank her but persevere with our journey were being treated to a hearty, slow-roasted lamb kleftiko dinner at Calypso restaurant later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The next day, anchored just off the beach of Mikros Gialos in southeastern Lefkada, I dangle my feet in the cool water as I sit on the back of the boat. Apostolis breezes towards me clutching slightly stale bread in one hand, his e-cigarette in the other. I break up the offering and drop a piece in the water. This must be the favourite meal of wrasses a breed of shiny, bright blue fish often found in these waters. The entire school darts to each piece I toss, their stripes glinting in the sun. (Why you should go beach-hopping by boat around Paxos, Greece.) The famous Greek salad is a staple on taverna menus across Greece. Photograph by Gareth Morgans, Stock Food A sailing journey around Lefkada can be reminiscent of the Odyssey. Photograph by James Green Later, we dock in the busy port of Sivota, a village on the southern coast of Lefkada. Its dotted with boutique shops, cafes with fridges full of gelato and tavernas touting cold beers. Tonight, were expecting a full moon and Apostolis knows the perfect place to watch it. As in every port, hes greeted almost like a celebrity, shaking hands with all who cross our path he seems to know everyone, and everyone knows him. We head to Stavros Taverna, overlooking the harbour where were welcomed warmly by the elderly owner Stavros, who keeps a watchful eye on his guests and their needs. I sample a range of delicious starters recommended by Apostolis, followed by some squid ink risotto and a moussaka. People think a sailing holiday is all sailing, 12 hours a day, but actually, its more like moving your hotel room to a different location Dee explains at dinner. You can snorkel, swim, bike, discover the village, eat great food. You explore more of the destination in an enjoyable way and go to places that other travellers may not get to go to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her words echo in my mind as we stop at a secret beach before beginning our journey back towards Lefkada. Theres not another soul in sight. The turquoise water glistens in the sun as it gently rolls onto the shore. We have the whole white sand beach to ourselves. Sailors are smart, quiet people, says Apostolis. We might look lazy, but were always watching: the wind, the sails, whats on the horizon, he trails off, raising the sails for our final day of sailing. Slowly, slowly, he directs an eager Loic. We have time. Were never in a hurry. Id raised the anchor earlier, feeling fulfilled, like I was slowly getting the hang of sailing. I can feel the wind pick up and I know whats coming next. Im prepared this time like the maids in Mary Poppins taking hold of all the valuables before the admiral fires his cannon. I grab hold of the loose items within arms reach and stand poised, ready to tack. Published in the Cruise guide, available with the Jan/Feb 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only). Spirit Airlines will launch service to six new and resuming destinations from Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) this May, expanding travel options for Charlotte area residents. Spirit Airlines updates travel rules for passengers The new destinations include Baltimore, Detroit, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Philadelphia. This expansion will increase Spirits service from CLT to 16 destinations with 17 peak-day departures, just in time for summer vacation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our Charlotte guests have embraced Spirits high-value travel options, which is why were excited to introduce new, nonstop flights so they can visit even more destinations beginning this May, said John Kirby, Vice President of Network Planning at Spirit Airlines in a news release. The new service also invites more guests from across our network to discover everything the Queen City has to offer. VIDEO: Caught on camera: Southwest flight, private plane nearly collide at Chicago Midway Airport NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Nashville travelers looking to book Spirit Airlines flights will soon have six new destinations to choose from. According to the airline company, Spirit will launch twice weekly flights to Cleveland, Chicago, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Myrtle Beach, and San Antonio from Nashville International Airport (BNA) in early May. In addition to the new routes, Spirit said it would resume service to Baltimore, Charlotte, and Tampa. These routes will grow Spirits BNA service to 20 destinations and 19 peak-day departures by this May. Have breaking news come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts Music City knows how to put on a show and attract visitors all year long, and now it will be easier to get great value for their flights to Nashville with the launch of Spirits newest routes to BNA, Vice President of Network Planning John Kirby said. For our Nashville guests, we provide more high-value options to the places they want to visit most with 9 new destinations to choose from. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spirit has been operating at BNA since 2019. The new flights are available for booking now at Spirit.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 WKRN News 2. MANILA, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Three were killed, and five others injured after their van crashed into a roadside concrete barrier in Benguet province in the northern Philippines, police said Monday. Police said the crash happened on early Sunday morning. The van reportedly experienced mechanical failure while navigating a sharp curve. Police said the five injured passengers are now in stable condition at a local hospital. The van's driver has been taken into custody. The end is in sight for the 2024-2025 school year, but before Florida students put away their books, there are a couple of holidays to look forward to. The big one is spring break, but schedules vary around the state, with most taking the week-long holiday in March. Others have to wait until April. Students in nine counties are the "lucky" ones. Spring break for them comes today, the day after the switch to daylight saving time, giving them a week to adjust to the time change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How many states have joined Florida to make daylight saving time permanent? See the list Here's the spring break schedule for all 67 Florida counties, but first, here's what you should know about the upcoming time change. When is daylight saving time 2025? We turned our clocks forward one hour losing an hour of sleep at 2 a.m. March 9. Spring break begins day after time change for 9 Florida counties After the change to daylight saving time Sunday, March 9, spring break will begin March 10 for these nine Florida counties: Collier: March 10-14 DeSoto: March 10-14 Gadsden: March 10-14 Hardee: March 10-14 Highlands: March 10-14 Jefferson: March 10-14 Lake: March 10-14 Leon: March 10-14 Madison: tentative spring break March 10-14 One Florida county schedules spring break week before time change Students in Sumter County will be the first in the state to enjoy spring break. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They'll be out of school from March 3-7, which means they'll return to the classroom after a week holiday, hours after the time change. Most Florida counties schedule spring break starting March 17 March 17-21 was the week chosen for spring break for the majority 45 of Florida's 67 counties. Flagler, Monroe and Okaloosa counties actually will begin the spring holiday the Friday before, March 14. Spring break begins March 24 for 5 counties Spring break won't begin until April for 7 Florida counties Most of the counties scheduling spring break for April, including Good Friday on April 18 during the week students will have off. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dixie: April 14-18 Gilchrist: April 14-18 Hamilton: April 14-21 Lafayette: April 14-18 Levy: April 14-18 Suwannee: April 14-18 Taylor: April 7-11 When is spring break in Florida schools? See alphabetical list Are there any other holidays before end of 2024-2025 school year? Yes. Some counties have scheduled a holiday for Good Friday on April 18. The next holiday is Memorial Day. For students in some counties, the school year ends before the holiday on May 26. For those still going, they will have the day off school on the Monday. When will daylight saving arrive? When does the time change? Daylight saving time for 2025 will begin at 2 a.m. EST Sunday, March 9, 2025, and we fall back again at 2 a.m. EST on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This means it will be darker in the morning, so watch for school children heading to the bus stop or heading to school. What are 2025 federal holidays? In 2025, there are 12 instead of the usual 11 federal holidays, although two fell on the same day. Inauguration Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day both fall on Jan. 20 this year. Since 1965, federal employees in the Washington, D.C., area are entitled to a holiday on the day a president is inaugurated. President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn into office on Jan. 20. Here are 2025 federal holidays: Jan. 1: New Year's Day Jan. 20: Inauguration Day; Martin Luther King Jr. Day Feb. 17: Washington's Birthday. Many state and local governments designation it as Presidents Day. May 26: Memorial Day June 19: Juneteenth July 4: Independence Day Sept. 1: Labor Day Oct. 13: Columbus Day Nov. 11: Veterans Day Nov. 27: Thanksgiving Day Dec. 25: Christmas Day Florida state holidays for 2025 When are 2025 Florida state holidays? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Florida Department of Management Services lists the following days observed as paid holidays by state agencies: Jan. 1, Wednesday: New Year's Day Jan. 20, Monday: Martin Luther King Jr. Day May 26, Monday: Memorial Day July 4, Friday: Independence Day Sept. 1, Monday: Labor Day Nov. 11, Tuesday: Veterans Day Nov. 27, Thursday: Thanksgiving Nov. 28: Friday after Thanksgiving Dec. 25, Thursday: Christmas Day This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: School today in Florida? See list of schools on spring break 2025 GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) Today is going to be a beautiful day in western Colorado! High temperatures are returning to the low sixties for the day with sunny skies forecasted for the Grand Valley. Tonight, expect temperatures to drop to near-freezing in the low thirties. However, another winter storm may be on the horizon for the end of the week disrupting these spring-like conditions. Speaking of spring, theres only a week and half left until the official spring equinox is here. For many people, the spring equinox is about renewal, rebirth and balance. Consider spring cleaning to get the rust of winter knocked off the house! Also, daylight savings officially began yesterday, so make sure those clocks are set forward an hour. For more tips on some things to do to get the most out of daylight saving time, visit my Instagram @BrazeltonWX for a WesternSlopeNow exclusive. High pressure will dry conditions and above normal warmth early this week. However, another potent winter storm fed by an atmospheric river is expected Thursday and Friday. Significant snowfall is possible across the mountains with measurable snow in the high valleys. This system will also result in strong winds across most of the area with gusts upwards of 40 to 60 mph. The good news is that the first half of the week is shaping up to be an amazing time on the western slope! An open wave will swing by to our south Tuesday night through Wednesday afternoon, bringing an increase in clouds and maybe a few light snow flurries to the southern mountains. Otherwise, Wednesday is shaping up to be one more beautiful day. Clouds will fill in Wednesday night into Thursday, and a few light mountain snow showers will start to develop near daybreak, particularly over the eastern Uinta and other ranges. Mountain snow and valley rain will fill from west to east, with rates ramping up Thursday night into Friday morning. The cold front is expected to sweep through by midday Friday, with snow showers lingering through Saturday morning. Chilly northwesterly flow persists through the day Saturday, with the next Pacific trough already pushing inland. Mountain showers will never really go away through the weekend, but Saturday morning and into the early afternoon hours is looking like the best chance for a lull. Overall, expect a wonderful first half of this week before a turn for your weekend. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com. ULAN BATOR, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Fourteen forest and steppe fires have been registered across Mongolia since the beginning of this year, burning 71,495 hectares of forest and grassland, the country's National Emergency Management Agency said Monday. Some 820 people and 149 firefighting vehicles were involved in extinguishing the wildfires, said the agency in a statement. According to experts, the main causes of natural fires are careless handling of fire by citizens, as well as deliberate burning of grass and debris. Due to the dry and windy weather conditions in most parts of Mongolia, in the spring of 2025 there is a high risk of sudden forest-steppe fires, it said, urging the public to prevent possible wildfires. Strikes began at 11 major German airports just after midnight on Monday (2300 GMT Sunday), with public service workers, ground staff and aviation security called out for 24 hours by the verdi trade union in two different wage disputes. Further strikes in facilities operated by the federal government and the local authorities are also to go ahead this week, a verdi spokesman said. The next round of pay talks, the third, has been scheduled for Potsdam near Berlin on Friday. The pay strike aims to paralyze air transport across much of Germany, with the ADV airport association predicting that more than 3,400 flights will be cancelled and 510,000 passengers unable to board as scheduled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The public sector strike, which has been planned since Friday, will be joined by employees in the aviation security sector. These are people who work in passenger control, personnel, goods and freight control as well as in service areas. A new collective labour agreement is currently being negotiated for them. The next round of negotiations is scheduled for March 26 and 27. According to German air traffic control, around 6,000 flight movements take place daily at German airports, with a further 3,000 passing through German airspace. Verdi has called out public service workers and the ground staff who clean, load and refuel the aircraft at the main hub at Frankfurt, along with the airports at Munich, Stuttgart, Cologne/Bonn, Dusseldorf, Dortmund, Hanover, Bremen, Hamburg, Berlin-Brandenburg and Leipzig-Halle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the airports of Weeze and Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden, only employees in the aviation security sector have been called to strike. No passengers will be able to board at Frankfurt, Germany's busiest airport, and transit flights are almost certain to be affected according to airport operator Fraport. Workers at Frankfurt are to hold a rally during the day. On Monday, 1,170 take-offs with a total of around 150,000 passengers were scheduled. Airport operators have urged passengers not to travel to terminals. A Lufthansa spokesman said the airline was working on a replacement schedule. Verdi is demanding 8% more pay, with at least 350 ($380) per month more, as well as an additional three days of leave for a total 2.5 million workers. Employers have yet to make an offer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Strike action has already hit airports at Cologne/Bonn, Dusseldorf, Hamburg and Munich, resulting in numerous cancellations and affecting 800,000 passengers. Joachim Lang, head of the BDL air transport association described the strikes as disproportionate. "An entire transport section is being shut down comprehensively, and that, while airports and airlines, as well as restaurants, retail and hotels are not parties to the agreement. A collective bargaining conflict is being conducted on the backs of passengers, even before the next round of negotiations starts," Lang said. He called for new rules governing strikes in critical infrastructure. A display board in the departure area of Duesseldorf Airport warns of delays. The trade union Verdi has called for a 24-hour warning strike by public service and ground handling employees at eleven airports on Monday. Christoph Reichwein/dpa Strikes began at major German airports at midnight on Sunday (23:00 GMT), with public service workers, ground staff and aviation security called out for 24 hours by the verdi trade union in two different wage disputes. Further strikes in facilities operated by the federal government and the local authorities are also to go ahead this week, a verdi spokesman said. The next round of pay talks, the third, has been scheduled for Potsdam near Berlin on Friday. The pay strike aims to paralyse air transport across much of Germany, with the ADV airport association predicting that more than 3,400 flights will be cancelled and 510,000 passengers unable to board as scheduled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The public sector strike, which has been planned since Friday, will be joined by employees in the aviation security sector. These are people who work in passenger control, personnel, goods and freight control as well as in service areas. A new collective labour agreement is currently being negotiated for them. The next round of negotiations is scheduled for March 26 and 27. According to German air traffic control, around 6,000 flight movements take place daily at German airports, with a further 3,000 passing through German airspace. Verdi has called out public service workers and the ground staff who clean, load and refuel the aircraft at the main hub at Frankfurt, along with the airports at Munich, Stuttgart, Cologne/Bonn, Dusseldorf, Dortmund, Hanover, Bremen, Hamburg, Berlin-Brandenburg and Leipzig-Halle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No passengers will be able to board at Frankfurt, Germany's busiest airport, and transit flights are almost certain to be affected according to airport operator Fraport. Workers at Frankfurt are to hold a rally during the day. A security checkpoint in the terminal at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) remains closed. The Verdi union has called for a 24-hour warning strike by public sector and ground handling employees at 13 airports on Monday. Christophe Gateau/dpa A 17-year-old was arrested on Sunday after posting a video online allegedly plotting a shooting at a high school in Florida, according to the Sanford Police Department. Officials said they received an anonymous tip on Saturday regarding a "video of an unknown male threatening to shoot up Seminole High School." The video "pictured the subject with multiple guns, vests and other items of concern," authorities said in a statement on Sunday. PHOTO: Timothy Thomas (Sanford Police Department) Timothy A. Thomas, 17, was ultimately confirmed as the student in the video, police said. Thomas was charged with intimidation through a written or electronic threat of a mass shooting or act of terrorism, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thomas is a student at Elevation High School, which is approximately 4 miles from Seminole High School. He was found at his residence and "taken into custody without incident," officials said. The weapons -- which were seized after the teen's arrest -- were "extremely realistic Airsoft replicas," according to police. MORE: Abundant Life Christian School shooting latest: Motive appears to be combination of factors, police say Sanford Chief of Police Cecil Smith applauded the "swift dedication and arrest" of the suspect. "This fact action and teamwork most likely prevented a tragedy and saved multiple lives," Smith said in a statement. PHOTO: A 17-year-old boy was arrested on Sunday after posting a video threatening to 'shoot up' a school, with replica guns in his possession, according to the Sanford Police Department. (Sanford Police Department) Serita Beamon, superintendent of Seminole County Public Schools, said she was "thankful" for law enforcement's prompt response to the threats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The safety of our students and staff is our highest priority, and we will continue to take any potential threat seriously, and act quickly," Beamon said in a statement. Anyone with additional information about the incident should reach out to the Sanford Police Department or Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS (8477). Student, 17, arrested for threatening to 'shoot up' Florida school: Police originally appeared on abcnews.go.com CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) University of Illinois Public Safety is alerting the community of a sexual assault that happened on campus over the weekend. The University of Illinois Police Department received a report from campus security that a student was sexually assaulted at a fraternity around midnight on Saturday, March 8. They added that the victim didnt know the offender. CUs unofficial has passed but for some, things just arent the same Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Public Safety said while they do not include specific details about sexual offenses in order to prevent possible identification of survivors, they alert the community of these crimes to heighten awareness, encourage student safety, and to aid in the prevention of similar crimes. Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call UIPD at 217-333-1216 or to submit an anonymous tip to Champaign County Crime Stoppers by calling 217-373-8477 (373-TIPS), visiting 373tips.com, or by using the P3 Tips mobile app on iOS or Android. For 24/7 resources, visit Rape Advocacy, Counseling, and Education Services (RACES), or call the 24-hour hotline at 217-384-4444. You can also visit Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network (RAINN). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Federal charges were unsealed Monday against a suburban Chicago businessman accused of using phony documents and forged signatures to create false immigration narratives for clients seeking asylum in the U.S. Jose Gregorio Sosa Cardona, 40, of Downers Grove, was charged in a seven-count indictment with conspiracy to commit immigration fraud, falsifying applications for immigration benefits, and making a false statement to U.S. immigration officials. Cardona was arrested Monday and pleaded not guilty to the charges at an arraignment at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, according to the U.S. attorneys office. Prosecutors are seeking to have him held in custody pending trial, and a detention hearing was set for Wednesday. His attorney was not immediately available for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The indictment alleged Cardona operated Delta Global Solutions Inc., which assisted individuals in applying for asylum, immigrant visas, lawful permanent residence cards and other immigration benefits. From 2020 to 2024, Cardona conspired with two employees of his firm and others to provide false information to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on behalf of his clients, who were seeking benefits, according to the indictment. The indictment accused Cardona of fabricating foreign law enforcement reports and foreign political party membership letters to falsely corroborate his clients asylum claims. For one client seeking asylum status in 2020, Cardona forged the name of a police chief, the charges stated. Two of the clients listed in the 20-page indictment were from Venezuela, while the nationality for the other three clients was not provided in the charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The charges also alleged Cardona lied to U.S. immigration officials by saying he was an attorney licensed to practice in Ohio. In fact, Cardona is not an attorney and was not authorized to represent applicants in immigration proceedings before the USCIS. The charge of falsifying immigration applications carries up to 10 years in prison if convicted. The conspiracy and false statement counts each carry a maximum sentence of five years. State records show Cardonas business was incorporated in 2022 under the name Delta Globale Solutions and has an address in Lisle. No one answered calls at the number listed for the business on Monday. jmeisner@chicagotribune.com BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Brunei has revealed plans to construct more flood mitigation infrastructure, a government minister said on Monday. The efforts to reduce floods include building more retention ponds, widening drains and rivers, introducing water control gates, and enhancing pumping systems, Haji Muhammad Juanda, Brunei's minister of development, said at the Legislative Council meeting. The minister said that the construction of retention ponds has significantly reduced the occurrence of floods. In the previous development plan, 21 retention ponds were built at a cost of 80 million Brunei dollars (60.1 million U.S. dollars). These efforts reflect the government's commitment to addressing challenges caused by floods in the future, according to the minister. Brunei is located on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia, where the monsoon climate brings heavy rainfall. The government is committed to protecting the public from natural disasters such as floods. The U.S. Supreme Court on Oct. 9, 2024. (Photo by Jane Norman/States Newsroom) The U.S. Supreme Court will review a case that challenges the constitutionality of a 2019 Colorado law that bans conversion therapy for minors, the court announced Monday. The case concerns a Colorado state law that bans conversion therapy, the practice of trying to change a persons sexual orientation, such as to eliminate same-sex attraction, or gender identity. About half of U.S. states and Washington, D.C., ban the practice, and the American Medical Association opposes it. The Human Rights Campaign, a national organization that advocates equality for all LGBTQ+ people, says every mainstream medical and mental health organization has rejected the practice for decades and that it can lead to depression, anxiety, drug use, homelessness, and suicide, particularly for minors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 2019 law prohibits licensed psychiatrists and mental health care providers from engaging in conversion therapy with patients under 18 years old. Providers who conduct conversion therapy are subject to disciplinary action from the appropriate licensing board. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX According to The Associated Press, the court declined to review a similar challenge in 2023. While the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the Colorado law, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has struck down local bans on conversion therapy in Florida. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, whose office represents the state in the case, said his office is committed to defending the law at the Supreme Court after it won at the district and appeals courts. The named defendant in the case is Patty Salazar, executive director of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement States have long regulated medical practices to protect patients from unsafe, harmful professional conduct, Weiser said in a statement. Colorados law protecting young people from unscientific and cruel gay conversion therapy practices is humane, smart, and appropriate. Conservative religious law firm Alliance Defending Freedom represents the plaintiff, Kaley Chiles, a Colorado Springs counselor who argues the Colorado law violates a counselors right to free speech by prohibiting certain conversations related to gender and sexuality. Chiles petition to the Supreme Court says she is a practicing Christian who believes that people flourish when they live consistently with Gods design, including their biological sex. It says she views her career as an outgrowth of her faith and that many clients come to her because of her Christianity. ADF CEO and President Kristen Waggoner said the government has no business censoring private conversations between clients and counselors. There is a growing consensus around the world that adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria need love and an opportunity to talk through their struggles and feelings. Colorados law prohibits whats best for these children and sends a clear message: the only option for children struggling with these issues is to give them dangerous and experimental drugs and surgery that will make them lifelong patients, Waggoner said in a statement. We are eager to defend Kaleys First Amendment rights and ensure that government officials may not impose their ideology on private conversations between counselors and clients. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Colorado Senate President Pro Tempore Dafna Michaelson Jenet, a Commerce City Democrat who sponsored the law when she was in the Colorado House of Representatives, said in a statement that she is very worried that the Supreme Court will not rule on the side of children who are being abused. During debate on the bill, Michaelson Jenet said, We heard gut-wrenching testimony as well as research and data about the lifelong consequences conversion therapy and even stories of suicide. The evidence was overwhelming: conversion therapy is deeply and often permanently harmful to youth. Former Colorado Senate President Steve Fenberg, a Boulder Democrat, also sponsored the bill. The state regulates standards for licensed professionals and there is plenty of evidence that forcing so-called conversion therapy on children is not only ineffective, but is harmful and can lead to suicide, Fenberg said in a statement. We passed this law to save lives. I would hope the Supreme Court would agree that even in these polarized political times, saving childrens lives is something that we should all prioritize. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson said the Supreme Court must uphold the 10th Circuit decision backing the Colorado law, which she said exists to protect LGBTQ+ children from harm. The Supreme Courts decision to take up this case isnt just about so-called conversion therapy its about whether extremists can use our courts to push their dangerous agenda, in an effort to erase LGBTQ+ people and gut protections that keep our kids safe, Robinson said in a statement. Theres no debate: so-called conversion therapy is a dangerous practice, not therapy, and it has no place in our communities. Several court cases related to LGBTQ+ discrimination in Colorado have made their way to the nations highest court. That includes one in which the Supreme Court said a Colorado web designer does not have to make websites for same-sex couples, and another in which the court said a cake shop owner could deny a same-sex couple a wedding cake based on religious beliefs. The court will hear arguments in the case during its next term, which starts in October. Editors note: This story was updated at 7:15 a.m., March 11, 2025, to include a statement from Sen. Dafna Michaelson Jenet. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The Supreme Court on Monday said it would review a Colorado law that bars mental health professionals from practicing conversion therapy for minors, a discredited practice that attempts to change a persons sexual orientation or gender identity. Kaley Chiles, a licensed counselor and practicing Christian, challenged that law under the First Amendment, claiming that her patients voluntarily seek out her services. Chiles, who was represented by the religious group Alliance Defending Freedom, argued that the laws enacted in Colorado and more than 19 other states silence counselors ability to express views their clients seek. But state officials countered that they may regulate the medical treatment of patients. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A professionals treatment of her patients and clients is fundamentally different, for First Amendment purposes, from laypersons interactions with each other, Colorado officials said. The case, similar to one the Supreme Court rejected in late 2023 from a licensed marriage and family counselor in Washington state, echoes another high profile case pending on the docket. In US v. Skrmetti, Tennessee is defending a ban on puberty blockers and hormone treatments for transgender youth on the grounds that the state had broad power to regulate medicine. In that case, the courts conservatives signaled during oral arguments in December that they were prepared to defer to state lawmakers on such bans. A decision is expected by July. Critics say conversion therapy which attempts to convert people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning into straight or cisgender people, causes serious emotional harm and can have deadly results. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chiles sued over the Colorado law in 2022. A federal district court denied her request to temporarily suspend its enforcement and the Denver-based 10th US Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed that decision. Chiles appealed to the Supreme Court in November. In a similar appeal rejected by the high court in 2023, three conservative justices Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas said they would have considered the case. Under the state law, Thomas wrote in five-page opinion, licensed counselors cannot voice anything other than the state-approved opinion on minors with gender dysphoria without facing punishment. Although the court declines to take this particular case, I have no doubt that the issue it presents will come before the court again, he wrote at the time. When it does, the court should do what it should have done here: grant certiorari to consider what the First Amendment requires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alito said in a brief dissent in 2023 that the court should have taken up the case to address an issue that lower courts have been divided on. In recent years, 20 States and the District of Columbia have adopted laws prohibiting or restricting the practice of conversion therapy, Alito wrote. It is beyond dispute that these laws restrict speech, and all restrictions on speech merit careful scrutiny. CNNs Devan Cole contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com For the record: 2:29 p.m. March 10, 2025: An earlier version of this article referred to the artist Camille Pissarro as Claude. The Supreme Court on Monday revived a family's claim to recover a painting that had been hung in a Berlin apartment in 1939 and was stolen by the Nazis. In a brief order, the justices overturned the 9th Circuit Court for the second time and said the fate of the Camille Pissarro painting should be decided under the terms of a new California law that protects the rightful heirs of art that was lost during the Holocaust. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Repeatedly, a federal judge in Los Angeles and the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco had ruled the Spanish museum that had lawfully obtained the painting, called "Rue Saint-Honore in the Afternoon. Effect of Rain," more than 30 years ago had a rightful claim to own it. But this legal conclusion over property transfers ran into the moral claim that stolen art work from the Holocaust era must be returned. In 2000, Claude Cassirer, a San Diego resident, was astonished to learn that the painting that he remembered from his grandmother's apartment in Berlin was hanging in a museum in Madrid. Read more: A shocking turn: Nazi-looted Pissarro painting wont return to Jewish family After trying unsuccessfully to have it returned by the museum, he filed a lawsuit in 2005 in federal court in Los Angeles that has been carried on by his family. Claude Cassirer died in 2010; his wife, Beverly, in 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, the California Legislature changed the state's law in response to the case. "For survivors of the Holocaust and their families, the fight to take back ownership of art and other personal items stolen by the Nazis continues to traumatize those who have already gone through the unimaginable, Gov. Gavin Newsom said when he signed the bill into law. It is both a moral and legal imperative that these valuable and sentimental pieces be returned to their rightful owners, and I am proud to strengthen Californias laws to help secure justice for families. With a new law in place, lawyers for David Cassirer, the couple's son, appealed to the Supreme Court and urged the justices to vacate, or set aside, the 9th Circuit's latest ruling. The court did just that on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It granted the appeal and told the 9th Circuit to reconsider the case under the new California law. Read more: California enacts law reviving a Jewish family's claim to Nazi-looted art, bucking 9th Circuit "I am very grateful to the Supreme Court and the state of California for insisting on applying principles of right and wrong," David Cassirer said in a statement. "As a Holocaust survivor, my late father, Claude Cassirer, was very proud to become an American citizen in 1947, and he cherished the values of this country." His attorneys, David Boies and Sam Dubbin, said they hope the court's decision will clear the way for recovering the painting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There has never been a dispute that the Cassirer family was the rightful owner," they said. "We hope Spain and its museum will now do the right thing and return the Nazi-looted art they are holding without further delay." But Thaddeus J. Stauber, a Los Angeles lawyer who represents the Spanish museum, said the legal dispute is far from resolved. "Todays brief order gives the 9th Circuit the first opportunity to examine if the new California Assembly Bill is valid and what, if any, impact it may have on the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection Foundations repeatedly affirmed rightful ownership," he said. "The foundation, as it has for the past 20 years, looks forward to working with all concerned to once again ensure that its ownership is confirmed with the painting remaining on public display in Madrid." Times staff writer Kevin Rector contributed to this report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. PUL-E-KHUMRI, Afghanistan, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Police have discovered a huge quantity of arms and ammunition including heavy machine guns from northern Afghanistan's Baghlan province, said a news release from the provincial police office on Monday. The weapons have been discovered in the provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri and adjoining areas, the news release said. Without furnishing more details, the news release noted that the police will not allow anyone to keep or carry arms illegally. In similar operations, the police rounded up dozens of pieces of arms and military equipment in the neighboring Samangan province a couple of days ago. WASHINGTON (AP) The Supreme Court agreed on Monday in a case from Colorado to decide whether state and local governments can enforce laws banning conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ children. The conservative-led court is taking up the case amid actions by President Donald Trump targeting transgender people, including a ban on military service and an end to federal funding for gender-affirming care for transgender minors. The justices also have heard arguments in a Tennessee case over whether state bans on treating transgender minors violate the Constitution. But they have yet to issue a decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Colorado is among roughly half the states that prohibit the practice of trying to change a persons sexual orientation or gender identity through counseling. The issue is whether the law violates the speech rights of counselors. Defenders of such laws argue that they regulate the conduct of professionals who are licensed by the state. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver upheld the state law. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta has struck down local local bans in Florida. In 2023, the court had turned away a similar challenge, despite a split among federal appeals courts that had weighed state bans and come to differing decisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time, three justices, Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas, said they would have taken on the issue. It takes four justices to grant review. The nine-member court does not typically reveal how justices vote at this stage of a case so its unclear who might have provided the fourth vote. The case will be argued in the courts new term, which begins in October. The appeal on behalf of Kaley Chiles, a counselor in Colorado Springs, was filed by Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal organization that has appeared frequently at the court in recent years in cases involving high-profile social issues. Chiles has had to turn away clients because of the law, ADF lawyer Jim Campbell said Monday on a conference call for reporters, though he declined to say how many. Chiles said the law, with potential fines of $5,000 and license suspension or even revocation, interferes with my ability to serve my clients with integrity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of ADF's earlier cases was a 5-4 decision in 2018 in which the justices ruled that California could not force state-licensed anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers to provide information about abortion. Chiles lawyers leaned heavily on that decision in asking the court to take up her case. They wrote that Chiles doesnt seek to cure clients of same-sex attractions or to change clients sexual orientation. In arguing for the court to reject the appeal, lawyers for Colorado wrote that lawmakers acted to regulate professional conduct, based on overwhelming evidence that efforts to change a childs sexual orientation or gender identity are unsafe and ineffective. ___ Follow the AP's coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court at https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court. It was a 90-minute political walk-off home run. It was funny and entertaining and I loved every minute. I could have watched another hour. My father would have loved it, too. The speech showed Trump at his best and most confident and having fun. And it drove more nails into the Democrat Party coffin by exposing for the deplorable human beings they really are. A few minutes in, Trump pointed over to the Democrats and predicted that no matter what he was going to say, he knew they were never going to stand up or applaud. They not only proved him right, but for the next hour and a half they showed the whole world what nasty and heartless partisans they were. The Democrats also broke new ground in party stupidity Tuesday night when they held up and waved their little protest signs that said "False" or "Musk Steals" whenever Trump paused for his applause lines. But the Democrats really hit bottom when Trump introduced the mothers and families of girls who had been raped and killed by illegal immigrants that were in the country because of Biden's failed border policies. As predicted, the Democrats didn't stand or clap or shed a tear. And when that sweet 13-year-old boy with brain cancer was surprised with an honorary membership in the Secret Service, it was the night's most eye-watering moment for everyone in the chamber except for the hateful Democrats. Later, when Democrats chose rookie Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan to give their response to Trump's speech, she took the opportunity to use my father to criticize the way Trump spanked Ukraine's President Zelenskyy in public in the Oval Office last week. Referring to how the president reacted angrily when Zelenskyy tried to sabotage him in front of the media by reneging on a deal he had agreed to that would have ended the slaughter in Ukraine, Slotkin claimed Ronald Reagan "must be rolling in his grave" at the way Zelenskyy was treated. Sorry, Senator. Not even close. My dad would have backed up what Trump did to Zelenskyy 1,000 percent. And your claim that Trump would have lost the Cold War is also a truckload of partisan BS. What Zelenskyy tried to do to Trump was just like what happened to my dad in 1986 at the Reykjavik Summit in Iceland when he met with the Soviet Union's Mikhail Gorbachev. They had reached an agreement in private about a path to limiting each country's strategic nuclear weapons. But then, when Gorbachev appeared before the news cameras, he tried to pull a fast one a la Zelenskyy. He said any arms agreement had to be dependent on the U.S. ditching its "Star Wars" space-based missile defense system. My dad, who ran for president in part because he was sick of seeing the U.S. give in to so many Soviet demands, said "Nyet" and walked away. In the same way the liberal media ganged up on Trump last week for "betraying" Ukraine, in 1986 the entire liberal mainstream media then concentrated at NBC, CBS, ABC, the New York Times and the Washington Post acted like my father started WWIII. The liberal establishment media no longer have those evil political powers today, thanks to the Internet. X alone is more influential than all of print. No one east of Philly cares what the New York Times thinks about anything anymore which is a good thing. Speaking of X, this tweet I posted summing up my son Cameron's opinion of Slotkin's attempt to use his grandfather to bash Trump speaks for the Reagan Family: "They literally hated him (Grandpa) while he was alive. A Democrat was in charge before him and he never got us out of the Cold War. Democrats pandering to mindless people by invoking grandpa's name is (bleep)." (COMMENT, BELOW) Michael Reagan is the son of President Ronald Reagan, a political consultant, and the author of "The New Reagan Revolution" (St. Martin's Press). He is the founder of the email service reagan.com and president of The Reagan Legacy Foundation. JAKARTA, March 10 (Xinhua) -- ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn received General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam at the ASEAN Secretariat on Monday with a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of Vietnam's accession to the organization. Kao said in his welcoming remarks that Vietnam's accession in 1995 represented a critical step towards realizing the ASEAN founding fathers' vision of a unified Southeast Asia -- maritime and mainland, archipelagic and continental -- bound by shared aspirations for peace and prosperity and united by a spirit of solidarity and mutual understanding. Kao said To Lam's visit marks the first-ever visit of a general secretary of the CPV Central Committee to the ASEAN Secretariat. Kao praised Vietnam's role of advocating for ASEAN's extensive network of free trade agreements, which in turn has solidified the region as a key hub of global supply chains. To Lam gave a policy speech at the ceremony and called for solidarity, self-reliance, collaboration, and unity in diversity to maintain ASEAN's resilience in a volatile world. To Lam said ASEAN must act in a more coordinated and responsible manner, with internal cohesion being pivotal to resisting external pressures and maintaining an independent and balanced voice. He also called for strengthening economic resilience, harnessing and capitalizing on the ASEAN's strength of being a vast and highly promising space for economic development to rise along the global supply chain and become a strategic production hub for the world. To Lam arrived in Jakarta on Sunday for a state visit to Indonesia. DAMASCUS (Reuters) -Syria's Islamist-led government on Monday said it had completed a military operation against a nascent insurgency by Bashar al-Assad loyalists, as it faced Western demands for accountability over the reported killing of hundreds of civilians. The violence in Syria's coastal region marks the biggest test for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa since he seized power in December, with hundreds of civilians reported by a war monitor to have been killed in Alawite villages as government forces sought to crush the insurrection by members of Assad's minority Alawite sect. Sharaa, an al Qaeda leader before cutting ties to the group in 2016, has accused remnants of Assad's rule of seeking to drag Syria back into civil war. He has also announced the establishment of a fact-finding committee into the violence and vowed to hold to account those involved in civilian bloodshed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a Reuters interview, Sharaa said mass killings of Alawites were a threat to his mission to unite Syria, and promised to punish those responsible, including his own allies if necessary. The violence has shaken his grip as his administration grapples with myriad challenges, notably getting U.S. sanctions lifted and winning international backing for his efforts to stitch Syria back together after 14 years of conflict. Germany said reports of the killing of civilians and prisoners were shocking, a day after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned "the radical Islamist terrorists, including foreign jihadis, that murdered people in western Syria". A spokesperson for the German foreign ministry said the transitional government had a responsibility to prevent further attacks, to investigate the incidents and to hold those responsible to account. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Syrian defence ministry arrested two people on Monday after a video showed them "committing violations against civilians unlawfully and in a bloody manner" in one of the coastal villages, Syrian state news agency Sana reported. The two men, whose affiliations were not clear, were referred to a military court, according to Sana. Their detention was the first to be made public by the government since it announced the completion of its military operation to restore security. SECTARIAN REPRISALS Violence spiralled on Thursday, when the authorities said their forces in the coastal region faced a well-organised attack by fighters aligned with the ousted Assad government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As government reinforcements deployed, mosques in regions loyal to the new administration began calling on people to wage jihad, or holy struggle, in support of security forces. By Friday afternoon, reports began emerging that scores of civilians had been killed in sectarian reprisals in Alawite towns and villages. As of Sunday evening, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based organisation that reports on the conflict, said 973 civilians were killed in reprisal attacks carried out by government forces or fighters aligned with them. More than 250 Alawite fighters were killed and more than 230 members of government security forces were also killed, it said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reuters has not been able to independently verify the tolls. ISRAEL URGES PROTECTION FOR MINORITIES Declaring an end to the government's military operation, defence ministry spokesperson Hassan Abdul Ghany said government forces "were able to neutralize" remnants of Assad's rule in seven locations and that security forces would cooperate with the investigation. "We are paving the way for life to return to normal and for the consolidation of security and stability," he said in statements published by state media. Plans were in place to eliminate any future threats, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said the violence showed that Syria's new rulers "remained jihadists, even if some of their leaders have put on suits". "It must draw conclusions from what has happened and explore ways to protect minorities in Syria," he told a political party meeting. Reuters reported last month that Israel has been lobbying the United States to keep Syria weak and decentralised, including by letting Russia keep its military bases there to counter Turkey's growing influence in the country. The U.N. Security Council met behind closed doors on Monday, at the request of Russia and the United States, to discuss the escalating violence in Syria. Russia, which backed Assad militarily during the civil war and still has two military bases in Syria, had reached out to the U.S. to jointly ask for the meeting, Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said. (Reporting by Jana Choukeir in Dubai; Alexander Cornwell in Jerusalem; Riham Alkoussa in Berlin; Maxim Rodionov in Moscow; Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Menna Alaa El-Din in Cairo; Writing by Angus McDowall and Tom Perry; Editing by Toby Chopra, Alex Richardson, Christina Fincher and Alison Williams) By Samia Nakhoul, Maya Gebeily and Timour Azhari (Reuters) - Syria's interim President Ahmed Sharaa said mass killings of members of ousted President Bashar al-Assad's minority sect were a threat to his mission to unite the country, and promised to punish those responsible, including his own allies if necessary. In his first interview to a global news agency, held after hundreds died in four days of clashes between Alawite Muslims and Syria's new Sunni Islamist authorities, Sharaa blamed pro-Assad groups backed by foreigners for triggering the bloodshed but acknowledged that revenge killings had followed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Syria is a state of law. The law will take its course on all," he told Reuters from the Damascus presidential palace, where Assad resided until Sharaa's forces toppled him on December 8, forcing the ousted ruler to flee to Moscow. "We fought to defend the oppressed, and we won't accept that any blood be shed unjustly, or goes without punishment or accountability, even among those closest to us," Sharaa said. In a wide-ranging interview, Sharaa also said that his government had had no contacts with the United States since President Donald Trump had taken office. He repeated pleas for Washington to lift sanctions imposed in the Assad era. He also held out the prospect of restoring relations with Moscow, Assad's backer throughout the war, which is trying to retain two major military bases in Syria. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He rejected criticism from Israel, which has captured territory in southern Syria since Assad was toppled. And he said he aimed to resolve differences with Kurds, including by meeting the head of a Kurdish-led group long backed by Washington. While he blamed the outbreak of violence in recent days on a former military unit loyal to Assad's brother and an unspecified foreign power, he acknowledged that in response "many parties entered the Syrian coast and many violations occurred". "It became an opportunity for revenge" for years of pent-up grievances, he said, although he said the situation had since been largely contained. Sharaa said 200 members of the security forces had been killed in the unrest, while declining to say the overall death toll pending an investigation, which will be conducted by an independent committee announced on Sunday before his interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A UK-based war monitoring group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said that as of Sunday night as many as 973 Alawite civilians had been killed in revenge attacks, after fighting in which more than 250 Alawite fighters and more than 230 members of the security forces had died. 'MY CHEST TIGHTENS IN THIS PALACE' After years in the field at the helm of a guerrilla movement that broke off from Al Qaeda, the 42-year-old son of an Arab nationalist was soft-spoken. His voice sometimes barely registered above a whisper during the interview, held after midnight on Monday during the holy month of Ramadan when business is often conducted late. His entourage of young, bearded men appeared to still be adjusting to protocol in the opulent seat of power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "To be honest, my chest tightens in this palace. I'm astonished by how much evil against society emanated from every corner," Sharaa said. The unrest of recent days, the bloodiest since Assad was ousted, was his biggest setback as he seeks international legitimacy, to fully lift U.S. and other Western sanctions and assert his rule over a country fractured by 14 years of war. His forces rode into the capital pledging to rule for all of Syria's communities - Sunnis, Alawites, Druze, Christians, Shi'ites, Kurds and Armenians - while trying to assuage domestic and foreign concern over his extremist Islamist background. He quickly welcomed a stream of foreign dignitaries and, along with his close circle, has toured the region to court support. But three months in, joy at Assad's ouster has largely been replaced by concern over the formidable challenges at home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The economy remains in tatters, large parts of the country including its oil-rich northeast, are out of state control and Israel has struck an increasingly threatening tone backed by airstrikes, incursions and seizure of territory. Sharaa recognised the violence of the past days threatened to derail his attempt to bring Syria together. It "will impact this path," Sharaa said, but he vowed to "rectify the situation as much as we can". To do that, Sharaa has set up an independent committee - the first body created by him that includes Alawites - to probe the killings within 30 days and bring perpetrators to account. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A second committee was set up "to preserve civil peace and reconciliation, because blood begets more blood," he added. Sharaa declined to answer whether foreign jihadist fighters and other allied Islamist factions or his own security forces were involved in the mass killings, saying these were matters for the investigation. Syrians have circulated graphic videos of executions by fighters on social media, some of which have been verified by Reuters, including one showing at least 20 dead men in a town. Sharaa said the fact-finding committee would examine the footage. The killings have shaken to the core Syria's coastal towns and cities of Latakia, Banyas and Jableh, forcing thousands of Alawites to flee to mountainous villages or cross the border into Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sharaa said Assad loyalists belonging to the 4th Division of Assad's brother, Maher, and an allied foreign power had triggered the clashes on Thursday "to foment unrest and create communal discord". He did not identify the foreign power, but pointed to "parties that had lost out from the new reality in Syria", an apparent reference to long-time Assad ally Iran, whose embassy in Damascus is still closed. Tehran has rejected any suggestion it was involved in the violence. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey have strongly backed Sharaa amid the violence, while former Assad ally Russia expressed deep concern and Iran said no group should be oppressed. Washington blamed "radical Islamist terrorists, including foreign jihadis". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 'OUR DOOR IS OPEN' Sharaa said security and economic prosperity were directly tied to lifting U.S. sanctions imposed against Assad. "We cannot establish security in the country with sanctions still in place against us." But there has not been any direct contact with Trump's administration in the nearly two months since he took office, amid scepticism over Sharaa's former Al Qaeda ties. When asked why, he said: "The Syrian file is not on U.S.'s list of priorities. You should ask this question to them. Syria's door is open." Meanwhile, talks are ongoing with Moscow over its military presence in the two strategic Mediterranean military bases, Tartous Naval Base and Hmeimin air base. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sharaa said Moscow and Damascus had agreed to review all former agreements, but there had not yet been enough time to get into details. "We do not want there to be a rift between Syria and Russia, and we do not want the Russian presence in Syria to pose a danger or threat to any country in the world, and we want to preserve these deep strategic relations," he added. Ties with Moscow were so key that "we tolerated the (Russian) bombardment and did not target them directly in order to make room for meetings and dialogue between us and them after liberation," he said. He declined to confirm whether he had asked Moscow to hand over Assad. Russia has been an ally of Syria for decades and a key supplier of fuel and grain. Reuters reported last week that Moscow had sent a tanker full of diesel to Syria in spite of U.S. sanctions. Hundreds of thousands died in Syria's civil war and half the population was displaced. Western countries, Arab states and Turkey initially backed the rebels, while Russia, Iran and militias loyal to Tehran backed Assad in a theatre for proxy conflicts. Since Assad's ouster, Turkish-backed groups have clashed with Kurdish forces that control much of Syria's oil-rich northeast. Damascus has yet to impose its authority there amid ongoing talks with the commander of the U.S.- backed Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi, who said the recent violence justified their concerns over integration. Sharaa said he wanted a negotiated resolution and would meet with Abdi. Government control is also weak in Syria's south, where Israel has proclaimed a demilitarized zone and threatened to target Sharaa's forces if they deploy. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz on Monday called Sharaa "a jihadist terrorist of the al-Qaeda school who is committing horrifying acts against a civilian population." Sharaa dismissed increasingly belligerent Israeli threats and Katz's comments as "nonsense." "They are the last ones who can talk," he said, noting the Israeli killing of tens of thousands of people in Gaza and Lebanon over the past 18 months. (Reporting by Samia Nakhoul, Timour Azhari and Maya Gebeily in Damascus; Writing by Samia Nakhoul and Timour Azhari; Editing by Peter Graff) Syrian authorities say they have halted a military operation along the country's western coastline designed to quell a surge in violence that is reported to have claimed hundreds of lives. "We are announcing the end of the military operation (...) after our armed forces have successfully achieved all of the objectives set," said a spokesman for the ministry, according to the Syrian news agency (SANA) on Monday. The clashes erupted on Thursday, when armed supporters of the ousted al-Assad regime attacked security forces in Latakia governorate, according to the version of events put out by the country's new rulers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The transitional government responded with a large military operation, including the use of artillery and tanks, charging that al-Assad loyalists were attempting to restart the country's civil war. According to activists, more than 1,500 people were killed in the outbreaks of violence, including at least 1,068 civilians. The religious Alawite minority, to which the deposed president Bashar al-Assad belongs, was particularly targeted, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitoring group. Al-Assad was deposed about three months ago in a coup by Islamist groups. ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) As Abilene continues to grow and evolve, residents are raising concerns about city spending, infrastructure, and community engagement. Among those stepping up to address these issues is Tammy Fogle, a longtime Abilene resident and active participant in local government meetings. Now, shes taking her passion for advocacy a step further by running for Abilene City Council Place 6. Fogle moved to the Key City from Grand Prairie, Texas, more than 32 years ago to attend Hardin-Simmons University. In Abilene, she met her husband, built a family, and raised four kids. She shared that her family had the opportunity to serve in Israel before she found her calling in local politics. Its all about people. I began engaging in conversations with members of our community about some concerns they had. I then began to look into politics to see how to resolve these concerns. As I pointed out these concerns that I heard from citizens, I became that nail that sticks out and needed to be hammered in. So here I am now running for city council in Abilene, Texas, Fogle shared. Its all about serving people. I really had no aspirations to be anything in politics, so this is kind of a new venture for me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abilene City Council reluctant to approve $1 million dog park relocation She started attending city council meetings to help people understand local government and feel empowered to use their voices, but as she learned more, her concerns grew. I thought by encouraging people to get involved would be very helpful, so we werent doing this alone. I found that as I became more knowledgeable about the city government, people would say, Hey, you should run for city council. I resisted at first, because thats not really what I had my goals set on. But as I began to watch and see what was happening in the community, concerns were coming up, Fogle explained. Some of her concerns include the cost of restrooms at the Camp Barkeley Dog Park and the closure of city-owned buildings, such as recreation centers and the library. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The other thing was the end of life for the libraries. I was really shocked. This library thats been falling to pieces over the last several decades, which is going to be abandoned, and were starting a new location, because I know that people live in homes older than the city library, and they dont just watch it fall in disrepair. They take care of it so they can continue to use it, hopefully for future generations, Fogle said. The rec centers being at end of life was also a concern, because as I watched my opponent [Travis Craver] handle these different situations, I realized that he wasnt the advocate for change that we needed for our city, because I see low voter turnout in city elections, and I know that people have lost hope in using their voice, and I hope to restore that hope to people so that they can see that their voice matters. Though not currently in office, Fogle is a familiar face at meetings, including school board and city council. Through her involvement, she has learned that government moves slowly but to her, thats a good thing. Most people are discouraged by it, but I feel like that gives us a path forward so that we can actually resolve the issues that we have and make change work to our advantage as citizens. I am really surprised about the more I engage in local government is that I enjoy the experience. I enjoy getting to talk to people who are in the community, and they give me positive feedback, Fogle shared. Listen to what Im hearing from the community and letting them know that there are positive things that people are seeing, that theyre working on. Ive enjoyed building relationships with the people who are city employees here in town. One of the things that I will say Ive got to enjoy the most is getting to know how the different departments work, and seeing how the city employees actually are working hard to make Abilene a place that people love to live, and I just have been more impressed with getting to know people on a personal level when it comes local government, but its been a great journey so far. FIRST LOOK: Abilenes new rec centers $5 million under budget Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Transparency is crucial for Fogle, as it allows community members to become less distrustful and more informed about city happenings, providing a broader perspective. I think when it comes to the agenda and things like that, it should be full of transparency. While city packets are available for each city council meeting, theyre typically between three to 500 pages, and thats a lot. I think adding more information and including more things to be transparent is helpful, because honestly, by reading those packets, thats where Ive learned the most about the city government, how it works, how it functions, Fogle shared. If elected, she would consider changing meeting times to encourage more community attendance. We look at city council meetings, theyre always in the morning, and most people work a nine to five job and are really not available to take off time. I think by shifting, maybe at least one meeting to the afternoon, where people can actually come to the city council meetings. I know it will take a slow adjustment, and people arent going to be flocking to city council meetings, but I think by at least giving opportunity to attend a meeting is really important, so that the citizens can give their feedback when necessary, Fogle explained. If we keep doing the same thing over and over again, it produces the same results. So lets try new things. Lets look for ways to actually actively engage our community, because its actually one of the strategic goals for the City Council is, how do we engage our community better? I feel like its a lost opportunity right now that I hope I can bring some change to when I get elected as a city council member. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abilene Street Maintenance Fee will likely continue, could increase in 2023 Among Fogles top priorities is reestablishing responsible spending. She shared that it hasnt happened with certain agenda items, such as the nearly half a million dollars for a dog park restroom and adding more to the street maintenance fee in 2022 instead of utilizing existing taxpayer money. Fixing the streets is a responsible spending. Public safety is responsible spending. Going to build a dog park for $450,000 is not responsible spending. I would think you would say that, if you ask most people in Abilene, the average home price is not even that the price of that bathroom, Fogle shared. I think the problem is that most people dont even know the price of that restroom, so they dont even know that were spending that way. This kind of spending is exactly what has gotten us into the over half a billion dollars in debt as a city. Some of that is interest. This generation is going to be paying for it as well as future generations, and we have to make sure that we dont put that burden off instead of taking care of it now, when we have the opportunity to do so. Fogle also supports the transparency efforts of current City Councilman for Place 5, Blaise Regan, who often stands alone in opposition to council items. She believes in doing whats right, even if it means standing alone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I believe that doing the right thing is the right thing. Sometimes you do it alone, and sometimes you do it with other people. I think part of it is sometimes we get in a rut of thinking that this is what people want, Fogle said. I think that its important that we dont just do the same thing, because weve always done it, and if the city asks for it and we have the cash on hand, we shouldnt spend it on things like a dog park. We should spend it on things that need to be taken care of. I appreciate what Blaze Reagan has done because he has actually brought out more discussion about items and allowed the citizens to see more of the transparency that we really long for. I dont have a problem with standing and doing the right thing alone, because its the right thing. Fogle also emphasizes the importance of fiscal responsibility, urging city leaders to prioritize essential services over costly projects. She believes that budgeting and strategic planning will help Abilene address its most pressing needs while keeping taxes manageable for residents. Whats interesting to note is that the city already put over $7 million last fall on ramps for this air tanker base thats going to be coming to Abilene. Many citizens dont even know they were doing that. I think that also, if you look back just a little a few years ago, the airport was in operational deficit, and so we have to look at the numbers and make sure it makes sense for us right now, Fogle said. Im not too old to remember that in 2022 we did a bond for the $8 million for the fire station. In 2023, we did a bond for the $28 million in the rec centers and the $15 million in the zoo renovations. I know that weve been spending money, and we really have to keep our eye on whats important. I think that this is just bad timing right now, and while were renovating parts of the airport as we go along, like I know that they had a recent renovation that they were able to do through the FAA grant. Until we have a better source of funding, I really dont think that we can focus on this, particularly, because we really need our money to be focusing on the things that matter, like streets and this upcoming $300 million that were going to have to spend on improving our water infrastructure. Abilene Air Tanker base expansions bring higher firefighting efficiency to Abilene Airport Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a lot happening in the Key City, from the new AI data campus to ACUs nuclear salt reactor and the arrival of the B-21 Bomber. Fogle expressed optimism about these developments but emphasized the importance of supporting small businesses as well. Im interested to see how these different relationships come into play and how it works together. The city partners with these different entities coming in, but one thing I think we have to focus on is we cant forget about the small businesses, Fogle shared. Small businesses are the bulk of growth in our city revenue, and just in our city life. We need to make sure that we remember that small businesses are building the houses we live in. Theyre providing the jobs that we need to give us the money to put on our table. We cannot dismiss their impact and value that we have in our city We just need to make sure that we are also utilizing this growth to make sure the basic needs of citizens are being covered, because the individual citizens matter as well in this process, not just the great new jobs that are the big companies coming in. I think thats something to keep in mind when moving forward. Looking ahead, Fogle wants to see the city prioritize the basics before taking on big projects. Id love to see the city get back to basics, because thats really what matters, and we need to make sure that were providing for the citizens. I think we should be investing in other opportunities, but we have to cover the basics first before we can move on to other stuff. You can catch me on Facebook at Tammy for Abilene, and you can also check out my website at TammyforAbilene.org, and if I didnt answer the questions that you had on this particular interview, feel free to reach out to me, and Id love to chat with you. Remember Tammy Fogle for Abilene City Council Place 6! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A Tampa home healthcare company employee was accused of stealing over $7,000 from a hospice patient and using the money to pay off her debt and purchase a cruise. The Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office arrested Shawn Livingston, 57, last week after the hospice patient contacted them over concerning Zelle transactions. Florida house collapses with 2 people inside during tornado Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beginning on Jan. 28, Livingston convinced the victim to use the money transfer platform to pay for her services and then transferred the money to her own accounts, according to HCSO. She was accused of using the money to pay off debt and to make payments to Carnival Cruises. The actions of this individual are unacceptable and despicable. Preying on a hospice patient, someone who relies on others for care and support, is a heartless and disgraceful betrayal, Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. We are committed to protecting our most vulnerable residents. Let this serve as a clear message: this kind of abuse has no place in our community, and we will do everything possible to bring those responsible to justice. Livingston was charged with the following offenses: Exploitation of an elderly person Fraudulent use of personal information over $5,000 Grand theft third degree ($5,000 $10,000) Fraudulent use of a credit card over $100 Uttering a forged instrument (x2) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She remained in custody on Monday, according to jail records. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Incarcerated podcaster Taxstone has been hit with new criminal charges due to his alleged involvement in a drug smuggling ring at Brooklyns Metropolitan Detention Center. Taxstone, born Daryl Campbell, and four other inmates have been charged with conspiracy to smuggle contraband into the notorious federal facility, which has come under fire for its poor living conditions and incessant acts of violence among inmates. In an announcement on Thursday (March 6), the U.S. Attorneys Office of the Eastern District of New York alleged that Campbell and his accomplices, Ian Diez, Jonathan Guerrero, Abel Mora, and Mayovanex Rodriguez, plotted to bring in several illegal items, including drugs and weapons. Taxstone Authorities at the prison discovered a box containing suboxone, marijuana, a scalpel, a phone charger, cigarettes, and lighters left outside of the facility and attached to a bedsheet hanging out of recreation room window. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The contraband was allegedly intended to be pulled into the prison and retrieved by Campbells accomplices, at his behest. He is accused of devising the scheme using a contraband cell phone, from which authorities recovered several recordings of the Brooklyn native detailing the plot. A sign is posted outside the Metropolitan Detention Center on February 4, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Power has been fully restored to the prison after inmates suffered the past week without heat and access to televisions, computers or telephones. On Monday morning, the facility received a bomb threat following a weekend of protests. These actions undermine the order and security of MDC-Brooklyn and endanger everyone within its walls, John J. Durham, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement on Thursday. These charges serve as a warning to those who would engage in criminal conduct behind bars, and anyone else who facilitates those crimes: your conduct will be uncovered, and you will be held accountable, Durham added. At the time of the alleged conspiracy, Campbell was incarcerated at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center on charges relating to the infamous 2016 Irving Plaza shooting. Troy Ave Campbell was implicated and ultimately found guilty of the shooting, which left one man dead and multiple people injured, including rapper Troy Ave, whom Campbell had been embroiled in a war of words with on social media and elsewhere prior to the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2023, Campbell was sentenced to 35 years for his role in the death of Ronald Banga McPhatter, Troy Aves bodyguard, and faces a maximum sentence of 10 additional years in prison if found guilty of the prison contraband charge. More from VIBE.com Sign up for Vibe's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Bangladeshi Foreign Secretary Md. Jashim Uddin delivers a speech at the airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 10, 2025. The first group of Bangladeshi patients, doctors, and travel agencies departed Monday from Dhaka to Kunming, Yunnan Province, for medical check-ups and treatment, exploring the potential for the medical tourism market. Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen, Bangladeshi Foreign Secretary Md. Jashim Uddin, along with guests from various sectors of both China and Bangladesh, doctors, airline representatives, and media journalists, gathered at the airport to see the group off.(Photo by Habibur Rahman/Xinhua) DHAKA, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The first group of Bangladeshi patients, doctors, and travel agencies departed Monday from Dhaka to Kunming, Yunnan Province, for medical check-ups and treatment, exploring the potential for the medical tourism market. Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen, Bangladeshi Foreign Secretary Md. Jashim Uddin, along with guests from various sectors of both China and Bangladesh, doctors, airline representatives, and media journalists, gathered at the airport to see the group off. At the send-off ceremony, Yao emphasized that this visit to China not only implements the consensus reached by the two heads of foreign affairs, but also demonstrates China's commitment to addressing Bangladesh's urgent needs, enhancing medical and health cooperation, and promoting people-to-people exchanges between the two nations. He wished the delegation a smooth trip to Yunnan, a speedy recovery for the patients, and expressed his hope that the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Bangladesh, and the Year of People-to-People Exchanges would serve as an opportunity to further deepen bilateral cooperation in various fields and jointly build a global community of health for all. For his part, Jashim wished the delegation a successful visit and expressed his gratitude to the medical institutions in Yunnan for their strong support in providing valuable opportunities for the Bangladeshi patients to access quality medical treatment. He noted that this initiative allows the Bangladeshi people to feel the profound friendship between the two nations. He also highly appreciated the long-standing support and assistance provided by the Chinese government in the fields of public healthcare and humanitarian aid and looked forward to further strengthening pragmatic cooperation between China and Bangladesh to bring greater benefits to both peoples. "I've heard that medical treatment in China is very good and advanced, (and) that is why we're going. I hope to receive better treatment and make a full recovery," female patient Sharmila Hakim told Xinhua at the airport. Azizul Hakim, another patient, said, "Visa facility has been done very well. I would like to express my sincere thanks to China. I will be able to receive treatment at the best hospital in China." This group consists of 31 members, including patients, their family members, doctors, travel agents, and journalists. They will respectively receive medical treatment and review relevant hospitals in Yunnan Province. Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen and Bangladeshi Foreign Secretary Md. Jashim Uddin see off the group of Bangladeshi patients, doctors, and travel agencies at the airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 10, 2025. The first group of Bangladeshi patients, doctors, and travel agencies departed Monday from Dhaka to Kunming, Yunnan Province, for medical check-ups and treatment, exploring the potential for the medical tourism market. Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen, Bangladeshi Foreign Secretary Md. Jashim Uddin, along with guests from various sectors of both China and Bangladesh, doctors, airline representatives, and media journalists, gathered at the airport to see the group off.(Photo by Habibur Rahman/Xinhua) The FBI arrested a Texas man for allegedly beating one passenger, attempting to strike another, injuring a second passenger and vulgarly berating a flight attendant aboard an American Airlines flight from Wichita to Washington Reagan National Airport earlier this month, CBS News has learned. It occurred five weeks to the day after the crash of an American Airlines flight on the same route. Asterius Rulamka was sitting in the 14th row of the aircraft when he allegedly got up just before the flight was landing on the night of March 5, approached a flight attendant and threatened "to f--- him up upon landing," according to an FBI affidavit reviewed by CBS News. Rulamka is also accused of referencing President Trump during an FBI interview after the flight landed. "Several passengers, observing the threatening behavior, started filming on their cellular phones," the affidavit said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Charging documents alleged Rulamka approached one of the passengers who was recording a video and began attacking him, grabbing his arms and verbally threatening him as he did the flight attendant. "At one point, he struck (the victim) in the face near his left eye, causing bruising and a bloodshot eye," the documents said. The FBI affidavit said Rulamka repeatedly struck the passenger before he attempted to strike a second passenger. The second victim "was able to move out of the way in time to avoid being struck," the affidavit said, but he cut his finger and broke a fingernail in the process. According to records from the Justice Department, the incident on American Eagle flight 5574 occurred just before 9 p.m., nearly the precise time of night as the crash that occurred on another American Airlines flight from Wichita to Reagan National five weeks earlier. "We do not tolerate violence, and thank our team members for their professionalism," an American Airlines spokesperson told CBS News in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Charging documents submitted to the judge also alleged Rulamka "started running up and down the cabin." It took three passengers and the flight attendants to secure Rulamka in a seat near his original seat before the plane landed, according to the documents. The FBI affidavit said, "Upon the flight's arrival, the defendant made several statements, including that he had come to D.C. to speak to President Trump. When asked why he wanted to speak to the President, he stated that he was 'mad.'" Booking photo of Asterius Rulamka / Credit: Alexandria (Virginia) Sheriff's Office Court records said Rulamka was the subject of an investigation for an immigration violation in 2014. The immigration proceedings are pending, according to the affidavit. Rulumka is currently being held in jail and he faces a federal assault charge. He is scheduled to appear in federal court in Alexandria Virginia on Thursday for a preliminary hearing, where the judge will determine if he should be held in jail pending trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A court docket listing Rulamka's case does not indicate that he has entered a plea in the case yet, and a defense attorney for Rulamka did not immediately respond to CBS News' requests for comment. The FBI did not comment on the case. Each of the agency's field offices have airport liaison agents who help handle investigations of crimes aboard commercial aircraft, including assaults. Dan Hurley: The 60 Minutes Interview Judge blocks deportation of pro-Palestinian activist who helped lead Columbia University protests The significance of Trump firing independent government watchdogs | 60 Minutes JAKARTA, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia and Vietnam on Monday agreed to upgrade bilateral relations between the two countries to a comprehensive strategic partnership. The agreement was formalized during a bilateral meeting between Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam held at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta. According to a press release by the Indonesian Presidential Secretariat, the meeting underscored a mutual commitment to enhancing cooperation across various sectors, including politics, economy, education, science, and people-to-people exchange. This commitment was solidified through the exchange of three cooperation documents in the presence of the two leaders. Economic cooperation was a key focus of the discussions, with both nations setting a target of 18 billion U.S. dollars in bilateral trade. "We agreed to achieve bilateral economic relations, reaching a target of 18 billion dollars. We also welcome Vietnam's investment in Indonesia in the automotive sector, agriculture, and various other fields. This will help both countries improve food security," said Prabowo. The scope of economic collaboration is set to expand further, encompassing the fisheries sector, digital economy, green economy, and high-tech industries. Prabowo expressed confidence that the comprehensive strategic partnership would strengthen long-term economic ties between Indonesia and Vietnam. LAKE CHARLES, La. (KLFY) A Texas man who allegedly killed a Lake Charles man in a parking lot during a physical altercation is facing a murder charge, officials said. Fabian Charles, 34, of Port Arthur, Texas is charged with second degree murder in connection with the death of Javin Augustus, 25, of Lake Charles, officials said. According to Calcasieu Parish Sheriffs Office, deputies were dispatched to a Common Street bar in Lake Charles at 5 a.m. Sunday. Officials said the men were in a physical altercation in the parking lot where Augustus was shot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Charles is charged with obstruction of justice, second degree murder and illegal use of a weapon by discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, officials said. Deputies said Charless bond is set at $1.7 million. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KLFY Daily Digest Fabian Charles, 34, Port Arthur, Texas 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. BERLIN, March 10 (Xinhua) -- A major warning strike at 13 German airports began on Monday, bringing much of the country's air traffic to a standstill amid two separate wage disputes involving public sector workers and aviation security personnel. The German airport association ADV estimated that over 3,400 flights would be canceled due to the strike and over half a million passengers would be affected. German air traffic control reported that around 6,000 flight movements occur daily at German airports, with an additional 3,000 flights passing through German airspace. Airport operators have urged passengers to avoid traveling to terminals, and Lufthansa has announced plans to revise its flight schedule to minimize disruptions. The strike is a result of two separate wage disputes, and the trade union Verdi organized the 24-hour strike to ramp up pressure in ongoing negotiations. The first dispute concerns public sector workers, with Verdi demanding an 8 percent wage increase or at least 350 euros (379.3 U.S. dollars) more per month, along with three additional days of leave for 2.5 million public sector employees. Negotiations regarding these demands are currently underway between the union and German federal and local authorities, with the third round of talks scheduled for March 14. Employers have yet to present a concrete offer, which has caused "a great deal of resentment" among employees, Verdi secretary Enrico Ruemker told the German news agency dpa. The second dispute involves aviation security personnel, who are responsible for passenger screening, cargo inspections, and other security-related tasks. Verdi is demanding improvements in occupational health and safety, 30 days of vacation, additional leave for shift work, and the ability for employees to choose their doctor during regular mandatory medical aptitude exams. Negotiations are being held with the federal association of aviation security companies (BDLS), with the next round of talks set for March 26-27. Employers within the BDLS have criticized the warning strike, calling it "not expedient." The warning strike in the public sector, announced on Friday, was joined on Monday by employees in the aviation security sector, as Verdi had announced on Saturday. At the Hamburg Airport, employees advanced the strike by one day, halting work on Sunday. All flights to and from Hamburg Airport were canceled without prior notice to "ensure that the effects" of the walk-offs are felt, said a Verdi spokesperson. Verdi said that further strikes across federal and municipal institutions are expected throughout the week. NEW YORK (AP) Two men charged in an alleged Iranian government-sponsored plot to kill a prominent Iranian journalist and human rights activist went on trial Monday as a federal judge in New York City assured prospective jurors that nobody got killed. The men, alleged members of an Eastern European crime group with ties to Iran, were charged in January 2023 with plotting in 2022 to murder Masih Alinejad, an author and contributor to Voice of America who fled Iran following the country's disputed 2009 presidential election. Alinejad, who became a U.S. citizen in October 2019, is scheduled to testify during the trial that she has repeatedly been targeted by the Iranian government. Alinejad, who has confirmed that she was the intended target of the plot, is referred to in court documents only as the Victim. She declined a request to comment Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judge Colleen McMahon told a pool of just over 100 prospective jurors in Manhattan that the trial of Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov would last less than three weeks. The men are natives of Azerbaijan, which shares a border and cultural ties with Iran. She described the charges against the men, which included a murder-for-hire count and a conspiracy charge related to the murder-for-hire plot, before telling jurors: Nobody got killed. There was, in fact, no murder, the judge added. Nobody got hurt. Then she noted that the men, who each stood with their lawyers as they were introduced to prospective jurors, had pleaded not guilty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And they are presumed to be not guilty, McMahon said. During the trial, prosecutors plan to introduce witnesses, including experts, to tell jurors that the government of Iran has long targeted political dissidents living outside Iran and continued to do so when Alinejad spoke out. In the first line of its indictment, the U.S. government said the government or Iran is actively targeting nationals of the United States and its allies living in countries around the world for kidnapping and/or execution, in order to repress and silence dissidents critical of the Iranian regime. The judge has ruled she'll allow a small amount of testimony on the subject but believed that reams of evidence about 45 years of Iranian state-sponsored vendettas against its citizens abroad was unfair to the defendants, neither of whom are citizens of Iran or members of Iranian intelligence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said it will be enough that jurors will hear a substantial amount of very inflammatory evidence directly related to the charges against the men. Prior to trial, McMahon ruled in a written order that the jury is entitled to hear that Alinejad was the subject of repeated threats from the government of Iran, if only to understand why Iranian nationals residing in Iran and affiliated with intelligence services would target her, a resident of the United States. In court papers, prosecutors have said that Iranian government officials in 2018 offered money to Alinejad's relatives living in Iran to induce them to invite Alinejad to a foreign country, where she could be arrested and transported to Iran for imprisonment. Prosecutors said the relatives declined. Prosecutors also said in court papers that an Iranian government intelligence service in June 2020 plotted to kidnap Alinejad in the United States for rendition to Iran and likely execution. Federal authorities exposed the plot in July 2021 with an indictment charging an Iranian intelligence officer and three Iranian intelligence assets with kidnapping conspiracy and other crimes, although those defendants remain at large. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the indictment in the case on trial on Monday, Amirov, a leader of an Eastern European criminal organization, "was tasked" with targeting Alinejad by unidentified people there. Amirov turned to Omarov, who lives in Eastern Europe, the court papers said. It said they recruited a New York-based man for $30,000 to carry out the attack on Alinejad, whose White Wednesday and My Stealthy Freedom campaigns have encouraged women to film themselves without head coverings, or hijabs, in public in Iran, which can bring arrests and fines. The plot was thwarted when Alinejad left her home one day after seeing something suspicious and the man who was hired to carry out an attack was stopped by New York police officers and arrested on a federal firearms charge after police found he had a gun, ammunition magazines, cash and a black ski mask, authorities said. Mar. 10A coalition of tribal nations and students is suing the federal government over major cuts to a pair of colleges and a federal agency serving Native American students. The staffing cuts, part of President Donald Trump's effort to reduce the federal workforce, have slashed basic services on the campuses of Haskell Indian Nations University in Kansas and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, known as SIPI, in New Mexico. The lawsuit says the feds failed to notify or consult with tribal nations prior to making the cuts. The lawsuit notes that those schools as well as the federal Bureau of Indian Education are part of a system that fulfills the federal government's legal obligation to provide education for Native people. Tribal nations secured that right in a series of treaties in exchange for conceding land. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The United States government has legal obligations to Tribal Nations that they agreed to in treaties and have been written into federal law," Jacqueline De Leon, staff attorney with the Native American Rights Fund, the legal group leading the lawsuit, said in a statement announcing the case. "The abrupt and drastic changes that happened since February, without consultation or even pre-notification, are completely illegal." Three tribal nations and five Native students have joined the lawsuit. Asked about the case, federal officials told media outlets they do not comment on pending litigation. According to Haskell student Ella Bowen, cuts to custodial staff have left bathrooms with overflowing trash cans and no toilet paper. SIPI student Kaiya Jade Brown said that school's campus has suffered from power outages because of a lack of maintenance workers. Both schools lost roughly a quarter of their staff last month after Trump and the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency task force ordered major cuts across a slew of federal agencies. While the schools have since been able to hire back some instructional staff, "[i]t is not even close to enough," Native American Rights Fund Deputy Director Matthew Campbell said in the statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thirty-four courses at Haskell lost their instructors in February, according to the statement. Some students have reported delays in their financial aid, and SIPI students are dealing with brown, unsafe tap water, with repairs put on hold due to the cuts, the statement said. And the school did not have enough faculty to administer midterm exams. The Pueblo of Isleta; the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation; and the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes are suing the feds. "Despite having a treaty obligation to provide educational opportunities to Tribal students, the federal government has long failed to offer adequate services," Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Lieutenant Governor Hershel Gorham said in the statement. "Just when the Bureau of Indian Education was taking steps to fix the situation, these cuts undermined all those efforts. These institutions are precious to our communities, we won't sit by and watch them fail." Stateline reporter Alex Brown can be reached at [email protected]. YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE. In the wake of his death in an avalanche in Alaska, the family of a Minnesota man is remembering him as "kind, patient and hard-working." Jeremy Leif, 38, of Golden Valley, and two friends with Minnesota ties were buried beneath at least 40 feet of snow in a half-a-mile long avalanche near the resort town of Girdwood on Tuesday. Also killed along with Leif were David Linder, 39, and Charles Eppard, 39, who have both lived in Minnesota in the past, though are now based in Florida and Montana respectively. Linder is a co-owner of Radio Mankato, which paid tribute to him last week. Jeremy Leif and family.GoFundMe The Anchorage Daily News reports that witnesses had seen all three men deploy their avalanche airbags, which are designed to help them stay on the surface of the avalanche, but they are believed to have been buried. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leif is survived by his wife, Linh Kieu Lei, and their two sons, aged 2 and 5. A GoFundMe has been created to support Leifs family following the news, including money for memorial services and day-to-day expenses. "He was a devoted father, always putting his children first and making every day an adventure," the GoFundMe reads. "Jeremy's spirit will live on in the hearts of all who knew him. His legacy of love, laughter, and positivity will never be forgotten." As of Sunday, the fundraiser had reached around $39,000 of its $50,000 goal. Recovery efforts to find the missing trio continue in Alaska, with rescue teams warning over the weekend it would likely take a significant amount of time. Triple shooting outside Walgreens spurred by fight: Police ST. LOUIS A St. Louis appeared in court Monday afternoon for a triple shooting outside a Walgreens in the Central West End last week. According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Departments probable cause statement, the shooting happened on Friday, March 7 in the 4200 block of Lindell Boulevard. Police responded to the Walgreens and found two people (Victims 1 and 2) suffering from gunshot wounds. They found a third individual (Victim 3) in a nearby parking lot, whod also been shot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers learned that Victims 1 and 3 got into an argument in the Walgreens and agreed to settle things with a fight outside the store. The fight ensued, with neither person using a weapon. Person struck and killed by Metro train behind Ikea store At one point, police said Markayla Marbley, 19, took out a handgun and approached Victims 1 and 3. Marbley fired one shot and wounded Victim 3. The fighting ceased. Police said Marbley fired additional shots and struck Victims 1 and 2. Marbley was arrested and later admitted that she intended to shoot Victim 1 to stop the fight, police said. The St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office charged Marbley with two counts of first-degree assault and two counts of armed criminal action. She was jailed without 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 FOX 2. CRESTWOOD, Ill. The CEO and president of a trucking company was found murdered inside a burning building in Crestwood. According to police, authorities responded last Wednesday to a call of heavy smoke at ATG Truckload, Inc, located at 13835 South Kostner Avenue. As firefighters worked to extinguish the fire, the body of 46-year-old Dane Koteski was located on the second-floor of the building. According to the companys website, he was the CEO and President of ATG Truckload. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A death and arson investigation was initiated by the Crestwood Police Department, the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force and the State Fire Marshalls. After several hours, investigators were able to identify a suspect, who was an employee of Koteski, according to police. The crime was deemed to be an isolated incident that specifically targeted the victim. An autopsy determined Koteskis cause of death to be homicide, resulting from injuries to the victims neck that were caused by a sharp or pointed object. Neighbors told WGN News Koteski, who leaves behind a young son, was originally from Macedonia and was an active member of a local Serbian church and car club. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is extremely sad that a neighbor would be killed. This is beyond horror, said Darlene Adams, who lives across the street. Police said the suspect was arrested at a truck stop in Holland, Michigan on Friday. The suspect is in custody of the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office in Michigan on a murder warrant. I see the activity every day. It seems to me he goes to work early and comes home, takes care of his dogs and see his son. Ive noticed things have been very different this week. I had no idea why, Adams said. The Crestwood Police Department and the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force, in cooperation with Cook County States Attorneys office, are continuing the investigation as they await extradition of the suspect back to Illinois. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A GoFundMe Fundraiser has been created by friends to cover Koteskis funeral expenses. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. MOSCOW, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Ministry decided to strip two British diplomats of accreditation and ordered them to leave Russia within two weeks, Russian broadcaster RT reported Monday. Credit: CPAC Justin Trudeaus daughter introduced her father as Canadas prime minister for one last time in an emotional on-stage tribute before his farewell speech, saying that she and her brothers were taking him back. Mark Carney, the former Bank of England governor, took 85 per cent of the vote in a Liberal Party leadership election on Sunday and replaces Mr Trudeau, who had spent more than 10 years as the Liberal leader and prime minister. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Introducing her father at the Liberal convention, where Mr Carney was announced as the new leader, Ella-Grace Trudeau spoke about the difficulties she had faced growing up in the public eye over the past decade. My brothers and I have shared our dad with you for the past 12 years. Now were taking him back. But before we do, I guess you can have him one last time, she said before Mr Trudeau took the stage for his last speech as prime minister. Ella-Grace, 16, said she was proud to have watched her father fight for our country and acknowledged the difficulties that come with being prime minister. Ella-Grace Trudeau spoke about the difficulties she had faced growing up as the child of a prime minister over the past decade - Blair Gable/Reuters She told the crowd in Ottawa: Its not that easy to be the kid of a prime minister, either. Imagine constantly seeing your dad or even news about him as you scroll through your feed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive got to say Im looking forward to seeing more of him at home and less of him online Dad, Im so proud of you. Mr Trudeau did not hide his family life from the public eye during his time in office. In 2021, when he won his third term in office, Ella-Grace and his son Xavier joined him on stage as he celebrated. He has also frequently shared pictures with his children on Instagram. In 2016, he told Vox that raising a feminist daughter and sons was important to him, adding: I talk to our daughter, Ella ... all the time about how she can do anything she wants and shes just as good as any man, and shes better than any man because shes brilliant and shes wonderful and everything. Ella-Grace said: Ive got to say Im looking forward to seeing more of him at home and less of him online Dad, Im so proud of you - Justin Tang/The Canadian Press In 2023, he posed alongside Ella-Grace as they went to watch Oppenheimer together in the cinema. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That year, he and his wife, Sophie Gregoire, announced they would be ending their marriage after 18 years. As always, we remain a close family with deep love and respect for each other and for everything we have built and will continue to build. For the well-being of our children, we ask that you respect our and their privacy, a statement from the couple read. Since then, the couple have been seen in public together, even taking holidays together as a family. The prime ministers office said: Both parents will be a constant presence in their childrens lives and Canadians can expect to often see the family together. When he announced his decision to step down as prime minister in January, Mr Trudeau said he had told his children about his plan the evening before. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the holidays, Ive also had a chance to reflect and have had long talks with my family about our future, he said in a speech on Jan 6. Throughout the course of my career, any success I have personally achieved has been because of their support and with their encouragement. So last night over dinner, I told my kids about the decision that Im sharing with you today. Mr Trudeau was often seen with his family in public, such as at this 2016 Pride parade in Vancouver - Andrew Chin/Getty Images As well as Ella-Grace, the Trudeaus have two sons: Xavier, aged 17, and Hadrien, 11. Xavier has shown an interest in politics, travelling with his father on official visits. In September 2023, he travelled with his father on a trip to India for the G20 summit. It was part of a six-day state visit that included time in Singapore and Indonesia. He marked his official launch into the world of music on Friday with the release of an R&B track, Til The Nights Done. What you know about me, I aint like him, the young Trudeau sings. We could roll sum, we could light one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eric Alper, a music expert, told CBC News: Its hard to escape the shadow of a famous parent or sibling, and he acknowledges that head-on in the lyric. Hadrien was born in in 2015, the year before Mr Trudeau took office . 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. LONDON, March 10 (Xinhua) -- More than 30 casualties have been brought ashore following the collision between an oil tanker and a cargo vessel in the North Sea, British media reported on Monday. Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, said he was told a "massive fireball" was seen after the collision, but the ships are too far away from shore to see. "We have seen the vessels bringing" the casualties in from the ships, said Boyers. The condition of the casualties isn't clear yet. A number of people have reportedly abandoned the ships following the collision near the coastal city of Hull, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) said in a statement, adding that there are reports of fires on both vessels. Search and rescue teams from across the region have been deployed to respond to the incident with lifeboats and firefighting teams on the scene. An alarm was first reportedly raised at 9:48 a.m. (0948 GMT). Visibility around the collision site has been poor, according to the Met Office. The tanker involved in the incident is believed to be the U.S.-flagged Stena Immaculate, and the Solong, a Portuguese-flagged container, appears to be colliding with the tanker, according to the BBC, based on marine traffic data. The Stena Immaculate had traveled from the Greek port of Agioi Theodoroi, and was anchored outside Hull. The Solong, meanwhile, had been sailing from the Scottish port of Grangemouth to Rotterdam, in the Netherlands. The Scoop US President Donald Trump is set to name his daughters father-in-law as his special envoy for the Great Lakes region in East Africa, according to two people familiar with the plans. It comes as DR Congo, which is in the grip of one of Africas biggest conflicts, looks to strike a critical minerals deal with Washington. Lebanon-born businessman Massad Boulos, whose son Michael is married to Trumps daughter Tiffany, was appointed as Trumps senior adviser for Arab affairs in December. Boulos, who worked in his familys Nigeria-based motor vehicle distribution company early in his career, is expected to receive security and diplomatic clearances as early as this week and could visit the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, and Rwandas capital, Kigali, later this month, said one of the people. The White House did not respond to inquiries ahead of publication. Know More DR Congo, which covers an area larger than Western Europe, is one of the worlds most resource-rich nations, home to copper and lithium reserves in the south, and cobalt and coltan in the east minerals that are key to producing electric vehicles and smartphones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The countrys armed forces are currently battling the rebel group M23 in eastern DR Congo. The Congolese have alleged that M23 insurgents, with Kigalis backing, have commandeered the regions mining facilities and siphoned out valuable minerals. Rwanda has repeatedly denied any involvement in the region but both the UN and the US say it is supporting the insurgency and moving to expropriate minerals. Several diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict led by African neighbors, regional bodies, and the African Union have so far foundered. Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi recently called on the Trump administration to consider a rights deal with his resource-rich country. DR Congo is keen on US involvement in the eastern region as a way to stop the fighting, its information minister said in an interview with Semafor over the weekend. The United States can help us with peace through diplomatic means and powerful sanctions, said Patrick Muyaya, the countrys spokesman. Muyaya also called for the US to reconsider its dismantling of USAID. Theyve been funding 70% of the humanitarian assistance in the east and the situation is getting worse because of the war there. He said his country hopes the White House would encourage more American investors to help diversify the players involved in DR Congos mining industry, which is currently dominated by Chinese companies. Yinkas view One reason Boulos is being assigned to an African portfolio is that he spent a large portion of his early professional career and family life in Nigeria. After supporting Trumps campaign to win over Arab Americans during the last election, he earned the trust of the president. Boulos is now seen as someone who could possibly be the presidents eyes and ears in a troubled and complex sub-region, which is also seen as ripe for the kind of dealmaking favored by this White House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tshisekedi, under pressure after losing control of large swaths of his countrys eastern region, is seen as increasingly desperate for a mineral rights deal with the US. Any potential agreement could also help Kinshasa in forcing the M23 to leave DR Congo, as their presence would run counter to US interests. But its difficult to seal deals without a senior Africa team in place at either the White House or State Department. This is likely why Boulos has been recruited now. Support from the US would give DR Congo a better negotiating hand in working out a pact where all sides get some version of what they want. The Congolese naturally want to keep their sovereignty intact and generate revenue from their natural resources, while the US is keen to reach an agreement that gives it access to minerals and pushes out Chinese players. Its possible the Rwandans, who have said all along they are simply trying to protect themselves from invasion, might also be able to cut a lucrative deal in order to maintain peace. Room for Disagreement Several independent players, claiming to represent DR Congo, have been pitching up on Washingtons Capitol Hill in recent weeks offering to broker mineral rights deals between the US and the central African country. There has also been a letter circulating, purportedly from a Congolese senator, offering to kick-start rights talks. But two people close to the Congolese government told Semafor that reports the government was already in negotiations with the US were premature. Step Back M23 rebels have taken control of two major border cities, Goma and Bukavu, in recent months. More than 8,000 people have been killed in fighting since January and tens of thousands others have been displaced from their homes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his first presidential term, Trump appointed J. Peter Pham as the Great Lakes region special envoy. Pham is now widely tipped to take the administrations top Africa job as assistant secretary of state for African Affairs. Notable DR Congos president looks to make a minerals deal with the US, The New York Times reported. DR Congo seeks military support from the US against the M23 rebel offensive, the Financial Times reported. Donald Trump gave a meandering response when probed about the surge in plane crashes on U.S. soil since his return to office while flying aboard Air Force One. The president answered a question about the recent spate of air accidents while returning to Washington, DC on Sunday evening just hours after a small aircraft went down near a retirement village in Manheim Township in Pennslyvania, resulting in five people on board being hospitalized. Asked by one reporter whether his Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy had legitimate concern after his department had been gutted including 400 Federal Aviation Administration workers being laid off last month the president claimed the recent crashes have nothing to do with the department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That was a small plane and that would have happened whether he had a big department or a small department, as you understand, Trump said referencing the Pennslyvania crash. Its just they have spates like this, you know, they have times when things happen a little bit more often than normal, and then it goes back, and you go many years without having a problem. Donald Trump answered a question about the recent spate of U.S. aviation disasters while flying aboard Air Force One (Fox News/X) According to data from the National Transportation Safety Board, there have been fewer than average air accidents for the first two months of the year. January and February typically have about 20 fatal aviation accidents including all civil aviation, from large commercial planes to private jets in the U.S. per month. This January, there were only 11 fatal aviation accidents, and in February there were 10, according to the NTSB. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were also 67 total aviation accidents in January fatal and non-fatal marking a record low for the month, per NTSB data. Februarys 74 air accidents were down from 93 in the same month last year. Emergency workers comb through the wreckage from the Potomac River in the aftermath of the collision of American Eagle flight 5342 and a Black Hawk helicopter (REUTERS) Implementing his weave, the president also heaped on praise for the Southwest Airlines pilot who narrowly avoided colliding with a private jet that was crossing the runway at at Chicagos Midway Airport while Flight 2504 attempted to land. The Pennsylvania crash marks the latest in a string of air accidents including the 67 passengers and crew killed when American Airlines Flight 5342 and a military Black Hawk helicopter collided over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. on January 29. Trump used a deadly air crash to attack his two Democratic predecessors and controversially suggested the tragedy was the result of DEI initiatives in government. A small commuter plane crashed in western Alaska on a flight that was bound for the hub community of Nome on February 7, 2025 (U.S. Coast Guard) Two days later, a small medical transport plane crashed into a huge fireball near the Roosevelt Mall in Philadelphia, killing seven people, including all six passengers on board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On February 6, nine passengers and a pilot were confirmed dead after a Berin Air Cessna crashed near the Norton Sound in rural Alaska about 10 minutes before its scheduled arrival in Nome. Two people were killed following a mid-air airplane crash at Marana Regional Airport in Marana, Arizona, on February 20. The Trump administration has revealed that, under Donald Trumps helm, the federal government will try to deport immigrants who arrived here by completely legal means. On Saturday, several agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested and detained Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia graduate student who co-organized the pro-Palestine sit-in on campus last year. The agents took him into custody at his university-owned apartment, where they also threatened to arrest his wife, an eight-month pregnant American citizen, according to Khalils attorney Amy Greer. ICE claimed that they were acting on State Department orders to revoke Khalils student visa. But when notified by Greer that Khalil was in the U.S. as a permanent resident with a green card, the agency told her that they would be revoking that instead, reported NPR. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greer said that she was informed Khalil had been sent to an immigration detention facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey, but was not there when she attempted to visit on Sunday. By Sunday night, it was still unclear where Khalil was. But in an interview with Fox Business Monday, Trumps border czar Tom Homan said it was absolutely acceptable to detain and deport legal immigrants. Absolutely we can, Homan said. Did he violate the terms of his visa? Did he violate the terms of his residency here? You know, committing crimes? Attacking Israeli students? Locking down buildings, destroying property, absolutely. Homan was referring to an incident in which pro-Palestine students occupied Hamilton Hall, an administrative building on Columbias campus that students have similarly occupied over the last several decades for various civil rights protests, including demonstrations against the Vietnam War and apartheid in South Africa. This time, students renamed the building Hinds Hall in honor of Hind Rajab, a six-year-old Palestinian girl who had been killed by the Israeli military that year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any resident alien who commits a crime is eligible for deportation, Homan told Fox. Were going to send a strong message here to anyone on a foreign visa: You are given a great right to come to the greatest country on Earth to study in our colleges. But when you come here to study, you got to obey the laws of this country, Homan added. Dont violate our laws. Homans comments echoed those of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who posted on X Sunday that the administration would be revoking the visas and green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported. It was not clear how the White House would be identifying alleged Hamas supporters. The New York Civil Liberties Union said in a statement that Khalils detainment was an extreme attack on the First Amendment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ripping a student from their home, challenging their immigration status, and detaining them solely based on political viewpoint will chill student speech and advocacy across campus, a statement from the civil rights organization read. Political speech should never be a basis for punishment, or lead to deportation. Simultaneously to Khalils detainment, the Trump administration rescinded $400 million in federal grants last week to the Ivy League university, claiming that the school was suffering from rampant antisemitism and had failed to act in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students. Over the last couple of weeks, before the grants were withdrawn, Columbia expelled three Barnard students for their participation in protest of U.S. involvement in Israels war on Gaza. It was the first time in 57 years that the school had expelled anyone for exercising their First Amendment right to protest, and the first time since 1936 that students had been kicked out for nonviolent political protest. (Robert Burke was expelled that year for rallying against Columbias ties to Nazism, reported The Nation.) Columbia did little to protect the health and rights of their students who participated in the anti-genocide protest. At least one on-campus protest was infiltrated by Israeli soldiers, resulting in the use of chemical weapons that hospitalized pro-Palestine demonstrators with temporary vision loss, nausea and abdominal pain, reported Al Jazeera. (Bloomberg) -- A former Australian prime minster said the Trump administrations treatment of longtime allies was providing an opportunity for China, in remarks that came shortly before the US president delivered a personal rebuff. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Malcolm Turnbull, who led Australia from 2015 until 2018, said the world is seeing a more undiluted version of Donald Trump in his second term in office. Such behavior would be viewed as an advantage for Chinas President Xi Jinping in international relations over the next four years. President Xi will aim to be the exact opposite of Trump, Turnbull said in an interview with Bloomberg Television in Sydney on Monday. Where Trump is chaotic, he will be consistent. Where Trump is rude and abusive, hell be respectful. Where Trump is erratic, he will be consistent. Through such an approach, Turnbull said, there would be countries that look at China on the one hand, and Trump on the other and would find China a more attractive partner. Turnbull led Australia for part of Trumps first term in office, and had a sometimes fractious relationship with the US president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Posting to his TruthSocial platform shortly after the interview, Trump said that Turnbull never understood what was going on in China, nor did he have the capacity to do so. I always thought he was a weak and ineffective leader and, obviously, Australians agreed with me, Trump wrote. Turnbull has been a frequent critic of Australias decision to sign the Aukus security partnership with Washington, arguing that it has undermined the nations military independence. Subscribe to The Bloomberg Australia Podcast on Apple, Spotify, on YouTube, or wherever you listen. He reiterated that Australia needs to consider how to defend itself independently in the wake of Trumps return to the White House, pointing to the US presidents treatment of other American allies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The closer you are to the US, the more he feels he can extract value from you, you know, stand over you, extort you, Turnbull said of Trump. Is this Denmarks reward for supporting the Americans in Afghanistan? Is that their reward? To have their prime minister rung up and told that her country has to cede one of its territories? he said. Is this Canadas reward for decades of solidarity and alliance that they should be told theyre just the 51st state and be threatened with tariffs that are going to send the country into a recession? he added. Tariff exemption difficult Turnbull said he believed it would be a lot harder for Australia to secure an exemption from steel and aluminum tariffs compared with when he managed a similar carve out during Trumps first term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been trying to get Trump to agree to an exemption for Australia before the tariffs take force this week, though Turnbull said the president would be reluctant this time. I suspect hell conclude himself that you give one country an exemption, then you have to give another and another, and before long there are too many exemptions and you havent got much of a tariff, Turnbull said. --With assistance from Andy Clarke. (Updates with Turnbulls comments on tariffs in final three paragraphs.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Donald Trump is celebrating the detention of Columbia University graduate and pro-Palestine activist Mahmoud Khalil by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, despite his being a green card holder. The president boasted about Khalils arrest on his Truth Social account Monday afternoon, calling him a Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student on the campus of Columbia University, and warned, This is the first arrest of many to come. We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it, Trump posted. Many are not students, they are paid agitators. We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our countrynever to return again. Truth Social Screenshot Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump: Following my previously signed Executive Orders, ICE proudly apprehended and detained Mahmoud Khalil, a Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student on the campus of Columbia University. This is the first arrest of many to come. We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it. Many are not students, they are paid agitators. We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country never to return again. If you support terrorism, including the slaughtering of innocent men, women, and children, your presence is contrary to our national and foreign policy interests, and you are not welcome here. We expect every one of Americas Colleges and Universities to comply. Thank you! Mar 10, 2025, 1:05 PM Last week, Trump threatened to pull funding from schools that allow illegal protests and added that agitators would 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. Following this, the Trump administration canceled $400 million in federal grants to Columbia University for what it called continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students. The president is making good on his threats and gloating about it, and the fact that Khalil is an Algerian citizen of Palestinian origin suggests that the administrations first targets may be ethnically motivated. Plus, it overlaps with Trumps goal of mass deportations of immigrants, only in this case, the president is including legal immigrants in this attack on the First Amendment. Will Democrats stand up and demand free speech protections, or will they oppose pro-Palestinian protesters? MOSCOW, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Russia on Monday announced the expulsion of two British diplomats for allegedly "providing false information and conducting intelligence and disruptive activities." The Russian foreign ministry said a representative of the British embassy had been summoned to be informed of the decision. "The Service's counterintelligence operations exposed the unreported intelligence presence of the United Kingdom under the cover of the country's embassy in Moscow," Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said in a statement. The FSB identified the two British diplomats to be ousted as second secretary Alkesh Odedra and Michael Skinner, the spouse of the first secretary of the embassy's political department. "On this basis, the Russian Foreign Ministry, in coordination with other relevant agencies, decided to strip Alkesh Odedra and Michael Skinner of accreditation. They are required to leave Russia within two weeks," said the statement. President Trump mocked a Washington Post reporter who asked him if he felt disrespected by Russias Vladimir Putin. Speaking to journalists aboard Air Force One, Trump took exception to a question from the Posts White House reporter Michael Birnbaum. Is President Putin disrespecting you by attacking Ukraine when youre trying to make peace there? Birnbaum asked. What did he do? Trump asked in response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well, hes attacked Ukraine, Birnbaum answered. Is he disrespecting me? Trump replied, before asking: Who are you with? After Birnbaum identified himself as a Post reporter, Trump shook his head dismissively. Youve lost a lot of credibility, Trump said, before quickly moving on to take questions from others. Trump snubbed the question about Putin after attacks struck multiple parts of Ukraine over the weekend, killing 14 and injuring dozens more, according to Kyiv. A missile blitz on Saturday came hours after Trump said the Kremlin leader was doing what anybody would do. One missile hit in Dobropillia in the eastern Donetsk region, destroying an apartment building. As emergency services rushed to the scene a second projectile hit. Eleven people were killed. Three more people died and seven were injured after a drone attack in the city of Bohodukhiv, in the Kharkiv region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian assaults on Ukrainian targets have picked up again after Trump temporarily pulled the plug on intelligence-sharing between Washington, D.C. and Kyiv. He also suspended military aid to Ukraine following his disastrous Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. This is what happens when someone appeases barbarians, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote in an X post after attacks over the weekend. More bombs, more aggression, more victims. Another tragic night in Ukraine. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia this week. Zelensky has said he has put realistic proposals on the table. He too is expected in Riyadh Monday, officially, to meet crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. A federal judge has halted the deportation of a Columbia University graduate student who was detained by immigration authorities for his participation in campus protests over the Israel-Hamas war. Judge Jesse Furman of the Southern District of New York issued the order Monday as the government sought to deport Mahmoud Khalil after arresting him outside his apartment over the weekend. The judge scheduled a hearing on the case for Wednesday. Furman, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, said the action was necessary to preserve the courts jurisdiction before the government could move Khalil outside the state or remove him from the country in a case that his lawyers say violated the student's First Amendment rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legal development came after President Donald Trump praised the arrest as part of his administrations efforts to punish activists and universities for acts of harassment and violence toward Jewish students during protests that roiled U.S. campuses after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel. This is the first arrest of many to come, Trump said in a Truth Social post Monday, linking Khalils detainment to his previously signed executive orders to combat antisemitism on college campuses. He added: We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it. We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country never to return again. Khalil, who is married to a U.S. citizen and had legal permanent residency, was arrested Saturday night. An online locator for people held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement showed he had already been transferred to a detention center in Louisiana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the arrest in a statement posted to X, saying Khalil led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed DHS stance, saying on X that the Trump administration would be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported. The Trump administrations legal argument for Khalils detainment and possible deportation is unclear. Federal immigration law allows green cards to be revoked for various criminal offenses, including those involving moral turpitude and for anyone who engages in terrorism-related activity. White House border czar Tom Homan said Monday the U.S. has the authority to deport Khalil. Absolutely we can, Homan said during an appearance on Fox Business when asked whether a green card holder like Khalil could face deportation. Did he violate the terms of his visa? Did he violate the terms of his residency? Committing crimes, attacking Israeli students, locking down buildings, destroying property absolutely any resident alien that commits a crime is eligible for deportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New York Attorney General Letitia James criticized Khalil's detainment in a post to X on Monday afternoon. "I am extremely concerned about the arrest and detention of Mahmoud Khalil, an advocate and legal permanent resident of Palestinian descent," James wrote. "My office is monitoring the situation, and we are in contact with his attorney." Trump framed Khalils case as part of a broader effort to crack down on foreign students involved in anti-Israel protests. If you support terrorism, including the slaughtering of innocent men, women, and children, your presence is contrary to our national and foreign policy interests, and you are not welcome here, Trump wrote. We expect every one of Americas Colleges and Universities to comply. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Khalil was a leading student organizer in Columbias pro-Palestinian protests last year, serving as a negotiator between students and university officials. His detainment follows the Trump administration announcing it was freezing $400 million in federal funding for Columbia over its handling of pro-Palestinian protests and antisemitism on campus. Josh Gerstein contributed to this report. Donald Trump has made people feel insecure and not shown Greenland respect, its prime minister has warned on the eve of elections on the Arctic island. Speaking to Congress last Tuesday, the US president vowed to take over Danish-owned Greenland one way or another. Just 24 hours before polls opened, he promised to make Greenlanders rich if they joined the US. Mr Trumps earlier demand to buy the mineral-rich autonomous territory for security reasons had been rebuffed by Mute Egede, Greenlands prime minister, and Mette Fredericksen, the leader of Denmark. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is a world order that is faltering on many fronts and a president of the United States who is very unpredictable in such a way that makes people feel insecure, Mr Egede said, before Greenlanders cast their ballots on Tuesday. We deserve to be treated with respect, and I dont think the US president has done that recently since he took office, he told Danish public radio on Monday. We will continue to KEEP YOU SAFE, as we have since World War II. We are ready to INVEST BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to create new jobs and MAKE YOU RICH, Mr Trump had posted on social media. And, if you so choose, we welcome you to be a part of the greatest nation anywhere in the world, the United States of America!. Speaking to Congress last week, Mr Trump vowed to take over Danish-owned Greenland one way or another - Julia Demaree Nikhinson Greenland, which has a population of just 57,000, boasts mineral, oil and natural gas wealth. But its economy remains heavily reliant on fishing and subsidies from Denmark. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The worlds largest island banned foreign and anonymous donations to political parties before the elections in a bill which referred to Elon Musks donations to Mr Trumps campaign. Climate change is expected to trigger a race for the Arctic between Russia, China and the US, as new waterways and territories for settlement open up as ice melts in a key region for resources and transportation. Mr Trump has said the US needs Greenland for national security reasons. Denmark has suggested the US and Nato could boost its military presence on Greenland, which already hosts an American military base that monitors space and detects missile threats. Mr Egede, 37, has repeatedly said Greenland, which is geographically closer to New York than Copenhagen, is not for sale. He supports full independence from both Denmark and the US. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A recent poll found that 85 per cent of Greenlanders do not wish to become a part of the United States, with nearly half seeing Mr Trump as a threat. I think that the recent things the American president has been doing means that people dont want to get as close to (the US) as they might have wanted in the past, Mr Egede said. We need to draw a line in the sand and put more effort into (cultivating relations with) the countries that show us respect for the future we want to build. Mr Egedes social democrat pro-independence Inuit Ataqatigiit party is currently the largest in Greenlands parliament and is in coalition government with the Left-wing Siumut party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They have vowed to call a referendum on independence from Denmark at some point, without specifying when. A poll released last month for the vote to elect 31 MPs showed the governing parties in the lead but losing ground to parties supporting union with Denmark, which has been associated with Greenland for about a thousand years. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. MOSCOW, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Moscow and Washington have not yet begun to work on addressing existing problems in bilateral relations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday. In an interview with local media, Lavrov said that while it may be too soon to draw conclusions from statements made by the new U.S. administration, they are still promising. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova confirmed Monday that Russia and the United States are not expected to hold talks in Saudi Arabia this week. Delegations from both countries previously met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Feb. 18 and in Istanbul, Turkiye, on Feb. 27 to discuss bilateral ties and the Ukraine crisis, among other issues. US President Donald Trump may visit China in April to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Source: South China Morning Post, citing diplomatic sources Details: The newspaper writes that Trump is focused on making a deal with Beijing. "The presidents of both countries would like the other side to visit to present it as a diplomatic triumph but initial discussions have been around Trump visiting China, according to sources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is unclear how far discussions about a potential trip have progressed," the article says. Background: In mid-February, Trump said that he wanted to meet with Xi Jinping and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin to discuss defence spending cuts. On 4 March, Trump imposed new trade restrictions, raising tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico to 25% and on Chinese goods to 20%, a decision that will affect imports of about $1.5 trillion a year. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! (Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trumps envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, plans to visit Moscow for a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, people familiar with the matter said, as the administration looks to secure a cease-fire in the Ukraine conflict. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Witkoff planned to travel this week for what would be his second trip to Russia as Trumps envoy, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations. His trip would be timed with meetings between Ukrainian officials and Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz in Saudi Arabia. Trump said Sunday that the US had big meetings coming up with Ukraine and Russia. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. NEW YORK, March 9 (Xinhua) -- A small plane on Sunday crashed into a parking lot in Lancaster County, the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, injuring five people aboard, local authorities said. The plane went down at around 3:18 p.m. Eastern Time (2018 GMT) in the parking lot of Brethren Village in Manheim Township, just south of Lancaster Airport, shortly after taking off en route to Springfield, Ohio, according to officials. All five people on board were injured and transported to local hospitals, said an official from the Manheim Township Fire Department at a press conference Sunday evening. No injuries were reported on the ground. The crash also damaged around a dozen vehicles in the parking lot, the official added. Footage from the scene showed black smoke billowing from the wreckage, with several cars engulfed in flames. So far, the cause of the crash remains unknown, and the Federal Aviation Administration said an investigation is underway. US President Donald Trump has said that Russia "doesnt have the cards" in the negotiations on Ukraine, even though last week he believed it did. Source: Trump, talking to journalists on board Air Force One, as reported by European Pravda Details: Trump emphasised the need to end the Russo-Ukrainian war. He also said that neither Ukraine nor Russia "have the cards" to negotiate. Quote from Trump: "You know I say they [Ukraine ed.] dont have the cards. Nobody really has the cards. Russia doesnt have the cards. What you have to do is you have to make a deal, and you have to stop the killing. Its a senseless war, and we're going to get it stopped." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Trump also said he hopes the talks between the Ukrainian and US delegations in Saudi Arabia this week will achieve a "good result". "I think some very big things could happen this week," he said. The US president is also confident that Ukraine will sign the minerals deal with the US. Trump added that the US is considering lifting the pause in providing intelligence to Ukraine. Background: On 7 March, Trump said he believes Vladimir Putin wants "peace" in Ukraine and that it is easier for him to "deal" with Russia in the matter of resolving the war. In late February, Trump said that Russia "has the cards" in potential peace talks to end the war, as it has "captured a lot of territory". US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Jeddah on 10 March for bilateral talks with Ukrainian officials led by Andrii Yermak, Head of the Ukrainian President's Office. Rubio is expected to be joined by US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Trumps Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff. Witkoff said earlier that the United States expects significant progress in the talks with Ukraine this week. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Neither Ukraine nor Russia "has the cards" in potential peace negotiations, U.S. President Donald Trump told journalists on March 10 ahead of talks between the U.S. and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia. The Ukrainian and U.S. delegations are to hold talks on March 11 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on ending Russia's war. The participants are expected to discuss potential ceasefire options and a mineral resource deal between the U.S. and Ukraine. "I say they (Ukraine) don't have the cards. Nobody really has the cards. Russia doesn't have the cards. What you have to do is you have to make a deal, and you have to stop the killing. It's a senseless war, and we are going to get it stopped," Trump said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's recent statement contradicts his previous ones, in which he claimed the opposite about Ukraine and Russia. On Feb. 20, Trump said that Russia held "the cards" in any peace talks with Ukraine as it occupies a significant part of Ukrainian territory. Eight days later, the U.S. president told his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, during a heated argument in the White House that he "was not in a good position" regarding the war and did not have "the right cards." Following the spat in the Oval Office on Feb. 28, the U.S. suspended its military and intelligence aid for Ukraine. The Ukrainian delegation is expected to discuss the resumption of military aid in Saudi Arabia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The delegations will also discuss territorial issues, security protocols, and intelligence sharing, according to Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff. Read also: Investigation: We tried to buy American chips as a Russian defense manufacturer and it worked Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. HELSINKI, March 10 (Xinhua) -- European arms imports surged between 2020 and 2024, with most imports coming from the United States, according to a report published by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) on Monday. In the period of 2020-2024, affected by the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the uncertainty over the future US foreign policy, Europe's arms imports surged by 155 percent compared with 2015-2019, according to the report. During this period, European NATO member states' arms imports more than doubled, with the U.S. contributing 64 percent of the weapons, which was much higher than the 52 percent in the previous five years. The report also pointed out that between 2020 and 2024, Ukraine became the world's largest importer of major arms, with its import volume increasing nearly 100 times. During this period, Ukraine's arms imports accounted for 8.8 percent of the world's total arms imports. Most of the major weapons supplied to Ukraine came from the U.S., accounting for 45 percent, followed by Germany and Poland, accounting for 12 percent and 11 percent respectively. From a global perspective, compared with the previous five years, US arms exports increased by 21 percent between 2020 and 2024, providing weapons to 107 countries, with its share in global exports increasing from 35 percent to 43 percent. For the first time, the largest share of US arms exports went to Europe, soaring from 13 percent to 35 percent. At the same time, France became the world's second-largest arms supplier, supplying weapons to 65 countries, and its major arms exports to other European countries surged by 187 percent. Russia's arms exports fell sharply by 64 percent, accounting for 7.8 percent of the global market, with its ranking dropping to third. In addition, arms imports to the Americas increased by 13 percent in the five years from 2020 to 2024. The U.S. was the largest importer in the region, accounting for 3.1 percent of total global arms imports and 50 percent of total arms imports to the Americas. In a press release related to the report, researchers at SIPRI's Arms Transfers Programme noted that despite policy goals of reducing dependence on imports and strengthening European own industries, arms imports from the U.S. have increased, and the new figures clearly reflected the rearmament taking place among states in Europe. President Trump on Monday said the arrest of a Columbia University student who led pro-Palestinian protests would be the first of many to come. Trump on Truth Social touted the arrest by immigration authorities of Mahmoud Khalil, a green card-holder who was at the forefront of protests on the Columbia campus last year over Israels war in Gaza. The president accused those leading similar protests of engaging in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it. He also claimed many of those involved were not students, but paid agitators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country never to return again, he posted. If you support terrorism, including the slaughtering of innocent men, women, and children, your presence is contrary to our national and foreign policy interests, and you are not welcome here. We expect every one of Americas Colleges and Universities to comply. Khalils arrest over the weekend marked a significant escalation of the Trump administrations crackdown on dissent on college campuses. Trump had pledged on the campaign trail to target those who were part of anti-Israel protests on college campuses, which at times featured antisemitic rhetoric and drew widespread condemnation. Khalils lawyer in a statement to The New York Times said they would fight the arrest in court. Trump signed an executive order in late January seeking to fight antisemitism on college campuses and vowing action against Hamas sympathizers among student populations. The order directed federal resources toward combating antisemitism on campuses and called for all federal executive agencies to report criminal and civil actions that can be used to fight antisemitism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Antisemitic incidents spiked on campuses after Hamass Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which left more than 1,100 Israelis dead. Israel responded by carrying out a military campaign in Gaza that has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians and reduced much of Gaza to rubble. The war triggered protests that roiled campuses last spring, with more than 2,000 arrests at universities across the country. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The News in Brief Monday, March 10, 2025 Law enforcement officers have fined several students participating in a strike at the Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film University of Georgia. According to the students, approximately 10 of them received fines.The students claim they were fined 5,000 GEL each for violating assembly and demonstration regulations."They told us that protests are not allowed inside the university. Since we do not obey what the administration asks of us, we were all fined 5,000 GEL. At this stage, they are also writing down everyone's name and surname and issuing fines," said one of the students.The students also reported that university officials began sanitary works on March 9 without prior warning, while students were still on-site. The administration urged them to relocate their protest to another space, but the students refused, arguing that the alternative was too small. They also demanded another space within the university, which the administration declined to provide.The Freedom Square political movement has officially transitioned into a political party following its congress on March 8.Founded in 2024 ahead of the October 26 elections, the movement initially ran under the Strong Georgia coalition. Now, it has announced its shift into an independent political force."We were in an electoral coalition, and we are very proud of it," said Levan Tsutkiridze, the party's leader and founder. "Now we are continuing our development independently."The newly established party has outlined justice, security, and freedom as its key priorities. Party leader Simon Janashia elaborated on these issues, stressing the need for non-discriminatory laws that serve the public good rather than individual power. He also underscored the importance of independent institutions, including police, prosecutors, and the judiciary, in upholding justice.On security, Janashia emphasized strengthening both national and individual security, particularly through an improved social security system. Regarding freedom, he advocated for a positive understanding of the concept - one that goes beyond deregulation to include the necessary conditions for economic, cultural, and spiritual development. OTTAWA, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The ruling Liberal Party of Canada announced Sunday that former Governor of Bank of Canada Mark Carney has been elected as the party's new leader. After maintaining frontrunner status throughout the two-month race, Carney got over 130,000 ballots or 85.9 percent of the vote from his party. He is set to succeed Justin Trudeau as the 24th prime minister and form a new government. Addressing party members from across the country in a rallying speech, Carney said Canadians know that new threats demand new ideas and a new plan. "They know that new challenges demand new leadership. My government will put into action our plan to build a stronger economy, to create new trading relationships with reliable partners, and to secure our borders," he said. Carney promised to maintain the planned retaliatory tariffs on the United States, aiming to maximize the impact on the next-door neighbor while minimizing the effects on Canada. "The Canadian government is rightly retaliating with our own tariffs that will have maximum impact in the United States and minimum impact here in Canada. My government will keep our tariffs on until the Americans show us respect ... And make credible, reliable commitments to free and fair trade," said the incoming prime minister. "The Americans want our resources, our water, our land, our country," Carney said, "If they succeed, they will destroy our way of life." Trudeau also gave a speech ahead of the Liberal leadership change, marking the end of his nearly 12-year run as the party leader. "Through every crisis, Canadians have shown me who they are. We've pulled together. We've stood up for each other. And every single time, we've emerged even stronger," Trudeau said. "As Canadians face, from our neighbor, an existential challenge, an economic crisis, Canadians are showing exactly what we are made of!" said Trudeau, who is expected to officially resign as the prime minister in the coming days. 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 pledged to invest in infrastructure, such as 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 (Group of 7)," said Carney. Trump's tariff threats and remarks on making Canada the 51st state of the United States have fueled nationalist sentiment among Canadians. The sentiment has also bolstered the Liberal Party's chances of victory in the upcoming parliamentary elections, marked by better 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. US authorities have arrested a Palestinian student who played a leading role in last year's pro-Gaza protests on the campus of Columbia University in New York. US immigration officials forced their way into Mahmoud Khalil's flat on Sunday and detained him, according to media reports. His lawyer says it is unclear where he was taken. US President Donald Trump labelled Khalil "a radical foreign pro-Hamas student" in a post on his online platform Truth Social on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump said he would deport him from the United States along with others involved in "pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic and anti-American activity." According to his lawyer, however, Khalil has an unlimited US residence permit, a so-called green card. Revoking such status is usually a lengthy process. Khalil intends to take legal action against his deportation, the lawyer added. The New York Times reported that the Palestinian is married to a woman who is a US citizen and is eight months pregnant. Protests against Israel's actions in the Gaza war have taken place at New York's elite Columbia University and many other universities in the US. Camps were set up and buildings occupied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Khalil played a prominent role as a speaker at the demonstrations in New York. Columbia is being targeted by the Trump administration, which believes the demonstrators there sympathize with Palestinian Islamist Hamas militants in Gaza and that Jewish students on campus are not sufficiently protected. The university recently had $400 million in funding cancelled. President Trump is now after something more than just rights to Ukraines rare earth minerals. Canada has a new leader. And why an enterprising matchmaker is putting a bounty on single men. Heres what to know today. What Trump really wants from ZelenskyyAmerican and Ukrainian officials will meet in Saudi Arabia this week for high-stakes discussions, and President Donald Trump has privately made clear to aides that a signed deal for U.S. rights to rare earth minerals between wont be enough to restart aid and intelligence sharing with the war-torn country, according an administration official and another U.S. official. Trump wants the deal signed. But he also wants to see a change in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys attitude toward peace talks, the officials said, including a willingness to make concessions, such as giving up territory to Russia. Trump also wants Zelenskyy to make some movement toward elections in Ukraine and possibly toward stepping down as his countrys leader, the officials said. This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day. Sign up here to get it in your inbox. Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukraine in the aftermath of the U.S. pause in equipment and intelligence sharing this week, making Friday one of the deadliest days for civilians this year, according to the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine. Read the full story here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., warned of potentially disastrous consequences for Ukraine if the Trump administration doesnt restart military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine. Mystery surrounds the DOGE acting administrator There isnt any question about who is the public face of Trumps Department of Government Efficiency. Elon Musk's appearances at Trump's side in the Oval Office and at Cabinet meetings leave no room for doubt. Amy Gleason in a still from an interview on the Youtube channel "What's the Fix?!". But there are many questions about who is nominally leading DOGE, the task force unit at the center of Trumps efforts to streamline the federal government. Near the end of February, the White House announced that a relatively low-profile health care data cruncher with a passion for simplifying access to electronic medical records had been named DOGEs acting administrator. Amy Gleason, 53, previously worked on projects related to health data at the U.S. Digital Service, DOGEs predecessor, overlapping with Trumps first term and the Biden administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House has not provided details about why, exactly, it selected Gleason to lead DOGE, and her relationship with Musk remains unclear. Read the full story here. More politics news: The Department of Homeland Security has begun performing polygraph tests on employees to determine who might be leaking information to the media about immigration operations. House Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled a funding bill to avert a shutdown at the end of the week and keep government running through September. Federal workers, including many veterans spoke to NBC News about the serious mental health crises theyve been grappling with amid firings and buyout efforts. Canada has a new prime minister Former central banker Mark Carney will become Canadas next prime minister after the governing Liberal Party elected him its leader in a landslide vote over the weekend. Carney, 59, replaces Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who announced his resignation in January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carney will take over amid surging Canadian nationalism in response to Trumps repeated threats of tariffs and his talk of making Canada the 51st state. Read the full story here. 5 injured in small plane crash in suburban Pennsylvania A small plane crashed in a residential area of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, yesterday afternoon, hitting several cars and bursting into flames. All five people aboard the single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza survived and were taken to hospitals, authorities said. No one on the ground was injured. The plane had just taken off from Lancaster Airport when it went down in the parking lot of the Brethren Village retirement community. The local police chief said the plane appeared to have skidded about 100 feet when it hit the ground. First responders were on the scene within three minutes and faced multiple intense fires. Air traffic control radio traffic indicates that someone in the plane reported an open door on the aircraft shortly after takeoff and requested permission to return to the airport. Read the full story here. Read All About It Staff Pick: What's a real-life bachelor worth? The singles dating event was held at the Lawn Club located in Manhattans financial district. March 4, 2025. New York City. As more and more singles feel burnt out by the endless swiping of dating apps, in-person dating events are having a soaring comeback. But attendees and organizers are coming across the same problem: Tickets for women sell out, but men lag behind. So when Tommy Flaim was organizing his own cornhole dating league, he went on TikTok and offered a bounty for single men. Instead of paying for ads, Flaim offered friends and family of single men a $50 reward if they got a man to sign up. I went to the Lawn Club in New York City, an infamously tough dating scene, to see whether the risk paid off. Doha Madani, senior breaking news reporter NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified Is your dog in need of a bath? If the answer is yes, here are the best dog shampoos, as recommended by experts, for long coats, short coats, curly coats and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week. Thanks for reading todays Morning Rundown. Todays newsletter was curated for you by Elizabeth Robinson. If youre a fan, please send a link to your family and friends. They can sign up here. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Esteban Ocon has revealed the surprising shock he felt when he sampled the Ferrari engine for the first time upon his maiden outing with Haas. The French driver, who ended his long-standing association with Alpine to join the American squad for 2025, is adjusting to a host of changes including the unfamiliar Ferrari power unit. After years of working with Mercedes and Renault powertrains, Ocon experienced the Ferrari engine for the first time in the post-season test at Abu Dhabi, driving Haas 2024-spec VF-24. Despite his initial surprise, the Frenchman has since adapted to the new system and now sees plenty of positives in the Italian power unit. Initial Shock, But Plenty of Positives Reflecting on his first run with the Ferrari engine, Ocon admitted that it took him by surprise. It was a bit of a shock initially in Abu Dhabi, but on track, performance-wise, its working super well and it fits very well with the strength of the car as well. So, yeah, all good on that side, he said during pre-season testing in Bahrain, quoted by Motorsport Week. The change from Mercedes and Renault powertrains to the Ferrari engine demanded a shift in how Ocon approached the cars systems and controls. However, he was quick to acknowledge that there were positives despite the steep learning curve. Yeah, of course there are differences, Ocon said during pre-season testing in Bahrain. Im not going to comment about the differences itself, but theres a lot of positives with the Ferrari power units and initially its a very different way of using all the systems. But weve simplified a lot and it now feels a lot more common to how I would have imagined to use it. Adapting to a New Powertrain Ocon is not the only driver adapting to a new power unit in 2025. Carlos Sainz, who moved from Ferrari to Williams over the winter, also highlighted the challenges posed by switching engine manufacturers. He revealed that getting used to the Mercedes power unit has been the biggest change so far. Definitely the thing you feel the most when you change teams, the moment theres a power unit involved, its the power unit, Sainz explained. The noises, the vibrations, the sound, everything just changes completely. So even if I went out on the pitch trying to understand the aerodynamics and the tyres and the feeling of the mechanical sides of the car, the only thing I could have to adapt for the first few laps was just how different a power unit can be. So yeah, thats probably the biggest change. Also the way the power unit operates in terms of switches, especially nowadays in Formula 1 with so much going on on our steering wheels, with the deployment, the battery, things like this, procedures, safety procedures of the engine and the power unit, its definitely the biggest change that Im having to adapt so far in Williams. Moving Forward with Haas For Ocon, the challenge lies not just in mastering the Ferrari engine but also in maximizing its potential to complement Haas chassis strengths. As the team kicks off it 2025 campaign this week in Melbourne, Ocon remains optimistic that the new powertrain will prove to be a strong asset once fully integrated with the cars dynamics. With his initial shock behind him, the French driver is confident that he and Haas are moving in the right direction as they continue to adapt to the new setup. Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook March 10 (UPI) -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection has launched a new mobile app to give undocumented migrants, whose parole has been revoked, an easier way to voluntarily leave the United States. The new tool notifies the U.S. government of intent to leave the country in compliance with President Donald Trump's Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. "Today, we're introducing the CBP Home app offering a new critical feature, Intent to Depart," CBP announced Monday in a post on X. Today we're introducing the CBP Home app offering a new critical feature, Intent to Depart. This update complies with @POTUS's Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem walks outside the White House in Washington, D.C., on Monday. Earlier in the day, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection launched a new mobile app to give undocumented migrants, whose parole has been revoked, an easier way to voluntarily leave the United States. Photo by Francis Chung/UPI More Info https://t.co/SStp1ZGI8L pic.twitter.com/yIJl2cdetj CBP (@CBP) March 10, 2025 "The app provides illegal aliens in the United States with a straightforward way to declare their intent to voluntarily depart, offering them the chance to leave before facing harsher consequences," said Pete Flores, Acting Commissioner for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. "This reinforces our commitment to enforcing U.S. laws and safeguarding national security." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The CBP Home Mobile Application reduces administrative processes and enhances security, according to the agency, while providing travelers, businesses and stakeholders with easy access to Customs and Border Protection through their mobile device. "CBP Home App strengthens our mission to secure the U.S. border by ensuring lawful entry for travelers and supporting effective enforcement," Flores added. The free mobile app is available for download on Apple or Android devices through Apple's App Store, Google Play or the CBP website. In addition to notifying the U.S. government of intent to leave, users can apply for a Form I-94, which is required for all visitors with the exception of U.S. citizens, most Canadian citizens, resident migrants and migrants with immigrant visas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bus drivers can submit their manifests via the app. Users can also request inspection appointments for perishable cargo entering the United States and check wait times at the border. The White House confirmed last October that hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans in the United States would not have their two-year legal parole extended under the CHNV program. Those with expiring parole status were told to seek legal status through other federal immigration programs, be deported or leave voluntarily. Last month, Trump -- who returned to office on Jan. 20 after centering his presidential campaign around immigration -- revoked deportation protections for 300,000 Venezuelans, living in the United States under Temporary Protected Status including those who had applied for asylum. In January, the Trump administration rescinded former President Joe Biden's 18-month extension of TPS for 600,000 Venezuelans. Trump's order gave them 60 days to voluntarily leave the United States or face deportation. "Biden and former DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas attempted to tie the hands of the Trump administration by extending Haiti's Temporary Protected Status by 18 months -- far longer than justified or necessary," DHS officials said in a statement last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are returning integrity to the TPS system, which has been abused and exploited by illegal aliens for decades. President Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem are returning TPS to its original status: temporary." Pro-immigrant organizations have filed two federal lawsuits against the Department of Homeland Security and Secretary Noem for "illegally revoking" TPS for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants. Last week, Trump announced "the invasion of our country is over," as the number of illegal crossings at the nation's southern border dropped to 8,326, the lowest in history, according to the White House. Seven pro-Palestinian protesters must wait to learn whether they will stand trial on felony charges of resisting and obstruction police on the University of Michigan diag last year. Testimony in a preliminary hearing concluded Monday afternoon in front of Ann Arbor District Judge Cedric Simpson but the court adjourned for the day before attorneys could argue whether there is enough evidence to send them to Washtenaw County Circuit Court for felony trials. Assistant Michigan Attorney General Shawn Ryan, left, speaks to defense attorneys including John Minock, Lauren Askew, Stacie Greskowiak McNulty and Jamil Kamel Khuja in court on Feb. 12. Defendants, arrested and charged from a pro-Palestinian protest that occurred on the University of Michigan campus last May, showed for a preliminary exam in the Washtenaw 14A-1 District Courtroom of Judge Cedric Simpson in Ann Arbor. Simpson told defense attorneys and the Attorney Generals Office, which is prosecuting the case, to return to court April 7 to argue that question. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The defendants in the cases are: Oliver Kozler, Samantha Lewis, Henry MacKeen-Shapiro, Michael Mueller, Asad Siddiqui, Avi Tachna-Fram and Rhiannon Willow. Kozler is a student at the school but it's unclear how many other defendants are or were. All seven have pleaded not guilty. In the second day of testimony in the case, several U-M police officers took the stand to describe their interactions with the defendants. Police were trying to clear an encampment established on the diag to protest the war in Gaza and the universitys refusal to divest its endowment holdings in companies connected to Israel. Fire Marshal Andrew Box testified at an earlier hearing that the tents and other parts of the encampment posed a fire hazard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The officers described the protesters' conduct such as ignoring police commands to move back, throwing tables and chairs in the path of police and linking arms and refusing to move. The officers body cameras captured video of the confrontations and was played in court, often with the officers narrating what the court was seeing. Contact John Wisely: jwisely@freepress.com. On X: @jwisely This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: U-M Gaza protesters waiting to learn if they'll stand trial Good morning! Alex Cooper signs a deal with the NWSL, Kamala Harris is reportedly considering a run for governor of California, and how powerful you can be may depend on where you live. - Power moves. If you want to be a woman with power and influence in the U.S., consider living in Washington, D.C. That's the finding of a new report called the U.S. Women's Power and Influence Index. The report by the organization Future Forward Women and unveiled in partnership with the Meteor ranks the 50 U.S. states (plus D.C.) from most to least likely to foster power and influence for women. States were assigned scores across a variety of factors. For economic power, women's labor force participation, union membership, unemployment, education, median earnings, and poverty rates were the key criteria. For women's health and wellbeing, maternal mortality rates, insurance coverage, sexual harassment, and reproductive rights contributed to final scores. And for women's political power, the report tracked the number of women serving in national and statewide elected office as well as women's voting power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The nation's capital comes out on top. Women in D.C. earn morea median income of $87,000than women anywhere else. While this research was conducted during the Biden administration, report author C. Nicole Mason says she doesn't expect D.C.'s ranking to slip because of the Trump administration. "D.C. is ranked first in part because of its great women-and-family friendly policies and the number of women in power, holding a significant number of leadership positions," she explains. "Women in the District also have the highest earnings in the nation, and high levels of educational attainment." Oregon fares well too, with the highest ranking for women's political and legislative power. Rather, Mason expects women in states ranked last to suffer over the next four years because of cuts to federal programs like SNAP. Coming in last place in this index is Alabama, where women face great challenges accessing economic and political power. However, solely based on economic criteria, Mississippi in fact fares worse than Alabama. While the report covers issues of general health and wellbeing, it makes the connection between women's overall support in a state and their level of influence. Where women's basic wellbeing is in question, women are less likely to wield power. Mason hopes the project makes clear the different realities facing women in different parts of the U.S. right now. "Womens health, economic well-being, safety and political power hinges on the state they reside in," she says. "This shouldnt be the case." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emma Hinchliffe emma.hinchliffe@fortune.com The Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter is Fortunes daily briefing for and about the women leading the business world. Todays edition was curated by Joey Abrams. Subscribe here. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com In an important step toward cementing its place in the global motorsport spotlight, Madrid has unveiled the name of its future Formula 1 street circuit: Madring. Set to host the Spanish Grand Prix starting in 2026, the new venue will mark marks the return of F1 racing to the Madrid region after a 45-year absence, since the Jarama circuit in the suburbs of the city last welcomed the sport between 1968 and 1981. The announcement has sparked excitement among fans and officials alike, signaling the dawn of a new chapter for Spanish motorsport. The 5.47km circuit, located near the IFEMA convention center in Madrid, is designed to blend high-speed thrills with urban accessibility. With a capacity to host over 110,000 spectators daily across grandstands, general admission areas, and exclusive VIP zones, Madring is poised to become a marquee event on the F1 calendar. Construction is already underway, with a brisk 14-month timeline ensuring the venue will be race-ready for its 2026 debut. The Birth of Madring: A Name with Purpose Originally dubbed the "Ifema Madrid Circuit" after its proximity to the exhibition center, the tracks rebranding to Madring reflects a deliberate effort to craft a distinct and globally resonant identity. The race promoters elaborated on this decision in an official statement, shedding light on the reasoning behind the change. "Formula 1 circuits are typically referred to by the city or region where they are located Monza, Imola, Interlagos, Spa, Silverstone, Miami, Las Vegas. However, their full official names are rarely used, they explained. For this reason, Madring aims to establish a concise and memorable identity that directly references its host city, is instantly recognisable worldwide, and requires no translation. Ultimately, it is more than just a name it is a genuine, distinctive, and iconic brand, designed to resonate with a modern and engaged F1 audience." The name Madring evokes the circuits urban street layout while nodding to the citys vibrant energy. By aligning with the naming conventions of legendary F1 venues, the promoters hope to position Madring as an instant classic, one that requires no explanation for fans tuning in from Sao Paulo to Singapore. A Decade of Racing Secured Madrings arrival on the F1 scene is not a fleeting experiment. The circuit has secured a 10-year deal to host the Spanish Grand Prix, ensuring its place on the calendar through at least 2035. This long-term commitment underscores the confidence of both Formula 1 and local stakeholders in the projects potential. Reports suggest the promoter has invested nearly 500 million (427m) to bring the race to Madrid, a figure that highlights the scale of ambition behind Madring. However, the hefty price tag has not come without scrutiny. Amid political criticism over the projects financing, Madrids Mayor, Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, has been quick to address concerns. Earlier this year, he emphasized that the funding would be sourced entirely from private companies, not public coffers. "The Spanish Government has provided 70 million euros for the Americas Cup in Barcelona, and Catalan institutions spend 50 million euros annually for Formula 1 in Barcelona," Martinez-Almeida noted, drawing a contrast with Madrids approach. While he refrained from naming the private partners involved, his assurances have aimed to quell fears of taxpayer burden. Spains Dual F1 Legacy The transition to Madring does not spell the immediate end for Spains other F1 venue. The Circuit de Catalunya, a fixture since its debut in 1991, remains a focal point in F1s plans. While Madrids 10-year contract signals a major shift, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has emphasized that the two cities are not in direct competition. The fact that we are in Madrid is not excluding the fact we could stay in Barcelona for the future, Domenicali said last year. "Looking ahead, there are discussions in place to see if we can really extend our collaboration with Barcelona, with whom we have a very good relationship, for the future." For Madrid, hosting the Spanish Grand Prix is a chance to showcase its dynamism on a global stage, blending tradition with innovation. As the countdown to 2026 begins, the city prepares to welcome the roar of F1 enginesand with them, a new legacy etched into the streets of the Spanish capital. Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook BHP has entered into an earn-in agreement with Cobre to invest up to $25m (A$39.6m) in exploring copper-silver deposits at the Kitlanya projects in Botswana. This investment focuses on Cobre's Kitlanya East and Kitlanya West copper projects on the Kalahari Copper Belts basin margins. The agreement follows Cobres participation in the 2024 BHP Xplor programme, which funded a seismic survey at Kitlanya West. Under the agreement, BHP will provide a minimum of $5m within two years, with a planned budget of $7m for exploration at the Kitlanya projects, starting in April 2025. The exploration will include deep diamond drilling and 2D seismic surveys to evaluate the mineral system for Tier 1 copper deposits. Drilling mobilisation is set for April 2025, targeting areas identified in the 2024 seismic programme. BHP will also have an option to earn a 75% interest in the Kitlanya projects by investing $25m, including the initial $5m. Cobre Botswana will serve as the operator during the earn-in phase, receiving an annual management fee of at least $250,000. The agreement excludes Cobre's Ngami and Okavango copper projects, which Cobre will continue to develop independently. Cobre CEO Adam Wooldridge said: This significant transaction with BHP is a major moment in time for Cobre as a company as well as a testament to the success of BHPs Xplor programme. The partnership with BHP will provide us with the funding and support necessary to implement a technology-driven work programme designed to discover the Tier 1 deposits we believe may be hosted in our Kitlanya East and West projects. Independently, Cobre will continue advancing its Ngami and Okavango copper projects. This combined strategy provides exposure to potential Tier 1 discoveries, a development opportunity at Ngami and short-term discoveries on our Okavango project. Upon forming a 75:25 joint venture (JV), BHP may offer Cobre a loan for its share of JV expenses until the final investment decision. The JV is also subject to an agreement which specifies that, should a participant's share in the venture decrease to less than 10%, the other participant will have the right to buy that party's interest at its fair market value. An additional $10m is payable to Cobre if a JORC-compliant mineral resource is declared at the Kitlanya Projects. If the agreement ends during the earn-in phase, with BHP funding at least $20m, BHP will receive a 2% net smelter royalty on the Kitlanya Projects. Cobre can buy back 50% of this royalty under specific conditions. BHP Group exploration officer Tim OConnor said: We are thrilled to continue our partnership with one of the BHP Xplor alumni, Cobre Limited, through this agreement. This collaboration reflects our excitement for the exploration potential in Botswana and underscores the high standard of partnerships we see coming out of the BHP Xplor programme. (Bloomberg) -- During a visit to soldiers on the border with Russia, the Ukrainian militarys Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said Moscows efforts to cut off Ukrainian soldiers holding nearby Russian territory had not succeeded. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The border between Ukraines Sumy Region and the Kursk Region remains under Ukraines complete control, although settlements along it are almost completely destroyed by Russian attacks, Syrskyi said in a Facebook post on Monday. Currently, there is no threat of encirclement of our units in the Kursk region, Syrskyi said. The units are taking timely measures to maneuver to advantageous defense lines. Ukrainian forces invaded Kursk Region last year, seizing control of a key gas pipeline hub and bringing about the first occupation of Russian lands by a foreign military since World War II. Moscows military couldnt dislodge them for more than seven months, despite deploying additional soldiers from North Korea. However, the area under Ukrainian control in Kursk has shrunk by nearly one-fifth in less than three weeks, based on the data from DeepState open-source map service. Russian forces have reclaimed some Ukrainian-held territory in the Kursk Region, threatening a potential bargaining chip that Kyiv could take into potential peace talks with Moscow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile US President Donald Trump has halted US military aid to Ukraine, in a further challenge to Kyivs troops on the frontline. Syrskyi said that after assessing the situation he made a decision to strengthen Ukrainian troops with more jamming systems and unmanned fighting systems. He also said Russias army is suffering significant losses of manpower and equipment in the area, adding that they had had lost an infantry battalion in the border town of Plyokhovo and that attempts by small groups of Russian soldiers to cross the border had failed. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Ukrainian security forces have detained a suspected agent of Russian intelligence who allegedly orchestrated an explosion near a war veterans home and poisoned a soldier under the guise of providing volunteer aid, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported on March 10. According to the investigation, the suspect, an IT specialist from Kharkiv, was recruited by Russian intelligence services and tasked with assembling improvised explosive devices (IEDs) containing metal fragments to maximize casualties. She allegedly hid one of the devices in a designated cache, where an accomplice retrieved it and placed it near the home of a Ukrainian army veteran. The explosion injured the veteran, who was later hospitalized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The SBU also accused the woman of poisoning a soldier by lacing food and medicine with toxic substances while posing as a volunteer. The serviceman was hospitalized and is in serious condition. Investigators believe Russian intelligence operatives first approached the suspect before the full-scale invasion when she was visiting relatives in Russia. By early 2025, she was receiving direct instructions from her handlers, the SBU said. Authorities are now investigating her potential involvement in other crimes. The court has ordered her detention without bail while the case proceeds. Read also: Updated: Ukraine strikes Samara Oblast refinery producing fuel for Russian jets, bombers, source claims Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. By Georgina McCartney (Reuters) -Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said on Monday that the Canadian province would continue to supply crude oil to the United States but that U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff threats also underscored the need for new markets. She said U.S. tariffs currently do not apply to Canadian crude oil, but that producers were being required to fill out paperwork to prove their supplies are in compliance. "I think that we should have a zero tariff on this critical resource," she said at the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston. Canada could increase its oil pipeline export capacity to the U.S. by 2 million barrels per day, Alberta's premier added. "Alberta is and will continue to supply energy to the United States and support America's ambitions of global energy dominance," she said, a phrase touted by the Trump administration. "There's a number of different pipeline projects that would allow us to increase the amount of oil coming to the United States, if they're interested in partnering with us. But of course, none of those conversations can begin in earnest while we're in the middle of a tariff fight," the premier said. Alberta is on a path to double its oil and gas production, the premier added without giving a timeline. Smith said that Canadian producers have not cut production in response to tariffs. "I suspect what will happen is we'll just look for new markets, if we have to," pointing to Spain and India as potential buyers of Canadian heavy oil. The premier urged faster approvals for pipeline projects, saying regulations and permit delays must not hinder future expansion. (Reporting by Georgina McCartney and Jarrett Renshaw, Richard Valdmanis; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday he hoped talks in Saudi Arabia this week would have a positive outcome and enable Washington to end its pause of U.S. aid and intelligence to Ukraine, his spokesperson said. Starmer's spokesperson also said UK officials had been speaking to Ukrainian officials over the weekend ahead of the talks in Saudi Arabia and "they remained committed to a lasting peace". "The prime minister said he hoped there would be a positive outcome to the talks that would enable U.S. aid and intelligence sharing to be restarted," the spokesperson told reporters, adding the two leaders had also discussed an economic deal that they had raised during Starmer's visit to Washington. "The prime minister welcomed the detailed conversations that had already happened to move this forward," the spokesperson said. (Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Catarina Demony) JERUSALEM (AP) An American biochemist whose research has helped scientists make inroads into treating coronavirus and HIV has won this years Wolf Prize, a prestigious Israeli award in the arts and sciences. Pamela Bjorkman of the California Institute of Technology won the prize for offering new hope in the fight against infectious diseases, the Wolf Fund, which awards the prize, said Monday. Bjorkmans research unlocked the secrets of how the immune system identifies and battles pathogens, developing game changing approaches to combat some of humanitys most formidable viral enemies, the fund said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eight others also received the state-funded prize, which has been awarded annually for 47 years. Many of the award winners have gone on to receive Nobel prizes. Bjorkman grew up in Oregon and studied at the University of Oregon, Harvard and Stanford before moving to Caltech to begin teaching in 1989. Her research focuses on how the immune system identifies invading pathogens. She has broken ground, the fund said, in how scientists understand T-cell recognition and immunization strategies for HIV. T cells are white blood cells that help fight off diseases. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, she has worked on developing a new strategy to design immunogens that trigger certain antibodies against coronaviruses. Pamela Bjorkmans work provides a glimpse of a new rational design strategy for future vaccines to deal with humanitys greatest immunization challenges, wrote the fund. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This years prize in architecture was awarded to Chinese architect Tiantian Xu for her work in rural China, which the prize committee said transformed villages throughout China economically, socially, and culturally. Xu studied architecture at Harvard Graduate School of Design before returning to China, starting her own firm and working on a number of public projects that have kickstarted village economies, the fund said. They include a bridge connecting two villages separated by a flood, factories for tofu and brown sugar and renovating abandoned stone quarries. It lauded her pioneering approach to rural development one that contrasts with the sweeping, uniform strategies that characterized Chinas urban expansion. Other recipients of this year's award include Jeffery Dangl of the University of North Carolina, Jonathan Jones of the Sainsbury Laboratory in England and Brian Staskawicz of the University of California, Berkeley for agriculture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also receiving the prize are professors Jainendra Jain of Pennsylvania State University, Moty Heiblum of Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science, James Eisenstein of Caltech in physics and Helmut Schwarz of the Technische Universitat Berlin in chemistry. Past laureates include astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, artist Marc Chagall, conductor Zubin Mehta and musician Stevie Wonder. Editors Note: This article was shared via Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here. The missions of the U.S. Coast Guard propel its members across changing and sometimes perilous waters, into neighborhoods damaged by ever-more-intense hurricanes and around the melting ice of the Arctic. But the academy that trains most of the officers of the nations sea-going law enforcement and search and rescue force has eliminated climate change and related terminology from its curriculum in an effort to conform to President Donald Trumps policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amy Donahue, the provost and chief academic officer of the academy, confirmed the moves in a statement posted last week on the Coast Guard Academy alumni associations website. The association said in an online post that it had reached out to her office after receiving several letters of concern on how climate policy was playing out at the New London, Connecticut, institution. Donahue wrote that the academy was required to make the changes because of the presidents executive order withdrawing past climate change policies as well as a Feb. 14 directive from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Noem had ordered department officials to eliminate all climate change activities and the use of climate change terminology in DHS policies and programs. The Coast Guard falls under the authority of DHS in peacetime, making it the only branch of the military not under the Department of Defense. Donahue maintained that the quality of education at the academy would not be harmed by removal of terminology on human-induced rise in global temperatures from class assignments and materials, or the revisions she said were made to certain aspects of some courses, which she did not specify. The Coast Guard Academy did not respond to requests for further details, and DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have not and will not abandon science education, Donahue wrote. But others who know the Coast Guard and the role of the academy in shaping its future are concerned. Retired Adm. Paul Zukunft, who served as commandant of the Coast Guard from 2014 to 2018, said in an interview that cadets need to be educated about climate change in order to effectively undertake missions in harsh maritime environments and to participate in decision-making with other federal agencies, for example, when confronting disasters. If were not smart about the environment that we operate in, were going to be a much less capable Coast Guard, Zukunft said. I think even more importantly, we become marginal players across the interagency process and I think we have a lot to contribute because we are out there on a regular basis. An issue of readiness Under the motto Semper Paratus, or Always Ready, the 43,000 active-duty members of the Coast Guard patrol the nations waters for illegal activity, rescue thousands of people each year, respond to hurricanes, floods, oil and hazardous waste spills and more. They endure heat exposure in the tropics and perform perilous operations in Arctic waters, where shipping is surging due to the retreat of polar ice. Coast Guard Academy-trained engineers build and maintain coastal infrastructure that is battered by more frequent and severe extreme weather. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Impacts of climate change will influence every Coast Guard mission, wrote the services former commandant, Adm. Linda Fagan, in a 2023 framework meant to guide how the force would address the increasing challenges to its operations. Impacts of climate change will influence every Coast Guard mission, wrote the services former commandant, Adm. Linda Fagan, in a 2023 framework on how the force would address increasing challenges to its operations. (Inside Climate News) But that document has been removed from the Coast Guard website and Fagan was relieved of her command on Trumps first full day in office. At the time, a Department of Homeland Security official said in a statement to Military.com that Fagan was terminated for reasons that included concerns over border security, acquisitions, recruiting and leadership. The unnamed official also criticized her for excessive focus on diversity policies. In the following days, the Coast Guard began shutting down programs and offices at the academy that were related to diversity, equity and inclusion, including an Office of Culture and Climate and an Affinity Group program that had been in place for more than 50 years. But the latest moves, which came after Noems directive, appear to be the Coast Guards first changes to academic curriculum in response to Trumps effort to upend federal policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zukunft believes the academys administration has little choice in the matter. Where were at right now, I think they have very little latitude, he said. Theres so much scrutiny, and I would say DEI and climate change have become almost synonymous. If youre an advocate for one or the other, youre at great risk of losing the support of in this case your service secretary. About 1,000 cadets attend the 149-year-old academy on the banks of the Thames River just north of Long Island Sound, which has received honors for its academic programs. With no ROTC program, the Coast Guard relies on the academy as a launching pad for 80% of its officers, a far greater percentage than the other military service branches draw from their own academies. Zukunft, who serves on the advisory board of the nonprofit Center for Climate & Security, said the Coast Guard could be hobbled in its work around the world if its leaders are not grounded in an understanding of climate change. He gave the example of Micronesia, where the Coast Guard operates under one of scores of bilateral maritime law enforcement agreements that the force has with other nations. The U.S. has seen the Coast Guards presence in these islands as an important counterweight to China, which has sought to expand its influence throughout the Pacific. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were building relationships, Zukunft said. And people there are concerned about saltwater intrusion. Theyre losing their aquifer, theyre losing their fish, and do you want a Coast Guard lieutenant who says, I have no idea why thats happening. Maybe its just a bad luck fishing day? We know exactly why its happening, Zukunft said. Sea water is rising and the fish are moving to cooler waters. And so, [the Coast Guard officers] should be able to be making informed decisions, especially in some of these islands. The impacts of climate change are also manifest for the Coast Guard at home, Zukunft added. Our training base for our recruits in Cape May, New Jersey theyre taking on water, he said. Norfolk, Virginia, is taking on water. We built a huge base in Charleston, South Carolina; its taking on water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said it is impossible to have discussions with lawmakers about the need for budgets to make those bases more resilient without talking about where future conditions are heading due to climate change. Climate change did not come up at a congressional hearing Wednesday on the Coast Guards infrastructure needs, but testimony of the Government Accountability Office showed that the service currently faces multiple backlogs of shore projects that will cost at least $7 billion to address double the amount estimated just five years ago. A technical report out of the University of Washington in 2023 said one important infrastructure vulnerability is to the nations Aids to Navigation system, the network of buoys, beacons, lighthouses and other signal equipment that guides ship traffic. The system is maintained by the Coast Guard and is experiencing increasing damage due to intensifying storms as waters warm. Complex calculations on wind speed, wave height and water elevation are needed to assess the increasing risks. Cadets attend a class at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in March 2020. (Matthew Thieme/U.S. Coast Guard) Over the past five years, a team of professors at the Coast Guard Academy emphasized the need for climate change education for cadets in the schools engineering programs in presentations they have given at conferences of the American Society for Engineering Education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the primary commissioning source for civil engineers for the U.S. Coast Guard, it is imperative that our graduates understand the projected impacts of climate change sea level rise, altered hurricane patterns, and other associated hazards on coastal infrastructure, they wrote in a 2023 paper. The coastal resiliency course included work on vulnerability and risk assessments of the Coast Guards own facilities. Exposure to the challenges of climate-related hazards, the teaching team wrote, was an issue of readiness, and therefore of the utmost importance. No faculty members at the academy responded to queries from Inside Climate News about the removal of climate terminology from teaching materials or other curriculum changes. A building without a frame Donahue, the Coast Guard provost, emphasized in her statement that the academy will continue to turn out graduates who are educated on weather patterns, atmospheric phenomena, paleoclimatology, the conditions of sea ice and other studies relevant to their work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will neither ignore nor defy directives from the President or Secretary, she wrote. And we will continue to teach good science that prepares our cadets to lead and execute Coast Guard missions in a global maritime operating environment. But some education experts say that restrictions on the language that can be used in the classroom can erode the quality of science education in insidious ways. Jennifer da Rosa, director of the graduate program in environmental sustainability and management at Goucher College in Baltimore, has studied efforts to restrict climate education in the United States. The direction putting certain words and terminology off-limits is similar to restrictions on the teaching of evolution in parts of the country in the 20th century, she said. When it comes to science, the students are tasked with essentially truth-finding and the research process of truth-finding, she said. If were censoring part of that process, then students arent fully learning how to question and test and evaluate scientific information. Its not possible to just censor words without actually starting to censor the process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Da Rosa questions how meteorology and oceanography can be taught without discussion of climate change. It is a foundational core to all these different disciplines, she said. And if you remove that foundational core, its like having a building without a frame, or, like a human body without a skeletal system. It just collapses. It doesnt make any sense without that framework. Glenn Branch, deputy director of the nonprofit National Center for Science Education, said the Coast Guard Academys decision is not the only recent example of government restrictions on climate change terminology in education. Last year, Floridas Department of Education under Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis told publishers they would have to remove references to climate change in order to have textbooks approved for use in public schools. Iowas Department of Education, under Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, this year is considering removing climate change and evolution from the states educational standards. Branch said the Coast Guard Academys provost, in her statement, reflected an understanding of the need for future officers to be educated on the changing environment they will face. Its certainly encouraging that she says, despite the ban on uttering the dreaded three syllables, theyre still going to be teaching these topics, he said. But its still a problem. Not using the right terminology makes it harder for students to understand and discuss and process the scientific literature theyre supposed to be inspecting. Coast Guard Petty Officers 3rd Class Eric Gordon and Gavin Kershaw check for distressed residents of a flooded neighborhood in Friendswood, Texas, on Aug. 29, 2017, during Hurricane Harvey. (Petty Officer 3rd Class Corinne Zilnicki/U.S. Coast Guard) Zukunft, whose service as commandant spanned the end of the Obama administration and the start of the first Trump administration, said he witnessed the president recognize the important role of the Coast Guard in natural disasters. When Hurricane Harvey dumped more than 40 inches of rain in Houston over four days in August 2017, Coast Guard units raced to the scene from around the country and rescued more than 11,000 Texans by air and by boat. I ended up getting a call from President Trump, and he said, No stock has gone up like yours, way up, Zukunft recalled. I thought my stock was doing OK, but said, Ill take that as a compliment, sir. But at the start of Trumps second administration, Zukunft is concerned about what he sees as a complete unraveling of prior policy that sets a dangerous precedent. He believes the cadets now at the academy need to be trained not just for the political realities of the next four years, but the realities they will face in the coming decades on seas and coastlines transformed by climate change. I think they need to stay very dialed in, because theyre going to live with this on their watch, not over the period of just one administration, Zukunft said. This is going to be multi-generational, and at some point, it becomes a train wreck. SINGAPORE / ACCESS Newswire / March 10, 2025 / ELD Asset Management has revealed an enhanced focus on the rapidly growing economies of Indonesia, Vietnam, and Singapore nations it refers to as the "New Asian Tigers." This move reflects the firm's confidence in the region's dynamic economic expansion and its wealth of opportunities across key sectors. Indonesia, Vietnam, and Singapore are emerging as powerhouses in Southeast Asia, with robust GDP growth, rapidly expanding middle classes, and government-backed initiatives driving innovation. The firm says that each country has demonstrated resilience and adaptability, positioning themselves as attractive investment destinations across a variety of industries. "Asia's economic centre of gravity is shifting, and Indonesia, Vietnam, and Singapore are at the forefront of this transformation," explained George Palmer, Director of Private Clients at ELD Asset Management. "These countries represent compelling investment opportunities, particularly in technology, manufacturing, and financial services." Stand-out sectors ELD Asset Management is particularly bullish on Singapore's technology and digital economy citing the nation state's well-established technology ecosystem, bolstered by strong regulatory frameworks and government support as making it an ideal hub for fintech, AI development, and cybersecurity solutions. Meanwhile, Vietnam and Indonesia are experiencing a digital revolution, with thriving e-commerce markets and rapid fintech adoption. In manufacturing and supply chains, Vietnam has emerged as a global manufacturing hub, attracting foreign direct investment in electronics, textiles, and high-tech industries. Indonesia, with its vast natural resources and a growing industrial base, is also strengthening its role in regional supply chains. In financial services and fintech, Singapore continues to lead the region in financial innovation, offering a mature regulatory environment and a thriving fintech sector. Additionally, Indonesia and Vietnam, with their large unbanked populations, present significant opportunities for digital banking and mobile payment platforms. As ELD Asset Management pivots towards these high-growth markets, it is devoting significant resources to identifying and capitalising on opportunities that align with the evolving economic landscape of Southeast Asia. "The New Asian Tigers' are set to drive the next wave of economic expansion on this continent, and investors who position themselves early will benefit from this extraordinary growth trajectory," added Mr. Palmer. A US delegation will meet in Saudi Arabia this week not only with Ukrainian officials but also with Russian officials. The talks will be held separately. Source: European Pravda with reference to CNN Details: A CNN source familiar with the plans said that separate meetings between senior Trump administration officials and representatives of Russia and Ukraine will take place in Saudi Arabia. The source refused to say who would attend the talks with Russia. It is also not known in which city the meeting between US and Russian officials will take place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The US-Ukrainian talks in Saudi Arabia will take place in the city of Jeddah. The meeting comes as both countries are working to strengthen their relationship following the Oval Office spat on 28 February. Background: The Times reports that the UK is advising Ukraine ahead of talks with the US to avoid another catastrophic spat. Reuters reported that US officials are planning to use the meeting in Saudi Arabia in part to assess whether Ukraine is willing to make significant concessions to Russia in order to end the war. The FT reports that Kyiv intends to propose a partial ceasefire with Russia which would include long-range strikes against Russia and combat operations in the Black Sea at the talks in Saudi Arabia. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Consumers appear to be buying cheaper EVs from low-cost producers like China's BYD , which sells its Seagull passenger vehicle for under $10,000 in its domestic market. BYD sold twice as many cars in China as Tesla did in January, which was once a critical market for Musk and his team. With the Chinese EV maker now aggressively expanding into Europe, Tesla might find it even more difficult to maintain market share because it simply can't compete on price. February wasn't much better as Tesla's sales plummeted 48% in Norway, which is one of Europe's biggest markets for EVs. They also fell 26% in France, 42% in Sweden, and 53% in Denmark. While official numbers haven't been published yet for countries like Germany or Spain, Tesla is staring down the barrel of another grim month in sales across Europe. The decline accelerated in Australia, where Tesla sold 71% fewer vehicles than it did in February last year. In January, Tesla's sales plunged more than 50% year over year in Europe. That included a near-60% drop in Germany, where sales of EVs overall actually grew 53%, suggesting Tesla experienced a severe drop in market share. Tesla's sales also fell 33% in Australia, which highlights how geographically widespread the weakness really is. Up until late 2023, Elon Musk was telling investors that Tesla could grow its production by 50% per year. But deliveries grew only 38% that year, and in 2024, they shrank by 1%. The company can't produce more cars if they aren't selling, and early signs suggest 2025 could be significantly worse. Despite the potential of its future products, 79% of Tesla's revenue still comes from selling passenger electric vehicles (EVs) . There was a time when the company had the entire EV market almost to itself, but competition is now having a serious impact on its sales. However, Tesla stock is currently heading in the wrong direction with a 44% drop from its recent peak as of this writing. I don't think it has a legitimate pathway to becoming the world's most valuable company, and here's why I predict it might even lose a further 50% of its value instead. In fact, CEO Elon Musk believes Tesla is on track to become the most valuable company in the world. He even believes there is a possibility it will be worth more than the next five largest companies combined -- today, those five companies would be Apple , Microsoft , Nvidia , Amazon , and Alphabet , and they have a total market value of $13.4 trillion. Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) stock soared 63% last year, reaching a new all-time high in December, shortly after President Trump's election win. Investors speculated that a friendlier regulatory environment could help the company fast-track its autonomous driving and humanoid robotics technologies, which some Wall Street analysts believe could become trillion-dollar platforms. Story Continues Elon Musk is betting the farm on autonomous driving and robotics Musk has always been a forward thinker. He believes products like Tesla's full self-driving (FSD) software and Optimus humanoid robot have addressable markets that are orders of magnitude larger than the EV market. As a result, he's steering the company in those directions rather than engaging in a race-to-the-bottom price war with other EV producers. Tesla's FSD isn't approved for unsupervised use in the U.S. just yet, but Musk thinks it could go live in Texas and California this year. The company can sell the software to owners of its passenger EVs, but the bigger opportunity lies with its Cybercab robotaxi. It will use FSD to autonomously haul passengers and even make commercial deliveries within a ride-hailing network that Tesla plans to create, potentially earning revenue for the company around the clock. Wall Street analyst Dan Ives from Wedbush Securities thinks FSD could add $1 trillion to Tesla's market capitalization over time. Since the company is worth $830 billion as of this writing, that means this product alone could more than double its value. He isn't alone; Cathie Wood's Ark Investment Management thinks Tesla could generate $756 billion in annual revenue from the autonomous ride-hailing business by 2029, paving the way for a staggering $8 trillion valuation. Since Tesla generated less than $100 billion in total revenue in 2024, it's hard to believe a segment that doesn't yet exist will produce that much revenue within the next five years, so I'm taking Ark's estimate with a big helping of salt. But Musk thinks Optimus might be Tesla's most valuable opportunity ever. In a January conference call with investors, he said the humanoid robot could generate $10 trillion in sales over the long term because it has far more use cases than a car. He believes humanoids will outnumber humans by 2040, so we could find them in every business, factory, and maybe even household. Tesla stock remains wildly overvalued Tesla's earnings per share (EPS) plunged 53% to $2.04 in 2024. Shrinking EV sales were one reason for the decline, but the company also cut prices for most of its cars to shore up demand, which eroded its profit margins. Despite the 44% drop in Tesla stock from its all-time high, it still trades at an eye-watering price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 128.6. That makes it significantly more expensive than Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, and Alphabet: For Tesla to become more valuable than those five companies combined, as Musk predicts, its stock would have to soar 1,500% from where it trades as of this writing. Given its premium P/E ratio and shrinking earnings, that is simply out of the question in the foreseeable future. Products like the Cybercab and Optimus robot aren't expected to reach mass production until 2026 or later, which means Tesla has to rely on its passenger EV sales to carry its business for at least the next year. Given the rate at which deliveries are shrinking in key markets like Europe, I think the company is in for another sharp drop in its earnings in 2025. If that proves to be the case, Tesla stock could be facing further downside of 50% or more over the next 12 months. It would have to decline more than 70% just for its P/E ratio to trade in line with Nvidia, which is one of the fastest-growing large-cap companies in the world. Tesla's premium valuation is becoming more difficult to justify by the day. Dont miss this second chance at a potentially lucrative opportunity Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then youll want to hear this. On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a Double Down stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If youre worried youve already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before its too late. And the numbers speak for themselves: Nvidia: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2009, youd have $292,207 !* Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, youd have $45,326 !* Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, youd have $480,568!* Right now, were issuing Double Down alerts for three incredible companies, and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon. Continue *Stock Advisor returns as of March 3, 2025 John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fools board of directors. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fools board of directors. Anthony Di Pizio has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla. The Motley Fool recommends BYD Company and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Elon Musk Thinks Tesla Will Become the World's Most Valuable Company. I Predict Its Stock Will Decline by 50% (or More) Instead. was originally published by The Motley Fool Global organization, Humaniti, expands life-changing healthcare programs in three countries, contributing to its expansive humanitarian efforts across more than 30 countries TORONTO, March 10, 2025 /CNW/ - Humaniti , a leading global organization dedicated to informing, inspiring, and improving the lives of people from all walks of life, is proud to announce its program expansion into three new countries: Congo, Gambia, and Tunisia. With an unwavering commitment to ensuring healthcare is a basic human right, this expansion marks another significant milestone in Humaniti's movement to eradicate poverty and suffering. The organization will fund lifesaving healthcare interventions, including pediatric surgeries, free medical coverage, and the expansion of healthcare facilities to ensure vulnerable communities gain access to essential services. Since inception, Humaniti has grown its reach to over 30 countries across Africa, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East, addressing critical issues in healthcare, education, food security, and disaster relief. With a mission to positively impact billions of lives, Humaniti has spent years building innovative partnerships and implementing on-the-ground programs to ensure its support reaches those who need it most. "The average Canadian is fortunate to have access to healthcare, clean water, and education - privileges that are not universally available," says Firaaz Azeez, Executive Director of Humaniti. "Humaniti's mission is to bridge this gap, delivering essential services accessible to those in need across borders. Operating in over 30 countries is a testament to our commitment in being a global humanitarian leader, though we recognize our work is far from complete." Select Program initiatives include: Free Medical Coverage in Gambia In collaboration with Kairo Clinic Ltd ., Humaniti is funding a groundbreaking project to provide free medical Zakat insurance coverage to 1,400 patients in Kololi, Gambia. Over the next eight months, this initiative will offer holistic primary care, including preventive and curative doctor consultations, laboratory investigations, antenatal care, radiology, and more. By addressing the financial barriers to healthcare, this project aims to reduce mortality and morbidity rates, offering increased accessibility to affordable healthcare services for non-accessible members of the community. Lifesaving Pediatric Surgeries in Tunisia The United States is planning to use a meeting scheduled for 11 March with the Ukrainian delegation in Saudi Arabia to assess Kyivs readiness to make possible material concessions to Russia in order to end the war. Source: Reuters, citing two anonymous US officials Details: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will arrive in Jeddah, where he will lead the American delegation in talks with Ukrainian officials. Andrii Yermak, Head of the Ukrainian President's Office, will lead the negotiations on behalf of Ukraine. It is expected that Rubio will be joined by White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "US officials are planning to use Tuesday's meeting with a Ukrainian delegation in Saudi Arabia in part to determine whether Ukraine is willing to make material concessions to Russia to end the war." Details: The US side will also view the talks as an opportunity to assess Kyivs willingness to improve relations with Trumps administration. This issue has become particularly relevant after the previous meeting between the presidents of the US and Ukraine ended in a spat last month. "You can't say 'I want peace', and, 'I refuse to compromise on anything'," one US official said, commenting on the upcoming talks. Another official emphasised the importance of realistic expectations regarding a peaceful settlement. "We want to see if the Ukrainians are interested not just in peace, but in a realistic peace. If they are only interested in 2014 or 2022 borders, that tells you something." Background: In his evening address on 9 March, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that he is hoping for a positive outcome from the meeting between the Ukrainian and US teams in Saudi Arabia, both in terms of bringing peace closer and ensuring continued support from the United States. Zelenskyy previously stated that on Monday, 10 March he would travel to Saudi Arabia for a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, after which his team would remain in the country for talks with the US side. On 8 March, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine would be represented by Andrii Yermak, Head of the Ukrainian President's Office, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Defence Minister Rustem Umierov and Pavlo Palisa, Deputy Head of the Ukrainian President's Office, at the talks with the US scheduled for Tuesday, 11 March in Saudi Arabia. On 9 March, US President Donald Trump reportedly informed his aides that the minerals deal between Washington and Kyiv alone would not be sufficient to resume aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine as officials from both countries gear up for talks in Saudi Arabia this week. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Razorpay, an Indian fintech company, has made its debut in the Singapore market, marking its second expansion into Southeast Asia after its entry into Malaysia. The company now operates in both India and Malaysia, serving businesses and enabling payments for more than 200 million customers. The entry into Singapore builds upon Malaysia's success, where Curlec by Razorpay achieved ten times growth, the company stated. Razorpay has introduced a suite of payment solutions for businesses in Singapore, including a payment gateway, cross-border transaction services, and real-time financial analytics. These solutions aim to help businesses manage real-time payments and reduce cross-border transaction fees by 30-40%. The Agentic-AI toolkit enables AI agents to assist with transactions, onboarding, integration, and financial insights. RAY, an AI-powered concierge, helps businesses manage payments, payouts, payroll, and vendor transactions. The platform also includes Magic Checkout, which simplifies payments with a one-click checkout feature to reduce transaction drop-offs, along with support for various payment methods, including credit cards, digital wallets, and bank transfers. Razorpay will work with banks, financial institutions, and regulatory bodies to comply with Singapores financial landscape. The company provides payment acceptance technology through its Payment Gateway in collaboration with entities licenced by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Razorpay MD and co-founder Shashank Kumar said: Our expansion aligns with Singapores bold vision for a cashless, innovation-driven economy, and we look forward to empowering local businesses with cutting-edge AI-powered solutions to drive digital transformation at scale. As part of this, our new Payment Gateway, combined with a reimagined checkout and AI-powered solutions, will not only simplify transactions but also drive over 30% higher conversions, leading to increased revenues, while ensuring utmost safety, security, and compliance. The company is considering Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam as its next markets, Kumar said in a statement to the Times of India. Razorpay Singapore South East Asia head Angad Dhindsa said: Additionally, as real-time payments continue to redefine digital transactions in Singapore, we aim to provide businesses with faster settlements and seamless payment processing, ensuring instant and frictionless financial operations across borders. "Indias Razorpay forays into Singapore " was originally created and published by Electronic Payments International, a GlobalData owned brand. Own the DOGE, the group behind the original Doge meme's intellectual property, has unveiled a new meme coin named Cocoro (COCORO), launched on Base, the Ethereum layer-2 network developed by Coinbase. What Happened: The coin's debut coincided with a blog post from Atsuko Sato, the owner of the late Kabosuthe Shiba Inu that inspired Dogecoinintroducing her newly adopted 10-year-old rescue dog, Cocoro. The IP around Cocoro is being officially managed by Own the Doge. COCORO's market cap quickly surged past $80 million after its launch on Saturday, before dropping to around $46 million with a token price near $0.046. Tokenomics show 75% of the supply was locked into liquidity pools, 20% distributed via airdrops to DOG and NEIRO holders, and the remaining 5% allocated to a DAO reserve. Don't Miss: The project's pseudonymous CEO, Smoke, told the Decrypt that the team chose Base for its scalability and affordability. "We are big fans of what Base is doing for the ecosystem," said Smoke. "They have made it fast and affordable to build on Ethereum at scale." He added that DOG, their previous token, has over 1 million holders on Base. See Also: If there was a new fund backed by Jeff Bezos offering a 7-9% target yield with monthly dividends would you invest in it? Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE), launched in 2013 without Sato's approval, went on to become one of the most valuable meme coins. In contrast, Own the Doge (DOG) was built after securing the rights to the original Doge meme photo in 2021, giving it a formal IP foundation. Vice President JD Vance spoke to thousands of local government leaders at the National League of Cities conference in Washington, D.C., Monday afternoon, where he called on them to follow new federal law aimed at curbing illegal immigration. Vance began his speech by addressing the current American housing crisis, citing a study that showed house sale levels to be the lowest in 30 years. The average income it takes to buy a new house is nearly two times the average salary of your typical American family not the average American worker, but the combined incomes of a husband and wife," Vance said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This finding coincides with over three-quarters of Americans who believe housing affordability is a pressing and growing issue, per a survey by Data for Progress. While Vance said some of this cost can be reduced by slashing unnecessary regulatory fees at the local level, since these fees account for over 20% of the cost of a new home, he believes the most effective way the U.S. could reduce housing costs would be to decrease demand. Vice President JD Vance speaks at the Congressional Cities Conference of the National League of Cities on Monday, March 10, 2025, in Washington. | Mark Schiefelbein Vance on how to decrease housing demand While weve made it a little hard to build homes in this country for the last four years, weve also unfortunately made it too easy for people to compete with American citizens for the precious homes that are in the country to begin with, Vance said. He continued, If you allow 20 million people to compete with American citizens for the cost of homes, youre going to have a large and frankly completely preventable spike in the demand for housing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vance then referenced a recent trip hed taken to the southern border and described a conversation hed had with local border patrol in Eagle Pass, Texas. They told me in just a matter of weeks their small border had gone from 1,500 daily encounters to less than 30, Vance said. The mayor of Eagle Pass told Vance that a high influx of illegal immigrants was incredibly stressful on the towns local resources, hospitals and schools. The U.S. housing crisis vs other countries with mass immigration Vance then compared the U.S. housing crisis to other countries that allow mass immigration. You see a very consistent relationship between a massive increase in immigration and a massive increase in housing prices, and we have to be honest about that, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This statement was met by yelling in the audience from a woman later identified as Mary Lupien, a city council member in Rochester. Vance addressed Lupien, saying, I see one of our nice representatives out here wants to actually continue to flood the country with illegal immigrants, making your communities unaffordable. But maam, with all respect, one of the reasons were doing what were doing is because we want to make it more affordable for Americans to live. Mary Lupien, a city council member from Rochester, N.Y., shouts as Vice President JD Vance speaks at the Congressional Cities Conference of the National League of Cities on Monday, March 10, 2025, in Washington. | Mark Schiefelbein Vance referenced a similar housing crisis in the U.K., which Matthew Goodwin, a British political commentator, described in an article for The Spectator. In 2022, the British government set a goal to build 300,000 homes, and by the time 2023 rolled around, theyd built a little over 204,000. While they were close to the target, Goodwin wrote that Britain experienced a net in-migration rate of 745,000. We should be able to talk about how immigration is fueling the housing crisis, driving up house prices and making many homes unaffordable for British families and British workers, Goodwin said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vance echoed Goodwins call to have open and honest conversations about all aspects of immigration. The reason why we care about border security is because we want your communities to be safer, we want them to be more affordable, we want there to be less drugs in our country, and we want your citizens to live the American dream, Vance said. It is the birthright of every single one of our citizens, and were going to fight for it every single day. Vance tells local leaders to respect and follow federal law Vance acknowledged the wide range of opinions sitting in his audience and encouraged local leaders to voice their concerns over federal policy by reaching out to state and federal lawmakers. Then he added, While we have immigration laws in the books, we will enforce them, and expect our local municipalities to help us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is not up to local cities to choose which federal laws theyre going to enforce, he continued. We cant do immigration enforcement with sanctuary cities. Weve got to have everybody respecting the law, and that is going to be one of the major policy focuses of the Trump administration. Lynsi Snyder, heiress to In-N-Out, worked her way up from an entry-level job at the chain to CEO, determined to earn respect on her own merit rather than relying on her family name. Under her leadership, In-N-Out expanded to 400 locations, maintained relatively low price increases despite rising costs, and upheld its deep-rooted California culture, all while Snyder embraced her own unique leadership style. Lynsi Snyder may have become a billionaire on her 35th birthday, but the In-N-Out heiress was aways determined to earn her place in the business by gaining the respect of her peers. Snyder took on the top job at her family's West Coast chain in 2010 at age 27, leading the business founded by her grandparents in 1948. After Snyders grandfather, Harry Snyder, died in December 1976, the business was led by his sons Rich and Guy. However Rich SnyderLynsis uncledied in a plane crash in Orange County in 1993, followed by the death of her father in 1999. At the age of 17, Lynsi Snyder was the last blood relative surviving of the burger dynasty. But the businesswoman, now 42, never wanted to be handed any opportunities courtesy of her surname. So at age 17, she queued up for two hours outside a new In-N-Out restaurant in Redding, Calif., to land a summer job at the chain. I think that theres a stigma that can come with being the owners kid, Snyder told NBC's Today and Morning News Now last year. I just wanted to be respected like others, doing it the right way and not having the special treatment. How Snyder rose the ranks at In-N-Out Her first job at In-N-Out saw Snyder doing the minor jobs expected of new staff: slicing onions, preparing tomatoes, and separating lettuce leaves. No one knew Snyders identity at the store except its manager, the heiress told Orange Coast Magazine in 2014, ensuring she was treated the same by her colleagues as any other teenager. In 2025 Snyders net worth stands at $7.3 billion, per Forbes, having overseen the opening of the chains 400th store and launched in three new states: Colorado, Oregon, and Texas. More recently the business announced it will be returning to its roots when it relocates its headquarters from Irvine, Orange County, and will return to Baldwin Park where the business was founded in the 1940s. The move will take place in 2029. As part of the move some staff will also be moving to new offices in Tennessee, as the brand seeks to consolidate its western operations and its East Coast operations. Her familys painful history is never out of mind for Snyder, a mother of four, she added to NBC: It really was that family pain and tragedy that really put each leader in its place. Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) has become a stock market giant thanks to its dominance in one of today's highest-growth markets: artificial intelligence (AI), a $200 billion market that analysts say is heading for $1 trillion by the end of the decade. The tech company has practically built an empire of AI products and services including hardware, software, networking tools, and more -- to serve every AI customer along every step of their AI journey. Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang has even called the company the "on ramp" to the AI world. And Nvidia's crown jewel is its graphics processing units (GPUs), the fastest chips around that power crucial AI tasks such as the training and inferencing of models. Customers, including the world's biggest tech companie,s Microsoft and Amazon, rush to Nvidia for its latest products, helping the company bring in billions of dollars in earnings. In fact, in the recently closed fiscal year, Nvidia reported a triple-digit gain in revenue to more than $130 billion, a record. The shares have followed, soaring 1,500% over five years. The downside of all of this is, at a certain point, Nvidia's stock traded at levels many investors considered expensive. But, in recent weeks, as stocks declined on concerns about the general economy, so did Nvidia -- and its valuation. In fact, the stock is trading at its lowest in relation to forward earnings estimates in more than a year. Has the stock become too cheap to ignore? Let's find out. Image source: Getty Images. Nvidia's path from gaming to AI First, a quick summary of the Nvidia story so far. This tech superstar wasn't always the center of the market's attention. In its earlier days, it served mainly the video gaming industry with its GPUs -- but as it became clear that these chips could be useful elsewhere, Nvidia developed the parallel computing platform CUDA to make that happen. And when GPUs started serving the AI community, well, the rest is history. AI customers have flocked to Nvidia for these top performing chips, and here's a good example of their popularity, from Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison's comment last year. He said he and Tesla chief Elon Musk took out Nvidia's Huang for dinner and "begged" him for more chips. This is because demand for the products is high. In fact, demand for the company's latest innovation, the Blackwell architecture, has been so high that it's reached "insane" levels, Huang told CNBC in an interview a few months ago. In the company's recent earnings call, it said Blackwell brought in $11 billion in revenue during its first quarter on the market. And at the same time, though the launch for such a complex customizable product is costly, Nvidia still was able to keep gross margin above 70%, showing high profitability on sales. Well, that didn't take long. In just a matter of weeks, President Donald Trump's tariff threats have gone from what many believed to be just saber-rattling to a full-blown trade war with the United States' closest trading partners: Canada, Mexico, and China. Last Tuesday, the Trump administration imposed 25% import taxes on all goods from Mexico, 25% tariffs on non-energy goods from Canada with a 10% rate on energy products. It raised the tariff on all goods from China from the 10% rate it assessed a month ago to 20%. This week, a 25% tariff is supposed to go into effect on all aluminum and steel imports, and the president has talked up other tariffs, including on agricultural products and foreign cars, and plans to reciprocate tariffs that the U.S. is charged from other countries. A few days later, Trump temporarily paused some of the tariffs against Mexico and Canada until April 2. Despite some of his cabinet members trying to frame the tariffs as a negotiating tactic, Trump showed no signs of softening his stance in his address to Congress last Tuesday night and even acknowledged there could be "a little disturbance" and "an adjustment period" for the economy. Investors are understandably jittery about the impact of tariffs. Through Monday and Tuesday, as it became clear that at least some of the proposed tariffs would go into effect, the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) fell a total of 3%, giving up all of its post-election gains. There's already evidence in macro-level data that the tariff threat is having an impact on economic growth. On Wednesday, payroll processor ADP reported that private employers added just 77,000 jobs in February, far below expectations, and the February ISM manufacturing survey indicated that the tariff threat was leading to price increases and causing some businesses to pause orders. While it's unclear what will happen with the tariffs going forward, the volatility around them seems likely to continue -- and for investors that can present an opportunity. Image source: Getty Images. One way investors can take advantage of tariffs The tariffs could do real damage to the U.S. economy, potentially contributing to a recession. Trump could pull back on them depending on how negotiations play out and the economy could recovery. It's a difficult thing to predict, but as stock prices have fallen, long-term investors are getting attractive prices on stocks that shouldn't be impacted by tariffs over the long term, regardless of what happens in the short term. In other words, it's a good time for investors to make a watch list for stocks they'd like to buy if the price falls. Real estate, mortgage, and personal finance firm Rocket Companies said it would buy online brokerage Redfin in a $1.75 billion deal, the latest consolidation in the residential real estate business amid one of the slowest periods for home sales in three decades. The deal would combine Rocket, a major mortgage provider, with Redfins online home listings business and brokerage of more than 2,200 agents. House hunters searching Redfins database or working with a Redfin agent could ultimately be referred to Rocket for a mortgage or title services. "Rocket and Redfin have a unified vision of a better way to buy and sell homes," Varun Krishna, chief executive officer of Rocket, said in a statement. "Together, we will improve the experience by connecting traditionally disparate steps of the search and financing process with leading technology that removes friction, reduces costs and increases value to American homebuyers." Detroit-based Rockets all-stock offer values Redfin shares at $12.50, more than double their Friday closing price of $5.82. Redfin shareholders can swap each of their shares for 0.7926 shares of Rocket stock. The deal is expected to close in the second or third quarter of 2025. Redfin (RDFN) stock surged 76% to $10.30 on Monday after the deal was announced. Rocket (RKT) shares fell more than 14% to $13.50. Rocket grew its revenue in 2024 by 34% to $5.1 billion, but it still trails the company's boom years. In 2020, Rocket had revenue of over $15.7 billion. Read more: Rocket Mortgage review 2025 Redfin, based in Seattle, was founded in 2004 in the early days of online real estate listings and went public in 2017. Its shares surged during the pandemic homebuying spree of 2020 and 2021, but it has struggled since mortgage rates spiked in 2022 and home sales fell to some of the lowest levels in decades. Prior to the deal with Rocket, its stock had lost more than 90% of its value from its 2021 peak. Mortgage lenders, brokers, and other housing-focused companies have been combining or, in some cases, shutting down entirely in recent years amid a prolonged slump in home sales stemming from high rates and near-record prices. Brokerage Compass agreed to buy Christies International Real Estate in a $444 million deal last year. Sign up for the Mind Your Money weekly newsletter Subscribe By subscribing, you are agreeing to Yahoo's Terms and Privacy Policy Publicly traded Guild Mortgage acquired six lenders between 2021 and 2024, while Columbus, Ohio-based Go Mortgage completed a combination with Portland, Ore.s Pacific Residential Mortgage in January. EasyKnock, a company that offered to buy homes and lease them back to their former owners, shut down in December. J. Safra Sarasin Group, an entity engaged in private banking and wealth management, has signed an agreement to acquire approximately 70% of Saxo Bank. The transaction is said to be valued at around $1.19bn. The shares were previously held by Geely Financials Denmark, part of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, and Mandatum Group. The acquisition, which will see J. Safra Sarasin Group's client assets increase to $247bn and Saxo Bank's to $118bn, is aimed at bolstering the long-term potential of both institutions. Saxo Bank CEO and founder Kim Fournais said: For Saxo, our employees, shareholders, clients, and partners, and me personally, today marks an inflection point. I have worked with an outstanding team, focusing on continuously improving Saxo for the mutual benefit of all our stakeholders, including clients and partners. roup with over 180-year heritage and long-term perspective. Saxo Bank, established in Copenhagen in 1992, offers multi-asset trading solutions and serves as a fully licenced bank under Danish FSA supervision. With an advanced open banking technology (BaaS), Saxo powers over 150 financial institutional partners worldwide. Saxo Bank will complement Safra Sarasin's wealth management solutions. Saxo Bank's CEO and founder, Kim Fournais, will continue to lead the bank, maintaining a 28% ownership. Saxo Bank will remain a standalone entity, preserving its brand and operational independence. J. Safra Sarasin Group chairman Jacob Safra said: This strategic acquisition represents a significant milestone for J. Safra Sarasin. It creates new opportunities for expansion and further increases our competitive edge, while reflecting our unwavering multi-generational commitment to entrepreneurship, sustainability and client success. The transaction awaits approval from regulatory bodies, including the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) and the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). In October 2024, Saxo Bank introduced a new investment platform through Saxo UK, aimed at buy-and-hold and active investors in the UK. J. Safra Sarasin operates banks in over 30 locations across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Caribbean. It manages client assets totalling CHF224bn ($254.5bn) and employs approximately 2,550 people, with stockholders' equity amounting to CHF5.8bn ($6.5bn). "Safra Sarasin to buy 70% stake in Saxo Bank" was originally created and published by Private Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish fashion retailer Mango reported on Monday an 8% increase in sales in 2024 to 3.33 billion euros ($3.62 billion), as it benefitted from an international expansion with a focus on the United States, similar to that pursued by its rival brand Zara. Spain's second-largest fashion company that has positioned itself as a premium retailer focusing on partywear and with higher prices than those of Inditex-owned Zara, has said it aims to reach 4 billion euros in sales by 2026. Its net profit rose 27% to 219 million euros, while gross margin reached 60.7% in 2024. The unlisted company said that 78% of its total sales came from its international stores and it invested 219 million euros to add 260 new shops to its network of 2,800 in 2024. Mango has an ongoing plan to expand its shops in the U.S., one of its top 5 markets, by opening more than 60 stores between 2024 and 2025, after its return to the country with its first flagship store in New York in 2022. The company chief executive Toni Ruiz confirmed the plan to expand stores in U.S. after becoming chairman of the board, replacing Mango's founder and owner, Isak Andic, who died in a mountain accident last December. ($1 = 0.9202 euros) (Reporting by Corina Pons and Albert Gia, editing by Andrei Khalip) Looking for a break? Test your knowledge of this week's news from the Yakima Valley. The politics of the new Trump era just got a lot more complicated for Capital One (COF). The huge bank and credit card lender now finds itself in the position of having to defend itself against a new lawsuit from a company owned by President Trump while also seeking a big merger approval from Trumps antitrust enforcers. The new legal headache arrived Friday when the Trump Organization sued Capital One for allegedly debanking hundreds of its accounts following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol in Washington, D.C. The "unilateral decision came about as a result of political and social motivations and Capital Ones unsubstantiated, woke beliefs that it needed to distance itself from President Trump and his conservative political views," according to the lawsuit. Capital One responded to the lawsuit by telling media outlets the bank "has not and does not close customer accounts for political reasons." The unfortunate timing for the bank is that this lawsuit arrives just as the company seeks final US regulatory approvals for an acquisition of Discover Financial Services (DFS) that would create the biggest credit card lender in the US and a formidable new rival to American Express (AXP), Visa (V), and Mastercard (MA). Read more: How Capital Ones acquisition of Discover could affect you Capital One headquarters in McLean, Va. (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images) BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI via Getty Images Capital One was initially hoping for a closing of the merger in late 2024 or early 2025, but it has been extended to May 19, 2025, to allow more time for regulatory approvals. The deal offers a test of how the Trump administration will treat a union of two financial giants. It has already signaled that companies are not going to get a free pass when it comes to big mergers. For example, Trump's Justice Department has already filed a lawsuit seeking to block Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) from acquiring rival Juniper Networks (JNPR). And Trump's new Federal Trade Commission Chair, Andrew Ferguson, has also kept in place stricter Biden-era standards for policing US mergers. Capital One has scored one victory thus far from the new administration. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau dropped a lawsuit it filed less than a week before Trumps inauguration. It had claimed in the suit that the bank had cheated customers out of $2 billion by advertising a high-yield savings account that, in fact, paid very little interest. 'We will not stand by while big banks misuse their power' Capital One may not be the only big bank to face new legal and political challenges during the Trump era. In a post on the X social media platform Friday, the president's son, Eric Trump, warned of more pressure to come. The ambulance control system in Budapest went down again on Saturday afternoon for about a half an hour from 1:45 p.m., health expert Zsombor Kunetz reported on his Rontgen blog. The ambulance system failure therefore occurred at the same time that healthcare workers were demonstrating on Kossuth ter against the poor conditions in the sector, organised by the medical chamber MOK and the medical trade union, he adds. Kunetz reported on a critical ambulance outage two days ago. ********************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? Then just contact us here. Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Monday proposed a 6 per cent tax on electric vehicles priced more than Rs 30 lakh in the budget for the fiscal 2025-26. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who also holds the finance portfolio, tabled the budget and announced a 1 per cent hike in the Motor Vehicle Tax on CNG and LPG vehicles. The government has also proposed a 7 per cent tax on vehicles used for construction activities, which will generate additional revenue of approximately Rs 180 crore. The state government has proposed a 6 per cent tax on electric vehicles above Rs 30 lakh and a 1 per cent tax hike on individual-owned non-transport four-wheeler CNG and LPG vehicles. The move will generate an additional revenue of approximately Rs 150 crore in 2025-26. Pawar also announced a 7 per cent tax on light goods vehicles (LGVs) carrying goods up to 7,500 kg, which will earn the state Rs 625 crore. The government has also increased the maximum limit of the Motor Vehicles Tax from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 30 lakh, which is expected to generate a revenue of Rs 170 crore. New Delhi: Japanese automaker Honda on Monday said it has appointed Takashi Nakajima as the new President & CEO of Honda Cars India. Nakajima will take charge from April 1, 2025, consequent to the management changes announced annually by Honda Motor Co. Ltd. Who Is Nakajima Nakajima? Nakajima will take over from Takuya Tsumura, who moves to Japan at Honda head office after completing his India tenure, the automaker said in a statement. Nakajima has been serving as President of Honda Motor Russia since 2021. During his latest assignment, he was also in-charge of Product Planning, Marketing and Corporate Communication for Honda's automobile business in domestic Japan market. Nakajima joined Honda in 1994 and has been associated with Honda Motor Co Ltd for more than 30 years. He has gained vast experience having worked in various positions of responsibility in several international markets like Japan, China, Spain, Czech Republic and Russia in the areas of business planning, product planning, marketing and sales promotion. Takuya Tsumura's Tenure Honda said that during his successful three-year tenure in India, Tsumura was instrumental in fortifying the premium brand positioning of Honda in India, strengthening customer-centric solutions, and driving company's profitable growth. He spearheaded the introduction of several premium models, including India's first mainstream hybrid model City e:HEV, Honda's new global SUV Elevate, all new third generation Amaze, and laying the foundation for launch of future models including company's first battery electric vehicle for India, the automaker said. During his tenure, Honda Cars India saw strong expansion in its export business with start of export of made-in-India Elevate to Japan. This mega food park will focus on processing fruits and vegetables, ensuring that farmers get better prices for their produce. The unit will mainly process citrus fruits like Nagpur's famous oranges, mosambi, lemons, and other tropical fruits. With a daily processing capacity of 800 tonnes, the plant will produce frozen juice, pulp, paste, and puree. This will provide farmers with a stable market for their produce and reduce post-harvest losses. Patanjali has also established direct contact with farmers, eliminating the role of middlemen. The company is purchasing produce directly from farmers, ensuring they receive fair prices, thereby boosting their income. This initiative by Patanjali will not only economically empower farmers but also strengthen the regional agricultural sector. Additionally, it will open up new employment opportunities for the locals and promote Nagpur's agricultural products on national and international platforms. (This article is part of IndiaDotCom Pvt Lts consumer connect initiative, a paid publication programme. IDPL claims no editorial involvement and assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of the article.) New Delhi: Italian Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida has called for the consolidation of reciprocal trade relations with India, highlighting the very strong relationship between the two governments. His remarks came against the backdrop of the two-day 'Vinitaly' trade promotion fair India Roadshow that began on Saturday. Talking about 'Vinitaly', the Italian Agriculture Minister said it is a platform where "the best Italian wine companies and others represent themselves, meet, discuss" and it allows "deepening of the topics related to the development of this industry from every point of view". In a video message, the Italian Minister of Agriculture pointed out the "very strong relationship between the two governments" and said, "It must be consolidated through mutual export". He further said, "We want to renew not only the friendship but also consolidation of reciprocal trade relations". In his address at the gala dinner ahead of 'Vinitaly', Italian Ambassador to India Antonio Bartoli spoke about the vibrant trade of black pepper and wine between the Roman empire and India along the Golden Road. "So, we are not reinventing something ... We are trying to revamp this. This link, there is steady growth in the market. I think it is on average 6 per cent every year since 2017, we already account for 17 per of the market, as in many other sectors. We have to do better. We can do better". Describing it as "a win-win situation", he said creating a culture of wine means that you also favour the growth of a sector that now is punching below its weight. Prominent Italian winemakers are participating in the Roadshow, including group attendance by Piemonte Land of Wine (on behalf of 14 wine consortia in Piedmont), Italia del Vino Consorzio (23 companies from 16 regions), Angelini Wines & Estates (with winemaking estates in 4 regions) and Uvaitaly (11 producers from 5 regions). B2B meetings are scheduled during the Roadshow with operators, importers, liquor stores and HoReCa managers profiled by the Indian Chamber of Commerce. The participants will be officially invited to attend the 57th Vinitaly in Verona, Italy between 6-9 April. The Roadshow is being organised by Veronafiere in collaboration with the Indian Chamber of Commerce with the support of the Italian Embassy in New Delhi. The market for Italian wine in India has a retail value of USD 33 million (including taxes) for an import market share of almost 17 per cent. Italy is the third largest supplier by value in the Indian wine market worth USD 418 million dominated by domestic wines, which account for a 50 per cent share. Italy ranks second in the imported wine product volumes, with approximately one million litres. The Uiv-Vinitaly Observatory based on data suggests that Italian sparkling wine is enjoying strong growth, with sales likely to double by 2028 up to USD 20 million. These figures are likely to be upgraded post the free trade agreement announced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, which is expected to be finalised and signed by the end of this year. New Delhi: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's remarks in the Lok Sabha on Monday criticising the Tamil Nadu government for refusing to implement the National Education Policy and doing a "U-turn" on the issue for "politics" drew angry protests from the DMK, disrupting proceedings in the House. "They are dishonest and they are ruining the future of the students of Tamil Nadu ... they are misleading the people," Pradhan said while replying to a query on the Centre not releasing funds for the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme. Hitting back, the DMK said it had clearly told the minister "we cannot accept" the NEP "in full" and the three-language formula "is not acceptable to Tamil Nadu". It said the Centre cannot stop the release of budgetry allocation for education on the issue of implementing the NEP. Earlier in his reply, Pradhan said the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government has changed its stand on implementing the centrally-sponsored scheme PM SHRI which envisaged strengthening the schools managed by central, state or local bodies. The state concerned has to sign an MoU with the central government that it would implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and in return, the central government provides the funds. "The Tamil Nadu government had initially agreed to sign the MoU. But now they have changed the stand. Many non-BJP-ruled states, including Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, have signed the agreement," he said. Pradhan said: "They are dishonest and they are ruining the future of the students of Tamil Nadu. They are doing politics". The minister said that at one point, the government of Tamil Nadu had agreed to the PM SHRI scheme and several (DMK) MPs, who came to see him, conveyed this to him. "But when they went back, they made a U-turn. They are doing mischief with the lives of the students. They are misleading the people and doing injustice to the students of Tamil Nadu. They are undemocratic...," he alleged. Pradhan said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin had also agreed initially "but suddenly some super CM appeared and they took a U-Turn. They just want to do politics". "Today is March 10. We still have 20 days left in March," he said, indicating the time left for the Tamil Nadu government to sign the MoU on PM SHRI. Taking strong exception to the minister's remarks, the DMK members raised slogans against the central government in the House. Speaker Om Birla asked the agitating members to return to their seats and allow the House to function normally. Birla said he had given an opportunity to the opposition members to pose questions and, subsequently, the minister had replied. "But now you are doing this (protests). This is not good. You are setting a wrong precedent. Don't violate parliamentary procedures," he said. However, the DMK members ignored his pleas and continued their protests. Members of the Congress and other opposition parties also joined them. After some time, Birla adjourned the House till 12 noon. When the House reassembled at noon, DMK member Kanimozhi told the House that she was "very pained and hurt" by a particular word used by the minister. She also said that she and other DMK MPs, along with the Tamil Nadu education minister, had met Pradhan to request him to release the funds to the state under education schemes. "We have clearly said that we have issues with the NEP and we cannot accept it in full. We said that the three-language formula is not acceptable to Tamil Nadu. "The truth is that the chief minister of Tamil Nadu had written to the minister as well as the prime minister saying that we have issues with NEP and cannot accept it in total. He had also requested to release the funds," she said, adding, "The MPs of Tamil Nadu have never accepted the NEP". Responding to Kanimozhi, Pradhan said, "My esteemed colleague, one of my dearest sisters and senior member honourable Kanimozhi has raised two points. "At one point she said that I have used a word which I should not have used for the members from Tamil Nadu, Tamil Nadu government and people of Tamil Nadu". "Let's not mix it. Let me withdraw it. I withdraw my word if it has hurt anyone. I have no issues on that," he said. Pradhan said the MPs had met him on several occasions and the education minister of Tamil Nadu was also part of the delegation, which was in a "good spirit that something (solution) should come up". "I was also open. We have agreed on certain things. They went back and mentioned this to the chief minister who has also given his consent to go ahead. Later, they told me informally that certain issues had come up. This is unfortunate," he said. The minister said since today is March 10, there is time and the Tamil Nadu government can come back on the issues they have agreed to and the central government would respond to that. "We have no issues with the non-BJP ruled states -- Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab," he said. After Pradhan's comments, the Speaker said since the minister withdrew the word that he had used, it would be expunged from the records. Last month, Stalin had said he was firm on his stance of not implementing the NEP in Tamil Nadu even if the Centre offered to provide Rs 10,000 crore to the state. The chief minister said the opposition to the NEP is not merely over the "imposition of Hindi" but there are several other factors that would have serious consequences on the future of students and the social justice system. The total cost of the PM SHRI scheme will be Rs 27,360 crore spread over five years which includes the central share of Rs 18,128 crore. A total of 12,079 schools have been selected from 32 states and UTs of which 1,329 schools are primary, 3,340 schools are elementary, 2,921 schools are secondary and 4,489 schools are senior secondary. Outside Parliament, Kanimozhi said on Monday, "Nothing should be imposed on any state; education is in the concurrent list, why do you have to decide something and force it on any state?" "I think state has an equal right when a subject is in the concurrent list. This is a budgetary allocation. Why are you withholding that money and saying that you come and sign that you will accept the NEP and three-language policy, only then we will release the funds? I don't think the Union govt has the right to do that," the DMK MP said. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin also hit out at Pradhan, alleging he spoke with "arrogance" and asked him to "control his tongue". Stalin asserted that the Tamil Nadu government did not come forward to implement the Centre's PM SHRI scheme and when that is the case, he said nobody could persuade him further in this regard. "Just answer if you could release the fund or not, which was collected from us and which is meant for the students of Tamil Nadu," the chief minister said in a social media post. Activist hedge fund Elliott Management has made a EUR 670M short bet against TotalEnergies (TTE), reports Financial Times. The short position, worth 0.52% of TotalEnergies stock, was taken on Thursday and publicly disclosed by the French markets regulator on Friday, FT noted, citing regulatory filings. The activist firm is also pushing for change at rival BP (BP), as previously reported. Light Up your Portfolio with Spark: Easily identify stocks' risks and opportunities. Discover stocks' market position with detailed competitor analyses. Published first on TheFly the ultimate source for real-time, market-moving breaking financial news. Try Now>> See Insiders Hot Stocks on TipRanks >> Read More on TTE: Questions or Comments about the article? Write to editor@tipranks.com An Air India flight travelling from Mumbai to New York had to turn back mid-air due to a security concern after the aircraft's toilet became clogged. Reports indicate that a note threatening a blast was also found in the restroom. Following standard security procedures, the flight safely landed at Mumbai International Airport at 10:25 AM. Upon arrival, security agencies conducted mandatory inspections of the plane. Air India stated that it is fully cooperating with authorities to facilitate a comprehensive investigation. "A potential security threat was detected mid-flight on AI119 operating Mumbai-New York (JFK) today, 10 March 2025. After following the necessary protocols, the flight air-returned to Mumbai, in the interest of the safety and security of all on board. The flight landed safely back in Mumbai at 1025 Hrs (local time). The aircraft is undergoing mandatory checks by security agencies, and Air India is extending its full cooperation to the authorities," said Air India in a statement. Air India said that passengers were provided with accommodation and food while the flight has been rescheduled. "The flight has been rescheduled to operate at 0500 Hrs of 11 March 2025, and all passengers have been offered hotel accommodation, meals, and other assistance until then. Our colleagues on the ground are making sure to minimise the inconvenience caused to our passengers by this disruption. As always, Air India accords the highest priority to the safety of passengers and crew," said the airline. The video of flight has gone viral on social media with passengers facing inconvenience over clogged toilet. Air Indias flight turned into a real s**t show 10 hours of clogged toilets proving curry in a hurry doesnt always land well! pic.twitter.com/GX4fsNJN4e Guru (@bihar) March 10, 2025 A senior police officer said that the investigation is underway according to standard procedure. The Boeing 777, carrying 303 passengers and 19 crew members, was flying over Azerbaijan when it altered its course and headed back to Mumbai. A team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials was allegedly attacked on Monday while leaving the residence of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. The attack occurred after a day-long search related to a money laundering investigation involving his son in the alleged liquor scam case. Their car was surrounded and temporarily prevented from leaving by a group of people, reportedly Congress supporters, according to ANI. #WATCH | Durg, Chhattisgarh: A team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials was allegedly attacked while they were coming out of the residence of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel after a day-long search. Their car was surrounded and briefly stopped from leaving pic.twitter.com/39de2hWtT9 ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2025 Baghel claimed ED found Rs 32-33 lakh cash in his house where he lives with his wife, three daughters, a son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren. "It is not a big thing as I have a big family and we do farming on 140 acres and have other sources of income. We will provide its details," he said. Following the ED raids at his residence, former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel says, "...I was reading the newspaper and having a cup of tea when the ED team arrived. I told them that they were welcome and that I had been waiting for them for months and years..." "An atmosphere was created that note counting machines have been brought...I don't think this is a very big amount...It is clear that now asking questions in Vidhan Sabha has become a crime. Kawasi Lakhma asked questions and ED was at his residence within 8 days...He was jailed within 8 days," he added. The agency had previously conducted several raids, targeting politicians and bureaucrats associated with the former Congress-led government in Chhattisgarh. (With ANI inputs) The Ministry of External Affairs of India has announced the official visit of New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to India next week. Luxon will be on a five-day visit to New Delhi at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While India and New Zealand share a warm bilateral relationship, this visit holds significance amid changing geopolitics, especially with US President Donald Trump's return to power and the need for a free trade agreement. PM Narendra Modi had extended an invitation to PM Luxon in October last year on the sidelines of the ASEAN-India Summit in Vientiane, Laos. Importance Of Visit: India's Perspective According to the MEA, PM Luxon will be in India between March 16-20 March 2025. He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Ministers, senior officials, businesses, media and members of the Indian diaspora community in New Zealand. "During his visit, Prime Minister Rt Hon Luxon will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 17 March 2025 covering various aspects of India-New Zealand relations. Prime Minister Modi will host a lunch in honour of the visiting dignitary....Prime Minister Rt Hon Luxon's visit underscores the longstanding and enduring ties between India and New Zealand. It reaffirms the continued commitment of both countries to further strengthen the bilateral relationship across all sectors and deepen our close people-to-people ties," said the MEA. India and New Zealand have been discussing a Free Trade Agreement as well. New Zealand's Trade Minister Todd McClay was in India three times last year to push for the FTA. The Chinese Threat New Zealand's Prime Minister is visiting at a time when the country is looking to expand its global partnerships and strengthen ties with the world's fifth-largest economy, amid rising concerns over China. Last week, Andrew Hampton, New Zealands chief intelligence official, voiced apprehensions about Chinas increasing influence in the Pacific region. He specifically pointed to the Cook Islands, a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand, where Prime Minister Mark Brown signed agreements with China in February 2025. These agreements, covering sectors such as education, economy, infrastructure, fisheries, disaster management, and seabed mining, have raised concerns in Wellington. New Delhi: Foreign tourist arrivals in India soared by a whopping 124 per cent in 2023 at 1.92 crore, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat informed Lok Sabha in a written reply on Monday.Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal were some of the key states where foreign tourists' footfalls were high. In 2022, the tourist inflows into India were 85 lakhs. The Ministry of Tourism has taken several steps/initiatives over the years to encourage more foreign tourists to visit India. The Ministry of Tourism under the schemes of 'Swadesh Darshan', 'National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD)' and 'Assistance to Central Agencies for Tourism Infrastructure Development' provides financial assistance to State Governments/Union Territory Administrations/ Central Agencies for the development of tourism related infrastructure and facilities at various tourism destinations in the country. Ministry of Tourism through its various campaigns and events promotes various tourism destinations and products of India in domestic and international markets. Some of the initiatives are Dekho Apna Desh campaign, Chalo India campaign, International Tourism Mart, Bharat Parv. The Incredible India Content Hub was launched which is a comprehensive digital repository, featuring a rich collection of high-quality images, films, brochures, and newsletters related to tourism in India. Promotions are also carried out through the web-site and social media handles of the Ministry.Thematic tourism like wellness tourism, culinary tourism, rural, eco-tourism, etc. amongst other niche subjects are promoted so as to expand the scope of tourism into other sectors as well. Enhance the overall quality and visitor experience through initiatives focused on capacity building, skill development such as 'Capacity Building for Service Providers', 'Incredible India Tourist Facilitator' (IITF), 'Paryatan Mitra' and 'Paryatan Didi'.For improving air connectivity to important tourist destinations, Ministry of Tourism has collaborated with Ministry of Civil Aviation under their RCS-UDAN Scheme. As on date, 53 tourism routes have been operationalized, the minister apprised the Parliament. The e-Visa scheme is now available to 167 countries and it is available for 9 sub-categories: e-Tourist Visa; e-Business Visa; e-Medical Visa; e-Conference Visa; e-Medical Attendant Visa; e-Ayush Visa; e-Ayush Attendant Visa; e-Student Visa; and e-Student X Visa. The outrage over the Gulmarg fashion show reached from the ground to assembly to the court, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that the government has no role in organizing the show, and if any violation has been done then the police should investigate the matter. The Grand Mufti said that if such shows are not stopped then people will come on the streets, and the government will be responsible for the bloodshed. After the pictures of the fashion show organized in Gulmarg went viral, there was a lot of outrage in Kashmir from religious leaders to political leaders, everyone condemned the show and demanded investigation and action. Today, the Gulmarg fashion show was discussed from Kashmir to Jammu. The government was also asked for answer in the assembly regarding this matter, all political parties condemned this show and demanded action against the organizers. Speaking on this in the House, CM Omar Abdullah said that the government has no role in organising this show. He said that this program was a private function organised in a private hotel, in which no government infrastructure was involved. He said that the administration has been directed to investigate whether the organizers have violated any law. He said, "They have been told that if any violation has been done then the matter should be handed over to the police." Rashid Rahil (Social Activist) said that such shows should be banned in Kashmir which hurt the sentiments of common people. The government should see what is right and what is wrong. Kashmir society is different. Maulana Altaf Hussain (Religious cleric) said that this is against Islam. "Neither our religion accepts such things, nor will any other religion accept it. This show is against both religion and society," he added. Meanwhile, the Grand Mufti of Jammu Kashmir also held a press conference and criticised the fashion show. He said that this is not acceptable, and it should be investigated thoroughly, and such shows should be stopped in the future. Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam (Grand Mufti Jammu Kashmir) said, This is a very reprehensible act, Jammu Kashmir is a Muslim area, and second holy month of Ramadan is going on. It seems that this is an attempt to worsen the situation. It should be thoroughly investigated. The government should ban such shows or else there will be bloodshed, and the government will be responsible for it. I warn government that we will not allow our culture to die. It is worth noting that the fashion show organized was a part of the Ski and Apres Ski 2025 festival, which was organized by leading designer label Shivan & Naresh on March 7 to mark its 15th anniversary in Gulmarg. However, the display of models in revealing clothes at the event amid the holy month of Ramadan caused massive outrage, with many calling it a disrespect of religious and cultural sentiments. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has warned the Modi government over the Waqf Board Bill, stating that if the bill is passed, it could lead to Shahin Bagh-like situations across the country. In today's DNA, Zee News anchor Anant Tyagi analyzed three major narratives that the group is rapidly setting within 48 hours. The first narrative aims to create a Shahin Bagh-like situation across the nation, similar to the months-long protests seen during the CAA-NRC agitation. The plan is reportedly to implement similar tactics nationwide. The second narrative is a threat of something dreadful occurring before Holi, signalling a potential escalation in the coming days. The third narrative involves the provocative slogan "sirr tan se juda," the same slogan associated with the murder of Kanhaiya Lal, which is being revived and spread across the country, particularly before the Holi festival. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivbakumar on Monday rejected reports that claim two ministers have links to the gold smuggling case involving Kannada actress Ranya Rao and termed the reports as "political gossips". He also said that the state government has nothing to do with the case as central agencies are investigating it. The deputy CM also said, "No minister is involved, we don't know anything. It is all political gossip. Investigating officers will investigate in accordance with the law. We have nothing to do with it," Shivakumar said. Speaking to reporters here, he said, "The central government is investigating, let them do it." Ranya Rao, 34, was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on March 3 upon her arrival at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport from Dubai, and gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore were seized from her. The next day, the DRI said it seized gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and cash amounting to Rs 2.67 from her residence in Bengaluru. Ranya is the stepdaughter of K Ramachandra Rao, a DGP-ranked police officer presently serving as Chairman and Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR in this case. New Delhi: The government is in the process of setting a special purpose vehicle for making regional transport aircraft, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said on Monday as he asserted that necessary policies are in place for India to manufacture planes and its components. Replying to questions in the Rajya Sabha, the minister highlighted the steps taken by the government to promote aircraft component manufacturing and MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) activities, including having a uniform IGST rate. India is one of the world's fastest growing civil aviation markets and domestic carriers have placed orders for more than 1,500 planes as they expand their fleets to meet rising air traffic demand. "We have changed the thought process that we have when it comes to manufacturing of aircraft. We are saying that India is at the stage right now where we can manufacture, we can design and we can maintain an aircraft," Naidu said. Elaborating about the way forward, the minister said the government has adopted a holistic approach and is in the process of setting a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for manufacturing regional transport aircraft. "We have a plan to create an SPV for five years, which is going to bring in all the necessary stakeholders... Study the existing picture in the country and create a road map...," he said and added that the idea is to make the aircraft in five years. As the government pushes ahead with the Make In India initiatives, the TDP leader also emphasised that states are the key players. While stressing that skilling is also important, Naidu mentioned that there are 38 working FTOs (Flying Training Organisations) and the focus is to create an ecosystem for manufacturing aircraft components. In a written reply, Naidu said the development of the indigenous 19-seater Light Transport Aircraft Saras Mk2 is under progress at CSIR-NAL. "The Saras Mk2 initiative has a collaboration and partnership with HAL. The aircraft has significant indigenous components and technologies like advanced composite wing, composite and light weight material airframe, avionics, display and communication system," he added. Further, the minister said the production and manufacturing activities of aircraft with its indigenous content are envisaged to promote indigenous civil aircraft component manufacturing in the country. Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP MLA Bharat Shetty has spoken out in defence of actress Rashmika Mandanna following threats made by Congress MLA Ravi Kumar Gowda. Shetty criticized the use of Rashmika's name for political gain, calling out certain members within the Congress party for their "gunda" (thuggish) behaviour. "There are some gunda elements in the Congress party. Taking Rashmika's name to get some fame. Any person in the country has the right to come to a programme or not to come to a programme. The politicians coming out in the open and threatening her like this is not right. The people who are supposed to give protection are threatening instead. That's very wrong," Shetty said. His comments come in response to the escalating situation in which Indian actress Rashmika Mandanna was subjected to public threats from certain political figures. On March 9, members of the Kodava community voiced their concerns over the safety of the actress after a controversial statement by Congress MLA Ravikumar Gowda Ganiga. Gowda, in an interview on March 3, said that Rashmika Mandanna "must be taught a lesson" after she reportedly refused to attend the International Film Festival, stating that she didn't know "where Karnataka is" and was too busy to attend the event. His comments have drawn widespread criticism, with many questioning the personal attacks on Mandanna's professional choices. Gowda further claimed that a legislator had visited Mandanna's home multiple times to invite her to the event, but she had refused, which allegedly led to the comments on teaching her a lesson. The remarks raised the ire of not only Mandanna's fans but also her community members, especially from the Kodava community to which she belongs. Kodava National Council President, N.U. Nachappa, strongly condemned the remarks, emphasizing Mandanna's accomplishments and her contribution to Indian cinema. "Rashmika Mandanna, who comes from the indigenous Kodava tribe, has achieved her success through hard work and dedication. She should not be subjected to such harassment," he said. He also expressed his concern that individuals unfamiliar with the nature of artistic criticism were unnecessarily targeting the actress. In response to the threats, the Kodava National Council submitted a formal letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Karnataka State Home Minister G. Parameshwar, demanding urgent steps to ensure the safety and security of Rashmika Mandanna and other women from the Kodava community. The letter also affirmed Mandanna's right to make personal and professional decisions without fear of retaliation. "She is not just a great actress but an individual with the right to make her own choices. No one should be forced to conform to others' expectations or instructions," the letter stated. On the professional front, Rashmika Mandanna was recently seen in films, 'Pushpa 2: The Rule' and 'Chhaava'. She also has a promising slate of upcoming films, including 'Sikandar' with Salman Khan, 'Kubera' with Dhanush, and 'Thama' starring Ayushmann Khurrana. Jaipur: Producer Boney Kapoor, during the silver jubilee celebrations of IIFA 2025 on Sunday, shared that he is planning the sequel to Sridevi's last film, 'Mom,' with his daughter Khushi Kapoor. During the media interaction on the green carpet at IIFA 2025, Boney expressed his love for his daughters Khushi and Janhvi Kapoor and said that they are trying to follow in their mother Sridevi's footsteps to achieve a similar level of perfection across different film industries. Boney said, "I have watched all of Khushi's films. 'Archies', 'Loveyappa' and 'Nadaaniyaan'. I am planning a film with her too after 'No Entry'. It would be a movie with Khushi. It could be 'Mom 2'. She is trying to follow in the footsteps of her mother. Her mother was the top star in all the languages she worked in. I hope Khushi and Janhvi succeeded in this same level of perfection." Released in 2017, 'Mom' starred Sridevi and was directed by Ravi Udyawar. The 'Chandni' actress also received the Best Actress National Award, posthumously, for her performance in the film. The producer also shared updates regarding his upcoming production venture 'No Entry'. He opened up about the leading ladies in the film and said that they will formally announce the name of the actresses after they finalise. Boney said, "It (No Entry) will go sometime in July-August. There are too many leading ladies, so I can't just talk about a few now. We have locked a few now and have some more to go. After we finalise, there will be a formal announcement." Boney Kapoor is currently producing the much-anticipated sequel to the 2005 hit comedy 'No Entry. ' The pre-production process of the film has already started. Although further details about the plot and other cast members remain under wraps, some viral reports suggest that 'No Entry 2' will star Varun Dhawan, Arjun Kapoor, and Diljit Dosanjh in key roles. 'No Entry', which was also directed by Bazmee, was a massive success upon its release in 2005. The film, which starred Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Fardeen Khan, and an ensemble cast including Bipasha Basu, Lara Dutta, and Esha Deol, became a major hit. Meanwhile, the IIFA Digital Awards, held on March 8, saw major wins for Kriti Sanon, Jitendra Kumar, Panchayat Season 3, and Amar Singh Chamkila. The main IIFA Awards night, hosted by Kartik Aaryan and Karan Johar, kicked off on March 9. The awards show also featured a performance by Kareena Kapoor Khan to pay tribute to her legendary grandfather, filmmaker Raj Kapoor. Earlier in the day, the event celebrated the 50th anniversary of the classic film 'Sholay' with a special screening at the iconic Rajmandir Cinema. By Akbar Novruz Members of the Azerbaijani-Swedish working group on interparliamentary relations have sent a letter to the members of the Swedish-Armenian friendship group in the Swedish parliament, firmly rejecting its statement adopted on March 6. According to the Press and Public Relations Department of the Milli Majlis, the letter states: "We, the members of the Working Group on Relations with the Swedish Parliament of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as the Swedish Parliament's 'Sweden-Armenia Friendship Group,' firmly reject the groundless, and biased statement that you adopted on March 6 this year. This statement, full of false information and false accusations, is a shameful attempt to distort reality, question the sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and to whitewash the crimes committed by Armenian separatists and war criminals against the Azerbaijani people." The Azerbaijani MPs criticized the group for ignoring Armenias 30-year occupation of Azerbaijani territories, stating: "As part of the Armenian lobby, you have decided to remain silent over the 30-year occupation of the internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan by Armenia, countless war crimes against peaceful Azerbaijani residents, ethnic cleansing, and gross violations of human rights on a massive scale." They also condemned the group's selective stance on historical atrocities: "You have deliberately chosen to turn a blind eye to the consequences of the Armenian genocide," the letter continues. Addressing the accusations made in the Swedish-Armenian group's statement, the Azerbaijani MPs clarified: "Such claims as 'illegal deprivation of liberty of Armenian prisoners, including political figures and civilians, physical and psychological torture, and political persecution' and other fabricated accusations are nothing more than fabrications aimed at diverting attention from the actions of those responsible for keeping Azerbaijani lands under occupation, razing our cities and villages to the ground, expelling 750,000 Azerbaijanis from their homeland through ethnic cleansing, and systematically destroying the national, cultural, and historical heritage of Azerbaijan." The letter also criticized the hypocrisy of the Swedish-Armenian group: "The selective and biased approach based on double standards demonstrates that the true intention of the group members is to slander Azerbaijan through political manipulation." Rejecting the portrayal of detained individuals as political prisoners, the letter asserts: "The named individuals are not prisoners of war, but criminals who violated Azerbaijani laws and must be held accountable and punished for their actions through a fair, transparent trial. The Azerbaijani judicial system operates in full compliance with international standards, and any claim to the contrary is nothing more than slander." The MPs concluded with a strong rejection of the Swedish-Armenian group's statement, reaffirming Azerbaijans commitment to justice and regional stability: "We strongly condemn the shameful and biased statement that aims to increase tensions and incite hostility, rather than support peace and justice. Azerbaijan is committed to justice, international law, and the regional peace agenda. No external threat or interference can undermine our determination to uphold the rule of law and ensure accountability for crimes committed against our country." Calling on the Swedish-Armenian friendship group to abandon its "baseless accusations and false claims," the letter firmly declares: "The era of impunity for war criminals is over, and all attempts to bring those guilty of crimes against our people and state to justice will be in vain." Donald Trump has vowed to cut Americas corporation tax rate from 21pc to 15pc for companies that make their products in the US - Leah Millis/Reuters Donald Trumps tax cuts will accelerate the exodus of British companies to the United States, a leading trade group has warned, potentially dealing a fresh blow to the London Stock Exchange. Duncan Edwards, the chief executive of BritishAmerican Business (BAB), said the US presidents pledge to slash corporation tax will encourage even more UK-listed businesses to shift their operations to America. He said: As companies are thinking about whether to increase their exposure in the US from an operating perspective, I think that will also include looking at where theyre listed. It gives me no pleasure to say it, but there is a real risk that you get some UK champions relocating their listings. Its tax and the size and attractiveness of the market. The size of the equity pool in the US is so vast that a change of listing might mean a change in valuation. The prospect of further exits from the Square Mile will pile pressure on the London Stock Exchange, which last year suffered its biggest exodus of companies since the financial crisis. Duncan Edwards, the chief executive of BritishAmerican Business, says Donald Trumps pledge to slash corporation tax may encourage UK-listed businesses to shift their operations to America - CHP This momentum could also continue through 2025, as mining giant Glencore said last month it was considering shifting its London listing to New York. Mr Trump has vowed to cut Americas corporation tax rate from 21pc to 15pc for companies that make their products in the US, which would be far lower than the 25pc rate in Britain. It is part of a package of measures designed to push companies to relocate operations to the US, where they would also be able to escape new tariffs on various imports. Mr Edwards said every company that has a major sales market in the US is assessing whether it will make sense for them to move operations to America. Everyone is looking at it, everyone is doing the evaluation, and it is a pretty good market, so I think the instinct will be to do more here anyway, he said. Mining giant Glencore is considering shifting its London listing to New York - Andrew Craig/Glencore Meanwhile, Britains luxury industry has warned over the risks of a trade war on their businesses. Bosses are concerned that recognisable companies in the sector, including Burberry and Mulberry, could become a target for potential tariffs if Mr Trump wants to make a point. Currently, Britain exports 56bn of luxury goods every year, with about 24pc heading to North America. Writing to the Chancellor this month, Helen Brocklebank, the chief executive of industry group Walpole, said bosses were concerned over the increasingly challenging international trade landscape. She said: The threat of tariffs and the increase in other non-tariff barriers to trade means that brands have to run to stand still. New Chinese AI Agent Manus: China is making waves in the AI race once again. Just weeks after DeepSeek grabbed headlines, another startup, Monica, has introduced its own AI agent called Manus. Now, the AI agent is being compared to top AI models from OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic. It stands out as an advanced agent capable of handling multiple tasks and working autonomously. Currently, the AI agent Manus is available through an invite-only web preview. It can perform practical tasks like building websites step by step. The company has shared a demo video on its official site, manus.im, and within 20 hours of launch on March 6, the AI agent had already gone viral. Notably, the Manus was launched on March 6 and in just a few days after its launch it has managed to catch global attention. According to creators, the Manus outperforms OpenAIs DeepResearch on the GAIA benchmark. Chinese startup Monica just launched Manus, the worlds first general AI agent. #Manus has set new state-of-the-art (SOTA) performance across all three difficulty levels, surpassing #OpenAIs Deep Research in the GAIA benchmark for real-world problem-solving capabilities. pic.twitter.com/eiRShk1hxq Chengdu Hi-tech Zone (@ChengduHitech) March 7, 2025 What Is Manus? Manus is being called the world's first truly general AI agent. Unlike regular chatbots, it operates fully on its own, capable of thinking, planning, and completing tasks without human help. Reports suggest it can independently deliver complete results. For example, if tasked with writing a research paper on global warming, Manus wont just generate text. It will research sources, write the paper, create charts and interactive elements, and compile everythingwithout requiring additional user input. Manus AI Features: Works Independently Manus runs entirely in the cloud, allowing it to continue working on assigned tasks even if the user disconnects. This makes it ideal for long-term projects, ensuring uninterrupted progress without requiring constant user supervision. Live Web Interaction Unlike most AI models, Manus actively browses the web, interacts with websites, and displays its workflow in real-time. This transparency helps users understand how it gathers and processes information to generate accurate and relevant results. Learns and Adapts Manus continuously learns from user interactions, refining its responses over time. It adapts to individual preferences, improving the relevance and accuracy of its outputs, making it more personalized and efficient with repeated use. Manus, the new AI product that everyone's talking about, is worth the hype. This is the AI agent we were promised. Deep Research+Operator+Computer Use+Lovable+memory. Asked it to "Do a professional analysis of Tesla stock " and it did ~2wks of professional-level work in ~1hr! pic.twitter.com/qipMcWPIX6 Deedy (@deedydas) March 8, 2025 Multi-Platform Access The AI can collect and analyze data from various platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Telegram. This capability allows it to pull real-time insights, making it a powerful tool for research, social media monitoring, and trend analysis. Manages Multiple Screens Manus can operate across multiple screens simultaneously, enabling seamless multitasking. Its ability to handle different tasks in parallel, as shown in its official demo, makes it highly efficient for complex workflows requiring diverse inputs. Beyond Text Generation Manus does more than just produce text; it can create detailed reports, interactive presentations, and even code-based outputs like data visualizations and spreadsheets. This versatility makes it useful for professionals across various industries. Manus AI Availability Manus is currently accessible through an invitation-only web preview. However, the company hasnt announced a public release date yet, but with the growing buzz, an official launch is likely in the coming weeks. It has also stated that in the months ahead, the model will be open-sourced for developers to use in their projects. How To Use Manus AI? Using Manus is similar to platforms like ChatGPT or Grok. You enter a prompt, such as planning a budget-friendly week-long trip to Bali, and Manus independently researches, organises the data, and provides structured, real-time results. Manus begins researching by browsing the web, gathering relevant data, and analysing information to ensure accuracy and relevance. PARIS: Military officials from more than 30 nations will take part in Paris talks on the creation of an international security force for Ukraine, a French military official said Monday. Such an international force would aim to dissuade Russia from launching another offensive after any ceasefire in Ukraine comes into effect. The long list of participants in Tuesday's discussions will also include Asian and Oceania nations that will join remotely, the French official said. The international makeup of the meeting offers an indication of how broadly France and Britain - which are working together on plans for the force - are casting their net as they aim to build what the French official described as a coalition of nations able and willing to be part of an effort to safeguard Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. The French military official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the blueprint for the force that is shrouded in secrecy and the Paris talks that will consider it. The force being envisaged by France and Britain would aim to reassure Ukraine and deter another large-scale Russian offensive after any ceasefire, the official said. It could include heavy weaponry and weapons stockpiles that could be rushed within hours or days to aid in Ukraine's defense in the event of a Russian attack that shatters any truce, the official said. The French-British blueprint will be presented to military officials from more than 30 nations in the first part of Tuesday's talks, the official said. The talks' second part will include more precise and concrete discussions where the participants will be invited to say whether and how their militaries might be able to contribute, the official said. It's not, This is what we need,' the official said. It's more, What are you bringing to the pot?' The official stressed, however, that the ultimate decision on whether nations take part in the force would be taken at a political level, by government leaders. Chiefs of staff - or, in Canada's case, their representative - from nearly all of the 32 nations of the NATO military alliance will attend the Paris discussions. Three NATO nations will be absent. They are Croatia and Montenegro, which were invited but didn't respond, and the United States, the official said. The official said the United States wasn't invited because European nations want to demonstrate that they can take responsibility for a large part of the post-ceasefire security framework for Ukraine. Also attending will be the chiefs of staff of Ireland and Cyprus and a representative from Austria - all nations that are not NATO members but are in the European Union. Australia and New Zealand, which are Commonwealth nations, as well as Japan and South Korea, will listen into the talks remotely, the official said. Ukraine will be represented by a military official who is also a member of the country's security and defence council. MOSCOW: Russia said on Monday it was expelling two British diplomats based at the embassy in Moscow over spying allegations that the UK called "malicious and baseless." Russia's Federal Security Service, or FSB, said in a statement quoted by the state news agency RIA Novosti that the two diplomats had provided false personal data while seeking permission to enter the country and had engaged in alleged intelligence and subversive activities that threatened Russia's security. It didn't offer any evidence. According to the RIA Novosti report, a decision has been made to revoke the diplomats' accreditations and they have been ordered to leave Russia within two weeks. The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a separate statement that it summoned a British embassy official. Moscow will not tolerate the activities of undeclared British intelligence officers on Russian territory, it said. The Foreign Office in London said in a statement: This is not the first time that Russia has made malicious and baseless accusations against our staff. It did not say whether the UK planned any retaliatory moves. The FSB last year accused seven British diplomats of spying. Six expulsions were announced in September, and one more in November. The UK called the moves at the time baseless. The expulsions came amid soaring tensions over the war in Ukraine and after London decided to revoke the credentials of an attache at the Russian Embassy and limit Moscow's diplomatic activities in Britain. Last month, London expelled a Russian diplomat in response to the November expulsion. In May 2024, the UK expelled Russia's defence attache in London, alleging he was an undeclared intelligence officer, and it closed several Russian diplomatic properties in Britain that it said were being used for spying. Days later Russia reciprocated and expelled Britain's defence attache. Expulsions of diplomats both Western envoys working in Russia and Russians in the West have become increasingly common since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In 2023, the Russian news outlet RBC said Western countries and Japan had expelled a total of 670 Russian diplomats between the start of 2022 and October 2023, while Moscow responded by expelling 346 diplomats. DUBAI: Saudi Arabia is to host talks on Tuesday between the United States and Ukraine in a new diplomatic push after an argument erupted during President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's February 28 visit to the White House. The oil-rich kingdom may seem like an unusual venue for talks aimed at smoothing over relations after the blowup. But Saudi Arabia under its assertive Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been positioning itself as an ideal location for possible peace negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow and even the first face-to-face talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump. Here's what to know about why this meeting is taking place and Saudi Arabia's role: Why are these talks happening? US and Ukrainian officials will meet after the Oval Office meeting between Zelenskyy, Trump and US Vice President JD Vance descended into an extraordinary 10-minute argument before journalists. Trump at one point admonished Zelenskyy by angrily saying: "You're gambling with World War III, and what you're doing is very disrespectful to the country." Zelenskyy ended up leaving the White House without signing a deal that included granting the US access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals. Kyiv hoped that deal would ensure the continued flow of US military support that Ukraine urgently needs as it battles Russia in the war that began after Moscow's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Where will these talks take place? Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry in a statement on Friday identified the location for the talks as Jeddah, a port city on the Red Sea. It's not clear why the kingdom picked Jeddah as opposed to Riyadh, the Saudi capital where the initial Russia-U.S. Talks took place on February 18. However, Jeddah has hosted other diplomatic engagements in the past and is home to royal palaces. The Foreign Ministry said the kingdom would continue to pursue a lasting peace to end the Ukrainian crisis. The kingdom has continued these efforts over the past three years by hosting many meetings on this matter, the ministry said. Who will attend the talks? Zelenskyy plans to visit Saudi Arabia on Monday ahead of the talks. He earlier delayed a trip to the kingdom after travelling to the neighbouring United Arab Emirates, which also has been considered as a possible venue for peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow. We continue working on the relevant steps with our partners who want peace, who want it just as much as we do, Zelenskyy said on Friday. 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. Zelenskyy wrote online that a team including his chief of staff Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov travelling with him to Saudi Arabia will take part in the talks. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead the American team for the Ukrainian talks and meet with Prince Mohammed. Sybiha also spoke on Friday with Rubio ahead of the talks. Sybiha described it as a constructive call". A two-sentence readout from the State Department said Rubio 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. Trump himself sounded upbeat on Air Force One on Sunday when speaking to journalists. I think you're gonna have eventually and maybe not in the distant future you're gonna have some pretty good results coming out of Saudi Arabia this week, Trump said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, asked on Monday about the talks, said: It doesn't matter what we're expecting. It matters what the United States is expecting." Why are these talks in Saudi Arabia? Since assuming power in Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammed took an aggressive posture both at home and abroad. His public image reached its nadir with the 2018 slaying of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, believed by the United States and others to be at the prince's orders. In the last two years, however, Prince Mohammed instead has reached a detente with Iran, hosted Zelenskyy for an Arab League summit and been involved in negotiations over the wars in Sudan and the Gaza Strip. Riyadh also maintained ties to Russia through the OPEC+ oil cartel while Western nations levied sanctions against it. That's reasserted the role the kingdom long has perceived itself as having being the leader of the Sunni Muslim world and a dominant force in the Middle East. Hosting Russia-US talks, possibly drawing Trump to the kingdom for his first foreign trip in this term through investments and other possible meetings only raise Saudi Arabia's profile further as a neutral territory for high-stakes negotiations. Saudi Arabia's autocratic government, compliant media and distance from the war also allows for talks to take place in a tightly controlled country with relative privacy. What does this mean for the war and the wider world? Trump remains focused on reaching some kind of peace deal to stop the war. His approach toward Ukraine so far has relied far more on stick than carrot limiting their access to intelligence and weaponry. While conciliatory toward Putin, Trump recently also threatened new sanctions against Russia over its ceaseless attacks on Ukrainian cities. If Ukraine and the U.S. Reach some sort of understanding acceptable to Trump, that could accelerate his administration's push to talks. However, the rest of Europe remains sceptical as they have been sidelined from the talks. The European Union last week agreed to boost the continent's defences and to free up hundreds of billions of euros for security. By Rishabh Jaiswal (Reuters) -British billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Group aims to raise 700 million pounds ($900 million) to fund its plan to launch cross-channel rail services as it looks to compete with Eurostar, the company said on Sunday. Virgin, which used to operate intercity train services in Britain, plans to launch services that would connect London with Paris and Brussels. It would also extend to Amsterdam in the future. Virgin Group intends to raise 300 million pounds in equity and 400 million pounds in debt, the company told Reuters, confirming a report in Financial Times, which was the first to report on the news. It also plans to be a cornerstone equity investor in the project. Virgin's plans are for a high-frequency service, which would be the first direct rival to Eurostar's 30-year-old network and could launch as soon as 2029, the company said. "The cross-Channel route is ripe for change and would benefit from competition," a spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "While Virgin is not committing to launching a service just yet, we are seeking investment from likeminded partners to invest alongside Virgin and we are delighted with the progress made so far," the company said. Eurostar told the FT it welcomed the development of rail services in Europe, adding that "competition in the high-speed rail sector is another example of the growing demand for rail transport in Europe." Eurostar did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. ($1 = 0.7740 pounds) (Reporting by Rishabh Jaiswal in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard, Christopher Cushing and Tomasz Janowski) Photo: Morris MacMatzen (Getty Images), Spencer Platt (Getty Images), Justin Sullivan (Getty Images), Kevin Dietsch (Getty Images), Andrew Harnik (Getty Images), Image: Bruce Bennett (Getty Images), Spencer Platt (Getty Images), Ethan Miller (Getty Images) President Donald Trump plans to slap tariffs on Mexico and Canada, and raise duties on China, on March 4, 2025. Tariffs on the European Union and others are in the works. - Photo: Morris MacMatzen (Getty Images) President Donald Trumps tariffs on imports of foreign goods have already begun, and more are on the way, likely forcing some businesses to raise prices. Read More Photo: Spencer Platt (Getty Images) With 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico now a reality, economists predict that prices for some supermarket staples will rise. Prices on everything from avocados to tequila are set to rise as new tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico take effect, says Ram Ganeshan, professor of operations and supply chain at William & Marys Raymond A. Mason School of Business. Read More A Best Buy in Levittown, New York. - Image: Bruce Bennett (Getty Images) Like Walmart, Best Buy (BBY) is learning from the competition by taking a page out of Amazons playbook. Best Buy plans to launch a new U.S.-based marketplace later this year, CEO Corie Barry said during the companys March 4 earnings call. The move aims to expand the companys profitability stream opportunities, she added. Read More People exit a Starbucks in New York City. - Image: Spencer Platt (Getty Images) Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol wants corporate employees to work harder and take accountability for the coffee giants financial health. Speaking to staff in Seattle in his first address since announcing layoffs last month, Niccol pointed out that inefficiencies in the companys operations and decision-making processes have contributed to recent struggles. Were not effective, he said. Read More Photo: Justin Sullivan (Getty Images) While many companies have announced plans to roll back DEI policies in the past couple of months, fewer have paid a higher price than Target (TGT). The Minneapolis-based retailer had been very vocal in support of DEI efforts after the police killing of George Floyd in 2020 and their pausing of efforts has caused a backlash. Read More Walmart CEO Doug McMillon during CES 2024. - Image: Ethan Miller (Getty Images) Walmart is thriving among wealthier shoppers, but for lower-income customers, the situation is more challenging, according to CEO Doug McMillion. Speaking at the Economic Club of Chicago on Feb. 27, McMillion explained that persistent high food prices are causing frustration and pain for many shoppers, particularly those at the lower end of that scale. Read More Warren Buffett, Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, makes his way to a morning session at the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference on July 13, 2023 in Sun Valley, Idaho. - Photo: Kevin Dietsch (Getty Images) Legendary investor Warren Buffett criticized planned U.S. tariffs on international trade partners, noting that the duties may hurt consumers. FreightWaves is hosting a one-day Freight Fraud Symposium in Dallas, Texas, on May 14, 2025. This pivotal event will bring together key players in the logistics industry, including major logistics providers, carriers, and shippers, to tackle the growing threat of freight fraud affecting global supply chains. Attendees will gain valuable, actionable insights covering all modes of transportation and major fraud forms, such as load phishing, carrier catfishing, double brokering, load board fraud, payment fraud, cargo theft, and cybersecurity issues currently impacting the sector. Leading experts will share their best practices, while law enforcement officials will offer strategies for handling freight fraud incidents effectively. Engaging in the FreightWaves Freight Fraud Symposium provides carriers, brokers, and shippers with the tools necessary to protect their operations amidst the increasing complexity of fraud schemes. The event offers a unique opportunity to learn from industry leaders and thought experts, ensuring participants are equipped to enhance their defensive measures. Carriers will learn cutting-edge methods for protecting their assets and maintaining smooth operations, while brokers, who are often targeted by fraudsters, will receive strategies for identifying and mitigating risks like double brokering and identity theft. Shippers will leave with enhanced abilities to verify their logistics partners credentials, reducing risks and ensuring supply chain reliability. Shippers and brokers are already showing significant interest, ready to learn about the standards and protocols crucial for integrating into their networks. The symposiums sessions will address real-world challenges and provide practical takeaways for immediate implementation. Experts in freight fraud and cybercrime, along with law enforcement, will be present to offer the best resources on the legal aspects of freight fraud and how to collaborate effectively with authorities. By participating, you fortify your companys security framework and contribute to a collective industry effort to combat fraud, preserving trust and integrity throughout the logistics sector. To keep the conversations intimate, we are limiting total attendance. Once the tickets sell out, we wont be able to accommodate additional participants. Secure your place at the inaugural Freight Fraud Symposium today! The post Why You Should Attend the FreightWaves Freight Fraud Symposium appeared first on FreightWaves. It's only March, and we already we have a blue-ribbon winner for the most unexpected business news of 2025. According to CNBC, carmakers including Honda Motor Co. (NYSE: HMC), Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE: TM), and China's Geely Holding (owner of the Volvo Cars and Polestar brands) are all now investing in...rockets. Wild though it sounds, these three automotive companies have collectively sunk more than $300 million into the twin space businesses of rocket design and satellite manufacturing. As the saying goes: "I did not have that on my bingo card." Cars in space? Since 2019, Honda has been developing what CNBC calls a "proprietary reusable rocket." Toyota made a $44 million investment in Japanese rocket start-up Interstellar Technologies earlier this year. Geely, meanwhile, is investing $326 million in satellite manufacture. But does any of this make sense? Well, the satellites part may. After all, Elon Musk famously juggles jobs running both the world's No. 1 (or No. 2?) electric-vehicle (EV) company, Tesla, and SpaceX, a space company with its own proprietary Starlink satellite constellation, which can be used to provide mobile internet service to Tesla EVs. If Geely aspires to do something similar, then yes, in fact, it might make some sense for Geely to be investing in satellite manufacture. Yet I'm still not convinced that this isn't an example of "diworsification" -- what we call it when a company spreads itself too thin doing too many things, rather than focusing on what it's best at. And I'm even less sanguine about the prospect of Honda and Toyota apparently trying to turn themselves into rocket companies. Granted, as CNBC points out, "connected vehicles" -- cars that talk to each other via satellite and receive internet service, location data, and software updates back -- could grow to be a $742 billion annual business by 2030. That sounds like an optimistic, pie-in-the-sky estimate to me, but I suppose it could happen. Still, just because somebody might make money from linking up satellites to cars, that doesn't necessarily mean that the car companies are the best ones to do it. It seems to me that this is an idea more likely to burn up shareholder capital than to help propel Honda and Toyota into the 25th century, a la Buck Rogers. Image source: Getty Images. A better way to invest in space All of this is to say: If you start seeing press releases from publicly traded car companies, boasting of how forward-thinking they are and how they're investing in rocket technology, don't get too excited. Colorado's 2019 ban on the provision of "conversion therapy" for LGBTQ children will remain in effect after the federal appeals court based in Denver declined on Thursday to block the law on constitutional grounds. The ballots are mailed out and the machines are calibrated to count votes in Colorado Springs April 1 municipal election. The City Clerks office and elections staff ran the logic and accuracy test for the ballot counting machine early Monday morning in the City Administration Building. How voters can shape the Colorado Springs City Council in the April election At least four of the six district seats on the Colorado Springs City Council are guaranteed to change hands in the April election. The Gazette is running a series of stories this week to help voters get to know the candidates. Three small batches of test ballots were run through the machine to be counted and create reports. The results are manually checked to make sure the correct results were reached. The machine was sealed immediately after the test and will be secured and monitored during the rest of the election cycle. Will Lamb, deputy city clerk, said the accuracy tests will be run again after the election to ensure that the results do not vary. More than 330,000 ballots were mailed out Friday to Colorado Springs residents to vote on the six district seats on the Colorado Springs City Council. Lamb said the city had already begun receiving ballots back from military and overseas voters and expected to see returns pick up throughout the week. Voters can visit the city election website to track the status of their ballot while it is being mailed out and when it is returned to be counted. A man barricaded himself inside a home Sunday on Colorado Springs' south side and demanded that police shoot him before officers took him into custody using "less lethal tools," according to an online blotter entry. Colorado Springs police identified the man as Brandon Crabtree but did not release his age or say what charges he would face. Crabtree forced his way into a home in the 2000 block of South El Paso Avenue, said police, who were dispatched to the scene around noon. The people inside the home knew Crabtree and were able to leave the residence. Crabtree refused to surrender and stayed inside the home "for a significant amount of time," police said. After being arrested, Crabtree was taken to a hospital for what police said were minor injuries he suffered during the standoff. The Colorado Springs City Council approved an agreement Tuesday that paves the way for a new rail spur and industrial park south of town that could bring about 6,000 jobs to El Paso County. The Edw. C. Levy Company, a Michigan-based business, is planning the $12 million rail spur that will extend from an existing rail line serving Colorado Springs Utilities' Ray Nixon Power Plant and extend across private property to Fort Carson, said Steve Mulliken, an attorney for the company. Fort Carson could then extend the line onto its property to serve a new rail yard, providing an alternative to its existing rail yard near South Academy Boulevard. Rail allows the Army to move heavy military vehicles and equipment to the country's coasts where they can be shipped overseas. Ahead of a unanimous vote, the council lauded the rail line's benefit to Fort Carson and the prospective new heavy industrial area just west of the power plant along Interstate 25. "This is an important part of our community's future," Councilman Wayne Williams said. The prospective industrial park that could cover more than 3,000 acres would fill a need for industrial and manufacturing sites in El Paso County that can be tough to build because they tend to be unpopular with neighboring homes. This site will be shielded from traffic along I-25 and doesn't have residential neighbors. "If you want to have more manufacturing, you need to have a place for it," Mulliken said. The approval of agreements between Colorado Springs Utilities and Edw. C. Levy Company needed to build the rail extension end a long negotiation that featured how Utilities will be protected. Coal deliveries will be prioritized and ratepayers will not be impacted by the cost of the new spur, Bethany Burgess, Utilities division chief for the City Attorney's Office, said previously. Featured Local Savings The project now faces land-use and metro-district approvals, Mulliken said. Metro districts allow developments to take on debt that will be paid through property taxes. Before dirt moves, the industrial park property is likely to annex into the city of Fountain, which would provide utilities to the site, a step the community supports, Deputy City Manager Todd Evans said. "It's a great fit," he said. The company hopes to start construction in less than five years, said Steve Weiner, who manages real estate affairs for the Edw. C. Levy Company. The business expects to fund the rail line in part through federal grants, Weiner told the council. Once the rail line reaches Fort Carson's boundary, the Army can extend it to serve a new rail yard. Fort Carson's current rail line has seven points of vulnerability and a second rail line would increase the reliability of rail operations for the base, according to a letter from Matthew McFarlane, former commander of the 4th Infantry Division. The letter was presented ahead of the vote. In a written statement Tuesday, Fort Carson officials said they are interested in seeing how the project develops. Fort Carson has raised the concern of having only one rail connection at present to the Army leadership. We are very interested in any community project that could offer an opportunity for Fort Carson to gain a secondary rail connection," the statement said. By Qabil Ashirov Presentation of the "Assessment Report on the Search for Missing Persons in the Republic of Azerbaijan" by the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP). A ceremony for the presentation of the "Assessment Report on the Search for Missing Persons in the Republic of Azerbaijan" by the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) took place in connection with citizens who were prisoners of war, missing, or taken hostage. Members of the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Missing, and Hostage Citizens, along with the working group, representatives of the International Commission at senior levels, parliamentarians, heads of relevant government agencies, as well as civil society organizations (CSOs) and media representatives attended the event. To recall, during the First Garabagh War (1988-1994), thousands of Azerbaijanis went missing due to the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Many civilians and military personnel were either killed, captured, or displaced. An estimated over 4,000 Azerbaijanis remain unaccounted for, including prisoners of war and hostages. The war caused widespread trauma, with over one million Azerbaijanis displaced. Efforts to locate missing persons continue, with international organizations like the ICMP and ICRC assisting. The issue remains a sensitive matter for Azerbaijan, with families still seeking justice and closure regarding their missing loved ones from the conflict. The federal government has terminated the leases of nearly 750 federal offices across the country, including 18 in Colorado. Dick Wadhams is a former Colorado Republican state chairman who was campaign manager for Gov. Bill Owens in 1998 and served as his press secretary in the governors office. French Defense Minister Lecornu announced a new initiative by Paris: they are allocating 195 million euros for additional supplies of weapons and ammunition to Ukraine. This assistance to a defending country is made even more significant by the fact that the money will come from Russian assets frozen in the country. Two in oneperfect, right? Macron's idea, which was announced by his minister, is quite interesting. However, Paris is not doing this for Ukraine, but to pump up its military-industrial complex with free money and new orders. The 195 million euros for military aid doesn't come from the budget but from frozen Russian assets. It seems like a noble gesture. But when you look at what this money will be used for155-mm shells, aerial bombs, AMX-10RC armored vehicles, and VAB armored personnel carriersit becomes clear that the French military-industrial complex is doing just fine. While Macron talks about "striving for peace," French defense companies are getting new orders, factories are busy, and money is flowing in freely. Here is the French president's simple formula: to speak beautiful words, portray himself as a peacemaker, and at the same time sell more and more weapons made by their manufacturers. If Paris truly wanted peace, it would have invested in diplomacy, not in the production of shells. But, apparently, Macron's desire to "help" Ukraine ends exactly where the interests of French arms manufacturers begin. Rachel Gabel writes about agriculture and rural issues. She is assistant editor of The Fence Post Magazine, the regions preeminent agriculture publication. A child holds an Ukrainian flag in one hand while holding a United States flag in the other one during a Stand for Ukraine rally at the Colorado State Capitol on Feb. 23 in Denver. Several areas including Teller County and most of El Paso County are under a red flag warning Monday, according to the National Weather Servic U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis office on Friday criticized a group of activists who were turned away from the senators Greensboro office on Thursday, calling the crowd shamefully disruptive and disorderly. On Thursday, a few dozen anti-Trump protesters converged at Tillis Greensboro office off Northline Avenue. The protesters, who filled the hallway outside of Tillis office and backed up into the lobby, chanted and knocked on the door, requesting a town hall with the senator. The protesters were not allowed in the office and ultimately were told to leave after about 20 minutes by Greensboro police, who said they dispersed the protesters at the request of the buildings landlord. Protesters left the building when asked to do so, apparently without incident. No protestors were arrested for trespassing, DeSota confirmed in an email Friday. In the statement emailed to the News & Record Friday by J. Adam Webb, Tillis communications director, the senators office described the protesters as left-wing activists who were shamefully disruptive and disorderly in a center that hosts our office, a mental health crisis center and numerous other medical offices. The statement continued: It is not a surprise that they exhibited the same kind of behavior the nation witnessed from a handful of Democratic members of this congress during President Trumps speech this week, where shouting down others took precedent over civility and respect of opposing viewpoints. Patrick DeSota, a spokesman for the Greensboro Police Department, said Thursday he was not aware of any threats related to the protest, but noted the right of the building owner to have unwanted people removed from the property. Patty Miller, a 78-year-old from Lexington who was among the protestors kicked out of the building, expressed disappointment that people in the office refused to engage with the protestors. I think that we should have been acknowledged, she said. Someone should have acknowledged us, come out of the office, whoever, and thats how I feel. Leaders in the activist group Guilford County Indivisible challenged the senator's characterization of the protest in statements of their own. Kathy Wheeler of Summerfield said Tillis' statement is part of an effort to distract from the reasons for the protest as well as the size of the gathering, which included a few hundred people who protested outside, a few dozen of whom went into the building and up to the senator's office. "People had various reasons for being afraid of whats happening in our government," Wheeler said via the statement. "They exercised their First Amendment rights with signs, flags and in their conversations with each other. It was a great example of the freedom to gather and to ask that our senator simply put us first and do his job." Jim Saintsing, an Indivisible leader in Greensboro, agreed, saying in his own statement: "We have a right and a moral obligation, using peaceful speech and action, to counter the flood of lies and injuries spewing from the Trump regime. Tillis and his colleagues in congress need to stand up themselves and resist Trumps destruction of institutions and policies that congress created and only congress can end." The coalition of left-leaning groups has invited Tillis to a town hall in Greensboro on March 17, with plans to set up an empty chair if he does not show up to the event. Tillis seems unlikely to attend the event, with Webb saying in the email that the office will certainly follow-up with a comment if you decide to cover the left-wing advocacy group meeting. The News & Record emailed Webb to ask if Tillis has plans to hold any public meetings with constituents in the Triad in the near future and had not heard back as of 1:30 p.m. The protesters who marched to Tillis office were part of a larger demonstration on the sidewalks down below at the busy intersection of Northline Avenue and Pembroke Road by Friendly Center. Thursdays protest marked at least the third such protest since President Donald Trump returned to office that demonstrators had shown up at or near the office to demand that Tillis stand up against the new administrations policies. These protests have attracted well over 100 people. Tillis, who has announced plans to run for a third term in 2026, has also faced scrutiny within his own party. In 2023, the N.C. GOP Convention voted to censure Tillis for his stances on issues such as LGBT rights and immigration. So far, Tillis has attracted one primary challenger: Andy Nilsson, a Winston-Salem resident and former lieutenant governor candidate with a history of working in N.C. GOP politics. By Akbar Novruz An investigation has revealed that 170 Azerbaijani prisoners were killed through torture, as confirmed by Lieutenant General Sharafat Hasanov, Deputy Chief of the State Security Service. This was disclosed during the presentation of the assessment report by the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), regarding the search for missing persons in Azerbaijan, hosted by the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Missing, and Hostage Citizens. According to the report, out of the 3,983 individuals reported missing, 3,209 were military personnel and 774 were civilians. Among the civilians, 75 were minors, 116 were women, and 315 were elderly individuals. IDC Urges U.S. Government to End the Brutal Violence in Syria In Defense of Christians Washington -- In Defense of Christians (IDC), the nation's leading advocacy organization for Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East, condemns in the strongest terms the systematic massacre of religious minorities in Syria by various Islamist factions affiliated with the group formerly known as Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), now known as the Syrian transitional government. IDC's contacts in Syria report the wide-spread outbreak of mass executions along the Mediterranean coast in northwest Syria, centered in Latakia. In the last 72 hours, nearly 2,000 men, women, children and elderly have been killed. This current massacre is among the bloodiest atrocities in Syria since the Syrian civil war began in 2011. In December 2024, the jihadist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) toppled the Assad regime and seized full control of the Syrian government. HTS is a loose constellation of Islamist terror groups which has operated under several names during the Syrian conflict, including "al-Qaeda" and "Jabhat al-Nusra," and is included on the United States list of Foreign Terror Organizations (FTO). In the wake of the HTS takeover in Syria, self-appointed president Ahmad al-Sharaa (formerly Muhammad al-Jolani) formed a Syrian transitional government composed exclusively of known Islamists and foreign warlords who, despite their public relations campaign of moderation, aspire to establish a theocratic Islamist government in Syria. The magnitude and systematic nature of these crimes underscore the urgent need for an immediate and coordinated international response. IDC calls upon the United States government and the civilized international community to exercise decisive action to end the brutal violence, implement preventative measures, provide humanitarian aid, apply diplomatic pressure, and bring the perpetrators to justice. According to IDC executive director Richard Ghazal, "at a juncture in history when minority religious communities--including Christians, Alawites, and others--face an existential threat in Syria, the international responsibility to protect (R2P), which has a firm basis in international legal doctrine and norms, must be prioritized with the utmost urgency and human compassion." By Akbar Novruz During the trial at the Baku Military Court, the accused Arkady Ghukasyan responded to questions from state prosecutors. Azernews reports that in response to the prosecutor's question, "Do you agree with the ideology of a 'Greater Armenia'?" Ghukasyan dismissed the idea, calling it a fairy tale: "Regarding 'Greater Armenia'... I have not believed in fairy tales for a long time. The idea of 'Greater Armenia' is a fairy tale. I live in real life, I have never been realistic about it." The trial continues for citizens of the Republic of Armenia accused of committing crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including the preparation and conduct of a war of aggression, genocide, violation of the laws and customs of war, as well as terrorism, financing terrorism, forcible seizure of power, forcible retention of power, and numerous other crimes. Italian telco Sparkle and Turkish mobile operator Turkcell have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a subsea cable solution to improve connectivity in the Mediterranean region. The MoU aims to build a 4,000 km subsea cable system linking Turkiye with the European telecommunications ecosystem with the first leg spanning Izmir to Chania in Greece. The proposed subsea system will be capable of carrying more than 25 Tbps per fibre pair and, leveraging Sparkles BlueMed Cable System, will further extend between Chania and major Points of Presence in Milan, Italy. We are very pleased with this agreement with Turkcell which confirms Sparkles commitment to strengthen connectivity in the Mediterranean basin," said Enrico Bagnasco, CEO of Sparkle. "Thanks to a unique low-latency path between Izmir and Chania, integrated with BlueMed, we create a new alternative digital corridor for communications between Europe, the Middle East and Asia. "This collaboration is also part of the development of our GreenMed project which will further stimulate digital acceleration throughout the region and beyond. Dr. Ali Taha Koc, CEO of Turkcell, said the subsea project will be completed and operational within a few years. "This subsea cable solution, with its impressive capacity between Izmir and Chania and a total distance of 4,000 km, offers a promising alternative route to the existing ones, enhancing geographical redundancy and ensuring that the international data connection remains uninterrupted even in the event of disruptions along traditional paths," said Dr Koc. "This project not only strengthens the resilience of global data infrastructure but also provides a robust option for hyperscalers and content providers seeking reliable and secure connectivity between the East and the West. "In a world where the demand for seamless, high-capacity internet connectivity is ever-growing, this project plays a crucial role in reinforcing the stability of international communications." Nebraska Task Force 1 responds to some of the most devastating disasters, providing life-saving recovery efforts across the country. Behind their helping hands is a tight-knit family that supports each other from one deployment to the next. Kieran Taylor, a 46-year-old firefighter from Omaha, has dreamed of joining that family since 2005, when several of his friends were deployed to Hurricane Katrina with the task force. As a firefighter of 24 years, Taylor applied four times to the task force before he was finally accepted this year. It was an eureka moment, Taylor said, recalling his acceptance letter. I finally did it, this was worth it. Taylor was among the 13 newest members sworn in at the end of February. The task force is one of 28 federal urban search and rescue teams whose members respond to a variety of emergencies and disasters. Nebraska Task Force 1 was established in 1993 with Lincoln Fire and Rescue as the sponsoring agency. Participating agencies include members from the Omaha, Papillion, Council Bluffs and Grand Island fire departments. For Taylor, the journey to the task force wasnt easy, and he knows the work ahead will be challenging. But hes excited to help people across the nation. I want to say that I was a part of a bigger picture, Taylor said. Im just a small little piece of whats going on, but Id like to say later on to my kids or grandkids that I was a part of that. Taylor said task force members are highly regarded among firefighters. Theyre really well respected because of the aspect that theyve taken on such a big role to not only help their own departments, but help other departments, Taylor said. As an urban search and rescue team, Nebraska Task Force 1 serves not only the state but can also be deployed as a federal entity to assist overwhelmed communities elsewhere. Its like a hidden, well-known secret, Taylor said. We have one right here in the state of Nebraska, and its great to be utilized. The task force has 165 members, each disciplined in search, rescue, medical or technical elements. Members also choose their focus from more than 70 specialized positions. Taylor, for instance, chose to specialize in hazardous materials, drawing from prior experience, but plans to expand into other search and rescue specialties. New recruit Eric Dayan, who's from LFR Station 3, chose to specialize in logistics despite working as a paramedic for the past six years. Dayan, 30, hopes to specialize in water rescue in the future. Dayan, who served as a National Guard combat medic, is eager to be deployed with the task force because hes never had the opportunity to be part of a state activation. Ive always liked the idea of those activations to help people, go out and be a part of something that helps citizens of the United States, Dayan said. His enthusiasm is shared by many new task force members who are eager to get their boots on the ground. Lincoln firefighter Joseph Pieper, 39, said hes excited to continue learning as a task force medic. Theres no better feeling than helping somebody thats in need, Pieper said. Im just glad that the task force is allowing me to be a part of the team. The task force has to be ready to deploy at a moments notice. Over the years, theyve responded to numerous disasters, including the 9/11 terrorist attacks, hurricanes, flooding in Colorado and Nebraska, and tornadoes across the Midwest. LFR battalion chief Lloyd Mueller, one of the task force's leaders, joined in 2003 and had his first deployment to New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina two years later. Deployments can vary in size, with the largest involving 70 members. As an incident support team member, Mueller can deploy individually or with the full task force, depending on the situation. When activated, organized "chaos" ensues as the task force has just a few hours to deploy from Lincoln. Once deployed, the task force is equipped to be self-sufficient for up to 72 hours. They bring all of their own equipment, including decontamination tents, food, equipment, tools and rescue boats. The team is trained to handle nearly any obstacle, whether its a collapsed building or a large-scale disaster. LFR Capt. Dan Ripley, another task force leader, enjoys the unpredictability of the job. Its new every time, each disaster is different, Ripley said. We may have a standard package in how we run the incident, but the objective and the goals that we want to accomplish can be very unique, depending upon the very specific environment that were in or the very wide area environment we're in. Being in unfamiliar areas, Mueller explained, strengthens the bond within the group, adding a sense of solidarity beyond the typical emergencies they handle back home. It's more challenging as we go out as Nebraska Task Force than it is our home agencies, but we still look at each other as brothers and sisters, helping each other out, Mueller said. Communication is key, not only when the group is in action, but also when they return home. When we come back, we talk about it, we debrief. We help each other through challenging and difficult times, Mueller said. To be deployed, members have to be with the task force for at least 60 days, stay current on training and pass both a physical and fitness test. When the new recruits eventually deploy, Ripley is eager to see their passion and enthusiasm in action. I hope its just a reminder of why were here, why we get to do this job and thats to help people in their time of need, Ripley said. I hope that they remember that our job is to run calls and help people and with this task force. Its not just here in Lincoln, its everywhere. It started with a request from an employee, a mother from Myanmar who needed help. Could Diane Temme Stinton the CEO of the manufacturing business where she worked help her enroll her child in preschool? I thought, 'Sure, thats not a big deal,' said Temme Stinton. Then I learned it is a big deal. Lincoln Public Schools doesnt have enough resources to serve all children, and finding a preschool is a really difficult road to navigate, she said. Eventually, she found a spot for her employees child at St. Marys, a diverse preschool at a former downtown Catholic school. And it got her thinking. That thinking led to a plan, which, after much work, is close to coming to fruition just down the street from the company, headquartered at 701 S. Sixth St. Prep Academy at TMCO, which the company plans to open Aug. 1, will be a child care center and preschool for the children of it employees making it one of the few companies in Lincoln that provides child care. The center will serve children from birth to kindergarten. Part of having a smaller family company is being able to see these kids grow up before our eyes, Temme Stinton said. If we can invest in these kids, it will be the biggest investment well ever make. The CEO of TMCO the manufacturing company her father started a half century ago has long been an advocate of early childhood education, and company leaders have been vocal about its importance. The fact that some families dont have access to the social and emotional development that quality early childhood education offers is an equity issue, she said, and early childhood education is one of the best investments in the future. At TMCO, where 40% of the 250-person workforce is made up of immigrants and refugees from 19 different countries, employees make too much money to qualify for child care subsidies and programs like Educare or Head Start, but not enough to afford market rate care, Temme Stinton said. Previously, the company had a partnership with Dimensions Education Programs at First-Plymouth Church, and it subsidized up to 60% of the costs for employees children to attend. Then, the longtime program at the church closed. So Im putting my money where my mouth is, Temme Stinton said. On Wednesday, the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commission recommended approval of a special permit for up to five years for the early childhood care facility on the north half of the block along Sixth Street just south of F Street. The company recently purchased a lot at 921 S. Sixth St., and it will raze the unoccupied home there. First, the City Council must approve the special permit necessary because the company is seeking several waivers, including reducing some setback requirements and allowing it to locate the child care center along a residential street. The center would accommodate up to 30 children, and zoning regulations require centers of that size be on arterials or collector streets that have more traffic than residential. Navigating the citys zoning, health and building requirements wasnt easy, Temme Stinton said, and she appreciates the citys willingness to help the company find solutions. It plans to use modular classrooms and hopes to break ground in April. Long before the plan reached the Planning Commission, Temme Stinton enlisted the help of Maddie Gates, who taught kindergarten and first grade at LPS for 10 years, then opened her own preschool in the Meadowlane Shopping Center. Gates recently sold it, and Temme Stinton, who knows Gates father, called her to consult as soon as she found out. I think what Diane is doing is phenomenal, Gates said. Her own experience teaching first-graders, then kindergartners, then preschool kids made her aware of the need for quality early childhood care. Research has shown the importance, she said, and she saw it in real time. I kept seeing the need for foundational skills at each level (she taught), realizing slowly that stuff starts so much earlier, she said. Both women want to create an environment that can help children and their families who are new to the country understand the American education system and make their transition easier, helping them feel comfortable sending their children to preschool or child care and later to school. Temme Stinton said TMCO has relied on community partners as it has created a plan for Prep Academy. Staff went to Everett Elementary, where 40% of the students are English Language Learners, and have talked with other organizations that help immigrants and refugees. They hope once they get established they can be a resource to others, Temme Stinton said. Theyd also like to create a vocational program for the spouses of employees so they have opportunities to build their own careers, especially in early childhood care. Temme Stinton believes that could be transformational for families. Gates also sees it as a way to also make a dent in the shortage of early childhood educators. She'd love to offer internships and work experience in the field, helping to improve the early childhood workforce. We have big dreams, she said. The Nebraska Legislature will consider changing how the state awards its Electoral College votes in presidential races after a committee advanced a pair of proposals to the floor Monday. The Government, Military, and Veteran Affairs Committee narrowly advanced a bill (LB3) from Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City that would undo Nebraska's unique system of awarding electoral votes. Nebraska and Maine currently award Electoral College votes to the presidential candidate who wins the popular vote in each of the state's three congressional districts. Nebraska's other two votes go to the statewide winner. The committee also advanced a similar proposal (LR24CA) from Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams that would ask Nebraska voters to enshrine "winner-take-all" in the state constitution in the 2026 election. Both measures advanced from committee with five votes, the minimum needed in the eight-member committee. All five senators who voted for the measure are registered Republicans. Lawmakers have sought to return Nebraska to the "winner-take-all" system several times since it was signed into law in the early 1990s. Bills to reverse course passed the Legislature but were vetoed. The effort took on increased intensity last year in the run-up to the presidential election after a conservative podcaster aligned with President Donald Trump suggested Omaha's "Blue Dot" could decide the race. Trump won Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District in 2016, but lost it in both 2020 and 2024. He won the Electoral College despite losing the Blue Dot to former Vice President Kamala Harris last year. Monday's vote, which took place on Day 40 of the 90-day legislative session, comes roughly six weeks after both LB3 and LR24CA were heard in committee. Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue, the committee's chairwoman, had previously not scheduled the "winner-take-all" bills for a vote in a closed session, adhering to a policy to not bring legislation before the committee that could not survive a filibuster on the floor. Lippincott's decision to make LB3 his personal priority for the 2025 session changed that, she said. "That changed the amount of phone calls and emails and pressure," Sanders said. "The debate, I think, belongs on the floor." The path forward for LB3 is fraught, however. While Republicans hold a filibuster-proof majority in the officially nonpartisan Legislature, the 49 state senators act as free agents. Dorn, who has not yet designated his priority bill, said he was considering tagging LR24CA this year, which would put it up for floor debate. "It's a possibility," he said. "We're looking at it." That decision will come as lawmakers discuss the chances for LB3 to make it over the finish line this year, Dorn added. Senators must designate their priority bills by March 14. Several Republican lawmakers have signaled, both publicly or privately, that they do not support LB3 or LR24CA and believe it unnecessary this year. During Monday's executive session, Sen. Dave Wordekemper of Fremont, who voted to advance LB3 and LR24CA from committee, said he wouldn't support LB3 on the floor, but felt the Legislature should have a chance to debate it. "I think the way Nebraska counts their electoral votes is the way everyone should do it," said Wordekemper, a registered Republican. "It's more of a vote of the people." Wordekemper said he also believes there are bigger issues for the Legislature to tackle this year. His comments have echoed statements made earlier this year by Sen. Merv Riepe, a registered Republican who represents a politically divided district in the Omaha suburbs that went for Harris last November. Riepe said Monday he remained against both proposals: "I don't think it's necessary either way." The Ralston lawmaker added he would prefer other states to join Nebraska and Maine in awarding presidential electors by congressional district. If both Wordekemper and Riepe remain opposed to LB3, supporters of the bill would fall two votes short of the 33 needed to defeat a filibuster. Other Republican lawmakers in politically divided districts may follow suit. Both LB3 and LR24CA are also likely to receive intense opposition from Omaha lawmakers, who have vowed to defend voters who have gone for Democrats in three of the last five presidential elections. Omaha Sen. John Cavanaugh, one of two registered Democrats on the committee, said he had received hundreds of emails on the issue over the weekend asking him to oppose the bill after Lippincott made LB3 a priority. Sanders said she, too, received hundreds of emails, which she said outlined the cases both for and against. Unlike last year, when non-Nebraskans joined in the pressure campaign pushing senators to act, Sanders said most of the communication has been from inside the state's borders. Neither bill has been scheduled for floor debate, but the committee's vote won praise from Gov. Jim Pillen, who said moving Nebraska to a "winner-take-all" system was Trump's top priority for the state. "This is great news for Nebraska and I'm grateful to Chair Rita Sanders and the great senators who voted to advance WTA for their leadership," Pillen said in a statement. In a statement Monday afternoon, Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb said Nebraska mattered in presidential elections because of its "fair electoral vote system." "The Republicans who want to take this all away, all because of Trump, are so short-sighted," Kleeb said. "We have a competitive primary for both parties in 2028 and we should all want candidates asking for our votes. That will only happen if we keep the split electoral vote system." She urged lawmakers "from all parties" to vote against the bill when it comes up for debate. Voting to advance both LB3 and LR24CA were: Sens. Sanders, Wordekemper, Bob Andersen of La Vista, Dan Lonowski of Hastings, and Dan McKeon of Amherst. Opposing the bill were Cavanaugh, and Omaha Sens. Dunixi Guereca and Megan Hunt. Cavanaugh and Guereca are Democrats. Hunt is registered nonpartisan. Data fidelity refers to the accuracy with which informationdataqualifies and demonstrates the characteristics of the originsource. The emergence of artificial intelligence in data monitoring has necessitated an elevated level of accuracy. We are discussing the specific topic of data fidelity and accuracy because of recent events surrounding the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) audits of the Social Security Administration master file, which found a significant number of presumably deceased beneficiaries receiving Social Security benefits (or not?). The most egregious case involved a beneficiary aged 360 yearssomeone receiving Social Security benefits from before the birth of this republic in 1776. (It happens, folks, and it happened to memore on that later.) Although the terms data fidelity and data accuracy are frequently used interchangeably, they represent distinct and additional aspects of data quality. In 2012, the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services (OIG-HHS) published a report, Medicare Payments Made on Behalf of Deceased Beneficiaries in 2011. The report outlined how there was a clerical error at a rate of 0.01 percent in Medicare providers billing for beneficiaries who were deceased (though the Medicare system, since 2005, blocks any payment). It also detailed problems with the Social Security Master File and the Social Security Master Death File, explaining how maintaining accurate data within appropriate parameters is difficult. Data quality refers to how accurate, precise, and reliable collected information is to the extent that a health care professional can trust and use the information to diagnose patients, prescribe treatments, and create treatment plans. An example is high-fidelity electrocardiogram recordings. Similarly, information and data accuracy focus on the authenticity of data points, ensuring that measurements truly represent the actual parameters and information being monitored. A practical example is patient monitoring systems that capture a patients blood pressure every minute with high fidelity. However, if the device is improperly calibrated, these readings may lack accuracy despite their high fidelity. This distinction is very important, as it pertains to the reliability of data in decision-making. The role of data accuracy and fidelity in contextualizing information can be demonstrated through the governments use of data in health care prosecutions. In United States of America v. Muhamad Aly Rifai, I was accused of billing for services on deceased Medicare beneficiaries. The government experts were perplexed and speechless as they attempted to explain to the jury how 90 percent of the data that supposedly showed billing on deceased patients were for claims on beneficiaries who had died before I was born or during my years in kindergarten. (That 360-year-old American is not an oddity, folks.) The governments case collapsed at trial when these data accuracy and fidelity issues were revealed to the jury. Similarly, the government bureaucracy became the target of ridicule by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk when the Social Security benefit payments for the 360-year-old human were published. This may have highlighted the importance of data fidelity and accuracy, as one aberrant data point cast doubt on the majority of the hard work done by federal employees at the Social Security Administration. This brings us to the subject of data quality, which refers to the degree to which information is reliable and plays a role in maintaining data integrity. The quality of data is very important and depends on several factors. First, the information and data must be complete and contain the most accurate version of the information required. The information should be consistently validated to ensure that the data is formatted uniformly. In the case of DOGEs reporting on deceased Social Security beneficiaries receiving benefits, the discrepancies may have resulted from unique incorrect entries that skewed the results in a disastrous way. This demonstrates how the relationship between data fidelity and data quality is particularly significant, as high-quality decisions rely heavily on accurate and reliable data. The concept of cognitive dissonance in data perceptionmisperceiving or misinterpreting datarefers to the psychological discomfort individuals experience when their existing beliefs or attitudes clash with new information, leading them to attempt to reduce their discomfort by ignoring the conflicting data. When people experience cognitive dissonance, they attempt to dismiss or downplay the conflicting information or selectively attend to information that supports their existing beliefs, a phenomenon known as selective exposure. Cognitive dissonance can afflict those interpreting data if they allow confirmation bias to affect their perceptions and do not search for alternate (or even more plausible) explanations. Understanding cognitive dissonance is crucial when presenting data to the public, particularly in health care. By recognizing how people react to conflicting information, we can better tailor messages and strategies to promote understanding of health care data. Another example of the disastrous use of data with questionable accuracy, reliability, and fidelity is the prosecution of interventional cardiologist Dr. Richard Paulus. From 2008 to 2024, Dr. Paulus was tried twice, spent a year in jail, and ultimately had all charges dropped when revelations about inaccurate and unreliable data in his case came to light. He was accused of the fraudulent placement of cardiac stents in cases where coronary artery narrowing was minimal and did not necessitate stent placement. His defense team successfully argued that the data presented by the government was inaccurate because the pixelation of coronary artery images was reduced by 70 percent, compromising their fidelity. It was also revealed that the 70 cases used in his trialswhere he was accused of fraudulently and unnecessarily placing cardiac stentswere part of a larger sample of 1,100 cases. The remaining 1,030 cases had no questions about the appropriateness of stent placement, meaning the number of disputed cases was about 6 percent rather than 100 percent. We live in the age of information and data, and the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the need for rapid and accurate data on disease dissemination, mortality rates, and population statistics. The utilization of artificial intelligence may amplify issues related to data fidelity and accuracy. A focus on data accuracy is paramount in further advancing the field of medicine. Muhamad Aly Rifai is a practicing internist and psychiatrist in the Greater Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. He is the CEO, chief psychiatrist and internist of Blue Mountain Psychiatry. He holds the Lehigh Valley Endowed Chair of Addiction Medicine. Dr. Rifai is board-certified in internal medicine, psychiatry, addiction medicine, and psychosomatic medicine. He is a fellow of the American College of Physicians, the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine, and the American Psychiatric Association. He is the former president of the Lehigh Valley Psychiatric Society. He can be reached on LinkedIn, Facebook, X @muhamadalyrifai, YouTube, and his website. You can also read his Wikipedia entry and publications. Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Neurohospitalist and clinical neurophysiologist Franklyn Rocha Cabrero discusses the article, Missing prescription: long-term parental leave for fathers in medicine. In this episode, Franklyn delves into the systemic and societal barriers that hinder male physicians from taking full advantage of parental leave, explores the benefits of longer leave on family well being, and highlights actionable strategies for balancing demanding medical careers with family responsibilities in the field of health care. Drawing from personal experiences as a self-employed practitioner, Franklyn offers practical insights for aspiring fathers in medicine who seek to prioritize family without sacrificing career advancement. Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot. Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can. Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, its backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise and its part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcareand its built on a foundation of trust. Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow. VISIT SPONSOR https://aka.ms/kevinmd SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended GET CME FOR THIS EPISODE https://www.kevinmd.com/cme Im partnering with Learner+ to offer clinicians access to an AI-powered reflective portfolio that rewards CME/CE credits from meaningful reflections. Find out more: https://www.kevinmd.com/learnerplus Transcript ADVERTISEMENT Kevin Pho: Hi, and welcome to the show. Subscribe at KevinMD.com/podcast. Today we welcome Franklyn Rocha. He is a neurohospitalist and clinical neurophysiologist. Todays KevinMD article is Missing prescription, long-term parental leave for fathers in medicine. Franklyn, welcome to the show. Franklyn Rocha: Hi Kevin. Thank you for inviting me. Kevin Pho: Alright, so tell us what led you to write this article on KevinMD in the first place? Franklyn Rocha: I got inspired by this book, The Expectant Father, so a colleague of mine actually recommended it, and I started reading a few of the pages, and I was really, really startled by the statistics about how very few men take parental leave. And I then decided to go to my mentor, and its like, has anybody written about this? And I did a search. Nobody had written about it. And I decided, since I was in parental leave, that I wanted to, you know, kind of talk about this topic. Kevin Pho: Alright, so tell us about the article itself, for those who didnt get a chance to read it. Franklyn Rocha: Yeah, so I kind of start off providing some statistics about how many dads and fathers take parental leave. And I was surprised to see that most people dont take any leave at all. Or if they do, its about two weeks. And as, I dont know, a lot of the audiencethose who have had childrentwo weeks is definitely not enough to take care of a newborn, especially if you want to be a supportive spouse. So, I, you know, I delve into it, and a lot of it had to do with the fact that theres just this culture where fathers or dads, you know, are supposed to go back to work immediately after they have their children. And as many of you know, the United States is one of the few countries that doesnt provide paid maternity leave or paternity leave. Its really up to the employer. And, you know, I delved into it even more. And even if parental leave is offered, a lot of fathers decide not to take it because of that culture of, you have to go back to work and be productive. And, you know, the problem with that is that the children really feel the effect. The research really shows that fathers who are more available and spend more time with their children, theres more bonding. And also theres a better relationship with the spouse because mom is really appreciative when dad is involved. So I was like, yeah, I really need to talk about this. And then I kind of took those statistics and then applied it to my own personal experience. As I was going through my training and residency and fellowship, and I noticed that a lot of dads didnt have a lot of time off to take care of their newborn even when they requested it in advance. So I just thought, you know, I need to speak about this. I think this topic is very important. And then, you know, my mentor, Dr. WillnerAndrew Willnertold me, yeah, I actually was thinking about writing an article about that years ago, so Im glad youre taking this over. And he suggested that I submit this to you, to KevinMD, and to the audience, and that it would be well received by a lot of the physicians who will be listening to this podcast. Kevin Pho: Alright. So, yes, I know Andrew Willner well. Hes appeared on the podcast multiple times. So thank you so much for sharing your story. You mentioned that you yourself were on parental leave. Now, did you run into some of those obstacles when you were requesting your own parental leave? Franklyn Rocha: So, Im in a different situation because Im actually 100 percent self employed, so Im not really particularly employed full time by any hospital system or office. So, a little background about myself, I finished my fellowship training in 2022, and just seeing my own supervisors and my colleagues who work full time, I really didnt want to practice medicine the way that its practiced now, which is you get employed and then they give you as many patients as possible to see in very little time and with a lot of administrative burdens and just really no control of your time. You just have your PTO, which is your vacation, X amount of time a year. And I just wanted to practice differently. I want to control my schedule. So one of the benefits of me doing locum tenens slash clinical neurophysiology slash, you know, some teaching gigs here and there, is that I get to control my schedule. So, I decided, I put my vacation settings on my email, and I said, Im leaving from this date to this date, and thats it. Im having my first child, and I need that protected time. So, I actually designed my schedule in a way that I was able to take three months off from work and make sure everything was tidied up before I leave and make sure that I had enough savings to be able to go through this with no problem. So it required a little bit of planning, but I was able to circumvent all these challenges. If I was an employed physician, I would think I would have the same problems, where probably they would tell me to come back to work or pressure me to come back to work as soon as possible. And I do have to say something really interesting is that I have been pressured by my contracts, the hospital system that I contract with, to come back to work. Theyve been sending emails since January. Now Im getting, like, nope, Im holding off. Im not coming back till March. So the pressure is there. Its just that I decided I wasnt going to give in and that I was going to prioritize my son, you know, being that hes the most important thing right now for me, besides my wife, of course, supporting my wife. But its important that we obviously prioritize whats important for us. And, you know, the work is going to be there two months down the line, three months down the line. Clinical medicine is exhausting, its challenging. So, I thought, you know, for me, this is important. So, I, yeah, I did the schedule, and Im really happy. Honestly, this is the best thing I could have done. Kevin Pho: So, you mentioned that some of your contracts are pressuring you via emails. Just give us a gist of what they are saying. How are they pressuring you? Franklyn Rocha: Well, some of them are saying, are you, like, going to come back to work with us? Are you ever going to come back? Im like, yes, Im preparing to leave. I havent emailed you back. Its because Im still taking my time. Im like, oh, its OK. Just, just wanted to make sure. And then some of them would be like, oh, were ready to put new cases on your log, Dr. Rocha. When are you expected to come back? Those are some of the emails Ive received. But of course, you have to just not give in to the temptation of rushing back to work and just remembering why I did this in the first place. Kevin Pho: Now, just to be clear, in most employed settings, if a father wants to take that parental time off, normally it comes out of their PTO, their paid time off. Is that your understanding as well? Franklyn Rocha: Yes. Or even worse, for some institutions, because if you havent been working for more than a certain amount of timelets say like a year or two yearsin some institutions if you just recently switched jobs, you actually would have to take unpaid time off because theyd be like, oh, you havent been with us more than 12 months or 24 months. And so a lot of families actually have to take unpaid time off, which is unfortunate, right? Because, you know, we give all this time to this career. We give our years of our life to train, and you would expect at one point the system has your back. But what I found is that, you know, at the end of the day, they just care about covering their shifts. So its up to us. We really have to just empower ourselves to be really like, no, I need this time. Like, you know, you have to give me this time because this is important for me, this is important for my family. And its also a thing about mental health, right? If you dont have that time off to take care of your child, then youre going to feel some kind of resentment towards your job. So, its a dynamic, its a conversation that I think people just have to have with their employers if theyre employed, and if theyre self employed like me, then, you know, setting those boundaries is very important. Kevin Pho: You mentioned earlier that when you were talking to some of your colleagues, even if they requested that parental time off in advance, they ended up not getting it. Tell us about some of the stories that youre hearing about fathers in medicine in employed settings not getting that time off at all and some of the pushback that theyre getting from their employers. Franklyn Rocha: Yeah, actually, you know, I was talking to one of my other friends in Texas. Im not going to disclose who the employer is, but he was telling me that he wanted to take time off. He had just had a little girl, and he couldnt because he had just started at that job very, very recently. So they told him that he actually couldnt take a single day off unless he wanted to take unpaid leave. And he honestly gave in to the pressure of just continuing to work. His daughter was born on a Friday, and he went back to work on a Monday. And I just felt really bad because I was like, this is just not fair. Youre a first-time father, and, you know, hes kind of on the older side, older than me, and Im not going to say my age here, but hes a first-time father, and I just feel bad that he wasntI mean, he could have put more pushback, of course. I mean, thats always an option, but I think he just went back to work. And then, going back to my experiences as a trainee, when I was a resident, I had a junior resident who also had a baby, and I believe they gave him two weeks for paternity. And he was in one of the toughest yearsPGY2, PGY3where youre doing a lot of call, a lot of consults, so he had to do two weeks and then go back to work. And his wife was also a resident in internal medicine, and she got six monthssix months or three months? No, I dont remember. I dont think it was six months, actually, probably like three months. She got three months. But thats the thing that I kind of want to highlight in this article, is that theres this real disparity between the type of leave that a father gets versus a mother gets, right? And of course we understand that the mother is very important. Shes the one thats feeding the baby, and shes probably the one thats spending more time with the baby. What Im saying in this article, my message is we really need to close that gap of the time thats given to dads versus moms. I mean, we live in an era of equality, right, of trying to close the gap in different aspects of society, including womens pay, so we need to close that gap. But, I mean, this is the point I wanted to bring up, that fathers and dads deserve time off too, more time off than two weeks, because the newborn, the most challenging phase I foundand my son is three months old right now, and February 24th is going to be three monthsis these first three months are very challenging because its known as the fourth trimester. The baby is coming out and still thinks its in the uterus. They cry a lot, they feed a lot, they need a lot of stimulation, so its a full-time job, and its not a one-person job. Even a two-person jobmy wife and I are both on leave, and were around the clock busy during the day, because it does take a lot of time and dedication to take care of a baby in an appropriate way, right? Kevin Pho: So, what are some ideas that you have to maybe change that culture of medicine to be more accepting and embrace paternal leave? Franklyn Rocha: I mean, I think first of all, we have the conversation that were having today, and thats why I decided to write about it and see if people are willing to comment about this and see what dads think about this, what moms think about this, to have a conversation in a safe space. And then, second of all, we might just change a little bit the policies and procedures of some of these employers and make sure that parental leave for fathers isyou know, the time is extended a little bit more. Maybe a conversation can happen that we include those in contract benefits and non-salary benefits and make sure that parental leave is emphasized. Of course, at the federal and state level, you can do advocacy efforts, although thats a little bit more difficult, of course. But, you know, the United States is still one of the few nations that doesnt give paid parental leave guaranteed as a right, while other countries do. And, you know, from their side, they can be like, oh, well, we cant afford you being on leave, but on the flip side, you say, well, the research is really clear that, you know, happy couples who have children, if they take that time off, theyre more productive when they come back, theyre more refreshed, whatever you want to call it. So, from a business perspective, it ends up making sense to change those policies and procedures. And then, I guess, the third thing is that we have to go back in the training and the culture of medicine, and we need to change that mindset that we need to sacrifice ourselves and put ourselves last, when really, the research and anecdotes out there show that this modern culture of medicine is not good for patients. If the doctor is not happy, if the doctor feels resentful, theyre not going to provide good patient care. So we really need to rethink this culture of medicine of productivity and think about, well, how is that going to impact my work with patients? And if Im not happy, I wont be able tohow am I going to be able to deliver good patient care? So at the end of the day, its a win-win situation for everybody if we give parental leave to men and women equally. Kevin Pho: Were talking to Franklyn Rocha. Hes a neurohospitalist and clinical neurophysiologist. Todays KevinMD article is Missing prescription, long-term parental leave for fathers in medicine. Franklyn, lets end with some take-home messages that you want to leave with the KevinMD audience. Franklyn Rocha: Well, the take-home message is I do recommend for all the trainees out there, or anybody whos considering switching things up, is just become self employed, become an independent contractor, open your own S-corp, your own small business, become an entrepreneur. I say this because that was the only way I was able to schedule these three months of parental leave. So, if youre kind of tired of the day-to-day routine and feel like youre in this rat race, I mean, just take a risk and decide that you want to work for yourself. Theres a lot of side gigs now with technology. I think its an excellent way to make your own schedule and break away from this culture of medicine that you have to just work yourself to the ground. You know, since I decided to be self employed and do this, Ive never been happier. So, if anybody has any questions, of course Kevin can pass my email. If you have a question about my career track or trajectory, I did it straight out of fellowship. I dont think everybody has to do it that way, but I can at least give some tips on how I was able to do it. Kevin Pho: Franklyn, thank you so much for sharing your story, time, and insight. And thanks again for coming on the show. Franklyn Rocha: Thank you. Thank you, Kevin. On 7 March Haitis former interim prime minister(2016) took over from former minister for Haitians living abroad(2004) as head of the nine-member transitional presidential council (TPC) for a six-month term. End of preview - This article contains approximately 394 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options On 7 March Colombias Defence Ministerdenounced the kidnapping of 29 members of the security forces the previous day in the southwestern department of Cauca. End of preview - This article contains approximately 598 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options Philadelphia, also sometimes called Philly, is a big city on the Delaware River in the northeastern state of Pennsylvania. It has about 1.5 million people, estimates from the United States Census Bureau show. William Penn, an Englishman and member of the Christian group known as Quakers, founded Pennsylvania in the sixteen eighties. He also designed the city. Penn chose the name Philadelphia - a term he interpreted to mean "city of brotherly love" in Greek. Philadelphia is famous for holding an important place in American history. It served as the nation's capital from 1785 to 1790. Earlier, it was the capital of the American colonies during most of the Revolutionary War against Britain. Philadelphia became the central meeting place for the "Founding Fathers" who created the United States government. The buildings where they worked can be seen today in an area called the Old City, or Independence National Historical Park. The main building is Independence Hall. That was where colonial leaders declared independence and later debated the creation of a government. The National Park Service says more than 2.6 million people visited Independence National Historical Park last year. Close to the park is the National Liberty Museum. It holds a collection of more than ninety paintings and sculptures. They represent the idea that liberty is a freedom that is easily violated. Several blocks away lies the National Constitution Center. This privately operated nonprofit museum opened its doors in Philadelphia on July 4, 2003. It was created to increase public recognition of the Constitution, its history, and its importance today. Visitors are presented with the idea that the most important part of American constitutional democracy is the individual citizen. Rich with tradition, Philadelphia offers plenty for visitors who are less concerned about history and more concerned about their stomachs. There are many food choices for hungry visitors. Reading Terminal Market, for example, is one of the nations largest public markets. At Reading Terminal Market, visitors can find all kinds of foods -- including, of course, Philly cheesesteak. The city is known for these sandwiches. They are made of thin pieces of meat covered with cheese. A cheesesteak is offered with onions and other toppings and served on a long roll. And where might a visitor find the best Philly cheesesteak? That question is the subject of much debate. Im John Russell. Nancy Steinbach wrote this story for VOA Learning English. John Russell adapted it. Quiz - Philadelphia: a City Famous for its History Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz _____________________________________________________ Words in This Story interpret v. to explain or tell the meaning of something sculpture n. a three-dimensional work of art (such as a statue) museum n. a building in which interesting and valuable things (as works of art or historical or scientific objects) are collected and shown to the public sandwich n. one or more slices of bread or a roll with a filling or spread James Earl Ray has been jailed for 99 years by a court in Memphis, Tennessee, after admitting he carried out the murder of the American civil rights leader. His guilty plea was made on the understanding he was spared the electric chair. It also brought a swift end to the trial, which otherwise might have lasted weeks. Ray will not be eligible for parole until he is 90. The verdict is unlikely to silence the speculation that Dr Kings murder was the result of a conspiracy. Until now, it had been assumed Rays defence would be that he was involved in a plot to assassinate the civil rights leader, but did not fire the fatal shot. Dr King, who preached non-violence, was shot dead by a sniper in the southern city of Memphis in April 1968 as he stood on a hotel balcony. He was in the city to lead a civil rights march. He had come to Memphis to support striking dustmen, the majority of whom are black. The unresolved dispute meant feelings between black and white were running high in the city. Immediately after the shooting, the Federal Bureau of Investigation was ordered to begin an investigation. Ray had escaped from Missouri State Penitentiary in April 1967 where he was serving a 20 year sentence for armed robbery. He was eventually traced to London in June 1968, where he was travelling under a false identity. He was arrested at Heathrow airport and charged with possessing a loaded firearm and false passport. Courtesy BBC News In context The trial verdict was seen by some as a cover-up for a politically motivated conspiracy. However, federal authorities insisted there was no evidence of a cover-up. Ray agreed to plead guilty so he could be spared the electric chair. Ray was known to have a fanatical hatred of black people. Even while serving his sentence in Missouri, he rejected a move to an open farm prison where conditions were better on the grounds he could not live with black inmates. Three days after his jailing, Ray recanted his guilty plea. He claimed he had been set up by a gun dealer in Montreal known only as Raoul. He spent the next 29 years fighting for the trial his guilty plea had forestalled and won the support of the King family. New forensic tests in 1997 on the gun said to have been used in the assassination proved inconclusive. Ray died on 23 April 1998. A study by the Macau Federation of Trade Unions (FAOM) found that more than 70% of women in Macau are responsible for caring for two or more family members while grappling with financial pressures and health concerns, leading to widespread stress among respondents. The survey, titled Womens Living and Employment Conditions in 2025, focused on 1,000 women aged 18 to 65 and revealed that two-thirds of respondents are constantly caring for children and elderly dependents, with over 60% responsible for at least two family members. This caregiving burden, combined with financial strain, has resulted in more than two-thirds of women reporting symptoms of stress in their daily lives. Financial concerns were a significant issue, with 80% of respondents stating that daily meal expenses have increased. Half of the women cited public services such as water, electricity, childcare, transportation, medical care, and bank loans as their largest expenditures. Additionally, 73% of those surveyed earn less than the median salary of 20,500 patacas per month, and nearly 70% described their work as stressful or very stressful. Meanwhile, the survey highlights that nearly 90% of women believe government financial assistance is essential to address the economic challenges they face. The findings indicate that approximately half of the participants hold tertiary education degrees. However, around 80% reported stagnant or declining income levels since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, 73% expressed concerns regarding their employment prospects. During a press conference on Friday, lawmaker Ella Lei emphasized the need to improve leave entitlements and protections for female employees. Furthermore, about 77% of respondents cited economic conditions as a primary source of stress. Leong Meng Ian, another representative of the workers group, called for government action on family and maternity issues, proposing extended maternity leave, increased childcare subsidies, and enhanced housing policies to support women and families. Encouraging higher birth rates was another focus of the study, with the majority of respondents agreeing that extending maternity leave from 70 to 90 days and increasing the value of birth benefits would be effective ways to incentivize women to have more children. For FAOM, there is still room for improvement in the labor rights and interests of women in Macau, particularly concerning maternity leave. Currently, female employees in the private sector are entitled to just 70 days of maternity leave, which is significantly less than the 90 days offered to civil servants and the 14 weeks recommended by the Maternity Protection Convention. The same call was previously made by lawmaker Wong Kit Cheng, who emphasized the urgent need to raise maternity leave benefits to 90 days, aligning with the same duration offered to civil servants, as outlined in the Macau Womens Development Goal Plan. Although Wong acknowledged that amending the labor relations law to accommodate these changes has not yet been discussed, and no mechanism has been activated to do so, she believes that one possible solution could be to transform the current subsidy program into an administrative regulation. This would allow the government to provide subsidies to businesses, encouraging them to adopt family-friendly policies, such as extended maternity leave, she said. Victoria Chan Chinas exports rose a less-than-expected 2.3% in January and February from a year earlier while imports fell more than 8% in a slow start to a year dogged by uncertainty over U.S. tariffs and other policies. Economists had forecast that exports would rise 5% year-on-year and that imports would edge higher. Chinas overall trade surplus grew to $170.52 billion in the first two months of the year. Chinas customs agency typically publishes combined trade data for January and February to avoid any distortion from slowdowns during the week-long Lunar New Year holidays. Export growth cooled over the first two months of 2025, with tariff front-running providing less of a boost to demand than we had anticipated, said Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics. This slowdown comes before any substantial hit from tariffs, which will almost certainly lead to sharp falls in shipments to the U.S. before long, he said. Evans-Pritchard said that the slowdown in imports suggests that the pick up in demand driven by government stimulus spending late last year has already partially reversed. This week, U.S. President Donald Trumps second of two 10% hikes in tariffs on imports from China took effect and that is likely to hurt Chinese exports in coming months. To a certain extent, buyers and Chinese suppliers had rushed to beat those increases in import duties. Chinese officials have slammed the tariff increases but also expressed confidence that the economy is resilient and that trade with other countries can help compensate for any declines in exports to the U.S. after the tariffs took effect. They have also said they are open to talks on a mutually respectful basis. Last year, exports helped China attain its target economic growth rate of 5%. The government again has set the target for around 5%, despite uncertainties over the outlook for trade this year. Exports to the U.S. grew 2.3% in annual terms in January-February, while shipments to the European Union and Japan grew just 0.6% and 0.7% respectively. Exports to Russia fell 10.9%. The Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) remained Chinas biggest trading partner, with shipments growing 5.7% year-on-year. While we dont read too much into a few months of data, the breakdown does pose questions about how export trends might look once tariffs start to drag on the U.S., too, Lynn Song of ING Economics said in a report. With tariffs coming into effect in February and March, its likely that the impact will be seen gradually in the coming months, she said. ZEN SOO, HONG KONG, MDT/AP Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China will continue to retaliate for the United States arbitrary tariffs and accused Washington of meeting good with evil in a press conference Friday on the sidelines of the countrys annual parliamentary session. Wang said Chinas efforts to help the U.S. contain its fentanyl crisis have been met with punitive tariffs, which are straining their ties. No country should fantasize that it can suppress China and maintain a good relationship with China at the same time, Wang said. Such two-faced acts are not good for the stability of bilateral relations or for building mutual trust. The U.S. this week levied duties against China as well as Canada and Mexico over accusations of fentanyl smuggling, which the countries have called unjustified. China maintains its done a lot to curb the exports of industrial chemicals used to make fentanyl over the past few years, and that illegal drug use in the U.S. is a domestic problem. The duties were the latest in a series of retaliatory tariffs Washington and Beijing have imposed against one another since U.S. President Donald Trumps return to office in January. The U.S. raised flat tariffs on all Chinese imports to 20%, while Beijing countered with additional 15% duties on U.S. imports including chicken, pork, soy and beef, and expanded controls on doing business with key U.S. companies. The foreign ministers annual press conference is the one occasion on which Wang speaks to Chinese and foreign media on a range of topics. Fridays event was dominated by questions about Chinas ties with the US, along with other topics such as regional conflicts and collaborations within the Global South. Regarding the Trump administrations policy of safeguarding U.S. interests above international cooperation, Wang said such an approach, if adopted by every country in the world, would result in the law of the jungle. Small and weak countries will get burnt first, and the international order and rules will be under severe shock, Wang said. Major countries should undertake their international obligations and not seek to profit from and bully the weak. On the Ukraine war, Wang reiterated Chinas stance of supporting conflict resolution through political negotiations. Wang said that in hindsight, the Ukraine conflict could have been avoided. 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. Wang stressed that China-Russia relations are as strong as ever despite recent consultations between the U.S. and Russia on ending the Ukraine war. He said Beijing and Moscow are planning joint celebrations this year marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. On Taiwan, the island democracy China claims as its own, Wang said Taiwan has never been a country and will never be a country in the future. Advocating for Taiwan independence is splitting the country, supporting Taiwan independence is interfering in Chinas internal affairs, and conniving for Taiwan independence is undermining the stability of the Taiwan Strait, he said. Those who support Taiwans independence are only playing with fire and will burn themselves, Wang said. Asked about Trumps plan to take control of Gaza and resettle Palestinians in neighboring countries, Wang said Gaza belongs to the Palestinians and any forced change of the territorys status would trigger new turbulence. He said China backs the peace plan put forth by Egypt and other Arab countries and reiterated Beijings support for a two-state solution for Palestine and Israel. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict takes place again and again simply because the two-state solution is only half-achieved, Wang said. The state of Israel has long been a reality, but the state of Palestine is still far beyond reach. SIMINA MISTREANU, BEIJING, MDT/AP The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) announced that, according to a recent survey conducted by third-party academic institutions in mainland China, rodent control in the citys public areas remains at a manageable level. In 2024, the city recorded 711 complaints related to rodent infestations, a 36% decrease from 1,113 cases in 2019. In response to a written inquiry from lawmaker Ron Lam regarding measures to combat rodent-borne diseases, the IAM outlined its recent efforts. Over the years, the department said it has intensified extermination efforts in public spaces, significantly increasing the number of fixed rat bait boxes on public streets from about 200 in 2017 to approximately 1,400 today, covering nearly all districts. Macau has also been divided into 25 districts for systematic rodent control, with extermination efforts increasing from twice a year per district to at least three times annually since last year. Each campaign lasts for five weeks, with 27,000 bait placements recorded in 2024. Additionally, the number of traditional street trash cans has been drastically reduced from over 1,600 to just 92, helping to minimize odor and pest problems. Earlier this year, the bureau ordered three branches of the supermarket chain Royal to temporarily suspend operations after discovering a widespread rodent infestation on the premises. This action followed the circulation of viral social media footage depicting rodents feeding in a freezer. According to the IAM, the affected branches were found to have substandard hygiene conditions, including visible signs of rodent activity in storage areas and inadequate pest control measures in food preparation zones. Staff Reporter 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. 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. 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 Yoons decree. 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 doesnt cover grave charges like rebellion and treason. HYUNG-JIN KIM, SEOUL, MDT/AP * Under Pressure New survey finds 70% of women in Macau face triple burden of caregiving, finances, and health issues * Transport | DSAT adjusts parking spaces to improve accessibility * One Country, Two Systems | NPC chairman stresses constitutional education * Police data shows that around 300,000 residents have already registered their iris scans at the border crossings * Taxi injures two pedestrians after failing to stop * Foreign minister criticizes US tariffs and accuses the country of meeting good with evil DOWNLOAD PDF Monday, March 10, 2025 edition no. 4676 North Korea 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 U.S. The state media agency 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 that 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 that 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 U.S., Moon said. U.S. National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said that were aware of these claims and do not have additional information to provide at this time. The U.S. is committed to the complete denuclearization of North Korea, Hughes said. A nuclear-powered submarine was among a long wish list of sophisticated weaponry that Kim vowed to introduce during a major political conference in 2021 to cope with what he called escalating U.S.-led military threats. Other weapons were solid-fueled 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. Moon, the submarine expert, said that 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 that 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 ones capable of launching only torpedoes and mines, not missiles. In 2023, North Korea said that it had launched what it called its first tactical nuclear attack submarine, but foreign experts doubted the Norths announcement and speculated that it was likely a diesel-powered submarine disclosed in 2019. Moon said that 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 dialing up its fiery rhetoric against the U.S. and South Korea before their upcoming annual military drills set to start on Monday. During his visits to the shipyards, Kim said that North Korea aims to modernize water-surface and underwater warships simultaneously. He stressed the need to make the incomparably overwhelming warships fulfill their mission to contain the inveterate gunboat diplomacy of the hostile forces, KCNA reported Saturday. HYUNG-JIN KIM, SEOUL, MDT/AP Beijing has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the implementation of the One country, two systems policy and enhancing constitutional education in Macau and Hong Kong, according to Zhao Leji, chairman of the National Peoples Congress (NPC) Standing Committee. During the second plenary meeting of the NPC on Saturday, Zhao delivered the legislatures annual work report, highlighting efforts to uphold the authority of the Chinese Constitution in the two Special Administrative Regions (SARs). The session was attended by President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and other senior officials. Reflecting on the legislatures work in 2024, Zhao emphasized measures taken to reinforce constitutional oversight and ensure compliance with national laws. He noted that education and public awareness campaigns regarding the Constitution had been expanded in both SARs, including field visits and symposiums for local deputies. [We have] ramped up education and publicity efforts regarding the Constitution in Hong Kong and Macau, Zhao said, as cited in a report by The Standard. The NPC Standing Committee has also increased efforts to promote international understanding of One country, two systems. The report stated that Beijing had actively countered foreign criticisms and defended Chinas sovereignty, security, and development interests in response to external political pressures. Looking ahead, Zhao outlined the legislatures priorities for 2025, stressing the need to maintain the constitutional order in Macau and Hong Kong as defined by the Constitution and the Basic Law. Meanwhile, Macau Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference delegate Lao Nga-wong said Macau is an example of the successful implementation of the One country, two systems policy. Macau should use its advantages in reinforcing connections with both the mainland and the world and build the SAR into another international passage besides Hong Kong, he said. Last week, Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, has urged both the Special Administrative Regions (SAR) delegates to fulfill their roles with a strong sense of duty while supporting their respective governments and advancing economic development. In a statement, the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office said its director encouraged delegates to carry out their responsibilities with a sense of responsibility and mission while ensuring public concerns are effectively represented. Xia emphasized the need for full support of the SAR administrations, calling on Hong Kong delegates to accelerate the citys transition from stability to prosperity. Meanwhile, he urged Macau representatives to focus on promoting moderate economic diversification to strengthen the regions long-term development. His remarks were made during a closed-door session with delegates from the two regions at the NPC. Staff Reporter After weeks of lawsuits and human rights criticism, Panama on Saturday released dozens of migrants who were held for weeks in a remote camp after being deported from the United States, telling them they have 30 days to leave the Central American nation. It thrust many like Hayatullah Omagh, a 29-year-old who fled Afghanistan in 2022 after the Taliban took control, into a legal limbo, scrambling to find a path forward. We are refugees. We do not have money. We cannot pay for a hotel in Panama City, we do not have relatives, Omagh told the Associated Press in an interview. I cant go back to Afghanistan under any circumstances It is under the control of the Taliban, and they want to kill me. How can I go back? Authorities have said deportees will have the option of extending their stay by 60 days if they need it, but after that many like Omagh dont know what they will do. Omagh climbed off a bus in Panama City alongside 65 migrants from China, Russia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Nepal and other nations after spending weeks detained in poor conditions by the Panamanian government, which has said it wants to work with the Trump administration to send a signal of deterrence to people hoping to migrate. Human rights groups and lawyers advocating for the migrants were waiting at the bus terminal, and scrambled to find the released migrants shelter and other resources. Dozens of other people remained in the camp. Among those getting off buses were migrants fleeing violence and repression in Pakistan and Iran, and 27-year-old Nikita Gaponov, who fled Russia due to repression for being part of the LGBTQ+ community and who said he was detained at the U.S. border, but not allowed to make an asylum claim. Once I get off the bus, Ill be sleeping on the ground tonight, Gaponov said. Others turned their eyes north once again, saying that even though they had already been deported, they had no other option than to continue after crossing the world to reach the U.S. The deportees, largely from Asian countries, were part of a deal stuck between the Trump administration and Panama and Costa Rica as the U.S. government attempts to speed up deportations. The administration sent hundreds of people, many families with children, to the two Central American countries as a stopover while authorities organize a way to send them back to their countries of origin. Critics described it as a way for the U.S. to export its deportation process. The agreement fueled human rights concerns when hundreds of deportees detained in a hotel in Panama City held up notes to their windows pleading for help and saying they were scared to return to their own countries. Under international refugee law, people have the right to apply for asylum when they are fleeing conflict or persecution. Those that refused to return home were later sent to a remote camp near Panamas border with Colombia, where they spent weeks in poor conditions, were stripped of their phones, unable to access legal council and were not told where they were going next. Lawyers and human rights defenders warned that Panama and Costa Rica were turning into black holes for deportees, and said their release was a way for Panamanian authorities to wash their hands of the deportees amid mounting human rights criticism. Those who were released Saturday night, like Omagh, said they could not return home. As an atheist and member of an ethnic minority group in Afghanistan known as the Hazara, he said returning home under the rule of the Taliban which swept back into power after the Biden administration pulled out of the country would mean he would be killed. He only went to the U.S. after trying for years to live in Pakistan, Iran and other countries but being denied visas. Omagh was deported after presenting himself to American authorities and asking to seek asylum in the U.S., which he was denied. My hope was freedom. Just freedom, he said. They didnt give me the chance. I asked many times to speak to an asylum officer and they told me No, no, no, no, no. Still, he said that leaving the camp was a relief. Omagh and other migrants who spoke to the AP detailed scarce food, sweltering heat with little relief and aggressive Panamanian authorities. In one case, Omagh and others said, a Chinese man went on a week-long hunger strike. In another, a small riot broke out because guards refused to give a migrant their phone. The riot, they said, was suppressed by armed guards. Panamanian authorities denied accusations about camp conditions, but blocked journalists from accessing the camp and cancelled a planned press visit last week. While international aid organizations said they would organize travel to a third country for people who didnt want to return home, Panamanian authorities said the people released had already refused help. MEGAN JANETSKY, ALMA SOLIS & MATIAS DELACROIX, PANAMA CITY, MDT/AP A woman was found dead in an apartment in Seac Pai Van yesterday, with an alleged bottle of drugs discovered at the scene. Her friend, unable to contact her, went to check on her and found her unresponsive. The friend called the police for help. Officers found a syringe and an empty drug bottle in the room, raising suspicions of a drug-related suicide, according to the Judiciary Police (PJ). No signs of foul play or theft were found, and the body showed no criminal injuries. The woman is a middle-aged local resident and the cause of death is under investigation. Related Lila Sonmezs path to the United States as a young Turkish immigrant led her toward a life of helping outsiders feel welcome and speaking out against atrocities. The West High School senior was one of the students who led a walkout at the school this winter to demand an end to gun violence after the Abundant Life Christian School shooting on Dec. 16 in which a student and teacher were killed and six others injured. The shooter, a student, also killed herself. But, while she feels Madison is in a bubble of sorts, generally void of horrific events, school shootings had been on her mind before that. I never felt like something bad could have happened to me, she said of moving to Madison from Istanbul in 2019. You know, I walk home at night all the time. Its a safe place. But this summer, when I heard about the Apalachee High School shooting, I was in Turkey. I was really scared to come back to America. I just had, like, a lot of panic attacks about school shootings. The Apalachee school shooting was the deadliest school shooting in Georgias history, leaving four dead. While the tragedy nearly 1,000 miles away from Madison made her scared, the ALCS shooting struck far too close to home. It made me realize, one, how it can happen anywhere, and two, how serious of an issue this is, she said. Thats when she decided to lean on some of what she learned as an outsider during her first few years in the United States to amplify student voices in protest. Though she helped organize it, Sonmez makes clear that the walkout was a group effort. I like to advocate because when I moved to America and I felt like an outsider, it was super isolating, she said. And I struggled to just fit in, in terms of language, social life, and it was just hard to connect. Over time, she began to feel a sense of belonging, recognizing that the struggles other outsiders faced in her school reflected in her own life. But she also wanted to find ways to amplify outsiders voices and incorporate their perspectives in meaningful ways. While she was a student council member, she ran for and became the bodys first official diversity and inclusion leader and co-founded a student council-adjacent group called West House Representatives. The goal of the new group and the new leadership position is to better include underrepresented students in school and student body decisions. Her immigrant experience, extracurricular activities and activism also helped her become a semifinalist in the national Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship program, which distributes up to $55,000 per year to finalists. If you are selected for the scholarship, what would that mean to you? That would be very important for me. Because, you know, not only would that kind of acknowledgement really just have a special place in my heart, it would also fund my college education. It gives students over 50k a year throughout their college journey, and it totals over 200k, and because Im an international student, and I cant get a lot of aid from colleges themselves, in most cases, that would really help me pay for college. What made you decide you want to go to college for political science and international relations? I think that when I first took AP World History in my sophomore year, I became really interested in politics and also world affairs, and then I kind of kept pursuing that. I took on a lot of advocacy roles, and some of them included a lot of work with the government. I also interned for Rep. Sheila Stubbs last summer, and I have volunteered for her all of my junior year leading up to the summer. And also I helped her out with stuff like here and there. So being in that environment made me realize that I really like politics and international relations. The part that interests me is growing up seeing the duality between Turkey and America. Its just those differences and how they relate to each other. All of that really captivated me. You helped lead the walkout for West High to the Capitol. What went through your mind when you decided to protest? I am a person that likes to give her all to causes that are really important to her. I really cant just sit with that fear and that sadness for others. From the moment (the Abundant Life shooting) happened, I was thinking, what can I do about this? And then the next day, my school went into a secure (mode) because they had some hoax threat from Virginia about how there was a danger from outside of our school, and they handled that threat terribly, and everyone was freaking out. They called it a lockout, which is an old term for secure. Everyone thought it was a lockdown when there were cops at our school. And I just thought, nobody is handling this well at all. Yesterday a shooting occurred, and today it is this, this is outrageous. So a few of my friends and I, we thought about doing a walkout, because a walkout is a form of expression that is traditionally used by our school. What were you feeling and thinking while (the march and protest) were going on? I was just very proud to see hundreds, or I think it was over 150 people at least. And seeing that many people show up was just very amazing. It made me feel so proud of everyone for standing up against this issue. And that moment just reinforced my belief in turning fear into action. And it was a personally important moment too, because I realized my own power, and also how, every voice actually matters. And if you really believe in something you can do it. What happened after the walkout? What kinds of changes did you see? I worked with (the principal) to kind of bring more attention to the topic of school violence, and that led to him creating an advisory committee which focuses on violence prevention. And so I took on the role of facilitator in this committee. And now we work every week to expand like this. We are trying to expand as a club, and we want to engage the school board and drive real change in the future. We want to bring more mental health professionals to schools, and we also want to work with the Madison Police Department to identify ways that will effectively make our schools safer places. Students at Jadavpur University have faced attacks by state-affiliated thugs as part of a continued crackdown on political organising on campuses. On 1 March, a left-wing student was hospitalised after he was run over by a government ministers convoy following a peaceful protest. The Revolutionary Communists of India unequivocally condemn these outrageous attacks on freedom of assembly and offer our solidarity to the furious protest movement that has erupted in response. [Originally published at communiststruggle.com] Jadavpur University in Kolkata has been long recognised as a bastion of left-wing politics. With its deep-rooted history of student activism, the university has played a significant role in shaping radical movements, most notably during the Naxalite movement, where numerous students actively participated, further solidifying its revolutionary legacy. Even today, various left-wing organisations at Jadavpur have consistently secured victories in student and worker union elections against both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC), despite their growing influence in other spheres of the state. However, for several years, student union elections have been suspended across West Bengal. Despite repeated and vocal demands from the student community for democratic representation, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) government has shown blatant disregard for these appeals, stalling any efforts to reinstate these fundamental democratic rights. This lack of student representation has resulted in a steady erosion of campus democracy, leaving students without a legitimate platform to voice their concerns and address institutional grievances. Events of 1 March The situation reached a boiling point on 1 March, during the annual West Bengal College and University Professors Association (WBCUPA) event at Jadavpur University, where State Education Minister Bratya Basu was present. In response to his visit, several leftist student organisations, along with a large contingent of general students, organised a peaceful demonstration. Their primary demand was the immediate resumption of student union elections and a tripartite meeting involving the minister, the university administration, and student representatives to discuss a range of pressing issues, including academic reforms, infrastructural development, and democratic rights within the university. However, the minister not only refused to engage with the protesting students but, in a shocking display of authoritarianism, deployed TMC-affiliated goons to violently disperse the peaceful gathering. The attack was brutal and unprovoked, leading to chaotic scenes of physical altercations, with several students sustaining serious injuries. The clash exposed the states increasing reliance on violence to suppress dissent, even within the hallowed halls of higher education. As tensions escalated, some students staged a sit-in protest in front of the ministers vehicle, blocking his departure. What followed was a horrifying act of violence reports emerged that the convoy recklessly drove through the crowd, endangering the lives of the protestors. One of the protesters got seriously injured and is fighting for his life in hospital. This deliberate act of aggression triggered an immediate and spontaneous response from the student community. Outraged by the barbaric attack, students across the campus called for an indefinite strike. In a show of solidarity, various leftist organisations throughout the state (and even other states) took to the streets, while the universitys workers unions announced a work stoppage. We unequivocally and strongly condemn this brutal assault orchestrated by the TMC government against peacefully protesting students. The events of 1 March reflect a larger, more troubling pattern the systematic dismantling of democratic institutions within educational institutions. Jadavpur University, like many other institutions across the state, has suffered from the prolonged suspension of student union elections. Moreover, there has been a consistent reduction in government funding for education and research, further aggravating the infrastructural crisis faced by public educational institutions. We demand student union elections! The absence of democratic student unions has paralysed vital institutional bodies such as the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) and Anti-Ragging Cells, leaving them dysfunctional. Without student oversight, these committees have failed to deliver justice for many students particularly women, sexual minorities, and marginalised communities. Victim-blaming, slut-shaming, and harassment have become alarmingly routine, with students facing bureaucratic hurdles and patriarchal prejudice when seeking redressal. Simultaneously, under the false pretense of maintaining apolitical environments, right-wing ideologies are making insidious inroads into campuses. The recent incident at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha, where a Nepali students complaint was dismissed by the ICC under BJPs influence, serves as a grim reminder of how right-wing forces are using institutional mechanisms to silence dissent and marginalise voices. The roots of this crisis run deep. The privatisation and centralisation of education initiated during the Congress regime have accelerated under the New Education Policy (NEP). The NEP has further corporatised education, pushing it towards a profit-driven model. Recently, over 8,000 government schools have been shut down in West Bengal alone, leaving thousands of students with limited access to affordable education. The crisis of capitalism has transformed educational institutions into factories designed to produce cheap labour for global markets, stripping education of its emancipatory potential. The events of 1 March also exposed a critical challenge within the student movement the lack of leadership, and a programme. At this juncture, it is crucial to recognise a fundamental truth: in times of capitalist crisis an inherent feature of capitalism the bourgeois state cannot and will not concede to the legitimate demands of students and workers. It views organised unions as threats to its interests. Consequently, the state systematically dismantles these unions, deploying repressive laws and violent crackdowns to stifle dissent. True liberation for students, workers, women, and all layers of oppressed people cannot be achieved within the confines of this capitalist system. For justice! For democracy! For revolution! The solution does not lie in a mere change of ministers or governments. The problem is structural. Predictably, the bourgeois state has responded to the 1 March protests by falsely implicating and arresting a leftist student protestor, Sahil, while filing fabricated charges against several others. Expecting justice from a judiciary that serves the interests of the bourgeoisie is futile it is a cruel illusion. There can be no dialogue between the sword and the neck. What we need now is an organised, united, and militant student-worker movement against the bourgeois state. We must build a revolutionary force capable of challenging the oppressive structures that perpetuate inequality and exploitation. Ultimately, we will never be free while this rotten capitalist system remains. We need to agitate for a root-and-stem transformation, where workers and youth fight side-by-side for the downfall of capitalism and the building of a socialist society, managed democratically by working people for our benefit! We call upon all leftist activists, students, and workers: unite, take to the streets, and fight for democratic rights! Long live revolutionary student-worker solidarity! Our immediate demands: The United States has expressed interest in exploring potential partnerships with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) focused on critical minerals, according to a statement from the US State Department published on Sunday March 9. This comes after a Congolese senator reached out to US officials with a proposal suggesting a minerals-for-security agreement. The DRC, home to vast reserves of cobalt, lithium, and uranium, is currently engaged in a conflict with Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, who have seized large portions of the countrys territory this year. Discussions regarding the minerals pact have been circulating in Kinshasa for several weeks, with the US keen on enhancing its investment in the DRCs mining sector. The US State Department noted that it is open to discussing potential partnerships that align with the America First agenda, emphasizing Congos importance due to its vast reserves of minerals critical for advanced technologies. The department reiterated the US commitment to fostering private sector investments in Congos mining industry, ensuring that such development is both responsible and transparent. Although Kinshasa has not presented a formal proposal, it has made clear its intent to diversify its partnerships, seeking various international collaborators to support its economic and security interests. The possibility of such a partnership was further discussed when Andre Wameso, deputy chief of staff to Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, visited Washington earlier this month. While a proposal from Senator Pierre Kanda Kalambayi calling for US investment in exchange for assistance in regional stability did not receive formal approval from the Congolese government, it reflects the DRCs growing desire for diversified international relations. Despite the absence of an official agreement, discussions around the mining sector and regional stability continue, with future collaborations still in the early stages of development. Kenyan Police have used tear gas to disperse protesters attempting to occupy a church in Nairobis Roysambu suburb, following a controversial donation by President William Ruto. The Jesus Winner Ministry, which received 20 million shillings (around 120,000), has come under scrutiny from young Kenyans who are grappling with the countrys soaring cost of living. The donation has sparked anger among those who feel that the funds could be better spent addressing the nations financial struggles rather than supporting religious institutions. President Ruto has defended his donation, which is part of his broader initiative to support religious organizations, and has promised a similar gift to another church in Eldoret. However, his actions have drawn criticism from Kenyas Catholic and Anglican leaders, who have rejected donations in the past, citing concerns about the church being used for political purposes. Ruto, an evangelical Christian, argued that his donations are aimed at addressing Kenyas moral decay and fostering a closer relationship with God, despite mounting public discontent. Amidst the protests, clashes erupted, leading to the arrest of several individuals as demonstrators attempted to breach the church, block roads with rocks, and set fires. Despite the unrest, church services went ahead, with tight security measures in place. Bishop Edward Mwai accused unnamed individuals of mobilizing thugs to disrupt the service. Rutos critics, however, have voiced frustrations over the recent tax hikes imposed since his election, suggesting that the government should first tackle public waste and corruption before diverting funds to such donations. In the lead-up to Gabons presidential election on 12 April 2025, only four out of the 23 candidates who submitted their applications were deemed eligible to run, according to Interior Minister Hermann Immongault. Announcing the results on Sunday 9 March, H. Immongault confirmed that 19 candidates had been rejected, though they still have the opportunity to appeal the decision within 72 hours to the Constitutional Court. The election promises to be closely contested, with significant political figures vying for the presidency. Among the four candidates cleared to participate, there are notable names such as Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, the leader of the military coup that ousted the Bongo regime, and Alain-Claude Bilie By Nze, the last prime minister under Ali Bongo. Other contenders include doctor Stephane Germain Iloko, a former member of the PDG party, and Joseph Lapensee Essigone, a tax inspector and lawyer. These candidates are running as independents in the upcoming election, offering a diverse range of options for voters. Several prominent figures were among those rejected, including union leader Jean-Remy Yama, who was disqualified for lacking his fathers birth certificate, citing the fact that his father was born in 1920 when Gabon did not exist as an administrative entity. Other candidates, such as Pierre Claver Maganga Moussavou and Marlene Essola Effoutamane, were also rejected, with the former excluded due to age restrictions and the latter protesting the tailored nature of the electoral rules. Despite these setbacks, many rejected candidates have vowed to contest the decision in court. The United States State Department has ordered non-emergency Government personnel to leave South Sudans capital, Juba, as violence escalates following intense clashes in the northern part of the country. A travel advisory issued on Sunday March 9 highlighted the ongoing fighting and the widespread availability of weapons among the population. This move comes amid growing concerns over instability in the country, particularly after a series of arrests involving key Government officials. On Tuesday, an armed group clashed with the South Sudanese army, leading to the arrest of two government ministers and a deputy army chief who were aligned with former rebel leader-turned Vice President, Riek Machar. The army surrounded Machars residence as his supporters claimed that these arrests jeopardized the fragile peace agreement between President Salva Kiir and Machar. South Sudan, which was embroiled in a civil war from 2013 to 2018, continues to face challenges in fully implementing the peace deal signed in 2018. The security situation further deteriorated on Friday when a United Nations helicopter, on a mission to evacuate personnel from the north, was attacked. The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan condemned the attack, describing it as a war crime. The commission also expressed concern that the violence in the north, coupled with the tensions in the capital, could threaten the progress made under the peace agreement. Chairperson Yasmin Sooka stressed the need for leadership to prioritize peace and human rights to prevent further conflict and ensure a smooth transition to democracy. Mauritania has witnessed heightened tensions following an attack on a police station by migrants facing expulsion. On Saturday, migrants who were in the process of being deported to Mali targeted a police post in Gogui, a border area between the two countries. According to security sources, the migrants first hurled stones at the police station before setting it alight. The incident comes as part of a larger campaign against irregular migration, which has seen a significant increase in arrests and expulsions in recent days. Human rights organisations have raised concerns over the conditions in which these expulsions are taking place. Activists on social media have condemned the inhumane treatment of migrants, with particular focus on the overcrowded and unsafe conditions many are subjected to during the deportation process. One representative from the SOS Esclaves association urged authorities to reconsider their approach, emphasising that the situation risks violating migrants rights and dignity. In response to the unrest, Mauritanias government spokesman, Houssein Ould Meddou, described the security operations as part of routine work to address irregular immigration. While he did not disclose the exact number of individuals affected, he explained that those detained had entered the country without proper documentation and were being turned back at the border posts from which they arrived. The Ministry of Malians Abroad has since called for calm, noting the steady arrival of Malian nationals at the Gogui border post since the start of March and urging both sides to engage in peaceful dialogue. 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: BGI Genomics AI empowering Women Healthcare -precision medicine. Credit: BGI Genomics Despite making up half of the global population, women's health has often been sidelined by traditional health care systems. Systemic neglect has led to delayed diagnoses and inadequate care. Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a transformative force in women's health care, enhancing clinical decision-making, improving diagnostic accuracy, and guiding treatments for better outcomes. Historically excluded from clinical trials until the 1970s, women's health remains under-researched. Conditions like endometriosis, which affects one in 10 women, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are often undiagnosed or dismissed. Women also face higher misdiagnosis rates in critical situations, such as heart attacks, with a 66.1% misdiagnosis rate reported by Soliant Health in 2024. These disparities highlight the need for innovative solutions in women's health care. Diagnostic accuracy and early detection Multiple studies have shown that AI is significantly improving diagnostic accuracy. A study published in Nature Communication showed that radiologist-level AI systems help radiologists decrease their false positive rates by 37.3% in breast ultrasound diagnosis. Similarly, an AI tool tested by the NHS analyzed over 10,000 mammograms, identifying all breast cancer cases, including 11 missed by human doctors, according to BBC News. AI algorithms, particularly those based on deep learning, excel in interpreting medical images, often surpassing radiologists' precision. A Google Health AI model outperformed radiologists in detecting breast cancer from mammograms, reducing false positives and negatives. Enhancing clinical decision-making With the rapid growth of machine learning in medical technology, AI has been increasingly integrated into health care in various ways, with numerous related research projects underway around the world. One important aspect is that AI can now support clinical decision-making and reduce gender bias. AI models can analyze medical histories and symptoms, assisting doctors in ruling out potential diagnoses and reducing unnecessary tests. One such tool, Genetic Transformer (GeneT), is a multimodal gene detection model developed by BGI Genomics. It integrates pathogenic biomarker selection, verification, and whole-genome consultation to enhance diagnostic precision. The study focused on GeneT and rare disease screening is undergoing peer review and has been preprinted on medRxiv. "AI can quickly master professional knowledge in a disease field by analyzing literature, open sources, and data from BGI Genomics' collaborations," said Dr. Liang Lungang, Deputy Director of IT Department at BGI Genomics. "This 'knowledge' enables AI to provide actionable insights for clinicians." BGI Genomics is collaborating with major hospitals to apply first-hand clinical experience to the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases, ensuring that AI has practical clinical knowledge. With sufficient data input, tools like GeneT can revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of genetic conditions affecting women. Predictive analytics and personalized treatment AI's predictive analytics are revolutionizing treatment by leveraging genetic and clinical data. It can estimate a patient's risk of recurrence, metastasis, and other complications. The predictive analytic feature is invaluable for conditions like colorectal and breast cancer, where early intervention can significantly improve outcomes. BGI Genomics AI empowering Women Healthcare Article Cover. Credit: BGI Genomics Dr. Lin Cong from the Institute of Intelligent Medical Research (IIMR), featured in BGI Genomics' ChatDNA series, is developing an AI model for colorectal cancer screening. This model not only assists clinicians in diagnosis but also provides prognostic predictions that guide personalized treatments. "We aim to develop a universally applicable AI model in the next three to five years," Dr. Lin said. "It will enable faster, more accurate diagnoses, giving clinicians the tools to make data-driven decisions that can transform patient care." Guiding personalized treatment AI integrates various data typesmedical records, images, and genetic profilesto provide a comprehensive view of a patient's condition. MIT researchers have also developed an AI model that identifies stages of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) from breast tissue images, showing agreement with pathologists, according to MIT News. MIT's study showed that AI could identify breast tumor stages that are likely to progress to invasive cancer by analyzing chromatin images. AI also predicts how patients will respond to different cancer treatments, helping clinicians choose the most effective treatment plans. Prognostic modeling enables more personalized and proactive cancer management. AI is not just a tech trend; it's a necessity in women's health care. From enhanced diagnostics and personalized treatments to predictive analytics, AI has the potential to transform women's health care. The future is one of continuous innovation and collaboration, aiming to create a more equitable and effective health care system for women worldwide. Provided by BGI Genomics This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain University of Florida researchers are addressing a critical gap in medical genetic researchensuring it better represents and benefits people of all backgrounds. Their work, led by Kiley Graim, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Computer & Information Science & Engineering, focuses on improving human health by addressing "ancestral bias" in genetic data, a problem that arises when most research is based on data from a single ancestral group. This bias limits advancements in precision medicine, Graim said, and leaves large portions of the global population underserved when it comes to disease treatment and prevention. To solve this, the team developed PhyloFrame, a machine-learning tool that uses artificial intelligence to account for ancestral diversity in genetic data. The goal is to improve how diseases are predicted, diagnosed, and treated for everyone, regardless of their ancestry. A paper describing the PhyloFrame method and how it showed marked improvements in precision medicine outcomes was published in Nature Communications. Graim's inspiration to focus on ancestral bias in genomic data evolved from a conversation with a doctor who was frustrated by a study's limited relevance to his diverse patient population. This encounter led her to explore how AI could help bridge the gap in genetic research. "I thought to myself, 'I can fix that problem,'" said Graim, whose research centers around machine learning and precision medicine and who is trained in population genomics. "If our training data doesn't match our real-world data, we have ways to deal with that using machine learning. They're not perfect, but they can do a lot to address the issue." By leveraging data from population genomics database gnomAD, PhyloFrame integrates massive databases of healthy human genomes with the smaller datasets specific to diseases used to train precision medicine models. The models it creates are better equipped to handle diverse genetic backgrounds. For example, it can predict the differences between subtypes of diseases like breast cancer and suggest the best treatment for each patient, regardless of patient ancestry. Processing such massive amounts of data is no small feat. The team uses UF's HiPerGator, one of the most powerful supercomputers in the country, to analyze genomic information from millions of people. For each person, that means processing 3 billion base pairs of DNA. "I didn't think it would work as well as it did," said Graim, noting that her doctoral student, Leslie Smith, contributed significantly to the study. "What started as a small project using a simple model to demonstrate the impact of incorporating population genomics data has evolved into securing funds to develop more sophisticated models and to refine how populations are defined." A visual representation of the PhyloFrame method. Credit: Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57216-8 What sets PhyloFrame apart is its ability to ensure predictions remain accurate across populations by considering genetic differences linked to ancestry. This is crucial because most current models are built using data that does not fully represent the world's population. Much of the existing data comes from research hospitals and patients who trust the health care system. This means populations in small towns or those who distrust medical systems are often left out, making it harder to develop treatments that work well for everyone. She also estimated 97% of the sequenced samples are from people of European ancestry, due, largely, to national and state level funding and priorities, but also due to socioeconomic factors that snowball at different levelsinsurance impacts whether people get treated, for example, which impacts how likely they are to be sequenced. "Some other countries, notably China and Japan, have recently been trying to close this gap, and so there is more data from these countries than there had been previously, but still nothing like the European data," she said. "Poorer populations are generally excluded entirely." Thus, diversity in training data is essential, Graim said. "We want these models to work for any patient, not just the ones in our studies," she said. "Having diverse training data makes models better for Europeans, too. Having the population genomics data helps prevent models from overfitting, which means that they'll work better for everyone, including Europeans." Graim believes tools like PhyloFrame will eventually be used in the clinical setting, replacing traditional models to develop treatment plans tailored to individuals based on their genetic makeup. The team's next steps include refining PhyloFrame and expanding its applications to more diseases. "My dream is to help advance precision medicine through this kind of machine learning method, so people can get diagnosed early and are treated with what works specifically for them and with the fewest side effects," she said. "Getting the right treatment to the right person at the right time is what we're striving for." More information: Leslie A. Smith et al, Equitable machine learning counteracts ancestral bias in precision medicine, Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57216-8 Journal information: Nature Communications This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Validation of mature cortical neuron properties and effect of psilocin on cell surface-located 5-HT2A receptor presentation. Credit: eLife (2025). DOI: 10.7554/eLife.104006.1 A recent study by the Hector Institute for Translational Brain Research (HITBR) at the Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH) in Mannheim provides the first detailed cellular insights into how psilocin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, promotes the growth and networking of human nerve cells. These findings complement clinical studies on the treatment of mental disorders and could contribute to a better understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms behind the therapeutic effect of psilocybin. Psilocybin is the well-known active ingredient in so-called magic mushrooms, which is converted in the body to psilocinthe compound that ultimately unleashes the psychoactive effect. The Mannheim research team worked directly with psilocin to investigate the neurobiological effects. In their current study, which has been published in the journal eLife, the researchers investigated its effect on human nerve cells that they had cultivated from stem cells. The result: Even a single dose of psilocin was sufficient to induce various changes in human nerve cells within a short period of time. More connections, more communication, altered gene activity "What we observed is fascinating," explains Dr. Malin Schmidt, first author of the study. "The nerve cells formed more branches and produced more BDNF, an endogenous growth factor for nerve cells." What is even more astonishing is that synaptic changes persisted even after several days and communication between the nerve cells increased significantly. The researchers were also able to prove that psilocin changes the activity of certain genes that are important for the brain's ability to adapt. This so-called neuroplasticity is reduced in many mental illnesses. "Put simply, psilocin makes the brain more malleable again," explains study leader Prof. Dr. Philipp Koch. "Our results provide explanations at the cellular level for the positive effects observed in clinical studies with psilocybin in patients with depression, addiction and post-traumatic stress disorder." Better understanding of neurobiological mechanisms of action for new therapeutic approaches The work complements the clinical studies already underway at the CIMH and other research institutions worldwide, in which psilocybin is being investigated as a treatment option for various mental illnesses. "While clinical studies are investigating the efficacy in patients, our current work provides important insights into the underlying biological processes," emphasizes Koch. The Mannheim researchers used the iPSC technology (induced pluripotent stem cells) for their experiments. This makes it possible to grow functional nerve cells from human stem cells. "With this modern cell system, we can investigate the effect of substances directly on human nerve cells," explains Koch. "This is an enormous advantage over conventional studies on animal models, as we can observe the processes in a fully human system." The research results deepen the understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms of action of psilocybin and could help to further optimize psychedelic therapies that are already undergoing clinical trials. "With this better understanding of the cellular mechanisms, we may be able to take a more targeted approach and refine the therapeutic protocols," concludes Koch. More information: Malin Schmidt et al, Psilocin fosters neuroplasticity in iPSC-derived human cortical neurons, eLife (2025). DOI: 10.7554/eLife.104006.1 Journal information: eLife Provided by Zentralinstitut fur Seelische Gesundheit 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 While the promise of longer evenings can be appealing to many after a long, dark winter, the looming "spring forward" comes with a range of potential health concerns. Losing just one hour of sleep can throw off our internal clocks in ways that ripple through our health, spiking risks for heart problems, groggy commutes and restless nights. As the debate over daylight saving time ticks on, local experts are urging people to take this seasonal shift seriously. The annual daylight saving time is set to begin at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 9. And setting those clocks ahead one hour can take some adjusting. "We have this central clock in our brain, in the hypothalamus. It keeps our internal biological processes synchronized to the outside world," said Matthew Lehrer, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh. This clock is strongly controlled by light exposure: Morning sunlight signals wakefulness while nighttime darkness promotes sleep, he said in an email. Over the years, that clock has evolved to be adaptable to changes in day length, but it's unable to adjust quickly to a large shift, which is what happens during the twice-annual time change. Most people take three to seven days to fully adjust, though those with more rigid internal clocks may take longer, he said. "It's really an antiquated system," said Mallory Ciuksza, an internal medicine doctor at St. Clair Health. "Medically speaking, we do have data that it causes significant health outcomes that aren't beneficial." According to a 2020 study published in the PLOS Computational Biology journal, researchers found four prominent, elevated risk clusters associated with the time changes that occur in November and March: cardiovascular diseases, injuries, mental and behavioral disorders, and immune-related diseases, such as colitis, an inflammation of the colon. While the majority of disease risk elevations were relatively modestonly a few percentage points higher than normalsome negative health effects spiked up to 10%. The study estimated that each spring shift was associated with 150,000 incidences of negative health effects in the U.S. and 880,000 globally. "Studies show a 24% rise in heart attacks on the Monday following the transition" and an overall elevated risk for a two-week period afterward, said Kristina Lenker, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral science at the Penn State College of Medicine. "There is also an elevated risk of strokes during this period. Additionally, car accidents increase by about 6% in the week after the time change, resulting in more fatal crashes. These risks are attributed to sleep deprivation, circadian misalignment and environmental changes," she said in an email. The effects are most pronounced in the week following the time change, with some impacts lasting up to two weeks. When patients bring up their daylight saving time adjustment problems, Dr. Ciuksza sees it as an opportunity to promote "real self-care." "So in medicine, self-care isn't bathrobe time, right? It's not Korean skin care. It's more the stuff that you don't want to do for the first 10 minutes, like going for a walk, going to bed early, doing your exercise, reducing your caffeine consumption," all of which have been shown to reduce problems associated with heart disease and with inflammation, she said. In addition, Dr. Ciuksza advises her patients to maintain "good sleep hygiene," which means things like "turning the lights off, turning your cell phone off and your screens off for about an hour before you intend to go to sleep, making sure that you do have some form of exercise throughout the day," even just a 15-minute post-dinner walk. She also noted that meditation can positively affect everything from the ease of falling asleep to anxiety, heart disease and high blood pressure. "So doing some meditation before you go to bed can help to focus your mind and get you prepared for sleep, even if your circadian rhythms are challenging." Certain groups are more vulnerable to the short-term health effects, said Lenker. "These include adolescents and teenagers, who experience 'social jet lag' due to their naturally delayed circadian rhythms." "Social jet lag" refers to the mismatch between a person's internal body clock and their social schedule and is especially evident in those who stay up far later on the weekends than on weekdays. Additionally, shift workers already accustomed to irregular schedules face exacerbated circadian misalignment, and older adults have reduced flexibility in their circadian rhythms, making adjustment more difficult, Lenker said. People with preexisting sleep disorders, such as insomnia or sleep apnea, may also see their conditions worsen with the time change. Early birds and night owls too may struggle more than most to adjust to the new schedule. All of these groups share a higher risk for negative impacts such as fatigue, cognitive impairments, cardiovascular issues and mood disturbances, she said. Clocking the past Benjamin Franklin first satirically introduced the idea of daylight saving time in a 1784 essay, "An Economical Project," which was published in the Journal de Paris, according to the Franklin Institute. He suggested that if Parisians would simply rise with the sun, they'd save money on candles and lamp oil. The founding father went on to suggest a number of tongue-in-cheek penalties for those who resisted shifting their waking to align with the sun, such as being taxed for window shutters and setting limits on candle purchases, among other sanctions. But the idea for modern daylight saving time is generally credited to George Hudson, an entomologist from New Zealand, who proposed the idea in 1895 to accommodate his after-work hobby of summertime bug hunting, according to National Geographic. The idea did not gain global acceptance until World War I, when coal was costly and the energy-saving practice was branded a necessary war effort by nations on both sides of the conflict. On March 9, 1918, the Congress enacted its first daylight saving law and also adopted the Standard Time Act, which defined time zones in the U.S. Wake-up call The oft-debated practice should be retired, all three experts agreed. "The evidence is clear that permanent Standard Time is healthier. Humans require adequate morning light so that our internal biological rhythms synchronize properly to the local time," said Lehrer. "Earlier sunrises, which occur on Standard Time, are therefore the most conducive for health. Many studies show that a lack of exposure to morning light leads to health problems including sleep and metabolic disorders, depression and cardiovascular disease." Lenker pointed out that a more natural circadian alignment promotes improved sleep patterns, quality and duration. It also improves cognitive function, mood and overall well-being, and the extra daylight provides better driving conditions for the morning commute. "Standard Time is particularly beneficial for adolescents and young adults, who have a biological tendency towards later sleep times." Plenty of legislation has been introduced over the years at both the state and federal levels to eliminate the practice. In Pennsylvania, state Rep. Russ Diamond, R-Lebanon, has introduced yet another bill to end daylight saving time in the state. The bill, which boasts 12 bipartisan co-sponsors, was last referred to the Intergovernmental Affairs & Operations committee on Jan. 16. 2025 the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain A University of Rochester Medical Center study showed that downtime in the emergency room can have a potential upside for women who are behind on cervical cancer screenings, which is a nationwide problem. Researchers approached women between ages 21 and 65 while they were in the ER as patients for a variety of health problems, as they waited for test results or a medical consultation. The patients agreed to answer questions about cervical cancer screening on a portable tablet-style computer and enroll in a clinical study. Researchers then referred the women to local screening services. Some also received motivational text message reminders, which helped to boost the number of women who followed up with screening on their own time. The study enrolled nearly 1,100 ER patients who were not up to date on screeningsand results showed that twice as many women went ahead and got their cervical cancer screenings within 150 days compared to historical norms. Senior Investigator David Adler, MD, MPH, professor of Emergency Medicine and a member of Wilmot Cancer Institute's Cancer Prevention and Control research program, emphasized the study's low-cost, efficient approach to increasing the cancer screenings. "Whether it's cervical cancer, lung cancer, or colorectal cancer, the emergency department environment is a rich place to approach people and develop ways to prompt them to get screened and prevent cancer," he said. "This is normally the purview of primary care doctors, but we have a lot of patients who either don't have a doctor or aren't in regular contact with their primary care team." The study, published in Academic Emergency Medicine, helps to close the gap for those who are eligible for cervical cancer screenings but have not stayed up to datea territory dubbed "the Last Mile Problem" by the National Cancer Institute. The project is especially important for the Rochester region, which has higher cancer rates compared to national and New York state rates, and where Wilmot is investing in prevention and community outreach. Why is cervical cancer screening important? If it's not caught early, cervical cancer can be deadly. The five-year survival rate for women with cervical cancer in the earliest stages is 91%, but this drops to 19% when cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Cervical cancer screening is a cornerstone of preventative health, with decades of research behind it. A pap test or HPV test can help find pre-cancerous changes in the cervix and prevent cancer from developing. "There's no doubt that screening saves lives. No one should be dying of cervical cancer," said Beau Abar, Ph.D., an emergency medicine investigator who collaborated with Adler. Conducting research in a busy emergency department A primary goal of the study was to make sure it did not slow the pace of regular emergency services. An innovative team at UR known as Emergency Department Research Associates ran the study, under the guidance of Adler and Abar. The program has been in operation for more than 25 years at Strong Memorial Hospital with training to enroll patients in emergency department-based clinical trials without interfering with health care. This project took place at Strong Hospital's large emergency facility in Rochester, a Level 1 trauma center, and at Noyes Memorial Hospital's smaller emergency room in Dansville, NY. Noyes serves rural residents in the Southern Tier region and is affiliated with the University of Rochester and Wilmot. Researchers randomly assigned women into one of two groups: The first group received standard verbal and written recommendations to get screened and a referral for services; the second group also received text-message reminders such as: "Our goal is to do what we can to keep you healthy. One way we can do that is to help make sure you are up to date with your cervical cancer screening." During the next five months, researchers discovered that 20% of the first group of women went for a screening test and 23% of the text message group received screening. This is at least twice the typical rate of screening uptake during this interval, according to historical control data. (Women did not receive pap tests and/or HPV tests during wait times in the emergency roomit was up to each person to seek the testing elsewhere.) "We understand that we are not going to get everyone that needs to be screened," Adler said, "but every person who does get screened is a win." Adler's team designed the project to be suitable for emergency departments elsewhere, and a larger, multicenter study is the next goal. Meanwhile, they are working on a smaller study focusing solely on the HPV test as a form of cervical cancer screening. The idea is to have patients swab themselves in the bathroom during an ER visit, like providing a urine sample. Roche Diagnostics is supporting that project. More information: David Adler et al, Lowcost interventions to increase uptake of cervical cancer screening among emergency department patients: Results of a randomized clinical trial, Academic Emergency Medicine (2025). DOI: 10.1111/acem.15101 Journal information: Academic Emergency Medicine This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: An image of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (in magenta) in a lung 25 days after infection. Credit: Ophelia V. Lee Russell Vance is an immunology professor, infectious disease researcher, and the director of UC Berkeley's Cancer Research Laboratory. By studying the immune system's response to bacteria that cause tuberculosis and dysentery, Vance hopes to apply those insights into other areas affecting public health, such as cancer. Vance spoke with UC Berkeley writer Alexander Rony as the federal government was freezing and eliminating many disease research and treatment programs. Vance addressed the ramifications of these changes as well as his hopes for major public health breakthroughs through basic research. How have recent changes to federal programs impacted infectious disease researchers? In general, there's a lot of uncertainty about whether the strong track record of funding for basic research in the United States will continue. In particular, funding for infectious disease research seems to be especially vulnerable. Funding to deal with these diseases globally has been very harshly cut. There was a long list in the New York Times of all the programs that have been cut [editor's note: some federal cuts are being litigated in court and may be reinstated]. Three million people were getting tuberculosis drugs provided through USAID, and that has been cut. A lot of pregnant women go on prophylactic treatments to prevent transmitting HIV to their fetus, and that has been cut. Bednets to prevent malaria for 50 million people have been cut. As a result, we can anticipate that the progress we were making against these diseases will be reversed. Therefore, these diseases, which were already a big problem, will get worse. Did you work with any of the eliminated programs? A little bit. There's a research consortium called Smart4TB, which is on the list of programs being cut. That was in part run through UCSF. People I interact with are supported by these programs. Vaccines are probably the greatest public health intervention ever devised, and unfortunately they've become politicized. My immediate concerns are for the people who are going to die because they're not getting vaccines. I'm also concerned about my research funding, but that seems like a relatively minor problem compared to the very predictable deaths that will ensue if we stop delivering these vaccines. How do you stay grounded in your work during this time of upheaval? What helps me is having been in the field for a while and having the perspective that these things were never going to be solved overnight. We've been battling against tuberculosis for more than a century and progress has been made, but it was always going to be a long struggle. We expect bumps in the road. That's how it goes with these things. In the long view, hopefully, there will be positive news going the other direction. I try to remain optimistic, but this is probably the worst setback for infectious diseases in my career. You used to teach a course called 'Plagues and Pandemics.' That was before COVID. If you could convince policymakers to sit through your course, what would you hope they would take away? One is that infectious diseases remain a very severe burden on humanity. They haven't been solved. In the United States, we sometimes don't pay that much attention to infectious disease because we're a relatively rich country, and we don't often see the impact. But, globally speaking, the burden is still immense. The other take-home message is that new threats are always emerging, so we have to prepare. When COVID happened, it wasn't particularly surprising to me, because if you study history, you know some new infectious disease emerges every few years. HIV only really emerged in the 1980s. SARS-CoV-1 caused a serious outbreak in 2003. Before the COVID pandemic, there was a flu pandemic in 2009 that everyone was worried about. You are affiliated with Berkeley's Immunotherapeutics and Vaccine Research Initiative. How do cancer research and infectious disease research play off each other? What ties them together is that the immune system is playing a very important role in both disease processes. The immune system obviously protects against infections, but what has become appreciated more recently is that the immune system also plays a big role in fighting tumors. Whether you're studying it from the perspective of an infection or a tumor, you're still trying to understand the fundamental rules that govern how the immune system works and why it sometimes doesn't. We have this nice, collaborative group here at Berkeley where I interact with cancer biologists, even though my lab is an infectious disease lab. Those interactions promote this kind of cross-fertilization between fields and allow us to see that some discoveries we're making in our lab on infectious disease could be relevant for cancer and vice versa. That's how discoveries work. You don't set out to cure some particular disease; you set out to answer some basic, curiosity-driven question. Our minds are prepared for when we stumble across something so we can see how it might be important in another context. Can you describe your research around tuberculosis? Before COVID, tuberculosis was the biggest infectious disease killer of humans. After COVID, that's still true. One of the interesting things about tuberculosis is that not everyone infected with the bacteria will come down with the disease. One of the reasons that has emerged to explain why some people are more susceptible than others is that the people who come down with the disease are making an inappropriate immune response. Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection, but it seems some people make an immune response that would be useful if you were fighting off a virus. We're trying to figure out why some people make the wrong kind of response and why that wrong response is actually detrimental. We're trying to figure out interventions that could allow people to make the right kind of response. This kind of divergent response is true not just of bacterial infections like tuberculosis, but many bacterial infections. It may be broadly relevant in the context of cancer, because the wrong kind of immune response might prevent you from eliminating a tumor. How is your lab funded? The work we do is extremely expensive, and it would not be possible without the support of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the NIH. With a disease like tuberculosis, which is globally significant and extremely hard to work on, there are a lot of experimental challenges. The bacteria grow very slowly, so experiments take a very long time. It's a Biosafety Level 3 organism [editors note: a lab standard for lethal, airborne pathogens]. We have to do everything in a special, secure laboratory. There's been a very strong commitment at Berkeley to supporting Biosafety Level 3 research. We were one of the few institutions ready to respond to COVID. These laboratories take years to buildyou can't just build them when there's an outbreakso it's really important to maintain this infrastructure. It's not possible for an individual to run a Biosafety Level 3 lab; you need to have institutional support. You were featured on two episodes of the popular Discovery Channel show Mythbusters. What can we learn from that program to tackle scientific misinformation? Obviously, I'm a big believer in science, and part of the reason is because intuition tends to be unreliable. One of the cool things about Mythbusters is that they show that you can prove intuition right or wrong by doing controlled, rigorous experiments. If people could appreciate more how their beliefs might be wrong and that they need to be tested before big decisions, that would be very helpful. 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: Roughly one in five (21 percent) of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) deaths might be related to occupational exposures, according to research published in the March 6 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Jacek M. Mazurek, M.D., from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Washington, D.C., and colleagues conducted an exploratory analysis of 2020 to 2022 multiple cause-of-death data to examine IPF mortality among U.S. workers by industry and occupation. The researchers identified 67,843 decedents with IPF (59 percent male), suggesting that during this three-year period, 8,340 IPF deaths in men and 5,908 deaths in women might have been associated with occupational exposures. The highest proportionate mortality ratios by industry group were among those employed in utilities for men (1.15) and those employed in public administration for women (1.12). The highest IPF mortality rates by occupation group among men were for community and social services workers (1.23); for women, the occupation group with the highest IPF mortality rates was farming, fishing, and forestry workers (1.24). "Estimates of elevated IPF mortality among workers in specific industries and occupations warrant confirmation, control of known exposure-related risk factors, and continued surveillance to better understand the full range of occupational exposures that might increase risk for developing IPF," the authors write. More information: Jacek M. Mazurek et al, Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Mortality by Industry and Occupation United States, 20202022, MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (2025). DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7407a1 Journal information: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Copyright 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: An electron micrograph of the measles virus. Credit: CDC/ Courtesy of Cynthia S. Goldsmith U.S. measles cases jumped by a third over the past week, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, a worrying sign in the outbreak that's already linked to two deaths. New Mexico's health department listed Friday that an adult who had died and then tested positive for measles had succumbed to the disease, though the state's medical examiner has yet to confirm the cause of death. If it was caused by measles, it would be New Mexico's first such fatality in at least 40 years, according to the CDC. U.S. cases since the beginning of the year rose by 58 to 222 across 12 states, the CDC reported Friday, and 38, or 17% of those confirmed cases, have led to hospitalization. Texas, the hardest-hit state with the first U.S. reported death in a decade, reported 198 cases on Friday, 39 more than its last update on March 4. And New Mexico's confirmed cases are now at 30, an increase of 20 from its prior report. All of New Mexico's cases have been in Lea County, which abuts Gaines County, the epicenter in Texas. The CDC's weekly data lags behind each individual state's count and only includes confirmed cases reported the Thursday before data is released, so does not include the Texas and New Mexico updates on Friday. Not even three months into 2025, U.S. cases are already approaching last year's total of 285. Measles is a highly contagious diseaseup to 90% of the people around a positive case who are not immune will become infected, according to the CDC. Texas has been the epicenter of the outbreak, and health officials there have said it is probably larger than what's already reported. "I don't think it's over. It's a huge population out there," said Philip Huang, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services. "There's some question about how many people are actually getting tested, too, and are we always getting the full picture of what's going on?" Tracking an outbreak A team of CDC experts is now in Texas after the Department of State Health Services requested federal help for tracking the outbreak on Feb. 28. Three CDC physicians with experience in infectious disease and four epidemiologists are split across the West Texas region where the outbreak is located, a spokesperson for the state's health department said in an email. The whole team is from the CDC's viral vaccine preventable disease branch in the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. So far, the CDC has provided 2,000 vaccines to the state, according to a person familiar with the matter. The state has also brought on an extra 36 contractors to help with vaccination efforts and specimen collection. Nearly one in five children are unvaccinated in Gaines County, Texas, the area hardest hit. The MMR vaccine is 93% effective in preventing infection after one dose and the best way to prevent the spread of the highly contagious disease, public health officials say. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently touted unconventional remedies, like vitamin A, in a Fox News interview, which concerned local health officials. "We really cannot distract from or dilute the primary message that vaccination is the key to addressing this," Dallas County's Huang said. 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: An electron micrograph of the measles virus. Credit: CDC/ Courtesy of Cynthia S. Goldsmith Amid the outbreak of measles in West Texas, there's a question of how contagious the disease isand whether it will spread in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. So far, nearly 160 cases have been reported from the outbreak; one confirmed case in Rockwall County was believed to be unrelated. Public health officials have told The Dallas Morning News that the spread of measles in Dallas-Fort Worth will largely come down to how far the virus circulatessuch as if and where an infectious person travelsand the rates of vaccination within a community. To understand more about the contagiousness of the disease, it's key to unpack why the measles virus is so transmissible and how critical vaccination is in preventing its spread. What kind of virus is measles? Measles belongs to a family of viruses called paramyxoviruses, which include over 75 other viruses that infect humans and animals. These infectious microbes include mumpsone of the viruses targeted in the MMR vaccine alongside measlesand respiratory syncytial virus, a common, contagious illness that causes cold-like symptoms. "Structurally, measles looks a lot like a coronavirus, it's built of similar parts," said Benjamin Neuman, chief virologist for the Texas A&M Global Health Research Complex. "So instead of a spiky round ball, you've got more of a long snake and it's covered in the same sorts of little bumps." Using these little bumps, called fusion proteins, measles enters white blood cells and makes copies of itself. As the white blood cells travel throughout the body, they inadvertently spread the viral particles to organs such as the lungs, liver and, in rare cases, the brain. "What's particularly bad about the measles virus is that it damages or destroys a lot of our immune cells that maintain our immune memory," said Scott C. Weaver, director of the University of Texas Medical Branch's Institute for Human Infections and Immunity. Forgetting all the pathogens a body has encountered is called immune amnesia. This process has been studied in infected rhesus macaque monkeys that had measles replace all normal immune memory cells with those that only recognize it. Other studies found measles reduces an unvaccinated child's antibodies that recognize other viruses and bacteria by anywhere from 11% to 73%. Some statistical models found it could take two to three years after a measles infection to restore protective immune memory, putting a child (or unvaccinated adult) at risk for other viral infections or diseases they may have recovered from before. What makes measles so transmissible? Weakening the immune system is just part of measles' contagion playbook. The virus can spread with remarkable efficiency when viral particles in an infected person's nose and throat mucus become airborne through a cough, sneeze or even breathing. These viral particles can linger in the air for up to two hours, said Dr. Minji Kang, an assistant professor and infectious disease specialist at UT Southwestern Medical Center. To describe how easily an infection like measles can jump from person to person, epidemiologists use a term called the basic reproductive number, or R0 (pronounced "R naught"), said Diana Cervantes, an associate professor of population and community health at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. It represents the average number of people an infected person can spread the disease to, assuming there's no immunity to the disease in a community or population. While R0 isn't an innate biological characteristic of a pathogenit can change depending on a number of factorstypically the higher the R0, the more contagious an infectious disease is. For measles, one infected person can spread the virus to anywhere from 12 to 18 unvaccinated people, said Cervantes. This makes measles more transmissible than influenza and COVID-19, said Weaver of UTMB. Some estimates put the R0 between 1 and 2 for influenza and between 1.4 to 2.5 for COVID-19, as estimated initially by the World Health Organization. Some later studies, however, have suggested COVID-19s R0 could be as high as 7. Cervantes said factors that affect R0 include duration (or how long you're exposed to an infectious person); opportunities for transmission (for example, if you're interacting with one or more people); the probability of transmission for each opportunity; and a person's underlying susceptibility to infection. This is why vaccination is crucial to curbing the spread of measles: by creating a firewall of immunity, the virus is largely barred from infecting someone even if they were exposed, effectively lowering measles' R0. "If there's a measles case introduced and everyone is vaccinated or there's a high vaccine rate, you're going to see a smaller R0," Cervantes said. The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is over 95% effective in preventing infection, and prevents the spread of the virus when more than 95% of people in a community are vaccinatedwhat's known as herd immunity. "Fortunately, the vaccine for measles is a better vaccine than the influenza vaccines," Weaver said. "The measles virus itself doesn't change very fast over time, unlike influenza and coronaviruses. We don't have to constantly make new forms of the vaccine to keep up with the virus' evolution." Public health officials such as Dr. Philip Huang, health authority for the Dallas County Health and Human Services, are recommending Dallas-Fort Worth residents get vaccinated if they haven't already. "It's a real easy solution," said Huang. "If people just [check] their vaccine records and get up to date on the recommended vaccines, that's all people need to do." 2025 The Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain In Washington's debate over enacting steep funding cuts to Medicaid, words are a central battleground. Many Republican lawmakers and conservative policy officials who want to scale back the joint state-federal health program are using charged language to describe it. Language experts and advocates for Medicaid enrollees say their word choice is misleading and aims to sway public opinion against the popular, 60-year-old government program in a bid to persuade Congress to cut funding. Republicans such as Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, are deploying provocative terms such as "money laundering," rebranding a decades-oldand legalpractice known as provider taxes, which most states use to gain additional federal Medicaid funds. They say it's "discrimination" that the federal government matches state funding at a higher rate for adults covered by the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion than it does for other enrollees, including children, pregnant women and disabled people. And many Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and the director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought, have described adults who gained Medicaid coverage through the ACA expansion as "able-bodied" as they push for federal work requirements. The term implies they have less need for government assistance than other Medicaid recipientseven though some have health conditions or caregiving responsibilities that make holding full-time jobs difficult. "Able-bodied adults without dependents are better off with jobs than with hand-outs, and so are their communities and American taxpayers," Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said in a press release in February. To be sure, political spin is a practice older than Washington, and Democrats are no spectators in the war of words. But what's striking about the latest GOP effort is that it is focused on cutting a health program for the nation's poorest residents to pay, in part, for tax cuts for wealthier Americans. A KFF poll conducted last month and released Friday found that support for proposed changes to Medicaid can wax or wane depending on what individuals are told about the program. For example, the poll found about six in 10 adults support work requirements, with the same portion of respondents believing incorrectly that most working-age adults on Medicaid are unemployed. In fact, about two-thirds work. KFF's poll also showed that support for work requirements drops to about three in 10 adults when those who initially supported them hear that most Medicaid enrollees are already working and that, if the requirements were implemented, many would risk losing coverage because of the burden of proving eligibility. When respondents initially opposed to work requirements were told they could allow Medicaid to be reserved for groups like the elderly, people with disabilities, and low-income children, support for them increased to 77%. Steven Mintz, a history professor at the University of Texas, said the Medicaid debate will likely be won not on the facts, but instead on which party can describe it in terms that gain the most public support. "Words are wielded as weapons," he said. Republicans' word choices are designed to appeal to people's prejudices about Medicaid, he said, adding that "loaded" terms help divert attention from a detailed policy discussion. "Words help reinforce a position that people already lean toward," he said. Sara Rosenbaum, professor emerita of health law and policy at George Washington University, said conservatives who have long tried to shrink Medicaid have an obvious motivation. "These people spend their lives trying to ruin the program by searching for the newest slogans, the newest quips, and the newest nonsensical monikers that they think somehow will persuade Congress to completely upend the program and take benefits away from tens of millions of people," she said. Medicaid and the closely related Children's Health Insurance Program cover nearly 80 million low-income and disabled peopleroughly one in five Americans. Enrollment and spending soared in the past decade due largely to the COVID pandemic and the decision by more states to expand Medicaid under the ACA. Polling shows the program is nearly as popular as Medicare, the health program primarily for those 65 or olderwith about three in four Americans holding a favorable opinion of Medicaid. The House of Representatives' budget resolution, a blueprint that narrowly passed Feb. 25 with no Democratic support, calls for cuts of at least $880 billion over a decade, largely from federal health and energy programs. A separate Senate resolution with no such cutsso faris also in play. Any proposal would need to pass both chambers. Democrats fear most of those cuts will come from Medicaid. Trump has vowed not to touch Medicare, leaving few if any alternatives. He has said he would "cherish" Medicaid and go after only waste, fraud, and abuse in the program without offering details on how those would be interpretedand he endorsed the House's blueprint calling for cuts. States and the federal government share in the financing of Medicaid, with the federal government paying from 50% to 77% of the cost of providing services to most beneficiaries. The rate is 90% for beneficiaries receiving coverage through their state's Medicaid expansion program. The federal matching rate varies based on a state's per capita income relative to the national average; states with lower per capita incomes have higher matching rates. The remaining share of program funding comes from state and local sources. The words "discrimination" and "money laundering" have been used in reports from the Paragon Health Institute, a conservative think tank led by a former Trump adviser, Brian Blase. Two former Paragon executives now advise Trump, and a former Paragon analyst advises Johnson. Blase said there's no ulterior motive in the group's word choices. "This is us trying to describe the issue in a way that makes the most sense to members of Congress and policymakers," he said. Paragon analysts have argued for ending the federal government's "discrimination" in matching state dollars for those covered under the ACA's Medicaid expansion at a higher rate than for other enrollees. They also propose giving states a set amount of federal money per year for the program, rather than the open-ended federal funds that have always been a hallmark of Medicaid. One way states raise funds for their share of Medicaid spending is through provider taxes that hospitals or nursing homes pay. States often reimburse the providers through the extra federal money. Blase acknowledges that provider taxes used by states to draw down more federal moneywhich Paragon has referred to as "money laundering"are legal. He said calling the practice a "tax" is misleading because the providers financially benefit from it. "Money laundering is the best term we can think of for the schemes providers and states come up with to get federal reimbursement for artificial expenditures that benefits states and providers," he said. Joan Alker, executive director of the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University, defended provider taxes as a legal way states raise money to cover low-income people. She noted most states with provider taxes are controlled at least partly by Republicans. Alker rejected the notion that enhanced funding to expand enrollment is "discrimination." The ACA included the higher rates for covering more low-income enrollees because that was the only way states could afford it, she said. Without providing a specific example, Blase said advocates have said cuts would "leave people dying in the streets." During a brief funding freeze to Medicaid providers in January, Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said, "This is a blatant attempt to rip away health insurance from millions of Americans overnight and will get people killed." 2025 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Trajectories of opioid use during the first year of workers compensation in injured workers with back and neck conditions. Credit: CNS Drugs (2025). DOI: 10.1007/s40263-025-01169-5 Thousands of injured Victorian employees are receiving high-risk opioid prescriptions, Monash University-led research has found. Published in the peer-reviewed journal CNS Drugs, the study investigated opioid prescriptions for injured employees funded by the Victorian workers' compensation system, and for the first time measured the number with early high-risk prescribing patterns. Researchers analyzed data from 30,590 employees with back and neck injuries from 2010 to 2019, who had time off work due to their injury and made a workers' compensation claim. Of these, 6,278 (about 20.5%) were prescribed opioids in the first three months of their claim. It is generally recommended to avoid opioids if possible and use other pain relief methods first. If opioids are prescribed, they should be used for a short time and in low doses. Among those prescribed opioids in the first three months, 2 out of 3 workers (67.1%) had early high-risk opioid prescriptions, and nearly 1 in 4 (22.8%) continued using opioids after a year. "We analyzed detailed data on the type, volume and timing of opioid prescriptions paid for by the workers' compensation system," said first author Yonas Tefera, from Monash University's School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine Healthy Working Lives Research Group. "Prescribing was considered high-risk if there was a large volume prescribed within the first three months, if long-acting opioids were prescribed early, or if other high-risk medicines were prescribed at the same time as opioids. "We also found that early high-risk prescribing doubled the chances of long-term opioid use. Previous studies show that injured workers who use opioids early or for a long time tend to have more time off work and worse health outcomes." The study also found that workers in rural and more economically disadvantaged areas were more likely to receive early high-risk opioid prescriptions and also to have long-term use. Senior author and Healthy Working Lives Research Group Director Professor Alex Collie said the results highlighted the extent of two potentially very harmful patterns among workers with common workplace injuries and compensation claimsearly high-risk opioid prescribing and long-term opioid use. "More than 120,000 Australians have workers' compensation claims involving more than a week off work every year, and many of these claims are for back and neck injuries," Professor Collie said. "If the patterns we observe in Victoria also occur in other states and territories, then potentially thousands of workers are receiving high-risk opioid prescriptions funded by our workers' compensation systems. "This study highlights the need for stronger monitoring of prescription patterns in our workers' compensation systems, and the need for stronger approaches to prevent potentially harmful prescription opioid use." In another study published last year in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, the Monash research team found that most workers' compensation regulators in Australia do not routinely capture data on prescription medicines. "Victoria is one of only two states in the country where this sort of analysis is possible, because the other state workers' compensation systems aren't collecting detailed information on the medicines they are paying for," Professor Collie said. More information: Yonas Getaye Tefera et al, Early High-Risk Opioid Prescribing and Persistent Opioid Use in Australian Workers with Workers' Compensation Claims for Back and Neck Musculoskeletal Disorders or Injuries: A Retrospective Cohort Study, CNS Drugs (2025). DOI: 10.1007/s40263-025-01169-5 Journal information: Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Prostate cancer statistics can look scary: 34,250 U.S. deaths in 2024. 1.4 million new cases worldwide in 2022. Dr. Bruce Montgomery, a UW Medicine oncologist, hopes that patients won't see these numbers and just throw up their hands in fear or resignation. "Being diagnosed with prostate cancer is not a death knell," said Montgomery, senior author of a literature and trial review that appeared in JAMA today. Montgomery is the clinical director of Genitourinary Oncology at Fred Hutch Cancer Center and University of Washington Medical Center, and a professor of medicine and urology at the UW School of Medicine. He encourages patients to ask their primary-care doctor specific questions about this cancer too. Montgomery also encourages his fellow doctors to bring up the question of prostate cancer screening with their patients. "Knowing whether there is prostate cancer and how risky it is can be the first step. Not every cancer needs to be treated," he said. "Sometimes it's safe to just watch and use active surveillance." A 2024 study coauthored by UW Medicine urologist Dr. Daniel Lin showed that active surveillance can be extremely safe: 0.1% of men who opted for surveillance died of prostate cancer after 10 years. "We need to realize that prostate cancer is not one disease," Montgomery said. "As a provider, you need to personalize your approach to the patient you're seeing and to the disease that they personally are dealing with." For example, if a 50-year-old man develops prostate cancer that is only in the prostate, then more aggressive measures may need to be considered. However, if the disease, which can be slow-moving, develops in an 80-year-old patient, the discussion may be quite different. "I've seen men that age (80s) develop prostate cancer and they've opted for no therapy," he said. "They know that treatment, such as radiation, might make them feel terrible ... so they just say 'no.'" "You, as their physician," he noted, "must respect that." "But if you're 50 and have 25 to 30 years in which prostate cancer can become a bigger issue, even with the downsides, most patients should get therapy," he said. For more advanced prostate cancer, the number of effective treatments developed has markedly increased, as has the survival rate of men whose prostate cancer has spread to other parts of their bodies. "Metastatic prostate cancer needs therapy and research over the past 10 to 20 years has improved and continues to improve survival substantially," he said. "Knowing who needs treatment, which treatment to use and when is both an art and a science." The article covered facts that men and their doctors should know, including: Approximately 1.5 million new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed annually worldwide. Approximately 75% of cases are first detected when the cancer is still localized to the prostate. This early detection was associated with a five-year survival rate of nearly 100%. Management includes active surveillance, prostatectomy surgical removal of the prostate, or radiation therapy, depending on risk of progression. Approximately 10% of cases are diagnosed after the cancer has spread. This stage of prostate cancer has a five-year survival rate of 37%. The most common prostate cancer is adenocarcinoma, a type that starts in gland cells, and the median age at diagnosis is 67 years. More than 50% of prostate cancer risk is attributable to genetic factors and older age. Prostate cancer came to public attention, both nationally and internationally last year, when famed local travel writer, Rick Steves, announced he had developed prostate cancer. He proclaimed last month via his X account, formerly Twitter, that after radiation and surgery at UW Medicine and Fred Hutch, he was cancer free. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Illustration of the virus which causes measles. Credit: CDC/ Allison M. Maiuri, MPH, CHES The rate of measles outbreaks in the United States is rising: Last year, there were 16 outbreaks, up from four in 2023. So far in 2025, there have been three outbreaks of measles with cases reported in 12 states and confirmed deaths of an unvaccinated child and unvaccinated adult. With kindergarten vaccination rates declining nationwide, more communities may be at risk for contracting a disease that was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000. Measles, a highly contagious respiratory infectionup to nine out of 10 people who come into contact with the disease contract itthat causes serious complications, has been grabbing headlines with outbreaks in Texas, New Mexico and Bergen County in New Jersey. Most of the 222 cases are among children who hadn't received the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. Margaret Quinn, a clinical professor specializing in pediatrics at the Rutgers School of Nursing, discusses the myths and facts about measles and its vaccine and how to protect yourself and your family. How does an outbreak occur after measles was considered eradicated in the United States? Outbreaks of measles occur as we are a worldwide community. We are easily connected by travel, and other countries do not have the vaccination requirements or compliance rates that we have in the United States. Add an at-risk individualan unvaccinated child who contracts measlesand you can see how this can easily spread in communities. Many parents are choosing to not immunize their children, which causes a vulnerable gap for measles to spread. Statistics show if 90% of the population are not immunized with the measles vaccination, infections can occur and spread. Even those who are immunized have a small risk of contracting the measles virusjust not as severe. According to current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports, 94% of the current measles cases we are reading about were in unimmunized people; 80% of current cases are children under 19 years old. There are certainly pockets of vulnerability in New Jersey. According to data from the New Jersey Department of Health, the five counties that have the highest proportion of children who have not been vaccinated due to religious exemption are Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, Ocean and Sussex. A parent's decision not to vaccinate a child against measles puts infants everywhere at risk for this killer disease. How contagious is measles compared with other diseases? Per the CDC, measles is one of the most contagious viruses on the planet. One infected person can transmit measles to 12 to 18 people. To put it in perspective, one person with the flu can transmit to three people. The measles is spread through small droplets and can remain in a room for up to two hours in the air after the infected person leaves the room. Who is most at risk, and what are the complications of contracting measles? Those who are most at risk are children under 12 months of age as they have not had their measles vaccine yet. Children over 12 months of age who are not immunized are also at highest risk. Those with compromised immune systems from cancer treatments, radiation or other immune treatments are also at highest risk. Complications from a measles infection can cause serious illness requiring hospitalizationeven in previously healthy children. There are risks of bacterial infections such as pneumonia or encephalitis (an inflammation on the brain). We are most concerned about permanent brain damage as well as death from these outbreaks, which can be very severe. Ear infections causing hearing loss and eye infections causing blindness also can occur. I have taken care of children from the 1989 outbreak, and to this day, I remember how sick these children were. Which are the common misconceptions about the vaccine that prevents people from giving it to their child? Current myths and beliefs that the measles vaccination "causes autism" are not true and have been disputed and proven incorrect. The measles vaccination has been safe and reliable for over 60 years. Unfortunately, the internet and social media have sparked distrust in the safe and effective vaccination schedule that has been in effect for decades. Are adults vulnerable? Most people born before 1957 are immune to measles. Adults vaccinated between 1963 and 1968 should check their immunization status to see if they have the most current vaccination formulation. Most born after 1968 have received the current vaccination formula and are protected. Certain adults may need a booster. Anyone living in a group setting, health care personnel or international travelers may need a booster. Pregnant women are also at risk due to the stress on their immune system. Measles vaccination protection does not decrease over time so most who are immunized are safe from contracting the disease. Should vaccinated adults check their immunity with titer tests, which measures a person's level of antibodies in a blood sample? This is a discussion to have with your primary care provider. As stated, most adults are appropriately vaccinated, but there may be individual health concerns or risks that can best be decided by your PCP. It is not routine to check titers. Do adults need booster shots? After the measles outbreak in 1989, the recommendation for two measles vaccinations was started, providing 97% effectiveness in protection for those born after that time. If you do not have your vaccination records with proof of measles immunization, you can receive a booster vaccination without harm. Currently, there is no advisory for adults to receive boosters. 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: "If we use the term 'gaslighting' when intent is absent, we're missing the opportunity for compassion for providers," says psychologist Alexandra Fuss. Credit: Dylan Goodman Patients struggling with hard-to-detect conditions, such as long COVID; or with symptoms whose causes modern medical testing has trouble pinning down, such as irritable bowel syndrome, can feel dismissed when a doctor says they can't find a cause for the ailment, orworsewhen they suggest that the condition may be all in the patient's head. This is commonly known as "medical gaslighting," a problem that is hardly new but one that social media has amplified in recent years. Alexandra Fuss, director of behavioral medicine in inflammatory bowel disease at Mass General and an instructor in psychology at Harvard Medical School, teamed with colleagues from the University of Michigan and the North Carolina-based Rome Foundation Research Institute to explore the issue for a review article published in the journal Translational Gastroenterology and Hepatology. In this edited interview, Fuss highlights the authors' conclusion that most cases of medical gaslighting do not include an intent to deceive and should be called something else: "medical invalidation." She also speaks to how growing caseload and paperwork pressures on doctors might be contributing to the problem. How did the issue of 'medical gaslighting' get your attention? The term has blown up on social media, and as a psychologist, I hear about it in sessions with patients. Is there some medical hubris involved, when a provider can't find a concrete reason for symptoms, so believes there isn't one? That's part of it, and connects back to some thinking, "If it's not something I'm seeing on a medical test, it's probably psychological." But we have to recognize that there's also huge pressure on all health care professionals, especially M.D.s, to be experts, have answers, and to know everything. It can be difficult to say, "I don't know." But there's so much room for growth if you say, "I'm not sure, but I'm going to work with you and we'll figure it out together." You question whether 'gaslighting' is the right term. Why? There's a lot of debate in the literature about the role of intent in gaslighting. Some authors say there has to be intentto make somebody question their lived reality and defer to the perpetrator's point of viewin order to have gaslighting. Others say it's not about intent, it's about the end results, and that whenever there's a power differential, there's potential for gaslighting. We believe intent is key for true gaslighting. Whether consciously or subconsciously, I want you to see things my way and I'm going to question your experiences and throw you off of equilibrium so that you do. If we use the term "gaslighting" when intent is absent, we're missing the opportunity for compassion for providers. The vast majority have no intent to harm anybody. They are doing their absolute best to be healers and helpers. But sometimes there is "medically invalidating" behavior. It's not intentional, but it's still invalidating and it's still harmful. And saying, "Okay, this was invalidating," rather than "gaslighting," opens the door to asking, "How can we repair these relationships? How can we prevent this from happening?" Can you talk more about how pressure on doctors might contribute to the problem? These pressures start with hospital and organizational-level leaders who set the policies that ultimately impact the physicians working within these systems. Physicians are consistently pressured on productivity, to see as many patients as possible and often in as little time as possible. Also, studies show physicians are devoting upwards of 50% of their day to documentation, typically spending time outside of work to get everything done. They have to be stewards of health care resources and make sure patients aren't getting unnecessary, expensive tests, and that resources are being used on the right people. There's pressure all around them. It's not surprising then that burnout rates are so high, affecting over half of physicians in practice. While it's certainly helpful for providers to have skills in work/life balance, it's unfair to say that this is completely on them and ignore the impact of the system they work within. Changes starting at the top can make a much bigger impact. How does that pressure affect interactions with patients? It leads to vulnerabilities for invalidation to happen. If, let's say, a doctor has a heavy caseload that day and only 15 minutes for a visit with a patient and the patient takes the majority of the time talking, that doesn't leave a lot of time for the provider to ask, "How are you doing with this?" Or to make those empathic statements that build trust: "I believe you, tell me more about what's going on." Without the time and space for the doctor to explain things, the patient is left filling in the blanks, which might look like, "Oh, my doctor is washing their hands of me" or "They waved me off." If some of that pressure wasn't there, these situations could be avoided. More information: We didn't start the fireor did we?a narrative review of medical gaslighting and introduction to medical invalidation. Translational Gastroenterology and Hepatology. tgh.amegroups.org/article/view/8982/html Provided by Harvard Gazette This story is published courtesy of the Harvard Gazette, Harvard University's official newspaper. For additional university news, visit Harvard.edu. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Researchers from an international collaborative team have found that prehospital resuscitative thoracotomy (RT) is feasible and associated with improved survival for traumatic cardiac arrest (TCA) patients when performed in a structured physician-led emergency response system. Findings show that RT is most beneficial for patients experiencing TCA due to cardiac tamponade, an injury where blood accumulates in the sac surrounding the heart and prevents it from pumping effectively. The work appears in JAMA Surgery. The research team includes researchers from London's Air Ambulance, Queen Mary University of London, Barts Health NHS Trust, London Ambulance Service NHS Trust, the University of Groningen, the University of British Columbia, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Nobles Hospital (Manx Care). TCA is a critical trauma that results from a patient's inability to sustain spontaneous cardiac output due to severe injury. Immediate intervention is required to reverse potentially salvageable causes such as exsanguination (excessive blood loss) or cardiac tamponade. RT is a drastic measure to restart a heart that involves physically opening the chest and directly manipulating the heart and vessels to restore circulation, control bleeding, and relieve pressure on the heart. Unlike open-heart surgery, it is only performed in an emergency situation, often under suboptimal conditions, with the goal of stabilizing the patient for later surgery at a trauma center. Current prehospital trauma care strategies often prioritize rapid "scoop and run" transport over on-scene interventions, yet most patients in TCA die before reaching the hospital. Previous studies have focused on in-hospital RT, but research on its effectiveness in prehospital settings remains limited in part because such interventions are extremely rare. Unlike typical ambulance crews staffed by paramedics or EMTs, London's Air Ambulance operates with a physicianparamedic team. These physicians have surgical training and are capable of performing RT when necessary. In the study, titled "Prehospital Resuscitative Thoracotomy for Traumatic Cardiac Arrest," researchers conducted a retrospective cohort analysis to assess the association between prehospital RT and survival outcomes for TCA patients. Data from all prehospital RT cases managed by London's Air Ambulance from January 1999 to December 2019 were analyzed. Among 45,647 trauma cases attended by the emergency response team, 3,223 involved TCA, with 601 patients undergoing RT. Most patients were young males (median age: 25 years), with 88% sustaining penetrating trauma. Median TCA onset occurred 12 minutes after an emergency call, with 82% of cases occurring before the trauma team's arrival. The leading cause of TCA was exsanguination (69.6%), followed by cardiac tamponade (17.5%) and combined tamponade-exsanguination (12%). RT was performed using a standardized approach, including bilateral thoracostomies, clamshell thoracotomy, pericardiotomy, and cardiac resuscitation techniques. Patients underwent targeted interventions such as hemorrhage control and blood transfusions as clinically indicated. Among patients receiving prehospital RT, 5% survived to hospital discharge, with 76.6% of survivors exhibiting favorable neurological outcomes. TCA cause and duration significantly influenced survival. Patients experiencing TCA from cardiac tamponade had a 21% survival rate, whereas those with exsanguination had 1.9% survival, and none with combined tamponade-exsanguination survived. No patient survived if RT was performed beyond 15 minutes after tamponade-induced TCA or 5 minutes after exsanguination-induced TCA. Witnessed arrest and pulseless electrical activity at the time of RT also correlated with higher survival rates. Findings support RT as a viable intervention in physician-led prehospital trauma systems, particularly for cardiac tamponade cases where immediate intervention is essential. RT proved ineffective for most exsanguination cases, indicating a need for additional strategies such as resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) and expanded prehospital blood transfusion programs. In an invited commentary by three MDs from the Department of Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh, titled "Racing Against Time in Thoracotomy for Traumatic Cardiac Arrest," the practical application of RT in prehospital settings is considered. They agree that the study provides valuable data on patient selection and survival factors in prehospital thoracotomy. Yet, its applicability is limited, particularly in the United States, where prehospital physician involvement is not in place, even in the most well-resourced urban centers. Specialized teams typically require mobilization, delaying intervention beyond the critical window for RT. The study population, consisting primarily of young males with stab wounds, further limits generalizability (to gunshot wounds). Several trauma societies recommend RT primarily for penetrating injuries due to the high fatality rate of cardiac arrest following blunt trauma. Current guidelines stress the importance of early intervention, presence of signs of life, and an injury mechanism conducive to survival. They find the survival windows well documented by the study, yet timeframes remain short with interventions required within 10 minutes for tamponade-induced TCA and 5 minutes for exsanguination-induced TCA. Distinguishing between tamponade and exsanguination at the scene is also difficult. Mechanism of injury, timing, cardiac rhythm, and signs of life remain the key factors guiding RT decisions. The study reaffirms that survival declines sharply between 5 and 10 minutes post-arrest, reinforcing the need to push trauma interventions closer to the point of injury. More information: Zane B. Perkins et al, Prehospital Resuscitative Thoracotomy for Traumatic Cardiac Arrest, JAMA Surgery (2025). DOI: 10.1001/jamasurg.2024.7245 Christine M. Leeper et al, Racing Against Time in Thoracotomy for Traumatic Cardiac Arrest, JAMA Surgery (2025). DOI: 10.1001/jamasurg.2024.7231 Journal information: JAMA Surgery 2025 Science X Network This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Tanzania has confirmed its first two cases of mpox, the health ministry said Monday, the first time the virus has been detected in an outbreak that has hit several African countries. Two individuals exhibiting symptoms were isolated and tested on Sunday, health minister Jenista Mhagama said in a statement on X. "Among the suspects, one is a truck driver who traveled from a neighboring country to Dar es Salaam," the statement said. In a report by the African Union's health agency last week, 6,034 cases of mpox have been confirmed since January in 22 countries, resulting in 25 deaths. Mpox, caused by a virus from the same family as smallpox, can be transmitted between humans through close physical contact. It causes fever, muscular aches and large boil-like skin lesions, and can be deadly. It has two subtypes: clade 1 and clade 2. Its spread caused the World Health Organization to declare a public health emergency of international concernits highest alarmin August 2024. 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: TB notifications and notification rate per 100,000, England, 1971 to 2023. Credit: UKHSA With one of the largest tuberculosis (TB) outbreaks in US history, Kansas has more to worry about than its recent Super Bowl defeat. During the past year, 67 people with TB have been detected. This comes on the back of increasing rates of TB in the US year on year since the start of the COVID pandemic. Rather than a relic of the Victorian era, TB is the world's most enduring pandemic, killing more people each year than any other single infection. While more common in low-income countries, TB continues to be found in more deprived communities, cities, prisons, homeless populations, and in black, Asian and Indigenous people, including in wealthy countries such as the US and UK. TB outbreaks in wealthy countries act as a canary in a coalmine, reflecting cracks in national public health systems. More broadly, TB outbreaks in any setting have deeper implications for the struggle to end TB globally. TB is an airborne infection that doesn't respect borders. With increasing mass movement, including due to climate change and war, the maxim "TB anywhere is TB everywhere" is more resonant today than ever. In the UK, TB rates consistently declined between 2011 and 2020. But, like the US, this decline reversed since COVID emerged in early 2020. In 2023, there was a 13% increase in the number of people who became unwell with TB in England, compared with 2022. At 9.5 people with TB per 100,000 people per year, England is in jeopardy of losing its "low TB incidence" status (less than ten people with TB per 100,000 people per year). Rates of TB in England have a stark social gradient, with the poorest 10% of people having five times higher rates of TB than the richest 10%. In the UK, there is a cost of living crisis. Many people, especially the poorest, are struggling to put food on the table. TB is a social disease of poverty that thrives where there is overcrowding, undernutrition and poor working and living conditions. But the increase in TB in the UK cannot be put down to greater risk of disease alone. The response of the health and social care system to prevent and cure TB is crucial. The BCG vaccine, currently the only TB vaccine, is not nearly as effective as we would like at preventing disease. There is hope on the horizon with several vaccines under development, but their effect may be impeded by vaccine hesitancy driven by misinformation. Other barriers to address include lack of TB awareness, continuing TB-related stigma, understaffing of vital TB community nursing teams, and a breach between health and social care sectors to support those vulnerable to TB. For countries with lower incidence of TB across Europe and North America, many TB policies are targeted at identifying and treating TB in groups who are most at risk of being exposed to the disease, including people moving from regions of the world where TB is more common. Patterns of migration to the UK changed significantly following Brexit. A need to expand the workforce, particularly in health and social care, has led to active recruitment and movement of people from higher TB burden countries. This is relevant because, in England, four in five people with TB were born outside the UK, and rates among this group increased by 15% between 2022 and 2023. Screening migrant populations as part of their visa application process pre-entry is effective at identifying people with infectious TB. But prevention is better than cure, and there remains a gap in screening for TB infection or TB disease without symptoms. Providing well-tolerated, preventive TB treatment can reduce the risk of developing active TB disease by 85% in the future. Yet the screening program in the UK is under-resourced, with just 11.5% of eligible migrants screened for TB infection in 2023. We should not overlook the fact that rates of TB also increased, although to a lesser extent (3.9%), among people born in the UKthe first time this has happened for many years. Among both UK-born and non-UK-born populations, often overlapping social risk factors such as homelessness, asylum seeker status, drug or alcohol misuse, incarceration and mental health disorders continue to drive TB. These factors, which jumped by 27% between 2022 and 2023, not only increase the likelihood of TB disease but are associated with much lower rates of cure. Early diagnosis and treatment of TB are crucial to prevent long-term health issues or even death. The sooner someone starts effective treatment, the sooner they stop being infectious, helping to reduce the spread of TB. Improving access to diagnosis and care will lower TB transmission. Unacceptable delays in treatment Nearly a third of people with TB in the UK experience a delay of four months between the onset of their symptoms (commonly cough, fever, night sweats and weight loss) and taking their first anti-TB medicine. This unacceptable delay is similar to (or even longer than) the treatment delays we have documented in low- and middle-income countries with much higher TB burdens, including Peru, Nepal and Mozambique. In the UK, most people are entitled to free NHS care, and TB care and prevention is free to all. However, the NHS is overwhelmed and policies relating to health care recovery costs of visitors and migrants can prevent people with TB, wherever they are from, from getting timely care. This situation poses a public health threat to us all. Effective TB prevention and care is possible. While current tools are imperfect, albeit with recent progress in diagnostics and treatment, researchers around the world are further advancing science and innovation in the fight against TB. This includes the promise of nutritional supplementation, financial and social support, and a new TB vaccine. Providing timely support to everyone with TB remains fundamental to our response to this illness of poverty. To end TB, whether in the US, UK, or globally, we would do well to remember and apply the old medical adage: treat the person, not the disease. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain The measles outbreak in West Texas is nearing 200 cases, according to a Friday morning update from the state health department. Health officials said 198 cases have been identified since late January. Twenty-three of those patients have been hospitalized, and one school-age, unvaccinated child has died. Measles is one of the most contagious viruses in the world and spreads mostly among unvaccinated people. Three months in, Texas has already reported more measles cases in 2025 than in any other full year since 1992. Of the 198 cases, 80 were in people who were unvaccinated, and 113 were in people whose vaccination status was unknown, according to the state health department. The outbreak started in Gaines County, near the New Mexico border. At 137 cases, it is still home to the vast majority of patients. Terry County follows at 29. Texas' count doesn't include 30 measles cases reported in New Mexico, which officials have said were likely connected to the West Texas outbreak. While there's no evidence the outbreak has spread to North Texas, doctors say they're preaching the same thing to every concerned parent: Make sure you and your children are vaccinated. "The most robust way that we have to prevent measles is by the vaccination," said Dr. Carla Garcia Carreno, the medical director for Infection Prevention and Control at Children's Medical Center Plano. "It's a very effective vaccine and it's a very safe vaccine." The two-dose MMR vaccine is 97% effective at preventing the illness, which means vaccinated people are unlikely to catch the virus. Health experts recommend the first dose be administered to babies between 12 and 15 months old, with the second dose administered when the child is 4 to 6 years old. 2025 The Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain John Sullivan, chief medical officer of St. Clair Health System, spent 33 years in the Navy. And when he thinks back to this week five years ago, he likens the early COVID-19 days to a military deployment. "I still get a little PTSD talking about this, honestly, thinking back on that week," he said. "We were scared for our own lives, working longer hours than we ever had before. For all of us leading health care systems, we were making enormously consequential decisions, often many every day, without really any information." What happened during those early weeks and months of the COVID pandemic changed the face of health careboth in terms of the people working within it and the way that health care is delivered. Vaccines entered the health care system in ways that they hadn't before, from cameras following a UPS van bringing the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine into Western Pennsylvania to a carefully orchestrated hierarchy of who was eligible to receive vaccines by age and health conditions to vaccine contrarianism and distrust of the health care system. Masking also arrived suddenly, with statewide recommendations in April 2020 and mandates that June, followed by pushback from some segments of the public. The state and county health departments issued public health orders such as closing schools, restaurants and other businesses that affected all Pennsylvanians. "Clearly a lot of things have changed," said Donald Whiting, who is now chair of neuroscience at Allegheny Health Network but was the health system's chief medical officer from 2019 until earlier this year. "The most rapidly developed during COVID and the most long-lasting single thing is telehealth. It was remarkable how quickly it rolled outtruly, within a matter of weeksand how it was accepted by patients." Before COVID, telemedicine was often seen as an inferior option, or one to be used only in special circumstances. But as it became commonplace out of necessity early in the pandemic, a surprising thing happened. "People started liking it," said Dr. Whiting. "They started seeing it as a reasonable alternative to in-person visits, and there's a whole younger generation that that's their preference in a lot of cases." Kristen Walker, a therapist and clinical director at the Counseling & Wellness Center of Pittsburgh, now sees about 50% of her patients online. Prior to COVID, "it was very rare," she said. "You may have done one or two here and there." The switch to online has not just opened up the ease of access for her local patient base, but has also allowed patients across Pennsylvania to access therapyeven in rural areas with limited in-person options. "I've done so much virtually that I've never thought possible," she said. "My job has changed because now I can see someone 200 miles away, still give them effective treatment, feel good about what I'm doing, and they can get what they need." Patients getting behavioral health services across the AHN network are just as likely to do so virtually as they are to visit a doctor or therapist in person. Online access has also made therapy more efficient to deliver across a large health system, eliminating the need for patients and therapists to physically be in the same place, said Anil Singh, executive medical director for population health at Highmark Health. "It's really around slot utilization and the ability to have those openings within your schedule," he said. "The ability to do that across a large population of providers allows that access to be easier. We're not seeing the wait times that we would usually see." Dr. Singh, who is also a pulmonologist for AHN, uses telehealth for follow-up visits in his pulmonary practice. Patients from rural areas particularly appreciate the option, he said, which eliminates the need to drive into Pittsburgh, pay for parking, and often navigate hospitals, stairs and parking garages while managing breathing challenges or an oxygen tank. Even in the neurosciences at AHN, about 12% of appointments are now virtualan appealing option for patients with advanced neurologic conditions who may have difficulty traveling. Telehealth is also expanding into more physical medicine. Highmark Health has had success using a Virtual Joint Health program in which patients complete physical therapy exercises with the guidance of a tablet that uses computer vision. More recently, it has added a program for virtual pelvic floor therapy. "If you asked me six years ago would I have thought that virtual pelvic health is something we'd be talking about, the answer would be no," said Dr. Singh. "It's about listening to the patients and what they are asking for that they would rather do in the comfort of their own home." Aside from telehealth, one of the biggest changes to health care as a result of COVID came not in how care was delivered, but who was delivering it. In the early days of COVID, health care workers felt aloneand terrified. "Everybody else was really sheltering in place, but in the health care world, you were the one going out, fighting the battle," said Dr. Whiting. "You felt like you were putting your life on the line every time you went to work." That fear, and other pressures, resulted in widespread resignations among health care workers, both in Pittsburgh and nationwide. One study found that about 100,000 registered nurses left the workforce during the pandemic. "It was risky, it was harder, there was less joy in the work, we all had masks on all day and many people lost their reliable childcare," said Dr. Sullivan. "All of a sudden you had all these near-retirement departures, anyone with loss of childcare stability and some people who questioned whether they were in the right field." Additionally, travel nursing agencies offering lucrative salaries drew nurses out of the regular hospital pool. And the challenges of managing a thinning workforce were often more difficult than managing the COVID disease itself, said Dr. Sullivan. To recruit more workers, St. Clair Health System and other local health systems threw themselves into developing partnerships and other efforts to encourage more people to join the workforce. UPMC launched initiatives to attract nurses with programs for students as young as middle school, and it increased capacity at the seven UPMC Schools of Nursing. In 2024, those schools graduated 550 nurses, up from 250 in 2022. COVID has also led to more focus on the mental health of health care workers. Ohio State University in 2020 launched its Buckeye Paws program, which continues to connect therapy dogs to staffers at the Wexner Medical Center. AHN still has decompression rooms for staff, as well as wellness programs and other behavioral health support. The health care workforce at AHN has largely recovered from the losses that it suffered during COVID, said Dr. Whiting, though there are some specialized fields such as certified registered nurse anesthetists, where they still see shortages. "We're significantly better than we were," he said, "but I think everyone is still building up staff to some degree." Early on in the pandemic, chief medical officers across the region began meeting weekly, at first through a Monday night phone call. And while this doesn't sound remarkable, it was in a region that had traditionally been a competitive health care environment. "This was your wartime cabinet," said Dr. Sullivan, noting that the group has now been formalized as the Western PA Chief Medical Officers Consortium. "It's a really valuable way to run a response to health carenot as competitors but as friends." The group helped navigate parts of the pandemic, issuing a statement in late 2021 urging the public to wear masks, get vaccinated and stick to approved therapies, and advocating for general health care issues as well. Just last month, the group addressed health care workplace violence after a shooting at UPMC Harrisburg. As the federal COVID emergency declaration ended in spring 2023, the booster vaccines shifted from government to commercial oversight. Despite some delays with the commercial rollout, Pittsburghers started to see the new COVID vaccines that October, and following rollouts have more or less mirrored the arrival of the influenza vaccine. In some ways, said Dr. Sullivan, it's taken five years just to get back to the pre-COVID status quo. "I find myself working on initiatives that were on my mind in early 2020," he said. "We're starting to get back to those things because a lot of the last few years have been firefightingsupplies, people, wave after wave of COVID, and other respiratory illnesses." 2025 the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The national company law appellate tribunal (NCLAT) on Monday dismissed a batch of appeals challenging the order of national company law tribunal (NCLT) allowing ICICI Securities to proceed with its proposal to delist from Indian bourses. A coram of judicial member justice (retired) Yogesh Khanna and technical member Ajay Das Mehrotra passed the order, a detailed copy of which is awaited. In August last year, NCLT's Mumbai Bench sanctioned the scheme of arrangement between ICICI Bank Limited and ICICI Securities Limited, paving the way for the delisting of the latter and its transformation into a wholly-owned subsidiary of the former. The scheme involves the delisting of ICICI Securities from the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE), with public shareholders of ICICI Securities receiving shares of ICICI Bank in exchange for their holdings. ICICI Securities was listed in March 2018. However, due to the cyclical nature of the securities business and regulatory restrictions preventing ICICI Bank from directly engaging in securities broking, the companies proposed this scheme to enhance operational synergies and provide greater stability to public shareholders. The scheme faced objections from two entities: Quantum Mutual Fund and Manu Rishi Guptha, a public shareholder. Their primary concerns included: Undervaluation of shares: The objectors argued that the swap ratio undervalued ICICI Securities shares and that a reverse book-building process would have yielded a better price. Lack of disclosure: They contended that the exemption granted by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the valuation details were not adequately disclosed to shareholders. Alleged manipulation: The objectors alleged that ICICI Bank and ICICI Securities engaged in an outreach program to influence shareholders to vote in favour of the scheme. NCLT dismissed the objections, stating that the scheme was approved by a significant majority of shareholders and complied with all legal and regulatory requirements. The tribunal noted that the objectors did not meet the threshold of holding at least 10% of the shareholding required to challenge the scheme under Section 230(4) of the Companies Act, 2013. This prompted them to file an appeal before NCLAT. On Monday, 1205 stocks advanced, 2878 declined and 146 remained unchanged on Bombay Stock Exchange with advance decline ratio of 0.42 indicating a negative closing in the broader market. The trend of the major indices on Mondays trading is given in the table below. On NSE, 15 securities advanced and closed at a new 52-week high whereas 90 securities sank to close at their new 52-week lows. In sectoral indices, Nifty PSU Bank, Nifty Energy and Nifty Auto were among the biggest losers. Nifty FMCG was the only gainer. Vascon Engineers (-3.72%) launched of Vascon Orchids, a luxury residential project through a redevelopment initiative on Linking Road in Santacruz West. The project has a total expected gross development value (GDV) of Rs300 crore in sell units. This acquisition aligns with the company's growth and diversification goals of expanding its presence in Mumbai. PNGS Gargi Fashion Jewellery (+2.12%) opened its new exclusive brand store located at Prozone Mall, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. Zydus Lifesciences (-0.79%) received final approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to manufacture Ketoconazole Shampoo, 2%, an antifungal medication used to treat dandruff, fungal infections, and other skin conditions. Ketoconazole shampoo will be produced at the Groups topical manufacturing site at Changodar, Ahmedabad. Manoj Vaibhav Gems 'N' Jewellers (-5.95%) opened a new Jewellery store at KT Road, Ramakrishna Police Colony, District- Srikakulam, Palasa Kasibugga, Andhra Pradesh.. Earlier, the company had opened a new Jewellery store at Ganga Reddy Road, Mancherial, Telangana. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (+0.14%) and Checkpoint Therapeutics, Inc. (Checkpoint) entered into an agreement by which Sun Pharma will acquire Checkpoint, an immunotherapy and targeted oncology company. Nazara Technologies (-0.60%) successfully divested its 94.85% stake in OpenPlay Technologies (OpenPlay) which runs popular Rummy platform, Classic Rummy, to Moonshine Technology (Moonshine), the parent company of Indias biggest Poker platform, PokerBaazi. The transaction, valued at Rs104.33 crore, will be executed through the issuance of Moonshines compulsory convertible preference shares (CCPS) to Nazara and other sellers. The top gainers and top losers of the major indices are given in the table below: The closing values of the major Asian indices are given in the table below: Tuhin Kanta Pandey, the newly-appointed chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), made his first speech after assuming charge at the Moneycontrol Global Wealth Summit 2025. However, there is a lot of speculation about a line on 'conflict of interest' missing from Mr Pandey's official speech uploaded by SEBI on its website. SEBI insiders say that the market regulator and the chairman are fully committed to a new code of conduct that will apply to all. However, it is strange that the first speech by the new chairman has not been suitably updated on the website, given that it is one of the key issues impacting SEBI's reputation in recent times. Speaking at Moneycontrol Global Wealth Summit 2025, Mr Pandey says, "Enhanced transparency in regulatory action, corporate reporting, and market operations will further strengthen the trust of both domestic and global investors in India's financial markets. And I think the trust and transparency extends to SEBI itself. We need to not only create trust of all stakeholders in us, but we also need to maintain that trust. And to that extent, I think we need to be more transparent including on various other measures, including, for example, on the conflict of interest of the board and so on. And we will be coming forward with our own plan to further transparently reveal these conflicts of interest to the public." Quoting Mr Pandey, Quoting Mr Pandey, a report from Moneycontrol also says how transparency is important even for SEBI and, therefore, the market regulator will now reveal conflicts of interest of its employees. "Maintaining trust and transparency is paramount to instil confidence in investors. Regulatory bodies and market participants must uphold the highest standards of governance and transparency... maintaining trust and transparency extends to SEBI as well. Therefore, we need to be more transparent on the conflict of interest of the board. We will be coming forward with our own plan to further transparently reveal these conflict of interests to the public," the report says. However, Mr Pandey's speech uploaded on the SEBI website does not have any reference to or does not even mention the 'conflict of interest'. Here is what is uploaded on the SEBI website: "Trust and transparency are crucial not only for regulated entities but also for functioning of SEBI as well. A transparent and accountable regulatory framework fosters confidence and clarity in the market. Going ahead, we will endeavour to bring more transparency in the system including board disclosures." In a post on LinkedIn, Chennai-based company secretary (CS) Raghunath Ravi expressed doubt over the omission of 'conflict of interest' from the new SEBI chairman's first public speech. Mr Ravi says, "BTW, who is the 'superior in command' at SEBI (to the new SEBI chief) to have ordered the deletion of the 'sensational portion' from the speech of Mr Pandey in the version uploaded on the SEBI website?" Read: Restoring SEBI's Credibility: A Roadmap for the New Chairman) As pointed out by Sucheta Dalal, managing editor of Moneylife, in her weekly column, SEBI's 2008 code of conductapplicable only to board membersmust be replaced with a comprehensive, legally binding framework that extends across the organisation. "This should cover part-time board members, lateral entrants and bureaucrats, most of whom have significant financial interests, hold stocks and earn rental income in addition to their government salary or pension. The new code must mandate full disclosure, transparency and a documented recusal process that is approved and notified in the official gazette. It should also establish clear protocols for handling allegations against top officials, ensuring due process instead of ad hoc damage control that embarrassed the regulator during the Buch controversy. It would be naive to think that appointing a bureaucrat as a regulator fixes the problem automatically in the absence of clear rules." ( [Editor's Note: The Montana Standard has updated this story, which originally ran last year, with some new information.] Intelligent beings from distant galaxies or future times might live hidden in underground colonies on earth. They might even walk among us. These are among the theories proposed in an academic paper by Michael Masters, a professor of biological anthropology at Montana Technological University in Butte and two men who are scientists affiliated with Harvard University. Masters and co-authors Tim Lomas and Brendan Case suggest it seems likely that extraterrestrial beings or visitors from our own evolved future would want to establish concealed bases on earth to conduct reconnaissance or research or protect us from self-destruction. They may be living on this planet, sharing this planet, as opposed to constantly coming and going, Masters said during a June 2024 interview in his office at Montana Tech. Masters specializes in biological anthropology, paleoanthropology and modern human variation. His previous work has described human evolution and physiological adaptations driven by enlarging brains and the associated effects on craniofacial anatomy. The stereotypical portrait of aliens, with enlarged heads and contracted facial features, might foreshadow the appearance of the human form thousands of years in the future, he said. They seemingly have characteristics we would expect to see in our future if the same dominant evolutionary trends throughout the last 6 to 8 million years continue into that future, Masters said. Weve gotten past the point where were debating whether UFOs are real, he said. Were now starting to talk about the beings who are piloting them. And were trying to have an open conversation about some theories about who they might be, about where and when they might be from. So, the root of all of this is that we should be having an open-minded, grounded conversation about an earthly explanation for Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena [or UAP], Masters said. On Nov. 6, Masters, Lomas and Case consulted with U.S. Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Missouri, in advance of a congressional subcommittee hearing the following week about UAP. During the hearing, members of the subcommittee quizzed four panelists a U.S. Navy Rear Admiral (Retired), a former official with the U.S. Department of Defense, a former NASA administrator and a journalist who has written about the U.S. government allegedly withholding information about UAP. All four panelists emphasized their belief that the government is involved in a coverup. There was consensus also that the advanced technologies witnessed by trustworthy observers could pose a risk to national security. For the paper co-authored by Masters, an introductory authors note strikes a rare tone of humility for such scholarly papers by offering a caveat: We would also like to emphasize that we believe this hypothesis to be in all likelihood false, but nevertheless believe it still merits scientific investigation. In short, the authors asked readers to keep an open mind. And many seemingly have. Starting June 10, 2024, a Monday, the imagination-firing paper of nearly 35,000 words went viral after being uploaded to ResearchGate. We started to get a sense that people were paying attention by Tuesday or Wednesday, and by Thursday my life was absolutely insane, Masters said at the time. I would conservatively estimate that stories about the paper reached hundreds of millions of people, in more than 100 countries. And in a matter of three or four days. It was wild to see. The paper, titled The cryptoterrestrial hypothesis: A case for scientific openness to a concealed earthly explanation for Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, was published in the fall by the journal Philosophy and Cosmology. Frequent reports from credible sources including military pilots and intelligence agency whistleblowers of UAP, formerly known as Unidentified Flying Objects, could reflect that beings referred to as cryptoterrestrials might venture out from bases on earth, the paper suggests. In this usage, crypto refers, in part, to the concealed status of such sentient beings. David Grusch, an Air Force veteran who worked in the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, has alleged that the U.S. government and private aerospace companies have for decades maintained a secret crash retrieval and reverse engineering program to study UAP. The paper references his testimony. The demands and logistics of either interstellar travel or time travel defy contemporary human comprehension. Fighter pilots who have captured images of UAP and shared their observations have marveled at the crafts uncanny maneuverability and speed of travel. If "biologics" are piloting these craft, such beings must have a profoundly greater tolerance for G-forces than human beings, the panelists told the congressional subcommittee. Still, reasonable speculation would conclude such travel likely isnt without challenges and risks. Understanding the weirdness Its admittedly strange territory for scientific analysis, Masters said. To understand the weirdness, maybe we have to look beyond our conventional reality and space and time, he said. And start to entertain some of these seemingly wild hypotheses that in the future might not seem strange at all, especially if some of them turn out to be true. Masters suggests humans from our distant future might time travel to our present to study their own history and physiological evolution. Thats one explanation, he said, for accounts of alien abduction events featuring what amounted to medical exams. He has interviewed people who have reported such experiences and found consistent descriptions of the encounters. Its a global phenomenon and its been happening throughout antiquity, Masters said. You cant help but take it seriously. And were talking about thousands and thousands of people. I came into all of this with a very skeptical yet open mind. And my mind has continued to open more. Science fiction often portrays aliens as malevolent beings bent on conquering and colonizing earth. Masters research has not found evidence of such malice in alien abduction accounts. Any negative effects, such as radiation burns accidentally suffered when a ship powers up and leaves, have seemingly been unintended, he said. To my knowledge, no harm has come except for the ontological shock, the psychological shock of having your world view completely cracked open, he said. Looking at thousands of cases, no ones been injured intentionally. In fact, most people experience a transcendental love and light. Theyre shown this world that exists on a level I think all humans would love to achieve. Ongoing human evolution that selects for pro-social behaviors could lead us there, Masters said. Time travel For now, the human races capacity for self-destruction, through nuclear weapons or environmental degradation, would certainly concern humans from a distant future and compel their interest in time travel for self-preservation, he said. Panelists told the congressional subcommittee that UAPs are frequently spotted in the vicinity of nuclear facilities. As an anthropologist, Masters said he would love to time travel into the past and study human ancestors. If he did, his appearance and technological sophistication would likely thoroughly unnerve any beings he encountered. Meanwhile the authors describe the apparent technological prowess of UAP based on reports from pilots, submariners and other naval personnel and other witnesses of the crafts movements through both air and water. They are said to move at incredible speeds, and are capable of sudden and rapid acceleration, deceleration and direction changes, all without any visible means of propulsion or control, the authors report. Separately, the paper quotes the late Edgar Mitchell, the former Apollo astronaut, who talked in 2008 about visitations by extraterrestrial beings. Yes, there have been E.T. visitations, there have been crashed craft, and bodies recovered. We are not alone in the universe; they have been coming here a long time. Coming and staying, the study's authors suggest to avoid the slings and arrows of interstellar space travel or time travel. The cryptoterrestrials theory may be exceedingly improbable, but hopefully this paper has shown it should nevertheless be kept on the table as we seek to understand the ongoing empirical mystery of UAP, the paper suggests. Masters was asked whether a willingness to weigh in as a scientist about mysteries not yet understood requires a thick skin. Elephant skin, he replied, smiling. Having the conversation is whats important, Masters said. It transcends any individual. It is too important to worry about how people react to me as a person. What I and Tim and these other collaborators are trying to do is open peoples minds to these possibilities that exist on a cosmic scale. KATHMANDU, March 10: The government has announced the decade from 2025 to 2035 as the Internal Employment Promotion Decade, aimed at creating more employment opportunities within the country. The declaration was made during the inaugural session of the 'National Labor and Employment Conference-2081' organized by the Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Social Security. The government of Nepal has signed a memorandum of understanding with 10 different private sector umbrella organizations to create jobs and provide training to young people. The agreement was signed with the National Skill Development Foundation and the Computer Association Federation (CAN), Hotel Association Nepal (HAN), Federation of Nepal Construction Entrepreneurs, NADA Automobiles Association of Nepal (NADA), Nepal Ready-Made Garment Industry Association, Grill and Steel Entrepreneurs Federation, Nepal Gold and Silver Entrepreneurs Federation, Accor International Trainic Pvt Ltd, Global Qualification and Motherland Skill Academy. On the same occasion, the Ministry of Labor and Employment and the Swiss Agency for the expansion of the Integrated Labor Market Information System signed an agreement under the Prime Minister's Employment Program. Addressing the conference, PM Oli said that the private sector is of exceptional importance in creating employment. Stating that job creation and promotion of entrepreneurship are the top priorities of the government, he stressed that the private sector should lead the country's economy. Related story Govt to declare upcoming decade 'Youth Employment Decade' Similarly, Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security, Sharat Singh Bhandari, shared that the government has a plan to create employment opportunities in the country and make the foreign employment dignified, disciplined and safe. Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Damodar Bhandari said that the private sector has contributed to the growth of the national economy even by taking risks, reiterating the government's policy of encouraging the private sector. "The government has initiated various aspects of policy reforms, which are reflected in the economy. Innovative programmes have been brought considering the need to encourage the private sector to ensure employment, promote entrepreneurship and create hope by overcoming frustration," he added. Prime Minister's Economic and Development Advisor Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada said the government's vision is to end forced foreign employment, sending of competitive skill-based manpower to the international labour market, to ensure social security in bilateral labour agreements and to end the compulsion to go for foreign employment again and again. Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) President Chandra Prasad Dhakal stressed the need of removing policy ambiguities that discourage the private sector. "Only when the private sector can promote entrepreneurship in a confident manner can employment opportunities be created. As the policy making process is in progress, attention should be paid to this, immediately amending the law and creating an investment-friendly environment," he said. President of the Joint Trade Union Coordination Centre (JTUCC), Jagat Singhkhada, stressed the need of creating an environment of cordial labour relations by increasing the minimum wage of the workers, effective implementation of the social security scheme and repealing the anti-worker provisions of the Labour Act. During the two-day conference, discussions will be held on identifying and promoting potential areas for domestic employment generation, enhancement and expansion of employment services and facilities in Nepal, various dimensions of labour migration management, Nepal's potential in the development of information technology and employment generation, use of foreign employment knowledge, skills and capital to increase production and productivity. Earlier, the government had organised labour and employment conferences in 2054 BS, 2061 BS, 2069 BS and 2076 BS. RSS KATHMANDU, March 10: In a sweeping overhaul of U.S. foreign aid programs, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that 83% of USAID programs are being terminated following a six-week review conducted by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Elon Musk. The move comes as part of broader reforms initiated by the Trump administration to realign government spending with national interests. According to a report by Fox News, the review resulted in the cancellation of 5,200 contracts, amounting to "tens of billions of dollars" in funding. In an early Monday morning post on X, Rubio stated that these contracts were found to be either ineffective or detrimental to U.S. national interests. "This is an overdue and historic reform," Rubio wrote, expressing his gratitude to DOGE for its efforts. Musk, responding to the post, acknowledged the challenges of the review process but emphasized its necessity, stating, "Good working with you. Tough but necessary." Related story Court allows Musk's DOGE to make further USAID cuts The remaining 18% of USAID programs, approximately 1,000 contracts, will now be overseen by the State Department. Rubio emphasized that the decision to shift control was made in consultation with the Congress. The move has sparked political tensions, with reports of a heated exchange last week between Rubio and Musk during a Cabinet meeting attended by President Donald Trump. The New York Times reported that Trump defended Rubio, commending him for doing a "great job" in managing the transition. Trump later reaffirmed their strong working relationship in a post on Truth Social. USAID has long been a target for Trump, who, upon assuming office, implemented a temporary halt on all U.S. foreign assistance programs pending a comprehensive review. Musk has been an outspoken critic of the agency, previously describing it as "beyond repair" and comparing its financial practices to illegal money laundering. Meanwhile, legal challenges to the Trump administration's restructuring of USAID continue. The Supreme Court recently declined to block a lower court ruling that ordered the Trump administration to release $2 billion in foreign aid payments still owed under existing contracts. Laikipia MP Cate Waruguru launched a scathing attack on the newly formed political alliance between President William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga, accusing the two leaders of sidelining the Mt Kenya region. Speaking in Kajiado on Sunday, March 9, 2025, Waruguru expressed deep disappointment with the alliance, arguing that it was a self-serving deal designed to benefit political elites rather than addressing the real struggles of ordinary Kenyansespecially those in Central Kenya. She reminded the crowd that Mt Kenya played a crucial role in securing Rutos victory in 2022, yet the region was now being cast aside in what she described as a calculated political maneuver that ignored the sacrifices of its voters. A Political Wedding Without a Kikuyu Waruguru did not mince words when she compared the alliance to a fraudulent marriage, questioning why Mt Kenya was being left out. The so-called Ruto-Raila political marriage is not only illegitimate but also an outright betrayal of the people who stood firmly behind this administration, believing in the promises that were made to us, she declared. She went on to mock the alliance, saying: Did you see that wedding? A wedding without a Kikuyu! That wedding is fake, illegitimate. This entire arrangement has been orchestrated without the input of the Mt Kenya region, and the people are now waking up to the realization that they have been used and discarded for the sake of political survival. Ruto Is Overwhelmed Waruguru accused Ruto of abandoning the very people who propelled him to power. Instead of fulfilling his promises to Mt Kenya, she argued, the president had turned to Raila Odinga in a desperate attempt to secure his weakening political influence. She claimed Rutos failure to deliver on his pledges had forced him to seek survival tactics, even if it meant partnering with his former political rivalsomeone he had aggressively campaigned against. William Ruto has clearly demonstrated that he is overwhelmed by the weight of running this country, and instead of addressing the challenges facing Kenyans, he has now chosen to seek solace in the company of Raila Odinga, whom he once accused of being the biggest obstacle to progress, Waruguru said. She added: This country has become too much for him to handle, so now he has gone looking for the old man of fish. Churches Have Been Bought Waruguru also accused the government of using the church as a political tool, claiming that religious leaders were being enticed with financial incentives to push a pro-government agenda. She alleged that the Kenya Kwanza administration was rewarding certain pastors with hefty sums while punishing those who refused to align with its narrative. We have seen how pastors who align themselves with the government are rewarded with millions of shillings, while those who dare to question the administrations actions are intimidated and silenced, she stated. To back her claims, she pointed to Jesus Winner Ministrys Pastor Mwai. Mchungaji Mwai wa Roysambu, for instance, was handed Ksh20 million simply because he was willing to preach a gospel that aligns with the governments narrative. Where is the morality in that? she questioned. Railas Supporters Should Take the Money and Eat It While clarifying that she had no personal grudge against Raila Odinga, Waruguru argued that his unexpected alliance with Ruto had left many of his loyal supporters in Mt Kenya feeling betrayed. She said they had expected him to remain a strong opposition figure, not align himself with the very government they had fought against. She warned Railas followers not to be misled by political handouts, advising them to take the money but remain vigilant. Raila Odinga, let me make one thing clearwe have no personal issue with you, but we are watching keenly as this political game unfolds. Tell your supporters who have been paid to take the money and eat it, but let them be aware that they should not sell their loyalty for a few coins. The real fight is much bigger than this short-term political convenience, she said. The People Will Soon Make Their Voices Heard Waruguru concluded her speech by emphasizing that real power in Kenya does not lie with shifting political alliances but with the ordinary citizens who are growing increasingly frustrated with the state of affairs. She warned that the Mt Kenya region, which has historically played a major role in shaping the countrys leadership, would not be ignored. She insisted that the people would soon rise up and make their voices heard in a way that would shake the political establishment. The real power in this country does not lie in political alliances but in the people who are growing increasingly frustrated. Mt Kenya will not be taken for grantedwe will make our voices heard soon, Waruguru declared. Dela Ward MCA Yussuf Hussein Ahmed has safely reunited with his family, six months after he mysteriously disappeared. Ahmed was allegedly abducted on September 13, 2024, along Enterprise Road in Nairobis Industrial Area, sparking widespread concern. Many feared the worst when authorities recovered a body from Lake Yahud a month later. However, DNA tests later confirmed that the remains did not belong to him, keeping hope alive for his safe return. His family confirmed his homecoming on Saturday night but remained silent about his condition and the circumstances of his disappearance. A video captured emotional scenes as relatives and friends gathered to celebrate his return. Among those who welcomed Ahmed back was Eldas Member of Parliament Adan Keynan, who expressed his gratitude and relief. Alhamdulillahi!!! Keynan wrote in a Facebook post. Wajir Senator Mohamed Abass Sheikh also shared his joy over Ahmeds return, acknowledging the deep concern his absence caused within the Wajir community. Alhamdulillah! We are overjoyed to receive the news of the safe return of Hon. Yussuf Tolfiyow, the MCA for Della, he stated. Wajir Woman Representative Fatuma Jehow confirmed that Ahmed was welcomed home by loved ones at their residence in Eastleigh, Nairobi. This is a huge wave of relief, a tidal wave of joy. I can almost feel the collective sigh of relief from every Wajirian, especially our beloved people of Eldas, who have carried this burden with us, she wrote on Facebook. She described the moment as profoundly emotional, adding, My heart swells with gratitude, with a joy so profound it brings tears to my eyes. May Allah bless him, protect him, and grant him peace. Alhamdulillah. As of the time of publishing, Ahmed has not yet shared details of his ordeal, where he was held, or how he was recovered. The circumstances surrounding his disappearance and return remain a mystery. Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has doubled down on his claim that the opposition will unseat President William Ruto in the 2027 elections. Speaking at ACK Trinity Church in Kitengela, Kajiado County, Gachagua accused Ruto of silencing the opposition by co-opting its leaders, allowing him to rule without accountability. I know people think that two years is a long time; dont worry, two years may look long but time moves very fast. Do not worry, the time is coming, he assured the congregation. He urged Generation Z and Millennials to take charge of the countrys future by registering as voters in large numbers. Gen Zs and Millennials will sort out the problem of Kenya once and for all in the next election. As much as you are doing a good job on the Internet, the real task lies ahead, he emphasized. Gachagua insisted that the opposition had the numbers and the right strategy to win. Politics is a game of numbers and the numbers are good. Kenyans have told us to get the formula and we have it. I have never made wrong calculations, he declared. Abductions Will Cost You Re-Election in 2027 He warned that Rutos re-election bid would be severely undermined by the surge in abductions and extrajudicial killings witnessed under his administration. Youths are abducted and killed by officers. The government you lead is killing children who are just agitating for their rights, he stated. Gachagua admitted to clashing with Ruto over the issue, criticizing the administrations approach to security. I had a big problem with Ruto over abductions and extrajudicial killings, he said. Dismissing Rutos political maneuvers and infrastructure projects, he warned that they would not erase the governments failures. Even if you unite with the opposition and announce as many roads as you want, abductions will bring you down, he cautioned. Political Party Launch Regarding the launch of his political party, Gachagua claimed it has been delayed by threats from a high-ranking government official Gachagua asserted that while preparations for the partys unveiling are complete, fears of potential intimidation forced a delay. The party is ready. It is like a brand-new car in the showroom. I wanted to launch it, but that powerful individual has his own plans. Between the stage and the showroom, he might throw obstacles in our path. I hope you understand, he remarked. Gachagua also disclosed that the national chairperson of his upcoming party would come from Kajiado County. The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) is taking steps to improve infrastructure with new weighbridge stations planned for Kajiado and Nakuru counties. As part of this initiative, the National Land Commission (NLC) has announced its plans to acquire the necessary land in these areas. Expansion Plans in Kajiado and Nakuru In Isinya, located in Kajiado County, a new static weighbridge station will be built along the Athi RiverNamanga (A) Road. This project will require about 0.89 hectares of land in the Kaputei area. Meanwhile, in Suswa, Nakuru County, the government has set aside approximately 8.2047 hectares for a similar facility along the NarokMai Mahiu (B7) Road. The NLC is reaching out to landowners in the affected areas, encouraging them to contact their offices for more detailed information. Under the Land Act, 2012, the commission is authorized to handle land amendments and acquisitions on behalf of KeNHA, as stated in Kenya Gazette Notice No. 5120 of 2024. Compensation and Claims If youre impacted, its essential to submit your compensation claims to the NLC. Youll need to provide documents like your National ID, Personal Identification Number (PIN), land ownership documents, and bank account details. For companies, a certificate of incorporation, CR12, and the KRA PIN are required, along with ID and PIN copies of the directors. You can submit these documents at the NLCs Nairobi office or at their county offices in Nakuru and Kajiado. This project is part of a larger government effort to enhance road safety. Earlier this year, Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir shared plans to install 28 more weighbridges, both virtual and static, across the country. The Kenya Meteorological Department has issued a warning about heavy rains expected in several parts of the country, urging residents to stay vigilant as the risk of flash floods increases. According to the department, intense rainfall will hit Nairobi, Kiambu, Marsabit, Machakos, Turkana, and other regions, with the downpour intensifying on Sunday to over 30mm within 24 hours. By Monday, March 10, the rains will spread to northwestern Kenya before gradually reducing from March 11. Meteorologists have also forecast heavy rains exceeding 20mm in 24 hours for areas around Lake Victoria Basin, the Rift Valley, and the Highlands both west and east of the Rift Valley. The heavy rainfall will likely intensify to more than 30mm in 24 hours and spread to parts of northwestern Kenya on March 10, 2025. It will then reduce in intensity from March 11, 2025, the statement read. Residents in flood-prone areas have been urged to take precautions. Experts advise avoiding sheltering under trees or near grilled windows to minimize the risk of lightning strikes. Counties expected to experience intense rainfall include Narok, Kericho, Bomet, Homa Bay, Siaya, Migori, Busia, Kisumu, Kisii, Nyamira, Nandi, Kakamega, and Vihiga. Other affected regions include Bungoma, Baringo, Nakuru, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot, Turkana, Marsabit, Nyandarua, Laikipia, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Muranga, Kiambu, Nairobi, Machakos, and Kajiado. In Nairobi, county officials have urged residents living along riparian areas to move at least 30 meters away from riverbanks to avoid flood-related dangers. Environment Chief Officer Geoffrey Mosiria emphasized the need for preparedness, cautioning against dumping garbage on roads, as clogged drainage systems worsen flooding. The rains have started, so be careful and make sure the drainage system around your home remains unclogged. Those living near the river should move 30 meters away on both sides, Mosiria advised. Authorities continue to monitor the situation and urge the public to stay informed and follow safety guidelines as the heavy rains persist. Clinical officers in Kenya have urgently appealed to President William Ruto, calling on him to intervene in the ongoing challenges posed by bureaucratic obstacles and discriminatory practices within the Social Health Authority (SHA). The officers argue that these barriers severely hamper their ability to deliver critical healthcare services across the country. During the 16th Annual Scientific Conference for Clinical Officers held in Malindi, Moses Konde Matole, chairman of the Kenya Clinical Officers Association (KCOA), highlighted the growing frustrations among clinical officers, noting that their vital role in healthcare delivery continues to be undermined. Matole emphasized the extensive training and competencies clinical officers possess, all of which are recognized under Kenyan law by the Clinical Officers Council (COC). Despite our significant contributions to the healthcare sector and formal recognition through an Act of Parliament, clinical officers still face systematic exclusion, Matole stated. Patrick Chemosit, a clinical officer from Bungoma County, echoed these sentiments, expressing concern over what he described as pervasive corruption within the Ministry of Health. According to Chemosit, this corruption has significantly undermined the purpose of SHA, which was originally established to enhance healthcare accessibility for all Kenyans. Chemosit accused senior officials at Afya House, including the Director General of Health, of intentionally sidelining clinical officers despite their crucial role in providing approximately 80% of healthcare services nationwide. He questioned why such key healthcare providers are routinely excluded from critical decision-making processes. For over two weeks, clinical officers have been on strike demanding active participation in SHAs decision-making structures. Chemosit urged President Ruto to promptly address what he termed as unconstitutional exclusion and called for reforms within the Ministry of Health. Clinical officers have also accused the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) of creating restrictive policies that monopolize the healthcare industry and further marginalize clinical officers. Peterson Wachira, Chairman of the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO), strongly criticized SHAs requirement for clinical officers to seek approval from medical officers before carrying out specific procedures. Wachira explained that most Level 2 and Level 3 health facilities are managed solely by clinical officers, often without the presence of medical doctors. This SHA system is discriminatory and unjustified. Clinical officers have adequate training and capability to perform these services without unnecessary restrictions, Wachira asserted, calling for an immediate end to such practices. Clinical officers maintain that addressing these issues will not only enhance their professional recognition but also significantly improve healthcare service delivery to all Kenyans. As they await a formal response from the government, the officers remain resolute in their quest for equity and recognition within Kenyas healthcare system. During a church service at Mokwo Parish in Elgeyo Marakwet County, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula made a heartfelt plea to Members of Parliament. He called for transparency and integrity in the selection of new Commissioners for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). Wetangula urged lawmakers to put the nations interests above personal or political agendas, emphasizing their crucial role in shaping Kenyas electoral system. He reminded MPs that the Selection Panel has already published a list of candidates, and its their duty to ensure those chosen uphold the nations democratic principles. Nyinyi wabunge mko kwenye harakati ya kuchagua IEBC mpya. Tafadhali, mutafute Wakenya wenye msimamo, wanaotii sheria, na wanaoheshimu katiba, he stressed. Wetangula highlighted the importance of a strong and independent IEBC in maintaining public trust and electoral integrity. He expressed his support for President William Rutos leadership, encouraging political leaders to unite and focus on development. Political instability, he warned, could hinder national progress. He also emphasized the need to mentor young leaders, sharing a personal story about choosing to attend an event by a young politician, Hon. Kimaiyo, over a high-profile meeting. This decision, he explained, reflects the importance of nurturing upcoming leaders in politics. Addressing recent political meetings between President Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga, Wetangula clarified that decisions within their political faction are made collectively. Katika timu yetu, kamati ya uongozi ndiyo inayoamua masuala haya mazito. Hiyo kamati ni Papa wa Roma, he explained. Residents of Cheboror, Kesses in Uasin Gishu County, were left in shock after authorities uncovered a police post that had been operating without the knowledge of law enforcement agencies. The discovery, made on Saturday, March 8, at around 11 a.m., stunned senior police officers who immediately launched an investigation. The suspect, a resident of Asis Village in Ndugulu Location identified as Collins Leitich, alias Chepkulei,, had set up the police patrol base in a building at Cherus Centre, going as far as painting it in official police colors to give it an air of legitimacy. Officers from Kamuyu Police Post, under Kondoo Police Station, were alerted and recorded the incident under OB04/08/03/2025. Authorities are now working to establish how long the illegal post had been in operation and whether the man had any accomplices within the police force. Investigators will also seek statements from locals to determine if anyone had been arrested and taken to the facility. We were surprised to learn that the police patrol base was not official. Many of us thought it was a genuine initiative to improve security in the area, said one of the residents. The case has raised serious concerns, as setting up a legitimate police station involves a strict bureaucratic process, including the provision of an armory, cells, offices, and sanitation facilities. The police have not yet disclosed the suspects motive or whether he had impersonated an officer, but they have assured the public that thorough investigations are underway. The bizarre revelation has sparked debate on security loopholes in the country, with many questioning how an entire police station could be established and run undetected for an unknown period. Authorities have urged residents to report any suspicious activities and fake law enforcement operations in their areas. President William Ruto on Sunday reaffirmed his commitment to supporting churches, announcing a personal donation of Ksh20 million to AIC Fellowship Annex Church in Eldoret. Speaking during a church service, Ruto doubled the Ksh10 million raised by the congregation in a previous fundraiser, pledging to help complete the churchs construction by the end of the year. His generosity, however, has not come without controversy. Aware of the criticism surrounding his substantial church donations, Ruto addressed the debate head-on, defending his actions with biblical references. There is controversy because Satan has become so arrogant in this country. Very arrogant, he remarked. He went on to quote Daniel 11:32, saying, Those who know their God will be strong, and they will do great exploits. Ruto insisted that despite the backlash, Kenya would remain a God-fearing nation. I want to say that in this nation called Kenya, God will be known, and we will do great exploits, he declared. He argued that opposition to church donations and sanctuary construction was driven by people who did not believe in God. To emphasize his stance, he cited Matthew 16:18, where Jesus told Peter: You, Peter, Im going to build my Church on this rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail. The President maintained that those opposing the construction of places of worship would not succeed. As long as I am the leader of this nation, Kenya will know and believe in God. That is my conviction, he stated. Ruto also hit back at critics who questioned his close ties to the Church, insisting that his support was part of a larger effort to keep Kenya on the right moral path. I want to say this to shame the devil and those telling us that we cannot stand with the Church and build sanctuaries so that they do things which take us back, he said. He stressed the role of churches in addressing Kenyas social challenges, particularly the struggles faced by young people, including drug abuse, alcoholism, and declining moral values. There are people who are telling us that we should not be concerned about the moral standing of our nation. We should, we will, and we must, Ruto affirmed. Standing firm on his mission, he vowed to continue supporting places of worship, dismissing those who opposed his contributions as enemies of faith and progress. Alego Usonga MP Sam Atandi and Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi have called on President William Ruto to expand his government by including Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka in his broad-based leadership approach. Speaking during the 8th anniversary celebration and thanksgiving ceremony at AIC Fellowship Annex in Eldoret on Sunday, March 9, 2025, Atandi emphasized the need for inclusivity. He urged Ruto to ensure no leader is sidelined in the push for national unity and progress. I want to urge you, Your Excellency, that you should not leave anyone behind. I know there are many leaders out there saying maybe the president is only interested in a few people. Even our brother, this Wiper guy, we need to bring him on board. We need to bring everybody on board. This journey of prosperity and unity of the country should be for everybody, Atandi stated. Sudi backed Atandis remarks, urging the president to reach out to Kalonzo and engage him in discussions. The outspoken legislator praised Ruto for his efforts to unify the country but stressed that genuine unity requires moving beyond political and tribal divides. Hii maneno ya siasa ya ukabila ni maneno ya ujinga. Nataka kukuambia rais ile mambo ulifanya juzi, bila kukusifu, kurudi nyuma na kuunganisha sisi Wakenya. Ata ule mtu Kalonzo vile Atandi amesema, ikiwezekana ongea na yeye. Ongea na kila mtu, hii Kenya ni nchi ya sisi wote, Sudi stated. (Translation: This issue of tribal politics is foolishness. Mr. President, I want to commend you for your recent effortswithout flatteryin bringing Kenyans together. As Atandi said, if possible, reach out to Kalonzo. Talk to everyone because Kenya belongs to all of us. Lets work together.) Kalonzo Dismmises UDA-ODM Pact Despite these calls for unity, Kalonzo has remained firm in his stance, rejecting the recent pact between Rutos United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and Raila Odingas Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). Dismissing the joint working framework agreement signed on Friday, March 7, 2025, Kalonzo accused Raila of betraying Kenyans who lost their lives in 2023 and 2024 while protesting against the high cost of living, punitive taxes, and governance failures. What has come out of KICC today is the biggest betrayal of Kenyans. The Peoples Loyal Coalition will never betray Kenyans for temporary comfort, Kalonzo said. If out of what they are signing at KICC, they do not come with a formula on how to address the injustice meted on Kenyans on June 25 and 2023 that will be betrayal in the city. Handshake or no handshake, Ruto must go, he added. A court in Vietnam has sentenced a 37-year-old Kenyan woman to death after convicting her of smuggling more than two kilograms of cocaine through Ho Chi Minh Citys airport. The Peoples Court delivered the verdict on Thursday, March 6, sentencing Macharia Margaret Nduta for drug trafficking. Authorities arrested Nduta in July 2023 while she was in transit to Laos. During investigations, she claimed that a Kenyan man, identified only as John, had hired her to deliver the suitcase she was carrying to another woman. As part of the arrangement, she was also expected to return with other goods. According to the indictment, John paid Nduta $1,300 (Ksh167,000) and covered her airfare. She told the court that she successfully passed through security checks at three major airportsJomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Bole International Airport in Ethiopia, and Hamad International Airport in Qatarbefore being caught in Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnamese authorities arrested her after discovering that her suitcase had a false bottom, where the cocaine was hidden. Police stated that upon removing the top and bottom linings of her luggage, they found over two kilograms of the illegal substance. During her court appearance, Nduta insisted that she was unaware her suitcase contained drugs. However, prosecutors dismissed her defense, arguing that she was attempting to cover up her crime and must take full responsibility for the amount of drugs she transported. Vietnam has some of the strictest drug laws in the world. Anyone found guilty of possessing or smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or cocaine or over 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine faces the death penalty. New Hongshan culture findings shed light on ancient China's brilliance Xinhua) 15:42, March 09, 2025 HOHHOT, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Three new jade dragons unearthed in 2024 from the Hongshan culture, a Neolithic civilization that emerged around 6,500 years ago in north China, have offered new evidence of the brilliance of ancient Chinese civilization. These discoveries mark the largest number of such artifacts found in recent years. They also coincide with the 70th anniversary of the naming of the Hongshan culture, a significant milestone for Chifeng City in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. One of the findings includes the largest jade dragon ever discovered, providing valuable new insights into the study of this ancient civilization. The newly discovered jade dragon, measuring 15.8 cm in length, 9.5 cm in width, and 3 cm in thickness, was excavated from the stone tomb in Yuanbaoshan in Chifeng's Aohan Banner. Alongside the dragon, over 100 other jade artifacts, including rings, discs, silkworms and owls, were also found. The Hongshan culture entered the stage of ancient state civilization approximately 5,800 years ago. It is considered a crucial part of research into the origins of Chinese civilization. Chifeng, the birthplace of the Hongshan culture, has over 700 known Hongshan sites. The discovery of the Yuanbaoshan site adds to the region's rich archaeological heritage. According to Dang Yu, a researcher at the regional institute of cultural relics and archaeology, the Yuanbaoshan site dates back about 5,000 years and represents a late Hongshan culture burial and ceremonial complex. The site features a unique architectural layout with a circular tomb in the north and a square altar in the south, the only such structure discovered in Inner Mongolia to date. "The excavation of Yuanbaoshan provides valuable clues about the social structure and ritual systems of the late Hongshan culture," Dang said. In addition to the three jade dragons found in Inner Mongolia last year, another was discovered at the Zhengjiagou site in Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, marking the first discovery of a Hongshan artifact outside its core region. Zhang Wenrui, director of the Hebei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, noted that the findings in Zhangjiakou suggest the late Hongshan people may have migrated westward from Inner Mongolia and northeast China's Liaoning Province. This discovery offers new insights into their migration and cultural spread. Today, the legacy of the Hongshan culture continues to thrive in modern life. In Chifeng, visitors can explore museum exhibitions, attend performances, participate in themed research activities, and even enjoy a "Hongshan-inspired" feast at local restaurants. "We are committed to preserving and promoting the Hongshan culture," said Zhang Guohua, Chifeng's vice mayor. "Our next steps involve advancing the protection of Hongshan sites and pursuing their inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage list. We aim to ensure that this ancient culture not only represents a glorious history but also serves as a catalyst for economic growth," the vice mayor added. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Wu Chaolan) Wajir County Assembly Minority Leader Yussuf Hussein Tolfiyo, has now confirmed his detention alongside activist Bob Njagi and others. Yussufs family revealed that the Dela Ward MCA was held in a torture room next to Njagi and the Longton brothers. His cousin, Elyas Abdille, shared that Yussuf was initially kept in Nairobi before being moved to an undisclosed location. Elyas told Nation, He told us he was with many others in Nairobi for two months before being relocated. This account matches statements made earlier by Njagi, who, during an appearance on JKLive, recalled hearing an MCA being tortured nearby. Yussuf was abducted on September 13, 2024, in Nairobis Industrial Area. Armed men intercepted his taxi and forcibly removed him, leading to a frantic but ultimately unsuccessful search by his family. A decomposed body found in Lake Yahud was mistakenly identified as Yussuf, but DNA tests disproved this claim. On a Saturday night, suspected state agents released Yussuf at Pangani shopping centre, giving him Sh5,000 for transport. His ordeal, which lasted 56 days longer than that of the Kitengela activists, has sparked widespread outrage. Eldas MP Adan Keynan expressed gratitude for Yussufs return but demanded accountability for his abduction. Mandera Senator Ali Roba criticized how Yussuf was treated, suggesting he endured severe torture. Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi expressed relief at Yussufs return, calling for justice. He tweeted, The news of his reunion brings immense relief and joy to our community. Similarly, Wajir Woman Representative Fatuma Abdi Jehow welcomed Yussuf home, tweeting, No words but to say Alhamdullilah! As with last years Rickert-Ziebold Trust Award competition, pictured here, artwork in a variety of media will be on display April 28-May3. (Photo by Amihere Benson) Eight finalists vie for SIUs 2025 Rickert-Ziebold Award by Pete Rosenbery CARBONDALE, Ill. Eight graduating seniors in Southern Illinois University Carbondales School of Art and Design are preparing to compete for the universitys most prestigious art prize the Rickert-Ziebold Trust Award. The finalists were announced on March 6 and come from a variety of disciplines art education, blacksmithing, communication design, general studio, glass/metalworking and photography. The exhibition is from April 28 through May 3 in the SIU Surplus Gallery, 432 S. Washington St., Carbondale. Winners will be announced at 3:30 p.m. April 28. A reception will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. May 2 in the Surplus Gallery, with the awards presentation at 6:30 p.m. The gallery is in the Studio Arts Building, formerly known as the Glove Factory. Media Advisory Reporters, photographers and news crews are welcome to cover the 2025 Rickert-Ziebold Trust Award reception and award presentation on May 2 at the SIU Surplus Gallery. The reception is set for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., with the awards presentation at 6:30 p.m. For more information, contact Najjar Abdul-Musawwir at mekka@siu.edu or the Surplus Gallery at 618-453-7548 or sgallery@siu.edu. Each year, seniors in the School of Art and Design, part of the College of Arts and Media, graduating from the fall semester to the end of the summer term apply for the competition, displaying their knowledge gained throughout the years at SIU. The honor includes a substantial scholarship. For some, it is perhaps their first experience with peer competition and professional evaluation. School of Art and Design faculty judge presentations on the basis of performance and excellence in creative achievement. Past and present Rickert-Ziebold Trust Award recipients reflect the ideals and aspirations of the award benefactors. Award finalists The finalists are: Paul Buckett, art education, White House, Tennessee . . Isabella Burkhardt, art education, Gardner, Illinois . . Enan Chediak, photography, Herrin, Illinois . . Leo Edwardson, communication design, Mount Prospect, Illinois . . Erin Kelley, general studio, South Bend, Indiana . . Lukas Kohler, blacksmithing, Reading, Pennsylvania . . Olivia Posey, glass/metalworking, Mountain Home, Arkansas . . Josephine Williams, blacksmithing/metalworking, Lima, Ohio. Longtime award The purpose of the trust is to promote excellence in visual arts. The award was established by the Rickert family in honor of the late Joseph Rickert, an attorney and former state senator from Waterloo, to encourage young artists. Because of the Rickert familys vision, love of art, and confidence in the future, the School of Art and Design is able to annually present cash awards to Rickert-Ziebold scholars. Gallery hours The exhibition in the Surplus Gallery will be open to the public from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 28-May 2 and 10 a.m. to noon May 3. For more information, contact Najjar Abdul-Musawwir, professor, in the School of Art and Design, at mekka@siu.edu or the Surplus Gallery at 618-453-7548 or sgallery@siu.edu. The N-40 National Highway, which is the main route between Pakistan and Iran, remained shut for the ninth consecutive day as the families of 10 missing youth from Kardgap continued to hold protest in Noshki, Geo News reported. The road closure has impacted Pakistan''s land connection with Iran and affected travelling between Noshki, Rakhshan Division, and Quetta. In addition, the LPG gas supply to Punjab and Sindh has been suspended due to road closure. Protesters also broke the windows of a car trying to use an alternative route. Meanwhile, the Torkham border between Pakistan and Afghanistan also remained shut for the 16th day due to tensions between the two countries, Customs authorities said on Sunday. The road closure, triggered by tensions over construction in disputed areas, has affected cross-border movement and all kinds of trade have been suspended between two nations. According to customs officials, the suspension of trade over the past 16 days has caused an estimated loss of USD 3 million on a daily basis. The immigration authorities said that nearly 10,000 people cross the Torkham border every day, with the closure leaving thousands stranded in two nations. The Torkham border was shut on February 22 for all kinds of movement after tension escalated between forces of Pakistan and Afghanistan over the construction of a bunker by the latter near Zero-Point. Security sources said that Afghan forces tried to construct a bunker in a disputed area near the border, prompting Pakistan''s Frontier Corps (FC) to respond, according to the Geo News report. Forces of Pakistan and Afghanistan have reinforced their positions and Pakistani authorities shifted customs, immigration and police officials from Torkham Bazaar to Landikotal as a precautionary measure, Geo News reported. The two nations have taken defensive positions, escalating fears of an armed clash. The Torkham crosses often face disruptions, affecting economic activities in both nations. The development comes amid a rise in terrorist incidents in Pakistan which Islamabad has blamed on outlawed groups based in Afghanistan. Pakistan and Afghanistan share a porous border spanning around 25,000 kilometers which has several crossing points holding importance as a key element of regional trade and ties between the people across both sides of the border. The two nations share a porous border spanning around 2,500 kilometres with several crossing points which hold significance as a key element of regional trade and relations between the people of Pakistan and Afghanistan. (ANI) At least six people, including women and children, were killed after the roof of their house collapsed in an Afghan camp on the outskirts of Pakistan''s Karachi on Sunday, ARY News reported. The incident happened in the wee hours of Sunday at the Janjal Goth Afghan Camp in the Gulshan-e-Maymar area. According to police, four people were injured in the roof collapse. The impacted family belonged to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa''s Bannu. Authorities have been conducting an investigation to determine the cause of the incident. Meanwhile, Pakistan''s Ministry of Interior has directed Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders staying in Pakistan to leave the country by March 31. In the statement, Pakistan''s Ministry of Interior said that Afghan nationals will be deported from April 1, ARY News reported. In a statement, Pakistan''s Interior Ministry said, "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 statement further said, "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." It said that ample time had already been given to Afghan refugees for their dignified return, according to ARY News report. The ministry said, "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''s Interior Ministry said, "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." More than 80,000 Afghans living in Pakistan were illegally repatriated to their country since Pakistan started the campaign in 2023. It is estimated that around 3 million Afghans still reside in Pakistan. (ANI) Reports have emerged of the killing of Wafa Baloch, a resident of Paroom tehsil in Panjgur district, allegedly by Pakistani paramilitary forces near the Goldsmith Line, which marks the border between Iran and Pakistan''s Balochistan, according to The Balochistan Post. In a post on X, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) stated, "On February 26, 2025, Wafa Baloch, son of Allah Bakhsh, a resident of Parom tehsil, Panjgur district, was extrajudicially executed by Pakistani paramilitary forces near the Iran-Pakistan border. Wafa had previously endured six months of enforced disappearance and illegal detention by Pakistani security agencies. Despite his release from a Pakistani torture cell, the trauma inflicted on his family persisted. Tragically, he was shot and killed while simply earning a livelihood as a border driver--targeted solely for being Baloch." https://x.com/BalochYakjehtiC/status/1898689995252150598 The BYC has condemned the incident, urging the international community and human rights organisations to take immediate notice of the ongoing violations in Balochistan and hold Pakistani authorities accountable for alleged extrajudicial killings and disappearances, The Balochistan Post reported. BYC highlighted, "In Balochistan, the ongoing genocide against the Baloch people has reached alarming levels. Pakistani security forces, intelligence agencies, and state-backed militias routinely target, disappear, and execute civilians, turning systematic oppression into a daily reality." While there has been no official response from Pakistani security agencies, these claims align with previous reports of similar abuses in the region. Human rights groups and local activists have long raised concerns about the escalating violence, calling for greater international intervention to address the deteriorating situation in Balochistan. Enforced disappearances of Baloch individuals in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan, continue to be a serious issue. The Baloch community faces ongoing persecution by state security forces, instilling widespread fear among the population and exacerbating concerns about their safety and human rights in the region. (ANI) VMPL Singapore, March 10: In the thriving business hub of Singapore, an Indian-origin husband-wife Singapore Qualified Chartered Accountant duo is making a mark in the corporate services and compliance sector. Ghan Dubey, a seasoned Chartered Accountant the founder of Krish Chartered Associates with 15 years of expertise in foreign companies set up, and Savita Dubey with expertise in AML compliance, accounting, and regulatory consulting, is helping businesses incorporate and maintain compliance in Singapore. Together, they provide comprehensive corporate advisory services, catering to Indian and global entrepreneurs looking to establish a strong presence in Singapore's highly regulated financial landscape. Empowering Entrepreneurs with Expertise Singapore is a preferred destination for Indian businesses and startups due to its tax advantages, business-friendly regulations, and global financial positioning. However, the complexities of corporate governance, financial compliance, and AML regulations can be overwhelming for foreign business owners. Recognizing this challenge, the Dubeys have established Khaizan Consultancy and Krish Chartered Associates--two firms focused on business incorporation, corporate secretarial services, tax structuring, and AML compliance. Their services include: * Company incorporation & structuring* AML/CFT compliance & risk management* Corporate tax planning & accounting* Regulatory compliance & business governance* Business bank account setup & financial advisory "Indian entrepreneurs often struggle with regulatory compliance when expanding into Singapore. Our goal is to provide seamless incorporation and compliance solutions, allowing businesses to focus on growth while we manage the legal and financial intricacies," says Savita Dubey, founder of Khaizan Consultancy. The Strength of a Husband-Wife Team in Business As industry leaders in corporate consulting and compliance, Savita and Ghan Shyam Dubey bring a holistic and hands-on approach to business advisory. Their combined experience ensures customized solutions for startups, SMEs, and financial firms looking to establish and scale in Singapore. "Working together as a couple gives us a strategic advantage--we complement each other's expertise. While Savita specializes in AML compliance and regulatory frameworks, I focus on corporate structuring and financial advisory through Krish Chartered Associates," says Ghan Shyam Dubey. Helping Indian Businesses Expand to Singapore With Singapore emerging as a global hub for Indian entrepreneurs, the Dubeys are committed to simplifying market entry and regulatory compliance for Indian businesses, fintech startups, and investors. "We understand the mindset of Indian entrepreneurs because we share the same roots. Our mission is to make Singapore an accessible and compliance-friendly business destination for Indian companies," they explain. A Vision for Growth and Compliance With Singapore's business ecosystem rapidly evolving, Khaizan Consultancy and Krish Chartered Associates are poised to become trusted advisory partners for Indian-origin entrepreneurs looking to expand, invest, and thrive in the region. "Our vision is to create a strong, compliant, and thriving business community for Indian investors in Singapore. We are not just service providers; we are long-term partners in their success," says the duo. About Khaizan Consultancy & Krish Chartered Associates Founded by Savita Dubey and Ghan Shyam Dubey, Khaizan Consultancy and Krish Chartered Associates specialize in business incorporation, AML compliance, tax advisory, and corporate governance in Singapore. Their firms cater to Indian entrepreneurs, SMEs, fintech firms, and financial institutions seeking to establish a strong presence in Singapore. (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) PRNewswire Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 10: Good Flippin' Burgers, one of India's most loved burger brands, is expanding its menu with FLYP Coffee. Crafted for those who enjoy a satisfying cup of coffee without unnecessary frills, FLYP Coffee offers a range of flavours at an accessible price. Following the success of Flippinade in cranberry and lemon variants, the brand is now bringing the same passion to coffee. India's coffee culture is evolving, with more people seeking great coffee that doesn't come with a hefty price tag. Recognizing this shift, Good Flippin' Burgers saw an opportunity to bring its commitment to quality and consistency into the coffee space. FLYP Coffee is made with 100% Arabica beans and is designed to pair perfectly with a new range of baked treats, including croissants, churros, brownies, and cookies -- now available at select dine-in outlets and online. "In keeping with our strategy to launch ancillary products that perfectly complement our delicious burgers, we're excited to introduce FLYP Coffee," said Viren D'Silva, Co-founder of Good Flippin' Burgers. "We want to give our customers their daily dose of energy to flip the world!" As Good Flippin' Burgers continues to expand across key cities, the brand remains committed to scaling without compromising on quality. FLYP Coffee is a natural extension of that vision, with plans for seasonal flavours and new innovations already in the pipeline. Whether it's a morning boost, an afternoon recharge, or a late-night pick-me-up, FLYP Coffee is here to fit seamlessly into one's day. FLYP Coffee and the new baked treats are now available across all Good Flippin' Burgers dine-in outlets and on major online platforms. FLYP will run and operate out of the Good Flippin' Burgers' stores. Pricing details will be announced in-store and online. Follow @GoodFlippin and @FLYPCoffee on Instagram for the latest updates, exclusive sneak peeks, and more. About Good Flippin' Burgers GOOD FLIPPIN' BURGERS was launched in 2019 in Mumbai. The brand currently has a total of 59 outlets (and counting) across Mumbai, Pune, Delhi NCR, Bangalore and Hyderabad, with a team of over 650+ employees. The brand started with the simple aim of creating a haven for foodies that serves fresh, delicious burgers that are priced just right. Since then, the burger chain has been flippin' hearts from one customer to the next across all of its outlets. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2636726/FLYP_Coffee.jpgLogo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2636718/Good_Flippin_Burgers_Logo.jpg (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) VMPL Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 10: A sector that employs over 45 lakh people, 70% of whom are women, remains unorganised and largely unprotected by the law even today. As we celebrate International Women's Day, Dhadak Kamgaar Union drew attention towards the rampant abuse of women working as domestic helpers. Union founder Abhijeet Rane met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday with the appeal to revive and utilise the Welfare Board for Domestic Workers. Rane pointed out that despite being a signatory of the International Labour Organisation's convention that laid down the guidelines regarding the rights of participants from informal economy in 2011, India still does not have any legal provisions for the protection of domestic workers. He said the workers in this unorganised sector often come from marginalised communities and face problems like low wages, no job security, verbal and sometimes even physical harassment from their employers. After hearing out the issue, CM Fadnavis assured to get it resolved at the earliest. "Between 1959 and 2009, several bills have been placed in front of the Parliament to protect the rights of domestic workers but we do not have an Act on the subject yet. Even the Supreme Court lamented the lack of specific legal protection of domestic workers in January this year, directing the Union Government to form an expert committee to draw the necessary legal framework," informed Rane. Asserting the need for legal protection of domestic workers, Rane spoke about how news of severe abuse of domestic workers keeps popping every few months from different corners of the country. The stories range from beating up minor girls working as house helpers on allegations of theft to sexual abuse of live-in domestic workers, and even seemingly minor issues like not being allowed to take the lift in appartment complexes. (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) VMPL New Delhi [India], March 10: Imagine this: you're upgrading to a new apartment that better suits your needs. But if you forget to forward your mail or tell your friends about your new address, you are most likely to miss out on important connections. SEO migration works similarly--when moving your website or making significant changes, it's crucial to ensure that visitors and search engines can still find it. What is SEO Migration and Why It's Essential for Long-Term Success? SEO migration refers to the process of making significant changes to your website while preserving its search engine rankings. These changes could involve domain switches, website redesigns, CMS migrations, or technical improvements. According to a study by Ahrefs, 91% of content gets no organic traffic from Google, emphasizing the critical role of SEO in maintaining visibility during such transitions.For enterprise and large websites, which depend heavily on organic traffic, SEO migration is indispensable. A properly planned migration not only safeguards rankings but can also enhance them, ensuring long-term success. This involves addressing structural, technical, and content-related factors systematically. A leading digital marketing agency like Techmagnate that offers SEO migration services and tips can ensure a smooth site transition that simultaneously also preserves the hard earned SEO equity of the same. Why SEO Migration Will Be Even More Critical for Businesses in 2025 As we move into 2025, the importance of SEO migration continues to grow. With the digital landscape evolving rapidly, SEO migration is set to become more vital. Here's why: 1. Frequent Algorithm Updates: Google's updates increasingly prioritise user experience, mobile-first indexing, and core web vitals. A poorly managed migration can result in penalties and ranking losses. (Source: Search Engine Journal) 2. Enhanced User Experience: Modern websites must prioritise usability and speed to remain competitive. A well-executed migration can align your website with these demands. 3. Enterprise-Level Changes: Large-scale businesses often face mergers, acquisitions, or rebranding, necessitating domain changes and redesigns. 4. Adapting to Emerging Technologies: AI-driven search and structured data are becoming integral to SEO success, making technically sound migrations essential. This growing relevance sets the stage for understanding why SEO migration is driven by various technical and strategic needs. Top Reasons for SEO Migration: What Drives the Need? Now that we've established the crucial importance of a well-managed SEO migration, let's explore the key drivers behind this need. Businesses often pursue SEO migrations for the following reasons: -Domain Changes: Shifting to a new domain requires careful planning to preserve authority and traffic. Case studies show that websites lose up to 40% of traffic without a proper migration strategy. (Source: Moz) - CMS Upgrades: Migrating to advanced content management systems improves scalability but risks disrupting SEO. - Site Redesigns: Revamping your site enhances user engagement and SEO performance when executed with a sound strategy. - Technical Improvements: Enhancements like improving site speed or mobile responsiveness demand a thorough SEO-centric approach. - Business Expansion: Scaling operations often requires structural changes to accommodate new offerings and audiences. These reasons highlight the technical and strategic motivations for migration, seamlessly leading to the next segment: addressing the challenges involved. Overcoming Key Challenges in SEO Migration While essential, SEO migration presents challenges. Recognising and addressing these challenges upfront ensures smoother transitions. Businesses must proactively address: 1. Traffic Loss: Improper redirects can cause a significant drop in traffic. Solution: Implement a 301 redirect strategy to guide users and bots seamlessly to new URLs. 2. Broken Links: Broken internal and external links are common post-migration. Solution: Conduct a thorough link audit to resolve these issues. 3. Ranking Fluctuations: Temporary ranking dips are typical. Solution: Continuous monitoring and technical optimization are key. 4. Content Duplication: Duplicate content can harm rankings. Solution: Employ canonical tags and update metadata accordingly. By addressing these challenges with robust strategies, businesses can mitigate risks effectively. A Comprehensive SEO Migration Checklist for Seamless TransitionsOnce challenges are addressed, the next logical step is creating a clear, actionable plan. A successful SEO migration demands meticulous planning. Here is a checklist that can come in handy: Pre-Migration 1. Conduct a full website audit to document rankings, traffic sources, and high-performing pages. (Source: SEMrush) 2. Create backups of all files and databases. 3. Develop a URL mapping strategy to redirect old URLs to new ones. 4. Update metadata, including title tags and descriptions, for the new site. 5. Identify and resolve existing technical SEO issues. During Migration 1. Set up 301 redirects to maintain link equity and guide users. 2. Update internal linking to reflect the new structure. 3. Test the staging environment for functionality and SEO readiness. Post-Migration 1. Verify the new site on Google Search Console. 2. Perform a crawl to identify and fix broken links. 3. Monitor rankings and traffic daily for four to six weeks. (Source: HubSpot) 4. Submit an updated XML sitemap to search engines. 5. Inform stakeholders and users of the changes through blogs or newsletters. Please note this checklist is by no means exhaustive. A complex and major task like SEO migration is best handled by experts. Techmagnate's Proven Strategies for Successful SEO Migration At Techmagnate, our tried-and-tested approach ensures a smooth SEO migration for enterprise websites. Here's how we do it: 1. Comprehensive Site Audit: We analyze existing performance metrics to identify gaps and opportunities. 2. Detailed URL Redirection Plan: Ensuring accurate mapping of old URLs to new ones to maintain link equity. 3. Technical SEO Optimization: From improving crawlability to enhancing page speed, we leave no stone unturned. 4. Content Realignment: Aligning all content with the new site's goals and audience expectations. 5. Post-Migration Monitoring: We perform regular audits to resolve issues and sustain rankings. The Financial Impact and ROI of SEO Migration Investing in a strategic SEO migration pays off significantly. A study by BrightEdge shows that 53% of website traffic comes from organic search, making its preservation vital for revenue. Benefits include: - Traffic Retention: Avoiding drastic losses in organic traffic. - Revenue Stability: Maintaining sales and conversions during the transition. - Improved ROI: Enhancing long-term rankings and traffic growth. For example, websites that execute migrations effectively often see a 20-30% improvement in organic traffic within six months. (Source: BrightEdge) Conclusion: Achieving a Seamless SEO Migration with Smart Strategy SEO migration is complex but immensely rewarding when executed correctly. Strategic planning, expert execution, and diligent post-launch monitoring are the pillars of a successful migration. Partnering with an experienced SEO services company like Techmagnate ensures minimal risks and maximum benefits. From safeguarding rankings to driving sustained growth, our proven SEO migration services can help your enterprise website achieve its long-term goals. Meta Title: SEO Migration Explained - Checklist, Challenges, and Strategies for Success Meta Description: Learn everything about SEO migration, including a step-by-step checklist, key challenges, and proven strategies to safeguard rankings and ensure a seamless website transition in 2025. URL: /seo-migration-complete-guide (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) NewsVoir Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 10: The Shikshagraha Awards 2025, presented by The Shibulal Family Philanthropic Initiatives (SFPI), celebrated four extraordinary changemakers whose visionary leadership has transformed education in their communities, making quality learning more inclusive and equitable. Presented at InvokED 4.0, India's largest education leadership dialogue, organised by ShikshaLokam, established under the aegis of SFPI, the Shikshagraha Awards recognised those who have not only tackled systemic barriers but also redefined education through innovation and resilience. The dialogue brought together 1,000+ civil society, government, market players, and media leaders to honour individuals driving grassroots change in public education. Each winner will receive INR 10 lakh to further their efforts in creating a lasting impact in their communities. Meet the 2025 Shikshagraha Award Winners Rajitha N, a supervisor at the Women and Child Development Department in Mysore District, Karnataka, has dedicated her efforts to improving early childhood education in remote tribal areas. She has significantly increased preschool enrollment through culturally sensitive strategies and technology-driven interventions while fostering stronger community engagement. Ranjan Kumar, the school leader of Rajkiya Middle School in Begusarai, Bihar, transformed a struggling institution into a model school, increasing enrollment by 169%. His innovative initiatives, including a multimedia virtual classroom and student-run publications, ensure a vibrant learning environment for all students. Xavier Chandra Kumar, a school leader, led the holistic transformation of Vallalar Government Higher Secondary School, Villupuram, Tamil Nadu. Xavier addressed severe infrastructural damage due to a development project in the area, and social divisions within the school, towards restoring community trust and engagement and achieving significant improvements in student discipline and academic performance. A special mention was made for Muskan Ahirwar's efforts. At just 17-years-old, she has become a beacon of hope for underprivileged children in Bhopal's Durganagar slum. Her 'Kitabi Masti' library provides free access to books and structured learning opportunities, empowering young minds and reshaping the future of her community. "The Shikshagraha Awards have shown us that everyone can introduce micro-improvements to achieve sustainable long-term impact - if they put their heart into it. We are proud of these awardees and hope this recognition inspires more education leaders on the ground to go the extra mile," said Mr. SD Shibulal, Co-founder and Former CEO, Infosys, and Founder, The Shibulal Family Philanthropic Initiatives (SFPI). InvokED 4.0: Charting the Future of Education Equity The InvokED 4.0 dialogue explored the 'collective action' and 'leadership at all levels' themes - emphasising that the education crisis cannot be solved in isolation but requires coordinated efforts from all actors. As the Indian public education system grapples with high dropout rates and widening learning gaps, the dialogue posed crucial questions: How can stakeholders collaborate to achieve education equity? What leadership is needed to transform education systems effectively? How can a people's movement be built to ensure education for all children? In his keynote speech, Shri Sanjay Kumar, Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India, stated, "When we talk about vision to reality the Shikshagraha way, everyone in the community must be connected to education. The community connection, along with teachers and students, has to be restored. Connecting thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people can trigger a non-linear chain reaction, much like nuclear fission." Why Dialogues like InvokED Matter With over 143 million children enrolled in public schools but only 1 million schools to accommodate them, the gap in access to quality education is stark. Ensuring that each child has an environment that nurtures their potential requires urgent systemic intervention and collective action. High-impact discussions featured leaders like Anshu Gupta, Founder of Goonj; His Highness Yaduveer Wadiyar, King of Mysore, Karnataka; Sudha Varghese, Padma Shri Awardee and Founder of Nari Gunjan; Ashraf Patel, Co-founder of Pravah & ComMutiny--The Youth Collective; Dr. Francois Bonnici, Director of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship; Reshma Anand, Regional Director of the Ford Foundation; Samar Bajaj, Director of Michael & Susan Dell Foundation India, LLP; and Amuleek Singh Bijral, Founder and CEO of Chai Point, among others. While addressing the audience on the second day, His Highness, King of Mysore, Karnataka, Yaduveer Wadiyar, said, "The central theme of InvokED and Shikshagraha is the idea of collective action for education equity. The idea of all of us coming together as one will ensure that we reach better and faster outcomes, at scale." Additionally, the Innovation 4 Education Equity Hackathon showcased the power of collective action first-hand, with 1300+ participants developing open-source solutions that address some of the most pressing challenges in education. "Integrating technology and innovation into education is not just about improving learning outcomes; it is about creating scalable, inclusive solutions that empower communities to drive meaningful change together. When harnessed effectively, technology becomes a catalyst for collective action, ensuring that solutions are not isolated but part of a broader movement toward education equity," said Khushboo Awasthi, Co-founder & COO of ShikshaLokam and Co-founder of Mantra4Change, both organisations that are co-building the Shiksagraha movement. Shikshagraha is a people's movement aiming to improve 1 million public schools in India by 2030, ensuring every child has access to quality education and the opportunity to dream and succeed. The movement brings together government, civil society, markets, and media--to collaboratively address the challenges in the public education system through the micro-improvement approach. By promoting decentralised decision-making in the education system, enabling leadership across levels and fostering collective action, Shikshagraha aims to create an inclusive learning environment where every student, regardless of background, gender, or abilities, can thrive in the 21st century. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.) The Indian air conditioner (AC) industry is expected to register a robust 19 per cent CAGR growth over the next three years, driven by rising temperatures and increasing disposable income, according to a report by Motilal Oswal. The report highlights that the industry has already witnessed strong demand in FY25, following a 12 per cent YoY volume growth in FY24, which saw sales of around 9.4 million units. Looking ahead, the industry is projected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19 per cent over FY24-27, with a sharp 35-40 per cent YoY increase anticipated in FY25. It said "In FY24, industry volumes grew by 12 per cent YoY to around 9.4 million units. We expect a 19 per cent CAGR in industry volume over FY24-27, with 35- 40 per cent YoY growth expected in FY25". With the rapid expansion of the AC market, the demand for high-value components such as compressors and copper tubes is also expected to rise. The report pointed out that nearly 80 per cent of the annual output od ACs in India occurs between December and June, contributing peak production during the period. Any disruptions during this crucial period can impact overall production volumes for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and Original Design Manufacturers (ODMs). It said "With annual AC demand growing at such a healthy pace, the demand for high-value components such as compressors and copper tubes would also grow correspondingly". However, the industry faced a major hurdle in the third quarter of FY25 (January 2025) due to a shortage of AC compressors. The report identified three key reasons behind this issue. First, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification of a major Chinese compressor manufacturer expired, leading to a halt in shipments to India since October 2024. Second, rising AC demand in China, driven by government subsidies, has resulted in supply constraints. Third, concerns over potential U.S. tariffs on Chinese exports have led to supply diversions to the American market. The compressor shortage may have caused production losses for some AC manufacturers during this period. Given the increasing demand and production challenges, the industry will need to address supply chain constraints to maintain its growth momentum in the coming years. (ANI) VMPL New Delhi [India], March 10: Square Insurance has launched Prime Connect, a dedicated vertical aimed at eliminating agent dependency and streamlining insurance purchases. This initiative enables employees to directly engage with customers, providing a faster, more transparent, and fully digital insurance-buying experience. Through Prime Connect, customers can explore, compare, and purchase policies via Square Insurance's website or consult in-house employees for expert guidance, ensuring they receive the right coverage. To support this expansion, Square Insurance has onboarded over 100 employees and established new offices in Delhi and Gurgaon, with a new location in Noida set to open soon, further expanding its workforce and strengthening its presence in these areas. This reinforces the company's commitment to direct customer engagement and strengthens its presence in key financial hubs. Additionally, Square Insurance plans to introduce exclusive digital promotions and loyalty benefits to encourage more customers to opt for direct insurance purchases. As India's insurance sector grows at over 10 percent annually, digital transformation is reshaping financial services. While self-service platforms and AI-driven underwriting are expanding financial protection, accessibility challenges persist, particularly in smaller towns. Prime Connect bridges this gap by extending financial security to Tier 3 and Tier 4 cities, where reliance on traditional agents has often limited insurance adoption. By eliminating inefficiencies, reducing mis-selling, and improving customer trust, Square Insurance ensures individuals across urban and rural India can secure their financial future with ease. "Insurance is not just a financial product but a tool for economic resilience. Yet, traditional models often lead to delays, mis-selling, and limited access, especially in smaller towns. Customers today demand speed, transparency, and control over their policies, and Prime Connect is our response to this shift. By empowering our employees to serve customers directly and integrating AI-driven recommendations, we are making insurance simpler, smarter, and more reliable. This initiative will not only enhance financial security but also contribute to economic growth by increasing insurance penetration and customer confidence," said Rakesh Kumar, MD and Founder of Square Insurance. With the launch of Prime Connect, Square Insurance aims to transition 15 to 20 percent of its sales to the direct digital model over the next two to three years. This shift will be supported by an expanded in-house customer support and advisory team, ensuring a seamless and efficient experience for policyholders. As digitalization accelerates, rural areas are rapidly embracing digital financial solutions. Prime Connect is set to play a key role in this transformation, offering individuals in smaller towns and villages direct access to insurance, free from agent dependency. By enhancing financial security, reducing vulnerability, and simplifying access, Prime Connect is bridging the insurance gap and empowering rural communities with greater financial resilience. About Square Insurance - Founded by Rakesh Kumar, Square Insurance is an InsurTech startup based in Rajasthan, providing tailored insurance solutions with a strong foothold in rural India. Since 2017, they have bridged the gap between customer needs and offerings, working with over 53 insurers to deliver competitive premiums and personalized coverage. With a focus on integrity, customer-centricity, and innovation, Square Insurance continues to expand, recently securing $1 million (Rs 8.3 crore) in funding led by Recur Club to open 15 new branches and strengthen their rural outreach. For more information, visit: https://www.squareinsurance.in/ (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) Chhattisgarh has attracted investments worth Rs 301,086 crore through various industrial proposals in the energy sector at the 'Chhattisgarh Energy Investors Summit 2025', the State govermment said on Monday. These investment proposals have been made under different schemes of the State government, aiming to boost the state's energy infrastructure. This includes investments in nuclear, thermal, solar, and pumped storage power generation projects, which will not only benefit industries but also provide the common people with affordable and uninterrupted electricity. "This investment in the energy sector in Chhattisgarh will elevate the State's power generation capacity to new levels and lay the foundation for a sustainable, green future by promoting renewable energy. The goal is for Chhattisgarh to not only become self-sufficient in energy but also establish itself as an energy hub for the entire country," Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said. The proposed investment in the thermal power sector is worth a total of Rs 107,840 crore consisting both private investors and public sector undertakings (PSUs), the State government said. Private investors are set to contribute Rs 66,720 crore, with Adani Power leading the way with investments in several projects, including Rs 18,000 crore for the Korba 1600 MW plant, Rs 15,000 crore for the Raigarh 1600 MW plant, Rs 15,000 crore for the Raipur 1600 MW plant, and Rs 620 Crore for a Korba 1320 MW plant. Jindal Power is set to invest Rs 12,800 crore in a 1600 MW plant in Raigarh, while Sarda is contributing Rs 5,300 crore for a 660 MW plant in Raigarh. On the other hand, PSUs are proposing a total investment of Rs 41,120 crore, with NTPC committing Rs 15,530 crore for the Lara 1600 MW project in Raigarh and Rs 9,790 crore for the Sipat 800 MW plant in Bilaspur. Chhattisgarh State Power Generation Company (CSPGCL) is also investing Rs 15,800 crore in the Korba 1320 MW project. "This collective investment demonstrates a strong push to expand and upgrade thermal power generation capacity in the region," Chattissgarh government said. NTPC has planned to set up a 4200 MW nuclear power project at an investment of Rs 80,000 crore, marking the beginning of nuclear power generation in the state, the government said. Chhattisgarh has also achieved significant success in the field of solar energy. Jindal Power and NTPC Green together will produce 2500 MW of solar power by investing Rs10,000 crore, the government said. This includes 500 MW solar plants in Doleshra and 2000 MW in Raigarh. In addition, there is good news for farmers. Under the PM Kusum Yojana, 675 MW of solar power will be generated at a cost of Rs 4100 crore, and 20,000 solar pumps will be installed. "This will provide affordable electricity to farmers for irrigation, reducing their reliance on diesel pumps," the state government asserted. Pumped storage projects with a total capacity of 8700 MW will also be developed at an investment of Rs 57,046 crore. These projects include 1800 MW at SJN Kotpali and 3000 MW by Jindal Renewable. An investment of Rs 57,046 crore is being directed towards pumped storage projects, which will greatly enhance the state's hydropower capacity. Major companies are participating in this initiative, with plans to develop several large-scale projects. These include a 1800 MW hydropower project in Kotpali, a 1400 MW hydropower scheme in Dangri, and a 3000 MW hydropower project by Jindal Renewable Company. Chhattisgarh is investing heavily in its energy infrastructure, with Rs 3,200 crore allocated for CREDA Solar Initiatives and Rs 6,000 crore for the PM Surya Scheme to expand solar energy. The state will also invest Rs 2,500 crore in government building solar projects, Rs 2,600 crore in Battery Energy Storage Systems, and Rs17,000 crore to upgrade power transmission. Rs 10,800 crore will be invested under the RDSS to improve power distribution efficiency. These efforts will strengthen the state's energy capabilities and reliability. "With all these investments, Chhattisgarh is set to become one of the largest energy-producing states in the country. This will benefit industries, farmers, and the general public, while also boosting the state's economy," the state government further asserted. (ANI) The report highlighted that Indian pharma services companies will continue to benefit from favourable global factors despite concerns over new trade restrictions. It said "The companies see only marginal impact and no major disruption to US business from the planned US tariffs (10-25 per cent)". The US remains a key market for Indian CDMO players, with exports worth approximately USD 9-10 billion annually. While the tariff proposal has raised concerns, Indian firms expect only a marginal impact on their business. The report stated that India continues to play a crucial role in the US generic drug supply chain, providing Key Starting Materials (KSMs), Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), and finished formulations. Indian companies supply nearly 40-45 per cent of the total generic drug volume in the US market. It said "Export formulation players can majorly pass on any price impact from US tariffs to end customers. India caters to nearly approx. 40-45 per cent of the generic drug volumes in the US". Formulation exporters will be able to pass on any cost increases by tariffs to end customers, minimizing financial pressure on Indian manufacturers. The report adds that global pharmaceutical companies are increasingly outsourcing production to Indian CDMOs due to the China+1 diversification strategy. Additionally, a favourable USD/INR exchange rate and a rise in requests for quotations (RFQs) are boosting growth opportunities. It also mentioned that the Indian CDMO companies are actively investing in expanding their capabilities and capacity. This includes advancements in complex chemistry, new technologies, and specialized fields like Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs), peptides (including GLP-1), Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT), CAR-T, and Biotech. With the global CDMO market valued at around USD 180 billion, Indian players are well-positioned to capitalize on emerging opportunities. Their ongoing investments in research, technology, and production capacity will likely strengthen India's role in the global pharmaceutical industry despite trade policy uncertainties. (ANI) NewsVoir New Delhi [India], March 10: Chai Kreative is leading a new wave of transformation in India's primary education sector by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) with culturally relevant learning content. With a focus on innovation and inclusivity, the company is committed to bridging gaps in educational quality and accessibility, aligning its efforts with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. By developing AI-driven tools and content tailored to India's diverse linguistic landscape, Chai Kreative ensures that quality education reaches children across the country, particularly in rural and underserved areas. Recognizing that India's primary education system caters to over 130 million students, the company is working to address significant challenges in equity and learning outcomes. "At Chai Kreative, we are committed to bridging the gaps in primary education by seeking collaboration with state governments such as Delhi and Maharashtra. These initiatives will showcase how AI can enhance learning experiences and improve administrative efficiency, making education more engaging and effective for young learners. By working across both public and private sectors, we aim to ensure our solutions are accessible to a broad audience," said Kewal Kapoor, Founder, Chai Kreative. AI is reshaping global education by personalizing learning experiences and enabling adaptive platforms. The AI in education market is projected to grow substantially, reflecting the increasing demand for customized educational solutions. Chai Kreative is at the forefront of this movement, integrating AI-driven methodologies to tailor learning paths for students while supporting teachers with advanced training programs. The company is focusing on every component of the primary education system, ensuring a holistic approach to transforming early learning. In India, where AI is being introduced into school curriculums from Class 6 onwards, Chai Kreative's initiatives ensure that students are well-prepared for the future. The company is focusing on every component of the primary education system, emphasizing how technology can be leveraged to address the quality education crisis. By incorporating AI-powered tools, Chai Kreative is revolutionizing traditional learning methods, making education more interactive, efficient, and impactful. Chai Kreative recognizes that a good teacher can change a student's life. However, low- and middle-income students who invest thousands of rupees in diplomas in elementary education are often unable to clear the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) exam. To address this gap, Chai Kreative is developing AI-powered educational content designed to support these aspiring teachers, guiding them step by step toward success. Beyond content development, the company is also creating teacher training programs in alignment with the NEP 2020, which will be pitched to various state governments. By equipping educators with the necessary skills and knowledge, Chai Kreative aims to strengthen the foundation of India's education system. Chai Kreative is focusing on every component of the primary education system, ensuring that teachers receive the right support and training to enhance learning outcomes. One of the key strengths of Chai Kreative is its ability to generate high-quality educational content in Hindi, ensuring that learning is relatable and accessible to millions of students. This approach enhances comprehension and engagement, especially for children in Hindi-speaking regions, effectively bridging the language divide in education. The widespread penetration of mobile phones and internet access in India further supports this mission. Chai Kreative leverages digital connectivity to deliver AI-powered educational content even in low-bandwidth environments, ensuring that students from all socio-economic backgrounds can access quality learning resources. Chai kreative is focusing on every component of the primary education system The company believes in the transformative power of technology, using AI as a 'good teacher' to empower students and educators alike. By leveraging global best practices and aligning with national policies, Chai Kreative is positioning itself as a leader in AI-enhanced primary education. The company is focusing on every component of the primary education system, integrating technology to improve both teaching methodologies and student engagement. Inspired by India's rich cultural heritage, Chai Kreative embraces the wisdom of the Sanskrit doha: Translated as: "Knowledge bestows humility, humility leads to worthiness, worthiness brings wealth, wealth enables righteousness, and righteousness leads to happiness." This philosophy underscores Chai Kreative's mission to empower children through knowledge, fostering a cycle of growth, dignity, and prosperity. As India moves towards a future where technology and education go hand in hand, Chai Kreative is playing a crucial role in shaping young minds. By integrating AI into early learning, breaking linguistic barriers, and leveraging digital connectivity, the company is ensuring that every child has the opportunity to receive quality education, regardless of their background. More about Chai Kreative: www.chaikreative.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.) PNN New Delhi [India], March 10: Mata Amritanandamayi, PV Sindhu, Sadhvi Ritambhara, Parvati Jangid, Purnima Devi Burman, Nita Ambani, Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Kiran Mazumdar, Sudha Murthy, Dr. Anjali Agarwal from India got place in this prestigious list. In a momentous recognition of her selfless service and unwavering dedication to social causes, Colonel (Hony.) Parvati Jangid Suthar has been named one of the "World's Most Extraordinary Women" by Harvard100 on International Women's Day 2025. This prestigious global ranking celebrates changemakers who are using their power, influence, capital, and time to make the world a better place. Parvati Jangid Suthar, affectionately known as the "Sister of Soldiers," has distinguished herself through her profound connection with the Indian defense forces, her advocacy for women's empowerment, and her tireless efforts in social reform. From a pool of 9,650 shortlisted women, Parvati is among the 25 extraordinary women selected for this honor. A Journey of Resilience and Empowerment: Parvati's journey is one forged in the crucible of adversity. Hailing from the remote village of Gagariya near the Indo-Pak border in Rajasthan, her early life was marked by the untimely loss of her father and her personal struggle against child marriage. These challenges ignited within her a burning desire to dismantle social injustices and uplift marginalized communities. Her connection with the Indian defense forces is nothing short of extraordinary. Parvati has cultivated a profound bond with soldiers, recognizing their sacrifices and the unique challenges they face. Her initiative of tying handmade Raksha Sutras to lakhs of defense personnel, a gesture of sisterly love and support, has resonated deeply, serving as a powerful tool to combat depression and foster a sense of belonging. This act, born of genuine empathy, has touched the lives of millions, earning her the affectionate titles of "Sister of Soldiers," "Sister of BSF," "Sister of Himveer," "Sister of Assam Rifles," and "Sister of ICG" - titles bestowed upon her by the very forces she serves. Further solidifying her dedication, she was awarded the honorary rank of Colonel by CGIM Moldova, an international acknowledgement of her exceptional contributions. A Beacon of Hope and Inspiration Parvati's influence extends far beyond the military. She is a respected social reformer, a champion of youth leadership, and a staunch advocate for women's empowerment. Her election as President of the Republic of Women underscores her powerful voice in the fight for gender equality. As a Vidhya Bharti alumni, she carries forward a rich heritage of cultural and educational values, infusing her work with a deep understanding of India's traditions and aspirations. The Harvard100 list lauds Parvati as the youngest woman in the world to be included, a testament to her profound impact on society at a young age. Her inclusion in this list alongside other global icons such as Melinda French Gates, Ursula von der Leyen, and PV Sindhu, Susan Li, Laurene Powell Jobs, Julia Gillard, Giorgia Meloni, DiDi Maa Sadhvi Ritambhara, Nita Ambani, Mata Amritanandamayi etc underscores the global recognition of her tireless efforts and her ability to inspire change on a global scale. Harvard100 celebrates Parvati's life as a beacon of hope, illuminating the path for others to follow. She embodies the spirit of resilience, demonstrating that even in the face of immense challenges, one person can make a profound and lasting difference. Her dedication to social justice, her unwavering support for the Indian defense forces, and her commitment to empowering women make her a true leader and an inspiration to generations to come. She stands as a symbol of the power of compassion, the strength of resilience, and the transformative potential of a life dedicated to service. Red: https://www.harvard100.org/ (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.) Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 10: The Bunts Star Achievers Night 2025 concluded with grandeur and pride, celebrating the outstanding achievements of the Bunt community's most remarkable individuals. The prestigious event brought together a distinguished gathering of business leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals, showcasing the community's spirit of excellence, innovation, and leadership. An Evening of Eminence with Distinguished Guests The event was graced by an esteemed line up of guests, adding to the night's magnificence: * D. V. Sadananda Gowda, Former Chief Minister of Karnataka & Former Union Minister of India * Suniel Shetty, Acclaimed Actor, Film Producer & Entrepreneur * Romal Shetty, CEO, Deloitte South Asia* Shashikiran Chetty, Chairman & Managing Director, Allcargo Group (Main Sponsor & Guest of Honour) Their presence made the evening even more inspiring, reinforcing the Bunt community's legacy of excellence and success. Honouring the Pinnacle of Excellence The Bunts Star Achievers Awards 2025 recognized extraordinary individuals who have made significant contributions across various fields. This year's distinguished awardees included: * Excellence in Manufacturing - Ajit Rai, Founder & Chairman, Suprajit Group* Excellence in Profession - Romal Shetty, Chief Executive Officer, Deloitte South Asia* Excellence in Hospitality Industry - Sudhakar Hegde, Managing Director & Chairman, Tunga Group of Hotels* Global Business Excellence - Gunasheel Udupi, Owner & CEO, Ace Crane Systems LLC* Start-up Business Leader - Dr. Pravin Shetty, Co-Founder, MakeO Healthcare Technologies Pvt Ltd* Lifetime Achievement Award - Diwakar S. Shetty, Chairman, Fibre Foils & Shetron Limited These exceptional leaders were honoured for their remarkable contributions and relentless dedication to their respective industries, setting new standards of excellence for the community. A Night of Power, Prestige & Inspiration This year's Bunts Star Achievers Night 2025 was truly a night to remember, featuring: * A Gathering of Top Bunt Visionaries & Business Icons - Connecting the brightest minds from the Bunt community. * Live Global Telecast - Reaching audiences across the Gulf and beyond through a YouTube broadcast. * Unparalleled Networking Opportunities - Bringing together industry stalwarts and future leaders. A Proudly Sponsored Celebration The event was made possible by the generous support of Allcargo Logistics as the Main Sponsor, along with Organic Industries, Aurashine Essentials, MRG Group Of Companies, Viswaat Chemical Limited, Ramada Group Of Hotels, Lumens Group, Steel Strong Pvt Ltd, Bhavani Shipping Pvt Ltd, and Heranba Group of Companies as Co-Sponsors. Their contributions reflected the strong unity and commitment of the Bunt business fraternity. A Legacy of Success & Leadership The Bunts Star Achievers Night 2025 was not just an event--it was a movement. A movement to celebrate the unstoppable entrepreneurial spirit, global achievements, and inspiring leadership within the Bunt community. As the night drew to a close, it left an indelible mark on everyone present, reinforcing the power, pride, and prestige of the Bunts. With this grand celebration setting new benchmarks, the journey of excellence continues! Here's to another year of success, innovation, and leadership! (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) PNN New Delhi [India], March 10: Sangitanjaly Foundation successfully organized a musical extravaganza featuring the legendary Bhajan Samrat, Anup Jalota, on 8th March 2025 at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bashirbagh, Hyderabad to celebrate World Women's Day. The event, titled "JHANKAR," was a resounding success, leaving the audience spellbound and yearning for more and this was the perfect platform to celebrate the World Women's day and the spirit of womanhood says the ace Social Entrepreneur and Chairman, Sangitanjaly Foundation, Abhijeeth Bhattacharjee. Bhajan Samrat, Anup Jalota, regaled the audience with his soulful renditions. Anup Jalota was accompanied on the Tabla, by world famous Grammy Jury & GIMA award winner Pt. Prodyut Mukherjee. The Event Jhankar is being organised in association with the Department of Language & Culture, Govt of Telangana and is in aid of Autism Ashram. This musical tribute event of Anup Jalota ji celebrated the spirit of womanhood and recognized the invaluable contributions of women in our society. It was an enchanting evening of music, inspiration, and celebration remarked Abhijeeth Bhattacharjee, ace social worker. "We are thrilled to host Anup Jalota ji on this special occasion," said Abhijeeth Bhattacharjee Founder Chairman, Sangitanjaly Foundation, Hyderabad. "His music has the power to touch hearts and souls, and his performance was a perfect tribute to the women who make our world a better place." Anup Jalota's soulful renditions of his iconic bhajans, Geet,Ghazals and Bollywood numbers like Aisi Lagi Lagan, Rang de Chunaria,Bolo Ram, Aey Daulat bhi Ley lo, Hoto se chu le tum, Tum itna kyu muskara rahe ho, Chandan sa Badan, Ao meri zohra Zabeen, chalet chalet, ramaiyya wasta waiyya, Ranh si sahi... and transported the audience to a realm of spiritual bliss. His performance was a testament to his mastery over the art form and his ability to connect with the audience on a deeper level. His Jugalbandhi with the Tabla Maestro was a pleasant surprise that enchanted the audience. Pt.Prodyut Mukherjee had a brief solo stint where he captivated the audience showcasing his mastery over his craft. The Audience gave a standing ovation to the artists for the immaculate performance. Anup Jalota remarked that this is a great opportunity for him to celebrate women's day at Hyderabad and that his renditions on popular meera bhajans that spoke volumes about the eternal love and the spirit of womanhood, which inspired many generations. Grammy Jury and GIMA Award winner Pt.Prodyut Mukherjee stated that this event was a true celebration of Women Empowerment and this event had the perfect vibes. He Further added that he enjoys playing Tabla with Anup Jalota for his impromptu improvisations and rhythmic variations. Dr.Anil Kundra, President of Autism Ashram said that women are made of up of different material all together. As a mother they give their utmost care and love and nurture their Autistic Child with so much of sacrifice and commitment. Sangitanjaly Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Indian classical and Semi Classical music, and supporting social causes. Under the banner of Jhankar, it organises and promotes semi- classical genres such as Bhajans, Geets, folk Music, Sufi Geet etc. India is considered as a multi-cultural, multi-ethnical and multi-linguistic subcontinent. The very essence of Unity is its diversity. Language, Art, Culture, Literature etc are the noble elements that binds the community together. It is this thread which binds the entire population through length & breadth. It is proven time & again that any community engagement initiative through language, art, culture or literature connects very well with the people in India mentioned the ace social worker and Social Entrepreneur Abhijeeth Bhattacharjee. (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.) TP Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 10: TiE Mumbai has announced the 18th edition of its flagship conference - TiEcon Mumbai 2025 which will be held on March 12, 2025, at the prestigious Jio World Convention Centre. BKC - India's largest and first state of the art Conference and Exhibition center. As India's entrepreneurial landscape undergoes a fundamental transformation, this year's conference, themed 'DhandaFirst,' will explore how the country's startup ecosystem is maturing from a vibrant innovation hub into a key driver of national economic growth. The event will serve as a platform to examine the rapid evolution of businesses navigating global disruptions and technological shifts, while fostering collaboration between startups, corporates, investors, and policymakers. "India's startup ecosystem is entering a new era of resilience and impact. At TiECon Mumbai 2025, we are committed to fostering collaboration between startups, industries, and investors to build scalable, sustainable businesses. 'DhandaFirst' is not just a theme; it's a call to action for entrepreneurs to focus on profitability, innovation, and long-term value creation in a rapidly evolving global economy." said Ranu Vohra, President, TiE Mumbai. TiECon Mumbai 2025 is expected to draw over 3,000 attendees, including more than 1,000 startup founders, 500+ investors, 200+ corporate leaders, and India's top 100 business visionaries. This diverse congregation of trailblazers promises unparalleled insights, networking opportunities, and actionable strategies to navigate the ever-evolving business environment. "TiECon Mumbai 2025 will serve as a catalyst for meaningful conversations on how startups and established industries can collaborate to drive economic growth. By exploring emerging technologies like AI and DeepTech alongside evolving capital markets, we aim to equip entrepreneurs with the insights and strategies needed to build sustainable, high-impact businesses." said Apoorva Sharma, President-Elect, TiE Mumbai and Co-Founder, Venture Catalysts & 100Unicorns. Mohit Joshi, CEO, Havas Media Network India added, "At Havas Media Network India, our long-standing partnership with TIE has been driven by a shared vision of fostering entrepreneurship and enabling meaningful industry conversations. Over the years, we have collaborated on initiatives that bring together innovators, business leaders, and investors to shape the future of India's entrepreneurial landscape. This year, as a partner at TiECon Mumbai 2025, we look forward to strengthening our association further and contributing to an ecosystem that fuels growth, collaboration, and innovation." Key Focus Areas of TiECon Mumbai 2025: * Collaborating with India's Fortune 1000 and Fortune 500 digital startups to co-build and innovate. * Exploring Dalal Street's investment strategies and their role in shaping new value-creation avenues. * Analyzing the IPO boom and its impact on the Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem. * Examining the monetization potential of DeepTech and AI as critical revenue-generation tools. * Fostering partnerships between conglomerates and startups to scale high-impact businesses. * Highlighting the EBITDA-first mindset among investors, prioritizing profitability and sustainable growth. * Understanding the role of Private Equity (PE) in achieving global-standard returns and driving India-first initiatives. * Evaluating the influence of Indian Limited Partners (LPs), family offices, and stock market influencers in fueling the ecosystem. * Discussing government policies that empower entrepreneurs in a 'DhandaFirst' economic landscape. By bringing together key players from across the entrepreneurial ecosystem, TiECon Mumbai 2025 aims to chart a new course for India's business landscape--one that prioritizes profitability, innovation, and long-term sustainability. Some of the key speakers who will be part of this year's TiEcon Mumbai are Ranu Vohra -President, TiE Mumbai & Co-Founder and Executive Vice Chairman, Avendus Capital, Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma President-Elect, TiE Mumbai & Co-Founder, Venture Catalysts & 9Unicorns, Anupam Mittal - Founder & CEO, People Group, Atul Nishar - Founder Hexaware, Azent Overseas Education N. R. Narayana Murthy - Founder, Infosys, Mohandas Pai - Chairman, Aarin Capital, Bhavish Aggarwal - Co-founder & CEO, Ola Cabs, Trivikraman Thampy - Co Founder & Co- CEO, Games 24X7, Cyril Shroff - Managing Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, Vijay Kedia - Managing Director, Kedia Securities, Tarun Mehta- Co- Founder & CEO Ather Energy, Rajesh Sharma - Chairman & Managing Director, Capri Group, Bhavook Tripathi - Founder, Brham, Rajan Navani - Vice Chairman & MD, JetLine Group, Sharad Sanghi - Chairman, NTT India & Founder, Neyasa, Manish Chokhani - Director, Enam Holdings, Savji Dhanji Dholakia - Founder & Chairman, Hari Krishna Exports, Harsh Mariwala - Founder, Marico, Neeraj Roy - MD & CEO, Hungama, Ashwin Damera - Founder, Eruditus, Nitish Mittersain - MD, Nazara Technologies, Mayank Agarwal - Co founder, UpGrad, Biren Ghose - Managing Director - Asia Pacific & Global Excom Member, Technicolor Group, Naveen Tahilyani - Managing Director, Tata Digital, Ajay Mariwala - Managing Director, Nutri Ingredients, Harshal Morde - Director, Morde Foods, Arjun Vaidya - Venture Lead, V3 Ventures, Sanjay Mehta - Founder & Partner, 100X.VC, Amit Mookim - CEO, Immuneel Therapeutics, Ganesh Krishnan - Non Executive Director, Portea, Meena Ganesh - CEO, Portea, Kaustubh Dhavse - OSD to CM, GoM, Gaurav Trehan - CEO, KKR India, Jaspreet Bindra - Co-Founder & CEO, AI&Beyond, Eva Vestraelen - Investment and Trade Commissioner, Flanders and many more. TiE Mumbai invites entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and industry leaders to join this exciting event and contribute to shaping India's entrepreneurial future. For more information pls visit https://events.tie.org/TiEconMumbai2025DhandaFirst About TiE Mumbai The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), was founded in 1992 in Silicon Valley by a group of successful entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and senior professionals with roots in the Indus region. Since 1992. TiE has been supporting entrepreneurs by offering education, mentorship, networking and funding opportunities. The mission of TiE is to foster entrepreneurship globally through the 5 pillars of TiE : mentoring, networking and education, funding and incubation. Dedicated to the virtuous cycle of wealth creation and giving back to the community. TiE's focus area is to generate enable the next generation of entrepreneurs. There are currently 11,000 members, including over 2,500 charter members in 60 chapters across 17 countries. TiE's mission is to foster entrepreneurship globally through mentoring, networking, and education. Dedicated to the virtuous cycle of wealth creation and giving back to the community, TiE's focus is on generating and nurturing our next generation of entrepreneurs. Media Contact Jacqueline Patel 9967040369 jacquelinepatel@yahoo.com (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by TP. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) New Delhi [India], March 10: On International Women's Day, we proudly unveil the powerful look of Sonakshi Sinha in our upcoming film, Jatadhara. This supernatural thriller embodies the spirit of women's power and strength, a value that our producer, Prerna Arora, holds dear. "As we celebrate Women's Day, I want to emphasise that women's empowerment is not just a slogan, but a way of life. Empowered women empower women to strong women may we know them, may we be them, may we raise them. Women are the backbone of our society, and it's time we recognize their strength and contributions. Through Jatadhara, we aim to showcase the power and resilience of women, and I'm thrilled to have Sonakshi Sinha on board to bring this vision to life," says Prerna Arora. Prerna Arora's commitment to women's empowerment is evident in her previous films, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and Padman, both of which won National Awards for their impactful portrayal of women's basic rights. Let's come together to empower women and create a brighter future for all. (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) NewsVoir New Delhi [India], March 10: Udaipur Cement Works Limited (UCWL), a subsidiary of JK Lakshmi Cement Ltd., has been conferred with the prestigious title of 'Fastest Growing Cement Company in the Small Category in India' at the Indian Cement Review Awards. This accolade highlights UCWL's impressive growth trajectory, commitment to sustainability, and outstanding contributions to the cement manufacturing sector. The Indian Cement Review Awards, among the industry's most esteemed recognitions, honour organizations that exhibit exceptional performance, technological advancements, and sustainable business strategies. Speaking about the win, Shrivats Singhania, CEO & Director of Udaipur Cement Works Limited, stated, "This prestigious award is not just a recognition, but a celebration of our commitment to innovation and high quality. I extend heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated team and valued stakeholders for being our pillars of strength. At UCWL, we continue to forge ahead with our mission to deliver superior cement, committed to the highest standards of sustainability and environmental responsibility." Established in 1993 and headquartered in Udaipur, Rajasthan, UCWL is a leading cement manufacturer with a production capacity of 4.7 MTPA. As part of the esteemed JK Organisation, which carries a legacy of over 135 years across multiple industries, UCWL has continually set benchmarks in the sector with its premium product offerings, including Platinum Heavy Duty Cement and Platinum Supremo Cement. By integrating state-of-the-art technology, superior product quality, and a customer-centric approach, UCWL continues to drive innovation and growth in India's infrastructure sector. This distinguished honour reaffirms UCWL's position as a key player in the cement industry, dedicated to fostering a sustainable and progressive future. Udaipur Cement Works Limited (UCWL), a subsidiary of JK Lakshmi Cement Ltd., is a leading cement manufacturer with a production capacity of 4.7 MTPA. Established in 1993 and headquartered in Udaipur, Rajasthan, the company operates under the prestigious JK Organisation, which boasts over 135 years of legacy across diverse sectors. UCWL is committed to sustainable development, leveraging renewable energy for 45% of its electricity needs and actively contributing to UN-SDGs. Known for its premium Platinum Heavy Duty Cement and Platinum Supremo Cement, UCWL combines cutting-edge technology, superior product quality, and a customer-first philosophy to drive innovation and growth in India's infrastructure sector. (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.) SMPL New Delhi [India], March 10: Darain Travels Pvt Ltd, a well-established name in Gulf recruitment, has now expanded its services to cater to the European job market, including Albania, Serbia, Croatia, and the Czech Republic. With a track record of providing top-tier talent to businesses in the Gulf region, the company is now bringing its expertise to European employers seeking skilled professionals across various industries. "Our expansion into Europe marks a significant milestone for Darain Travels Pvt Ltd. We have successfully built a strong network in the Gulf region, and now we are excited to extend our recruitment solutions to European countries facing increasing demand for skilled workers," said Abdulla Khan, Director at Darain Travels Pvt Ltd. "This move will allow us to connect even more talented individuals with the right job opportunities while supporting businesses in their workforce needs." Comprehensive Recruitment Solutions Darain Travels Pvt Ltd offers end-to-end recruitment services that cater to a wide variety of industries, including construction, healthcare, hospitality, engineering, IT, and more. The company's recruitment process is designed to identify highly qualified and skilled candidates who are capable of meeting the specific needs of clients in the Gulf and Europe. From entry-level positions to executive roles, Darain Travels Pvt Ltd has the expertise to handle recruitment across all levels. The company takes pride in its ability to source candidates from diverse backgrounds, ensuring a wide selection of professionals ready to take on new challenges and contribute to the success of their employers. Gulf & Europe Recruitment Expertise With in-depth knowledge of the labor markets in both the Gulf and European regions, Darain Travels Pvt Ltd is able to provide recruitment services that are tailored to the unique demands of these regions. The company understands the specific cultural, regulatory, and economic conditions that influence employment opportunities and the hiring process. For Gulf countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait, Darain Travels Pvt Ltd has extensive experience in providing highly qualified professionals in fields like construction, engineering, IT, and healthcare. With strong connections in these countries, the company ensures that employers receive candidates who not only meet the required skill sets but also adapt easily to the cultural and professional expectations of the Gulf region. In Europe, Darain Travels Pvt Ltd assists businesses in countries such as the UK, Germany, France, and Italy by sourcing candidates who bring both the technical expertise and the soft skills needed for success in the European job market. With a strong understanding of European labor laws and market trends, the company helps bridge the gap between talented professionals and employers in a wide range of industries. About Darain Travels Pvt Ltd Established with a vision to connect top-tier talent with employers in the Gulf and Europe, Darain Travels Pvt Ltd has grown into one of the leading recruitment agencies in the region. Offering a comprehensive range of recruitment services, the company works closely with both employers and job seekers to ensure a perfect match for every vacancy. With a focus on integrity, professionalism, and customer satisfaction, Darain Travels Pvt Ltd has become a trusted name in the recruitment industry. For more information about how Darain Travels Pvt Ltd can assist with your recruitment needs. Visit : www.daraintravels.in (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by SMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) NewsVoir New Delhi [India], March 10: This International Women's Day, Airbnb is celebrating the ever-growing community of women hosts and guests who are accelerating action for gender equality through entrepreneurship, the spirit of adventure and economic empowerment. Embracing this year's theme, 'Accelerate Action,' Airbnb recognizes the central role women play in the overall development of India's hospitality sector, while successfully leveraging the platform to create economic opportunities, foster inclusivity, and amplify growth. In India, women hosts make up nearly 30% of Airbnb's host community. These women have not only provided unique and welcoming experiences for guests but have also achieved significant financial success. In 2024, women hosts in India cumulatively earned approximately INR 2.6 Billion through hosting, with over 56% receiving 5-star reviews from guests. Additionally, almost 35% of Guest Favourite listings in India are hosted by women, showcasing their excellence in hospitality. Amanpreet Singh Bajaj, Airbnb's Country Head for India and Southeast Asia, said, "At Airbnb, we're committed to accelerating action for gender equality by creating a platform where women can thrive and our strong community of women hosts & guests is a testament to that. Our data shows that women hosts are delivering exceptional hospitality while achieving financial independence, and women travelers are increasingly exploring the world with confidence. This International Women's Day, we recognize that we must collectively accelerate our efforts. By empowering women hosts and travelers, we're committed to creating a more equitable future for the generations to come." Not just hosts, but Indian women travelers too are embracing Airbnb for their myriad experiences and plans. Data shows that female Millennial travelers are leading the charge for bookings, followed by Gen Zs. The majority of female travelers prefer to travel as a pair of two or in groups, typically taking trips lasting between two to six nights, reflecting a preference for short yet immersive experiences. In terms of destinations, domestically, Goa was the most popular amongst Indian women travelers in 2024, followed by Delhi, Bengaluru, Pune, and Jaipur. Varanasi saw an over 75% increase in bookings compared to 2023, making it the top trending domestic destination for women, followed by Ahmedabad and Mathura. For international travel, London emerged as the top outbound destination for Indian women in 2024, followed by Dubai, Bangkok, Paris, and Rome. Tbilisi was the top trending international destination, with a nearly 145% increase in bookings compared to 2023, followed by Kuala Lumpur, Phuket, Bangkok, and Sydney. As Airbnb joins the global effort to #AccelerateAction for gender equality, the platform remains committed to creating inclusive opportunities for women hosts and travelers alike. Through its platform, Airbnb continues to empower women economically and support their entrepreneurial journeys in the hospitality sector. (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.) Foreign tourist arrivals in India soared by a whopping 124 per cent in 2023 at 1.92 crore, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat informed Lok Sabha in a written reply on Monday. Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal were some of the key states where foreign tourists' footfalls were high. In 2022, the tourist inflows into India were 85 lakhs. The Ministry of Tourism has taken several steps/initiatives over the years to encourage more foreign tourists to visit India. The Ministry of Tourism under the schemes of 'Swadesh Darshan', 'National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD)' and 'Assistance to Central Agencies for Tourism Infrastructure Development' provides financial assistance to State Governments/Union Territory Administrations/ Central Agencies for the development of tourism related infrastructure and facilities at various tourism destinations in the country. Ministry of Tourism through its various campaigns and events promotes various tourism destinations and products of India in domestic and international markets. Some of the initiatives are Dekho Apna Desh campaign, Chalo India campaign, International Tourism Mart, Bharat Parv. The Incredible India Content Hub was launched which is a comprehensive digital repository, featuring a rich collection of high-quality images, films, brochures, and newsletters related to tourism in India. Promotions are also carried out through the web-site and social media handles of the Ministry. Thematic tourism like wellness tourism, culinary tourism, rural, eco-tourism, etc. amongst other niche subjects are promoted so as to expand the scope of tourism into other sectors as well. Enhance the overall quality and visitor experience through initiatives focused on capacity building, skill development such as 'Capacity Building for Service Providers', 'Incredible India Tourist Facilitator' (IITF), 'Paryatan Mitra' and 'Paryatan Didi'. For improving air connectivity to important tourist destinations, Ministry of Tourism has collaborated with Ministry of Civil Aviation under their RCS-UDAN Scheme. As on date, 53 tourism routes have been operationalized, the minister apprised the Parliament. The e-Visa scheme is now available to 167 countries and it is available for 9 sub-categories: e-Tourist Visa; e-Business Visa; e-Medical Visa; e-Conference Visa; e-Medical Attendant Visa; e-Ayush Visa; e-Ayush Attendant Visa; e-Student Visa; and e-Student X Visa. (ANI) NewsVoir Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], March 10: SRM AP, Amaravati, is proud to announce a transformative five-year collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science (CMU SCS), USA-one of the world's foremost institutions in artificial intelligence (AI) and cutting-edge research. This strategic collaboration aims to push the boundaries of knowledge, innovation and education in AI-related disciplines, including machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, infrastructure and systems, and AI ethics and policy. SRM AP, Amaravati's Landmark Collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science, USA for AI Research, Education Andhra Pradesh, IndiaSRM AP, Amaravati, is proud to announce a transformative five-year collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science (CMU SCS), USA-one of the world's foremost institutions in artificial intelligence (AI) and cutting-edge research. This strategic collaboration aims to push the boundaries of knowledge, innovation and education in AI-related disciplines, including machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, infrastructure and systems, and AI ethics and policy. SRM AP, Amaravati Secures a Pioneering Collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science At the heart of this collaboration is a shared vision to foster an ecosystem that nurtures groundbreaking research, cultivates exceptional talent and accelerates advancements in AI-driven technologies. A Pioneering Collaboration for AI Excellence "CMU's School of Computer Science is excited to work with SRM AP, Amaravati, on this landmark collaboration to advance research and bolster AI education. Together, we will shape the future of AI and empower the next generation of researchers, educators and industry leaders to push the frontiers of technology and drive meaningful change in society," said Prof. Martial Hebert, Dean of CMU's School of Computer Science. Empowering Research Through Global Collaboration As part of this collaboration, SRM AP, Amaravati's research faculty and researchers will have the opportunity to engage directly with the esteemed faculty and researchers at CMU's School of Computer Science. They will immerse themselves in CMU SCS's pioneering AI labs, working alongside global experts in key research domains. This will facilitate research, knowledge sharing and the development of state-of-the-art AI innovations that address real-world challenges. Dr P Sathyanarayanan, Pro-Chancellor of SRM AP, Amaravati, said that, "To further strengthen research capabilities, this collaboration will also pave the way to establish advanced AI labs at SRM AP, Amaravati. These labs will be incubators for novel AI research, fostering a stimulating environment that promotes academic rigor, interdisciplinary collaboration and technological innovation." Advancing AI Education with World-Class Learning Opportunities Beyond research, this collaboration is designed to enrich the academic experience of SRM-AP's teaching faculty and research scholars. Selected faculty members and scholars can audit cutting-edge AI courses at CMU's School of Computer Science as visiting participants. This exposure will allow them to engage with CMU SCS faculty and contribute to developing robust AI curricula at SRM-AP. They will also gain hands-on experience in designing assignments, worksheets and examinations that mirror real-world AI problem-solving scenarios, enhancing the quality of AI education at SRM AP, Amaravati. Unparalleled Research Internships for Students Prof. Manoj K Arora, Vice Chancellor of SRM AP, Amaravati, expressed that, "In a move that underscores its commitment to nurturing future AI leaders, the collaboration will offer SRM-AP students the opportunity to undertake research internships at CMU's School of Computer Science." Selected students will spend approx. six weeks each summer immersed in a world-class research environment, gaining firsthand experience in tackling complex AI challenges alongside leaders in the field. This experience will provide students with unparalleled insights and exposure to global research methodologies, setting them apart in the highly competitive AI landscape. By leveraging CMU SCS's expertise and SRM-AP's commitment to academic excellence, this collaboration will drive innovation, expand knowledge horizons and create a lasting impact on the AI ecosystem between the universities. (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.) SMPL Ziro Valley (Arunachal Pradesh) [India], March 10: Some revolutions don't begin in corporate boardrooms or tech parks. They begin in places where ambition meets opportunity. Ziro Valley, nestled in the heart of Arunachal Pradesh, near the China border, just became the starting point of one such revolution--the AI revolution. Today, Techno Billion AI, backed by Techno India Group, officially inaugurated its first AI Lab in Ziro Valley--not in a metro city, not in a Silicon Valley-funded incubator, but in the rugged hills of Northeast India. This is where AI education is breaking new ground, ensuring that the next chapter of India's technological progress is written not just by those in the big cities but by every young mind with the hunger to learn and innovate. The launch wasn't just a ceremonial ribbon-cutting. It was a hands-on, high-energy AI Hackathon, where students worked on cutting-edge marketing strategies to spread AI awareness across the Northeast. The message was clear: AI is not the future--it is the present, and it belongs to all. Techno India Group: Powering AI for Every Student This milestone wouldn't have been possible without Techno India Group, one of India's largest educational conglomerates, which has backed the initiative as its chief sponsor and patron. At the center of it all is Meghdut RoyChowdhury--CIO and Executive Director of Techno India Group, and the Founder of Techno Billion AI. "For too long, AI education has been limited to a privileged few. But the next AI pioneer could come from Ziro, from Siliguri, or from Imphal. This lab is a statement: AI is for everyone, not just the elite," said Meghdut Roy Chowdhury. And making sure that this vision translates into action, step by step, is Abhrajit Saha--Cofounder of Techno Billion AI, Chief of Staff to Meghdut RoyChowdhury, and the driving force behind the AI vertical at Techno India Group. A graduate of IIT Kharagpur, Abhrajit had every opportunity to take a different path--perhaps a high-paying corporate job or a research role in a multinational firm. But he chose to serve the nation in a unique way--by ensuring that AI education and knowledge reach every corner of India, transforming young students into future tech leaders. "We want to build a nation that doesn't just consume technology but creates it. That's why we are here--in the Northeast, in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities--to make AI a reality for students who otherwise wouldn't have access," said Abhrajit Saha. Anuradha Chandran, Business Head of Techno Billion AI, also played a pivotal role in liaising with multiple stakeholders, ensuring that policymakers, educators, and industry leaders came together to make this vision a reality. Her relentless efforts in networking across the Northeast have been instrumental in expanding the AI movement beyond its traditional boundaries. And none of this would have been possible without the steadfast support of Robin Hibu, IPS and DG of Delhi Police, who has been a key enabler in bringing AI education to communities that need it the most. The Bigger Vision: AI Labs Across WB, East, and Northeast India The Ziro Valley AI Lab is just the first step in a much larger nationwide expansion plan. Over the next 12-18 months, Techno Billion AI, in collaboration with Techno India Group, will launch AI labs in tier 2 & 3 cities around Kolkata, ensuring AI reaches students in semi-urban and rural areas. Strategic locations around TIGPS (Techno India Group Public Schools) across West Bengal, embedding AI learning in the school curriculum. Siliguri & Darjeeling - Connecting AI education between Bengal and the Northeast Guwahati--A major hub for AI research and industry collaboration in Assam. Shillong & Imphal--Strengthening AI initiatives in Meghalaya and Manipur Itanagar & Kohima - Expanding deeper into Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland The long-term vision? To make every Techno India institution an AI powerhouse. Schools, colleges, and universities under Techno India Group will become centers of AI education, research, and real-world application. This is not just about education--it is about nation-building, about making sure India doesn't just participate in the global AI race, but leads it. Why This Matters For decades, India's technological advancements have been concentrated in metros--Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune. The launch of the Techno Billion AI Lab in Ziro Valley disrupts this trend. It challenges the idea that great technological minds are only found in cities. It proves that with the right tools and the right mentors, talent can rise from anywhere. This is not just about a lab. This is about rewriting the story of AI education in India. It is about giving every student--no matter where they are--the chance to be part of the AI revolution. And today, that revolution has well and truly begun. For more information, please visit: https://www.technobillion.ai/ (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by SMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) HT Syndication Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 10: Bringing together eminent scientists, researchers, and industry leaders, the Longevity India Conference 2025 - Rise for Healthy Aging hosted at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru concluded its first day with unique insights into aging science and longevity. With the key theme of Biological Foundations and Mechanisms of Aging, the conference highlighted notable developments and trends through four major sessions covering aging research, biological mechanisms, lifestyle medicine, and holistic health approaches. Dinesh Gundu Rao, Minister for Health and Family Welfare of Karnataka; Shri Manjunath Bhandary, MLC, Government of Karnataka and Govindan Rangarajan, Director of IISc were among the key dignitaries who addressed the inaugural session. Following this, engaging discussions were held on aging science, with thought-provoking insights from global experts. Additionally, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has also awarded support to the Longevity India Initiative at IISc, to establish a Centre for Advanced Research in Aging, marking a significant milestone in India's efforts to address the challenges of aging and age-related diseases. The Centre will explore India-specific biomarkers, create organ-specific aging models, and study the gut-brain connection, in order to develop strategies for healthy aging through biology, data science, and clinical research. Dinesh Gundu Rao, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka, said: "Longevity is not just about living longer, but living healthier, contributing, and staying active. With good habits and advancements in medical science, one can remain active and engaged throughout their life." Brian Kennedy, Director, Centre for Healthy Longevity, NUS, said: "I am thrilled to be here in India and to participate in the Longevity India - Rise for Healthy Aging Conference. This initiative presents an excellent opportunity for the country to prioritize the health span of its population. With the brilliant minds and data analysis here, this is a significant step to address the needs of the aging population." Navakanta Bhat, Dean, Division of Interdisciplinary Sciences, IISc, said: "I am extremely glad that the Longevity India initiative is organizing the "Rise for Healthy Aging" conference, which addresses a critical need today. With the average age in India increasing and solutions for infectious diseases already in place, lifestyle diseases will become a major challenge for the future of our healthcare system. Understanding aging - both at the molecular and genetic levels, as well as the environmental factors that influence it - is essential. I believe that by bringing together experts from diverse fields to take a holistic approach, we can develop innovative solutions for healthy aging and pave the way for future advancements for the same." The first day of the conference featured insightful sessions on aging science, starting with Deepak Saini (Longevity India, IISc), who discussed groundbreaking research at the Saini Lab and the launch of Longevity India. Brian Kennedy (Centre for Healthy Longevity, NUS) emphasized the need for translational research to validate longevity interventions. In a session moderated by Narendra Dixit (IISc), experts like Satchidananda Panda (Salk Institute) and Maxim Artyomov (WashU Medicine) explored aging mechanisms like circadian rhythms, immune aging, and cellular longevity. Prasun Chatterjee (AIIMS, Delhi) highlighted the role of biomarkers in longevity, while discussions on lifestyle medicine by Samuel Hansdak (CMC Vellore) and Shayana Chandrakant Parekh (IISc) focused on the effects of nutrition, exercise, and sleep. G.R. Rajendran (PSG Hospitals) discussed plant-based nutrition for heart health, and Vivekanand Upadhyay (FONXIER Spine and Pain Center) emphasized exercise for longevity. N. Srikanth (Dy. Director General, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences) explored Ayurveda's connection to modern longevity science, with other panelists from across universities and the National Innovation Foundation. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by HT Syndication. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) Legendary music Indian composer, Ilaiyaraaja, returned to Chennai today after his much-celebrated Symphony performance in London. His homecoming was nothing short of grand, as he was warmly received at the Chennai Airport by a host of political and cultural figures, including Tamil Nadu Minister Thangam Thenarasu, BJP State Vice President Karu Nagarajan, and VCK functionary Vanni Arasu. On behalf of the Tamil Nadu government, Minister Thangam Thenarasu welcomed the maestro, acknowledging his contribution to Indian and global music. BJP's Karu Nagarajan, and VCK's Vanni Arasu, also extended their heartfelt greetings to Ilaiyaraaja, celebrating his exceptional career. Speaking to the media, IIlaiyaraaja thanked his supporters, especially his fans in London. "Thanks to everyone. You all sent me off with smiling faces, which made the event hugely successful. The love I received from the fans during the Symphony was overwhelming. Every moment there was filled with appreciation from the audience," he said. Ilaiyaraaja, widely regarded as one of the greatest music composers in India, is renowned for his work in Tamil and Telugu cinema. His illustrious career spans over four decades, during which he composed music for more than a thousand films, leaving an indelible mark on the music industry. Born as R. Gnanathesikan in 1943 in the village of Pannaipuram, Theni district, Ilaiyaraaja began his journey in music at a young age. His compositions have not only enchanted listeners but also often delivered strong political messages, capturing the essence of social events and celebrations. His unique musical style combines folk rhythms with classical techniques, making him a trendsetter in South Indian cinema. The maestro's creations have stood the test of time, continuing to resonate with audiences worldwide. Some of his most iconic songs include: 'Machana Pathingala' from 'Annakili (1975)' : This song marked the beginning of Ilaiyaraaja's musical journey, blending folk rhythms with contemporary film music. Its melodic charm remains beloved by generations. 'Metti Oli Kaatrodu' from 'Metti (1980)' : This song, sung by Janaki, continues to mesmerize listeners with its enchanting lyrics and melody. 'Thenpaandi Cheemayile' from 'Nayagan (1987)' : A timeless classic from a legendary film, the song's deep emotional impact has made it unforgettable for listeners. 'Janani Janani' from 'Thaai Moogambhigai (1982)' : A highly revered devotional song, it became an anthem of faith during the 1980s, still cherished by devotees today. 'Uravugal Thodarkathai' from 'Aval Appadithan (1978)' : This song, sung by K. J. Yesudas, continues to touch hearts with its melody, showcasing Ilaiyaraaja's mastery over emotion-laden music. Ilaiyaraaja's music has not only influenced the film industry but also deeply impacted the cultural and emotional fabric of Indian society. His compositions speak to universal human emotions, capturing everything from joy to sorrow, all while preserving the rich traditions of Tamil and South Indian music. (ANI) In the wake of the growing controversy surrounding his comments on actress Rashmika Mandanna, Karnataka Congress MLA Ravi Kumar Gowda Ganiga has spoken out, providing further clarification on his earlier statement. The remarks, which were widely discussed and criticized, have sparked concerns, especially from the Kodava community, leading to calls for the actress's safety. Ravi Kumar Gowda, who made headlines for his controversial statement, had earlier mentioned that Rashmika Mandanna "must be taught a lesson" for not attending a state event. However, in a bid to explain his position, the MLA told ANI, "When I said that I would teach her a lesson, I meant about life lessons, but I did not mean to attack her; I said, do not kick the ladder you have climbed." He added that his comments were meant to remind the actress about the importance of respecting the state that nurtured her. "Rashmika Mandanna did not come when invited to our state program. I told her that you grew up eating state food, so stand up for it," Gowda said. He clarified that his intention was never to personally criticize her. Gowda further said, "I have also seen Rashmika Mandanna's movie... I stand by my words. Our state, our land, and the Kannada language must be respected." Despite his defense, the statement had already stirred controversy, especially after the actress's refusal to attend a previous event in Karnataka. The remarks came after Mandanna's invitation to attend the International Film Festival in the state was declined. Gowda then expressed his frustration, pointing out that Mandanna, despite beginning her career in Karnataka with the Kannada film Kirik Party, had refused to acknowledge the state's culture and language, allegedly saying, "I don't know where Karnataka is, and I don't have time." Following the comments, the Kodava National Council (KNC), of which Mandanna is a member, raised serious concerns about the actress's safety. The Council expressed dismay at the remarks and called on authorities to provide security for Mandanna, citing potential harassment and threats. In response to the growing tension, the Kodava National Council, led by President NU Nachappa, condemned the threats against the actress. Nachappa emphasized that Mandanna, an actress from the indigenous Kodava tribe, had achieved success through her hard work and dedication in the Indian film industry. He further added, "Some individuals, unaware of the nature of artistic criticism, have been targeting and harassing the actress." The Kodava community has urged both Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Karnataka's State Home Minister G Parameshwar to ensure Rashmika Mandanna's safety. A formal letter was submitted by the community, condemning the threats and calling for swift action. The letter stressed that Mandanna, like any other individual, has the right to make her own choices, and no one should be forced to conform to others' expectations. The statement read, "She is not just a great actress but an individual with the right to make her own choices. No one should be forced to conform to others' expectations or instructions." On the work front, Rashmika Mandanna was last seen in the blockbuster Pushpa 2: The Rule and Chhaava, both of which have seen significant commercial success. Looking ahead, Mandanna is set to star in several high-profile projects, including Sikandar, where she will share the screen with Bollywood superstar Salman Khan. She will also appear in 'Kubera' alongside actor Dhanush and in 'Thama', starring Ayushmann Khurrana. (ANI) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah honoured veteran actress Shabana Azmi with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 16th International Film Festival in Bengaluru. Legendary lyricist Javed Akhtar was also present on the occasion. Taking to X, Siddaramaiah posted several pictures with Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar. "Actress Shabana Azmi, who won the Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the 16th International Film Festival organized in Bengaluru, was honored with a certificate and a check of Rs. 10 lakhs," he wrote in the caption. The post further reads, "World-renowned poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar was present on the occasion. Additional Chief Secretary to the Government L.K. Ateek, President of the Film Academy Sadu Kokila, Secretary to the Government Kaveri, Media Advisor to the Chief Minister K.V. Prabhakar, Commissioner of the Information and Public Relations Department Hemant Nimbalkar, and Art Director of the 16th International Film Festival Vidyashankar were present." https://x.com/siddaramaiah/status/1899024225031139447 Azmi, a five-time National Film Award winner, has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including the Padma Shri in 1988 and the Padma Bhushan in 2012. She is known for her outstanding performances in films such as Ankur, Arth, Khandhar, Godmother, and Paar, among others. Shabana is set to play a pivotal role in filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi's upcoming film 'Lahore 1947', which features Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta in the lead roles. 'Lahore 1947' is produced under the banner of Aamir Khan Productions. This project marks the teaming up of Sunny Deol, Rajkumar Santoshi along with Aamir Khan. Interestingly, this film will also mark Aamir Khan Productions' (AKP) 17th production under their banner. Meanwhile, earlier speaking at the inauguration of the 16th Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFES) at the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha, the Chief Minister emphasized that international film festivals are a reflection of global culture and should be leveraged to create meaningful and impactful cinema. "Karnataka is a land of immense opportunities. To further strengthen our film industry, we are developing a state-of-the-art film city in Mysuru. I hope this facility will encourage the production of world-class films that seamlessly blend human values with advanced technology," he said. Highlighting the growing disparities in wealth, CM Siddaramaiah pointed out that 50 percent of the nation's wealth is concentrated in the hands of just 1 percent of the population, leading to widespread social unrest and dissatisfaction. He urged the film industry to take an active role in addressing societal issues, fostering unity, and promoting progressive ideals through cinema. He further cautioned against the promotion of superstitions and unconstitutional values in films. With technology evolving rapidly, including advancements in artificial intelligence, the Chief Minister encouraged filmmakers to create content that reflects real-life issues and offers solutions. "Such films will stand the test of time and leave a lasting impact on society," he added. "Karnataka and Bengaluru is a global hub, offering every opportunity for filmmakers. If we harness technology effectively, the cinema industry can flourish while also contributing positively to society." The CM aspired that the film industry move towards greater humaneness and inclusivity in storytelling. (ANI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended the 'Shashwat Mithila Mahotsav-2025' in Gujarat's Gandhinagar on Sunday. Addressing the event, Shah said that Gujarat had always welcomed people from the country and new ideologies and every way of life. Further, he said that the people who came to live in Gujarat from Mithila and Bihar had contributed to the development of the state and assured them of their safety. "Gujarat has always welcomed people from the country and the world, welcomed new ideologies and every way of life. I want to tell everyone who has come to live in Gujarat from Mithila and Bihar that the Biharis and the people of Mithila have contributed a lot to the development of Gujarat and whatever happens anywhere, I assure you that you people are safe, respected and welcome in Gujarat," Shah said addressing the event. The Union Minister also unveiled the statue of the poet Vidyapati on this occasion. Taking to social media X, Shah wrote in a post that Mithila had been the land of the Vedas, Nyaya, Mimansa and rich literature since the ancient times. "Mithila has been the holy land of Vedas, Nyaya, Mimansa and rich literature since ancient times. The inhabitants of this land have preserved their cultural and intellectual heritage to this day. Today, I interacted with the brothers and sisters of Mithila at the 'Shaswat Mithila Mahotsav 2025' in Gandhinagar," the post read. "I also inaugurated 'Shaswat Mithila Bhavan' in Gandhinagar and unveiled a grand statue of Mahakavi Vidyapati. The building will become an important center of the culture and traditions of Mithila, illuminated by the knowledge and power of Mata Sita, Vidushi Bharati, Gargi and Maitreya," the post further read. On March 9, Shah laid the foundation stone for Rs 316.82 crore Para High- performance center in Gandhinagar. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi graced the occasion. (ANI) The oath-taking ceremony for newly registered lawyers was organized by the Bar Council of Gujarat in Ahmedabad in the presence of Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, an official release stated. Shah extended his best wishes to the young lawyers, emphasizing that their profession is not just a career but a sacred duty. He highlighted that as lawyers, they bear the crucial responsibility of strengthening the Constitution and democracy while protecting the constitutional rights of 140 crore citizens, including their protection of life, property, and dignity. With the Constitution completing 75 years, this is a significant time for them to embark on their journey of upholding its principles. He further noted that this year, the Indian Parliament has undertaken major legal reforms, introducing fundamental changes to all three criminal laws and enacting new legislation. India has now risen to the fifth position in the global economic rankings. The legal fraternity has played a crucial role in the nation's growth, its independence, and the framing of the Constitution. Looking back at the freedom movement, many stalwarts such as Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi, Bhulabhai Desai, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Rajendra Prasad, and BR Ambedkar were all lawyers by profession, the release stated. Their vision and contributions laid the foundation for a transparent, inclusive, and forward-looking Constitution. Further congratulating the Bar Council President JJ Patel, the Home Minister remarked that such a large-scale mobilization of lawyers with a united spirit has never happened before in the country. "Over the past decade, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, significant progress has been made in social justice, economic justice, and political justice, the release stated," Shah said. He added, "In the realm of social justice, the abolition of Triple Talaq has granted Muslim women equal rights. The new education policy, with skill-based education and mother-tongue instruction, has empowered youth and adolescents with the right to education." In the field of economic justice, the government has eliminated compliance with 39,000 laws, merged banks, resolved NPA issues, and elevated India to the world's fifth-largest economy. One of the most awaited changes, the abrogation of Article 370, was successfully executed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "In the 10 years, more than 12 peace settlements have been achieved, bringing stability to the Northeast, and the Nari Shakti Vandan Act has provided 33 per cent reservation for women in law-making institutions. While the judiciary continues to retain public trust, delays of 20 years or more in delivering justice could erode that trust," he said. "To ensure timely justice, PM Narendra Modi has introduced three new criminal laws in Parliament. Certain legal procedures have been streamlined, time limits have been defined, summary trials have been introduced to expedite minor cases, and the first hearing of an accused must be conducted within 60 days, with all investigations completed within 90 days of charge-sheet submission to speed up the justice process," the Home Minister added. He further emphasized that the legal profession has always been instrumental in safeguarding the Constitution, strengthening democracy, and protecting the rights of the country's underprivileged citizens. The Home Minister acknowledged how eminent lawyers have played a pivotal role in shaping several landmark judgments, assisting the Supreme Court in refining India's legal framework. The judiciary has steadfastly upheld the spirit of the Constitution, ensuring that justice reaches every citizen. Concluding his address, Amit Shah extended his heartfelt best wishes to the young lawyers embarking on this noble profession. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel extended his best wishes for a bright career to the newly inducted young lawyers of the Bar Council of Gujarat. He stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with "Ease of Living" and "Ease of Doing Business," priority has also been given to "Ease of Justice." In this context, he emphasized that lawyers and legal professionals play a crucial role in ensuring that people receive justice easily and swiftly. Referring to the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution, the Chief Minister highlighted that although the Constitution came into effect in 1950, the legal framework continued to operate under laws inherited from British rule. He further added that significant legal reforms have been undertaken under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and with the guidance of Home Minister Amit Shah. Providing a detailed overview, the Chief Minister stated that, for the first time since independence, laws have been introduced to deliver justice instead of merely imposing punishment, thereby liberating the nation from the colonial mindset. He mentioned that the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita, Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha, and Bhartiya Sakshya Adhiniyam have been implemented. Moreover, these three laws ensure justice in alignment with Indian contexts, he added. Calling the newly sworn-in young lawyers fortunate, the Chief Minister stated that they had the unique opportunity to take their oaths in the presence of the Home Minister, who played a pivotal role in reforming three major laws. Describing the legal profession as a service-oriented field that ensures justice for the marginalized and afflicted, he emphasized that people approach courts based on the advice and guidance of lawyers. He further stated that maintaining public trust and confidence in the judiciary begins with the legal profession. Chief Minister expressed confidence that the legal fraternity would play a vital role in building Viksit Bharat @2047. He highlighted that the government has expanded its capacities to align with changing times and global perspectives. The Chief Minister detailed the continuous enhancement of digital infrastructure in courts, including the introduction of virtual courts, digital portals, paperless processes, and e-filing, making digital access easier for all stakeholders. He also urged continued collaboration between the judiciary, the Bar Council, and the government to uphold the legacy of a strong partnership. On this occasion, Law Minister Rushikesh Patel, Members of Parliament, President of the Bar Council of India Manan Kumar Mishra, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, Advocate General Kamal Trivedi, Gujarat Bar Council President JJ Patel, Vice President MC Kamdar, Member DK Patel, along with a large gathering of Bar Council members and legal professionals, were present. (ANI) Attending the 61st annual function of Anandpur college, his alma matter, the CM also inaugurated 16 projects worth Rs 42 crore and laid the foundation stones for several other projects at an estimated cost of Rs 118 crore Earlier on March 8, CM Majhi, on the occasion of International Women's Day, said that the government had released the 2nd installment under the flagship program Subhadra Yojana. "On the occasion of International Women's Day, we released the 2nd instalment under the flagship programme Subhadra Yojana...Our government is working to empower women...Subhadra Yojana will be very beneficial for them (women) from an economic point of view," Majhi told ANI. Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 'Subhadra,' the flagship scheme of the Odisha government, in Bhubaneswar. According to a government release, it is the largest women-centric scheme in the state, aiming to benefit over one crore women in Odisha. Under the scheme, all eligible beneficiaries aged 21 to 60 years will receive Rs 50,000 over five years, from 2024-25 to 2028-29. Beneficiaries will get Rs 10,000 annually in two equal installments, credited directly to their Aadhaar-enabled, DBT-linked bank accounts. During the launch, Prime Minister Modi initiated the transfer of funds to the bank accounts of over 10 lakh women. Meanwhile, Odisha Deputy CM Pravati Parida said on Friday, that the state government had released the second instalment of the Subhadra Yojana and Rs 5,024 crore has been disbursed to 1 crore 64 thousand women. Speaking to ANI, the Deputy CM said, "I heartily congratulate women of the state, country, and world on the occasion of International Women's Day. Today, the state government has disbursed Rs 5,024 crore to 1 crore 64 thousand women in the second instalment of the Subhadra Yojana. Each beneficiary mother has received more than Rs 10,000 in two instalments today..." (ANI) A young man was shot dead late Sunday night in the Ghazipur area of Delhi, according to police. The police have registered a case under the Arms Act and murder. An investigation is underway to find those responsible. CCTV cameras near the crime scene are being checked to trace the attacker. Police are trying to find out which route the attackers took to reach the spot and which route they took to escape after committing the crime. As of now, the reason behind the murder is unknown, and the police are working to identify the deceased. (ANI) Recently, four people were arrested in connection with the murder of a 20-year-old man whose body was found in Kailash Colony, Delhi, on March 7, according to Delhi Police. The police investigation revealed that he was killed by his brother-in-law and his associates because he used to mistreat his wife, the sister of one of the accused. The police were informed on March 7 about an unknown male body found in the bushes of vacant land in Kailash Colony, Delhi. The victim had injuries to his neck, and his face had been disfigured. A case was registered under sections 103(1)/3(5) BNS, PS Jyoti Nagar. A team was formed to investigate the murder. They analysed CCTV footage from nearby cameras, used technical surveillance, and gathered information from local sources. Through their inquiry, the police identified the victim as Hritik, a 20-year-old from Jagatpuri, Delhi. Further investigation revealed that Hritik had eloped and married the sister of one of the accused. Hritik reportedly used to humiliate and mistreat her. The Narcotics/NED team arrested four accused individuals in the case: 20-year-old Shivam from Ashok Nagar, 18-year-old Sonu from Jyoti Nagar, 23-year-old Suraj from East Nathu Colony Chowk, and 18-year-old Vishal from East Nathu Colony Chowk, Delhi. (ANI) The land is located in Sira Industrial Area, Tumakuru district, was approved for allotment during the 137th State Level Single Window Clearance Committee (SLSWCC) meeting held on the same day when the last governemnt was in power, Mahesh stated. According to a press release, the company had submitted a proposal to set up a manufacturing unit for Steel TMT bars, rods, and allied products, with an investment of Rs 138 crore. The project was expected to generate approximately 160 jobs. Actress Ranya Rao was arrested on March 3 by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at Kempegowda International Airport (KIAD) in Bengaluru for allegedly smuggling 14.8 kilograms of gold from Dubai. Ranya, the stepdaughter of DGP Dr K Ramachandra Rao, was produced before a special court judge on the evening of March 4 for financial offences. On March 4, Ranya Rao was produced before a special court for financial offences and was remanded to judicial custody until March 18. Prior to her transfer to custody, she underwent a medical examination at Bowring Hospital in Bengaluru. During her questioning, Rao claimed that her trip to Dubai was for business purposes. However, authorities suspect that her visit was linked to the illegal importation of gold. Then she was remanded to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) custody until March 10. The Economic Offences Court in Bengaluru allowed the actress to meet her advocate for half an hour each day during her 3-day DRI custody. The court, presided over by Justice Vishwanath C Gowdar, directed the DRI to provide Rao with essentials like food and a bed during her custody and cautioned the DRI against harsh treatment during the investigation. (ANI) MPs in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have raised adjournment motions on urgent issues, including internal security in Manipur and Jammu, underfunded railway projects in Tamil Nadu, stock market losses, and concerns over the delimitation exercise affecting southern states. Congress MP Manickam Tagore has given a motion for the adjournment of the business of the House in the Lok Sabha, calling for a discussion on the "Internal security crisis in Manipur and Jammu," specifically focusing on the escalating violence and government accountability. In his notice, Tagore highlighted the alarming situation in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370, stating, "Since the abrogation of Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed over 716 violent incidents, resulting in the tragic loss of 271 lives, including security personnel and civilians, with 185 others injured. The spread of militancy has extended beyond the Kashmir Valley to the previously peaceful Jammu region, which was once considered a terrorism-free zone. In 2024 alone, terror attacks struck 8 out of 10 districts in Jammu, and the once-safe Rajouri- Poonch belt has suffered deadly attacks since October 2021, leading to the loss of 47 lives." Tagore further expressed concerns about the government's ability to maintain internal security, adding, "This growing violence and failure to restore security raises serious concerns about the government's ability to maintain internal security." He also noted the escalating violence in Manipur, citing clashes between protesters and security forces on March 8, 2025, which resulted in one death and 25 injuries. Tagore questioned whether the Prime Minister would visit the state only when elections were imminent. In the Lok Sabha, Kanyakumari MP Vijay Kumar, alias Vijay Vasanth, moved another adjournment motion calling for an urgent discussion on the "need for immediate action on underfunded railway projects in Tamil Nadu." Meanwhile, Congress MP Manish Tewari raised an adjournment motion in the House, seeking to deliberate on the reported reduction of tariffs by India under external pressure. AAP MP Sanjay Singh submitted a Suspension of Business Notice in the Rajya Sabha under Rule 267, demanding a discussion on the losses suffered by retail investors due to the sharp fall in the stock market and the effectiveness of the regulatory mechanism. Additionally, DMK MP Tiruchi Siva raised a Suspension of Business Notice in the Rajya Sabha to discuss the critical concerns surrounding the upcoming delimitation exercise, particularly its impact on India's federal structure and its effects on the southern states' fair representation. (ANI) People from Ghazipur protested and blocked the Akshardham-Ghaziabad road on Monday, demanding the arrest of the accused for the murder of a young man who was shot dead late Sunday night in the Ghazipur area of Delhi. Speaking to ANI, one of the protesters, Virender Singh said, "We have a Hindu brother here in Ghazipur village. He was shot at night by jihadists. He was from the Gujar community. It happened around 2 AM. The problem was that these people were dominating the area, collecting money, and running illegal businesses. This brother spoke out against them and said this kind of domination won't be allowed. Because of that, he was shot twice and died on the spot. His name was Rohit. He was from Ghazipur, and his father is not around. He lived with his maternal uncle. He had three brothers, and he was the oldest." A young man was shot dead late Sunday night in the Ghazipur area of Delhi, according to police. The police have registered a case under the Arms Act and murder. On the case, Vineet Kumar, Additional DCP-I, East District said, "We received information that a man is injured. When we went to the hospital, we found that he had been shot. In the initial investigation, 2 people have been detained and several teams are working on it." Another protester, Chaudhary Karam Singh Rawat, said, "This is about the Delhi Police and the administration. If they wanted, they could have arrested the person who killed our child by now. We are suffering because of this. Muslims from Rohingya have settled here with money. If they wanted, the police could have arrested them by now. If we don't get justice, there will be violence and bloodshed. The road will be blocked until we get justice." As of now, the reason behind the murder is unknown, and the police are working to identify the deceased. (ANI) The Chamber of Trade and Industry has written to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta outlining traders' demands for the upcoming Delhi budget. In a letter dated March 9, the Chamber of Trade and Industry said, "Industrial areas like Bawana, Bhorgarh, Jhilmil, Badli should be made freehold from leasehold. There are discrepancies in circle rates in many places including Narela in Delhi, they should be corrected. Minimum wages in Delhi are much higher than the neighboring states. Electricity rates in the industrial areas of Delhi are much higher than other states, they should be rationalized." "A separate warehouse policy should be made for the maintenance of warehouses in Delhi. During the previous government, redevelopment of 6 markets was announced, it should be continued. Shopping festivals should be organized in Delhi on the lines of Dubai and China. A separate scheme should be made for historical markets including Chandni Chowk and Sadar Bazar. A Delhi Bazaar portal should be created to ensure that goods of Delhi traders reach abroad. MCD's factory license should be abolished. A single window system should be implemented for ease of business," they added. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday said that her government was seeking public suggestions for preparing the upcoming budget. "Delhi government is going among the public to take suggestions for the Delhi budget. Today, I met the people living in the slums in the RK Puram assembly constituency and took suggestions from them," Gupta said. On Sunday, Chief Minister Gupta met slum dwellers in the RK Puram assembly constituency of the national capital as part of an exercise to gather suggestions from the public for the Delhi budget. CM Gupta also visited Bhanwar Singh Camp in Vasant Vihar, where she interacted with women. The Delhi Budget 2025-26 is expected to be tabled between March 24 and 26. On March 6, the Chief Minister held an interactive session with traders, businessmen, and business organizations to gather their suggestions for the upcoming Delhi Budget 2025. Business representatives from across the national capital participated in the discussion, highlighting key issues faced by the business community. Speaking to the media, CM Gupta said "As part of the Viksit Delhi Budget 2025-26 consultation series, we invited representatives from all business organizations, industrial bodies, and people from the business community across Delhi. Today, I received very valuable suggestions from them. From what I understood, years of past governments' rule have left them with pain and suffering. They are deeply troubled--both by bureaucracy and impractical policies. In the name of development, there has been zero performance." Earlier, Chief Minister Gupta said that the national capital's budget will be a 'Viksit Delhi' budget, prioritizing the city'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) Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) MP N K Premachandran has voiced concerns over the functioning of Parliament during the ongoing budget session, claiming that the government is hindering meaningful discussions. While speaking to ANI, Premachandran highlighted several issues that the opposition believes need urgent attention. "The opposition's consistent stand has been that the House should function... The government does not want the House to function properly, which is why constructive discussions are not possible. We all know why the US President increased tariffs... This issue should be discussed," Premachandran said. He pointed out that discussions on the recent increase in US tariffs and other critical issues have been sidelined, preventing progress in the House. Premachandran also mentioned the Waqf Bill, which is expected to be introduced in Parliament soon. He stated, "The Waqf Bill is probably going to come. We will oppose it. The opposition is ready to cooperate smoothly with the government but for this to happen, the government should ensure that all these issues are discussed." Meanwhile ahead of the commencement of parliament budget session on Monday, Congress MP K Suresh announced that Congress will raise significant issues in during the second part of the ongoing budget session, particularly focusing on the delimitation process and its effects on southern states, including Tamil Nadu. Suresh said, "Today in Parliament, during the second part of the budget session...we are going to raise so many important issues in Parliament. Especially the delimitation issue, which has affected southern states. Tamil Nadu already reacted, and other states have also expressed their views. The Government of India is going to start delimitation without any discussion with stakeholders." Earlier, DMK MP Tiruchi Siva raised a Suspension of Business Notice in the Rajya Sabha to discuss the critical concerns surrounding the upcoming delimitation exercise, particularly its impact on India's federal structure and its effects on the southern states' fair representation. Multiple MPs in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have raised adjournment motions on urgent issues, including internal security in Manipur and Jammu, underfunded railway projects in Tamil Nadu, stock market losses, and concerns over the delimitation exercise affecting southern states. (ANI) Karnataka police has apprehended the third accused in the Hampi rape case, the police officials said on Monday. He had been on the run since the incident. The accused has been identified as Saranabasava (27) who was working as a carpenter. He was arrested by Gangavathi Rural police from Tamil Nadu''s capital city Chennai and has been brought to Karnataka. Speaking to ANI, Superintendent of Police of Koppal, Ram Arasiddi said that if it would be necessary then the accused would be taken into the police custody as well. "As I had told previously, we have taken this incident very seriously and we had formed teams... We visited the spot as well. Based on the information and some technical help, we had earlier arrested two persons. The other person, Saranabasava (27), who was absconding, has been arrested from Chennai, Tamil Nadu. We have brought him here. All the legal procedures will be done today. If necessary, we will take him into police custody also," Arasiddi told ANI. The official stated that the police have heightened the security measures and increased patrolling in the areas in view of the incident. He said, "As a matter of seriousness, we have increased patrolling in these areas and even inspecting these areas... Now repeatedly, we have been checking all the resorts during the night also... We have been using NDPS kits also for this and have booked ten cases in the last three months. So, in the coming days also, we will continue the surprise visits, if any contraband or any violation, we will register the case." 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. A male tourist accompanying them was later found dead, they added. 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 to stargaze. 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 Israeli tourist, while the third pushed the male tourists into the water canal, she alleged. 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) Congress MP Manickam Tagore came out in the defence of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at the residence of the former CM and his son Chaitanya Baghel. He went on to allege that the ED was behaving lke the pet dog of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Manickam Tagore said, "We all know that ED has become the pet dog of PM Modi and Union HM Amit Shah. They can send this dog anywhere they want. Bhupesh Baghel has been a strong leader for Congress, and he has fought these battles. The Congress party and the people of Chhattisgarh stand with him. We all know that these fake narratives built by the BJP and RSS will be defeated." He further said that Bhupesh Baghel has come from a backward class and has grown in the Congress Party. "He has seen the difficulties of the people of Chhattisgarh and solved many of their problems. He has stood with the people of Chhattisgarh, and for that, the BJP is punishing him," he said. Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Arun Sao asked how one could deny that there were big scams during Bhupesh Baghel's tenure and sai that the raids were not a sudden action. Arun Sao said, "How can one deny that there have been big scams during the tenure of Bhupesh Baghel? ED action has been going on for a long time. It is not that any sudden action has been taken today. ED has been investigating for a long time. In the process of investigation, they must have found some facts and suspicions, and on the basis of that, ED has taken this action, and if you have no role, then there should be no reason to be afraid or panic." The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday conducted searches at the residence of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel, his son Chaitanya Baghel and others in connection with an ongoing probe into the alleged multi-crore liquor scam, sources said. The raids are underway at a total of 14 locations across Chhattisgarh in the case pertains to alleged irregularities in the liquor trade in Chhattisgarh, involving alleged suspected illegal commissions and money laundering. Sources in the ED claimed that the premises being searched are related to Bhupesh Baghel, his son Chaitanya Baghel and also close associates of Chaitanya Baghel. ED has alleged that Chaitanya Baghel is also "recipient of proceeds of crime generated from the liquor scam wherein total proceeds of crime is around Rs 2,161 crore siphoned off through various schemes." Reacting to it in a post on X Bhupesh Baghel's office said, "When the false case going on for seven years was dismissed in the court, today the guests of ED have entered the Bhilai residence of former Chief Minister and Congress General Secretary Bhupesh Baghel this morning. If someone is trying to stop Congress in Punjab through this conspiracy, then it is a misunderstanding." Multiple ED teams launched the search operation since early Monday based on specific inputs. The ED has alleged that a cartel of government officials, politicians, and liquor businessmen ran a scheme that illegally collected around Rs 2,161 crore from the sale of liquor in the state between 2019 and 2022. The alleged scam involved manipulation of the liquor supply chain, where a cartel controlled the sale and distribution of alcohol through government-run shops. A portion of liquor sold was allegedly not accounted for in official records, and bribes were allegedly collected from suppliers to allow its sale outside the legal system. The investigation is based on an earlier Income Tax Department report, which flagged irregularities in the liquor trade. The ED has arrested several key accused, including IAS officer Anil Tuteja and liquor businessman Anwar Dhebar, brother of Raipur's mayor. The agency has earlier conducted multiple raids, including on politicians and bureaucrats linked to the previous Congress-led government in Chhattisgarh. (ANI) Police have detained the workers of the Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) and Bhim Army who had gathered to protest outside the state assembly in Lucknow over their various demands. Meanwhile, security has been heightened outside the state assembly in Lucknow in view of the protest. A large number of civil forces including RAF, PAC, RRF were deployed for security. As a security measure, the metro services have been halted at the KD Babu metro station as no trains would stop at the station. Additionally, heavy forces have been deployed between Parivartan Chowk to Hazratganj and Sikanderbagh area of the city. Meanwhile, Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) chief and MP Chandrashekhar Azad protested outside Parliament holding banners that condemned the Uttar Pradesh government. He held a banner that read - "Uttar Pradesh mein loktantra ki hatya" (Democracy has been murdered in Uttar Pradesh). The two Houses of the Indian Parliament reconvened today as the second part of the budget session began. Speaking to ANI, Azad said, "Our mother, sisters, youth, poor are not safe in Uttar Pradesh. Even journalists are not safe. Nobody is there to ask about the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. Police and the government are speaking the same language. We had announced a protest for today, but yesterday when I was returning from Bihar, I was detained and sent to Delhi. Our thousands of workers were detained... Nobody is safe in Uttar Pradesh... We are protesting against injustice." Bhim Army had announced a huge protest in front of the Legislative Assembly in Lucknow today on various issues. Earlier, on February 24, on the fifth day of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly budget session, Samajwadi Party (SP) MLAs protested in the assembly. Samajwadi Party MLAs created a ruckus in the house after Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak's comment on Mulayam Singh. Vidhan Sabha Speaker Satish Mahana intervened, directing the protesting SP MLAs to leave the assembly. (ANI) Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra on Monday said that Actress Ranya Rao's gold smuggling case is the rarest in the country's history. Ranya Rao was arrested on March 3 by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at Kempegowda International Airport (KIAD) in Bengaluru for allegedly smuggling 14.8 kilograms of gold from Dubai. "Ranya Rao is also the daughter of a highest police officer. Against this backdrop, the chief ministers insist on the reality of the case to the people. If the ministers are involved in the case, the information is already in the hands of the chief ministers," Vijayendra said. He further said, "If the government is to protect the corrupt in this case as per the previous scandal, the CBI probe is continuing in the wake of the CBI's investigation. The most prominent network is already out of investigation. Similarly, the CBI is conducting a deep investigation into the fact that many more people are involved in the smuggling, and it is confident that the investigation will reach a logical conclusion." Meanwhile, BJP leader Bharath Shetty said, "The smuggling case is a definite crime. During the crime, she tried to contact various congress ministers to get out. Now it's almost in the public domain that two ministers are involved and tried to help her get out of the case. Now, the CBI has taken hold of the case and surely something solid will come out. " Further, Shetty said, "Regarding the land allotted to the company, CBI is investigating the case, and that point will also be covered. There was no illegality in the land allotment; the entire allotment process was followed correctly. The Congress people are saying it's allotted faster, and that's the only problem, however, the CBI will know what has happened after the investigation. The gold smuggling case is a crime, and the State government should have stayed away from that, but they didn't. If she gives a statement, then the ministers will get into trouble. This shows the law and order situation. The State has always been concentrating on appeasement politics and never law and order. They speak about the law of dovensim, where they want equal law and order." Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) CEO Mahesh on Sunday clarified that Ksiroda India Pvt. Ltd., a company linked to Kannada actress Ranya Rao, who has been accused in a gold smuggling case--was allotted 12 acres of land on January 2, 2023. The land is located in Sira Industrial Area, Tumakuru district, was approved for allotment during the 137th State Level Single Window Clearance Committee (SLSWCC) meeting held on the same day when the last governemnt was in power, Mahesh stated. According to a press release, the company had submitted a proposal to set up a manufacturing unit for Steel TMT bars, rods, and allied products, with an investment of Rs 138 crore. (ANI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has ordered an inquiry into a controversial fashion show held in Gulmarg, which has sparked criticism for allegedly offending societal sentiments. Abdullah condemned the event, emphasizing that it should not have been conducted, particularly during the month of Ramzan. "We have ordered an inquiry. A private party was organized, a 4-day event, a fashion show was organized and some things in the fashion show have hurt the sentiments of society. What I have seen there, it should not have been conducted anytime of the year or in Ramzan month," Omar Abdullah said. Abdullah made it clear that the event was organized by private parties, without any government involvement or permission. "This was a private party and there was no government involvement, no permission was taken, and we will act tough if any law was broken," he stated. Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir Awami Ittehad Party MLA Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh called the fashion show a direct attack on the state's culture. "During Ramzan time, organising such an event is shameful, this is a direct attack on our culture...we condemn this. We want CM to take the strictest action against this." he said. Tanvir Sadiq, JKNC MLA said, " It should not have happened. J&K is a place of Sufi saints...even in normal circumstances, semi-nude shows should not take place in J&K, this is not acceptable. Omar Abdullah (CM) has taken cognisance of the incident and sought a report, he has assured action" BJP MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia said, " PM Modi, Amit Shah and central govt want normalcy to return to J&K... after 5th August 2019, a peaceful atmosphere has come in Kashmir, people across the world and country want to visit Kashmir. But, some people don't want peace and normalcy in Kashmir...so it's some people's old habit, they create issues for no reason and try to spoil the atmosphere in J&K" Meanwhile, JK CM Omar Abdullah also commented on the tragic killing of three civilians in Billawar, Kathua, and raised concerns over the investigation and political interference. "The investigation is ongoing. What happened in Billawar has to be investigated," Omar Abdullah said, emphasizing that the cause of the deaths remains under investigation. He also questioned the political handling of the situation, saying, "This matter is being politicized." Abdullah further criticized the decision to prevent Deputy Chief Minister from visiting the area, stating, "Deputy CM also wanted to go but he was also told not to go. He called me, so I told him not to go there." According to Abdullah, the SSP Kathua had advised against the Deputy CM's visit, but he pointed out the inconsistency in how the situation was handled. "I want to ask then, how was LOP Sunil Sharma allowed to go there?" Abdullah said, referring to Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma's visit to Billawar despite the restrictions on other officials. (ANI) Political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir have expressed their strong views on two recent incidents--the controversial fashion show in Gulmarg and the tragic civilian killings in Kathua. Tanvir Sadiq, Member of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), voiced his disapproval of the Gulmarg fashion show, which has drawn backlash for its perceived offensive content. Speaking to ANI, he said, "It should not have happened. J&K is a place of Sufi saints... even in normal circumstances, semi-nude shows should not take place in J&K, this is not acceptable." Sadiq further praised Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's swift response to the incident, noting, "Omar Abdullah (CM) has taken cognisance of the incident and sought a report, he has assured action." On the recent killings in Kathua, Sadiq stated, "It is a regretful incident. Such bloodshed must end in J&K. Those who are responsible for this incident must be brought to book." Jammu and Kashmir Minister Sakina Itoo also condemned both incidents. Regarding the Gulmarg fashion show, she said, "What happened was not supposed to happen during Ramzan month. What happened in Gulmarg is wrong and it should not have happened." Itoo also condemned the killings in Kathua, calling the incident "wrong," and reaffirming the region's commitment to peace. On the deaths of three missing persons in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir Leader of Opposition (LoP) of JK assembly Sunil Sharma expressed his concern, stating, "All the MLAs went to Kathua and met the families of the deceased. We discussed the events leading to their deaths and informed the Union Home Minister, who ensured that action will be taken according to the outcome of the investigation... Central government is very worried about the situation and whoever is behind the incident will not be spared at all." Sharma's comments highlight the gravity of the situation, with the central government pledging to hold the responsible parties accountable. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has ordered an inquiry into a controversial fashion show held in Gulmarg, which has sparked criticism for allegedly offending societal sentiments. Abdullah condemned the event, emphasizing that it should not have been conducted, particularly during the month of Ramzan. "We have ordered an inquiry. A private party was organized, a 4-day event, a fashion show was organized and some things in the fashion show have hurt the sentiments of society. What I have seen there, it should not have been conducted anytime of the year or in Ramzan month," Omar Abdullah said. Meanwhile, JK CM Omar Abdullah also commented on the tragic killing of three civilians in Billawar, Kathua, and raised concerns over the investigation and political interference. (ANI) Air India released a statement on Monday after its Mumbai-New York flight returned to Mumbai following a bomb threat. The flight, AI119, was on its way to New York (JFK) when a potential security threat was discovered mid-flight. Following the necessary safety protocols, the plane turned back and safely landed in Mumbai at 10:25 AM local time. The Air India Spokesperson said, "A potential security threat was detected mid-flight on AI119 operating Mumbai-New York (JFK) today, 10 March 2025. After following the necessary protocols, the flight air-returned to Mumbai, in the interest of the safety and security of all on board. The flight landed safely back in Mumbai at 1025 Hrs (local time). The aircraft is undergoing mandatory checks by security agencies, and Air India is extending its full cooperation to the authorities." "The flight has been rescheduled to operate at 0500 Hrs of 11 March 2025, and all passengers have been offered hotel accommodation, meals, and other assistance until then. Our colleagues on the ground are making sure to minimise the inconvenience caused to our passengers by this disruption. As always, Air India accords the highest priority to the safety of passengers and crew," the spokesperson said. The airline reassured passengers that the flight would be rescheduled to depart on March 11, 2025, at 5:00 AM. In the meantime, passengers have been provided with hotel accommodations, meals, and other necessary assistance. Air India added that its ground staff is working hard to minimize any inconvenience caused to passengers by the disruption. Earlier, another Air India flight from Chicago to Delhi was forced to circle back to Chicago due to a technical snag, a spokesperson for the airline said on Monday. The spokesperson further said that alternative arrangements were made in time for the passengers to take them to their destination. "AI126 operating Chicago to Delhi on 6 March 2025 air-returned to Chicago due to a technical issue. Upon landing in Chicago, all passengers and crew disembarked normally and have been provided with accommodation to minimise inconvenience," the spokesperson said. (ANI) Amid the delimitation row, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Tiruchi Siva on Monday urged the Central government to find an alternative to the delimitation exercise and asserted that southern states should not be adversely affected. "The delimitation exercise is due to be done in 2026. As per the constitution, it has to be done under the population. Earlier in the 42nd Amendment and the 84th Amendment, it was decided to have it after 25 years because the birth control progress has to be noted. If the delimitation exercise is done on that basis, all the Southern states will be at a disadvantage, including Tamil Nadu. We are insisting that the government should evolve a way that the Southern states will not be affected by way of this delimitation exercise, and they have to find an alternate way," Tiruchi Siva said. Speaking to ANI, DMK MP Tiruchi Siva expressed concern over the delimitation exercise saying that if it is done based on population, Tamil Nadu and other states will lose many seats. "We have a very genuine concern about the delimitation exercise that is due to be done in 2026...the birth control process has not been equal (in north and south)...If it is done based on population, Tamil Nadu and other states will be losing so many seats...we will come down from 39 to 31, Kerala from 20 to 12...some states will get 30-40 more seats, so there won't be fair representation in the Parliament," Tiruchi Siva said. The DMK MPs have resolved to safeguard Tamil Nadu's interests concerning the Lok Sabha seat delimitation issue, emphasising that the population-based exercise would impact not only southern states but also others like Odisha and West Bengal. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin called for a united political front against the proposed delimitation exercise, urging various parties to join forces in opposing what he termed a "blatant assault on federalism." On March 8, Chief Minister Stalin 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. Congress has backed CM Stalin's stance on delimitation. However, the party has not yet confirmed whether they will join the Joint Action Committee meeting meeting on March 22. Earlier, 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. "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 the 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," Chidambaram said. (ANI) As the two Houses of the Parliament resumed their proceedings today, Rajya Sabha MP Rekha Sharma on Monday accused the opposition of always obstructing the House and stated that they will do similar things today also. "The opposition always obstructs the House and important issues are left behind...Today also they will do something similar and we are ready for that too...only those issues will come up in Parliament which are for the public...whatever is in our agenda will happen..." Sharma told ANI. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Dinesh Sharma also hit out at the opposition and said that the opposition is always ready for uproar and to obstruct the House. He further said, "Today's need of democracy is that the opposition should have a healthy discussion and question the ruling party and the ruling party should satisfy the opposition by informing them about its good work but the opposition is not ready. The opposition is ready for uproar and to obstruct the House..." Earlier today, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) MP NK Premachandran voiced concerns over the functioning of Parliament during the ongoing budget session, claiming that the government is hindering meaningful discussions. While speaking to ANI, Premachandran highlighted several issues that the opposition believes need urgent attention. "The opposition's consistent stand has been that the House should function... The government does not want the House to function properly, which is why constructive discussions are not possible. We all know why the US President increased tariffs... This issue should be discussed," Premachandran said. He pointed out that discussions on the recent increase in US tariffs and other critical issues have been sidelined, preventing progress in the House. Premachandran also mentioned the Waqf Bill, which is expected to be introduced in Parliament soon. He stated, "The Waqf Bill is probably going to come. We will oppose it. The opposition is ready to cooperate smoothly with the government but for this to happen, the government should ensure that all these issues are discussed." Meanwhile ahead of the commencement of parliament budget session, Congress MP K Suresh announced that Congress will raise significant issues in during the second part of the ongoing budget session, particularly focusing on the delimitation process and its effects on southern states, including Tamil Nadu. Suresh said, "Today in Parliament, during the second part of the budget session...we are going to raise so many important issues in Parliament. Especially the delimitation issue, which has affected southern states. Tamil Nadu already reacted, and other states have also expressed their views. The Government of India is going to start delimitation without any discussion with stakeholders." Earlier, DMK MP Tiruchi Siva raised a Suspension of Business Notice in the Rajya Sabha to discuss the critical concerns surrounding the upcoming delimitation exercise, particularly its impact on India's federal structure and its effects on the southern states' fair representation. Multiple MPs in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have raised adjournment motions on urgent issues, including internal security in Manipur and Jammu, underfunded railway projects in Tamil Nadu, stock market losses, and concerns over the delimitation exercise affecting southern states. (ANI) Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee on Monday said that his party will give notice in the Parliament regarding the role and function of the Election Commission. Speaking to ANI, Kalyan Banerjee said, "We are going to give 193 notice regarding the role and function of the Election Commission... 3 voters have the same EPIC number, which is not permissible as per the law. We are raising this issue strongly. We will raise it in Parliament..." The TMC MP further said that he has also proposed that parliamentary proceedings be held on Saturday, March 15 to make up for the holiday on March 13. "There will be a holiday on March 13 as Holi is on March 14. I have proposed that Parliament proceedings be held on a Saturday to compensate for the holiday on March 13. Today, there will be a discussion for 8 hours on the Manipur budget. Departmental budgets will be discussed from March 17. Railway, Jal Shakti and Agriculture budgets will be discussed," Banerjee stated. Meanwhile, shortly after Parliament reconvened as the as the second part of the Budget session began, opposition MPs staged a walk out from the Rajya Sabha over the issue of delimitation and New Education Policy (NEP). The DMK attacked the government over the implementation of National Education Policy in Tamil Nadu. In Lok Sabha too, the MPs walked into the well of the House and protested as Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in his address in the lower house of Parliament accused the DMK of being "dishonest" and playing "politics" at the cost of Tamil Nadu students' future. DMK MP P Wilson said that the DMK party staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha after the Deputy Chairman refused to allow a discussion on fair delimitation for Tamil Nadu. in a post on X, Wilson said "The DMK floor leader Tiruchi Siva and I submitted a notice under Rule 267 of the Business Rules of the Rajya Sabha to discuss fair delimitation for Tamil Nadu. This is critical, as the state has seen minimal population growth due to family planning policies. There is a growing concern about impending delimitation changes set to take effect in 2026." Union Health Minister JP Nadda slammed the opposition over the notices under Rule 267 over the walkout. He said that it was a vicious design by the Opposition to demand the institution of Parliament was they were interested in debate but wanted to give an impression that the government does not want to answer or enter into a debate. Speaking on the adjournment motion notices by Opposition members, Nadda stated that they should read the rules before giving notices for the adjournment motion. "They should read rules before giving notices for adjournment motion," Nadda said in Rajya Sabha. Terming it as an "irresponsible behaviour", he said, "Opposition members, including LoP, should go for a refresher course, understand rules and regulations. Referring to daily adjournment notices by opposition members, Nadda said "It is vicious design to demean the institution of Parliament and government is ready to discuss everything under rules." DMK MP Tiruchi Siva said that they have a very "genuine concern" about the delimitation exercise and if it is done on the basis of population, there won't be fair representation in the Parliament, claiming that many southern states would lose their seats. (ANI) A case was filed on Monday against Congress Overseas Chief Sam Pitroda alias Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitroda and others in the Special Anti-Land Grabbing Court. The case involves the alleged illegal use of government land in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Sam Pitroda, the president of the Congress (I) overseas unit, Darshan Shankar, the founder of the FRLHT (Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions) organisation and four senior Karnataka Forest Department officials are accused of allegedly grabbing government land. In 1996, FRLHT obtained a 5-hectare (12.35-acre) piece of reserve forest land in Jarakabande Kaval, near Yelahanka, on a five-year lease from the Karnataka State Forest Department. This lease was renewed in 2001 for 10 more years. However, the lease expired in 2011, and since then, FRLHT has allegedly continued to occupy the land illegally for over 14 years. The land is valued at more than 150 crore rupees and has a market value of more than 300 crores. It is reported that the organisation has allegedly made around 5 to 6 crore rupees annually by selling rare herbal plants grown on the land. A complaint was filed with the Lokayukta and the Enforcement Directorate on February 24, 2025, regarding this issue. Based on the complaint and supporting documents, criminal cases were filed today in the Special Court for the Prevention of Land Grabbing in Karnataka, accusing Sam Pitroda, Darshan Shankar, and four senior Karnataka Forest Department officials of alleged illegal land grabbing. Recently, Congress Overseas Chief Sam Pitroda claimed that he does not own any land, home, or stocks in India and has never accepted a salary during his tenure with the Indian government, as he refuted recent media reports while also asserting that he has never paid or accepted a bribe in India or any other country in his 83 years of life. Taking to X, Pitroda posted: "Statement for the Record. In light of recent reports in the Indian media, both on television and in print, I wish to categorically state the following: I do not own any land, home, or stocks in India. Additionally, during my tenure working with the Government of India--whether with Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in the mid-1980s or with Dr Manmohan Singh from 2004 to 2014--I have never taken/received any salary." (ANI) Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi has expressed her strong disapproval after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan referred to the members of Parliament of DMK, the Tamil Nadu government, and the people of Tamil Nadu as "uncivilised" in his response in Parliament. Kanimozhi, in her Lok Sabha address, stated, "I am very pained and hurt that the minister in his reply in the parliament (Dharmendra Pradhan) has called the members of Parliament, the Tamil Nadu Government, and the people of Tamil Nadu uncivilised." The controversy stems from the ongoing debate over the National Education Policy (NEP), particularly the contentious three-language policy, which Tamil Nadu strongly opposes. Kanimozhi clarified that in the meeting, the Tamil Nadu representatives had clearly stated their concerns about the NEP. "In our meeting, we had clearly said that we have issues with the NEP and we cannot accept it in full because the three-language policy is not acceptable to the people of Tamil Nadu," she said. She further mentioned that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, formally outlining the state's concerns with the NEP and its opposition to the three-language policy. "The CM of Tamil Nadu has written to the Prime Minister and the Education Minister saying that we have issues with the NEP and it cannot be accepted in total and requested the funds to be released," Kanimozhi added. After the address, while addressing the media outside the Parliament, she claimed that the Union government was withholding over Rs 2,000 crores in school funds until the state agreed to the three-language policy. Kanimozhi said, "The DMK MP raised the issue where the Union government has not released funds for Tamil Nadu, saying that unless the state government agrees to sign the NEP and the three-language policy, funds more than Rs 2,000 crores won't be released for the schools." She further emphasized the inaccuracy of the Minister's statement in Parliament, adding, "The (Union Education) Minister got up and said that MPs from Tamil Nadu and opposition parties had met him and agreed to sign NEP, which is far from the truth. Our CM has written to the (Union Education) Minister and PM that we won't be signing the NEP... our CM has made this very clear and we have not changed it." Kanimozhi also condemned the Union Education Minister's comments, calling them disrespectful. "Union Education Minister called our government, people, and Parliamentarians from Tamil Nadu liars, he hurt our feelings and Tamil Nadu's pride by calling us uncivilised... we condemn this strongly," she said. Earlier, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had strongly criticized the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party regarding the ongoing controversy over the three-language policy in the New Education Policy. During his address in Lok Sabha, Pradhan accused the DMK of being "dishonest" and playing "politics" at the cost of Tamil Nadu students' futures. "They (DMK) are dishonest. They are not committed to the students of Tamil Nadu. They are ruining the future of Tamil Nadu students. Their only job is to raise language barriers. They are doing politics. They are doing mischief. They are undemocratic and uncivilised," Pradhan said. In the Rajya Sabha, the DMK staged a walkout after raising the issue of the three language policy and the issues of delimitation. Health Minister, JP Nadda, slammed the opposition over walkout, saying that they should read the rules before giving notices for an adjournment motion. Nadda termed it irresponsible behavior and said that opposition members, including LoP, should go for a refresher course to understand rules and regulations. Referring to daily adjournment notices by opposition members, Nadda said it was a "vicious design to demean the institution of Parliament" and gthat the overnment is ready to discuss everything under rules. (ANI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday condemned the Gulmarg fashion show, emphasizing that it should not have been conducted, particularly during the month of Ramzan. Speaking in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, Chief Minister Abdullah said, "A private party was organised, a fashion show was organized there. from what I saw, it should not have been organised at any time of the year, let alone the month of Ramzan." Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also clarified that the event was a private party and was organised without government permission. "It was a private party and there was no government involvement, no permission was taken from us. Instructions have been given that if anything against the law has happened then action should be taken. If necessary, it should be handed over to the police, the police will investigate it," Chief Minister Abdullah said. Earlier, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had ordered an inquiry into a controversial fashion show held in Gulmarg, which sparked criticism for allegedly offending societal sentiments. Jammu and Kashmir Awami Ittehad Party MLA Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh called the fashion show a direct attack on the state's culture. "During Ramzan time, organising such an event is shameful, this is a direct attack on our culture. We condemn this. We want CM to take the strictest action against this," Ahmad Sheikh said. Tanvir Sadiq, Member of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), voiced his disapproval of the Gulmarg fashion show. Speaking to ANI, Sadiq said, "It should not have happened. Jammu and Kashmir is a place of Sufi saints... even in normal circumstances, semi-nude shows should not take place in Jammu and Kashmir, this is not acceptable." Jammu and Kashmir Minister Sakina Itoo also condemned the Gulmarg fashion show, saying, what happened in Gulmarg is wrong and it should not have happened. "What happened was not supposed to happen during Ramzan month. What happened in Gulmarg is wrong and it should not have happened," Sakina Itoo said. (ANI) The first paperless session of the Puducherry Legislative Assembly began on Monday morning with the address of Lieutenant Governor K Kailashnathan. Since it is the first session of the year, the Governor has started with the address, and Chief Minister Rangasamy welcomed the Governor who arrived at the Assembly The 5th session of the 15th Puducherry Legislative Assembly was held on February 12, under the chairmanship of Assembly Speaker R. Selvam. In this, permission was obtained for additional expenditure. Later, the meeting was adjourned indefinitely. The 6th session of the 15th Legislative Assembly began with Lieutenant Governor K Kailashnathan's address. The debate on the Governor's address will be held on Tuesday (March 11). Subsequently, on Wednesday (March 12) morning, Chief Minister N Rangasamy, who is in charge of the Finance Department, will present the Puducherry state budget report for the years 2025-2026. A move was made to improve the paperless Legislative Assembly premises with the financial assistance of the Central Government. Accordingly, portable computers were installed at the seats of the Speaker, Chief Minister, Ministers and all the members. Through this, infrastructure facilities have been provided for the members to read the budget report, the questions they ask are recorded in the computer, and answers are provided to them through the computer. For this, a control room and a computer training room for members and a service center have also been set up. Earlier on February 10, Union Minister of State L Murugan asserted that there is no financial crisis in Puducherry, adding that the Central Government has allocated the necessary funds for the Union Territory's development. He further noted that the Union Budget has been formulated with a long-term vision for India's development. "An allocation of Rs 3,432 crores has been made for Puducherry, including Rs 1,450 crores for JIPMER and Rs 186 crores for drinking water projects. Additionally, steps have been initiated to upgrade railway stations in Puducherry, Karaikal, and Mahe," he said. "This budget will make India a developed country. The plan announced in the budget is a plan for all states. The necessary budget has been given to Puducherry. Puducherry does not have any financial crisis. The Central Government has provided the necessary funds," he added. (ANI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday strongly condemned the killing of three civilians in Kathua. "We condemn the killing of innocent people and express our condolences to their families," CM Omar Abdullah said. Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary has also condemned the killing saying that the people who are in charge of the Police, should answer why the crime rate is increasing. "What happened in Kathua is wrong. Three people were killed. Those people who are in charge of the Police should answer why the crime rate is increasing," Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary said. JKNC MLA Tanvir Sadiq also condemned the killings in Kathua saying that such bloodshed must end in Jammu and Kashmir. "It is a regretful incident. Such bloodshed must end in Jammu and Kashmir. Those who are responsible for this incident must be brought to book." Jammu and Kashmir Minister Sakina Itoo also condemned the killings in Kathua, calling the incident "wrong." Jammu and Kashmir Leader of Opposition (LoP) of JK assembly Sunil Sharma expressed his concern, saying, Central government is very worried about the situation and whoever is behind the incident will not be spared at all. "All the MLAs went to Kathua and met the families of the deceased. We discussed on the events leading to their deaths and informed the Union Home Minister, who ensured that action will be taken according to the outcome of the investigation... Central government is very worried about the situation and whoever is behind the incident will not be spared at all," Sharma told ANI. Three people who went missing in the Kathua district were found dead by security forces in a river on Saturday. On Sunday, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha ordered an investigation into the incident. "I have ordered a thorough and transparent investigation, and all the necessary support for the families will be provided. I assure the people that the perpetrators will be brought to book as soon as possible. Justice will be ensured, and accountability will be fixed," the LG office added. (ANI) Amidst the political war on the National Education Policy inside the Parliament, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan responded to the Tamil Nadu government's strong opposition to the National Education Policy (NEP) and the three-language policy, defending the government's stance and clarifying the position on the PM SHRI initiative. Pradhan speaking outside Parliament stated, "Recently, the Government of India had a discussion with the Tamil Nadu government. A way of compromise was also found in this. If the Tamil Nadu government agrees to that path, we have no objection in giving them PM SHRI allocation. In Tamil Nadu, only the Tamil language will be the medium of instruction in PM SHRI schools. What is your (Tamil Nadu government) opposition? I don't understand this." He further emphasized that the central government was not imposing any language policy, asserting, "Punjab, Karnataka, Maharashtra are all implementing PM SHRI and NEP... No one is imposing any language on anyone... They are just doing politics." Meanwhile, DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran refuted claims made by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan that the Tamil Nadu government had agreed to sign the National Education Policy (NEP). Maran, in his remarks, clarified that the DMK has never consented to the NEP or its controversial three-language policy, which has sparked significant opposition in Tamil Nadu. Maran stated, "Dharmendra Pradhan lied by saying that DMK govt had agreed (to sign NEP). DMK never agreed to NEP or 3-language policy, all we said is that we can't. Why should our students in Tamil Nadu learn 3 languages, whereas students from North India learn only one language?" He further defended Tamil Nadu's position on language, stressing that the opposition was not against Hindi but rather the compulsory imposition of three languages. "We are not against Hindi. if there are students who want to learn Hindi, they are free to do so, but it should not be compulsory," Maran added. Earlier, DMK MP Kanimozhi expressed her strong disapproval after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan referred to the members of Parliament of DMK, the Tamil Nadu government, and the people of Tamil Nadu as "uncivilised" in his response in Parliament. Kanimozhi, in her Lok Sabha address, stated, "I am very pained and hurt that the minister in his reply in the parliament (Dharmendra Pradhan) has called the members of Parliament, the Tamil Nadu Government, and the people of Tamil Nadu uncivilised." Meanwhile, during his address in Lok Sabha, Pradhan accused the DMK of being "dishonest" and playing "politics" at the cost of Tamil Nadu students' futures. "They (DMK) are dishonest. They are not committed to the students of Tamil Nadu. They are ruining the future of Tamil Nadu students. Their only job is to raise language barriers. They are doing politics. They are doing mischief. They are undemocratic and uncivilised," Pradhan said. (ANI) All India Mahila Congress President Alka Lamba, along with other members of the Mahila Congress, held a protest at Jantar Mantar on Monday, demanding immediate implementation of 33% women reservation in Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies. Congress leaders were protesting, holding placards that read, "Kahe har bharat ki naari, abhi Lagu karo 33% hissedari" (Every woman in India is demanding the immediate implementation of 33% reservation). They called for swift government action to pass legislation guaranteeing 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislatures, enabling women to have a greater voice in politics. The 2023 Nari Shakti Vandan Act includes a provision that reserves one-third of the seats in the Lok Sabha (the lower house of Parliament) and state assemblies for women. This means that a significant portion of the seats will be specifically set aside for female candidates, ensuring more women are represented in the country's legislative bodies. The constitutional amendment bill was passed almost unanimously by the Lok Sabha and unanimously by the Rajya Sabha. However, the law will take some time to be implemented because it depends on the next census and the redrawing of constituencies (delimitation) to determine which seats will be reserved for women. The reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies will last for 15 years, with the option for Parliament to extend it later. Recently, the Madhya Pradesh government approved 35 percent reservation for women in all the Madhya Pradesh government services recruiters. The Deputy CM of Madhya Pradesh, Rajendra Shukla, told ANI, "Reservation (for women) in all recruitment under Government services in Madhya Pradesh has been increased to 35 percent from 33 percent. The decision was taken earlier, and today, it was approved by the state cabinet. It is a major step towards women's empowerment in the state." "The Madhya Pradesh Government is constantly working towards women empowerment, and I am happy that ever since our government has formed, we have taken steps further in this direction. Especially, increasing the women reservation from 33 per cent to 35 per cent in state government jobs. Our state has become the first state in the country to provide 35 percent reservation to women," CM Yadav said. Before this, the Rajasthan Government, led by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, approved a 33 percent reservation for women in the police department. (ANI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK party chief MK Stalin on Monday lashed out at Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan who during Lok Sabha proceedings today termed the State government as "dishonest" and "ruining" the future of students. In a strongly worded post in Tamil on his X platform, Stalin called out the "arrogance" of the Union Minister and said that he was speaking like an "arrogant king" and the one who had "disrespected" the people of Tamil Nadu "needs to be disciplined." "Union Minister Dharmendhra Pradhan who thinks himself as king speaking with arrogance should have control over his tongue," Stalin posted. Pradhan in his remarks during Question Hour alleged that the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government had initially agreed to implement the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme in the state but later went back on their promise. The DMK staged a protest,over the union minister's remarks that led to an adjournment of proceedings of the Lower House of Parliament. "They (DMK) are dishonest. They are not committed to the students of Tamil Nadu. They are ruining the future of Tamil Nadu students. Their only job is to raise language barriers. They are doing politics. They are doing mischief. They are undemocratic and uncivilised," Pradhan said. Stalin in his post on X said that the Centre was the one who had cheated by not giving funds to Tamil Nadu and called the Tamil Nadu MPs as uncivilized. Speaking to ANI today in the Parliament complex, DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran said, " ...Dharmendra Pradhan lied by saying that DMK government had agreed (to sign NEP). DMK never agreed to NEP or the three-language policy, all we said that we can't...why should our students in Tamil Nadu learn three languages whereas students from north India learn only one language...we are not against Hindi...if there are students who want to learn Hindi, they are free to do so but it should not be compulsory..." DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi said, " DMK MP raised the issue where Union government has not released funds for Tamil Nadu saying that unless the State government agrees to sign the NEP, the three-language policy, funds more than Rs 2000 crore won't be released for the schools. The (Union Education) Minister got up and said that MPs from Tamil Nadu and opposition parties had met him and agreed to sign NEP, which is far from truth...our CM has written to the (Union Education) Minister and PM that we won't be signing the NEP...our CM has made this very clear and we have not changed it...Union Education) Minister called our govt, people and Parliamentarians from Tamil Nadu liars, he hurt our feelings and Tamil Nadu's pride by calling us uncivilised...we condemn this strongly..." (ANI) Amidst the ongoing debate on the National Education Policy inside the Parliament, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Dayanidhi Maran has strongly refuted claims made by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan that the Tamil Nadu government had agreed to sign the National Education Policy (NEP). Maran, in his remarks, clarified that the DMK has never consented to the NEP or its controversial three-language policy, which has sparked significant opposition in Tamil Nadu. Maran stated, "Dharmendra Pradhan lied by saying that DMK govt had agreed (to sign NEP). DMK never agreed to NEP or 3-language policy, all we said is that we can't. Why should our students in Tamil Nadu learn 3 languages, whereas students from North India learn only one language?" He further defended Tamil Nadu's position on language, stressing that the opposition was not against Hindi but rather the compulsory imposition of three languages. "We are not against Hindi. if there are students who want to learn Hindi, they are free to do so, but it should not be compulsory," Maran added. Earlier, DMK MP Kanimozhi has expressed her strong disapproval after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan referred to the members of Parliament of DMK, the Tamil Nadu government, and the people of Tamil Nadu as "uncivilised" in his response in Parliament. Kanimozhi, in her Lok Sabha address, stated, "I am very pained and hurt that the minister in his reply in the parliament (Dharmendra Pradhan) has called the members of Parliament, the Tamil Nadu Government, and the people of Tamil Nadu uncivilised." Meanwhile, during his address in Lok Sabha, Pradhan accused the DMK of being "dishonest" and playing "politics" at the cost of Tamil Nadu students' futures. "They (DMK) are dishonest. They are not committed to the students of Tamil Nadu. They are ruining the future of Tamil Nadu students. Their only job is to raise language barriers. They are doing politics. They are doing mischief. They are undemocratic and uncivilised," Pradhan said. In the Rajya Sabha, the DMK staged a walkout after raising the issue of the three language policy and the issues of delimitation. Health Minister, JP Nadda, slammed the opposition over walkout, saying that they should read the rules before giving notices for an adjournment motion. Nadda termed it irresponsible behavior and said that opposition members, including LoP, should go for a refresher course to understand rules and regulations. Referring to daily adjournment notices by opposition members, Nadda said it was a "vicious design to demean the institution of Parliament" and gthat the overnment is ready to discuss everything under rules. (ANI) Maharashtra Minister and BJP MLA Nitesh Rane on Monday responded to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray's remarks and said Thackeray lacked full knowledge of the cleanliness drive "Namo Gange" led by Prime Minister Modi and accused him of insulting the Hindu religion. Speaking to ANI, Maharashtra Minister & BJP MLA Nitesh Rane said, "Raj Sahib has incomplete information about the cleanliness drive- Namo Gange under PM Modi's leadership. No one has the right to insult the Hindu religion. I have never seen him question the sacrifice of goats during Bakr-Eid..." Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday raised questions about the cleanliness of the River Ganga and said that "despite calling our rivers 'mother,' we fail to keep them clean." Addressing thousands of party workers on the occasion of the party's 19th foundation day, the MNS chief said that his party leader, Bala Nandgaonkar, had brought holy water from the Prayagraj's Maha Kumbh, but he refused to drink it. Thackeray's remarks came after opposition leaders slammed the Uttar Pradesh government for reports of contaminated water at the Maha Kumbh. However, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath clarified that the water quality at the Sangam in Prayagraj was safe for bathing and drinking holy water, putting the controversy to rest. Meanwhile, a report by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has concluded that the Ganga's water quality during the recently concluded Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj was fit for bathing. However, the CPCB noted significant "variability in data" in water quality samples collected from the exact locations on different dates and from different locations on the same day. The report, dated February 28 and uploaded on the NGT's website on March 7, stated: "As per statistical analysis, the water quality during the bathing days of Maha Kumbh 2025 at monitoring locations in River Ganga and River Yamuna in Prayagraj was fit for bathing under Primary Water Quality Criteria." (ANI) After introducing its flagship initiative, 'Niyad Nellanar Yojana,' the Chhattisgarh Government is making numerous efforts to bring major transformative change into the lives of people residing in remote, inaccessible, and naxal-dominated villages of the Bastar region. Under this campaign, the Chhattisgarh government is ensuring facilities like drinking water, road connectivity, mobile network and others under security cover. As a fresh move initiated under the 'Niyad Nellanar Yojana,' the state government has succeeded in electrifying the remote village of Regadgatta, located around 20 kilometres from the Bijapur district headquarters. According to the officials of the Bijapur administration, electricity reached this village only after several years. Like other villages, Regadgatta was deserted during the time of Salwa Judum as people had fled due to the terror of naxal violence. However, the people have started returning back to their native place in recent years. As per the villagers' recount, electricity was available in the village before 2005, but naxals damaged electric poles later pushing the area into darkness. After almost two decades, electricity has been restored to the village, and people here have renewed hope of rebuilding their lives. "It's a matter of great happiness that the electrification exercise of village Regadgatta was accomplished last week, and 30 houses have been electrified," said Bijapur Collector Sambit Mishra. "This is the seventh village electrified under Niyad Nellanar Yojana, and the efforts are on to electrify other villages as well," the Collector said. Sambit Mishra said, "On 18th February, electrification was completed in Regadagatta village. Electricity has reached 30 houses here. This is the seventh village under the Niyad Nellnar scheme where electricity has reached, and we are trying to expand electricity to the remaining villages as well. At present, 64 villages in the district have been covered under the Niyad Nellnar scheme. Most of the villages do not have electricity grids and are running through solar power. Out of these, work has been completed in 7 villages. We still have 50 villages where electricity has to be provided." Under the Niyad Nellanar scheme, 64 villages in the district have been electrified, and most of them are not connected to the power grid, said Mishra, elaborating that seven of these have been electrified, and electricity has yet to reach 50 villages. According to Assistant Engineer of the electricity department, Yogesh Kumar Dewangan, Regadgatta is quite close to Bijapur but has faced several challenges. It lies in a highly sensitive area, and the nearby villages are also sensitive. The state government's Niyad Nellanar Yojana aims to provide electricity, roads, and water to all households. Road construction has also commenced, which made it easier for us to set up the electricity network." "We have successfully electrified all 29 homes in the village. The villagers are very happy, as electricity has arrived after two years, bringing immense joy to them," added Dewangan. Villager Munna Tati said the village's electrification has made it easier for children to study in school and ensured better facilities at the Aanganbadi centre. The villager said that with the electrification of the village, installation of borewells in the agricultural field is possible, resulting in the availability of multiple crops. Expressing gratitude to the state government, Tati said that the village needs roads, bridges, and other basic facilities, and we request that the government build roads here to develop the village. (ANI) Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has expressed skepticism about the possibility of a discussion in the House regarding the voter's list issue. When asked if there will be a discussion in the House regarding voter's list, the Lok Sabha LoP said, "I don't think so." Earlier today, Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, while speaking in the Lok Sabha, emphasised the need to discuss the issue of the voter list, stating that the House needs to discuss the issue of the voters list. He said, "Question is being raised on the voter list in every states. In Maharashtra, questions were raised on black and white voter list. The entire opposition is just saying that there should be a discussion on the voter's list." Earlier, TMC's Saugata Roy said Mamata Banerjee had shown the same EPIC numbers in the voters list in Haryana, West Bengal. "This shows serious flaws, pointed out earlier with regard to Maharashtra, Haryana. They are preparing for a jump in the Bengal, Assam polls next year. Total voter list should be totally revised," he said, adding that ECI should reply on its mistakes. Speaking to ANI, AAP MP Sanjay Singh accused the Election Commission and the central government of misusing the government machinery to make the list of fake voters. He went to say that they have used the same thing in Maharashtra, Haryana, Delhi and is now preparing for the same in West Bengal. "Election Commission and central govt, that is the party in power, together, by misusing government machinery, fake voters are being made. They did that in Maharashtra, Haryana and Delhi, now they have started the same in Bengal as well...if the election process is not fair...Only one party will keep coming to power and they will do corruption as well..." Singh stated. Opposition MPs have been demanding to discuss the voter's list issue, citing concerns about irregularities and potential manipulation of voter lists in various states. On March 6, a delegation of the Trinamool Congress met Election Commission officials in Kolkata regarding their complaints about the same Elector Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number. However, ECI on March 2 clarified that having the same Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number doesn't mean there are duplicate or fake voters. The ECI's clarification comes after concerns were raised on social media and in media reports about electors in different states having identical EPIC numbers. (ANI) Former Congress MLA Ravindra Dhangekar has announced his decision to join Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Dhangekar described his decision to leave the Congress as an emotional and challenging choice, marking the end of his decade-long association with the party in the city. Dhangekar contested the Lok Sabha from Pune city seat and the Assembly elections from Kasbapeth seat last year. On the Kasbapeth seat, he was opposed by two of his Congress colleagues Kamal Vyavhare and Mukhtar Shaikh. Kamala Vyavhare had also contested against him as an independent whereas Mukhtaar withdrew his nomination after intervention from seniors of the party. Reacting to Ravindra Dhangekar's decision, senior Congress leader from Pune, Mukhtar Shaikh, expressed his concerns about the party's internal dynamics. He stated that long-time party workers like himself, who have been dedicated for over 40 years, are often overlooked when it comes to assigning responsibilities. Instead, leaders like Dhangekar, who joined the party later, are given priority. Shaikh revealed that this was the reason they had opposed Dhangekar's candidature during the Assembly elections. He urged the party's top leadership to reconsider their approach to strengthening and prioritizing loyal, long-serving members. According to him, the current trend of prioritizing newcomers who later leave the party not only demoralizes senior workers but also weakens the party's overall position in the political arena. Explaining his move, Dhangekar highlighted the importance of being in power to address the needs of his constituents effectively. "In a democracy, power is essential to serve the common people. After discussions with my supporters and constituents, I realized that without power, it was challenging to resolve their issues," he said. Dhangekar also praised Eknath Shinde's leadership and his role in facilitating development work in his constituency during Dhangekar's tenure as an MLA. He revealed that he had met with Shinde and Minister Uday Samant multiple times before making his decision. "They encouraged me to join their party and work with them for the betterment of the people," he added. Meanwhile Shisvena Pune City President Pramod Bhangire said, "We welcome him if he joins the party ..it's good for the Shiv Sena as it's expanding in Pune." (ANI) Madhya Pradesh Congress workers staged a massive protest over issues related to farmers in state capital Bhopal on Monday. State Congress President Jitu Patwari, Leader of Opposition (LoP) Umang Singhar, MLA Sachin Yadav and several other party workers participated in the protest, held at Rang Mahal square in the state capital. The crowd was heading to gheraoed the state assembly and the police used water cannons to disperse the crowd of the party workers. Congress chief Patwari told reporters, "It is the responsibility of the Congress party to protest against the BJP who made promises to women, farmers and youth of the state. Today, we held this protest with a feeling that the state government should provide Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 3100 a quintal for rice, Rs 2700 a quintal for wheat and Rs 6000 a quintal. The Union Agriculture Minister hails from the state but he does not talk about MSP." The Congress party has decided that if rice and wheat procurement is not done according to the promises made then, the party will reach each and every Mandi and hold protests with the farmers, he added. The Congress further said, "State Congress's farmers wing will continue this movement in every mandi where crop procurement takes place in the state for the next two months." LoP Umang Singhar said that the Congress party is with the farmers and the fight will last from road to the state assembly in the interest of the farmers. "I would like to ask the Kisan Sangh (linked to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) who seek votes of farmers in favour of BJP during elections, but why the Kisan Sangh has not fulfilled the promise even after one year from their government. Kisan Sangh staged fake protests. But the Congress is with the farmers and will fight from the road to the house for them," Singhar said. Former state minister and Congress MLA Sachin Yadav said they have always worked to fight for the rights of the farmers. "The BJP had promised in its Sankalp Patra that after the formation of the government, wheat will be procured at the rate of Rs 2700 a quintal and rice at Rs 3100 a quintal. But even after so long of government formation, the government has not fulfilled the promise it had made. Therefore, today we have staged a protest about the outrage of the farmers against the government. We have put forward our demands, but the government is so scared that it does not want to listen to us and the administration is using the police water cannons to suppress us," Yadav said. "If the Congress workers have to shed their blood for farmers then, the congressmen will not lag behind," he added. (ANI) Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha JP Nadda on Monday slammed the Opposition after their walk out from the House over the issue of delimitation and New Education Policy (NEP) and suggested a "refresher course" for the leaders to understand the functioning of the House. Addressing the House, Nadda said, "For the past few days, I have been noticing that under Rule 267 in the House, members are giving notices early in the morning. This practice, by the opposition, is a malicious attempt to damage the institution by undermining the Parliament. It's a vicious design to demean the institution of the Parliament. They are not interested in debate; they want to give the impression that the government does not want to answer or engage in a discussion." The BJP National President emphasized further that the government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is ready to discuss anything in the Parliament. "But there are certain rules and regulations for a debate to proceed. For the next 10 days, there will be discussions on the budget, and everyone will get an opportunity to speak. First, they (the Opposition) should learn to read the laws. This irresponsible behaviour of the opposition is unacceptable. I would suggest, including the Leader of Opposition, that they undergo a refresher course. They should understand the rules and regulations," JP Nadda said. The DMK attacked the government over the implementation of National Education Policy in Tamil Nadu. In Lok Sabha too, the MPs walked into the well of the House and protested as Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in his address in the lower house of Parliament accused the DMK of being "dishonest" and playing "politics" at the cost of Tamil Nadu students' future. DMK MP P Wilson said that the DMK party staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha after the Deputy Chairman refused to allow a discussion on fair delimitation for Tamil Nadu. In a post on X, Wilson said, "The DMK floor leader Tiruchi Siva and I submitted a notice under Rule 267 of the Business Rules of the Rajya Sabha to discuss fair delimitation for Tamil Nadu. This is critical, as the state has seen minimal population growth due to family planning policies. There is a growing concern about impending delimitation changes set to take effect in 2026." DMK MP Tiruchi Siva said that they have a very "genuine concern" about the delimitation exercise. "We have a very genuine concern about the delimitation exercise that is due to be done in 2026...the birth control process has not been equal (in north and south)...If it is done based on population, Tamil Nadu and other states will be losing so many seats...we will come down from 39 to 31, Kerala from 20 to 12...some states will get 30-40 more seats, so there won't be fair representation in the Parliament," Siva said. (ANI) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has promised to provide green energy to industries in the state. He said that the state government has promoted green energy in the agriculture sector, and now, it was time for industries to turn to the use of green energy. The Chief Minister was speaking at the Planned Annual Meet-20125. The meeting also held discussions with the contents of 'developed Gujarat-Powering A Prosper India'. According to a release issued by Gujarat CMO, Chief Minister Patel categorically stated that the mood of the country under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has changed and was well-equipped for India to be developed with big resolutions and big goals. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has adopted an approach to promote green energy production and appropriation. It is determined to realise this approach of the Prime Minister. At the last Vibrant Summit, half of the total MoU was given by giving priority to Green Energy. This has been done for the field. He also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for this time to take the lead for global development. The state government is also eager to assist and promote quality products in Gujarat. The Chief Minister said that our product can be established as a quality product in the Global Competitive Market if the industry is also associated with the state government. Chief Minister Patel urged the Prime Minister to ensure the importance and participation of the "smallest man in the industry-tax world" to ensure the development of all. Confederation of Indian Industry Western Region (CII WR) Chairperson Swati Salgaocar said, "The Indian Industries (CII) has been with the unemployed team of more than 600 members for the new opportunities for the development of the business and industry sector through the uninterrupted hard work of the state." "Following the policies, industrial development has filled up," Salgaocar added. The Chairperson said that Gift City, Dholera SIR and PA Mitra Park have emerged as an attractive place for investment in the state. Stating that the organisation is committed to industrial development through the development of the state, it was expected that this annual meeting would be a special step in the direction of "Vikasit Gujarat" through the cooperation of the Government of Gujarat and the CII. CII Chairman Kulin Lalbhai said the state is also developing with the nation's industrial development. Stating that the government is always committed to solving the problem of industries, he expressed confidence that Gujarat is becoming a strong centre of economic development in India. He said that Gujarat is progressing in various units in the industrial sectors and has been the government's approach to promoting industries at the foundation of new heights. The annual meeting discussed issues, including various industrial development programs in the state. Premraj Kashyap, Vice Chairman of CII; Rajesh Kapoor, Regional Director of CII, previous chairman of CIE, CII Western Region and CII Gujarat State Council, Council members, Chairman of Zonal Council and Vice -Chairman of State Panel. (ANI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday debunked reports that the state government has deceased money for the 'Ladki Bahin' scheme and assured that the beneficiaries will get their money. "We have not decreased the money for the 'Ladki Bahin'. Everyone will get their money. We have kept the money for the scheme as per trends of need. If more finance is needed for the scheme, we can make another provision for it. We will fulfil our promise of providing Rs 2100 per month to our sisters," CM Fadnavis said. CM Fadnavis announced that the government is planning to provide 300 units of free electricity every month and use Artificial Intelligence to help farmers get more produce. At a joint press conference held after the presentation of the Maharashtra Budget, CM Fadnavis briefed reporters about the Budget. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar was also present. He claimed that the State was leading in the collection of the Goods and Service Tax (GST) and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). "The Fiscal deficit of Maharashtra is contained at 2.9 per cent. For the next year, it's estimated to be at 2.7 per cent. We can take loans of 25 per cent of our total GSDP, but we are only at 18 per cent at present. Our loan has increased, but our loan eligibility limit has also increased. We are 7 per cent higher than the national average for the GST collection in the current year. We are at the top in GST collection and FDI," CM Fadnavis said. He further informed, "Union government has sanctioned 20 lakh houses; out of those, 18 lakh persons are approved, and funds are already distributed for 16 lakh houses. We are planning to implement programs to provide free electricity to households for upto 300 units per month through solar energy. We will use AI to help farmers get higher produce from their land," CM Fadnavis said. He also said that the state government will incentivize women to focus on credit societies and self-help groups and referred to a group in Nagpur. "We will encourage women to form more and more credit societies and self-help groups. A similar group was formed by women in Nagpur with the help of the money given under 'Ladki Bahin'. We are trying to make 'Lakhpati didi' based on central and state schemes where women can earn up to Rs 8000 per month..."," CM Fadnavis added. In his budget presentation for the financial year 2025, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday said that the state is poised to take a leading role in realizing the Prime Minister's dream of a developed India by 2047. "I am presenting the budget for the financial year 2025/26. Maharashtra will be number one in fulfilling the Prime Minister's dream of a developed India by 2047. Maharashtra is number one in foreign direct investment," Ajit Pawar said. Pawar also said that 56 companies signing MoUs at Davos will bring in investments worth Rs 15.72 lakh crore and generate 16 lakh jobs. "Maharashtra is number one in foreign direct investment. In Davos, Maharashtra signed MoUs with 56 companies worth Rs 15.72 lakh crore, which will provide employment to 16 lakh people," Ajit Pawar said. "Maharashtra contributes to 15.4 per cent in country's GDP. MMRDA (Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority) will be made the growth hub of Maharashtra and for that purpose, we have planned seven business centres at various places in the MM region," Ajit Pawar added. Notably, this is the first budget for the newly-formed Mahayuti government and Pawar's 11th Budget as Finance Minister. Sheshrao Wankhede, presented the budget 13 times. Ajit Pawar will hold the second-highest record with 11 times, followed by Jayant Patil (10 times) and Sushilkumar Shinde (9 times). The budget session of the Maharashtra Legislature commenced on March 3 and is scheduled to conclude on March 26. (ANI) Patiala House Court on Monday rejected Jammu and Kashmir MP Rashid Engineer's plea for custody parole to attend the ongoing Parliament session. Engineer, who represents Baramulla, had sought permission to attend the session from March 10 to April 4. Engineer's counsel, Advocate Vikhyat Oberoi, argued that his client was not a threat and had been granted custody parole earlier. Special Judge (NIA) Chander Jit Singh rejected the plea. Advocate Vikhyat Oberoi and Nishita Gupta appeared for Rashid Engineer and argued that he was not a threat. "He was given custody parole earlier also and there were three extension. He was granted interim bail to go to Kashmir and to campaign. That's next to Pakistan," the engineer's advocate stated. On the point of security arrangements, it was submitted that jail security would take him to the parliament and leave him there. He submitted that security personnel in civil clothes can go inside. It was further submitted that he was granted custody parole for two days on February 11 and 13 in the last session. The counsel argued that if he goes there, there will be no hindrance. He can attend Parliament on custody parole. "How can Rashid Engineer be a threat in New Delhi when he was not one in Kashmir? He was granted custody parole to take an oath in the parliament, the counsel argued. "Rashid Engineer represents 45 per cent of the population of Kashmir. It is my (Rashid Engineer) duty to attend the parliament," he added. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) opposed the plea, stating that Engineer had no statutory right to attend Parliament while in detention. The NIA also highlighted instances of misuse of phone facilities during earlier paroles. Advocate Gautam Khazanchi, special counsel for the NIA, opposed the plea. He submitted that the law is settled in the Suresh Kalmadi case, and they have no statutory right to attend the parliament until they are in detention. "It can't be said that he has a right to interim bail, as he was granted relief earlier, he added. There is no control over security by the NIA. We have seen a misuse of a phone. Custody parole should not be generated," said Khazanchi. In rebuttal arguments, the accused's counsel submitted that the detainee has no right to vote, but they have the right to contest. I (Rashid Engineer) have a right to attend Parliament until disqualified. He is an accused and is running in judicial custody in a case filed by the NIA. His regular bail application is pending before the special NIA at Patiala House Court. The court has asked the counsel to file written submissions. Meanwhile, he has moved an application through Advocate Vikhyat Oberoi and is seeking interim bail or interim custody parole to attend the upcoming Parliament Session from March 10 to April 4, 2025. This development comes as the Engineer who was arrested in 2019 in connection with a terror funding case remains in judicial custody. (ANI) In a breakthrough amidst the ongoing anti-drugs campaign 'Yudh Nashian Virudh', Tarn Taran police arrested Shehnaz Singh, also known as Shawn Bhinder, an Indian-origin International drug lord wanted by the USA-based Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), police said on Monday. According to the Punjab Police, the arrested accused Shawn Bhinder, a native of village Mandiala in Batala and had been residing in Brampton in Canada, was wanted by the FBI in one of the largest drug seizures in the USA on February 26, 2025, wherein, the FBI had arrested six of his associates in the US and seized 391 kg methamphetamine, 109 kg cocaine, four sophisticated weapons and vehicles from their possession. The six accused previously arrested by the FBI have been identified as Amritpal Singh alias Amrit alias Bal, Amritpal Singh alias Cheema, Taqdeer Singh alias Romi, Sarabjit Singh Saabi, Fernando Valladares alias Franco and Gurlal Singh. Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said that accused Shawn Bhinder was a key player in a global narcotics syndicate, smuggling cocaine from Colombia into the USA and Canada. After the crackdown by the FBI, accused Shawn Bhinder managed to give a slip to the FBI sleuths and clandestinely landed in India, he said, while adding that the Punjab Police has successfully tracked and arrested him from the jurisdiction of Ludhiana. The DGP said that the arrested accused was also wanted in an Arms Act case registered in December 2024, wherein Tarn Taran Police had arrested five members of the notorious Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and Amritpal Batth Gang, leading to the recovery of a significant cache of arms and ammunition from their possession. Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Ferozepur Range Swapan Sharma, accompanied by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Tarn Taran Abhimanyu Rana, while addressing a press conference, said that preliminary investigations reveal that accused Shawn Bhinder played a key role in transporting large consignments of drugs across international borders using trucks and trailers. He said that it was found during interrogation that the accused, Shawn Bhinder, operating under the guise of a legitimate transportation business in Canada since 2014, allegedly facilitated the movement of drugs from Colombia to the US and Canada via Mexico. "Probe has also revealed that Shawn Bhinder, along with his accomplices, were transporting approximately 600 kgs of cocaine from Colombia every week," he added. SSP Abhimanyu Rana said that the arrested accused's network is believed to have ties with notorious drug traffickers, including Amritpal Singh alias Baath and Gurjant Singh Bholu Havelia. Further investigations are on, he added. Meanwhile, over the past four months, the Tarn Taran police have registered 125 cases under the NDPS Act, arresting 145 individuals and recovering 34 kgof heroin, 4 kg opium and Rs 2.29 lakh drug money. Additionally, 29 proclaimed offenders in the cases of NDPS Act have been apprehended during this period. (ANI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday expressed gratitude to Finance Minister Ajanta Neog over the State Budget and said that it lays a comprehensive roadmap to establish the state a "front runner". In a post on X, CM Himanta emphasized that the budget will bring new momentum to the Assam growth story. "AssamBudget2025 lays a comprehensive roadmap to establish Assam as a front runner state and builds upon the gains made over the last few years. Prime Minster Narendra Modi ji's mantra of Vikas Bhi and Virasat bhi is the foundational premise of this year's budget," he said. "Our budget, rooted in fiscal discipline, envisages a record capital expenditure of Rs 38,759.18 Cr without burdening our citizens and at 85 per cent, our budget utilisation is the highest ever. Assam's expenditure will now be at a record Rs 1.55 Lakh crore with our GSDP growth at 13 per cent, ahead of the national average of 10 per cent," CM Himanta said. The Assam Chief Minister further emphasized that the all-around progress of the state is once again the centrepiece of this year's budget. "Today's budget will spur household savings and bring a new momentum to the Assam growth story. From a new satellite for Assam to a Proton Therapy Centre to a dedicated OTT platform, Assam budget comes with innovative but realistic schemes. Assam Budget stands for improving the lives of the downtrodden, prepares Assam for Industry 4.0 and helps unleash the power of our Yuva Shakti and Nari Shakti. My compliments to Finance Minister Ajanta Neog and the team for presenting an exemplary budget," he said. Meanwhile, the Assam government Budget 2025 presented on Monday proposed to set up a satellite -- ASSAMSAT -- to ensure a continuous, reliable flow of data for the implementation of critical socio-economic projects. The satellite will be set up in close collaboration with IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center). Indian Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) promotes private investment and innovation in the space sector. (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party Karnataka President BY Vijayendra has urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to disclose the names of ministers allegedly involved in the Ranya Rao gold smuggling case. Speaking to mediapersons on Monday, Vijayendra stated that there is information indicating the involvement of certain ministers in the smuggling operation. "In one of the rarest of the rarest cases, the daughter of a senior IPS officer who had been arrested recently at the Bangalore International Airport in a famous, infamous gold smuggling case. The information which is coming out is that we have been told of the information we are getting that some of the senior ministers are fully supporting Rania Rao, the daughter of a senior IPS officer. So my demand to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is to please disclose the name of the ministers who are involved in this gold smuggling case, or please disclose the names of the ministers who have been supporting Rania Rao," he added. He emphasized that this is not a minor incident, as reports suggest that Ranya Rao had traveled abroad specifically to Dubai and other countries over 30 times in the past few months. "She was escorted by police officers, indicating that she is not an ordinary individual. If someone is receiving protocol treatment at Kempegowda International Airport and is exempt from security checks, it suggests the involvement of influential individuals, including some ministers," he added. He also mentioned that investigations by the CBI and ED are already underway. BJP leader Bharath Shetty also alleged that the Karnataka State government has tried to influence the police to get her out of the case. "CBI has already taken up the case and they are doing their investigation. It is in the public domain that the Karnataka state government have tried to influence the police to get her out of the problem when she got caught in the gold smuggling case," the BJP leader said. Earlier today, the Economic Offences Court in Bengaluru sent Kannada actress Ranya Rao to judicial custody till March 24 in connection with a gold smuggling case. Ramya Rao was produced before the bench of Vishwanath C Gowdar at the special court for economic offences in Bengaluru after three days of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) custody. Ranya Rao sought two minutes to interact with the advocates, to which the court reacted positively. The actress also alleged that the DRI officials had verbally harassed her during her three-day interrogation. To this, the DRI said that we just asked which are relevant and we can produce all the video evidence of CCTV and her advocate was also present at the time of interrogation. Rao was arrested on March 3 by the DRI at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIAD) in Bengaluru for allegedly smuggling 14.8 kilograms of gold from Dubai. Ranya's arrest followed a tip-off regarding her involvement in smuggling gold into India. DRI officials had stationed a team at the airport to intercept her upon arrival, and she was taken into custody immediately after landing. The actress, the stepdaughter of DGP K Ramachandra Rao, was produced before a special court judge on the evening of March 4 for financial offences. On March 4, Ranya Rao was produced before a special court for financial offences and was remanded to judicial custody until March 18. (ANI) At least 12 people have been arrested so far in connection with a clash that broke out between two groups in Indore's Mhow late Sunday night during the victory celebration of Team India's ICC Champions Trophy win, an official said. The police force is completely deployed and currently, the situation is peaceful and normal in the area. Action to nab the people involved in the unrest are constantly going on, the police added. Superintendent of Police (SP, rural) Hitika Vasal told ANI, "Two FIRs have been registered so far in connection with the Mhow incident and the accused are being arrested. The police are also constantly checking CCTV footage, collecting video recordings related to the incident and are arresting those who tried to disturb the peace in the area. Currently, the situation here is peaceful and normal. Police force is fully deployed. So far at least 12 people have been arrested and the police are taking further action into the matter." Meanwhile, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP, rural) Rupesh Kumar Dwivedi said that their priority is to ensure that the situation remains peaceful and normal in Mhow and police force is deployed adequately across vulnerable points. "One FIR was registered last night with 17 persons named in it. A few complainants have come to the police station now, and they are being heard. We have taken 12 people into custody and our further course of action is underway. Our priority is to ensure that the situation remains peaceful and normal. Force is deployed adequately across vulnerable points. The representatives from all communities condemned the incident," ASP Dwivedi told ANI. Notably, several vehicles were torched and vandalised during the incident on Sunday night, prompting authorities to heighten security in the area. Earlier, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG, Rural) Nimish Agarwal said, "There was a clash between the two sides during the victory celebration of team India in ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The situation is completely under control right now. I would like to tell everyone that no one should try to take Law and Order into their own hands. The entire investigation will be completed, and all the people involved in it will be held responsible. Some people have been injured in this. Those are the four cases right now. Right now, a preliminary investigation is going on into this, and the entire incident will be investigated." (ANI) Karnataka State Commission for Women on Monday wrote to Koppal Superintendent of Police Ram Arasiddi and urged the latter to submit the report of the legal action taken in the Hampi rape incident. "Related to the case of gangrape of two persons including a foreigner woman near Tungabhadra left bank canal, Sanapura lake, Junglee road near Hampi on March 6 is a shocking matter for the state and the country, and the Karnataka State Women's Commission has taken this matter very seriously," the letter stated. "So, I request them to give maximum punishment to the accused in this case and to ensure that such cases do not recur in the future and to provide more protection to women in tourist places. I request you to submit the report of the legal action taken on the above case to the Karnataka State Commission for Women as soon as possible," it added. 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. 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 Israeli tourist, while the third pushed the male tourists into the water canal, she alleged. 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. 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. (ANI) Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday criticized the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government over the BJP MLA's statement asking Muslims to stay indoors on Holi. Taking a dig at Nitish Kumar, Yadav said that the latter only cares about power. "He doesn't care about anything. Sab koi jae bhaad mein, apan kursi ke jugaad mein." Speaking to the media, Yadav said, "I want to say that the way BJP's MLA said that Muslims should not go outside their homes on Holi...How can he say this? Where is the Chief Minister? He is in an unconscious mode. When women raise their voices for their rights, he scolds them. Did he have the courage to scold the MLA?" He claimed that the BJP has a strong influence on its NDA ally JDU, stating, "There is a lot of BJP and Sangh influence on JDU; pure Sangh aur BJP ke rang mein JDU aa chuka hai." "This country believes in Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb. The country believes in Ram and Rahim. This is Bihar. One Muslim brother will be protected by five Hindus here. As long as our party and followers of Lalu Yadav's ideology exist, we will not let them fulfill their agenda," he added. This comes after Haribhushan Thakur Bachaul, the BJP MLA from the Bisfi Assembly constituency, sparked a controversy after he purportedly "appealing" to Muslims to "stay indoors" on Holi, which coincides with a Friday during Ramzan. He said that there are 52 Fridays in a year, and one of them coincides with Holi. He further appealed to Muslims to allow Hindus to celebrate the festival and not take offense if colors are smeared on them. If they have such a problem, they should stay indoors. This is essential for maintaining communal harmony, the BJP MLA added. (ANI) The Budget session of the Delhi Assembly is set to take place from March 24 to 28 and the Budget will be presented on March 25. "Hon'ble Members are informed that the Second Session (Budget Session) of Eighth Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi will commence on Monday, 24th March, 2025 at 11:00 A.M. in the Assembly Hall, Old Secretariat, Delhi. Sittings of the Legislative Assembly have been tentatively fixed for 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28 March, 2025. Subject to the exigencies of business, the sitting of the House may be extended," Legislative Assembly Secretariat, NCT stated on Monday. The sittings of the Legislative Assembly shall commence at 11.00 am. daily and continue till it is adjourned for the day. It further stated that on March 24, government business will be held, on March 25, the Budget will be presented. On March 26, General discussion will be held on Budget, on March 27, consideration and passing of Budget will be held and on March 28, Private members' Bill and Resolutions. Earlier today, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta arrived in the Parliament and met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. "Rekha Gupta (@gupta_rekha), Hon'ble Chief Minister of Delhi, calls on Nirmala Sitharaman at Parliament House," Nirmala Sitharaman Office posted on X. On Sunday, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta said that her government was seeking public suggestions for preparing the upcoming budget. "The Delhi government is going among the public to take suggestions for the Delhi budget. I met the people living in the slums in the RK Puram assembly constituency and took suggestions from them," Gupta said. On March 6, the Chief Minister held an interactive session with traders, businessmen, and business organizations to gather their suggestions for the upcoming Delhi Budget 2025. Business representatives from across the national capital participated in the discussion, highlighting key issues faced by the business community. Meanwhile, the competent authority transferred or posted the officers or officials. "Raghu Nath (Grade 1, DSS) has been posted in Legislative Assembly Secretarait (Diverted from Education), Arun Kumar Prasad has been posted in Legislative Assembly Secretariate (for all purposes), Kanwal Bala Saneja posted in Legislative Assembly Secretariate (for all purposes)," Goverment of NCT Services-1 Branch, Services department stated. The officer mentioned at Sl. No. 01 is hereby Stand Relieved Forthwith from his present place of posting to join his duties in Legislative Assembly Secretariat, without waiting for any relieving from his present department, it added. (ANI) President Droupadi Murmu on Monday launched a state-level campaign, 'spiritual education for holistic well-being' of Brahma Kumaris in Haryana's Hisar and said that systems built on spirituality remain ethical and sustainable. "Social, economic, scientific, cultural, political or any other type of system built on spirituality remains ethical and sustainable," President Murmu said while speaking on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the Brahma Kumaris organisation. The President said that spirituality unites "the entire humanity" by rising above man-made boundaries. "Social, economic, scientific, cultural, political or any other type of system built on spirituality remains ethical and sustainable. A person who always keeps spiritual consciousness awakened experiences mental and physical health and inner peace," President Murmu said in a release from President's Secretariat. The President said that a person who experiences spiritual peace enriches the lives of others with positive energy. She emphasised that the real utility of spiritual peace is not in remaining in isolation. It should be used to build a healthy, strong, and prosperous society and nation. The President noted that Brahma Kumaris were using spiritual energy for the benefit of the nation and society. She said that the organisation was contributing to many social and national initiatives, such as the campaign against drug abuse, women's empowerment, and environmental conservation,President's Secretariat said. President Murmu expressed confidence that the Brahma Kumari family would continue to contribute to the holistic health of people and the overall development of the country based on the strength of spirituality. President Droupadi Murmu is on her scheduled visit to grace several events in Haryana, Chandigarh and Punjab from March 10 to 12. The President will grace the convocation ceremonies of Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, and AIIMS, Bathinda on March 11. The same evening, the President will attend a civic reception at Mohali, which the government of Punjab will host in her honour, President's Secretariat said. On March 12, the President will grace the convocation ceremony of Panjab University at Chandigarh. Earlier on International Women's Day, President Droupadi Murmu emphasised 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 prioritise 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 on Saturday. (ANI) In a detailed briefing to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs on Monday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Sunil Barthwal addressed key concerns surrounding India's foreign policy and trade relations. The panel is chaired by Congress's Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor. According to the sources, the Committee members asked many pointed questions on China and the Dam on the Brahmaputra river. Secretary Misri informed the committee that there is no agreement between India and China, but there is a water agreement between India and Pakistan. "So, any issue with China can be discussed on bilaterally only," the sources said Sunil Barthwal, Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (Department of Commerce), briefed the Parliamentary Standing Committee of External Affairs on Current Developments in India's foreign trade and policy. As per the sources, many members posed queries about the reciprocal tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump and sought details about India's negotiations with the US on the matter. The Secretary informed the committee that the United States made no formal announcement. "Government cannot react on media reports. But the negotiation is on, and the government will take appropriate steps as per the situation," the sources said. According to sources, the Secretary informed the committee that the US has officially not imposed any tariffs on India so far, unlike Mexico, Canada, and China. The Secretary assured the committee that the government would protect the interests of the sectors and industries essential to domestic industry. Sources informed that the Secretary said all agreements and trade deals would be mutually beneficial to both countries as per the joint statement signed by both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump. Also, there is no deadline in April. Earlier, Trump targeted India's import duties in a speech to a joint session of Congress. He also spoke about the tariffs imposed by the European Union, China, Brazil and Mexico and announced that the US would impose tariffs on other nations based on what they do to the US. While addressing a joint session of the US Congress, Trump said that the reciprocal tax would kick in on April 2. He noted that nearly every country on earth has ripped off the US for decades and vowed not to "let that happen any longer." (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday extended wishes on the raising day of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and said that their unwavering commitment to duty is truly commendable. In a post on X, PM Modi said, "Raising Day wishes to all personnel of CISF! This force is admired for its professionalism, dedication, and courage. They play a key role in our security system by protecting essential infrastructure and ensuring the safety of countless people every day. Their unwavering commitment to duty is truly commendable." https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1899081284766281763 The CISF was set up under the act of the Parliament of India on March 10, 1969. Since then, CISF Raising Day is being celebrated on March 10 each year. Earlier on Friday, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah attended the 56th Raising Day Parade of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in Thakkolam, Tamil Nadu, as the chief guest. Union Minister L Murugan and CISF Director General Rajvinder Singh Bhatti were also present. In his address, the Union Home Minister said that in the last 56 years, the CISF has not only ensured the development, progress, and mobility of the country but has also played an important role in its smooth functioning. He said that the security of vital installations associated with the country's industrial development, including ports, airports, important business, tourism, and research institutions, cannot be imagined without the CISF. Shah said, "It is due to the unwavering loyalty, hard work, and dedication of the CISF personnel that the country is moving forward safely in the field of industrial development." He said that CISF personnel have also taken an interest in numerous social activities and taken it forward. Shah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set the resolve to make India the third-largest economy in the world by 2027 and to make India the leader in every field by 2047, in front of the country's 140 crore people. He emphasised that CISF's contribution will be very important in fulfilling these goals. Union Home Minister said that it was decided in 2019 that instead of celebrating the CISF Raising Day in Delhi, it would be celebrated in different parts of the country. Accordingly, today, the CISF Raising Day event was held at the Regional Training Center in Thakkolam, Tamil Nadu. (ANI) BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai on Monday criticized the Karnataka government for its failure to maintain law and order after the Hampi rape case incident. Speaking to ANI, Bommai highlighted the influx of international tourists, pointing out the rising consumption of illegal substances and the absence of adequate security measures. "A large number of international tourists come, and illegal drugs and other things are consumed. There is no fear of the police, and now such incidents are happening. The CM is giving statements after everything happens. But no precautionary measures have been taken. No security measures have been taken because a large number of tourists go there. The law and order situation is very bad. There is no fear of the law. There is no fear of the police, and the government is busy doing corruption," the former chief minister of Karnataka said. Meanwhile, Karnataka police has apprehended the third accused in the Hampi rape case, the police officials said on Monday. The accused has been identified as Saranabasava (27), who was working as a carpenter. He was arrested by Gangavathi Rural police from Tamil Nadu's capital city Chennai and has been brought to Karnataka. Speaking to ANI, Superintendent of Police of Koppal, Ram Arasiddi said that if it would be necessary then the accused would be taken into the police custody as well. "As I had told previously, we have taken this incident very seriously and we had formed teams... We visited the spot as well. Based on the information and some technical help, we had earlier arrested two persons. The other person, Saranabasava (27), who was absconding, has been arrested from Chennai, Tamil Nadu. We have brought him here. All the legal procedures will be done today. If necessary, we will take him into police custody also," Arasiddi told ANI. 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. A male tourist accompanying them was later found dead, they added. (ANI) In a significant step towards advancing Ayurveda research in diabetes management, the Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CARI), Kolkata, under the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) Ministry of Ayush, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the School of Natural Product Studies (SNPS), Jadavpur University, Kolkata. The agreement, formalised at CARI, Kolkata, marks the beginning of a collaborative research project titled "Evaluation of Vidangadi Lauham, a Classical Ayurvedic Formulation in the Management of Diabetes in Experimental Animals." This research project holds immense potential in the field of Ayurveda research, aiming to establish a strong scientific foundation for the use of Vidangadi Lauham in diabetes management. By conducting biophysical characterisation and analysing the biological activity of medicinal plants, the study will contribute significantly to the preservation and restoration of India's rich medicinal plant heritage, according to the Ministry of AYUSH. The findings will be instrumental in developing high-quality, safe, and effective Ayurvedic formulations for combating diabetes and its complications. Furthermore, the project highlights the need for a comprehensive database to validate the health benefits of medicinal plants, ensuring their credibility in the global healthcare landscape. The ultimate goal is to popularise Ayurvedic formulations as natural health-promoting agents, fostering greater acceptance of traditional medicine worldwide. With diabetes being a growing global concern, this research initiative has the potential to lead to the development of an Ayurvedic formulation with minimal to no side effects, ultimately improving public health and enhancing the quality of life for countless individuals, said the Ministry of AYUSH. The MoU signing ceremony was attended by officials from both institutions, including Dr. G. Babu, Director, CARI, Kolkata, alongside Dr. Anupam Mangal, Assistant Director (Pharmacognosy), Dr. Lalrin Puia, Research Officer (Pharmacology), Dr. Sharad D. Pawar, Assistant Director (Pharmacology), and Dr. Rahul Singh, Research Officer (AEP). Representing SNPS, Jadavpur University, Prof. (Dr.) Pallab Kanti Halder, Director and Principal Investigator of the project, was also present. (ANI) Press Release March 10, 2025 STATEMENT OF SEN. WIN GATCHALIAN ON THE HIRING OF NON-TEACHING STAFF The Department of Education's renewal and hiring of more than 7,000 administrative support staff under contract of service will help decongest our teachers' workload, which will increase their focus on teaching. Based on the findings of the Second Congressional Commission on Education, public school teachers are burdened with more than 50 non-teaching and ancillary tasks. Kung may sapat na kawani para sa mga gawaing ito, mas matututukan ng ating mga guro ang pinakamahalaga - siguraduhin na ang bawat mag-aaral ay natututo, sumusulong, at nagtatagumpay. However, we still have a long way to go to ensure that all our public schools have enough non-teaching staff. That's why in the Revised Magna Carta for Public School Teachers (Senate Bill No. 2493), which I filed, I proposed to institutionalize the policy that will prohibit the assignment of non-teaching tasks to teachers. The proposed measure also mandates the Department of Education to fill all non-teaching positions. Ang pag-angat ng edukasyon ay nagsisimula sa pag-aalaga sa ating mga guro. Karnataka Minister of Commerce and Industries, MB Patil on Monday said that the 12 acres of land sanctioned to Ksiroda India Private Limited, a company linked to actress Ranya Rao, accused in a gold smuggling case, has not been officially allocated as the company failed to make the prescribed payment. "The previous BJP government had approved the allotment of 12 acres to Ksiroda India Private Limited, in which Ranya is one of the directors, at Sira Industrial Area. The decision was taken during the 137th State Level Single Window Clearance Committee (SLSWCC) meeting held on January 2, 2023. However, since the company did not remit the required payment within the stipulated time, the land has not been officially handed over, the Minister clarified while responding to media queries at Vidhana Soudha. Earlier today, the Economic Offences Court in Bengaluru sent Kannada actress Ranya Rao to judicial custody till March 24 in connection with a gold smuggling case. Ramya Rao was produced before the bench of Vishwanath C Gowdar at the special court for economic offences in Bengaluru after three days of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) custody. Ranya Rao sought two minutes to interact with the advocates, to which the court reacted positively. The actress also alleged that the DRI officials had verbally harassed her during her three-day interrogation. To this, the DRI said that we just asked which are relevant and we can produce all the video evidence of CCTV and her advocate was also present at the time of interrogation. Rao was arrested on March 3 by the DRI at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIAD) in Bengaluru for allegedly smuggling 14.8 kilograms of gold from Dubai. Ranya's arrest followed a tip-off regarding her involvement in smuggling gold into India. DRI officials had stationed a team at the airport to intercept her upon arrival, and she was taken into custody immediately after landing. The actress, the stepdaughter of DGP K Ramachandra Rao, was produced before a special court judge on the evening of March 4 for financial offences. On March 4, Ranya Rao was produced before a special court for financial offences and was remanded to judicial custody until March 18. (ANI) Rangbhari Ekadashi Holi celebrations are underway in Sambhal amid tight security on Monday. Rangbhari Ekadashi marks the beginning of the Holi celebrations and is observed five days before the main festival of Holi. Speaking to ANI, Sambhal ASP Shrish Chandra said, "A procession is being taken out in Sambhal on the occasion of Rangbhari Ekadashi. Police has been deployed in large numbers..." Meanwhile, the traditional 'Lathmar' Holi festivities commenced in Nandagaon on Sunday, marking the beginning of the week-long Holi celebrations in Mathura. This unique and vibrant event, celebrated with great enthusiasm, is deeply rooted in the legends of Lord Krishna and Radha. According to folklore, Lathmar Holi symbolises the playful exchange between Krishna's village, Nandagaon, and Radha's village, Barsana. It is believed that Krishna, along with his friends, visited Barsana to tease Radha and her companions, who playfully responded by chasing them away with sticks (lathis). This tradition continues today as women from Barsana visit Nandagaon to engage in the mock battle with men wielding shields for protection. Devotees and tourists from across the country and abroad gathered at Nandagaon's famous temple premises to witness the colorful spectacle. The air resonated with Holi bhajans and chants of 'Radhe Radhe' as participants drenched each other in gulal (colored powder). The event saw an elaborate arrangement of flowers, music, and traditional sweets, adding to the festive spirit. Following Lathmar Holi in Nandagaon, the celebrations will continue in Barsana, where men from Nandagaon will visit to partake in the joyous tradition. The Holi festivities in Mathura, widely regarded as the birthplace of Lord Krishna, will culminate with grand processions, cultural performances, and temple rituals leading up to the main Holi festival. Authorities have deployed additional security measures to ensure a smooth celebration, with local administration closely monitoring crowd management and traffic control. The famous Lathmar Holi celebrations began in Mathura's Barsana on Saturday as devotees and tourists gathered to witness the traditional festivities. Earlier on Friday, celebrations kicked off with Laddu Mar Holi at the Shri Ladliji Maharaj temple in Barsana, where devotees threw sweets at each other in a joyous ritual. This year, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated Rangotsav 2025 at Shri Radha Bihari Inter College in Barsana, Mathura, and showered flower petals on the gathered crowd. During his visit, Adityanath said that after the development activities carried out in Ayodhya and Prayagraj, it was now the turn of Mathura and Vrindavan to witness the revival, and the state government would spare no effort to develop the region. He offered prayers at Shri Radha Bihari Inter College in Barsana, Mathura, after inaugurating Rangotsav 2025. CM Yogi said, "Those who come to Barsana are getting the facility of the ropeway for the first time. Development works worth 100 crores are ongoing. Under PM Modi's guidance, Kashi has been revamped. Ayodhya has been revived. Now it is the turn of Mathura, Vrindavan, and Barsana, Govardhan. There won't be any stone unturned to develop this region. Now there is a BJP government in Delhi, and Yamuna will be cleaned up." (ANI) The First Class Judicial Magistrate Court on Monday extended the police custody of two accused in the Pune luxury car obscenity case. The court extended the police custody of Gaurav Ahuja for one more day, while co-accused Bhagyesh Oswal was sent to judicial custody for 14 days. During the hearing, the investigating officer informed the court that the police had recovered the BMW car driven by Gaurav Ahuja at the time of the incident, and the vehicle had been sent for forensic analysis. "It was also revealed that the car's number plate was found damaged, leading to the addition of the charge under Section 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) to the existing FIR," the IO said. The police emphasised the need for further custodial interrogation of both accused to gather more evidence and ascertain the sequence of events. The police have also taken both the accused to the spot for investigation where Gaurav Ahuja was recorded while urinating and indulging in a public obscenity act on Saturday early morning. Earlier, a Special Holiday Court sent the two accused arrested in the case to police custody until March 10. The accused, Gaurav Ahuja and Bhagyesh Oswal, were arrested by the Pune police in the Karad area of the Satara district. On Saturday, Ahuja, allegedly in an inebriated state, was seen allegedly urinating in the open on a public road in Yerwada. The act was caught on a mobile camera by a passerby, and a purported video of it had gone viral on the Internet, sparking public outrage. Speaking to ANI about the case, Pune City Zone 4 Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Himmat Jadhav said, "Yesterday, a video went viral near Yerwada Police station in which a man was seen engaged in misconduct publicly. Two accused have been arrested in this case. Their medical test has been cleared, and both of them will be produced in court today. We will demand their police custody to carry out our further legal action." Senior Police Inspector Ravindra Shelke of Yerwada Police Station confirmed that Ahuja and another person were in a BMW car and had allegedly stopped at the Yerwada junction in Pune to urinate in public. (ANI) Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw informed Rajya Sabha on Monday that an investigation is underway in the New Delhi Railway Station stampede in which 18 people lost their lives. He also refuted the allegations of the opposition that the camera of the CCTV of the incident was closed. "Investigation is underway in the New Delhi railway station stampede," he said while speaking in the Rajya Sabha. Ashwini Vaishnaw also responded to the allegations of the RS MP Manoj Jha. "Today, I got very sad when he said that I had closed the camera of the CCTV to hide the truth. 12 lakh railway workers are working day and night.... I have myself seen the CCTV footage. It is very sad when an accident takes place. There is no need to do politics. We should focus on taking steps," Vaishnaw said. Meanwhile, Ashwini Vaishnaw held a high-level meeting on crowd control at stations on Friday, announcing the decision to create permanent waiting areas outside 60 stations across the country. "Pilot projects have started at New Delhi, Anand Vihar, Varanasi, Ayodhya and Patna stations," a release earlier said, adding that passengers would be allowed to go to platforms only when the trains arrive at the platform, which would decongest the stations. The New Delhi railway station stampede, which occurred on February 15, claimed the lives of 18 people, including three children. A compensation of Rs 10 lakh was announced by Indian Railways for the families of the deceased who lost their lives in the tragic incident. Additionally, the Indian Railways announced a compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh for those seriously injured in the incident and Rs 1 lakh for those with minor injuries. (ANI) Veterans and serving soldiers of the 5th Battalion of Rajput Regiment, gathered at the Pragwal War Memorial (Molu) and Sunderbani, in Jammu and Kashmir to commemorate the bravery and sacrifice of their comrades who fell during the 1971 India-Pakistan War and OP Vijay, a release said. The solemn event paid tribute to the heroes who gave their lives defending the nation, highlighting their enduring legacy of courage and sacrifice. The ceremony began with wreath-laying by veterans, senior serving officers, and the families of the fallen soldiers. The gathering reflected on the battalion's valour and sacrifices during the intense battles, which resulted in significant losses. The veterans shared stories of camaraderie and resilience, recounting the bravery of their fellow soldiers during critical battles at the Nathua Tibba, Sundarbani, and Pragwal sectors. Serving soldiers listened intently, absorbing lessons of honour, discipline, and sacrifice passed down from the veterans. The gathering also commemorated the 200th Raising Day anniversary of the 5th Battalion, the Rajput Regiment, highlighting its distinguished history of service dating back to 1825. The veterans proudly emphasised the importance of maintaining traditions and instilling these values in future generations of soldiers. The tribute concluded with a promise to uphold the legacy of those who sacrificed their lives, reminding everyone present that the bravery displayed in 1971 remains a timeless inspiration for the Indian Army. (ANI) The meeting, held in Agartala, was attended by key stakeholders, including officials from the Home Department, Police, Law, Prosecution, Forensic, Health, and Prison departments. The Chief Minister emphasized the importance of ensuring a smooth transition to the new legal framework and directed all concerned departments to coordinate effectively for its implementation. He also stressed the need for training and capacity-building programs for law enforcement and judicial officers to ensure proper enforcement of the new laws. Officials from the concerned departments provided updates on their preparedness and discussed challenges related to infrastructure, manpower, and awareness regarding the changes in the criminal justice system. The meeting focused on strategies to enhance the efficiency of legal procedures and law enforcement mechanisms under the new legislative framework. CM Saha reiterated the government's commitment to upholding justice and ensuring that the new laws contribute to a more effective and transparent criminal justice system in Tripura. (ANI) Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel on Monday hit out at BJP over Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids at his residence, terming the move an attempt to "trouble" opposition leaders. The ED conducted searches at the residence of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel, his son Chaitanya Baghel and others in connection with an ongoing probe into the alleged multi-crore liquor scam. Speaking to reporters, Baghel said, "At around 7.30 in the morning I was reading the newspaper, ED came to my house and I welcomed them." Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel also addressed his supporters. "...In this time of crisis, you stood firm. I thank you with folded hands," he said. Further explaining the turn of events, he said, "I asked them about the search warrant. He asked about my phone and I refused. We are an agricultural family and we have 140 acres of land. ED found around 33 lakhs from my home." He further alleged the BJP of using investigative agencies to trouble opposition leaders and said, "The citizens of the country now know that the BJP uses CBI, ED to trouble others. If the search operation ended just in hours in the home of a former chief minister, then they did not find anything." "BJP is furious due to a few reasons... One of them is that I made the General Secretary recently," he added. In a post on X, Baghel said "ED has left the house. They found three things in my house. Pen drive containing conversation about transaction of crores between Manturam and Dr. Puneet Gupta (Dr. Raman Singh's son-in-law). Papers of SAIL company of Dr. Raman Singh's son Abhishek Singh." "The total of farming, dairy, Stridhan and "cash in hand" in the entire joint family is about 33 lakh rupees, the account of which will be given to them. The main thing is that ED officials have not been able to provide any ECIR number," he said. As per the sources, the raids were conducted at a total of 14 locations across Chhattisgarh in the case pertaining to alleged irregularities in the liquor trade in Chhattisgarh, involving alleged suspected illegal commissions and money laundering. ED has alleged that Chaitanya Baghel is also "the recipient of proceeds of crime generated from the liquor scam wherein total proceeds of crime are around Rs 2,161 crore siphoned off through various schemes." Reacting to it in a post on X, Bhupesh Baghel's office said, "When the false case going on for seven years was dismissed in the court, today the guests of ED have entered the Bhilai residence of former Chief minister and Congress General Secretary Bhupesh Baghel this morning. If someone is trying to stop Congress in Punjab through this conspiracy, then it is a misunderstanding." Multiple ED teams launched the search operation early Monday based on specific inputs. The ED has alleged that a cartel of government officials, politicians, and liquor businessmen ran a scheme that illegally collected around Rs 2,161 crore from the sale of liquor in the state between 2019 and 2022. The alleged scam involved manipulation of the liquor supply chain, where a cartel controlled the sale and distribution of alcohol through government-run shops. A portion of liquor sold was allegedly not accounted for in official records, and bribes were allegedly collected from suppliers to allow its sale outside the legal system. The investigation is based on an earlier Income Tax Department report, which flagged irregularities in the liquor trade. The ED has arrested several key accused, including IAS officer Anil Tuteja and liquor businessman Anwar Dhebar, brother of Raipur's mayor. The agency has earlier conducted multiple raids, including on politicians and bureaucrats linked to the previous Congress-led government in Chhattisgarh. The move has triggered, political storm within the opoositions leaders. Congress MP Manickam Tagore came out in defense of Bhupesh Baghel and alleged that the ED was behaving like the pet dog of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Manickam Tagore said, "We all know that ED has become the pet dog of PM Modi and Union HM Amit Shah. They can send this dog anywhere they want. Bhupesh Baghel has been a strong leader for Congress, and he has fought these battles. The Congress party and the people of Chhattisgarh stand with him. We all know that these fake narratives built by the BJP and RSS will be defeated." Reacting to the raids, Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai denied any role of the state government in it and said that it was being conducted by central agency. Vishnu Deo Sai said, "Everyone knows that there were various scams under the Congress government, and central agencies are probing them. Some people are in jail, and some others are getting ready to go to jail. A central agency is conducting the probe; the state has no role to play in this." Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Arun Sao asked how can one deny that there were big scams during Bhupesh Baghel's tenure and the raids were not a sudden action. Arun Sao said, "How can one deny that there have been big scams during the tenure of Bhupesh Baghel? ED action has been going on for a long time. It is not that any sudden action has been taken today. ED has been investigating for a long time. In the process of investigation, they must have found some facts and suspicions, and on the basis of that, ED has taken this action, and if you have no role, then there should be no reason to be afraid or panic."(ANI) Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, on Monday made a scathing criticism of Uddhav Thackeray's faction and said that if "Hindutva emperor" Balasaheb Thackeray's thoughts had been preserved instead of making fake voice videos, no one would have gone anywhere. Former Congress MLA from Pune Ravindra Dhangekar joined the Shiv Sena today in the presence of Shinde, along with his workers. Shiv Sena Deputy Leader Neelam Gorhe, Minister Uday Samant, MLA Sharad Sonawane, MLA Prakash Surve, and former MP Anandrao Adsul were present on this occasion. Deputy Chief Minister Shinde said that Ravindra Dhangekar once again picked up the bow and arrow and took up saffron. Ravindra Dhangekar is known as a popular public leader in Pune. He was a corporator for 25 years. Of these, he was a corporator for 10 years in Shiv Sena. "Now people will know who Dhangekar is by joining Shiv Sena," said Shinde. The Shiv Sena Chief also expressed his belief that thousands of workers from Pune will soon join the party. "Dhangekar got 4 lakh 60 thousand votes in the Lok Sabha elections. This shows your work and popularity," Shinde praised Dhangekar. Further, Eknath Shinde asserted that he is an ordinary worker, but people took him lightly. "What happened after that (the break of Shiv Sena) was taken into account not only by the country but also by 33 countries of the world. The world saw what an ordinary worker could do. 60 out of 80 MLAs were elected from Shiv Sena, and the people confirmed who the real Shiv Sena belongs to," he said. He said that they are carrying forward the thoughts of Balasaheb Thackeray and Dharmaveer Anand Dighe. "Those who tempted them for the chair in 2019 were taught a lesson by the people in the assembly elections. We are not tempted by the chair, our only ambition is to take Maharashtra forward. We were not born with a golden spoon, but we were born to bring golden days in the lives of the common man, said Shinde. He further said that a video of Balasaheb's fake voice was shown. "They say that Balasaheb's old records have been preserved, but this time, he (Uddhav) made a mockery of UBT. Fake people will do fake work. Instead, if Balasaheb's thoughts had been preserved, it would have been beneficial; no one would have gone anywhere, he criticized. Dhangekar said that Maharashtra saw the work of providing justice to the common man in the two and a half years of Eknath Shinde as Chief Minister. Dhangekar expressed the feeling that he would try to follow in the footsteps of Shinde, who worked as a common man. (ANI) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader Kalvakuntla Kavitha on Monday launched a sharp attack on the Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy-led Congress government, accusing it of plunging Telangana into financial distress with reckless borrowing and zero delivery on electoral promises. Addressing the media at Telangana Bhavan on Monday, MLC Kavitha highlighted that in just 15 months, the Congress government has borrowed a staggering Rs 1.52 lakh crore but failed to implement even a single flagship welfare scheme promised during its campaign. She demanded that the government release a comprehensive white paper detailing all loans taken and their utilization. "Women were promised Rs 2,500 per month. Brides were promised 10 grams of gold. Young women expected electric scooters. Farmers were promised loan waivers and bonuses. Not a single promise has been fulfilled. The poor have been abandoned while payments to big contractors continue uninterrupted," BRS Leader Kavitha stated. She strongly countered Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's claims of a financial crisis in the state, asserting that Telangana generates over Rs 18,000 crore per month in revenue, spends approximately Rs 6,000 crore, and maintains a healthy surplus. "During his visit to Delhi, the Chief Minister claimed the state couldn't afford Rs 500 crore for capital expenditure. In reality, Telangana spends around Rs 3,000 crore monthly on infrastructure. This deliberate misinformation is damaging the state's image nationally," the daughter of BRS Supremo said. MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha further accused the Congress government of lacking social awareness, vision, and the intent to serve the people. "This government has made 420 promises and delivered on none. Rs 1.5 lakh crore has vanished with no trace of public benefit. Where has this money gone?" In a post on X, MLC Kavitha said, "15 Months. Rs 1,50,000,00,00,000 Debt. Women didn't receive Rs 2,500. No gold, no scooters, no pensions, no infrastructure. Yet, Revanth Reddy Garu got the chair, and the people got betrayed. 420 promises. 0 delivered. Rs 1.5 lakh crore vanished. Where did the money go if it didn't go to the people?" BRS leader K. Kavitha reiterated her call for financial transparency and demanded immediate accountability from the Congress regime, warning that the people of Telangana will not forgive this betrayal. (ANI) An "obscene" fashion show held in Jammu and Kashmir's Gulmarg during Ramzan has triggered outrage and "shock" and "anger among people", with valley-based clerics calling for accountability and questioning how could it be "tolerated" in the valley known for its sufi, saint culture and the deeply religious outlook of its people. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday condemned the show, emphasizing that it should not have been conducted, particularly during the month of Ramzan. Speaking in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, CM Abdullah said, "A private party was organised, a fashion show was organized there. From what I saw, it should not have been organised at any time of the year, let alone the month of Ramzan." He also clarified that the event was a private party and was organised without government permission. "It was a private party and there was no government involvement, no permission was taken from us. Instructions have been given that if anything against the law has happened, then action should be taken. If necessary, it should be handed over to the police, the police will investigate it," Chief Minister Abdullah said. CM Omar Abdullah ordered an inquiry into the show. Kashmir's top cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, urged the government to take action, calling the show "outrageous" https://x.com/MirwaizKashmir/status/1898717167899508921 "Outrageous! That In the holy month of Ramzan an obscene fashion show is organised in #Gulmarg, pictures & videos from which have gone viral sparking shock and anger among people. How could it be tolerated in the valley known for its sufi, saint culture and the deeply religious outlook of its people? Those involved should be immediately held accountable. Such obscenity in the name of tourism promotion will not be tolerated in #Kashmir.!," he posted on X a day earlier. Jammu and Kashmir Awami Ittehad Party MLA Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh called the fashion show a direct attack on the UT's culture. "During Ramzan time, organising such an event is shameful, this is a direct attack on our culture. We condemn this. We want CM to take the strictest action against this," Sheikh said. Tanvir Sadiq, Member of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), voiced his disapproval of the show. Speaking to ANI, Sadiq said, "It should not have happened. Jammu and Kashmir is a place of Sufi saints... even in normal circumstances, semi-nude shows should not take place in Jammu and Kashmir; this is not acceptable." Jammu and Kashmir Minister Sakina Itoo also condemned the show. "What happened was not supposed to happen during Ramzan month. What happened in Gulmarg is wrong and it should not have happened," Sakina Itoo said. Jammu and Kashmir Leader of Opposition (LoP) and BJP MLA Sunil Sharma has strongly criticized Omar Abdullah, accusing the J&K Chief Minister of lying about the controversial Gulmarg fashion show. Sharma's comments came after Abdullah's statement in the Assembly that an inquiry would be conducted into the event. "Omar Abdullah lies both inside the Assembly House and outside as well. How is it possible? Such a big function was happening in your relatives' hotel, and you had no idea? I feel you only must have organized this programme," Sunil Sharma stated, questioning Abdullah's credibility. Sharma further asserted that Abdullah was trying to distance himself from the event after it became a public issue, adding, "Today, since people raised this issue, you are saying in the Assembly House that you will conduct an inquiry. Conduct the inquiry of your own family members and relatives...he should accept the truth instead of lying." (ANI) Poe on 'tanim-bala' We welcome the swift action of DOTr Secretary Dizon on the "tanim-bala" incident. As the investigation proceeds, we hope assistance could be extended to the 69-year-old victim of this disturbing case. Innocent travelers do not deserve the trauma and trouble caused by rogue airport personnel supposed to provide security, not imperil their safety. Concerned authorities must not allow this defanged scheme to make a comeback to pester passengers anew. Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi met Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla on Monday. During his address in the Parliament, Rahul Gandhi while speaking in the Lok Sabha stated that the House needs to discuss the issue of voters list. He said, "Question is being raised on the voter list in every states. In Maharashtra, questions were raised on black and white voter list. The entire opposition is just saying that there should be a discussion on the voter's list." Priyanka Gandhi, on the other hand, took to social media platform X and said the government should allow discussion on the issue in Parliament. She further said the reports of the voter list manipulation only appeared before elections and are "very dangerous" for democracy. "The way reports of voter list manipulation comes before every election, it is very dangerous for our democracy. The entire opposition in the Parliament wants a detailed discussion on the voter list. This discussion is very important for the protection of democracy and the Constitution. The government should give up its stubbornness and allow this discussion done," Priyanka Gandhi said in her post. She also shared the demands made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha that there should be a discussion on the voters list issue. Earlier on March 6, a delegation of the Trinamool Congress met Election Commission officials in Kolkata regarding their complaints about the same Elector Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number. However, ECI has clarified that having the same Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number doesn't mean there are duplicate or fake voters. (ANI) Maharashtra Fisheries and Port Development Minister Nitish Rane launched the 'Malhar certification' for Hindu meat traders. Rane said this certification will help in accessing "rightful mutton shops" with a "100 per cent Hindu community" and without any adulteration. Taking to social media X, Rane wrote "Today we have taken a very important step for the Hindu community in Maharashtra. http://malharcertification.com has been launched on this occasion." "Through Malhar Certification, we will have access to our rightful mutton shops and there will be a 100 percent Hindu community and the person selling will also be a Hindu. No adulteration will be found in the mutton anywhere," he added. Rane appealed the people to use the certification and not buy mutton from places where the certification was not available. He also stated that the efforts would make the youth of the community financially empowered. "I appeal to you to use Malhar certification as much as possible and in fact, not to buy mutton from places where Malhar certification is not available. These efforts will definitely make the youth of the Hindu community financially empowered," the post further read. https://x.com/NiteshNRane/status/1899004495843229823 Earlier on March 10, Rane responded to the remarks of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and said that he lacked knowledge of the cleanliness drive "Namo Gange" led by Prime Minister Modi and accused him of insulting the Hindu religion. "Raj Sahib has incomplete information about the cleanliness drive- Namo Gange under PM Modi's leadership. No one has the right to insult the Hindu religion. I have never seen him question the sacrifice of goats during Bakr-Eid," Rane told ANI. This came after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, on Sunday, raised questions about the cleanliness of the River Ganga and said that "despite calling our rivers 'mother,' we fail to keep them clean." (ANI) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau highlighted the 'achievements' of the Liberal Party over the past decade while looking towards the future, hours ahead of the announcement of his successor as the leader of his party, as reported by CBC News. In his speech at the Liberal Leadership Convention, Trudeau said, "I am damn proud of what we've done over these past 10 years for the middle class and the people working hard to join it." As the Liberal Party enters a new era, Trudeau told the crowd that "there is a responsibility to ensure that Canada stays the best country on Earth! In one of his last speeches as Liberal leader and Canada's PM, he urged his supporters to keep fighting for Canada as hard as they can. In one of his last speeches as Canada's PM and Liberal Party leader, Trudeau said, "Democracy is not a given. Freedom is not a given. Even Canada is not a given." He said, "None of those happened by accident. None of them will continue without effort." He also recalled how Canada's former PM, Lester B Pearson, 60 years back, raised the Canadian flag on Parliament Hill. He said, "Sixty years later, there are still so many more chapters to write. And I can tell you the world is looking to see what Canadians will do," CBC News reported. Trudeau recalled that the Liberal Party was a distant third when he took over as leader in 2013. He said, "It's when you try to count us out that we Liberals show our true mettle." He also mentioned two people in particular: Adam Scotti (his longtime photographer) and Katie Telford (his longtime chief of staff). Scotti and Telford have remained with Trudeau for over 10 years. Justin Trudeau's daughter, Ella-Grace Trudeau, introduced her father by hailing his achievements and speaking about his upcoming life outside of politics. Ella-Grace (16) said that she looked forward to seeing him more at home and less of him online, CBC News reported. She said, "Dad, I'm so proud of you." Ella-Grace Trudeau spoke in French about handling safety concerns and "drama" and how she had to take care while choosing her friends. She said it was not easy having the country's PM as a father. The event started with the speeches of the four candidates who are vying for the leader's position. The speeches of the four candidates were heavily focused on Trump's tariff and annexation threats. Those in the leadership race are former central banker Mark Carney, former finance minister, Chrystia Freeland, former House leader and current MP Karina Gould, and Montreal business leader and former MP Frank Baylis, as reported by CBC News. The person who the Liberal Party chooses would assume office as Canada's PM after being sworn in by the Governor General. The leadership race began in Canada's Liberal Party after Trudeau, in early January, announced his intention to step down after a mounting caucus revolt and Chrystia Freeland's resignation from the cabinet. One of the first questions for the new leader will be whether they plan to immediately trigger an election or wait till parliament returns on March 24. A few days back, Trudeau announced he expects the transition to his successor to happen "in the coming days or week." (ANI) Canada's Liberal Party has elected Mark Carney as its leader, and he is set to replace Justin Trudeau as the Prime Minister of Canda, as reported by CTV News. Carney secured a win in the first ballot in a race that was triggered after Canada's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, announced his intention to step down in early January after a mounting caucus revolt and the resignation of Chrystia Freeland from the cabinet. After remaining as the frontrunner in the leadership race for the past two months, the former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor Carney will become Canada's next PM within days, according to CTV News report. Carney defeated former cabinet minister Karina Gould, former finance minister and deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland, and Businessman and former Liberal MP Frank Baylis. All four contenders entered the room to much fanfare and addressed the crowd, thanking supporters for injecting energy into the party. As many as 151,899 party loyalists cast a ballot in this race, and the majority decided--depending on a ranked-ballot system that saw each riding receive equal weighting--that Carney was who they wanted to see become Canada's PM. He will also carry the party's banner in the likely imminent federal election, which polls suggest to be an increasingly narrowing race with the Conservatives, according to CTV News report. Mark Carney has never held elected office and is not a member of Parliament. It is not yet known in which riding Carney will run. However, he has announced that he will campaign for a seat in the House of Commons in the next election. Earlier, Justin Trudeau highlighted the 'achievements' of the Liberal Party over the past decade while looking towards the future, hours ahead of the announcement of his successor as the leader of his party, as reported by CBC News. In his speech at the Liberal Leadership Convention, Trudeau said, "I am damn proud of what we've done over these past 10 years for the middle class and the people working hard to join it." As the Liberal Party enters a new era, Trudeau told the crowd that "there is a responsibility to ensure that Canada stays the best country on Earth! In one of his last speeches as Liberal leader and Canada's PM, he urged his supporters to keep fighting for Canada as hard as they can. In one of his last speeches as Canada's PM and Liberal Party leader, Trudeau said, "Democracy is not a given. Freedom is not a given. Even Canada is not a given." He said, "None of those happened by accident. None of them will continue without effort." He also recalled how Canada's former PM, Lester B Pearson, 60 years back, raised the Canadian flag on Parliament Hill. He said, "Sixty years later, there are still so many more chapters to write. And I can tell you the world is looking to see what Canadians will do," CBC News reported. Trudeau recalled that the Liberal Party was a distant third when he took over as leader in 2013. He said, "It's when you try to count us out that we Liberals show our true mettle." He also mentioned two people in particular: Adam Scotti (his longtime photographer) and Katie Telford (his longtime chief of staff). Scotti and Telford have remained with Trudeau for over 10 years. (ANI) An earthquake of magnitude 6.4 on the Richter Scale jolted the Jan Mayen Island Region on Monday, as per the National Center for Seismology. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 10km, making it susceptible to aftershocks. "EQ of M: 6.4, On: 10/03/2025 08:03:13 IST, Lat: 71.22 N, Long: 8.01 W, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Jan Mayen Island Region," NCS stated. https://x.com/NCS_Earthquake/status/1898930658615169063 Shallow earthquakes like this one are more dangerous than deeper ones due to their greater energy release closer to the Earth's surface, causing stronger ground shaking and increased damage to structures and casualties, compared to deeper earthquakes, which lose energy as they travel to the surface. The island, about 1,000 km west of mainland Norway, is 53 km long and covers 377 km2. As recently as 1985 there was an eruption from the volcano Beerenberg (2,277 m) on the island - the world's northernmost volcano above sea level, and Norway's only active volcano. There is a constant threat of new eruptions and earthquakes. Jan Mayen is an active volcanic island situated along the mid-Atlantic Ridge north of Iceland. It is closely connected with the geodynamic processes associated with the interaction between the Jan Mayen Fracture Zone (JMFZ) and the slowly spreading Kolbeinsey and Mohns Ridges. Despite the significant tectonic activity expressed by the frequent occurrence of medium to large earthquakes, detailed correlation between individual events and the causative faults along the JMFZ has been lacking. The island is located at a ridge-crest intersection, which might explain the origin of the island and the associated volcanism. Moreover, the new data suggest a series of offset segments of the Mohn's Ridge, overlapping in an en echelon pattern. Tectonic geologists have identified Jan Mayen as a microcontinent, which has experienced significant deformation around its boundaries due to sea-floor spreading and the formation of new plate boundaries. (ANI) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has condemned the recent killings in western Syria, stating in a post on X (formerly Twitter), "The United States condemns the radical Islamist terrorists, including foreign jihadis, that murdered people in western Syria in recent days. The United States stands with Syria's religious and ethnic minorities, including its Christian, Druze, Alawite, and Kurdish communities, and offers its condolences to the victims and their families. Syria's interim authorities must hold the perpetrators of these massacres against Syria's minority communities accountable." https://x.com/SecRubio/status/1898833468441981178?t=7fOIeSgBIVgBz_BjehVvgg&s=08 The violence erupted in Syria's coastal cities of Latakia and Tartous, where security forces clashed with fighters loyal to ousted President Bashar al-Assad. In response, Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced an investigation, saying, "We announce the formation of a fact-finding committee regarding the events on the coast and form a higher committee." In an address to the nation, he warned that Syria was facing attempts to be dragged into civil war. "Remnants of the former regime" had no choice but to "surrender immediately," he stated, vowing to hold accountable "anyone involved in civilian bloodshed," Al Jazeera reported. The Syrian presidency confirmed the formation of an independent committee to "investigate the violations against civilians and identify those responsible for them," with the statement adding that "the perpetrators would be referred to court." The committee has been given a 30-day deadline to present its findings. Clashes have been particularly intense in Qardahah, Latakia, the birthplace of the al-Assad regime. Another key flashpoint is Banias in Tartous, home to Syria's largest oil refinery. According to security forces, "remnants of the old regime [have] several times attempted to attack that oil refinery." The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 1,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed so far, with videos of executions circulating online. Syrian security forces have stated that 230 of their personnel have also died in the violence. The fighting began after pro-Assad fighters launched attacks on security forces, leading to retaliatory violence as armed supporters of Syria's new leadership moved into the coastal region. United Nations rights chief Volker Turk called for swift investigations and accountability, stating that Syria's authorities "need to be followed by action to protect Syrians and to ensure accountability for abuses." Syrian opposition politician and activist Labib al-Nahhas described the violence as a "major setback" for post-Assad Syria. "What happened right now is a highly sophisticated, coordinated attack, instigated and supported by Iran and Hezbollah, according to data and intel that is available," he told Al Jazeera. He warned that Iran was exploiting "sectarian and religious tension" and urged Syria's new leadership to form "a strong national, unified front." He stressed that "it's the responsibility not only of the authorities, but also the entire Syrian society, to really focus on the positives, on the common ground." Al-Sharaa called for "national unity" and reassured Syrians, saying, "We have to preserve national unity and domestic peace. We can live together." Addressing a crowd in Damascus, he added, "Rest assured about Syria, this country has the characteristics for survival ... What is currently happening in Syria is within the expected challenges." Meanwhile, Jordan hosted a regional conference in Amman, attended by officials from Turkiye, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria, to discuss security, reconstruction, and refugee issues. Al Jazeera's Nour Odeh noted that regional stability is a shared priority, explaining, "All of those countries sharing a border with Syria have a vested interest that there is stability and security for the new administration and for the Syrian people." She highlighted that "stability in Syria means that the millions of refugees that Turkiye and Jordan are hosting can return voluntarily to Syria," while also aiding Iraq's fight against ISIS and Jordan's efforts to curb drug trafficking. Bashar al-Assad's overthrow in December ended more than five decades of rule by his family, a period marked by severe repression and a devastating war that began in 2011 after protests against his government were met with a brutal crackdown. Tens of thousands were killed, and millions were displaced as Syria plunged into conflict. The new leadership now faces the challenge of stabilising a fractured nation and preventing further bloodshed. (ANI) At the invitation of the UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar paid an official visit to the United Kingdom from March 4-9 (during this period, he also visited Ireland on March 6-7), a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said on Monday. Jaishankar, during his meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, noted the positive momentum in the India-UK relations, particularly with the resumption of Free Trade Agreement negotiations. "EAM called on the Prime Minister of the UK, Sir Keir Starmer and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner. He held comprehensive talks with his counterpart Foreign Secretary David Lammy, and met with Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. During the visit, EAM also engaged with key stakeholders across government, businesses, academia, and the Indian diaspora," the statement said. The two leaders recognised the strengthening of technology cooperation and deepening of people-to-people ties. "In his meeting with Prime Minister Starmer, EAM conveyed the warm greetings of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Both leaders noted the positive momentum in India-UK relations, particularly with the resumption of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations. They also recognised the strengthening of technology cooperation and deepening of people-to-people ties, and discussed key global issues, including the Ukraine conflict," as per the statement. The EAM, along with his counterpart Foreign Secretary David Lammy, discussed the full spectrum of India-UK relations at Chevening House. "EAM was welcomed at Chevening House by Foreign Secretary Lammy. EAM and Foreign Secretary held extensive discussions covering the full spectrum of India-UK relations, including strategic coordination, political cooperation, trade negotiations, education, technology, mobility, and people-to-people exchanges. They reviewed progress on the new Roadmap 2.0 being discussed by the two sides that will impart fresh energy and new momentum to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They also exchanged views on regional and global developments, including the Ukraine conflict, West Asia, Bangladesh, and the Commonwealth. Both leaders interacted with Chevening Scholars from India, recognizing the crucial role that education and youth play, in fostering stronger bilateral ties," the statement read. During his meeting with UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing trade and investment opportunities. "EAM's meeting with Secretary of State for Business and Trade focussed the progress of India-UK FTA negotiations. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing trade and investment opportunities, emphasizing the need to reduce trade barriers and expand market access. In his meeting with Home Secretary, EAM discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation on talent mobility, people-to-people exchanges, and joint efforts to combat trafficking and extremism. EAM brought up the safety and security of our Missions/Posts and diplomats and reiterated the need to expeditiously bring to justice, the perpetrators of attacks on the premises of HCI London. He also emphasized the need to address the growing concerns over the increasing anti-India activities of PKE elements," the statement said. "EAM participated in a conversation at Chatham House with its Director and Chief Executive Bronwen Maddox, where he spoke on shifting geopolitics, geoeconomics, India-UK relations, and India's perspective on global affairs," the statement read further. Jaishankar also inaugurated India's Consulate at Belfast in Northern Ireland. "EAM inaugurated the Consulate General of India in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in the presence of several distinguished local dignitaries, including the Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly Edwin Poots; Minister Fleur Anderson; Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Micky Murray; and India's Honorary Consul, Lord Diljit Rana. The opening of the Consulate marks a significant step in strengthening India's presence in Northern Ireland, facilitating enhanced trade, business, technology, and educational linkages," the statement said. "EAM also met with Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland Emma Little-Pengelly and Junior Minister Aisling Reilly at Stormont Castle. They explored opportunities for deeper collaboration in key areas such as skills development, cybersecurity, technology, creative industries, and manufacturing," as per the statement. Jaishankar interacted with Indian students currently studying at Queen's University in Belfast and discussed their aspirations. "EAM visited Queen's University in Belfast, where he underscored the importance of their upcoming campus in GIFT City, Gujarat, as a testament to the growing India-UK partnership in the higher education sector. He also interacted with Indian students currently studying at Queen's University, discussing their experiences and aspirations," the statement said. Jaishankar also inaugurated the Consulate General of India in Manchester, the fourth Indian Consulate in the UK. "EAM inaugurated the Consulate General of India in Manchester, the fourth Indian Consulate in the UK, fulfilling a long-standing demand of the Indian diaspora and strengthening India's diplomatic outreach in Northern England. The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, FCDO Minister for Indo-Pacific Catherine West, Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester Paul Dennett and MP of Stockport Navendu Mishra. There was great enthusiasm that the new Consulate will help enhance trade, cultural exchanges, people to people ties, including in the realm of sports. During his meeting with Deputy Prime Minister, EAM acknowledged her support in the establishment of the Consulate in Manchester. EAM also interacted with members of the Indian community and business leaders at Old Trafford," the statement said. "The visit reaffirmed the strong ties between India and the United Kingdom, injecting fresh momentum into the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. It reinforced both nations' commitment to strengthening political, economic, and people-to-people collaboration in an evolving global landscape," the statement concluded. (ANI) Tibetan President in-exile Sikyong Penpa Tsering has highlighted the 66th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising of March 10, 1959, a pivotal moment in Tibet's history when Tibetans across all three provinces rose in defiance of China's illegal occupation. In a post on X, Tsering stated, "This dark chapter in Tibet's history saw over a million Tibetans lose their lives and compelled the legitimate government led by His Holiness the Great 14th Dalai Lama and 80,000 Tibetans into exile." In his statement, Tsering mentioned that under China's current policies, Tibetans face harsh restrictions on their language, religious practices, and freedom. The forced assimilation of Tibetan children into colonial-style boarding schools and the ongoing efforts to erase Tibetan culture through "sinicization" have led to widespread international condemnation. He reminded the world of the enduring human cost of Chinese rule over Tibet, which has led to the deaths of over one million Tibetans. Despite these atrocities, Tsering emphasized the steadfast spirit of the Tibetan people, who continue to fight for their rights through non-violence and dialogue. Tsering pointed out," Despite these atrocities, guided by His Holiness's wisdom and compassion, the Tibetan people remain committed to the path of non-violence and dialogue in finding a lasting and mutually beneficial solution to resolve the Sino-Tibet Conflict through the Middle Way Approach." He further concluded and emphasized, "We honor our brave martyrs and stand in solidarity with Tibetans inside Tibet. The rightful custodians of the Tibetan plateau since its formation, the Tibetan people embody unique religious and cultural traditions that cannot be erased, an indomitable spirit that cannot be broken, and the unparalleled leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama that cannot be replaced." The Tibetan National Uprising of March 10, 1959, was a pivotal revolt against China's illegal occupation of Tibet. It resulted in the deaths of thousands of Tibetans and forced the Dalai Lama into exile. The uprising marked a significant moment in Tibet's ongoing struggle for freedom and cultural preservation. (ANI) US hostage envoy Adam Boehler defended his direct talks with officials in the Hamas terror group, pushing back against private but intense criticism from Jerusalem, The Times of Israel reported. Some of Boehler's remarks on Sunday further annoyed senior Israeli officials, who told The Times of Israel they were surprised to hear the envoy comment that the US is "not an agent of Israel." The direct US-Hamas talks, held in parallel to indirect negotiations mediated by Qatar and Egypt, focused on releasing the American hostages still captive in Gaza, though Boehler stressed that the ultimate goal was the release of all the hostages. "We weren't prepared to just sit back for two weeks," Times of Israel quoted Boehler as saying, while he refused to specify when his meetings with Hamas began or how many took place. "You've got a real chance for some movement and seeing hostages home in the next few weeks," he continued. When asked by the reporters whether he "realistically" thinks "that Hamas would eventually agree to lay down its weapons and not be part of Gaza's political future," he answered: "I do believe that," as per Times of Israel. While his meetings focused on the sole living American hostage Edan Alexander, along with the bodies of four slain American hostages, Boehler stressed that the talks were meant to lead to a wider deal for all the hostages. "You do not need to have fear that the president of the United States, or I, or anyone in our administration will forget you," he said, addressing the Israeli public. Boehler described what he called a 'Hamas proposal' that would see a five- to ten-year truce with Israel, during which the terror group would disarm and forego political power in Gaza, as per the Times of Israel. Hamas "suggested exchanging all prisoners... and a five-year to ten-year truce where Hamas would lay down all weapons and where the US, as well as other countries, would ensure that there are no tunnels, there's nothing taken on the military side, and that Hamas is not involved in politics going forward." Boehler called the proposal "not a bad first offer," as per the Times of Israel. (ANI) South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the military spotted the ballistic missiles at around 1:50 pm fired from inland in north Korea's Hwanghae region and the projectiles flew toward the Yellow Sea, Yonhap reported. The JCS said it has bolstered surveillance and maintained a full readiness posture under close cooperation with the United States. The development comes as troops of South Korea and the US began their annual combined drills the 'Freedom Shield' exercise, which was paused after the accidental bombing of a civilian village by fighter jets last week. Two KF-16 fighter jets "abnormally" dropped eight MK-82 bombs outside a training range in Pocheon, some 40 kilometers north of Seoul, during live-fire drills on Thursday, injuring 29, including 15 civilians. South Korea's top Air Force commander issued a public apology today over the incident, the country's state news agency Yonhap reported. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Lee Young-su was cited as saying in a press briefing that the "accident that should never have happened, and one that should not recur." An interim probe result released today Force reaffirmed pilot error as the cause of the bombing, saying the pilot of the first aircraft missed at least three opportunities to prevent the accident after wrongly entering the target coordinates. Meanwhile, Pyongyong has denounced the joint exercises of the allies' Washington and Seoul as a rehearsal for an invasion against it. North Korea released back-to-back statements denouncing the latest joint drills, threatening that Seoul and Washington will pay a "horrible" price for their "dangerous provocative act," South Korean news agency Yonhap reported. North Korea had in February this year launched strategic cruise missiles in waters off its west coast to demonstrate the potential of its nuclear deterrence, local media reported adding that its leader Kim Jong-un has called for thorough war preparedness with the country's nuclear forces and readiness for their use. The United Nations Security Council has adopted multiple resolutions sanctioning North Korea over its illegal missile and nuclear programs since 2006. (ANI) China to roll out new policies to support employment of college graduates: official Xinhua) 15:57, March 09, 2025 BEIJING, March 9 (Xinhua) -- China will roll out a new round of policies this year to support the employment of young people, including college graduates, an official said Sunday. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Wu Chaolan) Indian diaspora members in Mauritius are eagerly preparing to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the Holi festival and the country's National Day celebrations. A community member expressed the enthusiasm surrounding the visit, stating, "We always celebrate Holi with full enthusiasm. But this year's Holi is special because PM Modi is coming here ahead of it. He is our chief guest for the Independence Day. We wholeheartedly welcome him." Speaking about the diaspora's admiration for PM Modi, he added, "No matter where he is, Modi ji influences the world around him. The fact that he is coming to Mauritius, it goes unsaid that the youth here feels a thrill of excitement, and everyone wants to meet the great man. He is doing great things in India and for the culture. Everyone is excited to catch even a glimpse of him, that's why the entirety of Mauritius has come together to welcome him, with preparations happening all over the place for the different festivities. We are singing songs to rejoice the occasion." The enthusiasm extends to students as well. A young member of the diaspora, a ninth-grade student studying Sanskrit, shared his excitement and nervousness ahead of his performance for the Prime Minister. "I study in the 9th class. I also read Sanskrit. I am very excited to see Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but I am nervous as well. I will perform a Swagatam song along with my classmates...Around 12-15 of us will welcome PM Modi during the community event with our Sanskrit shloka." In the village of La Laura-Malenga in Moka District, residents are preparing special celebrations for the Prime Minister's visit, which coincides with Holi. The anticipation reflects the strong cultural and historical ties between Mauritius and India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Mauritius on March 11-12 at the invitation of Mauritian Prime Minister Naveen Chandra Ramgoolam. He will attend the country's National Day celebrations on March 12 as the chief guest. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed the visit, stating, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will be a state visit to Mauritius on March 11 and 12th, 2025 to attend the National Day celebrations of Mauritius, which falls on 12th of March, as the chief guest, a contingent of Indian Defence Forces will participate in the celebrations, along with the ship from the Indian Navy." During his visit, PM Modi will meet with the President of Mauritius and hold discussions with Prime Minister Ramgoolam. This will be his second visit to the island nation, following his last trip in 2015. Last month, Ramgoolam announced the visit in the Mauritian Parliament, stating, "I have great pleasure to inform the House that following my invitation, Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, has kindly agreed to be the Guest of Honour for our National Day celebrations. It is indeed a singular privilege for our country to host such a distinguished personality who is doing us this honour, despite his very tight schedule and his recent visits to Paris and the United States." Ramgoolam further emphasised that the visit highlights the "strong and enduring relationship" between the two nations. With Mauritius preparing to celebrate its National Day, the visit is expected to further strengthen ties between the two countries. (ANI) Philippines Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo has dismissed Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's claim that the country's maritime actions are influenced by external forces, calling it a "distortion" of the real issue. Manalo emphasised that the matter concerns the Philippines' national interests rather than being part of a strategic rivalry among major global powers, as reported by news website Rappler. During a brief interview on the sidelines of a bilateral meeting with British Foreign Minister David Lammy, Manalo stated, "In a way, we're distorting the issue. It's being cast in the light of a strategic rivalry among the big powers, when actually, the issue is really an issue of Philippine interest and how it affects the Philippines. It has no connection to any kind of strategic rivalry among the big powers, and we think it should not be viewed that way." His remarks were in response to Wang Yi's statement during a March 7 press conference, in which the Chinese foreign minister suggested that the Philippines' actions in the South China Sea were part of a "screenplay written by external forces." Wang also claimed that Western media was amplifying these actions to tarnish China's reputation. He further warned that any "infringement and provocation" would backfire, adding that nations acting as pawns for others would eventually be discarded, Rappler reported. Manalo's response reaffirmed Manila's position that its maritime actions are based on its sovereignty and security concerns, independent of foreign influence. The Philippines has consistently asserted its right to protect its interests in the disputed waters. Meanwhile, the Philippines and Japan have moved to strengthen their defence cooperation amid concerns over China's growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. In a recent meeting in Manila, Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani and Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro discussed measures to enhance military collaboration, including safeguarding shared intelligence. The discussions reflect broader regional concerns over China's activities in the South China and East China Seas. (ANI) Tibetan Youth Congress Workers staged a protest outside the Chinese Embassy on Monday, where they were detained by the police. The protest was held to mark the 66th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising of March 10, 1959. The protesters were seen holding Tibetan flags and placards demanding freedom of Tibet. The protesters were sloganeering as they were being stuffed inside DTC (Delhi Transport Corporation) buses by the police. A protester, while talking to ANI, said, "China is lying... It says that Tibet belongs to China, it does not. We are not Chinese, we are Tibetans." Another protester said, "We are protesting for the freedom of Tibet. Tibet was never a part of China. We have been protesting for a very long time now and we want freedom. Tibet is Tibet and it is not Xizang." Earlier, Tibetan President in-exile Sikyong Penpa Tsering highlighted the 66th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising of March 10, 1959, as a pivotal moment in Tibet's history when Tibetans across all three provinces rose in defiance of China's illegal occupation. In a post on X, Tsering stated, "This dark chapter in Tibet's history saw over a million Tibetans lose their lives and compelled the legitimate government led by His Holiness the Great 14th Dalai Lama and 80,000 Tibetans into exile." In his statement, Tsering mentioned that under China's current policies, Tibetans face harsh restrictions on their language, religious practices, and freedom. The forced assimilation of Tibetan children into colonial-style boarding schools and the ongoing efforts to erase Tibetan culture through "sinicization" have led to widespread international condemnation. He reminded the world of the enduring human cost of Chinese rule over Tibet, which has led to the deaths of over one million Tibetans. Despite these atrocities, Tsering emphasized the steadfast spirit of the Tibetan people, who continue to fight for their rights through non-violence and dialogue. The Tibetan National Uprising of March 10, 1959, was a pivotal revolt against China's illegal occupation of Tibet. It resulted in the deaths of thousands of Tibetans and forced the Dalai Lama into exile. The uprising marked a significant moment in Tibet's ongoing struggle for freedom and cultural preservation. (ANI) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and billionaire Elon Musk sharply responded to Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, dismissing Sikorski's concerns about Starlink being cut off in the future, and urging him to be thankful for the assistance thus far, The Kyiv Independent reported. Sikorski stated on Sunday that Poland will look for alternative suppliers if SpaceX turns out to be an unreliable provider of Starlink satellite internet for Ukraine, as per The Kyiv Independent. Rubio responded and claimed that Sikorski was "just making things up." "No one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink," Rubio said. "And say thank you because without Starlink, Ukraine would have lost this war long ago and Russians would be on the border with Poland right now." Musk, too, responded, claiming that Poland only pays a "small fraction" of the cost for Ukraine's Starlink access, even though Poland provides half of the total of Ukraine's 42,000 terminals, at about USD 50 million per year, according to Sikorski, as per The Kyiv Independent. "Be quiet, small man. You pay a tiny fraction of the cost," Musk said. "And there is no substitute for Starlink." Earlier in the day, Musk claimed that the entire front line in Ukraine would collapse if he shut off Starlink services. Both Musk and Rubio have made remarks against Ukrainian officials and Kyiv's position in recent weeks. On March 5, Rubio said that Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine is a "proxy war" between Russia and the US, The Kyiv Independent reported. He then blamed Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for "undermining" Trump's plan in the peace negotiations thus far, following the heated exchange that took place at the White House in late February. Musk has also made similar statements, and he has amplified Russian disinformation, criticizing Zelenskyy's position frequently, and calling for "immediate peace," while refraining from criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin for starting the full-scale invasion. (ANI) The Tibetan government-in-exile observed the 66th Tibetan National Uprising Day in Dharamshala, marking the anniversary of the 1959 uprising against Chinese rule. Tibetan leaders, activists, and supporters gathered to reflect on the struggle for Tibetan freedom and the evolving international response to the issue. Siri Yang Chen, a member of the Standing Committee, emphasised the historical significance of the day, recalling the events of March 10, 1959, when Tibetans stood in front of the Potala Palace in defiance of Chinese military control. "Today is a very big day. Today is the 66th Tibetan National Uprising Day. In 1959, on March 10, Tibetan people stood in front of the Potala Palace - a very sad day. The Chinese Army, the PLA Army - so many massacres happened. The Tibetan people stood for the Uprising Day," she said. Calling for diplomatic engagement, she added, "China should have a dialogue with the Tibetan representatives." Tibetan writer and activist Tenjin Sundhu reflected on the broader context of Tibet's freedom struggle over the past 75 years. He noted the continued challenges posed by China's political and economic influence but highlighted a shift in global attitudes. "It is important for us to reflect upon what had happened in the past 75 years of the Tibetan Freedom Struggle and what China has been doing, and how we have been keeping up with our freedom struggle. We are at a very crucial juncture, where His Holiness, the Dalai Lama is 90 years old, and the Tibetan Freedom Struggle is still at a situation where many of the international communities are still dependent on China's trade and supply chain - and that is now changing." He also pointed to internal political tensions within China and increasing global scrutiny of its actions. "Xi Jinping is facing major power struggles within China - there is a clamour for freedom and democracy in China. India and many other South Asian countries are facing major threats from China, and China is seen as the single-largest threat to the United States' supremacy. So, here is a time for us to capture the international communities' attention, their support, for a mutual benefit - that the independence of Tibet is for the security of India, and also for the security of many of the European and other Western countries. This is the time for us to lobby, campaign, and fight for the freedom of Tibet." International support was also evident at the gathering. Christine Lamet, a long-time supporter from France, spoke about her decades of solidarity with Tibetans. "I support Tibet since a long time, and I sponsor children, the young ones just behind us, since nearly 40 years. I try to do my best for the Tibetan people, who suffer a lot. We are very happy to visit here for the 66th Uprising Day in Dharamshala. It's the first time for us to be there. Usually, we are in Europe, France, protesting. It's a big honour to visit there today." Another supporter recalled witnessing the Dalai Lama's visit to France in 1982 and how it deepened their commitment to the Tibetan cause. "I came to Tibet first in 1975 when I was young. I have seen His Holiness, the Dalai Lama in France - when it was his first time there in 1982. After that, I wanted to support Tibet and the Tibetan people." Tibetans around the world are commemorating this day with great hopes as many foreign countries have also joined their hands to pressurize China for a dialogue with the Dalai Lama and Tibetan government in-exile. On March 10th 1959, thousands of Tibetans from all walks of life from Amdo, Kham and U-Tsang, the three provinces of Tibet, risking their lives, rose up to protect the precious life of the Dalai Lama and to protest Chinese invasion of Tibet. The event featured parades and band performances, with the Tibetan community gathering to commemorate the significance of the occasion. (ANI) US President Donald Trump jested that tariffs against neighboring countries Mexico and Canada could go higher in the future, Fox News reported on Sunday (local time). Trump said that the global community has been ripping off the US for ages. "I think [the business community could see clarity on tariffs]," he said, addressing CEOs' desire to see predictability for Capital Expenditure spending and shareholder purposes. "But the tariffs could go up as time goes by, and they may go up..." he added, as per Fox News. "For years, globalists have been ripping off the United States. 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," Fox News quoted Trump as saying. Trump said that the US would get back at the other countries for the same, as per Fox News. "This country has been ripped off from every nation in the world, every company in the world. We've been ripped off at levels never seen before, and what we're going to do is get it back," he said. Trump has imposed tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China, citing the countries' alleged border control issues leading to fentanyl pouring into the US and killing American citizens, Fox News reported. Earlier on March 7, Trump delayed tariffs on Mexico and Canada for a short-term period for certain products before the "big one" from April 2. He said he agreed after having "fruitful conversations" with Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum while he slammed Canada for being a "high tariff nation". As per an official, the modifications in tariffs against Canada and Mexico are being brought in to "protect American car manufacturers and American farmers". It was noted that this will thus exclude the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)-eligible goods from existing tariffs. As per CNN, the USMCA was negotiated by Trump during his first term, which makes the three North American countries a free trade zone. (ANI) At Dhaka University, Zarin Rafiza, a student of the Women and Gender studies Department took part in a protest against the recent incidents of rapes and assault of women in Bangladesh, including that of an 8-year-old girl. "We want to see action against rape and violence against women right now," she said. Rafiza is among the hundreds of students from universities across Bangladesh who have taken to the streets to boycott classes and exams to demand justice. An eight-year-old girl is now battling for her life after being raped in western Magura district. The child's condition is critical, and she is being treated at an army hospital in Dhaka. The incident has caused extreme anger among people across the country, with women activists urging for the death penalty for the rapists without delay. They also chanted slogans, "We want justice." "We are protesting here today for resisting the ongoing violence that has been happening all over the country, especially against women," Zarin Rafiza told ANI while standing in front of Oporajeyo Bangla, a sculpture of an invincible Bengal, at Dhaka University. "We are celebrating International Women's Day this month. We have seen that the violence that has been perpetrated against women has been going on for a very long time. The issue of 5th August is not important right now because we have to resist the issue of violence that has been going on, and we have to resist the violence that has been happening," she added. In August 2024, a student-led movement led to the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after weeks of protests and violence. According to a UN fact-finding assessment report, as many as 1,400 people could have been killed during the protests. Hasina, 76, fled to India, and an interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus was subsequently formed. "We have been silent for a very long time. We have not seen any visible step taken by the government to resist or demolish the violence that has been happening," Rafiza said. "We don't really believe words anymore. We want action, honestly. Whatever they have talked about, it's very important to implement those starting today, starting this moment. We demand justice from this moment onwards. We want change from this moment onwards because justice is being delayed for a very long time. We see no hope at this moment. We see justice will be served at this moment in the present context of the country," she added. The present interim government has promised to quicken the investigation process amid nationwide protests against rape and violence against women. "The accused cannot be granted bail on the pretext of not completing the trial within 90 days," Asif Nazrul, law adviser to the interim government, said. Women claim that rape and violence against women have increased after the changeover in August last year in Bangladesh. "We need reform of the law; we need reform in the mindset of people. Unfortunately, we live in a patriarchal society where the institutions, the laws, religion--everything is kind of exploited to derogate, normalise, and perpetuate violence against women. We need reforms in every single sphere of society," Rafiza said. They have recommended changing the definition of rape. "We have strongly recommended that religion should not be used as a tool to normalise or to perpetuate violence against women. That is very important because we have seen the religious leaders have been instigating violence against women through their sermons or the expressions they talk. Definitely, we want that to stop," Rafiza said. (ANI) New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Monday announced that he will be visiting India with a senior business delegation. Luxon said that strengthening the India-New Zealand ties was a key priority for them. "Next week, I'll be travelling to India with a senior business delegation. Strengthening New Zealand's relationship with India is a key priority for my Government," he said. https://x.com/chrisluxonmp/status/1898952111054102961 Luxon said that he wants to increase trade and business opportunities the two countries and promote New Zealand as an investment destination. "India is the fifth largest economy in the world and I am focused on increasing trade and business opportunities between our two countries and promoting New Zealand as an investment destination. Trade is a key part of our plan to grow the economy to reduce the cost of living and create more jobs and higher incomes for all New Zealanders," he said. At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Luxon will pay an official visit to India from March 16-20, a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said. The statement said that this would be Luxon's first visit to India as the Prime Minister of New Zealand. "This would be the first visit to India by Prime Minister Rt Hon Luxon in his present capacity. He will visit New Delhi and Mumbai before returning to Wellington on 20 March 2025," the statement said. The statement said that during his visit, Luxon will hold talks with PM Modi and President Droupadi Murmu. "During his visit, Prime Minister Rt Hon Luxon will hold talks with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 17 March 2025 covering various aspects of India-New Zealand relations. Prime Minister Modi will host a lunch in honour of the visiting dignitary. A call on Hon'ble Rashtrapatiji Smt. Droupadi Murmu is scheduled on the same day," the statement said. Luxon is scheduled to join the inaugural session of the 10th Raisina Dialogue 2025 on March 17 and deliver the keynote address. He will also interact with Indian business leaders during his visit. (ANI) US President Donald Trump again threatened to take over Greenland on Sunday (local time), as it headed to polls. On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said that the US supported Greenland's right to determine their own future, but it could also join the US if they wanted. "As I made clear during my Joint Address to Congress, the United States strongly supports the people of Greenland's right to determine their own future. We will continue to KEEP YOU SAFE, as we have since World War II. We are ready to INVEST BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to create new jobs and MAKE YOU RICH -- And, if you so choose, we welcome you to be a part of the Greatest Nation anywhere in the World, the United States of America!" Trump said. https://x.com/MikeWaltz47/status/1898882132270854303 The residents of the snow-capped island are scheduled to cast their ballots on Tuesday in an election that could prove to be one of the most consequential in their history, as per Politico. Currently, the party with the most seats in the Parliament of Greenland, Inatsisartut is Inuit Ataqatigiit, or "Community of the People," together with its coalition partner Siumut, or "Forward." Both parties are pro-independence and have vowed to call a referendum on the island's separation from Denmark, without specifying when that vote will be. The voters in the self-ruling Danish territory will elect 31 members of its legislature, the Inatsisartut, as they do every four years, Politico reported. Under a 2009 agreement with Denmark, Greenland can legally declare independence -- but only after a referendum has taken place. While there is widespread support for full sovereignty in Greenland, some are unsure what it would mean for the island's defense and economy if it were to strike out on its own. While Trump promised to make the Arctic island "rich" during his presidential address last Tuesday, a massive majority of Greenlanders -- about 85 per cent -- oppose the idea of becoming part of the US, according to a January poll, Politico reported. (ANI) US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent expressed confidence that China would not take any action against Taiwan during President Donald Trump's tenure, as reported by Taipei Times. China views Taiwan as part of its territory and has not dismissed the possibility of using military force to assert control over it. Last Thursday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi declared that "China will achieve reunification with Taiwan, and this is inevitable." Taipei Times reported that during an interview, Bessent was asked if he believed Chinese President Xi Jinping would take action on Taiwan. He responded, "I follow President Trump's lead, and he is confident that President Xi will not make that move during his presidency." When asked a similar question by local media last Monday during the White House's announcement of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co's USD 100 billion investment in the US, Trump stated that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan "would clearly be a catastrophic event, obviously," as reported by Taipei Times. Elbridge Colby, whom Trump selected to head Pentagon policy, stated that if Taiwan were to fall to China, it "would be a catastrophe for American interests," and emphasized that Taipei needs to increase its defence spending to deter Beijing. He suggested that the US Department of Defense should speed up its preparations to counter a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan and concentrate on preventing conflict in the Taiwan Strait, the Taipei Times reported. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasised in an interview, "We have a longstanding position on Taiwan that we're not going to abandon, and that is: We are against any forced, compelled, coercive change in the status of Taiwan. That's been our position since the late 1970s, and that continues to be our position, and that's not going to change." Therefore, the United States remains firm in its commitment to Taiwan's security, with top officials, including President Trump, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, and Elbridge Colby, emphasizing the importance of deterring any Chinese aggression. (ANI) In a display of India's commitment to maritime security and regional cooperation, the Indian Navy's warship INS Tarkash swiftly responded to an emergency at sea, assisting an Iranian dhow and its crew off the Somali coast. The vessel, which had issued a distress call, was facing critical issues with its drinking water supply, while one crew member had sustained injuries due to harsh weather conditions. Acting promptly, the crew of INS Tarkash restored the dhow's defective Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant, ensuring access to safe drinking water for those onboard. Simultaneously, the ship's medical team provided immediate first aid to the injured sailor, stabilising his condition. This mission, part of the Indian Navy's ongoing deployment to ensure maritime safety in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), reflects India's proactive role in upholding security and humanitarian assistance at sea. India and Iran share a long-standing relationship built on deep-rooted historical and civilisational ties. These connections continue to shape their diplomatic and cultural engagement, supported by high-level exchanges and cooperation across trade, connectivity, and people-to-people interactions. The Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC), established in 2013, has played a key role in strengthening these cultural links, while tourism between the two nations remains a significant point of engagement. Bilateral relations saw a major boost with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Iran in 2016, during which the two sides issued the joint statement "Civilisational Connect, Contemporary Context" and signed the Trilateral Agreement on Trade, Transport, and Transit with Afghanistan. Further reinforcing ties, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's visit to India in 2018 led to the release of the statement "Towards Prosperity Through Greater Connectivity." Trade remains a crucial pillar of this partnership, with India ranking among Iran's top five trade partners. Key Indian exports include rice, pharmaceuticals, and electrical machinery, while Iran supplies dry fruits, chemicals, and glassware. INS Tarkash's assistance to the Iranian dhow underscores India's dedication to regional stability, demonstrating how the longstanding Indo-Iranian partnership extends beyond diplomacy into real-world cooperation on the high seas. (ANI) Yamanashi Prefecture, located at the foothills of Mt Fuji is renowned for its pristine natural environment. Recognizing the potential of this clean setting, the prefecture is advancing its expertise in Green Hydrogen technology. To lead this initiative, Yamanashi has established "Yamanashi Hydro Company," which boasts world-class hydrogen production technology. In a move to enhance economic and technological cooperation, Yamanashi Prefecture signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh in December 2024. This agreement aims to foster business development, human resource exchange, and a strategic partnership for sustainable energy growth. The collaboration is being facilitated by a trusted Indian consultant to ensure its successful execution. Governor Nagasaki envisions inviting Indian engineers to work at Yamanashi Hydro Company and offering Indian students educational opportunities at Yamanashi University. "The mutual exchange of human resources will be instrumental in expanding business and research opportunities for both nations," Governor Nagasaki told ANI. To support long-term Indian workers in Japan, Governor Nagasaki is preparing a comprehensive medical insurance plan for their families. This initiative aims to create a secure and comfortable working environment for Indian professionals. Beyond technology and energy, Governor Nagasaki is also keen to promote cultural ties. He has proposed offering Yamanashi's scenic landscapes for Bollywood movie shoots, envisioning that Japan's dynamic samurai culture and the annual Takeda Shingen Festival--featuring a grand samurai parade--could serve as a striking backdrop for Indian cinema. Taking diplomatic efforts a step further, Governor Nagasaki plans to organize a meeting between Japanese governors and Indian state leaders, including the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath. This high-level engagement seeks to bolster cooperation between regional governments and lay the foundation for a stronger Indo-Japanese partnership. Governor Nagasaki firmly believes that these initiatives will lay the groundwork for a closer, deeper, and stronger relationship between India and Japan, paving the way for a future of shared growth and innovation. (ANI) The vessel, which had issued a distress call, was facing critical issues with its drinking water supply, while one crew member had sustained injuries due to harsh weather conditions. Acting promptly, the crew of INS Tarkash restored the dhow's defective Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant, ensuring access to safe drinking water for those onboard. Simultaneously, the ship's medical team provided immediate first aid to the injured sailor, stabilising his condition. This mission, part of the Indian Navy's ongoing deployment to ensure maritime safety in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), reflects India's proactive role in upholding security and humanitarian assistance at sea. India and Iran share a long-standing relationship built on deep-rooted historical and civilisational ties. These connections continue to shape their diplomatic and cultural engagement, supported by high-level exchanges and cooperation across trade, connectivity, and people-to-people interactions. The Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC), established in 2013, has played a key role in strengthening these cultural links, while tourism between the two nations remains a significant point of engagement. Bilateral relations saw a major boost with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Iran in 2016, during which the two sides issued the joint statement "Civilisational Connect, Contemporary Context" and signed the Trilateral Agreement on Trade, Transport, and Transit with Afghanistan. Further reinforcing ties, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's visit to India in 2018 led to the release of the statement "Towards Prosperity Through Greater Connectivity." Trade remains a crucial pillar of this partnership, with India ranking among Iran's top five trade partners. Key Indian exports include rice, pharmaceuticals, and electrical machinery, while Iran supplies dry fruits, chemicals, and glassware. INS Tarkash's assistance to the Iranian dhow underscores India's dedication to regional stability, demonstrating how the longstanding Indo-Iranian partnership extends beyond diplomacy into real-world cooperation on the high seas. (ANI) The "66th Anniversary Tibetan Uprising Parade" took place in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, drawing over 100 participants, including Tibetan groups, NGOs, political parties, and the National Human Rights Commission, all marching under the Snow Lion Flag. The parade, which began at Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT Station, passed landmarks such as the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and the Bank of China, before concluding at the Xinyi Smoke-Free Demonstration Plaza. The demonstrators chanted slogans like "Free Tibet" and "Tibet belongs to the Tibetans" as they marched, with several NGO workers and Tibetans in Taiwan giving speeches urging the public to recognize China's human rights violations in Tibet. Gesang Gyaltsen, Chairman of the Dalai Lama's Tibetan Religious Foundation, emphasized that the peace agreement forced upon Tibet by the Chinese Communist Party in 1951 led to the deaths of over 1.2 million Tibetans, the destruction of more than 6,000 temples, and the exile of Tibet's leaders. He argued that China continues to commit genocide, cultural destruction, and religious persecution in Tibet. The National Human Rights Commission joined the march for the first time this year, with Deputy Commissioner Wang Youling delivering a speech highlighting that the Tibet issue is a human rights matter. Wang noted that human rights are universal and that Taiwan must be concerned about Tibet's plight, as "today's Tibet may be tomorrow's Taiwan." At around 3 pm, the parade paused at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall for a moment of silence and a traditional Tibetan prostration ceremony to honour those who sacrificed their lives for Tibet. Tashi Tsering, Secretary General of the Tibetan Taiwan Human Rights Alliance, explained that the prostration is a Buddhist act of worship symbolizing courage and perseverance. The parade ended at the Xinyi Smoke-Free Demonstration Plaza, and the "66th Anniversary Candlelight Vigil for the Tibetan Uprising" will be held at Freedom Square on the evening of March 10. According to the Tibet Taiwan Human Rights Network, Tibet was invaded by China in 1951, resulting in severe suppression of Tibetan culture, religion, and traditions. On March 10, 1959, a massive uprising in Lhasa was brutally crushed by the Chinese army, leading to significant casualties and the Dalai Lama's exile to India, where he established a government-in-exile. This event marked the origin of "Tibet Uprising Day." (ANI) Mauritius' Foreign Minister, Dhananjay Ramful, stated on Monday that India and Mauritius are talking about a strategic partnership to further strengthen their bilateral relations. "This is a very long historical relationship that we are talking about. It is back to 1948, and since then, this relationship has strengthened over the years...Now we are reorienting that relationship. We are talking about a strategic partnership nowadays between Mauritius and India," Ramful told ANI. He also commended India's role in Mauritius' development, emphasizing the significant assistance India has provided. "India has been a key partner in our development. It has extended substantial support, and many projects have been successfully implemented in Mauritius with India's help. India has stood shoulder to shoulder with us in completing these initiatives," he said. The Minister of International Trade, Ramful also addressed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), expressing hopes for making the trade agreement more purposeful and beneficial. "My message to Indian investors is to view Mauritius as a gateway to Africa. Africa is rising, and Mauritius can serve as a strategic platform for investment in the continent," he said. Additionally, Ramful hailed India as a prominent leader in the Global South, acknowledging its efforts in amplifying the voices of smaller nations on the global stage. "We were seeking a platform to make our voices heard, and I must thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the G20 Summit. He took the initiative to invite Mauritius as a guest country," he said. He also highlighted the importance of maritime security cooperation between India and Mauritius, particularly under the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) initiative. "Both India and Mauritius share the Indian Ocean. Given recent geopolitical developments, security in this region has become increasingly important. India is a crucial partner for us, which is why the SAGAR initiative holds significant value," he noted. (ANI) India and Cambodia held their 3rd Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in Siem Reap on March 10, 2025. The discussions, led by Secretary (East) Jaideep Mazumdar from India's Ministry of External Affairs and Secretary of State UN Kheang from Cambodia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, covered a broad spectrum of bilateral ties, an official press release by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated. The meeting took place in a warm and constructive atmosphere, reflecting the longstanding partnership between the two nations. Both sides reviewed progress across key sectors, including political cooperation, trade and investment, defence and security, development assistance, and heritage conservation. Discussions also included consular issues and mutual priorities in regional and multilateral forums. Expressing satisfaction with ongoing collaborations, both delegations committed to exploring new opportunities in emerging fields such as health and digital technologies. Strengthening economic and strategic ties remains a shared priority, with both sides emphasizing their commitment to expanding cooperation in mutually beneficial sectors. As part of the visit, Secretary (East) Jaideep Mazumdar and Secretary of State UN Kheang toured the Asian Traditional Textile Museum, a project established with Indian assistance under the Mekong Ganga Cooperation initiative. They also visited the Ta Prohm Temple, where India has been actively engaged in conservation and restoration efforts, reaffirming India's support for cultural heritage preservation in Cambodia, reported the press release. Cambodia holds a significant position in India's Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific vision. It is also recognized as an important partner in the Global South, reinforcing the strong diplomatic ties between the two countries. Both sides agreed to convene the next round of Foreign Office Consultations at a mutually convenient date. https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1899024202893820216 Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, stated in a post on X, "The 3rd India-Cambodia FOC co-chaired by Secretary (East) Jaideep Mazumder & Secretary of State, Dr UN Kheang of Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation, Cambodia were held today in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Discussions covered the entire gamut of bilateral ties including political exchanges, trade & investment, defence & security, development assistance, heritage conservation & restoration and consular issues. They also exchanged views on regional & global issues of mutual interest." (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that he looks forward to the opportunity to engage with the Mauritius leadership to elevate bilateral partnership during his two-day visit to the country and strengthen friendship for security and development in the Indian Ocean Region. In his departure statement, PM Modi said Mauritius is a close maritime neighbour, a key partner in the Indian Ocean, and a gateway to the African Continent. "At the invitation of my friend, Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, I am embarking on a two-day State Visit to Mauritius to participate in the celebrations of the 57th National Day of Mauritius. We are connected by history, geography and culture. Deep mutual trust, a shared belief in the values of democracy, and celebration of our diversity are our strengths," he said. "The close and historical people-to-people connect is a source of shared pride. We have made significant strides in the past ten years with people-centric initiatives," he added. He expressed confidence that the visit will build on the foundations of the past and open a new and bright chapter in the India and Mauritius relationship. "I look forward to the opportunity to engage the Mauritius leadership to elevate our partnership in all its facets and strength our enduring friendship for the progress and prosperity of our peoples, as well as for security and development in the Indian Ocean Region, as part of our Vision SAGAR," he said. PM Modi will pay a State Visit to Mauritius on March 11-12 to attend the National Day celebrations of Mauritius on 12th March as the Chief Guest. A contingent of Indian Defence Forces will participate in the celebrations along with a ship from the Indian Navy. Prime Minister last visited Mauritius in 2015. During the visit, Prime Minister 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 India's grant assistance. A number of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) will be exchanged during the visit. India and Mauritius share a close and special relationship rooted in shared historical, cultural and people to people ties. Mauritius forms an important part of India's Vision SAGAR, i.e., Security and growth for All in the Region. The visit will reaffirm the strong and enduring bond between India and Mauritius and reinforce the shared commitment of both countries to enhance the bilateral relationship across all sectors, Ministry of External Affairs had said in a release earlier. (ANI) Arun Kumar Sahu, currently serving as India's Ambassador to Bulgaria, has been concurrently accredited as the Ambassador to the Republic of North Macedonia. He will continue to be based in Sofia and is expected to take up the assignment shortly, a statement from the Minsitry of External Affairs stated on Monday. India and North Macedonia share a steadily growing partnership built on historical ties, shared democratic values, and respect for pluralism. A significant connection between the two nations is Mother Teresa, who was born in Skopje. India played a role in North Macedonia's global recognition by co-sponsoring the 1993 UNGA resolution for its admission under the name Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Diplomatic relations were formally established on February 9, 1995. Since 2019, following the resolution of the name dispute with Greece, the country has been officially known as North Macedonia. India's Embassy in Bulgaria is concurrently accredited to North Macedonia, while North Macedonia has an embassy in New Delhi and Honorary Consuls in Mumbai, Chennai, and Bangalore. The Indian community in North Macedonia is small, consisting of approximately 50 individuals, including IT professionals and executives in multinational companies. Indian students in the country are also few in number. Cultural ties between the two countries remain strong, with growing interest in Indian traditions. Yoga has gained popularity in North Macedonia, with International Yoga Day celebrated annually in partnership with Yoga Surya, Art of Living, ISKCON, and other organisations. Tourism also holds potential for further cooperation, with both countries exploring opportunities to boost travel and cultural exchange. India continues to offer opportunities for North Macedonian professionals under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme. Several individuals have participated in training at leading Indian institutions, strengthening knowledge-sharing and people-to-people ties. (ANI) Dubai [UAE], March 10 (ANI/WAM): Abdulrahman bin Mohamed Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, has paid tribute to Emirati doctors, lauding their remarkable contributions and nonstop efforts to serve the community and protect the public health. In a statement on Emirati Doctor's Day, observed annually on 11th March, Al Owais said, "Today, we celebrate the remarkable contributions of our distinguished medical professionals and commend their commitment to both professional excellence and humanitarian service. We are very proud of their faithfulness, dedication, and keenness to improve the health and safety of our community, as they consistently deliver the highest standards of healthcare. Utilising their expertise and competencies, they serve not only the UAE but also humanity." He added, "Guided by the directives and unlimited support of our wise leadership, we have established a robust and integrated health system--a testament to their belief in its vital importance. This system, brimming with potential and driven by a pursuit of excellence, provides a nurturing and empowering environment for our national health professionals. It is within this framework that their sincere efforts flourish, significantly contributing to the UAE's leading position across global health indicators." "The Ministry of Health and Prevention is proud of every doctor in the UAE, each one an exemplary of professional nobility and ethical conduct. They are the vital guardians of our public health, and their commitment to excellence is a source of inspiration for future generations to continue this noble march of progress in the health sector. It is through their dedication that we realise the UAE's vision of a healthy, happy, and thriving society," Al Owais said. The minister also noted that UAE doctors play a fundamental role in fulfilling the ministry's initiatives for the "Year of the Community," providing essential health services and improving the quality of life, thereby contributing to the establishment of a cohesive and sustainable healthy society. (ANI/WAM) Dubai [UAE], March 10 (ANI/WAM): Mohammed Salim Al Olama, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health and Prevention, stressed that Emirati doctors are the backbone of the healthcare system, dedicating their expertise and efforts to safeguarding community health and enhancing patients' quality of life. In a statement on Emirati Doctor's Day, observed annually on 11th March, he said, "Today, we honour the heroes of the health sector who strive tirelessly to protect the health of our community and improve the quality of life for patients. They have consistently demonstrated steadfast commitment to their country and society, contributing their knowledge and skills to the development of a world-class healthcare system that aligns with the highest international standards." Al Olama emphasised that the continued efforts of Emirati doctors play a key role in realising the UAE's vision, which seeks to build an advanced, future-ready healthcare sector, capable of meeting challenges with efficiency and resilience while driven by supportive policies and an innovative work environment. He stated that Emirati Doctor's Day is both a tribute to the exceptional dedication of our doctors and a commitment to investing in medical talent through ongoing development and training, alongside providing the latest technologies to enable them to perform their duties efficiently and accurately. He added, "The UAE's unlimited support for its doctors has driven a transformational leap in healthcare services, solidifying the country's position as a global leader in modern medicine. We extend our deepest gratitude to every doctor who has embraced their profession as a humanitarian mission, contributing to enhancing quality of life and shaping a sustainable healthcare future." (ANI/WAM) Pakistan has been added to the prestigious Civicus Monitor's human rights watchlist for 2025 due to a significant deterioration in its civil space and an intensifying crackdown on dissent. The decision highlights the country's troubling human rights record, with particular concerns over the arbitrary targeting of human rights activists, journalists, and political opponents by the authorities, as reported by the Dawn. The Dawn reported that in a statement issued by Civicus, a global coalition dedicated to promoting and defending civil society space, Pakistan joins several other nations, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Serbia, Italy, and the United States, which are also experiencing rapid declines in civic freedoms. The Civicus Monitor listed Pakistan's status as "repressed" due to escalating government actions that have restricted political freedom and civil rights. Pakistan's inclusion in the watchlist follows a series of troubling developments, such as the criminalization of activists, suppression of opposition groups, and the stifling of protests by ethnic and minority groups. The authorities have also imposed digital restrictions, further curtailing the space for free expression, the Dawn reported. According to the Dawn, Civicus highlighted the recent case of Mahrang Baloch, leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee, and Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, a prominent human rights activist and lawyer. Both individuals face politically motivated charges, which Civicus decries as part of a broader attempt by the government to silence dissent and suppress opposition voices. Rajavelu Karunanithi, Civicus' Advocacy and Campaign Officer for Asia, strongly condemned these actions, calling the charges against both activists a "political witch-hunt." "The government must immediately drop these fabricated charges and revoke the ban on the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM)," Karunanithi said. The PTM, a political movement advocating for the rights of the Pashtun people, has faced significant government repression in recent years. The suppression of protests was not limited to the political opposition but also extended to ethnic and minority groups, particularly the Sindh and Baloch communities, who have faced heavy-handed crackdowns from authorities. Civicus views these actions as clear violations of Pakistan's commitments under international human rights law, the Dawn cited. A critical issue raised by the monitor is the targeting of journalists under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). Journalists have been accused of spreading "false narratives against state institutions," a vague charge often used to justify censorship, the Dawn reported. Civicus expressed concerns that amendments to PECA in January 2025 further tightened the government's control over free speech, allowing authorities to intensify their crackdown on independent media. These actions, Civicus argues, are not only inconsistent with Pakistan's international human rights obligations but also violate the recommendations made by the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) in October 2024. The UNHRC called on Pakistan to take concrete steps to safeguard the rights to peaceful assembly and free expression, the Dawn reported. Karunanithi concluded by urging the Pakistani government to reverse its course and ensure the protection of fundamental rights. "The authorities must protect the rights to peaceful assembly and expression and ensure that those responsible for these violations are held accountable." (ANI) Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on Monday emphasized the strong bond between Armenia and India despite geographical distance, adding that the two nations have a deep civilizational connection, with Armenia regarding India as a close partner. Mirzoyan is on an official visit to India from March 9 to 11. Speaking at the Indian Council of World Affairs, Sapru House, New Delhi, Mirzoyan expressed gratitude and noted that India was among the first countries to recognize Armenia's independence in 1991, and the two nations signed a Treaty on Friendship and Cooperation just four years later. Highlighting the significance of his country's relationship with India, he affirmed, "Only 4 years later, we signed the Treaty on friendship and cooperation between our countries, and this year we already marked the 30th anniversary of this important document. This is both symbolic and important momentum to take stock of what has been achieved and work jointly towards more ambitious projects. " Mirzoyan emphasised that the relationship with India extends beyond the 34 years of diplomatic ties. "The relationship between our nations extends far beyond these 34 years. Although separated by geographical distance, Armenia has always regarded India as a close partner, a nation with which we share deep civilizational bonds and a long history of amicable relations," he added. Mirzoyan noted that Armenian merchants significantly pioneered cross-border trade and cultural exchanges in India during the early modern period. "Historically, our peoples have been intervened long before modern nation states emerged. In the early modern period, Armenian merchants in India pioneered cross-border trade and cultural exchanges. Remarkably, constitutional ideas sit at the foundation of our centuries-old friendship," said Morzoyan. He added that the two nations have a deep civilizational connection built on shared values, history, and amicable relations. The preservation of cultural heritage and diversity is a key aspect of the Armenia-India relationship. Institutions like the Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy in Kolkata, as well as historic churches and sites across India, serve as testaments to the Armenian community's presence in India. "The preservation of cultural heritage and diversity remains central to both our nations. Institutions such as the Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy in Kolkata and historic churches and other historical sites across India stand as living testaments to the Armenian communities on Indian soil," he added. According to MEA, he will hold a meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at Hyderabad House. Prior to this, FM Ararat Mirzoyan visited India from 24 to 27 April 2022 to participate in the Raisina Dialogue. (ANI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met the Foreign Minister of Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan, on Monday in New Delhi. The two leaders held a bilateral meeting where several avenues of India-Armenia ties were discussed. In his opening remarks, the EAM noted that the meeting between the two leaders would allow the countries to discuss bilateral ties and regional interests. "Where our own countries are concerned, these are ties very, very deeply rooted in history... Today, we have good political cooperation, our trade figures are increasing, we have defence collaboration and culture has always been a strong point", the EAM said. Speaking about Armenia being home to many Indian students, he thanked Foreign Minister Mirzoyan for looking after the Indian students. "We have a very good exchange of people, so our agenda really is to take each one of these dimensions forward, and I look forward to discussing how best we can do that", the EAM added. He also highlighted several international projects where India and Armenia work together. "I want to mention that we had received the parliamentary delegation led by the chairman of the National Assembly, Alen Simonyan, in December last year," EAM added. He gave the examples of Armenia's membership of the International Solar Alliance, its participation in the voice of the Global South and the two countries working together at the UN. The EAM also shared the meeting on X. He said, "Pleased to welcome FM @AraratMirzoyan of Armenia this evening in Delhi. Productive discussions on advancing trade, investment, education, connectivity, mobility & culture. Also shared perspectives on the recent global and regional developments." https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1899131078142759158 Earlier in the day, while speaking at the Indian Council of World Affairs, Sapru House, New Delhi, Mirzoyan expressed gratitude and noted that India was among the first countries to recognize Armenia's independence in 1991, and the two nations signed a Treaty on Friendship and Cooperation just four years later. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on Monday emphasized the strong bond between Armenia and India despite their geographical distance, adding that the two nations have a deep civilizational connection. Armenia regards India as a close partner. Mirzoyan is on an official visit to India from March 9 to 11. (ANI) Konanki is a Pittsburgh University student and Indian citizen who is a permanent US resident was reported missing on March 6. "The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) is actively assisting in the investigation of a missing college student on vacation in the Dominican Republic. Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old female from Chantilly and a student at the University of Pittsburgh, was reported missing on Thursday, March 6, 2025," according to Loudoun County Sheriff's Office's official statement. "Konanki, a citizen of India, is a permanent resident of the United States and was reported to be vacationing with five female college friends at a resort in Punta Cana," it added. According to sources, she disappeared while walking on the beach at a hotel in Punta Cana, La Altagracia province, east of the Dominican Republic. The LCSO is working closely with our federal partners at the US Department of State, FBI, DEA, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), as well as the University of Pittsburgh police, to support the ongoing investigation by the Dominican National Police. According to Spanish media sources, "Last seen on March 6, 2025, at 4:50 am on the beach of the Riu Punta Cana Hotel," says the image, which includes a portrait of the young Hindu woman. According to the file, Sudiksha has black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a brown two-piece bikini, large round earrings, a metal anklet on her right leg, yellow and steel bracelets on her right hand and another multi-coloured bracelet on her left hand, the sources added. (ANI) During the meeting at Qasr Al Bateen in Abu Dhabi, His Highness congratulated the attendees on the holy month of Ramadan and prayed for continued blessings, happiness, and prosperity for them and their families. He expressed his appreciation for their dedication to the education sector, emphasising that human-centred education, focused on enhancing skills and capabilities, remains a national priority, as it paves the way for a brighter future. His Highness underscored the UAE's commitment to leveraging technological advancements, particularly artificial intelligence, to enhance education while reaffirming that exceptional individuals--whether teachers, administrators, or students - are the driving force behind the education system and play a fundamental role in achieving its objectives. His Highness encouraged the teachers, administrators, and students to continue their hard work and perseverance in pursuit of their aspirations and in service to their communities. The gathering was attended by a number of Sheikhs, ministers, and senior officials, in addition to various educational leaders. (ANI/WAM) Tel Aviv [Israel], March 10 (ANI/TPS): Starting on Monday, business owners from communities evacuated due to the war, business owners in the northern confrontation line area, business owners in the northern Golan Heights defence area, and business owners in additional communities that appear on a list published on the Israel Tax Authority website, will be able to file a claim for compensation in the salary track for the months of November-December 2024. Under this track, those businesses will be compensated with a fixed amount of 520 Shekels (USD 143) per day, for each employee who was absent from the workplace during the months of November and December 2024, due to IDF (Israel Defense Forces) Home Front Command guidelines prohibiting gatherings, as well as the absence of an employee who is required to supervise a child up to the age of 14 due to the security situation. Alternatively, those businesses will be able to choose the option that already exists today, to file a claim for compensation under the rotation track for that period. (ANI/TPS) Tel Aviv [Israel], March 10 (ANI/TPS): Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar met in Jerusalem with Xavier Bettel, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Luxembourg. The two met privately and then held an expanded bilateral meeting. Their meeting focused on discussions about developments in the region and around the world. Minister Sa'ar reviewed the situation in the region and referred to the weekend's events in Syria, saying: "We are determined to prevent what we saw this weekend in Syria from happening on our border, we are determined to prevent a repeat of October 7th in all sectors. We will not allow a jihadist threat to emerge on our border with Syria. There are also thousands of Hamas and Islamic Jihad activists in Syria, and they want to set our border on fire and create another front against Israel. Europe must speak out clearly about the mass murder of Alawite and Christian civilians in Syria." (ANI/TPS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for Mauritius late Monday night on a two-day State visit. He will attend the National Day celebrations as the Chief Guest on March 12. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that the visit is towards strengthening "India-Mauritus enduring ties." "Strengthening India-Mauritus enduring ties! PM @narendramodi has embarked on a 2-day State visit to Port Louis, Mauritius. PM will participate as the Chief Guest at Mauritius' National Day Celebrations & also meet Mauritian leadership & dignitaries," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated in a post on X. https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1899169358200611012 In his departure statement on Monday, PM Modi said that he looks forward to the opportunity to engage with the Mauritius leadership during his visit to elevate bilateral partnership and strengthen friendship for security and development in the Indian Ocean Region. He called Mauritius a "close maritime neighbour, key partner in the Indian Ocean and a gateway to the African continent." "At the invitation of my friend, Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, I am embarking on a two-day State Visit to Mauritius to participate in the celebrations of the 57th National Day of Mauritius. We are connected by history, geography and culture. Deep mutual trust, a shared belief in the values of democracy, and celebration of our diversity are our strengths," he said. "The close and historical people-to-people connect is a source of shared pride. We have made significant strides in the past ten years with people-centric initiatives," he added. He expressed confidence that the visit would build on the foundations of the past and open a new and bright chapter in the India-Mauritius relationship. "I look forward to the opportunity to engage the Mauritius leadership to elevate our partnership in all its facets and strength our enduring friendship for the progress and prosperity of our peoples, as well as for security and development in the Indian Ocean Region, as part of our Vision SAGAR," he said. PM Modi is travelling to Mauritius at the invitation of his Mauritian counterpart, Navinchandra Ramgoolam. He will attend the National Day celebrations of Mauritius on March 12 as the Chief Guest. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) press release, a contingent of Indian Defence Forces and a ship from the Indian Navy will participate in the celebrations. PM Modi last visited Mauritius in 2015. During his visit, PM Modi will call on the Mauritius President, and Prime Minister and hold meetings with senior dignitaries and leaders of political parties in Mauritius. He 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 India's grant assistance, according to MEA press release. A number of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) will be exchanged during the visit. "India and Mauritius share a close and special relationship rooted in shared historical, cultural and people to people ties. Further, Mauritius forms an important part of India's Vision SAGAR, i.e., Security and growth for All in the Region," the MEA statement read. "The visit will reaffirm the strong and enduring bond between India and Mauritius and reinforce the shared commitment of both countries to enhance the bilateral relationship across all sectors," it added. Earlier, Indian High Commissioner to Mauritius, Anurag Srivastava, called the relationship between the two countries "truly special" and expressed that he expects agreement in areas of maritime security and capacity building. "This is a truly special relationship and this relationship has matured into a very strong, robust and multifaceted partnership. This partnership spans areas like maritime security cooperation, development partnership, capacity building, health and education and various other areas," Srivastava told ANI. "In the meetings between the two Prime Ministers, we anticipate that there will be very important agreements and announcements that will be made following these meetings. It is expected that there would be agreements in the areas of maritime security in order to take forward a maritime security partnership, as well as in areas like capacity building and others," he added. (ANI) The Indian embassies in Myanmar and Thailand, in coordination with local authorities, secured the repatriation of 283 Indian nationals by an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft from Mae Sot in Thailand. These nationals were made to indulge in cybercrime and engage in other fraudulent activities in scam centres operating in regions along the Myanmar-Thailand border, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. "Indian embassies in Myanmar and Thailand have coordinated with local authorities to secure the repatriation of 283 Indian nationals today by an IAF aircraft from Mae Sot in Thailand," the statement read. "The Government of India has been making sustained efforts to secure the release and repatriation of Indian nationals lured to various southeast Asian countries, including Myanmar, with fake job offers," it added. The Government of India further reiterated its caution, circulated earlier from time to time through advisories and social media posts regarding such rackets. Indian nationals have been again advised to verify credentials of foreign employers through Missions abroad and check the antecedents of recruiting agents and companies before taking up a job offer, the MEA stated. Earlier in December, the Indian Embassy in Myanmar announced the release of six Indian nationals trapped at job scam compounds in Myanmar's Myawaddy. According to the Indian Embassy in Myanmar, the six victims reached the local police station in Myawaddy for deportation to India. A total of 101 Indians have been repatriated to India since July 2024, the embassy said on X. "6 more Indian nationals trapped at scam compounds in Myawaddy reached the local police station, for further deportation to India, yesterday. 101 Indians repatriated to India since July 2024. We reiterate our advice against job offers in the area without consulting Missions," the Indian Embassy in Myanmar said on X. (ANI) Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's arrival in Mauritius on a two-day State Visit, activities are in full swing to welcome him in the African nation. PM Modi departed for Mauritius late Monday night. He will take part in the country's 57th National Day celebration on March 12. This is his second visit to Mauritius as Prime Minister, after the visit in 2015. Streets were decked up with posters and flags of India and Mauritius ahead of the PM's visit. Rehearsals were also underway for the cultural performances. Director of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute Director Dr Veedotma Koonjal spoke to ANI and said is is a "huge occasion" and it's a privilege to see him for the second time. "It is a huge occasion for us. We are very happy to welcome the Prime Minister to Mauritius. It is a privilege to see him here for the second time. We are engaged in his welcome program. There are around 90 participants who will perform here to receive him... All of us and our students are very happy to be a part of this," Koonjal said. One of the performers, Swayamprabha, they have been prepraring for 10 days are very excited to perform in front of PM Modi. "It took us around 10 days to prepare. The performance is a mixture of Kathak, Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi. These dance styles are taught in schools, too, in Mauritius... We are very excited and proud to perform in front of PM Modi," she said. Full dress rehearsals were also performed by the contingents from Mauritius and Indian Navy. In his departure statement on Monday, PM Modi said that he looks forward to the opportunity to engage with the Mauritius leadership during his visit to elevate bilateral partnership and strengthen friendship for security and development in the Indian Ocean Region. He called Mauritius a "close maritime neighbour, key partner in the Indian Ocean and a gateway to the African continent." "Starting tomorrow, I will be on a two day visit to Mauritius, where I will take part in their 57th National Day celebrations. I look forward to meeting my friend and Prime Minister, Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam. I am also eager to be interacting with the Indian community there," PM Modi said. https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1899083586696859932 He further noted, "Mauritius is a close maritime neighbour and a key Indian Ocean partner. We are connected by shared values and deep rooted cultural ties. My visit will further strengthen the foundations of our friendship and build a brighter chapter in India-Mauritius ties." https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1899083589171470586 Earlier on Monday, Mauritius' Foreign Minister, Dhananjay Ramful, stated that India and Mauritius are talking about a strategic partnership to further strengthen their bilateral relations. "This is a very long historical relationship that we are talking about. It is back to 1948, and since then, this relationship has strengthened over the years...Now we are reorienting that relationship. We are talking about a strategic partnership nowadays between Mauritius and India," Ramful told ANI. He also commended India's role in Mauritius' development, emphasizing the significant assistance India has provided. "India has been a key partner in our development. It has extended substantial support, and many projects have been successfully implemented in Mauritius with India's help. India has stood shoulder to shoulder with us in completing these initiatives," he said. In his departure statement, PM Modi said Mauritius is a close maritime neighbour, a key partner in the Indian Ocean, and a gateway to the African Continent. "I look forward to the opportunity to engage the Mauritius leadership to elevate our partnership in all its facets and strengthen our enduring friendship for the progress and prosperity of our peoples, as well as for security and development in the Indian Ocean Region, as part of our Vision SAGAR," he said. During the visit, the Prime Minister 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 India's grant assistance. A number of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) will be exchanged during the visit. (ANI) AICHI, Mar 10 (News On Japan) - Toyota will halt production at some of its plants starting the morning of March 10th following an explosion at a parts supplier in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, that left one person dead and two others injured. The incident occurred on March 6th at the Fujioka plant of Chuo Spring, a major manufacturer of automotive springs. A dust collector exploded, killing a 40-year-old man and injuring two other men with minor wounds. In response, Toyota announced on March 7th that it would suspend operations on one production line at its Takaoka plant in Toyota City and two lines at the Nagakusa plant of Toyota Industries in Obu City from the morning of March 10th. These plants produce popular SUV models, including the Harrier and RAV4. Toyota stated, "At this stage, we cannot assess the impact on production volumes." A decision regarding operations beyond the evening of March 10th is expected to be made around midday on the same day. Source: NEWS ONE Mar 10 (News On Japan) - A man who defies social norms and rises from humble origins to shape the cultural renaissance of 18th-century Japan. Tsuji Chusaburo (Ryusei Yokohama), better known as Tsutaya Juzaburo, struggles to persuade the renowned Tomimoto Toyoshidayu/Umanosuke (Kanichiro) to participate in an impromptu festival. Facing rejection, Tsutaya turns to Toriyama Kengyo (Hayato Ichihara), a powerful Joruri master, in hopes of finding a solution. There, he unexpectedly reunites with Segawa (Fuka Koshiba). However, their conversationfilled with laughteris noticed by Kengyo, leading to potential complications. What consequences will this fateful encounter bring? This is the expanded preview for Episode 11 of NHKs Unbound (), set to air on March 16. Source: @ OSAKA, Mar 10 (News On Japan) - Osaka Customs has urged travelers using Kansai Airport to be cautious of counterfeit goods that infringe on intellectual property rights and has called for information sharing on such items. According to Osaka Customs, a significant number of seized counterfeit goods last year were discovered at customs checkpoints within Kansai Airport. Authorities are warning travelers about counterfeit brand-name bags, wallets, and shoes, which violate intellectual property rights. Airport staff have also been asked to report any suspected counterfeit goods they come across. Miyashita, deputy director of the Kansai Airport Customs Branch, stated: "Recently, counterfeit items such as cosmetics and water filter cartridges have been circulating, posing potential health and safety risks." Osaka Customs advises consumers to use only official websites when shopping online. Source: ABCTVnews South Sudans fragile peace process faces a severe setback as escalating violence between government forces and armed groups threatens the 2018 power-sharing agreement between President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar. The recent clashes, particularly in the Upper Nile state, have prompted the United Nations to warn of an alarming regression that could unravel years of hard-won progress. Fighting erupted in February in Nasir County between the South Sudanese armed forces and the White Army, a militia linked to Machars supporters. Tensions soared after South Sudanese troops attacked a UN helicopter attempting to evacuate soldiers from the area, killing several individuals, including a South Sudanese general. The UN condemned the attack, calling it potentially a war crime. The violence stems from long-standing ethnic and political divisions between Kiirs Dinka-led government and Machars Nuer-aligned forces. The pairs fragile power-sharing agreement reached in 2018, which ended five years of civil war, may now be in the process of unravelling, raising fears of war in the countrys Upper Nile state. The latest round of fighting, compounded by recent arrests of Machar-aligned officials, has sparked fears of a return to civil war. The White Army, a militia of ethnic Nuer youths, has been implicated in the unrest, further intensifying ethnic tensions. The United States has urged non-emergency government staff to leave the country as security deteriorates. The United Nations and African Union have called for an immediate end to hostilities, urging leaders to focus on dialogue and the peace process to prevent a descent into full-scale conflict. The situation remains volatile, and analysts warn that without intervention, South Sudan could spiral into another devastating war. The operation was successful, said an Algerian official in a supermarket in Algiers in front of an applauding crowd and state media. One would think that the comment came after the launch of a skyrocket. It was rather a celebration of Algerias first card payment. State media and local officials gathered around a liter of milk, the subject of the transaction, in what seems to be Algiers most advanced supermarket. The late launch of car payments drew mockery from Algerian opposition figures who deplore the state of misery inflicted on the Algerian people as well as the underdeveloped banking system, in an oil and gas rich country. As the world generalizes digital wallets and payment apps amid the rapid spread of digital currency payments and even biometric payments, Algeria is stuck in the past allowing a fringe of its people to finally use cards to pay their groceries. The transaction came to represent an Algerian economy mired in anachronism and a state-dominated financial system that lacks competition and innovation. The choice of the product milk- is also telling. Social media is awash with Algerians standing in long queues to buy a liter of milk. The president himself has complained to US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in front of cameras about the countrys milk problem in 2022. The underdeveloped banking system left most of the Algerian population struggling with access to cash in a country that was ranked as economically repressed in the 2025 Heritage Foundation Economic Freedom index. The index ranks Algeria in the 160th position in the same category as the Central African Republic, Eritrea and North Korea. The French army has started procedures to leave Senegal, handing over two military facilities to the West African 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. Located near Hann Park, these districts were ready to be returned since the summer of 2024, it said. 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. Last year, Senegals president Bassirou Faye had asked French troops to leave the country to reduce reliance on foreign armies and reinforce sovereignty. Turkeys prominent defense company, Baykar, has reportedly violated EU and US sanctions by supplying arms to Sudans military, exacerbating the ongoing civil war, according to a Washington Post investigation. The defense giant, known for producing drones, is accused of sending a substantial arms shipment to Sudan between August and November 2023, in what could be a clear breach of sanctions imposed on Sudan due to its involvement in the conflict in Darfur. The arms, including six TB2 drones, three ground control stations, and 600 warheads, were allegedly part of a $120 million contract between Baykar and Sudans Defense Industries System (DIS). The shipment was said to have arrived at Port Sudan, with the final flight reaching the city in September. This deal, signed in November 2023, five months after the US imposed sanctions, reportedly involved 48 Baykar employees and offered in-country technical support for the delivery of military equipment. This development highlights the growing involvement of foreign powers in Sudans brutal 22-month-long war. Other international actors have also been accused of fueling the conflict by supplying arms or establishing military footholds. Despite an ongoing arms embargo on Sudan, the UN Security Council has yet to take action against the countries violating the embargo, leaving the issue of international arms transfers largely unaddressed. A view shows MMR vaccine at the City of Lubbock Health Department in Lubbock, Texas, U.S. February 27, 2025. Photo: Annie Rice/Reuters In a recent profile at the Bulwark, Shane DiGiovanna described his life with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, a rare genetic disease that causes much of his skin to shear off from his body, damages his hearing, and gives him cancer. Its difficult for him to eat, let alone work. Gene therapy could offer a solution one day, but as DiGiovanna said, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Elon Musk could devastate the next decade of research and development of a cure for RDEB my holy grail Just keep in mind that the weak and marginalized include infants and children who are missing most of their skin and suffering through extreme and utterly pointless pain. When powerful men threaten funding for cancer or Alzheimers research, they arent just eliminating scientific jobs. Theyre putting people like DiGiovanna in danger. As he confronts the administrations war on scientific research, DiGiovanna must worry too about Medicaid, which covers much of his care and is poised for significant cuts. Even the medical professionals who provide his care are at risk: A beloved nurse is an immigrant, and although he is an American citizen now, DiGiovanna knows that he is still threatened by Vice-President J.D. Vances ultranationalist rhetoric. Aspects of DiGiovannas story will be familiar to anyone with a chronic illness or disability in America; it certainly was to me. I also have a rare genetic disease and though my condition is not as painful or life-altering as RDEB, it still means that I am acutely aware that the advancements and supports that make my life easier are in significant danger. As a journalist, I try to understand the roots of this war on science and public health; as a patient, it is difficult for me to grasp why anyone would turn away from the vaccinations, antibiotics, and research that have saved untold lives. People like DiGiovanna and I are exceptional in the sense that our conditions are rare, but we dont live our lives in isolation. The same forces that threaten us are going to come for everyone else, too. Behind the war on science and public health lies a total hostility to the simple notion of a social contract. Were not going to harm our children or [risk] the potential to harm our children so that we can save yours, an anti-vaxx mother in west Texas told the Washington Post last week. Thats selfish, and dangerous too. One unvaccinated child has already died of measles in Texas and the outbreak may have claimed another life in New Mexico. But if were going to defend public health, we have to identify its real enemies, and theres a difference between a Texas mother and someone like Kennedy, whos made a living and a reputation on the bodies of the dead. His anti-vaccine rhetoric already has a body count. In the years before my diagnosis and after, I learned that I couldnt bootstrap my way into health. I needed help: care that I could afford, paid sick leave, and stable housing. America guarantees none of the above. For decades the pro-business right has said that we dont need a social contract; that it is even an impediment to true prosperity. Instead we have liberty, which is to say choice, and that is a seductive story even though its based on a lie. A figure like Kennedy fits neatly within the Trump administration because he preaches individual responsibility over the public good. To Kennedy, the solution to chronic disease is a vitamin, or a stint on a farm, not sound science or public-health institutions. He and his allies agree that the market must be free to profit, coerce, and kill. Science cant flourish in such an environment, nor can public health. Both are at constant risk from a ruthless system that demands constant human sacrifice from the very people it claims to help. Its not strange, then, that conspiracy theories can be so attractive, since they often begin with a certain base recognition that something is wrong. Anti-vaxx mothers in Texas are at war with the social contract because they believe their children are in danger. Theyre wrong about vaccines, but there are real predators in our midst. Pharmaceuticals are expensive, and so is health care in general. Why trust the system if it doesnt work for you anyway? But cod-liver oil cant cure measles, and beef tallow isnt healthier than seed oils. They offer the illusion of control in a hostile world. People who put their trust in conspiracies and lies may discover what Shane DiGiovanna already knows that we all need science to be healthy. Disability is not divine punishment but a condition that can befall anyone, especially if they are poor. Everyone who is born holds dual citizenship, in the kingdom of the well and in the kingdom of the sick, Susan Sontag famously wrote. Although we all prefer to use only the good passport, sooner or later each of us is obliged, at least for a spell, to identify ourselves as citizens of that other place. Without a safety net that works, science will falter and the kingdom of the sick will only expand. The price is human life. Photo: Intelligencer; Photo: Getty Images New York Citys mayoral race received a significant jolt earlier this month with the news that former governor Andrew Cuomo was officially challenging Mayor Eric Adams for his seat in an attempted comeback following his abrupt resignation years prior. He joins an already crowded field of state legislators Jessica Ramos, Zellnor Myrie, and Zohran Mamdani as well as current and former comptrollers Brad Lander and Scott Stringer, among others. That number grew even more as City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams announced her bid for mayor, adding another moderate voice to the race. I recently spoke with Dr. Christina Greer, an associate professor of political science at Fordham University, about Cuomos entry into the race, whether he could pull from Mayor Adamss moderate base, and if his bid could present a new opportunity for the other challengers in the race. Theres been this impression that Andrew Cuomo is inevitable, with him leading in the polls even before he jumped into the mayoral race. Is this just a result of coming into this with a high name ID as the former governor, or is this a true signal that this is Cuomos race to lose? I think it might be his race to lose. I mean, obviously, New Yorkers appear to be very frustrated with Eric Adams and the current administration. It doesnt appear that New Yorkers have coalesced around an opposition candidate who has been running thus far. So its left space for them to find him attractive because, lets be clear, on a lot of measures, many of Eric Adamss policies have been a success. Its just the perception of corruption and incompetence that is plaguing his administration. So people are looking for an alternative in a personality, in a person but not necessarily in the policies. And thats why people are clamoring toward an Andrew Cuomo, because its, in many ways, much of Eric Adamss policies, just in different packaging. And Cuomo is entering this race as a more moderate candidate, putting him in direct competition with Eric Adams. I mean, its not great for Eric Adams. But dont forget, we still have, most likely, a very low turnout race and a low-information race as to how ranked-choice voting works. I think the name recognition is huge for Andrew Cuomo. I think therell be a lot of money spent on his behalf. I think therell be a lot of money spent to make sure that Andrew Cuomo does not succeed. There are many people who want him to explain himself about COVID, about nursing homes, about sexual harassment. I mean, he does have some negatives in his column. But, by and large, New York isnt a progressive city, so a moderate candidate is appealing. And, again, its not as though Andrew Cuomo was deviating from many of Eric Adamss policies. Hes just presenting a different moderate alternative to Eric Adams. Throughout his career, Cuomo has cultivated relationships in the Black community and leaned on those through his reelections as well as during this attempted comeback. Many of those same voters and leaders helped to propel Mayor Adams to victory during his first campaign. Is there a sense that Cuomo could pull Black voters from Adams, or has his appeal in this regard been overstated? I think its both. Yes, in some sectors, there are people who are frustrated with Eric Adams, and they think he is squandering a real opportunity and real potential, and so thats where Cuomo can pick up. But dont forget, now that Adrienne Adams is in the race, and also the fact that Zellnor Myrie has been making inroads with Black communities in his various races, its not as binary as it may appear between Mayor Adams and Cuomo. There are other alternatives, significant ones at that. I also think the passing of NAACP New York State Conference president Hazel Dukes is huge, because Andrew Cuomo has gone to the Black community, yes, for campaigns, but hes also run to the Black community when hes been in trouble. And, by and large, Hazel Dukes and many Black leaders in Harlem, in particular, have been very forgiving, and they have contextualized the complexity that is Andrew Cuomo. I think that he was possibly hoping that he would have the tacit support of Hazel Dukes or, if nothing else, if she couldnt give it explicitly, she could help direct certain resources and support in his direction. That is no longer an option. And so, how he renegotiates some of his relationships with Black leaders, many of whom are older Black leaders who had a lot of love and admiration and respect for his father, which kind of translated to Andrew Cuomo I think hell have to figure that out. Though Adrienne Adams will likely have more of an uphill battle with her late entry, what do you think she brings to the race? I mean, if her policies are more moderate, essentially shes saying we have two highly flawed candidates in Eric Adams and Andrew Cuomo, and if you like some of their policies, Im presenting similar policy prescriptions, just without the baggage. Without the harassment, without the bullying, the list goes on and on. In her sort of campaign speech, its like, Im a mother and a wife and just a girl from Queens, and, essentially, I like to do my job, build coalitions, and have no drama. And there are a lot of New Yorkers who just want that. They just want people to go to work. I dont want to hear about you at the club. I dont want to hear about you touching women. I dont want to hear about you bullying people. I dont want to hear about corruption and a few million dollars missing here from a book deal or youre surrounding yourself with friends that are taking bribes, allegedly. Like, I just want someone to do their job. We already have enough chaos at the federal level, and I think that will be appealing to a lot of New Yorkers since there is so much instability at the federal level. They want as much stability in the city as possible. But if she, Cuomo, and Mayor Adams are all pulling from the same base of moderate voters, can she outrank those bigger names? We still have four months, right? And its New York politics, so a lot can change in four months. This is depending on if she can raise money, if she can get signatures to actually be on the stage. As of now, Jessica Ramos does not have the money to be on the stage. So we dont have any women who would be on the stage, presumably. And we also have three men who would be on the stage in Stringer, Adams, and Cuomo, who have all had sexual-misconduct allegations lobbied against them. For the few people who are paying attention in the voting-eligible population that does decide to participate on June 24, if theyre tuning into debates and Adrienne Adams is the only woman on the stage, there are ways that she can frame policy issues from a gendered perspective, which weve seen effectively done. There are ways that she could frame their accusations in a way that sort of signals not just, you know, the Me Too movement, but just the level of distraction that some of these gentlemen could bring to the office. And, again, the shadow of Donald Trump is hanging over this election. So its not just who could get resources from an erratic president. Its who could stay focused in a time where New York needs a mayor to be as focused as possible. The field for this race was already crowded before Cuomo and Speaker Adams joined, largely featuring less-well-known state legislators and city officials. How do these new challengers potentially change the calculations for them, especially considering how unpredictable ranked-choice elections can be? If anything, I think it just inspires them to stay in the race and double down. I mean, if youve got eight-to-one matching funds, you never know what can happen in a New York City election. We had the looming court cases of Eric Adams that, thus far, have gone away, but not permanently. We do know that Andrew Cuomo had a bit of a bump, obviously, coming in, but we dont know what groups are going to organize against him, whether its COVID, whether its nursing homes, whether its money, whether its Me Too, right? There are a lot of moving parts. Even though I think of the Venn diagram of, say, Scott Stringer and Brad Lander overlapping quite a bit in a low-turnout, low-information election, why not stay in? If not for this year, who knows what it could do four years from now? Youre seeing different candidates trying to make their mark, especially with Cuomo jumping in. Myrie has a website calling out the governor over Trump. Mamdani has had a really strong social-media presence. Could Cuomos entry actually be an opportunity for some of these other candidates? I mean, you have sort of two different villains now to talk about, right? Weve been talking about Eric Adams. Weve been talking about the questions of: Is he able to lead? Is he focused? All of those issues weve been talking about for quite some time. This can galvanize some of the lesser-known candidates to actually have a new foil to talk about some of their own policy issues. Now that Andrew Cuomo is in, hes also going to have to answer some hard questions. Its one thing when its speculation. But theyre already questions of: Does he really live in New York? Does he know New York? Hes going to get questions about the minutiae of New York. I dont think theres anybody who knows Albany better than Andrew Cuomo, but Im not sold that he knows New York City. And so, with the shadow of Donald Trump behind this election, its who can get the most for New York City. Is it going to be a brash, bullying tactic? Is it going to be, you know, you get more with honey as opposed to vinegar? But we dont know. I mean, obviously, Eric Adams, Andrew Cuomo, and Donald Trump have all known each other for a very, very long time and have worked together in various capacities. So there are a lot of moving parts, active moving parts, that are still unknown, and well sort of see how they play out in the next four months. Weve seen this push from some groups advocating for voters to not rank both Cuomo and Mayor Adams on their ballots and focus on more progressive challengers like Lander, Stringer, or Mamdani. Last time, we saw Kathryn Garcia and Andrew Yang form an alliance in the race. Could we see a similar move this time around, especially considering Speaker Adams and Cuomo joining the race? Im curious. Im not sold that thats a winning strategy. I mean, obviously, it wasnt a winning strategy. Neither one became mayor. But I do wonder if maybe we wont see a tag team like we saw with Garcia and Yang, but more of anyone but Adams and Cuomo. So Im curious if that will sort of catch hold. It doesnt matter how you rank Brad or Zellnor or Zohran or Adrienne or Scott, its just whatever you do, dont put the sort of two Queens boys on their ballot. And again, as I keep saying, its the shadow of Donald Trump hovering over this election. And it will be interesting to see if Eric Adams and Andrew Cuomo sort of get linked to this kind of, the three Queens boys. You know, Trump, Cuomo, Adams cant play in the sandbox well with others, a lot of potential to do good, but they choose not to. There are a lot of conversations that could link the three in their quasi-similar personality styles at times. Itll be interesting to see if thats a strategy that some candidates go for or if its something else. Mahmoud Khalil speaking to members of the media at Columbia University, June 1, 2024. Photo: Jeenah Moon/Reuters On March 8, Palestinian activist and former Columbia University grad student Mahmoud Khalil, who played a significant role in the Gaza protests at Columbia last year, was arrested by federal immigration authorities. According to his attorney, Khalil is a legal permanent resident but is currently being detained despite his status and no specific charges have been detailed. A judge has temporarily blocked Khalils deportation and has now ordered his case transferred to New Jersey federal court where he was first held prior to being moved to a Louisiana ICE facility. In his first reported remarks since being detained, Khalil referred to himself as a political prisoner. The dramatic action came just days after President Donald Trump signaled his administrations plan to crack down on student protests raising the specter of deportation for those in the country on a visa as well as the revocation of federal funds for the colleges and universities themselves. Khalils arrest has been condemned by many local political leaders and championed by members of Trumps administration and its allies. Heres what we know so far. What happened? On March 8, Khalil was approached at his home by Department of Homeland Security agents. According to Khalils attorney, Amy Greer, the agents proceeded to detain Khalil and threatened his wife, an American citizen who is eight months pregnant, with arrest as well. The apartment building in which Khalil lives with his wife is owned by the university. On Friday, the ACLU released video footage Khalils wife recorded during the arrest: This footage of ICE arresting Palestinian activist and Columbia graduate Mahmoud Khalil was just released by the ACLU. ICE: Stop resisting Khalil's wife: Hes not resisting pic.twitter.com/Fk5oG5demO Zeteo (@zeteo_news) March 14, 2025 Greer told the Associated Press that one of the agents told her over the phone that they were following orders from the State Department to revoke Khalils student visa. When Greer told them that Khalil possessed a green card and was a legal permanent resident, the agent said they were revoking that instead. According to Greer, Khalils family was told that he was transported to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey, but they were later informed that he wasnt there after an attempted visit. According to ICEs online detainee locator, Khalil is being held at a detention facility in Jena, Louisiana. In a statement, Greer called Khalils transfer to Louisiana from New York a blatantly improper but familiar tactic. That transfer should be reversed, and the process of challenging the outrageous attempt to revoke legal-permanent-resident status for someone who has never committed a crime, and who has simply expressed his political opinions, she said. Where do things stand with Khalils case? Khalils legal team filed a habeas corpus petition shortly after his detention. U.S. district judge Jesse Furman, who was assigned the case, blocked Khalils removal pending more proceedings. During a hearing on March 12, the government argued that the New York federal court should not have jurisdiction over Khalils case because he was moved to Louisiana when his petition was filed. After ordering both sides to submit arguments on jurisdiction, Judge Furman ruled Wednesday that Khalils case be moved to federal court in New Jersey, the state where he was first held after his arrest before being transferred to Louisiana. The move is seen as positive news for Khalil and his allies. In a new filing, the Justice Department has alleged that Khalil did not disclose his past work in the Syrian office of the British Embassy in Beirut and for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, or UNRWA, a program that has come under fire from the Trump administration, on his green-card application. A spokesman for the UNRWA told CNN that Khalil was not part of the agencys staff and was an intern in 2023. It is black-letter law that misrepresentations in this context are not protected speech, the filing states, per NBC News. Thus, Khalils First Amendment allegations are a red herring, and there is an independent basis to justify removal sufficient to foreclose Khalils constitutional claim here. Who is Mahmoud Khalil? On Tuesday, The Guardian published Khalils first public remarks, a statement in which he called himself a political prisoner. In the message, which Khalil dictated over the phone to friends and family from the Louisiana ICE detention facility: My arrest was a direct consequence of exercising my right to free speech as I advocated for a free Palestine and an end to the genocide in Gaza, which resumed in full force Monday night, the statement said. With Januarys ceasefire now broken, parents in Gaza are once again cradling too-small shrouds, and families are forced to weigh starvation and displacement against bombs. It is our moral imperative to persist in the struggle for their complete freedom. Reuters reports that Khalil was born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria and received his green card last year after arriving in the United States on a student visa in 2022. He completed his studies for a masters of public administration degree at Columbia Universitys School of International and Public Affairs in 2024 and was set to receive his degree in May. Khalil was a lead negotiator for Columbia University Apartheid Divest, the student-led coalition advocating for the schools divestment from Israel. The group had come under fire for its on-campus protests of the ongoing war in Gaza, particularly their Gaza Solidarity Encampment that was subjected to numerous raids by local law enforcement last year. Drop-Site News reports that Khalil participated in a sit-in at the Barnard Colleges Milstein Center days prior to his arrest, protesting the schools recent expulsion of several students for taking part in pro-Palestinian protests. The AP also reports that Khalil had been under investigation by the Office of Institutional Equity, a newly created university office intended to address reports of harassment and discrimination, due to his involvement with CUAD. I have around 13 allegations against me; most of them are social-media posts that I had nothing to do with, Khalil told the AP. They just want to show Congress and right-wing politicians that theyre doing something, regardless of the stakes for students, he added. Its mainly an office to chill pro-Palestine speech. On March 10, Zeteo reported that Khalil had emailed Columbia interim president Katrina Armstrong last Friday with concerns for his safety after being subjected to a vicious, coordinated, and dehumanizing doxxing campaign. Their attacks have incited a wave of hate, including calls for my deportation and death threats. I have outlined the wider context below, yet Columbia has not provided any meaningful support or resources in response to this escalating threat, he wrote, according to emails obtained by the outlet. Reuters spoke to Noor Abdalla, Khalils wife who is eight months pregnant with their first child. She said she hopes that her husband will be released by the childs birth. I think it would be very devastating for me and for him to meet his first child behind a glass screen, Abdalla said. What has the Trump administration said? So far, the Trump administration hasnt articulated what charges, if any, that Khalil is being detained on. Tricia McLaughlin, a DHS spokesperson, confirmed Khalils arrest in a statement, saying that it was done in coordination with the State Department and alleging that Khalil led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. ICE and the Department of State are committed to enforcing President Trumps executive orders and to protecting U.S. national security, she said. Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed McLaughlins words on social media, making it clear that Khalils detention was an intentional move from the Trump administration. We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported, he wrote, sharing a link to a news article about Khalil. Trump denounced Khalil as a Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student in a Truth Social post on Monday and said that there are more arrests to come. We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it, he said. Troy Edgar, the deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, defended Khalils detention in an interview with NPR. This is somebody weve invited and allowed the student to come into the country, and hes put himself in the middle of the process of basically pro-Palestinian activity. And at this point, like I said, the secretary of State can review his visa process at any point and revoke it, he said. What has the reaction been? The New York Civil Liberties Union condemned Khalils arrest as an affront to his right to free speech. The Trump administrations detention of Mahmoud Khalil a green-card holder studying in this country legally is targeted, retaliatory, and an extreme attack on his First Amendment rights, executive director Donna Lieberman said in a statement. Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, who is running in the New York City mayoral race, also called for Khalils immediate release, noting his arrest was a blatant assault on the First Amendment and a sign of advancing authoritarianism under Trump. Mamdani attempted to confront border czar Tom Homan over Khalils arrest at the state capitol on Wednesday, shouting, How many New Yorkers will you detain without charge? Letitia James, the state attorney general, said Monday that she is extremely concerned about Khalils arrest and detention and that her office is currently monitoring the situation and is also in contact with his legal representation. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez denounced Khalils detention and said it raised concerns about how much further the Trump administration could go. If the federal government can disappear a legal US permanent resident without reason or warrant, then they can disappear US citizens too. Anyone - left, right, or center - who has highlighted the importance of constitutional rights + free speech should be sounding the alarm now, she wrote on X. What about Khalils green card? Is it legal to detain him? Though Rubio has stated that the United States will begin revoking green cards, his ability to do so appears legally dubious. Typically, an immigration judge is tasked with determining whether a persons legal-resident status can be revoked, following allegations of criminal activity or fraudulent activities in the application process. In a series of tweets on Bluesky, Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow with the American Immigration Council, said that the State Department lacks the authority to unilaterally revoke a green card. While the State Department CAN revoke *visas* with very little legal process involved, stripping someone of a green card is done by DHS (not the State Department) and requires filing formal charges alleging a violation of immigration law and a removal hearing in front of an immigration judge, he wrote. However, Reichlin-Melnick noted that an aspect of the Immigration and Nationality Act could allow for a non-citizen to be deported if the secretary of State deems them deportable on national-security grounds. On Tuesday, CNN reported that Rubio appeared to have invoked a foreign-policy provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act to detain Khalil. Have any other activists been detained by the Trump administration? Khalil was not the only Columbia student whom authorities sought out over the weekend. The Associated Press reports that federal immigration agents attempted to take an international student into custody but werent able to enter her apartment. Student Workers of Columbia, a university union that represents the unidentified woman, told the outlet that the ICE agents attempted to enter her home without a warrant. On Friday, the DHS announced that it had arrested a second Columbia student, Leqaa Kordia, who is also Palestinian. Earlier this month, Trump indicated that going after campus activists is a top priority for his administration and that he intends to penalize the institutions themselves for allowing the demonstrations. 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 wrote on Truth Social. On March 7, the Trump administration announced that it had canceled $400 million in federal grants and contracts with Columbia University, citing the schools continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students. New details have emerged in the Sunday morning dispute between two roommates that authorities said led to 41-year-old Cory Vernon Rogers of Opelika being stabbed to death at at home on Lee Road 147. Daniel Ray Metcalf, his 34-year-old roommate, was arrested on Sunday and charged with murder in the incident. He remains in the Lee County Detention Center without bond as of Tuesday evening. Multiple accounts of how the incident unfolded can be found in a no-bond order from Lee County District Judge Samantha Copelan order and deposition in the Lee County District Court. Police found towels covered in blood and bleach The Lee County Sheriff's Office said they received a 911 call at approximately 2:34 a.m. Sunday in reference to a stabbing in the 900 block of Lee Road 147 in the Beauregard community, authorities said. Sheriff's deputies who responded to the scene made contact with a person who lived in the residence and reported that Rogers was in the home. Officials have yet to specify whether the suspect and victim lived in the home where the incident occurred. Sheriff's deputies said they found Rogers in the hallway covered in blood and with a large pool of blood around him. According to the deposition, sheriff's deputies were clearing the residence and found a trail of blood leading from Rogers' body to the west end of the residence. A woman whose names authorities have yet to release was also taken into custody on charges unrelated to the deadly stabbing, according to an email from Cpt. Jimmy Taylor with the Lee County Sheriff's Office. Sheriff's deputies then found Metcalf laying face down on a mattress, according to the deposition. Authorities said that while sheriff's deputies were detaining Metcalf and the woman, sheriff's deputies saw blood on Metcalf's hands and sweatshirt. An investigator with the office then obtained a search warrant for the residence, the deposition said. Investigator Shawn McDevitt processed the scene. While doing so, he found a black folding knife inside of a shoe at the head of the mattress in the bedroom where Metcalf was found, the deposition said. McDevitt also found several towels that "smelled of bleach" and were covered in blood, according to the deposition. McDevitt allegedly found a bottle of bleach-based cleaning spray that was also covered in blood inside of Metcalf's room. Here's the suspect's account of the fight, according to police Investigators interviewed Metcalf at the Lee County Sheriff's Office. According to the deposition, the suspect told authorities Rogers was yelling at him while they were in separate rooms. Metcalf said he exited his room to confront Rogers and that Rogers punched him in the face, according to the deposition. Metcalf allegedly told law enforcement that he removed a folding knife from his pocket and stabbed Rogers twice, according to the deposition. Metcalf reportedly told authorities that at some point during the altercation, Rogers was on top of him while he was on his back. According to the deposition, Metcalf allegedly told police that he stabbed Rogers several more times in the side and back. Metcalf reportedly said Rogers then got off of him and went into another room while Metcalf went into his room. Metcalf said he placed the knife near the tv stand and that he attempted to clean himself with towels, according to the deposition. Judge denies suspect bond, citing other charges Lee County District Court Judge Samantha Copelan denied Metcalf bail on Monday and said he will be held without bond. According to the order denying bond, Copelan cited Code of Alabama 15-13-3(b)(1) and said the state carried its burden of proof and proved "by clear and convincing evidence that no condition or combination of conditions of release will reasonably ensure the defendant's appearance in court or protect the safety of the community or any person." In addition to the murder charge, Metcalf is charged with two Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act violations, according to the order that denied bond. According to the deposition for those violations, in 2009, in the Dale County Circuit Court, Metcalf pled guilty to two counts of sexual abuse of a child less than 12 years old. In 2011, in the Houston County Circuit Court, Metcalf pled guilty to one count of second-degree rape, according to the deposition. Those convictions mean that Metcalf has to register as a convicted sex offender for life in Alabama as long as he lives in the state. He first registered with the Lee County Sheriff's Office on June 14, 2023, and again on May 3, 2024 after stint in the Alabama Department of Corrections, the deposition said. According to the deposition, he did not register in August or November 2024. In denying bond, Copelan said that one of the reasons was that bond was denied were the SORNA violation charges. Copelan also said that Metcalf has been issued one warrant for failing to appear in court in one of his previous felony charges. As for the final reason, the order said that Metcalf "by his own admission stabbed the victim at least five times, never contacted 911, and proceeded to use bleach in an effort to clean up prior to law enforcement arrival." Hes so damn fine! Reply Thread Link Stewie, you cant just be posting gifs like that when Im in my follicular phase. Reply Thread Link this is SO real, lmao Reply Parent Thread Link Not me telling him less words more pics Reply Parent Thread Link I saw him from a distance at Megacon and he's just as pretty in real life. Reply Thread Link He is so damn fine. Reply Thread Link I had no idea, I know next to nothing about that man tbh. Added! Reply Parent Thread Link Hes stupidly attractive and I hate it Reply Thread Link It's a crime that he's not a lead in every romance comedy or really anything Reply Thread Link Know your audience! Less words more pics op!!Know your audience! Reply Thread Link ty king Reply Parent Thread Link Him and Lee Jung-jae were the best actors on The Acolyte. Reply Parent Thread Link GET OUT, that gif can't be real Reply Parent Thread Expand Link how could this show get cancelled with him looking so hot? idgi Reply Parent Thread Link im raging and throwing shit around my room rn WHY WILL I NEVER BOUNCE ON THIS MAN'S DICK via GIPHY Reply Parent Thread Link Why is he so beautiful Reply Thread Link Oh wow I had no idea he was Canadian?! Reply Thread Link As a Star Wars fan, I'm happy to see him getting attention and recognition like this. As someone who would like to see him nakI mean, waitfuck, what were we talking about again? Bortles! Reply Thread Link Should get the award just for that jawline. Reply Thread Link The way the title cut off as "Manny Jacinto to Receive Honorary Canadian" as I was scrolling down. I immediately assumed the rest of the title was "Citizenship" and was like, fair enough. Reply Thread Link Washington Regulatory Ruling Update The Washington Department of L&I is seeks to update its workplace injury and illness tracking requirements to comply with new federal OSHA standards. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) is proposing updates to its workplace injury and illness tracking requirements to align with new federal standards set by OSHA. The agencys Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) has filed a CR-102 Proposed Rulemaking for Chapter 296-27 WAC, which governs recordkeeping and reporting of workplace injuries. The updates come in response to OSHAs July 2023 rule change, which took effect in January 2024, requiring states with their own occupational safety plans to implement equivalent measures. A public hearing on the proposed changes is scheduled for Wednesday, April 16, 2025, with a pre-hearing overview at 9:00 a.m., followed by the formal hearing at 9:30 a.m. The hearing will continue until all public comments are received. The public can join the hearing online via this Zoom link. The tightened U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil flows under the Trump Administrations renewed maximum pressure campaign have created chaos in Irans oil exports to its single biggest buyer, China. However, Iranian exports to China, which buys around 90% of the Islamic Republics oil, continue as traders and middlemen rearrange tanker flows and increase ship-to-ship transfers, especially offshore Malaysia, vessel-tracking analysts say. The latest U.S. sanctions have managed to disrupt trade as the number of non-sanctioned tankers is steadily falling. But exports from Iran to China continue at a rate similar to those of the past few monthsat least for now. China has been the biggest beneficiary of Iranian oil still reaching the market. Most of Irans oil has been shipped to China since 2018 when President Donald Trump re-imposed sanctions after withdrawing the U.S. from the so-called Iranian nuclear deal during his first term in office. Chinas private refiners are key buyers of Irans sanctioned crude, and the two sides have established a trade relationship that is favorable for both. Iran gets to sell its crude that nearly everyone else shuns, while Chinas independent refiners, the so-called teapots, get cheap oil at discounts. Related: Chinas Oil Imports Could Rise as Newest Refinery Begins Trial Runs In restoring the maximum pressure campaign, President Trump directed the Secretary of State to implement a robust and continual campaign, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury and other relevant executive departments or agencies, to drive Irans export of oil to zero, including exports of Iranian crude to the Peoples Republic of China. China doesnt recognize or follow U.S. sanctions, and ports and importers have been working in recent weeks to find workarounds. These worked in February to stabilize sanctioned oil flows to China, according to Vortexa. To circumvent the restrictions, independent oil terminals at key ports outside Shandongsuch as Dalian, Shanghai, Zhoushan, and Huizhoubegan accepting sanctioned oil, including cargoes delivered by sanctioned tankers, Emma Li, senior market analyst at Vortexa, wrote last month. Stranded Iranian cargoes have offloaded their crude at Shandong, the key import terminal for Chinas independent refiners, after ship-to-ship transfers. At least eight supertankerseither recently added to the dark fleet or idle since early 2024have surfaced to facilitate Malaysia-to-China STS transfers, Vortexas Li noted. As a result, Chinas Iranian crude discharge rebounded in February and Shandong-bound volumes exceeded the 2024 average at 1.1 million barrels per day (bpd) between February 1 and 20, according to Vortexa data. Going forward, the growing number of oil tankers sanctioned by the United States is limiting the availability for Iran to ship its crude as Tehran is in more intense competition with Russia and Venezuela for vessels not yet blacklisted by the U.S. Treasury, analysts say. Just as China appears to have found some workarounds for the early February sanctions, the U.S. designated additional tankers and traders at the end of February and vowed to use all available tools to cut off Iranian trade. The United States will use all our available tools to target all aspects of Irans oil supply chain, and anyone who deals in Iranian oil exposes themselves to significant sanctions risk, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said. Iranian oil exports havent collapsed as those who trade in Iranian oil are looking at various workarounds and more ship-to-ship transfers. Irans oil exports are unlikely to be entirely shut down. There will always be some leakage under any form of sanctions, Ja Ian Chong, associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore, told Bloomberg. Sanctions are typically designed to make the trade so uneconomical that it is impractical to do it and change the behavior of buyers and sellers, the professor said. The U.S. hardly expects zero Iranian oil exports with the sanctions. The Trump Administration, however, is actively seeking to collapse these exports currently estimated at 1.5 million bpd-1.6 million bpd by ratcheting up pressure on the financial system and governments in the region, which aid Irans oil export efforts and oil revenue collection. We will close off Iran's access to the international financial system by targeting regional parties that facilitate the transfer of its revenues. Treasury is prepared to engage in frank discussions with these countries, Secretary Bessent said at the Economic Club of New York last week. We are going to shut down Iran's oil sector and drone manufacturing capabilities. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Russia is to restart its key oil and gas operations in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) according to recent comments from its Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev. From 2017 until the forced removal of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, Moscows extensive energy operations in the KRI provided it with very cheap oil and gas supplies and were also an integral part of its growing geopolitical presence on the western flank of the Middle East. This encompassed the KRI, much of the rest of Iraq under the control of its Federal Government (FGI) in Baghdad, Syria, and by dint of these the ability to hold sway over all the other Shia Crescent of Power countries, as analysed in full in my latest book on the new global oil market order. Given Chinas similar policy to expand its influence in the region, with a primary initial focus on Iran and Saudi Arabia, Moscow and Beijing found their efforts especially rewarded after the U.S.s unilateral withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA, or colloquially the nuclear deal) with Iran in May 2018. That said, Russias dismal showing in its 2022 invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent removal of front man al-Assad in Syria in moves orchestrated in key respects by the U.S. and U.K. threaten Russias and Chinas gains across the region. Consequently, this latest move by Russia to restart its operations in the KRI is a high-stakes geopolitical and energy game. Moscow is starting from a very high base level of influence in the KRI. Following the chaos that ensued after over 90% of the KRIs population voted in favour of independence from Iraq in the September 2017 Independence Referendum, Russia thought the time was right to exploit the discord for its own ends, as also detailed in my latest book. At that point, the Kremlins corporate oil proxy Rosneft executed three deals that effectively took over the ownership of Kurdistans oil sector. First, Russia provided the KRIs government (the KRG) with US$1.5 billion in financing through forward oil sales payable in the next three to five years. Second, it took an 80% working interest in five potentially major oil blocks in the region. And third, it established 60% ownership of the vital KRG pipeline by dint of a commitment to invest USD1.8 billion to increase its capacity to one million barrels per day. Moscow considered itself well-placed at that point to leverage this presence into a similarly powerful position in the south of the country (run by the FGI). This was to be effected by striking new oil and gas field exploration and development deals with Baghdad as part of Russias role in intermediating in the perennial dispute between the KRI and the FGI on the budget disbursements (from the FGI)-for-oil (from the KRI) deal first struck in November 2014. Russia not only challenged the percentage of the budget payments that was earmarked for payment to the KRI but also insisted that oil flows that had been suspended in the KRI following the September 2017 Independence Referendum would not restart fully until pipeline transit fees and pumping tariffs were paid to Rosneft. By that time, the firm had formalised its 60% stake in the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline. Moscow also wanted the FGI in Baghdad to look again at its decision to deem invalid the assignment to Rosneft by the KRG of the five exploration blocks in Kurdish territory in which it had secured an 80% stake. These were estimated to have aggregate 3P reserves of 670 million barrels. Rosnefts involvement in the KRI not only threatened Iraqs plans to meet its new in-house oil production targets but also its potential export routes for the new flows, given the Russian companys involvement in the northern pipelines leading into Turkeys Ceyhan port. The original Kirkuk to Ceyhan Pipeline the ITP consisted of two pipes, which had a nameplate capacity of 1.6 million bpd combined. The FGI-controlled pipelines export capacity reached between 250,000 and 400,000 bpd when running normally, although it was subject to regular sabotage by militants of various types. The KRG, in response to the regular attacks on the FGI pipeline, completed its own single-side track Taq field-Khurmala-Kirkuk/Ceyhan pipeline in the border town of Fishkhabur. This was part of its drive to raise oil exports above 1 million bpd. It is interesting to note that Russias restarting of its operations in the KRI are occurring at a time when Iraqi oil exports through the ITP remain embargoed mainly because of Baghdad seeking to stop independent oil flows from the KRI. This gives the Kremlin the same sort of potential to leverage chaos into increased influence in both the KRI and FGI regions of Iraq. It is also interesting to note that since the removal of al-Assad from Syria, Western interest in investing in the KRI has surged. The West had been a major sponsor of KRI interests before and during the expansion of Islamic State across the region in 2014, but this had declined as Russias influence in neighbouring Syria had expanded over the period, as also analysed in full in my latest book. In very basic terms, a senior source who works closely with the European Unions (E.U.) energy security complex exclusively told OilPrice.com, the current broad policy of the West is to target investments in the KRI such that it persuades the KRI government to terminate all links with Chinese, Russian and Iranian companies connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps over the long term. One such deal that might act as a template for renewed cooperation between the West and Baghdad is BPs US$25 billion deal formally signed recently to develop four huge oil fields in the Kirkuk region. The U.S. and Israel also have a further strategic interest in utilising the Kurdistan Region as a base for ongoing monitoring operations against Iran. On the other side of the power balance, China and Russias general policy is to remove the KRIs main source of financing -- oil exports by stopping all independent sales and then gradually reducing all budget dispersals from the FGI down to nothing. As a senior political source in Moscow exclusively told OilPrice.com many months ago: Iraq will be one unified country and by keeping the West out of energy deals there, the end of Western hegemony in the Middle East will become the decisive chapter in the Wests final demise. This ultimate objective was clearly laid out on 3 August last year when Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Al-Sudani said the new unified oil law -- run in every way that matters out of Baghdad -- will govern all oil and gas production and investments in both the FGI and KRI areas and will constitute a strong factor for Iraqs unity. Aside from the geopolitics of it all, the KRI also has enormous oil potential. Prior to the recent rise in exploration activity in the region, more than half of the exploratory wells in Iraq had been drilled prior to 1962, a time when technical limitations and low oil prices meant a much tighter definition of a commercially successful well than would be the case today, as highlighted by the International Energy Agency in its 2017 report on the country Based on the previous limited exploration and development of oil fields in the KRI area, the proven oil reserves figure was first put at around 4 billion barrels. This was subsequently upgraded by the KRI government to 45 billion barrels, but this again may well be a significant underestimate of the oil resources there. Even using the most conservative figures, Iraq had produced only around 15-20% of its ultimately recoverable oil resources back in 2017, compared with 23% for the Middle East as a whole, according to the IEA. This figure for Iraq has not significantly changed since then. Further exploration is highly likely to add substantially to the proven reserves figure over the coming decades, particularly given the high success rate of drilled prospects in Iraq. Similarly propitious are current estimates of at least 200 trillion cubic feet (Tcf, or 5.67 trillion cubic metres) of natural gas reserves in the KRI -- around 3% of the worlds total reserves. By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Shandong Yulong Petrochemical, the newest refiner in China, is set to begin trial runs at a 200,000-barrels per day crude processing unit later this month, traders familiar with the facilitys plans told Reuters on Monday, in what could be a boost to Chinese crude oil imports in the coming months. Shandong Yulong Petrochemical started up its first crude processing unit of 200,000 bpd in September 2024. This unit has kept crude processing rates at 90% of capacity since November. Now the refiner, whose refining and chemicals complex is worth $20 billion, is set to begin trial runs at the second crude unit of another 200,000 bpd at the end of March, according to the trading sources who spoke to Reuters. The new refining unit could raise crude oil imports in the worlds top crude buyer after recent slumps due to tepid domestic fuel demand. But more fuel production could also depress already weak refining margins in China and the region. Faced with a hectic reorganization of the crude trade following the U.S. sanctions on Russia, Shandong Yulong Petrochemical has reportedly boosted purchases of West African and Brazilian crude in recent weeks. The Chinese refiner last month bought four shipments of crude from Angola and Nigeria a trade source familiar with the deals told Reuters in February. Shandong Yulong Petrochemical booked a cargo each of Angolas Dalia, Plutonio, and Girassol crude and one cargo of Nigerias Nemba, all for delivery in March. The Chinese refiner has also bought two shipments of crude from Brazil for delivery in April, according to the source. At the same time, Chinas crude oil imports over the first two months of the year fell by 5% compared to the same period of 2024 as the parting round of sanctions that the Biden administration imposed on Russian energy affected international flows. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Ontario has implemented a 25% surcharge on electricity exports to Minnesota, Michigan, and New York in response to U.S. tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. According to Bloomberg, the provincial government directed its electricity operator, the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), to add a C$10 ($7) per megawatt-hour levy on power sent to these states. Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed regret over the measure but blamed Trump directly. Believe me when I say I dont want to do this. I feel terrible for the American people. Its one person who is responsible. Thats President Donald Trump, he said. The surcharge is part of Ontarios retaliation after the U.S. imposed new tariffs on Canadian goods. Despite recent White House exemptions for autos and other items under existing trade agreements, Ontario followed through on its threat. Last week, Premier Ford promised to keep U.S. alcohol off the shelf in retaliation to the 25% import tariffs imposed by the Trump. While significant, the move is largely symbolic since U.S. electricity spot markets allow buyers to choose from multiple suppliers, potentially bypassing Canadian electricity. Ontario estimates the surcharge could generate C$400,000 per day, with proceeds going to support local workers, families, and businesses. Canadas Foreign Affairs Minister, Melanie Joly, endorsed the move, saying, If the premiers use levers that are to our advantage, good news. New York relied on Canadian imports for about 4.4% of its electricity supply in 2023, while Minnesota and Michigan imported even less, according to data from the Midcontinent Independent System Operator. According to Bloomberg data, Canadian electricity exports to the U.S. had already fallen significantly since 2022 as a result of the drought in Quebec in 2022 and 2023. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Operations at Saudi Arabias Jafurah shale gas field the countrys largest unconventional non-oil associated gas site and arguably one of the biggest outside the U.S. will begin this year, according to a comment last week from Saudi Aramcos president and chief executive officer, Amin Nasser. The oil and gas giant added that Phase 1 is expected to produce 200 million standard cubic feet per day (Mscfd) of gas this year, with the figure set to rise to 2 billion standard cubic feet per day (Scfd) by 2030. The projected numbers would mark around a 60% increase in Aramcos gas output capacity, enabling it to meet rising domestic power demand. It could also allow it to reduce the level of crude oil burned in power generation that might be monetised by exporting it, and lay the foundations for significant gas exports in the future as well. The key question for dedicated Saudi Arabia watchers arising from any such statement from the Kingdom over the years is simply how much of it is true? To begin with, reserve and production numbers have long been a troublesome area for Saudi Arabia, as analysed in full in my latest book on the new global oil market order. At the beginning of 1989, Saudi Arabia claimed proven oil reserves of 170 billion barrels but only a year later, and without the discovery of any major new oil fields at all, the official reserves estimate somehow grew by 51.2%, to 257 billion barrels. Relatively shortly after that, Saudi Arabias proven oil reserves increased again, this time to just over 266 billion barrels, again without the discovery of any major new oil fields. Proven oil reserves increased once more in 2017 to 268.5 billion barrels, again with no new major oil finds being discovered. Over the period that these increases were announced, the country was extracting an average of 8.162 million bpd. Therefore, from 1990 (the year in which Saudi Arabias claimed proven oil reserves jumped from 170 billion barrels to 257 billion barrels), to 2017 (the year when Saudi Arabia was claiming proven oil reserves of 268.5 billion barrels), the Kingdom had physically removed from the ground forever an average of just over 2.979 billion barrels of crude oil every year. The total amount of crude oil permanently removed from the beginning of 1990 to the beginning of 2017 was, therefore, 80.43 billion barrels. In short, from 1990 to 2017, Saudi Arabias official crude oil reserves number had gone up 98.5 billion barrels, despite there being no new oil finds and it physically removing 80.43 billion barrels forever. A similar pattern appears to be emerging in Jafurahs reserves. In early 2024, an additional 15 trillion standard cubic feet (Tscf) of gas deposits were suddenly stated as proven. If true, this would put its total reserves at around 229 Tscf, or about 6.5 trillion cubic metres (Tcm). By comparison, total proven gas reserves for Russia are about 48 Tcm, for Iran around 34 Tcm, and for Qatar nearly 24 Tcm. Related: Jeff Currie: The World Has Reached Peak Oil Trade The Kingdoms stated production numbers and, as a corollary of this spare capacity figures, have also been problematic. A representative case in point was the statement by Saudi Arabias Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman at the time of the landmark 14 September 2019 attacks against two of its key oil facilities (Abqaiq and Khurais) that the Kingdom plans to restore its production capacity to 11 million bpd by the end of September and recover its full capacity of 12 million bpd two months later. Both figures were grossly inflated. In reality, Saudi Arabia averaged crude oil production of just 8.151 million barrels per day (bpd) from 1973 to 14 September 2019. It had never produced anywhere near 12 million bpd at that point and had only briefly (in November 2018) averaged 11 million bpd (11.093 million, to be precise). Little has changed since then. Average Saudi Arabian crude oil production from 1973 to close of business yesterday was 8,278,650 bpd. Despite its often-repeated comments about a maximum sustainable crude oil capacity of 12 million bpd, again it has achieved this figure only once (in April 2020) and the country was unable to sustain it. Crucially as well is that the Energy Information Administration (EIA) defines spare capacity as the volume of production that can be brought on within 30 days and sustained for at least 90 days. In the aftermath of the 14 September 2019 attacks it became clear that the Saudis had side-stepped the official meaning of spare capacity to encompass not just what the EIA defined it as but also to include the utilisation of crude oil supplies held in storage at any given time in the Kingdom. It also included any supplies it could buy in from elsewhere, plus any it could withhold from contracts and re-direct into storage facilities. Consequently, there has been scepticism over Saudi Arabias short- and long-term production projections for Jafurah too. That said, supposing these numbers are correct, would they enable Saudi Arabia to become a significant gas exporter by 2030 as the Kingdom is targeting, and reduce the burning of valuable crude oil into the bargain? EIA data shows the country burned well over 500,000 barrels per day of crude oil in the second half of last year. The plan is that production from Jafurah will reach 2 billion Scfd of gas by 2030. All other factors remaining equal, one billion cubic feet of gas equals 0.167 million barrels of oil equivalent, so 2 bcf/d equals 0.3340 million barrels of oil equivalent, or 334,000 barrels. Therefore, the total projected new amount of gas to come from Jafurah by 2030 is around 334,000 barrels per day, which is not even enough to cover the current amount of oil more than 500,000 bpd - being burned for power generation in Saudi Arabia, never mind any increase in demand between now and 2030. By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Europe is considering taking a more active role in Ukraine's security, including increased weapons supplies and a possible armed force, due to uncertainty in US policy. The US and Ukraine had a tense meeting regarding a mineral resources deal, and US military aid to Ukraine was paused, creating uncertainty about continued support. In Ukrainian and Russian, the term for rollercoaster is "American hills." That's an apt description of the whiplash diplomacy this past week over Russia's war against Ukraine, particularly when it comes to the rocky relations between Washington and Kyiv. A White House meeting that was supposed to produce a US-Ukraine mineral-resources deal cast by US President Donald Trump as a key step toward ending the war went badly awry: No deal was signed, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy left early after a bitter clash in the Oval Office. Trump said he could "come back when he is ready for peace." That was on February 28. Three days later, senior US officials told the media that Trump was pausing US military aid to Ukraine, creating more uncertainty over whether it can hold out in the fourth year of Moscow's full-scale invasion and adding urgency to European efforts to step up and fill the gaps -- not just for Ukraine's security but for its own. One day after that, on March 4, avoiding any fresh criticism of Kyiv in a speech to Congress, Trump said Zelenskyy had informed him in a letter that he is ready for talks with Russia to end the war and is prepared to sign the minerals deal "at any time." Amid the whirlwind, here's what to watch: Will The Minerals Deal Be Signed? What Trump said in his March 4 speech suggests Kyiv and Washington could soon sign a deal on the joint development of Ukraine's rare minerals and other resources. That would be a strong sign that ties are back on track after the Oval Office disaster. What Trump didn't say is also telling: He did not double down on his criticism of Zelenskyy by saying the Ukrainian president doesn't want peace or questioning his legitimacy by demanding Ukraine hold elections soon. For the time being, at least, this indicates the United States will treat Zelenskyy as important to any potential cease-fire or peace deal with Russia. Will The Military Aid Pause Last Long? Another thing Trump didn't say, however, was that he would end the pause on the delivery of weapons and other military aid to Ukraine. US officials said the suspension would end when Kyiv demonstrated a good-faith commitment to peace, and Trump's national-security adviser, Mike Waltz, made clear on March 5 that it remained in place. Trump will "take a hard look at lifting this pause" when peace talks are arranged and confidence-building measures are "on the table," he said. That leaves the pressure on Ukraine to move toward negotiations on ending the fighting despite a lack of US security guarantees beyond the minerals deal, which US officials say would help protect Ukraine by giving the United States a strong interest in the country's stability. How Deep Will The US-Russia Thaw Go? Trump made big waves when he upended US policy by phoning Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 12 and sending senior officials to Saudi Arabia to meet with their Russian counterparts for talks on ending the war in Ukraine, reviving relations long marked by US efforts to isolate the Kremlin and punish it for the unprovoked war on Ukraine. This caused concern that Kyiv and Europe could be sidelined and presented with a peace deal that would leave Ukraine vulnerable to further Russian aggression and undermine security across the Continent. How US-Russia interactions develop in the coming weeks could be crucial to the future of Ukraine, Europe, and the West. Will Europe Step Up? Trump's overtures to Russia, rocky US-Ukraine relations, uncertainty over American aid for Kyiv, and a new chill in transatlantic ties have fueled urgent calls for Europe to do more when it comes to security for Ukraine and for itself, including discussions of increased weapons supplies for Kyiv and an armed force that could be deployed in Ukraine in the event of a cease-fire or peace deal. Whether that talk can be translated into action, and how fast, could have a powerful influence over Ukraine's fate and the future of Europe. So, too, however, could Europe's ability to keep the United States involved -- as a backstop for boots on the ground in Ukraine, for example. What About Russia? For the past couple of weeks, the intense diplomacy surrounding the war in Ukraine has focused on the United States, Ukraine, and Europe. But while the overall goal is an end to the biggest war in Europe since 1945, the country that is responsible for the war and could end it almost instantaneously if it wished -- Russia -- has seemed to be outside the frame at times. Talk of an armed force to be deployed following a cease-fire, for example, has proceeded despite Moscow's clear opposition to a NATO force, at least, and despite the Kremlin's assertion that it wants a comprehensive peace deal -- one that might hand Russia influence over Ukraine and a stronger role in European security -- and has no interest in a limited truce. Russia has also said that any peace deal must recognize its claim to four mainland Ukrainian regions in their entirety, including parts that Ukraine still controls, a position that is unacceptable to Kyiv. Some analysts say Russia has a history of staking out maximalist claims as a negotiating tactic so it can then climb down to positions that still suit its aims. Others say that, at least for now, Putin believes he can achieve overarching goals such as the subjugation of Ukraine and would use any cease-fire to build up its forces for an eventual new assault. The US administration has said both Ukraine and Russia will have to make concessions for the sake of peace, but it has said little about what those might be in Russia's case. As Trump's push for peace persists, what US and Russian officials say about the shape of an agreement that would end the fighting is also something to watch. By RFE/RL More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Iran said it will not enter negotiations with the United States over its disputed nuclear program under what it said is pressure and intimidation from Washington. The stance comes as US President Donald Trump increases pressure on Tehran by ending a sanctions waiver that had allowed Iraq to buy electricity from its neighbor. "We will NOT negotiate under pressure and intimidation. We will NOT even consider it, no matter what the subject may be," Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on X on March 10. Araqchis comments came a day after Iran's mission to the United Nations struck a more conciliatory tone, saying Tehran could be open to talks aimed at addressing concerns about the potential militarization of its nuclear program. "If the objective of negotiations is to address concerns vis-a-vis any potential militarization of Iran's nuclear program, such discussions may be subject to consideration," said a March 9 statement from the mission. Related: Jeff Currie: The World Has Reached Peak Oil Trade But Araqchi appeared to close the door on such talks, saying Tehran's nuclear program is peaceful and there was "no such thing as its 'potential militarization.'" During his first term in office, Trump withdrew the United States from a 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and world powers and reimposed sanctions that had been lifted under its terms. Trump said the terms of that deal were not strong enough to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. 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 Tehran's oil exports to "zero." Experts say the United States is unlikely to be able to stop Iran's oil sales entirely, but will be able to substantially reduce it. The US State Department said on March 9 that the decision not to renew Iraq's sanctions waiver was made to "ensure we do not allow Iran any degree of economic or financial relief." Iran supplies one-third of Iraq's gas and electricity, providing Tehran with significant revenue. The White House on March 9 warned Tehran that it will deal with its nuclear program either through military means or by reaching a deal, remarks that came hours after Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected a US proposal for negotiations between the two bitter rivals. "We hope the Iran Regime puts its people and best interests ahead of terror," White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said in a statement on March 9. In an interview with Fox Business recorded on March 6, Trump said, "There are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal" to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Khamenei, speaking on March 8 to a group of Iranian officials, said the US offer of talks are not aimed at solving problems but to "impose" their demands on Tehran. By RF/ERL More Top Reads From Oilprice.com U.S. oil and gas producers are likely to boost output primarily from improved efficiencies rather than new drilling and higher spending, Baker Hughes (NYSE:BKR) chief executive Lorenzo Simonelli told Reuters on Monday. Simonellis sentiments mirror those of Exxon Mobils (NYSE:XOM) Upstream President Liam Mallon who recently dismissed the notion that U.S. producers will dramatically increase output under a second Trump term. I think a radical change is unlikely because the vast majority, if not everybody, is primarily focused on the economics of what theyre doing, Mallon said last week at a conference in London. With oil prices falling in the current year, profits are likely to shrink, further limiting Big Oils spending power. Two years ago, the Biden administration urged U.S. companies to increase production in a bid to bring down fuel prices. Back then, oil prices were hovering around $100 per barrel and oil companies were raking in record profits. However, last year witnessed a sharp slowdown in non-OPEC+ supply growth from 2.46 mb/d in 2023 to 0.79 mb/d in 2024, primarily caused by a reduction in U.S. total liquids growth from 1.605 mb/d in 2023 to 734 kb/d in 2024, with low oil prices disincentivizing more drilling. StanChart expects this trend to continue, with U.S. liquids growth expected to clock in at just 367 kb/d in 2025 before slowing down further to 151 kb/d in 2026. Over the past five years, oil and gas companies have been returning a big chunk of their profits to shareholders in the form of dividends and share buybacks. With oil prices declining over the past two years, these companies have resorted to borrowing more to keep their shareholders happy. Indeed, Bloomberg reported in late October that four of the worlds five oil supermajors borrowed heavily to fund share buybacks. According to a Bloomberg analysis, ExxonMobil, Chevron (NYSE:CVX), TotalEnergies (NYSE:TTE), and BP (NYSE:BP) wouldnt have enough cash on hand to cover the dividends and share buybacks their investors are demanding, let alone increase their capital expenditure to drill more. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com BP boss Murray Auchincloss has defended the companys move to increase fossil fuel production and ditch its renewable energy commitments. Auchincloss is under mounting pressure from BP investors, who are frustrated at the oil majors underperforming share price. The executive unveiled plans for a fundamental reset two weeks ago, which included ditching a series of green energy targets set out five years ago. Writing in the Times, he said unravelling the pledges had been well received by investors. From the many conversations I have been having, our new direction is resonating with shareholders Most of the questions to me are about how quickly we can deliver, he said. BPs reset will see oil and gas production increase to between 2.3m and 2.5m barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2030. It will also raise spending by around 20 per cent to $10bn (7.8bn) per year. The change marks a major U-turn from a prior target of reducing output by around a quarter, from 2019 to 2m barrels per day. Our optimism in 2020 for a fast energy transition was misplaced and we went too far, too fast in our plans, Auchincloss wrote on Monday. Shares in BP are down around 11 per cent over the last year and have underperformed by comparison to rivals Shell and ExxonMobil. The pressure on Auchincloss, 54, who replaced disgraced former boss Bernard Looney in 2020, has been intense. Notorious stakeholder Elliot Investment Management, the New York-based hedge fund led by Paul Singer, owns a near five per cent stake in BP and has pushed fiercely for it to scrap renewable energy projects. By City AM More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Vietnam risk losing $13 billion in renewable energy investment if the government proceeds with plans to retroactively slash feed-in-tariffs for wind and solar projects, a group of investors have warned in a letter seen by Reuters. Vietnam has seen a boom in solar PV and wind power installations in recent years, becoming a leader in Southeast Asia, also thanks to the generous feed-in-tariffs for renewable energy projects. However, the Communist-ruled country now considers to retroactively reduce these tariffs, which would affect even projects that are already producing electricity. The generous feed-in-tariffs have dented the finances of state-owned power utility EVN, which is the only buyer of the electricity generated in Vietnam. This, in turn, has raised power prices in the country. The retroactive review of the criteria for accessing the feed-in tariffs would damage Vietnams investment case for renewables, according to the letter signed by more than two dozen foreign and Vietnamese investors, including Adani Green Energy, private equity fund Dragon Capital, and investors from China, Singapore, Thailand, and the Netherlands. Such a move could result in equity write-offs of nearly 100% for the affected projects, jeopardizing approximately over US$13 billion in investment, the investors wrote in the letter seen by Reuters. Vietnam currently generates about 42% of its electricity from clean sources, above the global average of 39%, clean energy think tank Ember says. The country leads Southeast Asia in share of low-carbon generation, which comes primarily from hydropower, with a 29% share. Between 2015 and 2023, solar and wind jumped tenfold to 13% of electricity generation, on a par with the global average and exceeding peers like Thailand (4.7%) and the Philippines (3.2%), according to Ember. Vietnam, however, is ramping up coal generation as electricity demand more than doubled over the past decade, Ember says. In recent years, soaring industrial activity and economic growth well above the global average have made Vietnam a power-hungry, predominantly manufacturing economy. The country has become a solar power leader among the countries in Southeast Asia, but it continues to rely on thermal coal for industry and is one of the few countries worldwide building new coal-fired power capacity. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Kazakhstan will reduce the flow oil crude via the Caspian Pipeline Consortium by as much as 70% this month, a senior government official told local media. To date, there have been no reductions in oil transportation through the CPC infrastructure from Kazakhstan. The lion's share of Kazakhstan's oil exports goes through this pipeline. However, in March, oil supplies through CPC will be reduced by 70 percent from our volume, Deputy Energy Minister Alibek Zhamauov said, as quoted by news outlet Trend. The official also said that Kazakhstan was planning to produce 1.5 million barrels daily this month, in line with its OPEC+ quota. That would be quite a reduction from the February average, which stood at a record high of 2.12 million barrels daily, up by 13% from January. The figure includes gas condensate output. Excluding that, Kazakhstans crude output stood at 1.83 million barrels daily. Last month, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium became the target of a Ukrainian attack that led to ab abrupt decline in the flow of Kazakh oil for a while. The Tengiz-Novorossiysk pipeline, which stretches over 1,511 km, or 939 miles, transports over two-thirds of all Kazakh export oil, and crude from Russian oil fields. In terms of production and quotas, Kazakhstan has turned into one of the biggest laggards in OPEC+, consistently overproducing, along with Iraq and Russia. Last year, all three submitted compensation plans to make up for the excess production over the period until September 2025. It seems Kazakhstan has been slow to implement the compensation if the February production numbers are any indication. The Central Asian country has some 620,000 barrels daily in excess production. For Russia, the number is 480,000 barrels daily, and for Iraq, the top quota laggard, the output to be slashed is close to 1.2 million barrels daily. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Russian soldiers used a natural gas pipeline to launch an attack on Ukrainian forces in the Russian region of Kursk and push them out of three more local settlements, media have reported. Citing a Russian war blogger, publications reported that the soldiers walked some 10 miles inside the pipeline to reach their destination. According to Euronews, which cited Ukrainian government sources, some of the soldiers spent several days in the pipeline before reaching the town of Sudzha where the attack took place. The pipeline was previously used to carry Russian natural gas to Europe. The Ukrainian sources cited by the publication said the Russians were losing in Kursk. Reuters, meanwhile, said the Russians have recaptured three local towns, Malaya Lokhnya, Cherkasskoye Porechnoye and Kositsa, all north of Sudzha, citing a Defense Ministry statement saying that The Russian Federation's armed forces are continuing to rout groups of the Ukrainian army on the territory of Kursk region. The Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod pipeline was until the end of last year used to transport Russian gas to Europe via the Ukraine. At the end of 2024, however, the Zelensky government refused to extend its contract with Gazprom despite some European leaders protests, and ended the last flow of Russian pipeline gas to Europe. Imports of Russian liquefied natural gas, meanwhile, hit a record high last year, despite a stated efforts by European leaders to reduce and eventually end the dependence of the continent on Russian energy commodities. The year saw imports of 16.5 million tons of Russian LNG, the Financial Times reported in December, citing data from Kpler. The amount beat the previous record of 15.21 million tons, set in 2022. What we have seen this year is surprising, Ana Maria Jaller-Makarewicz, an analyst at climate outlet the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis told the FT. Instead of gradually reducing Russian LNG imports, we are increasing them. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a bid by Republican-led states to block lawsuits brought by Democratic-led states seeking to hold oil and gas companies accountable for climate change. The court's decision to stay out of the dispute allows California, Connecticut, Minnesota, New Jersey and Rhode Island to pursue lawsuits filed against the energy industry in their respective state courts. The states claim that oil and gas companies engaged in deceptive marketing by misrepresenting the dangers of their products. Alabama and 18 other red states went to the Supreme Court and urged it to exercise its original jurisdiction over disputes between states, and also asked the high court to block the civil suits filed by the blue states. "If defendant states are right about the substance and reach of state law, their actions imperil access to affordable energy everywhere and inculpate every state and indeed every person on the planet," the red states wrote. "Consequently, defendant states threaten not only our system of federalism and equal sovereignty among States, but our basic way of life." U.S. President Donald Trump has gutted federal climate efforts and given a major boost to the fossil fuel industry. He has abandoned efforts to reduce global warming at a time when scientists are increasingly warning that the phenomenon is driven largely by the burning of fossil fuels. On Inauguration Day, Trump withdrew the United States from the Paris climate agreement for the second time, with the U.S. the only nation to withdraw from the climate pact. Ironically, climate change is making it costlier for oil and gas companies to operate. Indeed, climate-related?supply threats have already begun to manifest in the oil and gas industry, with more than 600 billion barrels equivalent of the worlds commercially recoverable oil and gas reserves, or 40% of total reserves, facing high or extreme risks. According to UK-based global risk and strategic consulting firm Verisk Maplecroft, the risk of climate-related events disrupting the flow of oil to global markets is highest in Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Nigeria. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The United States will seek a commitment from Ukraine to a ceasefire process when top officials meet in Saudi Arabia this week to discuss possible pathways to end the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be meeting U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia after days of intense negotiations following the public shouting match between the U.S. and Ukrainian Presidents at the White House meeting at the end of February. Since the very public spat, the U.S. has suspended all military aid to the Ukrainian government, with the move aimed to prompt a demonstration of good faith from the Ukrainian side. The suspension of military aid and the suspended sharing of intelligence by the U.S. were tools to persuade Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to agree to a form of ceasefire that would lead to negotiations to end the Russian invasion, according to Bloomberg. U.S. President Donald Trump has sought to link a U.S.-Ukraine deal on the Ukrainian mineral resources to Ukraine committing to a quick truce, sources with knowledge of the matter told Bloomberg last week. Zelenskyy, for his part, asked EU leaders last week to support his idea for a ceasefire in air and sea strikes. This can be proved by two forms of silence that are easy to establish and monitor, namely, no attacks on energy and other civilian infrastructure truce for missiles, bombs, and long-range drones, and the second is truce on the water, meaning no military operations in the Black Sea, the Ukrainian president said in Brussels last week. Such a partial truce would be a chance to see whether Russia is prepared to end the invasion, the Ukrainian president said. Trump administration officials are traveling to the summit in Saudi Arabia with the feeling that Ukraine is ready to move forward with the U.S. demand for a ceasefire process with Russia, a senior U.S. state department official told the BBC on Monday. The fact that they're coming here at senior levels is a good indication to us that they want to sit down and they're ready to move forward, the official said. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com LINCOLN The Nebraska Legislature is set to debate two measures to restore a winner-take-all model for the states future presidential elections, but the future of the measures remains bleak. The Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee secured just enough votes Monday to advance Legislative Bill 3 and Legislative Resolution 24CA to floor debate, with all five Republican members voting for each measure out of the eight-member committee. Each measure must now survive three rounds of floor debate to pass. LB 3, from State Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City, would immediately reinstate winner-take-all as the system Nebraska uses to award all five of its electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the states popular vote. LR 24CA, from Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams, would do the same thing, but only if voters also approve the change in the 2026 general election. Both proposals were panned during their joint public hearing in January, where more than 60 testifiers spoke out against the measures, compared with just nine people who testified in support of LB 3. The proposals have been stuck in committee since then. Chair Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue had said she didnt want to move on them until she had assurance that either measure had the votes necessary to pass the Legislature. Sanders said things changed when Lippincott made LB 3 his priority bill for the 2025 session, upping the pressure sent to the committee. Gov. Jim Pillen released an email reiterating his support for LB 3 after Lippincott prioritized it, claiming winner-take-all was President Donald Trumps number one priority for Nebraska. This debate, I think, belongs on the floor, Sanders said. Nebraska is currently one of two states that allocate some of their Electoral College votes by congressional district, which has meant three Democratic presidential candidates have won a single Nebraska Electoral College vote in recent years. Debate over winner-take-all grew in prominence late in the 2024 legislative session, after Pillen released a statement supporting a previous Lippincott bill, past the point when it had a serious chance of passing. National and local Republicans pressured Pillen to call a special session on the issue, but he held off when it became apparent that Republicans didnt have enough support in the Legislature to pass it. LB 3 was introduced this year with Pillens backing and renewed optimism from supporters that a new batch of senators would help the proposal pass this year. Committee member Sen. Bob Andersen of Omaha said he supports winner-take-all because it would align Nebraska with 48 other states, and would rectify a failed experiment, referencing Nebraskas switch to its district model in 1992. Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha, a committee member who voted against both measures, said he didnt believe a change to winner-take-all was necessary, noting the large opposition the committee saw at the hearing. He said he anticipates a floor fight when the measures come up for debate. In order to pass the Legislature, LB 3 likely needs the support from all 33 Republicans in the body, as 33 votes is the threshold to overcome an expected filibuster. But at least one Republican, Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston, said after the committees vote that he told the governor and Lippincott that he was a no on both proposals. I dont like surprises, Riepe said. And I dont want to give surprises. The district Riepe represents has an even mix of registered Republicans and Democrats, and he noted the area voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, giving him the sense that his constituents wouldnt support a switch to a winner-take-all model. Riepe supported Lippincotts bill in 2024, but now that the presidential election year has ended, he said its not the right time to debate the issue, and would prefer the Legislature revisit the issue in 2028. He expressed doubt that the issue is of such importance to Trump, noting that it will not impact him because he cannot run for another term. Though his office has been under pressure from winner-take-all supporters, Riepe said nothing hes heard has changed his mind. He said hes heard a lot of support for the district model as well, and believes Nebraskans enjoy the way it makes the state unique. Another potential holdout is Sen. Dave Wordekemper of Fremont. He serves on the committee and voted to advance both measures in order to allow the full Legislature to debate it, but he said Monday that it doesnt mean he will support either on the floor. Wordekemper said he doesnt necessarily agree with LB 3, and agreed with arguments Cavanaugh made in favor of the district model. He said he favored LR 24CA between the two proposals, as that would at least give voters a direct say in the change. Dorn said he wanted to bring the constitutional amendment in case LB 3 didnt have enough support to pass, but he intends to support the bill on the floor. Correction: An earlier version of this report misnamed the Nebraska legislative chamber. By Samantha Bayer Oregon Property Owners Association, The OPOA Legal Center, alongside Harney County, Grant County, and a coalition of concerned property owners, filed a lawsuit against the Oregon Department of Forestry and the State Forester. The lawsuit, filed in Harney County Circuit Court, seeks a range of remedies, including a judicial order to set aside the Wildfire Hazard Map and invalidate all of the Orders sent to property owners so far. The lawsuit raises several arguments challenging the validity of the Hazard Map. Chief among them is that the State Forester failed to follow proper procedures when assigning wildfire hazard or wildland urban interface designations to each Oregon tax lot, thus depriving property owners of proper notice and prejudicing their constitutional rights and ability to challenge their designation. On January 7, 2025, ODF distributed information packets (Notices) to owners of properties classified as High Hazard and in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI). However, these Notices were legally deficient: they were not signed by the State Forester or her designee and omitted essential details regarding the consequences of the classification decisions such as the requirement that property owners must disclose that their property is in the WUI if they sell their property. Owners of properties that are not both High Hazard and in the WUI were deprived of Notice all together. Instead, the Department of Forestry relied exclusively on publishing the Wildfire Map on the Oregon Explorer Map Viewer website, a method we argue falls far short of individualized notice and is a breach of procedural requirements under Oregon law. T. Beau Ellis, the lead trial attorney assisting us on the matter has this to say: The failure to provide proper notice to property owners is not a trivial administrative error it strips Oregonians of the right to know and to appeal decisions that significantly impact their livelihoods. ODFs approach leaves countless property owners in the dark, denying them the fair process they are guaranteed under both state law and the Constitution. We want to be crystal clear our goal in filing this lawsuit is not to undermine efforts to address wildfires, but to ensure that these efforts are conducted in a manner that respects the rights of those most affected. Oregon needs a strong program thats accepted by the public this Map has made that impossible. Moreover, this lawsuit underscores an urgent demand: state officials must follow established legal protocols and provide every property owner with a clear path to contest decisions that directly impact their lives. In an era where activist groups are already proposing regulations that could prevent Oregonians from building or rebuilding in designated hazard areas, transparency and accountability are not optionalthey are essential. Above all, this lawsuit seeks to defend the property rights of those who are scared, confused, and unsure of what this map means for them. Since the rollout of the map, hundreds of property owners have asked for our assistance. There are hundreds more who have no idea that this Map legally affects them, or do not have the technical capabilities to utilize the Map. On behalf of the OPOA Legal Center, we want it to be known loud and clear: We stand with the hundreds of rural families and property owners across Oregon who have called our office asking for help. This is our way of demanding that your voices are heard and your rights are protected. We would like to thank and commend the property owners, as well as Harney County and Grant County for stepping up for their neighbors and constituents in this fight. Without this effort, too many Oregonians are left in the dark about what this Map means. << to see lawsuit, follow link to bottom of the article linked>>> SENATOR GOLDEN ANNOUNCES DESIRE TO REPEAL FIRE MAP By Undo762 Press Release, WHITE CITY, Or., (March 9th 2025) Saturday, March 8, Sen. Jeff Golden announced his desire to repeal the fire map associated with SB 762, the Bill which he co-sponsored. Almost 200 landowners were in attendance at the White Mountain Middle School in White City Oregon to hear Goldens opening statement, Best I can tell from my conversations, there is a very strong consensus on both parties to withdraw the map. Attendees erupted into cheers and thunderous applause. Sen. Noah Robinson and Rep. Emily McIntire spoke first, followed by Sen. Golden who made a surprise appearance. Retired Land Use Consultant Bob Hart and Data Scientist Jeremy Kauwe made their presentations afterward. Quoting a report from KDRVs Samantha Kadera, Golden stated People are being asked to trust a map that doesnt consider whats on their property. Its insulting their intelligence Both parties agreethis map needs to be withdrawn. In his closing remarks, Sen. Golden reiterated the desire of a repeal, stating I am in full favor of repealing the map and included the portions of the law pertaining to the map, but not a full repeal of 762. He also mentioned that other fellow Democrats are considering the same. Continuous public pressure opposing the Wildfire Hazard Map has been placed on the Oregon Legislature. Saturday marks the first time that Sen. Golden had opportunity to attend one of the many well mannered gatherings that displayed factual information pertaining to the technical inaccuracy of the map and contradictions with current law ensconced in SB762. Continuing education on the topics can be attained at undo762.org Senate Bill 916 would provide unemployment benefits to striking workers By Taxpayers Association of Oregon OregonWatchdog.com There is a a rising trend of diverse organizations opposing Sb 916 which would pay workers who strike unemployment benefits. Some of the anti-SB 916 groups are; League of Oregon Cities and Counties, Association of Oregon Counties, Associated General Contractors, Hospital Association of Oregon, Oregon School Board Association, Marion County Commissioners. The Oregonian Editorial Board has editorialized against it saying, Strikes cost employers a premium in pay for temporary workers and often erode public support. At times, employers may also end up having to provide back pay for the striking workers. There are existing processes to resolve impasses or accusations of unfair practices. These factors all help both sides negotiate in good faith. The bill, however, would upend that dynamic and put all the power in employees hands, regardless of whether an employer can meet their demands. Just consider the 2023 Portland Public Schools teachers strike in which the union was asking for concessions far beyond anything the district could afford. Oregon Business and Industry noted, SB 916 would provide an incentive for workers to increase the length of strikes, ramping up economic pain on the very employers who pay all unemployment taxes. Taxpayers Association of Oregon said, strikers would be paid to strike. Since Oregon has witnessed a steady stream of new strikes lately, are soon going to see non-stop striking if workers get paid to not work? Was this helpful? If so, Contribute online at OregonWatchdog.com (learn about a Charitable Tax Deduction or Political Tax Credit options to promote liberty). BLOOMINGTON As Ramadan continues throughout the month of March, the Muslim community in Bloomington-Normal and McLean County is celebrating in a new faith center. "Worshiping is not confined to the four walls of a mosque or a synagogue or a church, it's much more than that," said Sa'ad Palwala, imam of the Islamic Center of McLean County. "It's how we are dealing with others, and how much are we investing in our community and helping people, and that hopefully is what our next phase would be." Islamic Center of McLean County opened its new place of worship in February at 421 Olympia Drive in Bloomington, after nine months of construction and having raised $2.3 million. The masjid, otherwise known as a place of worship, is aptly named Masjid Ibrahim, which is the Arabic name of the prophet Abraham who is revered not only in Islam but also in Judaism and Christianity and unites all three religions through his patriarchy. The center was built by Blunier Builder Inc., of Washington, and features multiple spaces for prayer for men, women and families, said Sheheryar Muftee, president of the Islamic Center board of directors. The structure is solely made from brick and features a dome just at the top as the sign of God, Muftee said. The 8,000-square-foot multipurpose hall that was previously used as the main center is still attached and accessibly for visitors when they need additional space. Muftee, who has lived in the area for 20 years, said it has been a long journey. Center leaders initially had a goal of starting the process of building the new center in 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the process over the last few years. "That's why I'm happy because in about six years we were able to do it," Muftee said. "We were trying to do it in only two years, but once we started, it was up in nine months." In 2014, the Islamic Center of Bloomington-Normal and Masjid Ibrahim combined to form the ICMC. Two years later, the center found it did not have enough room to accommodate all the Muslim families in McLean County who were looking to celebrate Islam and receive religious schooling. At that time, the center's leader spent $320,000 to purchase six acres of land for a new space near Olympia Drive and Wicker Road. The multipurpose hall was built after the center raised $750,000. The community has been steadily growing with people moving to Bloomington-Normal to work at companies like State Farm, Rivian Automotive and local health care facilities or even build their own businesses, making the new center even more important to the community, Palwala said. About 250 families and some 2,000 individuals take part in their prayer services and events, Muftee said. They also use the space as a safe haven to socialize and gather with other individuals from the community and other religious faiths. This new building will add onto that mission uniting the community, building bridges and inviting people from different backgrounds rather than building walls between each other, Palwala said. "For our community, it is not just a place of worship, but it's much more than that," he added. Jamal Mohemed, of Bloomington, said members have been dreaming of a building like this in Central Illinois for years, and now they have the opportunity to help the community more through other services. "To build something like this out in the cornfields, it's something extraordinary, and for us to see it, the dream has come true," Mohemed said. "Food is a priority, and we are especially thinking of ways we can support the community in bigger ways." Mohammed Zaman, of Bloomington, said what they are envisioning is not for their generation, but for future generations, especially the children, who deserve a place where they can develop socially and spiritually. Zaman added that the center is more than just a place for other Muslims to congregate and pray, but a place for all community members to visit and to hopefully learn from each other and their experiences. Although it is still too early to know when, Palwala said the next phase will be to create a school and then a food pantry on the remaining land to continue their commitment to the community. "In Islam, the Prophet peace be upon him was told the importance of neighbors to such an extent that they thought they will be from their inheritors because they're so close to us, but yet we lack that," Palwala said. "I think from the Christian brothers and sisters or from anybody who wants to know about Islam, just come and knock on our door and ask a question." "And I would like to say one saying of our great predecessor, he said, 'A shy and a proud student can never learn.' So come forward and ask a question," Palwala added. To learn more about the Islamic Center of McLean County, visit icmclean.org. BLOOMINGTON The fatal shooting of a 15-year-old boy by police last month prompted almost 70 people to march Sunday in downtown Bloomington to call for transparency and justice in the case. The boy, identified as Cole L.M. Turner of Normal by the McLean County Coroner's Office, died in an incident Feb. 25 in 700 block of Fairmount Drive. We want everything going on around this case to be released, said protest organizer Oriah Matich, a 16-year-old sophomore at Normal Community High School. We want every bit of it to be public knowledge. The Bloomington Police Department has said officers were dispatched about 4:45 p.m. Feb. 25 to respond to a report of an armed subject. Police have said, as the call progressed, their officers fired their weapons and hit Turner. Few details of the incident have been released, and authorities have not filed charges or issued a use-of-force determination. Illinois State Police is investigating because the shooting involved police officers. Protesters, however, decried Turners death as a murder. Attendees chanted for justice for Turner and held signs that said Release the footage, Release the (officers') names, and Keep hands off our kids. Several speakers highlighted the boys age in their comments, with some noting they fear or distrust police officers. Turners mother was present at the protest but declined to comment to The Pantagraph. Melaney Arnold, public information officer for Illinois State Police, said Monday this case remained under investigation. Upon completion, she said state police will submit the case to the McLean County State's Attorney's Office for review. "The video will be released in consultation with the McLean County State's Attorney's Office," Arnold said. Bloomington police officials did not respond to requests for comment. Taking a stand Matich said the demonstration was planned by Punks Against Tyranny, which Matich described as a new grassroots organization dedicated to mutual aid. The sophomore said she was acquainted with Turner and was devastated to learn of his death. I was dumbstruck. I didnt know what to do, said Matich, noting her first thought was to organize protest action. The protesters gathered on the south side of the McLean County Museum of History in downtown Bloomington. They marched about three blocks east on Washington Street to Prairie Street, reversed back a block, turning south at East Street and continued about three blocks to the citys police station south of City Hall at East and Olive streets. In addressing protesters at the Bloomington Police Department headquarters, Matich said they want officers' names to be released along with all internal communications regarding the shooting. Before the march stepped off, Jazzi Edwards said there are too many kids losing their lives. This should have not happened, and its not OK, Edwards said. Edwards, who said she is a good friend of Turners family, suggested to parents to check your kids backpack, look in their phones and see who they (are texting). We have got to take a stand, she continued. Young people, we dont judge you; weve been there. Weve been your age, but at the same time, be mindful. If young people feel something isn't right, they should get out of Dodge and call someone for help, Edwards said. Ervina Daniels, who said she is Turners aunt, recalled him showing up to barbecue meals and bringing good energy. She also said he was respectful and never acted badly. Daniels also questioned whether officers ever saw Turner with a gun, and if he was armed, whether he pointed a gun at someone. Speakers continued for nearly an hour outside of the BPD facility. No department officers came outside to address protesters. Jonathan Molina recalled meeting Turner in eighth grade lunch hour. He said another student had been badmouthing him when Turner came to encourage and befriend him. Just keep your head up. Dont let these people talk crap about you, Molina recalled Turner telling him. Thats the moment we became friends, Molina said. He said he was sad that he lost his friend four days before his 17th birthday. Molina said Turner had sent him an early text wishing him a happy birthday. Several speakers described witnessing what they called an unnecessarily violent encounter between Turner and the officers. That is not OK. That is not necessary. No amount of force for a 15-year-old kid like that is necessary, said Michael Henline, 21, of Bloomington. I got a daughter on the way next month and she gotta roll up in a world like this? What is that for our kids? Delving into the rich tapestry of history and mythology, we uncover the profound significance that the wolf has held in the collective consciousness of humanity. From the fierce warriors of the Norse mythology to the revered spirit guides of Native American traditions, the wolf has been imbued with a myriad of symbolic meanings, each reflecting the unique cultural perspectives and beliefs of the societies that have revered it. The Wolf in Norse Mythology In the pantheon of Norse mythology, the wolf stood as a symbol of strength, willpower, and the unbridled forces of nature. Figures like Fenrir, the monstrous wolf who was destined to one day bring about the downfall of the gods, embodied the duality of the wolf its raw power and the potential for both destruction and protection. The wolf tattoo, within this context, became a representation of the warrior spirit, a testament to the wearer's unwavering resolve and their ability to navigate the treacherous landscapes of life. Advertisement The Wolf in Native American Cultures Across the vast expanse of Native American cultures, the wolf held a revered position as a spiritual guide and a symbol of loyalty, family, and deep communal bonds. The wolf tattoo, in this context, became a conduit for connecting with the natural world, a means of tapping into the wisdom and instinctual knowledge that the wolf represented. The wolf's role as a protector and a leader of the pack was mirrored in the tattoo's symbolism, evoking a sense of belonging, guidance, and the strength to overcome life's challenges. The Wolf in Celtic Mythology In the mystical realm of Celtic mythology, the wolf was often associated with the otherworldly, serving as a guide to the realms beyond the physical plane. The wolf tattoo, in this context, became a representation of the wearer's spiritual journey, a tangible connection to the unseen forces that shape our lives. The wolf's role as a protector and a harbinger of wisdom was reflected in the tattoo's symbolism, evoking a sense of deep reverence and a desire to tap into the primal energies that govern the natural world. " " You won't see this kind of fruit grow on trees! Fruits of the spirit refer to such things as virtue and community. Jose Luis Pelaez Inc / Getty Images Today, we're diving into a concept that has inspired Christians for centuries: the Fruits of the Spirit. These arent apples, oranges, or bananas, but rather the qualities that the Holy Spirit produces in believers, helping them grow in faith and reflect the character of Jesus Christ. The phrase comes from the Apostle Paul's letter to the Galatians, where he describes how Christians should bear fruit in their lives. Advertisement In the same way that time spent nurturing a tree leads to a good thing a harvest time spent with God allows believers to develop love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain In the last decade, high-profile incidents of police violence against Black citizens in the United Statesmost notably the 2020 murder of George Floydhave sparked protests and public debate on misconduct and racial bias in policing. These events received substantial news coverage, becoming highly politicized and leading to a perception that media have become more critical and partisan in their treatment of police. While there is some support for this perception in national news, we know less about local outlets that cover police departments regularly. In a new study, researchers analyzed a decade of local news coverage, finding that local media criticism of the police has not increased significantly or become more politically polarized over the past 10 years. The study found that while local media criticism spiked after high-profile police killings, these events did not produce sustained rises in negative police news. Furthermore, there were only small differences in coverage between news outlets in more conservative and in more liberal cities, undermining the idea that local news outlets cater to the politics of their audiences. The study, by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and the Rochester Institute of Technology, used AI language models and human readers across the political spectrum to measure criticism of the police in 1.3 million news excerpts referencing the police from 10 politically diverse U.S. cities from 2013 to 2023. The study is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "Generally speaking, our study found that local media criticism of the police has remained remarkably steady, which contrasts with common perceptions and trends at the national level," says Logan Crowl, a Ph.D. student in public policy and machine learning at Carnegie Mellon's Heinz College, who coauthored the study. "For many Americans, local news shapes how they see their local police department; when we look at 10 years of that reporting across the country, we see that it is essentially no more critical of the police or politically polarized than it was a decade ago." In the study, researchers first surveyed 500 representative U.S. residents to gauge their views about reporting on police. They found that 54% thought local news reporting had become more critical of the police, while only 19% thought local reporting had become less critical. To test the reality of this perception, researchers constructed a data set of news articles published from 2013 to 2023 by local outlets in 10 U.S. cities; the cities represented an equal number of Republican-leaning (Dallas-Fort Worth, San Diego, Jacksonville, Oklahoma City, and Omaha) and Democratic-leaning (Houston, Denver, Tampa, Nashville, and Pittsburgh) metropolitan areas, and were comparable in population, geographic region, and racial composition. Using Google News and Newsbank, researchers identified relevant news articles published in each of the cities, finding more than 250,000 articles and stories published or aired by about 200 different local outlets, primarily daily newspapers and TV stations. To detect shifts in coverage, researchers had Republicans, Independents, and Democrats read a sample of these police news excerpts and assess whether each piece of text was critical or supportive of police effectiveness or racial bias in policing. Then, researchers trained large language modelsan artificial intelligence method for interpreting textto mimic these human judgments to measure criticism for the full police news data set. "Our study sought to boost understanding of polarization in journalism, including the differences between national and local coverage," explains Daniel Nagin, professor of public policy and statistics at Carnegie Mellon's Heinz College, who coauthored the study. "The results suggest that local media coverage of the police has not succumbed to the partisanship that objective reporting aims to avoid." More information: Logan Crowl et al, Measuring criticism of the police in the local news media using large language models, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2025). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2418821122 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The team introduced an innovative approach that integrates synchrotron resonant soft X-ray diffraction (as pictured), a powerful tool for studying atomic structure and molecular adsorption methods to reveal the interactions of molecules at the active sites of aluminium atoms. Credit: Hong Kong Polytechnic University Zeolites, crystalline materials widely used in the petrochemical industry, serve as pivotal catalysts in the production of fine chemicals, with aluminum being the source of active sites within zeolite structures. A research team from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has revealed the precise location of aluminum atoms in the zeolite framework. This discovery could facilitate the design of more efficient and stable catalysts, aimed at increasing the yield of petrochemical products, achieving efficient renewable energy storage, and controlling air pollution. This advancement will further promote the application of zeolites in relevant fields. The findings have been published in Science. The research is led by Prof. Shik Chi Edman Tsang, Chair Professor of Catalysis and Materials of the PolyU Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology. He is joined by Prof. Tsz Woon Benedict Lo, Associate Professor, along with first author Dr. Guangchao Li, Research Assistant Professor, both from the same department. The team collaborated with researchers from the University of Oxford and the Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The unique properties of zeolites, characterized by their well-defined microporous structure, high surface area, and tunable acidity and basicity, make them indispensable in petrochemical refining, environmental catalysis and fine chemical synthesis. The distribution of substitutional aluminum atoms within the zeolite framework influences the geometry of molecular adsorbates, catalytic activity, and shape and size selectivity. However, accurately locating these aluminum atoms and understanding their impact on the catalytic behavior of zeolites has posed challenges for the scientific community for decades. In their research, the team focused on both lab-synthesized and commercial H-ZSM-5 zeolites to bridge the gap between fundamental research and practical application, optimizing H-ZSM-5 for advanced catalytic processes. Notably, the team introduced an innovative approach that integrates synchrotron resonant soft X-ray diffractiona powerful tool for studying atomic structurewith probe-assisted solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (SSNMR) and molecular adsorption methods. This integration revealed the interactions of molecules at the active sites of aluminum atoms. Ultimately, the team has achieved a breakthrough in locating single and pairs of aluminum atoms in a commercial H-ZSM-5 zeolite. The research findings will facilitate the development of more efficient and selective catalysts, which have wide-reaching implications beyond petrochemicals, offering potential benefits for industries such as renewable energy and pollution control. Reducing energy consumption can, in turn, promote sustainability and minimize environmental impact. For petrochemical refining, these catalysts can improve fuel yield and quality, particularly for products like gasoline and olefins, simultaneously lowering energy usage. In the realm of environmental catalysis, they contribute to cleaner air and mitigating air pollution. For renewable energy and biofuels, these innovations advance hydrogen storage and utilization processes, which are crucial for the development of a hydrogen economy. 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. Prof. Edman Tsang said, "This discovery is a game-changer as it precisely identifies the location of aluminum atoms in the zeolite framework and how they are positioned, providing for the first time a structural elucidation of zeolite frameworks. This breakthrough allows scientists to design more efficient and targeted zeolite catalysts, making the chemical process faster, more energy-efficient and more environmentally friendly." Prof. Benedict Lo said, "We explored and combined various techniques to achieve a multidimensional view of the distribution of aluminum atoms and their interaction with adsorbed molecules, leading to insights into crucial reaction mechanisms. This provides scientists with a deeper understanding of the structure of zeolites." Dr. Guangchao Li said, "We will develop further novel synthesis methods to precisely control the distribution and concentration of aluminum atoms, as well as their pore architectures in zeolites. This advancement will enable the design of catalysts with optimized activity, selectivity and stability for specific industrial applications." Looking ahead, the team will work closely with industry partners to translate research outcomes into commercial applications. By leveraging the extensive networks and research strengths of the PolyU-Daya Bay Technology and Innovation Research Institute, which focuses on green chemistry and sustainable catalysis, the team will collaborate with domestic petrochemical companies to promote translational research and accelerate the commercialization of advanced zeolite catalysts. This effort is bolstered by state-of-the-art PolyU facilities, including the only SSNMR facility in Hong Kong and the soon-to-be-introduced first Dynamic Nuclear Polarization SSNMR (DNP-SSNMR) spectrometer in the Greater Bay Area and southern China. These resources strengthen the team's research capabilities and facilitate the advancement of their research efforts. More information: Guangchao Li et al, Atomic locations and adsorbate interactions of Al single and pair sites in H-ZSM-5 zeolite, Science (2025). DOI: 10.1126/science.adq6644 Journal information: Science This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Molecular emission lines from mysterious icy objects captured by the ALMA telescope. The background image is an infrared composite color map, where 1.2-micron light is shown in cyan and 4.5-micron light is in red, based on infrared data from 2MASS and WISE. Credit: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO), T. Shimonishi et al. (Niigata Univ.) A trio of astronomers with the University of Tokyo and Niigata University has discovered a possible new class of interstellar object. In their study, published in The Astrophysical Journal, Takashi Onaka, Itsuki Sakon and Takashi Shimonishi conducted tests surrounding what they describe as two "peculiar embedded icy objects" in interstellar space. In 2021, researchers studying data from AKARI, a Japanese infrared satellite-based telescope, found two objects that were clearly harboring ices consisting of water and organic molecules. Such ices tend to garner attention because some of them are believed to play a key role in the origins of organic molecules. What made the finding of the new ices surprising was their isolationsuch ices are typically found in stellar nurseries. In this new effort, the researchers took a new look at two icy objects by studying data from ALMAa Chilean array telescope. They focused most specifically on infrared data from the two objects, expecting molecular emissions associated with star formation. Instead, they found only molecular emissions of silicon monoxide and carbon monoxideboth of which had compact special distributions that were more compact than observed with other icy objects. The team used that data to determine the chemical composition of the icy objects, along with their sizes, motions and distances from Earth. They calculated that the icy objects were approximately 30,000 to 40,000 light-years away and found that one of them had a much higher velocity than the other, which suggested they were unrelated to one another. They also noted the absence of submillimeter radiation from either icy object, which was unusual for such objects. They also found that the objects had higher ratios of silicon monoxide to carbon monoxide than other icy objects. The researchers suggest that the two icy objects are not like others that have been found, making them candidates for a new type of interstellar object. They suggest further study of data from the JWST should help to confirm if that is the case. More information: Takashi Shimonishi et al, ALMA Observations of Peculiar Embedded Icy Objects, The Astrophysical Journal (2025). DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/ada4ad Journal information: Astrophysical Journal 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: This image provided by the Wolf Foundation shows Chinese architect Tiantian Xu, who won this year's prestigious Wolf Award for her work in rural China. Credit: Wolf Foundation via AP An American biochemist whose research has helped scientists make inroads into treating coronavirus and HIV has won this year's Wolf Prize, a prestigious Israeli award in the arts and sciences. Pamela Bjorkman of the California Institute of Technology won the prize for "offering new hope in the fight against infectious diseases," the Wolf Fund, which awards the prize, said Monday. Bjorkman's research "unlocked the secrets of how the immune system identifies and battles pathogens, developing game changing approaches to combat some of humanity's most formidable viral enemies," the fund said. Eight others also received the state-funded prize, which has been awarded annually for 47 years. Many of the award winners have gone on to receive Nobel prizes. Bjorkman grew up in Oregon and studied at the University of Oregon, Harvard and Stanford before moving to Caltech to begin teaching in 1989. Her research focuses on how the immune system identifies invading pathogens. She has broken ground, the fund said, in how scientists understand T-cell recognition and immunization strategies for HIV. T cells are white blood cells that help fight off diseases. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, she has worked on developing a new strategy to design immunogens that trigger certain antibodies against coronaviruses. This image provided by the Wolf Foundation shows Pamela Bjorkman of the California Institute of Technology, who won this year's prestigious Wolf Award for her research into treating coronavirus and HIV. Credit: Wolf Foundation via AP "Pamela Bjorkman's work provides a glimpse of a new rational design strategy for future vaccines to deal with humanity's greatest immunization challenges," wrote the fund. This year's prize in architecture was awarded to Chinese architect Tiantian Xu for her work in rural China, which the prize committee said "transformed villages throughout China economically, socially, and culturally." Xu studied architecture at Harvard Graduate School of Design before returning to China, starting her own firm and working on a number of public projects that have kickstarted village economies, the fund said. They include a bridge connecting two villages separated by a flood, factories for tofu and brown sugar and renovating abandoned stone quarries. It lauded her "pioneering approach to rural developmentone that contrasts with the sweeping, uniform strategies that characterized China's urban expansion." Other recipients of this year's award include Jeffery Dangl of the University of North Carolina, Jonathan Jones of the Sainsbury Laboratory in England and Brian Staskawicz of the University of California, Berkeley for agriculture. Also receiving the prize are professors Jainendra Jain of Pennsylvania State University, Moty Heiblum of Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science, James Eisenstein of Caltech in physics and Helmut Schwarz of the Technische Universitat Berlin in chemistry. Past laureates include astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, artist Marc Chagall, conductor Zubin Mehta and musician Stevie Wonder. 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Timur Saglambilek from Pexels Researchers have developed smart tags to guarantee the authenticity and traceability of wine from vineyard to table, helping to combat counterfeiting and boost consumer trust. Red, white, or rose, sparkling or still, dry or fruity, wine is deeply embedded in European culture. But so are attempts to counterfeit good wines. Except that researchers have now created a smart system that could put an end to such transgressions. Countering the counterfeits Counterfeiting spirits and wine costs European businesses 1.3 billion annually, according to the European Union Intellectual Property Office. In 2018, for example, French authorities uncovered 66 million bottles of fake Cotes du Rhone wine. This is a big concern to those working in the wine industry. Although it may come as a surprise to many, Europe's largest single vineyard is not in one of the great wine nations of France, Italy or Spain. It is actually in the small Adriatic country of Montenegro. Plantaze, with over 2,000 hectares, leads Montenegro's wine industry and is a well-recognized brand across the Balkans. Dr. Sanja Radonjic is an enologist and has been working with Plantaze since 2010. She has had first-hand experience with fake wines mimicking Plantaze's label. "We have seen counterfeit versions of our wine in Albania, Kosovo, Russia and Serbia," she said. In a bid to push back against the counterfeiters, Radonjic has joined up with researchers and wine producers in Spain, France, Italy, Serbia and Argentina in an initiative called TRACEWINDU. The team is using a combination of chemistry and IT technology to ensure the full traceability of wine from vineyard to table. Chemical signatures Professor Manuel Valiente, a chemistry professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), is leading the four-year initiative which will run until early 2026. Valiente's interest in food research is rooted in his upbringing in Cumbres Mayores, a Spanish town famed for its cured ham. This cultural heritage informs his application of analytical techniques in chemistry and his interest in protecting wines. "Naturally, the impact of wine in our country did not go unnoticed by me," he said. Valiente believes that the solution developed by the TRACEWINDU researchers is a cost-effective yet robust way to ensure a wine's authenticity. The team has created a digital passport for each bottle that uses blockchain technology to confirm the wine's unique chemical signature obtained from the soil, air and environmental conditions in which it is grown. Unique fingerprint Dr. Gustavo Perez Gonzalez, a senior project manager and Ph.D. in chemistry at UAB, who works closely with Valiente, agrees that the combination of chemistry and blockchain technology creates an almost unalterable verification method. "Blockchain technology is a trusted and immutable system to protect information," he said. Every stage of wine production, from grape cultivation to fermentation, bottling and distribution, is permanently recorded and accessible via a QR code on the label. This QR code becomes the wine's fingerprint, and like human fingerprints, each one is unique and difficult to forge. All the consumer needs to do is scan the TRACEWINDU smart label with their phone and they will receive all the recorded information about the wine. 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. Boosting confidence The hope is that the work being done by the TRACEWINDU team will help to retain consumers and even attract new ones, thanks to the assurances that they are drinking a genuine product. "Consumers want to know where products come from, who handles them and the processes behind their journey to the market," said Valiente. "There is a need to satisfy this curiosity." Despite declining sales in recent years and the challenges posed by climate change, the wine sector remains an economic force in Europe. According to industry data, it employs 3 million people and contributed 130 billion to the EU's GDP in 2022. Wine-growing is also important for the sustainability of Europe's rural areas, which often suffer from depopulation. In Montenegro, Plantaze employs 600 people, with seasonal peaks of up to 1,000, a significant figure in a country of just over 615,000 inhabitants. For Radonjic, winemaking is not just an industry, it is a cultural heritage. "I'm very attached, not just professionally, but also emotionally, to the traditional Montenegrin grape growing and winemaking," she said. Smart consumption Looking ahead, Valiente envisions further smart labels for wines protected by the EU's geographical indication quality scheme. This system protects the names of products that originate from specific regions, or "terroirs" in wine-speak, and have unique qualities linked to their geographical origin and traditional know-how. According to him, partnering with wine cooperatives and global distributors could also maximize the visibility and impact of the traceability system: "This could boost sales, particularly in premium markets, where authenticity is paramount." 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: Studies of four different metamorphic proteins revealed that cold temperature can induce a transformation from one state to another. In each example, the low temperature (Low T) state is less ordered than the high temperature (high T) state. Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Metamorphic proteins can be thought of as the "shapeshifters" of human, animal and bacterial cells. Their ability to drastically switch between two different shapes enables them to adapt to changing environments and carry out diverse functions. Little is known about how metamorphic proteins transform despite their usefulness in living organisms. To help tackle this mystery, a new paper in the "Perspectives" section of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) offers a "bold theory," said co-author John Orban, a professor in the University of Maryland's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR). Orban and his co-author Andy LiWang, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of California, Merced, suggest that many metamorphic proteins have an "underlying temperature dependence." If confirmed, this would mean that temperatureand cold temperature in particularplays a fundamental role in setting off shapeshifting in metamorphic proteins. Ultimately, a better understanding of metamorphic proteins could advance biomedical research and the development of lifesaving drugs. "It may be possible to design proteins that are switchable and have more than one function," Orban said. "They could potentially be stealth proteins that go into a cancer cell and pretend to be one state, but under certain environmental conditions switch to a state that could kill the cell, for example." Metamorphic proteins are known to change shape in response to various environmental "triggers"such as changes in acidity or oxidationbut Orban's and LiWang's theory takes this one step further. Their research seeks to explain why an equilibrium, or balance, exists between the various shapes that metamorphic proteins can take. "Metamorphic proteins can't shapeshift unless there's an equilibrium between the two states and our hypothesis is that the underlying reason for that equilibrium is based on temperature," Orban said. "We think this may be some sort of universal mechanism." Orban said this hypothesis was inspired by an earlier study he co-authored in 2023. That paper revealed that an engineered metamorphic protein switched back and forth between folded states when researchers adjusted the temperature over a "relatively narrow" range between 5 and 30 degrees Celsius. "There are now some other examples out there of naturally occurring metamorphic proteins that do this, but this was the first example of a designed protein that switches reversibly using only temperature," Orban said. "Andy and I started talking more and wondered whether other metamorphic proteins followed the same pattern." In their new PNAS paper, Orban and LiWang surveyed 26 pairs of metamorphic proteins that have been studied before, though never with this temperature-dependence theory in mind. Specifically, the researchers analyzed differences in hydrophobic contactswater-repelling zones that help keep structures togetherfrom one protein state to the next. Where experimental data were available, the researchers found that nearly every protein pair had significant differences in hydrophobic contacts and that these differences were closely linked to temperature-dependent changes. Low temperature states were associated with fewer hydrophobic contacts, resulting in a more flexible state that can be conducive to shapeshifting. 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 evidence uncovered so far seems to back up their theory on the role of temperature in shapeshifting proteins. "It's a working hypothesis, but so far it's been supported," Orban said. "We were surprised because we thought this was a pretty bold idea." Going forward, this research could be applied to the search for more metamorphic proteins, which are difficult to identify. The global Protein Data Bank contains about 200,000 known monomorphic proteinsthose with a single, stable structurebut fewer than 100 metamorphic proteins. By using temperature as a trigger, Orban believes that some proteins believed to be monomorphic might transform, revealing their true nature as metamorphic proteins. While Orban's main motivation is to answer questions about the underlying mechanisms that trigger shapeshifting proteins, he's also optimistic about future applications. "Our interest so far has been mostly fundamental, but we talk about possible biotechnology applications and I don't think it's pie in the sky," Orban said. "I think it's entirely possible that in the not-too-distant future we will be predicting metamorphic proteins more reliably, designing them and putting them to work for us." 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: Details of species identified and their InternationalUnion for Conservation of Nature conservation status. * indicates aspecies listed in Convention on International Trade in EndangeredSpecies Appendix II.4 of 9 Choo et al. Credit: Conservation Science and Practice (2025). DOI: 10.1111/csp2.70013 High demand for eel combined with a decline in stock have resulted in soaring prices for this food item, which, in many cultures, is considered a delicacy. This has fueled concern globally as the prized food item is now being illegally traded from Europe to Asia. Current research has focused on the critically endangered Anguilla anguilla, commonly known as the European eel. While its export outside the European Union is tightly regulated, large quantities of A. anguilla juveniles continue to be smuggled out of the EU to Asia where they are grown in eel farms until reaching a marketable size. To investigate the prevalence and consumption of endangered eelsparticularly the European eela Yale-NUS College research team examined 327 individual eel products purchased across 86 retailers throughout Singapore. However, instead of the prevalence of the European eel, the team identified 70% of another species in the sampleAnguilla rostrata, commonly known as the American eel. While not critically endangered like the European eel, the American eel is also considered an endangered species. The findings suggest a possible shift in trade and consumption of eel to the American eel. Given these findings, the research team called for specific attention to the American eel, with increased enforcement and monitoring needed as proactive steps necessary to avoid the same dramatic population declines that have been documented in other eel species like the European eel. The paper was a result of Yale-NUS alumnus Joshua Choo (Class of 2024)'s Environment Studies capstone, which he did under the supervision of Yale-NUS Assistant Professor of Science (Marine Biology) Benjamin Wainwright. The paper was published in Conservation Science and Practice. In July 2024, Joshua presented the research at the 2024 International Eel Science Symposium in Liverpool, UK. Joshua said, "It was sad to connect Singaporean unagi with the history of anguillid eel exploitationwhere a crash in one anguillid's stock repeatedly leads to another's overexploitation and crash. It was, however, heartening to see so many researchers and Indigenous groups invested in anguillid recovery in Liverpoolfrom Japan to Aotearoa to the EU and UK. "There's room for Southeast Asian perspectives in eel scienceit's important to protect tropical anguillids from the endangerment plaguing their temperate cousins, and to explore conservation solutions for our food that can bypass profit-driven overexploitation." Joshua and the research team performed DNA barcoding of the samples of eel meat, sold as "eel" or '"unagi" by supermarkets, restaurants, and wholesalers. Their findings found three pieces of the critically endangered European eel (which is banned from export outside the EU), and that 217 of the 257 products he tested were the endangered, though not internationally regulated, American eel. "The mislabeling of seafood products is a significant global problem that contributes to ongoing biodiversity losses in the oceans," said Asst Prof Wainwright. "This deliberate mislabeling can have negative consequences for the health of human consumers and presents numerous opportunities for organized crime to prosper. The trade in eels is described as the greatest wildlife crime on Earth. It supports vast criminal networks that illegally traffic many hundreds of millions of glass eels (juvenile eels) to Asia each year." He further explained, "What we show with this work is a likely shift in trade. This shift could be the consequence of EU-enforced rules and regulations making it harder to smuggle the European eel to Asia. "Consequently, suppliers have now shifted their focus to the less regulated American eel. If the American eel is to avoid a similar fate to that suffered by the European eels, it will be important to closely monitor the American eel trade and introduce rules and regulations designed to prevent overexploitation." More information: Joshua S. Y. Choo et al. A shift in the trade? An investigation of the eel trade reveals a likely species switch, Conservation Science and Practice (2025). DOI: 10.1111/csp2.70013 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: Sveta K from Pexels Collective dissociation is preventing people from taking effective action to tackle the overwhelming climate emergency, finds research published in Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health. The overwhelming scale and complexity of the climate emergency often leave individuals feeling powerless, leading to a sense of futility in their ability to effect meaningful change. Collective dissociation is a form of trauma processing, and it threatens the cooperation needed to address the climate emergency. Instead, it reinforces isolation and prevents objective assessment of a destructive reality. Climate-related disasters consequently have profound and lasting effects on mental health, leading to trauma responses and dissociation as subconscious coping mechanisms. It is therefore essential to understand these coping mechanisms, to drive impactful climate action. The need for empathetic climate activism Recognizing how the climate emergency impacts people emotionally and psychologically can help policymakers and individuals to develop more effective climate responses. Empathetic climate activism and a focus on safeguarding planetary and population health help in combating inaction and denial. This new research highlights the need to shift towards proactive climate activism with lasting implications for health systems and policies. Vulnerable communities are also disproportionately affected by the climate emergency, especially in terms of food security. Extreme weather events, exacerbated by global warming, can trigger a wide range of psychopathological responses, including mood disturbances, anxiety, and physical symptomsand those impacted most by climate change, such as people displaced by environmental factors, are at increased risk. These events also contribute to lasting mental health issues such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), increased suicide rates, and substance abuse. Researcher Don-Eliseo Lucero-Prisno, of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Department of Global Health and Development, the University of the Philippines Open University Faculty of Management and Development Studies, and the Mahidol University Faculty of Public Health, said, "Local moral support is vital for fostering sustainable adaptation strategies and community resilience to climate change, such as by organizing vulnerability assessments and developing tailored action plans. These plans should include measures for improving infrastructure, enhancing social cohesion, and providing mental health support, reducing vulnerability to climate-related stresses. "Emphasizing community engagement reduces despair, providing essential solidarity for coping with climate trauma. Local leadership should support community-based climate action by providing resources and frameworks, facilitating engagement, and ensuring mental health support is accessible." Lead researcher Deborah Shomuyiwa, of the University of Lagos Faculty of Pharmacy and Global Health Focus Africa, said, "To make meaningful progress, we need to move beyond rhetorical calls for citizen action and directly confront the systemic forces that perpetuate the climate emergency. "Corporate resistance, government paralysis, and prioritizing profits over environmental sustainability all drive community inaction. The financial sector's continued investment in coal and oil, alongside unchecked consumerism, greenwashing, and the war economy, accelerate the climate emergency. Citizens see these decisions by those in power and are alienated by these, which can foster feelings of helplessness and dissociation from the emergency." She and co-author Lucero-Prisno argue that policy development must therefore prioritize accountability for corporations and governments, recognizing that citizen-driven sustainability initiatives alone will not suffice in the face of larger organizations' destructive practices. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. How to combat dissociation In response to these findings, researchers have developed four key recommendations for how to combat dissociation. Policymakers must strive for greater transparency and accountability in political funding to align actions with public support for effective climate measures. Policymakers should prioritize sustainable practices, accountability, monitoring progress rigorously, and remaining adaptable to research and technological advancements. Policies should emphasize education and public awareness campaigns about the mental health consequences of climate change. By fostering a deeper understanding of climate trauma, these campaigns can mobilize public support for climate action and promote collective resilience. Policies should prioritize the needs of vulnerable populations and aim to build inclusive, resilient communities. Beyond its tangible environmental effects, this research shows that climate change poses significant mental health challenges both in the immediate and longer term. Taking steps to combat human dissociation from the climate emergencyon both large and small scalesis therefore essential to preventing human nature from remaining entrenched in harmful environmental practices, undermining planetary health even when climate action is vital. More information: Deborah Oluwaseun Shomuyiwa et al, Climate change trauma and collective dissociation: Unraveling the impact on mental health and advocating for collective action, Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health (2025). DOI: 10.1017/gmh.2024.119 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The El Gigante rockshelter in western Honduras was found to contain preserved avocado remains as old as 11,000 years before present. Credit: Kennith Gale A team of anthropologists and evolutionary biologists affiliated with several academic institutions in the U.S., working with a colleague from the Smithsonian Institution, has found evidence of humans domesticating avocados as far back as 7,500 years ago in what is now Honduras. In their paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes their analysis of more than 1,700 fossilized avocados retrieved from a dig site in Honduras and what they learned during their efforts. Avocados grow naturally on tropical evergreen trees in parts of South and Central America and Mexicothey have also been migrated to farms in many other parts of the world. Prior research has shown that their earliest appearance was approximately 400,000 years ago in Mexico, and over the next several thousand years, they split into three species. For most of their history, their seeds were dispersed by megafauna. Their numbers fell dramatically during a megafauna extinction at the end of the Pleistocene, but picked up again with the appearance of humans, who likely saved them from extinction. In this new effort, the researchers sought to learn more about their history after humans began using them as a food source. The work by the team involved analyzing 1,725 fossilized avocado samples that had been pulled over many years from a dig site at El Gigante rockshelter in what is now Honduras. They found they were able to date 56 of them to certain points in time, going back approximately 11,000 years. Archaeologists excavating and screening avocado remains from the El Gigante rockshelter. Credit: Kennith Gale The researchers could see that the rinds of the fruit grew thicker over time. They also found that seed size grew over the same period. They suggest such changes are indicative of domestication by humans, who preferred larger fruit. They also found evidence suggesting that domestication began through managing wild trees and then eventually through planting seeds from fruit with the most desirable traits. The evidence showed domestication starting as early as 7,565 to 7,265 years ago. The researchers also note that their findings show avocados were being domesticated thousands of years before other crops, such as maize. More information: Amber M. VanDerwarker et al, Early evidence of avocado domestication from El Gigante Rockshelter, Honduras, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2025). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2417072122 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2025 Science X Network This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain When it comes to hiring new staff, large companies often have to choose from hundreds of candidates, a process that requires time and resources. Can mathematics help streamline these procedures? At least in the broadest sense, probably yes. A paper published in Journal of Statistical Mechanics: Theory and Experiment by Pavel Krapivsky, a statistical physicist at Boston University, proposes an algorithm that identifies three hiring strategies, each corresponding to different objectives a company might have. Krapivsky drew inspiration from the famous "secretary problem" or "optimal marriage problem". In one of its many versions, a princess must choose her future husband from a pool of 100 candidates at a grand reception. However, strict rules apply: she may meet only one suitor at a time and has limited time to get to know him. At the end of each encounter, she must decide immediately whether to accept or reject the suitor. She cannot revisit previous candidates, nor can she ask any of them to wait while she considers others. How can the princess hope to make the best choice? The secret lies in a number: 37, to be precise (raise your hand if you thought of 42). "If we divide 100 by 2.718, which is Euler's numberone of the most famous in mathematical historywe get approximately 37," explains Krapivsky. In practical terms, this means that the princess should evaluate and reject the first 37 candidates, while keeping track of their quality. Starting with candidate number 38, she should select the first one who is better than all those she has previously met. According to Krapivsky, this strategy guarantees the best possible outcome under the given constraints. The method is so reliable that even Johannes Kepler is rumoredthough there is no solid proofto have used it to select his second wife. "He studied in great detail the problem, spending a year doing this rather than his own great research, and then made a choice," recounts Krapivsky. Krapivsky reformulated the problem in a more modern context, applying it to hiring practices in large companies. The basic idea remains the same: the company has a single parameter to assess the quality of a candidate and must decide whether to hire them immediately or reject them without reconsideration. Moreover, in this model, newly hired employees cannot be dismissed. "I don't like firing people," Krapivsky jokes. Unlike the secretary problem, here the stream of candidates is continuous and potentially infinite, making the model more realistic for modern workplaces where hiring decisions are made based on immediate business needs. The study investigates three distinct hiring strategies: The Maximal Improvement Strategy (MIS) dictates that a candidate is hired only if their score is higher than that of any previously hired employee. The Average Improvement Strategy (AIS) allows a candidate to be hired if their score exceeds the average score of all current employees. The Local Improvement Strategy (LIS), on the other hand, involves each candidate being assessed by a randomly selected employee or a small hiring committee and hired only if their score surpasses that of the interviewer or all committee members. Unlike the optimal marriage problem, there is no single best strategyrather, the choice depends on the company's objective. If the goal is to maximize long-term quality, MIS is the best approach, but it results in slower hiring. If the priority is to balance quality and hiring speed, AIS is a reasonable compromise. If rapid hiring is more important than quality, LIS is the most effective strategy. "Of course, these are simplifications," Krapivsky notes, "but they can still be useful." A model like the one presented in the paper could, for instance, serve as the foundation for algorithms used in social networks and digital platforms. These include not only platforms designed for job searches, such as LinkedIn, or dating apps like Tinder, which tailors future match suggestions based on past "swipes," but also those that govern content selection, resource management, and artificial intelligence. "A lot of these are actually based on very simple algorithms, like those that suggest what we watch on YouTube," Krapivsky concludes. More information: Hiring Strategies, Journal of Statistical Mechanics Theory and Experiment (2025). 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: Breakthrough in N 2 activation! This study unveils an electron catalysis strategy that directly converts N 2 into azo compounds under mild conditionsa game-changer for nitrogen fixation. By harnessing electron flow, it lowers activation energy from 3.44 eV to 0.14 eV, making azo synthesis faster, greener, and highly efficient. This innovative approach revolutionizes nitrogen chemistry, unlocking new possibilities for sustainable chemical synthesis. Credit: Chinese Journal of Catalysis Nitrogen gas (N 2 ) is one of the most abundant yet highly stable gases in the Earth's atmosphere. Its NN triple bond has an extremely high bond dissociation energy (~940.95 kJ mol), making its activation and conversion under conventional conditions very challenging. Although the HaberBosch process can convert N 2 to ammonia (NH 3 ), it requires high temperatures (350550 C) and pressures (150350 atm), leading to significant energy consumption. The synthesis of azo compounds (R 1 -N=N-R 2 ) poses an even greater challenge. Traditional methods involve multiple stepsoxidation of ammonia, nitrite preparation, and subsequent azo couplingrequiring multiple redox transitions, bond breaking and reformation, and substantial energy input. Developing a method for the direct, efficient conversion of N 2 to azo compounds under mild conditions remains a critical challenge in chemistry. Recently, the research team led by Professors Zidong Wei and Cunpu Li from Chongqing University (China) proposed an innovative electron catalysis strategy. By controlling electron flow, this strategy achieves efficient activation and direct transformation of N 2 under mild conditions to synthesize azo compounds in a single step, offering a new approach to green nitrogen-based compound synthesis. Unlike traditional complex azo synthesis routes, this strategy cleverly uses electrons as catalyststhey actively participate in the reaction without being consumed or regeneratedcircumventing the limitations of energy-intensive "N 2 NH 3 nitrite" pathways, which suffer from high energy consumption and low atomic efficiency. The results are published in the Chinese Journal of Catalysis The key breakthrough lies in the matching of N 2 's * antibonding orbitals, enabling selective bond activation. The high bond energy of N 2 makes its orbitals challenging to activate directly. The research team introduced an aromatic system, where electrons are injected into aryl compounds, forming aryl radicals (Ar). Since the antibonding orbital of Ar closely matches the * orbital of N 2 in both energy and symmetry, electrons can be efficiently transferred to N 2 's * orbital, successfully activating it and leading to the formation of diazo radical intermediate ([Ar-N 2 ]). Moreover, this strategy controls the push and pull of electrons electrochemically. The diazo radical intermediate ([Ar-N 2 ]) can be further oxidized, removing an electron to form a relatively stable diazonium salt ([Ar-N 2 ]+), which readily reacts with phenols or other nucleophiles to generate the desired azo compounds. Throughout the entire process, electrons act as a "catalyst" shuttling between electrodes, neither consumed nor altering the overall Gibbs free energythus establishing a revolutionary electron catalysis reaction model. Computational results demonstrate that the electron catalysis strategy significantly lowers the activation energy for converting N 2 to azo compounds. Compared to the non-catalyzed reaction, which requires 3.44 eV (making it nearly impossible under normal conditions), the electron-catalyzed pathway reduces the activation energy to just 0.14 eV, making the reaction kinetically feasible. Furthermore, this strategy exhibits broad applicability, extending beyond azo synthesis to various aryl halides and nucleophilic aromatic compounds, offering an efficient approach for synthesizing high-value-added chemicals. This study presents a novel electron catalysis-based approach to direct N 2 fixation, leveraging electrochemical control to regulate electron flow. This enables efficient and selective activation of N 2 under mild conditions, leading to one-step azo compound synthesis. Compared to traditional synthesis methods, this strategy reduces energy consumption, simplifies the synthesis route, and enhances overall efficiency. Additionally, this research establishes a brand-new catalytic reaction mechanism, providing fresh insights into future nitrogen-containing compound synthesis. More information: Baijing Wu et al, A round-trip journey of electrons: Electron catalyzed direct fixation of N2 to azos, Chinese Journal of Catalysis (2025). DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(24)60179-8 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: University of Michigan The challenges facing big cities such as Detroit and Cleveland have been widely examined by experts over the decades, as each has dealt with the loss of population and major industries. Less chronicled are the situations in small- to medium-sized communities, many of which are in the Great Lakes region. How have they dealt with decline? Where have they followed or diverged from their larger siblingsor even each otherto manage and mitigate the worst effects of shrinking populations or shuttered plants? University of Michigan researcher Stephanie Leiser and colleagues sought to find out by interviewing city managers of 21 small- and medium-sized cities. The study, published in the Journal of Urban Affairs, focuses on how those managers have responded to a long-term decline in population as opposed to more commonly researched economic shocks, such as the onset of the Great Recession or COVID-19 pandemic. The main strategy to mitigate the stress of decline, the study finds, is to focus on economic development strategies that emphasize existing local assets and deep, community-specific knowledge. The authors sought to draw attention to three things they say don't get enough attention: Most of what is known about city management and policy rests on an unspoken assumption of growth. There is no "playbook" for decline. The 100 largest cities in the country get nearly all of the research and media attention, but policy experts need to do a better job of thinking about smaller cities that are dealing with many of the same issues with less capacity, and also have unique challenges of their own. Mayors and elected officials tend to get the most attention, but in many places, city managers are the ones who are solving problems and getting things done for residents day in and day out. When city managers are doing their jobs well, they tend to be invisible, and it's only when something goes wrong that people pay attention. Leiser is a lecturer at the Ford School of Public Policy and leads the Michigan Local Government Fiscal Health Project at the school's Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy. She co-authored the study with Daniel Hummel, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, and James Bourey, a former city and county manager who currently serves as executive director of the Seattle Architecture Foundation. Leiser shares more insights from their research. What were some commonalities among the approaches or viewpoints shared by the managers you interviewed? The biggest commonality was just a pragmatic and flexible mindset, and the sense of professionalism managers bring to their jobs. The managers we interviewed had a wide range of opinions about different policies and strategies, but what they shared was an eagerness for actionto try something, and if that doesn't work, try something else. One longtime manager in Muskogee, Oklahoma, said that sometimes you just have to ignore the naysayers "and just go do the good thing." Was there a particular city that stood out to you in terms of its approach or progress in dealing with its issues? Something distinctive or impressive, or both? Our interview with Bryan Heck, the city manager of Springfield, Ohio, really stands out in my mind. It was one of the first interviews we conducted, and I remember being struck by Mr. Heck's deep knowledge and clear-eyed assessment of the challenges his community faces. He didn't sugarcoat or politicize issues. One thing he said about his management style that really resonated with me is: "It's easy to come with problems. It's difficult to challenge yourself with developing solutions." Of course, last fall (well after our interview), Springfield was briefly in the national news during the 2024 presidential campaign related to how it is dealing with an influx of Haitian immigrants. I thought Mr. Heck did an excellent job of cutting through the misinformation and focusing on the facts and the challenge at hand. 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. Where might you and your colleagues go from here in terms of helping to shape public policy on the city or state level? What about research by you or others that might build upon this study? Honestly, doing this study inspired me more on the teaching side because it reminded me why the public service training we provide at the Ford Schoolto future city managers and other public servantsis so important. We don't suffer from a shortage of analyses and opinions on policy issues, but how do we train people to actually solve problems and get things done in a way that is efficient, ethical and responsive to many stakeholdersall in an environment of polarization, misinformation and deteriorating trust in institutions? Public service is a calling. It is rarely glamorous and definitely not for the faint of heart, but research tells us many people still have faith in their local governments, so we should be doing everything we can to put talented people in positions where they can serve their communities and build trust. More information: Daniel Hummel et al, Responding to decline: The perspective of city managers in shrinking cities in the United States, Journal of Urban Affairs (2025). DOI: 10.1080/07352166.2025.2461519 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: Lara Jameson from Pexels Many more people around the world will unnecessarily die of AIDS and starvation; American farmers will take an economic hit; Russia and China will strengthen ties with less-developed nations formerly friendly with the U.S., forging new political loyaltiesand potentially reaping future economic gains. This is some of the possible fallout from the Trump administration's recent decision to make deep cuts in programs for foreign aid, such as USAID and the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR, according to a panel of former diplomats. "We are going to have to think about different ways of doing things," said Reuben E. Brigety II, former U.S. Ambassador to South Africa in the Biden administration on Feb. 27 during the first of a planned series of online discussions organized by the Harvard Center for International Development (CID) with government leaders, policymakers, and NGO experts that will examine the future of American foreign aid. Brigety noted that the pullback will loosen ties between the U.S. and large parts of the global community, with multiple consequences, both expected and unexpected. "None of this changes the fact that pandemic diseases know no borders," he said. "None of this changes the fact that there are going to be emergencies" that will require international coordination. A forecast by Richard A. Boucher, former U.S. ambassador to Cyprus, was more pointed. "People are going to die," he said, listing AIDS and starvation as threats, as well as death "at the hands of murderous regimes over whom we don't have influence" because of our withdrawal of aid and diplomacy. Boucher, who was also former deputy secretary general of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and U.S. assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, said that other nations, less aligned with our interests, may rush in behind us. "If we don't have that seat at the table, China is going to step in," he said. "We're going to lose influence globally; we're going to lose influence individually; and the United States is going to be poorer for it." Brigety agreed. "There is no scenario in which American international or domestic interests are better served absent the robust presence of American leadership abroad. None." That kind of stepping up, he said, "helps access to foreign markets for American goods." In addition, partnerships with foreign governments grant us "access [to information on] very specific threats to American interests, including American lives." Former U.S. Ambassador to Greece and Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt offered an example: In sub-Saharan Africa, he said, "USAID's Power Africa program spent about a billion since 2013 facilitating and de-risking power generation." This was done with U.S. corporate partners, including Chevron and ExxonMobil, "American companies who were leveraging Power Africa activity to expand their markets," said Pyatt, who is also former assistant secretary of state for energy resources. The results thus far? The program has "leveraged $29 billion" for the United States' corporate partners." Boucher pointed out that American farmers benefit from the billions of dollars' worth of grain that USAID buys to distribute abroad, as do American workers who travel to help build and manage new infrastructure created through foreign aid. 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. "America has always wielded influence because we had the money and the power. Take away the money, it means we're walking on one leg," he said. As we withdraw, Brigety continued, all the Chinese have to say is: "'See, you can't trust the Americans.'" Discussion moderator Fatema Z. Sumar, executive director of the CID, shifted the conversation to other future forecasts. PEPFAR, Brigety explained, not only strengthened African health care as it distributed drugs and services to combat AIDS, but also strengthened that of the continent with lasting results. "Some of the earliest and best research on the planet about how to address COVID in the midst of the pandemic happened in South Africa." In the field of energy, the panelists outlined logistical and other challenges. The U.S. has spearheaded the deployment of $5 billion in energy assistance to Ukraine, the majority of which came from the 29 other countries and multilateral organizations involved, Pyatt said. "But it is only USAID that has the grant-making authority, the power to push that money out the door," he said. "It worries me greatly that we have dismantled this capacitybecause the next time, imagine there's a Chinese attack on Taiwanwe're not going to have the toolkit to accomplish this." We are losing "the institutional memory of those who were able to do this work," he said. Boucher added, "You don't have the influence if you don't show up." Historically, "we were the ones who were able to go in and talk to people and make things happen." Instead, Brigety reiterated, that means China, Russia, and private organizations will step in, with Pyatt listing U.S. government institutions such as the Development Finance Corporation. Among those are former private USAID contractors, he said. "If I were a USAID contractor whose 80% of funding just got yanked, I would immediately set up office in Jeddah [Saudi Arabia], in Dubai [UAE], and in Doha [Qatar], and probably Kuwait," he said. "Many of those Middle Eastern countries see the economic opportunities on the continent and are interested not only in benefiting from it, but also realize that in order to benefit you actually have to help develop those economies." Sumar asked the panelists what they would say to students who have been preparing for careers in public service. "The career has certainly become more challenging," said Pyatt. Still, for those who may still be able to land jobs in the shrinking sector, "it's a fabulous career," he said. "I can't imagine anything in the private sector that delivers the level of psychic rewards that come from representing a country that is perceived to be the good guy in a contested international environment." Provided by Harvard Gazette This story is published courtesy of the Harvard Gazette, Harvard University's official newspaper. For additional university news, visit Harvard.edu. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Late last year, a massive ocean swell caused by a low pressure system in the North Pacific generated waves up to 20 meters high, and damaged coastlines and property thousands of kilometers from its source. Two years earlier, another storm system southeast of New Zealand also whipped up massive waves, with the swell reaching as far as Canada, battering Pacific island coasts along the way. These storms, and the swells they create, are facts of nature. But while we understand a lot about the extraordinary forces at work, we can still do more to predict their impact and coordinate global warning systems. How big waves are born Waves are made by wind blowing over a water surface. The longer and stronger the wind blows, the more energy is transferred into those waves. As well as an increase in wave height, sustained high wind speeds generate waves with a longer periodthat is, the distance or time between successive wave crests. Oceanographers refer to the mix of wave heights and periods (and to some extent directions) as a "sea" state. Once the wind stops blowing, or the sea moves away from the wind that is generating it, the waves become swell and start to separate. The longest-period waves move fastest and shorter-period waves more slowly. Most waves resulting from a storm have periods of 1216 seconds, with the individual waves traveling at speeds of 6080km per hour. But very large storms with high, sustained winds can generate waves with periods of more than 20 seconds. These waves travel much faster, over 100km per hour in the open ocean, and their energy (which travels more slowly than individual waves) can cover 1,500 km in 24 hours. Ocean waves, particularly long-period swells, lose very little energy as they travel. And unless they collide with an island and break, they are capable of traveling great distances. By comparison, shorter period waves take much longer to travel and lose more energy. If they encounter a wind field moving in another direction, this also removes energy and reduces their height. But sometimes, a particularly strong storm system can generate long-period waves with enough energy to travel across the Pacific, reaching shores thousands of kilometers away. A unique characteristic of such long-range swells is that individual waves contain a lot more energy than shorter-period local waves. They grow to greater heights as they "shoal" in shallow water, and can hit shorelines and structures with greater force, causing more damage and danger. The 'Code Red 2' swell The "Code Red 2" swell was a good example of this in action. It was generated by a massive storm system southeast of New Zealand in July 2022. The "significant wave height," or average of the largest third of the system's waves, reached 13 meters. Individual waves were up to twice this height. The storm system was unusual due to very strong southerly winds blowing northward from near Antarctica for more than 2,000 km. This resulted in long-period (20 second) swells moving north into the Pacific Ocean. The swell first reached Tahiti, where waves closed most of the south-facing coast, prompting a Code Red warning. This was only the second such warning since 2011 (hence its name), and resulted in massive waves at the Teahupo'o surf break, location of the 2024 Olympic surfing event. The swell also caused flooding along the south coast of Rarotonga and other Pacific Islands before continuing north across the equator to reach the south coast of Hawaii7,000 km from where it was generated. Due to their direction and very long period, large waves reached places they don't usually affect, literally crashing weddings and breaking over houses. The swell then carried on to hit the Californian coast some 10,000 km away, and eventually reaching Canada more than a week after it was initially generated. 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 'Eddie' swell More recently, the 2024 "Eddie" swell was generated from an extremely intense low pressure system in the North Pacific in December 2024. Waves near the center of the storm reached heights of 20 meters, with a 22-second period. The resulting swell hit Hawaii first, where waves were large enough to run the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational at Waimea Bay, a surfing event that requires such large waves it has only been run 11 times in its 40-year history (and which gave the swell its name). This extreme swell then reached California 3,000 km away, where it also generated giant surf, damaged boats in coastal marinas and caused part of the Santa Cruz wharf to collapse. Due to its very long period, the swell was able to continue southward, still with a lot of energy. It reached the north coast of Ecuador and Peru, 8,500 km from where it began, where it destroyed fishing boats. And it finally hit Chile, 11,000 km from its source, where it closed ports and inundated coastal promenades. These coasts typically receive large southwest swells. But this rare, long-period north swell was able to reach normally protected north-facing sections of coast, causing uncharacteristic damage. Predicting local impacts It can be difficult to sound warnings for these types of long-period waves, as they are generated so far from the affected shorelines they are missed by local forecasters and emergency managers. Global wave models such as those driven by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Centers for Environmental Prediction are capable of predicting and tracking these swells but require a more nuanced approach to predicting local impacts. New early warning systems are being dheveloped that take global wave forecasts and downscale them to take into account the shape of the local coastline. The wave information is then combined with predictions of tide and storm surge to give warnings of when coastal impacts may occur. These systems will give emergency managers, ports and coastal infrastructure operatorsand the publicbetter information and more time to prepare for these damaging wave events. 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: States that have expressed a specific position at the International Seabed Authority. Credit: RIFS@GFZ Pressure on the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to finalize and adopt regulations for deep-sea mining is increasing. While some ISA member states are hoping to see progress soon, a growing number of states are demanding more time to research the environmental impact of mining raw materials on the seabed and to develop an appropriate regulatory framework. What are the legal forms such a delay could take and what would the political consequences be? A team of researchers, led by Pradeep Singh from the Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS), has addressed these matters in the journal Ocean Development & International Law. Many of the 169 member states of the ISA have spoken out in favor of a precautionary pause or moratorium on deep-sea mining. Many of them likely felt compelled to do so when the island state of Nauru triggered a treaty provision known as the "two-year rule" in 2021. The provision requires the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to develop and adopt regulations for deep-sea mining within a 2-year period. However, the ISA was unable to agree on any regulations before the passing of the deadline. Many states and observers are worried that an application for exploitation could now be submitted for approval with no regulations in place. A moratorium has more legal force, but a precautionary pause can deliver the needed outcome With many of the outstanding issues requiring further study and debate, a suitable legal measure is needed to delay any mining activities. Environmental concerns are at the forefront of calls for a moratorium or precautionary pause on deep-sea mining, but there are other "gaps" that must be filled before mining activities can be properly regulated, assessed, and authorized. These gaps relate to research, technology, regulation, institutional and procedural ambiguities and other issues related to global governance more broadly. According to the researchers, the legal basis for deferring deep-sea mining is clearly present under international law, given that states have many obligations and responsibilities that are yet to be fulfilled before such activities can commence responsibly. "There are more convergences between the terms 'precautionary pause' and 'moratorium' than differences. The effect is more important than the label or terminology," says Singh. Both a pause or moratorium at the ISA can effectively have a "freezing effect"in accordance with the precautionary approachon the transition from exploration to exploitation. Postponement can have unintended consequences, but is still a sensible pathway to take The authors describe a moratorium as a formal and binding stop. It carries considerable weight in international law and usually requires a formal agreement or resolution. In view of the interests involved and the tendency of the ISA to operate based on consensus, this could be difficult to achieve in the first instance. A precautionary pause in some ways could be seen as a weaker measure in legal terms, as it can result from informal agreements and feature softer parameters. For pragmatic reasons, however, the ISA might prefer it, as it might face less resistance, and it preserves the intention to continue the development of the necessary frameworks and define the acceptable parameters with the intention of applying them in future. The moratorium option would then be ripe for consideration further down the line if it becomes apparent that a fit-for-purpose regulatory framework for the responsible governance of extraction activities is not achievable. The paper notes that there is already a clear pattern from the position of the ISA Council and many states that commercial mining should not commence in the absence of regulations, and that more time and knowledge is needed to develop a strong, enforceable, and robust framework that is fit for purpose. However, a decision to postpone activities at the ISA could also have unintended consequences, the authors concede. This includes possible geopolitical tensions or turning the attention towards seabed mining in areas within national jurisdiction. Nevertheless, the paper concludes that the benefit of implementing a pause would outweigh any decision to go ahead with commercial exploitation on the international seabed. 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. Negotiations remain complex Previously, ISA members had agreed to continue negotiations on regulations with the goal of their adoption in 2025. However, this now seems highly unlikely, given the many outstanding matters that remain to be negotiated and the lack of scientific knowledge to inform decision-making. "It is quite inevitable that a revised roadmap would have to be agreed," says Singh. Moreover, if an application for exploitation is submitted for consideration in the absence of regulations later in the year, this would further prolong the negotiations. "ISA members will be compelled to take a stance when faced with the potentiality of exploitation occurring in the absence of regulations, which might mean even more states coming out in support of a pause or moratorium," he adds. Whatever the terminology or label that is used, postponing the commencement of exploitation activities until the point that conditions are met is a logical and responsible way forward. More information: Pradeep A. Singh et al, A Pause or Moratorium for Deep Seabed Mining in the Area? The Legal Basis, Potential Pathways, and Possible Policy Implications, Ocean Development & International Law (2025). DOI: 10.1080/00908320.2024.2439877 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: Quantum tornado in momentum space. Credit: Think-Design | Jochen Thamm Researchers from Wurzburg have experimentally demonstrated a quantum tornado for the first time by refining an established method. In the quantum semimetal tantalum arsenide (TaAs), electrons in momentum space behave like a swirling vortex. This quantum phenomenon was first predicted eight years ago by a Dresden-based founding member of the Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat. The discovery, a collaborative effort between ct.qmat, the research network of the Universities of Wurzburg and Dresden, and international partners, has now been published in Physical Review X. Scientists have long known that electrons can form vortices in quantum materials. What's new is the proof that these tiny particles create tornado-like structures in momentum spacea finding that has now been confirmed experimentally. This achievement was led by Dr. Maximilian Unzelmann, a group leader at ct.qmatComplexity and Topology in Quantum Matterat the Universities of Wurzburg and Dresden. Demonstrating this quantum phenomenon marks a major milestone in quantum materials research. The team hopes that the vortex-like behavior of electrons in momentum space could pave the way for new quantum technologies, such as orbitronics, which would use electrons' orbital torque to transmit information in electronic components instead of relying on electrical charge, potentially slashing energy losses. Momentum space vs. position space Momentum space is a fundamental concept in physics that describes electron motion in terms of energy and direction, rather than their exact physical position. Position space (its "counterpart") is the realm where familiar phenomena like water vortices or hurricanes occur. Until now, even quantum vortices in materials had only been observed in position space. A few years ago, another ct.qmat research team made waves worldwide when they captured the first-ever three-dimensional image of a vortex-like magnetic field in a quantum material's position space. Theory confirmed Eight years ago, Roderich Moessner theorized that a quantum tornado could also form in momentum space. At the time, the Dresden-based ct.qmat co-founder described the phenomenon as a "smoke ring" because, like smoke rings, it consists of vortices. However, until now, no one knew how to measure them. The breakthrough experiments revealed that the quantum vortex is created by orbital angular momentumelectrons' circular motion around atomic nuclei. "When we first saw signs that the predicted quantum vortices actually existed and could be measured, we immediately reached out to our Dresden colleague and launched a joint project," recalls Unzelmann. Quantum tornado discovered by refining a standard method To detect the quantum tornado in momentum space, the Wurzburg team enhanced a well-known technique called ARPES (angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy). "ARPES is a fundamental tool in experimental solid-state physics. It involves shining light on a material sample, extracting electrons, and measuring their energy and exit angle. "This gives us a direct look at a material's electronic structure in momentum space," explains Unzelmann. "By cleverly adapting this method, we were able to measure orbital angular momentum. I've been working with this approach since my dissertation." ARPES is rooted in the photoelectric effect, first described by Albert Einstein and taught in high school physics. Unzelmann had already refined the method in 2021, gaining international recognition for detecting orbital monopoles in tantalum arsenide. Now, by integrating a form of quantum tomography, the team has taken the technique a step further to detect the quantum tornadoanother major milestone. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. "We analyzed the sample layer by layer, similar to how medical tomography works. By stitching together individual images, we were able to reconstruct the three-dimensional structure of the orbital angular momentum and confirm that electrons form vortices in momentum space," Unzelmann explains. "The experimental detection of the quantum tornado is a testament to ct.qmat's team spirit," says Matthias Vojta, Professor of Theoretical Solid-State Physics at TU Dresden and ct.qmat's Dresden spokesperson. "With our strong physics hubs in Wurzburg and Dresden, we seamlessly integrate theory and experiment. "Additionally, our network fosters teamwork between leading experts and early-career scientistsan approach that fuels our research into topological quantum materials. And, of course, almost every physics project today is a global effortthis one included." The tantalum arsenide sample was grown in the US and analyzed at PETRA III, a major international research facility at the German Electron Synchrotron (DESY) in Hamburg. A scientist from China contributed to the theoretical modeling, while a researcher from Norway played a key role in the experiments. Looking ahead, the ct.qmat team is exploring whether tantalum arsenide could be used in the future to develop orbital quantum components. More information: T. Figgemeier et al, Imaging Orbital Vortex Lines in Three-Dimensional Momentum Space, Physical Review X (2025). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevX.15.011032 Journal information: Physical Review X Provided by Wurzburg-Dresdner Exzellenzcluster ct.qmat 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 Life with a dog is a matter of give and take. Especially when it comes to communication. With no common humandog language, our ability to communicate relies on understanding and reading our pet, and vice versa. That process can seem seamless. You give your dog a treat, you look into her eyes and she says "I am delighted to have that cookie." With a slight wag of her tail, she accepts the treat and romps off to another room to enjoy it. You feel connected to your dog. At least, that's what you think. New research from Arizona State University has revealed that people often do not perceive the true meaning of their pet's emotions and can misread their dog. The reasons for this are many and include a human misunderstanding of dog expressions due to a bias towards projecting human emotions onto our pets. In a new paper published in Anthrozoos, titled "Barking up the wrong tree: Human perceptions of dog emotions is influenced by extraneous factors," ASU researchers Holly Molinaro and Clive Wynne outline a pair of experiments they ran to show how humans misperceive dog emotions. Their research shows that humans typically do not have a good understanding of the emotional state of their dog because they judge the dog's emotions according to the context of the event they witness. "People do not look at what the dog is doing, instead they look at the situation surrounding the dog and base their emotional perception off of that," said Molinaro, an ASU Ph.D. student in psychology and animal welfare scientist. "Our dogs are trying to communicate with us, but we humans seem determined to look at everything except the poor pooch himself," added Wynne, an ASU psychology professor who studies dog behavior and the humandog bond. Adding to the misunderstanding is a human projection of their feelings onto the dog. This "anthropomorphizing" of the interaction further clouds truly understanding what your dog's emotional state actually may be, what she is trying to tell you. In two experiments, Molinaro and Wynne investigated human perception of dog emotions. They video recorded a dog in what they believed were positive (happy-making) or negative (less happy) situations. The happy situations were things like offering the leash or a treat, and the unhappy scenarios included gentle chastisement, or bringing out the dreaded vacuum cleaner. Then, in one experiment, they showed ordinary members of the public these videos with and without their visual background. In the second experiment, they edited the videos so the dog who had been filmed in a happy context looked like he had been recorded in an unhappy situation, and the dog who had been filmed in an unhappy situation looked like he was in a happy one. In both experiments, people rated how happy and excited they thought the dogs were. Sample size for the first experiment was 383 and for the second experiment was 485. What the researchers found was that people's perception of the dog's mood was based on everything in the videos besides the dog himself. Molinaro said, "You see a dog getting a treat, you assume he must be feeling good. You see a dog getting yelled at, you assume he's feeling bad. These assumptions of how you think the dog is feeling have nothing to do with the dog's behavior or emotional cues, which is very striking." "In our study, when people saw a video of a dog apparently reacting to a vacuum cleaner, everyone said the dog was feeling bad and agitated," she continued. "But when they saw a video of the dog doing the exact same thing, but this time appearing to react to seeing his leash, everyone reported that the dog was feeling happy and calm. People were not judging a dog's emotions based on the dog's behavior, but on the situation the dog was in." 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. Further complicating the communication process is people's projection of their emotions onto the dog. Molinaro explained that while humans and dogs have shared a bond over the centuries, that doesn't mean their emotional processing, or even emotional expressions, are the same. "I have always found this idea that dogs and humans must have the same emotions to be very biased and without any real scientific proof to back it up, so I wanted to see if there are factors that might actually be affecting our perception of dog emotions," Molinaro said. "If there were, if we as humans focused on other aspects not relating to the dog to deduce their emotional state, then as both scientists and pet owners, we really have to go back to the drawing board." Molinaro explained that even in studies of human perception of human emotions, it is clear that there is more to reading emotion than just looking at a person's face. Culture, mood, situational context, even a previous facial expression can influence how people perceive emotions. Yet when it comes to animal emotions, no one has yet studied if those same factors affect us in the same way. "Our research here shows that for one of those factors, the situational context, it does." So how does a good dog owner cut through the biases and misreadings to understand their pet's true emotional state? "The first step is just to be aware that we are not that good at reading dogs' emotions," she said. "We need to be humbler in our understanding of our dogs. Once we can start from a basis of understanding our biases, we can begin to look at our pups in a new light." "Every dog's personality, and thus her emotional expressions, are unique to that dog," Molinaro explains. "Really pay attention to your own dog's cues and behaviors." "When you yell at your dog for doing something bad and she makes that guilty face, is it really because she is guilty, or is it because she is scared you are going to reprimand her more? Taking an extra second or two to focus on your dog's behaviors, knowing that you need to overcome a bias to view the situation around the dog rather than the dog himself, can go a long way in getting a true read on your own dog's emotional state, leading to a stronger bond between the two of you." More information: Barking up the wrong tree: Human perceptions of dog emotions is influenced by extraneous factors,, Anthrozoos (2025). tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.10 8927936.2025.2469400 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain In Canada, ongoing advocacy efforts from disabled communities have resulted in an evolution of education over time. Generally speaking, "inclusive education" promises the equitable inclusion of disabled students in kindergarten to Grade 12 (K-12) schools. But true inclusion requires more than existing in the same building or classroom. It requires envisioning models based in a human rights approach that recognize diversity and acknowledge that people are not defined by one characteristic. Disabled students continue to face barriers constructed and enforced by our schools. Students and their support networks, families, advocates and experts can no longer accept school systems which uphold inequality for the disabled community. There are ways we can combat these encroachments. Confinement and restriction In many provinces in Canada, students with disabilities experience aspects of confinement and restriction in K-12 education. The term "transinstitutionalization" describes a process in which people with disabilities experience being confined in dehumanizing ways, throughout their lives, despite the promises of inclusive education. Disability advocates and scholars note how educational practices and policies continue to maintain a new form of institutionalization for people with disabilities, without the bricks and mortar of a traditional building for the disabled community. In this way, students with disabilities are set up for future decades of similar exclusion, confinement or marginalization. Marginalization from curricula Canadian K-12 education perpetuates disability stigma and marginalization through segregated practices, policies and attitudes. Programs serving children with a disability label have various names. In Manitoba, there are "individualized" and "modified" programs. Ontario has "modified" and "alternative-unaccredited" programs. Individualized programming is described as appropriate for students whose intellectual developmental disorder prevents them from benefiting from participation in a provincial curriculum. As an educator for over 10 years, I have been taught, and teach, that all students can learn. Insinuating some learners do not benefit from curriculum is ableist. Isn't it the responsibility of our educational authorities to develop curriculum for all learners? Lack of opportunities, unpaid work Enrollment in programs for students with disabilities can trigger a process of restriction, sometimes lifelong, in government programs and services that begin as early as kindergarten and continue into adulthood through sheltered workshops and day programs. In Manitoba, as explored in education professor Nadine Bartlett's research, disabled students participating in individualized or modified programs have reported experiencing curricular restriction, programming claw-backs, lack of opportunities, inadequate resources and discriminatory attitudes and policies. Manitoba students who participate in individualized programs do not receive an accredited diploma but instead a certificate of completion; students in modified programming receive an "m-designiated" diploma that differs from a regular diploma. 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. Envisioning dignified vocational preparation Although meaningful vocational training is beneficial, advocates have noted that many times people with disabilities are undervalued or exploited, including through unpaid labor. After graduation, without a regular diploma, when students do work, they earn a paltry amount. People often face income precarity, and the disability community has had to advocate against disability support payments being clawed back when people are employed. Disabled students, regardless of clinical assessment and program registration, must graduate with formal high school diplomas and receive dignified educational and vocational preparation. This needs to be tied to wider community and societal work, in conjunction with multiple levels of government, to envision, create and prepare disabled students for non-exploitative and fair employment where they are paid for labor without prejudice in jobs after high school. For the disabled community, Canada's education system seems like a closed door. People with disabilities continue to experience systemic barriers in accessing education, something that negatively affects quality of life and can be devastating. The advocacy group Disability Without Poverty reports that one in six people with disabilities lived in poverty in 2022. Popular myths about special education There are a host of popular myths that play into the defense of special education as preferable to inclusion. Editor Linda J. Graham and author Kate De Bruin in Inclusive Education for the 21s Century explore these in an effort to accentuate the benefits of inclusivity in schools. For example, justification for disability-based exclusion or segregation is often presented as factual and conceptualized as inclusive. These justifications insinuate disabled students may cause undue hardship for schools and school boards or divisions and therefore should be segregated from other students. Another myth is that the needs of disabled students are "special" and they should be educated alongside other students with "special" needs by teachers with "special" knowledge and training. However, as many scholars have shown, this is not supported by evidence. Each foundational myth constructs a pretense that seeks to justify separate, segregated and unequal educational opportunities. This mythology continues to maintain broken systems that extend beyond kindergarten to Grade 12 education. Representation and reform First and foremost, our school culture must shift. The disability community is the largest global equity group. It's also one that many of us will join throughout our lifetime and comprises roughly 27% of all Canadians. Inclusive educators and administrators can pave the way for a more inclusive system by celebrating disability as a distinct community and culture. Schools need to hire, support and promote disabled educators. Systems must undergo curricular reform that is representative of disability studies, employing community members and experts in the field for the purpose of short- and long-term strategic planning. Future research in this area should explore how transinstitutionalizationthe phenomenon where people leave one therapeutic community to move into other institutionsis implemented in different school districts, boards and provinces. This could involve mapping inequity, and potential discriminatory policy, practices and processes in Canadian schools. Comprehensive vision of human experience Our local schools and public institutions are the bedrock of our democracy and society. Honoring the disability community's human rights is a global challenge. We cannot afford to negotiate these inclusive values and morals. We need our schools and governments to fashion policy that encompasses a complete and comprehensive vision of the human experience, one that understands the universality of disability and works toward remediating barriers. Susannah Mintz and Gregory Fraser, editors of "Placing Disability: Personal Essays of Embodied Geography" ask us to understand that what disability means for our collective grasp of the human condition is connected with where disability happens. Understood in the school context, this means that the way we encounter and engage with people with disabilities in our schools, and the labels and practices we introduce, tells us something about ableist assumptions. It is only through ending segregation in education, while revisioning existing structures, school cultures and providing adequate resource support, that people with disabilities can be an integral part of society on an equal basis as others. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Ron Lach from Pexels Juveniles grow up hearing a multitude of adages about life, such as: "True friends are forever," "Fake it 'til you make it," and "Change is a good thing." However, these adagesand other life advice about behavior in societyare difficult to process for juveniles who were incarcerated at a young age and served long sentences, says J.Z. Bennett, a criminologist at the University of Cincinnati whose research focuses on prison reform. "Spending decades in prison removes individuals from social structures and sources of informal social control, such as education, employment, marriage and parenting," he writes in a new study published in the journal Criminology: "Thicker Than Blood: Exploring the Importance of Carceral Bonds for Those Formerly Serving Juvenile Life Without Parole Sentences." Juvenile life without parole (JLWOP) is a sentence that places a child 17 years old or younger in prison for life without the possibility of parole. The United States is the only nation that hands down such sentences for crimes committed before turning 18. Bennett's study draws from data and life-history interviews of JLWOP offenders, or "juvenile lifers," who were subsequently released after Supreme Court rulings in 2012 and 2016 found that mandatory life sentences for juveniles were unconstitutional. Since the Supreme Court rulings, more than 2,500 individuals have been resentenced, and more than 1,000 of those have been released, Bennett's research team found. The average age of the juvenile lifers interviewed was 53. According to Bennett, the study's key findings are: Prison friendships matter more than people realizeChildren sentenced to life without parole lose contact with family and friends on the outside but form deep, surrogate family bonds in prison. These relationships provide emotional and practical support throughout their incarceration. However, upon release, they face the difficult reality of rebuilding ties with family and society while also grieving the loss of connections that sustained them behind bars. Long sentences throw lives out of syncServing decades in prison disconnects individuals from the world outside. While their family and peers move forward, they remain in a system that does not prepare them for release. Instead, their strongest relationships are with those they were incarcerated with, leading to an ongoing struggle to bridge the gap between their past in prison and their future in the community. Freedom isn't just about getting out, it's an emotional rollercoasterWhile release from a life sentence is often seen as a moment of triumph, it is also a time of deep emotional upheaval. Many experience loneliness, disorientation and difficulty adjusting to everyday life. Family members often expect them to simply move forward, but without an opportunity to process decades of incarceration, they may feel misunderstood and unsupported. Parole rules can make reentry even harderMany states prohibit individuals with felony records from associating with one another, despite the fact that these peer relationships are often the most valuable source of support. Those who have shared the experience of long-term incarceration understand the unique challenges of reentry in ways that others cannot. Preventing these connections removes a crucial support system and makes reintegration even more difficult. 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. "This study challenges the assumption that extreme sentences promote rehabilitation. Instead, the findings suggest that decades behind bars disrupt personal development, sever vital relationships and create barriers to successful reintegration," Bennett says. "Policymakers should consider alternative approaches that promote accountability," he adds, "while also supporting rehabilitation and maintaining social connections that are critical for long-term success." Bennett is an assistant professor in UC's School of Criminal Justice, in the College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services. In addition to teaching corrections courses, he leads UC's Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, where UC students travel to corrections facilities to discuss criminal justice topics such as sentencing, parole, life after prison and recidivism with incarcerated individuals in a classroom setting. Bennett is an editor of a new book, "Black Freedom Struggle in Urban Appalachia," available on Amazon. More information: J. Z. Bennett et al, Thicker than blood: Exploring the importance of carceral bonds for those formerly serving juvenile life without parole sentences, Criminology (2025). DOI: 10.1111/1745-9125.12392 Journal information: Criminology This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Sex workers should be empowered to set boundaries, access justice, and receive specialist support, according to a new study examining sexual violence in the sex industry across four legal jurisdictions. The recommendations were made by sex workers involved in the study, which found that those working in decriminalized or legalized settingssuch as New Zealand and Nevada's managed brothelsare better able to negotiate consent and seek support when violations occur. By contrast, those in criminalized settings face legal barriers that leave them more vulnerable and less likely to report abuse. Legal protections Researchers from the Universities of Strathclyde and Leicester; Queen's University, Belfast; the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; and the University of Otago, undertook interviews with more than 100 criminal justice professionals, support workers, and more than 700 sex workers to look at the situation in four different jurisdictions: the U.S., where the sale and purchase of sexual services is illegal in most states; Nevada, where sex work is legal in certain counties but strictly regulated within brothels; the United Kingdom, where the sale of sexual services is legal but working in brothels is not; and New Zealand, where sex work is decriminalized. They found that consent negotiation is shaped by the legal frameworks in each jurisdictionsex workers in decriminalized settings have greater awareness of their legal rights and are better able to assert boundaries, including citing legal protections to clients. Violations such as non-payment and "stealthing"non-consensual condom removalare widespread: 76% of survey respondents who had experienced an incident reported a payment issue, while 44% had experienced stealthing. Many workers viewed these acts as violence, yet legal recognition and enforcement vary by country. Distrust of authorities is a key barrier to reporting92% of survey respondents did not formally report the last boundary violation they experienced, citing a lack of trust in law enforcement and the criminal justice system. Policy reforms Professor Teela Sanders, in the School of Criminology at the University of Leicester, said, "Stigma against sex workersparticularly in criminalized and partially criminalized settingscan be embedded within essential services such as health care and policing. This stigma often leads to compounded harm for sex workers, further alienating them from the services they need. "This study highlights an urgent need for legal and policy reforms to protect sex workers' rights and empower them to set and maintain boundaries, while providing effective mechanisms for redress." Key recommendations include ensuring survivors have choice and control in reporting, building trust through specialist support, and forming partnerships between mainstream services and sex worker-led organizations. The research also calls for full decriminalization of sex work to improve protections and access to justice. Deputy Chief Constable Dan Vajzovic, of the UK's National Police Chiefs' Council, said, "Across society, we need to do more to tackle violence against women and girls; this is especially true when considering under-protected communities such as sex workers. I welcome this contribution to strengthening our knowledge base and hope that it allows consideration of whether better legislative frameworks can be developed." More information: Voicing Consent: Sex Workers, Sexual Violation and Legal Consciousness in Cross-National Contexts. doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-77715-8 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain The return to Earth of Boeing's Starliner astronauts stuck on the International Space Station inched closer as their replacements arrived to Florida for their relief flight this week. The quartet assigned to the SpaceX Crew-10 mission arrived at KSC having flown into the former space shuttle landing facility on Thursday afternoon. They are slated to climb aboard the Crew Dragon Endurance and launch from KSC's 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. They're joined by mission specialists Takuya Onishi with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. Their arrival at 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 Starliner's 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 membersNASA 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. "We're 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. "We're 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. "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 with 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 that NASA set forward, which is to be for the benefit of all. This is not for the benefit of our crew. It's 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 Parkinson's 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. "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. "It's easier to critique than it is to participate," she said. "The success of these programs relies 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." 2025 Orlando Sentinel. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Illustration of two academic family networks and mentormentee collaboration networks. Credit: Nature Human Behaviour (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41562-025-02114-8 A team of systems scientists from Beijing Normal University, IT University of Copenhagen and Southern University of Science and Technology has found evidence that college students working in large research groups at all levels are more likely to drop out of academia than their peers in smaller groups. In their study published in the journal Nature Human Behavior, the group used crowd-sourced data and the online research catalog OpenAlex to learn more about factors that affect academic and career success for college students. Recent research has shown that postdocs around the world are leaving academia in record numbers. And other research has shown that Ph.D. students are experiencing an unusually high degree of mental health problems. Such findings have led to more research looking into the nature of the problem. In this effort, the research team suspected that one part of the problem might be the size of research groups and their effects on students. To learn more about how postdocs, grad students and junior scientists are doing at academic institutions around the world, the team accessed datasets from a crowd-sourced website that queried students about a variety of topics including how well they are proceeding toward graduating and how they fared afterward. They also studied data from the online research database OpenAlex regarding information about papers and the researchers who published them. The research team found that the percentage of students who remained in a science field for a minimum of 10 years after college was higher than for those who had done their college work with small research teams. The survival rate, as they called it, for those who had done their work with large teams was 38% to 48% lower. The researchers also found that students working in large groups tended to drop out of school more than did those in smaller groups. On the other hand, the team also found that those who had done their work with large teams tended to publish papers that scored higher on index measures based on citations. They also tended to have more career success after graduating. The researchers note that the differences are likely attributable to the roles that students often play in research efforts. Younger students, for example, tend to wind up with more menial tasks if they are in a large group, whereas students in small groups have much more responsibility. The researchers also noted that when a protege was listed first on a paper and their mentor listed lastan indication that they had received more attention than other studentsthey tended to be less likely to drop out. More information: Yanmeng Xing et al, Academic mentees thrive in big groups, but survive in small groups, Nature Human Behaviour (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41562-025-02114-8 Journal information: Nature Human Behaviour 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: Schematic representation of deep GoM ventilation, representing the upwelling and transformation of North Atlantic Deep Waters into intermediate water layer, which forms an outflow from deep Gulf. Credit: Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Research (2024). DOI: 10.34133/olar.0064 Ventilation is an important process within the global ocean, where waters sink to deeper layers, are transported by deep currents, and eventually get upwelled back to the surface. This process affects the distribution of oxygen and carbon in the global ocean by transporting these elements from the surface to deeper regions of the ocean. Scientists are still trying to understand the exact dynamics and circulation pathways that determine how dense, cold water from deep in the Gulf of Mexico gets circulated within the Gulf. Current theories suggest that deep water is transformed into intermediate water by small-scale mixing which drives upwelling before flowing out of the Gulf through the Yucatan Channel. Research used underwater gliders to observe and measure small scale mixing in the Gulf of Mexico to try to verify these theories. The results were published in Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Research on 16 October. "Deep ventilation of the Gulf of Mexico is not yet well understood. Recent studies by Ochoa et al. in 2021 and Amon et al. in 2023 proposed a conceptual model for deep Gulf of Mexico ventilation. In this paper, we tried to complement their conceptual model by investigating the role mixing along steep bathymetry plays in the ventilation of the deep Gulf of Mexico," said Sergey Molodtsov, who was a researcher at Texas A&M University in Galveston, Texas, while working on this study (now at Los Alamos National Laboratory). In 2017, the researchers completed microstructure observations of the continental slope of the western Gulf of Mexico. Microstructure observations are measurements of very small variations in temperature, salinity, and small-scale velocity shear. These microstructure measurements assist oceanographers in estimating small scale mixing rates within a body of water, which is crucial for understanding ocean processes. The microstructure measurements were taken with underwater gliders, which are small submarine-shaped autonomous underwater vehicles. This was the first time that an underwater glider was used to conduct microstructure measurements on the continental slope of the western Gulf of Mexico. Researchers were specifically looking for microstructure measurements that could show evidence of elevated diapycnal mixing in this part of the Gulf of Mexico. Diapycnal mixing happens vertically across the water layers of different densities and can result in upwelling of waters. Researchers suspected that there would be a higher level of mixing in areas where the continental slope is steeper. This area is described as having "steep bathymetry." Bathymetry is the topography of the ocean bottom. Steep bathymetry, such as in the western Gulf of Mexico, may lead to the result of enhanced internal breaking of internal waves (similar to breaking of surface waves) and thus elevated diapycnal mixing levels. "Using various observational data, we confirmed the existence of elevated mixing levels along areas with steep bathymetry in the western Gulf of Mexico, which, in turn, may lead to upwelling-favorable conditions. We hypothesize that these regions could serve as pathways for North Atlantic Deep Water entering through the Yucatan Channel, filling the deep Gulf, upwelling, and transforming into an intermediate water layer that forms the outflow from the deep Gulf of Mexico," said Molodstov. 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. In addition to the steep slope of continental slope, there is a cyclonic boundary current that runs along the perimeter of the Gulf of Mexico that could be another factor contributing to the elevated mixing rates. Looking ahead, researchers are hoping to conduct additional observational missions. "Additional research could include microstructure turbulence measurements, targeting other areas in the deep Gulf of Mexico. These studies could further support the proposed hypothesis of ventilation in the deep Gulf of Mexico" said Molodstov. Other contributors include Ayal Anis and Rainer M. W. Amon, at Texas A&M University; and Paula Perez-Brunius, Julio Sheinbaum, and Julio Candela at the Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education at Ensenada (CICESE). More information: Sergey Molodtsov et al, Glider-Based Microstructure Measurements of Enhanced Diapycnal Mixing along the Continental Slope of the Western Gulf of Mexico, Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Research (2024). DOI: 10.34133/olar.0064 Provided by Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Research (OLAR) This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Victim, perpetrator, witness: The news media's depictions of political violence frequently involve the assignment of specificand easily understandableroles. But when those roles become muddled, the media's framing of those transitions can vary. In a new study published in January, Virginia Commonwealth University researchers Jessica Trisko Darden, Ph.D., and Amanda Wintersieck, Ph.D., both associate professors in the Department of Political Science in VCU's College of Humanities and Sciences, analyzed reporting on the case of Dominic Ongwen. The paper can be found in the journal Media, War & Conflict. Ongwen, a former child soldier who had been forcibly abducted by the Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda, went on to climb the ranks of the extremist group's leadership. He was found guilty in 2021 for a total of 61 crimes and sentenced by the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, to 25 years in prison. As both a victim and perpetrator, Ongwen holds an ambiguous status under international law, and media portrayals of him and others with similar backgrounds can be equally complex. Trisko Darden and Wintersieck worked with Izabela Steflja, Ph.D., a political science professor at Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada, as well as a group of Federal Work-Study students to catalog nearly 800 news articles related to Ongwen's case. Collecting data and identifying themes, they eventually pulled out 117 articles that used variations of the word "turn," analyzing the context in which the word was used in each instance. What they found is that individuals facing charges in international court "can be understood very differently, in very distinct contexts," Trisko Darden said. "In their home community or their home country, they may be understood in a very different way than they are, say, in a European, transnational court." In other words, victim-perpetrators can be judged more harshly by the home communities that have been more directly affected by their crimes, compared with international audiences. "The media does really shape how we understand war crimes prosecutions, and there's a big gap in coverage between international and local prosecutions," Trisko Darden said. "Our research really recognizes this tension between local justice and international justice, and how the affected communities understand and frame those different processes." Since its establishment in 2002, the International Criminal Court has investigated and tried individuals charged with crimes of concern to the international community. As of early this year, there have been 32 cases before the court, including Ongwen's. "In conceptualizing what this project looked like, we really struggled," Wintersieck said. "And when we sat down to figure out what we were struggling about, it was that we lacked a theoretical framework. Nobody had provided a framework for understanding this process, and so this is a theory-building piece [that] scholars who are interested in looking at these processes can use." This is Wintersieck and Trisko Darden's second article analyzing the media depiction of Ongwen. Currently, they are working with a new group of FWS students on a study about another individual from the Lord's Resistance Army who was prosecuted within Uganda instead of being sent to The Hague, allowing comparisons "across the different reporting of local, regional and international sources and to understand differences in how prominent these trials were," Trisko Darden said. "We're interested in understanding how global publics understand the value of different justice mechanisms for war crimes, as seen through news media and reporting." More information: Jessica Trisko Darden et al, Framing victims and perpetrators: Local and international reporting on the International Criminal Court case against Dominic Ongwen, Media, War & Conflict (2025). DOI: 10.1177/17506352241312086 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Wikipedia is one of the world's most influential knowledge platforms. Ranking among the top ten most-visited websites globallyjust after Google and YouTubeit attracts over six billion monthly visits, and offers content in nearly 300 languages. Often perceived as a democratic space where anyone can edit and contribute, Wikipedia remains a battleground for ideological debates. Despite right-wing criticism of its "woke" agenda, a persistent gender gap has shaped its content and participation for over a decade. While its mission is to be the "sum of all human knowledge," my research shows that only 19% of its biographies feature women, and just 10%15% of its editors are female. This disparity distorts the historical record and reinforces the invisibility of women's contributions across fields such as science, politics, literature, and activism. Now more than ever, it is crucial for Wikipedia to be unbiased. Beyond providing information to billions of people, it is also one of the most widely used sources for training AI systems like ChatGPT. Any biases in its content risk being amplified and perpetuated, further entrenching systemic inequalities as these technologies develop. As we mark International Women's Day, it's high time we examined the barriers that keep Wikipedia from achieving true equity, and the efforts being made to close this digital divide. A systemic issue Recent research, including a scoping review conducted by the Women&Wikipedia project at the University of Barcelona, highlights three interconnected explanations for Wikipedia's gender gap: The "Women's Problem" Hypothesis: This theory suggests that women are less likely to contribute due to lack of time. This is often because of family caregiving responsibilities, or a lack of confidence or interest in digital collaboration. However, taken alone, this perspective places the blame solely on women, and ignores structural barriers. The "Mirror Effect" Hypothesis: Wikipedia reflects the inequalities present in society at large. The underrepresentation of women in mainstream media and academia means fewer notable women are written about and cited. However, Wikipedia's decision-making community processes also amplify gender bias. The "Systemic Problem" Hypothesis: Wikipedia's culture, policies, and power dynamics favor established editors (predominantly men) and create an unwelcoming environment for newcomers, particularly women. These factors contribute to the persistence of gender bias on the platform. The study found that women's biographies are more frequently nominated for deletion, often with claims that they lack "notability": a requirement that is more difficult for women to meet due to their historical exclusion from traditional sources of recognition. Moreover, women face greater hurdles to appearing in the media, which is the primary source of information for Wikipedia articles. New Wikipedia entries cannot be created from scratchthey have to be based on what is already reported in external sources. 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. Wikipedia's main page: who gets featured? The Cover Women projectanother ongoing study by the same University of Barcelona research group, funded by the Wikimedia Foundation's Research Grantanalyzes the representation of women and other marginalized groups on the main page of Wikipedia across seven language editions. Over a ten-year period, the research analyzed 22,924 biographies featured on the English and Spanish Wikipedia front page. It found alarming disparities, not only in gender but also in ethnicity, religion, language, profession, and race. The project's key findings in each of these areas were: Gender: Women accounted for only 29% of featured biographies on the English Wikipedia, and an even lower 18% on the Spanish Wikipedia. Non-binary individuals were virtually absent. Ethnicity and race: Most individuals featured on Wikipedia's front page were white. Racial labels were inconsistently appliedwhite individuals were rarely categorized by race, while black individuals were explicitly identified as such. This reveals an underlying bias in how race is perceived and labeled by Wikipedia editors. Religion: Christian figures dominated the front page, with significantly fewer representations of Muslim, Hindu, or Buddhist individuals. Native Language: English-speaking individuals were overwhelmingly featured, further emphasizing a Western-centric bias in content selection. Profession: Politicians, scientists, and writers were the most commonly featured professions, while fields traditionally associated with women, such as nursing or caregiving, were nearly absent. Interestingly, while one of the most common professions for women with Wikipedia articles is actressincluding many from the adult film industrythis profession does not appear on the main page. Complex guidelines Wikipedia's main page is curated by a small team of volunteer editors who follow community-driven guidelines to ensure quality and relevance. However, these guidelines can be difficult for new editors to navigate, as they are filled with acronyms and specialized terminology. The selection process is largely shaped by the experience level of contributors, and only those with specific roles and sufficient expertise can actively participate in decision-making. In some cases, structured voting systems allow community involvement, but these too are often restricted to seasoned editors who meet certain criteria. While certain sections actively attempt to counteract bias by promoting diversity and underrepresented topics, the final content ultimately reflects the interests and priorities of the most active editors, whose contributions shape the visibility of information on the platform. The biases and discrimination found by the Cover Women project show that current efforts to make content selection neutral are falling short overall. A more equitable Wikipedia Wikipedia's gender gap is not just a reflection of existing inequalitiesit is a site where these inequalities are either reinforced or challenged. If Wikipedia aspires to be the sum of all human knowledge, then it must address the systemic barriers that exclude women's voices. Achieving gender balance will require: More female editors and general diversity among contributors. Better documentation of women's achievements in mainstream media. Structural reforms in Wikipedia's editing culture and policies. This would mean making its editorial guidelines more accessible, welcoming and encouraging new editors, and enabling greater community participation in choosing which articles to spotlight on the main page. Despite its faults, Wikipedia is a huge achievement. It is the world's largest and most widely accessed knowledge platform, and it belongs freely to nobody and everybody. It is therefore within everybody's power to make it a place that reflects the diversity of human experience, where all voices are heard and valued. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Women and girls are disproportionately affected by the climate crisis. They are more likely to suffer health consequences as a result of floods, droughts, heat waves, air pollution, wildfires and other environmental disasters. At the same time, women also tend to be responsible for securing food, water and energy for the rest of their families. When extreme weather makes these resources scarce, their lives and livelihoods are at risk. Despite all of this, women are alarmingly underrepresented in climate change and environmental reporting. A global analysis by the non-profit Media Diversity Institute found that only one in four sources quoted in online news stories about climate change, published between 2017 and 2021, were women. That means the stories being told about climate change are mostly through the eyes and experiences of men. I study how the media covers environmental issues in authoritarian countries like Iran and throughout the Middle East and North Africa, one of the world's most climate-vulnerable regions, which faces extreme heat, water shortages and sand and dust storms. As part of research for my recently completed Ph.D., I have found that women are rarely quoted as sources in news about climate change and environmental degradation, and those that do speak up are often threatened. Not enough women 'on record' Finding sources in authoritarian countries is already difficult, but finding women who are willing to share their testimonies with journalists is even harder. In Iran, environmental issues are highly politicized. Discussing water shortages or air pollution can be interpreted as criticism of the government. Anyone speaking to a journalist can expect intimidation, arrest or even death. Naturally, many sources hesitate to talk. But for women, the barriers are even greater. In 2024, I reported on a heat wave in Iran where temperatures exceeded 50C in some provinces. Through "off-the-record" conversations, I learned that the extreme heat was causing women to suffer heatstroke, menstrual problems, even miscarriages. Yet, when I analyzed the media coverage, there was little mention of this. Most articles focused on how the government had to shut down schools and offices. I reached out to women in different parts of Iran, including mothers, students and medical professionals. Some spoke to me anonymously, but even women in leadership positions within the government or environment sector wouldn't talk for fear of a reaction from the state intelligence apparatus. This is a pattern I've seen throughout my research and reporting. If women cannot safely speak out, their struggles remain invisible. 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. Women are leading, but where's the coverage? Here's the irony: while women are missing from climate reporting, they are in fact leading many environmental efforts. Evidence suggests that women are more likely than men to volunteer for environmental causes or act in an environmentally friendly way, for example. Countries with more women in political leadership tend to have stronger climate policies. Though, there is some imbalance in media coverage of women too. For example, Swedish activist Greta Thunberg has been recognized in media consumed mostly in wealthier countries in Europe, North America and Australasia (what is often called the global north). But in Asia, Africa and Latin America (often called the global south) where climate change is hitting hardest, I have found women leading environmental movements rarely get the same level of attention. This is despite the fact there are numerous women environmental leaders in this part of the world. In Iran, wildlife and conservation activists Niloufar Bayani and Sepideh Kashani were imprisoned and tortured for over six years after being falsely accused of espionage by the intelligence arm of the Islamic revolutionary guard corps. Their work was dedicated to protecting Iran's environment, particularly the critically endangered Asiatic cheetah, highlighting the risks faced by those advocating for conservation under repressive regimes. Bayani wrote a manifesto about the climate crisis and educated women in Tehran's notorious Evin prison in 2023, when she was still serving a decade-long sentence. Another woman, Juliet Kabera of Rwanda, is an advocate for banning plastic bags and single-use plastics and attended global treaty negotiations to tackle plastic waste and cut global production. These women, and their work and sacrifices, are often missing from media coverage about the environment. My Ph.D. research on environmental reporting in the Middle East and North Africa, which echoes other work in this area, found that women are often depicted as victims of climate disasters rather than experts, leaders or solution-makers. Women in the global north are more frequently included in discussions about climate policy, activism or research, than their counterparts in the global south. When the media misses the perspectives of women living through crises, we miss their ideas and experience. As a result, environmental policies may not reflect the breadth of the problem, or address the needs of those who are most affected. If women are more impacted by climate change and are leading the fight, why aren't they also leading the conversation in the media? This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. China's top political advisory body holds 3rd plenary meeting of annual session Xinhua) 08:06, March 10, 2025 The third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) BEIJING, March 9 (Xinhua) -- The 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body, held the third plenary meeting of the ongoing annual session on Sunday. 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 CPPCC National Committee, attended the meeting. During the meeting, 14 national political advisors shared their views on a wide range of topics. Senior officials from the CPC Central Committee and the State Council were invited to hear the suggestions. Tu Haiming praised the recent positive developments in Hong Kong, saying that they once again prove that the region can always count on the motherland. He stressed the need to boost cultural confidence and national identification among local residents for the steady and continued success of "one country, two systems." Zhang Guanghan urged the swift establishment of a comprehensive cultural heritage protection framework, calling for improvements to laws and regulations, the development of new oversight means, and more efforts to raise public awareness. He added that efforts must be made to ensure the entire society participates in, supports, and promotes the systemic protection and unified oversight of cultural heritage. Zhao Yingmin called for measures to modernize environmental governance systems and capacities. Work need to be done to coordinate carbon emission reduction, pollution mitigation, green development, and economic growth, he added. The third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Cai Yang) The third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhou Dixiao) The third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) The third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) Ge Huijun, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), speaks at the third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) The third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) The third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Li He) The third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) The third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) Tu Haiming, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), speaks at the third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) Cheng Hong, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), speaks on behalf of the Central Committee of the China Democratic League at the third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) The third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) The third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) The third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) Chen Jun, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), speaks on behalf of the Central Committee of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League at the third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) Du Zhanyuan, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), speaks at the third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) Zhang Guanghan, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), speaks at the third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) Sun Yeli, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), speaks at the third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) The third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) The third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) The third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) The third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) Liu Yahuang, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), speaks at the third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) Nie Xin, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), speaks on behalf of prominent individuals without party affiliation at the third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) Sun Wei, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), speaks at the third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) Piao Shilong, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), speaks at the third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) Ouyang Zehua, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), speaks on behalf of the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang at the third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) Zhang Kun, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), speaks on behalf of the Communist Youth League of China and the All-China Youth Federation at the third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) Zhao Yingmin, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), speaks at the third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) The third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Li He) Su Hui presides over the third 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 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain US biotechnology company Colossal Laboratories and Biosciences has a radical proposal: it wants to resurrect the woolly mammoth from extinction. In a preprint paper published on March 4, scientists at Colossal report making a significant step towards this objective. They genetically modified the DNA of mice to give them mammoth-like traits in their hair shape, color and length. By testing out their methods in a familiar laboratory animal, the researchers can make sure they work before applying them to Asian elephantsthe closest living relatives of the mammoth. De-extinction is an idea which, if successfully implemented, would allow us to bring back any species from the dead. It means that no animal could truly go extinct as long as we can obtain its DNA. However, mammoths were heavily adapted to a cold climate and a biomean area with specific climate, vegetation and animal lifethat no longer exists. The Siberian habitats once roamed by the creaturesknown as the mammoth steppeare significantly warmer today. Many of the animals and plants they lived among have also disappeared, and the regions are now home to new ones that never lived alongside the mammoth. Attempts to reintroduce woolly mammoths in our modern tundras could therefore prove difficult, and have untold repercussions on the current ecosystem. Against a background of climate change, these tundras are only going to get warmer and less suitable for an animal like the mammoth. Nevertheless, Colossal is pushing ahead with efforts to recreate these striking creatures. Asian elephants diverged from mammoths around 6.7 million years ago and share over 95% of their DNA. Colossal plans to bridge this gap by transforming the genomes of Asian elephants to make them more like those of woolly mammoths. Scientists have obtained high-quality woolly mammoth DNA sequences from carcasses preserved in Siberian permafrost. These genomes (the full complement of DNA in the cell) have allowed scientists to compare the genes that differ between the mammoth and the Asian elephant. Multiplex editing In order to generate their beauty-prize-worthy mice, Colossal's scientists used a range of highly advanced genome editing techniques to modify the sequence of DNA in the mouse. Regions of mouse DNA can be changed so they resemble genes in other organisms, such as a woolly mammoth. These techniques are known collectively as multiplex editing and include the best known method, Crispr-Cas9. Multiplex genome editing gives scientists the ability to target and affect several genes at once (up to seven at a time in this case). The scientists modified ten genes in total in their mice, in different combinations. Interestingly, only three were changed to resemble genes found in the woolly mammoth. The other seven had been previously identified to cause hair variation in mice, and produce traits somewhat similar to those found in mammoth hair. Although these are not mammoth gene variants, modifying them demonstrates the team's ability to edit several genes at once through multiplex editing. Two of the three mammoth-associated genes (Krt27 and Tgfa) have previously been linked to hair texture, based on comparisons with Asian elephants. Another gene, Fabp2, is thought to have facilitated efficient fat metabolism in mammothsa presumed evolutionary adaptation to cold. Modifying the Krt27 and Tgfa hair genes in mice led to a change in texture, making some hairs longer and rougher and others wavier and zigzaggy. The fact that these gene modifications produced physical traits seen in mammoth hair provides a way of verifying the genes are indeed associated with changes in hair pattern, and therefore contribute to the mammoth's distinctive woolliness. But editing the mice so they had the Fabp2 gene variant from mammoths led to no observable physical difference. Of the seven mouse-identified genes modified by the researchers, one (a variant of the Mc1r gene) led to the shiny blond coat color. At least one mammoth carcass dug up from the Siberian permafrost has a similar coat color, so the change is certainly evocative of these ice age creatures. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. A much bigger task Although this is an exciting study into an area of research with incredible potential, there are a few limitations to keep in mind. While Asian elephants are the closest thing we currently have to mammoths, it would take a lot more than a few tweaks to hair length and squiggliness to meaningfully make a mammoth out of an elephant. While George Church, the Harvard genetics professor who founded Colossal, claims that modifying 65 genes in Asian elephants will accomplish this goal, the reality is likely to be more complicated. Indeed, the fact that editing the Fabp2 geneassociated with fat metabolism in mammothsled to no observable difference in the mice is one example of the many gaps in our understanding of mammoth genetics. Put another way, this shows that we have some way to go to fully understand the causal relationship between genes and phenotypethe visible characteristics in a living organism. Increasing the number of simultaneously targeted genes from seven to 65 could also introduce various unintended consequences, including accidentally modifying unintended DNA regions similar to the target sequence (known as the off-target effects of genome editing). It also remains difficult to achieve changes in all genes at once; here too, scaling up from seven to 65 will pose a noteworthy challenge. On top of this, even if Colossal manages to make all 65 gene changes in their Asian elephants, there are likely to be many more differences between mammoth and elephant genomes that have not yet been identified. These include genes involved in behavior, and in regions of the genome that dictate when genes are switched on or off. While mice are an extremely well-studied experimental organism, elephants are less well characterized. As a proof of concept, this research is fascinating, although it remains to be seen whether Colossal's goal of creating an elephant-mammoth hybrid by 2028 is achievable. It would be more likely to generate a mammoth-like Asian elephant than something exactly like the ice age creature. Finally, it is worth considering the end goal of this branch of research. Mammoths went extinct only 4,000 years ago, but at this point they had already been pushed into a fraction of their initial rangerestricted to a tiny surviving population on Wrangel island in the Russian Arctic. Another of Colossal's objectives is to bring back the thylacine, a carnivore that once lived in Tasmania. Given it went extinct due to active hunting in the 20th century, the thylacine should at least still have suitable habitat. However, if the goal is simply to counteract extinction, more sustainable efforts to avoid future extinctions might be better than expensive genetic engineering. De-extinction cannot replace efforts to preserve the one planet we have, and all the living organisms we share it with. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. A sea of red T-shirts with accompanying signs occupied several blocks of Avenue of the Cities in Moline on Sunday as people took to the sidewalks to protest the privatization of the post office. The idea is one President Donald Trump floated during his first term and has now revitalized. Last month, Trump announced he was considering putting the postal service under the control of the Department of Commerce, according to the Associated Press. We want to have a post office that works well and doesnt lose massive amounts of money, Trump said. Were thinking about doing that. And itll be a form of a merger, but itll remain the Postal Service, and I think itll operate a lot better. In the Quad-Cities, nearly 100 people showed up to show their support Sunday and wanted to make it clear to the president that they want the post office to remain public, and remain open. Justin Lott, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers Local 318, said the proposed privatization could mean fewer delivery days, higher prices and less efficient service. Having postal workers in neighborhoods, he said, helps with neighborhood safety. What's inside the packages they deliver make an impact, too. "This is important because we still deliver checks, medicine. Things that are essential," he said. That was an important factor for Bradley Levinson of Rock Island, who receives medication in the mail monthly. Levinson is not a postal worker, but a lifelong activist for causes he believes in. "I have been trying to go to actions that are calling attention to the injustice and corruption coming out of D.C.," he said. Levinson said he has been traveling both sides of the river to exercise his free speech rights whether it's supporting transgender individuals in Iowa or the post office in Illinois. The proposed privatization is another misstep by the current administration, he feels, and should remain how it is. "The postal service, like the public library system, is very near and dear to my heart," he said. "There are certain things that just ought to stay public." Dressed in an American flag jacket and holding a sign that read "resist," Joanie Demmer was also a supporter of the post office staying public. A "daughter of a proud postal worker," Demmer was using her voice Sunday to show her disdain for the proposal of the privatization. "It's in the Constitution that we have the mail. To privatize it would stop so many good things like birthday cards, sympathy cards, billing," she said. A bigger concern for Demmer is if the post office were to privatize, mail in voting could be in jeopardy, she said. Coming out for protests has started to become routine for her, she said, as the Trump administration seemingly takes aim at a variety of departments in an effort to shrink the government. "People are fighting for their lives whether it's farmers, seniors, teachers, postal workers," she said. "Nothing is safe." While this is the first protest of 2025, postal workers and their supporters are no strangers to taking their message to the streets. Last October a group picketed outside the Moline post office, protesting for a fair contract for letter carriers. At that time, there had not been a contract in place for more than 500 days. The effort to get a contract is still ongoing. Before that Everything else would be sent to Des Moines, sorted, and driven back to the Quad-Cities. It was all part of the proposed Delivering for America Plan to invest $40 billion into the postal network in the name of modernization. A few months later in May 2024, a letter to Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee Chairman Gary Peters (D-Michigan), Postmaster General Louis DeJoy acknowledged receiving letters from elected officials who were concerned about the mail processing facility reviews ongoing at about 60 of 427 processing plants. In the letter DeJoy said he felt the "misconceptions" were a result of the USPS closing facilities in the past under a different strategy. Referencing a previous conversation with Peters, DeJoy wrote that he agreed to pause the movement of processing facilities until at least Jan. 1, 2025. In late February of this year, DeJoy announced he was stepping down from his position. You are here: Business Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) underscored the private sector's vital role and growth potential during this year's "two sessions," emphasizing opportunities in manufacturing and technological innovation while urging stronger government support to boost competitiveness and sustainability. As of Dec. 31, 2024, the number of private enterprises in China exceeded 57 million, accounting for 91.96% of all businesses and showing a year-on-year increase of 14.69%, according to a recent report by the Economic Daily. Deputy Li Jihui, vice president of the Guangdong Federation of Industry and Commerce, stressed that private enterprises are essential to China's economy, particularly in driving manufacturing and innovation. He said that factors such as consumption growth, technological progress and supportive policies offer significant opportunities for private sector expansion. The recently released government work report reaffirmed China's commitment to supporting private businesses, pledging concrete measures to promote their growth while protecting the lawful rights and interests of private enterprises and entrepreneurs. At an NPC news conference on Tuesday, officials announced plans to further revise the draft private economy promotion law, first published last October, and expedite its enactment. If passed, it would become China's first comprehensive law dedicated to private sector development. Li also emphasized the role of digital transformation and artificial intelligence in advancing industrial upgrades. "Private enterprises can integrate big data, cloud computing and the Internet of Things into production, management and marketing to boost efficiency and competitiveness," Li said. Private enterprises in China have performed strongly in strategic emerging industries, high-tech industries and core digital economy sectors, recording year-on-year growth of 17.07%, 18.70% and 18.87%, respectively well above the national average of 14.69%, the Economic Daily report said. On global expansion, Li urged private businesses to refine their international market strategies amid shifting global supply chains. "Companies should track global market trends, enhance risk awareness in international trade, and focus on improving product quality and brand value to build customer loyalty," he said. Li also encouraged private enterprises to use initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative and cross-border e-commerce platforms to collaborate with foreign companies on product development and market expansion. Deputy Wang Shuang, who runs a cultural tourism company in Henan province, highlighted the role of private enterprises in cultivating new quality productive forces, particularly in the cultural and tourism sectors. "Beyond traditional services, the industry must incorporate new production factors such as digital technologies, smart equipment and innovative talent," Wang said. "Integrating emerging technologies with cultural tourism would lead to more creative and competitive products and services." Deputy Shi Jubin, president of a major Chinese date food company, expressed confidence in the government's support for private enterprises. He said the recent symposium reinforced policy assurances for the sector. The symposium highlighted the private sector's vast potential in the new era, declaring it an opportune time for private enterprises and entrepreneurs to fully tap into their capabilities. Shi also underscored the social responsibility of private enterprises. "While benefiting from state support, we must also give back to society and contribute to advancing Chinese modernization," he said. Shi advocated for the intelligent upgrading of agricultural enterprises, saying it could draw scientific and technological talent to rural areas while boosting rural economic growth. "By doing so, private enterprises can boost farmers' incomes, drive rural development and ensure economic benefits are widely shared," Shi said. This photo taken and beamed back to Earth autonomously by a mini rover released from the lander-ascender combination of Chang'e-6 probe shows a view of the combination itself on the lunar surface, June 3, 2024. [Photo/China National Space Administration] Technology is reshaping traditional industries like textiles, according to Xu Weilin, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress, speaking on Thursday during the annual session of China's national legislature. "There are no obsolete industries, only outdated technologies," Xu said, challenging the idea that traditional industries are declining. The Chinese Academy of Engineering academician and Wuhan Textile University president emphasized textiles' importance in daily life, cultural heritage, fashion and quality of life. China's textile industry accounts for 4.5% of the country's GDP, produces over 70% of the world's chemical fibers and contributes to one-third of global textile exports, according to industry data. In Hubei province, textiles remain a key economic pillar, with annual revenue nearing 500 billion yuan ($68.96 billion). Xu emphasized the textile industry's shift from being labor-intensive to technology-driven, expanding beyond clothing into medicine, aerospace and high-tech manufacturing. He cited Wuhan Textile University's breakthroughs, including lead-free radiation protection garments that are one-third the weight of traditional versions while offering better shielding. The university is also developing fiber-woven artificial blood vessels that could transform cardiovascular treatments. The Chinese flag displayed on the moon's far side by the Chang'e-6 probe was made of ultra-fine basalt fibers, Xu said. It weighs just 11.3 grams but can withstand extreme space conditions. In advanced manufacturing, heat-resistant fiber materials developed by Wuhan Textile University and Sanjiang Group are now used in hypersonic aircraft, while innovations in bulletproof vests and wind turbine blade reinforcement continue to advance the industry's technology. Xu predicted that clothing would develop into intelligent health-monitoring devices. "In the future, clothing will function as smart health terminals," he said, citing joint research between Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan University and medical institutions on wearable fabrics that can track vital signs. Functional textiles are also driving advancements in sustainable architecture and home design, opening up new areas for growth. Xu said Wuhan Textile University, a leader in textile education, is using its expertise to drive innovation in new materials and intelligent manufacturing. The university is also applying these advancements to modernize traditional disciplines. Xu also called for targeted funding for universities with unique strengths, saying it would help integrate education, talent development and industry needs more closely. Mexican fugitive evading U.S. justice returned to face charges Mexico City, Mexico A Mexican national considered a fugitive from U.S. justice has been extradited. Jorge S was returned to the United States by federal marshals to face charges of transporting drugs from Guatemala to the U.S. Jorge S, a Mexican national, was a middleman for the drug shipments from the far south into the U.S. He was wanted by a Texas court for his participation in shipping drugs from Guatemala to Mexico and then on to the U.S. Jorge S was a member of an organization based in Mexico that was responsible for acquiring, transporting and trafficking drugs from Guatemala to Mexico and then to the United States, police said in a statement. Following the efforts of the FGR, the Government of Mexico granted the extradition of the defendant to the Government of the United States after he was arrested in 2023 in the state of Puebla, they said. Jorge S was wanted by the Federal Court for the Eastern District of Texas. He was handed over to U.S. authorities at Toluca International Airport in the State of Mexico from where he was returned to the U.S. to face charges. Mexican Navy personnel evacuate 7 year old from cruise ship in medical emergency Isla Mujeres, Q.R. A seven year old girl was transferred to the mainland from a cruise ship Sunday after fracturing her wrist. Mexican Navy medical personnel made the transfer Sunday morning off the island of Isla Mujeres. Naval personnel from the Fifth Region carried out the medical evacuation of a minor who was injured aboard a cruise ship. She was transferred to Puerto Juarez to receive specialized care in Cancun, the Navy reported Sunday. The operation took place early Sunday morning off the coast of Isla Mujeres, after receiving a call for help requesting the medical evacuation of the seven-year-old girl who had a possible wrist fracture. The immediate departure of an MLB- type vessel from the Naval Station for Search, Rescue and Maritime Surveillance (ENSAR) of Isla Mujeres was ordered, with specialized rescue and health personnel on board. The cruise ship was met at sea 7.4 kilometers northeast of Isla Mujeres. The young girl was examined and then transferred to Puerto Juarez where a private ambulance met her to transport her to a hospital in Cancun for specialized medical care. Seabed anchors placed off Mahahual for installation of anti-sargassum barriers Mahahual, Q.R. Marina personnel have begun the installation of anti-sargassum barriers off the coast of Mahahual. The Secretary of the Marina (Semar) reported that within the framework of the strategy to address sargassum, they began the installation of the seabed anchors March 5. Once the anchors are installed, personnel will be able to attach the anti-sargassum netting that will help control the amount of seaweed that reaches shore. Secretaria de Marina (Semar) has also said they are in the process of infrastructure maintenance for the upcoming sargassum season. It is important to mention that we are currently in the preparation phase in which the maintenance and preparation of the infrastructure is being carried out, such as sargassum vessels, containment and collection means, as well as smaller vessels and preparation of naval personnel, the Navy announced in a press release. The agency said that naval personnel are working at a forced pace to install anchors and subsequently barriers in the north and center of the tourist destination Mahahual. With these actions, the Mexican Navy reaffirms its commitment to implement actions that contribute to reducing the arrival of sargassum on the beaches of the Mexican Caribbean for the protection and safeguarding of the environment. The Navy reaffirms its commitment to contribute and providing the necessary resources in coordination with the agencies of all levels of government, authorities and civil society, the statement read. Mexican President Sheinbaum talks tariffs in front of 350,000 Mexico City, Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum held a public meeting Sunday before 350,000 in the Zocalo of Mexico City. The public address was announced after U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed export tariffs on Mexico. Our strength is the people, our motive is the well-being of the people, Sheinbaum said Sunday. Sheinbaum said recent talks between Mexico and the U.S. have been good. She also said that with the T-MEC, Mexico should not be subject to the reciprocal tariffs that the U.S. government intends to impose on April 2. She stressed that Mexico will continue to collaborate with the U.S., particularly in the fight against fentanyl consumption, while the U.S. should apply itself to prevent arms trafficking into Mexican territory. Before more than 350,000, President Sheinbaum said that recent talks and respect have prevailed in the relationship with the United States government, which is why the 25 percent tariffs that had been applied to export products were lifted, which she described as an achievement for all Mexicans. She also explained that Mexico would not be subject to the reciprocal tariffs that Donald Trump will impose on all countries starting April 2 since the Mexico-United States-Canada Agreement (T-MEC) establishes that there are no tariffs between these nations. We are optimistic because that day, April 2, the United States government announced that it will impose reciprocal tariffs on all countries in the world. Therefore, if any country charges for its exports, the United States will do so as well, that is what they have said. Except that Mexico is not in that area because for more than 30 years we have signed two Trade Agreements which establish that we do not have tariffs with them, nor they with us. In other words, reciprocal tariffs would not have to be applied because there are practically no tariffs from Mexico to the United States, she explained. Sheinbaum said that the Government of Mexico will continue to collaborate with the United States particularly in the fight against fentanyl consumption with the aim of ensuring that this drug does not reach young Mexicans or Americans. We are determined to collaborate with him in all areas, especially given the concern they have about the serious problem of synthetic drug use. For humanitarian reasons, Mexico will continue to collaborate to prevent fentanyl from reaching American youth and to support their families, she said. She said that just as the Mexican government is cooperating in this area, the United States government will be asked what actions they are taking to stop high-powered weapons from reaching Mexican territory. Hualong One, a domestically designed third-generation nuclear reactor, enters commercial operation on Jan. 30, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua] Amid the global push for clean energy and advancements in artificial intelligence, China's nuclear power sector is accelerating its transition toward safe, clean and efficient energy through the use of digital and intelligent technologies, a top industry official said. "China's nuclear technology and services are among the best in the world," said Lu Tiezhong, chairman of China National Nuclear Power (CNNP), in a recent interview with China.org.cn. Lu, also a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), added the sector is already expanding its overseas market and aims to contribute a Chinese solution to the global energy transition. He said nuclear energy's advantages of high energy density, stable operation and low carbon emissions uniquely position it to address resource constraints and meet global decarbonization goals. As AI advances rapidly, nuclear energy and AI will become increasingly intertwined, Lu said. He explained that nuclear power provides a stable, low-carbon energy base for AI, while AI enhances nuclear safety and efficiency. This synergy, he added, will drive new momentum in the global energy transformation. China's progress is evident in its digital transformation. Sanmen Nuclear Power Co., a subsidiary of CNNP, was officially recognized as a "Lighthouse Factory" by the World Economic Forum, becoming the first recipient of the designation in the global nuclear industry. The plant has implemented over 40 digital applications, resulting in a 1.5% improvement in unit efficiency and nearly 50% reduction in major overhaul costs, Lu said. Meanwhile, China Nuclear Power Operation Technology Corporation has implemented the DeepSeek AI platform, helping to improve data analysis and response efficiency by 40% to 50%. Advanced robotics, independently developed by China National Nuclear Corporation, have been used for reactor refueling, underwater inspection and non-destructive testing in high-radiation environments, enhancing safety and operational efficiency. Lu said China's third-generation nuclear technologies, including the Hualong One reactor, Linglong One small modular reactor, high-temperature gas-cooled reactor and fast neutron reactor, signify a shift from catching up to leading in the global nuclear market. He noted that in the World Association of Nuclear Operators' (WANO) performance assessments, 22 of CNNP's 25 operating reactors earned perfect scores, with an average of 99.13 significantly surpassing the global average. Technological advancements have also led to innovations in nuclear services. Lu introduced "I-Nuclear," which he described as the world's first full-lifecycle nuclear technology service system. "We have built an integrated smart technical service framework based on CNNP's 260 reactor years of operational experience," he said. The system includes eight standardized modules covering site preparation, commissioning, maintenance, training and digital management. Lu said it sets a new benchmark for one-stop nuclear services, providing a replicable "China model" for the global industry. Lu expressed confidence in China's ability to capitalize on emerging opportunities driven by the surge in global AI demand. China has already delivered seven nuclear power units and multiple research reactors to Pakistan and other countries. It is also engaged in cooperation with more than 30 nations across Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South America. Lu said five countries are in the final stages of negotiations, while eight more are reviewing technical proposals, with several agreements likely to be finalized by the end of the year. Beyond electricity generation, China's nuclear sector is exploring new applications for nuclear energy. Lu highlighted its potential in heating, gas supply, desalination, isotope production and future hydrogen generation. "Multi-purpose applications are still in the early stages, but the synergy between nuclear power and the green economy will unlock a trillion-yuan market," he said. Care and Feeding is Slates parenting advice column. Have a question for Care and Feeding? Submit it here. Dear Care and Feeding, My 14-year-old daughter is suddenly worried about her self-defense. We live in a relatively safe community but I can understand her worry. Its a scary world for a teenage girl. I looked at self-defense/martial arts classes and found one that we are both happy with. Ive enrolled her in it, and shell start soon. But Im not sure where this sudden worry came from. She wont say. According to her, no one has been threatening, harassing, or bullying heror anything like that. She also denies that the worry comes from media, news, or social media, and got a bit upset when I continued to ask, so I stopped. Should I be worried about how sudden this change is? Should I continue to try to pry? Worried and Wondering Dear Worried, I wish I knew more about how worried she is, but based on this letter alone, Id let things lie for now. See how things go after shes in the classes for a few months. She might be more willing to talk about anything thats bothering her after a little distance. Being in the classes may also make her feel like she has taken some control over her fears and thus make it easier for her to be more open with you. Focus, for now, on the positives of the classwhat is she looking forward to? After the first few sessions, what is she enjoying? Treat this as you would any other new interest of hers. You should be on the lookout for any other changes or behaviors that could suggest shes in danger or distress (abruptly losing interest in friends or hobbies/activities, changes to travel routes, grades slipping, overly anxious in other ways, etc.) but otherwise, I think its OK to give her some space and let her try to address this herself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, if you think you need to brush up on strategies for communicating with your teen, I recommend Fourteen Talks by Age Fourteen by Michelle Icard. Other books I havent yet cracked open but that are highly recommended out in the world and might be insightful are The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents and Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood, both by Lisa Damour. Get family and parenting advicesubmit a question! Please keep questions short (<150 words), and dont submit the same question to multiple columns. We are unable to edit or remove questions after publication. Use pseudonyms to maintain anonymity. Your submission may be used in other Slate advice columns and may be edited for publication. Thanks! Your question has been submitted. Dear Care and Feeding, * Your letter signoff Your pronouns Your email (optional and confidentialplease include if you're open to Care and Feeding following up) Submit Dear Care and Feeding, A local Buddhist temple hosts a public lunch on Sundays that my partner and I periodically attend with our two children, who are 4 and 6. We enjoy meeting our friends with kids there; it is a very laid back, family-friendly communal space and we always have a good time. Recently while attending, our kids were running around on the small grassy area in the courtyard where everyone eats. While playing tag, my 4-year-old Ana wasnt watching where she was going and ran into a woman sitting on the ground with a nearly full bowl of beef soup. Ana knocked the bowl of soup out of her hands and spilled it on the womans picnic blanket. Advertisement Ana started crying from the combination of taking a tumble and getting hot soup on her. When I went to comfort her, I expected the woman to apologize to both me and Ana and feel remorse about the situation, especially since Ana had burnt herself. Instead, I was shocked that the woman was upset at me and told me that I should replace her soup since she had barely started eating it. She also told me she saw no reason to apologize to us and that maybe this would help her learn to watch where she is going if she chooses to play in a communal space where others are sitting and eating (the courtyard has tables and chairs provided but people also sit on the lawn if there arent enough tables available). Advertisement Advertisement I was shocked at her callousness and told her that her soup was not my responsibility, that she was risking a spill by eating on the ground anyway, and that she should have gotten there earlier if she wanted to sit at a table. We left soon after. Later on, my partner told me that he had thought about it and that maybe we should have replaced her soup. I stand by my actions, however, and am worried now that my daughter is going to be afraid of attending this community event we cherish because of this incident. Who is in the wrong here? No Use Crying Over Spilled Soup Dear Soup, Advertisement Your response to this woman was so absurd that I have to wonder if youre pulling my leg. Of course this woman should not have apologized to you! This was your daughters fault. That doesnt mean your daughter is a malicious monsterit was an innocent accident, one that was bound to happen when frolicking and food are in proximity to one another. Sure, one might make the point that adults with hot soup should not picnic next to tag-playing preschoolers, but one might also make the point that parents should not let their preschoolers play tag next to soup-sipping adults. Advertisement Advertisement I firmly believe that children need to be allowed to be children in public places. This often includes running, shrieking like maniacs, and being oblivious to the personal space of those around them. In fact, just last week in the airport, my son ran a toy car directly into a mans foot 30 seconds after I said, You can play, but please be respectful of that man on a phone call. (And guess what I did in that situation? I apologized to him!) I think it is societys responsibility to welcome and make space for kids. But it is also the parents responsibility to minimize the havoc that children wreak on other people and apologize when the havoc cup runneth over. Advertisement Advertisement You should have apologized for your daughters accident and offered to replace the soup, and in return, the other picnic patron would ideally have said, Think nothing of it, is your daughter OK? Without the former, she was under no obligation to offer the latter. Send Your Questions to Good Job! Laura Helmuth and Doree Shafrir want to help you navigate your social dynamics at work. Does your colleague constantly bug you after hours? Has an ill-advised work romance gone awry? Ask us your question here! Dear Care and Feeding, Ive never started a meal train before and Im looking for advice on what families like and what is most helpful. We have a well-loved member of our kids community who could likely use some prepared meals delivered to them. One of the parents has been hit by a medical condition that prevents them from doing any physical activity. Monetary donations are not necessary so Im looking for advice specifically on helping with errands and meal delivery. Are there apps or websites that people like to use to organize this? Getting Started Dear Started, Advertisement Its really thoughtful of you to want to organize all of this for your neighbor. I have a few platforms Ill direct you to but the first thing you should do is ensure that the recipient is fully informed of and on board with this gesture. While help from your loved ones is a great thing, receiving help you didnt want or cant use can have the opposite effect and make the recipient feel less supported and more isolated. So be sure whatever you do has the green light from the family in question. Advertisement Advertisement For meal trains, I have been the beneficiary of, and participant in, Take Them a Meal. While there are many meal train websites out there, I liked that this site allowed folks to either send a prepared meal from the website or sign up to cook their own. The site asks for both food allergies and meal preferences from the family in question and allows them to select which days of the week theyd like to receive meals. All of these features led to an experience that was tailored to what I needed and wanted; this was critical with a young picky eater and a schedule where I wasnt always home to receive meals. So look for services that offer that level of customization. Be sure that its a service that the meal recipient can view, so they can meal plan around what others are bringing or reach out to people if they need to make a change (like theyll be away from the home on a scheduled meal delivery day). Advertisement Advertisement For errands, I would do something like SignUpGenius. While that particular platform can be a little clunky to set up, it allows users to sign up for shifts fairly easily, and canceling them is also simple if you need to. Again, Id prioritize flexibility and transparency so folks can see what they (and others) are signing up for. Whatever service or method you use, make sure peoples names are visible (not just their email), and that the service includes a notes/additional information field where you can provide not only the date and time an errand is needed, but also any other important details, such as what errands need to be run. Allison More Advice From Slate I have two grandchildren. One visits monthly, even though she has a full-time job and is in college. The other rarely visits, and our interactions are limited to Christmas presents and what we can do for grandchild No. 2. She has just turned 18 and in wishing her happy birthday, I discovered that there is a party being thrown for her. No, we werent invited The timing of Abundance, the new book by the journalists Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, is extraordinary. The good news is, the authors have dropped a potent political manifesto into the lap of a Democratic Party that seems confused about any messaging bolder than Trump take egg. Klein and Thompson offer a vision of a liberalism that builds, a can-do antidote to blue-state malaise. The bad news, for this book and many other things besides, is our actual existing government, whose actions further undermine Klein and Thompsons ideas with each new day. Abundance has a chapter about how the National Institutes of Health has grown more conservative in its grantmaking, to the detriment of scientific discovery. Meanwhile, long-shot research projects have been singled out for mockery and defunding by Elon Musk and DOGE. The authors argue for a more flexible immigration policy, just as Tom Homan disappears asylum-seekers to the Panamanian jungle. And the authors suggest that climate change can be staved off only by investment and invention, right as the administration tries to claw back or freeze grants to green energy projects and universities. Slate receives a commission when you purchase items using the links on this page. Thank you for your support. Its a bit like discussing how youd like to redecorate your house while your neighbors strip the copper wiring from your walls. Still, if the books vision of a world after abundance seems distant, its optimism is also compelling, even joyous. Id say its odds-on that the Democratic National Committee platform in 2028 uses the word abundance to describe some of its aspirations. It helps that Kleins megapopular column and podcast at the New York Times has him in contention for the most influential Democratic media figure. Just the other day, he was talking abundance with U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts, and no doubt more Democrats will follow. Advertisement To see why this word has captured the imagination of the coastal wonk class, as Jordan Weissmann wrote last year, it helps to understand Klein and Thompsons diagnosis of Democratic paralysis. Progressivisms promises and policies, for decades, were built around giving people money, or money-like vouchers, to go out and buy something that the market was producing but that the poor could not afford, they write. Such policies have made up the backbone of Democratic politics for nearly a century: Social Security, minimum wage, food stamps, housing vouchers, Medicaid, Medicare, Pell Grants, child tax credits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But those demand-side subsidies quickly lose their power if you do not ensure an adequate supply of the goods and services you want people to access. And here, we have a problem: Liberals spent decades working, at every level of government and society, to make it harder to build recklessly. They got used to crafting coalitions and legislation that gave everyone a bit of what they wanted, even if it meant the final product was astonishingly expensive, or slow to construct, or perhaps never found its way to completion at all. Thompson, a persistently clever reporter at the Atlantic, framed the antidote in a 2022 column that now reads like a book proposal: abundance. Advertisement Advertisement The writers acknowledge up front that parts of the book are sewn together from their own published articles, and it suffers at times from a lack of clear structure. But Abundance is unabashed in synthesizing good ideas, stringing together (and generously citing, in the text) books and papers about NIMBYism, construction, environmentalism, clean energy, government technology, procurement rules, medicine, science, and invention to make its point. Klein and Thompson argue that liberals (with the occasional assist from conservative saboteurs) have hamstrung their own ability to do good. Advertisement Advertisement This is a familiar diagnosis. It was the subject of two books just last month: Marc Dunkelmans historically rich Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progressand How to Bring It Back and Yoni Appelbaums more focused Stuck: How the Privileged and the Propertied Broke the Engine of American Opportunity. But neither of those authors has the star power to ditch publishings de rigueur explanatory subtitle, a choice that crystallizes this books ambition. This book is not an idle account; it is open in its aims to drive changes in Democratic strategy. Government failure can be separated into three categories. First are the cases where our laws have been captured by narrow interest groups to the obvious detriment of the public good. One such case is the straitjacket of not in my backyard, or NIMBY, policies that have frozen many neighborhoods in amber over the past 50 years. One of the more compelling examples of the abundance agenda in action is the opposing YIMBY movement, for yes in my backyard. Over the past decade, pro-housing activists have blitzed city councils and statehouses with popular, commonsense bills that permit more neighbors to move in, prevailing over the objections of a few local homeowners. Democrats from AOC to Barack Obama have embraced the cause. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Second, there are the cases where government sluggishness is the deliberate result of smothering the administrative state beneath blankets of foolproof rules. Thanks to Kleins background as a crack health care reporter, this book is strongest in its critique of complicated grant applications, notice-and-comment rulemaking, procurement box-checking, endless committees, and frequent court challenges that dog government action and interaction. The American innovation system would benefit from trusting individuals more and bureaucracies less, Klein and Thompson write. Many of these checks and balances have their roots in liberal suspicion of government, but today this risk-aversion strategy impedes Democrats effective exercise of power at all levels. Advertisement When these checks are circumventedoften in an emergencythe results are striking. Consider how Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro managed to rebuild a collapsed section of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia in just 12 days. Under an emergency declaration, state Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll was able to forgo an environmental assessment and a traditional bidding process, enlisting two unionized contractors who happened to be working nearby. It was a triumph: Shapiro was celebrated for showing that government could still get things done, and wrote that the first lesson was to empower strong leadership that could (legally) decide which customs to follow and which to ignore, and subsequently accept credit or blame for those choices. Advertisement A choose-your-own-Bluesky-pile-on awaits for every politician who appears on the Ezra Klein Show. Third, and most challenging, are the many instances where the administrative bottlenecks to abundance represent distinct interests of the Democratic coalition. Unions, for example, reasonably support wage requirements for the workers who build public buildings and Buy America mandates for the equipment on public transit systems. Accessibility requirements for affordable multifamily housing represent a civil rights victory for Americans with disabilities. Contracting preference for women or minority-owned businesses speaks for itself. In a 2021 column, Klein memorably described liberals tendency to weigh down policy with other priorities as the everything-bagel problemput too many things on the bagel, and it becomes a black hole from which nothing can escape. The expression has circulated widely since. Its in untangling these trade-offs that the rubber meets the road for abundance policy. To unmake this machine will be painful, the authors note. It will require questioning treasured nostrums and splitting old alliances. Advertisement The book falls short of delineating which alliances to splita choose-your-own-Bluesky-pile-on awaits for every politician who appears on the Ezra Klein Show. But there are lessons from pop psychology, where decades of gurus have pitted the abundance mindset against the scarcity mindset. Many actors in American society, our president most of all, take as a first principle that the size of the economic pie is limited. Trade unions cling to outdated staffing rules on the assumption that there is a limited amount of work to go around. White-collar professionals like doctors and dentists protect their turf with occupational licensing laws and educational requirements. Small-business owners cling to a parking spot outside the shop because they cannot imagine that new customers might arrive from a new apartment building across the street. For abundance to take hold, the thought that life could be betteras the poet saidmust be woven, indelibly, into their hearts and their brains. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In its rejection of this zero-sum thinking, what makes abundance different from the old pro-growth liberalism of America in its midcentury boom yearsitself already the subject of, among other studies, a 2007 book called The Age of Abundance? As in many theories of politics, the key is: more good things and fewer bad things. At midcentury, the nation built an abundance of urban expressways and manufactured an ocean of disposable plasticsmaybe lets leave those behind. Then came millennial consumer abundance: near-universal access to cheap meat, fast fashion, and addictive screens. It turns out not everything about that is great either. This time around, Klein and Thompson suggest, our abundance focus should be on housing, transportation, energy, and healthwho could argue for less? But some conflicts lie down that road as well. The most popular policy use of the word abundance in recent years has been in a Republican talking point: energy abundance. That means continuing to burn coal, gas, and oil. Abundance is not a replacement for a value system. You need to know what you want and dont want before you ask for more. Advertisement If theres an elephant in the abundance room, its the Republican Party. Donald Trump and his followers are basically absent from what amounts to a liberal intervention. Where the GOP does appear in Abundance, it is in a handful of maddeningly framed both sides phrases: Liberals might detest the language that Trump and Vance use to demonize immigrants. But blue America practices its own version of scarcity politics. (Jane Jacobs never sent anyone to Guantanamo for sporting a Michael Jordan tattoo.) Or: We are stuck between a progressive movement that is too afraid of growth and a conservative movement that is allergic to government intervention. (That is not the first way I would characterize our current conservative movement.) But perhaps its for the best: Who knows what the GOP stands for these days, besides Trumps latest whim? At least if Dems can solve problems in blue states, they might be able to pitch a national Project 2029 to voters. The work of institutional renewal has never seemed more urgent. The books core lesson, convincingly delivered, is that liberals ought to make it easier to do the things they want to do. What is scarce that should be abundant? Klein and Thompson write. What is hard to build that should be easy? Identifying the goals is often difficult; putting them into practice shouldnt be. This will alienate some constituencies and lead to some embarrassing mistakes. But the result will be, well, results. Imagine if, in three years, voters could look to New York, California, or Massachusetts and say with pride: This is what democracy looks like. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. The Supreme Court agreed on Monday to consider whether state laws that prohibit conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ minors violate the First Amendment. It is very likely that the conservative supermajority will declare that these bans violate the free speech rights of anti-LGBTQ+ counselors. In doing so, the court will effectively invalidate laws in 28 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico that restrict conversion therapy for minors. Today, these laws protect a majority of LGBTQ+ youth from this dangerous practice. All those protections could soon be cut down by a supermajority eager to wield the First Amendment as a sword in the furious culture war against gay and transgender children. It is easy to forget in todays climate of anti-trans persecution, but conversion therapy bans were recently a point of bipartisan consensus in much of the country. Many Republican governors signed these measures into law, leading to their adoption even in red and purple states like Utah, Nevada, and New Hampshire. Lawmakers were moved to action by accounts from victims of the cruel and horrific methods that go into converting an LGBTQ+ child into a straight or cisgender person. In one New Jersey case, for instance, a counselor forced his clients to undress in front of him, beat effigies of their mothers, and physically hurt themselves each time they felt same-sex attraction. Advertisement The reality is that conversion therapy simply does not work: Being gay or transgender is not a disease to be cured, its a fundamental aspect of a persons identity that cannot be driven out through dubious therapeutic methods. Every mainstream medical group in the United States that has considered the issue has opposed conversion therapy and endorsed its prohibition, including the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. As the American Psychological Association recently explained following a comprehensive review of the scientific literature, efforts to convert LGBTQ+ children are dangerous, unethical, ineffective and discredited. They fail to change the patients sexual orientation or gender identity while frequently contributing to depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, substance abuse, and a host of other ills. A confluence of research, the group wrote, supports the conclusions that these practices are not psychotherapy interventions at all, but rather forms of stigma that do vastly more harm than good. They are rooted in bigotry, not science, and have no place in professional psychotherapy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For all these reasons, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit upheld Colorados ban on conversion therapy last year, joining the 9th Circuit in holding that they comply with the First Amendment. Both courts held that these laws regulate professional conduct, imposing only incidental burdens on speech. All kinds of medical treatment, they pointed out, involve some measure of speech, but that fact does not automatically implicate constitutional rights. A doctor has no freedom to pretend youre not having a heart attack when you are, or deny the utility of a pacemaker, or refuse to reveal the true conditions of your arterieseven though all these communications are technically speech. And so, the courts held, it follows that a therapist has no fundamental right to convert a patient from gay to straight, or trans to cisgender, when doing so is harmful and impossible. Advertisement Related From Slate Whats the Deal With Amy Coney Barrett Lately? Read More The courts therefore held that conversion therapy bans, like other medical speech, are subject to mere rational basis review, not strict scrutiny. And the laws easily survive this lower standard of review given the governments strong interest in shielding minors from the injuries inflicted by a discredited treatment. The courts also pointed out that these bans exclusively target licensed therapists working in professional settings. A parent, family friend, or religious counselor may still attempt to convert an LGBTQ+ minor. So, too, may a professional therapist outside of her practice. These are, in short, licensure laws that hold practitioners to a certain standard. The penalties for violation are accordingly limited to revocation of license and modest administrative fines. Advertisement Conservative lawyers have nonetheless launched an assault on these bans, urging the federal judiciary to wade intoand abruptly haltthe robust democratic debate that has produced so much success for LGBTQ+ advocates. They argue that the laws violate therapists free speech rights by censoring therapists ability to convey certain messages about sexual orientation and gender identity. Theyve had mixed success: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit struck down two local bans in 2020. And last term, the Supreme Court narrowly refused to consider the issue, with Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Brett Kavanaugh urging their colleagues to take it up. On Monday, the Supreme Court finally agreed to review Chiles v. Salazar, a challenge to Colorados conversion therapy law, which the 10th Circuit upheld. It did so even though the state has never actually enforced the measure against anyone. Advertisement Advertisement Theres little mystery how the court is inclined to rule. In 2018s NIFLA v. Becerra, these justices struck down a California law requiring crisis pregnancy centers to disclose their lack of a medical license to the public. The majority held that these fake clinicswhich masquerade as real clinics then evangelize against abortionhave a First Amendment right to conceal from patients their inability to practice actual medicine. In his majority opinion, Thomas pointedly criticized a 9th Circuit decision upholding Californias conversion therapy ban, suggesting it was wrongly decided; he specifically wrote that professional speech was not exempt from heightened constitutional scrutiny. His decision had grave implications for all manner of licensure laws that mandate standards across the medical profession. Advertisement Advertisement Then, in 2023s 303 Creative v. Elenis, the Supreme Court granted an anti-gay website designer an exception from Colorados civil rights law, allowing her to discriminate against same-sex couples. The conservative supermajority declared that the First Amendment guarantees every professional, even those working for a profit, the right to speak his mind regardless of whether the government considers his speech sensible and well intentioned or deeply misguided. Once again, the court seemed to be casting doubt on the premise that states could regulate speech by professionals by deeming it conduct. Advertisement The conservative supermajority now seems poised to follow through on the implied threats of NIFLA and 303 Creative and invalidate conversion therapy bans. It is difficult to overstate the impact of such a decision: laws in more than half the statesrepresenting years of advocacy, lobbying, and democratic debategone in a flash, as well the preemptive condemnation of a proposed federal ban. More than half of LGBTQ+ minors are, today, safeguarded by these laws, thanks to the work of thousands of elected representatives and governors around the country. Soon, six justices may tear their hard-won triumphs to the ground. Advertisement Such a ruling would also mark yet another example of the Supreme Court selectively brandishing the Constitution to take sides against blue states in the culture wars. The Supreme Court looks poised to uphold state bans on gender-affirming health care for trans minors. Yet it may now strike down state bans on the attempted conversion of LGBTQ+ youth. And it has already carved a huge loophole in state laws that protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination. Progressive states, organizations, and individuals are left fighting with one hand tied behind their back, while their opponents enjoy freedom from constitutional restraints. This manifestly unfair situation resembles an asymmetry that the Supreme Court has created in the abortion debate. Crisis pregnancy centers have a right to lie to patients about the phony care they provide. Meanwhile, actual doctors may be forced to promote anti-abortion propaganda to patients over their own sincere objections. Advertisement Advertisement When this Supreme Court extols the virtues of democracy, pay attention to which debates it withdraws from the democratic process. To the Republican-appointed justices, questions about a pregnant patients life and death must be left to the people and their elected representatives. But an anti-LGBTQ+ therapists ability to tell a child that they must stop being gay or transgender? That may prove too important to leave to the people. It is clear who gets the benefit of this courts protection: not those most in need of a constitutional defense against discrimination, but those most eager to enshrine their bias into law. Access is important. Slate is offering 6 months of Slate Plus to current and recently laid-off federal government employees. If you, or someone you know, have been affected, click here to get 6 months of Slate Plus free. Two weeks ago, Elon Musk took the stage with Argentinian Prime Minister Javier Milei for a keynote address at the Conservative Political Action Conference. The two men are the preeminent mascots for a certain Reddit-tinged breed of right-wing politics that has taken the world by storm. Ideologically speaking, theyre bound together by a supposed shared disdain for bureaucracy and the specter of ill-defined wokism, but, fundamentally, the number one attribute they have in common is bad tasteand a vengeful desire to inflict that bad taste on the rest of the country. The definitive image of CPAC, then, was the richest man in the world swinging around a chainsaw gifted to him by Milei. The Argentinian premier stood in the background with a grotesque rictus grin, flashing two thumbs-ups, while Musk was dressed in one of those A.I.-ish T-shirts that Temu markets to preteen gamers. It read, Im Not Procrastinating, Im Doing Side Quests. It is easy to be overwhelmed by the velocity of the news in 2025, but I do think we owe it to ourselves to take a moment or two to zoom out and ponder how one particular aspect of this era feels. Im not talking about the vagaries of its political philosophy, or the ramifications of its extrajudicial processes, or really any other anxieties related to the function of government. Instead, I want to focus on something much simpler; something contained within the visceral experience of consciousness, which, I think, cuts through the mustardy technicalities of our oncoming constitutional crisis with sublime clarity. We need a reminder of who we are up against. As entities. As people. Because when you let the disarray of the Trump Order wash over youand specifically, when you watch Elon Musk brandish a chainsaw and make a weird little growl while being cheered on by an unruly mass of unsocialized Discord incelsyou can be left with only one conclusion: This is deeply, radically, uniquely uncool. Perhaps even the most uncool period of American history theres ever been. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am not arguing this is the most regressive era of American history, or the most shameful, or even the most chaotic. The 2020s, no matter how they shape up, arent likely to rival the abject cruelties of enslavement, abuse, and colonial conquest that defined the founding of the nation, or the brutal hypocrisies of later eras, including Jim Crow. The nation has not yet resigned itself to nuclear obliteration like it did, briefly, in 1962, and, as of this writing, the tariffs Donald Trump is endlessly teasing have yet to result in a 2008-style economic meltdown. (Knock on wood.) However, when you look at the aestheticswhen you survey the vibesI dont think its close: Never before have the forces of cringe wielded such power, never has their shlock been so validated, and never have more people been laughing at their bad jokes. Together, Trump and Musk and their Christian nationalist and tech cronies are remaking the social contract, rendering America into a grating banner ad, or a malformed Facebook comment. If you want me to be more specific, let me put it this way: 2025 is the only year in the American storybook that could produce something as flagrantly uncool as a Melania Trumpthemed meme coin. Advertisement Advertisement Allow me to go on, because I think weve been trying to analyze the sensation were all feeling with language that intellectualizes the symptoms and misses the forest for the trees. Like, for instance, this Gulf of America situation. Is it emblematic of a clammy nativism at the heart of the Trump brand? I mean, sure, but its also extremely uncool. Renaming the Gulf of Mexico is an uncool idea, cheered on by uncool people, who have bad taste. The Department of Government Efficiency is a program that has apparently been given limitless authority to hamstring the federal governments ability to accomplish basic tasks; it also takes its DOGE nickname from a 12-year-old meme for normies. That is uncool. Selling $5 million gold cards for expedited immigration is uniquely emblematic of the transactional huckster-state we have become, but dont let that belie the more visceral nature of our revulsion. Its uncool! Its embarrassing! It is hard to watch, for reasons that go far beyond cruelty and these peoples disregard for the future! Advertisement Advertisement The pervasive uncoolness is not limited to political actors. Uncoolness has spread like a disease through the nation. Nobody has been spared. Post Malones country music pivot, or Theo Vons sudden interest in foreign affairs, or the Christian nationalist version Russell Brand, or Mark Zuckerberg cosplaying as Benson Boone are not indicators of a healthy society. It has never been easier for someone to be radicalized into the worst version of themself, and if there is anything Ive learned from 2025, its that the forces of evil turn out to also be unbearably cringeworthy. Kanye West, a man who was once cool, asserted his pivot to Nazism on X last month by adopting a tedious 4Chan affectation. It culminated in a moment where he was selling swastika-stamped T-shirts for $20 while posting his favorite pornography. There was no ingenuity, no nuance to the shock value, just the same flavorless right-wing trolling tactics that bloomed into dangerous vibrancy back in 2016, but have since grown moldy and soft to the touch as theyve rotted in the crucible of mainstream attention. This is the dominant culture now, and it sucks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smarter people than I have tried to diagnose the uncool renaissance as the result of a broader anti-intellectual backlash to the world that COVID-19, and vaccine protocols, shaped. Sure, why not? Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is one of the least cool men alive, and theres simply no way hed be anywhere near the executive branch if it wasnt for the pandemic. But I have a more material theory, which is that the breakneck financialization of all digital ecosystems has turned our American brothers and sisters into unrepentant scammers, and as the internet has continued to absorb reality, former pillars of coolnessintegrity, dignity, Not Selling Outhave lost all currency. (Patrick Redford elucidated this brilliantly in an essay at Defector. He dubbed the root of our discontent to be Bag Culture.) Advertisement And frankly, if I were ever asked to fully demonstrate the creeping uncoolness of 2025, I might just gesture toward my brutalized X timeline, whichsince the Musk acquisitionis packed to the gills with crude OnlyFans spam, brain-breaking A.I. slop, and lengthy algorithm-greasing threads studded with cry-laughing emojis and called, like, 15 TIMES LEBRON SILENCED THE HATERS. The last vestiges of the more hygienic, reality-based internet we used to occupy have been foreclosed on by its proprietors, and these days, it seems like the only people left on social media are those trying to post their way to a meager come-upthe saddest form of bag culture, indeed. There is simply no digital terrain left to foster a counterculture. The soil is fallow, the villages are torched, everyone is in retreat. Advertisement There is an argument to be made that the one lesson the Democrats should learn after 2024 is to set aside their outmoded Obama-era posture and be more accommodating for embarrassing vectors of society. And by that logic, OK yes, Kamala Harris could have gone on Joe Rogan or whatever. But I have to hold on to the belief that the status quo is unsustainable, and that more and more Americans will begin to become reacquainted with their inner monologue as they watch Musk continue to brandish his chainsaw in a gamer shirt, both literally and proverbially. Surely things cant be this uncool forever. One day, in the distant future, everyone will get the ick. Right? Of course, for change to happen, the Democrats also need to become cool again, and that should be the focus of every party operative across the country. It will not be easy. (Did you see their pink outfits and little auction-style paddleboards from Trumps recent address to Congress? Good lord.) But I might suggest some baseline fixes. Like, say, stop scolding the youngest and most passionate participants of your coalition for dreaming too big. Maybe let rising stars take on more visible, actionable leadership. Dont go on tour for a childrens book you wrote if youre the leader of the House Democrats. And most importantly, get behind some really exciting policy that could materially change peoples lives for the better. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such a rebrand might seem impossible from the wreckage of 2025, but there is precedent for this. I remember the freshly defeated liberal culture in the mid-2000s, when the left was very much in the political wilderness, but had nonetheless gained salience in the social arenas that mattered. (Remember left-leaning stand-up comedy? What a time!) We had the better ideas, better policies even, but our ideological framework was also propped up by an inner self-confidencesomething that we knew would eventually help carry us to the White House: We were cool, and they were not. The cycle continues. It cant come fast enough. Wang Jing, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), poses for a photo during the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee in Beijing, March 8, 2025. [Photo provided to China.org.cn] A national political advisor has proposed measures to accelerate the high-quality development of the marine economy. Wang Jing, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and CEO of Newland Group, noted that China's land-based economy has achieved remarkable success since the reform and opening-up. However, resource and environmental constraints are creating bottlenecks for continued land-based economic growth. "Oceans and seas, as strategic resource reservoirs, offer new momentum for China's sustainable development," Wang told China.org.cn on March 8, while attending the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee. "With breakthroughs in next-generation technologies such as artificial intelligence, marine robotics and satellite communications, the high-quality development of the marine economy has become the optimal choice to overcome resource bottlenecks, expand strategic space and chart a new development course." Wang proposed a detailed plan that includes integrating a smart ocean initiative into the new infrastructure framework and establishing an industrial investment fund. She called for the creation of a national marine intelligent technology innovation system, which would feature a dedicated laboratory for marine AI models. Wang urged for advancements in key technologies such as marine environment prediction, AI resource exploration and intelligent navigation. She proposed developing a comprehensive marine database that combines satellite, robotics and buoy data to create the world's largest Chinese marine corpus. Her plan includes building a marine robotics innovation center and establishing deep-sea robotics bases in key cities to produce unmanned surface vehicles and autonomous underwater vehicles equipped with satellite communication capabilities. These could be used for industrial applications like submarine cable inspection and deep-sea mining. Wang recommended building satellite-based marine infrastructure, including a hybrid 5G and satellite network and a marine monitoring satellite constellation. She proposed testing low-orbit satellite internet to provide high-speed broadband for offshore fisheries and wind farms, allowing research vessels to transmit large amounts of data daily. Her plan also includes developing low-cost satellite Internet of Things terminals for fishing vessels and creating a marine emergency communication system. Additionally, Wang advocated for a marine digital twin platform that integrates satellite, sonar and AI technologies to build a 3D maritime domain model and establish a big data center. Wang outlined proposals to advance smart ocean development, including creating an intelligent marine carbon trading platform powered by blockchain and satellite monitoring. The platform would track blue carbon ecosystems such as mangroves and seagrass beds. She also advocated for establishing a national marine carbon trading center. Moreover, Wang suggested fostering a smart marine industry cluster by creating a marine metaverse innovation base for augmented reality and virtual reality offshore training and digital fishery management. She proposed transforming traditional shipyards into "smart shipyards" using digital twin-based lifecycle systems. On a night when 13 different trainers found their way to the winner's circle at MGM Northfield Park, leading dash trainer Ron Burke swept the featured events with a pair of Ontario-breds. Burke, who was only one of two trainers to double up on Sunday, March 9, got things rolling in the $27,143 Open Handicap Trot, with Oh Look Magic (pictured above) and driver Justin Irvine prevailing as the heavy favourites. Several horses were put into play early, with Son Of Sona (Keith Kash Jr.) making the lead and outside assignee Oh Look Magic caught very wide into the initial turn. Into the backstretch, Son Of Sona, who was dismissed by the betting public after winning at long odds last week, made his way to the front. Irvine was able to guide Oh Look Magic into the two-path but had to work hard to clear Son Of Sona, who was aggressively driven through a :28.3 first quarter. Irvine was able to get a breather in the second quarter, opening up a 1-3/4-length advantage to the half in :58. There was never an anxious moment from there for Irvine, who was on autopilot in the final half-mile, as Oh Look Magic hit three-quarters in 1:26.4 and drew off to win by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:57 under confident handling. Open Bar (Chris Lems) battled on to be second, while Nothingbutadreamer (Nick Clegg) closed for third. Making his Northfield debut, Oh Look Magic earned his 15th career victory and the five-year-old Lookslikeachpndale-Miami Magic gelding pushed his lifetime earnings to $532,673. He is owned by Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi. Night Shadow made it two in a row in the $27,857 Open Handicap Pace, with Hunter Myers getting a front-end trip from post seven for this Burke trainee. Myers wasted no time putting Night Shadow into play, duelling with Cyclone Banner N (Anthony MacDonald) into the first turn. Into the backstretch, Cyclone Banner N was on the muscle, but Night Shadow elected to keep coming on the outside, finally clearing through a :27.2 first quarter. After a :56.4 half, Night Shadow began to brace for challengers with Back In My Day (Luke Ebersole) first-over and Pocket The Cash N (Chris Lems) both applying pressure. Up the backstretch for the final time, Night Shadow continued to cruise on the front end, with the action heating up behind him. At three-quarters in 1:25.1, Night Shadow appeared to kick clear from the challengers, but around the final turn, Back In My Day continued to fight him, coming up just short in the final strides as Night Shadow won by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:53.4. Pocket The Cash N finished third third. Also owned by Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi, the six-year-old gelding by Shadow Play out of Sexyandinotdevie is now five-for-six competing against Northfield Open company this year. The 28-time career winner lifted his bankroll to $368,754. Chris Lems picked up a grand slam on the night, starting things off early with Bettor In Cash ($4), winning in a big way for trainer Tom Hall. Lems continued his winning ways in three legs of the Pick-5 sequence, all with longshot winners. Camouflage Money ($12.80), Bet On Blake ($65.40) and Dragon Candy ($9.80) all scored during the Pick-5, which paid a whopping $7,673.30 to one lucky winner. Others with multiple wins on the 15-race card were feature race winning drivers Irvine (three) and Myers (two) along with Aaron Merriman (three). Live harness racing resumes at Northfield on Tuesday, March 11 at 6 p.m. (With files from Northfield Park) Barry Lefkowitz, the immediate Past President of the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA), the current Chair of the Board, and the 2024 USHWA Member of the Year, has been appointed to a six-year term on the Screening Committee for harness racings U.S. Hall of Fame. The Screening Committee meets annually to determine what people reach the final ballot to try to achieve the sports ultimate honour, membership in the Hall of Fame. The announcement was made by Michael Carter, the current President of USHWA. Chapters of USHWA nominate candidates for the Hall in late spring and all nominated candidates go before the Screening Committee, which meets on the traditional Hall of Fame weekend in early July, when Lefkowitz will be seated on that committee. After the groups deliberations and selections, the ballots for election are then distributed to USHWAns and members of the Hall, with the election process culminating in those having received 75 per cent of the yes-no votes as the newest class of the Hall. Lefkowitz received an early education in a master class in harness racing publicity centering around Monticello Raceway in the Catskills of New York, then worked at Jackson Raceway (Michigan), Roosevelt Raceway in his native New York City, Scioto Downs (Ohio), Batavia Downs (New York) and Windsor Raceway (Ontario). All of these appointments gave him a solid knowledge of the true stars of the various regions. As first Treasurer and then President of USHWA, Lefkowitz was a spearhead in USHWA's financial rejuvenation, reaching out to horsepeople throughout North America to assist in keeping the annual Dan Patch Awards Banquet as a major event on the harness calendar. He continued growing in the sports history by leading a two-year pursuit which culminated in gathering all of the available information about the horses and humans picked as top of their divisions, including Trotter, Pacer and Horse of the Year, for every year of racing since awards were inaugurated in 1948. Barry has a solid grounding in all of the major human contributors to harness racing over close to eight decades and he figures to be a substantial informed voice during the important discussions about those to be in line to receive the sports ultimate accolade, membership in the Hall of Fame, said Carter. The United States Harness Writers Association is the leading group of communicators about the Standardbred horse. USHWA conducts the official annual balloting for the sport's most prestigious honours: induction to the U.S. Hall of Fame and Communicators Hall of Fame, along with the selection of the U.S. Horse of the Year, Trotter and Pacer of the Year, and the leading divisional horses of each season. Each year USHWA hosts the Dan Patch Awards Banquet, honouring the best and brightest performers in North American harness racing. This banquet is the associations principal source of funding, and with support from the harness racing and breeding industries, USHWA is able to host the banquet at a world-class facility in a world-class manner. (United States Harness Writers Association) Standardbred owner George Millar is a man of his word. In December, he told Harness Racing Update that he was a little over 50 per cent serious about racing his undefeated homebred pacing filly, Ontario-sired Chantilly, against the boys in this years $1 million North America Cup (Grade 1) on June 14 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. On Friday, when asked how Chantilly, Canadas reigning Somebeachsomewhere Horse of the Year, was faring training down for her sophomore season, Millar told Ontario Racing, Put it this way, I made her first payment to the North America Cup. But, I also paid her up for the Fan Hanover [three-year-old filly race] that is the same night. Millar said he wanted to hedge his bets and he and his private trainer Nick Gallucci the 2024 Trainer of the Year will make a final decision about whether to race the daughter of Big JimShiraz Seelster against the boys closer to June. No filly has raced in the open event since it changed its name to the North America Cup 42 years ago. Chantilly was a perfect nine-for-nine with earnings of $761,000 in 2024. She is one of 69 sophomore pacers that have been nominated to this years North America Cup. Gallucci said he shook his head when Millar first broached the idea. It was just a little bit of shock, said Gallucci. I don't know if he had been thinking about it for a while. When he brought up to me, it kind of threw me for a loop. But, what am I going to say? It's his horse. Still, it's a pretty cool situation We'll do our best. Looks like she could beat the colts, but who knows? I think, for now, theres a lot of dreaming. Millar said he believes Chantilly will need to post a mile in the 1:48 range to be successful against the boys. He said he believes the filly is capable of such speed after a conversation with her driver, four-time reigning Keith Waples Driver of the Year James MacDonald. Millar said MacDonald told him Chantilly likely would have posted a mile in 1:49 and change as a two-year-old if any horse had "stared her in the eyeball." So, its just a matter of knocking off another second to get down to [1]:48 and change it's quite possible that she can get in that range and, if so, she's going to be competitive in [the NA Cup], said Millar. Truth is, all this is more than just an indication of how much talent Millar believes Chantilly has the depth of which he said the world hasnt seen, yet, because she was carefully managed during her rookie season. NA Cup dreams also speak to Millars incredible passion for horses and his desire to promote the sport he loves. Do I think shed go with [the boys]? I dont think shed be embarrassed And it would make for a nice story, said Millar, whose Millar Farms was named the Armstrong Breeder of the Year for the third time in 2024. I dont want to hurt her, but I dont think it would hurt her You can pay up and if you think youre just not right or whatever, then you can just not enter. I think she just took care of herself all year and the fact that she wasnt over raced really helped her out quite a bit. (With files from Ontario Racing; photo of George Millar, right of the Chantilly portrait, at the 2024 O'Brien Awards) Susan Laden, a prominent horse owner of champions in the 1980s, passed away on Friday, March 7 after a short illness at Englewood Health Care in New Jersey, not far from where she resided. She was 80. During the 1980s, Ms. Laden, a petite blond, was a striking presence in winners circles, especially at The Meadowlands. She owned many notable horses throughout the years, primarily racing as North Woodland Stables, including: Central Park West p,2,1:53.3f ($534,863), a world champion, Breeders Crown winner and the U.S. Two-Year-Old Pacing Filly of the Year; JEFs Spice 3,1:55.2 ($951,469), a Breeders Crown winner at ages two and three; Supergill 3,1:53.3 ($664,194), winner of the 1987 Peter Haughton Memorial Trot and early season favourite for the Hambletonian; Keyser Lobell 2,1:58 ($610,965), winner of the 1988 Peter Haughton Memorial Trot; Start The Fire p,1:52.1 ($542,276), a multiple stakes winner and one of her favourites; CPW p,4,1:49.1 ($657,414), a multiple stakes winner and a son of Central Park West; Threefold p,3,1:51.1 ($643,004), a major stakes winner; Big Brat p,2,1:53.1 ($402,177), also a major stakes winner and a favourite; Nuklear Weapon p,3,T1:53.3 ($271,435), a stakes winner and one of her first yearling purchases; Nuke Of Earl p,4,1:52.1 ($404,532); Third Straight p,3,1:50.1f ($321,662); and Omen Hanover p,1:50.4f ($1,086,809), a stakes winner, now a successful broodmare and also a favourite. Ms. Ladens horses were primarily trained by Bob Bencal, Bruce Nickells, Ray Remmen, Mark Loewe, Doug Miller and Kevin McDermott. In 1987, just two years after she bought her first Standardbred racehorse, she owned two starters in the rich Woodrow Wilson Pace for two-year-old colts, Kingston and Threefold, who each won their elimination races. I really liked horse racing, but I didnt like going and watching other peoples horses, Ms. Laden told racing writer Mike Farrell of The Record in New Jersey. Ive got a business of my own and Im independent. I thought I would give it a shot. Ms. Ladens business was a successful flea market that she established in Union City, New Jersey. Ms. Ladens approach to harness racing was hands on as she studied pedigrees in sales catalogues and then went to the yearling sales to personally inspect the horses she liked on paper. In addition to her great enthusiasm for horses and harness racing, Ms. Laden bred and showed pedigreed dogs and was passionate about her own Grand Champion Golden Retrievers. She also continued to own a small interest in racing Standardbreds. Ms. Laden is survived by sons Eric Haber (Stacey) and Paul (Elena), and grandchildren Ashley, Matthew, Max, Sasha, Ellie, Evan and Olivia. A funeral service was conducted on March 9 with a private burial on March 10. The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the National Kidney Foundation. Please joing Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Susan Laden. The topic of artificial intelligence (AI) has stood out at meetings and press conferences during China's annual "two sessions," painting a broader picture: China is rapidly evolving into an AI "super market," with the application of frontier technology woven into the fabric of a wide range of sectors in its economy. Vowing to advance the AI Plus initiative, a government work report submitted Wednesday at the national legislature session pledges to support the extensive application of large-scale AI models and to vigorously develop new-generation intelligent terminals and smart manufacturing equipment, including intelligent connected new-energy vehicles, AI-enabled phones and computers, and intelligent robots. Passionate discussions on AI among lawmakers and political advisors present a panorama of innovative applications -- from algorithmic script generation for short films to precision agricultural weeding and robotic manufacturing -- that vividly illustrate how scale and innovation come together to propel the integration of technology into the industrial and everyday contexts. AI-driven transformation At an industrial park in Shenzhen's Pingshan District, industrial AI models analyze data streams from over 2,000 devices, enabling production lines to optimize technological parameters autonomously nearly 30 times an hour. This example of manufacturing represents just one facet of China's broader push for AI integration. In the automotive sector, He Xiaopeng, chairman of Chinese auto brand Xpeng and a national lawmaker, believes a transformative AI era is approaching, and that it will bring two significant changes. "First, AI will accelerate the arrival of autonomous driving, and even driverless vehicles. Second, the automotive industry is beginning to merge with robotics," he told reporters during a group interview on Saturday. In 2024, China's new energy vehicle production and sales volumes both surpassed 12 million units, maintaining the world's leading position for a 10th consecutive year. AI Plus will emerge as a critical strategic opportunity for China's automotive industry, simultaneously driving a new wave of development in large language models, intelligent connected electric vehicles, and smart robotics, said Zhang Yongwei from China EV100, a non-governmental research and policy institute. Data indicates that by 2024, nearly 200 generative AI models had been registered and launched for service in China, with over 600 million registered users. The country's industrial robot installations now account for more than half of the global total, and China is leading the development of international standards for elderly care robots. Industry observers point to DeepSeek, a powerful new large language model, as a catalyst that could accelerate China's AI adoption. DeepSeek demonstrates that cost-effective computing power can achieve remarkable feats, said Tian Feng, head of an AI think tank. Tian predicts that in the next one to two years, small and medium-sized enterprises will actively adopt AI applications, and large enterprises will develop industry-specific models using open-source frameworks. "We are nearing a tipping point in AI Plus," he said. From labs to industries China is home to over 1.4 billion people and 1.1 billion internet users, its manufacturing sector has maintained its global lead for 14 consecutive years, and the country has hosted the highest number of global top-100 tech clusters for two consecutive years. China's world-leading market scale, industrial prowess and thriving innovation ecosystem underpin its capacity to develop prototypes and scale technologies rapidly. Consumers are increasingly experiencing the tangible benefits of AI Plus through products like intelligent cars that understand user intentions and helpful chatbots that effectively solve problems. The industry's proactive approach to adopting AI in various scenarios is creating a feedback loop that drives AI technology from research labs into the industrial arena. "The best is yet to come," Kai-Fu Lee, CEO of 01.AI and chairman of Sinovation Ventures, said in an interview with People's Daily. China clearly shines in technology, building applications that cater to user needs and create economic value, he said. The pharmaceutical industry has long been plagued by a problem: developing a new drug can take 10 years and 1 billion U.S. dollars. AI is now expected to break this cycle. Experts predict that in the next three to five years, China's AI-supported drug research will enter a phase of rapid development, with AI technologies taking on comprehensive research tasks such as molecular optimization, synthetic route design, as well as automatic generation, analysis and screening. Chen Kaixian, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has said that AI could generate up to 1.2 trillion dollars in value for the pharmaceutical industry. "We look forward to the first AI-assisted drug receiving regulatory approval as soon as possible," said Xi Jianzhong from the College of Future Technology at Peking University. The AI Plus initiative aligns with China's broader strategy to develop new quality productive forces as a new engine for growth amid challenges both at home and abroad, including insufficient domestic demand and rising global protectionism. According to a Goldman Sachs Research report in February, the widespread adoption of AI over the next decade could drive a 2.5 percent annual increase in the overall earnings of Chinese equities. Additionally, improved growth prospects combined with a potential confidence boost are expected to lift the fair value of Chinese stocks by 15 percent to 20 percent, and may attract portfolio inflows exceeding 200 billion dollars. "I look forward to 2025 as the year when Chinese AI apps really rise up and become among the best in the world," Lee said. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has issued Notification No. 62/2024-25, amending the export policy for rice (Basmati and Non-Basmati). The amendment, effective immediately, modifies the requirement for a Certificate of Inspection from the Export Inspection Council/Export Inspection Agency (EIC/EIA). Now, this certificate is mandatory only for rice exports to EU member states, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Exports to other European countries are exempt from this inspection certificate requirement for a period of six months, specifically until September 9, 2025. This change impacts ITC(HS) codes 1006 2000, 1006 3010, 1006 3090, 1006 4000 (Non-Basmati Rice), and 1006 3020 (Basmati Rice). The notification is issued under the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act 1992 and the Foreign Trade Policy 2023. Government of India Ministry of Commerce and Industry Department of Commerce Directorate General of Foreign Trade Vanijya Bhavan, New Delhi Notification No. 62 /2024-25- DGFT | Dated: 10th March 2025 Subject: Amendment in Export Policy Condition under HSN of Schedule-II (Export Policy), ITC(HS) 2022 reg. S.O. 1110(E): In exercise of powers conferred by Section 3 read with Section 5 of the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act 1992, read with para 1.02 and 2.01 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2023 as amended from time to time, the Central Government hereby makes the following amendment to the Notification No. 19/2024-2025 dated 05.07.2024, with immediate effect in policy condition of subheading 1006 for export of rice (Basmati and Non-Basmati) 2. The Export Policy Conditions are notified under the existing entries under the following ITC (HS) Codes, are amended as under: ITC(IIS) codes Item Description Export Policy Condition 1006 2000 1006 3010 1006 3090 1006 4000 Non-Basmati Rice i. Export to EU Member States and European countries namely United Kingdom, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland permitted subject to issuance of Certificate of Inspection by Export Inspection Council/Export Inspection Agency. 1006 3020 Basmati Rice i. Certificate of Inspection by Export Inspection Council/ Export Inspection Agency shall not be mandatory for export to remaining European countries with effect from the date of this notification for a period of six months i.e. till 09.09.2025 Effect of notification The requirement for a Certificate of Inspection from EIC/ElAs for Rice (Basmati and Non-Basmati) exports is limited to EU member states, the UK, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Exports to other European countries are exempt from this requirement for six months from the date of this notification. (Santosh Kumar Sarangi) Director General of Foreign Trade Ex- Officio Additional Secretary, Government of India Email: dgft@nic. in (Issued from File No. 01/91/171/35/AM20/EC/E-File/E-18655) Nokia and BerryComm, a leading fiber-optic broadband provider in Central Indiana, announced the deployment of an enhanced high-speed internet connectivity for thousands of homes and businesses. This initiative, powered by Nokias advanced optical networking technology, reinforces BerryComms mission to provide reliable, high-capacity broadband services to underserved communities. The expansion utilizes Nokias 1830 Photonic Service Switch (PSS) with coherent optics and Reconfigurable Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer (ROADM) technologies, ensuring superior network scalability and reliability. This deployment allows BerryComm to maintain complete control over service quality while reducing dependence on external carriers for last-mile connectivity. Beyond residential customers, the enhanced network supports businesses with mission-critical connectivity solutions, ensuring maximum uptime and operational efficiency. With this infrastructure, BerryComm can seamlessly scale to 100G and beyond as bandwidth demands continue to grow. Top Breaking News Of The Day The deployment of Nokias ROADM technology marks a significant milestone in our mission to bridge the digital divide across Central Indiana. This cutting-edge technology enhances our ability to deliver reliable, high-speed internet while positioning our network for future growth. Were proud to partner with Nokia, a global leader in optical networking, to bring these transformative capabilities to the communities we serve, said Cory Childs, President of BerryComm. Fiber internet can be life changing, so innovative service providers like BerryComm are key to reducing the digital divide in America. Nokias optical network portfolio enables rapid deployment of fiber to unconnected regions. We appreciate BerryComms trust in Nokia and look forward to future projects with them. Added Matt Young, Head of North American Enterprise Business at Nokia. Nokia announced that it was selected by Internet service provider Outer Reach Broadband to deploy a next-generation fiber network across rural Maine. The expansive network enables Outer Reach to bring new enhanced multi-gigabit broadband services to homes and businesses, helping to reduce the digital divide and foster local economic development. Outer Reach Broadband is focused on closing Maines digital divide by providing fast, reliable, and affordable internet access. With Nokias fiber solution, it will be able to provide customers with a 10 Gbps symmetrical broadband service that will help significantly enhance the user experience. The solution is also ready for 25G, to address future needs. To help simplify and streamline network operations, Nokia will also deploy its Altiplano Access Controller, a cloud-native platform for automating broadband networks. In addition, Outer Reach Broadband will deploy Nokias portfolio of Wi-Fi 6 beacons with integrated EasyMesh technology, providing customers with robust, reliable, whole-home Wi-Fi coverage. To help further enhance the customer experience, Outer Reach will use Nokias Corteca software, to manage and optimize Wi-Fi performance in the home. For the deployment, Nokia has partnered with VarData, one of the nations fastest growing value-added resellers supporting next generation and legacy networks for both service providers and enterprise customers. Top Breaking News Of The Day This deployment is a pivotal step for Outer Reach Broadband as it complements its fixed wireless network with fiber services. This expansion not only broadens the companys service capabilities but also delivers a more dependable internet experience to its customers, including both households and small businesses. At Outer Reach Broadband, we are committed to delivering fast, reliable, and future-proof internet services to the communities we serve. After careful consideration, weve chosen Nokias FTTP platform for our fiber deployments because of its proven performance, scalability, and innovative technology. Nokias solutions align perfectly with our mission to provide cutting-edge broadband services that meet todays demands while preparing for tomorrows needs. With this partnership, were ensuring that our customers benefit from world-class connectivity backed by a trusted, global leader, said Tom Kirby, Co-Founder and President of Outer Reach Broadband. VarData is thrilled to partner with Outer Reach Broadband and Nokia. This collaboration will empower Outer Reach to leverage the latest in fiber technology and deliver exceptional broadband services to their customers. We are confident that this partnership will drive significant advancements in connectivity within the communities Outer Reach serves, noted Jeff Coke, CEO at Var Data. Multi-gigabit fiber broadband is increasingly being used to connect everything: homes, businesses, cell sites, and smart cities, providing an opportunity for service providers to offer exceptional services and unlock new revenue streams on fiber. This is a great example of how Nokias industry-leading solutions can be used by emerging and innovative service providers like Outer Reach Broadband. We are very excited to team up with VarData to support Outer Reach Broadbands expansion strategy, commented Jeff Dean, Head of Partner Program for North America at Nokia. 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: Workers install lighting on an "X" sign atop the company headquarters, formerly known as Twitter, in downtown San Francisco, on Friday, July 28, 2023. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger, File Hours after a series of outages Monday that left X unavailable to thousands of users, Elon Musk claimed that the social media platform was being targeted in a "massive cyberattack." "We get attacked every day, but this was done with a lot of resources," Musk claimed in a post. "Either a large, coordinated group and/or a country is involved. Tracing " Later on Monday, Musk said on Fox Business Network's Kudlow that the attackers had "IP addresses originating in the Ukraine area" without going into detail on what this might mean. Cybersecurity experts quickly pointed out, however, that this doesn't necessarily mean that an attack originated in Ukraine. Security researcher Kevin Beaumont said on Bluesky that Musk's claim is "missing a key factit was actually IPs from worldwide, not just Ukraine." Specifically, he said it was a Mirai variant botnet, which is made of compromised cameras. He said while he is not sure who is behind the attack, it "Smells of APTsadvanced persistent teenagers." Allan Liska of the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future, meanwhile, pointed out that even if "every IP address that hit Twitter today originated from Ukraine (doubtful), they were most likely compromised machines controlled by a botnet run by a third party that could be located anywhere in the world." Complaints about outages spiked Monday at 6 a.m. Eastern and again at 10 a.m, with more than 40,000 users reporting no access to the platform, according to the tracking website Downdetector.com. By afternoon, the reports had dropped to the low thousands. A sustained outage that lasted at least an hour began at noon, with the heaviest disruptions occurring along the U.S. coasts. Downdetector.com said that 56% of problems were reported for the X app, while 33% were reported for the website. It's not possible to definitively verify Musk's claims without seeing technical data from X, and the likelihood of them releasing that is "pretty low," said Nicholas Reese, an adjunct instructor at the Center for Global Affairs in New York University's School of Professional Studies and expert in cyber operations. Reese said the likelihood that a state actor is behind the outages "doesn't make a lot of sense" given their short durationunless it was a warning for something larger to come. "There are kind of two types of cyber attacksthere are ones that are designed to be very loud and there are ones that are designed to be very quiet," he said. "And the ones that are usually the most valuable are the ones that are very quiet. Something like this was designed to be discovered. So to me that almost certainly eliminates state actors. And the value that they would have gained from it is pretty low." Reese added that it's possible that a group was trying to make a statement with causing X outages, but added that such a temporary outage "is not much of a statement to me." "It's only really a statement if there is some kind of follow on action, which I would not rule out at this point," he said. In March 2023 the social media platform then known as Twitter experienced a bevy of glitches for over an hour as links stopped working, some users were unable to log in and images were not loading for others. "X outage" was trending on rival social media platform BlueSky, with some posts welcoming users to the site and urging them to stick around. Musk bought the former Twitter in 2022 and also serves as the CEO of Tesla. He's running X while simultaneously having access to U.S. government data systemsoften wearing a shirt that says "tech support." 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Imagine a not-too-distant future where you let an intelligent robot manage your finances. It knows everything about you. It follows your moves, analyzes markets, adapts to your goals and invests faster and smarter than you can. Your investments soar. But then one day, you wake up to a nightmare: Your savings have been transferred to a rogue state, and they're gone. You seek remedies and justice but find none. Who's to blame? The robot's developer? The artificial intelligence company behind the robot's "brain"? The bank that approved the transactions? Lawsuits fly, fingers point, and your lawyer searches for precedents, but finds none. Meanwhile, you've lost everything. This is not the doomsday scenario of human extinction that some people in the AI field have warned could arise from the technology. It is a more realistic one and, in some cases, already present. AI systems are already making life-altering decisions for many people, in areas ranging from education to hiring and law enforcement. Health insurance companies have used AI tools to determine whether to cover patients' medical procedures. People have been arrested based on faulty matches by facial recognition algorithms. By bringing government and industry together to develop policy solutions, it is possible to reduce these risks and future ones. I am a former IBM executive with decades of experience in digital transformation and AI. I now focus on tech policy as a senior fellow at Harvard Kennedy School's Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government. I also advise tech startups and invest in venture capital. Drawing from this experience, my team spent a year researching a way forward for AI governance. We conducted interviews with 49 tech industry leaders and members of Congress, and analyzed 150 AI-related bills introduced in the last session of Congress. We used this data to develop a model for AI governance that fosters innovation while also offering protections against harms, like a rogue AI draining your life savings. Striking a balance The increasing use of AI in all aspects of people's lives raises a new set of questions to which history has few answers. At the same time, the urgency to address how it should be governed is growing. Policymakers appear to be paralyzed, debating whether to let innovation flourish without controls or risk slowing progress. However, I believe that the binary choice between regulation and innovation is a false one. Instead, it's possible to chart a different approach that can help guide innovation in a direction that adheres to existing laws and societal norms without stifling creativity, competition and entrepreneurship. Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Tamlin Bason explains the regulatory landscape and the need for a balanced approach to AI governance. The U.S. has consistently demonstrated its ability to drive economic growth. The American tech innovation system is rooted in entrepreneurial spirit, public and private investment, an open market and legal protections for intellectual property and trade secrets. From the early days of the Industrial Revolution to the rise of the internet and modern digital technologies, the U.S. has maintained its leadership by balancing economic incentives with strategic policy interventions. In January 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order calling for the development of an AI action plan for America. My team and I have developed an AI governance model that can underpin an action plan. A new governance model Previous presidential administrations have waded into AI governance, including the Biden administration's since-recinded executive order. There has also been an increasing number of regulations concerning AI passed at the state level. But the U.S. has mostly avoided imposing regulations on AI. This hands-off approach stems in part from a disconnect between Congress and industry, with each doubting the other's understanding of the technologies requiring governance. The industry is divided into distinct camps, with smaller companies allowing tech giants to lead governance discussions. Other contributing factors include ideological resistance to regulation, geopolitical concerns and insufficient coalition-building that have marked past technology policymaking efforts. Yet, our study showed that both parties in Congress favor a uniquely American approach to governance. Congress agrees on extending American leadership, addressing AI's infrastructure needs and focusing on specific uses of the technologyinstead of trying to regulate the technology itself. How to do it? My team's findings led us to develop the Dynamic Governance Model, a policy-agnostic and nonregulatory method that can be applied to different industries and uses of the technology. It starts with a legislative or executive body setting a policy goal and consists of three subsequent steps: Establish a public-private partnership in which public and private sector experts work together to identify standards for evaluating the policy goal. This approach combines industry leaders' technical expertise and innovation focus with policymakers' agenda of protecting the public interest through oversight and accountability. By integrating these complementary roles, governance can evolve together with technological developments. Create an ecosystem for audit and compliance mechanisms. This market-based approach builds on the standards from the previous step and executes technical audits and compliance reviews. Setting voluntary standards and measuring against them is good, but it can fall short without real oversight. Private sector auditing firms can provide oversight so long as those auditors meet fixed ethical and professional standards. Set up accountability and liability for AI systems. This step outlines the responsibilities that a company must bear if its products harm people or fail to meet standards. Effective enforcement requires coordinated efforts across institutions. Congress can establish legislative foundations, including liability criteria and sector-specific regulations. It can also create mechanisms for ongoing oversight or rely on existing government agencies for enforcement. Courts will interpret statutes and resolve conflicts, setting precedents. Judicial rulings will clarify ambiguous areas and contribute to a sturdier framework. Benefits of balance I believe that this approach offers a balanced path forward, fostering public trust while allowing innovation to thrive. In contrast to conventional regulatory methods that impose blanket restrictions on industry, like the one adopted by the European Union, our model: is incremental, integrating learning at each step. draws on the existing approaches used in the U.S. for driving public policy, such as competition law, existing regulations and civil litigation. can contribute to the development of new laws without imposing excessive burdens on companies. draws on past voluntary commitments and industry standards, and encourages trust between the public and private sectors. The U.S. has long led the world in technological growth and innovation. Pursuing a public-private partnership approach to AI governance should enable policymakers and industry leaders to advance their goals while balancing innovation with transparency and responsibility. We believe that our governance model is aligned with the Trump administration's goal of removing barriers for industry but also supports the public's desire for guardrails. 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: FTIR optical remote sensing system can be used for real-time monitoring and analysis of aircraft emissions. Credit: Li Xiangxian A research team from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed an advanced Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) optical remote sensing system for real-time monitoring and analysis of aircraft emissions. The research is published in the journal Remote Sensing. Aircraft exhaust, particularly emissions during ground taxiing, represents a complex pollution source that poses serious challenges to air quality and public health. Conventional ground-based monitoring methods struggle to capture real-time emission variations with high precision, limiting the effectiveness of emission control and environmental management strategies. Utilizing advanced remote sensing technology for efficient monitoring has emerged as a critical solution in this field. To address this challenge, the newly developed open-path FTIR optical remote sensing system enables real-time monitoring of aircraft exhaust by analyzing key pollutants, including carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO), and multiple volatile organic compounds (VOCs). By applying a nonlinear model, the team identified significant correlations between the CO/CO ratio and VOC levels, providing deeper insights into aircraft emissions. A major breakthrough in this study is the use of a data-driven approach called the generalized additive model, which allows the researchers to analyze the complex, nonlinear relationships between aircraft emissions and the many factors that influence them. The analysis revealed that even among the same aircraft model, emissions can vary significantly between individual planes, challenging the traditional method of using fixed emission rates based on aircraft type. These findings provide essential data for evaluating the dynamic relationship between aircraft engine combustion efficiency and pollutant emissions. The data could further guide fuel composition optimization and engine performance improvements, ultimately enhancing overall combustion efficiency, according to the team. More information: Yusheng Qin et al, Optical Remote Sensing Analysis of Exhaust Emissions During Aircraft Taxiing at Hefei Xinqiao International Airport, Remote Sensing (2025). DOI: 10.3390/rs17040664 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A new approach to gear skiving, a specialized machining technique for producing internal gears, could improve the speed and accuracy with which gear teeth are formed. The work, described in the International Journal of Abrasive Technology, could be useful to industries reliant on high-precision gears, such as automotive and aerospace engineering. Traditionally, manufacturing internal gears, whether spur gears, which have straight teeth, or helical gears, which have angled teeth, has been a complex, time-consuming process. Gear skiving, an advanced technique that uses a specialized cutting tool called a skiving cutter, has emerged as an effective solution. Hiroki Yonezawa, Jun'ichi Kaneko, and Takeyuki Abe of Saitama University, and Naruhiro Irino, Yuta Shinba, and Yasuhiro Imabeppu of DMG MORI Co, Ltd., Japan, explain that unlike conventional machining methods, which often struggle with the precise geometry of gear teeth, gear skiving synchronizes the rotation of the workpiece with the motion of the cutter. This allows for a continuous and efficient cutting action. However, predicting the exact geometry of the tooth flanks, the surfaces that form the teeth of the gear, has long been a major challenge. The new research introduces an innovative method for predicting the tooth profile after the skiving process is complete. The team analyzes the shape of the material removed during machining, projecting the removal area from the perspective of the workpiece's "tooth lead" direction. The term "tooth lead" refers to the angle at which the teeth of the gear are shaped. This projection-based approach simplifies the analytical process, significantly reducing the computational resources needed to do the calculations when compared to conventional methods. The new approach focuses on the projection of the removal area, factoring in the rotation of the workpiece around its axis to estimate the final tooth profile more quickly and accurately than was previously possible. The team explains that by providing more accurate and faster predictions of how gear teeth will form after the skiving process, manufacturers can improve the design of specialized tools such as profile crowning tools and chamfering tools. These tools are critical in ensuring the final gear has the desired geometry and performance characteristics for high-tech engineering applications. In addition, the same method can be used to assess the effects of tool wear or mounting errors on the gear's final tooth profile, allowing for better control over the production process. More information: Hiroki Yonezawa et al, Development of precision analysis method of tooth profile in gear skiving process with shape projection of removal area, International Journal of Abrasive Technology (2025). DOI: 10.1504/IJAT.2024.144424 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: Charging stations are seen at the Tesla corporate headquarters in Travis County, Texas. Held every year in the capital of conservative-leaning Texas, the South by Southwest festival increasingly celebrates the state's emergence as a technology hub stepping out of Silicon Valley's shadow. The sprawling, counter-cultural conferencefirst launched in 1987 as a music festivalwas always a bit of a Texas outlier, just like its host city Austin, a liberal enclave in the middle of a state best known for its big skies, cowboy hats and oil rigs. The festival, which lasts through Saturday, has mushroomed into a conglomerate of film, comedy, media, cultural and professional events, but none are more in-line with Austin's zeitgeist than those highlighting technology. Long home to a thriving tech scene, recent years have seen the city inundated with Silicon Valley types, turbocharging the quirky capital's bro element and billionaire contingent. Among the former is podcaster and comedian Joe Rogan, who produces his distinctly masculine show from Austin, interviewing not just a few of the country's biggest tech titans. As for billionaires, the most dominant figure is Elon Musk, the SpaceX and Tesla tycoon who has made the Lone Star state his de facto headquarters. Musk is a regular guest on Rogan's podcast, but Meta's Mark Zuckerberg also came through his studio, expressing frustration with the lack of masculinity from his workers on the liberal coasts. "The Californians I know who moved to Texas are even extra Texan marinated in Texas sauce," Musk wrote on X in November. "For the love of God, please don't let Texas become California," he added. Austin's tech ascendance has its origins in the state's strong business culture. People gather in protest against US President Donald Trump during a demonstration at the Texas State Capitol in February 2025 in Austin. Texas provides a combination of very low taxes, top-notch cities built on the oil and gas industries, light-touch regulation, and vast expanses of flat space. "When you are thinking about setting up a new factory, a new data center, what is it that we have here? We have the space to grow at a lower cost than you can find in more densely developed areas of the country," said Paul Cherukuri, Rice University's vice president for innovation. Bigger than Italy Texas is so big that it is almost unfair to think of it as a stateit has a $2.6 trillion economy that is the 8th largest in the world ahead of Italy's. And it is powered by Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin, with their universities, talent pools, and lower costs of living. According to Federal Reserve data, tech jobs in Texas have grown at double the rate of other sectors over the past decade. In 2022, Musk opened a Tesla vehicle factory east of Austin. He is also opening facilities in nearby Bastrop County, including a living compound for employees and a new headquarters for X, his social media platform. Apple is betting on Texas as well, with Austin already representing the iPhone-maker's second-largest concentration of employees outside the company's Cupertino, California headquarters. The company recently announced that a 250,000-square-foot (23,225-square-meter) server manufacturing facility, slated to open in 2026, will create thousands of jobs. Meta and Google also have an expanding presence and onetime Silicon Valley stalwarts like Oracle and a portion of Hewlett-Packard have moved their headquarters to the state. Donald Trump and Elon Musk watch the launch of a SpaceX Starship rocket in November 2024 in Brownsville, Texas. Most of these relocations will benefit from Texas's seemingly infinite real estate, where a lithium factory or an AI-ready data center can be built at massive scale with minimal government red tape. "The Silicon Valley universe is shifting to more physical tech, hard tech, and the place to really make stuff is Texas," said Rice University's Cherukuri. Another determining factor is the cost of living compared to California, which is "massive, especially for housing," said Gib Olander, a business strategist at Northwest Registered Agent, which advises companies on relocation. "Engineers who were priced out of homeownership in the (San Francisco) Bay Area can actually buy homes in Texas cities. That quality-of-life equation has become even more powerful in the remote work era," he added. Political contrasts The city's transformation hasn't come without friction. Austinites complain about soaring real estate prices, though the construction boom may eventually cool the market. Meanwhile, Texas's conservative policiesincluding a near-total abortion ban and Governor Greg Abbott's hardline immigration stancecontrast sharply with tech's traditionally progressive culture. But the state's fans maintain that beneath political divisions is a welcoming environment. "We don't care where you're from: Just come and be a part of us," said Cherukuri, who was born in India. "That's Texas. Even though you may hear something else in the caricatures," he said. 2025 AFP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Earlier this year I received comments on an academic manuscript of mine as part of the usual peer review process, and noticed something strange. My research focuses on ensuring trustworthy evidence is used to inform policy, practice and decision-making. I often collaborate with groups like the World Health Organization to conduct systematic reviews to inform clinical and public health guidelines or policy. The paper I had submitted for peer review was about systematic review conduct. What I noticed raised my concerns about the growing role artificial intelligence (AI) is playing in the scientific process. A service to the community Peer review is fundamental to academic publishing, ensuring research is rigorously critiqued prior to publication and dissemination. In this process, researchers submit their work to a journal where editors invite expert peers to provide feedback. This benefits all involved. For peer reviewers, it is favorably considered when applying for funding or promotion as it is seen as a service to the community. For researchers, it challenges them to refine their methodologies, clarify their arguments, and address weaknesses to prove their work is publication worthy. For the public, peer review ensures that the findings of research are trustworthy. Even at first glance the comments I received on my manuscript in January this year seemed odd. First, the tone was far too uniform and generic. There was also an unexpected lack of nuance, depth or personality. And the reviewer had provided no page or line numbers and no specific examples of what needed to be improved to guide my revisions. For example, they suggested I "remove redundant explanations." However, they didn't indicate which explanations were redundant, or even where they occurred in the manuscript. They also suggested I order my reference list in a bizarre manner that disregarded the journal requirements and followed no format that I have seen replicated in a scientific journal. They provided comments pertaining to subheadings that didn't exist. And although the journal required no "discussion" section, the peer reviewer had provided the following suggestion to improve my non-existent discussion: "Addressing future directions for further refinement of [the content of the paper] would enhance the paper's forward-looking perspective." Testing my suspicions To test my suspicions the review was, at least in part, written by AI, I uploaded my own manuscript to three AI modelsChatGPT-4o, Gemini 1.5Pro and DeepSeek-V3. I then compared comments from the peer review with the models' output. For example, the comment from the peer reviewer regarding the abstract read: "Briefly address the broader implications of [main output of paper] for systematic review outcomes to emphasize its importance." The output from ChatGPT-4o regarding the abstract read: "Conclude with a sentence summarizing the broader implications or potential impact [main output of paper] on systematic reviews or evidence-based practice. " The comment from the peer reviewer regarding the methods read: "Methodological transparency is commendable, with detailed documentation of the [process we undertook] and the rationale behind changes. Alignment with [gold standard] reporting requirements is a strong point, ensuring compatibility with current best practices." The output from ChatGPT-4o regarding the methods read: "Clearly describes the process of [process we undertook], ensuring transparency in methodology. Emphasizes the alignment of the tool with [gold standard] guidelines, reinforcing methodological rigor." But the biggest red flag was the difference between the peer-reviewer's feedback and the feedback of the associate editor of the journal I had submitted my manuscript to. Where the associate editor's feedback was clear, instructive and helpful, the peer reviewer's feedback was vague, confusing, and did nothing to improve my work. I expressed my concerns directly to the editor-in-chief. To their credit, I was met with immediate thanks for flagging the issues and for documenting my investigationwhich, they said, was "concerning and revealing." Careful oversight is needed I do not have definitive proof the peer review of my manuscript was AI-generated. But the similarities between the comments left by the peer reviewer, and the output from the AI models was striking. AI models make research faster, easier and more accessible. However, their implementation as a tool to assist in peer review requires careful oversight, with current guidance on AI use in peer review being mixed, and its effectiveness unclear. If AI models are to be used in peer review, authors have the right to be informed and given the option to opt out. Reviewers also need to disclose the use of AI in their review. However, the enforcement of this remains an issue and needs to fall to the journals and editors to ensure peer reviewers who use AI models inappropriately are flagged. I submitted my research for "expert" review by my peers in the field, yet received AI-generated feedback that ultimately failed to improve my work. Had I accepted these comments without questionand if the associate editor had not provided such exemplary feedbackthere is every chance this could have gone unnoticed. My work may have been accepted for publication without being properly scrutinized, disseminated into the public as "fact" corroborated by my peers, despite my peers not actually reviewing this work themselves. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. You are here: China The third plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] The 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body, held the third plenary meeting of the ongoing annual session on Sunday. 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 CPPCC National Committee, attended the meeting. During the meeting, 14 national political advisors shared their views on a wide range of topics. Senior officials from the CPC Central Committee and the State Council were invited to hear the suggestions. Tu Haiming praised the recent positive developments in Hong Kong, saying that they once again prove that the region can always count on the motherland. He stressed the need to boost cultural confidence and national identification among local residents for the steady and continued success of "one country, two systems." Zhang Guanghan urged the swift establishment of a comprehensive cultural heritage protection framework, calling for improvements to laws and regulations, the development of new oversight means, and more efforts to raise public awareness. He added that efforts must be made to ensure the entire society participates in, supports, and promotes the systemic protection and unified oversight of cultural heritage. Zhao Yingmin called for measures to modernize environmental governance systems and capacities. Work need to be done to coordinate carbon emission reduction, pollution mitigation, green development, and economic growth, he added. More than 90 percent of village clinics in China have their services covered by basic medical insurance, a senior health official said on Sunday. Lei Haichao, head of the National Health Commission, announced the figure at a press conference held on the sidelines of the ongoing annual session of China's national legislature. There are more than 600,000 grassroots healthcare institutions in towns, communities and villages nationwide, with over 5 million health workers in service, Lei said. Over the past two years, the Ministry of Finance has spent approximately 900 million yuan (around 128.6 million U.S. dollars) to help township-level health centers in central and western regions upgrade their medical equipment, according to Lei. Looking forward, Lei said China will step up efforts to improve grassroots public medical services. By 2027, the medical resources and services of the county, townships and villages within the jurisdiction of a county will be integrated to bring more quality medical services closer to people's doorsteps, according to Lei. Artificial intelligence will also be employed to boost the capacity of grassroots medical services, said the official. The government also plans to spend more on medical and health services in 2025, according to Lei. The per capita government subsidy for basic public health services is expected to increase by 5 yuan this year, reaching 99 yuan per person, said the official, citing the government work report, which is being deliberated by national lawmakers. The adjustment will translate into further optimized public medical services, Lei noted. Estonia to Roll Out ChatGPT Edu for all Secondary Schools In a nationwide artificial intelligence program dubbed "AI Leap 2025," the country of Estonia plans to provide free access to leading AI applications for all secondary school students and teachers. The initiative will launch with a rollout of ChatGPT Edu to 20,000 high school students in grades 10-11 and their 3,000 teachers, beginning Sept. 1. Implementation will be handled by an AI Leap Foundation to be established this spring, co-founded by the Estonian government and the private sector. Teacher training will be provided in the fall, and negotiations are in progress with OpenAI and Anthropic to integrate their AI applications into Estonia's education system, with plans to add other tools as well. AI Leap 2025 builds on Estonia's historic Tiger Leap initiative, which brought computer and internet to all of the country's schools 30 years ago, President Alar Karis explained in a news announcement. "Just as the Tiger Leap program initiated the development of e-Estonia, for which we are still known internationally today, we are now starting a new chapter in the development of our education system and digital society," he noted. "Artificial intelligence has permanently changed the world, and like all sectors, the education system must adapt to these changes. By implementing the best available technology in the education system and making learning not only smarter but also more personalized with it, it will help Estonia become the world's smartest nation. This way AI Leap helps smart solutions to reach all sectors and increase the international breakthrough capability of Estonians and the Estonian economy." After the initial deployment in September, the plan is to expand the program to vocational schools and new incoming 10th grade students the following year an increase of 38,000 additional students and 2,000 teachers. "Estonia's economic competitiveness depends on how well we can prepare young people for the age of artificial intelligence," commented Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas. "In order for AI to support not only learning but also our economic growth, we will invest strongly in teacher training as part of the AI Leap. Well-prepared teachers will be able to implement AI capabilities smartly in schools." "In the future job market, the advantaged will not be those who can use AI the most, but those who can use it the smartest," added Linnar Viik, co-founder of AI Leap and one of the original architects of Tiger Leap. "The education system cannot ignore or ban new technologies. Instead, schools must lead the implementation of technology by providing a supportive framework." You are here: China China will use big data and on-the-spot investigation procedures to identify people in difficulty so that they can receive timely assistance, Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan said on Sunday. The country will continue to improve its social assistance system, Lu told a press conference on the sidelines of the ongoing session of the national legislature. Assistance includes basic livelihood, medical care, education, housing, employment, disaster relief and emergency support, according to an official guideline. China will upgrade its current civil affairs services with a focus on material aid, aiming to develop a more comprehensive model that includes material support, social services and psychological care, Lu said. 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. ON Thursday night, when hosted at the Diplomatic Centre, Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared an experience that has been preserved by the nations diaspora for 180 years. In images that have since gone viral, Modi was seen eating on the leaves of the sohari (Calathea lutea). In a social media post to Angelo Bissessarsinghs Virtual Museum of Trinidad and Tobago Facebook page, Patricia Bissessar said the serving of food on the leaves of the sohari is a practice rooted in Indo-Trinidadian cultural heritage, particularly among the Hindu community. 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. A staff member works at a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) pharmacy in Shenzhou city, north China's Hebei province, Feb. 19, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has steadily expanded its global presence in recent years, emerging as a key symbol of China's cultural diplomacy. While growth opportunities are plentiful, challenges persist in TCM's push for international recognition. During the "two sessions," members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) shared insights and strategies to advance its global reach. Healing power in action "The efficacy of TCM speaks for itself," said Xu Fengqin, a member of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC and former vice president of Xiyuan Hospital at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences. In 2022, Xu led a medical team to Cambodia, introducing TCM-based COVID-19 treatments and other therapies to local patients. At the China-aided Cambodia-China Friendship Preah Kossamak Hospital, her team established a TCM clinic to familiarize patients with the benefits of this centuries-old practice. Xu recounted one particularly notable case involving a Cambodian girl who had reportedly been deaf for 20 years. After undergoing TCM treatment, she regained her hearing and tearfully called out "Mom" for the first time. Another patient, who had been reliant on a wheelchair due to an injury, was able to walk again following treatment, demonstrating that recovery doesn't always require surgery. "Patients arrived in pain but left with joy," Xu said, emphasizing TCM's transformative impact. Over the course of a year, the medical team treated roughly 34,000 patients in Cambodia, achieving a follow-up rate of 67%. The widespread praise for TCM among Cambodian patients led to the creation of the China-Cambodia TCM Center, which now serves as a model for the localization of TCM globally. "For TCM to flourish abroad, it must not only rely on national support to 'go global.' It needs to leverage its unique strengths to establish a lasting presence and prove its efficacy to gain recognition," Xu said. "Only then can it serve as a bridge connecting people across cultures." The Cambodia case is just one example of TCM's expanding global presence. According to the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, TCM is now practiced in 196 countries and regions. China has signed TCM cooperation agreements with more than 40 foreign governments, regional authorities and international organizations. It has also established 30 high-quality TCM centers abroad, several international cooperation centers, and 31 national TCM service export hubs. Additionally, TCM has been incorporated into 16 free trade agreements, further embedding it into global economic frameworks. Innovation key to overcoming barriers Despite its growing international footprint, TCM faces hurdles in navigating divergent industry standards and regulatory frameworks, often complicating market access. Chinese enterprises have become crucial players in overcoming these challenges and advancing TCM's global reach. Geng Funeng, a deputy to the 14th NPC and chairman of Good Doctor Pharmaceutical Group, stressed the importance of innovation, standardization, and cultural adaptation in TCM's international growth. "Scientific innovation is key to TCM's global success. We must apply modern medical methodologies to analyze and explain traditional medicine, strengthen foundational research, and accelerate the development of new drugs. By adopting contemporary scientific language, we can align TCM with international standards," Geng said. He also highlighted the risks to intellectual property. Many Chinese TCM enterprises operating abroad face trademark disputes and patent invalidation cases due to weak awareness and a lack of specialized personnel. "Brand protection is crucial. Intellectual property rights are the foundation of innovation. For TCM to achieve high-quality, sustainable development, we need to intensify efforts in IP protection," he added. Geng pointed to the Belt and Road Initiative as a promising avenue to deepen TCM's global engagement. "By helping partner countries establish regulatory systems for traditional medicine and sharing China's experience, we can enhance their health care capabilities," he said. At the same time, he underscored the need to address language and cultural barriers. "We must leverage policy support and develop strategies to ensure TCM services and products meet the needs of local populations," he added. Geng suggested a two-pronged approach for TCM's internationalization: Domestically, China should improve its legal framework and create a national TCM knowledge protection registry while advocating for the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to introduce a "traditional medicine" classification. Internationally, China should participate in the development of regulatory frameworks and advocate for the establishment of global TCM standards. "Our goal is to help TCM integrate into the global medical system with a more modern and international approach," Geng said. Strengthening cooperation and cultural exchange For Song Zhaopu, a deputy to the 14th NPC and president of Jingeng Rehabilitation Hospital in Ruzhou, Henan province, advancing TCM internationally requires not only technological innovation and standardization but also cultural exchange. Song, a sixth-generation inheritor of Song-style TCM surgical therapy a practice recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage has dedicated more than 40 years to TCM's development. Last year, Song led a team on a global tour across Europe and the Americas, offering TCM treatments and conducting training programs for local practitioners. By allowing patients to experience TCM's effectiveness firsthand while nurturing local talent, Song has cultivated a new generation of international TCM practitioners. To date, he has mentored more than 10 international disciples, many of whom have established their own TCM clinics, further promoting TCM culture worldwide. "TCM is not only a vital part of Chinese culture but also China's valuable contribution to the world," Song said. "As a millennia-old medical system that remains relevant today, TCM provides a valuable alternative for global health care." 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. When Itzel Herrera was living in San Francisco, she was looking for connection. Not only was she navigating being far from all her family and friends, she also worked from home, limiting her social interaction with others. The cherry on the sundae: it was all during the pandemic. To find that connection, Herrera would walk to local coffee shops, checking out what the Bay Area had to offer. When the coffee shop was fun and inviting, shed leave feeling on top of the world, reenergized and ready to take on whatever life threw her way. But if the coffee shop wasnt welcoming, it was like a gray cloud rolled in, leaving Herrera feeling like her one chance for connection that day was a bust. Like Herrera, many of us start our mornings off at a local cafe for a cup of coffee. Its what sets the tone for the day. Sipping on a creamy coffee while taking in all the smiling faces piled in the warm, cozy space makes the painful process of getting out of bed worth it. But when the experience is overwhelming, it makes us want to crawl right back under our covers. Words like nitro, cold brew, Americano and cortado are jumbling around in your head: what do they mean??? You panic and string a few of those words together for your order. Now you're left with a bad drink and a headache. Herrera and her fiance, Jonathan Ortiz, are putting a stop to those bad experiences, creating a space where both the vibes and the coffee are great. The couple started Carino Coffee last year, a baby-pink coffee cart found inside Slow Body Beer, located at 831 E. 17th St., that incorporates classic Mexican flavors into each cup of coffee. We just want to be able to create a safe space for Latinos, Herrera said. There are some things that you can't replicate that are so specific to your culture and someone outside of the culture can't necessarily replicate that. People are always telling us, like, oh, this little cart that you guys have, it feels like an experience that we've had in Mexico City. That makes us really happy. When the couple first met, Ortiz had been working in the coffee industry for nearly a decade. Hes done everything from crafting drinks behind the coffee bar to working as a coffee roaster. Its this smooth, rich drink that connected them. Herrera said coffee is something that has been ingrained in her family and culture she fondly remembers her family gathering around for a cup. Coffee has the same impact in Ortizs family. His mother worked in agriculture, resulting in him growing lots of love for the industry. I grew up with a strong sense of respect and admiration for the agriculture industry, Ortiz said. As I learned more about coffee, the more I felt connected to it in a way that I didnt think others outside of our communities could connect to it. Since the couple goes out of their way to ensure they support local businesses, the gears started turning: what if they started their own Latino-owned coffee shop that helps the drink become more approachable and fun? Because Ortiz is the maestro de cafe, a nickname Herreras mother lovingly gave him, their dream of starting a coffee spot started to take shape. Ortiz made their cart by scratch, researching everything he needed to know when it came to creating their very own coffee bar. This baby-pink cart with a giant white espresso machine sitting atop and Carino Coffee Bar painted in big cursive letters now sits at the entrance of Slow Body Beer. Their first pop-up was held at Hotel Congress last fall. Herrera, who only expected family to stop by, was surprised when the Tucson community showed out and showered them with support and words of encouragement. From there on, this pink cart began to capture the hearts of many. When you walk into the lively and plant-filled brewery, youll spot their classic pink cart, complete with a pink drink menu. Youre instantly greeted by Herrera in her signature light pink jumpsuit, smiling as she takes your order. Now, you get watch Ortiz work his magic. The way he pulls his espresso shots is his superpower, making sure each shot is up to his standards. He can tell when something is off just by the color or scent, ensuring perfection each time your latte is served. He then turns these brown, fragrant shots into lattes that highlight different classic Mexican ingredients and flavors. Carino Coffee even works with Novela Coffee Roasters, a Latino-owned coffee roaster in Phoenix, to make sure customers are getting the best, highest quality coffee they possibly can. On the menu youll see their Miel Canela, where honey, cinnamon and milk are mixed with espresso; and La Adelita, which includes flavors like piloncillo, cinnamon, orange peel and, of course, milk and espresso. They even have a vibrant matcha drink, the Matzatli Matcha. This drink is a combination of matcha, piloncillo, pineapple and spice tepache. Recently, they introduced chocolate de agua, a drink seen in Mexico that combines rich chocolate and water. It [the menu] comes from a place of growing up far away from home, Ortiz said. So many of us that didn't get to grow up in Mexico, we didn't get to grow up with chocolate de agua or drinking tepache in a corner store. I'm trying to incorporate this through the medium of coffee and share these things with our community. Growing up, Herrera and her family would spend time in Mexico and she remembers when she and her cousins would walk to the corner store to buy chocomil (chocolate milk). She channeled that nostalgia and put it on the menu for our inner child to shriek in happiness when we see it on the menu. The chocomil, made with high-quality chocolate, mixed with Ortizs magic espresso and dusted with cinnamon is heaven in a cup. The coffee is not too sweet or too bitter, and its the perfect combination of rich coffee that gives you a kick of chocolate with every sip. Youll be so addicted youll want to recreate it yourself, pouring a Nespresso shot into milk and chocolate Nesquik powder. Trust me, I know from experience it doesnt hold a candle to Carino Coffee. My favorite part is being able to build a brand that feels really fun and femme, and on top of that, Brown, because everything is about our culture, Herrera said. I feel like that's where I find the most joy and fulfillment is being able to provide something that doesn't take itself too seriously, but we serve very serious coffee. The couple eventually wants to find their own space for Carino Coffee, but for now they are focused on continuing to provide an experience where everyone feels welcome. From the moment you first step in to when you leave with an iced coffee in hand, you can feel that Herrera and Ortiz make every little thing con mucho carino. Carino Coffee is open at Slow Body Beer from 7 a.m. to noon Thursday, Friday and Monday, and 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. weekends. Low-income and minority students at Tucson Unified School District are still struggling to close the achievement gap in English and math despite ongoing intervention efforts, data compiled from just before the pandemic until 2024 show. Arizona state test scores and data from the national Education Recovery Scorecard reveal both marginal improvement and longer-term struggles for TUSDs economically disadvantaged, Latino, Black and native students. Its worth noting that disparities between TUSDs general student population and students in minority groups are not unique to TUSD, said governing board member Natalie Luna Rose. Arizona has struggled with achievement gaps similar to those plaguing TUSD, according to both state and Education Recovery Scorecard data. While some student groups continue to need additional support, the districts targeted interventions appear to be making a positive impact, said a written statement provided by TUSDs curriculum leadership. Its important to consider when specific initiatives were introduced and how they align with broader district efforts, such as the instructional framework enhancements and teacher clarity training. State testing: Math climbs, English slides Arizona state test scores record proficiency rates, which the district uses to measure growth in-house, TUSD data chief Halley Freitas said in an email. Overall proficiency tells us the percent of students who are at or above grade level. Minimally proficiency students tell us what we need to focus on among targeted subgroups to create a multiyear proficiency plan. District officials have lasered in on minimally proficient students in TUSDs efforts to regain ground lost during the pandemic. At a TUSD board meeting in January, superintendent Gabriel Trujillo said focusing on minimally proficient students offers expedited long-term progress by forming a solid knowledge foundation. By establishing knowledge on the basics, minimally proficient students, in theory, should boost their growth potential, he said. Trujillo was unavailable this week to discuss the latest data. National data: Grade levels still uneven The Education Recovery Scorecard a collaboration between the Center for Education Research at Harvard University and the Education Opportunity Project at Stanford University takes a wide view of national data and takes state data from apples-to-oranges, to placing the varied testing methods on the same plane. Researchers used test score results from roughly 11,000 school districts in 43 states to measure the extent to which test scores changed from Spring 2019 to Spring 2022 and from Spring 2022 to Spring 2024. The researchers used the methods to put the test scores from each states tests onto a common scale, and to convert proficiency rates to grade levels of achievement. Freitas acknowledged the validity of the Education Recovery Scorecard, but indicated that because of the wide scope, it does not influence TUSDs learning recovery-related policy. The Education Recovery Scorecard is useful to compare districts against the state and the state against the nation. It is a big picture view of the impact of the pandemic/post-pandemic in terms of learning loss and recovery. The scorecard indicates TUSDs grade-level losses and gains closely mirror those of Arizona as a whole. Although there has been some recovery, the Education Recovery Scorecard shows, Latino, Black and economically disadvantaged students have continued to regress in grade levels, even after the implementation of the districts learning recovery efforts. The Education Recovery Scorecard did not provide data for Native American students. TUSD relied on COVID relief funds Tucson Unified School District used $3.6 million of its ESSER III federal COVID relief dollars on learning recovery specialists. That round of pandemic relief funding brought a total of $172.9 million to the district. Other COVID relief-funded learning recovery efforts employed by the district include adding social worker, counselor and tutor positions. Academic loss expenditures covered by federal pandemic relief funds also paid for summer school. After pandemic relief funds expired last fall, the district arguably fought to keep the specialists interventionists and return to instruction (RTI) professionals on TUSDs roster. Interventionists design and plan individualized work with students, using data to identify who needs extra help and to evaluate which techniques and materials best meet those students needs. Response to intervention teachers, or RTIs, primarily work with grades 6-8 and are embedded within classes. Within the last year, TUSD regained oversight of desegregation funds. In order to pay for the learning recovery specialists, desegregation money was shifted to cover the cost to keep interventionists and RTIs, a move that infuriated some of the districts stakeholders. District officials in support of rerouting desegregation funds argued that students meant to benefit from the desegregation order would work with interventionists and RTIs the most. Tucson Unified School District governing board member Dr. Ravi Shah is one of those supporters. (Learning recovery specialists) are working predominantly with students of color, he said. Even though the deseg case is over and court supervision is over, the work of deseg is continuing. We want to address disparities and do what we can to make sure that our African American and Mexican Americans and other minority students are getting resources to succeed when so many challenges are in their way. Freitas said that although there are differences between the data compiled by the state and that assembled for the Education Recovery Scorecard, both have value. Districts and states (TUSD included) still have plenty of work to do to regain learning losses that were a result of COVID, Freitas said in a statement. This data also underscores the importance of in-person quality education and how quickly students become negatively affected when the education system is disrupted, especially for students in poverty. The Education Recovery Scorecard data indicated current efforts are not working, says Val Romero, a board member. It would be helpful to have those numbers assembled at the building level, he added. I have heard positive stories where these interventionists have turned kids around that were not doing well, and were able to sit down with them more individually, Romero said. Luna Rose said, Im not really surprised at the test scores, but Im hopeful. Were starting to see the incremental change. Luna Rose said the data should be looked at from a wide view. I would like the district to take this data and look at it, as, this is where we are, this is where were excelling at, this is where were not and then you make a plan of attack. Still, its not just about the numbers, she added. I think we as adults also are so focused in on those nuances that were forgetting that these are actual kids taking these tests. 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. MUSKOGEE More than 80 years after it downed its last enemy vessel, the twin foes of time and the elements are not making retirement easy for a former World War II submarine. But hopes are buoyant that the USS Batfish, which has called Muskogee home for over 50 years, can be saved. The vessel has been closed to the public since 2019, when it was damaged and displaced from its foundation by Arkansas River flooding. However, a plan that would establish a new home for the 312-foot-long retired Navy sub and a companion war memorial museum is in the works, officials announced this week. The plan, which calls for the vessel to move to a new site at Port Muskogee's Three Forks Harbor, will ensure the Batfish's future, officials said, saving it from most likely having to be permanently dismantled. A final cost for the project is not yet known, but it's believed to be around $28 million. Federal and state funding, both to be determined, will cover part of it, with a capital campaign launching soon to encourage private donations. "There's only a handful of these submarines still left in existence, and most of them are in pretty poor condition," said James Gulley, chairman of the War Memorial Park Authority. "Ours is still pristine. That's why it's so important to save this particular boat. We're going to build a better park that really honors the people that served on the Batfish." Just moving the vessel to the new site represents the biggest chunk of the cost, at about $20 million. The submarine and a current museum are at War Memorial Park, about two miles north of Three Forks Harbor on the Arkansas River. The Batfish will be moved to its new home partly by water, a massive undertaking that includes building two 300-foot boat ramps. "We have a plan that we know will work," Gulley said. He said the move will start with four cranes loading the Batfish onto a 42-axle trailer. It will then be driven to a point a mile upriver, where it will be loaded onto a barge for transport to the new site. Following the 2019 flood, which submerged the park and floated the vessel off its foundation, the original plan was to keep the sub at the current location. But that option is no longer a good one, Gulley said. Access to the original site is now limited by a permanent berm, which was erected to protect the city's water treatment plant nearby as part of critical flood mitigation efforts. "If we can't move it, it will just eventually start rusting away, and will have to be cut up or scrapped," Gulley said. "And if we lose the Batfish, this next generation won't know the sacrifices and how difficult it was to serve in a submarine." Distinguished service The Batfish, launched in 1943, distinguished itself in the Pacific war, sinking three enemy subs and 11 other enemy vessels. Retired from duty in 1946, the vessel was reactivated in 1952 as a training ship in the Caribbean. The Batfish was retired for a final time in 1969 timing that coincided with efforts in Oklahoma to adopt a retired submarine, as had been done with similar old subs. Originally destined for Tulsa, the turns in the river proved too difficult for the towed submarine to navigate. The Batfish made it as far as Muskogee. It officially opened to the public there in 1972. Before 2019, the park was drawing 50,000 people a year to visit the submarine and museum, Gulley said. The museum the artifacts of which represent several American wars and include the mast from the USS Oklahoma is an important part of the new project. About $8 million of the remaining funding will go to build a new and improved Oklahoma War Memorial & Museum. Upgrades over the current one will include interactive displays and exhibits. The project is being helmed by Narrate Design and Hampton Creative, the same firms handling the renovation in Muskogee of the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. Part of total project funding will come from FEMA, the amount of which they expect to know soon, Gulley said. They plan to ask the state to match it. "That's going to be our ask," Gulley said, adding that then they'll know how much they'll need to raise privately. Gulley said the park has always drawn its share of veterans, many of them in town for services at the VA Medical Center. "We want to make it right and really do justice for all of our veterans that come through here," he said. Gulley said Oklahomans and veterans are encouraged to contact state lawmakers to voice their support for the project. It's drawing support from some already. In a joint statement Sen. Avery Frix, along with Reps. Neil Hays, Tim Turner and Chris Sneed, said: "The USS Batfish is a vital component of both Oklahoma's heritage and the Muskogee community and its preservation is critical to honoring our veterans. We stand united in supporting efforts to restore and relocate this important landmark to ensure the Batfish remains a source of pride and place of remembrance for generations to come." Kevin Canfield Tulsa World Reporter Follow Kevin Canfield 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 Three development firms with extensive experience in the hospitality industry have been selected by the city to submit proposals for a downtown convention headquarters hotel. The companies are Hines Interests Limited Partnership, Matthews Southwest Hospitality and Portman Holdings. Hines was the developer behind the Galleria in Dallas, which includes a 431-room Westin Hotel. Matthews Southwest was the lead developer for the Omni Dallas Convention Center Hotel, and Portman was a partner in the construction of the Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City, which is adjacent to the Salt Palace Convention Center. These three developers have worked in building hotels that are 500 rooms and above, and they are complementary to a convention center, and the amenities they provide are things like a coffee shop, a restaurant, a bar, places where people can network, said Renee McKenney, senior vice president of tourism for the Tulsa Regional Chamber. This type of hotel needs to be a corporate convention hotel. The city took the first major step toward constructing a downtown convention hotel late last year when it issued a request for qualifications. Four companies responded. Plans call for the hotel to be built on property currently occupied by the Police Courts Building, 600 Civic Center Plaza, which is next door to the Arvest Convention Center and a block from the BOK Center. It would include as many as 650 rooms. Erran Persley, the citys economic development director, said requests for proposals will be sent to the selected developers in the next few weeks with responses expected within 60 to 90 days. City officials plan to have a developer selected by the end of this year. We are going to be looking for how they would design the hotel, how they would address parking for the hotel and address the financials for the hotel, Persley said. Each one may have a very different perspective. Some may want to finance the hotel themselves; some may want to look for owner-operation rights or something of that nature; some work with a third-party or a different company that would actually come in and run the project that they build. So were expecting to have different options from these three developers, and we will then look to find what option works best for the city in terms of financial, design and those things. The estimated cost of the project is between $350 million and $390 million. Robin Hunden, CEO of Hunden Partners, a destination real estate development company that has been working with the city on the project, has said previously that typically the developer provides 30% to 50% of funding with local government incentives filling the gap. In an addendum to its request for qualifications, the city spelled out several options for where the public dollars could be found: The City has identified the on-site sales tax, hotel tax, and property tax for the headquarters hotel, Oklahomas Leverage Act which makes available the states portion of the sales tax generated by the hotel, and access to some portion of the Citys adjacent municipally owned parking facilities as potential funding tools available to support the private sectors investment in the hotel, the document states. Persley said the reference to sales and property taxes pertains to the possible creation of a Tax Increment Financing district. TIFs are a development tool used by government entities to incentivize development. Typically, sales or property taxes sometimes both are frozen and future tax collections beyond that baseline are poured back into the project and used to fund city improvements. What remains unclear is when the hotel will be built. Early projections optimistic, to be sure had the hotel completed sometime in 2026. That wont happen. Before the Police Courts Building can be demolished, the city must first move the Police Department, Municipal Court and Tulsa Area Emergency Management Agency out of that building and into the new Public Safety Center in east Tulsa. City officials last week could not provide a move-in date, noting that the timelines for the projects are indeed linked and have not been finalized. It is not expected to be anytime soon, however, since the city has yet to hire a construction manager to oversee the remodeling of the former State Farmer Insurance office complex that will serve as home to the Public Safety Center. The roughly 305,000-square-foot structure is just north of the Broken Arrow Expressway and west of 129th East Avenue near the Tulsa Health Departments James O. Goodwin Health Center. Persley acknowledged that the timeline moving forward is not set in stone but that the city is looking to open the hotel sometime in 2029. "It is just very, very important to keep emphasizing time and time again the magnitude of what this hotel will do for Tulsa, in terms of attracting more business to the area, expanding our ability to host things at the Arvest Convention Center," Persley said. "This is a pivotal part of growing downtown." The Tulsa World is where your story lives